MASTER 
 
 NEGATIVE 
 
 NO . 92 -804 74 
 
MICROFILMED 1992 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES/NEW YORK 
 
 as part of the 
 "Foundations of Western Civilization Preservation Project" 
 
 Funded by the 
 NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES 
 
 Reproductions may not be made without permission from 
 
 Columbia University Library 
 
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT 
 
 The copyright law of the United States - Title 17, United 
 States Code - concerns the making of photocopies or other 
 reproductions of copyrighted material... 
 
 Columbia University Library reserves the right to refuse to 
 accept a copy order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order 
 would involve violation of the copyright law. 
 
A UTHOR : 
 
 SEWEL WILLIAM 
 
 TITLE: 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 RISE, INCREASE, AND 
 
 PLACE: 
 
 LONDON 
 
 DA TE : 
 
 1811 
 
Restrictions on Use: 
 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 
 PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARfiFT 
 
 Master Negative # 
 
 Original Material as Filmed - Existing Bibliographic Record 
 
 i93a.9GjS'^wlLl^ill^m. iQ.53-n?.o.r 
 
 ;Se.a 
 
 rli^sTory ot tK^ t\s^...o\t\q pro^re.55 
 
 ' y' 
 
 ITV 
 
 O 
 
 LciY\doT\| la 1 1. 
 
 38221; 
 
 0. iv. 
 
 TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA 
 
 FILM SIZE: S.5j(?^'^_ 
 
 IMAGE PLACEMENT: lA filA) IB 
 DATE FILMED: J^JCifeSL,. 
 
 IIB 
 
 REDUCTION RATIO: J]^ 
 
 FILMED BY: RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS. INC WOODBRIDGE. CT 
 
 .__ INITIALS 
 
VOLUME 1 
 
r 
 
 Association for Information and Imago Managomont 
 
 1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 1100 
 Silver Spring. Maryland 20910 
 
 301/587-8202 
 
 
 Centimeter 
 
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 mm 
 
 lllllllllllMlllllllllllllllllllll 
 
 TTT 
 
 |4+ 
 
 llMlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllli|l|ll|l|ll|llllllllllll»lil'lillllMl 'nN^ 
 
 w 
 
 Inches 
 
 2 3 
 
 TTT 
 
 1.0 !:' 
 
 2.8 i 2.5 
 
 
 i» 111 
 
 ■ M _ 
 
 u 
 
 ■iuu 
 
 I.I 
 
 1.25 
 
 1.4 
 
 2.2 
 
 2.0 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.6 
 
 nw 
 
 #1 
 
 MfiNUFflCTURED TO flllM STRNDORDS 
 BY APPLIED IMflGEp INC. 
 

 
 fct. 
 
 '.I- h3r 
 
 ff i 
 
 C- 
 
 
 > 
 
 ■.-4' 
 
 ?"?/' 
 
 Lft- 
 
 
 ><-:?f^ 
 
 i-ii 
 
 t-"'l' 
 
 ■-1 
 
 ..<-,**- i< 
 
 ?f 
 
 
 1 1 r 
 «'4 
 
 
 
 
 t'*'. is 
 
 'M^ 
 
 ift%' 
 
 #! 
 
 .•tj. 
 
 \-r 
 
 r*>i*' 
 
 ^fi^'. 
 
 ^/> 
 
 
 
 <V'.'> 
 
 
 *, V y% 
 
 -- '■■■ :'r-^ 
 
 
v.. 
 
 ♦• 
 
 Columijia ®nibersittp 
 
 intf)eCitpof^eto|9ork 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 t!| 
 
y 
 
 THE 
 
 H I S T O R Y 
 
 OP THE 
 
 
 RISE, increase; and PROGRESS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 QUAKERS. 
 
 INTERMIXED WITH SEVERAL REMARKABLE OCCURRENCE:. 
 
 WRITTEN OHIGINALLY IN LOW DUTCH, 
 
 AND^ALSO TRANSLATED BY HIMSELF INTO ENGLISH. 
 
 By WILLIAM SEWEL. 
 
 THE FIFTH EDITION, 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 • VOL. I. 
 
 ON DON : 
 
 rRINTED BY WiLLFAM PhILLIPS, OEOROE YARD, LOMBARD STRCIT« 
 
 i8i: , ^ 
 
 
fU 
 
 I ( ■ 
 
 ^ 
 
 TO 
 
 5 4092 
 
 191V1AR-84 
 
 Prori Lrbrnry of 
 Henry C Llurphu, 
 
 GEORGE, 
 
 KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, IRELAND, S^c. 
 
 PRINCE ELECTOR OE BRUNStnCK LVKENBURG, V,. 
 
 Great and Mighty Prince^ 
 
 As there is a great variety in the inch-nations of men 
 i^^l-A^K ' r , " '' particularly remarkable in thofe who 
 add,a themfelves to the ftudies of nature and human lite- 
 rature : for fome with great eagemcfs enquire into the 
 operations of nature, aad the natural caufes of things • 
 lome endeavour to dig up antiquities from the dark, by 
 fearchmgout the fignificatlon of ftatues, the infcriptions o£ 
 antique ftones, and old and almoft worn out medals ; and 
 others^ perufe with unwearied diligence, the hiftories both 
 ot niodern and ancient times ; and not without good caufe : 
 for hiftory .s not unjuftly called the looking-giafs of human 
 lite ; not only becaufe it flieweth unto us matters of faft 
 which are either commendable or rcproveable, and we 
 behold therein that which is pall, as if it were prefent ; but 
 alio becaufe from things which have already happened we 
 may learn what is beft for us to do, and what we ought to 
 avoid. And therefore great benefit may be reaped from 
 the reading of hiftories, befides the pleafurc which the 
 variety of tranfaftions affords to our fenfes, when matters 
 are accompanied with Angular circumftances, and unex- ' 
 pe«ed events. 
 
 Now, fince the reading of hiftorlcal treatifcs was one of 
 tbe mdt picafant divcrfions of my youth, this drew me 
 when I attained to fome maturity of age, to enquire after 
 many things that had happened in thy kingdoms and domi- 
 
 a% 
 
IV 
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 Bions, which by many were almoft forgotten. And havine 
 gathered great ftore of very remarkable cafes, which I 
 thought worthy to be kept upon record, and not buried 
 in obhvion, I was induced to compofc an hiftory, which 
 contains fuch rare occurrences, and unufual matters as I 
 beheve, are not cafiiy paralleled. 
 
 And after a long and difficult labour having at length 
 finilhed the work, fo far as to expofe it to publick view ; 
 and then thinking to whom I fliould dedicate it, it prefemly 
 came into my mind, that this could not be done more fuit- 
 ably to any, than to the king of thefe countries, which are 
 the chief theatre of this hiftory ; and the rather, becaufe 
 therein >s defcribed the rife of a people, who are no fmall 
 part of his faithful fubjefts, (for fo I may fafely call them) 
 fince they never, how much foever wronged and oppreffed, 
 offered any rcfiflance to the government j and when fo^ 
 confcience-fake they could not comply with what wa* 
 required of them, by patient fufFering they fhewed their 
 iubjeftion and obedience to the higher power. Nay 
 when opportunity was offered to revenge themfelves of 
 their enemies, even then they would not, but left it to the 
 Lord ; and thus at all times they behaved themfelves like 
 a peaceable people. 
 
 And fince I have alfo liad occaCon in this hiflory to 
 mention fome illuftrious branches of thy royal family, to 
 whom could I with more juftice offer this work, than to 
 
 , r'.r , "^ n '^■'^^^ ^'■"^'"' ^^°' having already made 
 thyfelf glonoufly renowned by .thy eminent clemency, 
 bellowed even upon fuch who by their unnatural rebellion 
 had forfeited it, didft rather choofc to eflablifh thy throne 
 thereby, than by feverity, and thus effeaually to obferve 
 this leffon of the wifeft of kings, "Mercy and truth pre- 
 Ifrve the king, and his throne is upholden by mercy." 
 
 All this hath emboldened me, great king, to dedicate 
 this work to thee, with due regard, and in a way of humble 
 addrefs to approach thy royal prefence. Be pleafed, 
 therefore, according to thy wonted goodnefs, to excufe 
 tins modefl freedom ; and to know, that though it be 
 ottered by a foreigner, yet it proceeds from him who 
 
 DEDICATION. y 
 
 heartily wiflieth that God may vouchfafe thee long to 
 reign in peace and tranquillity over thy fubjefts ; and when 
 removed hence from an earthly and perilhing diadem, to 
 grant thee an heavenly and incorruptible crown of glory : 
 which is the unfeigned defirc of. 
 
 Great and mighty Prince, 
 
 Thy affeftionate and fincere well-wiflier, 
 
 WILLIAM SEWEL. 
 
THE 
 
 P R E F A C fir 
 
 jnLFTER a labour of more than five and twenty years, 
 this hiflory at length appears in publick view; to the 
 compiling of which I was induced from the confideration 
 that the rife and increafe of that religious fociety, which in 
 this work I have given a circumftantial account of, is 
 indeed fo rare and wonderful a thing, that I think few will 
 be met with in modern hiftories, which in the like refpeft 
 may be compared therewith ; becaufe the Quakers, fo 
 called, are become a great people, under fuch heavy op- 
 preflion as is herein after mentioned : and that not by any 
 human power, or making refiftance, but merely ^bj an 
 harmlefs deportment, and the exercifing of patience; for 
 bearing arms and refifting the wicked by fighting, they 
 always have counted unlawful, and contrary to the doftrine 
 of our Saviour. Thus they who had no king, prince, nor 
 potentate to proteft them ; and who in the beginning had 
 not among themfclves any man of renown or literature, but 
 relying on their integrity, and trufting to God alone ; have 
 at length triumphed over the malice of their oppofers, by 
 fuffering Cwhich rofe to that degree that it was at the ex- 
 pence of the lives of many of them; under violent oppref- 
 fion from high and low, and the oppofition of learned and 
 unlearned. 
 
 All this after much fearch, being found out by affiduous 
 diligence, appeared fo wonderful to me, that I refolved to 
 give a relation thereof, notwithftanding the great labour I 
 foon perceived this work required. To this may be added, 
 that when I confidered that feveral authors, both Germans 
 and others, had publifhcd books and accounts of this 
 
 a 4 
 
VUl 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 people ftuffed with grofs untruths, I w^s the tnore fpurred. 
 on thereby to fet down in due order, for my countrymen's 
 fake, what I knew of the matter ; for it feems indeed to 
 be of fmall advantage that when any thing is well knowi? 
 to us, we keep that knowledge only to ourfelves,* withou**; 
 imparting it to othtrs. 
 
 Now how difficult foever I found it, yet having made a 
 • beginning, I refolved to go on ; and fo I did, though often 
 flopped by feveral accidents, and alfo other work : for 
 during this labour I have not only tranflatsd feveral bulky 
 books into Dutch, befides Kenneths Antiquities of Rome, 
 but alfo compofed feveral treatifes of moment, and among 
 thefe my great dictionary, Englifli and Low Dutch. And 
 notwiihftanding all thefe impediments, I continually refumed 
 this work by intervals fo often, that 1 have written it almoft 
 ihrice to make it complete : for doubting of' fome things 
 and finding others defe£live, it made me write to England 
 for better information ; which having gotten at length, 
 after much pains and long writing, I was feveral times, 
 obliged to lay afide part of my former defcription and 
 make a new one ; which happened fo often that had I not 
 bee^ fupported by an unwearied application, the difficuhy 
 of the labour, which hath been much greater in Holland, 
 than if I had compofed the work in England, would have 
 made me give it over. But I went on, and fo finifhed this 
 hiflory in that form as it now appears. 
 
 And I am not without thoughts, that I was prepared to 
 be inflrumental for fuch a work as' this: for feveral re- 
 ^ makable things I have made ufe of, I had noted down 
 before ever 1 thought of compofing fuch a hiflory ; and 
 even in my young years, when I was in England, I copied' 
 out from manufcripts feveral pieces and letters, which are 
 inferted in this hiflory: it may be hardly to be found 
 clfewhere. 
 
 At the firfl fight perhaps fome will be ready to think 
 that I might have fuperfeded this labour, fmce the learned 
 world hath long ago feen a book written by Gerard Croefe, 
 with the title of Hifloria quakeriana. But be it known to 
 the reader, that though the author got the chief contents 
 
 * Scire tuum nihil efl, nifi te fcirc hoc fciat alter— P^rj. Sat. I. 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 IX 
 
 thereof from me, yet that relation which he gives of the 
 rife and progrefs of the Quakers, is very imperfeft and de- 
 'feffive ; and that he prefumed to relate things of which he 
 had no true knowledge. I gave him indeed many things 
 in writing, but not all I had collefted ; befides having fincc 
 that time written to my acquaintance in England, I got 
 narratives of many remarkable occurrences given forth in 
 print there, and many authentic pieces in manufcript. Now 
 though this colle<ftion was, as Ovid called the chaos, 
 * Budis indigejiaqiie moles ^ * a rude undigeflcd heap ;' )'et 
 from thence, and from my own colleftion of matters known 
 to mc, I have compiled the greatefl part of this hiflory : 
 but as to the life and tranfadlions of G. Fox, who is large- 
 ly treated of in this work, I took them chiefly from his 
 journal ; and the greatefl part of other occurrences, or 
 the lives and tranfa<^ions of others, I have taken from 
 the works of deceafed authors ; and out of abundance of 
 fmall books publiflied in print not long after the things 
 happened and not contradifted, by whatever Icould learn. 
 
 Thus I have endeavoured to affert nothing but what I 
 had good authority for ; which, in regard of fome circum- 
 flances, would have been yet far more difficult after the 
 expiration of fome years : for now time gave opponunity 
 to be informed of many things, which fome ancient people 
 had yet remembrance of, and which after their dcceafe 
 perhaps would have been buried in oblivion. 
 
 I cannot well omit here publickly to acknowledge the 
 fignat kindnefs and diligence of my well-beloved and much 
 efieemed friend Theodore Ecclefton, of London, who hath 
 furnifhed me with abundance of materials, not only very 
 ufcful, but alfo abfolutely neceifary for the compiling 6f 
 this work: from him I had intelligence on that account, 
 and have exchanged a multitude of letters. And thus by 
 a long-continued correfpondence I came to be acquainted 
 with many things and circumflances, v/hicb after fome 
 .years might have been more difficult to obtain. 
 
 Add to this, that I have defcrlbed feverai things well 
 known to me, which few befides myfclf v/ithin thefe thirty 
 or forty years had better knowledge of. I have alfo men- 
 tioned feveral reAiarkable cafes, vvhich I noted down from 
 
% PREFACE. 
 
 the mouths of credible perfons, who have been dead many 
 years, and thought not that at any time I fliould have pub- 
 lifhed them in print. In the mean-while I took account of 
 what fcemed to me worthy to be left upon record, and 
 collcfted a great quaniity of books, wherein many occur- 
 rences mentioned in this hiftory were relared. Of fuch 
 kind of relations and accounts I have made ufe of, without 
 taking from thence all that was remarkable : for it hath 
 not been for want of matter that this hiftory hath not run 
 out farther, fince I could have made it thrice as big, if I 
 had been minded fo to do. But as I was unwilling to ex- 
 tend my work any farther than my ftrength and health in 
 all probability fliould permit, fo I would not glut my reader 
 with many things of one and the fame nature; but have 
 endeavoured by variety of matter, to quicken his appetite ; 
 and therefore have intermixed the ferious part fometimes 
 with a facetious accident. 
 
 Yet I have not thought myfelf bound to take notice of 
 every odd cafe that may have happened among the 
 Quakers, fo called : for there have converfed among them 
 fuch who afted fome particular things that were not ap- 
 proved of by thofe of that fociety. And if any one, 
 fwayed by human pafTion, commits any excefs which is 
 difapprovcd o^ by his fellow members of the church, fuch 
 an a6t may not be duly imputed to the people he makes 
 profeffion with. Among fuch particulars may be reckoned 
 the cafe of one Hefter Biddle, which Croefc makes men- 
 tion of about the end of his hiftory. For though it was 
 told him from the relation (lie gave of it at Amfterdam, 
 not with any intention that he fliould publifli it, yet this 
 was a particular cafe which flie herfelf muft be refponfible 
 for; fince experience hath taught that imagination fome- 
 times works fo powerfully on the mind, that one thinks 
 himfclf obliged to do a thing which were better left un- 
 done. 
 
 Yet for all that, it is true, that men fearing God, may 
 miftakc, and through ignorance do fomething, which others 
 not without reafon might judge not commendable. Alfo 
 it may happen that fome again, from a godly fear, have 
 •milted what oilicrs, no lefs piou^^ would not have fcruplcd. 
 
 PREFACE* 
 
 XI 
 
 I 
 
 And though fome among the CKiakers, in the beginning of 
 their rife, for fear of tranfgrelTxng Chrift's command, *' Be 
 not ye called Rabbi, for one is your Mafter, even Chrift/' 
 fpeaking toperfons in authority, called them by the name 
 of Friend ; yet others of the fame perfuafion have not 
 therefore thought themfelves bound to refufe to magiftrates 
 their djftinguiiliing titles of magiftracy. Nay, if any, for 
 fome fpecial reafon, may not have given a full or direft 
 linfwer to a query, yet others of the fame fociety have not 
 looked upon this as a pattern to imitate. For the mofl: 
 eminent valiants among this people in the beginning, were 
 pot men of note or learning, though of great courage ; 
 infomuch jthat their immoveable ftedfaftnefs fometimes fo 
 exafperated their enemies, that their fear of doing or 
 omitting any thing which they judged would difpleafc 
 God, often hath been ftamped with the odious denomina- 
 tion of ftubbornnt fs and ftiffneckednefs ; but they have 
 ^orne this patienti/, believing that it was their duty to 
 pcrfevere immoveably in minding their Chriftian profeffion, 
 and in frequenting their religious aflTemblies* And that 
 fuch a ftedfaftnefs was the duty of a Chriftian, feems alfo 
 to have been the judgment of the authors of the confeflion 
 of faith of the reformed churches in the Netherlands, Art. 
 xxviii. where it is faid, that it is the office or duty of all 
 believers, to feparate themfelves according to the word of 
 God, from thofe that are not of the church ; and to join 
 to this congregation, in what place foever God hath placed 
 jthem, though the magiftrates and edi£ls of princes were 
 jagainft it ; and that death or any corporeal punifliment 
 was annexed to it. 
 
 It is true, there have been fuch among the Quakers, 
 who were exceeding bold in reprefenting to their enemies 
 their evil behaviour and deportment ; but this hath been 
 a peculiar talent of pious men, of whom examples are ex- 
 tant in the book of martyrs, viz. that fome of them in 
 very plain terms told their perfecutors of their wickednefs. 
 Very remarkable jn that refpeft is the fpeech of John 
 MoUeus, who about the year 1653, being prifoner at Rome, 
 without any diffimulation expofed to publick view the 
 wicked lives of the cardinals and bifliops, who were ordered 
 
Ml 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Xlll 
 
 by the pope to examine him. The like boldnefs appears 
 alfo in the letter of Hans van Ovendara, to the magiftrate$ 
 of Ghent in Flanders, as may be feen in the Mirror of 
 Martyrs of the Baptifls ; from whence it appears, that the 
 Quakers have not been the only people who have told 
 their perfecutors very boldly of their wicked deportment 
 and cruelty. 
 
 It cannot be denied that there have been at times among 
 this fociety fome people of an odd behaviour, who in 
 procefs of time embraced ftrange opinions and perverfe 
 notions ; but that is no new thing, fince this hath happened 
 alfo among thofe of other perfuafions, though none of 
 thefe would allow that this was the confequence or effeft 
 of their doarinc. We find in Sacred Writ, that even in 
 the primitive Chriftian church there were apoftates ; either 
 fuch as maintained ftrange doarine, as the Nicolaitanes ; 
 or fuch w^ho finding the ftrait way too narrow for them, 
 left it, and like Demas, falling in love again with the 
 world, entered into the broad way. And therefore it can 
 now, no more than then, be argued from thence, that the 
 exorbitancios to which fome launched out, were the effefts 
 of the doarine ihey forfook. 
 
 Since in this hiftory fome prediftions are alfo mentioned, 
 and that fome biaffed by prejudice will perhaps look upon 
 them as frivolous, imagining that the Quakers pretend to 
 have the fpirit of prophcfy; I will anfwer to this, that 
 though among thoufands^of them there may have been one 
 that prophetically foretold a thing, which afterwards truly 
 happened ; yet others of that fociety prefumed to have 
 that gift lio more than to have that of being a preacher ; 
 and all are not called to that work. There muft be ante- 
 ceffors and leaders in the religious economy, as well as ia 
 the politick ftate: for if every one not qualified fhould 
 affume the office of governing, things would foon run into 
 confufion. Now though fome have had this falfe conceit, 
 that to be able to predift future things was a quality the 
 Quakers attributed to themfelves ; as proceeding from 
 their doftrine, that Chriftians ought to be led by the Spirit 
 of God; yet this is a very finifter and prepofterous conceit ; 
 for what they fay concerning the leading and guiding 
 
 of the Spint of God, is agreeable with the doarine of the 
 
 apofUe who faith, « As many as are led by the Soirit of 
 
 God, they are the fons of God.- And this was alfo the 
 
 doarine of the firft reformers. What muft we think then 
 
 of thofe who will not be led by this fpirit, but call this 
 
 doarine by the odious denomination of enthufiafm ? The 
 
 fame apoftle tells us alfo, « If any have not the Soirit of 
 
 Chrift, he is none of his.'* And he faith alfo, " The ma- 
 
 nifcftation of the Spirit i. given to every man to profit 
 
 withaL ^ But from thence it doth in no wife foRow that 
 
 the ipirit of prophefy is given to every one; neither that 
 
 although It might pleafe God to reveal to one a thincr 
 
 which yet was to come, fuch an one therefore was endued 
 
 with fuch a prophetical fpirit, that he was able at any time 
 
 to predia future things. ^ 
 
 If this pofition be true, then thofe of other perfuafions 
 
 might alfo lay claim to that prerogative ; becaufe amon^r 
 
 them fometnnes there have been pious men who prediaed 
 
 remarkable things, which afterwards really happened ; a. 
 
 among the reft James Uftier, archbiftiop of Armaoh, and 
 
 primate of Ireland, who foretold the rebellion in Ireland 
 
 iorty years before it came to pafs ; befides the inteftine war 
 
 and miferies that befei England, .md other things that were 
 
 fulfilled : which leads us not to rejea as frivolous his pre- 
 
 diaion of the dreadful perfecution that would fall upon all 
 
 he Proteftant churcXies by the Papifts ; for though one of 
 
 his friends once objeaed to him, that frnce Great Britain 
 
 and Ireland had already fufFered fo deeply, there was 
 
 reafon to hope that the judgments of God in refpea of 
 
 hefe kingdoms might have been paft ; yet he replied to 
 
 It, Fool not yourfelves with fuch hopes, for I tell you all 
 
 \. C2T'^"' ^''° ^"'^ ^' ^" ^"^ ^'^^ ^^S^*""'"g -f furrows, 
 to what IS yet to come upon the Proteftant churches of 
 Chnft, who will ere long fall under a fliarper perfecution 
 than ever yet hath been upon them. And therefore look 
 
 n the temple befo^ the altar :, for Chrift will meafure all 
 thofe that profefs his name, and call themfelves his people: 
 and the outward worfliippers hewiJl leave out, to be trod' 
 den down by the Gentiles. The outward court is the 
 
XIT 
 
 ^REPACK* 
 
 formal Chriflian, whofe religion lies in performing the out- 
 fide duties of Chriftianity, without having an inward lifd 
 and power of faith and love, uniting them to Chrift : and 
 thefe God will leave to be trodden down and fwept away 
 by the Gentiles. But the worfhippers within the temple 
 and before the altar, are thofe who indeed worfliip God 
 in Spirit and in truth ; whofe fouls are made his temples, 
 and he is honoured and adored in the moft inward thoughts 
 of their hearts ; and ihey facrifice their lufts and vile 
 afFe£tions, yea, and their own wills to him ; and thefe God 
 will hide in the hollow of his hand, and under the fhadow 
 of his \vings. And this fhall be the great difference 
 between this laft. and all the other preceding perfecutions ; 
 for in the former the moft eminent and fpiritual minifters 
 and Chriftians did generally fuffer moft, and were moft 
 violently fallen upon ; but in this laft perfecution thefe 
 fliall be preferved by God as a feed to partake of that 
 glory which fliall immediately follow and come upon the 
 church, as foon as ever this ftorm fliall be over ; for as it 
 fliall be the ftiarpeft, fo it fhall be the fliorteft perfecution 
 of them all, and fhall only take away the grofs hypocrites 
 and formal profcflbrs ; but the true fpiritual believers 
 fliall be preferved till the calamity be over paft.* 
 
 If any now-a-days ftiould fpeak at this rate, it is cre- 
 dible that many who think themfelvcs to be good Chrif- 
 tians, would decry this as mere enthufiafm. But the faid 
 bifhop is ftill in fuch great repute with the learned, and 
 hath obtained fuch an high efteem by his writings, that 
 his words are likely to be of more weight with many, 
 than thofe of other pious men. And therefore I was 
 willing to renew them, and revive his memory, if perhaps 
 this might make fome impreflion upon the minds of any : 
 for this is a certain truth, that no outward performances 
 will avail any, if they do not worfliip God in fpirit and in 
 truth ; for fuch worfliippers God feeks, according to what 
 our Saviour himfelf faid ; befides, that " Not every one 
 that faith to him, Lord, Lord, fliall enter into the king- 
 dom of heaven :" nay, when many in that day will fay to 
 him, " Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name ?'* H« 
 
 rREFACE. 
 
 XT 
 
 will fay to them, ^' I never knew you ; depart from flic 
 '* ye that work iniquity." 
 
 As the many fingular cafes related in this hiftory will 
 afford no unpleafmg entertainment to curious readers, fo 
 they will be found alfo inftruftive ; for we fliall not only 
 meet with inftances of true piety and love to one's neigh- 
 bour, and of faints triumphing on their death beds, and 
 alfo with remarkable examples of finners truly penitent at 
 the hour of death ; but we may alfo find here abundance 
 of proofs of a peaceable behaviour : for the Quakers, fo 
 called, have not plotted againft the government, nor 
 meddled with treafonable praftices or rebellions : and how 
 much foever they were oppreffed, yet they always were 
 quiet, and never made any refiftance ; but with an harmlef; 
 patience they have borne their moft heavy oppreflTions and 
 injuries, and fo at length overcame : for to be fubjeft to 
 magiftracy hath always been one of their principles ; and 
 that they were really dutiful fubjefts, they have fliewed at 
 all times, by paying obedience to the higher power, in 
 all they could do with a good confcience. And when 
 any thing was required of them, which from a reverential 
 refpeft to God they durft not do, or omit ; they have 
 fhewed their obedience by fuffering, without making any 
 refiftance, or joining with others who were inclined 
 thereto. 
 
 Now though many have made it their bufinefs to rc- 
 prefent them in odious colours, and to write great lintruths 
 concerning them; nay, to faften doftrines upon them 
 which they never approved, and that not a few of the 
 learned have contended againft them with their pens ; 
 yet among thefe there have alfo been fuch, who though 
 they never joined with, yet gave a good account and 
 favourable tcftimony concerning them, as may be fecn in 
 Richard Claridge's anfwcr to a book of Edward Cockfon, 
 page 266, and feq. And at Amfterdam in Holland, many 
 years ago, a learned man publiflied a book called, Lucerna 
 fuper Candelabrum, wherein he very eminently defended 
 the doftrine of the inward light ; and this book was 
 publiflied in Dutch, and afterwards alfo into Englifh, with 
 
XVI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 PliEFACl* 
 
 xvU 
 
 the title of The Light upon the Candleftick ; and fincc? 
 the name of William Ames, a zealous preacher among the 
 Quakers, was placed upon the title, many have believed 
 him to be the author of that book, becanfe his doftrine 
 of the divine and inward light was fo effeftually affertcd 
 therein. That he approved the contents of the book 
 I know ; but I know alfo that it never proceeded from his 
 pen. And many years afterwards it was publiftied under 
 the name of one Peter Balling as the author, though there 
 were thofc who fathered it upon Adam Boreel, becaufe it 
 is found printed in Latin among his Scripta Poiluma. And 
 this opinion is not altogether improbable, for among his 
 works are found alfo feme other writings that contain 
 feveral pofitions aiTerted by the Quakers ; befides, he 
 and fome other of the collegians, and among thefe alfo 
 ^Dr. Galenus Abrahamfon, were fo eiFe6lually convinced 
 of the doftrine preached by William Ames when he firft 
 came to Amftcrdam, that ihey approved of it ; though 
 afterwards from a mifapprehenfion they oppofed it. Now 
 if we prefuppofe that Adam Boreel was the author of the 
 faid Latin book, Peter Balling might be the tranflator 
 thereof into Dutch ; for that it was originally written in 
 Latin feems to me very probable. 
 
 But however this be, it appears plainly, that the author 
 would not publickly be known ; for the title feemed 
 defignedly compofed fo that the readers Ihould believe 
 W. Ames to be the 'author of it, viz. The Light on the 
 Candleftick, ferving for Illuftration of the principal matters 
 in the Book called, The Myfteries of the Kingdom of 
 God, &c. againft Galenus Abrahamfom and his Afl'enters, 
 treated of, and written by W. Ames. And this name 
 flood in capital letters underneath, in fach a manner as 
 the name of an author is ufually placed upon a title; 
 though the publifher meant no more but that W, Ames 
 was the author of the book called. The Myfteries of the 
 Kingdom of God. And there was no printer's name added 
 lo it, but only. Printed for the author, 1662. 
 
 Now though 1 cannot tell certainly who was the author, 
 j'et I have thought fit, fmce the faid book is not eafily 
 to fae got in Latin, to infcrt it in the appendix of this 
 
 hiftory ; from whence it may appear, as well as from the 
 writings of fome others, that there have been fuch as 
 cither commended the Quakers, or defended their doftrine, 
 though they themfclves never could refulve to join with 
 them publickly. 
 
 But notwithftanding all this, there have beeii others 
 "who to render the deportment and carriage of the 
 Quakers fufpefted and odious, have been ready to re- 
 prefent their honeft behaviour and religious life as Phari* 
 laical righteoufnefs ; although Chrift and his apoftles 
 carneftly recommended fueh a life* Pray, what mean 
 thefe words of our Saviour, " Be ye perfeft even as your 
 Father which is in heaven js perfeft." But that we 
 ought to endeavour to the utmoft of our power, to lead 
 a virtuous and godly life : when thofe that heard the 
 apoftle Peter preach, were thereby pricked in their hearts^ 
 and laid, " Men and Brethren, what fhall we do ;" he 
 anfwered, " Repent.*' And at another time, " Rcpentj 
 ye, and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out,** 
 The apoftle Paul faith, *^ Be not conformed to this world, 
 but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." 
 And the apoftle Peter, agreeable to this, faith, " A$ 
 obedient children, not fafliioning yourfelves according tQ 
 the former lufts in your ignorance j but as he which 
 hath called you is holy, fo be ye holy in all manner of 
 converfation ;'* all '^hich clearly inaplieth, that a Chriftian 
 ought to be very ftrift and careful in his converfation ; and 
 of this judgment were alfo the firft reformers : and tha^ 
 Archbifliop Tillotfon was alfo of the fame mind appears 
 from many pafiTages that are to be foui>d in his fermons. 
 
 But though the Quakers have endeavoured to make 
 their life and converfation agree with their Chriftian pro* 
 feflion, yet this hath raifed envy, grudge, and malice 
 againft them : and among the clergy there have been fuch, 
 who to render them odious, did not ftick to reprefcni 
 Aem as difguifed Papifts, notwithftanding thefe were none 
 of their meaneft enemies. For, after a due refleftlon and 
 confideration, it hath feemed to me, that when king Charlea 
 the fecond was on the throne, the Romanifts, and fuch 
 among the church of England as favoured the©, were the 
 
 b 
 
3C?lll 
 
 PKEPACI. 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 ue 
 
 chief promoters of pcrfcciuion. And thcfc, to purfufc 
 their wicked ends, would not proceed according to law, in 
 the trials of the imprifoned Quakers ; but they continually 
 ftrove to introduce an arbitrary power, and fo from time 
 to time they did not omit to profecute the Quakers fcverely : 
 thinking that when* they were once fuppreffed, the other 
 diffenters muft fall of neccffity, though they were not for 
 non-rcfiflance. But Providence z£ied very remarkably ; 
 for when a popifli prince afterwards would introduce 
 liberty of confcience, the eyes of the molt moderate 
 maintainers of the church of England came to be fo 
 opened, that in the reign of king William III. they pro- 
 moted a general liberty of confcience, by which the 
 people called Quakers at length obtained liberty to perform 
 their publick worfhip without moleftation. 
 
 Thus far the limits of this biftory are extended ; and 
 being arrived there, I did not think myfelf bound to en- 
 large any farther j what follows being no more than an 
 overplus. > 
 
 I have related nothing in this work but what I believed 
 to be unqueftionably true : for what fcemed doubtful to 
 me, I rather chofe to pafs by ; having never been of fo 
 credulous a temper, as eafily to take things on truft 
 without due examination : for we often fee that high 
 foaring imaginations make people believe things that are 
 far from being true. But for all that we ought not to 
 rejcft as untrue every thing that appears ftrange or unufual ; 
 fmce experience con vinceth us of the contrary, viz. that 
 fomctimes we have feen a thing which if we had not beheld 
 with our own eyes, we could hardly have believed. Where- 
 fore I would not rejcft as untrue what was extraordinary 
 or unufual, when it was told me by credible perfons, or 
 confirmed by eye-witncffes. And therefore, though my 
 reader may meet with fome very fingular occurrences, yet 
 this is true, that I have endeavoured to the utmoft to 
 rdatc nothing but what after a nice enquiry feemed to me 
 to be true, or at lead very probable. And yet I have 
 filently paflfed over fome cafes which I did not qucftion to 
 be true, left any might think me too credulous. 
 
 As to the tranfaftions of ftatc afiairs I have taken theiai 
 moftly from the hiftory of the rebillion and the civil wart 
 in England, written by Edward earl of Clarendon, and 
 from the Memoirs of Edmund Ludlow. Yet fome few 
 things relating to ftate affairs, that have not been mentioned 
 by them, nor in any other publick hiftory that I know of, 
 I thought worthy to be delivered to pofterity by my pen. 
 
 For my ftile, I know it is but indifferent ; I do not 
 pretend to elegancy in the Englifti tongue ; for being a 
 fereigner, and never having been in England but about 
 the (pace of ten months, and that near fifty years ago, it 
 ought not to be expeded that I (hould write EnglUh fa 
 well as Dutch, my native language. If therefore my pen 
 hath fometimes been guilty of a Belgicifm, I beg excufe of 
 my reader. And fince my abfence hath hindered me from 
 correding the printer's miftakes, either in omiilions or 
 other errors, fuch faults I do not think myfelf refponfiblc 
 for, becaufc I have been fain to truft the overfight and 
 correftion of my work to others, who may have been 
 more liable to let errors efcape than myfelf (hould have 
 been. This I hope will fuffice to excufe me with difcreet 
 perfons. 
 
 What the envious may judge of this work I little care 
 for, well knowing that the moft eminent authors bave 
 been expofed to envy, and been obnoxious to the cenfured 
 of pedantick criticks. Whatever any may think, this I 
 am well afTured of, that my chief fcope hath been by the 
 relation of many unufual occurrences, not only to delight 
 my reader, but alfo to lead him to virtue. If I may be 
 fo happy as to have contributed thereto, I fhall think my 
 pains well rewarded ; and if not, I (hall have at leaft this 
 fatisfadion, that according to my ability I have endeavoured 
 to be beneficial to others, and to ecjify my fellow-mortals 
 in that which is goodj which I cannot but think to be 
 well-pleafing to God. And if 1 have performed any thing 
 that is good, the honour and glory thereof belongs to 
 him, who is the Giver of all good gifts ; and it is from 
 Him alone I have received all ray ability to do any good 
 thing. Thus concluding, I wifh the reader difcrction, 
 and an impartial judgment. 
 
in." 
 
 tl 
 
 
 111; i 
 
 ^i JO i 
 
 M, 
 
 • ni" 
 
 .',.• f 
 
 t 
 
 :i t^r.^; <^ 
 
 y*^::'i.:.. 
 
 
 I « ' 
 
 r>v h 
 
 
 
 ••••" 
 
 ..v^ 
 
 '!» 
 
 Oil 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 OP THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLS 
 
 CALLED 
 
 (QUAKERS. 
 
 .'THE FIRST BOOK. 
 
 THAT the wonderful Work of Reformation was fmall, 
 and of very little account in its beginning, and yet 
 hath been advanced with remarkable progreis, will, I 
 believe, be denied by none, that have with attention and 
 due confideration read the hiftory of its firft: rife ; fmce 
 God, the beginner and author of this glorious work, pro- 
 ceeding by fteps and degrees, ufed therein fuch Angular 
 wifdom and prudence, that every circumftance duly con- 
 fidered, inftead of cenfuring any piirt thereof, we fliall be 
 obliged to cry out. Thou, O Lord, alone knowefl the 
 right times and feafons to open the eyes of the people, and 
 to make them capable of thy truth ! 
 
 If we look to the firft beginnings, to go back no fiirther 
 than John Hus, we fliall find, that though in many things 
 he was confiderably enlightened, yet he remained ftill in 
 feveral grofs errors ; for although he had a clear fight of 
 the vain doftrines of purgatory, praying to, and worfliip- 
 
 VoL. I. a' 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 LI415 ■ t^l^] PEOPLE CALLED QIJAKERS. 
 
 ping of images, &c. ncverthclcfs it is reported of hlifi, 
 that he Favoured the invocation of faints, the feven facra- 
 ments, auricular confcflion, and other tenets of the church 
 of Rome ; and yet Chriltian charity conftrains us to be- 
 lieve (though we find Proteftant writers who deny him the 
 name ol" a martyr) that by his death, which he fufFered in 
 the flvimes at Conftancc in Germany, on the 6th of the 
 month called July, in the year 1415, he was an acceptable 
 facrifice unto GiJCr : and with what a fedatc and well com- 
 pcfed mind he fufFered death, may be concluded from this, 
 that feein-^ a country fellow very zealouily carrying wood 
 10 burn h?m, he faid, w ith a fmihng countenance, O holy 
 fimplicity 1 And after the fire was kindled, he fang with 
 joy in the flames, his mind being firmly eftabliflied on 
 God : for he had been faithful according to his knowledge, 
 and had not hid his talent in the earth, but improved it, 
 having (hewn himfelf a zealous promoter of that fmall illu- 
 minatTon which God was pleafed to grant him ; it being 
 without queftion great enough in that grievous night of 
 darkncfs, when idolatry had fo univerfally blinded man- 
 kind, that, morally fpeaking, it would have been impoffible 
 for them to have underftood the declaration of an entirely 
 reformed religion; whereas it is evident that the moft 
 fober and difcreet people of that age were capable to 
 underftand the doflrine and fermons of that honeft man. 
 
 To give a clearer profpeft into this matter, let it be 
 confidered, that if a man had been kept fl)ut up a long 
 time in a dark prifon, where he could neither behold the 
 light of the fun or moon, and fliould have been let out on 
 a fudden at clear noon day, he would not only not be able 
 to endure the bright day light, but would alfo, if he drove 
 to open his eyes with force, be endangered of lofing his 
 -fight, and falling 'into a worfc condition than he was in 
 before ;" whereas if he had been brought into the open 
 air at the time of twilight, he would by degrees have 
 learned to difcern the objects, and come to an ability of 
 beholding every thing in a clear day aright. 
 
 Agreeable to this, in the reigns of King Henry the 
 Vlllth, and the bloody Queen Mary, the principal tcft in 
 England was, whether a man owned the corporal prefencc 
 
 of Chrift In the facrament ; and hd who denied this, was 
 to be burnt as an heretick. Alfo in the Netherlands, it 
 was enough to bring a man to the flake, if he confcfTed 
 that he had been re -baptized. Infomuch that it foems tlie 
 Lord did raife in thofe days zealous mea chiefly to icflify 
 againfi: the idolatry of the hoft, and the error of infant 
 baptifm, that fo gradually he might break down the g-rcuc 
 ftrufture of human inventions. 
 
 Now, how fmall foevcr the beginnings of this great 
 work of Reformation were, yet it increafed from time to 
 time ; and oftentimes Angular inftances were feen of the 
 workings of the power and Spirit of God. 
 
 In the year 1513, I find that one John Le Clefc, of 
 Meaux in France, being at Metz in Lorrain, was filled 
 with fuch zeal againfl: idolatry, that hs broke to pieces the 
 images in a chapel, which the next day \vere to have been 
 worflaippcd ia a very folemn manner. And being taken 
 prifoner for this facl:, and cruelly tortured to death, he 
 was fo emi-nently fl:rengthened, even to the amazement of 
 the beholders, that in the height of the torments, bein^ 
 torn with red hoc pincers, he faid, from Pf. cxv. ^' Their 
 idols are filvcr and gold, the work of men's hands." 
 
 Not lefs was the zeal of one Aymond a Vie, imprifoned 
 in France, about the year 1541, becaufe he had preached 
 the gofpel undauntedly ; and though he had been advifcd 
 to fly, yet he would not be perfuaded thereto, but faid with 
 an heroick mind, ' I would rather never have been born, 
 than commit fuch a bafe aft ; for it is the duty of ri^good 
 paftor not to fly ffom danger, but to fl:ay in it, left the 
 flieep be fcattered.* He was tortured cruelly to betray 
 his fellow-believers; but no torment, how g»eat focver, 
 could extort the natne of any from him ; aind he fufFered 
 death vahantly for the teftimony of Jefus, feeling himfelf 
 very powerfully fl:rcngthened by the Spirit of God, which 
 worked fo glorioufly in the martyrs of thofe times, that 
 thofe of Merindol in Provence fliid, ' The Holy Ghoft is 
 an infallible teacher, by whofe infpiration all Chriftians 
 receive the knowledge of truth : this fpirit dwells io them, 
 he regenerates them to a new life, he fli^yeth the old man 
 in them, and he makes them alive to every good work, 
 
 A 2 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C154C I 1552] PEOPLE CALL£D QPAKERS. 
 
 •confolidating them in tribulations, and ftrengiliefilng them 
 in adverfities/ &c. 
 
 And of the pious profeffors at Meaux, I find mentioned 
 in the year 1546, that though a great nurtiber of men and 
 women were led prifoncrs by but a few, they yet made 
 no refiftance, but fliewed themfelves harmlcfs, not fad 
 with grief, but fmging with joy. 
 
 Nay, fo powerfully did God work in Gabriel Beraudia, 
 who was executed at Chambery in vSavoy, in the year 
 1550, that after his tongue was cut off by the hangman, 
 he fpoke intelligibly to the people, and celebrated God's 
 praife in a miraculous manner. 
 
 Claude Morier being burnt very cruelly at Lyons in 
 France, wrote whilfl in his prifon, ' Let us pray our hea- 
 venly Father continually, that he create in us a clean heart, 
 that he give us a new heart, that he guide our will by the 
 leadings of his Spirit.* 
 
 Very remarkable it is alfo, that Godfried de HHmmelle, 
 a year after that, being imprifoned at Tournay in the 
 Netherlands, and being told that the Apoftle in his Epiftlc 
 to the Ephefians, had called marriage a facrament, faid in 
 a letter, ' That though at firft this had puzzled him, yet 
 the Lord had not long left him in this difficulty, but put 
 him in mind by his- Spirit, that the word there was not 
 facrament, but mydery.' For the martyrs of thofe times 
 did not flick to profefs, with the primitive Chriftians, that 
 the children of God muft be led by his Spirit. 
 
 Peier Schryver, burnt at Lyons about the year 1552, 
 wrote from prifon, * That he having heard God's pure 
 word preached, believed it, becaufe the Spirit of God 
 gave him a teftimony [or evidence] of it in his heart : and 
 did fo confirm it to him, that he could not queftion it in 
 the lead.' He alfo fays in his letter, ' That once having 
 prayed to God, he had been fo refrefhed by the virtue ot 
 his Spirit, and fo ftrengthened, that though he flit in a 
 dark nafty place, yet he felt fuch confolation and joy, that 
 overcame all forrow and anguilh. Nay, faid he, the leafl 
 comfort and joy I feel now in my bonds, furpaffcth all the 
 joys that ever I had in my life ; for now the Holy Ghoft 
 puts me in mind of thofe gracious promifes that are made 
 
 to thofe who fuffer for his name's fake/ And bemj 
 aflced, how he knew that which he afferted to be the pure 
 word of God, he anfwered, * Becaufe it did agree with 
 the doclrine of the prophets and apoftles, and that of 
 Jefus Chrift ; and that the Holy Ghoit gave him a certain 
 evidence thereof.^ Concerning the indweUing of God's 
 Spirit in man, he alfo fpeaks very notably in his letter to 
 John Chambon, (whofe wonderful converfion in prifon, 
 was an eminent proof of the truth of his fayings) telling 
 him, ' That his heavenly Father was near him, and by his 
 Spirit dwelt in his heart.' 
 
 That this was alfo the doftrine of John Calvin, appears 
 from his letters to the faid man and his fellow-prifoners, 
 where he faith, * Do not doubt but God will, in thofe 
 things wherein he will ufe your fervice, give you that 
 power, by which the work in you being begun will be 
 perfefted, for that he hath promifcd to do : and we have 
 many examples and inftances of that excellent faith, by 
 which we clearly know, that God never in any thing hath 
 failed thofe who have been led and guided by his Spirit. 
 Trufl firmly, brethren, that when it is needful, you will 
 become fo ftrong and ftedfaft, that you (hall not faint under 
 any burden of temptations, how great and heavy focver.x 
 The fight is now at hand, to which the Holy Ghoft ex- 
 horts us, not only that we fliould go, but even that with 
 all alacrity of mind, we fhould run.' Many other excel- 
 lent teftimonies of eminent men of thofe times might be 
 produced : and it alfo is very remarkable, that Peter Ber- 
 gicr, being prifoner at Lyons, in the year 1553, and after- 
 wards fuffering death, cried in the midil of the flames, ' I 
 fee the heavens opened.* 
 
 Now that the doftrine of being taught by the Spirit of 
 God, was g.^nerally received by the martyrs of thofe times, 
 we learn from many of their writings. Denis Peloquin, 
 burnt in the faid year at Ville Franche, faid in his ton- 
 feffion, ' That it was the Holy Ghoft that gave him wit- 
 nefs in his confcience, that the books of the Old and New 
 Teftament were the Holy Scripture. Lewis de Marfac, 
 being about the fame time put to death by fire at Lyons, 
 when he was aiked how he knew the Holy Scriptures tp 
 
 A3 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 fl '»'?'? I 1553] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 be the gofpel, faid, * God hath taught me foby his Spirit:' 
 and being alfo aiked, whether it was his incumbent duty 
 to read the Holy Scriptures, and who had inftrufled him 
 concerning them ; he aufwered, * That God by his Spirit 
 had effci^ed it, that he got fome knowledge thereof; and 
 that without his grace, and the enlightening of his Spirit, 
 he could not comprehend and underftand any thing in the 
 gofpel.' John Calvin did alfo write to the aforefaid 
 Peloquin and Marfac : ^ God will caufe that the corfeffion 
 which you will make according to the meafure of the 
 Spirit he has given you, will produce a greater fruit of 
 edification, than all others that might be fent you.* And 
 to Matthew Dymonet, prifoner at Lyons, he wrote thus : 
 ' Submit modeflly to the guidings of God's Spirit ; anfwer 
 with all moderation and difcretion, keeping to the rule of 
 the Scriptures. 1 have believed, and therefore I will fpeak ; 
 but let not this hinder thee to fpeak freely and fincerely, 
 being perfuaded that he who promifed to give us a mouth, 
 and fuch wlfdom as the gainfayers cannot withfland, will 
 never forfake thee.* 
 
 More of the like inftances of the operations of the Spirit 
 of God in his witneflcs I could allege, if 1 had fo in- 
 tended ; but 1 give here only a Cender draught of the 
 iincerity and the principle of thofe that were come but to 
 the dawnings of the Reformation ; for higher I cannot 
 efteem that time, becaufe the eyes of the mod zealous men 
 of thofe days, were yet fo much co\*ered with the fogs 
 which then were, and the prejudice of the old leaven, that 
 they did not difcern all things in a full clearnefs -, for one 
 faw the error -of one thmg, and others of another ; but 
 human afFeftion did work too (Irong, and thereby they 
 judged one another, as is abundantly mentioned in hiflory. 
 
 If we rightly look into this, it feems very abfurd to 
 think that the Reformation (which in former times had 
 been pretty much advanced by fome eminent men ; as 
 Luther, Melanclhon, fficolompadius, Calvin, Menno, and 
 others) then was broiight to perfeftion : for we perceive 
 that even thofe reformers themfelves, at firfl: had not fuch 
 a clear fight into many things, as afterwards they got; 
 which to demonftrate at large, 1 couiit unncceiTary. Since 
 
 England being the chief ftage on which the things I intend 
 to defcribe have been tranfafted, 1 will turn my face 
 thitherward, to take a view curforily of the beginning and 
 procefs of the Reformation there. 
 , Faffing by Wickliif and others, I begin with Thomas 
 Cranraer, who, becaufe of his fincere and good life, being 
 advanced by King Henry the Vlllth to the Archbilhop's 
 fee of Canterbury, did all that was in his power to reform 
 the errors crept into the Church of Rome ; and therefore 
 m the year 153.6, he exhorted the King, who much loved 
 him to proceed to a reformation, and that nothing in reli- 
 gion fliould be determined without cfear proofs from 
 Scripture ; and therefore he propofed that thefe points, 
 « Whether tljiere was a purgatory ; Whether deceafed 
 faints ought to be invocated ; and how images were to be 
 regarded,* well needed to be inquired into ; fince it began 
 to appear that feveral things were errors, for which fome 
 people not long before had fufFercd death. 
 
 Some time after, Thomas Cromwel, a chief minifter of 
 the kingdom, and a great friend of Cranmer, publiihed 
 fome injunftions in the king's name, wherein all church- 
 men were required, no more to recommend to people, 
 images, relicks, or pilgrimages, but to teach them the 
 Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments 
 in Englifli. This ^vas a great ftep towards the tranflation 
 of the Bible into Englifli, which being alfo furthered by 
 Crailmcr, the next year came out in print ; and by the 
 kino's warrant, the clergy were required to fet up Bibles 
 in their churches ; fo that now all that could, might read 
 the holy Scripture in their native tongue. Cranmer not 
 content with this, obtained in the year 1539, a permiffion 
 for all people to have the Bible in their houfes ; yet for 
 all that, he flill was an afferter o£ the corporal prefcnce 
 of Chrifl: in the hoft, until in the year 1549* i^ ^he reign 
 of King Edward VL when the times were more fre^, he 
 was induced by Nicholas Ridley, a zealous reformer, and 
 aftewards a' martyr under Queen Mary, *to inquire better 
 < into the thing, and to difcover the abfurdity of it ; from 
 whence he did not only oppofe and fupprefs that fuperfli- 
 tion, but alfq many others j and it is likely, that if oppor* 
 
 A 4 
 
8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [^549 I »593] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKIRS. 
 
 tunity had been given him, he would have reformed more, 
 Neverthclefs, it cannot but be wondered at, that he who 
 feems to have been a man of a meek temper, could give 
 his vote to the burning of thofe whom he looked upon to 
 be hereticks ; as John Nicholfon, alias Lambert, in the 
 reign of Henry VIII. for denying the corporal prefence of 
 Chrifl: in the facramein ; and Joan Bocher, and George 
 Parr, under Edward VI. the firll for denying that Chrift 
 had taken ficfli from the Virgin Mary, and the latter for 
 not believing the deity of Chrifl : from whence we may 
 ice, what a wrong zeal, for religion is able to efieft : but 
 without queflion, he was come to be of another mind, 
 when in the year 1556, under the bloody reign of C)ueeii 
 Mary, this was not only laid in his difh, but he was alfo 
 forced to undergo the fame lot of being burnt alive. 
 
 Now, though after his death, the bifhops under Queen 
 Elizabeth were content with the reformation made by 
 Cranmer ; yet it pleafed God in the year 1568, to raife 
 other perfons that teftified publickly againfl: many of the 
 remaining fuperftitions ; and although Coleman, Burton, 
 Ilallingham and Benfon were imprifoned by the Queen's 
 order, yet they got many followers, and alfo the name of 
 Puritans. And notwithilanding the Archbifliop, to pre- 
 vent this, drew up fome articles of faith, to be figned by 
 all clergymen, yet he met with great oppofuion in the 
 undertaking : for one Robert Brown, a yoimg ftudent of 
 Cambridge, (from whom the name of Brownifts was after- 
 wards borrowed) and Richard Harrifon, a fchoolmafter, 
 publiflicd in the year 1583 fome books, wherein they 
 lliewed how much the Church of England was ftill in- 
 fected wiih Romiih errors ; which was of fuch efl'eft, that 
 the eyes of many people came thereby to be opened, who 
 jo valiantly maintained that do(5^rine which they believed 
 to be the truth, that fome of th: moil zealous among 
 them, viz. Henry Barrovy, John Greenwood, and John 
 Pcnry, about the year 1593. were put to death becaufe 
 of their teftimony, more, (as may very well be believed) 
 by the infligation of the clergy, than by the defire of the 
 (^een: for fome time after it happened, that fhe aiked 
 Dr. Reynolds his opinion of ihofe men, efpecially Barrow 
 
 and Greenwood : To which he anfwered, ' That it would 
 not avail any thing to (hew his judgment concerning them, 
 feeing they were put to death.' But the Queen yet preffing 
 him farther, he faid, ' That he was perfuaded \i they had 
 lived, they would have been two as worthy inflruments 
 for the church of God, as had been raifed up in th?.t age/ 
 At which the Queen fighed, and faid no more. But after- 
 wards riding by the place where they were executed, and 
 calling to mind their death, Ihe demanded of the Earl of 
 Cumberland, that was prefent when they fuiFered, what 
 end they made ; he anfwered, ^ A very godly end, and 
 they prayed for your Majefty and the State.' Moreover 
 one Philips, a famous preacher, having feen Barrow's 
 preparation for death, faid, ' Barrow, Barrow^, my foul 
 be with thine.' 
 
 After the death of Queen Elizabeth, when James I. had 
 afcended the throne, the followers of thofe men fufFered 
 much for their feparation from the Church of England : 
 but very remarkable it is, that even thofe of thatperfuafion, 
 of which many in the reign of King Charles I. went to New 
 England, to avoid the perfecution of the bifhops, after- 
 wards themfelves turned cruel perfecutors of pious people, 
 by inhuman whippings, &c. and laftly by putting fome to 
 death by the hands of a hangman : a clear proof indeed, 
 that thofe in whom fuch a ground of bitternefs was left 
 flill, though it had not always brought forth the like 
 abominable fruits, were not come yet to a perfeft refor- 
 mation ; for though the ftem of human traditions and 
 inftitutions fometimes had been fhaken ftrongly, yet much 
 of the root was left. Therefore it pleafed God, who is 
 iifed to enlighten men gradually, to make yet a clearer 
 difcovery of his truth, which in fome places already darted 
 forth its beams to mankind, in a time when many godly- 
 people were zealoufly feeking after a farther manifeftatioii 
 of the will of God, from a fenfe that, cotwitjiftanding 
 all their outward. obfervations of religious performances, 
 there ftill ftood a partition wall whereby the foul wasr 
 hindered from living in perfeft peace with its Creator. 
 
 For in that time there were in England many feparatc 
 focieties, and amongfl the reft alfo, fuch as were called 
 
lO 
 
 THE HI5T051T OF THE 
 
 [^593 I 1593] 
 
 PEOPLE CABLED QtJAKERS. 
 
 II 
 
 V" 
 
 Seekers, who at firft fecmed to promife great matters ; 
 but the fequel (hewed that their foundation was not the 
 Rock of Ages, and fo divers of them foon loft their firfT; 
 integrity. Now ihofe people who began to take heed to 
 a divine cdnvi<5^ion in the confcience, and accordingly 
 preached to others the doftrine of an inward light, where- 
 Yihh Chrift had enlightened men, in the latter end of the 
 time of King Charles I. began to increafe in number, and 
 they became a feparate fociety among men, and in procefs 
 of time the name of Quakers, was in fcorn impofed oa 
 them ; and in moft countries in Europe, they have been 
 acci'.fed of many exorbitant abfurdities, both in- life and 
 doftrine. I have defigned to defcribe impartially, and ac- 
 cording to truth, the firft beginnings and rife, and alfo 
 the progrefs of that people, and to ftretch out the relation 
 of their increafe and tranfaftions, fo far as my time of life 
 and leifure will permit. 
 
 I enter upon a work, which, confifting of many very 
 Cngular inftances, in its beginning appears hard and 
 difficult, and in the procefs often fad and dreadful. For 
 among manifold advcrfities, we (hall not only meet with 
 bitter revilings,fcornful mockings, rude abufes, and bloody 
 blowi from the fool-hardy rabble ; but alfo fevere perfe- 
 cuticns, hard imprifonments, grievous banifhments, un-. 
 merciful fpoil of goods, cruel whippings, cutting off of 
 cars, fmotherings in prifons, and alfo putting to death by 
 the hands of the hangman, by order of the magiftra£es : 
 afterwards fome quiet and reft ; then again fevere perfe- 
 cution, until the furious promoters of it, at laft wearied, 
 defiftcd from their mifchievous labour for a time, more 
 by being at their wits end, than out of mercy. And 
 among all thefe viciflitudes, notable inftances have been 
 feen of unfeigned godlinefs, fmcere love, much true- 
 heartednefs, extraordinary meeknefs, lingular patience, 
 ardent zeal, unc' lunted courage, and un(haken ftedfaftnefs, 
 even among the female fex, which thdugh the weakeft, 
 yet in -the hardeft attacks, fhewed a more than manly 
 fpirit; infomuch, that fcldom any age hath afforded matter 
 where more powerful examples to virtue have been feen. 
 
 The firlt 1 find that was thus immediately reached u\ 
 
 his mind, was a young man called George Fox, born at 
 Drayton in Leicefterfliire, in the month called July, in the 
 year 1624, from parents that were members of the publicic 
 church, or church of England, as appeareth to me from 
 a paper, in his Hfe-time drawn up by his order, at my 
 requeft, and fent me. His father w^as Chriftopher Fox, a 
 weaver by trade, an honeft man, and of fuch a virtuouri 
 life, that his neighbours were ufed to call him Righteous 
 Chrifter. His mother was Mary Lago, an upright woman, 
 and of the ftock of the martyrs. This George Fox was 
 even in his minority endued with a gravity and ftaidnefs 
 of mind, that is feidom feen in children ; fo that he feeing 
 how old people carried themfelves lightly and wantonly, 
 had fuch an averfion to it, that he would fay within hira- 
 felf, ' If ev^r I come to be a man, furely I will not be 
 fo wanton.' His parents in the mean-while endeavoured 
 to train him up, as the; did their other children, in the 
 common way of worihip, his mother efpecially contributing 
 thereto, as being eminent for piety : but even from a 
 child he was feen to be of another frame of mind than his 
 brethren ; for he w^as more religious, retired, ftill, and 
 folid, and was alfo obferving beyond his age, as appeared 
 from the anfwers he gave, and the queftions he aiked, 
 concerning religious matters, to the aftoniftiment of thofc 
 that heard him. His mother feeing this extraordinary 
 temper and godlinefs, which fo early .did (bine through 
 him, fo that he would not meddle with childilh plays, did 
 not think iSt to trouble him about the way of worihip, 
 but carried herfelf indulgent towards him. Mean-while 
 he learned to read pretty well, and to write fo much as 
 would fcrve him afterwards to fignify his meaning to 
 others. When he was come to eleven years of age, he 
 endeavoured to live a pure and righteous life, and to be 
 faithful in all things, viz. inwardly to God, and outwardly 
 to man ; fmce the Lord by his good fpirit had ftiewed him, 
 that he was to keep his word always, and that he ought 
 not to commit excels in eating or drinking. Thus growing 
 up in virtue, fome of his relations were for having hi in 
 trained up in the fchools, to make a prieft of him ; but 
 others perfuaded to the contrary^ aud fo he was put to a ^ 
 
12 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1624 I 1642] 
 
 ]?£0I»LE CALLED QUAKfiRS. 
 
 »3 
 
 fhoemakcr, that dealt alfo in wool, and in cattle. In his 
 maftcr's employment he took moll delight in flieep, and 
 was very ikilful in what belonged thereto, for it was an 
 employment that very well fuited his mind ; and his thus 
 b^ing a (hepherd, was as an eminent author faith, ' Ajuft 
 emblem of his after miniftry and fcrvice.' He acquitted 
 himfeif fo diligently in his bufmefs, and minded it fo well, 
 that his mafter was fuccefsful in his trade whilfl George was 
 "with him. He often ufed in his dealings the word Verily, 
 and then he kept fo ftri£l to it, that people that knew him, 
 would fay, ' If George fays Verily, there is no altering 
 im. 
 Now, though my defign is not to give a defcription of 
 ftate affairs, yet I find it neceffary to mention fomething 
 of the chief temporal occurrences in England, in as much 
 as they may have relation to the affairs of the church, left 
 my hillory might feem an incou.'plete work. Tranfiently 
 therefore I will fay, that in England about this time, ap- 
 peared the beginnings of a civil war, in which religion 
 had fomc ihare ; for the bifliops began to introduce feveral 
 innovations, and caufcd not only rails to be made about 
 the communion table, which now was called the high 
 akar ; but thofe that approached it, bowed thrice, and 
 a bow was made at the pronouncing of the name of Jefus. 
 Thus ceremonies increafed from time to time ; and thofc 
 preachers that were really religious, and fpoke moft to 
 edification, were flighted and fet by ; the bifhops, in their 
 vifitations, minding chiefly to promote fuch rites as favoured 
 popery : afid this was not only done in England, but in 
 Scotland alfo endeavours were made to bring in epifcopacy. 
 This caufed a ferment among the people, which when it 
 came to an infurre6iion, they generally believed that it was 
 for religion's fake, which made fome cry in the open 
 ftrects, v.'here there was any confluence of people, ' To 
 your tents, O Ifrael.' And becaufe the Parliament was 
 of opinion that King Charles I. encroached upon their 
 privileges, which they would not fuffer, this fo exafperated 
 that prince, that he brought together an army, and fet up 
 h\^ ftandard,' faft on the caftle of Nottingham, where it 
 ^ tt'as blown down the fame evening, on the 35th of iho 
 
 month called Augufl:, in the year 1642. But before that 
 time the king had taken poffcffion of fome fortified places, 
 and the Parliament on the other hand, had alfo ^oi fome 
 in their power. Some time ^fter, a battle was fought 
 between the Royalifts and the Parliament, near Edge Hill, 
 in Warwickftiire, where neither party prevailed much. 
 
 About this lime George Fox, who more and more 
 endeavoured to lead a godly life, being come to the nine- 
 teenth year of his age, it happened at a fair, that a coufin 
 of his and another coming to him, afRed whether he would 
 drink a jug of beer with them ; he being thirfty, fiiid yes, 
 and went with them to an inn : but after each h-id drank 
 a glafs, they began to drink healths, and faid, that he that 
 would not drink fhould pay for all. This grieved George 
 much, feeing that people who profeffed to be religious, 
 behaved thcmfelves thus, and therefore he rofe up to be 
 gone ', and putting his hand into his pocket, he took a 
 groat, and laid it down upon the table, faying, ' If it be 
 fo, I'll leave you ; ' and fo he went away ; and when his 
 bufmefs was done, he returned home ; but did not go to 
 bed that night, but prayed, and cried earnefily to the 
 Lord ; and it feemed to him that his fuppliqations were 
 anfwered after this manner, 'Thou feefl: ' how young 
 people go together into vanity, and old people into the 
 earth ; therefore thou muft forfake all, both young and 
 old, and be as a ftrangcr to them.' This, which he took 
 to be a divine admonition, made fuch a powerful im- 
 prcffion on his mind, that he refolved to break off all 
 familiar fellowfhip and converfation with young and old, 
 and even to leave his relations, and live a feparate and 
 retired life. On the 9th of September, in the year 
 1643, he departed to Lutterworth, where he (laid fome 
 lime, and from thence went to Northampton, where he 
 alfo made fome flay, and then paffed to Newport-Pagnel, 
 in Buckinghamfliire ; and after having (laid a while there, 
 he went to Barnet, whither he came in the month called 
 June, in the year 1644. 
 
 Whilfl: he thus led a folirary life, he faded often, and 
 read the holy Scriptures diligently, fo that foaic profeffors 
 took notice of him, and fought to be acquainted with hiii>. 
 
14 
 
 tHE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 I1644 I 1644] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QJTAKERS. 
 
 »5 
 
 Bin he foon perceiving they did not poflcfs what they 
 profcfied, grew afraid of them, and fhunned their company. 
 In this time he fell into a ftrong . temptation, almofl ta 
 defpair, and was in mighty trouble, fomclimes keeping 
 himfelf retired in his chamber^ and often walking folitary 
 to wait upon the Lord. In this (late he faw how Chrifl 
 had been tempted ; but when he looked to his own con- 
 dition, he wondered, and faid, * Was I ever fo before?' 
 He began to think alfo that he had done amifs againft his 
 relations, becaufe he had foriaken them ; and he called 
 to mind all his former time, to confider whether he had 
 wronged any. Thus temptations grew more and more ; 
 aud when Satan, could not effect his defign upon him that 
 way, he laid fnares for him to draw him to commit fome 
 fm, thereby to bring him to defpair. He was then about 
 iwcnry years of age, and continued a long while in this 
 condition, and would fain have put it from him ; which 
 made him go to many a pried to look for comfort, but he 
 did not find it from them. In this miferable date he went 
 to London, in hopes of finding fome relief among the great 
 profeffors of that city: but being come there, he faw^ 
 ihem much darkened in their underftandings. He had 
 an uncle there, one Pickering, a baptift, and thofe of that 
 perfuafion were tender then ; yet he could not refolve to 
 impart his mind to them, or join with them, becaufe he 
 faw all, young and old, where they were. And though 
 fome of the bed would have had him daid there, yet he 
 was fearful, and fo returned hom.ewards ; for having 
 underdood that his parents and relations were troubled at 
 his abfence, he would rather go to them again led he 
 fhould grieve them. Now when he was come into Lciceder- 
 fhire, his relations would have had him married ; but he 
 prudently told them he was but a lad, and mud get 
 wifdom. Others would have had him in the auxiliary 
 band among the forces of the Parliament, which being 
 entered now into an intedine war with the king, had, with 
 their forces this year, beaten not only the King*s army 
 under Prince Rupert, but alfo conquered the city of York. 
 But to perfuade George to lid himfelf a foldier, was fo 
 againd his mind, that he rcfufcd it, and went to Coventry, 
 
 where he took a chaipbcr for a while at a profeffbf^s houfe, 
 where he daid fome time, there being many people in that 
 town who endeavoured to live religioufly. After fome 
 time he went into his own country again, and was there 
 about a year, in great forrows and troubles, walking many 
 nights by himfelf. 
 
 Nathaniel Stevens, the pried of Drayton (the town oF 
 George's birth), would often come to him, and George to 
 the pried ; and when Stevens vifited him, he would fome- 
 times bring another pried along with him, and then George 
 would aik them quedions, and reafon with them. Once 
 Stevens alked him why Chrid cried out upon the crofs, 
 * My God, my God, why had thou forfaken me:' — and 
 why he faid, 'If it be poilible, let this cup pafs from me; 
 yet not my will, but thine be done.* To this George 
 anfwered thus : ' At that time the fins of all mankind were 
 upon Chrid, and their iniquities and tranfgreffions with 
 which he was woimded, which he was to bear, and to be 
 an oftering for them, as he was man ; but died not, as 
 he was God: and fo, in that he died for all men, and 
 taded death for every man, he was an offering for the fins 
 of the whole world/ When George Fox fpoke this, he 
 was in fome meafure fenfible of C^hrid's fufferings, and 
 what he went through. And his faying did fo pleafc the 
 pried, that he faid it was a very good full anf.ver, and 
 fuch a one as he had not heard. He would alfo applaud 
 and fpeak highly of George Fox to others, and what 
 George faid in difcourfe to him, that he would preach of 
 on -the Fird-days of the week : for which George did not 
 like him. 
 
 After fome time he went to an ancient pried at Manfetter, 
 in Warwickfliire, and reafoned with him about the ground " 
 of defpair and temptations ; but he being altogether igno- 
 rant of George*s condition, bid him take tobacco, and fiag^ 
 pfalms. But George fignified that he was no lover of tobacco, 
 and as for pfalms, he was not in a date to fing. Then 
 the pried bid him come again, and that then he would tell 
 him many things. But when George came, the pricft; 
 was angry and pcttifli, for George's former words had 
 difpleafed him j and he was fo indiicreet, that what George 
 
l6, , THE HISTORY OF THE [^645 
 
 had told him of his forrows and griefs, he told again to 
 his fervants, fo that it got among the milklafles ; and 
 grieved him to have opened his mind to fuch an one ; 
 and he faw they were all miferable comforters. Then 
 he heard of a priell living about Tamworth, who was 
 accounted an experienced man, and therefore he went to 
 him, but found him like an empty hollow calk. 
 
 Hearing afterwards of one Dr. Cradock of Coventry, 
 
 he went to him alfo, and afked him whence temptations 
 
 and defpair did arife, and how troubles came to be wrought 
 
 in man. The prieft, inflead of anfwcring, aiked him who 
 
 was Chrifl's father and mother. George told him Mary 
 
 was his mother, and he was fuppofed to be the fon of 
 
 Jofeph ; but he was the Son of God. Now as they were 
 
 walking together in Dr. Cradock's garden, it happened 
 
 that George, in turning, fet his foot on the fide of a bed, 
 
 which fo difturbed that teacher, as if his houfe had beea 
 
 on fire, and thus all their difcourfe was loft ; and George 
 
 went away in forrow, worfe than he was when he came, 
 
 feeing he found none that could reach his condition. After 
 
 this he went to one Macham, a prieft of high account; and 
 
 he, no more ikiUul than the others, was for giving George 
 
 fome phyfick, and for bleeding him ; but they could not 
 
 get one drop of blood from him, either in the arms or the 
 
 head : his body being, as it were, dried up with forrows, 
 
 grief, and trouble, which were fo great upon him, tliat he 
 
 could have wifhed never to have been born, to behold the 
 
 vanity and wickednefs of men ; or that he had been born 
 
 blind, and fo he might never have feen it ; and deaf, that 
 
 he might never have heard vain and wicked words, or the 
 
 Lord's name blafphemed. And when the time called 
 
 Chriftmas came, while others were feafting and fporting 
 
 themfelves, he went from houfe to houfe, looking for 
 
 poor widows, and giving them fome money. And when 
 
 he was invited to marriages (as fometimes he was) he 
 
 would go to none at all ; but the next day, or foon after, 
 
 he went and vifued thofe that were newly married ; and 
 
 if they were poor, he gave them fome money ; for he had 
 
 wherewith both to keep himfelf from being chargeable to 
 
 others, and to adminifter fomething to the needful. 
 
 1645] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS, 
 
 '7 
 
 W hi 1ft the mind of George Fox was thus In trouble, 
 the ftate of England was alfo in a great ftir ; for the 
 Parliament was for turning out of bifhops, and introducing 
 the Prefl:)yterian Direftory ; which however as yet could 
 not be well effefted, although William Laud, Archbifhop 
 of Canterbury, had been made to ftoop to the block ; 
 and the power of the king by this time was much weak- 
 ened ; for his army was this fummer near Nafeby, not far 
 fni.n Leiceftcr, overcome by an army of untrained bands, 
 and about fix thoufand men^ among whom many great 
 officers were taken prifoners, and his cabinet, with abun- 
 dance of letters of great moment, was feized ; infomuch, 
 that though they had fome Ikirmifhes, yet no decifive battle 
 was fought afterwards. 
 
 But fince a circumftantial defcription of thefe ftate affairs 
 is not within my defign, I will return again to George 
 Fox, who in the beginning of the year 1646, as he was 
 going to Coventry, and entering towards the gate, a con- 
 fideration arofe in him how it was faid that all Chriftians 
 are believers, both Proteftants and Papifts : and it was 
 opened to him, that if all were believers, then they were 
 all born of God, and paffed from death to life, and that 
 none were true believers but fuch : and though others faid 
 they were believers, yet they were not. At another 
 time as he was walking in a field on a Firft-day morning, 
 it was difcovercd unto his underftanding, that to be bred at 
 Oxford or Cambridge was not enough to make a man to 
 be a minifter of Chrift. At this he wondered, becaufe it 
 was the common belief of people ; but for all that, he 
 took this to be a divine revelation, and he admired the 
 goodnefs of the Lord, believing now the ordinary minifters 
 not to be fuch as they pretended to be. This made hini 
 unwilling to go any more to church, as it was called, to 
 hear the prieft Stevens, believing that he could not 
 profit thereby : and therefore inftead of going thither, he 
 would get into the orchard, or the fields, by himfelf, with 
 his Bible, which he efteemed above all books, feeking 
 thus to be edified in folitarinefs. At this his relations 
 were much troubled ; but he told them, did not John 
 the Apoftic fay to the believers, " that they needed no 
 
 Vol. L b • 
 
l8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1646 ■ 1646] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 19 
 
 man to teach them, but as the anointing teachcth them ;" 
 and though they knew this to be Scripture, and that it 
 was true, yet it grieved them, becaufc he would not go to 
 hear the pried with them, but fq)arated himfclf from 
 their way of worfliip : for he faw now that a true believer 
 was another thiig than they looked upon it*^to be ; and 
 that being bred at the univcrfities did not qualify a man 
 to be a minifter of Chrift. Thus he lived by himfelf, 
 not joining with any, nay, not of the diflenting people, 
 but became a ftranger to all, relying wholly upon the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Some time after, it was opened in him, that God, who 
 made the world, did not dwell in temples made with hands. 
 And though this feemed at firft ftrange to him, becaufc 
 both pricfts and people used to call their^churchcs dreadful 
 places, holy ground, and temples of God ; yet it was im- 
 mediately Ihcwed him, that the Lord did not dwell in 
 ihefe temples which man had erefted, but in peoples hearts, 
 and that his people were the temple he dwelt in. This 
 was difcovered to him when he was walking in the fields 
 to the houfe of one of his relations. And when he came 
 there, it was told him, that Nathaniel Stevens the prieft 
 had been there, and told them he was afraid of Fox, for 
 going after new lights. This made him Tmile, becaufc 
 now he faw the true ftate of the pricfts. But he faid 
 nothing of this to his relations, who, though they faw that 
 fomething more was required than the vulgar way of 
 worftiip, yet they continued therein, being grieved be- 
 caufe he would not alfo go to hear the pricfts. Only he 
 ^ told them there was an anointing in man, to leach him ; 
 and that the Lord would teach his people himfelf. He 
 had great openings now concemrag the things written in 
 the Revelations ; and when he fpake of them, the pricfts 
 and profeffors would fay, that was * a fealcd up book.' 
 But to this he faid, « Chrift could open the feaJs, and that 
 the things contained in that book, very nearly concerned 
 us ; fince the Epiftles of the Apoftles were written to the 
 faints of thofe times, but the Revelations point at things 
 to come.' 
 
 In England, in thofe days, were people of very odd 
 
 nations, and among the reft fuch as held, * that women 
 have no fouls.' He lighting on fome of thefe, could not 
 forbear reproving them, fince the Scripture, as he told 
 I them plainly, held forth the contrary; for the bleffed 
 Virgin Mary faid, " My foul doth magnify the Lord; 
 and my fpirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." He 
 alfo came amon^ a people that relied much on dreams ; 
 but he told them, ' Except they could diftinguifti between 
 dream and dream, their obfervatio'ns would be nothing 
 but confufion, fince there were three forts of dreams; 
 for multiplicity of bufincfs fometimes caufed dreams ; and 
 there were whifperings of Satan in the night feafons ; 
 and there were alfo fpeakings of God to man in dreams.* 
 But becaufc thefe people were more in want of a clear 
 difcerning, than of goodwill, they at length came out of 
 thofe imaginations, and at laft became fellow-believers with 
 him ; who, though he had great openings in his under- 
 ftanding, yet great trouble and temptations many times 
 came upon him; fo that when it was day, he wiflbed for 
 night, and when it was night, he wiftied for day. Never- 
 thelefs among all thofe troubles, his underftanding was fo 
 opened, that he could fay with David, " Day unto day 
 uttereth fpeech, and night unto night flieweth knowledge;" 
 for even in thefe troubles he had great openings -of many 
 places in Scripture. 
 
 As to ftate affairs, things continued in a diftrafted con- 
 dition ; for the King, who after his army had been beaten, 
 was gone to the Scots, was by them delivered up to the 
 Englilh ; to whom now he could no more prefcribe laws, 
 but w^as fain to receive them. And the Churchmen were 
 alfo at va/iance ; for the Independents ( feveral of which fat 
 alfo in Parliament) began to fay, that between Epifcopacy 
 (againft which they had fought conjunMy), and Preft)y. 
 tery, the difference was only in the name, and fome few 
 outward circumftances; fince people of a tender confcience 
 might apprehend no lefs oppreffion from the Prefl>yterians, 
 than from the Epifcopalians : and that this fear was not 
 vain or idle, time afterwards hath ftiewn abundantly. 
 
 But let us return to George Fox, who in the beginning 
 of the year 1647, feeling fome drawings to go into Derby- 
 
20 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THf 
 
 [1646 
 
 Ihirc, went thither, and meeting' there with feme friendly 
 people, had many difcourfes with them. Then paiTmg 
 farther into the Peak-Country, he met with more fuch 
 people, and alfo fome that were fwayed by empty and 
 high notions. And travelling into Nottinghamftiire, there 
 he met with a tender people, and among thefe one 
 Elizabeth Hooton^ of which woman more will be faid in 
 the fequel : with thefe he had fome meetings and difcourfes. 
 But his troubles and temptations flill continued ; and he 
 faded much, and walked often abroad in folitary places, 
 taking his Bible with him ; and then fat in hollow trees, 
 and lonefome places till night came on ; and frequently in 
 the night he walked mournfully about^ being furrounded 
 with many forrows in the times of thefe firft workings of 
 the Lord in him. 
 
 During all this time, he never joined in profeffion of 
 religion with any, but gave up himfelf to the difpofing 
 of the Lord ; having forfaken not only all evil company, 
 but alfo taken leave of father and mother, and all other 
 relations ; and fo he travelled up and down as a flranger 
 on the earth, which way he felt his heart inclined : and 
 when he came into a toivn, he took a chamber to himfelf 
 there, and tarried fometimes a month, fometimes more, 
 fometimes lefs, in a place; for he was afraid of flaying 
 long in any place, left, * being a tender young man, he 
 Ihould be hurt by too familiar a converfation with men. 
 
 Now, though it might feem not very agreeable with 
 the gravity of my work, to mention what kind of clothes 
 he wore in thefe firft years of his peregrination ; yet I do 
 not count it abfurd to fay here, that it is indeed true what 
 a certain author, viz. Gerard Croes, relates of him, that 
 he was clothed with leather ; but not, as the faid author 
 iidds, becaufe he could not, nor would not, forget his 
 former leather work ; but it was partly for the fimplicity 
 of that drefs, and alfo becaufe fuch a cloathing was ftrong, 
 and needed but little mending or repairing; which was 
 commodious for him who had no fteady dwelling-place, 
 and every where in his travelling about fought to live in 
 a lonely ftate : for keeping himfelf thus as a ftranger, he 
 fought heavenly wifdom, and endeavoured to get knoW" 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 21 
 
 1647] 
 
 ledge of the Lord, and to be weaned from outward things, 
 to rely wholly on the Lord alone. Although his troubles 
 were great, yet they were not fo continual, but that he 
 had fome intermiifions, and was fometimes brought into 
 fuch a heavenly joy, that admiring the love of God to his 
 foul, he would fay with the Pfalmift, '^ Thou, Lord, 
 makeft a fruitful field a barren wildernefs, and a barren 
 wildernefs a fruitful field." Now he regarded the priefts 
 but little, becaufe he clearly faw that to be trained up in 
 the univerfities, and to be inftrufted in languages, liberal 
 arts, and the like fciences, was not fulKcient to make any 
 one a minifter of the gofpel ; but he looked more after 
 the diffenting people : yet as he had forfaken the priefts, 
 fo he left the feparate preachers alfo, becaufe he fliw there 
 was none among them all that could fpeak to his condition. 
 And when all his hopes in them, and in all men w^ere 
 gone, then he heard, according to what he relates him- 
 felf, a voice which faid, ' There is one, even Chrift Jefus 
 that can fpeak to thy condition.' Having heard this, 
 his heart leapt for joy, and it was fhewed him why there 
 was none upon the earth that could fpeak to his condition ; 
 namely, that he might give the Lord alone all the glory, 
 and that Jefus Chrift might have the pre-eminence. 
 
 He then experimentally knowing that Chrift enlightens 
 man, and gives him grace, faith, and power, his defire^ 
 after the Lord, and his zeal in the pure knowledge of 
 God grew ftronger 5 fo that he wifhed to increafe therein 
 without the help of any man, book, or writing. Yet he 
 was a diligent reader of the noly Scriptures, that fpeak 
 at large of God and Chrift, though he knew him not but 
 by revelation, as he, who had the key, did open. Thus 
 he entered inro no fellowfliip with any fociety of people, 
 becaufe he faw nothing but corruptions every where ; 
 which made him endeavour to keep fellowfhip only with 
 Chrift; fince in the greateft lemptations, when he almoft 
 defpaired, it was feewed him, that Chrift had been 
 tempted by the fame devil;, but that he had overcome 
 him, and bruifed his head, and that therefore through the 
 powder, light, grace, and Spirit of God, he himfelf might 
 iiilfo oyercopie. Thus the Lord afliftcd him in the deepeli 
 
 r 
 
22 
 
 THl HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1647 I 1647] ?EOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 23 
 
 miferies and forrows, and he found his grace to be fufE- 
 cient: infomuch that, though he had yet fome defires 
 after the help of men, his thirfl: was chiefly after the Lord, 
 the Creator of all, and his Son Jefus Chrifl: ; becaufc 
 nothing could give him any comfort but the Lord by his 
 power ; and he clearly faw that all the world, though he 
 had poiTcfled a king's ftate, would not have profited him. 
 In this condition his underftanding came more and more 
 to be opened, fo that he faw how death in Adam had 
 pafTed upon all men ; but that by Chrift, who tafted death 
 for all men, a deliverance from it, and an entrance iino 
 God's kingdom, might be obtained. Neverthclefs his 
 temptations continued, fo that he began to queftion 
 whether he might have finned againfl the Holy Ghoft. 
 This brought great perplexity and trouble over him for 
 many days ; yet he flill gave up bimfelf to the Lord : 
 and one day, when he had been walking folitarily abroad, 
 and was come home, he became exceeding fenfible of the 
 love of God to him, fo that he could not but admire it. 
 Here it was (hewed him, that all was to be done in and 
 by Chrifi: ; that he conquers and deftroys the tempter the 
 devil, and all his works ; and that all thefe troubles and 
 temptations were good for him, for the trial of his faith. 
 The effect of this was, that though at times his mind was 
 much exercifed, yet he was ftayed by a fecret belief; and 
 his foul, by a firm hope, which was to him as an anchor, 
 was kept unhurt in the diffolute world, fwimming above 
 the raging waves of temptations. After this (as he relates 
 himfelf; there did a pure iirc appear in him ; and he faw that 
 the appearance of Chrifl; in the heart was as a refiner's fire, 
 and as the fuller's foap ; aad that a fpiritual difcerning 
 was given to him, by which he faw what it was that veiled 
 his mind, and what it was that did open it: and that which 
 could not abide in patience, he found to be of the flefli, 
 that could not give up to the will of God, nor yield up 
 itfclf to die by "the crofs, to wit, the power of God. On 
 the other hand, he perceived it was the groans of the 
 Spirit which did open his underftanding, and that in that 
 Spirit there rault be a waiting upon God to obtain re- 
 demption. 
 
 About this time he heard of a woman in Lancafhirft 
 that had fafted twenty-two days, and he went to fee 
 her : but coming there he faw that flie was under a temp- 
 tation : and after he had fpoken 10 her what he felt on his 
 mind, he left her, and went to Duckenfield and Manchefter, 
 where he fliaid a while among the profeflfors he found 
 there, and declared to them that doftrine which now he 
 firmly believed to be truth ; and fome were convinced, fo 
 as to receive the inward divine teaching of the Lord, and 
 take that for their rule. This, by what I can find, was 
 the firft beginning of George Fox's preaching j which, as 
 I have been credibly informed, in thofc early years chiefly 
 confiflied of fome few, but powerful and piercing words, 
 to thofe whofe hearts were already in fome meafure pre- 
 pared to be capable of receiving this do£lrine. And it 
 ieems to me that thefe people, and alfo Elizabeth Hooton 
 (already mentionedj have been the firft who by fuch a 
 mean or weak preaching came to be his fellow-believers : 
 though there were alfo fome others who by the like im- 
 mediate way, as George Fox himfelf, were convinced ia 
 their minds, and came to fee that they ought diligently to 
 take heed to the teachings of the grace of God that had 
 appeared to them. And thus it happened that thefe un- 
 cxpeftedly^ and unawares came to meet with fellow-be- 
 lievers, which they were not acquainted with before, as 
 will be more circumftantially related hereafter. 
 
 But to return again to George Fox ; it fet the pro* 
 feffors of thofe times in a rage, that fome of their adherents 
 hearkened to his preaching ; for they could not endure to 
 hear perfeftion fpoken of, and a holy and finlefs life, as a 
 ftate that could be obtained here. Not long after he 
 travelled to Broughton in Leicefterfliire, and there went 
 into a Meeting of the Baptifts, where fome people of 
 other notions alfo came. This gave him occafion to preach 
 the doctrine of truth among them, and that not in vain ; for 
 fince he had great openings in the Scriptures, and that a 
 fpecial power of the Lord's workings began to fpring in 
 thofe parts, feveral were fo reached in their minds, that 
 they came to be convinced, and were turned from dark-^ 
 ?ie(s to light^ partly by his preachingj and partly by veafou- 
 
 B 4 
 
24 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1647 I 1^47] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 25 
 
 ing with feme. Yet he himfelf was ftill fometimes under 
 great temptations, without finding any to open his condition 
 to, but the Lord alone, unto whom he cried night and day 
 for help. 
 
 Some time after, he went back into Nottinghamfliirc, 
 and there it pleafed the Lord to Ihew him, that tlie natures 
 of thofe things which were hurtful without, were alfo 
 within, in the minds of wicked men ; and that the natures 
 of dogs, fwine, vipers, and thofe of Cain, Khmael, Efau, 
 Pharoah, &c. were in the hearts of many people. But 
 iincc this did grieve him, he cried to the Lord, faying, 
 * Why (hould 1 be thus, feeing I was never addi^ed to 
 commit thofe evils ? ' And inwardly it was anfwered him, 
 ' That it was needful he (liould have a fcnfe of all con- 
 ditions ; how elfe fliould he fpeak to all conditions ?' He 
 alfo faw there was an ocean of darknefs and death ; but 
 withal an infinite ocean of light and love, which flowed 
 over the ocean of darknefs ; in all which he perceived the 
 infinite love of God. About that time it happened that 
 walking in the town of Mansfield, by theftceple-houfe fide, 
 it was inwardly told him, ' That which people trample upon 
 mufl be thy food;' and at the faying of this, it was opened 
 to him, il.at it Was the life of Chrilt people did trample 
 upon; and that they {zd one another with words, without 
 minding that thereby the blood of the Son of God was 
 trampled under foot. And though it feemed at firfl: 
 ilrange to him, that he fhould feed on that which the 
 high profeflTors trample upon, yet it was clearly opened to 
 him how this could be. 
 
 Then many people came far and near to fee him ; and 
 though he fpoke fometimes, to open religious matters to 
 them, yet he was fearful of being drawn out by them. 
 Now the reafon of people thus flocking to him might 
 proceed partly from this : there was one Brown, who 
 upon his death-bed fpoke by way of prophecy many no- 
 table things concerning George Fox, and among the reft, 
 ' that he Ihould be made inilrumental by the Lord to the 
 converfion of people.' And of others that then were 
 fomething in fhew, he faid, ' That they fliould come to 
 nothing ^ which was fulfilled in time, though this man did 
 
 not live to fee it, for he was not raifed from his ficknefs. 
 Bur after he was buried, George Fox fell into fuch a con- 
 dition, that he not only looked like a dead body, but unto 
 many that came to fee him he feemed as if he had been 
 really dead ; and many vifited him for about fourteen days 
 time, who wondered to fee him fo much altered in coun- 
 tenance. 
 
 At length his forrows and troubles began to wxar off, 
 and tears of joy dropped from him, fo that he could have 
 wept night and day with tears of joy in brokennefs of 
 heart. And to give an account of his condition to thofe 
 that are able to comprehend it, I will ufe his own words: 
 * I faw,' faith he, ' into that which was without end, and 
 things which cannot be uttered ; and of the greatnefs and 
 infinitenefs of the love of God, which cannot be exprefled 
 by words : for I had been brought through the very 
 ocean of darknefs and death, and through and over the 
 power of Satan, by the eternal glorious power of Chrift : 
 even through that darknefs was I brought which covered 
 all the world, and which chained down all, and fliut up 
 all in the death. And the fame. eternal power of God, 
 which brouoht me throu<di thofe things, was that which 
 afterwards fliook the nation, pricfts, profcfllbrs, and people. ' 
 Then could I fay, I had been in fpiritual Babylon, Sodom, 
 Egypt, and the grave ; but by the eternal power ot God 
 I was come out of it, and was brought over it, and the 
 power of it, into the power of Chrift. And I faw the 
 harveft white, and the feed of God lying thick in the 
 ground, as ever did wheat, that was fown outwardly, and 
 none to gather it : and for this I mourned with tears.* 
 Thus far George Fox's own words, of whom now a re- 
 port went abroad, that he was a young man that had a 
 difcerning fpirit : whereupon many profelfors, priefls, and 
 people, came to him, and his miniftry increafed ; for he 
 having received great openings, fpoke to them of the 
 things of God, and was heard with attention by many, 
 who going away, fpread the fame thereof. Then came 
 the tempter, and fet upon him again, charging him that he 
 had finned againft the Holy Ghoft ; but he could not tell in 
 what ^ and then Paul's condition came before him, how 
 
±6 
 
 THE HISTORY OJ THE 
 
 £1647 H 1647! PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 «7 
 
 r' 
 
 after he had been taken up into the third heavens, and 
 feen things not lawful to 'be uttered, a meflenger of Satan 
 was fcnt to buffet him, that he might not exalt himfelf. 
 Thus George Fox, by the affiflance of the Lord, got alfo 
 ever that temptation. 
 
 Now the 47th year of that century drew to an end, and 
 ftate affairs in England grew more and more clouded and 
 intricate ^ for the King not thinking himfelf any longer 
 Jafe at Hampton Court, whither he had been brought from 
 the army ; he withdrew to the Ifle of Wight, whilft the 
 Parliament flill infilled on the abrogation of Epifcopacy, 
 and would be mafter of the military forces : which the 
 King not being willing to yield to, was now kept in clofer 
 cuftody, and no more regarded as a Sovereign, to whom 
 obedience was due from the Parliament. 
 
 Under thefe inteftine troubles, the minds of many people 
 came to be fitted to receive a nearer way and doftrine of 
 godlinefs, and it was in the year 1648, that /everal per- 
 fons, feeking the Lord, were become fellow-believers, and 
 entered into fociety with George Fox ; infomuch that they 
 began to have great meetings in Nottinghamftiire, which 
 were vifited by many. About that time there was a meet- 
 ing of priefts and profcffors at a juflice's houfe, and 
 George Fox went among them^ and heard them difcourfc 
 concerning what the Apoftle Paul faid. He had not known 
 fin, but by tij^e law, which faid, thou (halt not luft. And 
 fince they held that to be fpoken of the outward law, 
 George Fox cold them, Paul fpoke that after he was con- 
 vinced ; for he had the outward law before, and was bred 
 up in it, when he was in the luft of perfecution : but it 
 was the law of God in his n^ind, which he fcrved, and 
 which the law in his members warred againft. This fay- 
 ing found fo much entrance, that thofe of the priefts arid 
 profeffors, that were moft moderate, yielded, and confented 
 that it was not the outvyard law, but the inward, that 
 ihewed the inward luft, which the Apoftle fpoke of. 
 After this, he went again to Mansfield, where was a great 
 meeting of profeifors and other people ; and being an^ong 
 them, and moved to pray, fucb an extraordinary power 
 appeared, and feized on the hearts of fome in fo eminent 
 
 a manner, that even the houfe fcemcd to be fliaken : and 
 after prayer, fome of the auditory began to fay, ' That 
 this refembled that in the days of the ^po^l^^^, when on 
 the day of Pentecoft, the houfe where they were met was 
 fliaken/ 
 
 Not long after this, there was another great meeting of 
 profeffors, where G. Fox came alfo, who hearing them 
 difcourfe about the blood of Chrift, he cried out among • 
 them : * Do ye not fee the blood of Chrid ? Ye muft fee 
 it in your hearts, to fprinkle your hearts and confciences . 
 from dead works, to ferve the living God.' This was a 
 doftrine which (larded thefe profeffors, \vho would have 
 the blood of Chrift only with6ut them, not thinking that 
 it was to be felt inwardly. But a certain captain, whofc 
 name was Amos Stoddard, was fo reached, that feeing how 
 they endeavoured to bear G. Fox down with many words, 
 he faid, ^ Let the youth fpeak, hear the youth fpeak ;* 
 and coming afterwards to be more acquainted • with G, 
 Fox, he had an opportunity to be farther inftrufted in the 
 way of godlinefs, of which he came to be a fahhful fol- 
 lower. 
 
 Some time after, G. Fox returned to Leicefterfliire, his 
 own country; where feveral tender people came to be con- 
 vinced by his preaching. Paffmg thence into Warwick- 
 fliire, he met with a great company of profeffors, who 
 being come together in the field, were praying and ex- 
 pounding the Scriptures. Here the Bible was given him, 
 which he. opened on the 5th of Matthew, where Chrift 
 expounded fome parts of the law ; from whence G, Fox 
 took occafion to open to them the inward and outward 
 ftate of man: and that which he held forth getting fome 
 ground, they fell into a fierce contention among themfelves, 
 and fo parted. 
 
 Then he heard of a great meeting to be at Leiccfter, \ 
 for a difpute, wlierein thofe of feveral pcrfuafions, as Pref- 
 byterians. Independents, Baptifts, and Epifcopalians, were 
 faid to be all concerned. This meeting being appointed 
 to be in the fteeple-houfe, he went thither where abun- 
 dance of pcoplf were met, fome of thofe that fpoke being 
 in pews, and the pried in the pulpit. At laft, after feveral 
 
l8 THE HISTORY OF THE [^64/ 
 
 reafonings, a woman (tarred a queflion, and aikcd, « What 
 that birth was the Apoftle Peter fpoke of, viz. " a being 
 born again of incorruptible feed, by the word of God, 
 that liveth and abidcth for ever/ The prieft, inflead of 
 anfwering this qucllion, faid to her, ' I permit not a woman 
 10 fpeak in the church ;' though he had before given 
 liberty for any to fpeak. This kindled G. Fox's zeal, 
 fo that he ftept up, and alked the prieft, Doft thou call this 
 place (the Iteeple-houfe) a church ? Or dofl thou call this 
 iTiixt multitadQ a church ? But the pried not anfwering to 
 this, ailced, what a church was : and G. Fox told him, 
 'i'he church was the pillar and ground of truth, made up 
 of living ftones, living members, a fpiritual houfliold, 
 which Chrift was the head of: but he was not the head 
 «>f a inixt multitude, or of an old houfe, made up of lime- 
 llones, and wood. This caufcd fuch a llir, that the prieft 
 c.ime down out of his pulpit, and others out of their pews, 
 whereby the difpute was marred. But G. Fox went to a 
 great inn, and there difputed with the priefts and profeffors 
 of all forts, maintaining what he had faid, till they all 
 went away; yet feveral were convinced that day, and 
 among thcfe, the woman who alked the queftion aforcfaid, 
 After this, G. Fox returned again into Nottinghamfhire, 
 aud went into the vale of Beavor, where he preached re- 
 pentance to the people : and he ftaying fome w;eeks there, 
 and pafling through feveral towns, many were convinced 
 of the truth of his doctrine. About that time, as he was 
 fitting by the fire one morning, a cloud came over him, and 
 a temptation befet him, and he fitting ftill, it was fuggefted. 
 All things come by nature ; and he wr.s in a manner quite 
 clouded : but he continuing to fit lUll, the people of the 
 hoiue perceived nothing : at length a living hope arofe in 
 him, and alfo a voice, that faid. There is a living God^, 
 who made all things ; and immediately the cloud and 
 temptation vaniflied away, whereby his heart was made 
 glad, and he praifed the Lord. 
 
 Not long after, he met with fome people that had a 
 mifchievous notion, that there was no God, but that aU 
 things came by nature. But he, rcafoning with them, fo 
 confounded them^ that fome were fain co confefs, that there 
 
 1648] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 «9 
 
 was a living God. Then he faw that it v/as good for him 
 to have been tried under fuch a cloud. Nov/ in thofc 
 parts he had great meetings, and, a divine power working 
 in that country, and thereabouts, many were gathered. 
 Then coming into De^byfliire, there was a great meet- 
 ing of his friends at Eaton, where many of them begaix 
 to preach the doftrine of truth, who afterwards were 
 moved to declare the truth in other places alfo. 
 
 George Fox coming about this time to Mansfield, 
 heard, that in a town about eight miles oif, there was to 
 be a fitting of jufiiices, to deliberate about hiring of fer- 
 vants ; and he, feeling a conilraint upon his mind went 
 thither, and exhorted them, not to opprefs the fervants 
 in their wages, but to do that which was right and jult to 
 them ; and the fervants, many of which were come thither, 
 he admoniflied, to do their duty, and ferve honeilly ; and 
 they all received his exhortation kindly. He felt himfelf 
 alio moved, to go to fe\^eral courts and lleeple-houfes at 
 Mansfield, and other places, warning them to leave oflC 
 oppreflion, deceit, and other evils. And having heard at 
 Mansfield of one in the country, who was a com.mou 
 drunkard, and a noted whoremalter, and a poet alfo, he 
 went to him, and reproved him in an awful manner for 
 his evil courfes ; which fo ftruck him, that coming after- 
 wards to G. Fox, he told liim, that he was fo fmitten when 
 he fpoke to him, that he had fcarce any fl:rength left in 
 him. And this man was fo thoroughly convinced, that he 
 turned from his wickednefs, and became an honei]:, fober 
 man, to the aftonifhment of thofe that knew him before. 
 Thus the work of G. Fox's miniftry went forvv'ard, and 
 many were thereby turned from darknefs to light ; and 
 divers meetings of '.lis friends, who were much increafed 
 in number fince the year 1646, were now fet up in feveral 
 places. 
 
 George Fox was now come up to quite another ftatc 
 than formerly he had lived in ; for he knew not only a 
 renewing of the heart, and a reftoration of the xnind, but 
 the virtues of the creatures were alfo opened to him ; fo 
 that he began to deliberate whether he ihould pra£lifc 
 phyfick for the good of mankind. But God had another 
 
3® 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1648 ■ 164S] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 fcrvice for liim ; and it was flicwed Iiim, diat he was to 
 enter into a fpiritual labour ; and alfo that thofe who con- 
 liimcd faithful to the Lord, might attain to a ftate in which 
 the finful inclination was fubdued. Moreover, the three 
 great profeflions in the world, viz. phyfick, divinity, (fo 
 called) and law, were opened to him, whereby he faw that 
 the phyficians wanting the wifdom of God^ by which the 
 creatures were made, knew not their virtues : that the 
 lawyers generally were void of equity aini juftice, and fo 
 out of the law of God, which went over the firfl tranf- 
 greffion, and over all fni, and anfwered the Spirit of God 
 that was oppreffed in man : and that the priefls for thg 
 mod part, were out of the true faith, which Chrift is the 
 author of, and which purifies the heart, and brings man 
 to have accefs to God. So that thefe phyficians, lawyers, 
 and priefls, who pretended to cure the body, to eftablifli 
 the propeny of the people, and to cure the foul, were all 
 without the true knowledge and wiYdom they ought to pof- 
 fefs. Yet he felt there was a divine power, by which all 
 might be reformed, if they would receive, and bow unto 
 it. And he faw alfo, that though the priells did err, yet 
 ihey were not the greateft deceivers fpoken of in the Scrip- 
 tures ; but that thefe great deceivers were fuch, who, as 
 Cain, had heard the voice of God, and who, as Corah, 
 Bathan, and Abiram, and their company, were come out 
 of Egypt, and through the Red Sea, and had praifed God 
 on the banks of the fea fhore ; and who being come as 
 far as Balaam, could fpeak the word of the Lord, as 
 having heard his voice, and known his Spirit, fo that they 
 could fee the liar of Jacob, .and the goodlinefs of IfraePs 
 tents, which no enchantment could prevail againfl : thefe 
 that could fpeak fo much of their divine experience, and 
 yet turned from the Spirit of God, and went into the 
 gainfaying, thefe he faw would be the great deceivers, far 
 beyond rhe priefls. He faw alfo that people generally did 
 read the Scriptures, without having a true fenfe of them ; 
 for fome cried out much againfl Cain, Iflimael, Efau, 
 Corah, Balaam, Judas, &c. not regarding that the nature 
 of thefe was yet alive in thcmfelvcs j whereby they al- 
 
 ways applied to others that nature in which they them- 
 feJves lived. 
 
 The Lord had alfo opened to him now, that ever)' man 
 was enlightened by the divine light of Chrifl ; and he favr 
 that they that beheved in it, came out of condemnation, 
 and became the children of the light : but they that hated 
 it, and did not believe in it, were condemned by it, though 
 they made a profeffion of Chrifl. All this he faw in the 
 pure openings of the light. He alfo faw that God had 
 afforded a meafure of his Spirit to all men, and that 
 thereby they could truly come to ferve the Lord, and to 
 %'or{hip him ; and that his grace, which brings falvation, 
 and had appeared to all men, was able to bring them into 
 the favour of God. 
 
 And on a certain time, as he was walking in the fields, 
 he underflood that it was faid to him: Thy name is written 
 in the Lamb's Book of Life, which was before the foun- 
 dation of the world. This he took to be the voice of the 
 Lord, and believed it to be true. Then he felt himfclf 
 powerfully moved to go abroad into the world, which was 
 like a briery thorny wildernefs ; and he found then that 
 the world fwcUed againfl him, and made a noife like the 
 great raging waves of the fea : for when he came to pro- 
 claim the day of the Lord amongfl the priefls, profefTors, 
 magiflrates, and people, they were all like a diflurbed fea. 
 Now he was fent to turn people from darknefs to the light, 
 that they might receive Chrifl Jefus ; for he faw, that to 
 as many as fliould receive him in his light, he would give 
 power to become the Ions of God : and that therefore he 
 was to turn people to the grace of God, and to the truth 
 in the heart ; and that by this grace they might be taught, 
 and thereby obtain falvation; fincc Chrifl had died for 
 all men, and was a propitiation for all, having enlightened 
 all men with his divine faving light, and the manifeflation 
 of the Spirit of God being given to every man to profit 
 withal. He now being fent thus to preach the everlafling 
 gofpel, did it with gladnefs, and endeavoured to bring 
 people off from their own ways, to Chrifl, the new and 
 living way ; and from their churches, which men had made 
 and gathered, to the church in God, the general affembly 
 
32 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1643 
 
 1648] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 written in heaven, which ChriR h the head of; and from 
 the world's teachers, made by men, to learn of Chrifl, 
 who is the way, the truth, and the life; and of whom the 
 Father faid, " This is my beloved Son, hear ye him;" 
 and ofF from the world's worlhip, to the Spirit of God in 
 ihe inward parts, that in it they might worihip ihc Father, 
 who feeks fuch to worihip him. 
 
 Now he found alfo that the Lord forbade him to put ofF 
 his hat to any man, high or low ; and he was required 
 to Thou and Thee every man and woman without dif- 
 tin£lion, and not to bid people Good Morrow or Good 
 Evening ; neither might he bow or fcrape with his leg to 
 any one. This was fuch an unufual thing with people, 
 that it made many of all perfuafions and profcfTions rage 
 againfl: him ; but by the afliftance of the Lord, he Vvas 
 carried over all, and many came to be his fellow-believers, 
 and turned to God in a little time ; although it is almoft 
 unfpeakable what rage and fury arofe, what blows, pinch- 
 ings, beatings, and impiifonments they underwent, befides 
 the danger they were foinctimes in of lofmg their lives for 
 thefc matters : fo indifcrcet is man in his natural fhite. 
 For here it did not avail to fay, That the hat-honour was 
 an honour from below, which the Lord would lay in the 
 dufl, and ftain it ; that it was an honour which the proud" 
 looked for, without feeking the honour which came fL*oni 
 God alone ; that it wus an honour invented by men in the 
 fall, who therefore were offended if it were not given them ; 
 though they would be looked upon as church members, 
 and good Chrillians ; whereas Chrill himfelf faid, " How 
 can ye believe, who receive honour of one another, and 
 feck not the honour that cometh from God only?'* That 
 ft was an honour, which in relation to the outward cere- 
 piony, viz, the putting off the hat, was the fame which 
 V/4'-5 given to God ; fo that in the outward fign of reve- 
 rence, no diflln^iion, or difference was made betwixt the 
 Creator and the creature ; nay, that the faying of you to 
 a fmgle perfon, went yet a degree further ; for not only 
 kings and princes formerly among the Heathens and Jews, 
 had not been offended at it when they were Thee'd and 
 Thou'd, but experience Ihcwed that this Hill was the 
 
 a 
 
 language wherewith God was daily fpoken to, both in re- 
 ligious affemblies, and without. But all thefe reafons 
 found little entrance with priefts, magiilrates, and others : 
 bitter revilings, ill ufage, and fliameful abufes, were now 
 become the lot and (hare of thofe who for confcience-fake, 
 could no longer follow the ordinary cuftom : for though 
 it was pretended that the putting off of the hat v:as but a 
 fmall thing, which none ought to fcruplc ; yet it was a 
 wonderful thing, to fee what great diflurbance this pre- 
 tended fmall matter caufcd among people of all forts ; fo 
 that even fuch that would be looked upon as thofe that 
 fifa<5lifed humility and meeknefs, foon fliewed what fpirit 
 they were of, when this worldly honour was denied them. 
 But all this ferved to ftrengthen the fellow-believers more 
 and more in their plain carriage, and made them live up 
 faithfully to the convinccment of their confcience, v;ith- 
 out refpecl of perfons. 
 
 In the mean-while the troubles of the land continued. 
 We left the King in the foregoing year in the lile of 
 Wight, in effe^i: unkinged. Some time after the Duke of 
 York, fecond fon to the King, being then pail fourteen 
 years of age, fled to Holland, difguifed in woman's apparel ; 
 and his eldeft brother the Prince of Wales, who two years 
 before fled to France, came now to Helvoet-SIuice in Hol- 
 land, and w^nt from thence w^ith fome Englifli men of 
 war, whole commanders were for the King, to the Downs 
 in England, with intention to take the fliips coming from 
 London. He alfo publiflied, by the fpreading of a decla- 
 ration, that he came to releafe his father. Now there was 
 alfo a negociation on foot between the King and the Par- 
 liament, and there feemed fome hopes of an accommoda- 
 tion ; had not the army, the chief inftrument in breaking 
 down the royal power, oppofed it, by calling for juftice 
 againfl: all thofe who had wronged the country, none ex- 
 cepted. This broke off the treaty, feveral fufpefted mem- 
 bers were turned out of the Parliament, and the King was 
 carried to Windfor about the time called Chriftmas ; and 
 it was refolved henceforth to fend no more deputations to 
 him, nor receive any from him, who now was no more 
 named King, but only Charles Stuart : a very ftrange tura 
 Vol. L c 
 
THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [1648 ■ 1648] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 35 
 
 of munJanc afiVirs, and a mighty evidence of the fluctuat- 
 ing inconftancy thereof. But things made no (land here, 
 for it was concluded to bring him to a trial ; and the Par- 
 liament appointed General Thomas Fairtaji, and Oliver 
 Cromwell, Lieutenant General, with more than an hundred 
 other perfons, to be his judges. Thefe being formed into 
 a court of judice, the King was condu(fted from Windfor 
 to St. James's, and from thence brought before them in 
 Wcitminrter Hall, where he was arraigned as guilty of 
 high ireafon, for having levied war againft the Parliament 
 and people of England. But he not owning that court to 
 be lawful, nor acknowledging their authority, faid, ^ I aij| 
 not intrufted by the ^>eople, they are mine by inheritance: 
 and being unwilling to anfwer to the charge, he was on the 
 27th of the month, called January, fentenced to death, as 
 a tyrant, traitor, murderer, and a publick enemy to the 
 Commonwealth. But before this fentence v/as pronounced, 
 the King defired that he might be permitted to make a 
 propofition to both Houfes of Parliament in the painted 
 Chamber, defigning as was fince faid, to propofe his own 
 refignation, and the admiflion of his fon, the Prince of 
 Wales, to the throne. But this rcqueft was denied by 
 the Court. Now though the faid Prince of Wales, con- 
 lidering his father's danger, had applied himfelf to the 
 States-Genera! of the United Provinces at the Hague'for 
 afliltance; and that thefe fent two AmbaiTadors to the 
 Parliament, wlio coming to London on the fame day the 
 fatal fentence was pronounced, could not obtain admiflion 
 till next day to the Speakers of both Houfes, and were 
 afterwards with Fairfax and Cromwell, and other com- 
 manders ; and one of them had alfo his audience in the 
 Parliament to intercede with them for the King's life ; yet 
 all proved in vain : for on the 30th of the aforefaid 
 month, the King was brought on a fcaflfold erefted before 
 the banqueting houfe, and his head fevered from his body. 
 The fiime day the Parliament ordered a declaration to be 
 publifiied, whereby it was declared treafon to endeavour 
 to promote the Prince of Wales, Charles Stuart, to be 
 King of England, or any other Angle pcrfon to be the 
 chief governor thereof. And then,, after having abolished 
 
 m 
 
 the Houfe of Peers, they afliimed to themfelves the chief 
 government of the nation, with the title of, 'The Parlia- 
 ment of the Commonwealth of England. 
 
 The news of the King's death was no fooner come into 
 Scotland, but Charles, Prince of Wales, was proclaimed, 
 at Edinburgh, King of Great Britain, provided he fliould, 
 before aflTuming the royal authority, give fatisfaftion about 
 fome matters concerning religion. And though this dif-- 
 ■pleafed the Englifh, yet the Scots aflferted that they might 
 as well do (0^ as the Englifh, who had done the fame at the 
 death of the late King's father, in the year 1625. 
 
 Leaving fl:ate aflairs, let us return to G. Fox, who ii. 
 tne year 1649, was much exercifed to declare openly 
 againfl: all forts of fins : and therefore he went noi only to 
 thocourts, crying for jufl:ice, and exhorting. the judges and 
 jufl.ices to do juftice, but he warned alfo thofe that kept 
 publick houfes for entertainment, not to let people have 
 more drink than what would do them good. He alfo tef- 
 tified againfl: wakes, may-games, pla)ts, and fhews, by ' 
 which people were led into vanity, and drawn off from 
 the fear of God; the days that were fet forth for holidays, 
 being ufually the times wherein God was mofl: dilhonoured. 
 When he came into markets, he alfo declared againfl: ' 
 deceitful merchandizing, and warned all to deal juftly, 
 and to fpeak the truth ; and he teftified againft the moun- 
 tebanks playing tricks on their ftages : and when occafion 
 offered, he warned fchoolm.aflers and fchoolmifl:reffes to 
 teach their children to mind the fear of the Lord ; %ing, 
 that they themfelves ought to be exam.ples and patterns of 
 virtue to them. But very burdenfome it was to him, 
 when he heard the bell ring to call people together to the 
 fl:ccple-houfe ; fcr it feemed to him jufl: like a market bell, 
 to gather the people, that the priell might fet forth his 
 ware to fale. . 
 
 Going once on a Firfl:-day of the week, in the morning, ^ 
 with fome of his friends to Nottingham, to have a raeeV- 
 ing there ; and having feen from the top of a hill the 
 great fteeple-houfe of the town, he felt it required of him 
 to cry againfl that idol temple, and the worfliippcrs therein : 
 yet he laid nothing of this to thofe that were widi him. 
 
 c 2 
 
3S 
 
 THE HtSTORY OF THE 
 
 [1649 
 
 V 
 
 but went on with them to the meeting, where after feme 
 flay he left them, and went away to the {leeple-houie, 
 where the pricft took for his text thefe words of the 
 Apoftle, a Pet. i. 19. " We have alfo a moft fure word 
 of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as 
 unto a light that Ihineth in a dark place, um,l the day 
 dawn, and the day-ftar arife in your hearts. And he told 
 the people that this was the Scripture, by wluch they 
 were to try all doftrines, religions, and opinions. G. tox 
 hearing this, felt fuch mighty power, and godly zeal 
 working in him, that he was made to cry out O no, it 
 i5 not the Scripture, but it is the Holy Spint, by which the 
 holy men of God gave forth the Scriptures, ^^'1^^ °P'- 
 nlons, religions, and judgments are to be tried. That was 
 it which led into all truth, and gave the knowledge 
 thereof. For the Jews had the Scriptures, and yet rciilted 
 the holy Gholt, and rejefted Chrift, the bright morning 
 ftar, and perfecuted him and his Apoftles ; though they 
 took upon them to try their doftrine by the Scriptures ; 
 but they erred in judgment, and fi^otirj them aright, 
 becaufe they did it without the Holy Ghoft.' 1 hus fpeak- 
 ine the officers came and took him away, and piit him 
 info a naily ftinking prifon. At night he was brought be- 
 fore the mayor, aldermen, and flierilFs of the town ; and 
 they examining him, he told them, that the Lord had 
 moved him to come there into the fteeple-houfe : and 
 though the mayor at firft appeared peevilh and frettnl, 
 vet he was allayed : however, after fome dilcourfe, G. 
 Fox was fent back to prifon. But fome time after, the 
 head (heriff John Recklefs fent for him to his houfe, and 
 when G. Fox came in, the fherifPs wife met him m the 
 hall, and taking him by the hand, fatd, ' Salvation n 
 come to our houfe :' for his fpeech in the fteeple-houfc 
 had fo amazed many, that they could not get the found 
 of it out of their ears ; and not only this woman was 
 wrought upon, but alfo her hufband, children and fer- 
 vants were much changed by the power of the Lord. 
 
 George Fox thus coming to lodge at this flieria s houle, 
 had great meetings there, and fome pcrfons of quality m 
 the world came to them ; and they were reached very 
 
 1649] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLEP QUAKERS. 
 
 37 
 
 eminently in their minds by an invifible power. Recklefs 
 being of this number, fent for the other ftieriff, and for a 
 woman they traded with ; and he told her in the prcfcnce 
 of the other flierifF, that they had wronged her in their 
 dealings with her, and that therefore they ought to make 
 her reftitution ; to which Recklefs exhorted the other 
 flieriff, being himfelf made fenfible, that this was an indif- 
 penfable duty : for a m'ghty change was now wrought in 
 him, and his underflanding came to be opened ; fo that on 
 the HEXt market day, as he was walking with G. Fox in 
 the chamber, in his flippers, he faid, ' I muft go into the 
 market and preach repentance to the people :' and accord- 
 ingly he went in his flippers into the market, and into 
 feveral ftreets, preaching repentance. Some others alfo 
 in the town were moved to fpeak to the mayor and ma- 
 giftratcs, and to the people, exhorting ihem to repent. 
 But this the magift rates could not endure ; and to vent 
 their paffion on G. Fox, they fent for him from the 
 flieriff's houfe, and committed him to the common prifon^ 
 where he was kept till the afTizes came on, and then he 
 was to have been brought before the judge, but that the 
 IherifF's man being fornewhat long in fetching him, the 
 judge was rifen before G. Fox came to the feflion-houfe ; 
 however, the judge was a little difpleafed, having faid, 
 ' He would have admonilhed the youth (meaning G. Fox) 
 if he had been brought before him. So he was carried 
 back again to prifon. In the mean-'.vhile fuch a wonder- 
 ful power broke forth among his friends, tliat many were 
 aftoniflicd at it, fo that even feveral of the priefts were 
 made tender, and fome did confefs to the power of the 
 Lord. Now though the people began to be very rude, 
 yet the governor of the caftle was fo moderate, that he 
 fent down foldiers to difperfe them. G. Fox halving been 
 kept prifoner a pretty long time, was at length fet at 
 liberty, and then travelled as before in the work of the 
 Lord. 
 
 Coming to Mansfield-ViToodhoufe, he found there a dif- 
 traftcd woman under a doftor's hand, being bound, and 
 with her hair loofe; and the doftor being about to let her 
 bloodj could get no blood from her ; which made G. Fo.\ 
 
38 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ccfire to lanbind her ; and after this was done, he fpoke 
 to her, and bade her in the name of the Lord, to be quiet 
 and ftill. This proved of fuch effecl: that (he became ftill ; 
 and her mind coming to be fettled, flic mended, and 
 afterwards received the doctrine of truth, and continued 
 in it 10 her death. 
 
 Whilft G. Fox was in this place, he was m.oved to go 
 to the fteeple houfe, and declare there the truth to the 
 pritft and the people; which doing, the people fell upon 
 him, and ftruck him down, alrooft fmothering him, {or he 
 was cruelly beaten and bruifed with their hands, bibles, 
 and flicks. Then they haled him out, though hardly able 
 to ftand, and put him into the (locks, where he fat fonic 
 hours: and they brought horfe-whips, threatening to whip 
 him. After fome time they had him before the magidrates, 
 at a knight's houfe ; who feeing how ill he had been ufed, 
 fet him at liberty, after much threatening. But the rude 
 multitude (loned him out of the town ; and though he 
 was fcarce able to go, yet with much ado he got about a 
 mile from the town, where he met with fome people that 
 gave him fomcthing to comfort him, bcraufe he was in- 
 wardly bruifed. But it pleafed the Lord foon to heal him 
 again ; and fome people were that day convinced of the 
 truth, which had been declared by him in the (leeple- 
 houfe, at Vv'hich he rejoiced. . - 
 
 Out. of Nottingham(hire he went Into Leicefterfhire, 
 accompanied by feveral of his friends ; and coming to 
 Barrow, difcourfed with fome Baptids ; and one of them 
 faying, What was not of faith, was fm ; he aiked, What 
 faith was, and how it was wrought in man : but they turr4ing 
 off from thdt, fpoke of their water-baptifm ; which gave 
 occafion to G. Fox, and his friends, to a(k who baptifed 
 John the Baptift, and who baptifed Peter, John, and the 
 reft of the Apoftles. But they were filent at thofe quef- 
 tions. After fome other difcourfe they parted. On the 
 next Fir(l-day of the week, G. Fox, and thofe that were 
 with hiiT), came to Bagworth, and wxnt to a (leeplc- 
 houfe ; and after the pried had done, they had fome 
 fervice there by fpeaking to the people. 
 
 PafTmg from thence, he heard of a people that were in 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 39 
 
 prifon in Coventry for religion ; and as he was walking 
 towards the jail, the word of the Lord (as he relates) 
 came to him, faying, ' My love v/as always to thee, and 
 thou art in ray love.' By this he was overcome with a 
 fenfe of the love of God, and much ftrengthened in his 
 inward man. But coming into the gaol, a gre^t power 
 of darknefs ftruck at him ; for indead of meeting fuch as 
 were imprifoned for religion, he found them to be blafphe- 
 mers, who were come to that degree, that they (liid they 
 were gods ; and this their wicked opinion they endeavoured 
 to maintain by Scripture, mi(iipplying what was faid to 
 the Apodle Peter, when the (heet was let down to him, 
 viz. ' What was (iinftified, he fliould not call common or 
 unclean :' and the words of the Apodle Paul, concerning 
 * God's reconcihng all things tohimfelf, things in heaven, 
 and things on earth.* G. Fox was greatly grieved at this 
 profanenefs, told them that thefe Scriptures were nothing 
 to their purpofe ; and feeing they faid they were gods, 
 he alked them, if they knew whether it would rain to- 
 morrow ; and they faying, they could not tell ; he told 
 them, God could tell. He afked them alfo, if they thought 
 they fliould be always in that condition, or fiiould change: 
 and they anfwering, that they could not tell ; G. Fox 
 told them, that God could tell it, and that he did not 
 change. This confounded them, and brought them down 
 for that time ; fo after having reproved them for their 
 blafphemous expreflions, he went away. Not long after 
 this, one of thefe ranters, whofe name was Jofeph Salmon, 
 gave forth a book of recantation, upon which they were 
 fet at liberty. From Coventry, G. Fox went to Ather- 
 done, w^here, going into the chapel, he declared to the 
 prirds and the people, that God w^as coine to teach his 
 people himfelf, and to bring them off from all their mati- 
 made teachers, to hear hjs Son. And though fome few 
 raged, yet they were generally pretty quiet, and fome 
 were convinced. 
 
 After this fervice, he went to Market^Bofworth^ and 
 coming into the publick place of worfhip, he found Natha- 
 niel Stevens preaching, who, as hath been faid already, 
 ^as pried of the town where G. Fox was born \ here 
 
 c 4 
 
40 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1649 I 1649] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 4t 
 
 G. Fox taking occafion to fpeak, Stevens to!d the people, 
 he was mad, and that they fliould not hear him ; though 
 he had faid before to one Colonel Purfoy concerning him, 
 that there was never fiich a plant bred in England. The 
 people now being ftirred up by this pricft, fell upon G. Fox 
 and his friends, and Honed them out of the town. Never- 
 thelefs this wrought on the minds of fome others, fo 
 that they were made loving. 
 
 G. Fox now travelling on, came to Twy-Crofs, where 
 he fpoke to the cxcifemen, and warned them to take heed 
 of oppreffing the poor. There being in that town a great 
 man, that had long lain fick, and was given over by the 
 phyficians, he went to vifit him in bis chamber ; and after 
 having fpoken fome words to him, he was moved to pray 
 by his bed-fide ; and the Lord was entreated, fo that the 
 fick man was reftored to health. But G. Fox being come 
 down, and fpeaking to fome that were in a room there, 
 a fcrvant came with a naked rapier in his hand, and 
 threatened to flab him ; but he looking ftedfaftly on the 
 man, faid, * Alack for thee, poor creature! What wilt 
 thou do with thy carnal weapon ? It is no more to me than 
 a ftravw' He being flopped thus, went away in a rage, 
 and his mafier hearing of it turned him out of his fervice, 
 and was afterwards very loving to Friends ; and when 
 G. Fox came to that town again, both he and his wife 
 came to fee him. 
 
 After this he went into Derbyfhire, where his fellow- 
 believers increafed in godly flrcngth ; and coming to 
 Chefterficld, he found one Britland to be pried there, 
 who having been partly convinced of the do(^rine of truth, 
 had fpoken much in behalf of it, and faw beyond the 
 common fort of priefls. But when the priefl of that town 
 died, he got the parfonage. G. Fox now fpeaking to 
 him and the people, endeavoured to bring them off from 
 man's teaching, unto God's teaching ; and though the 
 pricft was not able to gainfay, yet they had him before 
 the mayor, and threatened to fend him to the houfe of 
 corrc6lion : but when it was late in the night, the officers 
 and the watchmen led him out of the town. 
 
 Concerning flaic alTairs it hath been faid already, that 
 
 Charles II. had been proclaimed king by the Scots ; but 
 he being ftill in Holland, they fent to him there, that 
 he would fubfcribe the Covenant, and fo abrogate Epifco- 
 nacy in Scotland : it was alfo defired that he would put 
 fome lords from him. But thofe that were fent, received 
 only an anfwer from the young King in general terms, 
 which made them return home ag^ain, where we will 
 leave them, to fee in the mean-while how it went with 
 G. Fox, who had been fent away, as hath been faid, 
 from Cheltcrfield, came to Derby in the year I650, and 
 lay at a doctor's houfe, w^iofe wife was convinced of 
 the truth he preached. Now it happened, as he was 
 walking there in his chamber, he heard the bell ring, 
 and afked the woman of the houfe what the bell rung for. 
 She told him, there was to be a great lefture that day ; 
 fo that many of the officers of the army, and priefts and 
 preachers were to be there, as alfo a colonel that was a 
 preacher. Then he felt himfelf moved to go to that 
 congregation ; and when the fervice was done, he fpoke 
 to them what he believed the Lord required of him ; and 
 they were pretty quiet. But there came an officer, who 
 took him by the hand, and faid, that he, and the other 
 two that were with him, muft go before the magiftrates. 
 Coming then about the firfl hour in the afternoon before 
 them, they aflced him, why he came thither; to which 
 having anfwered, that God had moved him to it; he 
 farther faid, that God did not dwell in temples made with, 
 hands ; and that all their preaching, baptifnt, and facrifices, 
 would never fan^lify them ; but that they ought to look 
 unto Chrlfl in them, and not unto men ; becaufe it is Chrift 
 that fanftifies. They then .running into many words, he 
 told them, they were not to difpute of God and Chrifl, 
 but to obey him. But this dodrine did fo difpleafe them, 
 that they often put him in and out of the room, and 
 fometimes told them fcoffingly, that he w^as taken up in 
 raptures. At lafl they aiked him, whether he was fan<Eli- 
 fied ; and he anfwering, yes ; they then aiked, if he had 
 no fm ; to which he faid, ' Chrifl my Saviour has taken 
 away my fin, and in him there is no fm.' Then he and 
 his friends were afked, how they knew that Chrifl did 
 
42 THE HISTORY OF THE [^65© 
 
 abide In them ; G. Fox faid, * By his Spirit, that he has 
 given us/ Then they temptingly aiked, if any of them 
 was Chriil ; but he anfwered, ' Nay, we are nothing, 
 Chrift is all/ At length they alfo a/ked, if a man fteal, 
 is it no fin ; to which he anfwered with the words of 
 Scripture, ' All unrighteoufnefs is fm.' So whan they 
 had wearied themfelves in examining him, they committed 
 him and another man, to the houfe of corredlion in Derby, 
 tor fix months, as blafphemers, as appears by ^he following 
 mittimus. 
 
 To the Mqfler of the Hoitfe of CorrePJon in Bcrhy^ Greeting. 
 
 We have fent you herewithal the bodies of George Fox, 
 late of Mansfield in the county of Nottingham ; and John 
 Fretwell, late of Stanicfby in the county of Derby, huf- 
 bandman, brought before us this prefent day, and charged 
 with the avowed uttering and broaching of divers blafphe- 
 itious opinions, contrary to a late A6t of Parliament, which^ 
 upon their examination before us, they have confeffed. 
 Thefe are therefore to require you, forthwith upon fight 
 hereof, to receive them, ihe faid George Fox and John 
 Fretwell into your cuftody, and them therein fafely to 
 keep during the fpace of fix months, without bail or main- 
 prize, or until they fliall find fufF Jent fecurity to be of 
 good behaviour, or be thence d livered by order from 
 ourfelves. Hereof you are not t < fail. Given under our 
 hands and feals this 30th day of October, \^^q. 
 
 Ger. Bennet, 
 • Nath. Barton, 
 
 ^ Oeorge Fox being tlms, as hath been faid, locked up, 
 the priells beftirred thcmfeives in their pulpits to preach up 
 lin lor term of life ; and they endeavoured to purfuadc 
 people that it was an erroneous doctrine, to aflert a 
 poilibility of being freed from fm in this life, as was held 
 forth by the Qr.akers; for this began now to be the name 
 x^-hcreby G. Fox's fellow-believers were called, in a re- 
 viling way : and fmce that de«omination hjith coiuinuecj 
 
 1650] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 43 
 
 to them from that time dov,'nward, wt cannot therefore 
 pafs by the firll rife of it with filence. Until tliis time ^ 
 thofe who profefled the Irght of. Chrift a> fliining in man's 
 heart,, and reproving for fin, were not improperly called 
 Profeffors of the Light, or Children of the Light : but 
 Gervas Bennet, one of the juftices of the peace who 
 figned the aforefaid mittimus, and an Independent, hearing 
 that G. Fox bade him, and thofe about him, tremble at 
 the word of the Lord ! took hold of this weighty faying 
 with fuch an airy mind, that from thence he took occafion 
 to call him, and his friends, fcornfully, ClUAKERS. 
 This new and unufual denomination was taken up fo 
 eagerly, and fpread fo among the people, that not only 
 the priefts there from that time gave no other name to the 
 Profeffors of the Light, but founded it fo gladly abroad, 
 that it foon run over all England ; and making no (land 
 there, it quickly reached to the neighbouring countries, 
 and adjacent kingdoms, infomuch, that the fiid Profeffors 
 of the Light, for diftinftion fake from other religious 
 focieties, have been called every where by that Englifli 
 name, which founding very odd in the ears of fome 
 foreign nations, hath alfo given occafion to many fiily 
 flories. 
 
 Now becaufe in thofe early times, among the many 
 adherents of this perfuafion, there were fome that having 
 been people of a rude and diffolute hfe, came fo to be 
 pricked to the heart, that they grew true penitents, with 
 real forrow for their former tranfgreffions ; it happened 
 that they at meetings did not only burft out into tears, 
 b\it alfo were affe^ed with fuch a fmgular commouon of 
 ilie mind, that fome fliakings of their bodies \yere per- 
 ceived ; fome people naturally being more affected with 
 the paffions of the mind, than others; for even anger 
 doth tranfport fome men fo violently, that it makes them 
 tremble ; whereas others will quake with fear : and what 
 wonder then, if fome being ftruck with the terrors of God 
 did tremble ? But this being feen by envious men, ihey 
 took occafion from thence to tell, that thefe Profeffors of 
 the Light performed their worfliip with fliaking ; yet they 
 ihemfclves never afferted that trembling of the body was 
 
44 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1650 
 
 an effential f^rt of ilicir rel-gion, but have occafionally 
 fai! the contra/y ; ihouj;h they did not deny themfclves 
 to be inch 'iX> trc^mhle before God ; and they alfo did 
 Dot flick to lay, that al! people ought to do fo ; however 
 thereby not erjoinin.^ a boaily iiiaking. 
 
 We hiive fe^n juil now, how one Frctwcll was com* 
 mlttcd with G. Fox to the houie of corrCiSlion ; but he 
 not f!:andinvi; faithful in his teftimony, obtained, by inter- 
 ceflion of the jiiilor, leave of the juflice to go fee his 
 mother, and lo got bis liberty : and then a report was 
 fj.read, that he had faid, that G. Fox had bewitched and 
 deceived him. 
 
 G. Fox was now becorr.e the objeft of many peoples 
 hatred; n^ap;!'"^ rates, prirfts, and profeffors were all in a 
 ra';e a^ainil: him ; and rlie gaoler, to find fomething where- 
 with to enfnare him, woukl fuiriCtimes aJk him fuch filly 
 qncllions, as, wiicihcr the door were latched or not ; 
 th'nking thereby to draw fome fudden unadvifed anfwer 
 from him, v/hcrcby he might charge fin upon him: but 
 lie was kept f:) watchful and circumfpe(^, that they could 
 prt no advant:ir;e of him. Not long afcerjiis commitmennt^ 
 he was moved to write both to the pricfls and magiftrates 
 
 cf D« rby 
 
 Now iince G. Croefe in the beginning of his hiflory, 
 reprefents G. Fox as one altogether imfit, not only to write 
 legibly, but alfo to exprefs his mirid clearly in writing, 
 and that therefore he always was obliged to employ others 
 that could fet down his meaning intelligibly, it will 
 not be belide the purpofe to fay, that this is more^than 
 any will be able to prove. For though it cannot be denied 
 tha: he v/as no ele-i^ant writer, nor good fpcllcr, yet it is 
 true, that h:s charafteis being tolerable, his writing was 
 legible, and th'^ matter he treated of was intelligible, 
 though his ilile was not I'ke that of a flvilful linguift. And 
 albeit he employed others, bccaufe hixnfelf was no quick 
 waiter, yet generally they were young lads, who as they 
 durfc not h.ive attempted to idrer his words and plirafes, 
 fo they would not have been ikilful enough to refine his 
 ftile. This 1 do not write from hearfay •, bu; have feen it 
 at fuudvv times. And how true it is what the fame autho^' 
 
 1650] PEOPLE CALLED C^AKERS. 45 
 
 fays, that moftly al! that G. Fox did write, was fcarce any 
 thing befides a rough colle<^ion of feveral Scripture places, 
 may be feen by the fequel of this hiftory, w+.crtin will be 
 found many of his writings. Ihe firft of his letters 1 meet 
 with is the following, which he WTit to the priefts of Derby, 
 from the houfe of corre6bon, where certainly he had 110c 
 the convenience of a writing clerk. 
 
 * O Friends I was fent unto you to tell you, that if 
 you had received the gofpel freely, you v/oiild m'nifler it 
 freely without money or price : buc you m ike a tr:»de and 
 fale of what the prophets und apofiles have fjolven ; and 
 fo you corrupt the truth. And you are the men, that lead 
 filly women captive, who are ever le/irning, and never 
 able to come to the knov/lcdge of the truth : you have a 
 form of godlinefs ; but you deny tho povv'cr. Now as 
 Jannes and jambres withilood Mofes^ fo do you ref.H: tlie 
 truth ; being men of corrupt minds, repro!)ate concf rning 
 the faith. But you (hall proceed no farther ; for your 
 folly fliall be made maniftit to all men, as theirs vras. 
 Moreover the Lord fent me to tel' ycu, that he doth look 
 for fruits. You aflced me, if the Scripture was my rule ; 
 but it is not your rule, to rule your live s by ; but to talk 
 of in w^ords. You are the men thiit live in pleafures, 
 pride, and wantonnefs, in fulnefs of bread and abundance 
 of idlenefs : fee if this be not the fn of Sodom. Lot 
 received the angels : but Sodom was envious. You fiiew 
 forth the vain nature : you {land in the fteps of them that 
 crucified my Saviour, and mocked him : you are their 
 children ; you (hew forth their fruit. Tlie^y had the chief 
 place in the affemblies ; and fo have you : they loved to 
 be called Rabbi i and fo do you.' G F* 
 
 That which he writ to the Magiilrates, who committed 
 him to prifon, was to this effect j 
 
 ' Friends, 
 ' I am forced, in tender love unto your fouh, to write 
 unto you, and to beleech you to confider what you do, 
 and what the com»mands of Cod Ctdj fgr. He djtli require 
 
46 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKER^. 
 
 47 
 
 juflicc snd mercy, to break every yoke, and to let the 
 opprefled go free. But who calleth for juftice, or loveih 
 mercy, or contendeth for the truth ? Is not judgment 
 turned backward, and doth not juftice fland afar off? 
 Is not truth filenced in the (treets, or can equity enter ? 
 And do not they that depart from evil, make themfelves 
 a prey ? Oh ! confidcr what ye do in time, and take heed 
 whom ye do imprifon : for the magiftrate is fet for the 
 punifhment of evil doers, and for the praife of them that 
 do well. Now, I intreat you in time take heed what 
 you do; for furely the Lord will come, and will make 
 manifeil both the builders and the work : and if it be of 
 man, it will fail ; but if it be of God, nothing will over- 
 throw it. Therefore I defire and pray, that you v/ould 
 take heed, and beware what you do, left ye be found 
 iighters againft God. G. F.* 
 
 George Fox having thus cleared his confcience, continued 
 -waiting in patience, leaving the event to God. And after 
 fome time he felt himfelf conftrained to write to the juftices 
 that had committed him to prifon, to lay their doin^rs before 
 them, that fo they might come to a due confideration there^ 
 of: one of them (already mentioned) was juftice Eennet, 
 the other Nathaniel Barton, both a juftice and a colonel, 
 as alfo a preacher : to thefc he wrote as follov* s : 
 
 ' Friends, 
 ' You did fpeak of the good old way, which the 
 prophet fpake of; but the prophets cried againft the abo- 
 minations which you hold up. Had you the power of God, 
 ye would not pcrfecute the good way. He that fpake of 
 the good way was fet in the ftocks : the people cried. 
 Away with him to the ftocks, for fpeaking the truth. 
 Ah! foolifti people, which have eyes and fee not, ears 
 and hear not, without imdcrftanding ! Fear ye not me, 
 laith the Lord, and will ye not tremble at my prefcnce ! 
 O your pride and abominations are odious in the eyes of 
 God ! you (that are preachers) have the chiefeft place in 
 the affemblies, and are called of men Mafter ; and fuch 
 were aud are againft iny Saviour Aud Maker : and they 
 
 Iflmt up the kingdom of heaven from men, neither go in 
 Jthemfelves, nor fuffcr others. Therefore ye ftiall receive 
 the greater damnation, who have their places, and walk 
 in their fteps. You may fay, if you had been in the days . 
 of the prophets, or Chrift, ye would not have pertcuted 
 them ; wherefore be ye witneffes againft yourfelves, that 
 yc are the children of them, feeing, ye now perfecute 
 the way of truth. O confider, 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 againft ! 
 O come down, and fit in the duft ! The Lord is coming 
 with power ; and he will throw down every one that is 
 exalted, that he alone may be exalted.* 
 
 Having thus written to them jointly, he, after fome 
 time, wrote to each of them apart. That to juftice 
 Bennet was thus : 
 
 *■ Friend, 
 « Thou that doft profefs God and Chrift in words, 
 fee how thou doft follow him. To take off burdens, and 
 to vifit them that be in prifon, and fliew mercy, and clothe 
 rhy own flefti, and deal thy bread to the hungry; thcfe are 
 God's commandments : to relieve the fatherlefs, and to^ 
 vifit the widows in their afflictions; and to keep thyfelf 
 unfpotted of the world ; this is pure religion before God. 
 But if thou doft profefs Chrift, and foUoweft covetoufnefs, 
 and greedinefs, and earthly-mindednefs, thou dcnieft hin> 
 in life, and deceiveft thyfelf and others, and takeft him 
 for a cloke. Wo be to you greedy men, and rich men, 
 weep and howl for your mifery that lliall come. Take 
 heed of covetoufnefs and extortion, God doth forbid that. 
 Wo be to the man that coveteth an evil covetoufnefs, 
 that he may fet his neft on high, and cover himfelf witU 
 thick clay. O do not love ihat which God forbids : hi^ 
 fervant thou art whom thou doft obey, whether it be of 
 fin unto death, or of obedience unto righteoufnefs. Think 
 upon Lazarus and Dives : the one fared fumptuoufly every 
 day ; the other was. a beggar. See, if thou be not Dives,. 
 
46 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C165O I1650] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKER^. 
 
 47 
 
 juflicc and mercy, to break every yoke, and to let the 
 opprcfled go free. But who calleth for juftice, or loveth 
 mercy, or contendeth for the truth ? Is not iudcrment 
 turned backward, and doth not juftice ftand afar ofF? 
 Is not truth filenced in the ftreets, or can equity enter '^ 
 And do not they that depart from evil, make themfelves 
 a prey r Oh ! confider what ye do in time, and take heed 
 whom ye do imprifon : for the magiftrate is fet for the 
 punifhment of evil doers, and for the praife of them that 
 do well. Now, I intreat you in time take heed wh^t 
 you do; for furely the Lord will come, and will make 
 manifeii both the builders and the work : and if it be of 
 man, it will fail ; but if it be of God, nothing will over- 
 throw It. Therefore I defire and pray, that you would 
 take heed, and beware what you do, left ye be found 
 fighters againft God. q^ p^> 
 
 George Fox having thus cleared his confcience, continued 
 \«raitmg in patience, leaving the event to God. And after 
 fome time he felt himfelf conftrained to write to the jufticei 
 that had committed him to prifon, to lay their doings before 
 them, that fo they might come to a due conCderation there^ 
 of : one of them (already mentioned) was juftice Eennet, 
 the other Nathaniel Barton, both a juftice and a colonel, 
 as alfo a preacher : to thefc he wrote as follows : 
 
 ' Friends, 
 ' you did fpeak of the good old way, which the 
 prophet (pake of; but the prophets cried againft the abo- 
 minations which you hold up. Had you the power of God 
 ye would not perfecute the good way. He that fpake of 
 the good way was fet in the ftocks : the people cried 
 Away with him to the ftocks, for fpeaking the truth! 
 Ah! foolifti people, which have eyes and fee not, cars 
 and hear not, without undcrftanding ! Fear ye not me, 
 Uith the Lord, and will ye not tremble at my prefcnce ! 
 O your pride and abominations are odious in the eyes of 
 God ! you (that are preachers) have the chiefeft place in 
 the aflembhes, and are called of men Mafter ; and fuch 
 were and arc againft xny Saviour iuid Maker : and they 
 
 flmt up the kingdom of heaven from men, neither go ia 
 themfelves, nor fuffcr others. Therefore ye ftiall receive 
 the greater damnation, who have their places, and walk 
 in their fteps. You may fay, if you had been in the days . 
 lof the prophets, or Chrift, ye would not have perfi;cuted 
 them; wherefore be ye witnefles againft yourfelves, thut 
 ye are the children of them, feeing, ye now perfecute 
 the way of truth. O confider, 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 againft ! 
 O come down, and fit in the duft ! The Lord is coming 
 with power ; and he will throw down every one that is 
 exalted, thai he alone may be exalted.' 
 
 Having thus written to them jointly, he, after fome 
 time, wrote to each of them apart. That to juftice 
 Bennet was thus : 
 
 ' Friend, 
 « Thou that doft profcfs God and Chrift in words, 
 fee how thou doft follow him. To take off" burdens, and 
 to vifit them that be in prifon, and fiiew mercy, and clothe 
 rhy own flefti, and deal thy bread to the hungry; thcfe are 
 God's commandments : to relieve the fatherjefs, and to^ 
 vifit the widows in their afflictions', and to keep thyfelf 
 unfpotted of the world ; this is pure religion before God. 
 But if thou doft profefs Chrift, and foUoweft covetoufnefs, 
 and greedinefs, and earthly-mindednefs, thou dcnieft him 
 in life, and deceiveft thyfelf and others, and takeft him 
 for a cloke. Wo be to you greedy men, and rich men, 
 weep and howl for your mifery that fliall come. Take 
 heed of covetoufnefs and extortion, God doth forbid that. 
 Wo be to the man that coveteth an evil covetoufnefs, 
 that he may fet his neft on high, and cover himfelf witl). 
 thick clay. O do not love ihat which God forbids : hi^ 
 fervant thou art whom thou doft obey, whether it be of 
 fin unto death, or of obedience unto righteoufnefs. Think 
 upon Lazarus and Dives : the one fared fumptuoufly every 
 day ; the other was. a beggar. See, if thou be not Dives^. 
 
48 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Be net deceived ; God is not mocked with vain words : 
 evil communication corr-upteth good manners. Awake to 
 righteoufnefs and fin not. G. F.' 
 
 And that to juftice Barton was thus worded : 
 ' Friend, 
 
 * Thou that preachefl Chriil, and the Scriptures in 
 words, when any come to follow that, which thou hafl 
 fpoken of, and to live the life of the Scriptures, than they 
 that fpeak the Scriptures, but do not lead their live'^ 
 according thereunto, pcrfecute them that do. Mind the 
 prophets, and Jefus Chriil:, and his apoflles, and all the 
 holy men of God ; what they fpake, was from the life ; 
 but they that had not the life, but the words, perfecuted 
 and imprifoncd them that lived in the life, which they 
 had backflidden from. G. F.' 
 
 Now, though the Mayor of Derby did not fign the 
 mittinuis, yet having had a hand with the reft in fending 
 G. Fox to prifon, he alfo writ to him after this manner : 
 ' Friend, 
 
 ' Thou art fet in place to do juftice ; but in imprifon- 
 ing my body, thou haft done contrary to juftice, according 
 to your own law. O take heed of pleafing men more than 
 God, for that is the way of the Scribes and Pharifees : 
 they fought the praife of men more than God. Remember 
 who faid, ^ I was a ftranger, and ye took me not in ; I 
 was in prifon, and ye vifited me not.' O friend, thy 
 envy is not againft me, bnt againft the power of truth. I 
 had no envy to you, but love. O take heed of oppreflion, 
 for the day of the Lord is coming, that fhall burn as an 
 oven; and all the proud, and all that do wickedly, fliall 
 be as ftubble ; and the day that cometh, fliall burn them 
 up, faith the Lord of Hofts : it fliall leave them neither 
 root nor branch. O friend, if the love of God were in 
 thee, thou wouldft love the truth, and hear the truth 
 fpoken, and not imprifon unjuftly : the love of God bear- 
 eih, and fuffereth, and envieth no man. If the love of 
 God had broken your hearts, you would flicw mercy ; 
 but you do fliew forth what ruieth you. Every tree doth 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 49 
 
 fliew forth its fruit : you do fliew forth your fruit's openly. 
 For drunkennefs, fwearing, pride, and vanity, rule among 
 you, from the teacher to the people. O friend! rnercy 
 and true judgment, and juftice, are cried for in your ftreets. 
 Oppreflion, unmercifulnefs, cruelty, hatred, pride, pleafures, 
 wantonnefs, and fullnefs, is in your ftreets ; but the poor 
 is not regarded. O take heed of the wo : v;o be to the 
 crown of pride ! wo be to them that drink wine in bowls, 
 and the poor is ready to perifti. O remember Lazarus 
 and Dives : one fared delicioufly every day ; and the other 
 was a beggar. O friend, mind thefe things, for they are 
 near, and fee, whether thou be not the man, that is in 
 Dives's ftate.' 
 
 To thofe of the Court at Derby, he alfo writ the following 
 exhortation. 
 
 * I am moved to write unto you, to take heed of 
 opprefling the poor in your courts, or laying burdens upon 
 poor people, which they cannot bear : and of falfe oaths, 
 or making them to take oaths, which they cannot perform. 
 The Lord faith, I will come near to judgment, and I will 
 be a fwift witnefs againft the forcerers, againft the falfe 
 fwearers, and againft the idolaters, and againft thofe that, 
 do opprefs widows and fatherlefs. Therefore take heed 
 of all thefe things betimes. The Lord's judgments are all 
 true and righteous, and he delighteth in mercy : fo love 
 mercy, dear people, and confider in time.' 
 
 And becaufe the ringing of bells for joy, is a thing 
 generally tending to ftir up vanity and immorality, he alfo 
 writ a few lines to the bell-ringers of the ftceple-houfe, 
 called St. Peter's, in Derby. 
 * Friends, 
 
 ' Take heed of pleafures, and prize your time now, 
 while you have it; and do not fpend it in pleafures, nor 
 carthlinefs. The time may come, that you will fay, you 
 had time, when it is paft : therefore look at the love of 
 God now, while you have. time ; for it bringeth to loathe 
 all vanities, and worldly jieafures. O confider ! time is 
 
 Vol. L I^ 
 
^O I'HE HISTORY OF THE C^^S^ 
 
 precious : fear God and rejoice in him, who hath made 
 heaven and earth,' 
 
 Whilll G. Fox was in prifon there, fcveral of the pro- 
 feffors came to difcourfe with him, and he perceiving that 
 they came to plead for fm and imperfection, aiked them. 
 Whether they were believers, and had faith : and they 
 faying Yes, he farther ailced them. In whom ? to which 
 they anfwering, In Chrift ; he replied, If ye are true be- 
 lievers in Chrift, you are paffed from death to life ; and 
 if paffed from death, then from fm that bringeth death. 
 And if your faith be true, it will give you viftory over fin 
 and the devil, and purify your hearts and confciences, 
 (for the true faith is held in a pure confcience) it will 
 bring you to pleafc God, and give you accefs to him 
 again. But fuch language as this they could not endure ; 
 for they faid, they could not believe that any could be 
 free from fm on this fide the grave. To which he an- 
 fwered. That then they might give over their talking 
 concerning the Scriptures, which were the words of holy 
 men ; whilft they themfelves pleaded for unholinefs. At 
 another time, another company of fuch profeffors came, 
 and they alfo pleading for fm, he aflced them, Whether 
 they had hope: To which they anfwered. Yes, God 
 forbid but we (hould have hope. Then he afked. What 
 hope is it you have ? Is Chrift 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, and therefore 
 he bade them forbear talking of the Scriptures, which 
 were the holy men's words ; for the holy men that writ 
 the Scriptures (faid he; pleaded for holinefs in heart, hfe^ 
 and converfation here ; but fmce you plead for impurity 
 and fin, which is of the devil, what have you to do with 
 the holy men*s words ? 
 
 Now the keeper of the prifon, who was alfo an high 
 profeffor, was much enraged againft G* Fox, and fpokc 
 wickedly of him. But it pleafcd the Lord one day to Itrikq 
 him fo, that he was under great anguifti of mind : and 
 G. Fox walking in his chamber, heard a doleful noife, 
 and ftanding ftill to hearken, he heard hiai fay to his wife, 
 
 1650] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 S^ 
 
 wife, I have feen the day of judgment, and I faw George 
 there, and was afraid of him, becaufe I had done him fo 
 much wrong, and fpoken fo much againft him to the mini- 
 fters, and profeffors, and to the juftices, and in taverns 
 and alehoufes. After this, towards the evening, the 
 keeper came up into his chamber, and faid to him, I have 
 been as a lion againft you ; but now I come like a lamb, 
 and like the gaoler that came to Paul and Silas trembling. 
 And he defired that he might lie with him; to which 
 G. Fox anfwered. That he was in his power, he might 
 do what he would. But faid the other. Nay, I will have 
 your leave ; and I could defire to be always with you, 
 but not to have you as a prifoner. G. Fox, unwilling to 
 deny his defire, complied with it, and fuffered him to lie 
 with him. Then the keeper told him all his heart, and 
 faid, he believed what he had faid of the true faith and 
 hope, to be true : and he wondered that the other man that 
 was put into prifon with him, did not ftand to it ; for, faid 
 he. That man was not right, but you are an honeft man. 
 He alfo confeffed, that at thofe times when G. Fox had 
 afked him to let him go and ipeak the word of the Lord 
 to the people, and at his refufal had laid the weight: 
 thereof upon him, that then he ufed to be under great; 
 trouble, amazed, and almoft diftra£ted for fome time. The 
 next morning the keeper went to the juftices, and told 
 them^ that he and his houfe had been plagued for G. Fox's 
 fake. To which one of the juftices, viz. Bennet, faid. That 
 the plagues were on them too, for keeping him. The 
 juftices now to be rid of him, gave leave that he fliould 
 have liberty to walk a mile. But he perceiving their end, 
 told the gaoler, if they would fet down to him how far a 
 mile was, he might take the liberty of walking it fomc- 
 times : for he believed they thought he would go away ; 
 and the gaoler alfo told him afterwards, that this was their 
 intent. But he fignified to him, that he had no mind iq 
 get his liberty that way. And fo he remained prifoner, 
 and was vifited by the gaoler's fifter, who was fo affected 
 with what he fpoke to her, that flie coming down, told 
 her brother, they were an innocent people, that did no 
 
 B z 
 
5^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 L165Q ■ i5^o] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 53 
 
 hurt to any, but good to all ; aftd (he defired that he 
 might be treated civilly. 
 
 Now, fince by reafon of his reftraint, he had not the 
 opportunity of travelling about to declare the doftrine of 
 truth, he, to difcharge himfelf, wrote the following paper, 
 and fent it forth for the opening of people's underftand- 
 ings in the way of truth, and direfting them to the true 
 teacher in themfelvcs. 
 
 ' The Lord doth fhew unto man his thoughts, and 
 difcovercth all the fecret workings in* man. A man may 
 be brought to fee his evil thoughts, and running mind, 
 and vain imaginations, and may ftrive to keep them down, 
 and to keep his mind in ; but cannot overcome them, nor 
 keep his mind within to the Lord. Now, in this ftatc 
 and condition, fubmit to the Spirit of the Lord that fliews 
 them, and that will bring to wait upon the Lord ; and he 
 that hath difcovered them, will deftroy them. Therefore 
 ftand in the faith of the Lord Jefiis Chrill (who is the 
 author of the true faith) and mind him ; for he will dif- 
 cover the root of lulls, and evil thoughts, and vain imagi- 
 nations, and how they are begotten, conceived and bred ; 
 and then how they are brought forth, and how every evil 
 member doth work. He will difcover every principle from 
 its own nature and root. 
 
 « So mind the faith of Chrill, and the anointing which 
 is in you, to be taught by it, which will difcover all work- 
 ings in you : and as he teachcth you, fo obey and forfake ; 
 clfe you will not grow up in the faith, nor in the life of 
 Chrifl, where the love of God is received. Now love 
 bcgetteth love, its own nature and image : and when 
 mercy and truth do meet, what joy there is 1 and mercy 
 doth triumph in judgment, and love and mercy doth bear 
 the judgment of the world in patience. That which can- 
 not bear the world's judgment, is not the love of God; 
 for love beareth all things, and is above the world's judg- 
 ment ; for the world's judgment is but fooliftinefs. And 
 though it be the world's judgment and pra6^ice, to caft all 
 the world's filthinefs, that is among themfelves, upon the 
 ikini.s J yet their judgment is falfe. Now the chalte vir- 
 
 gins follow Chrifl the Lamb, that takes away the fins of 
 the world : but they that are of that fpirit, which is not 
 chafle, will not follow Chrifl the Lamb in his fleps ; but 
 are difobedient to him in his commands. So the flefhiy 
 mind doth mind the flefh, ancl talketh flefhiy, and its know- 
 ledge is flefhiy, and not fpiritual ; but favours of deathj 
 and not of the fpirit of life. Now fome men have the 
 nature of fwine, wallowing in the mire : and fome men 
 have the nature of dogs, to bite both the fheep and one 
 another : and fome men have the nature of lions, to tear, 
 devour, and deftroy : and fome men have the nature of 
 wolves, to tear and devour the lambs and flieep of Chrifl : 
 and fome men have the nature of the ferpent (that old 
 adverfary) to fling, envenom and poifon. He that hath an 
 car to hear, let him hear, and learn thefe things within 
 himfelf. And fome men have the natures of other beafls 
 and creatures, minding nothing, but earthly and vifible 
 things, and feeding without the fear of God. Some men 
 have the nature of an horfe, to prance acnd vapour in their 
 {trength, and to be fwift in doing evil. And fome men 
 have the nature of tall flurdy oaks, to flourifh and fpread 
 in wifdom and flrength, who are flrong in evil, which 
 mufl perifli, and come to the fire. Thus the evil is but 
 one in all, but worketh many ways; and whatfoever a 
 man's or woman's nature is addi£^ed to, that is outward, 
 the evil one will fit him with that, and will pleafe 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 
 flained, and venoraed and corrupted: and 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 Chrift. O ! therefore mind that which is eternal and 
 invifible, and him who is the Creator and Mover of all 
 things; far the things that are made, are not made of 
 things that do appear ; for the vifible covereth the invifible 
 fight in you. But as the Lord, who is invifible, doth open 
 you, by his invifible Power and Spirit, and brings down 
 the carnal mind in you ; fo the invifible and immortal 
 :hings are bi:ousIu to light in you, Q therefore you that 
 
54 
 
 tHE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1650 ■ 1 650] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 55 
 
 know the light, walk in the light ! for there are children 
 of darknefs, that will talk of the liglit, and of the truth, 
 and not walk in it ; but the children of the light love the 
 light, and walk in the light. But the children of darknefs 
 walk in darknefs, and hate the light; and in them the 
 earthly lulls, and the carnal mind choak the feed of faith, 
 and that bringeth oppreffion on the feed, and death over 
 them. O therefore mind the pure vSpirit of the cverlail:- 
 ing God, which will teach you to ufe 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 vifibles 
 and invifibles! to thte be all praife, who bringcfl: out of 
 the deep to thyfelf ; O powerful God, who art worthy of 
 all glory ! for the Lord who created all, and gives life and 
 ftrcngth to all, is over all, and merciful to all. So thou, 
 who hall made all, and art over all, to thee be all glory ; 
 in thee is my llrength, refrefhments, and life, my joy and 
 my gladnefs, my rejoicing and glorying for evermore ! So 
 to live and walk in the Spirit of God, is joy, and peace, 
 and life; but the mind going forth into the creatin-es, or 
 into any vifible things from the Lord, this bringeth death. 
 Now when the mind is got into the flefli, and into death, 
 then the accufcr gets within, and the law of fm and death, 
 that gets into the flefh ; and then the life fuffers under the 
 law of fm and death ; and then there is flraitnefs and 
 failings. For then the good is fliut up, and then the felf- 
 righteoufnefs is fet a-top ; and then man doth work in ihe 
 outward kuv, and he cannot juflify himfelf by the law ; 
 but is condemned by the light ; for he cannot get out of 
 that Hate, but by abiding in the light, and relling in the 
 mercy of God, and believing in him,, from whom all 
 mercy doth flow: for there is peace in refliiig in the Lord 
 Jefus. This is the narrow way that leads to him, the life ; 
 but few will abide in it : therefore keep in the innocency, 
 and be obedient to the fiiith in him. And take heed of 
 conforming to the world, and of reafoning with flefh and 
 blood, for that bringeth difobedience ; and then imagina- 
 tions and quellionings do arife, to draw from obedience to 
 the truth of Chrifl. But the obedience qf faith defl:royeth 
 imaginations, and quellionings, and reafonings, and all the 
 
 temptations in the flefh, and bufFetings, and lookings forth 
 and fetching up things that are pall. But not keeping in 
 the life and light, and not croflSng the corrupt will by the 
 power of God, the evil nature grows up in man ; and 
 then burdens will come, and man will be fl:ained with that 
 nature. But Efau's mountain fhall be laid wafte, and be-r 
 come a wildcrnefs, where the dragons lie : but Jacob, the 
 fecond birth fliall be fruitful, and flrall arife ; for Efau is 
 hated, and muH not be lord ; but Jacob, the fecond birth, 
 which is perfect and plain, fhall be lord : for he is beloved 
 of God. G. F,' 
 
 About the fame time he writ to his friends the following 
 paper : 
 
 * The Lord is King over all the e^rth ! therefore all 
 people, praife and glorify your King in the true obedience, 
 in the uprightnefs, and in the beauty of holinefs. O con- 
 fider, in the true obedience the Lord is known, and an 
 underflanding from him is received. Mark and confidcr 
 in filence, in the lowhnefs of mind, and thou wilt hear the 
 Lord fpeak unto thee in thy mind : his voice is fweet and 
 pleafant ; his fheep hear his voice, and they will not 
 hearken to another : and when they hear his voice, they 
 rejoice and are obedient ; they alfo fmg for joy. Oh, 
 their hearts are filled with everlafting triumph 1 they fing, 
 and praife the eternal God in Sion : their joy fhall never 
 man take from them, Glory be to the Lord God for 
 evermore ! 
 
 i» 
 
 And fince m»ny, that had been convinced of the truth,, 
 turned afide, becaufe of the perfecution that arofe, he 
 writ for the encouragement of the faithful, thefe lines : 
 
 < Come ye bleflTed of the Lord, and rejoice together ; 
 keep in unity and onenefs of fpirit ; triumph abave the 
 world ; be joyful in the Lord ; reigning above the world, 
 and above all things that draw from the Lord; that in 
 clearnefs, righteoufnefs, purenefs, and joy, you may be 
 preferved to the Lord. O hear, O hearken ta the call of 
 ^he Lord, and come out of the world, jiud keep out of it: 
 \QX evewQix ! 4nd come, ftng together, ye righteous ouqs^ 
 
 ^4 
 
56 
 
 THE HlSj[ORY OF THE 
 
 [1650 I 1650] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 57 
 
 the fong of the Lord, the fong of the Lamb ; which 
 pone can learn, but they who are redeemed from the 
 carch, and from the world. 
 
 Now while G. Fox was at Derby in the houfe of cor- 
 rcftion, his relations came to fee him, and being forry for 
 his imprifonment, they went to the juftices, by whofe order 
 he was put there, and dcfired that he might be releafed, 
 offering to be bound in one hundred pounds, and others 
 in Derby in fifty pounds a piece with them, that he fhould 
 no more come thither to declare againft the priefts. But 
 he being brought before the juflices, would not confent 
 that any fliould be bound for him, becaufe he believed 
 himfelf to be innocent from any ill behaviour. Then juf- 
 tice Bennet rofe up in a rage, and as G. Fox ^as kneel- 
 ing down to pray to the Lord to forgive him, Bennet ran 
 upon him, and ftruck him with both his hands, crying. 
 Away with him, gaoler ; take him away, gaoler. Where- 
 upon he was carried back again to prifon, and there kept, 
 until the time of his commitment for fix months w^as ex- 
 pired. But now he had liberty of walking a mile ; which 
 he had made ufe of, in his own freedom : and fometimes 
 he went into the market and ftreets^ and warned the 
 people to repentance. And on the Firft-days he now and 
 then vifited the prifoners in their religious meetings. But 
 the juftices having required fureties for his good behaviour, 
 it came upon him 'to writ^ to them again, as followeth. 
 
 * Friends, 
 * See what_ it is in you that doth impnfon ; and fee, 
 who is head in you ; and fee, if fomething do not accufe 
 you ? Confider, you muft be brought to judgment. Think 
 upon Lazarus and Dives ; the one fared fumptuoufly every 
 day ; the other a beggar; and now you have time, prize 
 it, while you have it. Would you have me to be boimd 
 to ray good behaviour ? I am bound to my good behaviour, 
 and do cry for good behaviour of all people, to turn from 
 the vanities, pleafures, and oppreffion, and from the deceits 
 of this world : and there will come a time, that you fliall 
 know it. Therefore take heed of pleafures, and deceits. 
 
 and prick ; and look not at man, but at the Lord ; for* 
 look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye faved, 
 faith the Lord.* 
 
 Not long after he wrote to them again, thus : 
 ' Friends, 
 
 ' Would you have me to be bound to my good be- 
 haviour from drunkennefs, or fwearing, or fighting, or 
 adultery, and the like ? The Lord hath redeemed me from 
 all thefe things ; and the love of God hath brought me to 
 loathe all wantonnefs, bleffed be his name. They who 
 are drunkards, and fighters, and fwearers, have their li- 
 berty without bonds : and you lay your law upon me, 
 whom neither you, nor any other can juftly accufe of thefe 
 things, praifed be the Lord ! I can look ift no man for my 
 liberty, but at the Lord alone j who hath all, mens hearts 
 in his hand.' 
 
 < 
 
 And after fome time, not finding his fpirit clear of them, 
 he writ again as followeth : 
 ' Friends, 
 
 * Had you known who fent me to you, ye would have 
 received me ; for the Lord fent me to you, 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 had told 
 you my experience, what the Lord had done for me, then 
 your hearts were hardened, and you fent roe to prifon; 
 where you have kept me ^many weeks. If the love of 
 God had broke your hearts, then would ye fee what )'^c 
 have done. Ye would not have imprifoned me, had not 
 my Father fuffercd you ; and by his power I fliall be 
 loofed ; for jie openeth and fliutteth, to him be all glory I 
 In what have I miflDehaved myfelf, that any Ihould be 
 bound for me ? All mens words will do me no good, nor 
 their bonds neither, to keep my heart, if I have not a 
 guide within, to keep me in the upright life to God. But 
 I believe in the Lord, that through his ftrength and power, 
 I fliaU be preferved from ungodlinefs and worldly lufts. 
 The Scripture faith, Receive ftrangers ; but you imprifon 
 fuch. As you are in authority, take heed of oppreffion 
 
58 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 1^16*50 I 1650] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 59 
 
 and oaths, and injuftice and gifts, or rewards, for God 
 doth loathe all ftich : but love mercy, and true judgment, 
 and juftice, for that the Lord delights in. I do not write 
 with hatred to you, but to keep my confcience clear: 
 lake heed how you fpend your lime. 
 
 To the priefts of Derby he alfo writ again in this manner : 
 * Friends, 
 
 * You do profefs to be the minifters of Jefus Chrift in 
 words, but you fliew forth by your fruits, w^hat your mi- 
 niftry is. Every tree doth (hew forth its fruit : the 
 miniftry of Jefus Chrift is in mercy and love, to unloofc 
 them that be bound, and to bring out of bondage, and to 
 let them that are captivated, go free. Now friends, where 
 is your example (if the Scriptures be ypur rule) to im- 
 prifon for religion ? Have you any command for it from 
 Chrift ? If that were in you, which you do profefs, you 
 would walk in their fteps, who fpake forth thofe words, 
 the Scriptures, which you do profefs. Biit he is not a 
 Jew, who is one outward, whofe praife is of men ; but he 
 is a Jew, who is one inward, whofe praife is of God. But 
 if you do build upon the prophets and apoftles in words, 
 and pervert their life, remember the woes which Jefus 
 Chrift fpake againft fuch. They that fpake the prophets 
 ^'Ords, but denied Chrift, they prpfeffed a Chrift to come ; 
 but had they known him, they would not have crucified 
 him. The faints, 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 doth rule, the nature of the world doth 
 rule, and not the nature of Jefus Chrift. I write with no 
 hatred to you, but that you may weigh yourfelves, and 
 fee how you pafs on your time/ 
 
 Having thus cleared his confcienpe to the priefts, it wa^ 
 not long before a concern can;ie upon him to write agaia 
 to the juftices, which he did as followeth. 
 
 * I am moved to w^irn you to take heed of giving way 
 to your own wills. Love the crofs, and fatisfy not your 
 jninds in the flefti j but prize your time while you have 1;^ 
 
 nnd walk up to that you know, in obedience to God ; and 
 then you fliall not be condemned for that you know not, 
 but for that you do know, and do not obey. Confider 
 betimes, and weigh yourfelves, and fee where you are,, 
 raid whom you ferve. For if you blafpheme God, and 
 take his name in vain ; if ye fwear and lie ; if ye give 
 way to envy, hatred, cov^toufnefs, and greedinefs, plea- 
 fures, and wantonnefs, or any other vices, be affured then, 
 that ye do fcrve the devil ; but if ye fear the Lord, and 
 ferve him, ye will loathe all ihefe things. He that loveth 
 God, will not blafpheme his name ; but where there is 
 oppofmg of God, and ferving the devil, that profeflion is 
 fid and miferable. O prize your time, and do not love 
 that which God doth forbid ; lying, wrath, malice, envy, 
 hatred, greedinefs, covetoufnefs, oppreffion, gluttony, 
 drunkennefs, whoredom, and all unrighteoufnefs, God 
 doth forbid. So confider, and be not deceived, evil 
 communication corrupts good manners. Be not deceived, 
 God will not be mocked wnth vain w^ords : the wrath" 
 of God is revealed from heavep againft all ungodlinefs. 
 Therefore obey that which doth convince you of all 
 evil, and telleth you, that you ftiould do no evil. It 
 will lead 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 wantonnefs. O eye the Lord, 
 and not earthly things !' 
 
 Befides this, he writ the following to Nathaniel Barton, 
 who, as was hinted before, was both a juftice, and a 
 preacher. 
 
 ' Friend, 
 
 ' Dp not cloak and coyer thyfelf : there is a God who 
 knoweth thy heart, and will uncover thee; he feeth thy 
 way. Wo be to him that covereth, and not with my Spi- 
 rit, faith the Lord. Doft thou do contrary to the law, 
 and then put it from thee? Mercy, and true judgment 
 thou negle£left : look what was fpoken againft fuch. My 
 Saviour faid to fuch, " I was fick, and in prifon, and yc 
 vifited ine not ; I was hungry and ye fed me not ; I was 
 ;\ ftranger, and ye took me not in," An4 when they faidj^ 
 
66 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1650 
 
 When faw we thee in prifon, and did not come to thee, 
 Src. He replied, " Inafmuch as ye did it not to one of 
 thefc little ones, ye did it not to me." Friend, thou hall 
 imprifoned me for bearing witnefs to the life and power 
 of truth ; and yet profeflefl: to be a minifter of Chrift : 
 but if Chrifl had fent thee, thou wouldft bring out of 
 prifon, and out of bondage, and wouldft receive ftrangers. 
 Thou haft been wanton upon earth ; thou haft lived plen- 
 teoufly, and nourilhed thy heart, as in a day of flaughter : 
 thou haft killed the juft. O look where thou art, and 
 hovv' thou haft fpent thy time ! O remember thyfelf, and 
 now, while thou haft time, prize it, and do not flight the 
 free mercy of God, and defpife the long-fufFering of God, 
 which is great falvation ; but mind that in thee, which 
 doth convince thee, and would not let thee fwear, nor lie, 
 nor take God's name in vain. Thou knoweft thou Ihouldft 
 do none of thefe things : thou haft learned that which 
 will condemn thee ; therefore obey the light, which doth 
 convince thee, and forfake thy fins, and look at the mer- 
 cies of God, and prize 'lis love in fparing thee till now. 
 The Lord faith, " Look unto me, all ye ends of the 
 earth, and be ye faved:'* and, " Ceafe from man, whofc 
 breath is in his noftrils." And friend, prize thy time, and 
 fee whom thou ferveft ; for his fervant thou art, whom 
 ihou doft obey, " Whether of fin unto death, or obedi- 
 ence unto rightcoufnefs." If thou ferveft God, and fear- 
 eft him, thou wilt not blafpheme his name, nor curfe, nor 
 fwear, nor take his name in vain ; nor follow pleafnres 
 and wantonnefs, whoredom, and drunkennefs, or wrath, or 
 malice, or revenge, or rafhnefs, or headinefs, pride or 
 gluttony, greedinefs, oppreflfion, or covetoufnefs, or foolifh 
 jcfting, or vain fongs ; God doth forbid thefe things, and 
 all unrighteoufnefs. If thou profeffeft God, and afteft any 
 of thefe things, thou takeft him for a cloak, and ferveft 
 the devil: confidcr with thyfelf, and do not loye that 
 which God doth hate. He that loveth God, keepeth his 
 commandments. The devil will tell thee, it is an hard 
 thing to keep God's commandments; but it is an eafy 
 thing to keep the devil's commandments, and to live in all 
 unrighteoufnefs and ungodlinefs, turning^ the grace of God 
 
 1650] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 6l 
 
 into wantonnefs. " But let the unrighteous man forfiikc 
 his ways, and turn unto me," faith the Lord, '' and I will 
 have mercy. Turn ye, why will ye die ?" faith the Lord. 
 ' Howl ye great ones, for the plagues are pouring out 
 upon you ! Howl ye oppreflfors, for recompence and ven- 
 geance is coming upon you ! Wo unto them that covet- 
 oufly join one houfe to another, and bring one field fo nigh 
 unto* another, that the poor can get no more ground, and 
 that ye may dwell upon the earth alone : thefe things are ia 
 the cars of the Lord of Hofts. Wo unto him that covet- 
 oufly gctteth ill-gotten goods into his houfe, that he may 
 fet his neft on high, to efcape from the power of evil.* 
 
 It has been faid already, that fome of G. Fox*s friends 
 were moved, as well as he, to preach the doftrine of truth ; 
 and in this year it alfo happened, that Elizabeth Hooton, 
 of whom mention hath been made before, from a true 
 experience of the Lord's work in man, alfo felt herfelt 
 moved publickly to preach the way of falvation to others, 
 being the firft woman preacher, by what I am informed, 
 among thofe that began now generally to be called by the 
 name of Quakers. Yet I have found in a Dutch book, 
 printed at Dordt, in the year 1647, ^^^ called, Hiftory of 
 the Troubles in England, concerning the various Sefts 
 rifen there, that among other perfuafions at London, 
 there were alfo women that did preach in large meetings, 
 and were heard by many with great fatisfa£lion ; fo that 
 the preaching of a woman was not fuch a novelty as 
 otherwife it might have been. 
 
 In the foregoing year it hath been faid, that fome Scotch 
 Commiffioners having been with Charles II. in Holland, 
 were returned to Scotland ; and though the King at firft 
 feemed backward to confent to the Prefljyterian Covenant, 
 yet feeing no other way open to the Scottifh throne, he 
 ^ame to other thoughts, and fo went over to Scotland, and 
 made his entry into Edinburgh, through the gate on which 
 were placed the quarter^ of the Earl of Montrofe, who 
 having endeavoured not long before to fubdue the Scots, 
 had been beaten with his forces, and, being taken prifoner, 
 was executed. The young King being now come into 
 Scotland, fccmed willing to comply as much as he could, 
 ihereby to ingratiate himfelf, not only with the Scots, but 
 
62 
 
 THE HISTORY, &C. 
 
 [165a 
 
 alfo with the Englifh, if poflible ; and in order thereunto, 
 he gave forth a declaration at his Court at Dumfermling, 
 dated the 16th day of Aiiguit, 1650, and in the fecond 
 year of his reign, as it is there faid, in which dechiration, 
 1 meet with the following words : — 
 
 ' Though his Majefty, as a dutiful fon, be obliged to 
 honour the memory of his royal father, and have in 
 cllimation the perfon of his mother, yet doth he defire 
 to be deeply humbled and afflicted in fpirit before God, 
 becaufe of his father's hearkening to evil counfcls, and 
 his oppofition to the work of Reformation, and to the 
 Solemn League and Covenant, fby which fo much of trie 
 blood of the Lord's people hath been (lied in thefe king- 
 doms), and for the idolatry of his mother.' 
 
 Here the King confeffed openly, that his father's houfe 
 was guilty of great crimes, and plainly fignified, that the 
 nation indeed had been wronged by his father's behaviour ; 
 and he feemed to promife amendment, if he came to be 
 reftored. In the mean-while, they began to fee in Eng- 
 land, that the Scots were like to make head againft them ; 
 and therefore they ordered to fend General Fairfax with 
 an army thither ; but he ihewed himfelf unwilling to go, 
 chiefly, as it was believed, bv the advice of his wife, who 
 hearkened to the counfel of the Prefbyterian preachers ; 
 and thefe thought it would contribute to their own fettle- 
 ment, if thofe of their own perfuafion in Scotland were not 
 refilled. But the Parliament, many of whofe members 
 were independents, did not matter that ; but refolved, 
 fince Fairfax refigned voluntarily, to create Oliver Crom- 
 well general of the national forces, in the room of Fairfax. 
 Which being done, Cromwell was fent with an army to 
 Scotland, and beat the Scots not far from Edinburgh, 
 whereby that city not long after yielded tO him. 
 
 In this year was born in Holland, on the 14th of iht 
 month called November, N. S. William the Third, Prince 
 of Orange, whofe mother was daughter of the late King 
 Charles the Firil. And this Prince, by a llrange revolu- 
 tion of human affairs, has fince been advanced to the Eng- 
 lifh throne ; and is at prcfcnt, whilil: I write this^ King of 
 Great Britain, &£. 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 or TUE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 (QUAKERS. 
 
 THE SECOND BOOK. 
 
 THE year 1651 had fcarce begun, when the Scots 
 refolved, notwithlfanding their overthrow, to crown 
 their new King, which, after he had fworn to maintain 
 the Covenant, they did in the beginning of the month 
 called January. But leaving this. 
 
 We return again to George Fox, whom we left at 
 Derby, in the houfe of correftion ; where about this 
 time a trooper came to him, who faid, that having been 
 in the fteeple-houfe, hearing the prieft, exceeding great 
 trouble came upon him, and that a voice (which he took 
 to be that of the Lord) faid to him, ' Doft thou not know 
 that my fervant is in prifon ? Go to him for direftion.' 
 G. Fox fpeaking to his condition, told him, ' That which 
 jliewed him his fins, and troubled him for them, WQuld 
 alfo fhew him his falvation ; becaufe He that fhews a man 
 his fin, is the fame that takes it away.* VVhilft he was 
 thus fpeaking, the trooper's underftanding began to be 
 opened concernifig the truth, and he was fenfible ot God's 
 mercies, which made him fpeak boldly in his quarters 
 among the foldiers, and others, alledging the Scriptures 
 
64 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1651 I [1651 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 65 
 
 for what he believed to be truth. He alfo faid, his 
 colonel (which I take to be Barton) was as blind as 
 Nebuchadnezzar, to caft the fervant of the Lord into 
 prifon. This (o incenicd his colonel, thar, when at 
 Worcefter fight, the two armies lying near one another, 
 two from the King*s army challenged any two of the 
 Parliament's army to fight with them, the faid colonel 
 made choice of him and another to anfwer the challenge : 
 and when in the encounter his companion was llain, he 
 drove both his enemies within a muflcet-fhot of the town, 
 without firing a piftol at them. Thus he returned vidlo- 
 rious ; but then he faw the deceit of the officers, and 
 how wonderfully the Lord had preferved him; and in 
 procefs of time becoming fenfible that fighting was un< 
 ' lawful for a true Chriflian, he laid down his arms, hence- 
 forth to fight under the banner of the Prince of Peace, 
 by entering into the fpiritual warfare. 
 
 Now the time of G. Fox's commitment to the houfe of 
 corredion being very near out, and there being many new 
 foldiers raifed, the commifiioners would have made him 
 captain over them, and the foldiers cried, ' They Would 
 iave none but him/ So the keeper of the houfe of 
 corrcftion was commamded to bring him up before the 
 coramiffioners and foldiers in the market-place ; and there 
 they proffered him that preferment (as they called it), 
 a/king him if he would not take up arms for the Common- 
 wealth, againft Charles Stuart. G. Fox, never having 
 been a fighter, though it has appeared he was bold and 
 valiant, told them, ' That he could not do fo, as wxll 
 knowing from whence all wars do arife ( viz. from the lufts, 
 according to the doftrine of the apoftle James) and that 
 be lived in the virtue of that life and power, that took 
 away the occafion of all wars.* The commiffioners, to 
 fawn upon him, faid, ' They offered him the office in love 
 and kindnefs, bccaufe of his virtue.' But he not mattering 
 thofe flattering words, replied, * If this be your love and 
 kindnefs, I trample it under my feet.* This bold anfwer 
 ' prefently (hewed hew (hallow their pretended kindnefs 
 was ; for it fo enraged them, that they faid, ^ Take hhn 
 away gaoler, and put him into Uie dungeon amongft the 
 
 rogues and felons. Thus G. Fox was put into a loufy 
 blinking place amongft thirty felons, where he had no 
 bed, and was kept almoft half a year, unlefs that at times 
 he was fuffered to walk in the garden, for they believed 
 of him that he would not run away. Being in this nafty 
 prifon, it v/as faid among the people, that he never fliould 
 come out : but he, trufting in God, believed the contrary, 
 ii being (liewed him froiji the Lord (according to what 
 he relijtcs) that he was not yet to be removed from that 
 place, there being a fervice for him to do. 
 
 In the mean-while it was noifed abroad, that he was in 
 Derby dungeon, and his relations came again to fee him, 
 they being much troubled about it ; for they thought it a 
 great fl:iame to them, that he fliould lie thus in gaol : befides, 
 it was a ftrange thing then to be imprifoned for religion. 
 But feme judged him to be mad, becaufe he maint:iined 
 the doctrine of purity, righteoufnefs, and perfecftion. 
 Among others that came to fee him, there was alfo a 
 foldier from Nottingham, who faid to him, ' Your faith 
 (lands in a man that died at Jeruililem; and there Avas 
 never any fuch thing.' This fo grieved G. Fox, that he 
 faid to him, *- How ! did not Chrifl fiiffer without the 
 gates of Jcrufalem, by the profefling Jews, the chief 
 priefts, and Pilate ? ' No,' faid the other, ' he did not 
 fuffer there outwardly. ' llien G. Fox aiked him, 
 ' Whether there v/ere not Jews, chief priefcs, and Pilate 
 outwardly ? ' This puzzled the foldier a little, fo that he 
 could not deny it. Then he told him; * As certainly as 
 there was a chief pricft, and Jews, and Pilate, fo cer- 
 tainly Chrift did fufftr there outwardly under them.* Yet 
 this inconfiderate perfon faid alfo, ' T hat never any of the 
 prophets or apoftles, or holy men of God, fuffered any 
 thing outwardly; but that all their fufterings were inv/ard.' 
 Then G. Fox inftanced to him many of the prophets and 
 apoftles, how they fuffered, and by whom they fuffered, 
 thereby to confound his filly imaginations. Yet fuch was 
 the malice of fome, that a flander was raifed among the 
 people, that the Quakers denied Chrift that fuffered and 
 died at Jerufalem. This, indeed, is a Angular evidence 
 of the credulity of people, taking upon truft any ftory. 
 
 Vol. I. E 
 
66 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ['^5' I ,651] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 67 
 
 how falfe foever, when it relates to thofe that arc become 
 the objeft of vulgar odium. Now as G. Fox was often 
 vifited by thofe that came out of curiofity, it is not to be 
 wondered, that fometimes he was contradicted by pre- 
 fumptuous and felf-conceited perfons. Once there came 
 to him fome that pretended they were triers of fpirirs ; 
 and thefe he alkcd, ' What was the firll ftep to peace : 
 and what it was by which a man might fee his falvation.' 
 But they being of an airy mind, took this to be fuch a 
 ftrange queflion, that they did not flick to fay he was mad. 
 Thus it appeared, that thefe who pretended to try fpirits, 
 did not know what fpirit they themfelves were of, and 
 that they had not fuSicicnt knowledge to make a good 
 judgment of the corporal conftitution, faying he was mad, 
 who was in no wife out of his fenfes. 
 
 In the time of his imprifonment, he was much exercifed 
 in mind about the proceedings of the raagiftrates, becaufe 
 men were put to death for Healing of cattle, money, &c. 
 and he was the more troubled about it, becaufe this prac- 
 tice was contrary to the law of God in old time. Where 
 fore he writ the following two letters to the judges. 
 
 * I am moved to write unto you to take heed of putting 
 men to death for ftealing cattle, or money, &c. for the 
 thieves in the old time were to make reftitution ; and if 
 they had not wherewithal, they were to be fold for their 
 theft. Mind the laws of God in the Scriptures, and the 
 Spirit that gave them forth ; and let them be your rule 
 in executing judgment : and fliew mercy, that you may 
 receive mercy, from God, the Judge of all. And take 
 heed of gifts and rewards, and of pride; for God doth for- 
 bid them, and they do blind the eyes of the wife. I do not 
 write to give hberty to fm ; God hath forbidden it : biu 
 that you Ihould judge according to his laws, and fhew 
 mercy: for he delighteth in true judgment, and in*mcrcy. 
 I befeech you to mind thefe things, and prize your tirae, 
 now you have it ; and fear God, and ferve him y for be is 
 a confuming fire/ , j«: 
 
 The other letter was thus. 
 
 * I am moved to write unto you, that ye do true 
 juftice to every man, and fee that none be oppreffed, nor 
 wronged ; nor no oaths irapofed ; for the land mourneth 
 becaufe of oaths, and adulteries, and forceries, and drunk- 
 ennefs, and profanenefs. O confider, ye that be men fet 
 in authority: be moderate, and in lowlinefs confider thefe 
 things. Shew mercy to the fatherlefs, and to the widows, 
 and to the poor : and take heed of rewards or gifts, for 
 they do blind the eyes of the wife : the Lord doth loathe 
 all fuch. Love mercy and true judgment, juftice, and 
 righteoufnefs, for the Lord delighteth in fuch. Confider 
 thefe things in time, and take heed how ye do fpend 
 your time : now ye have time, prize it, and (hew maxy, 
 that ye may receive mercy from the Lord : for he is 
 coming to try all things and will plead with all flefli, as by 
 fire.' 
 
 Whilft G. Fox was in prifon among the felons, Jt 
 grieved him to hear their foul language ; and he often re- 
 proved them for their wicked words, and evil carriage 
 towards each other : and people did admire that he was fo 
 preferved among this bad company, without being defiled 
 by their converfation : but the fear of God fo prevailed 
 in his heart, that he could not be charged with any evil 
 word or aftion all the time he was there : yet he perceived 
 that it was dangerous to converfe with fuch a naughty 
 crew, and therefore he laid before the judges what an 
 hurtful thing it was, that prifoners fhould lie long in a 
 gaol, becaufe they learned wickednefs one of another, in 
 talking of their bad deeds y and that therefore fpeedy 
 juftice ought to be done. 
 
 Now whilft he was confined here, there was a young 
 woman in the gaol for robbing her mafter of fome money ; 
 and (he being to be tried for her life, he wrote concerning 
 her to the judge and jury, fliewing them, how contrary it 
 was to the law of God of old, to put people to death for 
 ftealing ; and that it was an incumbent duly to fliew mercy. 
 But notwithftanding his writing fo, flie was condemned 
 to die, and a grave was made for her. G. Fox having 
 
 E 2 
 
68 
 
 THE H1ST0R.Y OF THE 
 
 C165I I 1651] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 69 
 
 heard this, writ a few words, containing, * A warning for 
 all people to beware of covctoufnefs, and to fear the Lord, 
 and prize their time, while they have it ; that fo they 
 might avoid wickednefs ;' and when the woman, at the 
 time appointed, was carried forth to execution, he gave 
 this writing to be read at the gallows ; but when fhe was 
 upon the ladder, with a cloth over her face, and ready 
 to be turned of)', (lie was reprieved, and was brought 
 back again to prifon, where afterwards flie came to be 
 convinced of the truth, as held forth by G. Fox and his 
 friends. 
 
 In the gaol there was alfo detained a wicked man, who 
 was faid to be a conjuror ; this man threatened G. Fox, 
 and alfo the gaoler, that he would raifc the devil, and 
 break the houfe down ; fo that he made the gaoler afraid. 
 But G. Fox went to him, and faid, ' Come, let us fee 
 what thou canft do, and do thy word : the devil is raifed 
 high enough in thee already ; but the power of God 
 chains him down.' Ai this undaunted fpetch the fellow 
 flunk away. 
 
 Now the juftices to get rid of G. Fox, refolved to prefs 
 him for a foldier, feeing he would not voluntarily accept 
 of a command ; and Bennet fent conftables to give him 
 prefs-money : but he told him, * That he was broi>ght oft' 
 from outward war, and was dead to it.' And though the 
 commiliioners over and again proffered him money, yet 
 he would not take it ; at which they grew fo angry, that 
 he was committed clofe prifoner. Hereupon G. Fox 
 wrote to the juftices, and thofe that were concerned in 
 his commitment, the following lines. 
 
 * You, who are without Chrift, and '^^et ufe the words 
 which he and his faints have fpoken, confider, neither he 
 nor his apoftles did ever imprifon any ; but my Saviour is 
 merciful even to the immerciful and rebellious. He doth 
 bring out of prifon and bondage : but men, while the 
 carnal mind doth rule, do opprefs and imprifon. My 
 Saviour faith, " Love your enemies, and do good to them 
 that hate you, and pray for them that defpitefully ufe you 
 and perfecute you :*' for the love of God doth not perfe- 
 
 cute any ; but loveth all, where it dwelleth : " he that 
 hateth his brother," is a murderci. You profefs to be 
 Chriftians, and one of you a minifter of Jefus Chrift, yet 
 you have imprifoned me who am a fcrvant of Jefus Chrift. 
 The apoftles never imprifoned any ; but were imprifoned 
 themfclves: take heed of fpeaking of Chrift in words, 
 and denying him in life and power. O friends, the im- 
 prifoning my body is to fatisfy 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 imprifoned me ; but my love is to you, as to all my 
 fellow-creatures : and that you may weigh yourfelves, and 
 fee how you ftand, is this written.' 
 
 About this time he gave forth a paper to thofe that 
 were convinced of the truth, to fliew them the deceit of the 
 world, and how the priefts had deceived the people, viz. 
 
 ' Chriftr was ever hated ; and the righteous, for his 
 fake. Mind, who they were, that did ever hate them. 
 He that was born after the fiefli, did perfecute him that 
 was born after the Spirit ; and fo it is now. And 
 mind, who were the chiefeft againft Chrift ; even the 
 great learned men, the heads of the people, rulers and 
 teachers, that did profefs the law and the prophets, and 
 looked for Chrift ; they looked for an outwardly glorious 
 Chrift, to hold up their outward glory : but Chrift fpake 
 againft the works of the vv^orld ; and againft the priefts, 
 and fcribes, and Pharifees, and their hypocritical profeftion. 
 He that is a ftranger to Chrift, is an hireling : but the 
 fervants of Jefus Chrilt are freemen. The falfe teachers 
 always laid burdens upon the people : and the true fer- 
 vants of the Lord did fpeak againft them. Jeremiah did 
 fpcak againft hirelings, and faid, " It w^as an horrible 
 thing;" and Aiid, ^* What will ye do in the end?" for 
 the people and priefts were given to covctoufnefs. Paul 
 did fpeak againft fuch as did make gain upon the people ; 
 and exhorted the faints to turn away from fuch as were 
 covetous men and proud men, fuch as did love pleafures 
 more than God ; fuch as had a form of godlinefs, but 
 denied the power thereof- " For of this fort (faid he) 
 
 ^3 
 
70 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 are they that creep into houfes, and IcacJ captive filly 
 wcmcn, who are ever learning, but never able to come to 
 the knowledge of the truth ; men of corrupt minds, re- 
 probate concerning the faiih ; and as Jannes and Jambres 
 withilood Mofcs, fo (faith he) do thefe refift the truth ; 
 but they fhall proceed no further, for their folly fliall be 
 made manifefl: unto all men." Mofes forfook honours and 
 pleafures, which he might have enjoyed. The apoflle in 
 his time faw this corruption entering, which now is fprcad 
 over the world, of having a form of godlinefs, but deny- 
 ing the power. Aik any of your teachers, whether you 
 may ever overcome your corruptions and fins. None of 
 them doth believe that ; but as long as man is here, he 
 mud (they fay) carry ibout with him the body of fin. 
 Thus pride is kept up, and that honour and mafterfhip, 
 which Chrid denied ; and all unrighteoufnefs ; yet multi- 
 tudes 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, fee who follow 
 Paul ! The prophet Jeremiah faid, " The prophets 
 prophefy falfely, and the priefts bear rule by their 
 means;" but now the '^ priefts 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 
 fuch as, the apoftle faid, intruded into thofe things, which 
 they never fow, being vainly puffed up with a flefhly mind ; 
 and, as the Scriptures declare of fome of old, " They go 
 in the way of Cain (who was a murderer) and in the way 
 of Balaam, who coveted the wages of unrighteoufnefs.'* 
 The prophet .Micah alfo cried againft the jtidges, that 
 judged for reward ; and the priefts, that taught for hire ; 
 and the prophets that propheficd for money ; and yet 
 leaned on the Lord, faying, " Js not the Lord amongft 
 us ? " Gifts do blind the eyes of the wife : and the gift of 
 God was never purchafcd with money. All the holy fer- 
 vants of God did ever cry againft deceit : and where the 
 Lord hath manifcfted his love, they do loathe it, and that 
 Citure which hcldcth it up.' 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 7i 
 
 165O 
 
 He alfo wrote a ferious exhortation to the magiftratcs 
 of Derby, to confider whom they imprifoned. 
 * Friends, 
 
 ' I defire you to confider In time, whom ye do impri- 
 fon : for the magiftrate is fet for the punifliment of evil- 
 doers, and for the praife of ihem that do well. But when 
 the Lord doth fend his mcflengers unto you, to warn yoii 
 of the woes, that will come upon you, except you repent ; 
 then you perfecute them, and put them into prifon, and 
 fay, * We have a law, and by our law we may do it.* 
 For you indeed juftify yourfelves before men ; but God 
 knoweth your hearts; he will not be worfliipped with 
 your forms and profeffions, and ftiews of religion. There- 
 fore confider, ye that talk of God, how ye are fubjeft to 
 him ; for they are his children, that do his will. What 
 doth the Lord require of you, but to do juftice, to love 
 and Ihew mercy, to walk humbly with him, and to help 
 the widows and fatherlefs to their right ? but inftead there- 
 of ye opprefs the poor. Do not your judges judge for 
 reward, and your priefts teach for hire? The time is 
 coming, that he who feeth all things, will difcover all your 
 fecrets. And know this affuredly, the Lord will deliver 
 his fervants out of your hands, and he will recompence all 
 your unjuft dealings towards his people. I defire you to^ 
 confider of thefe things, and fearch the Scriptures, and fee' 
 whether any of the people of God did ever imprifon any 
 for religion; but were themfelves im.prifoned. I defire you ^ 
 confider, how it is written, that when the church is met 
 together, they may all prophefy, one by one : that all may 
 hear, and all may learn, and all be comforted ; and 
 then, '* L^ any thing be revealed to him that fitteth by, let 
 the firft hold his peace." Thus it was in the true church ; 
 and thus it ought to be. But it is not fo in your affem- 
 blies ; but he that teaches for hire, may fpeak, and none 
 may contradift him. Again, confider the liberty that was 
 given to the apoftles, even among the unbelieving Jews ; 
 when after the reading the law and the prophets, the 
 rulers of the fynagoguc faid unto them, " Ye men and 
 brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the . 
 people, hy on.'* I defire you to -confider in ftillnefs, an4 
 
 E 4 
 
72 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1651 ■ 1651] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 73 
 
 flrive not againfl: the Lord ; for he is ftronger than you. 
 ThvOiigh he hold his people faft 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 foap. Then the 
 ftone that ib fet at nought of you builders, fliall be the 
 head-ftonc of the corner. O friends, lay thefe things to 
 heart, and let them not feem light things to you. I wrote 
 unto you in love, to mind the laws of God, and your own 
 fouls, and do as the holy men ot God* did.* 
 
 During his imprifonment there, he was under a great 
 exercifc and travail in fpirit, becaufe of the wickednefs of 
 that town ; for though fome were convinced there of the 
 doftrine of truth, yet generally they were a hardened 
 people : and he feeing the vifitation of God's love pafs 
 away from them, he mourned, and wrote the following 
 lamentation. 
 
 ' O Derby ! as the waters run away, when the flood 
 gates are up; fo dorh the vifitation of God's love pafs 
 away from ihee, O Derby! therefore look where thou art, 
 and how thou art grounded ; and confider, before thou art 
 utterly forfaken. The Lord moved me twice, before I 
 came to cry againft the deceits and vanities that are in 
 thee ; and to warn all to look at the Lord, and not at man. 
 The wo is againft the crown of pride, and the wo is 
 againft drunkennefs and vain pleafures, and againft them 
 that make a profcilion of religion in words, and are high 
 and lofty in mind, and live in oppreiTion and envy. O 
 Derby! thy profeirion and preaching, ftinks before the 
 Lord. Ye do profcfs a Sabbath in words, and meet 
 together, dreiiin;^ yourfelves in fine apparel ; and you up- 
 liold pride. Thy women go with ftretched forth necks, 
 and wanton eyes, Sec. which the true prophet of old cried 
 •againft Your affcmblies are odious, and an abomination 
 to the Lord : pride is fet up, and bowed down to ; covet- 
 oufncfs abounds: and he that doth wickedly, is honoured : 
 fo deceit doth bear with deceit ; and yet thev profefs 
 Chrift in words. O the deceit, that is within' thee ! it 
 doih even break my heart to fee how God is difiiououred 
 in thee, O Derby!' 
 
 After he had written this, he perceived that his imprifon- 
 ment there would not continue long ; for the magiftrates 
 grew uneafy about him, and could not agree what to do 
 with him : one while they would have fent him up to the 
 Parliament, and another while they would have baniftied 
 him to Ireland. At firft they called him a deceiver, and 
 a blafphemer; and afterwards, when the judgments of 
 God befel them, they faid he was an honeft virtuous man. 
 But their well or ill fpeaking was nothing to- him ; for the 
 one did not hft him up, nor did the other caft him down. 
 At length they turned him out of gaol, about the beginning 
 of the winter, in the year 1651, after he had been pri- 
 foncr in Derby about a year : fix months whereof in the 
 houfe of correflion, and the reft of the time in the com- 
 mon gaol and dungeon. 
 
 Being fet at liberty, he went into Leicefterfliire, and had 
 meetings where he came, preaching fo effeftually, that fe- 
 veral were convinced. He went after to Nottinghamfliirc 
 again, and from thence into Derbyfhire, where having 
 vifited his friends, he pafled into Yorkftiire, and coming 
 into Doncafter, and other places, he preached repentance. 
 Afterwards he came to Balby, where Richard Farnfworth 
 and feveral others were convinced by his preaching. And 
 coining afterwards into the parts about Wakefield, James 
 Naylor came to him, and alfo acknowledged the truth of 
 that doctrine he held forth ; likewife William Dewft3ury, 
 with many more ; and thefe three named, became in time 
 alfo minifters of the gofpel. But by the way, I rnuft fay 
 that William DewflDury was one of thofe that had already 
 been immediately convinced, as G. Fox himfelf was, who 
 coming to him, found himfelf in unity with him ; and of 
 thefe was alfo G. Fox the younger, of whom more here- 
 after. 
 
 But I return to the other G. Fox, who coming about 
 Selby, pafled from thence to Beverly, where he went into 
 the fteeple-houfe, and after he that preached there had 
 done, George Fox fpoke to the congregation, and faid, that 
 ' they ought to turn to Chrift Jefus as their teacher.* 
 This ftruck a dread amongft the people, and the mayor 
 fpoke to him ; but none meddled with him. In ihc after- 
 
74 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ne^I I 1651] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 noon he wtnt to another fteeple-houfc, about two miles ofF, 
 where, after the prieft had done, he ipoke to hyn, and the 
 people, fliewing them the way of life and truth, and the 
 ground of elcftion and reprobation. The prieft faying he 
 could not difpute, G. Fox told him he did not come to 
 difpute, but to hold forth the word of truth, that they 
 might all know the one feed, to which the promife was, 
 both in the male, and in the female. Here his fpeaking 
 did lo pleafe the audi-tcry, that he was delired to come 
 agnail! on another day, and to preach there. Rut he di- 
 rected them to th ir teacher Chrift Jefus, and fo went away. 
 The next day he came to Crantllck, to (laptain Purfloe^s, 
 xvho accompanied him to Juftice Hotham's, and entering 
 into difcourfe with G. Fox, told him, he had known that 
 principle above ten years, and was glad that the Lord did 
 publifh it abroad among the people. While G. Fox was 
 there, a great woman' (^f Beverly came to fpeak with the 
 faid jurtice about,, fome bufmcfs, who in difcourfe faid, that 
 ihe iaft fabbath-day (as fne called it) there was an angel 
 or fpirit came rnto the church at Beverly, and fpoke the 
 wonderful things of God, to the aftonidmient of all that 
 were there: and that when it had done, it paffed away, 
 they not knowing whence it came, nor v/hither it went ; 
 but it aftonilhed all, both priefl and profcffors, and the 
 magiftrates of the town. This relaiion juflice Hotham 
 gave himfelf afterv/ards ; and \hen G. Fox told him, that 
 it was he who had been that day at Beverly fteeple-houfe, 
 and had declared truth there. The next Firft-day of the 
 week captain Purfloe came to G. Fox, and they both 
 went to the fteeple-houfe, whei^e G. Fox, when the prieft 
 had done, fpoke to both prieft and people, and dire6>ed 
 them where they might find their teacher, the lord Jefus 
 Chrift, viz. inwardly, in their hearts ; which was of fuch 
 cffcif^, that fome received that doftrine of truth, and con- 
 tinued in it. In the afternoon be went to another fteeple- 
 houfe, about three miles olF, where one preached that 
 bove the title of doctor : he took his text from Ifaiah Iv. 
 *' Every one that ihirfteth, 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/* 
 
 75 
 
 G. Fox ftayed till the prieft had done, and well knowing 
 what kind of teacher he was, he was kindled with fuch a 
 7.eal, that ne faid. Come down, thou deceiver : doft thou 
 bid people come freely, and to take of the water of life 
 freely, and yet thou takeft three hundred pounds a year 
 of them ! mayeft not thou blufli with fliame ! did the pro- 
 phet Ifaiah and Chrift do fo, who fpake the words, and 
 gave them forth freely ? did not Chrift fay to his minifters, 
 whom he fent to preach. Freely ye have received, freely 
 give ? the prieft being amazed, haftened away, and fo gave 
 G. Fox as much time as he could defire, to fpenk to the 
 people ; who then directed them to the light, and the 
 grace of God, and to the fpirit of God in their inward 
 parts, to be taught and inftructed thereby. Having thus 
 cleared himfelf among the people, he returned to jtiftice 
 Hotham's houfe that night, who embracing him, faid, 
 * My houfe is your houfe ;' and alfo fignified, that he was 
 exceeding glad at the work of the Lord, and that his 
 power was revealed. 
 
 From thence G. Fox went through the country, and 
 came at night to an inn, where he bid the woman of the 
 houfe, if file had any meat, to bring him fome. But be- 
 caufe he faid thee and thou to her, flie looked ftrangely on 
 him. Then he afked her if flie had any milk ; and ftic 
 faid, no. He believing flie fpoke falfdy, and feeing a 
 churn ftand in the room, would try her farther, and alked 
 her, if flie had any cream ; but flie denied that fhe had 
 any. Then a little boy playing about the churn, put his 
 hands into it, and pulling it down, threw all the cream on 
 the floor. Thus the woman appeared to be a liar, and flie 
 being amazed, took up the child and whipt it forely : but 
 he reproved her for her lying, and going out of the houfe, 
 went away, and that night lay in a ftack of hay, in rain 
 and fnow. The next day he came to York, and the firft 
 day of the week being come, he went to the cathedral : 
 when the prieft had done, he faid, he had fomething from 
 the Lord God to fpeak to the prieft and people. Then 
 (faid a profeflTor) fay on quickly; for it was very cold 
 weather. G. Fox then told them, ' this was the word of 
 the Lord God unto them, that they lived in words ; but 
 God Almighty looked for fruits among them.* As foon 
 
76 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1651 I 1651] 
 
 FeOPLS called QUAKERS. 
 
 n 
 
 as thefe words were ont of his mouth, he was hurried our, 
 and thrown down the fleps. But he got up again without 
 hurt, and went to his lodging. Yet fevend of the people 
 were fo reached, that they became convinced of the truth. 
 
 He having now done his fervicc in York, went from 
 thence, and came the next day to Burraby, and going 
 into a certain meeting, where there was a pried alfo, he 
 had occafion to declare the truth, and many were con- 
 vinced ; and the pried himfelf confeffed to the truth, 
 though he came not to live up to it. The following day 
 G. Fox paflcd to Cleavcland, where having a meeting, 
 fame were convinced. The fird day of the next week he 
 went to the deeple-houfe, and when the pried had done, 
 te directed the people to their teacher within, Chrid 
 Jefus, who had bought them. The pried then coming 
 to him^ he had little difcourfe with him, and put him foon 
 to filence. 
 
 From thence he went to Stath, where he had great 
 meetings, and many received the truth he preached, among 
 whom was Philip Scarth, a pried, that afterwards came to 
 be a minider of the gofpel among thofe called Quakers, 
 who now began thereabout to increafe in number, and had 
 great meetings. It happened here, that a certain Scotch 
 pried, walking with G. Fox, alked him many quedions 
 concerning the light, and the foul ; to all which he anfwcred 
 fully. But after they parted, this Scotch pried met Philip 
 Scarth, and breaking his cane againd the ground, faid in 
 anger, ' IF ever he met with G. Fox again, he would have 
 bis life, or Fox ftiould have his ;' adding, ' That he would 
 give his head, if G. Fox was not knocked down within 
 a month.* Yet what is marvellous, this fame Scotch 
 pried, after fome years, came to be one of the people 
 called Qiiakers, and afterwards G. Fox vilited him at his 
 houfe. Not much unlike to this, was, that a woman of 
 note, among the Independents, being fwayed by prejudice 
 againd G. Fox, faid, flic would willingly have gone to 
 have feen him hanged ; but, when flie heard him preach, 
 was fo reached, that, being convinced of the truth he de- 
 clared, fhe came to be one of his friends. Oftentimes he 
 had opportunity to fpeak with the prieds, who, when they 
 
 heard of his coming, would hide themfelves ; for it was a 
 dreadful thing to them, when it was told them, the man in 
 leather bre'eches is come ; for this was indeed his drcfs in 
 thofe days, not out of any fuperdition, but becaufe leather 
 clothes being drong, it was not unfuitable for one that 
 travelled fo much as he did. 
 
 Coming to Malton he had great meetings ; but it wai5 
 thought fuch a draiige thing to preach in houfes,. that 
 many durd not come there, for fear of their relations ; 
 and therefore he was much defired to come and preach ia 
 the churches, as the deeple-houfes are commonly called : 
 nay, one of the prieds himfelf, called Boyes (who was fo 
 taken with him, that he called him brother) did invite hini 
 to preach in his deeple-houfe : but G. Fox had little incli- 
 nation to that, becaufe both prieds and people, called that 
 place of worfiiip^ ' The houfe of God;' whereas the 
 apodle faid to the Athenians, " God dwcfleih not m 
 temples made with hands.'* And therefore he endea- 
 voured to draw people off from them, and to make them 
 fenfible, that God and Chrid ought to dwell in their 
 hearts^ that fo their bodies might be made ihe temples of 
 God. Yet for that time he went into the deeple-houfe at 
 Malton, where there were not above eleven heareis, to 
 v;hom the pried was preaching ; but after it was known 
 in the town that G* Fox was there, it was foon filled with 
 people. And when the pried had done, he fent the other 
 that had invited him thither, to bring him up into the 
 pulpit. But G. Fox fent him word, that he needed not 
 go into the pulpit. This pried not fatistied with this re- 
 fufal, fent again, defiring him to go up unto it, for, faid 
 he, it is a better place to be feen of the people. But G. 
 Fox anfwered, that he could be feen and heard well 
 enough where he was ; and that he came not there to 
 hold up fuch places, nor their maintenance and trade. 
 This created fome difpleafure, and it was faid, that falfc 
 prophets were to come in the lad times. But this faying 
 grieved many of the people, and fome began to murmur 
 at it : whereupon G. Fox dood up, and defning all to be 
 quiet, he depped upon an high feat; and fnice fomewhat 
 had been fpoken of falfe prophets, he declared, to the 
 
ys 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ['651 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QXJAKERS. 
 
 79 
 
 auditory, the mark of thofe prophets ; and he (liewed, that 
 they were already come, and were out of the fleps of the 
 true prophets, and of Chrift and his apoftles*. He alfo 
 direftcd the people to their inxard teache;r, Chrift Jefus, 
 who would turn them from darknefs to light. And having 
 opened divers Scriptures to them, he directed them to the 
 Spirit of God in themfelves, by which they might come to 
 God, and alfo to know who the falfe prophets were. 
 And having thus had a large time to preach to the people, 
 he went away without difturbance. 
 
 After fome time, he came to Pickering, where the 
 juftices held their feffions in the fteeple-houfe, juftice 
 Robinfon being chairman. At. the fame time G. Fox had 
 a meeting in the fchool-houfe, where many priefts and 
 profeflbrs came, and aiked feveral queftions, which were 
 anfwered to their fatisfaffion : fo that many perfons, and 
 amongft thefe, four chief conftables, were convinced that 
 day ; and word was carried to juftice Robinfon, that his 
 pricft, whom he loved more than all the others, was 
 overthrown and convinced. After the meeting was done, 
 they went to an inn, and the faid prieft was very loving, 
 and would have paid for G. Fox's dinner ; but this he 
 would not fuiFcr by any means. Then he offered that he 
 fhould have his fteeple-houfe to preach in ; but he refufcd, 
 and told him and the people, that he c^ame to bring them 
 off from fuch things to Chrift. The next morning he 
 went with the four chief conftables to vifit juftice Robinfon, 
 who meeting him at his chamber door, G. Fox told him, 
 he could not honour him with man's honour : to which the 
 juftice faid, he did not look for it. Then he went into 
 his chamber, and fpoke to him concerning the ftate of the 
 falfe prophets, and of the true ; and alfo concerning 
 elc<51ion and reprobation, fliewing that reprobation ftood 
 in the firft birth, and election in the fecond ; and what it 
 was that the proraife of God was to, and what the judg- 
 ment of God was againft. All this fo pleafed the faid 
 Robinfon, that he not only confeffed it to be truth, but 
 when another juftice that was prefent made fome little 
 oppofition, he informed him ; and at their parting, he faid 
 to G* Fox, it was very well that he did exercifc that gift 
 
 which God had given him. And he took the chief con- 
 ftablcs afide, and would have given them fome money for 
 G. Fox, faying, he would not have him to be at any charge 
 in this country. But they told him, that they themfelves 
 could not get him to take any money, G. Fox pafling 
 from thence, prieft Boyes went along with him : but the 
 year being now come to an end, let us take a fliort view 
 how it ftood with ftate affairs. 
 
 It hath been faid already, that Charles II. had been 
 crowned king by the Scots, but having been beaten, with 
 his forces, by Cromwell, he marched afterwards with a 
 new army into England, and took Worceller without 
 oppofition : yet, in the month of September, his forces 
 were fo entirely routed by Cromwell, that king Charles, 
 to prevent being taken prifoner after the battle, hid him- 
 fclf a whole day in a hollow oak, and afterwards, being 
 clothed like a fervant, and called by the name of William, 
 paiTed the country, and through many hazards efcaped out 
 of England, and arrived on the coaft of Normandy in 
 France : where we will leave him, to return ai^iain to 
 
 G. Fox, who coming wilh prieft Boyes into a town to 
 bait, and hearing the bells ring, aiked what that was for. 
 They told him, that it was for him to preach in the 
 fteeple-houfe. Walking thither, he faw the people were 
 gathered together in the fteeple-houfe yard. The prieft 
 who accompanied him. would have had him to go into the 
 fteeple-houfe ; but he faid, it was no matter. This feemed 
 ftrange to the people, that he would not go into that which 
 they called the houfe of God. But he ftood up in the 
 fteeple-houfe yard, and declared to them, that he came 
 not to hold up their idol tempks, nor their priefts, nor 
 their tithes, nor their Jewifli and heathenifh ceremonies ; 
 that the ground on which their temples ftood, was no more 
 holy than any other piece of ground ; that the apoftles 
 going into the Jews fynagogues, and temples, was to bring 
 people off from that temple, &c. and from the ofi'erings 
 and tithes, and covetous prefts of that time ; that fuch 
 who came to be converted, and believed in Chrift, after- 
 wards met together in dwellingj-houfcs ; and that all wh^ 
 preach Chrift, the word of life, ought to preach freely. 
 
So 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 »65>] 
 
 as the apoflles did, and as Chrift had commanded; and 
 that the Lord God of heaven and earth had fent him to 
 preach freely, and to bring people off from the outward 
 temples made with hands, in which God dwelleth not ; 
 thai io they might knf)W their bodies were to become the 
 temples of God and Chrift. Moreover, that they ought 
 to leave all their fuperftitious ceremonies, traditions, and 
 doctrines of men ; and not regard fuch teachers of the 
 world, that took tithes, and great wages, preaching for 
 hire, and divining for money ; whom God and Chrift 
 never fent, according to their own confeiTion, when they 
 fay, they never heard God's voice. That therefore people 
 ought to come to the Spirit and grace of God in them- 
 feires, and to the light of Jefus in their own hearts ; that 
 fo they might come to know Chrift their free teacher, to 
 bring them falvation, and to open the Scriptures to them. 
 This fpeech had fuch efFe^l, that many of them declared 
 they were convinced of the truth. 
 
 Frcm this place he went to another town, and prieft 
 Boyes went along with him. Thither came feveral pro- 
 feffors, but he fat filent for fome hours ; which made 
 them often afk the prieft, ' When will he begin ? When 
 will he fpcak?' To which the prieft faid, ' Wait:' and 
 told them that the people waited upon Chrift a long while 
 before he fpake : now, though G. Fox by filence was to 
 famifti people from words, yet at length he felt himfelf 
 moved to fpeak, which he did fo effedually, that many 
 were reached, and there was a general convincement 
 amongft them. 
 
 From hence he paffed on, the prieft continuing to go 
 with him, as did feveral others ; and as they went along, 
 fome people called to the prieft, and faid, ' Mr. Boyes, 
 we owe you fome money for tithes, pray come and take it.* 
 But he throwing up his hands, faid, he had enough, and 
 would have none of it ; they might keep it ; and he 
 praifed the Lord he had enough. At length they came 
 into this prieft's fteeple-houfe in the moors; and the prieft 
 going before, held open the pulpit door : but G. Fox 
 told him, he would not go into it. And this fteeple-houfe 
 being very much painted, he told him and the people, 
 
 1652] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 8l. 
 
 that the painted beaft had a painted houfe. Then he 
 fpoke to them concerning the rife of all thofe houfes, 
 and their fuperftitious ways ; and he told them that, as 
 the end of the apoftles going into the temples and fyna- 
 gogues, was not to hold them up, but to bring/ people to 
 Chrift, the fubftance ; fo the end of his coming there, 
 was not to hold up thefe temples, priefts, and tithes, but 
 to bring them off from, all thefe things, to Chrift, the 
 fubftance. Moreover, he declared to them what the true 
 worfliip was, which Chrift had fet up ; and he diftinguiflicd 
 Chrift, the true way, from all the fiilfe ways ; opening the 
 parables to them, and turning them from darknefs to the 
 true light, that by it they might fee themfelves and their 
 fms, and Chriit their Saviour, that fo believing in him, 
 they might be faved from their fins. 
 
 After this, he w^ent to the houfe of one Birdet, where 
 he had a grccft meeting, and the prieft Boyes accompanied 
 him ftill, leaving his fteeple-houfe. Then he returned to- 
 wards Cranfwick, to captain Purflo's, and jufticeHotham's, 
 who received him kindly, being glad that Truth was 
 fpread, and fo many had received it. And juftice Hotham 
 faid, ' If God had not raifed up this principle of light and 
 life, which G. Fox preached, the nation had been over- 
 run with Ranterifm, and all the juftices in the nation cohld 
 not have ftopped it with all their laws : becaufe (faid he) 
 tliey would have faid as we faid, and done as we com- 
 manded, and yet have kept their old principle ftill : but 
 this principle of Truth overthrows their principle, and the 
 root and ground thereof.* / 
 
 Now, though G. Fox found good entertainment, yet 
 he did not fettle there, but kept in continual motion, 
 going from one place to another, to beget fouls unto God. 
 I do not intend to relate all his occurrences, but will give 
 a fliort hint only of fome of the chief. 
 
 Coming then towards night into Patrington, he walked 
 through the town, and meeting the prieft in the ftreet, he 
 warned both him and the people to repent, and turn to. 
 the Lord. And people gathering about him, he declared 
 to them the word of life, directing them to the inward 
 word, viz, the light wherewith they are enhghieaed% 
 
 Vol. L F ' 
 
82 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 rxS^Z I ^^5^1 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 83 
 
 Going afterwards to an inn, for it was dark, he defired 
 lodging, but it was denied him: then he afked for a Httlc 
 meat, or milk, offering to pay for it ; but this alfo was 
 refufed him". Being thus put off, he walked out of the 
 town, and fome rude fellows following, alked him, ' What 
 news?' To which his anfwer was, ' Repent, and fear the 
 Lord.* After he was gone a pretty v/ay out of the town, 
 he came to another houfe, where he defired to have fome 
 meat, drink, and lodging, for his money, but they would 
 not fuffer him 10 {lay there: then he went to another houfe, 
 but met with the like refufal. By this time it was grown 
 fo dark, that he could not fee the highway, but perceiving 
 a ditch,'' he found a little water, and fo refrefhcd himfelf. 
 Then he got over the ditch, and being weary, fat down 
 amongft the furze bufhes, till it grew day ; and then he 
 arofe, and paffing on through the fields, a man came after 
 him with a pike ftaff, and went along with him to a town, 
 where he raifed the people, with the conllable and chief 
 conftable, before the fun was up. G. Fox feeing the 
 multitude, warned them of the day of the Lord that was 
 coming upon all fin and wickednefs, and exhorted them to 
 repent. But they laying hold on him, carried him back to 
 Patrington, and guarded him with halberts, pikes, flaves, 
 &c. Being come to the faid town, all was in an uproar ; 
 and the pricfl: and conftable confulting together what to 
 do with him, he took that opportunity to exhort the people 
 to repentance, and to preach the word of life to them. 
 At lall a difcreet man called him into his. houfe, whgrc 
 he got fome milk and bread, not having eaten for fome 
 days before. Then he v/as carried about nine miles to a 
 julcicc ; and when he was come near his houfe, there came 
 a man riding after, and alked him whether he was the 
 man that was apprehended. G. Fox alking him, why, 
 the other faid, * For no hurt.' Then he told him, he wasj 
 and fo the man rode away to the juftice. 
 
 Now the men that guarded G. Fox, faid, it would be 
 well, if the juftice was not drunk when they came to him, 
 becaufe he ufed to be drunk early. G. Fox being brought 
 in before him, and not putting off his hat, and faying 
 ^hou to him, the juftice aiked the man that rode thither 
 
 before, whether he was not mazed or fond? But the man 
 faid, ' No : it is his principle fo to behave himfelf/ 
 G. Fox, who was unwilling to let any opportunity flip, 
 without admonifliing people to virtue, warned the juftice 
 to repent, and bid him come to the light which Chrift had 
 enlightened him with, that by it he might fee all his evil 
 v/ords and actions, and fo return to Chrift Jefus, whii?! he 
 had time, and that he ought to prize that time. * Aye, 
 aye,' faid he, ' the light that is fpoken of in the tliird of 
 John.' G, Fox defired him that he would mind it, and 
 obey it ; and laying his hand upon him, he v/as fo brought 
 down by the Lord's power, that all the watchmen ftood 
 amazed. Then he took G. Fox with him into a parlour 
 with the other men, and defired to fee what he had in his 
 pockets, of letters, or intelligence ; for it feems they fuf- 
 pefted him to be an enemy to the Commonwealth. Then 
 he pulled out his linen, and fliewed that he had no letters; 
 which made the juftice fay, * He is not a vagrant, by his 
 linen,' and* fct him at liberty. Then G. Fox went back 
 to Patrington again, with that man who had rid before to 
 the juftice, and who lived in that town. Coming to his 
 houfe, he defired G. Fox to go to bed, or to lie down 
 upon it : which he did, that they might fay, they had 
 fcen him in a bed, or upon a bed; for there v/as a report^ 
 that he would not lie on any bed, raifed doubtlefs, 
 becaufe about that time he had lain often without doors. 
 
 When the Firft-day of the week was come, he went to 
 the ftceple-houfe, and declared the doftrine of Truth to 
 the prieft and people, without being molefted. Then 
 prefently after he had a great meeting at that man's houfe 
 where he lay, and many were convinced that day of the 
 truth he preached ; and they were exceeding forry that 
 they had not given him lodging when he was there before. 
 From thence he travelled through the country, warning 
 people, both in towns and in country villages, to repent, 
 and turn to Chrift Jefus their teacher. 
 
 On a Firft-day of the week he came to one colone! 
 Overton's houfe, and had a great meeting of the chief of 
 the people of that country; where he opened many things 
 out of the Scriptures, which they never heard before. 
 
84 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1652 
 
 1652] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 85 
 
 Coming afterwards again toPatrington, he underflood that 
 a taylor and fome wild blades in that town, had occafioncd 
 his being carried before the juftice. This taylor came to aik 
 him forgivenefs, fearing he would complain of him ; the 
 conllables alfo were aFraid left he flioukl trouble them ; 
 bur he forgave them all, and exhorted them to turn to the 
 Lord, and to amend their lives. Now that which made 
 them the more afraid, was, that he having been not long 
 before in the fteeple-houfe at Oram, there came a profeiTor 
 that gave him a pufli on the brcaft, and bid him get out 
 of the church. To which G. F.ox faid, ' Doft thou call 
 the fteeple-houfe the church? The church is the people, 
 whom God hath purchafed v/ith his blood, and not the 
 honfe.* But juftice Hotham having heard of this man's 
 thus abufmg G. Fox^ fent a warrant, and bound the faid 
 man over to the feffions. So zealous was this juftice to 
 keep the peace, thut he had aiked G. Fox before, w^hether 
 any people had abufed him : but he eftecming it his duty 
 to forgive all, told him nothing of ihat kind. 
 
 From Patrington he went to feveral great men's houfes, 
 learning them to repent. Some received him lovingly, 
 and fome flighted him. Paffing thus through the country, 
 at night he came to another town, v*here he dcfned lodg- 
 ing and meat, offering lo pay for it ; but they would not 
 lodge him, unlefs he went to a conftable to alk leave, 
 which they fiiid was the cuflom of ftrangers. But he told 
 them, tliat cuftom was for fufpccled perfons, and not for 
 iiich as he, who was an innocent man. So after he had 
 warned them to lepent, and to mind the day of their 
 vifitation, and dire£tcd them to Oie light of Chrift, and 
 Spirit of God, he pafl'ed away. i\s it grew dark, he fpied 
 a hay-ftack, and went and fdz under it till morning. The 
 next day he came to Hull, where he admonifhed the 
 people to turn to Chrift Jefus, that they might receive 
 falvation. And being very weary with travelling on foot 
 lb far, he got that night a lodging there. 
 
 From 'thence he went to Nottinghamfhire, vifiting Tiis 
 friends there ; and fo pafled into Lincolnihire, where he 
 4:iid the like. And coming to Gainlhorough, where one 
 of his friends had been preaching in the market, he found 
 
 the town and people all in an uproar ; the more, becaufe 
 a certain mtm had raifcd a falfe accufation, reporting, that 
 Q. Fox had fliid he was Chrift. Here going into the houfe 
 of a friendly man, the people ruflied in after him, fo that 
 the houfe foon w^s filled ; and amongft the reft was alfo 
 this falfe accufer, who faid openly .before all the people, 
 that G. Fox faid he was Chrift ; and that he had got 
 witnefTes to prove the fame. G. ¥o\ kindled with zeal, 
 ftepped upon the table, and faid to the people, that Chrift 
 was in them, except they were reprobates ; and that it was . 
 Chrift, the eternal power of God, that fpoke in him at 
 that time unto them ; not that he was Chrift. This gave, 
 general fatisfa<ftion, except to the falfe accufer himfelf, to 
 whom G. Fox faid, that he was a Judas, and that Judas's 
 end fhould be his ; nnd that that was the word of the 
 Lord through him (Fox) to him. The minds of the 
 people coming thus to be quieted, they departed peaceably. 
 But very remarkable it was : this Judas fhortly after 
 hanged himfelf, and a ftake was driven into his grave. 
 Now, though tliis was a well known thing in this country, 
 yet fome priefts fpread a report, that a Quaker had hanged 
 himfelf in Lincolnfliire, and had a ftake driven through 
 him. And though this was taken upon truft by hearfay, 
 yet, out of mere mahce, a certain prieft gave out this 
 lalfehood in print, as a true matter. But this wicked 
 flander prevailed fo little, that many people in Lincolnfliire 
 were convinced of the truth preacl^i by G. Fo:^. 
 
 After this he pafTed into Yorloliire, and coming to 
 Warnfworth, w^nt to the fteeple-houfe in the forenoon, 
 but found no acceptance ; and being thurft out, he was 
 forcly bcdten with ftaves, and clods and ftones were thrown 
 n him ; yet he exhorted to repent, and turn to Chrift. 
 In the afternoon he went to another fteeplcrhoufe ; but 
 the fermon was finiflied before he got thither; fo he 
 preached repentance to the people that were not departed, 
 and directed them to their inward teacher, Chrift Jefus. 
 From hence he came to Doncafter, where he had formerly 
 preached in the market ; but now on the Firft-day of the 
 week he went into the fteeple-houfe ; and after the prieft 
 Jiad done,, hq began to fncak, but was hurried out, anci 
 
 ' f 3 
 
 ^M 
 
S6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C'65 
 
 1652] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 87 
 
 s/ 
 
 haled before the magiftrates, who threatened him with 
 death, jf ever he came thither again. But notwithftanding 
 all this, G. Fox bid them mind the light oi Chrift in them, 
 faying, that God was come to teach his people himfelf, 
 whether ihe^' would hear or nor. After a while being 
 put out with fomc of his friends that were with him, they 
 were ftoned by the rude multitude. A certain innkeeper, 
 that was a bailiff, feeing this, came and took them into 
 his houfe, but one of the ftones that were thrown hit his 
 head, fo that the blood ran down his face. The next 
 Firll^day G. Fox went to Tickhill ; where he went into 
 the fleeple houfe, and tliere found the pried and the chief 
 of the parifli in the chancel, to whom he began to fpeak ; 
 but tliey immediately fell upon him, and the clerk ftruck 
 him with his hib]e fo violently on the face, that the blood 
 gufhed out, and 'he bled exceedingly. Then the people 
 thruft him out of the fleeple-houfe, beat and threw him 
 down, and dragged him along the flreet, fo that he was be- 
 fmeared with blood and dirt, and his hat taken away. When 
 he was got up again, he fpoke to the people, and fhewed 
 them how they dilhonoured Chriftianity. Some time after, 
 the pried coming by, fcofHngly called G. Fox and his 
 friends, Quakers. But he was fpokcn to, in fuch an au- 
 thority and dread, that he fell a trembling ; which made 
 one of the people fay, ' Look how the pried trembles and 
 Ihakes, he is turned a Quaker alfo.' Some moderate 
 judices now, hearing Im^w G. Fox and his friends had been 
 abufcd, came to cxamme the bufmefs ; and the clerk was 
 afraid of having his hand cut off, for driking him in the 
 church: but G. Fox, as a true Chridian, forgave him, 
 and would not appear againd him. 
 
 Thus far G. Fox only hath been mentioned as a preacher 
 of repentance; but now fome others of his perfuafion began 
 ?lfo to preach publickiy, viz. Thomas Aldam, Richard 
 Farnfv/orth, and, not long after, William Dewftury. 
 This made fuch a dir, that the pried of Warnfworth pro- 
 cured a warrant from the judices againd G. Fox and Thomas 
 Aldam. 'I he condable who came with this order, which 
 was to be executed in any part of the Weft Riding of 
 Yorkfliirc, took Thomas Aldam, aud carried him to York, 
 
 and G. Fox went with' him twenty miles ; but though the 
 condable had a warrant far him alfo, yet he meddled not 
 with G. Fox, faying, he was loth to trouble men that were 
 drangers ; but Thomas Aldam was his neighbour. About 
 this time Richard Farnfworth went into an eminent decple- 
 houfe, in or about Wakefield; where he fpoke fo power- 
 fully, that the people were amazed. The pried of that 
 place whofe name was Marfhal, fpread a ilanderous repoit, 
 that G. Fox carried bottles about with him, and made 
 people drink thereof, which made them follow him. And 
 that he rid upon a great black horfe, and was feen in one 
 country upon that horfe, and in the fime hour in another 
 country three fcore miles off. But thefe horrid lies were 
 fo far from turning ro the pried's advantage, that he 
 preached many of his hearers away from him ; for it was 
 well known, that G. Fox had no horfe at that time, but 
 travelled on foot. He coming now into a deeple-houfe not 
 far from Bradford ; the pried took his text from Jer. v, 
 31. " My people love to have it fo ;" leaving out the 
 foregoing words, " The prophets prophefy falfely, and 
 the prieds bear rule by their means." G. Fox unwilling 
 to let this pafs unregarded, fhewed the people the pried's 
 unfair dealing; and, directing them to Chrid, the true 
 inward teacher, dechired, that God was come to teach 
 his people himfelf, and to bring them off from all the 
 world's teachers and hirelings, that they might come to 
 receive freely from him ; concluding his fpeech with a 
 waning of the day of the Lord that was coming upon all 
 fle(h. He paffed from thence without much oppofition, 
 and travelled now for fome time with Richard Farnfworth : 
 with whom he once paffed a night in the open field, on a 
 bed they made of fern. 
 
 Then parting from him, he came to Wenfleydale, where 
 he wen: into the fteeple-houfe ; and after the lefture, he 
 {poke to the people much in the fame terms as be ufed to 
 do on the like occafioils ; and had not much oppofition 
 there. Thus he went from plaice to place, • and often met 
 with drange occurrences, fome of which were more jocofc 
 than ferious; others vci:y rude, and even dangerous to 
 his Hfe, But, he truded in God, really believing that he 
 
 F 4 
 
 ' L 
 
 - f 
 
88 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1652 
 
 had fent hi:n to pre«ich repentance, and to exhort people 
 to a true convcrfion. 
 
 Thus travelling on, he came near Sedbcrgh ; there he 
 went to a meeting at Jullice Benfon's, where a people met 
 that were ftparatcd from the publick.worfliip ; and, by 
 his preaching, he gave fuch general fatis faction, that mofl 
 of the hearers were convinced of the Truth declared by 
 him. Thus the number of his' fellow-believers increafed 
 fo, that now they had meetings by themfclves, in many 
 places of the country. 
 
 About this time there being a fair at Sedbergh, G. 
 Fox declared the day of the Lord through the fair; and 
 after^vards went into the fleeple-houfe yard, where abun- 
 dance of people came to him : here he preached for feve- 
 ral hours, (hewing, that the Lord was come to teach his 
 people himfelf, and to bring them off from all the world's 
 ways and teachers, to Chrift, the true teacher, and the 
 true way to God, Moreover, he fliew^d the declining 
 ftate of :he modern do<5i-ors and teachers ; and 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 themfclves to be the temples of God. None of the 
 pricfts, feveral of whom were there, fpoke againft what he 
 had declared ; but a captain faid, ' Why will ye not go 
 into the church ; for this is not a fit place to preach in ?* 
 G. Fox told him, ' That he did not approve of their 
 church.' Then flood up one Francis Howgill, who. was 
 a preacher, and though he never had feen G. Fox before, 
 yet he was fo affe<Sled with him, that he anfwered the cap- 
 tain, and foon put him to filence : for, faid Howgill, 
 ' This man fpeaks with authority, and not as the fcribes/ 
 After this, G. Fox opened to the people, ^ That that 
 ground and houfe was not more holy than another place ; 
 and that the houfe w^as not the church, but the people, 
 whom Chrift was the head of.* Then the priefts coming 
 to him, he warned them to repent ; upon which one of 
 them faid, he was mad; but notwithftanding his faying fo, 
 many w^re convinced there that day ; and amonglt thefe, 
 one Captain Ward. 
 
 The next Firll-day G. Fox came to Firbank chapel in 
 
 1652] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 89 
 
 Weftmoreland, where the faid Francis Howgill, and one 
 John Audland, had been preaching in the morning. The 
 chapel at that time was fo full of people, that many could 
 not get in : and Howgill faid afterv/ards, he thought G. 
 Fox looked into the chapel, and his fpirit was ready to 
 fliil. But G. Fox did not look into it; however, Howgill 
 had been fo reached when he heard him preach in the 
 fteeple-houfe yard at Sedbergh, that he was, as it were, 
 checked, and fo quickly made an end of his fermon ; think- 
 ing as well as others, that G. Fox would preach there 
 that day, as indeed he did. For having refreihed himfelf 
 at noon, with a little water out of a brook, he went and 
 fill down on the top of a rock hard by tlie chapel, intend- 
 ing to have a meeting there. At this people wondered, 
 becaufe they looked upon the church (fo called) as aa 
 holy place, requifite for worfliip. But G. Fox told them 
 afterwards, that the groiuid whereon he ftood, was as 
 good as that of the fteeple-houfe; befides, we find, that 
 Chrift himfelf did preach on a mountain, and alfo at the fea- 
 fide. Now in the afternoon, the people gathered about him, 
 with feveral of their preachers, and amongft tbefe, F. How- 
 gill, and J. Audland. To this auditory, which was judged 
 to confift of more than a thoufand people, G. J'ox began 
 to preach, and fpoke about the fpace of three hours, di- 
 re6fing all to the Spirit of God in themfclves, that fo they 
 might be turned from darknefs to light, and from the 
 power of Satan, which they had been under, unto God ; 
 by which they fhould become children of the light, and, by 
 the Spirit of Truth, be let into all truth ; and fo fenfibly 
 underftand the words of the prophets of Chrift, and of 
 the apoftles, and come to know Chrift to be their teacher 
 to inftruft them, their counfeilor to direct them, their ftiep- 
 herd to feed them, their bifiiop to overfee them, and their 
 prophet to open diviwe myfteries to them ; that fo their 
 bodies might be prepared, fim^fified, and made fit temples 
 for God and Chrift to dwell in. Moreover he explained 
 the prophets, and the figures, and ftiadows, and dire^fed 
 his hearers to Chrift the fubftance. He alfo opened the 
 parables and fiiyings of Chrift, and fhewed the intent and 
 icope of the apoftles writings, and epiftles to the eleft. 
 
go THE HISTORY OF THE [^^5^ 
 
 Then he fpoke aifo concerning the flate of apoflacy, that 
 hath been fince the anibftles days ; how the priells had 
 gotten the Scripture, without being in that; fpirit which 
 gave them forth ; and how they were found in the fteps 
 of the falfc prophets, fcribes, and Pharifees of old, and 
 were fuch as the true prophets, Chrift, and his apoftles 
 cried againfl: ; infomuc^i, that none that were guided by 
 the Spirit of God now could own them. 
 
 "While G. Fox was thus preaching, many old people 
 went into the chapel,- and looked out at the windows, 
 thinking it a ftrange thing to fee a man preach on a hill, 
 and not in the church (as they called it.) He perceiving 
 this, faid, ' That the flceple-houfe, and the ground where- 
 on it flood, was no more holy than that hill ; and that 
 thofe temples, which they called the dreadful houfes of 
 God, were not fet up by the command of God and Cbrift; 
 nor their pricfts inflituted as Aaron's priefthood was ; nor 
 their tithes appointed by God, as thofe amongfl the Jews 
 were ; but that Chrlft was come, who ended both the 
 temple, afid its worfliip, and their priefts and their tithes ; 
 snd that therefore all oudit to hearken unto him ; for he 
 faid, " Learn of me ;" and God faid of him, " This is 
 my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed, hear ye him/* 
 In conclufion, he faid, * That the Lord God had fent him 
 to preach the cverlalling gofpel, and word of life amongfl 
 them ; and to bring them off from all thefe temples, tithes, 
 priefls, and rudiments of the world, which were gotten up 
 fince the apoftles days, and had been fet up by fuch as had 
 -nred from the fpirit and power the apoflles were ia.* 
 Thus preached G. Fox, and his miniftry was at that time 
 accompanied with fuch a convincing power,, and fo reached 
 the hearts of the people, that many, and even all the 
 teachers of that congregation, who were many, were con- 
 vinced of that Truth whicji was declared to them. 
 
 After this meeting was over, G. Fox went to John 
 Audland's, who, as well as Francis Howgill, and others, 
 had been quite brought over by hivS effc^lual preaching. 
 And as thele had been zealous preachers amongfl: thofe of 
 their former prrfuafion, fo it was not long before they 
 became publilhers of that doclrine, which now, by tlw: 
 
 1652] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qtTAKERS. 
 
 9t 
 
 miniilry of G. Fox they had embraced ; and were fo far 
 from approving their former fervice, that they gave back' 
 the money they received for their preaching to the parifh 
 of Cokon in Lancafhire ; being; now refolved to give 
 freely \yhat they had received freely. Atid here 1 fhall 
 make fome fmall digreflion, in faying fomething concern* 
 ing ihefe two excellent men. 
 
 John Audland was a young man, and of a comely 
 countenance, and very lovely qualities. When he was but 
 feventeen or eighteen years old, he was very religious, and 
 a zealous fearcher o:" the Holy Scriptures ; and having 
 a dood underflanding, and ftrong memory, he thereby 
 gathered a large trealure of Scripture learning, became an 
 eminent teacher among the Independents, and had a very- 
 numerous auditory. But when he heard G. Fox preach, 
 he was thereby fo reached to the heart, tlrat he began in 
 procefs of time to fee the emptinefs of his great literal 
 knowledge, and that all his righteoufnefs was but as 
 filthy rags. This brought him to a flate of mourning, for 
 now he faw. that all his profeflion and wifdom could not 
 bring him to true happinefs. But the Lord, .who doth 
 not break the bruifed reed, nor quench the fmoking flax, 
 did pity him in this flate of deep humiliation, and bore 
 him up again by his fupporting power ; whereby in time 
 he came to be prepared to that fervice he was appointed 
 to by God. 
 
 Concerning Francis How^gill ; he was alfo a religious 
 man, who, having feen the fuperflitions of the Epifcopal 
 church, had left it, and applied himfelf to the Independents. 
 But although he, who had been trained up in the univer- 
 fity to be a minifler, became a teacher amongfl the Inde- 
 pendents, and was zealous in virtue ; yet he remained 
 difTatisfied in himfelf, finding that notwithflanding all his. 
 fafling, praying, and good works, the root of fm flill re- 
 mained in him ; and although the common doftrinc was, 
 that Chrifl bad taken the guilt of fin upon himfelf, yet 
 this could not fatisfy him ; becaufe hi:5 confcience told 
 him, " His fervant thou art, whom thou obcyefl:." Thus 
 increafing in underfl:anding, it was refolved to him, that 
 the Lord according to what the prophets had foretold. 
 
9^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1652 
 
 1652] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QHAKERS. 
 
 93 
 
 vould teach his people himfclf ; and it fcemed alfo to him, 
 that this time was near at hand. Some while after it hap- 
 pened, as hath been faid already, that he was prcfent when 
 G. Fox preached, and when he heard him fay, that the 
 light of Chrill in man, was the way to Chrift^ he believed 
 this to be the Word of truth ; .and he faw how he had 
 been ignorant of the principle of true religion. Submit- 
 ting then to the reproofs of this inward light, he faw the 
 unfruitfulnefs of all his labour, and anguifn and forrow 
 feized on him, and judgment went over all his former 
 a(flions. But he being given up, and refigned in that ftate, 
 faying within himfelf, ' Thcu, O God, art juft in all thy 
 judgments,' it pleafed the Lord in due time to fill his 
 heart with joy, and to make him a minifter of his everlaft- 
 ing woid. But no fooner did he enter into that fervice., 
 but both priel^s and magiftrates, of whom he formerly 
 had been beloved, became his enemies ; and envy was fo 
 kindled againfi him. thac he was locked up in a nafty 
 place, a: Appleby in Weflmoreland, and was kept there 
 prifoner for fome time. 
 
 But let me now return to G. Fox, who coming to Ken- 
 dal, had a meetir-gr there in the town hall ; where declar- 
 3ng the word of life, he fliewed the people how they 
 might come to the favlng knowledge of Chrift, and to 
 have a right underflanding of the Iloly Scripture ; open- 
 jnGT to them what it was that wolild lead them into the 
 way of reconciliation with God. This was of fuch eftecl, 
 that feveral became convinced of the truth publiflied by 
 him ; and others were fo well affefted to him, that when he 
 went to Under-Barrow, feveral people accompanied him, 
 and he had great reafonings with them, butefpecially with 
 one Edward P>ut rough, who, though of extraordinary 
 parts, and acquired knowledge, was not able to wiihftand 
 the efficacious fayings of G. Fox. And becaufe this Bur- 
 rough became an eminent man among the Quakers, fo 
 called ; being endued with courage and underitanding, fie 
 to overcome his oppofers, and to break even ftony hearts 5 
 I will mention here a little of his defcent and quality. 
 
 He was born in the barony of Kendal in Wcrtmorcland^ 
 of parents who for their liondi and virtuous life, were iu 
 
 good repute ; he was well educated^ and trained up in fuch . 
 learning as that country did afi:()rd. His knowledge and 
 underflanding foon pafTed his years; for being but a boy 
 he had the fpirit of a man, and in his youth was endued 
 with wifdom above his equajs in years. Moreover, he was 
 very religious, converfing frequently with thofe that were 
 in efleem for piety and godly life. Neither was he inclined 
 to the ordinary pleafures of youth ; but it was his delight 
 to be exercifed in reading of Holy Scripture, wherein he 
 was well verfed. By his parents lie was trained up in the 
 Epifcopal worfliip ; yet when but tv;elve years of age, he 
 often went to the meetings of the Prefbyterians, becaufe 
 their do6^rine in many things feemed to him to approach 
 nearer to truth, than that of the publick church ; where- 
 fore he became a follower of the Preibyierians, although 
 he w^as reviled for it by his acquaintance. But being 
 come to the age of about feventeen years, and growing 
 more and more fenfible of his own condition, he was often 
 ftruck with teiTor ; and when he had been praying, he 
 heard, as i; were, a voice, ' Thou art ignorant of God ; thou 
 knowelt not where he is, nor what he is ; to what purpofe 
 is thy prayer?' This brought him under fuch a concern, 
 that he began to take diligent heed to his life, fo that he 
 abftained not only from all vanities, but, when occafion 
 offered, he reproved others for their vain converfiuion and 
 wickednefs ; but for this he was derided, and looked upon 
 fcornfully by many, yet continued to live religiouily, Snd 
 felt fometimes fweet refrefliments to his foul. But though 
 lie. had the Truth in his comprehenfion, yet he wanted the . 
 real and experimental knowledge of it, and fo became 
 darkened again, lofmg what he once poffeffed : and being 
 too ready, to flatter himfelf, would fay, ' Whom God love^ 
 once, he loves for ever.' Now he grew w^eary of hearing 
 any of the priells ; for he faw they did not poffefs what 
 they fpoke of to others ; and fometimes he began to 
 queftion his own experience. Being thus many times put 
 to a ftand, he feemed almoft to be at a lofs. In this con- 
 dition he heard G. Fox preach, and afterwards reafoned 
 with him ; and it pkafed the Lord fo to open his under- 
 flanding, that he perceived (as he relates himfelf) that he 
 
94 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TllE 
 
 [1652 
 
 6S0 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTt'aKERS. 
 
 95 
 
 was in ihc prodigal ftate, above the crofs ofXhrift, and 
 not in the pure fear of the Lord. Being thus convinced, 
 he entered into the fociery of the defpifed Quakers, though 
 he was now rejected by his relations, and, by a blind zeal, 
 turned out of his father's houfe. This he bore patiently, 
 and continued faithful in the do6i:rine he had embraced. 
 And in procefs of time he fo advanced in true knowledge, 
 that he became a very eminent minifter of the gofpel. But 
 what adverfities did he not undergo? Reviling, flandcring, 
 buiFeting, and caning were often his lot ; watching and 
 fading were many times his portion ; and imprifonments, 
 great jeopardies, and danger of life, he was not unac- 
 quainted with. But nothing could make this hero llirink : 
 he always was laborious, and feldom had any hours of 
 reft. In his preaching he was very acceptable, and elo- 
 quent in his fpeech, and had the tongue, (according to 
 what an eminent author relates, that knew him from his 
 youth) of a learned orator, to declare himfeif to the ilnder- 
 ftandings and confciences of all men he met with. He 
 was alfo a great v;riter, and often would engage in dif- 
 putes with thofe of other perfuafions, fparing no pains, 
 where he thought he cpuld ferve the Lord and the 
 church. Thus much, for this time, of E. Burrough. 
 
 Let us return now to G. Fox, whom we left at Under- 
 Barrow, where, with the confent of the inhabitants, he 
 had a great meeting in the chapel, and many were, con- 
 vinced, and received the truth preached by him* From 
 thence he went to Lancafliirc, and having in fome places 
 fpoken in the fteeple-houfes, he came to Ulverftone, and 
 fo to Swarthmore, to the houfe of Thomas Fell, a Judge 
 in Wales, where many priefts frequently came. . The 
 judge was at that time abroad, employed in the exercife of 
 his office, and his wife Margaret was alfo gone abroad 
 that day. G. Fox in the mean-while coming thither, met 
 the pried William Lampitt, who was a high notioniit, and 
 rich in words. But G. Fox foon perceiving that he was 
 without the poflcirion of what he profefled, oppofed him 
 boldly. Before it was night, Margaret Fell returned home, 
 and her children told her, that Lampitt and Fox had dif- 
 agrccd, which did fomewhai trouble her, for flie, making 
 
 much of the priefts, efpeclally admired Lampitt. That 
 fame night G. Fox had much reafoning there, and de- 
 clared the Truth to her and her fairjly. The next day 
 Lampitt came again, and G. Fox difcourfed with him ia 
 the prefence of Margaret Fell, who then began clearly to 
 difcern the prieit. 
 
 The following day being appointed for an humiliation, 
 Margaret went with her children to the fteeple-houfc at 
 Ulverftone, having afked G. Fox before to go with her ; 
 but he replying, That he muft do as he was ordered by , 
 the Lord, left her, and walked into the fields ; and there 
 he felt a ftrong motion *to go alfo to the fteeple-houfc. 
 When he came there, the people were fmging, but whac 
 they fun^ was, according to his opinion, altogether unfuit- 
 able to their ftates. After they had done, he ftept up on 
 a form, and aited leave to fpeak : the prielr confenting, 
 G. Fox began thus : ' He is not a Jew that is one out- 
 wardly; neither is that circumcifion which is outward: 
 but he is a Jew that is one inwardly; and that is circum- 
 cifion, which is of the heart.' And fo he went on, and 
 faid, ' That Chrift was the light of the world, and enlight- 
 ened every man that cometh into the world, and that by 
 this light they might be gathered to God,V&c. Margaret 
 Fell ftanding up in her pew, wondered at this doctrine, 
 having nev^r heard any fuch before. In the mean-while 
 G. Fox went on, and opening the Scriptures, faid, ' That 
 they were the prophet's words, and Chrift*s, and the 
 apoftlcs words ; and that what they fpoke, they enjoyed 
 and poffefled, and had it from the Lord. What have any 
 to do, faid he, with the Scriptures, if they come not to 
 the Spirit that gave them forth ? You will fay, Chrift faith 
 this, and the apoftles fay this; but what canft thou, O 
 man, fay thyfelf concerning, this ? Art thou a child of the 
 light ; doft thou walk in the lighc ; and what thou fpeak- 
 dl, is it inwardly from Godr' He fiiewed alfo, ' That 
 God was come to teach his people himfeif by his Spirit, 
 and to bring them olF from their churches, and religions, 
 and their ways of worfliip,' &c. Thefe his words did fo 
 effeftually reach the aforefiiid Margaret, that flie fat dowi> 
 in her pew again, and weeping bitterly, cried in her Spu'it 
 
96 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE . 
 
 [1652 
 
 1652] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 ^1 
 
 to the Lord, * We are all thieves ! We are all thieves ! 
 We have taken the Scriptures in words, and know nothing 
 of them in ourfclvcs/ G. Fox Hill going on, declared 
 againft the falfe prophets, and fiiid, that their way of 
 ivorfliip was but talking of other mens' words, and that 
 they themlelves were out of the life and fpirit, which thofe 
 were in who gave them forth. Then cried out a juftice 
 of peace, called John Sawrcy, ' Take him away.' But 
 Margaret Fell faid to the officers, ' Let him alone. Why 
 may not he fpeak as well as any other?* Pricil Lampiit, 
 it is like to pleafe her, faid alfo, ' Let him fpeak.' G. Fox 
 then fpeaking yet awhile, was at length led out by the 
 conCtable, according to the order of the faid jullice Sawn-y ; 
 and then he fpoke to the people in the grave-yard. 
 
 In the evening he came again into the houfe of judge Fell, 
 where he took occallon to fpeak to the fcrvants, and thofe 
 of the family, who moil of them came fo effecftually to be 
 convinced by him, that they embraced the Truth which 
 hp preached, i^mong thefe, was a!fo William Caton, of 
 whom more hereafter. Margaret Fell in the mean-while 
 being come home, was fo reached, that Jhe fcarce knew 
 what to do, her hulband being from home ; for Ihe clearly 
 perceived what ftie had heard G. Fox preach, was truth. 
 
 The Firft-day after, he went to Aldenham fteeple-houfe, 
 where, when the prieft had done, he fpoke to the people, 
 and admonifhed them to return to the Lord. From thence 
 he wxnt to Ramfide, where w^as a chapel, in which one 
 Thomas. Lawfon, who was an eminent pricft, ufed to 
 preach ; who having fome notice of G. Fox's coming, 
 preached in the morning, and told the people that G. Fox 
 was to come there in the afternoon ; by which means very 
 many people were gathered together. When he came, he 
 faw there was no place fo convenient to fpeak to the people 
 as the chapel, and therefore he went into it. The prieft 
 Lawfon, willing to give a full opportunity to G. Fox, went 
 not up into the pulpit, but left all the time to him. And 
 G. Fox fo powerfully declared the doclrine of Truth, that 
 many received it, and among thefe, the prieft himfelf, who 
 left off his preaching for hire, and in procefs of time, eame 
 10 preach the Lol'd Jefus Chrift, and his glorious gofpcl 
 
 freely ; which however did not hinder him to exercife 
 himfelf in the knowledge of herbs, wherein he came to be 
 fo experienced, that he was, as I have been told, one of 
 the moft fkilful herbalifts in England ; which gave occafion 
 to an eminent botanift, w^ho at firft feemed a litde ^nj of 
 him, when he perceived his great ikill, to love him as a 
 Angular friend. But this tranfiently. 
 . Now I return again to G. Fox, who having performed 
 his fervice about Ramfide, went fomewhere elfe, and 
 came alfo to Brerecliff, where he found fome people that 
 told him, they could not difpute. But he bid them to 
 fear the Lord, and not to fpeak the words of God in an 
 airy manner, but do the things required'. Moreover, that 
 they ought to mind the light of Chrift, and take heed to 
 his Spirit in their hearts, whereby they would come to fee 
 their evil thoughts, words, and anions ; for this light (he 
 faid) would fhew them their fins, and by following this 
 light, they fliould alfo fee that their Saviour Chrift Jefus, 
 faved them, from fin: and he faid the firft ftep to peace 
 was to ftand ftill in the light, which fliewed them their fins 
 and tranfgreflions ; by which they fliould fee they were in 
 the fall of the old Adam, in darknefs and death, alienated 
 from the covenant of the promife, and without God iq .ti^ 
 world; and that Chrift who died for them, w^^^their 
 Saviour and Redeemer, and their way to Go4.w' After 
 G. Fox had fpoken thus, he went to a new ttCilt chapel 
 near Gleafton, wherein none had yet preached : hither 
 came a great many people, unto whom he preached, and 
 many were convinced<. 
 
 From thence he returned to Swanhmore again: for 
 Margaret Fell being full of fear, and expefting her hufl^and's 
 return home, had defired G. Fox to come, fince fome of 
 the great ones of the country, being gone to meet her 
 huiband, had informed him, that a great difafter had be- 
 fallen the -family ; and that the (fakers were witches, 
 and had turned them from their religion; and that he 
 muft fend them away, or all the country woiild be undone. * 
 Without all queftion, this was a very fad meflilige to judge 
 Fell, for he came home gready offended : and one may 
 c^fily think what a condition his wife was in, being in 
 Vol. L g ' ^ 
 
98 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [165a 
 
 1652J 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QpAKtRS, 
 
 n 
 
 fear that (he fhould either difplcafe her huiband, or ofFend 
 
 God. 
 
 At that time Richard Farnfworth and James Nayler were 
 at her houfc, and (he defired them to Ipeak to her huiband; 
 which they did very moderately and wifely : and thougli 
 at firft he was difpleafed, yet after he had heard them 
 fpeak, he was better fatisfied. And tliey making as if 
 they would go away, fhe defired them to ftay, becaufe flic 
 expected G. Fox that evening; and flie wi(hed for an 
 opportunity, that both he and they might fpeak to her 
 huiband, whereby he might iiuisfy himfelf farther about 
 them. Dinner in the me;in-time being ready, judge Fell, 
 and his wife Margaret, fat down at table, and whilfl they 
 vere fitting, an extraordinary power fcizing on her, made 
 fnch an operation on her mind, that he was ftruck with 
 amazement, and knew not what to think of it; but he was 
 quiet and ftill ; and the children alfo were become fo grave 
 and m(xle{l, that they could not play on their mufick they 
 were learning. At night G. Fox came, and judge Fell 
 fitting i« the parlour, Margaret alkcd him if G. Fox 
 might come in ; and he faid, ^ Yes.' George then coming 
 in without any compliment, began to fpeak prefemly ; 
 at which the family, as well as J. Nayler and R. Farnfworth, 
 entered. He now fpeaking, declared what the pra£iice of 
 Chrifl and the apoftles was in their day ; and fliewed how 
 the apollacy came in fince ; and what was the practice of 
 the modern priefts in the apoftacy. He alfo anfwered 
 all the objedions of judge Fell, and fo thoroughly fatisfied 
 him by the Scriptures, that he was convinced in his judg- 
 ment, and alked if he was that George Fox whom juftice 
 Robinfon had fpokcn fo much in commendation of amongft 
 many of the parliament m.en ? To this G. Fox anfwered 
 him, that he had been with the juftices Robinfon and 
 Hotham in Yorkfliire ; that they had been very civfl and 
 loving to him, and that they were convinced in their jtidg- 
 ments by the Spirit of God, that the principle he bore 
 tcftimony to was the Truth ; and that they faw beyond 
 the priefts of the nation. AH this fo fatisfied judge Felt, 
 that he was very quiet that night, and went to bed. The 
 next morning came Lampitt, the prieft. of Ulv^rffonc, aad 
 
 walking with the judge into the garden, fpoke much to ^ 
 him there, to render the doftrine of the Quakers odious 
 to him, having alfo faid to others, that G. Fox held 
 ftrange notions. But judge Fell had feen the night before 
 fo much, that the prieft got little entrance upon him. And 
 when Lampitt came into the houfe again, G. Fox fpoke 
 fliarply to him, and afked him, when God fpake to him, 
 and called him to preach to the people. The prieft not 
 hking fuch queftions, it was not long before he went 
 away. And whilft fomc were fpeaking how feveral in 
 thofe parts were convinced of the Truth now declared, and 
 that they knew not where to get a meeting place ; judge 
 Fell hearing them, faid of his own accord, ' You may meet 
 in my hall, if you will.' So on the next Firft-day there 
 was at his houfe a meeting, and a large one indeed, being 
 the firft meeting of the people called Quakers, that was at 
 Swarthmorc; and fb it continued to be kept there until 
 the year 1690, when a new meeting-houfe was bililt 
 there. Judge Fell not being willing to appear in that 
 meeting, went that day to the fteeple-houfe, and none 
 with hin^ but his clerk and hi$ groom. Yet in procefs of 
 time he came to be fo well affe^led to the do&ine of the 
 Quakers, fo called, that though he did not enter publickly 
 into their fociety, yet he loved them, and feveral years 
 before his death, did not frequent the fteeple-houfe any 
 more. 
 
 After G. Fox had ftayed fome days at the houfe of 
 judge Fell, he went to Lancafter, and there preached in 
 the market; and on the next Firft-day, had a great meeting 
 in the ftreet, amongft the foldiers, to whom he declared 
 the Truth; and in the afternoon went to the fteeple-houfe: 
 but fpeaking there, and directing people to the Spirk of 
 God, he was haled out, and ftoned along the ftreet. 
 
 Then having travelled about fome time, and preached, 
 in fome places, fometimes with rude oppofition, he returned 
 to Swarthmore, where difcourfing with feveral priefts at 
 judge Fell's houfe, he alked them, whether any of them 
 ever heard the voice of God or Chrift,' commanding them 
 to go to any people, and declare the word of the Lord to 
 them. But none of them anfwered this with Yea : yet 
 
 G 2 
 
^ 100 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1652 
 
 1652] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 101 
 
 one faying, * I can fpeak of my experience as much as you •/ 
 G. Fox told him, experience was one thing, but to go 
 with a meffage, and to have the word of the Lord, as the 
 prophets and apolUes had, was quite another. An ancient 
 priefl, whofe name was Thomas Taylor, did ingenuoully 
 confefs before judge Fell, that he had never heard the 
 voice of God, nor of Chrift, but that he fpoke his ex- 
 periences, and the experiences of the faints in former 
 ages. This very much confirmed judge Fell in the per- 
 iuafion he had already, that the prieils were not what 
 they pretended to be : for he had thought, as the gene- 
 rality of the people did then, that they were lent from God. 
 At this time, the faying of G. Fox wrought fo clofe on 
 the mind of the faid T. Taylor, that he was convinced, 
 and travelled with him into Weftmoreland ; and coming 
 into Crofland fteeple-houfe, T. Taylor's mouth was opene.i, 
 fo that he declared amongft the people, how he had been 
 before he was convinced ; and like the good fcribe, brought 
 forth things new and old from his treafury, to the people ; 
 and {hewed them how the priefts were out of the way. 
 Now great rage arofe among the priefts, and they began 
 ^ as much as they could, to ftir up to perfecuiion ; for not 
 only T. Taylor after fome time preached the gofpel freely, 
 but feveral others, viz. John Audland, Francis Howgil, 
 John Camm, Edward Burrough, Richard Hubberthorn, 
 Miles Halhead, and others, appeared zealous preachers 
 among thofe called Quakers; and often declared the do(flriac 
 they profeffed in fteeple-houfes, and markets ; whereby 
 Jhe number of their friends began greatly to increafe. 
 
 In the mean-while G. Fox returned into Lancafiiire, 
 and went to Ulverftone, where Lampitt. before mentioned 
 was prieft. He now feeing how the people called Quakers 
 did fet up meetings, and met in private houfes, laid, they 
 forfook the temple, and went to Jeroboam's calves houfcs; 
 ' whereas formerly he had preached of a people, that would 
 own the teachings of God, and that men and v/omen (hould 
 come to declare the gofpel. Now it was told him, that 
 the old mafs houfes, which were called churches, were 
 more like Jeroboam's calves houfes ; though men flrove 
 to perfuadc people that fuch a building was the houfe or 
 
 God : whereas Chrift was the head of the church, and 
 never was called the head of an old houfe ; and that the 
 apoftle fpeaking of Chrift, faid, " Whofe houfe we are," 
 Heb. ill. 6. This paffage puts me in mind, how fome of 
 the parliament foldiers, obferving, over fome of the fteeple- 
 houfe doors, thefe wwds of the patriarch Jacob, when 
 God had appeared to him in a dream, 'This is none 
 other but the houfe of God, and this is the gate of 
 heaven,' could not endure to fee this grofs conceit con- 
 cerning thofe buildings, but rafed out the words, * of 
 God, and ' of heaven ;' fo that nothing was left, but 
 * This Ts none other but the houfe, and this is the gate :' 
 and certainly their zeal was more reafonable than the 
 conceit of thofe, who think that in the gofpel days a 
 building of lime and ftone, may be called the houfe of 
 God. It feems alfo a filly conceit, to call a meeting-houfc, 
 furniflied with a fteeple, a church ; and to deny that name 
 to the congregation-houfes of diffenters, calling them, and 
 them only, meeting-houfes. But this notion hath kept up 
 the cfteem of thofe mafs -houfes 5 and the priefts, that 
 they might not lofe their gain of burials, have endeavoured 
 to keep people in the belief, that the ground of thefe 
 buildings was holy; and this gave occaiion to the people 
 called Quakers, to call thofe buildings, fteeple-houfes. 
 Now fince a fantaftical man I very well knew in Holland, 
 converfmg there among the people of that perfuafion, 
 undertook to tranflate that denomination into Dutch, 
 Gcjpiifte huyzen^ it gave occafion to fome Latin writers in 
 (Germany, to complain, that the Quakers fcornfully called 
 their temples Dojnus acumhiatas* And though Croefe fiiys 
 alfo in HiJIoria S^nakerlana conceining them, Templa 
 cundi ^akeri coniumelios^e *vocabant d'des pyramidal as, \ yet 
 he knew better. But this digreflion has led me off from 
 G. Fox, whom I left at Ulverftone, where he went to 
 the fteeple-houfe, whilft prieft Lampitt was preaching. 
 And when G. Fox began to fpeak, John Sawrey the jufticc v* 
 came to him, and faid, if he would fpeak according to the 
 Scriptures, he ^p^\(^ fpeak. G. Fox told him, he ftioulc^ 
 
 • Stecple-hpufe. 
 t 411 the Quaker^ contemptuoufly called churches, fteeple-houfes. 
 
 C3 
 
102 THE HISTORY Of THB [^^5* 
 
 fpcak according to the Scriptures, and bring the Scriptures 
 to prove what he had to fay. But then Sawrey, contra- 
 dicting himfelf, faid he ftiould not fpeak ; and incenfmg 
 the people againft him, they fell upon G. Fox, knocked 
 him down, kicked him, and trampled upon him. At laft 
 Sawrey came, took him from the people, and led him out 
 of the fteeple-houfe, bidding the conftablcs to whip him. 
 Then he was dragged out of ^he town, and given up to 
 the rage of the rude multitude, who did fo terribly beat 
 him with fwitches and ftaves, that at length fainting, he 
 fell down upon the wet conimon ; but recovering again, 
 and being ftrengthened by an immediate power, he flood 
 up, and ftretching out -his arms, faid with a loud voice^ 
 * Strike again, here are my arms, my head, and my cheeks.' 
 Then a mafon gave him fuch a heavy blov/ over the back 
 of his hand with his rule, that it was much bruifcd, and 
 hts arm fo benumbned, that he could not draw it to him 
 again, fo that fome of the people cried out, ' He has fpoiled 
 his hand for ever.' But he being preferved through the 
 love of God, flood ftill, and after ^ while felt fuch an 
 extraordinary ftrengthening power, that he inftantly re- 
 covered flrength in his hand and arm. 
 
 This made the people fall out among themfelves ; and 
 fome faid, if he would give them money, they would fecure 
 him from the reft. But he, inftcad of doing fo, fhewed 
 ihem their falfe Chriftianity, and told them, they were 
 more like Jews and heathens, than true Chriftians ; and 
 that their fruits were an evidence of the unprofitable 
 ininiftry of their priefts. Then he felt himfelf moved to 
 return to Ulverftone, and went into the market there: 
 and as he went, a foldier meeting him, faid, * Sir, I fee 
 you are a man, and I am afhamed and grieved that you 
 fliould be thus abiifed.' But G. Fox told him, the Lord's 
 power was over all. And this he experienced, when he 
 walked through the people in the market ; for none of 
 them had power to touch him then, though fome of his 
 friends were abufed. And he feeing the foldier among 
 them, with his naked rapier, bid him put up his fword 
 again, if he would go along with him ; for he was willing 
 10 draw him out of the company, left fome mifchief fliould 
 
 1632] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKER^. 
 
 103 
 
 be done : and yet a few days after feven men fell upon 
 this foldier, and beat him cruelly, becaufe he had taken 
 part with G. Fox, and his friends. 
 
 G. Fox having performed his fervlce at Ulverftone, came 
 again to Swarthmore, where he found feveral of hJs friends 
 drefling their wounds and bruifcs received by the hearers 
 of prieft Lampitt. And now the priefts began to prophefjr 
 again, that within half a year, the Quakers fliould all be 
 put down and gone. But they reckoned wrong ; for it 
 fared with thofe people as with trees, which grow beft 
 when moft lapped. Duris ut ilex ton/a bipennibiis^ per 
 damna^ per caies^ ab ipfo, ducit opes animumque ferro* 
 
 G. Fox keeping in continual motion, went with James 
 Nayler to Walney Ifland, having firft had a meeting at 
 a little town called Cockan, after which a man came 
 to him with a piftol, and held it at him, but it would 
 not go off. G. Fox then zealoufly fpeaking to him, he 
 was fo ftruck, that he trembled with fear, and went away. 
 The next morning G. Fox went over in a boat to James 
 Lancafter's, and as foon as he came to land, about forty 
 men with ftaves, clubs, and fifhing-poles, fell upon him, 
 beating and punching him, and endeavoured to thruft him 
 backward into the fea : buthe prefling on, was knocked down 
 and ftunned. When he came to himfelf again, he faw , 
 James Lancafter*s wife, throwing ftones at his face, and 
 her huft)and James was lying over him, to keep the blows 
 and the ftones from off him : for the people had perfuaded 
 this woman, that G. Fox had bewitched her fauft)and, 
 and promifed her to kill him when he came thither. But 
 the Lord, by his invifible power, preferved him wonder- 
 fully, fo that they could not take away his life. At length 
 he got up, but was foon beat down again into the boat ; 
 which James Lancafter obferving, came to him, and fee 
 him over the water. Being come to the other fide, they 
 faw how the wicked crew was fallen upon James Naylc^ 
 
 ♦ IMITATED. 
 
 V 
 
 As by thcr lopping axe, the flurdy oak 
 Improves her fhadc, and thrives beneath the ftrokc; 
 Tho' preient lofs and wounds fevere fhe feel. 
 She draws frWh ? igour from th' invadiDg fteel. 
 
 G4 ■ 
 
i04 THE HISTORY OF THfi [^^5^ 
 
 with an horrible cry, « Kill him ; Kill him.* For whilft 
 they had been beating G. Fox, they had not minded 
 Nayler, who was walking up into a field. 
 
 G. Fox being now come again to Cockan, met with no 
 better entertainment, for the people came on with pitch- 
 forks, flails, and ftaves, to keep him out of the town, 
 crying, "Kill him j Knock him on the head.' But he 
 was preferved alive ; and after having been much abufed, 
 they drove him a pretty way out of the town, and left 
 him. Then James Lancafter went back to look after James 
 Nayler. In the mean-while G. Fox went to a ditch of 
 water, and wafhed himfelf from the blood and dirt. After 
 which he walked about three miles, to the houfe of one 
 Thomas Hutton, but was fo bruifed that he could hardly 
 fpeak ; only he told where he left James Nayler. Where- 
 upon the (aid Hutton, and Thomas Lawfon, the prieft 
 mentioned before (who lodged then at Hutton's houfe), 
 took each of them a horfe, to fee if they could find James 
 Nayler; and they lighting, on him, brought him thither 
 that night. 
 
 Margaret Fell the next day hearing what was befallen 
 G. Fox, fent an horfe for him ; but he was fo fore bruifed, 
 that he was not able to bear the ftiaking of the horfe, 
 without much pain. When he was come to Swarthmore, 
 the juftices Sawrey and Thompfon gave forth a warrant 
 againfl him ; but judge Fell coming home, made it ineffec- 
 tual, and fent out warrants into the iflc of Walney, to 
 apprehend all thofe riotous perfons : whereupon fome of 
 them fled the country. But what is remarkable, James 
 Lancafter's wife, who fo wickedly .behaved herfelf, re-- 
 pented fo of her evil, that fhe became afterwards one of 
 G. Fox's friends. 
 
 Judge Fell now defired of G. Fox a relation of what 
 had befallen him : but he was backward, and faid, that 
 thofe people could not do otherwife in the fpirit they 
 were ; and that they manifefled the fruits of their priefl:s* 
 minifiiry. Which made the judge afterward fay to his 
 wife, * G. Fox fpoke of the things as a. man that had not 
 been concerned.* 
 
 The occafionppon which a warrant was iffued out againft 
 
 1652] VEOTL^ CALLED QUAKERS. I05 
 
 him, was a defign the priefls had laid to touch his life; 
 in order to which a report was fpread, that in a certain 
 meeting he had fpoken blafphemy ; and they, to maintain 
 this forgery, had fuborned falfe witneffes. The time of 
 the feflions at Lancaster being come, G. Fox went thither 
 with judge Fell, who on the way told him, that fuch a 
 matter had never been brought before him, and that he 
 did not know what to do in the cafe. But G. Fox faid 
 * When Paul was brought before the rulers, and the Jews 
 and prielts accufed him of many falfe things, he flood Itill 
 all that while, till they had done; and when they had done, 
 Felix, the governor, J3eckoned to him to fpeak for himfelf. 
 And fo (faid G. Fox), thou mayefl: do by me.' 
 
 Being come to Lancafter, at the feflions, there appeared 
 about forty priefts againft him ; and thefe had chofen one 
 Mar(hal, prieft of Lancafter, to be their fpeaker; and 
 the witnefles they had provided, were a young prieft, and 
 two priefts' fons. When the juftices were fet, and had 
 heard all the charges of the priefts and witnefles ; which 
 were, that G. Fox had faid, that God taught deceit, and 
 that the Scripture contained but a parcel of lies ; the 
 witneflfes were examined upon oath ; but they were fo 
 confounded, and at fuch a lofs, that one of them, not 
 being able to anfwer dire<5lly to what was aiked him, faid, 
 the other could fay it; which made the juftices fay, 
 ' Have you fworn it, and do you now fay, the other can 
 fay it ? It feems you did not hear thofe words fpoken your- 
 felf, though you have given it in upon your oath.* There 
 were feveral perfons in the court, who declared that they 
 had heard one of the two priefts' fons fay, if he had power, 
 he would make George deny his profeflion ; and that he 
 would take away his life. The young prieft, who alfo was 
 a witnefs, confefled, that he fliould not have meddled 
 with the thing, had not another prieft fent for him, and 
 fet him on work. After all the accufations had been 
 heard, feveral men of reputation in the country affirmed 
 in court, that no fuch words, as had been fworn a?ainft 
 G. Fox, were fpoken by him at the meeting ; for moft 
 of the ferious men on that fide of tlie county, that were 
 then at the feflions, had been at that meeting, wherein 
 
lo6 THE HISTORV or THE C^^S^ 
 
 the vvMtneflds fwore he fpakc the aforefaid blafphemous 
 words. Colonel Weft, being a juftice of the peace, and 
 then upon the bench, was fo well pleafed with thefc 
 evidences, that he (having long been weak in body) faid, 
 he bleffed the Lord that had healed him that dayj 
 adding, that he never faw fo many fober people, and good 
 faces together in ail his life. And then turning himfclf to 
 G. Fox, faid, * George, if thou haft any thing to fay to 
 ' the people, thou mayeft freely declare it,* Then he began 
 to fpeak ; but prieft Marfhal, the orator for the other 
 priefts, went away prefently. Now that which G. Fox 
 declared, was, that ' the holy Scriptures were given forth 
 by the Spirit of God ; and that all people muft firil come 
 to the Spirit of God in themfelves, by which they might 
 know God and Chrift, of whom the prophets and apoftles 
 learnt, and alfo know the holy Scriptures. For as the 
 Spirit of God was in them that gave forth the Scripture ; 
 fo the fame Spirit of God muft alfo be in thofe that 
 come to know and underftand the Scriptures : by which 
 Spirit they might have feliowfliip with the Father, and 
 with the Son, and with one another: and that without 
 thi^t Spirit, they could know neither God nor Chrift, nor 
 the Scriptures, nor have right feliowfhip with one another.* 
 No fooner had he fpoken thefc words, but about half a 
 dozen priefts burftout into a paffion, and one of them, whofe 
 name was Jackus, faid that the Spirit and the letter were 
 infeparable : which made G. Fox anfwer, * Then every 
 one that hath the letter, hath the Spirit ; and they might 
 buy the Spirit with the letter of the Scripture.* To which 
 judge Fell, and colonel Weft added, that according to that 
 pofition, they might carry the Spirit in their pockets, as 
 they did the Scriptures. The juftices alfo bid Jackus 
 prove what he had faid. But he finding himfelf caught, 
 would have denied it ; and the other priefts endeavoured 
 to difguife his words with a pretended meaning. But thfe 
 juftices would admit no other meaning, than the plain 
 fenfe of the words. And feeing the witneiTcs did not 
 agree, and perceiving that they were fet on by the envy 
 of the priefts, they difcharged him, and after judge Fell 
 hadjpokcn to the juftices Sawrey and Thorapfonj con? 
 
 16523 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. ' I07 
 
 cerning the warrant they had given forth agamft G. Fox, 
 fhewing that this tended to encourage fuch riots as thofe . 
 in the Ifle of Walncy, he and colonel Weft granted a 
 fuperfedeasy to ftop the execution of the faid warrant. 
 
 G. Fox being thus cleared in open feflions, many people 
 rejoiced, and were that day convinced of the Truth declared 
 by him in the court ; and among thefe, one juftice Benfon, 
 and the mayor of Lancafter, whofe name was Ripan ^ 
 alfo one Thomas Briggs, who had been very averfe to, and 
 an oppofer of, the Quakers fo called ; and this fame Briggs 
 became afterwards a faithful minifter of the gofpel amongft 
 them, and remained fo to the end of his days. 
 
 G. Fox ftayed yet fome-days at Lancafter. But to relate 
 all that he and his friends met with^ is not my intention ; 
 for to fet down at large all fuch occurrences, would be a 
 work requiring more leifure and ftrength than can be 
 expefted from me. And therefore I intend only to defcribe 
 what I find moft remarkable; though many notable 
 things have happened, of which I could not fully be in- 
 formed in every clrcumftance, as name, place, time, &c. 
 But it is probable that this may give occafion in England, 
 to fome other author after me, to make fuch difcoveries, 
 that pofterity will wonder at it. For fuch abufes as G. Fox 
 met with, was the fliare alfo of many others of his friends, 
 efpccially the preachers, who this year were no lefs than 
 twenty-five in number : and almoft in every place \vhere 
 they came, they met with oppofition, and became as it were 
 ihe prey of the rude multitude. But neither the beating, 
 buffeting, nor ftoning of the mad rabble, nor the gaols 
 or whippings that befel them from the magiftrates, were 
 able to ftop the progrefs of the doftrine they preached to 
 the people in markets, ftreets, and alfo in fteeple-houfes. 
 And many and even of thofe that had been enraged like 
 tvolves, became afterwards like lambs ; and fuffered patiently 
 from others, what formerly they themfelves, in a blind 
 zeal, had committed. 
 
 Thus the Quakers fo called, by a firm and lafting pa- 
 tience, have furmounted the greateft difiiculties, and are 
 at length become a numerous people, many not valuing 
 their own lives, when they met with any opportunity for 
 
fo8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THJ! 
 
 [1652 
 
 1652] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED <aJAl^£RS", 
 
 109 
 
 the fervice of God. And though their enemies on this ac- 
 count, have charged them with ftubbornneis and obftinacy, 
 yet they meekly rcfigned to what befrl them, well knowing 
 ihat thus to be accufed hath been always the lot of thofe 
 who fuffercd for the teftimony of Truth. Neither could they 
 be charged with refiftance, or making head againft their 
 perfecutors ; for one man did fometimes lead a great many 
 of them to prifon, who never forfook their religious affem- 
 blies, how hot foever perfecution was. That this was 
 alfo the pra£^ice of the primitive Chriftians, appears by 
 
 , what Cyprian (^who died a martyr) wrote to Demetrian, 
 viz. Nemo nof^rtim^ quando apprehenditury relu5iatur ; nee 
 fe adverfm injufiam violentiam vejirarn^ quamvis nimiits et 
 copiofus Jit nojier populus^ ulcifcitur,* But let not my 
 reader think^ that thefe I have defcribed have been the 
 greateft fuffcrings of this harmlefs people ; for I believe 
 them to have been an hundred times more than my pen 
 will be able to mention. Now I take up again the thread 
 of my relation. 
 
 G. Fox being acquitted by the court, as hath been faid, 
 it made the priells fret to hear it cried about, that the priefts 
 had loft the day, and that the Quakers had kept the field. 
 To revenge this, they got fome envious juftices to join with 
 ihem, who at the following aflizes at Lancaftcr, informed 
 judge Windham againft G. Fox ; which fo prevailed upon 
 him, that he commanded colonel Weft, who was clerk of 
 the aflizes, to ifl'ue forth a warrant for apprehending him, 
 but the faid colonel telling the judge of his innocency, 
 fpoke boldly in his defence. The judge offended at this, 
 commanded him again, cither to write a warrant, or to go 
 
 ' off from his feat. Then the colonel told him in plain 
 terms, that he would not do it, but that he would offer 
 i]p all his eftate, and his body alfo for G. Fox, Thus the 
 judge was ftoppcd ; and G. Fox coming that night to 
 Lancafter, heard of a warrant to be given out againft him, 
 and therefore judged it better to fbew himfelf openly, 
 than to make his adverfarics feek him, So he went to the 
 chambers of judge Fell and colonel Weft; and as fpon aj 
 
 * No one of us makes rcfif^ancc \vhen he is taken up; nor takes any revenge 
 on yoar unrighteous violence, although our numbers arc greater than yoyrs. 
 
 he came in, they fmiled, and the colonel faid, ^ What ! 
 are you come into the dragon's mouth V Bwt G. Fox was 
 always undaunted, and did not ufe to flinch in danger. So 
 he ftayed fome days in town, and walked up and down 
 there, without being meddled with, or queftioned by any. 
 
 Yet his friends in the mean-while did not fuffcr the lefs ; 
 for all the villainy or infolence that could be thought of, 
 was not judged by fome to be too bad to vex them. It 
 was about this time that Richard Hubberthorn and feveral 
 others were haled out of a meeting by fome wicked men, 
 and carried fome diftance off into the fields, where they 
 bound them, and left them fo in the v/inter feafon. 
 
 G. Fox being tiow come again to Swarthmore, wrote 
 feveral letters to the magiftrates and priefts who had raifed 
 perfecution thereabouts. That to juftice John SawTcy, 
 was very ftiarp, and after this manner : 
 
 * Friend, 
 * Thou was the firft beginner of all the perfecution in 
 the North. Thou waft the firft ftirrer of them up againft 
 the righteous feed, and againft the truth of God ; and waft 
 the firft ftrenn[rhener of the hands of evil-doers ae^ainft the 
 innocent and harmlefs : and thou fiialt not proODer. Thou 
 w^aft the firft ftirrer up of ftrikers, ftoners, perfecutors, 
 ft(x:kers, mockers, and imprifoners in the North ; and of 
 revilers, flanderers, railers and falfe jiccufers, and fcandai- 
 raifers. This was thy work, and this thou ftirredft up ! 
 So thy fruits declare thy fpirit. Inftead of ftirring up the 
 pure mind in people, thou haft ftirred up the wicked, 
 malicious and envious ; and taken hand with the wicked. 
 Thou haft made the people's minds envious up and down 
 the country : this was thy work. But God hath fliortened 
 thy days, and limited thee, and fet thy bounds, and broken 
 thy jaws, and difcovered thy religion to the fimple and 
 babes, and brought thy deeds to light. How is thy habi- 
 tation fallen, and become the habitation of devils ! How is 
 thy beauty loft, and thy glory withered ! How haft thou 
 fliewed (hy end, that thou baft ferved God but with thy 
 lips, and thy heart far from him, and thou in the hypo- 
 crify ! How hath the form gf thy teaching declared itlelt 
 
no THE HISTORY OF THE L^^S^ 
 
 to be the mark of the falfe prophets, whofe fruit declares 
 itfelf ! for by their fruits they are known. How are the 
 wife men turned backward ! View thy ways, and take 
 notice, with whom thou hafl taken part. That of God in 
 thy confcience will tell thee. The Ancient of days will 
 reprove thee. How hath thy zeal appeared to be the 
 blind zeal ; a perfecuror, which Chrift and his appftles 
 forbad Chiftians to follow! How haft thou ftrengthened the 
 hands of evil-doers, and been a praife to them, and not to 
 them that do well ! How like a mad man, and a blind 
 man, didft thou turn thy fword backward againft the 
 faints, againft wliom there is no law ! How wilt thou be 
 gnawed and burned one day, when thou fhalt feel the 
 flame and have the plagues of God poured upon thee, and 
 thou begin to gnaw thy tongue for pain, becaufe of the 
 plagues! Thou (halt have thy reward according to thy 
 works. Thou canft not efcape ; the Lord's righteous 
 judgment will find thee out, and the witnefs of God in thy 
 confcience fliall anfwer it. How haft thou caufed the 
 heathen to blafpheme. and gone on with the multitudd to 
 do evil, and joined hand in hand with th^ wicked ! How 
 is thy latter end worfe than thy beginning, who art come 
 with the dog to bite, and art turned as a wolf to devoar 
 the lambs ! How haft thou difcovered thyfelf to be a man 
 more fit to be kept in a place to be nurtured, than to be 
 fet in a place to nurture! How waft: thou exalted and 
 puffed up with pride ! And how art thou fallen down with 
 fhame, that thou comeft to be covered with that, which 
 ihou ftirredft up, and broughteft forth. Let not John 
 Sawrcy 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 profeffion of the faints' words, except they intend 
 to proclaim themfclves hypocrites, whofe lives are fo con- 
 trary to the lives of the faints ; whofe church hath made 
 itfelf manifeft to be a cage of unclean birds. You having 
 a form of godlinefs, but not the power, have made them 
 that be in the power, your dcrifion, your bye-word, and 
 your talk at your fcafts. Thy ill favour, John Sawrey, the 
 country ajjout have finellcd, and of thy unchriftian carriage 
 
 165O 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 lit 
 
 ail that fear God have been afliamed ; and to them thou 
 haft been a grief. In the day of account thou ftiak know 
 it, even in the day of thy condemnation. Thou \v:ift 
 mounted up, and hadft fet thy neft on high ; but never 
 gotteft higher than the fowls of the air. But now thou 
 art run amongft the beafts of prey, and art fallen into the 
 earth ; fo that earthlinefs and covetoufnefs have fwallowed 
 thee up ; and thy conceitednefs would not carry thee 
 through, in whom was found the felfifti principle, which 
 hath blinded thy eye. Thy back muft be bowed down 
 always; for thy table is already become thy fnare. 
 
 * G. F." 
 
 Sharp indeed w^as this letter; but G. Fox thought him- 
 felf moved thereto by the Lord : and it is remarkable that 
 this juftice Sawrey, who was the firft perfecutor in thofc 
 parts, afterwards was drowned, and fo died not a natural 
 death. To the prieft William Lampitt he writ alfo, and 
 another letter to others, to reprove them for their wicked- 
 nefs. 
 
 Some time after he went to Weftmoreland, w^iere mif- 
 chief was intended againft him, but prevented by juftice 
 Benfon, ^d fome confiderable men befides. Coming to 
 Grayrigg, he had a meeting there ; where a prieft came 
 to oppofe, but was confoimded ; and there being many 
 people, fome of the milk-pails that ftood upon the fide of 
 the houfe, tumbled down by reafon of the crowd ; from 
 which the prieft afterwards niifed a flander, that the devil 
 frighted him, and look away one fide of the houf6. And 
 though this w^as a known falfehood, yet it was given ouc 
 as true in publick print. 
 
 Another time this prieft came to another meeting, and 
 fell to jangling ; faying firft, that the Scriptures were the 
 word of God. To which G. Fox faid, that they were 
 the, v/ords of God, bur not Chrift, who is the VVord. 
 And when he urged the prieft for proof of what he had' 
 faid, the prieft, being at a lofs, was not long before he 
 went away. Some time after coming again into a meeting* 
 and hearing that G. Fox direfted the people to Chrift 
 Jcfus, tb« prieft taking out his bible, faidj^ it wa.& the 
 
 
112 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TUB 
 
 [1652 
 
 ^^53l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 1^3 
 
 word of God. Tlien G. Fox told him, it was the words 
 of God ; but not God, the Word. The pricft however 
 perfifled in what he had (ciid ; and offered to prove before 
 all the people, the Scriptures to be the word of God. 
 But this quarrel tending to vain logomachies, or conteft 
 about words, ended in confufion ; and many of the prieft'-> 
 followers came to fee the vanity of his affcrtions. 
 
 The year being now come to an end, and a war kindled 
 between England and Holland, King Charles II. then in 
 exile, alked the Dutch to be received in their navy as a 
 volunteer, without any command : but this was courteoufly 
 refufed by the States General. Oliver Cromwell in the 
 mean-while, ftrove for the fupreme authority in England, 
 the more, becaufc he perceived how fome of the parlia- 
 ment, jealous of his cncreafing greatnefs, endeavoured to 
 crofs him in his defign. This made him labour to get the 
 parliament diffolved : but they not going on fo quickly as 
 he would have them, to put a period to their fitting, he 
 refolved arbitrarily to make an end of them. And enter- 
 ing the houfe in the month calkd April, 1653, ^^^^^ havin:- 
 rudely inveighed againft them, that they had made a bad 
 ufe of their authority, and that without their diffolution 
 the realm would not be fafe, &c. he at length cried out, 
 ' You are no parliament :* and then ordering Tome muf- 
 queters to enter, he made the members depart. the houfe, 
 and ordered the doors to be ftiut ; thus putting an end to 
 this affembly, that had been fitting nigh thirteen years. 
 
 But what is remarkable, G. Fox not long before being 
 come to Swarthmore, and hearing judge Fell^and juftice 
 Bcnfon difcourfing together concerning the parliament, he 
 told them, ' That before that day two weeks the parlia- 
 ment fhould be broken up, and the fpeaker plucked out of 
 his chair.' And thus it really happened: for at the 
 breaking up of the parliament the fpeaker being unwil- 
 ling to come out of his chair, faid, that he would not 
 come down unlefs he were forced : which made general 
 Harrifon fay to him, Sir, I will lend you my hand j and 
 thereupon taking him by the hand, the fpeaker came 
 down. This agreed with what G. Fo^i had predifted. 
 And a fortnight after juftice Beufon told judge Fell, that 
 
 now he fliw George was a true prophet; fince Oliver had 
 by that time diffolved the parhament. 
 
 Now in Cumberland great threatenings were fpread, 
 that if ever G. Fox came there again, they would take 
 away his life. He hearing this, went thither ; but nobody 
 did him any harm. Returning then to Swarthmore, where 
 juftice Anthony Pearfon was at that time ; he fo effec- 
 tually declared truth, that this juftice was convinced, and 
 not long after entered into the fociety of the defpifed 
 Qtiakero 
 
 G. Fox then, going again into Cumberland, went to 
 Boode, and there found preaching in the fteepk-house, a 
 prieft from London, who gathered up all the Scriptures 
 he could think of, that fpeak of falfe prophets, antichrifts, 
 and deceivers, and made application of them to theQuakcrs! 
 But when he had done, George began to fpeak, and re- 
 tiirned all thofe Scripture places on the prieft ; who being 
 difpleafed at this, faid that he muft not fpeak there. But 
 G. Fox told him, that the hour-glafs being run, and he 
 having done^ the time was free for him, as well as for the 
 prieft, who was himfclFbut a ftranger there. He having 
 lliid this, went on, and fliewed who were the falfe prophets, 
 and wi|ynarks the Scriptures gave them ; direfting people 
 to ChriflBreir teacher. When he had done, the prieft of 
 the place made a fpeech to the people in the ftceple-houfc 
 yard, and faid, ' This man hath gotten all the honeft men 
 and women in Lancafliire to him; and now he comes here 
 to do the fame.' To which G. Fox returned, ' What 
 wilt thou have left ? and what have the priefts left them, 
 but fuch as themfelves ? for if it be the honeft that receive 
 the Truth and are turned to Chrift, then it muft be the 
 diflioneft that follow thee, and fuch as thou art.' Some 
 words were alfo exchanged about tithes ; and G. Fox told 
 them, that Chrift had ended the tithing priefthood, and 
 had fent forth his minifters to give freely, as they had re- 
 ceived freely. , 
 
 From thence he went to Cockermouth, near which place 
 he had appointed a meeting; and coming thither he found 
 James Lancafter fpeaking under a tree, which was fo full 
 of people, that it was in danger of breaking. G, Fo3C 
 
 Vol. J. H 
 
<» 
 
 114 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 now looked about for a place to ftand upon, for the people 
 lay fpread up and down* But at length a perfon came to 
 him, and aiked if he would not go into church. He fee- 
 ing no place more convenient to fpeak to the people, told 
 him, yes. Whereupon the people ruflicd in on a fudden, 
 fo'that the houfe was fo full ot people, he had much ado 
 to get in. When they were fettled he ftood up on a feat, 
 and preached about three hours; and feveral hundreds 
 were that day convinced of the truth c»f this doftrine. 
 
 From thence he went to other places, and particularly 
 to Brigham, where he preached in the fteeple-houfe with 
 no lels fuccefs. Afterwards coming into a certain place, 
 and carting his eye upon a woman unknown to him, he 
 told her that (he had lived a lewd life , to which flie an- 
 fwcred, that many could tell her of her outward fms, but 
 of her inward, none could. Then he told her, her heart 
 was not right before the Lord : and fhe was fo reached, 
 that afterwards fhe came to be convinced of God's truth. 
 
 Then he came near Coldbcck, to a market town, where 
 he had a meeting at. the crofs, and^fome received the truth 
 preached by him. 
 
 From thence he went to Carlifle, where the teach er of 
 the Baptifts, with moft of his hearers, came t(^||Pbbey, 
 in which G. Fox had a meeting. After the ■Pung the 
 Baptift teacher, who was a notionift, and an airy man, 
 came to him, and aiked what muft be damned? and he 
 told him, that which fpake in him was to be damned. 
 And this ftopt his mouth. Then he opened to him the 
 ftates of ele(ftion and reprobation, fo that he faid, he never 
 heard the like in his life, and came afterwards alfo to be 
 convinced of the Truth. Then he went up to the caftle 
 among the foldiers, who by beating of the drum called the 
 garrifon together. Among thefe he preached ; dire£ling 
 them to the meafure of the Spirit of Chrift in themfelves, 
 by which they might be turned from darknefs to light, and 
 from the power of Satan to God : he warned them alfo to 
 do no violence to any man, &c. G. Fox having thus dif- 
 charged himfelf, none oppofed him, except the ferjeants, 
 who afterwards came to be convinced. On the market- 
 day he went mto the market, though he had been threat- 
 
 ^^53] 
 
 PEOPLE 'CALLED QITAKERS. 
 
 ^15 
 
 ened, that if he came there, he would meet with rude 
 treatment. But he, willing to obey God more than man, 
 fliewed himfelf undaunted, and going upon the crofs, he 
 declared, that the day of the Lord was coming upon all 
 deceitful ways and doings, and d9ceitful merchandize; and 
 that they^ fhould put away all cozening and cheating, and 
 keep to yea, and nay, and fpeak the truth to one another. 
 
 On the Firft.day following, he went into the fteeple- 
 houfe, and after the prieft had done, he began to preach. 
 Now the prieft going away, and the magiftrate defiring G. 
 Fox to depart, he ftill went on, and told them, he came to 
 fpeak the word of life and falvation from the Lord amongft 
 them. And he fpoke fo powerfully, that the people 
 trembled and fliook, and they thought the fteeple-houfe 
 ftook alfo : nay, fome of them feared it would have fiillen 
 down on their heads. Some women in the mean-while 
 making a great buftle, at length the rude people of the 
 city rofe, and came with ftaves and ftones into the fteeple- 
 houfe: whereupon the governor fent fome mufqueteers to 
 appeafe the tumult; and thefe, -taking G. Fox by the hand 
 in a friendly manner, led him out. Then he came to the 
 houfe ^a lieutenant, where he- had a very quiet meeting. 
 The-n^fcky the juftices and magiftrates fent for him to 
 come b^i^ them in the town-hall. So he went thither, 
 and had a long difcourfe with them concerning religion, 
 and (hewed them that though they were great profeiTors 
 (viz. Preft)yterians and Independents), yet they were with- 
 out the poffefllon of what they profeffed. But after a long 
 examination they committed him to prifon as a blafphemer, 
 an heretick, and a feducer. There he lay till the affizes 
 came on, and then all the talk was, that he was to be 
 hanged : and the high flieriiF Wilfrey Lawfon, was fo eager 
 to have his life taken away, that he faid, he himfelf would 
 guard G. Fox to execution. This made fuch a noife, that 
 even great ladies came to fee him, as one that was to die. 
 But though both judge and magiftrates were contriving 
 how they migfit put him to death, yet the judge's clerk ' 
 ftarted a queltion, which puzzled them, and confounded 
 their counfels, fo that he was not brought to a trial, as 
 Was expected j which however was contrary to law. But 
 
 R 2 
 
ii6 
 
 THE HISTOP.Y Olf TH8 
 
 [1653 
 
 fuch was their envy againft him, that the gaoler was 
 ordered to put him among thieves and murderers, and 
 fome naughty women ; which wicked crew was fo loufy, 
 that one woman was almoft eaten to death with Hce : but 
 what made the prifon the worfe, there was no houfe of 
 office to it, and in this nafly place men and women were 
 put together, againft all decency. Yet thefe prifoners, 
 how naught foever, were very loving to G. Fox, and fo 
 hearkened to his wholefomc counfcl, that fome of them 
 became converts. But the under gaoler did him all the 
 mifchief he could. Once when he had been at the grate, 
 to take in the meat his friends brought him, the gaoler 
 jell a beating of him with a great cudgel, cryin^:, ' Come 
 out of the window,' though he was then far enough from 
 it. But whilfl the gaoler was thus beating him, he was fo 
 filled with joy, that he began to fuig, which made the 
 other rage the more, fo that he went and fetched a fidler, 
 thinking thereby to vex him. But when this fellow played, 
 he fang a hymn fo loud, that with his voice he drowned 
 the found of the fiddle, and thereby fo confounded the 
 player, that he was fain to give over and go his ways. 
 
 Not long after, Juftice Benfon's wife felt he rfel^ oved 
 to eat no meat but what flie fliould eat with JMP^x, at 
 the bars of the dungeon-windov/. AfterwardSR herfelf 
 Was imprifoned at York, when flie was big with child, for 
 having fpoken, it is like, zealoufly to a pried. And when 
 the time of her travail came, fhe was not fuffcred to go 
 out, but was delivered of her child in the prifon. 
 
 Whilfl G. Fox was in the dungeon at Carlifle, there 
 came to fee him one James Parnel, a little lad of about 16 
 years of age ; and he was fo efFeftually reached by the 
 fpeaking of G. Fox, that he became convinced of the truih 
 of his fayings ; and notwithftanding his youth, was by the 
 Lord quickly made a powerful minifter of the gofpel, 
 Ihewing himfelf both with his pen, and his tongue, a zeal- 
 ous promoter of religion, although he underwent hard^ 
 fufFerings on that account, as will be mentioned hereafter. 
 
 There were alfo many others, who not {ticking at any 
 adverfities, came to be zealous preachers of repentance ; 
 among thwfc was Thomas Briggs, already mentioned, who 
 
 ^^53! PEOPLE CALLED QJJAKERS, II/ 
 
 went through many cities, towns, and villages, with this . 
 raeffage : ' Repent, repent, for the mighty terrible day of 
 the Lx)rd God of power is appearing, wherein no worker 
 of iniquity fhall ftand before him, who is of purer eyes 
 than to behold iniquity : for he wills not the death of a 
 finner ; and if ye rej!>ent, and turn to him, he will abun- 
 dantly pardon.' Sometimes he went into markets and 
 fteeplc-houfes, and was often cruelly abufed. Once being 
 in a fteeple-houfe at Warrington in Lancafliire, and fpeak- 
 ing a fev/ words after the prieft had done, he was very 
 violently knocked on his head : after which, a man taking 
 hold of his hair, fmote him againft a flone, and pulled oiF 
 an handful of it, which Thomas taking up from the ground, 
 mildly faid, * Not one hair of my head fhall fall without 
 my Father's permlffion.' At another time he fpeaking to 
 a prieft in Chefhire, as he was going in his journey, the 
 prieft was much offended at him ; and one of his hearers, 
 as it were in revenge of this pretended affront, ftruck him 
 on the head, and knocked him down ; but Thomas getting 
 up again, and turning his face to the fmiter, he fmote him 
 on his teeth, fo that the blood gulhed out exceedingly ; 
 which fome of the ftanders by could not but cry out 
 3gainfl)f But not long after, the man that ftruck him thus, 
 fell fick, and died, crying upon his death-bed, ^ Oh, that 
 I had not fmitten the Qiiaker 1' Thi$ Thomas once going- 
 through Salift)ury, and calling the inhabitants to repent- 
 ance, was apprehended, and brought before feveral juftices, 
 who proffered him the oath, under pretence of his being a 
 Jefuit: but he faying, he could not fwear, becaufe Chrift 
 Jiad commanded, not to fwear at all, was fent to prifon, 
 where he was kept a month. He alfo went up and down 
 the (treets of Yarmouth, proclaiming the terrible day of 
 the Lord, that all might repent, and fear Him that made 
 heaven and earth, and the fca. And being followed by a 
 great multitude of rude people, and turning about, he fpoke 
 fo powerfully to them, and with fuch piercing words, (hat 
 . they ran away for fear. At length an officer came and 
 took hold^of him, but leading him gently, he had oppor- 
 tunity 10 continue preaching to the people, and to clear 
 jiimfeif. ^eing broiight before -the magiftrates^ they uv^ 
 
iiS 
 
 THE HISTORY 07 THE 
 
 [1653 
 
 dercd him to be led out of the town ; which being done, 
 Thomas came in again by another way, and having per- 
 formed his fervice there to his fatisfa^tion, he departed 
 the town. 
 
 When he came to Lynn, and warned people to repent, 
 a great maftiff dog wasfct upon him, but the dog coming 
 near him, fawned upon him. Thus he went through many 
 places, pafling fometimes five or fix towns in one day ; and 
 though fwords were drawn againft him, or axes taken. up 
 to hew him down, yet he went on, and fpoke fo awfully, 
 that even fome, who did not fee his face, were fo reached 
 by the power that accompanied him, that they became 
 converts. Coming to Clanzons in Wales, and many hear- 
 ing him attentively, the conftable ftirred up the rude people, 
 and cried, « Kill him; Kill him ;' as if he had been a mad 
 dog ; and they threw fuch great ftones upon hitn, that he 
 admired they did not kill him ; but he was prcferved by 
 fuch a mighty power, that according to his relation, they 
 were to him as a nut, or a bean. Many other rude en- 
 counters he met with, but was preferved wonderfully in 
 the greateft dangers ; which ftrengthened him not a 
 little in the belief, that God, who fo miraculoufly faved 
 him, did acquire this fervice from him. He w^s' alfo in 
 America, and died in a good old age, after having 
 laboured above thirty years in the fervice of the gofpel. 
 
 Miles Halhcad was alfooneof the firil: zealous preachers 
 among the Qiiakers fo called. He was the firft of ihofe of his 
 perfuafion, that was imprifgned at Kendal. Once he went to 
 Swanhmore to vifit his friends, and to affift at their meeting : 
 by the way, he met the wife of the juflice Thomas Prefton, 
 and bccaufe he paffcd by her quietly, without the ordinary 
 way of greeting, fhe grewfo oftendcd, that flie commanded 
 her man to go back and beat him ; which he did. At 
 which Miles being kindled with zeal, faid to her, ' O thou 
 Jezebel ! Thou proud Jezebel j Canft thou not permit and 
 fuffer the fervant^f the Lord to pafs by thee quietly?' 
 She then held forth her hands, as if {he would have ftriick 
 him, and fpit in his face, faying, ' I fcorn to fall down 
 at thy words.' This made Miles fay again, ' Thou proud 
 Jezebel, thou that hardeneft thy heart, and brazeneft thy 
 face againfl the Lord and his fcrvant, the Lord will plead 
 
 'S53I PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. II9 
 
 with thee in nis own time, and fet in order before thee, 
 the things that thou hall done this day to his fervant.' 
 And fo he parted with her, and went to Swarthniore. 
 About three months after this, he felt himfelf moved to 
 go and fpeak to her ; and when he came to Houlker Hall, 
 he ailvcd for Thomas Prefton's wife : (he then coming to 
 the door, and Miles not knowing her, alked her, if (he 
 was the woman of the houfe ; to which flie faid, ' No : 
 but if you would fpeak with Mrs. Prefton, I will intreat ' 
 her to come to you.' Then fhe went in, and coming back 
 with another w^oman, faid, ' Here is miftrefs Prefton :* 
 but then it was manifefted to him, that flie herfelf was the 
 w^oman. It is true, as hath been faid, feme time before 
 he had feen her on the way, and fpoken to her ; but it 
 may be, (he was then in fo different a drefs, that by reafon 
 thereof he did not know her ; yet firmly believing that it 
 was (he, he faid, * Woman, how dareft thou lie before 
 the Lord and his fervant ? Thou art the woman I came to 
 fpeak to.' And (he being filent, not fpeaking a Word, he 
 proceeded, ' Woman, hear what the Lord's fervant hath 
 to fay unto thee: O woman, harden not thy heart againft 
 the Lord ; for if thou doft, he will cut thee off in his fore 
 difpleafure ; therefore take warning in time, and fear the 
 Lord God of heaven and earth, that thou mayeft end thy 
 days in peace/ Having faid this, he went away, llie,' 
 how proud foevcr, not doing him any harm, being with- 
 held, without knowing by what. But, notwitUftanding 
 that, fhe continued the fame: for feveral years after, 
 when G, Fox was prrfoner at Lancafter, fhe came to him, 
 and belched out many railing words, faying amongft the 
 reft, that his tongue fhould be cut off, and he be hanged. 
 But fome time after, the Lord cut her off, and fhe died, 
 as it was reported, in a miferable condition. 
 
 But before I leave this woman, 1 muft alfo fay, that 
 about three years afcer fhe had made her man beat Miles, 
 it happened that as he was riding from Swarthmore, near 
 to Houlker Hall, he met with a perfon who faid to him, 
 ' Friend, I have fometbing to fay unto you, which hath 
 lain upon me this long time. I am the man that, about 
 three years ago, at the command of ray miftrefs, did beat 
 
 , H 4 
 
129 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 you very fore; for which T have been very much troubled, 
 more than for any thing that I ever did in all my life : for 
 truly, night and day it hath been often in my heart, that I 
 did not well in beating an innocent man, that never did me 
 any hurt or harm. 1 pray you forgive me, and defire the 
 Lord to forgive me, that I may be at peace and quiet in 
 my mind/ To this Miles anfwercd, « Truly friend, from 
 that time to this day, I never had any thing in my heart 
 againft thee, nor thy millrcfs, but love. The Lord forgive 
 you both ; I dcfire that it never may be laid to your charge; 
 for ye knew not what ye did.' Here Miles (lopped, and 
 fo went his ways. Many a notable occurence he had in 
 his life, and therefore he is to appear yet more than once 
 in the courfe of this hiftory. 
 
 Traveling once in Yorkfliire, he came to Skiptan, 
 where declaring the word of truth, he was fo forely abufed 
 and beaten, that he was laid for dead ; nevertheless, by the 
 Lord's power, he was healed of all his bruifcs, and within 
 three hours he was healthy and found again, to the aftonifli- 
 ment of thofe that had fo abufed him, and to the convincing 
 of many that beheld him. 
 
 Then he went to Bradford, Leeds, and Halifax, w^here 
 he alfo declared the doctrine of truth amongft the people ; 
 but not without meeting with great perfecution. 
 
 From thence he came to Doncafter, and there went on 
 a Firft-day of the week to a fteeple-houfe, where, after the 
 worftiip was done, he fpokc to the prieft and people : but 
 they, inflead of hearkening to what he faid, fell upon him 
 in a great rage, and drove him out of the town ; and he 
 being forely bruifed, they left him for dead. But before 
 his going from home, he had been firmly perfuaded, that 
 the Lord would preferve him in all dangers : and it hap- 
 pened fo to him according to his belief; for he got up 
 again, and went to a friend's lioufe, where he laid himfelf 
 down' upon a bed. But not long after, he felt a very 
 ftrong motion to go to a certain chapel, ami there to 
 declare the word of the-Lord: forthwith he felt alfo an 
 inward aflurance, that if he gave up to do fo, the Lord 
 Vould heal him from his bruifes. Then he rofe, as well 
 as he coqld, and ^ame down Hairs with great difficulty, 
 
 ^^53l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 I2T 
 
 by taking hold of the walls for a (lay, and going out, he 
 begiin to mend by degrees; and coming at length into 
 the ch:ipel, he fpake as he was moved ; and when he 
 had cleared himfelf, he went back to the houfe from whence 
 he came, and the Lord made him found of all his bruifes. 
 From thence he went to York, and there fpoke to the 
 lord mayor, and other rulers of that city : and paffing 
 through Yorklhirc, he went into feveral fteeple-houfes, to 
 exhort the people ; and though he met with great hardfliips, 
 yet he was fupported by an invifible hand. So being 
 clear of that country, he returned to his houfe at Mountjoy, 
 in Underbarrow, in the county of Weftmoreland. But 
 his going thus often from home, was an exceeding great 
 crofs to his wife, who in the firft year of his change, not 
 being of his perfuafion, was very much troubled in her 
 mind, and would often fay from difcontent, ' Would to 
 God I had married a drunkard, then 1 might have found 
 him at the alehoufe ; but now I cannot tell where to find 
 my huiband.' But after the fpace of a year, it pleafed 
 the Lord to vifit her. She had a little fon of about five 
 years of age, which child (he loved extraordinarily, info- 
 much that ihe thought it was her only delight and comfort ; 
 but it happened that this darling died, and feme time after 
 file fpoke thus to her hufband : ' Truly, huiband, I have 
 foiuething to tell thee : one night being in bed, mourning 
 and lamenting with tears in my eyes, I heard a voice, 
 faying, ' Why art thou fo difcontented concerning thy 
 hufband ? I have called and chofen him to my work ; my 
 right hand fhall uphold him. Therefore be thou content 
 and pleafed, that he ferve me, and I will blefs thee, and 
 thy children for his fake ; and all things fliall profper that 
 thou fhalt take in hand. But if thou wilt not be content, 
 but grudge and murmur, and repine againft me, and my 
 fervant, whom 1 have chofen to do my work, I will bring 
 a greater crofs upon thee.' Thefe words being frefli in 
 my mind both night and day, I often faid within myfelf. 
 What crofs can this be, that would be greater than the 
 ^vant of my hufband? But for all this, I could not be 
 content : all the joy I had, or could find, was in our little 
 boy, who would often^ when he faw me weeping and 
 
 .1 
 
11% 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 / 
 
 mourning, take me about my neck, and fay. My dear 
 mother, pray be content, for my father will come bonie 
 in a little time. This child would often comfort me in 
 ^this maoner ; but for all that I could not be content. Not 
 long after, it pleafed the Lord to take from me this my 
 onlyfon, my chirfeft joy. Then the voice which I had 
 heard came into my mind, and I perceiving that this was 
 the crofs which the Lord would bring upon me, fmote 
 upon my breaft, and faid within myfelf, that I was the 
 very caufe why the Lord had taken away my little fon. 
 A great fear then feizing upon me, 1 faid, O Lord my God! 
 give me power to be content to give up my hufband freely 
 to do thy will, left, O Lord, thou take away from me all 
 my children. From that time I never durft oppofe thee, 
 my hufband, any more in the work of the Lord, for fear 
 that his judgments might alfo faU upon me, andmy children.' 
 This ferved not a httle to ftrengthen and encourage Miles. 
 
 Some time after, walking in his garden, he felt a motion 
 to go to Stanley chapel in Lancafliire. ^ Now though he 
 mioht expe£l to meet with rude entertainment there, yet 
 hc'confulted not with flefli and blood, but went to the 
 aforcfaid chapel. Being come, he was not fuffered to 
 enter, but the door was violently turned agamft him. 
 Then he walked in the yard till the worftiip was done, and 
 the people that came out (one may guefs how edified) fell 
 upon him with great rage, and one captain William 
 Rawlinfon, took hold of his arms and flioulders, and 
 calling another mau to take him by the feet and legs, they 
 threw him over the wall : by which fall he was exceedmgly 
 bruifed, fo that he had much to do to get home. By the 
 xvay it was inwardly faid to him, that he muft. be content 
 with wliat was befallen him that day, and that if he was 
 faithful in what the Lord required of him then, he would 
 Ileal him again. Being come home, he waited upon the 
 Lord to know his will. In this refignednefs, withm fix 
 days, he was moved to go lo Windermere fteeple-houfe, 
 and it was, as it were faid unto-him, Fear not the face of 
 any man, but fpeak the word of the Lord freely ; and 
 then thou (halt be made found again of all thy bruifes. 
 So he went to the faid fteeple-houfe, and havmg fpokeo 
 
 1653] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^JAKERS.* 
 
 123 
 
 the word of the Lord to the prieft and people, without 
 receiving any harm, he was healed that day of his fore 
 bruifes. 
 
 Some time after by another motion, he came to Furnefs 
 in Lancafhire, ro the houf« of captain Adam Sands, 
 where he f«und a great number of profeifors gathered, 
 and pi ieft Lampitt preaching. But as foon as Miles entered, 
 Lampitt was fiient, whrch continuing a pretty while, 
 captain Sands faid to him, ' Sir, what is the matter : are 
 you not well ?* To which the prieft anfwered, ' Lam well, 
 but I ill a 11 fpeak no more as long as this dumb devil is in 
 the houfe/ ' A dumb devil,' faid the captain, ' where is 
 he?' ' This is he,' faid the prieft, pointing with his 
 hand, ' that ftandeth there.' Then the captain faid, * This 
 man is quiet, and faith nothing to you : I pray you, fir, 
 go on in "the name of the Lord ; and if he trouble or 
 moleft you in my houfe, I will fend him to Lancafter caftle.* 
 But the prieft faid again, ' I fliall not preach as long as 
 this dumb devil is' in the houfe.' Then the captain faid 
 to one Camelford, a prieft alfo, ^ I pray you, fir, ftand up, 
 and exercife your gift, and I will fee that you be not 
 difturbed.' But the prieft anfwered as the other, ' I fliall 
 not fpeak as long as this dumb devil is in the houfe.* 
 Then the people cried, * Lord rebuke thee Satan; Lord, 
 rebuke thee Satan : what manner of fpirit is this that ftops 
 our miniftcrs mouths ?' Then the captain came to Miles, 
 and taking him by the hand, led him out of the houfe. 
 In all that time he had not fpoke a word, and faw now the 
 accompliflinient of what h^had been perfuaded of before, 
 viz. that an invifible power would confound by him the 
 wifdom of the priefts, when he fpoke never a word. The 
 faid Camelford was one who, a good while before had 
 ftirred up the rabble againft G. Fox ; and the other was 
 that Lampitt, who has been mentioned already, and who 
 had been fo efteemed by Margaret Fell, before fhe came 
 to be acq[uainted with G. Fox. 
 
 Some time after this occurrence, Miles went to New- 
 caftle, and there faid to the mayor, rulers, and priefts of 
 that town, that God's anger was kindled againft them, 
 becaufe they had fliut the kingdom of heaven againft nien. 
 
124 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and would not enter thcmfelves, nor fuiFcr them that woutd. 
 Becaufe of this he was imprifoned : but the mayor being 
 much troubled, fcnt for the (herifF, for thefe two had com- 
 mitted Miles ; when come, he faid to him, * We have not 
 done well in committing an innocent man to prifon : pray 
 let us releafe him/ The flierifF confenting. Miles was fet 
 at liberty. Then he declared the word of the Lord in 
 thofe 'parts, and many were convinced of the truth held 
 forth by him. But now I part with this Miles Halhead, 
 who hereafter is to be mentioned again. 
 
 About this time, viz. in the fummer, general Cromwell 
 had called a new parliament, confiding moflly (as hath 
 been faid by fome) of memb :rs of his own choice ; for it 
 was a certain number of perfons out of each county and 
 city in England, Scotland, and Ireland, nominated by the 
 council of officers, and fcnt for to meet at Weftminfter. 
 Into the hands of thefe, Cromwell delivered the fupremc 
 authority of the nation, by an inftrument, or commifSon, 
 figned by himfelf and the officers ; but the authority of 
 this meeting lall^d fcarce half-a-year, as will be faid i^ 
 
 the fequel. 
 
 To this parliament a report was made, that at Carlifle, 
 a perfon was imprifoned, who was to die for religion. 
 This was G. Fox, whom we have left thus long in the dun- 
 geon at Carlifle, and now are returning to him again. The 
 parliament then caufed a letter to be fent down conccrmng 
 him to the (herifT, and other magiflrates. And G. Fox 
 knowing how fcandaloufly he had been belied, about 
 fpeaking blafphemous words, gave forth a paper, wherein 
 he challenged all who found fault with his do6lrine, to 
 appear in publick ; fince he was ready to ftand the teft of 
 whatfoevcr he might have fpoken. He alfo wrote a figni- 
 ficant letter to the juftices at Carlifle, wherein he Ihewed 
 them plainly the injuftice of their deahngs, and the horrid 
 evil of pcrfecution, as having been always the work of the 
 falfe church. Mention hath been made already of the 
 juftices Bcnfon and Anthony Pearfon : thefe had defired, 
 more than once, leave to vifit G. Fox in prifon ; but this 
 having been denied them, they wrote a letter to the magif- 
 trates, priefis, and people at Carlifle, wherein they emj haiU 
 
 16^2] People called Quakers* 125 
 
 cally defcribed the wickednefs of perfecution, and what 
 would be the reward of perfecutors ; faying alfo, that thefe 
 were worfe than the heathen that put Paul into prifon ; 
 becaufe none of his friends or acquaintance were hindered 
 by them from coming to him. However, at length Pearfon 
 got an opportunity to come with the governor into the 
 dungeon, where G. Fox was kept, and they found the 
 place fo bad, and of fo noifome a fmell, that the governor 
 cried fliame of the magiftrate, for fuffering the gaoler 
 to treat G. Fox after fuch a manner ; and calling the gaolers 
 into the dungeon, required them to find fureties for their 
 good behaviour, and put the under-gaoler, who had been 
 very cruel to G. Fox, into the dungeon with him. In the 
 mean-while, thofe who had imprifoned G. Fox, began to 
 grow afraid, the rather it may be, becaufe the parliament 
 took notice of thefe doings; and it was not long after that 
 he was releafed ; and then coming to the houfe of one 
 Thomas Bewly, near Coldbeck, in Cumberland, there 
 came a Baptifl: teacher to oppofe him : but he found what 
 G. Fox fpoke to be fo efficacious, that he became convinced 
 of the truth thereof. 
 
 At that time there was alfo Robert Widders, who being 
 moved to go to Coldbeck fteeple-houfe, the Baptift teacher 
 went with him. Widders coming into the fteeple-houfe, 
 there was one Hutton preaching, to whom he fpoke; 
 but the rude people threw him down, and dragged him 
 into the yard, where th'ey puflied and beat him till the 
 blood gulhed out of his mouth, fo that he lay for dead 
 fome time; but a certain woman coming to him, held up 
 his head, fo that at length he recovered his breath. The 
 Baptift who went along with him, had his fword taken 
 from him, and was forely beaten with it ; yet this did not 
 frigl^ten or difcourage him ; and he not only left off the 
 wearing of a fword, but alfo freely gave up the inheritance 
 of an impropriation of tithes. 
 
 The fame day that this preacher was thus attacked with 
 his own fword, being the firft of the week, feveral of G, 
 Fox's friends, and among them William Dewfl)ury, went, 
 one to this, and others to other fteeple-houfes ; and by fuch 
 means the number of the faid friends increafed : though 
 
126 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1653 
 
 Dewfbury at that; time was fo violently beaten by the 
 people that he was almoft killed ; but the Lord's power 
 healed him: 
 
 But to return to Robert Widders : he being recovered 
 from the rude treatment he met with, as hath been laid, 
 felt himfclf lb encouraged anew, and ftrengthencd in his 
 undertakings, that he went, the fame day in. the afternoon, 
 feven miles to Ackton ftceple-houfe, where he fpoke to 
 prieft Nichols, and calliHg him an enemy of Chrift, told 
 him alfo, that the hand of the Lord was againft him. 
 Then William Brifcoc, a juftice of Crofton, commanded 
 the conftable to fecure Robert ; which he did, and carried 
 him to the pricft's houfe; where being examined by the 
 juftice, the prieft began to fawn upon him. Thereupon 
 Robert told the priefi, that the fpirit of perfecution lodged 
 in him. But the priell: faid, ' No, he was not fnch a 
 man.' Yet prefently after he faid to the juftice, that 
 R.jbert had ftolen the horfe he came with : and, that he 
 could find in his heart to become his executioner with his 
 own hands: which mivde Robert fay, ' Did I ik)i fay unto 
 thee, that the fpirit of perfecution lod^^ed in thee ?' Then 
 the aforefaid juftice writ a warrant to ifend Robert to Car- 
 lifle gaol; and after having given the warrant to the con- 
 ftable, he ailced Robert, by what authority or power he 
 came to feduce and bewitch the people ? Robert anfwered, 
 ♦ I came not to feduce and bewitca people, but 1 came in 
 that power which fliall make ih'ee, and all the powers of 
 the earth, bend and bow down before it, to wit, the 
 mighty power of God.' Whilft Robert v^'as fpeaking 
 thus, the dread of the Lord feized on the juftice, and fo 
 ftruck him, that he called for his warrant again, and took 
 it out of the conftable's band, fuftering Robert, about 
 night, to go away. 
 
 He being thus freed, did not leave vifiting the fteeple- 
 houfes from time to time, for which he was fometimes im- 
 prifoned, and at other times was faved remarkably. Once 
 coming near Skipton in Yorkftiire, at the fteeple-houfe, 
 he fpoke very fharply to the prieft, Webfter ; fince he 
 was one that had been partly convinced of the doftrine of 
 the inward light, but becoming difobedient thereunto, was 
 turned back again. He alfo fpoke to the people, and tg 
 
 1655] PEOPLE CALLED QITAKERS/ . 1 27 
 
 Juftice Coats, bidding them to mind the word of God in 
 the heart, which divided between the precious and the 
 vile. After having cleared himfclf, he went to a place 
 where a few of his friends were met together; but he had 
 not been long there, when there came fome horfemen and 
 foot, who took him away, and carried him to the faid 
 juftice; who examining him, faid, he had^ broken the law, 
 by difturbing the mmifter and the people, and that he 
 might fend him prifoner to York caftle. Robert anfv^ered, 
 * Send me to gaol thither, if thou dareft ; for I appeal to 
 the witnefs of God in thy confcience.^ But the. juftice 
 being a moderate man, faid, ' I neither dare nor \vill ;' 
 and taking Robert by the hand, told him, he might take 
 his own time in going away. 
 
 To relate all the occurrences of this Robert Widders, 
 would be too prolix ; therefore I will only fay, that as he 
 was very zealous in fpeaking to the priefts, fo he fufFered 
 very much in his eftatc, becaufe for confcience-fake he rc- 
 fufcd to pay them tithes ; and on that account there was 
 taken from him, at fundry times, to the vahie of 143I. be- 
 fides what he fuffered for meetings, and for Sunday fliil- 
 lings, fo"^ called, which alfo amounted to a confiderable fum. 
 And this not only befel him, but it was the portion of 
 many hundreds, nay, perhaps thoufands of thofe of his 
 perfuafion. Wherefore I will not undertake to relate all 
 that might be mentioned of this kind ; for that would be 
 beyond my reach. 
 
 However^ by this that nath been faid, may be feen, by 
 what means the (^takers, fo called, grew fo numerous in 
 thofe early times. As on one hand there were raifcd zeal- 
 ous preachers ; fo on the other, there were abundance of 
 people in England, who, having fearched all fe6ts, could 
 no where. find fatisfadtion for their hungry fouls. And* 
 thefe now underftanding that God by his light was fo near 
 in their hearts, began to take heed thereunto, and foon 
 found that this gave them far more viftory over the cor- 
 ruption of jtheir minds, under which they had long groaned, 
 than all the felf- willed worftiips which they with fome zeal 
 had performed many years. And befides thofe thnt were 
 thus prepared to receive a farther manifcftation of ihe v/ay 
 
x^ 
 
 I2S THE HISTORY OF THE L^^53 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 of life, there were alfo many of a rude life, who being 
 pricked to the heart, and brought over by the Chriftiau 
 patience of the defpifed Quakers, became as zealous in 
 doing good, as formerly they had been in working evil. 
 
 Perhaps fome will think it was very indecent that they 
 went fo frequently to the (leeple-houfes, and there fpokc 
 to the priefts : but whatfoever any may judge concerning 
 this, it is certain that thofe teachers generally did not bring 
 forch the fruits of godlinefs, as was well known to thofe 
 who therafelves had been priefts, and freely refigned their 
 miniftry, thenceforth to follow Chrift in the way of his 
 crofs ; and thefe were none of the leaft zealous againft 
 that fociety among whom they formerly had miniftered 
 with an upright zeal. Yet they were not for ufing Iharp 
 language againft fucb teachers, who, according to their 
 knowledge,' feared God ; but they levelled their aim 
 chiefly againft thofe, who were only rich in ^vords, without 
 bringing"^ forth true Chriftian fruits, and works of juftice. 
 Hence it was that one Thomas Curtis, who was formerly 
 a captain in the parliament army, but afterwards entered 
 into the fociety of the people called Quakers, wrote, in a 
 letter to Samuel Wells, prieft of Banbury, and a perfe- 
 cutor of thofe of that perfuafion, amongft other things, 
 thefe words: ' Tothy fliame, remember 1 know theefcan- 
 dalous. How often haft thou fate evening after evening, 
 at cards, and fometimes whole nights, playing, and fome- 
 times compelling me to play with thee, for money ; yet 
 then thou waft calkd of the world a minifter ; and now 
 art thou turned perfecutor, kc. None therefore need 
 think it ftrange, that thofe called Quakers did look upon 
 fuch teachers as lurelings. And th^t there were not a 
 few of that fort, appeared plainly when King Charlos II. 
 was reftored ; for thofe who had formerly cried out againft 
 epifcopacy, and its liturgy, as falfeand idolatrous, then be- 
 came turn-coats, and put on the furplice, to keep in the 
 poflTeilion of their livings and benefices. But by fo doing, 
 thefe hypocrites loft not a few of their auditors, for this 
 opened the eyes of many, who began to inquire into the 
 doftrine of the defpifed Quakers, and faw that they hid a 
 
 ^^531 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 129 
 
 more fure foundation, and that this it was which made 
 them ftand unfliaken againft the fury of perfecution. 
 
 Let us again take up the thread of thefe tranfa6lions 
 which concern G. Fox: who now travelling through niany 
 places in the north of England, had every where great 
 meetings ; but now and then met with fome oppofition ; 
 fometimes with hands, and at others with the tongue. 
 Among the reft, at Derwcntwater in Northumberland j 
 where in a difpute recommending perfcftion, he v/as con- 
 tradifted; but to prove his pofition^ he faid, that Adam 
 and Eve were pcrfcft before they fell ; and all that G )d 
 made wasperfe6l; and that the imperfeftion came by the 
 devil and the fall ; but that Chrift, who came to dcftroy 
 the devil, faid, ' Be ye perfeft.* To this one of the pro- 
 felTors anfwered, that Job faid, ' Shall mortal man be more 
 pure than his Maker? The heavens are not clear in his 
 fight. God charged his angels with folly.' But G. Fox, 
 fhewed him his miftake, and told him that it was not Job 
 that faid fo, but one of thofe that contended, againft him. 
 Then the profeffors faid, the outward body was the body 
 of death and fin ; but G. Fox replied, that Adam and 
 Eve had each of them an outw^ard body, before the body 
 of death and fin got into them; and that men would have 
 bodies, when the body of fin and death was put off* again, 
 and they were renewed into the image of God again by 
 Chrift Jefus. 
 
 Thus G. Fox found work almoft every where, and paf- 
 fing to Hexham, he had a great meeting there on the top 
 of a hill. The prieft indeed had threatened that he would 
 come and oppofe ; but came not. 
 
 G. Fox then travelling on, came into Cumberland, 
 where he had a meeting of many thoufands of people on a 
 hill near Langlands. Once became into Brigham ftccple- 
 houfe, before the prieft was there, and declared the Truth 
 to the people; but when the prieft came in, he began to 
 oppofe, but w^as wearied fo, that at length he went away. 
 
 There being now alfo feveral others who preached the 
 doftrine of the inward light of God which convinceth man 
 of fin, the number of thofe profeffors of the light increafed 
 
 Vol. I. . I 
 
13^ 
 
 THE HISTORT OF THE 
 
 C1653 
 
 1653] 
 
 • PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 131 
 
 creaily. And as it had been faid at firfl, that they (hould 
 be deitroyed within a fhott time ; fo now the pricfts began 
 to fay, that they would cat out one another. For nvany 
 of them, after meetings, having a great way to go, ftaid 
 at their friends houfes by the w^ay,>nd fometnnes more 
 than there were beds to lodge, fo that fome lay on the hay- 
 mows. This made fome of the publick church grow afraid, 
 that this hofpitalityVould caufe poverty, and that when 
 thefc friends had eaten out one another, they would con?c 
 to be maintained by the pariQies, and fo be chargeable to 
 them. But it fell out quite otherwife, tor thele people 
 \s^ere the more bleffed, and iiicrcafed, without falling into 
 want. This puts me in mind of what one of the daughters 
 of judge Thomas Fell once told me, viz. that her father 
 having been abroad, and coming home with his fervants, 
 found the fhed fo full of the horfes of ftrange guefts, (for 
 Margaret his wife had cleared the liable where they firlt 
 ' ftood, to make room for her hufoand's own horfes) that he 
 faid to his wife, this was the way to be eaten out, and that 
 thus they thcmfelves fliould foon be in want of hay. But 
 to this Margaret (aid in a friendly way, that fhe did not 
 believe when the year was at an end, that they fhould 
 have the lefs for that. And it fo fell out ; for this year 
 their ftock of hay was fuch, that they fold a grec^t parcel 
 of what they had in abundance. Thus the proverb was 
 ^ verified, that charity doth not impovcvifli. The tru^h of 
 this was alfo experienced by thofe called Quakers ; for 
 though many people at firft were (hy, and would not deal 
 v-ith them, becaufc of their nonconformity with the vulgar 
 • falutation, and their faying Thou and Thee tea fmgle perfon, 
 inftead of You, &c. infomuch, that fome that were tradel- 
 men loft their cuftomers, and could hardly get money 
 enough to buy bread ; yet this changed in time, when 
 people found by experience they could better truft to the 
 words of thefe, than to that of thofe of their own perfuafion. 
 Hence it was, that often when any came into a town, and 
 wanted fomcthing, they would afk, where dwells a draper, 
 or taylor, or flioemaker, or any other tradefman, that is a 
 Quaker? But this fo cxafperated others, that-they began 
 to cry out, if wc let thefe Quakers alone, they will take 
 
 the trade of the nation out of our hands. Now the caufc 
 of their trades thus increafing, was, becaufe they were 
 found upright in their dealings; for integrity did then 
 fliine out among them above many others: to this the true 
 fear of God led them, and to this they were exhorted from 
 time to time. G. Fox alfo writ a general epillle to them, 
 which was as folio weth : 
 
 • 
 
 To you all. Friends everywhere, fcattered abroad. 
 
 * In the meafure of the life of God, wait f*jr wifdonx 
 from God, even from him, from whence it comes. And 
 all ye, who be babes of God, wait for the living food from 
 the living God to be nourilhed up to eternal life, from the 
 one fountain, from whence life comes ; that orderly, and 
 in order, ye may all be guided and walk: fervants in your 
 places, young men and young women in your places, and 
 rulers of families ; that every one, in your refpeftive 
 places, may adorn the Truth ; every one in the meafure of 
 it. Wich it, let your minds be kept up to the Lord 
 Jefus, from w^hence it doth come; that a fweet favour you 
 may be to God, and in wifdopi ye may all be ordered 
 and ruled ; that a crown and a glory ye may be one to an- 
 other in the Lord. And that no flrife, nor bitterncfs, nor 
 felf-will may appear amongft you ; but with the light, in 
 which the unity is, all that may be condemned. And that 
 every one in particular may fee to, and take care of, the 
 ordering and ruling of their own family; that in righteouf- 
 nefs and wifdom it may be governed, the fear and dread 
 of the Lord in every one's heart fet, that the fecrets of the 
 Lord every one may come to receive, that ftew^ards of his , 
 grace you may come to be, to difpenfe it to every one as 
 they have need ; and fo, in favouring and right difcerning, 
 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 by it be judged: 
 fo 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 fruitlefs trees be among you ; but all cut down 
 and condemned by the light, and caft into the fire : f© 
 
 I 2 
 
IJl 
 
 THE HieTORY OF THE 
 
 [•653 
 
 I 
 
 that every one may bear and bring forth fruit to God, and 
 grow fruitful in his knowledge, and in his wifdom. And 
 fo that none may appear in words beyond what they be in 
 the life, that ^ave forth the words : here none fliall be as 
 the untimely figs: and none fliall be of thofe trees, whofe 
 fruit withers : fuch go in Cain's way, from the light ; and 
 by it are condemned. And that none amongft yoii boaft 
 yourfelves above your mcafure ; for if you do, out of 
 God's kingdom you are excluded : for in that boafting 
 part gets up the pride, and the ftrife, which is contrary to 
 the light ; which light leads to the kingdom of God ; and 
 ^ives every one of you an entrance thereinto, and an un- 
 deraandinir, to know the things that belong to the king- 
 dom of God. And there the hght and life of man every 
 one receives, him who was, before the world was, by 
 whom it was made : who is the rightecufnefs of God, and 
 his wifdom : to whom all glory, honour, thanks, and praife 
 belongs,. who is God blefled for ever. Let no image, nor 
 likenefs be made ; but in the light wait, which will bring 
 condemnation on that part, that would make the images ; 
 for that prifons the ju(t. So to the lufl: yield not the eye, 
 nor the flefli ; for the pride of life ftands in that, which 
 keeps out of the love of the Father; and upon which his 
 j udgments and wrath remains, where the love of the world 
 is fought after, and a crown that is mortal : m 1 which 
 ground the evil enters, which is curfcd ; which brmgs 
 forth briars and thorns, where the death reigns, and tribu- 
 lation and anguifli is upon every foul, and the Egyptian 
 tongue is heard:* all which is by the light condemned. 
 And there the'earth is, which mud be removed ; by the 
 light it is feen, and by the power it is removed, and out 
 of its place it is fhaken ; to which the thunders utter their 
 voices, before the myfteries of God be opened, and Jcfus 
 revealed. Therefore all ye, whole minds, are turned to 
 this light (which brings condemnation upon all rhofe things 
 before-mentioned, that are contrary to the light) wait upon 
 the Lord Jefus for the crown, that h immortal, and that 
 fad eth not away. r^ -c 9 
 
 1653! PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. I33, 
 
 This cpiftle he fent to be read at the meetings of his 
 friends. Not long after, a certain prieft of Wrexham in 
 Wales, whofe name was Morgan Floyd, fent two of his 
 congregation into the north of England, to inquire what 
 kind of people the Quakers were. Thefe two coming ^ 
 thither, found the doftrine of the faid people fuch, that 
 they became convinced of the truth thereof, and fo an- 
 braced it ; and after fome flay, they returned home. One 
 of thefe was called John ap-John, and, continuing faithful, 
 became a miniiler of the gofpcl he had thus received ; but 
 the other afterwards departed from his convincement. 
 
 Let us now take a ftiort view of ftate aifairs in England. 
 We have feen already Cromwell's power fo great, that hs 
 ventured to diflblve the long Parliament, and that he called 
 another in its room. But before the year's end, this Par- 
 liament refigned their power into the hands of Cromwell, 
 from whom they had received it. Thus he, with his coun- 
 cil of field officers, faw himfelf again in the poffeffion of 
 the fupreme government: and it was not long before this 
 council declared : ' that henceforth the chief rule of the 
 nation fliould be entrufted to a fingle perfon, and that this 
 perfon fliould be Oliver Cromwell, chief general of all the 
 forces in England, Scodand, and Ireland ; that his title 
 fliould be Lord Protec'ior of the Commonwealth of Eng- 
 land, Scodand and Ireland ; and all the dominions belong- 
 ing thereunto; and he was to have a council of twenty-one 
 perfons to aflift him in the government.' 
 
 This matter being thus fl:ated, the commiffioners of thc" 
 great feal, and the lord mayor and aldermen of London, 
 were required, on the 16th of December, to attend Crom- 
 well, and his council, in We{lminfl:er-hall. Being come 
 thither, the inftrument of government was read, whereby 
 Cromwell was declared Prote^or, he fl:anding all this 
 while bare-headed, and major-general Lambert kneeling, 
 prefented him with a fword in the fcabbard, reprefenting 
 the civil fword : which Cromwell accepting, put off his 
 own, to intimate thereby, that he would no longer rule by 
 the military fword. The faid inftrument^ being writ on 
 parchment, contained, ' That the Proteftor was to call a 
 Parliament every three years ; that their firft meeting 
 
 I 3 
 
>34 
 
 THE HISTORT, &C. 
 
 [1^53 
 
 ftould be on the 1 3th of September next cnfuing : that 
 he fliould not be permitted to diffolve a parliament, before 
 it had fat five months ; that the bills prcfented to him for 
 his confent, if he did not confirm them within twenty days, 
 fhould have the force of laws ; that he was to have a 
 council, who were not to exceed the number of twenty- 
 one, and not to be under thirteen ; that forthwith after his 
 death, the council was to choofe another Protcftor ; that 
 no Proteflor after him, fhould be capable of being chief 
 general of the army; and that it fhould be in the power 
 of the Proteftor to make war and peace.' Whilft this in- 
 ftrument was reading, Cromwell held his hand on the bible, 
 and afterwards took the oath, that he would perform all 
 that was contained therein. This beipg done, he covered 
 himfelf, all the others remaining uncovered. Then the 
 commilTioners delivered the feals to him, and the lord 
 mayor of London the fword ; all which he reftored again, 
 with an exhortation to ufe them well. Afterward general 
 Lambert carried the fword before him to his coach, in 
 which he went to Whitehall, where he \^as proclaimed 
 Proteftor, which was done alfo in the city of London. 
 Now he was attended like a prince, and created knights, 
 as kings ufed to do. Thus Cromwell, by a Angular, and 
 very ftrange turn of mundane affairs, faw himfelf placed in 
 the palace, from whence he and his adherents had cad put; 
 King Charles the Firft. 
 
 tHl 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 Q^U A K E R S. 
 
 THE THIRD BOOK. 
 
 t 
 
 OLIVER CROMWFXL in the beginning of the year 
 1654, feeing, himfelf. inverted with the fupremc. 
 authority of the nation, required, both of the foldiers 
 and others, the oath of fidelity. But fmce araongft the firft, 
 there wxre many, who, though convinced of the truth of 
 the doarine of the Quakers fo called, yet had not con- 
 venient opportunity to leave the military fervice,. it now 
 prefented itfelf; for ^vhen the oath was tendered them, 
 they declared that in obedience to Chrift's command, they 
 could notfwear; whereupon they were difbanded. Among 
 thefe was John Stubbs, a man ikilled not only in Latjn, 
 Greek, and-Hebrcw, but alfo in the Oriental languages; 
 he was convinced by G. Fox, when in Carlifle prifon, and 
 became afterwards a faithful minifter of the gofpel. But 
 fome of the foldiers, who had beeo convmced in their 
 ludgment, not continuing ftedfaft, took the required oath, 
 but not long out-lived it ; for marching afterwards into 
 Scotland, and paiTmg by a garrifon there, thefe thmkmg 
 they had been enemies, fired at them, whereby feveral 
 
 were killed. ^ , . r • 1 • -u^ 
 
 C. Fox now feeing the churches of his friends m the 
 
 I 4 
 
 V 
 
136 
 
 The history of t«je 
 
 [1654 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPIe called QtJAKERS, 
 
 ^37 
 
 North fettled, paffcd from Swarthmorc (where he was 
 about the beginning of this yciir) to Lancafter, and from 
 thence to Synder-hill-green, where he had a great meeting 
 of forae thoiifands of people, among whom were many 
 perfons of note ; and a general convincement there was, 
 fo tliat a great number entered into the communion of thofe 
 called Q^rakers : with whom about this time, Ambrofe 
 Ri^ge was alfo united, who, having been inclined to 
 godiinefs from a youth, hearing G. Fox preach, and being 
 convinced of the truth of the doftrine he taught, received 
 it, and became a profeflbr of it, though for that reafon he 
 was call out by his parents and relations. 
 
 We have feen the firll rife of thefe Chriftians, called 
 
 'Quiikers, in the North of England, and how they increafed 
 
 under the opprciTion of perfecution, fo that in moft places 
 
 in thofe parts meetings were fettled : it remains to relate 
 
 how they fpread farther. 
 
 There were now above fixty minifters of the word raifed 
 among them, and thefe went out in the fervice of the gofpel, 
 to turn people where they could have an opportunity, from 
 darknefs to the light, and from the power of Satan to God. 
 Of thefe, Francis Howgill and Edward Burrough, went 
 to London ; John Camm and John Audland, to Briftol ; 
 Richard Hubberthorne and George Whitehead, to Nor- 
 wich : Thomas Holmes into Wales, and others other ways, 
 G. Fox, well knowing this to be a weighty work, writ a 
 large epiftle to thefe minifters, wherein he admonifhed 
 them to prudence, advifmg them, to know the feed of 
 God, which bruifeth the head of the ferpent ; alfo to know 
 the power of God, and the crofs of Chrift: to receive . 
 wifdom from God by the light; and not to behafty, or to 
 run in their own wills, but to continue in patience. 
 
 I will firfl: mention fomewhat of the occurrences at 
 London, whither Edward Burrough and Francis Howgill, 
 with Anthony Pearfon, who had been a juftice of peace, 
 caine in the fore-part of the fummer. Howgill and Pearfon, 
 were the firft of the people called Quakers, that had a 
 meeting in this great city, where they preached in the houfc 
 of one Robert Dring, in Watli^g-ftreet ; and Burrough 
 was, as I have been informed, that day in an affembly o£ 
 
 a feparate fociety. Yet I have been told alfo, that Ruth, 
 wife of William Crouch, merchant in London, had faid, 
 that fomewhat before that time, there h^d been in the faid 
 houfe meetings of fome few perfons, of whom fhe was 
 one ; and alfo Anne Downer, afterwards married to George 
 Whitehead ; that one Ifabella Buttery, with another wo- 
 man, having fpread in London fome books, and among 
 thefe one of G. Fox's, called, 'The way to the Kingdom," 
 had met with this fmall company, of which were but two 
 or three men, one of which was Amos Stoddard, formerly 
 a military officer, mentioned already ; and that the faid 
 Ifibella fometimes fpoke a few words in this fmall meeting. 
 But when F. Howorill and E. Burrough were com.e to 
 London, things began to have another face ; for they laid 
 hold of all opportunities they could light on to preach the 
 gofpel. 
 
 At London there is a cuflom in fummer time, when the 
 evening approaches, and tradefmen leave off working, that 
 many lufty fellows meet in the fields, to try their ikill and 
 flrength in wreftling, where generally a multitude of people 
 Hands gazing in a round. Now it fo fell out, that E. 
 Burrough paffed by the place where they were wreftling, 
 and ftanding ftill amongft the fpeftatois, faw how a ftrong 
 and dexterous fellow had already thrown three others, 
 and was waiting for a fourth champion, if any durd 
 venture to enter the lifts. At length, none being bold 
 enough to try, E. Burrough ftepped into the ring (com- 
 monly made up of all forts of people), and having looked 
 upon the wreftler with a ferious countenance, the man was 
 not a Ihde furprized, inftead of an airy antagonift, to meet 
 with a grave and awful young man ; and all ftood as it 
 were amazed at this fight, eagerly expefting what would 
 be the iffue of this combat. But it was quite another fight 
 E. Burrough aimed at. For having already fought againfl: 
 fpiritual wickednefs, that had once prevailed on him, and 
 having overcome in meafure, by the grace of God, he 
 now endeavoured alfo to fi^ht againft it in others, and to 
 turn them from the evil of their ways. With this intention, 
 he began very ferioufly to fpeak to the ftanders by, and 
 that with fuch a heart-piercing power, ^ that he was beard 
 
 :n 
 
i3« 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1654 
 
 by this mixed multitude, with no Icfs attention than adtni- 
 ration ; for this fpeech tended to turn them from darkirefs 
 to the light, and from the power of Satan to God. lo 
 efea this, he laboured with convincing words, Jhewing 
 how God had not left himfelf without a witnefs, but had 
 riven to man a mcafure of his grace, and enlightened every 
 one with the light of Chrift. Thus he preached zealoufly ; 
 and though many might look upon this as a novelty, yet 
 it was of fuch effeft, that fome were convinced ot the 
 Truth : for he was a breaker of ftony hearts, and therefore 
 by a certain author, not unjuttly, called a fon of thunder : 
 though he alfo omitted not in due feafon, to fpeak a word 
 of confojation tothofe that were of a broken hear^ and ot 
 
 "a cop.trite fpirit. - 
 
 But to thunder againll fm and miquity was his peculiar 
 talent ; infomuch, that once preaching very zealoufly in _ 
 nieeiin?, and perceiving there were fome contrite iouls, 
 that wanted fpiritualiy-refrelhing food, he was Heard to 
 intimate, that though his prefent fpeaking was not milk tor 
 babes yet he would remember fuch anon, and admmilter 
 to the'm alfo; but now he muft threlh the whore. And . 
 indeed he was one of thofe valiants, whofe bow never 
 turned back, nor' fword empty from the flaugh.ter of the^ 
 mighty ; for the Lord bleffcd his powerful minify with 
 verV Morlous fuccefs: nay, he was fuch an excellent inltru- 
 went "in the hand of God, that even fome mighty and 
 eminent men were touched to the heart by the power of 
 the word of life, which he preached. And although coals 
 of fire as it were, came forth of his mouth, to the con- 
 fuming' o£ briers and thorns, and he paffing through un- 
 beaten paths, trampled upon wild thillles and luxuriant 
 tares • yet his wholcfoihe doftrine dropped as the oil ot 
 ioy upon the fpirits of mourners in Sion. Hence it was 
 that Francis HowgiU not unjuftly faid of him when de- 
 ccafcd, ' Shall days, or months, or years wear out thy 
 name, as though thou hadft had no beuig ? Oh nay : fliaH 
 not thy noble and valiant afts, and mighty works which 
 thou haft wrought, through the power of him that fepa- 
 ' rated thee from the womb, live in generations to conie i 
 Oh yes! Tfie children that arc yci nuborn fliaU have the» 
 
 1654] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. ^39 
 
 ip their mouths, and thy works (hall teflify of thee in the 
 generation who yet have no being.* 
 
 The faid Howgill, alfo an eminent and eloquent man, 
 being now at London, went to court, to utter what was in 
 his mind to Oliver Cromwell'. And after having fpoke to 
 him, bethought it convenient toexprefs himfelf farther ia 
 writing; as he did by the following letter: 
 
 ' Friend, '/ 
 
 * I was moved of the Lord to come to thee, to declare 
 
 the word of the Lord, as I was moved of the Lord, and 
 
 deal plainly with thee, as I v/as commanded, and not ta 
 
 petition thee for any thing; but to declare- what the Lord 
 
 . had revealed to me, concerning thee ; and when I had 
 delivered what I was commanded, thou queftionedft it, 
 whether it was the word of the Lord or not, and foughtefl: 
 by thy reafon to put it oif; and we have waited fome days 
 fince, but cannot fpeak to thee, therefore I was moved to 
 write to thee, and clear my confcience, and to leave thee* 
 Therefore hear the word of the Lord. Thus faith the Lord, 
 I chofe thee out of all the i^ations, when thou waft little 
 in thy own eyes, and threw dov/n the mountains and the. 
 powers' of the earth before thee, which had eftablifhed 
 wickednefs by a law, and I cut them down, and broke the 
 yokes and bonds of the opprefTor,- and made them ftoop 
 before thee, and I made them as a plain before thee, that 
 thou paffedft over them, and trode upon their necks ; but 
 thus faith the Lord, now thy heart is not upright before 
 me, but thou takeft counfel, and not of me ; and thou 
 art eftablifhing peace, and not by me ; and thou art fetting 
 up laws, and not by me ; and my name is not feared, nor I 
 am not fought after; but ihy own wifdom thou eftablifheft. 
 What faith the Lord, have I thrown down all the op- 
 pfciTors, and broken their laws, and thou art now going 
 about to eftablifli them again, and art going to build again, 
 that which I have deftroyed? Wherefore thus faith ;he 
 Lord, Wiit thou limit me, and fet bounds to me, when, 
 und where, and how, and by whom, I fhall declare myfelf, 
 and publifti my name? Then will I break thy cord, and 
 
 .tremove ihy- flake, and exalt myfelf in thy overthrow. 
 
 'Mi 
 
 
140 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1654 
 
 Therefore this Is the word of the Lord to thee, whether 
 thou wilt hear, or forbear, If thou take not away all 
 thofe laws which are made concerning religion, whereby 
 the people which are dear in mine eyes, are opprefled, 
 thou Ihalt not be eftabliaied ; but as thou halt trodden 
 down my enemies by my power, fo flialt thou be trodden 
 down by my power, and thou flialt know that I am the 
 Lord ; for my gofpd (hall not be eftablilhed by thy fword 
 nor by thy law ; but by my might, and by my power, and 
 by my Spirit. Unto thee, this is the word oi the Lord, 
 Stint not the eternal Spirit, by which I will publifti my 
 name, when, and where; and how I will; for if thou dolt, 
 thou flialt be as dua before the wind: the mouih of the 
 Lord hath fpoken it, and he will perform his promile. 
 For this is that I look for at thy hands, faith the Lord, 
 that thou fhouldeft undo the heavy burdens, and let the 
 opprefled go free. Are not many fliut up in prifon, and 
 feme flocked, fome ftoned, fome fliamefully entreated ? 
 And fome are judcred blafphemers by thofe who know 
 not the Lord, and ^by thofe laws which have been made 
 by the will of man, and ftand not in the will of God ; 
 and fome fuff'er now becaufe they cannot hold up the 
 types, and fo deny Chrift come in the flefli ; and fome 
 have been fliut up in prifon, becaufc they could not fwear, 
 and becaufe they abide in the doftrine ot Chriit ; and 
 fome for declaring againft fln openly in markets, have 
 fuff'cred as evil-doers : and now if thou let them lutterm 
 this nature by thofe laws, and count it juft ; I will vifit 
 for thofe things, faith the Lord, I will break the yoke 
 from off" their necks, and I will bring deliverance another 
 way, and thou flialt know that I am the Lord. 
 
 « Moved of the Lord to declare and write this, by a 
 fervant of the Truth for Jefus's fake, and a lover 
 
 of thy foul, called, . ; 
 
 * Francis HowgilU 
 
 The laft of the Firft Month, about the ninth > 
 hour, waiting in Jamcb's Park at London. S 
 
 How this was received ! am not acquainted ; but this I 
 have underftood, that fome of Cromwell's fervants, and 
 among thcfe one Theophilus Green, and Mary, aftcrrardt 
 
 1654] PEOPLE CALLED Q^AKER^. I4I 
 
 wife of Henry Stout, were fo reached by F. Howgill's 
 difcourfe, that after fome time they entered into the fociety 
 of the Quakers, fo called. 
 
 Now in the faid letter, or fpeech, we find notice taken 
 of laws made concerning religion : thefe I do not look 
 upon as made by the induffion of Cromwell ; but fuch as 
 were made in former times, which he could have altered, 
 if he would have done it: as afterwards many penal laws 
 were abrogated, under the reign of King William and 
 Queen Mary, as will be faid in its proper place. For I da 
 not find that in Cromwell's time any laws were made to 
 conftrain people to frequent the worfliip of the publick or 
 national church. But notwiihftanding, the Quakers, fo 
 called, were imprifoned for refufing to fwear, or for not 
 paying tithes to maintain the priefls ; and they wxre 
 whipped like vagabonds, for preaching in markets, or in 
 x)ther publick places ; or they were fined for not taking 
 oflF their hats before magiftrates ; for this was called Con- 
 tempt of the magiftracy; and when for confcience fake 
 they refufed to pay fuch a fine, either the fpoiling of 
 goods, or imprifonment became their fliare : and thus 
 always a cloak or cover was found to perfecute them, and 
 malice never wanted pretences to vex them. Anditalfo 
 often happened that E. Burrough and F. Howgill w^re 
 oppofed by the chiefeft~of feveral fe<Sls, whereb/difputes 
 were raifed, which -many times gave occaCon for fome of 
 the hearers to embrace the doctrine maintained by the faid 
 Burrough and Howgill ; which fo enraged their enemies, 
 that no flanders were fpared, and they fometimes branded 
 them as witches. 
 
 In the mean-while the people called Quakers fo in- 
 creafed in London, that they began to have fettled meet- 
 ings, the firft of which was in Alderfgate Street, at the 
 houfe of one Sarah Sawyer. The firft among women of, 
 * this fociety that preached at London publickly, was the 
 already mentioned Anne Downer, afterwards married to 
 one Greenwell, and being become a widow, in procefs of 
 time entered into matrimony with George Whitehead, as 
 hath been hinted already. 
 
 The number of the faid people increafing at London 
 from time to time, feveral meetings were now crefted 
 
 i-^ 
 
 ■r 
 
t4t 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 D6S4 
 
 there, one of which was in the houfe of one Bates, 
 in Tower Street, and another at Gerard Robert's, in 
 Thomas Apoftles; unti^the church became fo great, that 
 a houfe known by the name of the Bull and Mouth, in 
 Martin's le Grand, near Alderfgate, was hired for a meet- 
 ing- houfe; and it being a building that had belonged to 
 fome great man, there was a large hall in it that would 
 hold many people, and fo was very convwient for a meeting 
 
 place, • A* u 
 
 Abundance of books were now fpread agamlt the 
 Quakers, as feducers and falfe prophets ; and thefe written . 
 by tlje priells and teachers of feveral fefts: for they per- 
 ceiving that many of their hearers forfook them, left no 
 flone unturned to flop it. But the event did not anfwer 
 their hope,' fihce Burrough and Howgill did not fuffer thofe 
 writings to go unanfwered, but clearly (hewed the malice 
 and abfurdities of thofe writers. 
 
 Leaving them bufy with this work, we will take a turn 
 toward Briftol,' to-behold the performances of John And- 
 land, and Thomas Airey ; who came thither in the month 
 called July in this year, and going into the meetings of the 
 Independents and Baptifts, they found opportunity to 
 preach Truth there, and alfo had occafion to fpeak to 
 others, fo that many received their teftimony. 
 
 From thence they went to Plymouth in Devonfliire, and 
 fo to London, where they met with John Camm; bat 
 after fome flay there, John Audland returned to Briftol 
 with John Camm, and found there a door opened for their 
 miniftry. Among thofe that did receive their teftimony, 
 were Jofiah Cole, George Biftiop, Charles Marlhal, and 
 Barbara' Blaugdone, concerning which perfons more is to 
 be faid hereafter. It was not long ere F. Howgilland E. 
 Burrough, having gathered a church at London, came 
 alfo to Briftol, where perfecution now began to appear 
 with open face : for the magiftrates commanded them tp 
 depart the city and the liberties thereof; to which they 
 anfwered, that they came not in the will of man ; and that 
 Vrhen He who moved them to come thither, did move 
 them alfo to depart, they fliould obey ; that if they were 
 ruilty of the tranfgrcffion of any law, they were not un- 
 
 1 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPtE CABLED QTJAKER^, 
 
 ^4$ 
 
 willing.to fufFerby it ; that they were freeborn Engliflimen, 
 being free from the tranfgrelHon of any law ; and that if 
 by violence they were put out of the city, they were ready 
 to fuffer, and would not refift ; and fo they departed out 
 of the prefence of the rulers. But now the priefts, efpecially 
 one Ralph Farmer, began to incite, and enrage the people^ 
 and to fet the city, as it were, on fire. 
 
 Hence it was that J. Camm and J. Audland, intending 
 to have a meeting at Briilington, about two miles from 
 Briftol^ and pafTmg over a bridge, were afTauked by the 
 rabble of the city and feveral apprentices of Farmer's 
 parifli, who having got notice^ of their coming^ were 
 gathered there, and violently abufed them with beating, 
 kicking, and a continual cry, knock them down, kill them, 
 
 I or hang them prefently. Thus they were driven back, 
 and forced into the city again, narrowly efcaping with 
 their lives. But the tumult did not yet ceafe; for fome of 
 the multitude were heard to fay, that they fliould find more 
 protcftion from the magiftrates, than thofe of ftrangers, viz. 
 Camm and Audlalid. But the officers of the garrifqn, 
 thinking it unwarrantable to- permit fuch a tumult, fince ic 
 was not without reafon to be feared, that; the royalifts, or 
 abettors of King Charles, might take hold of fuch an op- 
 portunity and raife an infurreflion, caufed three of the 
 ringleadqfs to be feized ; but this made fuch a ftir, that 
 
 , the next day more than five hundred people^ as it was 
 thought, were gathered together in a feditious manner, fo 
 that their companions were fet a: liberty. This made the 
 tum.ultuous mob more bold and faucy, the rather becaufe 
 they faw that the magiftrates, hearing that J. Camm and 
 J. Audland not only had kept a meeting at Briflington, 
 but alfo had vifited fome in their houfes at Briftol, had bid 
 them to depart the town. 
 
 Now the riotous multitude did not ftick to ru(h violently 
 into the houfes of the Quakers, fo called, at Briftol, nixler 
 a pretence of preventing treafonable plottings. And wher> 
 fome in zeal told the priefts, thefe were the fruits of their 
 do6lrine, they incited the people the more, and induced 
 the magiftratc^s to imprifon fome of thofe called Quakers* 
 This inftigated the rabble to that degree, that naw chef 
 
 A' 
 
»44 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THl 
 
 [1654 
 
 thought they had full liberty to ufe all kind of infolencc 
 Kgaiuft the (aid people; beating, finiring, pufliing, and 
 -""ten treading upon them, till blood was fhcd : for they 
 • become a prey to every malapert fellow, as a people 
 i. at were without the proteaion.of the law. This often 
 caufed a tumult in the town ; and fome faid (not without 
 good rcA(on) that the apprentices durfl: not have left their 
 work, had not their mailers given them leave. And a 
 certain perfon informed the mayor and aldermen upon his 
 oath, that he had heard. an apprentice fay, that they had 
 leave from their matters and were encouraged ; for alder- 
 maa George Hdlier had fliid, he would die rather than 
 any of rhe'apprertices Ihould go to prifon. Now an order 
 of feffions came forth, that the conftables do once in every 
 fortnight, make diligent fearch within their feveral wards, 
 for alf Grangers and fufpicious perfons ; and that all people 
 be forewarned not to be prefent at any tumult, or other 
 unlawful affembly, or gather into companies or multitudes 
 in the ftreets, on pain of being puniflied according to law. 
 But this order was to little purpofe, for the t\imultuous 
 companies and riots continued ; and once when a procla- 
 mation was read in the name of the Lord Proteftor, re- 
 quiring every one to depart, fome of the rioters were 
 heard to fay, 'What do you tell us of a Proteftor? tell 
 us of King Charles-' In the mean-while the Quakers, fo 
 called, were kept in prifon, and it plainly appeared that 
 the order againfl: unlawful affemblies was levelled againft 
 their meetings: and though the magiftrates pretended 
 that they mud anfwer for it to the Proreftor, if they did 
 Jet the Quakers alone without difturbing their meetings, 
 •which at that time, for the mod: part, were fileut, and 
 nothing was fpoken, but when now and then one of their 
 ininifters from abroad vifited them-, yet this was not at all 
 agreeable with the Proteftor's fpeech he made on the 1 2th 
 of the month called September, to the parliament, in the 
 painted chamber, where he fpoke thcfe words: 
 
 *Is not liberty of confcience in religion a fundamental ? 
 fo long as there is liberty for the fupreme magiftrate, to 
 cxercife his confcience in crefting what form of church 
 
 ^654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS.' 
 
 HS 
 
 government he is fatisfied he fhould fet up, why fliould he 
 not give it to others ? Liberty of confcience is a natural 
 right, and he that would have it, ought to give it, having 
 liberty to fettle what he likes for the publick. Indeed 
 that hath been the vanity of our contefts : every feft faith, 
 Giye me liberty ; but give it him, and to his power he 
 will not yield it to any body elfe. Where is our ingenuity? 
 Truly that is a thing that ought to be very reciprocal. 
 1 he magiflrate hath his fupremacy, and he may fettle re- 
 ligion according to his confcience. And I may fay to you^ 
 I can fay it, all the money in the nation would not have 
 tempted men to fight upon fuch . an account as they have 
 engaged, if they had not had hopes of liberty, better than 
 they had from epifcopacy, or than would have been 
 afforded them from a Scottifh Prefbytery, or an Englifh 
 either, if it had made fuch fteps, or been as fliarp'and 
 rigid as it threatened when it was firft fet up. This I fay- 
 is a fundamental : it ought to be fo. It is for us and the 
 generations to come.' 
 
 Cromwell fpoke more in confirmation hereof; and in- 
 deed he would have been a brave man, if really he had 
 performed what he affcrted with binding arguments. But 
 though now he feemed to difapprove the behaviour of 
 Prefbytery (for then hq was for Independency), yet after 
 fome time he courted the Preibytcrians ; and thefe fawnino- 
 upon him from the pulpit, as their preferver and the re"^ 
 ftorer of the church, he fuffered the Quakers to be perfe- 
 cuted under h[s government (though he pretended not to 
 know it J, when he might eafily have ftopt it. But by 
 hearkeiiing to the flatteries of the clergy, at length be loft 
 his credit, even with.,,thofe who with him had fought for 
 the common liberty ; and thus at laft befel him after his 
 death, what he feemed to have imprecated on himfelf in 
 the foregoing fpeech, if he departed from allowing due 
 liberty. For he farther faid, that many of the people had 
 been neceffitated to go into the vaft. howling wildernefs in 
 New England, for the enjoyment of their hberty; and 
 that liberty was a fundamental of the government ; adding, 
 that it had coft much blood to have it fo, and even the 
 Vol. I, K . 
 
 i 
 
 
146 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1654 
 
 ^654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 li 
 
 hazarding of all. And in the conclufion he faid, that he 
 could fooner be willing to be rolled into his grave, and 
 buried with infamy, than give his confent to the wiltul 
 throwing away of that government ; fo teftified unto m 
 the fundamentals of it. Now who knows not what mfamy 
 befel him afterwards, when in the reign of King Charles 
 the fecond, it is faid, his corpfc was digged up, and buried 
 near the gallows, as may be farther mentioned m its due 
 
 place? , , , . .- 
 
 But I return now to Briflol, where feveral were kept m 
 orifon ftill, and no liberty granted them ; nay, they were 
 even charged with what they utterly denied themfelves to 
 be guilty of. Among thefe, one John Worring was ac- 
 cufed of having called the prieft, Samuel Grimes, a devil : 
 but Worring denied this, though he did not ftick to fay. 
 he could prove fomewhat like it by his own words. And 
 it being alked him how, he anfwercd, that the pricft had 
 tiidatthe meeting, that in all things he did, he finned ; 
 and if in all things, then a: well in his preaching, as in 
 other things ; and he that fmncth is of the devil. It you 
 will not believe me, believe the Scriptures. It inay be 
 cafilv conieftured that this anfwer did not plcafe the 
 prieils' followers, and therefore Worring and fome others 
 were kept in prifon : and among thefe alfo Elizabeth 
 Marfhall, who in the ftceple-houfe, after the pneft Joha 
 Knowls had difraiffed the people with what is called the 
 blcffing, fpoke to him, and faid, ' This is ,he word of the 
 Lord to thee. I warn thee to repent, and to mind the 
 lieht of Chrift in thy confcicnce.' And when the people, 
 by order of the magiftratcs then prefent, violently affaulted 
 her eivin? her many blows with ftaves and cudgels, Ihs 
 cried out," ' The mighty day of the Lord is at hand 
 wherein he will ftrike terror on the wicked. Some time 
 before, fhc fpoke alfo in the fteeple-houfe to the prielt 
 Ralph Farmer, after he had ended his fermon and prayer, 
 and faid, ' This is the word of the Lord to thee. Wo, 
 wo wo from the Lord to them who take the. word ot the 
 Lcffd in their mouths, and the Lord never fent them. 
 
 '47 
 
 A good while after this, the magiftrates gave out the 
 following warrant : 
 
 t 
 
 City of Briftol. 
 
 ' To all ilie conftables within this city, and to every of 
 them. 
 
 ' Forafmuch as information hath been given us, that 
 John Camm, and John Audland, two (Irangers, who were 
 commanded to depart this city, have, in contempt of au- 
 thority, come into this city again, ro the diflurbance of 
 the publick peace: thefe are therefore to will and require 
 you forthwith to apprehend them, and bring them before 
 us to be examined, according to law. Given this 22d of 
 January 1654, Signed, 
 
 William Cann, Richard Vickers, Dept. Mayor, 
 
 Jofeph Jackfon, Henry Gibbs, 
 
 Gabriel Sherman, John Lock. 
 
 Camm and Audland had departed the town before this 
 time, having never been commanded (as the warrant faith) 
 to depart the city, either by the magiftrates themfelves, or 
 by any other at their command ; though F. Howgill and 
 E. Burrough had been required to do fo. So this warrant 
 proving ineffectual,, the magiftrates caufed another to be 
 formed in thefe words: 
 
 City of Rriftol. 
 
 * To the conftables of the peace of the ward of ■ 
 
 and to every of them. 
 
 ' Forafmuch as information hath been given us upoa 
 oath, that certain perfons of the Francifcan order in Rome, 
 have of late come over into England, and under the notion 
 of Quakers, drawn together feveral multitudes of people 
 in London ; and whereas certain ftrangers, going under 
 the names of John Camm, John Audland, George Fox, 
 James N'ayler, Francis Howgill, and Edward Burrough, 
 and others unknown, have lately rcforted to this city, and 
 in like manner, under the notion of Quakers, drawa mul- 
 
 K 2 
 
 I' 
 
 i 
 
 l« 
 
14$ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i6s4 
 
 ?654l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 tiiudes df people after tbem, and occafioned very great 
 difturbances amongft us ; and forafmuch as by the laid 
 information it appeareth to us to be very probable, and 
 much to be fufpefted, that the faid perfons fo lately come 
 hither, are fome of thofe that came from Rome, as aiorc- 
 faid ; thefe are therefore in the name of his highnels, the 
 lord proteftor, to will and require you to niake diligent 
 fearch through your ward for the aforefaid Itrangers, or 
 any of them, and all other fufpefted perfons, and to appre- 
 hend and bring them before us, or fome of us, to be ex- 
 amincd and dealt with according to law : hereof fail you 
 not. Given the 25th of Jan. 1654. Signed, 
 John Gunning, Mayor, William Cann, 
 
 149 
 
 Gabriel Sherman, 
 Henry Gibbs, 
 George Hellier, 
 Gabriel Sherman, 
 
 Jofcph Jackfon, 
 John Lock, 
 Richard Vickris. 
 
 Hereunto thefe magiftrates affixed their feals ; and that 
 alderman Sherman might be fure his name was down, he 
 wrote it twice- How frivolous this pretence of perfons ot 
 the Francifcan order was, even a child might perceive ; for 
 the Quakers were by this time fo multiplied in the North 
 of England, that they could no more be looked upon as 
 an unknown people. And as for G. Fox and James 
 Nayler, they had not yet been at Briftol, and therefore it 
 feeraed abfurd to feek for them there. But it was thought 
 expedient to brand the Quakers, with odious names, that 
 to under the cloke thereof, they might be perfecuted as 
 difturbers of the publick peace: as appeared when one 
 Thomas Robcrtfon, and Jofiah Cole, being at Nicholas 
 ^fteeple-houfc, and (landing both ftill without fpeaking a 
 word, until the prieft Hazzard had ended, and difmiflcd 
 the people, were very rudely treated ; for Thomas then 
 lifting up his voice, was prefendy, even when the word 
 ^as yet in his mouth, ftruck on the head by many, as was 
 alfohis companion, though he did not attempt to fpeak. 
 But Thomas, after being a little recovered of a heavy 
 blow, began to fpeak again, and faid to the people, 
 * Tretnble before the Lord, and the word of his holinels. 
 
 But this fo kindled their anger, that they' were botlx 
 hurried out of the fteeple-houfe, and with great rage 
 driven to the mayor's, who commanded them both to 
 Newgate prifon. 
 
 Not long after one Jeremy Hignel, being in his fliop 
 attending his calling, was fcnt for by the mayor and alder- 
 men, to come before them ; which he prefently doing, the 
 mayor aiked him whether he knew where he was; he 
 anfwered he did. Then the mayor afked where ; he re- 
 plied, ' In the prefence of the Lord.' ' Are you not,* 
 laid the mayor, * in the prefence of the Lord's juftices ?' 
 his anfwer was, * If you be the Lord's juftices, I am/ 
 Whereupon one of the aldermen faid, without any more 
 words paffing at that time, * We fee what he is ; take 
 him away to Newgate.' For fince he did not take off his 
 hat, it was concluded he was a Quaker, and this was 
 counted caufe enough to fend him to prifon i and fo he 
 was immediately brought thither, where the keeper re« 
 ceived him without a mittimus, and kept him clofe prifoner 
 nineteen days, permitting none to come to him but his 
 wife. 
 
 No better was the treatment of Daniel Waftfield, who 
 being fent for by the mayor, appeared before him, and 
 alderman Vickris ; then the mayor faid to him, ' Waft- 
 field come hither;' and he thereupon drawing near, the 
 mayor aiked him three feveral times, * What art thou ?' 
 Though he knew him well enough, having called him by 
 his name, as above faid. Waftfield anfwered, M am a 
 man.' ' But what's thy name ?' faid the mayor. ' My 
 name is Daniel Waftfield,' anfwered he. Then faid the 
 mayor to one of his officers, * Take him and carry him to 
 Newgate;' further adding, that he came thither to con- 
 temn juftice ; to which Waftfield replied, ' No, I came 
 hither in obedience to thy order ;* for the mayor had fent 
 for him^ as hath been faid. Thus he was carried. away 
 without a mittimus, the mayor faying his word was a rait* 
 timus ; and he was kept a clofe prifoner thirty-three days, 
 and none fuffered to come to him but his fervants, notwith- 
 ftanding he was a widower, and muft now leave his houfe 
 
 
 I 
 
 K 
 
 i 
 
ISO 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C»654 
 
 '^54] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 »5» 
 
 and trade to their management ; and a child of his died in 
 the mean-while, and was buried, and he kept from 
 
 ^ The mamftrates having thus begun perfecution, became 
 from timc^ to time more vigorous in it, infom|ich that 
 fcveral others were imprifoned, and among thcfeChriltoplier 
 Birkhead, who ftand.ng Hill in Nicholas' fteeple-houfe 
 with his hat on, and being afked by the pneft R^Jpti 
 Farmer what he (lood there for ; anfwered, 1 Itand m 
 obedience to the righteous law of God in my confcience ; 
 I have neither offended the law of God, nor of the nation. 
 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land. 
 More he would have fpoken, but was (lopped with beating 
 and thruRing, and fo carried to prifon. r .• ^ 
 
 Now the magirtrates were not a little incited to perfecution 
 by the faid Farmer ; and there being feveral that were 
 very bold, they did not ftick to ivrite Iharp letters to him ; 
 and his indecent carriage was alfo told him to his face, by 
 ^ord of mouth, in the fteeple-houfe after f<^™^;| ' ^"^ 
 thofe who did fo, were fcnt to pnfon. At length thcle 
 prifoners were brought to trial; and fuKe it could not be 
 moved that they had tranfgreffed any law, feme ot the 
 magiflrates feemed inclined to fet them at liberty if they 
 would have declared that they were forry for what they 
 had done. Among them was alfo one William Foord, 
 and nothing material being found againft him, but that he 
 was one of thofe called Quakers, he was accufed of havmg 
 kept a ftranger at work ; which he however efteemed to 
 be lawful, fmce his trade of wool-combmg did not belong 
 to the company of milliners, who complained of him. Yet 
 he was alked whether he was forry for what he had done; 
 which denying, as well as thofe who had reproved the 
 priefts, he that was not guilty, was fent to prifon again, 
 as well as thofe that were pretended to be fo. Among 
 thefe laft was alfo Sarah Goldfmith, who, from a we 1- 
 n^eant zeal to teflify againft pride, having a coat of lack- 
 cloth, and her hair diftievelled, with earth or duft ftrewcd 
 on her head, had gone through the city without receiving 
 any confiderable harm from the people becaufe lomc 
 looked upon her to be crack-brained, i here was alio 
 
 one Temperance Hignel, who having faid in the fteeple- 
 houfe to the prieft, after he had ended his fermon, ' Wo 
 from the Lord God to thee, Jacob Brint,' was prefcntly 
 ftruck down; and fo violently abufed, that blood ran 
 down her face, and (he being committed to prifon, fel! fick ; 
 and when they faw her life was in danger, (he was carried 
 • out in a baiket, and died three days after. The reafon 
 file gave, when in prifon, why fhe fpoke in that manner 
 to the prieft was, that he had fcarce any hearers, but 
 what were fwearers, drunkards, ftrikers, fighters, and 
 railers, &c. And that therefore his miniftry was in vain, 
 fmce he preached for gain ; whereas he himfelf ought to 
 have brought forth good fruits. 
 
 How long the others were kept in prifon, I do not 
 know certainly ; however, it was a pretty long time ; for 
 George Biftiop, and Dennis Hollifter, who formerly had 
 been a member of the parliament, and three others, put 
 all thefe tranfaftions in writing at large, and fent it to the 
 magiftrates, in hopes that thereby they might fee the evil 
 of perfecution ; but this proving in vain, they gave it out 
 in print five months after, that fo every one might know 
 how the Briftollers treated their inhabitants, which was to 
 that degree, that an author faid, ^ Was fuch a tyrannical 
 iniquity and cruelty ever heard of in this nation ? Or would 
 the minifters under king Charles have ventured to do fo ? 
 Was not Stafford but a mean tranfgreffor in comparifon of 
 thefe?' And though arehbifhop Laud was beheaded, yet 
 it could not be proved, that the Epifcopalians had perfe- 
 cuted fo fiercely, as thefe pretended afferters of liberty of 
 confcience had done, who being got into poITeffion of the 
 power, did opprefs more than thofe they had driven out. 
 This made the perfecuted, fome of which formerly had 
 alfo fought for the common liberty, the more in earneft 
 againft thofe that were now in authority. 
 
 But I will turn away from Briftol, towards Norwich, 
 whither Richard Hubberthorn, and George Whitehead 
 were gone. Here it happened, that R. Hubberthorn, 
 having fpoken fomething to a prieft in a fteeple-houfe 
 yard, and not having taken off his hat before the magi- 
 Urates, was imprifoned in the caftie, where he was kept 
 
 ^4 
 
 
 m 
 
 4" 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
«5*. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C'6S4 
 
 I 
 
 great part of the following year, und in the mean-while 
 vrrit feveral epiftles of exhortation to his friends ; and his 
 companion G. Whitehead's preaching had fuch effeft, 
 that a meeting of their friends was fettled in that ciiy. 
 
 But before 1 go on, it will be convenient to give fome 
 account of the quality of thefe two perfons : R. Rubber- 
 thorn was born in the North of Lancalhire, and defcended 
 from very honefl parents : his father was a yeoman of 
 good reputation among men, and Richard was his only 
 fon, and from a youth inclined to piety. Being come to 
 man's eftate, he became an officer in the parhament's army, 
 and from a zeal for godlinefs, preached fometimes to his 
 foldiers. But entering afterwards into the fociety of the 
 Quakers fo called, he left his military employment, and 
 teilified pubhckly againft if, for he was now become' a 
 foldier under another banner, viz. that of Chrift Jefus, 
 Prince of Peace ; not fighting as formerly, with the out- 
 ward fword, but with the fword of the Spirit, 'which is the 
 word of God. In his miniftry he had an excellent gift, 
 and though not fo loud in voice as fome others, yet he was 
 a man of a quick underftanding, and very edifying in his , 
 preaching. 
 
 G. Whitehead fwho whilfl I write this is yet alivej, 
 was trained up to learning, and though but a youth, in- 
 ftrafted others in literature, and continued in that calling 
 fometime after be came to be convinced of that Truth 
 which was preached by the profeffors of the light ; and 
 he ftrove to bring up children in the fear of the Lord. 
 But before this change, he was a diligent hearer of the 
 world's teachers, and ufually frequented the fteeple-houfe, 
 at Orton in VVeftmoreland: yet the fmging of David's 
 pfalms became fo burdenfome to him, that fometimes he 
 could not join therewith ; for he faw that David's con- 
 ditions were not generally fuitable to the ftates of a mixed 
 multitude ; and he found himfelf to be Ihort of what they 
 fung. This confideration brought him into fuch a ftrait, 
 that often he durft not fing thofe pfalms the priefts gavf 
 their hearers to fing, left he fhould have told lies unto God. 
 Now alfo he began to fee that the priefts lives and practices 
 did not agree with their doftriaej for tkey themfclves 
 
 f 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 153 
 
 fpoke againft pride and covetoufnefs, and vet lived in them. 
 This likewife made him go to hear fome that were fepa- 
 rated from the national church, and got into a more 
 fpecious form of godlinefs ; but he foon faw, that though 
 there was a difference in the ceremonial part, and that 
 thefe had a more true form of words than the priefts, yet 
 diey were fuch as ran before they were fcnt by God, 
 fpeaking peace to that nature in him, wherein he felt no 
 true peace. And when he was about feventeen years of 
 age, which was in the year 1652, he firft heard the doftrine 
 of Truth preached by thofe that were reproachfully called 
 C^iakers ; and their teftimony wrought fo powerfully on 
 hib mind, that he received it, and fo entered into their 
 communion. Now he found, that to grow up in the true 
 wifdom, and to become wife in the living knowledge of 
 God, he mnft become a fool to that wifdom, wherein he 
 had been feeding upon the tree of knowledge, having in 
 that ftate no right to the tree of life : and he continuing 
 in faithfulnefs, itpleafed the Lord to ordain him a minifter 
 of the gofpel : in which fervice he acquitted himfelf well, 
 to the convincing of others, and the edification of the 
 church. 
 
 / But now leaving him, let us go and fee what happened 
 at Oxford in the year 1654. At the latter end of the 
 month called June, there came two women, named Eliza- 
 beth Heavens, and Elizabeth Fletcher. Thefe fpoke in 
 the ftreets to the people, and in the college they exhorted 
 the fcholars, who wickedly requiting their zeal, violently 
 pufhed Elizabeth Fletcher againft a grave-ftone, and then 
 threw her into the grave ; and their malice grew to that 
 pitch, that they tied thefe two women together, and drove 
 them under the pump; and after their being exceedingly 
 wetted with pumping \vater upon them, they threw them 
 into a miry ditch, through which they dragged Elizabeth 
 Fletcher, who Vvas a young woman, and fo cruelly abufed 
 her, that flie was in a painful condition til! her death, 
 which fell out not long after. Some fhort time after this 
 rude encounter, flie and her companion, on a Firft-day of 
 the week, went into the ftceplehoufc at Oxford, and 
 when the pricft had ended, tiiey began to admoniih the 
 
 v/ 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 hi 
 
 « 
 
»S4 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [1654 
 
 I ( 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 people to qodlincfs : but two juftices there prefent, com- 
 nianded them to be taken into cuilody, and carried to the 
 prifon called Bocardo, where none but felons were ufed 
 to be lodged. The juftices defiring the inagiftrates to meet 
 on this account, the mayor would not meddle with it, 
 but lliid, ' Let thofewho have committed them deal with 
 them according to law, if they have tranfgreffed any ; 
 addin'T that he had nothing to lay againit them ; but that 
 he would provide them with viauals, clothes, or money, 
 if they wanted any. Yet he came into the affembly where 
 thefe women were examined, and whither the vice-chanceU 
 lor of the univerfity was alfo required to come, who charged 
 them, that they blafphemed the name of God, and did 
 abufe the Spirit of God, and difhonoured the grace of 
 Chrift : and ullcing them whether they did read the Scrip- 
 lures, they anfwered yea they did. Then he alked 
 whether they wxre not obedient to the power of the 
 iTiaaiftrate i to which their anfwerwas, they were obedient 
 t(T The power of God, and to the power that was of God 
 they were fubjcc^ for confcicnce-fake. ' Well,' faid the 
 vice-chancellor, * you profane the word of God, and I 
 fear you know not God, though you fo much fpcak of 
 him.' Then the women being made to withdraw, it was 
 concluded that there was matter enough for their commit- 
 ment and puniftiment, and agreed that a paper fliould be 
 drawn up for their being whipped out of the city. Whea 
 this was done, it was prefejited to the mayor to fet his 
 hand to it ; but he refufed, and faid he was not willing 
 to do fo. Then one of the juftices faid, that it was the 
 privilege of the city, that if any vagrant was taken within 
 the franchifes and liberties thereof, a paper muft be drawn 
 up, that fuch a one, mayor, had committed fuch and Inch 
 perfons ; and that then it was to be fealed with the office 
 fcal. But the mayor refufed this as well as the other. 
 Which made fome fay, that if he would not, it fhould be 
 done by them. And then it was agreed upon, that they 
 ftould be whipped foundly ; which was performed the 
 next mornii.g, though with much unwillingnefs in the exe- 
 cutic ner : and the mayor had no hand in it. 
 
 But leaving thcfc, I will turn to another, one Barbiua 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ^SS 
 
 Blaugdone, of whom mention hath already been made, 
 that die was one of ihofe that received the Truth, by the 
 miniftry of John Audland and John Camm. She was from 
 her youtlvincHned to godlinefs, and her employment was 
 to inftruft children. But being entered into the fociety of 
 thofe called Quakers, flie became plain, both in fpeech 
 and habit, and thereupon the children flie taught, were 
 taken from her ; and, going fometimes into the fteeple- 
 houfes, to bear teftimony againft their formalities, flie was 
 put in prifon, and kept there a quarter of a year at a time. 
 Aftervvards (lie led a very fevere life, and abftained from 
 all flefli, wine, and beer, drinking only water for the fpace 
 of a whole year. In the mean-while fliew grew up and 
 profpered in true piety. Once it happened, that coming 
 from a meeting that was at George Bifliop's houfe at 
 Briftol, a rude fellow ran a knife, or lomc fharp inftrument, 
 through all her.clodies, into the fide of her belly, which 
 if it had gone but a little farther, might have killed her. 
 Then flie went to Marlborough, where, exhorting people, 
 in the fteeple-houfe and other places, to fear God, Ihe was 
 put into prifon for the fpace of fix weeks, and there Ihe 
 fafted feveral days and nights. When flie was releafed, 
 file went to Ifaac Burges, the man that committed her, 
 and difcourfing with him, he was really convinced of the 
 Truth, but could not refolve to take up the crofs ; yet he 
 was afterwards very loving to her friends, and ftood by 
 them upon all occaiions, never more perfecuting any of 
 them: and coming fome time after to Briftol, he went to 
 her houfe and confefled, that he knew her do£^rine was 
 Truth, but that he could not take up the crofs to walk in 
 that way. A while after flie went into Devonfliire, to 
 Moulton, Barnftapic, and Biddeford, in all which places a 
 prifon was her lot. She went alfo to him, that after was 
 earl of Bath, where, being acquainted, flie had formerly 
 vainly fpent much time, but now flie was moved to call 
 this family to leave off their vanity. And flie afked to 
 fpeak with the lady ; but one of the fervants that knew 
 her, bid her go to the back-door, and their lady would 
 come forth that way, to go into the garden. Barbara 
 being come thither, a great maftiff dog was fct loofe upon 
 
 ii 
 
156 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TUB 
 
 [1654 
 
 t 
 
 her ; and he running fiercely, as if to devour her, turned 
 fuddenly, and went away crying and halting, whereby fhc 
 clearly faw the hand of the Lord in it, to preferve her 
 from this danger. The lady then came and flood dill, 
 hearing what Barbara fpoke, 'and gave her thanks for her 
 exhortation, yet did not invite her to come in, though 
 flie often had been lodged there, and had eaten and drank 
 
 at her table. 
 
 Then Barbara went to Great Torrington, and, going 
 into the fteeple-houfc, fpoke fomewhat to the people by 
 way of exhortation ; but not having fufBcient opportunity 
 to clear herfelf, went to her lodging, and fat to writing. 
 After noon the conftables came to her, and took away what, 
 flie had written, and commanded her to go along with them 
 to their worfhip. To which (he anfwered, that they would 
 not fuffer her to fpeak there, and that flie knew no law 
 that could compel her to go thither twice in a day ; and 
 that they all knew flie was there in the morning. Being 
 thus unwilling to go, the next day the mayor feot for her; 
 when come, flie found him moderate, and loth to fend her 
 to prifon : but the prieft being prefent, was very eager, 
 and faid flie ought to be whipped for a vagabond. She 
 then bid him prove where ever flie aflvcd any one for a bit 
 of bread ; but he fM flie had broken the law by fpeaking 
 in their church; and he fo preffed the mayor, that at 
 length he made him write a mittimus, and fend her to 
 Exeter prifon, which was twenty miles diftant ; there flie 
 remained for fome time, until the aflizes came, but was 
 not brought forth to a trial. And after the feflions were 
 over, flie was put to lodge one night among a great com- 
 pany of gypfies, that were then in prifon ; and the next 
 day the flieriff came with a beadle, who brought her 
 into a room, where he whipped her till the blood ran down 
 her back, and flie never ftartled at a blow; but fang aloud, 
 and was made to rejoice that flie was counted worthy 10 
 fufler for the name of the Lord ; which made the beadle 
 (iiy, * Do ye fmg? I will make you cry by and by ;' and 
 with that he laid ou fo hard, that one Ann Speed feeing 
 this, began to weep ; but Barbara was ftrengthcned by 
 an uncommon and more than human power, fo that flic 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (itTAKfiftS. 
 
 157 
 
 afterwards declared if flic had been whipped to death in 
 the ftate ftie then was, flie fliould not have been terriSed 
 or difmayed. And the flieriff* feeing that all the wrath of 
 man could not move her, bid the fellow leave off ftriking; 
 and then Ann Speed was fufFered to drefs her fliripes. 
 The next day flie was turned out with all the gypfies, and 
 the beadle followed her two miles out of the town : but 
 as foon as he left her, flie returned back, and went into 
 the prifon to fee her friends that were prifoners there, and 
 having vifitcd them, flie went home to Briftol. / 
 
 But by the way coming to Biddeford, ftie w^as taken up, 
 and put into the town-hall, and fearched to fee whether flie 
 had cither knife or fciflars about her. Next day flie was 
 brought before the mayor, who difcourfing m.uch with 
 her, had a fenfe of what ftie fpoke to him; and at lafl: he 
 fet open two doors, one right againft the other, and faid 
 he would give her, her choice, which ftie would go out at; 
 whether fhe would go forth to prifon again, or go home. 
 And ftie told him, that ftie would choofe liberty rather than 
 bonds. So flie went homeward, and then he took his 
 horfe and followed ; and overtaking her, -would have had 
 her ride behind him ; but when any whom he knew met 
 them, he would flacken his pace ; and as foon as they 
 were paflTed, he came up a^ain to her ; w^hich flie per- 
 ceiving, refufed to ride behind him ; yet he rode three or 
 four miles with her, and difcourfed all the way: and 
 when they parted, flie kneeled doj\^n and prayed for him, 
 all which time he was very ferioqs, and afterwards grew 
 very foHd and fober. She writ once to him; but not long 
 after, he died. 
 
 Being come home, ftie was moved to go to Bafingftoke, 
 to endeavour to obtain liberty for^wo of her friends, viz. 
 Thomas Robinfon, and Ambrofe Rigg, who were taken 
 up at the firft: meeting that their friends had had there. 
 But when flie came thither the entrance of the prifon was 
 denied her. And ftie having a letter from John Camm to 
 them, put it in at the chink of the door, and then ftie 
 went to the mayor to defue their liberty ; he told her, that 
 ^f he few the letter which ftie brought them, they ftioiild 
 have their liberty. She then faid he fticuld fee it ; and f» 
 
158 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1654 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 *59 
 
 went and fetched it ; which he having read, told her, that 
 Ihe (hould have her brethren out; but that he could not 
 Jet them out prefently. Yet it was not long before her 
 friends had their liberty. 
 
 Now leaving Barbara for fome time, we return to Miles 
 Halhead. In theFirft month of this prefent year, he was 
 moved to go to Ireland, and declare the word of the Lord 
 there; and fpeaking of this to James Lancafter, and Miles 
 Bateman, they quickly refolved to keep him company^ and 
 fo they went for Ireland; where they proclaimed the 
 Truth in cities, towns, villages, and before magiflrates, as 
 occafion offered ; and their teftimony was received by 
 many. After they had difcharged themfelves, they re- 
 turned to tngland, where Miles foon found himfelf moved 
 to go to Scotland. In his way thither, he met his friend 
 James Lancafter, who was very free to go with him; and 
 fo they went into Scotland ; but were not the firft of thofe 
 called Quakers in that country; for Chriftopher Fell, 
 George VVilfon, and John Grave, had been there before; 
 fo that a little church of thofe of their communion, was 
 already planted in that kingdom, before Halhead went 
 thither : and one Alexander Hamilton had, a year before 
 ever any Quakers appeared in Scotland, erefted a meeting 
 at Drumbowy, and alfo at Heads, and he received their 
 teftimony when they came there, as alfo his^ wife Joan, 
 James Gray, James Miller, and others. I Hod alfo that 
 Scotland was early vifited by Catherine Evans, and Sarah 
 Cheevers, two eminent women, of whom fomething extra- 
 ordinary is to be related in its due lime. 
 
 But I return to J. Lancafter, and Miles Halhead, who 
 being come to Dumfries, went on a Firft-day of the week 
 into the fteeple-houfe in that town, where feeing many 
 people gathered together, howling and crying, and making 
 great lamentation, as if they had been touched with a fenfe 
 of their fms. Miles was filent until their worfhip was done; 
 but then, bein^ grieved with their deceit and hypocrify, 
 fpoke as he was ' moved ; but met with great oppofition, 
 many of the people being in fuch a rage, that they drove 
 him and his companion out of the town, hear to the fide 
 of a great river ; and it was intended that the women of 
 
 the town fhould ftone them ; but they prevented this by- 
 wading through the river. 
 
 Being thus fafcly palTed the water, they went to Edin- 
 burgh and Leith, where they ftaid about ten days. Daring 
 that time. Miles fpoke to the people when occafion offered ; 
 as alfo to the garrifons, and to the captains and officers of 
 the army, who were much afFe6led, and confefTed that the 
 Lord had been very good unto them ; for Miles's mefTage 
 was, that the anger of the Lord was kindled againft them, 
 becaufe they had not performed their promifes, which they 
 made to him in the day of their diftrefs, when their enemies 
 encompaffed them on every fide ; for then the Lord de- 
 livered them, and gave them viiftory ; but they had returned 
 him evil for good, and committed violence againft thofe he 
 fent to declare his word amongft them. This being told 
 them at large by Miles, he went to Glafgow and Stirling^ 
 where he alfo fpoke as he was moved ; and fo returned to 
 England. 
 
 But before I leave Scotland, I may fay, that as the firft 
 meetings were kept at Drumbowy, and Heads, fo it was 
 not long ere meetings were fettled alfo at Garfhore, at 
 Edinburgh, and alfo at Aberdeen. The firft Scotch 
 preachers of fhofe called Quakers, I find to have been 
 William OftDorn, Richard Ree, and Alexander Hamilton, 
 already mentioned. Of the faid Hamilton, I may mention 
 a fin2:ular inftance : after he and his wife, with her and 
 his fifter, had feparated themfelves from the fociety of the 
 Independants, it happened that Thomas Charters, a teacher 
 of that fe^l, at Kilbride, not from Drumbowy, feeing that 
 he could nor draw Hamilton, and thofe of his family back 
 again, threatened them with excommunication, and ap- 
 pointed a day for it, giving notice thereof to Hamilton 
 fome days beforehand. Hamilton warned him to forbear, 
 or eife the anger of God would feize on him. But he 
 anfwered, ' It is but Alexander Hamilton that faith io.* 
 To which Hamilton returned in the prefence of many wit- 
 neffes, that it was not only he, but what he had faid was 
 of the Lord. But Charters perfifting in what he intended, 
 and walking two days before the appointed time in the 
 fteeple-houfc yard, where his horfQ was feeding, ftepped 
 
 I 
 
i6o 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1654 
 
 to him to ftroke him; but the horfe growing wanton, 
 gave Charters fuch a violent kick on his iidc, that he died 
 about the fame hour which was appointed by him for the 
 excommunication. Whether this cafe happened in the 
 year I now defcribe, I am not certain ; but however, it 
 was either .in, or near it. 
 
 This year Miles Halhead came to Berwick in Northum- 
 berland, and went to the mayor of that town, and fpoke to 
 him in his (hop thus : ' Friend, hear what the fervant of 
 the Lord hath to fay unto thee. Give over perfecuting 
 the Lord's fervanis, whom he doth fend in love to this 
 town of Berwick, to fliew you the way that leads to life 
 eternal. I charge thee, O man, touch not the Lord's 
 anointed, nor do his prophets any harm, left thou procure 
 the anger of the living eternal God againft thee.' This 
 bold language fo offended the mayor, that he fent Miles 
 to prifon, where he was about ten weeks, and then was 
 brought to the feflions, tvhere a bill drawn up againft him, 
 was read in open court: but he denied the contents thereof, 
 yet faid, ' But what I faid to the mayor of this town, F 
 ^'ill not deny.' And then he related the aforefaid words 
 he fpoke to the mayor. Whereupon the recorder faid,. 
 * Sirs, as I underftand by his own \vords, if he cannot 
 prove the mayor of the town a perfecutor, in my judgment 
 he hath wronged him.' To this Miles anfwered, ' If the 
 mayor of this town of Berwick, dare fay in the prefence 
 of the Lord, whofe prefence is here, that he is no perle- 
 cutor, but the perfecuting nature is flain in him, I will be 
 willing to abide the judgment of the court.' Then the 
 clerk of the court faid, ' Mr. Mayor, if you will fay that 
 you are no perfecutor, but the perfecuting nature is fiain 
 in you, he is willing to abide the judgment of the court.' 
 To this the mayor anfwered, ' I know not what to do ; 
 I would 1 had never fcen him ; I pray you, let him go, 
 and let us be no more troubled with him.' Then Miles 
 fi\id that he would prove this mayor of Berwick the greateft 
 perfecutor in town or country. ' I was once [thus he 
 went on] committed to the prifon in this town before, by 
 fome of the juftices that are now in this court ; but thou, 
 O man, haft exceeded them all 5 thou. haft, committed me. 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (RAKERS. 
 
 161 
 
 and kept me in clofe prifon for about ten weeks, for 
 fpeaking to thy own perfon, in thy own fhop. Now I 
 make my appeal to the recorder of this town of Berwick, 
 as I am a freeborn Englilhman, whether my imprifonment 
 be legal, according to the law of this nation, or not ?' 
 Then the recorder of the town ftood up and faid, ' It is 
 not yery leg^l for any minifter of the law to imprifon any 
 man'in his own caufe.' Then the court cried, « Take 
 him away.' The chief prieft of the town then ftood, and 
 defired the court that he might aflc Miles one queftion ; 
 to this Miles faid, ' The Lord knows thy heart, O man, 
 and at this prefcnt has revealed thy thoughts to his fer- 
 vant; and therefore now I know thy heart alfo, thou 
 high prieft, and the queftion thou wouldft aflc me: and if 
 thou wilt promife me before the court, that if I tell thee 
 the queftion thou wouldft afk me, thou wilt deal plainly 
 with me, I will not only tell thee thy query, but I will 
 anfwer it.' Then the prieft faid he would. Then Miles 
 proceeded: 'Thy queftion is this: thou wouldeft know 
 whether I own that Chrift that died at Jerufalem, or not ?* 
 To this the prieft wondering, faid, ' Truly that is the 
 queftion.' Then Miles faid, * According to my promife, 
 1 will anfwer it before this court : in the prefence of the 
 Lord God of heaven, I own no other Chrift than him 
 that died at Jerufalem, and made a good confeffion before 
 Pontius Pilate, to be the light and way that leads fallen man 
 out of fin and evil, up to God eternal, bleffed for evermore.' 
 More queftions were not alked him, but the gaoler was 
 commanded to take him away. Yet within a ftiort time, 
 the court gave order to releafe him. Then going to New- 
 caftle, he returned to his wife and children at Mount-joy, 
 where we will leave him for fgme. time, and in the mean- 
 while return again to G. Fox, whom we left at Cynder-hill- 
 green, from hence he travelled up and down in Yorklhire, 
 as far as Holdernefs, vifiting his friends, and finding the 
 churches in a flouriftiing ftate. To relate all his occur- 
 rences there, would be beyond my pale. 
 
 Paffing then through the countries, he went to Lin- 
 colnfhire, and to the meeting where he was, came the 
 ftieriff of Lincoln, who made great contention for. a timej 
 Vol. L l # 
 
 I 
 

 161 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1654 
 
 >654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 163 
 
 but at length the power of the Lord fo reached him, that 
 he was convinced of the Truth, as were fcvcral oihers 
 alfo that did oppofe him. 
 
 Whilft G. Fox was in this country, the church ot ius 
 friends increafed, and many received thedoftrine prenchcd 
 bv him, and amongft thefc, was one fir Rich;ird \\ rey, 
 uith his brother, and the brother's wife, who both con- 
 tinued ftedfaft till they died ; but fir Richard found this 
 way fo narrow, that he afterwarJs ran out ; ior perlc- 
 cution in that time fell fo faft on thofc called Quakers, 
 that none could abide in their fociety, but fuch as were 
 willing to hazard all. 
 
 G. Fox now went to Derbyfhire, and the abovelaid 
 fheriffof Lincoln tnivellinj^ with him, they came intoNot- 
 tin<Thamniire, and fo into the Peak country, where havmg 
 a meeting at Thomas Hammerlly's, feveral ranters came 
 and oppofed him; and when he reproved them for fwear- 
 ing, they faid, Abraham, Jacob, and jofeph f^^vo^e But 
 though G. Fox did not deny this, yet he faid, < Chrift (who 
 faid before Abraham was, I am) faith. Swear not at 
 all And Chrift ends the prophets, as alfo the old pridt- 
 hood and the difpcnfation of Mofes; and he reigns over 
 the houfc of Jacob, and of Jofeph, and ^liih, S^^'ear not 
 at all. And God when he bringeth in the firft-begotten 
 into the world, faith. Let all the angels of God worfliip 
 him to wit, Chrift Jcfus, who faith. Swear not at ail. 
 And as for the plea that men make for fwearing to end 
 their ftrife, Chrift, who fiiys, Swear not at all, ddtroys 
 the devil and his works, who is the author of llnic ; tor 
 that is one of his works. And God faid, 1 his is my be- 
 loved Son, in whom I am well pleafed, hear ye him. 
 So the Son is to be heard, who forbids fwearing : and 
 the apoftlc James, who did hear the Son of God, and 
 followed him, and preached him, forbids alfo all oacas. 
 ' Thus G. Fox prevailed, and many were convinced that day. 
 it is remarkable that Thomas Hammerfley,beingiummoned 
 upon a jury, was admitted to fcrve without an oath ; 
 and when he being foreman brought in the verdi^, th. 
 ludae did declare, that he had been a judge fo many years, 
 iHit" never heard a more upright verdift than that the 
 Quaker had then brought in. 
 
 G. Fox travelling on, came to Swanington, in Leieefter- 
 (hire, where there was a general meeting, to which many 
 of his friends came from feveral parts, and among thefc, 
 J. Audland, and F. Howgill, from Briftol ; and E. Bur- 
 rough from London. After thi^, G. Fox came to Twy- 
 crofs, and fomc ranters there fang and danced before him ; 
 but he reproved them fo earneftly, that forae of them wtrc 
 reached, and became modeft and fobcr. 
 
 Then he went to Drayton, his birth-place, to vifit his 
 relations; where Nathaniel Stevens the pricft, having 
 gotten another prieft, fent for him. G. Fox having been 
 three years abroad, knew nothing of their defign, but yet 
 at laft he went to the fteeple-houfe yardi, where the two 
 priefts had gathered abundance of people ; and they would 
 have had him gone into the fteeple-houfe : but he afked 
 them, what he (hould do there; and it was anfwered him> 
 Mr. Stevens could not bear the cold. At which G. Fok 
 faid, ' He may bear it as well as L* At laft they went 
 into a great hall, R. Farnfworth being with him, where 
 they entered into a difpute with the priefts, concerning 
 their praftice, how contrary it was to Chrift and his 
 apoftles. The priefts aiked where tithes were forbidden, 
 or ended ; whereupon G. Fox fhewcd them out of the 
 Epiftle to the Hebrews, chap. vii. that not only tithes, but 
 the priefthood, that took tithes, was ended ; and that the 
 law was ended and difannulled, by wdiich the priefthood 
 was made, and tithes were commanded to be paid. More- 
 over, he, knowing Stevens's condition, laid open his man- 
 ner of preaching, fliewing, that he, like the reft of the 
 priefts,^ did apply the promifes to the firft birth, which 
 mufi die ; whereas the promif«?s were to the feed, not to 
 many feeds, but to the one feed, Chrift, who was one in 
 male and feniale : for all were to be born again, before 
 they could enter into the kingdom of God. Then Stevens 
 faid, that he muft not judge fo. But G. Fox told hrm, he 
 that was fpiritual judged all things. Stevens confeffed, 
 that this was a full fcripture: but 'Neighbours,* faid he, 
 * this is the bufmefs ; G. Fox is come to the light of the 
 fun, and now he thinks to put out my ftar-light.* To 
 this G. Fox returned, that he would not quench the kail 
 
 L 2 
 
i64 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1654 
 
 nicafurc of God in any, much lefs put out his flar^light, 
 if it were true liar-light, light from the morning ftar : but 
 that if he had any thing from Chrifl, or God, he ought to 
 fpeak it freely^ and not, take tithes from the people for 
 preaching ; feeing Chrift commanded his minifters to give 
 freely, as they had received freely. But Stevens faid, he 
 would not yield to that. 
 
 This difpute being broke off for that time, was taken up 
 again a wec:k after by eight prielh, in the prefence of many 
 people : and when they faw that G. Fox remained un- 
 Ihaken, they fawningly faid, ' What might he have been 
 if it had not been for the Quakers !' Afterwards the dif- 
 pute was refumdl in the fteeple-hcufe yard, where G. 
 Fox fhewed, by abundance of Scriptures, that they who 
 preached for wages were falfe prophets and hirelings ; 
 and that fuch who would not preach without wages or 
 tithes, did not ferve the Lord Jefus Chrift, but their own 
 bellies. This he treated, on fo largely, that a profcffor 
 faid, * George,' what! wilt thou never have done ?' To 
 this his anfwer was, that 'he fliould have done (hortly." 
 And when he broke off, one of the priefts foid, they would 
 read the Scriptures he had quoted. ' With :ill my heart;' 
 faid he : then they began to read Jer. xxiil. and when 
 they had read a verfe or two, George faid, 'Take notice, 
 people.' But the priefts cried, ' Hold thy tongue, George.' 
 He then bid them read the whole chapter throughout ; 
 but they ftopping, alked him a queftion : and he told 
 them, that if the matter he charged them with, was firft 
 granted, then he would anfwer their queftion : for his 
 charge had been, that they were falfe prophets, and falfe 
 teachers, fucl>as the true prophets, Chrift, and his apoftles, 
 cried againft. ' Nay,' faid a profeffor to that : but he 
 faid, ' Yes ; for you, leaving the matter, and going to 
 another thing, feem to confcnt to the proof of the former 
 charge.' Now their queftion was, feeing thofe falfe pro- 
 phets were adulterated, whether he did judge prieft 
 Stevens an adulterer. To this he anfwered, ihat he was 
 adulterated from God in his praftice, fike thofe falfe 
 prophets. 
 
 Then they broke up the meeting, and Stevens defired, 
 
 1654] 
 
 People called c^akers^ 
 
 16 s 
 
 that G. Fox, wuh his father and mother, might go afidc 
 with him, that he might fpeak to him in private. George 
 though his relations yielded to it, was very loth to do fo - 
 yet, that it might not be faid he was difobedient to his 
 parents, he went : but many of the people beine willing to 
 hear, drew clofe to them. Then Stevens faid ; if he was 
 out of the way, George fhould pray for him ; and if 
 George was out of the way, he would pray for him • 
 moreover, that he would give to George a form of words 
 to pray by. To this G. Fox replied, < It feems thou doft 
 not know, whether thou art in the right way or no ; but 
 I know that I am in the cverlafting way, Chrift Jefus 
 which thou art out of: and thou would^ft give me a form 
 of words to pray by, and yet thou denieft the common 
 prayer book to pray by, as well as I. If thou wouldeft 
 have me pray for thee by a form of words, is not this to 
 deny the apoftles' doftrine and praffice of praying by the 
 Spirit as it gave words and utterance ?' Here, though 
 fome of the people fell a laughing, yet others that we'^e 
 grave and fober, were convinced of the Truth, and the 
 priefts. were greatly (haken ; infomuch, that George's 
 father, though he was a hearer and follower of the prieft ' 
 was fo well fatisfied, that, ftriking his cane upon the 
 ground, he faid, ' Truly I fee, he that will but ftand to 
 the Truth, it will carry him out.' 
 
 G. Fox did not ftay long at Drayton, but went to Lei- 
 cefter, and from thence to Whetftone, where a meeting 
 was to be kept ; but before it began, there" came about 
 leventeen troopers, of colonel Hacker's regiment, who 
 taking him up brought him to the faid colonel, where 
 there was alfo his major and captains. Here he entered 
 mto a long difcourfe with them, about the priefts, and 
 about meetings ; for at this time there was a noife of a 
 plot againft Cromwell : and he fpoke alfo much concern- 
 mg the light of Chrift, which cnlighteneth every man that 
 Cometh into the world. The colonel hearing him fpeak thus, 
 afked whether it was the light of Chrift, that made Judas 
 betray his Mafter, and afterwards led him to hang himfelf? 
 G. Foxtold him, 'No; that was the fpirit of darknefs which 
 hated Chrift, andhis light.' Then the colonel faid toGeorge, 
 
 T *» 
 
iff6 
 
 THE HISTORY 6? THE 
 
 [1654 
 
 he might go home, and keep at home, and not go abroad 
 to meetings. But he told him, he was an innocent man, 
 free from plots, and he denied all fuch works. Then 
 the colonel's fon, Needham, faid, ' Father, this^man hath 
 reigned too long ; it is time to have him cut off.' G. Fox 
 afked him for what ? ' What have I done, or whom have I 
 wronged from a child ; and who can accnfe me of any 
 evil ?' Then the colonel alked him, if he would go home, 
 and flay there. To which G. Fox anfwered, that if he 
 fliould promife him fo, it would imply, that he was guilty 
 of fomething, to go home, and make his home a prifon to 
 himfclf ; and if he w^ent to meetings, they would fay, he 
 broke their order ; but that he (hould go to meetings, as 
 the Lord fliould order him ; and that therefore he could 
 not fubmit to their requirings: and having farther added, 
 that he and his friends were a peaceable people; the colo- 
 nel faid, ' Well then, 1 will fend you to-morrow morning, 
 by fix o'clock, to my lord Proteftor, by captain Drury, one 
 of his life-guard.' The next morning, about the appointed 
 time, he was delivered to captain Drury. Then G. Fox 
 defired he would let him fpeak with the colonel, before he 
 went ; and fo the captain brought him to the colonel's 
 bcd-fidc, who again bade him go home and keep no more^ 
 meetings. But G. Fox told him he could not fubmit to 
 that ; but mud have his liberty to fcrvc God, and go 10 
 meetings. ' Then,' (iiid the colonel, ' you mud go before 
 the Proteaor.' Whereupon G. Fox kneeled on his bed- 
 fide, and prayed the Lord to forgive him: fince according 
 to his judgment he was as Pilate, though he would walh 
 his hands ; (for he was ftirred up and fet on by the prielts) 
 and therefore George bade him, when the day of his mi- 
 fery and trial fhould come upon him, then to remember 
 what he had faid to him. Far was it now from Needham, 
 who would have had G. Fox cut off, to think that one 
 time this would befal his father in an ignominious manner 
 at Tyburn. But what afterwards happened, when he was 
 condemned as one of the judges of King Charles the Firft, 
 Avill be related in its due place. 
 
 G. Fox ih^n having left colonel Hacker, was carried 
 prifoner by captain Drury to London ', where the captam 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 167 
 
 went to give the Froteftor an account of him ; and com- 
 ing again, he told G. Fox, the Proteftor did require, that 
 he fliould promife, not to take up a carnal fword or weapon 
 againfl: him, or the government, as it then was : and that 
 he (hould write this in what words he faw good, and fet 
 his hand to it. G. Fox confidering this, next morning writ 
 a paper to the Proteftor, by the name of Oliver Crom- 
 well, wherein he did in the prefence of God declare, that 
 he denied the wearing or drawing of a carnal fword, or 
 any outward weapon, againfl: him, or any man : and that 
 he was fent of God to ftand a witnefs againfl all violence, 
 and againfl the works of darknefs ; and to turn people 
 from darknefs to the light, and to bring them from the 
 occafion of war and fighting, to the peaceable gofpel ; 
 and from being evil-doers, which the magiflrates fword 
 Ihould be a terror to. Having writ this, he fet his name 
 to it, and gave it to captain Drury, who delivered it to 
 Oliver Cromwell ; and after fome time returning to the 
 Mermaid, near Charing-crofs, where G. Fox was lodged, 
 he carried him to Whitehall, and brought him before the 
 Protcftor who was not yet dreffed, it being pretty early 
 in the morning. G. Fox coming in, faid, * Peace be in 
 thishoufe,' and bid the Proteftor keep in the fear of God, 
 that he might receive wifdom from him ; that by it he 
 might be ordered, and w^ith it might order all things under 
 his hands to God's glory. He had alfo much difcourfc 
 with him concerning religion, wherein Cromwell carried 
 himfelf very moderately, but faid that G. Fox and his 
 friends quarrelled with the miniflers, meaning his teachers, 
 G. Fox told him, he did not quarrel with them ; but they 
 quarrelled with him and his friends. ' But, (thus con- 
 tinued he) if we own the prophets, Chrift, and the apoflles, 
 we cannot uphold fuch teachers, prophets, and flicpherds, 
 as the prophets, Chrift, and the apoflles declared againfl ; 
 but we mufl declare againfl them by the fame power and 
 fpirit.' Moreover, he fliewed, that the prophets, Chrift, 
 and the apoftles preached freely, and declared againfl them 
 that did not declare freely, but preached for filthy lucre, 
 and divined for money, or preached for hire, being covet- 
 ous and greedy, like the dumb dogs, that could never have 
 
 L4 
 
i68 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [^654 
 
 cnou,9;h : and that they that had the fame fpirit, which 
 Chfift, the prophets, and the apoftles had, could not but 
 declare againft all fuch now, as they did then. He alfo 
 faid, that all Chriftendorfi (fo called) had the Scriptures, 
 but they wanted the power and fpirit, which they had who 
 gave them forth ; and that was the reafon they were not 
 in fellowfhip with the Son, nor with the Father, nor with 
 the Scriptures, nor one with another. Whilft he was 
 thus fpeaking, Cromwell feveral times faid, it was very 
 good, and it was truth. G. Fox had many more words 
 with him ; but feeing people coming in, he drew a little 
 back : and as he was turning, Cromwell catched him by 
 the hand, and with tears in his eyes, faid, ' Come again 
 to my houfe ; for if thou and I were but an hour of a day 
 together, wx fliould be nearer one to another :' adding, 
 that he wiflied him no more ill than he did to his own 
 foul. To this G. Fox returned, that if he did, he wronged 
 his own foul ; and bid him hearken to God's voice, that 
 he might (land in his council, and obey it ; and if he did 
 fo, that would keep him from hardnefs of heart ; but if 
 he did not hear God's voice, his heart would be hardened. 
 Tiiis To reached the Proteclor, that he faid it was true. 
 
 Then G. Fox went out ; and captain Drury following, 
 told him, that the lord Proteftor faid he was at liberty, 
 and might go whither he would : yet he was brought into 
 a great hall, where the Prote£lor's gentlemen wxre to dine; 
 and he aiked what they did bring him thither for ? They 
 told hi5j it was by the Protector's order, that he might 
 dine with them. But George hid them tell the Protestor 
 he would not eat a bit of his bread, nor drink a fup of 
 his drink. When Cromwell heard this, he faid, ' Now I 
 fee there is a people rifen, and come up, that I cannot 
 win either with gifts, honours, offices, or places ; but all 
 other fe& aiui people, I can.' But it was told him again, 
 that the Quakers had forfook their own, and wxre not . 
 like to look for fuch things from him. 
 
 It was very remarkable that captain Drury, who, while 
 G. Fox was under his cua:ody, would often feoff at him, 
 becaufe of the nickname of Quakers, which the Independ- 
 ents had firfl given to the profefibrs of the light, afterwards 
 
 ^654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 159 
 
 came to him, and told-him, that as he was lying on his bed 
 to reft himfelf in the day-time, a fudden trembling feized 
 on him, that his joints knocked together, and his body 
 (hook fo, that he could not rife from his bed ; he was fo 
 fliaken, that he had not ftrength enough left to rife. But 
 he felt the power of the Lord \vas upon him, and he 
 tumbled off his -bed, and cried to the Lord, and faid, he; 
 would never fpeak againft the Quakers more, viz. fuch as 
 trembled at the word of God. 
 
 The particular occurrences that befel G. Fox, when he 
 was at liberty in London, I pafs by. He had great meet- 
 ings there, and the throngs of people were fuch, that he 
 could hardly get to and from the meetings, becaufe of the 
 croud. In the mean-while the number of his fViends 
 increafed exceedingly, and fome belonging to Cromwell's 
 court were alfo convinced of the Truth preached by him. 
 He wrote about that time feveral papers, one of which 
 was againft pride, gaudy apparel, and the world's fafhions. 
 I do not ^.nd that about this time there w^as at London 
 any perfecution from the magiftrates, but in other places 
 there was : and it was in this year that Anne, the wife of 
 |ohn Audland, coming into a fteeple-houfe at Banbury, 
 laid, after the prieft had ended, that thofe that were with- 
 out the do^rine of Chrift, though they faid the Lord 
 liveth, yet fpoke falfely, according to Jer. v. 2. For fhi$ 
 flie was imprifoned as guilty of blafphemy, and two boys 
 fwore againft her, that flie had faid, that the Lord did not 
 live. Thus falfe accufations prevailed, and at .this rate 
 perfecution was cloked. 
 
 The year drew now to an end, and Cromwell concluded 
 a peace with the united Netherlands ; to get things the 
 tnore clear at home, it feefns he endeavoured to remove 
 troubles abroad. And there being a rumour fpread of a 
 plot, as hath been hinted already, to be the more affured 
 of the parliament, he caufed a guard to be fet upon the 
 door of the houfe, to keep out thofe members that refufed 
 to fign a paper, whereby ihey promifed to be faithful to 
 the lord Prote<^or, and ro make no alteration in the go- 
 vernraent, fo as it was fetded, on a fmgle perfon, and a 
 parliament. But feveral of the members would not figa 
 
ij^ *rHE HISTORY Of THE [^654 
 
 this paper, faying, that it was a violaiion of the privileges 
 of the parliament, and a depriving them of their hberty; 
 and therefore they were kept out ; but others who fub- 
 fcribcd the fiiid paper were admitied. Yet this aflembiy 
 not acting to the fatisfa<n:ion of Cromwell, he diffolved 
 them after a fcflion of five months. The young kint^ 
 Charles, who lived in exile, had left Prance, and was 
 come to Cologne on the Rhine, where he flayed for fomc 
 time. 
 
 But I return to London,* where we left G. Fox. H,c 
 was in that city cci^iinually at work, difcharging his duty 
 every where, both wiih mouth and pen, fuffcring no time 
 to be hi}. There being commiflioncrs appointed for the 
 trying of mmiflcrs, he writ a paper to them, wherein he 
 advifed them, to fee whether they were not fuch whom 
 the prophets, Chrift, and the apoflles difproved ; and who 
 TTould admire their perfons becaufe of advantage, &c. 
 He (laid at London till the year 1655 ; and after having 
 cleared himfelf, he went to Bedfordftiire, and came to the 
 houfe of John Crook, a juftice of peace, where there was 
 a great meeting, and many were convinced of the Truth 
 he declared, of which number John Crook alfo was one; 
 but for this he was fcon turned out from being a juftice. 
 
 Whilfl G. Fox was in Bedfordfliire, there was alfo 
 Alexander Parker, one of the early minifters among thofe 
 called Quakers. But leaving them there, I now intend to 
 fpeak of William Caton, who, as it hath been faid already, 
 was one of the family of judge Fell. When he was but 
 about fourteen years of age, his father procured leave 
 for him to dwell in the faid family ; and his behaviour 
 was fo plcafiilg, that he was allowed the judge's fon as a 
 companion' night and day ; he ate as he did, and went 
 with him a hunting, (hooting, and fifhing, partaking of 
 the fame pleafure with him in every thing, and living ia 
 cafe and plenty ; fo that he had caufe of joy, that Provi- 
 dence had caft his lot into fuch a noted family ; for not 
 only judge Fell, but alfo his wife Margaret, and their 
 daughters, were well qualified. W. Caton converfing 
 with fuch choice company, greAV up in piety, and was very 
 zealous iij performing his private devotions, (laying oft^a 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 171 
 
 in the bed-chamber, till the judge's fon, his bed-fellow, 
 was gone down, fo that he might the more freely pour out 
 his heart before God in prayer. Having attained to the 
 age of fifteen years, he was very diligent, when he had 
 been at a lefture, to write down the chief heads thereof; 
 for fuch of the family as could make repetitions of fer- 
 mons, and paraphrafe thereupon, were held in efteem. 
 But William Caton found that what he reaped thereby, 
 could not fatisfy the hunger and third of his immortal 
 foul. 
 
 After he and the judge's fon had for fome time learned 
 Latin together in the family, where there was a prieft that 
 inftrufted them, they were removed to a fchool at Hawkf- 
 hcad : but here he found company which he difliked more 
 than that in the judge's family. 
 
 It was in the year 1652, about Midfummer, that G. 
 Fox, (as hath been faid in its proper place) firft came to 
 the houfe of judge Fell at Swarthmorc. His non-con- 
 formity to the ordinary falutations, W. Caton not a little 
 wondered at ; but yet it did not hinder him from giving 
 due attention to the doftrine G. Fox preached, which in 
 fubdance was, to give heed to the light, which Chrift 
 Jefus had enlightened us withal, and which (hining in our 
 hearts, convinceth us of fin and evil. This fo reached 
 W. Caton, that in due time he began to be fubjeft to this 
 inward convincement, by which he came to be much re- 
 trained in his carriage, and could not allow himfelf fo 
 great liberty as he was wont to do ; for though he was 
 110 ways extravagant, yet now he faw that a true Chriftian 
 muft be weaned from all vanity ; and that the common di- 
 verfions of youth difpleafed God. This he clearly per- 
 ceived, for the wiinefs of God had awakened and reproved 
 him of that which was contrary to true gravity, and fo- 
 briety of mind. He had not yet left the fchool : but 
 (though he was pretty much advanced in his learning) the 
 making of Latin ycrfes became a burden to him, becaufe 
 he could not give his thoughts that liberty for invention 
 as others did ; neither could he well any longer give to 
 the mafter of the fchool the compliment of the hat, as he 
 Vi'ds ufed to do : this I had from his own mouth. One 
 
172 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [■'654 
 
 '654I 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 '73 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 may cafily gucfs that hereby he was brought into a ftrait : 
 but Margaret FelH feeing that he longed to be freed from 
 the fchool, caufcd him to flay at home, where he was cm- 
 ploj'ed by her in writing, and teaching her children. And 
 when he was about feventeen years, of age, he iecame 
 more and more ftrenglhened in the fpiritual warfare, and 
 his heart was often filled with joy, becaufe of the mercy 
 and loving-kindnefs of the Lord to him. 
 
 Thus advancing in godlinefi, he was frequently moved 
 to go to the places of pubjick worfhip, and alfo to markets, 
 to warn people to repentance ; but then beating and buf- 
 feting was his fliare, and becaule of his youth he was 
 defpifcd by many ; yet he Riinted not : and efteeming it 
 his duty now to labour in the miniftry of the gofpel, he 
 defired to be difcharged of his fervice. Judge Fell was 
 very imwilling to part with him ; but Margaret his wife, 
 though (he could not well give him up before, yet believ- 
 ing that the Lord required his fervice, not only freely re- 
 figned him, but alfo prevailed with her hufband to let him 
 go : for he did not defire his liberty io ferve other men, 
 but to enter into the fervice of the Lord, and to proclaim 
 the cverlafting gofpel. About the end of the year 1654, 
 being eighteen years of age, he took his leave of that 
 family, which was not done without mutual (bedding of 
 tears at parting. 
 
 He then went to vifit his friends in Lancafhire, Yorkfhirc, 
 Dcrbyihire, and Warwickfliire ; from thence to Norwich, 
 and fo to Wellingborough, in Northamptonfliire ; where 
 be found an opportunity to declare the Truth of God 
 in the ftceple-hoirfe. After that he travelled to Cambridge, 
 vifiting his friends there ; and then returned to Norwich, 
 where he vifited his friends in prifon, and had great meet- 
 ings in that city. Then he went to London, where he was 
 very kindly received by thofe of the houfehold of faith ; 
 and on a Firft-day of the week was at two fteeple-houfes, 
 at one of which he had large liberty to fpeak, being 
 indeed perfuafive in fpeech ; and in the afternoon, at a 
 meeting of diffenters from the publick worftiip, he had 
 liberty to publifli Truth without oppofition, or contradic- 
 tion from any ; and many were added to the faith : for 
 
 at that time there were twelve miniftring brethren, 
 molt of them, come out of the North of Eiigland, amon^ 
 whom was John Stubbs, already mentioned, with whoii 
 he travelled mto Kent: and coming to Dover, where they 
 were altogether ftrangers, not knowing any body in the 
 town, they took their lodging at an inti. j. Stubbs went 
 on the firft day of the week to a meeting of the Baptifts- 
 and W. Caton to the fteeple-houfe, where he had but 
 iittle liberty ; but in the yard he had more opportunity to 
 clear his confcience to the people. In the afternoon he 
 went up to the caftle, where the Independents performed 
 their worfhip. Shortly after, he and J. Stubbs went into 
 the Bapiifts meeting, unto which much people reforted, 
 and many began to be affc^ed with their teftiraony, and* 
 adhered to it. This miide fiKh a ftir, that they were 
 haled before the magiftrates, who examined them, and 
 ordered that none fhould entertain them on a ceftain pe- 
 nalty ; whereupon they were turned out of their lo'dging. 
 But one Luke Howard, a flioemaker, who had already 
 heard W. Caton at London, and afterwards at Dover, \w 
 the ftecple-houfe yard, though he iittle regarded him. at 
 London, but faid to his companion, *I know more thaa' 
 he can tell me, or more than either I or he is able to live 
 up to ;' yet now he became fo- affe^ed with VV. Caton's 
 teftimony, that he invited him ^nd J. Stubbs to his houfe, - 
 where he entertained them ; and not long after they had a 
 meeting there ; and he heard the teftimony of his gaeftj 
 with no lefs fatisfadion, than Agrippa of old, dki the 
 fpeech of the apollle Paul, when he faid to him, * Almofl: 
 thou perfuadell me to be a Chriflian :' For Luke Howard 
 was not yet come fo hr that he could rcfolve to conform 
 himfdf with the Quakers, fo called : hut yet, fuch was his ^ 
 love to them, that when the mayor of the town fent four 
 conftables to his houfe, with an order to deliver them up, 
 that fo ithey might be carried out of the town, he refufed 
 to do fo, relying on his right as a freeman of the coroo- 
 ration ; and the doors being fiiut, kept the conftables out 
 of his houle, and told them from ^he fhop window, that 
 the mayor had no lawful authority to have thefe nien haled 
 ©ut of his houfe, and fent out of town, there being vto hue 
 
^74 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1654 
 
 and cry come after them. They ftaid yet fome days ia 
 his houfe, and he became fo ftrengthencd by their miniftry, 
 that he joined with them in profeffion, and alfo gave up 
 his houfe to be a meeting-place for their friends. 
 
 Then W. Caton and J. Stubbs departed the town, and 
 went to Folkftone, and from thence to Hithe, in both 
 which places they found opportunity to preach the Truth. 
 After fome flay, they went to Romney, and fo to Lydd. 
 Here it was, that Samuel Fifher, both by their miniihy, 
 and by that of Ambrofe Rigg, and Thomas Robinfon, 
 (who now were alfo gone forth in the fervice of the 
 gofpel) was convinced, and brought over to their fociety. 
 
 He was trained up to literature, and had ftudied dili- 
 gendy in the Univerfity ; and though but young then, yet 
 was of a pious converfation, and diflikcd many ceremonies 
 and cufloms ufual in the fchools. Wh^n he had finiflied 
 his courfe there; he was ordained a prieft of the church ; 
 and a certain great man took him to be his chaplain ; and 
 afterwards he got a living at Lydd, worth about two 
 hundred pounds a year. But after having been thus em- 
 ployed fome time, he came to fee that infant baptifm was 
 an human inflitution, and to preach for wages unlawful. 
 To this may be added, that Luke Howard, fome time 
 before he knew the Quakers, fo called, not being fatisfied 
 concerning the fmging of David's philms at the publick 
 worfhip, fo troubled his mafler that he had been appren- 
 tice with, that he got Samuel Fiflier, as a learned miniflcr, 
 to come and difcourfe with him, and to try to convince 
 him : and S. Fifher talking with him, L. Howard told him, 
 that God was a Spirit, and mufl be worfliipped in Spirit 
 and Truth, of all thofe that would worfliip him acceptably. 
 And alfo, that it was contrary to Truth, for a proud man 
 to fmg, " he was not puft in mind, he had no fcornful eye^ 
 and he did not exercife himfelf in things that were too 
 high ;" when he lived in pride, wherein God beheld him 
 afar off. And fanher, that it was very unbecoming fuch 
 an one to fing, " Rivers of tears run down mine eyes, be- 
 caufe other men keep not thy laws," when he never knew 
 a true forrow and repentance for his own fins. This rea- 
 fon of Howard's, againfl the cuflomary finging in their 
 
 1654] 
 
 l»EOPi.E CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 17s 
 
 worfliip, had fo much influence upon S. Fiflier, that from 
 that time he was flopped from -any more giving David's 
 conditions to the people to fmg ; and becoming in time 
 more and more uncafy to go on in a^fting what was bur- 
 denfomc to his confcicnce, he refolved to ddift from his 
 miniflry, and fo went to the bifliop, and delivered up the 
 commillion that he had received from him to preach : and 
 calling himfelf upon God's providence, he took a farm, 
 and turned grazier, by which means he maintained his 
 wife and children nnich better to his content than before. 
 
 Departing thus from the Epifcopalian church, he went 
 over to the Bapiiih, and became a zealous teacher among 
 them. Ii was about this time, that W. Caton, and J. 
 Stubbs came to Lydd, whcm S. Fiflier received into hi* 
 houfe, remembring that Scripture exhortation, " Be not 
 forgetful to entertain flrangers, for many thereby have en- 
 tertained angels unawares." W. Caton went to the 
 meeting of the Independents, and Stubbs to that of the 
 Baptifls, where Fiflier then preached; and J. Stubbjj 
 having got opportunity to fpeak, declared Truth lb plainly, 
 that S. Fiflier being very much affe^led with it, began to 
 paraphrafe upon jt with excellency of fpecch. W. Caton 
 and J. Stubbs departing this place, went to another town 
 in this county, but not long after returning to Lydd, they 
 found S. Fifher in fellowfliip with themfelves ; for it hap- 
 pencd that his fellow-teacher, George Hammond in his 
 fermon fo violently inveighed againfl tliofe called Quakers, 
 that S. Fifher could not be fatisfied until he flood up in 
 the faid meeting, and bore a publick tcflimony againfl the 
 revilings of Hammond: faying to him, ^ Dear brother, 
 you are very dear and near to me, but the H ruth is nearer 
 and dearer : it is the everlafling Truth and gofpel which 
 they hold forth.' And fpeaking more words to iJiat effecl, 
 he openly defended the do^rinc of the reviled Q^iakers, 
 This fo vexed Hammond, that fiilling into a greater rage, 
 he faid, * Our brother FiUier is alfo bewitched.' Biu 
 Fiflier rendered not reviling for reviling, but continued 
 with patience in the faith. This was he who afterw^ards 
 wiit a book, called Riillicusad Academicos, wherein he 
 often encountered ihe pri. fts with their own weapons j fW 
 
176 
 
 THE HISTOP.Y OF THE 
 
 [1654 
 
 / 
 
 he was very dexterous at that, and fo well verfed in the 
 ancient poets, that he now and then with their words, 
 gave home blows to his adverfaries^ allowing himfelf fome- 
 times the freedom of the prophet Elijah againft the pro- 
 phets of Baal. He writ alfo a paper in Hebrew to the 
 Jews, in which language he was well ilcilled. But before 
 I fay more of him, I return to W. Catdn and J. Stubbs, 
 They went from Lydd to Afliford, Tenterden, Cranbrook, 
 and Staplehnrfi:, where they found an open and tender- 
 hearted people, who embraced their dodlrine, and fome 
 would have given them money, nay, .even have forced it 
 npon them, yet they would not take any : but as they 
 freely had received, fo they freely gave : telling people 
 it was not theirs, but them, which they fought. Thence 
 they travelled to Maidftone, where J. Stubbs went to the 
 publick place of worfliip, and W. Caton to the meeting 
 of the Independents. J. Stubbs was taken at the fteeple- 
 houfe, and W. Caton, the day following from his inn, and 
 •were both fent to the houfe of corre^lion, where they 
 were fearched, and their money, inkhorns, and bibles, &c. 
 taken from them. Afterwards they were ftripped, and 
 their necks and arms put in the ftocks, and in that condi- 
 tion were defperately whipped. A hard encounter indeed, 
 cfpecially for fuch a young man as W. Caton was ; but 
 they were fupported by an invifible hand. Afterwards 
 means were ufed to compel them to work ; and it was 
 told them, he that would not work fliould not eat. But 
 they were not free to confent thereto, becaufe they ef- 
 teemed this demand unjuft, not being guilty of the breach 
 of any law. Thus they were kept without viftuals for 
 fome days, only a lirtle water once a day was allowed 
 them. In the ftiean-while, the malefaftors that were there, 
 would have given them of their bread ; yea, the women 
 of the houfe being moved with compaffion, would have 
 given them fomcthing privately ; but they were not free 
 - to accept of either. . Now the report of this cruelty being 
 fpread in the town, many began to be oiFended at it ; fo 
 that an ofEcer was fent to make reftitution of fome of their 
 things, which had been taken from them, and then they 
 bought viftuals with their own money. Not long after. 
 
 1654] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 179 
 
 they were parted, and with officers conveyed out of the 
 town, one at the one end of ir, and the other at the 
 other. 
 
 At length W. Caton came to London, where he found 
 his companion, J. Stubbs, but being there, it came upon 
 them to return to the toWn from whence thev came, which 
 was no fmall trial to them ; but yet they' rcfigned, and 
 gave up to what they believed to be the will of the Lord. 
 Now Providence fo ordered it, that none meddled with 
 them, though they, to be more fully feen, went on a Firft. 
 day of the week to the fteeple-houfe. They went alfo to 
 Canterbury, where, at the meetings of the Baptifts and 
 Independents, they had pretty good liberty to declare the 
 Truth amongft them ; and fome, being convinced, received 
 their teflimony. They were likewife at Sandwich, where 
 W.^ Caton had fome fervice among the Dutch people at 
 their fteeple-houfe. 
 
 It was now nigh Midfummer, when he felt a motion to 
 go over to Calais, in France. For that end he went to 
 Dover, and fo to Calais, where coming to their high place 
 of worfhip, his fpirit was very much grieved and burdened, 
 with the great idolatry in vogue there ; for he faw how 
 fome were worfliipping before their dumb idols, and he 
 could not well eafe his fpirit for want of the language. 
 Having fome time walked about in the town, he came to 
 be known to fome of the chief of the city, who defirin^ 
 to fpeak with him, fome of them came down in perfon to 
 the quay, to look for him; and underftanding he was 
 aboard, he was called afhore, and conveyed to a large houfe 
 where feveral of the great ones were come to fee and hear 
 him: fo that he had a very good opjjortunity to declare 
 the Truth among them, there being a Scotch lord who in- 
 terpreted for him. And after he had cleared his confcience 
 they fuifered him to depart quietly. 
 
 Soon after he returned for England, and found his com- 
 panion, J. Stubbs, at Dover; and it being upon him to go 
 for Holland, W. Caton was made free to accompany him. 
 With this intent, they went together to Yarmouth, but 
 could not find paffage there for Holland, and fo they 
 paffed farther to the Nx)rth j and coming to Swajrthmore, 
 Vol. L m 
 
i8o 
 
 THB HISTORY OF THI! 
 
 ■ ' 
 
 
 [1654 
 
 W. Caton found his friends very glad to fee him, efpecially 
 Margaret Fell, who had been as a nurfmg moiher to him. 
 After fome (lay there, having been abundantly rcfrenied, 
 they went to Shields, where they heard of a Ihip bound 
 for Flanders ; but having little inclination to go thither, 
 came foon after to Yarmouth, where they found a fhip 
 intended for Flufhing, in Zealand. With this veffel ihcy 
 went over, and arrived fafely at the faid town : and on the 
 Firil-day of the week, they went to the congregation oi 
 the Engli^and Scotch, where many wondered at tht-m 
 becaufc^'of their nonconformity ; and after they began to 
 fpeak, there arofe a great ftir, fo that they were foon 
 hurried out. The lame day they went to Middleburgh, 
 whither being come, before the afternoon's worfhip was 
 ended, one of them began to fpeak after the prieft had 
 done : but he ftoppcd him prefently, thinking at firft they 
 were fuch as came thither begging ; but perceivmg the 
 contrary, he and others were the more violent. After 
 that, he feni for them to his houfe, and rcafoned awhile 
 with them; but he being of a lofty mind, they found 
 but a flight entertainment there. After a fliort flay in 
 town, they embarked themfelves for Rotterdam, in 
 Holland, where being come, when they had been Ibme 
 few days in the pty, they got a meeting at an Englifh 
 merchant's houfe : but he that interpreted for them, not 
 rendering their words truly, it feemed not to fatisfy the 
 hearers. After fome time they returned to Zealand, 
 and from thence again to England, where being arrived, 
 W. Caton journied to Swarthmore, and was received 
 there with joy; and having fome drawings to Scotland, 
 he went to Bilhoprick, where h^ found his companion 
 - |. Stubbs again, with whom he travelled towards Scotland. 
 it was about the beginning of the month called December, 
 when they came to Berwick upon Tweed, where W. Caton 
 went into the great publick aiTembly ; and when the priril 
 had done, ftepped upon a feat, and beginning to fpeak, 
 none feemed to make fuch hafte to get away, as the prieft: 
 in the mean- while W. Caton fpoke with great boldnefs, 
 and had pretty good liberty to declare the Truth.. But 
 when he had done, he was taken hold of, and brought 
 
 ^654] 
 
 People called qtxakers. 
 
 j8V 
 
 before the magiftrates, who ordered that he fliould be 
 turned out of the town ; which was done. J. Stubbs' 
 was that day in a meeting of the Baptifts, and had fome 
 fervice there. Not long after, W. Caton, who wandering 
 - up and down, could not well get any lodging for his money, 
 returned, and came into the town again, the guard fuffering 
 him very freely to pafs. 
 
 Then they both travelled to Edinburgh in Scotland, 
 where they found things fomewhat out of order, through 
 the unfoithfulnefs of fome that were convinced of the Truth; 
 but their miniftry was fo effeftnal among them, that they 
 were brought into better order again : and fo they edified 
 the church according to their ability, the meeting being 
 kept at the houfe of William Oiburn, who had been a 
 lieutenant-colonel, and afterwards become a zealous 
 minifter among the flock there. • While W. Caton was 
 there, he went once to the chief fteeple-houfc, where, 
 after the prieft had done, he fpoke to the people : bur, 
 the multitude combining, he was not fuffcred to fay much, 
 but was carried out; and coming into the ftreet, there 
 was a guard of foldiers, who condufted him with drawn 
 fwords to the places where he deCred to be. He was 
 about that time alfo with general Monk, who behaved 
 himfelf moderately, and heard him. J. Stubbs now re- 
 turning to England, W. Caton went to Stirling, where 
 being carried to the governor, he was at firft high, but 
 when W. Caton, who was a man of meek behaviour, had 
 fpoke a little to him, he became cool and fedate. He 
 then went to the EngHfh chaplain's houfe, who was kind 
 to him. From Edinburgh he went to Glafgow, where 
 going into the great cathedral, after the fervice was done, 
 he had fome liberty to fpeak to the multitude in the yard, 
 the rude people being kept under by the Englifli foldiers, 
 who were moderate, fo that he had very good fervice 
 there. He alfo went to Douglas, where his fen^ice was 
 no lefs, both in the ftceple-houfe and dfewhere : fo that 
 having cleared himfelf in Scodand, he returned to England, 
 and catne again to Swarthmore, where he was received as 
 formerly, iti ver)^ great love. ' 
 Lcavmg him tiiere, I turn agtiin to G.Fox, whom wc 
 
 M"2 
 
l82 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [»65S 
 
 
 k 
 
 left in Bedfordftiire. From thence he went by London to 
 Kent, and came to Romney, not long after W. Caton and 
 ]• Siubbs had been there. Here he had a very large 
 meeting, whither Samuel Fiftier alfo came, and there was 
 a great convincement that day, fo that many were turned 
 to the light of Chrift: and after the meeting, S. Filher's 
 wife faid, * Now we may difcern betwixt flcih and fpirit, 
 and diftinguilh fpiritual teaching from fleftily/ 
 
 From hence G. Fox went to Dover and Canterbury, 
 and farther into Suffex, and fo to Reading, where they 
 had a great meeting, and many were convinced that day. 
 There came alio George Bifliop of Briftoi, who being a 
 captain, then wore a fword, though iittime he entirely left 
 
 it off. 
 
 G. Ft X going from hence, paffed up to London, where 
 leaving him for fome time, we will go and behold the life 
 and occurrences of James Parnel, who was born at 
 Retford in Nottinghamfliire, and trained up in the fchools 
 of literature. He laboured very early in the miniftry of 
 the gofpel, having been convinced by G. Fox, when not 
 quite fixtecn years of age, and then embraced the Truth ; 
 though for that rcafon defpifed and rejected by his relations. 
 He was (though of low ftature) endued with great ability, 
 and did not fear, wherever he came, to call people to 
 repentance. Being imprifoned at Cambridge for his zea- 
 lous tcftimony, and afterward turned out of town like a 
 vagabond, he foon came back, and difputed with the 
 fcholars of the univerfity; but met with rude and bad en- 
 tertainment from them. In the beginning of this year he 
 came iuro Eflex, being then about eighteen years of age, 
 and preached the gofpel in fcveral parts of that county, 
 as Felfted, Stcbbing, Witham, Coggefliall, Hallled, and 
 other places, and many received the word by his miniftry. 
 About the middle of the fummer he came to Cplchefter, 
 and there preached the gofpel on a Fiift day of; the week 
 in a fteeple-houfe, after the fermon j thenr \^ 5I, great 
 meeting appointed on purpofe; and after that diip^i^ ted 
 with the town-lefturer, and another prii^ft, in the prcfich 
 fchool, all in one day; fo that many we^e conyjn(:cdTof 
 the Truth preached by him j and among tKefc alfo S^tephen 
 
 1655] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 183 
 
 
 Cnfp, of whom more will be faid hereafter. J. Pafnel 
 fpent that week in the faid town, preaching, exhorting, 
 and difputing, to the convincing of many ; though others 
 were enraged, infomuch, that his godly zeal was often 
 rewarded with blows ; as once coming out of Nicholas 
 ftceple-houfe, he was ftruck by one with a great ftafF, who 
 faid, ' There, take that for Chrift's fake.' 1 o which he 
 meekly anfwered, * Friend, I do receive it for Jefus Chrifl's 
 ^ke,' Many other grievous alFronts he bore, without 
 Ihe wmg any heat or anger ; fo that he was a real pattern 
 of patience and meeknefs. 
 
 Having laboured in the gofpel about ten days in Col- 
 chefter, he went to Coggefhall, where a faft v^s pro- 
 claimed, to be held upon the i2ih of the month called 
 July, to pray againft the errors of the people called 
 Quakers. J. Parnel being come thither, went into the 
 fteeple houfe, where he flood ftill, till the prieft was 
 commg out of the pulpit. Now fmce this prieft Sammes, 
 who was an Independent, had cried out fiercely againft 
 the qi^^akers, as deceivers, J. Parnel efteemed it his 
 duty to fay fomething to that ; and the firft words he 
 fpoke were, ' This is the order of the true church, that 
 all may fpeak one by one ; and if any thing be revealed 
 to him that ftands by, let the firft hold his peace.' Then 
 he fpoke on behalf of ihofe called Quakers: but the prieft 
 interrupting, alked what he would objeft againft him? 
 To which J. Parnd anfwered, in that he reviled the 
 people called Quakers, and faid they were built upon a 
 fandy foundation, and fo called them Shakers. 'But,' 
 faid he, * I will prove their foundation not to be fandy, 
 and thee to be a falfe prophet.' After fome more words 
 fpoken by him, fome accufed him, that he owned no 
 church : to which he faid u was falfe. Then it was afked 
 him what church he owned? And he anfwered, the 
 church in God. Then prieft Williams ftood up, and faid 
 he fpoke nothing but nonfenfc. Parnel bade him name 
 one word which he had fpoken that was nonfenfe. At 
 which Willis faid, ' To fay the church in God.' Then 
 Parnel took out his bible, and read i Thef. i. i. where 
 the apoftle writes, Co the church, which is ia God the 
 
 M3 
 
1 84 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [•^55 
 
 ^55"] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (RAKERS. 
 
 185 
 
 Father. The pricft now was at a lofs, and Parnel told 
 him, that he blafphcmed in fiiying the church in God was 
 nonfenfe. Then' pricft Stellum flood up, and accufed 
 Parnel with lies and flandcrs, and not fufFering him to 
 clear himfelf from thofe accufations, he got up into the 
 pulpit, and began to pray ; but Parnel not taking off his 
 hat, the magiftratcs called to him to put it ofF. To which 
 ha returned,'^^ Order the pricft to put oiF his cap;* and 
 farther faid, before he fliould be fubjeft to their wills, he 
 would rather pafs out of the meeting-plaee j and fo he 
 went-out. 
 
 Not long after juftice DJonyfius Wakering followed 
 him, aiid ftruck him with his hand upon his back, faying. 
 he arrcfted him in the name of the lord prote(ftor. Parnel 
 not knowing him to be a magiftrate, aiked him where his 
 writ was. "Wakering faid he had one ; but (hewed none. 
 Then Parnel was hurried into an houfe, and fome of his 
 friends engaged, that he fhould be forthcoming when thein 
 worfhip was done. And accordingly he appeared where 
 four juftices, and fix or feven priefts were met together. 
 Then juftice Wakering pulled his hat off his head, and 
 threw it away ; and they queftioned him concerning many 
 things; all which he anfwered, with many frivolous 
 queftions afked to enfnare him. At laft he was committed 
 to the 'common gaol at Colchefter, where none of his 
 friends were (ufFered 10 come to him. The time of the 
 fellions at Chelmsford being come, he, with feveral felons 
 and murderers was faftened to a chain, and thus led about 
 eighteen miles through the country, remaining chained 
 both night and day. 
 
 Being brought into the court before judge Hills, the 
 f aoler took off" his hat andcaft it upon the floor. Then the 
 clerk read his indiftment, and afked him if he was guilty ; 
 to which he faid, that he denied all guilt ; and he called 
 for his accufers. The judge faid he might fee them ; and 
 that he ought to fay guilty, or not guilty. On which 
 Parnel told him, he wan not guilty. Then a jury of twelve 
 men ^vas called, whofe foreman was a drunkard ; prieft 
 Willis was alfo called, who fworc againft him, and fo did 
 two juftices y one of their men fwearing that they would 
 
 fpeak nothing againft him but the truth. The accufations 
 were, that in a riotpus manner he did enter into the parifh 
 church at Great Coggefliall ; that he there did ftand up, 
 and told the minifter he blafphemed, and fpoke falfely, uiing 
 many other reproachful words againft him: and he could 
 not give a good account where he was laft fettled, or of 
 his life and converfation, appearing to be an idle perfon. 
 He was alfo accufeU with contempt of the magiftracy and 
 of the miniftry. To this he anfweredj that he no ways^ 
 in a riotous manner entered the fteeple-houfe, but came 
 thither quietly, and alone : for being followed by feveral 
 boys that would have come in after him, he bade them go 
 in before, rather than to go in diforderly, whereby to 
 occafion any difturbance. That he had faid to prieft'Willis, 
 he blafphemed, by faying the church in God was nonfenfe, 
 he denied not; but did not own himfelf to be a vagabond 
 and idle perfon. And he did not think it indecent to call 
 an unjuft judge, unrighteous; a perfecutor, perfecutor; 
 and a deceiver, deceiver. Thus Parnel pleaded his caufe. 
 Yet the judge faid to the jury, that if tuey did not find 
 him guilty, the fin would lie upon their heads; thus 
 condemning the prifoner before the jury had confidered 
 the cafe. Then J. Parnel began to fpeak, to inform . 
 them concerning his caufe, but the judge would not fuffer 
 him, though one of the jury defired it. After confultation, 
 the jury had nothing to lay to his charge, but a paper in 
 which he had anfwered the mittimus, though he had already 
 owned this paper to be his writing. But in that they 
 were at a lofs, becaufe in the indiftment he was accufed of 
 a riot : yet the judge and the clerk ftrove to draw fome 
 words from the foreman, which the other jurymen did 
 not confent to, and he himfelf was unwilling to anfwer 
 fully to their queftions. Then J. Parnel was made to 
 withdraw ; and being called in again, the judge fined him 
 to the value of about forty pounds, for contempt of the 
 magiftracy and miniftry ; for he faid the lord prote^-or 
 had charged him to punifh fuch perfons as fliould contemn 
 cither magiftracy or miniftry. Thereupon J. Parnel was 
 carried back again to the prifon, being an old ruinous , 
 caftle, built as it is reported,"in the time of the "ancient 
 
 M 4 ' .^ 
 
i86 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 b^ss 
 
 Romans : here he was to be kept until the fine fhould be 
 faid ; and the gaoler was commanded, not to let any 
 giddy-headed people (by which denomination they meant 
 his friends), come at him. 
 
 The gaoler was willing enough to comply with thi$ 
 order, fuffcring none to come to him, but fuch as abufed 
 him ; and his wife, who was a wicked fhrew, did not only 
 fct her man to beat him, but feveral times herfelf laid 
 violent hands upon him, and fwore ftie would have his 
 blood : file alio fct other prifoners to take away the 
 viduals brouglit to him by his friends; and would not 
 let him have a trundle bed, which they would have brought 
 him to lie on, fo that he was forced to lie on the cold and 
 damp ftones. Afterwards he was put into the hole in the 
 wall, a room much like a baker's ovvn ; for the walls 
 of that building, which is indeed a direful neft, are of an 
 exceiTive thicknefs, as I have feen myfelf, having been in 
 the hole where this pious young man ended his days, as 
 will be faid by and by. Being confined in the faid hole, 
 which was, as I remember, about twelve foot hi;yh from 
 the ground, and the ladder too Tnort by fix foot ; he muft 
 chmb up and down by a rope on a broken wall, which 
 he was forced to do to fetch his viftuals, or for other 
 neceffities : for though his friends would have given him 
 a cord and a bafket to draw up his victuals in, yet fuch 
 was the malice of his keepers, that they would not fufFer it. 
 Continuing in this moift hole, his limbs grew benumbned; 
 and thus it once happened, that as he was climbing up the 
 ladder, with his victuals in one hand, and come to the top 
 thereof, catching at the rope with his other, he miffed 
 the fame, and fell down upon the ftone^ whereby he was 
 exceedingly wounded in his head, and his body fo bruifed, 
 that he was taken up for dead. Then they put him into 
 a hole underneath the other; for there were two rows of 
 fuch vaulted holes in the v.all. This hole was called the 
 oven, and fo little, that fome bakers ovens were bigger, 
 though not fo high. Here (the door being fhut) was 
 fcarcely any air, there being no window or hole. And 
 after he was a little recovered from his fall, they would 
 Bot fuS'tr him to take the air, though he was almofl fpent 
 
 ^^55'] 
 
 ' PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 187 
 
 for want of breath : and though fome of his friends, viz. 
 William Talcot and Edward Grant, did offer their bond 
 of forty pounds to the juftice Henry Harrington, and 
 another, whofe name was Thomas Shortland, to lie body 
 for body, that Parnel might but have his liberty to come 
 to W. Talcot's houfe, and return, when recovered ; yet 
 this was denied ; nay, fo immoveable werqthey fet againfl 
 him, that when it was defired that he might only walk a 
 little fometimes in the yard, they would not grant it by 
 any means : and once the door of the hole being open, 
 and he coming forth, and walking in a narrow yard be- 
 tween two high walls, fo incenfed the gaoler, that he locked 
 up the hole, and fliut him otit in the yard all night, being 
 in the coldeft time of the winter. This hard imprifonment 
 did fo weaken him, that after ten or eleven months he fell 
 Cck, and died. At his departure there were with him 
 Thomas Shordand, and Ann Langley : and it was one of 
 thefe (that came often to him) who long after brought mc 
 into this hole where he died. 
 
 Several things which are related here, I had from the 
 mouth of eye-witaeffes, who lived in that town. When 
 death approached, he faid, ' Here I die innocendy.' A 
 litde after he was heard to fay, ' Now I muft go:* and 
 turning his head to Thomas, he faid, ' This death muft 
 I die, Thomas, I have feen great things : don't hold mc, 
 but let me go.' Then he faid again, ' Will you hold me?" 
 To which Ann anfwered, ' No, dear heart, we will not 
 hold thee.' He had often faid that one hour's fleep would 
 cure him of all : and the laft words he was heard to fay, 
 were, ' Now I go ;' and then ftretched otit himfelf, and 
 flept about an hour, and breathed his laft. Thus this 
 valiant foldier of the Lamb conquered through fufferings : 
 and fo great was the malice and envy of his perfecutors, 
 that to cover their guilt and fhame, they fpread among 
 the people, that. by immoderate fafting, and afterwards 
 with too greedy eating, he had fliortened his days. But 
 this was a wicked lie ; for though it be true that he had 
 no appetite to eat fome days before he fell fick, yet when 
 he began to eat again, he took nothing bul^a little milk, 
 as was declared by credible witnefles. During his imprifon- 
 ment he writ feveral edifying epiftles to his friends. 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 l85 THE HISTORY OP THE Jl^^SS 
 
 By continuing this relation without breaking olF, I am 
 ^^Txnccdi fomewhat as to time ; but going back a little, 
 let us fee the traniafiions of Edward Burrough and Francis 
 HowgilL It was in the year 1 655, that they weni together 
 to Ireland, where they came in the fummer, and flaid 
 more than fix months, having fpent at Dublin about three 
 months, withoiu being difturbed, though they omitted no 
 opportunity to declare tjje doi^rine of Truth. Henry 
 Cromwell, fon of the prote(5lor, was at that time lord 
 deputy of Ireland j and it was in his name that they were 
 carried from Cork (whither they were gone) to Dublin ; 
 for fince feveral received their teftim( ny, and adhered to 
 the doflrine they preached, it was refolved upon, not to 
 lc^ ihem ftay any longer in Ireland. Here it was, as I 
 have been told, that William Ames, by their mrniftry, 
 iras brought Over into the fociety of the Qiiakers, fo called. 
 He was a Baptii]: teacher, and alfo a military officer, who 
 l>eing of a ftrift life himfelf, kept his foldiers under a 
 fevere difcipline. I remember how he ufed to tell us, that 
 when any foldier under his colours had been guilty of any 
 immorality on a Firft-day of the week, he prefendy had 
 Km bound neck and heels. But being now entered into 
 the fociety of the defpifed Quakers, and in procefs of 
 time becoming a minifter among them, it was not long 
 before he was cart into prifon ; of whom more may be 
 faid hereafter. 
 
 Now E. Burrough and F. Howgill were banifhed out of 
 Ireland ; but on the fame day that they were fent away, 
 Barbara Blaugdone arrived there. She went from England 
 in a veffel bound for Cork, but by foul weather carried to 
 Dublin. When the tempeft was high, the feamen faid 
 that fhe being a Qiiaker was the caufe of it, and they con- 
 fprred to caft her overboard. Aware of this plot, fiie told 
 the mafter what his men defigned to do, and faid that if 
 he did fuffer this, her blood would be required at his 
 hands. So he charged them not to meddle with her. 
 The llorm continuing, and it being on a Firft-day of the 
 week, file went upon the deck, feeling herfelf moved to 
 fpeak td the^jamen by way of exhortation, and to pray 
 for them j for their pricft, afraid like the reft, could not 
 
 '655] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 18^ 
 
 fay any thing among them. Having fpoke what was upon 
 her, file concluded with a praver ; and all the fhip's crew 
 was very quiet and fedate, laying that they were more 
 beholden to her than to their prielt, becaufe fhe prayed 
 for them ; and he, for fear, could not open his mouth to 
 fpeak. At length^ they arrived fafe at Dublin, without 
 damage, which indeed was ftrange, and made the maftcr 
 fay that he was never in fuch a ftorm without receiving any 
 
 Barbara going afliore, went to the houfe of the deputy ; 
 biit the people told her, there was for her no fpeaking 
 with him ; for fhe might know that he had banifhed two 
 of her friends out of the nation the day before: Then fhe 
 met with the fecretary, and defired him to help her to 
 fpeak with the deputy. He anfwered that he did not think 
 he could ; then flie told him that if he would be fo civil, 
 as to go up and tell the deputy that there was a womaa 
 below that would fpeak with him ; if he refufed, fhe was 
 anfwered. So the fecretary went up ; and there <:ame a 
 man to fetch her into the withdrawing -room ; and after 
 flie had been there a Avhile, a perfon came out of the 
 deputy's chamber, and all that accompanied him ftood 
 bare-headed (for they knew fhe never faw the deputy; 
 tat fhe had a fenfe it was a prieft, who fhewed himfelf 
 covered to deceive her: and the room being almoft full of 
 pcoj>le, they aiked her why fhe did not do her meffage to. 
 their lord. To which fhe anfwered, 'When I fee your 
 lord, then I fliall do my meffage to him.' A little after the 
 deputy^ j:ime forth, and fate down on a couch : fhe then 
 ftood up, and fpeaking to him what was upon her mind, 
 bade him beware that he was not found fighting againit 
 God, in oppofiag the Truth, and perfecuting the innocent; 
 but like wife Gamaliel, to let them alone ; for if it was 
 of God, it would ftand; but if of man, it would fall. 
 Farther, that the enmity did noi; he fo much in himfelf, 
 but he was ftirred up to it by evil magiftratcs, and bad 
 priefts; and that God's people were as dear to him now, 
 as ever; and they that touched them, touched the apple 
 of his eye. In the mean-while, in his nam(^, an.? by his 
 power, there was much hurt dene to the people of God, 
 
 « 
 
 \ 
 
1*9*0 • THE HISTOHY OP THE . (^1655 
 
 si] over the nation, and it 'would at lafl: lie heavy upon 
 him. Moreover, that thq teachers qf the people did canfe 
 them to err, and that he knew the priefts' condition. She 
 ibucliing upon that, the deputy faid to the prieft that flood 
 by, * There's for you, Mr. Harrifon:' and flie fpokc with 
 fuch power, that it made the deputy much concerned : and 
 when flie had done, he alked the prieft what he had to fay 
 to that which fhe fpoke? And he faid, it was all very true, 
 and very good, and he had nothing to fay againft it, if (he 
 did fpeak as flic meant. Then fte told the prieft, that the 
 Spirit of God was true, and did fpeak as it meant, and 
 meant as it fpoke ; but that men of corrupt minds did per- 
 vert the Scriptures, by putting their own imaginations and 
 conceivings upon it, and (o did deceive the people : but 
 the holy men of God wrote, and gave forth the Scriptures 
 as they were infpired of the Holy Ghoft ; and that they 
 were of no private interpretation ; and could not be under- 
 ftood but bv the fame fpirit that gave them forth. 
 
 After having thus fpoken, fhe went away, and returhed 
 to her lodging,, which was at one captain Riches houfe, 
 who coming home, faid, that the deputy was fo fad and 
 melancholy, after flie had been with him, that he could 
 not go to bowls, or to any other paftime. 'n.-'> 
 
 Barbara having now performed her fervlce at Dublin, 
 Went to Cork, where fhe had fome relations and acquaint- 
 ance ; but great were her fufferings thereabout ; for fhe 
 was imprifoned almoft wherever fhe came, being- moved to 
 follow thofe of her acquaintance, into fcveraJ fteeple- 
 houfes ; yet wherever her mouth was opened, there was 
 fome that received her teftimony. Once fhe was made to 
 fpeak in a market-place, where a butcher fwore he would 
 cleave her head ; and having lifted up his cleaver to do it, 
 there came a woman behind him, and catching his arms, 
 ilopt him, till the foldiers came and refcued Barbara. Many 
 of her acquaintance, with whom fhe formerly had been very 
 eonverfant, were now afraid of her; for fometimes fhe 
 fpoke fo awfully to them in their houfes, that it made iheni 
 tremble; and fome faid fhe was a witch ; and, running 
 away, tht'ir fcrvants turned her out of doors. After hav- 
 ing been there fome time, fhe returned home to Briftol j 
 
 ^^ssl 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 191: 
 
 but It was not very long ere flie was moved to go to Ire- 
 land agam ; and being come near Dungarvan, the thip 
 foundered near the Ihore: the mafter and the paflengcrs 
 got mto the boat, fave one man and a woman, who were 
 1 ^a^I ' ^""^ Barbara who was ftill in the cabin, was 
 almoft ftifled by waves that beat in upon her; yet at- 
 kngth file got upon the deck. The mafter in the mean- 
 while bemg come afhore, called to her, that if fhe would 
 leap down, he and another would venture to come into: 
 the water to fave her. Accordingly they came up to 
 their necks, and fhe leaping down, they caught her ; but 
 bemg entangled in the ropes in leaping down, ftie was. 
 drawn from them again : but prefently a wave came rolling- 
 and beat the fliip outward, which was their prefervation ; 
 for if It had beaten inward, it might have killed them alt 
 
 nu^^V ^^""^ ^^'"' ^^"^ht again, and drawn to fhore. 
 Ihen fhe went to Di^blin, where coming into the court of 
 juitJce, fhe fpoke to the judges, and exhorted them to 
 righteoufneis. But this was taken fo ill, that (he was put 
 into prifon, where flie lay upon ftraw on the ground, and 
 when It ramed, the wet and filth of the houfe of oflice 
 ran m under her. Being arraigned at the bar, flie was 
 required to plead guilty or not guilty. She anlwered that 
 there was no guilt upon any one's confciencc for what was 
 done in obedience to the Lord God. But fhe nor anfwer- 
 ing m that form of words they bid her, was fent back to 
 pnfon again, where ftie fuffered much. In the mean-while, 
 there happened a Angular inftance, which I cannot pafs bv 
 With filence. 
 
 At that time there was in prifon an inn^keeper, with 
 his family, being accufed of a murder: now the brother 
 of him that was either murdered, or loft, could not enjoy 
 iome land, except he could prove that his brother was 
 dead ; and in order thereto, he brought a fellow into the 
 pnfon, who faid, he would prove that the man was killed 
 at luch*^ mnv and buried under a wall: and he- accufed 
 the inn-ktjeperand his wife, their man and maid, and a 
 fmith, to bt guilty of this murder; thev being already in 
 pnloq. Barbara having heard of' this, found means to ?o 
 to ihis. defperate fellow : .and afked.iiim. how ic c^ouid 
 
 If 
 
192 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 L'^ss 
 
 .1 
 
 conceal this murder fo long, when he was, according to 
 law, as guilty of it as any |of ihera, if what he faid were 
 true. At this queflion be trembled fo exceedingly, that 
 his knees ftruck one againft'aoother ; and he confcffcd 
 that he never before faw the people with his eyes, nor 
 ever was at the place in his life, nor kriew any 
 thing of it, but only he was drawn in by the man that 
 was to have the land, and was perfuaded to witnefs the 
 faft. Other prifoners heard this confelTion alfo, and 
 Barbara fent to the deputy, defiring him to fend down his 
 prieft, thar he might hear the faid confeflion. The prieft 
 came, and the fello.w confeffed the fame to him as he had 
 done to Barbara ; and he once alfo confeffed the fame 
 before the judge. But afterwards he eat his word«; for 
 the man that had induced him, came every day, and made 
 him drink plentifully, and alfo caufed the gaoler to lock up 
 Barbara, that flie might not come to him. Then fhe wrote 
 to the inn-keeper, and his wife, and man, and judge 
 Pepes, and told him, the day of his death did draw nigh, 
 wherein he muft give an account of his actions ; and that 
 therefore he ought to take heed, that he did not condemn 
 innocent people, having but one witnefs, in whofe mouth 
 fo many lies were found, the others all faying they were 
 innocent. For all that, the judge went on, and condemned 
 all the accufed, and the accufer alfo, as confcious to the 
 crime. Hereupon a prieft came to fpeak with the maid 
 that was condemned, and was in the fame prifon with 
 Barbara, but (he would not fee him, faying, *Nay, he 
 can do me no. good ; I have done with man for ever: but 
 God, thou knoweft that I am innocent of what they lay 
 to my charge.' But, however, they were all hanged, and 
 the witnefs firft, probably for fear he (hould have made 
 another confeflion, after he had fcen the others hanged. 
 
 Now fome friends of Barbara, viz. Sir William King, 
 colonel Fare, and the lady Brown, hearing* fhe was in 
 prifon, came to fee her, and afterwards went to the afore- 
 mentioned judge, to get her releafed : bin when they 
 came to him, he told them, that he \^^s afraid of his life. 
 Al. which they laughed, and faid, tjiey had known h^t 
 from a child, and tkcrc was no harm in her at all. And 
 
 ^^551 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 193 
 
 being all very earned to get her libeny, they at laft ob- 
 tamed u. 1 hen fhe went to the ftecple-houfe where this 
 judge was, and deared hcrfclf of him. He beioa come 
 
 ri'^fl'^'.^f' '"'^ ^'^^ ^^^* "is'"- 'I'henoifeof 
 which fuddcn death being fpread, it made people fay, that 
 Barbara had been a true proplictefs unto him. 
 
 She now went to Limerick, where fhe was put into 
 pnfon, but after a while being releafed, Ihe took fhippinjr 
 tor England again-; and at fea was robbed of all that flic 
 had by a privateer, who, coming on board, took the 
 niafter away, until he fhould pay them a fum of money, 
 tor the fliip and goods ; but fhe came fafe to Englani 
 fahe travelled at her own charge,, paying for what flie had. 
 But leaving her, 1 will return to Milej Halhead, who 
 as he was following the plough, in the beginning of this • 
 year, f e t a motion to go to London. Taking York, and 
 Hull in his way, and paffing thence through Lincolnihirc 
 and Leicefterlhii-e, he came to the city of London, from 
 whence, after fome ftay, he went to Briilol with Thomas 
 Salthotife, and fo to Exeter and Plymouth, where he fufFered 
 inuch perfecution, and was imp-ifoncd. He writ about 
 that time a letter to his wife, which I think worth the 
 Vvhile to infert here, ai.-J was as foUoweth. 
 
 Anne Halhead, 
 My dear heart, .my dear love in the bowels of love, in 
 the Lord Jefus Chrift, dilutes thee and my children. My 
 foul, my foul is poured forth in love to thee daily, and 
 the breathings of my foul to my Father is for thee, that 
 thou mayeft be kept in the fear of the Lord, and in his 
 counfcl daily, that fo thou mayeft come to reft and peace 
 that IS laid up for all that fear him, and walk in obedience 
 to the light that Jefus Chrift hath enlightened them withal. 
 So my dear heart, I declare to thee, in the prefeace of the 
 living God, who is Lord of heaven and earth, and before 
 men and angels, there is no othe^ptiy that lcad& to peace, 
 and eternal reft, but walking in obedience to "th? light 
 that comes from Jefus Chrift,; and of this light thou haft 
 i-eceived a mrafure. Therefore my dear heart, be faithful 
 10 the Lord in what is made known unto thee, tliat thou 
 
194 THE HISTORY OF THE [^^S.S 
 
 mayeft come to witncfs' true peace and reft, that eye hath 
 not feen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the 
 heart of man, what is laid up for all them that fear him. 
 So, my dear heart, as I have found peace and eternal reft 
 to my foul from the Lord, fo I am moved of the Lord in 
 love to thy foul, to (hew thee the way that leads to peace 
 and erernal reft ; which way is Chrift, who is the light, 
 and the way that leads to the Father, from whence all 
 light comes ; and of this light which comes from Chrift, I 
 bear record thou haft received a meafure. Therefore m 
 dear love I exhort thee to walk in obedience to thy mea- 
 fure, which thou haft received from the Lord. So in the 
 prefence of the Lord God do I declare, that walking in 
 obedience to this light that comes from Chrift, is the way 
 that leads to eternal reft and peace. Therefore as thou 
 tendereft the eternal good of thy foul, be faithful to the 
 light that comes from Chrift, which light beareth wirnefs 
 againft lying, and fvvearing, and vain-talking,^ and all man- 
 ner of evil. So, my dear wife, in bowels of dear love ta 
 thy foul, which is more precious than all the world, have 
 I Ihewed thee the way ; if thou wilt walk in it, it will lead 
 thee into the eternal covenant of life and peace. So, my 
 dear wife, in love, in love I have cleared my confcience to 
 thee, in the prefence of the living God, as a true and 
 faithful hulband to thee, defiring thy eternal good and 
 welfare as my own, the Lord God is ray witnefs. Dear 
 wife, remember my dear love to all my friends and coun- 
 trymen, according to the flefli ; for I defire the eternal 
 good and welfare of you all, and that you all may come 
 to believe in the light in your own confciences, which 
 Jefus Chrift hath enlightened you with ; which light bears 
 witnefs againft lying, and fwearing, and all manner of eviL 
 This is the Hght of Chrift, and walking in obedience to 
 this light is the way that leads out of fm and evil, up to 
 God eternal, bleffed for evermore: and he that afts con- 
 trary to this light in wown confcience, it is his condem- 
 nation. Now, dear friends, while you have time prize it. 
 
 Thy hulband, and a lover of thy foul, 
 
 Miles Halhead. 
 
 Wiltflure, th« 7th of the Third month, 
 I6j5. 
 
 ^^55] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAfCERS. 
 
 195 
 
 This year alfo he writ the following cpiftle to bis fellow- 
 
 believers. 
 
 Dearly beloved friends and brethren, 
 In the North of England, even to the South, the land 
 of our nativity, whom the Lord God of heaven and earth 
 hath called and chofen in this the day of his eternal 
 evcrlafting love, to ferve him in truth, and in righteoufnefs, 
 who hath received the Lord's Truth in the love of it, not 
 only to believe in his name, but to fufFer bonds and im- 
 prifonments, and hard fentences for the teftimony of Jefus, 
 and the word of God. Dear friends, and beloved bre- 
 thren, my prayers to the Lord God of heaven and earth, 
 and my fouPs defire is for you all, that you may all dwell 
 together as children of one father, in the eternal bond of * 
 Jove, and onenefs of the fpirit ; that you may all grow in 
 the eternal living Truth of God, to be eftabliflied upon the 
 rock and fure foundation, that the gates of hell and death 
 cannot prevail againft you ; that under the fhadow of the 
 )vings of the Almighty, you may all be kept and preferved 
 m peace and reft, now in the day of trial, and hour of 
 darknefs, when hell hath opened her mouth, and the raging 
 fea caft out her proud waves, even like to overflow the 
 banks. Glory, glory, and eternal living praifes be given to 
 the Lord God, and to the Lamb for evermore, of all the 
 children of the light, who hath found a refting-place for " 
 all his dear ones, lambs, and babes, and children of light 
 to flee into, in the needful time of trouble, where none 
 can make them afraid, nor take away their peace, as they 
 abide faithful to him, who is our way, our light, our life, 
 our ftrength, and eternal portion for ever. My dear 
 friends and brethren, I befeech you in the bowels of dear 
 and tender love, that you walk as dear children, faithful 
 to him who hath called you with an honourable calling, 
 and loved you from the beginning ^h an everlafting love^ 
 that all your friends and neigh wPs, and men of this 
 world, that fee your life coupled with fear, may be made 
 to confefs and acknowledge, to the honour and glory o£ 
 . ihc living Lord, that the God whom we ferve and fear 
 IS the only true God of IfracI : and herein you become a 
 
 V€L. L i^ 
 
 / 
 
ig6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THI 
 
 C«655 
 
 precious favour unto the living eternal God, and a fwcet 
 fmelling favour unto all the children of light, and no good 
 thing will the Lord God withhold from you ; the mouth 
 of the Lord God of Hods hath fpoken it, whofe promifes 
 are Yea and Amen to his own feed for evermore. 
 
 ]^Iiies lialhcad. 
 
 Gifen forth the 14th of the Sixth Month 1655, 
 ■when I "was a prifoncr at the prifon-houfe 
 in the city of Exeter, in Dcvonihirs, for the 
 tcftimony of Jcfus, and the word of Cod. 
 
 A chief caufe why he was imprifoned ihere, was, that 
 
 Thomas Sakhoufe, with whom he travelled, (having heard 
 
 that one George Brooks, a priefl belonging to the Night- 
 
 ingale frigate, faid, after the declarations of M. Halhead, 
 
 and T. Saltboufe, at Plymouth, that it was the eternal 
 
 truth which they had fpoken, with many other words in 
 
 vindication of what they faid) told Brooks, that he had 
 
 fpoken many good words, and fair fpeeches ; but a Heed 
 
 him, whether he lived the life of what he fpoke ? Farther, 
 
 * He that entereth not by the door, but climbeth up fome 
 
 other way, is, as Chrifl faid, a thief and a robber.' For 
 
 T. Sakhoufe thought, and that not without reafon, as 
 
 will be fliewn by and by, that he did not want the praifes 
 
 of this prieft, that were not better than thofe of the dam- 
 
 fel poffelTcd with a fpirit of divination, which flie fpokc 
 
 concerning PauV and Silas, viz. * Thefe men are the fer- 
 
 -vants of the moll high God, which (hew unto us the v;ay 
 
 of falvation.' Now what T. Salthoufe had fpoken to the 
 
 priefl, was called provoking language ; the rather, becaufe 
 
 -when the pried was fpeaking of the trinity, T. Salthoufe 
 
 had aflced him, where that word was to be found in the 
 
 Scriptures ; fiying farther, ' I know no fuch fcripturc 
 
 that fpeaks of the three perfons in the trinity ; but tlic 
 
 three that the Scripture fpeaks of, are the Father, the 
 
 Son, and the Holy J|k)(l, and thefe three are one.' From 
 
 hence T. Salthou(?^nd M. Halhead, were accufed as 
 
 fuch as denied the Holy Three that are One. But becaufe 
 
 about this uccufation, they were at a lofs in the court, 
 
 fomething elfe was thought of to enfnare them, viz. they 
 
 \verc required to take the oath of abjuration of the Pope. 
 
 ^^55l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ^97 
 
 This oath the mayor of Plymouth had already tendered 
 them, when they were firfl apprehended ; and they refufine 
 o Avear, were fent to Exeter prifon : and now beini 
 brought to trial, and the faid oath required of them, they 
 aniwered thus : ' 
 
 ' In the prefence of the eternal God, and before all this 
 people we do deny, with as much deteftation as any of 
 you doth the Pope and his fupremacy, and the purgatL 
 .nd all that, s ,n the form of the oath mentL?d, S 
 declare freely aga.nft : and we do not deny to fwear 
 becaufe of any guilt that is upon us, but in obedience to 
 the command ot Chnft, who faith, « Swear not at all :' 
 and we w.ll not come under the condemnation of m oath, 
 lor the liberty of the outward man.' 
 
 _Thus refufing to fwear, merely that they might not 
 offend agamft the command of our Saviourf they were 
 lent back to pnfon again, as fuch that clandeflinely ad- 
 hercd to the Pope : and ufe hath been made of this fnare 
 dunng th6 fpace of many years, to vex the Quakers, fo 
 called. The next day the prifoners were brought again 
 before the bench, and were aiked : ■ ■ ^ 
 
 'Will ye confefs that you wronged G. Brooks, in 
 
 faaion J''"" ' ' ^"^ ^°' "' ^'^'^ '"^^^ ^™ ''^"s- 
 
 To this M. Halhead anfwered : • - ^ 
 
 * One of us did not fpeak one word to him, and there- 
 fore I deny to make him faiisfaftion, or to be forrv for it • 
 
 win n^'v T ^P'^'^^" ^^^ "° l""^h thing; therefore we 
 
 will not he tor our liberty, nor confefs that we are forrv 
 
 tor that which we never fpoke.' ' 
 
 Then the court fined them five pounds a piece ; and 
 
 ln7tr/n/? g^^^^'»^•^«"'"^ of correftion till payment, 
 and to find furet.es for their good behaviour : and for rc- 
 fufmg to take the oath, the court threatened to fend into 
 the North to fe.ze on their eftates.|||, they were returned 
 to pnfon ; and what follows, was entered as the record of 
 their proceedings. 
 
 'July .0, 1655. Thomas Salthoufe, and Miles Hal- 
 head for provoking words againft G. Brooks, clerk, who 
 refukd to betncd by tbeco.rttry, fined 5I. a piece, com- 
 
 
198 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i6S5 
 
 mitted to Bridewell till payment, and finding fureties for 
 their good behaviour/ 
 
 What is faid here of refufing to be tried by the country, 
 was a notorious untruth ; and as to finding fureties, that 
 feemed of little moment ; for though the giving of fecurity 
 had been offered before, when ihcy were taken prifoncrs, 
 yet that was not accepted of; and the mayor John Page 
 had the boldnefs to affert, that they refufed to give fecu- 
 rity, as will appear by the warrant by which he fent them 
 to the common gaol in Exeter, whereof the following is a 
 true copy. 
 
 * Devon, 
 
 John Page, merchant, mayor of the borough of Ply- 
 mouth, in the county aforefaid, and one of his highnefs's 
 juftices of the peace within the liiid borough, to the keeper 
 X)f his highnefs's gaol at Exon caftle, or to his lawful de- 
 puty in that behalf, greeting. I fend you herewithal by 
 the bearer hereof, the bodies of Thomas Salthoufe, late 
 iof Dragglibeck, in the county of Lancafter, hufbandman ; 
 and Mifes Halhead, late of Kendal, in the county of Weft- 
 moreland, lately apprehended here, as difturbers of the 
 publick peace, and for divers other high mifdemeanors 
 againft a late proclamation, prohibiting the difturljing of 
 minifters and other Chriilians in their aftemblies and meet- 
 ings, and againft an ordinance of his faid highnefs the 
 lord'proteftor, and his council, lately made againft duels, 
 challen'^es, and all provocations thereto, who have refufed 
 to give^fufEcient fecurity for thdr perfonal appearance at 
 the next general feffions of the peace, to be held for the 
 county of Devon ; and in the mean-time to be of good 
 behaviour towards his highnefs the lord Prote4Stor, and all 
 his liege people. Thefe are therefore in his faid highnefs's 
 Dame, to will and command you, that when the bodies of 
 the (aid Thomas SaTOoufc and Miles Halhead, fliall be 
 unto you brought, you them fafely detain, and keep them, 
 until by due courfe of law they fliall be thence delivered : 
 tcrcpf fail ^oi at your pcriL Given under mf hand, and 
 
 ^655] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QyAKER*, 
 
 199 
 
 feal of Plymouth aforefaid, the 28th day of May, in the 
 year of our Lord God, 1655. 
 
 John Page, mayor.* 
 
 By this may be feen under what frivolous pretences 
 thofe called Quakers were imprifoned, viz. becaufe of an 
 ordinance made againft duels, &c. and as for their having 
 refufed to give fecurity, how untrue this was, as well as 
 other acculations, may appear from the following cer- 
 tificate. 
 
 ^ We whofe names arc hereunto fubfcribed, do teftify, 
 that the feveral particulars in an'anfwer made by our 
 friends, are true, to wit. That they did not at all difturb 
 the publick peace, nor were they at any other meeting (but 
 that which was appointed by usj to difturb any minifters, 
 or other Chriftians in their aflemblies and meetings : nor 
 were they guilty of any challenges, duels, and provoca- 
 tions thereunto, in the leaft meafure, whilft they were 
 amongft us. And as for their refufal to give fecurity, two 
 of us, whofe names are Robert Gary and Arthur Cotton 
 had given fecurity to the mayor, by entering into recogni- 
 zance for their appearance at the next feffions, the day 
 before their fending to prifon, but that the town-clerk 
 made it void the next day, pretending it could not be 
 according to law. 
 
 Thomas Faulkener, 
 Nicholas Cole, 
 
 Ralph Fogg, 
 Arthur Cotton, 
 Robert Cary, 
 Richard Smith, 
 Anthony Todde, 
 John Harris, jun. 
 
 John Martindale, 
 Richard Lepincote, 
 John Harris, fen, 
 
 Now to what a heighth of confidence the aforefaid 
 mayor. Page, was come, in fayingfthat Thomas Salthoufc 
 and Miles Halhead had refufed to give bail, nay, that this 
 was the caufe of their confinement, may alfo appear from 
 the :ol!owing letter he writ to general Delborough, to c:;- 
 cufe his proceedings againft him. 
 
 N 3 
 
(«00^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1655 
 
 Plymouth, June 1, 1665. 
 / * Right Honourable, 
 
 Captain Hatfell hath communicated to me what you 
 viTOte him in reference to ihofe two men, Thomas Salt- 
 houfe and Miles Halhead, of whom, and of their imprifon- 
 tnent, your honour had heard fomething from fome perfons 
 of this place, and received a copy of a letter which they 
 fcnt me. By the inclofed copies of their examinations, 
 your honour will fee fome part of the caufe of their con- 
 finement, which was on their refulal to give bail for their 
 appearance the next general feffions, to be held for the 
 county of Devon ; they being, as I conceive, offenders 
 "Within the late ordinance of his highnefs the lord proteftor 
 and council, made againft duels, challenges, and all provo- 
 cations thereunto, and alfo his highnefs's late proclamation 
 againft Quakers ; and they ftill rcfufmg to give bail for 
 their appearance as aforefaid, went from hence to the gaol 
 at Exon on Tuefday laft. Indeed, fir, their carriage here 
 tras not becoming men, much lefs Chriftians ; and befides 
 their contempt of authority, all the while they were in 
 prifon, they never fought God by prayer at any time, nor 
 defired a blefling on any creature they received, or gave 
 thanks for them. And thefe very men were about two 
 months paft taken up by colonel Cupplcftone, high fherifF 
 of our county, and after fourteen days reftraint, were fent 
 away by him for Taunton, from tithing to tithing,* as by 
 their own examination ; and they ftiew no occafion they 
 have to come to thefe parts. They are by profeffion 
 Quakers, but huft)andmen by their calling: one of them 
 is a Lancafhire man, the other of Weftmoreland ; and 
 they left their families, relations, and callings about three 
 months fmce, as they fay, and do not work, nor employ 
 themfelvcs in their calling, to procure themfclves a liveli- 
 hood, but wander up and down in a,ll parts, to vent their 
 wicked opinions, ancMWifcover their irregular praffices in 
 the breach of peace, and difturbance of good people. 
 Indeed, fir, they hold many fad opinions, deftru61ive to-the 
 • true religion, and the power of godlineft. 1 have hereby, 
 according to my duty, given your honour an account of 
 what pailed here in reference to theCe men.- I could fay 
 
 '655] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* 
 
 201 
 
 much more in reference to their examination and difcourfc 
 with them ; but I fear I have already trefpaffed upon your 
 honour's patience in the perufal of thefe lines, and humbly 
 defiring your excufe for giving you this trouble, do moft 
 thankfully acknowledge your honour's continued favours 
 to this place, for which we ftand very much obliged, de- 
 firing your honour ftill to retain fuch an opinion of us, a$ 
 thofe that defire to do nothing unbecoming Chriftians, and 
 perfons that defire the welfare and peace of this common- 
 wealth and government, and fliall ever labour to appear 
 
 -Your honour's very humble fervant, 
 
 (For myfelf and my brethren) 
 
 John Page, mayor.* 
 
 That general Den)orough was but little fatisficd with 
 this letter, feems not improbable, becaufe enquiring into 
 the matter, he let others have a copy of it, fo that Thomas 
 and/Miles wrote an anfwer to it; and it was alfo fome 
 time after given out in publick print at London, by Giles 
 Calvert, with other writings relating therei^nto. Now as 
 10 what is faid in this letter of his highnefs's proclamation 
 againft Qiiakers, it was a grofs untruth ; for in the procla- 
 mation the Quakers were not named ; but it was againft 
 the difturbing of Chriftians in their affemblies ; and be- 
 fides, the Quakers, fo called, judged that their publick! 
 worfliip was permitted them by the 37th article of the 
 inftrument of government, which faid, ' That all that pro- 
 fefs faith in God by Jefus Chrift, fhall not be reftrained 
 from, but be protected in, the profeffion of the faith and 
 exercife of their religion,' &c. As concerning their con* 
 tempt of authority the mayor charged them with, it was 
 nothing elfe, bur that for confcience fake they could not 
 take off their hats to the magiftrates ; neither did they 
 give that honour to any other but God alone. And as to 
 what was faid, that all the while they were in prifon, they 
 never fought God by prayer, &c. this was no other matter, 
 than that they did not follow the fornial way of prayers ; 
 for they were indeed religious men, who often prayed to 
 Codj and gave him thanks i though they were reprefented 
 
 . - N 4 
 
 / 
 
102 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1655 
 
 in the letter as very wicked men, and vagabonds that had 
 left their calling, and wandered up and down the country ; 
 although it was well known that they were honed men, 
 that travelled on horfeback, lying at the bed inns on the 
 road, and paying for what they received there. And there- 
 fore after they had got a cony of the faid letter, they writ 
 a large letter to the mayor, Page, and fhewed him his 
 abominable untruths, and told him, that they had been 
 moved feveral times in prifon, as well as out of prifon, to 
 go to prayers, and to give thanks for the bleflings of God 
 which they received. And in the conclufion of their letter, 
 they fignified, that they would not render railing for rail- 
 ing y but (faid they) in the fpirit of love and meeknefs we 
 exhort you all to repent, and fear to offend the Lor4, &c. 
 
 Now as concerning the provoking words againfl: George 
 Brooks, for which they had been fined, it hath been faid 
 already what they were ; but this Brooks was of a diffo- 
 lutelife, and a debauched fellow, having for his drunken- 
 nefe not only been turned out of the frigates in which he 
 had ferved, but alfo once in the (hip Nightingale, ignomi- 
 nioufly expofed with a quarter can about his neck, as ap- 
 pears by the following teftimonies. 
 
 • I having been formerly defired to relate upon what ac- 
 count it was that Mr. George Brooks, chaplain of the frigate 
 tmdcr my command was put on fhore. Firft, becaufe he 
 -was a bufy body, and difturbed the whole fliip's company. 
 Secondly, being on fhore, it was his common praftice to 
 abufe the creature in fuch fort, that he was drunken, void 
 of good reafon, that he would abufe any one that came in 
 his company, by ill language, befides the abufe of himfelf 
 and the good creature, daily complaints coming unto me 
 both aboard and on fhore. Therefore knowing him to be 
 a deboift fellow, and not fit for that employment, I put 
 him on fhore, and I dare own it, whoever fliall call me to 
 
 queflion. Witnefs my hand, 
 
 Robert Vcffay.' 
 
 < Mr, Brooks being formerly with me in the Nightingale, 
 I found him to be very idle, and continually drunk, which 
 
 ^^<^55) 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 203 
 
 once made me to put a quarter can about his neck; 
 whcreunto I fubfcribe, 
 
 John JefFery, captain of the Nantwich.' 
 
 * The perfon above-mentioned I have feen drunk opi 
 fhore, in teftimony whereof I have fet my hand, 
 
 Richard Potter, 
 Captain of the Ck)n(lant Warwick, frigate.' 
 
 From fuch evidences as thefe it appears, that it was not 
 without reafon that he and the like priefts fometimes were 
 treated a little roughly. But to return to M. Halhcad ; 
 he continued prifoner many months before he was re- 
 leafed. 
 
 In the mean-while it happened that George Whitehead, 
 Richard Clayton, and John Harwood, coming on the 30th 
 of the month called July, to Bures in Suffolk, were im- 
 prifoned on this occafion. R. Clayton had fet up a paper 
 on the fleeple-houfe door, containing thefe queries. 
 
 ' Whether by fetting up fuch minifters as feek for their 
 gain from their quarters, fuch as the prophet difapproves ; 
 Ifaiah Ivi. ii. fuch as the prophet Jeremiah difapproves^ 
 Jer. V. and of whom mention is made alfo Ezek. xxxiv. 
 and Mic. iii. fuch as are called of men, maflers, loving the 
 chief places in the affembHes ; fuch as Chrift difapproved ; 
 Matt, xxiii. fuch as the apoftle Peter difapproves, 2 Pet. ii. 
 and which the apoflle Paul difapproved alfo ; Phil. iii. 01 
 when fuch were fet up that would not fuflFer another to 
 fpeak that flands by, when any thing is revealed, but fend 
 him to prifon ; whether this was not the fetting up a per- 
 fccuting fpirit, limiting the Spirit of God, and defpifing 
 prophecies, not daring to try all things? Whether it was 
 expedient to give to fcoffers, fcorners, drunkards, fwearers, 
 and perfecutors, David's conditions to fmg ? And if fuch 
 were fet up that took tithes, though the apoflle faid tliat 
 the prieflhood was changed, and the law alfo, Heb. vii. 
 Whether by the fetting up of fuch, they did not fet up 
 fuch as did not labour in the Lord's vineyard.* 
 
 This paper being fet up, people came to read it. 
 G, Whitehead being there, and laying hold of thiij op- 
 
^1 
 
 1 1 
 
 2o4 
 
 The history of the 
 
 b^ss 
 
 portunity, fpoke a few words to the people, and exhorted 
 them to lurn to the Lord from' the vanities and wickednefs 
 they lived in. And when G. Whitehead and his fellow- 
 travellers were pafling away, there came a conftable who 
 ftaid them, and carried them before Herbert Pelham, 
 jufticc of peacc^ He aiking feveral vain queftions, and 
 behaving himfelf rudely, G. Whitehead began to fpeak 
 to him concerning his rage : but Pelham faid he did not 
 fend for him to preach. And not being able to lay the 
 tranfgreflion of any law to their charge, he fent them, by 
 the conftable, to Thomas 'Walgrave, juftice of peace at 
 Smalbridge in Suffolk. Being come into his houfe, Richard 
 Clayton was firft examined, of his name and country, and 
 where he had been. The fame and fome other frivolous 
 queftions were aiked of G. Whitehead. Then Walgrave 
 alked John Harwood if he would anfwer him all the 
 queftions he would demand of him : but J. Harwood 
 refufcd lo be limited thus to his will. Juftice Pelham now 
 being come thither alfo, J. Harwood told juftice Walgrave, 
 that Pelham, who had before examined him, had his ex- 
 ^jminaiion in writing. Then the two juftices confulted 
 together what to do in the cafe ; and not long after Thomas 
 Walgrave afkcd G. Whitehead, if he would work at hay ? 
 But he denied to be bound to fuch taflcmafters, as being 
 in that calling whereunto God had called him, and wherein 
 he was chargeable to no man. The conclufion of their 
 confultation was,that they caufed R. Clayton to be whipped, 
 under pretence of having fattened a feditious paper to the 
 fteeple-houfe ; and the other two were imprifoned. 
 
 It was about this time that William DewflDury, and 
 feveral other of his friends were put into prifon at North- 
 ampton. It 'happened that he being at Wellingborough, 
 and cToing along the ftreets, the prieft, Thomas Andrews, 
 called to him in thefe words, ' Give over deceiving the 
 people, lellthe plagues of God fall on thee.' To this 
 Dewft)ury returned, ' Doft thou i:\y I deceive the people ? 
 Make it m'anifcft wherein Ideceive them.' Then Andrews 
 fai^l, ' Thou fayeft there is not any original fin ;' to this 
 Dcwfbury replied, ' Didft thou hear me -fay fo r' But 
 the prieft unwilling to anfwer that qucftion, went away* 
 
 ^(^55l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 205 
 
 Afterwards Dewft)nry went into the fteeple-houfe in the 
 faid town, and after the fermon was done, he demanded 
 of the prieft that he would prove there before the peo- 
 ple, what he had openly accufed him of, viz. that he had 
 faid there was no original fin. Yet the prieft would not 
 anfwer, but went away. There was alfo information 
 given, that Dev/ft)ury had faid, ' The priefts preach for 
 hire, and the people love to have it fo : but what will yc 
 do in the end thereof?' But that this was really fo, I do 
 not find. 
 
 Dewft)ury then being committed to prifon, and kept 
 there above half a year, was at laft brought to his trial 
 at Northampton, with other prifoners, his friends ; and 
 being fet to the bar, , the judge, Atkins, fiiid to the 
 gaoler, « Do you ufe to bring prifoners before the court 
 in this manner ? You deferve to be fined ten pounds, for 
 bringing them before the court covered.' The gaoler 
 anfwcred, * If you command me, I will take off their hats.' 
 To which the judge gave command, and the gaoler's man 
 took them off. Then the judge faid to Dewft)ury, « What 
 art thou here for ?* DewftDury anfwered, « The mittimus 
 will exprefs what I was committed for ; but a copy of it I 
 am denied by the keeper of the gaol.* The next query 
 of the judge was, ' What is thy name ?' And the anfwer 
 was, « Unknown to the world.' ' Let us hear,' faid the 
 judge, * what name that is, that the world knows not.' 
 ' It is,' quoth Dewfbury, ' known in the light, and none 
 can know it, but he that hath it; but the name the world 
 knows me by, is William Dewfl^ury.' Then faid the 
 judge, * What countryman art thou ?' Dewftjury anf- 
 wered, ' Of the land of Canaan.' ' That is far off,' re. 
 plied the judge; 'Nay,' faid DewflDury, V/or all that 
 dwell in God, are in the holy city. New Jerufalem, which 
 comes down from heaven, where the foul is in reft, and 
 enjoys the love of God in Jefus Chrift, in whom the union 
 is with the Father of light.' To this the judge returned, 
 ^ That is true ; but are you afliamed of your country ? Is 
 it a difparagement for you to be born in England ?' « Nay,*' 
 faid Dc\vfl)ury, ' I am free to declare that my natural birth 
 was in Yorkfhirc, nine miles from York, towards Hu.U.*^ 
 
 i 
 
3o6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i6j5 
 
 ^55'} 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 207 
 
 Then the judge faid, ' You pretend to be extraordinary 
 incn, and to have an extraordinary knowledge of God.* 
 To which Dcwfbury replied, * We witnefs the work of 
 regeneration to be an extraordinary work, wrought in us 
 by the Spirit of God.* * But/ faid the judge, ' the 
 apoftles wrought with their hands in their callings/ 
 * They had,' anfwered Dewfbury, * callings in the world, 
 feme were fifhermen, Paul a tent-maker : but when they 
 were called to the miniftry of Chrift, they left their cal- 
 lings, to follow Chrift, whither he led them by his Spirit, 
 to preach the word : and 1 had a calling in the world, as 
 they had, and in it did abide, until the Father revealed 
 his Son in me, and called me from my calling I had in the 
 world, to preach the eternal word he had made known 
 to me in the great work of regeneration.' * Why,' queried 
 the judge, ' didfl thou not abide in thy own country, and 
 teach people in ihofe parts?' * There I did ftay,' returned 
 Dewfbury, * until I was called from thence to go to where 
 I was led by the Spirit of the Lord ; and as many as are 
 led by the Spirit of God, are the fons and daughters of 
 God ; and they that have not the Spirit of Chrift are none 
 of his.' To this the judge faid, ' You fay well ; for we 
 muft in charity conclude, that every one in this place hath 
 the Spirit of God in him: but how do you know that you 
 are guided by the Spirit of God ?' * They that have the 
 Spirit of God,' replied Dewft)ury, ' are known by their 
 fruits : and he that belicveth in Jefus Chrift, and is guided 
 by his Spirit, hath the witnefs in himfelf.' ^ That is true,' 
 faid the judge, ' yet notwithftanding, I fee by your carriage, 
 that what my brother Hale did at the laft affizes, in re- 
 quiring bond for your good behaviour, he might juftly do 
 it; for yoij are againft magiftrates and minifters.' But 
 Dewft)ury returned, * Make that manifcft wherein we ^tfi 
 againft them.* 
 
 Then faid the judge to the clerk, < Robert Guy, what 
 hikve you againft thefe men ?' And he gave relation of 
 what Dewfbury had faid tp prieft Andrews in the fteeple- 
 fcoufe. DewftDury then giving an account of the matter of 
 faft, and how the thing happened ; and that it was not 
 •any breach of the law of the nation j the judge rcfumed. 
 
 But in that you are found wandering in the country, you 
 break the law; for there is an old law, that if any dld\o' 
 from their dwellings to travel in the country without a cer. 
 tfficate from fomejuftice, they were to be taken as wander- 
 ing perfons. To this Dewfbury faid, ^ If there be any 
 fuch law, read it to us ; and if there be fiich a law, thou 
 knowdt in thy confcience it is contrary to the fcripture; 
 for the apoftles and minifters of Chrift went to and fro ia 
 the country, preaching the word of eternal life ; and there 
 were added to the church daily fuch as fhould be faved - 
 and the number of the faints and brethren daily encreafed- 
 and the law that is in force in this nation, doth allow all 
 that profcfs faith in Jefus Chrift, to have free liberty to 
 walk in the faith, which is according to Scripture.' To 
 this the judge faid, ' Thou haft an eloquent tongue, and ' 
 thou art proud of it.' ' Prkle I deny,' replied Devvft)ury, 
 but the Truth I witnefs, which will judge pride, and tor- 
 ment all that live in it, until it be deftroyed.' The judffc 
 then fpoke to the other prifoners; and though he behaved 
 himfelf moderately, yet he could not refolve to fet them at 
 liberty ; but they were continued in prifon. though they 
 Had been kept there above twenty-nine weeks. 
 
 One of thefe priioiiers was John Huchin, whom they 
 had nothing eife to charge with, but that being eome into 
 the fteep e-houfe at Wellingborough, he flood there peace- 
 ably m filence, but before half the fermon was over, prieft 
 Andrews commanded to have him taken away ; which was 
 done by the church-warden, Henry Henfnan, who carried 
 tixm to an alehoufe, where it was told him by the cbnftable, 
 that it he would not come into the church in the afternoon, 
 he fliould be fct free. But he refufmg to make fuch a pro- 
 mile, though they kt him alone then, yet fome days after, 
 a conftable came to his niafter's Ihop, where he was working, 
 and took him away without fhewing any warrant 
 
 Another of the prifoners was Michael Pattifon, who 
 having been m the fame fteeple-houfe, and ftood peaceably 
 m filencc uhliI prieft Andrews had done, and the people 
 were going away, faid to him, ^ Friend, canft thou witnefs 
 this to be the word of the Lord, that thou haft fpoken here 
 before thepegplc?' Bui this fo oiTended the prieft, tbar, 
 
 I 
 
 
2gS 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 U^ss 
 
 he commanded the officers to take Michael away, which 
 the conftable, John Brown, did. 
 
 Thomas Goodyar, who was alfo one of the prifoners, 
 being come to Northampton to vifit his fricucjs in prifon 
 there, it was denied him by the gaoler ; and he meeting 
 the mayor and fome aldermen in the ftreets, fpoke to them 
 about perfecution ; but one ^f the aldermen ftruck off his 
 hat, and faid he would teach him better manners, than to 
 ftand and talk before the mayor with his hat on. Then 
 they required furcties for his good behaviour ; and he told 
 them, that he was bound to good behaviouf by the righ- 
 teous law of God ; and refufmg to find fureties, he was 
 taken up m the flreet, and fent to prifon without mittimu*i, 
 or farther examination. But I will not detain my reader 
 any longer with thefe prifoners ; for if I ftiould relate all 
 occurrences of this nature that are come to my knowledge, 
 and under what unreafonable pretences, even fuch that 
 were as yet not fully entered into the communion of thofc 
 called Quakers, were committed to prifon, I muft v/ritc 
 much more than I might be able to do, though my life 
 fliould yet be lengthened confiderably. 
 
 I find among my papers of this time, the names of about 
 lan hundred perfons, whO;, for not paying tithes to the 
 prieils, and refufing to fwear, fufTered either by feizure 
 of their cattle and goods, or imprifonment. Thomas 
 Aldam, for not piiying of tithes to the pried Thomas 
 Rookby, of Warnfworth, was imprifoned at York in the 
 year 1652, where he was kept above tv»'o years and a 
 half, and befides hacj thirteen beeves and two horfes taken 
 from him. 
 
 But pafTing by a multitude of the like cafes, I return 
 again to G. Fox, whom I left at London. He, having 
 had there feveral large meetings, went from thence to 
 Colchefler, where,. w^ich difficulty, he vifited James Parnd 
 in prifon. From Colchcfter he wxnt to Ipfwich, and fo 
 on to Norwich and Yarmouth, finding fcrvice every 
 where. 
 
 Travelling farther, in company with R. Hubbcrthorn, 
 towards Lynn, and by the w^ay being in bed at an inn, a 
 conftablc and officers came thither, being fcnt with in hue 
 
 
 i^ssl 
 
 PEOtLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 10^ 
 
 and cry from a juft.ce of peace, to fearch for two horfe-men 
 riiat nd upon grey horfes, and in grey clothes; a houfe being 
 broken up at njght, as was reported. Now though they 
 11 7 were honeft and innocent men, yet a guard with 
 halberds and pjkes was fet upon them that night, and in 
 the morning they were carried before a juftice of peace 
 
 thev'^r r'" "^;r ,'l^'^^J"ft- R-w ingry, becaufc 
 they did not put off. the.r hats to him : but G. Fox told 
 
 ff ' i ^ ^•"^^.^^?: I'efo'-e the protcftor, and he was not 
 pitcnded at hs hat ; why then fliouid he be offended at 
 It, who was but one of his fervants ? The juftice, having 
 
 ^hat had broken open the houfe; but he was ferry that 
 he had no more againit them. But G. Fox told him, he 
 
 Zt^.TT f ^r'^S°J "^' ^^^''"^ ^'" ^g^'inft them ; but " 
 rather to be glad. The juftice,- though ftirred up by the 
 conftable to fend them to prifon, yet let them go. Gl Foic 
 bemg th„s fet at liberty, travelled on to Lynn, from 
 Whence he went to Sutton, where he had a great meeting, 
 many people from other places being come thither, and 
 a^lo the mayor's wife of Cambridge ; and many hundred. 
 
 he pafled to Cambridge, and though the fcholars were 
 exceedmg rude, yet he got fafe into an inn. In the dark 
 o the cvenmg the mayor of the town came, and fetched 
 him to his houfe, whither fome friendly people were fent 
 tor, and he had a meeting there. Next morning he de- 
 parted the town and returned to London, where he ftaid 
 lome time. 
 
 Win. rf 7""' 1'""^ "'"' '^'^ "'^'^^ °f abjuration agalnft' 
 king Charles, whereupon he wrote to the proteftor ac- 
 quainting him that many of his friends, who could not 
 fwear for confcience fake, furTered much on this accoun" 
 Wh'T u '^^^''^"''o Leicefterlhirc, and coming to 
 
 Hacf^rT "''"k ^°™"'y ^'^'''^ ^^^" ''^'" by colone" 
 wif. I'^ K-"°''' n"^,"" ^'^^' "^^^''"S' »° ^hich Hacker's 
 wife, and his rnarflial came, a.d they, befides many more 
 
 were convmced of G. Fox's miniftry : who going f^m 
 
 f.a^ro^ '".''"'"^iP^^''^ through 'many plaL.%am^ 
 again to London, where meeting J;,mes Naylor, and caft- 
 
 i 
 
 II 
 
 i 
 f 
 
SI6 THE rilSTORY OF TMf [^^55 
 
 ing his eyes npon him, he was (truck with a fear coq- 
 cerning him ; being, as it were, under a fenfc of fome 
 great difafter that was hke to befal him. 
 
 In this year Edward Burrough writ a letter to the pro- 
 tcftor, wherein he told him, that the Lord's controverfy 
 was againft him, bccaufe he had not been faithful in God*s 
 work; but that he had taken his reft and eafe upon a 
 lofty mountain of pride and vain glory; having fet up 
 himfelf to be wordiipped, and exalting his own horn, with- 
 out giving glory and honour to God. Moreover, that he 
 had not performed his vows made to the Lord in the day 
 of diftrefs ; and that now he fuffcred grievous oppreffion, 
 cruelty, and tyranny to be a^led in his name, by unjuft 
 imprifonmcnts, and perfecution of the Lord's people.. 
 That therefore the Lord would bring his judgments upon, 
 him, except he did repent. How boldly foever Burrough 
 wrote in this letter to Cromwell, yet I do not find that he 
 {hewed himfelf angry becaufe of it ; but yet he hearkened 
 too much to the flatteries of thofe teachers, who, being 
 now entered into the poffeflion of the Epifcopalians, 
 exalted him as their idol, by their applaufe. And he re- 
 vering them as fuch who could ftrengthen his authority 
 with the people, winked at the grievous perfecution, by 
 their inftigation carried on againft the Quakers, fo called. 
 
 In the mean-while there were many malcontents, who 
 could not bear that Cromwell fhould force the members 
 of parliament to confent to make no change in the govern- 
 ment then eftabliftied, and would not fuffer any one to fl^ 
 in the houfe, without having promifed by writing, not to 
 oppofe, or give his confent there, to the change of the faid 
 government. This gave occafion, that even fome of thofc 
 who had been his eminent friends, now did not ftick to 
 reprove him ftiarply. 
 
 Among thefe was lieutenant-colonel John Lilburn, who 
 being an extraordinary bold man, very ftiffand inflexible, 
 had more than once ftiewed himfelf a publick aflerter of 
 the people's liberties and . freedoms ; Jor which he had 
 been profecuted at law ; viz. once in the year 1 645, when 
 be was imprifoncd as guilty of treafon, but was difcharged ; 
 and afterwards, in the year 1649, when, having publiflicd 
 
 '5553 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 feven months, was impeached of hiA treafon Z h. r 
 v.goroufly defended h^ xaafe, tha/fh^^h W 'r^ul 
 
 guilty, yet he fo far prevailed, that at length he was f^-t ■., 
 ■berty again : though I find that once he^^^^s wS for a 
 
 A T u"^ ^° ^" '^''^'^ °f ^^hich he gloried pTbiSlv 
 And when Cromwell had ufurped the fupreme pW S' 
 bura ™ade bold to charge hin^ both b/wor5 '0?!^^^ 
 and by writing, with falfenefs and tyranny • and he w^nr 
 on at that rate, that Cromwell, forefJeing ^t^at if thfslan 
 co„t„,ued thus to expofe his doings, he fhould not be S 
 to mamtam his credit and authority, ordered him to h! 
 akcn into cuftody, and impeached of'high treafon When 
 Lilburn, thus accufed, appeared at the' bar, he behaved 
 h.rafelf with that undauntednefs, andfo defended hfraufe 
 that he feemed lefs to plead for his hfe, than for the free' 
 
 hi?h treafon ' tf '^' ^'^'^ ^' ^""^ ^°"^ '''' "°t only no 
 ftigh treafon; but the government was fuch, that no hiah 
 
 all true Enghflimen were obliged to oppofe the tvrannv 
 that was exercifed. He alfu feid, that having been oncfc 
 
 pretrnr T ?°'"^* "!' ^'^''' '^-^ attaiLd to gS 
 preferment, if he would have been quiet : but that hr 
 
 having thought thisjinlawful, it wa« now refdved to W 
 his life taken away; which he did not fear, beca ,fc he 
 
 and he defended his caufe with fuch ftrong argbmeht^' 
 
 the end'eSr :??t' ''"; in no, ,, .oLthflanS^ 
 
 tiieendeavours of the judges to the contrary. ^ 
 
 Now, though according to law, hf mnft have been fci 
 
 at liberty, yet Cromwell would not c6nfcnt to it, bSt kcnl 
 
 Z 'wtirJeal"' h"^"'^ '^ ''''''' '^^'^^ hi-, "s o?c 
 carn-T^ ^" -5" S^^^nment, he ordered him to be 
 
 carried from one prifon to another ; till at length he came 
 to be confined ,n tlje caftle of Dover, in which town M 
 Luke Howard, mcnttone<i before; who thereby haJng 
 
ail 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 '^ 
 
 ft « a^ 
 
 occafion to fpcak with Lilburn concerning religion, gave 
 him fuch convincing rcafons for his profeffions, as pre- 
 vailed upon Lilburn to receive the Truth ; as he liimielf 
 Cgnified in a letter he writ to his .wife ; who having vifited 
 iiim in prifon, afterwards writ to him this following ex- 
 hortation, 
 
 ' My dear, i v 
 
 * Retain a fober patient fpirit within thee, which 1 am 
 confident thou flialt fee fliall be of more force- to recover 
 thee, than all thy keen metal hath been. 1 hope God is 
 doing a work upon thee and me too, ^s fliall make us 
 fludy ourfelves more than we have done/ 
 
 Thcfe words were fo acceptable to Lilburn^ that repeat- 
 ing them in his letter to her, he anfwered thus, after many 
 other paffagcs. 
 
 * O, my dear love ! 
 ' I am deeply already entered into my part of it: the 
 ipighty power of God enable thee to get in too, and alfo 
 to go through thine, and effectually to go. chear fully and 
 willingly along hand in hand with me, which would render 
 thee abundantly more amiable, lovely, and pleafaut in 
 mine eyes, although thou wert then clothed in rags, than 
 thou couldeft be to me in thy drawing back, or Handing 
 dill where thou waft when I lafl; faw thee, though therein 
 thou wert clothed all over with rich and outwardly glifter- 
 ing earthly diamonds, and in the greateft of earthly prof, 
 perity. I am forry thou art fo ftraitly pUt to it for money ; 
 but to live upon God by faith, in the depth of ftraits, is 
 the lively condition of a Chriftian. O that thy fpirit 
 could attain unto this, according to thy defire in thy 
 
 letter, and my own prefect frame of fpirit! 1 now can 
 
 contentedly feed favourily upon bread and chcefe, and 
 fmall beer alone, for faving of money. And for my 
 liberty, about which thou fo wearieft and fpendeft thyfcU, 
 as" thy letter acquaints me thou doft, I caiT fay to thee, 
 that I am in my prefent temper of fpirit, ready really with 
 Pcicr, at the fight of the glorious transfiguration of Chrift, 
 
 '^SSl 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 213 
 
 9 
 
 to fay It IS good being here. For here in Dover Caftle, 
 through the loving-kiudnefs of God, I have met with a 
 more dear, plain, and evident knowledge : of God, and 
 niylcl^, and his gracious outgoings to my fouJ, than ever I 
 had in all my lifetime, not excepting my glorying and r& 
 
 joicmg condition under the bifhops..^ And now fubmif- 
 
 L/e y and heartily I can fay, the will of my heavenly 
 i'ather be ..one in me, by me, and for me ; in whofe will 
 
 reft "^ ^"'^ ''""''' ^"'^ ^'' ^^^ ^^^ ™y ^"'^"''^' ^""^ 
 
 Thine in the ftrength of 
 
 renewednefs of true love, 
 
 'John Lilburn.' 
 
 Prom Dover Caillc, the place of the preCent^ 
 enjoyed delightful difpenfations of the eternal * ' 
 everia, mg love of Cod unto mjr fod 
 The 4th of the Tenth IWonih, 1655. ' "" 
 
 Whilft Lilburn was prifoner here, Cromwell, as h 
 feemed, would have releafed him, if he would have figned 
 a declaration that he would never draw a fword againft his 
 government. But Lilburn as yet not being fully convinced, 
 that to refrain the ufe of the carnal fword, was the duty 
 ot a true Chriftian, refufed; thinking that though G. Fox 
 had figned fuch a declaration, yet this did not become hi^i 
 becaule he did not perfeaiy approve that point of felf- 
 denial. But however, continuing in faithfulnefs, to per- 
 levere in refpeft of that knowledge he had already attained 
 ^"' ^u n!''"^' '" P'"°'^''^s of time, fuch an afferter of the ' 
 true Chriftian life, that in a paper, which at his defire was 
 given out m print, he cxpreffed hirafelf thus : 
 
 ' I have now the faithful and true witncfs in my own 
 foul that the Lord himfcif is become, within me, the 
 teacher of my foul, and enabler of me to walk in a 
 mea ure of his pure ways and paths ; yea, and fo clear a 
 teacher withm me is he already become unto me, as that 
 i with confidence believe my inward teacher (hall never now 
 more be removed into a corner ; but is, and fhall be, as 
 a contmual voice fpeaking in my ears, « This is the way, 
 walk m it :" by which divine teaching, I am now daily 
 
 02 
 
 t 
 
 il 
 
214 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 taught to die to fin, and led up by it into living power, to 
 be raifed up, and enabled to live in a pure meafure of 
 xighteoufnefs ; and by which inward fpiritual teachings, I 
 am, I fay again, led up into power in Chrifl, by which I 
 particularly can, and do hereby witnefs, that I am already 
 dead, or crucified to the very occafions, and real grounds 
 of all outward wars, and carnal fword-fightings, and 
 fleflily buftlings and contefts ; and that therefore confi- 
 dently I now believe, I fliall never hereafter be an ufer of 
 a temporal fword more, nor a joiner with thofe that fo do. 
 And this I do here folemnly declare, not in the lead to 
 avoid pcrfecution, or for any politick ends of my own, or 
 in the lead for the fiuisfaftion of the fleflily wills of any of. 
 my great adverfaries, or for fiuisfying the carnal will of 
 my poor weak afflifted ^ife ; but by the fpecial movings 
 and compulfions of God now upon my foul, am I in truth 
 and righteoufnefs compelled thus to declare ; that fo I 
 may take away from my adverfaries, all their fig-leaf 
 covers, or pretences, for their continuing of my everyway 
 unjuft bonds. And that thereby, if yet I muft be an im- 
 prifoned fulFerer, it may from this day forward, be for the 
 Truth as it is in Jefus ; which Truth I witnefs to be truly 
 profcfled and praftifed by the favourieft of people called 
 Quakers. 
 
 * And to this my prefent declaration, which I exceed- 
 ingly long and earneftly defire to have in print, and for 
 which I know that I can cheerfully and afluredly lay down 
 my life, if I be called to witnefs the truth of it, I fubfcribe 
 my name, 
 
 , ' John Lilburn.* 
 
 From my innocent and every way caufclcfs captivity 
 in Dover Caftle, the place of my fours delightful and 
 contentful abode, where I have really and fubftantially * 
 
 found that which my foul many years hath fought dili- 
 gently after, and with unfatisfied longingncfs thirllcd to 
 enjoy i tliis prefent Firft-day of the week, being the 
 4th of the Third Montli, 1655. 
 
 It fufficiently appears by this, that Lilburn did not think 
 that this declaration would procure his liberty ; and he 
 giieffcd net wrong; for before he was rcleafeci, Cromwell 
 died. Lilburn being then difcharged from his. confine- 
 
 ^5 si 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 215 
 
 mem, continued ftedfafl to the doarine of the Truth h. 
 
 And thus I conclude this book with the year ,5cc in 
 which year there was a plot of the royalills aJainft r^' 
 well; and in Nottingha'mfl.ire they h?d rea^LS 
 W places ; and towards the Weft the city ofSuSr 
 The young kmg (Charles) was now come from SC 
 mto Zealand, to be the nearer if the attemp°Tucceeded 
 
 we^ 4rforced" o^" "" "°' ''T'^' ' ^-' ^^ "v^^ '^^ 
 I^^rCA r I • ^7^ "^^y '° ^^^ powder of Cromwell • 
 
 to Coloan?"ln?h^ '"^"^ "^""li'^' ^^S Charles reTurneci 
 
 © 3 
 
\ 
 
 ^^ssl 
 
 THE HISTORY, &C. 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 (QUAKERS. 
 
 THE FOURTH BOOK. 
 
 NEAR the beginning of the year 1656, G. Fox went 
 from London to Surry, Chichefter, Portfmouth, and 
 Pool ; where William Baily, a 'Baptift teacher, and fome 
 others, were convinced by G. Fox's miniflry, and entered 
 into the fociety of ihofe called Quakers ; among whom, 
 Baily afterwards became an eminent minifter. From Pool, 
 G. Fox went to Southampton and borchefter, where he 
 defired of the Baptifts to have their meeting-houfe to meet 
 in ; but they refufing, he fent them word, that they might 
 come to his inn, if they pleafed. Many of them came, 
 vith their teaeher, and they fell into a difcourfe about 
 water-rbaptifm. G. Fox aflced them, whether they could 
 fay they were fent of God to baptize people, as John 
 was ; and whether they had the fame fpirit and power, 
 that the apoflles had. They fold they had not. Then he 
 afked them, how many powers there are. \V hether there 
 are any more than the pow^r of God, and the power of 
 the devil ;* and they faid, there was nqt any power than 
 thole two. Then faid G. Fox, ' If you have not the 
 power of God, that the apoftles had, then you aft byihe 
 • power pf the devil.' And his fpeaking was of fuch efFeft, 
 
 317 
 
 that many fubftantial people were convinced that night. 
 Next morning when he was paffing away, the Baptifts 
 began to fliake the dud from oiF their feet after him. 
 What, faid he, in the power of darknefs ! We who arc 
 in the power of God, fhake off the duft of our feet 
 againft you.* 
 
 Leaving Dorchefler, he came to Weymouth, where 
 enquiring after the fober people, about fourfcore of them 
 gathered together at a prieft's houfe, and mofl: of them 
 were turned to Chrift Jefus, who had enlightened them' 
 with his divine light, by which they were leproved of 
 their fins. There was at that time a captain of horfe in 
 the town, who rode about feven miles out of town with 
 G. Fox. This captain was of fuch a merry temper, and 
 fo exceedingly given to laughter, that G. Fox feveral time? 
 fpoke very feriouHy to him about it ; but it was become 
 -fo cuftomary to him, that he would laugh almoft at any 
 thing he fiiw. But G. Fox ftill admoniflied him to gravity, 
 and the fear of the Lord ; and of this he fpoL'e to him 
 again when they parted. The next time G. Fox faw him, 
 the captain told him, that when he fpoke to him at 
 parting, the ppwer of the Lord fo (truck him, that be- 
 fore he got home, he was ferious enough, and had left 
 his laughing. He indeed became a ferious and good man * 
 and being convinced of the Truth, died in the real pro- 
 feffibn thereof. 
 
 ' For brevity's fake, I do not intend to mention all the 
 places G. Fox paffed through, much lefs all his occur- 
 rences. At Kingfbridge.hc had good fervice ; and return- 
 ing in the evening to his inn, and there being many pcopl^ 
 drinking, he was moved to go amongft them, and to di- 
 rea: them to tjie light which Chrift, the heavenly man, 
 had enlightened them withal : by which light they might 
 fee all their evil ways, words, and deeds ; and by the 
 fame light they might alfo fee. Chrift: Jefus their Saviour. 
 But this difcourfe did not pleafe the innkeeper, feeing it 
 hindered his guefts from drinking: and hearing G. Fojc ' 
 fpeak fo much of the light, he fnatcht away the candle, 
 find laid, < Come, here is light for you to go into your 
 chamber,' 
 
 .' « I v.- 
 
 04 
 
Jl8 ' THE HISTORY OF THE ['^55 
 
 The next day G.Fox \vent to Plymouth, and from thence 
 to Cornwall ; and travelling through the country , he came 
 to Market-Jew. Being there at an inn, he met with fome 
 trouble from the magiftrates : and he writ a paper, to Ihew, 
 that the Lord was come to teach his people himfelf, by 
 Jcfus Chrift, &c. This paper came accidentally to the 
 hands of Peter Ceely, a major in the army, and alfo a 
 juftice of peace at Ives, whither G. Fox came. Here 
 pdward Pyot and William Salt, who were G. Fox's fellow- 
 travellers, were haled before the faid major, whilft G. Fox 
 was walking down to the fea-fide : but hs hearing this, 
 followed them, and came alfo into the juftice's houfe, 
 where the aforefaid paper being produced, it was aiked 
 bjm, whether he would own it : and he faid, ' Yes.* 
 Then the major tendered them the oath of abjuration, 
 G. Fox thereupon putting his hand in his pocket, drew 
 forth the anfwer to it, which had been given to the pro- 
 teftor. A piieft being prefent there, found fault with 
 bis hair, which then was pretty long, and alked to 
 have cut it ; but G. Fox told him, he had no pride in it. 
 It happened alfo at other times, that becaufe of his lortg 
 hair he was fpoken to, as I have feen rayfelf ; but of this 
 I am fully perluaded, that he had not the leafl pride in it ; 
 but it'feems to me not improbable, that he, feeing how 
 fome would make it a kind of holinefs to wear fliort hair, 
 did the contrary, to Ihew that in fome things there was a 
 Ohriftian hberty, for which we ought not to judge one 
 another. But to proceed, G. Fox and his companions 
 were taken into cuftody, and with a guard of horfe fent 
 to prifon with this mittimus. 
 
 Peter Ceely, one of the juftices of the peace of this 
 county, to the keeper of his highnefs's gaol at Laun- 
 ceflon, or his lawful deputy in that behalf, greeting. 
 
 ' I fend you herewithal by the bearers hereof, the 
 
 • bodies of Edward Pyot of Briftol, and George Fox of 
 
 Drayton 2nd Clea, in Leicefterfliirc, and William Salt of 
 
 London, which they pretend to be the places of their 
 
 habitations, who go under the notion of Quakers, and 
 
 ^^ssl 
 
 PffOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 2l! 
 
 acknowledge themfeives to be fuch ; who have fpread 
 leveral papers, tending to the difturbance of the publick 
 peace, and cannot render any lawful caufe of coming into 
 thefe parts, bemg perfons altogether unknown, andhavin? 
 no pafs for their travelling up and down the country, and 
 refufing to give fureties of their good behaviour, according 
 to the law m that behalf provided, and refufe to take the 
 oath of abjuration, &c. Thefe are therefore, in the name 
 of his highnefs the -lord proteflor, to will and command 
 you, that when the bodies of the faid Edward Pvot 
 George Fox, and William Salt, fiiall beunto you brou^t' 
 you them receive, and in his highnefs's prifon aforeniid 
 you lately keep them, until by due courfe of law they Ihall 
 be delivered. Hereof fail you not, as you will anfwer the 
 contrary at your perils. Given under my hand and feal 
 at St, Ives, the i8th day of January, i6jj. ' 
 
 ' P. Ceely.' 
 
 By this mittimus it appears under what odd pretences 
 the Quakers, fo called, were committed to prifon ; for 
 luch reafons as are mentioned therein, might be found 
 and picked up at any time. Thus G. Fox and his com- 
 panipns were carried through Redruth, Falmouth and 
 Bodmui, to Launcedon. By the way they fufFered great 
 inlolences, both from the foldiers that conduced them 
 and from others, by the connivance of captain Keat j but 
 1 will not detain my reader with all thofe particulars 
 iieing come to Launcefton, Keat delivered the prifoners • 
 to the gaoler. And though many were greatly enraged 
 againft them, and expefted that thefe prifoners, who 
 thou d and theo'd all, and did not put oiF their hats to any 
 man, (hould at the affizes be condemned to be handed if 
 they did not pay that refpeft to the bench ; yet thereVre 
 many friendly people, out of feveral parts of the country 
 that came to vifit them ; for it was about nine weeks from 
 the time of their commitment to the affizes : by reafon of 
 which feveral got opportunity to fpeak w-ith them, which 
 had that good effeft, that many were convinced of the 
 truth of the doftrine held forth by them. 
 At the time of the affizes, abundance of people cjime 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
220 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THfi 
 
 i > 
 
 [1656 
 
 »6i6] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 from far and near, to hear the trial of the CHiakers ; who 
 being guarded by the foldiers, and the (herifl's men to the 
 court, had much ado to get through the niuhitudc that 
 filled the ftreets : befides the doors and windows were 
 filled with people looking out upon them. Being brought 
 into the court, G. Fox after all was quiet, faid, * Pe^«cc 
 be amongfl you.' The judge (Glyn), who was then 
 chief jullice of England, laid to the gacler, * What be 
 thefe yen have brought here into court ?' ' Prifoners, my 
 lord,' faid he, ^ Why do you not put' off your hats ?* 
 faid the judge to them. They faying nothing ; * Put oiF 
 your hats,' laid the judge again : ^^nd they flill continuing 
 filent, the judge faid, ' The court commands you to pwt 
 off your hats.' Then G. Fox began to fpeak, and faid, 
 
 • W herd did ever any magillrate, king, or judge, from 
 Mofes to Daniel, command any to put off their hats, when 
 they came before them in their courts, either amongft the 
 Jews (the people of God) or amongfl the heathen ? And 
 if the lawof Engla^nd doth command any fuch thing, (hew 
 me that law either written or printed.' The judge, then 
 growing angry, faid, ' 1 do not carry my law books en my 
 back.' ' But,* faid G. Fox, * where is it printed in any 
 ftatute-book, that I may read it ?* At this the judge faid, 
 
 * Take him away, prevaricator! I'll ferk him.' Then 
 the prifoners were taken away, and put among the thieves. 
 But prefently after the judge called to the gaoler, ' Bring 
 them up again.' This being done, ' Come,' faid he, 
 *• where had they hats from Mofes to Daniel ? Come, 
 anfwer me; Fhave yon faft now.' To this G. Fox re- 
 phed, * Thou may eft read in the third of Daniel, that the 
 three children were call into the fiery furnace, by Nebu- 
 chadnezzar's command, with their coats, their hofe, and 
 their hats on.' This plain jnftance flopped him ; fo that 
 not having any thing clfe to fay, he cried again, ' Take 
 them away gaoler.' Accordingly they were taken away, 
 and being thruft arr^ong the thieves, they were kept there 
 a great while, and at length carried again to prifon : but 
 in the afternoon they were brought up again into the 
 court. 
 
 G. Fox feeing the jurymen there, gave them a papcir 
 
 221 
 
 ^hich he had written againft fwearing. This paper pafllng 
 .from the )ury to the juftices, they prefented it to the 
 judge; and he bid the clerk give G. Fox that paper, and 
 then aked hnn whether that feditious paper was his : to 
 which he faid if they would read it in open court,' that he 
 might hear it, if it was his, he would own it, and ftand 
 by it. The judge would have G. Fox to have taken it, 
 and looked upon it in his own hand. But he defired 
 again that it might be read, that all in the court might hear 
 It, and judge whether there was any fedition in it, or no • 
 for if there were, he was willing to ftiffer for it. At length 
 the clerk of the affizes read it with an audible voice : and 
 when he had done, G. Fox faid it was his paper, and he 
 would own it ; and fo might they too, except they would 
 ^deny the Scripture; for was it not Scripture language, 
 and the words and commands of Chrifl and the apoftles, 
 which all true Chriftians ought to obey ? Then they lee 
 fall that fubjecfr, and the judge fpeaking again about the 
 hats of the prifoners, bid the gaoler take them off. Then 
 they aiked what they had lain in prifon for thefe nine weeks, 
 feeing now nothing was objefted againfl them, but what 
 concerned their hats : ' And,' faid G. Fox, ' as for put- 
 tmg off our hats, that was the honour which God woul4 
 lay in the duff, though they made fo much ado about it : 
 the honoiir which is of men, and which men feek one of 
 another, is the mark of unbelievers : for " How can yc 
 beheve," faith Chrift, " who receive honour one of 
 another, and feek not the honour that coineth from God 
 only ?" And Chrift faith alfo, '' I receive not honour 
 from men." And all true Chriftians fliould .be of his 
 mind.' Then the judge made a fpeech, how he reprefented 
 the lord proteftor's perfon ; and how he had made him lord 
 chief juftice of England, and fent him to come that circuit, 
 &c. Thereupon the prifoners defired him, that he would 
 do them juftice for their falfe imprifonment, which they 
 had fuffered nine weeks. 
 
 But inftead thereof, an indiftment was read againft them, 
 but fo fuU of untruths, that G. Fox thought it had been 
 againft fome of the thieves ; for it contained, that they 
 pamc by force and arms, and in an hoftile manner into the 
 
 K 
 
\ 
 
 "^^ 
 
 T^,* 
 
 322 
 
 " ^THI HlSTORV^F^^ilE 
 
 [.65.6 
 
 court; whereas they were brought there as pfifoners; 
 >vhich made him fay it was all falfe. And ftiil they cried 
 for juflice for their falfe imprifonment, being taken up in 
 their journey without caufe, by major Ceely. Then this 
 Peter Ceely, wrio as a juftice of peace fat alfo on the 
 bench, faid to the judge, * May it pleafe you, my lord, 
 this man (pointing to G. FoxJ, went afide with me, and 
 told me how ferviceable I might be for his defign ; that 
 ^e could raife forty thoufand men at an hour*s warn- 
 ing, and involve the nation in blood, and fo bring in king 
 Charles ; and I would have aided him out of the country, 
 but he would not go. And if it pleafe you, my lord, I 
 have a witnefs to fwear it.* And To he called upon his 
 witRcfs, who, without queftion, was one that was bribed. 
 But the judge, perceiving this palpable lie, was not forward 
 to examine the witnefs : then G. Fox defired the judge 
 that he would be pleafed to let* his mittimus be read, in 
 vhich the pretended crime was ftgnified, for which he was 
 com-nitted to prifon. Bnt the judge faid it fliould not be 
 read : G. Fox ftill infifting to have it read, faid, * It 
 ought to be : for if I have done any thing worthy of 
 drath, or of bonds, let all the country know it.* Seeing 
 then they would not read it, he faid to one of his fellow- 
 prifoners, * Thou haft a copy of it ; read it up.' * It fhall 
 not be read,*^ faid the judge ; * gaoler, take him away ; 
 I will fee whether he or I fliall be raafter.* 
 
 Then G. Fox was taken away, and awhile after called ' 
 for again. He ftill cried to have the mittimus read ; and 
 the people being eager to hear it, he bid his fellow-prifoner 
 to read it up ; which being done, and read according to 
 the copy already mentioned, G. Fox faid to the judge and 
 j'jftices, ' Thou that fay eft thou art chief juftice of England, 
 and you that be juftices, ye know, that if I had put in 
 fureties, I might have gone whither I pleafed, and have 
 carried on thedcfign, if I had had one, which major Ceely 
 hath charged me with. And if I had fpoken thefe words 
 to him, w^hich he hath here declared, then judge ye, 
 whether bail or raainprife could have been taken in 
 that cafe.* Then directing his fpeech to mayor Ceely, 
 he faid, ^ When or where did I take thee afide ? Was not 
 
 
 1656] '>^'^PEO^it CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 223 
 
 thy houfe full of rude people, and thou as rude as any of 
 them at dur examination, fo that I alked for a conftable, 
 or other officer, to keep the people civil ? But if ihou art 
 my accufer, why fitteft thou on the bench ? That is not 
 a place for thee to fit in ; for accufers do not ufe to fit 
 With the judges : <hou oughteft to come down, and ftand 
 by mc, and look me in the face. Eefides,'! would aflc the 
 judge and juftices this queftion, whether or no maior Ccelf 
 IS not guilty of this treafon, which he charges againft me 
 in concealing it fo long as he hath done ? Doth he under! 
 Hand his place, cither as a foldier, or a juftice of the peace? 
 *or he tells you here, that I went afide with him, and told 
 . , ™ f '^^^n I ^ad in hand ; and how ferviceable he 
 might be for it : that I could raife forty thoufand men in 
 an hour s time, and bring in king Charles, and involve 
 the nation in blood. Moreover, that be would have aided^ 
 me out of the country, but 1 would not go ; and therefore 
 he committed me to prifon for want of fureties for the 
 good behaviour, as the mittimus declares. Now do not 
 ye fee plainly, that major Ceely is guilty of this plot and 
 
 "u^ r '^''^' ^^' ^"'^ ^^^^^ ""'^'''^ himfelf a party to 
 
 It, by defiring me to go out of the country, and demanding 
 bail of me ; and not charging me with this pretended 
 trealon till now, nor difcovering it .? But I deny and abhor 
 nis words, and am innocent of liis devilifli defign.' 
 
 The judge by this feeing clearly that Ceely, inilead of 
 cnlnaring G. Fox, had cnfnared himfelf, ict fill that 
 bufinefs. But then. Ceely got up again, and faidtoihc 
 judge, « If It pleafe you, my lord, to hear me : this man 
 Itruck me, and gave me fuch a blow, as I never had in 
 my life.' G. Fox fmiling at this, faid, ' Major Ceclv, 
 art thou a juftice of peace, and a, major of a troop of 
 tiorie, and tells .the judge here in the'fltce of the couit 
 and country, that I, who am a nrifoner, ftriKk thee ; and 
 gave thee fuch a blow, as thou never hadft the like in thy . 
 Jile ? What ! art thou not afliamed ? Prithee, major Ceelf 
 where did I ftrikc thee; and who is thy witnefs for thai? 
 Who was by?' To this Ceely faid it was in the caftle- 
 green, and that captain Bradden was ftanding by when 
 G. Fox ftruck him; who then defired the judge to let 
 
2^4 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1656 
 
 1556} 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED-QUAKERS. 
 
 him produce his witncfs for that : and he called cigain upon 
 Ceely, to come down from off the bench ; telling him it 
 was not fit that the accufer fliould fit a.s jud^e over the 
 accufed. Ceely then faid, captain Bradden was his wit- 
 nefs: which made G. Fox fay to captain Brad^ien, who 
 was prefent there, ' Didft thou fee mc give him fuch a 
 blow, and ftrike him as he faiihi^' Braddt^n made no 
 anfwer, but bowed his head. G. Fox then defined him 
 to fpcak up, if he knew any fuch thing; hut he only 
 bowed his head again. ' Nay,* fi\id G. Fox, '-.fpcak up, 
 and let the court and country hear, and let not .bowing of 
 the head ferve the turn, if I have done fo, let the law be 
 infliiJted on me. I fear not fullerings, nor death itfclf ; 
 for I am an innocent man concerning all his charge.' But 
 Bradden would not tcftify to it. A^d the judge,::findii)g 
 i^ofe fncu^es would not hold, cried, * Take him. away, 
 gaoler;' and fined the prifoners twenty marks a piece, 
 for not putting off their hats, and to be kept in prifon till 
 they paid the fine : and fo they were brought back tio gaol 
 
 agam. 
 
 At night captain Bradden came with feven or eight 
 juRices to fee them ; and they being very civil, faid, they 
 did not believe that either the judge, or any in the court, 
 believed thofe charges which major Ceely had made upon 
 G. Fox. And Bradden fiiid, major Ceely had an intent 
 to have taken away G. Fox's life, if he could have got 
 another witnefs. " But/ faid G. Fox, ^ captain Bradden, 
 why didft not thou witnefs for me^ or againft me, feeing 
 major Ceely produced thee for a witnefs,' that thou faweft 
 me ftrike him ? And when I defired thee to fpeak either 
 for me, or againft me, according to what thou faweft or 
 knewxft, thou wouldeft not fpeak.' * Why,' faid he, 
 * when major Ceely aAd I came by you, as you were 
 walking in the caftle-grecn, he put off his hat to you, and 
 ^faid, how do you, Mr. Fox? Your fervant, fir. Then 
 you faid to him, major Ceely, take heed of hypocrify, 
 and of a roiien heart; for when came I to be thy mafter, 
 or thou my fervant ? Do fervants ufe to caft their mafters 
 into prifon ? This was the great blow he meant that you 
 gave him.* G. Fox hearing this, called to mind, that 
 
 22s 
 
 they walking by, Ceely had fpoken the aforefaid words, 
 and that he himfeh indeed made fuch an anfwer, as i. 
 mentioned ; and he thought he faid nothing amifs, fincc 
 Ceely fo openly, had manifcfted his hypocrify and nrtten. 
 heartednefs, when he complained of this to the iudcre hi 
 open court, and would have /nade all believe, that G.'' Fox 
 gave him a ftroke outwardly with his hand. A report of 
 this tnal being fpread abroad, divers p.ople, of whom fome 
 were of account in the world, came for and near 10 ice 
 him and his friends in prifon,. which tended to the con- 
 vincement of fome. 
 
 Being fettled in prifon upon fuch a commitment, that 
 they were not ^ likely ^ to be foon releafed, they forebore 
 giving the gaoler feven {hillings a week apiece for tl>em- 
 lelves, and as much for their horfes, w'hich he had m a 
 manner extorted from them : but upon this he grew (o 
 very wicked, that he turned them down into a nafty ftink- 
 ing place where they ufed to put perfons condemned for 
 Witchcraft and murder. This place was fo noifomc, that 
 It w^as obferved few who went into ir, did ever come 
 out again in health : for there was no houfe of office in 
 It, and the excrements of the prifoners that from time 
 to time had been put there, had not been carried out 
 tor many years ; fo that it was all like mire, and in fome 
 places to the top of the fiiocs ; and the gaoler would not 
 luffer them to cleanfe it, nor let them have beds or ftraw- 
 to Jie on. At night fome friendly peoole of the to-zn 
 brought them a candle, and a little ftraw I of which they 
 were about to burn a little to take away the ftink. The^ 
 thieves lay over their heads, and the head aaoler in' a 
 room by them, over their heads alfo. But it seems the 
 Imoke went up into the room where he lay, ^vhich pm him 
 mto fuch a rage, that he took the pots of the thieves' ex- 
 crements, and poured them down through a hole upon th-ir 
 heads ; whereby they were fo befpattered, that it was 
 oathfome to touch themfclves, or one another: befiJes, 
 the ftink fo increafed, that by it, and the fmoke, they 
 were a.moft m danger of being fuflbcatcd. And all this 
 could not fatisfy the rage of this cruel gaol.r, brt he 
 railed againft them fo hrdeoufly, and calkd thrm fuch 
 
 - in 
 
226 THE HISTORY OF THE L^^S^ 
 
 horrible nicknames, that they never had heard the likd 
 before. In this manner they were forced to (land all nighty 
 for ihey could not fit down, the place being fo filthy. 
 Thus he kept thein a great while, before he would let 
 them clcanfe it, or hiffer them to have any viAuali, brought 
 in, but what they got through the grate. And even this 
 could not be done without difficulty ; for a l;\fs one time 
 having brought them a little meat, hefued her in the town- 
 court for breaking the prifon ; perhaps^ becaufe (lie had a 
 little bent an halt-broken bar of the grate, to get a fmall 
 di(h through it. That this gaoler was fo dcfperately 
 wrcked, is not fo much to be wondered at, fince (as they 
 wxre informed) he had been a thief, and was on that ac- 
 count burnt both in the hand and on the Oioulder ; and 
 the under- gaoler in like manner : their wives had alfobeen 
 burnt in the hand. It was not at all flirange then, that thci- 
 prifoners fuifered moft grievoufly from fuch a wicked crew ; 
 but it was more to be wondered at that colonel Ben net, a 
 Baptifl: teacher, having purchafed the gaol and lands be- 
 ' » longing to the caftlc, had there p^aced this head-gaoler. ' 
 
 It was much talked of, thatfpirits, haunted this dungeon, 
 and walked there, and that many had died in it ; fome 
 thinking to terrify the prifoners therewith. But G. Fox 
 told them, that if all the fpirits and devils in hell were 
 there, he was ovc r them in the power of God, and feared 
 no fuch thing ; for Chrift, their pried, would fan£tify the 
 walls and the houfe to them ; he who brulfed the head of 
 the devil ; as the pried was to cleanfe the plague out of 
 the walls of the houfe under the law. 
 
 Now the time of the fefiions at Bodmin being come, the 
 prifoners drew up their futfering cafe, and fent the paper 
 thither ; upon reading of which, the juftices gave order, 
 that the door of Deomfdale (thus the dungeon was called) 
 fhould be opened, and that they fliould have liberty to 
 cleanfe it, and to buy their meat in the town. Having 
 obtained this liberty, they writ to London, and defired 
 Anne Downer, a young woman already mentioned in this 
 work, to Come down, and to buv and drefs their meat : 
 which (lie being very willing to do, was therein greatly 
 fcrviceablc to ihera j for fhe was a good writer, and could 
 
 * % 
 
 >656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 22J 
 
 akc things m ftort hand. They alfo fent up a relation of 
 the.r fulienngs, to the proteftor ; who thereupon fent down 
 an order to the governor of Pendcnnis CalUe, to examine 
 the matter. On wh.ch occafion Hugh Peters, one of the 
 proteftor s chapiams, told him they could not do George 
 i:^ox a greater fervice for the fpreading of his principles in 
 Cornwai, than to imprifon him there. This was not alto- 
 gether untrue, for he was much vifited, and many wer« 
 turned from darknefs to the light; notwithftanding thcmayor 
 of Launcefton was a fierce perfecutor, carting in prifon all 
 he could get; and he did not ftick to fearch fubftantial 
 grave women, for letters, as fuppofed. 
 
 In Devonfliire it was not much better ; for many of thofe 
 calied Quakers, that travelled through the country, were 
 taken up and whipped, under pretence of being vagabonds: 
 nay iome clothiers that were going to mill with their 
 Cloth, and other fubflantial men, were feized and whipped ; 
 and Henry Pollexfen, who had been a iuftice of peace for 
 the moft part of forty years before, was caft into prifon, 
 under pretence of being a Jefuit. 
 
 lu the mean-while Edward Pyot, who had been a cap- 
 tain, and w'as a man of good underftanding in the laws and 
 rignts ot the nation, writ a large letter to the lord chief 
 jultice John Glyn, wherein he plainly fet before him his 
 unlawful dealings ; and queried with him, whether his fay- 
 ing It ye will be uncovered (or put off your hats) I will 
 jiear you, and do you juftice, was not an overthrow of the 
 laws, that were made to maintain right and iuftice. Manv 
 other particulars (and among the reft that of G, Fox's 
 linking major Ceely) were aifo mentioned in this letter. 
 Ct. f ox himfelf writ alfo feveral papers, wherein the odiouf- 
 nels ot pcrfecution was plainly fet forth. '^ 
 
 Among thofe that came to vifit him was Thomas 
 1-ower, a doftor of phyfick at London ; who, whilft I am 
 writing this, IS yet alive : and he, aflcing many queftions 
 concerning religious matters, received fuch fatisfaftory 
 anfwers from G. Fox, that he afterwards faid his words 
 were as a flafli of lightning, they ran fo through him ; and 
 that he never met with fuch wife men in his life, &c. Thus 
 
 he came to be convinced of the Truth, and fo entered into 
 Vol. I. B~ 
 
^26 
 
 THE IltSTORV OF THE 
 
 liGsG 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE C/LLED QUAKERS. 
 
 227 
 
 the coniTrAinion of the defpifcd Qiiakers. Wliilc G. Fox 
 was Itili in nrifon,onc of his fricndsvvdnt toOliver Cromwd, 
 and offered himfclf body for body, to he m Dooinfdale 
 prilbn in his (lead, if he would take him, and let G. Fox 
 Jro at hbcrty. But Cromwell faid he could not do it, for 
 h was contrary to law : and turning to th^ofe of his council, 
 * Which of you,' quoth he, ' would do to much lor me, it 
 I were in the (iime condition ?* 
 
 Thus G. Fox continued in prifort, and it was yet a good 
 ^vhile before he and his fellow-prifoners were rcleafed. 
 The next year the wicked gaoler received a recompenie ot 
 hi< deeds ; for he was turned out of his place, and for 
 jbme wicked a^ was cad into gaol himfelf ; and there^his 
 carriacre was fo unruly, that he was by the fucceeding 
 .Tioler^'put into Doomfdale, locked in irons, and -beaten, 
 ^nd bid to remember how he had abufed thofe good men, 
 ^vhom he had wickedly, without any caufc, call 11^ to that 
 iiaftv duntT.on -, but that now he defervedly fliould fuiier 
 for his wickednefs ; and the (lime meafure he had meted to 
 others he fliould have meted out to himfelF: and this raii- 
 ciiievous fellow, who might have grown rich if he had 
 carried himfelf civilly, grew now very poor, and lo died 
 
 in priibn. , r i y- u 
 
 About the fame time that G. Fox was teleafed, Cromwell 
 calledia parliament, which met for the firft fitting, in the 
 painted chamber at Weftminfter, on the 1 7th of the month- 
 called September. Samuel Filher got an opportunity to 
 come into this aflTembly, where he heard the protector s 
 fpeech, and in it thefc words, ' that he knew not of any 
 one man that fuffered imprifonment unjuftly in all Lngland. 
 /vnd after he had got the conveniency of a fcanding, he 
 faid that he had a^word to fpeak from the Lord to the 
 protector, to the parliament, and the people, and then he 
 
 bec;an thus : , ^ , r v. 
 
 ' The burdon of the word of the Lord God of heaven 
 and of earth, as it came unto me on the 2 2d day of the lalt 
 month, and as it now licth upon me to declare it in his 
 iiame, even unto thee, Oliver Cromwell, proieaor (io 
 called) of thefe three nations, England, Scotland, and 
 Ireland ; and alio to all you who are chofch out of the 
 
 feveral parts thereof to fit in parliament this day, toconfider 
 of fuch things as concern the commonwealth thereof; and 
 likewife to the three nati^ms themfelves, and all the people 
 thereof, whofe rulers and reprefentatives ye are : which 
 word of the Lord, as ye do not deem yourfelves too hio^h 
 or too great, or too good, to be fpoken to from the Lo?d ; 
 and as vou will not fall under the guilt of that fin uf faying 
 to the (eers, See not, and to the prophets, Prophefy not, 
 prophefy not unto us right things, prophefy fmooth things^ 
 prophefy deceits ; I charge you all, in the name of the 
 living God, that without interruption or oppofition, whe- 
 ther you like it, or like it not, you (land (till and hear it : 
 and when I have done, you may do with me as the Lord 
 fhall give you leave, or leave me under the power of your 
 hands to do ; no law of equity condemning any man before 
 he be heard efpecially when he fpeaks on fo high an 
 account as from the God of heaven himfelf, though to 
 fuch as are no.lefs than gods under him here on eanh.' 
 
 Scarce had he fpoken thus much, but fomc cried, ' A 
 Quaker, a Quaker ; keep him down, he fliall nor fptak :' 
 yet the proteftor and the parliamenr-meii were ftiil and 
 quiet. But fome others, among whom two jufticcs of 
 peace, had not fo much patience ; but Fifhcr, as he related 
 afterwards, believed that the protestor and the parliament- 
 men would have given him audience, had not others fet 
 him at nought : fome faying the prore^or had fpoken long, 
 and was very hot and weary ; and that he [Fiflier] might 
 be a(hamed to occafion his flay any longer. Thus Fifher 
 was interrupted, and the proteftor and parhament-men 
 rifing, went away; though Fifher did not queftion but 
 the prote6tor would have heard him : for his moderatioa 
 in hearing what was faid, having been experienced before, 
 Filher was willing to acknowledge his nobility as freely, as 
 Paul took notice of the like in Feflus ; whom he held moft 
 noble in that he would hear him, though he thought him 
 mad. Fifher being thus prohibited, publiflied his fpeech 
 in print, fo as he intended to have delivered it, though noc 
 one fyllable of it was written before. It was pretty long, 
 and contained a (harp reproof to the hypocrify of tho(e, 
 who under a fliew of godlinefs made long prayers, kept 
 
 p 2 
 
tit 
 
 THE HISTORY OF tME 
 
 .[.656 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 22^ 
 
 fafts, and neverthelefs lived in pride, pomp, and luxury 
 pcrfecuting thofe who really were a pious people. And 
 To the proteftor he faid, that unlefs he took away the 
 wicked from before him, and'all flattering falfe accufers, 
 his throne would never be eftablifhed in righteoufnefs. In 
 the introduftion placed before this fpeech, he faith that 
 before this burden came upon him, he had prayed God 
 that he might have been excufed of this meflage, thinking 
 that a more unworthy one than himfelf could not have been 
 fingled out ; but whatever he did, he could not be rid of 
 it ; and though he fpent a whole week with fafting, tears, 
 and fupplication, yet during the time of that abftinence, 
 he felt a daily fupply and fefrelhment to his fpirits, lo 
 that he fully rcfigned to do what he believed was required 
 of him from the Lord ; and he felt all fears of the frowns 
 of men removed from him. Some other fpeeches which 
 he intended to have made to the parliament, but was 
 obftrufted therein, he alfo publifhed afterwards in print. 
 
 In the latter part of this year it happened that Humphry 
 Smith coming to Eveftiam in Worcefterftiire, was difturbed 
 in a meeting by the mayor, Edward Young, who faid he 
 would break the Quakers mebings, or elfe his bones Ihould 
 lie in the dirt. 1 hus refolved, he came in the month 
 called Oftober, on a Firft-day of the week in the morning, 
 into then- meeting, in a houfe where H. Smith was ; and 
 feveral pcrfons after being rudely abufed, were haled out 
 to prifon. In the afternoon a meeting being kept m the 
 ftreet, fome of the company were by order of the faid 
 mayor put into the ftocks, and others, of which the afore- 
 faid Smith was one, into a dark dungeon : and though the 
 Hiayor then faid it was an unlawful affembly, but if they 
 would meet in houfes he would not moleft them i yet on 
 next Firft-day of the week, he feeing one going to a meeting 
 that was appointed in a houfe, put him in prifon. H. Smith 
 and his friends, had fomebedding and bed-clothes fent them, 
 but the mayor caufed it to be taken away from them ; and 
 when afterwards fome ftrawwas brought them to lie upon, 
 the gaoler would not fuffer it ; nay, when one came, and 
 alked liberty to fetch out their dung from them, the mayor 
 denied it, and ordered him to be put in the ftocks. Ihe 
 
 place where they were kept, was not twelve foot fquare^ 
 and the hole to take in air, was but four inches wide, 
 fo that even by day-light they were fain to burn candle^ 
 \yhen they had it. Here they were kept above fourteen 
 weeks, with their own dung in the fame room; fo that one of 
 them grew fick ofthcftink; and yet the gaoler faid, if 
 they had been there for theft or murder, he could have let 
 them have more liberty than now he durft, becaufe of the 
 mayor. James Wall, one of the prifoners, was a freeman 
 of the town, and a fhopkecper, and yet the mayor forbade 
 his wife to ftand in the market-place, which for many 
 years flie had done. She going to him about it, he began 
 to fawn upon her, and faid : ' I hear that your huft)and 
 doth abufe you.' To which (he anfwered, ' My huft^and 
 did never abufe me ; but as for that judgment which he 
 now holdeth, once I could not own it ; but now feeing it 
 is fo much perfecuted, makes me own it, becauft: the way 
 of God was always perfecuted.' He hearing her fpeak fo, 
 faid, {he {hould not have a ftanding.place for five pounds. 
 
 About a month after, Margaret Newby, and Elizabeth 
 Courton came to this town, and had a meeting at the 
 houfe of one Edward Pitwayes : but coming in the after- 
 noon to vifit the prifoners, the mayor himfelf laid violent 
 hands on them, and caufed them to be put in the ftocks, 
 with their legs near a yard one from another; and he 
 would not fuffer them to have a block to fit on, though 
 they defired it ; yet as one that would feem to have fome 
 modefty, he bid the conftable fetch a block, and put 
 between their legs, uttering indecent expreffions : in this 
 pofture they were kept for the fpace of fifteen hours, and 
 then, in a freezing night, fent out of the town, without 
 fulFering them to go to any place to refrefli iherafelves. 
 And as to Humphry Smith, and thofe with him, they 
 were yet kept a good while in prifon. 
 
 In this year Alexander Parker was at Radnor in Wales, 
 and bearing there a teftimony againft the prieft Vavafor 
 Powel, he alfo preached the doftrine of Truth, as occafion 
 offered. It was, I think, about this time, that Ambrofc 
 Rigg and Thomas Robinfon came to Exeter ; from thence 
 to Briftol, and afterwards to Bafingftoke in Hamplhirc. 
 
 P 3 
 
230 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 23« 
 
 Here, after much trouble, they got a meeting appomted ; 
 bur before ?M the people were affembled, the chief pried, 
 ^f^hh the magiltrates, came thither, and caufing them to be 
 taken away, tcndi red them the oath of abjuration. But. 
 they denying to fwcar, for confciencc-fake, were com- 
 mitted to'prifon : and the gaoler nailed planks before the 
 window , to deprive them of the light ; neither would he 
 fufFer them to have a candle at night. Here they were . 
 kept about a qiiarter of a year ; having nothing to lie on 
 but foine itraw. But this their fuffering had fuch effe6V, 
 that fome of the inhabitants feeing thefe unreafonable 
 dealings, began to enquire into the doc^^rine held foith by 
 the fufferers, and fo camx to be convinced of the truth 
 j|^*v-of, I'hey at lafl: being rclcafed, R.obinfon went to 
 Porii.1: "iu A'here he preached repentance. Some time 
 after A Kigg camt- alfo thither, and reaped what Robin- 
 fon in fome ref|-."6t had fowcd ; though it was not long 
 before he was fent out of town. But returning within a 
 Ihort time, he found opportunity to have a meeting there ; 
 and by his preaching fome were convinced, and embraced 
 his doclrine. 
 
 From thence he went to the Ifle of Wight, where fonie 
 alfo received the doftrine maintained by him. After fome 
 flayVhe returned to Suffex, where he had great fervice. 
 And travelling up and down the country, he came to 
 Weymouth and Melcomb-Regis, where fpeaking in the 
 fteeple-houfe againfl the prieft, he was feized and locked 
 up in a nafty dungeon where there was nothing to lie on 
 but {ow.c filthy {iraw, and a (lone to fit on : there was 
 alfo no houfe of office; but on the ground lay an heap of 
 dung, where lie alfo was forced to eafe himfelf. But there 
 being an opening at the top of the room, he could fee 
 people go along the ftreets, and thus took occafion, from 
 this fubterranean cave, to preach to the paffengers with 
 fuch power and efficacy, that his doftrine entered into the 
 hearts of the hearers, and ftuck there. This manner of 
 preaching often hath been in England, and I myfelf, in 
 my young years, have been an eye-witnefs of it; and have 
 heard the prifoners lift up their voice fo, that it could be 
 heard very cafily in the ftreets ; which made people that 
 
 paffi.d by, ftand (lill, and hearken to what was fpoken by 
 fuch zealous preachers. And though thefe were often 
 hindered of having meetings, yet it was impoffible to ftop 
 up the fountain from whence their words flowed. Thus 
 k was alfo with A Rigg, who, after an imprifonment of 
 eleven weeks, being fet at liberty, travelled up and down 
 again; but , in many places where he came, a prifon was 
 his lot ; fometimcs even when nothing could be laid to his 
 chai-gc, but that he was gone from his dv/clling- place : for 
 the parliament had made a law, that all who were gone 
 from home, and could not give a fatisfi\£i:ory account of 
 their bufinefs, fliould be taken qp as vagabonds. Under 
 this pretence, many who travelled to the markets with 
 their goods, were feized by the way; for if it did but 
 jippear that fuch an one was a Qi^iaker, which was pre- 
 fently feen by his not putting ofl'his hat, then there wanted 
 no pretended reafon to clap him up in prifon. , 
 
 A. Rigg travelling on, came alfo to vifit fome of his 
 friends in prifon at Southampton. This was taken fo ill, 
 that the mayor, Peter Seal, without examining, caufed him 
 to be faftened to the whipping -pod in the market-place, 
 V/here he was feverely lathed by the executioner, and then 
 put into a cart, dfl(l lent out of the town, in freezing 
 ibowy weather ; the m^yor threatening him, that if ever 
 he returned, he fliopld be whipt again, and burnt in the 
 |liould^r >vith an ^^ fignifying rogue. Notwuhllanding 
 this, he vvas moyed to return, and the rnayor was very 
 ^^ager to have this executed on him ; but the other magif- 
 trates would not confent ; and not long after the mayor 
 died of a bloody fl'^x. This relation hath carried me a 
 little beyond the courfe of time. But now 1 leave A. 
 Rigg for a while, intending to uvake furiher memion o.f 
 hiiii hereafter^ 
 
 In this year William*Catop went again into Scotland, 
 from whence returning, he travelled to Briftol, thence to 
 Plymouth, and fo to London; from whence he made a 
 voyage again to Holland, where William Ames and John 
 Stubbs had been, and alfo found fome among the Englifli 
 people at Amflerdam, who had received the doclrine they 
 preached, though afterwards they turned from it again. 
 
23* 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ' C1656 
 
 W. Ames found alfo fome reception among the Baptifls 
 there, who at firft were pleafed with him, but J. Srubbs 
 did not picale them fo well : as Dr. Galenus Abrahams 
 once told me, who compared Ames to a mufician that 
 played a very melodious tunc, and Srubbs to a difturber of 
 the harmonious mufick ; thoui^h Ames afterwards, for his 
 great zeal, was found fault with alfo. 
 
 W. Caton nbw arrived at Dort, and from thence re- 
 paired to Rotterdam, where, for want of an interpreter 
 that iinderflocd Englifh he was fain to make ufe of the 
 Latin. But it grieved him exceedingly to met*t with fome 
 unruly fpirits there, that having been in fome meafure 
 convinced by W. Ames, ran out undrr the denomination 
 of Quakers, into extremes, both in words and writings. 
 Some of thefe perfons I know, and have fcen alfo fome of 
 the books they publifhed in print, in which, under a pre- 
 tence of piainnefs, not one capital letter was to be found, 
 even not to proper names, nay, not to names of authors 
 themfelves. And fmce they ran cut into feveral other ex- 
 travagancies, it was not much to be wondered, that the 
 magiftrates clapt them up in Bedlam. The ring-leader of 
 thefe people, was one Ifaac Fumier, who formerly (as I 
 have heard my uncle tell, who had fecn it himfelf) lived as 
 another Diogenes, ufmg at the fire, inftead of a pair of 
 tongs, a fplit ftick ; and now convcrfmg among the 
 Quakers, fo called, made it a piece of holinefs to ufc the 
 moll blunt language he could think of ; how abfurd and 
 irregular foever. In fine, he fo behaved himfelf, that the 
 orthodox Quakers rejefted his fcciety. He it was, as I 
 have underUood, who was the ^^uthor of that ridiculous 
 faying, * My fpirit teftifieth :' which, though not approved 
 nor ufed by the true Quakers, yet hath been fo fpread 
 among the people in the Low Countries, that it hath been 
 conftantly credited, and is not yet quite difbelieved, that 
 the Quakers ufed to fay fo of any thing they intend to do ; 
 and that if any one, whoever it be, fays fo, they will give 
 credit to his faying. The abovefaid Dr. Galenus told me, 
 that this man coming to his door, and finding the doftor's 
 name writ on the port of the door (as is ufual in Holland), did, 
 with his knife, fcratch out the letters Dr. figuifying doftor. 
 
 i6j6] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QtTAKERS, 
 
 233 
 
 On which the doftor aflced him, why he did fo ? And h\% 
 anfwer was, becaufe the fpirit did teftify fo unto him. And 
 being aiked farther, if fo be that fpirit did move him to 
 ftab the doftor with the knife, whether he would follow 
 that motion, he anfwered (if the relation be true), as the 
 doftor aifirmed to me, ' Yes.* But however it be, this is 
 true, that this Fumier was a paffionate, and giddy-headed 
 man, whom the true Quakers could not own, though he 
 had tnuiflated many o? their books out of Englifh into 
 Dutch ; and would alfo preach amongft them. But at 
 length he leh them, and turning Papift, fell into'a diflblutc 
 and debauched life. 
 
 But to return to W. Caton ; coming to Amfterdam, he 
 did not find miich more fatisfaftion there than at Rotter- 
 dam ; for feveral high-conceited profeffors, who feemed to 
 approve the doftrine preached by the Quakers^, were more* 
 apt to take upon them to teach others, than to receive in- 
 ftruftion from others. Wherefore W. Caton did not ftay 
 long at Amfterdam, but returned to Rotterdam ; and from 
 thence went to Zealand, arriving at Middleburgh, accom- 
 panied with a certain young man, who went to fome of 
 the meeting.places in that city, and was apprehended • 
 which Caton underftandiug, went to vifit him, and they 
 perceiving that he was his companion, fecured him alfo- 
 and after having been kept in prifon fome days, being 
 weak in body, it was ordered that they fhould be fent to 
 'England ; and fo they were carried in a coach-waggon to 
 the water fide, being conduced by a guard of foldiers, to 
 proteft them againft the rude multitude, and brought on 
 board a fhip of war, where Caton fuifered great hardfliip ; 
 for the feamen were fo ill-natured, that they would not 
 allow him (o much as a piece of fail-cloth, but he was fain 
 to lie upon the bare boards, in very, cold and ftormy 
 weather. ^ But though thus hardly ufed, yet he felt hw 
 ftrength increafe, and fo experienced the mercies of God. 
 It was in November when he arrived at London, where he 
 was kindly received by the brethren: after fome ftay there, 
 he went to H^mpfliire, Surry, Suffex, and Kent. 
 
 Not long before this, G. Fox came to Exeter, where 
 James Nayler was in prifon, and fpoke to him by way of 
 
^34 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLE 
 
 reproof; which Nay] er flighted ; though he olTered to kif$ 
 G. Fox : but he unwilling to fiiffcr this, faid, fmce he had 
 turned againft the power of God, lie could not receive his 
 Ihew of kindnefs. It appeared by letters the magiftrates 
 found in his pocket at Briftol, that the (fakers found fault 
 with him, and had reproved him of his high-mindedncfs, 
 before it launched out into that extravagant a«^ which made 
 fo great a noife in the world, and hath been mixed with 
 many untrnths, and fatfc turns. I have therefore thought 
 it worth while to enquire narrowly into it, in order to give 
 H true relation of matters of fa^h 
 
 This James Nayler was born of honeft parents,* in the 
 parifli of Ardeiky, near Wakefield ifi Yorkfhire, about the 
 year 1616. He had ferved in the parliament army, being 
 quarter -raafter in major-general Lambert's troop ia Scot- 
 land ; was a member of the Independents ; and afterwards, 
 in the year 1651, he entered into the comniuiiiou of the 
 Quakers fo called.f He was a man of excellent natiu'al 
 parts, and at firil did acquit himfelf well, both in word and 
 writing -imong his friends, fo that many came. to receive 
 the Truth by his minillry. He came to London towards 
 the latter end of the year 1654, or beginning of 1655, 
 and found there a meeting of friends, which had already 
 been gathered in that cuy, by the fervice of EdwarcJ 
 
 *• His fither wns a hulbandman, and of good fepiite, having a competent cftate 
 to live on, with inJu try, according to the manner of the counts}' where he dwelr. 
 He was educated in good Englifh, and wro^c well. Abput the age of twcnty-tua. 
 kemarrjcd, and thcii removed into Wakefield parifh ; where he continued, nil the 
 wars broke out in 1641, and then went into the army, and was a fol tier eii;ht or 
 nine years, fir. I under the Lord Fairfax, and aficrwards quarter-mafter under maior- 
 general Lambert, till difabled by licknefs in Scotland he returned home about 1649. 
 J. W's. account. 
 
 f He and Thomas Coodair were convinced by C.Fox, about Wakefield, anno 
 1651, as were a!fo Rich.ird Farnfworth, Thomas Aid mi, William Dewfbury, and 
 wife, about the lame time. And in the br-fi;innlng of the year following, as he was 
 in the field at plout;h, meditatmg on the things of God, he beard a voice, bidding 
 him go our from his kindred, and from his father's houfe ; and had a promifc given 
 vitn it, that the Lord would he with him; whereupon he did exceedingly rejoice that 
 he had heard the voice of God, whom he had profeflVd fiom a child, and endeavoured 
 toferve: and when he wcrt home he nude preparation to go ; but not being obe- 
 *iieat, the wrath of God was upon him, fo that he was made a wonder, and it w.i$ 
 thought he would h;ive died. Afterwards being made willing, and going out with a 
 frie;id. not thinking then of a journey, he was commanded to jrointo the Weft, not 
 knowing what he wjs to do there; but when he came, he had given hmi what to 
 a clarc; and fo he contmucd, not knowin?: one day what he was to do the next; 
 aiultheproaiifoof Grd, that h.e \\«uild be with him, he found made jood to him 
 ever)' day. Colled, of ^. >." a. writings. 
 
 oy^K 
 
 KERS. 
 
 ^55 
 
 Burrough, and Francis Howgill ; and there he preached in 
 fuch an eminent manner, that many admiring his great gift, 
 began to efteem him much above his brethren, which as it 
 brought him no benefit, fo it gave occafion of fome differ- 
 ence in the fociety ; and this ran fohigh, that fome forwarc! 
 and inconfiderate women, of whom Martha Simmons was 
 the chief, affumed the boldnefs to difpute with F. HowgijI 
 and E. Burrough openly in their preaching, and thus to 
 difturb the meetings :* whereupon they, who were truly 
 excellent preachers, did not fail, according to their duty to 
 reprove this indifcretion. But thefc women were fo dif- 
 guiled, that Martha, and another woman, went and com- 
 plained to J. Nayler, to incenfe him againfl F. Howgill and 
 E. Burrough ; but this did not fucceed, for he fhewed him- 
 felf afraid to pafs judgment upon his brethren, as they 
 defired. Hereupon Martha fell into a paffion, in a kind of 
 moaning or weeping, and, bitterly crying out with a 
 mournful flirill voice, faid, ' I looked for judgment, but 
 behold a cry;' and with that cried aloud in a paffionate 
 lamenting manner, which fo entered and pierced J. Nayler, 
 that it fmote him down into fo much forrow and fadnefs, 
 that he was much dejefted in fpirit, or difconfolate. Fear 
 and doubting then entered him, fo that he came to be 
 clouded in his underftanding, bewildered, and at a lofs in his 
 judgment, and became eftranged from his bed friends, be- 
 caufe they did not approve his conduftj infomuch, that he 
 began to give ear to the flattering praifes of fome whimfical 
 people, which he ought to have abhorred, and reproved 
 them for. But his forrowful fall ought to ftand as a warn- 
 ing, even to thofe that are endued with great gifts, that 
 they do not prefume to be exalted, left they alfo fall, but 
 endeavour to continue in true humility, in which alone a 
 Chriftian can be kept fafe. 
 
 Hannah Stranger, whom I very well knew, and have 
 
 * Thefc women's pradicc wc may fuppofe to be fomewhat like that which gave 
 occafum to the apoftic Paul to fay, '» Let your women keep filencc in the churches 
 for It IS not permitted unto them to fpcak." i Cor. xix. 34. This prohibition of 
 fpeaking, muft be voluntary difcourfe, by way of reafoning or difputing, and not 
 when they had an immediate impulf;, or concern to prophefy; for the apoRle in 
 the fame epiftle, has defined profffifecy to be fpealjing unto "Men to edification, ex- 
 hortation and comfort," chap xiv. 3. And has alfo chap, xl made cxprefs mention 
 oi women'* praying and prophefying, together with the Aien. 
 
 t 
 
 ¥ 
 
t^6 
 
 THE ttlSTORV O^ TH^ 
 
 C.655 
 
 4656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ^n 
 
 reafon to believe a woman of high imaginations^ at 
 this time wrote to him feveral very extravagant letters ; 
 calling him the everlafting Son of Righteoufnefs, Prince of 
 Peace, the only begotten Son of God, the faired of tea 
 thoufands, &c. In the letters of Jane Woodcock, John 
 Stranger and others, were cxpreffions of the like extra- 
 vagancy ; and the faid Hannah Stranger, Martha Simmons, 
 and Dorcas Erbury, arrived to that height of foliy, that, 
 in the priion at Exeter, they kneeled before Nayler, and 
 kifled his feet : [but as to what hath been divulged con- 
 cerning his comiVitting of fornication, I never could find, 
 though very inquifitive in the cafe, that he was in the leaft 
 guilty thereof.* But for all that, he was already too 
 much tranfported, and grew yet more exorbitant ; for 
 being releafed from that prifon, and riding to Bridol in 
 the beginning of November, he was accompanied by the 
 aforefaid and oth^er perfons ; and paffing through the 
 fuburbs of Briftol, one Thomas Woodcock went bare- 
 headed before him ; one of the women* led his horfe ; 
 Dorcas, Martha, and Hannah, fpread their fcarfs and 
 handkerchiefs before him, and the company fung, '* Holy, 
 holy, holy, is the Lord God of hofts, Hofannah in the 
 higheft ; holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Ifrael.** 
 Thus thefe mad people fung, whilft they were walking 
 through the mire and dirt, till they came into Briftol ; where 
 they were examined by the magiftrates, ind committed to 
 prifon ; and not long after he was carried to London, to be 
 examined by the parliament. How it went there may be 
 fccn in the printed trial, which the parliament was pleafed 
 to publilh.f I believe that J. Nayler was clouded in his 
 
 ♦ At tothatacri)ratJon,asif I had committed adultery with fome of thofe womra 
 Tfho came with us from Exeter prilon, and alio thofc who were with mc at Briftol 
 fhe n ght bt^lore I fuffcrcd there, of both wliicb accufatious I am clear before God, 
 who kept me at that day both in thought and deed, as to all womeo, as a little 
 child, God i§ my record. Colled, of J. Nayier's writings, p. 54. See more 
 panic ulctrly in his anfwcr to Blome's fanatick Hiftory, in the faid Colled, ac 
 
 I But the iextravas^ncy of the fentence which that parliament paflcd upon 
 hi;n with oth.-r circumitances, give great leafon to fufped the account wa» 
 •parti;»llv t^ken, and publiihed to juftify their cruelty, which is alfo fet forth 
 in p^rt by way of annotation on the faid trial. And (as f. W. fays) fome of hit 
 anfwers were innocent enough, fome not clear, and fome aggravated t>y his 
 adver.aries . fome of them he denied, fome he owned ; they reported the worft, 
 •i^ more than wa& true in fome thiols, adding amd diminilhing as they were 
 
 imderftanding in all this tranfaftion : but how grievous 
 focver his fall was, yet it pleafed God in his infinite mercy 
 to raife him up again, and to bring him to fuch fmcere re- 
 pentance that (as we may fee in the fequel ) he abhorred 
 not only this whole bufinefs, but alfo raauifefted his hearty 
 forrow, in pathetical expreflions, which were publiflied, 
 as will be fhewn in its proper place. 
 
 What hath been faid of the odd doings in Exeter prifon, 
 and of his riding into Briftol, was not denied by him, nor 
 by the reft of the company, when they were examined by 
 a committee of parliament, who made their report on the 
 5th of December, to which the houfe agreed next day. 
 On the 1 6th this bufinefs, which had (not without much 
 contradiftion ; for many members of the parliament did 
 not approve the feverity ufed againfl him) been treated 
 both forenoons and afternoons, was propofed the twelfth 
 time: which made an ingenious author fay afterwards, 
 that it was wondered at by many, what the caufe might 
 be, that this foolilh bufinefs fliould hold fo many wife men 
 fo long at work. On the 17th, after a long debate, they 
 came to this refolution, 
 
 That James Nayler be fet on the pillory, with his head 
 in the pillory, in the Palace-yard, Weftminfter, during the 
 fpace of two hours, on Thurfday next, and be whipped 
 by the hangman through the ftreets, from Weftminfter ro 
 the Old Exchange, London ; and there likewife be fet on 
 -'the pillory, with his head in the pillory, for the fpace of 
 two hours, between the hours of eleven and one, on 
 Saturday next, in each place wearing a paper containing 
 an infcription of his crimes; and that at the Old Exchange 
 his tongue be bored through, with a hot iron, and that he 
 be there alfo ftigmatizcd in the forehead with the letter B; 
 and that he be afterwards fent to Briftol, and be conveyed 
 into, and through the faid city on horfeback, with his face 
 backward, and there alfo publickly whipped the next 
 market-day after he comes thither j and that from thence 
 
 winded; much wai wanting of what he had fpoken to the committee; wreftin? 
 and perverting his wordi what they could, and endeavouring to draw words out 
 ot him to cnfnare him, and take away his life : and to fliew their confufion when 
 fee was before them, they would have had him to kneel, and put off his hat t» 
 »«w, though a part ef the charge againll hhn was, that fome kneeled to him. 
 
 •V 
 
 r ih 
 
a^S 
 
 THE HISTOP.Y OF THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 J 656] 
 
 he be committed to prifon in Bridewell, London, and there 
 rcftrained from the fociety of all people, and there to 
 labour hard till he fhiill be reieafed by parliament ; and 
 during that time ht debarred the ufe of pen, ink, and 
 paper, and fliall have no relief but what he cams by his 
 daily labour. 
 
 They were long ere they could agree on the fentence ; 
 for fuppofe there was blafphemy committed, yet his tongue 
 feemed not properly guilty of it, fince it was not proved 
 that blafphemous words had been fpoken by him.* Many 
 thought it to be indeed a very fevere judgment to be 
 executed upon one whofe crime feemed to proceed more 
 from a clouded underflanding, than any wilful intention of 
 evil. 
 
 Now although feveral perfons of different pcrfuafions, 
 being moved with compaffion towards Nayler, as a man 
 carried away by foolifli imaginations, had offered petitions 
 to the parliament on his behalf, yet it was refolved not to 
 read them, till the fentence was pronounced againft him. 
 
 There lived then at London, one Robert Rich, a mer- 
 chant ^a very bold man) who writ a letter to the parliament, 
 •wherein he ihewed what was blafphemy ; and on the 15th 
 of December, feveral copies thereof were delivered to 
 particular members ; and in that which was given to the 
 fpeaker, thefe words were written at the bottom, ' If I 
 may have liberty of thofe that fit in parliament, I do here 
 attend at their door, and am ready, out of the Scriptures of 
 Truth, to fhew, that not any thing J. Nayler hath faid or 
 done, is blafphemy,* &c. 
 
 The parliament after judgment was concluded, refolved, 
 
 » At Lancaflcr feffions the prieft got fome to fwear blafphemy againft G. Fox 
 (which was the common accufation in thofe days) but he was cleared, and the 
 priefts, ice were enraged, who thereupon fent a petition to the council of ftate, 
 againft G. F. and J. N. who anfwered the fame, in a book called, * Saul's Errand 
 to Damafcus.* After this, J. N. was perfecuted in divers places, beaten, ftohed, 
 and cruelly ufed by the priefts, and their rude followers, and in danger of his life. 
 Afterward, by the inftigation of the prieft, he and F. Howgill were committed to 
 Appleby gaol, and tried on an jndidmcnt for blafphemy, for faying Chrifl was 
 in him, according to Col. i. 27. '' Chrift in you the hope of glory." He was 
 alfo another time charged with blafphemy, for afferting in a. book, •■ Juftificatioir 
 by the gift of God's Righteoul'nefs,' which he proved from Rom. v. and fo 
 flopped their mouths, and cleared himfelf : by which we may fee what that gcnc- 
 yation, who were rigbtcoui in thtir owD eyw, would have made blafphemy. 
 J. Whiting'c accounts 
 
 PEOiPLE Called QUAitERs. 
 
 3? 
 
 }^X \ '^P^^'^^r,"^^"'^ be authorized to ilTue his warrants 
 to4he fhenffs of London and Middlefcx,theflieriffof Briftol 
 ^nd governor of Kndewcll, to fee the faid jud^xment put in 
 execution. By fome it was queftioned whether this was 
 a luflicient Warrant, unlefs the- protcaor concurred in the 
 matter ; but he feemed unwilling to meddle with it. The 
 thing being thus far agreed upon, J. Nayler was brought 
 up to the bar; and when the fpe.tker, fir l^.omas Widdrine- 
 ton, was about to pronounce the aforementioned f nten.x 
 Nayler faid he did not know his offence. To which the 
 ipeaivcr returned, he fhould know his offence by his purrfh- 
 mcnr. After fenience was pronounced, though f. Navler 
 bore the fame with great patience, yet it feemed *he would 
 have fpoken fomcthing, but was denied liberty ; never- 
 thelefs was heard to fay, with a compofed mind, ' I pray 
 trod, he may nor lay it to your charge/ 
 
 The i8th of December, J. Nayler fuffered part of the 
 fentence ; and after having flood full two hours with his 
 head in the piijory, was ftripped, and whipped at a cartas 
 tail, from P. lace-yard to the Old Exchange, and received 
 three hundred and ten ftrlpes ; and the executioner would 
 have given him one more (as he ccnRffed to the fheriff) 
 there being three hundred and eleven kennels, but his foot 
 dipping, the ftroke fell upon his own hand, which hurt 
 him much. AH this Nayler bore with fo much patience 
 ^nd quietnefs, that it aftonifhed many of the beholders 
 though his body was in a moii pitiful condition: he was 
 alio much hurt with horfes treading on his feet, whereon 
 the print of the nails were feen. Rebecca Travers, a grave 
 perfon, who wafhed his wounds, in a certificate which was 
 pre ented to the parliament, and afterwards printed, fays 
 Ihere ^ya5^not the fpace of a man's nail free from flri pes 
 ?.nd blood, rrom his fhoulders, near to his waift, his ri^ht 
 arm fbrely flriped, his hands much hurt with cords, that 
 tney bled, and were fwelled : the blood and wounds of his 
 back did very little appear at firft fight, by reafon of 
 abundance of ditt that covered them, till it was waflied 
 oil. Nay, his puniHiment was fo fevere, that fonre judaed 
 his fentence would have been more mild, if it had b?en 
 prefent death : and it feemed indeed that there was a party 
 
 m 
 
240 THE HISTORY OF THE C'Sj^ 
 
 • 
 
 who not being able to prevail fo far in parliament as to 
 have him fcntenced to death, yet flrove to the utmoft of 
 their power to make him fink under the weight of his 
 puniflmient : for the 20th of December was the time ap- 
 pointed for executing the other part of the fcnience, viz, 
 boring through his tongue, and ftigmatizing in his fore- 
 head ; but by reafon of the mod cruel whipping, he was 
 brought to fuch a low ebb, that many perfons of note, 
 moved with compaiTion, prefented petitions to the parlia- 
 ment on his behalf, who refpited his farther punifhmcnt 
 for one week. 
 
 During this interval, feveral perfons prefented another 
 petition, in which are ihefe words : 
 
 * Tour moderation and clemency in rf fpiting the punifti- 
 ment of J. Nayler, in confideration of his illnefs of body, 
 hath refrefhed the hearts of many thoufands in thefe cities, 
 altogether unconcerned in his praftice : wherefore we moft 
 humbly beg your pardon that are conftrained to appear 
 before you in fuch a fuit (not daring tq do otherwife), 
 that you would remit the remaining part of your fcntencc 
 againft the faid J. Nayler, leaving him to the Lord, and 
 10 fuch gofpel remedies as he hath fanftified ; and we are 
 perfuaded you will find fuch a courfe of love and forbear- 
 ance more efFeftual to reclaim ; and will leave a zeal of 
 your love and tendernefs upon our fpirits,* 
 
 * And we fliall pray,* &c. 
 
 This petition being prefented at the bar of the houfe, by 
 about one hundred perfons, on the behalf of the whole, 
 ^as accordingly read and debated by them -, but not being 
 likely to produce the defired effeft, the petitioners thougjit 
 themfelves in duty and confcience bound to addrefs the 
 proteftor, for remitting the remaining part of the fentcnce ; 
 who thereupon fent a letter to the parliament, wliich oc- 
 cafioned fome debate in tlie houfe. But the day for exe- 
 cuting the remaining part of. the fentence drawing near, 
 the petitioners made a fecond addrefs to the proteftor. 
 It was indeed very remarkable, that fo many inhabitants 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 34 1 
 
 that were not of the fociety of thofe called Quakers, 
 Uiewcd themfelves fo much concerned in this bufmeTs ; but 
 to me It feems to have proceeded merely from compaffion 
 towards the perfon of J. Nayler ; whom they regarded as 
 one that was rather fallen into error, through inconfider- 
 atcnefs, than to have been guilty of wilful blafphcmy : for 
 then he would not have deferved fo much pity. 
 
 But notwithftanding all thefe humble petitions, the 
 publick preachers it fcems prevailed fo much with Cromwell 
 that he could not refolve to put a flop to the intended 
 execution ; for five of thefe minifters, whom I find named 
 thus Caryl, Manton, Nye, Grifiith, and Reynolds, came 
 on the 24th of December, by order from the parliament 
 (as It was faid) to Nayler, to fpeak with him concerning 
 the thmgs for which he was detained; and would. not 
 permit either friend or other to be prefent in the room. 
 A certain impartial or neutral perfon defired it carneftly, 
 but It was denied him ; but coming into the prifon, 
 ^l^^^J ^o"f'='"^nce, he aikcd Nayler .what had beea 
 the ifliie of It, who told him, that he told thofe miniftcrs, 
 that he faw they had an intent to make him fuffer (though 
 innocent) as an evil-doer ; and therefore had denied any 
 to be prefent that might be indifferent judges betwixt them 
 and him ; and that therefore he Ihould not fay any thing, 
 unlefs what palTed was written down, and a copy thereof 
 given him to keep, or left with the gaoler, Cgned by them. 
 This was by them confentcd to, and fo they propounded 
 fcveral queftions unto him, and took his anfwers in writing. 
 He farther told, that they alked him if he was forry for 
 thofe blafphemies that he was guilty of, and whether he 
 did recant and renounce the fame ; to which his anfwer 
 was, ' What blafphemies, name them?' but they not 
 f ^'"g ^'tjle to inftance in any particular, he continued. 
 Would you have me recant and renounce you know not 
 wnat ? • Then they aiked him whether he did believe there 
 was a Jefus Chrill ? to which he anfwered, he did believe 
 there was, and that Jefus had taken up his dwelling in 
 his heart ^nd fpirir, and for the teaimony of Him he now 
 fiiffered. Then one of the preachers faid, ' But I believe 
 
 in a Jefus that never was in any man's heart:' to-whick 
 Vol. I. Q 
 
24* 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 Nayler returned, he knew no fuch Chritl, for the Chrift 
 he witneffcrd filled heaven and earth, and dwelt in the hearts 
 of the believers. Next they demanded of him why he 
 fuffered thofc women to worfhip and adore him? to which 
 he replied, ' Bowing to the creature 1 deny ; but if they 
 beheld the power of Chrift, wherever it is, and bow to ir, 
 he had nothing by which he might refift that, or gainfay it;'* 
 and withal faid to the minifters, * Have yoir thus long pro- 
 feffed the Scriptures, and do you now ftumble at what 
 they hold forth ?* Whereupon they defiring one inftance 
 of Scripture wherein fuch a praftice was held forth, he 
 anfwered, ' What think you of the Shunamite's falling 
 down at the feet of Eliflia, and bowing before him ? A5 
 alfo divers others in Scripture fpoken of, as that of Abigail 
 to David, and that of Nebuchadnezzar to Daniel:' upon 
 which they paufing a while, faid at length, 'That was but 
 a civil a£l or acknowledgment:' to which he returned, 
 «So you might interpret the aft of thofe women alfo, if 
 your eye were not evil, feeing tho outward aftion is one- 
 and the fame:' and he perceiving that they were leeking 
 towreft words from him to their own purpofe, faid, 'How 
 foon have you forgot the works of the biihops, who arc 
 now found in the fiune, fccking to cnfnare the innocent.' 
 Whereupon they ro/e up, and with birternefs of fpirii burnt 
 what they had written before, and fo left him with fome 
 bemoaning expreffions ; and when they were departing, 
 he defired of them that the parliament would fend him fuch 
 queftions in writing as they defiring fatisfaftion to, and 
 give him leave to return his anfwers in vvriting alfo. 
 
 By this it feems that Nayler, though ftill under fome. 
 
 • The moOthatl find in hii examination, cither in Bridolor London, before 
 the commltttc of parliament, as publifhcd fvom their report, was, that he owned 
 Chriilin him. but never that he was Chriil; and that he took the honour gwcn, 
 not as to himfcU, but to Chrift in him ; which yci is more than any man ought to 
 receive ; for when tjie beloved difciplc John fell at the angel's feet to worlhip htm, 
 he (though an angel) faid unto him. *' See thou do it not, I am thy fellow -lervant, 
 and of thy brethren that have the teftimony of Jci'us, worihip God.** Rev. x»x. lo. 
 And if an angel ought not, furely no mortal man ought to receive or accept it, 
 on any pretence whatfocver; though fallint; down or kneeling to one another^ i» 
 too frequently ufed by fome other people, and it it is not to their perfon, it muit be 
 to their funaion, quality, or character in the cliurch: but that he n'rciv-d it ro 
 himfclf, as a creature, he utterly denied, Trir.I, page 15. And that there could not 
 be a more abominable UuBg, than to take from the Creator, and give to the creature. 
 «u. J. W. 
 
 1656] 
 
 People called Quakers, 
 
 243 
 
 . cloud, yet was a little more clear in his undcrftatiding tlian 
 before ; but he was encountered by fierce enemies, and 
 therefore the execution of his fentence was not ftopatd, 
 but performed on the 27th of December. Robert Rich 
 that forward man, of whom fomething hath been mentioned 
 already, was this day at the parliament door, from ei?ht 
 m the mornmg till about eleven, crying varioufly to the 
 parliament men, as they paffed by. To one ^4om he 
 judged to be mnocent, he faid, « He that dwelleth in love, 
 dwelleth m God, for God is love:" and to another, whom 
 he thought to be fwayed by envy, he faid, « He that hates 
 his brother is a manilayer, and he that hates his brother 
 IS a murderer. Some then thought that Nayler would 
 not have fuffered any farther puniOiment, becaufc many 
 honourable perfons had attended the parliament and the 
 proteftor on his behalf; but Rich knowing how the cafe 
 Itood, told the people that the. innocent was goino to fuffer; 
 and to fome of the parliament men he cried, that he was 
 clear from the blood of all men ; and that he defired them 
 to be fo too. Then he went towards the Exchange, and 
 got onihe pillory, held Nayler by the hand while he was 
 burnt m the forehead, and bored through the tongue • 
 and was not a little affefted with Nayler's fuffering, for 
 He hcked his wounds, thereby as it feems to allay the 
 pain ; and he led him by the hand from off the pillory 
 It was very remarkable that notwithftanding there might 
 be many thoufands of people, yet they were very quiet, 
 and few heard to revile him, or feen to throw any fhL at 
 
 ,!? 1 1" 7u-^° ^^ T^' ''"™'"g' '^^ people both before 
 and behind him and on both fides, with one confeat flood 
 bareheaded as fecming generally moved with compaffioa 
 and goodwill towards him. f "^ 
 
 Many now rejoiced, feeing how fome few among the 
 Quakers, as Rich, and the like fort of people, did fide 
 
 him and his doings ; for thofe who hoped to fee the down- 
 tal of them, fignified, not obfcurely, that now things went 
 as they would have, fince the Quakers (as they faid) 
 were divided among themfelves. But time fliewed that 
 tai* pretended diviiion foon came to an end, and thofe 
 
 0.3 
 
244 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 diviners and gueffers overfhot themfelves. How it went 
 with the execution of Nayler's fentcnce at Briftol, I am 
 not informed ; * but by a letter of one Richard Snead, 
 an ancient man of about eighty years, I have underflood 
 that Nayler had written a letter to the magiftrates of Briftol, 
 wherein he had difapproved, and penitently condemned, his 
 carriage there.f After this he was brought to Bridewell, 
 London (as fentenced) where he continued prifoner about 
 two years, during which confinement he came to a true 
 repentance of his tranfgreffion ; and having got the ufe of 
 pen and ink, wrote feveral books and papers, condemning 
 ' his error, which were publidied in print ; and after his 
 rcleafe, he publiflicd feveral others, one of which, by 
 way of recantation, runs thus : 
 
 * tSlory to God Almighty, who ruleth in the heavens, 
 and in whofe hands are all the kingdoms of the earth ; 
 who raifeth up, and cafteth down at his will ; who hath 
 'ways to confound the exaltation of man, and to chaftife his 
 children, and to make man to know himfelf to b^as grafs 
 before him ; whofe judgments are above the higheft of 
 men, and his pity reacheth the deeped mifery ; and the 
 arm of his mercy is underneath, to lift up the prifoner out 
 pi the pit, and to fave fuch as truft in him from the great 
 deftruftion, which vain man, through his folly, brings 
 upon himfelf; who hath delivered my foul from darknefs, 
 and made way for my freedom out of the prifon-houfe, 
 and ranfomed me from the great captivity ; who divides 
 the fea before him, and removes the mountains out of his 
 way, in the day when he takes upon him to deliver the 
 opprefled out of the hand of him that is too mighty for 
 him in the earth : let his name be exalted for ever, and 
 
 ♦ He was fent to Briftol, and there "whipped from the middle of Thoma» {Ircet^ 
 over the bridge, up High ftrcet, to the middle of Broad ^Ireet, all which he bore 
 with wonderful patience, as related by an cyc-witnefs, and then fent by Tower 
 lane the back way to Newgate, and from thence returned to Bridewell, London, 
 according to the fentence. J. W. 
 
 f After he was fet at liberty, he went to Briftol, where in a publick meeting, 
 h"; made confcflion of his offence, as to his former fall, and declared in fo powerful 
 a manner, as tendered and broke the meeting into tears, fo that there were few dry 
 eyes (a« related by fomc then prefentj, and many were bowed in their minds and 
 reconciled tq him. J. Wsaccoujit. 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 «45 
 
 let ali flefli fear before him ; whofe breath is life to his 
 own, but a confining fire to the advcrfary. 
 
 * And to the Lord Jefus Chrift be evcrlafting dominion 
 upon earth, and bis kingdom above all the powers of 
 darknefs ; even that Chrifl of whom the Scriptures declare, 
 which was, and is, and is to come, the light of the world 
 tp all generations ; of whofe coming I teftify with the reft 
 of the children of light, begotten of the immortal feed, 
 whole truth and virtue now fhine in the world, unto the 
 righteoufcefs of eternal life, and the Saviour of all that 
 believe therein ; who hath been the rock of my falvation, 
 and his fpint hath given quietnefs and patience to my foul 
 in deep ^affliftion, even for his name's fake : praifcs for 
 ever. "^ 
 
 ' But condemned for ever be all thofe falfe worfliips with 
 
 which any have idolized my perfon in the night of my 
 
 temptation, when the power of darknefs was above. All 
 
 their caftmg of their clothes in the way, their bowings and 
 
 fingings, and all the reft of thofe wild anions which did 
 
 any ways tend to diOionour the Lord, or draw the minds 
 
 of any from the meafure of Chrift Jefus in themfelves, to 
 
 look at flefh which is as grafs, or to afcribe that to the 
 
 vifible, which belongs to Chrift Jefus; all that Icondemn, 
 
 by which the pure name of the Lord hath been any ways 
 
 blafphemed through me, in the time of temptation ; or the 
 
 Ipirits oi any people grieved, that truly love the Lord 
 
 Jefus, throughout the whole world, of what fort foever. 
 
 1 his oifence I confefs, which hath been forrow of heart. 
 
 that the enemy of man's peace in Chrift, Ihould get this 
 
 advantage m the night of my trial, to ftir up wrath and 
 
 Offences in th? creation of God j a thing the fimplicity of 
 
 my heart did not intend, the Lord knows j who in his. 
 
 endleis love hatb given me power over it, to condemn it. 
 
 And alfo that letter which was fent me to Exeter, by John 
 
 btrangcr, when I was in prifon, with thcfe words, ' Thy 
 
 name Ihall be no more James Nayler, but Jefus,' this I 
 
 judge to be written from the imaginations ; and a fear ftruck 
 
 me when I lirft faw it, and fo I put it in my pocket, clofc, 
 
 not intending any fhould fee it ; which they finding on me, 
 
 Iprcad It abroad, which the fimplicity of my heart ncvty 
 
 Q- 3 
 
C46' 
 
 THB HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1656 
 
 1656] 
 
 MOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 247 
 
 owned. So this I deny alfo, that the name of Chrift Jefus 
 , was received inftcad of James Nayler, or afcribcd to him ; 
 for that name is to the promifcd feed to all generations ; 
 and he that hath the Son, hath the name, which is life and 
 power, the f^ivaiion and the unftion, into which name 
 a!l the childrt^n of light are baptized. So the name of 
 Chrift I confefs before men, which name to me hath been 
 a ftrong tower in the night and in the day ; and this is 
 the name of Chrift Jefus, which I confefs, the Son and the 
 l.amb, the promifed feed, where he fpeaks in male and 
 female. But who hath not this in himfelf, hath not life, 
 neither can have, by idolizing my perfon, or the perfon of 
 anv fiefh ; but in whom the heir is born, and hath fpoken, 
 or doth fpeak, there he miift not be denied the mouth to 
 fpeak by, who is head over all, and in all his own, God 
 bicffed for ever. 
 
 * And all thofe ranting wildfpirits, which then gathered 
 about me in that time of darknefs ; and all their wild 
 a(5lions and wicked words againft the honour of God, and 
 |iis pure fpirit and people ; I deny that bad fpirit, the 
 power and the works thereof ; and as far as I gave ad- 
 vantage, through want of judgment, for that evil fpirit in 
 any to arife, I tike Ihame to myfelf juftly ; having formerly 
 had power over that fpirit, in judgment and difcerning,where- 
 ever it was ; which darknefs came over me through want 
 of v/atchfulnefs and obedience to the pure eye of God, 
 and diligently minding thcrcproof of life, which condemns 
 the adulterous fpirit. So the adverfary got advantage, 
 who ceafes not to feek to devour ; and being taken captive 
 from the true light, I was walking in the night where 
 rone can work, as a wandering bird fit for a prey. And 
 if the Lord of all my mercies had not refcqed me, I had 
 perifhed ; fori was as one appointed to death and deftruftion, 
 and there was none could deliver me. And this I confefs, 
 that God may be juftified in his judgment, and magnified 
 in his mercies without end, who did not forfake his captive 
 in the night, even when his fpirit was daily provoked and 
 grieved ; but. hath brought me forth to give glory to his 
 name for ever. And it is in my heart to confefs to God, 
 knd before men, my folly and offence in that day : yet 
 
 were there many things formed againft me in that day to 
 take away my life, and bring fcandal upon the Truth, of 
 which I am not guilty at all ; as tli'at accufation, as if I 
 • had committed adultery with fome of thofe women who 
 came with us from Exeter prifon, and alfo thofe who were 
 with meat Briftol the night before I fuffered there; ©f 
 both which accufations I am clear before God, who kept 
 me in that day both in thought and deed, as to all women, 
 as a child, God is my record. And this I mention in parr 
 ticular (hearing of fome who ftill ceafe not to reproach 
 therewith God's Truth and people ), that the mouth of 
 enmity might be fhut from evil fpeaking; though this 
 toucheth not my confcience. 
 
 * And that report, as though I had raifed Dorcas Erbury 
 from the dead carnally, this I deny alfo, and condemn 
 that teftimony to be out of the Truth ; though that power 
 that quickens the dead, I deny not, which is the word of 
 eternal life. And this I give forth, that it may go as far 
 as the offence againft the Spirit of Truth hath gone abroad, 
 that all burdens may be taken off with the Truth, and the 
 Truth cleared thereby, and the true light, and all that 
 walk therein, and the deeds of darknefs be condemned ; 
 and that all that are in darknefs, may not aft in the night, 
 but ftay upon God, who dwells in the light, who with the 
 workers of iniquity hath no fcllowfliip; which had I done^ 
 when firft darknefs came upon me, and not been led by 
 others, I had not run againft that rock to be broken, 
 which fo long had borne me, and of whom I had Co largely, 
 drank, and of which I now drink in meafure ; to whom 
 be the glory of all, and to him muft every tongue confefs, 
 as Judge and Saviour, God over all, bleffed for ever.' Lj^ 
 
 The author adding to this an exhortation to the reader, ^v 
 how to behave himfelf, if at any time he came to be tempted 
 to fin ; and alfo a warning not fo rely too much on gifts, 
 wifdom, and knowledge, concludes thus : 
 
 * This I have learned in the deeps, and in fecret, when 
 I was alone ; and now declare openly in ' the day of thy 
 mercy, O Lord* Glory to the Higheft for evermore, who 
 
 0.4 
 
248 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (^TAKERS, 
 
 hath thus far fet mc free, to praife his righteoufnefs and 
 his mercy; and to the eternal, invifible, pu^e God, over 
 all, be fear, obedience, and glory for evermore. Amen. 
 
 'James Nayler.' 
 
 He writ another paper, wherein he related at large, how 
 by unwatchfulnefs he came to fall, after having once ob- 
 tained much victory over the power of Satan, by the grace 
 of God, tvhen he daily walked humbly in his fear, having 
 for fome years laboured faithfully in the miniftry of the 
 gofpel. But what is remarkable, though wherever he did 
 ufe to come, he went with great boldnefs through all 
 oppofition, yet coming to the city of London, he entered 
 into it with the greateft fear that ever he came into any 
 place with, in fpirit forefeeing (as he relates) fomewhat 
 to befal him there, but not knowing what it might be : 
 * Yet had 1/ (thus he faith") * the fame prefence and power 
 as before, into whatever place or fervice I was led of the 
 Spirit; in that life I never returned without viftory in 
 Chrift Jefus, the Lord thereof. But not minding in all 
 things to (land fingle and low to the motions of that endlefs 
 life, by it to be led in all things within and without ; but 
 giving way to the reafoning part, as to fome things which 
 in themfelves had no feeming evil, by little and little it drew 
 out my mind after trifles, vanities, and perfons, which 
 took the affeflionate part, by which my mind was drawn 
 out from the conllant watch, and pure fear, into which I 
 once was begotten. Thus having in a great meafure loft 
 my own guide, and darknefs being come upon me, I 
 fought a place where I might have been alone to weep and 
 cry before the Lord, that his face I might find, and my 
 condition recover. But then my adverfary, who had long 
 waited his opportunity, had got in, and beftirred himfelf 
 every way, fo that I could not be hid : and divers meflages 
 came to me, fome true, fome falfe, as I have feen fince. 
 So I knowing fome to be true, to wit, how I had loft my 
 condition, with this I let in the falfe mcflage alfo ; and fo 
 letting go that little of the true light which I had yet 
 remaining in myfelf, I gave up myfelf wholly to be led by 
 others 5 whofe work was then to divide me from the chil- 
 
 249 
 
 dren of light, which was done : though much was done by 
 divers of them to prevent it, and in bowels of tender love 
 many laboured to have ftayed me with them. And after 
 I was led out from them, the Lord God of my life fent 
 divers of his fervants with his word after me, for my 
 return; all which was reje£i:ed; yea, the provocation of 
 that time of temptation was exceeding great againft the 
 pure love of God ; yet he left me not ; for after I had 
 given myfelf under that power, and darknefs was above, 
 my adverfary fo prevailed, that all things were turned and 
 perverted againft my right feeing, hearing, or underftand- 
 ing; only a fecret hope and faith I had in my God, whom 
 I had ferved, that he would bring me through it, and to 
 the end of it, and that I fliould again fee the day of my 
 redemption from under it all j and this quieted my foul ia 
 my greateft tribulation.' 
 
 The^ author moreover ferioufly exhorting others, who 
 alfo might come to fall into great temptation, concludes 
 with thefe words: 
 
 ' He who hath faved my foul from death thus far, and 
 lifted my feet up out of the pit, even to him be immortal 
 glory for ever, and let every troubled foul truft in him ; for 
 his mercy endureth for ever. 
 
 * James Nayler/ 
 
 That he came to a perfeft recovery from his having been 
 in a maze, feems to appear plainly by the following 
 thankfgiving to God for his. mercies, which he publifhed 
 after his fall : 
 
 ' It is in my heart to praife thee, O my God ; let mc 
 never forget thee, what thou haft been to me in the night, 
 by thy prefence in the day of trial, when I was befet in 
 darknefs, when I was caft out as a wandering bird, when 
 I was aflaulted with ftrong temptations, then thy prefence 
 in fecret did preferve me, and in a low ftate I felt thee 
 tiear me. When the floods fought to fweep me away, thoii 
 didft fet a compafs for them how far they fliould pafs over. 
 When my way was through the fea, and when I pafl"ed 
 
 i 
 
7 
 
 250 THE HISTORY OF THE [^^56 
 
 finder the mountains, there waft thou prcfent with me. 
 When the weight of the hills was upon mc, thou uphcldeft 
 me, clfc had I funk under the earth. When I was as one 
 ahogetlfer hdplefs ; when tribulation and anguifh was upon 
 me day and night, and the earth without foundation ; 
 when I went on the way of wrath, and paffed by the gates 
 of hell ; when all comforts flood afar off, and he that is 
 mine enemy had dominion ; when I was cad into the pit, 
 and w^as as one appointed to death ; when I was between 
 the mill-ftones, and as one cruflied with the weight of 
 his adverfary ; as a father. Thou waft with me, and the 
 Tock of thy prcfence. When the mouth of Hons roared 
 againft me, and Tear took hold of my foul in the pit, then 
 I called upon ihce in the night, and my cries were flrong 
 before thee daily; who anfwercdfl me from thy habitation, 
 and deliveredft mc from thy dwelling-place ; faying, I will 
 fet thee above all thy fears, and lift up thy feet above the 
 head of oppreffion. 1 believed and was ftrengthened, and 
 thy w^ord was falvation. Thou didft fight on my pan when 
 I wreflled with death ; and when darkncfs would have (hut 
 me up, then thy light flione about me, and thy banner W'as 
 over my head. When my work was in the furnace, and as 
 I paffed through the fire, by thee I was not confumed, 
 though the flames afcended above my head. When I be- 
 held the dreadful vifions, and wasamongft the fiery fpirits, 
 thy faith flayed me, elfe through fear I had fallen. I faw 
 thee, and believed, fo the enemy could not prevail. 
 
 * When I look back into thy works, I am aflonifliedi and 
 fee no end of thy praifes. Glory, glory to thee, faith my 
 foul, and let my heart be ever filled with thankfgiving. 
 Whilfl: ihy works remain, they (hall (hew forth thy power. 
 Then didfl thou lay the foundation of the earth, and lead 
 me under the waters, and in the deep didft thou fliew me 
 wonders, and thy forming of the world. By thy hand thou 
 ledft me in fafety, till thou (hewedft me the pillars of the 
 earth. Then did the heavens fhower down, they were 
 covered with darknefs, and the powers thereof were (haken, 
 and thy glory defcended ; thou filledft the lower parts of 
 the earth w^ith gladnefs, and the^fprings of the valleys were 
 opened, and thy (bowers defcended abundantly j fo the earth 
 
 1-656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 251 
 
 was filled with virtue. Thou madeft thy plant to fprlna, 
 and the thirfty foul became as a watered garden : then didft 
 thou lift me out of the pit, and fet me forth in thefi?ht of 
 my enemies. Thou proclaimedft liberty to the captive, 
 and calledft mine acquaintance near me : they to whom I 
 had been a wonder, looked upon me, and in thy love I 
 obtained favour in thofe who had forfook me. Then did 
 gladnefs fwallow up forrow, and I forfook all my troubles - 
 and I faid, how good is it that man be proved m the ni^ht^ 
 that he may know his folly ; that every mouth may become 
 iilcnt in thy hand, until thoumakeft man known to himfelf 
 and haft (lain the boafter, and (hewed him the vanity that 
 yexeth thy fpirit. ^ 
 
 * James Nayler.' 
 
 This plainly appears to be a poetical piece; for the 
 author all along makes ufe of allegorical fayings, to fi^nifv 
 the great angui(h and tribulation he had been under."" 
 
 I he hatred of his enemies was the fiercer, becaufe he 
 Had undifguifedly and clearly demonftrated their duty to 
 the rulers, and preachers, and lawyers : for in a certain 
 book, pubhfhed by him i;i the year 1653, to exhort men 
 to repentance, he writes thus to the rulers : 
 
 * O you rulers of the people, who are fet up to iudne 
 between a man and his neighbour, ought not you to ud-e 
 for God, and not tor man ? Ought not you to be men fca"!-. 
 ing God and hating covetoufnefs, not judging for gifts and 
 rewards ? Ought not you to countenance and encourage 
 thcni that do well, and to be a terror to them which do 
 evil ? Juftice is fo. And he that is of God, and bears his 
 fwprd, turns the edge of it againft all fin and wickednefs, 
 mjuitice and oppreffion ; and fo fets up juftice and jud-' 
 nient m the gates, that the poor may be delivered from 
 him that IS too mighty for him, and that the caufe of the 
 iatherlefs, widow, and ftranger may not fall ; but hath an 
 car open to the cries of the poor and helplefs, who hath 
 but httle money, and few friends ; that a poor man may 
 not be afraid to appear in a good caufe, againft the ^reatell 
 oppreffor in the nation. o - 
 
25-, TH£ HISTORY OF THE Z^^S^ 
 
 * And oaglu not you to judge without rcfpeft to perfoDS, 
 or witl)out fceking rcfped to your own perfons, worlhip 
 or honour from men ; but only to advance juftice, equity, 
 and righteournefs, which is o? God; that fo you may be 
 honoured by tlie Lord ; for true humility is honour, and 
 he that honours the Lord* him will He honour ; and fucli 
 have been honoured in all ages, though they neveir fought 
 it from men.' 
 
 This and ipuch more he writ to the rulers j and to the 
 preachers thus : 
 
 * And you who fay you are the teachers of the nation, 
 how long will it be ere you look at your own ways ? Is 
 not all manner of filthinefs amongft you, which you fliould 
 lead the people out of? Is there not among you drunken- 
 nefs, gluttony, whoredom, and fporting, fitting down to 
 cat and to drink, and rifiPsg up to play; fwearing, lying,^ 
 backbiting, falfe accnfmg, railing, flandering, contention, 
 llrlfe, and envy ? Yea, are not the bell of you given ta 
 pride and coveioufnefs, which is idolatry ; fullnefs of bread, 
 and abundance of idlenefs ? Are not you hirelings, and 
 reach for the fleece ? Do not yon contend for money with 
 your own hearers, and fue them at law for it ; yea, al- 
 though they cannot fatisfy your demands, without finning 
 againft the light in their own confcience, and fo fin againft 
 God ? Are you not bitter, and perfecutors of any that 
 come to difcover your lewdnefs, crying out to the magifr 
 trate to uphold you in your beaftly ways, and to flop the 
 mouths of all thofe wliom God hath fent to witnefs againft 
 you ? And many more works of this nature is amongfl you, 
 which the pure all-feeing God hath fhewed unto his people, 
 to be amongft you, and therefore it \$ that they come out 
 from you, left they partake with you of your fins and 
 plagues. But are not you blind leaders of the blind, 
 when you neither fee thefe to be the works of darkncfs, 
 nor thofe that follow you. Wo unto you that devouF 
 fou!«i lor money and gain, the day of your account is at 
 Uand. O repent, the blood of fouls is upon you/ &c. 
 
 1556] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. S5J 
 
 The lawyers in the fame writing had a ftroke alfo thus : 
 
 * And you lawyers, ought not you to plead the caufe of 
 equity, between man and man for equity fake, without re- 
 fpe£l to yourfelves or others, but only to truth itfelf ; that 
 a juft caufe may be owned in whomfocycr it concerns ? 
 But is not the jufteft caufe fure to fall, if the party have 
 not money to fatisfy your demands ; which are many 
 times very unreafonable ? And you who fliould inftru^: 
 people in the ways of truth and peace, do not you by your 
 wifdom teach them lies and ftrife ? Do not you advife your 
 plaintiffs, as you call them, to declare in bills, things'that 
 are not true, and make fmall offences feem very great by 
 falfe gloflfes ? For fay you, we may declare what we Mn'll, 
 and prove what we can ; fo that you, and they whom you 
 aft for, know before-hand, that fcarce one thing of ten 
 can be proved, neither is true ? Is this the way to make up 
 the breach, and preferve peace and truth amongft people ? 
 O miferable fall from God, when that law which fliould 
 before preferve in peace, is ufed to aggravate offences 
 beyond truth, and fo make differences greater. And do 
 not you delight to fifli in troubled waters : and the greater 
 diflfenfion amongft the people, the more is your gain ? Arc 
 not your purfes filled, and your eftates raifed in the ruins 
 of the people ? And are not thofe laws which ought to 
 be ufed to preferve people from oppreflion, by abufing, 
 made the undoing of whole families, impoverifliing towns 
 and countries ? The law, as it is now ufed, is fcarce fer- 
 viceable for any other end, but for the envious man, who - 
 hath much money to revenge himfelf of his poor neigh- 
 hours, which, may be, never did him wrong. Is there any 
 appearing for the poor againft the rich, although his caufe 
 he juft: but by deceit, delays, and expences, the remedy 
 is worfe than the difeafe ? * ^ - 
 
 Much more he wrote to the lawyers, to ftir them up to 
 do juftice, and then addreflTed himfelf to the people in 
 general, in thefe words : * 
 
 * And yon people of the nation, that have feein the baud 
 
 \i 
 
 y 
 
254 The history of the" [_i6^6 
 
 of God againfl the prince and people for ihefe and the 
 like abominations, and you yourftlves are efcaped, as 
 brands plucked out of the fire ; have you at all turned to 
 him who hath fmittcn you ; or are you bettered by cor-r 
 reftion; or have you made your peace with the Almighty? 
 Although you have feeii war, and the fvvord reaching to 
 the very foul, arc you not every one, to your own power, 
 gathering fuel to that fire which hath been burning in the 
 land, and hath conf[nned thoufands ; which fhould have 
 been as a warning unto you who are efcaped, to return to 
 the Lord from the evil of your doings ? But are not you 
 ftill making the breach wider between God and the nation, 
 as though you were left for no other end, but to fill up the 
 meafure of iniquity that is yet behind, that the juft God 
 may fweep the land with the bcfom of dcftruffion ? O 
 when will you ceafe to provoke- the Lord by your fins ? 
 \Vhere is your Redeemer you have profefled fo long in 
 words and forms ? Can you witnefs him in your works ? 
 And what hath he redeemed you from ? For faith he, 
 *' Why call you me Lord, and do not the things which I 
 fay ?" Ls He your Lord, and you fervants to all manner of 
 filthinefs? And notwithftanding that you have fcen his 
 wonders in the nation, yet do not you exceed all that ever 
 went before you, in pride, covetoufnefs, drunkennefs, 
 fwcaring, envying, quarrelling, backbiting, flandering, falfe 
 accufing, felf-love, and deceit in all manner of merchandize 
 and trading ; falfe weights and meafures, fayings, proteft- 
 ings one towards another, in your bargaining, fpeaking 
 things that are not true, and hereby to over-reach your 
 brethren, and get difhoneft gain. How many falfe oaths, 
 and idlq words are fpent about every bargain in your 
 markcis, and open ftrcets, without bluftiing, or being 
 afliamcd ? Yea, it is able to break the hearts of any who 
 know the pure God, to know it, and hear it ; for it is 
 come to fuch a height of deceit, that none can trull his 
 brother ; for lying, fwearing, and forfwearing, it abounds 
 in the nation ; and yet you will profefs yourfelves to be 
 the members of Jefiis Chrift : and had Jefus Chrift ever 
 fuch a body as this ? Nay, all that arc members of him, are 
 of one heart, and one foul. 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 ^55 
 
 ^ And you talk of a communion of faints : had ever the 
 Jamts fuch a communion as this, to defraud one anodier 
 for money ; and profefs a Redeemer, and are fervants to 
 thcdcy^l and your own lufts, in all the morions and temp, 
 tations thereof and are led captive at his will ? But what 
 redempt^^^ So long as fin, the partition 
 
 wall, ,s between God and you, ftands ftill whole in your 
 wiHs, you will be drunk, fwear, lie, and commit aduhery, 
 diflembie, and fatisfy your lults in all thin^^ and fav we 
 are redeemed; yet commit all thefe abominations, and live 
 in them, und.r a pretence of a profcfllon, and aoinix to the 
 idols temple once a ^.^ek. Did ever Jefus Chrift redeem 
 fuch a people, or dwell in fuch a people? Thofe whom he 
 hath redeemed, he hath freed from the fervitude of fin, by 
 icpai-ating them from fin, and reconciling them to God 
 from whence they are fallen by fin : for God and .fin can! 
 not dwel m one. And to fuch he faith, "Be ye holv, 
 for lam holy:- and as he is the -Lamb of God who 
 taketh away the fins of the world.- Now fee, how is your 
 ims taken away, when the kingdom of darknefs doth 
 wholly rule in you, and leads you into works and ways of 
 darknefs? Are you reconciled to God, and have you feU 
 lowfhip With h,m ? Are not you yet ftrangers to him, and 
 worjhip an unknown God? "For he that commits fin, 
 hath not fcen him, neither known him," and fo worfliip 
 they know not what, in formal and fuperftitious worfliips/ 
 
 Thus J. Nayler wrote: but I now break off that I * 
 may not be tedious. 
 
 . So zealous was he before hi. fall ; which was wholly of 
 another nature than the common fins and tranfgreffions ; 
 for by the wiles of Satan, he accepted the idolatrous 
 honour that fome perfons gave him, iiiftead of which he 
 ought to have reproved them ; and thus was he fo ftupi- 
 fied in his underftanding, that he imagined the bowing and 
 knechng before him, was not done on account of his per. 
 fon, but for Chrift: and with this falfe opinion he blinded 
 himfelf for a time, till it pleafed God to pity him, and to 
 give him light agam ; after he had fuflered fuch an unheard 
 ot punifhmcnt for his tranf^reiSon, as is aheady related in ■ 
 
25* 
 
 THE HISTORV of THH 
 
 C1656 
 
 1656] 
 
 this hiftory. And becaufe his freedom of fpeech againll 
 vmrighteoiifnefs of all forts, and his preaching, ran very 
 Iharp upon all, fevenil were angry with him, became his 
 enemies, and look occafion from his crime to revenge them- 
 fclves fiercely upon him, by making him fuller a cruel 
 punilhrnent, w^hich was no ways proportionable to his tranf- 
 greflion. But herein barbarous cruelty played its part fo 
 much, that the fobereft inhabitants did deteft it, and there- 
 fore a petition was prefented to the parliament, defiring a 
 difcharge of part of the punifliment, of which, the firfl 
 fubfcriber was colonel Scroop, who was governor of 
 Briftol. 
 
 While he lay in the houfe of correction, he writ feveral 
 papers to m;inifefl: his regret and repentance for his crime ; ' 
 fome of which are already inferted in this hiftory. Since, 
 is come to my hand a letter to his friends, being written 
 with his own hand, to this purport : 
 
 *Dear brethren, 
 
 « My heart is broken this day for the offence that I 
 have occafioned to God's truth and people, and efpecially 
 to you, who in dear love followed me, feeking me in faith- 
 fulnefs to God, which I rejected ; being bound wherein I 
 could not come forth, till God's hand brought me, to 
 whofe love 1 now confefs: and I befeech you, forgive 
 wherein I evilly requited your love in that day. God 
 knows my forrow for it, fince I fee it, that ever I fhould 
 oiTend that of God in any, or rejeft his counfel ; and now 
 that paper you have feen lies much upon me, and 1 greatly 
 fear farther to offend, or do amifs, whereby the innocent 
 Truth, or people of God Ihould fuffer, or that I fhould 
 difobey therein. 
 
 ' Unlefs the Lord himfclf keep you from me, 1 befeech 
 you let nothing elfe hinder your coming to me, that I 
 might have your help in the Lord : in the mercies of 
 Chrill Jefus this I beg of you, as if it was your own cafe, 
 let me not be forgotten of you. 
 
 ' And I entreat you, fpcak to Henry Clarke, or who- 
 ever elfe 1 have moll offended ; and by the power of God, 
 and in the fpirit of Chrift Jefus, I am willing to confefs the 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 ^Sl 
 
 offence, that God s love may arife in all hearts, as before. 
 If Jt be his will, who only can remove what ftands in the 
 way; and nothing thereof do I intend to cover: God is 
 WJtncfs herein. 
 
 * ' ! • ' ' • 
 
 He alfo writ feveral orher confefEons of his faults about 
 this time, m one of which, amongft others, I find ihcfc 
 
 words: 
 
 ' And concerning you, the tender plants of my Father 
 who have fuffered through me, or with me, in what the 
 Lord hath fuffered to be done with me, in this time of 
 great trial and temptation; the Almighty God of love 
 who hath numbered every figh, and>ut every tear in his' 
 bottle, reward it a thoufand fold into your bofoms, in the 
 day of your need, when you fliall come to be tried and 
 tempted ; and in the mean-time fulfil your joy with his 
 love, which you feek after. The Lord knows, it was never 
 m my heart to caiife you to mourn, whofe fuffering is my 
 greateft forrow that ever yet came upon me, for you are 
 innocent herein.* . 
 
 When he had finiflied that letter, and fet his name, he 
 WTote as follows : 
 
 ' I befeech you (all thaf can) to receive it, even as you 
 V-ould be received of the Lord; and for the reft, th^ 
 Lord give me patience to fuffer, till he make up the 
 breach. 
 
 While he was in Bridewell, he writ to the parliament, 
 ^ who had puniflied him as a blafphemer, to let them know 
 w hat his true opinion concerning Jefus Chrift was. 
 
 _ \ Chrifl Jefus, (the Immanuef, of whofe fufferings the 
 Scriptures declare) him alone I confefs before men; for 
 whofe fake I have denied whatever was dear to me in xhis 
 world, that I might win him, and be found in him, and 
 not in myfelf ; whofe life and virtue I find daily manifcft ia 
 my mortal body (which is my etcrnaL joy and hope g£ 
 Vol. L r 
 
«53 
 
 THE HISTORV of THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 glory) ; whom I alone feek to ferve in fpirit, foul and body, 
 night and day (according to the meafure of grace working 
 in me), that in me he may be glorified, whether by life or 
 death ; and for his fake I fuffer vail things, that he alone 
 may have the glory of my change, whofe work alone it is 
 in me: even to that eternal Spirit be glory, and to the 
 Lamb for ever. 
 
 * But to afcribe this name, power, and virtue, to James 
 Nayler (or to that which had a beginning, and muft re- 
 turn to duft), or for thaf to be exalted, or worfliipped, to 
 me is great idolatry, and with the Spirit of Chrift Jefus in 
 me it is condemned; which Spirit leads to lowlinefs, meek- 
 nefs*, and long-fuifcring. 
 
 * So having an opportunity given fwith readincfs) I am 
 willing, in the fear of God the Father (in honour to Chrift 
 Jefus, and to take off all offences from every fimple heart;, 
 this to declare to all the world, as the truth of Chrift is 
 in me, without guile or deceit, daily finding it to be my 
 work to feek peace in truth with all men in that fpirit. 
 
 , * James Nayler.* 
 
 After this, hearing that fome had wronged him about 
 that which he had fpoken to the committee of the parlia- 
 ment, and underftanding how men had perverted his words, 
 he writ a paper, declaring hitjifelf farther concerning his 
 belief of Chrift, and his fufferings, and death, &c. Alfa 
 he complained of things that fome had publiftied; under 
 the title of James Nayler's recantation, wherein they had 
 much perverted him;' and he declared: " 
 
 * And as touching the printing of that paper (called J. 
 N's recantation) it was not done by me, nor with my 
 knowledge in the leaft, nor do I yet at all know the man 
 that hath done it; but out of the Truth, and againft the 
 Truth he hath done it, and for evil towards me, whoever 
 it was; the LordGod of my life, who hath kept me alive 
 in all diftrefs, turn it for good, and forgive t^e eyil : and 
 though he that hath done it, hath not done it in Truth, 
 nor love to it, yet what of truth there is in the paper, I 
 fliall own, as ftands on Truth's behalf ; for thus it was, that 
 
 1656]- 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 259 
 
 after I was put into the hole at Bridewell, I heard of many 
 wild aftions done by a fort of people who pretended ihat 
 they owned me; and thefe were earneftly ftirrcd up at 
 that day, with much violence, and many unfeemly aftions, 
 to go into the meetings of the people of the Lord called 
 Quakers, on purpofe to hinder their peaceable meetings • 
 f and yet" would take that holy and pure name of God 
 and Chrift frequently in their mouths, whereby the 
 name of the Lord wa^ much difhonoured, and his pure 
 Spirit grieved, and much diforder they caufed in many 
 places of the nation, to the diftionour of Chrift Jefus, for 
 which I felt wrath from God; which when I underftood 
 that they had any ftrength through me, I ufed all means I 
 could to declare againft that evil fpirit, which under the 
 name of God and Chrift, was againft God and Chrift, his 
 Truth and people; and fomething I did give forth about a 
 year and a half fince, in denial of thefe fpirits, which it 
 feems to me, he that hath done this, hath got a fight of, 
 and hath added to it the thoughts of his own heart, and 
 fo hath brought out this darknefs, that people know not 
 what to make of it. 
 
 ' Therefore, fo far as it teftifies againft thofe unclean 
 ranting fpirits, and all the anions wherein the holy name 
 of God hath been difhonbured, and his Spirit grieved, fo 
 far I own it; but in that it is turqed as though I denied 
 the Lord Jefus Chrift, and his truth, which h^th called me 
 out of the worid, or his people, whom he hath called into 
 light^ in that I own it not ; for in the patience and tribula- 
 tion of Chrift Jefus, and with thofe who have the power 
 this day to teftify therein, againft all the evils of this pre- 
 fent world, I am one in heart and foul to the utmoft of my 
 ftrength, till the coming of the Lord Jefus Over all; and 
 the throne of mceknefs and truth, be fet on the top of en- 
 mity and deceit; in which faith and power I am given up 
 to live or die, fuffer or rejoice, as God will, even fo be it, 
 without murmuring. 
 
 ' James Nayler.* 
 
 • . This is certain, that James Nayler came to very great * 
 forro'w, and deep humiliation of mind; and thcrcf<jrcy be- 
 
 R 2 
 
26o 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ['656 
 
 caufcGod forgives the tranfgreffions of the penitent, and 
 blottcth them out, and remembercth them no more, fo 
 coiild James Nayler's friends do no other than forgive his 
 crime, and thus take back the loft fheep into their fociety. 
 He having afterwards obtained his liberty, behaved himfelf 
 as became a Chriftian, honeft, and blamelefs in converfa- 
 iion; and patiently bore the reproach of his former 
 crimes. 
 
 When king Charles the Second had afcended the throne, 
 one Richard Blome publiflled a book, entitled. The Fana- 
 tick Hiftory, which was faid to be publifhed with the ap- 
 probation of orthodox divines (fo called), and dedicated 
 by him to the king. This book flruck chiefly againft the 
 Quakers, and was (luft with a multitude of lying ftorics, 
 and the fall of J. Nayler was not concealed in it. He 
 being then alive, rook up the pen, and anfwered the falfi- 
 ties contained in it, relating to himfelf: and becaufe R*. 
 Blome in his dedication, faid, ' That if his majcfty put not 
 forth his royal hand of power fuddenly, to reftrain us, 
 we are fo numerous, and feducing, that we will (in a little 
 time) diffufe our poifon over the better part of his king- 
 dom, which none but a regal authority canftifle.* 
 
 * I fay then, what is become of your fpiritual weapons ? 
 Have not your teachers told people of the ftrength of 
 truth, and the power of godlinefs ? Have you loft both 
 (may wifdom fay), and run you now to the arm of flefh, to 
 get errors ftifled (as you call them), or elfe your hope is 
 loft, and your faith fails you ? Did ever any of Chrift's 
 miniftcrs leave their fpiritual weapons, to run to the arm of 
 fleih, or a carnal weapon to ftop feducers ? I fay, n6. This 
 they never rf id ; but with fpiritual weapons they wreftled, 
 and overcame fpiritual wickednefs, and with them cut 
 down herefies, b!afpheiiMes,and falfe worftiips, and cleared 
 the churches of Chrift of them, and drove them down 
 before them in the world: for none could refift the fpirit 
 by which they fpoke, of all the falfe priefts, and falfe 
 worfhippcrs ; but being put to the w^orft, they cried (as 
 you do) to rulers and people. Help us, or all will be over- 
 run : for they that turn the world upfide down are come 
 higher (mind yoiir cry). And. then the rude multitude 
 
 1656] PEOPLE CALLED QCAKERs/ 261 
 
 ran on heaps upon them, and made tumuhs often, and fell 
 upon them w,th ftaves and fifts. and affaylted the houfe 
 that entertamed them, as you do, and fo haled them before 
 rulers, who took the.r part herein, and put them in prifon! 
 and often whipped them; unlefs it w^e fome tharwcrc 
 fo noble, as not to heed the cry of the multitude but 
 would hear the.r caufe, and give them leave to f^eak 
 before they would fentence them that were accufed ^Ind 
 this was the nobflity of heathen kings and ruler and do 
 
 Ke tft t T'^ ^"/'^"''^ ^"'- worfeTha'n themi 
 iJeware left heatnens rife up in the day of judgment 
 
 agamft them who are called Chriftians, and eonderfhem 
 
 > And m this your cry for help, againft fo contempHbk 
 
 a people (as you count them), you (like filly women) do 
 
 but d.fcover your weaknefs and worthleffnefs^; In" f God 
 
 open the eyes of king Charles, he will fee it WhaT- 
 
 nrln .' }t^'^''^" y«" ■«"« havefudden help froin him 
 Ln h' J '\^ °'''™" • S"^^'y '" ™«y be feid,%o^ have 
 l^fuM r,''''™^"' ^"d idle fhepherds, who haVe loft all 
 If fudden help come not from another hand. Now if any 
 
 had fomT '^"f ?^°" ^•'^'^ ^'^"^' ^^^P°"^' 'hen had yol 
 that Zh- f 'r •"'^'''^ '° '^^ ^^"hly powers; but in 
 that i^othmg but fp,nt comes againft fpirk, and yet you 
 
 powe of God^^- ?'^ ^'oth clearly 'manifeft, fhat'he 
 power ot God you have not in you, but have loft the 
 
 KTn°'s''^';5?^'^' ^"^ foar; become ureafot! 
 
 anothTt'a ir°"''^ ^T^^ ^^^^P«"^ againft one, and 
 another to do your work for you, and yet are unw Uine 
 to forego your wages; yea, this advantage you havThad 
 divers years but have not prevailed therelith. ^ 
 
 Te^hluLftl^ '''-' ^-'^-^ ^- ^,rc^^ • 
 
 made 1? llTf 1"/^ °''^/ '^' ^"'^^^"'^^ ^^ '^y book being 
 made up of falfe accufations, gathered up out of book! 
 
 ^{ZrVr -'^""^ "^' ^^''"^ ^-'^^ been difpled by 
 
 {omeZi r"^'' ""'''; =>"^ '° »befe 'hou haft added 
 fome uew accufations, a. falfe as the oM, and fpied o.^ 
 
 ^3 
 
i 
 
 26« 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 the failings of fome few, who have mourned before God, 
 that ever they ftiould fin, and give occafion to the enemy of 
 God fo to blafphcmc. And many things which were done 
 and fpoken by others, who are not of us, nor ever were : 
 and of this is thy book made up, as any man may fee who 
 reads it, and our feveral anfwers to the charges therein, 
 many of them of feveral years (landing, againft thefe falfe 
 accufations, which have mofl of them been printed over 
 and over, and prefented to the former powers that have 
 rifen, and as often anfwered : fo there needed no more to 
 be faid, than hath been, were it not for the fake of fome 
 who my yet be flrangcrs to your way of dealing towards 
 us, under every power that hath been. Now difcretion 
 will fay, that to make another man the father of fuch a 
 work, to which he is a ftranger Tbut efpecially a king) is 
 prefumption indeed, raflmefsn and folly, and needs a pardon. 
 ' And whereas you now fay, that none but a regal au- 
 thority can ftifle; it is true, you have tried parliaments 
 and proteftors (as you called them) and parliaments again; 
 and to make them then work for you, your pricfts ufed 
 thefe arguments to them, (to wit) That in the late wars 
 they^ had expofed lives, liberties, eftates, and relations, 
 with all other pcrfonal advantages, in maintaining the juft 
 proceedings of parliaments, and from them you then 
 claimed our ftifling, as the price of your prayers, purfes, 
 hazards, loffes, bani(hment, and blood, as may be read in 
 the Wcftmoreland petition againft us, which thou haft 
 printed in page 197 and 198. And was not this power 
 that which you then called the common enemy, in the 
 fame petition, page 2ot), which you now cry to, and would 
 put him upon that work againft us now, as defender of 
 your faith, &c. Ah! faithlefs generation, have you been 
 to God and man, may you not be afhamed of this work, 
 ' to print it, and fend it to king Charles, arid call him to 
 defend it, and patronize it : how hath envy bereaved you 
 of your reafonablenefs ? Shall he who defends this, defend 
 either faith or truth ? But this is, that you may cover your- 
 felvcs with your fhame and envy, that both king and 
 people, and parliaments, may fee what a generation you 
 are, that will run under any power to get your bloody 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 263 
 
 ends ; but indeed true to none ; for if it was true, that 
 you were fo faithful to that parliament, with your prayers 
 purfes, and blood, as there you plead, then is your faith 
 but new, which now you would have defended ; but if 
 not true, then how great deceivers, and how little to be 
 trufted, or defended, in your cruel defigns. 
 
 \ 11 I^^a'^h'^f\ faithfully judges the poor, his throne 
 Ihall be eftabhflicd for ever. But, if a ruler hearken to 
 hes, all his fervants are wicked,** Prov. xxix. 12, 14 
 ' And to thee, who haft fet forth this book of mifchief, 
 
 1 fay with the Scriptures, " Lay not wait, O wicked man, 
 againft the dwelling of the righteous, fpoil not his refting 
 place, tor a juft man falleth feven times, and rifeth up 
 agam ; but the wicked fliall fall into mifchief,'* Prov. xxiv, 
 15, 16. See alfo Mich. vii. 8, J. N.* 
 
 In anfwer to the book. 
 
 * The day is come that the Scripture is fulfilled, which 
 the Lord fpoke by his prophet, Ifa. xliv. 25. That he will 
 make the diviners mad; and that the prophets ftiall be 
 alhamed, every one of his vifion, Zach. xiii. 4. The which 
 doth now evidently appear, and their folly is made raani- 
 
 *^ll.^^^?. ^"' ^^^^ ^^'" fee and behold it, according to 
 
 2 Tim. in. 9. And is not this manifeft madnefs and folly in 
 them, called orthodox and divines, to prefent unto the 
 king their packet of lies, which have been feven years told 
 over, and fo long fince difproved and confuted, as may be 
 feen in a book called, Saul's Errand to Damafcus, &c. 
 printed in the year 1653, and in feveral other books fince/ 
 It already hath been, and is now manifeft unto all men of 
 fober underftandings, that thefe men, falfely called ortho- 
 dox and divines, have had no defence, either to vindicate 
 themfelves, or difprove the people called Oaakers, but this 
 refuge of lies, which ihey firft prefented to the parliament 
 fitting m 1652, and likewife to other parliaments which 
 have been fince that time, and to the two prote^ors, and 
 now to this prefent king is direfted ; and you prefumptu- 
 oufiy charge hmi to be the patron of it, requiring him to 
 defend thole lies which you falfely call (;he faith. But ' 
 
264 
 
 * THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ['656 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE GALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 t6$ 
 
 If 
 
 this wc know, according as it is written, Prov. xxix. 12. 
 19. that " if a ruler hearken to lies, all his fcrvants are 
 wicked; but a wife king fcattereth the wicked, and bring- 
 cth the wheel over them.V Chap. xx. 26. 
 
 * Thefe pretended divines are fuch as have bowed and 
 crouched under every appearance of a power, and by 
 flatteiies feem to cleave unto them, that they uiight uphold, 
 maintain, and fatisfy their God, which is their bellies. 
 Thefe were of them which faid, that Oliver CromvfrxU was 
 the light of their eyes, amd the breath of their noftrils : 
 fo that now with Qiamc they might rather confefs that 
 tliey are blind, and dead (from the light and life of God), 
 than to multiply lies in their accuftomed manner as for- 
 merly. Thefe alfo were of them that faid, Oliver Crom- 
 well was Mofes, who had led them into a fight of the 
 good land ; and that Richard his fon was Jofhua, which, 
 ihouid lead them into the poffeffion. But we, with many 
 more, do fee that their hope is falfc, and their feith alfo 
 proved vain, and that they are not yet in the land of pro- 
 mife, for there no liars come. And thofe former rulers 
 hearkening to their lies, were deceived by them which 
 was the caufc of God's judgments, and utter deftruaion 
 coming upon them ; which while they put into the priefts ' 
 mouths, they cried peace unto them, calling them Mofes, 
 Aaron, and Jofhua; but when they ceafed, and could not 
 put into their mouths, then they cried out, that Mofes and 
 Jofhua were tyrants and oppreffors : and fo will they do 
 unto the king now, who are feeking to cleave unto him by 
 flattery and deceit ; which 'if he. deny to, be the patron and 
 defender of their lies, will be apt to cry as much againft 
 him. So that he, or they, are bleffed, whofe ears are not 
 open to their clamours, but whofe hearts are joined to the 
 Truth, and who are led by the Spirit of God as their in- 
 flru^or ; for fuch (hall difcern hypocrites, and falfe-hearted 
 men, under every pretence of flattery or diflimulation ; 
 for the folly of thefe begins to be manifefl unto all mcn> 
 2 Tim. iii. 9. 
 
 ' Now in anfwcrtothe hiflory concerning John Toldervey, 
 afferted by a company of priefts, as Brooks, Cocking, 
 Goodwin, Jenkins,. Jacomb, Alderry, Tombs, and Pool, 
 
 who themfelves fay, that they harve but pernfcd a part, as 
 page 99, and yet pretend to witnefs the whole ; whofe wit- 
 ness is difproved and denied by the faid John Toldervey, 
 both by his own book givep forth from him, and by his life 
 and converfation, being now (fmce his return from his out- 
 going) a hving witnefs, not againft, but for the way, 
 doftrine, principle, and pra£^ice, which the people called 
 (fakers do live jn, againft thofe lies pubiiPned abroad 
 concerning him. 
 
 ' Aod as for thy charge thou haft againft J. Nayler, 
 through the everlafting mercy of my God, I have yet a 
 being amongft the Hving, and breath to anfwer formyfelf, 
 though againft the intents of many cruel bloody fpirits, 
 who purfued my foul unto death (as much as in them lay) 
 in that day. of my calamity, when my adverfary was above, 
 and wherein I was made a fign to a backfliding generation, 
 who then would not fee nor hear what now is coming upon 
 them ; but rejoiced againft this piece of duft, and had little 
 piry towards him that was fallen into their hands ; wherein 
 God was juft in giving me up for my difobedience, for a 
 little moment, as a father to correal ; yet fhould not they 
 have fought to aggravate things againft me, as thou doft ; 
 for it was a* day of deep diftrefs, and lay fore upon my 
 foul, and the merciful God faw it ; who, though he was 
 difpleafed for a tinae, yet his thoughts were not to caft ofF 
 for ever (but extend mercy) as it is at this day ; glory Be 
 to his name, from my delivered foul, eternally. 
 
 * And in that day there were many fpirits flocked about 
 me, and fome whom (while the candle of the Lord fhone 
 upon my head) I ever judged and kept out from me, who 
 then got up and afted, and fpoke feveral things not in the 
 light and Truth of God, by which they, who fought 
 occafion againft me, were then ftrengthened to afflict this 
 body, and he that watches for evil, in thee and fome others, 
 makes ufe of ftill againft God's Truth and innocent people ; 
 whofe mouths the God of my mercy ftop, and fo- finifti the 
 trouble of my heart as to that thing ; for ray foul hath long 
 dwelt among lions^ even among them that are fet on fire, 
 whofe teeth are fpears and arrows, and their tongues a 
 Iharp fword, fpeaking mifchievous things to flied bload. 
 
*$6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i6s« 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 257 
 
 r 
 
 * But, O man, or men, whoever you be, whofe work it 
 is to gather the failings of God's people in the time of 
 temptation, or night of their trial, and aggravate them, 
 ^ and add thereto the wickcdnefs and mifchievous lies of 
 your own hearts, as thou haft done in ^ thy book, and 
 then come out with thofe, againft God's everlafting holy 
 Truth, it to reproach ; I fay you are fet on work by an 
 evil fpirit, and you do but fliew yourfelves to be enemies 
 10 God and his children ; and it is our forrow, that any 
 of -us ihould give occafion to blafpheme ; and it hath been 
 trouble of foul to all the people of God, that have ever 
 loved righteoufneft, when they have thus occafioned the 
 joy of the wicked, or to feed the man that watches for 
 iniquity, and feeds on mifchief : yet know this, you that 
 are of that brood, God will not caft off his people ; though 
 he be fometimes provoked to correft them, even before 
 their adverfaries (which is a fign to them) yet is his anger 
 but for a moment, and his favour fliall return as ftreams of 
 life ; then fhall the food be taken out of the mouth of 
 the viper, and the prey from between the teeth of the de- 
 vourers ; and God will feed them with their own vomit, 
 and the poifon that hath long lain under their tongues, 
 fhall be bitfer in their own bowels. Thus will God cer^ 
 • tainly plead with Zion's enemies, as he bends her fons 
 for himfclf, and God will make up her breaches: and 
 * this hath my foul feen, Jacob's captivity reftorcd, and the 
 diggers of the pit are fallen therein ; neither hath he 
 fmitten him as he fmote them that fmote him,, nor is he 
 flain according to the flaughter of them that are flain by 
 him ; but this is all, his-fruit to purge away his fin. 
 
 « So he that hath long watched for my faultering, then 
 got advantage againft me ; yet had I then power to bear 
 his utmoft envy, through Chrift Jefus, whom I then con- 
 feffed before men, who then was my fupport in all, and 
 under all, and who is over a.11, bleffed for ever of all who 
 have proved him in the depth. 
 
 * But that which was, and is the forrow of my heart, is 
 
 the advantage the enemy then took againft the name 
 
 ' cf Chrift, his Truth, and his defpifed peopje, in that 
 
 time of temptation, which is that which thoii ap noM( 
 
 purfuing with hatred and lies, as that I was fufpefted to 
 have a woman in bed with me, the night before I fuflcrcd 
 at Briftol, when there were fix or feven perfons in the 
 room that night, and a man (to wit), Robert Rich, m 
 bed with me. But this, and feveral other falfe things, 
 thou haft written in thy book, of which I am clear before 
 the Lord, fo they touch me not at all ; nor (hall i here 
 mention them againft thee in particular ; but to God alone 
 1 look, in his time to be cleared from all offences in his 
 light, who only knows my heart in this thing, in whofe 
 prefence I can fay, that nothing is more odious and bur- 
 denfome to my foul, than that any of the glory or worfliip 
 which belongs to God or to Chrift, ftiould be given to 
 flcfh and blood, in myfelf, or others : and how it was 
 with meat that dat many talk of, but few know; fo the 
 judgment of fuch I bear ; defiring that none in judging 
 me, might have condemned themfelves in God's fight*; 
 whofe counfels are a great deep, and the end of his work 
 paft 'finding out, till he himfelf reveal them ; but in the 
 end he will be juftified of all, and in all he doth, that all 
 flcfli may be filent before him. 
 
 ' And however myfelf, or any others, 'may be left to 
 themfelves, to be tried in the night , yea, fhould anv 
 utterly fall, or whatever may be a^ed by any maa or 
 woman, that is not juftifiable in God's fight, yet in vain 
 doft thou, or you, g'ather up fin, or watch for iniquity, 
 to caft upon the light, which condemns it in every en^ 
 lightened confcience, and there will clear himfelf to be no 
 author nor aftor therein; and I know by the Spirit of 
 Jefus, which I have received, and which worketh in me, 
 that this is not his work, nor his feed; nor in him that 
 loves his enemies, thou art not ; but the old accufer of 
 the brethren it is that worketh ftrongly in' thee ; and in 
 the light which thou reproacheft, art thou feen to be the 
 man that makes jies, and carries tales to flbed blood.' 
 Ezek. xxii. 9. 12. 
 
 Thus much and more J. Nayler writ to anfwer the 
 falfehoods whereof he was accufcd, and to apologize for 
 the doftrine of which he had made profeffion, and to fhew 
 that the fault of his crime muft no ways be attributed to 
 
Z6$ THE HISTORY OF THE ['^5^ 
 
 the fame, as many envious perfons in thofe times alTerted, 
 to wit, that his fall'was a confequence of the do£^rine that 
 men muft take heed to the faring grace, the inward 
 anointing, or the light wherewith every man coming into 
 the world is enlightened from God.* 
 
 Yet to proceed farther with J. Nayler: he wrote after 
 his recovery, many papers and edyfying letters : he alfo 
 anfwered two letters, which when the perfecution in 
 New England burnt fo fierce, where fent over from thence 
 in defence of that faft ; one under the name of John En- 
 dicot, governor of Bofton, and the other in that of Richard 
 Billingham. All the arguments for the perfecution of the 
 Quakers to be lawful and neceiTary, he anfwered at large, 
 and fhewcd how httle agreement their crime of purfuing 
 perfecution had with the name wherewith they had called 
 ihemfelvcs, for a difl:in(^ion from'other perfuafions, namely. 
 Independents, by which they would have it known, thai 
 they were independent from all, except the Spirit of Jefus 
 Chrift, on whom they pretended alone to be dependent : 
 and yet neverthelefs it now appeared manifeftly that it was 
 the flefhly arm whereby they fupported themfelves. He 
 
 • J. Vaylcr was a man whn had been highly favoured of God with a pood 
 ^c^ree of grace, which was fufticitnt lor him, had he kept to its teachings; for 
 whilc^je did fo, he was exemplary -n godiinefn and pnar humility, was powerful in 
 vord and dodrinc, and thereby inftrumentai in the hand of God, for turning 
 mnny from darknefs to light, and from the power of fatJii to the power of God. 
 Uut he, poor man, became exalted above meafure, through the abundance of 
 revelation ; and in that exaltation did depart from the grace and Holy Spirit of 
 God, which had been his fufficient teacher, Then blindncfs came over him, and 
 kedidfufferhimfclftobe accounted of above what he ought : here he flipped and 
 fell, bur not irrecoverably; for it did pleafe God of his infinite mercy, in the day 
 ofhi!saffliaion,to give him a fight and fenfe of his outgoings and fall, and alfo a 
 place of repentance. And he. with the pmdij^al, humbled himfclf f»r his tranf- 
 grefiion, and befought God with true contrition of foul, to pardon his offences 
 through Jtfus Chrift. God, I firmly believe, forgave him, for he paidons the 
 tnily penitent. His people received him with gna'joy, for that he who had 
 l,onc allray from God, was now returned to the Father's houfe>^nd for that ho 
 who had fcparatcd himl'elf from them through his iniquity, was now through 
 leiKutancc aud lorfaking of it, returned into tbc unity ct the faith, and their holy 
 MIowfhip in the gofpefof Chrift. .And 1 do bcreby tcftify, that I do elJecra k ^ 
 particular mark of God's ownin?; his people, in bringin- back into unity with 
 them, a man v;ho had fo dargcroufly fallen, as did James Naykr. And here let 
 lioneinfulr. but take heed Icll they alfo, ia the hour of their temptation, do fall 
 away. Nor let any boalUngly fay. Where is your God? Or blafphcmoufly 
 jQippofe his grace is not fufficient for man in temptation, becaufe the tempted may 
 jro from, and negleA the teaching of it. David aud Peter, as their tranfgreffiorx 
 came by their departing from this infallible v^x^iCr:. the Holy Spirit, fo their recovery 
 ytjn oiiiy by it. J of. Wy.th's Anguis Flagel. 
 
 1656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKl^RS. 
 
 269 
 
 wrote alfo fomc papers to the parliament, and the rulers, 
 to check the vanities that were publickly committed, and 
 to mend their faults ; to eafe the opprefled, and to take 
 care for the maintenance of liberty. 
 
 At length * he died in Huntiiigdonfliire, in the latter 
 end of the year 1660, about the 44ih year of his ag.e, 
 ^ About two hours before his death, he fpoke, in the pre- 
 fence of feveral witneffes, thefe words : 
 
 ' There is a fpirit which I feci, 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 out-live all wrath and contention, and to weary out all 
 exaltation and cruelty, or whatever is of a nature contrary 
 to itfel£ It kcs to the end of all temptations. As it bears 
 no evil in itfelf, fo it conceives none in thoughts to any 
 other: if it be betrayed, it bears it; for its ground and 
 fpring is the mercies and forgivenefs of God. Its crown is 
 nieeknefs, its life is everlafling love unfeigned, and takes 
 its kingdom with entreaty, and not with contention, and 
 keeps it by lowlinefs of mind. In God alone it can rejoice, 
 though none elfe regard it, or can own its life. It is con- 
 ceived in forrow, and brought forth without any to pity it; 
 nor doth it murmur at grief and opprcffion. It never re- 
 joiceth but through fufferings ; for with the world's joy it 
 IS murdered. I found it alone, being forfaken. I have 
 fellowfliip therein with them who lived in dens, and dsfolatc 
 
 * ^e wa« a man of great fclf-denial, and very jealous of himfelf, ever after h»*« 
 fall and recoyery.-At Uh, departing from the city of L;inJon, about the latter end 
 
 «L rlM>^ .""w'l 'r 15°' T'Yi' '^1 ^""''^'^ intcn^ling to go home to his wife 
 and children at Wakefield m Vorkfii,re, he was feen by a friend of Hertford (fitting" 
 bytheway.f.icinaverjr awful weighty frame of mind), who invited him to his 
 houIe,buthftrcfufed, fignifymg his mind to pafs forward, and fo went oh foot as 
 far as Huntingdonfhirc, and was obfcrved by a friend, as he paffed through the 
 town, in fuch an awful frame, as if he had been redeemed from the earthfand a 
 Itranger on it.leeking a better country and inheritance. But going fome miles 
 beyond Huntingdon, he was taken ill (being, a« it is faid), robbed by the xvay, 
 hUfh^-n f^^ ^ whether he received any pcrfonal injury, is not certainly known 
 but being found in a held by a countryman toward evening, was had, or went, to a 
 friend s houfe at Holm, not f.r from King's Rippon, where Thomas Farnel, a 
 doaor of phyfick dwelt who came to vifit him ; and being aiked if any friends at . 
 London fhould be lent for to come and fee him: he faid 'Nay,' evpreffine his 
 care and love to them. Being Ihifted, he faid, ' You have reiVcfhed my body, 
 the Lord rcfrelh your fouls ;' and not long after departed thi. life, in peace with ^ 
 the Lord, about the Ninth month, i6'',o, a.id the 44th year of his ae-e. and was" 
 buried in Thomas PArncl s buryiag-giound at King's Riopon afortfaid. I. W'j, 
 account. /» o ^r j ** 
 
tjo 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 places in the earth, who through death obtained this rcfur- 
 
 reftion,and eternal holy life.* 
 
 ' James Nayler/ 
 
 « 
 
 This was J. Nayler's laft teftimony, or dying words ; and 
 thus he gave proof, that though he had erred, yet with 
 great confidence he hoped for a happy refurreftion. 
 
 So I conclude the Itory of J. Naykr, and leaving him 
 now, time calls me to New England. 
 
 It was in the month called July, of this prefent year, 
 when Mary Fifher and Ann Auftin arrived in the road 
 before Bofton, before ever a law was made there againft 
 the Quakers; and yet they were very ill treated; for before 
 they came a(hore, the deputy-governor, Richard Billinghani, 
 (the governor himfclf being out of town) fent officers 
 aboard, who fearched their trunks and chefts, and took 
 away the books they found there, which were about one 
 hundred, and carried them afhore, after having commanded 
 the faid women to be kept prifoners aboard ; and the faid 
 books were, by an order of the council, burnt in the market- 
 place by the hangman. Afterwards the deputy-governor 
 had them brought on fhore, and committed them by ^ 
 mittimus to pfifon as Quakers, upon this proof only, that 
 one of them fpeaking to him, had faid thee, inflead of 
 you : whereupon he faid, he needed no more, for now 
 he faw they were Quakers. ' And then they were fhut up 
 clofe prifoners, and command was given that none fliould 
 come to them without leave ; a fine of five pounds being 
 laid on any that (hould other wife come at, or fpeak with 
 them, though but at the window. Their pens, ink, and 
 paper were taken from them, and they not fuffered to have 
 any candle-light in the night feafon ; nay, what is more, 
 they were dripped naked, under pretence to know whether 
 they were witches, thougk in fearching, no token was 
 found upon them but of innocence : and in this fearch they 
 • wcrefo barbaroufly mifufed, that modefty forbids to men- 
 
 ' • N B There is a paffage In the hook called. The complete Hiftorjr •i England, 
 ▼ol iii.* page ^oi. which fayi that J. Nayler died %vith no fruits, nor fo much at 
 Cifns ot repe-.tancc. Ho%v the author came hy fwch irilormation, we cun»ot tell, 
 but th.it it i> a manifcft miftake wc d«ubt not but the impartial reader i» bf 
 thii. time abuudantly couviiiced. 
 
 .656] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qjJAKERS. 
 
 271 
 
 tionit; and that none might have communication with' 
 them, a board was nailed up before the window of the* 
 gaol. And feeing th^y were not provided with vic^uals^ 
 Nicholas Upftial, one who had lived long in Bofton, and 
 was a member of the church there, was fo concerned about 
 it, liberty being denied to fend them provifibn, that he 
 purchafed it of the gaoler at the rate of five fliilliiigs a 
 week, left they ftiould have ftarved. And after ha vincr 
 been about five weeks prifoners, William Chichefter^ 
 maftcr of a veflel, was bound in one hundred pounds 
 bond to carry them back, and not to fufFer any to fpeak v.ith 
 •them, after they were put on board ; and the gaoler kept' 
 their beds, which were brougfh our of the fiiip, and their 
 bible, for his fees. 
 
 Such was the entert?inment the Quakers firft met with 
 at Bofton, and that from a people who pretended, that 
 for confcience-fake, they had chofen the wildernefs of 
 America, before the well-cultivated Old England ; though 
 afterwards,Vhen they took away the lives of thofe called 
 Quakers, they, to excufe their cruel aftfons, did not ftick 
 to lay, that at firft they had ufed no punifliment againft the 
 Quakers. 
 
 Scarce a month after the arrival of the aforefaid women 
 at Bofton, there came alfo Chriftopher Holder, Thomas 
 Thirftone, William Brend, John Copeiand, Mary Prince, 
 Sarah Gibbens, Mary Whitehead, and Dorothy Waugh; 
 they were locked up in the fame manner as the forme/, 
 and after about eleven weeks ftay, fent back ; Robert Lock, 
 a mafter of a ftiip, being compelled to carry thefe eight 
 perfons back on his own charge, and to land them no where 
 but m England; haviag been imprifoned till he Uaderigok 
 10 to do. 
 
 The governor, John Endicot, whofe blood-thirftinefs 
 will appear m the feque!, being now come home, .bid them 
 
 lake heed ye break not our ecclefiaftical laws, for then 
 ye are furc to ftretch by a halter.* And when they defired 
 a copy of thofe laws, it was denied them ; which made 
 lome of the people fay, Micw fhall they know then when 
 they tranfgrefs r' But Endicot remained ftiff, having faid ' 
 before, when, at Salem, he heard how Ann Auftin and Mary 
 
27* 
 
 THE HIStORT OF THB 
 
 [165^ 
 
 Filher had been dealt with at Bofton, ' If I had been there, 
 I would have had them well whipped.' Then a law was 
 made, prohibiting all mafters of Qiips to bring any Quakers 
 into that jurif-liaion, and themfelves from coming in, on 
 penalty of the houfe of correftion. When this law was 
 pubiiOied, Nicholas Uplhal, already mentioned, could not 
 forbear to fliew the perfccutors the unreafonablenefs of their 
 proceedings : warning them to take heed that they were 
 not found fightino: againrt God, and fo draw down a 
 judgment upon the land. But this was taken fo ill, that 
 though he -was a member of their church, and of good 
 repute, as a man of unblamcable converfation, yet he 
 was fined in twenty-three pounds, and imprifoned alfo 
 for not coming to church, and next they baniftied him out 
 of their iurifdiaion. This fine was exafted fo fevercly, 
 that Endicot faid, ' I will not bate him one groat.' And 
 though a weakly old man, yet they allowed him but one 
 month's fpnce- for his removal, fo that he was forced t© 
 
 depart in the winter. 
 
 Coming at length to Rhode Iflarfd, he met an Indian 
 prince, who having underftood how he had been dealt 
 with, behaved himfelf very kindly, and told him, if he 
 would live with him, he would make him a warin houfe. 
 And farther faid, ' What a God have the EngliQi, who 
 deal fo with one another about their God !' For it feems 
 Upfhal was already looked upon as one that was departing 
 from his church-Aemberfhip. But this was but a beginning 
 of the New England perfecution, which in time grew to 
 hot, that fome of the Quakers were put to death on the 
 callows, as will be related in its due time. , . ^ „ 
 
 Now I return to Old England, where we left G. Fox 
 at Exeter, from whence he went to Briflol. Here he had 
 a great meeting in an orchard ; and fince fome thoulands 
 of people were come thither, and many very eager to lee 
 him, he fteppcd upon a great ftone that flood there, and 
 having put off his hat, ftood a pretty while f^Ient, to kt 
 people look at him. A Baptift was there named Paul Gwyn, 
 who beqan to find fauh with G. Fox's hair, and atlaft 
 faid to die people, ' Ye wife men of Briftol, 1 ftrange at 
 you, that ye will fland here, and hear a man fpeak, and 
 
 1 656 J 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ^7Z 
 
 affirm that which he cannot make good.' Hereupoa 
 G. Fox afked the people whether they ever heard him 
 fpeak before, or ever faw him before ? And he bid them 
 take notice what kind of man this Gwyn was, who fo 
 impudently faid, that he fpake and affirmed that which he 
 could not make good j and yet 'neither Gwyn nor they 
 ever heard him, or faw him before ; and that therefore it 
 was a lying, envious, and malicious fpirit that fpoke in him. 
 7 hen G. Fox charging Gwyn lo be filent, began to preach, 
 which lafted fome hours, without being difturbed. 
 
 After this meeting, G. Fox departed from Briftol, atid 
 paffing through Wilt(hire, Marlborough, and other places, 
 he returned to London j and when he came near Hyde 
 Park, he fliw the Proteftor coming in his coach ; where- 
 upon he rode up to the coach fide, and fome of his life- 
 guard would have put him away; but the protector forbade 
 them. Then riding by his coach fide, he fpoke to him 
 about the fuffi^rings of his friends in the nation, and fhewed 
 him how contrary this perfecution was to Chrift and his 
 apoftles, and to Chriftianity. And when they were come 
 to the gate of St. James's Park, G. Fox left Cromwell, who 
 at parting defired him to come to his houfe. The next day 
 Mary Sanders, afterwards Stout, one of Cromweirs wife's 
 maids, came to G. Fox's lodging, and told him, that her 
 mafter coming home, faid he would tell her fome good 
 news ; and when fhe aiked him what it was, he told her 
 G. Fox was come to town ; to which fhe replied^ that 
 was good news indeed. Not long after, G. Fox and 
 Edward Pyot went to Whitehall, and there fpoke to 
 Cromwell concerning the fufferings of their friends, and 
 dire^ed him to the light of Chrift, who had enlightened 
 every man that cometh into the world. To which Cromwell 
 faid. This was a natural light ; but they (hewed him the 
 contrary, faying that it was divine and fpiritual, proceeding ' 
 from Chrift, the fpiritual and heavenly man. Moreover, 
 G. Fox bid the protestor lay down his crown at the feet 
 of Jefus. And as he was ftanding by the table, Cromwell 
 came and fat upon the table's fide by ^hira, and faid he 
 would be as high as G. Fox was. But though he con- 
 tinued to fpeak in a light manner, yet afterward was fo 
 Vol. I. s 
 
274 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [1656 
 
 i6j7] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 fcrious that when he came to his wife and other company, 
 he faid that he never parted fo from the Quakers before. 
 
 G. Fox having vifued the meetings of his friends m and 
 about London, departed thence, and travelled altnolt . 
 through all England, not without many occurrences, which 
 for bFcvity's fake I pafs by. At length he returned to 
 London again, this year being now corr.e to an end. 
 
 In the parliament which Cromwell had called, a law 
 was made whereby Charles Stuart's title of king wa^ 
 TejeaTd, and the year ,657 being come, f'^bfid.es wcix 
 granted to Cromwell, and there was a contrivance under- 
 iS to make him king, of which, though 1- -Prel^f 
 1 his diflike, yet he fcemed not altogether avcrfe to . , f^-r 
 \fpeaking once with general Fleetwood, and colonel Def- 
 forougi he began'to droll with them about the word 
 monarch, and faid, it was but a feather in ^ J^^" ^ "P ; 
 land therefore he wondered that men would not plcafe t^e 
 children, and permit them to enjoy their rattle. Biu they 
 ^ot obfcurely fignifi«=d to him. that this bufinefs d,d dif- 
 Safe them ; and told him. that thofe who put him upon 
 Ft were no enemies to Charles Stuart; and that .1 he 
 a cepted of it, he would ihfallibly draw ruin upon h.mfelf. 
 Now though he would not openly oppofe them, yet he 
 S no ftick to tell them, they were a couple of fcrupu ou^ 
 Sellows and fo left them. It is related alfo, that major- 
 g nS Lambert told Cromwell, that if he accepted the 
 crown, he could not affure the army to h.m. ^1^^ ^efign 
 ZTmifcarrying, and Cromwell having "^ ^en tha the 
 matter would not go fo cleverly, he refufed the titk of 
 king • and the parliament confirming him in his title ot 
 pSeaor" it was^greed that the parliament henceforth 
 Cld confift of a low«- houfe, and another -ufe ; and 
 that the protcftor fhould name a fucccffor in the govern- 
 «^^t Now he wasfolemnly vefted in his authority, a 
 Siie for that purpofe being Wed in Weftmmfter Hal . 
 and he bTi«g clothed in a purple robe lined with ermms 
 and the fcepae and fword being prefented h'"'' J^^^ ^^^^ 
 oath to rule faithfully. Cromwell having called a new 
 ^Iden" it confiftel of two houfes, viz. a hou^e of co.n. 
 moAS,. and another houfe, as they called it. And many 
 
 275. 
 
 excluded members having taken place again in the houfe 
 of commons, it was believed that more than an hundred 
 of the members were enemies to Cromwell ; and the au- 
 thority of the upper houfe began to be called in queftion 
 by fome, becaufe it was filled up with many of his creatures, 
 fome of them of low rank. And this matter was fo carried 
 on in the houfe of Commons, that Cromwell diffolved the 
 parliament; and he alfo made majorrgeneral Lambert 
 furrender his comraiffion. 
 
 Edward Burrough, who often writ to Cromwell, having 
 heard of the defign of making him king, writ a letter to- 
 , him, wherein I find, that after having told the proteftor, 
 that he had had many warnings from the Lord, he thus . 
 Ipeaks to him :. - * 
 
 ' I, as one that hath obtained mercy from the Lord, 
 and unto whom his word is committed, being moved of 
 him, do hereby in his prefence yet once more warn thee, 
 that thou fear before him, and diligently hearken to him, 
 and feek him with all thy heart, that thou mayeft know 
 his will and counfel concerning thee, and mayeftdo it, and 
 find favour in his fight, and live. Now is the day that his 
 hand is flretched forth unto thee, to make thee a bleffing, 
 or to leave thee a curfe for ever; and the days of thy 
 vifitation are near an end, when God will no more call 
 unto thee, nor hear thee, when in the day of thy trouble 
 thou calleft to him. And if thou rejefteft the counfel of 
 the Lord, and followeft the defires of thine own heart, 
 and the wills of men, and wilt not have the light of the 
 world, Chrift Jefus, only to rule thee, and to teach thee, 
 which condemns all evil, then fliall evil furely fall upon 
 thee, if thou loveft not the light in thee, which condemns 
 It ; and the judgments of God, nor the day of his M 
 vifitation with vengeance, thou mayeft not efcape. There- 
 fore confider, and mark my words, and let this counfel be 
 acceptable unto thee ; let it move thee to meekncfs, to 
 humblenefs, and to fear before the Lord ; afluredly know- 
 ing that it is he that changeth times and things, and that 
 - bringeth down, and fett.eth up whomfoever he will; and 
 h6w that thou waft raifed from a low eftaie, and fct over 
 
 S 2 
 
276 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 all thine enemies. And in that day when thou waft ra.fed 
 io when the fear of the Lord was before thy face and 
 If; heart was towards him, and thou waft but httle m hme 
 own eyes, then was it well with thee, and the Lombleffed 
 tlTee And it was not once thought concernmg thee that 
 rhe hands of the ungodly would have been ftrengthened 
 1/ainft the righteous under thee, or that fuch gnevous 
 afd cruel Lrdens and oppreflions would ever have been 
 hid upon the juft. and aaed againft them m thy name, 
 and under thy^dominion, as unrighteouOy have come to 
 raft in thefe three years : and this thy fuffenng of fuch 
 Sini is thy tranfgreflion, and thou haft not requued the 
 S wel for his loodnefs unto thee, nor fulfilled his w.U 
 Kfferin" that to be done under thee, and .n thy name, 
 whkh "he Lord raifed thee againft, and to break down, 
 liadft thou been faithful to the end. 
 
 ' /v"ain, confider, and let it move on thy heart, not to 
 ex-iU thvfe f, nor to be high-minded, but to ear continually 
 kno 5 vlt thou ft.nd'cft not by thyfelf, but by another, 
 and th.U he is able to abafe thee, and give thee into the 
 tviU o i enemies whenfoever he will ; and how the Lord 
 h-^th Dreferved thee fometimes wonderfully, and doth unto 
 Sis d'ay, rom the murderous plots, and crafty policy of 
 
 vU me'n who feek thy evil, and w°«^'^ .Xntries^ ho v 
 and in the defolation of thy famny and countries . now 
 have "hev and do they, lay fnares for thy feet, that thou 
 maveft S cut off from amongft men, and die unhappily, 
 S be t counted accurfed ? And yet to this day he hath 
 nreferved thee, and been near to keep thee, hough thou 
 Tafthardl known u ; and the Lord's end is love - thee 
 in all thefe things, and yet a lutle longer to try thee, that 
 thou maveft give him the glory. 
 ' ' O that thy heart ^vere opened to fee "^^^ 
 rhou mi^hteft live unto him, and die in him, in peace. 
 And beware eft hardnefs of heart poffe s thee, if thou 
 ^eht S ove, and fo be (hut up in darknefs and given 
 Se deWs of thine enemies, and left to the counfe^^^^^^ 
 
 and ibtC thy nan^e in reproach, and make thy pollency 
 
 ^^57l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED Qt^AKERS. 
 
 177 
 
 a people itiiferable. But now, O confider, and let it enter 
 into thy heart, for thou haft not anfwered the Lord, but 
 been wantiag to him for all this, and haft chofen thy own 
 way and glory, rather than his, and not fulfilled his counfel 
 in raifing thee ; for the bonds of cruelty are not loofed by 
 thee, and the opprefled are not altogether fet free ; 
 neither is oppreflion taken off from the back of the poor, 
 nor the laws regulated, nor the liberty of pure confciences 
 altogether allowed : but thefe dominions are filled with 
 cruel oppreflions, and the poor groan every where under 
 the heavy hand of injuftice ; the needy are trodden down 
 under foot, and the opprefled cry for deliverance, and 
 ' are ready to faint for true juftice and judgment. The proud 
 exalt themfelyes againft the poor, and the high-minded 
 and rebellious contemn the meek of the earth ; the horn of 
 the ungodly is exalted above the Lord's heritage, and 
 they that are departed from iniquity, are become a prey 
 to oppreflbrs ; and the cruel-hearted deal cruelly with the 
 innocent in thefe nations. Many are unjuftly, and wofully 
 fufferers, becaufe they cannot fwear on this, or that occafion, 
 though in all cafes they fpeak the truth, and do obey Chrift's 
 commands ; even fuch are trodden upon, by unjuft fines 
 charged upon them ; and this is by the corruptnefs of fomc 
 that bear rule under thee, who rule not for God as they 
 ought, but turn the fword of juftice. Some fuffer long 
 and tedious imprifonments, and others cruel ftripes and 
 abufes, and danger of life many times, from wicked men, 
 for reproving fin, and crying againft the abominations of 
 the times (which the Scriptures alfo teftify againft), in 
 ftreets^ or other places ; fome having been fent to prifon, 
 taken on the highway, and no evil charged againft them ; 
 and others committed, being taken out of peaceable meet- 
 ings, aad whipped, and fent to prifon, without tranf- 
 greflion of any law, juft, or unjuft, wholly through the 
 rage and envy of the devil, and fuch who have perverted 
 judgment and juftice ; and fome in prifons have fuffered 
 fuperabundantly from the hands of the cruel gaolers and 
 their f:rvants, by beatings and threatenings, and putting 
 iro: s on ihem, and not fuffering any of their friends to vifit 
 IJiem with neceffaries; and fome have died in the prifonsj 
 
 I 
 
278 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 l^^S? 
 
 whofc lives were not dear to them, whofe blood will be 
 reckoned on 'account againft thee one day. Some have 
 fuffered hard cruelties, becaufe they could not refped per- 
 fons, and bow with hat or knee ; and from thefe cruelties 
 <:anll thou not altogether be excufed in the fight of God, 
 bein^ brought forth in thy name, and under thy power. 
 Confider, friend, and be awakened to true judgment,^ let 
 the Lord fearch thy heart ; and lay thefe things to mind, 
 that thou mayeft be an inftrument to remove every burden, 
 and mayeft at laft fulfil the will of God.-O be awakened, 
 be awakened, and feek the Lord's glory, and not thine 
 own ; left thou perifti before the Lord and men : nay, it 
 men would give thee honours, and high titles and princely 
 thrones, take it not ; for that which would exalt and 
 honour thee in the woild, would betray thee to the world, 
 and caft thee down in the fight of the world : and this is 
 God's word to thee: what! fliall the whole nation be 
 perjured men, and thou the caufe of it? And wilt thou 
 tranfgrefs by building again that which thou haft deftroycd ? 
 Give heed unto my words, and underftand my Ipeech : 
 be not exalted by man, left man betray thee. Deal favour- 
 ably, and relieve the oppreffed ; boaft not thyfelf, though 
 the Lord hath ufed thee in his hand ; but know that when 
 he will, he can caft thee, as a rod, out of his hand mto 
 the fire ; for in his hand thou art. If thou wilt honour 
 him, he will honour thee ; otherwife he can, yea, and will 
 confound thee, and break thee, and make thee weak as 
 water before him. His love through my heart breathes 
 • unto thee ; he would thy happinefs, if thou wilfully con- 
 temn it not, by exalting thyfelf, and feeking thy own glory, 
 and hardening thy heart againft the cry of the poor. 
 This I was moved in bowels of pity to lay before thee, who^ 
 am thy friend, not in flattery, but in an upright heart, 
 
 who wifties well unto thee in the Lord.' 
 
 < E. Burrough, 
 
 \hat which E. Burrough mentions in the fore-part of 
 this letter, of the grievous burdens and oppreffions laid 
 upon the juft, feems chiefly to regard the tithes which the 
 priefts extorted from the Quakers, fo that many thereby 
 
 ^^S7l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 279 
 
 were reduced to poverty; and the heinoufncfs of this was 
 not unknown to Cromwell ; for when he was about to 
 give battle to his enemies, near Dunbar in Scotland, he 
 faid in his prayer to God, that if the Lord would be 
 pleafed to deliver him at that time, he would take oflf that 
 great oppreffion of tithes. But this promife he never per- 
 formed, but fuffered himfelf to be fwayed by the flatteries 
 of his teachers ; and therefore it was not without great 
 caufe that E. Burrough laid this grievous oppreflSon before 
 him. A copy of the faid letter, of which but a part is 
 infcrted here, to fhun prolixity, was given into, the hands 
 of Oliver Cromwel!, then proteftor, in the Third month 
 of thisyear. In the next month E. Burrough fpoke with 
 him about it, and Cromwell told him in efFeft that all 
 perfecution and cruelty was againft his mind, and faid 
 that he was not guilty of thofe perfecutions afted unjuftly 
 upon Burrough's friends. This made E. Burrough write 
 again to him, and bid him, ' Confider what the caufe is, 
 that what thou defireft not to be done, is yet done : is ic 
 not that thou mayeft pleafe men ; making it appear thou 
 art more willing to do tjhe falfe teachers of this nation, and 
 wicked- men, a pleafure, than to own the people of God, 
 in relieving them, and cafmg them of their cruel burdent 
 and opprefTions, laid upon them by unjuft men? For a 
 word of thy mouth, or a ihew of thy countenance^ in 
 diflike of thefe cruel and unjuft perfecutions, would bind 
 the hands of many blood-thirfty men. Therefore confider : 
 thou canft not be cleared in the fight of the Lord God 
 frojn them, being afted under thee, and in thy name : for 
 there feems rather to be a favouring of them in thee, 
 by forbearance of the aftors of cruelty, by which their 
 hands are ftrengthened, than any diflike fliewed by thee, 
 in bearing thy witnefs, as thou oughteft to do, againft them* 
 For thou knoweft of fome in this city, and elfewhere, whom 
 we know to be juft men, who fuffer imprifonment, and the 
 lofs of their liberties, becaufe for confcience-fake they 
 cannot fwear ; and many others in this nation, fuflTering 
 cruel things upon the like, or fame ground ; even for 
 well-doing, and not for evil; which oppreffion might 
 \>Q removed, and their unjuft fuiferings taken off by thee, 
 
 54 
 
28o 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 by a word from thy mouth or pen ; and this makes that 
 thou canft not be clear in the fight of God in thefe things, 
 becaufe not helped by thee, who haft the power to 
 
 ^*^And as concerning the light of Chrift, at which thou 
 flumbleft, by which every man that cometh into the world 
 is enlightened, in fhort, this I fay : this light to thee is 
 given of God, and thou muft own it to be thy only teacher, 
 to receive by it from the Father, and to be guided by it 
 in all things, if ever thou inhcriteft God's kingdom. 
 
 ' The kingdom of Chrift is fetting up by his own power, 
 and all muft bow and become fubjea: thereto ; he needeth 
 none of thy policy, nor the ftrength of thy arm to ad- 
 vance it ; yet would he have thee not to prove thyfelf an 
 open enemy thereof, by doing, or fuffering to be done, 
 cruelty and injuftice againft them whom the Lord is re- 
 deeming out of this world, into fubjeclion unto that king- 
 dom; left thou be fuch a one, as will not enter thyfelf, nor 
 fuffer others to enter, and fo deftruclion come upon thee. 
 Wherefore arife as out of fleep, and flumber not in this 
 world's glory and honour ; be not overcome by the plea- 
 fures of this world, nor the flattering titles of men ; wink 
 not at the cruelty and oppreffion a^ed by fome, who 
 Ihelter under thee, and make thy name a cloke for mil- 
 chief againft the upright. 
 
 * Confidcr, I fay, confider, and be thou changed in thy 
 mind and heart ; left thou having forgotten God, and his 
 many deliverances, be (hut up, and numbered for deitruc- 
 tion I defire the Lord may give thee a more perfea 
 underftanding of his ways and judgments, and that the 
 crown immortal thou mayeft ftrive for, by meeknefs and 
 righteoufnefs, through relieving the oppreflbd, and Ihew- 
 inl mercy to the poor, and removing every burden which 
 lies upon the innocent ; and this is the defire of him who 
 is thy friend, and would not have thee crowned with dil- 
 honour, through fulTering the people of God to be op- 
 prelTed in thy name, which will be thy overthrow abfo- 
 luiely, if thou removeft it not, by turning, and cafing the 
 
 ^PP^^'^'^' ' ^ E. Burrough; 
 
 1657] People called Quakers. 28c 
 
 This letter was delivered to O. Cromwell, in the Fourth 
 month, and in the month followinq;" E. Burrouoh wrote 
 again to him, that the good name PROTECTOR, by the 
 great oppreffion a^Ved in his niune, was abufed, and fub- 
 verted J and that inftead of protection by it, great injuftice 
 was afted under it, and covered with it. Befides, that 
 feveral juftices of the peace, and other officers, in truft 
 under him, when they had owned the people called 
 Quakers, had been caft out of their places ; though they 
 had not denied to ferve him and the common weakh 
 neither had unfaithfulnefs to their truft been proved 
 againft them. 
 
 In September, E. Burrough writ another letter to 
 Cromwell, wherein he fignified to him, that he had many 
 enemies, fome of which endeavoured to deftroy him, by 
 any means, without regarding any danger that might be in 
 the attempt. And that he going on in oppreffing through 
 tyranny, or fuff'ering it, perhaps the Lord might raife ud 
 the wicked to be a plague to wickednds, and fuffer the 
 oppreffors to overthrow oppreffions. That there were 
 others, viz. the Fifth Monarchy men, who, though not fo 
 bad as the former, yet fecredy munnured againft him, and 
 envied him, not being friends to his government, fome of 
 them being caft out and reje£l:ed, without juft caufe as 
 they fuppofed. « And as to us, how can we (faid he) 
 mention thee in our prayers to God, except it be to be 
 delivered from thee, who are daily unjuftly fuffcrers by 
 thee, or becaufe of thee ? Or how can we be friends to 
 that government, under which we daily fuffer fuch hard 
 and cruel things, as the lofs of our liberty and eftates, and 
 are in danger of life alfo ?'* 
 
 It was about the beginning of this year, that Chriftopher 
 Birkhead came to Zealand, having been before at Rochelle 
 in France ; where having fpoken and written againft the 
 popifh religion, he was imprifoned, and examined by the 
 bifliop: and fome would have had him burnt, but the 
 criminal judge abfolved him. It was in the latter end of 
 the month called February, when he came to Middleburgh 
 in Zealand; and going to the Englifh congregation there, 
 after the preacher, William Spanke, had preached about 
 
282 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 three qiinrters of an hour, he faid, ' Friends, the apoftle 
 faith, that we may all prophefy one by one ; that two or 
 three prophets may fpeak, and the others judge ; and if 
 any thing be revealed to another that firteth by, let the 
 iirit holcf his peace.' This fpeaking caufed a great ftir in 
 the congregation, and the rather becaufe he flood in the 
 place where the women ufed to fit : fo he was apprehended 
 by order of the magiftrates, and examined in the prefence 
 ot fome of' the publick preachers. When he was aiked 
 what his name was ? He anfwered, that his name, accord- 
 ing to the fiefb, was Chriftopher Birkhead. Then it was 
 aiked him, whether he had yet another name ? And his 
 anfwer was, ' Yes, written in the Lamb's book of life/ 
 Being enquired, what that name was ? He made anfwer, 
 * None knows it but he that hath it.' To which was faid, 
 < Why, if you have it, tell it us.' * No,' replied he, 
 f rsad it, if ye have feen the book of the Lamb opened : 
 it is forbidden me to tell it.' Then the Englifli teacher^ 
 Spanke, aiked, whether he had feen the book of the 
 Lamb opened? And he anfwered, 'Yea.' The^next 
 queftion was, whether he had opened it ? * No,' faid 
 Birkhead, ' it was the Lamb that did it.' Then Spanke 
 adced, whether his name in the book of the Lamb was 
 not Icfus. ' No,' quoth Birkhead, « that is the name of 
 tlie L\^mb.' More other queilions to enfnare him, Spanke 
 put to him : and being examined by the magiftrates con- 
 cerning the place of his abode, his calling ot trade, &c. 
 Spanke was afked, what he had to fay againft him r VVho 
 then related what had happened in the congregation. 
 Concerning this, feveral queftious were afked of Birkhead, 
 but fince he underflood not Dutch, and the French tongue 
 but imperfcaiy, he complained that he could nor fully 
 anfwer for himfclf fo as he wilhed. He was afked alfo, 
 whether any body elfe alfo came along with him ? And he 
 ivas charged to fpeak the truth. To which he faid, that 
 God did not permit him to lie. One of the preachers 
 then faid, that all men were liars. To this Birkhead re^ 
 plied, that though all men were liars, yet he knew a de- 
 liverance from lying. Then Spanke bid him, not to add 
 xa the Scriptures : for Birkhead had accufed him a little 
 
 1657] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 283 
 
 before, that he had added his meaning to the Scriptures. 
 And it being (trongly afTerted, that all men were liars, 
 Birkhead took occafion from thence, to aik Spanke whe- 
 ther he was a liar? Who without hefitation anfwering 
 * Yes,* Birkhead bluntly told him, ' Then thou art of thy 
 father the devil.' Now the matter of J. Nayler having 
 caufed ftrange reports of the (fakers every where, and 
 Birkhead for want of the language not being able to an- 
 fwer fo plainly every objeftion, his offence, without quef- 
 tion, was aggravated the more ; and the conclufion was, 
 that he was fentenced to be confined in the houfe uf cor- 
 reftion. But after fome time he was rcleafed, at the in- 
 terceffion of the Heer Newport, ambaffador of the ftatcs- 
 general in England. 
 
 In this year it was, I think, that one George Baily 
 coming into France, was taken into cuflody, and died iu 
 prifon there ; he having zealoufly tefl:ified againft popery, 
 and^fpoken boldly againfl: worfhipping of images. 
 
 William Ames returning this year to Amflierdam, and 
 one Humble Thatcher (whom I could never learn to have 
 been truly in communion with the Quakers) coming with 
 him, it caufed fome jealoufy : for Ames, who formerly had 
 been in military employment, was an extraordinary bold 
 man ; and about this time it feems, a paper was put on the 
 door of the Englifh meeting-houfe, though Ames declared 
 he knew nothing of it,\or who was the author. About 
 this time alfo, the flrange bufmefs of J. Nayler being 
 noifed abroad, by a book that was publifhed in print at 
 Amflerdamj and fome other pamphlets, fl:uft with feveral 
 untruths, and abominable lies ; it was not to be wondered 
 at, that the magiftrates, fearing fome mifchicf, fent for 
 Ames and Thatcher to appear before them, and com- 
 manded them to depart the town within twenty-four "^ours : 
 but they being perfuaded of their own innocency, did not 
 obey this command. The next day appearing again before 
 the raagifl:rates, and not putting off their hats, it feems they 
 were looked upop as fuch as did not own magiftrates ; (for 
 this the Quakers flood charged with in publick print, and 
 were compared to the tumultuous crew of Anabaptifl:s, or 
 Fifth Monarchy men, at Munfter, in the foregoing age :) 
 
284 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 and fo they were kept in cuftody for feme days, and then 
 at night were led through the Regulars gate, and fo ba- 
 nifhed out of the town. But W. Ames judging that he 
 had committed no evil, came again the next day into the 
 city, and paffed the great market-place, called the Dam. 
 It is reported, that fome of the magiftrates feeing him out 
 of the windows of the town-houfe, walking along the ftreet, 
 faid, ' Lo, there's the Quaker ; if we had a mind now to 
 make martyrs, here would be an opportunity for it/ But 
 it feems not without reafon, that it was looked upon to be 
 mofl fefe to wink at this ; for though flrange reports were 
 fpread up and down of the Quakers, yet there was no 
 proof of their evil carriage here. Mean-while Ames ftaid 
 fome time in town, and the doftrine he preached found a 
 little entrance, even with fome of the collegians. 
 
 It was about this time, that my parents, viz. Jacob 
 Williamfon Sewel, of Utrecht, free citizen and Surgeon 
 at Amfterdam, and his wife, Judith Zinfpenning, born in 
 this town, both members of the Fleraifh Baptifts church 
 there, were convinced of the Truth preached by W. Ames; 
 fhe having before had immediate openings, that if ever (he 
 would become a child of God, (he mud give heed to this 
 light, which reproved for fm. They, with two or three 
 more, were the firft orthodox Quakers in Amfterdam ; 
 orthodox I fay, beca^ife I very well remember what a 
 flrange and odd^ fort of people about that time, did flock 
 to the Quakers in this country. But thefe whimfical 
 people not being fmcere in heart; but more inclined to 
 novelties, than to true godlinefs ; perceived in time that 
 they were not regarded by them : and they were alio 
 contradiac4 by Ames and others; fo that at length, after 
 many exorbitances, they left the Qiiakcrs. 
 
 In the fore-part of this year, William Caton came alfo 
 to Amflerdam. Before he left J:ngland, he had had a 
 meeting at the eaft fide of Suffex, on ihe day called Shrove 
 TuefdaV, where there had never been any of his friends 
 before. But the people being on that day more rude 
 than orcHnary, came up to the houfe with a drum m lucti 
 a defperate manner, as if they would have pu led the houfe 
 down. Caton ftepping out, aflced what ihey wanted j 
 
 1657] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 285 
 
 they anfwered, Quakers; at which he told them he was 
 one. And he fpoke fo plainly to them, and with fo much 
 power, that fear falling upon them, they withdrew with 
 (hame and confufion. 
 
 Not long after he went to London, and from thence to 
 Holland; and being fafely arrived at Rotterdam, here- 
 paired to Amfterdam ; where he came in due time to flop 
 the unrulinefs of fome froward fpirits, among which, one 
 Anne Garghil, an Englifh woman, was not one of the 
 leafl: ; whofe rudenefs grew in time to that degree, that 
 fhe would not fulFer W. Ames to preach peaceably in the 
 meeting, but laid violent hands on him ; fo that at length 
 to be rid of her, he bade an Englifli feaman that was 
 prefent, to take her away, which was done accordingly : 
 and how haughty fhe was, and continued, I well remem- 
 ber ftill. W. Caton procured alfo fome books to be printed 
 at Amfterdam, to prevent evil and malicious reports con- 
 cerning the Quakers ; and he went with W. Ames to 
 Zutphen in Guelderland ; where meeting with nothing 
 but oppofition, he returned to Amfterdam, and from thence 
 by Leyden and the Hague, to Rotterdam ; from which 
 place he went to Zealand, where he writ the book called 
 * The Moderate Enquirer Refolved,* both in Latin and 
 Englifh, which was afterwards tranfiated indilTercntly into 
 Dutch. After fome ftay, Caton returned again to Eng- 
 land, and came to London, where the fociety of his friends 
 was in a thriving condition, and many were added to the 
 church. 
 
 In this city wx left G. Fox: he WTit there feveral 
 papers for the opening of the underftandings of people, 
 and for the edification of his friends. From thence he 
 travelled into Kent, SulTex, and Surry ; and coming to 
 Bafingftoke, though the people were rude there, yet he 
 had a quiet meeting in the place : in the inn he had fome 
 trouble with the innkeeper, who was a drunkard. After- 
 wards he came to Portfmouth, Exeter, Briftol, and into 
 Wales, where many came to him. At Brecknock ( where 
 he was accompanied by Thomas Holmes, who, firft of the 
 Quakers in Wales, had preached the doiftrine of the in- 
 ward light ; and by John-ap-John, who three years before 
 
 / 
 
s86 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 had been fent by a pricft out of Wales into the North, to 
 enquire what kind of people the Quakers were) ; he had 
 a great meeting in the fteeple-houfe yard, where was a 
 prieft, and one' Walter Jenkin who had been a juftice, and 
 another juftice. Here he preached fo effeauelly, that 
 many were convinced : and after the meeting, he went 
 with Jenkin to the other juftice's houfe, who faid to him, 
 * You have this day given great fatisfaftion to the people, 
 and anfwered all the objeiftions that were in their minds.* 
 At Leominfter he had a great meeting, where prieft Toms 
 made fome oppofition, by foying, that the light G. Fox 
 fpoke of, was but a natural light : but G. Fox aflerted the 
 contrary, and faid, that he had fpoken of no other light 
 than John bore witnefs to, viz. " The word which was in 
 the beginning with God, and which word was God; and 
 that was the true light which enlighteneth every man that 
 Cometh into the world.'* 
 
 G. Fox coming from this place to Tenby, as he rode In 
 the ftreet, a juftice of peace came out and defired^him to 
 alight, and to ftay at his houfc, which he did; and on the 
 Firft-day of the week had a meeting there, whither- the 
 mayor and his wife, and feveral others of the chief of the 
 town came. John-ap-John, who was then with G. Fox, 
 left the meeting, and went to the- fteeple-houfe, and was 
 by the governor caft into prifon. The next morning the 
 governor fent one of his officers to the juftice's houfe, to 
 fetch G. Fox ; which grieved the mayor and the juftice, 
 and fo they went up to the governor, and a while after G. 
 Fox went with the officer, and coming in, faid, ' Peace 
 be unto this houfc ;' and before the governor could ex- 
 amine him, he alked, why he had caft his friend imp 
 rifon? And the governor anfwered, ' For ftanding with 
 is hat on in the church.' < Why ?' refumed G. Fox, 
 ' had not the prieft two caps on his head, a black one, 
 and a white one ? And if the brim of the hat, which was 
 but to defend from the weather, had been cut off,, then my 
 friend would have hid but one cap.* ' Thefe are frivolous 
 things,' faid the governor: * Why then,' faid G. Fox, 
 ' doft thou caft my friend into prifon for fuch frivolous 
 things ? Then the governor aiked him, whether he owned 
 
 I 
 
 1657] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 287 
 
 eleftion and reprobation ? « Yes,' faid he, * and thou ait 
 in the reprobation.' This fo incenfed the governor, that 
 he told G. Fox, he would fend him to prifon, till he 
 proved it. G. Fox not at all at a lofs, faid, ' I will prove 
 that quickly, if thou wilt but confefs truth :' and then he 
 aiked him, whether wrath, fury, and rage, and perfe- 
 cution, were Hot marks of reprobation? For he that was 
 born of the flefh, perfecuted him that was born of the 
 fpirit: and Chrift and his apoftles never perfecuted nor 
 imprifoned any. This fpeech of his fo ftruck the governor, 
 that he fairly confeft, that he had too much wrath, hafte, 
 and paffion in him : which made G. Fox fay, that Efau 
 the firft binh w:is up in him, not Jacob the fecond birth. 
 By this the man was fo reached, that he confeffed to Truth, 
 and inviting G. Fox to dinner witli Mm, he fet his friend 
 at liberty. It was with great fatisfaftion that G. Fox de- 
 parted the town ; and in feve^-al other places of Wales he 
 had fome fmgular occurrences, and though the people were 
 rude, yet fome were convinced. 
 
 At length he came to Lancafter^ where, at the inn, he 
 met with colonel Weft, who was 'very glad to fee him. 
 Next he came to Swarthmore, where he writ fome cpiftles 
 and other papers. After having ftaid there fome days,, he 
 went to fome other places in the North, and to Scotland. 
 Here, travelling from town to town, he met with great op- 
 pofition from fome pricfts : for in an affembly, they had 
 drawn up feveral articles, or curfes, to be read in their 
 fteeple-houfes, the firft of which was, ' Curfed is he that 
 faith every man hath a light within him fufficient to lead 
 him to falvation : and let all the people fay. Amen.' An 
 Independent paftor preaching one day againft the Quakers, 
 and the light, and calling the light natural, curfed it, and 
 fo fell down as dead in his pulpit : the people carrying him 
 out, and pouring ftrong waters into him, it brought him to 
 life again ; but he was mopifh, and, as one of his hearers 
 faid, he never recovered his fenfcs. 
 
 In October G. Fox came to Edinburgh, where he was 
 fummoncd to appear before the council, who th )ugh in- 
 different civil, yet told him, he muft depart the nation of . 
 ScotlaiKi by that day fevcn-night : againft whicli he not 
 
288 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 only fpoke, but writ alfo. Whilft G. Fox was in Scotland, 
 his friends there were brought to a great ftrait ; for, being 
 excommunicated by the Prefbyterian teachers, charge was 
 given, that none (hould buy or fell, nor cat nor drink with 
 them. Hence it came to pafs, that fome having bought 
 bread, or other viauals, of their neighbours, thefe frighted 
 with thecurfes of their priefts, did run, and fetch it from 
 them again. But colonel Alhton, a jnftice of peace, put a 
 flop to thefe proceedings, and being afterwards convinced 
 of the Truth, had a meeting fettled at his houfe, and de- 
 clared the Truth, and lived and died in it. 
 
 G. Fox now travelled almoft over all Scotland, and had 
 in fome places good opportunities to declare the gofpel, 
 being often heard with fatisfaftion by the Englifli foldicrs ; 
 but the Scotch generally gave little heed. He went alfo • 
 among the Highlanders, who were a mifchievous people. 
 Returning at length to Leith, the innkeeper told him, that 
 the council had granted forth warrants to apprehend him, 
 becaufe he was not gone out of the nation after the feven 
 days were expired, that they had ordered him to depart in. 
 Some others told him the fame, to whom he faid, ' What 
 do you tell me of their warrants againft me ? If there were 
 a cart load of them I do not heed them ; for the Lord s 
 power is over them all.' From Leith he went to Edin- 
 burgh again, and went to the ion where he had lodged 
 before, and no man offered to meddle with him. Alexan- 
 der Parker and Robert Widders being alfo there, he re- 
 folved to go with Parker to johnllown, out of which town 
 fome time before he had been led by foldiers ; and he 
 ■ came into Johnftown juft as they were drawing up the 
 bridges, Jie officers and foldiers never queftioning him. 
 And coming to captain Davenport's houfe, from which he 
 had been haled before, he found there many officers, who 
 liftifig up their hands, wondered that he came again -, but 
 he told them, the Lord God had fent him amongft them 
 again. Then the Baptifts fent him a letter, by way ot 
 challenge, that thev would difcourfe with him again the 
 next day. And he fent them word, that he would meet 
 them at a certain houfe, about half a mile out of the town, 
 at fuch an hour. For he thought, if he fliould Itay m 
 
 1657] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QtTAKERS. 
 
 289 
 
 town to fpeak with them, they might, under pretence 
 
 of difcourfmg with him, have raifcd people to carry 
 
 h.ra out of the town again, as they had done before. 
 
 At the time appointed he went to the place, captain 
 
 JJavenport and his fon accompanying him ; and there he 
 
 itaid fome hours, but none of them came; whereby the 
 
 intent of the Baptifts were fufficiently difcovcred. Seine 
 
 thus difappomted, he went back again to Edinburgh 
 
 . and paft through the town, as it were, againft Oie 
 
 canons mouth. The next day, being the firft day of 
 
 the week, he went to the meeting in the city, and many 
 
 olhcers and foldiers came to it, and all was quiet. The 
 
 tollowmg day he went to Dunbar, where, walking with a ' 
 
 orof Thr^-'f ^'^ '" f^t fteeple-houfe yard, he met with 
 one of the chief men of the town there ; and fpoke to one 
 of his friends to tell him, that about the ninth"hour next 
 morning there was to be a meeting there, of the people of 
 God, called Qviakers, ot which they defired him to give 
 notice to the people of the town. To which he faid, that 
 they were to have a lefture there by the ninth hour- but 
 that a meeting might be kept there by the eighth hour, if 
 they would. G.Fox thinking this not inconvenient, de- ' 
 lired him to give notice of it. Accordingly in the morning 
 many came, both poor and rich ; and a captain of hotfe 
 being quartered in the town, came there with his troopers 
 ^/l"; .^ -a ^^'^P^ny G. Fox preached, and after fome 
 time the priell came, and went into the fteeple-houfe ; but 
 G. Fox and Iik fnend being in the fteeple-houfe yard, moft 
 of the people ftaid with them j fo that the prieft having 
 but tew hearers, made fhort work, and coming out, ftood 
 a while and heard G. Fox, and then went away. This 
 was the laft meeting he had in Scotland, and he under- 
 Itood afterwards, that his labour had not been in vain, but 
 that the numb^er of believers increafed. Now he depL-ted 
 trom Dunbar, and came to Berwick in Northumberland 
 and trom thence to Newcaftle, where we wiU leave him a 
 while, and return again to New England. 
 
 We have fcen before, that a law was made there, to 
 prevent the Quakers coming into that country. The firft 
 i hnd that came after that, were Anne Burden, a widow. 
 
 V OL. 1» T ' 
 
290 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 whofe bufinefs was to gather up feme debts in the country, 
 that were due to her ; and Mary Dyer from Rhode Ifland, 
 who, before her coming, knew nothing of what had been 
 done there concerning the Quakers. Thefe two were both 
 imprifoned, which William Dyer, Mary's hufbai^d, hearing, 
 came from Rhode Ifland, and did not get her releafed 
 without a great deal of pains ; becoming bound in a 
 great penalty, not to lodge her in any town in that colony, 
 nor to permit any to fpcak with her : an evident token 
 that he was not of the fociety of Quakers, fo called, for 
 otherwife, he would not have entcTcd info fuch a bond ; 
 but then without quellion, he would alfo have been clapped 
 up in prifon. As for Anne Burden, fhe was kept in prifon, 
 though fick, about a quarter of a year. Whilft (he was 
 in this reftraint, fome tender-hearted people had procured 
 of her debts to the value of about thirty pounds in goods ; 
 and when fhe at length was to be fent away, (he defired 
 that fhe might have liberty to pafs for England, by Barba- 
 does, becaufe her goods were not fit to England. Now 
 how reafonable foever this requeft was, yet a mafter of a 
 Ihip was compelled to carry her to England, without her 
 goods, for which Ihe came there, except to the value of 
 about fix (hillings, which an honcft man fent her upon an 
 old account And when the mafter of the (hip afked who 
 Ihould pay for her pafTage, the magiftrates bid him take 
 fo much of her goods as would anfwer it. But he was 
 too honeft to do fo, being perfuaded that (he would not 
 let him be a lofer, though he could not compel her to 
 pay, fmce (lie went not of her own will : yet for all that 
 fhe paid him at London. After (he was gone, when he 
 that had the firft truft from her hu{band, was to convey 
 her goods to Barbadoes, thefe rapacious people ftopped 
 to the value of fix pounds ten (hillings for her paflage, for 
 which they paid nothing, and feven (liillings for boat-hire 
 p carry her on (hip-board, though the mafter proft'ered 
 the governor to carry her in his own boat, but that was 
 not allowed : (he being fent with the hangman in a boat 
 that waspr^ffed: befides, they took to the value of four- 
 teen (hillings for the gaoler, to whom (lie owed nothing.'. 
 Now, though this widow had made fuch a great voyage, 
 
 ^^S7l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 291 
 
 i-.\ 
 
 to get fomething of what was due to her, to relieve her, 
 and her fatherlefs children, yet after three years (he had 
 nothing of it come to her hands : and whether (he got any 
 thing Imce I never underftood. 
 
 The next of the Quakers that came to Bofton, was Mary 
 Clark, who^ having left her huft)and John Clark, a mer. 
 • chant taylor, widi her children, at London, came thither 
 to warn thefe perfecutors to defift from their iniquity? 
 but after fhe had delivered her meffage, (he was unmerci^ 
 fully rewarded with twenty ftripes of a whip with three 
 cords, on her naked back, and detained prifoner about 
 twelve weeks in the winter feafon. The cords of thefe 
 whips were commonly as thick as a man's little fin^rer, 
 havmg each fome knots at the end ; and the ftick was fome- 
 times fo long, that the hangman made ufe of both his 
 hands to ftrike the harden 
 
 The next that cameiwere Chriftopher Holder and John 
 Copeland, who had been bani(hed before ; and coming to 
 Salem, a town in the (hme colony, Holder fpoke a few 
 words m their meeting after the prieft had done; but was 
 haled back byithe hair of his head, and a glove and hand- 
 kerchief thruft mto his mouth, and fo turned out with his 
 companion; and next day had to Bofton, where each of 
 them received thirty ftripes with a knotted whip of three 
 cords, the hangman meafuring his ground, and fetching 
 his (Irokes with the greateft ftrength he could : which fa 
 cruelly cut their flc(h, that a woman feeing it fell down as 
 dead. Then they were locked up in prifon, and the gaoler 
 kept them three days without any food, not giving them 
 . io much as a draught of water ; and fo clofe that none 
 might come to fpeak with them ; lying on the boards 
 without bed or ftraw. Thus they were kept nine weeks 
 prifoners without fire, in the cold winter feafon. And 
 bamuel Shattock of Salem, who endeavoured to ftop the 
 thrulting of the glove and handkerchief into Holder's 
 mouth left It (hould have choaked him, was alfo carried 
 to Bofton, and there imprifoned, till he had given bond 
 tor twenty pound, to anfwer it at the next court, and not 
 to come at any meeting of the Quakers. 
 
 The career of this cruelty did not ftop here; for 
 
 T 2 
 
292 THE HISTORY OF THE C^^S7 
 
 Lawrence Southick and his wife Caflandra, members of 
 the publick church at Salem, and an ancient and grave 
 couple, .having entertained the aforefaid C. Holder and 
 J. Copeland, were committed to prifon, and fent to Bofton, 
 where Lawrence being releafed, his wife was kept feven 
 weeks prifoner, and then fined forty (hillings for owning a 
 paper of exhortation, written by the aforefaid Holder and 
 Copeland. 
 
 The next that came from England, as being under a 
 neceffity from the Lord to coitie to this land of perfecution, 
 was Richard Dowdney, who was appiehended at Dedham, 
 and brought to Bofton, having never before been in that 
 country ; yet he was not fpared for all tliat, but thirty 
 ftripes were alfo given him in like manner as the former. 
 And after tweitty days imprifonment, he was fent away 
 with Holder and Copeland ; after having been threatened 
 with cutting off their ears, if they returned. Thefc cruel 
 dealings, fo af^efted many inhabitants, that fome withdrew 
 from the publick aifemblies, and meeting by themfelves 
 quietly on the Firft-days of the week, they were fined five 
 fliillings a week, and committed to prifon. The firft whofe 
 lot this was, were the aforefaid Lawrence and CafTandra 
 Southick, and their fon Jofiah, who being carried to 
 Bofton, were all of them, notwithftanding the old age o( 
 the two, fent to the houfe of correftion, and whipped 
 with cords, as thofc before, in the coldefl feafon of the 
 year, and had taken from them to the value of four pounds 
 thirteen (hillings, for not coming to church. 
 
 Leaving New England for a while, I will turn another 
 way. It was in this year, about the latter end of the . 
 fummer, that a certain young man, named George Robinfon, 
 felt a motion to travel to Jerufalcm. In order thereunto, 
 he embarked in a (hip bound for Leghorn in Italy, where 
 having (bid about two weeks, being daily vifiied by Englifh, 
 and others, he went with a French fliip towards St. John 
 d*Aca, formerly called Ptolemais, a city in Afia, bordering 
 upon the Mediterranean fea, near Paleftine, where, having 
 lodged about eight days in a French merchant's houfe, he 
 embarked in a wcSd bound for Japha, or Joppe. What 
 occurred by the way with forae Turks, who demanded un- 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* 
 
 293 
 
 reafonable tribute of him, I pafsby ; but a certain Artnenian 
 on that occafion having feen his meek behaviour, faid, 
 he was a good Chriftian, and was very kind to him. Being 
 arrived at Japha, he went to Ramoth, but the friars at 
 Jerufalem having heard of his coming, gave orders to fome 
 to ftop him, which was done accordingly; and after having 
 been locked up about a day, there came an ancient Turk, 
 a man of great repute, who took him into his houfe, and 
 courteoufly entertained him. After four or five days there 
 fame an Irifli friar from Jerufalem, with whom falling into 
 difcourfe of religious matters, the friar at firft behaved 
 himfelf kindly, but told him afterwards, that was not the 
 bufinefs he came about, but that he was fent from his 
 brethren, the friars, at Jerufalem, to propound to him 
 fome queftions. 
 
 1. Whether he would promife, when he came to Jeru- 
 falem, that he would vifit the holy places as other pilgrims 
 did? 
 
 2. Whether he would pay fo much money as pilgrims 
 ufed to do ? 
 
 3. Whether he would wear fuch a fort of habit as was 
 ufual with pilgrims ? 
 
 4. That he muft fpeak nothing againft the Turks laws. 
 
 5. And when he came to Jerufalem, not fpeak any 
 thing about religion. 
 
 Not being willing to enter into a promife, he was by the 
 Iri(h friar (with a guard of horfe and footmen he brought 
 with him) carried back to Japha, and embarked "in a vefTel 
 bound for St. John d'Aca ; whither being come, a French 
 merchant, called Surrubi, took him into his houfe, and 
 lodged him about three weeks. This man entertained ' 
 him very kindly, and would fay fometimes, that it was the 
 Lord's doings ; * For,' faid he, ' when my own countrymen 
 come to me, they are little to mc, but thee I can willingly 
 receive.' After much trouble, Kobinfon got opportunity 
 (by the help of the faid French merchant, who wa^ an 
 ancient man), to return' by fea to Japha j from whence he 
 went on his journey a foot, and by the way met. three meti^ 
 
 T J 
 
294 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 two of them riding upon aflcs, and the other going a foot ; 
 and they aiking him for money, one held his gun to his 
 breafl, and another put his hand into his pockets, and 
 took fome things out. He fuffering all this without any 
 oppofition, the man that took his things from him put 
 them up again; and one of the three taking him by the 
 hand, led him a little on his way, in a friendly manner, 
 and fo left him.. At length Robinfon came to Ramoth, 
 where he was prefently known, and two that belonged 
 to the friars laid hold on him, and hurried him away ; but 
 two Turks took him from them, and one leading him by 
 one arm, and the other by the other, they brought him 
 into a mofque, or Turkifh temple. Thus innocently 
 entering there, many people came flocking in, and alfo 
 fome of the Mahometan priefts, who having caufed him 
 to fit down, a/ked him, whether he would turn to the 
 Mahometan religion ? But he refufmg, they preffed him 
 much, made great promifes, and faid that he had no need 
 to fear what the Chriftians might do unto him. Neverthe- 
 lefs he anfwered he could not turn unto them for all the 
 world. But they continued to drive much with him, and 
 would have him hold up one of his fingers, as a fjgn of 
 owning them ; and one bid him fay, ' Chrifl is bad;' hut 
 he anfwered, he knew him to be good, and he was his 
 fervant. Then fome growing angry, fold if he would not 
 turn to their religion, he fliould die. To which he replying 
 that he would rather die than turn unto them; it was 
 anfwered, be {hould then die. And fo by their order, the 
 executioner haled him away to the place where it was 
 cxpefted that he {hould have been burnt to death with 
 camel's dung. Here he was made to fit down upon the 
 ground, and was as a (heep among wolves. Whilil he 
 wasthds fitting with a retired mind, the Tuiks began to 
 fall out among themfelvcs, and whilfl they were at odds, 
 a grave ancient Turk, a man of note, came to him, and 
 faid whether he would turn from his religion or not, he 
 (hould not die. Then he was brought before the priefts 
 again, who aiked him, ^ Will you turn ?^ And he anfwcr- 
 ing * No,' they recorded in a book, that he was no Roman 
 Cailiolickj but of another religion j fqr though he denied 
 
 ^^671 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 295 
 
 ' 
 
 to be fuch a Catholick, yet he had owned that he was a 
 Chriftian. 
 
 The Turks coming now to be more fedate, the afore- 
 faid ancient man ordei>ed his fervants to conduct Robinfon 
 to his houfe, where he was friendly entertained, and footi 
 perceived that the friars had thus plotted againft him ; for 
 he went not into the mofque of his own accord, being led 
 into it ; but heaven preferved him. After having been 
 four or five days in the houfe of the ancient Turk, there 
 came a guard of horfcmen, hired by the friars, to carry 
 him to Gaza ; for they had pre-informed the baflia 
 of that place againft him : but Robinfon being come 
 thither, things took another turn than they expeAed ; for 
 the baftia being by fome Turks made acquainted with the 
 mifchievous defign of the friars, made them not only pay 
 a confiderable fine, but alfo commanded them to convey 
 Robinfon fafely to Jerufalem. Whilft hewasat Gaza, he was 
 vifited by many Turks, Greeks, and Armenians ; the latter 
 of which having heard he was a Chriftian, and that he 
 chofe rather to die than to turn from his religion, became 
 very loving, as were the Turks, the Jews alfo fhewed 
 themfelves moderate towards him. Then according to 
 the foremen tioned order of the baftia, he was carried to 
 -Jerufalem, and there, by the appointment of" the friars, 
 brought into their convent, where at firft they feemingly 
 fliewed love unto him, and one confeffed, there was now 
 an evident fign, that he was a good Chriftian, for he was 
 come through perfecution and fufferings ; and thofe things 
 which had been fpoken in his prejudice, were manifeft to 
 be untrue, Robinfon told the friar, it was he and his 
 brethren that had been the caufe of his fufferings, and 
 withftood his coming to Jerufalem. To which the other 
 returned, that the EngViIh friar had mifinformed them by 
 his writing, which had caufed them to do what they had 
 done ; and that therefore they defired he would now pafs 
 by thofe things, feeing he was come through in fach a 
 miraculous manner ; for (continued the friar) it was the 
 Lord's work, thus to carry him through, and he might 
 praife God he was preferved. , n 1 -r u 
 
 . The next morning a friar came to him, and aiked it hP 
 
 T 4 
 
296 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 1657] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAItERS. 
 
 297 
 
 would becoTTie an obedient child, and go to vifit tte holy 
 places, according to their cuftom : he anfwered, ' No/ 
 Then the friar faid, ' Whereas others give great fums of 
 money to fee them, you (hall fee them for nothing.' But 
 Robinfon replied, ' I (hall not vifit them in your manner, 
 for in fo doing I fliould fin againft God.' This did not 
 pleafe the friar, yet he faid they would honour him as 
 much as ever they honoured any Engliftiman thnt came 
 thither, if he would conform unto them. But Robinfon 
 continued immoveable, and fail he (hould not conform ; 
 and as for their honour, he did not matter it.. Then the 
 friar became angry, and faid they would make him an 
 example to all Englifhmen that came thither. To which 
 Robinfon returned, * I choofe your difhonour rather than 
 your honour.' The friar feeing he could not prevail, 
 went away in anger, and within a fliort time came again ; 
 and other friars being prefent, one afked him if he would 
 vifit their church, and the holy fepulchre, and Bethlehem, 
 with the reft of the holy places, as other pilgrims did ? 
 But he told them, at prefent he had no bufinefs to vifit 
 them ; and in their manner he fliould not vifit them at all, 
 viz. to worfhip them. Then one faid to him, * How can yoii 
 be a fqrvant of God, and will not go to vifit the places where 
 the holy men of God dwelt?' To which he leturned, 
 that they under pretence of doing fervicc to God, in 
 vifiting the places where the holy men dwelt, did oppofe 
 that way, and refift that life, which the holy men of God 
 lived and walked in. Then one of the friars faid, ' What 
 do you preach unto us for?' To which he replied, that 
 he would have them turn from thofe evil praftices they 
 lived in, clfe the wrath of the Almighty would be kindkd 
 againll them. But they did not at all like fuch difcourfq, 
 and therefore faid, if he would not go and vifit the aforc- 
 faid places, yet he mufl give twenty-five dollars, as was 
 the manner of thofe that vifited them ; for, faid they, the 
 Turks muft be paid, whether he would vifit them, or not ; 
 but if he would vifit them, then they would pay it for 
 him. To this he fignified, that he could not fiibmit to fuch 
 unreafonable terms. 
 
 Then they brought him before a Turk- in authority in 
 
 that place, who aflced him divers queftions, to which he 
 foberly gave anfwers ; and they difcourfing about the 
 worfliip of the Chriftia'ns, the Turk alked alfo, what was 
 the ground of his coming to Jerufalem. T^o which he 
 anfwered, that it was by the command of the Lord God 
 of heaven and earth he came thither ; and that the great 
 and tender love of God was made manifeft in vifiting them ; 
 his compaflSonate mercies being fuch, that he would gather 
 them in this the day of his gathering. This was the meffage 
 which Robinfon believed he had from the Lord to declare 
 unto them, whether they would hear, or forbear. And^*' 
 afterwards he writ, that having thus cleared his confcience, 
 he found great peace with the Lord, and therefore he 
 magnified his glorious name, who had gone along with 
 him, and preferved him in many trials. For the friars, 
 who intended him mifchief, were commanded by the Turks 
 to carry him again fafe and free of charges, to Ramla. 
 Here I leave him, becaufe I do not find how he came 
 home ; but that he returned thither in fafety, appears to 
 me from the relation he afterwards publifhed of his travels. 
 
 The year being come to an end, I return again to G. Fox, 
 whom we left at Newcaftle. Whilft he was there, he, 
 with Anthony Pearfon, vifited fome of the aldermen ; and 
 among thefe one Ledger, who as well as the priefts, had 
 faid the Quakers would not come into any great towns, 
 but lived in the fields like butterflies. G. Fox defired to 
 have a meeting amongft them ; but they would not yield 
 to it. He therefore afked Ledger, whether they had not 
 called his friends butterflies, and faid they would not come 
 into any great towns ? ' But,' faid he, * now we are come 
 into your town, you will not come to us : who are the 
 butterflies now ? ' Then Ledger began to plead for the 
 fabbath day ; which made G. Fox fay, they kept markets 
 on that which was the fabbath day, for that was the 
 feventh day of the week ; whereas that day which the 
 profefled Chriftians now meet on, and call their fabbath, 
 was the firft day of the week. No leave for a publick 
 meeting being obtained, G. Fox got a little meeting among 
 his friends, and fome friendly people at Gatefide. 
 
 Travelling from thence, and pafling through Nor-i 
 
293 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1658 
 
 thiimberland, and Bi(hoprick, he came to Durham, where 
 was a man come down from London, to fct up a college 
 there, to make miniftcrs of Chrift, as they faid. G. Fox 
 
 ^ entering into difcourfe with this man, faid that to teach 
 men Hebrew, Greek, aud Latin, and the feven arts, was 
 not the way to make them minifters of Chrift ; for the 
 languages began at Babel ; and to the Greeks that fpake 
 Greek as their mother tongue, the preaching of the crofs 
 of Chrift was foolifhncfs ; and to the Jews that fpake 
 Hebrew as their mother tongue, Chrift was a ftumbling- 
 block. And as for the Romans who fpake Latin, they 
 pcrfecuted the Chriftians ; and Pilate, one of the Rotnan 
 governors, fct Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, a top of Chrift 
 when he crucified him. Thus tlie languages, which began 
 at Babel, had been fet above Ch,riftj the word. Add John 
 the Divine, who preached the word, that was in the be- 
 ginning, (did that the beaft and the whore had power over 
 tongues and languages, and they were as waters, and in 
 ihe myftery Babylon, tor they began at Babel; and the 
 pcrfccutors of Chrift fet them over him, when he was 
 crucified by them. ' Doft thou think,* faid G. Fox to the 
 man, * to make minifters of Chrift by thcfe natural con- 
 fufed languages, which fprang from Babel, are admired in 
 Babylon, and fet a top of Chrift, the life, by a perfecutor ? ' 
 The man, puzzled a little by this, confefled to many things 
 f;3oken by G, Fox. Then it was ftiewed him farther, that 
 Chrift made his minifters himfelf, and gave gifts unto them, 
 and bid them pray to the Lord of the harveft, to fend forth 
 lal^ourers: that Peter and John, though unlearned and 
 ignorant as to fchool-learning, preached Chrift the word, 
 which was in the beginning before Babel was : and that 
 Paul alfo was made an apoftle, not of man, nor by man, 
 but by Jefus Chrift, who is the fame now, and fo is his 
 gotpel, as it was at that day. This difcourfe had fuch 
 cfte^t upon the man, that he became very loving; and 
 having coi\fidered the matter farther, he never fct up his 
 intended college. 
 
 brum Durham G. Fox paifcd to Nottingham, where he 
 gathered again a fcattercd people, that having about eigh^ 
 years before been conviiiccd of the Truth, had been ledl 
 
 ' ^fidc by one Rice Joue^J. 
 
 16583 
 
 PEOPtE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 299 
 
 From hence he went into VVarwickfliire, and pafling 
 through Nor^thamptonfliire and Leicefterfliire, he came 
 into Bedfordfcire, and fo to John Crook's hotife, where 
 a general Yearly Meeting was appointed, which lafted 
 three days : and many of G. Fox's friends from moft parts 
 of the nation came to it, fo that the inns in the towns 
 thereabouts were filled. Here was alfo William Caton, 
 who after the meeting was ended, went with Thomas Salt- 
 houfe, formerly his fellow-fervant in the houfe of judge 
 Fell, to Weftmoreland, Cumberland, and Swarthmore in 
 Lancafliire. In the faid general meeting G. Fox made a 
 long fpeech concerning the feveral ftates of man, but more 
 efpecially for inftruftion of the minifters of the word, ex- 
 horting them at large to be circumfpe£l in their ftation. 
 
 After the meeting was over, there came a party of horfe 
 with a conftable, to feize upon G. Fox, who then was 
 walking in J. Crook's garden : and though fomcbody, 
 , when they came to the houfe, had told them G. Fox was 
 there, yet they were fo confounded, that they came not 
 into the garden to look for him, but went away without 
 him. 
 
 Parting from thence, he came to London, where he 
 heard that a Jefuit who was come over with an ambaflador 
 from Spain, had challenged all the Quakers, to difpute 
 with them at the earl of Newport's houfe. G. Fox then 
 let him know by fome of his friends, that ihey would meet 
 him : whereupon the Jefuit fent word, he would meet 
 with twelve of the wifeft learned men they had. A while 
 after he fent word, he would meet with but fix ; and after 
 that, he fent word again, he would have but three to 
 Come. Then G. Fox went, with Edward Burrough, and 
 one Nicholas Bond, to the aforcfaid houfe, and bade them 
 to go up, and enter the difcourfe with the Jefuit, whilft he 
 would be walking in the yard, and then come up after 
 them. He had advifed them to ftate this queftion. Whether 
 the church of Rome, as it now ftood, was not degenerated 
 from the true church which w^as in the primitive times, 
 from the life and doftrine, and from the power and fpirit 
 that thofe believers were in ? They having ftated the 
 queftion accprdingly, the Jefuit affirmed, that the chur(;h 
 
300 THE HISTOP^y OF THE C'^S* 
 
 of Rome now was in the virginity and purity of the pri- 
 mitive church. By thi^ time G. Fox being come in, the 
 Jcfuit was ailccd, whether they had the Holy Ghoft poured 
 out upon them, as the apollles had ? And he faid, ' No.* 
 Then faid G. Fox, * If ye have not the fame Holy Ghoft 
 poured forth upon you, and the fame power and fpirit 
 that the apoftles had, then ye are degenerated from the 
 power and fpirit, which the primitive church was in.' 
 And he afked the Jefuit, what Scripture they had for fetting 
 up cloifters for nuns, abbies and monafteries for men, and 
 for their praying by beads and to images, and for making 
 croffes, for forbidding of meats and marriages, and for 
 putting people to death for religion ? * If,' faid he, * ye 
 are in the praftice of the primitive church, in its purity 
 and virginity, then let us fee by Scripture, wherever they 
 praftifed fuch things ?' For it was agreed mutually, that 
 both the Jefuit and tlie Quakers, fhould make good by 
 Scripture what they faid. Then the Jefuit faid, there was . 
 a written, and an unwritidn word. Which made G. Fox 
 a/k, what he called his unwritten word ? And he anfwereJ, 
 f The written word is the Scriptures, and the unwritten 
 word is that which the apoftles fpake by word of mouth, 
 which are all thofc traditions that we praftife.* Then 
 G. Fox bid him prove that by Scripture ; and the Jefuit 
 alleged the words of the apoftlc, i Theff. ii. 5. " When I 
 was with youj I told you thefe things:** *That is,' faid 
 he, * I told yoU of nunneries and monafteries, of putting 
 to death for religion, and of praying by beads and to 
 images,' &:c. This he affirmed to be the unwritten word 
 of the apoftles, which they told then, and had fince been 
 continued by tradition, unto thefe times. Then G. Fox 
 defircd him to read that Scripture again, that he might 
 fee how he had perverted the apoftles words, fmce that 
 which the apoftie faid there \\e had told them before, was 
 not' an unwritten word, but wjis written down there ; 
 iiamely, that the man of fin, the Ton of perdition, ftiould 
 be revealed before that great and terr'tblc day of Chrift, 
 whkrh he was waiting of, fhould come. And therefore 
 ;his was not telling them any of thofe things the church 
 of Rome praftifed. Befides, the apoftlc in the third chapter 
 
 1658] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 
 of the faid epiftle told the church of fome difordeily per- 
 fons he heard were amongft them, bufy 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 fliould he eat ; which 
 now he commanded them again in his written words in this 
 epiftle, 2 Theff. iii. 
 
 T he Jefuit now firrJing no other fcriptural proof for the 
 tradition of the church of Rome, let that point fall, and 
 came to the facrament of the altar, to prove the reality of 
 which, he began with the pafchal lamb, and tl:ic fliew 
 bread, and fo came to the words of Chrift, " This is my 
 body," and to what the apoftie writ to the Corinthians, 
 concluding from thence, that after the prieft had ccnfe- 
 crated the bread and wine, it was inr.mortal and divine, 
 and that he w^ho received it, received the whole Chrift. 
 To this G. Fox faid, that the fame apoftie told the Corin- 
 thians, after they had taken bread and wine in remem- 
 brance of Chrift's death, that they were reprobates if 
 Chrift was not in them. But that if the bread they eat 
 was Chrift, he muft of neceffity have beep in them, after 
 they had eaten it. Befides, if the breaa and wine w^hich 
 the Corinthians ate and drank, w^as Chrift's body, how 
 then ( continued he) hath Chrift a body in heaven ? And 
 he alio fignified to him, that both the difciples at the 
 fupper, and the Corinthians afterwards were to eat the 
 bread and drink the wine in remembrance of Chrift, and 
 to fliew^ forth his death till he came ; which plainly proved 
 that 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 prefent ; and 
 it would have been improper to have done fuch a thing iu 
 remembrance of him, if he had been then prefent with 
 them ; as he muft have been, if that bread and wine, 
 which they ate and drank, had been his'real body. And 
 as to the words of Chrift, " This is my body,*' G. Fox 
 told him, ' Chrift calls himfelf a vine and a door, and is 
 called in Scripture a rock : is Chrift therefore an outward 
 rock, door or vine ?' * O, faid the Jefuit, the words are to 
 be interpreted.* * So,' faid G. Fox, ' are thole words of 
 
3f^2 THE HISTORY OF THE ['658 
 
 Chrift/ " This is my body/* And having thus flopped 
 the Jefuit's mouth, he made this propofal : that, feeing he 
 faid the bread anet wine was immortal and divine^ and the 
 very Chrift, and that whofoever received it, received the 
 whole Chrill ; a meeting might be appointed between feme 
 fuch Papifts as the pope and his cardinals (hould appoint, 
 and fome of thofe called Qiiakers : ' And then,' faid he, 
 * let a bottle of wine, and a loaf of bread be brought, and 
 divided each into two parts, and let them confecrate which 
 of thofe parts they will ; and then let the confecrated and 
 unconfecrated bread and wine be fet in a fafe place, with 
 a fure watch upon it ; and let trial then be made, whether 
 the confecrated bread and wine will not lofe its goodnefs, 
 viz. the bread grow dry and mouldy, and the wine turn 
 dead and four, as well and as foon as that which was un- 
 confecrated ; for by this means the truth of this matter 
 may be made m.anifell. And if the confecrated bread and 
 wine change not, but retain their favour and goodnefs, this 
 may be a means to draw many to your church. But if 
 they change, decay, and lofe their goodnefs, then ought 
 you to confefs and forfakc your error, and flied no more 
 blood about it, as hath been done, efpecially in queen 
 Mary's days.* To this the Jefuit made this reply : ' Take 
 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 
 Iball wear away as well as the other.' 'Is this,' faid G. 
 Fox, *thy anfwcr?' 'Yes,' faid the Jefuit. 'Then,* faid 
 G. Fox, 'by this the company may all be fatisfied. that 
 your confecrated bread and wine is not Chrift. Doft thou 
 now fay that the confecrated bread and wine, which you 
 have told people was immortal and divine, and the real 
 body and blood of Chrift, will wear away, or decay as 
 well as the other ? Then I muft tell thee, Chrift remains 
 the fame to-day as yefterday, and never decays ; but is the 
 faints heavenly food* in all generations, through which 
 they have life.' To this the Jefuit replied no more, but 
 let the thing fall ; for be perceived that thofe which were 
 prefent faw his error, and that he could not defend it. 
 Then G. Fox aited him, why the church of Rome did 
 
 1658] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 303 
 
 perfecute, and put people to death for religion? and he 
 anfwered, it was not the chuVch did it, but the magiftrates. 
 G. Fox allied, whether thofe tnagiftrates were, not counted 
 and called believers and Chriftians? ' Yes,' faid he. ' Are 
 they not members of your church ?' alked G. Fox. ' Yes,' 
 faid the Jefuit. Then G. Fox left it to the people to judge, 
 whether the church of Rome did not perfecute, and put 
 people to death for religion. Thus they parted ; the 
 Jefuit's fubtilty being comprehended by the fimplicity of 
 G. Fox, and his friends. 
 
 Whilft G. Fox was at London, his friends, both in 
 England and Ireland, were under great fufferings, which 
 made him write to the proteftor about it: and there being 
 then much talk of making Cromwell king, he went to him, 
 and warned him againft it, becaufe of the dangers that 
 would attend it ; and which, if he did not avoid, would 
 bring (hame and ruin upon him and his pofterity. Which 
 counfel Cromwell feemed to take well, and thanked him 
 for it: yet G. Fox' wrote alfo concerning the fame thing to 
 him in this manner : 
 
 . r» 
 
 * O Proteftor, 
 •* Who haft tafted of the power of God, which many- 
 generations before thee have not fo much, fmce tl e days 
 of apoftacy from the apoftles, take heed that thou lofe not 
 thy power ; but keep kinglhip off thy head, which the 
 world would give to thee ; and earthly crowns under thy 
 feet, left with that thou cover thyfelf, and fo lofe the 
 power of God. When the children of Ifrael went from 
 that of God in them, they .would fcave kings as other 
 nations had, as tranfgreffors had ; and fo God gave them 
 one ; and what did they do then ? and when they would 
 have taken Chrift, and made him a king, he hid himfelf 
 from them ; he was hid from that which would have made 
 him a king, he who was the king of the Jews inward. O 
 Oliver, take heed of undoing thyfelf, by running into 
 things that will fade^, the things of this world that will 
 cliange. Be fubjeft and obedient to the Lord God. 
 
 ' George Fox.* 
 
3^^+ THE HISTORY OF THfi [^658 
 
 About this time G. Fox ^^rdtc alfo another letter to O. 
 Cromwell, wherein he fignificd to him, that if he had 
 been faithful, and thundered down deceit, he would yet 
 have done many mighty things. And he alfo advifed him, 
 not to flight fober men, and true hearts ; but to mind the 
 law of God, and his fear and dread ; to take heed of 
 flatteries, and to prize his time now he had it, 
 , The lady Claypole, Cromweirs moft beloved daughter, 
 being fick, and much troubled in mind, fo-thit none that 
 came could adminifter any comfort to her, G. Fox vifited 
 her with the following letter : 
 
 'Friend, 
 • Be ftill and cool in thy own mind and fpirit from thy 
 own thoughts, and then thou wilt feel the principle of 
 God, to turn thy mind to the Lord God, from whom life 
 comes ; whereby thou mayefl receive his ftrength, and 
 power to allay all bluftering ftorms and tempefts* That is 
 it which works up into patience, into innocency, into fober- 
 nefs, into flillnefs, into flayednefs, into quietnefs, up to 
 God with his power. Therefore mind, that is the word 
 of the Lord unto thee, that the authority of God thou 
 mayeft feel, and thy faith in that, to work down that 
 which troubles thee: for that is it which keeps peace, and 
 brings up the witnefs in thee, which hath been tranfgreflTed, 
 to feel after God with his power and life, who is a God 
 of order and peace. When thou art in the tranfgreffion 
 of the life of God in thy own particular, the mind flies up 
 in the air, and the creature is led into the night, and 
 nature goes out of its courfe, and an old garment goes on, 
 and an uppcrmoft clothing ; and thy nature being led out 
 t)f its courfe, it comes to be all on a fire, in the tranfgref- 
 fion ; and that defaceth the glory of the firft body. There- 
 fore be ftill a while from thy own thoughts, fearching, 
 feekingj'dcfires, and imaginations, and be ftayed in the 
 principle of God in thee, that it may raife thy mind up to 
 God, and ftay it upon God, and thou wilt find ftrength 
 from him, and find him to be a God at hand, a prefcnt 
 help in the time of trouble, and of need. And thou being 
 come to the principle of God, which hath been tranf- 
 
 165S] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QIJAKER$» 
 
 505 
 
 grefled^ it will keep thee humble; and the humble, God 
 will teach his way, which is peace, and fuch he doth exalt. 
 Now as the principle of God in thee hath been tranfgreffed, 
 come to it, that it may keep thy mind down low to the 
 Lord God ; and deny thyfelf, and from thy own will, that 
 is the earthly, thou muft be kept : then thou wilt feel the 
 power of God, which will bring nature into its courfe, 
 and give thee to fee the glory of the firft body. And there 
 the wifdom of God will be received fwhich is Chrift, by 
 wdiich all things were made and created) to be thereby 
 preferved and ordered to God's glory. There thou wilt 
 come to receive and feel the Phyfician of value, who 
 clothes people in their right mind, whereby they may 
 ferve God, and do his will. For all diftraftions, unruli- 
 nefs; and confufion, is in the tranfgreflSon : which tranf- 
 greffion muft be brought down, before the principle of 
 God, which hath been tranfgrefled againft, be lifted up ; 
 whereby the mind may be feafoned and ftilled, and a right 
 underftanding of the Lord may be received ; whereby his 
 bleffings enter, and are felt, over all that is contrary, in the 
 power of the Lord God, which raifeth up the principle of 
 God within, and 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 God unto thee ; for 
 all thefe things happen to thee for thy good, and for the 
 good of thofe concerned for thee, to make you know 
 yourfelves, and your own weaknefs, and that ye may 
 know the Lord's ftrength and power, and may truft in 
 him. Therefore let the tim^ that is paft be fufficient to 
 every one, w^ho in any thing hath been lifted up in tranf- 
 greffion, out of the power of the Lord : for he can bring 
 down and abafe the mighty, and lay them in the duft of 
 the earth. Therefore all keep low in his fear, that thereby 
 ye may receive the fecrets of God and his wifdom, and 
 may know the fliadow of the Almighty, and fit under it in 
 all tcmpefts, ftorms, and heats. For God is a God at 
 hand, and the Moft High rules in the children of men. 
 So then, this is the word of the Lord God uoto you all. 
 What the light doth make manifeft and difcovcr, as temp- 
 tations, diftraftions, confufions, do not look at the tempta- 
 Vol. L u . * 
 
3o6 
 
 THI HISTORY 0? THE 
 
 [165! 
 
 tions, coTifuiions, corruptions, but at the light which dis- 
 covers them, and makes them manifeft. And with the 
 fame light you may feel over them, to receive power to 
 ftand againft them. The fame light which lets you fee fm 
 and tranfgrcxTion, will let you fee the covenant of God, 
 which blots out your fm and tranfgreffion, which gives vic- 
 tory and dominion over it ; and brings into covenant with 
 God. For looking down at fm, and corruption, and dif- . 
 traAion, ye are fwallowed up in it : but looking at rhc 
 light which difcovcrs them, ye will fee over them : that 
 will give victory, and ye will find grace and ftrength ; and 
 there is the firfl ftep to peace. That will bring falvation, 
 and by it ye may fee to the beginning, and the glory that 
 was with the Father before the world began ; and fo come 
 to know the feed of God, which is the heir of the pro- 
 mife of God, and of the world which hath no end, and 
 which bruifes the head of the ferpent, who flops people 
 from coming ta God. That ye may feel the power of an 
 endlefs life, the power of God, which is immortal, which 
 brings the immortal foul up to the immortal God, in 
 whom it doth rejoice. So in the name and power of the 
 Lord Jefus Chrill, God Almighty ftrengihen thee. 
 
 * G. F.' 
 
 The paper being read to the aforefaid lady, it ftaid her 
 mind fomcwhat ; but fhe lived not long after, fo that O. 
 Cromwell met withalmoft continual trouble: for difcontent 
 againft him increafed more and more. 
 
 Now fi'ncc the Proteftants in the valley of lAicern, and 
 clfcwhcre, were much perfecuted, there came forth a de- 
 claration from the protestor to keep a fait, and one alfo 
 for a collection fur the relief of dillreiTed Proteftant 
 churches. On this occafion, G. Fox to fliew what kind of 
 faft it was that God requires and accepts, wrote the fol- 
 lowing paper : 
 
 To the heads and governors of this nation, who have put 
 forth a declaration, for the keeping of a day of folemn 
 fafting and humiliation, for the perfecution (as you fiy) 
 of divers people beyond the fcas, profefling the reformed 
 
 1658] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKIRS, 
 
 3^7 
 
 religion, which, (ye fay^ hath been tranfmitted unto 
 them from their anceftors. 
 
 * A profelTion of the reformed religion may be tranf- 
 mitted to generations, and fo holden by tradition ; and in 
 that, wherein the profeffion and tradition is holden, is the 
 day of humiliation kept ; which flands in the will of man, 
 w^hich is not the faft that the Lord requires, to bow down 
 the head like a bulrufli for a day, and the day following 
 be in the fame condition as they were the day before. 
 To the light of Chrift Jefus'in your confciences do I fpeak, 
 which tcftifieth for God every day, and witnefTeth againft 
 all fm and perfecution; which meafure of God, if ye be 
 guided by it, doth not limit God to a day, but leads to the 
 faft which the Lord requires, which is, " To loofe the 
 bonds of wickednefs, to undo the heavy burthens, to break 
 every yoke, and to let the opprdfed go free.' Ifa. Iviii. 6, 
 7. This is the faft the Lord requires ; and this ftands 
 not in the tranfmiffion of times, nor in the traditions of 
 men : but this ftands in that which was before times were, 
 and which leads out of time, and ftiall be, when time fhall 
 be no more. And thefe that teach for do6trine the com- 
 mandments of men, are they that ever perfecuted the life 
 and power when it came. And whereas ye mention a de- 
 cree, or edia, that was made againft the faid perfecuted 
 Proteftants ; all fuch decrees, or edifts, proceed from the 
 ground of the pope's religion and fupremacy ; and therein 
 ftands his tyranny and cruelty, afted in that will, which is 
 in that nature, which exercifethlordfliip, over one another, 
 (as you may read, Mark x. 42. Luke xxii. 25.^ as all thd 
 heathen do, and ever did ; and in the heathenifli nature is 
 *ill the tyranny and perfecution exercifed, by them that are 
 out of the obedience to the light of Chrift Jefus in the 
 confcience, which is the guider and leader of all who are 
 tender of that of God in the confcience. But who are not 
 led by this, know not what it is to fuffer for confcience fake. 
 * Now, whereas ye take into your confidcration the fad 
 perfecution, tyranny, and cruelty exercifed upon them, 
 whom ye call your Proteftapt brethren, and do contribute 
 and adminifter to their wants outwardly j this is good ia 
 
3c8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [.658 
 
 its place, atid we own it, and fee it good to adminifter to 
 the neceiruies of others, and to do good to all : and wc 
 \vho are fufferers by a law derived from the pope, arc 
 willing to join, and to contribute with you, to their out- 
 ward neceffities. " For the earth is the Lord's, and the 
 fulnefs thereof;" who is good to all, and gracious to all, 
 and willing that all (hould be (lived, and come to the know- 
 ledge of the Truth. But in the mean-time, while ye are 
 doing this, and taking notice of others cruelty, tyranny, 
 and pcrfecution, turn your eye upon yourfelves, and fee 
 what ye are doing at home. To the light of Chriil Jefus 
 in all your confcicnces I fpeak, which cannot lie, nor can- 
 not err, nor cannot bear falfe witnefs ; but doth bear wit- 
 nefs for God, and cries for equity, and juflice, and righ- 
 tcoufnefs to be executed. See what .ye are doing who 
 profefs the Scriptures, which were given forth by the . 
 faints in light, who dwelt in the light and in the life of 
 them. For them who do now witnefs the fame light, the 
 fame hfe, and the fame power, which gave forth the Scrip- 
 tures, which ye in words profefs, them ye pcrfecutc, them 
 ye hale out of your fynagogues and markets ; them ye 
 beat. Hock, and imprifon. IS^ow let that of God in your 
 confciences, which is juft and righteous, and equal, exa- 
 mine and try, whether ye have any example or precedent • 
 to exercife this perfecution, which now many in this nation 
 fulTer under, who are a people harmlefs and innocent, 
 walking in obedience towards God and man. And though 
 ye account the way of Truth they walk in, herefy; yet 
 therein do they exercife themfelves to have always a con- 
 fcicnce void of offence towards God and man, as ye may 
 read the faints of old did, (Afts xxiv. 14, 15, 16), not » 
 WTonging any man, neither giving any juft caufc of otlcnce ; 
 only being obedient to the commands of the Lord, to de- 
 clare, as they are moved by the Holy Ghoft ; and ftanding 
 for the teftimony of a good confciencc, fpeaking the truth 
 in Chr:ft, their confciences bearing them witnefs that they 
 lie not : for this do they fuiFer under you, who in words 
 profefs the fame thing for which they fufftr. 
 
 ' Now fee if any age or generation did ever perfecute 
 •as ye do: for ye^profefs Chrift Jcfuii who reveals th« 
 
 1658] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 309 
 
 Father, and perfecute them that witnefs the revelation of 
 the Father by Chrift Jefus unto them. Ye profefs Chrift 
 Jefus, who is the light of the world, " that enlightens 
 every one that comcth into the world ;" and yet pcrfecurc 
 them that bear witnefs, and give tefliimony to this light. 
 Yc profefs that the word is become flefh ; and yet perfecute 
 them that witnefs it fo. Ye profefs, that whofoever con* 
 feffeth not that Jefus Chrift is come in the fiefti, is an anti- 
 chrift ; and yet perfecute them that do confefs him come in 
 the flefli, and call them antichrifts and deceivers. Ye pro- 
 fefs that the kingdom of Chrift is come ; and yet pcrfecutc 
 them that witnefs it come. Yc profefs Chrift Jefus the 
 refurreftion and the life ; and yet perfecute them that wit- 
 nefs him to be fo. If ye fity, ' How ihall we know-that 
 thefe people who fay they witnefs thefe things, do fo, or 
 no ?' I anfwer, turn your minds to the light which Chrift 
 Jefus hath enlightened you withal, which is one in all j 
 and if ye walk 'm the light, ye fliall have the light of life, 
 and then ye will know and fee what yc have done, who 
 have perfecuted tbe Lord of glory (in his people) in whom 
 is life, and the life h the light of men. To no other touch- 
 ftone fliall we turn you, but into your own confciences, 
 and there fliall ye find the truth of what we have declared 
 unto you, and of what we bear teftimony to, according to 
 the Holy Scriptures. And when the books of confciences 
 are operied, and all judged out of them, then fliall yc wit- 
 nefs us to be of God, and our teftimony to be true, though 
 now ye may ftop your ears, and harden your hearts, 
 " while it is called to-day.'* But then ye fliall know what 
 ye have done, and whom you have tranfgrefled againft ; 
 and then ye will fee that no perfecutors in any age or ge- 
 neration that ever went tefore you, did ever tranfgrefs 
 againft that light and meafure of God made manifeft, in 
 fuch a manner as ye have done. For though Chrift and 
 the apoftles were perfecuted in their times, the Jews, for 
 the moft part of them, did not know that he was the Chrift, 
 whcnhecame, notwithftanding that they had the Scriptures, 
 which prophcfied of him; neither di3 they believe that he 
 was rifen again, when the apoftles preached his refurreftion. 
 But ye fay, yc believe he is come } and ye fay, yc believe 
 
 ^^3 
 
JIO THE HISTORY of THtf C^^S* 
 
 his refurreftion, and yet ye perfecute thofe that witnefs 
 him come in the flefh, thofe that are buried with him in 
 baptifm, thofe that are conformable to his death, and 
 know the power of his refurredlion ; thofe ye perfecute^ 
 thofe ye hale before magiftrates, and fuffer to be beaten 
 in your fynagogues ; thofe ye caufe to be whipped and 
 ftocked, and ihamefully entreated, and into prifon call, 
 and kept : as many gaols in this nation, at this day teftify 
 to your faces. 
 
 ' Therefore honeftly confider what ye are doing, while 
 ve are taking notice of other cruellies, left ye overlook 
 your own. There is fome difference in many things be- 
 tween the Popiih religion, and that which ye call the 
 Proteflant : but in this perfecution of yours there is no 
 difference : for ye will confefs, that the foundation of 
 your religion is grounded upon the Scriptures ; and yet 
 now ye are perfecuting thofe, that be in the fame life 
 which they were in who fpake forth the Scriptures ; your- 
 felves being the mean- while under a profeifion of the words 
 they fpake; and this ye (hall one day witnefs. So yc 
 have a profeflion and form, and perfecute them that are 
 in the poffeflion, life, and power. Therefore know afluredly, 
 that ye muft come to judgment ; for he is made manifefl 
 to whom all judgment is committed. Therefore to the 
 light of Jefus Chrift in your confciences, which fearcheth 
 and trieth you, turn your minds, and Hand ftill, and wait 
 there to receive the righteous law, which is according to 
 that of God in the confcience, which is now rifing, and 
 IS bearing witnefs againft all ungodlinefs and unrighteouf- 
 nefs of men ; and they whom ye perfecute, are manifeft to 
 God, and that of God in all confciences ftiall bear witnefs 
 for us, that we are of Cod : and this ye Ihall one day 
 witnefs, v/hcther ye will hear, or forbear. Our rejoicing 
 is in the teftimony of our confciences, that in fimplicity 
 and godly fincerity (not with flefhly wifdom, but by the 
 grace of God), we have had our converfation in the 
 world ; not handling the word of God deceitfully, but, 
 in the manifeftation of the Truth, commending ourfclves to 
 every man's confcience in the fight of God ; and if our 
 gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that arc lofl : and foT 
 
 1-658]] FBOPLE CALLED QUAkERS. ;3M 
 
 the witneffing the holding the myftery of faith in a pure 
 confcience, do we fuffer, and are fubjeft fo^ confcience 
 fake. This is thank-worthy, if a man for confcience fake 
 endure griefs and fuffering wrongfully. And in this is 
 our joy and rejoicing, having a good confcience, that 
 whereas we are evil fpoken of, as evil doers, they may 
 be afhamed, that falfely accufe our good converfation in 
 Chrift ; w^hich is not only the putting away of the filth of 
 the flefli, but the anfwer of a good confcience towards 
 God, by the refurreclion of Jefus- Chrift. And this wc 
 witnefs made manifeft (eternal praifes to the living God) 
 and bear teftimony to that which fpake it in the apoftle in 
 .life and power: and therefore do we bear witnefs, and 
 teftify againft thofe, who being got into a form and pro- 
 fellion of it, do perfecute the life and power. 
 
 * Therefore to the eternal light of Chrift Jefus, the 
 fearcher and trier of all hearts, turn your minds, and fee 
 what ye are doing, left ye overturn your foundation and 
 bottom whereon ye pretend to ftand, while ye are profefTmg 
 the Scriptures, and perfecuting the life, light, and power, 
 which they were in, who gave them forth. Tor the ftone 
 cut out of the mountain without hands, is now ftriking at 
 the feet of the image, the profcfSon which is fet up, and 
 ftands in the will of man. Now is that made manifeft, 
 unto which all muft anfwer, and appear before the judg- 
 ment feat of Chrift ; that every one may receive the thing 
 done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether 
 it he good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the 
 Lord, wc perfuade men ; but we are made manifeft unto 
 God, and fhall be made manifeft in all your confciences, 
 which ye lliall witnefs. 
 
 *G.F.' 
 
 Divers times when a faft was proclaimed, G. Fox writ 
 on that fubjeft; and fince commonly fome mifchief was 
 then contrived againft the Quakers, no wonder that he 
 would fay, that thefc fafts were like unto Jezebers. 
 
 Many of his friends being, at this time in prifons and 
 dungeons, fcveral others of them went to the parliament^ 
 i^id oflfcred to Jie in the fai;ne prifons where their b.retlwcii 
 
312 
 
 THE HISTORY OFTHB 
 
 C165S 
 
 lay ; that fo thofe that were in prifon, might not pcrifti in 
 {linking dungeons, and their perfecutors thereby bring 
 innocent blood upon their ovj^i heads. But this could not 
 be obtained ; for fome of the parliament would threaten 
 thefe compaffionate men that thus attended them, with 
 whipping, if they did not defill. And becaufe the parlia- 
 ment then fitting, confifted mollly of fu(!h who, pretending 
 to be more religious than others, were indeed great perfe- 
 cutors of thofe that were truly religious, G. Fox could 
 not let this hypocrify go unreproved, but writ the follow- 
 ing lines to them : 
 
 * O friends, do not cloke and cover yourfelves ;- there id 
 a God that knoweth your hearts, and that will uncover ' 
 you. Ke fecth your way: ' Woe be to him that covereth, 
 but not with my Spirit,' fiiith the Lord. Do ye contrary 
 to the law, and then put it from you ? Ivlercy and true 
 judgment ye negle^-. Look, what was fpoken againft - 
 iuch : my Saviour fpake againft fuch : *' I was fick, and 
 ye vifited me not ; 1 was hungry, and ye fed mc not ; I 
 was a ftranger, and ye took me not in ; I was in prifon, 
 and ye vifited me not.*' But they faid, *« When faw we 
 thee in prifon, and did not come to thee?" " Ihafmuch 
 as ye did it not unto one of thefe litde ones, ye did it not 
 unto me." Friends, ye prifon them that be in the life and 
 power of Truth, and yet profefs to be the miniftcrs of 
 Chrift : but if Chrift had fent you, ye would bring out 
 of prifon, and out of bondage, and receive ftrangers. 
 Ye have lived in pleafure on the earth, and been wanton ; 
 ye have nouriflied your hearts as in a day of flaughter : 
 ye have condemned and killed the juft, and he doth not 
 refift you. < G. F,' 
 
 It was not G. Sox alope who was grieved with the faid 
 bypocnfy, but otheri of his frieads alfo declared zealoufly 
 againft it. A certain woman came once into the parliament 
 with a pitcher in her hand, which fhe breaking before 
 them, told them, fo fhould they be broken to pieces ; 
 which came to pafs not long after. And becaufe, when the 
 great fufferings of G. Fox's friends were "laid before 
 
 iKjS] tEOPLE CALLEI) QUAKERS. 313 
 
 O. Cromwell, he would not believe it, this gave occafion 
 to Thomas Aldam and Anthony Pearfon, to go through 
 all,, or moft of the gaols in England, and get copies of 
 their friends commitment under the gaolers hands, to lay 
 the weight of the faid fufferings upon O. Cromwell, which 
 w^as done ; but he, unwilling to give order for their releafe, 
 Thomas Aldam took his cap from off his head, and tearing 
 It to pieces, faid to him, ' So fliall thy government be rent 
 from thee and thy houfe.' 
 
 About the beginning of this year, E. Burrough writ z 
 letter to O. Cromwell, and his council, complaining of, 
 and warning them againft perfecution, as being what 
 would draw down God's anger againft them. 
 
 Several copies of the faid letter were delivered to Oliver, 
 and his council : and fome months after E. Burrough writ 
 the following letter to him. 
 
 To the Protector. 
 
 * 'Friend, 
 
 ' The falutation of my life widieih well unto thee in the 
 Lord, and moft cfpecially tha: thy precious foul may be 
 redeemed out of death to God, and liv€, that thou mayeft 
 have a reft and habitauonin him, when this world is no more* 
 
 ^ Now whereas it is a general outcry among the teachers 
 and people of this nation, and alfo is doubted, and hath 
 been fometimes objeaed by thyfelf, that the people called 
 Quakers, are deluded and deceived, and in error, and fuch 
 like : and now, if it be poff.blc, that thyfelf and others 
 may be refolv^d concerning us ; put therefore all thy ob- 
 jeftions and doubtings into plain pofitions, or let the wifeft 
 of thy teachers do it for thee ; that whatfoever thyfelf, 
 or any for thee, can objeft againft us, or what thou doubteft 
 of, or ftumbleft at,v either in refpeft of our doarines or 
 praaice, let the matter be ftated in plain words, in pofitions, 
 or queries ; and if God permit, a fufficient anfwcr thou 
 mayeft receive, to remove all confcientious fcruplcs, and to 
 confound all fubtle alledgments and evafions ; whereby 
 hereafter for ever thou mayeft be altogether inexcufablc 
 of all doubting, or fpeaking againft us, or foffering evil to 
 be done, or fpoken againft us upon that account. And 
 
3'4 *HE HISTOHY OF THE [^^5? 
 
 this I am moved to give forth, and fend to thee, that thou 
 raayefl be fatisfied ; and all things tried and made manifeft 
 in the fight of all men ; and that all rafli judgment, and 
 falfe fuppofition, which lodgcth in the hearts of many, 
 may be confounded and brought to nought ; and let it 
 be left off, to cry out deceivers, and herefy, &c. and 
 caufing any to fuffer on fufpicion thereupon ; but bring all 
 things to light, and true judgment; that what is proved 
 to be the Truth may be owned, and not persecuted any 
 more *, for we are willing to be made manifeft to all men ; 
 and if any thing be objected againft us, which may not be 
 fufEciently anfwered, and refolvcd to fober men, then our 
 enemies are more free, and have whereof to glory in againfl 
 us; but and if all occafion of (tumbling be removed by 
 anfwers, according to the Scriptures, and our prindplcs, 
 practices, and doctrines thereby vindicated, then let all the 
 teachers, and all our adverfaries, fhut their mouths from 
 biting at us, and railing againft us, and accufing of u» 
 to thee ; and let thy ear be (hut from believing lies againft 
 the innocent ; and let none fuffer in thy dominion under 
 the cruelty of men, upon fuch a ground. Hereof I fhall 
 be glad to receive an anfwer, and to join iffue in this caufc ; 
 and in the mean time, and always, am a lover of thy foul^ 
 but a witnefs againft all opprcflion, 
 
 ThU was delivered to hli handt at 
 Hampton Court, in the Fourth 
 Month, i6j8. 
 
 I never underftood that any thing of moment followed 
 upon this : but about two months after he writ another 
 letter to Cromwell, which wasdclivcred to him at Hampto« 
 Court, in the Cxth month. 
 
 To the Protector. 
 * Friend, 
 • Know that there is a God that doth whatfoever ht 
 will. All power is in his hand, and he bringcth to pafi 
 the council of his own heart, and he rules in the kingdoms 
 of men, and bringeth down and fetteth up : he killeth and 
 raaketh alive ^ and he changeth tinjies, and feafons, and 
 
 1658] PEOPLE CALLED QXTAKIRS. 315 
 
 governments, and bringeth to nought the counfcls of men ; 
 for all power in earth and in heaven is in him, and all his 
 doings are right, and his ways are equal ; and thou and 
 all mankind are as clay in the hand of the potter, he can 
 honour and exalt as he pleafeth, and he can mar, and 
 break to pieces, and diflionour whenfoever he will ; where- 
 fore be humble, and low in heart before him, for he is 
 the higheft power, that fubdueth all things under his feet. 
 If he wound, who can heal ? And if he kill, there is none 
 can make alive ; and know thou, it is the Lord God 
 Almighty that doth this, in whofe hands are the iffues of life 
 and death ; and he it is who can break thee down, and 
 build thee up ; who can wound thee, and reftore thee; and 
 bring thee to deftru^lion, and fay unto thee return ; and to 
 know him that doth this, belongs to thy eternal peace, &c. 
 
 ' Be thou faithful in what the Lord calleth thee to, and 
 thou (halt have thy reward ; and feek his honour, and he 
 will honour thee ; and let thy mind be to the Lord in all 
 things, and feel his word, and power, and prefence ia 
 thee, to quench all that which is contrary, and then thou 
 wilt be bleffed in this hfe, and in the Hfc to come; but 
 if thou continueft in thy opprcflion, the Lord will fuddenly 
 fmitc thee« 
 
 ^ By a friend unto thee in the Lord, 
 
 ' E. B.* 
 
 Thax the Lord, according to this prediftion, did fuddenly 
 fmite Cromwell, time verified ; for he lived but about a 
 month after the receipt of the faid letter. And that 
 E. Burrough tenderly loved him, appears to me from 
 feveral circumftances : and the ardent defire he had for 
 his eternal welfare, occafioned this plain language to him. 
 
 G. Fox alfo wrote to him, that it was not improbable, 
 that becaufe of his wickcdnefs, the Lord might once raife 
 the royalifts againft him, to be inftruments of executing 
 his wrath ; as once Cromwell himfelf had been an inftru- 
 ment to their overthrow. And a very (hort time before 
 his death, G. Fox went to Hampton Court, to fpeak with 
 him about the fufferings of his friends. With this intention, 
 be naet him riding into Hampton Court park, ^nd befor^ 
 
3i$ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TK^E 
 
 [.65S 
 
 Tic carae at him (according to his relation), he perceived 
 a waft of death go forth againft him ; and coming to him, 
 he looked like a dead man. So after G. Fox had laid the 
 fuffcrings of his friends before hin, and had warned him, 
 Oliver bid him come to his houfe ; whereupon G. Fox 
 ■went to Kingfton, and the next day came to Hampton Court 
 again ; but there he underftood that the proteftor was fick ; 
 and Dr. Harvey told him, that the doftors were not willmg 
 that he fliould fpeak with the proteftor. So he paffed 
 away and never faw Oliver Cromwell any more : who, 
 fince the death of his daughter, the lady Claypole, had 
 been diftempercd, and troubled with a malignant humour 
 in his foot ; which when his phyficians endeavoured to 
 difperfe, they drove upward (as was faid) to his heart ; 
 and being feized with a violent fever, he grew weaker and 
 "i^-eaker- yet his preachers endeavoured to conceal the 
 danger he was in : and it is reported that Dr. Goodwin, 
 one of his chaplains, in a prayer during the time of his 
 fickfiefs, made ufe of this expreffion, ' i.ord, we beg not 
 for his recovery, for that thou haft already granted, and 
 affured us of; but for his fpecdy recovery.^ Whilft the 
 protcftor was Tick, E. Burough writ the foUowmg letter 
 to bis wife and children, &c. 
 
 * Friends, -r , r 
 
 « Remember, that by the Lord you were raifcd from a 
 low ftate, and when he will he can abafe you, and bring 
 you down ; he gave you the palace of prmccs, and threw 
 out them before you. 
 
 ' O, remember this every one of yon, and come to tfte 
 witnefs of God in you, and be humble, and meek, and 
 lowly, and let the Lord's fear be in your hearts ; and be 
 • of a tender fpirit, having your minds excrcifed in purity, 
 in holinefs, and in righteoufnefs ; and exalt not yourfelves, 
 nor be lifted up in your hearts in the pride, and vam- 
 •glories, and honours of this world, left the Lord caft you 
 down, and make your name and pofterity a reproach, as 
 he hath done many before you ; and if you walk m the 
 fame fteps, and do the fame things, and become guilty of 
 •he fame abominations, and fuffcr the chUdrcn and fcrvants 
 
 .N 
 
 J658] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QJ?AKER«. 
 
 3^7 
 
 of the Lord to be perfccuted (as many are at this day, 
 feme until death) fhall the Lord fpare you ? Nay, he will 
 caufc you to feel his hand of judgment, and bring you 
 down with forrow, and he will vex you in his wrath, and 
 fmitc you with his rod more and more, till you learn his 
 fear, and depart from all your iniquities ; and the Lord 
 will d^eface your glory, and pull down your crown ; and 
 he will make you know, that he is Lord, that doth what- 
 foever he will. 
 
 « Wherefore humble yourfelves under the hand of God, 
 and fearch your own hearts, and caft out the abominations 
 that vex the Spirit of the Lord ; and fuffer not the people 
 of the Lord's precious flock to be devoured, and made a 
 prey to the wicked ; for bccaufe of this the rod of affliftioa 
 Cometh upon you, and may fuddenly break you to pieces : 
 but mind th5 feed of God in you, which is opprefled,. and 
 wait to know the power of the Lord, which will redeem 
 you out of fm and death, and reconcile you to God, and 
 bring you into fellow^fliip with himfelf, to enjoy peace and 
 reft for your fouls, that you may be made heirs of the in- 
 heritance of an endlefs life : and this would make you truly 
 honourable, and will be more fatisfaftion to you, and 
 joy, and content, and true rejoicing, than all worldly- 
 crowns and worldly glories : which will wafte and confumc 
 away, and leave you miferable. And remember that yoii 
 are now warned from the Lord God, by whom I am moved 
 to write this unto you, in dear and tender love to you all j 
 and one day you (hall witnefs it. 
 
 * And as concerning the Quakers, fo called, who arc 
 accounted as vile in the fight of men, and are caft out of 
 all power and place in the nation, being defpifed of all ; 
 and alfo arc reproached, persecuted, and imprifoned, and 
 all manner of evil and injuftice unrighteouily done and 
 fpoken againft them, by wicked and corrupt men in autho- 
 rity ; yet are they the children and fervants of the living 
 God, and greatly beloved of him, and are as dear to hin) 
 as the apple of his eye, and his power and prefence is with 
 them ; and the time is at hand that the Lord will make 
 their perfecutors fall, and their enemies bow and tremble, 
 though now they fuffer linjuftly, and are trodden down, 
 
3i8 
 
 THE HISTORT OF THE 
 
 [i5s8 
 
 as not dcferving a place on the earth ; yet it is for rightcouf* 
 Befs fake, and becaufc they (hew forth the image of the 
 Father, and not for evil doing : and will not their fufferings 
 lie upon you ? For many hundreds have fuffered cruel and 
 great things, and fomc the lofj? of life (though not by, yet 
 in the name of, the proteftor) ; and * about an hundred at 
 this prefent day lie in holes, and dungeons, and prifons, 
 up and down the nation ; and fome at this time are lick, 
 nigh unto death, whofe fufferings cry for vengeance, and 
 the Lord heareth the cry. Wherefore fave yourfelves, and 
 let the innocent be delivered, and the cruel bonds of op* 
 preflion broken, and the exercife of a pure confcience go 
 free, without perfecution; and then the Lord will tura 
 away his anger, and ceafc to fniite you with his rod, which 
 hath been upon you ? and he will give you peace, and 
 make you blefled, if you come to be led by hts Spirit into 
 all Truth. 
 
 ' And though thefe innocent lambs of Chrift fuifer thus 
 under this prefent power, yet are they not enemies to you, 
 but are friends to your perfons and families, and pity you^ 
 and love you, and defire well for you in the Lord ; that 
 you may repent and be healed, and even that your hearts 
 may be opened to receive refrcfhments to your fouls ; and 
 that you may be eftablifhed in righteoufnefs and truth 
 over all your enemies, and may not be confounded, nor 
 your pofterity brought into reproach, which is haftening 
 upon you : and though our love be defpifed, and wc ac- 
 counted hateful in your fight, and looked upon with 
 derifion, yet we bear all things in patience^ truly defiring 
 your returning and repentance, and not your dcftruftioni 
 hut if thefe deleful fuflPerings of the Lord's poor lambs be 
 continued by this prefent power, it will deftroy you, and 
 undo you, and break you, and confound you ; and the 
 Lord will not ceafe to fmite you with his rod of fliarp 
 rebukes ; and he will make you know his people's caufe 
 ihall not be unpunifhed. Oh, did you but know how 
 hundreds have aud do fuffer ! How the bodies of fome have 
 been tortured by ftocks and cruel whippings ! And how 
 fome lie fick in (linking holes and dungeons, on the ground, 
 or a little ilraw at belt -, ten, or often more, in a prifoa 
 
 1658] 
 
 ^EOPLS CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 3tf 
 
 together, and fometimes their own friends not fuffered to 
 .come to vifit them with neceffaries! Oh, did but your eyes 
 behold, or your hearts perceive the greatnefs of the cruelty, 
 which fome of the Lord's dear fervants, and your faithful 
 friends, undergo, it would make your hearts ach, and 
 your fpirits to tremble! And all this is done in the name, 
 ^nd under the authority of (protestor;) therefore how 
 Ihould the Lord but lay it to your charge, and afflift him 
 and his family ? He will make you know there is a God 
 that can do whatfoever he will, and that life and death 
 are in his hands, and all creatures are as clay in the hand 
 of the potter; and he rules in the kingdoms of men, and 
 putteth down one, and fetteth up another, according to 
 his pleafure : but if the love of God be withholden from 
 you, it is becaufe of difobedience to him, and your tranf- 
 greflion. Wherefore be obedient to him, and love hi« 
 ways and judgments, that he may make you more happy 
 with a crown immortal, that never fades awav. And re- 
 member once more the Lord hath warned you, by a friend 
 unto you in the Lord. 
 
 * £• Burrough.* 
 
 Written the J ft Day of September, i6j8. 
 
 Cromwell was fnatchcd away by death at unawares ; 
 however the day before his deceafe this letter was delivered 
 to his relations. It was not but in the lafl period of his 
 life that he named his fon Richard to be his fucceffor. 
 And when death looked in his face, remorfe did not flay 
 behind j for, according to what Ludlow relates, he feemed 
 above all concerned for the reproaches (he faid) men 
 would cad upon his name, in trampling on his afhes 
 when dead. In this temper of mind he departed this life 
 about two in the afternoon, on the 3d of September, at 
 the age of about fifty-five years. The news of his death 
 being brought to thofe who were met together to pray 
 for him, one Sterry Hood up, and faid, ^ This is good 
 neyvs; becaufe if he was of great ufe to the people of 
 God when he was amongft us, now he will be much more 
 fo, being afcended to heaven, there to intercede for u?/ 
 O horrid flattery! Thus I call it, if he had been the 
 
 
 r 
 
320 
 
 THE HISTORY OT THl 
 
 C1653 
 
 grcaieft faint on earth ; which he came much fhort of, 
 though he was once endued with fomc eminent virtues. 
 His dying-day was remarkable by a nioft grievous tempeft, 
 not only in England, but alfo in the Low countries, where 
 trees were torn out of the ground by the violence of 
 the wind, and many (hips foundered. ' He was,' faith 
 Edward Earl of Clarendon, ' one of thofe perfons whom^ 
 even his enemies could not vilify without praifing him. 
 And I have heard impartial men fay, that in the beginning 
 of his atchievements, he was indeed an excellent man ; 
 but being come to a high ftation, he foon loft that zeal for 
 the pubiick welfare, by- which at iirft he feemed to be 
 
 animated. , . „ r tj r 
 
 The body of the deceafed was laid m Someriet Houlc, 
 in an apartment enlightened only with wax tapers, the 
 corpfe being richly adorned. ", 
 
 After his death, Richard, elded fon to Oliver, wa« 
 proclaimed Protedor of the Commonwealth ; to whom 
 E. Burrough writ a letter, fuperfcribed>to Richard Crom- 
 well, chofen to be proteaor and chief magiftrate, &c. 
 wherein he gave him fome account of the moft cruel 
 fufferings of his friends ; and fpeaking of the rulers, hft 
 faith thus : 
 
 I 
 
 'As for magiftracy, it was ordained of God to be a 
 dread and terror, and limit to evil doers, and to be a 
 defence and praife to all that do well; to condemn the 
 guilty, and to juftify the guiltlefs ; but the exercife thereof 
 at this day in thefe nations is degenerated, and fome that 
 are in authority are greatly corrupted, and regard not 
 the iuft and pure law of God, to judge only thereby ; but 
 opprcfs the poor by injufticc, and fubvert the good laws 
 of God and men to a wrong end and ufe, abufing authority, 
 and turning the fword againft the juft, whereby true judg- 
 meht is turned backward, and the innocent made unjulHy 
 to fufter for righteoufnefs fake, through the corruption 
 of men in authority -, and didft thou but know what we 
 know in this particular, it would pierce thy heart : Why i 
 It is frequent among fome of the judges and magiitrates, 
 to commit a man to prifon, and impofe fome great tine 
 
 1658] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 321 
 
 
 Upon him^ arid to caft him into a dungeon, or Iiole^ amongr 
 thieves and murderers, for a long feafon ; for no other 
 offence, or breach of any law, but becaufe he cannot put 
 bff his hat to them, and refpeft their perfons, by the hat 
 or bowing the knee : and many others that fear God, 
 and for confcience fake cannot fwear upon a book, by 
 kiifmg it, and 'laying hands upon it, becaufe Chriil faith, 
 " Swear not at all •/' though they deny not to fpeak and 
 do the truth in all things, as in the prefence of God and 
 all men : and many others, that becaufe they are moved 
 to cry againft fin, and declare againft the iniquities of the 
 times, in teachers, rulers, and people, that highly aLound ; 
 perhaps in a market or fteeple-houfe, or highway, or other 
 places, as they are moved of God: and many others, 
 becjaufe for confcience faker they cannot pay tithes, nor 
 give money and wages to maintain a prieft, or falfe teacher, 
 that they receive no profit by ; or to maintain a fteeple- 
 houfe, where the world worlhips in vain traditions, and 
 not in the Spirit and power of God ; and many have been 
 taken out of peaceable meetings, where they were waiting 
 upon the Lord ; and fome out of their inns and friends* 
 houfes ; and many have been t^lken on the way, travelling 
 iibout their lawful occafions ; and (o.rie from their callings 
 und labours ; and for thefe caufes, through the envy of 
 wicked men, and without any juft conviction of the breach . 
 of any law, or any lawful trial or exarairiaticin, have huH- 
 dreds of juft men, being wholly innocent, been fent to 
 prifon, and lain many months, and fome frr years : or 
 whipped, or put iii the ftock^, arid grievoufly abufed by 
 cruel executioners of wicked mens* envy and injuftice ; 
 and upon fuch grounds only, and for fuch caufeS mentioned, 
 and without the tranfgrefTion of any juft law, have and 
 do at this day many hundreds of faithful fubjefts fuffer 
 hard and cruel things, long and fore imprifonment, and 
 truel and fliarp whipping, arid ftocking, arid unjuft banifli- 
 ment out' of towns arid cities; yea, friend j it is hard to 
 be exprefled, and large to be declared, how many of the 
 Lord's fervants do, and have fuffered great injuftice in 
 thefe nations, through the abuse of good government, and 
 Vol. h X 
 
32a 
 
 THE HISTORT OF THE 
 
 [1658 
 
 degeneration of magiftracy from its pcrfca ftateand place, 
 whereuuto it was ordained of God in the beginning, &c. 
 
 This remonftrance, how powerful and large focver had 
 not its due cffeft ; but perfecution continued, wuhout 
 being (lopped by him : for the churchmen fawned upon 
 him, calling him not only their Jolhua, but the preacher* 
 of Suffolk Yaid in ihcfr addrcfs to him, « Though our fun 
 is gone down, yet no night entiled.' So/ occuowt, mx 
 
 nulla fecuta efi. ' " n j ti,- 
 
 About this lime was given forth a paper, called, i lie 
 Church Faith ; and G. Fox having got a copy of it be.orc 
 it was publilhed, writ an anfwer to it ; and when the book 
 of the church faith appeared, his anfwer was alfo in print. 
 This fo incenfed fome of the parliament men, that one 
 of them told G. Fox, they muft have him to SniuhhelU. 
 To which he anfwered, that he was over their ffres. and 
 feared them not : and farther alked, whether all people 
 had been without a faith thefe fixteen hundred years, that 
 now the pricfts muft make them one ? And hncc Chrilt 
 Jefus was the autlior of the apbftles Taith, and ol the 
 church's faith in the primitive times, and of the martyr s 
 ' faith ; Ihould not ail people look unto him to be the 
 author and finilher of their faith, and not unto the prielts. 
 Nothing material was anfwered to this ; but the pridts 
 called G. Fox's friends, houfe-creepers, becaufe tacy met 
 together iu^ houfes, and would not maintain the prielts 
 temples- One major Wiggan, that was pKiV-nt when 
 G. Fox difcourfed with the parliament men, faid. t.anlt 
 ■ had taken away the guile of lin, but had left the powcir 
 of fin remaining in us. G. Fox told him that this was 
 (Irange dodlrine ; for Chrilt came to dcaroy the de^-il 
 and his works, and the power of fin, and fo to cleanie 
 
 men fron) fin. , , • -r ^, 
 
 Now there was great perfecution, both by imprilonment 
 and breaking? up of meetings ; and many died in prilons : 
 for the prielts fpeaking evil of the Quakers, it did kindle 
 the infolence of the rabble not a little, fo that ihcy did- 
 not flick to throw fquibs into the meetings, to cait rotten 
 
 1658] 
 
 i>EO?tS CALLED QUAKERIi 
 
 323 
 
 
 eggs on thofe that were met, to beat on drums and kettles, 
 and fo to make a hideous noifc, and to abufe people moft 
 grievoufly with blows and violent puflies. 
 
 One day there being a meeting appointed near London, 
 they beat and abufed about eighty perfons that came out 
 of the city to meet there, tearing their coats and cloaks 
 from off their backs, and throwing them into ditches and 
 ponds. The next Firft day of the week ^fter this, G. Fox, 
 though at that time very weak, went thither, and preaching 
 with the bible in liis hand, he ftiewcd the rude people 
 their, arid their teachers' fruits, and how difagreeable thefe 
 mad a<ftions were to the doftrine contained in the Holy- 
 Scriptures. Many of his imprifoned friends were now 
 brought up to London to be tried by the committee; 
 where fir Henry Vane, being chairman, would not fuffer 
 them to come in, except they would put off their hats. 
 But fince many of them had been imprifoned upon con- 
 tempts fas the not putting off hats before magiftrates was 
 called) others fignified that it muft not be expefted that now 
 they ftiould comply ; and fo through the mediation of fome 
 that perfuaded Vane, they were at length admitted ; where 
 they fo well defended their caufe{ that feveral were fet at 
 
 liberty. 
 
 Sufferings now growing very fharp, G. Fox, to encotirage 
 
 his friends, writ the following lines to them : 
 
 ' My dear friends, every where fcattered abroad, ia 
 prifon, or out of prifon, fear not, becaufe of .the reports 
 of fufferings ; let not the evil fpies of the good land 
 make you afraid, if they tell you the walls are high, and 
 that there be Anakims in the land ; for at the blowing of 
 the ram's horns did the walls of Jericho fall down ; and 
 they that brought the evil report, periftied in the wilder- 
 nefs. 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, Chrilt 
 ' Jefus, which^divides the waters afunder ; and makes them 
 to run all on heaps ; in that ftand, and ye (hall lee all 
 things work together for good, to them that love God ; 
 and in that triumph when fufferings come, whatever they 
 
3H 
 
 THE HtSTORY OF THB 
 
 [1658 
 
 be: your faith, your fcield, your helmet, your armour 
 you have on ; ye arc ready to fkip over a mountain, or a 
 wall, or an hill, and to walk through the deep waters, 
 though they be heaps upon heaps : for the evil fpies of 
 the good land may preach up bardnefs, but Caleb, which 
 fisnifies an heart, and Jofhua, a faviour, triumph over all. 
 
 There was at that time great difcord among thofe that 
 were at the helm of government; and G. Fox relates, 
 that he did then forefee the king's coming in again ; and 
 that therefore when fome forward fpirits, who frequented 
 the meetings of his friends, would have bought Somerfet 
 Houfe to keep meetings in, he diffuaded them from it. 
 There came alfo a woman to him, who having (as fhe faid) 
 bad a revelation concerning the reftoring of king Charles, 
 three years before he came in, faid, fhe muft go to him 
 to declare it : but G. Fox advifed her to keep this reve- 
 lation to hcrfelf, fince if flie went on fuch a meffage, it 
 would have been counted treafon. 
 
 How the corpfe of Oliver Cromwell was laid in Somer- 
 fet Houfe to be feen, hath been faid already ; but after- 
 wards an image of him lying there in flate, was accom- 
 panied with trumpeters, who founded over the faid image. 
 This vanity fo grieved G. Fox, tlaat he writ the following 
 lines to the authors thereof: 
 
 « Oh friends, what are ye doing t And what mean ye 
 to found before an image ! Will not all fober people think 
 ye are like mad people ? Oh, how am I grieved with your 
 abomination! Oh, how am I wearied ! « My foul is wearied_ 
 with you,' faith the Lord, ' will I not be avenged of 
 you, think ve, for your abominations ? Oh, how have yc 
 plucked down, and fet up! Oh, how are your hearts made 
 whole, and not rent ; and how are ye turned to fooleries . 
 Which things in times part ye flood over : therefore how 
 have ye left my dread,' faith the Lord. O, therefore 
 fear, and repent, left the fnare and the pit take you all. 
 The great day of the Lord is come upon all your abomi- 
 jaaiions, and the fwift hand of the Lord is turned againft 
 
 1658] 
 
 PEOPLI CALLED QUAKERI. 
 
 3*5 
 
 them all. The fober people in the nation ftand amazed 
 at you doings, 3nd are,alhamcd, as if you would bring 
 in popery. f Q. F.' 
 
 r- Sometime after this, the funeral of O. Cromwell wa$ 
 folemnized with very great pomp, not at all agreeable to 
 that condition he was once in ; for the time was when he 
 would have abhorred fuch an idolatrous honour as wa« 
 now paid to his image. On the day of this pompou* 
 funeral, which was the 23d of November it Ivappened 
 that Edward Burrough came riding from kinglton into 
 London, not knowing any thing of what was done there. 
 As he entered at Charing-crofs, he beheld a great multi- 
 tude of people thronging exceedingly, the Ureets being 
 filled as far as he could fee, and abundance gazing at the 
 Windows, and upon the balconies, and houfe tops. 1 here 
 were alfo guards of horfe and foot, that flopped his horte, 
 and it was told him, that he might not pafs that way. 
 Yet he did not know what was the matter ; but at Icngtti 
 he perceived that Cromwell's image, richly adorned, waa 
 to be carried that way towards Wcflminflei-. [i he con.- 
 fideration of this, was like an arrow which P'^-'ced his 
 breaft: and becaufe of this idolatry, he f'^lt/"<:l\fj.^« 
 kindled in him, that he was, as it were, filled with the 
 indignation of the Lord, whofe fury ran through him to 
 cry, Plagues, plagues, and vengeance aga.nfl the author| 
 of this abomination. Nay, fo ardent was his zeal, that .f 
 he had been moved to it, and it had been pofliblc to 
 ■ have done it, he could (not at all mmdmg his own hte; 
 have ridden through the guards and multitude, to have 
 founded the judgments of God againfl the ''i°l'^^^"' ,,^°f, 
 confidering that all this finful idolatry was about the fu.^ al 
 of Oliver Cromwell : ' Alas, for him,' fa.d Burrough with 
 himfelf, ^ who was once a great inftrument in the hand ot 
 , the Lord, to break down many idolatrous .mages ^.d 
 not the Lord once ftir up his heart againfl all fuch things ? 
 And did not once his children, officers, i^^^\"\f'\^'^ll 
 pull down all the images and croffes, and all ifJ}J^^ 
 popifli fluff, wherever they met with it ? What grievous 
 
/ 
 
 326 
 
 THE HISTORY OP T^Hfi , X^^h^ 
 
 and abominable work is this ? Have they now made a 
 coftly image of him ? And are fuch as were once his 
 foldiers now guarding it, and watching over it, and hisf 
 ' children and officers following ir, an4 multitudes of the 
 inhabitants .of London wondering and gazing after, an 
 image of him ? This is fad, and great pity : what a change 
 is this in To fhort a time ?' 
 
 This zealous teflimony E. Burrough caufcd to be printed, 
 whereby he raifed to J]imfelf a more lading monument, 
 than by the ercfting ofa ftatue'was made to his quondam 
 friend O. Cromwell. Now, fmce the perfecution of £• 
 Burrough's friends (notwithflanding that he had written 
 ' to Richard Cromwell) did not ccafe, and that all exhor- 
 tations and warnings were rejefted, E. Burrough in the 
 month December, writ the following lines to Richard an4 
 liis^council : • 
 
 « To the Proteftor, and his council. 
 * The Lord God will fhonly make you know that we 
 arc his people ; tliough we be accounted as fheep for the 
 flaughter, yet our king of righteoufnefs will break you to 
 pieces, if you harden your hearts, and repent not. And 
 though that love will not draw thee, neither the gentle 
 leadings of our God have any place in you, yet judgments 
 fliall awaken you^, and his heavy hand of indignation fliall 
 iie upon your cbnfciences, and you will be icattered an4 
 . dillraAed to pieces. 
 * ^ E. Burrough.' 
 
 How foon this prcdi£lion was fulfilled, we ui;ill fee in 
 the next year; for it was but a few months after the 
 iielivering of this, letter, when Richard laid dovyn the 
 
 government. . 
 
 In (he mean-while we will take again a view of the 
 perfecution in New- England. There was, as hath been 
 faid already, a fine fettled of five (hillings a week to be 
 ■ paid for not coming to church, as it was called. And thus 
 from time to time occafion was found to ufe cruelty againft 
 the inhabitants, though none oT thofe called Quakers came 
 i'roiu abroad. William Shattock, a Ihoe-maker at Boflon, 
 
 X658I 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED <^AKERS, 
 
 9^7 
 
 bein- on a Firft-day of the week, found in his houfe, in- 
 Sof corning to^hepublick worihip was haled to the 
 Soul of Trreaion ; wEere, at his firft entrance, he was 
 cruelly whipped, and then kept to work, wh 1ft his wife 
 ^nd int.:cen't^hildren were in want becauf^ of n.s abfen^^c 
 In the mean-time the deputy-governor, Richard »eumg 
 ham did not dick to fay to Williaih's w.fc, that fmce he 
 •iTpoor, and could nof pay five fi.iUings .week for not 
 coming to church, they would conimue h,m m pnfon. 
 Thus was verified that faying of Solomon, cruel are tnc 
 mercierof the wicked." Bellingham alfo endeavoured to 
 ncSethl woman, that what-her hufband had done, 
 wa trberdofher, and therefore advifed her to d.fown 
 Wm. Now thefe p'erfecutcrs began to haj ^bundance 
 
 of bufmefs ; and taking away o g°"^.^' ^"^^f "^^^^^^^ . 
 
 pings became almoft d^,ly work, .^ h ^^J^^f^ 
 Without regard ot age or lex , «iii 
 
 '"T:™"°i™=" n,m.a Sanh Gibbons. »d DoroAj 
 Waugl Wngcom..oBollon,and ""'"e ™ ' tS a few ' 
 
 that were the occafion thereof j he anfwcred, that he 
 
 mattered it not. . , v- ^„^ nfNew- 
 
 Not long after, Horcd Gardner, a" J"^,^^"""' f ^l^^^ 
 pon, in Rhode Ifland, came with her fucking babe^^d a 
 girl to carry it, to Weymouth : from ^vhence /or being a 
 Laker, (he was hurried to Bofton, f .7, ^0 Jjh^C 
 tfe girl were whipped with a »bt«-fold knotted w^^^^^^^ 
 After whiDDin<^, the woman kneeled down, ana pr^y^ 
 fheLTJ'R ive thofe^erfecutors ^J^f^o reached a 
 
 woman that ftoQd by, that flie f^'<i'J"^^7 "^^^^ 
 
 have done this, if it had not been by the Spi«t ot the l.ora. 
 
328 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [165S 
 
 But whei\ fliould I h.7ve done, if I would defcribc all the 
 whippings infliftcd on the Quakers, fo called, in there 
 parts ! For now a law was made, which furniflied continual 
 work to the perfecutors there. The contents thereof were, 
 that whofoever of the inhabitants fliould direftly or indi- 
 rectly can fe any of the Quakers to come into that jurifdic 
 tion, he fhould forfeit an hundred pounds to the coimtry, 
 and be committed to prifon, there to remain till the penalty 
 ibould be fatisficd. And whofoever (hould entertain them, 
 knowing them to be fo, fliould forfeit forty fhiilingsto the 
 country for every hour's entertaining or concealment : and 
 beconrmitted to prifon till the forfeiture (hould be fully 
 paid and fatisfied. And farther, that all and every of thofe 
 people that fliould anfe among them there, fliould be dealt 
 withal, and fuller the like puniftiment as the laws provided 
 for thofc that came in, viz. Thkt for the firft ofFence, if a 
 male, one of his ears ftiould be cut off, and be kept at 
 wort in the hoiife of corre^ion, till he fliould be fent 
 away on his own charge. For the fecond, the other ear, 
 and be kept in the houfe of correction, as aforefaid. If a 
 woman, then to be fcverely whipt, and kept as aforefaid, 
 ' as the male for the firft ; and for the fecond offence, to be 
 dealt withal as the firft. And for the third, he or flic 
 ihould have their tongues bored through with an hot iron, 
 and be kept in the houfe of correftion, clofe at' work, tilj 
 they be fcnt away on their own charoc. 
 
 In the latter part of the Fifth month, it came to pafs, 
 that William Brend and .William I.eddra, having been at 
 Salem, came to Newbury ; where, at the houfe of one 
 Robert Adams, they had a conference with the priefl, in 
 the prefence of captain Gerifli, who had promifed that 
 they fliould not fuffer; but after the conference was ended; 
 the captain would not let 'them go, but on promife pre- 
 fently to depart the town ; which being loth to comply 
 with, as they were on their way, they were fent for back, • 
 and captain Gerifli riding after them, commanded them to 
 return : which they refufing, he compelled them thereunto, 
 and fent them wuh a conllable to Salem; where, being 
 brought before the magiftrates, they were aflced whetlicr 
 they were Quakers ; to which they anfwered, that they 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QITAKERS. 
 
 329 
 
 1658] 
 
 were fuch that were in fcorn called fo. Next it was ob- 
 je£led to them, that they maintained dangerous errors. 
 They aflcing what thefe were, it was told them, that they 
 not only denied that Chrifl: at Jerufalem had fuffered 011 
 the crofs, but alfo that 'they denied the Holy Scriptures. 
 They boldly contradicted this, and faid they owned no 
 other Jefus but he that had fuffered death at Jerufalem, 
 and that they alfo owned the Scriptures. 
 
 Now, although nothing could be objefted againfl: this, 
 yet they were carried to the lioufe of corre^ion, as fuch 
 who, according to the law made at Bofl:on, might not 
 come into thofe parts. Some days after they were carried 
 to Bofl:on, where in the next month they were brought into 
 the houfe of correction, to work there. But they un- 
 willing to fubmit thereto, the gaoler, who fought his profit 
 fi-om the work of his nrifoners, would not give them 
 viftuals, though they oflered to pay for them. But he 
 told them, it was not their money, but their labour he 
 •defired. Thus he kept them five days without food, and 
 then with a three-corded whip gave them twenty blows. 
 An hour after he told them, they might go out, if they 
 would pay the marflial that was to lead them out of the 
 country. They judging it very unreafonablc to pay money 
 for being banifhed, refufed this, but yet faid, that if the 
 prifon-door was fet open, they would go away. 
 
 The next day the gaoler came to W* Brend, a man in 
 years, and put him in irons, neck and heels fo clofc to- 
 gether, that there wds no more room left between each, 
 tban for the lock that fafliened them. Thus he kept them 
 from five in the morning, till after nine at night, being the 
 fpacc of fixteen hours. The next morning he brought 
 him to the mill to work, but Brehd refufing, the gaoler 
 took a pitched rope about an inch thick, and gave hira 
 twenty blows over his back and arms, with as much force 
 as he could, fo that the rope untwiflied ; and then, going 
 away, he came again with another rope, that was thicker 
 and ftronger, and told Brend, that he would caufe him to 
 bow ro the law of the country, and make him work. 
 Brend judged this not only unreafonable in the higheft: 
 degree, fince he had committed no evil ; but he was alfo 
 altogether unable to workj for he wanted flirength for 
 
3?<^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OP THE 
 
 * 
 
 1:1658 
 
 want of food ; having been kept five days without eating, 
 and whipt alfo, and now thijs unmercifully bpten with a 
 rope. But this inhuman gaoler relented not, but began 
 to beat anew with his pitched rope on this bruifedbody, 
 and, foaming at his mouth like a madman, with violence 
 laid fourfcore and feventcen blows more on him, as other 
 prifoncrs that beheld it wnth compaffion, have told ; and 
 if his ftrength, and his rope had not failed him, he would 
 have laid 00 more ; he threatened alfo to give him the 
 next morning as many blows more. But a higher power, 
 whb lets limits even to the raging fca, and hath faid, 
 ** hitherto thou flialt com^, but no farther," alfo limited 
 this butcherly fellow : who was yet impudently Itout 
 enough to fay his morning prayer. To what a moft ter- 
 rible condition thefe blows brought the body of Brend, 
 (who becaufe of the great heat of the weather, had nothing 
 but a ferge caflbck upon his fhirt) may eafily be conceived ; 
 his back and arms were bruifed and black, and the blood 
 hanging as in bags under his arms ; and fo into one wa.-i 
 his fleih beaten, that the fign of a particular blow could 
 not be feen ; for all was become as a jelly. His body 
 being thus cruelly tortured, he lay down upon the boards, 
 fo extremely weakened, thut the natural parts decaying, 
 and ftrength quite failing, his body turned cold : there 
 feemed as it were a ftruggle between hfc and death ; his 
 fcnfcs were ftopped, and he had for fome time neither 
 feeing, feeling, nor hearing ; till at length a divine power 
 prevailing, life bfoke through death, and the breath of 
 the Lord was breathtd into his noftrils. « 
 
 Now, the noifc of this cruelty fpread among the people 
 in the town, and caufed fuch a cry, that the governor fcnt 
 his furgeoji to the prifon to fee what n:iight be done ; but 
 the furgeon found the body of Brend in fuch a deplorable 
 condition, that, as one without hopes, he iaid, his flefh 
 would rot from oft* his bones, ere the bruifed parts could 
 be brought to digcft. This fo exafperated the people, 
 that the magiftrates, to prevent a tumult, fet up a paper 
 on their meeting houfc door, and up and down the ftreets^ 
 as it were to flicw their diflike ot this abominable, and 
 moil barbarous cruelly ; and faid, the gaoler fliould be 
 
 
 16583 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 33» 
 
 dealt withal the next court. But this paper was foon 
 taken down again upon the inftigation of the high prieit, 
 lohn Norton, who, having from the beginning been a 
 fierce promoter of the perfecution, now did not Itick to 
 fay ' W. Brend endeavoured to beat our gofpel ordi- 
 nances black and blue, if he then be beaten black and blue, 
 it is but iuft upon hiip ; and I will appear in his behalt 
 that did fo.' It is therefore not much to be wondered at, 
 that thefe precife and bigoted magiftrates, who would be 
 looked upon to be eminent for piety, were fo cruel in pcr- 
 fecuting, fince their chief teacher thus wickedly encouraged 
 
 them to It. . t n . 
 
 In the mean-while it pleafcd God, even miraculoufly to , 
 heal W. Brend, ^ind'to keep him alive; but as if the 
 hearts of thefe perfecutors were more hardened tliereby, to 
 fliew themfclves obedient followers of their teacher, they 
 made ah order, that the gaoler, if the Quakers that were 
 in his cuftody refufed to work, Ihould whip them twice a 
 week, ihefirft time with ten laihes, the next ume with 
 fifteen, and fo at each time with three more, till they would 
 work. This was performed on four perfons, two of which 
 were William Leddra and John Rous, who may be men- 
 tioned hereafter. And lo keep the paffionate gaoler 
 within due bounds, forfooth, it was ordered that each time 
 he Ihould warn |wo conftables to fee the execution. But 
 how little moderation was truly meant, and that this was 
 more like a jeft, may appear in that the gaoler the firft 
 ' time laid fifteen lafhes a piece on the faid perfons, and lo 
 added five (tripes to the firft number of ten. 
 
 It happened about this time, that fome of the people 
 called Quakers that lived there, being had before the ma- 
 giftrates, it was demanded by one of them, how they 
 might know a Quaker ; to which Simon Broadftreet, one 
 of the magiftrates, anfwered, ' Thou art one, for commg 
 in with thy hat on.' Which made the other reply, it 
 was a horrible thing to make fuch cruel laws, to whip and 
 cut off ears, and bore through the tongue, for not putting 
 off the hat. Then one of the bench faid, that the Quakers 
 held forth blafphemies at their meetings. To which one 
 , of the others defircd him to make fuch a thing appear^ if 
 
33» 
 
 rut HISTORY OJ THE 
 
 [.658 
 
 I 
 
 H were fo, that they might be convinced : and farther, 
 that they fliould do well to fend foinc to their meetings, 
 xhat they might hear, and give account of what was done 
 and fpoken there ^ and not conclude of a thing ihey knew 
 not. * But,' faid major-general Dcnnifon, * if ye meet to- 
 gether, and fay any thing, we may conclude that yc fpeak 
 blafphemy.' A very ftrange fyllogifm indeed. No better 
 (to prove perfection lawful) was the argument of Charles 
 Chanfey, chief teacher ot the univerfity, wlio in a fcrnion 
 at Bofton, , argued thus: * fuppofe you (houJd catch fix 
 wolves in a trap, and yc cannot piiove that they killed 
 cither flieep or lambs; and now jc have them they will 
 neither bark nor bite'; yet they have the plain marks of 
 wolves, and therefore ye knock them down/ A bafe ex- 
 prelTion, thus to compare man to a bead ; for God faid in 
 plain terms to Noah, " Whofo fheddeth man's blood, by 
 nran fhall his blood be (hed." But thefe pcrfecutors 
 thought there was (trefs enough in it, to call the Qtiakers 
 wolves ; and to make one pafs for a Quaker, they counted 
 it a fu3icicnt proof, when they faw he did not put off his 
 hat to men : ' Knock him down, it is a wolF.' 
 
 And if the hat was not found fault with, fomething elfe 
 was thought on ; for at Salem twelve perfoiis w^re fined 
 forty poundb nineteen fliillings, for riot coming to' church ; 
 and of others much money was extorted, becaufe their 
 wives abfented themfelvcs from the publick worfliip. Wil- 
 liam Mavflon, oPUampton, was fined ten pounds for two 
 books found in his houfe, viz. John Lilburn's refurrc^ion, 
 and W. Dewfbury's Mighty Day of the Lord. Thus thefc 
 people did whatever they wmild, without any regard to 
 the laws in Old England : and when once fome prifoners 
 appealed to it, the governor, John Endicot, and his deputy 
 Bellingham cried, ^""No appeal to England ! No appeal to 
 England.' And they feemed to fear nothing for what they 
 did'^to the Quakers; according to what major-general 
 Dcnifon faid in open court : ' This year you will go and 
 complain to the parliament ; the next year they will fend 
 fome to fee how things go ; and in the third year the go- 
 vernment will be changed.' Now they not at all caring 
 for Old England, denied alfo the prifoners their rec^uell oC 
 
 653] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERi. 
 
 333 
 
 being tried according to the laws of that realm, by a jury- 
 And the rulers dealing thus arbitrarily, the gaoler of the 
 houfe of correftion did the like ; for when/ome of his 
 prifoners fliewed themfelves not unwilling to work, pro- 
 vided that their f^miilies fhould have fomething of the gain, 
 be would mot allow that, unlefs they paid him eight-pence 
 for eVery twelve-pence"" gain : and when they rcfuled this, 
 •the whipping-poft was his refuge. ^ 
 
 But to go on : in the foregoing year mention was made 
 of lohn Copeland and Chriftopher Holder : thefe coming 
 in the Sixth month to Dedham, lodged there one night ; 
 but the next day, were taken up by a conftable, and car- 
 ried toBollon, wl)ere being brought before the governor, 
 he faid in a rage, ' Ye Ihall be fure to have your ears cut 
 off.' Not long after, John Rous came again to Bofton, 
 but was flionly after taken, and committed to prif©n. 
 On the lyih of September, he, with Holder and Cope;- 
 land, were brought before the magiftrates in the court, 
 where the deputy- governor told them, that they, in con- 
 tempt of the magillrates and miniiters being come there 
 a^ain to feduce the people, might know that whatever be- 
 fel them, whether the lofs of their ears, or of their lives, 
 their blood would be upon their own heads. They deny- 
 ing this, and faying, that the Lord had fent them thither, 
 the governor, Endicot faid, ' You are greater enemies to 
 us than thofe that come openly ; fince under pretence of 
 peace, you come to poifon the people.' Being alked for 
 proof that the Lord had fent them, they replied, that it 
 was fome kind of proof the Lord had fent them, becaufe 
 they met with fuch entertainment as Chrift had told his 
 difciples, would be meeted to them, for his name fake, 
 viz. whipping. &c. To this major-general Demfon faid, 
 * Then when malefaaors are whipt, they fuffcr for Chrilt s 
 fake ' Then John Rous, whofe father was a lieutenant* 
 colonel in Barbadoes, faid, ' If we were evil doers,jhc 
 ludgments of God would be heavier upon us than which 
 we luffer by you.' To which major Denifgn replied, * Mr. 
 Rous, (for fo I may call you, having heard your father is 
 a gentleman,) what judgment of God do you look for 
 grater than is upon you, to be driven from your fathers 
 
334 tHB HISTORY OF TH» [1658 
 
 houfc, and to run abcut here as a vagabond, with a com-, 
 pany of deceivers, except you look for a halter?' To this 
 Rous faid, ^I was not driven from my father^s houfe, but 
 in obedience to the Lord I left it ; and when the Lord 
 ihall have cleared me of this land, I fhall return to it 
 again.* Then Endicot called to the fecretary to read the 
 law, who thereupon read this claufe in it, that if any thiit 
 had fuffered the law, ihould prefurae to return again, they 
 Ihould have one of their ears cut off. Some more words 
 were fpoken, and among the reft, Endicot faid, < The 
 Quakers have nothing to prove their commiffion by, but 
 the fpirit within them, and that is the devil.' And when 
 one of the prifoner^ faid, ' We have feen fome of your. 
 laws, that have many fcriptures in the margent ; but what 
 example have you in Scripture for cutting oiF ears ?' Endi- 
 cot aiked, ^' What Scrrpture is there for hanging?* To 
 which Denifon faid fcoffing, ' Yes, they would be.crucified.' 
 Then Endicot called the three prifoners by name, and faid 
 in great paffion, ' It is the fentence of the court, that you 
 three have each of you his right car cut off by the hang- 
 man.' Then they were carried to the prifon, and on the 
 i6rh of September, the MarfhaPs deputy came thithfer, 
 lettiog as many come in as he thought meet ; and when 
 the doors were made faft, the faid marfhal read the follow- 
 ing order : 
 
 * To the marfhal-general, or his deputy : yon are to 
 take with you the executioner, ^d repair to the houfc of 
 correftion, and there fee him cut off the right ears of 
 John Copeland, Chriftopher Holder, and John Rous, 
 Quakers ; in execution of the fentence of the court of 
 afllflants, for the breach of the law, intituled Quakers. 
 
 * Edward Rawfon, Secretary^* 
 
 Then the prifoners were brought into another room, - 
 where John Rous faid to themarftial, * We have appealed 
 to the chief magiftrate of England.' To which he an- 
 fwered, he had nothing to do with that. Holder faid, 
 • Such execution as this Ihould be done publicly, and not. 
 
 1658] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 335 
 
 in private ; for this was contrary to the law of England.' 
 But captain Oliver replied, * We do it in private to keep 
 you from tattling.' Then the executioner took Holder, 
 and when he had turned afide his hair, and was going to 
 cut off his ear, the marflial turned his back on him, which 
 made Rous fay, ' Turn about and fee it ;' for fo was his 
 order. The marftial then, though filled with fear, turned, 
 and faid, ' Yes, yes, Jet us look on it.* Rous, who wa« 
 more undaunted than his perfccutor, fuffered ths like, as 
 well as the third, and they faid, « thofe that do it igno- 
 . rantly, we defii e from our hearts the Lord to forgive them ; 
 but for them that do it maliciouily, let our blood be upon 
 their heads ; and fuch ihall know in the day of account, 
 that every drop of our blood Ihall be as heavy upon them 
 as a millftone.' Afterwards thefe perfons were whipt 
 again; but this praftice becoming fo common iu New 
 England as if it was but play, I will not detain my reader 
 with it. 
 
 Perfecution being now come to the cutting off of ears, 
 . did not ftop there, but went higher, and refted not, before 
 it came to the taking away of lives. But to compafs that 
 proved very difficult ; for there were n^any honeft people 
 who abhorred fuch a cruelty. Yet John Norton, and 
 the other priefts, petiyoned the magiftrates, to caufe the 
 court to make fome law to banifh the Quakers, upon pain 
 of death. This gave encouragement to the magiftrates, 
 for fmce the churchmen puihed on fo wicked a bufinefs, 
 no fcruple was made to go on with this bloody work : 
 and the court of magiftrates voted it -to be put in execution 
 by a country court, which three magiftrates made up, the 
 majority of which might hang at pleafure, without trial 
 by a jury ; a thing not heard of in Old England : but it 
 ferved the purpofe of Norton,, and his fellow preachers. 
 The court where this law was made, confifted of twenty- 
 five perfons ; and when it was put to the vote, it was . 
 carried in the affirmative^ the fpeaker and eleven being on 
 the negative, but thirteen on the affirmative, fo that one 
 vote carried it. This fo troubled on Wozel, when he 
 heard it, having through illnefs been abfint, that he got to 
 the court, and weeping for grief, that his abfence fliould 
 
 / 
 
335 
 
 THB HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C1658 
 
 occafion fuch a law to pafs, faid, if he had hot been able: 
 to go, he would have crept upon his knees, rather than it 
 (houid have pafled. But what he faid proved in vain ; 
 they had now pafled the Rubicon^ and what was eagerly 
 defired, was obtained. Yet there was a great difference 
 ' in the court, and the twelve that had voted in the nega- 
 ^ live, rcfolved to enter their diflfents to that law ; which the 
 others feeing, and that fo many difficulties would weaken 
 their law, they admitted this addition, to be tried by a 
 fpecial jury ; though a (landing law of the country con- 
 lained, that none be fentenced to death and banilhmcnr, 
 but by a fpecial jury, and a court of afliflants ; and fuch 
 2L court couiilled of feven magiftrates at the leaft. But it 
 was now refolved, to profecnte the Qiiakers to death ; and 
 all this trial, when it came to it, was, but whether they 
 were Quakers ? Which they judged by their coming in 
 covered; and that they had been baniflied out of the 
 country. Now to enter upon this bloody bufmefs, the 
 following a6l was made at a general court, held at Bofton.v 
 the 2Qth of Oftober, in this year 1658. 
 
 An Aft made at a general court, held at Boflon, the 20th 
 
 of Oaober, 165 8, 
 
 * Whereas there is a pernicious fed (commonly called 
 Quakers; lately rifen, who by word and writing have pub- 
 Imied and maintained many dangerouN and horrid tenets, 
 and do take upon them to change and alter the received 
 laudable cuftoms of our nation, in giving civil refpeft to 
 equals, or reverence 10 fuperiors, whofe anions tend to un- 
 dermine the civil government, and alfo todeflroy the order 
 of the churches, by denying all eflablilhed forms of wor- 
 Ihip, and by withdrawing from orderly church-fellowfhip, 
 allowed and a^jproved by all orthodox profeffors of the 
 Truth, and inftead thereof, and in oppofition thereunto, 
 frequently meeting themfelves, infinuating themfelves into 
 the minds of the fimple, or fuch as are leail affefted ta 
 the order and government of church and commonwealth, 
 whereby divers of our inhabitants have been infefted, not- 
 uithftanding all former laws, made upon the cxparieiicc of 
 
 \ 
 
 1658] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 337 
 
 their arrogant and bold obtrufions, to difrcminate their 
 principles among us, prohibiting their coming in thts jurif- 
 dicftion, they have not been deterred from their impetuous 
 attempts to undermine our peace, and hazard our ruin. 
 
 * For prevention thereof, this court doth order and 
 cnaft, that every perfon, orperfons, of the curfed'feft of 
 the Quakers, who is not an inhabitant of, but is found 
 within, this jurifdidtion, fliall be apprehended, without war- 
 rant, where no magiftrate is at hand, by any conftable, 
 commiflioner, or felc<rt man, and conveyed from conftable 
 to conftable, to the next magiftrate, who ftiall commit the 
 faid perfon to clofe prifon, there to remain (without bail) 
 unto the next court of affiftants, where they fliall have a 
 legal trial : and being cohvi6led to be of the fc6t of the 
 Quakers, fliall be fentenced to be baniflied upon pain of 
 death : and that every inhabitant of this jurifdi(ftion, being 
 convifted to be of the aforefaid feft, either by taking up, 
 publifliing, or defending the horrid opinions of the Quakers, 
 or the ftirring up mutiny, fedition, or rebellion againft the 
 government, or by taking up their abfurd and dtftiuftive 
 praftices, viz. denying civil refpeft to equals and fuperiors, 
 and withdrawing from our church aflemblies, and inftead 
 thereof frequent meetings of their own, in oppofition to 
 our church order ; or by adhering to, or approving of ^ ^^ 
 any known Quaker, and the tenets and praffice^ of the r^??^^ 
 Quakers, that are oppofite to the orthodox received opi- 
 nions of the godly, and endeavouring to difaffeft others to 
 civil government, and church orders, or condemning the /^ 
 praftice and proceedings of this court againft the QuakerSjW 
 manifefting thereby their complying with thofe, whofe de- 
 fign is to overthrow the order eftabliftied in church and 
 ftate, every fuch perfon, upon conviftion before the faid 
 court of afliftants, in manner as aforefaid, fliall be com- 
 mitted to clofe prifon for one month, and then, unlefs they 
 choofe voluntarily to depart this jurifdiaion, fliall give 
 bond for their good behaviour, and appear at the next 
 court, where continuing obftinate, and refufing to retraft 
 and reform the aforefaid opinions, they fliall be fentenced 
 to baniftiment upon pain of death ; and any one magiftrate, 
 upon informsttK^n given him of any fuch perfon, fliall caufe 
 
 Vot-. I. Y 
 
33* 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1658 
 
 him to be apprehended, and (hall commit any fuch perfon 
 to prifon, according to his difcretion, until he come to 
 trial, as aforefaid.* 
 
 Here endeth this fanguinary afl, being more like to the 
 decrees of the Spanifh Inquifition, than to the laws ot a 
 reformed Chriflian magiftracy, confiiling of fuch, who 
 themfelves to fhun perfecution (which ^yas but a Imall 
 fine for not frequenting the publick worlhip) had le t Old 
 England. This act was anfwercd by Francis HowgiU, arid 
 the faid anfwer publiQied in print, wherein was plainly 
 ihewn, that it fpoke the language of the ancient perfecuting 
 Jews and heathen. In the fequel we lliall fee the bloody 
 execution of it upon fome perfons. 
 
 jk> 
 
 \ 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF TH8 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 Q^U A K E R S. 
 
 THE FIFTH BOOK. 
 
 IN the forepart of the year I659 there was great dif- 
 cord, and feveral fa^lions among the people in England; 
 for fome adhered to the proteftor Richard, and others to 
 the chief members of the long parliament ; and the royalifts 
 made alfo a parry. G. Fox being under a concern left 
 fome young or raw people, who fometimes came amongft 
 his friends, might be drawn into fome of thofe feveral inte- 
 refts, writ an epiftle, warning fuch to be careful, and not 
 at all to meddle with any plotting ; but to confider that 
 their warfare was a fpiritual one, and not at all wanting 
 the ufe of carnal weapons. 
 
 About this time William Caton came again into Holland, 
 and finding at Amfterdam fome malicious people who en- 
 deavoured to bring his fellow-believers there into trouble, 
 and to ftir up the mob againft them, that fo the magiftrates 
 might take occafion to look upon the Quakers as rioters, 
 advifed thofe of that perfuafion to be circumfpe^, and to 
 avoid as much as poflibly they could the impending ftorm. 
 In order thereto it was thought meet that their religious 
 meetings, which on the week-days were kept pretty late at 
 night, on the firft days of the week (hould not always be 
 kept in one place, but fometimes in this, and at other times 
 
 y 2 
 
340 
 
 THE HISTORY OK THE 
 
 tl6S9 
 
 in anothpr houfe. Sometimes a meeiiiig was kept in an 
 alley, at the town wall near the Regulars gate, where feve- 
 ral Encrlifli people dwelt, from whence it was called the 
 Enelifh Alley, and has that name ftilll hither came very 
 rude company, committing great Infolencc. The time before 
 that W. Caton was in Holland, he met with an extraordi- 
 narv rude encounter at the faid place, inlomuch that he 
 feemed in danger of his life ; for fome wicked people, not 
 daring to do their utmcft in the houfe where he was, 
 puQied him out of doors ; but then a woman pu led him 
 into her houfe, where he was fafc, though at hril he knew 
 not whether he was among friends or foes. I yet well re- 
 member this faft, being at that time with my parents in 
 the faid diftuibed meeting. Nov Caton bemg a difcreet 
 and judicious perfon, and perceiving that fome ot his 
 friends there had more of a rafli zeal than true wifdom, 
 advifed the mod moderate of them often to change meetmg- 
 places. In the beginning a meeting was kept now and 
 theninSt. John's-ftreet,'fo called; and afterwards on Eland s 
 GrafF,inanalley,at the houfe of oneRichard Langham; and 
 alfo on the Angelier's Graff, in the houfe ot mj fother ; 
 and fome time after in the Englia^ alley aboyefaid ; and 
 alfo without the town, near the river Amftcl, in Kuypers 
 Padt, or Cooper's Lane; from whence the meeting was 
 • removed in the forepart of this year (if my memory doth 
 not deceive me) into the Verwers Padt, or Dyer's Lane ; 
 which was then without the- city freedom, and the meeting- 
 place was in a large garret of a tanner's houfe, where 
 oftentimes came abundance of people, and among thefe not 
 a few of the rude rabble. Here the meeting was continued 
 till the year 1663, when that place came into the pofieliion 
 
 of another owner. 
 
 W. Caton, after fome ftay in Holland, returned again to 
 Enc'land. I think it was in this year that William Ames 
 went into Germany, where being come into the Palatinate, 
 • he went to Heidelburgh, and came to the court ot the 
 prince Eleftor, Charles Lodowick, who treated him kindly, 
 even at his own table, and feemed not to take offence at 
 Ames's hat, which he kept on, though the lords and others 
 that were ia the company, flood bareheaded. Ihc baroa 
 
 1659I 
 
 r 
 
 rEOPLE CALLED QtlAKERS. 
 
 34* 
 
 of Helmont, who alfo was at that court, was wont to tell 
 afterwards, that Ames walking once with his hat on next 
 to the prince in his garden, the courtiers alkcd the prince, 
 whether they Ihould queftion Ames for this incivility : but 
 the prince faid, ' No, for I did expea that.' At another 
 time the prince made his chaplain and Ames both dmc 
 with him, on purpofe, as it feems, that Ames, whom he 
 knew to be a bold man, might find occafion to reprove his 
 chaplain ; for at meat he fuffered his jefter to come, who 
 playin<^ his tricks, the chaplain was filent : but Ames, who 
 loved gravity, and was avcrfe to jefting, took occafion 
 from thVnce to reprove fiich vain actions ; but chiefly he 
 aimed at the chaplain, whom, becaufe of his filence at ■ 
 the lewd behaviour of the jefter, he called a dumb dog ; 
 which feemed to pleafe the prince. - 
 
 Now whilft William Ames was in the Palatinate, he got 
 acquaintance with the Baptifts at Crielheim, a town not 
 far from Worms ; and among thofe people he found inch 
 entrance, that fome families receiving the doarine he 
 preached, bore a publick teftimony for it there, and fo 
 continued till the fcttlement of Pennfylvania in America, 
 when they unanimoufly went thither, not as it feemed 
 witl'out a fingutar direaion of Providence ; for not long 
 after a war enfued in Germany, where the Palatinate was 
 alto^Tcther laid wafte by the French, and thoufands of 
 people were bereft of their poffeffions, and reduced to 
 
 ^"jBut to return to Ames, when fome in the Palatinate 
 be<Tan to give an ear to his preaching, a fine was fettled 
 upon thofe that gave him entertainment : but the prince 1 
 Eleaor being informed hereof, took off that fine ; and 
 though thofe of the confiftory did fend for^ Ames, the 
 prince generoufly ordered them not to medole with him. 
 The prince's fifter alfo behaved herfelf very kindly toward^" 
 him, and received his exhortations fevourably. _ 
 
 A year after Ames came again into the Palatinate, with 
 John Higgins, and vifiting the prince Eleaor, he under- 
 ffood from the captain of the prince's guard, tliat the , 
 prince was giad of Ames's return thither. A while after 
 Hi^«'ins delivered to the prince Eleaor a book of G. Fox, 
 
 Y 3 
 
342 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 1659] 
 
 People called qijakeus. 
 
 343 
 
 wiih a letter of Ames to the faid prince, who was fo 
 well pleafcd with it, that he bade Higgings to thank Ames 
 on h-^ behalf, faying alfo that he took the coming of Ames 
 and Higgins to him and his family very kmdly, aflU really 
 believed that what they fpoke was in love to thc.r fouls. 
 
 Several years after this, fome others of Ames s friends 
 from England, vifited the aforefaid prince Elcftor, and he 
 always (to his praife be it faid) received them kindly. 
 W. Ames, who was at fundry times in Germany, came 
 not only to Hamburgh, but travelled alfo through Bohemia 
 rSzick, and frtm thence to Poland. At Hamburgh 
 and Dantzick he met with fome that received the! ruth 
 he preached ; but in Poland people were too rude and 
 haughty, to get entrance among them. 
 
 In the forepart of this year, W. Ames being at Rotter- 
 dam in Holland, was confined there in Beolam ; which 
 having made a great noife, I. will give a ^nef relation of . 
 here At Moordrecht, a village near Gouda, ived at 
 that 'time one Martin Maninfon, a cooper by trade ; this 
 Z. approving the doftrine preached by Ames at Rotter- 
 dam Ini elfewhere, began to affert it as truth ; and 
 feeTng now and then he with fome of his fober neighbours 
 keit a meeting at his houfe, this caufed a great ftir m the 
 to^4, infomuch that fometimes he fuffered mde treatment 
 from the people. Ames coming once there, and keeping 
 a meeung in Martin's houfe, great infole.ice was com- 
 miued by the wicked rabble. And going from thence to 
 paf over the water to Gouwerek, he was followed by a 
 HtiLe of riotous people, both young and old vvith a 
 hideous cry of ' Quake, Quake, Quake ! And was 
 Sted with ftone and clods, till he came to the boat that 
 carried him over. The preacher of Gouwerek hearing 
 he noifercame to the/oat, and aflced what the n^auer 
 was why people made fuch a fad noife ? To which Ames 
 LfweTed « It feems the people are not taught better. 
 1^ whVch the preacher returned, ' They are not ufed to 
 HkM ado againft honeft people ; but I believe you 
 be a deceiving'wolf, that --es among thejheep o 
 feduce them, and therefore they cry fo. * Prove this, 
 repSlid Ames. ' I do not know you,' faid the preacher. 
 
 * Learn then,' returned Ames, ' better manners, than to 
 call one thou knoweft not, a wolf and deceiver. And lo 
 going his way, fhortly after he wrote from Rotterdam 
 to Martin, and bade him go to the preacher, and defire 
 him to appoint a time to prove that Ames was a deceiving 
 wolf. But to this the preacher (hewed h.mfelf backward 
 yet to be rid of Martin, he faid at length, ' Come, I will 
 move it prefently.' But Martin replied, ' I am not come 
 for that ; but this muft be done to Ames ; and infifting 
 thereon, ' Well,' faid the preacher, ' let h,m come next 
 Sunday before noon, after fermon ; then I will prove it 
 pubiickly before all people.' 
 
 • Of this Martin fent word to Ames -, but things were 
 managed fo, that this projeft of proof was quafhed : for 
 the preacher of Gouwerek went to his colleague at 
 Moordrecht, and confulted with him what to do m the cale j 
 and Ames being come to Moordrecht on the ift day ot 
 the month called March, and the laft of the week, though 
 it was late at night, was feen and known by fome; who 
 committed much violence upon the houfe of Martm, where 
 Ames was entered. The next day it was reported that fome 
 
 of the (heriffs men of Gbuda were come to Gouwerek to ^ 
 aoprehcnd Ames when he came there ; and at Moor- 
 drecht the dikegrave's men came to the fame purpofe ; 
 and fo they took Am3S prifoner, and earned hira to 
 Rotterdam, where he was locked up in Bedlam, as a 
 madman. iAnd a week after Martin, for having kept 
 meetings at his houfe, where not above eight perfons were 
 Tome together, was alfo by the dikegrave's men taken 
 prifoner in his houfe, and carried to Rotterdam where 
 he was locked up with Ames. Who were the inftigators 
 of this bufincfsis plain enough, though I do not mention 
 
 ^ Tfter Ames had been not much above three weeks in 
 Bedlam, the deputy-governor of the houfe on the 27th 
 of the month, about night, came to h.m- and Martin, and 
 faid ' If I was in your place, I would go out. Which 
 made Ames afk, whether he would fuffcr them to do fo ? 
 To which he anfwered, that he Ihould not hinder them. 
 Then Ames returned, ' I will not be reputed as one thw 
 
 Y 4 
 
344 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [j659 
 
 broke prifon/ To which the deputy rephed, « Nay, 
 why ftiould you be reputed fo ? You may go out freely ; 
 ali Is ualocked, and the door will (land open for yoi: : 
 fo- the governors are not minded that you fliould (lay 
 here.' l^hen Ames faid, ' Well, I intend to' go out to- 
 morraw/ The next day Martin's wife came to fee her 
 hufband ; but the deputy told her, that he had an order 
 in writing from the dikegrave, that rather than to let 
 Ma-tin's wife come to him, he might let him and Ames 
 po out together. The iffue was, that they were both let 
 ' out that morning, it being the aSth of the month. But 
 they (laid at Rotterdam, intending not to depart the town 
 before they had given notice to the dikegrave of their 
 bemcT let out ; left occafion might be given for faymg that 
 they'^had broken prifon. And it was not without reafon 
 they weie fo cautious: for the next day in the morning 
 the deputy came to them, and faid, ' I defire that you will 
 not bring mc into trouble, for I am an ancient man ; and 
 the dikegrave hath been with me, and aiked for you : to 
 which I anfwered, that you were gone out ; but he took 
 this very ill. I defire therefore that you would iiiy that 
 YOU were gone out without my knowledge.' But this waj 
 not to be expeaed from Ames, whom I knew fo well,^that 
 1 truly believe he would rather have died, than to have 
 fpoken a lie : for in fuch a cafe he was without queftion 
 " of the fame mind as formerly Chriftian Languedul, uncle 
 of my grandmother by the mother's fide, who, when at 
 Antwerp, he, with others, martyrs, was led to the itake 
 to be burnt, cried out undauntedly, ' If we would once 
 but have told a lie, we might have efcaped this.' But to 
 return to Ames, he told the deputy, that he hnnfelf in- 
 tended to go and fpeak with the dikegrave ; and it he 
 was difpleafed at their going out, he might put them m 
 again where they had been ; for they would not have the 
 name of prifon breakers. j u u- 
 
 Then they both went to the dikegrave, and told him 
 after what manner they were come out ; faying alfo that 
 they would not have it faid, that they broke out. ; Ihat 
 name,' faid the dikegrave, ' you would have had, if you 
 had departed the town s for the deputy hath told me that 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 34S' 
 
 you got out by breaking a window.' After fome other 
 words were exchanged, he further faid, * I have nothing 
 to objecl: againft your hfe and converfv.tion, having heard 
 nothing concerning you but a good report ; neither do I 
 feek to perfecute you. But would you be willing to re- 
 turn to Bedlam ?' Ames anfwered, ' Here we ftand before 
 thee ; thou mayeft do with us according to thy pleafnre. 
 And if thou defireft us to return thither, we will do fo.' 
 The dikegrave fignifying that this was his defire, faid that 
 they might go and walk in the gallery then, til! Jinother 
 order came. And fo he caufed his melfcnger to go along 
 with them. Being come thither, they not long retained 
 the liberty to walk in the gallery, but on the 31ft of the 
 month, they were locked up again, each in a hole by 
 himfelf. Now Ames acquainted the deputy that he heard 
 from the dikegrave, that he had been informed by him, 
 that they were got out by breaking a window. But the 
 deputy denied to have faid fo. They were detained there 
 yet fome time, and were pretty much vifircd, and this 
 often by fuch as fought nothing but to fcoif at them ; and 
 among thefe a certain clergyman did not ftick to fay to 
 Amest that he was a deceiver, becaufe he wore pewter 
 buttons, to make people believe they were filver ones. 
 Whilft Ames was confined here, he wrote fome papers 
 which afterwards he publilhed, and among thefe a reply 
 to an anfwer of one Jacob Koelman, to eighty-three 
 queries given forth by the faid Ames ; who now being 
 fet at liberty, travelled to Germany, as hath been faid 
 before, and from thence going back to his native country, 
 after fome time returned again into Holland, as did alfo 
 
 William Caton. 
 
 But now I turn again to England, where an account 
 was publilhed in print of the fufferings of the people called 
 Quakers, which being offered to the parliament, was 
 delivered to the fpeaker, Thomas Bampfield. This con- 
 tained a relation 'of above one hundred and forty perfons, 
 all diftinguifhed by their names, who for keeping, of 
 meetings, refufing to fwear, not putting off their hats, not 
 . paying of tithes, and their travelling up and down the 
 country^ had been taken up and imprifoned, and many 
 
346 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 alfo been deprived of their goods, and one and twenty 
 of thefe died either by ficknefs in prifon, or by violenc 
 abufes ; amon^ whom was Richard Sale, near Weit 
 Chefter, who being conftable, had a minifter of the people 
 called Quakers brought to him, with a pafs as a vagaboad, 
 whofe converfaiion fo convinced the conftable, that he 
 aqve him his pafs and liberty. And becaufe the faid Sale 
 fudged both pricfts and people to be exceedmgly darkened, 
 be entered upon an extraordinary aa, to fliew them by a 
 fign that they wanted to be enlightened, viz. he came in 
 the day time with a lantern and burning candle into the 
 fteeple-houle, during the fermon. But this was refcnted 
 to fuch a hi-h degree, that by order of the mayor he was 
 put into priU, and thruft into a bole called Little Eafe, 
 which was fo ftrait, tliac it could not well receive his 
 tody • but he was thruft in with fuch violence, that his 
 body \vas bruifcd, and he fpit blood, and (hortly after 
 grew fick; and his body fwellmg, occafioned by the 
 fqucezing it into the hole, he died in great pain. In the 
 beforementioned account it was alfo faid that in the lait 
 fix years, about two thoufand perfons, for being Q^'^^^^rS' 
 had fuITcred in their body and goods. 1 o this was added 
 a paper finned by more than one hundred and fixty perlons 
 (' fevcral of whom 1 knew), whereby they offered to the par- 
 liament to put themfelves in the ftead of their brethren, 
 who were confined cither in prifons, or houfes of cor- 
 rec^ion, or in dungeons fome being fettered ana others 
 lying fick only on a little ftraw ; wherefore they declared 
 themfelves ready to change places with them, out^ of true 
 love, that fo they might go out, and not die by haralhip, 
 as many had done already ; to prevent which, they were 
 wiHin- to take upon themfelves the fuffenngs of iheir 
 brethren, and lav down their lives for them. Under their 
 names they added, ' If we had been of Efau s race, we 
 {hould have fainted before this time ; and if we had been 
 of Cain's progeny, we (hould have fought with his weapons ; 
 but this never was, neither is it the way of the righteous 
 and chofen, of which we are from the foundation of the 
 world ' It was in the month called April that this paper 
 was delivered to the parliament, but 1 do not find that 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 347 
 
 this offer was accepted, or any thing done for releafing 
 the imprifoned. 
 
 About this time alfo Edward Burrough publifhed a paper^ 
 containing a very remarkable prcdi^^ion of what followed 
 the next year ; when king Charles th? Second was placed 
 on the throne. In it he faith, that as he was travelling in 
 Warwickfhire, in the ift month, his meditations being 
 upon the Lord, and confidering what unjufl: and woful 
 fufferings had been infliaed upon the Lord's people within 
 thefe few years, a cry went through him, 'The Lord 
 will be avenged, the Lord will be avenged upon his enemies, 
 and he will avenge the caufe of his people/ This cry 
 ftuck clofe upon him, and his heart was even broken 
 therewith, and his fpirit melted before the Lord, it being 
 as it were faid to hiin, ' Write unto the rulers, and yet 
 once more warn them of that recompenfe, and of that 
 indignation, which is at hand upon them, even a juft 
 recompenfe for all their deeds ; and as they have done, 
 even fo fliall it be done to them ; as they have fought to 
 deftroy the generation of the righteous, even fo fliall they 
 be deflroyed from off the face of the earth ; and as they 
 have unjuflly judged and condemned the innocent, fo (hall 
 they be condemned, and juftly judged of the Lord; and 
 as they have caft the bodies of the poor lambs of Chrift 
 into prifon, and been a fnare upon them, even fo ih-W 
 they be infnared, and into captivity fliall they go. And 
 as they have caufed the goods and poffeffions of the inno- 
 cent to be fpoiled, and made a prey, even fo in like 
 manner fliall the curfe of the Lord fpoil their fubftance. 
 And as they have done, fo {hall it be done unto them ; 
 •and as they have met to others, fo fliall it be met to them 
 again/ ' And I fliw a great raifery and defolation nigh at 
 hand, even the fword of the Lord ; and that it fliould flay 
 them ; and I beheld it was made ready for the flaughter ; 
 and in the fenfe of thefe things a f\dnefs fell upon my 
 fpirit, confidering the defolation and the judgment that is 
 at hand to be executed upon the cruel oppreffors. 
 
 * Wherefore all ye rulers, and all ye that have trodden 
 down the heritage of God, and ye that have difregarded 
 
348 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 thefc many warnings that ye have had ; I fay unto you 
 all, in the power of the Lord God, in his dominion, and 
 by his Spirit, this is once more a warning to you from the 
 Lord, and that thcfe things mufl furely come to pafs, and 
 be fulfilled in their feafon, and no man fhall be able to 
 deliver his brother; but every man Ihall bear his own 
 burthen, and drink his own cup prepared for him : and 
 though it hath been counted a light thing amongft yau, 
 and you haVe defpifcd the reproof, and gone on without 
 fear ; yet in as mu:h as the Lord hath fpared you, and not 
 fpeedily executed judgment upon you, but rather waited lor 
 your return ; yet the dealing of the Lord tovv'ards you, in 
 fparing of you, you have not accepted ; and therefore fliall 
 his judgments be the greater upon ycu. For if you do now 
 come to the witnefs in your own coufclenccs, what evil have 
 this people doi^e? Whofe ox have they taken, or what have 
 they def:red of you ? Or what have they fought from you ? - 
 Or wherein have they been a bunhen to you? Saving that 
 they have reproved you for your iniquitit^s, and defired 
 Your redemption ? Would you but now at lad come to 
 confider this, and confcfs the Truth in your confciences ; 
 will not that tell you, that they have patiently fuffercd all 
 things that you have cruelly impofed upon them ? And 
 have not they walked peaceably towards you, and humbly, 
 meekly, and' juftly among their neighbours ? And have 
 they not been meek and innocent even as lambs, and as 
 the fheep before the (hearers ? And have they wrought 
 offences towards any ? Have they fought the overthrow 
 of the government, or have they fought vengeance againft 
 their enemies? Or what injury have they done to any 
 man's perfon, or edate, faving to fatan and his kingdom ? 
 Have they not fought to reform and reclaim the ungodly 
 from their ways ? And have they not pitied and prayed 
 for their enemies : and have tftey not in all things walked 
 in good confcience towards the Lord, and towards all 
 men ? Yea, my friends, in the day of the Lord, when 
 the witncis in your confciences Ihall not be limited, but 
 {hall fpeak plainly, and when ihe impartial judge fhall 
 appear upon his throne, then flrall you acknowledge thefc 
 things. 
 
 1659] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 349 
 
 < Wherefore I fay imto you, receive the judgment of 
 the Lord to purify you, otherwifc the judgment lliall deftroy 
 you : and now come to be more wife, that^ fome of you 
 may be as a brand plucked out of the fire, and be referved 
 from being confumed ; for the vifitation of the Lord is 
 near an end, when his loving-kindnefs will be fiiut from 
 ' you, and his long fuffering turned into fury •, and he will 
 make you know that we are his people, with whom you 
 have thus dealt; yea, you fliall fuddenly know it;^the 
 time is not long till he will crown bis people in the fight 
 of*his enemies; he will crown them with praife and with 
 righteoufnefs, v/ith honour and majefty, and he will keep 
 th^era in fafety, even when forrow compafifes you about ; 
 his mercy and loving-kindne'fs fhall extend towards them, 
 even when his wrath and judgments fmite you, and con- 
 found you. O ! What fhall I fiiy unto you ; for the deep 
 fenfe thereof remains upon my heart ; when I confider, 
 ' how that in all ages the Lord did avenge his peoples caufe, 
 and when the time of their fuffering was expired, he broke 
 the bonds of iniquity, and fet them free. Thus did he 
 with his people Ifrael of old, and many times it was his 
 way with his people, to bring them low by fullering, and 
 then to raife them up again in glory ; and he fuffcred their 
 enemies for a feafon to glory over them, that he might 
 bring them down. And thus he did in England, in the 
 cafel3etween the bifliops and their crew of perfecutors, 
 and the poor people at that day called Puritans : did not 
 he confound that perfecuting crew, and deliver his people? 
 And is not he the fame to effeft the fiime v/ork at this very 
 day ? Yea, doubtlefs, and much more will he do, in as 
 much as the manifeftation of Truth is more clear than It 
 was in their days ; and in as much as the rulers and people 
 of this nation have rejefted a more clear teflimony, than 
 cither the Papifls in queen Mary's days, or the bifliops 
 and prelates in their days ; even fo much the more will 
 the Lord God execute his vengeance with more violence, 
 in a more manifefl way ; and all fliall know, that it is he 
 that doth it, and he will fet his people free : for he hath 
 regarded their fuffering8,and he hath faid it is enough; 
 for he hath tried them, and found them faithful ; and all 
 
25^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 this hath been fuffered to prove them, and not to deftroy 
 them : and like as he hath preferved them in patience and 
 peace through it all, even fo will he give them hearts to 
 walk anfv/crably to their deliverance ; and as they have 
 abounded in patience in their fufferings, fo Ihall they 
 abound in praifes everlafting in the day of their freedom ; 
 and the earth fliall be glad, and (hall yield the increafe 
 and blefling ; the heavens and earth Ihall rejoice, and the 
 hearts of the righteous fnall leap for joy ; when the Lord 
 hath broken the yoke of- the oppreflcd, and fet his people 
 free, inwardly and outwardly ; and then fl:iall they fing to 
 the Lord over all their enemies, who fliall be tormented 
 and vexed in the Lord's fore difpleafure ; for their reward 
 Cometh, and their recompenfe ftiall be even as their work, 
 and he will give unto them forrow and anguifh, inftead of 
 rejoicing. 
 
 ' But again, when I confidered the long fuffering, and 
 patience, and forbearance of the Lord's innocent people 
 under all their fulTcrings ; and when I looked at their 
 innocency, and at their righteoufiiefs, and fpirit of holinefs, 
 with which the Lord hath bleffcd them, my heart was made 
 glad in the confideration of this ; and the more was my joy, 
 ihe more I beheld their innocency, and the guiltleffnefs of 
 their caufe; whereby the unjuftnefs of their fuffering 
 did the more appear -, and withal, when 1 looked and be- 
 held their increafe under all their fufferings, and how that 
 ihe Lord had turned all thefe things to their good, and to 
 the overthrow of all their enemies ; how that by that way, 
 wherein their enemies intended to deftroy them from being 
 a people, even thereby did the Lord moil wonderfully 
 increafe them to be a great people ; for through all have 
 I hey grown in life and power, and in ftrength, and in 
 number, and through it all have they been encouraged 
 10 follow the Lord with more zeal and boldnefs. And in 
 the confideration of this I did rejoice, with magnifying the 
 Lord for ever, that he had brought forth his praife, even 
 through the wickednefs of the wicked, and he bad increafcd 
 his people, and exalted them through the cruelty of all their 
 enemies ; and that through all oppofition they were attained 
 uni a happy reil, and through all the temped of great 
 
 1659] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 35I 
 
 trial, they were arrived into the harbour of renown apd 
 great glory : and when I confider this, how that the 
 Lord hath given them dominion, and brought their life to 
 reign over all their enemies, thefe things were a joy unto 
 me ; and looking back into ages, feeing there was nothing, 
 nqr any people for generations, that had grown, and rifea 
 through all oppofition like unto thefe ; wherefore it is- a 
 fign and teftimony that we are the Lord's, and that thefe 
 things are of him, and from him, and by him alene, that 
 he might be praifed for ever. 
 
 ' Again, when I do confider, how that the Lord had 
 raifed his people, even out of the duft; and them that 
 were not a people, are become a people, and the Lord 
 hath provoked nations by them that were not a people 
 within thefe few years ; and the Lord hath carried on this 
 work amongft his people, not by any thing of man, nor 
 by the arm of flefti ; but in pure innocency and fimplicity 
 hath it been accomplifhed ; not by. the wifdom of this 
 world, nor by men in places of honour, and of power in 
 the nations ; for all that has been wanting to them ; and 
 what they are, it is through the oppofition of all this ; 
 for they have had none of the great men of the earth on 
 their fide to defend them, and eftablifh them, but all 
 have been againfl them ; and even oppreffion and tyranny 
 executed upon them, rather than any approbation, or 
 juftification from men in outward authority : fo that truly 
 it may be faid, there hath been nothing of man in this 
 work, but all of the Lord, by his own power ; and in a 
 contrary way to all the falfe fe<fts, and falfe churches, 
 hath the beginning and carrying on of thefe things been ; 
 for we know that all the falfe fe6ls in this nation, have 
 rifen and been eflabliflied through the countenance of 
 men in place and power ; and upon man, and the wifdom . 
 of this world, and authority of the powers of the earth, 
 hath the rife and fall of all falfe churches depended ; and 
 as the powers of the earth have fided with them, fo have 
 they been fet up ; and at the difpleafure of authority, 
 have been caft down. But as for this people, they arc 
 raifed of the Lord, and eftabliftied by him, even contrary 
 to all men j and they have given their power only to God, 
 
 |! 
 
 V. 
 

 52 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and they cannot give tlieir power to any mortal men, to 
 ftand or fall by any outward authority, and to that they 
 cannot feek ; but to the Lord alone, who heareth their 
 cry, and will avenge their caufe. 
 
 ' Wherefore let all the perfecutors bow before the Lord, 
 and let all the faints walk humbly in his fight, and let 
 ,thcm continue in that innocent life in which they have 
 bcpun ; and let them never forget the mercies of the Lord, 
 and what he hath brought to pafs, who hath manifefted 
 great things, and will do more and more to the confound- 
 ing of all his enemies, and to the praife of his elect people. 
 And all ye faints upon the earth, have yj the Lord in 
 refpe^^ continiTcilly, and turn you not unto idols, but let 
 ihe Lord be your ioy for evermore. 
 
 Not long after the publifliing of this paper, to wit, in 
 the month called May, Edward Burrough, and Samuel 
 Fiflier, went from Dover to Dunkirk, where then was an 
 Englifli garrifon. Being come there, it quickly fpread 
 ovtT the town. The governor, Lockhart, now not be- 
 ing there, his deputy, colonel Alfop, with the council 
 of 'officers, fent for them ; and they being come, were 
 ail<ed,^what their bufmefs was there? To which they gave 
 anfwer, and the next morning fignified in writing, that 
 ihcir coming was to vifit the jcfuits, friars, and priefts, 
 and other papifts, to fhew them the errors of their ways, 
 and the falfenefs of their worfhip, &c. they being called 
 10 preach the everlafting gofpel to the nations. They 
 were fome hours in difcourfe with the faid deputy, and 
 the officers, and not unkindly treated ; but the deputy 
 however faid, that it would be dangerous for them to flay 
 
 . in the town ; and therefore he defired them to depart. 
 
 * To which their anfwer was, that if he defired them, they 
 cculd not receive any fuch defire j and if he commanded 
 them, they could not obey his command in that cafe; 
 becaufe they could not depart the town but in the will of 
 God ; according to which will they came thither. After 
 much reafoning they left them, and the next day went to 
 the capuchin friars, and had fome difcourfe with the 
 
 ' I 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^JAKERS. 
 
 .53 
 
 chiefeft of them in their garden, concerning the light of 
 Chrifl, that every man is enlightened withal ; and told 
 them, that the mighty day of the Lord was at hand upon ^ 
 them ; and that the Lord was come to fearch and try 
 them; and that he wonld hew down their idolatrous ways, 
 worfliips and works. The next day Burrough wrote fome 
 queries to the friars and nuns, in and about that town, 
 which were fent to tUem in Latin. The introduftion was 
 thus: 
 
 ' The mighty day of the Lord is come, and coming upon 
 you, and all the world. Awake, awake, ye that fleep in 
 the earth, for the dreadful God is arifmg to plead with 
 you, and to give unto all the world the cup of his fierce 
 indignation, becaufe of your idolatries, and hypocrifies, 
 and abominations^ which have corrupted the earth, and 
 arc come up before him, and have provoked'him ; and the 
 cry of the juft, who have been fmitten, and laid flain, is 
 entered into the ears of the Moft High, and his fword, 
 which is the word of his mouth, is awakened to wound and 
 deftroy all his enemies. And the day of your vifitation is 
 now come, wherein the Lord is fearching you, and trying 
 you, that he may recompenfe you : and this is the word of 
 the Lord to you. 
 
 « Wherefore I am moved of the Lord to j)ropound fome 
 few queries to you, for the trial of your fpirits and ways ; 
 to which I demand your anfwer that all things may be 
 brought to light and r.ue judgment, and that you may be 
 judged juftly, and by the fpirit of the Lord cleared or con- 
 demned according to your deeds..' 
 
 Thefe queries were partly concerning the orders of friars 
 and nuns, whether any fuch were in the church in the 
 apoftle's days ; and concerning the popifli worftiip and 
 ceremonies, demajading proof of their unlawfulnefs from the 
 Holy Scriptures. After the delivering of thefe queries to 
 the Capuchins, Burrough and Fifher went alfo to the friars 
 of other orders, and entered into difcourfe with them : but 
 their plain fpeeches againfl: the idolatrous rites and cere- 
 monies, found no entrance. After fome ftay in the towa^ 
 
 Vol. L z 
 
 ■dS^^^BHR^. 
 
354 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 1 
 
 they going to the college of the Jefuks, got into difcourfe 
 with their chief reftor ; and after a conference of about 
 three hours, he grew weary, and pretending other bulincfs, 
 would ftay no longer with them; and fo ihey parted, afkuig 
 him, whether he would admit more difcourfe at fome other 
 time ; but he refufed it. Burrough afterwards writ a 
 letter to him, which began thus : 
 
 * Friend, thy wifdora and thy knowledge is earthly and 
 fenfual, and thereby canftthou not know the things of the 
 kingdom of God :* and he concluded with this query : 
 * What is that whore tl^at hath fate upon multitudes of 
 people ? and what is that golden cup in her hand ? and 
 what are the abominations and fornication of which her 
 cup is full, which flie hath caufed the kings and people to 
 drink ?* &c. 
 
 But neither this query, nor the others were anfwered. 
 Burrough and FiOier did alfo vifit the nuns ; and fpeakmg 
 to them through a grate, they afked, if they were of the 
 order of thofe called quakers ; and foon perceiving they 
 were fuch, they faid, they might not hear them, and fo 
 prefently paffed away; whereby Burrough and Filher were 
 deprived of any opportunity to fpeak to them ; only they 
 witncffed againfl them. E. Burrough wrote alfo fome 
 propofitions to the jefuits, priqfts, and friars, wherein he 
 particularly reprefented the tyranny of the clturch of Kome 
 in true colours ; and thefe propofitions were fent to^^cin 
 in Latin. They llaid yet fome days in town, and had 
 divers meetings among the'Eiiglifh foldiers : and Burrough 
 alfo wrote to them, and bid them be faithful to the Lord, 
 and not to feek themfelves in their fervice, but the honour 
 of God : he alfo fhewed theip what their duty was in 
 their military ftation ; and (not to give them too rough a 
 brufh, but to meet them fomewhat in their own way ; tol- 
 lowing therein the example of John the Baptift, when he 
 fpoke to the foldiers, Luke iii. 14O told them, ' What do 
 vou know but the Lord may have fome good work tor 
 you to do, if you be faithful to him ?' and he alfo fignified 
 to them, that fincc the Lord one day would avenge the 
 
 J 659] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 355 
 
 innocent blood fhed in the pope's dominion, and appear 
 againfl Babylon and Rome, the feat of the whore, and the 
 kingdom of antichrift, it feemed not improbable to him, 
 that* the Lord would make way thereto, by the Englifh 
 nation. ' It is,' faid he, ' the Lord's work, I know, to 
 make men truly religious : but yet he may work by you, 
 to break down the briars and thorns, and the rocks and 
 hills that have fet themfelves againfl the Lord,' &c. He . 
 alfo advifcd them, if ever fuch a work fell to be their lot, 
 not to be ambitious, nor vain-gloriotis, but to make it their 
 work to demand the difannulling of the popifli inquifition 
 and cruel laws. And the officers he charged, not to be as 
 tyrants and opprefTors over the poor foldiers, but to be 
 loving and meek, aud examples of :J1 goodnefs unto them : 
 to this he added: ' and having no fin lying upon your 
 confcicnces, then (hall ye face your enemies with courage, 
 and not fear death, but fhall be ready to lay down your 
 lives in a good caufe.' But left any might think he was 
 for the bearing of arms, and not for harmlefTnefs or non- 
 refiftance, he told them alfo, that the Lord had a more 
 honourable work to work after them, viz. to deftroy the 
 kingdom of the devil, and the ground of wars. And that 
 there was a more honourable viaory to be waited for, to 
 wit, the viftory over fm, &c. 
 
 Burrough and Fiflier being once fent for by the gover- 
 nor Lockhart, found many officers with him ; aud after 
 fome friendly difcourfe, they advifed them to moderation, 
 and the fear of God, and fo parted from them : and after 
 having performed their fervice in the town, they returned 
 
 to England. , r r • 1 
 
 Not long after Burrough gave the forefaid queries out 
 in print, and wrote alfo a paper to the parliament ; exhort- 
 in -r thofe that were members of that affembly, to fear God, 
 and not to opprefs honeft people, but to free them from 
 oppreffion and tyranny; left the Lord come fuddenly upon 
 them and break them to pieces. „ , j 
 
 The power of the proteaor Richard Cromwell already 
 declinina, he was prevailed upon by the officers of the 
 army to'diffolve this parliament, which began tQ make en- 
 quiry how the fubfidies were employed : and by the direc- 
 
 . z 2 
 
355 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 357 
 
 i 
 
 lion oF fome of the chief republicans, the long parliament 
 was called again. This parliament fct up a committee ot 
 fafety, for apprehending thofe that difturbed* the peace, 
 and for making an alteration among the military o&cers, 
 eidier by calhiering them, or otherwife; and, increaiing 
 in power, creftcd alfo a council of ftate ; and word was 
 fent to Richard Cromwell, who was now deprived ot all 
 power, to remove from Whitehall, which at length he did, 
 the parliament allowing him two thoufand pounds tor the 
 charges of removing, and promifmg to pay his debts con- 
 traftcd for the publick : and his brother Henry, who was 
 lord deputy of Ireland, wns called back by the parli;#nent. 
 Thus thefe two brothers were again reduced to the itatc 
 
 of private men. , 
 
 E. Burrough now writ a letter to tlic parliament, and 
 ferioufly exhorted them therein to delirt from all perfecu- 
 lion for religion, and to take away that which gave oecafiou 
 thereunto. About this time there was an infurreaion in 
 Chefliire for king Charles, under lir George Booth ; who, 
 having received a commilBon from that prince, got fuch 
 numbers of followers, that be feized the city of Chefter. 
 In the meanwhile the parliament fent Edmund Ludlow to 
 Ireland, to be commander in chief of the army there, m- 
 ftead of Henry Cromwell, and general Lambert wa* fent 
 with an army ag;^nft Booth. Now fince fome rafh people 
 that went under the name of Quakers, were for taking up 
 arms under Lambert ; and thac the committee of fafety 
 offered great places and commands to fome of that perlua- 
 fion, th.^teby to draw them off from the truth they pro- 
 ieffed ; G. Fox writ a paper, wherein he (hewed the nnlaw- 
 fulnefs of wars and fightings, reprefcnting it as a work not 
 at all becoming the followers of Chrilt : and he exhorted 
 his friends not to join with thofe that took up arms, but to 
 fight only with fpiritual weapons, which took away the 
 occafion of the carnal. This he alfo rcconuriended in his 
 preaching, for an harmlcfs and an inoffcnfive hfc, was that 
 which he always afferted and praftifed. 
 
 As for Booth, he was defeated, and endcayounng to 
 make his efcape in woman's clothes, was difcovered in an 
 i<5h, and taken into cuftody; and being carried to London, 
 by w order of the parliament, he was committed to tUe 
 
 Tower. The officers of the^army, of which George Fleet- 
 wood was now commander in chief, were very bufy to gc* 
 the upper hand of the parliament ; which caufcd great 
 divifion and diftraftion in the nation ; for it was well known, 
 •that if the fupreme power was offered up to the army, 
 they then could do what they would ; and thus the nation 
 would be governed by the fword. It was alfo frclh m 
 memory, that it was the army by which Cromwell had 
 been advanced fo as to become proteftor, and fupreme 
 ruler of the r • iion : and therefore many oppofed the dc- 
 
 fign on foot. ' , 
 
 About this time alfo the military officers moved th© 
 taking off of the burthen of tithes, and to fettle another 
 maintenance for the national preachers. But being un- 
 willing that the parliament Qiould be mafters of the army, 
 they complained of having been deceived by the parhamcntj 
 and colonel Defborough faid, that they had not perfornicd 
 any part of the promifes they had made to the army ; that 
 they had taken no care to fecure a liberty to tender con- 
 fciences ; and that their intention was to remove the prin- 
 cipal officers, and place others in their commands, who 
 were of different principles. 
 
 Now the council of officers was for calling a new par- 
 liament ; but this met with no fmall oppofition. In this 
 buflle the council of officers began to infinuate with the 
 clergy, and they agreed with them, that their maintenance 
 by tithes fhould not be taken away till another revenue a» 
 ample and certain fhould be fettled upon them : that 
 fome provifion fhould be made for thofe who differed m 
 iaith and worfhip from the eftablifhed church ; but that 
 the Quakers, Jvnd fome others, whofe principles they faid 
 tended to the dettruftion of civil fociety, fhould not be 
 tolerated at all. In this diftrafted ftate of affairs, when 
 fome were for, and others againfl, the parliament, fo that 
 it was hardly well known in whom the fupreme authority 
 refided, Edward Burrough writ and publifhed in print a 
 large fpeech, which he ftiled, ' A meffage to the prefent 
 rulers of England, whether committee of fafety (fo called) 
 council of officers, or others whatfoever.' He fignified by 
 way of introduaion, that the contents h^^d been upon hm 
 
 z 3 
 
35* 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 to deliver by fpecch anU word of mouth, to the men then 
 in power ; but no way being made for him fo to do, he 
 had written what was upon him. And then he begins 
 thus with a majeflick drain. 
 
 * Friends, 
 ^ My Mafter is a high, and mighty, and powerful prince, 
 and very honourable ; and fear, reverence, refpeft, and 
 fubjeftion belongs to him alone, from you and all mankind. 
 He is wife, and undcrftanding, and of great flrength, and 
 his dominion is from cverlafling to cverlafting; and he can 
 do whatfoever he will in heaven and earth, for he rules 
 with his iron rod over the world, and w^hatfoever he faith, 
 3t is done; for his word is an everlafling command. If he 
 faith to a man, live, it is fo ; if he faith to a man, die, it 
 Cometh to pafs ; and if he give peace to a^raan, or a nation, 
 none can make war ; and if he make war with a perfon, 
 or in a nation, no man is able to make peace. For why ? 
 He hath all power in his hand, and to him all judgment 
 and authority is given ; he is the Son of the living God, 
 the everlafling Creator. He was, and is, and is to come ; 
 his eye beholdeth all things, and his arm compafleth 
 heaven and earth ; and what his purpofe is, he hath always 
 and will ever bring it to pafs. If he fet up rulers, they must 
 rule ; and if he pull them down none can hinder : whom 
 he will, he honoureth ; and if it be his pleafure, he bring- ' 
 €th men to (hame. If he break a nation down, none can 
 build it up ; and if he confound powers and authorities in 
 the kingdoms of men, they all fall as withered grafs before 
 him. Behold, ye men! He is fo great and mighty, and of 
 fo great authority, that whatfoever he faith, it is done ; 
 and whatfoever he willeth, it cometh to pafs ; and none is 
 able to refill him, and overcome his power, wh^n his plea- 
 fure is to accomplifli a work. By him all things are that 
 be, and all things live that have life, and through him all 
 things move, and of his fulnefs every creature in heaven 
 and earth receive. And this, my Mafter, is altogether ho- 
 nourable in birth, and otherwife, and altogether mighty 
 in all his works ; he is juft and merciful, full of goodnefs, 
 righteoufnefs, and truth j all virtue dwells in him, and his 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 359 
 
 judgment and mercy, his authority and meeknefs, and hiS' 
 wrath and his love, they are companions: and what are 
 ye before him? Or howlhall ye be able to refift him, or 
 to turn backward what his purpofe is concerning you, and 
 this nation ? For ye have no being nor breath without hfm. 
 Behold, ye men ! Ye arc verily as the duft before the 
 wind, fo are ye to him, foon blown away, and your place 
 not found ; as the grafs before the mower, fo are ye before^ 
 him, foon ciit down, and withered, and your beauty utterly 
 extinguifhcd; as a potter's veffel under an iron rod, even 
 fo are you to him, he can immediately break you, never to 
 be bound up : as a drop to the fountain, fo are you to him, 
 foon dried up, and made nothing. Wherefore, ye men, 
 ye mortal creatures, ye ignorant perfons, fons of a tranf- 
 greflbr, ye duft and aflies : for thus you are in coraparifon 
 of him, this mighty prince; hearken to his meffage, which 
 Cometh to you from him ; hear and fear, and be not ftout- 
 hearted againft the Lord God, that is about to fpeak unto 
 
 you. 
 
 ^ As fqr this litde Ifland of England, wherein your pre- 
 fent place and being is, it is an ifland which the Lord 
 hath fliewed great favour unto in ages paft, and in this 
 prefcnt time ; and I muft tell you, he hath a purpofe of 
 love towards it, and to honour it in the view of the world, 
 though through great tribulations : and he hath an intent 
 of great good unto it ; for he hath a feed, a precious feed 
 in it fcattered abroad, and he hath a people that fear his 
 ^ame, and have walked in his ways, and he hath made 
 them, and elefted them, and what they are, it is by him ; 
 that he may dwell among them, and have the whole go- 
 vernment over them all ; yea, he hath a fpeedy purpofe 
 verily concerning this nation, and he will purify it in judg- 
 ment, and refine its inhabitants through the fire of tribu- 
 lations, that it may be pleafant to him, and fit to do his 
 will : He hath a purpofe to work fome great thing in rt, I 
 muft tell you, as he hath faid unto me fo to do ; he will 
 have his name exalted and reverenced in this ifland, and his 
 tcrroi ftiall be fent out of it through the world, and his 
 branch from it fhall fpread over the earth; he doth purpofe 
 in his feafon to take it into his own hand, and to fway thq 
 
 Z4 
 
360 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERS. 
 
 S61 
 
 government tBcreof with his own fceptre, and to fet up 
 righteoufncfs alone, and to overthrow all oppreflbrs and 
 . oppreiHons ; and the kingdoms of this world muft bec6me 
 the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chrift. 
 
 ' True it is, fuch hath been the coming to pafs of time, 
 and of things for nxany ages by-paft, that my Mafter hath 
 been, as it were, baniftied from the nation, and hath not 
 been fuffered to enjoy his right ; but hath been expelled, 
 even, as it were, by the force of fatan and antichrift, who 
 hath long ufurped authority over the inhabitants of this 
 nation ; and in my Matter's abfence, lamentable injuflice, 
 cruelty, unmercifulnefs, tyranny, and oppreflion hath been 
 cxercifed upon the inhabitants ; and the poor creatures 
 have been held in great ^flavcry by their rulers, that have 
 ruled by the dragon's power; and been kept in great 
 blindnefs and ignorance, and under great oppreflion, both 
 in body and fpirit, by aniichriftian teachers, fpr this many 
 years ; even while the great King hath been abfent, and as 
 it were gone into a far country ; even all this time hath ' 
 antichrift and the devil ruled and reigned, and have made 
 und executed oppreflion, and tyrannical laws and decrees, 
 both in church and ftatc ; and all the nation hath been out 
 of right order, and laid wafte and barren of good fruit, 
 and it hath been as a wildernefs by reafon hereof ; and 
 men that have ruled for many years, have not ruled fingly 
 by my Matter's authority, but by another power ; though 
 not without the knowledge of my Lord, neither as though 
 he had not power to have done otherwile ; but for his 
 own plcafure he hath fufiered it thus to be, and let men go 
 on to rule and govern in their own wills, and after their 
 own lutts ; and people have walked wickedly towards him, 
 and towards one another ; and all this he hath fuffered ; 
 not as if he gave toleration for it ; for his meflengers now 
 and then, and his witnefs in people's confcicnccs, have 
 been reproving their ungodly ways; and he hath often 
 fhtwed his diflike by divers ways, and tokens, and many 
 judgments, and ttrange overturning, to the way and pro- 
 ceedings of both rulers, prophets, and teachers of this 
 nation ; but yet they have gone on againft his mind, and 
 contrary to his wil^ notwithftandiog his reproofs and 
 
 judgments: not that he had not power to have executed 
 his plcafure in wrath upon them, and to have deftroycd 
 them altogether, and have made the nation a heap, and aa 
 nothing long before this day ; for power was in his hand 
 
 ' to have done it ; but he hath been long fuffering and of 
 great patience, and borne all things, and taken the injuftice, 
 and cruelty, and wickednefs, and idolatry, and all unrigh- 
 teoufnefs that hath abounded in the nation, upon himfelf : 
 and fuffered under it, and borne it for its feafon, while wo- 
 ful and lamentable oppreffions have been praftifed in civil 
 flats, even hellifti laws, and devilifh' executors of them; 
 mercilefs tyrants have borne the fceptre, and reigned for 
 many years over the inhabitants, and in church and ftatc 
 has been heinous idolatry and fuperftitious vanities com- 
 mitted in a high nature and meafure, and even all men, 
 and ftates of men, and orders of men of every degree have 
 been abominably corrupted in the fight of my Lord, even 
 from the prince to the beggar, even rulers and fubjefts, 
 teachers and people, judges and prophets ; they have been 
 
 ' corrupted both in heart and hand, and they have dealt 
 falfely and wickedly towards him, and towards one another ; 
 even to the great difpleafure and vexation of him, and his 
 bleffed fpirit, and to the high provocation of him to their 
 own deftruftion, if his long fuffering had not prevailed ; 
 and all this while he hath lain as it were afleep, and at reft 
 in himfelf; and he hath left men to try them, what they 
 will do, and he hath given them a day ; many kings and 
 rulers, he hath let them have a little time, to fee how they 
 would ufe it, but they have abufed it and not ruled for 
 him, nor accomplifhed his work, nor fulfilled his will, but 
 a6led even in defiance of him, and of his power, and to his 
 great diflionour. 
 
 ' Alack ! I muft be plain with you : my Lord hath been 
 utterly exiled, and greatly diftionoured, and highly pro- 
 voked and vexed by reafon of fuch proceedings, as have 
 been in this nation for this many years, through the cor- 
 ruption of all forts of men in place and power, who have 
 not ruled for him^ but for the devil to their own corrupted 
 ends: only he hath fuffered men to go on in their courfe 
 for a feaion ; fome as it were appearing on the ftagc for a 
 
 ^ f. 
 
362 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 £1659 
 
 time, and fiiddenly cafl down again for their iniquities 
 fakfc ; and his hand hath been in all thefe things, though 
 Tcry privately and fecretly, not known and difcerncd by 
 the fons of men, yet hath he ruled over the kingdoms of 
 men, and pulled down one, and fet up another. And to 
 forbear the feveral aiftings and proceedings of many by^ 
 paifed ages ; and to come to this generation, and to fpeak 
 of things that have happened within thefe few years, and 
 of the changing and overturning that hath happened in this 
 nation ; fuch was the cruelty, tyranny, opprefTion and ido- 
 latry both in church and civil llatc, that the people of this 
 nation were held under, in the days of papal power; fuch, 
 I fay, was the exceeding height of the cruelty and tyranny 
 of that time, thai not any that feared or reverenced 
 my Lord, in any meafure, could fcarce live, or have a 
 being in the nation : even againft every man that did but 
 incline towards him, and defire the knowledge of his ways, 
 hcU's mouth was opened againfl them, and they were fwal- 
 lowed, and many of their lives taken from the earth, by 
 the hellifh power that had in that day ufurped authority in 
 this iiland ; and when thus it w-as, then he looked down 
 from heaven, and his bowels of compaflion were opened, 
 for the fake of the oprcfled people that defired after him, 
 in fo much that he broke and threw down the power of 
 their oppreffors in fome meafure, as it flood in papal au- 
 thority, and when the iniquity of that power was filled up, 
 he took vengeance upon it; and I mufl tell you, it was he 
 that brought it about, even the deftroying of that power 
 in this nation, and freeing the nation from it, though the 
 men that were inftruments in the caufe were not his fcr- 
 vants, odierwife than as Nebuchadnezzar ferved him ; for 
 he haih a'fccret way to have a fervice from the wicked, 
 and fuch is his power, that he can turn the wickednefs of 
 the wicked to his glory, and he can make a rod to whip 
 his adverfaries, and burn it when he hath done, and he 
 hath often deftroyed one wickednefs by another. 
 
 ' Well, but to leave that, though he did in fome meafure, 
 free the nation from much tyranny and cruelty, in the caft- 
 iig out popifh authority, yet alack! the nation ir^ a fev^r 
 years was near as much violated by injuftice au^ cruelty. 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 *» 
 O 
 
 63 
 
 under the fucceeding power, as ever it was once^tinder the 
 papal power ; -though before, there had been fome fma 1 
 reformation and change in outward appearance, though 
 little in ground and nature ; yet oppreffion, and idolatry, 
 and fuperftition, in church and ftate, and all profanenef* 
 and wickednefs among people was grown fo high, like as it 
 had been under the papal power before; and all that de- 
 fired after the Lord, and were weary of miquity, and ot 
 the then prefent oppreffions and idolatries, were perfecuted, 
 and flain, and deftroyed ; and injuftice and cruelty exercifed 
 upon them, even almoft to the rooting out of righteoufnefs, 
 and to the grieving of the Lord's fpiric. Well then becaufe 
 of the cry of the people, and the oppreffion of the nation 
 under that authority, my Lord looked down again ; and 
 even for his name's fake, and for his feed s fake, he had 
 compaffion on this nation, to fet it free, ^^n^.to break off 
 its oppreffions ; and in a great meafure he did deliver the 
 people of this nation in many things, and there was a pare 
 of reformation wrought, and much pretended and looked 
 for ; and all this came to pafs through him, and my Lord 
 did accomphlh it, however the inftruments by which he 
 wrought proved deceitful, and became oppreffors, as 
 others before them ; and though there was m this natioa 
 a day of great troubles, and wars, and contention, and 
 great ftrife, and the wafting of much blood, and earthly 
 treafure; and none of thefe things, I muft tell you, fell 
 without the ordering of my Mailer's hand ; yet fo it was, 
 and came to pafs, that after this nation was reftored to 
 peace, though much unrighieoufncfs and mjuft.ce was re- 
 moved, yet there was much alfo kft behind ; and men that 
 he had ufed as inftruments in his hand, in a good work, 
 and to whom he had given wifdom and underftandmg, and 
 appeared in much mercy and in great deliverance ; yet 
 they even turned to feek themfelves, n.nd became corrupted 
 in the fpoils of their enemies, and when peace and plenty 
 abounded, the Lord was forgotten again ; and then the 
 land fell under oppreffors, and began again to cry out tor 
 freedom, even when other horns of the firft beaft fprang 
 up, and went on each of them after his fellow ; and though 
 one horn bath ftriven to break another, yet after one bath 
 
 . !'■ 
 
3^4 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TM» 
 
 [1659 
 
 been caft down, another hath rifen, and made an image to 
 the firlt ; and ruled and reigned by the fame fpirit, and au- 
 thority, derived from the dragon's power in crueky and 
 oppreffion ; and made laws, and executed them to the dif- 
 honour of the Lord, and to the great oppreffion of his 
 people, and to the filling of this ifland with injuftice and 
 cruelty, even from one generation to another, until this 
 day : and thus up and down have times and feafons been 
 ahered, powers and authorities changed and altered, 
 ftatutes, laws and decrees, changeable and alterable ; for 
 as the iniquity of one power was filled up, that was "caft 
 down, and another had its day, till the meafure thereof 
 \ias alfo filled up, that it might partake of the fame judg- 
 ments. And in all thefe overturnings, breaking-downs 
 and overthrowings, the very hand of my Lord hath been, 
 though fecretly, and not difcerned"; yet his power hath 
 brought about, and fuffered all thefe things to come to 
 pafs ; and who (hall charge him with injuftice ? Or, who 
 Ihall fay, ' What haft thou done ?' Or, * Why haft thou 
 done it r' For, as I have faid, he is a high and mighty 
 prince, and can do whatfoevcr he will ; and he is the fu- 
 prcme power and authority, which rules and reigns in and 
 over all the kingdoms of men. And what though he hath 
 ufe/J wicked men as an inftrument to accomplifh hjs work, 
 ancf made the wicked his rod ; and even brought it to pafs, 
 that one wickednefa fhould deftroy another, and one op- 
 jv-efTor break down another, and the kingdom of antichrift 
 confound itfclf ; yet what of all thefe things ? All flefh 
 muft be filent before him, and all people ; and the whole 
 earth muft be fubjcft unto him ; for the government and 
 dominion over heaven and earth is his, and all power and 
 dominion belongeth to him alone, and all judgment is ia 
 his hand, to bring to pafs whatfoever he will, and by 
 whomfoever, as he pleafeth. 
 
 ' But now, my friends, (hough I would not be tedious 
 t.o you, yet muft I tell you the truth, and faithfully deliver 
 \ht Lord's racffage unto you ; and as concerning this laft 
 overturning, there was fomething of the h^nd of my Lord 
 inJt; and he can, and will bring forth his own work and 
 praife by it 5 and it (hall be for the good of all his p^ople^ 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLE0 QUAKERS. 
 
 3^5 
 
 that wait upon him, though there was much ambition and 
 cwrupted ends- in the inftruments, and neither part were 
 perfeftly fmgle to the Lord in their proceedings : but their 
 work was tainted with the falfe idolatrous fpirit of Xelf- 
 feeking : yet notwithftanding, the Lord may bring forth 
 his government, and his pleafant plant, through and beyond 
 all this, even out of another root, which yet appears not 
 among either of them ; ancl righteoufnefs may arife in the 
 nation, contrary to both of them, out of another ftem, and 
 he will fet up his kingdom : and in the mean time, leave 
 one potfherd of the earth to break another. 
 
 * And asjor you, that now fit on the throne and bear 
 rule, whether committee of fafety (fo calledj chiefly, though 
 it is not without my Mafter; for he hath the knowledge of it, 
 at leaft; yet you are not the only men of his choice, truly 
 called of him to the phce of government, neither is your 
 govermnent the government of the Lamb, neither muft \t 
 be for ever eftabliflied by him ; its foundation is not bleffed, 
 nor can its building be profperous : for why ? Alas, it is 
 but another horn of that fourth beaft, that hath been 
 made to rule over the world, and upon the earth for many 
 generations, and it is but hitherto a very little refined from 
 the laft, and is of the laft, even as the eighth was of the. 
 feventh, fpoken of by that fervant. Rev. xvii. 11. and it 
 may alfo make war with the Lamb and his followers for a 
 little feafon, and it may have a fmall meafure of injuftice 
 and perfecution to bring forth in the land, even till the 
 words of God be fulfilled, aud his kingdom be fully come ; 
 the way of which is but yet preparing by all ^hefe over- 
 turnings: aud this your prefent government originally is 
 leavened with the fpirit of the old dragon, that hath killed 
 the faints, and drunk their blood, aud how ftiould th^ 
 Lord eftablifh it ? Nay, your kingdom may prove but fitiall 
 and little, and full of uproars and troubles, and little peace, 
 and fatisfa&on and eftablifliment in it to yourfelve:>, nor 
 the people under you j but confufion will attend it, and 
 fears will compafs it about : though this I muft telj you, as 
 you are men, you have your day of trial what you v^'ill do, 
 as many others have had before you -, and fomething you 
 m^Y and ought p do, if but to make the whore (the falfe 
 
365 THE HISTORY OF TH£ C^^S9 
 
 church) more naked, and to fcourgc her, more than feme 
 others have done; and icdeed my Lord requires fomething 
 more of you fas fuch) to do, than others before you could 
 do ; and you have a price put into your hands, which you 
 may improve to the Lprd's honour, and to the nation's 
 good, and to your own happinefs; which, if you be faith- 
 ful to the Lord, to do what he requires of you, and if you 
 become meek and humble men, and fear his name, and 
 deny yourfelves, and not feek your own honours, nor any 
 earthly advantage to yourfelves ; if you do thus, then my 
 Lord will fliew mercy to you^ and you fliall not fuddenly 
 fall before your enemies, though many may rife up 
 againft you ; but your days (hall be lengthened, and the 
 purpofe of the Lord may be turned to your longer conti- 
 nuance, aiid not to your fudden definition ; and if you 
 walk in this way, and rule only for the Lord, then fhall 
 you be honoured as men, if not as an authority, and you 
 and the nation preferved in peace, and the force of the 
 wicked ihall be turned backward, and you fhall not fud- 
 denly fall. And the late fundry overturnings in this nation 
 may be examples to you, that you follow not the fteps of 
 thofe that God hath caft out, left you come to the fiime end 
 of confufjon and mifery : for, as concerning that aflembly 
 of men, that lall fate on the throne, fomething was done 
 by them in their day and time, and in both their aflem- 
 blings, in fome things they ferved my Lord, and they were 
 a rod in his hand to fmite his enemies ; yet they were not 
 faithful to the end, till all his enemies were deflroycd, but 
 rather joined themfelves to fight againfl: the Lord and his 
 people, and were haftening on towards the way of oppref- 
 fion and perfecution ; and it was time for the Lord to re- 
 ' move them, and to lay them afide as an empty veiTel, fome- 
 time ufeful; and to break them as a rod, fonietime of fer- 
 vice to be a fcourge upon his enemies : and when the day 
 of their trial was over, which God gave unto them, being 
 any longer (^for prefent) unfit infiruments for his hands, 
 then he caft them into the fire ; and this his purpofe came 
 to pafs upon them: fo that they and the whole nation 
 may be contented, and yield themfelves fubjeft to what h« 
 hath done concerniog ihcm j for they being entering into 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERS. 
 
 367 
 
 the very fame fpirit of wickednefs, of oppreflion and perfe- 
 cution, which the Lord had once reproved' through them, 
 and caft out by them ; then was a rod raifed up againft 
 them, even as they had been againft others, and they were 
 dealt withal as they had done to others ; and this was in 
 thc'juftice of my Lord's hand ; and what hath mortal man 
 to queftion his proceedings ? And thoughfome of you (prefent 
 rulers) be looked upon as great traitors and tyrants in your 
 dealings towards them ; and doubtlefs the men of that part 
 will feek vengeance againft you, even by preaching and 
 praying ; and they will curfe you in the name of their God, 
 and feek continually your deftruaion, as fuch as have 
 taken away part of their ftrength, and caft down their idol ; 
 but alas 1 All this is nothing ; for the Lord doth not ac- 
 count as men ; for thefe things muft needs thus come to 
 pafs, for the furtherance of the kingdom and government 
 of Jefus Chrift, that it may arife through all; and if you 
 were but faithful to what the Lord reciiiiresr of you, in your 
 proceedings, what you have done unto them fliould not 
 be reckoned on account againft you, neither by God, nor 
 good men. But and if you of the army be always treach- 
 erous and difobedient towards him, and abufe your power, 
 and difregard your price that God hath given you, and 
 trifle away your hour about places of honour, and luch 
 felf-feeking matters, and the caufe of God be neglefted by 
 you, and his people continued oppreiTed fuiferers under you, 
 as they have long been ; even then fliall you be caft afidc 
 with fliameful difgr'^^e, and the heavy hand of the Lord 
 fhall be upon you in judgment, and you fhall be fmitten 
 more than any before you ; your eftates fliall not be fpared 
 from the fpoiler, nor your fouls from the pit, nor your 
 perfons from the violence of men, no, nor your necks 
 from the axe : for if you be unfaithful, and continually 
 treacherous to the caufe of God, then fliall you be left to 
 the will of your enemies, and they fliall charge treachery 
 and trcafon upon you, and your perfons and eftates fliall, be 
 given for a prey to your enemies ; and you fliall not de- 
 liver yourfelves, neither will the Lord deliver you from the 
 execution of mercilefs men ; for my Lord fliall leave the 
 cruel-hearted to plead v/ith you. 
 
568 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [^659 
 
 I659I 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QVAKfiRS. 
 
 369 
 
 * Wherefore that you may be warned, I advife you to 
 be faithful, let not the caufc of God fall, nor the caufe of 
 his enemies profper bofore you ; for there is no other way* 
 whereby you can be prcferved, nor no other defence fliafl 
 you ever find from the wrath of the Lord, and from the 
 fury of your devouring enemies, than your faithfulnefs in 
 God*s caufe ; and therefore relieve the opprtffed, ai^d take 
 off all oppremons, break down all uniuft laws, and fet all 
 people free from unjuft burthens, and let all opprefTion 
 ccafe, both in church and civil ftaie ; and even all opprcflive 
 , laws, and unjufl judi^es, and evil men in power, let all 
 thefe be removed, and the nation clean quitted and dif- 
 charged, even from all men and laws whatfoever, that 
 have held under oppreflion the perfons, eftates, and con- 
 fciences of the good people of this land ; and let the 
 nation be correfted, and all orders and places of men, and 
 laws and decrees be purified ; for this my Lord, the great 
 King, requireth, anvi he will fuddenly have it brought to 
 pafs in the nation, if not by you, then contrary to you, 
 and to your utter dcftru^tion : and this is the very fubftance 
 of my meflage to you, that my Mailer hath given me to 
 fey unto you ; and on his behalf I am come to claim of 
 you my Mailer's long loft right ; lt:r hioi have his right, 
 from which he hath long been baniflied ; I demand it of 
 . you, all ye whatfoever, that feem to bear rule iiuthe 
 nation; ^r charge you in his name let him have his title 
 and prerogative, let him be Lord and King wholly in his 
 own kingdom, let him have the exercife of his peoples 
 confciences by his own Spirit in all things related to hi:> 
 worfln'p and fervice ; and let him have the full authority 
 • by his Spirit in all things pertaining to church, and miuiftry, 
 and faith, and religion ; and let his Spirit have the alone 
 authority to perfuade and diffuadc people from, or to fuch 
 or fuch miniftr}', worihip, and praftices of religion ; and 
 Jet all forced maintenance to minifters, and tithes, be 
 fpeedily taken away ; and kt all laws and decrees whatfo- 
 ever, made and pra6^ifed in the days of antichrift^ upon 
 the bodies, eftates, and confciences of the people, in op- 
 prelTion and unjullnefb about church, and worihip, and 
 religion, be utterly repealed and made void, and never 
 
 more be in force in this nation : but let my Lord be fole 
 ruler and governor, and have the full authority in his own 
 kingdom, in all things whatfoever pertaining thereunto ; 
 and let no jnan henceforth hereafter be intrufted with the 
 liberties of the members of Chrift*s kingdom, as they are 
 fuch, nor to judge over them in any matters of faith and 
 worihip, but give that right and privilege wholly unto the 
 Spirit of fefiis Chrift ; for unto him only it pertaineth to 
 be whole' judge, and to have full power in his own king- 
 dom ; and until you give him the right, and deliver up 
 unto him his own kingdom, and the exercife of peoples 
 confciences in all things about religion, you AiaH never 
 profper, nor none that cometh after you, that fhall in 
 any meafure abridge my Mafter of his proper right, 
 from which he hath long been banidied, as I have faid ; 
 and till his right be given him, in the cafe aforefaid, he 
 will dalh one man againft another, and none (hallever be 
 eftablifiied ; but horn after horn fhall be broken, and one 
 power after another brought into confufion. 
 
 ' And therefore ye men, do not ftrive with him in this 
 matter, but yield unto him the exercife of your own con- 
 fciences by his Spirit in you, and let him do fo unto all 
 others, even as ye hope to profper, and upon the penalty 
 of his fore difpleafure upon you rn this world, and in the 
 world to come ; and let juft men, and righteous men, and 
 meek men, and men that have the fear and wifdom^ of 
 God in them, without acceptation of birth, or othervvife; 
 let fuch men have the power and judgment committed to 
 them, to determine in things between man and man. 
 Down with all the fidfe-hearted flatterers, that have ruled 
 for man and not for Cyod, and for themfelves, and not for 
 the good of the people ; caft all fuch out from you ; for 
 the good among you is choaked by them : down with all 
 that judge for rewards ; and away with all hircHng rulers, 
 that execute the law for money, and will not plead the 
 caufe of the poor without great fees ; and down with all 
 that will not fcrve places of truft without fo large fdpends •, 
 away with all thefe things out of the land, for they are 
 heinous oporeffions unto men, and great ai^ominations in 
 the fight of God. J and the land hath long groaned under 
 
 2 A 
 
37® 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 1659] 
 
 t'EOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 37 « 
 
 the weight and burden of thcfe things, and the earth is 
 weary of them, and my Lord requires their utter diflblution, 
 as being iniquities fully ripe, and having the guilt of ^ fo 
 much cruelty, injufl:icc,and opprcflion lying upon the nation 
 becaufe hereof; therefore is the Lord's feafon to deftroy 
 them, and remove them out of the land ; which if you be 
 the inflruments in fuch a work, it will be your greateft 
 crown, and your perpetual honour ; for the Lord's pur- 
 pofe is one way or other to cleanfe the land of all thefe 
 and other oppreiSons whatfoever, that the people of this 
 land may be a free people from all the heavy yokes of 
 aniichrift, which have long forely prefled them down ; and 
 the purpofe of the Lord is to break the yokes of opprefliori 
 and tyranny from off the necks of this people ; and there- 
 fore it is that he overturneth, yea, and will overturn, all 
 men and authorities that fliall oppofe his work, and none 
 Jhall be able to ftand before him ; for the prefence of my 
 Lord is more dreadful to a nation, when he fliews himfelf 
 .in wrath, than any multitude of armed men ; and woe is 
 unto you, if you be found oppofmg of him ; and if you 
 feek to flop his work, you fhall not cumber the earth very 
 long, nor opprefs the nations many days. Wherefore 
 confider, curfed will you be, if you be unfaithful in what 
 you have to do on the Lord's behalf; for your hour 
 paffeth over, that is allotted you ; and will be fuddenly 
 expired, never to be recalled, and then you cannot work. 
 
 * And whereas there is a great cry about miniftry, for 
 fending forth and maintaining, and encouraging a godly 
 miniftry, as you fay ; 
 
 < Now to this I do anfwer on my Lord's hehalf, and I ' 
 rauft tell you plainly ; as for a true godly miniflry, truly 
 called and fent of God, fuch a miniftry, and fuch minifters, 
 you can never be able to hinder ; but the Lord will fend 
 them out, maintaining them and preferving them, whether 
 you will or no ; and while you are troubling yourfelves 
 about fuch a matter, you are but meddling with things 
 above your hue, and out of your jurifdiftion, while you 
 a£l in fuch a cafe ; for it belongs to his government to 
 fend out minifters, whom, and as he will, and to maintain 
 them and defend them according to bis own pleafure^ and 
 
 all this without you ; for fuch minifters, tinaJy called tfeerc- 
 unto, and fcnt of the Lord, will not feek to you to be 
 fent forth, or maintained by you, they will ngtbe be- 
 holden to you in fuch a cafe ; but even without you, and 
 contrary to you, muft they be fent out and maintained ; 
 fo that the Lord will have a miniftry in this nation purely 
 of his own, and not of man, nor by man, and fuch a 
 miniftr-y you fliall not be able to hinder. 
 
 ' And I muft tell you plainly, as for thefe men called 
 minifters, in this nation, the way of their fetting up, and 
 fending forth, and the way of their maintenance, and the 
 way of their (landing and defence, and in every particular 
 of their being fuch, they are^the greateft and moft woeful 
 oppreffion in the nation ; even the moft abominable and 
 linjuft cruelties and tyrannies are afted through them, as 
 
 • any other thing in the nation ; and they are (as fuch 
 aforefaid) the woeful caufe of the nation's groaning under 
 mercilefs dealing ; and there is upon their account, the 
 guilt of bJood, injuftice, and oppreffion lying upon this 
 nation ; their iniquities, their iniquities, cry tor vengeance 
 upon their own heads ; for they are full, they are full, and 
 the meafure thereof is near finifiied, and God's eternal 
 vengeance is their next reward from the eternal God. 
 What fliall I fay of them, but this ? The earth is opprefled 
 by them, the inhabitants groan under them, and the 
 righteous God is vexed through them, and they are the 
 very men of high indignation and fierce wrath, and ail 
 
 > their praftices (as fuch) are the fuel of his anger, to be 
 confumed by the fire of his jealoufy ; the nation is weary, 
 and its inhabitants, and the Lord is weary, becaufe of 
 thefe men : and is this the miniftry cried up by you as 
 godly and pious ? &c. Are thefe the men that the nation 
 muft be forced to maintain in their pride and idolatry? 
 Is this the miniftry that muft be encouraged ? Well, if 
 thefe be the men, and this the miniftry which muft be 
 cftabliflied and encouraged by you, in fo doing you fliall 
 never profper, but thereby gain the difpleafure of the 
 Almighty imto you, to bring a curfe upon all your doings, 
 even becaufe hereof; for 1 mtift tell you, the hand of my 
 Lord is againft them, and whofoevcr fliall feck to defend 
 
 2 A 2 
 
37^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 '7 
 
 [I659 
 
 them, fliall not profper in their doings, becaufe their 
 oppreffions, crueUies, deceits, and abomin;itions, are nigh 
 finifhcd and fulfilled : wherefore take heed unto yourfelves, 
 for this is ray Matter's advice unto you ; let this miniftry 
 alone,andjoin not yourfelves to Baal, left you perilh, neither 
 take part with antichrift any longer, neither be ye fighters 
 againft the Lamb and his kingdom ; but free the nation, and 
 let all its inhabitants be frced,from the cruel talks andyokes 
 of fuch men, and fuch a miniftry as aforcfaid; uphold it not 
 againft the Lord, for if you do, you (hall never be cftab- 
 lifhed, and this is from the mouth of my Lord unto you. 
 
 ' And laft of all, my Mafter hath a people in this nation, 
 . even a fuffcring people, that have borne the burden of 
 the cruelty, and injuftice, and ^^'ickednefs, both of rulers 
 and teachers, who have, as it were, trodden them down, 
 and made them a very prey to their devouring mouths ; 
 the very cry of their fufFerings hath reached unto heaven, 
 and the very found' thereof your ears have heard ; and this 
 people are greatly beloved, and my Lord will affurcdly 
 honour them, and his hand (hall be continued to preferve 
 them and defend them againft all their enemies whatfoever ; 
 and he doth referve them to himfelf, and for a glorious 
 work that he hath to do by them ; and he hath formed 
 them for himfelf, and they cannot join with any of the 
 horns of the great beaft, neither can a place ot honour 
 pcfvert them from their perfeft way ; but my Lord, he 
 compaflfeth them about on every fide, and hath kept them 
 in the midft of trials, reproaches, and fufFerings, and 
 covered them in the heat, and in the ftorm, till hU pleafurc 
 is to make farther ufe of them ; they are his, and not their 
 own ; and they muft fulfil his will", and none befides ; and 
 they lie at reft in him, while mountains are overturned, 
 and while one pot(herd of the earth breaks another ; and 
 this muft be even till the appointed time : and to fay no 
 more of them, though much more might be faid, they 
 are had in remembrance before the Lord, to do with them 
 even for his own glory, and for the nation's perpetual 
 ^ood ; and to the authority of the Moft High, through 
 them, (hall kings of the earth, and nations of the world 
 bow and tremble \ wherefore ye men, touch them not. 
 
 .1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 373 
 
 i„jumc. and "''^j,2''"j':^iir^!^n"J,^; 
 
 who have been mercilds, ana opp and brousht 
 
 eveu till my Lord ^ath -nfonnd^^^^^^^^ 
 
 them mto ^f^^^jJ^'^Z^lon the nation in that 
 tyranny, and oPP^f >°"' 'y"> ,^ifi revenge them in his 
 people's caufe »"\ ."^y ^o^d J^U reve S^ 
 
 feafon j and though they ^^f ""^ ^^^^ ^ n .^ings, yet the 
 
 but are in the P^^.^^^^^^'f ^^^i rg-^^^^^^^^^ '"" 
 nation can never be happy, nor u!.s and their 
 
 bleffed, while this people are held in bondage an 
 fufFerings are deeply confidered of the Lord 
 
 feafon thereof is ex p.nng ^^J^^^f^^j^^^;^^^^ 
 
 cometh topafs then woe unto ^^e kin^d^^^^^ their 
 
 andtothewhor^andfelfcpo^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 {trcngth.sdr.edup byw^^^^^^ ^^^^^ them, great 
 
 the Lamb and his toUoweis .yea, « ^ 
 
 fearfulnefs fhall be upon a U t^e -rid when^the ^k.^g^^ ^ 
 
 that people re.gns upon the earth, ana tn ^^^^ 
 
 bleffed is the man thai wa.teth for .t, and blene 
 
 is not offended in his co.nmg, but .» prepar^^^^^^^ ^^ 
 
 him in his appearing, which fuddenly cometn up 
 
 ^'" rnd';hus I have told the Lord's Vrf^l^^lf^^, 
 you,^w\ich 1 received from J-./^^^^^f j;/"^ l^fZk 
 
 Sgdom'IandaSd'to this nation, however otherw.fe 
 judged by ignorant men. ^^ Burrough.' 
 
 The Ninth month, 1659. 
 
 Now how foon after thefe ^^f^^^^.^^^Zfo^r .TecS 
 
 eftates &all not b^ fP^'^^^^T U c wftrX i'^^^^ you, 
 from the axe ; your enem.cs 1^1 "^^"S^^^^^^^^^ Lll not 
 and if you feek to ftop the Lord s J^^^^^ ^^^ ^, 
 cumber the earth very long, were lumuc , 
 fhortly. ^^ 
 
374 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 About ibis time alfo he writ fevcnil epiftles to his friends, 
 wherein he fo powerfully exhorted them to fiiithfuhicfs and 
 ftedfaftnefs, that thereby he hath procured 10 himfelf a 
 name that will never diej as living (till in the remembrance 
 of thoufands, though he long ago went the way of all flefh, 
 having laid down his life in bonds for the tcftimony of 
 Jcfus, as will be faid in its due place. 
 
 There is alfo extant a piece of a letter WTitten about 
 this time to the cavaliers, which, whether done by E. Bur- 
 rough, or by George Fox the younger, or by George 
 Biftiop, I cannot tell : but thus it fpeaks : 
 
 ' The very (lime fpirit of pride and oppreflion, and 
 iddatry, is entered into them (viz. your enemies) and 
 now lives in them in as high a mtafure as ever it lived 
 amongfl: you ; and their iniquities are well nigh fmiftied, 
 and' the Lord will one way or other correft and reprove 
 them ; and they fliall be dealt with in like manner as they 
 have dealt with you ; for they were no more than a rod 
 in the hand of the Lord for a feafon, and they miifl: alfo 
 be broken and cad into the fire ; and whether 'the Lord 
 Tnay ever make ufe of you to repreve them, as fee did 
 of them to reprove yoii, this I determine not, but leave it 
 to him who can do whatfoever he will, by what inftrument 
 he pleafcth. It is true, you have made many attempts to 
 be revenged upon them, but you have not hitherto pro- 
 fpered ; but could you be humbled, and come into the 
 meek Spirit of the Lord, then might you profper ; 
 hitherto the Lord hath always defeated you, and bowed 
 you down under a people as unworthy as others ; but 
 their time will come to an end. Submit therefore unto 
 the will of the Lord in what is come to pafs, and 
 feck not vengeance to yourfelves ; and then the Lord wil 
 avenge your caufe ; for the iniquities of your adverfaries 
 are ripe. And Gharries Stuart mud either be converted 
 to God, and ruled by him, or elfe he can never rightly 
 rule for God in this nation ; though this I believe, it is 
 not impoffible but that he may be a rod upon them that 
 ^>xe fmote him ; ard their oppreflions and ambitions may 
 receive a check through him.' ' 
 
 1659] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 375 
 
 Among feveral other eminent preachers, Stepl^^n Crif^^^ 
 waVnow^alfo become a pttblick minifter of the -^^^^^^^^ 
 God • and it was about this time that he went to Scotlaiid, 
 t^pr^ach the gofpel there, and to edify the churches wi.h 
 
 ''^J;'fox the younger, this year writ an exbortat^^^ 
 the military officers, and the army, ttiewmg them how they 
 were departed from their firft integrity, and fallen mto 
 
 pride and wantonnefs. o^>Jo™'irh 
 
 ^ G . Fox the elder, about theTenth month was at Norw icl^, 
 where a meeting being appointed, and the "^^Y?^^^^^^^^ 
 got notice of it, intended to have given oiit a ^/^^^^^^^ 
 Lprehend him, but he having heard of this, fent lome 
 of^ns friends to the mayor, to fpeak with 1^^^ ^^out ju 
 And his anfwer was, that he feared fuch ^ Hieeting wou^d 
 caufc tumults in the town. But being fpoken to m a kmd 
 way, he behaved himfelf moderately, ^^^ ^ ^^^^^ ^'^^^^^^^ 
 meSing was kept ; to which, ^^-^S.f ^^^; ^^^^^^ 
 alfo came, and among thefe was one 1 ownfend who 1^^^^^^^ 
 up and cried, ' Error, Blafphemy,' &c. ». F^x d^^^^^^^ 
 him not to burden himfelf with that which he could not 
 make ^ood. But he afferted it to be error and ^^f?^jy^ 
 That G. Fox had faid tlxat people muft wait upon God by 
 his power and Spiri..nd feel his prefenc^^ wh^ Jey J^^ 
 r»rit fnpnk words. On this G. rox aiK-ca ii""9 ^ 
 th aroftlerand holy men of God, did not hear God fpeak 
 to them in their filence, before they„<^P»^'=,./°rY'^1 
 Scripture and before it was written ? He repl ed Yes, 
 a 7Srmed it by %ing plainly, ^l-t Dav.d -d the 
 
 blafphemy and error which he ^ad charged G Pox wuh 
 he went away ; and being afterwards fP°f "^^^^^ P^^^^^^^ 
 Whitehead and Richard H"bberthorn, who were then al^ 
 about Norwich, he was foon confounded and bjrougt? 
 down. 
 
 2 A4 
 
3/6 
 
 THI HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1^59 
 
 The committee of fafety being now in power, Edmond 
 Ludlow continued to urge the rcftoring of the paHiament ; 
 and general Monk, who commanded the army in Scotland^ 
 aimmg at the reftoration of the king, yet writ to the jpeaker, 
 Lenthal, tlrat he would aft for the parliament : and fo it 
 was reftored. 
 
 G. Fox the younger, writ to this parliament a letter, 
 wherein he told them, that their day was turned intodarlf. 
 nefs ; and that the fun was gone down over them. Yea, 
 that the decree was gone out, and fealed againil them, and 
 n could not be recalled : *with many other remarkable ex- 
 prcflions. He had written at other times to the army, and 
 the parliament, as did alfo Richard Hubberchorn, which 
 to avoid prolixity, I pafs by. 
 
 Let us now again take a view of the pcrfecution in New 
 
 England. I have already made mention of Lawrence and 
 
 CaiTandra Southick, and their fon Jofiah, of whom more 
 
 is to be faid hereafter ; but firft I will fpeak of Daniel and 
 
 Provided, fon and daughter of the faid Lawrcncp and Caf- 
 
 fandra. Ihefe children feeing how unreafonably their 
 
 honed parents and brother were dealt with, were fo far 
 
 from being deterred thereby, that they rather felt them- 
 
 felvts encouraged to follow their fteps, and not to frequent 
 
 theaflembliesof fuch a perfecuting generation; for which 
 
 abfence they were fined ten pounds, though it was well 
 
 known they had no elbte, their parents being already 
 
 brought to poverty, by their rapacious perfecutors. To 
 
 get this money, the following order was iffued in the ^ene* 
 
 ral court at Bofton, * ^ 
 
 * Whereas Daniel Southick, and Provided Southick, fon 
 and daughter of Lawrence Southick, abfentj^jg themfelves 
 from the publick ordinances, have been fined by the courts 
 of Salem and Jpfwich, pretending they have no eihtes, 
 and rcfolving not to work, the court, upon pcrufal of a 
 law, which was made upon the account of debts, in anfwer 
 to what fliould be done for the fatisfa^lion of the fines, re- 
 foUes, that the treafurers of the feverai coimties are, and 
 Ihall be fully impowcred to fell the faid nerfons to any of 
 
 ^659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QtJAKERS. 
 
 377 
 
 the Englifh nation, at Virginia, or Barbadoes, to anfwer 
 the faid fines, &c. 
 
 * Edward Rawfon, Secretary/ 
 
 The fubjeft of this order was anfwered eflfeftually at 
 large in print, by G. Bifhop, who fliewed the unreafon- 
 ablenefs of this work very plainly from facred writ ; as from- 
 Amos ii. 6. where the judgments of God are denoimccd 
 againfl tbofe who fold the righteous for filver, and the 
 poor for a pair of flices ; and from Levit. xxv. 42, where 
 ike makmg the children of Ifrael bondmen, is expreftly 
 forbidden ; this being nor lawful, but in the cafe of theft, 
 if the thief had nothing to make fatisfaaion with. But to 
 return to Daniel and Provided, there wanted nothing but 
 the execution of the faid order againa them. Wherefore 
 Edmund Butter, one of the treafurers, to get fomethiot^ of 
 the booty, fought out for paffage, to fend them to Bai-ba- 
 does for fale ; but none were willing to take or carry 
 them : and a certain maRer of a fhip, to put the thin^ off 
 pretended, that they would fpoil all the fhip's company! 
 lo which Butter returned, ' No, you need not fear tha't 
 for they are poor harmlefs creatures, and will not hurt anv 
 body. ' Will they not fo,' replied the fliipma/ler : -' and 
 will you offer to make flaves of fuch harmlefs creatures ?• 
 Thus Butter, maugre his wicked intention, ihe winder 
 bejng at hand, fent them home again, to fhift for them- 
 Idvcs, till he could get a convenient opportunity to lend 
 them away. "^ 
 
 It happened alfo In this year, that a girh, about eleven 
 years old, named Patience Scot, whofe religious mother 
 had been cruelly whipt by thefe people, bore witneA 
 agamfl their wicked perfecution; which fo incenfed the oer 
 fecutors, that they fent her toprifon : and the child haSiVr 
 been examined, fpoke fo well to the purpofe, thai fliecon" 
 founded her enemies ; fome of which confeffed, that they 
 had many children, who had been well educated, and tS 
 It were well if they could fay half fo much for God, as 5l^^ 
 could for the devi . But this child not being of years ' 
 be obnoxious to the law, how wicked foever They were 
 
 feems they could not refolve to proceed to banilhment; a 
 mcy aid with others, ' 
 
378 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 All that hitherto I have faid of the New England per- 
 fecution, is but curlbrily, and only a very fmall part of 
 thofe manifold whippings that were inflicted there ; befides 
 the extortions of fines, which were cxhorbitant to a high 
 degree ; as may appear by what was done to William 
 Mafton, at Hampton, who was fined ten pounds for two 
 books found in his houfc, five pounds for not frequenting 
 iheir church, and three pounds befides, as a due to the 
 prieii: and he not being free in confcience to pay this fine, 
 had taken from him what amounted to more that twenty 
 pounds. I find alfo, that not long after this time, above a 
 tboufand pounds was extorted from fome, only becaufe 
 they had feparated themfelves from the perfecuting church: 
 and it feemsthey were deemed fuch as were flnit out from 
 the prote^kion of the law ; infomuch that Thomas Prince,' 
 governor of Plymouth, did not (tick to fay, that in his con- 
 fcience the Qiiakers were fuch a people, that deferved to 
 be deftroyed, they, their wives, and children, their houfcs 
 and lands, v^ithout pity or mercy. I find alfo that one 
 Humphrey Norton at Newhaven, for being a Qiiaker, was 
 whipt fcvercly, and burnt in the hand with the letter H. 
 to fignify herctick. 
 
 This cruelty of the Englifh did alfo ft ir up the Dutch 
 to perfecution : for without enquiring what kind ot people 
 the Quakers were, they feemed ready to conclude them to 
 be men of pernicious opinions, fince thofe of their own 
 cation, who pretended to more purity than other Pro- 
 teftants, did fo feverely perfecute them. 
 
 It happened that one Robert llodflione, being in the 
 Dutch plantation at Hamftead^ had a meeting with fome of 
 his friends that were Englifh, and lived there ; but as he 
 was walking in an orchard, an officer came and took hold 
 of him, and brought him before one Gilderileave, an 
 Englifhman, and a magiftrate there, who committed him 
 to prifon, and rode to the Dutch Governor to acquaint him 
 therewith : and coming back with a guard of mufqueteers, 
 the fifca! fearched the prifoner, and took away his knife, 
 papers and bible, and pinioned him, and kept him fo all 
 night, and the next day. And making enquiry after thofe 
 ahat entertained him, he took .into cuftcdy two w^omen on 
 ihat occafion, one of which had pvo fmall children, the 
 
 1^59] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERS, 
 
 379 
 
 one yet fucking at her breaft. Then they got a cart and 
 carried the women away in it, and Robert was Mened to 
 the hinder part of the cart, pinioned, and fo drawn through 
 the woods in the night feafon, whereby he was much tora 
 and abufed. And being come to New Amfterdam (now 
 qNew Yorkj, he was loofed, and led by the rope, with 
 which he had been Mened to the cart, to the dungeon, 
 being a filthy place, full of vermin ; and the two women 
 were carried to another place. Some time after he was 
 examined, there being one captain Willet of Plymouth, 
 who had much incenfed the governor agairtft him, who be- 
 fore had been moderate. 'i1ie conclufion was, that a fen- 
 lence was read in Dutch, to Robert, to this effea, that he 
 \vas to work two years at the wheelbarrow with a negro, 
 or pay, or caufe to be paid, fix hundred guilders. To this 
 he attempted to make his defence in a fober way, but was 
 not fuffered to fpeak, and fent to the dungeon again ; 
 where no Englifh were fiiffered to come to him. AFter ^ 
 fome days he w^as uiken out, and pinioned, and being fee 
 with his face towards the court chamber, his hat was taken 
 off, ^nd anotherfenrence read to him in Dutch, which he 
 didnotunderftand: butthatit difpleafedmanyof thatnation, 
 did appear by the fliaking of their heads. Then he was 
 call again into the dungeon, where he was kept fome days. 
 At length, betimes in the morning, he was haled out, 
 and chained to a wheelbarrow, and com.manded to work : 
 to which he anfwered, he was never brought up, nor ufed 
 to fuch aw^ork. Upon which they made a negro to take 
 a pitched rope, nigh four inches about, and to beat 
 him ; who did fo, till Robert fell down. Then they took 
 him up again, a.id caufed the negro to beat him with the 
 faid rope, until he fell down the fecond time, and it was 
 believed that he received about one hundred blows. Thus 
 he was kept all that day in the heat of the fun, chained 
 to the wheelbarrow ; and his body being much bruifed 
 and fwtlled with the blows, and he kept without food, 
 grew very faint, and fat upon the ground, with his mind ' 
 retired to the Lord, and refigncd to bis will, whereby he 
 felt himfelf fupported. At night he was locked up again 
 in the dungeon, and the next morning he was chained 
 again to the wheelbarrow^ and a centinel fetover him, that 
 
380 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 none might come fomnch as to fpeak with him. On the 
 third day he was had forth, and chained in like manner ; 
 ajid no wonder that he ftill refufed to work, for bcfides the 
 unrcafonablenefs of reqniring fiich a fervile work of him 
 who had committed no evil, he was not in a condition to 
 perform it, being made altogether unable by the cruel* 
 blows given him. In this weak ftate he was brought be- 
 fore the governor, who demanded him to work, otherwife 
 be faid, he fhould be whipt every day. Robert afked him 
 what law he had broken ? And called for his accufers, 
 that he might know his tranfgreflion. But inftead of an 
 anfwcr he was chained 10 the wheelbarrow again, and 
 threatened, that if he fpake to any one, he fhould be 
 puniflied worfe* Yet he did not forbear to fpeak to fomc 
 that came to him, fo as he faw meet, and thought conve- 
 nient. Then feeing they could not keep him filent, they 
 put him into the dungeon again, and kept him clofe there 
 feveral days, and two nights ; one day and a half of ii, 
 without bread or water. 
 
 After this, he was brought very early in the morning, 
 into a private room, and (Iript to the waift, and hung up 
 by his hands, and a great log of wood tied to his feet, fo 
 that he could not turn his body ; and then a ftrung negro 
 was fet to whip him with rods, who laid many ftripes upon 
 him, which cut his fleft very much. Then he was let 
 down again, and put into tlie dungeon as before, and none 
 fuffcred'^to come to him. Two days after he was had forth 
 again, and hung up as before, and many more ftripes were 
 laid upon him by another negro. He almoft fainting, and 
 not knowing but his life might be taken away, defired that 
 fome Englifli might be fuffcred to come to him : which was 
 granted, and an Englilh woman came and wafhcd his ftripes, 
 finding him brought fo low, that ft)e thought he would not 
 live till the next morning. And (he telling this to her huf- 
 band, it made fuch an im'preffion upon him, that he ^vent to 
 the fifcal and proffered him a fat ox, to fuffer Robert to be 
 at his houfe until he was well again. But the fifcal would 
 not permit this, imlcfs the whole fine was paid. And 
 though there were fome that would willingly have paid the 
 fine for him, yet he could not confent to it ; but withm 
 three days after he had thus been whipped, he was made 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 381 
 
 whole, and as ftrong as before, and was free to labour, 
 that he might not be burthenfome to any. Some others 
 of thofe called Quakers, (who came thither from the plan- 
 tations in New England to enjoy liberty of confcience, and 
 whofe names and fufferings I pafs by for brevity's fake) 
 met alfo with hard meafurc from the governor, by the 
 inftigation of the aforefaid Captain Willet. Robert now 
 though guihlefs, being kept like a flave, to hard work, it 
 raifed compaffion in many, and the governor's fiftxr, who 
 was much affefted with his fufferings, became inftrumental 
 in obtaining hjs liberty ; for (he fo plied her brother, that 
 he at length fet him free without paying one penny, or 
 any body for him ; by which the governor (hewed, that 
 though he had been two eafily wrought upon to commit 
 evil, yet he was not come near to that height of malice, as 
 the New England perfecutors; who increafed in their hard- 
 hcartednefs, and became inured to cruelty, infomuch that 
 if any one ampngft them would not give his vote for per- 
 fecution, he was counted unworthy to be a magiftrate: as 
 appears by a letter of one James Cudworth, written fome 
 time before to one of his friends in Old England, wherein 
 I meet with thefe words : 
 
 * As for the ftate and condition of things amongft us, it 
 is fad. The antichriftian perfecuting fpirit is very aftive, 
 and that in the powers of this world. He that will not 
 whip and lafh, perfecute, and punifti men that differ in 
 matters of religion, rauft not fit on the bench, nor fuftain 
 any olfice in the commonwealth. • Laft eleftion Mr. Ha- 
 therly and myfelf left the bench, and myfelf was difcharged 
 of my captainfliip, becaufe I had entertained fome of the 
 Quakers at my houfe, that thereby I might be the better 
 acquainted with their principles. I thought it better to 
 do fo, than with the blind world 10 cenfure, condemn, rail 
 at, and revile thera^ when they neither faw their perforis, 
 nor knew any thing of their principles. But the Quakers 
 and myfelf cannot clofe in divers things ; and fo I fignified 
 to the court I was no Quaker, but rauft give my teftimony 
 againft fundry things that they held, as I had occafion and 
 opportunity. But withal, 1 told them, that as I was no 
 Quaker, fo I would be no perfecmor.* 
 
332 
 
 THE HISTOPLY OF THE 
 
 ['^59 
 
 Now fliall I enter upon "the narrative of their putting 
 ' fome to death, who died martyrs ; for this was yet want- 
 ing to complete the tragedy, which it feems could not be 
 done to the fatisfaftion of the a<fiors, without playing a 
 mnrdering part. 
 
 The two firfl that fealed their teflimony with their blood, 
 were William Robinfon, merchant of London, and Mar^ 
 maduke Stevenfon, a countryman of Yorkftiire. Thefe 
 coming to Bofton in the beginning of September, were 
 fent for by the court of affiflants, and there fentenced to 
 banifhment on pain of death. This fentence was paffed 
 alfo on Mary Dyar, mentioned heretofore, and Nicholas 
 Davis, who were both at Bofton. But Willam Robinfon, 
 being looked upon as a teacher, was alfo condemned to be 
 whipt feverely ; and the conftable was commanded to get 
 an able man to it. Then Robinfon was brought into the 
 ftreet, and there ftript ; and having his hands put through 
 the holes of the carriage of a great gun, where the gaoler 
 held him, the executioner gave him twenty ftripes with a 
 three-fold cord whip. Then he and the other prifoners 
 were fliortly releafed, and baniflied ; which that it was for 
 no other reafon but their being Quakers, may appear by 
 the following warrant : 
 
 • 
 
 ^ You are required by thefe, prefently to fet at liberty 
 William Robinfon, Marmaduke Stevenfon, Mary Dyar, 
 and Nicholas Davis, who by an order of the court and 
 council, had been imprifoned, becaufe it appeared by their 
 own confeffion, words, and aftions, that they are Quakers ; 
 wherefore a fentence was pronounced againft them, to de- 
 part this jurifdiaion on pain of death, and that they muft 
 anfwer it at their peril, if they, or any of them, after the 
 J4thof this prefent month September, are found within ' 
 this jurifdiftion, or any part thereof. 
 
 * Edward Rawfon.' 
 
 Bofton, September 1 2, 1659. 
 
 Now though Mary Dyar and Nicholas Davis left that 
 jurifdiftion for that time, yet Robinfon and Stevenfon 
 though they departed the town of Bofton. could not yet 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 3^ 
 
 refolvc (not being free in mind) to depart thai jurifdiftion, 
 though their lives were at ftake. And fo they went to 
 Salem, and fome place thereabout to vifit,and build up their 
 friends in the faith. But it was not long before they were 
 taken, and put again into prifon at Bofton, and chains, 
 locked to their right legs. In the next month Mary Dyar 
 returned alfo. And as (lie ftood before the prifon, fpeak- 
 ing with one Chriltopher Holder,*who was come thither 
 to inquire for a fhip bound for England, whither he in- 
 tended to go, flie was alfo taken into cuftody. Thus they 
 had three perfons, who, according to their fanguinary 
 law," had forfeited their lives. And on the 20th of 
 Oftober, thefe three were brought into the court, where 
 John Endicot and others were affembled. And being 
 called to the bar, Endicot commanded the keeper to pull 
 off their hats : and then faid, that they had made feveral 
 laws to keep the Quakers from amongft them ; and neither 
 whipping, nor imprifoning, nor cutting off ears, nor banifh- 
 ing upon pain of death, would keep them (torn amongft 
 them. And further he faid, that he or they defired noc 
 the death of any of them. Yet notwithftanding, his fof- 
 lowing words, without more ado, were, ' Give ear, and 
 hearken to your fentence of death.' W. Robinfon then 
 defired that he might be permitted to read a paper, giving 
 an account of the reafon why he had not departed that 
 jurifdi6tion. But Endicot would not fuffer in to be read, 
 and faid in a rage, ' You fliall not read it, nor will the 
 court hear it read.' Then Robinfon laid it on the tabic. 
 He had written this paper the day before, and fome of the 
 contents were, that he being in Rhode Ifiand, the Lord 
 had commanded him to go to Bofton, and to lay down his 
 life there. That he alfo had felt an ^iffurance that his foul 
 was to enter into everlafting peace, and eternal reft. That 
 he durft not but obey, without inquiring farther concern- 
 ing *ii; believing that it became him as a child, to fliew 
 obedience to the Lord, without any unwillingnefs. That 
 this was the caufe, why after banifliment on pain of death, 
 he ftaid in their jurifdiftion : and that now Vvith finceriiy 
 of heart he could fay, Bleffed be^the Lord, .the God of 
 / my life, who haih called me hereunto, and counted me 
 
3^4 
 
 TttE HIStORY OF TMK 
 
 Ct6s^ 
 
 worthy to tcftify againft wicked and unjun: men. Sec. This 
 paper being handed to Endicot, he read it to hirafelf, and 
 after he had done, fliid to Robinfon, * You need not keep 
 fuch ado to have it read ; for you fpoke yeflerday more 
 than here is written/ Yet this was not lb ; for it con- 
 tained a circumftantial relation of the divine operations on 
 his mind ; and that he was not come there in his own will 
 but in obedience to liis Creator : and that travelling in 
 Rhode Ifland, on the 8th of the Eighth month, he had 
 been moved thereto from the Lord, and therefore had 
 fubmitted to his divine pleafure without murmuring. W. 
 Robinfon defiring again that the paper might be read, tliat 
 fo Jill that were prefent might hear it, it was denied him, 
 and Endicot faid, ' W, Robinfon hearken to your femence 
 of death ; you fliall be had back to the place from whence 
 you came, and from thence to the place of execution^ to 
 be hanged on the gallow^s till you are dead.' This fen- 
 tence was not altogether iinexpefted to W. Robinfon ; for 
 it was four months now that he had believed this woitld 
 be his (liare. 
 
 Robinfon being taken away, M. Stevenfon was called, 
 and Endicot faid to him, ' If you have any thing to fay, 
 j^ may fpeak.* He knowing how they dealt w^th his 
 companion, was filenr, though he had alfo written in prifon 
 a paper, containing the caufe of hi^ being come there ; 
 but he kept it with him, and found afterwards occafion to 
 deliver it to fomebody. Then Endicot pronounced fentence 
 of death againft him, faying, ' M. Stevenfon, you Ihall be 
 had to the place from whence you came, and from thence 
 to the gallows, and there be hanged till you arc dead/ 
 "Whereupon M. Stevenfon fpoke thus : ' Give ear, ye ma- 
 gillrates, and all whc^ are guilty; for this the Lord hath 
 faid concerning you, and will perform his word upon you, 
 that the fame day ye put his fervants to death, Ihatt the 
 day of your vihtation pafs over your heads, and you Jhall 
 be curfcd for evermore. The mouth of the Lord of hods 
 hath fpoken it. Therefore in love to you all, I exhort 
 you to take warning before it be too late, that fo the 
 curfe may bs jremoved^ For aiTuredly if you put us tp 
 
 ^^59l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKERa. 
 
 385 
 
 death, you will bring innocent blood upon your ownhead^, 
 and fwift deftruftion will come upon you.' 
 
 After he had fpoken this, he was taken away, and Mary 
 Dyar was called: to whom Endicot fpoke thus : 'Mary 
 Dyar, you fhall go to the place from whence you came, 
 (to wit the prifon) and from thence to the place of execu- 
 tion, and be hanged there until you are dead.' To which 
 file replied, ' The will of the Lord be done.' Then En- 
 dicot faid, * Take her away, marlhal.' To which fhe re^ 
 turned, ' Yea, joyfully I go.' And in her going to the 
 prifon, flie often uttered fpeeches of praife to the Lord ; 
 and, being full of joy, ftie faid to the marflial, he might let 
 her alone, for fhe would go to the prifon without him. 
 To which he anfwered, ' I believe you, Mrs. D,yar : but 
 I ij|ft do what I am commanded.' Thus flic was led to 
 priron, \vhere fhe ^as kept a week, with the two other 
 her companions, that were alfo condemned to die. 
 
 The psiper of Marmaduke Stevenfon, mentioned before, 
 which he gave fprth after he had received fentence of 
 death, was thus : 
 
 * In the beginning of the year 1655, I was at the plough, 
 in the eaft parts of Yorkfliire, in Old England, near the 
 place where my outward being was, and as I walked after 
 the plough, I was filled with t'ae love and prefence of the 
 living God, which did ravifh my heart when I felt it ; for 
 it did increafe and abound in me like a living ftream, fo did 
 the love and hfe of God run through me like precious 
 ointment, giving a pleafant fmell, w^hich made me to ftand 
 flill ; and as I ftood a little ftill, with my heart and mind 
 ftayed oh the Lord, the word of the Lord came to me in 
 a Itill fmall voice, which I did hear perfe6lly, faying to me, 
 in thcfecret of my heart and cbhfci^nce^— 1 have ordained 
 thee a prophet unto the natioiis.-^And at the hearing of 
 the word of the Lord, I was put to a ftand, being that I 
 was but a child for fuch a weighty matter. So at the time 
 appointed, Barbadoes was fet before me, unto which I was 
 required of the Lord to go, and leave my d^ar and loving 
 wife, and tender children : for the Lord faid unto me im- 
 
 VoL. L 2 B 
 
 
385 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 b^59 
 
 mediately by his Spirit, that he would be as a hufband 
 to my wife, and as a' father to my children, and ihey 
 Ihould not want in my abfence, for he would provide 
 for them when I was gone. And I believed that the Lord 
 would perform what he had fpoken, becaufe I was made 
 willing to give up myfclf to his work and fervice, to leave 
 all and follow him, whofe prefence and life is with me, 
 where 1 reft in peace and quietnefs of fpirit (with my dear 
 brother) under the fliadow of his wings who hatli made 
 us willing to lay down our lives for his own name fake, if 
 unmerciful men be fufFered to take them from us ; and if 
 they do, we know we fhall have peace and reft with the 
 Lord for ever in his holy habitation, when they fliall 
 have torm.ent night and day. So, in obedience to the 
 living God, I made preparation to pafs to Barbado^ in 
 the Fourth month, 1658. So, after I had been fomWme 
 on the faid ifland in the fervice of God, I heard that 
 New England had made a law to put the fervants of the 
 living God to death, if they returned after they were 
 fentenced away, which did come near me at that time ; 
 and as I confidered the thing, 'and pondered it' in my 
 heart, immediately came the word of the Lord unto mc, 
 faying, * Thou knoweft not but that thou mayeft go 
 thither.' But I kept this word in my heaft, and did not 
 declare it to any until the time appointed. So^ after 
 that, a vcflel was made ready for Rhode liland, which 
 I paffed in. So, after a httle time that I had been thcre,^ 
 vifiting the feed which the Lord hath bleffcd, the word of 
 the Lord came unto me, faying, ' Gp to Bodon with thy 
 brother William Robinfon.' And at his command I was 
 obedient, and gave up myfclf to do his will, that fo his 
 work and fervice may be accomplifhed : for he bath laid 
 unto me, that he hath a great work for me to do ; which 
 is now come to pafs : and for yielding obedience to, and 
 obeying the voice and command of the ever-living God, 
 who created heaven aqd earth, and the fountains of watqrs, 
 do I, with my dear brother, fufTer outward bonds near 
 unto death. And this i§ given forth to be upon record, 
 . that all people may know, who hear it, that we came iioi; 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERS. 
 
 387 
 
 in our own wills, but in the will of God. Given forth by 
 me, who am known to men by the name of 
 
 ^ Marmaduke Stephenfon.* 
 
 Written in EoRon prifon, in 
 the 8th' month, 1659. 
 
 But having a new name given me, which 
 the world kuows not of, written in the 
 Book of Life* 
 
 Mary Dyar being returned to prifon, writ the following 
 letter, which flie fcnt to the rulers of Bofton. 
 
 To the General Court in Bofton. 
 
 * Whereas I am by many charged with the guiltinefs of 
 my own blood; if you mean in my coming to Bofton, I 
 am therein clear, and juftified by the Lord, in whofe will 
 I came, who will require my blood of you, be fure, who 
 have made a law to take away the lives of the innocent 
 fervants of God, if they come among you, who are called 
 by you, curfed Quakers; although I fay, and am a living 
 witnefs for them and the Lor^, that he hath bleffed them, 
 and fent them unto you ; therefore be not for.nd fighters 
 againft God, but^let my counfel and requcft be accepted 
 with you, to repeal all fuch laws, that the Truth and 
 fervants of the Lord may have free paflage among you, 
 and you be kept from fliedding innocent blood, which I 
 know there are many among you would not do, if they 
 knew it fo to be ; nor can the enemy that ftirreth you up 
 thus to deftroy this holy feed, in any meafure countervail 
 the great damage that you will, by thus doing, procure. 
 Therefore feeing the Lord hath not hid it from me, it 
 lieth upon me, in love to your fouls, thus to perfuade you. 
 I have no felf-ends the Lord knoweth ; for if my life were 
 freely granted by you, it would not avail me, nor could 
 I expeft it of you, fo long as I fliould daily hear or fee the 
 fufFerings of thefe people, my dear brethren, and the feed, 
 with whom my life is bound up, as 1 have done thefe two 
 years ; and now it is like to encreafe, even unto death, 
 for no evil doing, bur coming among you. Was ever the 
 iike laws heard o^ among a people that profefs Chrift conae 
 
 2£ 2 
 
388 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1^59 
 
 in the flefh ? And have fuch no other weapons but fuch 
 laws to fight againft fpiritival wickcdnefs withal, as you 
 call it ? Woe is me for you ! Of whom take ye counlel ? 
 Search with the hght of Chrift in you, and it will flievv 
 5^ou of whom, as it hath done me and many more, who 
 have been difobedient and deceived, as now ye are: 
 which light as you come into, and obeying what is made 
 maniftft to you therein, you will not repent that you were 
 kept from fhedding blood, though it were by a woman. 
 It is not mine own life I fcek (for I choofe rather to fuiFer 
 with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleafures of 
 Egypt) but the life of the feed, which I know the Lord 
 hath bleffed, and therefore fecks the enemy thus vehe- 
 mendy to deftroy the life thereof, as in all ages he ever 
 did. O hearken not unto him, I befeech you, for the 
 feed's fake, which is one in all, and is dear in the fight • 
 of God, which they that touch, touch the apple of his 
 eye, .and cannot efcape his wrath ; whereof I having felt, 
 cannot but perfuade all men that I have to do withal, 
 efpecially you who name the name of Chrift, to depart 
 from fuch iniquity as fhedijng blood, even of the faints 
 of the Moft High. Therefore let my requeft have as 
 much acceptance with you if you be Chriftians, as Efther*s 
 had with Ahafuerus, whofe relation is fliort of that that is 
 between Chriftians ; and my requeft is the fame that hcr*s 
 W^as : and he faid not that he had made a law, and that it 
 would be diflionourable for him to revoke it ; but when he 
 underftood that thofe people were fo prized by her, and 
 fo nearly concerned her, as in truth thcfe are to me, you 
 may fee what he did for her. Therefore I leave thefe lines 
 with you, appealing to the faithful and true witnefs of God, 
 which is one in all confciences, before whom we muft all 
 appear j with whom I fliall eternally reft, in everlafting 
 joy and peace, whether you will hear or forbear. With 
 him is my reward, with whom to live is ray joy, and to 
 die is my gain, though I had not had your forty-eight 
 hours warning, for the preparation of the death of Mary 
 
 Dyar. 
 
 ' And know this alfo, that if through the enmity you 
 ihall declare yourfclves worfe than Ahafuerus, and confirm 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 3S9 
 
 your law, though it were but by taking away the life of 
 one of us, that the Lord will overthrow both your law 
 and you, by his righteous judgments and plagues poured 
 juftly upon you, who now whilft ye are warned thereof, 
 and tenderly fought unto, may avoid the one, by removing 
 the other. If you neither hear, nor obey the Lord nor 
 his fervants, yet will he fend more of his fervants among 
 you, fo that your end ftiall be fruftrated, that think 
 to reftrain them ye call curfed Quakers, from coming 
 among you, by any thing you can do to them. Yea, 
 verily, he hath a feed here among you, for whom wc 
 have fuffered all this while, and yet fufter ; whom the 
 Lord of the harveft will fend forth more labourers to 
 gather, out of the mouths of the devourers of all forts, 
 into his fold, where he will lead them into freOi prftures, 
 even the paths of righteoufnefs, for his name's fake. Oh, 
 let none 'of you put this good day far from you, which 
 verily in the light of the Lord I fee approaching, even to 
 many in and about Bofton, which is the bittercft and 
 darkeft profeffing place, and fo to continue fo long as you 
 have done, that ever I heard of. Let the time paft there- 
 fore fuffice, for fuch aprofeffion as brings forth fuch fruits 
 as thefe laws are. In love, and in the fpirit of meeknefs, 
 I again befeech you, for I have no enmity to the perfons 
 of any ; but you ftiall know, that God will not be mocked ; 
 but what yc'fow, that ftiall ye reap from him, that will 
 render to every one according to the deeds done m the 
 body, whether good or evil. Even fo be it, faith, 
 • * Mary Dyar.' 
 
 A copy of this was given to the general court 
 after Mary Dyar had received sentence of 
 death , about the 8th or 9th month, 1659. » 
 
 The day appointed to execute the bloody fentence, waf 
 the 27th of Oftober, when in the afternoon the condemned 
 prifoners were led to the gallows by the marftial Michaelfon, 
 and captain James Oliver, with a band of about two hun- 
 dred armed men, befides many horfemen ; as if they Were 
 afraid that fome of the people would have refcued the 
 prifoners : and that no a^ors on the ftage might be wantmg, 
 the prieft Wilfon joined the company, and when the court 
 
 2 B 3 
 
39c> 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 deliberated how to deal with the Quakers, faid * Hang 
 them, or elfe' (drawing his -finger athwart his throat) as 
 if he would have faid, * Difpatch 'em this way.' Now 
 the march began, and a drummer going next before the 
 condemned, the drums were beaten, efpccially when any 
 of them attempted to fpeak. Glorious figns of heavenly 
 joy and gladnefs were beheld in the countenances of thefe 
 three perfons, who walked hand in hand, Mary being ttie 
 middlemofl, who made the marlhal f«iy to her, who was 
 pretty aged, and flricken in years, * Are not you afliamed 
 to walk thus hand in hand between two young men ? * 
 * No,* replied fhe, ' this is to me an hour of the greated 
 joy I could enjoy in this world. No eye can fee, nor ear 
 can hear, no tongue can utter, and no heart can under- 
 ftand, liefweet incomes, or influence, and the rcfrefliings 
 of the Spirit of the Lord, which now I feel.' Thus going 
 along, W. Robinfon faid, *This is your hour, and the 
 power of darknefs.* But prefently the drums were beaten ; 
 yet Ihortly after, the drummers leaving oiF beating, Mar- 
 mad-ike Stevenfon faid, * This is the day of your vifitation, 
 wherein the Lord hath vifited you.' More he fpoke, but 
 could not be underftood, by reafon of the drums being 
 beaten again. Yet they went on with great chearfulnefs, 
 as going to an everlafting wedding fcafl, and rejoicing that 
 the Lord had counted them worthy to fuffer death for his 
 name's fake. 
 
 When they were come near the gallows, the prieft faid 
 in a taunting way to W. Robinfon, ' Shall fuch jacks as 
 you come in before authority with their hats on ? * To 
 which Robinfon replied, 'Mind you, mind you, it is for 
 the not putting off the hat we are put to death ! ' Now 
 being come to the ladder, they took leave of each other 
 with tender' embraces, and then Robinfon went chearfully 
 up the ladder, and being; got up, faid to the people, 
 * Ihis is the day of your vifitation, wherein the Lord hath 
 vifited you: this is the day the Lord is rifen in his mighty 
 power, to be avenged on all his adverfaries.' He alfo 
 fignified, that he fuifered not as an evil doer : and defired 
 the fpcftators to mind the light that was in them ; to wit, 
 ihcf Light of Cbrifl, of which he teflificd, and was now 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE' CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 39^ 
 
 ' going to feal it with his blood. This fo incenfed the en-' 
 vious prieft, that he faid, ^Hold thy tongue; be filent ; 
 thou art going to die with a lie in thy mouth.' The rope 
 being now about his neck, the executioner bound his 
 hands ajid legs, and tied his neckcloth about his face ; 
 which being done, Robinfon faid, * Now ye are made 
 inanifefl ;' and the executioner being about turning him 
 off, he faid, ' I fuffer Yor Chrifl, in whom I live, and for 
 whom I die.' He being turned off, Pv^armaduke Stephcnf m 
 ftepped up the ladder, and falJ, 'Be it known unto all 
 this day, that we fuffer not as evil doers, but for confcience 
 fake.' And when the hangman was about to turn him off, 
 lie (lird, ' This day fliall w€ be at reft with the Lord ^' and 
 fo he was turned off. 
 
 Mary Dyar feeing her companions hanging dead before 
 her, alfo ftepped up the ladder •, but after her coats were 
 tied about her feet, the halter put about her- neck, and 
 her face covered with a handkerchief, which the prieft 
 Wilfon lent the hangman, juft as flie was to be turned off, 
 a cry was heard, ' Stop, for ftie is reprieved.' Her feet 
 then being loofed, they bade her come down. But fhe 
 whofe mind was already as it were in heaven, ftood ftill, 
 and faid, fhe was there willing to fuffer as her brethren 
 did, unlefs they would annul their wicked law. Little 
 heed was given to what fhe fiiid, but they pulled her 
 down, and the marfhal and others taking her by the arms, 
 carried her to prifon again. That flie thus was freed from 
 the gallows this time, was at the interceffion of her fon, 
 to whom it feems they could not then rtfolve to deny that 
 favour. She now having heard why fhe was reprieved, 
 writ the next day, being the 28th of Oaober, the follow- 
 ing letter to the court. . 
 
 ' The 28rh of the Eighth month, 1659. 
 * Once more to the general court affembled in Bofton, 
 fpcaks Mary Dyar, even as before. My life is not accepted, 
 neither avai-leth me, in comparifon of the lives and liberty 
 of the Truth, and fervants of the living God, for which 
 in the bowels of love and meeknefs I iought you : yet, 
 neverthelcfs, with wicked hands have you put two of them 
 
 2B 4 
 
39^ THE HISTORY OF THE . [1659 
 
 to death, which makes me to feel, that the mercies of the 
 wicked is cruelty. I rather choofe to die than to live, as 
 from you, as guilty of their innocent blood: therefore, 
 feeing my requeft is hindered, I leave you to the righteous 
 Judge, and fearcher of all hearts, who, with the pure 
 meafure of light he hath given to every man to profit 
 withal, wi^l in hi^ due time let you fee whofe fervants you 
 are, and of whom you have taken counfel, which I defire 
 you to fearch in^o: bat all his x:ounfeI hath been flighted, 
 and you would none of his reproofs. Read your portion, 
 Prov. i. 24 to 32. For verily the jaight cometh on you 
 apace, whv^^rcin no man can work, in which you ftiall 
 aflarcdly fall to your .own mafter. In obedience to the 
 Lord, whom I fcrve with my fpirit, and pity to your fouls, 
 which y )u neither know nor pity, I can do no lefs than 
 oiiCe more to wiirn you, to put away the evil of your 
 doings ; and kifs the fon, the light in you, before his 
 wrath be kindled in you; for where ir is, nothing without 
 you can help or deliver you out of his hand at all ; and if 
 thefe things be not fo, then f^iy, there hath been no 
 prophet from the Lord fent amongft you ; though we be 
 nothing, yet it is his pleafure, by things that are not, to 
 bring to nought things that arc. 
 
 When I heard your laft order read, it was a difturbancc 
 unto me, that v/as fo freely offering up my life to him that 
 gave it me, and fent me hither fo to do, which obedience 
 being his own work, he glorioufly accompanied with his 
 prefence, and peace, and love in me, in which I reded 
 from m.y labour; til! by your order and the people, 1 was 
 fo far diflurbed, that I couki not retain any more of the 
 words thereof, than that I fliould return to prifon, and 
 there remciia forty and eight hours ; to which I fubmitted, 
 finding nothing from the Lord to the contrary, that I may 
 know what his pleafure and coanfel is concerning me, on 
 whoni I wait therefore, for he is my lite, and the length of 
 my days ; ;ind as I faid before, I came at his command, 
 and go at his command. 
 
 * Mary Dyar.' 
 
 The magiitrates now perceiving that the putting William 
 
 1659] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 395 
 
 Robinfon and Marmadukc Stephenfon to death, caufed 
 great difcontent among the people, refolved to fend away- 
 IVIary Dyar, thereby to calm their minds a little. And (o 
 fbc was put on horfeback, and by four horfemen conveyed 
 fifteen miles towards Rhode Ifland, where flie was left with 
 a horfe and a man, to be conveyed the refl of the way : 
 which fhe foon fent back, and fo repaired home. By the 
 flyle of her letters, and her undaunted carriage, it appears 
 that flie had indeed fome extraordinary qualities ; I find 
 alfo, that flie Wcis of a comely and grave coimtenance, of 
 a good family and efliate, and a mother of feveral children: 
 but her huflDand it fecms was of another perfuafion. 
 
 Whilfl: I now leave her at home, I am to fay that one 
 John Camberlain, an inhabitant of Bofl:on, having feen the 
 execution of W. Robinfon and M. Stephenfon, was fo 
 reached by their pious fpeeches, that he. received the 
 doctrine of the Truth, for which they died: but his vifuing^ 
 thofe in prifon was fo ill refented, that afterwards he 
 was whipped feveral times feverely ; as was alfo Edward 
 ^ Wharron, an inhabitant of Salem : who having faid that 
 the guilt of Robinfon and Stephenfon's blood was fo great 
 and heavy, that he was not able to bear it, was, for this 
 his pretended faucinefs, whipped with twenty laflies, and 
 fined twenty pounds. 
 
 But before I quite leave the perfons that were hanged, 
 I mufl: fay, that being dead, their countenance fliill looked 
 frefli ; (for the terror of death had not feized them}. But 
 being cut down, they were very barbaroufly ufed, none 
 taking hold of their bodies : which fo fell down on the 
 ground, that thereby the flcull of W. Robinfon was broken : 
 and even their fliirts were ripped off with a knife, and their 
 naked bodies cart: into a hole which was digged, without 
 any covering. And when fonie of their friends would 
 have laid their bodies into coMns, it was denied them. 
 Neither would they fuffer the place where the bodies were 
 cafl:, to be fenced with pales, left ravenous beafl:s might 
 prey upon them. 
 
 When the people returned from the execution, many 
 feemed fiJd and heavy; and coming to the, draw-bridge, 
 one end of it fell upon fome, and feveral were hurt, efpe- 
 
394 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1659 
 
 ciaHy a wicked woman, who had reviled the faid two 
 pcrfons at ihtir death; but now ftie was fo bruifed, that 
 her fiefli rotted from her bones, wliich made fuch a noi- 
 fon\e ftink> that people could not endure to be with her : 
 in w^hich miferable condition flie remained till (he died. 
 But the maglftrates, inllead of taking notice of this, grew 
 jnorc hardened ; and pricft Wilfon did not Hick to make a 
 ballad on the executed. 
 
 Now I return again to Mary Dyar, who being come to 
 Rhode Illand, went from thence to Long Ifland, ^vherc fhc 
 ftaid the mofl part of the winter : and then coming home 
 again, Ibe was moved to return to the bloody town of 
 Bofton, whither flie came on the 21ft of the Third month, 
 1660, and on the 31ft fhe was fent for by the general 
 court. Being come, the governor, John Endicot, faid, 
 
 * Are you the fame Mary Dyar that was here before ? ' 
 Andk feems he was preparing an evafion for her, theie 
 having been another of that name returned from Old 
 England. But (he was fo far from difguifmg, that fhe 
 anlwercd undauntedly, ' I am the fame Mary Dyar that • 
 was here the laft general court.* Then Endicot faid, 
 
 * You will own yourfcif a Quaker, will you not P'^ To 
 which Mar^-Dyar faid, ' I own myfelf to be reproachfully 
 called fo.' Then the gaoler (who would alfo fay fomething) 
 faid, 'She is a vagabond.* i\nd Endicot faid, the fcntenca 
 was pafl upon her the lad general court, and now likewife : 
 
 * You mufi: return to the prifon, and there remain till to- 
 morrow at nine o'clock ; then from thence you muft go to 
 the gallows, and there be hanged till you are dead.' To 
 which Mary Dyar f^iid, 'This is no more than what thou 
 faidft before.' And Er^dicot returned, « But now it is to 
 be executed; therefore prepare youifelf to-morrow at nine 
 o'clock.' She then fpok^thus: ' I came in obedience to 
 the Avill of God the lafl: general court, dcfiring you to. 
 repeal your unrighteous laws of banifliment on pain of 
 death; and that fame is my work now, and earnell requeft; 
 idthoui^h I told you, thai if you refufed to repeal them, 
 the Lord would fend others of his fervants to witnefs againfl: 
 them.' [hereupon Endicot* aflced her, whether (lie was a 
 p.ophciefs? And fhc anfwered, (lie fpoke the words that / 
 
 ,659] ' PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 395 
 
 the Lord fpoke in her ; and now the thing was come to 
 pafs.' And beginning to fpeak of her call, Endicot cried, 
 * Away with her; away with her.' So (lie was brought 
 to the. prifon houfe where (he was before, and kept clofe 
 fliut^up until the next day. 
 
 About the appointed time the marflial Michaelfon came, 
 and called her to come haftily ; and coming into the room 
 where (lie was, (he defired him to flay a little ; and fpeak- 
 ing mildly, faid, flie fhould be ready prefently. But he 
 being of a J-pugh temper, (iiid he could not wait upon her, 
 but (he (hould now wait up»n him. One Margaret Smith, 
 her companion, being grieved to fee fuch hard-heartednefs, 
 fpoke fomething againfl: their unjufl. laws and proceedings ^ 
 to which he faid, ' You fliall have your fliare of the dune.* 
 Then Mary Dyar was brought forth, and with a band of 
 foldiers led through the town, the drums being beaten 
 before and behind her, and fo continued, that none might ■ 
 hear her fpeak all the way to the place of execution, which 
 was about a mile. With this guard flie came to the gallow^, 
 and being gone up the ladder, fomc (aid to her, that if 
 flie would return, (he might come down and fave her hfe. 
 To which flie rtj^lied, '^Nay, I cannot, for in obedience 
 to the will of the Lord I came, and in hi;> will I abide 
 faithful to the death.' Then captain John Webb laid^that 
 fhe had been there before, and had the fentence of banifh- 
 ment upon pain of death, and had broken the law in 
 coming again now; and therefore flie was guilty of her 
 own blood. To vrliich flie returned, ^ Nay, 1 came to 
 keep blood-guiltinefs from you, defiring you to repeal il^ 
 unrighteous and unjufl: law of banifliment upon pam of 
 death, made againfl: the innocent fervants of the Lord ; 
 therefore my blood will be required at your hands, who 
 wilfully do it : but for thofe that do it in the iimplicity of 
 their hearts,. I defire the Lord to forgive them. I came 
 to do the will of my Father, and in obedience to his will, 
 1 (land even to death.' Then priefl: Wilfon faid, ' Mary 
 Dyar, O repent, O repent, and be not fo deluded, and 
 carried away by the deceit of the devil.' To this Mary 
 Dyar anfwered, ' Nay, man, I am not now to repent.' 
 And being aflced by fome, whether flie wo^ld have the 
 
39^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660. 
 
 i56o] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 397 
 
 elders pray for her, fhc faid, * I know never an elder 
 here.' Being further aflced, whether fhe would have any 
 of the people to pray for her? She anfwered, fhe defired 
 the' prayers of all the people of God. Thereupon fome 
 fcofEngly faid, ' It may be flie thinks there is none here.' 
 She looking about, faid, ' I know but few here.' Then 
 ihey fpoke to her again, that one of the elders might 
 pray for her.' To which (he replied, ' Nay, firft a child, 
 then a young man, then a ftrong man, before an elder in 
 Chrift Jefus/ After this fhe was charged with fomething 
 which was not underftood what it was, but fhe feemed to 
 hear it ; for fne faid, "^It is falfe, it is falfe ; I never fpoke 
 thofe words.' Then one mentioned that flie fhould have 
 faid, file had been in paradife. To which fhe anfwered, 
 * Yea, I have been in paradife feveral days.' And more 
 flic fpoke of the eternal happinefs into which flie was 
 ncv/ to enter. In this well difpofed condition fhe was 
 turned off, and died a martyr of Chrift, being twice led 
 to death, which the firft time fhe expefted with undaunted 
 courage, and now fuffered with Chriftian fortitude. 
 
 Thus this honeft, valiant woman finifhed her days : but 
 fo hardened were thefe perfecutors, that one of the court 
 * faid fcoffingly, ' She did hang as a flag for others to lake 
 example by.' And putting to death for religion did not 
 yet ceafe, as will be related hereafter : but firft I will take 
 a turn again to 0!d England, where there was now great 
 divifion, and a revolution in the ftate. 
 
 About the beginning of this year, E. Burrough writ 
 the following letter to the parliament, which then had the 
 power again in their hands. 
 
 ' Friends, 
 * Ail thefe overturnings, and almoft wonderful changings, 
 were cfFecled through the juftice of the Lord's hand. You 
 are now again at the ftern of government, and on the 
 throne; and 1 dare not b\it fay it is of and by the Lord, 
 and that he hath done it contrary to the expeftations. of 
 many ; and what his end is in it, remains uith him. But 
 1 am fure one caufe is, that you may execute part of his 
 
 wrath upon that treacherous generation of hypocritical and 
 deceitful men, fome of the army I mean. I need not fay 
 to you, how that many of them were raifed up from a low 
 cftatc ; and, inftead of ferving the ration, became their 
 lords and oppreffors : they have abufed the Lord's mercy 
 to them, and exalted themfelves, and became as great 
 oppreffors, and as grievous to the nation, as ever they 
 were that went before them ; and fome of them took the 
 very titles and eftates of their enemies, and followed their 
 evil fpirit alfo, though the Lord was long fuffering to them, 
 and gave them a day ; and put opportunity into their 
 hands, wherein they might have done good ; but they 
 alfo neglefted to fcrve God and the nation, to ferve them- 
 felves ; and becaufe of the ambition and pride of fome of 
 them, the Lord fuffered them to make this lafl interruption 
 upon you, which was great treachery in man's account, 
 that thereby their meafure might be filled up, and that he 
 might give you occafion againit them, and fuffer you to \yc 
 filled with indignation towards them, to break them to 
 pieces : and what you do to fome of them, in cafting them 
 out, and affliffing them, you are but God's executioners 
 therein ; you are the executioners of his anger, in what 
 you do to them ; and who fhall prevent you, or forbid 
 you to go on? For they have long enough diffeipbied 
 with this nation, in profeffing more than others, and doing 
 Jefs : and their downfall is now. And God hath looked 
 upon you to be hard-hearted and cruel enough, and very 
 fit executioners of vengeance upon fuch men, as I have 
 mentioned. 
 
 • But now concerning you, and your prefent ftate, as 
 you are in prefent place and power, I have fomething to 
 fay to you j though they are fallen, and you yet ftand, 
 and you have a litdc time after them ; but this I fay, 
 do not glory over their fall, neither glory as though you 
 fhould ftand for ever ; for they were not greater fmners 
 than you are, neither are you one whit more righteous 
 than fome of them ; but you are as fure to fall, as they 
 are fallen, with no lefs meafure of difhonour and afHi^lion 
 thai! is come upon them ; and you are in your laft hour ; 
 and I dare not fay, that God expeftsmuch more from you. 
 
398 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 16603 
 
 fEOPl.E CALLED QtJAKERS, 
 
 399 
 
 than for the end aforefaid, viz. to be the executioners of 
 juftice upon men as fmful as yourfclves : fo do not glory 
 over them that are fallen ; but know that your time alfo 
 is but ftiort, and your fall may prove to your deftruftion, 
 and theirs may prove to make them better, and refine 
 them : and if God hath chofen you to execute (omc part 
 of hft wrath upon them, for their wickednefs, he will 
 doubtlefs find inftruments to execute his wrath upon you, 
 clfe he will do it with his own hands ; for he purpofeth 
 not to fpare you ; for your fins cry as loud as any other 
 people's, and the oppreflions are as great under you, as 
 under them whom you condemn. And I dcfire, if there 
 be any good men amongft you, that fuch who are wife may 
 confider, and mind the hand of the Lord in and through 
 all thefe things that are come to pafs ; for God is working 
 as well as you, he is feeking to fet up a kingdom as well 
 as you, and his government and yours cannot ftand to- 
 gether ; and he will make you know that he is ftronger, 
 and his government of more force, and your kingdom 
 cannot ftand in place with his. 
 
 ' Therefore, Oh that you would take heed ! Oh that 
 you would be wife, if fo be fome of you may be fpared ! 
 and be not too zealous fn your way, nor too furious 
 in youf proceedings ; do but do to others as you intend 
 to receive from others, and from the Lord ; and go 
 not beyond your commiffion ; for a permiffion at lea ft 
 you have had from God, even to fcourge hypocrites, 
 and to be a judgment upon that hypocritical, feeming 
 religious generation of men aforefaid ; which have many 
 a time as it were mocked God, and pretended love to 
 him with their lips, when their hearts have yearned after 
 felf-honour, and treafures of this v/orld : I fay, your pre- 
 fcnt hour and permiffion is for this end, but not to perfe- 
 cute the people of the Lord, nor to deftroy God's heritage ; 
 but if you fliall extend your power tmto fuch a work, and 
 if you do perfecutc the innocent without caufe, and make 
 war againft the Lamb and his followers, and make laws, 
 and execute them to the oppreffion of the faints of the 
 Moft High, then you go beyond your commiffion ; for 
 God hath no( galled you untg this, but to be inftrumetits 
 
 in another cau/e. And the children of ZIon, they tfuft in 
 the living God, and fear not the terror of mighty men, 
 neither can they be afraid ^t the roaring of the fea, nor at 
 the prefcnt threatening of the heathen, for God is with 
 them. And I fay unto you, the fervant of the Lord hath 
 pondered and confidered all thefe proceedings, and viewed 
 -the prcfent ftate of things at this day, and there is na 
 vifion from God unto you of peace and comfort, nor of a 
 happy and lafting government, as you ftand : if any prophe-t 
 fliall divine this inroyou, hefpeaks what he hath not frota 
 the Lord, but the vifion of his own heart, and he deceives 
 you and himfelf ; for you are not eftablilhed upon a right 
 foundation, neither are you afted by a right fpirit, which 
 can truly govern for God ; but the fpirit of wrath and fury- 
 is put into you, for the work which you are called. And 
 I know not how to warn you, that you do not perfecutc 
 the people pf God : for why ? It may be you muft fill up 
 your meafure of wickednefs thereby, that God may break 
 you perpetually ; yet the lefs will be your judgment, if you 
 do it not : but and if you do it, the Lord will take occafioa 
 againft you, to wound you, and you fliall never be healed, 
 and as you do a£Hi6l others, fo and much more fhall it be 
 done unto you from the Lord. 
 
 ^ Wherefore confider what I have faid ; for this is the 
 vifion of the Almighty unto you, that fhdl not go unful- 
 filled ; and what you do, you muft do it quickly ; for your 
 time is ftiort, and your power will God fubdue ; and his 
 kingdom and powxr will he fpeedily exalt over your head?, 
 and make you and the nations know that he is God, anl 
 that all power is with him, and that he can do whatfoever 
 hd w^ill ; and it is his right alone to reign, and his childrens 
 portion to poffefs the kingdom with him. Let the whole 
 earth, and all the powers thereof, bow and tremble before 
 him : let not your hearts be ftout and rebellious againft him, 
 for he can grind you to powder, and fink you into confufioa 
 and mifery, as a ftone into the fea.' 
 
 This was direfted for the hands of the fpeaker in parlia- 
 ment, and accordingly was given to William Lcnthal, 
 being inclofed to him with tbcfe lines following : 
 
 l\ 
 
400 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* 
 
 401 
 
 * Friend, 
 ' The inclofed I do commend unto thee to prefcnt unto 
 the houfe, and to endeavour fmcerely the reading of it, in 
 ycur aflembly ; for it is of fpecial concernment to you all ; 
 and in the name of the Lord, and by his Spirit, I do 
 charge ihee not to be negligent in this matter, as though 
 it were not of wonh to you ; and I do lay it upon thee, as 
 thou wilt anfwcr the contrary at the dreadful day of God, 
 when the King of righteoufnefs fliall judge thee and all 
 mankind. 
 
 The 24th of the Eleventh month, 1659. 
 
 *E. Burrough/ 
 
 \p^ 
 
 This parliament did fo lord it, that about fifteen hundred 
 military officers were cafhiered, and others put into their 
 places. 
 
 About this time George Fox the younger writ alfo a 
 letter to the parliament and the army, which was as 
 followeth : 
 
 * Your day into darknefs is turned; the fun is gon6 
 down over you. You have had a large day, and power 
 given unto. you, to have done the will of God; but you 
 have abufed the power, and flighted your day ; and you 
 have refufed to do the Lord's work, and have fought to 
 ferve yourfelves, and not the Lord ; therefore in juflice 
 and righteoufnefs, is the day wherein you might have 
 wrought for God, taken from you ; and the thick dark 
 night of confufion is come upon you, wherein you are 
 groping and Humbling, and cannot work ; the decree is 
 gone out, and fealed againft you, and it cannot be recalled; 
 you are not the men (as ye fland) in whom God will 
 appear to work deliverance for his people, and creatures ; 
 (and yet deliverance fliall come, but not according to man's 
 cxpeftations). But as for you, ye have rejefted the 
 counfel of the Lord, and grieved his Spirit, and he hath 
 long borne you ; yea, you are departed from the Lord, 
 and his prefence is departed from you ; indeed he hath 
 hewed with you (^nd if you had been faithful to the end. 
 
 he would have honoured and profpered you, and would 
 have been your fufficient reward) ye were his axe, but 
 you have boafted yourfelves againft him ; therefore as 
 you have beaten, and hev/ed, and broken others, even fo 
 muft you be beaten, hewed, and broken; for you have 
 grievoufly provoked the Lord ; and if he fliould now fufFer 
 that tree, which ye have cut, to fall upon you, and to 
 break part of you, it were juft. 
 
 ' O ye treacherous, wilful, proud, felf-Tceking people, 
 who have defpifed the counfel of the Lord, and would not 
 take warning, though he hath fent his prophets and 
 fervants early and late among you, fome of whom you 
 have imprifoned and defpitefuUy ufed ; what will ye do 
 now ? Whom will ye now flee unto for help ; feeing ye 
 are departed from the Lord, and are now rendering and 
 tearing, biting and devouring one another, for proud, am- 
 bitious, felf ends ? (mark) If you would now build again 
 the thing that you once deftroyed, that fliall not be able to 
 hide or flicker you from the wrath of the Lamb ; that way 
 whereby you think to ftrengthen yourfelves, thereby fliall 
 you make yourfelves much weaker, and help forward your 
 own deftruftion ; you are now but a rod, remember your 
 end, which haftens greatly. Now breach upon breach, 
 infurreftion upon infurre6lion, overturning upon overturn- 
 ing, heaps upon heaps, divifion upon divifion fliafl there 
 be, until he come to reign, whofe right it is ; and all 
 nations muft bow before him, elfe he will break them with 
 his iron rod. 
 
 ' They that truft in, or lean upon you for help, it is as 
 if they leaned upon a broken reed, which is not able to 
 help itfelf, nor others ; indeed you have been made to do 
 many good things, but you would not go through with the 
 work which God will have accompliflied, and therefore 
 are thefe things come upon you ; therefore tremble and 
 dread before the Lord, ye who have been as ftrong oaks, 
 and tall cedars, for now fliall your ftrength fail you, and 
 you fliall be weak, even as the weakeft of men ; hut if 
 you would yet believe in the light, and truly fubmit to 
 God's righteous judgments, many of you might come to 
 witnefs yonr fouls faved, in the day of the Lord j though 
 
 Vol. r. J2 C' 
 
402 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 463 
 
 many of your bodies are to be thrown by (bccaufe of 
 your grievous backflidings), as not counted worthy to be 
 the Lord's workmen. 
 
 « There is a fmall remnant yet among you (for whom 
 my foul breathes) who may be winnowed out; and if 
 they will own the judgments of the Lord, and truly and 
 thoroughly deny themfelves, and follow his leadmgs, he 
 will heal their backflidings, and purge them, that fo they 
 may be inftruments in his hand : but they that will con- 
 tinue with you in your fins, flrall partake with you of your 
 
 judgments. . 
 
 « The rod of the wicked fliall not always reit upon the 
 back of the righteous ; yet even as gold is tried, fo Ihall 
 they be, that they may be white, and without fpot before 
 the Lamb ; but God will avenge their caufe, and woe 
 then will be to their opprelTors ; and then fliall ihe majeity 
 and the glory of the Lord fill his people (who have long 
 been trodden under; and they ftiall be the dread ot all 
 nations; the zeal of the Lord of Holts fliall perform this. 
 
 * George Fox, the younger.* 
 
 nth Month (59). 
 
 This letter being printed, a copy of it was given to each 
 "parliament man, before Monk with his army canie into 
 London: and how foon the predicTions contained therein, 
 as well as thofc of E. Burrough, in the foregoing year, 
 came to be fulfilled, when many of the great ones were 
 hanged and quartered, we (hall fee in the lequel. 
 
 General Monk came now, with part of the army he 
 commanded, out of Scotland, into England, and made 
 preat alterations among the officers, putting m luch as 
 ^ere believed to be no enemies to Charles Stuart ; tor 
 whatfoever Monk faid of his refolution to be true and 
 faithful to the parliament, and to promote the interelt ot 
 a commonwealth ; yet it appeared ere long that he aimed 
 at fomcthing elfe ; which he could do the eafier, becaule 
 he wanted not adherents in the parliament; though he 
 did not aick to fay to Edmund Ludlow, ' We muft hve 
 and die for, and with, a commonwealth :' and to others 
 he declared, that he would oppofe to the utmoit the 
 
 fetting up of Charles Stuart. In the mean-while he fo 
 ordered it, that many members of the parliament, that 
 had been long excluded as unqualified, took feflHon again 
 in that affembiy ; and thefe brought it about, that fir 
 George Booth, who was . confined to the Tower, for 
 having carried on a defign for Charles Stuart, was fet at 
 liberty. Neither was the ^ity of London in a condition to 
 
 * oppofe Monk ; for he caufed the port-cullifles, and doors 
 of the city gates, and the pofl:s to be pulled down ; and 
 the royalifl:s were now become fo bold, that they printed 
 a lifl: of the names of the judges that condemned king 
 Charles the Firfl: to death ; and fome of them were fecured, 
 whilfl: others fled away. General Lambert was alfo fent 
 to the Tower, and Monk, whofe authority now increafed, 
 fent for the lords, who until the year 1648, had fate m 
 parliament, and bade them return to the houfe where they 
 formerly ufed to fit. 
 
 . - In thefe overturnings G. Fox came to London, to wit, 
 in the time when they were breaking the city gates. He 
 then writ a paper to thofe that were now finking, and 
 told them, that now the prophecies were fulfilling upon 
 them, which had been fpoken to them ; and that they 
 who ufed to call the Quakers fanaticks, and giddyheads, 
 now Teemed thcmfelves giddy, and fugitives, or wanderers. 
 From London G. Fox went to Suflex, and from thence 
 to Dorfetfliire. At Dorchefter he had a great meeting in 
 the evening at the inn where he lodged, and there came 
 many foldiers, who were pretty civil. But the confl:abIes 
 and officers of the town came alfo, under pretence to look 
 for a Jefuit, whofe head, they faid, was fliaved. So they 
 took off G. Fox's hat, but not finding any bald place on 
 his head, they went away with fliame. This- was of good 
 fervice among the foldiers and others, and it affefted the 
 people, who were turned to the Lord Jefus Chrifl;. 
 
 Then he pafled into Somerfetflfire, where his friends 
 meetings were often difliurbed. One time there came a 
 wicked man, who having a bear's flcin on his back, played 
 ugly pranks in the meeting ; and fetting himfelf oppolitc to 
 the perfon that was preaching, lolled his tongue out of 
 his mouth, and fo made fport for his wicked followers,. 
 
 % Q 2 
 
404 
 
 THE MISTORV OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 and caufed great difturbancc in the meeting. ' But as he 
 went back from thence, an eminent judgment overtook 
 'him; for there being a bull-baiting in the way, he ftaid 
 to fee ; and coming within his reach, the bull puflied his 
 horn under the man's chin, into his throat, and forced his 
 tongue out of his mouth, fo that it hung out in the fame 
 manner as before he lolled it out in derifion in the meeting : 
 and the bull running his horn into the man's head, fwung 
 him about in a mod fearful manner. ^ _ 
 
 G. Fox travelling through Somerfetftiirc, came mto 
 Devonftiire, and fo went into Cornwal, till he came to the 
 Land's End. Whilft he was in Cornwal, there were great 
 ftiipwrecks about the Land's End. Now it was the cuflom 
 of that country, that at fuch times both rich and poor 
 went out to get as much of the wreck as they could, not 
 caring to fave the peoples' lives ; and this cuftom fo pre- 
 vailed, that in fome parts of the country they called fcip- 
 wrecks God's grace. This grieved G. Fox not a little, 
 confidering how far thefe profeffed Chriftians were below 
 the heathen at Melita ; who courteoufly received Paul, 
 and the others that had fuffered fliipwreck with him, and 
 made him a fire. On this confidcration, he was moved to 
 write a paper to the magiftrates, priefls, and others, both 
 hi^h and low ; in which he Ihewed them the wickednefs 
 of^'their deeds, and reproved them for fuch greedy aftions, 
 telling them how they were ready to fight with one another 
 for the fpoil, and fpend what they got in taverns or ale- 
 houfes, letting thofe that efcaped drowning, go a beggiiig 
 up and down the country. Therefore he ierioufly exhorted 
 them, to do unto others, what they would have done to 
 
 themfelves. o ^ , j 
 
 This paper he fcnt to all the parilhes thereabouts : and 
 after having had many meetings in Cornwal, and feveral 
 eminent people being convinced of the Truth preached by 
 him, he went to Briftol, where the meetings of his friends 
 were exceedingly difturbed by the foldiers. Havmg heard 
 this, he defired George Biftiop, Thomas Gouldney, Thoma* 
 Speed, and Edward Pyot, to goto the mayor and aldermen, 
 and defire them to let his friends have the town-hall to 
 meet in, provided it fhould not be on fuch days when the 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 405 
 
 mayor and aldermen had bufinefs to do in it ; and that for 
 this ufe they would give twenty pounds a year, to be 
 diftributed among the poor. Thefe foui\ perfons were 
 aftoniihed at this, propofal, and faid, the mayor and alder* 
 men would think them mad ; for the mayor and the com- 
 mander of the foldiers had combined together to make a 
 difturbance in their meeiing3. But G. Fox fo encouraged 
 - them, that at laft they confented to what he defired. 
 Being come to thf mayor, he was moderate beyond ex- 
 peftation ; and when they had laid the thing before him, 
 he faid, for his part, he could confent to it ; but he was 
 but one; So they left him in a loving frame of mind ; 
 and coming back, G. Fox defired them to go alfo to the 
 ' colonel that commanded- the foldiers, and to acquaint hinv 
 of their rude carriage, and how^ they difturbed the meetings. 
 But the aforefaid four perfons were backw^ard to go to him. 
 Next morning being the Firft day of the week, a meeting . 
 was kept in an orchard, where many people came ; and 
 after G. Fox had been preaching a pretty while, there 
 came feveral rude foldiers, fome with drawn fwords, and 
 fome drunk, and among thefe, one that had bound himfelf 
 with an oath, to cut down, and kill the mar; that fpoke. 
 But when he came preffing in through the croud, and was 
 within two yards of G. f'ox, he flopped at thofe four 
 perfons before mentioned, and fell a jangling with them ; 
 but at lengih his fword was put up again. The next day 
 they went and fpoke with the colonel, and he having 
 heard how mifchievous his foldiers had beeo, fent for 
 them, and * cut and Qalhed fome of them. When this 
 was told G. Fox, he blamed thofe his friends, thinking 
 they might have prevented the cutting of the foldiers, if 
 they had gotie to the colonel when hew^ould have had 
 them. Yet this had fuch effeft, that the meeting there 
 was kept without difturbance a g'ood while after. 
 
 G. Fox then alfo had a general meeting at Edward 
 Pyoi's, near Briftol, at which were feveral thoufands of 
 . people; ^nd fo many of Briftol, that fome faid, th£ city 
 looked naked ; and all was quiet. 
 
 But in other places, about this time, things were not fa 
 quiet 3 for the foldiers, under general Monk's command, 
 
 ■ 2 c 3 
 
 .j'i 
 
4o6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 were often very rude in difturbing of meetings. But when 
 complaint was made to him, who was then at Weftminfler, 
 he ihewed, that he wodd not countenance fuch wicked- 
 nefs, and did in that refpeft better than feveral other 
 generals had done, for he gave forth the following order. 
 
 < St. James's, March 9, 1659-60. 
 
 * I do require all officers and foldiers, to forbear to 
 difturb the peaceable meetings of the Quakers, they doing 
 nothing prejudicial to the parliament or commonwealth of 
 
 England. 
 
 * George Monk.' 
 
 Monk having this long declared for a commonwealth, 
 and againll: a king, began now to take ofF the maik ; for 
 the old lords had now taken their places again in the 
 Houfe of Peers, out of wliich they had been kept fo many 
 years ; and by the advice of Monk, Charles Stuart (who 
 for feveral years had lived at Cologne, and, having made 
 a voyage to Spain, was from thence come, by France, to 
 Bruffels) repaired to Breda : and in England it being re- 
 folved upon to call him back, and to reftore him, he gave 
 forth the following declaration at Breda ; thereby to 
 perfuade thofe that were yet backward, to acknowledge 
 bim. 
 
 * Charles R. 
 
 * Charles, by the grace of God, king of England, 
 Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of theT faith, &c. 
 To all our loving fubjects, of what degree or quality foever, 
 greeting. If the general dillraftion and confufion which 
 is fpread over the whole kingdom, doth not awaken all 
 men to a defire and longing that thofe wounds, which have 
 for fo many years together been kept bleeding, may be 
 fliund up, all we can fay will be to no purpofe. How- 
 ever, after this long filence, we have thought it our duty 
 to declare, how much we defire to contribute thereunto ; 
 and that as we can never give over the hope, in good time 
 to obtain the poffeffion of that right which God and nature 
 hath made our due j fo we do make it our daily fuit to 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 407 
 
 the Divine Providence, that he will, in compaffion to lis 
 and our fubjeas, after fo long mifery and fuffcrings, remit, 
 and put us into a quiet and peaceable poffeffion of that our 
 right, with as little blood and damage to our people as is 
 poffible. Nor do we defire more to enjoy what is ours, 
 than that all our fubjefts may enjoy what by law is theirs, 
 by a fi\ll and entire adminiftration of juftice throughout 
 the land, and by extending our mercy where it is wanted 
 
 and defired. / 
 
 « And to the end that the fear of punifliment may not 
 engage any, confcious to themfelves of what is paft, to a 
 perfeverance in guilt for the future ; by oppofmg the qmet 
 and happinefs of their country, in the reftoration both of 
 king, peers, and people, to their juft, ancient, and funda- 
 mental rights ; we do by thefe prefents declare, that we 
 do grant a free and general pardon, which we are ready 
 upon demaad to pafs under our great feal of England, to 
 all our fubjefts, of what degree or quality foever, who 
 within forty days after the publifliing hereof, fliall lay- 
 hold upon this our grace and favour ; and Ihall by any 
 publick aft declare their doing fo, and that they return 
 to the loyalty and obedience of good fubjefts ; excepting 
 only fuch perfons as (hall hereafter be excepted by parlia- 
 ment. Thofe only excepted, let all our fubjefts, how 
 faulty foever, rely upon the word of a king, folemnly 
 given by this prefent declaration, thai no crime whatfoever, 
 committed againft us, or our royal father, before the 
 publication of this, fliall ever rife in judgment, or be 
 brought in queftion againft any of them, to the leaft en- 
 damagcment of them, either in their lives, Hberties, or 
 eftates ; or as far forth as lies in our power, fo much as 
 to the prejudice of their reputations, by any reproach, or 
 term of diftinaion, from the reft of our beft fubjeas ; we 
 defiring, and ordaining, that henceforward all notes of 
 difcord, feparation, and difference of parties, be utterly 
 abolifhed among all our fubjeas, whom we invite and 
 conjure to a perfea union among themfelves, under our 
 proteaion, for the refettlement of our juft rights, and 
 theirs, in a free parliament, by which, upon the word ot 
 
 a king, wx will be advifed. 
 
 2 c 4 
 
40 8 
 
 THE HISTOR.Y OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 'And becaufe the paffionanduncharitablencfs of the times 
 have produced feveral opinions in religion ; by which men 
 are engaged in parties and animofities againfl: each other, 
 which, when they fhall hereafter unite, in a freedom of 
 converfation, will be compofed, or better undcrftood ; we 
 do declare a liberty to tender confciences, and that no man 
 fliall be difquieted, or called in queftion, for differences of 
 opinion in matter of rehgion, which do not difturb the 
 peace of the kingdom ; and that we fhall be ready, to con- 
 fent to fuch an aft of parliament, as upon mature delibera- 
 tion fhall be offered to us for the full grantin'g of that 
 indulgence. 
 
 ' And becaufe in the continual diflraftions of fo many 
 years, and fo many and great revolutions, many grants and 
 purchafes of eflates, have been made to, and by, many 
 officers, foldiers, and others, who are now poffeffed of the 
 fame, and who maybe liable to aftions at law upon feveral 
 titles. We are likewife willing that all fuch differences, and 
 all things relating to fuch grants, fales, and purchafes, fhall ' 
 be determined in parliament ; which can beft provide for 
 the jufl fatisfaftion of all men who are concerned. 
 
 * And we do farther declare, that we will be ready to " 
 confent to any aft, or afts of parliament, to the purpofes 
 aforefaid, and for the full fatisfiictioh of all arrears due to 
 the officers, and foldiers of the army, und«r the command ^ 
 of general Monk ; and that they fhall be received into 
 our fervice, upon as good pay and conditions ^is they now 
 enjoy, 
 
 * Given under our fign manual and privy fignet, at 
 our court at Breda, this 14th day of April, 1660, 
 in the Twelfth year of our reign. 
 
 The original of this declaration was fent to the Houfe 
 of Lords, and a duplicate in a letter to the Houfe of . 
 Commons ; and repeated and fent in a letter to general 
 Monk, the ccuncil of ftate, and the officers of the army. 
 Hereupon it was refolved by the parliament, to prepare an 
 anfwer ; and both in the Houfe of Lords, and in the Houfe 
 gf Commons, it was voted to proclaim king Charles at 
 
 x66o] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 40^ 
 
 Whitehall, and in London, as lawful foverelgn of his king- 
 doms, which was done on the 8th of the month called 
 
 May. 
 
 Now the king, who by the Spaniards was invited to 
 returnlo Bruffels, and by the Fiench to come to Calais, 
 chofe, at the preffing invitation of the States-general of the 
 LInited Provinces, to go by Holland: and fo he went, 
 with the yachts of the States, to Rotterdam, and from 
 thence with coaches to^ the Hague ; where having ftaid- 
 fome days, he took fliipping at Schevelinghen for England, 
 and made his entry at London on the anniverfary of his 
 bfrth-day. Thus we fee Charles the Second, who not long 
 after he was crowned, reftored not by the fword, but by 
 the marvellous hand of the Lord. - 
 
 About this time G. Fox the younger came to Harwich, 
 where he was haled out of a meeting, and imprifoned under 
 a pretence of having caufed a tumult. But to give to the 
 reader a true fight of the matter, I muft go back a little. 
 
 About four years before this time, fome of the people 
 called Qiiakers, being come into the faid town, one of them 
 fpoke a few words by w^ay of exhortation to the people 
 that came from the fleeple-houfe ; and paffing on, he and 
 thofe with him went to an inn. The mayor hearing thereof, 
 fent to them, commanding that they fhould depart the 
 town, which they did after a fhort fpace ; but about night 
 they returned, and lodged ar their inn, and the next day 
 paffed away peaceably. Not long after, the' woman that 
 kept the inn, was commanded to come before the magif- 
 trates ; who threatened to take away her licence, unkfs 
 fhe promifed to lodge no more fuch perfons. But how 
 eager foever they were for keeping out the Quakers, yet 
 it proved ineffeftual ; • for it feems fome of thofe that had 
 been fpoken to in the flreets, were fo reached, that they 
 came to be obedient to the inward teachings of the Lord 
 they had been recommended to. And fo a way was made 
 for meetings there, whereby the number of thofe of that 
 fociety began to increafe. And becaufe they could no 
 longer comply with fuperflitious burials, they bought "a 
 piece of ground to bury their dead in, but met with great 
 oppofition at their t)uridls 5 and once, when feveral came 
 
4IO 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 
 [1660 
 
 ^long to bury a corpfe, it was by force taken from them, 
 and let by the fca fide, where having lain above ground 
 part of two days and one night, it was privately covered 
 by feme with fmall (tones. 
 
 In the month called May, G. Fox the younger came tor 
 Harwich, to preach the Truth there. The mayor of the 
 town, whofcname was Miles Hubbard, having heard of 
 this, flopt feveral that were going to the meeting. ^ The 
 rude muhirude feeing it, Rrew infolent, and made a hideous 
 noife before the houfe where the meeting was kept, and 
 Ibme were for pulling it down. G. Fox hearing the noife, 
 whilil he was preaching, grew very zealous, and with a 
 mighty power was made to fay, * Woe, woe unto the 
 rulers and teachers of this nation, who fuffcr fuch ungod- 
 Knefs as this, and do not feek to fupprefs it.* Some that 
 heard him thus fpe:iking, went and told the magiftrates of 
 it, perhaps not in the felf-flime words as were uttered by 
 him. The officers then coming, the mayor commanded 
 the conilables to take the i^iid G. Fox into cuftody ; who 
 hearing this, faid, ' If I have done any thing worthy of 
 death, or bonds, I fhall not refufe either ; but I dcfire 
 thee to fliew me what law I have tranfgreffed ; which thou 
 oughteft to do, before thou fendeft me to prifon, that I 
 may know for what I am fent hither.' But the mayor 
 told him, he fhould know that afterward ; and fo he was 
 carried to prifon. Robert Graffingham, who was Ihip- 
 Wright of the admiralty in that port, being at the meetmg, 
 out of which G. Fox was haled, in love went freely along 
 with him to prifon. This feemed to pleafe the mayor, who 
 fome days before had been heard to fay concerning Graf- 
 -fingham, ' If I could but get him out of the town, I fhould 
 know what courfe to take with the other Quakers. Some 
 time after G. Fox was imprifoned, a mittimus was fent to 
 the gaoler, in which the prifoner was charged with caufnig 
 a tumult in that borough, and difturbing the peace thereof- 
 This mittimus was figned by Miles Hubbard, mayor. An- 
 thony Woolward, and Daniel Smith ; and thele magiftrates 
 fent notice of what they had done to the parliament, under 
 a fpecious pretence, that fo they might not fall into difgrace. 
 
 660] 
 
 PEOPIhE called QITAKERS. 
 
 411 
 
 The parliament receiving this information, iffued forth the 
 following order : 
 
 ^ Monday, May 21, 1660. 
 
 * The houfc being informed, that two Quakers, that Is 
 to fay, George Fox and Robert Graffingham, have lately- 
 made a difturbance at Harwich, and that the faid George 
 Fox, who pretends to be a preacher, did lately in his 
 preaching there, fpeak words much rcfle£ling on the go- 
 vernment and miniftry, to the near caufmg of a mutiny, 
 and is now committed by the mayor and the magiftrates 
 there ; 
 
 * Ordered, that the faid George Fox and Robert Graf- 
 fingham be forthwith brought up in cuftody ; and that the 
 fheriif of the county of EfTex do receive them, and give 
 them his affiftance for the conveying them up accordingly, 
 and delivering them into the charge of the ferjeant at arms 
 attending this houfe. 
 
 ^ Ordered, that the thanks of this houfc be given to the 
 mayor and magiftrates of Harwich for their care in this 
 bufinefs. 
 
 ' William Jeflbp, 
 * Clerk of the Commons Houle of Parliament.* 
 
 By this it appeared that the magiftrates of Harwich had 
 fpecial friends m the parliament. R. Graffingham being 
 at liberty, was gone to London ; and when this order 
 came to Harwich, G. Fox was delivered to the ftieriff of 
 Efifex and his men : thefe went with him to London, and 
 upon the road they met Graffingham, who was coming 
 from London to Harwich, in purfuance of an order which 
 he had received from the commiffioner of the admiralty 
 and navy, for refitting one of the king's frigates. But 
 notwithftanding Graffingham fliewed his order to the 
 fheriff, yet he brought him back to London with Fox, 
 and delivered them into the cuftody of the ferjeant at 
 arm.s attending the houfc, who committed them to Lambeth 
 houfe. They having been there about three weeks, writ 
 a letter to the Houfe of Commons, wherein they gave 
 fome account of the manner of their iniprifonment, dzd 
 
411 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [l66( 
 
 1660I 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 413 
 
 defired, that they with their accufers might be brought 
 face to face before the parliament, faying, that if any 
 'thing could be proved againfl them, worthy of punifh-^ 
 ment, they (hould not refufe it. But they thought it to 
 be unjuft and unrcafonable, that a man fhOuld be haled , 
 out'of a peaceable meeting, and fent to prifon, without 
 being examined, only for declaring againfl: the curfmg and 
 the wickednefs of the rude people, and againfl: fuch as 
 fuffered fuch ungodlinefs, and did not feek to fupprefs it. 
 
 This was the chiefcontents of their paper, which they 
 cnclofed in a letter to the fpeaker of the Houfe of Com- 
 mons in thefe words : 
 
 For the Speaker of the Houfe of Commons. 
 
 * Friend, 
 
 « We defire thee to communicate this enclofed to the 
 
 Houfe of Commons, it being a few innocent, juft, and 
 
 reafonable words to them, though not in the eloquent 
 
 language of man's wifdom, yet it is in the truth which is 
 
 honourable. 
 
 We are friends to rightcoufnefs and truth, 
 
 and to all that are found therein. 
 
 * Robert Graffinghara, 
 ' George Fox.' 
 
 But the fpeaker did not deliver the paper, urider pre- 
 tence that it was not direc^ted with the ordinary title, * To 
 the Right Honourable the Houfe of Commons.* There- 
 fore by the help of their friends they got it printed, that 
 fo e«ch member of parliament might have a copy ot it. 
 Now after they had lain about fourteen weeks m Lambeth 
 rate-houfe without being examined, one of the members 
 of parliament moved this buCnefs in the houfe j where- 
 upon the following order was made : 
 
 'fhurfday, Oftober 30, 1660. ' 
 * Ordered that George Fox and Robert Graffingham, 
 
 who by virtue /Of a former order of this houfe, were 
 taken into cuftpdy by the ferjeant at arms attending this 
 houfe, for fome difl:urbance at Harwich, be forthwith 
 releafed, and fet at liberty, upon bail firft given to render 
 themfelves, when they fliall be in that behalf required. 
 
 « William Jeffop, 
 « Clerk of the Houfe of Commons.* 
 
 Shortly after this order was iffued forth, the ferjeant at 
 arms fent his clerk to demand fees and chamber rent of 
 the prifoners, alking fifty pounds for fees, and ten (hillings 
 a week for chamber rent. But fince no evil was laid to 
 their charge, they could not refolve to fatisfy this unrca- 
 fonable demand, yet offered to pay two {hillings and fix- 
 pence a week, though the chamber where they had lain, 
 was the highefl: room in a loft}^ tower, and all the win- 
 dows open, until they had gotten them glazed, without 
 any charge to the ferjeant. Matters ft:aliding thus, their 
 caufe was referred to the king s privy council. But it 
 lafl:ed yet a good wliile before they were releafed ; for fe- 
 veral evafions was made ufe of to keep them in cuftody. 
 
 Whilll G. Fox was prifoner, he writ a little book, which 
 
 he called, ' A Noble Salutation to king Charles Stuart,* 
 
 wherein he fliewed him how matters had gone in England, 
 
 viz. That his father's party fcorned thofe that appeared in 
 
 arms againfl: them becaufe of their meannefs ; for they 
 
 were tradefmen, ploughmen, fervants, and the like ; which 
 
 contemptible infl:ruments God made ufe of to bring down 
 
 the loftinefs of the others. But thofe of the parliament 
 
 party growing from time to time fuccefsful, and prevailing, 
 
 got into the pofieflions of thofe they conquered, and fell 
 
 into the fame pride and oppreffion which they had cried 
 
 . out againfl: in others ; and many of them became greater 
 
 oppreffors, and perfecutors than the former had been. 
 
 Moreover, the author exhorted the king to obferve the 
 
 hand of the Lord in the reftoring of him. ' Therefore,* 
 
 faid he, ' Let no man deceive thee, by perfuading thee 
 
 that thefe things are thus brought to pafs, becdufe the 
 
 kingdom was thy own proper right, and becaufe it was 
 
4U 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 withheld from thee contrary to all right ; or becaufe that 
 thofe called royalills are much more righteous than thofe 
 who are now fallen under thee. For I pLiinly declare 
 unto thee, that this kingdom, and all the kingdoms of the 
 earth, are properly the Lord's. And this know, that it 
 was the jufl hand of God, in taking away the kingdom 
 from thy father and thee, and giving it unto others ; and 
 that alfo it is the jull hand of the Lord to take it again 
 from them, and bring them under thee : though I fliall 
 not fay, but that fome of them went beyond their com- 
 miflion againft thy father, when they were brought as a 
 rod over you ; and well will it he for thee if thou bc- 
 comeft not guilty of the fame tranfgreflions.* 
 
 The author farther exhorts the king to confider, this 
 his ftation was not without danger, becaufe of the change- 
 ablencfs of the people, a great p;irt of which were perfi- 
 dious ; fmce one while they had fworn for a king and 
 parliament ; and Ihordy after they fwore againft a king, 
 fmgle perfon, or houfe of lords ; and afterwards again 
 they fwore for a fingle perfon. Some time after they cried 
 up a parliament again. And when O. Cromwell had 
 turned out the parliament, and fet up himfcif, then the 
 prieft prayed for him, and afferted his authority to be juft ; 
 and when he died, they fawned upon his fon Richard, 
 and blafphemoufly termed his father the light of their 
 eyes, and the breath of their noftrils ; and they told him, 
 that God had left him to carry on that glorious work 
 which his father had begun. Nay, fome pricfts compared . 
 Oliver to Mofes, and Richard to Jofhua, who fhould 
 carry them into the promifed land. Thus they contmually, 
 would flatter thofe that were at the helm. For when 
 George Booth made a rifmg, and they thought there 
 would be a turn, then fome of the priefts cried out againft 
 the parliament, and curfed fuch as would not go out 
 againft them. But when Booth was taken, then many 
 began to petition the parliament, and to excufe themfelves, 
 that thev had no hand in that rifmg. y^ 
 
 Next the author fet forth the wickednefs of the people 
 by excefliive drinking and drunkennefs, thereby as ii were 
 to (hew -their loyalty to the king ; and he relates alfo, ho\r 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QyAKERS. . 
 
 4'5 
 
 1660] 
 
 having preached at Harwich, againft the grievous wicked- 
 nefs of the people, he was haled to prifon in the king's 
 name. Finally, he exhorts the king, to take heed of 
 feeking revenge ; and to fliew mercy. 
 
 This paper, which was not a fmall one, for it took up 
 feveral flieets, was delivered in writing by Richard Hubber- 
 thorn, into the king's hand at Whitehall, and was not 
 long after by the author publiftied in print. 
 
 Now one of the moft eminent royalifts drew up divers 
 queiies to the Quakers, defiring them to anfwrr them, 
 and to direft their anfwer with this fuperfcription, ' Tradite 
 banc amico Regis' that is, ' Deliver this to the king's 
 friend.' For it was clearly feen, that feveral of their 
 predi£lions came to be fulfilled, of which thofe of Edward 
 Burrough were not the leaft. And therefore fome (as it 
 feemsl thought that by the Qiiakers they might get fome 
 knowledge whether any ftabiiity of the king's government 
 was to be expefted. By the queries it appeared, that 
 the author of, them was a man of underftanding, and of 
 fome moderation alfo ; and though I do not know who he 
 was, yetl am not without thoughts that Edward earl of 
 Clarendon, and high chancellor, may have been the pen- 
 man thereof. The tendency of thefe queries chiefly was 
 to know from the Quakers, what tlieir judgment was 
 concerning the king's right to the crown ; and whether 
 they ever did forefec his return ; and alfo whether they 
 could jtidge that his reign and government fhould be 
 blefled or not. Moreover, whether he might juftly for- < 
 give, or avenge himfelf^ and whether he might allow 
 liberty of confcience to all forts of people, &c. Edward 
 Burrough anfwered thefe queries, and publiftied his anfwer 
 in print. It was dircaed to the king and the royalifts. 
 In it he fliewed, that in fome of their writings it had 
 been fignified, that they had fome expeftations of the 
 king's reftoration. That the king's coming to the throne 
 was reafonable and equitable, becaufe through the purpofc 
 of the Lord. That his reign and government might be 
 blefled, or not blefled, according to his carriage. And 
 that he might juftly forgive his, and his father's enemies j, 
 for though he and his father might have been injured. 
 
4i6 
 
 THE HISTORY OP THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 yet for as much as they had applied to the fword to de- 
 termine their controverfy with.the nation, the fworJ went 
 againfl them ; and by that whereby they thought to Hand, 
 they did fall ; and who then fliould they blame for tliat 
 which befel them, feeing the fword, v/hich they themfclves 
 did choofe, deftroyed them. However, the author fignified, 
 that this was not meant of the king's death ; that being 
 quite another cafe. And if fuch, who had deftroyed 
 kingly government in name and title, and pretended to 
 govern better, and did not make reformation, but became 
 opprefTors, having broke their promifes, came to be 
 punifhed on that account with death, or otherwife, fuch 
 could not be faid to fuffer for a good confcience, nor for 
 righteoufnefs fake; but it was becaufe they were op- 
 preffors ; and fuffering for that caufevcould not be called 
 perfecution. * But none of us (thus ran Edward Bur- 
 rough's words) can fuffer . for that caufe, as . not being- 
 guilty thereof. If we fuffer in your government, it is for 
 the name of Chrift ; becaufe nothing can be charged 
 againft us in this capacity as we now ftand, and in this 
 ftate into which we arc now gathered and changed, not in 
 any matter of aftion or rebellion againft the king nor his 
 father; nor in any thing but concerning the law and 
 worftiip of our God, and the matters of his kirigdom, and 
 our pure confciences. And if any that are now /amongft 
 us were any way engaged in the parliament fervice in the 
 wars, it was not in rebellion againft the king or his father, 
 as that we fought their deftru(ftioii as men ; but upon 
 fober and reafonable principles, and not for corrupt ends, 
 nor to get honour and riches to ourfelvcs, as forae others 
 might do, who went into the war for felt ends, and con- 
 tinued in aftion, after tfie caufe which was once engaged 
 for w^s utterly loft. And that principle, which fome time 
 led fome into aftion to oppofe oppreffion, and.feek after 
 reformation, that principle is ftill juftified, though we are 
 now better informed than once we were. For though wc 
 do now more than. ever oppcfe oppreffion, and feek after 
 reformation, yet wc do it not in that way of outward 
 warring and fighting with carnal weapons and fwords ; 
 ;tnd you and the king ought to put a difference bctwec* 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 4«7 
 
 fuch as fome time a£\ed m the wars againft you, in and 
 upon fober and reafonable principles', and that did not 
 make themfelves rich and high in the world through your 
 fufferings, and between fuch as have afted againft you 
 for felf ends, and have infulted over you, and have made 
 themfelves great and rich in this world through your 
 affliftions and fufferings.' To the query, whether the 
 great affliftions fuftained by the king divers years, front 
 fubjefts of his own nation, and the guilt thereof^ did lie 
 upon all the fubjefts in general ; or w^hether upon any, or 
 fome particular forts of people, who were fuch more than 
 others ', E. Burrough made this anfwer, * So far as his 
 fufferings were unjuft, the guilt thereof doth not lie lipon 
 all the fubjedls in general, but upon fome more than others ; 
 and fuch are eafy to be diftinguilhed from others, if it be 
 confidered who they are that raifed the war in this nation 
 againft the king, and who firft preached and prayed up 
 the war, and profecuted it againft the king's father, and 
 who caft out the biftiops and prelates from their places, 
 and took their revenues and benefices, and are become 
 men as corrupted, as covetous and felf-feeking, as proud 
 and am.bitious, as unjuft perfecutors, as ever the men 
 were which they caft out : and who is it that hath gotten 
 great eftates in the nation, and worldly honour, and raifed 
 themfelves from nothing by the wars, and by your fuffer- 
 ings ; and who got the eftates and titles of their enemies, 
 and pretended to free them from all oppreffions, but have 
 not done it ; but have continued the old oppreffions, and 
 have been ftriying among themfelves who fhould rule, and 
 who fliould be great ? And as for us, who are called 
 Quakers, we are clear from the guilt of all the king's 
 fimerings. We have not caft out others, and taken their 
 places of great benefices, neither have we made war with 
 carnal weapons againft any, never fince we were a people. 
 Neither have wx broken oaths and engagements, nor 
 promifed freedom and deliverance, and for felf-cnds and 
 earthly riches betrayed, 4s others have done, w^hat we have 
 pretended^ to. And in many particulars it doth appear 
 that we are clear from his fufferings, for v/e have been a 
 fuffering people as well as they, by the fame fpiric which 
 Vol. I. -20 
 
4i3 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 caufed them to fufFer, which hath been much more cruel, 
 wicked, and unjuft towards us, than it hath been towards 
 them, though our perfecution hath been in another mannen 
 But what they have done againft us we can freely forgive 
 them, and would have you to follow the fame example.. 
 And if you could accufe them in many things, fo could 
 we : but this is not a time to accufe one another, but to for- 
 give one another, and fo to overcome your enemies. When 
 they had gotten the viftory, they did not reform, but became 
 oppreffors, as well as others, and became cruel towards 
 others, that would not fay and do as they : and for this 
 caufe the Lord hath brought them down, and may juftly 
 fuftcr others to deal with them as they have dealt with 
 others. Yet notwithftanding I mud ftill fay, and it is ray 
 judgment, that there was very great opprefllon and vexa- 
 tion under the government of the late king, and bifhops 
 under his power, which the Lord was offended with, and 
 many good people oppreffed by ; for which caufe the Lord 
 might and did juflly raife up fome to oppofe, and flrive 
 againft oppreffions and injuftice, and to prefs after refor- 
 mation in all things. And that principle of fmcerity, which 
 in fome things carried them on in oppofmg oppreffions 
 and preffing after reformation, I can never deny, but 
 acknowledge it; though many foon loft it, and became 
 felf-feekers, forgetting the caufe pretended to/ kc. 
 
 This is but a fmall part of the queries, and the anfwers 
 thereunto, which E. Burrough concluded with a bold 
 exhortation to the king, to fear and reverence the Lord. 
 
 Now we return again to G. Fox the elder, whom we 
 left about Briftol ; from whence he paffed to Gloucefter, 
 Worcefter, Drayton (the place of his nativity) and York- 
 fhire. In that country at that time a Yearly meeting was 
 kept at Balby, in an orchard, where fome thoufands of 
 people were met togetlier. At York, about, thirty miles 
 off notice^ being given of this meeting, a troop of horfe 
 •came from thence ; and when G. Fox ftood preaching 
 in the meeting on a ftool, two trumpeters came riding up, 
 founding their trumpets pretty near him*: and then the 
 
 1660] 
 
 People called qtjakers* 
 
 419 
 
 captain bid him come down, for he was come (he faid) to 
 difperfe the meeting. G. Fox then fpeaking, told him, 
 he knew they were peaceable people; but if he did 
 queftion that ihey met in an hoftile manner, he might 
 make fearch among them ; and if he found either fword 
 or piftol about any there, fuch may fuffer. But the 
 captain told G. Fox, he muft fee them difperfed, for he 
 came all night on purpofe to difperfe them. G. Fox afked 
 him, what honour it would be to him to ride with fwords 
 and pillols amongft fo many unarmed men and women ? 
 But if he would be ftill and quiet, the meeting probably 
 might not continue above two or three hours ; and when 
 it was done, as they came peaceably, fo they ftiould part : 
 for he might perceive, the meeting was fo large, that all 
 the country thereabouts could not entertain them, but 
 that they intended to depart towards their homes at night. 
 But the captain faid, he could not ftay fo long. G. Fox 
 defired then, that if he himfelf could not ftay to fee the 
 meeting ended, he would let a dozen of his foldiers ftay. 
 To this the captain faid, he would permit them an hour's 
 time ; fo he left fix foldiers to ftay there, and then went 
 away with his troop : he being gone, the foldiers that were 
 left, told thofe that were met together, they might ftay 
 till night, if they would. This they were not for, but 
 parted about three hours after, without any difturbance. 
 But if the foldiers had been of fuch a temper as their* 
 captain, perhaps the meeting would not have ended thus 
 quietly : for he was a dcfperate man, having once told 
 G. Fox in Scotland, that he would obey his fuperiors' 
 command ; and if it were to (irucify Chrift, he would do 
 it ; or execute the great l\irk's commands againft the 
 Chriftians, if he were under him. 
 
 Now G. Fox went to Skipton, where there was a 
 general meeting concerning the affairs of the church. For 
 many of his friends fuffered much, and their goods being 
 taken from them, and fome brought to poverty, there was 
 a neceflity to provide for them. This meeting had ftood 
 fcveral years ; for when the juftrces and captains came to 
 break them up, and faw the books and accounts of col- 
 leftions for relief of the poor, and how care was taken 
 
 2 D 2 
 
 \ 
 
420 THE HISTORY OF THE [1660 
 
 that one county fhould help another, and provide for the 
 poor, they commended fuch praftice, and paffed away in 
 love. Sometimes there would come two hundred poor 
 people, belonging to other focicties, and wait there till 
 the meeting was done : and then the Friends would fend 
 to the baker's for bread, and give every one of thefe poor 
 people a loaf, how many foever there were : for they 
 were taught to do good unto all, though efpecially to the 
 houfehold of faith. 
 
 From hence G. Fox went to Lancafter, and fo tq 
 Swarthmore, where he was apprehended «t the houfe of 
 Margaret Fell;, -who was now a widow, judge Thomas 
 Fell, her hufband, having been deceafed about two years 
 before. Now fome imagined they had done a remarkable 
 aft ; for one faid, he did not think a thoufand men could 
 have taken G. Fox. They led him away to Ulvcrftone, 
 where he was kept all night at the conftable's houfe, and 
 a guard of fifteen or fixteen men were fet to watch him ; 
 fome of which fate in the chimney, for fear he fliould go 
 up the funnel. Next morning he was carried to Lancafter, 
 but exceedingly abufed by the way ; and being come to 
 town, was brought to the houfe of a juftice, whofe name 
 was Henry Porter, and who had granted the warrant againft 
 him. He afked Porter, for what, and by whofe order, 
 he had feilt forth his warrant ; and he complained to him 
 of the abufe of the conftables and other officers : for they 
 had fct him upon a horfe behind the faddle, fo that he had 
 nothing to hold by ; and malicioufly beating the horfe, 
 made him kick and gallop, and throw off his rider. But 
 Porter would not take any notice of that, and told G. Fox, 
 he had an order ; but would not let him fee it, for he 
 w^ould not reveal the king's fecrets. After many words 
 were exchanged, he was carried to Lancafter prifon. Being 
 there a clofe prifoner in the common gaol, he defired two 
 of his friends, one of which was Thomas Green, the other 
 Thomas Commings, a minifter of the gofpel (with whc^ 
 was very familiarly acquainted), to go to the goaler, 
 and defire of him a copy of his mittimus. They went, 
 but the gaoler told them he could not give a copy of it ; 
 j^Ct he gave it them to read j and to the bcft of their re^ 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 42f 
 
 membrance, the matters therein charged againft him were, 
 that G. Fox was a perfon generally fufpefted to be a 
 common difturber of the peace of the nation, an enemy to 
 the king, and a chief upholder of the (fakers' feft : and 
 that he, together with others of his fanatick opinion, had 
 of late endeavoured tp raife infurreftions in thefe parts of 
 the country, and to embroil the whole kingdom in blood. 
 Wherefore the gaoler was commanded to keep him in 
 fafe cuftody, till he fhould be releafed by order from the 
 king and parliament. No w^onder that the goaler would 
 not give a copy of his mittimus, for it contained dlmoft as 
 many untruths as words. G. Fox then writ an apology, 
 wherein he anfwered at large to all thofe falfe accufaiions. 
 And Margaret Fell, confidering what injury was offered 
 to her, by haling G. Fox out of her houfe, writ the 
 following information, and fent it abroad. 
 
 To all magiftrates, concerning the wrong taking up, and 
 imprifoning of George Fox at Lancafter. 
 
 ' I do inform the governors of this nation, that Henry 
 Porter, mayor of Lancafter, fent a warrant with four 
 conftables to my houfe, for which he. had no authority 
 nor order. They fearched my houfe, and apprehended ' 
 George Fox in it, who was not guilty of the breach of 
 any law, or of any offence againft any in the nation. 
 After they had taken him, and brought him before the 
 faid Henry Porter, there was bail offered, what he would 
 demand for his appearance, to anfwer what could be laid 
 to his charge: but he (contrary to law, if he had taken 
 him lawfully), denied to accept of any bail ; and clapped 
 him up in clofe prifon. After he was in prifon, a copy of 
 his mittimus was demanded, which ought not to be denied 
 to any prifoner, tli^t fo he may fee what is laid to his 
 charge : but it was denied him ; a copy he could not havej 
 only they were fuffered to read it over. And every thing 
 that was there charged againft him, was utterly falfe ; he 
 was not guilty of any one charge'in it, as will be proved, 
 and manifefted to the nation. So, let the governors confider 
 of it, I am concerned in this thing, inafmuch as he was 
 
 2 D "1 
 
422 THE HISTORY OF THE [1660 
 
 apprehended in my houfe ; and if he be guilty, I am fo too. 
 So I defire to have this fearched out. 
 
 * Margaret Fell/ 
 
 After this, RLirgaret determined to go to London, to 
 fpeak with the king about this matter: which Porter 
 having heard of, faid he would go too ; and fo he did. 
 But becaufe he had been a zealous man for the parlia- 
 ment againll the king, feveral of the courtiers put him in 
 mind of his plundering of their houfes. And this fo 
 troubled him, that he quickly left the court, and returned' 
 home, and then fpoke to the gaoler about contriving a 
 way to releafe G. Fox. But in his mittimus he had over- 
 fliot himfelf, by ordering G. Fox to be kept piifoner, till 
 he fliould be delivered by the king or parliament. G. Fox 
 alfo fent him a letter, and put htm in mind, how fierce he 
 had been againft the king, and his party, though now he 
 would be thought zealous for the king. And among 
 other paflages, he called to his remembrance, how, when 
 he held Lancafter Caflle for the parliament againfl the 
 king, he was fo rough and fierce againft thofe thai 
 favoured the king, that he faid, he would leave theiu 
 neither dog nor cat, if they did not bring liira in provifion 
 to his caftle. 
 
 One Anne Curtis coming to fee G. Fox, and under- 
 ftanding how he ftood committed, refolved alfo to go to 
 the king about it; for her father, who had been fherifFof 
 Briftol, was hanged near his own door, for endeavouring 
 to bring in the king : upon which confideration, flie was in 
 hopes to be admitted to the king's prefence to fpeak with 
 him. Coming to London, flie and Margaret Fell went 
 together to the king, who, when he underftood whofc 
 daughter Anne was, received her kindly. She having 
 acquainted the king with the cafe of G. Fox, defired^ 
 that he would be pleafed to fend for him up, and hear the 
 Cdufe himfelf. This the king promifed her he would do, 
 and commanded his fecretary to fend dovt^n an order for 
 the bringing up G. Fox. But it was long before this 
 order was executed, for many cvafions were fought, as 
 well by carping at a word, as by other craft j whereby 
 
 1660J 
 
 PEOPX'K CALLED QXJAKERS. 
 
 423 
 
 the fendincT up of G. Fox was retarded above two tronths. 
 He thus continuing prifoner, writ feveral papers, and 
 among the reft alfo this. 
 
 . To the King. 
 
 « King Charles, 
 * Thou cameft not into this nation by fword, nor by 
 viftory of war ; but by the power of the Lord : now if 
 thou doft not live in it, thou wilt not profper. And if the 
 Lord hath ftiewed thee mercy, and forgiven thee, and 
 thou doft not (hew mercy and forgive, the Lord God will 
 not hear thy prayers, nor them that pray for thee : and if 
 thou do not ftop perfecution, and persecutors, and take 
 away all hiws that do hold up perfecution about religion ; 
 but if thou do perlift in them, and uphold perfecution, 
 that will make thee as blind as them that have gone be- 
 fore thee : for perfecution hath always blinded thofe that 
 have gone into it; and fiich God by his power over- 
 throws, and doth his valiant afts upon; and bringeth 
 falvation to his oppreffed ones: and if thou doft bear the 
 fword in vain, and let drunkertnefs, oaths, plays, may- 
 games, (with fidlers, drums, trumpets, to play at them) 
 with fuch like abominations and vanities be encouraged, or 
 go unpuniftied ; as fetting up of maypoles, with the image 
 of the crown a-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 till he overthrew them : and 
 fo he will you, if thefe things be not fud^enly prevented. 
 Hardly was there fo much wickednefs at liberty before 
 now, as there is at this day; as though there was no terjror, 
 nor fword of magiftracy; which doth not grace a govern- 
 raent, nor is a praife 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 ungodlinefs by them. So 
 hear, and confider, and do good in thy time, whilft thou 
 baft power ; and be merciful, and forgive, that is the way 
 
 to overcome, and obtain the kingdom of Chrift. 
 
 * G. F. 
 
 2 D 4 
 
424 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE* 
 
 [1660 
 
 The flieriff of Lancafter flill rcfufed to remove G. Fox, 
 unlefs he would become bound, and pay for the {c^Vmg of 
 the wntmg, and the charge of carrying him up. But this 
 iie would not. Then they confulting how to convey him, it 
 Mas at firfl propofed to fend a party of horfe with him. 
 iiut he told them, if he were fuch a man as. they had re- 
 prefentcd him to be, they had need to fend a troop or two 
 of hone to guard him. But confidering that this would 
 be a great charge to them, they concluded to fend him up 
 guarded only by the gaoler, and fome bailiffs. On farther 
 confideration, they found that this alfo would be very 
 chargeable, and thereupon told him, if he would put in 
 bail, that he would be in London fuch a day of the term, 
 lie fhould have leave to go up with fome of his own 
 friends. G. Fox told them, he would neither put in any 
 bail, nor give any money : but if tlier would let him go 
 lip with one or two of his friends,' he would go up, 
 and be in London fuch a day, if the Lord did permit. So 
 at lad when they faw they could not make him 4)ow, the 
 flienff confented that he fliould go up with fome of his 
 iricnds, without any other engagement than his word, to 
 appear before the judges at London fuch a day of the term, 
 if the Lord did permit. Whereupon they let him go out 
 of prifon, and after fome flay, he went with Richard Hub- 
 berthorn and Robert Withers to London, whither he 
 came on a day that fome of the judges of king Charles the 
 Firft, were hanged and quartered at Charing Crofs : for 
 now what E. Burrough and others had plainly foretold, 
 was fulfilling on them. 
 
 ^ The next morning G. Fox, and thofe with him, went to 
 judge Ihomas Mallet's chamber, who then was putting on 
 his red gown, to fit upon fome more of the king^s judges, 
 and therefore told him, he might come another time. G. 
 
 Fox did fo, being accompanied by -^ Marfh, efq. one of 
 
 the king's bed-chamber. When he came to the judge's 
 chamber, he found there alfo the lord chief juflice Poller, 
 and delivered to them the charge that was againft him : 
 but when they read thofe words, that he and his friends 
 were embroiling the nation in blood, Szc. they (truck their 
 hands on the table: whereupon G. Fox told them, that he 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (QUAKERS. 
 
 425 
 
 was the man whom that charge was againft ; but that he 
 was as innocent of any fuch thing as a newborn child ; that 
 he brought it up himfelf, and that fome of his friends came 
 up w^ich him, without any guard. As yet the judges had not 
 minded ,G. Fox's hat, but. now feeing his hat on, they (liid 
 why did he ftand with his. hat on ? He told them, he did 
 not ftand in any contempt to them. Then they commanded 
 one to take it off"; and having called for the marftial of tHe 
 King's Bench, they faid to him, ' You muft take this man 
 and fecure him, but you muft let him have a chamber, and 
 not put him amongft the prifoners.' But the Marflial faid, 
 his houfe was fo full, that he could not tell where to pro- 
 vide a room for him, but amongft the prifoners. 'Judge 
 Fofter then faid to G. Fox, ' Will you appear to-morrow 
 about ten of the clock at the King's Bench Bar in Weft- 
 minfter Hall r' ' Yes,' faid he, ' if the Lord give me 
 ftrength.' Hereupon the faid judge fliid to the other judge, 
 * If he fay yes, and promifes it, ye may take his word.' 
 
 So he was difmiifed for that time, and the next day ap- 
 peared at the King's Bench Bar at the hour appointed, 
 being accompanied by Richard Hubberthoni, Robert 
 Withers, and efquire Marfii, before-named. And being 
 brought into the mkldle of the court, he looked about, 
 aiid turning to the people, faid, 'Peace be among you.' 
 Then the charge againft him was read, and coming to that 
 part which faid, that lie and his friends were embroiling 
 the nation in blood, and raifing a new war, and that he 
 was an enemy to the king, &c. thofe of the bench lifted 
 up their hands. He then ftretching ouc his arms, faid, ' I 
 am the man whom that charge is againft ; but I am as in- 
 nocent as a child concerning the charge, and have never 
 learned any war poftures. Do you think, that if I and my 
 friends had been fuch men as the charge declares, that I 
 would have brought it up myfelf againft myfelf ? Or that I 
 fhould have been fuftered to come up with onJy one or 
 two of my friends with me ? For had I been fuch a man 
 as this charge fer^ forth,. I had need to have been guarded 
 up with a troop or two of horfe : but the fneriff and ma- 
 giftrates of Lancafliire had' thought fit to let me Jind my 
 friends come up by ourfclves, almoft two hundred miles. 
 
426 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 li 660 
 
 without any guard at all, which we may be fure they 
 would not have done, if they had looked upon me to be 
 fuch a man.' Then the judge alked him, whether it ftiould 
 be filed, or what he would do with it ? And he anfwered, 
 ' Ye are judges, and able, I hope, to judge in this matter: 
 therefore do with it what ye will.' The judges faid, they 
 did not accufe him, for they had nothing againft him. 
 "Whereupon efquire Marfli flood up and told the judges, it 
 was the king's pleafure, that G. Fox fliould be fct at 
 liberty, feeing no accufer came againft him. Then they 
 aflc^d him, whether he would put it to the king and coun- 
 cil ? He anfwered, ' Yes, with a good will.' Thereupon 
 they fenc the fherifPs return, which he made to the writ of 
 habeas corpus^ to the king, and the return was thus : 
 
 * By virtue of his Majefty's writ to me direfted, and 
 hereunto annexed, I certify, that before the receipt of the 
 faid writ, George Fox, in the faid writ mentioned, was 
 committed to his Majefty's gaol, at the caftle of Lancafter, 
 in my cuftody, by a warrant from Henry Porter, efq. one 
 of his Majefty's juftices of the peace within the county 
 palatine aforefaid, bearing date the 5th of June now lait 
 paft ; for that he, the faid George Fox, was generally fuf- 
 pc6led to be a common difturber of the peace of this 
 nation, an enemy to our fovereign lord the king, and a 
 chief upholder of the Quakers' feft ; and that he, together 
 with others of his fanatick opinion, have of late endea- 
 voured to make infurredlions, in thefe parts of the country, 
 and to embroil the whole kingdom in blood. And this is 
 the caufe of his taking and detaining. Neverthelefs, the 
 body of the faid George Fox I have ready before Thomas 
 Mallet, knight, one of his Majefty's juftices, affigned to 
 hold pleas before his faid Majefty, at his chamber in Ser- 
 jeants Inn, in Fleet Street, to do and receive thofe things 
 which his Majefty's faid jufticc (hall determine concerning 
 him in this bchatf, as by the aforefaid writ is required. 
 
 * George Chetham, efq. flierifF.' 
 
 The king upon peruAU of this, and confideratio"n of the 
 whole matter, being fatisficd of G. Fox's innocency, com- 
 
 166c] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 427 
 
 manded his fecretary to fend the following order to judge 
 Mallet for his relcafe : 
 
 ' It is his Majefty's pleafure, that you give order for the 
 releafing, and fetting at full liberty, the perfon of George 
 Fox, late a prifoner in Lancafter gaol, and commanded 
 hither by an habeas corpus. And this Cgnification of his 
 Majefty's pleafure Ihall be your fufEcient warrant. Dated 
 at Whitehall, the 24th of Oftober, 16^0. 
 
 For fir Thomas Mallet, knight, one of the 
 juftices of the King's Bench. 
 
 Edward Nicholas.' 
 
 When this order was delivered to judge Mallet, he 
 forthwith fent his warrant to the marftial of the King's 
 3ench, for G. Fox's releafe j which warrant was thus : 
 
 * By virtue of a warrant which this morning I have re- 
 ceived from the right honourable fir Edward Nicholas, 
 knight, one of his Majefty's principal fecretaries, for the 
 releafing and fetting at liberty of George Fox, late a pri- 
 foner in Lancafter gaol, and from thence brought hither 
 by habeas corpus, and yeflerday committed unto your 
 cuftody ; I do hereby require you accordingly to releafe 
 and fet the faid prifoner, George Fox, at liberty : for 
 which this (hall be your warrant and difcharge. Given 
 under my hand the 25th day of Oftober, in the year of 
 our Lord God, 166c. 
 
 ' Thomas Mallet.* 
 
 To fir John Lei) thai, knight, marflial of 
 the King's Bench, or his deputy. 
 
 G. Fox having been prifoner now above twenty weeks, 
 was thus very honourably fet at liberty by the king's com- 
 mand. After it was known he was difcharged, feveral 
 that were envious and wicked, were troubled, and terror, 
 feized on juftice Porter ; for he was afraid G. Fox would 
 take the advantage of the law againft him for his wrong 
 imprifonment, and thereby undo him : and indeed G. Fox 
 was put on by fome in authority, to have made him and 
 
428 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [i66(d 
 
 the reft examples. But he faid, he fliould leave them to 
 the Lord ; if the Lord did forgive them, he fhould not 
 trouble himfelf with them. 
 
 About this time, Richard Hubberthorn got an oppor- 
 tunity to fpcak with the king, and to have a long difcourfe 
 with him, which foon after he publifhed in print. Being 
 admitted into the king's prefence, he gave him a relation 
 of the ftate of his friends, and faid, 
 
 * Since the Lord hath called us, and gathered us to be 
 a people, to walk in his fear, and in his truth, we have 
 always fuifered and been pcrfecured by the powers that 
 have ruled, and been made a prey of, for departing from 
 iniquity ; and when the breach of no juft law could be 
 charged againft us, then they made laws on purpofe ta 
 enfnare us-, and fo our fufferings were unjuftly continued.* 
 
 King. It is true, thofe that have ruled over you, have been 
 cruel, and have profeflcd much which they havd not done, 
 
 R. H. And likewife the fame fufferings do now abound 
 in more cruelty agaiiift lis in many parts of this nation: as 
 for inftance^ one at Thetford in Norfolk, where Henry 
 Fell (minillring unto the people) was taken out of the 
 meeting and whipt, and fent out of the town, from parifli 
 tp parilh, towards Lancafhire ; and the chief ground of 
 his accufation in his pafs ("which was fliewn to the king) 
 was, bccaufe he denied to take the oath of allegiance and 
 fupremacy ; and fo becaufe that for confcience fake we 
 cannot fwear, but have learned obedience to the do6h:ine 
 of Chrift, which faith, " Swdar not at all ;" hereby an 
 occafion is taken againfi: us to perfecute us ; and it is well 
 known that we have not fworn for any, nor againft any, 
 but have kept to the truth, and our yea hath been yea, 
 and our nay, nay, in all things, which is more than the 
 oath of thofe that are out of the truth. 
 
 King. But why can you not fwear ? for an oath is a 
 common thing amongfl men to any engagement. 
 
 R. 11. Yes, it is manifeft, and we have feen it by ex- 
 perience ; and it is fo common amongfl men to fwear, and 
 engage either for, or againft things, that there is no regard 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 429 
 
 taken to them, nor fear of an oath ; that therefore which 
 J we fpeak of in the truth of our hearts, is more than what 
 .' they fwear. 
 
 i King. But can you not promife before the Lord, which 
 is the fubflance of the oath ? 
 
 R. H. Yes, what we do affirm, we can promife before 
 the Lord, and take him to our witnefs in it ; but our fo 
 promifmg hath not been accepted, but the ceremony of an 
 oath they have flood for, without which all other things 
 were accounted of no effc£l. 
 
 King. But how may we know from your words that 
 you will perform ? ' * 
 
 R. H. By proving of us ; for they that fwear are not 
 known to be faithful, but by proving of them; and fo 
 we by thofe that have tried us, are found to be truer in 
 our promifes, than others by their oaths ; and to thofe 
 that do yet prove us, we fhall appear the fame. 
 
 King. Pray what is your principle ? 
 
 R. H. Our principle is this, " That Jefus Chrifl is the 
 true light which enlighteneth every one that dometh into | 
 the world, that all men through him might believe ;'* and ' 
 that they were to obey and follow this light ' as they have 
 received it, whereby they may be led unto God, and unto 
 righteoufnefs, and the knowledge of the truth, that they 
 might be faved. 
 
 King. This do all Chriflians confefs to be truth ; and 
 he is not a Chriflian that will deny it. 
 
 R. H. But many have denied it both in words and 
 writings, and oppofed us in it; and above an hundred' 
 books are put forth in oppofition unto this principle. 
 
 Then fome of the lords ftanding by the king, faid, that 
 none would deny that every one is enlightened. « 
 
 And one of the lords afked, how long Ave had been 
 called Quakers, or did we own that name ? 
 
 R. H. That name w^as given to us in fcorn and derifion, 
 ' about twelve years fnice ; but there were fome that lived 
 in this truth before we had^ that name given unto us; 
 
 King. How long is it fince you owned this judgment 
 and way ? 
 
43° 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [l66« 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 431 
 
 R. H. It is near twelve years fince I owned this truths 
 according to the manifedation of it. 
 
 King. Do you own the facrament ? 
 
 R. H. As for the word facrament, I do not read of it 
 in the Scripture ; but as for the body and blood of Chriil 
 I own, and that there is no remiflion without blood. 
 
 King. Well that is it ; but do you not believe that 
 every one is commanded to receive it ? 
 
 R. H. This we do believe, that according as it is 
 ■written in the Scripture, that Chrifl at his lafl fupper took 
 bread and brake it, and gave to his difciples, and alfo 
 took the cup and bleffed it, and faid unto them, " And as 
 often as ye do this, (that is as often as they brake bread) 
 \ you fhew forth the Lord's death till he come ;" and this 
 we believe they did ; " and they did eat their bread in 
 iinglenefs of heart from houfe to houfe ;" and Chrift did 
 come again to them according to his promife ; after which 
 they faid, " We being many are one bread, for we are all 
 partakers of this one bread.'* 
 
 King's friend. Then one of the king's friends faid. It 
 is true ; for as many grains make one bread, fo they being 
 many members, were one body. 
 
 Another of them faid, if they be the bread, then they 
 mufi: be broken. 
 
 R. H. There is a difference between that bread which 
 he brake at his laft fupper, wherein they were to Ihevr 
 forth, as in a fign, his death until he came ; and this 
 whereof they fpake, they being many, are one bread ; for 
 herein they were come more into the fubflance, and to 
 fpeak more rayftically, as they knew it in the fpirit. 
 
 King's friends. Then they faid, it is true, and he had 
 fpoken nothing but truth. 
 
 King. How know you that you are infpired by the 
 Lord ? 
 
 R. H. According as we read in the Scriptures, that 
 *' The infpiration of the Almighty giveth underftanding;** 
 fo by his infpiration is an underitanding given us of the 
 things of God. 
 
 Then one of the lords faid. How do you know that 
 you are led by the true fpirit ? 
 
 R. H. This we know, becaufe the Spirit of truth re- 
 proves the world of f:n, and by it we were reproved of 
 fin, and alfo are led from fin unto rightcoufnefs, and obe- 
 dience of truth, by which effefts we know it is the true 
 fpirit ; for the fpirit of the wicked one doth not lead into 
 fuch things. 
 
 Then the king and his lords faid it was truth. 
 
 King. Well, of this you may be affured, tliat you fhall' 
 none of you fuffer for your opinions or religion, fo long 
 as you Uve peaceably, and you have the word of a king 
 for it ; and I have alfo given forth a declaration to the 
 fame purpofe, that none fliall wrong you or abufe you. 
 
 King. How do you own magiftrates, or magiilracy ? 
 
 R. H. Thus we do own magiftrates : whofoever is fet up 
 by God, whether king as fupreme, or any fet in authority 
 by him, who are for the punifliment of evil doers, and the 
 praife of them that do well, fuch v/e fliall fubmit unto, and 
 allift in righteous and civil things, both by body and eftate: 
 and if any magiftrates do thtit which is unrighteous, wc 
 muft declare againft it ; only fubmit under it by a patient 
 ftvffering, and not rebel againft any by infurreftions, plots, 
 and contrivances. 
 
 King. That is enough. 
 
 Then one of the lords afked. Why do you meet to- 
 gether, feeing every one of you have the church in your- 
 i elves ? 
 
 R. H. According as it is written in the Scriptures, the 
 church is in God, Thef. i. t. " And thev that feared the 
 Lord, did meet often together in the fear of the I^rd," 
 and to us it is profitable, and herein we are edified and 
 ftrengthened in the life oF Truth. 
 
 King. How did you firft come to believe the Scriptures 
 were truth ? 
 
 R. H. I have believed the Scriptures from a child 
 to be a declaration of truth, when I had but a literal 
 knowledge, natural education and tradition ; but now 
 I know the Scriptures to be true, by the manifeftation 
 ani operation of the Spirit of God fulfilling them iu 
 me. 
 
43^ - THE HISTORY OF THE [l56^0 
 
 King. In what planner do you me^t, and what is the 
 order in your meetings ? 
 
 R. H. We do meet in the fame order as the people of 
 God did, waiting upon him : and if any have a word of 
 exhortation from the Lord, he may fpeak it ; or if any 
 have a word of reproof or admonition, and as every one 
 hath received the gift, fo they may minifter one unto an- 
 other, and may be edified one by another ; whereby a 
 growth into the knowledge of the Truth is adminillered 
 to one another. 
 
 One of the lords. Then you know not fo much as 
 you may know, but there is a growth then to be admitted 
 of. 
 
 R. H. Yes, we do grow daily into the knowledge 6f 
 tKe Truth, in our exercife and obedience to it. 
 
 King. Are any of your friends gone to Rome ? 
 
 R. H. Yes, there is one in prifon in Rome. 
 
 King. Why did you fend him thither ? 
 
 R. H. We did not fend him thither, but he found 
 fomething upon his fpirit from the L^ord, whereby he was 
 called to go to declare againfl: fuperilition and idolatry, 
 which is contrary to the will of God. 
 
 King's friend faid, There were two of them at Rome, 
 but one was dead. 
 
 King. Have any of your friends been with the great 
 Turk? 
 
 R. H. Some of our friends have been in that country. 
 
 Other things were fpoken concerning the liberty of the 
 fervants of the Lord, who were called of him into his 
 fervice, that to ihem there was no limitation to parifhes 
 or places, but as the Lord did guide them iu his work and 
 fervice by his Spirit. 
 
 * So the king promifed that we fhould not any ways fuffer 
 for our opinion or religion ; and fo in love paffed away. 
 
 The king having promifed Richard Hubberthorn over 
 and again, that his friends fhould not fulfer for their 
 opinion, or religion, they parted in love. But though the 
 king feemed a good-natured prince, yet he was fo milled, 
 
 ' i65o] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAItERS. 
 
 433 
 
 that in procefs of time he feemed to have forgot what he 
 fo folemnly promifed on the word of a king. 
 
 Now in this difcourfe mention being made of Rome, 
 &c. ril fay by the bye, that one John Perrot and John 
 Love being come to Leghorn in Italy, and having been 
 examined there by the inquifition, they anfwered fo well 
 that they were difmiffed. Being come afterwards to 
 Venice, Perrot was admitted to the doge, or duke, in his 
 palace, fpoke with him, and gave him feme books : and 
 from thence he went with his fellow-travtller to Rome. 
 Here they bore tedimony againft the idolatry committed 
 there, in fuch a publick manner, that they were taken into 
 cuftody. John Love died in the prifon of the inquifition; 
 and though it was divulged, that he had fafted to death, 
 yet fome nuns have told that he was difpatched in the 
 night, for fear he fhould annoy the church of Rome* 
 However it was, he died in fincerity of heart, and fo was 
 more happy than Perrot, who though then perhaps he 
 was in a pretty good frame of mind, yet afterwards turned 
 un eminent apoflate, having continued prifoner at Rome a 
 great while, and at length got his liberty. He was a man 
 cf great natural parts, but, not continuing in true humility, 
 ran out into exorbitant imaginations, of which more may 
 be faid hereafter. About this time Samuel Fiflier and 
 John Stubbs were alfo at Rome, where they fpoke with 
 fome of the cardinals, and teftified againft the popifh fuper- 
 ftition. They alfo fpread fome books amongft the friars, 
 fome of whom confelTed the contents thereof to be truth : 
 but, faid they^ if we fliould acknowledge this publickly, 
 we might expeft to be burnt for it. Notwithftanding 
 Fidier and Stubbs went free, and returned unmolefted. 
 
 The cafe of Mary Fiflier, a maiden, and one of the firft 
 Quakers (fo Ccilled) that came mto New England (as hath 
 been mentioned before) I cannot pafs by in filence. She 
 being come to Smyrna, to go from thence to AdrianopJe, 
 was llopt by the Englifli conful, and fent back to Venice, 
 from whence flie came by another way to Adrianople^ 
 at the time that Sultan Mahomet the fourth was encamped 
 with his army near the faid town. She went alone to the 
 
 Vol. L 2 e 
 
434 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 camp, and got foraebody to go to the tent of the grand 
 vifier, to tell him that an EnglHh woman was come who 
 had fomething 10 declare from the great God to the Sultan. 
 The vizier fent word, that next morning he fliould procure 
 her an opportunity for that purpofe. Then (he returned 
 to the town, and repaired next morning to the camp again, 
 where being come, fhe was brought before the fultan, 
 who had his great men about him, in fuch a manner -aS he 
 was ufed to admit ambafladorSr He aiked by his inter- 
 preters (whereof there were three with him) whether it 
 was true what had been told him, that fhe had fomething 
 to fay to him from the Lord God ? She anfwered, * Yea/ 
 Then>'he bade her fpeak oh : and fiie not being forward, 
 weightily pondering what flie might fay, and he fuppofing 
 ihai fhe might be fearful to utter her mind before them all, 
 afked her, whether (he defired that any might go afide, 
 before (he fpoke? She anfwered, ^ No.' He then bade 
 her fpeak the word of the Lord to them, and not to fear, 
 for they had good hearts, and could hear it. He alfo 
 charged her, to fpeak the word (lie had to fay from the 
 Lord, neither more nor lefs, for they were willing to hear 
 It, be it what it would. Then (he fpoke what was upon 
 her mind. 
 
 The Tur,k$ hearkened to her with much attention and 
 gravity, till (he had done ; and then the fultan aiking her 
 whether (he had any thing more to fay ? She alked him, 
 whether he underftood what (he faid ? And he anfwered, 
 * Yes, every word,' and farther faid, that what (he had 
 fpoken was truth. Then he defired her to (lay in that 
 country, faying, that they could not but refpeft fuch an 
 one, as (hould take fo much pains to come to them fo far 
 as from England, with a meflfage from the Lord God. 
 He alfo proffered her a guard to bring her into Conftanti- 
 nople, whither (he intended. But Ihe not accepting this 
 offer, he told her it was dangerous travelling, efpecially 
 for fuch an one as (he ; and wondered that (he had pa(red 
 fo fafe fo far as (he had : faying alfo, it was in rcfpc6l to 
 her, and kindncfs that he proffered it, and that he would 
 not for any thing fhe (hould come to the leait hurt in his 
 dominions. She having ug more to fay, the Turks aiked 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 435 
 
 her, what fhe thought of their prophet Mahomet ? She 
 anfwered warily, that (he knew him not ; but Chrift, the 
 true propliet, the Son of God, who was the light of the 
 world, and enlightened every man coming into the world, 
 him (he knew. And concerning Mahomet (he faid, ihac 
 they might judge t>f him to be true or falfe, according to 
 the words and prophecies he fpoke; faying farther, 'Jf 
 the word that a prophet fpeaketh, come to pafs, then (hall 
 ye know that the Lord hath fent that prophet ; but if it 
 come not to pafs, then flrall ye know that the Lord never 
 fent him.* The Turks confeffed thi» to be true; and 
 Mary having performed her meffage, departed from the 
 camp to Conftantinople, without a guard, whither (he 
 came without the leaft hurt or feoff. And fo (he returned 
 fafe to England. 
 
 Concerning Catharine Evans, and Sarah Cheevers, two 
 women, who at this time lay in the prifon of the inquifition 
 at Malta, and were not releafcd till after three years con- 
 finement, where they fuffered moft grievous hardfliips ; I 
 intend to fpeak hereafter, when I am come to the time of 
 their deliverance ; and then I propofe to make a large and 
 very remarkable defcription concerning it. 
 
 In the mean-while I return to the affairs of England, 
 where the government now was quite altered. Many of 
 the late king's judges were now hanged -and quartered: 
 among thofe was alfo colonel Francis Hacker, of whom 
 about fix years before this time it hath been faid that he 
 took George Fox prifoner. But he now himfelf w^as in 
 prifon, and impeached not only as one of thofe that kept 
 the king prifoner, but alfo that he figned the warrant for 
 the king's execution, and had conduced him to the fcaffold. 
 To all which, and more, he faid little, but that what he 
 did, w^as by order of his fuperiors ; and that he had en- 
 deavoured to ferve his country. But this did not avail 
 him, for he was condemned for high ueafon, and hanged 
 and quartered in Oftober. A day or two before his 
 death, Margaret Fell vifited him in prifon ; and when he 
 was put in mind of what formerly he had done againft 
 tlie irmocenr, he remembered it, and faid, he knew well 
 whoifi fhe meant, and had trouble upon him for it. For 
 
 2 E 2 ' 
 
43^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 437> 
 
 0. Fox (who had compared him to Pilate), bade him, when 
 the day of his misery and trial Ihoiild come upon him, to 
 remember what be faid to him. And as Hacker's fon-in- 
 law, Needham, then did not (lick to fay, that it was time 
 to have G. Fox cut off: fo it came to be the lot of Hacker 
 himfelf to be cut off at Tyburn, where he was hanged. 
 Such now was the end of many, who were not only guilty 
 of the king's death, and the putting to death of others 
 who were for king Charles the fccond, but had alfo tranl- 
 greffed againft: God by perfecuting godly people. They 
 had been often warned, and fcveral times told that God 
 would hear the cries of the widows and fatherlefs, that had 
 been cruelly oppreffed by them ; and as they had made 
 fpoil of the goods of thofe whom in'fcorn they called 
 Quakers, fo now fear and quaking was brought upon them, 
 and their eftates became a fpoil to others. How plainly 
 E. Burrough had foretold this, hath been faid before ; 
 and not to mention others, I will only fay, that one 
 Robert Huntington came once into the fteeple-houfe at 
 Brough, near Carliile, with a white (heet about him, and 
 a hakcr about his neck, to fhew the Prelbyterians and 
 Independents there, that the furplice was to be introduced 
 again, and that fome of them fliould not efcape the halter. 
 Now how mad foever this \v;r> laid to be, yet time fliewed 
 it a prefuge of the impending difafler of the cruel perfe- 
 cutors: for when king Charles had afcended the throne, 
 his moft: fierce enemies were difpatched out of the way. 
 * The parliament fitting at this time, fome of thofe called 
 Quakers were admitted to appear in the houfe of Lords, 
 where they gave reafons why they could no: frequent the 
 ^ publick vrorfliip, nor Avear, nor pay tithes ; and they 
 were heard with moderation. The king alfo about this 
 time (hewed himfelf moderate ; for being folicited by fome, 
 and more efpecially by Margaret Fell, he fet at liberty 
 about icvcn hundred of the people called Quakers, who 
 / had been imprifbned under the government ot Oliver and 
 ' Richard Cromwell. This paffed the eafier, becaufe thofe 
 ihat were now at the helm, had alfo fuffered under the 
 former governmeni : there fecmcd liLewife fome inclination 
 10 give liberty of cunfcieiicc j but there bang among 
 
 thofe that were now in authority, fome alfo of a malicious 
 temper, they always found means to hinder this good work : 
 and it jufl: now fell out fo that fomething ftarted up, which 
 put a (top to the giving fuch a liberty as aforefaid; though 
 it was advanced fo far, that an order was drawn up for 
 permitting the Qiiakers the freeexercife of their worfhip;. 
 only the figning and feal to it was wanting, when all on a 
 fudden the Fifth Monarchy men made an infurre(5i:ion. There 
 was at that time a great number of this turbulent people 
 in England ; who perceiving that their exorbitant opinion 
 was inconfiftent with kingly government, which now had 
 taken place, thought it not meet for their caufe to fit flill 
 while the government, which was yet but new, fliould be 
 fully fettled and eflabliftied. Perhaps they had alfo fome 
 intent to free fome of the late king's judges, who were 
 imprifoned ; for among thefe was alfo fir Henry Vane, 
 who having been one of the chief of the commonwealth 
 party, was likewife faid to be one of the heads of the 
 Fifth Monarchy men. It was in the night when thefe 
 people made a rifing ; which caufed fuch a ftir, that the 
 king's fol^iers founded an alarm by the beating of drums. 
 
 The train-bands appeared in arms, and all was in an ' 
 uproar, and both the mob and foldiers committed great 
 infolences for feveral days ; fo that the Quakers though 
 altogether innocent, became the object of the fury of 
 their enemies, and many were haled to prifon out of their 
 peaceable meetings. 
 
 At that time George Fox was at London, and being 
 lodged in Pall-mall, at night a company of troopers 
 came, and knocked at the door where he was; which 
 being opened^ they milled into the houfe, and laid hold 
 on him. One of thefe that had formerly ferved under 
 the parliament, clapped his hand to G. Fox's pocket, and 
 aflved, whether he had any piftol ? G. Fox told him, he 
 knew he did not ufe to carry piftols, why then did he afk 
 fuch a queflion of him, whom he knew to be a peaceable 
 man ? Others of thefe fellows ran up rnto the chambers, 
 and there found efquire Marfli, before mentioned, in bed, < 
 who though he was one of the king's bedchamber, yet out 
 of love to G. Fox, came and lodged where he did.. When 
 
 a E 3 
 
438 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i66( 
 
 1660] 
 
 !»EOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 439 
 
 the troopers came down again, they faici, * Why fliould' 
 we take this man away with us ? We will let him alone.' 
 * Oh/ faid the parliament foldier, * he is one of the heads, 
 and a chief ringleader.' Upon this the foldiers were 
 taking him away. But efq. Marlh hearing of it, fcnt for 
 him that commanded the party, and defired him to let 
 G. Fox alone, llnce he would fee him forthcoming in the 
 morning, and then they might take him. Early in the 
 morning there came a company of foot to the houfe ; and 
 one of them drawing his fword, held it over G. Fox's 
 head, which made hiin aik, wherefore he drew his fword 
 at a naked man ? At which his fellows being afhaiped, 
 bid him put up his fword ; and fome time after they brought 
 him to Whitehall, before the troopers came for him. As 
 he was going out, he faw feveral of his friends going to 
 the meeting, it being then the Firft day of the week ; a«d 
 he intended to have gone thither himfelf, if he had not 
 been flopped : but now it being out of his power to keep 
 them company, he commended their boldnefs, and en- 
 couraged them to perfevere therein. When he was come 
 to Whitehall, feeing the foldiers and people were exceeding . 
 rude, he began to exhort them to godlinefs. But fome 
 great perfons coming by, who were envious to him, faid, 
 ' What, do ye let him preach ? Put him into fuch a place, 
 where he may not ftir.' So he was put into that place', 
 and the foldiers watched over him : but G. Fox told them, 
 though they could confine his body, and fliut that up, yet 
 the word of life they could not flop. Some then aflced him, 
 what he was ? He told them he was a preacher of righte- 
 oufnefs. After he had been kept there two or three hours, 
 efq. Marfh fpoke to the lord Gerard, who came, and bid , 
 them fet G. Fox at liberty. When he was difcharged, 
 the marfkal demanded fees. G. Fox told him he could not 
 give him any : and he alkcd him, how he could demand 
 fees of him who was innocent ? Neverthelefs he told him, 
 that in his own freedqm, he would give them two-pence, 
 to niake him and the foldiers drink.. But they fhouted at 
 that, which made him fay, if they would not accept it, 
 they might chufe ; for he fliould not give them fees. 
 Tbcn he went through the guav^ls, and came to an inn^ 
 
 where feveral of his friends at that time were prifoners 
 under a guard, and about night he went to the houfe of 
 one of his friends. 
 
 This infurrcftion of the Fifth Monarchy mqn, caufed great 
 difturbance in the nation ; and though the Quakers did not 
 at all meddle with thofe boifterous people, yet they fell 
 under great fufferings becaufe of them ; and both men and 
 women w^ere dragged out of their houfes to prifon, and 
 fome fick men off their beds by the legs ; among which 
 was one Thomas Pachyn, who being in a fever, was 
 
 - dragged by the foldiers out of his bed to prifoo, where he 
 died. 
 
 This perfecution going on throughout the nation, 
 Margaret Fell went to the king, and gave him an account 
 how her friends, that were in no wife concerned in the 
 faid infurreftion and riots, were treated; for feveral 
 thoufands of them were caft into prifon. The king and 
 council wondered how they could have fuch intelligence,, 
 fmce ftrift charge was given for the intercepting of all 
 letters, fo that none could pafs unfearched. But notwith- 
 {landing this, fo much was heard of the numbers of the 
 imprifoned, that Margaret Fell went a fecond time to the 
 king and council, and acquainted them of the grievous fuffer- 
 
 * ings of her friends. G. Fox then writ a letter of confolatioa 
 to his fuffering friends; and alfo pubHflied in print a de- 
 claration againfl: all fedition, plotters and fighters, whereia 
 he manifefted, that they were an harmlefs people, that 
 denied wars and fightings, and could not make ufe of the 
 outward fword, or other carnal weapons. This declaration 
 was prefented to the king and his council, and was of fuch 
 effeft, that the king gave forth a proclamation, that no 
 foldiers (hould go to fearch any houfe, but with a conftable. 
 When afterwards fome of the Fifth Monarchy men were 
 put to death becaufe of their infurreftion, they did the 
 Quakers, fo called, that right, that they cleared them 
 openly from having an hand in, or knowledge of their 
 plot. This and other evidences cauftd the king, being 
 continually impoituned thereunto, to iffue forth a decla- 
 ration, that the Quakers fliould be fet at hberty without 
 
 paying fecs- 
 
 . • 2 E 4 
 
440 THE HISTORY OF THE [1666 
 
 Many of the Prefbyterian preachers now temporized, 
 and for keeping their benefices, joined with the Epifcopali- 
 ans, and did not flick to put on the furplicc. But this gavt: 
 occafion to many of their hearers to leave them, and join 
 with the Quakers, fo called, who could not comply with 
 the times. Others, who were a little more ftcdfaft, made 
 ufc of their money to get liberty, though under the govern- 
 ment of Cromwell they would permit no liberty of.con- 
 fcience to others ; infomuch that one Hewes, an eminent 
 prieft at Plymouth in Oliver's days, when fome liberty was 
 granted, prayed that God would put it into the hearts of 
 the chief magillrates of the nation, to remove this curfed 
 toleration. But this Hewes, afier the king was come in, 
 being aiked by one, whether he would account toleration 
 accurfed now, anfwered only by fhaking his head. 
 ' Now though many of the Quakers, as hath been faid, 
 . were releafed from prifon, yet they fuffered exceedingly in 
 their religious affemblies. Once a company of Irifhmen 
 came to Pall-mall, when G. Fox was there; .but the 
 meeting was already broke up ; and he being gone up into 
 a chamber, heard one of thcfe rude perfons, who was a 
 colonel, fay, he would kill all the Quakers. Whereupon 
 G. Fox came down, and told him, ' The lav/ faid, 
 an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but thou 
 threateneit to kill all the Quakers, though they have done 
 thee no hurt :' but faid he farther, ' Here is gofpel for 
 thee : here's my hair, here's my cheek, and here's my 
 fhoulder,' tuming it to him. This fofurprized the colonel, 
 that he and his companions Hood amazxd, and faid, ' If 
 this be your principle as you fay, we never faw the like in 
 our lives.' I'o which G. Fox faid, ' What I am in words, 
 I am the fame in life.' Then the colonel carried himfelf 
 lovingly ; though a certain ambaifador who flood without 
 and then came in, faid, that this Irifh colonel was fuch a 
 defperate man, that he duril not come in with him, for 
 fear he fhould have done great mifchief. 
 
 Notwithftanding fuch like rude encounters, yet by the 
 change of the government, fome (lop was put to the fierce 
 current of pcrfecuiion ; for the king being but newly 
 fettled on the throne, (hewed yet an inclination to lenity. 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 441 
 
 But this quiet did not lafl long, and was but a time of 
 refpiration : for the churchmen inftigated (as it feems very 
 probable) by the favourers of popery, continued envious, 
 and (laid but for an opportunity to fhew their malice. An 
 inflance of which hath been feen already on the inflirrec- 
 tion of the Fifth Monarchy men, and in the fequel wall be 
 feen much clearer : fmce, though they did not feem to 
 perfecute for confcience-fake, yet under a colour of juftice, 
 laws were made ufe of, that had formerly been enafted. 
 for the fupprefTion of popery, and to fecure the kingdom 
 againfl Jefuits, and other traiterous Papifts ; thefe being 
 the laws, of which G. Fox in his letter to the king had 
 faid, that they held up perfecution about religion. 
 
 That it may be known what laws thofe were, and that 
 it may alfo appear what an unreafonable ufe hath been 
 made thereof, I fhall here fet them down, or abftrafts of 
 them ; that fo it may be more plainly feen, what aukward 
 means have been made ufe of, and how finiftroufly the 
 laws were executed. Sometimes I may interweave among 
 thefe abflra^ts, fome obfervations, or an account of a cafe, 
 which, though not placed indue time,mayyetbeferviceablc 
 to give a true notion of things. I now repair to thofe laws. 
 
 In the 27th year of king Henry the eighth, a law was 
 made for payment of tithes : for that king having either 
 given or fold many chapels, and abbeys to laymen, thofe 
 laymen had no right, as priefts claimed to have, to fummon 
 to ecclefiaflical courts thofe that failed in paying of tithes. 
 But for this a law was provided, by virtue of which, a 
 judge of an ecclefiaftical court might be helpful to laymen, 
 and in that law it was faid, 
 
 * If the judge of an ecclefiaflical court make complaint 
 to two jufUces of peace f quorum units) of any contumacy, 
 or mifdemeanor committed by a defendant in any fuit there 
 depending for tithes, the faid juftices fhall commit fuch de- 
 fendant to prifon, there to remain till he fhall find fufficient 
 furety.to be bound before them by recognizance, or other- 
 wife to give due obedience to the procef*, proceedings^ 
 decrees, and fentences of the faid court,* 
 
44« 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 By tills law (which is pretended to be ftill in force) 
 many honeft people have fullered, and been kept very 
 Jong in prifon ; for they refufmg to find furety for the pay- 
 ment of tithes, which for confcience-fakc they could not 
 give to fueh miniftcrs who lived from a forced maintenance, 
 ;ind did not (as they judged ) profit the people ; it was in 
 the power of the piiefts to detain them prifoners^, till the 
 pretended debt was paid ; which the perfecuted judged fo 
 iinreafonabic, that fome have therefore continued in prifon 
 for many years, choofmg rather to die in gaol, than to up- 
 hold fuch preachers, by paying -tithes to them. And 
 the C^akers fo called, have never offered refiftance, but 
 fnffering and forbearance have always been their arms, 
 though they were almofl continually vexed with laws that 
 were never made againft them ; and more efpecially were 
 tbty molefted with the oath of fupremacy, which was made 
 in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, though 
 (it may be) projefted in the time of Henry the eighih, 
 which runs thus : 
 
 * I A. B. do utterly teftify and declare in my confcience^ 
 ihat the [king*s] highnefs is the only fupreme governor of 
 this realm, and of all other (his) highnefles dominions and 
 countries, as well in all fpiritual or ccclefiallical things or 
 caufes, as temporal. And that no foreign prince, prelate, 
 itate, or potentate, hath, or ought to have any jurifdi£lion, 
 po^;v'er,fupericrity, pre-eminence, or authority, ecclefiaftical 
 or fpiritual, within this realm : and therefore I do utterly 
 renounce, and forfake all foreign jurifdiftions, powers, fu- 
 perioriiies, and authorities, and do promife, that froni 
 henceforth 1 fliall bear faith, and true allegiance to the 
 [king's] highnefs [his] heirs and lawful fucceflbrs; and ta 
 my power, ftiall affill and defend all jurifdiftion, privileges, 
 pre-eminences, and authorities, granted, or belonging to 
 the [king's] highnefs [his] heirs and fucceffors, or unitecj 
 and annexed to the imperial crown of this realm. So help 
 ime God, and the contents of this book/ 
 
 ■i" 
 
 i-' 
 
 In the firft year of queea Elizabeth, ziD a£t was made 
 
 1660] PEOPLE CALLED (yJAKERS* 443 - 
 
 for uniformity of common-prayer, and church- fervice, 
 having this cUufe : 
 
 I 
 
 * Every perfon fliall refort to their parifli church, or 
 upon let thereof, to fome other, every Sunday and holiday, 
 upon pain to be puniflied by cenfures of the church, and 
 alfo to forfeit twelve-pence, to be levied by the church- 
 wardens, there, for the ufe of the pdor, upon the offender's 
 goods, by way of diftrefs.' 
 
 Here is to be noted, that fome have profecuted the pre- 
 tended offenders on this claufe, to obviate greater feverities ; 
 although this law was made becaufe of the Papifts, thereby 
 to force them to come to church ; for about that time 
 there were not fo many Proteflant Diffenters in England, 
 as afterwards ; but thefe appearing in time, were as well 
 under the lafli of this law as the Papifis ; for their reli- 
 gious affembiies were not reckoned to be churches as the 
 fteeple-houfes by a metonymy generally have been called ; 
 at the fame rate as the Jews meeting-houfes have been 
 called fynagogues, though the word itfelf properly fignifies 
 the affembly of the people. 
 
 Now, fmce the aforefaid law was not flricUy obeyed, 
 not only by Papills, but alfo. by others, who aiming at a 
 ' further reformation, could not longer comply with the 
 rites of the church of England, in the 23d year of Eliza- 
 beth, a more fevere law was made, with this claufe : 
 
 ' * Every perfon not repairing to church, according to the 
 ftatute of 1 Eliz. 2. fliall forfeit twenty pounds for every 
 month they fo make default ; and if they fo forbear by 
 the fpace of twelve montlis, after certificate thereof, made 
 by the ordinary unto the King's Bench, a jufliice of affize, 
 gaol-delivery, or peace of the county where they dwell, 
 ihall bind them with twofufficient fureties in 200I. al leaft:, 
 to their good behaviour, from which they fliall not be 
 releafed until they fliall repair to church according to tl^p 
 f^id ft^tute.' 
 
444 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 This !a\v it fcems was not thought fevcre enough; 
 therefore in the 29th year of the fdid queen, another law 
 was made with this claufe : 
 
 * The queen may feize all the goods, and two third 
 parts of the lands and leafes of every oiFender not repair- 
 ing to church as aforcfaid, in fuch of the terms of Eafter 
 and Michaelmas, as {hall happen next after fuch ccnviaion, 
 for the fum then due for the forfeiture of twenty pounds 
 \x month, and yearly after that (iu the fiime terms) accord- 
 iug to the rate of twenty pounds a month for fo long 
 time as they fliall forbear to come to church, according to 
 ihc faid ftatute of 23 tliz. 1/ 
 
 Upon thefe acls many were profecuted ; but in the 
 height of this proceeding, George Whitehead, Gilbert 
 Latey,and otheis, folicited king Charles the fecond in the 
 behalf of their friends ; which had fuch effeft, that the 
 king ordered ftay of procefs in divers counties ; yet after- 
 wards the perfccution was continued till after his death, 
 both as to imprifonment, as well as feizing of goods : and 
 ether old laws were alfo made ufe of : for in the 35th year 
 €f queen Elizabeth's reign, when the Papifts fometimes 
 were forming plots againft the queen, an aft was made, 
 containing the effecc of this claufe : 
 
 « If any of above fixteen years of age fliall be convifted 
 to have abfented themfelves above a month from church, 
 without any lawful caufe, impugned the queen's authority 
 in caufes ecciefiaftical, or frequented conventicles, or per- 
 iuaded others fo to do, under pretence of exercife of reli- 
 gion, they fhall be committed to prifon, and there remam 
 until they fliall conform themfelves, and make fuch open 
 fubmifiion as hereafter fliall be prefcribed : and if within 
 three months after fuch conviftion, they refufe to conform, 
 and fubmit themfelves, being thereunto required by a 
 juftice of the peace, they fliall in open aflize, or feflTions, 
 abjure the realm : and if fuch abjuratio;i happen to be 
 before juftices of the peace in fefllons, they ihall make 
 certificate thereof at the next aflize, or gaol-delivery/ 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKERS. 
 
 445 
 
 1660 J 
 
 ' And if fuch an offender refufe to abjure, or going 
 away accordingly, doth return without the queen's licence, 
 he fliall be adjudged a felon, and fliall not enjoy the bene- 
 fit of clergy ; but if before he be required to abjure, he 
 makes his fubniiflion, the penalties aforefaid fliall not be 
 inflifted upon him.' 
 
 Though it may be fuppofed this aft was made chiefly 
 againfl: Papifl:s, yet fomc few of the Quakers, fo called, 
 have been profecuted thereupon, which was for their lives ; 
 for if they had been willing to depart the realm, yet fuch, 
 who for confcience fake could not fwear at all, couid not 
 oblige themfelves by oath that they v/ould do fo. And 
 this being very well known, it once happened, that one 
 Wifliam Alexander, of Needham in Suffolk, being with 
 feveral more indifted upon this aft, was aflced, ' Guilty, or 
 not guilty ?' He not being hafty to anfwer, the judge faid, 
 ' Why don't you plead guilty or not guilty ?' To which 
 Alexander replied, ' What would'fl thou advife us to 
 plead ?' The judge (who fometimes ufed to be fevere 
 enough) faid, ' Do you aflc my advice ?' ' Yes,' faid 
 Alexander. ' Then,' returned the judge, ' you fliall 
 have it ; and I'll advife you to plead not guilty.' So the 
 prifoners accordingly pleaded not guilty. Then fiid the 
 judge to the profecutors, ' Now you muff prove thefe 
 men, neither to have been at their own parifli church, nor 
 at any other church or chapel, elfe they are not within 
 this aft, which is a fanguinary law.' Thus the judge 
 carried on his difcourfe, to a difcharge of Alexander and 
 his friends from that fevere indiftment : for the profecu- 
 tors were not able to prove this with evidence, as the law 
 required. One William Bennett had alfo been long in 
 prifon at Edmondfliury in Suffolk, on this aft, and one 
 Richard Vickris near Briftol. But now I go back again. 
 
 After the demife of queen Elizabeth, when James the 
 f rfl: had afccnded the throne, the Papiils ftill continued 
 their wicked defigns, of which the gunpowder plot may 
 ferve.for an infl:ance. To fupprefs therefore thefe mali- 
 cious people, and for the better difcovering of them, in die 
 
445 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 i66o] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 447 
 
 third year of that king's reign, an aft was made, in which 
 was contained the following oath, which was to be taken 
 by popifh recufants : 
 
 I A. B. do truly and fincercly acknowledg^e, profefs, 
 teftify, and declare in my confcience before God and the 
 world, that our fovereign lord king James, is lawful and 
 rightful king of this realm, and of all other his raajefty's 
 dominions and countries ; and that the pope, neither 
 of himfelf, nor by any authority of the church, or fee of 
 Rome, or by any other means, with any other, hath any 
 power or authority to dcpofe the king, or to difpofe of 
 any of his majefly's kingdoms or dominions, or to autho- 
 rife any foreign prince to invade, or annoy him, or his 
 countries, or to difcharge any of his fubjefts from their 
 allegiance and obedience to his majefty, or to give licenfe 
 or leave to any of them to bear arms, raife tumults, or to 
 offer my violence or hurt to his majefty 's royal perfon, 
 ftate, or governmenr, or to any of his majefly's fubje6ts 
 wiihin his majefty's dominions. Alfo I do fwear from my 
 heart, that notwithftanding any declaration, or fentenceof 
 excommunication, or deprivation, made or granted, or to 
 be made or granted, by the pope or his fucceffors, or by 
 any authority derived, or pretended to be derived from 
 him or his fee, againft the faid king, his heirs, or fucceffors, 
 or any abfohuiouof the faid fubjefts from their obedience, 
 1 w^ill bear faith and true allegiance to his majefty, his 
 heirs and fucceffors, and him and them will defend to the 
 uttermoft of my power, againft all confpiracies and at- 
 temps whatfoever, which fhall be made againft his or their 
 perfons, their crown and dignity, by reafon or colour of 
 any fuch fentence or declaration, or otherwise : and will 
 do my beft endeavour to difclofe, and make known unto 
 his majefty, his heirs an^ fucceffors, all treafons, and trai- 
 terous confpiracies, which I ftiall know or hear of to be 
 againft him, or any of them. And I do further fwear, 
 that I do from my heart abhor, deteft, and abjure, as im- 
 pious and heretical, this damnable doftrine and pofition, 
 that princes which be excommunicated, or deprived by the 
 pope, may be dcpofed, or murdered by their fubjefts, or 
 
 any other whatfoever. And I do believe, and In my con- 
 fcience am refolved, that neither the pope, nor any perfon 
 whatfoever, hath power to abfolve me of this oath, or any 
 part thereof, which I acknowledge by good and full autho- 
 rity to be lawfully miniftered unto me, and do renounce all 
 pardons and difpenfations to the contrary. And all thefc 
 things I do plainly and fincerely acknowledge, and fwear 
 according to the exprefs words by me fpoken, and accord- 
 ing to the plain and common fenfe and underftanding of 
 the fame words, without any equivocation, or mentaf 
 evafion, or fecret refervation whatfoever. And I do make 
 this recognition and acknowledgment, heartily, willingly, 
 and truly, upon the true faith of a Chriftian. So help me 
 God.' 
 
 This oath, commonly called the oath of allegiance, was 
 afterwards called by the name of the teft j and the intro- 
 duftion of it makes mention of the gunpowder-plot, and 
 fignifies that this expedient was contrived to difcover Pa^ 
 pifts ; and yet many of the people called Quakers, have 
 fuffered thereby many years ; for though they did not 
 refufe to declare their allegiance, yet becaufe it was well 
 known they were not for fwearing at all, this oath was 
 continually made ufe of as a fnare to imprifon them. Now 
 the puniftiments ftated againft the recufants, was ^ premu^ 
 nire : and how grievoufly many Quakers have been op- 
 preffed on that account, though not eafily related, yet [ 
 may give inftances in due places of feveral in the fequel. 
 Other fevere laws for pcrfecution have been made fince, as 
 will be fecn in -their proper time. 
 
 At the clofe of this year, E. Burrough writ a confolatory 
 cpiftle to his fellow-labourers in the miniftry of the gofpel, 
 which I cannot omit to infert here, becaufe it ftiews very 
 evidently how valiant he was in the fervice of Truth, 
 which epiftle is as followxth : 
 
 * Dearly and well-beloved brethren, in the heavenly 
 relation, and bleffed immortal binh, of which we are born 
 moft dearly in our Father'^ love j my faluration extendoth 
 
448 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 449 
 
 unto you all, as one with you perfeftly in fufferings and in 
 rejoicings, in faith and patience, and even in all things 
 which you do and fuffer for the name of the Lord our 
 God ; and my foul greets you, and embraces you, and 
 fervently wifhes peace, love, and unity, and the increafe of 
 every good gift unto you all ; for I am perfectly one with 
 you ; if you receive of our Father's fulnefs, I am refreflied ; 
 and if you rejoice j I am glad ; and if you fuffer, and be 
 in heavinefs, I freely partake with you ; whatfoever is 
 yours, whether liberty or bonds, whether life or death, I 
 partake of the fame ; and whatfoever 1 enjoy, the fame 
 alfo is yours ; we are of one birth, of one feed, of one 
 line, even of the generation of him who is without begin- 
 ning of days, or end of life, who is an high prieft, made 
 after the power of an endlefs life ; and as he was bleffed 
 of the Father, fo are we, becaufc we are of the fame birth, 
 and are partakers of his nature, and he lives in us, and 
 we in him. 
 
 * Well, my dear companions, I need not multiply word.-^ 
 unto you, as if you knew not ihtfe things ; for what know 
 I, that you know not ? Or, what can I fiiy, but you know 
 the fame? Yet bear with me, for my heart is very fall, 
 and my foul ready to be poured forth, that 1 may once 
 more exprefs a little quantity of what is abounding in my 
 heart ; for love, even perfeft love, even that love where- 
 with wc are beloved of the Father, fiileth my heart at this 
 time towards all of you, from the lead to the greaiefl ; 
 and 1 know nothing but love towards you all ; and I doubt 
 not but in the fame love you do receive this my falutation, 
 which is from the fountain of love, which at this time is 
 opened in my heart. 
 
 ' Now, dearly beloved, the prefent confiderations of my 
 heart are very many concerning the great love of t^ie 
 Father, which hitherto hath been fliewed unto us ; we all 
 know, how that he called us by his grace, and turned 
 our hearts from the vanities and evil ways of this world, 
 and fan6liiied us by his word, and put his image upon us, 
 and called us by his name, and redeemed us unto himfelf, 
 and gave us the teftimony of his holy Spirit in our own 
 hearts, that we Ihould be his people, and he would be 
 
 our God; he taught us, and inflru^led us, and fed us, and 
 gave ' us peace and reft in himfelf, and freed us from the 
 bondage of fin and corruption, and from his terror becaufe 
 of fin ; and he removed our tranfgreflions, and blotted 
 them out, and ceafed to fmite us any more, but brought us 
 in the land of reft, flowing with mercy, and peace, and 
 knowledge, and all good things : this did the Lord our 
 God do for us in the days of our infancy, even when we 
 were yet in our fins he called us forth, and cleanfed us 
 from them ; and when we were ftrangers to him, he made 
 himfelf known unto us ; and when we were wholly igno- 
 rant, he gave lis knowledge ; and when we were not a 
 people, he raifed us up, and made us worthy to be called 
 by his name ; and thus, and after this manner, did the 
 Father love us, and fliew his love unto us: this you know, 
 even as I do, and the confideration of it caufeth me thus 
 to exprefs it. 
 
 * Again, when he had thus wrought for us, and fhewed 
 love umo us, he was pleafed to call us out into his work, to 
 the turning and converting of others unto the way of life ; 
 he put his Spirit into us, and gave us gifts of knowledge 
 and utterance, and armed us with wifdom, and ftrength, ^' 
 and courage, and every way fitted us for that work and 
 fervice in which he hath carried us on ; he, I fay, fitted 
 us for his work, and called us into it, and carried us on 
 joyfully in it, and all this of his free love, and infinite 
 power; and what we have been, and what we Have done, 
 it hath been only of the Lord, and not of curfelves, even 
 of his love, which to u^ may be admirable : for alas ! 
 what were we but children, and neither prophets, nor 
 prophets' fons, and our education unanfwerable for thefe 
 things, and to perform this calling? And therefore it is 
 the Lord, and only he that hath effecTted his own purpofe 
 through us, and by us, as inftruments mean of ourfelves, \ 
 but by him very excellent. 
 
 ' Again, he hath mightily profpered us in his work, and 
 a glorious eifedl we have beheld of our labours, and travels, 
 and teftimony; yea, the Cord hath been with us abun- . 
 dantly, and his arm hath compaflTed us about, and he hath 
 often given us great viftory over the wife and prudent of 
 Vol. L 2 f 
 
 II 
 
450 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 1660] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKERS. 
 
 45 » 
 
 I 
 
 this world ; he hath made his own word often very power- 
 ful in our mouths, to the wounding of the confcicnces of 
 our enemies ; and the Lord hath bleffed our tefliimony, to 
 the confounding the wifdom of this world, and to the 
 gathering of many unto himfelf ; and he hath gone forth 
 before us in his authority, and been always with us in his 
 own work; and our teflimonies, labours, and travels, have 
 been very precious and pleafant unto the Lord, and all his 
 people; and the efFeft thereof caufcth my foul to rejoice, 
 becaufe the Lord hath been with us, and profpered us unto 
 a great people, who have received our wunefs, and ac- 
 cepted thereof unto their falvation ; and unto the Lord 
 alone, the glory of all this appertaineth. 
 
 ' And for thefe eight years and upward, the hand of 
 the Lord hath carried us through great labours and tra- 
 vels in his fervice, and many dangers, and perfecutions, 
 and affliaions have attended us all this time ; and ye know 
 that many a time hath the Lord delivered us from the 
 hands of fuch as would have dellroyed us ; and we have 
 been delivered again and again, out of dangers and diffi- 
 culties, and the Lord hath been a prefent help unto us in 
 the time of our trouble ; for the plotting of the wicked, 
 and the purpofe of ungodly men, hath often been broken 
 for our fiikes, even many a time have we been delivered 
 out of the fnare that hath been laid for us, and we have 
 feen our enemies fall before us on the right hand and on 
 the left, even the wife in their worldly wifdom, and the 
 foolilh in their brutilimefs, both profeffors and profane 
 hath our God often cut Ihort in their defires and endea- 
 vours of our deftruftion ; and we have been wonderfully 
 •preferved unto this day; and all this I attribute to the 
 infinite love and power of the Lord God, who is bleffed for 
 evermore. 
 
 ' And through all thefe things we are yet alive, and the 
 Lord doth not fail us unto this hour, but he lives and 
 walks in us, and with us, and his teftimony is with us, eveti 
 the feal of his good Spirit in our hearts, that we are his 
 fons and fervams, and we are confirmed by many tokens 
 that he is our God, and we are his people, and that great 
 ©ppreffion which wc have met withal, hath not reftraiued 
 
 us, but through it all have we grovvrn, and profpered unto 
 this day : and concerning the things whereof we have 
 teftified thefe divers years, I am no way doubtful but our 
 God will fulfil them, neither can my confidence be fhakeii 
 by what is or can come to pafs ; for antichrift muft fall, 
 falfe miniftry and worfhip, falfe ways and do(ftrines God 
 will confound, falfe power and falfe church the Lord will 
 lay low, and truth and righteoufnefs mud reign ; and God 
 will gather his people more and more, and glorious days 
 will appear ; God will exalt his kingdom upon earth, and 
 throw down the kingdom of the man of fin ; all opprellion 
 muft ceafe, and the oppreffors fliall be no more ; and God 
 will free his people, and they fliall be happy in this world, 
 and for ever : thefe things have we prophefied from day 
 to day ; and my faith is conflant and unmoveable, that 
 God will effe^ thefe things in his feafon : for the Lord 
 never yet deceived me, bitt what he hath fiiid will fnrely 
 come to pafs. 
 
 ' And therefore, brethren, let us be in hope and patience, 
 and live in the word of patience, and not be foint-hearted, 
 as though the Lord had forgotten us, or was unmindful of 
 us, or as though he would not perform what he had tefti- 
 fied of by us ; for he is not a man, that he fliould lie, nor 
 as a man, that he is given to change : but lift up your 
 heads, for the Lord is^ with us, even in our greateft tri- 
 bulations and affliftions, and he will accomplifla his pur- 
 pofe ; for he is mighty to fave his people, and to deflroy 
 his enemies. 
 
 ' It i^true, the gates of hell at this time feem to be open 
 againft us, and we are a people like to be fwallowed up of 
 our enemies, and floods of wickednefs feem to overflovv, 
 . and the waves of the great fea feem to be void of mercy, 
 and the hope of ,oiir adverfaries is to extinguifli us from 
 being a people, and to deflroy us from the face of the 
 earth ; and the hands of our perfeciitors are highly exalted 
 at this day, as though all that we had done for the Lord, 
 by our labours and travels, fliould now be made of none 
 
 cffea. 
 
 ' Well, dear brethren, though it be thus, yet our God 
 can deliver us, and confound our adverfaries ; and we can 
 
 2^2 
 
45^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1660 
 
 appeal unto our God^ and can fpread our caufe before 
 hiin : and he knows that our fufferings and afflictions are 
 ahogether unjufl, and unequal ; and unrighteous, and that 
 dur pevfjcutors do afBift us out of taeir envy, and without 
 any jull caufe adminiftcrcd unto them by us ; our God 
 knows it, angels and faints know it, that we are at this 
 day a perfecuted people, for religion's fake ; and this our 
 prefent affliftion is not any juft punifhment, either from the 
 juftice of God, or from the juilice of men. 
 
 * For God hath given us the witnefs of his eternal Spirit, 
 that wratli is not in him towards us ; his wrath be to his 
 cfiemies, but unto us is joy and peace for evef more : and 
 the Lord clears us, and he juftifies us, who then fliall 
 condemn us? He chargeth no guilt upon us, as if we were 
 unto ourfelves the caufe, by our evil deeds, of thefe our 
 prefent fufferings, and as if this were come to pnfs upon us, 
 as punifliment from the hand of God : I fay, it is not fo; 
 thefe our prefent fufferings are nor out of God's anger 
 towards us, for his love is to us, let his wrath be to his 
 enemies: and as I faid, neither is this fuffcring in the 
 juftice of men ; for unto all the world we can fay, (and 
 God himfelf fhall plead our caufe) whom have we wronged 
 or done evil to ? What evil have we done to any man's 
 perfon ? Whofe goods have we falfcly taken or coveted ? 
 Againft whom have we defigned mifcliief ? Even the Lord 
 himfelf be judge between us and our pcrfecutors in this 
 matter ; for unto him we are known that we do defire the 
 good of all, and not the hurt of any, and yet wc are dealt 
 with as evil-doers ; when as the God of heaven is witnefs 
 in our confciences, that we neither plot nor contrive, nor 
 agitate in thought or word the hurt of any man's perfon : 
 but we walk juftly towards all, it being our principle 
 to do to others as we would be done imto ; and wc can 
 plead our caufe unto our God, and he fliall plead our 
 caufe with our enemies, and this is the prefent ftate of 
 our cafe ; what we fuffcr at this time it is fingly in the 
 caufe of God, and for rightcoufnefs-fakc, and for the 
 teftimony of Jefus, which we hold ; therefore freely let us 
 commit our caufe unto the God of heaven, and if we die, 
 it is for him, and if wc live, it is to him j and we feek nut 
 
 1 66c] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QIJAKERS. 
 
 453 
 
 vengeance againfl: our enemies, but leave it to the Lord to 
 plead with them. 
 
 ' And, dearly beloved, I hope I need not exhort you to 
 be patient and faithful in this day of our trial, knowing 
 . that the caufe is fo excellent in which we are tried, it is 
 God's caufe and not our own; and I hope you all' have 
 ' the teftimony of his Spirit in your confciences, verifying- 
 the truth of the caufe for which we fuffer; and having 
 that evidence, we need not to be doubtful as towards God, 
 nor aihamed before men, if fo be that every one. feels the 
 evidence of the Spirit of God bearing witnefs, that we 
 fuffer for righteoufnefs-fake, and for the name of Chrift 
 Jefus. 
 
 '^\nd fo, dear brethren, lift up your heads, and be 
 affured, that we are the Lord's, and in his caufe we are 
 tried, and he will judge and avenge our perfecutors in his 
 feafon, and wx (hall be a people wdien the Egyptians lie 
 dead upon the fea-fliore, and when the raging fea is dried 
 up, this fame people fliall be flife: for hath the Lord done 
 fo excellent things for us ? Hath he led us forth, and 
 bleffed us unto this day? And hath he preferved us 
 hitherto through many tribulations and dangers? Hath he 
 fhewTd infinite love and favour unto us to this hour? 
 And W'ill he now fuffer us to be deftroyed from being 
 a people? Surely no: Will he give our enemies their 
 heart's defirc to cut us all off, that they may blafpheme 
 his name? Surely no: — and if it be the, pleafure of 
 the Lord, that fome of us fhould feal our teftimony with 
 our blood, good is the will of the Lord; not ours, but his 
 will be done ; for the teftimony that we have borne for * 
 thefe divers years, hath been fo excellent in itfelf, and in 
 its fruits and effefts, that the finiftiing of it dcferves the ^ 
 beft feal that poffibly we can fign it with, which is indeed 
 our heart's blood ; and this dwells upon my fpirit ; and 
 yet, though it Ihould be thus, my confidence is fure, that 
 the work of the Lord fhall profper, and our teftimony 
 fhall be glorio\is for ever, and this people fhall never be - 
 cxtinguiflicQ from being a people. 
 
 * And I know^ not any thing that remains upon o^r part 
 
454 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ■ [1660 
 
 at this day, but that we commit ourfelvcs into the hand of 
 the Lord, living in the feed of God, wherein our election 
 is fure, before the world was, and for ever ; and let us 
 remember one another, and pray one for another ; and let 
 us ftir up all the children of our Father to fiiithfu)nefs 
 and patience, while we have time ; I fay, let us walk to 
 the glory of the Lord, keeping faith and a good confcience 
 to our lad end ; our teftimony fliall never die, nor our me- 
 mories ever pcrifti when we are ceafed to be ; and though 
 we fuifer now the lofs of life, and all we have, yet the 
 effefts thereof will be glorious in ages to come, and our 
 prefent fufFerings will halten the glory of God^s work 
 throughout the world ; receive this as my falutation to you 
 
 all. 
 
 * It is now eight days fince I left Ireland, where my 
 fervice hath been precious for the Lord for full fix months, 
 all which time the Lord carried me in much faithfulnefs 
 and diligence in his fervice, to the confirming of many in 
 the truth of God, and to the converting of others ; and 
 through and becaufe of the prefcnce of the Lord which 
 was with me, I had a very precious time, and was wonder- 
 fully preferved through many dangers and trials ; and I 
 travelled near two thoufand miles to and fro in that land, 
 and had very free palTage in the principal cities and to\vns, 
 till my work for the prefent was fully ended there, having 
 more time than could be expefted to clear my confcience 
 to all people. It would be too large to mention every 
 particular tranfaftion, wherein I perceived the eminent 
 hand [of God with me ; and alfo many things I ohferved 
 concerning the prefent ftate of things which I fliall not 
 mention ; for what have we to do with the affairs of 
 worldly kingdoms ? But as for friends, it was well with 
 them, they grow and increafe in the bleiTings and fulnefs 
 of the Father ; and when I came thence all was quiet, and 
 very few in prifon, though (I fuppofe) the tidings of 
 ^hings as they ar^ here, will produce the fame fuifcrings 
 Aipon them : but I hope they will be bold a'bd valiant, for 
 the truth, in giving their teftimony by faithful fufFeringa, 
 till thcfc things be finifhcd. 
 
 i66g] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 455 
 
 * Thus I remain in life and death, and when I am no 
 more, in everlafting remembrance, your dear brother and 
 companion, by doing and fuffering for the name of the 
 Lord and his truth. I am well, and at liberty, as yet. 
 
 * E. B.' 
 
 Uth of the Twelfth month, 1C60. 
 
 2 F 4 
 
THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 (QUAKERS, 
 
 THE SIXTH BOOK, 
 
 THE year 1661 being ccmc, the government was 
 altogether changed. Charles the Second ^vas now 
 fcated on the throne of England in peace, and the power 
 of perfecution fcemed fomewhat reftrained ; fo that* there 
 was an appearance of fome quiet and calm. Therefore 
 ril now^ take a turn to New England, to draw back the 
 curtains of the bloody ftage at Bollon. We have a heady 
 'een in the foregoing relation, how William Robinfon, 
 Mamiaduke Stevenfon, and Mary Dyar, were put to death 
 by their perfecutors, but their blood-thirftinefs was not yet 
 quenched. 
 
 Wilham Leddra, who was baniflied from Bofton on 
 pain of death, was under fuch necelTity of confcience, that 
 he could not forbear returning thither; where became 
 about the conclufion of the foregoing year ; but was foon 
 taken prifoner, and b.eing fattened to a log of wood, was 
 kept night and day locked in chains, in an open prifon, 
 during a very cold winter ; where we will leave him for 
 the preftnt, and in the mean-while infcrt here an apology 
 of the Bofton perfecutors concerning their cruel carriage, 
 which may ferve to confirm the truth of what huili been 
 
 x66i] 
 
 THE HISTORY, &C« 
 
 457 
 
 already related of their wicked dealings. For it feems, 
 that fearing their bloody deeds would be difapproved by 
 the court of England, they thought it fafefl: for them to 
 gild their tranfadions with a fpecious pretence ; though 
 this was of no other effeft than that thereby they yet more 
 C^xpofed their own fliame to publick view, and in procefs 
 of time they alfo incurred the king's difpleafure ; for 
 though Charles the Second was inclined to voluptuoufnefs, 
 yet he was good-natured, and the perfecution in his reign- 
 proceeded chiefly from the inftigation of other malicious 
 nTcn. But to come to the apology or declaration of the 
 bloody perfecutors, it was as followeth : 
 
 * Although the juftlce of our proceedings againfl: Wm, 
 -Robinfon, Marmaduke Stevenfon, and Mary Dyar, fup- 
 ported by the authority of this court, the laws of this 
 country, and the law of God, may rather perfuade us to 
 expeft encouragement and commendation from all prudent 
 and pious men, than convince us of any neceffuy to apo- 
 logize for the fame : yet for as much as men of weaker 
 .parts ; out of pity and commiferation, a commendable and 
 Chriftian virtue, yet eafily abufed, and fufceptible of finifter 
 and dangerous impreflions, for want of a fujl information, 
 may be lefs fatisfied ; and men of perverfer principles, led 
 to calumniate us, and render us as bloody perfecutors ; to 
 fatisfy the one, and flop the mouths of the other, we 
 thought it requifite to declare, about three years fince, 
 divers perfons profefling themfelves Quakers, (of whofe 
 pernicious opinions and pra<^ices we had received inteUi- 
 gence from good hands from Barbadoes and England) 
 arrived at Bofton, whofe perfons were only fecured to be-' 
 fent away the firft opportunity, without cenfure or punifti- 
 ment, although their profeffed tenets, turbulent and con- 
 temptuous behaviour to authority, would have juftified a 
 feverer animadverfion ; yet the prudence of this court was 
 exercifed, only in making proviuon to fecure the peace and 
 order here eftabliflied, againft their attempts, whofe defign 
 (we were well affured by our own experience^ as well as 
 by the example of their predeceffors in Munfter) was to 
 undermine and ruin the fame. > ■ 
 
458 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 * And accordingly a law was made and publilhed, pro- 
 bibiting all mailers of fhips, to bring any Quakers into 
 this jurifdiftion, and themfelves from coming in on penalty 
 of the houfe of correftion, till they fhould be fent away. 
 Noiwithftanding which, by a back door they found 
 entrance, and the penalty infli^led on themfelves proving 
 infufficient to reflrain their impudent and infolent obtru- 
 fions^ was increafed by the lofs of the ears of thofe who 
 offended the fecond time ; which alfo being too weak a 
 defence againft their impetuous frantick fury, neceflltated 
 us to endeavour our fecurity ; and upon ferious confider- 
 ation, after the former experiments by their inceffant 
 aliaults, a law was made, that fuch perfons fliould be 
 banilhed upon pain of death, according to the example of 
 England, in their provifion againft JeAiits ; which fentence 
 being regularly pronounced at the laft court of affiftants, 
 againft the parties above-named, and they either returning, 
 or continuing prcfumptuoufly in this jurifdiftion after the 
 time limited, were apprehended, and owning themfelves to 
 be the perfons banifhed, were fentenced by the court to 
 death, according to the law aforefaid, which hath been 
 executed upon two of them. Mary Dyar (upon petition 
 of her fon, and the mercy and clemency of this court) had 
 liberty to depart within two days ; which fhe hath accepted 
 of. The confideration of our gradual proceeding will vin- 
 dicate us from the clamorous accufations of feveritv, our 
 own juft and neceffary defence calling upon us (other 
 means failing) to offer the point, which thefe perfons have 
 ▼iolently and wilfully rulhed upon, and thereby become 
 felons de Je ; which, might it have been prevented, and 
 the fovereign law,yi/f/i^(?/)«//, been preferved, our former 
 proceedings, as well as the fparing Mary Dyar upon an 
 inconfiderable interceffion, will manlfeftly evince, that we 
 dcfire their Jives abfcnt, rather than their deaths prefenr. 
 
 * Edward Rawfon, Secretary.* 
 
 In this apology, wherein the Quakers (who always were 
 
 ^ barmlefs people, and never made refiftance with out- 
 
 ^ ward arms) are compared to the mutinous and riotous 
 
 1661] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 459 
 
 • 
 
 Anabaptlfts of Munfter, it is alfo faid of them, that by a 
 back door they found entrance. And this reflefts on fome 
 who unexpectedly came into New England by land, fmce 
 they could find no opportunity to come by fea, becaufe 
 the fliip-mafters fearing the feverity of the Bofton laws, 
 were unwilling to carry any Quakers thither. This gave 
 occafion to Thomas Thirftone (who having been already 
 at Bofton, was fent away on board a fnip,") to think on 
 other means ; for finding himfelf moved in fpirit to go 
 thither again, he and Jofiah Cole (of whom mention hath 
 been made before, and who may be farther fpoken of 
 hereafter,; went from England to Virginia, from whence 
 they with one Thomas Chapman travelled feveral hundreds 
 of miles on foot through vaft wilderneffes and woods, and 
 fo at length came into New England, which made the per- 
 fecutors there aftonifhed ; for they thought this impoffible, 
 that way having been accounted unpaffable for other men 
 than the Indians, many of whom in thofe parts are warlike 
 men, who behaved themfelves well toward our travellers, 
 whofe journey however was very hard ; for they had not 
 only hunger and cold (it being winter time) to encounter 
 with, but they were alfo in danger of being devoured by 
 v;i!d beafts, or of periftiing in unknown marfhes or bogs. 
 But they were preferved by an Almighty hand ; though 
 this marvellous paffage was reprefented like a criminal 
 faiicinefs, by thefe New England perfecutors. 
 
 It feems to me that the aforefaid apology, (which was 
 publiflied in print, and likewife anfwered ) was given forth 
 before Mary Dyar was put to death; but after her death 
 the general court of Bofton fent over an addrefs to king 
 Charles the Second, figned by their governor John Endicot, 
 to juftify their cruel proceedings. Herein they faid, that 
 they had chofen rather the pure Scripture worftiip, with a 
 good confcience, in that remote wildernefs among the 
 heathen, than the pleafures of England, with fubjeftion to 
 the impofition of the then fo difpofed, and fo far prevailing 
 hierarchy, which they could not do without an evil con- 
 fcience. 
 
 . Concerning the Quakers, they faid, that they were open 
 capital blafpheraers, and fcducers from the glorious Trinity, 
 
460 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ri66l 
 
 the Lord Chrift, the bleffed gofpcl ; open enemies to the 
 government iifelf ; and malignant promoters of doctrine', 
 directly tending to fubvert both church and flate. 
 
 Moreover they faid, that at laft they had been con- 
 ftrained for their own fafety to pafs a fentence of banifli- 
 inent againft them on pain of death, lince the magrflrate in 
 confcicnce judged himfelf called for the defence of all to 
 keep the paffage with the point of the fvvord held towards 
 them ; and that this could do no harm to them that would 
 be warned thereby. But the (fakers rufhing ihemfelves 
 thereupon was their own aft, and a crime, bringing their 
 blood upon their own heads. 
 
 Could they have made the king believe this, they would 
 willingly have done it ; but he had too much fenfe » be 
 thus impofed upon, though they did whatever they could 
 to prevent his hearing the other party, in order whcteunto 
 they faid, 'Let not the king hear men's words; your fer- 
 vauts are true men, fearers of God and the king, and not 
 given to change, zealous of government and order ; not 
 icditious to the interefl: of Casfar.' 
 
 How Imooth and plaufible foever this feeraed, yet it 
 could not fland the teft ; and E. Burrough, who anfwcred 
 it in print, addrcffed the king thus : 
 
 * O king, this my occafion to prefcnt thee with thefe 
 confiderations is very urgent, and of great neceflity, even 
 u\ the behalf of innocent blood, hoping that my work 
 will find fuch favour with thee, as to induce tliee to the 
 reading and ferious confideration thereof.' 
 
 E. Burrough then examining all their pretended reafons, 
 rcprefented alfo the king how lome of thefe petitioners 
 iome time before had not ftuck to write in a letter from 
 Boilon to one Gordon : ' There is more danger in thefc 
 <J)uakers, to trouble and overcome England, than in the 
 king of Scots, and all the popifli princes in Germany j* 
 which plainly denoted, that they reputed the king a 
 tronbler of England, whom they numbered with the popifli 
 princes of Germany. What E. Burrough obtained of the 
 king for his friends, we may fee hereafter. 
 
 i65i] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 46 r 
 
 But firft I return to William Leddra, whom I left in 
 prifon : it was on the 9th of the Firfl month of this year, 
 that he was brought into the court of affiftants, with^his 
 chams and log at his heels. And he afking the gaoler, 
 when he mtended to take off the irons from his lej^s ; the 
 gaoler roughly anfwered, ^ When thou art going to be 
 hanged W. Leddra then being brought to the bar, it 
 was told him by the rulers, fpeaking of their law, that he 
 was found guilty, and fo, that he was to die. He faid. 
 What evil have I done ?' The anfwer was, his own con- 
 leliion was as good as a thoufand witneffes. He aikcd 
 what that was? To which they anfwered, that he oumed 
 thefe Quakers that Were pHt to death, and that they were 
 innocent. Befides, that heAvould not put off his hat in 
 court, and that he faid thee and thou. Then faid William 
 to them, ' You will put me to death for fpq^king EnRlifli, 
 ' and for not putting off my clothes ?* To this major-general 
 JJenifon returned, ' A man may fpeak treafon in Encrlifh.' 
 And William replied, ^ Is it treafon to fay thee and'thou 
 to a fingle perfon?' But none anfwered, only Simon 
 Broadftreet, one of the court, aiked him, whether he 
 would go for England ? To which he anfwered, ' I have 
 110 bufniefs there.' Hereupon Broadftreet, pointing to 
 the gallows, faid, ^Then you fliall go that way.' ""To 
 which William returned, ^ What, will ye put me to death 
 for breathing in the air in your jurifdiftion ? And for 
 what you have againft me, I appeal to the laws of^ Eng- 
 land for my trial ; and if by them I am guilty, I refufe not 
 to die.' Of this no notice was taken, but inftead thereof, 
 they endeavoured to perfuade him to recant of his error 
 ( as they ftiled it) and to conform ; to which with a grave 
 magnanimity he anfwered, 'What! to join with fuch mur- 
 derers as you are ? Then let every man that meets me 
 fay, lo this is the man that hath forfaken the God of his 
 falvatlon,* 
 
 Whilft the trial of W. Leddra was thus going on, Wen- 
 lock Chriftifon, who was already banilhed upon pain of 
 death, came into the court. This ftruck a damp upon 
 them, infomuch that for fome fpace of time there was 
 iilcnce in the court : but at length one of the bloo'dy 
 
463 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 council cried, * Here is another, fetch him up to the bar/ * 
 Which the raarfhal performing, the lecretary Rawfon faid, 
 « Is not your name VVeniock Chriftifon?' 'Yea,' faid 
 Wenlock. ' Well,' Hiid the governor John Endicot, 
 ' what doft thou here ? Waft thou not banifhed upon pain 
 of death?' To which Wenlock anfwered, 'Yea, I was.' 
 And to the queftion, 'What doft thou here then?' he 
 anfwered, ' I am come here to warn you that you fhould 
 flied no more innocent blood ; for the blood that you have 
 fhed already, cries to the Lord God for vengeance to come 
 upon you.' Whereupon it was faid, ' Take him away, 
 
 gaoler/ 
 
 It having been told W. Leddra^ that the laft general 
 court he had liberty given him to go for England, or to 
 go out of their jurifdiftion ; and that promifmg to do fo, 
 and come there no more, he might liive his life ; he an- 
 fwered, 'J ftand not in my own will, but in the will of the 
 Lord: if I may have my freedom, I fliall go, bnt to make 
 you a promife I cannot.' But this was fo for from giving 
 content, that they proceeded to pronounce fentence of 
 death againft him ; which being done, he was led from tho 
 court to prifon again, where the day before his death he 
 writ the following letter to his friends : 
 
 ' Moft dear and inwardly beloved, 
 
 « The fweet influences of ihe morning ftar, like a fiooil 
 diftilling into my innocent habitation, hath fo filled me 
 with the joy of the Lord in the beauty of holinefs, that 
 my fpirit is as if it did not inhabit a tabernacle of clay, but 
 is wholly fwallowed up in the bofom of eterniry, frpra 
 whence it had its being. 
 
 'Alas, alas, what can the wrath and fpirit of man, that 
 lufteth to envy, aggravated by the heart and ftrength of 
 the king of the locufts, which came otit of the pit, do unto 
 one that is hid in the fecret places of the Almighty ? Or, 
 unto them that are gathered under the healing wings of 
 the Prince of Peace? under whofe armour of light they 
 Ihall be able to ftand in the day of trial, having on the 
 bre.iftplate of righteoufnefs, and the fword of the fpirit, 
 which is :heir weapon gf war againft fpiritual weaknefs. 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QITAK'ERS, 
 
 453 
 
 principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darknefs 
 of this world, both within and without ! Oh my beloved ! 
 I have waited as a dove at the windows of the ark, and 
 have ftood ftill in that watch, which the Mafter (without 
 whom I could do nothing) did at his coming reward with 
 fulnefs of his love, wherein my heart did rejoice, that I 
 might in the love and life of God fpeak a few words to you 
 fealed with the fpirit of promife, that the tafte thereof 
 might be a favour of life, to your life, and a teftimony in 
 you of my innocent death : and if I had been altogether 
 filent, and the Lord had not opened ray mouth unto you, 
 yet he would have opened your hearts, and there have 
 fealed my innocency with the ftreams of life, by which wc 
 are all baptized into that body which is in God, whom 
 and in whofe prefence there is life ; in which, as you abide, 
 you ftand upon the pillar and ground of truth: for, the 
 life being the truth and the way, go not one ftep without 
 it, left you ftiould compafs a mountain in the wildernefs ; 
 for unto every thing there is a feafon. 
 
 ' As the flowing of the ocean doth fill every creek and 
 branch thereof, and then retires again towards its own 
 being and fulnefs, and leaves a favour behind it, fo doth 
 the life and virtue of God flow into every one of your 
 hearts, whom he hath made panakers of his divine nature ; 
 and when it withdraws but a httle, it leaves a fv/eet favour 
 behind it, that many can fay, they are made clean through 
 the word that he hath fpoken to them : in which innocent 
 condition you may fee what you are' in the preftnce of 
 God, and what you are without him. Therefore, my dear 
 hearts, let the enjoyment of the lifq alone be your hope, 
 your joy and confolation, and let the man of God flee 
 thofe things that would lead the mind out of the crofs, for 
 then the favour of the life will be buried : and although 
 fome may fpeak of things that they received in the life, as 
 experiences : yet the life being veiled, and the favour that 
 it left behind waflied away by the frcfli floods of tempta- 
 tion, the condition that they did enjoy in the life, boafted 
 of by the airy thing, will be like the manna that was 
 gathered yefterday, without any good fcent or favour. 
 
464 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 For, it was only well with the man while he was in the 
 Jife of innocency ; but being driven from the prefence of 
 the Lord into the earth, what can he boafl: of? And al- 
 though you know thefe things, and (many of you) much 
 more than I can fay; yet, (for the love and zeal I bear to 
 the truth, and honour of God, and tender defire of my fouf 
 to thofc that are young, that they may read me in that 
 from which I write, to (trengthen them againll: the wiles of 
 the fubtil ferpent that beguiled Eve) I fay, (land in the 
 watch within, in the fear of the Lord, which is the very 
 entrance of wifdom; and the flate where you are ready to 
 receive the fecrets of the Lord: hunger and thirft patiently, 
 be not weary, neither doubt ! Stand (till, and ceafe from 
 thy own working, and in due time thou fhalt enter into the 
 reft, and thy eyes fliall behold thy falvation, whofe tefti- 
 monies are fure and righteous altogether : let them be as a 
 fcal upon thine arm, and as jewels about thy neck, that 
 others may fee what the Lord hath done for your fouls : 
 confefs him before men, yea, before his greateft enemies ; 
 fear not what they can do unto you : greater is he that is 
 in you, than he that is in the world : for he will clothe 
 you with humility, and in the power of his meeknefs you 
 (hall reign over all the rage of your enemies in the favour 
 of God ; wherein, as you ftand in faith, ye are the fait of 
 the earth ; for, many feeing your good works, may glorify 
 God in the day of their vifitation. 
 
 * Take heed of recciviug that which you fawnot in the 
 light, left you give ear to the enemy. Bring all things to 
 the light, that they may be proved, whether they be 
 wrought in God ; the love of the world, the luft of the 
 flefh, and the luft of the eye, are without the light, in the 
 world ; therefore poflefs your veflcls in all fanftification 
 and honour, and let your eye look at the mark : he that 
 hath called* you is holy : and if there be an eye that of- 
 fends, pluck it out, and caft it from you: let not a temp- 
 tation rake hold, for if you do, it will keep from the favour 
 of God, and that will be a fad ftate; for, without grace 
 poffcflcd, there is no affurance of falvation : by grace you 
 arc faved ; and 10 the wiincfling of it is lufficient for 
 
 l66l2 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. ^g^ 
 
 you, to which Lcommend you all, my dear friends, and 
 in It remain, 
 
 ^ Your brother, 
 Bnnnn r 1 .u 1 , I I. * William Leddra.* 
 
 iloffon Gaol, the li^th of ihc 
 Firfl Month, i66c-6i. 
 
 The day before he fuffercd. 
 
 f Ti%"^''i^'^''y ''^^^' ^^''^ letter was written, the execution 
 , I' i' '^''\ "^^^ perfoi-med, which was on the 14th of 
 the Firft month. After the lecture was ended, the gover. 
 nor John Endicot came with a guard of foldiers to the 
 prifon, where \V. Leddra's irons were taken off, with 
 Yhich he had been chained to a log both night and day 
 durmg a cold winter ; and now they were knocked off, 
 accordmg to what the gaoler once faid, as hath been 
 
 w'nf ^ ri'-'A-r^'''^'^^'^"" l^^-^i^g taken his leave of 
 Wenlock Chriftifon, and others then in bonds, when 
 called, went forth to the flaughter, incompaffed with a 
 guard to prevent his fpeaking to his friends ; which 
 Ldward Wharton, an inhabitant of Salem, and alfo ba- 
 nidied on pam of death, feeing, and fpeaking againft, one 
 amongft the company faid, ' O Edward, it will be your 
 turn next !' To which captain Oliver added, ' if you fpeak- 
 a word, ril flop your mouth.' Then W. Leddra beiuff 
 brought to the foot of the ladder, was pinioned, and as 
 he was about to afcend the fame, he took leave of his 
 
 tr-1 ^- .y^^''"''"' ^^ '^^^"^ 1^^ <^*^» ' All that will be 
 e^hrilt s difciples, muft take up the crofs.' He ftanding 
 upon the ladder, fomebody faid, * William, have you anf 
 thing to fay to the people?' Thereupon he fpoke thus, 
 ^or theteftnnony of Jefus, and 'for tdlifying againft de- 
 ceivers, and the deceived, 1 am brought here to fuffer.* 
 I his took fo much with the people, that it wrought a tea- 
 dernefs in many. But to quench this, plieft Allen faid to 
 Uie fpeftators, ^ People, I would not have you think it 
 Itrange to fee a man fo willing to die ; for that's no new 
 thing. And you may read how the apoftle faid, that forae 
 Ihould be given up to ftrong delufions, and even dare to 
 4he tor It. But he did not fay where the apoftle fpeak<: 
 Vol. h , 2 G ^ ,r 
 
466 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 fo, neither have I found it any where in holy writ ; though 
 I know that Paul faith, Rom. v. 7. " Peradventurc for a 
 good iTian feme would even dare to die.'* But it feems 
 it was fufficient for Allen, if he could but render Leddra 
 odious ; who however continued chearful : for as the exe- 
 cutioner was putting the halter about his neck, he was 
 heard to fay, * I commit my righteous caufe unto thee, O 
 God.' The executioner then being charged to make hade, 
 W. Leddra at the turning of the ladder, cried, " Lord 
 Jefus receive my fpirit ;" and fo he was turned off, and 
 finiflied his days. The hangman cut down the dead body, 
 and left it ftiould be as barbaroufly ufcd as thofe of Wil- 
 Jiam Robinfon and Marmaduke Etevenfon (which none 
 holding when cut down, fell to the ground to the breaking 
 of W. Robinfon's IkuU) Edward Wharton, John Chamber- 
 lain, and others, caught the body in their arms, and laid 
 it on the grou!id, t'll the hangman had ftript it of its 
 clothes ; who having done fo, faid, that he was a comely 
 man, as indeed he was. The hody being ftript, William's 
 friends took it, laid it in a coffin, and buried it. For 
 farther confirmation of what hath been related, the fol- 
 • lowing letter of one of the fpeftators, that was there 
 accidcntly, may be added : 
 
 Bofton, March 26, 166 1, 
 ' On the 14th of this inftant, here was one William 
 Leddra, y^hkh was put to death. The people of the town 
 told me, he might go away if he would : but wht:n I made 
 farther enquiry, I heard the marflial fay, that he was 
 chained in priion, from the time he was condemned, to the 
 day of his execution. I am not of .his opinion: but yet 
 truly methought the Lord did mightily appear in the man. 
 I went to one of the magiftrates of Cambridge, who had 
 been of the jury that condemned him, (as he told me him- 
 felf) and I aiked him by what rule he did it? He anfwcred 
 mc that he was a rogue, a very rogue. But what is this 
 10 the qucftion, (I faid) where is your rule ? He faid, he 
 had abufcd authority. Then I goes after the man, and 
 a/ked him, whether he did not look qn it as a breach of 
 rule to flight and undervalue authority ? And I faid that 
 
 1661] 
 
 People called (Quakers. 
 
 467 
 
 Paul gave Feftus the title of honour, though he was a 
 
 heathen. (I do not fay thefe magiftrates are heathens). I 
 
 laid then, when the man was on the ladder, he looked 
 
 on me, and called me friend, and faid, know that this day 
 
 I am wilhng to offer up my life for the witnefs of Jefus 
 
 Then i defired leave of the officers to fpeak, and faid. 
 
 Gentlemen, I am a ftranger both to your perfons and 
 
 country, and yet a friend to both : and I cried aloud, for 
 
 the Lord's fake, take not away the man's life ; but remem* 
 
 ber Gamaliel's counfel to the Jews. If this be of man it 
 
 will come to nought, but if it be of God, ye cannot over- 
 
 throw It : but be careful ye be not found fighters againft 
 
 God. And the captain faid, why had you not come to the 
 
 prifon ? The reafon was, becaufe I heard, the man might 
 
 go if he would ; and therefore I called him down from the 
 
 tree, and faid, come down, William, you may go away if 
 
 you will. Then captain Oliver faid, it was no fuch matter ; 
 
 and allied, what I had to do with it ? And befides, bade 
 
 mc be gone- and I told them, I was willing ; for I cannot 
 
 endure to fee this, I faid. And when I was in the town, 
 
 fome did feem to fympathize with me in my grief. Bur I 
 
 told them, that they had no warrant from the word of 
 
 God, nor precedent from our country, nor power from his 
 
 majefty, to hang the man. 1 reft, 
 
 ^ Your Friend, 
 
 T« Mr. George Lad, mafter of tbe America 
 of Dartmouth, now at Barbadocs. 
 
 * Thomas WilkieJ 
 
 William Leddra being thus difpatched, it was refolved 
 to make an end alfo of Wenlock Chriftifon. He therefore 
 was brought from the prifon to the court at Bofton, where 
 the governor John Endicot, and the deputy-governor 
 Richard Bellingham, being both prefent, it was told him, 
 
 * Unlefs you renounce your religion, you (hall furely die/ 
 But inftead of ftirinking, he faid withan undaunted courage, 
 
 * Nay, I fhall not change my religion, nor feek to fave my 
 life ; neither do I intend to deny my Mafter ; but if I lofe 
 my life for Chrift's fake, and the preaching of the gofpel, 
 
 a G 2 
 
468 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [166 
 
 I fliall fave my life.' This noble rcfolution gave fuch a 
 check to his perfecutors, that they did not then go on 
 with the trial, but fent him away to prifon again. And it 
 being Taid by fomebody, that WilHamJLeddra was dead, a 
 certain perfon faid to Wcnlock, « O thy turn is next/ 
 To which he gravely replied, * The will of the Lord be 
 done,' fhewing thereby his entire refignation. • 
 
 Being now locked up again in prifon, he was kept there 
 till about the Fourth month : but then the court being fer, 
 a fpirit of confiifijn appeared there, and a divifion among 
 Several of the members ; for though the greateft part were 
 for taking the fame courfe with him as with ihofe that 
 were already put to death, yet feveral would not confent 
 to it. And as natural occurrences fometimes caufe reflec- 
 tions among obferving people, fo it happened here ; for 
 during their deliberations how to deal with WenlockChrif- 
 tifon, which lafted for the fpace of two weeks, the fun in 
 the firmament fhone not, a thing at that feafon fomewhat 
 extraordinary ; which gave occafion for fome to fay, that 
 the fun abhorring this bloody bufinefs, hid itfclf from them. 
 But after many debates, the fanguinary council at length 
 agreed, and Wenlock was bronirht' to the bar, where the 
 governor, John Endicot, afl.cd him, what he had to fay 
 forhimfelf, why he fliould not die ? He anfwered, ' I hav« 
 done nothing worthy of death ; if I had, I refufe not to 
 die.' To this another faid, * Thou art come in among 
 us jn rebellion, which is as the fin of witchcraft, and ought 
 tobepunifhed.' Hence it appears how perverfcly thefc 
 blood-thirfty perfecutors applied the Holy Scriptures to 
 their cruel ends, and fo made a wrong ufe of the prophet 
 Samuel's words to Saul ; lo which faifc conclufion Wen- 
 lock anfwered, * I came not in among you in rebellion, 
 but in obedience to the God of heaven, not in contempt to 
 any of you, but in love to your fouls and bodies ; and that 
 you fhall know one day, when you and all men mud give 
 an account of the deeds done in the body. Take heed 
 (thus he went on) for you cannot efcape the righteous 
 judgments of God.' Then faid major-general Adderton, 
 ^ You pronounce woes and judgments, and thofe that arc 
 £one before you pronounced woes and judgments j but the 
 
 1G61] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERiii 
 
 469 
 
 judgments of the Lord God are not come upon us as yet.* 
 So infolent and hard-hearted may man become, as not to 
 ftick even to defy the Mod High. But before we draw 
 the ctirtains of this ftage, we fliall fee the tragical end of 
 this Adderton, who now received this anfwer from Wen- 
 lock : ' Be not proud, neither let your fpirits be lifted up ; 
 God doth but wait till the meafure of your iniquity be 
 filled up, and that you have run your ungodly race ; then 
 will the wrath of God come upon you to the uttermoft. 
 And as for thy part, it hangs over thy head, and is near to 
 be poured down upon thee, and fliall come as a thief in 
 the pight fuddenly, when thou ihinkefl: not of it.' 
 
 Then Wenlock aiked, ' By what law will you put mc 
 to death?' The anfwer was, * We have a law^, and by 
 our law you are to die.' So faid the Jews of Chrifl:, 
 (replied Wenlock) We have a law, and by our law he 
 ought to die. Who empowered you to make that law V 
 To which one of the board anfwered, ' We have a patent, 
 and are the patentees ; judge whether we have- not power 
 to make laws.' Hereupon Wenlock aflced again, * How 
 have you power to make laws repugnant to the laws of 
 England ?' * No,' faid the governor. ' Then (replied 
 Wenlock) you are gone beyond your bounds, and have 
 forfeited your patent; and that is more than you can 
 anfwer. Are you (alked he) fubjefls to the king, yea, 
 or nay ?' What good will that do you,* replied the 
 fccretary ? * If you are, fanfwered Wenlock) fay fo ; for 
 in your petition to the king, you defire that he would pro- 
 tedl: you, and that you may be worthy to kneel amongfl; 
 his loyal fubje^s.' To which one fiid, ' Yea, we are fo.* 
 * Well (faid Wenlock) fo am I, and for any thing I know, 
 am as good as you, if not better ; for if the king did but 
 know your hearts as God knows them, he would fee that 
 they are as rotten towards him, as they are towards God- 
 Therefore feeing that you and I are fubjects to the king, I 
 demand to be tried by the laws of my own nation.' It 
 was anfwcredj ■ ' You fliall be tried bya bench and a jury:' 
 for it feems they began to be afraid to go on in the former 
 eourfc of trial without a jury, this being contrary to the 
 laws of England. But Wenlock faid, * That is not the 
 
 2^3 
 
470 THE HISTORY OF TUB [l66l 
 
 law, but the manner of it ; for I never heard nor read of 
 any law that was in England to hang Quakers.' To this 
 the governor replied, that there was a law to hang Jefuits. 
 To which Wenlock returned, * If you put me to d'Jith, it 
 IS not becaufe I go under the name of a Jefuit, but of a 
 Quaker : therefore I appeal to the laws of my own nation.' 
 But mftead of taking notice of this, one faid, that he was 
 in their hands, and had broken their law, and they would 
 try him. Wenlock ftill appealed to the law of his own 
 cation : yet the jury being called over, went out, but 
 quickly returned, and brought him in guilty. Whereupon 
 ihc fecrctary faid, ' Wenlock Chriftifon, hold up your 
 hand.* * I will not,' faid Wenlock, « I am here and can 
 hear thee.' Then the fecretary cried, ' Guilty or not 
 guilty ?' ' I deny all guilt,' replied Wenlock, « for my con- 
 fcience is clear in the fight of God.' But the governor 
 faid, « The jury hath condemned thee.' Wenlock an- 
 fwered, * The Lord doth juftify me ; who art thou that 
 condemned ?' 
 
 ^ They then voted as to the fentence of death, but were 
 in a manner confounded, for feveral could not vote him 
 guilty of death. The governor feeing this divifion, faid, 
 • I could find in my heart to go home:* being in fuch 
 a rage, that he flung fomething furioufly on the table ; 
 which made Wenlock cry, ' It were better for thee to be 
 at home than here, for thou art about a bloody piece of 
 work.' I'hen the governor put the court to vote again ;' 
 but this was done confufedly, which fo incenfed the gover- 
 nor, that he flood up and faid, ' You thai will not confent, 
 record it : I thank God I am not afraid to give judgment.' 
 Thus we fee that to be drunk whh blood, doth not quench 
 the thrrft after blood ; for Endicot the governor, feeing 
 others backward to vote, precipitately pronounced iudgt 
 raent himfelt, and faid, ' Wenlock Chriftifon, hearken to 
 your fentence : You mufl return to the place from whence 
 you came, and from thence to the place of execution, and 
 there you muft be hanged until you are dead, dead, dead.* • 
 ro which Wenlock faid, ' The will of the Lord be done, 
 in whofe will I came amongft you, and in whofe counfel I - 
 Icand, feeling his eternal power, that will uphold me unto 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 47 « 
 
 1661] 
 
 the lad gafp.' Moreover he cried thus : * Known be it unto 
 you all, that if ye have power to take my life from me, my 
 foul (hall enter into everlafling reft and peace with God, 
 where you yourfelves (hall never come. And if ye have 
 power to take my life from me, the which I do queftion, I 
 do believe you (hall never more take Quakers* lives from 
 them : note my words ; do not think to weary out the 
 living God, by taking away the lives of his fervants. 
 What do you gain by it ? for the laft man that you have 
 put to death, here are five come in his room. And if ye 
 have power to take my life from me, God can raife up the 
 fame principle of life in ten of his fervants, and fend them 
 among you in my room, that you may have torment upon» 
 torment, which is your portion ; for there is no peace to 
 the wicked, faith my God.' The holy confidence with 
 which he uttered thefe words fliew, and the fequel made 
 it appear plainly, that fomething fupernatural was con- 
 tained in them : and it is remarkable, that among the im-' 
 prifoned Quakers, there were then feveral that had been 
 baniflied on pain of death; and among thefe alfo Elizabeth 
 Hooton ; and Edward Wharton ftaid in his habitation 
 contrary to his fentence of bani(hment. 
 
 Wenlock having received fentence of death, was brought 
 to prifon again, where having been detained five days, the 
 marflial and a conftable came to him with an order from 
 the court for his enlargement,, with twenty-feven more of 
 his friends, then in prifun for their teftimony to the Truth, 
 faying they were ordered by the court to make him ac- 
 quainted wi h their new law. ' What means this?* faid 
 Wenlock, ' Have ye a new law?' ' Yes,' faid they. * Then 
 ye have deceived moft people,' faid Wenlock. * Why ?' 
 (aid they. * Becaufe,' fiiid he, * they did think the gal- 
 lows had been your laft weapon. Your magiftrates faid 
 that your law was a good and wholefome law, made for 
 your peace, and the fafeguard of your country. What, 
 arc your hands now become weak ? The power of God is 
 over you all.' 
 
 Thus the prifon doors were opened, and Wenlock, with 
 twenty-feven more of his friends, as aforefaid, fct at liberty, 
 fave that two of them, viz. Peter Pearfon and Judith 
 
 2 G 4 
 
47 i 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i66r 
 
 Brown, being flripped to the waift, and faftened to a can's 
 tail, were whipped through the town of Boflon with twenty 
 uripes apiece. 
 
 ^ Now though iiot long after an order came from the 
 King, as will be fiiid anon, whereby thefe perfecntors were 
 charged to defilt from putting the (fakers to death, yet it 
 feems they had got fome fcent of the king's difpleafurc, 
 who had a mind to flop their bloody career : for having 
 got a book written by George Bifhop, containing a rela""- 
 tiOD of the cruel perfccution in New England, and reading 
 a paffage concerning major-general Denifon, who, to put 
 off thofe that complained of their wicked proceedings, faid, 
 * This year ye will go to complain to the parliament, and 
 
 fnp npvf Tr/«»'jt- t^fiATf ,T7;il r^*^.i 4.^ r^.^ 1 • * . _ i .i i • •, 
 
 thefe are my go<xi fubjecls of New England : but I wiil 
 put a flop to them'. 
 
 It was not long before an opportunity was offered ; for 
 the news of William Leddra's death being come into Eng- 
 land, with an information of the danger that others were 
 m of going the i<\mc way, their friends took it fo to heart, 
 efpecially Edward Burrough, that having got audience of 
 the king, he faid to him there w^is a vein of innocent* 
 blood cpened in his dominions, which if it were not flopped 
 would over-run all. To which the king replied, * But I 
 will flop that vein.' Then Burrough dcfired him to do it ' 
 fpeedily ; « for we know not,' faid he, ' how many may 
 foon be put to death.' The king anfwered, ' As foon as 
 you will. Call (faid he to fome prefent) the fecretary, and 
 I will do it prefently/ The fecretary being come, a man- 
 damus was forthwith granted. A day or two after, going 
 again to the king, to defire difpatch of the matter, the king 
 iaid he had no occafion at prefent to fend a fhip thither"^ 
 but if they would fend one, they might do it as foon as 
 they could. E. Burrough then aiked the king if it would 
 pleafe him to grant his deputation to one called a Quaker, 
 to carry the mandamus to New England. The king 
 anfwered, ' Tes, to whom you will.' Whereupon e! 
 Burrough named one Samuel Shattock, who being an in- 
 
 i66j] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QI7AKERS. 
 
 473 
 
 habitant of New England, was banifhed on pain of death, 
 
 L A ? "T""'^ '^'''^'^'^ ^"^ '^^ king accordingly 
 gi anted the deptrration to him, with full pLer to c2-y 
 the mandamus, which was as foUoweth . ^ ^ ''' ""^^^ 
 
 ^ Charles R. 
 ' Tnufly and ^yeIl-beloved, we greet you well.— Havinc. 
 been ,„forrned that feveral of our fubje^s amongft Z" 
 called qtiakers have been, and are imprifoned by you' 
 whereof fome have been executed, and' others (a J S 
 been reprefented unto us) are in danger to undergo the 
 
 £ alf7 7 'Y""^^' ^' ? ^'^"^^y ^"^ P'^-^-- - that 
 behalf for the future; and do hereby require that if 
 
 there be any of thofe people called QuakersLongTyot 
 now already condemned to fuffer deaTh, or other corporal 
 punilhment, or that are in^prifoned, and obnoxious to the 
 
 ike condemnation, you are to forbear to proceed any 
 tarther therem ; but that you forthwith fend the faid per- 
 ions (whether condernned or imprifoned) over into this 
 our kingdom of England, together with the refpeftive t 
 crimes or offenc.s laid to their charge ; to the end tha' 
 fuch courfe may be taken with them here, as (hall be 
 agreeable to our laws, and their demerits. And for fo 
 difcl?r ''''' ' ^'" be your fugcient warrant and 
 
 ' .Given at onr court at Whiteh^l, the oth day of 
 September, 1 66 1 , in the 1 3th year of our reign. 
 
 • By his raajefty's command, 
 * William Morris.' 
 
 ^ The fuperfcription was : 
 To our trufty and well-beloved John Endicot, Efq. and 
 to all and every other the governor, or governors of 
 our plantations of New England, and of all the colo- 
 ries thereunto belonging, that now are, or hereafter 
 Ihall be J and to all and every the rainifters and 
 olfacers of our faid plantations, and colonies whatfo- 
 evcr, within the continan of New England ' 
 
474 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 Thus favourable the king manifeftcd himfelf ; and in 
 England pcrfecution for religion was a little at a ftand ; 
 but it was but a kind of refpire. G. Fox the younger, a 
 man of excellent qualifications, and great boklncfi», forcfaw 
 an imminent ftorm ; and left any careleiTnefs might enter 
 among his friends, in the Fourth month he wrote the 
 ibllowing exhortation to them : 
 
 • What my heavenly Father hath determined for thefc 
 men to do, no man can ftopit: O that patience miglit be 
 abode in by all that know his name, and his will fubmitted 
 vimo by them that he hath called. O be ftill, ftrive not, but 
 drink the cup which our Father fuffereih to be given ; I 
 know it will be biiter to fome ; but whofoever ftriveth 
 againft it (hall come to lofs and (hame : for the Lord will 
 yet further try his people, till it be fully and clearly mani- 
 fcft who are the approved in his fight. This he will ccr- 
 tainlv do ; therefore let not the prefect calm beget a wrong 
 fecurity in any, for lo the day haftens, and cometh fwiftly, 
 tliat another llorm mud arife ; and in vain will it be to fly 
 *tothe tall cedars and ftrong oaks fgr fhelter ; for nothing 
 but the name of the Lord can prcferve in that day. 
 
 * George Fax, the younger,* 
 
 That this G. Fox did not reckon amifs, when in this 
 exhortation he faid the day haftens that another ftorm muft 
 arilV, we Ihall fee ere long : but firft we muft take a view 
 ol tli n^s in America. 
 
 This mandamus to the rulers of New Enj^'and being 
 obtained, as hath been faid, quick difparch was thoufjhc 
 neceffary to fend it thither. And Samuel Shattock being 
 empowered by the king to carry it, an agreement was 
 )n;:de with one Ralph Goldfiriith, who was mafter of a 
 good (hip, and alfo one of thofe called Quakers, for three 
 hundred pounds, (goods or no goods) to fail in ten days. 
 He then immediately made all things ready to fet fail, and 
 
 iih a profpcrous gale arrived in about fix weeks linie bc- 
 
 I65i] 
 
 V PEOPLE CALLED QjrAKERS. 
 
 475 
 
 W 
 
 fore the town of Bofton in New England, upon a Firft-day 
 of the week. The townfmcn feeing a fliip come into the 
 bay with Enghfli colours, foon came on board, and afked 
 for the captain. Ralph Goldfmith told them he was the 
 commander. Then they alked him whether he had any 
 letters ; and he faid ' Yes.' Whereupon they afked if he 
 would deliver them ; but he faid, ' No, not to-day.' So 
 they went aftiore, and reported there was a fliip full of 
 Qiiakers, and that Samliel Shattock was among them, who 
 ihey knew was by their law liable to be put to death for 
 coming in again after banifliraent : but they knew not his 
 errand nor authority. 
 
 AH bdng thus kept clofe, and none of the (hip's com- 
 pany fuffered to go on fliore that day, next morning 
 bamuel Shattock, the king's deputy, and Ralph Goldfmith 
 the commander of the veffel, went on fhore ; and fending 
 the men that landed them back to the (hip, they two weni 
 throiigh the tottii to the governor John Endicot's door, 
 and knocked. He fending a man to know their bufmefs 
 they fent him word their bufinefs was from the kin- of 
 H-ngland, and that they would deliver their meffage to 
 none but the governor himfelf. Thereupon they were 
 admitted to go in, and the governor came to them and 
 commanded Shattock's hat to be taken o(F, and havin<r 
 received the deputation and the mandamus, he laid off his 
 hat ; and ordering Shattock's hat to given him again, 
 he looked upon the papers, and then going out, went to 
 
 '^.fft^^PV^u^rTn' ^''?>''^ tlie king's deputy and the 
 mafter of the fliip follow him. Being come to the deputy- 
 governor, and having confulted with him about the matter 
 he returned to the two aforefaid perfons, and faid, ' We* 
 hiall obey his majefty's command.' After this, the mafter 
 of the (hip gave liberty to the paffengcrs to come a(hore, 
 vvhich they did, and met together with their friends of 
 the town, to offer up praifes to God for this wonderful 
 deliverance. 
 
 Now for as much as feveral of their friends were yet in 
 prifon at Bofton, the following order was given f»rth by 
 tlie council not long after : ■ 
 
47^ THE HISTORY OF THE [1661 
 
 To William Salter, keeper oF the prifon at Boftoq. 
 
 ' You are required by authority, and order of thf ge- 
 neral court, forthwith to relcafe and difcharge the Quakers, 
 who at prefcnt are in your cuitody. See ihat you do not 
 ncgleft this. 
 
 * By order of the court, 
 
 ' Edward Rawfon, Secretary.' 
 
 Boll on, 9th Dec. 1661. 
 
 They then confulted what to do that they might not 
 incur the king's difpleafure ; and it was agreed to fend a 
 deputation x6 him. Firft, colonel Temple was fent to 
 acquaint the king with their having fet the Qiiakcrs at 
 liberty ; and he was followed not long after by the chief 
 prieft John Norton, and Simon Broadftreet one of the 
 magiftrates. 
 
 The year was now fpent : but before I conclude it I muft 
 take notice, as a pregnant inftance of the marvellous vicif- 
 (itude of mundane affiiirs, that in the fore-part of this year, 
 the body of O. Cromwell, which had been buried with 
 great ftate in Weftminfter Abbey, was digged up, as were 
 alfo the bodies of Bradfliaw and Ircton, which three 
 corpfe were carried in carts to Tyburn, and there hanged 
 on the gallows. Then the executioner chopped off the 
 heads, llamped with his foot on the bodies, which wer€ 
 tumbled into a pit, dug near the gallows ; and the heads 
 were expofcd on the top of Wcilminiler Hall, where I 
 remember to have feen them. And that now befel Crom- 
 well which he faid about feven years before in his fpeech 
 to the parliament, as hath been mentioned in its due place, 
 viz. That he would rather be rolled into the grave, and 
 buried with infamy, than give his confcnt to the throwing 
 away one of the fundamentals of that government, to wit, 
 liberty of confcicnce. And yet he fufiered perfecution to 
 go on. as hath been related at larg^ : but now, according 
 to bis faying, he was rolled with iufamy into the grave; 
 which mayfervc indeed for a remarkable iaftance of the 
 juftice and tqua! judgments of GoJ. 
 
 i66i] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 About this time a book came out at Lendon, bearin? 
 
 P 'iM i f '"'?T ^'^"iJV P- e. Always the fame] or a 
 Parallel of fanat.cks. The author concealed his riame- 
 but he made it appear fufficiently, that he rt'as a Papift 
 and u may be a jefuit : for he inveighed not only againft 
 the Quakers and Baptifts, but alfo againft the Preftytc- 
 nans and even Epifcopalians, and confequently againft all 
 Proceflants. Nay, the martyrs that were burnt in the 
 Woody reign of queen Mary, eldcft daughter to king 
 Henry the Eighth, were no lefs vilified than the Quakerf 
 m the faid book, by the fcornful name of rebels aiTj fanal 
 ticks. Ihis book was fold publickly, 4nd it feemed that 
 none durft oppofc it, for fear of difpleafmg the court. But 
 t. Burroagh who was of an undaunted courage, and fo" 
 continued till h.s death, employed his pen to refute it, 
 and gave forth h.s ani\ver in print, plainly Qiewing what 
 the anonymous author aimed at, viz. That he would have 
 the cruel ufage of &e and faggots revived, and wilhed to 
 fee the burning of reputed hereticks brought again into 
 vogue. Which was the more to be taken notice of, be- 
 caufe fuch a publication of vilifying the martyrs with 
 calumnies, had not been feen at London for above an 
 hundred years ; anB all the groundlefs pofitions of the 
 iaid author were very notably anfwered by the faid E. 
 Burrough. ;' 
 
 And fmce perfecution in the latter end of this year be- 
 gan to appear vvith open face again, he publifhed a book, 
 'pu u ^'! ^^"^'^ Antichrift's Government juftly detefted. 
 This he dedicated to all the rulers, &c. in the (fo'called ) 
 Chrift.an world ; and therein, with found arguments, mani- 
 eftcd the unlawfalnefs and inj.iftice of perfecution, and 
 from whence it had its rife ; and how dangerous it was to 
 impolc religion. * 
 
 Next he treated at large concerning herefy, and what 
 puniamcnt pertamed to fucTi as are truly convifted of it. 
 But left |ny might think that he was for oppoflt,? the 
 4uty pf the civil magiftrate againft ^malefaftors, he faid 
 concerning the puni.fhment of herefy, (which he ftated to ■ 
 be only an eccleaafti'cal cenfure) that he only intended this. 
 Where the erryr of a man apdjiis herefy in his mind and 
 
 [■ 
 
4?8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THf 
 
 lt66t 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 479 
 
 judgment, did only extend to the hurt of his o'wn foul, 
 and againft God, and not to the harm of his nelghboul-'s 
 perfon or cftate. But (thus continued he) if his error 
 and herefy do extend farther than only againft God and 
 his own foul, even to outward wrongs, or evils, or violence, 
 or vifible mifchicfs committed, as murders, or other the 
 like crimes againft men, to the injuring of others, then I 
 forbid not outward external puniihtncnt, to be corporally 
 inflifted upon the perfon and eftatfi of fuch a man ; but 
 it ought to be done, and that by the laws of men, provi- 
 ded for the fame end ; even fuch a man's error, in fuch 
 his wrong dealing, may juftly and lawfully be puniflied with 
 death, baniftiment, or penalties, according to the defcrt 
 of the crime, &c. The author alfo writ circumftantially 
 concerning the government of antichrift, and fliewed the 
 deceit that was in it, and who were the fubjefts of his 
 kingdom. 
 
 It was fomewhat before this time that GeoTge Fox the 
 younger, being a prifoner, and feeing an intent of pro- 
 moting popery, writ the following letter to the king : 
 
 * The King of kings hath beheld, yea, the King of kings 
 iKith fcen even all thy aftings in the dark, and he hath 
 traced thy walking in obfcure places ; and thou haft not 
 hid thy counfels from the Almighty, but he hath feen all 
 the intents of thy heart, and thy good words have not at 
 all deceived him, nor thofe that purely ftood in his counfcls ; 
 for he hath focn the fnarcx, and beheld the pits which 
 privily Tiave been preparing for the innocent, (even in the 
 time when fmooth words have been given) and he hath 
 ihewed them unto others : Oh! that thou wouldcft have 
 taken counfcl of the Lord, and obeyed the fame, thou 
 Ihouldeft have been profpered : but iliou haft taken counfcl 
 of them which have caufed thee to err : thou haft alfo 
 fought to exalt and cftablifli thyfelf, and thj own honour, 
 and not the truth and honour of God only ; which if thou 
 hadft truly done (in the fclf-denial) God would have 
 honoured thee: thou haft not taken the Lord for thy 
 ftrength and ftay, but thou haft leaned to that which 
 <annot help thee, even to that which will prove a broken 
 
 reed unto thee if thou comeft to prove Its ftrength. Thou 
 haft greatly d.lhonoured and grieved the Lord, by thy 
 fettmg up m.nifters which he loathes, and by thy pro- 
 Vid.ng a forced maintenance for them by an iinjuft law, 
 that lo they may yet make a prey upon his people, who 
 for con c.ence.fake cannot put into their mouths, being 
 fp.ntually gathered thereform by the word of the Lord! 
 Ihou haft alfo gneved the Spirit of the Lord, in t'v.u rhn„ 
 halt not put a difference betwixt that which the Spirit of 
 the Lord moved, and that which is moved by the tv.i luits 
 of men ; and hereby thou haft judified that which God 
 hath condemned, and conJemned that which he hath 
 juft>fied, and will jt.ftify in the f.ght of his enemies. O, 
 
 iTfJlV "°- '^.^P^rf^" of any man which the Lord 
 regard., but it is righteoufnefs which he hath refpeft to 
 
 iT.u r,r''f' "'''° ()^'h'itever he may be) by the drawing 
 f K V'\ t""\" '"'° righteoufnefs, and afts therein, fo 
 tar hath the Lord unity with him, and no farther: thefc 
 things fhould have been confidercd by thee. 1 hou haft 
 alfo gneved the Holy Ghoft by thy fuffering all thefe 
 wicked and profane fliews and fports (which hav:. abounded 
 fince thy coming in) by which the Lord's good creatures 
 have been abufed wafted, and devoured. Thou haft 
 highly difpleafed the Lord God, by (hy fuifering perfe- 
 cution to be afted in thy name, even whilfl thou in words 
 halt proiiiifed liberty , yea, many are this day in holes and 
 prifons, for the teftimony of a good confcience, and obey- 
 ing the doarine of Chrift. Oh ! the Lord is grieved 
 with the pride and wickednefs that is lived in, both in thy 
 Jamily and dominions, and thou thyfelf haft not been fuch 
 a pattern and example amongft them as thou oujjhteft to 
 have been. O, friend ! when I behold the wickednefs. 
 cruelty and opprefllon, that abounds in this nation in open 
 view, and alfo the fecret abominations which are com- ■ 
 muted, and are plotting and lurking in the cha..,bers ; 
 verily my life is even bowed down bccaufe of the fierce 
 wrath of the Almighty, which I fee is kindled : and bc- 
 caufe of the great deftruc-tion which I fee attends the 
 wicked, whofe ends and counfcls the Lord will fritftrate 
 and upon whom he will pour out everlafting contempt ' 
 yea, and it hath been oft in mc, before thou camelt laft 
 
480 
 
 THE HISTORY OI THE 
 
 [i66r 
 
 into the land, and alfo fince, even when it hath been (hewn 
 me, what idolatry is intended in lecret 40 be brought in, 
 that certainly it had been better for thee that tliou hadfl 
 never come, for I have feen it tending to thy dcilruftion. 
 And when I have feen the abomination and cfuekies which 
 are committed and intended, there hath a pity arofe in 
 me towards thee for thy fouPs fake ; and it hath been my 
 defirc, if it might (land with the will of God, that he would 
 put it into thy heart to go out of the land again, that fo 
 ihy hfe might be preferved, and that thou mighteft have 
 time to repent ; for although many men flatter and applaud 
 thee for felf ends, yet I fee the Lord is difpleafed with 
 thy ways. Let no man deceive thee by fei^rned words; 
 God will not be mocked : fuch as thou fowdl, fuch muft 
 thou reap* Thou canft not hide thyfclffrom the Lord, 
 nor deliver thyfelf from the ftrokc of his hand : O confider, 
 how foon hath the Lord taken away thy brother, who, 
 according to outward appearance, might have lived longer 
 than thee ! O, think not that men can preferve thee, 
 though all the nations about promife to help thee ! Yet 
 vhen the Lord appears againft thee, thou mull fall ; 
 verily there is a great defolation near, thy hand can- 
 not flay it; God hath decreed tliat he may exalt his 
 own kingdom : the nations are like a boiling pot, a little 
 flame will fet them on fire ; and the windy dofcrine of the 
 priefls fhall help to kindle it : Oh the day will be terrible, 
 who may abide it ? The ftubble will be confumed, and 
 the chaff fhall be burned ; the ungodly ihall be abafcd, 
 for they cannot (land in judgment ; but the feed fliall be 
 exalted. O what (hall I fay that might be for thy fafety ? 
 Verily I can fay little, the Lord's decree muft fland, the 
 Lord is highly difpleafed, and his wrath is near to be 
 revealed : and he is fvvif: in his goings, and he will fhortcn 
 the days of his enemies for his elcft fake. O that thy foul 
 mip^ht be faved in the day of the Lord ; my fpirit is in 
 buffering for thee, my foul is allli<^ed within me becaufe 
 of the approichiiigs of the day of thy calamity, from 
 w hich no man can deliver thee. This is the Truth that 
 mnft Hand, and in h)ve to thy foul it is declared, by him 
 who mufl deal uprightly with all men : though for it I 
 fuifer outwardly, yet 1 have a witucfs in my confcience. 
 
 16613 
 
 vioVLt CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 4S1 
 
 unto which I am made manifeft ; and peace with the Lord 
 is my portion, which is better than an earthly crown.' 
 
 * George Fox, the yoiinger.* 
 
 This was giYen him the 9th day of the * 
 
 Eighth month, 16§0. 
 
 This letter (a dear evidence of the author's innocent ' 
 courage) was delivered to the king, who read it, and 
 feemed to be reached thereby, and touched at heart : but 
 his brother, the duke of York, was difpleafed with it, 
 arid being violently fet againft the author, advifed the 
 king to ufe feverity towards him; but the king being 
 good-naturedj faid, ^ It were better for us to mend our 
 lives.* 
 
 Whilft the faid G. Fox was prifoner in Lambeth houfc, 
 he writ alfo a fmall treatife, called, ' England's fad Eftate 
 and Condition lamented.* Herein he reproved the grievous 
 abominations committed among the inhabitants, opprefEon 
 by perfecution, and the hypocrify of the priefts. He alfo 
 predi(fted the peftilence, as may be mentioned hereafter in 
 due place; and fignifled not obfcurely, that endeavours 
 would be ufed publickly to introduce fuperflition and 
 idolatry : but that thofe who intended to do fo, fhould be 
 fruftrated by the Lord in their attempts. And that others, 
 whofe worfhip alfo did difpleafe the Lord, fhould grind 
 and wafte one another: but that beyond their expeftation, 
 "he would .pluck out from them, and preferve a holy feed. 
 And that after he fhould have executed his vengeance 
 upon the rebellious and treacherous dealers, he would 
 then bring forth the remnant of his holy feed, which 
 Ihould be preferved from their fury ; and then they fhould 
 •fpr^ad over all, and ftand in dominion. * But,' thus con- 
 tinued he^ * although thefe things, touching the holy 
 remnant, fhall, certainly be fulfilled in their feafon, yer. 
 before they will be fully accomplifhed, great will be the 
 trials of many of the righteous, and there will be great • 
 judgments executed in thee, O land, by him, who oftimes 
 maketh a fruitful land barren, becaufe of the wickednefs 
 of, them that dwell therein.* This, and much more he 
 writ, and pubhfhed it in print. Several of his prediftions 
 Wc have fcca fulfilled, as in the progrefs of this hifbrjr 
 Vol, L - i u 
 
4?! 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 i66i2 
 
 People called oyAKERs. 
 
 483 
 
 1,1 1 
 
 I i 
 
 u 
 
 niay appear : and this lafl vve mud refer to time. After 
 the writing of this treatifc, he alfo gave forth the following 
 prayer : 
 
 * Surely it was thou, O Lord, that gave bounds unto 
 the fea, that the floods thereof could not overwhelm thy 
 chofen : thou canfl: let forth the winds, and fufFer a ftorm ; 
 and thou canfl: m:ike a calm when thou pleafert. Have 
 thou the glory of all, thou King of faints, thou Saviour of 
 Ifrael. Thou canfl do whatever thou pleafcft, therefore 
 will we truft in thy name, neither will we fear what men 
 can do imto us, becaufe thou wilt not forfake us; but 
 thou wilt plead our caufe in the fight of our adverfaries, 
 and they fliall know that thou art our God, who art able 
 to fave to the uttermofl". O Lord, our righteoufnefs, we 
 will praife thy name ; for thy mercies endure for ever, 
 pur eyes, O God, are unto thee, for we have no other 
 helper. Our faith, O Lord, ftandeth in thee, who canft 
 not forget thy people. Thou haft revealed and brought 
 up Jacob, who wredleth with thee, and prevails as a prince, 
 therefore mud the blcffing come. O Lord, the birth, the 
 birrh, crieth unto thee, thine own elecl, which long hath 
 been opprefled. Thou canil not deny thyfelf, therefore 
 have we faith, and hope, which maketh not afhamed. 
 O Lord, how unfearchable are thy ways ! Thou haft even 
 amazed thy people with the drpth of thy wifdom ; thou 
 alone wilt have the glory of their deliverance ; and, there- 
 fore haft thou fuffered thefe things to come to pafs. 'O 
 Lord, thou art righteous in all thy judgments : only 
 preferve thy people which thou haft gathered, and wilt 
 gather unto thyfelf, in the day of trial ; that fo they may 
 fing of thy power, and magnify thy name iu the land of 
 the living.' 
 
 This G. Fox writ alf^3 in prifon feveral other papers and 
 cpiftles, for exhortation and confolation of his friends: but 
 his work was foon done, fo that not long after he departed 
 this life, which was in this, or the next year. He was, 
 as may be feen from his writings, a man of extraordinary 
 refignation and co^urage j and that he gave up his life, if 
 
 required, may appear from a fmall book that he writ, 
 
 being prifoner in Lambeth houfe, which he called, ^ The 
 
 Dread of God's Power uttering its Voice through Man, 
 
 unto the Heads of the Nation/ Herein he exhorted the 
 
 rulers very earneftly to do juftice ; and faid amongft the 
 
 relt, ' Friends, I muft deal plainly with you in the fight of 
 
 Ood, who hath made me a prophet to the nation. I may 
 
 not flatter any of you. My life is in the hand of my Maker, 
 
 and not one hair of my head can fall to the ground without 
 
 his providence. He hath redeemed my foul from hell, and 
 
 ray mind from the earth ; and he hath given me his good 
 
 Spirit to lead me. I am henceforth no more my own, but 
 
 I am the Lord's, who hath formed me to his praife, and 
 
 hath brought me forth, that I may found forth his powerful 
 
 I ruth amongft the people. Therefore muft I not fear 
 
 man, neither muft I be afraid of the fons of men.* 
 
 Thus undaunted he fliewed himfclf : but it was not long 
 before he made his exit, of which I cannot but fay fome- 
 thing. In his ficknefs I find, that though he was weak in 
 body yet he was ftrong in fpirit, fo that he would even 
 fing for joy of heart. He exhorted his friends to keep in 
 unity, forefeeing (it may. be) that fomething would rife 
 which might give occafion for divifion : and then with 
 much fervency of fpirit, he prayed God, and exhorted his 
 friends, to keep their garments unfpotted of the world, 
 becaufe great was the day of trial that was at hand. After! 
 wards recommending them to the Lord, he took his leave 
 of them, and flept in perfect peace with the Lord, being 
 of found memory to the laft. Now the duft was returned 
 to the earth, and the fpirit unto God who gave it. Thus 
 he was freed of all danger of lofmg the crown of immortal 
 life, which man by temptation, and the cafualties of this 
 life, is liable unto, if he continueth not diligently watch- 
 ful. But this valiant was now beyond the reach of all 
 temptations, and fo I leave him, that I may pafs on to 
 other matters. 
 
 In this year E. Burrough writ a paper to the king and 
 his council, which he called, ' A juft and Righteous Plea,' 
 in which he propofed at large, the rcafons why the people 
 
 a H 2 
 
484 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THt 
 
 [i6(fr 
 
 called Quakers, refufed to take the oath of allegiance, 
 viz. That it was not bccaufc they would not be faithful to 
 the king, hut only for coofcience fake, fince Chrift fo 
 exprefsly had commanded hio followers, "Swearnot at all,'* 
 which command they durft not tranfgrefs. Yet to affure 
 the government of their faithfulncfs, he faid thus: 
 
 ' We are now, and fliall be faithful, innocent, and 
 peaceable, in our feveral ftations and conditions, under 
 this prefent government of king Charles the Second, whom 
 we acknowledge fupreme magiftrate and goverifor over 
 this kingdom ; and for confcience-fake we are obedient 
 and fubmiffive to him, as fuch, in all his commands, cither 
 by doing and performing of what he juftly requireih, or 
 by patient fuffering under whatfoever is iiiflifted upon us, 
 in the matters for which we cannot be obedient for confci- 
 ence-fake, when any thing is required of us different from 
 the juft law of God. And to this fubjeftion to the king 
 and hjs government, we are bound by the law of righteouf- 
 nefs ; and fuch hath ever been our principle and praftice, 
 and is unto this day, even to be qliiet, and peaceable, and 
 patient, under every auihority that is fet over us ; and 
 not in unrighteoiifnefs, to plot, or contrive, or rebel, 
 againft any government, or governors, nor to feek our 
 own deliverance from injuftice and opprefSon in fuch a 
 way. And we are perfuaded to feek the prefervation of 
 the king's perfon and authority, by all juft and lawful 
 means, and not to rebel againft him with carnal weapons; 
 and fo far as his government is in juftice, mercy, and 
 righteoufnefs, we declare true and faithful fubjeftion and 
 obedience thereunto ; and wherein it is otherwife, wc 
 fliall be fubjeft by patient fuffering what is unequally im- 
 pofed upon us, and yet not rebel in any turbulent way of 
 confpiracies and infurrediions : for our principles are not 
 for war, but lor peace with all men fo much as in us 
 lies ; neither nray we render evil for evil to any, but arc 
 to be fubjeft to the king and his government, aSively or 
 pafiively, upon the conditions aforementioned. 
 
 * And we renounce all foreign authority, power, and 
 iurifdiftion of the pope, or any elfe, from having any 
 
 1661] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 485 
 
 fupremacy whatfoever over the king, or any the good 
 fubjefts of England. And this we declare, acknowledge, 
 and teftify, in the fear and prefence of God (to whom wc 
 and all mankind muft give an account), and that without 
 fecret equivocation, or any deceitful mental refervation.' 
 
 Thus fully E. Burrough declared himfelf, and gave 
 alfo a circumftantial relation of the praftice of his friends 
 meeting together, or their way of publick worfhip, thereby 
 to affure the government of their peaceable behaviour 
 and fidelity. But all this proved in vain ; for it being 
 well known that the Quakers denied fwearing, they con^- 
 tinually were vexed and perfecuted, under a' pretence of 
 not giving due fatisfa^ion of their being faithful to the 
 government, and fo tranfgrefEng the laws. 
 
 Now the deputies of New England came to London, 
 and endeavoured to clear themfelves as much as poffible, 
 but efpecially prieft Norton, who bowed no lefs reverently 
 before the archbifhop, than before the king; and thus 
 fawning upon the Epifcopalians, they found means to 
 keep in a condition to vex the Quakers, fo called, though 
 they were forbidden to put them to death : and that many 
 of the bifliops were great enemies to the faid Quakers,- ap. 
 peared plainly from the cruel perfecution which after a fliorc 
 calm arofe in England. 
 
 But to return to the New England deputies, they would 
 fain have altogetlier excufed themfelves ; and prieft Norton 
 . thought it fufficient to fay, that he did not affift in the 
 bloody trial, nor had advifed to it: but John Copelandj 
 whofe ear was cut off at Bofton, charged the contrary 
 upon him : and G. Fox, the elder, got occafion to fpeak 
 with them in the prefence of feme of his friends ; cind 
 alked Simon Broadftreet, one of the New-England magii- 
 trates, whether he had not a hand in putting to death, 
 thofe they nick-named Quakers ? He not being able to 
 deny this, confeffed he had. Then G. Fox aiked him and 
 his affociates that were prefent, whether they would acknow- 
 ledge themfelves to be fubjeas to the laws of England ; 
 and if they did, by what laws they put his friends to death? 
 'J bey anfwered, they were fuhjefts to ihe laws of England 5. 
 
 2 H .3 . 
 
'< 
 
 486 
 
 TH-E HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 661] 
 
 PEOPLI5 CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 l^n 
 
 and they had put his friends to death by the fame law, as 
 the Jefuits were put to death in England. Hereupon 
 G. Fox afkcd, whether they did believe that thofe his 
 friends, whom thry had put to death, were Jefuits, or 
 jefuitically aiFefted ? They faid, ' Nay/ Then replied 
 G. Fox, ' Ye have murdered them ; for fince ye put them 
 to death by the law that Jefuits are put to death here in ' 
 England, it plainly appears, you have put them to death 
 arbitrarily, without any law,' Thus Broadftreet finding 
 himfelf and his company enfnared by their own words, 
 afked, * Are you come to catch us ?' But he told them, 
 they had catched themfelves, and they might juftly- be 
 qucftioned for their lives ; and if the father of William 
 Robmfon (one of thofe that were put to death) were in 
 town, it was probable he would queftion them, and bring 
 their lives into jeopardy : for he not being of the Quakers 
 perfuafion, would perhaps not have fo much regard to the 
 point of forbearance, as they had. Broadftreet feeing 
 himfelf thus in danger, began to flinch and to fculk ; for 
 fome of the old royalifts were earneft with the Quakers to 
 profecute the New-England perfecutors. But G. Fox and 
 his friends ft'd, they left them to the Lord, to whom 
 vengeance belonged, and he would repay it. Broadftreet 
 however, not thinking it fafe to ftay in England, left the 
 city, and with his companions went back again to New- 
 England. 
 
 Not long before this time, G. Fox, with the help of 
 John Stubs and Benjamin Fnrly, publiflied a book, called, • 
 * A Baitledoor.' In this book were fet forth examples of 
 about thirty languages, to fhew that every language had 
 its particular denomination for the fingular and the plural 
 number, in fpeaking to perfons ; and in every place where 
 the defcription began, the (hape of a battledoor was deli- 
 neated. This work was promoted to publick view by 
 G. Fox, to (hew the learned (if poflible to convince them) 
 that the cuftom of thofe called Quakers, to fay Thou to 
 a fingle perfon, though it were to the king, and not You, 
 was not irregular nor abfurd, but had been ufed anciently; 
 and that therefore they could not juftly be charged with 
 unmannerlinefs, becaufc they followed not the common 
 
 cuftom, which was crept in by the pride of men. Now 
 though Ger. Croefe doth difapprove in G. Fox, that he 
 put his name to this book as well as J. Stubs and B. Furly, 
 yet I do not think it fo improper as the faid author doth ; 
 for G. Fox was a great promoter of that work ; and though 
 lie was not Ikilled in languages, and fomc were for calling 
 him an idiot, or a fool, yet I know him to have been a 
 man^ of good underftanding, and of deep judgment. In 
 his journal he freely owns, that John Stubs and Benjamin 
 Furly took great pains in the compiling of the faid book, 
 which he put them upon, and added alfo fome things to it; 
 ib that in fome refpeci: he might be efteemed author too. 
 At the end of the book he added : 
 
 ! The pope fet up [You] to [One] in his pride, and 
 it is pride which cannot bear Thou and Thee to one, but 
 would have You, from the audior of and their father in 
 their pride, which muft not but have the word Thou^ 
 which was before their father the pope was, which was 
 God's language, and will ftand when the pope is ended. 
 
 ' G. F/ 
 
 This book (in which J. Stubs and B. Furly 'gave alfo 
 directions for learners to read the Hebrew, Oriental, and 
 other languages) was liberally difpofed of; fome of them 
 were prefented to the king and his council, to the arch- 
 bifliop of Canterbury, and to the bifnop of London, and 
 alfo one to each univerfity. The king confeffed that the ' 
 diftinffion between plural and fingular, in regard of perfons, 
 was the proper language of all nations ; and the archbifliop 
 being aiked what he thought of it, .was fo at a ftand, that 
 he could not tell what to fay to it ; for it appears he would 
 not commend it, neither could he refulve to difapprove it. 
 Yet it did fo inform and convince people, that many after- 
 ward were not near fo much offended at faying Thou and 
 Thee to a fingle perfon, as they v/erc before. 
 
 Now many Papifts and Jefuits began to fawn upon thofe 
 called Quakers, and faid publickly, that of all thefefls the 
 Qiiakers were the beft, and moft feif-denying people ; and 
 that it was great pity that they did not return to holy 
 mother church: and though they might have been in 
 
 2 H 4 
 
488 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TMB 
 
 I [l66l 
 
 i66i] 
 
 l»EOl»LE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 489 
 
 hopes thereby to have gained profelytes from the Quakers, 
 yet they were difappointed. In the mean-while they did 
 but ill fervice to the fakers thereby ; for this gave 
 occafion to their enemies to divulge, that there was an 
 affinity and collufion between the Quakers and the Papifts. 
 Some Jefuits fignifying ^hat they would willingly difcourfc 
 with the Quakers, G. Fox confentcd to it, and in order 
 thereunto, time and place were appointed : whereupon 
 two of the loyalifls came, being dreffed like courtiers, and 
 they afked the names of G. Fox and thofe with him. G. 
 Fox then alked them the fame queftion he had once before 
 (as hath been faid already) aikcd a Jefuit, viz. whether the 
 church of Rome was not degenerated from the church in 
 the primitive times ; from the fpirit, and power, and 
 praftice that they were in, in the apoftles time. The Jefoit 
 to whom the queftion was put, faid he would not anfwer 
 it. G. Fox alked him, why? but he would give no 
 reafon. His companion then faid, they were not^degenc- 
 rat^d from the church in the primitive times. Then 
 G. Fox alked the other, whether he was of the fame 
 mind ; and he faid, * Yes.* G. Fox, to give no room to 
 any excufes of a miftake, repeated his queftion thus : 
 Whether the church of Rome now was in the fame purity, 
 pra<5lice, power, and fpirit, that the church in the apoftes 
 time was in. The Jefuits feeing how exa£l G. Fox would 
 be with them, faid it was prefumption in any to fay, they 
 had the fame power and fpirit, which the apoftles had. 
 But G. Fox told them, it was prefumption in them to 
 meddle with the words of Chrift and his apoftles, and 
 make people believe they fucceeded the apoftles, and yet 
 be forced to confefs, they were not in the fame power and 
 fpirit, that the apoftles were in. * This,' faid he, ^^ is a 
 fpirit of prefumption, and rebuked by the apoftles fpirit.' 
 Thereupon he Ihewed them how different their fruits and 
 praftices were, from the fruits and praftices of the apoftles. 
 This fo difpieafed the Jefuits, that one of them faid, ' Yc 
 are a company of dreamers.' *Nay,' faid G. Fox, * ye 
 are the dreamers, who dream ye are the apoftles fucctflbrs, 
 and yet confefs, ye have not the fame power and fpirit, 
 which the apofl;lcs were in.* Then he began to tell thera 
 
 alfo, how they were led by an evil fpirit ; and that thit 
 fpirit had induced them to pray by beads, and to images, 
 and to put people to death for religion. He fpokc yet 
 more ; but the Jefuits foon grew weary of this difcourfc, 
 and went away, giving charge afterwards to thofe of their 
 perfuafion, not to difpute with the Quakers, nor to read any 
 of their books. 
 
 Sometime after G. Fox went to Colchefter, where he 
 had very large meetings. From thence he went to Cogge-^ 
 ihall ; not far from which, there was a prieft convinced of 
 the truth of the doftrine held forth by him and his friends ; 
 and he had a meeting in his houfe. And after having 
 vifited his friends in their meetings thereabouts, he returned 
 to London, where he found more work: for John Perror, 
 of whom mention hath been made already that he was at 
 Rome, had fo far complied with his vain imaginations, that 
 he thqught himfelf farther enlightened than G. Fox, and 
 his friends ; and from this prefumption he would not ap- 
 prove, that when any one prayed in a meeting, others 
 (hould put off their hats, calling this a formality, and a 
 common cuftom of the world, which ought to be departed 
 from. And fince novelties often draw people after them, 
 fo it was in this cafe, infomuch that he got a pretty many 
 adherents. But he did not ftand here ; for as one error 
 proceeds from another, fo he made another extravagant 
 ftep, and let his beard grow; in which he was followed by 
 fome. In the mean- while G. Fox laboured both by word 
 arid writing, to ftop his progrefs : and though moft of his 
 friends alfo bore teftimony-againft it, yet there paffed feverat 
 years before this ftrange fire was altogether extinguiflied : 
 to the quenching whereof, it contributed not a little that 
 Pcrrot, who now walked m an erroneous path, grew worfc 
 fron^ time to time, even to that degree, that being come 
 into America, he fell into manifcft fenfualities, and works 
 of the flefli : foe he not only wore gaudy apparel, but alfo a 
 fword ; and being got into fome place in the government, 
 he became a fevere exaftor of oaths, whereas before he 
 had profeft that for confcicnce-fake he could not fwear. 
 Before I leaye Perrqt, I will infert here a letter writ by 
 him from Rome, when he was relcafed from prifon; and 
 
49<3 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [.661 
 
 thongh I believe he was then in a better ftatc than after- 
 ward, yet in that letter feme fparks of fpiritual pride may 
 be feen, which though then under fomc limitation, yet in 
 procefs of time fo broke forth, that it caufed his fall. The 
 letter was thus : 
 
 « O Ifrael ; the hod of the mod high God ; his majefty 
 hath fulfilled to me the vifion of my head, having fliewed 
 himfelf to be the Holy One, and Juft : he hath lately de- 
 livered me from the prifon of the city of Rome, befides 
 the two lambs with me, whofe faces, through God, are 
 turned to you wards : for which I befeech you in the holy 
 fpirit of meekncfs, to blefs the name of the Lord God. 
 Give thanks to him for his power. The God of life pro- 
 mote you all in the virtue of his mercy and forgivenefs, 
 and keep you in the power of his everlaftiug love, unto the 
 
 end. 
 
 * JOHN.' 
 
 Written to you all without the gates 
 of Rome, the 2d day of the Fourth 
 month, 1661. 
 
 Send this forward and read my life 
 in your meetings. 
 
 He added not his firname, in imitation (as itfeems) of 
 the apoftle John. . He omitted it likewife in another letter 
 he writ from the prifon at Rome, which began thus : 
 
 « I John the prifoner, being in the fenfe of the Spirit of 
 life with you all,* &c» 
 
 Who were the two lambs he mentions in his letter, I 
 cannot tell ; whether they were perfons that had been im- 
 prifoned witli him in the inquifition gaol, and converted by 
 him, as he thought ; or whether he meant John Stubs and 
 Samuel Filhcr, I know not ; it may rather be fuppofed that 
 he meant Charles Bayley and Jane Stoakes, who went to 
 Rome to procure his liberty; but J. Stubs and S. Fiiher 
 came away Iciig before : yet if 1 am not miftakci^, it was 
 
 1661]] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 49^ 
 
 about this time that thefe were at Rome, and they perhaps 
 having endeavoured to obtain his liberty, departed before 
 him towards England. 
 
 When Perrot afterward lived in America, about the 
 beginning of the year 1665, John Taylor writ thus from 
 Jamaica concerning him : 
 
 * One of the judges of this place told me, that he never 
 had ken one who fo feverely exacled an oath from people 
 as John Perrot did: for he faith, that if they will go to 
 hell, he will difpatch them quickly. And another judge 
 that was alfu prefent, faid, that Perrot had ahogeihcr re- 
 nounced his faith, and aimed at nothing but his profit.' 
 
 Such a one was John Perrot, though even fome wife 
 men admired him for a time ; but he became a man of a 
 rough behaviour. Whether he ever repented fmcerely, I 
 cannot tell. Robert Rich, who took too much part ia 
 the extravagancies of James Naylor, as hath been related, 
 did aifo combine with Perrot, and became eftranged from 
 the (Quakers, and in that condition he died : but he was of 
 the number of thofe, of whom the apoftie John faid, " They 
 went OUT from us, but they were not of us." 
 
 Now fuice perfecuiion continued in England, Edward 
 Burrough, who continually was laborious with the pen to 
 oppofe this evil, writ alfo a fmall book, which he called, 
 * I he Cafe of Free Liberty of Confcience in the Exercife 
 of Faith and Religion, prefented unto the King and both 
 Houfes of Parliament.' In this treatife he fhewed, that to 
 deprive honefl and peaceable people of liberty of confcience 
 in the exercife of worfhip to God, was imjuft, an intrench- 
 ing on God's fovereignty, and an ufurpation of his autho- 
 rity. He alfo recommended it to coniideration, that to 
 impofe by force a rehgion upon men, was the way to fill 
 the land with hypocrites. And he (hewed with found 
 reafons, that to perfecute people for the exercife of religion 
 and their wor/hipping of God, muft unavoidably tend to 
 deftroy trading, hufbandry, and merchandize. To which 
 he added, that fuch as were called hereticks were puniflied, 
 as malefaftors, whereas drunkards and other vicious per- 
 
49^ THE HISTORY OF THg [i66| 
 
 fons were left unpunifhcd ; which to inculcate with more 
 Itrength, he made ufe of the words of Dr. Taylor, a bifhop 
 m Ireland, who faid thus : ' Why are we fo zealous 
 againft thofe we call hereticks, and yet great friends with 
 drunkards, and fwearers, and fornicators, and intemperate 
 and idle perfons ? I am certain a drunkard is as contrary 
 to the laws of Chriflianity as an heretick : and I am alfo 
 fure that I know what drunkennefs is ; but I am not fo 
 fure that fuch an opinion is herefy,' Sec. 
 
 It happened about this time in England that fome coveu 
 ous perfons, to cngrofs inheritances to themfelves, would 
 call the marriages of thofe called Quakers in queflior. 
 And it wasin this year that fuch a caufe was tried at the 
 aflizes at Nottingham. A certain man dying, and leaving 
 his wife with child, and an eftate in copyhold lands: when 
 the woman was delivered, one that was near of kin to her 
 deceafed hu(band, endeavoured to prove the child illegiti- 
 mate : and the plaintiiF's counfel willing to blacken the 
 Quakers, fo called, afferted the child to be illegitimate, 
 bccaufe the marriage of its parents was not according to 
 law; and faid bluntly, and very indecently, that the 
 Quakers went together like brute beafts. After the coun- 
 fel on both fides had pleaded, the judge, whofe name was 
 Archer, opened the cafe to the jury, and told them, 
 that there was a marriage in Paradife, when Adam took 
 Eve, and Eve took Adam ; and that it was the confent of 
 the parties that made a marriage. And as for the Quakers, 
 faid he, he did not know their opinion ; but he did not 
 bf lieve they went together as brute beafts, as had been 
 faid of them, but as Chriftians ; and therefore he did be- 
 lieve the marriage was lawful, and the child lawful heir. 
 And the better to fatisfy the jury, he related to them this 
 cafe : ' A man that was weak of body, and kept his bed, 
 had a defire in that condition to marry, and did declare 
 before witnefles that he did take fuch a woman to be his 
 wife ; aixl the woman declared, that (he took that man it) 
 be her hufband. This marriage was afterwards called in 
 queftion : but all the bifliops did at that time conclude it 
 to be a lawful marriage.' Ihe jury having received this , 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLER Q.UAKERS, 
 
 493 
 
 inftruftion, gave in their vcrdift for the child, and declared 
 it legitimate. 
 
 It hath been mentioned before^ that G. Fox being pri- 
 foner at Derby, in the year 1650, was exceedingly vexed 
 and ill treated by the' keeper of theprifon. But this man 
 being ftruck with the terrors of the Lord, became fuch a 
 notable convert, that in the year 1662, he writ the follow- 
 ing letter to G. Fox : 
 
 * Dear Friend, 
 * Having fuch a convenient meflenger, I could do no lefs 
 than give thee an account of my prefent condition, remem- 
 bering that to the firft awakening of me to a fenfe of life, 
 and of the inward principle, God was pleafed to make ufc 
 of thee as an inftrument ; fo that fometimes I am takea 
 with admiration, that it fhould come by fuch means as it 
 did; that is to fiy, that Providence fhould order thee 
 to be my prifoner, to give me my firft real fight of the 
 Truth. It makes me many times to think of the gaoler's 
 conveifion by the apoftles. Notwithftanding my out^^^ard 
 lofTcs are fince that time fuch, that I am become nothing 
 in the world, yet 1 hope I fliall find, that all thefe light 
 affli(Siions, which are but for a moment, will work for mc 
 a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They 
 have taken all from me ; and- now inftead of keeping a 
 prifon, I am rather waiting when I fhall become a prifoner 
 myfelf. Pray for me, that my faith fail not, but that I 
 may hold out to the death, that I may receive a crown of 
 life. I earneftly defire to hear from thee, and of thy 
 condition, which would very much rejoice me. Not having 
 elfe at prefent, but my kind love unto thee, and all Chriftian 
 friends with thee, in hafte I reft 
 
 ' Thine in Chrift Jefus, 
 
 ' Thomas Sharman/ 
 
 Derby, the 2 2d of the Fourth 
 
 moath, 1.66a. ^ 
 
 I have heretofore made fome mention of the imprifon- 
 ment of Catharine Evans, and Sarah Cheevers, by the 
 itiquifition at Malta. It was about this time that they were 
 releafed : for G, Fox and Gilbert Latey, having under- 
 
494 THE HISTORY OF THE fl66l 
 
 ftood that the lord d'Aubigny could procure their liberty, 
 went to him, a^id having informed him concerning their 
 imprifonment, dcfircd him to write to thofc in authority 
 ^t Malta for their rcK^afc. This he promifed to do, and 
 told them if ihey would come a^ain within a DiOnCh, 
 perhaps they might hear of their difcharge. They w^ent 
 again to him about that time, but he faid he thought his 
 letters had mifcarried ; yet he promifed he would write 
 again, and fo he did ; which had fiich effect, that the faid 
 two w^omen were difchargcd of their long imprifonment. 
 G. Fox had now opportunity to reafon with this lord 
 (who was a Roman Catholick pricft in orders) about 
 religion, and he brought him to confefs, that Chrift had 
 enlightened every man that cometh into the world w^ith his 
 fpiritual light ; and that he had tafted death for every man ; 
 and that the grace of God, which brings falvation, haih' 
 appeared to all men ; and tliat it would teach them, and 
 br'ng their falvation if they did obey it. Then G. Fox 
 afked h;m what the Romanifts would do with all their 
 relicks and images, if they did own and believe in this 
 light, and receive the grace to teach them, and bring their 
 falvation ? And he anfwered, thofe things were but policies 
 to keep people in fubje^^ion. 
 
 But leaving thefe difcourfes, I will now give a clear and 
 circumftantial relation of the imprifonment of the fore- 
 mentioned Catharine Evans, and Sarah Cheevers, chiefly 
 collefted from letters and papers, written by them in prifon, 
 and fent from thence to England, w^hcre they were publilhed 
 in print not long after their return, in the year 1662. 
 
 in the year 1658, thefe women having drawings in their 
 mind to travel towards Alexandria, went in a Ihip from 
 England to Leghorn in Italy ; and having been thirty-one 
 days between Plymouth and Leghorn, they at length fafcly 
 landed at that city ; where they found fome of their country- 
 men and friends, and ftayed there feveral days, difperfing 
 many books when occafion offered. Ihey fpoke alfowith 
 people of various degrees, without being molefted by any. 
 From thence they got pafTage in a Dutch fhip bound for 
 Alexandria, or Scandcroon ; but the mafter of the fhip 
 being in company with another ftiip going to Malta,- ^vent 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE SALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ^95 
 
 alfo thither; though he had no bufinefs in the place : but 
 before they came there, Catharine fell into fiich an. 
 anguifh of mind, that ihe cried out, ' Oh ! \vc have a 
 dreadful cup to drink at that place!' Being come into 
 the harbour, and (landing on the deck of the (hip, and 
 looking upon the people who flood on the walls, flie faid 
 in her heart, ^ Shall yc dcftroy us? If we give up to the 
 Lord, then he is fafficient to deliver us out of your hands: 
 but if we difobey our God, all thefe could not deliver us 
 out of his hand.' And fo all fear of man was taken from 
 them. 
 
 The next day, being the Virft-day of the week, they 
 went on fliore, where the Eiigliih conful met them, and 
 afl^ed them what they came there for ; they anfwered what 
 they thought convenient, and gave him fome books. Then- 
 he told them there was an inquifition ; and kindly inviting 
 them to his houfe, faid all that he had was at their fervice 
 while they were there. They accepting of this invitation^ 
 went thither, and many came to fee them, whom they 
 called to repentance, fo that feveral became tender. About 
 night they went on fliip-board, and the next day came 
 again into the city, and going to the governor, he told 
 them he had a fifler in the nunnery, who defired to 
 fee them. Thereupon they went to the nunnery, and 
 talked with the nuns, and gave them books : and one of 
 their priefts, who brought them into the chapel, w^ould 
 have them bow to the high altar, but they refufed, being 
 grieved becaufe oiF the idolatry committed there, and went 
 to the conful's again, where they ftaid fome w^eeks. During 
 that time, they once went into one of the places of worfhip 
 in the time of worfhip ; and Catharine flanding in the midft 
 of the people, turned her back to the high altar, and 
 kneeling down, flie lifted up her voice in prayer to the 
 Lord. The prieft that officiated, put off his furplice, and 
 kneeled near her till (he had done. Then he reached 
 forth his hand to them to come to him, and offered her a 
 token, which (he taking to be the mark of the beafl, 
 refufed. Thereupon he put the piece into Sarah's hand, 
 but (he gave it him again, and (liewed him her purfe that 
 Ihe had to give, if any had need, and as yet was in no 
 
' » 
 
 49* 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THt 
 
 li66t 
 
 x66ij 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 49? 
 
 wann He then aiked if they were Calvinifls or Lutherans? 
 And they anfwered, * Nay ; ' he afked if they would go 
 to Rome to the pope. They denying this, he alked if 
 they were Catholicks ; to which they faid they were true 
 Chriftians, fervants of the living God. But fince they 
 Lad yet learned but little of the language fpoken there, 
 they exprefled themfelves very defe(fi:ively ; what they did, 
 "was partly in words and partly by figns, as well as they 
 could : and many that came about them were amazed : 
 towever at laft they departed peaceably. Some time after 
 they went , again to a mafs-houfe, where the facraraent, 
 as they call ir, was adminiftered : there were many lights,- 
 and great coftlincfs and fineries ; and being grieved be- 
 caufe of their idolatry, they flood about three-quarters 
 of an hour, weeping and trembling, efpecially Catharine : 
 and this fo ftruck the congregation with amazement, that 
 Ibme removed farther from them for fear. At length they 
 both went out, but yet under fuch a trembling, that they 
 \rcnt along the ftreet reeling and ftaggering, £o that they 
 became a wonder to all that faw them. 
 
 Tney were about three months at the houfe of the 
 Englifli conful ; and he, for that reafon, being under a 
 fufpicion, did not what he might have done to fave them j' 
 but in fome rtfpeft he delivered' them up to the inquifition, ' 
 though by his oath he was oblig(?d to proteft the Englifh 
 there. In the mean-while he kept them in his houfe, and 
 fuffered them not to go abroad, though the governor had 
 told him he might let them go about their bufinefs ; ' For/ 
 feid he, ' They are honeft women.* The conful might 
 alfo have let them go free, before they came under the 
 power of the black rod. Now they perceiving that fome- 
 thing to their prejudice was in agitation, and making 
 account already that a prifon would be their lot, they 
 fignified that they fufpefted him, and told him that Pilate 
 would do the Jews a fervice, and yet wafh his hands in 
 innocency. He being at a lofs, required a frgn of them, 
 if they were the mciTcngers of God. And they gave him 
 to undcrfland, that this might ferve for a fign : that it 
 would be well with them j but that it (hould not go off well 
 with him. 
 
 Afterwards it happened that they were fent for by the 
 inquifition : and that day the conful's wife brought them 
 fome viauals ; but as fhe pafled by, Catharine was fmitten, 
 as wjth an arrow, to the heart, and fhe feemed to hear a 
 voice, faying, ' She hath obtained her purpofe.' Then 
 Catharine would not tafle of the meat, but went afide, and 
 wept exceedingly. The conful having called her, told 
 her, the inquifition had fent for them, having received 
 letters from Rome, but that he did hope they'^fhould be 
 fet free : which however was not true, for he knew (as 
 they underflood afterwards) there was a room prepared 
 for them in the prifon of the inquifition. Neither was it 
 long ere there came the chancellor, the conful, and one 
 with the black rod, who brought them before the lord 
 inquifitor ; and he allced them whether they had changed 
 their minds ; for it feems that had been required of them, 
 before. But they anfwered ' No,' and that they fhould 
 not change from the Truth. Then he a/ked what new 
 light it was they talked of; they anfwered it was no new 
 light, but the fame the prophets and apoflles bore teflimony 
 to. Next he alked how this light came to be lofl fince the 
 primitive times : they replied, it was not lofl ; men had it 
 ftill in them, but they did not know it, by reafon that the 
 night of apoflacy had overfpread the nations. Then he 
 faid, if they would change their minds, and do as thev 
 would have them, they fhould fay fo, or elfe they wouldl 
 life them as they pleafed. But they, fignifying that they 
 would not change, faid, ' The will of the Lord be done.* 
 He then arofe, and went away with the conful, leaving 
 them there: and the man with the black rod, and the 
 keeper, took and put them into an inner room in the 
 inquifition, which had only two little holes in it for light 
 and air. This place was fo exceeding hot, that it feemed 
 as if their intuit was to flifle them, as we may fee in the 
 fequel. 
 
 Not long after they were brought before the inquifitors 
 to be farther examined, and they not only afked their names, 
 but alfo the names of their hufbands and parents, and 
 what children they had, and alfo why they came thither? 
 To which they anfwered, they were fervants of the living 
 Vol. I. 2 1 
 
c / 
 
 498 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i66i 
 
 1661'] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 499 
 
 God, come there to call them to repentance. The next 
 day they were called again, but then examined afunder ; 
 and Sarah being alked whether (lie was a true Catholick, 
 faid, that (he was a true Chriftian, worihipping G|od in 
 Spirit and in Truth. Then they held forth a crucifix to 
 her, and would have her fwear that {he Ihould fpeak the 
 truth. To which (he faid, (he (hould fpeak the truth, 
 but (he would not fwear ; for Chrift had commanded, 
 '* Swear not at all." The Englifli conful who was prefent, 
 endeavoured to perfuade her to fwear, and faid that none 
 fhould do her any -harm. She having lome books with 
 her, they were taken from her; and they aiked her, 
 wherefore (he brought ihofe books; to which (he anfwered, 
 'becaufe they could not fpeak their language. Then they 
 a(ked her, what George Fox was ? She anfwered, ' A 
 minifter.' Farther they alked, wherefore (he came thither ? 
 And (he replied, to do the will of God as (he was moved 
 of the Lord. The next qucilion was, hov/ the Lord did 
 appear unto her: to which (he anfwered, * By his Spirit.- 
 And being aiked whether (lie did fee his prefence, and 
 hear his voice, her anfwer was, (he heard his voice, and 
 aw his piefence. They then aiked what he faid to her? 
 She anfwered, that he required of her to go over the feas 
 to do his will. This made them alk^ how (he knew it 
 w^as the Lord who required this of her ? To which (he 
 anfwered, that fmce he had fignified to her, that his living 
 prefence (hould go along with her, (lie found him to 
 perform his promife, for (lie did feel his living prefence. 
 After this they went away. 
 
 Two days after the inquifitors came and called for 
 Catharine, and oflTering her the cruci(ix, they told her, 
 the magiftrates commanded her to fwear, that (he fliould 
 fpeak the truth, 'lb which liie faid, that ilic (hould fpeak 
 the truth,, for (lie was a witnefs for God ; but (he (hould 
 not fwear, fince a greater than the niagiflrates faid, " Swear 
 not at all ; but let your yea^ be yea, and your nay, nay ; 
 for whatfoever is more, conieth of evil." Then faid 
 they, ' You muft obey the juftice ; and he commands you 
 to fwear.* She returned, ' I (hall obey julHce, but if I 
 (tould fwear, I (liould do an unjuit thing ; for the juft 
 
 (Chrift) faid. Swear not at all.' Then they a/ked her, 
 
 whether (he did own that Chrift that died at Jerufajem? 
 
 She anfwered, ' \Vc own the fame Chrift and no other ; 
 
 he is the fame yefterday, to-day, and for ever.' Nej^t 
 
 they afked her, what fhe would do at Jerufalem:' (Jie 
 
 anfwered, (lie did not know that (he (hould go thither; 
 
 but (lie intended to have gone to Alexandria. They a(ked 
 
 what to do : her anfwer was, ' The will of God : and 
 
 (faid (lie) if the Lord opened my mouth, I (hould call 
 
 people to repentance, and declare to them the day of the 
 
 Lord, and direft their minds fromdarknefs to light.' They 
 
 aiked her alfo, whether (he did fee the Lord: (he anfwered, 
 
 God was afpirit, and he was fpiritually difcerned. 
 
 Now, though from the anfwers of thefe women Httle 
 could be got to blame the«i, yet they were kept clofe 
 prifoners, which fecmed to grieve the Engli{h conful, for 
 he came to them with tears in his eyes, and faid he was 
 forry as for his own flefti ; for it feems he had received 
 fomething for delivering them up, which he would willingly 
 have given back^ if thereby he could have obtained their 
 liberty : but a flavifti fear po(re(red him, and he never had 
 peace while he lived. Some days after this came a magi- 
 ftrate, two friars, the man with the black rod, a fcribe, 
 and the keeper of the inquifition to examine them ; and 
 they were again required to fwear: but they anfwered as 
 before, that Chrift faid, «< Swear not at all;'' and that the 
 apoftle James gave the fame charge. Hereupon the magi* 
 ftrate^aiked if they would fpeak truth: and they faid, 
 * Yes.' He then a(ked whether they believed the creed ; 
 to which they faid, they did believe in God, and in Jefus 
 Chrift, who was born of the Virgin Mary, and fu(rered at 
 Jerufalem under Pontius Pilate, and arofe again from the 
 dead the third day, and afcended to his Father, and (hall 
 come to judgment, to judge botli quick and dead. . He 
 farther aiked, how they did believe the refurreftion : and 
 they anfwered, that- they believed that the juft and the 
 unjuft (hould arife, according to the Scriptures. Next he 
 (aid, *Do you believe in the faints, and pray to them?' ' 
 To which the anfwer was, ' We believe the communion 
 of faints, but we do not pray to thcm^ but to God only, 
 
 2 12 
 
500 
 
 THE HISTORY OP THE 
 
 [i66r 
 
 1661] 
 
 in the name of Jcfus/ His next qucflion was, whether they 
 did believe in the Catholick church : and they anfwered, 
 they did believe the true church of Chrifl, ' but the word 
 Catholick (faid ihey) we have not read in Scripture.* He 
 alfo afked if they believed in purgatory : to which they 
 faid, * No ; but a heaven and a hell/ Then one of the 
 friars, who was an Englifhman, faid, we were commanded 
 to pray for the dead ; for, thofe that are in heaven have 
 no need : and for thofe that arc in hell, there is no re- 
 demption ; therefore there mufl be a purgatory : and he 
 afked if they believed the holy facrament 5 to which their 
 anfwer was, they never read the word facrament in Scrip- 
 ture. The friar replied, * Where you read in your bibles 
 fandification, it is facrament in ours.' And he faid, their 
 holy facrament was bread and wine, which they converted 
 into the fiefh and blood of Chriil, by the virtue of Chrift. 
 * Then,* faid the women, ' ye work miracles, for Chrifl:*s 
 virtue is the fame as it was when he turned water into 
 wine, at the marriage in Cana.* The friar faid, * If we 
 do not eat the flefli, and drink the blood of the Son of 
 <jod, we have no life in us.* They replied, * The flefh 
 and blood of Chrift is fprritual, and we do feed upon it 
 daily ; for that which is begotten of God in us, can no 
 more live without fpirrtual food, than our temporal bodies 
 can without temporal food.* Then he faid, * You never 
 hear mafs.* ' But we,* faid they, ' hear the voice of 
 Chrift ; he only hath the words of eternal life ; and that is 
 fufficient for us. He faid, ' Ye are heretick and heathens ;* 
 10 which they replied, * They are heretick that live in 
 fin and wickedncfs, and fuch arc heathens that know not 
 Cod.* 
 
 Then it was a/ked them who was the head of their 
 church : they told hin-, ' Chrift.* It was further alked 
 i¥hat George Fox was : and they faid, * He is a minifter 
 of Chrift.* And it being alked whether he fent them, their 
 anfwer was, * No : the Lord did move us to come.* Then 
 the friar faid, ' Ye are deceived, and have not the faith ; 
 though' ye had all virtues.* And they replied, * Faith ig 
 the ground from whence virtues proceed.' Hereupon it 
 was told them, if they would take the holy facrament they 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QpAKEkS. 
 
 S<^^ 
 
 might have their liberty ; or elfe the pope would not leave 
 them for millions of gold ; but they fhould loofe their fouls 
 and bodies too. To this they' faid, 'The Lord hath 
 provided for our fouls, and our bodies are freely given 
 up to ferve him.' Then it was alked them if they did 
 not believe marriage was a facrament : and they anfwered, 
 Jt was an ordinance of God. It was farther aiTced if they 
 did believe men could forgive fins : and their anfwer was, 
 that none could forgive lins but God only. After fomc 
 other words to and fro, the women alked, *^ Wherein 
 have we wronged you, that we fliould be kept prifoner* 
 all the days of our life ? Our innocent blood will be re- 
 quired at your hands.' The friar faid he would take their 
 blood upon him. They replied, the time would come 
 he fhould find he had enough upon him without it. Then 
 it was told them the pope was Chrift*s vicar, and what 
 he did was for the good of their fouls. To which they 
 anfwered, * The Lord hath not committed the charge of 
 our fouls to the pope, nor to you neither ; for he hath 
 taken them into his own poflfeffion : glory be to his Qflmc 
 for ever.* Then it was faid unto them they muft be 
 obedient. And they returned, they were obedient to the 
 government of Chrift's Spirit or light. The friar faid, 
 ^ None have the true light but the Catholicks ; the light 
 that you have is the fpirit of the devil.* * Woe (faid 
 they) to him that curfeth Jefus ; can the devil give power 
 over fin and iniquity ? That would deftroy his own king- 
 dom.* f You,* replied the friar, ^ are laughed at and 
 mocked of every one.* « But,* faid they, « what will 
 become of the mockers ? * « It was no matter,' he faid : 
 * you run about to preach, and have not the true faith.' 
 They returned, ' The true faith is held in a pure confcience, 
 void of offence towards God and men. Every one hath 
 the true faith, that believeth in God, and in Jefus Chrift 
 whom he hath fent:. but they that fay they do believe, 
 and do not keep his commandments, are liars, and the 
 truth is not in them.* The friar confeffed this to be true, 
 though he was continually very troublefome to them with 
 threats, to make them turn ; and to this end they were 
 locked up in a room, fo exceeding hot, that it was faid k 
 
 213 
 
5C2 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TH^ 
 
 [1661 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 S<^i^ 
 
 was impoflible they could live long in it. They were alfo 
 fo exceedingly flung by gnats, when they lay in bed, 
 that their faces became fwoln, as if they had been fick of 
 the fmall-pox, fo that many began to be afraid of them ; 
 and the friar faid to Sarah, he fpied an evil fpirit in her 
 face. 
 
 At another time being examined, they were afked, how 
 many of their friends were gone forth 'into the miniflry, 
 and into what parts : they anfwering to that query what 
 they knew, it was told them, all that came where the 
 pope had any thing to do, fhould never go back, again. 
 But they faid, the Lord was as fufficient for them, as he 
 was for the children in the fiery furnace, and their truft 
 was in God. Catharine being fickly, was afked- why (he 
 looked fo ; whether her fpirit was weak : (he anfwered, 
 *Nay : my body is weak, becaufe I eat no meat.* The 
 friar hearing this, offered her a licence to eat flefh ; for it 
 was in their Lent. But flic refufed this, and faid, fhe 
 could not eat any thing at all. And going afterwards 
 to bed, fhe lay there night and day for twelve days to- 
 gether, fading and fweating, for flie Was in much afflidlion, 
 and great was her agony. 
 
 After having lain ten days, there cafne to her two friars, 
 the chancellor, the man with the black rod, a phyfician, 
 and the keeper. One of the friars commanded Sarah to 
 go out of the room, and then pulled Catliarine's hand out 
 of the bed, and faid, ' Is the devil fo great in you, that 
 you cannot fpeak?' To which fhe faid, ' Depart from me, 
 thou worker of iniquity : the power of the Lord is upon 
 me, and doft thou call him devil?' Hereupon he took 
 his crucifix to flrike her on the mouth : and flie afked him, 
 whether it were that crofs that crucified Paul to the world, 
 and the world unto him. This ignorant monk faid it was. 
 But fhe denied it, and fliid, ' The Lord hath made me a 
 witnefs for himfclf, againfl all workers of iniquity.' He 
 then bade her be obedient, and went to flrike her, at 
 which fhe faid, ' Wilt thou flrike me ?' And he faying 
 he would, fhe further faid, ' Thou art out of the apoflle's 
 do<flrine, for they were no ftrikers. I deny thee to be 
 any of them who went -in the name ol the Lord.' To 
 
 which he faid, he had brought her a phyfician in charity : 
 and fhe returned, ' The Lord is my phyfician, and my 
 faving health.' The monk growing angry, faid fhe fliould 
 be whipped and quartered, and burnt that night at Malta, 
 and her mate too. But fhe told him modeftly, flie did not 
 fear ; the Lord was on her fide ; and he had no power 
 but what he had received ; and if he did not ufe it to the 
 fame end the Lord gave it him, the Lord would judge him. 
 At thefe words they were all flruck dumb, and went away. 
 Then the ftiar went to Sarah, and told her that Catharine 
 , called him worker of iniquity. «Did fhe,' faid Sarah, 
 ' art thou without fin ? ' To which he faid he was. 
 * Then,' replied Sarah, * fhe hath wronged thee.' 
 
 Late in the evening, fomething was proclaimed at the 
 prifon gate, by beating of a drum, and early in the morn- 
 ing fome came again with a drum and guns. It feems to 
 me that this w^as done on purpofe to frighten thefe poor 
 women, and to make them believe that they fhould be 
 put to death ; for indeed they looked for little lefs, having 
 for fevcral weeks expefted that they fliould be led to the 
 flake : but they were fully refigned, and given up to 
 what the Lord might be pleafed to permit. In the mean- 
 while Catharine continuing fickly, the friar came again 
 .^ with the phyfician. But fhe told him, fhe could not take 
 'any thing, unlefs flie felt freedom. He then faid, they 
 mufl never come forth of that room while they lived : and 
 pretending to be kind to them, he further faid, « You may 
 thank God and me, that it is no worfe ; for it was like to 
 be worfe. Thereupon they faid, that if they had die^, 
 they had died as innocent as ever any fervants of the Lord. 
 ;He then faid, it was v^ell they were innocent j and turning 
 to Sarah, bade her take notice what torment Catharine 
 fhould be in at the hour of deat^ j faying, thoufands of 
 devils would fetch her foul to hell. But Sarah told him, 
 ihe did not fear any .fuch thing. He then afked Catharine, 
 if fhe did not think it expedient for the elders of the 
 jchurch to pray over the fick. And fhe faid, ' Yea, 
 iuch as are moved of the Spirit of the Lord.' He then 
 fell down on his knees, and did l^owl, and wifli' bitter 
 . wifhes upon himfelf, if he had not. the true faith. The 
 
 214 ''^^ ' "^ 
 
504 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [166c 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERS. 
 
 505 
 
 phyfician in the mean-while was enraged^ bccaufe (he did 
 not bow to him. 
 
 Now whilfl Catharine was Tick, Sarah was not without 
 great affliction ; for it grieved her to fee her dear com- 
 panion fo ill ; and flie eafily forefaw, that if Catharine 
 died, her own fuffcrings would be heavier. But yet (he 
 was given up to the will of the Lord, and would not in 
 the lead grudge at Catharine's eternal reft. But in time 
 Catharine began to mend, and grow hungry ; and eating, 
 fhe was refre(hed. But the rooni wherein they were 
 locked was fo exce(rively hot, that they were often fain to 
 rife out of their bed, and lie down at the chink of the 
 door for air to fetch breath ; and this heat was the greater, 
 becaufe it came not only from without, but within alfo ; 
 which fo affefted them, that their fkin was parched, the 
 hair fell off their heads, and they fainted often ; and their 
 affliftions were fo great, that when it was day, they wifhed 
 for night, and when it was night, they wi(hed for day; 
 yea, through human weaknefs, they dcfired death, earing 
 their bread weeping, and mingling their drink with tears. 
 Once Catharine aiked the monks, who came to her with a 
 phyfician, and faid it was in charity, whether they did not 
 keep them in that hot room to kill them, and bring a 
 phyfician to keep them longer alive? To this the friar 
 faid, the inquifitor would lofe his head if he fhould take 
 fhem thence; and it was better to keep them there, than 
 to kill them. Then they writ to the inquifitor, and laid 
 tbeir innocency before him ; and h\d alfo, if it were 
 their blood they thirfled after, they might take it any other 
 way, 'as well as to ffnother them in that hot room. But 
 this fo iriccnfed him, that he fent the friar to them, who 
 look away their ink-horns, their bibles being taken from 
 them before. They afkecj them, why their goods were 
 taken away : to which it was anfwered, ' All i? ours ; and 
 ypiir lives too, if \ve \till.' Then thry afked, how they 
 liad forfeited their lives : to which it was told them, ' For 
 bringing books and papers.' They replied, if there were 
 kpy thing in them rhat^was not true, they might write againft 
 jt. To this the monk faid, they fcorned to write to fooU 
 3nd a(res, that did not know true Latin. And it was further 
 
 told them, the inquifitor would have them feparated, be- 
 caufe Catharine was weak, and (be fliould go into a cooler 
 room; but Sarah fhould abide there. Then Catharine 
 took Sarah by the arm, and faid, ' The Lord hath joined 
 us together, and woe be to them that part us. I had 
 rather die here with my friend, than part from her.* This 
 lb ftruck the ftiar, that he went away, and came no more 
 in (ive weeks, and the door of their room was not opened 
 in *ill that time. 
 
 Then the monks came again to part them, but Catharine 
 was fick, and broken out from head to foot. They 
 thereupon fent for a doftor, and he faid, they muft have 
 air, or elfe they mufi: die. This was told the inquifitor, 
 and he ordered the door to be fet open fix hours in a day. 
 But ten weeks after they were parted ; which was fuch a 
 grievous affliftion, that they declared, death itfelf would 
 not have been fo hard to ihem. But the monks faid they 
 corrupted each other, and that being parted, they would 
 bow and fubmit. But they faw themfelves difappointed ; 
 for the women were ftronger afterwards than before, the 
 Lord fitting them for every condition. Before they were 
 parted, the friars brought them a fcourge of fmall hempen 
 cords, aiking them if they would have it ; and faying they 
 were ufed to whip themfelves till the blood came. But the 
 women faid, that could not reach the devil, he fat upon 
 the heart. Then the monks Iciid, * All the people of 
 Malta are for you ; if ye will be Catholicks, none but 
 'will like you.' To which they returned, *The Lord hath 
 changed us into that which changeth not.' The monks 
 then faid, 'All our holy women do pray for you : and 
 ye fhall be honoured of all the world, if ye will turn/ 
 They replied, ' The world lies in wickednefs ; and the 
 honour and glory of the world we have denied.' To this 
 the monks faid, ' Ye (hall be honoured of God too; but 
 now ye are hated *of all.' ' This,' faid one of the women, 
 ^*^ ft an evident token whofe fervants we are. The fervant 
 IS not' greater than his Lord.' 
 
 Once, on a Firft day of the week, the friars came, and 
 coran^anded them to kneel down with them to prayer. 
 They figaiiied they could not pray but as they were moved 
 
I 
 
 506 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THI 
 
 [1661 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 507 
 
 « 
 
 '1 
 
 I 
 
 I % 
 
 by the Lord. Then the friars commanded them the 
 
 fccond time, and kneeled down by their bed-fide, and 
 
 prayed after this manner ; which being done, they faid 
 
 TO the women, * We have tried your fpirits ; now we 
 
 know what fpirit ye are of.' But they told them they 
 
 could not know that, unlefs their minds were turned to the 
 
 light of Chrift in their confciences. The Englifh friar 
 
 then growing angry, fliewed them his crucifix, and bade 
 
 ihem look on it. But they told him, the Lord faith, 
 
 *' Thou (halt not make to thyfelf the likenbfs of any thing 
 
 that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in 
 
 the wfter under the earth ; thou flialt not bow down to 
 
 ihem, nor worfhip them ; but I the Lord thy God am a 
 
 jealous God." The friar feeing Sarah fpeak fo boldly to 
 
 him, called for the irons to chain her. She then bowed 
 
 her head, and faid to him; 'Not only my hands and feef, 
 
 but my neck alfo for the teftimony of Jefus.* The friar 
 
 iccming appeafed, faid he would do them any good he 
 
 could ; for he faw what they did was not in malice. And 
 
 the friars came often, and faid to them, 'If ye would do 
 
 but a little ye (hould be fct at liberty; but you will do 
 
 nothing at all, but are againft every thing.' To which 
 
 they returned, that they would do any thing that might 
 
 tend to God's glory. 
 
 While ihey were imprifoned here. It happened that 
 the inquifition houfe was new-built or repaired, which took 
 tip about the fpacc of a year and an half ; and during 
 this time, fome of the great ones came often to fee the 
 building, which gave opportunity to thefe women to fpeak 
 to them, and to declare the Truth in the name of the 
 Lord. 
 
 Now, though they were 'threatened by the monks for 
 preaching the light of Chrift fo boldly, yet not only the 
 magiftrates, but the lord inquifitor grew moderate to^ 
 wards them, and gave order they ftiould have pens, ink, 
 and paper to write to England. And they feemed incliUjed 
 to have them fet at liberty; but the friars worked mightily 
 againft it ; and had laboured about three quarters of a 
 year to part them, before they could bring it to pafs. 
 
 And when at length they had efFefted it, they told Catharine 
 that they ftiould never fee one another's faces again. 
 
 In the mean-while Catharine being fickly, had little 
 ftomach to eat, and had no mind to cat any thing but what 
 came from Sarah to her. And having told one of th$ 
 friars that (lie wanted fomebody to wa(h her linen, and to 
 prepare fome warm viftuals for her, he fent to Sarah to 
 know if file would do it for her ; and ftie faid flie would* 
 And by that means they for fome weeks heard of on« 
 another every day ; and the friar faid once to Catharine, 
 ' You may free yourfelf of mifery when you will; you 
 may make yourfelf a Catholick, and have your freedom to 
 go where you will:' to which flie told him, 'Thus I 
 might have a name that I did live when I was dead ; thou 
 haft Catholicks enoug-h already. Endeavour to bring fome 
 of them to the light in their confciences, that they may 
 ftand in ajve and fin not.' But he was fo eager, that he 
 faid he would lofe one of his fingers if flie and Sarah 
 would be Catholicks. Then flie told him it was Babylon 
 that was built with blood, but Sion was redeemed through 
 judgment. 
 
 Many ways were ufed to draw them off; and once they 
 would have perfuaded her to fet a pi£i:ure at her bed's 
 head, for. a reprefentation : but ftie faid, as with abhor- 
 rence, ' What, do jc think I want a calf to worftiip ? 
 Do ye walk by the rule of Scriptures ?' To which the 
 friar faid, ' AVe do ; but we have traditions too.' She 
 replied, ' If your traditions derogate or diflent from the 
 fundamentals of Chrift's doftrine, the prophets and apoftles, 
 I deny them in the name of the Lord.' But he aflferted 
 that they did not. Then flie afked what rule they had to 
 burn thofe that could not join with tliem for confcience 
 fake : and he returned, ' St. Paul did worfe, for he gave 
 them to the devil :' and further faid, that they did judge 
 all damned that were not of their faith. Then flie ob- 
 jefted to him feveral of the fuperftitious rites of the church 
 of Rome, and mentioned alfo the forbidding of marriage, 
 which, faid {he, is a doctrine of devils, according to the 
 faying of the apoftle. The friar being put to a nonplus, 
 told her that St. Peter was the pope of Rome, and did 
 
5o8 
 
 TH?. HISTORY OP TH« 
 
 [i66r 
 
 I66I] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qtJAKERS, 
 
 5^9 
 
 I * % 
 
 I 
 
 build an altar there, and the pope was his fucceflbr, and 
 he could do what he would. But fhe refuted this with 
 found reafon. He then boafting of the antiquity of their 
 church, fhe fignified that the church fhe was of was yet 
 older ; * For,' faid fhe, * our faith was from the beginning ; 
 and Abel was of our church.* The friar being at a lofs, 
 and not longer able to hold out againfl Catharine, went to 
 Sarah,, and talked with her at the fame rate ; and fhe 
 alfo told him Abel was of our church : to which he faid, 
 *.Abel was a Catholick ;' and quite overfhooting himfelf, 
 he faid likewife, * And Cain and Judas were fo.' To 
 which Sarah returned, * Then the devil was a Catholick ; 
 and I will not be one : I will not turn ; though ye would 
 tear me to pieces, I believe the Lord would enable me to 
 endure it.* 
 
 At another time the faid friar, whofe name was Malachy, 
 came again to Catharine, and told her if flie would be a 
 Catholick, fhe fhould fay fo ; otherwife they would ufc 
 her badly, and fhe fhould never fee the face of Sarah 
 again, but fhould die by herfelf, and a thoufand devils 
 (hould carry her foul to hell. She then aiked him if he 
 were the meilenger of God to her : and he faid, * Yes.' 
 
 * Why, what is my fin,' faid fhe, or wherein have I 
 provoked the Lord, that he doth fend me fuch a mefTage?* 
 
 * It is,' returned the monk, ' becaufe you will not be a 
 Catholick.' Whereupon fhe faid, ' I deny thee and the 
 mcfTage too, and the fpirit which fpeaks in thee ; for the 
 Lord never fpoke fo.' He growing angry, faid that he 
 would lay her in a whole pile of chains, where fhe fhould 
 fee neither fun nor moon. She intimating how refigned 
 file was, faid he could not feparate her from the love of 
 God in Chrifl Jefus, lay her wherever he would. And 
 he further faying he would give her to the devil, fhe 
 refumed, * I do not fear all the devils in hell ; the Lord ts 
 my keeper. Though thou hadfl: the inquifition, with all 
 the countries round about it on thy fide, and 1 was alone 
 by myfelf, I do not fear them ; if they were thoufands 
 more, the Lord is on my right hand ; and the worfl they 
 can do, is but to kill the bcdy, they can touch my life 
 no more than the devil could Job's.* Then the monk 
 
 faid fhe fhould never go out of that room alive. To which 
 (he courageoufly faid, ' The Lord is fufBcient to deliver 
 me ; but whether he will or no, I will not forfake the 
 living fountain, to drink at a broken ciflern. And ye 
 have no law to keep us here, but fuch a law as Ahah had 
 forNaboth's vineyard.' The monk then curfing himfelf, 
 and calling upon his gods, ran away ; and as he was 
 pulling the door, he faid, ' Abide th' re, member of the 
 devil.' To which flie faid, ' The devil's members do 
 the devil's works ; and the woes and plagiics of the Lord 
 will be upon them for it.' 
 
 He then went and told the inquifitor of it, who laughed 
 -at him ; and before he came again, Catharine was, moved 
 out of that room : when he came, he brought one of the 
 inquifitor's men with him, and two very good hens, and 
 faid, the lord inquifitor had fent them in love to her. 
 To which fhe faid, fhe received his love, but yet fhe 
 Ihewed heifelf not very ready to accept them ; ayd 
 jignified that fhe was willing to pay for them, being loath 
 to be chargeable to any, vdiWd flie had of her own. The 
 friar, who it feems would have had them lay down their 
 money at his feet, faid they mufl not count any thing their 
 own, for in the primitive times they fold their pofTtfTions, 
 and laid them down at the apoftles feet. He further faid, 
 * You Ihall not want any thing, though we fhould fpend a 
 ihoufand crowns. But you are proud, becaufe you will 
 not take the inquifitor's hens which he fcnt you in charity.* 
 She then afking what kind of charity this was, fince he 
 kept her in prifon ; the friar faid, it was for the good of 
 their fouls he kept them in prifon; farther adding, * If 
 you had not been going to preach, ye might have gone 
 where ye would.' She returned, ' Our fouls are out of 
 the inquifitor's reach. Why fliould your love ex;.end 
 more to us than to your own family: for they commit all 
 manner of fin, which you cannot charge us with. Why 
 do not ye put them into the inquifition, and bid them turn ?* 
 He then faid, * You have not the true faiih ;' and fhcwing 
 her his crucifix, afked her, if fhe thought he did worihip 
 that: and fhe aflced him, what then did he with it: to 
 «4!rhich he anfwcred, it was a reprefen ration. And flie 
 
5IO 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE- 
 
 [1661. 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 in 
 
 
 k 
 
 replied, it did not rcprefent Chrift, for he was the exprefs 
 image of his Father's glory, which is light and life. * But,' 
 continued Ihe, * if thou canfl put any life in any of thy 
 images, then uring them to me. What reprefentation had 
 Daniel in the lion's den,or Jonah in the whale's belly? They 
 cried unto the Lord, and he delivered them.' The friar, 
 who could not abide to hear her fpeak fo much againft 
 idols, faid (he t-alkc^d like a mad woman, adding, ' I will 
 give you to the devil.' She not fearing this, faid, ' Give 
 thy own, I am the Lord's.' He then ftood up, and faid, 
 ' I will do to you as the apoflles did to Ananias and 
 Sapphira.' She then flanding up alfo, faid, * I deny thee 
 in the name of the Lord, the living God, thou haft no 
 power over me.* Then away he went with the hens to 
 Sarah, and told her that Catharine was fick, and the lord 
 inquifitor had fent two hens, and (he would be glad to 
 cat a piece of one, if (he would drefs one of them prefently, 
 and the other to-morrow. ^ Sarah no lefs circumfpect and 
 cautious than Catharine, and unwilling to receive this 
 gift before fhe knew what might be expedient, anfwered 
 him accordingly as Catliarine did. Then he carried the 
 hens away again, faying, ' You would fain be burnt, be- 
 caufe you would make the world believe, you love God 
 fo well as to fuffer in that kind.' Catharine hearing this 
 faid, * Ldo not defire to be burnt ; but if the Lord Ihould 
 call me to it, I believe he will give me power to undergo 
 it for his Truth ; and if every hair of my head was a 
 body, I could offer them up all for the teftimony of Jefas, 
 
 The friar coming afterwards, again alked Catharine 
 whether fhe had not been infpired of the Holy Ghoft to 
 be a Cathorrck, fmce fhe came into the inquifition : fhe 
 faid, *No:' but he maintaining the contrary, faid, 'You 
 are thofe who call the Spirit of the Holy Ghoft the Spirit 
 of the devil.' 'No:' replied they (who though they 
 were parted could hear one another), ' the Spirit of the- 
 Holy Ghoft in us will refift the devil; and the infpiration 
 of the Holy Ghoft is not wrought in the will of man, nor 
 in man's time ; but in God's will and time.' More dif- 
 courfe they had about this matter, and then aiking for 
 
 their Bibles, which had been taken from them, he faid 
 they fhould never fee them again, for they were falfc. 
 
 Thus they were often troubled and importuned by the 
 friars, who generally came two at a time, though fomc- 
 times but one. One of thefe often lifted up his hand to 
 ftrike them, but did not : for they not being moved by 
 fear, he was put out of countenance, and would fay 
 they were good women, and he would do them any good. 
 As indeed fometimes he did work for them, and would fay 
 it was for God's fake, and that they ought to thank hint for 
 It ; to which they replied, thofe that did any thing for 
 God, did not look for a reward from man ; which once 
 made him fo angry, that he faid they were the worft of all 
 creatures, and that they fliould be ufed worfe than the 
 Turk??, Armenians, and Lutherans. Whereupon one of 
 them faid, ^'The pure life was ever counted the worft; 
 and if we fuffer, we are the Lord's, and can truft him. 
 Do what ye will with us, we do not fear any evil tiding*: 
 we are fettled and grounded in Truth; and the more ye 
 perfecute us, the ftronger we grow.' For this they ex- 
 perienced indeed, according to what they fignified in their 
 letters, though they were feparated a year from each 
 other. The friars coming once to Sarah, told her if (he 
 would flie might go out of the prifon, and fay and do 
 nothing. And fhe faying {he would on that account, they 
 h\d they would come next morning. But Sarah perceived 
 their deceit, and therefore when they came, fhe, to avoid 
 the fnare, could not rcfolve to go forth, though the friars 
 behaved themfclves friendly, and told her that the inqui- 
 fitor had faid, if they \<^anted linen, woolen, ftockings, 
 Ihoes, or money, they fhould have it. 
 
 Once it happened" that an Enghftiman who lived there, 
 having heard that Sarah was^n a room with a window 
 next the ftreet, got up by the wall, and fpoke a few 
 words to her ; but he was violently haled down, and caft 
 into prifon upon life and death ; for he was one they had 
 taken from the Turks, and made a Papift of him. The 
 friars coming to them to know whether he had brought 
 them any letters, they faid ' No.' Neither had Caiharine 
 fccn him; yet it was told them he was like to be hanged. 
 
 / 
 
SI* 
 
 THH HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 Of this Sarah gave information to Catharine, by writing 
 2 few lines to her (for it feems they then could not hear 
 one another), and flic told her, (he thought the Englifh 
 friars were the chief a6lors of this bufinefs. This grieved 
 Catharine, and (he wrote to Sarah again (for they had a 
 private way to fend to each other). In this letter, after 
 her falutation, fhe faid to Sarah, that (he might be furc 
 the friars were the chief aftors ; but that (he believed the 
 Lord would preferve that poor Englifhman for his love, 
 and that (he was made to feek the Lord for hira with tears ; 
 and that (he defired her to fend him fomething once a day, 
 if the keeper would carry it ; that (he herfclf was ravi(hed 
 with the love of God to her foul, and her beloved was 
 the chiefcft of ten thoufands ; and that (he did not fear the 
 face of any man, though (he felt their arrows : moreover 
 that (he had a profpcft of their fafe return into England. 
 And in the conclufion, (he bade Sarah take heed, if (he 
 was tempted with money. But this letter (by what means 
 they never knew) came to the Englifli friars hands, who 
 tranflating it into Italian, delivered it to the lord inquifitor ; 
 and afterwards came with the inqui(itor's deputy to Catha- 
 rine, and (hewed her both the papers, and alked her if 
 fhe could read it : viz. the Engli(h one : ' Yea,' faid (he, 
 * I writ it.' * O, did you indeed ?' faid he. * And what 
 is it you fay of me here ?' * Ncuhing but what is true,'- 
 replied Cie. Then he faid, * Where is the paper Sarah 
 fent ? Give it, or elfe I will fearch your trunk, and every- 
 where elfc.' She then bidding him fearch where he would, 
 he faid, (he muil tell him who it was that brought her ink, 
 or elfe (he (liould be tied with chains prefcntly. And (he 
 returned (he had done nothing but what was jufl and right 
 in the fight of God ; and what ihe did fufFer oh that account 
 would be for Truth's fake. And (he would not meddle 
 with the poor workmen. Then he faid, ' For God's fake 
 tell me what Sarah did write.' And (lie told him fome- 
 thing, and faid, what (he fpoke war. truth. ' But,* re- 
 turned he, ' you fay \i is much we do not tempt you with 
 money.' And this indeed happened afterwards. The 
 deputy then took Catharine's ink, and threw it away ; and 
 fo thc7 went alfo ; and the poor Englifhman was releafed 
 
 1 66 1 j < 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 5^3 
 
 the next morning. They nov/ coming to Sarah, told her 
 that Catharine honeftly had confeflTed all, and that (he had 
 beft to confcfs too : and they threatened her with a halter, 
 and that they would take away her bed and trunk, and 
 her money too : to which Sarah faid, it. may be (he 
 might not fend to Catharine any more : and (he aiked the 
 deputy, whether he was a minifter of Chrift, or a magi- 
 (Irate : if he were a magiftrate, faid (he, he might take 
 ' her money, but (he would not give it him. He then 
 growing angry, faid (he was poflTclTed ; to which fhe re. * 
 plied, if fo, then it was with the power of an endle(s 
 life. 
 
 Thus from time to time they fu(rered many a(raults; 
 and fometimes it fo happened that thofe who came to fee 
 them, were, (truck to the heart, which o(Fended the friars. 
 Now at length their money was almoft gone, they having 
 fometimes employed it for viftuals. But the friars told 
 them they might have kept their money for other fervices ; 
 for they (hould have maintained them whilft they kept 
 them prifoners. To this they faid they could not keep 
 their money, and be chargeable to others. Then it fo 
 fell out that their ftomachs were taken away, and they 
 did eat but little for three or four weeks, till at length they 
 found themfelves obliged to (afting for feveral days to- 
 gether : which made the friars fay, that it was impo(riblc 
 that people could live with fo little meat as they did. 
 And it was told them the lord inquifitor had faid, they 
 might have any thing they would. To which they figni- 
 fying that it was not in their own will they fafted, faid they 
 mud wait to know the mind of the Lord, what he would 
 have them to do. They continued weak, efpecially Sarah, ' 
 who apprehending her death near, did therefore drefs her 
 head as (he would lie in the grave. They both were fo 
 feeble that they could not put on their clothes, neither put 
 them off, being alfo unable to make their beds. And 
 though they defired to be together in one room, yet the 
 friars would not permit it. In this condition they concluded 
 they were like to d^e ; but heaven had provided'otherwife. 
 
 Catharine about that time, being exercifed in fupplication 
 to the Lord, that it might pleafe him to put an end to their 
 Vol. I. 2 K 
 
5^4 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 trial, which way it fcemed good in his fight, thought fhe 
 heard a voice faying, * Ye (hall not die :' and (he took this to 
 be a heavenly voice : and from that time they felt themfelves 
 refreihed with the living prcfcnce of the Lord, to their 
 great joy and comfort, fo that they felt freedom to eat 
 again: and then they were provided with good viftuals ; 
 but yet they were under a fear of eating any thing which 
 m fome refpe6^ might be counted unclean ; and therefore 
 they cried unto the Lord, and faid, ' We had rather die 
 than eat any thing that is polluted and unclean.' And 
 Catharine believed it was faid to her from the Lord, 
 ' Thou mayeft as freely eat, as if thou hadft wrought for it 
 with thy hands.' And Sarah, who fometimes had wrought 
 for others in the inquifition houfe, was perfuaded that it 
 was told her by infpiration, * Thou fhalt eat the fruit of 
 thy hands, and be bleffed.' And fo they did eat, and for 
 eight or ten days, they got whatever they did call for. 
 But afterwards they were fo ftraitened for want of food, 
 that it did them more hurt than their faft. Yet they being 
 preferved alive, the friars faid, ' The Lord keeps them 
 alive by his mighty power, becaufe they fliould be Catho- 
 licks.' To which they returned, it fhould be known one 
 day the Lord had another end in it. But the friars told 
 them plainly, there was no redemption for them. Where- 
 upon they faid. With the Lord there was mercy and plen- 
 teous redemption : and they bade them take heed, ' ye be 
 not found fighters againfl God.' To which the friars re- 
 turned, ' Ye are foolifh women.' * Then we are,' replied 
 they, ' the Lord's fools ; and they are dear and precious 
 in his fight.' The friars then (hewing their fhaven crowns, 
 faid that they were the Lord's fools ; and, pointing to 
 their gowns, faid they did wear them for God's fake, to 
 be laughed at by the world. One of the friars about this 
 time did what they could to fend Catharine to Rome ; and 
 not fucceeding, he faid they (hould go both. But this not 
 taking cifeft, the friar was fent thither with a paper, con- 
 taining matter of charge againfl Catharine ; but fhe fpcaking 
 zealoully to the fcribe, pronounced woe againfl it, and 
 defied it in the name of the Lord. Before the friar de- 
 parted, he told Sarah that Catharine was a witch, and that 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 S^S 
 
 i 
 
 (he knew what was done elfewhere. He faid this, becaufe 
 once telling Catharine abundance of lies, fhe told him fhe 
 had a witnefs for God in her, which was faithful and true j 
 and (he believed this witnefs. 
 
 After he was gone, the Englifh conful came to her with 
 a dollar from a mafler of a ftiip, who came rVom Plymouth. 
 She told him flie did receive her countryman's love, but 
 could not receive his money. He then afked her what fhe 
 would do if flic would take no money ; to which fhe anf- 
 wered, « The Lord is my portion, and thus I cannot want 
 any good thing. We were in thy houfe near fifteen weeks, 
 didfl thou fee any caufe of death and bonds in us ?' And 
 he faying No, flie fignified to him, that in fome refpefl: he 
 had been accefTary to their imprifonment, and had not 
 been ignorant of the intent: ^ Thou knewefl,' faid flie, 
 * that a room was provided for us in the inquifition ; and 
 had not we been kept alive by the mighty power of God, we 
 might have been dead long fince.' Endeavouring to excufe 
 himfelf, he faid, « How could I help it ?* Then fhe put 
 him in mind of what happened at his houfe, when they 
 were there, and how they called them to repentance, and 
 forewarned them. To which he faid, 'However it be, 
 it will go well with you.' Then fhe told him Kow he re- 
 quired a fign of her, when they were at his houfe, if 
 they were the fervants of the Lord God : and fhe afked 
 him, whether that was not true they fpoke to him : « Thou 
 art a condemned perfon, and ftandefl guihy before God ; 
 yet neverthelefs repent, if thou canfl find a place.* While 
 fhe thus fpoke to him, his lips quivered, and he trembled, 
 fo that he could fcarce fland upon his legs : and though 
 otherwife a very handfome man, and in his prime, yet he 
 now looked as one that was pining away ; and this was a 
 fufficient fign for the whole city, if they had duly taken 
 notice of it. Catharine having refufed the piece of money, 
 he went to Sarah with it : but fhe likewife told him ihc 
 could not take it ; but if he had a letter for them, fhe 
 fhould be free to receive it. He faying he had not any, 
 afked her what flie did want ; and fhe anfwered, the Lord 
 was her fhepherd, fhe could not want any good thing; 
 but fhe did long for her freedom. He, not willing to 
 
 ^ 2 K 2 
 
 .iu 
 
5i6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 difcourage her, faid, * That you may have in time/. But 
 he did not live to fee it, for the next time they heard of 
 him he was dead. 
 
 Whilflthe friar was gone to Rome, it was told them 
 they were alfo to be fent thither ; and there was indeed 
 great working about it; but it feems they could not 
 agree in the matter. In the mean-while Cathariqe and 
 Sarah remained feparatcd, and there were five doors be- 
 tween them with locks and bolts ; and yet Sarah fome- 
 times found an opportunity either by the careleflhefs of 
 the keeper, or that it was done on purpofc, to come 
 where (he could fee Catharine ; and how much foever the 
 friars did watch them, yet ftie came to Catharine's door 
 by night. But being once difcovered, fhe was locked up 
 againi; yet not long after the doors were again open, fo 
 that they fat in fight of each other. 
 
 Sometimes there were of divers nations brought prifo- 
 ners into the inquifition; and the friars, and other great ^ 
 men, endeavoured in their way, to make Chriftians of 
 them. Then thefe women would often fliew them the 
 errors of popery, and declare the Truth, for which they 
 were willing to fuffer death, if required: but this was taken 
 very ill. At length it happened that two Englifhmen came 
 into the city, and tried to obtain their hberty, but in vain. 
 Yet a little while after, the magiftrates fent for and alked 
 them whether they were fick'; or, whether they did want any 
 thing; fiiying they might write to England, ordering the 
 fcribe to give them ink and paper. 
 
 Not long after came one Francis Steward, a captain of 
 a fliip, and a friar of Ireland, who both took great pains 
 to get them rcleafed ; and their friends in England had 
 not been wanting in any thing that might procure their 
 liberty. But the time for it was not yet come. The faid 
 captain, and the new Englifh conful, endeavoured much, 
 to procure their liberty ; but it was not in the magiftrates 
 power, for the inquifitor faid, he could not fet them free 
 without an order from the pope. Yet Catharine and Sarah 
 were brought into the court chamber, and the Engli(h 
 conful aiked them if they were willing to go back to 
 England : and they faid, Yes, if it were the will of God 
 
 1661] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QIJAKJlRS. 
 
 S^7 
 
 they might. The captain of the fhip, who alfo was there, 
 fpoke to them with tears in his eyes, and told them what 
 he had done in their behalf, but in vain. ,« It is the in- 
 quifitor,' faid he, < who will not let you go free : you have 
 preached among thefe people.' To which they faid, that they 
 had wirnelTed the Truth, which they were, willing to main- 
 tain with their blood. He replied, if they could be fet 
 free, he would freely give them their paffage, and provide 
 for them. And they returned, his love was as well ac- 
 cepted of the Lord, as if he did carry them. He alfo 
 offered them money, but they refufed to take any. They 
 then gave him a relation of their imprifonment and fufFer- 
 ings, and faid they could not change their minds, though 
 they were to be burnt to afhes, or chopped in fmall pieces. 
 The friar then drawing near, faid they did not work: but 
 this was not true, for they had work of their own, and 
 did work as they were able. They alfo told him their 
 work and bufinefs-was in England. He confeffing this 
 was true, faid they had fuffered long enough, and too 
 long, and that they fliould have their freedom within a 
 fliort time, but that there wanted an order from the pope. 
 In the mean-while it grieved the captain that he could not 
 obtain their liberty ; and going away, he prayed God to 
 comfort them j and they befought the Lord to blefs and 
 preferve him unto everlafting life, and never to let him, 
 nor his, go without a bleffing from him, for his love. For 
 he ventured himfelf exceedingly in. that place, by labouring 
 to get their freedom. 
 
 After he was gone, they met with worfe ufage, and the 
 inquifitor coming, looked upon them, with indignation; 
 for the taking away of their lives was again on foot, and 
 their doors were (hut up for many we'eks. After fome 
 time the inquifitor came again into the tower where they 
 fate; and Sarah called to him, and defired the door might 
 be opened for them to go down 4nto the court to wafh 
 their clothes. He then ordered the door to be opened 
 once a week ; and not long after it was open every day. 
 And fince it had been faid, that they could not be releafed 
 without the pope's leave, Sarah faid to him, « If we are 
 the pope's prifoncrs, we appeal to the pope: fend us 
 
 2 K 3 
 
5»* 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [166 
 
 therefore to him.' But thofe that had their abode in the 
 inquifiiion, cfpecially the friars, were their mortal enemies, 
 ahhough they would fomctimes have fed them with the 
 bed of their vii^uals, and given them whole bottles of 
 wine, if they would have received it ; and it troubled 
 them exceedingly, that they refufed to eat and drink with 
 them ; which they did, becaufe they looked upon them 
 as their fierce perfecutors. 
 
 Once there came two or three Englifli (hips into the 
 harbour, and the Englifti conful telling them of it, faid, 
 that he did what he could for them, but that they would 
 not let them go, unlcfs they would turn Catholicks, j^nd 
 that therefore they muft fufFcr more imprifonment yet. 
 Before Sarah knew thefe fhips were come thither, fhe faw 
 them in the night in a dream, and heard a voice faying 
 that they could not go yet. When the (hips were gone, 
 they were fent for, and it was alked them rf they would 
 be Catholicks ; to which they anfwercd, they were true 
 Chriftians, and had received the Spirit of Chrift. One 
 of the magiflrates (hewing them the crofs, they told him, 
 they did take up the crols of Chrift daily, which was the 
 power of God to crucify fin and iniquity. Knowing that 
 there was a friar, who, as the captain had told them, took 
 a great deal of pains for them, but not feeing him there 
 (for he fecretly favouring them, was now abfcnt\ they 
 faid to thofc that were prefent, ' One of your fathers hath 
 promifed us our liberty.' But this availed nothing. Yet 
 they acknowledged his kindncfs, and told him afterwards, 
 he would never have caufe to repent it. A friar once 
 coming to them, faid, ' It is God's will ye fhould be 
 kept here, or elfe we could not keep you.' On which 
 Catharine told him, ' The Lord fuffers wicked men to 
 do wickednefs, but he doth not will them to do it ; he 
 fuffered Herod to take off John the Baptid's head, but 
 he did not will him to do it : he fuffered Stephen to be 
 ftoned, and Jndas to betray Chrift; but he did not will 
 them to do fo ; for if he bad, he would not have condemned 
 them for it.* The friar hereupon aiding, * Are we then 
 wicked men ?* She anfwered, ' They are wicked men 
 that work wickednefs.' * But,', faid he, 'you have not 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 5^9 
 
 1661] 
 
 the true faith.' To which flic anfwered, * By faich we 
 Hand, and by the power of God we are upheld. Doft 
 thou think it is by our own power and holinefs we are 
 kept from a vain converfation, from fm and wickednefs ?' 
 He then faying that was their pride, flie told him, « We 
 can glory in the Lord, we were children of wrath once as 
 well as others; but the Lord haih quickened us that 
 were dead, by the living word of his grace, and hath 
 walhed, cleanfed, and fanftified us in foul and fpirit, in part, 
 according to our meafures ; and we do prefs forward to- 
 wards that which is perfeft.' He then faid, ' Ye are good 
 women ; but yet there is no redemption for you, except 
 ye will be Catholicks.' This was the old lefTon of the 
 friars, who, at another time, faid, ' Ye may be Catholicks, 
 and keep your own religion too, and ye (hall not be known 
 to be Catholicks, except ye were brought before a juflicc.' 
 To which they returned, ' What, (hould we profefs a 
 Chrift we (hould be afliamed of?' 
 
 Some of thofe that came to fee them would pity them 
 for not turning Catholicks ; but others (liewed their hatred, 
 by crying that they muft be burnt, and by bawling, ' Fuoco, 
 fuoco,' (fire, fire;. Whilft they were feparated from each 
 other, Catharine was often much concerned for Sarah, 
 and afraid that (he Should be enfnared ; for one of the 
 friars many times accofted her with fawning words: but 
 they both continued ftedfaft, and were often raviflied by 
 the inward joy and confolation they felt. Catharine in 
 one of her letters faid, that the fpirit of prayer was once 
 upon her, but that fhe was afraid to fpeak to the Lord, 
 for fear fhe fliould fpeak one word that would not pleafc 
 him. And then it was returned from the Lord, ^ Fear 
 not, daughter of Sion ; aik what thou wilt, and I will grant 
 it thee, whatfoever thy heart can wifh.' But (he defired 
 nothing of the Lord, but what would make for his glory, 
 whether it were her liberty, or bondage, life or death. 
 And in this refignednefs flie found herfelf accepted of the 
 Lord. , 
 
 Sometimes they fpoke fo effeftually to thofe that came 
 to them, that they could not gainfay them, but were made 
 to confcfs that God was with them j though others would 
 
 2 K 4 
 
520 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 I1661 
 
 1661] 
 
 make a hideous noife, and cry, « Jefu Maria/ and run 
 away, as people that were ftruck with fear. Catharine's 
 prifon being fo near the ftreet, that Qie could be heard of 
 thofe that went by, flie was moved fometimes to call them 
 to repentance, and to turn to the light wherewith they 
 were enlightened, which would lead them out of all their 
 wicked ways and works, to ferve the true and living God, 
 in fpirit and in truth. This fo reached fome, that they 
 did figh and groan, and (lay to hear her ; but not long, it 
 being forbidden upon great pain. Yet fome that paffed 
 by to their worfhip-houfes, were fo wicked, that they 
 threw flones at her window, and often made a fad noife, 
 ind howled like dogs. 
 
 Thus they were alTaulted both from abroad, and within 
 doors from the friars, who fiercely threatened them for 
 their bold teftimony againft idolatry. Once when they 
 fliewed Sarah the Virgin Mary and her babe piftured 
 againft a wall, and would have her look upon it, fhe, to 
 ftew her zeal againft idoKworfhip, ftamped with her foot, 
 and faid, ' Curfed are all images, and image makers, and 
 thofe that fall down to worfliip them.' 
 ^ It happened that fome French and Spanifli fhips came to 
 join with tlie cavaliers of Malta, to fight againft the Turks • 
 Sarah hearing this, faid, * God is angry, God is angry • 
 go not forth to kill one another ; Chrift came not to de- 
 ftroy hie, but to fave it.* This fhe told many who were 
 perfuaded of obtaining a viftorf ; but it fell cut otherwife, 
 for their fleet was beaten by the Turks, and they returned 
 With great damage. 
 
 A friar coming once to Catharine, afked her why fhe 
 did not work ; which made her fay to him, * What work 
 doft thou?* He anfwered, * I write.' To which fhe re- 
 turned, ' I will write too, if thou wilt bring me pen, ink, 
 and paper.' He not willing fhe fhould write, faid, ' St. 
 Paul did work at Rome ; and by knitting flie might get 
 about three halfpence a day.' She told him, ' If we could 
 have that privilege among you, which Paul had at Rome 
 under Cacfar, who was a heathen prince, we would 
 have wrought, and not have been chargeable to any ; for 
 he hved m his own hired houfc two years, preaching the 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 gofpcl and doftrine of the Lord Jefus Chrift.' She alked 
 him alfo, whether he knew the holy war of God ? < And 
 if thou knowcft it,' faid (he, • then thou canft not but 
 know that we cannot be without exercife day nor night/ 
 This ftopped his mouth ; befidcs, it was well known, that 
 they fpent not their time idly; for they knit ftockings for 
 thofe that were ferviceable to ihem ; they made garments 
 for the poor prifopers, and mended their clothes ; though 
 they were not willing to work for the friars, who fome- 
 times coming to her, kneeled down, and would have 
 Catharine to fay after them the words they fpoke. But 
 this flie refufed to do, though it made thefe men grow 
 more angry. Such and the like occurrences fo grieved 
 her, that once in anguifh of fpirit flie cried out to God, 
 ' It were better for me to die than to live thus.' For being 
 almoft continually conftrained to teftify againft idolatiy and 
 fuperftition, flie would have been willing to have laid 
 down hex life for a teftimony againft it, if it had been 
 required of her. And when once the friars told her that 
 Sarah was to be carried to Rome, whilft ft^ie {hould ftay 
 at Malta, it fo grieved her, that wiih fupplication, flie 
 alked the Lord if he did not count her worthy to go to 
 Rome alfo, and to. offer up her life there, for the tefti- 
 mony of Jefus : becaufe, if flie was at liberty to chufe, flic 
 Would rather do fo, than return without lier to England. 
 
 At another time, when it wasL told them that their bibles 
 were falfe, Catharine aflced the friar that faid fo, ' Wherein 
 arc they falfe ?' He replied, becaufe the books 'of the 
 Maccabees were not in them. To which fhe anfwered 
 that though fomething might be wanting, yet the refl 
 might be good for all that : but if fomething were added, 
 then the bible was corrupted. This ftruck at fome addi« 
 tions flie had feen in the bibles there. Then he afked her 
 whether fhe did not thiftk that every one muft bow at the 
 name of Jefus ; and ftie anfwering, ' Yea,' he faid, ' Jefus,* 
 and bade her to kneel down, or to bow hcrfelf. To 
 which fhe faid, that her heart and whole body was bowed 
 down under the name of Jefus ; but that fhe would not 
 bow at the will of him, or any body elfe. ' He that de- 
 parts from iniquity (thus flie continued), bows before the 
 
522 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1661 
 
 name of Jefus ; but they that live in fin and wickednefs, 
 do not bow before the Son of God.' Then he faid, that 
 be and his companions flood in the fame power, and were 
 led by the fame fpirit as the apoftles. Which made her 
 aik, why then they abiifed that power, and ufed carnal 
 weapons ? He anfwcred, they did not do fo, for their in- 
 quifition, nay, even their chains and fetters were fpiritual. 
 Then he aiked her, whether fhe did not think all thofe 
 damned that were not of her pcrfuafion ; fhe faid, ' No, 
 Chriil hath not taught us fo ; for thofe that are to-day 
 in a Itate of reprobation, the Lord, if it picafe him, can 
 call to-morrow out of it/ ' He then faid, ' We think you 
 damned, and all thofe that are not of our belief/ To 
 which fhe returned, ' The judgment of man doth not 
 hurt us/ 
 
 Sometimes fome came to the prifon upon their faints 
 days, and alked them what day it was : and they not being 
 acquainted with thofe faints, would' anfwer, * We do not 
 know it/ When the others then told them, that it was 
 fuch or fuch a faint's day, and that this faint would punifh 
 ihera that night, becaufe they did not obferve his day ; 
 they anfwered, that they knew the faints to be at peace 
 with them, and that therefore they did not fear them. 
 Another time a friar came and told them, it w^as feventeen 
 days to Chriftmas, and that the Virgin Mary conceived 
 that prefent day. On which Catharine made this remark, 
 that indeed this was very Angular, that fhe did go with 
 child but feventeen days. Such like occurrences grieved 
 her exceedingly, when flie confidered the grofs darknefs 
 thefe people were in : and as fhe was crying to the Lord 
 in prayer, that it feemed that all their travail and labour 
 was fruitiefs, fhe felt this anfwer : ' Be not grieved, though 
 Ifrael be not gathei<ed, the feed of Malta is to increafe into 
 multitude ; that which ye have fown fhall not die, but 
 live.' 
 
 After Catharine and Sarah had been imprlfonedat Malta 
 about three years, there came one Daniel Baker, who did 
 whatever he could, and went alfo to the inquifitor, to obtain 
 their liberty, but in vain ; for he required that fome EngHfh 
 merchants at Leghorn, or at Meffina, fhould engage for 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 523 
 
 four thoufand dollars, that they, being releafed, Ihould 
 never return into thofe parts. But they were unwilling to 
 enter into thofe terms, as not knowing what the Lord one 
 time or other might require of them. Daniel, feeing he 
 could not obtain their deliverance this way, offered him- 
 felf to be imprifoned inftead of them ; and this not being 
 accepted, he went yet further, and fignified, that he was 
 willing to lay down his life for their hberty, if it was not 
 to be purchafed otherwife. Gieat love indeed! of which 
 but few inftances are to be found. And they hearing of 
 this, were touched with exceeding great admiration. In 
 the mean-while, he found a way to get fome letters 
 delivered to them, and writ alfo himfelf, both to comfort 
 and exhort them to ftedfaflnefs. At length he found means 
 alio to fpeak to them : for on a time, as they flood at the 
 prifon gates, he being come in their fight, fainted them 
 in thefe words ; * The whole body of God's eledl, right 
 dearly beloved, own your teflimony, and ye are a fweet 
 favour unto the Lord and his people / To which one of 
 them anfwered, that it was a trouble to them that they 
 could not be more ferviceable. This made his heart melt 
 with pity and compaffion, confidcring the wonderful mercy 
 of the Lord in preferving them without fainting in that 
 fliarp trial : and they beholding one another at a diflance 
 through the iron grates, were mutually refrefhed at that 
 feafon. They afterwards writ to him, and fignified with 
 the mofl tender exprefEons, how highly they valued his 
 great love ; and alfo fent him letters for their friends and 
 relations in England ; and he neglefted not to write back 
 again to them during his flay, which was in the forepart 
 of the year 1662. But he was forced to leavr them pri- 
 foners there : yet the time of their redemption drew nigh, 
 w^hich was brought about at the inflance of George Fox and 
 Gilbert L.atey, by writing to the lord Aubigny, as hath * 
 been faid already. 
 
 Some time before Daniel Baker came to Malta, it had 
 been told them, that if they would turn Caiholicks, they 
 might dwell at Malta. To which their anfwer was, that 
 they were true Catholicks. One of the magiflj ates faid, 
 that if they would not turn Catholicks, they mud yet 
 
5^4 THE HISTOP.y OF THB [l66i 
 
 fuffcr long imprifonment by the pope's order. And yet it 
 was not true that there was fuch an order. It was alfo 
 told them, if they would kifs the crofs, they fhould be 
 rcleafed; and they might ftay at the houfe of the Englifh 
 conful, until an opportunity offered to carry them to Eng- 
 hnd. In the mean-while they heard that the pope had 
 given order to let them pafs to England without doing them 
 gmy hurt. But however it was, they were preferved well 
 contented, and they faid refolutcly, that they would not 
 kifs the crofs, nor purchafe their liberty at that rate. It 
 fcems the conful aimed at fome advantage by their releafe- 
 inent ; for he told them that the inquifitor had faid, if any 
 one would engage for three or four thoufand dollars to be 
 paid if ever they came thither again, they fhould be fet 
 at liberty. This he faid alfo to D. Baker, and added, 
 that if none would engage, they muft die in prifon, and 
 that this was the pope's order. After Baker's departure, 
 word was fent to fome Englifh merchants, concerning fuch 
 an engagement ; but none appeared willing to enter into 
 it ; and the prifoners were fo far from defiring, that they 
 fpoke againft it. Yet there were many that fought to 
 obtain their hberty, fhewing themfelves willing to engage 
 for what was reafonable ; but all their endeavours were in 
 vain. 
 
 Once they fafled three days, and though it was a cold 
 fcafon, they fat upon the ground, with very little clothes, 
 without flockings or Ihoes, having nothing upon their heads 
 but afhcs. The inquifitors feeing it, wondered exceedingly ; 
 and Sarah began to fpcak zealoufly againfl fuperftition and 
 idolatry. And when the time of their fafl was expired, 
 Catharine corapofed the following 
 
 HYMN TO GOD. 
 
 ALL praife to him that hath not put 
 
 Nor caft me out of mind. 
 Nor yet his mercy from me fhut. 
 
 As I could ever find. 
 
 ; 
 
 1662] FEOPJLE CALLED QUAKERS, ^ 
 
 Infinite glory, laud, and praife 
 
 Be given to his name. 
 Who hath made known in thefe our days 
 
 His flrength and noble fame. 
 
 Oh none is like unto'the Lamb ! 
 
 Whofe beauty fhineth bright, 
 O glorify his holy name. 
 
 His majefly and might. 
 
 My foul praife thou the only God, 
 
 A fountain pure and clear, 
 Whofe chryflal flreams fpread all abroad. 
 
 And cleanfeth far and near. 
 
 The well-fprings of eternity, 
 Which are fo pure and fweet. 
 
 And do arife continually. 
 My bridegroom for to meet. 
 
 My fweet and dear beloved one, 
 
 Whofe voice is more to me 
 Than all the glory of the eanh. 
 
 Or treafures I can fee. 
 
 He IS the glory of my life. 
 
 My joy and my delight. 
 Within the bofom of his love 
 
 I^f clos'd me day and night. • 
 
 He doth preferve me clean and pure 
 
 Within his pavill'on. 
 Where I with him fhould be fecure. 
 
 And faved from all wrolig. 
 
 My foul praife thou the Lord, I fay, 
 Praife him with joy and peace ; 
 
 My fp'rit and mind both night and day, 
 Praife him and never ceafe. 
 
 5*5 
 
$t6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF.THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 O magnify his rnajefty. 
 
 His fame and his r^iown, 
 Whofe dwelling is in Sion high, 
 
 The glory of his crown. 
 
 O praifes, praifes to our God, 
 
 Sing praifes to our King ^ 
 O teach the people all abroad, 
 
 His praifes for to ling. 
 
 A Sion fong of glory bright. 
 
 That doth fliine out fo clear j 
 O manifefl it in the fight 
 
 Of nations far and near ; 
 
 That God may have his glory due. 
 
 His honour and his fame. 
 And all his faints may fmg anew 
 
 The praifes of his name* 
 
 After Catharine had joyfully fung thus, fhe went to the 
 well in the court, and drank much water in the fight of 
 the prifoners, as did Sarah a!fo : for they were very dry, 
 and Sarah wafhing her head alfo in cold water, they cried 
 out in their language, ' Ye will kill yourfelves, and go to 
 the devil.' But this they did not fear, neither caught 
 they any cold, and to became a wonder to others. 
 
 About half a year after Daniel Baker was gone, it came 
 into Catharine's heart, that if flie could fpeak with the 
 inquifitor, he would grant them their liberty. And it 
 was not long after that he came to the inquifition court 
 chamber, which they hearing, defired to fpeak with him, 
 which was granted, and being admitted into his prefence, 
 they told him ihey had not wronged or defrauded any, 
 but had fufFered innocently almofl four years for confcience- 
 fakc, &c. After this the inquifitor was very courteous to 
 them, and promifed their liberty in a few days, (iiying he 
 would fend for the conful, and get him to engage for five 
 hundred dollars to be paid for them if ever they came 
 again. And in cafe the conful denied this, he would fend 
 
 1662] 
 
 People called (^takers. 
 
 527 
 
 to Rome to the pope, to fet them at liberty without anv 
 obligation. ^ 
 
 Not many days after the inquifitor came with his lieu- 
 tenant, the chancellor, and others, and after fome difcourfe 
 aiked them whether they would return back again to their 
 hufbands and children, if it were the will of God : to 
 which they anfwered, it was their intent in the will of God 
 
 ? u^'i ^^^^"P^" ^h^y were releafed, and the inquifitor 
 took his leave very courteoudy of them, and wiflied them 
 a profperous return into their own country ; fo likewife 
 did the magiftrates, and the inferior officers, not requiring 
 one pennyworth for fees or attendance ; yet in their own 
 freedom they gave fomething to the keeper, and fome 
 poor men. 
 
 Being thus fet at liberty, they kneeled down, and prayed 
 God never to lay to their charge what they did unto them, 
 becaufc they knew them not. And then they were deli- 
 vered into the conful's hands, who told them that he had 
 engaged for them to get them free ; but they could never 
 find that it was true. Now they were kept eleven weeks 
 at the conful's houfe, before they could get a paffage from 
 thence. Catharine in the mean-while, being under a great 
 concern, becaufe of a judgment that was impending over 
 the city, writ a paper to the rulers of Malta, in which 
 Ihe faid, that on the 25th of the month called Auguft 
 It came upon her from the Lord to write thus to them 
 in his name, « My wrath is kindled againft you, and my 
 judgment is fet up amongft you, becaufe of your hard- 
 heartednefs and unbelief. I the Lord, who defire the 
 death of no man, but that all fliould return unto me and 
 hve, have caft my fervants amongfl you, contrary to their 
 will, and without their knowledge, 10 go and forewarn 
 you of the evil that was coming upon you. For all the 
 wicked fhall be brought to judgment. I will eftabliOi my 
 beloved Son upon his throne, and he fliall rule in his 
 princely power, and reign in his kingly majefty, whofe 
 right It IS over all ; and his own fpiritual government fiiall 
 he fet up in all places, righteous rule and pure worfhip in 
 Spirit and in Truth. There is nothing that can prevent 
 the Lord, who faith. If ye will not hear my fervant, which 
 
S2t 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 fpeaketh mv word, whom ye proved almofl thefe four 
 years, whofe life hath been harmlefs and fpotlefs, in pure 
 innocency amongft you, then will I bring woe upon woe, 
 and judgment upon judgment upon you, till the living (hall 
 not be able to bury the dead. My mouth hath fpoken it, 
 and my zeal will perform it ; and every man's hand (hall be 
 upon his loins for pain ; for the day of recompence is 
 come. But if you will hear my fervantj which fpeaketh in 
 njy name, and return in your minds to the light in your 
 con(ciences, which conviuccth of all evil, and deny all 
 evil thoughts, words, and aftions, then will I pour out my 
 fpirit upon you, and will foon cure you of your difeafes, 
 and heal you of your pain.' 
 
 This, and more (he writ, and delivered to the conful 
 to give it to the grand mafter, and the reft of the gover- 
 nors ; but the conful not being pleafed with it, threatened 
 her with imprifonment again. What farther became of 
 the paper I do not find, but this, that on the 8th of 
 Oftober, there was great thunder ^nd lightning, which 
 fet on fire and blew up one of the powder-houfes about a 
 mile out of the city, and another powder-houfe was thrown 
 down ; and in the city five houfes were overthrown, mofl 
 of the glafs windows of the palaces and other houfes broke, 
 the doors lifted off their hooks, the walls torn, and the 
 whole city terribly fhaken, fo that being at midnight, a 
 cry went through the whole city, and the bells were rung. 
 At the bed's feet where Catharine and Sarah lay, was a 
 glafs window, which alfo was broken, but they received 
 no hurt, though the houfe was fo (haken that they did 
 exceedingly fear and quake ; but being given up unto the 
 Lord to live -and die, their fear was foon taken from them, 
 and turned into joy in the Lord. When it was day the 
 conful came co them, and they being ftill and quiet, hcr 
 alked whether they were not dead : and while he was 
 fpeaking others came in, telling what was done in the city ; 
 and he told them that even the (hips in the harbour had 
 fufFered damage. Then they faid, * One woe is paft, and 
 behold another woe cometh quickly, if ye do not repent.* 
 
 Some days after Sarah fafted, fitting upon the ground 
 with alhes upon her head^ her neck and fhoulders bare; 
 
 1662] . PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 529 
 
 and (he fpoke to the conful to defire the grand mafter to 
 
 proclaim a faft and to make the people to meet together 
 
 to wait upon the Lord, with their minds turned to him, 
 
 hat fo he might turn away his judgments from them ; for 
 
 htlnr^'n 1 1 ? J"l^"^^"^? ^^^^ ^^^^^^> ^^^^^^ein the painted 
 harlot^ fliould be ftnpped naked, and receive a cup of 
 trembling from the hand of the Lord. The conful per- 
 Jormed this me(rage to the magiflrates, and the friars faid 
 tlie woman had a good intent. Some time after the inqui- 
 litor came, and talking with them, faid, * Your intent is* 
 good, but the devil hath deceived you.* And they aiked 
 him whether the devil could give power over fin : to which 
 he faid, the devil could transform himfelf into an image of 
 
 !!f\- r.V%''''^f'''''^ '^' ^^^ y^' ^^id he could not 
 hide himfelf from the children of light; though they that 
 were ,„ the dark could not difcern him. He could not 
 abide to hear this, but went away, and the conful, who 
 was prefent, wrought againft them to get them into bon- 
 dage again, but in vain. Many now died in the town of 
 a violent fever : whether any other difafter followed upon 
 their prediftion, I cannot tell. ^ 
 
 At length there came one of the king of England's fri- 
 gates, called the Saphire, commanded by capuin Samuel 
 1 It wel, who took them in, together with fome knights of 
 Malta ; among them was the inquifitor's brother, who 
 often fpoke to the captain, that they might not want any 
 thing that was m the (hip, and he told them, if they came 
 to Malta again, they fhould not be perfecuted fo. And 
 to the captain he faid, ' If they go to heaven one way, 
 and we another, yet we fliall all meet together at laft.' 
 But they told him that Chrift Jefus, the Light of the World 
 was the only way to the Father. * 
 
 Departing from Malta, after fome time they came to 
 Leghorn, where the merchants fhevved them great kindnefs 
 and fent wine and other things for their refrefhment, prof' 
 fenng them alfo money -, but they were unwilling to accept 
 
 '% ^^ u ^^""'^ '''^y ^^"^^ '^ ^^^"g'^^' ^*i^h the king 
 of England had in marriage with the daughter of the king 
 ot Portugal. This place was at that time befieged by the 
 Moors, yet Cathaiine and Sarah entered the town, aad 
 
 V OL. 1, 2 L 
 
 !l**i?'*^C 
 
53^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 
 [i66z 
 
 many came flocking into the houfe where they were lodged, 
 for they boldly exhorted the people to depart from wicked- 
 ness. They alfo went to the governor, who was courteous 
 to them, and took their admonition in good part, and 
 promifed to follow their counfel. And he would have 
 given them money, but they took none, though they ac- 
 cepted his love ; for he commanded that none of the 
 garrifon ftiould abufe them either in word or deed, upon 
 pain of fevere punilhment : yet the Portuguefe and Irifh 
 were ready enough to have done them mifchief. They 
 being inclined to go out to the Moors, defired the gover- 
 nor to Jet them go forth, but he told them they muft expeft 
 from that favage people nothing but cruel death, or bonds 
 for ever : and though they fignified to him that they be- 
 heved the Lord would preferve them, fince they were 
 perfuaded that he required. of them to go to the Moors, 
 yet the governor in a friendly manner withheld them from 
 going. Being thus flopped, they believed that the Lord 
 •accepted of their good will. When they went aboard 
 again, though in another (hip, feveral took fliipping with 
 them, from a belief, that on their account, they Ihould 
 have afafe paillige. The captain and others that were in 
 the fhip, behaved themfelves very civily towards them ; 
 aud though they met with tempefts, yet at length they 
 arrived fafc in England, 
 
 Catharine afterwards related, that when (in the inqui- 
 fition) file was for many days together in expeftation that 
 they ihould be burnt, (he faw in a dream in the night, a 
 large room, and a great wood fire in the chimney, and fhc 
 .beheld one fitting in the chair by the fire, iu the form of a 
 fervant, whom (he took to be the Eternal Son of God : 
 likewife ihefaw a very amiable well-favoured man-child, 
 fitting in a hollow chair over the fire (not appearing 
 to be above three-quarters of a year old, and having no 
 clothes oil but a little fine linen about the upper parts) 
 and the fire fkimed about it ; yet the child played, and was 
 merry. She would then have taken it up, for fear it ihould 
 have been burnt ; but he that fat in the chair bid her let 
 it alone. Then turning about fhe faw an angel, and he 
 that flit in the chair bid'her take up the child, which Ihe 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 53^ 
 
 did and found it had no harm ; and then awaking, fte 
 told her dream to Sarah, and defired her not to fear, fince 
 the heavenly hoft thus followed them. 
 
 I have collefted this relation of the occurrences of thefe 
 women at Malta from feveral papers and letters, which ' 
 not long after their return home were publifhed in print. 
 And fince no due order was obferved there, and many 
 thmgs mentioned, which to avoid prolixity I have paflbd 
 by, as not very material, I may have haply miffed in 
 
 yet I think the matters of faft are not mutilated. Now to 
 
 S^rfnc Ti'"' 'r l^'^ ^^ '^' ^'"^^^ ^f ^b^f^ women's 
 m mds, and their fufferings, I will infert feme of their 
 
 letters: among thofe which they writ to their friends in 
 tngland, was this foltowino- : 
 
 " O dearly beloved friends, fathers, ai3 elders, and 
 pillars of God s fpiritual houfe, and brethren andfifters in 
 the Lord Jefus Chrift, in the meafure of love and life of 
 our God,_^do we falute you all, and do embrace you in 
 that which IS eternal, and wc do greatly rejoice, and glo- 
 rify the name of our heavenly Father, that he hath counted 
 V ITitl L° ^^ partakers of the death and fufferings of 
 his bleflbd Son with you ; though we be the leaft of God's 
 flock, yct^ we are of the true fold, whereof Chrift Jefus is 
 ihepherd; and he hath had as tender a care over us, as 
 he hath had of any of his lambs which he hath called 
 forth m this the day of his power, and hath carried us 
 through and over as great affliaions as raoft of our breth- 
 ren and fufferers for his name, both in mockings, fcoffin?s, 
 fcomings, reproaches, ftripes, contradiftions, perils at land 
 and perils at fea, fiery trials, cruel threatenings, grief of 
 heart forrow of foul, heats and colds, faftings and watch- 
 ings, feai-s witbm, and fightings without ; terrible tempta- 
 tions and perfecutions, and dreadful imprifonments, and 
 buffetings of Satan ; yet in all thefe our trials, the Lord 
 was very gracious unto us, and did not abfent himfelf from' 
 us, neither fuffered his faithfulnefs to fail us, but did bear 
 us up, and keep us from fainting in the midft of our extre- 
 mity. We had not another to make our moan to, but the- 
 
 2 L a 
 
53^ THE HISTORY OF THE VlGGz 
 
 Lord alone ; neither could we expcft a drop of mercy, 
 favour, or refreftiments, but what he did diftil from his 
 living prefence, and work by his own ftrcngth ; for we (dt 
 one in one room, and the other in another, near a year ; as 
 owls in dellirts, and as people forfaken in folitary places. 
 Then did we enjoy the prefence of the Lord, and did be- 
 hold the brightnefs of his glory, and we did fee you, our 
 dear friends, in the light of Jefus, and did behold your 
 order, and ftedfaftnefs of your faith and love to all faints, 
 and were refrefhed in all the faithful-hearted, and felt the 
 ifllies of love and life which did ftream from the hearts of 
 thofe that were wholly joined to the fountain, and were 
 made fenfible of the benefit of your yrayers. 
 
 ' O the forrows, the mournings, the tears ! " But 
 thofe that fow in tears, fhall reap in joy.'* A true forrow 
 begets a true joy ; and a true crofs a true crown : for 
 when our forrows did abound, the love of God did abound 
 much more : the deeper the forrows, the greater the joys ; 
 the greater the crofs, the weightier the crown. 
 
 ' Dear friends and brethren, marvel not that Ifrael is 
 not gathered, our judgment remains with the Lord, andfo 
 do our labours ; for it was not for want of travail, nor 
 pain, nor love to their fouls ; for we could have been 
 contented to have fed upon the grafs on the ground, fo 
 we might have had our freedon amongfl: them : for, had 
 it not been for the great oppofition, they would have 
 followed after us, as chickens after a hen, both great and 
 fmall. But oh ! the fwelling feas, the raging and foaming 
 waves, flormy winds and floods, and deep waters, and high 
 mountains and hills, haid rocks, rough ways, and crooked 
 paths, tall cedars, ftrong oaks, fruitlefs trees, and cor- 
 rupted ones, that cumber the ground, and hinder the 
 righteous feed to be fown, and the noble plants from being 
 planted. Oh ! they fliut up the kingdom againft the 
 fimple hearted, and hide the key of knowledge from the 
 innocent ones, and will not enter into the kingdom them- 
 feves, nor fuffer them that would enter, but ftir up the 
 magiftrates to form carnal weapons, thinking to prevent the 
 Lord of taking to him his inheritance, and to difpoflcfs his 
 Son, who is heir of all, that he might have not a dwelling- 
 
 I662] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 533 
 
 place among them, nor a habitation nigh them ; becaufe 
 that his light will difcover their darknefs, and his brightnefs 
 will burn up all their abominations, and marr their beauty, 
 and ftain their glory, their pomp, and their pride, that it 
 may perifli as the untimely figs, and fall as the flower of 
 the field, and wither as the grafs upon the houfe-top. Oh ! 
 the belly of hell, the jaws of Satan, the whole myflery 
 of miquity is at the height, and all manner of abomination 
 that makes defolate, ftands where it ought not, and is 
 upholden by a law, that upon pain of death none 
 muft fpeak againft it, nor walk contrary to it. But praifes 
 to our God, he carried us forth to declare againft it daily. 
 Oh ! the blind guides, the feducing fpirits, that do caufe 
 the people to err, and compel them to worfhip the beaft 
 and his image, and have his mark in their foreheads, and in 
 their hands, and to bow to piftures and painted walls, and 
 to worfliip the things of their own hands, and to fall down 
 to that which their own fingers have fafliioned, and will 
 not fuffer them to look towards Sion upon pain of death, 
 nor to walk towards Jeruflilem upon pain of faggot and 
 fire, but muft abide in Babel, and believe whatfoever 
 they fpeak or do to be truth. But oh ! the ways, the 
 worfliips, the fiifliions, forms, cuftoms, traditions, obfer- 
 vations, and imaginations, which they have drawn in by 
 their dark divinations, to keep the poor people in blindnefs 
 and ignorance, fo that they perifh for want of knowledge, 
 and are corrupted, becaufe the way of Truth is not made 
 known among them ; they are all in the many ways, out 
 of the one true living way, and their ways be fo many and 
 fo monftrous, that they are unrehearfable ; but the Lord 
 our God hath kindled a fire in the midft of theiVi, that will 
 confume all forms, fafhions, cuftoms, and traditions of men, 
 and will burn up the briers, thorns, and tares, ftubble, and 
 fruitlefs trees, and corrupted ones ; and will blaft all the 
 fruits, works, and labours of wicked and ungodly men, 
 with the mildews of his wrathful indignation, and will 
 fcatter all his enemies with the whirlwinds of his difpleafure. 
 They do not know the Scriptures: their bibles would 
 grieve any honeft heart to behold them, becaufe of the 
 corruption.' 
 
 2^3 
 
 1 
 
534 
 
 THE HISTORY <>F THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 1662] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 S35 
 
 ^ 
 
 This letter was figned by both of thera, though perhaps 
 Catharine was the writer, who alfo writ a letter of ex- 
 hortation to the popifh inquifitor at Maha, and another to 
 friar Malachy. Among the letters (he writ to her hufband 
 and children, I count the following rcaHy worthy to be 
 delivered to pofterity : 
 
 For the hands of John Evans, my right, dear, and pre- 
 cious hufband, with my tender-hearted children, who 
 are more dear and precious to me than the apple of 
 my eye. 
 
 * Moft dear and faithful hufband, friend, and brother, 
 begotten of my eternal Father, of the immortal feed*of the 
 covenan;: of light, life, and blefTednefs, I have unity and « 
 fellowfliip with thee day and night, to my great refrcfh- 
 ment, and continual comfort. Praifes, praifes be given to 
 our God for evermore, who hath joined us together in 
 that which neither fea nor land can feparate or divide. 
 
 * Mr dear heart, my foul doth dearly falute thee, with 
 my dear and precious children, who are dear and precious 
 in the light of the Lord, to thy endlefs joy, and my cver- 
 lafling comfort ; glory be to our Lord God eternally, who 
 hath called you with a holy calling, and hath caufed his 
 beauty to (hine upon you in this the day of his power, 
 wherein he is» making up of his jewels, and binding up of 
 his faithful ones in the bond of everlafling love and falva- 
 tion, among whom he hath numbered you of his own free 
 grace ; in which I befeech you, dear hearts, in the fear of 
 the Lord, to abide in your meafures according to the ma- 
 nifeftation of the revelation of the Son of God in you. 
 Keep a diligent watch over every thought, word and 
 aftion, and let your minds be (laid continually in the light, 
 where you will find out the fnares and baits of fatan, and 
 be preferved out of his traps, nets, and pits, that you may 
 not be -captivated by him at his will. Oh, my dear huf- 
 band and children, how often have I poured out my foul 
 to the everlafling Father for you, with rivers of tears 
 night and day, tli^t you might be kept pure and fmgle in 
 the fight of our God, improving your talents as wife vir- 
 
 gins, having oil in your vefTels; and your lamps burnings 
 and cicthed with the long white robes of righteoufncfs, 
 ready to enter the bed chamber, and to fnp ^yith the 
 Lamb, and to feed at the feafl of fat things, where your 
 fouls may be nourifhed, refrefhed, comforted, a^id fatif- 
 fied, never to hunger again. 
 
 ' My dear hearts, you do not want teaching ; you are 
 in a land of blefTednefs, which floweth with milk and ho- 
 ney, among the faithful flewards, whofe mouths are opened 
 wide to rightepufnefs to declare the eternal myftcries of the 
 everlafling kingdom, of the endlefs joys and eternal glory; 
 whereunto all the willing and obedieiu fhall enter, and be 
 blefTed for ever. 
 
 ' My dear hearts, the promifes of the Lord are large, 
 and are all Yea and Amen to thofe that fear his name; 
 he will comfort the mourners in Sion, and will caufe the 
 heavy-hearted in Jerufalem to rejoice, becaufe of the glad 
 tidings : they that do bear the crofs with patience, iliall 
 wear the crown with joy; for it is through the long 
 fufFtring and patient waitings, the crown of life and im- 
 mortahcy comes to be obtained. The Lord hath exercifed 
 my patience, and tried me to the uttermofl, to his praifc, 
 and my eternal comfort, who hath not been wanting to us 
 in any thing in his own due time ; we are witnefTes he 
 can provide a table in the wildernefs, both fpiritual and 
 temporal. Oh, the endlef* love of our God, who is an 
 everlafling fountain of all living refrefhment, whofe cryflai 
 flreams never ceafe running to every rhirfly foul, that 
 breatheth after the fprings of life and falvation. 
 
 * In our deepcfl afHiclion, when I looked for every 
 breath to be the lafl, I could not wifh I had not come over 
 fea, becaufe I knew it was my eternal Father's will to 
 -prove me, with my dear and faithful friend. In all af- 
 fliftions and miferies theLotd remembered mercy, and did 
 not leave nor forfake us, nor fufFer his faithfulnefs to fail 
 us ; but caufed the fweet drops of his mercy to diflil upon 
 us, and the brightnefs of his glorious countenance to fhine 
 into our hearts, and vyas never wanting 10 us in revelations 
 or vifions. Oh, how may I do to fet forth the fulnefs of 
 God's love to our fouls : no tongue can exprefs it, no 
 
 2 L 4 
 
s^s 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 heart can conceive it, nor mind can comprehend it. Oh, 
 the ravilhments, the raptures, the glorious bright fhining 
 countenance of our Lord God, who is our fuhiefs in 
 cmptinef?, our flrength inweaknefs, ourheahh in ficknefs, 
 our Hfe in death, our joy in forrow, our peace in difquiet- 
 nefsj our praifc in hcavinefs, our power in all needs or 
 neceffities ; he alone is a full God unto us, and to all that 
 can truft him. He hath emptied us of ourfelves, and hath 
 unbottomed us of ourfelves, and hath wholly built us upon 
 the fure foundation, the rock of ages, Jefus Clirill:, the 
 Light of the World, where the ladling feas, nor raging 
 foaming waves, nor (lormy winds, though they beat vehe- 
 mcncly, can be able to remove us. Glory, honour, and 
 praife, is to our God for ever, who out of his everlafting 
 trealureSp doth fill us with his eternal riches day by day ; 
 he did nourifli our fouls with the choiceft of his mercies, 
 and doth feed our bodies with his good creatures, and 
 relieve all our neceflitics in a full meafure. Praifes, praifes 
 be to him alone, who is our everlafting portion, our con- 
 fidence, and our rejoicing, whom we ferve acceptably 
 with reverence and godly fear; for oar God is a qonfum- 
 ing fire. 
 
 * Oh, my dear huftDand, and precious children, you may 
 feel the iffuts of love and life, which ftream forth as a 
 river to every foul of you, from a heart that is wholly 
 joined to the fountain. My prayers are for you day and 
 night without ceafing ; befeeching the Lord God of power 
 to pour down his tender mercies upon you, and to keep 
 you in his pure fear, and to increafe your faith, to confirm 
 you in all righteoufnefs, and ftrengthcn you in believing 
 in the name of the Lord God Almighty, that you may be 
 eftablifhed as Mount Sion, that can never be moved. Keep 
 your fouls unfpotted of the world, and love one another 
 with a pure heart fervently ; ferve one another in love, 
 build up one another in the eternal, and bear one another's 
 bur Jens for the Seed's fake, and fo fulfil the law of God. 
 This is the word of rhe Lord unto you, my d<"arly beloved. 
 
 * Dear hearts, I do commit you into the hands of the 
 Almighty, who dwelleth on high, and to the word of his 
 grace in you, who is able to build you up to everlafting 
 
 1662] 
 
 People called Quakers, 
 
 537 
 
 life, and eternal falvation. By me, who am thy dear and 
 precious wife, and fpoufe, in the marriage of the Lamb 
 in the bed undefiled, * 
 
 * My dearly beloved yoke-mate in the work of our God, 
 doth dearly falute you. Salute us dearly to our precious 
 friends in all places. I do believe we (hail fee your faces 
 again with joy.' 
 
 This was written in the Inquifition at 
 Malta, in the nth month, in the 
 year 1661. 
 
 The following letter was written by Sarah to her huftjand, 
 
 Henry Cheevers, and children : 
 
 * My dear huftDand, my love, my life Is given up to ferve 
 the living God, and to obey his pure call in the meafure 
 of the manifeftation of his love, light, hfe, and Spirit of 
 Chrift Jefus, his only begotten Son, whom he hath mani- 
 fefted in' me, and thoufands, by the brightnefs of his ap- 
 pearing, to put an end to fin and fatan, and bring to light 
 immortality, through the preaching of the everiafting 
 gofpel, by the fpirit of prophefy, which is poured out 
 upon the fons and daughters of the Hving God, according 
 to his purpofe ; whereof he hath chofen me, who am the 
 leaft of all : but God, who is rich in mercy, for his own 
 name-fake hath paflTed by mine oflfences, and hath counted 
 me worthy to bear teftimony to his holy name, before 
 the mighty men of the earth. Oh the love of the Lord 
 to my fouli My tongue cannot cxprqfs, neither hath it 
 entered into the heart of man, to conceive of the things 
 that God hath laid up for them that fear him. 
 
 ' Therefore doth my foul breathe to my God for thee 
 and my children, night and day, that your minds may 
 be joined to the light of the Lord Jefus, to lead you out 
 of fatan's kingdom, into the kingdom of God, where we 
 may enjoy one another in the life eternal, where neither 
 fca nor land can feparatc ^ in which light and life do I 
 
538 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [1662 
 
 falutc thee, my dear hufband, with my children, wifhing 
 you to embrace God's love-in making his truth fo clearly 
 mmifrft amongft you ; whereof I am a witnefs, even of the 
 everlafling foantain that hath been opened by the meffen^ 
 gers of Chrill, who preach to you the word of God, in 
 feafon and out of feafon, directing you where you may 
 find your Saviour, to purge and cleanfe you from your 
 fm5, and to reconcile you to his Father, and to have unity 
 with him and all the faints, in the light, that ye may be 
 fellow-citizens in the kingdom >of glory, reft and peace, 
 which Chrift hath purchafed for them that love him, and 
 obey him. What profit is there for to gain the whole 
 world, and lofe your own fouls ? Seek firft the kingdom 
 of God and the rlghteoufnefs thereof, and all other thingsf 
 Jhall be added to you. Godlinefs is great .gain, having 
 the promife of this life that now is, and that which is to 
 come ; which is fulfilled to me, who have tafted of the 
 Lord's endlefs love and mercies to my foul ; and from a 
 moving of the fame love and life do I breathe to thee 
 my dear hufband, with my children ; my dear love falutes. 
 you all ; my prayers to my God are for you all, that your 
 minds may be joined to the light, wherewith you are 
 lightened, thatl may enjoy you in that which is eternal, 
 and have communion with you in the fpirit. He that is 
 joined to the Lord, is one fpirit, one heart, one mind, 
 one foul ; to ferve the Lord with one confent. I cannot 
 by pen or paper, fct forth the large love of God, in 
 fulfilling his gracious promifes to me in the wildernefs, 
 being put into prifon for God's Truth, there to remain all 
 the days of my life, being fearched, tried, examined upon 
 pain of death, among the enemies of God and his Truth ; 
 llanding in jeopardy for my life, until the Lord had fubdued 
 and brought them under by his mjghty power, and made 
 them to feed us, and would have given us money or clothes ; 
 but the Lord did deck our table richly in the wildernefs. 
 The day of the Lord is appearing, wherein he will difcover 
 every deed of darknefs, let it be done never fo fecretly ; 
 the light of Chrift Jefus will make it manifeft in every 
 confcience 5 the Lord will rip up all coverings that are 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED Q.IIAK^RS. 
 
 539 
 
 not of his own fpirit. The God of peace be with you 
 alL Amen. 
 
 ' Written in the Inquifition prifon by 
 
 ' Sarah Cheevers.' 
 
 Several other letters both (he and Catharine writ to their 
 huftands, .friends, and relations. But fmce great part of 
 my narrative was fetched from thence, I pafs them by. 
 But by thefe inferted, one may fee that they were not 
 women of a dull temper, but ingenious and chearful. 
 
 In a letter of Sarah's to her friends in Ireland, I find thefc 
 
 words : 
 
 * My life is given up to the fervlce of the Lord : bonds, 
 chams, bolts, irons, double doors, death itfelf, it too little 
 for the teftimony of Jefus, and for the word of God ; fo 
 the feed be gathered, it is but a reafonable facrifice. Bonds 
 and affliftions betide the gofpel of Chrift. Thofe that 
 will live godly in Chrift Jefus, muft fufFer perfecution.' -» 
 
 And in a letter to Daniel Baker, Catharine faid, 
 
 * The time is too little for me to difclofe the twentieth 
 part of the terrible trials ; but whenfoever we were brought 
 upon any trial, the Lord did take away all fear from us, 
 and multiplied our ftrength, and gave us power and bold! 
 nefs to plead for the Truth of the Lord Jefus, and wifdom 
 of words to ft;op the mouths of the gainfayers ; but then 
 they would fay, we had not the true faith, but we had all 
 Virtues. Dearly beloved, pray for us, that we fall nor, 
 nor fail ; whereby our enemies may have any advantage to 
 rejoice, and fay, we ferved a god that could not fave us, 
 and called upon a god that could not deliver us ; as if wc 
 were like them, to call upon ftocks, ftones, pi^ures, and 
 painted walls, and dead things that cannot hear, fee, nor 
 fpeak. We do befeech thee to tell all our dear friends, 
 fathers, and elders, the pillars of our fpiritual building^ 
 with all the reft of our Chriftian brethren, that we do 
 defire their prayers, for we have need of them.' 
 
540 THE HISTORY OF THE [1662 
 
 This letter they conchided with the following Poem : . 
 
 HOW ftrong and pow'rFul is our King 
 To all that do believe in him ? 
 He doth preferve them from the fnare, 
 And teeth of thofe that would them tear. 
 
 AVe that arc fufFrers for the feed. 
 Our hearts are wounded, and do bleed - 
 
 To fee th' oppreflion, cruelty. 
 Of men that do thy Truth deny. 
 
 In prifons ftrong, and dungeons deep, 
 To God alone we cry and weep : 
 Our forrows none can learn nor read. 
 But thofe that in our path do tread. 
 
 But he whofe beauty fliineth bright. 
 Who turneth darkncfs into light. 
 Makes cedars bow, and oaks to bend 
 To him that's fent to the fame end. 
 
 He is a fountain pure and clear. 
 His cryftal ftreams run far and near. 
 To cleanfe all thofe that come to him 
 For to be healed of their fin. 
 
 All them that patiently abide. 
 And never fwervc nor go afide. 
 The Lord will free them out of all 
 Bondage, captivity, and thral. 
 
 They compofed fcveral others, which fell into the hands 
 of their enemies, and copies of them were given to the 
 inquifitor. But now I leave them ; and yet before I re- 
 turn to tranfaftions in England, I (hall relate a Angular 
 cafe of Daniel Baker, who being come to Smyrna, with 
 intent to travel from thence to Conftantinople, was flopped 
 by the Englilh conful, and fent to the Ifle of Zant, where 
 a fhip lay bound for Venice, in which he embarked, and 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 541 
 
 coming mto that city, he (laid there a week, and went 
 trom thence to Leghorn, with intent tot?ke fliipping there 
 for England : but during his flay in that place, he inlardlr 
 felt drawmgs towards Malta, to try whether he could be 
 helpful to Cathanne and Sarah, that were prifoners there, 
 Imce he had fevcral times been ftirred up thereto • and 
 thoiigh the difficulty of the matters had kept hitn back 
 yet he could not have peace in his mind, before he eavc 
 himfelf up tc that fervice ; and fo he embarked in a French 
 Ihip for Sicily : and coming to Syracufe, he ftaid there five 
 days, and then fet fail for Malta ; where being arrived, 
 
 fn..f • 'i""r"f '° '^^ P°P"'' inquifitor, to whom he 
 fpoke in the Italian tongue on this wife : ' I am come to 
 demandthe juft liberty of my innocent friends, the Endifh 
 vomen .n pnfon in the inquifition.' The inquifitor aSced 
 
 and whether he came out of England on purpofe with 
 
 hat mefTage. To this Daniel anfwered, that fe cZl Zt 
 
 rh^ T S"" 't^ ^^.""^ ^"^- ^"' '^'^ inquifitor told him 
 
 ?nJllS .'^'^' '" Pr'"^"^'" ^'^Hied, except forr^ 
 Enghfli merchants, or others that were able, would en- 
 
 fhlf £■" S^ ""^ ""^ '^'^^ °' ^°"^ thoufand dollars, that 
 they ftould never return into thofe parts. His requeft 
 being thus denied he went to the Englifh conful, ^and 
 fpoke with him and feveral others : but all his endeavours 
 proved vain ; and he himfelf was threatened with the in! 
 quifition; and the pope's deputy would have had him- 
 bound, that he fhould neither fpeak good nor evil to any 
 
 ' luW^'L^A f ''' ^T °^ ^hree weeks, he pafTed again to ' 
 Italy, and from ihence took (hipping for England: but 
 bcrng come into the Streights of'cibralcar, he faw that 
 he high mountain there, was the fame plac^ he had feen 
 
 ' t , ''•'■'^r'"^ ^T '" ' ^'■"^™' ^^hen prifoner in Worccfler 
 gaol .n England. Here the (hip wherein he was, w di 
 feveral other velTels, l.y about a month, becattfe ^f the 
 contrary wind, fo that they could not fet fail. I„ the 
 
 a Icrvice for him afhore; but, confidering this to be 
 
Iff 
 
 542 The history of the [1662 
 
 dangerous, he wifhed to have been excufcd of it ; but 
 felt no peace before he fully gave up, whatever either 
 bonds or death might enfue. Whilft the fleet lay here 
 wind-bound, divers fhips attempted to pafs through, but 
 could not : and the like temptation attended him as that 
 of Jonah, viz. to flee from the place, and fo to efcapc 
 the burden under which he laboured. But he found, as 
 afterwards fignificd in a printed relation, that obedience 
 was his duty, though it was required of him to be a fign 
 againll the idolatry of the church of Rome. He then 
 told the mafter of the fliip in which he was a paflenger, 
 fomething of the matter, and faid that he believed that 
 God would foon give opportunity for the fleet to pafs 
 away, after this fervice was performed. The mafter was 
 hard to be perfuaded to put him afliore, yet at length he 
 fuffcred it, upon the day they ufed to call Maunday 
 Thurfday. Being now landed, he went to the town, and 
 fo into the mafs-houfe, where he found the priell at the 
 high altar,* upon his knees, in his white furplice, adoring 
 the hoft. After he had awhile been viewing this idolatry, 
 he felt the indignation of God kindled in his heart againil 
 it : and turning his back upon the prieft and his dead god, 
 he fct his face towards the people, and faw the multitude 
 upon their knees alfo, worfhipping they knew not what. 
 In ihispofture, fpreading forth his arms, he flipped off" his 
 upper garment, and rent it from top to bottom in divers 
 pieces, which he caft from him with indignation : then he 
 look his hat from off" his he^id, as being the uppermoft 
 covering of man, and carting it down, ftamped upon it 
 with liis feet, and appearing in fackcloth covering, he, 
 with a loud voice, thrice founded repentance, and faid 
 that the life of Chrift and his faints was arifen from the 
 dead. And fo he paflcd away unmolcfted, founding the 
 fame meflage with repentance through the ftreets, till he 
 came to the fea-fide, where he kneeled down to pray, 
 and gave thanks to the Lord for his wonderful prefervation, 
 and that he had fuffcred no man to touch or do him any 
 harm. Being on fhore, he deliivered a paper, written in 
 the Spanifli tongue, to the governor and inhabitants of 
 Gibraltar, with fome Latin books^ That to the governor, 
 &c. was as followcth : 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 543 
 
 1662] 
 
 ' Behold, behold, the great day of God is come, and 
 'of his wrath, and of the wrath of his Lamb. The hour 
 of his judgment is come. Wherefore, oh inhabitants of 
 the earth, repent, repent, repent ! Fear God, and give 
 glory and honour to him that made heaven and earth and 
 the fountains of waters. Woe, woe, woe to the inhabi- 
 tants of the earth. John heard another voice from heaven 
 faying, " Come out of her my people, that ye partake not 
 of her fins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Thefc 
 are the words of the power of Chrift, that is contrary to 
 the falfe church. Behold, behold, plagues, plagues, plagues 
 are coming upon the church of Rome, and upon her heads 
 in all parts of the world/' 
 
 Daniel being now come again on fhip-board, the next 
 day the Lord gave them a fair wind, and all the fleet fet 
 fail ; and after fome time he arrived fafe in England. But 
 /being come to London, it was not Jong, ere he, who had 
 travelled without hurt in foreign parts, was imprifoned by 
 his countrymen,'as will be related hereafter: and being 
 (hut up in prifon, he writ a narrative of his travels, from 
 which 1 took my relation. 
 
 About this time John Stubbs returned into England, 
 having been in the domraions of the great Turk. But I 
 * do not find that he met with any fingular occurrences, 
 but that he had fpread fome books. He and Alexander 
 Parker coming to London, found G. Fox there, with 
 whom they travelled towards Briftol : by the way they 
 had fevcral meetings, and being come to Briftol, they 
 underftood that the officers were likely to come and difturb 
 the meeting. Yet on the Firft-day of the week they 
 . went thither, and A. Parker ftood up firft to preach ; but 
 while he was fpeaking, the officers came and took him away» 
 Then G. Fox ftood up and preached undifturbed, fo that 
 the meeting ended peaceably. And he, ftaying in town 
 that week, vifited his friends, and was vifited by them. 
 The next Firft«day fome of his friends came to him, and 
 endeavoured to perfuade him not to go to the meeting 
 that day; ' For,' faid they,' the magiftrates have threatened 
 to take thee away, and tHat in order thereto, hsvc raifcd 
 
544 
 
 THF. HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 1662] 
 
 vf 
 
 the trained bands.* G. Fox defired them to go their way 
 to the meeting, without telling them what he intended to 
 do. Yet not long after he went thither : but being met 
 by fome of his friends, they did what they could to flop 
 him ; and, * What/ faid one, ' Wilt thou go ioto the 
 mouth of the beafl?' * Wilt ihou go into the mouth of 
 the dragon ?' faid another. But G. Fox would not fuffer 
 bimfelf to be thus prevented, but went on. Being come 
 thither he perceived a concern and fear upon his friends 
 for him, but his preaching there was fo powerful, ihTit 
 all fear departed from them ; and having concluded his 
 fermon with a prayer, he ftcod up again and told the 
 auditory, now they might fee there was a God in Ifrael 
 that could deliver : for the officers and foldiers had been 
 breaking up another meeting, which had taken up their 
 time ; and they were in a great rage that they had miffed 
 him ; for it was refolved on now to perfecute the Quakers, 
 and, if poffible to root them out. 
 
 G. Fox, after having tarried yet fom.e days at Briftol, 
 vent through Wiltlhirc and Berkfhire, back again to 
 London : yet he did not ftay long there, but travelled 
 towards Leicefterfhire, and paffmg by Barnett Hills, he 
 found there one captain Brown, a Baptift, whofe wife 
 belonged to the fociety of thofc called Quakers. This 
 captain, for fear his wife fhould go to meetings and be 
 caft into prifon, had left his houfe at Barrow, and taken 
 a place on the faid hills, thinking himfelf more fafe there. 
 G. Fox going to fee the wife, and being come into the 
 houfe, aiked him how he did ; ' How I do !' faid he, ' the 
 plagues and vengeance of God are upon me, a runnagate^ 
 a Cain, as 1 am : God may look for a witnefs for me, and 
 fuch as me ; for if all were no faithfuller than I, God 
 would have no witnefs left in the earth.' In this condition 
 Brown lived there on bread and water, and thought it too 
 good for him ; but at length he returned with his wife to 
 his own houfe at Barrow, where he came to be convinced 
 of the Truth profeffed by thofe called Quakers, and died 
 in it ; and a little before his death, he faid that though he 
 had not borne a tcftimony for Truth in his life, he would 
 bear a tcilimony in his death; defiring to be buried in his 
 orchard in a plain way. 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKERS. 
 
 54S 
 
 But I return to G. Fox, who being come Into Leicefter. 
 inire, went to Swanington, to the houfe of a widow 
 woman, where at night came one called the lord Beaumont 
 and a company of foldiers, who took him out of the hall 
 
 nfu J^'' ^""^ ^'^"8^^^ ^'"^ ^o ^he faid lord, who 
 aiked him hi5 name : to which he anfwered, ' My name is 
 ereorge Fox, and I am well known by that name.' < Aye ' 
 laid Beaumont, ' you are known all the world over!' 
 llien he put his hands into George's pockets to fearcfa 
 them and pulled out his comb-cafe, and afterwards com- 
 manded one of the officers to fearch foi^ letters : which 
 made G. Fox fay, that he was no letter carrier, alkin^ 
 him why he came amongft a peaceable people with fwords 
 and pjflols without a conflable ; fince this was contrary to 
 tile king s proclamation ; and it could not be faid there 
 was a meeting ; for G. Fox had been talking in the hall 
 only with the widow woman and her daughter. Beaumont 
 lending then for the conftables, gave them charge to watch 
 G. l^ox, and fome that were with him that night; accord- 
 ingly the conftables fet a watch upon them, and next 
 ^u'^u^ ^'•o^ght them to Beaumont's houfe, who then 
 told them they met contrary to the aft : for not long before 
 this time the parliament, by the inftigation of the clergy 
 had made an aft againft coventicles, containing that if 
 any were convifted of having been at a conventicle, they 
 Ihould incur a fine not exceeding five pounds, or imprifon- 
 ment not above three months. G. Fox faying to the lord 
 Beaiimont, diat he did not find^them in a meeting, and 
 n X^ "^^^ ""^ tranfgreffion of the faid aft, Beaumont 
 aiked him, whether he would take the oaths of allegiance 
 and fupremacy : to which G. Fox anfwered, ^ I never 
 took any oath in all my life.' And defired him to fliew 
 that oath, that they might fee whether it was not the 
 difcovcry of Popifh recufants. But Beaumont being un- 
 willmg, caufed a mittimus to be made, which mentioned 
 that t*ey were to have had a meeting : a cunning artifice 
 indeed to vex an innocent people. And with the mittimus 
 he charged the conftables to convey them to Leicefter 
 gaol. The conftable who was charged to bring G. Fox 
 and his friends to prifon, was loath to do it himfelf, and 
 Vol, I. 
 
 2 M 
 
 1' 
 
 'A 
 
 f 
 
 M 
 
546 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TH£ 
 
 [1662- 
 
 being harvefl- time, it was hard to get any body to go 
 with them ; and therefore they would have given them 
 the mittimus to carry it themfelves to the gaoler. This 
 they refufed, though fomeiimes fome of their friends had 
 done fo : for the conftables had fuch experience of their 
 fidelity, that they duifl trufl them even in fuch a cafe, 
 without fearing the bird would efcape. Then the con- 
 ftable hired a poor man, who was loatli to go with them 
 on this errand. Yet they rode with him through the 
 country, being five in number, and fome carried their 
 bibles open in their hands, and paffing through tov/ns, 
 they told people they were the prifoners of the Lord 
 Jefus Chrill, going to fuffer bonds for his name's fake. 
 Being come to Leicefter, and gone into an inn, the mafler 
 of the houfe feemcd fomewhat troubled that they fliould 
 go to prifon ; but they being unwilling to confult \vith 
 lawyers, to which they were advifed, fufFered themfelves 
 to be had to prifon ; where being come, G. Fox ailced 
 whether the gaoler or his wife was mailer : and it was 
 told him, ' 'ilie wife,' who though flie was lame, and not 
 able to go without crutches, yet would beat her hufband 
 when he came within her reach, if he did not do as fhe 
 would have him. 
 
 G. Fox perceiving from this that without her leave he 
 fhould not be able to agree with her hufband, got fomc- 
 body to bargain with her for a room, for him" and his 
 friends, and to leave it to them to give her what they 
 would ; to which fhe cgnfented. But then it was told 
 the prifoners, the gaoler would not fuiTer them to fetch 
 any drink out of the town into the prifon; but whc^t beer 
 they drank they muft take it of him, and that, as was 
 cafily to be gueffed, (hould be at a dear rate. 
 
 Ihis made G. Fox fay, he could remedy that; for fmce 
 the gaoler could not deny them water, he would get a 
 pail of it once a day, and put fome wormwood into it, 
 and that might fervf* their turn. So long a<x G. Fcf?;: was 
 in prifon there, he and his friends had a m.eetijig every 
 Firit-day of the week in the yard, to which came not 
 only the debtors and felons that were prifoners, but alfo 
 Several people out of the town and country ; whereby^ 
 
 J662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qjAKERS. 
 
 547 
 
 il 
 
 many were convinced of the truth he preached, and con- 
 tmued to be ftiithful witnefTes for it. 
 
 Whilfl G. Fox was confined there, feveral more of his 
 friends were fent to prifon, to the number of about twenty. 
 And when the fefTions cam.e they were brought before the 
 juflices, who tendered to them the oaths of allegiance and 
 fupremacy : for this was the ordinary fnare, when no other 
 thmg could be found to lay hold on. But G. Fox told 
 them he never took any oath in his life ; « And ye know 
 we cannot fwear becaufe Chrifl and his apoftles forbade 
 it ; and therefore this is but as a fnare to us ; yet if ye 
 can prove that after Chrifl and his apoflles forbade fwear- 
 ing, they ever did command ChriHians to fwear, then \yc 
 Will take thefe oaths ; otherwife wx are refolved to obey 
 Chrift*s Command, and the apoflle's exhortation.' To this 
 It was returned that they muft take the oath to manifeft 
 their allegiance to the king. G. Fox, to fhew that he was 
 not unfaithful to the king, told them, that formerly he had 
 been fent up a prifoner by colonel Hacker, from that town 
 to London, under pretence that he held meetings to plot 
 for bringing in king Charles. Then he defired that their 
 mittimus might be read, which fet forth the caufe of their 
 commitment to be, that they were to have a meeting. And 
 he faid alfo, that the lord Beaumont could not by the aft 
 fend them to gaol, unlefs they had been taken at a m.eet- 
 ing;^and therefore he urged the reading of the mittimus, 
 that ft might be feen how wrongfully they were imprifbned. 
 But whatever he faid, they would not take notice of the 
 mittimus, but called a jury, and indifted the prifoners for 
 refufing to take the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy. 
 When the jury was fworn and inftrufted, as they were 
 going out, one that had been an alderman fpoke to them, 
 and recommended them to have a good confcience : but 
 one of the jury being a peevifh man, told thejuilices there 
 was one affronted the jury. Whereupon he was called 
 up, and to try whether he was a Quaker, the oath w^as 
 alfo tendered to him, and he took it ; and thus the fnare 
 intended againft liim did not hold. 
 
 Whilfl the prifoners flood waiting, a eut-purfe had put his 
 hand into the pockets of fome of them, which they told the 
 
 Ki 
 
 fi 
 
 2 M 3 
 
543 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 16621 
 
 juftices of, and fhewed them the man. They then called 
 him up, and upon examination he could not deny the feet, 
 yet they let him go free, ju(l as if the robbing of thofe 
 called Quakers was no cFime. 
 
 It was not long before the jury returned, and brought 
 the prifoners in guilty. And then the juftices whifpered 
 together, and bade the gaoler take the prifoners and carry 
 them back to gaol. But a little after they were in prifon 
 again, the gaoler came to them, and faid, ' Gentlemen, 
 it is the court's pleafure that ye fhould all be fet at liberty,' 
 Sec. Thus' they were releaffd on a fudden, which was 
 indeed remarkable, becaufe the jury had brought them in 
 guilty ; on which palling of fentence mull have followed. 
 But G. Fox's liberty feems to have been owing to the 
 following caufe: he had a letter from the lord Haftings, 
 who having heard of his imprifonment, had written from 
 London to the juftices of the fciTions to fet him at hberty. 
 This letter he had not as yet delivered to the juftices, who 
 perhaps had fome knowledge of the faid lord's mind from 
 another hand, which made them refolve on this fudden dif- 
 charge. G. Fox being now free, carried this letter to the 
 lord Beaumont, who having opened and read it, feemed 
 fomewhat troubled ; and yet threatened him, if lie had 
 any more meetings at Swanington, he would difperfe them, 
 , and fend him to prifon again. But norwlthftanding thefe 
 threatenings, he and his friends went to Swanington, and 
 had a meeting there without being difturbed. Trom tlience 
 he travelled to London, where we will leave him, and in 
 the mean-while fee what happened elfewhcre. 
 ^ Some time before, Thomas Goodair and Benjamin 
 Staples were imprifoned at Oxford, and being brought 
 into the court of judicature before Sir William Walter, 
 who fate there as judge, and Goodair being examined and 
 nothing found againft him, the oath of allegiance was ten- 
 dered, to which he anfwered, that he acknowledged the king 
 as fupreme ruler in civil temporal matters, and that he was 
 willing to obey him in all juft commands. ^ But,' fetid he, 
 •if king Charles and thofe who are in authority under him, 
 enjoin me to aiiy thing contrary to the command of Chrift, 
 then I will rather obey Cbift than king Charles, or thofe 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKERS. 
 
 549 
 
 m author.ty under h,m. It is for confciencc fake that 1 
 
 cannot fwear though I could gain the whole world he e 
 
 by ; for Chnfl hath forbidden it, and faid « Swear not a'r 
 
 all ;■' and James faith, « Above all things tczr Z" 
 
 . Bin whatever Goodair faid was in vain, for They wo, Id 
 
 needs have h.m fwe:,r. He continuing to refufe fwm^i^ 
 
 julhce Walker a/ked thofe that were with him on S 
 
 ttencettft ! ? ''' "V'V"^" '^^ ^^^'"'^ "^^ p"^ 
 icn encc aga.nit them : to which they havin? faid no ht 
 
 fpoke thus to Goodair, ' Hearken to your fentence 'vn,! 
 are out of the king's proteftion. All you^ a d^ rea 
 eftate, and chattels are forfeited, and (hail be fefzed^o 
 he kuig s ufe : and you are to remain prifoner durhj the 
 l^ing s pleafure.' Then he bid the gaoler take r^L 
 away, who aiked whether the gaoler fad ch rg fofctl 
 h"n; for he had been fettere'd as thieves and feW 
 before he had been brought into the court, wtreupon 
 he j,dge anfwered, ' The gaoler may do with you K 
 he w,l : for you are now out of the king's proteftbn ' 
 Then he was led away, and B. Staples brought to the C 
 o whom the oath being alfo tendered, and he refufmg to 
 take It, the fame fentence was paffed on him. Both baW 
 returned to pnfon the gaoler faid to the other prifonerf 
 that were there for evil or debts, « If ye want co.fV , 
 my take thofe of the Ql^akers.'for tlf^y! e „ow out S 
 the protea.on of the law.' But one of the prifoners was 
 fo honeft as to fay he would rather go naked, than tike 
 away thofe mens coats. How lone, fhey were in nrif 
 and Whetl^er they died there, or were ^^^h ieleSTf 
 
 But now I return to Ambrofe Rigg, who bein? come 
 to Hurft Pierpomt in SulTex, had a meeting there ^atth? 
 
 fn HT f Z ^t"^^'-.'":'r'' "''•P^^'" Thomas Luxford ; dSs 
 fo d.fpleafed the prieft Leonard I.etchford, that Rig^ w j 
 
 taken and brought before the juflices, Walter Burril, N^fd 
 Rivers, and Richard Bridger, who being minded to brind 
 
 2 M 3 
 
 i\ 
 
sso 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 him under fufFerings, tendered him the oath of allegiance ; 
 
 and he, faying that for confcience fake he could not fwear, 
 
 was forthwith fent to Horfham prifon, and at the time of 
 
 the affizes brought into the court, where judge Samuel 
 
 Brown then fate, and paffed the fentence of premunire, 
 
 upon him. Then he was carried back, and by the infti- 
 
 gation cf the faid Leonard Letchford, committed clofe pri- 
 
 foner, where he continued above ten years, and fuffered 
 
 during that lime much hardlhip by the malice of the 
 
 gaolers, fmce fuch prifoners as he was, are fhut out of the 
 
 king's prote6l:ion. In the mean- while the aforefaid prieft 
 
 Letchford fummoned Rigg's w^ife for tithes, and fhe re- 
 
 fufing payment, was alfo imprifoned at the profecution of 
 
 this prieft ; and then he fcized her goods, taking away 
 
 alfo that which her huft)and had earned in prifon by his 
 
 hand labour, not leaving him and his wife a bed to lie on ; 
 
 nay, he alfo took away a pot they had borrowed from 
 
 other prifoners to boil victuals in, and vaunted he had 
 
 Rigg fo faft, that it was not in the king's power to releafe 
 
 him. But notv/iihftanding this wicked boaft, yet to his 
 
 great difquiet and vexation, he lived to fee Rigg releafed 
 
 by the king under the great feal. And Thomas Luxford, 
 
 A. Rigg's father-in-law, being alfo become one of the 
 
 fociety of thofe called Quakers, and refufing to pay him 
 
 tithes, felt likewife the effefts of his fury ; for he caufed 
 
 him alfo to be caft into gaol, where he kept him fix years; 
 
 and the prifoners being then releafed by the (heriff, he 
 
 was excommunicated by Letchford, and afterwards at his 
 
 fuit, by virtue of the ftatute De Excommunkatio capiendo^ 
 
 fhut up again in prifon, frgm which he v/as fet at liberty 
 
 by an aft of parliament. 
 
 Not long after, Letchford got a warrant to fue alfo fome 
 others of the Quakers fo called, belonging to his parifh, 
 for not paying tithes : but before he could get them im- 
 prifoned, it happened that having at night gone to bed 
 healthy, in the morning he was fonnd ftiif dead in his 
 bed, according to the teftimony of his neighbours ; and 
 this prevented the ftroke he had levelled againft others. 
 
 Not being willing to finifli this relation abruptly, I an^ 
 advanced in time, but now I return to the year 1662. In 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 55^ 
 
 the middle of this year, Sir Henry Vane and John Lamberr, 
 botli vigorous champions againft king Charles the Firft, 
 and having been in great authority under the former go! 
 vernment, were brought to their trial. Vane behaved him- 
 felfwith very great prefence of mind: how far he was 
 guilty I am not to inquire ; but he was declared guilty, 
 &nd afterwards beheaded on Tower-hill. He was reputed 
 to be a man of great knowledge, having been one of the 
 chief members of the long parliament, and alfo an oppofer 
 of Cromwell : for he was an entire republican, and had a 
 great ftiare in the adminiftration of ftate aftairs. Lambert, 
 who had been an eminent general, faved his life : for fince 
 Vane, as Ludlow faith, pleaded for the lives and liberties 
 of his country, and Lambert for his own, he evaded the 
 ftorra, which took away Vane. Lambert now, though 
 condemned to death, begged mercy, and was confined I0 
 perpetual imprifonment, and carried to a fmall ifle near 
 Plymouth, where he flniftied his days. 
 
 Seeing on the infurredion of the Fifth monarchy-men, 
 occafion was taking to make an acl: againft plotting, and 
 leditious meetings, the perfecution againft the Quakers in- 
 creafed, under a pretence that their meetings were danger- 
 ous, and to the terror of the king's fubje^s, and an\c1: 
 was made againft thofe who refufed to take an oath as 
 appeared by the title of jt, viz, ' 
 
 An aa for preventing mifchiefs and dangers that may 
 arife by certain perfons called Quakers, and others re- 
 fufing to take lawful oaths. 
 
 ' Whereas of late times, certain perfons under the name 
 of quakdrs, and other names of feparation, have taken up, 
 iind maintained fundry dangerous opinions and tenets, and 
 (amongft others) that the taking of an oath, in any cafe 
 whatfoever, although before a lawful magiftrate, is alto- 
 gether unlawful, and contrary to the word of God ; and 
 the faid perfons do daily refufe to take an oath, though 
 lawfully tendered, whereby it often happens, that the 
 truth is wholly fuppreffcd, and the adminiftration ofjuftice 
 much obftrufted : and whereas the faid perfons, under a 
 
 2 M 4 
 
 ')\ 
 
55^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [l66» 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QIJAKERS, 
 
 pretence of religious worfliip, do often aflemble thcmfelves 
 in great numbers in feveral parts of this realm, to the great 
 endangering the publick peace and fafety, and to the terror 
 of the people, by maintaining a fecrct and ftrift corrcfpon- 
 dence amongft themfelves, and in the mean-time feparating 
 and dividing ^hemfelvcs from the reft of his majefty's good 
 and loyal fubje£ls^ and from the publick congregations, and 
 ufual places of divine worfliip : 
 
 II. ' For the redreffing therefore, and better preventing 
 the* many mifchiefs and dangers that do, and may arife 
 by fuch dangerous tenets, and fuch unlawful aflemblies, 
 (2) Be it enafted by the king's moft excellent majefty, by 
 and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and 
 temporal, 'and commons afTembled in parliament, and by 
 authority of the fame, that if any perfon or perfons, who 
 maintain that the taking of an oath, in any cafe foever 
 (although before a lawful magiftrate) is altogether unlaw- 
 ful, and contrary to the word of God, from and after the 
 four-and- twentieth day of March, in this prefent year of 
 our Lord, one thoufand fix hundred and fixty-one, fliall 
 wilfully and obftinately refufe to take an oath, whereby 
 the laws of the realm he or (he is, or fhall be bound to 
 take the fame, being lawfully and duly tendered, (3) oi 
 fliall endeavour to perfuade any other perfon, to whom 
 any fuch oath fhall in like manner be duly and lawfully 
 tendered, to refufe and forbear the taking of the fame, (4 ) 
 or fliall by printing, writing, or oiherwife, go about to 
 maintain and defend that the taking of an oath in any cafe 
 whatfoever, is altogether unlawful ; (5) and if the faid 
 perfons, commonly called Quakers, fhall at any time after 
 the faid four-and-twentieth day of March, depart from the 
 places of their feveral habitations, and aflemble themfelves 
 to the number of five, or more, of the age of fixtecn years, 
 or upwards, at any one time, in any place, under pretence 
 of joining in a religious worfliip, not authorifed by the 
 laws of this realm, (6) that then in all and every fuch 
 cafes, the party fo offending, being thereof lawfully con- 
 Tift, by verdift of twelve men, or by his own coufcflion, 
 or by the notorious evidence of the faft, fliall lofc and 
 forfeit to the icing's majefty, his heirs and fucceffors, for 
 
 555 
 
 thcfirft offence, fuch fum as fiiall be impofed upon him or 
 her not exceedmg five pounds; (7) and if any perfon or 
 perfons, being once convifted of any fuch offence, fliall 
 again offend therein, and fliall in form aforefaid be thereof 
 lawfully convifted, fliall for the fecond offence forfeit to 
 the king, our fovereign lord, his heirs and fucceffors, fuch 
 ium as fhal! be impoled upon him or her, not exceedins 
 ten pounds : f 8) the faid refpeftive penalties to be levied 
 by diltrcfs, and fale of the parties goods fo convifted by 
 \varrant of the parties before whom they fliall be fo con- 
 vifted, rciidcring the overplus to the owners, if any be • (q) 
 and for want of luch diftivfs, or non-payment of the faid 
 penalty within one week after fuch conviftion, that then 
 the faid parties fo convifted fliall for the firfl offence be 
 committed to the common gaol, or houfe of correftion for 
 thefpace of three months; and for the fecond offence 
 during fix months, without bail or mainprize, there to be 
 kept to hard labour: (10) which faid monies fo to be 
 levied, fliall be paid to fuch perfon or perfons, as Ihall be 
 appointed by thofe before whom they fliall be convifted 
 to be employed for the iiicreafe of the flock of the houfe 
 of correftion, to which they fliall be committed, and pro- 
 viding materials tofet them on work : (i i) and if any per- 
 fon after he, in form aforefaid, hath been twice convift 
 Of any the faid offences fhall offend the third time, and be 
 thereof, in form aforefaid, lawfully convift, that then every 
 perfon fo offending, and convift, fliall for his or her third 
 offence, abjure the realm ; or otherwife it fliall and may 
 be lawful to, and for his majefty, his heirs and fucceffors 
 to give order, and to caufe him, her, or them, to be traiif! 
 ported in any fliip or fliips, to any of his majefly's planta- 
 tions beyond the leas. 
 
 III. ' And it is ordained and enafted, by the authoritr 
 aforefaid, that all and every juftjce of oyer and terminer, 
 juftices of affize, and gaol-delivery, and the juftices of 
 the peace, fliall have full power and authority, in ^very of 
 their open and general quarter-feffions, to enquire, hear 
 and derermine all and every the faid offences, within the 
 limits of their commiffion to them direfted, and to make 
 proccfs for the execution of the fame, as they may do 
 
 
554 THE HISTORY OF THE £1662 
 
 againfl any perfon being inditted before them of trefpafs, 
 or lawfully convifted thereof. 
 
 IV. ' And be it alfo ena^ed, that it fhall and may be 
 lawful to, and for any juflice of peace, mayor, or other 
 chief officer, of any corporation, within their feveral jurif- 
 diftions, 10 commit to the common gaol, or bind over, 
 with fufficient furcties to the quarter-feflion, any perfon or 
 perfons offending in the premiffes, in order to his or their 
 conviction aforefaid. 
 
 V. ' Provided always, and be it hereby further ena<fted, 
 that if any of the faid perfons fhall, after fuch conviction as 
 aforefaid, take fuch oath or oaths, for which he or flie 
 Hands committed, and alfo give fecurity that he or flie (hall 
 for the time to come forbear to meet in any fuch unlawful 
 aflembly as aforefaid, that then, and from thenceforth, 
 fuch perfon and perfons fhall be difcharged from all the 
 penalties aforefaid : any thing in this aft to the contrary 
 notwithftanding. 
 
 VI. * Provided always, and be it ordained and enafted 
 by the authority aforefaid, that all and Angular lords of 
 the parliament, for every third offence committed againll 
 the tenor of this aft, fhall be tried by their peers, and not 
 othcrwife/ 
 
 This aft caufed E. Burrough to write a fmall book, 
 called, ^ The Cafe of the People called Quakers, flated, to 
 fhew the faHehood of the accufations charged upon them.' 
 Firfl he fhewed in this treatife, that fuppofe the Quakers 
 "were hereticks and erroneous people, which was never yet 
 proved ; yet we found no examples in Scripture that fuch 
 fhould be imprifoned, orafHifted with corporal puniihments, 
 Hdving treated of this matter at large, he laid down the 
 ftate of their way of meeting and worfliip, appealing to 
 others on this account, wiih thefe words : 
 
 ' What judgment do our neighbours give in this cafe? 
 They fay, concerning our meetings, that they have known 
 us to meet together in luch manner, for divers years, in 
 towns and villages, and never knew, nor underflood of 
 any harm or danger therein, nor ever were any way prcr 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QtrAKERS. 
 
 555 
 
 judiced, either in their perfons or eflates, in our meetings. 
 The very witnefs of God in all our neighbours does teftify* 
 and give judgment, that our meetings have always been 
 peaceable and quiet, and that we come together in peace 
 and good order, and part in the flime, and no perfon hath 
 been harmed by fuch our meetings ; enquire of the neigh- 
 bourhood, and they will tell you they believe in their 
 confciences our meetings are for good, and have good 
 efitrfts, and are not evil, nor bring forth any evil to any. 
 
 ' And as for the manner of our meeting and fitting 
 together, it is orderly and decently, and of good report 
 among men ; and for any doftrine that ever was there 
 held, or heard by any, none can truly accufe it to be either 
 error, or herefy, or fedition ; but on the contrary, they 
 know it witnelTeth againfl all fm and iniquity, and tends to 
 the turning of people from ungcdlinefs and unrighteoufnefs 
 to truth and holinefs : and many can tell this is efFefted 
 by our doftrine preached in our meetings ; and our neigh- 
 bours can witnefs that we part again in peace and good 
 order, and in convenien: time ; and they can fhew you 
 they are not terrified, nor the peace of the land diflurbed 
 fon our part) by our meetings, which are in God's fear, 
 and to the glory of his name, which all fober men know 
 are according to the law of God, and gofpel, and primi- 
 Itive Chriftian example. 
 
 ' We are accufed as heinous offenders, and imprifoned, 
 becaufe it is fuppofed we do not fubmit to obey the known 
 laws of the land, but break them, and will not conform to 
 the church, pay tithes, take oaths, have meetings together, 
 &c. though wcknow the laws of the land command theib 
 things. 
 
 * Plea, firft, as to fubmitting to all known laws of the 
 land;^ this is known to God and our neighbours, that our 
 principle and praftice is, and ever hath been, to fubmit to 
 every government, and to fubmit to all laws of men, either 
 by doing or by fulTering, as at this day we refifl not the 
 greateft of affliftions and tribulations that can be impofed 
 on us; and this is well known to our neighbours and all 
 
5S(i 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 people, that we are fubmiffivetoall lawsof men, by patient 
 fufFering without refiftance : even when any law requires 
 any thing of us, which we cannot perform for confciencc- 
 fake, that law we fulfil by patient fuffering, refilling no 
 man, nor rendering evil for evil to any. And the judgment 
 of the Scriptures, which are according to both law and 
 gofpel, and the precedents cf faints jullify us in this cafe, 
 inchoofing patiently to fufFer the greateft penalties of the 
 law, rather than to obey (by doing) any fuch law as re- 
 quires things contrary to our pure confciences j as in the 
 example of the three children, Dan. iii. who were com- 
 manded, to fall down and worfliip the golden image, at 
 what time foever they heard the found of the mufick, upon 
 the penalty of being cafl into the midft of the burning 
 fiery furnace : which commandment they could not obey, 
 FiOr could they fall down to worfliip the image ; but rather 
 choofed to fufFer the penalty of being cad into the midfl: of 
 the burning fiery furnace, which accordingly was done 
 unto them. Again, in the cafe of Daniel, chap. vi. who 
 was commanded to make no petition to any god or man 
 for thirty days, fave to king Darius, upon the penalty and 
 affli^lion of being caft into the lion's den : but Daniel did 
 rather choofe to fuifer the penalty, to be caft into the den 
 of lions, than to obey the commandment ; and was caft 
 into the lion's den. By thefe examples of holy men, with 
 many more that might be given out of the Scriptures, it is 
 evident, that righteous men will rather choofe to fufFer* 
 than to obey any law of man contrary to their confciences. 
 So the law of God, and example of faints, and Holy Scrip- 
 tures, give judgment for us in this cafe, of rather choofing 
 to fufFer, than to obey laws contrary to our confciences ; 
 and confequently muft needs condemn fuch that perfecute 
 2nd imprifon us, becaufe they require obedience of us in 
 things againll our confciences. 
 
 Secondly. * Though we difobey laws, and cannot 
 iively obey every law of man, when it requireth and 
 commandeth things contrary 10 a good confcience ; yet 
 herein alfo are we judified, by the law of God, example of 
 faints, and Holy Scriptures, and they give judgment for us^ 
 and confcquenrly againft cur enemies in this cafe j and in 
 
 af 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (^TAKERS, 
 
 557 
 
 particular in the two examples before-mentioned In Daniel 
 the three children were exprefsly commanded to fall down 
 and worfhip the golden image : and Daniel was alfo Te 
 quired by the kmg^s decree, not to pray to any god or man. 
 
 Z'lr I '"fr^u'^^V' r '" '^''^' holy men of God did 
 abfolutcly difobey the law and decree fo requiring of them 
 
 and did contrary to the commandment : for the three 
 children did not bow, nor Daniel ceafe to pray to God 
 but prayed as at other times, and yet were juftified of God 
 JVa "^o^'^'^^ theapoflles of our Lord Jefus Chrift 
 ( Adts IV. 18) were commanded to preach no more in the 
 name of Jefus; but the apoflles did difobey their com- 
 mandment, and went on and preached in the Spirit and 
 power of Chrift, contrary to the commandment of the 
 rulers, and appealed to them, whether it were not better 
 to obey ^od than man. Many examples we might colleft 
 out ot the Scriptures, that thefervants of God did difobey 
 the commands 6f kings and rulers, and could not obey rbv 
 doing) any command contrary to God, but rather chofe 
 to fufFer affliftions, and death itfelf, than to obev fuch 
 laws and decrees, as required any thing contrary to a pure 
 confcience : and this is our cafe at this day , we cannot 
 obey (by doing) any thing againil our confciences, but muft 
 break the laws of men, and difobey their commandments 
 rather than break the law of God, and fin againft our own 
 confciences, wharfoever we fufFer becaufe hereof • and th- 
 examples of faints and Scriptures juftify us in this behalf.^ 
 
 ^ And let our enemies ceafe to cry out, ^ Rebellious and 
 dilobedient to laws and government ;' for we are not fuch 
 as do wilfully and obflinately difobey any laws of men, hut 
 forconfcience-Fike, and that we may not fin againft God 
 nor offend his witnefs in us ; theref^.re we cannot obey 
 Jaws contrary to our confciences, whatfoever we fufTer 
 which we rdift not, nor rebel againft any in this cafe • fa 
 that our principles and practices are to obey every law and 
 government, cither by doing or fuff-ering. And thouah 
 we difooey fuch laws as are not according to the law "of - 
 God and rather do choofe to fufter, yet herein we arc 
 julti-fied by the law of God, and the Holy Seripti res 
 
55^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [16^2 
 
 Thirdly. ' And as for onr converfetions among men, la 
 refpect of our daily walking and converfc with them in onr 
 dealing, in refpe^l of honefty and faithfalncfs, and truth 
 and jurtnefs in works and words, our neighbours (hall give 
 witncfs for iis« We will not juftify ourfelves, it is God 
 that juftifics us, and the law of God, gofpel of Chrifr, 
 Scriptures, examples of holy men, our neighbours, and 
 the w^itnefs of God in all mens confciences fliall bear 
 witnefs to us; and all thefe do give judgment for us in 
 thefe cafes, to whom we do appeal for judgment. And, 
 O Lord God everlafting, do thou judge our caufe ; do 
 thou make it manifeft in thy due feafon to all the world, 
 that we are thy people ; that we love thee above all ; that 
 we fear thy name more than all ; that we love righteouf- 
 nefs and hate iniquity ; and that we now fuiFer for thy 
 holy name and truth, and for thy honour and juftice, and 
 for thy truth andholinefs. O Lord, tliou knoweft we are 
 refolved to perifli, rather than to lofc one grain hereof. 
 Amen, Amen. 
 
 * Our accufations and anfwcrs truly compared, and 
 weighed in the balance of juftice and truth in every man's 
 confcience, let all the world judge of the cafe : do we de* 
 fcrve to be ruined, deftroyed, imprifoncd, and banilhed, 
 and to be devoured of wild beads, as our enemy threatens 
 us he will do ? Is it fo ? Are we hereticks ? Arc v/e fedi- 
 tious ? Are we drunkards ? Are we double dealers ? Arc 
 we fuch as the law of God condemns ? What evil have 
 we done in the land ? Do we hurt any body ? Are we not 
 innocent before the Loid and men ? We appeal to the juft 
 witnefs of God and men. Let it be anfwered ; and though 
 no man will hear and confider our caufe this day, yet the 
 Lord will plead our caufe in his time and feafon, and make 
 the v/orld to know we are his people ; in the mean-time we 
 are willing to fufter the reproaches of ungodly men, till the 
 Lord works deliverance in the earth. 
 
 * But now it may be objefted by the magiflrates and 
 rulers, that we have now a law againft you, and you muft 
 fuiFer, for v;e cannot but put the law in execution, accord- 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 559 
 
 mg to our oaths and ofSces ; and it is not we that perfe- 
 cute you, but it is the law of the land by which you now 
 iufter ; and we cannot be blamed for your fufferin'r we 
 only execute the law. And after this manner is the'rea- 
 lonmg of fome at this day/ &c. 
 
 Anfwer. * To all which I do anfwer : It is true there is 
 a law now enafted againft us, which is pretendedly made 
 the ground of our fuffering ^ but whether that law be in 
 itleUjuftor unjuft, I fliall not now demonftrate, but fliali 
 leave it to the judgment of all Chriftian men that know us, 
 ourpnnciples, doarines, ways, and converfations, and let 
 them judge whether we deferve the penalties and punifh- 
 ments thereni defcribed, for any principles or pra^ice held 
 aad mamtamed by us. And though there be a law againft 
 us, yet the magiftrates that are executors thereof, may 
 execute the fame with moderation or with violence ; with 
 difcretion, or too much rigour ; and it will be well for 
 them to ufe moderation and difcretion in this cafe : hereby 
 may they fave themfelves from that weight of anaer and 
 indignation of the Lord God, that will come upon all 
 violent doers, who feek to dcftroy the innocent, and rejoice 
 m the occafion adminiftered. 
 
 * And though this law be ena^ed againft meetings, not 
 ours I may fay, but fuch meetings as are dangerous to the 
 pubhck peace, and to the terror of the people : but our 
 Bneetings are not fuch, and therefore this law may not 
 juftly extend in its execution to the breaking of our meet- 
 ings, nor to banifli us becaufe of our meeting together, 
 which is for the worfliip of God, and are peaceable and of 
 good report among all good men; and are not for d if- 
 turbance of the peace, nor terror of the people, and there- 
 fore juftly free from this law as aforefaid. 
 
 * And though this law is pretended againft us, for to 
 banifti us, and to rid the land of us, as fome vainly fup. 
 pofe ; yet muft it needs be executed to the height of it, 
 without limitation or reftriftion ? Muft this law be executed 
 to its height more than fome other laws that are as truN 
 cnafted, and as fully in force as this aft can be ? Ye'i: 
 

 560 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 fome fuch laws there are, . which better deferve execution 
 than this, yet they lie dormant, as is vifibly apparent at 
 this day, as in 4 Jac. c. 5. in thefe words: ' Be it enabled, 
 &:c. that all and every perfon or pcrfons, which after forty 
 days next following the end of this prefent feilion of par- 
 liament, (liall be drunk, and of ^Jie fame offence of drunk- 
 cnnefs fiiall be lawfully convi^led, fluU for every fuch 
 offence, forfeit and Icfe five fhillings, &c. to be paid to the 
 hands of the church-wardens of that parifli where the 
 offence fliall be committed, who fliall be accountable there- 
 fore to the ufe of the poor of the fame parifli. And if the 
 faid perfon or perfcns fo convicted, fhall refufe or negle61: 
 to pay the faid forfeiture, then the fame fliall be levied of 
 the goods of every fuch perfon or perfons, by warrant of 
 precept from the court, judge, or juftices, before whom 
 the fame convi^lion ihall be ; and if the offender be not 
 able to pay the fum of five fliillings, then be ftiall "be com- 
 mitted to the fl:ocks for the fpace of fix hours/ I pray 
 you read the fliatute at large ; it is worth a fober man's 
 pains to read over, and then judge whether that law be 
 duly executed at this day : and alfo whether it deferves 
 not more drift execution than the prefent aft againfl: us. 
 -Alfo the I Jac. c. 7, in thefe words : * That all perfons 
 calling thenifelves fcholars, going about begging ; all idle 
 perfons going about in any country, either begging or 
 ufing any fubtle craft, or unlawful games or plays, or 
 feigning thcmfelves to have knowledge in phyfiognomy, or 
 pretending that thf y can tell fortunes, or fuch other like 
 fantaftical imaginations; all fencers, -bear-wards, common 
 players of interludes and minilrels, wandering abroad, 
 fliall be taken, adjudged, Tind deemed as rogues, vaga- 
 bonds, and fl:urdy beggars, and fliall fuffer fuch pains and 
 puniftiments as are exprtffed, 39 Eliz. c. 4. viz. ' That 
 every fuch perfon fliall be ftripped naked from the middle 
 upwards, and fliall be openly whipped, until his or her 
 body be bloody, Src. and hiall be forthwith fent from 
 parifli to parifli,' &c. Read the ftatutc at large, and then 
 co'jfidcr how duly it is executed now, and whether it de- 
 ferves not the execution as mucli as the late aft againfl: us, 
 though in fome places the one is more' executed than the 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 S6i 
 
 other, where many of our friends being honeft f.ber per 
 fons and o good converfation, yet are haled ou of tE 
 meetmgs where they are met only to worfhip God nd 
 
 vtvTeSit^^ ^"^ perfec'uted t'o tlie 
 
 unhu fT;i L ^^1 '^. ' ''^''^'' ''^^^ P^^^^ns following 
 
 unlawful games and plays, and bear! wards common 
 
 der up and down c.ty and country, and havinc. their pi. v- 
 houfes pubhck, where their wickednefs is afted - S 
 pafons and fuch things, though appearing pubHckiy yet 
 are permuted, and little or no notice ta\en of them hv 
 
 t .. J.us, for the preventing of thefe evils ; but fuch wick 
 ednefs ,s too much fuffered, though ther^ be dTvcrT^al 
 of p.-hament againfl fuch perfonslid fuch aftion^a ^d 
 as there is one agamft our meetings ; yet the aft a^iinfl no 
 is more put in execution in fome ^lacel, fo the ifreatiie 
 of our meetmgs, which are for the wor/hip of God dm 
 the good laws for fuppreffmg wickednefs, dioughdlee's- 
 better law for the one than for the other' Divers o her 
 laws and ftatutes made for good ends, for the fuppreffinl 
 
 executed at this day : but here is one aft againfl peaceable 
 
 meeting together for the worfhip of God! which 1 tb^ 
 
 cntly profecuted and executed upon innocent men ; let Si 
 
 r„^;^T J^^g^ ^f '^'^' ^hi"g«- Though there b^ a law 
 enafted agamft our meetings, fo there i^ againfl drunkard! 
 and drunkennefs, and unreafonable tippling in taverns and 
 ale-houfes and againfl niinftrels, fidler',^pip'e s and p^ver^^^ 
 common players, and flage players, that go up.and doi ! 
 tie countries, and have their play-houfes in pubhck chics 
 which flatutes ought rather to be executed,^ though ^ey' 
 are not : but thefe things we fhall leave to all fober people 
 to judge of. t'v.wi^ic 
 
 ' And feeing that the law againfl us is more put in exe- 
 cution than thefe other laws, it doth appear that there is 
 rnore envy aga.nft us and our peaceable religious meetings 
 than there .s agamft profanenefs, and wickednefs, drunken- 
 nefs, and ftagc-playmg, and fuch like : and fuch magiftrates 
 wherefoever thty arc, are not excufeable in the fight of 
 
 V OL. 1. >. -- ^ 
 
 2 N 
 
5S2 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 
 i 
 
 / 
 
 God, though there is a law againfl: us, while they profe- 
 cute it againft us, and not thefe other good laws, againft 
 profiine and ungodly perlbns and praftices ; and therefore 
 feeing we do fuffer, we mufl fay it is not only becaufe 
 there is a law againfl us, but it is alfo, or rather, becaufe 
 there is enmity, and wrath, and wnckedncfs in the hearts of 
 men againft us, which is the main caufe of our fuflferings ac 
 this day.' 
 
 Thus was E, Burrough always laborious, and like a 
 faithful and diligent ininifter of Chrift, he was fo totally 
 devoted to the fervice of Gcd and the church, both in 
 preaching and writing in \\\c defence of the gofpel, that he 
 fcarce referved any time for himfelf, and feldora took reft, 
 but continued to work inceffantly till the time of his de- 
 parture drew near ; plainly manifefting that it really was 
 his meat and drink to do the will of his heavenly Father ; 
 and this he endeavoured unweariedly to the end of his days. 
 Now I turn again to New England, where, though the 
 murdering part was a£led to the full, yet their blood-thirfti- 
 ncfswas not quenched, as may appear from the following 
 relacion I fliall give of the cruel whippings infiidled on 
 fome. Ifl ihould relate all of that kind that happened 
 there, it would make up a pretty big volume by itfelf; and 
 therefore I will mention fome few inftanccs only. 
 
 Among thefe I meet with Jofiah Southick (whofc father 
 and mother, Lawrence and Caffandra, had been of the 
 firft that were baniflied from Bofton becaufe of their reli- 
 gion, as hath been faid before ; and whofe brother and 
 fifter had been ordered to be fold for bond flaves), who, 
 having been in Old England, and had found himfelf 
 oblige* notwithftanding the fevere law, to return to 
 Bofton, was fentenced to be whipped at a cart's tail, firft ac 
 Bofton, and then at RockflDury and Dedham, when with 
 out-ftretched arms, he faid to thofe who fentenced him, 
 * Here is my body ; if ye want a*fanher tcftimony of the 
 Truth I profefs, take it, and tear it to pieces ; it is freely 
 given up ; and for your fcntcncc, I matter it not :' adding 
 further, ^ it is no more terrifying unto me, than if ye had 
 taken a feather and blown it up in the air, aad had faid, 
 take heed it hurt thee not : for furely tongue cannot ex- 
 
 I6S2] PEOPLE CALLED qiTAKERS, 
 
 sh 
 
 prefs nor declare the goodnefs and love of God to his 
 fuffenng people. Then he was ftripped and ti^d to the 
 carts tail m Bofton, where the hangman fcour Jd him 
 
 wh Tl "f'Tr^ '^^ ^^^^^- I^ i^ remarkable fhat Z 
 wh,p ufed for thofe cruel executions, was not of whip cord 
 as ttofe m England, but of dried guts, and ever^ft 2 
 With three knots at the end, which, hdn. faftcned to ? 
 ftick the hangman many times laid on with^borh li L^ 
 which muft caufc violent torture to the body. But all hs' 
 true ty was not able to make fofiah faint; for as he 
 was led through th.ftreets of Bofton at the c^rt' taH he 
 fung aloud and was heard to utter thefe woS ' Thev 
 
 '"do ' T^e^ ^' '? ''t "^^"^^"^^ ~ ^-^ -hat m2 
 can do. The fame day he was whipped alfo at Rockft^urv 
 
 Where he was difcharged and turned into the wild-^rnefs • 
 for fo mhuman v^ere thefe furious New England profeiTorV 
 that they feemed to think that whatever it was, there was 
 •nothing done amifs to the Quakers. Nay, it S hin 
 pened that being ftut up w^h thieves, and^ndeavo^^^^^^^ 
 to turn them from their wicked lives, they have been Jl? 
 reated on that account, and the thieves fet at liberty left 
 they ftiould turn Quakers. ^' 
 
 At Dover in Ne.w-England, Anne Coleman, Mary 
 Tomkms, and Ahce Ambrofe, were fentenced to verT 
 
 ;rLtffsr''''°' "-^ "-^ "■"■=•■ "" "-- 
 
 To the constables of Dover, Hampton, Salin3ury, Ne^- 
 ' &n^^K5' Ipfvvich, Wennam, Linn, BoftJn, R 
 
 •ury, Dedham, and until thefe vagabond Ouag 
 carried out of this jurifdiftion. ^ 
 
 ox- 
 ers are 
 
 ^ ' You, and every of you, are required in the kins'e ma- 
 
 ?nf/ M '" V° 't^' '^'^'. ^^Sabond Quakers, Ann! Col: 
 >nan, Mary lomkms, and Alice Ambrofe, and make to 
 fail to the cart's tail, and driving the cirt tl«-ougS youl 
 
 tntf ^A? ^"P" ^ P'^" °" ^^"^"^ Of them, in each 
 lowB J and fo to convey them from conftable to conftablci 
 
 3 N 2 
 
■/> 
 
 
 'i 
 
 'i 
 
 564 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 till they are out of this jurifdiftion, as you will anfwer it 
 at your peril ; and this ihall be your warrant. 
 
 Per mc, 
 
 ' Richard Weldcn.* 
 
 At Dpver, dated December 22, 
 1662. 
 
 Cruel indeed was this order ; becaufe to whip thefc 
 three tender women through eleven towns, with ten'ftripes 
 a piece at each place, through a length of near eighty 
 miles, in bitter cold weather, would have been enouj^h to 
 have beaten their bones bare, and their lives out of their 
 bodies. 
 
 Now in a very cold day the deputy Walden at Dover 
 caufed thefe women to be ftripped naked from the middle 
 upward, and tied to a cart, and then whipped them, while 
 the priefl looked on, and laughed at it, which fome of 
 their friends feeing, and taking ntnice of Waiden's cruelty, 
 teftified againft him \ for which Walden put two of them in 
 the Itocks. 
 
 The women being thus whipped at Dover, were carried 
 10 Hampton, and there delivered to the conllable, William 
 Fifield, who having underftood by the conftable of Dover 
 what work he had in bringing them through a deep road, 
 thought to have daunted them, and faid, ' I profefs you 
 mud not think to make fools of men.' To which they 
 anfwered, they Ihould be able to deal with him as well 
 as the other. This conftable the next morning would 
 have whipped thera before day, but they rtfultd, faying 
 that they were not alhamed of their fufferings. Then he 
 w^ould have whipped them on their clothes when he had 
 them A the cart ; but they faid, * Set us free, or do 
 according to thy order ; which was to whip them on their 
 naked backs. He then fpoke to a woman to take off 
 their ctothes ; but {he faid (he would not do it for all 
 the world. * Why,' faid he, * I profefs I will do it 
 myfelf.' So he ftripped them, and then flood trembling 
 with the whip in his hand, and fo he did the execution, 
 though at firfl he profefTed himfelf fo flout. Ihen he 
 carried them to Salifbury, through dirt and fnow, half 
 jhe leg deep, and here they were whipped again. Among 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 s^s 
 
 the reft of the fpeftators, Fdward Wharton accidenlally 
 palling along that way, came to be one; and beholding 
 this whipping, one Thomas Broadberry, clerk of the courts 
 ot bahlbnry and Hampton, faid to him. ' Edward Wharton, 
 what do you here.?' « I am here,' anfweied he, ♦ to fee 
 your wickednefs and cruelty, that fo if ye kill thefe women, 
 1 may be able to declare how ye murdered them ; for in- 
 deed their bodies were fo torn, that if Providence had not 
 watched over them, they might have been in dancrer of 
 their lives. But it fell out fo that they were difcharged : 
 tor the conftable at Salilbury; who muft have carried them 
 to Newberry, was defired by one Walter Barefoot, to 
 make him his deputy, who thus receiving the warrant, fet 
 them at liberty ; though John Wheelwright, the pricft, 
 adviled the conftable to drive on, as his fafeil way. 
 
 I'hefe three women being thus unexpectedly releafed 
 wejft to New qiiechawanah, where they had a meeting' 
 and^,|hubal Drummer, the prieft of the place, came al'fo 
 thither, and laie quiet. And the meeting being ended, 
 he ItoQd tip and faid, ' Good women, ye have fpoken well 
 and prayed well ; pray what is your rule ?' I'hey anfwerl 
 iiig, Mhe Spirit of God is our rule, and it ought to be 
 thine, and all mens to walk by :' he replied, ' It is not my 
 rule, nor I hope ever ftiall be.' A clear evidence how 
 pr^udice may bias even difcreet people ; tor being pre 
 poileiTed thereby, men will fpeak fometimes rafhly, with, 
 out confidering what. 
 
 Not long after thefe women returned to Dover to vifit 
 their tricnds and being in a meeting the next Firll-dav 
 ot the week, tl:e conftables, Thomas Roberts, and hi's 
 brother Jonn, ruflied in, and laid hands on Alice Amhrofe, 
 as Ihe was in prayer, and taking her, one by the one arm, 
 and the other by the other, they dragged hef out of 
 doors, almoft a mile, with her face towards the fnow, 
 which was near knee deep, over ftumps and old trees, hav- 
 mg put on their old clothes on purpofe not to dirty their 
 better fuits. They then locked her up in a certain houfe, 
 and fo ivent back to fetch Mary Tomkins, whom they 
 dragged in the fame manner, which their father, old 
 IhoiHas Roberts feeing, lamented, and cried, « Woe that 
 
 
 i 
 
566 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 
 \\ 
 
 .» 
 
 ;t 
 
 ever I was father to fuch wicked children.* But they 
 fecmed not to matter what their father faid, who had been 
 a member of the church at Dover above twenty years ; 
 but becaufc he no longer frequented their worfhip for their 
 degeneracy, they took away his cow^ which with its milk 
 helped tofujjport him and his wife. Mary Tomkins being 
 brought into the houfe where Alice was, Anne Coleman 
 was alfo fetched. Next morning they got a canoe, and 
 threatened the women they would now do fo with them, 
 that liiey fhould be troubled with them no more ; by 
 which faymg they feemcd to fignify that they would give 
 them up to the mercy of the fca, which made the women 
 unwilling to go to the water-fide. Then one Edward Way- 
 mouth took Mary by the arms, and dragged her on her 
 back over the flumps of trees, down a very deep hill, by 
 which (he was much briiifed, and often died away. They 
 alio laid hold on Alice, whom they plucked violently inta 
 the water, and kept her fwimming by the canoe, fo that ihe 
 was in danger of being drowned or frozen to death. Anne 
 Coleman was alfo rudely dealt with, and all this in the 
 prefence of one Hateevil Nutwel, a ruling elder, who 
 ftirred . up the conflables to this wicked adion, and fo 
 Ihewed that he bore a wrong name. But the wicked 
 intention of thefe men was flopped by a power from on 
 high, for on a fudden a great tcmpefl arofe, fo that they 
 brought the women back again to the houfe, and about 
 midnight they turned thera all out of doors in the fnow, 
 the weather being fo frofty that Alice's clothes were 
 frozen like boards. How barbaroufly foever thefe women 
 were treated, yet the Lord was pleafed to preferve and 
 fupport them. 
 
 Afterwards it happened that Anne Coleman and four 
 of her friends were whipped through Salem, Boflon, and 
 Dedham, by order of William Hawthorn, who before he 
 was a magiftrate, had oppofcd compulfion for confcience ; 
 and when under the government of Cromwell it was pro- 
 pofed to make a law, that none fhould preach without 
 licenfe, he publickly faid at Salem, that if ever fuch a 
 law took place in New-England, he fhould look upon it 
 as one of the mofl abominable aftions that were ever corn- 
 
 s'? 
 
 mitted there, and that it would be as eminent a token of 
 God's having forfaken New-England, as any could be : 
 and yet afterward this man became a fierce perfecutor of 
 thofe who afTerted liberty of preaching : though formerly 
 It may be, if any one had foretold him how he would be 
 given to perfccution, he would have faid as Hazael to the 
 prophet Elifha, ' What, is thy fervant a dog, that he 
 fliould do this great thing?' But to return to Anne 
 Coleman, when flic was to be whipped at Dedham, and 
 . faflened to a cart, deputy Bellingham having feen Haw- 
 thorn's warrant, faid, ' The warrant is firm ;' and then 
 bade the executioner go on ; who, thus encouraged, laid 
 on io fevereiy, that with the knot of the whip he fplit the 
 nipple of her breaft, which fo tortured her, that it had al- 
 moll cofl her her life ; and fhe, who was a little weakly 
 woman, thinking this would have been her lot, faid^ once 
 that if fhe fliould happen to die thus, fiie was willing that 
 lier body fhould be laid before Beliingham's door, with a^ 
 •charge from her mouth that he was giiilty of her blood. 
 
 The ufage Elizabeth Hooton met with, I cannot pafs by 
 in lilence, becaufe of her age, being about fixty, who hear- 
 ing of the wickednefs committed by thofe of New-England, 
 was moved to make a voyage to America. 
 
 In order thereto fhe went from England in the year 166 r , 
 having one Joan Brokfup with her, a woman near as a^ed 
 as herfelf, who freely refolved to be her companion : and 
 becaufe they could not find a mafter of a fliip that was 
 willing to carry them to New-England, becaufe of the fine 
 for every Quaker that was brought thither, they fet lliil 
 towards Virginia, where they met with a ketch which carried 
 them part of the way, and then they went the reft by land, 
 and fo at length came to Bofton. But there they could 
 not foon find a place of reception, becaufe of the penalty 
 on thofe that received a Quaker into their houfes. Yet at 
 length a woman received them. Next day they went to 
 the prifon to vifit their friends ;• but the gaoler altogether 
 unwilling to let them in, carried them to the governor 
 Endicot, who with much fciirrilous language called them 
 witches, and afked Elizabeth what flie came for : to which 
 the anfwered, ^ To do the will of him that fent me.' And 
 
565 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 1664] 
 
 VEOPLE called qUAKERS. 
 
 569 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 h^' 
 
 he demanding what was that : (he replied, * To warn ihee 
 of {heading any more innocent blood/ To which he re- 
 turned that he would hang more yet ; but (he told him 
 he was in the hand of the I ord, who could take him away 
 firil.* This fo difpleufed him, that he fent them to prifon, 
 where mi ny more of thdr friends were. After confultation 
 what to do with them, they were carried two days journey 
 into the wildcrncfs, among wolves and bears ; but by 
 Providence they got to Rhode-lfland, where they took 
 ihip for Rarbadoes, and from thence to New- England 
 - again, and fo they returned to Bofton. But then they 
 were put into a ihip, ^hich carried them to Virginia, from 
 whence Elizabeth departed to ( >ld England, where (lie 
 ftaid fome time in her own habitation. 
 
 But it came upon her to vifit New-Fngland again ; and 
 fo (he did, taking her daughter Elizabeth along with her. 
 And being arrived, thofc ot the magiflrarcs that were pre- 
 fect, would have fined the mafter of the (hip an hundred 
 pounds, for bringing her over contrary to their law. But 
 he telling them that Elizabeth had been with the king, 
 and that (he had liberty from him to come thither to buy 
 her a houfe, this fo puzzled thefe fnariing perfecutors, 
 that they found themfclves at a lofs, and thus were (topped 
 from fcizing the mafter's goods. 
 
 Elizabeth being come to Bofton, notwithftanding the 
 rulers, went to them, and fignified that (lie came thither to 
 buy a houfe for herfelf to live in. She was four times at the 
 court for that purpofe, but it was denied her ; and though 
 (he faid that this denial Would give her occafion if (lie 
 went to England again, to lay.it before the king, it was in 
 vain, and had no influence upon them. 
 
 Departing then, and pading through feveral places, (he 
 catnc to Cambridge, and was thrufl into a ftinking dun- 
 geon, where there was nothing to lie down or fit on. 
 Here they kept her two days and two nights, without 
 affording her any thing to eat or drink ; and becaufe 
 a certain man in compafFion brought her a little milk, 
 
 ♦ Which was fulfilled, for after that he never took away the lives of any more of 
 thofe called Quakcr>« 
 
 he was alfo call into prifon and fined five pounds. 
 
 Being brought to the court, they ordered her to be fent 
 
 out of their coalts, and to be whipped at three towns 
 
 with ten ftripes at each. So at Cambridge (he was tied 
 
 to the whipping-pofl, and laflied with ten flripes, willi a 
 
 three-flringed whip, with three knots at an end. At 
 
 Water Tovvrn (he had ten (Iripcs more with willow rods; 
 
 and to make up all, at Dedham, in a cold frofty morning, 
 
 (he received ten cruel la(hcs at a cart's tail. And bein<^ 
 
 thus beaten and torn, (he was put on horfe-back and 
 
 carried many miles into the wildernefs, and towards night 
 
 they left her there, where were many wolves, bears, and 
 
 other wild beafls, and many deep waters to pafs through ; 
 
 but being prefervcd by an invifible hand, (he came in the 
 
 morning into a town called Rehoborh, being neither weary 
 
 nor fain^ : and from thence fhe went to Rhcde-Ifland, 
 
 where coming to her friends, (he gave thanks to God for 
 
 having counted her worthy, and enabled her U) fulTer for 
 
 his name's fake, beyond what her age and fcx, morally 
 
 fpeaking, could oiherwife have borne. 
 
 After fome (lay there, (he returned to Cambridge, abour 
 eighty miles, to fetch her linen and clothes, which the 
 inhuman perfecutors would not fuftcr her to take with her 
 after they had whipped her. Haviijg fetched thefe things, 
 and going back with her daughter and Sarah Coleman, 
 an ancient woman, flie was taken up by the condable of 
 Charleflon, and carried prifoncr to Cambridge; where 
 being afked by one of the magiflrates, whofe name was 
 Daniel Goggin, wherefore (he came thither, feeing they 
 had warned her not to co'ne there any more : ihe anfwereJ 
 that (he came not there of her own accord, but was forced 
 thither, after (he had been to fetch her clothes, which 
 they would not let her take with her when fhe was whipped 
 and fent away ; but that now returning back, flie was 
 taken up by force out of the highway, and carried thither. 
 Then the other old womau was alked whether (he owned 
 Elizabeth and her religion: to which (he anfwered, fhe 
 owned the Truth. And of Elizabeth's daugliter he de- 
 manded, ' Doefl thou own thy mother's religion ? ' To 
 which (he was (ilent : and yet they were fent to the houfo 
 
57° 
 
 THE HISTORY OF Tilt 
 
 [1664 
 
 4 
 
 of correction, Avith order to be whipped. Next morning 
 the cxccinioner came betimes before it was light, and 
 aiked them whether they would be whipped there/, which 
 made Elizabeth ailc whether he was come to take away 
 their blood in the dark : and whether they were alhamed 
 that their deeds (liould be fcen : but not heeding what (lie 
 faid, he took her down flairs, and whipped her with a 
 three-ilringed whip. Then he brought down the ancient 
 woman, and did the like to her. And taking Elizabeth's 
 daughter he gave the like to her alfo, who never was there 
 before, nor had (aid or done any thing. After this Eliza- 
 beth the mother w\is whipped again at a cart's tail at 
 Bofton and other places, where (he came to fee her friends : 
 fmce which I'have feveral times feen her in England in a 
 good condition. 
 
 I could relate many more feverities of the New-England 
 perfecutors ; but 1 long to come to an end, and th(:reforc 
 Ihall make a large ftep, and outrun fome fpace of time. 
 
 In the year 1664, it happened that Mary Tomkins and 
 Alice Ambrofe came again to Bofton, having been in 
 Virginia, where for their religion they had not only been 
 pillorcd, but whipped alfo each of them with thirty-two 
 ftripes, with a whip of nine cords, and every cord with 
 three knots ; and they were handled fo feverely, that the 
 very firft lafh drew blood, and made it run down from 
 their brcifts. Being afterwards arrived at Bofton, Mary 
 grew fo fick, that fhe was thought to be near death ; 
 which made Edward Wfiarton with Wenlock Chriftifon 
 come from Salem to vifit her. But after they had been 
 there a little time, two (^nftables came in, and notwith- 
 ftanding Mary's weak condition, forced them all to the 
 governor's houfe. Now though Mary feemed to be a 
 little on the mending hand, yet fhe wasfo ill, that fhe fell 
 down 2s it were dead in the way. But one of the con- 
 flables ftaid with her till fhe came to, herfelf again, and 
 then brought her before the governor, w^here was alfo 
 deputy Bellingham and Gliomas Uaufort, one of the magif- 
 trates ; who ordered all four of them to be whipped ; but 
 becaufe Mary was fo weak, and left probably fhe might 
 die under their hands, they gave order that flie and Alice 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 57^ 
 
 fliould not be whipped at Bofton, but at the towns beyond. 
 And this was to have been executed, but that colonel 
 Temple coming in, interceded and prevailed for three of. 
 them. And now Edward became the mark of their fury, 
 on whom they vented their palTion, though they had 
 nothing to charge him with, but that he was come from 
 Salem to Bofton to vifit his fick friend ; and for this pre- 
 tended crime the following warrant was framed : 
 
 To the conftables of Bofton, Charlefton, Maiden, *and 
 
 Lynn. 
 
 * You are required to take into your cuftody refpeftively 
 Edward Wharton, convi^ed of being a vagabond, from 
 his own dwelling-place ; and the conftable of Bofton is to 
 whip him feverely with thirty ftripes on his naked body. 
 And from conftable to conftable you are required to con* 
 vey him until he come to Salem, the place where he faith 
 be dwelleth : and in fo doing this fhall be your warrant. 
 
 * John Endicot.* 
 
 Dated at Bofton, the 20tli of June, 1664. 
 
 Purfuant to this warrant, Edward (who therein was 
 called a vagabond, for no other reafon but that he was 
 gone from liis dwelling place) was led away to- the market 
 place, and there being ftripped, his arms wxre bound to 
 the wheel of a great gun. Then the conftable John Loel, 
 bade the hangman to do his work feverely ; which he did 
 fo cruelly that it was teftified peafe might lie in the holes 
 that the knots of the whip had made in the flefh of his 
 arms and back. And his body was fwelled and very black 
 from the waift upwards. Such was the doing of thofe, 
 who to enjoy the free exercife of their worfliip, had left 
 Old England ; and thus they treated a man that was of 
 good repute, and had lived in that country above tvaenty 
 years; and was once by. the governor himfelf acknow. 
 Jedgcd to be his friend, when he fupplied him with ncccf- 
 faries in his want, faying then, that if ever it lay in his 
 power he woukl requite them -, which now he did, but in 
 
572 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 a 
 
 rr 
 
 '4 
 
 i 
 
 V 
 
 ''4 
 
 what an inhuman and barbarous manner! That this gover- 
 nor Endicot once had been a man of but a mean condition, 
 appears from a letter written to him ftortly after the death 
 of Mary Dyar, by one John Smith, becaufe he had not 
 on!y caufed his wife lo be whipped fevcrely, but had alfo 
 kept her prifoner a whole winter, feparate from her chil- 
 dren, and had been aflifting in the making of an order that 
 no man or woman fliould bring any thing to the imprifoned 
 Quakers, or cdrry any thing from them, upon the pcnahy 
 of five pounds for the tirft t'me, and ten pounds for the 
 fecond. In this letter John Smith faid; 
 
 ' O my fpirit is grieved for thee, l>ecaufe that the love 
 I did cncc fee in ihee is departed from thee, and there 
 remaineth in thee a fpirit of cruelty, of hard-heiirtednefs to 
 thy poor neighbours, which thou haft formerly been much 
 beholden to, and helped by, in time of want, when thou 
 hadft no bread to e.it. O confider of thefe times, and for- 
 get them not, and of the love thou didft find among poor 
 people in thy neceffiry, and how evil thou haft dealt with, 
 and requited fome of them now ; and how thou doft walk 
 and a6t contrary to what thou didft formerly profefs : yea, 
 I have heard thee fay that ali the armies on earth cannot 
 iubdue one luft in man or woman. And now thou pro- 
 nonnceft fentence of death upon fome, becaufe they can- 
 not fubrait to your wills, nor worfliip as ye do,* 
 
 But I return to Edward Wharton, who after his whip- 
 ping was not led the direct way to Salem, but by Charlefton, 
 and fo aboiu the country, as if they had a mind to make a 
 fliow of him : yet at Charlefton the conftable was fo com- 
 paflionare, that he entertained him in his houfe, and 
 anointed his llripes ; and the next day he w^s conveyed to 
 his home. Since that time the faid VVharion was whipped 
 again leverely ; but I pafs by particulars to avoid prolixity. 
 Yet I cannot forbear to fay, that before he was whipped 
 at Bofton, as hath been faid, it was told him that if he 
 would promife the governor to come no more to the 
 Qiiakers' meeting in Bofton, then it was likely the gover- 
 nor would let him have his liberty : to which Edwar^ 
 
 L«* 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^UAKERS. - 
 
 /J 
 
 returned, *Not for all the world. And friends, I have a 
 bark to lend to the fmiter, and I have felt your cruel 
 whippings before now, and the Lord hath made nie able 
 to bear them ; and as I abide in his fear, I need not fear 
 what you (hall be fuffered to do unto me.' 
 
 The cafe of one Anne Needham being alfo very remark- 
 able, I will give a fhon hint of it. She w^as fined at Bofton 
 for being one of thofe called Quakers ; bur her hufband 
 refufmg to pay the fine, ufking them^ feeing the law for 
 adultery w'as death, whether if his wnfe had committed 
 adultery, he muft by that law have fuff'ered death. She 
 then was fentenced to be whipped, which the conftable 
 Thomas Roots performed with great cruelty ; for feeing 
 Ihe kept filent whilft he lafhed her, he did whatever he 
 could, w^ith his tormenting wdiip, to make her cry out ; 
 but all his endeavours proved in vain ; which made him 
 fay that the Quakers were a hard-hearted people : though 
 this epithet, much better fitted himfelf, and all thofe cruel 
 perfecutors that were really become hard-hearted to the 
 higheft degree, infomuch that they had not only lliaken piF 
 humanity, but all true fenfe of piety, which I fliall prove 
 by inftances whereof iome are even blafphemous. 
 
 One Barlow, who formerly had been a preacher at 
 Exeter, afterwards turned law7er, and at length being be- 
 come a marflial, w^ould boaft that when he wxnt to diftrain 
 for fiues, he w^ould think what goods were moft ferviceabic 
 to the Qiiakers, and then he would take them away. By 
 fuch doings he encouraged others to vice : for a certain 
 Indian taking a knife from an Englidmran's houfe, and 
 being told he fliould not ftcal, anfwered that he himfelf 
 had thought fo, but now he faw that Barlow and the 
 ma,ciiftrates did fo by the Quakers. This Barlow in the 
 days of Cromwell being grown rich with the fpoils of the 
 innocent, grew poor after king Charles was reftored ; 
 which made Barlow fay that he hoped for a good time 
 again : and took the fliameful liberty to add, he thought 
 the Qiiakers would not let him want. ^ 
 
 At Hampton, ptieft Seaborn Cotton, underftanding that 
 one Eliakim Wardel had entertained Wenlock ChriiUfon, 
 went with fome of his herd to Eliakim's houfe, having like 
 
> 
 
 T* 
 
 1 
 
 
 574 THE HISTORY OF THl [166-4 
 
 a fturdy hcrd's-man put hinfifelf at the head of his followers, 
 'ivith a truncheon in his hand. Wenlock feeing him in 
 this pofture, allced him what he did with that club : to 
 which he anfwered, he came to keep the wolves from his 
 {heep. Wenlock then aiking whether thofe he led were 
 his flieep, got no anfwer, but indead thereof was led 
 away by this crew to Salifbury. .This fame Cotton having^ 
 heard that major SLapIeigh was become a Quaker, faid he 
 was forry for it, but he would endeavour to convert him. 
 And afterwards drinking hi -a houfe in an ille in the river 
 Pifcatoway, and hearing the major was there in a ware- 
 houfe, he went thither ; but going up ftairs, and being in 
 drink, he tumbled down, and got fuch a heavy fall, that 
 the major himftlf came to help this drunken converter. 
 
 When Edward Wharton was told once by governor 
 Endicot, that every foul ought to be fubje£l to the higher 
 power; he thereupon ailced whether that which fet up 
 the golden image, and required all to fiill down and 
 worftiip it, was the higher power : he anfwered, ' Yea.' 
 Then Edward queried whether the power that required 
 Daniel to be call: into the lion's den, for praying to any 
 befides the king for thirty days, was the higher'^power ; 
 the governor faid, « Yea.' The next queftion Edward 
 aiked was, whether the three children that were cad into 
 the fiery furnace for not falling down to, and worfhipping 
 the golden image, did well: and whether Daniel for 
 praying to his God contrary to what the faid higher power 
 did command, did w^ell : the governor replied, * Yea,' 
 alfo. But fecretary Rawfon feeing how the governor had 
 talked himfelf into a uoofe, to help him out faid, they 
 did obey the higher power by fuffciing : to which Edward 
 returned, ' So do we too.' 
 
 Another of thefe magiftrates whofe name was Brian 
 Pembleton, was alked by George Waltoti and his wife 
 Alice, who was reputed one of the moft godly women 
 thereabout, what the anointing was which the apoftle John- 
 exhorted the faints unto in that day : but what a wicked 
 man this Pemblecon wa^, may appear by the abominable 
 anfwer he gave, viz. that John was cither a fobl or a 
 madman, or elfe he did not know what he faid. And 
 
 H 
 
 1664] 
 
 FEOPLE CALLEDQUAKERS, 
 
 ST5 
 
 blafphemous in a very high degree was what he faid to 
 the queftion, * W^hat was that light which fhone about 
 Paul ?' For his anfwer was, It was the light of the devil 
 for aught he did know. 
 
 Jofhua Scotaway, alfo one of the magiftrates, aiked 
 Mary Tomkins in the court at Bofton, where fhe dwelt : 
 to which fhe anfwered in the words of the apoftle, 'In 
 God ; for in him we live and move, and have a being.* 
 To which Scotaway did not ftick to fiiy, ' So doth every 
 dog and cat.' No wonder truly, that men thus darkened 
 in their minds, grew alfo quite hardened in perfecuting, 
 fo as to glory in it ; as did Thomas Daufort a magiftrate 
 of Cambridge, who in the governor's houfc at Bofton, 
 laying his hand on Wenlock Chriftifon's flioulder, faid to 
 him, * Wenlock, I am a mortal man, and die I muft, and 
 that ere long ; and I muft appear at the tribunal feat of 
 Chrift, and muft give an account for my deeds done in 
 the body ; and I believe it will be my greateft glory in 
 that day, that I have given my vote for thee to be foundly 
 whipped at this time.' This made Wenlock fay, «0 
 wicked man, if thou haft nothing to glory in in that day, 
 but in drawing the blood of the innocent, and in laying 
 ftripes upon the fcrvants of the living God, thy glory will 
 be turned into fliame, and woe'wlll be thy portion.' 
 
 But no exhortation, how extraor.dinary foever, feemed 
 • to take any hold on thefe perfecutors : for once a girl of 
 thirteen or fourteen years of age, called HanrtUh Wright, 
 whofe fifter had been baniflied for religion, was ftirred 
 with fuch zeal, that coming from Long-lfland, fome hun- 
 dreds of .miles from Bofton, into that bloody town, flie 
 appeared in the court there, and warned the magiftrates 
 to fpill no more innocent blood. This faying fo ftruck 
 them at firft, that they all fate filent; till Rawfon the 
 fecretary faid, ' What, fhall we be baffled by fuch a one as 
 this; come, let us drink a dram.' 
 
 Here we fee the religion of thefe men, who were once fo 
 precife that theywould not join with theworfhipof the church 
 of England. But itieems not improbable that they fell away 
 to this hardnefs of heart, becaufe being convinced in their 
 underftandings of fome fuperftitious ceremonies that were 
 
 t 4 
 
\ 
 
 576 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 [| 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 yet reniaininjT in the church of England, they were not 
 faithful 10 tcftify againfl: thofc things, and to fct their Jight 
 on the candleftick ; but that to fhiin the crofs and avoid 
 fufferings, they chofe to go into a ftrange country. And 
 yet they were fo prefumptuous as to (iiy they were the 
 purdl church on earth, and their magillrates and 
 preachers very godly men, and it may be fome of their 
 cruel executioners feeing how their magiftratcs (as hath 
 been faid of /I'homas Daufort) did glory in cruelty, have 
 , l>een foolifh enough to perfuade themfelves that their 
 cxccffive whipping was fome kind of meritorious work. 
 But^whatcvcr thcfc Englifli people thought, they were 
 worfe than others, for in fome places of America lived 
 alfo Swedes, who in regard of their worfliip were no lefs 
 defpifed by the Engjifh, than of the old Samaritans by the 
 Jews ; and yet thefe Swedes entertained the Quakers 
 when they came amongft them, far better than the Englilli 
 did : and thus they made it appear that they furpaifed them 
 in life, if not in profellion. But the precife New-England 
 men feemed to place great virtue in a flurdy feverity, of 
 which the following is an infcance. 
 
 A Dutchman, an Oftcnder, whofe name was John 
 Lawrence, was committed for adultery, and brought before 
 the court at Bollon, where the governor John Endicot, 
 alked him whether he was guilty or not guilty : to which 
 the prifoner, who it fcems fpoke but bad Englifh, faid, 
 * No guilu* On which Endicot faid in a fcoffing manner, 
 ^ No g(rlt ; there's no money : * for ghekl fignifies money 
 in Dutch. Thus the Dutchman's words and meaning 
 were fcoffingly perverted ; and though there was no clear 
 evidence againft him, yet he was condemned to be hanged ; 
 but he denying the fac^, the execution was deferred; and 
 i 1 the mean-while the priefts, John Wilfon and James 
 Mayo, came to him in prifon to fee what they could get 
 out of him; and Mayo told him his time was near at an 
 end, and that he muft fliortly die; and therefore he 
 would have him now to confefs. To which the prifoner 
 returned^ ' What will you have me to confefs that which 
 1 never did ?' But Mayo did not defift, but faid, ' Con- 
 fefs -my fon, and give glory to God.' Yet the prifoner 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 577 
 
 1662] 
 
 continued In denying the charge, and affirmed he WaJ 
 clear. But, faid the prieft, * You cannot be clear ; for 
 our Lord and Saviour faith, ** Whofoever looketh upon a 
 fair woman, and lufteth after her, he hath committed 
 adultery with her already in his heart." Truly a very 
 perverfe ufe of the Scripture for compaffing a falfe ^nd. 
 But the Dutchman feeing how they came to betray him, 
 was cautious, and at length, after a long and tedious im- 
 prifonment, found means to break prifon, and thus efcaped 
 from thofe who grew accuftomed to be mercilefs ; fo that 
 »fometimes others as well as Quakers, felt the weight of 
 their feverity. 
 
 As it happened about the time that William Leddra 
 was put to death, when one Elizabeth Nicholfon and her 
 two fons, Chriftopher and Jofcph, were charged with the 
 death of her hufband and their father Edmund Nicholfon, 
 who was found dead in the fca ; and information being 
 • given that thefe people did (hew love to thofe they called 
 curfed Quakers, they were all three fetched from their 
 habitation at Salem and carried to Bofton, and were tried 
 for their lives merely on fufpicion ; but nothing of murder 
 was proved againft them ; yet the mother was fined a 
 great fum, and her two fons were fentenced to ftand under 
 -the gallows certain hours with ropes about their necks, 
 and to be whipped in the market-place, which was per- 
 formed accordingly. And becaufe thefe young men were 
 not daunted, prieft Wilfon ftanding by, faid, ' Ah, curfed 
 generation.' And at Salem they were whipped alfo, 
 which was done fo raercilefsly that one of the young men 
 funk down, or died away under the torture, though he 
 was raifed up and cam.e to life again. 
 
 By this we may fee how thefe New-England perfecutors 
 were become inured to exceflive feverity. But before I 
 leave them, I muft alfo mention the dreadful exit of fome 
 of them. 
 
 The laft aft of governor Endicot's bloody part that 
 occurs, was the cruel' whipping of Edward Wharton at 
 Bofton, related before ; for the time was now come that 
 he muft go off" the ftage, to give an account of his extra- 
 vagant feverity before another tribunal than that of his 
 
 Vol. I. 2 o 
 
 
S7« 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C1662 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QITAKERS. 
 
 579 
 
 I 
 
 
 4} 
 
 h9 
 
 4 
 
 # 
 
 fanguinary court. The meafurc of his iniquity was novr 
 filkd up, and he was vifitcd by a loathfome difeafe, in- 
 fomuch that he flunk alive, and fo died with roitennefs, 
 Jhis name being like to give a bad favour through ages to 
 come. , 
 
 . Yet more remarkable was the death of major general 
 Adderton, who when Mary Dyar was hanged, faid fcof. 
 £ngly, and in an infulting way, that (he hung as a flag, 
 for others to take example by; and who alfo, when 
 Wenlock Chriftifon being condemned to death, warned 
 ^he perfecutors becaufe of the righteous judgments of God» 
 prefumptuoufly faid, * You pronounce woes and judgments, 
 and thofe that are gone before you pronounced woes and 
 judgments; but the judgments of the Lord God are not 
 come upon us as yet.* But how he himfelf was ftruck by 
 thefe judgments, and ferved for an example to others, wc 
 arc to fee now. 
 
 He, upon a certain day, having exercifed his foldiers^ 
 and riding proudly on his horfe towards his houfe, when 
 he came about the place where ufually they loofed the 
 Quakers fo called, from the cart, after they had whipped 
 them, a cow eame and croffed the way, at which his 
 horfe taking a fright, threw him down fo violently, that 
 he died, his eyes being flatted out of his head, his brains 
 out of his nofc, his tongue out of his mouth, and his blood 
 out of his ears. Thus God's judgments came upon him 
 fuddenly and unawares. 
 
 And John Norton, the chief priefl of Boflon, died 
 likewife pn a fudden. It was he who promoted the put- 
 ting to death of thofe martyrs that died at Boflon, as hath 
 been related ; and when he faw the magiflrates paufed 
 upon the execution of W. Robinfon and M. Stevenfon, 
 he encouraged them thereto, efpecially becaufe John 
 Winthorp, governor of Connefticut, earneftly dilTuaded 
 the fhedding of innocent blood. He it was alfo, who 
 when William Brend was beaten fo barbaroufly with a 
 •rope, as hath been related in its due place, did not flick 
 to fay, fmce William Brend endeavoured to beat their 
 gofpel ordinances black and blue, it was but jnfl upon 
 kirn if he was beaten black and blue alfo. But tbif 
 
 Norton was now flruck with a blow that made him fink : 
 for haying been at his worfhip-houfe in the forenoon, and 
 intending to go in the afternoon, as he was walking in 
 ais houfe he fetched a great groan, and leaning his head 
 agamft the mantle tree of the chimney, he was heard to 
 fay,^ « The hand, or the judgments of the Lord are upon 
 me.* Thefe were his laft words, and he funk down, and 
 had fallen into the fire if he had not been caught by 
 fomebody that was prefent. More examples of this nature 
 I could produce, but thefe may fufHce. 
 
 What I have related of thefe cruelties and much more, 
 was publifhed in print about that time, that fo the king 
 and parliament of England might' know what happened 
 there ; for thofe aftions were come in publick view, and 
 known there all about the country. All that they did 
 was to fet a falfe colour upon their feverity, and to difgnifc 
 matters : and it was their happinefs that they had not to 
 do with revengeful people, elfe they might have been in- 
 volved in great flraiis : but the friends of the perfecuted 
 committed vengeance to God, though fome of the great 
 ones in England advifed them to fue the perfecutors, which 
 according to law they might have done. 
 
 Richard Bellingham, a fierce perfecutor, and governor 
 after John Endicot, went diflrafted ten years after, and 
 fo died. Not long before, William Coddington, governor 
 of Rhode-Ifland, write a letter to him, wherein he put him 
 in midd of the former times ; for he (the fam^ Codding- 
 ton) had been one of the firft ereftors of colonies in New- 
 England, and the firfl that built an houfe at Bodon, and 
 afterwards was a magiftrate feven years, but wiien per- 
 fecution arofe he declared againfl'it; and the cafe was 
 debated three days in the court, but the moderate party 
 was the weakefl, and was oppofed by all the priefls, 
 except one John Cotton, who faid he remembered how 
 at their departure from England he had preached on 
 Afts iv, II, and had (hewed from that text that there 
 was an inward gr^ce which was to be minded, and that 
 therefore he would not give his vote for perfecuting the 
 alTerters of that do6lrine ; fhewing thereby much more 
 fcafe of religion than the other perfecuting pricils. Now 
 
 2 O 2 
 
 V 
 
58© 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [1662 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 581 
 
 I 
 
 though Coddington was one of the greatell merchants or 
 traders in that country, and in all probability might have 
 acquired great riches there, yet feeing his good counfel' 
 was not hearkened to, he refolved to depart that place, and 
 to go and live fomewhere elfe. But whatever he faid in 
 his letter to Bellingham, this man remained hardened like 
 Pharoah, having fhewed hirafelf cruel, even when Mary 
 P idler and Anne Auftin firft came to Bofton, where he 
 treated them in a barbarous manner. 
 
 Yet one thing remarkable I may mention here, which 
 when I firft heard, I could not fully give credit to ; but 
 thinking it worth the while to make a narrow inquiry into 
 it, I did fo, not only by writing, but alfo from the mouths 
 of perfons that had been eye-witneffcs, or had been 
 informed by fuch ; and from thefe I got this concurring 
 obfervation ; viz. that the country about Bofton was 
 formerly a very fruitful foil that produced excellent wheat; 
 but that fmce the time this town had been ftained with 
 the blood of the Quakers, fo called, no wheat, &c. 
 would grow to perfeftion within twenty miles, though the 
 ground had been ploughed and fown feveral times ; for 
 fometimes what was fown was fpoiled by vermin or infefts ; 
 at ether times it grew up, but fcarce yielded more than 
 was fawn, and fo could not countervail the charge ; and 
 in another year the €xpe<^ed harveft was quaftied by 
 another accident; and thefe difappointments continuing 
 many years, the people at length grew weary of making 
 farther trial, and fo left the ground untitled; notwithftandin^ 
 that twenty miles off from Bofton the foil is fruitful, and 
 yields very good corn. But there having been fo many 
 reiterated inftances of unfruitfulnefs nearer the town, 
 ancient people that are alive ftill, and remember the firft 
 times, generally agree in their ' pinion that this is a judg- 
 ment from heaven, and a curfe on the land, becaufe of 
 the fliecidin^: of innocent blood at Bofton. This relation 
 I had from fo many credible perfons (though the one knew 
 nothing of ihe other, as differing much in time) yet what 
 thry told me d d fo well agree in the main, that 1 could 
 not bur belivve it, thouoh I do not ufe to be credulous ; 
 and thcrefoje t have been the mere e^^aft in my inquiry, 
 
 fo that I can no longer queftion the cafe ; but it feems 
 to me as a'puniftiment on that blood-thirfljnefs which now 
 hath ceafed long ago. 
 
 In the iflandof Barbadoes thofe called Quakers fuffered 
 alfo much by the people, inftigated not a litde by the 
 priefts, Samuel Graves, Matthew Gray, Thomas Man- 
 waring, and Francis Smith ; for thefe being often drunk, 
 gave occafion thereby to be reproved: and one Thomas 
 Clark coming once into the place of publick worftiip, and 
 exhorting the auditors to defift from lewdnefs and to fear 
 .God, was fo grievoufly beaten with fticks, that he fell 
 down in a fwoon ; and Graves who had preached then, 
 went to the houfe of the faid Clark, pulled his wife out of 
 doors, and tore her clothes from her back. And Man- 
 waring, who had threatened Clark that he would procure a 
 law to be made, by which his ears (hould be cut off, once 
 wrote in a letter to him, * I am forry that your zeal 
 furpaffeth your moderation, and that a club muft beat 
 out of you what the devil hath infpired.* And this was 
 becaufe Clark had told him that his converfation was not 
 becoming a minifter of the gofpel. Other rough treatment 
 Clark met with I pafs by, though once he was fet in the 
 flocks and imprifoned. But now I leave America, and 
 return to England. 
 
 Ef^^D OF Vol. L 
 
 PRINTED BY W. PHILLIPS, GEORGE YARD, LOMBARD STBLEET. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 TO 
 
 i 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 ' And this further is given wic lo Ut .« »,. 
 
 particular perfon, to whom this writing IalVom7 
 
 Whatever i. thy condition, wait in th? fl IT^ 
 
 ets thee lee u; there is thy counfel and thy ftrenlj 
 
 to be received, to /by thee, and to recover Z 
 
 tl; e e^Tt ZfrU '°^- ^'^''^^ '° that which iS 
 IS . ^ ' '^^''^^'^ thou mayeft come to feed on thl 
 right body, and not on the temotatinn . fi! v u 
 mndeft the temnr:,t;^n -f ^\™P'^^"°nj for if thou 
 in the Lh. • '^f P^-^^'on " will overcome thee, but 
 m tne Jight is faivation. Or havino fln„»j l 
 
 tempted to defnair nr t^In ^ .'^* ^" ''lo* 
 
 from death ; i" '^^ ''S'^^' '" ^l>'<:h ''s life 
 
 wilUvercj^cfrr'the'"! •'■"''? r ^^^' °°' ^''•<=I» 
 followeft r ■^' ''^.'"8 f""«wed ; but if thou 
 
 ^iZt\t urT?h '"•■^"' -ndemnaticnS 
 
 vifions and r^vebtion^ f ^ 'P^'lf '° ^'^^^ ^°'^^^' 
 
 in the liX!!^ f ?''/''f'^/^' ^'^^'•^on* but abide 
 111 [lie iignt and feel the body of Chrift ^nrt ,y,^ 
 Wilt thou receive f^Jfh .„^ «-nrnt, and there 
 
 appearance anHf-- u P""^^' '° J^^^S^ o^ every 
 
 «bey, and the ^alf t^' m' ^r^* ,!° ''°''^ ^^ ^"^ 
 Vol I "^ ^° '^^^- -^^t '1»0" in darknefs ? 
 
 ^ P mind 
 
 * i 
 
» APPENDIX TO VOL. I. , 
 
 mind it not ; for if ihou doft, it will fill thri^ more ; 
 but (land ftill and ad^ not, and wait in patience till 
 light arife out of darknefs to lead thee. Art thou 
 wounded in confcience ? feed not there, but abide 
 in the light, which leads to the grace and truth, 
 which teaches to deny and put off the weight, and 
 removes the caufe, and brings faving health to light; 
 yea, this I fay to thee in the name of Jefus Chrift, 
 that though thou haft made thy grave as deep as the 
 nethermoft hell, or were thy affliaions as great as 
 Job's, and thy darknefs as the depth" of the fea, 
 yet if thou wilt not run to vain helps, as I have 
 done, but ftay upon the Lord, till he give thee light 
 by hU word, (^whu conimanHq lisjht to fliine out of 
 darknefs,) from thence will he bring thee forth, and 
 his eye fhall guide thee, and thou fhalt praife his 
 name, as I do this day, glory for evermore ! And 
 this word is nigh thee which muft give thee light, 
 though darknefs comprehends it not. And hadft 
 thou gifts, revelations, knowledge, wifdom, or what- 
 ever thou canft read of in the Scriptures of truth, 
 and doft not abide in the light, and feed on the body 
 of Chrift, whence the gifts fpring, but feed on the 
 gift, thou mayeft be up for a while in thy own fight,, 
 but certainly thou wilt wither and die to God, and 
 darknefs will come upon thee, and thy food will tur^ 
 to thy condemnation in the fight of God.* 
 
 Nay let's Works ^ page I v. 
 
 Londont Printed by W. PhilUp^ 
 George Yard* Lombard Strcci 
 
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 
 
 This book is due on the date indicated below, or at the 
 expiration of a definite period after the date of borrowing, as 
 provided by the library rules or by special arrangement with 
 the Librarian in charge. 
 
 DATE BORROWED 
 
 DATE DUE 
 
 DATE BORROWED 
 
 DATE DUE 
 
 - 
 
 9jr4S 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 ! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 C28(S42)M80 
 
 
 « 
 
 
 COLUMBIA UN VERS 
 
 TY 
 
 0025980670 
 
 NOV - ^ 'QB 
 
"5-Vtw; 
 
 :\:i, 
 
 
 -K- 
 
 xvtv .■<?•«,:». J 
 
 '■■^^^ 
 
 f-^^. 
 
 ■'.ti!| 
 
 :>r-^^"^'i?a 
 
 
 
 ^^i 
 
 
 
 
 :#l 
 
 Jjs 
 
 3*i: 
 
 ti'^..^ 
 
 ^ t j^'^j,-!: 
 
 
 %-%J 
 
 f 
 
 ■ ,'; ^ "■*" yr' - -afs'^S 
 
 ... * 
 
 
 
 j'^Svgt 
 
 ■*^* 
 
 &-Ji 
 
 ■W; 
 
 ••?:! ' 
 
 
 r ■ »= 
 
 
 i* 
 
 ^:>f 
 
 
 ^V 
 
 <-' 
 
 
 ^ t 
 
 -'*' 
 
 
 * ' 
 
 7- 
 
 
 
 ^ I- 
 
 ■*',• 
 
 '-** t .*• 
 
 •r^t/ 
 
 
 c'-'^l;, 
 
 *1-V f'fi 
 
 . «*-Jf 
 
 ' -^-J-'^i 
 
 ■*3' 
 
 -itfi 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ■:'^^ 
 
 
 li?h^ 
 
 ***-i 
 
 V*** 
 
 
 
 i-f. 
 
 .'pj^j*- 
 
 <■ 
 
 
 
 Ji I •^. 
 
 ,rt?i.-^- 
 
 §^ 
 
 M^ 
 
 
 
 ■ tel 
 
 •fti- 
 
 
 W", 
 
 
 /*.ja 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 • ; %S, ■ ;, >' .-? V t '-?" ■ . 'Si 
 
 '^ - * w * ^' .^±- ■'*'' 'v" -?/*'-5i^ \ *" ifl 
 
 
 i. ^: 
 
 
 
 
 4Y ' ••■ 
 
 1 
 
 'y'^^i 
 
 
 
 ■<f ?4-^^' 
 
 ..N 
 
 1* >* V "''-"^s-ws 
 
 .If'" 
 
 '' ^* '^ '" - "v-'^ -t^ "iUSs 
 
 '- -• -''' • *»^^fl 
 
 
 <t*. 
 
 
 --si." 
 
 
 
 ^ <'-,, ',*- o.'S'Jf *.■». IC' 
 
 '■^'1% ' *- ^ ^V '^'''' ''fe Im 
 
 .v--.,«-Ji 
 
 
 
 
 4 e -M^^ -SSI ■'3^ 1' 
 .1 -.' „'?8'~' *"" f ■?■■ 
 
 - .■}'■■- •£-t :■ -J, 
 
 
 
 W ' 
 
 
 E".- 
 
 
 ^^'S'*!- ' 
 
 
 Ej|^!i> . 
 
 
 ^^. ' 
 
 ^m 
 
 pi ■ 
 
 
 »^'^' 
 
 
 ^^'J 
 
 
 Ei 
 
Columbia ^niberslitp 
 
 iH 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 i 
 
 'ill 
 
'/' r 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THl 
 
 RISE, INCREASE, AND PROGRESS 
 
 or THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLEB 
 
 QUAKERS. 
 
 INTERMIXED WITH SEVERAL REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES. 
 
 WRITTEN ORIGINALLY IN LOW DUTCH, 
 
 AND ALSO TRANSLATED BY HIMSELF INTO ENGLISH, 
 
 By WILLIAM SEWEL. 
 
 THE FIFTH EDITION. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 LONBON : 
 PRINTEB BT WjLUAM PuiLLll-S, GEOROE YARD, LOMBARD STREET. 
 
 1811. 
 
 5^ 
 
54C9-' 
 
 From Library of 
 
 J ^. Iviurphy; 
 
 THE 
 
 
 tl I S T O R Y 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ^^ 
 
 J 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 (QUAKERS. 
 
 THE SEVENTH BOOK. 
 
 t 
 
 HAVING now left America, and being returned to 
 England, let us go and fee the ftate of perfccution 
 at London, where defperate fury now raged ; though it 
 was not in that chief city alone the Quakers, fo called, 
 were mod gr ievoufly perfecuted : for a little before this 
 time there was publifhed in print a fliort relation of the 
 pcrfecution throughout all England, figned by twelve 
 perfons, fhewing that more than four thoufand and two 
 hundred of thofe called Quakers, both men and women, 
 were in prifon in England ; and denoting the number of 
 them that were imprifoned in each county, cither for fre- 
 quenting meetings, or for denying to fwear, &c. Many 
 of thefe had been grievoufly beaten, or their clothes torn 
 or taken away from them ; and fome were put into fuch 
 ftinking dungeons, tliat fome great men faid, they would 
 not have put their hunting dogs there. Some prifons were 
 crouded full both of men and women, fo that there was 
 not fufEcient room for all to fit down at once; and in 
 Chefliire fixty-eight perfons were in this manner locked up 
 •in a fmall room ; an evident fign that they were a harmlefs 
 people, that would not make any refiftance, or ufc force, 
 
 V A 2 
 
a THE KISTQRY OF THE ("1662 
 
 By fuch ill-treatment many grew fick, and not a few died 
 in fuch gaols ; for no age or fex was regarded, but even 
 ancient people of fixty, fc\ enty, and more years of age, 
 were not fpared : and the rnoft of thefe being tradefmen, 
 ihopkeepers, and hufbandmen, were thus reduced to po- 
 verty ; for their goods were alfo feized, foi not going to 
 church Cfo called) or for not paying tythes. Many times 
 they were fain to lie in prifon on cold nafly ground, with- 
 out being fuSered to have any ftraw ; and often they have 
 been kept feveral days without victuals : no wonder there- 
 fore that many died by fuch hard imprifonments as thefe. 
 
 At London, and in the fuburbs, where about this time 
 no lefs than five hundred of thofe called C^akers, im* 
 prifoned, and fome in fuch narrow holes, that every per- 
 fon fcarcely had convenience to lie down ; and the felon? 
 were fuflered to rob them of their clothes and money. 
 Many that were not imprifoned, neverthelefs fufFered 
 hardlhips in their religious meetings, efpecially that in 
 London, known by the name of Bull and Mouth. Here 
 the trained bands came frequently, armed generally with 
 muikets, pikes, and halbards, and conduced by a mili- 
 tary officer, by order of the city magiftracy ; and rufhing 
 in, in a very furious manner, fell to beating them, where- 
 by many were grievoufly wounded, fome fell down in 
 a fwoon, and fome were beaten fo violently, that they 
 Jived not long after it. Among thefe was one John 
 Trowel, who was fo bruifed and cruflied, that a few 
 days after he died. His friends therefore thought it ex- 
 pedient to carry the corpfe into the aforefaid meeting 
 place, that it might lie there expofed for fome hours, to be. 
 feen of every one. This being done, raifed commiferatioa 
 and pity among many of the inhabitants ; for the corpfe, 
 beaten like a jelly, looked black, and was fwoln in a dire- 
 ful manner. This gave occafion to fend for the coroner, 
 and he being come, empannelled a jury of the neighbours, 
 and gave them in charge, according to his office, to make 
 true enquiry Upon their paths, and to prefent what they 
 found to be ^hc caufe of his death. They viewing the 
 corpfe, had a furgcon or two with them, to know their 
 judgment concerning it ^ and then going together in pri- 
 
 662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 vate, at length they withdrew without giving in their 
 verdi(^, only defiring the friends to bury the corpfe, which 
 was done accordingly that evening. And though the 
 coroner and jury met divers times together upon that oc- 
 cafion, and had many confultations, yet they never would 
 give in a verdict j but it appeared fufficiently, that the 
 • man was killed by violent beating. The reafons fome 
 gave for the fufpenfe of a verdift were, that thongh it 
 was teftified that the fame perfbn, now dead, was feen 
 beaten, and knocked down ; yet it being done in fuch a 
 confufed crowd, no particular man could be fixed upon, 
 fo that any could fay, that man did the deed. And if a 
 vcrdift was given that the deceafed perfon was killed, and 
 yet no particular perfon charged with it, then the city 
 was liable to a great fine, at the ple:ifure of the king, 
 for conniving at fuch a murder in the city in the day 
 time, not committed in a corner, but in a publick place, 
 and not apprehending the murderer, but fuffi^ring him to 
 efcape. In the mean-while the friends of the deceafed 
 were not wanting to give public notice of the faft, and 
 fent alfo' a letter to the lord m.ayor, which afterwards they 
 gave out in print, together with a relation of this bloody 
 bufinefs. In this letter it was faid, ^ It may be fuppofed 
 thou haft heard of this thing, for it was done not in the 
 night, but at the mid-time of the day ; not fuddenly, at 
 ' unawares, or by mifhap, but intendedly, and a long fpace 
 of time a doing ; and not in a corner, but in the ftreets 
 of the city of London ; all which circumftances do highly 
 aggravate this murder, to th^ very (hame and infamy of 
 this famous city, and its government.* 
 
 A certain perfon who fpread fome of thefe printed re- 
 lations, was imprifoned for his pains ; neverthelefs another, 
 brought one of them to the king, and told him how the 
 thing had been done ; at which the king faid, * I aflure 
 you it was not by my advice that any of your friends 
 fliould be flain : ye muft tell the magiftrates of the city 
 of it, and profecute the law againft them.* This faying 
 of the king was not long after alfo publifhed in print : but 
 violence prevailed ftill ; for the perfon that was appre- 
 hended for fpreding the faid books, was fent to prifon, 
 
 A3 
 
4 THE HISTORY OF THE [1662 
 
 by the fpcclil order of aldeiman Brown, of whom fince 
 mention may be made leveral times in this work, it gives 
 me occafion to fay fomething of what kind of man he w^as. 
 
 In the time of Cromwell he had been very fierce againft 
 the royalifts, efpecially at Abingdon, not far from Ojcford: 
 for this error he endeavoured now to make compenfation, 
 by violent perfecuting of the harmlefs Quakers ; otherwife 
 he was a comely man, and could commit cruelty with a 
 fmiling countenance. But more of his aftions may be 
 reprefented hereafter. 
 
 The Quakers, fo called, feeing that tliey could not 
 obtain juftice, let the matter of the murdered perfon alone ; 
 for fuffering was now their portion, and therefore they 
 left their caufe to God. Oftentimes they were kept out 
 of their meeting-houfes by the foldiers ; but then they 
 did not ufe to go away, but flood before the place, and 
 fo their number foon increafed ; and then one or other of 
 their minifters generally ftept upon a bench, or fome high 
 place, and fo preached boldly. Thus he got fometimes 
 more hearers than otherwife he might have had. But 
 fuch an one fometimes was foon pulled down, which then 
 gave occafion for another to (land up and preach, and 
 thus often four or five one after another, were taken away 
 as innocent Iheep, and carried to prifon with others of 
 their friends, it may be forty or fifty at once. This puts 
 me in mind of what I heard my mother Judith Zinfpen- 
 ning fay, who in the year next following, being gone for 
 England, with William Caton and his wife, who lived at 
 Amftcrdam, to vifit her friends there, and coming to 
 London, went with others to the Bull and Mouth meeting ; 
 but entrance being denied, they (layed in the ftrect, 
 where flie faw one preacher after another pulled down, at 
 the inllant cry of fome officer or other, ' Conftable, take 
 hira away.* Several being thus led away, the conftable 
 came alfo to her, and perceiving by her drefs that fhe was 
 a Dutch woman, pulled her by the fleeve, and faid witli, 
 admiration, * What, a Dutch Quaker ! ' but meddled no 
 ,fanher with her. This keeping of meetings in the ftreets 
 became now a cuftomary thing in England; for the Qua- 
 kers, fo called, were pcrfuadcd that the exercifc of tncir 
 
 1662] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 5 
 
 publick worftiip was a duty no man" could difcharge them 
 from, and they believed that God required the performing 
 of this fervice from their hands. And by thus meeting 
 in the ftreets, it happened fometimes that more than one, 
 nay, it may be three or four at a time, did preach, one 
 in one place, and another in another, which in their 
 meeting places could not have been done conveniently. 
 But thus they got abundance of auditors, and among 
 thefe fometimes eminent men, who paffing by in their 
 coaches, made their coachmen ftop. At this rate they 
 found there was a great harveft, and thus their church 
 increafed under fufFerings ; and in thofe fliarp times they 
 were pretty well purified of drofs, fince the trial was too 
 hot for fuch as were not fincere ; for by frequenting their 
 meetings in fuch a time, one was in danger of being either 
 imprifoned, or beaten lame, or unto death : but this could 
 not quench the zeal of the upright. 
 
 Now the taking away of one preacher, and the ftand- 
 ing up of another, became an ordinary thing in England, 
 and it lafted yet long after, as I myfelf have been an eye- 
 witnefs of there. . And when there were no more men 
 preachers prefent^ it may be a woman would rife, and 
 minifter to the meeting ; nay, there were fuch, who in 
 years being little more than boys, were endued with a 
 manly zeal, and encouraged their friends to ftedfaftnefs. 
 In the mean-while many alfo were imprifoned, without 
 being haled out of their meetings ; for fome have been 
 apprehended for fpeaking only fomething on the behalf of 
 their friends ; as Rebecca Travers, who, going to the 
 lieutenant of the Tower, defired hira to have compafllon on 
 fome who were imprifoned for frequenting of meetings. But 
 he grew angry at this; and when flie went away, one of 
 the keepers gave her ill language ; on which fhe exhorting 
 him, to be good in his place, whilft it was the Lord's 
 will he had it, he was fo offended, that going back to the 
 lieutenant, he complained that fhe had fpoken ^treafon, 
 and thereupon fhe was apprehended, and fent to prifon. 
 Nay, the rude foldiers were encouraged to cruelty by 
 officers who were not awhit better, for they therafelves 
 would fometimes lay violent hands on peaceable people j 
 
 A 4 
 
i i 
 
 6 THE HISTORY OF THE VlSGt 
 
 as amongfl: the reft the afore-mentioned alderman Richard 
 Brown, who formerly had been a 'major-general under 
 Cromwell, and now behaved himfelf with fuch outrageous 
 fiercenefs, that even the comedians did not ftick to expofc 
 him, by an allufion to his name Brown, and faying, * The 
 devil was brown.' 
 
 A book was alfo printed, wherein many bafe abufes, 
 and alfo his furious behaviour were cxpofed to publick 
 view ; and this book was dedicated to him with this fmall 
 cpiftle ; 
 
 ^ Richard Brown, 
 
 « If thou art not feaied up already for deftruftion, and 
 if repentance be not utterly hid from thy eyes, ihe Lord 
 convert thee, and forgive thee 'all thy hard and cruel 
 dealings towards us : we defire thy repentance rather than 
 thy dcftru6lion; and the Loid God of heaven and earth 
 give judgment of final determination between thee and 
 us, that all the earth may know whether thy caufe againft 
 us, or our caufe be jult before him, who only is the 
 righteous judge.' 
 
 The faid book, though publiflied without the author's 
 came, yet one of them was not only fcnt to Brown, but 
 as a fign that the C)uakers, fo called, owned it, others 
 were, by about thirty of them, delivered to the lord 
 iTiayor, and the Ihcriifs of London, that fo they might 
 know what was adted under their authority; for fome, 
 though not authorized, yet being favourites at court, 
 made bold to aft againft the (fakers whatever their 
 malice prompted them to. Among thefe was one Philip 
 Miller, who, though not an officer, yet in the month 
 called May of this year, came into a meeting of the faid 
 people in John's ftrcet, in the parifli of Sepulchres, at 
 London, without any order or warrant, and having a cane 
 i 1 his hand, commanded the rabble who attended him, to 
 fecure whom he pleafed ; and then he fetched a con- 
 ftable, whom he forced by his threats to go along with 
 him, and five perfons he apprehended, among whom was 
 John Crook, of whom farther mention is like to be made 
 again. Some days after, this Miller came to the faid 
 meeting place again, and ftruck feveral perfons with his 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 cane, becaufe they would not depart at his command ; 
 and then he charged the conftables, whom he brought 
 along with him, to fecure and take into cuftody whom he 
 pleafed. 
 
 About the latter end of the aforefaid month, on a 
 Firft-day of the week, one captain Reeves, and fome fol- 
 diers with muikets and drawn fwords, came violently 
 rufliing into the Bull and Mouth meetings where they 
 pulled down him that was preaching, and prefently laid 
 hold of another, who defired Reeves to fhew his order 
 for this his doing : to which he anfwered, he would not 
 in that place ; but it appeared afterwards that he could 
 not, as having no warrant. Yet he caufed his foldiers to 
 take away about forty perfons, (fome of whom were not at 
 the meeting, but had been taken up in the ftreets,) and 
 have them into Paul's yard, where they were kept till the 
 publick worftiip was ended there; and then alderman 
 Richard Brown came into the place where the prifoners 
 were guarded, and with great rage and fury laid hands 
 firft on a very aged perfon, and pulled him down twice 
 by the brim of his hat, • whereby he loft it. Then he 
 fcrved another in hke manner, and a foldier ftruck this 
 perfon a great blow with a piftol on his bare head : two 
 others Brown ufed in the like manner, and then he fcnt 
 them all to Newgate, guarded by foldiers. 
 
 The fame day fome foldiers came to a meeting in Tower 
 ftreet, and without any warrant, took away twenty-one 
 perfons, called Quakers, and carried them to the Ex- 
 change, where they kept them fome time, and thea 
 brought them before the faid Richard Brown, who in a 
 moft furious manner ftruck fome, and kicked others ; 
 which made one of the prifoners, feeing how Brown 
 fmote one with his fift on the face, and kicked him on the 
 fhin, fay, * What Richard, wilt thou turn murderer? 
 Thou didft not do fo when I M^as a foldier under thy 
 command at Abingdon, and thou commanded ft me Avith 
 others, to fearch people's houfes for pies and roaft meat, 
 becaufe they kept Chriftmas as a holy time; and we 
 brought the perfons prifoners to the guard, for obfervini^ 
 the fame.' For fuch a prccife man the faid Brown was. at 
 
s 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [1662 
 
 that time, that he pretended to root out that fuperflitious 
 cuftom ; though there is reafon to queftion, whether his 
 heart were lincere in this rcfpeft: however, fuch blind ^ 
 zeal was unfit to convince people of fupcrftition ; and 
 Brown well knowing that by his former carriage, he had 
 very much difobliged thofe of the church of England, 
 endeavoured now to make amends for it, by his fierce 
 brutality againft the harmlefs Quakers, and fo to come into 
 favour with the ecclefiaflicks and courtiers. One of 
 Brown's family having heard what was faid to him, re- 
 plied, * There is an Abingdon bird.' To which Brown 
 returned, * He is a rogue for all that,' and (truck him with # 
 his fift under the chin ; which made another prifoner fay, 
 
 * What, a magiftrate and flrike !' Upon which Brown with 
 both his hands, pulled him down to the ground by the 
 brim of his hat, and then commanded the foldiers to take 
 them all away, and carry them to Newgate. 
 
 Upon a Firft-day of the week, in the month called June, 
 a company of foldiers came into the Bull and Mouth 
 meeting, with pikes, drawn fwords, mufkets, and lighted 
 matches, as if they were going to fight ; though they 
 knew well enough they fhould find none there but harm- 
 lefs people. The firft thing they did was to pull down 
 him that preached, whom they haled out of the meeting, 
 rejoicing as if they had obtained fome great viftory : then 
 they brought him to the main guard at Paul's, and re- 
 turned to the Bull and Mouth, where they apprehended 
 fome more, whom they alfo carried to Paul's. After fome 
 hours, thefe prifoners were carried to the houfe of the 
 fore-mentioned Brown, and he, piking the names of the 
 ' prifoners, and hearing that of John Pcrrot, faid, 'What, 
 you have been at Rome to fubvert,' but recalling himfelf 
 faid, ' to conven the Pope.' On which Perrot told him, 
 
 * He had fuffered at Rome for the teftimony of Jefus/ 
 Whereupon Brown returned, ' If you had converted the 
 Pope to your religion, I fhould have liked him far worfe 
 than I do now.' To which Perrot replied, ' But^ God 
 would have liked him better.' After fome more fliort 
 difcourfe. Brown committed them all to Newgate. 
 
 After this manner, the meetings of thofe called Ouakerg 
 
 16^2] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 9 
 
 were difturbed at that time, of which I could produce, if 
 neceffary, many more inftances. Once, one Cox, a wine- 
 coopef, came with fome foldiers into a meeting, where, 
 after great violence ufed, they took up two men of thofe 
 caHed Quakers, whom they beat moft grievoufly, becaufe 
 they refufed to go along with them, though they (hewed 
 no warrant for it. At length the foldiers carried them 
 both upon muikets into Paul's yard, and when they laid 
 them down, they dragged one of them by the heels on 
 his back, in a very barbarous manner ; which being done, 
 the faid wine-cooper was heard to fay, he would go and 
 get a cup of fack, for thefe devils had even wearied hini 
 out : and yet he went to another meeting-place of thefe 
 people, where he alfo behaved himfelf very wickedly ; 
 and being afked for his order, his anfwer was holding out 
 his fword, this is my order. Thus it feems he would in- 
 gratiate himfelf with Brown, who now being in favour at 
 court, was knighted, and fometime after alfo chofen lord 
 mayor of London ; and by his furious behaviour, the 
 foldiers were alfo encouraged to commit all manner of 
 mifchief; infomuch, that being alked, what order they 
 had for their doings, one Hfting up his rnulket, faid, 
 *This is my order:' fo that things now were carried by., 
 a club-law. < Nor did the foldiers refpeft age, but took 
 away out of a meeting at Mile-end, two boys, one about 
 thirteen, and the other about fixteen ; and they were 
 brought before the lieutenant of the Tower, who to one 
 prefent, faying, he fuppofed they were not of the age of 
 fixteen years, and then not puniQiable by the aft, returned, 
 they were old enough to be whipt ; and they fhould be 
 whipt out of their religion. And fo he fent them to 
 Bridewell, where their hands were put into the ftock^^ 
 and fo pinched for the fpace of two hours, that their wrifts 
 were much fwoln ; and this was done becaufe they refufed 
 to work, as being perfuaded that they had not deferved 
 to be treated fo ; . they alfo eating nothing at the charge of 
 the faid workhoufe. Thefe lads, though pretty long in 
 that prifon, yet continued ftedfaft, rejoicing they were 
 counted worthy to fufFer for the name of the Lord : and 
 they writ a letter to iheir friend's children, exhorting 
 
Id 
 
 THE HISTORY Ol' THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 them to be faithful in bearing their teftrniony for the Lord, 
 againft all wickedncfs and unrighteoufhefs. 
 
 Some days before this time, Thomas and John Herbert, 
 living in London, and other muiketeers, came with their 
 naked fwords into fome private dwellings, and broke two 
 or three doors; (for when fome perfons were feen to 
 enter a houfe, though it was only to vifit their friends, it 
 was called a meeting.) Now it happened in one houfe, 
 thefe rude fellows found five perfons together, one of 
 whom was William Ames, who was come thither out of 
 Holland, and another was Samuel Fifhcr : and when it 
 was demanded what warrant they had, they held up their 
 fwords, and faid, « Do not aflc us for a warrant ; this is 
 our warrant.* And thereupon they took away thefe per- 
 fons by force, and carried them to Paul's yard, where 
 they were a laughingflock to the foldiers ; and from thence 
 they were brought to the Exchange, where they met with 
 no better reception from the rude foldiers ; and from 
 ihcnce they were conducted to alderman Brown's houfe in 
 Ivy-lane. He feeing thefe prifoners, fent them to Bride- 
 well with a mittimus, to be kept at hard labour. But 
 afterwards bethinking himfelf, and finding that his mittimus 
 was not founded on juftice, (for thefe perfons were not 
 taken from a meeting) next morning he fent another mitti- 
 mus, wherein they were charged with unlawful afTemblino- 
 themfelves to worlhip. Now, fuppofe one of the rauiket^ 
 eers had heard any of thefe perfons fpeak by way of ex- 
 hortation to faithfulnefs in this hot time of perfecution, 
 this would have been taken for a fuiEcient charge, though 
 not cognizable by law: but they ran upon Ihifts, how 
 poor or filly foever. 
 
 1'hus thefe perfons were committed to Bridewell, and 
 required to beat hemp ; and they were treated fo feverely, 
 that W. Ames grew fick, even nigh to death, wherefore 
 he was difcharged ; for in a fenfe it might be faid, that 
 his dwelling-place was at Amfterdam in Holland, fince he 
 was there the mofl part of the time for fome years fuc- 
 ceffively, and that he might not be chargeable, he w'orked 
 at wool-combing ; and it being alleged that he was of 
 Amfterdam, it fecms they would not have him die in 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 II 
 
 1662] 
 
 prifon, as fome of his friends had done. The others 
 having been fix weeks in Bridewell, were prefented at the 
 feffions in the Old Bailey : but inftead of being tried for 
 what was charged againft them, they were required to take 
 the oath of allegiance, as the only bufinefs (according to 
 what the deputy recorder fiid) they were brought thither 
 for. The prifoners then demanded, that the law might 
 be read, by virtue of which the faid oath was required 
 of them. This was promifed by the court to be done ; 
 but inft^ad thereof, "they ordered the clerk to read only 
 the form of the oath, but would not permit the law for 
 jmpofmg it to be read. Bui before the prifoners had 
 either declared their willingnefs to take it, or their refufal 
 of it, they were commanded to be taken away ; which 
 the officers did with fuch violence, that they threw fome 
 0f them down upon the Rones. This made Samuel Fiflier 
 fay, ' Take notice people, that we have not yet refufed to 
 take the oath ; but the court refufeth to perform their 
 promife which they made but juft now before you all, 
 that this ftatute for it fliould be read : if fuch domgs as 
 this ever profper, it muft be when there is no God.' But 
 this was not regarded ; and the prifoners, without any 
 juftice, w^ere fent to Newgate. Among thefe, was alfo one 
 John Howel, who had been fent by alderman Brown to 
 work at Bridewell, becaufe he being brought before him, 
 did not tell on a fudden what was his name : and being 
 demanded in the court why he did not tell his name, he 
 jmfwered, becaufe he had been beaten and abufed in the 
 prefence of Richard Brown, when he was brought before 
 him. Brown, who was alfo on the bench, aiked him 
 roughly, ^ Wherein were you abufed ? And Howel re- 
 plied, ' Blood was drawn on me in thy prefence ; which 
 ought not to be done in the prefence of a juftice of peace.' 
 But Brown growing very impetuous, returned, ' Hold 
 your prating, or there fliall be as much done again here 
 in the prefence of the court.' 
 
 About midfummer, Daniel Baker returned into Eng- 
 land, (who, as hath been related, had been at Malta) and 
 ' about a fortnight after his arrival, he, with four others. 
 
12 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 was taken by a band of foldicrs from the Bull and Mouth 
 meeting, and carried to Paul's yard, where having been 
 kept for fomc hours, they were brought to Newgate ; but 
 in the evening they were had before alderman Brown, 
 to whom Baker with meeknefs faid, * Let the fear of God 
 and his peace be fet up in thy heart.* But Brown fell a 
 laughing, and faid, ' I would rather hear a dog bark ;* 
 and ufing more fuch fcoffing expreffions, he charged 
 Baker, &c. with the breach of the king's law in meeting 
 together. To which Baker faid, * The fervants of God 
 in the apoftles* days, were commanded to fpeak no more 
 in the name of Jefus -, and they anfwered, and fo do I 
 too, whether it be better to obey God than men, judge 
 ye.' He alfo inftanced the cafe of the three children at 
 Babylon, and Daniel, who obeyed not the king's decrees. . 
 But Brown grew fo angry, that he commanded his men 
 to fmite Daniel on the face. This they did, and pulling 
 him four or five times to the ground, they fmote him 
 with their fifts, and wrung his neck fo, as if they would 
 have murdered him. This thefe fellows did to pleafe 
 Brown, {hewing themfelves to be ready* for any fervice, 
 how abominable foever. And Baker reflecting on his 
 travels, fignified, that even Turks and heathens would 
 abhor fuch brutifh aftions. His fellow-prifoners were 
 alfo abufcd by* Brown, and then fent to Newgate again. 
 And after fome days, they were called to the feffions, 
 where their indiftment was read, which like others in 
 fuch cafes, did generally run in thefe terms : that the 
 prifoners, under pretence of performing religious worfhip, 
 otherwife than by the laws of the kingdom of England 
 cftabliftied, unlawfully and tumultuoufly did gather and 
 affemble themfelves together, to the great terror of his 
 majefty's people, and to the difturbance of the peace of 
 the krng, in contempt of our faid lord the king, and his 
 laws, to the evil example of all others in the like cafe 
 offending, &c. The indiftment being read, no witnefs 
 appeared againft the prifoners, fave Brown, who fat on 
 the bench : and therefore the oath, as the ordinary fnare, 
 was tendered to them; for it was fufficicntly known. 
 
 1662] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. I3 
 
 that their profeffion did not fuffer them to take any oath. 
 They denying to fwear, were fent back to prifon, to Itay 
 there until they fliould have taken the oath. 
 
 If I would here fet down all fuch like cafes as have 
 happened, 1 might find more work than I fhould be able 
 to perform : for this vexing with the oath was become fo 
 common, that fome have been taken up in the ftreets, 
 and brought to a juftice of the peace, that he might tender 
 the oath to them, and in cafe of denial, fend them to 
 prifon, though this was dite^lly contrary to the ftatute of 
 Magna Charta, which exprefsly faith, ' No "freeman fhall, 
 be taken nor imprifoned, or be diffeifed of his freehold 
 or Hberties, but by the law of the land.' But this was 
 not regarded by Richard Brown, who did whatever he 
 would ; for force and violence were now predominant : 
 and fometimes when the prifoners were brought to the 
 bar, for frequenting meetings, freedom was denied to 
 ' them to juftify themfelves ; but to be heftored and baffled 
 was their lot. 
 
 Once it happened, that a prifoner, who had been<a 
 foldier formerly under Brown, feeing that no juftice or 
 equity was obferved, called to him, faying, * That he was 
 not fit to fit on the bench ; for he made the fon to hang 
 the father at Abingdon -, fo that he could prove him to 
 be a murderer.' This bold faying caufed fome difturbance 
 in the court, and Brown, how heavy foever the charge 
 was, did not deny the thing in court, nor clear himfelf 
 from it : yet the other Quaker-prifoners did not approve 
 this upbraiding, but fignificd, that though the fa^ were 
 true, yet they were not for reproaching any magiftrate 
 Upon the bench, whofe place and office they did refpeft 
 and honour. But I do not find th;it Browrf ''on that 
 account) ever profecuted him that fpoke fo boldly, al- 
 though otherwife he did whatever he would, without fear- 
 ing that his fellow-magiftr.ites fwho refpefted him that was 
 a fii'vourite at courtj would difclaim it, as may appear by 
 this following inftance. 
 
 A certain perfon who had been In a very violent ?.nd 
 abufive manner taken to prifon by the foidiers out of a 
 meeting, becaufe he was not willing to go, faid in the 
 
14 THE HISTORY OF THE [1662 
 
 court, that his refufing to go, was becaufe they would not 
 fhew him any wanant for their apprehending him ; fince 
 for ought he knew, they might be robbers or murderers, 
 with whom he was not 'bound to go* But Brown, who 
 was for violence, faid to this, If they had dragged him 
 through all the kennek in the flreet, they had ferved him 
 right, if he would not go. This he fpoke in fuch a furious 
 manner, that one of the prifoners told him, * Thou haft 
 had many warnings and vifitations in the love of God, but 
 hafL flighted them ; therefore beware of being fealed up 
 in the wrath of God.* Hereupon one of the gaolers 
 came with his cane, and ftruck feveral of the prifoners fo 
 hiu-d, that divers of them were much bruifed ; and it was 
 reported by fome, that Brown cried knock him down, 
 though others (for mitigating it a little) would have it, 
 pull him down. But the former feems moft probable ;' 
 for the blows were fo violent, that fome of the fpeftators 
 cried out murder ! murder ! and aiked, * Will ye fufFer 
 men to be murdered in the court ?' Whereupon one bf 
 the (hcrilTs in perfon came down from his feat to ftop the 
 beating. But Brown was fo defperately filled with anger, 
 that he faid to the prifoners, ' If any of you be killed, 
 your blood fliall be upon your own head :* and the hang- 
 man Handing by with his gag in his hand, threatened the 
 prifoners to gag any of them that fhould fpeak any thing. 
 Thus innocence was forced to give way to violence. And 
 once, when one at the common juridical queftion, guilty, 
 or not guilty, anfwered, I deny I am guilty, and I can 
 fay I am not guilty ; and alfo in Latin, non reusfunu Yet 
 he was fentenced as mute, and fined accordingly, though 
 the words he fpoke, fully fignified not guilty, albeit he had 
 not exprefled them in the fame terms. But now they were 
 for croffing the Quakers in every refpeft. 
 
 I will yet mention fome more inftanccs of Brown's bru- 
 tality, before I leave him. Another being demanded to 
 anfvver to his indiftment, guilty, or not guilty, and not 
 prefently anfvvering, but thinking a little what to fpeak 
 fafely. Brown fcoflingly faid, * We fhall have a revelation 
 by and by.' To which the prifoncr faid, * How long will 
 ye oppofe the innocent ? How long will ye perfecute the 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ^S 
 
 1662] 
 
 righteous feed of God?' But whilft he was fpeaking. 
 Brown indecently began to cry in the language of thofe 
 wenches that go crying up and down the jftreets, « Aha, 
 aha, Will you have any wallfleet oyfters ?' And, ^ have 
 you any kiichen-ftaff, maids ?' And when a prifoner at 
 the bar faid he could not for confcience-fake forbear 
 meeting among the people of God, Brown fcurriloufly re- 
 turned, ' Confcience, — a dog's tail.' And when alderman 
 Adams fpeaking to one. of the prifoners faid, ' I am forry 
 to fee you here' ^ Sorry!' faid Brown, ^ What fhould 
 you be forry fur ?' ' Yes,' faid Adams, ' He is a fober 
 man.* But Brown, who could not endure to hear this, 
 replied, that there never was a fober man amongft them, 
 meaning the C^akers. The fpeftators, who took much 
 notice of him, difcommended this his carriage exceedingly. 
 But he fecmed to be quite hardened ; for at a certain time 
 two perfons being upon their trial for robbing of a houfe, 
 he told them, they were the verieft rogues in England, 
 except it w^re the Quakers. 
 
 Sometimes it happened that the prifoners were brought 
 to the bar without being indif^cd ; and when they faid, 
 * What have we done?* and defired juftice ; Brovvn hav- 
 ing no indi<^ment againft them, often cried, ' Will you 
 take the oath ?' And they then faying, ^ that for confcience 
 fake they could not fwear, were condemned as tranfgref- 
 fors, though fuch proceedings as thefe, were diredlly 
 againft the law. But this feemed at that time little to be 
 regarded. 
 
 However, fometime before it happened at Thetford in 
 the county of Norfolk, that judge Windham, at that time 
 fhewing himfelfjiift in the like cafe, fharply reproved the 
 juftices upon the bench, for having not only committed 
 fome perfons to prifon, but alfo had them up to the bar, 
 when no accufcr appeared againft them. But Richard 
 Brown did whatever he would, and fhewed himfelf moft 
 furioufly wicked, when any prifoner was brought before 
 him with his hat on. 
 
 One John Brain, being taken in the ftreet, and not hi 
 any meeting, was brought by fome foldiers before Brown ; 
 who, feeing him with his hat on, ornered him to be pulled 
 
 Vol. II. B 
 
i6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TH£ 
 
 [1662 
 
 down to the ground fix or feven times, and when he was 
 down, they beat his head againfl the ground, and (lamped 
 upon him ; and Brown, like a madman, bade them pull 
 ofFhisnofe; whereupon they very violently pulled him 
 by the ncfe. And when he was got up, they pulled him 
 to the ground by the hair of his head, and then by the 
 hair pulled him up again. And ^ when he would have 
 fpoken in his own behalf againfl: this cruelty ; Brown bade 
 them flop his mouth. Whereupon they not only fl:ruc!c 
 him on the mouth, but ft:opped his mouth and nofe alfo 
 fo clofe, that he could riot draw breath, and was like to 
 be choaked : at which anions Brown fell a laughing, and 
 at length fent him to gaol. 
 
 Thomas Spire being brought before Brown, he com- 
 manded his hat to be taken off; and becaufe it was not 
 done with fuch violence as he intended, he caufed it to be 
 put upon his head again, faying, < It fhould not be pulled 
 off fo eafily.' Then he v;as pulled down to the ground by 
 his hat, and pulled up again by his hair. William Hill 
 being brought before him, he commanded his hat to be 
 puUe'd off, fo that his head might be bowed down : where- 
 upon he being pulled to the ground, was plucked up again 
 by the hair of his head. George Ablefon was thus pulled 
 five times one after another to the ground, and plucked up 
 by his hair, and fo beaten on his face, or the fides of his 
 head, that he fliaggered, and bled, and for forae days was 
 under much pain. 
 
 Nicholas Blithold being brought before Krown, he 
 took his hat with both his hands, endeavouring to pull 
 him down to the ground ; and becaufe he fell not quite 
 to the ground forwards, he puflied him, to throw him 
 1:ackwards; and then he gave him a kick on the leg, and 
 tiirull him out of doors. Thomas Lacy being brought 
 before him, he himfelf gave him a blow ou the face ; and 
 Ifaac Merrit, John Cook, Arthur Baker, and others, 
 were not treated much better ; fo that he feemed more fit 
 to have been a hangman, than an alderman, or juftice. 
 But I 'MOW weary of mentioning more infl:ances of his 
 cruelty! Thefe bis abominable atchievements were pub- 
 lilhed in print, more at large than I have mentioned 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 17 
 
 them : and the book, as hath been faid already, was de- 
 dicated to him. And yet I do not find any have been 
 profecuted on that account ; though his wickednefs was 
 extravagant, and fuch as if he wanted to have fliakes 
 erefted at Smithfield to vend his wood j being by trade 
 a woodmonger. 
 
 In this hot time of perfecution, Francis Howgill writ, 
 and gave forth the following paper for encouragement of 
 his friends. 
 
 ^' The cogitations of my heart have been many, deep, 
 and ponderous fome months, weeks^ and days, concerning 
 this people which the Lord hath raifed to bear tefliimony 
 unto his name, in this the day of his power ; and inter- 
 ceffion hath been made often for them to the Lord, and 
 a patient waiting to know his mind concerning them for 
 the time to come ; which often I received faiisfaftion in 
 as to myfelf, but yet fomething I was drawn by the Lord 
 to wait for, that I might comfort and fl:rengthen his flock 
 by an affured tefliimony. And while I was waiting out 
 of all vifible things, and quite out of the world in my 
 fpirit, and my heart upon nothing but the living God, the 
 Lord opened the fprings of the great deep, and over- 
 flowed my whole heart with hght and love ; and my eyes 
 were as a fountain becaufe of tears of joy, becaufe of 
 his heritage, of whom he fliewed me, and faid unto mc 
 in a full, frefli, living power, and a holy, full teftimony, 
 fo that my heart was raviflied there with joy unfpeakable, 
 and I was out of the body with God in his heavenly pa- 
 radife, where I faw and felt things unutterable, and be- 
 yond all demonflration or fpeech. At lafl: the life clofed 
 with my underftanding, and my fpirit lifl:ened unto him ; 
 and the everlafting God faid, '* Shall I hide any thing 
 from them that feek my face in righteoufnefs ? Nay, I 
 will manifefl: it to them that fear me ; I will fpeak, do 
 thou lifl:en, and publifh it among all my people^ that they 
 may be comforted, and thou fatisfied.** And thus faid 
 the living God of heaven and earth, opon the 28th of 
 the Third month, 1662. 
 
 * The fun (hall leave its Ihining brightnefs, and ccafc 
 
 B 2 
 
iS 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 to give light to the world ; and the moon fhall be alto- 
 gether darknefs, and give no light unto the night ; the 
 flars fhall ceafe to know their office, or place ; my cove- 
 nant with day, night, times and feafons, fliall fooner 
 come to an end, than the covenant I have made-with this 
 people, into which they are entered w^iih me, fhall end 
 or be broken. Yea, though the powers of darknefs and 
 hell combine againfl them, and the jaws of death open its 
 mouth, yet I will deliver them, and lead them through 
 all. I will confound their enemies as I did in Jacob, and 
 fcattcr them as I did in Ifrael in the days of old. I will 
 take their enemies, I will hurl them hither and thither, 
 as flones hurkd in a fling ; and the memorial of this 
 nation, which is holy unto me, fhall never be rooted out, 
 but fhall live through ages, as a cloud of witnefTes in 
 generations to come. I have brought them to the birth, 
 yea, I have brought them forth ; I have fwaddled them 
 and they are mine. I will nourifli them, and carry them 
 as on eagles' wings ; and though clouds gather againfl 
 them, I will make my way through them ; though dark- 
 nefs gather together on a heap, and tcmpefts gender, I 
 will fcatter them as with an eafl wind ; and nations fliall 
 know they are n")y inheritance, and they fhall know I am 
 the living God, who will plead their caufe with all that 
 rife up in oppofition againfc them.* 
 
 * Thefe words are holy, faithful, eternal, good, and 
 true ; blefTed are they that hear and believe unto the 
 end : and becaufe of them no ilrens^th was left in me for 
 a while ; but at lafl my heart was filled with joy, even as 
 when the ark of God was broudit from the houfe of 
 Obed-Edom, when David danced before it, and Ifrael 
 fhouted for joy. 
 
 * Francis Ilowgill.' 
 
 That this writing of F. Howgill, who was a pious man, 
 of great parts, together with many other powerful ex- 
 liortations of fuch who valiantlv went before, and never 
 left the opprefTed flock, tended exceedingly to their en- 
 couragement in this hot time of perfecution, is certain. 
 For how furious foever tlieir enemies were, yet they con- 
 
 1662] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. I9 
 
 tinned faithful in fupplications and fervent prayers to 
 God, that he might be pleafed to afTifl them in their up- 
 right zeal, who aimed at nothing for fclf, but from a true 
 fear and reverence before him, durfl not omit their re- 
 ligious affemblies. And they foimd that the Lord heard 
 their prayers, infomuch that I remember to have heard 
 one fay, that at a meeting where they feemed to be in 
 danger of death from their fierce perfecutors, he was as 
 it were ravifhed, fo that he hardly knew whether he was 
 in or out of the body. They then perfevering thus in 
 fai^hfulnefs, to what they believed the Lord required of 
 them, in procefs of time, when their enemies had taken 
 fuch meafures, that they were perfuaded they had found 
 out means, by which they fhould fupprefs and extinguifh 
 the Quakers, they faw the Lord God Almighty rofe up 
 in their defence, and quailied and confounded the wicked 
 devices of their cruel perfecutors, as will be feen in the 
 courfe of this hiftory. 
 
 In the mean-while let us take a view of the perfecution 
 in Southwark. Here the Quakers meetings were no lefs 
 difturbed than in London. Several perflms, having been 
 taken from their religious meetings, were committed j and, 
 after having been in White- lion prifon about nine weeks, 
 '"were brought to the bar. where Richard Onflow fat judge 
 of the feflfions. The indiftment drawn up againil them, 
 was as followeth. 
 
 » 
 
 * The jurors for our lord the king do prefent upon 
 their oath, that Arthur Fiflier, late of the parifh of St. 
 Olave, in the borough of Southwark, in the county of 
 Surry, yeoman ; Nathaniel Robinfon, of the fame, yeo- 
 man ; John Chandler of the fame, yeoman ; and others, 
 being wicked, dangerous, and feditious feftaries, and 
 difloyal perfons, and above the age of fixteen years, who 
 on the 29th day of June, in the year of the reign of our 
 lord Charles the Second, by the grace of God, king of 
 England, Scodand, France, and Ireland, &c. the four- 
 teenth, have obftinately refufed, and every one of them 
 hath obftinately refufed, to repair un:o fome church, 
 chapel, or ufual place of common prayer, according to 
 
 B 3 
 
20 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 the laws and flatutes of. this kingdom of England, in the 
 like cafe fct forth and provided (after forty days next 
 after the end of the fcffion of parliament, begun and 
 holden at Weftminfter, on the igih day of February, in 
 the year of our lady Elizabeth, late queen of England, 
 the thirty-fifth, and there continued until the diffolution 
 of the fame, being the tenth day of April, in the 35ih 
 year abovefaid.) To wit, on the 3d day of Auguft, in 
 the year of the reign of the faid Charles, king of Eng- 
 land, the fourteenth abovefaid, in the parifli of St. Olave 
 aforefaid, in the borough of Southwark aforcfaid, in the 
 county aforefaid, of thcmfelves, did voluntarily and un- 
 lawfully join in, and were prefent at an unlawful affembly,' 
 conventicle, and meeting, at the faid parifh of St. Olave, 
 in the county aforefaid, under colour and pretence of the 
 exercife of religion, againfl the laws and ftatutes of thi$ 
 kingdom of England, in contempt of our faid lord the 
 king that now is, his laws, and to the evil and dangerous 
 example of all others in the like cafe, offending againfl 
 the peace of our faid lord the king that now is, his crown 
 <ind dignity, and contrary to the form of the flatute in 
 this fame cafe fct forth and provided/ 
 
 _ I have inferted this indiclment, jhaf the reader may fee 
 not only the manner of proceeding, bqt alfo with what 
 black and heinous colours the religious meetings of thofe 
 called Quakers, were reprefented. This indiftment being 
 read, ilie prifoners defired that they might be tried by 
 the late aft of parliament againfl conventicles. But it was 
 anfwered, they might try them by what they would that 
 was in force. Then the prifoners defiitd that that flatute 
 (viz. the 35th of Elizabeth") might be read. This was 
 done but in part, and it was faid to the clerk, it was 
 enough. The prifoners faid then, that that aft was made 
 in the time of ignorance, when the people were but 
 newly flept out of popery ; and they lliewcd alfo how 
 nnjuftly they were dealt with. Then being required to 
 plead guilty, or not guilty, to the indiftment, fome who 
 were not very forward to anfwtfr, were haled out of the 
 court, as taken fro confejfis ; and fo feni back 10 prifon. 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (^TAKERS. 
 
 21 
 
 1662] 
 
 The refl, being twenty-two in number, pleaded not guilty. 
 Then the jurymen were called, and when they had ex- 
 cepred againfl one, the judge would not allow it, becaufe 
 he did not like the reafon they gave, viz. that they faw 
 envy, prejudice, and a vain deportment in him. Another 
 was excepted againfl, becaufe he was heard to fay,^ that 
 he hoped ere long, that the Quakers fhould be arraigned 
 at the bar, and be baniflied to fome land, where there 
 w^ere nothing but bears. At this the court burft out into 
 a laughter ; yet the exception was admitted, and the man 
 put by. The prifoners not thinking it convenient to make 
 more exceptions, the jury were fworn, then two witneffes 
 were called, who teftified at mofl, that in fuch a place 
 they took fuch perfons met together, whofe names were 
 fpecificd in writing. Then the prifoners bid the jury, 
 take heed how they did fport or dally with holy things, 
 and that thofe things, which concerned the confcience, 
 were holy things. And as a man was not to fport with 
 the health or illnefs of his neighbour, fo he was not to 
 fport with the liberty or the banifhment of his neighbour. 
 And whereas they were accufed of being wicked, dan- 
 gerous, and feditious feftaries, that^was not true; for 
 they were not wicked, but fuch as endeavoured to live 
 foberly, righteoufly, and godly in the world ; concerning 
 the truth of which, they appealed to themfelves. Neither 
 were they feditious, but peaceable. And whereas they 
 were charged for not coming to hear the common prayer, 
 this was incongruous ; for the fervice book was not quite 
 prii\ted feveral weeks after the faid 29th of June; fo that 
 ihey could not be charged of neglefting to hear that 
 which was not to be heard read any where. This puzzled 
 * the court not a little ; and other pinching reafons were 
 alfo given by the prifoners, fome of which were men of 
 learning ; infomuch that the judge was not able to anfwer 
 the objeftions, but by fliifis and evafions. At length the 
 jury went out to confult, and one of them was heard to 
 fay, as they were going up (lairs, ' Here is a deal to do 
 indeed, to condemn a company of innocent men.* 
 
 After fome time, the jury coming again, and being 
 afked whether the prifoners at the bar were guilty or 
 
 x5 4 
 
22 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i66ft 
 
 not guilty, they faid, they were guilty in part, and not 
 guilty in part. But this vcrdift did not pleafe the judge. 
 The jury then going out again, and prevailing upon one 
 another, quickly returned, and declared the prifoncrs 
 guilty, according to the form of the indicflment. Hereupon 
 the judge Onflow pronounced fentence, viz. That they 
 fhould return to prifon ag?jn, and lie there three months 
 without bail ; and if they did not make fuhmiffioii accord- 
 ing as the law direfted, either at, or before the end of 
 the aforcfald three months, that then they fhould abjure the 
 realm: but in cafe they refufcd to make abjuration, or 
 after abjuration made, fhould forbear to depart the realm 
 within the time limited, or fhould return again without 
 licence, they fhould be proceeded againfl as felons. 
 
 Jull before fentence given, the judge faid to one of the 
 
 '^ prifoncrs, there was a way to efcape the penalty, viz. 
 
 Submlilion. And being aJked, what that was ? the judge 
 
 aufwered, ' To come to common prayer, and refrain thefe 
 
 one of the jufticcs faid laughingly, ' And ye cannot fwear 
 at all.* Juft as if it were but jell, thus to treat religious 
 men. But they h:id fignified already to the jury, that 
 they muil rather die than do fo. How long they were 
 kept prifoncrs, and how releafed, I could not learn ; but 
 this I know, that many in the like cafes have been long 
 kept in gao!, till fometimes they were fet at hberty by the 
 king's proclamation. 
 
 In this year it was the fliarc of John Crook (who him- 
 fclf once had been a juitice) to be taken out of a meeting 
 at London in John's ftreet, as hath been faid already, by 
 one ]\Iilkr, though not in office. And he with others 
 wa^ brought to his. trial in the faid city, before the lord 
 mayor of London, the recorder of the fame, the chief 
 juilicc Foriler, and other judges and juftices, among 
 whom Atas alfo Richard Br^wn. 
 
 Now flnce J. Crook publifhcd this trial in print, and 
 by iliat we may judge, as ex twgne leojicm^ of other trials 
 of the Quakers, 1 will give it here at large. 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QIJAKERS. 
 
 23 
 
 J. Crook being brought to the felFions houfe in the Old 
 Bailey, with two of his friends, viz. Ifaac Gray, doftor of 
 phyfic, and John Bolton, goldfmith : one of the prifoncrs 
 was called to the bar, and then aiked by the 
 
 Chief Judge. What meeting was that you were at? 
 
 Prifoner. 1 defire to be heard, where is my accufer? 
 
 Ch. Judge. Your tongue is not your own, and you 
 mufl not have liberty to fpeak what you lift. 
 
 Prif. I fpeak in the prefence and fear of the evcrlafting 
 God, that my t ngue is not my own, for it is the Lord's, 
 and to be difpofed of according to his pleafure, and not 
 to fpeak my own words ; and therefore I cefire to be 
 heard : I have been fo long in prifon then he was in- 
 terrupted by the judge. 
 
 Judge. Leave your canting ; and commanded him to 
 be taken away, which he was accordingly, by the gaoler. 
 This was the fubflance of what the prifoner aforefaid 
 fpoke the firft time. 
 
 C. Judge. Call John Crook to the bar ; which the 
 cryer did accordingly, he being amongft the felons as 
 ,aforefaid. 
 • J, C.. being brought to the bar : 
 
 C. Judge. When did you take the oath of allegiance ? 
 
 J. C. I defire to be heard. 
 
 C. Judge. Anfwer to the queftion, and you fliall be 
 heard. 
 
 J. C. I have ber n about fix weeks in prifon, and am 
 I now called to accufe m.yfelf ? For the anfwering to this 
 queftion in the negative, is to accufe myfelf, which 
 you ought not to put me upon ; for, Nefho debet feipfum 
 -prodere,* I am an Englifliman, and by the law of Lngland 
 I ought not to be taken, nor imprifoned, nor difTeized 
 of my freehold, nor called in queftion, nor put to anfwer, 
 but according to the law of the land ; which I challenge 
 as my birthright, on my own behalf, and all that hear 
 me this day ; (or words to this purpofe.) I fland here 
 at this bar us a delinquent, and do defire that my accufer 
 may be brought forth to accufe me for my delinquency, 
 and then I fliall anfwer to my charge, if any I be guilty of. 
 
 * No one ought CO betray himfclf. 
 
«4 THE HISTOJLY OF THE [1662 
 
 C, Judge. Yon are here demanded to take the oath 
 of allegiance, and when you have done that, then you 
 fliall be heard about the other ; for we have power to 
 tender it any man. 
 
 J. C. Not to me upon this occafion, in this place ; for 
 I am brought hither as an offender already, and not to 
 te made an offender here, or to accufe myfejf ; for I am 
 an Englifhman, as I have faid to you, and challenge the 
 l)enefit of the laws of England ; for by them is a belter 
 inheritance derived to me as an Englifhman, than that 
 w^hich I received from my parents ; for by the former the 
 latter is prefcrved j and this is feen in the 29th chapter 
 of Magna Ghana, and the petition of right, mentioned 
 in the third of Car. 1. and in other good laws of England; 
 and therefore 1 defire the benefit and obfervance of them : 
 and you that are judges upon the bench, ought to be my 
 council, and not my accufers, but to inform me of the 
 benefit of thofe laws ; and wherein I am ignorant, you 
 ought to inform me, that I may not fuffer througU my own 
 ignorance of thofe advantages, which the laws of England 
 afford me as an Englifhman. 
 
 Reader, I here give thee a brief account- of my taking 
 and im.prifoning, that thou may the better judge what 
 juftice I had from the court aforefaidj which is as fol- 
 loweth. 
 
 I being in John's ftreet London, about the 13th 
 day of the Third month (called May) with fome other 
 of the people of God, to wait upon^him, as we were fat 
 together, there came in a rude man called Miller, with 
 a long cane in his hand, who laid violent hands upon 
 me, ^with fome others, beating fome, commanding the- 
 conftables who came in after him, but having no warrant, 
 were nor willing to meddle; .but as his threatenings pre- 
 vailed, they, being afraid of him, joined with him to 
 carry feveral of us before juftice Powel (fo called) who 
 the next day fent us to the feffions.at Hick*s Hall ; where 
 after fome di(courfe feveral times with them ; we mani- 
 fefled to them the illegality both of our commitment, and 
 their proceedings thereupon ; yet riotwithftanding, they 
 committed me and others, andxaufed an indiftment to be 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 25 
 
 drawn againfl us, founded upon the late aft againft Oua- 
 kers and others ; and then remanded us to New Prifon, 
 where we continued for^fome days ; and then removed us 
 to Newgate, where we remained until the fcffions in the 
 Old Bailey aforefaid : whereby thou may ft underfland 
 what juftice I met withal, by what went before, and now 
 farther follows. 
 
 Oh. Judge. We fit here to do juftice, and are upon 
 our oaths ; and we are to tell you what is law, and not 
 you us : therefore^ firrah, you are too bold. 
 
 J. G. Sirrah is not a word becoming a judge: for 
 I am no felon ; neither ought you to menace the prifoner 
 at the bar; for I ftand here arraigned. as for my life and 
 liberty, and the prefervation of my wife and children, 
 and outward eftate (they being now at the ftake); there- 
 fore you ought to hear me to the full, what 1 can fay in 
 my own defence, according to law, and that in us feafon, 
 as it is given me to fpeak : therefore I hope the court will 
 bear with me, if I am bold to affert my liberty, as an 
 Englifliman^ and as a Chiifiian; and if I fpeak loud, "it 
 is my zeal for the Truth, and for the name of the Lord; 
 and mine innocency makes me bold — 
 
 Judge. It is an evil zeal ; interrupting John Crook. 
 
 J. C. No, I am bold in the name of the Lord God 
 Almighty, the everlafling Jehovah, to afftrt the Truth, 
 and fland as a witnefs for it : let my accufcr be brought 
 forth, and I am ready to anfwer any court of juftice. — 
 
 Then the judge interrupted me, faying, firrah, with 
 fome other words I do not remember ? Bat I anfwered, 
 You are not to threaten me, neither are thofe menaces fit 
 for the mouth of a judge ; for the fafety of the prifoner 
 ftands upon the indifferency of the court : and you ought 
 not to behave yourfelves as parties, feeking all advantages 
 againfl the prifoner, but not heeding any thing that may 
 make for his clearing or advantage. The judge again 
 interrupted me, faying. 
 
 Judge. Sirrah, you are to take the oath, and here we 
 tender it you (bidding, read it.) 
 
 J. G. Let me fee mine accufer, that I may know for 
 what caufe I have been fix weeks imprifoned, and do not 
 
26 THE HISTORY OF THE [1662 
 
 put me to accufe myfelf by afking me queflions ; but 
 cither let my accufer come forth, or otherwife let me be 
 difcharged by proclamation, as you ought to do — Here I 
 was interrupted again. 
 
 Judge Twifden. We take no notice of your being here 
 otherwife than of a ftraggler, or as any other perfon, or 
 of the people that are here this day ; for we may tender 
 the oath to any man. And another judge fpake to the 
 like purpofe. 
 
 J. C. I am here at your bar as a prifoner reftrained 
 of my Hberty, and do queftion whether you ought in 
 juftice to tender rac the oath on the account I am now 
 brought before you^ becaufe I am fuppofed to be an 
 piFender ; or elfe why have I been fix weeks in prifon 
 already ? Let me be cleared of my imprifonment, and then 
 I fliall anfwer to what is charcred ao^ainfl: me. and to the 
 queftion now propounded ; for I am a lover of juftice 
 with all my foul, and am well known by my neighbours, 
 where 1 have lived, to keep a confcience void of offence, 
 both towards God, and towards man. 
 
 Judge. Sirrah, leave your canting. 
 
 J. C. Is this canting, to fpeak the words of the fcripture? 
 
 Judge. It is canting in your mouth, though they arc 
 Paul's words. 
 
 J. C. I fpeak the words of the fcripture, and it is not 
 canting, though I fpeak them ; but they are words of 
 truth and fobernefs in my mouth, they being witneffed by 
 me, and fulfilled in me. 
 
 Judge. We do ailc you again, whether you will take 
 the oath of allegiance ? It is but a fhort queftion, you 
 may anfwer if you will. 
 
 J. C. By what law have you power to tender it? 
 Tlien, after fome confultation together by whifpering, 
 they called for the ftatute book, aiid turning over the 
 leaves, they anfwered. 
 
 Judge. By the third of king James. 
 
 J. C. I defire that 'ftatute may be read; for I have 
 confulted it, and do not underftand that you have power 
 by that ftatute to tender me the oath, being here before 
 you in this place, upon this occafion, as a delinquent al- 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 27 
 
 ready ; and therefore I defire the judgment of the court 
 in this cafe, and that the ftatute may be read. 
 
 Judge. Then they took the ftatute book, and confulted 
 together upon it, and one faid, we are the judges of this 
 land, and do better underftand our power than you do, 
 and we do judge we may la\* fully do it. 
 
 J. C. Is this the judgment of the court ? 
 
 Judge. Yes. 
 
 J. C. I defire the ftatute to be read that impowers you 
 to tender the oath to me upon this occafion in this place ; 
 for. Fox audita perii^ Jid liter a fcripta manet,* therefore 
 let me hear it read. 
 
 Judge. Hear me. 
 
 J. C. I am as willing id hear as to fpeak. 
 
 Judge. Then hear me : you are here required to take 
 the oath by the court, and I will inform you what the 
 penalty will be, in cafe you refufe ; for your firft denial 
 {hall be recorded, and then it ftiall be tendered to you 
 again at the end of the fefiions ; and upon the fecond 
 refufal you run into a premunire, which is the forfeiture 
 of all your eftate, (if you have any) and imprifonment. 
 
 J. C. It is juftice I ftand for ; let me have juftice, in 
 bringing my accufer face to face, as by law you ought 
 to do, I ftanding at your bar as a delinquent ; and when 
 that is done, I will anfwer to what can be charged againft 
 me, as alfo to the queftion ; until then, 1 fliall give no 
 other anfwer than I have already done, at leaft at prefent. 
 
 Then there was a cry in the court, take him away, 
 which occafioned a great interruption : and J. Crook fpake 
 to this purpofe, faying. Mind the fear of the Lord God, 
 that you may come to the knowledge of his will, and do 
 juftice ; and take heed of opprefTmg the innocent, for the 
 Lord God of heaven and earth will afluredly plead their 
 caufe : and for my part, I defire not the hurt of one of 
 the hairs of your heads ; but let God's wifdom guide you. 
 Thefe words he fpake at the bar, and as he was carrying 
 away. 
 
 On the fixth day of the week, in the forenoon following, 
 the court being fat, John Crook was called to the bar. 
 
 ♦ Words only fpoken are loft j writiug remains. 
 
28 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 29 
 
 \i 
 
 C. Judge. Friend Crook, we have given you time - 
 to confider of what was faid yefterday to you by the 
 court, hoping you may have better confidered of it by 
 this time ; therefore, without any more words, will you 
 take the oath? And called to the clerk, and bid him 
 read it. 
 
 J. C^ I did not, jieiiher do I deny allegiance, but do 
 defire to know the caufe of my fo long imprifonment ; for^ 
 as I faid, I iland at your bar as a delinquent, and am 
 brought hither by force, contrary to the law ; therefore, 
 let me fee my accufer, or elfe free me by proclamation, 
 as I ought to be, if none can accufe me ; for the law is 
 grounded upon right reafon, and vvhatfoever is contrary 
 to right reafon, is contrary to law ; and therefore if no 
 accufer appear, you ought to acquit me firft, and then I 
 fhall anfwer, as I have faid, if any new matter appear ; 
 otherwife it is of force, and that our law abhors, and you 
 ought not to take notice of my fo being before you ; for 
 what is ntjt legally fo, is not fo ; and therefore I am in 
 the condition, as if I were not before you : and therefore 
 it cannot be fuppofed, in right reafon, that you have now 
 power, at this time, and in this place, legally to jender me 
 the oath. ' 
 
 Judge. Read the oath to him ; and fo the clerk began 
 to read. 
 
 J. C. I defire juflice, according to the laws gf Eng- 
 land ; for you ought firft to convift me, concerning the 
 caufe of my fo long imprifonment : for you are to proceed 
 according to laws already made, and not to make laws, 
 for you ought to be miniiters of the law* 
 
 Judge. You are a fancy and an impudent fellow : will 
 you tell us what is law, or our duties ? Then faid he to- 
 the clerk, rc;id on ; and when thaclerk h-^d done reading, 
 
 J. C. faid, read the preface to the z£i ; I fay again, 
 read the title and preamble to the a£^ ; for titles to laws 
 are claves legtm^ as keys to open the law ; for by their 
 titles, laws are underftood and known, as men by their 
 faces. Then the judges would have interrupted me, but 
 I faid as followeth : if yoif will not hear me, nor do me 
 jullicc, I mud appeal to the Lord God of heaven and 
 
 l652] 
 
 earth, who is judge of quick and dead ; before whom wc 
 muft all appear, to give an account of the deeds done in 
 the body ; for he will judge between you and me this day, 
 whether you have done me juftice or not. 
 
 Thefe words following (or the like) I fpake as going 
 from the bar, being pulled away, viz. Mind the fear of 
 the Lord God, that you may do juftice, left you periftx 
 in his wrath. For fometimes the court cried, pull him 
 away, and then faid, bring him again : and thus they did 
 feveral times, like men in confufion and difdrder. 
 
 The fame day, in the .afternoon, filence being made, 
 John Crook, was called to the bar, before the judges 
 and juftkes aforefaid : the indidment being read, the judge 
 faid, 
 
 Mr. Crook, You have heard your indiftment, what fay 
 you ? Are you guilty, or not guilty ? . 
 
 J. C. I defire to fpeak a few words in humilny and 
 fobernefs, in regard my eftate and liberty lies at ftake, 
 and am like to be a precedent for many more ; therefore 
 I hope the court will not deny me right and benefit of the 
 law, as being an Englifliman. I have fome reafon, before 
 I fpeak any thing to the indiftment, to demand and tell 
 you, that I defire to know mine accufers ; I have been 
 kept thefe fix weeks in prifon, and know not, nor have 
 not feen the faces of them. 
 
 Judge. We fhall afford you the right of the law, as 
 an Engliftiman. God forbid you Ihould be denied it ; but 
 you muft anfwer firft, guilty, or not guilty, that fo in 
 your trial you may have a fair hearing and pleading ; but 
 if you go on as you do, (and will not anfwer guilty, or 
 not guilty) you will run yourfelf into a premunire, and 
 then you lofe the benefit of the law, and expofe yourfelf, 
 body a;id eftate, to great hazards ; and whatever violence 
 is offered to your perfon or eftate, you are out of th;:: 
 king's proteftion^ and lofe the benefit of the law ; and all 
 this by your not anfwering (guilty, or not guilty.) If you 
 plead not guilty, you may be heard. 
 
 J. C It is recorded in the ftatutes of the 28 Edw. 
 3. & 3. and 42 Edw. 3. & 3. in the words, No man is 
 to be taken, or iraprifoned, or be put to anfwer, without 
 
30 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 prcfcctmcnt before juftices, or matter cf record, or by 
 due pn cefs, or writ original, according to the old law of 
 the land ; and if any thing from henceforth be done to 
 the contrary, it liiall be void in law, and holden for 
 error. And alfo in the 25th of Edw. i. 2. and the 
 3 Car, I. and the 29 cap. Mag. Chart. No freeman (hall 
 be taken and imprifoncd but by the law of the land: 
 tbefe words (ihe law of the land) are explained by the 
 ftatute of 37 Edw. 3. 8. to be, without due procefs of 
 law ; and if any judgments are given contrary to Mag. 
 Chart, they arc void 25 Edw. 1.2. 
 
 Judge. Mr Crook, you are out of the way, and do 
 not underftand the law, though you adore the llatute law 
 fo much, yet you do not underlhind it. ' 
 
 J. C. I would have you tell me the right way. 
 
 Judge. Mr. Crook, hear mc : you muft fay, guilty, 
 or not guilty ; if you plead not guilty, you (hall be heard, 
 and know how far the law favours you. And the next 
 thing is, there is no circumftance whatfoever that is the 
 caufe of your imprifonment, that you queflion, but you 
 have, as a fubjedl:, your remedies, if you will go this 
 way, and wave other things, and anfwer guilty, or not 
 guilty ; and what the law affords you, you (hall have, if 
 you do what the law requires you ; or elfe you will lofe 
 the benefit of the law, and be out of the king's protection. 
 
 J. C. Obferve how the judge would draw me into a 
 fnarc, viz. By firfl pleading (guilty, or not guiltyj and 
 when I have done fo, he and his brethren intend fuddenly 
 to put me (as an outlawed perfon) out of the king's pro- 
 teftion ; and how then can I have remedy for my falfe 
 imprifonment ? Therefore firft clear mc (or condemn me) 
 from my falfe imprifonment, while I am in a capacity to 
 hare the benefit of the law, and not to outlaw rne for an 
 offence created by yourfclves ; and then, to flop my 
 mouth, you tell me, that if I have been wronged, or 
 falfe imprifoned, 1 may have my remedy afterwards : this 
 is to trepan me, and contrary to both law andjuftice, &c. 
 
 Judge. You mufl plead guilty, or not guilty. 
 
 J. C. I do dcfirc in humility and meeknefs to fay, I 
 fliall not i I dare not betray the honefty of my caufe, and 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 31 
 
 the honeft ones of this nation, whofe liberty I ftand for/ 
 as well as my own ; as I have cauft to think I (hall, if I 
 plead to the prefent indiftment, before I fee the faces of 
 my accufers ; for truly, I am not fatisfied in my judgment 
 and confcience, that 1 ought to plead to a created offence 
 by you, before I be firft acquitted of the caufe of my 
 being brought prifoner to your bar ; and therefore it flicks 
 with me to urge this farther, viz. That I ipay fee my 
 accufers — —Interruption. 
 
 Judge, The erranteft thief may fay, be is not fatlsfiecJ 
 in his confcience. 
 
 J. C. My cafe is not theirs, yet they have their ac- 
 cufers ; and may not I call for mine ? And therefore call 
 for them, for you ought to do fo ; as Chrift faid to the 
 woman. Woman, where are thine accufers ? So you 
 ought to fay to me, Man, v^here are thine ^gcufers ?— 
 Interrupted, 
 
 Judge. Your indiftment is your accufer, and the grand 
 jury have found you guilty, becaufe you did not fwear : 
 what fay you, Mr. Crook, are you guilty, or not guilty ? 
 If you will not anfwer, or what you have faid, be taken 
 for your anfwer, as I told you before, you lofe the benefit 
 of the law ; and what I tell you, is for your good. 
 
 J. C, What is for good, I hope I ihall take it fo. 
 
 Judge. If you will not anfwer, you run yourfelf into 
 a premunire ; and you will lofe the benefit of the law, and 
 the king's proteftion, unlefs you plead guilty, or not 
 guilty. 
 
 J. C. I ftand as brought forcibly and violently hither : 
 peither had I been here but by a violent action j an4 
 that you ftiould take no notice of it, feems ftrange to me ; 
 and not only fo, but that you fhould haften me fo faft 
 into a courfe, that I fliould not be able any ways to help 
 myfelf, by reafon of your hafty and faft proceedings 
 againft me, to put me out of the king's protection, and 
 the benefit of all law : was ever the like known, or he^rd 
 of, in a court of juftice ? ' 
 
 Judge. Friend, this is not here in queftion, whether 
 you are unjuftly brought here, or not : do you queftion 
 that by law, but not difable yourfelf to t^ke advantage 
 
 Vol. IL t 
 
3* 
 
 THE Hisf ORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOfLE CALI:.ED qiJAKERS. 
 
 J3 
 
 by the law: if brought by a wrong hand, you have a 
 plea againft them ; but you mufl firft anfwer guilty, or 
 
 not guilty. 
 
 J. C, How can I help myfelf, when you have outlawed 
 me ? Therefore let proclamaiion be made in the court, 
 that I was brought by force hither, and let me ftand 
 cleared by proclamation, as you ought to do ; for you 
 are difcernere per Ugem^ quid fit jujlum* and not to do 
 what feems good in your own eyes — here I was interrupted 
 again, but might have fpoken juftice Crook's words in 
 Hambden's cafe, who faid, That we who are judges fpeak 
 upon our oaths, and therefore muft deliver our judgments 
 according to our confciences; and the fault will lie upon 
 us, if it be illegal, and we deliver it for law: and farther 
 faid. We that are judges mud not give our judgments 
 according to policy, or rules of ftate, nor conveniencies, 
 but only according to law. Thefe were his words, which 
 I might have fpoken ; but was interrupted. 
 
 Judge. What, though no man tendered the oath to 
 
 you, when you were committed, (as you fay) it being 
 
 now tendered to you ; from the time you refufed it, being 
 
 tendered to you by a lawful authority, you refufing, arc 
 
 •indifted : we look not upon what you are here for, but 
 
 here finding you, we tender you the oath ; and you re- 
 
 fufing it, your imprifonment is now juft, and according to 
 
 'law. (Something omitted which I fpoke afterwards.) 
 
 J. C. How came I here, if you know not ? I have 
 
 told you it is force and violence, which our law altogether 
 
 condemns ; and therefore I not being legally before, am 
 
 not before you ; for what is not legally fo, is not fo ; and 
 
 I not being legally brought to your bar, you ought not to 
 
 take notice of my being here. 
 
 Judge. No, no, you are miftaken ; fo you may fay of 
 all the people gazing here, they not being legally here, 
 AXt hot here: I tell you, a man being brought by force 
 hkher, we may tender him the oath ; and if he take it 
 not, he may be coinmittcd to prifon ; authority hath given 
 lis the power, and the ftatute-Iaw hath given us authority 
 
 • To dctwminc by law what i» juft. 
 
 to tender the oath to any perfon, and fo have we tendered 
 it to you ; and for your not taking it, you are indifted by 
 the grand jury : anfwer the accufation, or confute the in- 
 diftment ; you muft do the one or the other j anfwen 
 guilty, or not guilty. 
 
 J. C. Here I was interrupted, but might have faid, 
 that the people that were fpe6tators, beholding and hear- 
 ing th^ trials, are not to be called gazers, as the judge 
 terms them 5 becaufe it is their liberty and privilege, as 
 they are Englifhmen, and the law of England allows the' 
 fame ; fo that they are not to be termed gazers upon this 
 account, hut are legally in that place^ to hear trials, and 
 iee juftice done, and might have fpoken (if occafion had 
 tbeen) any thing in the prifoner's defence, tending to clear 
 up the matter in difference, and the court muft have heard 
 >them or him : atid this as a ftander-by, or amicus curia ;^ 
 fo faith Cook. 
 
 J. C. The law is built upon right reafon, or right 
 Teafon is the law ; and whatever is contrary to right rea- 
 fon, is contrary to law ; the reafon of the law, being the 
 law itfclf. I am no lawyer, and my knowledge of it is 
 but litilejijret I have had a love to it for that reafon I have 
 found in it, and have fpent fome leifure hours in the read- 
 ing thereof ; and the law is that which I honour, and is 
 good in its place ; many laws being juft and good, not all, 
 but, I fay, a great part of them, or much of them ; and it 
 is not my intention in the leaft to difparage, or derogate 
 from them. 
 
 Judge. Mr. Crook, you have been told, you muft plead 
 guilty, or not guilty, or elfe you run yourfelf into a prc-' 
 munire \ be not your own enemy, nor be fo obftinate. 
 
 J. C. I would not ftand obftinately before you, neither 
 am 1 fo ; if you underftand it otherwife, it is a miftakc 
 indeed. 
 
 Judge. Will you fpeak to the indiftment, and then you 
 may plead ? If you will not anfwer guilty, or not guilty, 
 we will record it^ and judgment fhall go againft you. Clerk, 
 enter it. 
 
 Recorder. Mr. Crook, if you will anfwer, you may 
 
 ^ ji frlen i of tht e9urt 
 C 2 
 
34 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 35 
 
 plead for yoiirfelf ; or will you take the oath ? The court 
 takes no notice how you came hither : what fay you ? 
 Will you anfwer ? For a man may be brought out of 
 Smithfield by head and fhoulders, and the oath tendered 
 to him, and may be committed, without taking notice how 
 
 he came here. 
 
 J. C. That kind of proceeding is not only unjuft, but 
 unreafonable alfo — (here was fome inierruption") and 
 againft the laws aforefaid, which fay. No man fliall be 
 taken or imprifoned, but by warrant, or due procefs of 
 law : fo that this fpeech of the recorder's, favours more 
 of paffion than juftice ; and cruelty, than due obfervance of 
 law ; for every forcible reftraint of a man's liberty, is an 
 imprifonment in law. Befides, this kind of pra6lice, to 
 take men by force, and imprifon them, and then aik them 
 queflions, the anfwering of which makes them guilty, is 
 not only unrighteous in itfelf, but againft law, and makes 
 one evil aft the ground of another ; and one injury offered 
 to one, the foundation of another ; and this is my cafe 
 this day — Interruption. 
 
 Judge. Mr. Crook, you muft not be your own judge, 
 we are your judges ; but for our parts we will%ot wrong 
 you : will you anfwer guilty, or not guilty ? If not, you 
 will run yourfelf into a premunire unavoidably, and then 
 you know what I told you would follow ; for we take no 
 notice how you came hither, but finding you here, wc 
 tender you the oath. 
 
 J. C. Then it feems you make the law a trapan to en- 
 fnare me, or as a nbfe-of-wax, or what you pleafe : well ! 
 • 1 fhall leave my canfe with the Lord God, who will plead 
 for me in righteoufnefs. But fuppofe I do take the oath 
 (now) at this time, you may call me again (to-morrow) and 
 make a new tender ; or others may call me before them. 
 
 Tud2:e. Yes, if there be nev/ matter ; or if there fall 
 out any emergent occafion, whereby you may mmilter on 
 your part new occafion : Mr. Crook, will you fwear ? 
 
 J. C. If I do take it to-day, it may, be tendered me 
 again to-morrow, and fo next day, ad injinitum, whereby 
 a great part of my time may be fpent and taken up, m 
 taking the oath and fwcaring. 
 
 Ch. Judge. When you have (once) fworn, you may 
 not be put upon it again, except you minifter occafion on 
 your part. 
 
 J. C. Is this the judgment of the court, that the oath 
 (once) taken by me is fufficient, and ought not to be ten- 
 dered a fccond time, without new matter miniftercd on my 
 part ? 
 
 Judge. Yes; you making it appear you have (once) 
 taken it. 
 
 J. C. Is this the judgment of the whole court ? For I 
 would not do any thing raflily. 
 
 Judges, Yes, it is the judgment of the court ; to which 
 they all Handing up, faid, Yes. 
 
 J. C. Then it feems there mufl: be fome new occafion 
 mlnifi:ered by me after I have (once) taken it, or it ought 
 not to be tendered to me the fecond time. 
 
 Judges. Yes. 
 
 J. C. Then by the judgment of this court, if I may 
 make it appear that I have taken the oath (oncej and I 
 have miniftered no new matter on my part, whereby I can 
 be juftly charged with the breach of it, then it ought nor 
 to be tendered to me the fecond time : but I am the man 
 that have taken it (once) being a freeman of the city of 
 London, when I was made free ; witnefs the records in 
 Guildhall, which I may produce, and no new matter ap- 
 pearing to you on my part ; if there do, let me know it ; 
 if not, you ought not, by your own judgment, to tender 
 me it the fecond time ; for de non apparentibus is^ non ex- 
 ijlentibus eade??i ratio efl, * — Interrupted by the fhout of the 
 court, when thefe laft words might have been fpoken. 
 
 Judge. Mr. Crook, you are miftaken, you mufl not 
 think CO furprize the court with criticifms, nor draw falfe 
 conclufions from our judgments. 
 
 J. C. If this be not a natural conclufion from the judg- 
 ment of the court, let right reafon judge ; and if you re- 
 cede from your own judgments in^ the fame breath (as it 
 were) given even now, what juftice can I expeft from 
 you ? For, if you will not be juft to yourfelves, and your 
 own judgments, how can I expeft you fliould be juft to me ? 
 
 * Tlat ivbtch dsth not ap^ecr^ Is to he judged af as that •wilcb duth aottxij?, 
 
 C3 
 
56. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ii66i 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (V^AKERS. 
 
 37 
 
 m 
 
 Judge. Mr. Crook, if you have taken it, if there be 
 a[ new emergency, you are to take it again ; as for in- 
 ftance, the king hath been out of England, and now is 
 come in again ; there be many that have taken it twenty, 
 thirty, or forty years fince, yet this new emergency re- 
 quires it again ; and although you have taken it, yet you 
 muft not make it appear before you anfwer guilt}^, or not 
 guilty ; therefore do not wrong yourfdf, and prejudice 
 yourfelf and family : do you think that every fellow that 
 comes hither, fhall argue as you do ? We have no more 
 to do, but to know of you, whither you will anfwer 
 (guilty, or not guilty), or take the oath, and then you 
 Ihall be freed from the indiftment : if you will not plead, 
 clerk, record it : What fay you ? Are you guilty, or not 
 
 guilty ? 
 
 J. C. Will you not ftand to your own judgments ? Did 
 you not fay, even now, that if I had fonce; taken the oath, 
 it ought not to be tendered to me the fecond time, except 
 I adminiftered new matter on my p:irt that I have not kept 
 it,&c. But no fuch matter appearing, you ought not to 
 tender it to me the fecond time, by your own confcffion, 
 much lefs to indict me for rcfufal. 
 
 Judge. If you will not plead, we will record It, and 
 judgment ftiall be given againft you ; therefore fay, guilty, 
 or not guilty, or elfe we will record it, (The clerk begin- 
 ningto record it.) 
 
 J. C. Before I anfwer, t demand a copy of my indift- 
 ment ; for i have heard it affirmed by counfel learned in 
 the law, that if I plead before I have a copy, oc^have made 
 my exceptions, my exceptions afterwards againft the in- 
 di£tment will be made void : therefore 1 defire a copy of 
 the indiftment. 
 
 Judge. He that faid fo, deferves not the name of a 
 
 counfel ; for the law is, you muft firft anfwer, and then 
 
 " you fhall have a copy. Will you plead guilty, or not 
 
 guilty ? 
 
 J. C. If my pleading guilty, or not guilty, will not 
 deprive me of the benefit of quafliing the indiftment for 
 infufficiency, or other exceptions that I may make againft 
 it, I fhall fpeak to if.* 
 
 Judge. No, it will not. Will you anfwer, guilty, or 
 not guilty. If you plead not, the indiftment will be found 
 againft you : will you anfwer ? We will ftay no longer. 
 
 J. C. I am upon the point : will not my pleading de- 
 prive me of the benefit of the law ? For I am tender' in that 
 refpefl:, becaufc it is not my own cafe (only) but may be 
 the cafe of thoufands more ; therefore I would do nothing 
 that might prejudice others, or myfelf, as a Chrifldan, or as 
 an Englifhman. 
 
 Judge. Underftand yourfelf, (but we will not make a 
 bargain with you, faid another judge). you fhall have the 
 right done you as an Englifhman, the way is to anfwer, 
 guilty, or not guilty : if you plead, and find the indidiment 
 not good, you may have your remedy : anfwer, guilty, or 
 not guilty ? 
 
 J. C. As to the indiftment it is very large, and feems 
 to be confufed, and made up of fome things true, and fome 
 things falfe ; my anfwer therefore is, what is true in the 
 indiftment I will not deny, becaufe I make confcience of 
 what I l^iy, and therefore, of what is true, I confefs myfelf 
 guilty, but what is falfe, I am not gitilty of. 
 
 Judge. That is riot fuflicient ; either anfwer guilty, or 
 not guilty, or judgment will be given againft you. 
 
 J. C. I will fpeak the truth, as before the Lord, as -all 
 along I have endeavoured to do : I am not guilty of that 
 which is falfe, -contained in the indiftment, which is the 
 fubftance thereof. ' 
 
 Judge. No more ado ; the form is nothing, guilty, or 
 
 J. C. f muft not wrong my confcience, I am not guilty 
 of what is falfe, as I faid before ; what is true, I am guilty 
 6f ; what is not true, I am not guilty of that j which is the 
 fubftance thereof, as I faid before. 
 
 Recorder. It is enough, and fhall fervc turn. Enter 
 that, clerk. ' . 
 
 The feventh day of the week, called Saturday. 
 
 Silence being made, John Crook was called to the bar. 
 The clerk of the feffions read fomething concerning the 
 jury, which was impannelled on purpofe (as was faid), 
 
 c 4 
 
 «. 
 
38 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 the jury being difcharged who were eye-witneffes of what 
 paffed between us and the court: and this jury, were 
 divers of them foldiers, fome of whom did by violence and 
 force pull and hale Friends out of their meetings, and 
 fome of us out of our houfes ; and thefe were of the jury 
 by whom we were to be tried. The clerk reading the in- 
 diftment (as I remember.) 
 
 }• C. I defire to be heard a few Words, which are thefc, 
 that we may have liberty till the next quarter fefEons 
 to traverfe the indiftment, it being long, and in Latin, and 
 like to be a precedent : and I hope I need not prefs it, 
 bccaufe I underftood that you promifed (and efpecially 
 the recorder, who anfwered, when it was defired, you 
 fliall) that we fliould have counfel alfo, the which we 
 cannot be expefted to have had the benefit of, as yet 
 the time being fo fhort, and we kept prifoners, that we 
 could not go forth to advife with counfel, neither could 
 we tell how to get them to us -, we having no copy of 
 the indi6lment before this morning ; and becaufe fo fud- 
 denly hurried down to the feffions, we cannot reafonably 
 be fuppofed to be provided (as to matter of law) to make 
 our defence. 
 
 Judge. We have given you time enough, and you 
 fhall have no more j for we will try you at this time, 
 therefore fwear the jury. 
 
 J, C. I defire we may have juftice, and that we may 
 not be furprized in our trial, but that we may have time 
 till the next quarter feffions, our indiftment being in Latin, 
 and ifo large as it is ; and this is but that which is reafon* 
 able, and is the praftice of other courts : for, if it be 
 but an aftion above forty fhillings, it is not ordinarily 
 ended under two or three terms. And in the quarter 
 feffions, if one be indifted for a trefpafs, if it be but to 
 the value of five Ihillings, he fhall have liberty to enter 
 his traverfe, and, upon fecurity given to profecute, be 
 Ihall have liberty till the next feffions, which is the ordi- 
 nary praftice : which liberty we defire, and we hope it is 
 fo reafonable, it will not be denied, efpecially upon this 
 eccafion, v/e being like to be made a precedent : and 
 courts of juftice have ufed to be efpecially careful in 
 
 1662] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 39 
 
 making of precedents ; for we are not provided, accord- 
 ing to law, to make our defence at this time j and there- 
 fore if we be put upon it, it will be a furprifal. 
 
 Judge. There is no great matter of law in the cafe j it 
 is only matter of faft, whether you have refufed to take 
 the oath or not ; this is the point in iffue : and what law 
 can arife here ? 
 
 Recorder. Mr. Crook, the keeper of the prifon was 
 fpoken to, to tell you, that we intended to try you this 
 day, and therefore ordered him that counfel might come 
 to you if you would ; and alfo that the clerk fhould give 
 you a copy of the indiftment : this is fair ; therefore we 
 will go on to fwear the jury, for the matter is, whether 
 you rcfufe the oath, or not ? And that is the fingle point, 
 and there needs neither law nor counfel in the cafe; and 
 therefore we confidered of it laft night, when we fent you 
 word, and did determine to try you ; and therefore it is 
 in vain to fay any thing, for the court is refolved to try you 
 now; therefore fwear the jury, cryer. 
 
 J. C. I hope you will not furprize us : then the other 
 prifoners (who alfo were indifted) cried out Chaving 
 fpoken fomething before), let us have juftice, and let not 
 the jury be fworn till we be firft heard. So there was a 
 great noife, the court being in a confufion, fome crying. 
 Take them away; others,, Stay, let them alone; others 
 faying. Go on to fwear the jury ; and the cryer, in this 
 uproar and confufion, did do fomething as if he had done 
 it : then we all cried out for juftice and liberty till the 
 next feffions; the court being in a confufion, fome crying 
 one thing, and fome another, which now cannot be called to 
 mind, by reafon of the great diftraftion that was in the 
 court ; neither what we faid to them, nor they to us, the 
 noife was fo great, and the commands of the court fo 
 various to the officers, fome commanding them, to take 
 us away; others, to let us alone; others, to bring us 
 nearer; others cried, put them into the bail-dock ; others, 
 to put them within the fartheft bar where the felons ufe 
 toftand; which we were forced into accordingly. And 
 in this hurlyburly and confufion that was amongft them, 
 fome men were fworn, to teftify that they refufed to take 
 
4^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OP THf 
 
 [l66« 
 
 the oath, which we never pofitively did ; other officers of 
 fhc court, who?ii they would have fworn, refufed to 
 iwear, though preffed to it by the chief juftice, they de- 
 fired to be excufed. Then fpake one of the prifoners 
 again pretty much, but could hardly be underftood, by 
 rcafon of the noife in the court ; but the people, to whom 
 he fpake with a loud voice, by way of exhortation^jnight 
 hc^ir the fubftance of what he faid, which cannot now 
 particularly be called to mind ; but it was to exprefs the 
 prcfencc and love of God to himfcif, and to exhort othera 
 to mind his fear, that they alfo might be acquainted with 
 God, &c. 
 
 Judge. Stop his mouth, executioner. Which was ac- 
 cordingly done. 
 
 Prifoner:.. Then we cried out, will you not give u% 
 leave to fpeak for ourfelves ? We except againft fome of 
 the jury, as being our enemies, and fome of them who by 
 force commanded us to be pulled out of our meetings, con« 
 trary to law, and carried us to prifon without warrant, or 
 other due procefs of law; and (hall thefe be our judges? 
 We except againft them. 
 
 Judge. It is too late now, you fliould have done it 
 before they had been fworn jurymen. Jury, go together, 
 that which you have to find, is whether they have refufed 
 to take the oath, or no, which hath been fworn before 
 yotk' that they did refufe :. you need not go from the 
 ibar. And like words faid the recorder and otheus, there 
 being a confulion and noife in the court, many fpeaking 
 together. - ^ ^ 
 
 Frifoners. Then we cried for juftice, and that we 
 might be heard, to make our defence, before the jury 
 ,^ave their vcrdicl ; but the judge and recorder faid, we 
 fiiould not be heard (milking good by their praftice, what 
 the chief judge had faid the day bclbre, » viz. That if wc 
 had liberty to fpeak, we would m.ike ourfelves famous 
 and them odious) crying again flop their mouths, exe- 
 cutioner ; which was done accordingly, with a dirty 
 cioih, aPxd <i]fo endeavoured to have gagged me, ftriving to 
 get Ifold of my tongue, having a gag ready in his hand for 
 that purpofe ; and fo we were ferved fcveral times. Thea 
 
 662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 41 
 
 I called out with a loud voice. Will you condemn u§ 
 without hearing? This is to deal worfe with us, than 
 Pilate did with Chrift, who, though he condemned him 
 without a caufe, yet not without hearing him fpeak for 
 himfelf ; but you deny us both. 
 
 Judge. Let Mr. Gray come to the bar. Room being 
 made, he was conveyed to an officer in the inner bar, 
 w^here he fpake to the court to this purpofe : I defire to 
 know whether, according to law, and the practice of this 
 court, myfelf and my fellow prifoners^ may have liberty to 
 put in bail, to profecute our traverfe at the next feffions? 
 
 Court. No, we will try you prefently. 
 
 Judge. Stop their mouths, executioner : and this was 
 the cry of many upon the bench, they being ftill in a 
 continued confufion ; fome crying to the jury. Give in 
 your verdiiSi:, for we will not hear them ; with other words 
 which could not be heard for the noife, the court being in 
 confufion. 
 
 J. C. You might as well have caufed us to have been 
 murdered before we came hither, as to bring us hither 
 . under pretence to try us, and not give* us leave to make 
 our defence ; you had as good take away our lives at the 
 bar, as to command us thus to be abufed, and to have 
 our mouths ftopped : was ever the like known ? Let th* 
 righteous God judge between us. Will you hear me ? 
 You have often promifed that you would. 
 
 Judge. Hear me, and we will hear you : then he began 
 to fpeak, and fome others of the bench interrupted him : 
 fometimes they fpeaking two or three at a time, and a 
 noife amongft the oflScers of the court : but the judge faid. 
 We may give you liberty till the next feffions, but we may 
 choofe ; and therefore we will try you now. 
 
 J. C. I bade the people take notice of their promife, 
 that I fiiould have liberty to fpeak, faying, See now you 
 be as good as your words. 
 
 Judge. The law of England is not only juft, but mer- 
 ciful ; and therefore you ft)all not be furprifed, bnt {hall 
 have what juftice the law allows-r-Interruption. 
 
 J. C. I remember what the judge faid even now, that 
 the law of England was a merciful law i that the court 
 
42 
 
 THE HISTORV of THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 had fald before, they might if they would, give us liberty 
 till the next feffions, but they would not ; and the maxim 
 of the law a!fo is, Summum jus efi fiimma injuria ;* there- 
 fore 1 hope your practice will make it good, that it is a 
 mercitui law ; and not to cxccMitfummiimjuSy &c. upon me, 
 and thereby condemn yourfelves out of your own mouths. 
 
 Judge. Jury, 'give in your verdi^. 
 
 J. C, Let me have liberty firft to fpeak, it is but few 
 words, and 1 hope I fhall do it with what brevity and 
 pertinency my underflanding will give me leave, and the 
 occafion requires ; it is to ths point in thefe two heads, 
 viz. Matter of law, and matter of confcience : to matter 
 of law I have this to fay, Firft, as to the ftatute itfelf, it 
 was made againft the Papifts, occafioned by the gun- 
 powder plot, and is cntituled, for the better difcovery 
 and fuppreiEng of Popifli Recufanis : but they have 
 liberty, and we are deftroyed, what in you lies — (Inter- 
 rupted by the judges and difturbance of the court.) As 
 to confcience, I have fomething to fay, and that is, it is a 
 tender thing, and we hav^ known what it is to offend it ; 
 and therefore we dare not break Chrift's commands, who 
 hath faid. Swear not at all ; and the apoftle James faid. 
 Above all things my brethren fwear not. — (Interrupted.) 
 The court calling again to the executioner to flop my 
 mouth ; which he did accordingly, with his dirty cloth, as 
 aforefaid^ and his gag in his hand. 
 
 Judge. Hear the jury; who faid fomething to him, 
 whigh was fuppofed to give in the verdift, according to 
 his order ; for they were fit for his purpofej as it feems, 
 they beginning to lay their heads together, before we had 
 fpoke any thing to them, only upon his words. 
 
 Judge. Cryer, make filence in the court: then the 
 recorder, taking a paper into his hand, read to this pur- 
 pofe, viz. The jury for the king do find, that John Crook, 
 John Bolton, and Ifaac Gray, are guilty of rufufing to 
 take the oath of allegiance ; for which you do incur a 
 premunirc, which is the forfeiture of all your real eftates 
 during life, and your perfonal eftates during life, and 
 your perfonal eftates for ever ; and you to be out of the 
 
 "** Tie atreme ef tbt Utv is <xtrtmt injttfi'uc* 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 43 
 
 king's protection, and to be imprifoned during his pleafurc : 
 and this is your fentence. 
 
 J. C. But we are ftlU under God's proteflJon, 
 Then the prifoners were remanded to Newgate, where 
 J. Crook found opportunity to make a narrative of the 
 whole trial, which was printed as aforefaid, together with 
 the Latin indiftment, in which he fhewed feveral errors, 
 cither by wrong expreffions, or by omiflions. Thus the 
 injuftice of thefe arbitrary proceedings were expofed to 
 publick view, when this trial appeared in print; that the 
 king himfelf might fee thereby, how ill his fubjefe were 
 treated. But at that time there were fo many among the 
 great ones and biftiops, who were inclined to promote the 
 extirpation of the Quakers, that there feemed no human 
 help, J. Crook fliewed alfo circumftantially, how in many 
 cafes of the trial, they had afted againft law ; for he 
 himfelf having formerly been a juftice, knew well enough 
 how, and after what manner, juftice ought to be admi- 
 niftered and maintained. How long he continued prifoner, 
 I cannot tell. But by this trial alone the reader may fee, 
 how the Quakers, fo'called, were treated in regard of the 
 oath ; and fuch kind of proceeding was the lot of many 
 of them, becaufe the intent of thofe in authority feemed 
 to be to fupprefs them quite. 
 
 Now follows (to continue J. Crook's words) a copy of the 
 indictment, with fonie notes and obfervations on the 
 fame .; whereby it may appear, how falfe it is, and*how 
 cafily it might have been quailied for infufficicncy, had 
 we been allovved time, (which by law they ought to have 
 granted) and been fuffered to have made our qwn de- 
 fence ; but that they would not do, but ftopped our 
 mouths, as before is faid, by the hands of the ex- ' 
 ccutioner, to prevent what otherwife (as the judge faid) 
 might have come topafs, viz.^by having liberty to make 
 our defence, by that means we^ fliould make ourfelyes 
 famous, and them odious. 
 
 London feilion. yur.pro dm, regefuper facra. fuu. 
 prefentant qd. ad general, quarter iaL fejJiQ't^ pads dni. regis 
 
44 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 11662 
 
 tent, pro civltat. London, apiid Guihald. ejufdem civltat. 
 die MercuriJ fcilt. vicejlmo quinto die Junij a?ino regni dni, 
 n^ri. CaroIifc*di Dei gra, Anglia, Scot' Franc ^ ilf< Hiber- 
 nia Regis Fidei def^nfor. iSc. quarto dscimo^ coram ]oh. 
 Frederick milite^ majore civitat. London. Tlioma Adams 
 milite W baronet, Rico' Browne milite vsf baronet, ^ 
 Thoma Aleyn milite & baronet, aldr'is d' ce civitat, ac aL 
 Jocii, fuis juftic. d*ci, d^ni regis ad pacem in civitat. prad, 
 confervand. Necnon ad diver's felon, tranfgr. & aL malef^ 
 ca infra eandem civitat. perpetrat. audiend. ^ ternmand. 
 ^%^- /{i^<^« ^fl^ p^^i^ adjornat. fuit. per pr tie fat. Jvfiic. 
 Mc^i d'ni regis ib'm ufq ; diem Jovis fcilt. vicefim. fext. diem 
 ejufdem men/is Junij anno fupradiEio ad horani feptimam anijg 
 merid. ejufdem diei apud juflicehall in le Old Bailey in 
 faroch. fci. Sepulchri in warda de Farringdon extra London- 
 prad. tenend. coram pr^efai jiifiic, ^ aL Jociis fuis adfaciend. 
 ulteriiis protit. cur. con. is^c. Ac ad ewidem diem Jovis, 
 vicefimum fextum diem Jimii anno quarto decimo fupradiBo 
 general. qiiarteriaL fcjio if a pacts tent, fuit pro civitat. 
 London, prad. per adj ornament, prad. opnt jxifticehall prad. 
 in paroch ^ ward. pr^d. coram pr^fat. Johe Frederick 
 milite, majore civitat. London. Thoma Adams milite & 
 baronet, Ricardo Browne milite i^ baromt, ^ Thoma Aleyn 
 milite & baronet, aldr'is jTce civitat ac Will'o Wiide milite 
 & baronet, uno fcrivien. dc'i deni regis ad legem ac recor- 
 dator. civitat, prad. ac aL fociis fuis jujlic. d'ci d'ni regis 
 ad pacem in civitat. prad confervand. Necnon ad divers, 
 felon, tranfgr. & al malef'ca. infra, eandem civitat. prepetrat. 
 audiend. is? terminand. ajfign. Ac ad twu CfJ* ibm. prad. 
 general. quarteriaL JeJJio pads prad. iilterius adjornat. fuit 
 per prcefat. jufiic. ufque diem veneris, fcilt. viccfim feptem. 
 diem. dci. menfis Junii, anno quarto decimo fupradi6lo, ad 
 hormi feptimam ante merid. ejifdem diei apud jufticehall 
 prad. in parochia ^ warda prced. tenend. coram prceft. 
 jujlic. l^ al fociis fuis adfaciend. idterius. prout cur. con. 
 Ac fuperiende ad iflam eqndem general quarteriaL fffion. 
 pads tent, pro civitat. London, per adj ornament, prad. apud 
 jufticehall prad. in paroch. W warda prad, dco. die veneris 
 vicefiniQ feptimo die Jioiii, anno quarto decimo fuperadicio, 
 coram prafat.J''yhcFvcd(:Ykk milite, majore civitat. Londou'- 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKERS. 
 
 45 
 
 1662] 
 
 Thoma Adams milite fe baronet, Rico' Brown milite & ba* 
 xronet, Rico' Chiverton armigero, ^ Thoma Aleyn 7nilite ts^ 
 haronet, aldris d'ce civitat. ac. Willo' Wilde milite iff ba-- 
 ronet. uno fctiven* d[ci. d'ni regis ad legem ac rccor dator, 
 ejufdem civitat. ac al fociis fuis jufiic. d'ci d*ni regis ad ' 
 pacem in civitat. prad confervand. l^ecnon ad diver f jelon. 
 tranfgr. Sff al. inalef'ca infra eand. civitat. perpetrat. au- 
 diend. & terminand, ajfign. in aperta general. quarteriaL 
 f^ffion. pads prad, prafat. jujliciar. ult noUat. exifimtes 
 major pars jufiic. pads ipftus d'ni regis infra d'cam civitat, 
 London* ad tunc fcilt. d^co. vicefimo. feptimo die Jimii ann9 
 quarto decimo fuprad'co. apud d^ cam pcaach, fei Sepulchri in 
 warda de Farringdon extra. London, prad. prefon, ex- 
 iflend. obtukr. (Anglice did tender) Johi Crook nupef de 
 London, generofo, Johi Bolton nuper de London, a ur if abro, 
 bf Ifaac Gray nuper de London, generofo ts' ccr. cuilibt fe- 
 paratim per fe (ad tunc exijlen. et cuilibt. cor. exiften. ultra 
 atat. oBodecim annor.J furament. content, in quodam ABu 
 in Parliament. D'ni Jacobi nuper regis Anglias tent, pen 
 ,prorogationem apud Weftm. in com. Middlef. quinto die No- 
 vembris Anno Regni ful Angliae Franc, et Hlberniac tertio, 
 it Scotiae tricefimo nono nuper edit, et pro vis in his Angli- 
 canis verbis fequen. viz. I do truly and fincerely acknow- 
 ledge, profefs, teftify. and declare, in my confcience, be- 
 fore God and the world, that our fovereign lord JK^ing 
 Charles the Second 'is lawful and rightful king of this 
 realm, and of all other his majefty's dominions and coun- 
 tries : and that the pope, neither of himfelf, nor by any 
 authority of the church, or fee of Rome, or by any 
 other means with any other, hath any power or authority 
 to depofe the king, or to difpofe of any of his majefty's 
 kingdoms or doininions, or to authorize any foreign 
 .prince to invade or annoy him or his countries, or to dif- 
 charge any of. his fubje<Sts of their allegiance and obe- 
 dience ^o his majefty, or to give licence or leave to any 
 of them to bear arms, raife tumults, or to offer any vio- 
 lence or hurt to his majefty's royal pcrfon, ftate or go- 
 vernment, or to any of his majefty's fubjcds, within his 
 majefty's dominions. Alfo, I do fwear from my heart, 
 .that uotvvithftanding any declaration, or fentence of ex- 
 
46 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THS 
 
 [l66t 
 
 comniunication, or deprivation, made or granted, or to 
 be made or granted by the pope, or his fucceffors, or by 
 any authority derived, or pretended to be derived from 
 hfm or his fee, againft the faid king, his heirs or fuc- 
 ceffors, or any abfok:tion of the faid fubjefts from their 
 obedience; I will bear faith and true allegiance to his 
 majefty, his heiis and fucceffors, and him and them will 
 defend to the uttermofl of my power, againft all con- 
 fpiracies and attempts whatfoever, which fhall be made 
 againft his or their perfons, their crown and dignity, by 
 reafon or colour of any fuch fentence or declaration, or 
 otherwife ; and will do my beft endeavour to difclofe and 
 make known unto his majefty, his heirs and fucceffors, all 
 treafons and traiterous confpiracies, vAich I flial! know or 
 hear of, to be againft him or any of them. And I do 
 farther fwear, that I do from my heart abhor, deteft and 
 abjure, as impious and heretical, this damnable doftrine 
 and pofition, that princes which be excommunicated or 
 deprived by the pope, may be depofed or murdered by 
 their fubjefts, or any other whatfoever. And I do be- 
 lieve, and in my confcience am refolved, that neither the 
 pope, nor any perfon whatfoever, hath power to abfolve 
 me of this oath, or any part thereof, which I acknow- 
 ledge by good and full authority to-be lawfully miniftered 
 unto me, and do renounce all pardons and difpenfations 
 to the contrary. And all thefe things I do plainly and 
 fmcerely acknowledge and fwear, according to thefe ex- 
 prefs words by me fpoken, and according to the plain and 
 common fenfe and underftanding of the fame words, with- 
 out any equivocation, or mental evafion, or fecret refer- 
 vation whatfoever. And I do make this recognition and 
 acknowledgment heartily, willingly and truly, upon the 
 true faith of a Chriftian. So help me God. Ac ad pre/at. 
 juftic, pads ult. no tat ad tunc fcilt, d'co. vicefmo feptimo die 
 yunii anno quarto decimo fiipradi5lo apitd paroch. et ward, 
 prad. in d\a quarterial JeJJion. pads prad. eofdem Joh*em 
 Crooke, Johes BoFton, et Ifaacum Gray, et eor. quemlibt. 
 feparatam per fe requijiver. ad jurament. illud fuper, fa* 
 crofco. Dei Evangel, capieud. quodq. ; iidem, Johes Crooke, 
 Johcs Bolton, et Ifaacus Gray, jurament, prad. Jic per pr% 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERS. 
 
 47 
 
 mi* at jujlic, pads ejnfdem Johi Crooke, Johi Bolton, et 
 Ifaaco Gray, ut prafedur oblat. et requifit. adtunc et ibm. 
 obflinate et pertinaciter cape, recufaver. et quilibt. eor. recU" 
 favit *. In malum exemplwn omniu, alior, dS!i, d'ni regis 
 nunc f del, fubdit, Et in coutempt, d'icii d*ni. regis nunc legumq; 
 fuar, contra for mam fiaiut, prad, Ac contra pac em d'ci. d'ni 
 regis nunc coron, et dignitat. fuas^ &c. 
 
 WILD. 
 
 Any Englifhman that underftands Latin, may, not- 
 withftanding the abbreviations, indifferently underftand 
 this indiftment ; but a foreigner not underftanding Englifli, 
 though a fcholar, will be at a lofs in many places ; yet to 
 complete my work, I thought it convenient not to omit 
 fuch an authentick piece. 
 
 Memorand. That in the writ of Oyer and Terminer, 
 Pacfche 9. Hen. 8. upon the infurreftion in London, it 
 was refolved clearly by all the juftices of England, that 
 the juftices of Oyer and Terminer cannot enquire one 
 day, and the fame day determine ; no more can the juf- 
 tices of the peace, &c. But tlie juftices of gaol delivery, 
 and juftices in Eyre, may v/ell do it ; El. 8. Keyleway's 
 Rep. f. 159. b. pi. 2. But they do not call themfelves fo 
 in the indictment. 
 
 If one in his abfence be found guilty of an offence, 
 whereby he incurs a premuqire, he hath two months time 
 allowed him, after he is outlawed, to be beard 27 Ed. 3, 
 I cap. Coke upon Littleton, feft. 201. fo. 134. b. fahh. 
 That the ancient law was upon trials for felony, &c. the 
 defendant had fifteen days time, or more, (if he prayed 
 it) to confider of his anfwer. 
 
 With this agrees Britton, fo. to b. 
 
 Fortefcue in libro de laudib. legum AngUa. 
 
 Mirror of Juftice, cap. 4. fe£l. 7. 
 
 The ftatute of 28 Edw. i. 9. provides that inquefts ftiall 
 be of the next neighbours, moft fufficient, and leaft fuf- 
 picious, upon penalty of double damages. 
 
 * Csnira deh'ttam quoaJlihet eor. Le^eanciam, ought here to be infertcd ; for if he be 
 not a natural fubje<5l, the oath is not to be tendered to hJh% Immediately after the 
 tender to J. C. J. B. and J. G. though tkey be termed, /wi dittr dd; end: Re. 
 
 Vol. II. d ' 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ri66a 
 
 48 
 
 25 Edw. 3. cap. 3. No indiclor be upon the inquefts 
 for felony nor trefpafs, if challenged. , 
 
 34 Edw. 3. 4. Juries to be of the next people, not to be 
 fufpe<5led or procured. With this agrees Regilt. fo. 178. 
 
 1 1 Hen. 4. 9. That if any indiflment be made, but 
 by inqueft returned by the (herifF, (without denomination 
 to him of their names) by any but his fworn oiEcer, it 
 fliall be void. 
 
 By thefe and the like treatments, we fee hew the per- 
 fecutors endeavoured to root out the Quakers, if poffible ; 
 for the eflFe£ling of which, alderman Richard Brown did 
 whatever he could, continually letting loofe the reins to 
 his exorbitant malice, without regarding whether that 
 which he was bent againft, was really punifhable, or not, 
 whereof the following inftance may ferve for an evidence. 
 
 A certain mender of old (hoes, who belonged to the 
 fociety of the Quakers, was defired by a labouring man, 
 on a Seventh day of the week, late at night, to mend' a 
 pair of flioes for him, thit he might have them again in 
 the morning, becaufe he had no other to wear. The 
 cobler, to accommodate the man, fat up at work till after 
 midnight; but the fhoes not being finiflied then, he went 
 to bed, and fifing early in the morning, went to his work 
 again as privately as he could in his chamber ; but an 
 envious neighbour informed againft him for working on 
 a Sunday; whereupon he was had before the faid R. 
 Brown, who committed him to Bridewell, to be there 
 kept to hard labour. And he refufing to beat hemp, as 
 being fully perfuaded that he had not deferved fuch a 
 punKhment, was cruelly whipt, but he bore it with great 
 conftancy, and not yielding, he was turned up among 
 thofc of his fociety, who were imprifoned there on a re- 
 ligious account. 
 
 As this cafe, which befel an honeft man, was to be 
 pitied, fo there happened about that time, fomething 
 among the Quakers at London, which was facetious and 
 ridiculous : for feveral of them being taken out of their 
 religious meetings, were confined in Newgate, where in 
 the night they lodged in a large room, having in the 
 
 66 z'] 
 
 PEOPLE CAI,LED QIJAKERS. 
 
 49 
 
 middle of it a great pillar, to which they faftened their 
 hammocks at the one end, and to the oppofiie wall, on 
 the other, quite round the room, in three ftories high, 
 one-over another ; fo that they who lay in the upp^r and 
 middle rows, were h'm to go to bed firll, beittg obliged 
 to climb up to the higher, by getting into the lower : and 
 under the lower rank of hammocks, by the w^all fide, 
 were hiid beds upon the floor. Such a multitude of 
 bedding for fo many perfons in one room, could not but 
 fomewhat infecl the air, and caufe an unhealthy fteam ; fo 
 that fome of the prifoners grew fick, and one of them 
 died. This caufcd fome bullle, and it was not without 
 good reafon, that an ancient grave citizen, having feen 
 the prifoners thus crouded up, faid, This is enough to 
 breed an infeffion among them. And this having been 
 told to fir William Turner, one of the fheriffs of London, 
 he came into Newgate, and bidding the turnkey bring 
 down the faid prifoners to him in the prefs-yard, where 
 he was, he ordered they fhould return to Bridewell, where 
 they had been before. 
 
 Now among thefe was a fhabby fellow, who, to get 
 viauals without working, had thruft himfelf among the 
 Quakers, when they were taken at a meeting, on pu'rpofe 
 to be fent to prifon, and to be maintained by them. This 
 lazy varlet was no fmall burthen to our prifoners ; for 
 whenever any visuals were brought in to them, either for 
 their money, or fent to them by their friends; he did not 
 ftick to thruft in with his knife in hand, and make himfelf 
 his own carver ; and fnch was his impudence, that if he 
 faw the provifion was fliort, he would be fure to take 
 enough, though others wanted. But how burthenfome 
 foever this lazy drone was to the prifoners, they could 
 get no relief; for to wliom ftiould they complain ? Since 
 the keepers, as well as others, were for vexing and op- 
 prefljng them. But now at length an opporttmiiy was 
 come to be rid of his troublefome company. Among the 
 priloners was Thomas Ellwood, a man of literature, and 
 of ati acute wit, with whom, long aher, I entered into a 
 familiar and pleafing correfpondence by letters. The faid 
 Ellwood, when he had heard that diey were to be fent to 
 
 D 
 
s^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i66a 
 
 BridewelU drew near to the fheriff, and pointing to the 
 aforefaid fellow, faid, ' That man is not only none of our 
 company, but an idle diffolute fellow, who hath thrult 
 himfelf among our friends, that he might live upon them ; 
 therefore I defire we may not be troubled with him at 
 Bridewell.* The (heriff fmiling, and feeing this fellow 
 Handing with his hat on, and looking as demurely as he 
 could, that the flieriff might take him for a Quaker, called 
 him forth, and faid to him, ' How came you to be m 
 prifon ?* ' I was taken at a meeting,' faid he. * But what 
 bufmefs had you there,' faid the flieriff. ' I went to hear,' 
 returned the fellow. ' Ay, you went upon a worfe de- 
 fi^n it feems,' replied the Iheriff ; ' but I will difappomt 
 you/ continued he ; ' for I will change your company, 
 and fend you to them that are like yourfelf.* Then calhng 
 for the turnkey, he faid, ' Take this fellow, and put him 
 amono the felons ; and be fure let him not trouble the 
 Quakers any more.' The fellow not a little aflonifhed at 
 the hearing of this doom, on a fudden parted with his 
 Quakerlhip ; for off went his hat, and falhng to bowing 
 and fcraping, he faid to the flieriff, ' Good your worfhip 
 have pity upon me, and fet me at liberty.' ' No, no, 
 faid the flieriff, ' I will not fo far difappomt you : fince 
 you had a mind to be in prifon, in prifon you fliall be for 
 ine.' Then bidding the turnkey once more to take him 
 away, he had him up, and put him among the felons. 
 After this manner this pretended Quaker was rewarded 
 according to his deeds ; and fo the true Quakers got nd 
 
 of him. ,. . t t. 
 
 Breaking off now this jocofe and diverting, though true, 
 
 narrative, 1 return to a ferious relation of the fufferings 
 
 of the faithful, which caufed the death of fome of them ; 
 
 amoncT thefe was Richard Hubberthorn, who fome time 
 
 before, as hath been related, had a conference with the 
 
 kin^; 'who then promifed him, that he and his friends 
 
 fliould not fuffer for their opinions or religion. But now 
 
 he was in the month called June, violently haled from the 
 
 meeting, bearing the name of the Bull and Mouth, and 
 
 brought before alderman Richard Brown, who wKh hi^ 
 
 own hands pulled down his hat upon his head with fuch 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 s« 
 
 violence, that he brought his head near to the ground, 
 and then committed him to Newgate, where being 
 thronged among others, he foon grew fick ; and his fick- 
 nefs fo increafed, that he had hardly been two months in 
 prifon, before he was taken away by death. Two days 
 before his departure, being vifited by fome of his friends, 
 who aflced him if any thing was upon his fpirit, he faid, 
 that there was no need to difpute matters, for he knew 
 the ground of his falvation, and was fatisfied for ever in 
 his peace with the Lord, He alfo faid, * That faith which 
 hath wrought my falvation, I well know, and have 
 grounded fatisfaftion in it.' In the morning before he 
 deceafed, one Sarah Blackberry was with him, to whom 
 he faid, * Do not feek to hold me, for it is too ftrait for 
 me, and out of this ftraitnefs I muft go ; for I am wound 
 into largenefs, and am to be lifted up on high, far above 
 all.' In this frame of mind he departed this life, in the 
 evening, and fo entered with happinefs into eternity. 
 
 Now I come alfo to the glorious exit of E. Burrough, 
 that valiant hero, of whom mention hath often been made 
 in this hiftory. For feveral years he had been very much 
 in London, and there preached the gofpel with piercing 
 and powerful declarations. And that city was fo near to 
 him, that oftentimes, when perfecution grew hot, he faid 
 to Francis Howgill, his bofom friend, ^ I can freely go to 
 the city of London, and lay down my life for a teftimony 
 to that Truth, which I have declared through the power 
 and Spirit of God.* Being in this year at Briftol, and 
 thereabouts, and moved to return to London, he faid to 
 many of his friends, when he took his leave of them, 
 that he did not know he fliould fee their faces any more 5 
 and therefore he exhorted them to faithfulnefs and fted. 
 faftnefs, in that wherein they had found reft for their 
 fouls. And to fome he faid, * I am now going up to the 
 city of London again, to lay down my life for the gofpel, 
 and fuffer amongft Friends in that place.' 
 
 Not long after coming to London, and preaching in the 
 meeting-houfe called the Bull and Mouth, he was vio- 
 lently pulled down by fome foldiers, and had before alder- 
 man Richard Brown, and committed to Newgate; Several 
 
 B 
 
*2 THE HISTOKY OF THE [1662 
 
 weeks afterwards, being brought to the fcflions-houfe in 
 the Old BaHey, he was fined by the cc/urt tv/enty marks, 
 and to lie in prilbn till payment. But judging this un- 
 reafonable in a high degree^ he could not bend thereto 
 for confcicnce fake. He was kept there in prifon about 
 eight months, with fix or feven fcore prifoners befides, 
 upon the lame account. But they being fo crouded, that 
 for want of room their natures were fuftbcated, many 
 grew fick and died, of which number he wa^j one. And 
 though a fpecial order from the king, was fent to the 
 flierifls of London, for his and fome other prilbners re- 
 leafe, yet fuch was the enmity of fome of the city magif- 
 trates^ efpecially Brown, that they did what was rn their 
 power to prevent the execution of* the faid order. And 
 thus E. Burrough continued prifoner, tJiough his ficknefs 
 increafed. During the time of his weaknefs, he was 
 very fervent in prayer, as well for his friends as for him- 
 felf; and many confolatory and glorious exprcffions pro- 
 ceeded from his mouth. Once he was heard to iliy, ^ I 
 have had the teflimony of the Lord's love unto me from 
 my youth : and my heart, O Lord, hath been given up 
 to do thy will. I have preached the gofpel freely in this 
 city, and have often- given up my life for the gofpel's 
 fake ; and now, O Lord, rip open my heart, and fee if 
 it be ncit ri<iht before thee.' Another time he faid, 
 *vThere is no iniquity lies at my door ; but the prefence 
 of the Lord is with me, and his life I feel jufUfies me.* 
 Another day he was thus heard in prayer to God, * Thou 
 haft loved me when I was in the womb ; and I have loved 
 thee from my cradle : and from my youth unto this day ; 
 ar.d- have fcrved thee faithfally in my generation.' And 
 to hvs friends that were about him he faid, ' Live in love 
 anxi peace, and love one another.' And at another time 
 he faid, *' The Lord t^kedi the righteous from the evil 
 to come.'* And praying for bis enemies and perfecutors 
 he faid, * Lord, forgive Richard Brown, if he may be 
 forgiven.' And being fenfible that death was approach- 
 ing, he faid, ^T'hough this body of clay muft turn to 
 duli, yet I have a teftimony that 1 have ferved God in my 
 i^cueration \ and that fpirit which hath lived and acbcd, 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 53 
 
 and ruled in me, (hall yet break forth in thoufands.' The 
 morning before he departed this life (which was about 
 the latter end of this year), he faid, ^ Now my foul and 
 fpirit is centered into its own being with God ; and this 
 form of perfon muft return from whence it was taken.' 
 And after a httle feafon he gave up the ghoft*- This was 
 the exit of E. Burrough, who, in his flourifhing years, 
 viz. about the age of eight and twenty ; in an unmarried 
 ftate, changed this mortal life for an incorruptible, and 
 whofe youthful fummer flower was cut down in the winter 
 feafon, after he had very zealoufly preached the gofpel 
 about ten years. 
 
 About the 19th year of his age, he firft came to Lon- 
 don with a publick teftimony, and continued almoft eight 
 years together to preach the w^ord of God in that city, 
 with great fuccefs, fo that many came to be convinced, 
 and great addition was made to the church there. In his 
 youth he furpaffed others of his age in knowledge, and 
 though G. Croefe, who writ the pretended hiftory of the 
 'Quakers, calls him a ruftick fellow, yet he was ro more 
 /uch than the faid author himfelf, who is a country 
 preacher : for he was well educated and inftrufled in that 
 learning which the place of his nativity, viz, the barony 
 of Kendal in Weftmoreland, afforded. Infomuch, that 
 . though he was not Ikilful in languages, yet he had the 
 tongue of the learned ; and in his publick miniftry was 
 very fluent, and elegant in fpeech, even according to the 
 judgment of learned men. 
 
 His enemies now began to rejoice, for they feemed to 
 imagine that the progrefs of that dodhine, which he fo 
 powerfully and fuccefsfully had preached, by his deceafe 
 would have been flopped or retarded : but they made a 
 wrong reckoning. Francis Howgill then gave forth a kind 
 of epicedium^ which though in profe, yet was not void of 
 poetical exprefliions, and was as foUoweth. 
 
 * Shall days, or months, or years, wear out thy name, 
 as though thou hadft no being ? Oh nay ! Shall not thy 
 noble and valiant afts, and mighty works which thou haft 
 wrought through the power of him that feparated thee 
 
 i> 4 
 
54 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 1662] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 55 
 
 i 
 It' 
 
 from the womb, live in generations to come? O yes ! 
 The children that are yet unborn, (hall have thee in their 
 mouths, and thy works (hall teftify of thee in generations, 
 who yet have not a being, and (hall count thee bleffed. 
 Did thy Ufe go out as the fnuff of acandle? Onay! Thou 
 hafl penetrated the hearts of many, and the memorral of 
 the juft (hall live for ever ; and be had in renown among 
 the children of men : for thou haft turned many to 
 righteoufnefs, and flialt (hine as a ftar of God in the fir- 
 mament of God's power, for ever and ever ; and they 
 that are in that, fliall fee thee there, and enjoy thee there, 
 though thou be gone away hence, and can no more be 
 feen in mutability ; yet thy life and thy fpirit fhall run 
 parallel with immortality. Oh Edward Burrough ! I can- 
 not but mourn for thee, yet not as one without hope or 
 faith, knowing and having a perfeft teftimony of thy well 
 being in my heart, by the Spirit of the Lord ; yet thy 
 abfcnce is great, and years to come fliall know the want 
 of thee. Shall I not lament as David did for a worfe man 
 than thee, even for Abner ; when in wrath he periflied 
 by the hand of Joab, without any juft caufe, though he 
 was a valiant man ? David lamented over Abner, and 
 faid, died Abner as a fool dieth ? (Oh nay! He was be- 
 trayed of his life.) Even fo haft thou been bereaved of 
 thy life by the hand of the oppreflbr, whofe habitations 
 are full of cruelty. Oh my foul, come not thou within 
 their fecret, for thy blood fliall be required at the hands 
 of them who thirfted after thy life ; and it fliall cry as 
 Abel's, who was in the faith ; even fo wert thou, it fliall 
 weigh as a ponderous milftone upon their necks, and fliall 
 crufti them under, and be as a worm that gnaweth, and 
 fliall not die. When I think upon thee, I am melted into 
 tears of true forrow ; and becaufe of the want that the 
 inheritance of the Lord hath of thee, my fubftance is 
 even as diflblved. Shall I not fay as David did of Saul 
 and Jonathan, when they were flain in mount Gilboa, the 
 beauty of Ifrael is flain upon the high places : even fo 
 waft thou ftifled in nafty holes, and prifons, and many more, 
 who were precious in the eyes of the Lord : and furely 
 precious waft thou to me, oh dear Edward, I am dif- 
 
 trefled for thee my brother, very pleafant haft thou been 
 to me, and my love to thee was wonderful, paflfmg the 
 love of women : Oh thou whofe bow never turned back, 
 nor fword empty from the blood of the flain, from the 
 flaughter of the mighty ; who made nations and multitudes 
 fliake with the word of life in thy mouth, and waft very 
 dreadful to the enemies of the Lord ; for thou didft cut 
 like a razor, and yet to the feed oP God brought forth, . 
 thy words dropped like oil, and thy lips as the honey- 
 comb. Thou flialt be recorded' amongft the valiants of: 
 Ifrael, who attained to the firft degree, through the power 
 of the Lord, that wrought mightily in thee in thy day, 
 and waft worthy of double honour, becaufe of thy works. 
 Thou waft expert to handle thy weapon, and by thee the 
 mighty have faUen, and the flain of the Lord have been 
 many ; many have been pricked to the heart through the 
 power of the word of life ; and coals of fire from thy life 
 came forth of thy mouth, that in many a thicket, and 
 amon'T many briars and thorns it came to be kindled, and 
 did devour much ftubble that cumbered the ground, and 
 ftained the earth. Oh how certain a found did thy trum- 
 pet give ! And how great an alarm didft thou give in thy 
 day, that made the hoft of the uncircumcifed greatly dif- 
 treffed ! What man fo valiant, though as Goliah of Gath, 
 would not thy valour have encountered with, while many 
 defpifed thy youth ? And how have I feen thee with thy 
 fling and thy ftone (defpifed weapons to war with) wound 
 the mighty! And that which hath feemed contemptible 
 to the dragon's party, even as the jaw bone of an afs, 
 with it thou haft flain the Philiftines heaps upon heaps, as 
 Sampfon. Thou haft put thy band to the hammer of the 
 Lord, and haft often faftened nails in the heads of the 
 Lamb's enemies, as Jael did to Sifera ; and many a rough 
 ftone haft thou poliflied and fquared, and made it fit for 
 the buildings of God ; and much knotty wood haft thoii 
 hewed in thy day, which was not fit for the building of 
 God's houfe. Oh thou prophet of the Lord, thou flialt 
 for ever be recorded in the Lamb's book of life, among 
 the Lord's worthies, who have followed the Lamb through 
 great tribulations, as many can witnefs for thee from the 
 
56 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TIlE 
 
 [1662 
 
 beg-noing ; and at M hath overcoine, and found worthy 
 to ftand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion, the hill of 
 God ; as I have often feen tnee, and thy heart well tuned 
 as a harp, to praife the Lord, and to found forth his 
 great falvation ; which many a time hath made glad the 
 hearts of them that did believe, and flrengthened their 
 faith and hope. Well, thou art at reft, and bound up 
 in the bundle of life; and I know tears were wiped away 
 from thy eyes, becaufe there was no caufe of forrov/ in 
 thcc : for I know thou witneffedft the old things done 
 away, and there was no curfe, but bleflings were poured 
 upon thy head as rain, and peace as a mighty (hower, 
 and trouble was far from thy dwelling ; though in the 
 outward man trouble on every fide, and haft had a greater 
 Ihare in that, for the gofpel-fakc (though a youth in thy 
 time) thsji many befides : but now thou art freed from 
 that, and haft obtained a name through faith, with the 
 faints in light. Well, hadft thou more to give up than 
 thy life for the name of Jefus in this world ? Nay : and 
 to fcal the tcftimony committed unto thee with thy blood, 
 as thou haft often faid in thy day, which fliall remain as a 
 crown upon thee for ever and ever. And now thou art 
 freed from the temptations of him who had the power of 
 death ; and from thy outward enemies, who hated thee 
 becaufe of the love that dwelt in thee ; and remaineft at 
 the right hand of God, where there is joy and pleafure 
 for evermore in the everlafting light ; which thou haft 
 often teftified unto, according to the word of prophecy 
 in thy heart, which was given unto thee by the- Holy 
 Ghoft; and art at reft in the perfeftion thereof, in the 
 beauty.of holinefs ; yet thy life and thy fpirit I feel as 
 prefent, and have unity with it, and in it, beyond all 
 created and vifible things, which are fuljeft to mutation 
 and change ; and thy life fhall enter into others, to teftify 
 unto the fame Truth, which is from everlafting to ever- 
 lafting ; for God haih raifed, and will raife up children 
 unto Abraham, of them that have been as dead ftones ; 
 his power is Almighty, great in his people in the midft of 
 their enemies/ 
 
 l66ll PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 57 
 
 With thefe fublime expreffions F. Howgil! lamented his . 
 (Endeared friend E. Burrough. 
 
 In the latter end of this year, William Ames alfo de- 
 ceafed at Amfterdam, being come from England in a weak 
 condition, for he had fuffered fo much hardfliip in Bride- 
 well,^ London, that his health was much impaired when 
 he came into Holland. In his ficknefs, which was a lin- 
 gering difeafe, he was told, that among the Baptifts and 
 Collegians, it was (aid of him, that he had changed his 
 judgment, and was grieved for having judged them 
 "wrongfully. But to this he faid, ' It was not fo ; but 
 that he ftill judged their way of worftiip, efpecially their 
 difputations and will worfhip, to be out of the way of the 
 Lord/ And in this belief he died in peace. 
 
 In his youth he was of a chearful temper, and a lover 
 of fuch company ; but being in that condition often dif- 
 quieted in his mind, he became a clofe follower of the 
 priefts and teachers, and exercifed himfelf diligently in 
 reading the holy Scriptures, which, though good in itfelf, 
 yet did not bring him to true peace with God ; but being 
 of a quick underftanding, he could talk much out of 
 them, infomuch, that entering into fociety with the Bap- 
 tifts, he became a teacher among them. Now, though 
 he was more precife, and endeavoured to avoid the com- 
 mitting of fins, yet he found that root from whence they 
 fprang remained alive in him ; for when he met with 
 fomething that was contrary to his own will, or mind, 
 anger foon prevailed : neverthelefs, in that ftate he would 
 fpeak of juftification, fanaiScation, and cleanfing by the 
 blood of Chrift, though he himfelf was not come to that 
 pure waftiing. In this ftate he perceived that he was no 
 true member of Chrift, becaufe regeneration was ftill 
 w^anting. Thus he faw that a high profeflion would not 
 avail, and that fomething more was required to obtain a 
 ^happy ftate; but as yet, he knew not what it was that 
 thus difquieted him ; though fometimes, on the committing 
 of any fm, he felt fomething that ftruck him with terror. 
 At length it pleafed the Lord, that hearing one of the 
 (Quakers, fo called, preach, that that which coavincetl\ 
 
 ul 
 
58 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1662 
 
 l« 
 
 r 
 
 1 
 
 man of fin, was the light of Chrifl:, which enlightens 
 every man coming into the world, this do^^rine entered fo 
 deep with him, that he embraced it as wholefome ; and 
 thus walking with great circumfpc£lion and fear before 
 the Lord, he found that by giving diligent heed to that 
 which inwardly reproved and condemned him of evil, he 
 came to be delivered therefrom, and to witnefs fanfti- 
 fication. And thus advancing in godlinefs, he himfelf 
 became a zealous preacher of that doctrine, which had 
 ftruck him fo to the heart. He was indeed a zealous 
 man, and though fome were ready to think him too 
 zealous, yet he was difcrcet ; and I know that he was con- 
 defcending in indifferent matters, thinking that there were 
 cuftoms, which though not followed in one country, were 
 yet tolerable in another. He was alfo generous, and leaft 
 he might feem to be burdenfome to any, he rather chofe 
 to work with his hands* 
 
 Now I return again to the occurrences of G. Fox, whom 
 we left at London, where having fpent fome time, he went 
 about the beginning of the year 1663, ^^ Norwich, and 
 from thence to Cambridgefhire, where he heard of E, 
 Burrough*s deceafe, and, being fenfible how great a grief 
 this lofs would be to his friends, writ the following lines 
 to them. 
 
 * Friends, 
 * Be dill and quiet in your own conditions, and fettled 
 in the feed of God, that doth not change ; that in that 
 ye may feel dear E. B. among you in the feed, in which, 
 and by which, he begot you to God, with whom he is ; 
 and that in the feed ye may all fee and feel him, in which 
 is the unity with him in the life ; and to enjoy him in the 
 life that doth not change, which is invifible. 
 
 * G, F/ 
 
 G. Fox afterwards travelling through feveral places, 
 came again to London, where haying vifitcd his friends in 
 their meetings, which were numerous, he travelled with 
 Thomas Briggs into Kent, and coming toTenterden they 
 
 1663] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKEHS. 59 
 
 had a meeting there, where many came and were con- 
 vinced of the Truth that was declared. But when he in- 
 tended to depart with his companion, he (liw a captain, 
 and a company of foldiers, with muikets and lighted 
 matches ; and fome of thefe coming to them faid, they 
 mud come to their captain. And when they were brought 
 before him, he aiked, where was G. Fox ? which was he? 
 To which G. Fox anfwered, ^ I am the man.' The cap- 
 tain being fomewhat furprized, faid, ' I will fecure yoa 
 among the foldiers:' yet he carried himfelf civilly, and 
 faid fome time after, ' Yoa mull: go along with me to the 
 town.' Where being come, he brought G. Fox and 
 T, Briggs, with fome more of their friends, to an inn, 
 which was the gaoler's houfe. And after a while the 
 mayor of the town, with the faid captain and the lieu- 
 tenant, who were juftices, came and examined G. Fox, 
 aiking, why he came thither to make a difturbance? 
 G. Fox told them, he did not come to make a difturb- 
 ance, neither had he made any there. They then faid, 
 there was a law, which was againft the Quakers' meetings, 
 made only againft them. G. Fox told them he knew no 
 fuch law. Then they produced the a6t that was made 
 againft Quakers and others. G. Fox feeing it, told them, 
 that law was againft fuch as were a terror to the king's 
 fubjefis, and were enemies, and held principles dan- 
 gerous to the government; and therefore it was not 
 againft his friends, for they held truth, and their prin* 
 ciples were not dangerous to the government, and theit" 
 meetings were peaceable, as was well known. Now it 
 was not without good reafon that George laid, he knew 
 no fuch law ; fince they had faid, there was a law made 
 only againft the Quakers' meetings: whereas the aft had 
 the appearance of being made againft plotters, and ene- 
 mies to the king, which certainly the Quakers were ndt* 
 Yet it was f.iid to G. Fox, he was an enemy to the king ; 
 but this he denied, and told them, how he had once been 
 caft into Derby dungeon, about the time of Worcefter 
 fight, becaufc he would not take up arms againft the 
 king ; and how after A-ards he had been fent up to London 
 by colonel Hacker, as a plotter to bring in king Charles, 
 
 
 ■i 
 
6o 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 and that he was kept prifoner at London till he was fct 
 at liberty by Oliver Cromwell. They aikcd him then, 
 whether he had been imprifoned in the time of the in- 
 furrection ? And he faid, ^ Yes,' but that he was releafed 
 by the king's own command. At length they demanded 
 bond for his appearance at the fcflions, and would have 
 had him to proraife to come ihither no more. But he 
 refufed tiie one as well as the other. Yet they behaved 
 themfelves moderately, and- told him, and Thomas Briggs, 
 and the others, * Ye fliall fee we are civil to you ; for it 
 is the mayor's pleafure you fhould all be fet at liberty.' 
 To which G. Fox returned, their civility was noble : and 
 fo they parted ; and he pafTed on to many places, where 
 he had lingular occurrences ; and though wiles were laid 
 for him, yet fomctimes he efcaped the hands of his per- 
 fecuiing enemies. 
 
 Coming into Cornwall he found there one Jofeph Hellen, 
 and George Bewly, who though they profcffed I'ruih^ yet 
 had fuifercd themfelves to be feduced by Blanch Pope, a 
 ranting woman, who had enfnared them chiefly by aiking, 
 * Who made the devil, did not God?' This filly queflion, 
 "which Hellen and Bewly were at a lofs to anfwer, they 
 propounded to G. Fox, and he anfwered it with, ' No, 
 for/ faid he, ' all that God made was good, and was 
 bleil, but fo was not the devil : he was called a ferpent, 
 before he was called a devil and an adverfary ; and after- 
 ward he was called a dragon, becaufe he was a deftroyer. 
 The devil abode not in the truth, and by departing irom 
 the truth he became a devil. Now there is no promife of 
 God to the devil, that ever he fliall return into truth 
 again ; but to man and woman, who have been deceived 
 by him, the promife of God is, that the feed of the wo- 
 man (hall bruife the ferpent's head, and break his power 
 and ftrength to pieces.' With this anfwer, G. Fox gave 
 fatisfa£lion to his friends ; but Hellen was fo poifoned, 
 and run our, that they denied him ; but Bewly was re- 
 covered from his fault by fmcere repentance. 
 
 G. Fox, having* performed his fervice there, went to 
 Ilelftone near Falmouth, where he had a large meeting, 
 at which many were convinced ; for he opened to the aii- 
 
 1663] People called Quakers. 61 
 
 ditory, the ftate of the church in the primitive times, and 
 the ftate of the church in the wildernefs, as alfo the ftaic 
 of the falfe church that was got up fmce : next he ihewed 
 that the everlafting gofpel was now preached again, over 
 the head of the whore, beaft, antichriil, and the falfe pro- 
 phets-, which were got up fince the apoftles days; and 
 that now the everlafting gofpel was received and receiving, 
 which brought life and immortality to light. And this 
 fermon was of fuch effect, that the people generally coii- 
 teffed, it was the everlafting Truth that had been declared 
 there that day. 
 
 G. Fox palling on, came at length to the Land's End, 
 where there was an affcmbly of his friends, and alfo a 
 fifherman, called Nicholas Jofe, who preached among 
 them, having three years before been convinced there by 
 the miniftry of G. Fox. 
 
 Whilft in thefe parts, there happened a very difmal and 
 dreadful cafe. 
 
 * One colonel Robinfon was, fmce the king came in, 
 made juftice of the peace ; and became a cruel perfecutor 
 of thofc called Quakers, of whom he fent many to prifon ; 
 and hearing that fome liberty was allowed them, by the 
 favour of the gaoler, to come home fomcriraes, to vifit 
 their wives and children, he made complaint thereof to 
 the judge at the affizes, againft the gaoler ; who there- 
 upon was fined an hundred marks by judge Keeling. Not 
 long after the affizes, Robinfon fent to a neighbouring 
 juftice, defiring he would go with him a fanatick hunting, 
 (meaning the difturbing of Quakers* meetings.) On the 
 day that he intended thus to go a hunting, he fent his 
 man about with his horfes, and walked himfelf to a tene- 
 ment that he had, where his cows and dairy were kept, 
 and where his fervants were then milking. Being come 
 there, he allied for his bull, and the maids faid, they had 
 fliut him into the field, becauft^ he" was unruly amongft 
 the kine. He then going into the field, and having for- 
 merly accuftomed .himfelf to play with the bull, he began 
 to fence at him with his ftalF, as he ufed to do; but the 
 bull fnuffing, went a little back, and then ran fiercely at 
 him, and ftruck his horn into his thigh, and lifting him 
 
6i 
 
 THE HISTORT OP THE 
 
 C1665 
 
 1663] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED RAKERS. 
 
 63 
 
 i 
 
 upon his horn, threw him over his back, and tore up his 
 thigh to his belly ; and when he came to the ground, he 
 broke his leg, and the bull then gored him again with his 
 horns, and roared, and licked up his blood. One X)( 
 the maid feryants hearing her mafter cry out, came run- 
 ning into the field, and took the bull by the horns to pull 
 him off; but he, without hurting her, gently put her by 
 with his horns, and ftill fell to goring him, and licking up 
 his blood. Then (he ran and got fome workmen that 
 were not far off, to come and refcue her mafter ; but they 
 couid not at all beat off the bull, till they brought maftiff 
 dogs to fet on him ; and then the bull fled. His fifler 
 having notice of this difafter, came and faid, * Alack, 
 brother, what a heavy judgment is this!* And he an- 
 fwered, ' Ah, fifter, it is a heavy judgment indeed : pray 
 let the bull be killed, and the flefh given to the poor.' 
 So he was taken up, and carried home, but fo grievoufly 
 wounded, that he died foon after ; and the bull was be- 
 come fo fierce, that they were forced to kill him by (hoot- 
 ing. This was the iilue of Robinfon's mifchievous intent 
 to go a fanatick hunting.' I remember that in my youth 
 I heard with aftonilhmcnt the relation of this accident 
 from William Caton, who by a letter from England had 
 received intelligence of it ; for the thing was fo remark- 
 able, that the tidings of it were foon fpread afar off. 
 
 Now I return to G. Fox, who from Cornwall travelled 
 toBriftol, and fo into Wales, from whence paffmg through 
 Warwickfliire and Derbyfhire, he came to York. Here 
 he heard of a plot, which made him write a paper to his 
 friends, wherein he admonifhed them to be cautious, and 
 not at all to meddle with fuch buftlings. And travelling 
 towards Lancafhire, he came to Swarthmorc, where they 
 told him, that colonel Kirby had fent his lieutenant thither 
 to fearch for him, and that he had fearched trunks and 
 chefts. G* Fox having heard this, the next day went to 
 Kirby-hall, where the faid colonel lived ; and being come 
 to him, he told him, 'I am come to vifir thee, under- 
 ftanding that thou woulJil: have feen me, and now I would 
 fain know what thou hail: to fay to me, and whether thou 
 haii any thing againft me.* The colonel who did not ex- 
 
 peft fuch a vifit, and being then to go up to London to 
 the parliament, faid before all the company, * as 1 am a 
 gentleman I have nothing againft you : but Mrs. Fell 
 muft not keep great meetings at her houfe ; for they meet 
 contrary to the aft.* G. Fox told him, ' That aft does 
 "not take hold on us, but on fuch as meet to plot and 
 contrive, and to raife infurrcftions agamft the king j and 
 we are none of thofe, but are a peaceable people.' After 
 fome words more, the colonel took G. Fox by the hand, 
 and faid, he had nothing againft himj' and others faid, 
 he was a defcrving man. 
 
 Then G. Fox parted, and returned to Swarthmore, and 
 fliortly after he heard there had been a private meeting of 
 the juftices and deputy lieutenants at Hpulker-hall, where 
 juftice Prefton lived, and. that there they had iffued a 
 warrant to apprehend him. Now he could have gone 
 away, and got out of their reach; but confiderinf that, 
 there being a noife of a plot in the north, if he (hould 
 go away, they might fall upon his friends ; but if he ftaid, 
 and was taken, his friends might cfcape the better ; he 
 therefore gave up himfelf to be taken. Next day an officer 
 came with his fword and piftols to take him. G. Fox 
 told him, 'I knew thy errand before, and have given 
 up myfelf to be taken ; for if I would have efcaped im- 
 prifonment, I could have been gone forty miles off j but 
 I am an innocent man, and fo matter not what ye can do 
 to me/ Then the officer alked him, how he heard of it, 
 feeing the order M^as made privately in a parlour. G. Fox 
 faid, it was no matter for that ; it was Sufficient that he 
 heard of it. Then he alked him to fliew his order. But 
 he laying his hand on his fword, faid, ' You muft go 
 with me before the lieutenants, to anfwer fuch queftions as 
 they fhall propound to you.' Now though G. Fox infifted 
 to fee the order, telling him it was but civil and reafon- 
 able to ftiew it, yet the officer would not 5 and then 
 G. Fox faid, ' I am ready.' So he went along with him, 
 and Margaret Fell alfo, to Houlker-hall. Being come 
 thither, there was one juftice Rawlinfon, Sir George 
 Middleton, juftice Prefton, and feveral more whom he 
 knew not. Then they brought one Thomas Atkiafoo, 
 
 Vol. II. ^ 
 
64 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 ^-^3] 
 
 one of his friends, as a witnefs againfl: him, for fomc 
 words which he had told to one Knipe, who had informed 
 againfl him; and thefe words were, that he had written 
 againll the plotters, and had knocked them down : but 
 from thefe words little could be made. Then Preflon 
 aiked him, whether he had an hand in the Battledore ? 
 (being a folio book already mentioned,) ' Yes,' faid G. 
 Foxi He then alked him, whether he underftood languages? 
 He anfwered, « Sufficient for myfelf.* 
 
 Preflon having fpoken fomething more on that fubje6^, 
 faid, * Come, we will examine you of higher matters:' 
 then faid George Middleton, « You deny God, and the 
 church, and the faith.' ' Nay,' rephed G. Fox, ' I own 
 God, and the true church, and the true faith:' 'But,' 
 afked he, (having underftood Middleton to be a Papift,) 
 * what church doft thou own ?' The other, inftead of an- 
 fwering this queftion, faid, ' You are a rebel and a traitor.' 
 Q. Fox perceiving this jVIiddlcton to be an envious man, 
 aiked him whom he fpoke to ? or whom he called rebel ? 
 The other having been filent a while, faid at laft, ' I fpoke 
 to you.' G. Fox then ftriking his hand on the table, 
 told him, ' I have fuffered more than twenty fuch as 
 thou, or any that are here; for I have been caft into 
 . Derby dungeon for fix months together, and have fuf- 
 fered much, becaufe I would not take up arms againft this 
 king, before Worcefter fight; and I have been fent up 
 prifoner out of my o\vn country by colonel Hacker to 
 O. Cromwell, as a plotter to bring in king Charles. Ye 
 talk of the king, a company of you ; but where were ya 
 in Oliver's days ; and what did ye do then for the king? 
 l^ut I have more love to him, for his eternal good and 
 Ayclfare, than any of you have.' . Then they alTced him, 
 whether he liad heard of the plot ? And he faid, ' Yes.' 
 Hereupon he was aiked, how he had heard of it, and 
 whom he knew in it? And he anfwered, he had heard 
 of it through the high flieriff of Yorklhire, who had told 
 Dr. Hodgfon, that there was a plot in the north ; but 
 that he never heard any thing of it in the fouth ; and 
 that he knew none of them that were in it. Then they 
 aiked him, ' Why would you write againft it, if you did 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QIJAKERS. 
 
 6S 
 
 not know fome that were in it. « My reafon was,' an- 
 fwered he, ' becaufe ye are (o forward to mafh the'inno- 
 cent and guilty together; therefore I writ againft it to 
 clear the I'ruth from fuch things;, and to ftop all ibrward 
 foolifli fpirits from running into fuch things : and I fent 
 copies of it into Weftmordand, Cumberlard, Bifttoprick, 
 and Yorkfhire, and to you here ; and 1 fent alfo a copy of. 
 It to the k'nw and his council ; and it is like it may be in 
 print by this time.' 7^hen faid one of them, ' O this man 
 hath great power.' ' Yes,' faid he, ^ I have power to 
 write aganift plotters.' * But,' faid one of them, ^ you 
 are againft the laws of the land.' « Nay,' faid he, ' for I 
 and n.y friends dire^ all the people to the Spirit of God in 
 them, to mortify the deeds of the flefli : this brings them 
 into well doing, and from that which the magiftrates fword 
 IS againft ; which eafes the magiftrates, who are for the 
 puiiifhment of evil doers,' &c. 
 
 Middleton now weary, as it feemed, of his fpeaking, 
 cried, ' Ering the book, and put the oath of allrgiance 
 and lupremacy to him.' But G, Fox knowing him to be 
 a Papift, aiked him, whether he who w'as a fw^earer,^ 
 had taken the oath of fupremacy ; for this oath tending^ 
 to rejea the pope's power in England, was a kind of teft 
 to try people whether they were Papifts, or no : ' But as 
 for us,' faid G. Fox, \ we cannot fwear at all, becaufe 
 Chrift and his apoflles have forbidden it.' Now fome of 
 thefe that fiit there, feeing Middleton was thus pinched, 
 would not have had the oath put to G. Fox ; but others 
 would, becaufe this was their laft fnare, and they had no 
 other way to get him into prifon : for all other things had 
 been cleared ; but this was like the Papifts' fiicrament of 
 the altar, by which they formerly enfnared the martyrs : 
 and in the Low Countries they aiked the Baprifts, whether 
 they were re-baptized ; and if this appeared, then they 
 faid, * We do not kill you, but the emperor's decree coa- 
 demns you.' So they tendered G. Fox the oath, and he 
 refufing to take it, they c<infulted together about fending 
 him to gaol; but all not agreeing, he was only engaged 
 to appear at the feffions ; and fo for that time they dif- 
 miiTed him. 
 
 K 2 
 
66 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 Then he went back with Margaret Fell to Swarthmorc, 
 where colonel Weft, who was at that time a jufticc of the 
 peace, came to (ec him. And G. Fox aiking him, what 
 be thought they would do with him at the feffions, he 
 faid, they would tender the oath to him again. The 
 time of the feflions now approaching, G. Fox went to 
 Lancafter, and appeared according to his engagement; 
 where he found upon the bench, juftice Flemming, who 
 in Weftmoreland had offered five pounds to any man that 
 would apprehend G. Fox. There were alfo the juftices 
 Spencer and Rawlinfon, and colonel Weft ; and a great 
 concourfe of people in court, and when G. Fox came up 
 to the bar, and ftood with his hat on, they looked ear- 
 neftly upon him. Then proclamation being made for all 
 to keep filence on pain of imprifonment, he faid twice, 
 « Peace be among you.' Then Rawlinfon, who was a 
 chairman, fpoke, and aiked, if he knew where he was ? 
 To which he anfwered, ' Yes, I do ; but it may be my 
 hat offends you j but that's a low thing, that's not the 
 honour I give to magiftrates : for the true honour is from 
 above; and I hope it is not the hat which ye look upon 
 to be the honour.' To which the chairman faid, ' We 
 look for the hat too. Wherein do you ftiew your refpeft 
 to magiftrates, if you do not put off your hat ?' G. Fox 
 replied, * In coming when they call me.' They then bid 
 one take off his hat. After fome paufe, (he chairman 
 afked him, whethep he knew of the plot. To which he 
 returned, that he had heard of it in Yorkfhire, by a 
 friend that had it of the high-fheriff. The next queftion 
 was, whether he had declared it to the magiftrates ; and 
 his anfwcr was, * I have fcnt papers abroad againft plots 
 and plotters, and alfo to you, as foon as I came into the 
 country, to take all jealoufies out of your minds con- 
 cerning me and my friends : for it was, and is our prin. 
 ciplc to declare againft fuch things.' Then they aiked 
 him, if he knew not of an aft againft meetings. To 
 which he made anfwer, that h<? knew there was an aft 
 that took hold of fuch as met to the terrifying of the 
 king's fubjefts, and were enemies to the king, and held 
 dangerous principles. » But I hope,' faid hc^ ♦ yc do 
 
 I663] 
 
 People galled c^takers. 
 
 67 
 
 not look upon us to be fuch men ; for our meetings ar4 
 not to terrify the king's fubjefts, neither are we enemies to 
 him, or any man.' 
 
 That which followed hereupon, was the tendering of 
 the oath of allegiance and fupremacy to him. To which 
 he told them, that he had never taken any oath in his life : 
 and that he could not take any oath at all, becaufe Chrift 
 and his apoftles had forbidden it. Then Rawlinfon, who 
 was a lawyer, afked him, whether he held it was unlawful 
 to fwear ? G. Fox prefently perceived this queftion to be 
 put on purpofe to enfnare him ; for by a certain a6l 13 and 
 14. Car. 2. cap. i, fuch who faid, it was unlawful to fwear, 
 were liable to baniftiment, or to a great fine. There- 
 fore to avoid this fnare, he told them, that in the time of 
 the law amongft the Jews, before Chrift came, the law 
 commanded them to fwear : but Chrift who did fulfil the 
 Jaw in the gofpel time, commands, not to fwear at all ; 
 and the apoftle James forbids fwearing, even to them 
 that were Jews, and had the law of God. Now after 
 much Other difcourfe, the gaoler was called, and G. Fox 
 committed to prifon. He then having the paper about 
 him which he had written againft plots, defired it might 
 be read in the court ; but this they would not fuiFer. 
 Being thus committed for refufing to fwear, he faid to 
 thofe on the bench, and all the people, ^ Take notice that 
 1 fuffer for the doctrine of Chrift, and for my obedience 
 to his command.* Afterwards he underftood, the juftices 
 faid, that they had private inftru6lions from colonel Kirby 
 to profecute him, notwithftanding his fair carriage, and 
 feeming kindnefs to him before. 
 
 Leaving G. Fox in prifon, I am to fay that the aft al- 
 ready mentioned, whereby a penalty was laid on all fuch 
 who (liould fay, it was unlawful to take an oath, was that 
 which extended to baniftiment, being made not long be- 
 fore, and exprefsly levelled againft the C)uakers, as plainly 
 appeared by the title. This is that aft, by direftion 
 whereof the Quakers, fo called, were afterwards baniftied, 
 as may be related in due time and place ; and though the 
 kinghimfelf v;as pretty good-natured, yet he fuffcred him- 
 felf to be fo fwayed by the inftigations of fome envious 
 
 ^3 
 
 \ 
 
68 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 men, as wcl! among the ecclefiafticks, as among the laity, 
 that he gave the royal affcnt thereto. 
 
 WhililG. Fox was prifoner at Lancafter, many of his 
 tricnds were alfo imprifoncd, for freauenting religious 
 meetings, refufing to take oaths, and for not paying tithes 
 to the priefts ; but fince he was not brouoht to his trial till 
 next year we wiil leave him frill in gaol,^and in the mean- 
 while will take a turn to Colchcfter, where pcrfecution now 
 was exceeding fierce. 
 
 In the month of Oaoher, William More, mayor of 
 that town, came on a Firft-day of the week, and broke up 
 the meeting ot the Qiiakers, fo called, and committed fome 
 ot them to prilon ; the next week he did fo again, and a 
 week after he caufed a party of the county troop to come 
 to the nnecting. Thefe beat iome, and did much mifchief 
 
 T J c"^^' '^^^^' ^"^ windows of the meeting- place. 
 And afterwards the mayor employctl an old man to itop 
 people fi-ora going in at the gate to the meeting-room; 
 who told thofe that would have entered, that the mayor 
 had let him there to keep them out. Now ihouah they 
 knew he was no officer, nor had any warrant, vet they 
 niade no rcfiftance, but continuing in the ftreet, thus kept 
 their meeting m a peaceable m.aimer, being not free for 
 confcience fake to leave off their publick worlhip of God, 
 though in that time of the year it was cold, ard often wet 
 weather ; and thus it continued many weeks, though at- 
 tended with fo much difficulty. 
 
 Iti the-fore part of December there came about forty of 
 the king's troopers, on horfeback, in their armour, with 
 Iwords, carbines, and piftols, crying, ' What a devil do 
 ye here :' And foiling violently upon this harmlefs com- 
 paiiy, they beat them, fome with fwords, and others with 
 carbines, without diainaion of male or female, old or 
 young, until many were much bruiied, chafing them to 
 and fro in the. flreets. 'Ihe next Firft day of the week 
 thele furious fellows came again, having now got clubs, 
 wherewith, as well as with fwords and Ci-rbincs, they 
 mo t grievoufly beat thofe that were peaceably met to- 
 gether in the ftreet to worfliip God. This cru'el beatin<T 
 was lo exccilive, that fome got above an hundred blows, 
 
 1663] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 69 
 
 and were beaten fo black and blue, that their limbs loft 
 their natural ftrength. One there was whom a trooper 
 beat fo long, that the blade of his fword fell out of the 
 hilt, which he that was thus beaten feeing, faid to the 
 other, ' I will give it thee up again,* which he did, with 
 thefe words, ' I defire the Lord may not lay this day's 
 work to thy charge/ 
 
 But to avoid prolixity, I fhall not mention all the par- 
 ticular mif-ufages which I find to have been committed 
 there. Thefe cruel doings continued yet feveral weeks, 
 and fome were beaten fo violently, that their blood was 
 Ihedin the ftrects, and they funk down, and fainted away. 
 One Edward Graunt, a man of about threefcore and ten 
 years of age (whofe wife and daughters I was well ac- 
 quainted with), was fo terribly knocked down, that he 
 out^lived it but a few days. So hot was this time now, 
 that thefe religious worfliippers, when they went to their 
 meeting, feemed to go to meet death ; for they could not 
 promife to themfelves to return home either whole or alive. 
 But notwithftanding all this, their zeal for their worfliip 
 was fo lively, that they durft not ftay at home, though 
 human reafoning might have advifed them thereto. And 
 fome of them had been people of note in the world ; as, 
 among others, one Giles Barnadifton, who having fpent 
 fix years in the univerfity, in the ftudy of human litera- 
 ture, afterwards came to be a colonel ; but in procefs of 
 time, having heard G. Fox the younger, preach, he was 
 fo entirely convinced of the. Truth by him declared, that 
 laying down his military command, he entered into the 
 fociery of thofe called Quakers, and continuing faithful, 
 he in time became a miniiter of the gofpel among the faid 
 people ; being a man of a meek fpirit, and one whom I 
 knew very we!I. This Barnadifton did not forbear fre- 
 quenting meetings, how hot foever the perfecution was, 
 being fully given up to hazard his life with his friends. 
 
 One Solomon Fromantle, a merchant, with whom I was 
 well acquainted, was fo grievoufly beaten, that he fell 
 down, and loft much of his blood in the ftreet ; and yet 
 the barbarous troopers did not leave off* beating him. His 
 wife, a daughter of the aforefaid Edward Graunt, fear- 
 
 E3 
 
.7^ THE HISTORY OF THE [^^^J 
 
 ing left he fliould be killed, fell down upon Iiim, to cover 
 and prorea him from the blows with the hazard of her 
 own body, as flic hcrfelf told me in the prcfence of her 
 faid hulband : a conjugal love and fidelity well worthy to 
 be mentioned, and left upon record. And though (he 
 then did not receive very fierce blows, yet there were fomc 
 women whofe lot it was to be forely beaten with clubs, 
 whereinto iron fpikes were driven, as among the reft an 
 aged widow, who received no lefs than twelve fuch bloody 
 blows on feveral parts of her body ^' and another womaa 
 was pierced in her loins with fuch a fpiked club. An an- 
 cient man of fiKty-fivc years was followed a great way by 
 three on foot and one on horfeback, and fo beaten and 
 bruifed, that a woman, pitying this old man, fpoke to rhefe 
 mifchievous fellows to leave off; but this fo incenfed him 
 that was on horfeback, that he gave her a hard blow with 
 his fword on the (houider, with curfing and railing. This 
 barbarity continued, till the pcrfecutors feemed to be more 
 wearied out than the perfecuted, who feemed to grow va- 
 liant in thefe fore tribularions, h6w grievous foevcr. A 
 great promoter of this furious violence was captain Turner, 
 who diove on his troopers to a^ this j nay, fuch was his 
 malice, that once at the breaking up of a meeting, he not 
 only gave order to beat the peopk, but alfo to fpoil the 
 doors, windows, and walls, fo that the damage came to 
 five and twenty pounds. 
 
 Now I could enter upon a large relation of the trial of 
 many prifoners at Worcefler, before the judges Hide and 
 Terril ; but fmcc that trial was much atrer the fame man-'^ 
 ner as that of John Crook, here before-mentioned at 
 large, I will but curforily make fome mention of it. When 
 the prifoners, being brought to the bar, aiked, why they 
 had been kept fo long in prifon ; they were anfwered 
 with the qucltion, whether they would take the oath of 
 allegiance. And endeavours were ufed to draw fome to 
 betray themfelves, by a/king them, where they had been 
 on fuch a day. For if they had faid, at meeting, then it 
 would have appeared from' their own mouth that they 
 had a^ed contrary to the law ; but they anfwered warily, 
 that they were not bound to accufe themfelves. Others 
 by evidence were charged with having been at a meeting ; 
 
 1663] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 7« 
 
 and when they faid, that their meetings wel*e not always 
 for public worfhip ; but that they had alfo meetings to 
 take care for widows, fatherlefs, and others that were in- 
 digent ; yet it was faid to the jury, that though there was 
 no evidence, that there had been any preaching in the 
 meeting, yet if rhey did but believe that the prifoners had 
 kept a meeting for religious worfhip, it was fufficient 
 for them to approve the indivElment. And yei fuch pro- 
 cedings in other cafes would have been thought onwar- 
 ranrahle. 
 
 One Edward Bourn being imprifoned for having beea 
 at a meeting, and afterwards brought to his trial, the oath 
 w^as rendered to him. Among other words he fpoke in 
 defence of himfelf, he faid, ' Suppofe Chrift and his apof- 
 iles kept a meeting here in this time, would this aft againft 
 conventicles alfo take hold of them I* * Yes,' faid the 
 judge, ' it would.' But bethinking himfelf, he faid, * 1 
 wont anfwer your queftions } ye arc no apoftles.' The 
 conclufion was, that Bourn and feveral of his friends were 
 fined each of them five pounds. 
 
 Now fince thofe that were fined thus, did not ule to 
 pay the fines, judging that the thing which they were 
 fined for was an indifpenfable duty they owed to God, and 
 therefore they could not pay any fuch fine with a good 
 confcience, the confcquence thereof generally was im- 
 prifonment, and diftraining of their goods, whereby fome 
 loft twice, and it may be, thrice as muc1i as the fine 
 amounted to. Some of the prifoners made it appear, that 
 they had been fomewhere elfe, and not in the meeting, 
 at the houfe of one Robert Smith, at fuch time as the 
 evidence declared by oath ; yet becaufe they gave no fa^ 
 tisfaftory anfwer to the queftion, whether they had not 
 been there on that day, they were deemed guilty. The 
 faid Robert Smith was premunired : for the oath of alle- 
 giance being, tendered to him, and he, menaced by the 
 judge with a premunirc, afked, for whom that law, for 
 taking the faid oath, wa« made, whether not for Papifts. 
 And on fufpicion that fome of that perfuafipn fat on the 
 bench, he aiked alfo, whether they, for the fatisfaftioa 
 of the people, there prcfcnt, ought not alfo to take the 
 
72 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [l663 
 
 oath. Eur the. judge M-avcd this, telling him, he mun: 
 tiikc the oath, or die Sentence fhould be pronounced 
 •agaiuft hhn. Smith a Iked then, whether the example of 
 Chrift ihould decide the queilion ; but the judge iaid, « I 
 am not come here to difpure with you concerning the 
 doi^rine of Chriil, but to inform you concerning the doc- 
 nine of the law.' Then Smith was led away, and after- 
 wards, when an indiament for his refufmg the oath was 
 drawn up, he was brought into the court again, and 
 aiked, whether he would anfwer to the indiftmenr, or 
 no ; and the reafons he gave not being accepted, the 
 judge faid, before Smith had done fpeaking, 'This is 
 your fcntence, and the judgment of the court. You (hall 
 be ihut out of the king's proreciion, and forfeit your 
 perfonal eftate to the king for ever, and your real eftate 
 during life.' To this Robert faid with a compofed mind, 
 *The Lord hath given, and if he fulfers it to be taken 
 away, his w^ill be done.' '\ hus Robert Smith fuffered, 
 with many more of his friends, there and clfewhere : all 
 which 1 believe my life-time would not be fufficient to de- 
 fcribe circiimftantially. 
 
 Palling then by the other pcrfecutions of this year, I 
 will rtlate one remarkable cafe that happem^d in this year 
 ' 1663, where patience triumphed very eminently over vio- 
 lence. But before I enter upon this ilarrative, it will not 
 be amifs to go back a little, and mention fome fmgular 
 Cdfes of the chief a(5lor of the facl 1 am going to defcnbe. 
 
 His name was Thomas Lurting, who formerly had been 
 boatf.vaia's mate in a man of war, and often had been 
 prtfervcd in imminent dangers:: as once being at the Ca- 
 nary ifiands, under admiral Blake, commander in this ex- 
 pedition, they ruined the admiral and vice admiral of the 
 Spanifli galleons, and this being done, he with kytn men 
 was ftnt wirh a pinnace to fet on lire three galleons in the 
 hay ; which order he executed, by fetting one of them on 
 fire, which burnt the other tvwo. But returning, and 
 paffing by a breaft-work, they received a volley of fmali 
 ihot, by which two men, dole to one of which Thomas 
 far, were killed, and a third was (hot in his back, but 
 Thomas received no harm. And going out of the bay. 
 
 .1653] • PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 73 
 
 they came within about four fiiips length of the caflle, 
 which had forty guns ; and Vv'hen they came.dire£lly over 
 againfl: the cadle, the guns were fired, a-nd a fhot cut the 
 bolt- rope a little above Thomas's head, without hurting 
 hitn. In more dangers he was eminently preferved, but 
 that I may not be too prolix, I will now relate, how from 
 a fighting failor he became a harmlefs Chriflian. 
 
 About the year 1654, it happened that among the 
 foidiers which were in the ihip he was in, there -.vas one 
 that had been at a meeting of thofe called Quakers in 
 Scotland, and there were two young men in the (hip who 
 had ibme converfe with him ; but he was foon taken 
 away from the fhip. Yet thefe two young men feemed to 
 be under fome convincement ; for vibout fix months, after 
 they fcrupled to go and hear the prieft, and to put ofF 
 their hats to the captain; by which they came to be called 
 C)uakers. Thefe two met often together in filence, which 
 being feen by others of the fliip, their number increafed ; 
 but this troubled the captain exceedingly, and the prieft 
 grew not a little angry, and faid to our boatfwain, ' O 
 Thomas, an honed man and a good Chriftian ; here is a 
 dangerous people on board, viz. the Quakers, a blaf- 
 phemous people, denying the ordinances and word of 
 God.* This made Thomas fo furious, that in a bigotted 
 zeal he fell to beating and abufing thefe men, when re- 
 ligioufly met together. But this was not the way to have 
 a quiet and fedate mind ; for the remembrance of his 
 former deliverances ftuck fo clofe upon him, that he could 
 no more beat any of the faid people ; and then he came 
 to a farther fight, infomuch that he clearly faw what a 
 fellow the prieft was : for when Thomas could no longer 
 abufc the faid people, then he was not accounted by him 
 either an honeft man or a good Chriftian. Now being 
 under condemnation becaufe of his outgoings, he made 
 many promifes to the Lord ; but these being made in his 
 own will, were of little efieft. Yet by the grace of God 
 it was Ihewed him, that fince he did not perform thefe 
 promifes, he could not be benefited thereby, which caufed 
 him much trouble. 
 ^ Among thofe In the ftiip, called Quakers, was one Roger 
 
/a 
 
 74 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THI 
 
 [1663 
 
 PEOPLI CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 75 
 
 Dennis, whom he entirely lovqd, and therefore never 
 (truck h'u:i ; ,for this man liad a check on Thomas, to that 
 degree, that looking only upon him, he durft not touch 
 any of thofe whom he intended to have abufed. In this 
 fta^e, feehng no peace in his mind, after fome time he 
 much defired to be alone, the more freely to pour out his 
 heart before the Lord ; and though he then f«lt hinfelf 
 niwardly condemned, yet judgmenu became pleafant to 
 liHii^ becaufe thereby his heart was tendered and broken : 
 in which ftatc he could not forbear fometimes to cry out, 
 
 Lord ! But this, being obferved by the fliip*s crew, 
 made lome fay, he was mad, and others, he was diftraacd j 
 and of this fome writ home to England. Now it fell to 
 his fliare to be mocke ■ and ridiculed ; but he endeavoured 
 to be fully given up, if he might but have peace in his 
 confcience with God. 
 
 And being one evening alone, he was verv earnefi: with 
 the Lord, to know what people he fhould join himfelf to^ 
 and then it was plainly fhcwed him, the Quakers. But 
 this fo flartied him at that time, that de defired of the 
 Lord, rather to die than to live : for to join with a people 
 whom he fo often had been beating and abufing, feemed 
 to be harder to him than death itfelf ; and by the fubtilty 
 of Satan he was often aflaulted by various thoughts, to 
 keep him off from the faid people. But when the Lord 
 made him mindful of his manifold prefervations and de- 
 liverances, it mollified his heart, fo that at length he 
 came to this'refolution, whether Quaker or no (^aker, 
 
 1 am for peace with God. Yet it coft him many a bitter 
 Cgh, and many a forrowful tear, before he could come to 
 a full refignation. But the inward reproofs of the Lord, 
 attended with judgments, followed him fo clofe, that he 
 could no longer forbear, but gave up. And then he took 
 opportunity to dlfcover his heart to his friend Roger 
 Dennis, who fpoke fo to the purpofe, that he had great 
 fatisfaftion. But not long after temptations affaulted him 
 again in this manner, ' What, to join thyfelf to fuch a 
 foolifh people!' And the very thoughts of this were fo 
 grievous to him, that he grew even weary of his life ; for 
 thus to cxpofe himfelf to fcom, fecmcd to him an in- 
 
 1663] 
 
 tolerable crofs ; but this ftruggUng was not the way to 
 get peace with God. The firft day of the week being 
 come, he refolvcd to go to the fmall meeting, which was 
 now of fix, in number ; but it being reported that he wa« 
 among the Quakers, many of the company left their wor- 
 fliip to fee him; and thty made a great noife. When the 
 worlhip was over, the captain alked the reafon of that 
 uoifc; and it was told him, that Thomas wasamongft the 
 Qiiakers; on which he fent for him, there being fevcral 
 officers alfo prefent; -but the iirft that fpoke was the 
 pricft, faying, ' Thomas, I took you for a very honcft 
 man, and a good Chriftian, but am forry you (hould l>e 
 fo deluded.* And the captain endeavoured to prove from 
 the blUe, the Quakers were no Chriftians. Thomas in 
 the mean-while was dill and quiet ; and the others feeing 
 they could not prevail upon him that way, took another 
 courfe, and faid, that the Quakers fometimes cagi% to 
 him, faying, • Do fuch and fuch a thing.* But becaufe 
 he knew this to be aJtogether faife, and faw how they 
 would bear him down with lies, he was the more ftrength- 
 ened ; fo that going to his, friends, he faid to them, 
 -* When I went to the captain, I was fcarce half a Quaker; 
 but by their lies and falfe reports they have made me al- 
 tnoft a whole Quaker ; or at lead I hope to be one.* 
 
 He cominuing to meet with his friends for the performing 
 of worfhip, fome more came to be joined to them, fo that 
 in lefs than Ak months after, they were twelve men, and 
 two boys, one of which was the priefl's. Now, there was 
 none aboard that would abufe the Quakers, though much 
 tried by the captain ; for he got fome men out of other 
 flups on purpofe to vex them : but how fiercely foever 
 thefe behaved themfelves, a higher power limited them. 
 At length, there was a fickqefs in the fhip, which fwept 
 away above forty in a fhort time ; and mod of the m called 
 Quakers, had the diftempcr alfo, but none cicd of it, 
 though fome were brought very low. They to.jk great 
 care of one another when fick, and whatever one had was 
 free for all ; which care being feen by otr-ers, made fome 
 of them cry upon their death-bed, ' O carry me to the 
 Quakers, for they take great care one of another, and 
 
76 
 
 THE HISTOP.Y Of THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 1663] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 77 
 
 they will take fome care* of me alfo. This vifitation in the 
 ftip, changed the captain (o much, that he was very kind 
 to Thomas, and often fent Iiim part of what he had. 
 Thomas feeing him in fuch a good humour, dcfired of 
 him to have the cabin he lay in before his change, which 
 rcqueft was granted ; for none were wilhng to lie therein, 
 becaufe they told one another it was troubled with an evil 
 fpirit; fmce three or four had died therein within a fliort 
 ipace of time. This cabin he made ufc of aUb for a 
 mcetmg-place ; and the captain was now fo well pleafcd 
 With him, that when fomcthing was to be done, he would 
 often fay, ' Thomas, take thy friends, and do fuch or 
 fuch a thfag: for as yet they were not againft fighrin^, 
 and therefore no complete Quakers. And thii^'^whai 
 Thomas and his friends were fent out on fome expedition, 
 they did their work beyond his cxpeaation. But though 
 they were not brought off from fighting, yet when, with 
 others, they annoyed their enemies, they would take none 
 oi the plunder; and in aJI dcfpcratc attempts they re- 
 ceived no hurt, though fcvoral others were killed and 
 wounded ; and they behaved thcmfelvcs fo \-aliantly, that 
 their captain would, fay to other captains, that he cared 
 not if all his men were Quakers, for they were the har- 
 diclt men in his ftiip. But though this was a time of 
 liberty, yet Thomas looked upon it as a forergnncr of 
 tother exercile ; for he faw what was done in pretended 
 fricnd/hip, was but to fcrve their own ends ; and there- 
 fore he expected a time of trial would come, and fo it did. 
 
 For being come to Leghorn, thev were ordered to ^^o 
 
 to Barcelona, to take or burn a Spanifli man of w^r. 
 
 Their ftation was 16 lie againll a caille, and, batter it; 
 
 which they did ; and one corner of the caflle playiii'. 
 
 fome fhot mro their fliip, Thomas was for be^.ting doAvn 
 
 that part: and ihofe called Quakers, fought with as much 
 
 courage as any. He himfelf being (tripped to his waift- 
 
 coat, and going into the forecaftle, he levelled the guns, 
 
 but faid, ' Fire not, till I go out to fee where the (hot 
 
 lights, that we may level higher or lower;' he being yet 
 
 ^ as great a fighter as any ; but as he was coming out of 
 
 the forecaftle door, to fee where the fhot fell, fuddenly it 
 
 run through him, * What if now thou klHefl: a man?' 
 This ftruck him as a thunderbolt, and he that can tura 
 all men's hearts at his pleafure, changed his in a minute's 
 time to that degree, that whereas, juft before, he bent 
 all his llrength to kill men, he now found in himfelf no 
 will thereto, though it were to gain the world ; for he 
 prefenily perceived it was from the Lord ; and then put- 
 ting on his clothes, h« walked on the deck, as if he had 
 not feen a gun fired : and being under great exercife of 
 mind, fome afked him, if he was hurt. He anfwered, 
 ^ No ; but under fome fcruple of confcience on the account 
 of fighting,* though then he knew not that the Quakers 
 refufed to fight. 
 
 When night came, they went out of the reach of the 
 caftle fhot, and he took occafion to fpeak with two of his 
 friends in the fhip, and enquired their judgmerit con- 
 cerning fighting ; but they gave little aufwer to itj but 
 faid however, if the Lord fent them well home, they 
 would never go to it again/ To which he returned, that 
 if he flood honefl: to that of God in his own confcience, 
 and they came to it to morrow, with the Lord's afliftance, 
 he would bear his teftim.ony againft it ; for he clearly faw, 
 that forafmuch as they had been fuch great aclors in 
 fighting, they now mull bear their tellimony againft it, 
 and wait what would be the ifTue ; faying with themfelves, 
 'The will of the Lord be done.' The next day they 
 heard that feveral were killed on fbore, whicli grieved 
 I'homas not a little. Some time after, one of Thomas's 
 friends went to the captain to be cleared ; and he aiking 
 why? His anfwer was, that he could fight no longer. 
 To which the captain faid, ' He that denies to fight in 
 time of engagement, I will put my fword in his guts.' 
 ' Then,' faid the other, ' thou wilt be a manflaycr, and 
 guilty of fhedding blood :' for vvhich the captain (who 
 was a Baptift preacher) beat him forcly \vith his fid and 
 cane ; and he that had been their friend, was now be- 
 come their open enemy. 
 
 Some time after (about the year 1655) being at , Leg, 
 horn, they were ordered to go a cruizing ; and one 
 morning fpied a great fliip bearing down upon t!-u:m. 
 
78 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THI 
 
 li66s 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKERS. 
 
 79 
 
 which they fiippofed to be a Spanifh man of wan Pre- 
 fcntly orders were given to clear the fhip foi fight. Thomas 
 then being upon the deck, faw plainly that a time of* trial 
 was now come, and he prayed to the Lord very earneiily 
 for ftrengih : and that which feemed molt expedient to 
 hrm, was to meet with his friends, which, after notice 
 given, was done accordingly. Being ali met, he told them 
 how it was with him, and that things feemed very dark 
 and cloudy, yet his hopt-s were, that the Lord would 
 dehver him, and all fuch as were of his faith ; to which 
 he added, M lay not this as an injun^ion upon anyone, 
 bin leave you all to the Lord:* moreover he faid, ' I muft 
 tell you, that the captain puts great confidence-m you ; 
 therefore let us be careful that we give no juft occafion ; 
 and all that are of my mind, let lis meet in the moft publ 
 lick place upon the deck, in the full view of the captain, 
 that he may not % we deceived him, in not telling him 
 that we would not fight, fo thai he might have put others 
 in onr room.* 
 
 Then Thomas went upon the deck, and fet his back 
 2gain{l the geer capftan, and a little after turning his head, 
 he faw his friends behind him ; at which though he rejoiced, 
 yet his bowels rowled within him for them, who flood 
 there as flieep ready for the flaughter. Within a little 
 time came the lieutenant, «nd faid to one of them, « Go 
 down to thy quarters ;' to which he returned, « I can 
 fight no more.' The lieutenant then going to the captain, 
 made the worft of it, laying, ' Yonder the Quakers are 
 all together; and I do not know but they will mutiny; 
 and one fays he cannot fight.' The captain having ailced 
 his name, came down to him, flung his hat overboard, 
 and taking hold of his collar, beat him with a great cane, 
 and dragged him down to his quarters. Then he went 
 upon thr. half deck again, and called for his fword, which 
 his man having brought him, he drew with great fury. 
 No fooner was this done, but the word of the Lord Tas 
 Thomas took it) run through him, faying, * The fword 
 of the Lord is over him ; and if he will have a facrifice, 
 proffer it him/ And this word w;is fo powerful in him, 
 that he quivered and Ihook, though he endeavoured to 
 
 •1663] 
 
 ftop it, fearing they fhould think he was afraid, which he 
 v/as not;, for turning his head over his (houldef, he faid 
 to his friend Roger, ' I mufi: go to the captain.' To which 
 he returned, ' Be well fatisfied in what thou doeft.* And 
 Thomas replied, there was a neceffuy upon him. Then 
 feeing the captain coming on with his drawn fword, he 
 fixed his eye with great ferioufnefs upon him, and ftcpped 
 towards him, keeping his eye upon him (in much dread 
 of the Lord,) being carried above his furious looks. At 
 which the captain^s countenance changed pale, and he, 
 turning himfelf about, called to his man to take away his 
 Iword, and fo he went off. Not long after, the (liip they 
 cxpefted to fight withal, proved to be a Genoefe, their 
 friend ; and before night, the captain fent the priefl to 
 Thomas, to excufe his anger, it having been in his pafEon. • 
 To which Thomas's anfwer^was, that he had nothing but 
 good will to him ; and he bade the priefl: tell the captain, 
 that he muff have a care of fuch paffions ; for .if he killed 
 a man in his paffion, he might feek for repentance, and 
 perhaps not find it. Thus Thomas overcame this ftorm, 
 and at length got fafe home. 
 
 Now leaving men of war, he afterwards went to fea in 
 a. merchantman, or tradiilg fiiip : but then it fell to be his 
 lot feveral times to be preffed into the king's fervice, and^ 
 being carried into a man of war, he fuffered very much. 
 Once he fafl:ed five days, taking only at times a draught 
 of water ; for he could eafily guefs, that if he had eaten 
 of their viftuals, it Would have gone the harder with him -, 
 fince he fcrupled to do any fhip-work, though it did not 
 belong to fighting ; for he judged all this to be affiftancc 
 to thofe whofe bufinefs it was to fight; and that therefore - 
 in fuch a (hip he could do nothing, whatever it was, but: 
 it was being helpful and affifling. 
 
 In this condition he met with. feveral rude occurrence*- 
 for fome years together. Being once at Harwich, hard at 
 Work in a fliip, heaving out corn in a lighter, he was 
 preffed ; but one of the men faying, that he was a Quaker, 
 the captain, who with his boat was come aboard, hiid in 
 a^fcoffmg manner to him, * Thou art no Quaker, for if 
 thou wait a (Quaker, thou fhoulJlt Be waititifr upon th'=' ' 
 Vol. IL f ^ i - 
 
 '\ 
 
8o 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 Lord, and let his ravens feed thee, and not be toiling thy 
 body.' For Thomas being ftripped to his (hirt and draw- 
 ers, his (hirt was wet with fweat ; and being a little time 
 filent, faid at length to the captain, * I perceive thou 
 haft read fome part of the fcripturcs. Didft thou never 
 xead, that he is worfc than an infidel that will not provide 
 for his family ? I have often heard the Quakers blamed 
 for not working, but thou art the firft that ever I heard 
 blame them for working.' At this the captain faid^ * Turn 
 him away, he is a Quaker.' But a little after he cried, 
 
 * Pull him again, he is no Qiiaker ; and faid to Thomas, 
 
 * Thou art no Quaker ; for here thou bringeil corn, and 
 •of it is made bread, and by the ftrength of that bread 
 
 we kill the Dutch ; and therefore no Qiiaker. Or art 
 not thou as acccllary to their deaths as we ? Anfwer me.* 
 Thomas not prefently anfwcring was much fcoffed and 
 jeered by the feamen ; bur ac length he faid to the cap- 
 lain, ' I am a man that can feed my enemies, and well 
 may I you, who pretend to be my friends.' To which 
 the captain replied, * Turn him away, he is a Quaker :' 
 and thus that llorm ccafed. 
 
 But a few days after he was prcfled again out of the 
 fame velTel, and carried oU board a man of war ; there 
 he was ordered to go into the cabin, where the capiaia 
 and fcveral officers were ; and being entered, the cap- 
 tarn began to curfe the Quakers, and fwore, that if he 
 did not hang Thomas, he would carry him to the duke 
 of York, and he would. But Thomas faid very little, 
 and felt himfelf kept by the Lord from fear. And when 
 the captain had tired himfclf with fcolding and railing, he 
 faid more mildly, * What, doft thou fay nothing for thy- 
 felf?' To which Thomas anfwcred, * ITiou fay eft enough 
 for thee and me too :' and he four^J it moft fafe to fay 
 little. This was indeed the beft way ; for generally no 
 reafons, how good foever, avail with paflionatc men ; who 
 often think it a dilparagement to them, when they hearken 
 to what is faid by one they look upon to be their in- 
 ferior. But fuch fomeiimes find they reckon amifs ; as 
 this captain did, who, notwithftanding his haughtinefs, 
 was foon ftruck by a fuperior power ; for the next night a 
 
 1663] PEOPLE CALLED qtUAKERS. 8t 
 
 fudden cry was heard, * Where is the Quaker ? Where 
 is rhe Qiiaker ?' Thomas hearing this, faid, * Here I am : 
 vrhat lack you at this time of the night ?' To which it 
 was told him, * You muft come to the captain prefently.' 
 He then coming to the cabin door, the captain faid, * Is 
 the Quaker there ? To which Thomas having anfwered, 
 * Yes,' the captain faid, ' I cannot fleep, thou muft go 
 on Ihore.^ Thomas replied, ' I am in thy hand, and thou 
 mayeft do with me as thon pleafeft.' So with the boat he 
 was put on fhore at Harwich, by order of the captain, 
 who in his fury had faid, that hanging was too good for 
 him. But now, becaufe his mind was difquieted, he could 
 not fleep, though Thomas, who lay on the hard boards, 
 flept very well. 
 
 Having faid thus much of this feaman, let us now take 
 a view, and behold how, and in what an induftrious 
 manner, he, without paffing the bounds of a peaceable 
 difpofition, retook a fliip that was taken by a pirate j 
 which happened in the year 1663, after this manner : 
 
 A mafler of a fhip, whofe nam.e was George Pattifon, 
 one of the fociety of thofe called Quakers, about the 
 month Oftober, being with his (hip in the Mediterranean, 
 coming from Venice, near the ifland Majorca, was chafed 
 by a pirate of Algiers, and their veflel failing well, thef 
 endeavoured to efcape ^ but, by carrying overmuch fail,' 
 fome of their materials gave way, by which means the 
 Turks came up with them, and commanded the maftcr 
 on board, who accordingly, with four men more, went 
 in his boat, leaving, only his mate (the before-mentioned 
 Thomas Lurting) with three men and a boy on board his 
 veffcl. As foon as thofe came on board the pirate, the; 
 Turks put thirteen or fourteen of their men into the boat, 
 to go towards the Englifh (hip. In the niean-while the 
 mate was under great exercife of mind, the rather be- 
 caufe the mafter, with four of his men, were then with 
 the Turks, and thofe that were left, were fomewhct un- 
 ruly. In this concern, however, he believed it was told 
 him inwardly by the, Lord, ' Be not afraid, for thou (halt 
 not go to Algiers :' for having had formerly great ex- 
 perience of the Lord's deliverances, as haih been faid 
 
 F 2 
 
8? 
 
 THI HISTORY OF THR 
 
 L'663 
 
 above, he had already learned to trull in God, almofl 
 agaiall hope. On the confideration of this, all fear was 
 removed from him ; and going to the fhip's fide to fee 
 the Turks come in, he leceived them as if they were 
 his friends, and they alfo behaved themfclves civilly: 
 then he fliewed them all the parts of the veffcl, and what 
 ihe was laden with. Afterwards he faid to the men that 
 were with him, * Be not afraid, for all this we (hall not 
 go' to Algiers : but let me defire you, as yq have been 
 willing to obey me, to be as willing now to obey the 
 Turks. This they promifed him, and by fo doing, he 
 foon perceived they gained upon the Turks; for they 
 feeing the fcaroen's diligence, grew the more carelefs and 
 fevourable to them. And having taken fome fraall matter 
 of the ladings fome went again to iheir own (hip, and 
 eight Turks ftaid with the Englifti. 
 
 Then the mate began to think of the mafter, and the 
 other four that were in the Turk's fliip ; as for himfclf, 
 and the others with him, he had no fear at all ; nay, he 
 was fo far from it, that he faid to one of his men, ' Were 
 but the mafler on board, and the reft of our men, if there 
 were twice as many' Turks, I fliould not fear them.' By 
 this he encouraged the feamen, who not being of his per- 
 fuafion, thought much otherwifc than he, and would 
 have been ready enough to have killed the Turks, if 
 they had feen opportunity. In the mean-while the mate's 
 canicft defire to the Lord was, that he would put it into 
 the heart of the Turks, to fend the mafter and the four 
 others back. And his defire was anfwereu ; for foon after 
 ihe mafter and thofc men were fent on board. 
 
 Then all manner of fear concerning going to Algiers 
 was taken away from him ; which made fome fay to him, 
 lie was a ftrange man, fince he was afraid before he wag 
 taken, but now he was not. Vor before they were taken, 
 he having heard there were many Turks at fea, en- 
 deavoured to perfuade the mafter to have gone to Leg- 
 horn, and there to ftay for a convoy, and fo long they 
 would have no wages. But to this the mafler would not 
 agree^ Now the mate, to anfwer the feamen, who blam'cd 
 his behaviour, faid tp them, * I now believe I shall not 
 
 1663] 
 
 PEOPLS CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 8j 
 
 go to Algiers : and if ye will be ruled by me, I will aft 
 fot your delivery, as well as my own.* However, though 
 he.fpoke thus boldly, yet he faw no way for it ; for the 
 Turks were all armed, and the Englifh without arms. 
 Now thefe being altogether, except the mafler, he faid 
 10 them, * What If we fhould overcome the Turks, and 
 go to Majorca.* At which they very much i^joiced, and 
 one faid> ' I will kill one or two ;' ' And I,* faid another, 
 
 * will cut as many of their throats as you will have me.* 
 But at thefe fayirigs the mate was much troubled, fdr he 
 intended not to hurt any, and therefore told the men, 
 
 * If I knew that any of you would touch a Turk at that 
 rate, I would tell it the Turks myfelf. But/ faid he, < if 
 ye will be ruled, I will aift for you ; if not, I will be flill.* 
 They feeing that he wouH not fufFer them to take their 
 dwn courfe, agreed to do what he would have them. 
 
 * Well,' faid he, 'If the Turks bid you do any thing, do 
 it without grumbling, and with, as much diligence and 
 quicknefs as ye can, for that j)lcafes them, and will caufe 
 them to let us to be together.* To this the men all 
 agreed ; and then he went to the mafter, and told him 
 their intention. But his anfwer was, * If we offer to rife, 
 and they overcome us, we had as good be burnt alive.' 
 The mate knew very well the mafler was in the right, 
 viz. that if they failed -in the attempt, they were like to 
 meet with the mofl: cruel treatment from the Turks that 
 could be thought of. Now the reafon why the mafter, 
 though a very bold fpirited maa, did not readily confcn* 
 to the propofal, was, becaufe he feared they would flied 
 blood ; but his mate told him, they were refolved, and he 
 queftioned not but to do it, without fliedding one drop of 
 blood ; and befides, he would rather have gone to Algiers, 
 than to kill one Turk. Speaking thus, he fo fwayed the 
 mafter, that at laft he agreed talet him do what he would, 
 provided they killed none. 
 
 Now fince two Turks lay in the cabin with the mafter, 
 it was agreed that he fhould continue to lie there, left 
 they fhould miftrufl any thing. In the mean while it be- 
 gan ro be bad weather, fo that they loft the company of 
 th.- Turkifti mi^n of war, which was the thiug the mate 
 
 / F3 
 
 >. 
 
84 
 
 •THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 much defircd; and the Turks feeing the diligence of the 
 Englifh failors, grew carelefs concerning them, which was 
 ^hat the mate aimed at. The fecond night after, the 
 captain of the Tnrks, and one of his company, being 
 rone to fleep in the cabin with the mafler, the mate per- 
 iuaded one to lie in his cabin, and about an hour after 
 another in another cabin ; and at lad it raining very much, 
 he perfuaded them all to lie down ai)d fleep ; and when 
 they were all afleep, he coming to them, fairly got their 
 arms into his poffeffion. This being done, he told his 
 men, * Now we have the Turks at our command^ no man 
 fliall hurt any of them ; for if ye do, I will be againft 
 you : but this we will do, now they are under deck, we 
 will keep them fo, and go for Majorca. And having or- 
 dered fome to keep the doors, they fteered their courfc 
 to Majorca, and they had fuch a (Irong gale, that in the 
 morning they were near it. Then he ordered his men, 
 if any offered to come out, not to let above one or two 
 at a time ; and when one came out, expefting to have 
 fcen his own country, he was not a little aftoniflied inftead 
 thereof to fee Majorca. Then the mate faid to his men, 
 * Be careful of the door, for when he goes in we (hall fee 
 what they will do. But have a care not to fpill blood.* 
 The Turk being gone down, and telling his comrades 
 w4iat he had fecn, and how they were going to Majorca, 
 they, inftead of rifing, all fell a crying, for their courage 
 was quite funk ; and they begged that they might not be 
 fold. This the mate promifcd, and faid, they mould not. 
 And when he had appeafed them, he went into the cabin 
 to the mafter, who knew nothing of what was done, and 
 gave him an account of the fudden chan.i^e, and how 
 they had overcome the Turks. Which when he under- 
 ftood, he told their captain, that the veffel was now no 
 more in their poffeffion, but in his again ; and that they 
 were going for Majorca. At this unexpefted news the 
 captain wept, and defired the mafter not to fell him; 
 which he promifed he would not. Then. they told him 
 alfo, they would make a place to hide them in, that the 
 Spaniards coming aboard (hould not find them. And fo 
 they did accordingly, at which the Turks were very glad. 
 
 1663] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 8.5 
 
 Being come into the port of Majorca, the mafter, with 
 four men, went aftiore, and left the mate on board with 
 ten Turks. The mafter having done his bufinefs, returned 
 on board, not taking licenfe, left the Spaniards ftiould 
 come and fee the Turks: but another Englifti mafter, 
 being an acquaintance, lying there alfo with his ftiip, came 
 at night on board ; and after fome difcourfe, they told 
 him what they had done, under promife of filence, left 
 the Spaniards (hould come and take away the Turks. But 
 he broke his promife, and would have had two or three 
 of the Turks, to have brought them to England. His 
 defign then being feen, his demand was denied ; and fee- 
 ing he could not prevail, he faid to Pattifon and his mate, 
 that they were fools, becaufe they would not fell the 
 Turks, which were each worth two or three hundred 
 pieces of eight. But they told him, that if they would 
 give many thoufands, they fliould not have one, for they 
 hoped to fend them home again ; and to fell them, the 
 mate faid, he would not have done for the whole ifland. 
 The other mafter then coming afliore, told the Spaniards 
 what he knew of this, who then threatened to take away 
 the Turks. But Pattifon and his mate having heard this, 
 called out the Turks, and faid to them, ' Ye muft help 
 us, or the Spaniards will take you from us.' To this the 
 Turks, as one may eafily guefs, were very ready, and fo 
 they quickly got out to fea : and the Englifti, to fave the 
 Turks, put themfelves to the hazard of being overcome 
 again ; for they continued hovering feveral days, becaufe 
 they would not put into any port of Spain, for fear of 
 looting the Turks : to whom they gave liberty for four or 
 five days, until they made an attempt to rife ; which the 
 mate perceiving,«he prevented, without hurting any of 
 them, though he once laid hold of one ; yet generally he 
 was fo kind to them, that fome of his men grumbled, and 
 faid he had more care for the Turks than for them. To 
 which his anfwer was, they were ftrangers, and therefore 
 he muft treat them well. At length, after feveral occur- 
 rences, the mate told the mafter, that he thought it beft 
 to go to the coafts of Barbary, becaufe they were then 
 like to raifs their men of war. To this the mafter cou- 
 
 F4 
 
86 
 
 THE HISTORY OV THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 fented. However, to deceive the Turks, they failed to 
 and fro for feveral days ; for in the day-time they were 
 for going to Algiers, but when night came they fleered 
 the contrary way, and went back again, by which mcani 
 they kept the Turks in ignorance, fo as to be quiet. 
 
 But on the 9th day, being all upon deck, when none 
 of the Englifh were there but the mafter, his mate, and 
 ihe man at the helm, they began to be fo untoward and 
 haughty, that it rofe in the mate's mind, what if they 
 Ihould lay hold on the mafter, and cart him overboard : 
 for they were ten lufty men, and he but a little man. 
 This thought ftruck him with terror ; but recollefting him- 
 felf, and taking heart, he flamped with his foot, and the 
 men coming up, one afked for the crow, and another for 
 the ax, to fall on the Turks ; but the mate bade them 
 not to hurt the Turks, and faid, ' I will lay hold on their 
 captain:' which he did, for having heard them threaten 
 the mafter, he ftept forward, and laying hold of the cap- 
 tain, faid, he muft go down, which he did very quietly, 
 all the reft following him. Two days after, being come 
 on the coaft of Barbary, they were, according to what 
 the Turks faid, about fifty miles from Algiers, and fix 
 from land ; and in the afternoon it fell calm. But how 
 to fct the Turks on fhdre was yet not refolved upon. The 
 mate faw well enough, that he being the man who had 
 begun this bufinefs, it would be his lot alfo to bring it to 
 an end. He then acquainted the mafter that he was willing 
 to carry the Turks on fhore; but how to do this fafely, 
 he as yet knew not certainly ; for to give them the boat 
 was too dangerous, for then they might get men and 
 arms, and fo come and retake the fnip with its own boat; 
 and to carry them on fliore with two or ^hree of the Ihip's 
 men', was alfo a great hazard, becaufe the Turks were 
 ten in number : and to put one half on fliore was no lefs 
 dangerous ; for then they might raife the country, and fo 
 furprife the Engliih when they came with the other half. 
 In this great ftrait the mate faid to the mafter, if he 
 would let him have the boat and three men to go with 
 him, he would venture to put the Turks on fliore. The 
 mafter, relying perhaps on his mate*s conduft, confented 
 
 1663I 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERS. 
 
 S7 
 
 to the propofal, though not without fome tears dropt on 
 both fidc^. Yet the mate taking courage, faid fo the 
 mafter, ' I believe the Lord will prcftrve me. For 1 have 
 nothing but good-will in venturing my life, and I Ijave no.t 
 the leaft fear upon me : but truft that all will do vyf ell.' 
 
 The mafter havinsj confented, the mate called up the 
 
 Turks, and going with two men and a boy ia ih(r boar, 
 
 took in thefe ten Turks, all loofe and unbound. Perhaps 
 
 fomebody will think this to be a very inconfiderate u\S of 
 
 the mate, and that it would have been more prudent to 
 
 have tied the Turks hands, the rather becaufe he had 
 
 made the men promife, that they fliould do nothing ta the 
 
 Turks, until he faid, he could do no more ; for then he 
 
 gave them liberty to 'aO: for their lives fo as they judged 
 
 convenient. Now fince he knew not how near he fffould 
 
 bring the Turks afhore, and whether they ftiould no^; have 
 
 been neceflitated to fwim a little, it feemed not prudent, 
 
 to do any thing which might have exafperated theifl ; for 
 
 if it had fallen out fo that they muft have fwam, T:hen of 
 
 Tiecefiity they muft have been oiotied ; which "wouLd have 
 
 been dangerous. Yet the mare did not omit to. be as 
 
 careful as poffible he could. For calling in the captain 
 
 of the Turks, he placed him firft in the boat's ftem ; 
 
 then calling for another, he placed him in his lap, and 
 
 one on each fide, and two more in their laps, until he 
 
 had placed them all ; which he did to prevent a fu^den 
 
 rifing. He himfelf fat with a boat-hook in his hand oa 
 
 the bow of the boat, having next to him one olF the fliip 
 
 men, and two that rowed, having one a carpenter's adze, 
 
 and the other a cooper's heading knife. Thefe were all 
 
 their arms, befides what belonged to 'the Turks, which- 
 
 they had at their command. Thus the boat went off, and 
 
 flood for the fl:iore. But as they came near it, themen 
 
 growing afraid, one of them cried out of a fudden, ' .Lord. 
 
 have mercy on us, there are Turks in the bufties on^ 
 
 fliore.' The Turks in the boat perceiving the Engl-iih to 
 
 be afraid, all rofe at once. But the mate, who in this 
 
 great ftrait continued to be hearty, fliewed himfelf;' now 
 
 to be a man of courage, and bid the men to take up fuch 
 
 arms as they had ; bat do nothing with them uruil he 
 

 88 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 . [I663 
 
 gave ihem leave. And then feeing that there were no 
 men in the bufhes, and that it was only an imagination, 
 all fear was taken away from him, and his courage in- 
 creafmg, he thought with him felf; * It is better to ftr ike 
 a man, than to cleave a man's head; and turning the 
 boat hook in his hand, he flruck the captain a fmart blow, 
 and bid him fit down : which he did inftantly, and fo did 
 all the reft. After the boat was come fo near the (hore, 
 that they could eafily wade, the mate bid the Turks jump 
 cut, and fo they did; and becaufe they faid they were 
 about four miles from a town, he gave them fome loaves, 
 and other neccffaries. 
 
 They would fain have perfuaded the Englifh to go with 
 them afliore to a town, promifmg to treat them with wine, 
 and other good things ; but though the mate trufted in 
 Divine Providence, yet he was not fo carelefs as freely to 
 enter into an apparent danger, without being neceflitated 
 thereto: for though he had fome thoughts that the Turks 
 would not have done him any evil, yet it was too ha- 
 zardous thus to have yielded to the mercy of thofc 
 that lived there ; and therefore he very prudently rejefted 
 their invitation, well knowing that the Scripture faith,. 
 " Thou (halt not tempt the Lord thy God.'' The Turks 
 feeing they could not pcrfuade him, took their leave with 
 figns of great kindnefs, and fo went on (hore. The Englifh 
 then putting the boat clofer in, threw them all their arms 
 on fhore, "being unwilling to keep any thing of theirs. 
 And when the Turks got up the hill, they waved their 
 caps at the Englifh, and fo joyfully took their laft farewel. 
 And as foon as the boat came again on board, they had a 
 fair wind, which they had not all the while the Turks 
 were on board. Thus Thomas Lurting faved the (hip and 
 its men ; which being thus wonderfully preferved, returned 
 to England with a profperous wind. 
 
 Now before the vclTel arrived at London, the news of 
 this extraordinary cafe was come thither ; and when flic 
 was coming up the Thames, the king, with the duke of 
 York, and feveral lords, being at Greenwich, it was 
 told him, there was a Qiiaker's ketch coming up the 
 river, that had been taken by the Turks, and redeemed 
 
 1663] 
 
 ?E0t»LE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 89 
 
 ihemfelves without fighting. The king hearing this, came 
 with his barge to the (hip's fide, and holding the entering 
 rope in his^ hand, he underftbod from the mate's own 
 mouth, how the thing had happened. But when he 
 heard him fay, how they had let the Turks go free, he 
 faid to the mafter, ' You have done like a fool, for you 
 might have had good gain for them :' and to the mate he 
 faid, ' You (hould have brought the Turks to me.' But 
 the mate anfwered, ' I thought it better for them to be 
 in their own country.' At which the king and others 
 fmiled, and fo went away, thinking that the mailer had 
 done foolifhly ; but he and his mate were of another 
 opinion, and they made it appear that they did approve 
 the leffon of our Saviour, '' Love your enemies, and do 
 good to thofe that hate you," not only with their mouths, 
 but that they had alfo put it into prafticc. 
 
 Though I have defcribed this fa^ from a printed re- 
 lation, yet 1 have added fome circumftances from the 
 mouth of the faid mate, with whom I had fome ac- 
 quaintance. 
 
 Several years afterwards, when fome feamen of the 
 people called Quakers, were in flavery at Algiers, G. Fox 
 writ a book to the grand fultan, and the king at Algiers, 
 wherein he laid before them rfieir indecent behaviour, 
 and unreafonable dealings, fhewing them from their ako- 
 ran that this difpleafed God, and that Mahomet had given 
 them other direftions. To this he added a fuccinft nar- 
 rative of what hath been related here of G. Pattifon's 
 fhip being taken and retaken, and how the Turks were 
 fet at liberty, without being made flaves : by which the 
 Mahometans might fee what kind of Chriftians the Qua- 
 kers were, viz. fuch as fhewed effeaually that they loved 
 their enemies, according to the doftrine of their fupreme 
 lawgiver, Chrift. Now concerning thofe Quakers at 
 Algiers, of whom mention hath been made that they were 
 flaves there, it was a pretty long time before opportunity 
 was f )und to redeem them ; but in the mean-while they 
 fo faithfully ferved their mafters, that they were fuifered 
 to go loofe through the town, without being chained or 
 fettered; and liberty was alfo allowed them to meet at 
 
go 
 
 THE HiSTORy OF THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 ici times for religious worfhip : and their patrons them- 
 Iclvcs would fometimcs come and fee what they did there • 
 and findmcT.no images or prints, as Papift flaves, in the 
 exerci e of their worlhip made ufe of, but hearing from 
 their Oaves th it they reverently adored and* worfhipped 
 the hvmg God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, they com- 
 mended them for it, and faid it was very good, and that 
 they might freely do {o. And fmce one of them was raifed 
 to ipcak by way of edification to his friends, fome other 
 t.nghlh flaves frequenting that meeting, came to be united 
 uiihthem. In the mean^while the Quakers name came 
 to be known at Algiers, as a people that might be trufled 
 beyond others. 
 
 It was in this y.Mr that William Caton went into Eng- 
 land With his wife from Holland, (where he was married) 
 and two friends more, one of which was Judith Zinfpenning 
 my niother, who was moved to fpeak at the meeting at 
 Ktnglton, where W. Catcn interpreted for her. At ano- 
 ther time being in a meeting at London, and he nol 
 prefrnt, and feeling herfelf ftirred up to declare of the 
 k)ving-kmdnefs of xhe Lord to thofe that feared him, Qie 
 defired one Peter Sybrands to be her interpreter ; but he, 
 though an honeft man, yet not very fit for that fervice, 
 one or more friends told her, they were fafcnfible of the 
 power by which fhe fpoke, that though they did not un- 
 dcHtand her words, yet they were edified by the life and 
 power that accompanied her fpeech ; and therefore they 
 little mattered the want of interpretation; and fp fhe 
 went on without any interpreter. She had indeed a very 
 good talent, and left fuch repute behind her, that I 
 fommg fcveral years after into England, kindnefs wa$ 
 Ihewed me m feverai places on her account. After a flay 
 pf fome w^eeks at London, and thereabouts, (he went to 
 Colchefler, in order to return with W. Caton's wife to 
 Holland; but making fome flay in that town, fhe there 
 writ a book of proverbs, which, W. Caton having traof. 
 lated into Englifli, was printed at London^^ After her 
 departure, he flaying behind, travelled through EfTex, 
 Warw»ckihire, StafFordfhirc, Derbyfhire, Nottinghamfhire, 
 and Yorkfhire; and coming into Lancafliire, he repaired 
 
 1663] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 9I 
 
 to Swarthmore, and found there not only his ancient 
 miflrefs, Margaret Fell, Nvho received him very kindly, 
 but alfo G. Fox, not long before he was taken prifoner. 
 
 From thence Caton went to Sunderland, and fo to 
 Scarborough, where meeting with ,a velTcl bound for 
 Holland, he embarked, and went off with a fair wind : 
 but it was not long before the wind changed ; and being 
 about ten leagues from the land, the Iky began to look 
 tempeftuous; which made Caton advife the mafter to re- 
 turn; but he thinking the weather would foon change, 
 was unwilling to do fo ; yet it fell out othertvife, for a 
 violent florm arofe, by which the fhip was fo exceedingly 
 tofl, that file grew, leaky, and took fo much water, that 
 the pumps continually mufl be kept going. But this fo 
 wearied the feainen, that Caton alfo fell to pumping ; for 
 though he found himfelf prepared to meet death, if it had 
 been the will of the Lord, yet he knew it to be the 
 duty of a. man to prefervc his life by lawful meaas, as 
 long as pofTibie ; befides, he pitied the poor fearaen, and 
 fo was made willing to help them as much as lay in his 
 power. But at length they loft the ufe of the tudJer, 
 and were near the fands and fiiallows, by which the dan- 
 ger was greatly increafed, and death feemed to approach. 
 
 Now Caton, though given tip in the will of the Lord, 
 and prepared to have found his grave in the deep, yet 
 iciid not omit to call upon the Lord, and to pray to the ^ 
 Moll High for deliverance,'^ if it were corfiflcnc with his 
 hojy will ; and when the florm was at the highell, his 
 fupplication was heard, and the tempeft on a fudden began . 
 to ceafe, and the wind to abate ; which gave him occafion 
 to praife the Almighty for the great mercy fhewed t j him 
 and the mariners. Yet the wind being contrary, the 
 mafler relblved to enter Yarmouth, where Caton met 
 with another florm: for on the Firll-day of the wetk, 
 being at a meeting of his friends., he with fev-jn more 
 were apprehended, and carried to the main guard. The 
 next day they were brought before the bailiifs of the 
 town, who tendered ihem the oath of allegiance ; which 
 they refufing to take, were fent to prii'un^ where he was 
 
9* 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1663 
 
 kept above fix months, (o that it was noi till the next year 
 lh;it he returned into Holland. 
 
 Whilft he was in gaol, Stephen Crifp came the firfl 
 time into Holland, to vifit his friends there, and to edify^ 
 them with his gift. Jt would not be amifs here to fay a 
 little of his qualifications. He was a man of notable na- 
 tural abilities, and had been zealous for religion before 
 ever he entered into fellowfhip with thofe called Quakers.. 
 But when the report of this people fpread itfelf in the 
 pl.ice where he lived, he made enquiry after them and 
 their doctrine, and though he heard nothing but evil 
 fpoken of them, it nevcrthelefs made fome iniprefiTion 
 upon hrs mind, when he confidered how they were dc-» 
 rided, lifted, flaiidercd, and perfecuted ; becaufc this 
 generally had been the lot of thofe that truly feared God. 
 But having heard that one of their tenets was, that fin 
 might be overcome in this life, this feemed to him a great 
 error. And therefore, when James Parnel came to Col- 
 chefter, he armed himfclf with arguments, to oppofe him 
 carneftly : for looking upon him as one that was but a 
 youth, he thought he fliould be able to prevail upon 
 him. He himfelf was then about feven and twenty years 
 of age, being not only well veried in facred writ, but alfo 
 in the writings of many of the ancient philofophers. After 
 he had heard Parnel preach very powerfully, and found 
 his words more pic^rcing than he had imagined, he ven- 
 tured to oppofe him with fume queries ; but he foon 
 found that this young man was endued with found judg- 
 ment ; and with all his wifdom and knowledge he was 
 not able to refift him, but was forced to fubmit to, the 
 truth he held forth. Now he thought himfelf fo enriched, 
 that for a month or two he made it his bufinefs, by the 
 firength of his reaftii, to defend the Truth he had em- 
 braced. But he foon found that this was not fufEcient ; 
 for felf was not fubdued under the crofs, and he was not 
 yet come to an experimental knowledge of what he aP- 
 ferted and defended with words. In this condition he 
 faw that he mud truly become poor in fpirit, if God ever 
 fliould enrich hi^n with heavenly wiidom. This brought 
 
 1663] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 93 
 
 him to mourning and forrow, by which he came more and 
 more to be weaned from his natural knowledge, wherein 
 he ufed to delight. And continuing faithful in this way 
 of felf-denial, he at length b'i.f^an to enjoy peace in his 
 mind, and fo advanced in virtue and real knowledge, 
 that in time he became an eminent minifter of the gofpel, 
 and travelling to and fro, many were converted by his 
 miniftry. 
 
 About this time appeared in England, one Lodowick 
 Muggleton, who pretended that he and one John Reeves 
 were the two witnefles which are fpoken of Rev. xi. 3. 
 And though it was not long before Reeves died, yet 
 Muggleton continued in his wild imaginations, which grew 
 to that degree, that he gave forth a paper, in which he 
 faid, 'That he was the chief judge in the world, and in 
 paffing the fentence of eternal death and damnation upon 
 the fouls and bodies of men. That in obedience to his 
 commiffion, he had already curfed and damned many hun- 
 dreds of people both body and foul, from the prefence of 
 God, eleft men, and angels, to eternity. I'hat he went 
 by as certain a rule in fo doing, as the judges of the land 
 do, when they give judgment according to law. And 
 that no infinite Spirit of Chriil:, nor any god, could, or 
 fhould be able to deliver from his lentence and curfe/ 
 &c. Thefe abominable blafphemies he gave forth ia 
 publick. 
 
 Richard Farnfworth, a zealous and intelligent minifter, 
 among thofe called Quakers, anfwered this biafphemer in 
 "writing, and difcovered the horriblcnels of his prophaue 
 and corfed doctrine and pofitions ; and he faid, amoug 
 the reft, in a book he publilhed in print, ' Clonfider die 
 nature of thy offence, how far it extends itfelf; and that 
 is, to pafs the fentence of eternal death and damnation, 
 both upon the bodies and fouls of men and women, and 
 that to eternity. Confider that thy injuftice, done by 
 colour of office, dcferves to h'Ave a puniftiment proportion- 
 able to the offence; and can the oiTencc in the eye of tlie 
 Lord be any lefs than fin againfl the Holy Ghoft, becaufe 
 . thou haft pretended to do it in ,the name of the Holy 
 Ghoft, and fo wouldeft make tlu: Holy Ghoft the author 
 
94 TH£ HISTORY OF THE ['663 
 
 of thy offence, which it is not? And feeing thoii art 
 guihy of fin againft the Holy Ghofl, there is a puni(hment 
 already proportioned for fuch an offence ; and alfo ihou art 
 punilhable by the law uf .lie land, for prefuming, under 
 pretence of a commiiTion, and as a judge, to pafs the fen- 
 tcncc of death upon the bodies of men and women, and 
 pretending to go by as certain a ruile in fo doing, as the 
 judges of the land do, &c/ Thus continued Farnfvvorth 
 to anfwcr Mnggleton at large, and ihewed him how his 
 judgment was not only contrary to truth, but alfo againft 
 the kw of the land. But he was dlaring enough to'givc 
 a reply to this ferious anfwer, an. I faid in it, that he 
 ftiould commend Farnfworth, firfl, k\r fetting his name to 
 it ; and, fccojidly, for fetting down his;(\'ords fo truly and 
 punftually, that it made his commiflion and authority to 
 fhine the more bright and clear. And that he was as true 
 an ambaffiidor of God, and judge of all mens fpiritiral 
 cftate, as any ever was fince the creation of the world. 
 * And if you Quakers, and otjiers, (thus continued he) 
 can fatisfy yourfelves, that there never was any man com- 
 miflioned of God to blefs and curfe, then you fliall all 
 cfcape that curfe 1 have pronounced upon fo many hun- 
 dreds : and I only fliall fuller for curfing others, without 
 a commiflion from God. But my commiflion is no pre- 
 tended thing, but as true as Mofes's, the prophets, and 
 the apoftlcs' commiflion was. 
 
 A multitude more of abominations this blafphcmer 
 belched out, and among the reft, that no man could come ^ 
 to the aflfurance of the favour of God, but in believing 
 that God gave this power unto John Keeves and himfclS 
 That he had power given him over all other gods, and • 
 infinite fpirits whatfoever : that he (Muggleton) had the 
 keys of heaven, and of hell ; and that none could get 
 into heaven, except he opened the gates. That he had 
 power to remit their fins who received his doSrine, and 
 to retain and bind their fins more clofe upon their con- 
 fciences, for their dcfpifing, or not receiving his do6lrine. 
 That he was fingle in do6lrine, knowledge, judgment, and 
 power, above :dl men, cither prophets, or apoftles, fince 
 the beginning of the world, or thai fhould be hereafter 
 
 1663] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 95 
 
 ■whilft the world doth endure. That there was no true 
 miniftcr, meflenger, nor ambaflador of God in the world, 
 hut himfelf ; neither fhould there be fent any of God 
 afier him to the world's end. That a God without him, 
 fpoke to him by voice of words, to the hearing of the 
 ear. Thar no perfon condemned by him, could make his 
 appeal unto God, neither by himfelf, nor by any other ; 
 becaufe God was not in the world at all. ' This power 
 to condemn (faith he) hath God given unto me, and in 
 this regard I am the only and alone judge^ what fliall be- 
 come of men and women after death ; neither fhall thofc 
 that are damned by me, fee any other god or judge but 
 me. — 'I am loth to tranfcribe more of thefe moA horrible 
 blafphemies ; and we have caufe to wonder at the long 
 forbearance of God, that he thus bore the difdainful 
 affront offered by this inhuman monfter, in defiance of his 
 almightinefs. 
 
 This Muggleton faid alfp to Farnfworth, that becaufe 
 he was not under the fentence of his commiffion by verbal 
 words, or writing, he fhould give anfwer to his letter. 
 * For (faid he) I never give anfwer in writing to any one 
 that is under the fentence of my commiffion.' This fhuffle, 
 not to be bound to anfwer, when he had fhut up any one 
 under his pretended damnation, feemed comical and fa- 
 cetious. Yet Farnfw^orth did not omit to anfwer his 
 blafphemous pofitions publickly, and to fhew the abfurdity 
 of Muggleton and John Reeve's being the two witneflTes. 
 
 Hereafter I fhall have occafion again to make mention 
 of this Muggleton, for he lived yet feveral years ; and do 
 not find that any punifhment was inflifted on him by the 
 magiftrates, other than the pillory, and half a year's im-^ 
 prifonraent ; though many think (not without good reafou) 
 that fuch bliifphemera ought to be fecluded from conver- 
 fation with men. 
 
 Francis Howgill, in the latter part of this year, being la 
 the market at Kendal, in Weftmoreland, about his bufi- 
 nefs, was fummoned by ^he high conftable to appear be- 
 fore the juftices of the peace at a tavern. For being a 
 zea'pus preacher among thofe called Quakers, occafioa 
 wa<? watched to imprifon him. under fom^ colour of juftice^ 
 - Voj^.. II. ^ 
 
96 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1663 
 
 how utiiuft foever. Being come to the place cippohitcd, 
 the oath of allegiance was tendered him ; and becaufe for 
 confcience-fake he refufed to fvvear, they committed him 
 to prifon till the aflizes at Appleby. Then appearing at 
 Appleby, the fame oath was tendered him in court by 
 the judges ; for not taking of which he was indiftcd, only 
 he had liberty to anfwer to the indiflment at the next 
 alTizes. In the mean-time there bein;:^ a gaol delivery at 
 Appleby, he was required to enter into bond for his good 
 behaviour: but well knowing this was only a fnare to 
 bring him into further bonds, he refufed, and fo was re- 
 committed to prifon. And not being tried till next year, 
 we fhail leave him there. 
 
 About this time happened a fuigular cafe, which I can- 
 not well pafs by unmentioned. One Oliver Atherton, a 
 man of a weak conftitution, having refufed to' pay tithes 
 to the countefs of Derby, who laid claim to the eccle^ 
 fiaftical revenues of the parifh of Ormlkirk, where he 
 lived, was by her profecution imprifoned at Derby, in a 
 moid and luuvholcfome hole, which fo weakened him, 
 that after having lain there two years and a half, he grew 
 Cck ; and a letter was writ in his name to the countefs, 
 in which was laid before her not only the caufe why he 
 had refufed the pavment of tithes, viz. for confcience-fake, 
 but alfo that his life was in danger, if he Itaid longer in 
 that unwholefome prifon ; and that therefore (he ought to 
 fhew compailion, left Ihe drew the guilt of innocent blood 
 upon her. 
 
 Now though Oliver's fon, who brought this letter, met 
 with rough treatment for not uncovering his head, yet 
 the letter was delivered into her own hands : but the 
 countefs continued hard-hearted. Godfrey, the fon, re- 
 turned to his father in prifon, and told him (who was 
 now on his death bed) that the countefs would not allow 
 him any liberty. To which he faid, ' She has been the 
 caufe of much bloodfhed ; but this will be the heaviefl 
 blood to her that ever fhe fpilt.' And not long after he 
 died. His friends having got his corpfe, carried it to Orm- 
 ikirk, but at Garftang, Prefton, and other towns, they 
 
 1663] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 $7 
 
 paft, they faftened to the market crofs the following in- 
 fcription, which alfo had been put on his coffin. 
 
 ' This is Oliver Atherton from the parifli of Orm/kirk, 
 who by the countefs of Derby had been perfecuted to 
 death, for keeping a good confcience towards God and 
 Chrift, in not paying of tithes to her.' 
 
 Now though three more, who with him were imprifoned 
 for the fame caufe, gave notice of this to the countefs, 
 that they might not likewifc die in prifon, as their fellow 
 prifoner had, yet fhe would fliew no pity; and threatened 
 to accufe thofe at Garftang, to the king and his council, 
 for having fuffered the putting up of the faid infcription. 
 But by this ftie opened people's mouths the more, and an 
 omnipotent hand prevented the executing of her threaten- 
 ing : for exa6lly three weeks after the day Atherton was 
 buried, ftie died. 
 
 This year alfo in Oftober, Flumphry Smith, a preacher 
 among thofe called Quakers, having been prifoner a year 
 at Winchefter, for his religion, was by death delivered 
 from his bonds. He had a vifion in the year 1660, in 
 the month called July, concerning the fire of London, 
 which happened fix years after : a relation of which he 
 gave forth in print. 
 
 In the year 1662, being about London, he faid tofome 
 of his friends, that he had a narrow path to pafs through ; 
 and more than once fignified, he faw he fhould be im- 
 prifoned, and that it might coft him his life. And coming 
 not long after to Alton in Hampfliire, he was taken from 
 a meeting of his friends, and committed to a ftinking clofe- 
 prifon at Winchefter, where, after a whole year's im- 
 prifonment, he fell fick ; and in the time of his ficknefs 
 fpoke many excellent words to thofe about him, fignifying, 
 that he was given up to the will of the Lord, either in 
 life or death. And lying in great weaknefs, he faid, 
 * My heart is filled with the power of God. It is good 
 for a man at fuch a time as this, tp have the Lord to be 
 his friend.* At another linne he wa$ heard to fay, ^ Lord, . 
 thou hc.ft fent me forth to dp thy will, and I have, been 
 f^iithful unto thee in my fmall meafure, which thou haft 
 committed unto me 3 but if thou wilt yet try me farther, 
 
 G a 
 
98 
 
 THE HISTORY, &C. 
 
 thy will be done.* Alfo he faid, * I am the Lord^s, let 
 him do what he will.* Not long before his departure he 
 prayed very earneftly, faying, ' O Lord, hear the inwaiti 
 fighs and groans of thine opprefled, and deliver my foul 
 from the oppreffor. Hear me, O Lord, upliold and pre- 
 ferve me. I know that my Redeemer livcth. Thou art 
 ftrong and mighty, O Lord.' He alfo prayed to God, 
 that he would deliver his people from their cruel oppref- 
 fors. And for thofe that had been convinced by his mi- 
 niflry, that the Lord would be their teacher. He con- 
 tinued quiet and fenfible to the lad period of his life, 
 dying a prifoner for bearing witnefs to truth ; and thus he 
 ftept from this troublcfome and tranfitory life, into one 
 that is cverlafting. 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OV THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPL: 
 
 CALLED 
 
 (QUAKER S. 
 
 THE EIGHTH BOOK. 
 
 IN the foregoing y^ar we left G. Fox in Lancafter prifon, 
 where at the fefTions the oath of allegiance being ten- 
 dered to, and refufed by him, he was brought to his trial 
 in the month called March, which begins the year 1664. 
 Being brought to the bar before judge Twifden, he faid, 
 * Peace be amongfl you all.' At which the judge looking 
 upon him, faid, 'What! do you come into the court 
 with your hat on ?' Whereupon the gaoler taking it off, 
 G. Fox faid, ' The hat is not the honour that comes from 
 God.' Then faid the judge, ' Will you take the oath of 
 allegiance ?' G. Fox anfwered, ' I never took any oath 
 in my life.* ^ Well,' faid the judge, ' will you fwear or 
 no ?' G. Fox replied, M am a Chriftian, and Chrift com- 
 mands me not to fwear ; and fo doth the apoftle James 
 likcwife ; and whether I fhould obey God or man, do 
 thou judge.' * I afk you again,' faid the judge, ' whe- 
 ther you will fwear or no !' To which he made anfwer, 
 ' i am neither Turk, Jew, nor Heathen, but a Chriftian, 
 and fhould fhew forth Chriftianity. Doft thou not know 
 (thus he went on) that Chriftians in the primitive times, 
 under the ten perfccutions, and fome alfo of the raartjTs. 
 
lOO 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 ill queen Mary's days, refufej fwearing, becaufe Chrift 
 and the apofllt had forbidden it? Ye have experience 
 enough, how many men have fworn firll to the king, and 
 then againft him. But as for me, I have never taken an 
 oath in all my life ; and my allegiance doth not lie in 
 fwearing, but in truth and faiihfulncfs : for I honour all 
 men, much more the king. But Chrift, who is the great 
 Prophet, who is the King of kings, the Saviour of the 
 world, and the great Judge of the whole world, he faith, 
 I muft not fwear. Now the point is, whether I muft 
 obey Chrift, or thee* For it is in tendernefs of confcience, 
 and in obedience to the command of Chrift, that I do noc 
 fwear. And we have the word of a king for tender con- 
 fciences.* G. Fox having fpoke thus much, a/ked the 
 ludge, if he did own the king ? To which he faid, * Yes, 
 I do owii the king.' * Why then,' faid he, ' doft thou 
 not obferve his declaration from Breda, and his promifes 
 made fince he came into England, that no man fhould be 
 called in queftion for matters of religion, fo long as they 
 lived peaceably ? Now if thou owneft the king, why doft 
 thou call me into queftion, and put me upon taking an 
 oath, feeing thou, or none, can charge me with unpeace- 
 able living ? The judge looking angry, faid, ' Sirrah, 
 will you fwear ?' To which G. Fox told him, ' I am 
 none of thy firrahs ; I am a Chriftian ; and for thee, who 
 art an old nian and a judge, to fit there and give nick- 
 names to the prifoners, doth not become either thy grey 
 hairs or thy office.' The judge being a little more cool, 
 after fome words to and fro, faid, * G. Fox, fay whether 
 ihou wilt take the oath, yea, or nay ?* To which he re- 
 plied, ' If I could take any oath at all, I Ihould take this : 
 for I do not deny fome oaths only, or on fome occafion, but 
 all oaths according to Chrift's do<5lrine, who faid, ^' Swear 
 not at all." Now if thou, or any of you, or any of your mi- 
 nifters or priefts here, will prove that ever Chrilt or his 
 apoftle, after they had forbidden all fwearing, commanded 
 Chriftians to fwear, then I will fwear.' None of the 
 priefts offering to fpeak, the judge faid, * 1 am a fervant 
 to the king, and the .king fent me not to difpute with 
 you, bu^ to put ;tc laws in cxccutiou j and therefore I 
 
 1664] PEOPLE CALLED QIJAKERS. lOI 
 
 tender the oath of allegiance/ G. Fox continuing to re- 
 fufe fwearing, w^as fent again to prifon. Two days after, 
 being brought again before the judge, it was alked him, 
 whether he would traverfe or fubmit ? To which G. Fox 
 faid, he defired he might have liberty to traverfe the in- 
 diriment, and try it. Then order was given to take him 
 away, and he was kept in prifon till the next aflizes. 
 
 Being prifoner in Lancafter caftle, there was much talk 
 of the Turks great progrefs in Hungary, there being at 
 that time a war between the Emperor and the Turks ; 
 and many being afraid, he faid to fome, that walking once 
 in his chamber, he faw the Lord's power turn againft the 
 Turk, and that he was turning back again. And within 
 a month after news came that he was defeated. Another 
 time, as he was walking in the room, with his mind upon 
 the Lord, he faw an extraordinary great light, and look- 
 ing up, he beheld an angel of the Lord, with a glittering 
 fword ftretched fouthward, which flione fo bright, as if 
 the court had been all on fire. Of w^hich I have for 
 proof what he mentions of it in his journal, and alfo 
 another fmall book he gave out with the tide of a Warning 
 to England. Not long after a war broke out between 
 England and Holland, and fome time after the peftilence 
 appeared at London (which lies foutherly from Lancafter) 
 and after two years that city by the fire was turned into 
 rubbilli. 
 
 But I return to the Lancafter affizes. Margaret Fell, 
 who was now a widow, was alfo under confinement for 
 refufing the oath of allegiance. And G. Fox being in 
 prifon, writ feveral papers to the magiftrates, in which he 
 manifefted the evil of perfecution, and exhorted to virtue 
 and piety. 
 
 In the month called Auguft, the affizes were held again 
 at Lancafter, G. Fox being brought thither (judge Turner 
 then fitting on the crown-bench) and being called to the 
 tar, the judge aflced the juftices, whether they had ten- 
 dered him the oath at the foregoing feflions ? They faying 
 they had, and having fworn it, the jury were fworn too. 
 Then the judge aiked him, whether he had not refufed 
 the oaih at the laft affizes? To which he aufwercd, ^I 
 
 c J. 
 
'11 
 
 102 THE HISTORY OF THE [1664 
 
 never took oath in life ; and Chrifl: the Saviour and Judge 
 of the world faid, " Swear not at all." The judge feeming 
 not to take notice of this anfvver, aiked him, whether or 
 DO he had not refufed to take the oath at the laft affizes ? 
 G. Fox maintaining the unlawfulnefs of fwearing, the 
 judge faid, he was not at that time to difpute whether it 
 was lawful to fwear, but to enquire whether he had re- 
 fufed to take the oath, or no. G. Fox then fignifying 
 that he did not difapprove the things mentioned in the 
 oath, faid, * Plotting againft the king, and owning the 
 Pope's, or any other foreign power, I utterly deny,* 
 * Well,* faid the judge, * you fay well in that : but did 
 you deny to take the oath ; what fay you ?* * What 
 wouldeft thou have me to fay r* replied he, * I have told 
 thee before what I did fay.' After fome more words 
 from both fides, the indiftment was read. G. Fox having 
 hiformed himfelf of the errors that were in it, faid, he 
 had fomething to fpcak to it, for there were many grofs 
 errors in it. The judge fignified that he would not hear 
 him, but when he was at the point of giving judgment, 
 ihe jury going out, foon returned, and brought him in 
 guilty. Whereupon he told them, that both the juftices 
 and they too had forfworn themfelves ; which caufed fuch 
 confufion in the court, that the pronouncing judgment 
 was delayed. Margaret Fell being next brought to the 
 bar, was alfo declared guilty. 
 
 The next day flie and G. Fox were brought up again 
 to receive fentence. Her counfcl pleading many errors in 
 her indiftment, ihe was fet by; and G. Fox then being 
 called, fhewed himfelf unwilling to let any man plead for . 
 him ; which feemed to make fome ftop ; yet he was afkcd 
 by the judge, what he had to fay, why he Ihould not pafs 
 fentence upon him. At which he told him, * I am no law- 
 yer, but yet I have much to fay, if thou wilt but have pa- 
 tience to hear.' Thereupon thofe on the bench laughed, and 
 faid, * Come, what have you to fay ?* Then he ^iked the 
 judge, whether the oath was to be tendered to the king's- 
 fubjc^^s, or to the fubjefls of foreign princes. To which 
 the judge faiJ, ' To the fiibjcfe of this realm.* * Then,* 
 faid George, * look on the indiftment, and ye njay fee. 
 
 1664] 
 
 PfcOfLE CALLED QITAKERS. 
 
 lOj 
 
 that ye have left out the word fubieft : and not having 
 named me in the indiftment as a fubjea, ye cannot pre- 
 munire me for not taking the oath,* They then looking 
 to the ftarute, and the indiftment, faw that it was as he 
 faid, and the judge confeiTed that it was an error. Next 
 G. F. told him, he had fomething elfe to flop judgment ; 
 and he defired them to look what day the indiftment faid 
 the oath w,"s tendered to him at the feffions there ? They 
 looking, Hiid it was the eleventh of January. Then he 
 alked, ' What day jof the week was that feiTion held on.^ 
 « On a Tuefday,' foid they. To which G- F. faid, ' Look 
 in your almanack, and fee whether there was any feffion 
 held at Lancnfter on the eleventh of January. They look- 
 incr, found that the eleventh day was the day called Mon- 
 day, and that the feffions were on the day called 1 uef- 
 day, which was the twelfth day of the faid month: 
 
 * Look ye now,' faid he, ' ye have indifted me for re- 
 fufmg the oath in the quarter-feffions held at Lancafter 
 on the eleventh day of January lall, and the juftices bvvc 
 fworn that they tendered me the oath in open feffions 
 here that day, and the jury upon their oath have found 
 me guilty thereupon ; and yet ye fee there was no feffions 
 held at Lancafter that day.* The judge, to cover the 
 matter, alked, whether the feffions did not begin on the 
 eleventh day? To which fome in the court anfwered, 
 
 * No ; the feffions held but one day, and that was the 
 twelfth.* Then the judge faid, this was a great miftake, 
 and an error. Some of the juftices grew fo angry at this, 
 that they feeming ready to have gone oiF the bench, 
 ftamped, and faid, ' Who hath done this ? Somebody 
 hath done this on. purpofe.* Then faid G. F. ' Arc not 
 the juftices here that have fworn to this indiftment, for- 
 fworn men ? But this is not all ; I have more yet to offer 
 why fentence fliould not be given againft me, in what 
 year of the king was it; that the laft affize, which was 
 in the mouth called March, was holden here ?\ To this 
 the judge faid, it was in the fixteenth year of the king. 
 But faid G. Fox, ' The Indiament fays it was in the 
 fifteenth year.' This was alfo acknowledged^ to be an 
 error: but both judge and juftices were in fuch a fret, 
 
I04 THE HISTORY OF THE [1664 
 
 that they knew not what to fay ; for it had been fworn 
 alfo, that the oaih was tendered to G. Fox at the affize 
 mentioned in the indiclmenr, viz. in the fifteenth year of 
 the king, whereas it was in the fixteenth ; which made 
 G. Fox fay, ' Is not the court here forfworn alfo, they 
 having fworn a whole year lalfe r' Some other remarkable 
 errors he fliewed, which I, having no mind to be tedious, 
 pafs by with filence. 
 
 G. Fox then defiring juflice, and faying, that he did 
 not look for mercy, the judge faid, you muft have juftice, 
 and you fhall have law : which made him afk, ' Am I 
 now free from all that hath been done againfl: me in this 
 matter ?' ' Yes,* faid the judge ; but then darting up in a 
 rage, he faid, ' I can put the oath to any man here ; and 
 1 will tender you the oath again.* G. Fox then telling 
 him, that he had examples enough of yefterday's fwear- 
 ing, aiHl falfc fwearing ; ' For I faw before my eyes,' faid 
 he, ' that both juitices and jury forfwore themfclves ?* 
 yet the judge aiktd him, if he would take the oath ? But 
 he replied, ' Do me jnftice for my falfe imprifonmcnt all 
 this while;' for he had been locked up, as was well 
 known, in a wet and cold room, and therefore he faid, 
 
 * 1^ ought to be fct at liberty.' At which the judge faid, 
 ' You are at liberty, but 1 will put the oath to you again.' 
 G. Fox then turning himlclf about, faid to the people, 
 
 * Take notice, this is a liiare ; but I ought to be fet free 
 from the gaoler, and from this court.' But the judge in-, 
 ftead of hearkening to that, cried, * Give him tlie book.* 
 G. Fox then taking the buok, and looking in it, faid, ' I 
 fee it is a bible, and I am glad of it.' In the mean-while 
 the jury being called by order of the judge, they flood 
 by ; for though they had defircd, after they had brought 
 in their former verdict, to be difmiifed, yet he told them, 
 he could not difmifs them yet, bccaufe he fliould have 
 bufmefs for them ; and therefore they muft attend, and be 
 ready. G. Fox, perceiving his intent, looked him in the 
 face, which made him biufh: neverthelefs he caufed the 
 oath to be read, and then alked G. Fox whether he 
 Would take the oath or no ; to which he faid, ' Ye have 
 given me a book here to kifs, and to fwcar on ; and this 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 105 
 
 book fays, kifs the Son ; and the Son fays in this book, 
 «« Swear not at all," and fo fays alfo the apoftle James : 
 now 1 fay, as the book fays, and yet ye imprifon mc, for 
 doing as the book bids me. How chance ye do not im- 
 prifon the book for faying fo ? How comes it that the 
 book is at liberty amongft you, which bids me fwear not? 
 Why do not ye imprifon the book alfo ?' Whilft he wax 
 fpcaking thus, he held up the bible open, to Ihcw the 
 place where Chrift forbids fwearing. But the book was 
 taken from him, and the judge faid, ' No, but we will 
 imprifon George Fox.' 
 
 This cafe was fo fmgular, that it was fpread orer all 
 the country, as a by-word, that they gave G. Fox a book 
 to fwear on, that commanded him not to fwear at all, and 
 that this book, viz. the Bible, was at liberty, and he in 
 prifon, for doing as the Bible faid. But the judge urged 
 him ftill to fwear ; to which G. Fox faid, ' I am a man of 
 a tender confcicuce; confider therefore, that it is in obe- 
 dicncc to Chrift's command that I cannot fwear : but if 
 any of you can convince mc, that after Chrift and the 
 apoftle had commanded not to fwear, they did alter that 
 command, and commanded Chriftians to fwear, then ye 
 (hall fee I will fwear.' And he feeing there fcveral priefts, 
 faid, ' If ye cannot do it, let your pricft do it.' But none 
 of the priefts faid any thing ; and the judge faid, ' All the 
 world cannot convince you.' To which he replied, ' How 
 is it like the world (hould convince me? For the whole 
 world lies in wickednefs : but bring out your fpiritual 
 men, as ye call them, to convince me.' Then the IherifF 
 and the judge faid, that the angel fwore in the Revelations. 
 To which G. Fox replied, ' When God bringeth in his 
 firft-begotten Son into the world, he faith, " Let all the 
 angels of God worfhip him ;" and he faid, " Swear not 
 at all." * Nay,' faid the judge, ' I will not difputc.' 
 Then he told the jury, it was for Chrift's fake that he 
 could not fwear ; and therefore he warned them not to 
 a<ft contrary to that of God in their confciences, becaufe 
 they muft all appear before his judgment feat. After fomc 
 jnore words fpoken, the gaoler took him away. 
 
 In the afternoon he was brought up again. And the 
 
loS 
 
 THE HISTORY OP TUB 
 
 [1664 
 
 jury having brought him in guilty of what he was charged 
 with in the indiftment, viz. his not taking the- oath, the 
 judge aiked him, what he had to fay for himfelf. He then 
 defired the indiament to be read; fince he could not 
 anfwer to that v^hich he had not heard. The clerk 
 reading it, the judge faid, ' Take heed it be not falfe 
 again.* Bin the clerk read it in fuch a manner, that 
 G. Fox could hardly underfland v/hdi he read. And 
 when he had done, the judge aiked G. Fox what he had 
 to fay to the indiament. To which he- faid, ' At once 
 hearing fo large a writing read, and that at ftich a dif- 
 tance, that I could not diftinclly hear all the parts of it ; 
 I cannot well tell what to fay to it :~ but if you will let me 
 have a copy of it, and give me time to confider, I fhall 
 anfwer it.* This put the court to a little ftand 5 but at 
 length the judge a/ked him, what time he would have? 
 And he anfwered, ' Till the ntxt affize.* ' But/ faid 
 
 and as for ihofc things mentioned in the oath, as jefuitical 
 plots, and foreign powers, I utterly deny them in my 
 heart : and if I could take any oath, I (liould take this -, 
 but I never took any oath in all my life.* To this the 
 judge returned, * You fay well ; but the king is fworn, 
 the parliament is fworn, I am fworn, the juflices are 
 fworn, and the law ib prcfcrved by oaths.* Ou which 
 G. Fox told him, they had had lufruient experience of 
 mens fwearing, and had fcen how the jultices and jury 
 iwore wrong the other day : and continued he, ' IF thou 
 hall read in the book of Martyrs, how many of them did 
 rcfufe to fwear, both within the time of the ten per- 
 ftrcutions, and in bilhop Bonner's day, thou maycll fee 
 that to deny fwearing in obedience to Chrift's command, 
 B no new thing.* To this the judge faid, he wiQied the 
 iciws were otherwife. G. Fox faid then, ' Our yea is yea, 
 and our nay is nay : and if we tranfgrefs our yea and our 
 nay, kt us fuffer as they do, or fhould do, that fwear 
 ialieiy. This I have offered to the king, and the king 
 i-d'iA it was reafonable.* 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 107 
 
 After fome farther difcourfe, G. Fox was commuted to 
 prifon again, and colonel Kir.by ordered the gaoler to 
 keep him clofe, and to fuffer nobody to come to him, as 
 one that was not fit to be difcourfed with. The gaoler did 
 not fcruple to follow this order, for he locked him up ia 
 a fmoky tower, where the fmoke of the other prifoners 
 came up fo thick, that fometimes one could hardly fee a 
 burning candle ; fo that there feemed to have been an 
 intent to choak him ; for the turnkey could hardly be 
 perfuaded to unlock one of the upper doors a little to let 
 out the fmoke. Befides this hardfhip, in wet weather it 
 rained in upon his bed to that degree, that his fhirt grew 
 wet. In this pitiful condition he lay during a long cold 
 winter, which fo afflifted him, that his body fwelled, and 
 his limbs were much benumbed. Here we will leave him 
 till he was brought again to his trial, which was not be- 
 fore the next year. 
 
 But before I part with him, I mud mention, that fome 
 time before he had written feveral papers to the emperor, 
 the kings of France and Spain, and alfo to the pope. 
 Thefe writings were by fomebody elfe turned into Latin, 
 and fo given out in print. In thefe he levelled chiefly 
 againft perfecution for religion's fake. He reproved the 
 king of Spain more efpecially, becaufe of the inquifition, 
 and the burning of people : and he did not fpare the 
 pope, as being the fpring of tliefe evils, faying, ' Innocent 
 blood hath long cried for vengeance to the Lord : the 
 earth almofl: fwims with innocent blood ; and the cry of 
 it is heard. Your frozen profeffion, and your cold winter 
 images being fet up in your ftreets, the Lord God of 
 power and dread, and of heaven and earth, will be 
 avenged on thee, and you all ; his day is approaching. 
 Ye great and rich cardinals and pope, ye have been fed 
 like fat hogs ; and feeing that thou wouldeft not receive^ 
 the Lord's meffengers, but threw them in prifon, and i^ 
 your inquifition, it may be the Lord may give you a vifit 
 another way, for his dread is gone out, and his zeal is 
 kindled iagainft you. — The fields are fprinkled with blood 
 of the innocent, and ye are the aceldama, or the field of 
 blood. But the Lord is coming to take vengeance upon 
 
J08 - THE HISTORY OF TH« [1664 
 
 you ; his hand is ftretched over your heads, and his power 
 is gone over you ; with that he will rule you, and fmitc 
 you down, and bring you that are lofty from your feats, 
 and abafe your pride, and take the glory to himfelf.— • 
 How much blood, whicli is unmeafurable, and cannot be 
 mcafured here, have ye drank fmce the days of the apof- 
 tles, and nrade yourfelves drunk with it ! But now is the 
 indignation and wrath of the Almighty come and coming" 
 upon you ; and thou pope mud feel it. Tremble there- 
 fore, thou pope, tremble, fear, and quake thou pope, 
 tremble ye cardinals, tremble ye jrfuits, tremble ye priors, 
 tremble ye monks and friars, of what rank foever, for 
 the army of the Lord God is coming over you, by whom 
 ye jQiall be fhaken, and daftied to pieces.' Thefe are but 
 fmall fparkles of that flame which G. Fox blew againft 
 the pope, intermixing his writings with many demon- 
 ftrations, that the Romifli church was the whore of Baby- 
 Ion, and that fhe it was that bad defiled herfelf with 
 idolatry and fuperftition, and had bathed herfelf in the 
 blood of the faints, having furi6ufly attacked them with 
 fword and fire. This he concluded with thefe words : 
 ^ The plagues of God will be thy portion, O pope, 
 who hath deceived the nations: and all ye jefuits and 
 cardinals, howl, for your mifery is coming, the mighty 
 day of the Lord God upon you all ; the Lord God, who 
 will be worfhipped in fpiriuand in truth, and with none 
 of your inventions.' Thus G. Fox writ in that day to 
 the pope and his counfellors ; and no wonder that he paid 
 dear for this fharp language againft the head of the church 
 of Rome ; for it may be believed, that a great many of 
 tlie court party, in thofe days, were either concealed 
 Papifts, or favourers pt them : and yet among the national 
 clergy, and even thofe of other perfuafions, many branded 
 the Quakers with the odious name of fecret Papifts, 
 thereby to make them incur the hatred of the people'. 
 
 Now I return to Francis Howgill, whom in the fore- 
 going year we left in prifon at Appleby. It was in the 
 forepart of this year that he was brought to his trial. 
 Being come into court before the judges fat, he fpoke to 
 the clerk of the aflizes, and told him, he did not knqwp 
 
 1664] PEOPLE CALLED C^UAKERS- IC9 
 
 whether they expected his appearance then or not: the 
 clerk laid, ' You have done well,' and that he would 
 acquaint the judge, and he (liould only engage to him to 
 appear the next aflizes, to anfvver the indi£lment againft 
 him, ymd that he fliould not appear in court ; Francis bid 
 him do what he would. In the mean-time Sir Philip 
 Mufgrave ((o called) a great adverfary to the truth, and 
 the great and chief profecutor of Francis, had informed 
 the judges againft him, that he was a dangerous perfon, 
 a ringleader, and a keeper up of meetings of dangerous 
 confequence, and deftruftive to the peace of the nation ; 
 fo then they concluded he ftiould appear in court ; and fo 
 the clerk informed him, and told him about what time 
 he fliould be called. So the court began ; judge Twifden 
 gave the charge to the grand jury, in which he faid, 
 there was a fort of people, who under pretence of con- 
 fcience and religion, feem(!d to build upon the king's de- 
 claration from Breda, and under colour of this hatched 
 treafons and rebellions, and gave the jury charge to en- 
 quire and prefent fuch, that the peace of the nation might 
 bepreferved; fo.they impannelled the jury, and Francis 
 was called to the bar, and the judge fpake as followeth : 
 
 Judge, fpeaTcing calmly to him, faid, the face of things 
 was much altered fince the laft affizes, and made a large 
 fpeech to him and the country, telling him, that all fe6ts 
 under pretence of confcience did violate the laws, and 
 hatched rebellions, * Not (fiiith he) that I have any thing 
 to charge you with; but feeing the oath of allegiance 
 was tendered to you the laft aflizes, and you refufed to 
 take it, it was looked upon that fuch perfons were cne- 
 mies to the king and government ;' and faid, * I will not 
 trouble you now to anfwer to your indiftment, but I muft 
 do that the next aflizes ; in the mean-time you muft enter 
 into recognizance for your good behaviour.' 
 
 To which F. H. anfwered, t defire liberty to fpeak, 
 which he had without interruption, and faid as followeth: 
 
 F. H. Judge Twifden, thou very well knoweft upon 
 how flender an account, or none, 1 was brought before 
 thee the laft aflizes, where thou wert pleafed to tender 
 we the oath of allegiance, though I believe both thee 
 
no 
 
 THE HISTORY OP TBI 
 
 [1664 
 
 and the refl of the court, did know it was a received 
 principle among us not to Iwear at all ; many reafons I 
 gave thee then, many more I have to add, if I may have 
 audience ; for it may appear to you an abfurd thing, and 
 obflinacy in me to refufe it, if I fhould not tender a 
 reafon ; I am (faid he) none of ihofe that make religion 
 a cloak of malicioufnefs, nor confcience a cloak to carry 
 on plots or confpinicics, the Lord hath redeemed me and 
 many more out of fuch things ; and feeing 1 am engaged 
 10 appear at the next aihzcs, I dcfire no farther thing may 
 be required of me. 
 
 Judge. You mull: enter into bond this dangerous time, 
 and therefore confidcr of it, and tell me now, or before 
 (he affizes end. 
 
 The fecond day of the aflizes he was called again. 
 
 F. H. Seeing thou art pleafed to let me anfwer to the 
 inditftment, which I am willing to do, I have been of 
 good behaviour, and fliall fo continue j but it feems a 
 hard thing to me, and full of feverity, that feeing I am 
 obliged to appear to anfwer an indiftment of fo high a 
 nature (if profecuted againll me) which tends to the loft 
 of my liberty for hfe, and my eftate for ever, I hope the 
 court will not envy my liberty for five months. 
 
 Judge Turner faid, We do not defire your iraprifon- 
 mcnt, if you will be of good behaviour. 
 
 F. H: prefled that they would not put him upon giving 
 bond to be of good behaviour, knowing himfelf to be 
 bound by the truth, that he could not mifbehave himfelf. 
 
 One Daniel Flemming, another perfecuting juftice, had 
 framed another indiftment againft him for meeting, and 
 flood up (fearing the fnare of giving bond v/ould not 
 hold) and faid as followeth : 
 
 D. Flemming. My lord, he is a great fpeaker, it may 
 be the Qiiakers cannot want him. 
 
 Judge. Let him be what he will, if he will enter, into 
 bond. 
 
 F. H. faid he had nothing to accufe himfelf of, for his 
 confcience bore him witnefs that he loved peace, an4 
 fought it with all men. 
 
 1664] PEOPLE €ALL1D QUAKERS. Ill 
 
 Judges both fpake. What do you tell of confcience ? 
 We meddle not with it ; but you contemn the laws, and 
 keep up great meetings, and go not to church. 
 
 F. H. We are fallen in a fad age ; if meeting together 
 peaceably, without arms, or force, or intention of hurt to 
 any man, only to worfliip God in Spirit, and exhort one 
 another to righteoufnefs, and to pray together in the Holy 
 Ghoft, as the primitive Chriftians of old, that this fhould 
 be reckoned breach of peace and mifbehaviour. 
 
 Judge Twifden. Do you compare thefe times with 
 them? They were heathens that peifecuted, but we are 
 Chriftian magiftrates. 
 
 F. H. Itis a doftrine always held by us, and a received 
 principle which we believe, that Chrift^s kingdom could 
 not be fet up with carnal weapons ; nor the gofpel propa- 
 gated by force of arms, nor the church of God built with 
 violence ; but the Prince of Peace was manifefted araongfl 
 us, and we could learn war no more, but could love ene- 
 mies, and forgive them that did evil to us. 
 
 Philip Mufgrave flood up, and faid, * My Lord, we 
 have been remifs towards this people, and have flriven 
 with them, and put them in prifcn again and again, and 
 fined them, and as foon as they are out they meet again.* 
 
 Then flood up John Lowther, called a juflice, and faid, 
 * My Lord, they grow infolent, notwithflanding all laws, 
 and the execution of them, yet they grow upon us, and 
 iheir meetings are dangerous. 
 
 Philip Mufgrave flood up, and produced a paper (and 
 juftice Flemming, fo called, feconded him) in great capital 
 letters, and gave it the judge; he told the judge, that it 
 happened fome Quakers were fent to prifon, a;nd one of 
 them died at Lancafler, and they carried his corpfe through 
 the country, and fet that paper upon his coffin, this is the 
 body of fuch an one, who was perfecuted by Daniel Flem- 
 ming till death. 
 
 Judge. We have fpent much time with you ; I will dif- 
 courfe no more. 
 
 F. H. I acknowledge your moderation towards me, 
 allowing me liberty to fpeak, I fhall not trouble you much 
 longer ; I fhall be willing to appear to anfwer to the i&- 
 
 Vol, U. h 
 
112 
 
 THE HISTORY OK THE 
 
 diftment at the affizes, and in the mean-time to live peace- 
 ably and quietly, as I have done, if that will fatisfy. 
 
 Judge. You mull enter into bond to con>e at no more 
 meetings. 
 
 F. H. I cannot do that, if I fhould, 1 were treacherous 
 to God and my own confcience, and the people and you 
 would but judge me a hypocrite. 
 
 They were loath to commit him, yet at lafl: they did. 
 
 This was in the latter part of the month called March, 
 and he was kept about five months as before in a bad 
 room, and none fuffered to fpeak with him, but who got 
 fecretly to him without the gaoler's knowledge. 
 
 It was about this lime that John Audland departed this 
 Jife. He, and his bofom friend, John Camm, (wbofe de- 
 ceafe was fome years before) had travelled much together 
 in the miniftry of the gofpel ; therefore 1 will give an un- 
 interrupted relation of their latter end, but firll that of 
 John Camm. 
 
 He was of very good parentage, born at Camfgil, in 
 the barony of Kendal in Weltmoreland, which feat had 
 been poficffed by his anceftors long before him. From 
 his childhood he was inclined to be religious, and feeking 
 after the bed things, he joined with ihofe that were the 
 jnoit flrift in performing religious duties. And having 
 afterwards heard G. Fox, he embraced as truth the doc- 
 trine he preached, and growing up in it^ he himfelf be- 
 came an eminent miniller of the gofpel among thofe called 
 CKiakers. He and his bofom friend John Audland, were 
 the firft oftl:*: fociety who preached at Briflol, where 
 having been in the meetings of the Baptifts and Independ- 
 ents, they alfo had meetings in feyera! plices without this 
 city^ where there wa* a great concoiufe of people, and 
 many received their doftriiic. Since that time, thefe two 
 niinifters travelled much together, and many were con- 
 vinced by their miniftry. But at length John Camm, who 
 did not fpare himfelf, began to fall under a kind of con- 
 fumption, infomuch that through weaknefs he was fain to 
 ftay at home ; and then he often called his children and 
 family together, exhorting them to godlincfs, and praying 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKERS. 
 
 "3 
 
 to the Lord for them. Some weeks before his death, he 
 once expreffed himfelf thus : ' How great a benefit do I 
 enjoy above manv, having fuch a large time of preparation 
 for death, being daily dying, that I may live for ever with 
 my God, in that kingdom that is unfpeakably full of glory. 
 My outward man daily waftes 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.' The morning that he de- 
 parted this life, he called his wife, children, and family 
 to him, and exhorted them to fear the Lord, to love his 
 truth, to walk in it, and to be loving and kind to one 
 
 ' another, telling them that his glafs was run, the time of 
 his departure was come ; and he was to enter into ever- 
 lafting eafe, joy, and reft : charging them all to be pa- 
 tient and content with their parting with him. And fo 
 fainting, he paffed into a fweet fleep ; but by the weep- 
 ing and crying of thofe about him, he awakened, and 
 defired to be helped up a little in his bed, and then he 
 fpokc to this effeft : * My dear hearts, ye have wronged 
 me and difturbed me, for I was at fweet reft ; ye fhould 
 not fo paffionately forrow for my departure ; this houfc 
 of earth and clay muft go to its place ; and this foul and 
 . fpirit is to be gathered up to the Lord, to live with him 
 for ever, where we (hall meet with everlafting joy.' Then 
 taking leave of his family, he charged them to be content 
 with his departure J and lying down, within a Httle time 
 deceafed. 
 
 His beloved friend John Audland (who often bemoaned 
 the Fofs of fo dear a companion) died alfo of a kind of 
 confumpiion : for his ardent zeal made him ftrain his voice 
 beyond what his hodf was well able to bear. In a meet- 
 ing, which he once had with J. Camm, in a field without 
 
 s Briftol, where Charles Marlhall was one of his auditors, 
 after J. Camm had left off fpeaking, he ftood up, with 
 an awful and fhining countenance ; and lifting up his voice 
 as a trumpet, he faid, ' I proclaim a fpiritual war with the 
 inhabitants of the earth, who are in the fall and feparation 
 from God, and I prophefy to the four winds of heaven.* 
 Thus he went on wirh mighty power, exhorting to re- 
 
 H 2 
 
1' 
 
 i'4 THE HISTORY OF THfi [1664 
 
 pentance ; and fpokc with fuch a piercing authority, that 
 feme of the auditory fell on the ground, and cried out 
 under the fenfe of their tranfgreffion. And when at Brif- 
 tol he many times preached in an orchard to a great mul- 
 titude, he would lift up his voice exceedingly, in order to 
 be heard by all. Thus he fpent his natural ftrength, 
 though he was but a young man. About the twentieth 
 year of his age, he married with one Anne Newby, of 
 Kendal, a virtuous maid, not only of good family, but 
 alfo excelling in piety, and therefore flic freely gave him 
 up to travel in the fervice of the gofpel, notwithftanding 
 his company was very dear to her ; which made her fay, 
 that flie believed few ever enjoyed a greater blelEng in a 
 hufl)and fo kind and afFeftionate. And how heartily and 
 tenderly fhe loved him, may be fcen by the following letter 
 flie writ to him. 
 
 * Dear Hufband, 
 * Thou art dearer to me than ever ; my love flows out 
 to thee, even the fame love that I am loved withal of my 
 Father. In that love falute me to all my friends, for dear 
 you are all unto me, my life is much refrefhed in hearing 
 from you. I received thy letters, and all my foul defireih 
 is.to hear from thee in the life ; dear heart, in life dwell, 
 there I am with thee out of all time, out of all w^ords, 
 in the pure power of the Lord, there is my joy and 
 ftrength ; O! how am I refreflied to hear from thee, to 
 hear of thy faithfulnefs and boldnefs in the work of the 
 Lord. O! dear heart, I cannot utter the joy I have 
 concerning thee ; thy prefence I have continually in fpirit, 
 therewith am I filled with joy ; all glory and honour be 
 to our God for ever. O ! blelTed be the day in which 
 thou wall born, that thou art found worthy to labour in 
 the work of the Lord. Surely the Lord hath found thee 
 faithful in a little, therefore he hath committed much 
 unto thee ; go on in the name and power of the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, from whence all ftrength cometh, to whom 
 be all glory, and honour forever. O! dear heart, go* 
 on, conquering and to conquer, knowing this, that thy 
 crown is fure. So, dear heart, now is the rime of the 
 
 I 
 
 1664] People called qyAKE,RS. 115 
 
 Lord*^ work, and few are willing to go forth into it. All 
 the world lieth in wickednefs, doing their own work ; 
 but blcffedbe the Lord for ever, who hath called us from • 
 doing our own work, into his great work. O! mar- 
 vellous are his works, and his ways paft finding out. O ! 
 dear heart, thou knoweft my heart, thou mayeft read daily 
 how that I rejoice in nothing inore than in thy profperity 
 in the work of the Lord: Oh! it is paft my utterance 
 to exprefs the joy I have for thee. I am full, I am full 
 of love towards thee, never fuch love as this ; the mighty 
 power of the Lord go along with thee, and keep thee 
 faithful and valiant, and bold in his pure counfel, to ftand 
 lingle out of all the world. O ! dear heart, all my love 
 to thee is purer than gold feyen times purified in the fire : 
 O! pure is he that hath loved us, therefore let purity and 
 holincfs cover us for ever. A joyful word it was to me, 
 to hear that thou waft moved to go for Briftol : ! my 
 own heart, my own life, in that which now ftands, aft 
 and obey, that thou mayeft ftand upon thy alone guard ; 
 fo, dear heart, let thy prayers be for me, that I may be 
 kept pure out of all temptations, fingly to dwell in the 
 
 life ; fo farewel. 
 
 * Anne Audland.* 
 
 By this letter it appears, that there was an endeared 
 mutual love between this virtuous couple. He was a man 
 of great knowledge, but when his underftanding came to 
 be opened by the preaching of G. Fox, he would fay 
 fometimes, ' Ah, what have we been doing ! Or what 
 availeth our great profeflion ? All our building tumbles 
 down ; our profeflfion is high as the wind ; the day of the 
 Lord is upon it, and his word, as a fire, confumes it as 
 dry ftubble ; and puts an end to all empty profeffions and 
 high notions, without life or fubftancc ; to all the wifdom 
 of fallen man. We muft forfake the world, and all its 
 glory ; it is all but vanity and vexation of fpirit : it is a 
 Saviour that I long for ; it is him that my foul pants after. 
 O that I may be gathered into his life, and overfhadowed 
 with his glory, fanftified throughout by his word, and 
 raifed up by his eternal power V He continuing in this 
 
 «3 
 
ii6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [l654 
 
 cftate of daily fupplication and inward travail of foul, it 
 pleafcd the Lord at length to furnifli him with an cxtraor- 
 dinary qualification to proclaim his word, which he did 
 fome years faithfully, and with great zeaK - And though 
 his wife loved him dearly, and preferred his company above 
 what the world could give ; yet in regard of his gofpcl: 
 fervice, fhe gave him up freely to be much from home ; 
 whereby during a great part of the time of their marriage, 
 Ihe had not his defirable company. 
 
 In the mean-while he laboured diligently fn ihe LordV 
 harvcft, till his bodily ftrength failing, and meeting with 
 hard imprifonments, he was feized with^'a moft violent 
 cough, which was followed by a fever, fo that his fleep 
 . was taken from him, which made him grow very weak ; 
 but he bore his ficknefs with great patience, and faid 
 once, that in thofe great meetings in the orchard at Briftol, 
 he often forgot himfelf, not confidering the inability of 
 his body, from a defire to be heard by aH r but that his 
 reward was with him, and he content to be with the 
 Lord, which his foul valued above all things/ Not long 
 before his departure, being vifitcd by fome of his friends, 
 he fpoke fo comfortably, and with fuch power, as one 
 that was beyond the feeling of his weaknefs. To hi& 
 wife, who was big with child, and nigh her delivery, well 
 knowing how tenderly fhe loved him, he faid, ' My will 
 is in true fubje^ion, fubmitting to the will of the Lord, 
 whether life or death ; and therefore give me up freely 
 to his difpofing.' And fhe, how dear foever he was ta 
 her, did fo ; which gave him fome eafe, feeing her fincere 
 refignednefs ; and being fometimes overcome with joy, he 
 praifed God in his ficknefs ; nay fo ardent was his zeal,^ 
 that once, though very weak, he defired to be helped up 
 in bed upon his knees ; and thus he fervently fupplicated 
 the Lord in the behalf of his churches, that they might 
 be preferved in the truth, oiit of the evil of the world, 
 and that his gofpel might fpread, and be publifhed to the 
 gathering of all that pertain to Ifraet, His ftrength now 
 diminifhing daily, he fweetly departed at the age of thirty- 
 fppr years, about three weeks after the fever firfl feized 
 him. And his widow, who ten days after his dcceafc 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (^UAKtRS. 
 
 ii; 
 
 was delivered of a fon, behaved herfelf difcreetly, and 
 faid afterwards in a paper concerning him : ' The Eternal 
 God, who by his providence joined us together in tnar- 
 riagc in our young days, in his blefTed counfel alfo caufed 
 his day to fpring from on high upon us : in the marvellous 
 light, and bright fhining whereof, he revealed his Son 
 Chriil in us, and gave us faith to believe in him, the 
 eternal word of life, by which our fouls came to be' 
 quickened, and made alive in him : and alfo in and by the 
 quickening of his holy power, we were made one in a 
 fpiritual and heavenly relation, our hearts being knit to- 
 gether in the unfpeakable love of truth, which was our 
 life, joy, and delight, and made our days together ex- 
 ceeding comfortable : as being that whereby all our tcna* 
 poral enjoyments were fanftified, and made a bleffing to 
 us.* How hard it was, and how great a lofs, to part with 
 fo dear and tender an hufband as he was to me, is far be- 
 yond what I can exprefs : the dolour of my heart, my 
 tongue or pen is not able to declare. Yet in this I con- 
 tented myfelf, that it was the will of the Lord that he was 
 taken from the evil ; and that my lofs, though great, was 
 not to be compared to his eternal gain. This widow, in 
 procefs of time, was married to Thomas Camm, fon of 
 John Camm, her former hufband's bofom friend. She 
 was indeed a woman of great virtue : but now I part with 
 her, with intention to fay more of her when I fcall come to 
 the time of her deceafe. 
 
 1 return to Francis Howgill, whom we left in prifon, 
 and who now appeared again at the affizes, which were 
 hol^en at Appleby, in the month called Augufl. And 
 he having got liberty to fpeak with the clerk of the 
 aflTizes, who told him, that he mufl prepare himfelf to 
 come to a trial, anfwered, he was prepared, but thought 
 that all he could fay, would little avail, believing they 
 purpofed to profecute him witli all feverity : which proved 
 fo, as will appear by what follows ; for the county juftices 
 had incenfed the judges againfl him beforehand. Yet 
 Howgill endeavoured all he could to convince them of 
 his innoccncy ; and to that end drew up the fubflance of 
 th. oath into fevcral heads, which he could fubfcribc to J 
 
 i 
 
ii8 The history of the [1664 
 
 to this he joined another paper to judge Turner, fhewing 
 the caufe of his firft commitment, and the former pro- 
 ceedings againft him : and how unequal it was to pro- 
 fecute him upon a ftatute made againft popifh recufants. 
 He alfo fignified in that paper, that he was a man of a 
 tender fpirit, and feared the Lord from a child, and had 
 never taken any oath but once in his life, which was 
 twenty years ago ; and that his refufmg to take the oath 
 of allegiance, was not in any evil intent to the king*s 
 perfon or government, but merely upon a confcientious 
 account, and that he could not fwear, being otherwife 
 perfuaded of the Lord, feeing it was againft the command 
 of Chrift, and the apoftle James's doftrine. Befides, that 
 he was able to make it evident to be againft the example 
 of the primitive Chriftians for divers hundred years, and 
 fo no new opinion. That he did neither in wilfiilnefs nor 
 obftinacy refufe it, being fenfible of the damage that would 
 come thereby, if they did profecute him upon that ftatute, 
 he having a wife and children, and fome fmall eftate, 
 which he knew lay at ftake in the matter ; but that though 
 it were his life alfo, he could not revolt from, or deny 
 that which he had moft certainly believed in : but if any 
 could convince him either by fcripture or reafon, he had 
 an ear to hear. And therefore all thofe things confidercd, 
 he defired he might be difmifled from his bonds, and from 
 their perfecution of him upon that account. Thefe papers 
 were delivered to the judges and juftices before he ap- 
 peared in courtj and were read by them. He then being 
 called to the bar at the aflizes holden at Appleby, judge 
 Turner faid to him, * Here is an indictment againft you 
 for refufmg to take the oath of allegiance ; fo you mull 
 plead to it, either guilty or not guilty.' 
 
 F. H. with a heart girded up with ftrength and courage, 
 faid, ^ Judge Turner, may I have liberty to fpeak, and 
 make my defence, for I have none to plead my caufe buc 
 the Lord ?'* 
 
 Judge. You may. 
 
 F. H. I will lay the true ftate of my cafe before thee, 
 and of the proceedings againft me from the firft, feeing 
 jjudge Twifdcn is not here, who had knowledge of all tliG 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QJAKERS. 
 
 119 
 
 •1664] 
 
 proceedings hitherto. I am a countryman, born and 
 brought up in this country ; my carriage and converfation 
 is known, how I have walked peaceably towards all men, 
 as I hope my countrymen can teftify. About a year ago 
 being at my neighbouring market-town about my reafon- 
 able and lawful occafions, I was fent for by an high con- 
 ftablc out of the market to the juftices of peace, before 
 whom I went ; and when I came there, they had nothing 
 to lay to my charge, but fell to aik me queftions to en- 
 fnare me about our meetings ; and when they could find 
 no occafion, they feemed to tender the oath of allegiance 
 to me, though they never read it to me, neither did I 
 pofitively deny it, yet they committed me to prifon ; and 
 fo I was brought hither to this affize, and then the mitti- 
 mus by which I was committed, was called for, and the 
 judge read it, and faid to the juftices it was infufScient : 
 neverthelefs judge Twifdcn tendered the oath of allegiance 
 to me ; many things I did allege then, and many more I 
 have to fay now, if time will permit : from that time I was 
 under an engagement to appear at the next aifizes, and 
 fo was called, and did appear at the laft gaol-delivery, 
 and a farther obligation was required of me for good be- 
 haviour, which I could not give, left I ftiould be brought 
 into a farther fnare ; and fmce that time I have been com- 
 mitted prifoner thefe five months, fome of which time \ 
 have been kept under great reftraint, my friends not per- 
 mitted to fpeak to me ; and thus briefly I have given thee 
 an account hitherto. As to the oath, the fubftauce 
 thereof, with the reprefentation of my cafe, is prefented 
 10 the court already, unto which I have fet my hand, and 
 alfo ftiall in thofe words teftify the flime in open court, if 
 required ; and feeing it is the very fubftance the law doth 
 require, I defire it may be accepted, and I cleared from 
 my imprifonment. 
 
 Judge. I am come to execute the law, and the law 
 requires an oath, and I cannot alter it ; do you think the 
 law muft be changed for you, or only for a few ; if this 
 be fuffered, the adminiftration of juftice is hiudered, no 
 aftion can be tried, nor evidence given for the king, nor 
 Other particular cafes tried y and your principles are altpu 
 
I2d 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THI 
 
 [1664 
 
 gciher inconfirtent with the law and government ; I pray 
 you fhcw me which way we fhall proceed, Ihew me fomc 
 rcafon, and give me fome ground. 
 
 F. H. I (hall : in the mouth of two or three wit- 
 neffes every truth is confirmed ; and we never denied to 
 give, and ftill are ready to give evidence for the king 
 wherein we are concerned, and in any other matter for 
 the ending of flrife between man and man in truth and 
 righteoufnefs, and this anfwers the fubftance of the law. 
 
 Judge. Is this a good anfwcr, think you ? Whether 
 to be given with or without oath : the law requires an 
 oath. 
 
 F. H. Still evidence is and may be given in truth, ac- 
 cording to the fubftance of the law, fo that no detriment 
 Cometh unto any party, feeing that true teftimony may be 
 borne without an oath ; and I did not fpeak of changing 
 the law: yet feeing we never refufed giving teftimony, 
 which anfwereth the intent and fubftance of the law, I 
 judged it was reafonable to receive our teftimony, and not 
 to expofe us to fuch fufferings, feeing we fcrupled an oath 
 only upon a confcientious account, in tendernefs of con- 
 fcience, for fear of breaking the command of Chrift, the 
 Saviour of the world, which if we do, there is none of you 
 able to plead our caufe for us with him. 
 
 Judge. But why do not you go to church, but meet in 
 houfcs and private conventicles, which the law forbids. 
 
 F. H. We meet together only for the worfliip of the 
 true God in Spirit and'Truth, having the primitive Chrif- 
 tians for our example, and to no other end, but that wc 
 may he edified, and God glorified; and when two or three 
 arc met together in the name of Chrift, and he in the 
 midft of them, there is a church. 
 
 Judge. That is true: but how long is it fince you 
 have been at church ? Or will you go to the church the 
 law doth allow of? Give me fomc reafons why youi do 
 not go. 
 
 F. H. I have many to give thee, if thou haft patience 
 to hear me : firft, God dwells not in temples made with 
 mens hands. Secondly, the parifti houfe hath been a 
 temple for idols, to wit, for the mafs and the rood ; and 
 
 ,1 
 
 ■ ) 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^tJAKERS. ^ 
 
 I2t 
 
 1664] 
 
 I dare have no fellowfhlp with idols, nor worfliip in idols 
 temples ; for what have we to do with idols, their tcm- 
 pies and worfliip ? 
 
 Judge. Were there not houfcs called the houfes of 
 God, and temples ? 
 
 F. H. Yes, under the law ; but tjie Chriftians, who 
 believed in Chrift, feparated from thefe (and the temple 
 was made and left defolate) and from the Gentiles temples 
 too, and met together in houfes, and broke bread from 
 houfe to houfe ; and the church was not confined then to 
 one particular place, neither is it now ; many more things 
 I have to fay : the judge interrupted. 
 
 Judge. Will you anfwer to your indiftment ? ' 
 F. H. I know not what it is, I never heard it, though 
 I have often ddired a copy. 
 Judge. Clerk, read it. 
 
 So he read it : how that F. H. had wilfully, obftinately, 
 and contemptuoufly denied to fwear when the oath was 
 tendered. 
 
 F. H. I deny it. 
 Judge. What do you deny ? 
 F. H. The indiftment. 
 
 Judge. Did you not deny to fwear ? And the indift- 
 mcnt convicts you that you did not fwear. 
 
 F. H. I gave unto the court the fubftance of the oath, 
 as you all know. Secondly, I told you I did not deny 
 it out of obftinacy or wilfulnefs, neither in Contempt of 
 the king's law or government ; for my will would rather 
 choofe my liberty, than bonds ; and I am fenfible it is 
 like to be a great damage to me ; I have a wife and child- 
 ren, and fome eftate, which we might fubfift upon, and 
 do good to others, and I know all this lies at ftake ; but 
 if it were my life alfo, 1 durft not but do as I do, left I 
 ihould incur the difpleafiire of God ; and do you judge I 
 would lofe my liberty wilfully, and fuifer the fpoiling of 
 my eftate, and the ruining of my wife and children in 
 obftinacy and wilfulnefs ? Sure nay. 
 
 Judge. Jury, you fee he denies the oath, and he will 
 
 not plead to the indiftment, only excepts againft itbecaufe 
 
 ' of the form of words, but you fee he will not fwear, and 
 
132 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 yet he fays he denies the indiftment, and you fee upon 
 what ground. 
 
 And then ihey called the gaoler to witnefs and Avear 
 that the laft aflfizes F. H. did refufe, &c. which he did ; 
 and the jury, without going from the bar, gave in their 
 verdi<fl, guilty, and then the court broke up that night. 
 
 The next day towards evening, when they had tried all 
 the prifoners, Francis was brought to the bar to receive 
 his fentence. 
 
 Judge flood up and faid, 'Come, the indiftment is 
 proved againft you, what have you to fay why fentence 
 IhaU not be given ? 
 
 F. H. I have many things to fay, if you will hear 
 them. Firft, as 1 have faid, I denied not out of obfti- 
 nacy or wilfulnefs, but was willing to teftify the truth in 
 this matter of obedience, or any other matter wherein I 
 was concerned. Scccnd'y, bccaufe fwearing was direftly 
 againft the command of Chrift. Thirdly, againft the doc- 
 trine of the apoftle. Fourthly, even fome of your prin- 
 cipal pillars of the church of England ; as bifhop Uftier, 
 fome time primate of Ireland, he faid in his works, the 
 Waldenfes did deny all fwearing in their age, from that 
 command of Chrift and the apoftle James, and it was a 
 fufEcient ground; and Dr. Gauden, late bi(hop of Exeter, 
 in a book of his 1 lately read, he cited very many ancient 
 fathers, to fliew, that the firft three hundred years Chrif- 
 tians did not fwear, fo that it is no new doftrinc. 
 
 To which the court feemed to give a litde ear, and faid 
 nothing, but talked one to another, and Francis ftood 
 iilcnt, and then the judge faid. 
 
 Judge. Sure you miftake. 
 
 F. H. I have not the books here. 
 
 Judge. Will you fay upr>n your hon^ft word they de- 
 nied all fwearing ? 
 
 F. H. What I have {iiid is true. 
 
 Judge, Why do you not come to church, and hear 
 fervice, and be fubje^ to the law, and to every ordinance 
 of man for the Lord's fake ? 
 
 F. H. We are fnbjcft, and for that caufe we do pay 
 taxes, tribute and cuftom, and give unto Caefar the things 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 123 
 
 1664] 
 
 » 
 
 that are his, and unto God the things that are his, to wit, 
 worftiip, honour, and obedience; and if thou mean the 
 parifti afferably, I tell thee faithfully, I am perfuaded, and 
 upon good ground, their teachers are not the minifters of 
 Chrift, neither their worfhip the worfliipof God. 
 
 Judge. Why ; it may be for fome fmall things in the 
 fervice you rejeft it all. 
 
 F. H. Firft, it is manifeft they are time-fervers, one 
 while" preaching up that for divine fervice, to people, that 
 another while they cry down, as popifh, fuperftitious, and 
 idolatrous, and that which they have preaehed up twenty 
 years together, make (hipwreck of alj in a day ; and now 
 again call it divine, and would have all compelled to that 
 themfelves once made void. 
 
 Judge. Why ; never fmce the king came in. 
 
 F. H. Yes, the fame men that preached it down once, 
 now cry it up ; for they are fo unftable and wavering, that 
 we cannot believe they are the minifters of Chrift. Se- 
 condly, they teach for hire, and live by forced mainte- 
 nance, and would force a faith upon men, contrary to 
 Chrift and his apoftle^s rule, who would have every one 
 perfuaded in their own minds, and faid^ whatfoever is not 
 of faith is fm ; and yet they fay, faith is the gift of God, 
 and we have no fuch faith given ; but yet they would force 
 theirs upon us, and becaufe we cannot receive it, they cry, 
 you are not fubjeft to authority and the laws, and nothing 
 but confifcations, imprifonment and baniOiment is threat- 
 ened, and this is their greateft plea j I could mention more 
 particulars ; then the judge interrupted. 
 
 . Judge. Well, I fee you will not fwear, nor conform, 
 nor be fubje£i:, and you think we deal feverely with you, 
 but if you would be fubjeft, we lliould not need. 
 
 F^ H. I do fo judge indeed, that you deal feverely 
 with us for obedience to the commands of Chrift ; I pray 
 thee canft thou fhew me how ^ny of thofe people, for 
 whom the aft was made, have been proceeded againft by 
 this ftatute, though I qnvy no man's liberty. 
 
 Judge. Oh yes, 1 can inftance you many up and down 
 the country that are premunired, I have done li rayfelf^ 
 pronounced feutcof c againft divers. 
 
/ 
 
 t24 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THIE 
 
 [1664 
 
 ir 
 
 -F- H. What againft Papifls ? - ' 
 
 Judge. No. 
 ^ F. H. What, againd the Quakers ? So I have heard 
 indeed ; though then that ftatuie was made againft Pa- 
 pifts, thou letteft them alone, and executeft it againft the 
 Quakers. 
 
 Judge. Well, you will meet in great numbers, and do 
 increafe, but there is a new ftarute will make you fewer. ^ 
 
 F. H. Well, if we muft fuffer, it is for Chrift's feke, 
 and for well doing. 
 
 Francis then being filent, the judge pronounced the fen- 
 tence, but fpake fo low, rhat the prifoner, though near to 
 him, could fcarcc hear it. 
 
 The fentence was. You are put out of the king's pro- 
 teftion and the benefit of the law, your lands are confifcaie 
 to the king during your life ; and your goods and chattels 
 for ever, and you tu be priloner during your life. 
 
 F. H. A hard fentence for my obedience 10 the com- 
 mands of Chrift ; the Lord forgive you all. 
 
 So he turned from the bar ; but the judge fpeaking, 
 he turned again, and many more words palTed to the 
 fame purpofe, as before j at laft the judge rofe up and 
 faid. 
 
 Judge. Well, if you will yet be fubjeft to the laws, the 
 king will fliew you mercy. 
 
 F. H. The Lord hath fliewed mercy unto me, and I 
 have done nothii^g againft the king, nor government, nor 
 any man, blcfled be the Lord, and therein ftands my peace ; 
 for it is for Chrift's fake I fuffer, and not for evil doine. 
 And fo the cpurt broke up. The people were generally 
 moderate, and many were forry to fee what was done 
 againft him ; but Francis fignificd how contt^uted and glad 
 he was, that he had any thing to lofe for the Lord's precious 
 Truths of which he had publickly borne teftimony, and that 
 he was now counted worthy to fuffer for it. 
 
 • 
 
 ITiis he did chearfully, and ditd in bonds after above 
 four years imprifonment, as may be related in its due time. 
 He was a man of learning, and a great writer among his 
 fellow believers J infumuch, that during his confinement he 
 
 1664]] People called Quakers. lij 
 
 writ not only feveral edifying cpiftles to exhort them to 
 conftancy and ftedfaftnefs in the doftrine of Truths but 
 •alfo fome books to refute the oppofers of it. 
 
 We have here feen how the judge faid, there is a new 
 ftatute which will make you fewer. This ftatute bore the 
 title of anaft to prevent and fupprefs feditious conventicles. 
 And though the aft made two years before did extend 
 to banifliment, yet that puniftiment was renewed, 
 and expreffed more at large in this, which was as fol- 
 loweth : 
 
 Whereas an aft made in the five and thirtieth year of 
 the reign of our late fovereign lady queen Elizabeth, in- 
 tituled an aft to retain the queen's majefties fubjefts in their 
 due obedience, hath not been put in due execution by rea- 
 fon of fome doubt of late made, whether the faid aft be 
 ftill in force ; although it be very clear and evident, and it 
 is hereby declared, that the faid aft is ftill in force, and 
 ought to be put in due execution : 
 
 IL For providing therefore of further and mote fpeedy 
 remedies againft the growing and dangerous praftices of 
 feditious feftaries, and other difloyal perfons, who under 
 pretence of tender confciences, do at their meetings con- 
 trive infurreftions, as late experience hath ftiewed ; 
 
 IIL Be it enafted by the king's moft^ excellent majcfty, 
 by, and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual 
 und temporal, and commons in this prefent parliament 
 affembled, and by the authority ojf the fame, that if any 
 perfon of Jthe age of fixteen years or upwards, being a 
 fubjeft of this realm, at any time after the ift day' of 
 July, which ftiall be in the year, of our Lord, one thou- 
 fand fix hundred fixty and four, ftiall be prefent at* any 
 affembly, conventicle or meeting, under colour or pretence 
 of any exercife of religion, in other manner than is al- 
 lowed by the liturgy or praftice of the church of England 
 jn any place within the kingdom of England, dominion of 
 Wales, and town of Berwick-upon-Tweed; at which con^ 
 venticle, meeting, or affembly, there Ihall be five perfoni 
 or more affembled together, over and above thofe of the 
 fame houfehold j then it. ftiall and may be lawful :o iind 
 
126 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 for any two juflices of the peace of the county, limit, di- 
 vifion or liberty wherein the offence aforefaid fliall be 
 committed, or for tlic chief magillrate of the place where 
 inch offence aforefaid fliall be committed (if it be within 
 a corporation where there are not two juftices of the 
 peace) (2) and they are hereby required and enjoined, 
 upon proof to them or him refpeftively made of fuch of- 
 fence, either by confefTion of the party, or oath of wit- 
 refs, or notorious evidence of the fadl (which oath the 
 faid juflices of the peace, and chief raagiftrate refpe6tively, 
 are hereby empowered and required to adminifler) to 
 make a record of every fuch offence and offences under 
 their hands and feal- refpeclively ; (^3) which record fo 
 made, as aforefaid, fhall to all intents and purpofes be in 
 law taken and adjudged to be a full and pcrfe^St conviction 
 of every fuch offender for fuch offence : and thereupon 
 the faid juflices and chief magillrate refpettively, fliall 
 commit every fuch offender fo convifted, as aforefaid, to 
 the gaol or houfe of correction, there to remain without 
 bail or mainprize, for any time not exceeding the fpace of 
 three months, unlefs fuch offender fliall pay down to the 
 faid juflices or chief magiftrate fuch fum of money not 
 .exceeding five pounds, as the faid juflices or chief magif- 
 trate (who are hereby thereunto authorized and required) 
 fhaU fine the fal J.offendcr at, for his or her faid offence ; 
 which money flrall be paid to the churchwardens for the 
 relief of the poor of the parilh where fuch offender did lafl; 
 
 inhabit. 
 
 IV. And be it further enafted by the authority afore- 
 fa'd, that if fuch offender foconvifled, as aforefaid, flial! 
 at any time again commit the like offence contrary to this 
 a61, and be thereof in manner aforefaid convifted, then 
 fuch offender fo conviacd of fuch fccond oflcnce, fliall 
 incur the penalty of imprifonmcnt in the gaol or houfe of 
 correftion, for any time not exceeding fix months, with- 
 out bail or mainprize, unlefs fuch offender fliall pay .dovTn 
 to the (aid juflices or chief magiflrate, fuch fura of money, 
 pot exceeding ten pounds, as the faid juflices or chief 
 magiflrate (who are thereunto authorized and required, 
 as aforefaid) fliall fine the faid offender at, for his or her 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 127 
 
 faid fecond offence, the faid fine to be difpofed in manner 
 aforefaid. 
 
 - V. And be it further enafted by the authority afore- 
 faid, that if any fuch offender fo convifted of a fecond 
 offence contrary to this aft in manner aforefaid, fhall at 
 any time again coipmit the like offence contrary to this 
 aft, then any two juflices of the peace, and chief magif- 
 trate, as aforefaid, refpeftively, fliall commit every fuch 
 offender to the gaol, or houfe of correftion, there to re- 
 main without bail or mainprize until the next generai 
 quarter feflions, affizes, goal-dehvery, great feflions, or 
 fitting of any commifHon of Oyer and Terminer in the 
 refpeftive county, limit, divifion or liberty which fliall firfl 
 happen ; (2) Vv^hen and where evfery fuch offender fhall 
 be proceeded againft by indiftment for fuch offence, aqd 
 fhall forthwith be arraigned upon fuch indiftment, and 
 Ihall then plead the general iffue of not guilty, and give 
 any fpecial matter in evidence, or confefs the indiftment : 
 ("3) and if fuch offender proceeded againft, fhall be law- 
 fully convifted of fuch offence, either by confeflion or 
 verdift, or if fuch offender fhall refufe to plead the 
 general iffue, or to confefs the indiftment, then the re- 
 fpeftive juflices of the peace at their general quarter 
 feffions, judges of aflSze and goal-delivery, juflJces of the 
 great feffions at the great feffions, and commiffioners of 
 Oyer and Terminer at their fitting, are hereby enabled 
 and required to caufe judgment to be entered againft fuch 
 offender, that fuch offender fhall be tranfported beyond 
 the feas to any of his majefty's foreign plantations (Vir- 
 ginia and New-England only excepted) there to remaia 
 feven years : (4) and fliall forthwith under their hands 
 and fcals make out warrants to the fheriff or fheriffs of 
 the fame county where fuch conviftion or refufal to plead 
 or to confefs, as aforefaid, fliall be, fafely to convey fucK 
 offender to fome port or haven neareft or moft com- 
 modious to be appointed by them refpeftively ; and from 
 thence to embark fuch offender to be fafely tranfportc;d 
 to any of his majefty's plantations beyond the feas, as 
 fliall be alfo by them refpeftively appointed (Virginia and 
 New-England only excepted;) (5) whereupon the. faid 
 V6l. II. I 
 
 \ 
 
128 
 
 THE MISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 Vi 
 
 \ 
 
 (hcrifF Jhall fafely convey and embark, or caufe to be em- 
 barked fuch olFender, to be tranfportcd, as aforefaid, 
 under pain of forfeiting for default of fo iranfporiing 
 every fuch offender/ the fum of forty pounds of lawful 
 money, the one moiety thereof to the king, and the other 
 moiety to him or them that fliall fuc for the fame in any 
 of the king's courts of record, by bill, plaint, aftion otj, 
 debt, or information ; in any of which no wager of law, 
 cffoign or proteftion (hall be admitted : (6) and the faid 
 refpeftive court lhall then alfo make out warrants to the 
 fevcral conftables, headboroughs, or tythingmen of the 
 refpeftive places where the eflate real or perfonal of fach 
 offender fo to be tranfported fhall happen to be, com- 
 manding them thereby to fequefler into their hands the 
 profits of the lands, and to dillrain and fell the goods of 
 the offender fo to be tranfported, for the reimburfing of 
 the faid ftieriff all fuch reafonable charges as he (hall be 
 at, and (hall be allowed him by the faid refpeftive court 
 for fuch conveying, or embarking of fuch offender fo to 
 be tranfported, rendering to the party, or his or her 
 affigns, the overplus of the fame, if any be, unlefs fuch 
 offender, or fome other on the behalf of fiKh offender (6 
 to be tranfported, (liall give the (heriff fuch fecurrty as he 
 fliall approve of, for the paying all the faid charges unto 
 him. 
 
 VI. And be it further enafted by the authority afore- 
 faid, that in default of defraying fuch charges by the 
 panics to be tranfported, or fome other in their behalf ; 
 or in default of fecurity given to the (heriff, as aforefard, 
 it (hall and may be lawful for every fuch (heriff to contraft 
 with any tnafter of a (hip, merchant, or other perfon, for 
 the tranfportin^ of fuch offender at the beft rate he can : 
 (2) and that in every fuch cafe it (hail and may be lawful 
 for fitch perfons fo contrafting with any (lieriff for tranf- 
 porting fuch offender, as aforefaid, to detain and employ 
 every fuch offender fo by them tranfported, as a labourer 
 to them or their a(Egns, for the fpace of five years, to all 
 intents and purpofes, as if he or (he were bound by in- 
 dentures to fuch perfon for that pnrpofe : (3) and that the 
 tcfpc&ivc fhcriffs (hall be allowed or paid from the king, 
 
 1664] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 12$ 
 
 upon their refpeftive accompt in the exchequer, all fuch 
 charges by them expended, for conveying, embarking and 
 tranfporting of fuch perfons, which (hall be allowed by 
 the faid.rcfpeftivc courts from whence they received their 
 refpeftive warrants, and which (hall not have been by any 
 of the ways aforementioned paid, fccured, or reimburfed 
 unto them, as aforefaid. 
 
 VII. Provided always, and be it further enafted, that 
 in cafe the offender fo indifted and convifted for the faid 
 third offence, (hall pay into the hands of the regifter or 
 clerk of the court or feffions where he (hall be convifted 
 (before the faid court or feflions (hall be ended) the fum 
 of one hundred pounds, that then the faid offender (hall be 
 difcharged from imprifonment and tranfportation, and the 
 judgment for the fame. 
 
 VIII. And be it further enafted, that the like imprifon- 
 ment, indiftment, arraignment and proceedings (hall be 
 againft every fuch offender, as often as he (hall again 
 offend after fuch third offence ; neverthelefs is difcharge- 
 able and difcharged, by the payment of the like fum as 
 was paid by fuch offender for bVor her faid offence next 
 before committed, together with the additional and in- 
 creafed fum of one hundred pounds more upon every new 
 offence committed j (2) the faid refpeftive fums to be paid 
 as aforefaid, and to be difpofed as followeth, viz. the one 
 moiety for the repair of the pari(h church or churches, 
 chapel or chapels of fuch parilh within which fuch conven- 
 
 ^ tide, affembly, or meeting (hall be held ; and the other 
 moiety to the repair of the highways of the faid pari(h or 
 parifhes (if need require) or otherwife for the amendment 
 pi fuch highways as the juftices of peace at their refpec- 
 tive quarter feihons /hall direft and appoint. (3) And if 
 any conftable, headborough or tything-man, (hall negleft 
 to execute any the faid warrants made unto them for fc- 
 qucftering, diftraifaing, and felling any of the goods and 
 chattels of any ©(tender againft this aft, for the levying 
 fuch fums of moneV as (hall be impofed for the firft or fe- 
 cond offence, he mall forfeit for every fuch negleft, the 
 fum of five pounds of lawful money of England, the one 
 moiety thereof to the king, alid the other moiety to him 
 
 12 
 
• • - ■ . ^ • 
 
 130 THE HISTORY OF THK [^1664 
 
 that (hall fue for the fame in any gF the king's courts of re- 
 cord, as is aforefaid. (4) And if any perfon be at any 
 time fued for putting in execution any of the powers con- 
 tained in this aft, fuch perfon fliall and may plead the 
 general iifue, and give tlie fpecial matter in evidence ; (5) 
 And if the plaintiff be nonfuited, or a verdift pafs for 
 the defendant thereupon, or if the plaintiff difcontinue his 
 aftion, or if upon demurrer, judgment be given for the 
 defendant, every fuch defendant fliall have his or their 
 treble cofts, 
 
 IX. And be it further enafled, that if any perloa 
 againfl whom judgment of tranfportation fhall be given in 
 manner aforefaid, fhall make efcape before tranfportation, 
 or being tranfported as aforefaid, fhall return unto this 
 realm of England, dominion of Wales, and town of Ber- 
 wick-upon-Tweed, without the fpecial licence of his ma- 
 jefly, his heirs and fuccelfors, in that behalf firfl had and 
 obtained, that the party fo efcaping or returning, fhall be 
 adjudged a felon, and fhall fuffer death as in cafe of felony, 
 without benefit of clergy, (2) and fhall forfeit and lofe to 
 hi? majefly all his or her goods and chattels for ever ; and 
 fhall further lofe to his majefly all his or her lands, tene- 
 ments and hereditaments for and during the life only of 
 fuch offender, and no longer : and that the wife of any 
 fuch offender by force of this aft, fhall not lofe her dower, 
 nor fhall any corruption of blood grow, or be by reafon of 
 any fuch offence mentioned in this aft ; but that the heir 
 of every fuch offender by force of this aft, fhall and may 
 after thedeathpf fuch offender, have and enjoy the lands, 
 tenements and hereditaments of fuch offenders, as if this 
 aft had not been made. 
 
 X. And for better preventing of the mifchiefs which 
 may grow by fuch fcditious and tumultuous meetings, 
 uoder pretence of religious worfhip, (l) Be it further 
 cnafted by the authority aforefaid, that the lieutenants or 
 deputy lieutenants, or any commiffioned officers of the 
 militia, or any other of his majefty's forces, with fuch 
 troops or con'^panies of horfe or foot ; and alfo the fheriffs 
 and jttftices of peace, and other magiftrates and miniflers 
 of juftice, or any of tliem jointly or feverally, within any 
 
 ^64] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 »3^ 
 
 the counties or places within this kingdom of England, 
 dominion of Wales, or town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,. 
 withTuch other affiftance as they (hall think meet, or can 
 get in readinefs with the foonefl, on certificate made to 
 them refpeftively under the hand and feal of any one: 
 juftice of the peace, or chief magiftrate, as aforefaid, of 
 his particular information or knowledge of fuch unlawful 
 meetings or conventicles held or to be held in their refpeftive 
 coanties or places, and that he (with fuch affiftance as he 
 can get together, is not able to fupprefs or diffolve the 
 fame) fhall and may, and are hereby required and enjoined 
 to repair unto the place where they are fo held, or to be 
 held, and by the beft means they can to diffolve and dif- 
 fipate, or prevent all fuch unlawful meetings, and take 
 into their cuftody fuch of thofe perfons fo unlawfully 
 affembled as they fhall judge to be the leaders and feducers^ 
 of the reft, and fuch others as they fhall think fit to be 
 proceeded againft according to law for fuch their offences* 
 
 Xf. And be it further enafted by the authority afore- 
 faid, that every perfon who fliall wittingly and willingly 
 fuffer any fuch conventicle, unlawful affembly, or meeting 
 aforefaid, to be held in his or her houfe, outhoufe, bam,, 
 or room, yard or backfide, woods or grounds, ifliall incur 
 the fame penalties and forfeitures as any other offender 
 againft this aft ought to incur, and be proceeded agaioft 
 in all points, in fuch manner as any other offender againffc 
 this aft ought to be proceeded againft. .; 
 
 XI f. Provided alfo, and be it enafted by the authority 
 aforefaid, that if any keeper of any gaol or houfe of coi<4 
 reftion. Avail fuffer any perfon committed to his cuftody 
 for any offe,nce againft this aft, to go at large, contrary to 
 the warrant of bFs commitment according to this aft, or 
 fliall permit any perfon who is at large, to join with any 
 perfon committed to his cuftody by virtue of this aft, ia 
 the exercife of religion, differing from the rites of the 
 church of England, then every fuch keeper of a goal, or 
 houfe of correftion, fhall for every fuch offence forfeit the 
 fum of ten pounds, to be levied, raifed, and difpofed by 
 fuch perfons and in Jiich manner a$ the penalties for tht 
 
M» 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 664 1 
 
 ?EOPtE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 133 
 
 1 
 
 firft and fecond offences againft this aft arc to be levied, 
 raifed and difpofed. ; 
 
 XIII. Provided always, that no perfon Ihall be punilhed 
 for any offence againft this aft, unlefs fuch offender be 
 profccuted for the fame within three months after the of- 
 fence committed : (2) and that no perfon who fcall be 
 punilhed for any offence by virtue of this aft, ihall be 
 puni(hed for the fame offence by virtue of any other aft 
 or law whatfocver. 
 
 XIV- Provided alfo, and be it enaftcd, that judgment 
 of tranfportation (hall not be given againft any feme 
 covert, unlefs her huft)and be at the fame time under the 
 like judgment, and not dilcharged by the payment of 
 money as aforefaid ; but that inftead thereof, fhe ihall by 
 the refpeflive court be committed to the goal or houfe of 
 correftion, there to remain without bail or mainprize, for 
 any time not exceeding twelve months, unlefs her huf- 
 band fhall pay down fuch fum, not exceeding forty 
 pounds, to redeem her from imprifonment, as (hall be im«- 
 pofed by the faid court, the faid fum to be- di fpofed by 
 fuch perfons, and in fuch manner, as the penalties for the 
 firft and fecond offence againft this aft are to be difpofed. 
 
 XV. Provided alfo, and be it enafted by the authority 
 aforefaid, that the juftices of the peace, and chief magif- 
 trate rcfpeftively impowered as aforefaid to put this a£i; 
 in execution, fliall and may, with what aid, force, an4 
 afliftancc they (hall think fit, for the better execution of 
 this aft, after refufal or denial, enter into any houfe, or 
 other place, where they (hall be informed any fuch con- 
 vcnticle as aforefaid, is or (hall be held. 
 
 XVI. Provided, that no dwell ing-houfc of any peer of 
 this realm, whilft he or bis wife (hall be there relident, 
 (hall be fearched by virtue of this aft, but by immediate 
 warrant from his majefty under his fign manual, or in the 
 prefencc of the lieutenant, or one of the deputy lieu- 
 tenants, or two juftices of the peace, whereof one to be 
 of the quorbm of the fame county or riding : (2) nor 
 fhall any other dwelling-houfe of any peer or other perfon 
 whafoever, be entered into with force by virtue of this 
 aft, but in the prcfence of one juftice of the peace, or 
 
 chief n.agiftrate refpeftively, except within thex:ity of Lon- 
 don, where it' (hall be lawful for any fuch other dwelling- 
 houfe to be entered into as aforefaid in the prefence of 
 one juftice of the peace, alderman, deputy-alderman, or 
 any one commiifioner for the lieutenancy for the city of 
 
 London. 
 
 XVII. Provided alfo, and be it enafted by the authority 
 aforefaid, that no perfon (hall by virtue of this aft be 
 committed to the houfe of correftion, that (hall fatJsfy the 
 faid juftices of the peace, or chief magiftrate refpeftively, 
 that he or flie (and in cafe of a feme covert, that her 
 huflDand) hath an eftate of freehold, or copyhold, to the 
 value of (ive pounds per annum, or perfonal eftate to the 
 value of fifty pounds; any thing in this aft to the coa- 
 trary notwithftanding. 
 
 XVIII. And in regard a certain feft called Quakers^ 
 and other feftaries, are found not only to offend in the 
 matters orovided againft by this aft, but alfo obftruft the 
 proceedings of juftice by their obftinate refufal to take 
 oaths lawfully tendered unto them in the ordinary courfc 
 of law; (2) Therefore be it farther enafted by the au- 
 thority aforefaid, that if any perfon or perfons being duly 
 and legally ferved with procefs, or other fummons, to 
 appear in any court of record, except court-leets, as a 
 witnefs. or returned to ferve of any jury, or ordered to 
 be examined upon interrogatories, or being prefent in 
 court fljall refufe to take any judicial oath legally tendered 
 to him by the judge or judges of the fame court, havmg 
 no legal plea to juftify or excufe the refufal of the fame 
 oath ; (3) Or if any perfon or perfons being duly ferved 
 with procefs, to anfwcr any bill exhibited againft him or, 
 them in any court of equity, or any fuit in any court 
 ^cclefiaftical, fliall refufe to anfwer fuch bill or fuit upon 
 bis or their corporal oath, in cafes where the law requires 
 fuch anfwer to be put in upon oath ; or being fummoned 
 to be a wituefs in any fi^ch court, or ordered to be ex- 
 amined upon interrogatories, (ball for any caufe or rcafM, 
 not allowed by law, refufe to take fuch oath, as m luch 
 cafes is required by law ; (4) that then, and in fuch cafe, 
 the fcveral aad refpeftive courts wherem. fuch rctula^ lUall 
 
 14 
 
^34 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 be made, 'fliall be, and are hereby enabled to record, 
 enter, or regifter fuch refufal, which record or entry fliall 
 be, and is hereby made a convi£lion of fuch offence ; 
 (5) and all and every perfon and perfons fo as aforefaid 
 offending, (hall for every fuch offence incur the judgment 
 afid punifhment of tranfportation in fuch manner as is ap- 
 pointed by this a£l for other offences. 
 
 XIX. Provided always, that if any the perfon or per- 
 fons aforefaid fhall come into fuch court, and take his or 
 iheir oath in thefe words : 
 
 I do fwear that I do not hold the taking of an oath to be 
 unlawful, nor refufe to take an oath on that account. 
 
 XX. Which oath the refpeftive court or courts afore- 
 faid, are hereby authorized and required forthwith to 
 tender, adminifter, and regifter before the entry of the 
 conviftion aforefaid, (2) or fliall take fuch oath before 
 fome juftice of the peace, who is hereby authorized and 
 required to adminifter the fame, to be returned into fuch 
 court, (3) fuch oath fo made fliall acquit him or them 
 from fuch puniftiment ; any thing herein to the contrary 
 notwithftanding. 
 
 XXI. Provided always, that every perfon convifted as 
 aforefaid jn any courts aforefaid (other than his majefty's 
 court of king's bench, or before the juftices of aflize, or 
 general goal- deli very j fliall by warrant containing a cer- 
 tificate of fuch conviftion under the hand and feal of the 
 refpe^live judge or judges before whom fuch conviftion 
 fliall be had, be fent to fome one of his majefty's goals 
 in the fame county where fuch conviAion was had, there 
 JO remain without bail or mainprize until the next aflizes, 
 or general goal-delivery, (2) where, if fuch perfon fo 
 conyifted fliall refufe to take the oath aforefaid, being 
 toidered unto him by the juftice or juftices of aflize or 
 goal-delivery, then fuch juftice or juftices fliall caufe judg- 
 ment of tranfportation to be executed in fuch manner as 
 judgment of tranfportation by this siS: is fo be executed 2 
 but in cafe fuch perfon fhall take the faid oath, then he 
 fliall thereupon be difcharged. 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^AKERS. 
 
 »35 
 
 XXII. Provided always, and be it enafted by the au- 
 thority aforefaid, that if any peer of this realm fhall offend 
 againft this a£l, he fhall pay ten pounds for the firfl 
 offence, and twenty pounds for the fecond offence, to be 
 levied upon his goods and chattels by warrant from any 
 two juftices of the peace, or chief magiftrate of the place 
 or divifion where fuch peer fliall dwell: (2) and tha,t every 
 peer for the third, and every further offence againft the 
 tenour of this a£l^ fhall be tried by his peers, and not 
 other wife. 
 
 XXIII. Provided alfo, and be it further enafted by the 
 authority aforefaid, that this aft fliall continue in force • 
 for three years after the end of this prefent fefEon of par- 
 liament; and from thence forwaid to the end of the 
 next fcfTion of parliament after the faid'three years, and 
 no longer. . 
 
 A learned man at London, of what perfuafion I know 
 not, publifhed a little book in relation to this aft, whereia 
 he fhewed from the laws of England, the abfurdity of it : 
 fince all religious afts, exercifed by fix perfons, not ac- 
 cording to the formality of the church of England, were 
 forbidden ; and that at this rate it might be reckoned 
 a tranfgreflion, if a woman being in travail, and in danger 
 of life, one of the company faid a prayer ; or if any one 
 fpoke fomething to comfort the near relations of a de- 
 ceafed perfon ; or prayed for the health or happinefs of a 
 young married couple, &c. by which it might happen, 
 that fome by the malice of their enemies, might not only 
 incur imprifonment for three months, but alfo by virtue 
 of the aft of baniflimenr, might be condemned to tranf- 
 portation. That this was not without danger, did ap- 
 pear fufficiently by what judge Orlando Bridgman faid 
 at Hertford to the jury, viz. ' You are not to expeft a 
 plain punftual evidence againft them for any thing they 
 'faid or did at their meeting ; for they may fpeak to one 
 another, though not with or by articular found, but by a 
 caft of the eye, or a motion of the head or foot, or gef- 
 'turie of the body. So that if you find or believe in your 
 hearts that they were in the meeting under colour of re- 
 
136 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 llgion in their way, though they fat ftill oofy and looked 
 upon each other, it was an unlawful meeting/ At this 
 rate the jurymen, who ought to be impanial judges, or 
 mediators, were fwayed, fo that without fear they might 
 find the Quakers that were met together guilty of tranf- 
 grefling the law. 
 
 Now, iince at that time they were refolved to banilh the 
 Quakers, fo called, George Whitehead publiflied a little 
 book, in which he (hewed the unreafonablenefs of the 
 perfecutors, and alfo ftrengthened his friends with folid 
 arguments againft the charge of ftiffneckednefs, anfwering 
 fome fpccious objections; amongft the reft, that the 
 Quakers might keep fmall meetings, and fo not fall under 
 the lafh of the law ; for if they did not meet above five 
 in number, theykept without the reach of the law; and 
 by keeping private meetings they might alfo acquit their 
 confciences before God. But to this G. Whitehead an- 
 fwered, that it might have been objeftcd to the prophet 
 Daniel, that he might have prayed fecretly, and not 
 with open windows and thrice a day, after king Darius 
 had figned the decree, that whofoever (hould afk a pe- 
 tition of any god or man for thirty days, fave of the 
 king, hefhould be cad into the den of lions; but thai 
 Daniel, noiwithftanding this decree, had continued to 
 pray to God as before. * Since then,' faid G. Whitehead, 
 * our meetings are kept in obedience to the Lord God, 
 and according to the freedom he hath given u^, we may 
 not leave off our tqftimony for God in ^hat cafe ; but we 
 niuft be faithful 10 him, whatever w^ fuffer on that 2,0- 
 count. For neither the ihreatenings of men, nor their 
 fcverity or cruelty aftcd againft us, how far foever it may 
 be extended, can make us to forfakc the tqrd in no| 
 keeping our affcmblies, or to be afhamcd of Chrift before 
 men, left hereafter he be afliamed of us before his Father 
 which is in heaven.' Befides he (hewed, how unreafou- 
 able it was to incite the jury on an ill-grounded fufpicion. 
 Without leaving them the liberty of th<gir own judgment : 
 and the judges he fliewed their duty from the law, and 
 Magna Charta. He alfo (hewed how unequal it was, 
 that foldicrs, who abufed his friends in their, meetings,' 
 
 1664] PEOPLE CALLED QtlAKERS; 137 
 
 fliould be called as witneffes againft them ; and that they 
 Ihould be locked up with thieves and felons, fince this 
 was contrary to the right of a free-born Engli(hman. 
 But this reprefentation of G. Whitehead was flighted, 
 fmce thty were refolved to go on with banifliing of the 
 Qtiakcrs, and to tranfport them to the Weft Indies ; which 
 however, according to the ancient laws, might not be done 
 to a free-born Engliftiman againft his mind. Jofiah Coalc 
 about this time gave forth alio a paper, being a warning to 
 the king and both houfes of parliament, to di(ruade them 
 fiom perfecution. But this did not avail, for perfecution 
 
 went on. r t r « 
 
 In the month called Auguft, eight of thole called 
 Quakers, viz. Francis Prior, Nicholas Lucas, Henry Feaft, 
 Henry Marftial, Jeremiah Hern, ThoffTas Wood, John 
 
 ' Blendale, and Samuel Trahern, were tried at Henford 
 before judge Orlando Bridgman, already mentioned. The 
 indiftmcnt contained, that they had been at an unlawful 
 meeting under colour and pretence of religion ; and the • 
 witne(fis declared, that they had met together above the 
 number of five, and were taken at fuch times, and fuch 
 places ; for tliey muft have tranfgreflfed thrice before they . 
 ceuld be condemned to banilhment: but the witneffes 
 declared alfo, that they neither heard them fpeak any 
 words, nor faw them do any thing at their meeting, but 
 ^t ftid. ThQ indiftment having been delivered to the 
 grand jury, they could not agree in their verdift; for 
 there Were fome amongft them whofe confciences would 
 
 " hot^ give them leave to be acceffary to this work of per- 
 iecutfon ; and therefore they brought in their verdift igno- 
 ramus. Now, though fuch a verdia as this ought not to 
 be rejefted, yet judge Bridgman ftandlng up, and feeming 
 to be angry, fpoke to the jury after this manner: 'My 
 mafters, what do' you mean to do ? Will you make a 
 nofe-of-wax of the law, and fuffer the law to be baffled? 
 Thofe that think to deceive the law, the law will deceive 
 ^hem. \y hy dp riot ye find the bill ?' To which one of 
 the jury faid, that it concerned them, to be wary, and 
 well fatisfied in what they did, for they were upon mens 
 lives for ought they knew. * No,* faid the judge, *! 
 
»38 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 1664] 
 
 tEO?LE CAl-tED QtrAKERS. 
 
 ^39 
 
 dcfire not their lives, but their reformation :' and then he 
 gave the jury fome directions, and he fo coloured the 
 matter^ that they going out again foon returned, and 
 found the bill. 
 
 Then four of the prifoners were called to the bar, their 
 indictment read, and they afked, guilty, or not guihy; 
 la which they anfwered, ' Not guilty/ and that they had 
 iianfgTcfred no juft law. « But/ faid the judge, ' ye have 
 iranfgrefred this law, (having the aft in his hand) and yc 
 have been twice convic'led already upon record, and if ye 
 are found guilty by the jury this time, I mud pafs the 
 ientence of tranfportation upon you. Now, therefore yc 
 ihall fee that we do not defire to drain the law to the 
 bigheft kverity ; neither do I believe that it was the aim 
 of the law-makel% to be fevere, but for conforming. If 
 ye will promife that ye will not go, or be at any more 
 Uich meetings, I will iLew you this favour, as to acquit 
 you for what is part : this fiwour ye may receive before 
 the jury is charged with you ; but afterwards I cannot do 
 It. And know alfo, if the jury for want of punftual evi- 
 dencc, fhould not find you guilty, yet if ye are taken 
 again, ye will be in the fame cafe ye now are in. What 
 fay you? Will ye promife to meet no more?* To this the 
 prifoners anfwered, they could promife no fuch thing. 
 Then a jury was called, and the indiftment read a fecond 
 time, containing, that the prifoners had been at an un* 
 lawful meeting at fuch a time and place, the firft, fecond, 
 ;ind/ third time. The witneffes being called, gave the ' 
 fame evidence as before ; and then the judge faid thus 
 to the jury : «My mafters, the jury, ye hear what evi- 
 dence the witnefles give ; how they took them at fuch 
 times, at fuch places, which are places they ufe to meet 
 in ; and that they were above the number of five, be- 
 fides the perfons of the f^imily where they met ; and that 
 they are twice conviftcd already upon record : and this is 
 the third offence, which incurs the fentence of tranf- 
 portation, if ye find them guilty.' Then he fpoke thefe 
 words w hich have been mentioned already, viz. * Ye are 
 not to expea a plain pun^ud evidence againft them for 
 i any thing tbcy faid or did at their meeting, &c. for du^ib 
 
 men may fpeak to one another, fo as they may undcr- 
 ftand each other by figns : and they themfelves fay, that 
 the worfhip 'of God is inward, in the fpirit, and that 
 they can difcern fpirits, and know one another in fpirit. 
 So that if ye find or believe in your hearts that they were 
 in the meeting, under colour of religion in their way, 
 though they fat dill only, it was an unlawful meeting- 
 and their ufe and praftice not according to the liturgy ot 
 the church of England -, for it allows and commands 
 when people meet together in the church, that divine fcr- 
 Vice fliall be read, &c. And ye muft find the bill ; for yc 
 mud have refpc£^ to the meaning and intent of the law, 
 which the king and parliament have in wifdom and policy 
 made, not only againft conventicles, but the words affem- 
 bly and meeting were added ; for we ♦lave had late ex- 
 perience of the danger of fuch meetings under colour of 
 religion : and it is an eafy matter at fuch meetings to con- 
 fpire and confuk mifchief. Therefore the wifdom and 
 policy of the king and parliament, left they fhould be un- 
 dermined, have made this laWp which is not a law againft 
 confcieiKC, for it dotfa not touch confcicnce at all, as I 
 confefs fome other laws do, which enjoin coming to 
 ^hurch, and fome other things.' This and more judge 
 "Bridgman fpoke to the jury, to perfuade them to bring 
 the prifoners in guilty. And the jury being gone out, 
 within the fpace of an hour returned, and their foreman 
 faid, that Nicholas Lucas, and the other three, were 
 
 guilty. 
 
 What the judge had faid, that they had had late ex- 
 perience of the danger of fuch meetings under colour of 
 religion, wafi of no force at all ; for it never had appeared 
 that the Quakers in religious meetings did any thing elfe 
 tihan the performing of* their w^orfhip, though there were 
 other evidences concerning the Fifth monarchy-men; bat 
 it was univerfally known that the Quakers had no part 
 therein, nor joined with them in the leaft degree. It was 
 alfo a very abfurd faying of the judge, that this law did 
 not touch confcience ; for it was merely for cohfcience- 
 fake that the Quakers frequented not the publick fcrvice 
 and liturgy of the church of England, and kept religious 
 
 ll 
 
'll 
 
 140 THE HISTORY OF THE ri664 
 
 « 
 
 meetings by thcmfelves. But the jury feemcd well fatif- 
 ficd with what the judge had told them ; and he having 
 thus obtained his aim, read the prifoners names, and faid 
 to them, * What can ye fay for yourfelves, that judgment 
 of iranfportation fliould not pafs, or be given againfl you?* 
 To which they faid, * We a,re innocent, and have tranf- 
 greffed no jufl: law ; if we muft have that fcntence, we 
 give up our bodies freely into the hands of the Lord ; the 
 will of the Lord be done.' * Have ye nothing more to 
 fay ?' faid the judge. ^Nothing, but that we arc inno- 
 cent,* replied the prifoners, ' we have wronged no man.* 
 * Then hearken to your fentence,* faid the judge, ' Ye 
 fhall be tranfported beyond the fcas, to the ifland of Bar- 
 badocs, there to remain feven years.* 
 
 Then Jeremi^Ji Hern and Thomas Wood were called 
 to the bar, and their indiftment read, to w^hich they 
 pleaded, ' Not guilty, but innocent ;* and Jeremiah faid, 
 he was no fuch perfon as the acf^ mentioned, fqjr plotting 
 and contriving infurre^tions. Then the judge interrupting 
 him, faid, ' You are a forward man, you have an eftate ;* 
 and fo he caufed him to be fet by : and to Thomas Wood 
 h^ faid, ' I hear a good report of you ; confider what 
 you do ; I am forry, feeing you have a good report among 
 your neighbours, that you fhould be found guilty, which 
 I fear you will if you put yourfelf upon trial : I am wil- 
 ling to fhew you favour ; and it may be one man may 
 fare the better for another.* This rcflefted on Jeremiah, 
 who, by the malice of one John King, had been falfely 
 reprefented to the judge. Yet Jeremiah having fhcwn 
 how he had been wronged, the judge faid, they fhould 
 both partake of his favour, if they would but dcfire it : 
 and this favour confided in this, as he himfclf faid, that 
 he would waive the proceedings of the court, and give 
 them time till the next aflizes, to confider better with 
 thcmfelves. ' What fay you ^thus he continued), will yc 
 have it deferred till the next affizcs ? for if the jury find 
 the bill, you will be fent to Jamaica ; ye mufl not all go 
 to one place.* To this the prifoners returned, ' We have 
 tranfgreffcd no law of God, nor wronged any man : we 
 
 1664] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. I4I 
 
 leave it to the court ; we dcfire it not.* * If you will not 
 dcfirc it,* replied the judge, * I cannot, nor will do it.* 
 
 Then three other prifoners were brought to the bar, 
 among whom was one John Reynolds, who, according to 
 the dcpofition of the witnefTes, had been within a yard of 
 the door of the meeting-place, with his face from it. The 
 judge then faid, * God^ forbid that I fhould do any thing 
 that is not right and juft againfl my confcience ; there 
 is that which is written upon the wall before me, which 
 puts me in mind, that 1 fhould not judge for man,, but 
 for God.' Then turning to the jury, he fpoke to them 
 almofl after the fame manner, as he did concerning the 
 other four prifoners : and to induce them to declare 
 Reynolds (who was taken but not in the meeting) guilty, 
 he fpoke thus : * Suppofe a man be killed in a houfe, and 
 nobody faw him killed, but a man is met coming out of 
 the houfe with a bloody knife in his hand, it is a very 
 probable evidence that he is guilty of the murder. So 
 though the witnefTes do not fay that they faw and took 
 him in the meeting, yet they fwore he was within a yard 
 of the door with his face from the place where they 
 ufually met ; and he hath been taken twice already, and 
 i;pnvifted upon record. My maflers, I leave it to you, go 
 forth.* Then a bailiff was called, and charged to provide 
 the jury a room, and to let none fpeak with them, nor 
 to let them have either bread, drink, or candle, till they 
 brought in their verdift. The jury being gone out, foon 
 agreed, and after they were returned faid, that four of 
 the five prifoners were guilty, and that the other who 
 flood without the door was not guilty.' So he was ac- 
 quitted ; but the other four being brought to the bar» 
 the judge afked them, what they could fay why judgment 
 of tranfportation fhould not be given againfl them. Their 
 anfwer was, ' We are innocent, and have not offended 
 any jufl law of God or man, to deferve that fentence ; 
 we leave it to the witneffes of God in thy or your con- 
 fciences.* Then the judge faid, ' Ye have offended againfl 
 this law (having the aft before him), which is made by 
 the king and parliament, and executed by us their fub- 
 ordinate rainiflers: if it be not righteous and jnft, we 
 
 ^- 
 
142 THE HISTOP.y OF THE [t6$4 
 
 muft anfwer for that/ One of the prifoners had faid be- 
 fore, * If I have tranfgreffcd any jiift law, let me fuffer ; 
 and if not, he that judgeth for God will not condemn me.* 
 To which the judge returned, * You do well to put me in 
 mind of my duty ; pray think of your own.' And now he 
 a/ked the prifoners, * Have you any more to fay ?' To 
 which they anfwered, ' Nothing, but chat we are inno- 
 cent.' Then he faid, * Hear your feutence : you fhall be 
 iranfported beyond the feas, to the illand of Jamaica, 
 being one of his majefly's foreign plantations, there to 
 remain feven years. Now 1 have this one thing to ac- 
 quaint you with, that if you, and either of you, will pay 
 down here into the court, an hundred pounds before the 
 court rifeth, you and every one of you fhall be difcharged, 
 and clearly acquitted for what is part. And I will fhew 
 you this favour, not to difcharge the court at this prefenr, 
 iDUt fhall adjourn it till afternoon.* This was done ; and 
 the court being met again, the judge fent to the con- 
 demned prifoners to know if ihey would pay down the 
 hundred pounds ; but they anfwcring, ' No/ the court 
 was then foon difcharged. 
 
 Seveij of thefe prifoners not long after were carried on 
 Ihip-board to be tranfporied to the Well Indies; but 
 rwhich was remarkable) the (hip by contrary winds and 
 ftormy weather was hindered going to fea. Not only the 
 mafter, whofe name was Thomas May, but alfo his men, 
 grew very uneafy at this : for they believed that Heaven 
 was againft them : nay, the failors threatened to leave the 
 (hip, it the mafter would not fet thofe prifoners afhore. 
 And he himfelf, confidering how after having lain long in 
 the Downs, and more than once fet fail, they were hin- 
 dercd to go on by contrary winds, refolved at length, after 
 having lingered about two months, to fet the banifhed 
 afliorc ; and fo he did, giving them a certificate, of which 
 I have a copy in my cuftody, that they w^ere not run 
 away, but freely put afliore by him, for which, among 
 others, he gave thefe reafons, that feeing the great adver. 
 fities they had met with, he concluded from thence, that 
 the hand of God was againft him, and that therefore he 
 durft not go off with ihefc prifoners, bccaufe he found 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 H3 
 
 them to be honeft men, who had not deferred banllh- 
 ment. And alfo that there was a law extant, that no 
 Englifhman might be tranfported againft: his mind. And 
 that his men refufed to proceed on the voyage if he would 
 carry away thefe people. This certificate he gave under 
 his hand, and fo let them go away free ; and not long 
 after the fliip fet fail with a fair wind. I do not find that 
 the banifiied, who returned home again, were profecuted 
 on this account : for the fentence againft them was ck- 
 ccuted as far as it could at that time, and they had made 
 BO oppofition, but had been fuiferers. 
 
 Pcrfecution in the mean-while did not ceafe : hut this 
 did not difcourage thofe called Quakers ; they cominucl 
 valiant, as I have fcen in many letters fent about that 
 tune to fome of my acquaintance. One faid in the court 
 of jufticc, ' We are in the fervice of the Lord, and may 
 not leave it;' and another who was offered to be freed of 
 banifliment, if he would pay down an hundred pounds, 
 faid, ' Though I had an hundred lives to lofe, and could 
 redeem them all for an hundred pence, yet I would not 
 do it.' But this could not ftop the violence of the per- 
 fecutors ; till an heavier hand reached them, as may be 
 related hereafter. 
 
 In the months Oftober and December many were con- 
 demned to tranfportation, and among thefe feveral womcn^ 
 whofe trials I fliall but curforily fpeak of: for if I fhould 
 relate all particulars, the defcription would far exceed my 
 hmits ; and therefore I will but touch upon fome few 
 things. 
 
 On the i3thof Oaober,fixteen of thofe called Quakers 
 were tried at Hicks's Hall, in Middlefex, for the third 
 offence, as they called it. The grand jury confulting to- 
 gether about finding the bill of indiflment, could not well 
 agree. And the juftices giving them a check, one of the 
 jurymen defired to know, by what law they ought to find 
 a bill againft any pcifons, without witneffes to teftify die 
 laft committed. To which anfwer was made by the court, 
 that their records teftified the crime or faft, and that fuch 
 their record was a fufEcient wicnefs without thcteftimony 
 of any man. And for a proof of this it wa^ further faid. 
 
 Vol, U. k 
 
 I 
 
144 ' THE HISTORY OF THJt [^1664 
 
 * The records in Chancery ferve as a fafiicient teftiraony ; 
 and if it be fo in Chancery, why not here ?' The jury 
 having been twice upon this bufinefs, was fcnt up a third 
 time; and Ed\«^ard Shehon the clerk faid he would go 
 up alio to help them, and fo he did ; it having been 
 threatened, that if the jurymen did not find a bill, they 
 fliould be fined. Neverthelcfs, at their return they an- 
 fwered, ' No verdift/ Whereupon the juftices finding 
 the jurj^men not to anfwer their ends, took them apart, 
 and examined them one by one, telling them that the only 
 thing they were to look upon was, that they did aifltmble 
 together aboVe the number of five in company ; which, 
 according to what they faid, their records fliewed. This 
 made fome of the jury comply; but others ftood it out^ 
 and fignified that in confcience they could not confent to. 
 what was required of them. But the major part com- 
 plying with the juftices, upon their threatening them, 
 and the others being ftrongly preft, the bill was, by a 
 kind of force, accepted at length. But how hard. a cafe 
 ihisDeas to fome, appeared by the mournful confeflion of 
 one of the jury, who to eafe his confcience publiflied in 
 prrat a fmall book, with the title of ' The Wounded 
 Heart, or The Juryman's Offences,* &c. in which he 
 openly difepproved the fa£l, to which he had been in- 
 duced by human fear. The pains had been fo great to 
 perfuade the jury to bring in a verdict according to the 
 mind of the court, that the clerk, as was reported, faid, 
 he had rather have given twenty pounds, than have been 
 fo troubled. 
 
 The next day the prifoners were brought to the bar, 
 and William Proftor, of Gray's Inn, fat as judge in tlie 
 court. The queftions and anfwers I pafs by for brevity 
 fake. One Hannah Trigg pleading flie was innocent, was 
 aiked how old fhe was ; to which (he faying fhe was not 
 fixteen years old ; one of the juftices did not flick to fay, 
 fte told a lie ; and that he thought the Quakers would 
 not lie. In the mean-while it appeared, that he only faid 
 fo by guefe to bafHe her -, for by a certificate of fome that 
 were prefent at her birth /which was divulged in print) 
 it was proved that Ihe bdng the daughter of Timothy 
 
 PE0PL2 CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 H5 
 
 1664] 
 
 Trigg was born at London on the 20th of the month 
 called August, 1649; '^^^ fo was but fifteen years of 
 age, and dealt with againft the law ; which was the harder, 
 becaufe this maid falling fick, died in prifon, after the 
 fentence of baniflimcnt had been pafl upon her : which 
 fentence was now pronounced againft twelve perfons, 
 among whom were four maids ; and four married women 
 were condemned to a confinement of eleven months in 
 Bridewell. The judge in the pronouncing the fentences 
 was fo difturbed in his mind, that ordering fome to be 
 tranfported to Virginia, and others to Barbadoes, he con- 
 demned fome alfo to be fent to Hifpaniola ; at which the 
 people were not a little furprized, for he made it plainly 
 appear, that he did not confider what he faid ; fince Hif- 
 paniola was no place in the dominions of the king of 
 England : but he was fo confounded, that he alfo accufed 
 the prifoners of having tranfgreffed the laws of the com- 
 monwealth, forgetting that England was no more a 
 commonwealth, as it was before the reftoration of king 
 Charles II. 
 
 On the i5ih of Oftober above^ forty of the prifoners 
 ealled Quakers, were tried before the judges Hide and 
 Keeling. To mention all the exorbitances of this trial, 
 which were not few, I count needlefs : for as to the quef- / 
 tions and anfwers, and the paffmg of fentence, the reader 
 may form to himfelf an idea of it from what hath been 
 faid already of the trial at Hertford, &c. A maid being 
 afked, guilty, or not guilty, anfwered, «I never was 
 taken at any feditious meeting or conventicle in my life.' 
 To which the judge faid, * But, woman, were not you 
 taken -at the Bull and Mouth the 21ft of Auguft ?' She 
 anfwered, * I am innocent in the fight of God and all 
 good people.* That this was true the'judge did not deny, 
 but .faid, * I believe that, woman, but you have tranf- 
 greffed a jaw.'. She replied, • As for the Bull aad Mouth, ^ 
 I bclrev'el have been there an hundred times, and if the 
 Lord perraiime life and liberty, I do not know but I may 
 go there an hundred times more.' The judge then fay^ 
 ing, ' Woman, wiH you plead or no, guilty, or not guihy, 
 or else \ muft pafs fentence upon you.' She anfwered^ 
 
 K 2 
 
«4fi 
 
 TM£ HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 ♦ The will of the Lord be done, I am innocent/ Yet this 
 could not avail her, though judge Hide had faid a little 
 before concerning the prifoners, * If they are innocent, 
 then they arc not guilty/ But ftie was fet by as mute, or 
 fro confefio^ as to the fact charged againfl her in the in^ 
 didment. Others who complained of the unreafonablenefs 
 of the proceedings, were he^ored as impudent : and the 
 jury fliewing themfelves diffatisfied concerning the wi^nefles, 
 judge Hide faid to them> it was no untruth if a man did 
 loiftake in the time, and that his evidence was good, 
 though he did not fee one in the houfe : * For,* faid he, 
 
 • if forty men be in a room, and one is brought out of the 
 room to me, ftanding at the door, cannot I fsvear that he 
 was in that room, if I fee him come out ? You muft not 
 make fuch fcruplea.' 
 
 In the mean-while there were fome among the witneffes 
 who did not know the prifoners by face; fo that there 
 was reafon enough to difprove their teflimony. But what- 
 ever TVas objc£lcd, the bufinefs muft go on : for though 
 one of the witneffes declared that the meeting, from 
 which the prifoners had been taken, was peaceable ; and 
 though one of the prifoners faid, that the law was made 
 againft feditious meetings, and that nothing of fedition 
 had been proved againft them: yet judge Keeling faid, 
 the aft was made to prevent fuch meetiiigs, becaufe under 
 colour and pretence of religion, plots and confpiracies 
 might be parried on. And when a prifoner faid, that he 
 was at a peaceable godly meeting, and received much 
 comfort there ; the judge returned, ' That is as much as 
 we defire. You confcfs you were there ; and though it 
 was a peaceable meeting, yet it was an unlawful one.* 
 Another, of the prifoners who pleaded that the law the 
 court afted by was contrary to Magna Charta, and the 
 ancient fundamental laws of the land, was anfwrrcd by 
 judge Hide, ' If the king and parliament fliould make ^ 
 law tfiat two juftices whhout a jury (hould adjudge a man 
 10 4eath for the third uSence as a felon, vithcut benefit 
 of clergy, it would be a good law, and according to 
 Magna Cbarta> and the law of the land ; and we ftiould 
 hp boua4,to execute it.* It fccms this judge (who not 
 
 1664} PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKEM. I47 
 
 long after was fuddenly fummoned hence to appear before 
 the divine affizes) was of opinion, that fincc the legiflativc 
 power refidcd in the king and parliament, all that they 
 refolved and enafted, muft pafs for good law. But if I 
 fhould mention all the abfardities I meet with in these pro- 
 ceedings, when fliould I come to an end? True it is, that 
 fomeiimes a ftiew was made of pity : for judge Keeling 
 faid to two maids, * We are forry that ftich young maids 
 fliould be thus deluded.* But becaufe they would not 
 promifc to go to the publick church, though they declared 
 themfelves ready to affift at divine fervice, they were 
 deemed as guilty. Another prifoner being afked by judge 
 Hide, whether he would go to church, anfwered, * If I 
 have my liberty, 1 fliall go to church.* But when it ap- 
 peared that he did not mean the eftablifhed or publick 
 church, this promife could not fave him. One Richard 
 Poulton, a lad of fifteen years of age, who by a certificate 
 fliewed, that he was not yet fixteen years old, and there- 
 fore no tranfgreffor of the law, was aiked, if he would 
 fwear he was not fixteen, juft as if he could have remem- 
 bered the time of his birth ; to which he anfwered, that 
 he was not brought up to fwearing : and being afked, 
 whether he would promife to go church ; he anfwered, 
 he fhould promife no fuch thing. Then he was returned 
 to the reft that vere to be fentenced. 
 
 This was't)n the lyih of the aforefaid month; when 
 nineteen perfons, among which were fome women, were 
 condemned to banifhment, and four married women to 
 twelve months imprifonment in Bridewell. None of the 
 judges it feems had a mind to pronounce fentence, and 
 therefore they left this bufintfs to the city recorder. He 
 then bidding the prifoners to hearken to the judgment of 
 the court, ipoke fo foftly, that he could not well be 
 heard^ which made one of the prifoners fay, that he ought 
 to fpeak louder, for they could not hear him. But he 
 continuing to fpeak foftly as before, two or three others 
 of the prifoners told him, they could not tell what he 
 iaid. 'Xo which he anfwered, he cared not whether they 
 did or no ; and then faid, * Hearken to your fentence, 
 TCou and every pf you, Ihall be tranfportcd beyond the 
 
 - ^ 3 
 
148 
 
 THE HISTORY OK THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 fcas, the men to Barbadoes, and the women to Jamaica, 
 being two of his majefly's plantations, there to remain 
 feven years.' Thus the perfccutors endeavoured to be rid 
 of the Quakers: but though perfecution now was very 
 'hot, yet they fainted not, neither were they in want of 
 fuch vigilant affiftants, as both by example and words 
 continually encouraged them to faith fulnefs ; who yet 
 (which was remarkable) were not condemned to banifh- 
 mcnt, as many others. 
 
 Among thefe was Jofiah Coale alfo, who about this 
 time, as I have been told, was in prifon at London ; and 
 both by writing, aud by word of mouth, did exhort his 
 feUow-believers to conftancy : for (when under confine- 
 ment) he betook himfelf to his pen, and recommended to 
 his friends, that they would not forfake their meetings, 
 though they were to undergo great fufferings, fmce it was 
 God's good pleafure to let their patience be tried. * And,' 
 faid he, ' that thefe afflidions come upon us is by God's 
 ^ permiffion : who then fhall gainfay him, or endeavour to 
 reafon with him about matters of fo great a concern, fincc 
 . his way is hid from man.* He alfo fignified to them that 
 this was done to try their faith, and that therefore they 
 ought to continue bold, and perfevere valiantly. < And 
 though,* faid he, * great fufferings and afflidions at- 
 tend us, yet my heart, praifed be the Lord, is not 
 troubled, neither hath fear feized me, becaufe I fee the 
 intent of the Lord in it.* And in one letter he fpoke 
 thus : * Friends, this know : that for the fake of the refiduc 
 , of the feed which is yet ungatbered, is my life freely facri- 
 ficed up into the hand of the Lord ; and ready and Vv^illing 
 am I to lay it down for the tcftimony of God*s bleffed 
 truth, which he hath given me to bear, if thereunto I am 
 called : for bonds and affliftions attend me daily, and I 
 may fay, we are in jeopardy of our lives daily : fo let 
 your prayer to God be for me, that I may be kept unto 
 the end, to finifh my teftimony with joy, and in all things 
 to bring glory and honour to the name of the Lord, who 
 is over ill, bleffed for ever.* This his Chriftian dcfire he 
 obtained, as will be faid in due place. It was a time of 
 fuffcring ; ' and tbofc to whofe iliare it fell, continued 
 
 1604] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS.. I49 
 
 valiant; whilft others did not negleft to exhort the kPng 
 and parliament to leave off perfecution. Among thefe Vai 
 William Bayly, who gave forth a very ferious exhortation 
 and warning againft perfecution to the king and pariiaraeht, 
 &c. beginning thus : 
 
 For the King and Parliament, Sec. 
 
 * Friends, 
 * The God of heaven hath put it into my heart to write 
 a few words unto you, in the fear and dread of his name, 
 and in the counfel of his own will, concerning the work 
 which ye have taken in hand againft him and his people ; 
 this is not the end and work for which the Lord God 
 hath permitted you into the places of government and 
 rule, in this nation, (nor the way for you to profper, nor 
 to prolong your days in the earth) thus to perfecute and 
 afflidl an innocent and harmlefs people, who are peace- 
 able, and walk uprightly towards God and man ; therein 
 endeavouring, in all things, to keep their confciences void 
 of offence, and who have no helper in the earth but the 
 Lord alone ; neither is their kingdom of this world, but 
 they are verily the children and fervants of the moft^high 
 God, whom he hath gathered from amongft men, and 
 from the kindreds of the earth, to be the firft fruits unto 
 him, and to the Lamb in this age ; and we are his, and 
 not our own, he hath bought us, and redeemed us unto 
 himfelf, and to him alone have we committed our innocent 
 eaufe, and he hath undertaken to plead it for us, with all 
 our adverfaries ; and no weapon formed againft us fliall 
 ever profper, but be broken to pieces. 
 ^ * Therefore friends, be awakened and open your eyes, 
 and fee what a ftir and a do here is in this nation ; to hale 
 and drag up and down a con^pany of tender, innocent, 
 and harmlefs people, men and ^omen, and children from 
 f heir peaceable meetings, who meet together in the fear 
 and tender love of God, without any evil or bad intent 
 teward any ; but have goodwill and corflpallion toward all 
 mm, even to the worft of our enemies, as the Lord bears 
 us witncfs f and thefe are they that are driven as fteep to 
 
?49 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THf 
 
 [1664 
 
 ^c fflapghtcr, and thrown into your noifomc gaols, ancj 
 friibns, and hoMfes of correftion ; by rude and brutifh 
 P^filf (.79^^?" fcrvj^ms) whom you have fet on work by 
 jq\ir ^^fhorky, till many of them have (patiently) fufFered 
 till death, whofe innocent blood will affurcdly be required 
 at your hands, (though they fliall not go free of the guilt, 
 who have had the lead hand in it, without fpecdy re- 
 pentance. ) And thus ye may fee and read, how the dif- 
 ciples of Chrifl: Jefus, are as fheep and lambs in the midll 
 of wolves in this age, and as a lilly among thorns, and all 
 tht$ is only for obeying his commands, and for worfhipping 
 the eveilafiing invifible God, in the fpirir, and in the 
 truth, accordiiig to the Scriptures, the which, if you 
 knew and underflood, you would tremble to think what 
 you have done againfl them, to caufe fo many of the little 
 ones, which believe in Chrift, fo grievoufly 10 fulFer, who 
 fcid, it were better a mill-done were hanged about his 
 Beck, and be drowned in the depth of the fca, that (bould 
 <^Scnd one of thefe little ones, that believe in me j and as 
 true as Chrift Jefus fufFered, and rofc again, and as God 
 liveth, who raifed him from the dead, we are fome of 
 thofe his tittle ones that believe in him, who fin derifion 
 ^nd fcorn in this age) are called Quaker?, as ye might 
 call Mofes, the prophets and apollles ^^in days part) who 
 did quake and tremble at the prefenee of the Lord, who 
 i$ the fame now as ever he was, though the ungodly know 
 him not, nor his power : and we are of that poor and 
 afllifted people, mentioned Zeph. iii. 12. 19. " Whofe 
 truft is in the ijame of the Lord, who will undo all that 
 ^fflifts them.'* 
 
 * But what fhall I fay unto you ; if ye will nor, or can- 
 not believe our faithful teftimony (or the teftimony of God 
 through us) and the innoccncy of our caufe and fuffer- 
 ings, neither will ye believe, if one fhould rife from the 
 dead 4nd declare it unto you ; for many tender vifitations, 
 and timely warnings, and gentle reprchenfions have you 
 had, from the pure fpirit of the Lord God, both from 
 his witnefs in you» own confciences, and from his faithful 
 fervaBts ^nd meffengers, who have written and declared 
 mio you m his name and power in this your day. And 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKBRS. 
 
 »5« 
 
 as for my part, who am one of the leafl of the thoufands 
 of Ifrael, I could willingly have been filent as toward you 
 at this time, but the Lord (whom I ferve in my fpirit/ 
 hath laid it upon me to warn you once more (for whofe 
 fakes I have borne a burthen) in the true fight and fenfc 
 of your fad eftate, and of the day of thick darknefs, 
 wrath and diftrefs, which is haftening upon you from the 
 Almighty. 
 
 ' Wherefore be not proud nor rebellious, but hear, and 
 obey the word of the Lord ; for thus faith the Lord God 
 that made heaven and earth, let my innocent people alone, 
 and touch them not any more, as ye have done ; for they 
 are mine, and I have called them, and chofen them, and 
 redeemed them ; they are ray jewels, which I am making 
 up, they (hall fliew forth my glory before men to the 
 whole world ; I have anointed them, and I will preferve 
 them and deliver them, and crown them with an ever- 
 lafting falvation. I will rebuke kings and rulers for their 
 fakes, and diftrefs nations, and difthrone the mighty from 
 their feats that rife up againft them, as I have done ; and 
 let my everlafting gofpel have a free paffage in thefc 
 nations ; and do not reproach and affli6l my fervants and 
 meflcngers fo any more, whom I have chofen and fent to 
 'preach and declare the way of life and falvation to the 
 ends of the earth, but bow your ear and your heart unto 
 them and their teftimony, that it may be well with you, 
 and prolong your days ; for he that bieffeih them fhall be 
 blefTed, and he that curfeth them (hall be curfed, and 
 every hand (hall wither that oppofeth them, as hath been, 
 and fhall be, henceforth for ever: I the Lord have 
 fpoken it. 
 
 * But and if you will not hear, but will ftill perfift, and 
 go on, as ye have done, to opprefs my heritage, and 
 harmlefs people, and make war and oppofition againft my 
 power and truth, and thus fet yourfelves and your power 
 againft me, the living God, I will bring you down fud- 
 denly, to the aftonifhment of nations, and I will cut your 
 day (hort, and turn your pleafures into howling and la^ 
 mentation, and (bame and contempt (hall cover your mc- 
 worial as a garment. Thus will I work for the deliver- 
 
 
1st 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 ancc of my feed, and none fhall fct it ; for the year of my 
 redeemed is come, and the day of vengeance is in my 
 heart, to plead its caufe with all flefh, 
 
 * Therefore, confider your ways, and fee what ye arc 
 doing, and what the effe^ of this your work will be ; yc 
 are but men, and the children of men, who were but as 
 yefterday ; your breath alfo is in your noflrils, and your 
 life is but a vapour, ^which will foon vanifli away: you 
 labour in the very fire, and bring forth wind, which blows 
 op the flame of that which will confume you, and deprive 
 you of all happinefs for ever : O that ye had but hearts to 
 confider it ! For the more you drive with the Lord, and op- 
 prefs his people, the more will they muhiply, and grow 
 ftronger and ftronger : and you ihall wax weaker and 
 weaker, and your works fhall be your heavy burthen ; for 
 life and immortality is rifen, and the power of God is 
 flirring in the hearts ofthoufands, and light underftanding 
 (rhe excellent fpirit which was in Daniel; is breaking forth 
 like the lightning (which (hines out of the eaft into the 
 weft) in the fight of many people, whereby they know, it 
 is the day of the commg of the Son of Man, with power 
 and great glory, that every eye may fee him, and they 
 that have pierced him fliall mourn bitterly : fo, your labour 
 is in vain, and your works for the. fire, and your ftriving 
 with your Maker to no purpofe, as to effeft yoijr end and 
 aim. And of thefe things ypu have been of^ten fore- 
 warned, and the Lord hath been very long fuffering to- 
 wards you, in fparing you thus long, and fuffering you 
 thus far to aft againft him and his dear people ; and his 
 mercy and forbearance hath been evidently ftewed in a 
 large meafure unto you, in deferring his heavy judgments 
 thus long, which muft have been confeffcd to be juft upon 
 you. And will you thus requite the Lord/ by iricreafing 
 your tafks of oppreffion upon his tender innocent people ? 
 O unwife and ungrateful generation ! Hath not God yet 
 fliewed you, that you fliould do juftly, and love mercy, 
 and walk humbly? But are thefe your fruits and praftices, 
 fruits of mercy or juflice? Or if there be any tinfture or 
 fpark of love, or humility in them, let God's witnefs (the 
 light; in all your confciences, and in people, aufwcr. I tell 
 
 j»f?^'ifc 
 
 I 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 153 
 
 you plainly, that fuch fruits and doing among you, that 
 profefs yourfelves Chriftians, have made the very name of 
 Chrift and Chriftianity, a proverb of reproach through 
 nations, and have caufed the God of heaven to be blaf- 
 phemed ; and how could it be orherwife, feeing you who 
 profefs the moft knowledge of God, and have talked of 
 converting the heathen (as fome of your leaders have 
 done) are found the leaft in the life and fruits thereof: 
 but to what would they convert them ? to pride and fwear- 
 ing, and drunkennefs, and oppreflfion, and all manner of 
 cxcefs, and to perfecute people for their good confcience ? 
 They have no need of that : for, fome of them have faid, 
 they did not ufeto fwear and be drunk, &c. till they came 
 among the Chriftians, and learned of them, did not do fa 
 in their owh country : ye are fo far from converting the^, 
 being out of the life of what ye profefs and talk of your- 
 felves, that the very heathen or infidels (as ye call themj 
 do judge and condemn you (who are making enquiry) con- 
 cernii)g thefe your proceedings ^gainft this harmlefs people, 
 among whom fome of them have been kindly entreated, 
 who vifited them at the Lord's requiring, though contrary 
 in opinion and religion; and this doth rife up in judgment 
 ^ainft you. . 
 
 * But, friends, have you yourfelves been under fuf- 
 ferings, and fome of you been driven into fl:range coun- 
 tries, or lands, for your caufe (as it was called)? Nay, 
 did not the king himfelf once flee for refuge to a tree, to 
 fave himfelf from his enemies hands? If not, why are 
 there fuch reprefentations made of it, in fo many places in 
 the nation ? And was not this as great a mercy and deli- 
 verance from God, fo to obfcure and pieferve him, from 
 them who purfued him (and many of you alfo ?) And are 
 thefe things forgoncn ? Can mercy be loved, except it 
 te remembered? And do you remember and love his 
 mercies, by doing juitly, and walking humbly with him, 
 as he doth require ? Or do you boaft in a vain glpry, as 
 if your own arm had done it, or your own ftrength or dc- 
 ferts had delivered you ? If fo, then God muft needs be 
 forgotten, and his mercies trod under foot, and his vifi- 
 lations and counfels caft behind your back j and fo, all 
 
'54 THE HISTORY Of THE [^^^4 
 
 that forget God, (hall be torn in pieces, and there fhall be 
 none to deliver them, as it is written. 
 
 * And were thefe your fufferings (which you fuftaincd 
 by them ye oppofedj unjuft and unequal ? And if you 
 ftould fay, they were; then I fay, it is much more unjuft 
 and very unequal in the fight of God, and ail foher people 
 that ffar him, for you, thus to inflift fuch cruel fufferings, 
 as imprifoning, and Aifling up to death in your noifomc 
 gaols and holes among thieves and murderers, and to pro- 
 nounce fentence of banifhment upon an innocent, harm- 
 lefs, peaceable people, that do not oppofc you in the leaft, 
 with any outward force, neither do fo much as the 
 thoughts of it lodge within our breafts, as the Lord God 
 tnoweth (who hath called us to peace) but on the conir.iry 
 have fought anddofeek your welfare and happinefs, both 
 m this world, and in the world to come, which in time 
 fliall be manifeft to the whole earth. 
 
 * And if you fay, your fufferings were unjuft and un- 
 equal fthough you did oppofc them, and make war againft 
 them fo long as you could) becaufe they deprived you of 
 your rights and privileges, and juft liberties, and natural 
 binh-rights, &c. which were your due to enjoy, as being 
 free-born of the nation : then how much more is it un- 
 juft, and unequal, and unrighteous, thus to inflift fuffer- 
 ings upon your friends, and opprefs your peaceable neigh- 
 bours, who are free-born people of the fame nation, and 
 do not oppofe you, but are fender towards you (as afore- 
 faid), and fubjeft to all wholefome juft laws, and tributary 
 to you, for which caufes we ought to have our juft liberty, 
 and enjoy the privilege of our birth-right, which is our 
 due (fo long as we live peaceably and harinlefsly), but if 
 It be not a privilege to be pleaded for, then arc all your 
 own grounds and reafons, and caufs without a foun- 
 dation, and you and the whole nation may be fwept 
 away by any that are able to do it, wiihoqt being charged 
 with injuftice or oppreiBon, which is contrary to the juft 
 balance (the light of Chrift), in all peoples' confciences^ 
 And as we are the dearly beloved people of the moft high 
 God, who doth bicfs us with his 'prefcnce, and manifeft 
 his cveriafling^ love and good-will towards us daily, and 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLS CALLED QyA&SRS. 
 
 »55 
 
 ovcrfhadow us with his power and tender mercies, whom 
 he hath gathered out of the evil ways and fpirit of this 
 world, and alf the vanities thereof, unto himfelf, to walk 
 with him who is invifible, in the upright, blamelefs, un- 
 defiled life, in the midft of a crooked and perverfe genera- 
 tion ; I fay, confidcring thefe things, how greatly and un- 
 righteoufly do our fufferings appear to all fober people, 
 whofe eyes are open, and will be more open to difcera 
 and favour the bitternefs of that proud, envious, wrath- 
 ful fpirit, which thus hath adted and deceived you : and its 
 end is numbered by them that have wifdora from above. 
 
 ' For friends, fct afide the reproachful name of Quakers, 
 and the other titles of derifion and fcorn (which the en- 
 vious and blood thirfty fpirit hath invented to render the 
 people of God odious in all ages), and tell me w^hat yc 
 have juftly to charge againft this people, (whom you fa 
 furioufly purfuc to the dens and caves of the earth, to the 
 lofs of the lives of fo many of them ; by which children 
 arc made fatherlefs, and tender-hearted women, mournful 
 widows), and let it come forth to open view, and declare 
 k abroad (as your articles againft them) to the whole 
 world, and fpeak the truth, and nothing but the truth, 
 (as you ufe to tell one another) that all people may 
 rightly know and underftand the very ground and moft 
 fecrct caufe (who do enquire) of thefe your prefent pro- 
 ceedings againft them ; for notice is taken by many, and 
 ere long it rauft be manifeft to all men, as the folly and 
 jnadnefs pf Jannes and Jambres was, that withftood Mofcs ; 
 for you withftand no lefs than him of whom^Mofes wr(Ke ; 
 who faid, " I am the light of the world," againft whom 
 Saul was once exceedingly mad, and had thoughts to do 
 very much againft that way, which was then as well a? 
 now, called Herefy, till the light of Jefus, whom he per- 
 fecuted, met with him, with his letters (or warrants) to 
 hale men and women to prifon (as your fervants do), and 
 fmote him to the ground, and made him tremble, who 
 ^from that time) became fuch. a Quaker as you now per- 
 fccure and imprifon till death j but the light of J<?fus 
 Chrift, the Son of the living God, will meet with all per- 
 fccuLors, and opprcffors about reiigion, let them be nevct 
 
 e 
 
< t 
 
 V 
 
 t 
 .t 
 
 % 
 
 ■» 
 
 11 
 
 PI 
 
 156 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [16^4 
 
 fo mad, or think they ought to do much agafnft that way, 
 they call Hcrcfy ; as feme of you have faid, who have 
 made a mock at the light, even pubiickly, which many 
 took notice of, and even marvelled at fuch blafphcmy (in 
 an open court) againfl: the Saviour of the world: and 
 there is no other name under heaven by which men (hall be 
 faved, but him who faid, John vii. 7, 12. and 16. "1 ant 
 the light of the world, who lighteth every man that com- 
 cth into the world.** 
 
 ^ And this is he in wliom we have believed, and of 
 whom we have declared, and muft declare and bear tef- 
 limony as long as we have a being ; and the world ftall 
 know that our teflimony is true ; and for his name and 
 truth only, do we thus patiently fufFer the contradiaions 
 of iSnners, as our brethren did by the zealous Jews in 
 ages pad ; but you are not fo zealous for Chiifl's law and 
 commandments, as they were of Mofes and the prophets 
 (which Chrift ends and fulfils) ; who thought it was not 
 lawful to do good on the Sabbath-da}^ (as to heal the 
 iickj for then would you " Do to all men, as ye would 
 ihey fhould do to you ;" for his law runs thus, '* And be 
 yc merciful," &c and " Love you your enemies ; and 
 fwear not at all,'* &c. as ye may read.^ 
 
 ' But behold, how both Jews and Gentiles take notice, 
 and are afiiamcd and grieved, to hear and fee what a deal 
 of bad works you do, even on your Sabbath-day (as fome 
 of you call it) and how you prophane the day of your 
 worfliip, with your cattle, and fervants (which are within 
 your gates), what riding and running, and toiling, in rage 
 and fury (like madmen), fweating, and fwearing, and 
 curling, and dragging, and haling the innocent members 
 of Chrift's body out of their peaceable meetings, into 
 your gaols and holes, on your day of worfhip. But are 
 your facrifices (ye offer at that time) accepted ?. Have yc 
 peace whilft thefe things are afting in your name, and by 
 your authority ? If you have peace and pleafure therein, 
 let me tell you from the righteous God, you. are hardened 
 in your fins againft him, and he will break your peace 
 ^ecdily, and turn your pleafure into biacrnefs and lamen* 
 ution : and his innocent people's meetings fliall ftand, and 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 '57 
 
 be increafed ; and their way fliall profpcr, and the truth 
 fliall fpread and prevail, and have dominion over all na- 
 tions ; and their enemies fliall fall and be confoundcS, let 
 them drive what they can againfl them ; for they are of 
 God (and not of man, or the will of man) and they feek 
 his glory and not their own ; and fuch as abide faithful to 
 him, fliall triumph over all the principalities, and powers 
 of the rulers of the darkncfs of this world, and make a 
 fhew openly of the viftory over all that do or may oppofe 
 them ; for their life is immortal, and the Lord of heaven 
 'and earth is their flrength, who is with them as a mighty 
 terrible one ; therefore fliall their perfecutors fall befoj-e 
 them. 
 
 * And let me tell you again, that by thefe your un- 
 reafonable, and unjuft dealings, the underfl:andings of 
 thoufands are the more opened ; and the tender fober 
 part, or principle in them, 'loth feel the weight and bur- 
 then of this grievoufnefs, which you have prefcribcd, and 
 do fo eagerly purfue, to the imprifohing to death fo many 
 innocent perfons and free-born people of this nation, be- 
 fides hundreds are liable to the fame, which yet remain ia 
 your prifons. And your unnatural, cruel fentence of ba- 
 niflimeni, to feparate dear and tender hufbands from their 
 ^ar and tender wives, and tender children, and litde inno- 
 cent babes: Oh! how do you rend the bowels of the 
 meek of the earth, whom God hath bleffed ? What is 
 become of all your promifes of liberty for tender con- 
 fciences ? God's curfe and vengeance will come upon you, 
 and his plagues will purfue you to deftru£lion if ye proceed^ 
 in this work ; and your wives fhall be widows, and yoor 
 children fatherlefs ; the Lord hath fpoken it. If you had 
 the hearts of men, or of flefh, ye would be afraid, an4 
 blufli at the very thoughts hereof; my heart and foul 
 melts within me, and I am even bowed down (with cries 
 to God) in my fpirit, to think of tlic hardnefs cf your 
 hearts. :.|,./ ■'■ .,, ■ - 
 
 * God Almighty, cut fliort thy work in righteoufnefj^ 
 Und fliorten the days of oppreffion and cruelty , for thiqfij 
 ^left's fake j which cry night and day unto thee, a^4:^^«'^^^ 
 

 ri 
 
 ( 
 
 U 
 
 158 
 
 THE HISTORT OF THE 
 
 11664 
 
 known thy name and power to the ends of the earth ; and 
 let the heathen hear, and fear, and bow to thy righteous 
 fceptre, and let the kings of the earth lay down their crowns 
 at the feet of the Lamb, that through thy righteous judg- 
 ments they may partake of thy tender mercies, which en- 
 dure for ever ; that their eyes may be no longer with- 
 holdcn, nor blinded by the god of this world (the power 
 and prince of darknefs) but that they may come to fee 
 thee, who art invifible, and enjoy the fame precious life of 
 pure unfeigned love, which abounds in the hearts of thy 
 Bidden ones ; and receive thy peaceable wifdom, to be 
 governed, and to govern therein ; then would they furcly 
 know, that we are thine, and confefs to thy glorious truth, 
 and fpcak good of thy name, and magnify thy power, and 
 no longer count the blood of thy everlafting covenant 
 (wherewith we arc fanftified) as an unholy thing. 
 
 * But, O thou righteous, holy, pure, eternal God, art 
 unknown unto all them that fit in darknefs, and dwell in 
 the fpirit of enmity agaiuft thee and thy people ; though 
 thou art come near to judgment, according to the promife, 
 Mai. Hi. 5. And thy way of life and falvation is hid from 
 them, therefore they hate us without a caufe, and thug 
 cvily intrcat us in the darknefs of their minds, and in the 
 ignoranccandhardnefsof their hearts ; for which my foul 
 doth piiy them, and even intreat thee for them, that if 
 poffiblc their eyes may be yet opened, and their hearts 
 yet foftened, and their fpirit humbled, that they may fee 
 what they arc doing in the dark, and confider the efFeft of 
 rheirwork, which will affuredly follow: and if thy warn- 
 ings and gentle vifitations will not humble them, then let 
 tby judgments awaken them, aiid bring them down, and" 
 fcumble them, that they may perceive fomething of what 
 fhoo art doing (in thefe latter days) and art refolved to 
 do to the ends of the earth, though the whole world 
 5iou]d gather and band together to oppofe ?hy work and 
 people ; for thou has begun (and thou wilt go through 
 and pcrfeft) thy work, thou wilt raife thy feed, and 
 father thine cleft from the four winds, and bring them 
 from the ends of the earth, and fcatter the proud in the 
 v«n imaginations of their hearts} and thou wilt break thy 
 
 1664] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. ; I S9 
 
 way through all that oppofe thee in this the day of thy 
 mighty power, in which thcu art arifen (as a giant to run 
 his race) to finilh tranfgreflion, and make an end of fin, 
 and bring in and eftablifti everlafting righteoufoefs ; that 
 the kingdom of this world may become thy kingdoms, 
 and of thy Chrift, as thou haft promifed, and art now 
 fulfilling 5 glory, and honour, and thanks, and everlafting 
 praifes be to thy glorious name, world without end. Amen. 
 * So friends, ye are and have been warned again and 
 again by the faithful meffengers and fervants of the Lord, 
 in love to your fouls ; and you are left without excufe, if 
 never words more fhould be mentioned unto you; by 
 which ye might perceive, how the Lord doth ftrive with 
 you, that ye might repent, and be faved from the wrath 
 to come, though fome of you feel little of it in your own 
 confciences; but his fpirit will not always ftrive with 
 you : for, if you will not believe them, but flight and 
 rejeft them, and neither make confcience of what hath 
 proceeded out of your own mouth, nor regard to perform 
 your own words and publick engagements, in that which 
 is juft, which the Lord requiretb of you, nor remember 
 bis by-paft and prefent mercies, and long fuffering towards 
 you, but trample all under foot; I fay; if it be thus, with 
 y6u, and you are refolved to go on, you will wholly be 
 given up, and be exceedingly hardened, and grow def- 
 perate in cruelty and oppreffion againft God, and his truth 
 and people, till your whole earth is filled with violence ; 
 and tnen (as true as God liveth) will the flood come upoa 
 you, and ye ftiall fall^ after the manner of Egypt ; and the 
 weight of the dreadful judgments, due for all your abo- 
 minations and cruelties, fliall fink you down into the pit 
 that is bottomlefs, and that fuddcoly, as the Lord hath 
 fpoken, N 
 
 * By his fervant, who Is a lover of the welfare 
 of all your fouls, and I am thus far clear of 
 all your blood, 
 
 < William Bayly/ 
 
 Writcn in the Tenth month, * 
 
 1664, at Hartford. 
 
 Vol. IL l 
 
i6o 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THJE 
 
 
 
 !i 
 
 L1664 
 
 , Again, in December, twelve of ihofe called Quakers, 
 ITere condemned to baniftiment ; for it was refolved to go 
 on, not regarding what George Bilhop gave forth in 
 print, and caufed to be delivered to the king and the 
 members of parhament, being as fdloweth : 
 
 To the King and both Houfes of Parliament, thus faith 
 
 the Lord. 
 
 * Meddle not with my people, becaufe of then- con- 
 fcience to me, and banifh them not out of the nation be- 
 caufe of their confcience ; for if ye do, I will fend my 
 plagues upon you, and ye fhall know that I am the Lord. 
 
 > 
 
 * Written in obedience to the Lord, 
 by his fcrvant. 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 161 
 
 JJriftoI, the 29th of the Fiftfe 
 inonthy 1664. 
 
 * George Bifliop.* 
 
 The fulfilling of this prediftion we (hall fee; for withiti 
 a Ihorc time a war enfued with the Dutch, and the pefti- 
 lence appeared at London ; but before it broke out, yet 
 fnore of the imprifoncd Quakers were condemned to ba- 
 hifhment, viz. two and thirty perfons, both men and wo- 
 men, who were fentenced by the court on the 6th, 14th, 
 and J 5th of December ; for whatever they faid in de- 
 fence of themfelves, proved ineffeftual. One afked. If wc 
 meet really to w^orfhip God, muft we fuffer for that? And 
 judge Hide anfwered, * Yes, that you muft.* But judge 
 Keeling, to taend the matter a little, faid, * You fliali not 
 fuCcr for \v6rftiipping God, but for being at an tmlawftd 
 aifembly, contrary to the law.' Another faid, I meet to 
 worfliip the eternal God in Spirit, as he perfuades my 
 heart and confcience; and muft I be condemned to banifh- 
 mcnt f6r that?' « Yes, yes,' faid judge Keeling, ' for the 
 law is againft it.' To which judge Twifden added, * He 
 hath confefled that he was there to worfhip God ; and 
 ^heir worfhip is contrary to the liturgy of the church of 
 England.' 'ITius we fee, if there was but evidence that 
 
 the prifoners had been at a meeting, this was counted 
 fufficient to condemn them. A woman being aflced, what 
 {he had to fay to the evidence given, anfwered, ' Be h 
 known unto you all, if I had as many bodies as hairs on 
 my head, I could lay them all down for the living eternal 
 truth of the living God.' After all the prifoners had beea 
 called to the bar, they were at length fentenced to be 
 tranfported to Jamaica, and to remain there feven years. 
 
 This year in September died my mother, Judith Zinf* 
 penning at Amfterdam in Holland, where fhe was bom of 
 religious parents among the Baptifts, into whofe fociety 
 her fadier Conrad Zinfpenning was entered in a Angular 
 manner ; of which, though it may feem fomewhat out of 
 my road, yet becaufe of the remarkable fteps of Provi* 
 deuce appearing therein, I will give a Ihort account. He 
 being of Cologne in Germany, was bred a Papift ; and 
 after he had paft the Latin fchools, his father thruft him 
 into a cloifter 5 (for Papifts ufed to think it meritorious to 
 oifer up one of their children to the clergy.) But he 
 found the monaftical life fo much againft his inclination, 
 that his father dying before the probation year was ex^ 
 pired, he begged his mother to alfift him in his intention 
 to leave the frateraity, lince he was not yet bound by 
 She complied with his defire, and fo he got out. 
 
 vow. 
 
 and then he was put to a trade. After he had ferved his 
 time, he refolved to travel, and firft took a turn to Hol- 
 land, from thence to France, and then to Italy, and the . 
 metropolis Rome, and fo back again. Having been st 
 lay-friar, he got letters of recommendation to fuch mo. 
 nafteries as were of the order of thofe monks be ba4 
 lived with ; that fo he might freely find lodging there for 
 fomc time. And becaufe in Holland there are nocloifters, 
 he was recommended to fome eminent Papift* at Amfter* 
 dam ; whither being come, he liked the place fo well, 
 that he refolved to ftay there fome time ; which be did, 
 after having found employment. And thus getting into 
 acquaintance, he came in time to live with a Baptift, who 
 employed him as a joumevman. He never till now met 
 with the New Teftament, in which he began to read fo 
 eagerly, thkt the Lord $:o- operating by his good fpirit, his 
 
9\ 
 
 
 
 n 
 
 162 THE HISTORY OF THE [1664 
 
 underftanding came to be opened, fo that he got a clear 
 fight of the fuperftition and errors of the popilh religion, 
 in which he was trained up.; and then entering into dif- 
 courfe with his mafter, was perfuaded to renounce popery, 
 and to enter into the communion of the Baptifts. This 
 broke all his meafures concerning his intended travels ; 
 and then refolving to fettle where he was, he took to wife 
 one Katharine de Mol, a virtuous maid, whofe father was 
 one of the primitive Baptifts that arofe under the per- 
 
 . fecution in Flanders, from whence he with many more 
 came to fettle in Holland. 
 
 From thefe parents my mother defcended, who was re- 
 ligioufly inclined even from her youth, and became fo 
 well verfed in the Holy Scriptures ; and was fo diligent in 
 writing down fo much of the fermons fhe heard, as flie 
 could retain by memory ; that her father faid fometiraes, 
 * It is a pity that this girl is not a boy, who then in time 
 
 , might become an eminent inftrument in the church. After 
 flie was" come to age, though much inclined to lead a 
 fingle life, yet at length fhe was married to -my father, 
 Jacob Williamfon Jewell, a very religious young man ; 
 whofe father William Sewell, from Kidderminfter in Wor- 
 cefterftiire, having been one of thofe Brownifts, that left 
 England and fettled in Holland, married a Dutch wife at 
 Utrecht, where my father was born ; who being come to 
 age, endeavoured to walk in the narrow way, and con- 
 verfed moftly with the flric^efl profefTors of thofe days. 
 And both he and my mother came in time to grow dif- 
 fatisfied with that worlhip to which they were joined ; yet 
 in clearnefs of underftanding my mother exceeded my fa- 
 ther; neverthelefs fhe continued diiTaiisfied as well as he, 
 with the common way of worftiip fhe belonged to ; fo 
 that oftentimes, w^hen fhe came from the meeting-houfe, 
 flie refolved not to go there any more, becaufe flie reaped 
 no real and fubftantial benefit by it. But then the firfl 
 day of the week being come again, fhe was in a ftreight, 
 thinking that however it was, yet by the apoftle we were 
 exhorted not to forfake the affemblies. In this irrefolute 
 condition fhe continued a long time ; and being incum- 
 bercd with the cares* of the family, Ihe was not fo much 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 163 
 
 at liberty for performing religious duties, (viz. prayers; 
 reading of, and meditating on the Holy Scriptures, vifiting 
 the fick, and fuch like pious exercifes) as ftie was before 
 fhe was married ; which made her wifti fometimes fhe had 
 never entered into matrimony, and that ftie might live to 
 enjoy again that peace and quiet which once fhe had. But 
 ftie knew not yet that it was the love of the Lord thus, 
 working upon her, to draw her olt from tranfitory things. 
 In thisllate Ihe was often feized with grief and fbrrow, 
 fo that fhe counted herfelf the moft miferable of women ; 
 for neither huft)and nor children, nor any outward enjoy- 
 ments, could afford her any pleafure ; but all her defire 
 waji to attain to an undefiled ftate, in which ftie might live 
 a;i unblameable life, not only before men, but alfo before 
 God : for feeling there was yet fomething in her which 
 was ^vil and polluting, flie ftruggled to overcome it ; but 
 all her labour proved in vain. This made her cry earneftly 
 to the Lord as one in great danger; and her doubts whe- 
 ther it was pofllble to attain to perfeftion encreafcd. Biit 
 in this forlorn ftate it pleafed the Lord to manifeft himfelt 
 to her in fome meafure, though flie knew not then it was 
 he. And often flie cried out, ' Lord what will it avail 
 ^me to know that thou haft fent thy Son into the world, 
 and that he was crucified and died for the fins of the 
 world, if I am not f^ived by it. Lord forgive my fins, 
 and have mercy upon me.' And once when flie was alone, 
 pouring out her heart before the Lord, he made himfelf 
 known to her, and fpoke to her foul, that if flie would 
 be perfea, flie muft follow the light in every refpeft. 
 Having heard this, flie defired to know what this light 
 was ; and the Lord fliewed her, that the light was the life 
 of men. This ftie underftood in fome degree, and fo 
 feparated herfelf as much as ever flie could conveniently 
 from converfation, endeavouring to live retiredly. And 
 having about this time heard Dr. Galenus Abrahams, an 
 eminent Baptift teacher, preach upon the parable of the 
 feedfman; that which he fpoke concermng- the good 
 ground, and how the ground muft be fitted by the Lord s 
 working, fo affb^ed her, that flie refolved to reft from all 
 
 ^ 3 
 
*«4 
 
 tnt HISTORY OF THE 
 
 I1664 
 
 hct own labour ; and fo flie left frequenting the Baptifts 
 aflemblies any more. 
 
 In this retired ftatc fhe continued a good while, and at 
 length came to hear William Ames preach ; and he de- 
 claring the light of Chrift as the true teacher, this agreed 
 with what had already been told her inwardly by the im- 
 mediate raanifeftations of the Lord to her. And thus (he 
 rame fuUy to be convinced that this was the truth flie had 
 6^ long defired to know. Now Ihe faw that it was her 
 duty to give up all, and to keep nothing back : for (he 
 had already feen, that if ftie w^ould be Chrifl's difciple, 
 fhe muft forfakc all, even her own felf. But a fear of ihc 
 crofs was no fmall impediment to her ; yet now (he gave 
 up to obedience ; and faw that her former performances 
 had been defeftive ; and now all came into remembrance. 
 This caufed forrow ; but fhe prayed to the Lord both 
 night and day, and then he manifeftcd his power by which 
 fhe was led out of the darknefs and bondage, wherein fhe 
 had been held ' captive ; and her fupplication was to the 
 Lord, that it might not be with her as formerly, to wit, 
 foraetimes great zeal, and then coldnefs again ; but that 
 Ihc might continue in fervency of fpirit. After a long 
 time of mourning the Lord manifelled his kindnefs to her, 
 by which fhe came to be quickened and refrelhed ; and by 
 the judgments of the Lord all was narrowly fcarched out; 
 fo that nothing could be hid ; and a feparation was made 
 between the precious and the vile, and death paffed over 
 ill. But thus to part with all her own wifdom, and for- 
 fake her great attainments, was no fmall crofs ; yet flie 
 became willing to bear it, although many violent tempefts 
 rofe to draw her off, if polTible, from clofe adhering to the 
 beloved of her foal ; yet fhe was not forward in imitation : 
 for my father, who when he was convinced of the truth 
 preached by W. Ames and W. Caton, foon left off the 
 common way of falutation, would foraetimes perfuade her 
 by arguments to do fo too ; but (he told him, if the leaving 
 off of that cuftom was a thing the Lord required, fhe be- 
 Jicved he would fhew it her in his own time, becaufe fhe 
 was given up to follow his requiring^. And fo the Lord 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ifj 
 
 did in due time; and fhe continuing zealouay faithful, lie 
 was pleafed after my father's death to give her publick 
 teftimony, and fhe became eminently gifted: for her na- 
 tural abilities furpaffmg the ordinary qualifications of ber 
 fex, and becoming fandificd by the Spirit of the Lord, 
 could not but produce good cffe^s ; and fhe came to be 
 much vifited and fought to by profeffors; and the ti till 
 monarchy men applauded her becaufe of her pathetical 
 admonitions. But fhe was above flattery, and trampled 
 upon it. Nay, fhe was fo well efteemed, that I remember, 
 havinff fome movings to vifit the collegians m their meet- 
 inff, after one of them had left off fpeaking, fhe flood up, 
 and faid, that fhe had fomething upon her mind to fpeak 
 to them by way of exhortation. But knowing that they 
 fuffered not women to fpeak amongft them, fhe was not 
 willing bluntly to intrude herfelf ; but defired their leave, 
 which they readily granted, and one of their chief fpeaker^ 
 faid to her, ' It is true, friend, we do not allow women to 
 fpeak in the church ; yet we bear that refpeft u> you, 
 that we give you the liberty of fpeaking.' And then Ihc 
 cleared herfelf, having formerly been a frequenter of that 
 affembly. And when fhe had done fpeaking, I do not 
 remember fhe was contradifted by any ; but one of their 
 fpeakers concluded the meeting with a prayer. 
 
 Before that time fhe writ and publifhed a fmall book to 
 
 thofe of her former fociety, which fhe called a Serious 
 
 Reproof of the Flemifh Baptifts : in which fhe dealt very 
 
 plainly with them ; and fhewed how they were apoftatized. 
 
 She writ alfo fome other treatifes, extant in print ; and 
 
 was much beloved and well efleemed by Englifh friends, 
 
 as appears by feveral letters written to her from England, 
 
 and yet extant. Thofe of her own nation often refortcd 
 
 to her for inftruftion, fhe being fo well exercifed m the 
 
 way of the Lord, that fhe was able to fpeak a word m 
 
 feafon to various conditions. Many times fhe vifited the 
 
 meetings at Alkmaar, Haarlem, and Rotterdam ; and was 
 
 often invited by her friends to come and edify them with 
 
 her gift. She writ alfo many letters for edification and 
 
 admonition to particular perfons, and fome cpiftles alfo to 
 
 the church. But it pleafed the Lord to take her early to 
 
 L 4 
 
i66 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1664 
 
 himfclf. When fhc fell fick, (he foon had a fenfe that 
 flie was not like to recover, and therefore fpoke much to 
 mc in private, and acquainted me with ieveral things 
 touching myfelf, and relating to her outward eftate. And 
 the night before Ihe departed, fhe called me to her bed- 
 fide, and exhorted me very fervently to depart from evil, 
 and to fear the Lord : which by the mercy of God in 
 time made very deep impreffion on my mind ; fo that flill 
 I find rcafon to blefs the name of the Lord for having 
 been pleafed that I was the fon of fuch an excellent 
 mother : who e<irly in the morning when fhe felt death 
 approaching, called mc up out of my bed, and fent me to 
 her brother, and to W. Caton, to come and fee her ; and 
 I had hardly been returned a quarter of an hour before 
 fhe departed this life, and flept in peace, to my great grief 
 then ; though afterwards, when I came to years of dif- 
 cerning, I faw reafon to believe that it was not without a 
 lingular providence that the Lord had taken her away : 
 for one had long continued to be an importunate fuitor to 
 her, who in time loft his integrity. To give a fmall in- 
 ftance of her true zeal for God, I will infert here the fol- 
 lowing epiftle fhe writ to her friends, to ftir up the pure 
 Blind in them. 
 
 An Epiftle to the Friends of Truth. 
 
 * Grace and peace be multiplied among you, my dearly 
 and much beloved friends, you that have received a blef- 
 fing from God the heavenly Father in Chrift Jefus, the 
 Lord of glory ; who by his unfpeakable love, and his un- 
 changeable light, hath drawn you off" from the imaginary 
 worfliips, and brought you in meafure to know him who 
 was from the beginning. Dear friends, keep in the light 
 by which ye are enlightened/ and in the knowledge of 
 God, which every one hath received for himfelf ; watching 
 againft the feducings of fatan, that your eyes may be kept 
 open, left deceit ftiould prevail in any of you, by which 
 truth might lofe its fpleiidor, and the brightnefs of the 
 Lord become darkened. 
 
 * I write thefe things to you in true love, and though 
 
 1664I 
 
 FEOFLE CALLED QUAKERS* 
 
 i6f 
 
 but youn^, yet as one that takes care for you ; for the 
 Lord knows how often ye are in my remembrance ; dc- 
 firing for you, that ye may not only know the truth, but 
 that ye may be found to be living witnefTes of it : for I, 
 knowiniT the precioufnefs of it, cannot •but defire that 
 others may alfo participate of the fame : labour therefore 
 for it, my friends, that fo, when the Lord comes and calls 
 to an account, every one may be found faithful according 
 to what he hath received ; for this is the talent which the 
 Lord hath given, viz. the knowledge of him who is true, 
 and who rewardeth every one according to his deeds : but 
 the negligent and flothful fervant faid ihat his Lord was 
 an hard man, and that he gathered where he had not 
 ftrawed, and this was his condemnation : for the Lord 
 faid, " Thou kneweft that I was an auftere man: where- 
 fore' then gaveft not thou my money into the bank, that 
 at my coming I might have required mine own with 
 ufury ?" Mind thefe things, my beloved friends, ye that 
 have an ear to hear, and dig after this parable in your- 
 felves 5 for we all have received talents, fome more, and 
 others lefs. Let therefore every one be faithful to the 
 Lord, according to what he hath received ; for truly fome 
 of you, I believe, have received five talents. Let it but 
 be duly confidered and feen in the light of the Lord, what 
 knowledge ye have had of the eternal God beyond many, 
 even when ye were yet in darknefs : h^^ ^fte" hath^he 
 Lord appeared, and clearly made manifeft himfelf-^ And 
 hownbundandy hath he made it known in the heart, that 
 he it was who was worthy to be feared and ferved ? Cer- 
 tainly this is a great and weighty talent, and therefore the 
 Lord may fay juftly, what could I have done more to my 
 vineyard ? O my friends, befides all this, he hath caufed 
 his eternal light to ftiine into our hearts, whereby we have 
 feen the corrupted ways of the world, and the paths 
 leading to death. This, I fay, the Lord hath (hewed us 
 by his eternal light : glory and praifes be given to our 
 
 God for ever. 
 
 ' Dear friends, go on in that which ye have begun ; 
 for I can bear witnefs for the Lord, that his love hath 
 been abundandy fhed abroad upon us, without refpea of 
 
i6S 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 0664 
 
 perfons : becaufe thofc that fear him, and work rightcouf- 
 nefs, are acceptable to him ; and he makes his truth mani- 
 fell among us, and caufcth his peace and mercy to reft 
 upon us. It is true, that fatan doth not reft to fcattcr 
 this, and to fow doubts and unbelief in our hearts ; but 
 we keeping clofe to the Lord, are preferved from his 
 fnares ; and happy is he who hath found a place where 
 he is freed from tempefts : but before this place be found, 
 there are many hidden rocks that may be ftruck on, not 
 unknown to me. And therefore I have true compaffion 
 on thofe who arc not paft them all yet; for flupwreck may 
 cafily be fufFercd on any of thefe. 
 
 ' Yet in all this danger there is fomething on which wc 
 may rely fafely, and to which we may truft, being as a 
 beacon, viz, the light fhining into our hearts, though it 
 be fometimes but as a fpark, and fo fmall, in regard of 
 the manifold feducings, that it can hardly be difcerned. 
 Here then is no fmall grief and anguifh; here all the 
 mercies of the Lord, which formerly we enjoyed abun- 
 dantly, arc called in queftion, or doubted of; here is dan- 
 ger, and yet certainty ; for by not fmning, the beacon is 
 minded, and by relying on a true hope to be faved, we 
 are preferved in the tempcft. I write thefe things for the 
 information of thofe that are travelling towards a city that 
 hath a foundation, and wjiofe builder and maker is God ; 
 for to fuch my love is extended, and my defire to the 
 Lord fdr them is, that they may be kept by his power, 
 to remain {landing at his coming. 
 
 * Dear friends, keep your meetings in the, fear of the 
 Lord, and have a care that your minds are not drawn out 
 to hear words outwardly ; but ftand in the crofs to that 
 which defireih refreftiment from without : and when at 
 any time ye feel but little refrefliment, let it not enter 
 into your hearts that the Lord is not mindful of you ; but 
 center down into yourfclves, in the pure light, and ftand 
 ftill therein : then it may be ye will find the caufe why the 
 prefencc of the Lord is departed from you for fome time ; 
 and je putting away the caufe, fliall enjoy the Lord again 
 to your conyfort. 
 
 * May God Almighty prefcrve you all by his power. 
 
 1664] 
 
 PEOPIe CALLRO QtJAKEIlS. 
 
 169 
 
 left any ftrife or difcord be found among you ; and may 
 you grow up in love, and thereby be obliged to bear each 
 others burthens ; and let no tranfitory things cumber your 
 hearts, but be refigned to the Lord; for that to which 
 we are called, is not to be compared to that which is tran- 
 fitory, or perifliing ; fince it is a treafure that is everlafting, 
 and to which the world, and all that is in it, is but as 
 dung ; bccaufe the moft glorious part of it is but vanity of 
 vanities. O, my friends, let none be flopped by that 
 which is an impediment to entering into the kingdom of 
 heaven ; but ftrive all to enter the narrow gate ; and 
 fearch every one of you your own hearts, with the light 
 ye are enlightened with, which fliall manifeft your own 
 ftates to you ; and keeping there, it fliall multiply your 
 peace, and every one fliall find therein his own teacher, as 
 thofe have experienced who fought the Lord with all their 
 heart. Now the God of all mercies, who alone is im- 
 , mortal, keep you and us altogether to the end; that fo 
 in thefe dangerous times we may remain ftanding, to the 
 glory of his great name. O friends keep out craftinefs, 
 and enter not readily into difcourfe with thofe that arc out 
 of the truth ; for they fpeak in their own wills, and are 
 crafty, and, knowing no bridle to their mind, it produceth 
 that by which the fimple and innocent are caught ; but 
 ftand ye rather, and keep in that wherein ye fee their fub- 
 tilty; for then, though ye may not have a word to apolo- 
 gize for yourfclves, yet ye fliall be above them. 
 
 * This is written from me, a young plant, in love to you, 
 according to the gift received from the Lord. My faluta- 
 
 lion is to you all in the light of truth. 
 
 « Judith Zitifpenhing.* 
 
 In the year 1664 came forth a fmall book in print, to 
 the king and both.houfes of parliament, wherein were fet 
 forth, not only the violent perfecution almoft over all 
 England, with the names of perfons, places, and cafes, which 
 indeed were woeful, and fome bloody ; but it was alfo 
 reprefented, that there were at that time in prifon above 
 fix hundred of thofc called Quakers, merely for religion's 
 (akc. 
 
 
170 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [166.. 
 
 In the month called January, in the year i66f, thirty. 
 fix of that perfuafion, among which were eight women, 
 were condemned to be tranfported to Jamaica. The jury 
 not being fo forward to declare the prifoners guilty as the 
 court defired, were perfuaded however by the threaienings 
 of judge Keeling, the recorder Wild, and the boiflerous 
 Richard Brown, to do what was demanded of them. ' 
 
 On the 18th and 22d of the next month, thirty-four 
 of the faid people were fentenced to be carried to Jamaica, 
 and five to Bridewell. The manner of their trial I pafs 
 by with filence, to avoid prolixity. Thofe that were tried 
 on the 1 8th were fentenced by judge Wharton ; and thofc 
 on the 2 2d by judge Windham, who faid to Anne Blow, 
 who declared, that the fear of the Lord being ufon 
 her heart, (he durft not conform to any thing that was 
 unrighteous, * Anne Blow, I would fliew you as much 
 favour as the court will allow you, if you will fay that 
 you will go no more to that feditious meeting,' meaning 
 the BuU-and-Mouth. To which (he anfwered, ' Would- 
 cft thou have me fin againft that of God in my own 
 confcience ? If I were fet at liberty to day, if the Lord re- 
 quired it of me, I (hould go to the Bull-and-Mouih to- 
 morrow.* 
 
 Concerning one John Gibfon, the faid judge fpoke to 
 the jury in this mr.nner : * Gentlemen, although it is true, 
 as this Gibfon faith, that it cannot be proved that they 
 were doing any evil at the BuU-and-Mouth ; yet it was an 
 offence for them to be met there, becaufe in procefs of 
 time there \night be evil done in fuch meetings ; therefore 
 this law was made to prevent them.' By this we may fee 
 with what fpecious colours the perfecutors cloaked their 
 aftions. I find among my papers, a letter of John Furly, 
 and Walter Miers, (both of whom I knew well) men- 
 tioning,' that fome of the jury, for refufing to give fuch a 
 verdift as was required of them, were fined in great fums, 
 and put into prifon, there to remain till they fliould pay 
 
 the fine. 
 
 Having now faid thus much of fentenclng, it grows, time 
 to fpeak of the execution thereof. 
 
 Some of the perfons ordered for banifhment, fell fick. 
 
 l664] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. IJl 
 
 and died in prifon ; fome became apoftates, and fome were 
 redeemed by their relations that were not Quakers ; but 
 yet a confiderable number was, though with great pains, 
 brought on fhip-board, to be tranfported to the Weft 
 Indies. We have feen already how thofe that were fen- 
 tenced at Hertford, by judge Orlando Bridgman, having 
 been put afliore by the mafter of the ftiip, returned. And 
 it was not long after, that three of their friends, bemg on 
 board the Ihip the Many-fortune of Briftol, were alfo fet 
 on fhore with a certificate from the mafler of the fliip, 
 figned by him and feven of his men, wherrin they com- 
 plained of their adverfity, and faid, that God had faid as 
 It were in their hearts, '' Accurfed be the man that fepa- 
 rates hulband and wife ? and he who oppreffcth the people 
 of God, many plagues will come upon him.'' 
 
 But the firft of thofe called Qirakers, who really talted 
 banilhment, were Edward Brufli, and James Harding, who 
 were banifhed, not only out of London, where they as 
 citizens had as much right to live as the chiefeft magiftrates, 
 but alfo out of their native country, contrary to the right 
 of a freeborn Englifhman : thefc, with one Robert Hays, 
 were on the 24th of the month called March, early in the 
 morning fetched from Newgate in London, and brought 
 to Blackfriars flairs, where they were put into a boat, and 
 fo carried down to Gravefend, and there had on board a 
 Ihip. Hardly any warning had been given to thefe pri- 
 foners ; and Robert Hays being fickly, had taken fome 
 phyfick, which had not done working; and fince it was 
 very cold that morning, and he had got nothing to eat 
 ' before he came to Gravefend, he was feized in the fliip 
 with fo fevere ficknefs, that he died of it, and then his 
 corpfe was carried to London, and there buried. The 
 other two were carried to Jamaica, where, by the provi- 
 dence of God, in time it fared well with them, and Edward 
 Brufh lived to return into England. It was remarkable, 
 that not long after thefe perfons were banifhed, the pefti- 
 lence broke out at London, firft of all in the houfe of a 
 mealman in Bearbinder lane, next door to the houfe where 
 the faid Edward lived, which by fome was thought worthy 
 
17^ 
 
 TKE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1665. 
 
 being taken notice of ; fmce that houfe \xas the firfl which 
 was (hut becaufe of the ficknefs. 
 
 With the other prifoners they had more trouble and 
 pains, becaufe no Ihipmafters could be found that would 
 carry them : wherefore an embargo was laid on all mer- 
 chantmen, with order that none (hould go down the river 
 without having a pafs from the Admiral ; and this they 
 would give to no mafter going to the Weft Indies, unlefs he 
 made promife to carry fome Quakers along with him to 
 the place to which they were baniflied. Whatever any 
 mafters fpoke againft this, intimating that there was a law, 
 according to which no Englifhman might be carried out of 
 his native country againft his mind, was in vain. At 
 length by force they got one to ferve their turn ; and then 
 feven perfons thac were fentenced to baniftiment, were, on 
 the 18th of the month called April, carried from Newgate 
 to Blackfriars ftairs, and fo in a boat to Gravefend. But 
 in the mean-time the peftilence increafed, and not long 
 after judge Hide, who had been very aftive in perfecuting, 
 was with many others fuddenly taken away out of this 
 life ; for he having been feen in the morning at Weft- 
 minfter in health, as to outward appearance, it was told iq 
 the afternoon that he was found dead in his chamber ; 
 being thus fummoned to appear and give account of his 
 deeds before a higher court than ever he prefided in. 
 
 Yet tranfportation was not come to a ftand ; firft, as 
 hath been faid, three perfons, next feven, and on the i6th 
 of the month called May, eight were carried down the 
 river to Gravefend, and put on fhip-board ; but as the 
 number of thofe that were carried away was heightened, fo 
 alfo the number of thofe that died of the peftiience much 
 more increafed. But notwithftanding this fcourge from 
 Heaven, tranfportation continued ; for a mafter of a fhip 
 was found at length, who had faid, as was reported, that 
 he would not ftick to tranfport even his neareft relations. 
 And fo an agreement was made with him, that he fhould 
 lake between fifty and fixty Quakers into his fliip, and 
 carry them to the WeftJndies. Of thefe eight or ten at 
 t time were brought to the water-fide, and fo with boa?e 
 
 I665] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 '73 
 
 or barges carried to the Clip, which lay at anchor in the 
 Thames, in Bugbey's-hole, a litde beyond Greenwich. 
 Many of thefe prifoners, among which fevcral women, not 
 (hewing themfclves ready to climb into the fnip, left it 
 (hould fcem as if they were inftrumental to their tranfpor- 
 tation, were hoifted up with the tackle ; and the failorjf 
 being unwilling to do this work, and faying, that if they 
 were merchants goods, they foould not be unwilling to 
 hoift them in, the officers took hold of the tackle, and faid, 
 * They are the king's goods.' This was on the 20th of 
 the month called July, and on the 4th of the next month, 
 when, according to the bill of mortality, three thoufand 
 and forty died in one week, the reft of the baniflied pri- 
 foners were carried with foldiers to the faid fliip, in which 
 now were fifty-five of the banifhed Quakers, and among 
 thefe eighteen women. But fomething adverfely hindered 
 this fliip from going away, and the peftilence alfo entered 
 into it, which took away many of the prifoners, and fo 
 freed them from baniftiment. But though the peftilence 
 grew more liot at London, and that a war was rifen be- 
 tween England and Holland, yet the fire of perfecutioil 
 continued hot, and great rejoicings were made when the 
 Dutch were beaten at fea, and their admiral Obdam was 
 blown up with his ftiip. Neither did the perfecutors leave 
 oft' to difturb the meetings of thofe called Quakers, and 
 imprifon many of them ; nay fo hardened and unrelentmg 
 were fome, that when at London more than four thoufand 
 people died in one week, they faid, that the <»ily means 
 to ftop the peftilence, was to fend the Quakers out of the 
 land. But thefe fainted not, but grew emboldened againft 
 violence. In September fome meetings were ftill difturbed 
 at London, though the number of the dead in one week 
 was heightened to above feven thoufamd, being encreafed 
 in that time nigh two thoufand. Now fuch as intended to 
 have met at the Bull-and-Momh, were kept out (rom 
 performing worlhip there ; but yet meeting in the ftreer, 
 they were not difturbed; for there fcemed to be fome 
 fear of the common people, who grew difcontented be- 
 caufe there was little to be earned by tradefmen ; and the 
 city came to be fo emptied, that grafs grew in the ftreets 
 
»74 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i66s 
 
 ,665] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 i7i 
 
 ihat ufed to be mod populous, few people being feen by 
 the way. ' Thus the city became as a defer t, and the 
 mifcry was fo great, that it was believed fome died for 
 want of attendance. 
 
 It was about this time that Samuel Fifher, who firfl had 
 been a prifopcr in Newgate at London, and afterwards ia 
 South wark, fince the beginning of the year 1663, till now, 
 being about a year and a half, died pioufly. 
 
 It is reported that the king in the time of this great 
 mortality once a/ked, whether any Quakers died of the 
 plague ? And having been told, yes, he feemed to flight 
 that ficknefs, and to conclude, that then it could not be 
 looked upon as a judgment or plague upon their perfe- 
 cutors. But certainly his chaplains might well have put 
 him in mind of what Solomon faith, *' There is one event 
 to the righteous and to the wicked :' and of this faying of 
 Job, " He 'deftroyeth the perfeft and the wicked :'* as 
 alfo that of the prophet, '' That the righteous is taken 
 away from the evil to come." 
 
 Now travelling in the country was (lopped, which made 
 fome people go with boats along the coaft, and fo went 
 afliore where they had a mind. Thus did Stephen Crifp; 
 who came about this time to York, where the duke of 
 York was then, with many of the great ones. About this 
 time Alexander Parker, and George Whitehead came to 
 London, where they had good fervice in preaching the 
 
 truth. 
 
 . Great fires were now kindled in the ftreets to purify , 
 the contagious air ; but no relief was found by it ; for ia 
 the latter end of September, there died at London above 
 eight thoufand people in one week, as I remember to have 
 feen in one of the bills of mortality at that time. In the 
 mean- while the (hip in which the banilhed prifoners were, 
 could not go off, but continued to lie as a gazitigftock for 
 thofe fhiips that pafled by ; for the maftcr was iraprifoned 
 for debt. 
 
 Now the prediftion of George Bifhop was fulfilled, and 
 the plagues of the Lord fell fo heavily on the perfecutors, * 
 that the eagemefs to banifh the Quakers, and fend them 
 away, hegaa to abate. The fame G. Bilhop, about Mid» 
 
 fiimmer, writ from the prifon at Briftol (where he made 
 account that he alfo fhould have, been banifhed), a letter 
 to his friends to exhort them to fledfaftnefs, foretellingf 
 them, that if they happened to be banifhed, God would 
 give them grace in the eyes of thofe among whom they 
 ihould be fent, if thev continued to adhere to him ; ani 
 that when he fhould have tried them, -he (hould bring 
 ihcm again into their native country; and that none fhould 
 root them out ; but they Ihould be planted and built up 
 there ; and that the Lord fliould vifit their enemies with 
 the fword and peftilence, and ftrike them with terror. 
 This is but a fhort hint of what he Writ at. large. 
 
 G. Fox the younger had alfo in the year 1661 gWen 
 forth a little book, of which fome fmall mention hath; 
 been made before, in which he lamented England, becaufe 
 of the judgments that were coming upon her inhabitants 
 for their wickednefs and perfecution ; faying among the 
 reft, that the Lord had fpoken in him concerning the in- 
 habitants. ^ The people are too many, the people are 
 too mafty, I will thin them, I will thin them.' Befides 
 that the Spirit of the Lord had fignified unto him, that an 
 overflowing fcourge, yea even an exceeding great and 
 terrible judgment, was to come upon the land, and that 
 many in it fliould fall, and be taken away. And that thisf 
 decree of the Lord was fo firm, that though fome of the 
 Lord's children and prophets fliould appear fo as to fl:and 
 in the gap, yet fliould not that alter his decree. This 
 with much more he writ very plainly ; and though he was 
 deceafed long ago, yet this paper was reprinted, to fhcW 
 the inhabitants how faithfully they had been warned. 
 
 What Ifaac Pennington, being a prifoner, writ about 
 this time to the king and parliament, and publiflied iif 
 print was alfo very remarkable, being defigned with 
 Chriftian meeknefs to diffuade them if poflible from going 
 on with this mifchievous work of perfecutbn. In this^ 
 paper, containing fome queries, among many weighty cx- 
 prcflions, I find thefe alfo : 
 
 * After ye have done all ye can, e^en made laws t% 
 ftrong as ye can, and put them in the ftirideft courfc of 
 ^VoL. II. M 
 
 ^ 
 
-*- 
 
 176 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1665 
 
 execution ye can, one night from the Lord may end the 
 controveify, and (hew whether we pleafe the Lord in 
 obeying him, or ye in making laws againft us forxiur 
 fidelity and obedience to him. 
 
 .^ * And as the Lord is able to overturn you, fo if yc 
 iniftake your work, misinterpreting the paffages of his 
 providence, and erring in heart concerning the ground of 
 his former difpleafure ; and fo (through the error of judg. 
 nient) fet yourfelves in oppofition againft him, replanting 
 the plants which he will not have grow, and plucking up 
 the plants of his planting ; do ye not in this cafe provoke 
 the Lord, even to put forth the ftrength which is in him 
 againft you ? We are poor worms. Alas, if ye had only 
 us to deal with, we fhould be nothing in your hands! 
 But if his ftrength ftand behind us, we ftiall prove a very 
 bunhenfome ftone, and ye will hardly be able to remove 
 us out of the place wherein God haih fet us, and where 
 he pleafeth to have us difpofed of. And happy were it 
 for you, if inftead of pcrfecuting us, ye yourfelves were 
 drawn to wait for the fame bcgettings of God (which we 
 have felt) out of the earthly nature into this life and 
 nature, and did learn of him to govern in that ; then 
 might ye be eftabiiflied indeed, and be freed fr6m the 
 danger of thofe Ihakings and overturnings, which Cod is 
 haftening upon the earth. 
 
 ' Now becaufe ye may be apt to think, that I write 
 thefe things for my own fake, and the fakes of my 
 friends and companions in the truth of God, that we 
 might efcape the fuffcrings and fcverity which we are like 
 to undergo from you, and not fo mainly and chiefly for 
 your fakes, left ye fhould bring the wrath of God and 
 mifery upon your fouls and bodies : to prevent this mif- 
 take in you, I (hall add what followeth. Indeed this is 
 not the intent of my heart: for I have long expected, and 
 do ftill expeft this cup of outward affli(ftion and perfecution 
 from you, and my heart is quieted and fatisfied therein, 
 knowing that the Lord will bring glory to his name, and 
 good to us out of it : but I am Aire it is not good for you 
 10 afBift us for that which the Lord requireih of us, and 
 whexeio he acccptcth us : ^d ye will find it the bittereft 
 
 665] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 177 
 
 work that ever ye went about, and in the end will wlfli 
 that the Lord had rather never given you this day of 
 profperity, than that he fliould fuffer you thus to make 
 ufe of it. Now that ye may the more clearly fee the 
 temper of my fplrit, and how my heart ftands in this 
 thing, I fliall a little open unto you my faith and hope about 
 it, in thefe enfuing particulars : 
 
 ' Firft, I am affuted in my heart and foul, that this de*. 
 fpifed people (called QuakersJ is of the Lord's begetting 
 in his own life and nature. Indeed, had I not feen the 
 power of God in them, and received from the Lord an 
 unqueftionable teftimony concerning them, I had never 
 looked towards them : for they were otherwife very def- 
 picable in my eyes. And this I cannot but tedify con- 
 cerning them, that I have found the life of God in me 
 owning them, and that which God hath begotten in my 
 heart, refreihed by the power of life in them : and none 
 but the Lord knows the beauty and excellency of glory, 
 which he hath hid under this appearance. 
 
 « Secondly, The Lord hath hitherto preferved them 
 againft great oppofitions, and is ftill able to prefervc them. 
 Every power hitherto hath made nothing of over-running 
 them ; yet they have hitherto ftood, by the care and ten- 
 der mercy of the Lord ; and the feveral powers which 
 have perfecuted them, have fallen one after another. 
 
 * Thirdly, I have had experience myfelf of the Lord's 
 goodnefs and prefervation of me, in my fuffering with 
 them for the teftimony of his truth, who made my bonds 
 pleafiint to me, and my noifome prifon, (enough to have 
 deftroyed my weakly and. tenderly' educated nature) a 
 place of pleafure and delight; where I was comforted by 
 my God night and day, and filled with prayers for his 
 people, asalfowith love to, and prayers for, thofe whQ 
 had been the means of outwardly afflicting me, and others 
 upon the Lord's account. 
 
 < Fourthly, I have no doubt in my heart that the Lord 
 will deliver us. The ftrength of man, the rcfoludon of 
 man is nothing in my eye in compare with the LortJ. 
 Whom the Lord loveth, he can fave at his pleafure. Hatb 
 
 M 2 
 
178 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1665. 
 
 !. 
 
 he begun to break our bonds and deliver us, and (hall we 
 now diftruft him ? Are we in a worfe condition than Ifrael 
 was, w^hen the fea was before them, the mountains on 
 each fide, and the Egyptians behind purfuing them ? He 
 indeed that looketh with man's eye, can fee no ground of 
 hope, nor hardly a poflibility of deliverance ; but (to the 
 eye of faith) it is now nearer than when God began at 
 firll to deliver. 
 
 * Fifthly, It is the delight of the Lord, and his glory 
 to deliver his people, when to the eye of fenfe it fcemeth 
 impoffible. Then doth the Lord delight to ftretch forth 
 his arm, when none elfe can help : and then cloih it plcafc 
 him to deal with the enemies of his truth and people, 
 when they are lifted up above the fear of him, and are 
 ready to fay in their hearts concerning them, they arc 
 now in our hands, who can deliver them ? 
 
 ' Well, were it not in love to you, and in pity, (in re- 
 lation to what will certainly befal you, if ye go on in this 
 courf«) I could fay in the joy of my heart, and in the 
 fcnfe of the good will of my God to us, who fuffereth 
 thefe things to come to pafs ; go on, try it out with the 
 fpirit of the Lord, come forth with your laws, and prifon, 
 and fpoiling of our goods, and banifhment, and death (if 
 the Lord pleafe) and fee if ye can carry it : for we come 
 not fo^th againft you in our own wills, or in any enmity 
 againft your perfons or government, or in any ftubborn- 
 nefs or refraftorinefs of fpirit; but with the lamb-like 
 nature which the Lord our God hath begotten in us, 
 which is taught and enabled by him, both to do his will, 
 and to fufFcr for his name-fake. And if we cannot thus 
 overcome you (even in patience of fpirit, and in love to 
 you) and if the Lord our God pleafe not to appear for 
 us, we are content to be overcome by you. So the wili 
 of the Lord be done faith my foul.' 
 
 ; This the author concludes with a poftfcript, containing 
 a ferious exhortation to forfake evil. Bcfidcs this he gave 
 forth another paper, wherein he propofcd this qucllion 
 lA. the king and both houfcs of parliament. 
 
 1665] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 17^ 
 
 < Whether laws made by man, in equity, ought to ex- 
 tend any farther, than there is power in man to obey. 
 And if it was not cruel to require obedience in fuch cafes, 
 wherein the party hath not a capacity in him of obeying.^ 
 And to explain this a little farther, he faid, ' In things 
 concerning the worfhip of God, wherein a man is limited 
 by God, both what worfhip he ftiall perform, and what 
 worftiip he (hall abftain from, here he is not left at liberty 
 to obey what laws (hall be made by man contrary here- 
 unto.' Thus Pennington drove by writing to Ihew the 
 pcrfecutors the evil of their doings : but a fierce party 
 prevailed then ; and the clergy continuaUy blew the firie 
 of perfecution ; nay, many prefumed the time was now 
 come totally to deftroy the Quakers ; and in December 
 twelve more were condemned to tranfportation. 
 
 Concerning thofe banifhed that were now in the (hip 
 which lay in the Thames, I will yet leave them there, and 
 take again a view of George Fox, whom in the foregoing 
 year we left in a hard prifon at Lancafter. In the month 
 called March this year he was brought again to his trid 
 before judge Twifden ; and though judge Turner had 
 given charge at the affize before, to fee no fuch grofs 
 errors were in the indiftment as before, yet in that refpeft 
 this was not much better than the former, though the judge 
 examined it himfclf. The jury then being called to be 
 fworn, and three officers of the court having depofed, 
 that the oath had been tendered to him at the laft affizes, 
 according to the indiftment, the judge faid, it was not 
 done in a corner : and then ailced him, what he had to 
 fiy to it ; and whether he had taken the oath at the laft 
 aflizes ? George Fox thereupon gave an account of what 
 had been done then, and that he had faid, that the book 
 they gave him to fwear on, faith, "Swear not at all." 
 And repeating more of what he fpoke then, the judge 
 faid, « I will not difpute with you but in point of law.' 
 Geor^re Fox offering to fpeak fomething to the jury con- 
 ccrnin^cT the indiament, he was flopped by the judge; 
 and ttren George Fox aiked him, whether the oath was to 
 . be ten4ered to the king's fubjefts only, or to the iubjefts 
 
 M 3 
 
tSo 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 of foreign princes ? The judge replied, < To the fubjefts 
 of this realm.' « Well/ faid he, * look to the indiftment, 
 and thou mayefl fee that the word (uh'jt^ is left out of 
 this indictment alfo.* Several other great errors as to 
 time, &c. he had obferved in the indiftment, but no 
 fooner had he fpoke concerning the errors, but the judge 
 cried, ' Take him away gaoler, take him away.* . Then 
 he was hurried away ; yet the people thought he fliould 
 have been called again ; but that was not done. After 
 he was gone, the ji^dge afked the jury, whether they 
 were agreed? They faid, ' Yes/ and found for the king 
 againft him. The reafon why George Fox was led away 
 fo fuddenly, feemed to be that they c-xpe^cd he would 
 have proved the officers of -the court lo have fworn falfcly, 
 feeing the day. on which the oath had been tendered to 
 him at the affizes before, was wrong in the indiClment ; 
 ,ai!d ydt they had fworn, that otithnt day he had refufed 
 ^to take the oath. Before George .Fox was brought before 
 the judge, he had pafTed fenteuce of premwiire againft 
 Margaret Fell, for haying refufed to take the oath. And 
 ■though this fentence had not been paffed againft George 
 Fox, yet he was recorded as a premiinired perfon; though 
 it had not been afked him what he had to fay why fen- 
 tence {hould not be pronounced againft him. And thus 
 he continued prifoner in Lancafter caflle. 
 
 Whilft he was there, though weak of body, he writ 
 fcveral papers ; but the neighbouring juftices laboured 
 much to get him removed from thence to fome remote 
 place; for it was pretty well known ancong the people, 
 how the court at the affizes had dealt with him. So about 
 fix weeks after, they got an order from the king and 
 council to remove him from Lancafter ; and they received 
 alfo a letter from the carl of Anglefey, wherein it was 
 written, that if thefe things which he was charged with, 
 were found true againft him, he deferved no clemency or 
 mercy; and yet the greateft matter they had againft him, 
 was his refufal of the oath. His perfecutors now having 
 prepared for his removal, the under (heriff, and the head 
 fheriff's men, with fome bailiffs,, came and fetched him 
 out of the caftle, when he was io weak, by lying in that 
 
 1665] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLEDi C^AKERS. 
 
 181 
 
 cold, wet, and fmoky prifon, that he' could hardly |;o' or 
 ftand. So they brought him dowrt itito the '^Olcr*s hbufe, 
 where juftice William Kirbey, and ' feveral others 'Were, 
 They called for wine to give him, but hd well knowing 
 their malice againft him, told them, he would have none 
 of their wine. Then they cric^, « Bring out the horfes/^ 
 G. Fox therefore defired, that if they intended t^o^.remoye^ 
 him, they would firft (hew him their order, or a^'cbpy oft 
 k. But they would not fkew him any but thdr Avofds.' 
 He then told them, there was no fenterice palTed uporij 
 him, neither was he premunired, that he k?new' of 5 atl£ 
 therefore he was not made the king's prifoner';' but W# 
 the flieriffs : for they and all the country Icriew ' Aat ^e^ 
 was not fully heard at the laft affizes, nor fuffered tb'ihew* 
 the errors that were in the indiftraent, wliicli ' xve^C; 
 fufficient to quadi it, And that they all knew there Wa^^ 
 no fentence of premunire paffed upon him ; sA'd^mer™ 
 he not being the king's prifoner, biit the {henff*s,':'deti^^^^ 
 to fee their order. But inftead of lhe\?iriAgI-;hi:m^.their^ 
 order, they haled him out, and lifted him iipOn'ferie of ffid 
 fheriff'^ horfes ; for he was fo very weak, that he #as" 
 hardly able to fit on horfeback. Riding thus alon^'^^Gj 
 ftreet, he was much gazed upon "by the ^q9pfe, an^ had 
 great reafon to fay, that he received neitner chriftianify,,, 
 civility, nor humanity; for how ill and we^k foever he 
 was, yet they hurried him away about fourteen miles tc^j 
 Bentham in Yorkfliire ; and fo ^vicked was the gaoler,^ 
 one Hunter, a young fellow, that he lafhed the horfe on' 
 which G. Fox lid, with his whip, to make him fkip and, 
 leap, infomuch that he had much ado to fit him ; and then 
 would this wanton fellow comt^, and looking him in the 
 face, fay, * How do you Mr. Fox?' To which he an- 
 fwered, it was not civil in him to do fo. Yet this ma- 
 licious feliqw feemed little to regard it ; but he had not 
 long time to delight in this kind of infolence j for fooa 
 after he was cut off by death. 
 
 G. Fox being come to Bentham, was met by a 
 marlhal and feveral troopers, and many of the gentry, be- 
 frdes abundance of pe ^ple, come thither to ftare at him. 
 Jieing entered the houft, and very much tired, he defire4 
 
 M 4 
 
1^2 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1 66s 
 
 16653 
 
 PEOPtC CALI.ED QUAKERS. 
 
 »83 
 
 tbcy W0ttl4 let him lie down on a bed, which the foldicrs 
 perniitted; ^nd the roarflial, to whom he was delivered, 
 fet a guard upon him. After having ftaid there a while, 
 they preffed horfes, and fending for the bailiff and the 
 conftables, they had him to Gigglefwick that night. And 
 there they raifed the conftables, who f^tc drinking all 
 night in the room by him, fo that he could get but little 
 reft. The next day coming to a market town, feveral of 
 iis friends came to fee him, and at night he alked the foU 
 dicrs, whither they intended to carry him ? To which 
 foipe faid, beyond fea, and others to Tirtmouth Caftle. 
 And there was a fear amongft them, left.iome ftiould 
 Tcfcuc him; but there was not the Icaft reafon for it. The 
 next night he was brought to York, where the marflial 
 put hiiT^ into a great chamber, where many of the troopers 
 ihcr^ came to him. He then fpeaking lomething by way 
 of cxbortation to the foldiers, many of them were very 
 l9Viag to him* A while after the lord Frecheville, who 
 cprnmiainded thofe h^rfc, came to him, and was civil and 
 loving, apd G. Fqx gave him an account of his imprifun- 
 nicnt. 
 
 After a ftay of two^ays at York, the marflial and five 
 fpldicrs \^cre fent to convey him to Scarborough Caftle : 
 thcfc behaved themfclyes civilly to him. On the way they 
 baited at Malton,, and permitted his friends to fee him. 
 Afterwards b^iug come to Scarborough, they brought 
 him to an inn, and gave notice of it to the governor, who 
 fent fix foldiers to guard him that night. The next day 
 they had him into the caftle, and there put him into a 
 room, with ^ a centincl to watch him. Out of this room 
 they foon brought him into another, which was fo open» 
 that the rain came in, and it fmoked exceedingly; which 
 was very offenfive to him. One day the governor, fiif*.^ 
 John Crofland, came into the caftle with one fir Francis 
 Cob. G. Fox defired the governor to come into his 
 room, and fee h^w it was, and fo they did : an^ G. Fox 
 having get a little fire made in the room, it was fo filled 
 with fmcke, that they could hardly find the way out 
 again. And he being a Papift, G. Fox told him, ihat 
 was his purgatory which they had put him into^ For it 
 
 plainly appeared that there was an intent to' vex and dif- 
 trefs him : for after he had been at the charge of laying 
 out about fifty fhillings, to keep out the rain, and fome-i 
 what to cafe the fmoke, they put him into a worfe room, 
 which had neither chinmcy nor fire-hearth ; and lying 
 much open toward the fea-fide, the wind fo drove in the 
 ram, that the water not only ran about the room, but 
 alfo came upon his bed. And he having no fire to dry 
 his clothes when they were wet, his body was fo benum- 
 med with cold, and- his fingers fwelled to that degree^ 
 that one grew as big as two. And fo malicious were hisr 
 perfecutors, that they would hardly fufFer any of hi» . 
 friends to come at him, nay, not fo much as to bring himt 
 a little food ; fo that he was forced to hire fomebody ta 
 bring him neceffliries. Thus he fpent about a quarter of 
 a year, and afterwards being put into a room where a fire 
 could be made, he hired a foldier to fetch him what he 
 wanted. He then eat almoft nothing but bread, and o^ . 
 this fo little, that a threepenny loaf commonly ferved him 
 three weeks : and moft of his drink was water, that had 
 wormwood ftecped in it ; and once when the weather was 
 very (harp, and he had taken great cold,.he got fome ele-^ 
 campane beer. 
 
 Now though he defired his friends and acquaintance 
 might be fuffered to come to him, yet this was refufed ; 
 but fome others were admitted to come and gaze upoa 
 him, cfpecially Papifts, of whom a great company once 
 being come, they aflcirmed, that the pope was infallible, 
 and had been fo ever fince St. Peter's time. But G. Fox 
 denied this, and alledged from hiftory, that Marcellinus, 
 one of the biiliops of Rome, denied the faith, and facri- 
 ficed to idols ; and therefore was not infallible. And he 
 faid alfo, ' If the Papifts were in the infallible fpirit, they 
 would not maintain their religion by gaols, fwords, gal- 
 lows, fires, racks, and tortures, &c. nor want fuch means 
 to hold it up by : for if they were in the infallible fpirit, 
 they would prefcrve mens lives, and ufe none but fpiritual 
 weapons about religion.' He alfo told them how a certain 
 woman that had been a Papift, but afterwards entered 
 i^to the focicty of thofe called Quakers, having a taylor 
 
1 84 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [l66^S 
 
 ^665] 
 
 FEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 lis 
 
 at work at her houfe, and fpeakitig to him concerning the 
 falfenefs of the popifli religion, was threatened to have 
 bcenilabbcd by him, for which end he drew his knife 
 at her : fmce h was as the worrian faid, the principle of 
 the Papifts, if any turn from their religion to kill them 
 if they can* This ftory he told the Papifts, and they did 
 not deny this to be their princfple, but afked, if he would 
 declare this abroad. And be faid, ' Yes, fuch things 
 ought to be declared abroad, that it may be known how 
 contrary your religion is to trueChriftianity.' Whereupon 
 ihey went away in a rage. Some time after another papill 
 came to difcourfe with him, and faid, that all the patri- 
 archs were in hell, from the creation till Chrift came;' 
 and that when he fufFered he went into hell, and the 
 devi! faid to him, ' What comefl: thou hither for ; to 
 break open our flrong holds ?* And Chrift faid, * To fetch 
 fhem all out.' And fo, he faid, Chrift was three days 
 and three nights in hell, to bring them all out. On 
 which G. Fox faid to him that was falfc ; for Chrift faid' 
 to the thief, *' This day thou flialt be with me in para-^ 
 difc.'' He alfo faid, that Enoch and Elijah were tranf-- 
 kted into heaven ; and that Abraham alfo was in heaven, 
 fince the Scripture faith, that Lazarus was in his bofom. 
 And Mofes and Elias were with Chrift upon the mount, 
 before he fuffered. With thefe inftances he ftopped.his 
 adverfaiy's mouth, and put him to a nonplus. '^ ^ "'^ 
 Another time there came to him a great phyfictJtn; tailed 
 Dr. Witty, being accompanied with the lord Faicohbrldge, 
 the governor of Tinmouth Caftle, and feveral knights.- 
 G. Fox being called to them, this doaor undertook to 
 difc(>urfe with him, and alked, what he was in prifon for ? 
 G. Fox told him, becuufe he would not difobey the com^^ 
 mand of Chrift, and fwear. To which the do6lor faid; 
 he ought to fwear his allegiance to the king. Now G. Fox 
 knowing him to be a great Prefbyteriauj alked him, whe- 
 ther he had not fworn againft the king and the houfe of 
 lords, and taken the Scotch covenant ; and whether he 
 had not fmce fworn to the king. The doftor having 
 no ready anfwcr to this, G. Fox alked him, what then was 
 h.s fwearing good for : telling him farther^ ' My allegiance 
 
 doth not confift in fwearing, but in truth and faithfulnefe. 
 After fome further difcourfe, G. Fox was led away to his 
 prifon again ; and afterwards the doftor boafted, that he 
 had conquered G. Fox ; which he having heard, told the 
 governor, it was a fmall boaft in him to fay he had coiip 
 quered a bondman. . ' 
 
 A while after, this doaor came again, havmg many 
 great perfons with him, and he afiGlrmed before them all, 
 that Chrift had not enlightened every man that cometU 
 into the world ; that the grace of God, which brought 
 falvatbn, had not appeared unto all men ; and that Chrilt 
 had not died for all men. G. Fox alked him, . what fort 
 of men thofe were, which Chrift had not enlightened; 
 and whom his grace had not appeared unto. To which 
 the doctor anfwered, ' Chrift did not die for adulterers, 
 and idolators, and wicked men.^ Then G. Fox afked him, 
 whether adulterers and wicked men were not finners; and 
 he faid, ' Yes.' Which made G. Fox fay, * And did not 
 Chrift die for finners? Did he not come to call finners 
 to repentance ?' ' Yes,' faid the doftor. ^ Then,' replied 
 G. Fox, * thou haft ftopped thy own mouth.' And fo he 
 proved, that the grace of God had appeared to ^U n1en> 
 though fome turned it into wantonnefs, and walked de- 
 fpitefully againft it ; and that Chrift had enlightened all 
 men, though fome hated the light. Several of thofe that 
 were prefcnt confeffed it was true ; but the doftor went 
 away in a rage, and came no more to hini. 
 
 Another time the governor came to him, with two or 
 three parliament men, and they afked him, whether he 
 owned minifters and bifliops ; to which he faid, 'Yes, 
 fuch as Chrift fent forth ; fuch as had freely received, and 
 would freely give ; and fuch as were qualified, and were 
 in the fame power and fpirit that they were in,, in the 
 apoftles' days. But fuch biftiops and teachers as yours 
 are, that will go no farther than they have a great bene- 
 fice, I do not own ; for they are not like the apoftles : 
 for Chrift faith to his minifters, '' Go ye into all nations 
 and preach the gofpel." But ye parliament men, that 
 keep your priefts and bifliops in fuch great fat benefices, 
 ye have fpoiled them all : for do you think they will ^o 
 
l86 THE HISTORY OF TllE^ ["^iSj 
 
 into all nations to preach, or will go any further than ihey 
 have great fat benefices? Judge yourfelves, whether they 
 will or no.* To this they could fay little, and whatever 
 was objefted to G. Fox, he always had an anfwer in readi* 
 Dcfs ; and becaufe fometimes it was fimplc and plain, his 
 enemies from thence took occafion to fay, that he was a 
 fool. But whatever fnch faid, it is certain that he had a 
 good underftanding. though he was not educated in human 
 learning. This I know by my own experience, fur I have, 
 had familiar converfation with him. 
 
 In this his prifon, he was much vifited, even by people 
 ©f note. General Fairfax's widow came once to him with 
 a great company, one of which was a prieft, who began 
 (o quarrel with him, becaufe fpeaking to one perfon, he 
 faid thou and thee, and not you ; and thofe that fpokc 
 fo, the prieft faid, he counted but fools. Which made 
 G. Fox afk him, whether they, that tranflated the Scrip* 
 tures, and th^t made the grammar and accidence, were 
 fools ; feeing they tranflated the Scriptures fo, and made 
 the grammar fo, thou to one, and you to more than one. 
 With ihefe and other reafons he foon filenced the prieft j 
 and fe^ral of the company acknowledged the truth he 
 declared to them, and were loving to him; and fome of 
 tlKm would have given him money, but he would not re- 
 ceive it. 
 
 Whilft I leave him yet prifoner, I will go to other 
 matters, and relate the remarkable cafe of one William 
 Dnndas, who being a man of fome repute in Scotland, 
 came over to the communion of thofe called Qiiakers, in 
 a fingiilar rtianner. He was a man of a ftrift life, and ob^ 
 fetved the ecclefiaftical inftitutions there as diligently as 
 any of the moft precife ; but in time he fuw, that bodily 
 exercife profited little, and that it was true godlinefs which 
 the Lord required from man. In this ftate, becoming 
 more circumfpe^ than he was accuftomeci to be, he did 
 not frequent the publick alTemblies fo much as formerly. 
 But this w"as fcon taken notice of, and being alked the 
 reafon why, he faid, that there was a thing beyond that, 
 Vvliich he looked for. But it was told him, this was a 
 dangerous principle. To which Dundas ^-eplied, tha^ h« 
 
 1665} 
 
 PEOPLE CALXED QUAKERS, 
 
 187 
 
 was not to receive the law from the mouth of mad. Then 
 the minifter (fo called) faid to him, that he tempted God. : 
 To which Dundas returned, that God could not be tempted 
 to evil. Now that vrhich made him more averfe to the 
 priefts of that nation, was to fee their domineering pride : 
 ^nd how they forced fome that were not one with them, 
 HI their principles, to comply with their inftitutions,. 
 fprinkling the children of parents even without their con- 
 fent. Add to this, their going from one benefice to ano- 
 ther, being always ready to go over from a fmall church 
 to a great one, under pretence of more fervice for the 
 church ; whereas it plainly appeared, that felfiih intereft 
 generally was the main caufe. This behaviour of the 
 clergy, and their rigid perfecution, if any deviated a httlc 
 from the church ceremonies and the common form, turned 
 Dundas' s affeaion from them. An inftance* of this rigid- 
 nefs w^as, that one Wood, who had fome charge in the 
 cuftom-houfe of Lcith, and approved in fome rcfpe^ the 
 dodlrine of thofe called Quakers, had faid, that Cbrift 
 was the \vord, and that the letter was not the word. For 
 this he was cited before the ecclefiaftical aflembly of 
 Lothian, where Dundas was prefent ; and Wood fo well 
 defended his faying, that none were able to overthrow his 
 arguments : chiefly drawn from thefe words of John, 
 " That the word was made fiefti, and dwelt among us." 
 Wood continuing to maintain his affertion, ihey began 10 
 threaten him with excommunicaiion, and would not allow 
 him fo much time as to give his anfwer to the next affembly. 
 Excommunicaiion there was fuch a penalty, that people 
 under it were very much deprived of converfation \yith 
 men. The fear of this made Wood comply in a little 
 time; and meeting Dundas about three months after in the 
 ftreet at Edinburgh, he told him, that he had been forced 
 to bow to the affembly againft his light; for if he had 
 been excommunicated, he had loft his livelihood. Thus 
 Wood bowed through human fear, but be hardly out- 
 lived this two years. 
 
 In the mean-while the priefts became more and more 
 jealous of Dundas ; for he not having them in fach an 
 cftcem as they wilhed, they faid, that he would infcft'ihe 
 
iSS 
 
 THE HrSTORV OF Ttt£ 
 
 whole nation. And they did not {lick here, but to know 
 whh whom he correfpondcd in England, they opened ( (o 
 great was their power) his letters at the poft-houfe, and 
 fometimes kept them : but if they found nothing in them, 
 by which they could prejudice him, they caufcd them to 
 be fealed up again, and delivered to him. By this bafc 
 praftice, they came to know that one Gawen Lawry, mer- 
 chant of London, fcnt him a box, with about three pound.*; 
 fterling worth of books. This box Dundas found af- 
 terwards that the prieft, John Ofwald, had taken away : 
 and whatever he did, he could not get them again, till 
 the Englilh came into Scotland, but then many of them 
 were wanting. Dundas in the mean-whilc unwilling to 
 comply with the kirk, was at length excommunicated; but 
 he was generally fo well efteemed, that none feemed to 
 regard that fcntence, fo as to keep at a diftance from him ; 
 which made this a6t the more contemptible. Now though 
 Dundas favoured the doflrine of the Quakers, yet they 
 were fuch a defpifed people, that he, who was a man of 
 fome account in the world, could not as yet give up to 
 join with them. 
 
 It happened once that he was riding from Edinburgh to 
 his houfe, in a winter evening, and hearing a noife of 
 fome men as if fighting, he bade his man ride up in hafte 
 to fee what it was, which he did, and calling out, faid, 
 that there were two men on horfeback, beating another 
 on foot, Dundas riding up to them, faw the two beating 
 the other man, who faid to them, * What did I fay to 
 you, but bid you fear God ?' By this Dundas prefently 
 perceived that the man thus beaten was a Quaker ; and 
 afking his name, which the other telling, he knew it, 
 though he did not know the man by fight : and then he 
 fell a beating the two with his rod, and ordered thofe that 
 were with him, to carry them to the next prifon ; but the 
 faid Quaker intreated him to let them go, which he did, 
 after having afked their names, and dwelling-places. About 
 a week after, the faid Quaker told a relation of Dundas 
 what kindnefs he fliewed him, and how he had in fome 
 manner been favcd by him ; * yet,' faid he, * I found the 
 fame fpirit in him thai was in the other two men who beat 
 
 1665] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^TAKEftS• 
 
 1S9 
 
 me.* Such a faying as this would have offended fotnc 
 men, but with Dundas it had a contrary effefl ; for thcfc 
 words fo reached him, that fome time after meeting the 
 faid Quaker again, he defired, that as he paffed that way, 
 he would make his houfe his lodging place : which kind 
 hivitation he feemed not unwilling to accept of. Dundas 
 had now attained fo much experience, that he could dif- 
 cern between the fpirits of meeknefs and rafhnefs ; and 
 fufficiently perceive that the faid Quaker, by that which 
 he fpoke concerning him, had not made himfelf guilty of 
 the latter ; but yet he could not bow fo low, as to join in 
 fociety with the Quakers, though fecretly he endeavoured 
 . more and more to live up to their doftrine ; and therein he 
 enjoyed more peace in his heart than formerly. 
 
 But his outward condition in the world not being very 
 
 forward, he went into France, and fetded at Dieppe. 
 
 Whilft he dwelt there, a certain woman out of England, 
 
 came thither with her maid, and fpread in the town fome 
 
 books of George Fox and William Dewfbury, trauHated 
 
 into French ; and (he herfelf having written fome papers, 
 
 got them turned into French by Dundas, and fo diftri- 
 
 buted them. But the meffage fhe chiefly came for, flie 
 
 hid from him, and that not without reafon ; for what flic 
 
 afted there, was fo Angular, that if it had been knowa 
 
 before, it is probable (he would not have been able to 
 
 'perform it. Though I do not find what her intent was in 
 
 the thing, yet k feems likely to me, that fhe, not knowing 
 
 the language there fpoken, would by a fign teftify againft 
 
 their apparel and dnefs, and that on this wife: on the 
 
 Firft-day of the week (he came to the meeting-houfe of 
 
 the Proteftants there, where fome thoufands of people 
 
 were met : and, having fet herfelf in the moil confpicuous 
 
 place, ^juft over againft him that preached, before the 
 
 fervictj was finiftied, (he ftood up, with the maid that 
 
 was w^ith her, who taking off a mande and hood flie wa^ 
 
 covered with, (he appeared clothed in fack-cloth, and her 
 
 hair hanging down, fprinkled with afhes: thus fhe turned 
 
 herfelf round feveral times, that all the people might fee 
 
 h^r. This fight ftruck both preacher and auditory with 
 
 noftnalKconftcrnatidn; and the pfeacher^s wife afierwariJs 
 
Wi 
 
 190 THE HISTORY OF THJt ft 665 
 
 idling fomcbody how this fight had affeftcd her, faid, 
 * This is of deeper reach than I can comprehend/ The 
 faid women having flood thus awhile, fell both dowri 
 upon their knees, and prayed, and then went out of the 
 meeting, many following them, and diftributed fome books. 
 Then they came to their lodging, which was in a Scotch- 
 man's houfe ; but he refufing them entrance, they came 
 to Dundas*s lodging, who knew nothing of all this. They 
 therefore told him, that the work tlicy came for in that 
 nation, was now done ; and he alking what they had 
 done, they told him, and fignificd that they wanted lodg- 
 ing till they went away. Then he went abroad to fee if 
 he could find lodging for them, but in vain; he then 
 offered them his bed, being willing to (hift for himfclf 
 fomewhere elfe, but they refufed to accept of bis offer ; 
 and his landlady not being willing to let them fit up that 
 night in any of her rooms, they were fain to ftay thac 
 night in an out-houfe. 
 
 Now thisbufinefs had made fuch a (lir in the town, that 
 one of the king's ofScers coming the next day to Dondas^ 
 told him, that he had tranfgreffed the laws of the nation, 
 by receiving perfons of another religion to his lodging : 
 for the king tolerated only two religions, viz. Papifts and 
 Proieftants, To this Dundas faid, that he had not tranf- 
 greffed the law of hofpitality, and he had been forced to 
 do fo. fmce he could not let them lie in the ftrect, where 
 they would have been in danger of their lives by the rude 
 multitude. Then the women were taken away, and fent 
 to prifon ; and they not being provided with food, Dondas 
 took care of that. Sometime, after, an order being come 
 from the parliament at Rouen, it was read to them, viz. 
 that they fliould be tranfportcd forthwith back to England, 
 with thefirft paffage-boat, and all their papers and books 
 to be burnt iq the market, and thcmfcWes alfo,- if ever 
 they fliould come to that nation again. In pnrfuance of 
 this they were put into a paffage-boat in the night time, 
 and fo fent to England. Afterwards the people at Dieppe 
 intended to purfuc Dundas, as one of their judgment ; but 
 he was unwilling to be looked upon as fuch, though the 
 Proteilants had informed againft him^ that he did not coins 
 
 1665] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. I9I 
 
 * to their meetings : but of this no crime could be made, • 
 and Dundas told them, if they perfecuted him, being a 
 merchant, and trafficking there, they might expeft the 
 like to be done to their merchants in England. And when 
 the judge affirmed, that Dundas was of the judgment of 
 thofc women, he told them that they were better than he \ 
 but that their way was too ftrait for him to walk in. 
 There fell out two things which Dundas took fingular 
 notice of; the one was, that the Scotchman who fhut out 
 the women, died within twelve months after; and the 
 other, that the houfe of his landlady, who refufed them 
 a chamber to fit in, was burnt within the faid time, with- 
 out its being known whence the fire came, no houfes 
 being burnt befides, though it was in the middle of the 
 
 town. . .' •, . 
 
 In the mean-while Dundas continued in an unquiet con- 
 dition ; for by reafon of human fear, he found himfelf too 
 weak to profefs publickly before men, what he believed to 
 
 be truth. ^ 
 
 Then he went to Rouen, but could get no reft there, 
 being fomewhat indifpofed in body ; and having from 
 England gotten a great many books, treating of the doc- 
 trine of thofe called Quakers, he fent fome of them to the 
 judge criminal at Dieppe, and fome to the Jefuits college 
 there, and at Paris. Afterwards he fpread fome books 
 alfo at Caen, where many Proteftants Ijved. But fince 
 thofe books fpoke againft the Papifts, and the Calviniils 
 were in fear that thereby they might be brought to fuf- 
 ferings, they complained to the lieutenant-general of the 
 town, of Dundas, as one that did not come to their meet- 
 in^. By this he was forced to leave that place, and went 
 to'^Alen9on, where (laying a while, the judge criminal 
 fent for him ; and after a long difcourfe, he and Dundas 
 agreed fo well, that he invited him to come and fee him 
 oftener^ and that if he would, he might have an oppor- 
 tunity to difcourfe with fome of the Jefuits. But Dundas 
 told him, that he was not willing to difpute with any ; yet 
 he fhould not be afraid .to maintain his principles, againft 
 all the Jefuits of the nation. This being told the Jefuits, 
 k fo exafperaied them againft him, that being once out 
 Vol. 1L >* 
 
IPS 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TKB 
 
 [1665 
 
 of town, they caufcd his chamber-door to be broken up, 
 to fearch his lodging. He complaining of this to the judge 
 criminal, the judge told him, he knew nothing of it, and 
 if there was any thing, it did proceed fronj the Jefuits, 
 becaufe of his confidence againft them. This feeraed not 
 .mprobable, for he found his letters opened at the poft- 
 houfe feveral times, and when he challenged the poft- 
 mafler, he received for an anfwer, that they came fo to 
 him. 
 
 Sometime after he returned to Caen, where he was not 
 long ; bur his correfpondent at Alen9on fent him word, 
 that the day after he went from thence, the governor of 
 the town had been at his lodging to feek for him. 
 
 In the next year, when a war arofe between England 
 and France, he came again to Dieppe, in order to return 
 to England ; having got paflage in company of the lord 
 Hollis, ambafl'ador from England ; where being arrived, 
 he frequented the meetings of ihofe called Quakers, yet 
 was no: bold enough to own the name of Quaker, but 
 continued in the common way of faJutations, &c. Yet at 
 length the truth they profeffed, had fuch power over him, 
 that not being able to enjoy peace without yielding obe- 
 dience to the inward convictions upon hi? mind, he at 
 length gave up, and fo entered into their ^jfociety, and ob- 
 tained a true peace with the Lord, \vhich he had long 
 reafoned himfclf out of. In procefs of time he publifhed a 
 book in print, from which I have drawn this relation, 
 which he concluded with a poem, in which he thanked 
 God for his fmgular dealings and mercies beftowed upon 
 him, wifhing that others might reap benefit by it. 
 
 Thus parting with William Dundas, I am now to fay, 
 that in this year, 1665, in December, William Caton died 
 at Amfterdara. He was a man not only of literature, and 
 zealous for religion, but of a courteous and affable temper 
 and converfation, by which he was in good elteem among 
 thofc he w^as acquainted with : and as to the refpe6l he 
 had there, this may ferve as an inflance. Holland at this 
 time being in war with England, there were feveral 
 Englifh prifoners of war in the prifon of the court of 
 admiralty at Amflerdam, who now and then were vifited 
 
 1665] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAK^kS. 
 
 ^93 
 
 by Caton, and fupplied with fome fuftenance : but in this 
 he was hindered by an ofiicer of that court, who feemed 
 offended becaufe Caton did not give him hat honour. 
 This gave occafion to Caton to complain of it to a burgo- 
 mailer of the city, I think the lord Cornelius Van Vloofwyh, 
 who at that time was one of the lords of the admiralty ; he 
 bid Caton come to his houfe at fuch a time as he was to go 
 to the court ; which he did, and went with the faid burgo- 
 mafter towards the court, where being come, and entrance 
 denied him by the faid ofiicer, the burgomafter charged 
 him not to hinder Caton from vifiting the prifoners. About 
 this time a law was made in England, called. 
 
 An Aft for reftraining Non-Conformifts from inhabiting in 
 
 Corporations, 
 
 Whereas divers parfons, vicars, curates, lefturers, anU 
 other perfons in holy orders, have not declared their un- 
 feigned affent andconfent in the ufe of all things contained 
 and prefcribed in the book of Common Prayer, and admi^ 
 nifl:ration of the facraments, and other rites and ceremonies 
 of the church, according to the ufe of the church of 
 England, or have not fubfcribed to the declaration or 
 acknowledgment contained in a certain aft of parliament, 
 made in the fourteenth year of his majefty's reign, and 
 intituled, ' An aft for the uniformity of publiek prayers, 
 and adminiftration of facraments, and other rites and 
 ceremonies, and for the eftablifhing the form of making, 
 ordaining and confecrating of bifliops, priefts, and deacons, 
 in the church of England,' according to the faid aft, or 
 any other fubfequent aft. And whereas they, or fome of 
 them, and divers other perfon and perfons not ordained 
 according to the form of the church of England, and as 
 have, fince the aft of oblivion, taken upon them' to preach 
 in unlawful aflemblies, conventicles, or meetings, under 
 colour or pretence of exercife of religion, contrary to the 
 laws and ftatutes of this kingdom, and have fettled them^ 
 fclves in divers corporations in England, foq|etimes three 
 or more of them in a place^ thereby taking an opportunity 
 t^ diftil the poifonous principles of fchifm and rebellioamtQ 
 
 N 2 . 
 
 -«■ 
 
J 94 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [,66s 
 
 the hearts of his niajefly's fubjc^s, to the great danger of 
 the church and kingdom. 
 
 II. Be it therefore enabled by the king's mod excellent 
 majelly, by^and with the advice and confent of the lords 
 fpiriuial and temporal, and the commons in this prefeiH 
 parliament affenibled, and by the authority of the fame, 
 that the faid parfons, vicars, curates, lecturers, and other 
 perfons in holy orders, or preter^dcd holy orders, or pre- 
 tending to holy orders, and all ftipendiarirs, and other per- 
 fons who have been poflcfled of any ecclefiaftical or fpiritual 
 promotion, and every of them, who have not declared 
 their unfeigned affent and confent, as aforefaid, and fubr 
 fcribed the declaration as aforefaid,- and (hail not take and 
 fubfcribe the oath following : 
 
 (2) ' I, A. B. do fwear, that it is not lawful upon any 
 pretence whatfoever, to take arms againft the king; and 
 "(hat I do abhor that traitorous pofition of taking arms by 
 his authority againft his perfon, or againft thofc that are 
 commiflioned by him, in purfuance of fuch commiffion ; 
 and that I will not at any time endeavour any alteration of 
 government, either in church or ftate : Ihall not come 
 within five milts of any city, S:c. nor teach fchool, on pain 
 ' to forfeit 40I.'. 
 
 And though this aft was chiefly made againft the Prefl^y- 
 terians and Independents, who formerly had been employed 
 in the publick church, yet they fuffcred but little by it ; 
 but it W'as cunningly made ufe of to vex the Quakers, 
 vho, becaufe for confcience fake they could not fwear, 
 were on this law profecuted and imprifoned, &c. 
 
 Now fmce the peftiienee had been fo fierce this year at 
 London, that about an hundred thoufand people were 
 fwcpt away by it and otherwife, and alfo many of thofc 
 called Quakers, there muft be confequcntly many poor 
 widows and fatherlefs children among thofe of that fociety. 
 , And becaufe the men, who at times kept meetings to take 
 care for the poor, found that this burthen grew too heavy 
 for them, they offered part of this fervice and care to 
 the moft grave and folid women of their church, who for 
 
 1665] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QIJAKERS; 
 
 195 
 
 this fervice met once a w.^ek at London, and this in time 
 gave rife to the womens Monthly Meetings in other places 
 m England. 
 
 I return now to the fhip with the baniftied prifoners, 
 which I left lying in the Thames ; but the owners having 
 put in another mafteu, whofe name was Peter Love, the 
 fliip, after long lingering, left ^the river, and came into 
 the Downs. In ths month called January of the year 
 enfuing, Luke Howard writ from Dover, that of fiity- 
 four baniftied perfons, w^ho almoft half a year ago had 
 been brought on fliip-board, but twenty-feven remained, 
 the reft being dead. By this long ftay the fliip feveral 
 times wanted a freili fapply of provifion, and the fliip's 
 crew grew fo uneafy, that two of them having gone aftiorb 
 with the boat, ran av/ay, leaving the boat floating, by 
 which itwas.ftaved to pie(:e3. At length the mafter, 
 though he had but fev/, and thofe moftly raw failors, and 
 was ill provided with viftnals, yet refolved to fet fail. 
 And fo they weighed anchor, and went down the channel 
 as far as Plymouth, where after fome ftay, they fet fail 
 again, w^hich was on the 23d of the month called February, 
 but the next day being advanced as far as the Land's End, 
 a Dutch privateer came and took the fliip ; and to avoid 
 being retaken, went about the backfide of Ireland and 
 Scotland, and fo after three weeks came with fome of the 
 baniftied to Horn, in North Holland, and fome days after 
 ■ the prize, with the reft of them, entered alfo into that port. 
 Here they w^ere kept fome time in prifon, but the commif- 
 fioners of the admiralty having underftood, that there was 
 no likelihood to get the baniflied Quakers exchanged for 
 Dutch prifoners of war in England, refolved to fet them at 
 libeity, and gave them a letter of paffport, and a ceruficate, 
 that ihey had not made an efcape, but were fent back by 
 th tm. They coming to Amfterdam, were by their friends 
 there provided with lodging and clothes ; for their own 
 had been taken from them by the privateer's crew ; and 
 in procefs of time they all returned to England, except one, 
 who not being an Englifliman, ftayed in Holland. Thus 
 the banifhed were delivered, and the defign of their 
 perfccutors was brought to nought by an Almighty hand; 
 
 N 3 
 
196 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1666 
 
 il 
 
 In the mean while G. Fox continaed prifoncr in Scar- 
 borough Caftle, where the accefs of his friends was denied 
 him, though people of other perfuafions were admitted* 
 Once came to him one dcftor Cradock with three priefts, 
 accompanied with the governor and his wife, and many 
 befxdes. Cradock afked him, what he Was in prifon for ? 
 He anfwered, for obeying the command of Chrift and his 
 apoftle in not fwearing : but if he, being both a doftor 
 and a juftice of peace, could convince him, that a^ter 
 Chrift and the apoftle had forbidden fwearing, they com- 
 manded Chriftiansto fwear, then he would fwcar. * Here's 
 a bible,' continued he, * fhew me any fuch command if 
 thou canft.' To this Cradock liiid, ' It is written, ye fhall 
 fwear in truth and righteoufnefs.' * Aye,' faid G. Fox, 
 * it was writt<:n fo in Jeremiah's time, but that was many 
 ages before Chrift commanded not to fwear at all: but 
 where is it written fo fmce Chrift forbade all fwearing ? 
 I could bring as many inftances out of the Old Teftament 
 for fwearing as thou, and it may be more too, but of 
 what force are they to prove fwearing lawful in the New 
 Teftament, fmce Chrift and the apoftles forbade it ? Be- 
 fides, where it is written, " Ye (hall fwear," was this faid 
 to the Gentiles or to the Jews ?' To this Cradock would 
 not anfwer ; but one of the priefts faid, it was to the 
 Jews. ' Very well,* faid G. Fox, ' but where did God 
 ever give a command to the Gentiles to fwear ? For thou 
 knoweft that we are Gentiles by nature.' * Indeed,' faid 
 Cradock, ' in the gofpel-time every thing was to be 
 cftiibliftied out of the mouths of two or three witneffes, 
 and there was to be no fwearing then.' ' Why then,' 
 returned G. Fox, ' doft thou force oaths upon Chriftians, 
 contrary to thine own knowledge in the gofpel-times ? 
 And why doft thou excommunicate my friends?' Cradock 
 anfwered, ' For not coming to church.' * Why,' faid 
 G. Fox, * ye left us above twenty years ago, when we 
 were but young, to the PreftDyterians, Independents, and 
 Baptifts, many of whom made fpoil of our goods, and 
 perfecuted us becaufe we would not follow them : now 
 we being but young, knew little then of your principles, 
 aiid thofe that knew them fliould not have fled from us, 
 
 1666] PEOPLE CALLED C^AKERS. 197 
 
 but ye ftiould have fent us your epiftles or homilies ; for 
 Paul writ epiftles to the faints, though he was in prifon : 
 but we might have turned Turks or Jews for ought we 
 had from you for inftruftion. And now ye have excom- 
 municated us, that is, ye have put us out of your church, 
 before ye have got us into it, and before ye have brought 
 us to know your principles. Is not this madnefs in you to 
 puc iis out, before we were brought in ? But what doft 
 thou call the church ?' continued he, ' That -vhich you,' 
 replied Cradock, ' call the fteeple-houfe.' Then G. Fox 
 afked him, whether Chrift's blood was Qied for the fteeple- 
 houfe, and whether he purified and fanaified it with his 
 blood; ' And feeing,' thus continued he, ' the church is 
 Chrift*s bride and wife, and that he is the head of the 
 church, doft thou think the fteeple-houfe is Chrift's wife 
 and bride ; and that he is the head of that old houfe, ot 
 of his people ?' * No/ faid Cradock, ' Chrift is the head 
 of the people, and they are the church.' ' But,* replied 
 G. Fox, ' ye have given that tide to an old houfe, which 
 belongs to the people, and ye have taught people to 
 believe fo.' He afked him alfo why he perfecuted his 
 friends for not paying tithes ; and whether God did ever 
 give a command to the Gentiles, that they fliould. pay 
 tithes ; and whether Chrift had not ended tithes, when he 
 ended the Levitical priefthood that took tithes ; and whe- 
 ther Chrift when he had fent forth his difciples to preach, 
 had not commanded them to preach freely, as he had 
 given them freely ; and whether all the minifters of Chrift 
 were ftot bound to obferve this command ^f Chrift. Cra- 
 dock faid, he would not difpute that : and being unwilling 
 to ftay on this fubje^V, he turned to another matter ; but 
 finding G. Fox never to be at a lofs for anfwer, and that 
 he could get no advantage on him, he at length went away 
 
 with his company. ^ 
 
 With fuch kind of people G. Fox was often troubled 
 while he was prifoner there ; for moft that came to the 
 caftle would fpeak with him, and many difputes he had with 
 them. But as to his friends, he was as a man buried alive, 
 for very few of them were fuitered to come to him. 
 Jofiah Cole once defiring admittance, the governor told 
 
 N4 
 
198 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1666 
 
 him, * You arc an undcrflanding man, but G. Fox is a 
 mere fool.* Now though the governor dealt hardly with 
 him, yet in time he altered, for having fent oat a privateer 
 to fea, they took fome fhips that were not their enemies, 
 which brought him into fome trouble ; after that he grew 
 fomewhat more friendly to G. Fox : to whom the deputy, 
 governor faid once, that the king knowing that he had a 
 great interefl in the people, had fent him thither, that if 
 there fhould be any ftirring in the nation, they fbould 
 hang him over the wall. And among the Papifts, whd 
 were numerous in thofe parts, there was much talk then of 
 hanging G. Fox. But he told them, if that was it they 
 defired, and it was permitted them, he was ready, for he 
 never feared death nor fufferings in his life ; but was 
 knovm to be an innocent peaceable man, free from all 
 ftirrings and plottings, and one that fought the good of all 
 men. But the governor now growing kinder, G. Fox 
 fpokc to him when he was to go to the parliament at Lon- 
 don, and dcfired him to fpeak with efq. Marfh, fif Francis 
 Cob, and fome others, and to tell them, how long he had 
 Iain in prifon, and for w^hat. This the governor did, and 
 at his coming back told him, that efq. Marfh faid, he knew 
 G. Foxfo well, that he would go an hundred miles bare- 
 foot for his liberty ; and that feveral others at court had 
 fpoken well of him. 
 
 After he had been prifoner in the caftle there above a 
 year, he fent a letter to the king, in which he gave an 
 account of his- imprifomnent, and the bad ufage he had 
 met with, and alfo that he was infqrm.ed, that no man 
 could deliver him but the king. Efq. Marfh, who was 4 
 gentleman of the king*s bed-chamber, did whatever he 
 could to procure his liberty, and at length obtained an 
 order from the king for hisreleafe; thefubftance of which 
 order was, * That the king being certainly informed that 
 G. Fox was a man principled againft plotting and fighting, 
 and had been ready at all times to difcover plots, rather 
 than to nnake any, &c. that therefore his royal plcafur^ 
 was, that he fhould be difchargcd from his imprifonment, 
 &c. This order being obtained, was not long after^ 
 J)rought to Scarborough, and delivered to the governor. 
 
 ^666] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (RAKERS. 
 
 i99 
 
 t^ho upon the receipt thereof, difcharged him, and gave 
 him the following paffport : 
 
 « Permit ihe bearer hereof, George Fox, late a prifoner 
 here, and now difcharged by his majefty's order, quietly to 
 pafs about his lawful occafions, without any moleftation. 
 Given under my hand at Scarborough Caftle, this firft day 
 
 of September, 1666. 
 
 * Jordan Crofslands, 
 
 * Governor of Scarborough Caftle* 
 
 G. Fox being thus releafed, would have given the go- 
 vernor fomething for the civility and kindnefs he had of 
 late {hewed him ; but he would nor receive any thing ; 
 and faid, whatever good he could do for him and his 
 friends, he would do it, and never do them any hurt : and 
 fo he continued loving to his dying day ; nay, if at any 
 time the mayor of the town fent to him for foldicrs, to 
 difperfe the meetings of thbfe called Quakers, if he fent 
 any, he privately charged them, not to meddle with the 
 meeting. • 
 
 The very next day after G, Fox was releafed, the fire 
 broke out at London, and the report of it came quickly 
 down into the country, how that city was turned into 
 rubbifh and aflies, (infomuch that after an inceflant fire 
 . which lafted near four days, but little of old London, was 
 kft ftanding) there being about thirteen thoufand and two 
 hundred houfes burnt ; the account Vv hereof hath been fb 
 circumftantially defcribed by others, that 1 need not treat 
 of it «t large ; but I cannot omii to fay, that Thomas 
 Briggs, fome years before paffing through the ftreets of 
 London, preached repentance to the inhabitants ; and 
 coming through Cheapfide, he cried out, that unlefs 
 London repented, as Niniveh did, God would deftroy it. 
 
 Now 1 may relate another remarkable prediftion. 
 
 Thomas Ibbitt, of Huntingdonfliire, came to London a 
 few days before the burning of that city, and (and as hath 
 been related by eye witneffes) did upon his coming thither, 
 alight from his horfe, and unbutton his clothes in fo loofe 
 a manner, as if they had been put on in hafte juft out of 
 
too THE HISTORY OF THB [1666 
 
 bed. In this manner he went about the city on the fixth* 
 (being the day he came thither) and alfo on the feventh 
 day of the week, pronouncing a judgment by fire which 
 fhould lay wafle the city. On the evening of thefe days 
 fomeof his friends had meetings with him, to enquire con- 
 cerning his melTage and call, to pronounce that impending 
 judgment : in his account whereof he was not more parti- 
 cular and clear, than that he faid he for fometime had the 
 vifion thereof, but had delayed to come and declare it as 
 commanded, until he felt (as he expreffcd it) the fire in his 
 own bofom : v/hich meflage or vifion was very fuddenly 
 proved to be fadly true, as the foregoing brief account doth 
 in part declare. The fire began on the 2d of September, 
 J 666, on the firftdayof the week, which did immediately 
 follow thofe two days the faid Thomas Ibbitt had gone 
 about the cky declaring that judgment. 
 
 Having gone up and down the city, as hath been faid, 
 when afterwards he faw the fire break out, and beheld the 
 fulfilling of his prediction, a fpiritual pride feized on him, 
 which, if others had not been wifer than he, might have 
 tended to his utter deftruftion : for the fire being come as 
 far as the caft end of Cheapfide, he placed himfelf before 
 the flame, and fpread his arms forth, as if to flay the pro- 
 grefs of it; and if one Thomas Matthews, with others, 
 had not pulled him (who feeraed now altogether diftra(fted) 
 from thence, it was like he might have perifhed by the 
 fire. Yet in procefs of time, as I have been told, he came 
 to fome recovery, and confefled this error : an evident 
 proof of human weaknef'^^, and a notorious inflance of our 
 frailty, when we aflumc to ourfelves the doing of any 
 thing, which heaven alone can enable us. 
 
 I cannot well pafs by without taking notice of it, that 
 about three weeks before the faid fire, the Englifh landed 
 in the ifland ofSchelling in Holland, under the conduct of 
 captain Holmes, and fctting the town on fire, there were 
 above three hundred houfes burnt down, belonging moftly 
 toBapiifts that did not bear arms. It may be farther ob- 
 fervcd, that the Englifh were beaten at fca this fummer by 
 the Dutch, under the conduft of admiral De Ruyter, in a 
 fight, which lafled four days j fo that they had occafion to 
 
 1666] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^AKER^. 
 
 20f 
 
 call to mind how often the jadgments of God had been 
 foretold them, which now came over their country, viz. 
 
 pcftilence, war, and fire. ^ t v- r • j 
 
 G. Fox being at liberty, did not omit to vifit his triends, 
 and in their meetings to edify them with his exhortations, 
 whereby others alfo fometimes came to be convinced. 
 And coming to Whitby, he went to a priefl's houfe, who 
 fourteen years before had faid, that if ever he met G.Fox 
 a<rain he would have his life, or he fhould have his. But 
 now his wife was not only become one of G. Fox s 
 friends, but this pricft himfelf favoured the doftrme pro- 
 feffed by his wife, and was very kind to G. Fox, who 
 paffed from thence to York, wheie he had a large meeting, 
 and vifited alfo juftice Robinfon, who had been lovmg to 
 him from the beginning. At this time there was a prieft 
 with him, who told G. Fox, ^ It is faid of you that ye 
 love none but yourfelves.' But he fliewed him his mif- 
 takc, and gave him fo much fatisfaftion, that they parted 
 
 friendly. . ' 
 
 In this county G. Fox had many meetings, and one not 
 far from colonel Kirby's abode, who had been the chief 
 means of his imprifonment at Lancafter and Scarborough 
 caftles ; and when he heard of his releafc, faid, he would 
 have him taken ngain : but now when G. Fox came fo 
 near him, he himfelf was caught by the gout, which had 
 feized him fo that he was fain to keep his bed ; and after- 
 wards he met with adverfities, as did mofl of the juftices 
 and others who had been the caufe of the imprifonment 
 of G. Fox, who now coming to Sinderhill Green, had a 
 large meeting there, where the prieft fent the conftable 
 to the juftices for a c^^arrant ; but the notice being fhort, 
 the way long, and having fpent time in fearching for G, 
 Fox in another houfe, before the officers came where the 
 meeting was, it was ended, though they had almoft fpoded 
 
 their horfes by hard riding. , ^r • -l n.- 
 
 G. Fox pafllng from thence through Nottinghamlhire, 
 Bedfordftiire, Buckinghamfhire, and Oxfordftiire, and vi- 
 fiting his friends in all places where he came, and edify- 
 ing them in their meetings, gets at length to London : 
 but be was io weak, by lying almoft three years m hard 
 
soil 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TJtIt 
 
 [1666 
 
 atld cold imprifonments, and his joints and body were fo 
 ftiffand benumbed^ that he could hardly get on horfeback. 
 Being now at London, he behtrld the ruins of thcr city, 
 and faw the fulfilling of what had been fliewn him fome 
 years before. Noiwirhftanding this llroke on London, 
 perfecution did not cf afe, which i^ave occafion to Joliiih 
 Coalc to write thefe lines to the king: 
 
 * King Charles, 
 
 * Set the people of God at liberty, who fnffer imprifon- 
 tftcnts for the oicrcife of their confcience towards him, 
 and give liberty of confcience to them to worfhip and fcrvc 
 him as he requireth, and leadeth them by his fpirit ; or 
 elfc his judgments Ihall not depart from thy kingdom. 
 Until thereby he hath wrought the liberty of his people, 
 add removed their oppreffions. And remember thou art 
 once more warned, 
 
 by a fervant of the Lord, 
 
 Jofiah Coale.' 
 
 LoiidM), Dec. 3, x666. 
 
 About this time, or it may be in the next month, Stephen 
 Crifp publi(hed an epiftle, containing an exhortation to his 
 friends, and alfo a prediftion concerning fuccceding times, 
 which is as followeth : 
 
 * Friends, 
 
 * I am the more drawn forth at this time to vifit you 
 with an epiftic, becaufe the Lord hath given me fome fight 
 of his great and dreadful day^ and workings in it, which is 
 at hand, and greatly haftens, of which I have fomething to 
 fey unto you, that ye may be prepared to Hand in his day, 
 and may behold his wondrous working among his enemies, 
 and have fcUowlhip with his power therein, and may not 
 be difmayed nor driven away in the tempeft, which will be 
 great. 
 
 ' And as concerning thofe fucceeding times, the fpirit 
 of the Lord hath fignified, that they will be times of horror 
 and amazement, to all that have, and yet do reje<5l his 
 counfcl : for as the days of his forbearance, warning and 
 
 1666] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 aoj 
 
 inviting, have been long, fo (hall his appearance amongft 
 thofe that have withftood him, be fierce and terrible; even 
 fo terrible, as who Ihall abide his coming ? for the Lord 
 will work both fecretly and openly, and his arm fliall be 
 manifcft to his children in both. 
 
 * Secretly he fliall raife up a continual fretting anguifh 
 among his enemies, one againfl another, fo that being 
 vexed and tormented inwardly, they fliall feek to make 
 each other miferable, and delight therein for a little feafon; 
 and then the prevailer mufl: be prevailed over, and the 
 digger of the pit mufl: fall therein ; and the confidence that 
 men have had one in another fliall fail, and they will 
 beguile and betray one another, both by counfel and 
 fl:rength ; and as they have banded themfelvcs to break 
 you, whom God haih gathered, fo fliall they band them-r 
 ■ ielves one againfl another, to break, 10 fpoil and deftroy 
 one another ; and through the multitude of their treache* 
 ries, all credit or belief, upon the accomu of their folemn 
 engagement, fliail fail ; fo that few men fliall count them- 
 felves, or what is theirs, fafe in the hand of his friend, 
 who hath not chofen his fafety and friendfliip in the pure 
 light of the unchangeable truth of God ; and aU the fecret 
 counfels of the ungodly fliall be brought to nought, fome- 
 times by the means of fome of themfelves, and fometimes 
 by impoflfibilities lying in their way, which fliall make their 
 hearts fail of ever accomplifliing what they have deter- 
 mined ; and in this ftate fliall men fret themfelves for a 
 feafon, and fliall not be able to fee the hand that turns 
 againll them, but fliall turn to fight againfl one thing, and 
 another, and a third thing, and fliall flagger, and reel in 
 counlel and judgment, as drunken men that know not 
 where to find the way to refl ; and when they do yet ftir 
 themfelves up againfl the holy people, and againfl the holy 
 covenant of light, and -them that walk in it, they fliall but 
 the more be confounded ; for they (hall be helped with a 
 little help, which aU the ungodly ftiall not hinder them of, 
 to wir, the fecret arm of the Lord, maintaining their caufe, 
 and raifing up a witnefs in the very hearts of their advcr- 
 -faries to plead their innocency, and this fliall make them 
 yet the more to vex themfelves, and to go thorough hard- 
 
204 
 
 THE HISTORY 07 THE 
 
 [1666 
 
 bcftead; for when they fhall look upvvcird to their reh'gion, 
 to their power, policy, or preferments, or friendfhips, or 
 whatfoever elfe they had trufted in, and rehed upon, they 
 fliall have caufe to curfe it ; and when they look down* 
 wards to the effe6ls produced by all thofe things, behold 
 then trouble, and horror, and vexation take hold on them, 
 ;ind drive them to darknefs ; and having no help bur what 
 is earthly, and being out of the knowledge of the mighty 
 cverturning power of the Lord God Almighty, they fhall 
 defpair and wear out their days with anguiih; and befides 
 all this, the terrible hand of the Lord is, and fhall be 
 openly manifelled againfl this ungodly generation, by 
 bringing grievous and terrible judgments and plagues upon 
 them, tumbling down all things in which their pride and 
 glory flood, and overturning, overturning even the foun- 
 dations of their llrength ; yea, the Lord will lay wafle the 
 mountain of the ungodly, and the flrength of the fenced 
 city fhall fail ; and when men fhall fay, *' We will take 
 refuge in them," Nah. iii. i«, 13. they fhall become but a 
 fnare, and there fliall the fword devour : and when they 
 fhall fay, we will go into the field, and put trufl in the 
 nuiiiber and courage of our foldiers, they fhall both be 
 taken away ; and this evil alfo will come of the Lord, and 
 his hand will be ftrctched out flill, and fhall bring confufion, 
 ruin upon ruin, and war upon war; and the, hearts of men 
 fhall be flirred in them, and the nations fhall be as waters, 
 into which a tempcfl, a fwift whirlwind i^ entered, and even 
 as waves fwell up to the difTolution one of another, and 
 breaking one of another, fo fhall the fwellings of people 
 be ; and bcciujfc of the hardfhip and forrow of thofe days, 
 many fhall feek and defire death rather than life. 
 
 ^ Ah ! my heart relents, and is moved within me in the 
 fcnfe of thefe things, and much more than I can write or 
 declare, which the Lord will do in the earth, and will alfo 
 make hafle to accomplifh among the fons of men, that 
 they may know and confefs, that the Mofl High doth rule 
 in the kingdoms of mep, and puUethdown and fetteth up 
 according to his own will : and this fhall men do before 
 feven times pafs over them, and fhall be content to give 
 ^eir glgry unto bim that fits in heaven. 
 
 1666) PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 165 
 
 ' But, oh friends ! while all thefe things arc working 
 and bringing to pafs, repofe ye yourfelves in the munition 
 of that rock that all thefe fhakings fhall not move, even in 
 the knowledge and feeling of the eternal power of God, 
 keeping you fubjeftly given up to his heavenly will, and 
 feel it daily to kill and mortify that which remains in any 
 of you, which is of this world; for the worldly part in any, 
 is the changeable part, and that is up and down, full and 
 empty, joyful and forrowful, as things go well or ill in the 
 world: for as the truth is but one, and many are made 
 partakers of its fpirit ; fo the world is but one, aud many 
 are partakers of the fpirit of it ; and fo mamy as do par- 
 take of it, fo many will be flraightened and perplexed with 
 it ; but they who are fingle to the truth, waiting daily to 
 feel the life and virtue of it in their hearts, thefe fliall re- 
 joice in the midfl of adverfity ; thefe fhall not have their 
 hearts moved with /ear, nor tolTed with anguidi becaufe of 
 evil tidings, Pfalm cxii. 7, 8. Becaufe that which fixeth 
 them remains whh them : thefe fhall know their entrance 
 with the bridegroom, and fo be kept from forrow, though 
 his coming be with a noife ; and when a midnight is come 
 upon man's glory, ^et they being ready and prepared, it 
 will be well with them, and having a true fenfe of the 
 power working in themfelves, they cannot but have unity 
 and fellowfhip with the works of it in the earth, and will 
 not at all murmur againfl what is, nor wifli nor will what 
 is not to be; thefe will be at rcfl till the indignation 
 pafTeth over, and thefe having no defign to carry on, nor 
 no party to promote in the earth, cannot pofTibly be de- 
 feated nor difappointed in their undertakings. 
 
 * And when you fee divifions, and parties, and rendings 
 in the bowels of nations, and rumours and tempefls in 
 the minds of the people, then take heed of being moved 
 to this party or to that party, or giving your flrength to 
 this or that, or counfelling this way or that way, but fland 
 fingle to the truth of God, in which neither war, rent, 
 nor divifion is ; and take heed of that part in any of you, 
 which trufls and relies upon any fort of the men of this 
 world, in the day of their profperity ; for the fame party 
 will bring you to fuffcr with them in the tipie of their 
 
to(r 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1666 
 
 1666] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^AKERS. 
 
 207 
 
 advcrfity, wliich will not be long after ; for {lability in that 
 ground there will be none: but when they fhall fay, come 
 jdn with us in this or that, remember you are joined to 
 the Lord by his pure fpirit, to walk with him in peace and 
 in rightcoufnefs, and you feeling this, this gathers out of 
 all buftlings, and noifes, and parties, and tumults, and leads 
 you to exalt the ftandard of truth and righteoufncfs, in an 
 innocent converfation, to fee who will flow unto that ; and 
 this {hall be a refuge for many of the weary, toffcd, and 
 afflifted ones in thofe days, and a (hclter for many whofc 
 day is not yet over, 
 
 * So dearly beloved friends and brethren, who have be- 
 
 licvcd and known the blefled appearance of the truth, let 
 
 not your hearts be troubled at any of thefe things : oh 
 
 let not the tilings that are at prefent, nor things that 
 
 are yet to come, move you from ftedfaftnefs, but ratlitr 
 
 double your diligence, zeal, and faithfulnefs to the caufc 
 
 of God : for they that know the work wrought in thcm- 
 
 . felves, they fhall reft in the day of trouble. Yea, though 
 
 ' the fig-tree fail, and the vine brings not forth, and the 
 
 labour of the olive-tree ccafcth, and the fields yield no 
 
 meat, and fheep be cut off from the fold, and there be 
 
 no bullocks in the ftall, yet then mayeft thou rejoice in 
 
 the Lord, and fing praifes to the God of thy falvation. 
 
 Hab. iii. 16, 17. . r 
 
 ' And how near thefe days are to this poor nation, few 
 know, and therefore the cry of the Lord is very loud unto 
 its inhabitants, through his fervants and meflengers, that 
 they would prize their time while they havc.it, left they be 
 overturned, wafted, and laid defolate before they arc aware; 
 and before deftruftion come upon ihem, and there be no 
 remedy,, as it hath already done upon many. 
 
 Oh, London! London! that thou and thy rulers would 
 have confidered, and hearkened and heard, in the day of 
 thy warnings and invitations, and not have perfiftcd in thy 
 rebellion, till the Lord was moved againft thee, to cut off 
 the thoufands and muhitudcs from thy ftrcets, and the 
 prefTing and thronging of people from thy gates, and then 
 to deftroy and ruin thy ftrcets alfo, and lay defolate thy 
 
 gates, when thou thoughteft to have replenifhcd them 
 again. 
 
 * And, oh ! faith my foul, that thy inhabitants would 
 yet be warned, and perfuaded to repent and turn to the 
 Lord, by putting away every one the evil that is in their 
 hearts, againft the truth in yourfelves, and againft thofe 
 that wdk in it, before a greater defolation and dcftrudtion 
 overtake you. 
 
 ^ Oh, what fliall I fay to prevail with London, and with 
 its inhabitants! The Lord hath called aloud, he hath 
 roared out of Sion unto them, but many of them have not 
 hearkened at all, nor confidered at all. 
 
 * Well, oh my friends, (and thou, oh ray foul) return 
 to your reft, dwell in the pavillion of the houfe of your 
 God, and my God, and ftielter yourfelves under the flvadow 
 of his wings, where ye fliall be witnefles of his doings, 
 and fee his ftrange a6t brought to pafs, and fliall not be 
 hurt therewith, nor difmayed. 
 
 * Oh, my friends, in the bowels of dear and tender 
 love have I fignified thefe things unto you, that ye might 
 ftand armed with the whole armour of God, clothed in 
 righteoufncfs, and your feet fliod with the preparation of 
 the gofpel of peace ; and freely given up in all things to 
 the difpofmg of the Lord, who will deliver us, not by 
 might, nor by fword, nor fpear, but by his own eternal, 
 invifibls arm, will he yet fave us and deliver us, and get 
 himfelf a name by preferving of us ; and we fliall yet live 
 to praife him who is worthy of glory, of honour and re- 
 nown, from the rifmg of the fun, to the fetting of the 
 fame, now and for ever, amen, amen, faith my foul.' 
 
 In the year 1667 ^ book came forth in print at London, 
 with this title, Perfecution appearing with its open face in 
 William Armorer. This was written by foiiie of the pri- 
 foners called Quakers, and contained a relation of the 
 impetuous carriage of the faid Armorer, who being a 
 knight and juftice of peace, had made it his br.finefs many 
 years one after another, to perfecute the Quakers, and 
 from time to time to difturb their religious meetings. Fronc 
 a multitude of cafes I meet with in the faid book, I. will 
 
 Vol. 1L o . 
 
ioS 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE ' 
 
 [1666 
 
 pick out bnt a few. The aforefaid Armorer came very 
 often to the houfc of Ihomas Curtis, at Reading, to d.f- 
 turb the meeting, taking many perfons prifoncrs from 
 thtnce, particularly once thiriy-four, both men and women, 
 at a time. And when they were brought to their trial, the 
 oath was tendered them as the mod ready means toenfnare 
 and 10 keep them in prifon. Among the prifoner* taken 
 out of the meeting was one Henry Pizing, who coming to 
 the bar with his hat in his hand, judge Thomas Holt faid, 
 here is a man that hath fome manners, and afked him, it 
 he wculd take the oath of allegiance ? to which Pizing 
 anfwered, he had taken it twice already. But faid the 
 iudge, ' You were no Quaker tikn/ To which the faid 
 Henry replied, • Neither am I now, but have been many 
 weeks among them, and I never met with any hurt by 
 them but found them to be an honed and civil people. 
 Upon which William Armorer, who had taken him pri- 
 foner, faid, 'Why did you not tell me fo before? to 
 which Henry returned, your worlhip was fo wratMul, ttiai 
 . you would not hear me. Then the judge faid, ' He mud 
 take the oath again.' Ihe oath behig read, he took it, 
 upon which they let him go free without paying any fees. 
 But ibcy required of him, to go out at a back door, and 
 to come no more among the Qiiakcrs. But Pizmg told 
 them, he hoped now he was freed, he might go out at 
 
 which door he would. „ , , ^ j n „ j 
 
 Thomas Curtis afterwards being called, the judge afked 
 him if he would take the oath of allegiance ? to which he 
 anfvvered, that he did not refufe the oath upon the account 
 of not bearing allegiance to the king, but becaufe ChrUt 
 had commandetl rot to fwear at all : for he was pcrfuaded 
 that he had manitefted himfelf to be as .good a fubjea to 
 the king as mofl in the county, fmcc he came into it, 
 and that if he could take any o«h, either to fave his eftate 
 or life, he profeiTcd he would begin w.th that oath. 1 hen 
 he dcfired, that the court would be pleafed to let fome of 
 their miniders fliew him by the Scri^plares, how he might 
 take it, and not break the command of Chrilt. And mc 
 iudge caJled to one Worrel, a pricll, that was near him, 
 ind defired him to faiisfy Curtis in that particular. But 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED X^AKERS. 
 
 209 
 
 16673 
 
 the prieft putrirrg off his hat, and bowing to the court, 
 ddired to be excufed, faying, he had had to do with fome 
 of them already, but they were an obftinate people and 
 would not be fatisfied. ' Aye,' faid Curtis, ' this is 
 comiponly the anfwer we have from thefe men, when they 
 are defired to anfwer us a queftion according to the Scrip- 
 ture; for when we make it appear that they give no 
 fatifa£^ory anfwer to the queftion, they ufe to fay, wc 
 are obftinate.' Curtis (whofe wife Anne was a daughter 
 of a fheriff of Briftol, that had been hanged near his own 
 door, for endeavouring to bring in the king) was releafed 
 after fome fmall time ; but quickly taken prifoner again by 
 Armorer, who perceiving that he intended to have gone 
 to Briftol fair, caufed him to be brought to an inn, where 
 he told him, ' You arc going to Briftol fair, but 1 will 
 ftop your journey.' And then commanding the conftablc 
 to carry him to prifon, he was compelled thither without 
 ;a mittimus. 
 
 About this time Curtis's imprifoned friends writ a paper, 
 and it is like he had a hand in it, to fliew the hurt and 
 mifchief proceeding from fwearing. This paper being 
 fent by him to one of the magiftrates, and leave being 
 given him to read it in the council chamber, at the reading 
 of thefe words, ' Becaufe of fwearing the land mourns,' 
 Alderman Johnfoii faid, that was very true. 
 
 Somtime after it happened that T. 'Curtis, his wife, 
 and man-fervant being all prifoners. Armorer fent his man 
 to enquire if there were any in the houfe more than the 
 family, to which the maid having anfwered no, a little 
 after Armorer came himfelf, and knocked at the door ; 
 but the maid being in fear, did not open it. Armorer 
 then pulling an inftrument out of his pockety picked the 
 ' lock, entered the houfe, and fearching from room to room, 
 came at length where he found one Jofiah Coale, who 
 dwelt in the houfe, and was not well at that time ; and 
 Armorer taking him by the arm, and pulling him down 
 ftairs, faid to him;, * Will you take the oath of allegiance?' 
 Which he refufing, was fent to the houfe of corrcftion, 
 whither the day before feven women, taken from a mcetr 
 in^, had alfo been brought. This bold aft of picking i\^% 
 
 o z 
 
THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [1667 
 
 aio 
 
 IcKk he did at other times alfo, and once when the maid 
 was gone out to carry feme viauals to her mafter and 
 miftrefs in prifon. In the mean-while he fcarched the 
 warchoufc, where was much cloth ; and to a woman that 
 was there, and fpoke againft his picking ot the locks, he 
 fold, ^ What have you to do with it ?' And ^ Where s 
 that whore r' meaning the maid fervant. The woman 
 anfwered him, Hie had to do with it; ^^r {ht ^^^s lok^ 
 that nobody did Ileal any thing out of the houfe. Befides 
 Armorer continually made it his bufinefs to difturb the 
 meeting which commonly was twice a week; and thtn tie 
 ufed to curfe, and to Itrike thofe he found therewith a 
 jrreat cane, always fending fome to prifon. Having once 
 caufed three women to be brought before him from the 
 houfe of correaion, he would have them pay a fine tor 
 havin- been at a meeting ; to which one Anne Harri ion 
 laid, ^Thou halt got our houfe already that we built, and 
 haft taken away our means ; and wouldeft thou have me 
 pay more money when I have broken no law? We were 
 but four above 'the age of fixteen years, and the aft lays, 
 it mull be above four.' To which Armorer faid, his man 
 4old him there were fix : and two of them ran away. it 
 is falfe,' faid Anne, ' there was Frances Kent, but Ihc 
 bein^ a midwife, was fetched out of town ; and as tor the 
 lixtht (he was not there.' But Armorer not regarchng 
 whatever Anne laid, fpoke in a rude manner, 1 Ihall 
 have Mrs. Kent, and then let the beft lady in the land want 
 her, fhe (hall not go, except the king or court fend tor 
 
 her.* 
 
 If I (hould mention all the enormities of Armorer's 
 violent behaviour, this relation muft needs be very large ; 
 and therefore I p:ifs by the moft cafes, and touch but on 
 fomc few. More than once it happened when the pnloners 
 beinc^ brought to their trial, reproved Armorer becauie 
 of his injulVice, and put him in mind that oiKC he mult 
 give an account for his bad deeds ^ he in a moft impudent 
 manner faid, ' You fliall fee at the day of judgment whole 
 arfe will be blackeft, yours or mine.' And when a 
 prifoner told him, it was an uncivil thing for one called a 
 juftice tQ Ip^ak fuch words, he repUed, * Wby> hrraH, 
 
 1667] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKEU^. 
 
 211 
 
 what incivility is it? Is not your nofe your nofe, and 
 your arfe yt)ur arfe?' Other abfurdities the prifoners 
 met with in the court, I pafs by, as alfo how from time to 
 time, they were treated when they refufcd the oath. From 
 what hath been faid already in more than one place con- 
 cerning the hke cafes, one may eafily gucfs how matter^, 
 were tranfcii^ed here, which fomctimes was fo grofsly, thvit 
 the fpcaators Ihewed their diilike. When once the jury 
 for want of good witneffes, could not agree to find the bill, 
 Armorerrofe off the bench, and appeared as a witnels. 
 But noiwithftanding the jury returning the fecond time 
 brought it in ignoramus. Upon which the other juftice 
 ftiid to them, that fir William Armorer, an honourable 
 gentleman, had taken his oath alfo. To which the jury 
 returned, it was true, fir William Armorer was an honour- 
 able gentleman, but was a man fubjed to pafllon. And 
 •thev continuing unwilling to bring in tKe. prifoners guilty, 
 the two juftices Proftor and Armorer, (for there were then 
 no more on the bench) for all that would not difcharge 
 the prifoners, but fent them to gaol again, as fedltious 
 perfons ; for Proftor had told the jury the day befpre, 
 that if they did not bring in the prifoners guihy, they 
 would make William Armorer and the elcrk perjured 
 
 perfons. 
 
 Anne the wife of Thomas Curtis, being called to the 
 bar, and alked if (he would take the oath, faid, M look 
 on it as a very hard thing, thai I fliould be required to 
 take this oath, being under covert, and my huftjand being 
 here a prefent fufferer, for the feme thing; for there is 
 no other woman in England, that I have heard of, under 
 covert, that is required to take that oath, and kept in 
 prifon on that account.' But Armorer full of pafllon, 
 cried, ' Hold your tongue. Nan, and turn your back.* 
 And fo fhe, with anotlier w^oman, that had alfo been 
 required- to take the oath, was fent back to goal, as 
 dangerous and fufpeaed perfons. At length fome juftices 
 procured her liberty ; and this (6 difpteafed Armorer, 
 J hat he did not reft before he had her in prifon again : but 
 others it feems fo eagerly defired her liberty, that flic was 
 difcharged a fecond time, though her huiband's good<? 
 
 o 3 
 
i\i 
 
 •fHE HISTORY OF TltE 
 
 [1667 
 
 1667] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS 
 
 213 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 and money were feizcd. How a prifoncr who fpokc 
 foraeihing in his own defence, was threatened to be gagged, 
 how girls were fent to the houfc of correftion, and how 
 Armorer coming; in winter time into the meeting, and 
 having got a bucket of water into the room, he himfelf 
 threw it^with a nafty bowl in the faces of fome young 
 maidens, I curforily ikip over. He feemcd exceedingly 
 offended with Anne Curtis, who being a witty womati, 
 did not omit, when occafion was offered, to tell of his 
 uncivil behaviour : and therefore he footl had her in gaol 
 ac^ain ; and when it was propofed in the fummtr time to 
 dTfcharge fome of the prifoners, becaufc of the extreme 
 hot weather, provided they gave fecurity, * No,' faid 
 Armorer, ' Mrs. Curtis (hall not go our, though flie would 
 give fecurity,- but fhe fliall lie in gaol till fhe rot.' But 
 how wicked foever he was, yet he could not prevent, that 
 aii his exorbitant carriage againfl the Quakers was pub- 
 
 liihed in pritlf. 
 
 But fuch behaviour was at that time no rare or uncom- 
 mon thing ; for fince perfecution was continually cloaked 
 with a pretence of rebellion and fedition all over the 
 country, fuch were found, who to their utmoft power did 
 perfecute the Quakers fo called ; as among others, one 
 Henry Marfhall, prieft at Croftthwait in Weftmoreland, 
 who being alfo a prebendary, and having feveral benefices, 
 yet how great foever his revenues were, krpt poor 
 people of that perfuafion in prifon for not paying tithes 
 to him : and once he faid very prefumptuonfly from the 
 pulpit, that not one Quaker fhould be left alive in England, 
 But this temerity he did not out-live long : for as he was 
 going half undrefTed to his chamber to bed, he fell down 
 ihirs, as was concluded from the circumflances ; for he 
 was found lying on the floor, with his fkull broken, wreflling 
 with death, wTthout being able to fpeak one w^ord ; and 
 being taken up he died, leaving his wife and children in fuch 
 a condition, that by rcafon of debts they fell into poverty. 
 
 About this time a certain popifh author, who exprcfTed 
 his name no further than with the letters A. S. gave forth a 
 book called, ' The Reconciler of Religions; or, A Deci- 
 dcr of all Coniroveriiei in Matters of Faith.* Jofiah Coala, 
 
 who was very zealous for rcIig:ion, and wxll Hiw what this 
 author aimed at, anfsvered him by a book that appeared 
 in print, with the tiilc of, ^ The Whore unveiled; or 
 The fvlyflcry of the D- tic of the Church of Rome re- 
 vealed.' Now although the faid A. S. ch .^fly ftruck at 
 the .Quakers as the worft of hcreiicks, falfely pervertmg 
 tlidr doari.ie, as importing, that the fame fpirit that re- 
 proved Judas of fin, did alfo induce him to delperation, 
 and to hang himfelf; yet he omitted not to encounter the 
 do^riue of other Proteftant focicties ; and the Roman 
 church he ftated as the true church, from which they were 
 unjuftly departed, and to whon they mufl all return agam : 
 for th« Roman, faid he, was tue true church, and not any 
 other ; (he was the holy Catholick and apoftolic il church, 
 that was infallible, and could nor err, and had the power 
 to work miracles. He alfo afferted, that fhe was one in 
 matters of faith, that ihe was governed by one invifible 
 head Chrift, and by a vifibie head, the pope ; and that 
 therefore fhc was the true church. Now for as much as 
 he held forth at larTe thefe and feveral other pofuivms, (o 
 Jofiah Coale did not o.nii to anfwer all thefe pretences 
 diftinftly and emphatic dly ; for he was an und.Lunted and 
 zealous difputant. Befides the fuperftnion, idolatry, and 
 cruel perfecution of the Roman church, whicii had taken 
 away the lives of man^ thoalanAs of honeil and pious 
 people, iupplied abundant mat:er to Jofiah Coale, to (hew 
 the papal eWors, and clearly to prove her to be the falfc 
 church. For though he did not deny that the true church 
 wab Catholick, or univerfal, yet he denied that the uni- 
 ytrfality of the church of Rome was arfufKcient argument 
 to prove her to be the true church, ' What church (thus 
 he queried) is more univerfal thm the great whore, the 
 falfe church, who had a name written, Myilery Babylon 
 the Great, the iVlother of HarloLs, and Abo^nmations of 
 the Earth ? Who fits upon the waters, which are peoples, 
 and multitudes, and nations and tongues? And did not 
 the whole world wonder after the beait that cariied the 
 whore? Did (he not fit as queen over them all, with her 
 fair profefTion, or golden cup in her hand, fuH of ahotni- 
 nations, and fiUhinefs of her fornicatiua ? 'And did not 
 
 O A 
 
214 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1667 
 
 all the inhabitants of the earth, and the kings of the earth, 
 drink of the Avine of her fornication, and commit fornication 
 with her? Mark, how univerfai was this great whore, 
 the falfe church; and how confident (lie was: for fhc 
 faid in her heart that ilie Ihould fee no forrow ; and flie 
 glorified herfclf, and reigned over ihc kings of the earth. 
 Is not this the very (late of the church of Rome at this 
 day? Doth ihe not reign over the kings of the earth? And 
 hath fhe not done fo long, even for many ages ? And how 
 fhe hath exercifed authority over kings, may appear from 
 the cafe of the emperor Frederick, who was fain to hold 
 the pope's (lirrup while he got on horfeback. And did 
 not the great whore, which John faw, drink the blood of 
 the faints and martyrs of Jefus. Surely the hiftories of 
 many generations paft teftify this. And was flic not to 
 have blood given her to drink ? as may appear not ob- 
 fcurely from Rev. xvii. 6. At this rate Jofiah Coale en- 
 countered the malTced A. S. but in a more copious way ;' 
 and thus he anfwered his aflertions. To that, that the 
 church of Rome fhould always remain to the end of the 
 world, and that therefore fhe was infallible, J. Coale faid, 
 that the bare aflSrmation of A. S. was no proof, except 
 he would produce that faying of the mother of harlots, 
 ' I fit as a queen, and am no widow, and fhall lee no 
 forrow.' But indeed that would be a very pitiful argu- 
 ment to prove the church of Rome infallible, unlefs (he 
 was firft proved to be the true church. And as J. Coale 
 anfwered thefc and other objcftions at large, fo he fhewed 
 Rlib the vanity of the boafl of miracles, of which the church 
 of Rome gloried; and he refuted all the falfities which 
 that anonymous author had belched out againft the 
 Quakers, as a people that might be wronged without 
 incurring any danger. But 1 omit to recite all J. Coale's 
 anfwers for brevity fake; yet may make mention of a 
 poem which he writ fome time before, when he was 
 prifontr at Launcefton in Cornwall, to which the reader 
 is referred, being to be found in Jofiah Coale's works at 
 page 1 1 F . 
 
 'II1US zealoufly J. Coale writ againft popery ; and yet 
 fuch hath been the malice of mjiny, that they reprefenicd 
 
 1667] PEOPLE CALLED QITAKERS. 215 
 
 the Quakers as favourers of the church of Rome, though 
 on many occafions they had effectually fliewn the contrary. 
 But their enemies endeavoured to brand them many ways, 
 and they left no (lone unturned to blacken them; to which 
 fometimes falfe brethren gave occafion: for about this time 
 there were yet many of the adherents of John Perrot, who 
 often ill-treated, and fpoke evil of thofe who did not ap- 
 prove their abfurdities. This befel Richard Farnfworth, 
 one of the firfl preachers among thofe called Quakers, 
 though he was a man of a notable gift, and on his dying 
 bc^d he gave evidences of a firm and ftedfaft trufl in God ; 
 for it was not long before this time that he fell fick, and 
 deceafed at London. Among the many expreflTions which 
 fignificd his good frame of mind, and the divine confolation 
 he felt, were alfo thefc words, that were taken in writing 
 from his mouth : 
 
 ' Friends, 
 < God hath been mightily with me, and hath flood by 
 me at this time ; and hi*; power and prefence hath accom- 
 panied me all along, though fome think that I am under a 
 cloud for fomething. But God hath appeared for the 
 owning of our teftimony, and hath broken in tipon me as 
 a flood, and I am filled with his love more than 1 am able 
 to exprefs ; and God is really appeared for us,' &c. 
 
 This he fpoke but a fhort time before his departure ; 
 and exhorted his friends to faithfulnefs and ftedfaftnefs, 
 and that nothing might be fuffercd to creep in of another 
 nature than the truth they profeffed, to intermix there- 
 with, faying, ' No linfey-vvoolf y garment mufl be worn/ 
 Some more confolatory words he fpoke, and his laft relli- 
 mony was as a feal unto all the former teftimonies he had 
 given for the Lord. And after having lain yet an hour 
 or two, he flept in peace with the Lord, and left a good 
 repute behind, with thofe who truly were acquainted with 
 him, and knew how zealoufly he laboured in the miniftry 
 of the gofpel for many years. 
 
 Now I return again to G. Fox, who was this year not 
 only in Wales, but in fevcral other places, without being 
 
fii6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 I 
 
 [1667 
 
 imprifoncd, thongh at Shrewfbuiy, where he had a great 
 meeting, the officers being called together by the mayor, 
 confuhcd what 10 do againfl him, fmcc it was laid, the 
 great Quaker ol England was come to town. Rut they 
 could not agree among themfelves, fome being for im- 
 priioning him, ;ind others for lettiug him alone : and they 
 being ihi:s divided, he ef. aped their ha .ds 
 
 As fevcral* eminent men among thofe called Quakj^rs, 
 were i?-ken away by death, fo others came in whi» filled 
 their places ; among thefe, and none of the lealt, was 
 Robert Barclay, fen of colonel D:ivid Barclay, defcendcd 
 of the ancient and famous family of the Bai clays, and of 
 Katharine Gordon, from the houfe of the dukes of Gor- 
 don. Ihishisfon Robert being born at Edinburgh, in 
 thcy^ar 1648, was educated in Frame, and traintd up 
 in Hierature, having lived fome years with his uncle at 
 Pa-is, where the Paj^ift^ were very aftive to bring h m 
 over to their religion. But thou^^h in that tender age he 
 fecmcd a little to hearken to them, yet growing up in 
 years, and fo advancing in knowledge, he foon got a 
 dear fight of their errors. During his ftay in France, he 
 not only became mafter of the French but alfo of the 
 Latin tongue; and after he had been inftrufted in the 
 languages of the learned, and other parts of human litera- 
 ture, he returned to Scotland ; but during his abfence, 
 his father had received the doftrine of the Quakers, and 
 ihewed by his pious behaviour, that he had not therem 
 aaed inconfiderately. Robert Barclay having attained the 
 age of nineteen years, and being come to a good ma- 
 lurity of undcrftanding, found fo much fatisfaaion in the 
 religion which his father made profeffion of, that he alfo 
 embraced it, and openly fhewed before all the world, 
 ' that the dcfpifed name of Quakers, could not hinder him 
 from maintaining boldly that which he now apprehended 
 to be truth.. Nay, he grew fo zealous and valiant in the 
 doarine he now profeffed, that he became a public pro- 
 mulgator of it ; and often engaged in difputes with the 
 fcholars, not only verbally, But alfo by wntini> ; for he 
 was fo fkilful in fchool learning, that he was able to en- 
 counter the learned with their own weapons, and of fuch 
 
 1667] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 21% 
 
 quick apprchenfion, as not to be inferior to the refined 
 wits ; his meekncfs aifo was eminent ; and thefe qualifi- 
 cations were accompanied with fo taking a carriage, as 
 rendered him very acceptable to others. And though his 
 natural abilities were great enough to have mude hKm fur- 
 pafs others in human learning, and fo to have become 
 famous among men, yet he fo little valued that knowledge, 
 that he in no wife endeavoured to be distin^uifhed on that 
 account. But his chief aim was to advance in real godli- 
 nefs, as the converfation I had with him hath undoubtedly 
 aflfured me : for I was well acquainted with him ; as alfo 
 with Roger Haydock of Lancafhire, a learned and intelli- 
 gent man, who about this time alfo came to enter into 
 fociety with thofe called Quakers, whole doadne his 
 eldeft brother John Haydock, had received before hiin. 
 But it io happened, that Roger coming once to his father's 
 houfe, was by his mother put on to dlfcourfe with his 
 brother John, in hopes that thereby he miiiht have been 
 drawn off from the way of the Quakers. But John gave 
 fuch weighty reafons for what he affcrtcd to be truth, that 
 he quickly put Roger to filence, which fo difpleafed his 
 mother, who was inclined to the Prefbyterian way, that (he 
 blamed hini for not having held it out longer againft 
 his brother : but he told her, ' It is trmh, I dare not 
 lay againft it.' Being thus convinced, ha alfo became a 
 publick profcffor'oF#e doarinepf the %akers, and in 
 tim^ a zealous pre.iciier of it ta# And Ife being a man 
 of great parts, vvell read, and full of maite^ many liines 
 engaged in difputes with the priefts, fometimes making 
 ufe of his pen alfo to that end ; for he was an unwearied 
 labourer, and fuffercd the fpoiling of his goods, and 
 feveral imprifonments ; and though he Wc.s attended with 
 bodily weaknefe, yet he did not ufe to fpare himfelf, but 
 travelled much to vifit the churches in England, Scotland, 
 Ireland, Holland, he. And he continued ftedfaft to the 
 end of his days ; not only for which, but alfo becaufc of 
 a i'pecial alTeaion he bore me, his remembrance is dear to 
 
 me ilill. 
 
 I mud now make fome mention again of Miles Halhead, 
 feveral times named in this hiftory, who this year coming 
 
2i8 
 
 th£ history of the 
 
 I 
 
 [1667 
 
 into Devonfliire, and being brought before the niagiftrates, 
 it was a(ked him, what bufinels he (who dwelt in \veft- 
 moreland) had in Devonfhire ? to which he anfwered, 
 that he was come there to fee his old friends, whom, for- 
 merly, about ten years ago, he had acquaintance with. 
 One of the mnglflrates alked him, whit were the names oi 
 thofc friends he meant? To which he returned,' One 
 fir John Copieftone, who w^as then high flicriff of Devon- 
 fhire ; John Page, who was mayor of Plymouth ; one 
 juftice Howcl, w^ho was then the judge of the feflions of 
 Exeter, and one colonel Buflet, who was alfo a juftice at 
 that time/ One of the magiftrates then faid to the others, 
 
 * Truly, gentlemen, though this man calls thefe men his 
 friends, yet they have been his perfecutors.* Another of 
 the magiftrates then gave him an account, into what pitiful 
 condition ihofe men were fallen, and how they loft their 
 ellates ; nav. Buffet had been committed to prifon for 
 high treafon, and was cfcaped out of gaol, and not to be 
 feen in his own country. And further he faid to Halhead, 
 
 * Thus I have given you a true account of your old friends ; 
 if thefe men were your perfecutors, you may be fure they 
 will trouble you no more: for if they that trouble you and 
 perfecute you, have no better fortune than thtfe men, I 
 wifti that neither I, nor any of my friends, may have c.ny 
 hand in perfecuting of you.' And thus thcle difcreet 
 magiftrates fuffcred him to go his ways, without meddling 
 
 with him. n r 1 • t? 
 
 Neither was perfecution now generally 10 not m J^ ng- 
 land as it had been before, yet the Preft)yteiians and fomc 
 others durft not keep publick meetings, left they Ihould 
 be fined ; but at times when they have met for wcrfhip, 
 they have had tobacco pipes, bread and checfe, and cold 
 meat on the table, having agreed before-hand, that it the 
 officers came in upon them, they ftiould leave their preach- 
 irg and prayin-, and fall to their meat. 1 his made G. 
 J( xfay to one Pocock, whofe wife was one of his friends, 
 ' Is not this a fhame to you, who perfccuted and imprifoned 
 
 1667] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 219 
 
 Tow^iich G. Fox returned, ' This is the ferpent*s wifdorai 
 indeed. Who would ever have thought, that you Pref- 
 byterians and Independents, who perfecuted and imprifoned 
 others, for not following your religion, now (hould flinch 
 away yourfelves, and not ftand to, and own your own re- 
 
 ""g Vox travelled this year through England, and vifited 
 his friends in their meetings. But 1 pafs by his occur- 
 
 rcnces. * 1 j-^ r n j 
 
 This year alfo came forth the perpetual edift lo called, 
 
 in Holland, made as the title recites, for the maintenance 
 of liberty, and for prefervarion of the unity, and the com- 
 mon quiet of the country of Holland and Weft-Fricfland. 
 By this cd\a, the chief command of the military forces of 
 the ftates, and the ftadtholderftiip (or deputy-ihipj were 
 ieparated. This was on purpofe to prevent the prince of 
 Orange's becoming too potent, for hereupon followed the 
 fuppreffion of the ftadtholderftiip. But how ftrong foever 
 this law was made, and confirmed by oaths, yet afterwards 
 it was broke by the inftigation of the rabble, as will be feea 
 in its due tiiiie^ This year alfo a peace was concluded 
 between Engl#d and Holland, not long after the Dutch 
 had burnt fome of the king's fliips m the i hames. 
 
TMS 
 
 1668] 
 
 THE HISTORY, &ۥ 
 
 22t 
 
 > 
 
 r. 
 
 4 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 (QUAKERS. 
 
 THE NINTH BOOK. , 
 
 IN the beginning of the year 1668, William Penn, fon 
 of admiral fir William Penn, began to (hew himfclf 
 openly an adherer to, and affertor of thc'doftrine of thofc 
 called Quakers. He had been trained up in the univerfity 
 of Oxford, and was afterwards by his father fent into 
 France, where for fome time he lived (as himfelf once 
 told me) with the famous preacher Moyfes Amyraut, 
 After a confiderable (lay in that kingdom, being returned 
 and come into Ireland, he once went to a meeting of thofc 
 called Quakers, which being difturbed, he, though finely 
 cloihed as a young gentleman, and wearing a great perri- 
 wig, was with others carried from thence to prifon, w^here 
 by his fellow prifoners he was more confirmed in that 
 doftrine which he already apprehended to be truth. But 
 when it came to be known that he was the fon of admiral 
 Penn, he was foon releafed. This change did not a little 
 grieve his father, who intended to have trained him up 
 for the court ; but now faw his eldeft fon in the early part 
 (being about the twenty-fecond year) of his age, entered 
 into the fociety of the defpifed Quakers. Several means 
 were ufcd, nay even his neceffaries we're withheld from 
 
 him, to draw him off, if poffible, and bring him to other 
 refolutions. But all devices and wiles proved in vain: for 
 he continued ftedfaft, and converfed much wiih Jofiah 
 Coale, who likewifc in his young years came over to the 
 
 Quakers. 
 
 rhis fummer Stephen Crifp was prifoner at Ipfwich, 
 where the number of friends was confiderably increafed 
 by his mmiftry. I, with fome other friends of Holland^ 
 vifitcd him there in prifon, and we found him in a cheer- 
 ful condition, as well contentti-d as if he had been at 
 liberty : for he fuSered for the miuiftry of the gofpcl, and 
 contiiiued to preach in prifon when his friends came to 
 
 vifit him. \ t 
 
 The journey which G. Fox made this yekr through 
 England and Wales I pafs by. Tbe latter part of the fum- 
 mer he returned to Londcm, where with great faiisfaft oa 
 I heard him preach feveral times before a numerous audi- 
 tory : for about that t"me, the meetings oi difienters were ^ 
 not difturbed at London, but all was fo quiet, that the 
 Quakers fo called, were fufFeredto build a large ineeting 
 place in Gracechurch ftreet,, where the firft time a meeting 
 was kept, I was prefent, and faw G. F^x, and heard him 
 preach there, befides fome others. 
 
 Whilft he was at London, he gave a vifit to cfqinre 
 Marfli, who now was a juftice of the peace in Middlcfex, 
 and it fo happened that he was at dinner when G. Fox 
 ' came to his houfe, which fo pleafed him, that he kindly 
 invited him to fit down with him to dinner, but G. Fox 
 courteoufly excufcd himfelf. There were at that time 
 feveral great pcrfons at table with juftice Marfti, who faid 
 to one of them (a Papift), ' Here is a Quaker you have 
 not feen before.' From this the faid Papift took occafion 
 to alk G. Fox, whether he did own the chriftening of 
 children? To which G. Fox anfwered, there was no 
 Scripture for any fuch praftice. ' What!' faid he, ' not 
 for chriftening children ?' ' Nay,' replied G. Fox, ' the 
 pne baptifm by the one Spirit into one body, we own; 
 but to throw a little water on a child's face, and to call 
 that baptizing and chriftening it, there is no Scripture for 
 that.' Then the Roman Catholick ailced him, whether 
 
222 
 
 THE HTSTORV Of THE 
 
 [1668 
 
 1667] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 llj 
 
 * 
 
 he did not own the Catholid Faith ? ' Yes/ faid G. Fox, 
 but he added, that neither the pope nor the Papifls were 
 in that Catholick Faith ; fince tiie true faith worked by 
 love, and purified the heart ; and if they were in thart 
 faith which gives viaory, by which they might have accefs 
 to God, they would not talk to the people of a purgatory 
 after death ; neither would they ever ufe prifons, racks, 
 or fines, to force others to their religion ; becaufe that 
 was not the pra^ice of the apoftles and primitive Chnf- 
 tians ; but it was the praftice of the faithlefs Jews and 
 heathens, to ufe fuch forcing means. * But, contmued 
 G. Fox, * feeing thou art a great and leading man among 
 the Papifts, and fayeft, there is no falvation but in your 
 church, 1 oefire to know of thee, what it is that bnngeth 
 falvation in your church.' To this the Roman Catholick 
 anfwered, ' A good life:' ' And nothing elfe ?' faid 
 G. Fox. * Yes,' replied the other, ^ good works/ ' h 
 this your doftrine and principle,' faid G. Fox. * Yes, 
 faid he. Then G. Fox replied, * Neither thou nor the 
 pope, nor any of the Papifts know, what it is that bnngs 
 falvation.' Then the Roman Catholick aflced him, what 
 brings falvation into your church? G. Fox anfwered, 
 
 * That which brought falvation to the church in the apof- 
 tie's days, namely, the grace of God, which the Scripture 
 fays brings folvation, and hath appeared to all men ; and 
 teaches us to deny ungodlincfs, and worldly lufts, and to 
 live godly, righteoufly, and foberly in this prefent world. 
 By this it appears, it is not the good works, nor the good 
 fife, that brings the falvation, but the grace.' ' What!* 
 faid the Roman Catholick, ' doth this grace, that bnngs 
 falvation, appear unto all men ?' * Yes,' faid G. Fox. 
 
 * I deny that,' returned the other. * All that deny that,' 
 replied G. Fox, ' are feft-makers, and are not in the uni- 
 verfal faith, grace, and truth, which the apoftles were m. 
 Then the Roman Catholick began to fpeak about the 
 mother-church, which gave occafion to much difcourfe, 
 and G. Fox afferted, that if any outward place had claim 
 10 be the mother- church, above all other churches, then 
 Jerufalem had much more right to it than Rome. But in 
 conclufion he faid, that there was no other mother-church 
 
 but Jerufalem, which is above, and is free, and which is 
 the mother of us ill, as faith the apoftle. Upon this fub- 
 jcft G. Fox did fo paraphrafe, that efquire Marfti faid at 
 length to the Roman Catholick, * O you do not know this 
 man. If he would but come to church now and then, he 
 would be a brave man.' 
 
 After forae other difcourfe together, G. Fox got an op- 
 portunity to go afide with the faid Mar(h into another 
 room, and to dcfire that he who had much of the maiiagc- 
 mcnt of afFairs, would prevent the perfecution of his friends 
 as much as poffibly he could. Marfti ftiewed himfelf not 
 averfc to this, but faid, he was in a ftreight how to aflt 
 between the Quakers and fome other diffenters. * For/ 
 faid he, < you lay ye cannot fwear, and the Independents^ 
 Bapdfts, and Fifih-monarchy people, fay alfo, they cannot 
 fwear/ To this G. Fox faid, ' I will ftiew thee how to 
 diftinguifti : the members of thofe focieties thou fpeakeft 
 pf, do fwear in fome cafes, but we cannot fwear in any 
 cafe. If any one fliould fteal their cows or horfes, and 
 thou ftiouldeft alk them whether they would fwear they 
 were theirs ? Many of them would readily do it. But if 
 thou trieft our friends, they cannot fwear for their own 
 goods. Therefore when thou putteft the oath of allegi- 
 ance to any of them, aik them whether they can fwear in 
 any other cafe j as for their cow or horfe? Which, if they 
 be really of us, they cannot do, though they can bear wit- 
 nefs to the truth.' Then G. Fox gave him a relation of a 
 trial in Berkftiire, viz. ' A thief having ftolen two beafts 
 from one of thofe called Quakers, was imprifoned ; "but 
 fomebody having informed the judge, that the man that 
 profccuted was a Quaker, and he (the judge) perceiving 
 that l\e would not fwear, would not hear what the 
 man could fay, but tendered him the oath of allegiance 
 and fupremacy, which the faid Quaker refufing, the judgt 
 premunired him, and let the thief go free.' 
 
 Efquire Marfti having heard this relation, faid, that 
 judge was a wicked man. And by what G. Fox had told 
 him, he fufficiently perceived how he might diftinguifti 
 between the Quakers and other people. True it is, th« 
 Baptifts in thofe days made fome profeflioa of the unlawful 
 Vot. II. P 
 
224 
 
 IHL mSirORY UF THE 
 
 W^ 
 
 «' 
 
 [166? 
 
 Bcfs of fweaiing, but when tLcy came to-be tried on that 
 account, they foon defifted from that part of their profcfr 
 fion, as will be fliewn more at large in the fequel. But they 
 and the Independents, Sec, were very loath to take the 
 oath of allegiance, becaule of a grudge they had to the 
 government ; "and this was well known to tkofe that were 
 at the helm. But the innocent Quakers v/erc continu- 
 ally cxpofed to the malice of their perfecuicps, and bor« 
 ihc' hardeft fliock of the laws- made againil diflenters. 
 But now jufticc Marfh did not omit to free the Quakers 
 from perfecution as much as was in his power ; for he kept 
 fcveral from being premunircd in thofe parts where he 
 was a juftice. And when fometiraes he could not avoid 
 fending thofe that were brought before him to prifon, he 
 fcni fome only for a few hours, or foir a night. And even 
 this was fuch hard %ork to him, that at lengdi he told the 
 king, he had fent fome of the Quakers to prifon contrary 
 to his confcience, and that he could not do fo any more* 
 He alfo advifed the king to give liberty of confcicucei 
 and he was fo ferviceable to flop the violence of periecu^ 
 tion, th-^t about this time little was heard about difturbing 
 
 of meetings. ^ 
 
 About the forepart of this year (if I miitake not) there 
 happened a cafe at Edmondfbury^whichl cannot well pals 
 byinfilence, viz. A certain young woman being delivered 
 of a baftard child, dcilroyed it, and was therefore com- 
 mit led to prifon: whilft flie was in gaol, it is faid William 
 Benuit, a prifouer for confcience-fake, came to her, and 
 ill Afcourfe afked her, whether during the coyrfe of her 
 hfe, Ihe bad not many times tranfgrcfljpd againil her con- 
 fcience? And whether fhe had not often thereupon fek 
 fecret checks and inward reproofs, and been troubled in 
 her mind becaufe of the evil committed ; and this he did 
 in fuch a convincing way, that (he not only affented to 
 what he laid before her, biu his difcourfe fo reached her 
 heart, that Qie came clearly to fee, that if ihc had uot 
 been fo llubbom and difobcciient to thofe inward reproois, 
 in all probability (lie would not luwe come to Inch a mifc- 
 i-able fall, as now (he hnd : for m.ui not defiring the 
 
 1668] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 225 
 
 JiBowleUge of God's ways, and ;^cparting from him, is 
 
 left helplefs, and cannot keep himfelf from evil, though it 
 
 may be fuch as formerly he would have abhorred in the 
 
 higheft degree, and have faid with Hazael, ' What, is thy 
 
 fervant a dog, that he fhould do this great thing ?' W. 
 
 Bennit thus opening matters to her, did by his w^holefome 
 
 admonition fo work upon her mind, that ^ (he who never 
 
 had converfed with the Quakers, and was altogether igno- 
 
 rant of their doftrine, now came to apprehend that it was 
 
 the grace of God that brings falvation, which (he fo oftea 
 
 had withftood ; and that this grace had not yet qiiite for- 
 
 faken her, but now made her fenfible of die greatnefs of 
 
 her tranfgreflion. This confidera-'ion wrought fo power- 
 
 fully, that from' a raoft grievous fmner, (he became a true 
 
 penitent, and with hearty forrow (he cried to the Lord, 
 
 that it might pleafe him not to hide his countenance. And 
 
 continuing in this (late of humihation, and fmcere repent- 
 
 ance,and perfevering in fupplication, (he felt in time fome 
 
 eafe; and giving heed to the exhortations of the faid 
 
 Bennit, (he attained at length to a fure hope of forgivenefs 
 
 by the precious blood of the immaculate Lamb, who died 
 
 for the fms of the world. 
 
 Of this (he gave manifeft proofs at her trial before 
 judge Matthew Hale, who having heard how penitent (he 
 was, would fain have fpared her, having on purpofe caufed 
 to be inferted in the indiament, that (lie had committed the 
 faft wilfully ^nd defignedly. But (lie being afked accord- 
 ing to the form, ' Guilty or not guilty ?' Readily anf- 
 wered, ' Guilty.' This aftonifhed the judge, who purpofely 
 had got the words wilfully and defignedly, inferted in the 
 indiament, that from thence (he might find occafion to- 
 deny the charge, and fo to qua(h the indiftment j and 
 therefore he toW her, that (he feemed not duly to confider 
 what (he faid ; fmce it could not well be believed that 
 fuch a one as (he, who it may be inconfiderately had 
 roughly handled her child, (hould have killed it wilfully 
 and defignedly. Here the judge opened a back door for 
 her to avoid the penalty of death. But now the fear of 
 God had got fo much room in her' heart, that no tamper- 
 ing would do ; no fig leaves could ferve her for a cover ; 
 for (he knew npw that this wpuld have been adding fin 
 
 F 2 . 
 
126 
 
 THE HI5T0RV OI- TIU 
 
 to fin, and to cover hcrfelf witli a covering, but not of 
 God's Spirit ; and therefore (lie plainly fignified to liic 
 court, that indeed fhe had committed the mifchievous fa^ 
 intcndcdly, thereby to hide her fliamc ; and that Ihe 
 having fmned thus grievoufly, and being affeaed now 
 with true repentance, ihe could by no means excufe herfelf, 
 but was willing to undergo the punifhment the law re- 
 quired; and therefore Ihe could not but acknowledge 
 herfelf guilty, fmce otherwife how could flie expeft for- 
 givenefs from the Lord? This undifguifed and free 
 confeffion, being fpoken with a ferious countenance, did 
 foafFea the judge, that tears trickling down his face, he 
 forrowfully faid, ' Womaa, fuch a cafe as Ais I never met 
 with before ; perhaps you, who arc but young, and fpeak 
 fo pioufly, as being ftruck to the heart with repenunce^ 
 might yet do much good in the world ; but now you 
 foTct me, that ex officio I muft pronounce fentence of death 
 againft you, fince you will admit of no excufe.' Standing. 
 to what (he had faid, the judge pronounced fentence of 
 death. And when afterward flie came to the place of exe- 
 cution, (he made a pathetical fpeech to the people, exhort- 
 ing the fpeftators, efpecially thofe that were young, ^ To 
 have the fear of God before their eyes, to give heed to his 
 fecret reprwfs for evil, and fo not to grieve and refift the 
 good fpirit of the Lord ; which flie herfelf not having 
 timely minded, jt had made her run on in evil, and thus 
 proceeding from wickednefs towickednefs, if had brought 
 her to this difmal exit. But fince flie firmly trufted to God's 
 infinite mercy, nay furely believed her fins, though of a 
 bloody dye, to be wafhed ofF'by the pure blood of Chrift, 
 Ibe could contentedly depart this life/ Thus (he preached 
 at the gallows the dodrine of the Quakers fo called, and 
 gave heart-melting proofs that her immortal foul was to 
 enter into paradife, as well as anciently that of the thief 
 on the crofs. I have been credibly informed by a perfoa 
 who had it from the mouths of fuch as were prelent at the 
 execution, that in her requefl to God (he prayed, that it 
 might pleafe hJm to give a vifible fign, that (he was received 
 into his favour. And that though it was then a cloudy day, 
 yet immediately after (he was turned oflf, the clouds broke 
 
 i668J PhOPLE CALLED i^JAKfiRS. 22'/ 
 
 a little, and the fun for a few moments (Jiined upon her 
 face, andprcfently after ceafed fliining, and the Iky conti- 
 nued «overcaft. She thus in a ferious frame of mind, fuf- 
 fered death, which her crime juflly deferved. 
 
 This year at London died Thomas Loc, a man of an 
 •Excellent gift, who zcaloufly had laboured ia the miniftry 
 «f thcgofpcl in Ireland, and by his preaching had brought 
 many over into the fociety of his friends, and among others 
 alfo William Penn, to whom oti his death-bed he fpoke 
 thus,* Bear thy crofs, and* (land faithful to God; then he 
 will give thee an everlafting crown of glory, that fhall not 
 be taken from thee. There is no other way which (halt 
 profper, than that which the holy men of old have walked 
 in, God hath brought immortality to light, and life im- 
 mortal is felt. Glory, gJory to him, for he is worthy of it. 
 His love overcomes my tort, nay, my cup runs over: 
 glory be to his name for eyer.* No wonder that thi* 
 fpeech of oiie that was lat -the point of entering into ctcr- 
 inity, confirmed William Penn exceedingly in that doftrine; 
 which be had liow eiiibraced as truth. At another time 
 Thomas Lo^ fail to b.is friends that ftood at his bed-fide, 
 * Be xiQt uof^hkd, ithe love of God overcomes my heart.* 
 And to George Whitehead and others he faid, ' 'i'he Lord 
 is good tofl^e; this day he hath covered me with bis glory. 
 J am wieaj^, t^t am refrefhed to fee you. The Lord is good 
 ۥ mc/ Another friend afl^ing him how it was with him, 
 Jie apfiRrered, ' I am near leaving you, I think ; bu^ am ai 
 well in my fpirit as 1 can defire : I blefs the Lord : I 
 never faw more of the glory of God than I have done this 
 iday.' And when it was thought he Was departing, he 
 began to fing praifes to the Lord, faying, ' Glory, glory to 
 ^hee for ever !' Which did not a little affeft the llanders 
 by, thus to hear a dying man fing. And iji this glorious 
 (late he departed this life the 5th of Oftober, 
 
 Now fince peffecution was at a ftand this year at Lon- 
 don, thofe of other perfuafions fomctimes bitterly inveighed 
 from the pulpit agiiinft the Quakers, and would challenge 
 them alfo to a dlfputc. William Burnet and Jeremy IveSj 
 eminent Bapt'.(t teachers, had encountered George White- 
 ^bcad this fummcr dt Chertfey and Horu,.ia Surry, about 
 
 y 3 
 
aiS 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1668 
 
 thcrcfurreAion, and Chrift's body in heaven, endeavouring 
 to blacken the. Quakers in refpeft of thofe points, becaufc 
 they kept to Scripture words, from which the others de- 
 parting, advanced very grofs abfurdities. 
 
 One Thomas Vincent, a Prefbyterian teacher, was much 
 difturbed becaufc fome of his auditory were gone over to 
 the .fociety of the Quakers ; and to render them odious, he 
 and his fellow teachers accufed them of erroneous doftrine 
 concerning the Trinity ; and this was chiefly becaufe they 
 did not approve of fuch cxprefliois as were not to be found 
 in the holy Scriptures as that of Three perfons. On this 
 fubje£l a difputc was held in the Prefbyterian meeting-' 
 houfe at London, between the faid Vincent on one fide, 
 and George Whitehead on the other. That which Vincent 
 and his brethren advanced firft, was an accufation, that 
 the Quakers held damnable doftrine. George Whitehead 
 denying this, would have given the people an information 
 of the principles of his friends ; but Vincent inile^d thereof, 
 ftated this queftion,^ Do you own one Godhead, fubfifting 
 in three diflinft and feparate perfons ?* Whitehead an4 
 thofe with him denying this as an unfcriptural doftrine^ 
 Vincent framed this fyllogifm, 
 
 ' There are Three that bear record in heaven, thq 
 lather, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft : and thefe three 
 
 are one. 
 
 * Thefe are either three manifc-ftations, three operations, 
 three fubftances, or three fomethings elfe befides fubftances, 
 
 'But they are not three man ifeftations, three operations, 
 three fubftances, nor three any things elfe befides fub* 
 (lances. » 
 
 Ergo, ' Three fubftances.' 
 
 G. Whitehead rejected thefe terms, as not to be found 
 in Scripture, not deduceable from the i John, v. 7. the 
 place Vincent inftanced. And therefore he defired an ex- 
 planation of thofe terms, infomuch as God did not ufe to 
 wrap up his truths inheathenifti mctaphyficks, but in plain 
 language. But whatever was faid, no better explanation 
 could be obtained, than pcifon, or the mode of a fubftance. 
 G. Whitehead and William Penn, who alfo was there, 
 alledged fcver^ places from Scripture, proving God's 
 
 
 i€68] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 225r 
 
 CQmplete unity: and they queried ho\^ God was to.be 
 underftood, if in an abftra^led fenfe from his fubftance ? 
 
 • But inftead of aiifwerjng the queftion, they concluded it a 
 point more fit for admiration tlian difputation. Then 
 W. Penn denied the minor propqfition of Vincent's fyllo- 
 gifm ; 'Tor,' faid hc^ ' no one fubftance can have three 
 ' diftin^l fubfiftenccs, and preferve its own unity : for every 
 fubfiftence will have its own fubftance; fo that three 
 diftln(fl fubfiftences, or manners of beings^ will require three 
 diftinft fubftances or beings: confequentjy three Gods : 
 for if the infinite godhead fubfifts m three feparate man- 
 »ers or forms, then is not any one of them a perfeft and 
 complete fubfiftence without the other two : fo parts, and 
 fpmething finite is in God ; pr if infinite, then three dif- 
 dnft infinite fiibfiftence^ ; and what is this, but to affert 
 
 . three Gods, fince none is Infinite bux God ? On the con-^ 
 trary, there being* an infeparability betwixt the fubftance 
 and its fubfiftence, the unity of fubftance \vj\\ not admit a 
 Trinity of incommunicable or diftinft fubfiftences.' ' "* 
 After feveral words on both fide^, G. VSThitehead, to 
 bring this ftrange doftrine nearer to the capacity of the 
 
 _. people, comparing their three perfons to three apoftles, 
 'faid, he did not iraderftand, how Paul, Peter, Und John 
 could be three perfons and one apoftle. At which one 
 Maddocks, one of Vincent's affiftants, fi-amed this odd fyl- 
 Jogifm ; ^ He that fcornfully and reproachfully compares, 
 ^ oiir doftrine of the bleffed Trinity of Father, Son, and 
 Spirit, cm in eflence, but three in perfons, to three finite 
 men, as Paul, Peter, and John, is a blafphemer. But you, 
 G. Whitehead, have done fo. Ergo. A rafli conclufion ; 
 but how firm, let the judicious reader determine. I have 
 no mind to enter farther into this quarrel, fiqce the parties 
 on both fides went away unfatisfied : iox Vincent h^d ^^^ 
 been able to prove the doftrine of the Quakers damnable, 
 as he had afferted. But his paflion had tranfported him, 
 as wxll as when he faid from the pulpit to thofe olF his 
 fociety, that he had as lief they ftioald go to a bawdy- 
 houfe, as to frequent the Quaker's meetings, becaufe of 
 lihcir erroneous and damnable doftrines. And pointing to 
 the window he 'fertbcr faid, * If there (hould ftand a cup 
 
 ?4 
 
tpi 
 
 THE HISTORY or THK 
 
 of poifon, I would rather drink it, than fack in their (hma- 
 able dofirincs.* But this untimely zeal did not profit 
 him ; for it gave occafion to fome of his hearers to inquire 
 into the doftrines of the Quakers ; and thui fome cam^ TO 
 be convinced of the truth thereof. 
 
 Now fincc the aforefaid difputc made a great liolfc u 
 London, William Penn publiflied a book with thi$ title, 
 the Sandy Foundation (haken, in which he explained the 
 points controverted, and defended his pofitions with goo4 
 reafon and the Holy Scripture. But yet this book, whicl^ 
 he bimfelf fpread, caufed fuch a ftir, that it was evil fpakei;^ 
 of, and not long after he was committed to the Tow^r^ 
 and fome thought it was not without his father's beiDjf 
 acquainted with it, perhaps to prevent ^ worfp trcatnoent. 
 
 This was at the latter end of the year, about whicl^ 
 
 time Jofiah Coalft feli into a ficknefe, which took him oS^ 
 
 the ftage of this life 5 he had langqiftied long, and y«t di<| 
 
 not at all ip^rc hit voice, but was ufed both in prca(iiin^ 
 
 and praying fo toraife it, that he fpent his natural fbcagtS 
 
 ^j^cecdingly, though he was yet as in a flovirilhiog age ; 
 
 uay, it was his life and joy tp declare the gofpely and |9 
 
 proclaim the word of God, for which he bad zj^ cjjccU^ 
 
 abilitv ; and when he fpoke to the ungodly worH^ ai| 
 
 awful gravity appeared in his countenancCji and his wordu, 
 
 were luie a hammer and a iharp fwori But though he 
 
 wa3 a fon of thunder, yet his agreeable fpcpch flowe<| 
 
 from his mquth like a pleafant flTcam, to the. confol^tipili 
 
 and comfort of pipus fouls. Oh I how pathetically hav^ 
 
 I heard him pjay, when he, a$ tranfported and raviflysd^, 
 
 humbly befeechxid God, that it might pleafe hint to rcad^ 
 
 to tbchard-hearted, to fupport the godly, 2kVi^ tp prefcrvq 
 
 them Itedfaft : nay, with what a charming apd melodiouii 
 
 voice did. he found forth the praifes of thc.^pfl High iii 
 
 his publick prayers ! but his work wai pow done, he lia^ 
 
 inifficid his CQurfe, and a time of reft from bis labours wa^ 
 
 <;o^c, ^UhoHgh he grew wea)?, yet his manly fpirit an4; 
 
 great courage bor^ him tip for fome time ; biit bis difca^, 
 
 which fee^mcd to be a kind of confumption,, at Icngii^fq 
 
 hicrcafed, thajhic was fain to keep within doors for fevcral 
 
 WCjek^ J. thenjwejDdinga little, he went abroad again, a^4 
 
 1668] VEOFtE CALLED QUAKERi. 25I 
 
 came into a meeting in London, where I beheld his coun- 
 tenance much unlike what it ufed to be, for it clearly 
 manifefted his bodily indifpofition : neverthelefs he preached 
 with a godly zeal, and his falutary exhortations flowed like 
 a ftream from his lips, which feemed to be touched with a 
 a coal from the altar of heaven, whilft he was preaching the 
 gofpel to the edification of his hearers. Now he began to 
 lift up his voice again to that degree, that judging from 
 thence, one would have fuppofed him to have been pretty 
 well rcftored : but the ground of his diftemper not being 
 .taken away, be was foon neccffitated to keep at home 
 again ; and his natural ftrength wafted away fo faft, and 
 he fo deflined, that his death began to be cxpcfted, which 
 not very long after fell out accordingly. A litde before 
 be died, G. Fox being come to fee him, aiked him, 
 whether any thing lay upon him to write to the friends in 
 England ? but he fignified that he had nothing to write, 
 only defired that his love might be remembered to them, 
 ana defired G. Fox to pray to God, that he might have 
 gn eafy paffage, for he felt his end approaching* He haT- 
 Jng complied with his defire, and feeing him begin to be 
 heavy, bid him go and lie on the bed: which J. Coale 
 jdid 5 but finding Uiis, as it feems, more uneafy, with the 
 help of his friends he rofe again, and fat on the fide of 
 fhe bed ; and his friends fitting about him, he telt him- 
 fclf fo lively and powerfully raifed, that he fpoke to rfiem 
 '^ter this manner ; 
 
 « Well, friends, be faithful to God, and have a finglc 
 |Eye 10 his glory ; and fcek nothing for felf, or your own 
 glory y and if any thing of that arife, judge it down by 
 the power of the Lord Gpd, that fp ye may be clear in 
 fiis fight, and anfwer bis witnefs in all people ; then will 
 ye have the reward qf life. For my part, I have walked 
 jn faithfulnefs with the Lord ; and I have thus far finiihed^ 
 jny teftimony^ and have peace with the Lord : his majcfty 
 )s with me, and his crown of life is upon me. So mind- 
 my love to all friends/ Then he ccafed fpcaking ; and a 
 jittle time after he faid to Stephen Crifp, « Dear bean, 
 )jeep low in the holy feed, of God, and that will be thy 
 
23^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TUB 
 
 [1668 
 
 crown for ever/ After a fliort paufe, he faid, * a mmifter 
 of Chrifl, mud v;alk as he -v^^alked.* 
 
 A little afterwards fainting, and being {la\-ed by his 
 friends, he departed in their arms, without the leaft figh or 
 groan, but as one falling into a fweet fleep ; and being 
 filled with heavenly confolations, he paffed from this mortal^ 
 life to that which is immortal, having attained the age of 
 thirty-five years and two months, and preached the gofpel 
 about twelve years. He had travelled much in the Weftr 
 Indies, fuftained great hardfliips, and laboured in the mi- 
 niftry at his own charge, being freely given up to fpcnd 
 his fubftance in the fervice of the Lord. And though he 
 went through many perfequtions, imprifonments, and other 
 adverfities, yet he w^as not afraid of danger, but alwaysf 
 raliant ; and continued in an unmarried ftate, that fo he 
 might the more freely labour in the heavenly harveft, and 
 many were converted by his miniftry. He lived to fee the 
 defirc of his heart accomplifhed ; for when firft he was 
 raifed up to true godlinefs,' being under the fenfe of his 
 former tranfgreflions, he cried to the Lord for deliverance, 
 and faid with David, ' If thou, O God, wilt help me 
 thoroughly, -then Willi teach tranfgreffors thy ways, and 
 finners drlW be convened unto thee.' He had been long 
 in a mournful Hate, though naturally of a cheerful temper ; 
 and having himfelf paffed through a path of forrow, he 
 was the more able to comfort the mourners of Zion. The 
 church was very fenfible of this great lofs ; and I have 
 reafon to think his corpfe was attended to the grave by 
 more than a thouland of his friends, among whom I was 
 tfien one ; and his burial being very publick and well 
 known, drew the eyes of many fpe6i:ators lowards it. Let 
 none think it ftrangCr that I have here expatiated fome- 
 what largely, feeing he was indeed dear to me, and I have 
 his kind ufage yet in fre(h remembrance ; for the piety of 
 my mother, whom he had feen in England, -caufed him to 
 ojve me marks of the eftecm he bore to her memory : and 
 his excellent endowments fo affe£ted me, that I was eager 
 to go to that meeting where I heard he was likely to be ; 
 nay, I imagined I faw fomething in him fo extraordinary 
 valuable, that Lbore a . very reverent refpcft to him, an4 
 
 1668] PEOPLE CALLED /QUAKEUS. ^33 
 
 the more, becaufe difference of age deprived me of a fami- 
 liar converfation with him. 
 
 On the 2 oth of the Firft month called January, i66|, 
 Francis Howgil, after a fickpefs of nine days, died in the 
 prifon at Appleby, where he had been kept about five 
 years. During his ficknefs he was in perfect good under- 
 ftanding, and often very fervent in prayer, uttering manj 
 comfortable exprcffions, to the great refrefhment of thole 
 about him. He was often heard to fay, ' That he was 
 content to die, and praifed God for the many fweet enjoy- 
 ments and refrefliments he had received in that his prifon- 
 houfe-bed, whereon he lay, freely forgiving all who had a 
 hand in his reftraint.' And faid he, * This was the place 
 of my firft imprifonment for the truth, here at this town ; 
 and if it be the place of my laying down the body, I am 
 content.' Several perfons of note, inhabitants of Appleby, 
 as the mayor, and others, came to vifit him ; and fome of 
 thefe praying that God might fpcak peace to his foul, he 
 returned, he hath done it. About two days before his 
 departure, being attended by his w^ife, and feveral of his 
 friends, he faid to them : ' Friends, as to matter of words 
 ye muft not expe£l much more from me, neither is there 
 any great need of it, or to fpeak of matters of faith to 
 you who are fatisficd : only that ye remember my dear 
 love to all friends who inquire of me ; for I ever loved 
 friends well, or any in w4iom truth appeared. Truly God 
 will own his people, as he hath ever hitherto done, and as 
 we have daily witneffed ; for no fooner had they made 
 that aft of baniftiment, to the great fuffering of many good 
 friends, but the Lord ftirred up enemies againft them, 
 whereby the violence of their hands was taken off. I fay 
 again, God will own his people, even all thofe that are 
 faithful. And as for me, I am well, and content to die. 1 
 am not at all afraid of death ; but one thing was of late 
 in my heart, and that 1 intended to have written to George 
 Fox and others", even that which I have obfcrved, viz. that 
 this generation paffeih faft away : we fee many good and 
 precious friends within thefe few years have been taken 
 from us ; and therefore friends had need to watch, and be 
 yery faithful, fo that we may leave a good, and not a bad 
 
*J4 
 
 tH« HlSTOR-f Of THE 
 
 [l66S 
 
 favour, to the next fuccecding generation ; for Wc fee that 
 it is but a little time that any of us have to ftay here' 
 A fcNV' hours before he departed, fome friends from other 
 places being come to vifit him, he inquired about their 
 trelfare, and prayed fervently, with many heavenly expref. 
 fions that the Lord by his mighty power, might prefervc 
 chcm out of all fuch things as would fpot and defile. Hi:: 
 voice then by rcafon of liis great weaknef$ failed him, 
 tnd a little after he recovering* feme ftrenglth, faid, 'I 
 have fought the way of the Lord from a child^ and lived 
 innocently as among men ; and if any inquire concerning 
 my latter end, let them know that I die in the faith irr 
 tvhkh I lived, and fuffered for.' After thefe words, he 
 fpokc fome others in prayer to God, and fo fweetly finiflied 
 bis days in peace with the l-ord, in the fiftieth year of 
 
 bb age. 
 
 He left a good name behind him amongft all who knew 
 him.— rSoBUciime bi^forc his ficknefs, confidering this mu- 
 lable ftatc, and finding in himfelf fome decay of nature, he 
 made his wiH^ in which, as his love was very dear to his 
 brethren, with whom he had laboured in the miniftry, fo 
 H£ gave to each of them a remembrance of his love ; he 
 left alfo a legacy to bis poor friends in thofe parts where 
 
 he lived. 
 
 For although his moveable goods were forfeited to the 
 king for ever, yet the confifcation of his real eftate was 
 only for lif^ j fo that from thence having fomething Ipfp, 
 he could difpofe of it by his will- 
 
 Duifing WsJ imprifonmeni, he neglcfted not to comfort 
 and ftrengthcn his brethren by writing, eflfefting that by 
 \xh pen, which he could not by word of mowth : he alfo 
 defended his doftrine againft thofe who oppofed the fame j 
 and among others, he writ a large ireatife againft oaths, 
 contradifting the opinion of thofe whg ^cj:ppui: i^ lawful 
 to fwcar under the gofpcl. 
 
 About two years before his deceafe, he writ an epiftle 
 
 . of advice and counfel as his laft will and teftamcnt to hi^ 
 
 daughter Abigail, a child >jrhqm he much Ipyed, who was 
 
 bom in a time of deep exercifes and trouble, whiclvneyerr 
 
 ibclcfe by die Lord'^s goodnefs he was patiently brpugJ;| 
 
 i66S] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ^3S 
 
 through ; wherefore he named this child Abigail, fignify^ 
 ing, the father's joy. In this teftament he gave her in- 
 ftruaions for the future conduft of her life, the beginning 
 whereof is thus : # 
 
 ^ Daughter Abigail, this is for thee to obfervc and keep, 
 and take heed unto all the days of thy life, for the regu- 
 lating thy life and converfation in this world, that thy life 
 may be happy, and thy end bleffed, and God glorified by 
 thee in thy generation. J was not born to great poffeflions, 
 or dlil inherit great matters in this world ; but the Lord 
 hath always endowed me with fufficiency and enough, and 
 hath been as a tender father unto me, becaufe my heart 
 trufted in him, and did love the way ^ of righteoufnefs 
 from a child. My counfel unto thee is, that thou re- 
 member thy Creator in the days of thy youth, and fear 
 the Lord in thy youth, and learn to know him and 
 ferve him all thy days: firft fcek the kingdom of God and 
 the righteoufnefs tliereof ; it is not far from thee, it i^^, 
 within thee ; it confifts in life and power, and it (lands in 
 righteouftiefs, truth, and equity, juftice, mercy, long-fuf- 
 fering, patience, love, light, and holinefs, this is the being 
 and centre thereof; therefore feek not lo here, or lo there 
 without thee, in this or that outward obfcrvation, for 
 many feek there and never find it ; but feek and thou fhalt 
 find, wait and thou fhalt receive. If thou inquire, in what 
 mud I feek ? and wJiat muft I wait in ? and how muft I 
 feek ? I inform thee, that thou muft filencc all thy own 
 thoughts, and thou muft turn thy mind to that which is 
 pure, and holy, and good within thyfelf, and feek and wait 
 in that ia the light of Jefus Chrift, wherewith thou art en- 
 lightened, which fhews thee when thou doft evil, and 
 checks and reproves; take heed unto that, and it will 
 ihew the evil motions and thoughts; and as thou lovcft it, 
 it will fubdue them, and preferve thee for the lime to 
 come out of evil: for though thou be born into the world 
 a reafonable creature, yet thou muft be bom again, and 
 ^ be made a new creature, or elfe thou canft not enter into 
 God's kingdom ; thou muft know the feed of the king- 
 dom in thyfelf, of which thou muft be born and formed 
 
«36 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [166,8 
 
 again into God's image. I have told thee God hath fown 
 it in thee, a grain of it, a mcafure of it, a portion of 
 it, a meafurc of light and truth, of righteoufnefs and 
 holinefs; keep in thy mind to that,*^* and love.it, and 
 thou wilt feel the heavenly Father working in thee, 
 >and begetting thee to life through Jefiis Chrift that hath 
 enlightened thee, and thou wilt feel the power of the 
 Lcrd ftrcngthening thee, m thy little, and making thee to 
 grow in the immortal feed of his kingdom, and outgrow 
 and overgrow all evil, fo that thon wilt daily die to that, 
 and have no pleafure in it, but in the Lord, and hi his 
 •goodnefs and virtue (hed abroad in thy heart, which thou 
 wilt tafte and feel within, and have joy and comfort therein: 
 love the Lord with thy heart and foul, even him that made 
 thee, and gave thee a being, and all things in heaven and 
 earth ; and ftill wait for the knowledge of him in thyfelf, 
 he is not far from thee, but near unto thee, and unto all 
 that calf upon him in an upright heart ; and do thou in- 
 quire of thy dear ;mother, (he will inform thee, fhc knows 
 him, and the way to life and peace, and hearken to her 
 inftruaion: God is a fpirit, of light, and life, and power: 
 he that fearcheth the heart, and (hews thee when thou 
 doft, or thinkeft, cr fpeakeft evil, and (lie ws unto man or 
 woman their thoughts : that which fhe\YS the evil is good, 
 and that which (hews^a lie is truth ; this is within, take 
 heed to it, this is called God's fpirit in the Scripture, be- . 
 lieve in it, love it, and it will quickc^i' thy heart to good, 
 and it will fubjeft the evil : here is thy teacher near thee, 
 love it, and if thou aft contrary, it will condemn thee; 
 therefore take heed unto this fpirit of truth, and it will 
 enlighten and enliven thee, and will open thy underftand^ 
 ing, and give thee to know what God is, and to do that 
 which is good and accemable in his fight; this fpirit never 
 errs, but leads out of all error into all truth. Be fober 
 minded in thy youth, and wait on the Lord within, hearken 
 unto him, God is light immortal, life immortal, truth im- 
 mortal, an everlafting eternal Spirit : he fpeaks fpiritually 
 and invifibly within the hearts and confdences of men and 
 women ; hear what he fpeaks, and obey his voice, and thy 
 ioul fhall livci fear to offend him, or fin agJiinft him, for 
 
 1668] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 ||g 
 
 the wages of fin are death ; therefore prize his love in thy 
 young and tender years, and do thou read the Scriptures" 
 and Friends' books, and lake heed to what thou rcadeft to 
 obey it, as far as thou underflandcfl ; and pray often unto 
 the Lord, that he will give thee his knowledge, and open 
 thy underftanding in the things of his kingdom; fearch thy 
 heart often with the light of Chrilt in thee, manifeft and 
 bring thy deeds to it, that they may be tried ; and exa- 
 mine thyfelf how the cafe (lands betwixt the Lord and 
 thee; and if thou feeft thyfelf wrong, humble thyfelf, and 
 be forry, ai\d turn unto him, and he will fhew thee mercy; 
 and take heed for the timt to come, that thou run not 
 into the fame evil again 5 keep thy heart clean, watch 
 againft the evil in thyfelf, in that which fhews it; therein 
 there is pov/er, and thereby thou haft power to overcome 
 all evil. And, dear, child, mind not the pleafures of fin, 
 which are but for a moment, and the end is mifery ; but 
 keep under and crofs thy will and affeftion, fo thy mind 
 will have no pleafure in the evil, but in good ; and thou 
 wilt feel the immortal feed fpringing up in thee, which 
 God's peace and love is to. Oh child! thefe are great 
 and weighty things, r.ot to be flighted. Accompany thy- 
 felf always with them that fear the Lord, and fear and 
 worfliiphim in fpirit and truth, and lead a holy and blame- 
 lefs life and convcrfation ; deny them not, but love them, 
 and iuffer with them. Take heed that thou follow not 
 the hireling teachers, who preach for gain and lucre, a».d 
 abide not in Chrift's do^rine ; believe them not, heed 
 thein not, they do people no good ; but thou wilt fee 
 ihem thyfelf, they have an otitfide (hew of godlinefs fome- 
 times, but deny the power of God and true holinefs: 
 remember I have told thee, who have had perfeft know- 
 ledge of them. But be fure that thou let nothing fcpanite 
 thy love from God and his people ; thofe are his people 
 that keep his law, and obey Chrift's voice, and lead a 
 holy Hfe, and they were ever hated and belied, and perie- 
 cuied, and cvil-fpoken of, always by bad and evil look 
 people; thefe are. God's people, and his love, and peace, 
 and bleffing is with them ; do tii(f>u grow as a natural 
 branch (up among them) of the living vine, and continue 
 
^3* 
 
 THE HISIOHY ^F THE 
 
 [1669 
 
 aU thy days in obedience unto God^s will, and thou wilt 
 fed ioy and love in thy heart, which above all things covet 
 after, and thou Oiak attain and obtain cverlafting peace, 
 which the Lord grant unto thee, according to the riches 
 of his mercy and love, which endure for ever and ever- 
 
 *!? Tnd now Abigail, concerning thy well-being in this 
 life, this is my advice and counfel unto thee; love thy 
 dear mother, and ever obey her and honour her, and leQ 
 thou grieve her not ; be not ftubborn nor wilful, but 
 fubmit unto her, and be as an obedient child unto her, 
 whofe love and care hath been too great over thee and 
 thy fillers, which hath brought too much trouble upon 
 herfelf ; learn in thy youth to read and write, and lew and 
 knit, and all points of good labour that belong to a n>aidj 
 and flee idlenefs and floth, that nounfhcth fin ; and at 
 thougrowcft up in years, labour in the affairs of the countiy, 
 and beware of pride, and rioioufnefs, and cunofity, but be 
 well content with fuch apparel as thy mother will permit 
 thee, and as thou mayeft be a good example unto othars. 
 Be not wanton, nor wild, nor light, but temperate, mode- 
 rate, and chafte, and not forward in words nor fpcech, 
 but fwift to hear, flow to fpeak ; and do thou always livo 
 with thy mother, and be a help unto her, and cherifh her 
 in her old age and latter years, that (he may be comforted 
 . in thee, and her foul may blefs thee. Love thy filters^ 
 tnd be always courteous to them and thy brother, encourage 
 one another in good: and if thou live to be a woman of 
 perfcft years, keep thyfelf unfpotted, and kt not thy 
 mind out after fpprts nor paftimes, the end of all thofe is 
 forrow, neither of young men ; if thou have a defirc to 
 marry, do not thou feek a hufoand, but let a hufband 
 fcek thee ; and if thou live in God's fear, and an honelt 
 life and virtuous, them that fear God will feck unto thee; 
 let not thy afeaions out unto every one that proffers love, 
 but be confiderate, and above all things, choofe one (it thott 
 Joft marry) that loves and fears the Lord, whofe convcr- 
 fation thou knoweft, and manner and courfe of hie well 
 before thou give confcnt ; be difcrect and ,wife, hide nothing 
 from thy mother, and flie will advife thee no doubt, tof 
 
 1669] PEOPLE CALLED QlTAlCERS. 239 
 
 thy good ; and if (he be living, marry not without her ' 
 confent : and if thou join to a hufband, be furc thou love 
 him in thy heart, and be obedient unto him, and honour ' 
 him among all, fo will his heart be more to thee, and his 
 love increafc ;^ grieve him not, but be gentle, and eafy to 
 be intreated, and mind thy own bufinefs ; and if the Lord 
 give thee children, bring them up in God*s fear, and good 
 cxercife, and keep them in fubje^ticn unto thee, and be 
 ati example of virtue and holinefs unto them, that the Lord's 
 blefTing thou mayeft feel in youth and in age, and all thy 
 life long. O Abigail ! remember thefe things, keep in 
 mind thefe things, read often this writing over, get it. 
 copied over, and lay up my words in thy heart, and do 
 them, fo wilt thou be happy in this life, and in the life 
 to come : thefe things I give thee in charge to obferve,' 
 as my mind and will, and counfel unalterable unto thee, 
 as witnefs hereof I have fet my hand, 
 
 Thy dear. father. 
 
 The 26th of the 5th Month, 1666. 
 
 * Francis Howgil/ 
 
 In the beginning of this year the members of this fociety, 
 held a general Yearly-Meeting at London, which fince 
 that time, hath been ufcd to be held there annually, in 
 the week called Whitfun-week,* becaufe at that time of 
 the year it is commonly beft travelling, &c. Several are 
 deputed from all places to this meeting, and what concerns 
 the church in general, is there treated on, 
 
 Perfecution for religion feemed now to be at a ftand, 
 which difpleafed feme of the moft rigid fort of churchmen, 
 which we not only have already, but may again in due 
 place demonftrate. 
 
 About this time ( as I take it) a certain biflicp faid 
 occafionally, that the Quakers, by their unlimitted freedom, 
 increafed much, and therefore it was very needful to take 
 care of them, feeing they often had much greater afTemblics 
 than the national church ; ' For,' faid he, < r.t fuch a time 
 I preached myfelf, and there were but a few hearers, 
 
 • It hath fince been fixed to be held on the Second-day imni^diaKly MUv'wf- 
 ike tfrird Firft-day irt the 5th Month. 
 
 Vol. IL q^ 
 
240 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1669 
 
 when at the fame time the Quakers' meeting juft by was 
 crouded full ; and thereupon he dcfired them to confider 
 whether it was not high timetoftop thefe feaaries? After 
 he had fct forth his matter at large, another lord then 
 prefent among others, faid, that indeed it feemed that the 
 lord bi&op had fpoken what was very reafonable, that the 
 feftaries had often more hearers than the national church- 
 pre.icher?, and that it was not ftrange to him that it dif- 
 pleafed him, fince he took fo much upon himfelf ; ' For, 
 faid he, ' his lordfliip obferved, that he preached himfelf ; 
 and the profeffed Quakers, who had fuch great affembhes, 
 preached ChriR Jefus, and therefore no wonder that they 
 had the more hearers/ This was fuch a witty turn upon 
 the biQiop, as no doubt made him fo fenfible as not ta 
 think fit to enter upon the debate in a doubtful difpute, 
 for it is obferveable, this lord's turn upon the biftiop was 
 chiefly to (lop him from promoting perfecution. 
 ' This fpring G. Fox travelling to York, went through 
 feveral other places in the North of England ; and al- 
 though he came near to his old enemy, colonel Kirby, 
 who'had a fit of the gout, and had threatened him, yet 
 he paffed on unmolefted. So he went to Liverpool, 
 whence he, with fome of his friends, paffed over for 
 Ireland : among others, were Thomas Briggs and John 
 Stubs ; and being arrived at Dublin, he was kindly re- 
 ceived by his friends v and journeying into the country, 
 he met with no fmall oppofition from the Papifts (of whom 
 there are many there). Being come to a certain place, he 
 . challenged the jefuits, priefts, and monks, to try whether 
 their god, which they make of a wafer, be an immortal 
 god, but they could not be brought to it ; wherefore he 
 faid, they were worfe than Baal's priefts, for Baal's priefts 
 tried their god. Then he went to Cork, where they had 
 knowledge of his coming, and intended to take him prifo- 
 ner ; for the Quakers in Ireland were many years Qiarply 
 perfecuted, as their brethren were in England, of which 
 to mention all circumftances, it would make a very large 
 treatife. At this time there were many prifoners at Cork, 
 among whom was Samuel Thornton, with whom I was 
 well agquainted, who being met with his friends la a 
 
 1669] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTIAKE^S. 
 
 141^ 
 
 chamber one Firft-day, the officer Quinnal came and fhut 
 the door of the room, and locked them in, to the number 
 of eighty perfons,and carried the key to the mayor, Matthew 
 Dean, who gave order that there fhould neither viftuals 
 nor drink be carried to them, and they could only get 
 what was pulled up with ropes through the grate, or 
 thrown in through a hole : under this chamber the foldiers 
 were ordered to keep guard, that none might get away, 
 and they made fo great a fmoke, that many of the prifoners 
 were fick, among whom were fome weakly old people, and 
 fome women with child, and nurfes, who were almoft 
 ftifled ; and complaint thereof being made to the mayor, 
 he anfwered in a fcoffing manner, ' They are all brethren 
 and fifters, let them lie upon one another ; and if they 
 are ftifled it is their own fault.' Thus they were kept 
 twenty-four hours, and afterwards fome of them made 
 prifoners. 
 
 Solomon Eccles, whom I alfo knew very well, was this 
 year in prifon at Galloway in Ireland, where he was put, 
 by a ftrange accident. He was an extraordinary zealous 
 man, and what he judged evil he warmly oppofed, even 
 to the hazard of his life. This zeal led him to perform 
 a ftrange aftion in a chapel of the Papifts without the 
 town ; for he went naked above his waift, with a chafing- 
 difh of coals and burning brimftone on his head, and entered 
 the chapel when all the people were on their knees to pray 
 to their idol, and fpoke as foUoweth : * Woe to thefe 
 idolatrous worftiippers ! God hath fent me this day to 
 warn you, and to (hew you what will be your portion 
 except you repent.* Which when he had done, he went 
 away to the town, where he was prefently made a prifoner. 
 What the benefit of this ftrange a&ion might be, I leave^ 
 
 Amongft the martyrs of the reformed, we find fome in- 
 ftances of perfons zealous to a ftrange degree, as of Williani 
 Gardiner at Lifljon, and Bertrand le Bias at Tournay, whofc 
 anions were not lefs remarkable ; for this laft his fnatching 
 the hoft from the prieft in their church as they were at' 
 mafs, was certainly a bold attempt, and not praife-wortby, 
 if it was only an ^ft of human contrivance ; but I (hall 
 leave the J4jdginent thereof unto God, as I account it fafeft^ 
 
24^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1669 
 
 and the rather, becaufe under the (harpeft punlfliinent they 
 lZ\Tlm, they feemed not to (hrink, but rather to be 
 ftrenathened. However fo ftarp a trial did not fall o 
 Eccles's portion, and I think it fafer not to judge haft.ly 
 of his uncommon performance. He was to my knowledge 
 a bold and undaunted man, and before this aa.on m the 
 Chapel, as above, he did fometlung of a I'ke nature « 
 London at the fair-time, amongft he play>, jh^ ^ JJ 
 fuffered much by the coachmen vvhippmg him grevioufly 
 on hL naked back'; but that could not lay !"« fervent zea^l 
 ^hich was kindled not only againft the 'mmodeft and un 
 lody carriage of the pretended fools, but alfo againft thofe 
 Ser vanities there ufed. To what he.ghih h.s zeal car- 
 ried him, the following inftance will Ihew : he who had 
 been a mmber of the church of England, and then went 
 to the Prelbyterians, and afterwards among the Indepen- 
 den's! and after that was a Bap.ift, had been an eminent 
 mufic an fo that by his an he could get near 1 50!. a year; 
 but a laft beL a^u^'l^^r, he could not follow for confci- 
 en e! ake wlm heSiow called his Babylonifh trade of 
 mufick therefore he learned to make clothes to get his 
 hving by, and fold his mufical books and inftruments : but 
 ra he declared) he had no peace in h.s confcience ; for 
 Sferving them to be inftruments of vanity, he judged they 
 ouglt to be deftroyed, and therefore bought them again, 
 auLugh they were worth above 20I. and earned them, 
 ; iz vfrginals" fiddles, &c. to Tower-hill, where laying 
 Tern together, he fet fire to them, but when fome who 
 w%y endeavoured to hinder him, ^^^^ to get one of 
 irvirgbals away, he ftamped upon it with h.s foot, and 
 louW lot reft until he had deftroyed it ; and after that 
 he faid, he found peace in his confcience, h'^v.ng made 
 an offering of that which he once entirely loved, and m 
 the ufe of which Ue was educated ; for not only his fathei 
 and grandfoher, but his grandfather's father had been 
 :Sicirns, and he himfelf had the name of an eminent 
 
 "Inotbef account we have of his ftrange zeal : when he 
 f.w hot the Quakers were belied by William Burnet 
 JeTeiny Ives, and Matthew Kiffin, teachers amongft the 
 
 1669] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 243 
 
 Baptifts, as if they believed not in Chrift nor the refur- 
 rcflion, he challenged all the teachers, and priefts, and 
 jcfuits, openly in a book which he printed, to come to a 
 proof with him who were the true worfliippers ; firft, to 
 fafl feven days and feven nights, and neither to eat aor 
 drink ; and then the nest feven days not to fleep day nor 
 night ; but we may well think that none were 10 be found 
 to enter the lifts with him, nor to put themfelves on fuch a 
 teft ; and although fome reckoned him out of his wits, 
 yet he was not, for I remember the time very well, and 
 had many an opportunity both to fee and to hear him fpeak. 
 I now return to G. Fox at Cork in Ireland, where they 
 intended to take him, nevcrthelefs they let him go unmo- 
 lefted, although he rid through the market, by the mayor's 
 door, vho not only faw him, but faid, 'There goes G. Fox,' 
 and yet let him pafs quietly. After he had travelled through 
 many places in Ireland, he came again to Dublin, from 
 whence he returned to England, and coming into Glou- 
 cefterftiire, he heard at Nailfworth of a report which had 
 been fprcad abroad in the country, that he was turned Pref- 
 byterian, and they had prepared a pulpit for him in an open 
 yard, where he was to preach. G. Fox hearing this thought 
 it very ftrange, whereupon he went to the place fpokcn 
 of, where he indeed found a pulpit ; but the cafe M'as 
 this : a certain Prelbyterian preacher, named John Fox, 
 who went preaching about the country, was to preach there, 
 and it feems fome had changed his name from John to 
 George, whereupon it was reported that he was turned 
 from being a Quaker, to be a Preftiyterian : this begat fp 
 great a curiofity in the people, that many went thither to 
 hear this CKiaker turned Preft)yterian ; fo this John Fox 
 came to have a great auditory of feven\l hundreds, who 
 would not have went a foot to have heard him, had they 
 known it. Now fome hundreds of them hearing afterwards 
 that the real G. Fox was not far off at ^ meeting, they 
 went thither and were fober and attentive ; where they 
 were by him direfted to the grace of God in themfelves, 
 5vhich would teach them and pripg them falvation. And 
 when the meeting was oyer, fome of the people faid they 
 liked George Fox the Quaker's preaching, better than 
 
;44 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i6f9 
 
 G. F. ttc Prefbyierian. Not long after this John Fox 
 ,"Was complained of in the houfe of commons, for having a 
 tumultuous meeting, in which treafonable words were 
 fpoken. This John Fox had formerly been prieft of 
 IVIarMeld in Gloucefterfhire, and being put out of that 
 place, was afterwards permitted by a common-prayer prieft 
 to preach fometimes in his fteeple-houfc ; at length thi^ 
 Prefbyterian prieft, prefuming too far upon the paritti 
 prieft's former grant, began to be more bold than wel- 
 come, and would have preached there whether tne parifh 
 prieft would or not ; which caufed a great buftle and con- 
 feft between the two priefts, and their hearers on either 
 fides, in which the common-prayer book was cut to pieces, 
 and it is faid fome treafonable words were then fpoken, 
 by fome of the followers of this John Fox ; which cafe 
 was quickly put into the newfpapers, and fome malicious 
 PreftDVterians caufed it to be fo worded as if it had pro- 
 ceeded from G. F. the Quaker, but fome members of thp 
 houfe of commons certified it under their hands, that it 
 vras John Fox, formerly prieft of Marfhfield, who was 
 complained of to be the ringleader of that unlawful af. 
 
 ^"kfte'r this G. F. travqlled to Briftol, where he met with 
 Margaret Fell, then a widow, who came thither to yifit 
 her daughter Yeomans. He had before this intimated to 
 her his afFeftion, and propofed to take her in marriage at 
 a fuitable time ; but though he had a fenfe in^himfelt, it 
 was of the Lord, yet he did not at firft find a freedom to 
 accomplifh the fame, but all obftruftions bemg now re- 
 moved, he fo propofed the matter, that if (he was wihing 
 to give her confent, that the fame fhould be accompliftied, 
 fte mi^ht firft fend for her children ; who being come, he 
 alked both her daughters and their hufbands, whether 
 they had any thing againft hi^ taking their mother to be 
 his wife ? And they all feverally expreffed their fatisfaflion 
 therein. Then he afked Margaret, whether fhe had per- 
 formed her huft)and's will? And the children, whether, 
 if their mother married, they fliould lofe by.it? Ihe 
 children faid, fhe had anfwered it to them, and dehrea 
 him to fpcak no more of that. So obferving they were 
 
 tfilSgl PEOPLE CALLED (^TAKERS. 245 
 
 dl well fetisfied, he proceeded in his marriage, and took 
 Margaret Fell to wife in a publick meeting of friends in 
 Briftol. She was a woman of a noble endowment, and 
 this 1 know not only by her wricings, but 1 have alfo heard 
 her preach an hour together, delivering her matter com- 
 
 pa£i:ly and orderly. 
 
 G. F. being married, he ftayed with his wife about a 
 week in Briftol, and then they went together to Oldftone, 
 and there taking leave of each other, they parted, fhe 
 went homeward into the north, and he travelled through 
 Wiltfhire, BerkQiire, Oxfordfliire, Bucks, and fo to Lon- 
 don : for although now he had a wife, yet he did net 
 negleft his care towards the churches, all the nation over, 
 in the gift which he had received cxf God, both in word 
 and wnting to their edification, and among the reft he had 
 a fpecial regard, that the poor might be taken care'of, t(5 
 which end he writ an cpiftle in London, tp this effe-6^ 
 that poor children ftiould be put forth apprentices :ie 
 trades, whereby in time, they might help their agedpa-^ 
 rents, and enable them to bring up^ iheir famiHes, aiid 
 maintain ihemfelves handfomely.' 
 
 G. Fox ftayed not long in London; but the year 1670 
 being now come, he travelled through Hertibrdlhire, 
 Cambridgefhire, Huntingdonfliire, and Leicefterfhire^ 
 where he expcded to have met with his wife ; for he had 
 WTit her word (if (lie found it convenient; to tne^C iiim 
 there; but inftead thereof he underftood The was'lialed 
 out of her houfe, and carried to Lancafter priron,'«pori 
 the old premunire, which was executed upon her fiV4 
 years before, from w^hich flie was difcharged by order of 
 the king and council the laft year. Wherefore, after he 
 had vifited friends in thofe counties, he returned to Lon- 
 don, where he found two of his wife's daughters, w^hom 
 he haftened to go to the king, to acquaint him how their 
 mother was dealt with, which they did, but met with 
 much difEculty ; yet they diligently attended the fame, as 
 h behoved them for their mother, who was a mother or 
 overfeer of the church alfo, and therefore of the greater 
 concern; but at laft through afiiduaus application, they 
 got to the. fpeech of the king, to whom one of them faid, 
 
 0^4 
 
$4^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [167© 
 
 that inftead of their waiting upon him to return him 
 thanks for the difcharge of their mother, they were now 
 cecefliiated to make complaint of their mother's being caft 
 into prifon a fecond time. Whereupon the king gave 
 command to fir John Otway, to write to the fherifF of 
 Lancafliire, to fet her at liberty, which letter G. F. ac^ 
 cordingly haftened his daughters with into the country. 
 
 The parliament now fitting, made a law, entitled. An 
 Aft to prevent and fupprefs fcditjous conventicles, which 
 
 is as follows : 
 
 * For providing further and more fpeedy remedies againlt 
 the growing and dangerous praftices of feditious feftaries, 
 and other difloyal perfons, who under pretence of tender 
 confciences, have or may at their meetings contrive infur. 
 rcftions (as late experience hath (hewn), (2) Be it enafted 
 by the king's moft excellent majcfty, by and with the 
 advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal, aim 
 commons in this prefent parliament affembled, and by au- 
 thority of the fame, that if any perfon of the age of fix- 
 tccn years or uowards, being a fubjeft of this realm, at 
 any time after the tenth day of May next, fhall be prefent 
 at any affembly, conventicle or meeting, under colour 
 or pretence of any exercife of religion, in other manner 
 than according to the liiurgv and praftice of the church 
 of England, in any place within the kingdom of England, 
 dominion /of Wales, or town of Berwick-upon-l weed, 
 at which conventicle, meeting or affembly there ihall be 
 five perfons or more affembled together, over and befides 
 thofe of the lame houfehold, if it be in a houfe where 
 there is a family inhabiting ; or if it be in a houfe, field, 
 or place where there is no family inhabiting ; then where 
 any five perfons or more, are fo affembled, as aforelaid, 
 it fhall and may be lawful to and for any one or more 
 luftices of the peace of the county, limit, divifion, corpo- 
 ration or liberty wherein the offence aforefaid ihall be 
 committed, or for the chief magiftrate of the place where 
 the offence aforefaid Ihall be committed ; and he and they 
 are hereby required and enjoined upon proof to him o^ 
 ihcm reipeftivciy made i)f fuch offence, either by con. 
 
 1670] 
 
 f£0Ptfi CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 247 
 
 feffion of the party, or oath of two witneffes ; C^) (which 
 oath the faid juftice and juftices of the peace, and chief 
 magiftrate refpeftively, are hereby empowered and re- 
 quired to adminifter; of by notorious evidence and cir- 
 cumftance of the faft, to make a record of every fuch 
 offence under his or their hands and feals refpeftively: 
 which record fo made, as aforefaid, (hall. to all intents 
 and purpofes be in law taken and adjudged to be a full 
 and perfeft conviftion of every fuch offender for fuch 
 6ffence : and thereupon the faid juftice, juftices and chief 
 magiftrate refpeftively, fliall impofe on every fuch offender 
 fo convifted, as aforefaid, a fine of five ftiillings for fuch 
 firft offence; which record and conviftion fliall be certified 
 by the faid juftice, juftices or chief magiftrate, at the next 
 quarter-feffions iof the peace, for the county or place 
 where the offence was committed. 
 
 II. And be it further enafted by the authority afore- 
 faia, that if fuch offender fo convifted, as aforefaid, ftiall 
 at any time again commit the like offence or offences, con- 
 irary to this aft, and be thereof in manner aforefaid con- 
 vifted, then fuch offender fo convift of fuch like offence 
 or offences, ftiall for every fuch offence incur the penalty 
 of ten ftiillings ; (2) which fine and fines, for the firft and 
 every other offence, fhall be levied by diftrefs and fide of 
 the offender's goods and chattels ; or in cafe of the poverty 
 of fuch offender, upon the. goods and chattels of aiiy 
 other perfon or perfons who fliall l>e then convifted in 
 manner aforefaid of the like offence at the fame conven- 
 ticle, at the difcretion of the faid juftice, juftices or chief 
 magiftrate refpeftively, fo as the fmn to be levied on any 
 one perfon in cafe of the poverty of other offenders, 
 amount not in the whole to above the fum of ten pounds, 
 upon occafion of any one meeting, as aforefaid ; f 3) and 
 every conftable, headborough, tithingman, churchwardens, 
 and overfeers of the poor refpeftively, are hereby autho- 
 rized and required to levy the fame accordingly, having 
 firft received a warrant under the hands and feals of the 
 faid juftice, juftices or chief magiftrate refpeftively fo to 
 |do; (4) the faid monies fo to be levied, to be forthwith 
 delivered the fame juftice, juftices or chief magiftrate, and 
 
£4^ 
 
 tTME HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1670 
 
 by :him or ibem to be diftributed, the one third part 
 therof to the ufc of ihe king's majefty, his heirs and fuc 
 ccffors, to be paid to the high flieriff of the county for 
 the time being, in manner following; that is to fay, the 
 iuftice or juftices of peace fhall pay the fame into the court 
 of the r^fpcaive quarter-feflions, which faid court fhall 
 deliver the fame to the fheriff, and make a memorial on 
 record of the payment and delivery thereof, which faid 
 memorial fhall be a fufficient and final difcharge to the faid 
 iuflice and juftices, and a charge to the fheriflF, which faid 
 difcharge and chgirge fhall be certified into the exchequer 
 together, and not one without the other : and no jufticc 
 fball or may be queflioned or acccumable for the fame in 
 the exchequer or elfewhere, than in quart er-feffions; ano- 
 ther third part thc^of to and for the ufe of the poor of 
 the parifli where fuch offence fhall Ix: committed ; and 
 the other third part thereof to the informer and informers 
 and to fuch perfori and perfons as the faid juftice, juftftes 
 or chief magiftrate refpeaivcly flvall appoint, having regard 
 to th^ir diligence ^nd i^duftry in the difcovery, dilperfing 
 and punifhing of the faid conventicles. 
 
 III. And be \\ further cnafted by the authority afore- 
 fcid, that every perfon who fhall take upon him to. preach 
 or teach in any fuch meeting, affembly or conventicle, and 
 ihail thereof be convicted, as afcrefaid, fhall forfeit for 
 every fuch firft offence the fum of twenty pounds, to be 
 levied in manner aforefaid, upon his goods and chattels ; 
 (2) and if the faid preacher or teacher fo convifted, be a 
 flranger, and his name and habitation not known, or is 
 fled, and cannot be found, or in the iuJgment of the juf- 
 tice, juftices or chief magiftrate refpcaively, are hereby 
 empowered and required to levy the fame by warrant, as 
 aforefaid, upon the goods and chattels of any fuch perfons 
 who fliall be prefent at the fame conventicle ; any thmg in 
 this or any other aa, law or flatute to the contrary not- 
 . withftanding ; and the money fo levied, to be difpofed of. 
 in manner aforefaid : (3) and if fuch offirnder fo convi^cd 
 • as aforefaid, fliall at any time again commit the like of- 
 fence or offences contrary to this aft, and be thereof ccn- 
 viaed in manner aforefaid, thcii fuch offender fo conviacd 
 
 167®] PEdPXE CALLED QUAKERS. . «49 
 
 of fuch like offence or offences, fhall for every (udi of- 
 fence, incur the penalty of forty pounds, to be levied and 
 difpofed, as aforefaid. 
 
 IV. And be it further enacted by the authority afore- 
 faid, that every perfon who fliall wittingly and willingly 
 fuffer any fuch conventicle, meeting, or unlawful affembly 
 aforefaid, to be held in his or her houfe, outhoufe, barn, 
 yard, or backfide, and be conviaed thereof in manner afore- 
 faid, ftiall forfeit the ftim of twenty pounds, to be levied 
 in manner aforefaid, upon his or her goods and chattels ; 
 or in cafe of his or her poverty or inability, as aforefaid, 
 upon the goods and chattels of fuch perfons who fhall be 
 conviaed in manner aforefaid, of being prefent at the 
 fame conventicle ; and the money fo levied, to be difpofe^d 
 of in manner aforefaid. . 
 
 V. Provided always, an^l be it enaaed by the- authority 
 aforefaid, that no perfon fliall by any claufe of this aa be 
 liable to pay above ten pounds for any one meeting, in 
 regard of the poverty of any other perfon or perfons. 
 
 VI. Provided alfo, and be it further enaaed, that in all 
 cafes of this aa, where the penalty or fum charged upon 
 any offender ^^exceeds the fum of ten fhillings, and fuch 
 offender ftiall find himfelf aggrieved, it fliall and may be 
 lawful for him within one week after the faid penalty or 
 money charged fliall be paid or levied, to appeal in writing 
 from the perfon or perfons conviaing, to the judgment of 
 the juftices of the peace in their next quaner-fefEon?, 
 (2) to whom the juftice or juftices of the peace, chief 
 magiftrate or alderman, that firft conviaed fuch offender, 
 fhall return the money levied upon the appellant, and 
 fliall certify under his and their hands and feals, the evi- 
 dence upon which the conviaion paft, with the whple 
 record thereof, and the faid appeal : (3; whereupon fuch 
 offender may plead and make defence, and have his trial 
 by a jury thereupon : (4) and in cafe fuch appellant ftiall 
 not profecute with effea, or if upon fuch trial he fliall 
 not be acquitted, or judgment pafs not for him upon his 
 faid appeal, the faid juftices at the feffions fliall give treble 
 cofts against fuch offender for his unjuft appeal : (5) And 
 qo other court whatfoever fhall intermeddle with any 
 
 -f 
 
 i . 
 
I 
 
 ©50 THE HISTORY OF THE [1670 
 
 caufe or caufes of appeal upon this aft, but they Ihall be 
 finally determined in the quarter-feflions only. 
 
 VII. Provided always, and be it further enafted, that 
 upon the delivery of fuch appeal, ai; aforefaid, the perfon 
 or perfons appellant (hall enter before the perfon or per- 
 fons convifting, into recognizanc*, to profecute the faid 
 appeal with effeft : (2) which faid recognizance the perfon 
 or perfons fo convicting is hereby empowered to take, and 
 required to certify the fame to the next quarter-feffions : 
 (3) and in cafe no fuch recognizance be entered into, the 
 faid appeal to be null and void. 
 
 VIII. Provided always, that every fuch appeal fhall be 
 left with the perfon or perfons fo convifting, as aforefaid, 
 at the tiine of the making thereof. 
 
 IX. And be it further enafted by the authority afore- 
 faid, that the juftice, juftices of the peace, and chief raa- 
 giftrate refpeftively, or the refpeffive conftabUs, head- 
 boroughs, and tithingmen, bv warrant from the faid juf- 
 tice, juftices, or chief magiftrate refpeftively, (hall and 
 may with what aid, force and affiflance they fhall think 
 fit, for the better execution of this aft, after refufal or 
 denial to enter, break open, and enter into any houfe or 
 other place, where they fliall be informed any fuch con- 
 venticle, as aforefaid, is or (hall be held, as well within 
 liberties as without; (2) and take into their cuftody the 
 perfons there unlawfully affembled, to the intent they may 
 be proceeded againft according to this aft : (3) and that 
 the lieutenants or deputy-lieutenants, or any commifTioq- 
 ated officer in the militia, or other of his -majefty's forces, 
 with fuch troops or companies of horfe and foot ; and 
 alfo the flieriffs, and other magiftrates and minifters of 
 juftice, or any of them, jointly or feverally, within any qf 
 the counties or places within this kingdom of England, 
 dominion of V?^ales, or town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, 
 with fuch other affiftance as they fhall think meet, or can 
 get in readinefs with the fooneft, on certificate made to 
 them refpeftively under the hand and feal of any one jufr 
 lice of the peace or chief magiftrate, of his particular m- 
 formation or knowledge of fuch unlawful meeting or con- 
 venticle held, or to be held in their refpeftive counties of 
 
 »67o] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 251 
 
 places, and that he with fuch alTiftance as he can get to- 
 gether, is not able to fupprefs and diffolve the fame, fhall 
 and may, and are hereby required and enjoined to repair 
 unto the place where they are fo held, or to be held, and 
 by the beft means they can to diffolve, diflipate or prevent 
 all fuch unlawful meetings, and take into their cuftody 
 fuch and fo many of the faid perfons fo unlawfully aifem- 
 bled as they fliall think fit, to the intent that they may be 
 proceeded againft according to this aft. 
 
 X. Provided always, that no dwelling-houfe of any peer 
 of this realm, where he or his wife fhall then be refident, 
 fhall be fearched by virtue of this aft, but by immediate 
 warrant from his majefty, under his fign manual, or in 
 the prefence of the lieutenant, or one deputy-lietitenant, 
 or two juftices of the peace, whereof one to be of the 
 quorum, of the fame county or riding. 
 
 XI. And be it further enafted by the authority afore- 
 faid, that if any conftable, headborough, tithingman, 
 churchwarden, or overfeer of the poor, who fhall know, 
 or be credibly informed of any fuch meetings or conven- 
 ticles held within his precinfts, pari flies-limits, and fliall 
 not give information thereof to fome juftice of the peace, 
 or the chief magiftrate, and endeavour the conviftion of 
 the parties according to his duty ; but fuch conftable, 
 headborough, tithingman, churchwarden, overfeers of the 
 poor, or any perfon lawfully called in aid of the con- 
 ftable, headborough, or tithingman, fliall wilfully and 
 wittingly omit the performance of his duty, in the execu- 
 
 ' tion of this aft, and be thereof convifted in manner afore- 
 faid, he fliall forfeit for every fuch offence, the fum of 
 five pounds, to be levied upon his goods and chattels, and 
 difpoled in manner aforefaid: (2) and that if any juftice 
 of the peace, or chief magiftrate, fliall wilfully and wit- 
 tingly omit the performance of his duty in the execution 
 of this aft, he fliall forfeit the fum of one hundred pounds, 
 the one moiety to the ufe of the informer, to be recovered 
 by aftion, fuit, bill, or plaint, in any of his majefty's 
 courts at Weftminfter, wherein no efToign, proteftion^ or 
 wager of law fliall lie. 
 
252 
 
 THE HISTOHV OP THE 
 
 [1670 
 
 r 
 
 XII. And be it further cnaaed by the authority afore- 
 faid, that if any perfon be at any time fued for putting 
 in execution any of the powers contained in this aft, 
 otherwife than upon appeal allowed by this aft, fuch 
 perfon Ihall and may plead the general iffue, and give the 
 fpecial matter in evidence ; (2) and if the plantifF be non- 
 fuit, or a verdift pafs for the defendant, or if the plaintift 
 difcominue his aftion, or if upon demurrer ]^^S^^^^ ^^ 
 given for the defendant, every fuch defendant ihall have 
 his full treble cofts. 
 
 XIII. And be it further enafted by the authority atore- 
 faid, that this aft, and all claufes therein contained, ftiall 
 be conftrued moft largely and beneficially for the fup- 
 prefling of conventicles, and for the juftification and en- 
 couragement of all perfons to be employed in the execution 
 thereof; (2) and that no record, warrant or mittimus to 
 be made by virtue of this a^, or any proceedmgs there- 
 upon, fhall be reverfed, avoided, or any way impeached 
 by reafon of any default in form. (3) And in cafe any 
 perfon offending againft this aft, Ihall be an inhabitant in 
 any other county or corporation, or fly into any other 
 county or corporation after the offence committed, the 
 iufticc of peace ot chief magiflrate before whom he Ihall 
 be convia^d as aforefaid, Oiall certify the fame under his 
 hand and feal, to any juftice of peace or chief magiltrate 
 of fuch other county or corporation wherein the faid 
 perfon or perfons are inhabitants, or are fled into ; (4) 
 which faid juftice or chief magiftrate refpeftively, is here- 
 by authorized and required to levy the penalty or penal- 
 tics in this aft mentioned, upon the goods and chattels ot 
 fuch perfon or perfons, as fully as the faid other juftice ot 
 peace might have done, in cafe he or they had been in- 
 habitants in the place where the offence was committed. 
 
 XIV. Provided alfo, that no perfon fhall be puniflied 
 for any offence againft this aft unlefs- fuch offender be 
 profecuted for the fame within three months af^e^ /he 
 offence committed. (2) And that no perfon who ftia 1 be 
 puniflied for any offence by virtue of this aft, ihall be 
 puniftied for the fame offence by virtue of any otber att 
 or law whatfoever. 
 
 1670] PEOPLE CALLED QXTAKERS. 253" 
 
 XV. Pi-ovided, and be it further enaftcd by the au- 
 thority aforefaid, that every alderman of London for tha 
 time being, within the city of London, and the liberties 
 thereof, fliall have (and they and every of them are 
 hereby empowered and required tp execute) the fapic 
 power and authority within London, and the liberties^ 
 thereof, for the examining, convifting, and puniftiing of 
 all offences within this aft committed within London, and 
 the liberties thereof, which any juftice of peace hath by 
 this aft in any county of England, and ftiall be fiibjeft to 
 the fame penalties . and punilhments, for not doing that 
 which by this aft is direfted to be done by any juftice of 
 peace in any county of England. 
 
 XVI. Provided, and be it enafted by the authority 
 aforefaid, that if the perfon offending, and convifted as 
 aforefaid be a feme-covert, cohabiting with her huft^and, 
 the penalties of five ftiillings, and ten ftiillings, fo as afore- 
 faid incurred, fliall be levied by warrant, as aforefaid, 
 upon the goods and chattels of the hufband of fuch feme- 
 covert. 
 
 XVII. Provided alfo, that no peer of this realm fliall 
 be attached or imprifoned by virtue or force of this aft ; 
 any thing, matter or claufe, therein to the contrary not- 
 
 withftanding. 
 
 XVIII. Provided alfo, that neither thi^ aft, nor any 
 thing therein contained, fhall extend to invalidate or make- 
 void his majefty's fupremacy in ecclefiaftical affairs : (2) 
 but that his majcfty, and his heirs and fucceffors, may 
 from time to time, and at all times hereafter, exeroife and 
 enjoy all powers and authority in ecclefiaftical affairs, as 
 fully and as amply as himfelf or any of his predeceflTors 
 have or might have done the fame : any thing in this aft 
 notwithftanding.^ 
 
 By this very law many ao honeft family was impoverifli*" 
 ed ; for the Quakers did mt leave oft^ meeting together' 
 publickly, but the moft fincere araongft them were thel 
 more zealous, and they were the more winnowed fronv 
 the chaff, which in time of eafe gets in amongft religious^ 
 f rofcffors ^ arid none need wonder at it, fince the Quakerr*. 
 
i 
 
 & 
 
 ir 
 
 aS4 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i67<> 
 
 16703 
 
 PEOPLE CALI.BD QUAKERS. 
 
 ^SS 
 
 having gained the repute of an upright hearted people, 
 fome for by-ends might creep in amongft them. 
 
 At London, as well as at other places, many were 
 fpoiled of their goods very unmercifully, and many times 
 people of good fubftance brought to mere poverty, feeing 
 not only the ftiop goods of fome, but alfo thar houfehold 
 goods have been feized, infomuch that the very fick have 
 had their beds taken from under them, and they them- 
 felves laid upon the floor ; nay, they have been fo cnjel, 
 as to leave them nothing ; infomuch that when the child s 
 pap hath ftood in a pannikin, they have thrown out the 
 pap to take the pannikin away. 
 
 Should I fum up all the particulars I have received, and 
 the account I could give, it would make a volume of it- 
 felf ; for the informers were generally poor, and fome- 
 times alfo the juttices, fo that they knew how to part their 
 booty belonging 10 the king, as well as to the poor; and 
 thus the king and the poor got but little of their plunder. 
 Neverihelefs it fo happened fometimes, that thole who 
 were finable, were freed by the juftices ; for they knew 
 very well, that thefe informers, who were alfo witnelles, 
 were cunning Iharkers, who were alfo concerned to get 
 their thirds of the booty, and therefore found out a way by 
 which they fhewed that they were knavifh and unjult in 
 their office, therefore not fit to give evidence ; fo that it 
 hath fometimes fallen out, that an honeft juftice hath 
 cleared thofe informed againft, when the informer miffed 
 in his evidence, either in the day of the month, or the 
 
 like, in the complaint. , , j 
 
 At London there once appeared before the lord mayor, 
 fitting at a court of aldermen, an impudent informer hav- 
 ing fuch a quantity of informations for fines as would have 
 wroncred thi^ parties to the value of 15001. but the mayor 
 abomtnating fuch a pra^ice, adjourned the court, and 
 went away. But this hardy informer was not content to 
 let the matter fall thus, but appeared before the court 
 from time to lime, to make a booty of honeft peoples 
 goods ; but they ftill put him off, until at laft he was him... 
 fclf arrefted for debt, and carried to pnfon, where ti^ 
 ended his days. * 
 
 Althoucrh now the law againft feditious conventicles had 
 paffed, upon a fuppoficion that the Prcibyterians were 
 ready to rife, confidering ±e buftle and tumult occafione4 
 by John Fox in Gloucefterfhire, which was much takei> 
 notice of, as I have mentioned before, yet nevcrthelefe 
 the Quakers' meetings became the chief objed in the 
 execution of this law. Whereupon G. Fox bemg in Lon- 
 don; fet forth in print the injiiftice of this law^ in order, 
 if poffible, to moderate the government not to put the 
 fame in execution. Neverthelefs being alfo fenfible that 
 a great ftorm hung over the heads of friends, he alfo writ 
 an epiftle to them, to exhort them to faithfulnefs, and 
 to encourage them to ftjiid faft in their teftimony, and 
 bear with Chriftian patience the fuffering that was come 
 upon them. Now the Firft-day that this law took 
 place, he went to the meeting of friends at Gracechurch- 
 ftreet in London ; but being come to the place, he found 
 the ftreet full of people, and a guard to keep them out of 
 their meeting-houfe ; whereupon he went to Lombard 
 ftreet (out of which there was alfo a paffage to the meet- 
 ing-houfe) and there he alfo found a guard; but there 
 being a court before the door, which was full of people, 
 one of the Quaker minifters was there preaching to the 
 people, and when he had ended, G. Fox ftood up and 
 faid, « Saul, Saul, why perfecuteft thou me ; it is hard 
 for thee to kick againft the pricks.'' Which words he 
 thus explained : that it was Saul's, nature that perfecuted; 
 and that they perfecuting Chrlft in his members, were 
 kicking againft the pricks ; and that it was the birth of 
 the flefti that perfecuted the birth of the Spirit ; and that 
 it was the nature of dogs to tear and devour the fheep, 
 but that they fuffered like ftieep, who did not bite again ; 
 but were a peaceable people, who loved even their perfe- 
 cutors. While G. Fox was thus preaching, there came 
 a conftable and an informer, with foldiers, who pulled 
 him down from the place he ftood on. Then, faid he, 
 « Bleffed are the peace-makers," but the commander of 
 the foldiers ordered them to fecure him : * For,' faid he, 
 « you are the man I looked for.' Wherefore he, with two 
 more of his friends, John Burnet and another, were bad 
 Vol. II. 
 
 I 
 
 K 
 
25^ 
 
 THE HISTORY- OF THE 
 
 [1670 
 
 before the lord mayor ; and as they were going, the in- 
 former faid, ' It will never be a good world, until all 
 people come to the good old religion that was two hun- 
 dred years ago/ G. Fox hearing this, faid, ' Art thou 
 a Papifl ? What ! a Papilt informer ? For two hundred 
 years ago there was no other publick profcfiion of re- 
 ligion but d)at of the Papifts in this nation.' It vexed the 
 informer that G. Fox heard him fpeak thus : for he now 
 faw he was infnared in his own talk. When he came 
 into the court before the lord mayor's houfe, fom^ people 
 who were there aiked G. Fox, why he was brought 
 thither prifoner ? ' Pray,' faid he, ' ailc that informer, 
 and afk him his name;' but hti would not tell his name. 
 Then one of the mayor's oficers looking out at a window, 
 told him; he (hould tell his name before he went away : 
 ' For,* fciid he, ' the lord mayor will know by what au- 
 thority you have intruded yourfelf with foldiers in the 
 execution of thofe laws which it belongs to the civil ma- 
 giftrate to execute, and not the military. The informer 
 underilanding this, got away, but not without fome diffi- 
 culty, becaufe they would not then let him out of the 
 court ; but he forcibly pulling open the door, and being 
 POt into the ftreet, the people gave a great (bout, crying 
 out, ' a Papift informer ! a Papift informer !' and he 
 would have come off but badly, had not G. Fox advifed 
 the conftable and foldiers to keep him out of the hands of 
 the common people. Whereupon he went into the houfe 
 and changed his pcrriwig, and fo got away. 
 
 When the lord mayor came home, and G. Fox was 
 brought before him, he faid, ' Mr. Fox, you are an emi- 
 nent man among thofe of your own profeffion, pray will 
 you be inftrumental to perfuade them from meeting m 
 fuch great numbers : ' for,' faid he, ' feeing Chrift hath 
 prom.ifed, where two or three are met in his name, he 
 will be in the midft of them ; and the king and parliament 
 are gracioufly pleafed to allow of four to meet together to 
 worihip God, why will not you be content to partake 
 both of Chrift's promife to two or three, and the king's 
 indulgence to four ?' To which G. Fox anfwered, that 
 Chrift's promife was not xo difcourage many from meeting 
 
 li 
 
 1670] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ^57 
 
 togeth-rin his name ; but to encourage the few, that the 
 feweft might not forbear to meet, becaufe of their few- 
 nefs. But if Chrift hath promifed to manifefthis prefence 
 in the midft of fo fmall an affembly, where but two or 
 three were gathered in his name j how much more would 
 his prefence abound where two or three hundred are 
 gathered in his name. I wiftied him to confider, whether 
 {his a£l would not have taken hold of Chrift, with his 
 twelve apoftles and feventy dtfciples, (if it had been in 
 their time) who ufed to meet often together ; andjhat 
 with great numbers? However, I told him, this aft did 
 not concern us ; for it was made againft feditious meetings, 
 of fuch as met under pretence and colour of religion, to 
 contrive infurreftions, as (the aft fays) late experience had 
 Ihewn 5 but we had been fufficiendy tried and P^ovejl, 
 and always found peaceable ; and therefore he ftiould do 
 well to put a difference, between the innocent and the 
 guilty. He faid the aft was made againft meetings, and a 
 worftiipnot according to the liturgy. I ^^^^ ]^7 n^ 4 
 cording to] was not the very fame thing ; and 1 alked 
 him, whether thehturgy was according to the Scriptmes 
 And whether we might not read Scriptures, and Ipeak: 
 Scriptures ? he faid. Yes. I told him, that this aa took 
 hold only of fuch as meet to plot and contrive in ur- 
 reaions, as late experience had (hewn ; but they had 
 never experienced that by us. Becaufe thieves arc iome- 
 times on the road, muft not honeft men travel therefore ? 
 And becaufe plotters and contrivers have met to do mil- 
 chief, muft not an honeft, peaceable people, meet to do 
 good ? If we had been a people that did meet to plot and 
 . contrive infurreftions, &c. we might have drawn ourfelves 
 into four* ; for four might do more mifchief in plottmg, 
 than if there were four hundred; becaufe four might 
 fpeak out their minds more freely one to another, than 
 four hundred could : therefore we being innocent, and 
 riot the people this aft concerns, we keep our meetings 
 is we ufed to do ; and I faid, I believed that he knew m 
 his confcicnce we were innocent. 
 
 ^ After this and more difcourfe, the lord mayor, whofe ^ 
 name was Samuel Starling, let them go, feeing the m- 
 
 R 2 
 
^58 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1670 
 
 former was gone before, and now nobody accufcd them. 
 The treatment thi$ informer met with, made others fcru- 
 pulous, yet feveral of their meetings in London were dii- 
 turbed, and fome of their preachers caft into prifon ; bui 
 though the Baptills and other diffenters ceafcd their pub-, 
 lick meetings, yet the Quakers continued to keep theirs, 
 as they ufed to do, whereby it happened that fome ot 
 their meeting-houfes were pulled down, and am^ongft others 
 that at Ratcliffe, which was a fubflantial building, almoit 
 
 After fome time, the heat of pcrfecution in the city be- 
 gan to abate, but in other places it raged more fiercely 5 
 fhis engaged G. Fox to leave the city, and travel about 
 the country in divers places to vifit his friends. 
 
 This year G. Fox had a very great fit of ficknefs, to 
 fuch a degree, that he became both blind and deaf, inlo- 
 much that his recovery was defpaired of by fome j but 
 after a time he grew better. 
 
 In the mean-while perfecution in many places grew very 
 difmal ; for many of the friends were beaten with fwords, 
 and pikes, and mulkets, to that degree, that their blood 
 ran along the ground, and the informers were fo very 
 eager to hunt after their prey, that they informed ot 
 meetings when there was none. Amongft others, this 
 following was an inflance. At Droitwich, John Cartwright 
 came toa friend's houfe there, who fitting down to fup^ , 
 per, he prayed before they ate, which being heard by ^ 
 an informer, the room being next to the ftreet, he there, 
 upon went immediately and informed that there was a 
 meeting in the houfe, and fo got a warrant to diftrain the 
 goods ; and when he came riding with them in the even- 
 L, he fell from his horfe, and brake his neck, thereby 
 getting his death inftead of his prey, which he -hunted 
 
 Now, although perfecution was not fo hot in London, 
 as in other places in the country, yet fometimes even there 
 it was very fcvere, as may be feen by the inftauee of 
 William Penn, and William Mead, who were^taken from ^ 
 a meeting ^d imprifoned, and tried for the fame m tha 
 " month of September, 
 
 1670] 
 
 FeOPLE called QUAKERS, 
 
 359 
 
 The indlament contained, * That William Penn, and 
 William Mead, with divers other perfons, to the number 
 ,of three hundred^, at Gracechurch-ftreet, in London, on 
 the 15th of Auguft, with force and arms, and tumultuoufly 
 affembled together, and that William Penn, by agreement 
 between him and William Mead, had preached tliere in 
 the publick ftreet, whereby was caufed a great concourfe 
 and tumult of the people,' &c. That there was a publick 
 meeting in the ftreet, proceeded from neceflTity ; becaufe 
 a guard was placed in the paffage to hinder friends from 
 going into their meeting-houfe ; but it was a great un- 
 truth, that they met with force and arms, which was 
 never ufed by the quakers.' This indiftment being read 
 before the court, the prilbneps wxrc demanded, according 
 to cuftom, whether they were guilty, or not guilty ? 
 Whereupon W. Penn faid, « It is impoffible that we (hould 
 be able 10 remember the indiftment verbatim, and there- 
 fore we defire a copy of it, as is cuftomary on the like 
 occafions.* The recorder, John Howel, faid hereupon, 
 ' You muft firft plead to the indi^ment, before you caa 
 have a copy of it.' Then W. Penn faid, that he firft de^ 
 fired that no advantage might be taken againft him, nor 
 be deprived of any benefit, which he might otherwife 
 receive, and that the court would promife him a fair hear- 
 ing, and liberty of making his defence. Upon which the 
 court faid, that no advantage fhould be taken againft him, 
 and that he fliould have liberty, and (hould be heard. 
 W. Penn then faid, that he pleaded not guilty in manner 
 and form. Then W. Mead was demanded, whether he 
 was guilty, or not guilty, and he anfwered the fame as 
 W. Penn. The court then proceeded with the bufmefs of 
 trying thieves and murderers, making the prifoners ftay 
 waiting five hours, and then returned them to prifon; 
 and after two days brought them again before the court. 
 And then the officers of the court having taken off the 
 prifoners hats, the lord mayor, Samuel Starling, fliewed 
 himfelf difpleafed with it, and ordered the officers to put 
 on their hats again, which being done, the recorder, John . 
 Howel, who upon all occafions Ihewed his fiercenefs, ac- 
 cufed him that they fliewed no refpeft to the court, and 
 
a6o 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1670 
 
 condemned them for it, in a fine of forty marks each, be- 
 caufe they had not taken oiT their hats. Thereupon W. 
 Penn faid, that he defired it might be obferved, that ihey 
 came into court with their hat« off, (that is, taken off) 
 and if they had been put on fince, it is by order from the 
 bench, and therefore not the prifoners, but the bench 
 fliould be fined. The jury then being fworn, and the in- 
 diftment read again, the witneffes were called, who de- 
 clared, that they faw W. Penn fpeaking to the people, 
 who were affemblcd in a great number in GruKechurch- 
 ftreet, but they could not hear what he faid. 
 
 The recorder then aflced WiUiam Mead, whether he 
 was there? Who anhvered, that Mt is a maxim in your 
 own law, nemo ieneiur accufare feipfum^ which if it be not 
 true Latin, I am fure it is good Engliih. That no man is 
 bound to accufe himfelf; why then dofi: thou offer, to 
 cnfnare me with fuch a queftion?' Hereupen thi? recorder 
 flicwed himfelf fo difpleafed, that he faid, * Sir, hold 
 your tongue, I did not go about to enfnare you.' Then 
 - WiUiam Penn fiiid, ' We confcfs ourfelves to be fo far 
 from,recanting, or declining to vindicate the affembling of 
 ourfelves, to preach, pray, or worfhip the Eternal, Holy, 
 Tuft God, that we declare to all the world, that we do 
 believe it to be our indifpenfable duty, to meet inceffantly 
 upon fo good an account ; nor (hall all the powers upon 
 earth be able to divert us from reverencing and adoring 
 our God who made us.' The (heriff, Richard Brown, 
 faid, ' You are not here for worfhipping of God, but for 
 breaking the law. You do yourfelves a great deal of 
 wrong in going on in that difcourfe.' Hereupon W. Penn 
 anfwered, > I affirm I have broken no law, nor am I 
 guilty of the indiftment that is laid to my charge : and to 
 the end, the bench, the jury, and myfelf, with^thefe that 
 hear us, may have a more dired underftanding of this 
 procedure, 1 defirc you would let me know by what law 
 it is you profecute me, and upon what law you ground 
 my indiament ?' The recorder anfwered, * Upon the com- 
 mon law.' * Where is/ afked W. Penn, ' that common 
 law?' * You muft not think,' faid the recorder, * that I 
 am able to run up fo many years, and over fo many 
 
 1670] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 261 
 
 adjudged cafes, which we call common law, to anfwer 
 your curiofity.' * This anfwer,' replied W. Penn, ' I am 
 fure is very fliort of my queftion, for if it be common, it 
 Ihould not be fo hard to produce.* The recorder replied, 
 < Sir, will you plead to your indI6lment ?* * Shall I,' an- 
 fwered W.' Penn, ' plead to an indiament that hath no 
 foundation in law ? If it contain that law you fay I have 
 broken, why fhould. you decline to produ;:e that law, 
 fince it will be impoffible for the jury to determine, or 
 agree to bring in their verdi^:, who have not the law pro- 
 daced, by which they fliould nrcifure the truth of this 
 indiament, and the guilt, or contrary of my faa.' Ihe 
 recorder being angry, faid, ' You are a laucy fellow, 
 fpeak to the indiament.' W. Penn replied, ' I fay, it is 
 my place 10 fpeak to matter of law; I am arraigned a 
 prifoner, my liberty, which is next to life itleU, is now. 
 
 concerned,* &c. 
 
 At this time feveral upon the bench urged hard upon 
 the prifoner to bear him down. W. Penn faid, « You are 
 many mouths and ears againft me, and if I muft not be 
 allowed to make the bell of my caufe, it is hard ; I lay 
 a^^ain, unlefs you ftiew me and the people the law you 
 ground your indiament upon, I fliall take it for granted, 
 your proceedings are merely arbitrary.' The recorder 
 then replying, faid, ' The queftion is, whether you are 
 mrlty of this indiament. ' The queftion,' faid W. 1 enn, 
 ^is not whether I am guilty of this indiament, but whether 
 this indiament be legal : it is too general and imperfea 
 an anfwer, to fay ic is the common law, unlefs we know 
 both where, and what it is : for where there is no lavy, 
 there is no tranfgreffion ; and tfiat law which is not in 
 being, is fo far from being common, that it is no law at 
 all.' The recorder fnapped him hereupon, with, ' You 
 are an impertinent fellow, will you teach the court what 
 law is? It is lex nonjcripta, that which many have Itudied 
 thirty or forty years to know, ^and would you have me 
 tell you in a moment.' ' Certainly,' replied W. Penn, 
 ' if the common law be fo hard to be underftood, it is tar 
 from being very common ; but if the lord Coke in his m- 
 iliiutes, be of any confideration, he tells us, that common 
 
 R4 
 
 4l 
 
26l 
 
 THE HISTORY OJf THE 
 
 [ 1 676 
 
 law is common right ; and that common right is the great 
 charter privileges confirmed, 9 Hen. 3. 29. 25 Edw. i. 
 I. 2 Edw. 3. 8. Coke's feftitutes, 2. p. 56.' The 
 recorder taking no pleafure in that fpeech, faid ' Sir, you 
 arc a troubleforae fellow, and it is not for the honour of 
 the court to fuifer you to go on.' ^ I have,' replied W. Penn, 
 
 * alked but one q'ueftion, and you have not anfwered me ; 
 though the rights and privileges of every Englifliman be 
 concerned in it.' ' Well,' faid the recorder, ' if I (hould 
 fuflfer you to afk qucftions till to-morrow morning, you 
 would be never the wifcr.' ' That is,' faid W. Penn, 
 
 * according as the anfwers are.' ' But,' fays the recorder, 
 
 * we mud not {land to hear you talk all night.' Where- 
 upon W. Penn replied, ' I defire no affront to the court, 
 but to be heard in my juft pleu ; and I muft plainly tell 
 you, that if you deny me t\je oyer of that law, which you 
 fuggeft I have broken, you do at once deny me an ac- 
 knowledged right, and evidence to the whole world your 
 rcfoluiion to facrifice the privileges of Englifhmen, to your 
 fmifler and arbitrary defigns.* This fo enraged the re- 
 corder, that he called out to the officers, ' Take him away.' 
 And to the lord mayor he faid, ' My lord, if you take 
 not fome courfe with this peililent fellow, to flop his 
 mouth, we fliall not be able to do any thing to night.' 
 Then the lord mayor cried, * Take him away ; take him 
 away ; turn him into the bail-dock.' 
 
 W. Penn feeing how force and violence prevailed, faid, 
 * Thefe are but fo many vain exclamations ; is this juflicc 
 or true judgment ? Mull I therefore be taken away be- 
 caufe I plead for the fundamental laws of England ?' 
 Then addreffing himfcif to the jury, he faid, ' However, 
 this I leave upon your confciences, who are of the jury, 
 and my fole judges, that if thefe ancient fundamental laws 
 which relate to liberty and property, and are not lim.ittd 
 to particular perfuafions in matters of religion, muft not 
 be indifpenfably maintained and obferved, who can fay he 
 hath right to the coat upon his back ? Certainly our 
 liberties are openly to be invadcd,^ our wfves to be ravifhed, 
 our children enflaved, our families ruined, and our eftates 
 led away in triumph, by every (lurdy beggar and malicious 
 
 [670] 
 
 l»E0t>LE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 263 
 
 informer, as their trophies, by our pretended forfeits for 
 confcience-fiike. The Lord of heaven and earth will be 
 judge between us in this matter.* The hearing of this 
 emphatical fpeech was fo troublefome to the recorder, that 
 he cried, ' Be filent ^here.' At which W. Penn returned, 
 < I am not to be files t in a caufe wherein I am fo much 
 concerned, and not only myfelf, but many ten thoufand 
 
 families befides.' 
 
 He being now haled into the bail-dock, it w^as W. Mead's 
 turn to plead, who fpoke thus, ' Ye men of the jury, I 
 now ftand here to anfwer to an indi£lment againft me, 
 which is a bundle of ftuff full of lies and falfehoods : for 
 therein I am accufed, that I met vi ^ amis, illicite ^ ' 
 iumultuose. Time was when I had freedom to ufe a carnal 
 weapon, and then I thought I feared no man : but now I 
 fear the living God, and dare not make ufe thereof, nor 
 hurt any man, nor do I know I demeaned myfelf as a 
 tumultuous perfon. I fay, I am a peaceable man ; there- 
 fore it was a very proper queftion that W. Penn demanded 
 in this cafe, an oyer of the law, on which our indiftment 
 is grounded.' To this the recorder faid, * I have made an 
 anfwer to that already.' W. Mead then turning his facs 
 to the jury, laid, ' Ye men of the jury, who are my judges, 
 if the recorder will not tell you what makes a riot, a rout, 
 or unlawful affembly, Cook, he that once they called the 
 lord Cook, tells us what makes a riot, a rout, or unlawful 
 affembly. A riot is when three or more are met together 
 to beat a man, or to enter forcibly into another man's 
 land, to cut down his grafs, his wood, or break down his 
 pales.' Ihe recorder interrupting him, and fcornfully 
 pulling oBF his hat, fiiid, ' I thank you, fir, that yoa will 
 tell me what' the law i? :' and Richard Brown, that in-^ 
 veterate enemy of the Quakers, faid,* He talks at random, 
 ' one while an Independent, another while of fome other 
 religion, and now a Quaker, and next a Papift.' Mead, 
 noticing minded openly to affront this alderman, told him 
 this well-known Latin verfe, 
 
 Turpa ejl doBori cim culpa redarguit 'ipfum, 
 for Brown hirafelf formerly had been an Independent, 
 though now ke belonged to the church of England, and * 
 
264 
 
 THE HISTORY Ot THE 
 
 [1670 
 
 16703 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ,265 
 
 was of the court party. But the lord mayor, who it seems 
 was a great friend of Brown's, faid to Mead, ' You dci- 
 ftrve to have your tongue cut out.' ' Aud/ added the 
 recorder, * if you difcourfe on this manner, 1 fhall lake 
 occafion againil you.' To which Mead returned, ' Thou 
 djdft promife me I ihould have fair Hberty to be heard. 
 Why may I not have the privilege of an Engliftiman, and 
 vou might be alhamed of this dealing.' At this the envious 
 recorder faid, * 1 look upon you to be an enemy to the 
 laws of England, which ought to be obferved and kept ; 
 nor are you worthy of fuch privileges as others have.' 
 Meacl well feeing that force and violence prevailed, and 
 that his fpeaking could not avail him, faid with a compolcd 
 mind, ' The Lord be judge between me and thee in this 
 
 matter.* -i 1 i j 
 
 Upon whicTi he was taken away into the bail-dock, and 
 the recorder gave the jury the following charge : ' You 
 have heard what the indidlment is ; it is for preaching to 
 the peopl-, and drawing a tumultuous company after 
 them ; and Mr. Penn was fpeaking. • If they Ihould not 
 be diilurbed, you fee they will go on ; there are three or 
 four witncffes that have proved this, that he did preach 
 t icre ; that iMr. Mead did allow of it ; after this, you have 
 heard by fubftantial witneffes what is faid againft them. 
 Now we are upon the matter of faft, which you are to 
 k ep to, and obferve, as what hath been fully fworn, at 
 your peril.' That the recorder fpoke this to the jury 
 in the abfence of the prifoners, was indeed irregular ; 
 wherefore W. Penn, who heard this from a£ar, fpoke with 
 a very raifed voice, that fo he might be heard by i hole 
 on the bench, after this manner, ' I appeal to the jury, 
 who are my judges, and to this great affembly, whether 
 the proceedings of the court are not molt arbitrary, and 
 void of all law, in oferlng to give the jury their charge m 
 the abience of the prifoners. 1 fay it is direaiy oppofite 
 10 anddeftruc^ive of the midoubted right of every Lnghlh 
 prifoncr, as Cook in the 2 Inft. on the chap, of Magna 
 Charta, fpeaks.' The recorder being thus unexpeaedly 
 laftied for his extra-judicial procedure, faid with a dildainful 
 fmile, ' Why, ye are prcfent ^ you do hear, do you not t 
 
 To which Penn returned, 'No thanks to the court, that 
 commanded me into the bail-dock : and you^of .the jury 
 take notice, that I have not been heard, neither can you 
 legally depart the court, before I have been fully heard, ^ 
 having at Icaft ten or twelve material points to offer, ia 
 order'\o invalidate their indiament.' This plain fpeaking 
 of W. Penn. fo enraged the recorder, that he cried, ' Pull 
 that fellow down; pull him down.' For Penn it feems 
 to be heard the better, was clambering up a little by the 
 rails of the bail-dock. Then W. Mead laid, ' Are thefc 
 according JO the rights and privileges of Englifhmen, 
 that we fhould not be heard, but turned into the bail-dock 
 for making our defence; and the jury to have their charge 
 given them in our abfence? I. fay, thefe are barbarous 
 and unjuft proceedings.' The recorder yet more incenfed, 
 cried, ' Take them away into the hole: to hear them talk 
 all night as they would, that I think doth not become the 
 honour of the court.' 
 
 The prifoners being kept in a {linking hole, the jury- 
 were commanded up, to agree upon their verdia ; and 
 after an hour and hah 's time, eight came down agreed, 
 but four remained above : the court then fent an officer 
 for them, and they accordingly came down; but the court 
 ufed many indecent threats to the four that diffented, and 
 after much menacing language, ar.d a very imperious be- 
 haviour againfl the jury, the prifoners being brought to 
 the bar, the foreman was afked, ' How fay you ; ^ is 
 William Penn guilty of the matter whereof he flands in- 
 diaed in manner and form, or not guilty?' Foreman: 
 « Guihy of fpeaking in Gracechurch-flreet.' The next 
 queftion was, Ms that all?' Foretnan : * That is all I 
 have in commiffion.' This anfwer fo difpleafed the re- 
 corder, that he faid, * You had as good fay nothing.' 
 And the lord mayor. Starling, faid, ' Was it tiot an unlawful 
 affembly? You mean he was fpeaking to a tumult of 
 people there?' To which the f^oreman returned, 'My 
 lord, this was all 1 had in commilTion.' Some of the jury 
 feemed now to buckle to the queffions of the court ; but 
 others oppofed themfelves, and faid they allowed of no 
 fuch word as an unlawful affembly in their verdifi : at 
 
266 
 
 THE HISTORY OF Tit* 
 
 [1670 
 
 16703 
 
 VEO?Lk CALLtlD QUAKERS. 
 
 sL6y 
 
 which feme of the bench took occafion to vilify ihem with 
 opprobrious language. And bccaufc the court would not 
 difmifs the iury before they gave a more fatisfaftory ver- 
 dia, they called for pen, ink, and paper, and fo went up 
 again: and after halt an hour returning, delivered the 
 following vcrdift in writing. 
 
 * We the jurors hereafter named, do find William Penn 
 to be guilty of fpeaking or preaching to an affembly, met 
 together in Gracechurch-ftrect, the 14th of August laft, 
 1670,. and that William Mead is not guilty of the ("aid 
 indi^linent. 
 
 Foreman. 
 
 Thomas Veer, 
 Edward Bulhel 
 John Hammond, 
 Henry Henly, 
 Henry Michel, 
 John Brightuvan, 
 
 Charles Milfon, 
 Gregory Walkletj 
 John Baily, 
 William Lever, 
 James Damafk, 
 William Plumfted. 
 
 This verdict the mayor and recorder refented at fo high 
 a rate, that they exceeded the bounds of all moderation 
 anddvility; and the recorder faid, ' Gentlemen, you (hall 
 not be dilmiffcd till we have a verdi^, that the court will, 
 accept ; and you fhall be locked up, without meat, drink, 
 fire, and tobacco : you ihall not think thus to abufc the 
 coiirt ; we will have a verdia by the help of God, or you 
 
 ihall ftarve for it. 
 
 Now, though the jury had given in their vcrdia, and 
 fignified that they could give no other, yet all was in vain ; 
 and W. Penn feeing how they were treated againft all 
 reafon, faid, ' My jury, who are my judges, ought not to 
 be thus menaced ; theif verdift fhould be free, and not 
 compelled : the bench ought to wait upon them, but not 
 foreftal them. 1 do defire that juftice may be done me, 
 and that the arbitrary refolves of the bench may not be 
 made the meafure of my jary*s vcrdia.' This modeft 
 fpeech fo incenfed the recorder, that he cried, ' Stop that 
 prating fellow's mouth, or put him out of the court.* And 
 the lord mayor faid to the jury, * You have heard that he 
 
 preached, that he gathered a company of tumultuous 
 people, and that they do not only difobey the martial 
 power, but the civil alfo.' To which W. Penn returned, 
 * That is a great miftake ; we did not make the tumult, 
 but they that interrupted us. The jury cannot be fo 
 ignorant, as to think, that we met there with a defign to 
 difturb the civil peace, fince (firft) we were by force of 
 arms kept out of our lawful houfe, and met as near it ia 
 the ftreet as the foldiers would give leave. And (fecondly) 
 becaufe it was no new thing, nor with the circumftances 
 cxpreffed in the indiftmentj but what was ufual and cuf- 
 toraary with us. It is very well known that we are a 
 peaceable people, and cannot offer violence to any man/ 
 
 The court now being refolved to fend the prifoners to 
 their gaol, and the jUry to their chamber, Penn fpoke as 
 followeth : the agreement of twelve men is a verdift in 
 law, and fuch an one being given by the jury, I require 
 the clerk of the peace to record it, as he will anfwer it at 
 his peril. And if the jury bring in another verdict con- 
 tradiftory to this, 1 affirm they are perjured men in law/ 
 And looking upon the jury, faid, ' You are Englifhmen, 
 mind your privilege; give not away your right.' To 
 which E. BuQiel, one of them returned, *^Nor will we 
 ever do it/ Another of the jurymen pleaded indifpositioa 
 of body, and therefore defired to be difmilTed ; but the 
 lord mayor faid, * You are as flrong as any of them ; 
 (larve then, and hold your principles.' To which the 
 recorder added, ' Gentlemen, you muft be content with 
 your hard fate -, let your patience overcome it ; for the 
 court is refolved to have a verdidl:, and that before you 
 can be difmiffed.* And: though the jurymen faid, we are 
 agreed, we are agreed, we are agreed, yet the court fwore 
 feveral perfons, to keep the jury all night, , without meat, 
 drink, fire, or any other accommodation ; nay, they had 
 not fo much as a chamber-pot, though defired. Thus 
 force and violence prevailed. The next day, though it 
 was the first of the week, vulgarly called Sunday, the 
 cdurt fat again ; and the prifoners being brought to the 
 bar, the jury were called in, and their foreman was aiked, 
 * Is William Penn guilty of the matter whereof he (lands 
 
 y 
 
26S 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THt 
 
 [1670 
 
 indiftcd, in manner and form aforcfaid, or not guilty?' 
 To which he anfwered as before, ' William Penn is guiUy 
 of fpeaking in Gracechurch.ftreet.' The lord mayor then 
 aikine, ^to an unlawful affcmbly?' Edward Bufhel an- 
 fwered, 'No, my lord, we give no other verdia than what 
 we gave laft night; we have no other yerdift to give/ 
 ' You are,' returned the lord mayor, ' a faaious feUow : 
 I will take a courfe with you.' ' 1 havc,^ /^^^ Bulhel 
 * done according to my confcience:* This fo difpleakd 
 the mayor, that he faid, ' That confcience of yours would 
 cut my throat ; but I will cut yours fo foon as I can. J o 
 which the recorder added, ' He has infpired the jury ; 
 he has the fpirit of divination ; methinks I feel hrni : 1 will 
 have a pofitive verdia, or you fhall ftarve for it/ 
 
 Then W. Penn faid, ' I defire to^ailc the recorder one 
 queftion : do you allow of the verdicl given of W. Mead?' 
 to which the recorder anfwered, ' It cannot be a verdi^, 
 becaufe you are indiaed for a confpiracy ; and one bemg 
 found not guilty, and not the other, it cannot be a verdia. 
 This made Penn fav, ' K not guilty be not a verdia, then 
 vou make of the jury and Magna Charta but a mere nofe- 
 of=.wax.' * How r alked W. Mead then, ' Is not guihy no 
 verdia?' 'No,' faid the recorder, 'it is no verdia/ lo 
 which Penn replied, ' I affirm that the confent of a jury is 
 a verdia in law; and if W. Mead be not guilty, it confe- 
 Guently follows, that I am clear, fince you have inchaed 
 us of confpiracy, and I could not poffibly confpire alone. 
 After chis, the court fpoke to the jury, and caufed theni 
 to 20 up again, if poffible to extort another verdia from 
 them Ihen the jury being called, and aflced by the clerk, 
 ^What fay you? is William Penn guilty of the maner 
 whereof he ftands indiaed, in manner and form aforefaid, 
 or not guilty ? ' The foreman anfwered, ' Guilty of fpeaking 
 in Gracechurch-flreet.' To which the recorder returned, 
 ^ What is this to the purpofe ? I fay I will have a verdia. 
 And fpeaking to E. Bufliel, faid, 'You are a famous 
 fellow, I will fet a mark upon you ; and whilft I have any 
 thing to do in the city, 1 will have an eye upon you/ To 
 this the mayor added, ' Have you no more wit^than to be 
 led by fuch a pitiful fellow ? I will cut his nofe/ 
 
 1670] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^TAKEtlS. 
 
 269 
 
 Thus the court endeavoured to baffle the jury ; and 
 therefore it was not without very good reafon that W. 
 Penn faid, ' It is intolerable that my jury fhould be thus 
 menaced: is this according to the fundamental laws ? are 
 not they my proper judges by the great charter of Eng- 
 land ? what hope is there of ever having juftice done, 
 when juries are threatened, and their verdia is rejeaed ? I 
 am concerned to fpeak, and grieved to fee fuch arbitrary 
 proceedings. Did not the lieutenant of the Tower render 
 one of them worfe than a felon. And do you not plainly 
 fcek to condemn fuch for faaious fellows, w^ho anfwer not 
 your ends ? unhappy are thofe juries, who are threatened 
 to be fined, (tarved, and ruined, if they give not in their 
 verdias contrary to their confciences.* Thefe plain ex- 
 preffions fo troubled the recorder, that he faid to the lord 
 mayor, ' My lord, you muft take a courfe with this 
 fellow.* And then the mayor cried, 'Stop his mouth; 
 gaoler, bring fetters, and (lake him to the ground.' To 
 which W. Penn faid, ' Do your pleafure ; I matter not 
 your fetters.' The recorder then ventured to fay, ' Till 
 now I never undcrftood the reafon of the |X)licy and pru- 
 dence of the Spaniards, in fuiJering the inquifition among 
 ihera. And certainly it will never be well with us, till 
 fomething like the Spanifli inquifition be in England.' 
 The jury being required to find another verdia, and they 
 faying they could give no other, the recorder grew fo 
 angry, that he faid 'Gentlemen, we (hall not be at this pafs 
 always with you; you will find the next feflion of parliament 
 there will be a law made, that thofe that will not conform, 
 fliall not have the proteaion of the law. Your verdia is 
 nothing, you play upon the court. I fay, you fhall go 
 together, and bring in another verdia, or you fhall ftarve, 
 and I will have you carted about the city, as in Edward 
 the third's time.' 
 
 The jury refufing to give in another verdia, fince they 
 had all agreed to that which they had given, and fhewing 
 themfelves unwilling to go up again, the lord mayor bid 
 the (heriff to make them go. The flieriflF then coming off 
 his feat, faid 'Come, gentle'men, you muft go up; you 
 fee I am commanded to make you go.* Upon which the 
 
%T:> 
 
 THE HISTORY Of TH£ 
 
 [167CI 
 
 jury went*up, and feveral were fworn to keep them with- 
 out any accommodation as aforefaid, till they brought in 
 ihcir vcrdift: and the prifoners were remanded to New- 
 gate, where they remaining till next morning were then 
 brought to the court again : and being fet to the bar, and 
 the jury called, and alked, ^ Is William Penn guilty of the 
 matter whereof he (lands indifted in manner and form, &c. 
 or not guilty ?* the foreman anfwered, ' You have there 
 read in writing already our verdi6l, and our hands fub- 
 fcribcd/ Now the clerk, who had that paper, was by the 
 recorder flopped from reading it ; and it was faid by the 
 court, that paper was no verdi£l. Then the clerk alked, 
 *How fay you? Is WiUiam Penn guilty, &c. or not 
 guilty?* to \vbich the foreman anfwered, ^ Not guilty.* 
 The fame queftion being put concerning W. Mead, the 
 foreman anfwered likewife, ' Not guilty.' The jury then 
 being afked by the clerk, whether they faid fo all, they 
 jmfwered, 'Wedofo.* The bench ftill unfatisfi«d, com- 
 manded that every perfon (hould diftindly anfwer to their 
 names, and give in their verdi6l, which they unanimoully 
 did, in faying, not guilty. The recorder, who could not 
 bear this, faid, ' I am forry, gentlemen, you have followed 
 your own judgments and opinions, rather than the good 
 and wholefome advice which was given ycru. God keep 
 my life out of your hands : but for this the court fines you 
 forty marks a man, and imprifonment till paid.' 
 
 W. Penn then (lepping up towards the bench, faid, * I 
 demand my liberty, being freed by the jury.' * No/ faid 
 the lord mayor, *you are in for your fines.' 'Fines!' 
 returned Penn, * for what ?' ' for contempt of tlie court/ 
 faid the lord mayor. ' I alk,' replied Penn, * if it be ac- 
 cording to the fundamental laws of England, that any 
 Englifliman (hould be fined or amerced, but by the judg- 
 ment of his peers or jury ? fince it cxprefsly contradicts 
 the 14th and 29th chapters of the great charter of Eng- 
 land, which fay, no freeman ought to be amerced but by 
 the oath of good and lawful men of the vicinage.' Inftea4 
 of anfwering to this queftion, the recorder cried, ' take 
 him away, take him away ; take him out of the court/ 
 On which W. Penn faid, 'I can never urge the fuuT 
 
 1670] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 271 
 
 damental laws of England, but you cry, take him away, 
 take him away. But it is no wonder, fince the Spanifh 
 inquifition hath fo great a place in the recorder's heart. 
 God Almighty, who is jufl, will judge you for all thcfc 
 things.' W. Penn was not fufFered to fpeak any more, 
 but he and W.^ Mead were haled to the bail-dock, and 
 from thence fent to Newgate, and fo were their jury. 
 How they came at length to be freed, I do not know. 
 
 The trial was afterwal"ds publiflied in print more at large 
 than is fet down here, and an appendix. Subjoined to it ; in 
 \vhich are fliewed not only the invalidity of the evidence, 
 but a!fo of the abfurdity of the indiftment, and the illegal 
 proceedings of the court; and from the great charter, that 
 they had been dealt with contrary to law. The cafe of the 
 lord chief juftice Keeling is alfo mentioned, who having put 
 reftraints upon juries, a committee of parliament, the 1 ith 
 of December, 1667, came to this refolution, ^ That his 
 proceedings were innovations, in the trial of men for their 
 lives and liberties ; and that he had ufed an arbitrary and 
 illegal power, which was of dangerous confequcnce to the 
 lives and liberties of the people of England, and tended to 
 the introducing an arbitrary government. Moreover, that 
 in the place of judicature he had undervalued, vilified and 
 condemned Magna Gharta. And therefore, that he fhould 
 be brought to trial, in order to condign punifliment, in 
 fuch manner as the houfe fliall judge moft fit and requifite. 
 Two days after, viz. Die veneris^ the 13 th of December, 
 it was refolved, that the precedents and praftice of fining 
 9r imprifoning jurors for verdi£i:s is illegal. The book 
 containing the fore-mentioned trial of W. Penn and W* 
 Mead was reprinted 1 think more than once ; for it came 
 to be much in requeft, becaufe the liberties of the people 
 were therein well defended, and arbitrary power con- 
 tfouled. The title of it was. The People's Ancient and 
 Juft Liberties aflTerted; and underneath was added this 
 well known verfc of Juvenal, 
 
 Sic voloyfic jubeo ; Jlat pro raiione volw.tas. 
 
 This matter was more circuraftantially treated of in a 
 Vol. II. s 
 
 ftj 
 
 > "1 
 
t^^ 
 
 THl HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [167 
 
 1670] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 27$ 
 
 book in print, by Thomas Rudyard a \^^VJ^rMf fhcwed 
 therein ai large the right of juries, anJ the unlawfutnefs 
 of the proceedings then in vogue; which he made appear 
 plainly; both from law, and by citations from the books ot 
 cmim'nt lawyers. And having fomeiimes vigorouQy pleaded 
 the caiifeof the opprcffcd, h. alfo became the objeft of 
 perfecting fury, which could not endure his faithful de- 
 fending of the innocent. And therefore this fummer the 
 magiilraies of London iffued out a warrant to break open 
 bis houfe in the de.d of the night, in order to apprehend 
 him ; and th's warrant was executed by the foldiers of one 
 captain Holford ; and the next day he was fent to New- 
 aL by a miitimns under the hands and feals of the lord 
 ^ayor Samuel Starling,^ William Pe^.k, Robert Hanfon, 
 and fcveral others, under pretence, tha: he ft.rred up per- 
 fons to difobedience of the l.iws, and abetted and encou- 
 raged fuch r.9 met in unlawful and fediiious conyemicles-, 
 contrary to the late aft. F.ut his cafe being brought before 
 the Hiftices of the court of Common Pleas, at \\ cftmmlter, 
 by an habeas corpus, that court, after folemn debate, gave 
 their iiidgment, that Thoir.as Rudyr^rd was unjuftly ij^ipri- 
 foned, and unjuftly detained. And fo he was fet at 
 liberty. But the lerd mayor Samuel Starling fretting at 
 this difcharge, found out new ftratagems to com pais his 
 ends upon him. For an indiftment was formed againit hiin 
 for having hindered due courfe of law againft one Samuel 
 AUingbridge. But Rudyard fo well defended himfelf, 
 that he was acquitted ; xvhich fo incenfed the lord mayor, 
 that not long after he was again committed to Newgate, 
 on a religious account, viz. for having been in the meeimg 
 at Whitehart-court in Gracechurch-areet, 1 he proceed- 
 iiias againft him and others on that account were no lei. 
 arbitrary than thofe againft W. Penn and W, Mead 
 already mentioned, and therefore Rudyard expofed his 
 and their trials in piint; and feeing he underftood the 
 law, he was the more able to (hew the iinjuftnefs ot thete 
 proceedings, and how inconfiftent fuch profecutions were 
 wiih the Jaws of the land. 
 
 But to avoid prolixity, I (hall relate but little of them, 
 fincc many things occur therein, which have been men^ . 
 
 lioned already in other cafes. How the recorder Howel 
 was inclined in refpeft to religion, may be deduced from 
 ■what hath been faid already of his panegyrick upon the 
 Spanifh inquifition. And to Rudyard and his felJow-pri- 
 foners he gave no obfcure evidence what religion he pre- 
 ferred ; for they faying, that they were always quiet and 
 peaceable in their affemblies, and that the laws againft 
 riots were never intended againft them, but popifli, or fuch 
 like difturbers of the peace. The recorder returned, that 
 the Papifts were better fubjefts to the king, than they 
 were; and that they were' a ftubborn and dangerous 
 people, and muft either be brought under, or there was 
 no fafe living by them. The prifoners offering to vindicate 
 ihemfelves from thefe odious and foul afperfions, were not 
 Aiffered to fay any thing in their own defence ; but inftead 
 of hearing them, they were by order of the lord mayor 
 and the recorder thruft into the bail-dock, and treated 
 almoft at the fome rate as W. Penn and.VV. Mead had 
 been before. 
 
 But violence prevailed now ; and the recorder, becaufe 
 of his outrageous behaviour againft the Quakers, was fo 
 much in favour of the court of juftice, that alderman Jo. 
 Robinfon did not ftick to tell them, that the recorder 
 deferved an hundred pounds for his fervice done at the Old 
 Bailey the laft feffions. And his propofal io took, that the 
 court confented to pay him for the faid fervice an hundred 
 pounds by the chamberlain of London. And fince this 
 was fo well known to T. Rudyard, that in a book he pub- 
 lifted, he named the date of the faid order, viz. the 8th 
 of Oftober, 1670: and that other orders had been given 
 for two hundred pounds more to him, within eight months 
 laft paft; he, to reprehend fuch doings in a fatirical way, 
 called them, ' an excellent way to eafe the treafurv of 
 being over-burthened with orphans' money,* by which 
 finifter ends, and difpofitions of its cafli, the chamber was 
 fo deeply in debt, that it was almoft incredible. 
 
 Now, fince Rudyard as a lawyer, had a more full know- 
 ledge^ of thefe unlawful proceedings againft him and hi? 
 friends, than many others^ he com.pofed a treatife ef thofc 
 prof«cutions, which he called the Seccnd 'Part of the 
 
 &2 
 
 J 
 
 f 
 
«74 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE [»^7^ 
 
 peoples' ancient and juft liberties affcrted. And true 
 lovers of their country were pleafed with it: for that party 
 which countenanced popery, and therefore endeavoured 
 to violate the people's rights, ftrove to get the upper 
 
 hand. , 
 
 Perfecution was now very hot and fierce all over the 
 country, becaufe a door was opened for all bale and 
 wicked fellows to get booty by irvforming ; for by the aft 
 againft meetings, (which, though religious, were branded 
 with the name of fediticus), the informer was to have a 
 third part of the impofed fine. This fet on many vile 
 perfons, and among thefe fometimes thieves and infamous- 
 fellows, to render any comings together of Quakers, though 
 it. was but a vifit or a burial, the name of a meeting, and 
 to fwear that a meeting had been kept there. Nay^ 
 fometimes they fwore only by gucfs, that in fuch a place 
 a meeting had been kept, though the witneffes had not 
 feen it, as was requifite by law. And this inf9rming came 
 fo much in vouge, that fome magiftrates diemfelves turned 
 
 informers. 
 
 Sliiid non mortalia peEiora cogh 
 
 > Auri facra fames ! * 
 I might write a large volume of thefe abominable deed's^ 
 if 1 could find leifure for it ; yet now and then I will: 
 mention a few inftances, by which the reader may make a 
 con'iefture of the reft. 
 
 this year at Alford in Somerfetfliire, m- the month' 
 called Augufl, the corpfe of one Samuel Clothier was buried, 
 and though in the burying-phce all were filent, yet the 
 juftice, Robert Hunt, fined fome that had been at the 
 burial, for having aififted at this pretended meeting- 
 
 In Nottingham it happened in the latter end of this ycar^ 
 that the juftice, Pennifton Whaley, who had fined many 
 of ihofe called Quakers, for frequenting their religious^ 
 meetings, encouraged the people at the feffions to pcric- 
 cute the Quakers without any pity, laying to them, 
 ^Harden your hearts againft them ; for the aft of the 
 35th of queen Elizabeth, is not made againft the Papilts, 
 
 * What >.;U jot the cursed cwins after i^xn Indu^ the humau xmla d to ur.dertak^ 
 
 i67o] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 275 
 
 fmce the church of Rome is a true church, as well as any 
 other church; but thefe Quakers are erroneous and fe- 
 ditious perfons.' By thefe words one may eafily judge 
 to what religion this juftice of peace was inclined ; but 
 fuch diifemblers feigned to be Protdtants, that fo they 
 might bear honournble oftices. 1 pafs by unmentioned 
 many perfons, who by beating, pufhing, and trampling, 
 were grievoufly abufed in their meetings, to that degree, 
 that fome not long furvived the violence committed oa' 
 them, and felt the painfulncfs or fmart of it till death. 
 
 This year about midfummer, Thomas Bud deceafed at 
 Ivelchcft'er in Somerfetlhire, after having been prifoner 
 about eight years and a half, becaufe for confcience-fake 
 he could not fwear. Some hours before his death, he 
 was heard to fay, that he had renewed his covenant with 
 Cod, and was well fatisfied in it ; and that he believed 
 God would fufbin him by the right hand of his jliftice ; 
 and that he rejoiced and raanked God that all his children 
 walked in the way of the Lord. 
 
 At Warborough in Oxfordfhire, thofe called Quakers 
 were alfo moft grievoufly abufed in their religious meetings, 
 and even aged women not fpared ; which often caufed the 
 cry of innocent children to go up to heaven, when they 
 fiw their mothers thus ill treated. For magiftrates them- 
 felves to ]?reak their canes to pieces on thofe that were met 
 together, was but an ordintuy thing ; and then fometimes 
 other fticks were made ufe of: often alfo women were 
 ftripped of their upper garments; and this accompanied 
 with the fpoil of goods. That the perfecutors were thus 
 enraged was not ftrange, when we ccnfider that fome 
 were ftirred up to it by their teachers; an inftance of which 
 wa« given by Robert Pricft of the fame place, who once 
 faid in his fermon, that the king's laws, though they wxrc 
 contrary to the law of God, yet ought to be obeyed. 
 Qtiite oiherwife was the doftrine of the apoftle Peter and 
 John, when they faid to the Jewifli council, ' ludge yc 
 v»'h ether it be right in the fight of God, to hearken unto 
 you more than unto God.' 
 
 In Northamptonfhire, where perfecution was alfo very 
 hot; the bilhop of Peterborough faid publickly in the 
 
 S3'' 
 
S76 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1673^ 
 
 ftecplc-houfc, after he had commanded the officers to put 
 in execution the lad aa againft feditious meetings, ' Againft 
 all fanaticks it hath done its bufinefs, except the qiiakers ; 
 but when the parliament fits again, a (Ironger law will be 
 made, not only to take away their lands and goods, but 
 alfo to fell them for bond Haves.' Thus the churchmen blew 
 the fire of perfecution. • ^ , , . 
 
 At York alfo, the fpoiling of goods was fiercely driven 
 on by alderman Richardlon; and even boys and girls, that 
 were under fixteen years of age, and therefore not fubjeft 
 to the penalty of the law, were fined ; and when the con- 
 ftables fhcwed themfelves unwilling to affilt in the robbery, 
 they were fuarled at, and one perfecuted for not perform- 
 in^ his duty, becaufe he had refufed to take away a man's 
 cloak. But if I fliould mention the ill ufage committed 
 in all counties and places, when fhould I come to a con- 
 
 clufion ! . , t T i_ 1 
 
 Thomas Green; a grave man, with whom 1 have been 
 
 very familiarly acquainted, being in prayer at a meeting at 
 
 Sabridgworth in Hertfordfhirc, was pulled off his knees, 
 
 and dragged out ; and being brought before the juftices 
 
 Robert Joflin and Humphrey Gore, they fined him twenty 
 
 pounds, for fpeaking or preaching at the faid meeting j 
 
 and granted a warrant to John Smith and Paul Tomfon, 
 
 conftables, to diftrain ; upon which they went into the faid 
 
 Thomas Green's fhop in Royfton, and took away as much 
 
 coods as were worth fifty pounds. But this did not quench 
 
 his zeal ; for like a true and faithful paftor he continued 
 
 to feed the flock, and to edify the church with his gift : , 
 
 in which he was ^ery ferviceable. 
 
 At another time, the juftices Peter Soames and Ihoraas 
 Mead, gave a warrant to diftrain twenty pounds worth of 
 goods from the faid Thomas Green, for preaching at a 
 meeting at Upper ChilTel in Effex. And the officers going 
 to Thomas Green's ihop, took all they could get, leaving 
 noLhing in the (hop but a fkein of thread, which was fallen 
 on the ground, and not obferved by them. 
 
 Theophilus Green fuffered alfo great fpoil of goods: 
 for having preached in a meeting atKingfton-upon-Thames, 
 be was put into the Uocks for forae hours, ^nd tinea 
 
 1670] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* 
 
 S77 
 
 twenty pounds. And having preached the tlirec next 
 firft-days of the week at Wandfvvorth, was for each fined 
 at the fame riite. 
 
 The week following:, be-iig at Oxbridge; and vifiting 
 foine poor children of his friends, whofc father and mother 
 died {hjrtly one after another, he took two of them as ' 
 his own, and looked after the difpofing of the reft. And 
 flaying there till theFirft-day of the week, he went to the 
 'meeting, and exhorted his friends to keep their meetings 
 in thc^name of Jefus: at the fpeaking of which words 
 the conftiible and informer came in, and carried him away 
 to juftice Ralph HAWtrcy, who fined him twenty pounds, 
 and fent him prifoner to Newgate in London, with a 
 mittimus ; wherein he charged him, that he had exhorted 
 the people to Iccp their meetings in the name of Jefus, 
 notwithftan'Sing the laws of men to the contrary. Warrants 
 being iffucd forth to make dillrcfs for the above mentioned 
 fines, which amounted to one hundred pounds, five fliiUings, 
 they came and opened His doors, and took away all his goods 
 they found, leaving him neither bed nor ftooL And after 
 he had been kept prifoner three months, he with feven 
 more was brouglu to tlic f;.liion's--hcufe at Hicks's-hall, and 
 the, oaths of allegiance and fupremacy were tendered to 
 them. To which his plea was, * As an Engliiliman, T 
 ought either to be acqnirtcd or condemned, for the caufe 
 for which I was committed, before I (hould anfwer to any 
 other matter or caufe. Bcfides, I look upon myfelf to be 
 illegally committed, as beiiig fined and committed for the 
 fam.e fa^.' But tliey told liini, he muft anfwer whether he 
 would fwear or no, and then he fliould be heard. But 
 continuing to rcfufe fwcaring, he was remanded to prifon 
 with the reft; and afterw^iuds being fent for again, and 
 ftiil unwilling to break Chi ift's command, not to fwear 
 at all, the fentence of premunire was read againft him and 
 his fellow-prifoners, and fo they continued in gaol above 
 two years,' till they were difchargcd by an aft of grace 
 rro'Ti t ^^ e k'ncr 
 
 The meetings of thofe called Quakers were miferably 
 diftuibed in Horilydown in the county of Surry. On the 
 25th of September fcveral mulketeers came into the meet. 
 
 s 4. 
 
 • t 
 
tji 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [167© 
 
 1670] 
 
 PEOPLE CALI^ED <^AKERS, 
 
 279 
 
 ing houfe, and ha ing thofe that were met together iti the 
 ftrcec, the troopers came riding amongil them, and bear 
 and abufcd them violently, pufhing them with their carbines, 
 which the others did with the but-cnds of their mulkets, 
 to that degree, that above twenty perfons were wounded 
 and forely bruifed ; nay, fo defpcrately wicked were thefe 
 mifchievous fellows, that a party of horfe fought to ride 
 over thefe harmlefs people ; but the horfes, more merciful 
 than their riders, and not going forward, they turned them, 
 and by curbing and reigning them backward, ftrove to do 
 what mifchief they could. On the 2d of Oaober thefe 
 peaceable people being kept out of their meeting-place, 
 there came a party of foot, and a party of horfe, and abufed 
 them no lefs violently than the week before ; infomuch 
 that with beating and knocking they broke feveral of their 
 inufkets ana pikes, and one carbine, and above thirty 
 perfons were fo forely wounded and bruifed, that their 
 blood was fpilt in the llreets. 
 
 On the 9th of the faid month the foldiers, both horfe 
 and foot, came again to the meeting at the aforefaid place, 
 and one of them having a fhovel, threw the dirt and mire 
 from the channels, on both men and women ; and after 
 him the horfe and foot came, and fell upon them, ftriking 
 and knocking down, without refpeft to age or fex, until 
 they drew blood from many; and when fome of the 
 inhabitants in pity took them into their houfes, and 
 faved their lives, the foldiers forced open the door, and 
 haled them into the ftreet again, and plucked off their 
 hats, that they might ftrike on their bare heads ; info- 
 much that many had their heads grievoully broken. Some 
 troopers alfo tore the women's clothes off their backs, 
 and haled them through the mire by their horfe fides ; 
 and fome of the foot foldiers put their hands in a mod 
 Ihameful manner under the women's coats : nay, a foldier 
 twice ftruck a woman, that was big with child, with his , 
 muflvet on the belly, and once on the breaft, whilft another 
 flung dirt in her face; fo that (he mifcarried. And 
 abcr/e fifty perfons were this day forely wounded and 
 bruifed. The i6th of the faid month thefe confcientious 
 people meeting again to perform their worfbip to God, 4 
 
 great party of horfe and foot came, and fell to beating 
 them fo violently, as if they would have killed all on the 
 fpot; fo that the blood ran down about the- ears of many; 
 and one of the conftables endeavouring to Hop the wicked 
 crew from (hedding more blood, they fell upon him alfa 
 ^nd broke his heaJ ; and when they were rebuked for 
 their cruel dealing, fome faid, ' If you knew what orders 
 we have, you would fay we dealt mercifully with you/ 
 And being afked, * How can you deal thus with a people 
 that make no refiftance nor oppofirion ; ' they anfwered, 
 * We had rather, and it would be better for us, if you 
 did refill and oppofe.' For which it appeared plainly, 
 that this mifchief was done to provoke oppofition, that fo 
 they might have imbrued their hands in the blood of thefe 
 fufferers, and fo have had their lives and goods for a prey. 
 It was therefore thought convenient to acquaint the king 
 and his council with this barbarous cruelty ; which had 
 fuch effe<5i:, that fome flop was made to dief^ exceflivc 
 cruelties, though their abufes did not altogether ccafe. 
 
 About this time it happened that Solomon Eccles came 
 to Cork in Ireland, and went into the cathedral, where 
 the prieft, Benjamin Crofs, preached in a furplice ; • and 
 having formerly been a Presbyterian preacher in Dorfetfhire 
 in England, had there faid, th^t he had rather go to a ftakc 
 and be burned, than to, put on a furplice. This prieft (now 
 become a turn-coat for gain), having finifhed his fermon, 
 and concluded with a prayer, Solomon Eccles faid, that 
 the prayer of the wicked was an abomination to the Lord, 
 And knowing the deceitfulnefs of the faid prieft, and his 
 being an apoftate, he added, ' What fhall be done to the 
 man that makes ftiipwreck of a good confcience ?' For 
 this he was taken, and by the mayor committed to prifou, 
 where being kept ten days, he was accufed as a vagabond, 
 and without any examination, whipped along the ftreets of 
 Cork, from North-Gate to South-Gate, and received about 
 ninety ftripes, and then was expelled. We have fecn 
 heretofore inftances of his great zeal ; and though in ibmc 
 refpeft he might by it have been tranfported a little too far, 
 yet he gave proofs of a fincere heart; for having faid fome 
 years after to one John Story (who launched out imo 
 
l8o THE HISTORY 01- THE ^1670 
 
 • 
 
 great hau^htincfs and arrogancy) that it was the word of 
 the Lord that he fhoulJ die that yeir, (wbicli by fome- 
 body to fctadofs upon it,v;as interpreted to be meant of the 
 fpiritual death), yet Eccles himfelf faid afterward.-:, both at 
 London and Brillol, and elfewherej that he had n >r fr jkrn 
 this according ro ihe counfel of the Lord ; b' t that it had 
 been in his own will, and from a forward mind ; and that 
 he had felt the: anger of the Ixrd, bccaufc he hiid called 
 thefe his own words the word of the Lord 5 which he 
 really repented of* 
 
 In the beginning of the year 1671, G. Fox wa«; at 
 London, and thou'>h bv rtafon of a hjavy fickntfs, of 
 which he began to recover, he continned iltU weaK, yet 
 he did not omit preaching ; and abtiit this time he made 
 the following prayer to the Lord, which he put in writing : 
 
 ' O Lord God Ahrighcy ! profper Truth, and prcfervc 
 juftice and equicy in the land, and bring down all injuflicc 
 and iniquity, oppreflion and folfehood, and cruelty, and 
 unmercifulnefs in the land, that mercy and righteoufiicfs 
 may flourifli. 
 
 * And, O Lord God ! eftablifli and fet up verity, and 
 prefervc it in the land : and bring down in the land all 
 debauchery, and vie?, and whoredoms, and fornication ; 
 and this raping fpirit, which cauferh and Itadeth people 
 to have no tfcecm of thee, O God! nor their fouls or 
 bodies, nor of Chriftianity, modcfty, or humanity. 
 
 * And, O lord! put it in the magiftrates hearts, to 
 bring down all ihis ungodlinefs, and violence, and cruelty, 
 profanenefs, curfing and fvvearing : and to put down all 
 ihefe whore-houfes and play-houfes, which do corrupt 
 youth and peoplv, and lead them from the kingdom of God, 
 where no unclean th-ng can enter, neither fhall come ; but 
 fuch works lead people to hell. And the Lord in mercy 
 bring down all theie things in the nation to (top thy wraih,^ 
 O God, from coming on tb^ land. 
 
 Thii Prayer was writ the 17th Day, at Night, 
 oitKc 2d Month, 1671. 
 
 * G. Fo:i,^ 
 
 1671] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS, 
 
 281 
 
 G. Fox thinking his w^ife now at liberty, underftood 
 that her enemies, notvvithftanding the king's order to re- 
 leafe her, had found means to hold her ftill in prifon. 
 Therefore he did not give himfelf reft, till by the help of 
 others he obtained from the king a difcharge under the 
 great feal, to clear both her and her eftate, after fhe had 
 been ten years a prifoner^ and premunired. This royal 
 order he fent forthwith down to her, and thus fhe was fet 
 at liberty. 
 
 Now fince the heat of perfecution began to cool, he felt 
 himfelf inclined to make a voyage to America, to vifit his 
 friends there. Of this his intention he gave notice to his 
 wife by a letter, and defired her to come ujr to London ; 
 which Ihe did accordingly. And he having taken leave of 
 her, fet fail in the latter part of the fummer towards Ame- 
 rica, with feveral of his friends that accompanied him. 
 
 Now whilll I leave him on fliip-board, I cannot forbear 
 to mention, that this year at London came forth a witty 
 pamphlet with this title. An eafy Way to get Money cum 
 Friyilegio, without fear or cumber, printed for the fociety 
 of informers. This book contained a fatirical rebuke to 
 ihe informers, and began thus : ' To all you that can 
 work, and will not ; and to all thofe that through other 
 ways of extravagancy have brought yourfelves into debt, 
 neceffity, or other wants, (for your fpeedy fupply and 
 future fupport,) there is ah opportunity put into your 
 hands, that is both fafe, profitable, and honourable. It 
 is to be informers.' 
 
 Next the author fiid, « That it was an eafy way, fince it 
 'was no more than to fcek out where there were in any houfe, 
 barn, ftable, or backfidc, five perfons befides thofe of the 
 family ; though ihey fpole never a word. If you do but 
 fwear it (thus he continued) to be a conventicle, then it is a 
 conventicle. It is no matter if there were never a thought 
 in their hearts as to plotting or contriving infurrc^ions ; (for 
 which the law was made) they being there, it is fufficicnt 
 to have them fined five (hillings a piece the firft time, and 
 twenty pounds for the houfe : and for the fecond time tea 
 ftiillings a piece ; and if the juftices be not well advifed, 
 it may be for the fecond time for^the houfe you may gee 
 
tit 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1671 
 
 twenty pounds more, although the afi: doth not grant it. 
 And of all this it is faid, the thirds is yours : this you may 
 cafily have; for the jufticcs are afraid of your povvcrr, fincc 
 you have them under your lee ; fo they will nut much 
 queftion you, left they be counted fanaticks ; and they 
 know that if they do not pleafe your wills, your power is 
 fuch, that you may recover fifty pounds for your parts, by 
 a£lion, fuit, bill, or plea, in any of his majefly's courts at 
 Weftminfter, wherein no tflbine, proteflion, or wager of 
 law fliall lie. Can your hearts defire more? who will not 
 be informers ? that muft have all claufes conftrued moft 
 largely ^nd beneficially to their juftification and encou- 
 ragement!* 
 
 As to the profitablencfs, the author faid, * Befides the 
 twenty pounds and ten (hillings a piece for meeting, if you 
 can but tempt any by your queftions, or other provoca- 
 tions, to fpeak but a word to anfwer you, it will ferve to 
 make him a preacher, and then for the firft time there h 
 twenty pounds, and for the fecond forty pounds. It is no 
 matter what is Ipoke, or to what concern ; if you fwear 
 you did hear fuch an one fpeak, it is enough to make him 
 a preacher. And as to the inability, there is no dr nger 
 that you (hould fail flion of your falary ; for you can by 
 your power make void that old proverb, Where it is not 
 to be had, the king mufl lofe h's right. But your prero- 
 gative is fuch, that if the offender hath it not, you can 
 command your fcrvants to levy it on any other that is not 
 an offender in that nature, provided he be there, other- 
 wife an appeal will be granted.* 
 
 At this rate the author treated the matter, taking out of 
 the way all difficulties and fcruples which any might have 
 objefted ; and thougii he did this mollly in a buriefque 
 way, yet what he faid v.as fo firm and Itrenuous, that he 
 gave proofs of being a man of underllanding, and of a 
 great wit; for though in an ingenious way he (hewed the 
 abominablenefs of this informing trade, yet he propofed it 
 fafe every way: and if any might tell them they were 
 knights of the pod; yet however the thing fell out, it was 
 never attended with lofs, but always with a certain gain ; 
 fincc ia the profccutrun nothing could be obje<fledj but 
 
 1671] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 283 
 
 what might be eafily quaihed, and the oppofers thus fruf- 
 trated. ' And when to all thefe infallible profits was 
 added the honourablenefs of the office, what could one 
 defire more ? for was it not honourable indeed to command 
 both raagiftrates and military officers, to follow the in- 
 formers where they will ? and to obtain this office, one 
 needed not to be at great co(l to purchafe it, nor to break 
 his pate with (ludying ; fince at the very firft conventicle 
 they entered, they might commence dolors.' But of what 
 religion or profcilion thefe informers (hould be, the author 
 himfelf feemed not to know: * They mufl be no jews,* 
 faid he, ' for thefe were not to covet their neighbours' ox, 
 nor afs, nor any thing that was their neighbours ; neither 
 Ihould they be geiitiles, for they had confcience accufing, 
 and did by natare the things contained in the law, having 
 the law writ in their hearts. And Chriftians they could 
 be by no means ; for they fay they forfake the devil and 
 all his works, and all the lufts of the flefii, and not tp hurt 
 any by word nor deed, which is lefs than by fwearing,* 
 f the common faft of the informers.] To conclude, the 
 author faid : * for any into whofe hands thi? may come, 
 if they fear any danger in it, they ought not to conceal it, 
 but to bring it before fome juftice, or the chief magiftrate 
 of the place, with an account how they came by it, and 
 then they are innocent : then if it cannot clear itfelf, let it 
 lie in prifon till it peri(h.* 
 
 Now I return to George Fox, whom we left in the fhip 
 going to America. During his voyage he fuffered much 
 in his body ; for the many hurts and bruifes he had for- 
 merly received, and the griefs and infirmities he had con- 
 tra fted in England by cold, and hardfhips, and long im- 
 prifonments,^ returned upon him now he came to fea, and 
 caufed great pain. And after having been fcven weeks 
 and fome odd days at fea, he, with his fellow-travellers, 
 came fafe to the ifland of Barbadoes. His occurrences 
 there he hath defcribed at large in his journah Many of 
 the great ones, efpecially the governor, fliewed him much 
 kindnefs. And after he had edified his friends there on 
 many occafions, and exhorted them to the maintaining of 
 good order, both in things relating to the church, and in 
 
a84 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1674 
 
 1673] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 285 
 
 the governing of iheir blacks ; he now, being leftored to 
 health again, departed the ifland after a (lay of three 
 months, and fet fail for Jamaica, where he had not been 
 long, but Elizabeth Hooton, feveral times mentioned in 
 this work, departed this life, having been well the day be- 
 fore fhe died ; and thus (he finiflied her days in a good 
 frame of mind. After he had been there about feven 
 weeks, he performed his fervice to his fatisfai^ion. 
 
 In the beginning of the year 1672 he took (hipping for* 
 Maryland, where being come, he with thofe with him tra* 
 \clled through woods and* wilderneffes, over bogs and 
 great rivers, to New-England. By the way he had fome^ 
 times opportunity to fpeak to the Indians and their kings ; 
 and at other times he met with fingular cafes, all which, 
 for brevity's fake, I pafs by in filence. He went alfo 
 to the town formerly called New Amfterdam, which 
 name is now changed into that of New-York. Here he 
 lodged at the governor's houfe, and had alfo a meeting 
 there. From thence he returned again to Maryland, and 
 came alfo into Virginia, and Carolina, and thus fpent 
 above a year travelling to and fro in America. 
 
 Whilll he was there, England and France were entered 
 into war againft Holland. Now though I have yet in 
 frefh remembrance thofe Aid times, and in what a won- 
 derful manner it pleafed the Lord to fave our country 
 from being quite overrun and fubdued, yet I fhall not 
 mention thofe things, fmce they are at large fet down by 
 other writers. Yei tranfiently I will give a touch of the 
 remarkable exaltation of William III. prince of Orange, 
 and afterwards king of Great Britain. 
 
 I have already f^iid in its due place, how it was endeai- 
 voured to exclude him by the perpetual edia from ever being 
 ftadtholder or deputy. But how ftrong foever this cdi6t 
 was fworn to, yet heaven brought it to nought, and broke 
 the ties of it by the refufe of the nation : for women, and 
 many others of the mob, lorced the magiftrates, when the 
 French were come into the province of Utrecht, and all 
 feemcd to run irto confufion, to break their oaths, and to 
 reftorc that young and magnanimous prince to the honour 
 and dignity of hi$ renowned aiiceftors. The miferable f4t^ 
 
 of the tw^ br< thren, John and Cornelius de Wit, who had 
 been chief inflruments in making the fajd perpetual edi<^, 
 and were killtd and butchered in a moft abominable man- 
 ner by the inhabitants of the Hague, was not without 
 good reafon difapproved by many grave and ferious people. 
 It is true, it was a great miftake that they a6^ed fo, that 
 they feemcd to fet limits to the Ahnighry ; though I do 
 not believe their intent was fuch, but rather that what 
 they did in making void the ftadtholderfhip, they judged 
 conducive to the benefit of their country. After they 
 were murdered, ihe widow of Cornelius de Wit feemed to 
 have a firm belief that they were entered into everlafting 
 glory: for though for fome time after their death fhe was 
 under a great concern, confidcring how on a fudden, and 
 at unawares, ihey were hurried out of this life ; yet at 
 length, early in the morning, either in a dream or in a 
 vifion, (lie beheld them both in a cloud in a glorious form, 
 with hands lifted up, and clothed with pure white raiment. 
 By this fight all her former folicitude and fear was taken 
 from her, and (he was fully fatisfied concerning their 
 eternal well-being. I have this relation from feveral cre- 
 dible pcrfons, who faid they had it from her own mouth; 
 and they all agreed in the material circumftances. 
 
 InEngl.md, wh^re it was ohferved that perfecution for 
 religion, during the war, could not but be prejudicial to 
 thepublick, the king pubfiihed a declaration, whereby the 
 execution of the penal laws was fufpended. But fince the 
 Papifts, againft whom the moft of thefe laws had been 
 made, thus got liberty to enter into offices of truft, many 
 of the people grev/ jealous on this account ; infomuch 
 that the parliament in the year 1673, fhewed their diflike 
 to the king, telling him, that the penal ftatutes about ec- 
 clefiaftical matiers could not be fufpended but by an aft 
 of parliament. The king wanting money to continue the 
 war, yielded fomewhac to parliament, in refpeft to th« 
 popilh priefts and jcfuirs, c.mr-nting th,it the laws againft 
 them fhou'd continue in force. , , 
 
 Thisfummer G. Fox rcinrned to England, and arrived 
 at Briftol, of Vvhich he gave nofice to his wife by a letter ;. 
 and ihe delayed ngt to go :o him ; with her came alfo her 
 
 / 
 
tS6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [^673 
 
 fon-in-law Thomas Lower, and two of her daughters : her 
 other fon-in-law John Roufe, accompanied by William 
 Penn, &c. came alfo from London ; and fmce at that time 
 there was a fair at Briftol, many of his friends came 
 thither from other parts of the country, and fo were at a 
 great meeting he had there, in which he preached con- 
 cerning the three chief teachers, viz. * That God was the 
 firft telcher of man and woman in paradife ; and that as 
 long as they kept to God s teaching, they kept in the 
 image cf God, and in righteoufnefs, holinefs, and domi^ 
 nion over all that God hath made: but when they heark- 
 ened to the falfe teaching of the ferpent, who was out of 
 truth, and fo difobeyed God, they loll the image of God, 
 to wit, rightcoulnefs and holinefs ; and fo coming under 
 the power of fatan, were turned out of paradife. Thai 
 this ferpent was the fecond teacher, and that man following 
 his teaching, came into mifcry, and into the fall. And 
 that Chriil Jcfus was the third teacher, of whom God faid, 
 " This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleafed, hear 
 ye him :'* and that this fon himfelf faid, " Learn of me :" 
 that he was the true gofpel teacher, that never fell, and 
 therefore was to be heard in all things, fince he was the 
 Saviour and the Redeemer, and having laid down his life, 
 had bought his Iheep with his precious blood. Of this he 
 treated at large in the faid meeting. After fome flay at 
 Briftol, he went to Gloucefterlhrre ; and going from thence 
 to Oxfordfhire, he came at length to London, where per- 
 fecution being not fo hot now as formerly, the Baptifts 
 and Socinians were very aftive in blackening the Quakers, 
 by publifliing feveral books againft them, in which they 
 averred that the Quakers were no Chriftians. But thefe 
 malicious books were not left unanfwered, nor the falfe- 
 hoods contained in them. 
 
 After G. Fox had been fome time at London, he went 
 with his wife and Thomas Lower to Worcefter ; and when 
 he fignified to her that it was like a prifon would be his 
 Ihare', (he feemcd not without reafon grieved at it. And 
 not long after had a meeting at Armfcot in Tredingtoa 
 parife, after the meeting was ended, he, with Thomas 
 Lower fitting in the parlour, and difcourfing with fome 
 
 ^^7il FE01»1E CALLED QPAKfiRS. 
 
 287 
 
 friends, they both were under pretence of having kenr 
 great meetmgs that mighf be prejudicial to the p^ublS 
 KVaol'" •^y "^"^y P-ker,luflice, and fent to^ Wor^ 
 cefter gaol, on the ,7th of December, and his wife whh 
 
 Sr.?"\^'';u'''"'*"'^ '°^^ ^he north ; and by that Se 
 
 wici.ord. He alfo writ a letter to the lord Windfor who 
 was heutenant of Worceftcrfhire, and other SraTes^ 
 
 he'hSl't' "e r? ^'^" '' '.'^ imprifonLnrf d S 
 he had ?nl K r h ^?,^"^^^^'^?> but in a houfc where 
 to ha^l^^L^^^^^^^^^ ^'f^ %^^fied, th.t he intended 
 
 Lped %t C Tt"^ ^'T ^^'^'^ ^'' ^'^ ^^^ been 
 Wn! ,^"^^^^o."'d not thus obtaii, his h'bcrty • yet 
 
 Wher' tT ""'^"u ^''' g^^ f^^^ ^f h^ would fcr S 
 brother Dr Lower, being one of the kind's nhvficiinr 
 
 SmC""' ""r' n" ^^^"^'^-- of "the iibl'^bed^ 
 chamber to write to the faid lord Windfor to releafe 
 fhomas Lower : but his love to his father-in-law gFoT 
 was fuch, that he kept the faid letter by him unfent and 
 fo they were both continued prifoners. ^^^"'^"^'^^' ^^^ 
 
 to irS^^^ P^'^-' I-^-n once more 
 
 ^ade al ea?v^^^^^^ K ' ^'^^"^^?^^°^i°« bath been oftea 
 
 iTmfdfiSd up" o'jo\:^ rote\^" ^'^'^ ri^ f^'^ 
 
 formerly h^en :. L« ^ ^^^^ Lambert, who having 
 
 JJl ^ c ]^ g^''^''^'' ^^' "°w> as hath been faid in due 
 not f^rTo^^^^^^ perpetual impnfonment, in a h'tle ifland 
 
 over anSThn r^^^^ T^'*^'^ ^'^^"^ Halhead paffed 
 over, and though he found there a ftron? auard of fr>I 
 
 n^^ !,'• ur .' "'end, 's thy name John Lambert?* 
 
 , Ir ^Thir^''' t"^"^T^' 'Yea:' which maJcM,;. 
 
 Se'Lord h.iPf^r'^'"' ^i:'^"'^' hear what the fcrvam of 
 
 'irtZ ru /°i''V° '^"^--^ ^n'l h^ continued thus- 
 
 Fncnd, the Lord God made ufc of thee and othcis for 
 
 ic dete^r °^ ^'* P'^^P'^' ^"^ -^^ >-°" cried to bim 
 other tLccs J.°J T ^°" ^'^"^'^' "'^ ^' Dunbar, and 
 do eoJd ,n/ ^ ' r °PP?«"n'»y into your band, to 
 do foTtL I ^^" P'°'"'f^'^ ''''« g«« things you would ^ 
 
2tS 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TSS 
 
 [^^73 
 
 ^^731 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKBRS.. 
 
 289 
 
 foon forgot your promlfes ye made to the Lord m that 
 day and time of your great diftrefs, and turned die edge 
 of your fword againft the Lord's fervants and handmaids, 
 whom he fent forth to declare his eternal truth ; and made 
 laws, and corifented to laws, and fuffered and permitted 
 laws to be made againft God's people.* To this Lambert 
 faid, ' Friend, I would have you know, that feme of us 
 never made laws, nor confented to laws to perfecute you, 
 or any of your friends ; for perfecution we ever were 
 againft.* To which Miles returned, ' It may be lo ; but 
 the Scripture of truth is fulfilled by the bcft of you : for 
 although thou and fomc others have not given your^con- 
 fent to make laws againft the Lord's people, yet ye lut- 
 fered and permitted it to be made and done ; and when 
 power and authority was in your hands, ye might have 
 fpoken the word, and the fervants and handmaids of the 
 Lord might have been delivered out of the devourers 
 hands; but none was found amongft you that would be 
 feen to plead the caufe of the innocent; fo the Lord God 
 of life was grieved with you, becaufc ye flighte^d the 
 Lord and his fervants, and began to fet up your felt-in- 
 tereft, and to lay field to field, and houfe to houfe, and 
 make your names great in the earth. Ihen the Lord 
 took away your power and authority, your manhood and 
 your boldnefs, and caufed you to flee before^ your ene- 
 mies, and your hearts fainted with fear, and fome ended 
 their days in grief and forrow, and fome lay m holes and 
 caves to this day. So the Lord God of heaven and earth 
 will give a juft reward to every one accordmg to his 
 works. So my dear friend, prize the great love of God 
 to thee, who hath not given thy life into the hands ot the 
 devourers, but hath given thee thy life for a prey, and 
 time to prepare thyfelf, that thou mayeit end thy days in 
 peace. And truly' the Lord is good to all them that fear 
 him, and believe in his name : for though all tne powers 
 of the earth rife up againft a poor innocent people, yet 
 the Lord God of life and love was with them, and pleaded 
 their caufe, although all men flighted them: and truly, 
 the beft was but as a briar, and the raoft upright among 
 , t^cm ai a thorn hedge. If the Lord had not pleaded our 
 
 innocency, we had not had a being in the land of our 
 nativity, glory to his name for ever, who hath not fuffered 
 or permitted more of the wrath of man, nor laws, nor 
 decrees of men, to come againft his people, that believe 
 in his name, than hath been for his honour, and for his 
 glory, and for the eternal good of all liis fons and daugh- 
 ters, and fervants ; and the remainder of the Lord God 
 of life and love hath reftrained to this day : glory, and 
 honour, and living eternal praifes be given and returned to 
 the Lord God, and the Lamb for ever !* 
 
 Thus Halhead ended his fpeech, and Lambert, who 
 had heard him with good fatisfaftion, defired him to fit 
 down, which Halhead did ; and then Lambert called for 
 beer, and gave him to drink ; after which he faid to him, 
 * Friend, I do believe thou fpeakeft to me in love, and fo 
 I take it.' And then he a(ked him, if he was at Dunbar 
 fight? To which Halhead having anfwered 'No;' he 
 further a/ked, ' How do you know what great danger we 
 were in at that time ?' Upon which Halhead gave him to 
 underftand, that becoming that way a little time after the 
 fight, and having viewed the town of Dunbar, and the 
 ground about it where the Englifh army lay, how the fea 
 was on the one hand of them, and hills and mountains on 
 the other, and the great Scotch army before and behind 
 them, he then took into ferious confideration, the great 
 danger the Englifli had been in, and thought how greatly 
 the Englifhmen were engaged to the Lord for their de- 
 liverance, to ferve him in truth and uprightnefs of heart 
 all the days of their life. ' Truly John,' faid Halhead, 
 then to Lambert, ' I never faw thy face before to know 
 thee, although I have been brought before many of our 
 Englifh commanders in the time of Oliver Cromwell.' 
 Lambert then alking, who they were, Halhead named the 
 generals Fleetwood and Deft)orough, major Blackmore, 
 and colonel Fenwick, before whom he had been when he 
 was governor of Edinburgh. Lambert then faid, he knew 
 the moft of thofe men to have been very moderate, and 
 that they ever were againft perfecution. To which Miles 
 replied, * Indeed they were very moderate, and wpuld 
 
 T2 ' 
 
 I-. iJ 
 
2$e 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TME 
 
 [»S73 
 
 not be much fecn to perfccutc, or be fcvere with the 
 Lord's people ; but truly they permitted others to do it, 
 and took little notice of the fufferings of the people of 
 God ; fo that none were found lo plead our caufe, but the 
 Lord God.' To this Lambert faid, ' Although you and . 
 your friends fufFcred pcrfecutiorf, and fome hardfhips m^ 
 that time, your caufe therein is never the worfe for that.* 
 ^ That is very true,' returned Miles, ' but let me tell thee 
 in the plainnefs of my heart, that is no thanks to you, 
 but glory to the Lord for ever.' About two hours Miles 
 difcotirfed with Lambert, and his wife and two daughters, 
 and after he had cleared himfelf, he took leave of them, 
 and fo parted in love. 
 
 Now before I leave Halhead, I will infcrt here a copy of 
 a letter he writ in the .year 1674, to G. Fox, who was the^ 
 prifoner in Worccller goal: the faid letter was thus. 
 
 * George Fox, 
 *Thou dear and well beloved of the Lord, whom he 
 fent, out of his eternal love to me, and many more, who 
 were in darknefs and in blindnefs, feeking the living among 
 the dead, to fliew and direft us the way that leads out ot 
 fin and evil, up to God eternal, bleffcd for evermore. 
 The living, eternal God of life and love, that fent thee 
 into the north, keep and prefcrve me by his eternal arm 
 and power and all my dear friends and brethren, truly 
 fenfiblc of his eternal love, which I bear record hath been 
 exceeding great, fince the day the Lord made his precious 
 truth known amongft us. Therefore, dear George t ox, 
 pray for me, for I am old, and infirm of body, and the 
 toht of my eyes grows exceeding weak, that I may be 
 kept faithful and upright to the Lord, in my meafurc I 
 have received of the Lord, in this day of his eternal love ; 
 that I may give my account with joy and rejoicmg, and^ 
 gladnefs of heart, and be prefented with thee, and ail my 
 brethren, blamelefs to the Lord, that I may go to mj 
 ^rave in peace, and reft for evermore. Amen. 
 
 ' My dear love to my good old friends, Margaret Fox^ 
 and Thomas Lower; their dear and tender lov'e and care 
 of mc in months pail, by mc cannot be forgotten, as I 
 
 ^673] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED C^TAKERS. 
 
 291 
 
 dwell and abide faithful to him, who is my light and life, 
 my joy and peace, God over all, bleffed for evermore. 
 Amen. « Miles Halhead.' ' 
 
 In the month called January, 1671, G. Fox, and Thomas 
 Lower, were brought to their trial in the court at Wor» 
 cefter, it being the laft day of the feffions ; and when they 
 came in, thofe on the bench v^re ftruck with palenefs in 
 their faces, and continued awhile fpeechlefs, infomuch that 
 a butcher in the hall faid, ' What! are they afraid? Dare 
 mot the jultices fpcak to them ?' At length juftice Parker, 
 by whofe order G. Fox and T. Lower had been com- 
 mitted, made a long fpeech, much to the fame effect as 
 the contents of the mittimus, and added, that he thought 
 it a milder courfe to fend them two to gaol, than to put 
 his neighbours to the lofs (tf two hundred pounds, whicl; 
 they muft have fufFered, if he had put the law in execution 
 againft conventicles. But this was a very poor fliifr, and 
 iiliy evafion ; for there being no meeting when he came, 
 ner any to inform, he had no evidence to conviiSl them, 
 or his neighbours by. When Parker had ended his 
 fpeech, the juftices fpoke to the prifoners, and began with 
 Lower, whom they examined why he came into that 
 country. And when they had done with him, they aiked 
 of G. Fox an account of his travel, which he gave them, 
 and fliewed them clearly, that he and hi« friends, of whom 
 fo great a noife had been made by juftice Parkei*, as if 
 many had come together from feveral parts, were in a 
 manner all but one family. When he had ended fpeaking, 
 the chairman Simpfon faid, ' Your relation or account is 
 very innocent.' Then he and Parker having whifpered 
 awhile together, the faid chairman ftood up, and faid, 
 ^ You Mr. Fox, are a famous man, and all this may be 
 true which you have faid ; but that we may be the better 
 fatisfied, will you take the oaths of allegiance and fur 
 premacy r* Now, though G. Fox anfwered to this, that 
 they had faid they would not enfnare him, and that this 
 was a plain fnare, fince they knew he and his. friends 
 would not take any oath ; all was in vain, ^nd they caufed 
 the oath to be read, which being done, he told them, 
 
 ^2 
 
2^% 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1674 
 
 * I never took oath in my life, but I have always been 
 true to the government; I v^ras caft into the dungeon at 
 Darby, and kept prifoner fix months there, becaufe I 
 would not take up arms againft king Charles, at Worcefter 
 fight ; and for going to meetings, I was carried out ot 
 Leiccfter, and brought before Oliver Cromwell, as a 
 plotter to bring in king Charles ; and ye know in your 
 own confciences, that we, the people called Quakers, caiw 
 not take an oath, or fwear in any cafe, becaufe Chrilt 
 hath forbidden it ; but as to the matter or fubftance con- 
 tained in the oaths, this I can and do fay, that I do own 
 and acknowledge the king of England to be lawful heir 
 and fucceffor to the realm of England ; and do abhor all 
 plots and plotters, and contrivances againft him ; and I 
 have nothing in my heart but love and good-wiU to him 
 and all men, and defire his and their profperity ; the Lord 
 knows it, before whom I ftand an innocent man. And as 
 to the oath of fupremacy, I deny the pope and his power, 
 and abhor it with my heirt/ Whiift he was yet fpeaking, 
 they cried, * Give him the Book,' viz. the Bible. ' The 
 book,* faith G. Fox, ' faith "Swear not at all :" and he 
 going on to declare his mind farther, they cried, ' Take 
 him away, gaoler :' who not fhewing himfclf very forward, 
 they cried again, ' Take him away : we fhall have a 
 meeting here ; why do you not take him away ?' And 
 one of the bench f^id, ^ That fellow,' meaning the gaoler, 
 ^ loves to hear him preach.' The gaoler then taking him 
 away, as he was turning from them, he faid, ' The Lord 
 forgive you, who caft me into prifon for obeying the doc 
 trine of Chrift.' Afcer G. Fox was led away, the juftices 
 told T. Lower, he was at liberty ; for they did not think 
 it fafe to deal with him at the fame rate as they did with 
 G. Fox, becaufe they thought he had fome protcftion at 
 court. Lower afked then, why his father-in-law might 
 not be fet at liberty, as well as he, fmce they were both 
 taken together, and their cafe was alike? But they telling 
 him they would not hear him, faid, you may be gone 
 about your bufinefs, for we have nothing more to fay to 
 you, feeing you arc difcharged. 
 
 This ws all he could get from them j therefore atter 
 
 1674] 
 
 PEOPLE GALLED QTIAKERS. 
 
 29S 
 
 the court Was rifen, he went to fpeak with them at their 
 chamber, defiring to know, what caufc they had to detain 
 his father, feeing they had difcharged him ; and wifliing 
 ihemto confider, whether this was not partiality. Upon 
 this Simpfon faid, ' If you be not content, we will tender 
 you the oath alfo, and fend you to your father.' To which 
 Lower replied, * You may do that, if ye think fit ; but 
 whether ye fend me or no, I intend to go, and wait upon 
 my father in prifon ; for that is now my bufinefs in this 
 country.* Then juftice Parker faid to him, * Do you think, 
 Mr. Lower, that I had no caufe to fend your father and 
 you to prifon, when you had fuch a great meeting, info- 
 much that the parfon of the parifh complained to mc, that 
 he had loft the greateft part of his pariftiioners ; fo that 
 when he comes amongft them, he hath fcarce any auditors 
 left.* To this Lower returned, ' I have heard that the 
 prieft of that parifh comes fo feldom to vifit his flock, but 
 once, it may be, or twice in a year, to gather up his tithes, 
 that it was but charity in my father, to vifit fuch a forlorn 
 and forfaken flock : and therefore thou hadft no caufe to 
 fend my father to prifon for vifiting them, or for teaching, 
 inftrufting, and dirc(^ing them to Chrift their true teacher, 
 who had fo little comfon or benefit from their pretended 
 paftor, who comes amongft them only to feek for his gain 
 from his quarter.' Upon this the juftice fell a laughing ; 
 for Dr. Crowder, the prieft fpoken of, was then in the 
 room, fitting among them ; though Lower did not know 
 him^, and he had the wit to hold his tongue, and not to 
 vindicate himfelf. But after LoAV^r was gone away, the 
 juftices fo jdled on Crowder, that fie grewafliamed ; and 
 was fo nettled with it, that he threatened tofue T. Lower 
 in the bifliop's court, upon an aftion of defamation : which 
 Lower having heard of, fent him word that he might begin 
 if he would ; and that he would anfwer him, and bring 
 his whole parifli in evidence againft him. And he told him 
 the fame afterwards to his face ; which fo cooled the 
 pricft's eagernefs, that he thought it more fafe for him to 
 let him alone. 
 
 Soon after the feflions were over, an habeas iorpus -wzs 
 fent down to Worcefter, for the flieriif 10 bring up G. Fox 
 
 T4 
 
J$4 
 
 TBE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1674 
 
 • 
 
 to the king's bench bar; whereupon his fon-inlaw, Lower, 
 conduacd him : for the under (hcrifF had made Lower his 
 deputy, to convey G. Fox to London, who bc-ing arrived 
 there, appeared before the court of king's bench, where 
 he found the judges moderate, and they patiently heard 
 him, when he gave them an account how he had been 
 (lopped in his journey, and committed to gaol ; and how 
 at his trial, the oath of allegiance and fupreraacy had been 
 tendered to him ; and alfo what he had offered to the 
 
 ' juftices as a declaration, that he was willing to fign, inftead 
 of the (M oaths. To this it was told him, by the chief , 
 iuftice, that they would confider farther of it. Being thea 
 delivered to the keeper of the king's bench, he was fufFered 
 to go and lodge at the houfe of one of his friends ; for 
 though he continued a prifoner, yet they were fufficiently 
 pcrfuaded that he would not run away. But after this, 
 iuftice Parker, as it was faid, moved the court that G. 
 *Fox might be fent back to Worcefter, that his caufe might 
 be tried there ; for Parker faw clearly, that if G. Fox had 
 been acquitted here, this would have tended to his Ihamc, 
 for having committed him unjuftlyt 
 
 A day then being appointed for another hearing, and 
 G, Fox appearing again at the king's bench, and hearing 
 that it wasunder deliberation to fend him back to Worcefter, 
 
 » fignificd, that this wa5 only to enfnare him, by putting the 
 oath to him, that fo they might p^mynire him, who 
 never took oath in his life. And he farther told them, if 
 he broke his yea, or nay, he was content to fuffer the 
 fame pcnahy as thofe that break their oaths. Now feeing 
 Parker had fpread a report at London, and it had been 
 faid in the pariiament-houfe, that when he took G, Fox, 
 there were many fuhftantial men with him, out of fevcral 
 J>ans of the nation, and that they had a defign or plot in 
 band, G. Fox did not omit to ftiew the falacy of that 
 malicious ftory : and fince he thus laid open Parker's Ihame, 
 it was no.t iininge, that by his friends at court, he pro- 
 cured tlw the king's judges complied with his defire that 
 G. Fox fliould he remanded to Worcefter gaol ; infomuch 
 tiiat whatever he faid, he could not prevent it ; only this 
 favour was granted him, that he might go his own w^iy, 
 
 1674] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 ^95 
 
 and at his lelfure, provided he would be there without fail 
 by the alTizes, which were to begin on the 2d day- of the 
 cionth called April. ^ 
 
 G. Fox then after fome ftay, went down fclfurcly, and 
 being come to Worcefter, he was on the ad day of the 
 aforefaid month, brought from the gaol, to an inn near the 
 feffionshall; but^not being called that day, the gaoler 
 came to him at night, and told him he might go home, 
 meaning to the gaol ; whereupon he walked thither, being 
 accompanied by one of bis friends. Next day being brought 
 up again, a boy of about eleven years old was fet to be 
 his keeper. Having in my relation of the proceedings be* 
 fore the king's bench, pafled by moft part of the pleading, 
 fo I fhall do here like wife, to avoid repetitions of what hath 
 been feveral times related already, concerning fuch kind 
 of trials ; yet 1 cannot pafs by in filence, that after he had 
 given an account of his journey before he was taken, be 
 added, that fince his imprifonment, he had undcrftood that 
 his mother, who was an ancient and weak woman, and 
 had defired to fee him before flie died, hearing that he 
 was ftopped and imprifoned in his journey, fo that he 
 was not likely to come and fee her, it ftruck her fo, that 
 (he died foon after ; which had been very hard to him. 
 Judge Turner, who formerly had been very fevere to him. 
 Seemed now (as fome thought) inclined to have him fet at 
 liberty, fmcc he faw they had nothing juftly againft him ; 
 but Parker who had committed him, endeavoured to in- 
 cenfc the judge againft him ; for if he had been releafed, 
 then he himfcif muft have borne the blame of having com- 
 mitted G. Fox unjuftly ; and therefore he told the judge 
 that G, Fox was a ringleader, that many of the nation 
 followed him; and one knew not what it might come to. 
 Yet the judge gave but little ear to all this, being willing to 
 be eafy; but he could not refolve to do this, by fctting 
 G. Fox at liberty, left he Iliould difpleafe others; and thus 
 in conclufion, G. Fox and his caufe were referred to the 
 fefiions again, and he cominued prifoner, but with this 
 provifo, that he fliould have the liberty of the town ; 
 9,vhich accordingly he had. 
 
 3/ this he got opportunity to fpeak with many perfonsi^ 
 
^6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1674 
 
 and fometimcs with pricfls too, one of which a/ked him, 
 whether he was grown up to perfeftion ? To which he 
 anfwered, what he was, he was by the grace of God. 
 
 * This is/ replied the priell, * a modeft and civil anfwer/ 
 
 * But,' continued he, in the words of the apoftle John, 
 ** If we fay that we have no fin, we deceive ourfelves, and the 
 truth is not in us.'* And alking what he faid to that? G. Fox 
 returned with the words of the fame apoftle, " if we fay 
 tha*: we have not fmned, we make him a liar, and his word 
 is not in us." Moreover he faid, * Chrifl came to deftroy 
 fin, and to take away fm. There is a time for people to 
 fee that they have fmned, and there is a time for them to 
 confcfs their fm, and to forfake it, and to know the blood 
 of Chrift to cleanfe from all fm.' After fome more reafon- 
 ing, the priefl: faid, * We muft always be ftriving;' to 
 which G. Fox returned, that it was a fad and comfortlefs 
 fort of flriving, to ftrive with a belief that we (hould never 
 overcome : and he told him alfo, that Paul, who once 
 cried out becaufe of the body of death, did alfo thank 
 God, who gave him the viftory ; and that he faid there is 
 no condemnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus : fo that 
 there was a time of crying out for want of viftorv, and a 
 lime of praifmg God for the viftory. * But' faid the pricft, 
 
 * Job was not perfeft.' To which G. Fox returned that 
 God hath fignified in Scripture, that Job was perfeft and 
 upright, and that he efchewed evil : and that the devil 
 himfelf was forced to confefs, that God had fct an hedge 
 about him ; which was not an outward hedge, but the 
 invifible heavenly power. Yet faid Job, replied the prieft, 
 
 * he charged his angels with folly, and the heavens are 
 not clean in his fight.* ' That is a miftake,' faid G. Fox, 
 
 * for it was not Job faid fo, but Eliphaz, who contended 
 againft Job.' ' Well but,' faid the priefc, ' what fay you 
 to that Scripture, the jufteft man that is, finneth feven 
 times a day ?' ' There is,' anfwered G. Fox, * ho fuch 
 fcripture/ So the prieft was filent, and this conference 
 broken off, of which I have related thus much, to fhew 
 that G. Fox was not fuch a fimple perfon, as fome from 
 mere envy have reprefented him ; for he was never at a 
 lofs for an anfwcr, but had it always in readinefs. 
 
 J 674] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 297 
 
 Now the time of the feffions being come again, where 
 the juftice, who was chairman, was one Street, G. Fox 
 was called there before the juftices, and then the faid juf- 
 tice exceedingly mifreprefented the cafe, by telling the 
 people, that G, Fox had a meeting at Tredington from 
 all parts of the nation, to the terrifying of the king's fub- 
 jefts ; for which he had been commhted, and that for the 
 trial of his fidelity, the oaths had been tendered to hira. 
 And then turning to G. Fox, he afked hiai, fince be had 
 -time to. confider of it, whether he would now take the 
 oaths? G. Fox having obtained liberty to fpeak for him- 
 felf, gave a relation of his journey, and fhewed that he 
 ;and his friends had in no wife kept a meeting that oc- 
 cafioned terror to any of the king's fubje^ts ; and as to 
 the oaths, he (hewed why he could not take them, 
 and what he could declare inftead thereof. But not- 
 withftanding all this, the oaths were read to him again ; 
 jand he perfifling in his refufal to take them, the indiA- 
 nient was read alfo ; and afterwards the chairman a/ked 
 him ' if he was guilty ?' G. Fox anfwered, ' No, fince 
 the indiament was a bundle of lies,' which he proved 
 in feveral particulars, ailcing him, if he did not know in 
 his confcience that they were lies ? To which he faid, it 
 was their form. Whereupon G. Fox returned, it was not 
 a true form. Then the chairman told the jury what they 
 Ihould do in this cafe : and before they gave in their ver- 
 dift, G. Fox faid to them, that it was for Chrift's fake, 
 and in obedience to his and his apoftle's command that he 
 could not fwear : ' and therefore (faid he) take heed what 
 ye do; for before his judgment feat ye fliall all be brought.* 
 The chairman then fiiid, « This is canting.' ' Why,' faid 
 G. Fox, * If to confefs Chrift: our Lord and Saviour, and 
 to obey his command, be called canting by a judge of a 
 court, it is to little purpofe for roe to fay more among you. 
 Yet ye fliall fee that I am a Chriftian, and fliall fliew forth 
 Chriftianity ; and ray innocency fliall be manifeft.' By this 
 his fpeaking, the people generally were affefted ; but the 
 jury however found the bill againft him ; which G. Fox 
 ndverthelefs traverfed. Thus the matter could not be 
 finiflied now, and therefore he was aflced, to put in bail, till 
 
tpS 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1674 
 
 the next fcfficm; this he rcfiifed and warned his friends, 
 that fccraed wilJng to be bound for him, not to meddle with 
 that, fincc there was a fnare in it. Yet he told the juftices, 
 that he would proraife to appear, if the Lord gave him 
 heahh and ftrength, and he were at liberty. Some of the 
 juftices (hewed themfelves loving, and endeavoured to (lop 
 the reft from indj<5^Incr him, or putting the oath to him. 
 But the chairman faid he muft go according to law* Yet 
 liberty was given G. Fox to go at large, till next quarter- 
 fcilions. 
 
 He then went up to London ; where the time of the 
 yearly-meeting approached ; but at the inftance of some 
 of his friends, he appeared again before the judges of the 
 king's bench, and delivered to them the following declara- 
 tion, fetting forth what he was ready to promife inftcad of 
 the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy, 
 
 * This I do in the truth, and in the prefencc of God 
 declare, that king Charles the fecond is lawful king of this 
 realm, and of all others his dominions ; and that he was 
 brought in, and fet up king over this realm by the power, 
 of God : and I have nothing, but love and good-will to 
 him and all his fubjcifts, and defire his profperity and eternal 
 good. And 1 do utterly abhor and deny the pope's power 
 and fupremacy, and all his fuperflitious and idolatrous 
 inventions ; and do affirm, that he hath no power to abfolv'e 
 fin : and I do abhor and deteft his murderings of princes, 
 or other people, by plots and contrivances. And likcwife 
 I do deny all plots and contrivances, and plotters and 
 contrivers againfc the king and his fubjccts ; knowing them 
 to b* works of darkncls, and the fruits of an evil fpirit, 
 and againft the peace of the kingdom, and not from the 
 fpirit of God, the fruir of which is love. I dare not take 
 an oath, be^aufc it is forbidden by Cbrift and the apoftle ; 
 but if I break my yea or nay, then let me fuffer the fame 
 penalty, as they that break their oaths. 
 
 'George Fox.* 
 
 This declaration, being the fubftance of what oaths of 
 allegiance and fupremacy contain, G. Fox prcfcnted tj) 
 
 ^1674] 
 
 PEOPLE CAkLED CtUARSRfi. 
 
 195 
 
 the judges of the king's bench ; but the proceedings 
 having gone on at Worcefter^ they were unwilling to 
 rocddle with the bufmefs, but referred it to the next 
 quarter-fefllons at Worcefter. 
 
 The yearly-meeting at London, at which he was, being 
 over, he returned again to Worceller, where the feflions 
 being held in the month called July, and he called to the 
 bar, and the indidment read, juftice Street caufed the 
 oaths to be read alfo, and tendered to him again. G. Fox 
 then faid, that he was come to traverfe his indidment. 
 But when he began to fliew the errors that were in the 
 indiftment, viz. fuch as were fulHcient to quafh it, be was 
 foon flopped, and the oath required of him ; and he pcr- 
 fifting in the rcfufal, was by the jury found guilty. The; 
 chairman, how a6iive foever he had been againft G. Fox, 
 yet was now troubled, and told him of a fad fentence he 
 had to fpeak againft him. To. which G. Fox returned, 
 that he had m^ny and more errors to affign in the indift- 
 ment, befides thofe he had already mentioned. Where- 
 upon the chairman told him, he was going to (hew him 
 the danger of a premunire, which was the lofs of his 
 liberty, and all his goods and chattels, and to endure ira- 
 prifonment during life. * But,' added he, ' I do not 
 deliver this as the fentence of the court, but as an admo- 
 nition to you.' Then the gaoler was bid to take him 
 away ; and G. Fox afterwards underftood concerning this 
 pretended admonition, that the chairman had faid to the 
 clerk of the peace, that what he had fpoken fiiould ftand 
 for fentence. 
 
 Now whilft G. Fox was in prifon, there came to him, 
 amongft others, the earl of Salift)ury's fon, who was very 
 loving, and much concerned that they had dealt fo with 
 him ; and he himfelf took a copy in writing of the errojrs 
 that were in the indi6lment. And G. Fox afterwards got 
 the ftate of his cafe drawn up in writing delivered to jadgc 
 Wild. He alfo writ a letter to the king, wherein he gave 
 an account of the fentiments of thofe called Quakers con- 
 cerning fwcaring; and how they abhorred all plottings and 
 contrivances againft t^he king. Not long after he fell into 
 fuch a fickncfs, that forae began to Joubt of his recovery; 
 
/ 
 
 I 
 
 2pO THE HISTORY OF THE L^^74 
 
 and then one of his friends went to juftice Parker, by 
 whofe order he had been firft committed to prifon, and 
 defired him to give order to the gaoler, that he miglit 
 have liberty to go out of the gaol into the city. Where- 
 upon Parker wrote the following letter to the gaoler. 
 
 ' Mr, Harris, 
 
 * I have been much importuned by fome friends tq^ 
 George Fox, to write to you. I am informed by them, 
 that he is in a very weak condition, and vtry much indif- 
 pofed. What lawful favour you can do for the benefit of 
 ihc air, for his health, pray fliew him. I fuppofe the next 
 term they will make application to the king. I am, 
 
 * Sir, your loving friend, 
 
 ' Henry Parker. 
 
 V€{ham, the 8th of Odobcr, 1674. 
 
 This letter was fufficicnt warrant for the gaoler to per- 
 mit G. Fox to be brought from prifon to the houfe of 
 one of his friends. His wife was come to him before that 
 lime, and after having been with him about feventeen 
 weeks, and no difcharge like to be obtained for him, fhe 
 went up to London, and being come to Whitehall, and 
 meeting with the king there, fhe gave him an account of 
 her hulband's long imprifonment, and how weak he was 
 and not without danger of his life. To which the king 
 faid, he could do nothing in it, but fhe muft go to the 
 chancellor. And fo fhe went to the lord Finch, who was 
 then chancellor ; and having given him an account of the 
 matter, fhe told him that the king had left it wholly to 
 him ; and if he did not fhew pity, and releafe her hufband 
 out of prifon, fhe feared he would end his days there. 
 But the chancellor faid to her, that the king could not 
 releafe him, otherwife than by a pardon. Now G. Fox 
 could not refolve to be freed thus, as well knowing he had 
 ^ done no evil; and therefore he wouid rather have lain ia 
 prifon all his days, than to be thus fet at liberty ; other- 
 wife he needed not to have lain fo long, fince the king had 
 been willing long before to have given him a pardon ; and 
 alfg had faid to one Thomas More, that G. Fox needed not 
 
 1674} PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 30! 
 
 fcruplc being releafed by a pardon ; for many a man, that 
 was as innocent as a child, had had a pardon granted him.- 
 G. Fox unwilling to have a pardon, but defiring to have 
 the validity of his indiftment tried before the judges, the 
 lord chancellor, who fhewed himfelf a difcreet man, pro- 
 cured that an habeas corpus was granted to bring G. Fox 
 to London once more to appear before the king's bench. 
 The habeas corpus was with the firfl opportunity fent dowa 
 by his wife to Worcefter ; but there they w^ould not part 
 with him at firft, (being now recovered a httle of his fick- 
 nefs) under a pretence that he was premunired, and was 
 not to go out in that manner. Thus it became neceffary 
 to fend to London again ; and another order was got 
 and fent down, to bring up G. Fox before the king's 
 bench. Being ftill weak, he was carried up to London 
 in a coach, the under-flierifF and the clerk of the peace 
 accompanying him. 
 
 Being come to town, he was brought before the four 
 judges at the king's bench, where counfellor Thomas 
 Corbet pleaded his caufe, and acquitted himfelf exceeding 
 well ; for he ftarted a new plea, and told the judges, 
 that by law they could not imprifon any man upon a pre- 
 munire. The judges then faying they muft have time to 
 look in their books, and to confult the ftatutes, the hear- 
 ing was put off till the next day. And fince it appeared 
 that Corbet was in the right, they chofe to let their plea 
 fall, perhaps for fear of worfe confequences. And thus 
 they began to examine the errors of the indiftment, which 
 proved to be fo many and fo grofs, that all the judges 
 were of opinion, that the indiftment was quafhed and 
 void, and that G. Fox ought to have his liberty. The 
 fame day feveral lords, and other great men, had. the 
 oaths of allegiance and fupremacy tendered to them in 
 open court ; and fome of G. Fox*s adverfaries moved the 
 judges, that the oaths might be tendered to him again, 
 faying, he was a dangerous man to be at liberty. But 
 judge Matthew Hale, who was then lord chief juftice of 
 jEngland, and really an excellent and pious man, as hath 
 been hinted already here before, faid, he had indeed 
 heard fome fuch reports of G. Fox, but he had alfo heard 
 
302 
 
 THE HISTORY or THE 
 
 [I674 
 
 more good reports of him. This faying was ferviceable ; 
 and Hale and the other judges ordered G. Fox to be freed 
 by proclamation. Thus he was fet at liberty in an ho- 
 nourable way, and his counfellor Corbet, who had pleaded 
 for him, got great feme by it ; for many other lawyers 
 told him, he had brought that to light, which had not 
 been known before. And after the trial, one of the judges 
 faid to him, ' You have obtained a great deal of honour 
 by your way of pleading G. Fox*s caufe in court.* 
 
 The year was now come to an end. But before I go 
 over to the next, I am to mention that the Baptifts in 
 England, lofing from time to lime fome of their bed mem- 
 bers, writ therefore very fiercely againft the Quakers, en- 
 deavouring thereby to render them no Chriftians. But 
 thofe wrhings were continually anfwered, and that with 
 fo many convincing reafons, that the Quakers got more 
 adherents by it. The confcquence of this was, that a 
 publick difpute was appointed to be held between the 
 Baptifts and the Quakers, in the meeting-houfe of the 
 Baptifts at London. For the Quakers, there fpoke by 
 turns, George "Whitehead, Stephen Crifp, William Penn, 
 and George Keith ; and the opponents were Jeremy Ives, 
 William Kiffin, Thomas Plant, Thomas Hicks, and Robert 
 Fergufon, a Prcft)yterian, afterwards eminently knov^n in 
 Holland, by the fierce declaration drawn up by him in the 
 name of the duke of Monmouth, when that unhappy 
 prince went over to England with forces, to difpute the 
 throne againft king James. 
 
 Jeremy Ives was an eminent teacher among the Bap- 
 tifts, that had been in prifon at London fourteen years 
 before on a religious account, and chiefly becaufe for con- 
 fcience-fake he refufed to take the oath. 
 
 Not long after he writ a fmart letter from the prifon, 
 to two of his fociety (who having been imprifoned with 
 him for the fame caufe, had taken the oath, thereby to 
 obtain their liberty) wherein he reproved them for their 
 falling away, and fignified that thus they had increafed 
 the burthen of their faithfnl brethren, from the bearing 
 of which they had withdrawn themfelves. But what a 
 changeable creature is man, if he dotk not continue 
 
 I674] PEOPLE CALLED, QUAKERS. 303 
 
 watchful, and keep clofe to the divine grace, conunually 
 laying hold thereon 1 For fcarce five days pafled, but this 
 inconftant Jeremy grew weary of imprifonment, and took 
 the oath alfo to get out of prifon.^ Neither did he ftop 
 here ; for ii is plain that he was now departed from his 
 profeflion. To temporize therefore, and to find out ex- 
 cufes for what he had done, he put forth a book in print, 
 wherein he afferted the lawfulnefs of fvvearing. It was 
 alked of him, whether he was that fame Jeremy Ives, 
 that once had been of fuch a tender confcience, that 
 he durft not take an oath, and had afterwards pub- 
 lickly defended fwearing as lawful ? And he did not deny 
 the faft, for it was notorioufly known : but he went about 
 to difguife the matter, and faid, ^ I am that Jeremy who 
 took the oath of allegiance, and writ a book to prove that 
 fome oaths were lawful, though not all.' Neither did he 
 deny the fore-mentioned letter, for it was extant, and 
 written as folio weth : 
 
 ' Brother Pitman and Brother Shewel, 
 
 ' I am at this time furprized with a holy paflion ; and 
 though Jonah could not fay concerning the ;gourd, that 
 he did well to be angry j yet (if my experience in the 
 word of the Lord doth not deceive) I can ti'uly fay, I do 
 well to be angry with you ; whom I have had a godly 
 jealoufy of all along, viz. That you would be as eafily per- 
 fuaded to part with, as unwilling to fuifer for, your fpiritual 
 liberties. Oh my. brethren! Where is your firft love? 
 How unlike the Chriftians in former times are you ? Whofe 
 zeal was fo hot for God, that their eyes prevented the 
 morning, that thereby they might prevent the rage of the 
 adverfary, who (as it is now) commanded them no more 
 to worftiip in the name of the Lord. — I always did con- 
 clude, that thofe that would — quit the caufe of righteouf- 
 nefs — would quit the ways of holinefs, as yefterday (ad 
 experience hath taught, to the perpe:ual joy of your ad* 
 verfaries, and the faddening the hearts, and adding afflic- 
 tions to the bonds of the prifoners of the Lord. I do 
 therefore conjure you, as you will anfwer the great God 
 another day, to confider, that now is the time for you to 
 
 Vol. IL t; 
 
3^^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1674 
 
 look to yonr miniftty, and to the flock over which the 
 Lord hath made you overfecrs, that you may be able 
 t)irough grace to fay, ' You are clear from the blood of 
 all men ;' and obferve, that God is now come to prove 
 you, to fee whether you will keep his commandments or 
 not. Remember when that apoftate*s cafe was debated, 
 you had no zeal nor indignation againft him, but you 
 fmothered all with this, Mf it were in a matter of faith 
 and worfhip that he had fallen from, you would have been 
 as one man againft it.' Well, behold the Lord is come 
 home to you ; the matter now is purely for worfhippmg 
 God ; now God is proving you to fee whether you will 
 obey him or no : and did not yefterday's work witnefs, 
 that you were willing to prefer the fear of a man, that muft 
 die, before the fear of the great God; and the fear of 
 them that can kill the body, before the fear of the Lord, 
 that can caft body and foul into hell ? I have no more to 
 fay but this, that your cowardly temporizing and comply- 
 ing with ,thc precepts of men, makes me jealous, that 
 your fear towards the Lord is taught by the precepts of 
 men. I would not be too cenforious, but my grounds are 
 great-; and my bonds arc my crown ; but your cowardly 
 fpirit is my great crofs. You little think what a fcandal 
 it is amongft us to hear it affirmed that one of you fliould 
 fay, you had rather a given fifty pounds than have fworn, 
 and yet fwear that you fwear willingly. Oh ! for the 
 Lord's fake do fomewhat that may roll away this reproach ; 
 which that you may, is the prayers of your brother, who, 
 could be contented to write himfelf, 
 
 * Your compa»ion in tribulation, 
 
 Jan, H,16«0. * t . 
 
 Jer. Ives. 
 
 Brother Ward, my fellow-prifoner, defires to prefent his 
 love to you, and fo do fome others. 
 
 Thus zealoufly Jer. Ives wrote to his fellow-teachers, 
 who for human fear, and to avoid fufferjngs, had, againft 
 ihcir profeffion, and the conviaion of their confciences, 
 uken the oath. But who could have imagined on fight of 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKBRS. 
 
 305 
 
 '674] 
 
 fuch letter, that he himfelf within fo Ihort a fpace of time , 
 (hould have done that which he reproved fo feverely in 
 others. Certainly in this cafe the faying of the prophet 
 Jeremiah feems to be very applicable, '* The heart is deceit- 
 ful above all things, and , defperately wicked ; who can 
 know it? Let therefore him who ftandeth, be cautious 
 left he fall." Happy had this man been, if he had beeii 
 fo fenfible of his tranfgreffion as one Edward Chilton, 
 who though by profefTion a Quaker, yet when it came to 
 a trial, either to take the oath of allegiance, x)r to be 
 premunired, he wavered and fainted ; yet not fo, that he 
 fell away totally : for he became fo penitent for the evil 
 he had committed, that he found himfelf conftrained to 
 give proof thereof by a letter he writ to his friends, who 
 remained prifoners, becaufe for confcience-fakc they could 
 not fwear ; whereas he, to be releafed from imprifonraent, 
 had taken the oath that was demanded of him. But of • 
 what a bitter relifh this became to him, and what terror 
 and horror he was fcized with, the following letter will 
 fliew: 
 
 * My dear friends, 
 
 * I defire to lay before you this my condition in this my 
 fall, that my fall may be no caufe for you to ftumble, but 
 that you by it may be the more encouraged to ftand ; for I 
 have yielded to the betrayer, and fo betrayed the innocent 
 feed in me ; for 1 forfook the counfel of the Lord, and con- 
 fulted with flefh and blood, and fo I fell into the fnarc of 
 the world, and yielded to the covenant ; and fo I refted 
 fatisfied in what 1 had done, for fome certain hours ; but 
 when the Lord in his power looked back upon me,, then 
 I remembered what I had done ; then I remembered that 
 I had denied truth, -which once I had profeffcd, though 
 once I thought I fliould have ftood when others fell. So 
 the terrors of the Lord have taken hold on me, and I lie 
 under the judgments of the Lord. ^ 
 
 * And now I feel the truth of the words that were fpokc 
 by Chrift, that he that faileth in one tittle, is guilty of 
 all ; and now I feci the truth of that, thai it is better to 
 forfakc wife and children, and all that a man hath, even 
 life itfelf, for Chrift and the truth fake, than to byeak one 
 
 u 2 
 
ao6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1674 
 
 J' • 
 
 lii 
 
 tittle of the law of God written in the h<^art. So I hope 
 
 that, by mercy and judgment, the Lord will redeem me 
 
 t»himfelf again. The Lord may fuffcr fome to fail, that 
 
 ilie {landing of them that ftaiid faithful may feem to be 
 
 the more glorious, and for them to take heed left they fall. 
 
 2. ' Nowi know and feel, that it is better to part v/ith any 
 
 tiling of this world, though it be "as dear to' one as the 
 
 ^rght hand, or the eye, than 10 break our peace with God. 
 
 f APray for me ; for my bonds are greater than yours. 
 
 - ^ ' Edward Chilton.' 
 
 l^'iiUsorj th e UQd of the 
 T. lithiQwmh, 1600. 
 
 It is remarkable, that this Chikon in the condufion of 
 Ws letter fliith, tliat his bonds were greater than thofe of 
 flW fi-iends, who neither feared a premunire, nor lofs of 
 their liberty, when they muft ptj'y-ifo dear for ^ ft, as the 
 iakmg of an oath. For wlicn any dne truly ihj'&tt in the 
 Teal- of God, he dares not, a^ainft tlie conviftioils:' of his 
 confcience h^nfgrefs the Divihe-ccjtemandments;tind ftek 
 evafions to avoid the ftrefs thereof: for certainly God- will 
 not be mocked. Could our Savioiir have rpc-fven ip more 
 pTaiii and exprefs terms than he did, when he fard, "Swear 
 not at all ?" And yet whtit canning devices "have been 
 invented by thofe who boaft of the name of Chriftians, 
 io enervate the force of thefe exprefs words. It is not a 
 proper place here to refute their reafons ; but. yet I cannot 
 think it unfuitable to fhew briefly ho% dangerous it is^ to aft 
 ,'againft the exprefs commandments of facred 'writ, tmd 
 -againft the con virion of one's confcience, thereby to avoid 
 perfecution : for not only the apoft!e James faith, " Who- 
 Hbever Ihall ofl'erid in one point; hfe is guilty of all ;*' but 
 our fupreme lawgiver Chrift himfelf faith, " Whofoever 
 fhall deny me bcfdfe men, him \vill I alfo deny before my 
 Father which is in hcjlven. 'And whofoever (hall be 
 aflramed of me, and of rtiy words, of him* ailfo fhall the 
 Son of Man be afliamed, when he cometh in the glory of 
 his F.Jther, with the holy angels." And to encourage us 
 to faithfulnefs he hath alfo faid, ^' Fear tiot thcfm which 
 kill the body, but are not able to kill the foul ; but rather 
 fear hira-which is able to deftroy both foul and body in hell.'* 
 
 1674] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 3^7 
 
 Which Veords indeed are fo emphatical, that it ought not^ 
 to difpleafc any that I repeat them, as they have been IcftI 
 on record by the evangelift Luke, viz, thus, " I fay unto 
 you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, 
 and'after that have no more that they can do. But I will 
 forewarn you whom ye fhall fear : fear him, which after 
 he hath killed, hath power to caft into hell : yea, I fay 
 unto you, fear him." Can it be otherwife, but that fuch' 
 words muft needs make a powerful impreffion on a real 
 Chriftian ? And the more when we confidcr, that nothmg^ 
 in the world can retrieve or reftore a perifhing foul, as 
 may appear from thefe of our blefled Lord, '' What is a 
 man profited, if he fliall gain the whole world, and lofe 
 his own foul ? Or what fhall a man give ni exchange for 
 his foul ?'' A clear proof that the whole \vorld, and all, 
 that is contained therein, is not able to fave one foul, or 
 to afford any thing that can redeem it. If 1 here thought 
 it requifite, a godly zeal at prefent would make me liiy 
 more on ihisfubjea ; but not to expatiate too far beyond 
 the limits of this hiftorical traft, I fhall not purfue this 
 digreffion any farther, but return to my relation from^ 
 
 whence I thus ftepped afide. , , r j-r 
 
 To take up again then the broken thread of my dilcoure, 
 I once more come to |eremy Ives, who, to avoid perfe- 
 cuiion; hnd taken the oath contrary to his underftanding ;. 
 and it was Thomas Rudyard, mentioned here before, wha 
 obieaed this to him ; and he feeling himfelf pinched^ by 
 it, endeavoured to break the ftrels thereof by faying,: 
 that the reafon why in a letter he had blamed a friend, 
 was for his faying he had rather have given fifty pounds 
 than have rook the oath of allegiance, and yet fwore he 
 took it freely and willingly.' But who fees not what a 
 
 poor fliift this was ? . j • 
 
 Now to come to the difpure ; I already mentioned ifi 
 was afferted, that the Quakers were no Chriftians ; and 
 to maintain this, Thomas Hicks faid, ' They that den)5 
 the Lord is Chrift, are no Chriftians : but the Quakers 
 deny the Lord is Chrift,' &c. To this W. Penn faid, 
 ♦ I deny the minor, viz. that the Quakers deny that 
 the Lord is Chrift.' And T. Hicks returned, ' They that 
 
 u 3 
 
 d 
 
 I 
 
3o8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1674 
 
 deny Chrift to be a diflinft perfon without them, deny the 
 Lord is Chrift ; but the Qiiakers deny Chrift to be a 
 diftinft perfon without them : therefore,' &c. W. Penn 
 then dcfircd that T. Hicks would explain what he meant by 
 the term perfon. And T. Hicks anfwered, ' I mean the 
 man Chrift Jefus.* To which W. Penn replied, * Then I 
 deny the minor, viz. that we deny the man Chrift Jefus.* 
 To which Hicks returned, * I prove ye deny the man Chrift 
 Jefus, One of your own writers faith, that Chrift was 
 never feen with carnal eyes, nor heard with carnal ears,' 
 &c. To this J, Ives added, * He that denies that Chrift 
 was ever feen with carnal eyes, &c. denies the man Chrift : 
 but the Quakers deny that Chrift was ever feen with carnal 
 eyes/ &c. George Keith then faid, ' 1 aufwer by diftin- 
 guifhing : Chrift as God was never feen with carnal eyes ; 
 but as man he was feen with carnal eyes.' To this J. Ives 
 returned : * But he was Chrift as he was man : how then 
 was not Chrift feen with carnal eyes ?' To this qucflion 
 G. Keith anfwcred thus : ' We are to confider that the 
 terms or names Jcfus Chrift, are fometimes applied to him 
 as God^ and fometimes to him as man ; yea, fometimes 
 to the very body of Jcfus : but the qucftion is, whether 
 do thofe names more properly, immediately, and originally 
 belong to him as God, or as he was before he took the 
 manhood upon him ; or to the nranhood ? We alErm, 
 thofe names are given to him moft properly and eminently 
 as God ; and Icfs properly, yet truly, as man ; and leaft 
 properly to his body, yea to his dead body.' Then J. Ives 
 aikcd, * Where do you read that the carcafe was called 
 the Chrift?* This irreverent expreffion fo difpleafed many, 
 that fome cried out, * Where didft thou ever read that 
 Chrift's dead body was called a carcafe?' From this difguft 
 W. Penn faid, * I befeech you for the Lord's fake, that we 
 may treat of thcfe things as becomes Chriftians.' 
 
 G. Keirh then refuming the difcourfe, anfwered J. Ives's 
 qneftion thus : * I prove that the dead body of Jefus was 
 called Chrift, from the words of Mary, *' Where have ye 
 laid him ?'* For fhe had juft before called the body her 
 Lx)rd : likewife the ^ngel faid to her, " See the place 
 where the Lord lay :" and that he was Jefus Chrift 
 
 1674] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKER5. 
 
 3^9 
 
 before he took flelh, I prove from the faying of the 
 apoftie " Who created all things by Jefus Chriit. ihtn 
 T Hicks faid, ' I will prove the Quakers to be no Chnftians : 
 and J. Ives added, ' r4iey that fay that Chrift cannot be 
 feen with carnal eves, and was never vifible to wicked men, 
 do deny the Lord is Chrift ; for he was feen with carrial 
 eyes, and by wicked men.' To this W. Penn faid, ' I 
 diftin^uiili upon the word feen ; wicked men might fee 
 him in that bodily appearance, and yet not fee him to be 
 the Chrift of God ; they faw his manhood, but not his 
 Chriftftiip: this I will prove from Chrift's words to Peter^ 
 when he confefled bi\n to be Chrift, the Son of the hving 
 God viz. " Flefii and blood hach not revealed this ui^to 
 thee,' but my Father which is in heaven :" therefore 
 Peter with a carnal eye could not have feen the Lord s 
 Chrift/mnch lefs wicked men. My fecond proof is from 
 the aDoftle's words, « Whom none of the princes of this 
 world knew ; for had they known him, they would not 
 have crucified him." W. Penn enlarging a little more on 
 th.s fubieft, faid alfo, that feeing and l^nowmg iri Scripture 
 are fomttimes equivalent. And G. Keith added, Chnft 
 faid, " He that hath feen me, hath feen the Father : but 
 no wicked man haih feen the Father, therefore no wicked 
 4nan hath feeu Thrift, as fuch/ Ives and his companions 
 fa ffed at thi. diftinaion : but the Qiiakers averred, that 
 all who faw Jefas as the carpenter's fon, did not fee hiin 
 as the Chrift of God. Then Ives aiked, " Is the manhood 
 a part of the Lord's Chrift ?' To which W. Penn returned, 
 ^ is this to prove the charge of our denying the Lord is 
 Chrift ? It feems we muft be here to be catechized, and 
 ye will not anfwer us one queftion, yet I fliall anfwer J. 
 Ives his qucftion, if he will promife to anfwer mine, 
 
 Ives then faying that he would ^^^fw^y J^^,^* ^.^^^ 
 returned, ' I here declare, that we do faithfully behc^^ 
 that holy manhood to be a member of the Chrift ot God ; 
 and direaing his queftion to Ives, he faid, ; Was he the 
 Chrift of God before he was manifeft in the ticlli.^ 
 * He was,' anfwered Ives, ' the Son of God. i3ut, 
 replied W. Penn, ' was he the Lord's Chrift ? I will prove 
 hi^ to have been the Lord's Chrift as well before a^ 
 
 JJ4 
 
3IO 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1674 
 
 after : firft from the apoftle Paul's words to the Corinthians, 
 ** That rock was Chriil :" next from Jude, where fome 
 Greek copies have it thus, " That Jefus brought the people 
 of Ifrael out of Egypt/' But to this Ives gave no anfwer, 
 how often foever he was called upon for it. And this was 
 no great v/onder, fince it was well known that there 
 were fuch among the Baptids who favoured the Socinian 
 principles. But Ives, that he might not appear altogether 
 mute, came on again with a qneflion, viz. ' Do ye believe 
 that Chrift in his human nature is in heaven ?' This made 
 G. Whitehead fay to the auditory, ' Ye have heard the 
 charge againfl: us, and the diftinfVion that hath been made 
 between feeing, and feeing of Chrifl, as namely between 
 the fpirirual faving fight of the Lord's Chrift, and the 
 feeing of his outward man, perfon, or body. In this laft 
 fenfe it could never be intended that it was not vifible to 
 the outward eye ; but it was the fpiritual rock which all 
 Ifrael drank of, and as he was before Abraham was, and 
 as glorifxcd with the Father before the world began ; and 
 as Chrift himfelf faid to Philip, '' He that feeth me, feeth 
 my Father alfo :" and only faints, or children of light, 
 could truly fay, ^* We have fecn his glory as the only, 
 begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.*' Iq all 
 which confiderations, or fenfes of feeing, the Lord's Chrift 
 was only feen fpiritually, and not with carnal eyes.' This 
 Ives granted, that fo it might be left : yet prcfently after, 
 inftead of proving the Qiiakcrs no Chriftians, he afkcd 
 again, ' Do ye believe or own that Chrift is in heaven 
 with his human nature ?' To which W. Penn anfwered, 
 • V^c dp believe the man Chrift Jefus to be glorified in 
 heaven.* Which anfwer Ives refufing to accept, becaufe 
 it was not in the terms of his queftion, Penn afked, * What 
 difference doft thou make benvecn the manhood and human 
 natuieof Chrift?' * None,' returned Ives, * if you mean 
 cilndidly.' To which Penn replied, * I do m»ean and fpeak 
 Candidly ; we do believe that holy manhood 10 be in 
 heavenly glory.' 
 
 Now fince it began to grow dark, the Baptifts defired to 
 leave off, and to refume the marier at another time; as 
 |!V'as done alio : but the parties did not agree for all that 5* 
 
 l^ys"] rcoPLt CALLED QUAKERS. Jli' 
 
 for though the Baptifts continued to affert that the Quakers, 
 were no Chriftians, yet thcfe had abundance of reaions to 
 maintain the contrary, and this they did fo effcaually, 
 that thofe of the ether party, under a pretence of the 
 meetinj^-places being overcharn;cd with people, and that 
 the gallery gave way, broke up the meeting, without a 
 final conclufion. * 
 
 Perfecution. in this year was not very ftiarp at London, 
 but for all that, active in other places, fo that I do not 
 want matter to make a relation of it; but to (hun prolixity, 
 I will meruion but one cafe. 
 
 One Robert'] illcs, in Buckingham, fick ofaconfumption, 
 
 and believing his death tabe nigh at !?and, defired fome 
 
 of his friends to vifit him. At this invitation fome came to 
 
 his houfe, yet not above the number of fourteen pcrfons; 
 
 and two informers went and acquainted a jufticc of the 
 
 peace thereof, who recorded this fmall afferably as a fedi- 
 
 tious meeting, and fined the fick man twenty pounds for 
 
 this pretended tranfgreffion ; and fo his goods were fcized, 
 
 and fix cows taken from him. And one Robert Smith, 
 
 being overheard by the informers to have fpoken five or fix 
 
 words, was fined alfo twenty pounds as a preacher; which 
 
 fine was afterwards extorted from fome others then prefent. 
 
 The peace between England and Holland was concluded 
 
 this year at the inftance'of Spain, but the war betwcca 
 
 Holland and France continued ftill. • ; . 
 
 1 now pafs over to the year 1675. About the beginning 
 whereof G. Fox came to London, whilft the parliament 
 was fitting, who advifed the king to the fuppreffing of 
 the growth of popery; but in* the mean-while the Quakers 
 bore the chiefeft fliock ; for their religious meetings were 
 ftiled feditious conventicles. 
 
 After G. Fox had been at the yearly-meeting of his 
 friends at London, he left the city, and went to Lancafter, 
 and from thence to Swarthmore, where having a dwelling- 
 place of his own, he ftaid about two years to reft himfelf : 
 having contrafted diftempers by hardftiips and imprifon- 
 ments, which had much weakened his body. Being there, 
 he underftood that four young ftudents at Aberdeen were 
 convinced at a difpute held by Robert Barclay and George 
 
h 
 
 31a THE HISTORY OF THE 11^^75 
 
 Keith, with fomc of the fcholars of that univeriity. And 
 being vifiied by feme of the neighbourhood, among others 
 came alfo to him colonel KIrby, his old perfecutor, who 
 now carried himfelf very lovingly, and bid him welcome 
 into the country. Yet notwithftanding this appearance of 
 Icindnefs, fometime afterwards he ordered the conftablcs of 
 Ulverftone to tell G. Fox, that they muft have no more 
 meetings at Swarthmore, for if they had, they were com- 
 manded by him to break them up ; and they were to come 
 the next Sunday after. But this threatening did not make 
 G.F^ afraid; for he, with his friends, had a meeting on 
 that Firft-day of the week, and none came lo difturb them. 
 Daring his abode at home, when he did not travel to and 
 fro in the country, as he ufed to do, to edify hi', friends 
 by his miniftry, he fupplied this with his pen, and exhorted 
 them by writing, where he could not do it by word of 
 mouth: befides he writ other ferviceable treatifes, for he ' 
 was a diligent man. 
 
 In the mean- while perfecution for the worfhip of God 
 did not ccafe altogether: the a<ft againft feditious conven- 
 ticles gave opportunity to the maUcious to difturb the re- 
 ligious meetings of the Quakers, who never met in a 
 clandeilinc manner, but always publickly ; and on this 
 account fines were extorted from them ; to which may be 
 added, that oftentimes they were ftill vciy ill treated, 
 and moft grievoudy abufed, as among the reft at 1 ong 
 Clawfton in LeicefterflMre, where fome women were 
 dragged by the neck along the ftreet ; and among theft a 
 widow, the ikin of whofe neck was ruijbed oix by this 
 rudeuf fs ; and an ancient woman, above leventy, was vio» 
 Icntly caft down to the ground. Some of the men were 
 dragged by the hair, and others by their legs, befides the 
 many blows given them; and fome were trodden upon till 
 the blood gufhed out of their mouth and nofe. Yet all 
 this they bore patiently, without making any refiftance; - 
 whereby it happened fometimes that fome who had not 
 the gift of preaching, reached others by their patient fuf- 
 fering; (hewing by their meek behaviour, that their 
 works did agree with their Chriftian profeffion: and 
 though many were robbed of ail they had, even clothes 
 
 1675] 
 
 PEOPLE XJAI^LED QUAKERS* 
 
 3^3' 
 
 and beds not excepted, yet they continued ftedfaft, with- 
 out fainting ; though often it was called a meeting when 
 fome were come together, not properiy to perform rch- 
 gious woifhip, as hath been related already. 
 
 At Kirby Muckioe, where fome were come to the 
 houfe of John Penford, to provide for their poor, the 
 prieft of the parifli, called John Dixon, informed agamft 
 them by letter to Wenlock Stanly of Branfton, who fent 
 three of his fervants to tak^- infpeaion of the faid meeting; 
 and though ihcfe looking into the book, in which the cha- 
 ritable diftributions were entered, found that this meeting 
 had been only to confider of the neceffities of the poor, 
 yet feveral were fined, and Penford himfelf twenty pounds 
 for his houfe, and ten pounds for the preacher, when 
 there was never an one there ; but they having heard him 
 fpeak, this was counted fufficient to make him pafs for a 
 preacher. Now though he and Richard Woodland ap- 
 pealed for juftice, yet the court pofitivcly denied their 
 appeal, unlcfs they would firft take the oath of allegiance. 
 1 his was the old fnare, fo that the hearing of the matter 
 was denied, and treble damage given againft them. 
 
 At Lewes in Suflc^x, the priell William Snat became 
 himfelf an informer, and went feveral times to the quakers* 
 meeting there; and from thence to the juftice Henry 
 Shully, to whom he declared on oath, in whofs houfe the 
 meeting had been, and who had preached; and this was 
 fo grofs, that once he gave a falfe information with re- 
 fpeft to the houfe; but the gain proceeding from this 
 work, how abominable foever, did (hine fo alluringly, that 
 his kinfman, James Clark, entered upon this informer's 
 office : which any one could eafily do, without making 
 
 fuit for it. 
 
 In Norfolk, the rage of the perfecutors was fuch, that 
 fome having been bereaved of all, were obliged, even in 
 winter time (as amongfl: the reft, Jofeph Harrifon, with his 
 wife and children) to lie on ftraw ; and yet they, un- 
 wearied, did not leave frequenting their rehgious meeting : 
 nay, even the dead were not fufFered to reft, for oiit- 
 rageous barbarity came to that pitch, that Mary, the wife 
 i){ Francis Larder, being dead and buried, was, by order 
 
JH 
 
 Tftl HISTORY or THl 
 
 1^675 
 
 of one Thomas Brctland, dug up again, whereby the 
 coffin was broken, which they tied together, and carrying 
 It away, cxpofcd the corpfe in the market-place. 'Jhiis 
 this deceafed woman was no more fulTered to he quiet in 
 her grave, than in her fick bed, where the day before her 
 death (he had been threatened, by order of one Chriftophcr 
 Bedinfield, to have her bed taken from under her while 
 living. Now the reafon of thus taking up the corpfe, was 
 that though her hulband was oiit of thofe called Quakers, 
 yet (he net being properly a member of that focietv, it 
 was taken ill th.it (he had been buried in a plain way, 
 without paying to the pricft his pretended due, for the 
 ordinary fervice over the dead. 
 
 In Somerfetfhire ihirty.two perfons were fined for havin-^ 
 been at a burial. 1 he like happened in the county oi' 
 Derby, where Samuel Roe (his wife being deceafed; was 
 fined twenty pounds, becaufc his friends met in his houfe 
 to condua the corpfe to the grave. Of this the pricft, 
 John Wilfon, was mformer to the juftice of peace, John Loe ; 
 and out of the houfc of the faiJ Samuel Roe, was taken 
 the value of thirty pounds ; fo that the (hare of the in- 
 fbrmer was ao Icfs than ten pounds; fince according to 
 law, his due was a third of the fpoil. I could here relate 
 feveral ioftances of great advcrfities, and fad mifchiefs 
 that befel cruel perfecutors : but not to expatiate too far, 
 1 have filently paflcd by many remarkable cafes. 
 
 Yet in general terms I may fay, that many of the perfe- 
 cutor5,both jufciccs, informers, and others, came to a mifer- 
 able end: fome being by fudden, or unnitural death, and 
 others by hngering ficknefles, or diftempers, or by foul 
 and ftmkine difeafes, taken out of this life ; whilft fome, 
 who by fpoil had fcraped much together, fell to great 
 povcny and beggary ; whofe names I could fet down, 
 and mention alfo time and place; and among thefe fome 
 rapacious eccleflailicks, who came to a fad end; but I 
 ftudioufly omit particularizing fuch inftances, to avoid the 
 appearance of grudging and envy. Some of thofe that 
 had been fo a^ive in fpoil, fignified thcmfelves the terrible 
 remorfc of confciencc they felt becaufe of their having 
 perfccuted the Quakers; infomuch, that thtj roared oui 
 
 ^^75l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAjlTERS. 
 
 3»5 
 
 their gnawing grief, mixed with dcfpair, -under the grievous 
 paiiTS they fuffcrcd in then: body. And it was judged by 
 many a very Temarkable cafe, that one Chriftbpher Glin, 
 pricft at Burford, who had a6led with very indifcreet zeal 
 againft the Quakers, having about the year 1663, read bis 
 text in the pulpit, and then intending to read his fcripoo^ 
 *,vas on a fudden ftruck with blindnefs, and coniiuue4 
 blind till he died. But none of the pcrfccutors feemed to 
 take notice, or to regard fuch inftances ; for they. le^^he/ir 
 rage loofe againft the Quakers ; who, for alj that (^oniratied , 
 in patience, though they ^ did i^iot think itounlawfultoigiy]^ 
 notice of the grievous, opptdiion their friends fiUfSercd^ ,|p 
 thofethat were in auihorityr, Jeft: they might have excufed 
 thetnfelves as ignorant^f thefe violent proceedings. Thero- 
 vfore it was not omitted to publifti in public print, many 
 of thofe crying inftances tha: have been related here, and 
 toprefent them to the king and parliament, with humble 
 iad^^cffip^ to that purpofe. But all this found but fmall 
 entrance. King Charles it feems was not to be the man 
 'that'ftiould take off this yoke of oppreflTion ; this work was 
 referred for others. His brother James that fncceedcd him, 
 •mads a beginning thereof, with what intention heaven 
 knows; and William III. that exitellent prince j broug jit it 
 to pcrfcftion as far as it was iU'his pb\y^rt :,v -; , >- 
 
 This year deceafed at Tea iWiHiafn/Bayly^ Gomi^g from 
 the Weft-Indies, in tlie fhip called .the SamiH^l, 9? LQn^oi>, 
 in the latitudcof 46 degrees a^nd 36 minutes: he had ^een 
 a teacher among the Baptifts,:and had jeaA much ia-^ie 
 books of Jacob Behmen, but could not fin4 ihcre][>ytr|;^A;ic 
 fatisfaaion to his foul. And being afterward?^ ente^fri 
 into fociety with the Quakers, fo called, he became a 
 2ealous preacher among them. When in this hi§ lad 
 voyage he was. grown fick, and felt death approaching, 
 he bid John Clark, mafter of the faid veffel, remember 
 him to his dear wife and little ones, and alfo to G. Fox, 
 G. Whitehead and others; and being filled wiih joy, 
 began to fing, faying, 'The creating word of the Lord 
 endures for ever.' He took feveral ihat were about him 
 • by the hand, and exhorted them to fear the Lord, and not 
 to fear death : * Death,' faid he, * is noiliing in itfelf ; for 
 
3i6 
 
 -^ THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [»^75 
 
 the fting of death is fin. Tell the friends at London, that 
 would have been glad to have feen my face, I go to my 
 Father and their Father, to my God and their God. 
 R emember my love to my dear wife; fhe will be a forrowful 
 widow : but let her not mourn too much, for it is well 
 with me.* And having fpoken fomcthing concerning his 
 outward bufmefs to the matter, he faid in regard to hi? 
 wife and children, * I have left them no ponions, but my 
 endeavour hath been to make God their father. Shall I 
 lay down my head upon the ' waters ? Well, God is the 
 God of the whole univerfe ; and though my body fink, I 
 ftall fwim a top of tVic waters.* Then taking his leave of 
 the company, he faid, ' I fee not one of you, but I wifli 
 you all well.* And one aiking, how it was with him ? he 
 anfwered, *I am perfectly well.' After having fpoken 
 many more fenfible words, about four in tlic morning he 
 departed quietly, as if he had fallen afleep. His wife 
 Mary, the fame that had formerly been at Adrianople, and 
 fpoken with the emperor of the Turks, gave an excellent 
 teilimony in writing concerning him ; and J. Crook, in 
 a preface to W. Bayly '^ works, faid of him, (the truth of 
 which I know by my own experience) * As he was bold 
 and zealous in his preaching, being willing to improve his 
 time, as if he had known it was not to be long amongft 
 us; fo was he as valiant in fuflfering for his teftimony, 
 ' when called thereunto. Methinks I fee how once I faw 
 him ftand at ihe bar to plead his innocent caufe, like holy 
 Stephen, in the fenate-houfe, when the threats of his pcr- 
 fecutors refembled the fhovvers of ftones (falling upon that 
 'bleflcd martyr) crying out with a hideous noifc, take him 
 away, goaler, &c. and yet all this] while he changed not 
 his countenance, except by the additional ornaments of 
 fome innocent fmiles. Sometimes by cruel perfecutors he 
 hath been thrown down, and dragged upon the ground by 
 the hair of his head, and his mouth and jaws endeavoured 
 to be rent and broke afunder, fo that the ground whereon 
 he lay was fmeared with his blood : yet, as if this butcher- 
 ing had not been enough to make him a fit facrifice for 
 the fliambles of their cruelty, a heavy grofs bodied per- 
 fecutor ftamped upon his breaft with his feet, endcavour- 
 
 1676] PEOPLE <:alled quakerj, 317 
 
 ing^to beat the breath out of his body: and when this 
 perfrcutor had, done his pleafure, be commanded the 
 gaoler to take him away, and put him in fome nafty hole 
 for his entertainment and cure. And had not the God of 
 Ifrael been his phyfician there, he had been taken from us 
 long before this^' Thus far John Crook. . 
 
 At the beginning of this year 1676, died at London^ 
 Matthew Hide, who had made it his bufinefs, during ihe 
 fpace of about twenty years, publickly to contradifl; the 
 Quakers in their meetings, and to difturb them .in their 
 worfliip of God, thinking from a blind zeal, that he did 
 God an acceptable piece of fervice, by zealoufly oppofing 
 what he judged to be herefy. Now how much foever*" 
 this man was bent againft them, yet he (hewed this mode- 
 ration, that in hfs gainfaying he did not behave himfelf 
 furioufly, but appeared to be well meaning, alchough he 
 erred exceedingly, and often hindered the preaching of 
 minifters among the Quakers; which inJuced W. Penn 
 fometimes to pray to God very earneftly for him, and to 
 tell him in the pr'efence of many auditors, that God would 
 plead with him by his righteous judgments; and that the 
 time would come he fliould be forced to confefs to the 
 fufSciency of that light he then oppofed, and to acknow- 
 ledge that God was with thofe called Quakers. 
 
 This fame Hide being by ficknefs brought to the bjrint 
 of death, defired that G. Whitehead, and fome of his 
 friends, might be fent for : and to one Cotton Oad^, who 
 alked him, if he had any thing to fay to cleaf himfelf, 
 concerning his having fo often oppofed the friends called 
 Quakers, in their declarations and prayers, he faid, that 
 he was forry for what he had done ; for, added he, they 
 are the people of God. G. Whitehead, then, though it 
 was late in the evening, being come to him, with fome 
 others, faid, *I am come in love and tendernefs to fee. 
 thee.* To' which Hide returned, J. I am glad to fee you .* 
 and Whitehead again, ' If thou haft any thing on thy 
 confcience to fpeak, I would have thee to clear thy con- 
 fcience.' To this Hide replied, * What I have to fay, I 
 fpeak in the prcfence of God : as Paul was a perfecutor of 
 the people of the Lord, fo have I been a perfecutor of 
 
 •tr 
 I 
 
3»8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 I1676 
 
 1676] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 319 
 
 you his people, as the world is who perfccutc the children 
 of God/ More be fpoke, but being very weak, his 
 words could not well be underflood. Then G. White- 
 irad refumcd, ' Thy underfianding being darkened, when 
 darknefs was over thee, thou haft gainfaid the truth and 
 people of the Lords and 1 knew that that light which 
 thou oppofedft, would rife up in judgment agatnft thee. 1 
 We often with others, laboured, with thee, to bring thee 
 to a right underfianding.' To.whi^h Hide faid, * Ihjs I 
 declare in the prefenceof Cod, ivnd of you here, I have 
 done evil in perfecuting you who are the children of God, 
 and I am forry for it : the Lord Jefus Chrift fliew mercy 
 unto me, and the Lord increafe your number, and be with 
 you.' After fome paufe, G. Whitehead faid to him, 'I 
 would have thee, if thou art able to (peak, to eafe^thy 
 confcieiice as fully as thou canft. My foul is affefted to 
 hear thee thus confefs thy evil, as the Lord hath given 
 thee a fenfe of it. In repentance there is mercy and for- 
 givenefs ; in confeffing and forfaking fm, there is inercy 
 to be found wiih the Lord, who in the midft of judgment 
 remembers mercy, that he may be feared.' Hide being 
 in great anguifli, and ftriving for breath, faid, a little after, 
 « I have done evil in oppofing you in your prayers ; the 
 Lord be merciful unto me ; and as 1 have been an ipltru. 
 ment to turn many from God, the Lord raife up many 
 inftruments to turn many to him.' G: Whitehead refumed, 
 >I defire- thou mayeft iind mercy and forgivenefs at the 
 hand of the Lord. How is it with thy foul? E^.^^^ 
 thou find fome eafe?' ' I hope I do,* anfwercd Hide, 
 .•and if the Lord fliould lengthen my days, I Q^iould be 
 "willing to bear a leftimony for you, as publickly as I have 
 appeared againft you.' His wife then faid, ' It is enough ; 
 what can be defircd more?' ' If,' queried Whitehead/ the 
 Lord fliould not lengthen out thy days, doft thou delire 
 ^hat thou fayeft fliould be fignified to others ? * Y es, 
 anfwered Hide, * I do, you may ; I have faid as much ac 
 I can fay.' After fome filence, he being much itraitened 
 for breath. Whitehead faid, ' If this company be weari- 
 fome unto thee, we may withdraw.' To which he returned, 
 • you may ufe your freedom.' G. Whitehead then taking 
 
 leave of him faid, ' I fliall leave thee to the Lord, defiring 
 he may fliew mercy and forgivenefs unto thee, as I hope 
 he will.' Upon which Hide replied, ' The Lord be with 
 your fpirits.' 
 
 All this was fpoken to G. Whitehead and his friends, 
 in the prefence of Hide's wife, and fome others of his 
 acquaintance, about two hour^ before his death: and thus 
 he gave manifeft proofs of a fincere repentance ; for Eliz. 
 his wife, having perceived him to be much troubled in his 
 mind, had aiked him, if he would fpeak with fom^ of the 
 Quakers ? and he fmiiing his hand on his breaft, faid, 
 * With all my foul.' After G. Whitehead and his friends 
 were gone, it being the feventh day of the week, he 
 defired fcveral times that he might live till morning, and 
 might bear on that day, viz. the firft day of the week) a 
 teftimony for the truth, he had on that day fo often op- 
 pofed; yet he fignified that he had found fome eafe to his 
 fpirit. He alfo exhorted his wife, who converfed much 
 with people that were great in the world, to ufe the plain 
 language of the Quakers, And after fome more words to 
 this purpofe, fpoken by hira, with good underftanding, he 
 ftretched himfelf out, and died very quietly.. An^-evident 
 token of God's unfpeakable mercy, who wills not the 
 death of a finner, but that he fliould repent and live ; and 
 who entirely knowing the real difpofition of man's heart, 
 forgives fin by mere grace, without any merit in fi.ai, but 
 for his own fake, as he hath faid himfelf, " I am he that 
 blotteth out thy tranfgreifions for mine own fake, and will 
 not remember thy fins." The truth of which faying very 
 plainly appeared in the converted thief on the crofs, though 
 his impenitent fellow-fufferer hardened his heart againft it. 
 
 In this year, while G. Fox was at Swarthmore, died 
 William Lampitt, the pricft of Ulverftone,' who formerly 
 had been a great friend to Margaret, now the wife of G. 
 Fox, but grew fo envious againft the friends flie was in 
 fociety with, that he faid in the year 1652, he would wage 
 his life upon it, that the Quakers would all vanifh and conte 
 to nought within half a year. But on his death-bed he faid 
 to one of his hearers, who came to vifit him, * I have been 
 a preacher along time, and thought I had lived well j but 
 I did not think it had been fo hard a thing to die.* 
 
 Vol. II. x 
 
320 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1676 
 
 At Norwich now great fpoil was made upon the Quakers, 
 for their religious affemblies. Erafmus Cooper coming 
 once into the houfe of Anthony Alexander, laid to his 
 wife, who was big with child, he came to feize all flic 
 had. ' All,' faid flie, ' and that for feven pounds fine, 
 that is hard.' But he flighting what flie faid, replied, he 
 would not leave her a bed to lie on. And then began to 
 break the doors with a pick-ax ; he and his companions 
 behaving themfelves fo defperately, that it drew tears from 
 fome of the neighbours who behe'ld it ; and the warranted 
 fpoilers forced Alexander's man to help them ; which 
 made Alexander fay, that it was a moft unreafonable thing, 
 to require a fervant to aflift in the taking his matter's 
 goods : for which the warden, Robert Clerk, fnarled at 
 him, faying, * They are our goods.' To the houfe of 
 Samuel Duncon, the aforefaid ofiicers came alfo, and with 
 them the informer, Charles Tennifon, and the hangman. 
 Here they ftaid feveral days and nights, and kept Samuel's 
 wife, who was big with child, as a prifoner in her own 
 houfe, not fuifering her to fpeak with any, fo much as at 
 the door, nor any to come to her. And after they had 
 broke up all the locked doors, they took away to the 
 value 01 about forty-three pounds in goods ; and fo in- 
 folent the informers were, that one did not flick to fay, 
 * I will make the mayor wait upon me as often as I will, 
 at my .pleafure.' Nay, this wicked crew was become fo 
 powerful, that none durft oppofe them, for fear of falling 
 into difgrace with the court : fmce they were encouraged 
 by fuch as were in high flations, and probably at the in- 
 {tance of the Papifts, or popiflily affefted. The conftable, 
 William Poole, coming this fummer into the meeting at 
 Norwich, with an informer, who made him come, and 
 hearing efficacious preaching there, cried with tears in his 
 . eyes, ' What fliall I do ! 1 know the power of God is 
 among you ;' and told the informer, that if there were a 
 rurfe hung over any people upon the earth, it was over 
 the informers. And Tennifon the^ informer, who had 
 aflfifted in taking away Samuel Duncon's goods, being 
 afterwards committed to prifon for debt, confefled he.never 
 profpcred fiHce he took in hand that work ; and faid if he 
 were at liberty, he would never meddle with it more. • 
 
 1676] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QtrAKERS. 
 
 321 
 
 In Nottinghamftiire alfo great fpoil and bavock was 
 made, to which the juftice, Robert Thoroton, was greatly 
 inftrumcntal; for at Sutton he gave forth a warrant to 
 feize the goods of two perfons, one of which was'a wo- 
 man, who having in a meeting fpoken five or fix words, 
 which, according to tlie teftimony of fome officers that 
 were prefent, were not at all like preaching, was however 
 informed againft as a preacher, and fo by the faid Thoro- 
 ton fined twenty pounds ; and flie being unable to pay- 
 the one half of the fine was charged upon her, and the 
 other half upon John Fulwood. At another time Thoroton 
 gave order to feize the goods of William Day, a miller, 
 becaufe he having been at a meeting at Sutton, in the 
 ftreet, the fine of a pretended preacher, that was unable, 
 was charged upon him ; though Day proved, and the 
 officers who kept the friends out of their meeting-place, 
 declared alfo, that thofe words, which were called preach- 
 ing, were no more than an anfwer to what another had 
 fpoken. But for afl that, Thoroton, to protefl, and to 
 gratify the informer, faid, ' Though but one word were 
 fpoken, it is fufficient.' A poor woman at South Colling, 
 ham, who was already bereaved of almoft all that flie 
 poflefl:ed, and fince by her friends provided with a bed 
 and other neceflaries, was alfo deprived of this little, be- 
 caufe flie continued to frequent meetings. Matthew Hartly, 
 a poor man, who livei by fpinning of wool, was likewife, 
 for frequenting the meeting there, bereaved of what he 
 had J and fo it was with many others, whofe names and 
 firnames I could mention, if I had a mind to enlarge. And 
 if their friends had not taken care of them, and other im- 
 poveriffied families, who had Jofl all by fpoil, many mi2ht 
 have periflied. 
 
 In the town of Hereford the meetings were alfo dif- 
 turbed from time to time, chiefly by boys, who threw 
 among thofe that were met, not only ftcnes, and excre- 
 ments, but burning fquibs ; and ufed all manner of in- 
 folency and mifchief they could think of, againft thefe 
 harmlefs people, either by breaking the glafs windows, 
 or the forms and feats. One of the leaders of this tur- 
 bulent company, was the fon of one Abraham Seward, 
 
 X 2 
 
322 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1676 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 who about this time was ekaed mayor ; but when com- 
 plaints were made to him of the outrageous aftions of the 
 faid wicked crew, he pretended to be ignorant of his fon's 
 doings, and for all that, threatened thofe that came to 
 him, with the execution of the law upon them, if they 
 did not leave off to keep meetings. And as it was well 
 known that the chief mafter of the town-fchool was dif- 
 pleafed at the extravagant infolency of fome of his fcholars, 
 fo it was reported alfo, that he was forbidden to correft 
 them for it ; and that the college priefts had fet them on, 
 and faid they would bear them out in what they did : for 
 fome of thofe brutifli boys were chorifters. Two friends 
 went to the juftices, Robert Simons and Thomas Simons, 
 to acquaint them with the exceffive abufcs they met with. 
 But the juitices not at all regarding their complaint, the 
 faid Robert endeavoured to draw fome confeffion of a 
 meeting from one of them, intending, as he himfelf faid, 
 immediately to have fined him, if he had confeffed ; but 
 he was wary. Now fmce the infolency of the boys was 
 thus encouraged by authority, it was no wonder it con- 
 tinued there a whole year. At length eight men were 
 taken from the meeting, by the aforefaid mayor, Abraham 
 Seward, and carried to the town4iall; and in their paffage 
 along, he faid, they fhould never meet there more. To 
 whicli a friend, going with him, faid, ' We are a people 
 gathered by the power of the Lord ; and therefore the 
 power of man cannot fcatter us.' Being come to the 
 town-hall, the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy were 
 tendered to them, on which they faid, ' We are Chriftians, 
 therefore cannot break the command of Chrift, which 
 forbids to fwear at all ; but to render juft and hwful 
 ' allegiancce to the king, we do not deny, nor refufe.* And 
 they perfifting in their rctufal to fwear, were committed to 
 prifon. The next day after, one Walter Rogers, a pre- 
 bend, walking by the meeting-houfe, and obferving how 
 it was broken, faid to fome, that they were very good 
 boys, and had done their work better than he thought they 
 
 had. . J , 
 
 At one of the quarter-feffions In Nottmgham, one Jonn 
 
 Sayton appeared, who, being fined twenty pounds for 
 
 323 
 
 1675] 
 
 fuffering a conventicle at his houfe, in the parifh of BIyth, 
 came to appeal for juftice. The witnefs produced againfl 
 him, faid, ' I was there on that day, and there were 
 feveral people met, but were all filent, and no words 
 fpoken amongft them ; but I did not fee John Sayton 
 there.' And that the faid John Sayton was above fixty 
 miles from home the fame day, for which he was fined 
 twenty pounds, "^vas made appear in open court by fub- 
 ftantial evidence. Then the counfel for the appellant 
 faid, in the firft place, forafmuch as there was neither 
 preaching, praying, nor reading, as their own witnefs 
 doth teftify, therefore it was no conventicle. Secondly, 
 being they cannot prove he was there, therefore how can 
 it be judged, that he did either wittingly or willingly con- 
 fent to uhat meeting, if they could make it a conventicle ? 
 To this the informer's counfel obje£led, that although 
 there was neither preaching, praying, nor reading, yet it 
 was evident enough that they met under a pretence of 
 religious exercife ; and feeing there were more than five, 
 and not of John Sayton's family, therefore it muft needs 
 be a conventicle. And as to the fecond, feeing they can- 
 not prove he was there, we muft leave it to the confciences 
 of the jury, whether he did willingly confent to that meet- 
 ing or no. After the counfel had fpoken on both fides, 
 Penifton Whaley, one of the juftices, who fate in the 
 chair as judge of the court, ftood up, and faid to the jury, 
 * Although there was no vifible exercife that can be 
 proved, yet the Quakers fay, they worfhip God in fpirit 
 and truth ; and we know their manlier is to fit fighing and 
 groaning,' &c. The jury returning, and being alked by 
 the court, ' Do you find it for the king, or for the appel- 
 lant,' anfwercd, ' For the appellant.* This fo difpleafed 
 the faid juftice Whaley, that he bid them go forth again. 
 But one of the jurymen faying, they were agreed, and 
 they had confidered the thing very well, he thereupon 
 fell into fuch a rage, that he fiiid, ' You deferve all to be 
 hanged; for you are as ill as highwaymen.' Perhaps he 
 himfelf was either an informer, or a fpecial friend to 
 fuch, and therefore was forry that the jury deprived him 
 of the booty, or a fliare of it. 
 
 X 3 
 
3^4 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1676 
 
 There was now great perfecuiion in all parts of England, 
 neither did it go better in the principality of Wales. Nine 
 perfons being taken prifoners, and brought this fummer 
 to the affizes held for the county of Merioneth, in the 
 town Bala, upon an indiftment for not reforting to their 
 parifh churches, the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy 
 were tendered to them, Kemick Eyton, and Thomas 
 Walcot being judges ; and upon their refufal of taking 
 thefe oaths, the faid judges declared it as their opinion in 
 open court, that in cafe the prifoners would refufe the 
 oaths the fecond time, they (hould be profccuted as traitors, 
 the men to be hanged and quartered, T?nd the women to be 
 burnt. But this threat could not make them afraid ; for 
 at the next affizes the oaths being tendered them again, 
 they continued in refufmg, though they folemnly acknow- 
 ledged allegiance to the king as fupreine magiftrate ; and 
 thereupon were remanded to clofe imprifonment, where 
 Edward Rees, one of them, being above fixty years of 
 'age, and not able to bear the cold, died about the heighth 
 of the froft, not having been allowed the ufe of fire.^ 
 
 Sometime before it happened, within the, corporation of 
 Pool, in Monigomerylhire, that the juftice, David Maurice, 
 coming intoa'houfe where a fmall number of people were 
 peaceably met, and all filent, required them to depart. 
 Hereupon Thomas Lloyd, one of the company, began ta 
 fpeak a few words, by way of defining true religion, and 
 what true worfhip was ; and what he faid was fo reafon- 
 able, that the faid juftice approved of it, as found, and 
 according to the doarine of the church of England; yet^ 
 notwithftanding he fined the faid Thomas Lloyd in twenty 
 pounds for preaching. 
 
 This year died in prifon John Sage, being about eighty 
 years of age, after having been in prifon at Ivelchefter in 
 Somerfeifhirc-, almoft ten years, for not paying of tithes. 
 And it appeared, that fince the refloration of king Charles,, 
 above two hundred of the people called Quakers, died in 
 prifons in England, where they had been confined becaufe 
 of their religion. I could relate abundance of occurrences 
 this year, if 1 had a mind to extend my work, but I ftudy 
 brevity ; yet cannot omit to mention, that in this year, in 
 he ifland of Barbadoes, in the Weft Indies, a law was 
 
 1676] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 325 
 
 made to prevent negroes coming into the meetings of the 
 Quakers, which was of this tenor : 
 
 * Whereas of late, many negroes have been fufFered to 
 remain at the meetings of the Quakers, as hearers of their 
 doclrine, and taught in their principles, whereby the fafety 
 of the ifland m:iy be much hazarded : be it cna<5led, that if 
 at any time after publication hereof, any negro, or negroes, 
 be found with the people called Quakers, at any of their 
 meetings, as hearers of their preaching, he or they fliall 
 be forfeited, one half to fuch as fhall feize, or fue for him 
 or them., if belonging to any of the Quakers; and the 
 other moiety to the publick ufe of the ifland ; provided 
 that if he or they be feized, fuch as feize, fliall bring theif 
 a£i:ioQs upon this ftatute, within three months, againft the 
 owner of the negro, or negroes: wherein the defendant 
 having ten days fummons, fliall appear, plead, and come 
 to trial at the firft court after fummons, or judgment to be 
 given by nihil dicit^ and execution immediately to iflue. 
 And if fuch 'negro, or negroes, do not belong to any of 
 the perfons prefent at the fame meeting, any perfon or 
 perfons may bring an a£fion upon this ftatute, againft any 
 of the perfons prefent at the faid meeting, at the eleftion 
 of the informer, and fo recover ten pounds for every 
 negro, or negroes, prefent at the faid meeting as aforefaid, 
 to be divided as aforefaid, and in fuch actions proceedings ' 
 to be as aforefaid. And no perfon whatfoever, fliall keep 
 any fchool, to inftru£l any child in any learning, unlefs 
 within one month after the publication hereof, he firft: 
 take the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy, before fome 
 juftice of peace of the parifli where the party lives, and 
 have a certincate thereof, or have a fpecial licence from 
 the governor, on pain of three months imprifonment, and 
 forfeiture of 3001b. of Mufcovade fugar, the one moiety 
 to the informer, and the other to the publick ufe of the 
 ifland, to be recovered as aforeiaid. And no perfon what- 
 foever, who is pot an iiihai3itant and refident of this ifland, 
 and hath been fo for twelve months together, fliall here- 
 after publickly difcourfe, or preach at the meeting of the 
 Qiiakers, on pain pf fix months imprifonment, and forfeit- 
 
 .X4 
 
326 
 
 • THE HISTORY OF XHE 
 
 [1676 
 
 ture of T 000 lb. Mufcovade fugar, the one moiety to fuch 
 asfueforit. the other to the publick ufe of the ifland, to 
 be recovered as aforefaid : provided that all aftions upon 
 this ftarute, be brought within fix months after the offence/ 
 Read, and pafled the council the 21ft of April, 
 1676, and confcnted to by his excellency [the 
 
 governor] the fame day. 
 
 Edwyn Steed, deputy-fecretary. 
 
 Although in the beginnmg of this ftatute, the inftrqaitig 
 of the negroes in the doarine of the Quakers, is reprefented 
 as a thing whereby the fofety of the ifland might be much 
 hazarded, yet the fequel fhews that this was not the yatter, 
 but that it was endeavoured to deprive the Quakers of 
 their due liberty. What was the iffue hereof I am unac- 
 
 quainted with. 
 
 This year Robert Barclay writ a letter to the heer 
 Adrian Paets, with whom he had fome difcourfe when the 
 fiiid heer returned from Spain, where he had been m- 
 baffador for the dates of the United Provinces. This 
 Paets having a ftrange opinion of the doftrme of the 
 Quakers, had a good while ago writ a letter* to Chriftian 
 Hartzoeker, at Rotterdam, about their doarme ; and 
 having afterwards difcourfed with Barclay concernmg 
 the inward ?nd immediate revelation of the Spirit of God, 
 thib- induced Barclay to write a letter on the faid fubjeft 
 in Latin, to the aforementioned heer, wherein he made a 
 more large reply to his arguments, than he had done by 
 word of mouth. This letter being fent over from Scotland 
 to Holland, was delivered by Benjamin Furlyat Rotterdam, 
 to the faid heer Pacts, with a dcfire that he might be 
 pleafed to return an anfwer to it, which he promifed he 
 would. But he continuing deficient in the cafe, Furly at 
 lait publiflied the faid letter in print, but without mention- 
 incT the name of him to whom it was written, only his 
 chTiXdiCicT^vh. CiiiaamIegaio.-\ 
 
 In this letter was fet down firfl: the objeaion of the heer 
 Paets, to wit, that fince the being and fubftance of the 
 
 • To be found* in the book called FrsUanfmrn ac efudHorum inrorumEfstoIx 
 Bccleu^stiquc !5' TLolo^ic^. Amftelodami tf/tfrf Franciscum Hiilmam. 1704. 
 f To a ccruin ambairador. \ 
 
 1676] PEOPLE CALLfiD (^TAKERS. 327 
 
 Chriftian religion confifteth in the knowledge of, and faith 
 concerning, the birth, life, death, refurreaion, and afcenfioa 
 of Chrift'jcfus, he confidered the fubftance of the Chriftian 
 religion as contingent truth ; which contingent truth was 
 matter of faa. And matter of faa could not be knowa 
 but by thi^ relation of another, or by the perception of 
 the outward fenfes ; becaufe there are natiirally in our 
 fouls no ideas of contingent truths, fuch as are concerning 
 neceflary truths, viz* that God is, and that the whole is 
 greater than the part. And fince it might without abfur- 
 dity be faid, that God cannot make a contingent truth to 
 become a neceflary truth ; neither can God reveal con- 
 tingent truths or matters of faa, but as contingent truths 
 are revealed ; and matters of faa not being revealed but 
 by the outward fenfes, the conclufion drawn from thence 
 is, that men are not obliged to believe God producing any 
 revelation in the foul concerning matter of faa, whether of 
 a thing done, or ta be done, unlefs there be added forage 
 miracles obvious to the outward fenfes, by which the foul 
 may be afcertained that that revelation cometh from God. 
 All thefe arguments Barclay anfwered very circumftaniially, 
 premifing firft, that it was falfely fuppofed that the eflence 
 of the Chriftian religion confifted in the hiftorical faith and 
 knowledge of the birth, death, life, refurreaion, aad afcen- 
 fion of Chrift.' That faith and hiftorical knowledge is indeed 
 a part of the Chriftian religion, but not fuch an eflential 
 part as that without which theChriftan religion cannot' 
 confift ; but an integral part, which goes to the completing 
 of the Chriftian religion, as the hands or feet of a man are 
 the integral parts of a man, without which neverthelefs a 
 man may exift, but not an enti^-e and complete man. Yet 
 he agrees, that the hiftorical knowledge of Chrift is com- 
 monly manifefted to us by the holy Scripture as the means ; 
 but neverthelefs he aficrts, that God could without fuch 
 an outward mean manifeft the faid hiftorical knowledge to 
 our minds: and alfo, that a contingent truth may be 
 known by a fupernaiunil knowledge. And he faith, thac^ 
 when God doth make known unto men any matter of faa 
 by divine immediate revelation, he then fpeaks as to the 
 car of the heart of the inward man. And/that as when 
 
325 
 
 THE HISTORY OP THE 
 
 [1676 
 
 any natural idea is excited in us, we clearly know it ; fo 
 alfo when a fupernatural idea is raifed, we clearly know 
 that whereof it is the idea. He alfo holds forth, what 
 properly is the inward fupernatural fenfe in man ; and 
 then he diftinguiftieth between contingent and neceffary 
 truths, and (hews how a divine revelation may be known 
 to be fuch, faying that natural and fpiritual fcnfes arc 
 dilllnguilhable by their objecls, and demonftraring how 
 'Todly'^mcn may know they are in the fiivour of God, and 
 how the wicked feel the wrath ot God as fire. He alfo 
 relates after what manner the fpiritual fenfes diftinguifti the 
 good and the evil ; and he confelTcth there is in all men, 
 as well the godly as the uniiodly, fome fort of idea of 
 God, as of a mod perfeft bcinir: but he aflcrts, that the 
 fupernaiural idci of God differeth much from the natural; 
 and that in all men there is a fupci n;itural idea of God. 
 He alfo (hews, wherein the mojions of the mind differ from 
 thofe of the body ; and that there are id«as as well of fuper- 
 natural, as of natural things. And (hewing from whence 
 the errors of f.dfe likenefTcs of reafon proceed, he fays, that 
 the natural reafon cannot perceive fupernatural things. He 
 alfo afferts, ihat the revelations to the prophets were by 
 inward infpirations in their minds ; and that they were 
 moil certainly perfuaded that they were divinely infpired, 
 even without any outward miracle : and that it is by the 
 iiifpiration of the fame divine Spirit, by which the prophets 
 propheficd, that we do believe their words and writings 
 to be divine, concerning contingent truths, as well pad 
 as to come. Moreover he enquires, whether faith comes 
 by outward hearing, and he ihews how the outward 
 fenfes may be deceived ; nay, that often they are vitiated 
 both by outward cafualties and natural infirmities, where- 
 unto the godly are no lefs fubject than the wicked. 
 
 All this is treated at large by Barclay, as may be feen in 
 the faid letter, and feveral years after, when the heer 
 Pacts was at London, being one of the comminfioners for 
 thi^ Dutch Eaft-India company, Barclay fpoke with him 
 again, and {j reprefented the matter, that he readily yielded^ 
 that he had been roiftakt'n in his notion of the Quakers ; 
 for he found they could make a rcafonable plea for the 
 
 J675] PEOPLE CALI>ED QTTAKERS, 329 
 
 foundation of their religion. And thereupon R. Barclay 
 
 tranllated the faid letter into Engiilh as follows : 
 
 ' My friend, 
 
 « Albeit T judge I did fully anfwcr to all thy arguments 
 
 in that conference we had, concerning the necefiity and 
 
 poffibility of inward immediate revelation, and of the 
 
 certainty of true faith from thence proceeding: neverthe- 
 
 lefs, becaufc after we had made an end, and were parting, 
 
 thou wouldeft needs remit to my further confideration the 
 
 ftrength of thy argument, as that in which thou fuppofedft 
 
 the very hinge of the queflion to lie : that I might fatisfy 
 
 thy defire, and that the truth might more appear, I did 
 
 further confider of it ; but the more I weighed it, I found 
 
 it the weaker. And therefore that thou thyfelf mayeft 
 
 make the truer judgment of it, I thought meet to fend thee 
 
 my further confiderations thereon ; (which 1 had done e'er 
 
 now, had not I, both at London and elfewhere, been 
 
 diverted by other neceffary occafions) wherein 1 doubt 
 
 not, but thou wilt perceive a full and diftin^l: anfwer 
 
 to thy argument. But if thou canft not as yet yield to 
 
 the truth, or thinkeil mine anfwej in any part to be de- 
 
 fe6live, fo that there yet remains with thee any matter of 
 
 doubt or fcruple; I do earneftly defire thee, that as I for 
 
 thy fake, and out of love to the truth, have not been 
 
 wanting to examine thy argument, and to tranfmit to thee 
 
 my confiderations thereon ; fo thou mayeft give thyfelf the 
 
 trouble to. write and fend me what thou haft further to 
 
 fay: which my friend N. N. who delivers the« this, will, 
 
 at what time thou flialt appoint, receive from thee, and 
 
 tranfmit to me thy letter j that at laft the truth may appear 
 
 where it is. * 
 
 ' And that the whole matter may the more clearly be 
 underftood, it will be fit in the firft place, to propofe thy 
 argument, whereby thou oppofeft the immediate reveJation 
 of^'God in the faints; thence concluding thou haft fully 
 overturned the fouudation of the people called Quakers. 
 Which argument of thine is ; 
 
 « That iince (as ibou judgeft) the being and fubftance 
 of the Chriftian religion confifteth in the knowledge of, 
 and faith concerning, the birth, life, death, refurreaion. 
 
33^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 L1676 
 
 and afcenfion of Chrift Jefus, thou confidercft the fubftancc 
 of the Chriftian reh'gion as a contingent truth ; which con- 
 tingent truth is matter of fa6l. Whence thoii reafoneft, that : 
 
 Matter of faft cannot be known, but by the relation of 
 another, or by the perception of the outward fenfes ; 
 becaufe there are naturally in our fouls no ideas of 
 contingent truths, fuch as are concerning necelfary 
 truths : to wit, that God is ; and that the whole is 
 greater than the part. — And fince it may without abfur- 
 dity be faid, thnt 
 
 God cannot make a contingent truth to become a neceflary 
 truth ; neither can God reveal contingent truths or 
 matters of faft, but as contingent truths are revealed : 
 but m.attcrs of faft are not revealed, but by the outward 
 fenfes. From* whence thou concluded, that 
 
 Men are not even obliged to believe God producing any 
 revelation in the foul concerning matter of fa£l, whether 
 of a thing done, or to be done, unlefs there be added 
 fome miracles obvious to the outward fenfes, by which 
 the foul may be afcertained, that that revelation coirieth 
 from God. 
 
 * And this thou endeavoured alfo to prove from tlic 
 Scripture, Rom. x. where the apoftle faith^ *' Faith comcth 
 by hearing :" and becaufe the apoftle fpeakcth afterwards 
 of thofe who were fent in the plural number ; thence thou 
 concludeft that to be fpoken of outward preaching by the 
 miniflry of men : and fmce the apoftle ufes a queftion, 
 faying, *' How fhall they believe unUfs they hear,*' thou 
 gathcrtft from the indu£lion and connexion of the text, 
 that the apoftle treats only of outward hearing j thence 
 concluding, that without outward hearing, faith cannot 
 be produced : and therefore, that there can b^ no imme- 
 diate revelation by the fimple operation of the Spirit in the " 
 mind, unlefs there be foraewhat propofed to the outward 
 fenfes. 
 
 * Before I proceed to a direft anfwer to this argument, 
 fome things are necelfary to be premifed: 
 
 * Firrt then; That it is falfely fuppofed, that the eflence 
 of the Chriftian religion confiils in the hiftorical faith and 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 33» 
 
 1676] 
 
 knowledge of the birth, death, life, refurreftion, and 
 afcenfion of Jefus Chrift. That faith and hiftorical know- 
 ledge is indeed a part of the Chriftian rehgion ; but not 
 fuch an effential part, as that without which the Chriftiaa 
 religion cannot confift : but an integral part, which goes 
 to the completing of the Chriftian religion ; as the hands 
 or feet of a man are integral parts of a man, without which 
 neverthelefs a man may exift^but not an entire and complete 
 man. 
 
 * Secondly, If by immediate revelation be underftood 
 fuch a revelation of God, as begets in our fouls an hiftorical 
 faith and knowledge of the birth of Chrift in the flefli, 
 without the means of the holy Scripture, we do not con- 
 tend for fuch a revelation, as commonly given, or to be 
 expe^ed by us, or any other Chriftians. For albeit many 
 other evangelical truths be manifefted to us by the imme- 
 diate manifeftation of God, not ufmg the Scripture as the 
 means ; yet the hiftorical knowledge of Chrift is not com- 
 monly manifefted to us, nor to any others, but by the holy 
 Scripture, as the means, and that by way of a material 
 objcft : even as when we fee the perfon of Peter or Paul 
 to our vifive faculty immediately, yet not without the 
 medium of that perfon concurring as a material objeiEl to 
 produce that fight ; while the light of the fun concurs, 
 sis the formal object of that vifion or fight. So that when 
 we livingly and fpiritually know the hiftory of the birth of 
 Chrift in the flefli ; the inv/ard revelation or illumination 
 of God, which is like the fun's light, proceeding from 
 the divine fun, doth ftiine into the eye of the mind, and 
 by its influence moves the mind to afl*ent unto the hiftorical 
 truth of Chrift's birth, life, &c. in the reading or hearing 
 the Scripture, or meditating therein. 
 
 ' Thirdly, Neverthelefs we do firmly aflert, that God 
 can moft cafily, clearly, and certainly, manifeft to our minds 
 the hiftbrical truths of Chrifts's birth, &c.when it fo plcafeth 
 him, even without the Scripture, or any other outward 
 means. And becaufe this argument feems to be formed 
 againft the pofiTibility of fuch a revelation, therefore I ftiall 
 proceed to difcufs it : but firft thou mayeft mind, that the 
 prophets who foretold Clxrift's coming in the ficih, aud 
 
S3^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1675 
 
 being to be born of a virgin, and afterwards to fuffer death, 
 did know thefe truths of fa£t by the inward infpiration of 
 God, without outward means : for which fee 1 Pet. i. 10, 
 1 1. Now that which hath been, may be. 
 
 * Fourthly, This argument doth at mod conclude, that 
 we cannot know naturally any truth of fa<^, but by the 
 relation of another without lis, or by the perception of 
 the outward fenfes ; becaufe there are naturally in our 
 minds no ideas concerning contingent truths (and every truth 
 of faifl is a contingent truthj as there are of neceflary truths. 
 This then proveth, that we cannot naturally know any 
 contingent truth, but by the relation of another, or per- 
 ception of the outward fenfes : but that hindereth not, 
 but we may know a contingent truth by a fupernatuial 
 knowledge, God fupplying the place of an outward relator ; 
 who is fo true, that he may, and ought to be bclievedj 
 fince God is the fountain of truth. 
 
 * Fifthly, When God doth make known unto men any 
 matter of fact by divine immediate revelation or infpiration, 
 God fpeaking as to the ear of the heart of the inward man, 
 or as by his finger writing therein, two things are to be 
 confidercd in fuch an immediate revelation. 
 
 * to MaUriale, The matter of fd£t, or thing revealed, 
 which is contingent. 
 
 ' To Formakj The form or mode, how the revelation 
 is made : which form is an inward, divine, and fupernatural 
 revelation, which is the voice or fpeech of God, inwardly 
 fpeaking to the ear of the inwanl man or mind of man, or a 
 divine writing fupernaturally imprinted therein. Now as to 
 the materia! part, or the thing and matter revealed, this is in- 
 deed a contingent truth, and of itfelf is not manifell to the 
 mind ; but becaufe of the form, that is, becaufe of the divine 
 mode, and fupernatural inward operation, the matter is 
 known to be true. For that divine and ftipernatural in- 
 ward operation, which the mind doih feel and perceive 
 in itfelf, is the voice oF God fpeaJ<ing unto man, which by 
 its nature and fpecifick property is as clearly diftinguifhed 
 and underllood to be the voice of God, as the voice of 
 Peter or James is known to be the voice of fuch men. 
 For every being as a being is knowablc, and that by its 
 
 1676J 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 333 
 
 own* fpecifick nature, or property proceeding from its 
 nature ; and hath its proper idea, by which it is diftingnifh- 
 able from every other thing, if fo be its idea be ftirrcd up 
 in us, and clearly propofed to us. 
 
 * Sixthly : Now as fome beings are natural, fome fuper- 
 natural, fo fome ideas are natural, fome fupernatural : and 
 as when any natural idea is excited in us, we clearly know 
 it ; fo alfo <vhen a fupernatural idea is raifed, we clearly 
 know that, whereof it is the idea. But the voice of God 
 fpeaking to the mind of man, is a fupernatural being, and 
 (Hrreth up in us a fupernatural idea, by which we clearly 
 know that inward voice to be the voice of God, and not 
 the voice or operation of another, or of any evil fpirit, 
 or angel, becaufe none of thefe have a fupernatural idea' 
 as the voice of God, and his divine operation hath: for 
 it is full of vigour, virtue, and divine glory, as faith the 
 pfalmift, who had often experience of u ; and we alfo in 
 our meafures are witneffes thereof, for the voice of God 
 is known to be his by its divine virtue. 
 
 * Seventhly : The fenfes are either outward or inward : 
 and the inward fenfes are either natural or fupernatural : 
 we have an example of the inward natural fenfe in being 
 angered or pacified, in love and hatred; or when we 
 perceive and difceru any natural truth (fuch as the natural 
 maxims, to wit, that the whole is greater than the part, &c.; 
 or when we deduce any conclufion by the ftreno-th of 
 natural reafon, that perception alfo in a larger fenfe^ may 
 be called an inward fenfe. But an example of an inward 
 Hipernatin-al fenfe is, when the heart or foul of a pious 
 man, feels in itfelf divine motions, influences5and operations, 
 which fometimes are as the voice or fpeech of God, fome' 
 times has a moft pleafant and glorious illuftration orviiible 
 object to the inward eye, fometimes has a moft fweet 
 favour or tafie, fometimes has an heavenly and divine 
 warmnefs, or (fo to fpeak) melting of the foul in the love 
 of God. Moreover this divine and fupernatural operation 
 in the mind of man, is a true and moft glorious miracle; which 
 when it is perceived by the inward and fupernatural fenfe 
 divinely .raifed up in the mind of man, doth fo cvidertlv 
 and clearly perfuade the uaderftanding- to affeiu tO' rhc 
 
334 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1676 
 
 676] 
 
 thing revealed, that there is no need of an outward mi- 
 racle : for this aflent is not becaufe of the thing itfelf, but 
 becaufe of the revelation propofing it, which is the voice 
 of God. For when the voice of God is heard in the 
 foul, the foul doth as certainly conclude the truth of that 
 voice, as the truth of God's being, from whom it proceeds. 
 
 * Thefe things being thus premifcd, I now proceed to a 
 direft anfwer. For what is faid, that God cannot make a 
 contingent tiuth to become a neceil^iry truth, I agree ; but 
 when any contingent truth is maniidl to us by the imme- 
 diate revelation of God, there is in two things to be con- 
 fidered, to wit, the thing revealed, which is contingent ; 
 and the revelation itfelf: which upon the fuppofition, that 
 it is a divine revelation, is no contingent truth, but a mod 
 neceffary truth. And this all mankind will fay, that this 
 propofition, every divine revelation is neceffarily true, is as 
 clear and evident, as that propofition, that every whole is 
 greater than its part. 
 
 * But thou wilt fay ; how knowefl: thou that a divine 
 revelation is a divine revelation ? I anfwer, how knowefl: 
 thou that a whole is a whole, and a part is a part ? thou 
 wilt fay, by the natural idea excited in me of a whole, and 
 not of a part. I anfwer again ; even fo a div'ine revelation. 
 is known to be fuch by a fupernatural idea of divine reve- 
 lation flirred up in us, and that by a divine motion, or 
 fupernatural operation. But it is no wonder that men, 
 who have no^ experience of fupernatural ideas, or at lealt do 
 not heed them, do deny them ; w^hich is, as if a man natu- 
 rally blind denied light or colours ; or a deaf man founds, 
 becaufe they experience them not. Therefore we cannot 
 diffcmble, that wc feel a fervent zeal even divinely kindled 
 
 'in us againfl: fuch an abfurd opinion, as 'affirms, that God 
 cannot afertain us of his will in any contingent truth, but 
 by propofing it to the outward fenfes. This opinion docs 
 in a manner turn men into brutes, as iF man were not to 
 believe his God, unlefs he propofe what is to be believed 
 to the outward fenfes, which the beads have common with 
 us; yea, it derogates from God's power, and imputes 
 weaknefs to him, as if he could not do that, which not 
 gnly both good and evil angels caa do, but which tjic 
 
 People called quAKERs. 
 
 S35 
 
 meancfl: creatures can do, and the mod unfenfihle. As for 
 indance : the heat of the fire, the coldnefs of the air and 
 water worketh upon us; yea, if a pin prick us, we feellt 
 and that by tlie outward [cnk ; becaufe the obje^s are 
 outward and carnal : but fince God is a mod pure and 
 glorious Spu-it, when he operateth in the inncrmod^parts 
 of ourmmdi;by his will; fliall not he and his will be 
 clearly felt according to liis nature, fthat is, by a foiritaal 
 and fupernatural knk? for as the nature of God h, fo is 
 the nature of his will, to wit, purely fpiritual, and there- 
 fore requireth a fpiritual fenfe todifcernit; which fpiri- 
 tual fcnfe, when it is raifed up in us by a divine operation, 
 doth as clearly and certainly know the voic- or reveJatieu 
 of the wjll of God, concerning any thing which God is 
 pleafed to reveal, however contingent, as the outward 
 lenlc knows and perceives the outward objeft. And it is 
 no lefs abfurd, to require of God, who Is a mod pure Spirit, 
 to manifed his will to men by the outward lenfes, tlfe not 
 to be credited; as to require us to fee founds, and hear 
 lights and colours. For as the oi je<fts of the ontw.ird 
 lenfes arc nor to be confounded, but every obje^l is to have 
 Its proper fenfe ; fo mud we judge of inward and fpiritual 
 ^objcfts, which have their proper fenfe, whereby they are 
 to be perceived. And tell me, how God doth manifeft 
 Ins will concerning matters of ha, when he fends his 
 angels .ta men^ fince angels (as is commonly received) have 
 not outward fenfes, or at lead not fo grofs ones, as ours 
 are ? yea, when men die, and appear before the tribunal 
 of God, whether unto eternal life or death, how can they 
 know this, having laid down their bodies, and therewith 
 their outward fenfes ? and nevcrrhclefs this truth ot God 
 IS a truth of ha, as is the hidorical truth of thrid's 
 birth ni the flefli. And which is yet more near : how do 
 good and holy men even in this life mod certainly know, 
 that they are in the favour and grace cf God! no out- 
 ward revelation doth make this known ,unto them ; but 
 the Spirit (as faith the apodle) beareih witnefs widrour 
 Ipmts, that we are the children oF God. For the mere 
 teftimonyof a human confciencc, without inward tedimony 
 /] ^a^^ Spi-'*^^ cannot beget in us a firm and imniove- 
 iible tedimony of our forfl-iD, btcaiife the heart oi man is 
 Vol. II. *Y * 
 
 
336 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1676 
 
 deceitful ; and if the tcftimony thereof were true, at moft 
 ii is but a human tcftimony, which begettcth in us only a 
 human faith : but that faith, by which holy men believe 
 they are the fons of God, is a divine faith, which leans upon 
 a divine teftimony of the holy Spirit,witneffing in them that 
 they are the fons of God. Moreover, when a good man 
 feels in himfelf that undeclarable joy of the holy Spirit, 
 concerning which the holy Scripture fpeaks, and which is 
 the common privilege of the faints, how or whence feels 
 he this joy ? truly, this argument concludes no lefs againft: 
 this heavenly fpiritual joy, which is begotten in the fouls 
 of the faints by the holy Spirit, than it does againft the 
 immediate revelation of God : for there is no natural idea 
 of this fpiritual joy, elfe mere natural men, yea, fuch as 
 are profone and ungodly, would feel it as much as the 
 crodly : but becaufc it is a fupernatural thing, therefore it 
 can have no true idea but what is fupcrnaturaL Moreover, 
 whence is it that proline men feel fometimes in therafelves 
 the wrath of God as fire, when all things, as to the out- 
 ward, go as profperoufly with them as with the godly, and 
 oftentimes more profperoufly? for there is no natural idea 
 in men of this inward wrath of God. There is alfo an 
 inward grief oftentimes raifed up in wicked men from the 
 fenfc of (his wrath of God, which very much vexeth and 
 tormentcth their minds ; and neverthelcfs this grief hath 
 nu natural ii.iea in us : for oftentimes wicked men feel not 
 this forrow; for God fometimes is, as it were, filent, 
 while the wicked fin, as in Pfalm 1. - 
 
 ' All which things do m.oft clearly demonftrate, that 
 there are in men fupernatural ideas of fupernatural beings ; 
 which ideas are neverthelcfs not perceived by us, unlefs 
 they be ftirred up by fome fupernatural operation of God, 
 which raifeth up in us fupernatural and fpiritual fenfes, 
 which by their nature are as diftinguiftiable from the natu- 
 ral fenfes, whether inward or outward, as the natural 
 fenfes are diftinguifhcd one from another by their fpecifick 
 difference. Of which fpiritual fenfes the Scripture fpeaks 
 frequently, as Heb. v. and xiv. where is fpoken of the Ipi- 
 T\nvA fenfes in general, by which the fpiritual man hath the 
 d/crniih- of good and evil: which good is of u fpmtual 
 
 1676] 
 
 PtOPLS CALLED qiTAKERS- 
 
 337 
 
 nature, and conduccth to feed in us a fpiritual and divine 
 life ; and the evil is of that kind, by which the fpiritual 
 life is in us hurt, to wit, fins, whether carnal or fpiritual : 
 all which cannot be difcerned but by fuch who have fpi- 
 ritual fenfes ftirred up in them, as faith the apoftle. In 
 other places the Scripture alfo fpeaketh of thefe fpiritual 
 fenfes in particular ; as of the fpiritual feeing, Pfalm xxxiv. 
 
 . 9. Of the fpiritual hearing, Pfalm Ixxxv. 9. Of fpiritual 
 tafting, Pfalm xxxiv. 8. Of fpiritual fmellingj Cant. i. 3. 
 Of fpiritual touching, Afts xvii. 8. and in many other 
 places of Scripture we read of thofe fpiritual fenfes in par- 
 ticular. Yea, it is the promife of the gofpel, that the 
 glory of God fliall be feen of holy men, fuch as are clean 
 of heart, even in this life : Ifaiah xxxiii. 17. Mat. v. 8. 
 Which were fulfilled in the primitive Chriftians, fee John 
 i. 14. I Johni. I, 2, 3, 4. 2 Cor. iii. 18, and chap.Jv. 6. 
 But what is this vifion of God and divine glory, which the 
 fouls of the faints enjoy in this life, which is only as the 
 earneft or firft fruits of that more abundant glorious vifion 
 in the life to come, concerning which the Scripture fo 
 much declareth, which is the higheft happinefs of the 
 
 ' immortal foul. 
 
 * For this argument feemeth to do no lefs injury to the 
 famts, than to rob them of this moft glorious treafure both 
 m this life, and that to come. For there is in us no natu^ 
 ral idea of this divine glory, as there is not of God him- 
 felf which is any ways proportionable unto fo great happi. 
 ncfs, which the Scripture fo much declareth of, by which 
 the godly are rewarded partly in this life, and plenarily in 
 that which is to come. We confefs indeed, there is in all 
 men, as well the godly as ungodly, fome fort of idea of 
 God, as of a moft perfeft being ; and that therefore this 
 propofinon, there exifteth a moft perfaft being, doth as 
 clearly appear to human underftanding, as that the whole 
 IS greater than the part : and therefore this propofition, 
 that a moft perfeft being exifteth, ought to be numbered 
 among the principles, that of therafelves are manifeft. 
 But this idea of God is as manifeft to ungodly, as to godly 
 men ; yea, it is clearly perceived by the devil, as by the 
 moft holy angels ; for all the devik know that God is j 
 
 » • 
 
 Y 2 
 
338 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1676 
 
 but yet liow blind is tlic devil, and all wicked men, as to 
 the vifion of God, which is the chief reward of the faints.^ 
 
 * There is then either no fach vifion of Gcd, neither in 
 this life, nor in that to come ; or there is a fiipcrnatural 
 idea of God in us, by which we are made capable of this 
 vifion : which fupcr natural idea of God differeth much 
 from that natural idea of God, which Cartefius and his 
 followers fo much talk of, (albeit others long before Car- 
 tefius did obferve this natural idea of God, and fpoke of 
 it.) But the happinefs of the faints confifls not in con- 
 templating this natural idea of God, elfe the wicked would 
 be as happv as the godly ; yea, the very devil, as the moft 
 holy angei: fincc, as is faid, both the devil and molt 
 wicked men do as clearly perceive this natural idea of 
 God, as the moft holy men or angels. 
 
 « If the Scripture then be true, there is in men a fuper- 
 natural idea of God, which altogctucr differs from this 
 natural idea : I fay, in all men ; becaufe all men are ca- 
 pable of falvation, and confequently of enjoying this 
 Divine vifion. Now this capacity conf fteth herein, that 
 they have fuch a fupernatural idea in thcmfdves : for if there 
 were no fuch idea in them, it were impoffible they (hould 
 fo know God. For whatfoever is clearly and diftinftly 
 known, is known by its proper idea ; neither can it other- 
 ways be cleared and diftinftly known : ior the ideas of all 
 thincTs are divinely planted in our fouls ; for they arc not 
 begotten in us by outward objeas, cr or:twa-dcaufes, (as the 
 better phiiofophy teacheth) but only are by thefe outward 
 things excited or ftirred up. And this is true not only m 
 fupernatural ideas of God, and things divine, aad m natu- 
 ral ideas of the natural principles of human underltanding, 
 ar:d conclufions thence deduced by the ftrength of human 
 reafon: lut even in the ideas of outward objcfts, which 
 are perceived by the outward fenfcs ; as that noble Chril- 
 tian philofopher Bcctius liath well obferved ; to which 
 alfo the Cartefian philofcphy agreeth. For when I lee 
 anv outward cbjeft, whether it be a man, or horfc, or 
 bird, the outward objeft docs not rreat in my eye, nor yet 
 in my mind the idea of thofe things; for the outward ob- 
 ject docs nothing but impruu in our fcnfible organs a cor- 
 
 1676] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QITAKERS. 
 
 339 
 
 poreal m.otlon. Now there is nothing in a corporeal 
 motion that can form in us the , ideas of thofe things ; for 
 all ideas are of a fpirirua.l nature : now nothing that h 
 corporeal can produce that Vv^hich is fpiritual, becaufe the 
 lefs excellent cannot produce the more excellent, elfe the 
 effect would exceed its caufe : which is againit all found 
 reafon^ that it fliould bring forth what were of a higher 
 and more excellent kind. Therefore all ideas, whether 
 of natural or fpiritual things, are divinely implanted in our 
 minds ; which nevertlielefs do not always appear, but 
 fometimes appear, and.fometimes are as it were hid in us, 
 and fometimes are ftirred up in us by caufes outward or 
 inward, and agiia do as it were flcep and fhun our obfcr- 
 vation, ?,nd feem not to be otherways diftinguiflied by our 
 minds^ but as thoughts and perceptions of the mind from 
 the mind itfclf ; that i.^, as the mode from the fubje(5t, or 
 as a bodily motion from the body, whereof it is the 
 motion : for as is the relation of a bodily motion to a 
 body, fo is the relation of a thought or perception of the 
 mind to the mind. In this neverthelefs they differ, that 
 the mind can move itfelf, and operate in itfclf; which a ' 
 body cannot do : but as a body can be moved by another, 
 fo alfo'can the mind after its manner be moved by another, 
 and that both by outward and inward caufes, but diiefly 
 by God himfelf, in whofe hand all fouls and creatures are. 
 But of thefe things there is enough faid at prefent ; and I 
 hope, I have not thus far impertinently philofophifed. 
 
 * As there are then natural ideas concerning the things 
 -of the natural v.'orld ; as for inftance, ideas of light and 
 colours, ideas of voice and founds, ideas of fivourin? and 
 fmelling, ideas of tafting and feeli*ng, as of heat and cold, 
 of grief and joy; it follows alfo, that there are ideas of 
 fupernatural things, concerning the divine and fupernatural 
 things o[ the divine and fupernatural world; uS ideas of 
 thofe things above-mentioned in the fpiritual world. And 
 as the natural ideas are ftirred up in us by outward and 
 natural bodies, fo thofe divine and fupernatural ideas are 
 ftirred up in us by a certain principle, \diich is a body in 
 naturals, in relation to the fpiritual world, and therefore 
 may be called a divine body ; not as if it were a part of 
 
 Y3 
 
340 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1676 
 
 God, who IS a moft pure fpirit ; but the organ, or inftni- 
 ment of God, by which he worketh in us, and ftirreth up 
 in us thefe ideas of divine things. This is that flefli and 
 blood of Chrift, by which the faints are nourifhed ; which 
 is a myftery to all unregenerated and mere natural men, 
 never to be reached by them, while they remain in that 
 ftate. 
 
 ' Now if therfe be fuch fupernatural ideas, there are alfo 
 fenfes, or perceptive faculties by which thofe ideas are 
 perceived; for thofe are two relatives that fuppofe and 
 infer one another : but in wicked men thofe fenfes or 
 faculties do as it were fleep (as the vifive faculty of a blind 
 man;) but in the godly they are ftirred up. Now by 
 thefe divine and fpiriiual fenfes, which arc difl:in6l and 
 diftinguiftiable from all the natural facukies of the foul, 
 whether of imagination, or natural reafon, fpiritual minded 
 men do behold the glory and beauty of God, in refpcft 
 whereof, and for which, all the glory of this world is def- 
 picable to them ; yea, even as drofs and dung. And they 
 alfo hear God inwardly fpeaking in their fouls, words 
 truly divine and heavenly, full of virtue and divine life ; 
 and they favour and tafte of divine things, and do, as it 
 were, handle them with the hands of their fouls. And 
 thofe heavenly enjoyments do as really differ in their 
 nature from all falfe fimilitudes, and fiftitious appearances 
 of them, which either the mind of man by its own flrength 
 can imitate, or any evil fpirit to deceive man can counter- 
 feit ; as a true man differs from the dead image of a man, 
 or true bread, honey, wine, or milk, doth from the mere 
 pi6lure of thofe things. And albeit either the imagination 
 of man, or fubtilty of the devil, may counterfeit falfe like- 
 jieffes of thefe enjoyments, by which men may be deceived ; 
 and no doubt many are deceived ; that doth not hinder, 
 but that tjiofe divine enjoyments arc clearly perceived in 
 fuch, in whom the divine and fpiritual fenfes are truly 
 opened, and the true fupernatural ideas of thofe things 
 truly raiftrd up. ' 
 
 * And if there be at any tipic a miftake, the divine illu- 
 mination is not the caufe of that miftake, but fome evil 
 difpofition of the mind j as happenech in thofe things re- 
 
 1676] 
 
 PECPtE CALLED (yJAKERS^ 
 
 341 
 
 Jating to natural reafon. For there are many falfe appear- 
 ances of reafon, which differ as much from true reafon, as 
 thofe falfe and pretended revelations, and diabolical infpi- 
 rations from fuch as are truly divine. Now, how many 
 men who would be efteemed philofophcrs, are miferably 
 deceived by thofe falfe likeneffes of reafon, judging their 
 falfe reafons to be the true fimilitudes of things and folid 
 ratiocinations ; which neverthelefs moveth no man of 
 found reafon, to rejeft found and folid reafon, as doubtful 
 and uncertain ? For even found natural reafon is an excel- 
 lent gift of God, and very ufeful to mankind, when ufed 
 in its proper place: but let none think to comprehend 
 by their natural reafon things that are of a divine and 
 fupernatural kind. And as we ufe to do, when any one 
 is deceived by falfe appearances of reafon, we endeavour 
 to reduce them to contemplate the firft natural ideas of 
 natural things, and to meditate therein, which is as a teft 
 or touchftone, by which all the appearances and likeneffes 
 of reafon are to be examined ; if they contradi(5t them, to 
 be rejefted ; fo alfo when any one is deceived by his own 
 imagination, or the cunning of iiuan, thinking any evil 
 infpiration of the devil to be a true divine revelation, he 
 that is fo deceived, is to be reduced to the natural ideas of 
 things (if fo be that pretended revelation doth contradift 
 them, for no true divine revelation can contradifi the true 
 natural ideas) or to the fupernatural ideas of divine things, 
 which are moft fimpic, clear, and obvious to the minds of 
 men, if they will turn their minds to the divine feed in 
 them ; or at leaft thofe ideas are readily and eafily ftirred 
 up. For as in natural ideas, fo in fupernatural, fome are 
 more eafily raifed than others : for there is a certain order 
 both of natural and fupernatural ideas, whereby they are 
 gradually excited : nor is there any mortal man, in whofe 
 mind at fome time or other there is not ftirred up fome 
 idea that is truly fupernatural and divine, and who hath 
 not felt in himfelf both the wrath and judgment of God 
 for his fins ? and alfo fome tender and gentle tafte of God's 
 love and goodncfs, by which wicked men are invited to 
 repentance. Now that which is thought to he a divine 
 revelation, and is felt tp contradift any divine and fuperna- 
 
 V 4 
 

 I., 
 
 -J.,;' 
 
 k 
 
 r 
 
 42 THE HISTOP.Y OF THE [1676 
 
 tural idc^n, which is cfearly perceived in the foul, it is a 
 miinifclt token that it is not a divine jxvchitioii, but either 
 a falie imagination, or the wicked fuggeilion of fome evil 
 fcirit. 
 
 ' But to proceed: if we will hear the Scripture (as all 
 Chriilia-ns ou,<;ht) it tcllifies to us, that God hath declared 
 his mind and will even concerning contingent truths to 
 come in the prophets ; as that of the firil to the Hebrews 
 doth evidently declare. " God, who at ftindry times and 
 in divers manners fpokc to our fathers in the propliets." 
 Yea, let us hear the prjphets themfelvcs, Hofea, cihip. i. 
 Tiith plainly, '• That the word of the Lord was made in 
 him^" as it is in the Heb.) ?Iabakkuk alfo fays. As he was 
 Ihmdrng on his watch, to fee what Jehovah would fpeak 
 in him. And it is fo manifeft, that the mod heavenly reve- 
 l.itions are by inward illudrations, and infpirations, in the 
 very minds of the prophets ; that it is ftrange how any 
 that believes the Scripture fliould doubt of it. And if it 
 happened at any time, fuch revelations were made in the 
 natural ima^rjiiiuions of the prophets, or any of their in- 
 ward natural feafes, then it may be confeffed, they could 
 not be infalhbiy certain they came from God ; unlefs they 
 alfo felt God in the divine and fupernatural fenfes, by 
 which ther did moll nearly approach to him, from thefe 
 fuperior and moft inward fenfes, working upon the lower 
 andlefs noble faculties of the mind. But which ever way 
 the prophets were certain, that they were infpired of God, 
 even Vvben they foretold contingent truths to come, it is 
 without doubt, they were moil: certainly perfuaded, that 
 they were divinely infpired, and that frequently without 
 any outward mTacfc, For John the Baptiftdid no miracle; 
 and many propheGed, where there appeared no miracle : 
 as in the Scripture miy be often obferved. And we alfo 
 by the infpiration of the fame Divine fpirit, by which the 
 prophets prophefied, do believe their words and writings 
 10 be divine, concerning contingent truths, as well pad as 
 to come ; elfe that faith, by which we believe the Scrip- 
 ture, woiild not be divine, but merely human. And thence 
 we need no outward miracles to move us to believe the 
 Scriptures j and therefore much lefs were they neceffary 
 to the prophers wjio writ them. For we fee in many 
 
 1676] 
 
 People cam t?D quapiers. 
 
 34J 
 
 places of the prophets, where they declare prophecies as 
 revealed to them of God, there is not a word mentioned 
 of any outward miracle, as that by which alone they were 
 certain of it. 
 
 ' Moreover, the falfencfs of this argument doth appear, 
 
 in that the Scripture doth declare many contingent truths 
 
 to have been revealed to the prophets in dreams. Now 
 
 as natural and wicked men do not fee what they dream by 
 
 a real perception of the outward fenfes, but by inward 
 
 ideas w^hich are preferred to the mind, and perceived by 
 
 it: fo it is alfo in divine revelations of this nature. Of 
 
 which we have a clear example in Jofeph, the hufband of 
 
 the bleffed Virgin, who, when he obferved his wife with 
 
 child, was- told in a dream, that flie had conceived by the 
 
 Holy Ghoft: now I would know, to which of Jofeph's 
 
 outward fenfes was this revealed ? or what miracle had he 
 
 to induce him to believe ? which could neither be proved 
 
 (fo as to make an infallible application to Mary) by the 
 
 teilimony of the Scripture; and which being againft the 
 
 order of nature, did choak his reafon. The Scripture 
 
 mentions no miracle in this matter ; and yet no doubt 
 
 Jofeph had highly fmned had he not believed this revelation, 
 
 and, notwithibnding, rejefted his wife as an adultrefs. But 
 
 if thou fayed, that according to thy hypothefis there m.ud 
 
 have been a miracle ; that is only to beg the quedion: and 
 
 how falfe this hypothefis is, the apodle (hews clearly, 
 
 1 Cor. ii, !4. the natural or animal man know^eth not, re- 
 
 xeiveth not, the things of God. Now divine revelations 
 
 are of this nature ; if either chiefly or only thofe things 
 
 were to be judged by the outward fenfes, it would contra- 
 
 dia the apodle. For natural men, yea, the mod wicked, 
 
 have the ufe of the outward fenfes as true and ex.^ft as 
 
 the mod godly. And whereas the apodle adds, ^ For 
 
 they are fpiritually difcerned, it puts the matter out of all 
 
 quedion : for thence it abundantly appears, that this dif- 
 
 cerning is not by the outward fenfes according to the 
 
 following verfe ; for the apodle faith, The fpiritual man 
 
 judgeth all things : this then mud be done by fome fenfes 
 
 or properties peculiar to the fpiritual man, and in which 
 
 he excels the natural mair, which is not in the outward 
 
344 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [16.76 
 
 fcnfcs, (as wc all do know). Therefore the perception of 
 fpiritiul things cannot be by the outward fenfes, either as 
 the chief or only means, as is falfely contended for. 
 
 ^ Now as to thefe words of the apoftle, Rom. x. That 
 faith comes by hearing ; Zuinglius obferved well, that the 
 apoftle intended not to aiHrm faith to come by the hearing 
 of the outward word ; neither do the following words 
 prove it, " How fliall they believe, unlefs they hear? 
 and how (hall they hear without a preacher? and how 
 (hall they preach, unlefs they be fent ?" for the apoftle 
 ufcs thefe words, not as his arguments, but as objeftions 
 which might be formed ; as the fame apoftle ufes in other 
 places ; to which obje^lions he anfwers in the fame chap- 
 ter, as appears verfe 18. '' But 1 fay, have they not all 
 heard? yes, truly, their voice went into all the earth :'* 
 that is, of the Father and Son, or the Father in the word j 
 which word is not only near us, but (according to the 
 lame apoftle in the fame chapter) in our mouths, and in 
 our hearts. But funher ihou canft conclude nothing from 
 this, but that faith is begotten by outward hearing only, 
 and no othcrwife : for this is the ftrength of thy ar- 
 gument, that fince faith cannot be without outward hearing, 
 therefore nothing can certainly be believed, but where 
 fomewhat is propofed to the outward hearing. For if thou 
 acknowledge faith can be begotten any otherwife than by 
 hearing, thou lofcft the ftrength of thy argument : and if 
 that argument hold, that faith comes only by outward 
 hearing, thou deftroyeft the whole hypothefis. For having 
 before aflSrmed, that outward miracles are fufficient to 
 render one certain of the truth of any revelation ; whether 
 ii be the healing of the fick, or the raifmg of the dead, 
 would avail nothing, bccaufe thofe, (as for the moft part 
 all miracles) are obvious to the fight, not to the hearing : 
 and if it be not by outward hearing only, thou cannot con- 
 clude nothing from this place. 
 
 * But I the more wonder thy ufmg of this argument, 
 confidering the difcourfe we had together before we entered 
 upon this debate: for when we were fpeaking of the opi- 
 nion of a certain perfon, who denied the certainty of every 
 thing, but what v;as difcerned by the outward fenfes, thoH 
 
 676] 
 
 P£OPLfi CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 345 
 
 condemnedft: it ai moft abfurd ; but why, I cannot conceive, 
 fince there is no great diiFerencc betwixt thofe two opi- 
 nions : the one faith there can be no great certainty con- 
 cerning any truths, whether they be neceifary or contingent, 
 but by the perception of the fenfes : the other affirms the 
 fame of contingent truths, though not of neceffary truths. 
 But among the number of contingent truths thouefteemeft 
 what belongs to Chriftian religion ; for thou reckons the 
 neceffary truths only to belong to natural religion. This 
 then is all the difference, that that other perfon fays, there 
 is no certainty of any religion, neither natural nor Chrif- 
 tian, but by the perception of the outward fenfes: but 
 thou fayeft though thou efteemeft the certainty of natural 
 religion to be without them, yet not of the Chriftian reli- 
 gion. But again, fince thou efteemeft that not natural 
 religion but the Chriftian religion is neceffary to falvation, 
 thou muft neccffarily conclude, that thofe truths which are 
 neceffary to falvation, are only known and believed by the 
 benefit of the outward fenfes : in which conclufion (which 
 is the fura of all ) thou yieldeft the matter to that other 
 perfon. 
 
 * But laftly : if all the certainty of our faith, hope, and 
 falvation, did depend upon the infallibility of outward 
 fenfes, we fhould be moft mifcrable ; fince thefe fenfes can 
 be eafily deceived, and, by many outward cafualties and 
 natural infirmities, whereunto the godly are no lefs fub- 
 jeft than the wicked, are often vitiated ; and there are (as 
 the Scripture affirms ) falfe miracles, which, as to the out- 
 ward, cannot be diftinguiftied from the true ! of which we 
 cannot infallibly judge by the outward fenfes, which only 
 difcern what is outward. 
 
 ' There is, a neceffity then to have recourfe to fome 
 other means. 
 
 * From all which it does appear, how fallacious and 
 weak this argument is: but thanks be unto God, who 
 would not that our faith fhould be built upon fo uncertain 
 and doubtful a foundation. And whoever hath known 
 true faith, or hath fdt the divine teftimony of God's Spi- 
 rit in his foul, will judge otherways, neither will be moved 
 by fuch rtafonings, I pray Qod therefore to remove thefe 
 
346 
 
 THE HISTORY or THE 
 
 [1676 , 
 
 clouds, which -darken thy undcrflanding, that thou mayefl 
 perceive the glorious gofpci of Chriil : this is that faving 
 word of grace, which I commend thee unto ; and that God 
 may give thee a heart inclinable to believe and obey the 
 
 truth, is the defire of 
 
 * thy faithful friend, 
 
 'R. Barclay.* 
 
 Frcm the prifon of Aberdeen, in Scotland, 
 where I am cOiifmed for ti^e fr.ke ef the 
 telUniouy of JefuiN Novcmbcrr 24, 1670. 
 
 This letter, a year ago, at the defire of my friend R. B. 
 I delivered into the hands of the afore-named ambaffador, 
 defiring his anfvvcr in writing, which he then promifed ; 
 but not having as yet done, it was fecn meet to be 
 publiftied. 
 
 * B. F. 
 
 Rotierda»,the £.5th of March, 1678. 
 
 A brief and difwiB Solution of the Argument which the 
 Ambaffador aforejaid ufeth againft Robert Barclay's 
 Thefes, whereby he attempts to evince^ that not the 
 inward revelation of the Holy Spirit, but the outward by 
 the Scripture^ is the pri?icipal rule^ and foundation of our 
 faith : at kjft to us Europeans^ who have the Scriptures. 
 
 As to his argument, as it was tranfmitted to us, if he 
 confiders the llrengih and fubilance of it, thus it (lands: 
 * The hillory of the outward coming, nativity, death, refur- 
 re6lion, and afcenfjon of Jclus Chnil, is either neceflary to 
 their falvaticn, to whom the Scriptures canv^, or it is not 
 neceflary, viz. to be known and believed. If \ye fay the 
 fecond, namely, that the hiftory is not neceflary to be 
 known and believed in order to the falvation of us Euro- 
 peans who have the Scriptures, then it Avill follow that we 
 are not Chriftians, becaufe we deny that true, eflTeniial, and 
 conflitutivc character of the Chriftian religion, which con- 
 fills in believing that Chrift was fent into the v/orld, born 
 of the Virgin Moi-y, dead and buried, rofc again the third 
 
 1676] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 347 
 
 day, afcended itito heaven, where he fltceth at the right 
 hand of the Father, &c. But if we fay the firft, viz^ That 
 the knowledge and faitli of the hiftory are neceflary to our 
 falvation, then it will follow, that the Scripture, and not 
 the inward revelation of the holy Spirit, is the principal 
 rule and ff.^undation of that hifl:orical faith and knowledge.' 
 
 Now this he endeavours to prove, both from^ome other 
 principles of the Quakers, fo called, and from R. B's fixih 
 Thefis, after this manner : 
 
 That, faid the ambaflltdor, is the principal rule and 
 foundation of our faith, which is the only medium or 
 mean, whereby that hiitorical knowledge and faith are 
 brought unto us : bur, according to the Qiiakers, and the 
 fixth Thefis, the Scripture is the only medium or mean, 
 whereby that hiftorical knowledge and faiih are brought 
 unto us : therefore, according to the Quakers, and the 
 fixth Thefis, the Scripture is the principal rule and foun- 
 dation of our faith. 
 
 The minor he proves thus : the author of the Thefes 
 (fays he) confefleth in his fixth Thefis, that there is a 
 peopft, to whom God, by fome inevitable accident,, hath 
 made that hifliorical knowledge and faith impoflible : and 
 the reafon why that hiftorical knowledge and faith are im- 
 ' pofllble to that people, is, becaufe they are deititute of the 
 Scriptures, and live in thofe corners of the world, where- 
 unto the outward preaching of the hiftory never came ; 
 from which argument it will follow, that the Scriptures 
 are the only medium or mean, whereby the hiilorical 
 knowledge and faith of Chrifl came to any people. 
 
 For the clearer underflanding the folution of this 
 argument, fome things worthy obfcrvation are to be 
 confidered : 
 
 I. Firft then obferve, that the force of this arguincnt 
 at moft intends to prove this, viz. Jhat the Scripture is 
 the principal rule and foundation of hiftorical faith and 
 khowledge ; but wc with good reafon diftinguifli between 
 hiftorical and faving knowledge, and between hiftorical 
 iind fiu'ing faith j becaufe many may have an hiftorical 
 
348 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THU 
 
 [1676 
 
 knowledge and faith, who have not that wfiich is feving. 
 Yea, it is pofliblc, that a man, by the inward revelation 
 of the holy Spirit, may have an hiflorical knowledge and 
 faith, who yet may not have that faith which is faving j 
 becaufe faving faith hath regard to God, not precifely, as 
 revealing fome outward hiftory concerning God and Chrift^ 
 but as revealing very God and Chrift by his grace, good- 
 ncfs, mercy, and power, ready and willing to fave us, ac- 
 cording to his unfpeakable good-will towards us: by 
 which faving faith we reft upon God through Chrift, our 
 light and life, as upon our moft merciful Father ; which 
 Jaith can neither exift, nor be conceived without love to 
 God, humility before God, denial and diffidence of fclf ; 
 and therefore fuch a faith is faving. But hiftorical faith, 
 'though wrought in the hearts of men by the inward reve- 
 lation and operation of the holy Spirit, may be without 
 that divine love, humility and felf-denial : wherefore pre- 
 cifely confidered in its own nature, it is not faving. It was 
 this kind of knowledge and faith which wicked Balaam 
 had, who faw and knew many hiftorical futurities, and be- 
 lieved them, but had not faving faith. 
 
 2. Obferve, Secondly, That the knowledge and faith 
 neceffary to falvation» are to be underftood two ways, 
 cither by a neceffity antecedent, or in way of priority, or 
 by a neceffity confequent, or in way of pofteriority. Ne- 
 ceffity antecedent, or in way of priority, is, when fome- 
 ihing is abfolurcly neceflary to our falvation, that we both 
 Jcnow and believe it ; and becaufe it is neceffary, God 
 doth therefore reveal it to us; of which fort are fuch prin- 
 ciples as thefe, viz. That God follows men with hrs love 
 and good-will; that he invites and perfuades them to come 
 unto him ; that he is ready to fhew favour to men, and 
 pardon their fins, if they fincerely repent themfelves of 
 their paft miffpent life, and lead a new. one for the time 
 to come; that God hears the prayers of thofe that are truly 
 humble and fuppliant ; that he is a glorious rewarder of 
 all ;hat live foberly, righteoufly and godly; that he is a 
 moft juft avenger againft all thofe who defpife his grace 
 and love, and repent not of their fins, &c. All which, in 
 
 1»E0PLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 349 
 
 1676] 
 
 fome degree, are to all men, even to thofe who are d.ftitme 
 of the Scriptures, revealed by that inward evangelical light, 
 which enlightens all men. Neceffity confequent, or in way 
 of pofteriority, is, when fomething is not abfolutely neccf- 
 Jary to our falvation, but after a certain fort, or under fome 
 refpeft, condition, and limitation; of which kind are thofe 
 things which are not revealed, becaufe they are neceffary ; 
 but becaufe they are revealed, they are neceffary to be 
 believed by us : for example ; if God fhould reveal to any 
 man, that it was his will and command, he fhould go to 
 Rome to reprove tyranny and fuperftition ; certainly this 
 revelation were neceffary to be believed to that man's 
 falvation, by a neceffity confequent, becaufe that faith 
 is an aft of obedience ; and to obey God is neceffary to 
 falvation. 
 
 3. Obferve in the third place, that among thofe things 
 that are neceffary to be believed to falvation by a neceffity 
 confequent, there are fome things, though not abfolutely 
 neceffary, yet are they very profitable and conducive 
 means to our falvation ; of which fort are the hiftorical 
 knowledge and faith concerning God, the creation and 
 government of the world* Chrift's taking flefli, and dying 
 therein for our fins, &c. whether that hiftorical knowledge 
 come to us, either by the fole inward revelation of the 
 holy Spirit, without the medium or mean of Scripture, 
 or alfo by both, to wit, both by the inward infpiration of 
 the holy Spirit, and by the Scriptures ; which two me- 
 diums or means, do fometimes concur in producing in men 
 hiftorical knowledge and faith concerning God and Chrifl, 
 as is faid before, but in a different manner. The outward 
 revelation (as it is called) of Scripture, is a medium or 
 mean, by way of material objeft, in producing that 
 hiftorical knowledge and faith : but the inward infpiration 
 and revelation wrought in the hearts of men by the holy 
 Spirit, are a medium of mean by way of formal objeft, 
 in producing the fame hiftorical knowledge and f;iith. By 
 the material objeft we underftand that which is believed ; 
 and therefore the Scriptures which are believed, are the 
 materinl objeft of hiftorical knowledge and faith. By the 
 
25<> 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TH^ 
 
 [1C76 
 
 formal objefl wc underftand the principal motive in refpea 
 to the objcft, for which the Scriptures are beheved. But 
 the principal motive in refpcft of the obje^, -is not the 
 Scripture itfelf, but that inward tcftimony of the holy Spirit, 
 which when we hear or read the Scriptures (when it 
 pleafeth the mofl good and great God to infpire the hearts 
 of men) works an aflent in us, whether it inclines us to 
 aflent to the hiflorical truths hitherto declared in the 
 Scriptures or no : wherefore we do not affirm that the 
 holy Spirit doth ordinarily and commonly fpeak in us 
 fomething that is new, or declare to our inward hearing 
 thofe particular hiftories of God and Chrift (though God 
 may, if he fhall pleafe, do it at this dayj; but wx fay, 
 that God doth by his holy Spirit, through his fenfible and 
 perceptible motions and operations objectively repfefenting 
 themfelves, m.ove and incline us to affent unto, and be- 
 lieve the Scriptures, and the hidorical truths declared of 
 in the Scriptures. 
 
 Thefe things confidered, we affirm, that though the 
 Scriptures are ordinarily and commonly a certain medium 
 or mean, by way of material objc6^ or condition, for the 
 producing of hiftorical knowledge and faith in us-; and 
 that, commonly fpeaking, a necelliiry mean too, as being 
 that without wdiich God doth not ordinarily reveal the 
 outward hiftory of God and Chrifl: ; yet we utterly deny 
 that in ttue Chriflians the Scripture, or outward hiftory in 
 the Scriptures, is the principal motive, foundation, or 
 principal rule of that hiitorical faiihj much lefs of faving 
 faith, to the producing of which the letter of the Scripture 
 doth very frequently (as to many of its a£ls, if not all), 
 not concur or co-operate, either as a material object-, or as 
 a necefiary condition, which is wont commonly to be called 
 in the fchools, Caufafine qua 7wn, or a caufe or condition 
 without which a thing cannot be done, though it doth not 
 
 influence the effect. 
 
 Nor for a dircft folution of the argument aforcfaid, we 
 anfwer, that the hiftorical knowledge and faith concerning 
 Chrift's being born, dead, buried, &c. to us Europeans, 
 who have the Scriptures, are necefiary to falvation, that 
 is to fay, by a necelTity confequeat, or in way of pofteri- 
 
 1676] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QITaKERS. 
 
 35 « 
 
 ority (as was before explained), which affcrtion of our^ 
 neverthelefs militates not againft the fixth Thefis, which 
 granteth, that that hiftorical knowledge and faith are im- 
 poffible to thofe who live in thofe corners of the world, 
 where the knowledge of the hiftory is wanting ; which 
 impofflbility is not abfolutely to be underftood, but after 
 a fort, and in fome refpefl j becaufe without doubt God 
 doth ordinarily communicate that hiftorical knowledge unto 
 men, by the medium or mean of the Scriptures ; yet not 
 as the principal medium or mean, much lefs as by the only 
 one : becaufe certainly that inward motion of the holy Spirit 
 wrought in otir hearts, moving and inclining us objeaively 
 to affent unto, and believe the Scriptures, is the principal 
 motive in refpeft of the objeft, for which we believe the 
 Scriptures, and therefore is the foundation and principal • 
 rule of our hiftorical faith alfo. 
 
 Wherefore we anfwer unto the minor propofition of the 
 laft fyllogifm, by plainly and dire6Uy denying that minor 
 propofition, viz. That the Scriptures are the only mediunt 
 or mean for attaining to the knowledge of the hiftory : 
 they are indeed one certain medium or mean, and that 
 necefiary ; but thev are nor the only nor '^principal. Ani 
 example for the illuftration hereof, occurs >n natural and 
 outward vifion : for when I fee a w^hite or red rofe, that 
 white or red rofe is the material objeft of my fight, and 
 one necefiary medium for the producing of that fight; yet 
 that rofe is not ihe only medium or mean ; for the light is 
 another, no lefs necefiary, concurring to produce my fight, 
 by way of formal obje^:, by means of which I fee that rofe 
 rcprefented under fuch or fuch a colour and figure. More- 
 over, in that he aflTerts, thefe inward motions wrought by tlic 
 holy Spirit jn the hearts of ^believers, are fo undifcernable 
 by us, that believers cannot clearly and infallibly diftinguifli 
 them from their own private and proper motions : this he 
 fuppofeSj but proves not* And therein he is deceived, 
 either through Wsjnexperience, or want of that duewaiting, 
 and attention to thofe motions in the divine illumination 
 of Chrift, wherewith he hath enlightened both him [the 
 ambaflador] and all men coming into the world. But our' 
 experience, together with the experience of the holy 
 Vol. II. z 
 
35^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1676 
 
 prophets and ^ipoftlcs, is a ftrongcr motive to induce us to 
 believe, that divine inward revelation is fufEciently clear 
 and convincing Ijy its own light and evidence, than his 
 own bare and'jejune fuppofition to the contrary, by reafou 
 of his want of experience or attention. ^ 
 
 As to the Latin, we have not been very curious in this 
 writing, by reafon of hufte ; yet have briefly anfwered the 
 argunient as a friend communicated it to us by letter ; it 
 he hath omitted any thing in his tranfmiflion, or we may 
 feem not to have underftood, or touched the ftrength of 
 the argument, let it be remitted to us ; and we, through 
 divine affiftance, fliali anfwer it at large. 
 
 George Keith, and 
 Robert Barclay. 
 
 This folution was delivered to the faid ambaflador, 
 not long before the epiftle cited page 537, and 
 ''at page 1 7, in the Appendix to Sewel's Dutch 
 Hiftory. 
 
 A brief Enodation of an Argument propofcd by another 
 
 perfon. 
 
 Moreover as to what relates to another perfon's argument 
 againft that part of R. B's fecond Thefis, which aflerts, 
 that divine inward revelation is that which is evident and 
 clear of itfelf, moving the well-difpofed underftanding by 
 its own evidence, S:c. to the end of the Thefis. 
 
 The argument is thus formed : Such an evidence as is 
 afTerted in the Thefis, is deftruaive of faith, becaufe it is 
 not the evidence of faith. He proves the antecedent by 
 the words of the apoftle, " Faith is the evidence of things 
 not feen," Heb. xi. 1 . By which words the apoftle feems 
 to intimate, that faith hath not this kind of evidence ; for 
 if it were of things fcen, it would contradift the apoftle. 
 The folution of this argument is cafy,^ for evidence is 
 
 three-fold. 
 
 The firft is the evidence of things fenfiblc, appertammg 
 
 to the outward fenfes. 
 
 The fecond is the evidence of things intelkaual, but 
 natural, appertaining to natural reafon. 
 
 1676] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 353 
 
 The third is the evidence of things fpiritual and fuper- 
 natural, as they are propofed to the underftanding by the 
 inward illumination aiid revelation of the holy Spirit. 
 
 The firft evidence may be called the evidence of fenfe, or 
 animal evidence. 
 
 The fecond, the evidence of reafon, or rational evidence. 
 
 The third, the evidence of faith, or fpiritual evidence. 
 
 But faith is the evidence of things not feen, that is, 
 neither vifible by the outward fenfes, or by natural reafon ; 
 yet thefe things hinder not, but that faith may be the evi- 
 dence of things not feen by the underftanding of a man, 
 not as operating in its own natural way, but as divinely 
 elevated and affifted by the inward illumination and ope- 
 ration of the holy Spirit. Wherefore, though things 
 appertaining to jfaith may be rery obfcure, and as it were 
 mere darknefs, both to the outward fenfes, and natural 
 reafon ; yet they have their evidence, if duly propofed to 
 an underftanding divinely enlightened. Is it not faid in 
 the fame chapter to the Hebrews concerning Mofes, that 
 by faith he faw God ? That is to fay, not by the outward 
 eye, nor by the eye of natural reafon, but by the eye of 
 faith. 
 
 The curious may fee the original Latin (from which the 
 preceding arc tranflated^in the Appendix to William Sev/el's 
 Di^tch Hiftory of the Quakers. 
 
 z 2 
 
THI 
 
 1677] 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 or "tut 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 Q^ U A K E R.S. 
 
 ; '• . f H ? ; ;■ 
 
 'i 
 
 . THE TENTH BOOK. 
 
 THE year 1677 was fearce begun, when G. Fo)t, 
 though the roads were yet covered with fnow, tra- 
 velled again. After he had paffed many places, and 
 preached in the meetings of hi^ friends, he came to York, 
 and going from thence to Nottingham, went to the houfe 
 of John Recklefs, who was ftieriff there when G. Fox 
 preached the firft time in that town, and was imprifoned 
 on that account : but he taking G. Fox into his houfe, 
 had been fo reached by what he fpoke, that he embraced 
 the doftrine he held forth, and never departed from the 
 profeffion thereof. From hence G. Fox paffed through 
 Leicefterftiire, DerbyQiire, Warwickfliire, Buckmgham- 
 Ihire, andr Bedfordfhire, where he met with William 
 Dewfbury, and fo came again to. London, where havmg 
 affifted at the annual meeting, he, with William Penn, 
 Robert Barclay, George Keith, &c. went over to Holland, 
 to fee his friends there, and to edify them with his gift. 
 William Penn and Robert Barclay travelled up into Ger- 
 many, and fince R. Barclay the year before had fpoken 
 with the princcfs Elizabeth of the Palatinate, daughter of 
 Frederick, king of Bohemia, and lifter of Sophia, late 
 
 / 
 
 . THE HISTORY, &C. 
 
 355 
 
 duchefs of Hanover, mother of George, king of Great 
 Britain, VV. Penn had alfo written two letters to hci from 
 England, which fhe arjfwered by this following : 
 
 Herford, May 2, 16-^7. 
 *This, friend, will tell you that both your letters 'were 
 very acceptable, togetiier with your wifhes for my obtain- 
 mg ihofe virtues v^hich may make me a worthy follower 
 of our great Kirg and Saviour Jefus Chrift. What I have 
 done for his ^*rue difciples is not fo much as a cup of cold 
 water : it ?ilords them no refrefhment ; neither did I expcft 
 any fruu' of my letter to the duchefs of L. as I have ex- 
 prcffeu at the fame time unto B. F. But fince R.jB. defired 
 I ftoukl write It, I could not refufe him, nor omit to do 
 sny thing that was judged conducing to his liberty, though 
 u ihouJd expofe me to the derifion of the worid. But Ik 
 a m.re mortal man can reach at j the true inward mces 
 -re yet wanting in - vvam graces 
 
 * Your affeftionate friend/ 
 
 ' Eli;2abexh.' 
 
 G. Fox alfo from Amfterdam writ a letter to this virtuous 
 princefs, wherein he commended her mpdeft and reSed 
 life and exhorted her to piety and godlinefs : to which fte 
 anfwered with this letter : • • 
 
 * Dear friend, 
 
 T " ^^ 'iT' l^u'-^a^""^ ^ '^"^^' ^^^^ f^ thofe that love the 
 Lor. Jefus Chrift, and tp whom it is given not onV to 
 believe m him, but alfo to fuffer for hinf: thereforf /our 
 
 ome iHT'^'l'^ have been both very wedme 
 n ^ -n 11 ^''^'''^ ^^^'^ ^°d your counfel, as far as 
 God will afford me light and unftion ; remaining ftiU 
 
 'Your loving friend, 
 
 Herford, the 30th f[ Au gull, .677. * Elizabeth. * 
 
 nl^'l ^<V-refronde!ice gave occafion to William Penn and 
 
 ^rontieri of Paderborn, and to give the faid princefs, who 
 
 23 _ 
 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 i 
 
 356 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1677 
 
 1677] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 357 
 
 refided there, a vifit. With her lived Anna Mam coi^n- 
 tefs of -Homes; and in one of the chambers of the prin- 
 cefs WUliam Penn and Robert Barclay had a meeung 
 S the princefs, the coumefs, and.fevera others to the.r 
 g eat fadsfaaion. And the counte s, xvho was one of 
 Labadies adherents, fignified to William Penn, that flie 
 i^S tweeting might be had where the if-ior fervants 
 miaht freely appear. William Penn not refufing th s the 
 Scefs confe^nted to it; and after th. meeting, (where 
 Cwas not prefent, that fo her fervanl^ might have a 
 Sore free accefs) fbe expreffed much fatisfafi-on m having 
 had that good opportunity. And then fo earndHy mvited 
 Wni am Penn and Robert Barclay, (who lodged at an 
 • ^ ,L fnn with her that they not bemg well abV^ to 
 "effetfinvtation 'yielded tJit. /fhere was then w.h 
 her a French woman of quality, who havmg had before 
 a very flight opinion of the Quakers, now became ckepy 
 LnkJn and very affeaionately kind and refpeaful .0 
 wtSm Penn and Robert Barclay. The next day was 
 r firft of the week; and ^ being agreed w.th the prin. 
 cefs to have another meeting, William Penn defired that 
 not only as many of her own family, but as many of the 
 not only as n^''^, ,. „, , . .x.^.^ n^jght be admitted. To 
 
 r"^7vSeT And bt W^^^^ Penn and Robert 
 Sllav Ind a tge oppo tnnity to preach effeftually and 
 ^"Srge tSfelv'i Aft'er the --ting was done^ 
 
 t V'Tte ^^J'^^^ Sfd^of tt^e 
 the hand (he fpoke jo ^ ^^^^ ^^^^ . 
 
 L7'th" X on flie broke forth into an extraordinary 
 and thus goiiio ^" ' . , ^^^y heart is 
 
 tull, Clapping iit:i r fnnke a few words to 
 
 t'LU. ' Wm you no^co™. ,*.» a,.,. Pr-y^.^; 
 
 ^wV:,l^;^^hron^3. »<i bemg., i,up.c.- 
 
 * We are in tne "^'•'^ ^ . ourfelves.' Solemn leave 
 fure, cannot fo fully ^^^fpf^^^^ ^^^^ ,o Amft.rd.m, 
 
 then being taken, Robert Barclay returne 
 and William Tenn went to Paderboin, and .0 Ly ) 
 
 of Caffel (where he fpoke with the aged and learned 
 Dureus) to Frankfort. Here he found fcveral perfons of 
 note, with whom he had feveral times a meeting, and 
 once at the houfe of a young gentlewoman, noble of 
 birth, called Johanna EFconora Merlane, who faid to him, 
 * Our quarters are free for you, let all come that will 
 come ; and lift up your voices without fear/ 
 
 ^ Departing thence William Penn came to Chrifheim, a 
 village near Worms, where then lived fame of his friends, 
 who afterwards went to Pcnnfylvania and fettled thera- 
 felves there. Whilfl William Penn was in the Palatinate, 
 he writ an exhortatory epiftle * to EHzabeth princefs Pala- 
 tine, and Anna Maria countefs of Homes ; and then went 
 to Heidelberg, the chief city of the Palatinate, to fpeak 
 with the prince Eledlor, Charles Ludowick, brother of 
 the faid princefs Elizabeth ; but the faid prince then hap- 
 ; pened to be out of town : and fince bis chief meflagc was 
 todefire the prince that the Quakers at Chriflieim might 
 be treated more mildly, (for tithes were exafted from them 
 not only by the parfon of the village, but alfo by the 
 popifh priefts of Worms ; and the vaught, or mayor of 
 the town, endeavoured to rcftrain their due liberty of re- 
 ligious meeting together) he from thence" took occafion to 
 write a letter in their favour to the faid prince f, becaufe 
 he had not been able to fpeak to him. Returning after- 
 wards to Chriflieim, and preaching there in a meeting of 
 his friends, he was overheard by the vaught, or chief 
 officer, who flood at the back-door that he might not be 
 feen, who was fo well pleafed with what he heard, that 
 he afterwards told the paifon, that it was his' work, if the 
 ^^lakers were hereticks, to difcover them to be fuch : 
 * But for my part,' continued he, ' I heard nothing but 
 what was good ; and therefore I would not meddle with 
 them.' For the parfon had bufied himfelf to perfuade the 
 vaught that it was his duty to fupprefs herefy : but the 
 vaught made it appear that he had no mind to perfecute 
 for religion's-fake. W. Penn having now cleared his con- 
 fcience returned by way of Frankfort, Cologn, Cleves, &c. 
 
 ♦ See Penn'i Travels iij Holland, See. 3d impreffion, p. 77. f Ibid. p. 84. 
 
 Z 4 
 
 it 
 
 r 
 
f 
 
 ,1 
 
 358 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [1677 
 
 to Amftcrdam, where at Cologn he received a letter 
 from the princefs Elizabeth, in anfwer to that he had 
 written to her from the Palatinate : the faid letter was as 
 followeth : 
 
 The 7-^-4 of September, 1677. 
 
 * Dear friend, "^ 
 
 * I hav.e received your greetings, good wifhes, and exr 
 hortations, with much joy, and (hall follow the latter as 
 far as it will pleafe our great God to give me light and 
 ftrength. I can fay little for myfelf, and can do nothing 
 of myfelf; but I hope the Lord will coiidufl me in hh 
 time, by his way» to his end, and that I fhali not ihrink 
 for his fire, I do long for it; and when he aflures my 
 ways, I hope he will give me power to bear the crofs I 
 meet therein ; I am alfo glad to hear the journey hath 
 been profperous both in the conftitutions of your bodies, 
 to withftand the badnefs of the weather, and in the re- 
 ception you had in Caffel, Frankfort, and Ghriftieim. No- 
 thing furprifed me there but the good old Dury, in whom 
 I did not expeft fo much ingenuoufnefs, having lately writ 
 a book, intitled, Le veritable Chretie?!, that doth fpeak in 
 another way. I wi(h to know what reception you have 
 had at Frederickfburg, and if this find you at Cleves, I 
 wifli you might take an occafion to fee the two paftors of 
 Mulheim, which do really feek the Lord, but have fotne 
 prejudice againfl your do£^rine, as alfo the countefs there. ^ 
 It would be of much ufe for my family to have them dif- 
 abufed ; yet God's will be done in that, and all thi^ngs 
 
 clfc concerning 
 
 « Your loving friend in the Lord Jcfus, 
 
 * Elizabeth.' - 
 
 Whilft William Penn made this journey into Germany, 
 George Fox was gone to Hamburg and Frederickftadt, to 
 vifit his friends there ; and Penn being reiurned to Am- 
 fterdam, went from thence to Friefland, and met George 
 Fox as he was coming back to Holland, at Leewarden ; 
 from whence he made a ftep to Wicwart, where a fociety 
 cf the Labadites dwelt. Here he fpoke with the famous 
 
 ^677] 
 
 People CALLEt) quAKERs* 
 
 359 
 
 Anna Maria' Schurman, the gentlewomen Somerdykes, 
 the French paftor Peter Yvon, and others. After fomc 
 difcourfe from both fides, when Yvon had given a relatioo 
 concerning John de Labadie, how he was bred among the 
 Jefuits, and deferted them, and embraced the Proteftant 
 religion, and how becoming diffatisfied with the forntar 
 Proteftants, he with fome that adhered to him, had fepa- 
 rated themfelves from the vulgar affemblies, Anna Maria 
 Schurman began to fpeak, and gave an account of her 
 former life, of her pleafure in learning, and her love to 
 the religion (he was brought up in, but confefled (he knew 
 not God or Chrift truly ^11 that while. And though from 
 a child God had vifited her at times, yet fhe never felt 
 fuch a powerful ftrokc, as by the miniftry of John de 
 Labadie : and then (he faw her learning to be vanity, and 
 her religion like a body of death ; and therefore refolved 
 to defpife the fhame, defert her former way of living and 
 acquaintance, and to join herfelf with this little family, 
 that was retired out of the world. This and much more 
 Ihe fpoke in a fenfible frame, and with a ferious mind, 
 not without fome trembling. And then one of the Som- 
 merdykes gave alfo an ample relation, concerning her in- 
 ward ftate, and how flie had been reached by the preach- 
 ing of Labadie ; and how before that time flie had mourned 
 becaufe of the deadnefs and formality of the vulgar Chrif- 
 tians, and faid within herfelf, * O the pride, the lufts, the 
 vain pleafures in which Chriftians live ! Can this be the 
 way to heaven ? Is this the way to glory ? Are thefe fol- 
 lowers of Chrift ? O no ! O God where is thy little flock ? 
 ^Vliere is thy little family that will live entirely to thee, 
 that will follow thee? Make me one of that number.' 
 Tl^^n die told how .being pricked to the heart, when (he 
 heard Labadie preach, flie had refolved to abandon the 
 glory and pride of this world ; and farther faid, that (he 
 counted herfelf happy to have joined with this feparated 
 family. After fome others had likewife given an account 
 pf their -change, William Penn alfo gave a circumftantial 
 relation, how he had been gradually drawn off from the 
 vanity and pride qf life; what adverfities he had met v/ith in 
 jphc univerfity at Oxford, becaufe of his not joining with the 
 
 r 
 
 
i 
 
 if 
 
 
 360 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1677 
 
 debauchery committed there ; and how after having lived 
 fomc time in France he had been convinced by the effe^lual 
 xniniftry of Thomas Loe, and fo came to be joined with 
 the defpifed Quakers. This his relation he concluded with 
 a ferious admonition how they ought to go on, and to 
 grow in the true fear of God. At parting, one of the 
 paftors alked him if the truth rofe not firfl amongft a poor 
 illiterate, and fimple fort of. people. * Yes,' anfwcred 
 William Penn ; ' and it is our comfort that we owe it not 
 to the learning of this world.' To which the paflor re- 
 turned, ' Then let not the learning of this world be ufed 
 to defend that which the Spirit of God hath brought 
 forth ; for fcholars now coming among you, will be apt 
 to mix fchool learning amongft your Ampler and purer 
 language, and thereby obfcure the brightnefs of your 
 teftimony.' W. Penn having anfwered to the purpofe, 
 took his leave, and travelled by way of Groeninghen to 
 Embden, where the Quakers at that time wdre perfccuted 
 feverely with imprifonments and banifhments : but 1 waive 
 the relation thereof, becaufe it hath long ago been pub- 
 lifhed in print, and the magiftrates there; being afterwards 
 moved to pity by the perfecution the proteftants fufFered 
 in France, came to a better refolution, as may be men- 
 tioned in the fequcl. 
 
 When W. Penn came to Embden, he went to fpeak 
 with the burgomafter Andre' at his houfe, and aiked him 
 if he and the fenate had not received a letter in Latin* 
 
 * Which being tranflated into Englifh, runs thus, and deferves the 
 ferious confideration of all magiftrates. 
 
 To the Counfel and Senate of the City of Embden: 
 
 7'he King of lings, ani Lordoflord^^ who is God of all the families of the 
 earthy incline your hearts to jujlice^ fnercy^ and truth, 
 
 ■ THB Boife of your fevere treatment of fcveral ptrfons that arc in- 
 habitants of your ftate, reproachfully termed Quakers, hath reached 
 thefe parts, and filled fcveral with compaffion and furprifc : compafHoa 
 
 1677] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 361 
 
 from an EngUfhman about two years fince, concerning 
 their feverity towards the people called Quakers? The 
 burgomafter faid he had. W. Penn then replied, * I am 
 
 to hear of the * miferies of men innocent and upright, again/l whom 
 you have notlaing to obje<5l, but the pure exercife of their confcience tp 
 God ; furpi ife, that you, a Proteftant ftate, fhould employ your civil 
 power to deter, punifli and grievouily a(Hi(5t men for anfwering the con- 
 vi<5l:ions of their confciencss, and ading according to the beft of their 
 undcrftanding, Methinks you fhould not be oblivious of your own con- 
 dition in the loins of youranceftors, who, you think, with great reafoo 
 and juftice, ftrenuoufly advocated the caufe of liberty of confcience 
 againft the pope's bulls and t'ie Spanifh inquifition ; how did they 
 antichriftian all force on confcience or punifliment for non-conformity ? 
 Their own many and large apologies, and particularly their demands at 
 the diets of Norimburg and Spire, are pregnant proofs in the cafe; and 
 your practice doth not lefTen the weight of their reafons ; on the contrary, 
 it aggravates your unkindncfs, let me fay, injuftice. 
 
 I mean, that perfons mufl not live under your government, unlefs they 
 receive your mark in the fore-head or right-hand? Which in plainer 
 
 your 
 terms is, to fubmit their confciences to your edids, and to afk your 
 It^ve what religion they fhould be of. Remember, that faith is the gift 
 : of Ood ; and. that what is not of faith is fin : nothing can be more un- 
 reafonable, than to compel men to believe againft their behef, or to 
 trouble there for pradifing what they believe, when it thwarts not the 
 moral law of <5od. 
 
 You doubtlels take yourfelves to be Chriftians, and would cfteem it no 
 litde injury to be 0\herwife reprefented ; yet what more unchriftian, than 
 to ufe external force 10 f;vay the confciences of men about the exercife of 
 religious woriliip. 
 
 Chrift Jefus, the Lord and auihor of the Chrlftian religion, ccnfured 
 his own difciples, thai w&ild have had fire from heaven to deftroy 
 thofe tnat cd.iformed not to vhat their blefTed Maihr taught : are you 
 furer of your religion? Are you better Chnftians ? Or, have you more 
 Chriftian authority, than they that were the chofen witneffes of Jefus ? 
 However, remember, they called but for fire from hc-.ven ; and can 
 you kindle fire on earth to devour them.? Them, I fay, that are of 
 your own people, merely fo-.- their religious difTent from you ? Doubt- 
 lefs, if that was then thought no fit argument to induce men to coii- 
 formity by him that was wiler than Solomon ; it reflects greatly upon 
 
 ♦ Our acccuut fays, fome were cruelly beaten by order; others banilhcd; fome 
 put in ;• dungeon, and fed with bread and -water only j fcveral f:ncd greater fuirti 
 of mor^ey, it is thought, than they had to pay. 
 
$6% 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1677 
 
 that man, and am condrained in confcicncc to vifit thee 
 on their behalf,' &c. The burgomafter deported hjmfelf. 
 with more kiadnefs than was cxpefted, and gave feme 
 
 your mpdcfly and prudence, that you fliould find out new ways, or 
 jrather old exploded ones to effect fo ill a defign, Befidcs, you do no^ 
 lay you know all you ought to know, or that there is nothing farther to 
 he revealed ; have a care, therefore, that you perfecute not angels, by 
 lieing harih to that which you call ftranee : think not ill, much lefs 
 Ipeak, and leaft of all aft, that which is ^ againil what you do not pci- 
 fealy underfbnd. I am well perfuaded, that thofe yon infliaed ^ich 
 fevere penalties upon, mean well in what they beJierc (to be fure much 
 better than you think they do, or elfe you are extremely to blame) and 
 that the reafon of their prefent diftancc from you, is not to introduce 
 or infinuate dangerous or cxotick opinions, but to live a life of more 
 Jholinefs, purity apd felf-denial, than before: they do not think that 
 you walk up to your own principles; and have rea(bn to believe the 
 power of godiinefs is much loll among you ; and having long Iain under 
 a decay and languifhing of foul for want of true fpirituaj nourlfhraent^ 
 they have nov/ betaken themfelves to that heavenly gift and grace of 
 Cod in themfelves for divine fatisfaition, even that holy anointing that 
 5s able to teach them all things neceffary for them to know ; as the 
 bleflcd apoftie fpeaks ; and they find the joys of the Holy Ghod in fo 
 <ioing: and I am perfuaded they are not lef$ peaceable, fober, juft, 
 and neighbourly than formerly, and altogether as confiftent with th»' 
 profperity of civil fociety ; and I am fure it is both found and co»^cft 
 among us here by feme men of quality, leJ^rning, and virtue. F«i»"ther^ 
 be plcafed to confidcr with yourfelves, that' you juftify the ancient per- 
 fecutions of Ihe Chriftjans and firfl reformers, whofe fupf«iors thought 
 as ill of them, as you do of thefe men ; nay, you flijw «»^c Papifts what 
 to do in their dominions to your own brethren. D^ as you would be 
 done by : if you would have liberty, give it ; yon know that God's 
 "witnefs in your hearts di(2atcs this to you as an imr<utable law. 
 
 Could you give faith, it were more excufabl^ for you to puni(h fuch 
 as ihould refill ; but fmxre that is impoflible, tf\e other is iinreafonable ; 
 for it is to aifli<fl men for not being what they cannot be unlefs they 
 turn hypocrites : that is the higheft pKch your coercive power can , 
 arrive at ; for never did it convert or preferve one foul to God ; inflead 
 thereof it offers violence unto confcience, and puts a man cither upon 
 the denial ©f his faith apd realon, or being deftroycd for ading accord- 
 ing to them : but what greater difproportion can there be, than what 
 lieth between the intelle<5l of man, and pri/ons, fines, and banifliments ? 
 They inform no man's judgment, re/ylve no doubts, convince no un- 
 dcrftanding : the power of perfuafion is not to be found in any fuch 
 barbarous ad:ions, ne ^nore than the dodrine of Chriftianity. This 
 courfe deftroys the bodies and eftates of men, inrtcad of faving their 
 fouls: were they in the wrong, it would become you to ufe God's 
 weapon's^ his fword of the Spirit, that faveth the creature ; and flayetii 
 
 1^77] 
 
 PtO^tt CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 3^i 
 
 faint hope of alteration ; but it appeared fafficientjy that 
 the fenate was not as yet fo difpofed, for perfecution con- 
 tinued there yet a long while. 
 
 ihe evil in him ; this courfe tends to heart burnings arid def Iruaion ; I ud 
 lure It is no gofpel argument. - » »- 
 
 I befeech you for the fake of that Lord Jefus Chrift, that fuflfercd fy 
 patiently for his own religion, and fo fharply prohibited makinfx other 
 men to fuffer for theirs, that 'you would have a care. how you exercife 
 power over mens confciences. My friends, confcience is God's throne 
 in man, and the power of it his prerogative : it is to ufurp his ^u^ 
 thotity, and boldly afcend his throne, to fet lords over it. Were their 
 converfation fcandalous, and dfeftr«aite teethe good of your ftkte, you 
 were to be held excufable: but verily, no man of mercy arid confcience, 
 can defend your pra^ice upon poor men fo peaceable and inoffenfire. 
 Gamaliel will rife up in judgment againil you, if you perfevere in thi^ 
 courfe.^ Do not you help to ^l the catalogue of perf^cutors, in mitcH 
 love I mtreat you ; but as becomes Chriflian men and true Proteftaats^ 
 leave men to their particular perfuafions of affairs relative of the othtr 
 world, which have no ill afpea on the affairs of this : but vice hath {in 
 eyilconfequenceas to both : therefore punifh vice, and affed truth and 
 righteoufnefs, and bend not your civil power to torment relifiieus dif. 
 renters, but to retrieve good life, lamentably loft amidft the great pro- 
 terjces that are made ta religion. Doubtlefs magiftracy was both or^ 
 darned of God, and elefted by mtn, to be a terror of evil doers, and 
 not to them that do well, though of different judgments. You onpusti 
 the Roman church for affumiBg infallibiiity to herfelf, and yet vour 
 9wn praaice maketh you guilty of the fame prefumption or worfe i for 
 either you do exercife that feverity upon an infallible knowledge, or you 
 do not ; if you do, you take that to yourfelves, your principle deny to 
 any church whatever, which is a contradiaion ; if you do not, you 
 punilh people for not conforming to what you yourfelves deny any cer- ^ 
 tainty about : and how do you know but you compel them to that which 
 IS falfe, as well as that which h true ? Verily, this dilemma is not eafily 
 avoided, as well as that this inhuman praaice will ftrain your profeiTion. 
 intame your government, and bring a blot upon your pofterity. 
 
 Remember that they are men as well as yourfelves, born free, and 
 Dave equal plea to natural and civil common privileges with yourfelves- 
 the different perfuafion of their confcien^es about things relatiog to 
 another life, can no ways render them unfit for this ; it neither unmans 
 nor uncivihzes them. They have the fame right to their liberty and 
 property as ever, having, by yo praaice of theirs in the leaft forfeited 
 any ot thoie human advantages, the great charters of nature and Scrip, 
 ture have conferred upon ihem ; and the opulencv of your neighbours 
 and prolperity of their affairs, prove to you that indulgence is not ia- 
 conliltent with policy ; howbeit, ypu have bow tried the fincerity of 
 Uieir procedure by what you have already infliaed, and they fuftaineJ ; 
 iet the time paft fuffice, and make thero not f'crificcs for their cUn- 
 
3^4 
 
 THE HlStOHV OF TttK 
 
 [1677 
 
 1677] 
 
 1»E0PLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 365 
 
 After W. Penn had (laid fometimr at Embden, he took 
 a turn again to Hcrford, where he was received very 
 kindly by the princefs Elizabeth, and the countels of 
 Homes ; and more than once he had a meeting in her 
 chamber ; and the princefs was fo reached and afFefted by 
 his fpeaking, that Ihe faid, 'I am fully convinced; but 
 oh my fins arc great ! ' this gave occafion to W. Penn to 
 fpeak to the princefs and the countcfs apart, with refpeft 
 to their particular conditions; which made a deep im- 
 
 fcicntious conftancy. If they are in the wrong, it is more than they 
 know : will yo\i pcrfecute men for bem^ what they muft be, li they 
 will be true to therafelves ; this were great violence : rather commiferate, 
 than thus violently compel them. I befeech you, feek fome cheaper 
 way to accommodate yourfelves, than by their deftruaion, who arc jo 
 very remote from feeking yours. Oh I the day will come, wherein 
 one aft of tendernefs about matters of confcience, fhall find a better 
 reward, than all the feverity by which men ufe to propagate their per- 
 fuafions in the World ; asd there is great reafon for it, fince the One 
 flows from the Saviour, the other from the dellroyer of men. In fine, 
 let your moderation be known unto all rten, for the Lord is at hand, 
 whofc reward is with him; and he. will recompenfe every man, family, 
 ilate, kingdom, and empire, according to the nature of their works, 
 committed in this mortal body ; at whofe bar it ftiall never Tje laid to 
 your charge, that out of fear of taking God's office out of his hands, 
 and being unmerciful to tender confciences, you admitted men of diftering 
 judgments to dwell quietly among you : truly, you cannot be too tender 
 
 in this point. . . n 1 • 
 
 Imitate the God of nature and grace, by being propitious to all ; his 
 fun fliincth on all ; his rain falU on all, he gives life and being to all ; 
 his grace vifits all, and in times of ignorance he wmketh : and though 
 fuch you may repute ours, I hope you cannot think you wink at it, 
 who make fuch broad tokens of your difpleafure. Oh ! how forbearing 
 and merciful is he towards you ? Have you fo lately efcaped the wrath 
 of enemies, and can you already thus ftiarply treat your friends ? Had 
 he entered into judgment with you, what had become of you ? l.et his 
 £O0dnefs to you prevail with you, to exprefs clemency to others, that lo 
 the great God of the whole earth, even the God of the fpintsof ah llclh, 
 who refpcas not the perfons of the rich, poor, or powerful in judg- 
 ment, may fhew you mercy in the day of bis righteous judgments. 
 
 Your friend with the greatclt mtegnty m the 
 univcrfal principle of lore and truth, 
 
 W. Penn. 
 
 London, December 14, 1674, 
 
 preffion on their minds, efpecially the countefs's. Being 
 much prcffed by the princefs to ftay and fup with her, he 
 yielded : and -the countefs from a ferious fenfe of her 
 compliance with the world, told him, * ll/aut queje rompe^ 
 ilfaut qu^je rompe^' i. e. * I mufl break off, 1 muft break 
 off.' And at another time with a weighty countenance 
 fhe cried out; ' O the cumber and entanglements of this 
 vain world ; they hinder all good.' Once the princefs 
 faid to them, * It is a hard matter to be faithful to what 
 one knows. I fear that I am not weighty enough in my 
 fpirit.' At another time flie told him, ^ Among my books 
 I have records that the gofpel was by the Englifh firft 
 brought from England into Germany ; and now it is 
 come again.* Thus this excellent princefs fignified how 
 highly (lie valued the preaching of the gofpef to her by 
 W. Penn, and how much fhe efteemed his labour and 
 miniftry. When he took his leave of thefe eminent perfons, 
 having taken the princefs by the hand, which file received 
 with a weighty kindnefs, being much broken in fpirit, he 
 wifhed the bleffmg and peace of Jefus with and upon her: 
 and then exhorting the countefs, fhe frequently befeechcd 
 him to remember her, and implore the Lord on her behalf. 
 Next taking waggon for Wefel, from thence he tra- 
 velled to Duifburgh, Duffeldorp, and Cologn, and then 
 back again to Duffeldorp, to fee if he could get an oppor- 
 tunity at Mulheim, to fpeak with the countefs of Fal!:en- 
 flein, who was reported to be a very religious perfon, and 
 therefore in his former journey he had endeavoured to viftt 
 her, but in vain ; for the count of Bruch, and Falkenfteih 
 her father, kept her as it were under a confinement, be- 
 caufe fhe was of a reh'gious temper ; and therefore he 
 called her a Quaker, though fhe did not at all converfc 
 with any of the Quakers. He had alfo ufed W. Penri 
 very roughly; when being neceffitated to pafs by his 
 caftle, he being lord of that country, afked him and his 
 friends from whence they were, and whither they went ? 
 to which they anfwcred, that they were Englifhmen come 
 from Holland, and going no further in thofe pans than his 
 town Mulheim: but they not putting off their hats, the count 
 called them Quakers, and faid, * We have no need of 
 
 t 
 
3«« 
 
 tHE HISTOID Y OF TftE 
 
 b^77 
 
 i 
 
 Quakers here. Get you out of my dominions, yoti fhall 
 not go to tny town.* And he commanded fome of his 
 foldiers^ to fee them out of his territory. Thus W. Penn, 
 an4 thofe with him^ were neceffitated to He that night in 
 the open air. But the next day he writ a letter to the 
 faid counr, and therein told him, 'For thy faying, we 
 want no Quakers here, I fay, under favour, you do; for 
 a tfue Quaker is one that trcmbleth at the word of the 
 Lord, that worketh out his falvation with fear and 
 trembling.' 
 
 ' W* Penn being come td Mulheim, could now no more 
 find opportunity to fpeak with the countefs than the firll 
 time he was in thofe pans ; and therefore he went to 
 Duilburgh, Wefel, and Clceves, ^Yhere having had con- 
 ferences with fome religious people, he returned by way 
 of Utrecht to Amfterdam, where G* Fox was alfo come 
 back again. 
 
 Here W. Penn and G* Fox had a conference and difpute 
 with Df. Galenus Abraham, an eminent Baptift teacher, 
 «nd fome of that perfuafion. Galenus aflerted, that no- 
 body now-a-days could be accepted as a meflenger of God, 
 unlefs he confirmed his doftrine by miracles. W. Penn 
 wanted no arguments to contradift this, fince the Chriftian 
 religion had been once already confirmed by miracles, and 
 that therefore this now was needlefs among Chriftians. 
 G. Fox now and then fpoke alfo fomething to the matter ; 
 but he being fomewhat fhort breathed, went feveral times 
 away, which fome were ready to impute to a paffionatc 
 temper ; but I well know that therein they wronged him. 
 This difpute was indeed a troublefome bufinefs ; for the 
 parties on both fides were fain to fpeak by an interpreter, 
 which generally was performed fo imperfe^lly, that at laft 
 thc<:onferencc was broke off, without coming to a decifion, 
 although many weighty arguments were objefted againfi: 
 the pofition. Certainly it cannot be denied that John the 
 Baptift was fent of God to preach repentance ; and yet in 
 facred writ it is faid pofitively, John did no miracle ; and 
 yet many believed in him. And although there were fome 
 among the prophets that WTought miracles, yet we do not 
 find in the holy Scriptures that Joaab, who was indeed a 
 
 677] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 3^7 
 
 notable preacher of repentance, did any miracle, and 
 neverthclefs the Ninivites believed him, and deprecated 
 thofe judgments he denounced, unlefs they repented. Of 
 feveral other true prophets we find not the leaft mention of 
 any miracles they did ; but on the contrary the Scriptures 
 fignify, that poffibly falfe prophets might arife, and give 
 figns or wonders ; and that the doing of miracles could not 
 always be a proof, or fure evidence, that any one was fent 
 of God, appears plainly from what our Saviour himfelf faid, 
 VIZ. that among thofe to whom he fliould one day fay' 
 " Depart from me,'' would be fuch that fhould fay, " Have 
 we not m thy name cafl: out devils, and in thy name done 
 many wonderful works ?*' And what fliall we think of the 
 forcerers of Egypt ; did not they feem to do the fame 
 wonders as Mofes and Aaron did ? And yet thofe wonders 
 wherewithal they deceived Pharaoh and his men, were in 
 no ways wrought by a divine power. Now, fince it appears 
 plainly from the holy Scriptures, and Chrift himfelf faid, 
 " There fliall arife falfe prophets, and fliall (hew great figns 
 and wonders,'* we might with good reafon fuipca the 
 doc1:rine of one, who now-a-days wrought niiracles, on 
 purpofe to make what he denounced, pafs for truth. 
 
 This being duly confidered, it feems to be very abfurd, 
 to require miracles again for confirmation of -he fame gofpti 
 which once hath been confirmed by miracles ; and to defire 
 that the truth of what once hath been declared by the 
 apoftles, and ftrengthened by wonderful works, fhould be 
 fealed anew with outward wonders. But it would hideed 
 have been another cafe, if a new gofpel was preached, 
 and that any pretended to give forth new holy Scriptures ; 
 for then it might be faid with fome reafon, that it wss 
 neceflTary that this new gofpel fhould be made credible, 
 and confirmed by vifible miracles. I?ut where no other 
 gofpel is preached, than what hath been once delivered to 
 the Chrifliians by the firft promulgators of the Chriftian 
 religion, and where this is not done amongft heathens, 
 but ainohgft Chriftians, or at leaft fuch as be'ar the name, " 
 there it cannot injuftice be required to confirm this docTtrine 
 once more with miracles, the rather becaufe, as hath been 
 fliewed already, the doing of miracles may not always pafs 
 Vol. IL 2 a ' . ' ^ 
 
 ?l 
 
( 
 
 368 
 
 THE rfiSTORY OF THE 
 
 .C>677 
 
 1677] 
 
 ft 
 
 for an irrefragable proof of one's being really pious and 
 godly. To this may be added, that the miracles which 
 Chrift arid his apoftles wrought, to give credit to the ap- 
 pearing of the Son of God in the flelh, may be confidered 
 as types and figures of thofe fpiritual wonders which Giould 
 be wrought in the fouls of people, when Ch nil was to be 
 feen the fecond time, and 10 appear by his Spirit, to the 
 falvation of thofe who wait for him ; for the eyes of the 
 mind being blinded, muft be openea and enhghtcned by 
 him ; and many that are dead in fm and trefpaffes, Ihall by 
 him be raifed, and made alive. This I think may fuffice 
 to {hew, that the pofition of Dr. Galenus could not ftand 
 the tell ; but whatever was objefted, he continued to 
 
 maintain his opinion. , ttt r> 
 
 Not long after this difpute, G.Fox and W. Penn re- 
 turned to England, where, having fuftained a violent tempefl 
 at fea, they arrived fafely at Harwich : paffing from thence 
 to London, W. Penn there received the following letter 
 from the princefs Elizabeth, in anfwer to his : 
 
 « Dear friend, Herford, Oft. 29, 1 677. 
 
 « Your tender care of my eternal well-being doth oblige 
 
 me much, and I will weigh every article of your counlel 
 
 . to follow it as much as lies in me, but God s grace mull 
 
 be afliflant, as you fay yourfelf ; he accepts nothing that 
 
 does not come from him. If I had made me bare of all 
 
 worldly goods, and left undone what he requires molt, I 
 
 ' mean to do all in and by his Son I (hall be in no better 
 
 condition than at this prefent. Let me feel him firft go- 
 
 verning in my heart, then do what he requires of me ; but 
 
 lam not able to teach others, being not tauglit of God 
 
 myfelf. Ps.emember my love to G. F. B. F. G. K. and 
 
 dear Gertrude.* If you write no worfe than your poflfcript, 
 
 I can make a fliift to read ii. Do not think I go from what 
 
 I fpoke to you the lad evening ; I only ftay to do it in a 
 
 way that is anfwerable before God and man : I can fay no 
 
 more now, but recommend to your prayers, 
 
 » Your true friend, 
 
 ' Elizabeth.* 
 
 . Thi, wa, Gertrude Derick,. %vho had vlfited the princefs, and afterward. 
 ■ came to li .-e in England, and vc as married to Stephen CnH.. 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 3^9 
 
 P. S. ' I almoft forgot to tell you, that my fifler writes 
 me word, (he had been glad you had taken your journev 
 by Ofenburgh, to return to Amfterdam. There is alfo 
 a Droffard of Limbourg near this place, fto whom I 
 gave an examplar of R. B's apology) very defirous to fpeak 
 with lome of his friends.' 
 
 Yet another letter W. Penn received from the faid 
 princefs, m anfwer to one he writ from the BricI, at his 
 paflage towards England, which was as followeth : 
 
 To the princefs Elizabeth, Salvation in the Crofs, Amen. 
 
 ♦ Dear and truly refpefted friend, 
 * My Coul moll earneflly defireth thy temporal and eternal 
 felicity, which ftandeth in thy doing the will of God now 
 on earth, as it is done in heaven. O dear princefs, do it ' 
 bay the word once in truth and righteoufnefs, « Not mv 
 will, but thine be done, O God !» Thy days are few 
 and then thou muft go to judgment.* Then an account of 
 thy talent God will require from thee. What improvement 
 halt thou made ? Let it prove and (hew its own excellencr 
 that It is of God, and that it leadeth all that love it to 
 God. O that thou mayeft be able to give an account 
 with joy! 
 
 ' I could not leave this country, and not teftify the re- 
 fentments I bear in my mind, of that humble and tender 
 entertainment thou gaveft us at thy court : the Lord Jefus 
 reward thee : and furely he hath a blefUng in (lore for 
 thee. Goon, be ftedfaft, overcome, and thou (halt 
 inherit. Do not defpond ; one that is mighty is near thee- 
 a prefent help in the needful time of trouble. O let the 
 defire of thy foul be to his name, and to the remembrance 
 ot him. O wait upon the Lord, and thou (halt renew thy 
 (Irength ! The youth (hall faint, and the young men (hall 
 iiil,^ but they that truft in the Lord (hall never be con- 
 founded. 
 
 t^? "S ^^^^ "*" ^"""^ ^"^ ^°''<^ f^''^"y' """h ™y whole 
 
 * she died about four years a^ ' 
 
 2 A 2 
 
37° 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1677 
 
 his keeping, that thou mayeft not lofe, but keep m that 
 divine fenfe, which by his eternal word, he hath begotteg 
 in thee. Receive, dear princefs, my Imcere and Chnftian 
 falutation: grace, mercy, and peace, be muhiphed among 
 you all that love the Lord Jefus. 
 
 ' Thy bufinefs I fliall follow with all the diligence and 
 difcretion I can, and by the firll give thee an account, after 
 it fhall pleafe the Lord to bring me lafe to London. All 
 my brethren are well, and prefent thee with their dear 
 love ; and the reft with thee that love Jefus, the light oi 
 the world, in thy family. Thou haft taught me to forget 
 thou art a princefs, and therefore I ufe this freedom ; and 
 to that of God in' thee am I manifeft ; and I know my 
 inteprity . Give, if thou pleafeft, the falutation of my dear 
 love to A. M. de Homes, with the inclofed. Dear princefs, 
 do not hinder, but help her. That may be required of 
 her which (confidering thy circumftanccs) may not yet 
 be required of thee. Let her ftand free, and her freedoQj 
 will make the paffage eafier unto thee. Accept what I lay, 
 I intreat thee, in that pure and heavenly love and reipett, 
 in which I write fo plainly to thee. Farewel, my dear 
 friend, and the Lord be with thee. I am more than I 
 
 can fay, , . , ■. 
 
 ' Thy great lover, and 
 
 ' Refpeftful friend, 
 
 ' W. Penn.* 
 
 I refer thee to the inclofed for paffages. Wc vifited 
 Gichtel and Hooftman, and they us : they were at one or 
 two of the meetings at Amfterdam. Vale in aternum. 
 
 To this letter the princefs returned the following anfwer. 
 
 This 1 7 November, 1677. 
 
 « Dear friend, , ,. v t, 
 
 - « I have received a letter from you that feemeth to have 
 
 been written at your paffage into England, which I wdh 
 
 may be profperous : without date, but not without virtue 
 
 tofpur me on to do and fuffer the ^vill of our God. I cm 
 
 fey in finccrity and truth. Thy wiU be done, O Q<Ai oe- 
 
 1677] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 371 
 
 caufe I wiflj It heartily ; but I cannot fpeak in rlghteouf- 
 nefs, until 1 poffefs that righteoufnefs which is acceptable 
 unto him My houfe and my heart fca|l be always open 
 to thofe that love him. Gichtel has been well fatisfied 
 with the conferences between you. As for my bufinefs it 
 will go as the Lord pleafetb, and I remain in him 
 
 ' Your affeftionate friend, 
 , , ♦ JElizabeth.* 
 
 G. Fox now being come to London, received there let- 
 ters from New England, with an account of the cruel 
 proceedings of the magiftrates againft his friends there: for ' 
 perfecution being hot in Old England, it made thofe \n 
 New England the worfe ; infomuch, that they did not 
 only whip the Quakers that were there, but alfo fome 
 maiters of Ih.ps that were no Quakers, only for bringing 
 fome of that perfuafion thither.^But about that time thi 
 Jndians made an inroad upon the Englilh, and flew three- 
 fcore of their men ; and having taken one of their cap- 
 tains, they flead off the flcin of his head, while he was alive, 
 and carried it away in triumph. 
 
 Now fince the people called Quakers were alfo much 
 perfecuted m Scotland, they drew up an account of their 
 fufferings, and delivered it to the king in the beginnin<^ of 
 this year ; but whether they got any eafe thereby, I can- 
 not telJ. , 
 
 In the latter part of this year, G. Fox travelled through 
 many places of England. In the mean-while I will again 
 make fome mention of the perfecution there. At Plymouth 
 about this time, thofe called Quakers were generally kept 
 out of heir meeting-houfe, and then performing their 
 worflup ,n the open ftreet, as a duty they owed fo God 
 and for the omiffion of which they judged no man could 
 be difpenfed with, they fuffered exceedingly, not only „ 
 winter, by the fharpnefs of the weather, bS alfo in fhii" 
 mer ; for it was more than twelve months that they thus 
 
 t^V}^'^ "l""°S^ '" '^^ open ftreet, being grievoufly 
 abufed by the rabble and the foldiers; foriltingand 
 
 S w?r?^r' "'' ^^'^\: "^'^y'^^^^ andb/rnlng 
 foals Mere thrown among them, and filthy excrements 
 
 2 A3 
 
 i 
 
37* 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1677 
 
 caft: down upon them %out of a window: befides, fines 
 were extorted for their having been at the meeting, on 
 the account of one Richard Samble, who was fined as 
 preacher, for having been on bis knees at prayer, which 
 fine was laid upon four of^ them that were at the faid 
 
 meeting. 
 
 At Frenchay, in Gloucefterftiire, the juftice, John Me- 
 rideth, behaved himfelf exceedingly furious in difturbing 
 the Quakers meetings ; for he himfelf did not only beat 
 them, but more than once drew his knife to nmrk them, 
 as he called it, had he not been reftrained by his fervants, 
 who for all that could not prevent his taking fome by the 
 hair of their head, and pulling them away; nay, the 
 havock and fpoil which was made, w^as fo extravagant, 
 . that from one Thomas Holbrow, an ancient blind man, 
 they took his bed from under him, fo that he and his wife 
 lay about a quarter of a year on flraw; and when his 
 friends provided him with fome clothing againll winter, 
 part of that was alfo taken from him : for fuch plundering 
 now went on with a full career ; and the bafeft men were 
 authorifed to deprive others of their goods, if there was 
 but a juftice that favoured fuch. 
 
 At Bayton in SuflFolk, Edmund Bally was by warrant 
 from juftice Burwel, defpoiled of what he had, both within 
 doors and without, his goods having been diftrained five 
 times ; and though he was fain to lie on ftraw, yet he was 
 not left unmolefted, for they came in the night. Armed 
 with piftols, and broke open his door, threatening to. 
 deftroy him. It happened there alfo, that a poor blind 
 widow, on her fick bed, was vifited by fome perfons •, and 
 this was made a conventicle, and they were fined, and 
 •warrants ifTued out by the aforefaid juftice to jnake dif- 
 trefs on their goods. In many other places things went 
 no better ; but I may not detain my reader with every 
 particular. 
 
 This year died in prifon William Dobfon, of Brightwell 
 in Berkfhire, having been fpoiled of his goods from time 
 to time, during the fpace of thirteen years, and almoft al- 
 ways in prifon too, till his hard fuflFerings ended with his 
 life- 
 
 1677] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 373 
 
 It was alfo in this year that William III. prince pf Orange, 
 came from Holland into England, and there entered into 
 matrimony with the princefs Mary, eldeft daughter of the 
 duke of York, which in proccfs of time made way for 
 him to the throne of Great Britain. He accompliflied 
 his marriage there on the 4th of November, being his 
 birth-day ; and not long after returned to Holland with 
 his fpoufe. 
 
 About the beginning of the year 1678, G. Fox came 
 to London, and the parliament fitting at that time, he and 
 G. Whitehead prefented to them an account of the grievous 
 fiiiferings of their friends, by laws made againft the Pa- 
 pifts ; and they were not without hopes of obtaining fome 
 eafe, becaufe feveral of the members of that auguft affem- 
 bly feemed to fiivour them; but the parliament was fud^ 
 denly prorogued, whereby a ftop was put to their en- 
 deavours. 
 
 G. F. then travelling through many places, came home 
 to Swarthmore in the latter part of the year; and fince 
 many of his friends at this time Were under great per- 
 fecution, and in prifon, he writ the following epiftle to 
 ihem: 
 
 ' My dear friends, i* 
 
 * Who are fuiferers for the Lord Jefus fake, and for 
 the teftimony of the truth, the Lord God Almighty with 
 his power uphold you, and fupport you in all your trials 
 and fufferings ; and give you patience, and content in his 
 will, that ye may ftand valiant for Chrift and his truth 
 upon the earth, over the perfecuting and deftroying Spirit, 
 which makes to fuffer, in Chrift (who bruifes his head) 
 in whom ye hath both elcftion and fidvation. And for 
 God's eleft fake the Lord hath done much from the foun- 
 dation of the world ; as may be feen throughout the 
 Scriptures of Truth ; and they that touch them touch the 
 apple of God's eye, they are fo tender to him. And 
 therefore it is good for all God's fuffering children to truft 
 in the Lord, and to wait upon him ; for they (hall be as 
 mount Sinn, that cannot be removed from Chrift their 
 rock and falvation, w^ho is the foundation of all the elcft 
 
 a A 4 
 
374 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i6;8 
 
 1678] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 375 
 
 of God, of the prophets and the apofllcs, and of God's 
 people now, and to the end : glory to the Lord and the 
 Lamb over all. Reniember my dear love to all friends ; 
 and do not think the time long, for all time is in the Fa- 
 ther's hand, his power. And therefore keep the word of 
 patience, and exercife that gift ; and the Lord flrengthca 
 you in your fufferings, in his holy Spirit of faith. Amen. 
 
 ^ George Fox.' 
 
 Swarthmore, the 5th of the 
 li^th month, 1678. 
 
 Perfecution was now very hot in many places. At Baw- 
 naffe, in Weftmoreland, it happened that thofe of the 
 focicty called Quakers being religioiilly met together, were 
 much abufed by the rude people ; and befides odier in- 
 folencies that were committed, a dog being thrown among 
 them, one John Thompfcn faid to this wicked crpw, that 
 they ought to behave themfelves ciyil and moderate j and 
 for liiying fo he was informed iigainft as a preacher, an4 
 on that account fined twenty pounds. Mary Tod, a poor 
 ancient widow in Yorkfliire, having had a meeting at her 
 houfe, was alfg fined twenty pounds by juftice Francis 
 DrifHeid ; and when the informers told him that her goods 
 were not worth fo much, he ordered them to take all that 
 they could find : this they did, and did not leave her a 
 l)ed to lie on; nay, took away all her clothes. 
 
 This year the ambafladors of the king of France, and 
 thofe of the United Netherlands, with thofe of feveral 
 other potentates, were met at Nimcguen, to treat about a 
 general peace; and therefore Robert Barclay writ an 
 epiftle to them in Latin, to exhort them to this good 
 work : the cpillle, together with his Apology for the true 
 Chriftian Divinity, in^Latin, was delivered to each pf thq 
 laid ambafladors, viz. a, book for every one of them, and 
 one for their principals.' George Fox alfo writ an cxhor- 
 tatory epiflle to them, which being tranflated and printed 
 in Latin, was alfo fent to them. And before this year 
 came to an end, the peace was concluded. 
 
 In the fnean while perfecution went on in England, an4 
 thofe that were envious did not w.mt a fpecious pretencq 
 
 to gild their malice ; for about this time a plot of the 
 Papifl:s being difcovered, there feemed a neceffity to watch 
 againfl feditious affemblies ; infomuch, that thofe who had 
 no mind to perfecute, were in a manner conftrained to it ; 
 of .w^hich an inftance was feen in the year 1679, at Caftle 
 Dumington in Leicefterlhire : for John Evat's having been 
 fined for a meeting at his houfe, and goods enough to 
 anfwer not being found, the conftable, and three other 
 ofl[icers were fined each five pounds, becaufe they had 
 been backward to take away the faid Evar's goods. But 
 the ecclefiaflicks fiiewed themfelves more covetous, to get 
 what they pretended to be their due; and one Michael 
 Reynolds, at Farringdon in Berkfliire, was this year de- 
 fpoiled of caale, barley, and beans for tithes, to the value 
 of more than ninety-feven pounds, and all this only for 
 one year. 
 
 Thus honefl: men were opprefled, which gave occaCon 
 to a certain writer of that time, (who in print gave many 
 inflances of that nature ) to fay, ' Truly the Papifts may 
 laugh becaufe of their victory, now they have got a law 
 whereby one Proteftant fights againfl: another. This was 
 chiefly levelled againfl conventicles ; for thereby many fa- 
 milies were impoveriflied, becaufe often they were robbed 
 of thrice as much as the fine amounted to; and thebafeft 
 means that could be thought of were ufed to enrich the 
 perfecutors with the fpoil of the innocent : for it happened 
 .that four of thofe called Quakers travelling on the way, 
 this w^is deemed a tranfgreffion, by adding a fifth to their 
 number who was not of their fociety. And thus the in- 
 formers (fome of whom were often whores, or wives, of 
 informers) made a meeting of it, and this paflfed; fo 
 great was the power of thefe profligates; and on this 
 account the goods of the faid four perfons were diftraincd. 
 More abominable a6i:ions of that kind I could mention, if 
 I did not think it might feem tedious. Such defpoiling 
 was permitted now to any naughty fellow, and this made 
 them fo infolent, that one John Hill, conftable at Wal- 
 fingham in Norfolk, w^hen he was fliewed the injuftice of 
 the warrant he had, faid, ^ Juftice or no, I will take it for 
 all that.' 
 
 I 
 
376 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1678 
 
 / 
 
 At Norwich lived one William Wat, who for feveral 
 years had carried on the trade of informing, but whatever 
 he got by it turned to no account ; and- often he was 
 feized with fuch fits of weakncfs, that he could not ftand 
 on his legs ; but this year, in Oftobcr, the hand of God 
 fell fo heavy upon him, that it put a period to his life. 
 He had fupped at night, and was as well, according to 
 his wife's relation, as ever; but on a fuddcn he funk 
 down to the ground, and his daughter crying aloud, he 
 feemed to look at her, and fo died without more ado : 
 but what was looked upon as a very flrange thing, his 
 corpfe flunk fo grievoufly, that none were willing to carry 
 it, and the overfeers of the poor wxre neceflitated to hire 
 four men to bear it to the grave. 
 
 Far otherwife was the exit of Ifaac Pennington, an emi- 
 nent minifter and author among thofe called Quakers, and 
 a man of an acute wit, and great endowments, who in 
 the year 1658, on Whitfunday, fo called, being in a meet- 
 ing at the houfe of John Crook in Bedfordlhire, was fo 
 reached by the preaching of G. Fox, that he, who before 
 that time had contradicted the Quakers with his natural 
 wifdom, now embraced their do6lrine as truth, and did 
 not ftick to make publick profeffion of it, for which he 
 afterwards feveral times fuffered imprifonmcnts during the 
 fpace of many years ; but he continued ftedfafl: to the end 
 Without fainting, and died pioufly in Oftober at his houfe 
 near Goodneftone in Kent, from whence his corpfe was 
 carried to Buckinghamfliire, where he lived, and was 
 honourably interred there. 
 
 Sometime before, G. F. had written fome queries to the 
 pope and thd Papifts, which being tranflated into Dutch, 
 and printed, I was defired by him to tranflate into Latin, 
 and to fend them to Rome to the pope.* This 1 did at his 
 defire but never received or heard of any anfwer to them. 
 
 * Thefe queries in Latin, with what the author W. S. writ to the pope on that 
 •cctifion, are to he feen in the Appendix fo the Dutch hiftorv, which being tranf- 
 Jaicd into Englilh, the reader may take as follows. 
 
 1679] PEOPLE CALLED QTTAKERS. 377 
 
 This year there was a great commotion in England 
 about a plot carried on by the Papifts againft the life of 
 the king^ w^ho made his brother, the duke of York, go 
 
 To Innocent XII. Pope of Rome, S. 
 
 * Great prelate, - ' 
 
 ^ THOU wilt perhaps at firft fight admire that the writing inclofed 
 fhould be fent to thee ; but know it was done at the command of the 
 author ; and not undeferTcdly ; for if thou rightly wcigheft and con- 
 fidcrcft ttie matter, thou mufc w^h us acknowledge, that it would be 
 very unworthily done to keep this little treatife from thy yiew, which 
 hath been already printed in the Dutch language, and carries the pope*s 
 name, m the frontifpiece. Nor wilt thou be able to den}^, that thou art 
 not only not injured hereby, but that we have alfo performed a duty 
 that we owed thee, in tranfmitting thefe queltions v.hich properly be- 
 long to thee. But if thou pleafed to read them and return an anfwer, 
 thou wilt both oblige the author, and alfo remove the fufpicion of error 
 from your religion, in the fight of all chrift^ndom, provided thou canft 
 give a clear anfwer to the objcdions, not only in word, but in deed alfo. 
 
 * I writ this at the requefl: of certain 
 of my friends called Quakers. 
 ' W. Sewel,* 
 Amfterdam, the 23d day of the 
 month called April, 1679. 
 
 - I 
 
 ■A 
 
 Some queftions prefented to the Papifts, and the pope of 
 Rome, as the fupreme head of their church, and com- 
 mended to their confideration by George Fox. . 
 
 * Friends, 
 
 1. How comes it to pafs, that the pope and cardinals grant not to 
 the Proteltants living in Spain, Italy, and at Rome, that liberty of meet- 
 ing together for the right performing of divine worflu^;, which ye your- 
 feives enjoy' in England, Holland, and other places, where the Pro- 
 tcllants have the chief power ? 
 
 Would not the pope and his minifters perfecute, deliver to the inqui- 
 Ction and burn them, if they fliouid at any time fet up as many meet- 
 ings in Spain, Italy, and at Rome, as ye yourfelves enjoy in many places 
 in Proteftant countries \ 
 
 Is the royal law of God thus fu'filled, which teacheth, to do to all 
 men whatfocver ye would have done to ourfelves ? Matt. vii. 1^. ^^'ould 
 ye have thefe things done to you by Proteltanis, which ye have done to 
 
■f 
 
 378 
 
 THE HISTORY or THE 
 
 [1679 
 
 beyond fiea for fome time ; for the parliament fufpefting 
 him, a motion was made in the houfe of commons to ex- 
 clude him from the fucceflion to the crown 5 but this pro- 
 jeft was (juaflied. 
 
 them ? But if not ; where then are the royal law and oofpel among yoa ? 
 God forbid, that we fliould deny liberty to any one that acknowledgeth 
 God, and believeth in his Son, the Lord Jefus Chriit. It feeras there- 
 fore very ftran^e to us, that the pope and Papifts do deny the fame 
 liberty in the prementioned places, which they themfelves enjoy among 
 the Protectants ; becaufe it is not only contrary to reafon, but always tq 
 law and gofpel ; for the apgfile aifirmeth, ** That he that was born after 
 the flefh perfecuted him that was born after the Spirit." Gal. iy. 29. 
 Have non the Papifts therefore openly lliewn in thcmfelves the fleflily 
 birth, which is contrary to reafon, law, and gofpel. 
 
 2. Where did Chrifl or his ajjoftles ever command men, to how 
 themfelves to images, and to worfliip them, and keep holy-days ? Where 
 did they command hojy-days to be appointed in reqiembrance of them- 
 felves, and the fame to be honoured ? \V'hy do ye not tell us where in 
 the gofpels, cpifUes, or in the revelation, any fjch thing was com- 
 manded thofe churches, which were in the time of the apoffles and pri- 
 mitive Chriftians? 
 
 Where, I fay, did Chrift or his apofcles give command to whip, hang, 
 or burn men ; or, to fpeak as gently as may be, at leaft to imprifpn 
 any becaufe they diffented from them, and could not adhere to their 
 religion ? 
 
 3. Wheref er did Chrift or his apoflles in the primitive churches com- 
 mand that candles fhould be lighted at noon-day ? Well, fhew us where 
 it is written, whether it be in the gofpels, or epiftles, is not therefore 
 the Roman church de^jonerated from the church of the primitive times? 
 Is {he not fallen from fpiritual weapons to carnal ; hath ihe not revolted 
 from that purity and virginity, wherein fhe wltnefled iq time part Chriit 
 to be the head of the churches ? 
 
 4. Did the churches of ancient time make choice of a private man, 
 tind account him for head of the univerfal church ? Wlierever did th« 
 primitive church command infants to be fprinkled with water ? Did not 
 Chrift fay, "Teach all nations, baptizing them, &c." Mat. xxviii. 19, 
 Ought they not tlierefare to be taught before they were baptized ? Are 
 ye not degenerated from that faith which Chrift is the author and 
 rinifher of, and which purifieth the heart, and givcth victory over fin, 
 and 'evil, which feparatc from God, and by which we have accefs to 
 God, and wherewith he is vvclj pleafed ? Are ye not degenerated froni 
 the light, truth, grace, power and fpirit, wherein the apoftles were ? 
 
 o. KaVc ye not degenerated from the ancient church, becaufe ye 
 fuffer not the people to read the holy Scripture in their mother-tongue ? 
 I'or doth not the apollle fay, "And when this epilUe is read amongil 
 you, caiife that it be alfo read in the church of the LaoJiccans," Cok 
 
 1680] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKEHS, 
 
 379 
 
 In the beginning of the year 16S0, it happened that 
 George Whitehead and Thomas Burr coming to NorAvich, 
 ^jid preaching there in the meeting of their friends^ were 
 
 iv. 16. and elfewheie, "I charge you by the Lord, that this epiflle be 
 read unto all the holy brethren," 1 Theff. v. 27. Yea, did not Chrift 
 alfo fay, «* G fools, and flow of heart, to believe all that the prophets 
 have fpoken," Luke xxiv. 23, 
 
 How can it poffibly be, that your common people fliould believe thofc ' 
 things which Chrift, the prophets, and apoftles have fpoken, unlefs it 
 be granted them to read or recite the fame in their own tongue, to the 
 end they might both hear and undcrftand them by the Spirit which gave 
 them forth ? Why then do ye take away the ufe of the holy Scripture* 
 from the common people ? Are ye afraid left the truth ftiould jippear 
 manifeft, whereby they might fee and believe what is written in the 
 law and prophets, and by Chrift and his apoftles ? Had not the Jews 
 the law and the prophets in their mother-tongue, that their childrea 
 might read them ? Ought not therefore all Chriftians likewife to hav< 
 the New Teftament, that makes mention of Chrift and his apoftles, in 
 their mother-tongue ? But if not, why do ye not fhew us where Chrift 
 ©r his apoftles have forbidden it ? 
 
 6. But what do ye fay of the facrament of the altar fas it is called ?) 
 Why have ye flain many, and burnt others alive in England, France, 
 the Low Countries, and other places, becaufe they could not approve 
 or receive it? Ye afTert it as a thing certain, that the bread and wine, 
 as foon as ye have confecrated them, are made Chrift, yea, whole 
 Chrift, confifting of foul, fpirit, flelli, blood, and bones. Befides yc 
 boldly affirm, that all who receive that facrament d© receive whole 
 Chrift, and that after your confecratlon, that very thing becomes im- 
 mortal and divine. 
 
 Wherefore come, O pope, Cardinals, and priefts, let us take a bottle 
 of wine and a loaf of bread, and equally divide the wine into two ba*» 
 fons, and cut the bread into two parts: then let the pope, cardinals, or 
 priefts confecrate one part, which they pleafe; which being done, let 
 us lay up the confecrated and the iinconlecrated together, in fomc clofe 
 place, and fecure the fame with fevcn locks and keys on your part, and 
 with as many on ours, both Papifts and Proteftants keeping watch over 
 it. But if it plainly appear, that the confecrated bread and wine are 
 immortal and divine, and lofe nothing of their virtue and favOMr, nor 
 grow mouldy or four, as though they had been unconfecrated, then we 
 will come over to you: but if they lofe their property, quality, and 
 favour, and both parts of the bread do alike grow mouldy, then it wiji 
 be reafonable for you to come over to us, and confcfs that your facra- 
 ment of the altar (fo called, is neither Chrift nor his flefh, nor any 
 thing immortal or divine; for his flefti faw no corruption, Adts ii. 27. 
 ^1» — xiii. 35. 37. and his precious blobd, which delivers from fin ^^ 
 corruption, cannot be corruptible. ' 
 
 Let trial then bs piade hereof,* but' let jndgmijnt bs left to juft i^od 
 
38a 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1680 
 
 taken prifoners, (as it was faid) under a frivolous pretence, 
 as if G. Whitehead might have been a Jefuit : and being 
 brought before juftice Francis Bacon, who then was re- 
 
 equal arbitrators, both Papids and Protelbnts, and that In a place 
 where tiie Proteftants may have the fame power that ye have : for it 
 would be uDJuft to make this trial or experiment, where ye have the 
 "whole adminiftration of the commonweaJth, and an equal liberty is de- 
 nied the Proteftants. This thmg will make the truth manifeft, and turn 
 to the honour of God : for ye have fhed much bJood upon this occailon. 
 
 Wherefore fuffer your Chrift, whom ye have made, to be tried, that 
 it may be feen whether h'c be the true Chrill, or antichrift ; whether he 
 be the true God, or falfe one ? For it would be fon^ewhat hard that 
 Baal's prophets fiiould outdo you, for they were willing to have their 
 god tried, though they had before flain many of the people of God, be- 
 caufe they would not worfhip their god ; as ye alfo have often done. 
 
 Come ycibrth therefore publickly, and make trial ; that it may appear 
 at length to all chrillcndom, whether yours be the divine and immortal 
 Chrift and God, or no ? Or is not rather that mortal and corruptible 
 Chrift, which ye yourfelves have made, and for whofe fake ye have f^ia 
 multitudes of the people of God, becaufe they could not believe or com- 
 ply with you ? 
 
 7. Further, where did Chrift or his apoftles ever fpeak to the faints 
 of purgatory, wherein men fhould be purged from their fins after death 
 Shew us where it is v/ritten in the New Teftamcnt. Is it not there- 
 fere a plain denying that Chriil's blood purgeth from all fin, to tell the 
 people a fable of a certain purgatory to porge them from fins after 
 death ? Is it not likewife a denying of Chrift's baptifm with the holy 
 Spirit, and of fpiritual circumcifion, and faith in Chrift, which purgeth 
 in this life, and givcth the vidory ? . 
 
 Did not Chrilt anfwcr fomc that dcfired fire might come down front 
 beaven and confume thofe that would not receive him ; *' Ye know not 
 what manner of fpirit ye are of?" Did not he rebuke them faying,' 
 «» That he came not to deftroy mens lives but to favc them ?'* Luke ix. 
 
 54, 55, 56. . r J 
 
 Ye therefore who have deftroyed fuch a vaft number of m^n and wo- 
 men for their diflenting from you about rites and ceremonies, and 
 taken away their lives by fuch kind of inftrunoent, racks and fires, as 
 were never fcnt down fiom heaven, but devifed and invented by your- 
 felves ; are ye not worfe than they, who defired fire to be called from 
 heaven to deftroy mens lives ? And feeing Chrift told them, that they 
 knew not what manner of fpirit they were of, do ye know what manner 
 of fpirit ye are of, who have devifed fo many ways and toroicnts for the 
 killing of men, and have adually made ufe of them ? 
 
 With what front can ye peifuadc us to commit our fouls, bodies, and 
 lives to you, who know not of what fpirit ye are children, neither 
 have the miad of Chrift, who faid, <* He came not to deftroy mens 
 liYes, but to fave ihem V* 
 
 .1680] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QtTAKERS* 
 
 38^ 
 
 corder of the city, he after fome odd examination, dc- 
 manded of them, as preachers, the fine of twenty pounds 
 a man ; which they refufing, he aflced them, whether they 
 would take the oath of allegiance ; and they anfwering. 
 
 Are ye not all therefore, as many as take away mens lives for wor- 
 fliip devifed by you, obnoxious to the rebuke of Chrift? For when did 
 Chrift or any of his apoftles ever give command, or by their example 
 teach, that any one that was difobedient to 'them, or rejefted their 
 do(5lrine and religion, fhould be perfecutcd and imprifoned, or punifhed 
 by any carnal weapons ? Tell us where any thing of this kind is coa- 
 tained, either in the four evangelical hiftorics, or in the epiftles written 
 to the Chriftian churches ? 
 
 Did ever Chrift or his apoftles go to the, rope-makers to buy whips 
 and halters, to whip and hang men for diffenting from them as ye have 
 dona? Did they ever g» to the blackfmiths to make chains, fetters, 
 bolts and locks ? Or to the gunfmiths to buy guns and muskets ; or to 
 the fword-cutlers to buy fwords and halberts ? Did ^hey ever build 
 prilons, or get holes and vaults dug, to force men by fuch means to 
 their religion ? Shew us an example and precept given by Chrift or his 
 apoflles, which commands and makes the ufe of fuch weapons and in- 
 ftruments lawful. 
 
 But if ye cannot make proof thereof, itts necefTary for you to con- 
 fefs and acknowledge, that ye are fallen and degenerated from the true 
 Chriftian weapons, which the apoftles and primitive Chrifti^ns ufed, 
 faying, *' The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through 
 God," that is, fpiritual, 2 Cor. x. 4. 
 
 G. Fox. 
 To Innocent XL Pope of Rome, S. 
 
 * BEHOLD, great prelate, a few queftlons written for the fake of 
 thee, and thy adherents, a copy whereof we fent thee by the poft, about 
 thre9 months ago; but being uncertain whether it was delivered into 
 thy hands or no, we thought goad to write the queftions over again, 
 . and fend them to thee, that it might not be long of us, that thou doft 
 not read them. For we think it convenient, that thou (liouldft earneftly 
 concern thyfelf to infpeft what was printed in Dutch, and infcribed to 
 the pope and his adherents, which if thou (lialt pleafe to do, and alfo 
 -vouchfafe thy pains in anfwering them both by ha and writing, it will 
 fatisfy the author's defire, and remove a doubt or fcruple out of many 
 perfons minds. Farewel. 
 
 - This I have written in the name of fome 
 
 Amfterdam, the 24th of the month 
 called July, 1679. 
 
 of my friends called Quakers. 
 
 * William Sewel.' 
 
3«» 
 
 tHE HISTORY Ot tHE 
 
 [l6g<5' 
 
 that they could take no oath for confciencc-fake, he faid, 
 if they would neither pay the fines, nor take the oath, he 
 would commit them to gaoL They having ihewed that 
 they were no vagrants, but men of competent eftates, that 
 had fettled habitations, as was well knoAvn, Bacon faid, 
 De non apparentibus^ ^ non exifleniibus eadem efi ratio: 
 i. c. Of things not appearing, and things not in being, 
 there is the fame reafon: jufl: a$ if he had faid, your 
 eftates that are at London (where G. Whitehead lived), 
 and Ware (where T. Burr dwelt), appear Bot at Norwich, 
 and therefore they are not in being. Now though they 
 fliewedtheabfurdityof thisrtrange kind of logick, yet Bacon 
 wouU not hearken to it, but called them feducers, and 
 feditious, and told them, there was a ftatute yet in force, 
 that was made in queen Elizabeth's days, to hang fuch 
 perfoiis as they were. And they afking him, if he could 
 profecute them upon that law, or execute it upon them, 
 he anfwered, ^ Yes, if the king fhould give order to have 
 it put in execudon, I would do it, and have you hanged, 
 jf you would not quit the realm.* From this it may 
 appear what a violent man this recorder was, and that the 
 prifoners could not expeft any good treatment from him. 
 So night being come, he fent them to the goal. 
 
 About a month after, at the quarter-feflions, they were 
 called into the court of judicature to be tried ; and being 
 brought to the bar, George Whitehead faid, * We have 
 been five weeks in prifon ; it is meet the court ftiotild 
 know for what ; pray let our mittimus be produced.' But 
 the recorder who fete as judge in the court, faid, * There 
 .is no need of your mittimus to be read here: I will give 
 an account of the caufe.' And then he told the court, 
 how they had gathered together a company of about two 
 hundred, and that officers went from him to diffipate 
 them, but could not ; that thereupon he fent the fherifF, 
 who took them away ; and that they being brought before 
 him, he proffered them, if they would pay the?r fines, he 
 would not commit them ; and that they refufing, he ten- 
 dered the oath of allegiance to them ; which they not wil- 
 ling to take, he fent them to gaol. 
 And though G. Whitehead widi good reafon Avid, that 
 
 1680] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 ZH 
 
 they being Engliflimen had a right to travel in any part of 
 the nation : and T. Burr added, that he being a perfon 
 that was concerned in trading in corn, by the law of 
 England he might travel from place to place about his 
 concerns ; yet this fo difpleafed the recorder, that he faid, 
 ' Had not you better have been turning your malt at 
 home, than to come here, to preach ? The Scripture fays, 
 God added to the church fuch as fliould be faved 5 but 
 ye draw from the church : and,' faid he farther, ' the church 
 of England will never be at quiet till fome of you be 
 hanged.' G. Whitehead then fhewing how unreafoflably 
 the recorder behaved himfelf, and that a judge ought not 
 thus to inveigh againft the prifoners, and threaten them, 
 alledged to that end a notable inftance, how, in the cafe of 
 Humphrey Stafford, an arch traitor, the chief juftice Hufley 
 had been unwilling (in compliance with the king's defire) to 
 declare his opinion concerning him before he was judicially 
 proceeded againft. The recorder then aflced, what king's 
 reign was that in ? ' In king Henry VIl's.' replied George 
 Whitehead. * I perceive you. are read,* returned the re- 
 corder. ^ And fo he was indeed ; and he defended his caufe 
 {o well in the court, that the magiftrates feemed at a lofs; 
 for he fhewed fo evidently that he was unjuftly committed 
 to prifon, that the mayor (to whom, and to the juftices 
 he had appealed) faid, ' You have appealed to me ; truly 
 we are tradefmen, and no lawyers : we leave matters of 
 law to the recorder; he knows the law, and we muft ac- 
 quiefce in his judgment.' If I fliould repeat here all that 
 was fpoken pro and contra, fo as I find it extant, I fliould 
 be fain to be almoft as large as I have been in the relation 
 of the trials of John Crook, and William Penn : and there- 
 fore i will only fay briefly, that after much reafoning, the 
 recorder tendered the oath of allegiance again to them, 
 that fo by their refufal he might get occafion to premunire 
 them. But this recorder, before the whole procefs came 
 to an end, being turned out by the magiftrates, it did not 
 come to that pitch ; though it was a good while yet before 
 the aforefaid George Whitehead and Thomas Burr were 
 releafed, after they had fliewn the illegality of their im- 
 prifonment; firft, by more than one warrant than the 
 Vol. II. 2 B 
 
s'-* 
 
 THE HISTORY Or THE 
 
 [i68o 
 
 1681] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QtTAKfiRI, 
 
 38J 
 
 recorder, and afterward, to colour the error the better, by 
 an order from the quarter-feflions. 
 
 This year thofc called Quakers at London, publiflicd a 
 brief relation of the fufferings of their friends, fince the 
 kin<T's refloration, and prefented it to the king and par- 
 liaraent, {hewing therein, how many had been fined by the 
 bifliops' courts, robbed of all they had, put into pnfons, 
 and there died ; the number of which was computed to 
 be two hundred and forty-three perfons, many whereof 
 had been fo grievoufly beaten and wounded becaufe of 
 their frequenting religions aflcmblies, that they died of 
 their hurts and wounds. There came forth alfo a printed 
 account of the unjuft proceeding of the informers, and 
 how at their inftance, without a juridical proccfs, the ac- 
 cufcd were bereaved of their goods, the unlawfulnefs ot 
 ■which was plainly (hewn from the books of eminent 
 
 lawyers. , , 
 
 G. Fox now travelled throtigh many places, and came 
 to London about the time of the annual meetmg ; and tnu 
 vellin? after\vards again into the country, he returned into 
 the faid city, and ftaid there the moft part of the winter. 
 
 The parliament was then very bufy with enquiring into 
 the plot carried on by the Papifts ; and the houfe of cotn- 
 mons efpecially was very aaive in the cafe, fo that a bril 
 to exclude the duke of York from the fucceffion to the 
 crown, paffed after the third reading : but this was oppofcd 
 in the houfe of lords ; for by a majority, among which 
 were the bifliops, who would not conlent to the exdufion, 
 the bill was rejefted. Now fince fome ill-natured Epifco- 
 palians were very forward to place the Quakers amonglt 
 the plotters, G. Fox gave forth the following declaranon : 
 
 * It is our principle and tcaimony, to deny an^ rcnoimcc 
 «1I plots and plotters againft the king, or any of his fub- 
 iefts} for we have the Spirit of Chrift, by which wc have 
 the mind of Chrift, who came 10 favc mens lives, and not 
 to deftroy them : and we would have the king and all his 
 fubieas to be fafe. Wherefore we do declare, that wc 
 Win endeavour, to our power, to fave and defend him and 
 tbcm, by difcovering all plots and plotters (y/biOk ihaU 
 
 come to our knowledge) that would deftroy the king or 
 his fubjefts : this we do finccrely offer unto you. But as 
 to fwcaring and fighting, which in tendcrnefs of con- 
 fcience we cannot do, ye know, that we have fuffcred 
 thefe many years for our confcientlous refufal thereof. 
 And now that the Lord hath brought you together, wc 
 dcfire you to relieve us> and free us firom thofe fuffer- 
 ings : and that ye will not put upon us to do thofe things 
 which ye have fuffered fo much and fo long already for 
 not doing ? for if you do, ye will make our fufferings and 
 bonds ftronger, inuead of relieving us. 
 
 ' George Fox.* 
 
 Mot long after he alfo writ a paper to all rulers and 
 magiftratcs in England, Scotland and Ireland, to diffuade 
 them fi-om perfecution for religion. His labour feemed 
 not altogether ineffeftual with the parliament, for about 
 the beginning of the year 1 681, the houfe of commons 
 refolved^ 
 
 That it IS the opinion of the houfe, that perfecution of 
 Proteftant diffenters upon the penal laws, is at this time 
 grievous to the fubjeds, a weakening of the Proteftant 
 intereft, an encouragement to popery, and, dangerous to 
 the peace of this kingdom. 
 
 But though the houfe of commons came to this refo- 
 lution, yet it did not ftop perfecution ; for as long as the 
 laws (by virtue whereof they perfecuted) were not repealed, 
 which could not be done without the concurrence of the 
 houfe of lords and the king, thofe that were malicious con- 
 tinued in their old way, which laftcd yet three or four 
 years. 
 
 George Fox now alfo came into fome trouble j fince he 
 and his wife were fued for tithes, though fhe had lived 
 three and forty years at Swarthmore, and in all that time 
 no tithe had been paid nor demanded. Of this George Fox 
 had certificates; but fince they would not accept them 
 without an oath, it made his cafe the more difficult." He 
 propofed the matter to four judges at London, and found 
 
 2 8 2 
 
 1' 
 
385 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1681 
 
 1682] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 3»7 
 
 one more moderafe^ than the other ; m hich put a flop ta 
 what her enemies defigned. And the judges wondered 
 when they heard he -had made promife m writmg, not ta 
 meddle with his wife's eftate. , n 4 
 
 This year the king diffolved the parhament and called 
 a new one, to fit at (Xxford, and fo it did ; but for all that 
 he could not make it comply with his demands, and fo he 
 diffolved this alfo. Some time after he aeured the prince 
 of Orange to come over, who thereupon came from Hoi- 
 land into England, and after a Ihort ftay returned to the 
 
 ^U was alfo in this year that the king gave a country or 
 great traft of land in America to William Penn, with a. 
 patent under the great feal, to him and h*^/^ P^^Pf™; 
 
 Lee the king owed him M ^ ^w^n pZ Tht 
 fervices of his father the admiral fir William Penn. This 
 traa of land on the river Delaware, from the fortieth 
 degree to the three and fortieth, with all the ifles belong- 
 ing to it, the king gave to W. Penn, with full power to 
 JcCt a new colony there, to fell lands, to create magif- 
 trates, to make laws, not contrary to the laws of England, 
 and power to pardon crimes : and i'^/^e Patent, the king 
 declared that this traft of land henceforth fliould bear the 
 name of Pennfylvania. This favour of the king, William 
 Penn chiefly owed (I think) to i^^^'^'\'^.^^^^^ 
 
 ' who being chief admiral of England, fir William Penn, the 
 father, on his dying bed, defired him ^o Proteft his fon 
 againft his enemies, who, becaufe of his religion, were lik^ 
 to fall hard upon him. This the duke promifed, ami 
 
 performed; and therefore it was "o;. f ^^,^^^J^/f '^^^^^ 
 William Penn afterwards, when the faid duke hadafcended 
 the throne, fhewed himfelf ready to be ferviceab e to him 
 in all that he thought might be beneficial to the kingdom. 
 William Penn now went with much company to America, 
 and having feen the land given him, he founded there the 
 chief city Philadelphia, and fome other towns. And that ne 
 might the more peaceably enjoy the country, he purchalea, 
 from the Indians fo much land that he became proprietor 
 of a country twice as big as all the united provinces as nc 
 himfelf once told me : and this colony increafed fo lud- 
 
 denly, that after a few years at Philadelphia there were 
 built fix hundred brick houfes. ^ 
 
 William Penn's father was declafed long before, and 
 on his dying bed he declared that he had a gracious God, 
 and he gave marks of a true Chriftian difpofition of mind : 
 he alfo gave his fon feveral wholefome admonitions how to 
 behave himfelf in this world. He complained much of the 
 •wickednefs of the times, and was heard at fundry times to 
 fay, ' Woe to thee, O England ! God will judge thee, O 
 England ! Great plagues are at thy door, O England ?' 
 He alfo faid, ' God hath forfaken us. We are infatuated'; 
 we will (hut our eyes. We will not fee our true intereft 
 and happinefs : we (hall be deftroyed.' When he was 
 near death, and took his leave of his relations, he faid ro 
 WiHiam Penn, ' Son William, if you and your friends 
 keep to your plain way of preaching, and keep to your 
 plain way of living, you will make an end of the priefls to 
 the end of the world. Bury me by my mother, live all in 
 love, fliun all manner of evil ; and I pray God to blefs 
 you all ; and he will blefs you.' Thus died the valiant 
 admiral Penn, father of William Penn, proprietor of Penn- 
 f)lvania : and now I return to other matters. 
 
 I left George Fox at London, and fince he continued 
 there and thereabout a good while, I will take a turn 
 to Briflol, where in the year 1682, a difmal fcenc of per- 
 fecution was opened : for the meetings of thofe called 
 Quakers were difturbed, not only by grievoufly abufing and 
 imprifoning them ; but they were alfo vexed by breaking 
 into their houfes, and committing all manner of violence, 
 as among the reft in the houfe of Ridiard Marfh, an 
 eminent merchant in that city : for, to get of him the fine 
 that was pretended, firil a caflc of wine, worth twenty 
 pounds, was taken, and fold for four pounds ; as often it 
 happened, that the goods thus taken, were fold for lefs 
 than the half, becaufe honeft people being unwilling to 
 buy fuch goods, they were fold to any one that would but 
 bid fome money, how little foever : for what was wanting 
 of the fine was taken anew from the fined perfon, and fo 
 they did here alfo ; for they- broke open his counting, 
 houfe, fought for money, *and took away his ledger, 
 
 2 B 3 * 
 
388 
 
 THE HISTORY Ol? THE 
 
 [1682 
 
 I682] 
 
 People cai^i^ed Quakers. 
 
 389 
 
 W 
 
 journal, cafh-book, and other books and accounts, bcfides 
 many houfehold goods ; and fever al chambers were rifled, 
 though the wife of the faid Kfarfti lay in chilid-bed at that 
 time. The chief aftors of thefe infblencies were the 
 flierifF John Knight, and John HcUiar an attorney, who 
 with his companions Lugg, Tilley, CalTe, Patrick, Hoar, 
 and Watkins, fcrvcd for informers. Knight and Helliar 
 came frequently with a multitude of boys and rude rabble 
 to difturb the meetings of the Quakers ; and then they 
 carried them to the prlfons, which grew fo full, that jibout 
 fifty perfons were crouded into one room, which was fo 
 iiafty, that one of the alcjermen, viz. fir Robert Cann 
 faid, if he had a dog which he Ipved he would not put 
 him there. And though fir Thojnas Earl, mayor of the 
 city, and fomcjuftices and aldermen, at the requeft of others, 
 Jhewed theniklves inclined to allow the prifoners a better 
 place, yet the power of the aforefaid fheriflF John Knight, 
 was fuch, that he hindered it. 
 
 The meetings of other Proteftant diffenters were now 
 
 alfo difturbed, but they fainted and gave way ; whereas 
 
 the Quakers ftood firm, how much foever vexed ; which 
 
 often was done in a very outrageous nianner : for their 
 
 meetings were not only difturbed often with the noife of 
 
 drums and fiddles, but liberty was given to the vileft 
 
 fellows to commit all kind of infolency without fhewing 
 
 any regard to thofe of the female fcx, whofe hoods and 
 
 fcarves were torn 5 ^nd Helliar, to give the boys a f\gn to 
 
 attack the women, was ufed to fay to ihefe, have a Cjare of 
 
 your hoods and fcarves ; for then the boys fell upon them, 
 
 and both aged women and ancient men were carried to 
 
 prifon, and forced to go fafler than they well could, by 
 
 pulhing them, and pinching their arms black and blue ; and 
 
 when once a girl fpoke a word againft this cruelty, (he was 
 
 pulled by the hair, and haled to prifon ; nay, little boys 
 
 were beaten on the head till they grew giddy, and then 
 
 they were carried to Bridewell, where jSelliar charged the 
 
 keeper to get a new cat of nine tails, endeavouring to 
 
 jerrifjr the children, by making them believe they (hould 
 
 be whipped, unlcfs they would promife to come no more tp 
 
 meetings: bjat this fucceeded not; for his extravagant 
 n;ialice did not fubdue the conftancy of thefe children. 
 
 With fuch diabolical rage they perfecuted this people at 
 Briftol, and not a ftone was left unturned to afflift there. 
 Once they were nailed up in their meeting-houfe, and thus 
 kept about fix hours; which could not but be very hard 
 to nature, fince there were alfo women of no mean families, 
 and among thelx: the widow of the upper iheriff Lane. So 
 many alfo were taken prifoners, that at length there was 
 no more room in the gaols. By thefe proceedings many 
 families were ruined : for their goods were taken from 
 them, not only on the account of meeting, but when any 
 were believed to be of good eftates, the oath of allegiance 
 was tendered to them. Ai court it feems they were the 
 more offended againft the Quakers, bccaufe in the eleftion 
 of members of parliamept fpme had voted for fuch as they 
 believed to be moderate, ^and no favourers of popery ; 
 and therefore it was faid underhand, that if Mr. Penn or 
 Mr. Whitehead would undertake for the Quakers not to 
 vote at deftions of parliament men, tliere Ihould be no 
 further perfecution of thjem? 
 
 In the mean-while the behaviour of the perfecutors in 
 the me-etings was brutift in the higheft degree ; infomuch 
 that a .certain woman, feeing that the attorney Helliar 
 lifted up }ier child by the hair of his head, and afking him, 
 why he fo abufed her child, was therefore ill treated her- 
 felf by hint. And by order of the faid Helliar a lafs was 
 committed to Bridewell, becaufe flie gave an impudent 
 boy, that would have turned up her coats, a box on the 
 ear ; for which defending of her modefty, this brutifti 
 Helliar called her a rioter and feditious perfon : for he 
 M'as, as hath been faid already, a leader of infolent an4 
 faucy boys, which he from time to time took along 
 with him to difturb the meetings of the Quakers. And 
 flieriS* Knight did often with his cane very violently beat 
 thofe that were met together, and once grievoufly abufed 
 an ancient man called Britton ; and fome wqmen were 
 pinched violently in their arms. Sufannah York, an aged 
 woman, was thrown down lo the ground; Mary Hooper 
 was very roughly handled by Helliar, had her fcarf torn 
 
 2» 4 
 
39^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1682 
 
 1682] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 39« 
 
 off her back, and was fo thruft and flung about, that fhe 
 was much out of order long after; and Mary Page, being 
 big with child, was fo violently haled out of the meeting, 
 that hrr life was endangered by it. With Helliar it be- 
 came cuftomary to call men rogues, and the women whores, 
 jades, carrions, and damned hitches : he alfo bid the boys 
 to tear their fcarvcs and t;ike up dirt, and throw upon 
 them. Of this his beafrly rage there were many witnefles ; 
 for thefe abominable dealings difpleafcd many people of 
 other pcrfuafions : but it feems thefe enraged fellows had 
 encouragement at court, whereon they durfl rely : for the 
 fheriff John Knight was knighted, and therefore grew more 
 inlclent. Once it happened that Helliar having difturbed 
 a meeting, drove the women along the ftreets as if they 
 had been cattle; and being alked whether he made beafls 
 of them, he anfwered, ' Ye are worfe than beafts ; for 
 beads will be driven, but you will not/ 
 
 This difturbir.g of meetings continued till almoft all the 
 men belonging thereto were clapped up in prifoii ; and 
 foijie of ihem fending a petition to the mayor and juftices 
 of the city, that they might be pleafed to let them have 
 larger rooms, fince not only their health, but their lives 
 alfo were rndauge^ed, the faid magiflrates Ihewed themr 
 felves inclined to allow the prifoners fome cafe or enlarge- 
 ment : but the power of fticriff Knight was fuch, that 
 whatever they faid or did, all proved in vain. The mayor 
 alfo fignified to the fheriff, that he would have all convic- 
 tions made above boards and not in ale-houfes and taverns; 
 and that he would have the diftrained goods brought into 
 a publick warthoufe, and not in a bye-lane. But though 
 the mayor ex officio might have commanded the fheriff, yet 
 this ofHcer was fo countenanced, that he did not care for 
 whatever the mayor faid ; nay, fo exorbitant was he, thac 
 his adherents began to threaten the mayor, h^ fhould not 
 be a parliament man ; infomuch that he was forced to 
 comply in fome degree. In the mean-while the havock 
 and fpoil Was fo enormous, that generally twice as much 
 was taken as the fine amounted to. The prifoners, fome 
 of which lay on the floor, others in hammocks, and fome 
 in a cold and open room, cxpofed to the wind, and injury 
 
 of the weather, fuiTered great inconveniencies, and the 
 gaoler Ifaac Dennis imagining that nothing could be too 
 bad for them, would not fiiew them any favour, but at a 
 very unreafonable rate; and his wife fliewed herfelf no 
 fefs unreafonable than he, fo that one extortion was at the 
 heels of another. Four phyficians of Briilol, viz. John 
 Griffith, William Turgis, J. Chauncy, and T. Bourn, 
 feeing how flraitly the prifoners were penned up and 
 thronged together, gave a certificate under their hands, in 
 which they declared, that they refenting their condition 
 with compaffion, and confidering what dangerous confe- 
 quence fuch clofe confinement might be of, were moved to 
 certify, that the prifoners being deftitute of room for reft, it 
 had a ready tendency to breed infeffious diftempers, to the 
 endangering of their lives, 8zc. But all this did not avail 
 them, it being not counted worth the while to be con- 
 cerned for them. Nay, fo defperately wicked was the 
 gaoler, that when the prifoners complained for want of 
 room, he faid to his man, if he could but fliut the door, it 
 would be well enoui^h. But in due time we fhall fee what 
 anguifli and horror befel him. 
 
 After moll of the people called Quakers at Briflol were 
 in prifon, the women who continued to keep up their reli- 
 gious meetings, were alfo feized, and confined to that 
 degree, that at length few or none but children, that ftaid 
 with the fervants in the houfes of their parents were left 
 free. The number of the prifoners for the fiike of their 
 religion amounted now to one hundred and fifteen, and 
 fome of them were confined in Bridewell, among whom 
 were alfo Barbara Rlaugdon, (feveral times mentioned 
 before,) and Catharine Evans, who* had learned at Malta 
 W'hat it was to fufier a tedious and hard imprifonmenr. It 
 is very remarkable that children under fixteen years of 
 age now performed what their parents were hindered 
 from : for thefe children kept up their religious meetings 
 as much a? was in their power. But though they were 
 pot within the reach of the law, vet once nineteen cf thefe 
 youths were taken and carried to the houfe.of correction, 
 where they were kept for fome time. And though" they 
 \vere threatened with whipping if ever they returned to 
 
392 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1682 
 
 l582] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 % 
 
 the meeting, yet they continued valiant without fainting, 
 akhough they fuffered exceedingly from the wicked rabble. 
 But fo great was their zeal, that they defpifmg all reproach 
 and infolence, remained ftedfaft; and thus fhewed in fpite 
 of their enemies, that God would not fuffer that the 
 quakers* meeting fliould be altogether fupprefled, as it 
 was intended. This perfecution continued till the next 
 year, as it did in feveral other places alfo ; for there 
 wanted no informers, who continually lay in wait for prey 
 even to fucfi a degree, that I find that fome of thofe called 
 Quakers, being come from other places to a market, and 
 being gone into an inn to refrefti themfelves, a fnatching 
 informer did not ftick to declare ^poji his oath^ that the 
 Quakers had kept a meeting there. 
 
 But before I leave Briflol, I muft give fome account of 
 a ridiculous aA, performed on one Erafmus Dole, wjio bore 
 the name of a Quaker, He having faid that he fcrupled 
 not to declare the contents of the oath of allegiance, if was 
 contrived that he (houfd fpeak after the clerk, and ikipoyer 
 fuch words he difliked, and pronounce another in its room, 
 as I declare, inftead of 1 fwear, This went on, and 
 whiiil he was thus fpeaking, the gaoler held his hand to 
 the book, and when Erafmus had faid all, put it to his 
 mouth, to make this pafs for kifling it. With this the 
 court fecmed fatisfied ; and the bifhop of Briftol feemg 
 ihefe apeifli tricks, told the court, that altered it not from 
 being an oath, at which they gloried, as hayijig obtained 
 a conqueft. But this was but a pitiful one ; for Erafmus 
 being a man of an irregular life, the Quakers ha4 but little 
 caufe to regret the lofs of fuch a pieraber, who grew fo 
 diffolute, that in procefs of time they found themfelves 
 neceffitated to deny him, becaufe of his offenfive con- 
 verfation. 
 
 In Gloucefterfliire the people called Quakers were allQ 
 under great fulTerings bv imprifonment, for keeping their 
 meetings ; and the wife of one John Boy, being at a 
 peaceable meeting at Little Badmanton, was through 
 inftigation of the prieft of the parifli; in a violent manner 
 dragged out of the meeting by the lord Herbert's footmen ; 
 through which abufes the woman fell fick and mifcame^, 
 
 393 
 
 to the endangering of her life ; and her hufband, who 
 was alfo taken prifoner at the fame place, was not fuflfered 
 at his requeft to fee his wife. 
 
 In Leicefterfhirc it went no better : one Elizabeth Hill 
 being in a meeting at Broughton, was by the rude boy$ 
 dragged out, and fo abufed, that fhe was fccmingly quite 
 fpent, and near dead ; and laying in the dirt, one of the 
 boys, to try whether (he was dill alive, put his finger into 
 her mouth, and perceiving her to breathe, faid, * Let hs 
 at her again. The devil is yet in her, and we will fqueezc 
 him out.' Thefe cruel abufes made a neighbourly woman 
 cry out, * What will you kill the woman ?' To which 
 the hoys faid, ' What care we ? Mr. Cotton bid us do fo.* 
 * Did he indeed?' afked the woman. * Aye, indeed,' 
 replied the boys. ^ Then,' faid ftie, * he may be afliamed 
 .of it.' Thus thefe boys openly faid, that it was the parfoii, 
 viz. Thomas Cotton who was the priefl: of the parifh, en- 
 couraged them to this exceffive wickednefs : and his man 
 /aid in plain terms, his mafter was one of the beft men 
 in Englaad ; for if every one would ferve them fo, this 
 herefy would be rooted out. And this man, whofe name 
 was Thomas Ambrofe, did not (tick to fay, that nothing 
 ,wo:uld drive the Quakers away, but either fire or water ; 
 and if the houfe was his (meaning the houle where thev 
 met together) he would burn it on their heads. More 
 inftances of fuch exorbitant wickednefs which happened 
 at fundry places, I could mention, if I did not ftudy brevity. 
 
 George Fox being this year at London about the time of 
 choofing new fheriffs for the city, he writ a few lines to 
 thofe who, (landing candidates for that office, dcfircd his 
 friends to give their voices for them. And he faid in the 
 conclufion, ' Shall we be free to ferve and worfliip God, 
 and keep his commands, if we give our voices for you? 
 For we are unwilling to give our voices far fuch as will 
 imprifon and perfecute us, and fpoil our goods.' The con- 
 ftables now at London were fent fometimes with warrants 
 to difturb the Quakers-' meetings; but it was eafily feen 
 that they would rather have beefn freed from fuch a com- 
 ^piffion : for coming there, they would bid George Fox or 
 others that preached, to give over fpeaking j but they and 
 
394 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TBI 
 
 [1683 
 
 the foldicrs who fomctimes came alol^g with them, generally 
 behaved themfelves moderate, fufficiently fliewing that 
 they were not for perfecuiion, and that what they did was 
 for the fake of their office. Sometimes indeed they hindered 
 the friends going into their meetings ; but thefe then being 
 thus kept out, tlie number notwithftanding increafcd. 
 
 Once it happened that George Fox was flopped by the 
 conftables from going into Devonfhirc-houfe meeting; and 
 after having flood awhile in the yard, till he was weary, 
 one gave him. a (tool to fit on ; after a while he flood up 
 and preached, and in his declaration faid, ' Ye need not 
 come againfl us with fwords and (laves, for we are a 
 peaceable people, and have nothing in our hearts but 
 good-will to the king and magiflrates, and to all people 
 upon the earth. And we do not meet under pretence of 
 religion, to plot againll the government, or to raife infur- 
 reftions; but to worfhip in fpirit and in truth.' When he 
 had fpoken what was upon him at that time, he fate down, 
 und after a while concluded the meeting with prayer, at 
 - which the conftables and foldiers as well as others put off 
 their hats; and when the meeting was finifhed, a conftable 
 putting off his hat, ferioufly fliid, ' The Lord blefs you j^ 
 and aU were fuffcred to pafs away unmolefled. 
 
 Thus this year came to an end. All other Proteflant 
 diffenters were now fuppreffcd ; for they were reflrained 
 from exercifmg any publick worfhip ; and fome there were 
 who, in their noaurnal meetings would pray God, that it 
 might pleafe him to keep the Quakers fledfafl, that fo they 
 might be as a vail about them, in order that other diifen- 
 terl might not be rooted out. And yet thefe, to render 
 the Quakers odious, formerly had been very aaive m 
 felting them forth in very ill colours. But the faid people 
 continued now fo valiant, and without fainting, that fome 
 of their pcrfecutors have been heard to fay, that the 
 (Quakers could not be overcome, and that the devil himfelf 
 could not extirpate them. 
 
 In the year 1683, perfecution continued in many places; 
 and by computation it appeared that above feven hundred 
 of thofe called Quakers yet fuffered imprifonment m Eng- 
 land. I could mention feveral inftances of perfecution la 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 ;95 
 
 1683] 
 
 Leiceflerfliire, Northamptonfhire, and elfewhere ; but to 
 avoid being prolix, I will only take a turn again to Briflol, 
 where perfecution continued flill ; for if fometimes any of 
 the people called Quakers came to a riieeting, they pre- 
 fently were committed to prifon ; among thefe was one 
 Richard Lindy, a blind man, of about fourfcore and tea 
 years of age, who w^as carried to gaol, and forced to fit 
 up three nights in a chair, though others offered to pay 
 for his lodging, if fome convenient place to lie down on 
 had been allowed him. Some of the prifoners, being tradef- 
 men, would willingly have worked in prifon, to earn 
 fomething for their fuflenance : but the gaoler Ifaac Dennis, 
 would not permit them that liberty. Other prifoners fell 
 Cck of the fpotted fever, and fome died of it : yet all this 
 did not foften the faid hard-hearted gaoler. But at length 
 •a heavy flroke fell from heaven upon him. About the 
 middle of the month of Oftober he fell fick, and was feized 
 with terrible anguifh of mind. Then he wifhed he had 
 never feen the infide of the gaol ; and he defired fome of 
 the Quakers to pray for him, and to forgive him for what 
 he had done. To which they anfwered, that they forgave 
 him ; but he fhould aik forgivenefs of God. But Hill his 
 anguifli increafed ; and when the phyficians ordered him 
 to be let blood, he faid, no phyfick would do him good, 
 his diflemper being another thing if and that no man could 
 do him good, his day being over ;. and there was no hope 
 of mercy from God for him. Some of tKofe called Quakers 
 feeing him in this woeful condition, fignified, that they 
 defired, if it was the will of the Lord, he might find a 
 place of repentance. And it was told him, thty hoped 
 his day was not over, becaufe he had fuch a full fenfe of 
 his condition. To which he anfv/ered, * I thank you for 
 your good hope ; but I have no faith to believe.' And 
 h€ further faid, ' Faith is the gift of God.' Whatever 
 •was fpoken to him, he continued in faying, that his day 
 was over, and there was no mercy for him. Such a 
 gnawing worm is the guilt of confcience ; and in this 
 defperate flate he continued above a month, and died the 
 lafl of November, without any vifible figns of forgivenefs ; 
 but the judgment thereof we mufl commit to God. 
 
tThe history of the 
 
 [1685 
 
 396 
 
 Although the people called Qiiakers were oppreffed by 
 fuffcrings all over the country, yet generally they continued 
 valiant ; and as George Fox did not omit from time to 
 time to encourage them by letters to faiihfulnefs and fted- 
 faftnefsj fo fevcral others of their teachers did not negleft 
 to exhort them to perfeverancc both by word and writing : 
 and what was indeed remarkable, thofc who travelled to 
 and fro in the country, and publickly preached in the 
 meetings of their friends generally went free ; and the 
 informers were often difappointed of catching a preacher. 
 I find it left upon record by Charles Marfliall, who was 
 Hone of the lead, that though in the time when perfecution 
 Was moft hot, he travelled through the nation, yet none 
 laid hands on him, or fined him for his preaching5 which 
 was the more remarkable, becaufe he being a very zealous 
 man, was ufed to lift up his voice in a very powerful 
 manner. 
 
 William Dewfbury, who was now grown ancient in his 
 imprifonment at Warwick, had writ an epiftle of confolation 
 to his fuffering friends, which was thought fit to be re- 
 printed, and is as follows : 
 
 * Dear brethren and fifters, 
 
 * Hear the word of the Lord, Thus faith the Lord^ 
 
 * Though you now drink the cup of adverfity, and eat thcs 
 
 bread of affliftion, and are trampled upon, as though you 
 
 were not worthy to live upon the earth, yet notwithftanding 
 
 all the fury of men, you are refolved in the ftrength of my 
 
 Spirit for ever to be deprived of the fweet enjoyments of 
 
 wife, hufband, tender children, parents, and outward poffef- 
 
 fions, liberty, and life, before you deny the teftimony of 
 
 my name before the fona of men. Oh ! you dear and 
 
 tender children, who love not your lives unto death thit 
 
 day, that you may finifti a good ttftimony for the glory of 
 
 my name, faith the Lord God ; lift up your heads in the 
 
 light of my covenant, and believe in my name, for I am 
 
 near unto you, faith the mighty God of fafety ; and let 
 
 not any weight or burthen lie upon you ; for I will be 
 
 more than hufband to wife, and more than wife to hufband, 
 
 or parents to -children, or children to parents j yea, 1 wiU 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 i97 
 
 1683] 
 
 be a hufband to the widow, and a father to the children 
 who are deprived of their tender parents for my name's 
 fake : I will enlarge your borders in the life of my righte- 
 oufnefs ; you that fuiFer in true innocency, will I refrefli 
 with the depth of my mercies ; yea, I will guard you with 
 the angel of my prefence, and all that devife mifchief 
 againft you fhall be confounded before the glory of my 
 power, with which I will keep and preferve you in the 
 word of my patience, and fafety, in my prefence, faith the 
 Lord God. 
 
 * Therefore, you dear children, who drink the deepeft in 
 fufferings, think it not hard, for it is my purpofe unto you 
 all that have not an eye to felf, but alone feek my glory in 
 all you do ; I will make you more and more honourable ia 
 the glory of my life, and double my bleffings upon you and 
 yours ; for I have beheld your integrity, and my bowels 
 are mightily moved with compa/Tion towards you ; there- 
 fore am I rifen for your fakes this day, to declare unto you, 
 my fuffering people, that not an hair of your head fhall 
 perifh, neither fhall you be detained in prifons and defolate 
 holes any longer than I have determined fhall be for your 
 eternal good, and the glory of my name for ever ; there- 
 fore in my life ftand faithful, in refiftance of every evil 
 thought, or whatever would caufe you to murmur, or 
 defire any thing but what you know will advance the glory 
 of my name, and the exaltation of my truth, over all that 
 rifeth up againft it, in your being truly fubjeft to the 
 meafure of my light and life, that will not let any feek a 
 pre-eminence or efteem amongft men ; neither let felf- 
 Itriving nor felf.ferving have power in any ; but in true 
 humility, love and mecknefs watch one over another ; and 
 let the flrong take the weak by the hand, that you may 
 all gently, in love, meekncfs, and holy fear, dread my 
 name, and ferve one another; that your love may be 
 manifeft unto me, faith the Lord your God, and one unto 
 another in the naked fimplicity of your fpirits 5 then will I 
 make my dwelling amongft you, and with you ; and my 
 dreadful and glorious prefence you fliall all feel mightily in 
 you,and amongft you, moving in the exercife of my Spirit, 
 10 the renown of my name, ^nd the comfort of one another j 
 
'«! 
 
 39^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1683 
 
 1683] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QXJAKERg. 
 
 and I will crown you with heavenly bleffings, and the glory 
 of my powerful life ; and you Ihall praife my name for 
 ever that 1 made you my jewels, and counted you worthy 
 to fuffer for the teftimony of my name. I will go before 
 you through all the waters vnd floods of aflliaions ; and 1 
 will appear with you before all the counfels of the fons of 
 men ; and my faving power fhall compafs you about in 
 your hot and fharp affliaions, all you who have your confi- 
 dence alone in me, the Lord your God. Therefore, truft in 
 my name, ye my dear children, and cad all your care upon 
 me; and if any of you joyfully fuffer the fpoiling of your 
 goods, I will fupply with what is needful for you and yours ; 
 and if any of you feal your teftimony in the word of my 
 patience with your blood, I will take care of your tender 
 Avives and children, or parents, for whom your fouls have 
 been poured forth in prayers unto me for their good. 
 
 « Therefore hear my word, which is founded unto you 
 from the throne of my grace and eternal glory : rejoice no 
 too much in fpirits being made fubjeft, but throw down 
 your crowns before me, that there be not a felf-feeking 
 felf-ferving fpirit in the family of my people, but all feel 
 the birth immortal raifed up in the refurreftion of my life 
 in you all, which truly makes felf of no reputation, fo that 
 all loftinefs be laid low, and all haughtinefs bowed down 
 in every one, that I the Lord God in you all may be loved, 
 obeyed, and exalted ; who is taking, and will take to me 
 my great power, to exalt the meek upon the earth, and 
 xeign over all the pride of the children of men (that is 
 exalted above my witnefs in their confcience) that fo my 
 fons may be brought from far, and my daughters from the 
 ends of the earth, in the fight of all people, whom I will 
 make to confefs, in fubjeftion to my power, that you are 
 the beloved people of the moft high God, and of the 
 righteous feed which the Lord hath bleflcd ; and not any 
 weapon formed againft you fliall profper, but come to 
 nought, which will be haftened for your comforts, and 
 certainly performed according to what is here declared, t© 
 your eternal joy ; and you final! afl^urcdly know the mouth 
 of the Lord hath fpoken it. 
 
 399 
 
 « The word of the Lord, before expreffed, came to me 
 in the prifon-houfe in Warwick, the 13th day of 
 the Firfl: month, 1664, which conftrained me to 
 fend it to be read amongft you, dear^ faithful, and 
 fuffering people of the Almighty God, in whom I 
 remain your brother and companion in tribulation 
 and kingdom of patience in the Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 ' William Dewfl)ury. 
 
 Whilfi: pcrfecution was on foot in England, there was 
 fome divifion among thofe called Quakers, which had its 
 rife fome years before. Thofe who firfl: appeared to head 
 it, were John Wilkinfon and John Story, preachers among 
 them, who fliewed themfelves difcontented againft George 
 Fox, chiefly about the management of church afairs, be* 
 caufe things went not always fo as they would have it : 
 and fince George Fox had been the firft inftitutor of good 
 order amongft his friends, he was the chief objeft of the 
 envy of the mal-contented. And becaufe in the beginning 
 there were no fuch meetings or difcipline, and yet they had 
 hvcd in mutual peace and unity ; it was aflirted, that fuch 
 meetings were needlefs, and that every one ought 10 be 
 guided by the Spirit of God in his own mind, and not to 
 be governed by rules of man. By which it appeared, that 
 they were againft the eftabliftiing any order of government 
 m the church. But they were greatly bent againft the wo- 
 men's meetings, who, as deaconeflcs, met together at fet 
 times, to provide for poor families, and fick people that 
 were in want. It is true, it was objected that in thofe 
 meetings fometimes was debated what was not fo conve- 
 nient in every refpe^ ; becaufe young women were admitted 
 there alfo to fee and learn how matters were treated by the 
 grave and ancient women : and what if fome had been a 
 Jittle too forward to meddle with affairs properjy belonging 
 to the men ? The creeping in of a wrong ufe can by no 
 means juftify the abrogating what is really ufeful; and that 
 honeft and ancient women took care for the poor and 
 Indigent members of the church, was indeed laudable. But 
 as in great communities generally are found fome men who 
 love to goverp, without being fit for it i fo fome of thefe 
 
 VOL. IL 2 C 
 
4P0 
 
 THl RISTORY OF THE 
 
 C1683 
 
 1683] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLID QUAKERS. 
 
 V 
 
 foon adhered to Wilkinfon and Story : befides feveral 
 others, who in time of pec fecution, rather would have met 
 privately, than come into publick meetings, and fo be cx- 
 Jofed to the fury of their enemies ; and fuch alfo as rather 
 would pay tithes to the priefts, &c. than fuffer fpoil or 
 imprifonment for the refufal thereof. , rr- 1 j 
 
 Hence rofe a fchifm or rent firft in the north of England, 
 and fome who went under the denomination of Separatilts, 
 began to keep meetings by themfelves, and fo to leave 
 their former friends, though they pretended to agree witft 
 them in matter of doftrine. To thefe feparatifts after- 
 wards reforted fuch as were not ftrift livers, and theretore 
 were unwilling to fubmit to church difciplme : for this 
 was now became the common faying of thefe people, that 
 every one having received a meafure of the Spirit ot Uod, 
 ought to regard that leader, without mmding any rules 
 prcfcribed by others. ^ -r 
 
 In procefs of time William Rogers and Thomas Crifp 
 appeared in print againft their quondam brethren, and 
 upbraided them with every imprudent behaviour, or incon- 
 fidcrate aA ; befides that, on mere hearfay they publilhed 
 a multitude of untruths, and decried even lawful things; 
 an inftance of which appeared when Rogers in paltry 
 verfes fcornfully reviled them, that fome fuitenance had 
 been given from the publick cafti to indigent preachers 
 who, to (huo the neglcftof their publick mmiary, could 
 not duly mind their private affairs ; though this fupply 
 never exceeded neceffary provifion. To this it was anfwered. 
 that if it pleafed God to call to his miniftry perfons ot 
 mean ettate, the church was not warranted to hinder it, 
 and let fuch fuffer want ; fince he, as fovereign of the 
 univerfe, could not be limited in the diftnbution of his 
 eifts. Rogers would continually appeal to the ?rmimc 
 iimes, and w give fome colour to what they afferted, he and 
 his adherents pubiiQied a paper with Edward Burrough s 
 name to it, who had been dead above twenty years ; but 
 G. Whitehead and others gave good proofs, that that 
 apoftate John Perrot, had been the author of that fo much 
 applauded paper. At length this rent appeared alio m 
 London, whercUkewife aal-contcnts were not wanting, 
 
 5^ho not being ftriaiy confcientious, would rather live 
 without any reftraint ; and even fome that were honeft 
 were by fair words perfuaded to feparation ; for among the 
 feparatifts one Charles Harris preached, who was pretty 
 fluent m fpeech, and not unelegant in his expreffions, as I 
 have fceh and heard myfelf. But how fpecious foever the 
 pretence of thefe feparatifts was, and whatever endeavours 
 were made, yet they were not able to continue and fubfift 
 firmJy ; but at length they decayed and vaniftied as fnow 
 in the fields ; for the befl among them came in time to fee 
 that they had been deceived j and the lefs honeft grew 
 worfe; for among themfelves they were not free from 
 divifion : and though George Keith (whofe apoftacy will 
 be mentioned in the fequel) endeavoured to ikulk among 
 them, yet "he got no adherents there. I have often won- 
 dered how Wilkinfon, Harris, and Keith (all which I 
 have known) could apoftatize to fuch a degree as they did : 
 but yet this is not fo exceeding ftrange as fome may think 
 It to be; for we find on record, that even in the primitive 
 apoftohcal church, was an Alexander the copperfmith, and 
 an Hymeneus and Philetus, who made shipwreck of the 
 faith, and caufed a rent, infomuch that it is faid, their 
 words would eat as did a canker. 
 
 At London the meetings this year were often difturbed - 
 but the magiftrates themfelves feemed not to approve of it^ 
 lor they clearly faw there was nothing to be feared from 
 the Quakers, and yet they were loath to give offence to 
 the court party which then prevailed. G. Fox comin? 
 once to the meeting in Gracechurch-ftreet, and being kept 
 out by the conftables, flood up in the court and preached 
 to the people ; but a conftable plucked him down, and 
 afterwards let him go free. At another time having beea 
 in the meeting at the Savoy,* and being brought to a 
 juftice, there was one Gabriel Shad, an informer, who 
 was lo full of impertinent talk, that the juftice grew angry ; 
 f r^^ thought himfelf bound to do fomething; and 
 lo aiked G. Fox if he did not preach in the meeting ; to' 
 which he warily anfwered, that he did confefs what Chrift 
 had done for bis foul, and did praife God ; and that he 
 thought he might have done that in the ftreets, and in all 
 
 fi c 2 
 
40t TMK HISTORY OF THE [^^tj 
 
 places; and thU he was not afhamcd to confcfs, neither 
 was this contrary to the liturgy of the church of England. 
 To this the juftice faid, the laws were againfl: fuch meet- 
 ings as were contrary to the church of England ; and at 
 length (poke of fending G. Fox to Newgate, and faid, he 
 would make a mittimus after he had dined ; but the con- 
 flable coining then, the juftice bid him come again after 
 the evening fervice ; which the conftable doing, the juftice 
 told him, he might let G. Fox go ; and next day he 
 fignijGcd to one of G* Fox's friends^ that by fome accident 
 he had been difappointed of fining him. 
 
 Thus G. Fox was freed, and was now much at London, 
 Vhere a plot was faid to be on foot againft the king and the 
 duke of York, of which the duke of Monmouth was faid 
 to be the head. This defign, whatever it was, coft the 
 lives of feveral perfons, among whom was the earl of Effex, 
 who unfortunately periftied in the Tower^ and the lord 
 Ruffel, who was ftiin to ftoop to the axe. - 
 
 Now fmce perfecution continued with fome colour of 
 juftice, thofc called Quakers drew up the following addrefs 
 to the king : 
 
 TO THE KING. 
 
 Thehumble Addrefs of the people commonly called Quakers. 
 
 * O King, 
 
 * The King of kings, and Lor^ of the whole earth, in- 
 cline thy heart to that which is juft and merciful in his 
 fight, and to make fuch clear and equal diftin<flrons, as 
 that the innocent may not fufFcr in any cafe for the guilty ; 
 that it may ever redound to thy honour and fafcty, and the 
 peaceable fubje£l's comfort. 
 
 ' Our innocency, love, and good-will to thy perfon and 
 government that God has committed to thee, encourage us 
 in this our humble addrefs and application. 
 
 ^ Whereas the plot againft the king, and his brother the 
 duke of York, &c. is made an occafion to perfecutc many 
 of us for our religious meetings, more feverely than for- 
 merly ; we do folcmnly declare that it is known to the 
 Divine Majefty, and the all -feeing wifdom whereby kings 
 
 1683] 
 
 PEOPIE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 403 
 
 reign, ^nd princesdecreejufticc, that our manifold, extreme, 
 and CQfitinued fufferings, being only on a religious account^ 
 have not been tlje jeaft motive or provocation to us to defire* 
 much lefs to contrive the leaft hurt, cither to thy perfon or 
 government, or to the perfon of thy brother the duke of 
 York, &c. We are clear in the fight of God, angels, and 
 men, from all hellifli plots, traiterous confpiracies, and 
 from all murderous defigns and undertakings againft the 
 king, his brother, or any perfon on earth whatfoever, 
 being works of ;he devil and darknefs ; leaving contrary! 
 Wife learned of Chrift Jefus our Lord, by his light and 
 grace in our hearts, noc fo much as by force to defend, 
 much lefs avenge ourfelves from the injuries done us, 
 but to commit the caufe to him that judgeth righteoufly, 
 as peaceable followers of our Saviour and Redeemer, in 
 hi^ patipnt example- and fufferings, who is the Prince of 
 Peace. 
 
 * O king, we do farther declare, that God Almighty 
 hath taught and engaged us to acknowledge, and aflually 
 to qbey magiftracy (as his ordinance) in all things not re- 
 pugnant tq his law and light in cur confciences, which is 
 certainly agreeable to the holy Scripture, and admits not 
 of any immoral or injurious anions, and that even where, 
 through tendernefs of confcience we cannot conform, it is 
 our duty patiently to fufFer, and nqt to rebel, nor feek re- 
 venge; and we hope, by his divine grace, ever to demean 
 ourfelves as peaceable minded Chriftians, in our con verfations, 
 under the civil government; and as we do fmcerely and wjth 
 reverence, confefs to divine power and Providence in thy 
 Teftoration and prefervation of thy perfon hitherto ; fo our 
 prayers and fqpplicatioris are to the Almighty for thy future 
 ufety and peace, and that iix a thankful remembrance of 
 God's great mercies towards thee, thou mayeft be thereby 
 obliged tq ftiew mercy, arid relieve the oppreffcd from under 
 thefe unmerited affliftions and perfecutions, which a great 
 number of us thy peaceable fubjcfts' do even at this day 
 fuffer under, in our peirfons and eftates ;, not only by laws 
 made againft, but alfo by laws neyer intended againft us ; 
 and which is more extreme, divers feverities of late have 
 been, and ftill are inflifted, for which no colour or pror 
 
 «^3 
 
404 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1683 
 
 tcncc of law hath been, or can be alledged ; fcveral gaols 
 being fo filled, as that they want air, and many innocent 
 perfons held under extreme diftrefs, without regard to age, 
 lex, or condition, to the lofs of fome lives already, and 
 apparent hazard of many more ; if not to the endangering 
 infeftion in divers cities and places in this nation ; and fo 
 many houfes, (hops, barns, and fields, ranAicked and fwept 
 of goods, corn, and cattle ; tending alfo to the great dif- 
 couragement of trade and hufbandry, and to the impovc- 
 rifliing of a great number of quiet and induftrious people ; 
 and that for no other caufe, but for their religious worfhip 
 and exercife of their tender confclcnces towards Almighty 
 God that made them, who is the fovereign Lord of all, and 
 King in men's confciences. 
 
 * Therefore we humbly intreat thee, O king, in princely 
 juftice, Chriflian charity and compaffion, to open our prifon 
 doors,, ond take off our bonds, where the innocent and 
 oppreffed in thy land, that fear God, and (in converfation) 
 truly honour the king ; and fuffer not the ruin of fuch as 
 are quiet in the land, the widow and the faiherlefs for their 
 peaceable confciences, to lie at the door of a prince pro- 
 fcfling the tender and compafEonate religion of Chrift/ 
 
 This addrefs was prefented to the king at Windfor, oa 
 the 8th of the month called Auguft, in this year, by 
 George Whitehead, Alexander Parker, Gilbert Latey, 
 and Francis Camfield, in behalf of themfelvcs and their 
 friends ; and it was read to him and his brother the duke 
 of York, then prefent with fome others ; but no confider- 
 able eafc followed : king Charles, it fcems, was not to be 
 the inftrument thereof: and though that prince by nature 
 was not hard-hearted, yet there were fome that could 
 perfuade him to fe verity. 
 
 I find about this time, that one Gabriel Shad, who had 
 made it his bufinefs to ferve as informer againft the Qiiakers, 
 and who had lately informed alfo againft: G. Fox, as hath 
 been faid, being confined in Newgate at London, for 
 flealing goods from one William Leman, to the value of 
 three hundred pounds, had been found guilty of felony at 
 the Old Bailey J but he had fuch friends, that he w^is 
 
 1683] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 40J 
 
 freed from the gallows, and having obtained the benefit of 
 the clergy, was difcharged with being burnt in the hand. 
 Such infamous perfons were the informers; for honeft 
 people fcorned to meddle with fuch a bafe and abominable 
 work. 
 
 This year the prlncefs Anne, daughter of the duke of 
 York, was married to prince George of Denmark. The 
 duke of Monmouth having been under difgrade, came into 
 favour again ; for the king his father indeed loved him, 
 thdugh he was loath, in prejudice of his brother the duke 
 of York, to declare him his legitimate fon, as fome great 
 men wifhed he had. But the king perfifted in his decla- 
 ration, that he never had been married to Monmouth's 
 mother. 
 
 In the next year, viz. that of 1684, G. Fox and 
 
 Alexander Parker, came into Holland to vifit their friends 
 
 there; and after fome ftay, they returned to their native 
 country. 
 
 In this year died Thomas Stordy of Moorhoufe in Cum- 
 berland, a gentleman who twenty-two years before had 
 been condemned to a premunire, becaufe for confcience- 
 fake he could not fwear : for which Iheriff John Lowther 
 feized his eftate, real and perfonal, for the king' ufe, and 
 kept him prifoner eleven or twelve years, till difcharged by 
 the king's declaration in 1672, or 73, and his real eftate 
 reftored. After which, he fuflfered under great fines and 
 fpoil for meeting, and after that was profecuted on the 
 aft for twenty pounds a month for not coming to their 
 worfliip ; on which he continued prifoner feveral years, till he 
 died in December, having been made willing rather to lofe 
 all for Chrift's fake, than to be difobedient to him. This 
 Thomas Stordy releafed to the land-owners, and their heirs 
 for ever, an impropriation of ten pound per annum, which 
 defcended to him from his father and grandfather, making 
 ^onfcience as well of receiving as paying tithes. Not long 
 before his deceafe, he exhorted thofe that were come to 
 vifit him, to faithfulnefs ; * For,' faid he, < if ye continue 
 faithful to the Lord whilft: ye live in this world, he will 
 reward you, as now he rewardeth me, with his fweet peace.* 
 Thus pioufly Thomas Stordy departed this life, (hewing 
 forth that he was really a gentleman, whofe chiefell nobility 
 
 2 « 4 
 
 ■ 
 
 ia 
 
4oS 
 
 rmz HISTORY OF T»E 
 
 [i68j 
 
 confided in virtue. I could mention fome other inftances, 
 or cafes of perfecution ; but to make the more fpeed to- 
 wards a conclufion, I will not detain my reader with the 
 relation thereof. 
 
 Thomas Briggs, who alfohad fuffered very much, having 
 been one of the firft preachers among the qiiakers, and 
 being become old and weak, about this time writ a letter 
 to G. Fox, in which he fignified his perfeverance in godli- 
 nefs ; and not long after, viz. about the beginning of the 
 year 1685, he died. 
 
 It was about this time alfo, that the king was feized with 
 fuch violent fits of convulfion, that he died in the month 
 called February. The throne by his death being become 
 vacant, was filled again by his brother James the fccond, 
 who fucceeding him, was the fame day proclaimed king. 
 Now I cannot but take notice, that perfecution went on 
 10 the death of king Charles, and continued hot to that, 
 very inllant; and he being gone oiF the ftage, many 
 feemed to fear that worfe times were at hand, and that 
 burning of hereticks would come in vogue again, as in 
 the former age : yet fome there were who imagined that 
 cafe was like to follow ; and that they gueffed not amifs, 
 
 lime fhewed. 
 
 King James had not been long at the helm of the go- 
 vernment, but the diffcnters applied to him for liberty of 
 worfhip, and among thefe were a!fo the Quakers, who 
 made the following petition =: 
 
 To the King and both houfcs of Parliament, the fuffering 
 condition of the peaceable people called Quakers, only 
 for tender confcience towards Almighty God, humbly 
 prefcnted, 
 
 < Shewing, that of late above one thoufand five hundred 
 of the faid people^ both men and women, having been de- 
 tained prifoners in England, and part of them in Wales 
 (fome of which being Imce difcharged by the judges, and 
 others freed by death, through their long and tedious nn- 
 prifonment) there are now remaining, according to late 
 ' accounts, about one thoufand three hundred, eighty and 
 three j about two hundred of them women. Many under 
 
 1683] / PBOPLB CALLED QUAKERS. ^ 407 
 
 fentcnce of premunire, both men and women, an^ more 
 than three hundred near it ; not for denying the duty, or 
 refiifmg the fubftance of allegiance itfelf, but only becaufe 
 they dare not fwear : many on writs of excommunication 
 and fines for the king, and upon the aft for banifhmem: 
 befides above three hundred and twenty have died in prifon, 
 and prifoners, fince the year x66o, near one hundred 
 whereof, by means of this long imprifonment, as it is judged, 
 fince the account delivered to the late king and parliament, 
 in 1 680 ; thereby making widows and fatherlefs, and leaving 
 them in diftrefs and forrow : the two lad hard winters re- 
 flraint, and the clofe confinement of great numbers in divers 
 gaols, unavoidably tending towards their deftruftion, their 
 
 . healths bting evidently impaired thereby. 
 
 ^ And here in London, the gaol of Newgate hath been 
 from time to time crowded, within thefe two years (fome* 
 times near twenty in one room) to the prejudice of their 
 health ; and feveral poor innocent tradefmen, of late, have 
 been fo fufFocated by the coldnefs of the prifon, that they 
 have been taken out fick of a malignant fever, and died 
 in a few days after. 
 
 ' Bcfides thefe long continued and deftruftive hardfhips 
 upon the perfons of men and women, as aforefaid, great 
 violences, outrageous diftreffes, and woeful havock and 
 fpoil have been, and dill are frequently made upon our 
 
 ' goods and cftates, both in and about this city of London, 
 and other parts of this nation, by a company of idle, ex- 
 travagant, and mercilefs informers, and their profecutions 
 upon the conventicle aft ; many being convifted and fined, 
 unfummoned and unheard in their own defence. As alfo 
 on qui tarn writs, at the fuit of informers, who profecutc 
 for one third part for themfelves, and on other proceffes, 
 for twenty pounds a month, and two thirds of eftatcs, 
 feized for the king; all tending to the ruin of trade, 
 hufbandry, and farmers, and the impoverifhing of many 
 induftrious families, without compaflion fhewn to widoW, 
 fatherlefs, or defolate : to fome not a bed left to reft 
 upon; toothers, no cattle to till their ground, nor corn 
 f(ir bread or feed, nor tools to work withal : the faid in- 
 formers and flicriffs bailiffs in fome places being outrageous 
 
 I 
 
 
 J 
 
4^% 
 
 YHJR HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [.68^ 
 
 1685} 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 409 
 
 and cxcdTivc in their diftrcfles, and fcizurcs, breaking into 
 houfcs, and making great wafte and fpoil. . And all thefc 
 and other fcvcrities done againfl us by them, under pre- 
 tence of ferving the king and the church, thereby to force 
 Ks to a conformity, without inward conviftion or fatisfaftion 
 of our tender confciences, wherein our peace with God is 
 concerned, which we are very tender of. 
 
 * The ftatutes on which we, the faid people fuiflfer im- 
 jxrifonment, diftrefs, and fpoil, are as followeth : 
 
 * The 5th of Eliz. ch. 23. De excommunicato C apian Jo^ 
 
 * The 23d of Eliz. ch. i, for twenty pound per month. 
 
 * The 29th of Eliz. ch. 6. for continuation. 
 
 * The 35th of Eliz. ch. 1. for abjuring the realm, oa 
 pain of death. 
 
 ' The ift ofEliz. ch. 2. for twelve pence a Sunday. 
 
 * The 3d of K. James I. ch. 4. for premunire^ imprifon* 
 mcnt during life, and eftates confifcated. 
 
 * The 13th and 14th of K. Charles II. againfl Quakers, 
 &c. tranfportation. 
 
 * The 2 2d of K. Charles II. ch. i, againfl feditious 
 conventicles. 
 
 *^ The J 7th of K. Charles II. ch. 2, againfl nonconformifls. 
 
 * The 27th of Hen. VIII. ch. 20. fomc fcwfuffer there- 
 upon. 
 
 ^ Upon indiftments at common law, pretended and framed 
 againfl our peaecable religious afTcmblies, for riots, routs, 
 breach of the peace, &c. many, both men and women, 
 thereupon fined, imprifoned, and detained for non-payment, 
 fume till death. Infiance, the city of Briflol, what a great 
 number have been thefe divers years flraitly confined and 
 crowded in gaol, moftly above one hundred on fuch pre- 
 tence, about feventy of them women, many aged. And 
 in the city of Norwich, in the years k682 and 83, about 
 feventy kept in hold, forty five whereof in holqs and 
 dungeons for many weeks together, and great hardfhips 
 have been, and are in other places. So that fuch our 
 peaceable meetings are fomctimes fined on the conventicle 
 a^, as for a religious exercife, and other times at common 
 bw, as riotous, routous, Sec. when nothing of that nature 
 
 could ever be proved againfl them, there being nothing 
 of violence or injury either done, threatened, or intended, 
 againfl- the perfon or property of any other whatfoever. • 
 
 ' The during and tedious imprifonments, are chiefly ot% 
 the writs de excommuni£ato capiendo^ upon the judgment of 
 premunire, and upon fines, faid to be for the king. 
 
 ' The great fpoil and excefTive diflireflfes and feizures, arc 
 chiefly upon the conventicle a6l, and for twenty pound a 
 month, two-thirds of eflates, and on qui tarn writs. In 
 fome counties divers have fuffered by feizures and diflreffes 
 above eight years lafl pall, and writs ifTued out for farther 
 feizures in feveral counties, for twenty pounds a month, 
 amounting to the value of many thoufands of pounds, fome- 
 times feizing for eleven months at once, and making fale of 
 all goods and chattels, within doors and without, both of 
 houfehold goods, beds, fliop-goods, moveables, cattle, &c. 
 and profecution hereupon flill continued, and in divers 
 counties much increafed ; fo that feveral, who have long 
 employed fome hundreds of poor families in manufafturc, 
 and paid confiderable taxes to the king, are greatly dif- 
 abled from both, by thefe writs and feizures, as well as by 
 Jong imprifonments. So many ferge-makers of Plymouth, 
 as kept above five hundred poor people at work, difabled 
 by imprifonment. Many in the county of Suffolk, under a 
 long imprifonment, fentenced to a premunire, one whereof 
 employed at leafl two hundred poor people in the woollea 
 manufacture, when at liberty. Omitting other inflances, 
 that we may not feem too tedious, thefe may evince how 
 dellruflive fuch feverities are to trade and induftry, and 
 ruinous to many poor families: 
 
 * Oh the conventicle a6i-, within thefe two'years lafl pafl, 
 many in and about this city of London have been extremely 
 opprefled, impaired, and fpoiled in their eflates and trades, 
 upon numerous conviftions and warrants, made againfl 
 them in their abfence, upon the credit of informations 
 fworn by concealed informers, divers of them impudent 
 women, who fwear for their profit in part of the fines and 
 feizures, their hufbands being prifoners for debt through 
 their own extravagancies. The warrants commonly made 
 to break open and enter houfes, which is done with rigour 
 
 Pi 
 
 1 
 
 \ 
 
 H 
 
^19 THE HISTORY Q? THE t^^^S 
 
 and gtezt fpoil, not fparing widows, fathcrlcfs, cmt poor 
 fanulies, who arc furtaincd by their daily care anJinduftry, 
 not leaving them a bed to reft upon. The fines upon one 
 juilice's warrants amounting to many hundreds of pounds; 
 ircquently ten pounds a warrant, and two warrants at once 
 for twenty pounds, executed upon one perfon ; and three 
 warrants at once from another juflice, for fixty pounds upon 
 another perfon, and all his goods carried away in about 
 ten cart loads ; and five warrants at once for fifty pounds 
 upon another, &c. befides what w.c have fufFered by others 
 in the like kind. And in this deftruftive co.urfe the informers 
 have cncourag^emcnt, apd are fufFered ftill to go on, to the 
 ruining fnany families in their trades and livelihoods: 
 divers fo difcouraged and difablpd, that they are forced to 
 give over their Ihops and trades. 
 
 ' Thefe informers being accepted for credible witnefles, 
 yet parties, fwearing for their own profit and gain, in the 
 abfence of the perfons profecuted ; this we think, is very 
 hard, and undue proceeding, and .not cpnfiftent witt^ 
 common law or juftice. 
 
 * As alfo convifling and fining us upon their depofitioni, 
 unfummoned and unheard in our own defence, and fo 
 keeping us ignorant of olir accufers (unlefs upon traverfc 
 of our appeals). This procedure appears contrary to the 
 law of Goid, common juftice and equity, and to the law 
 and juftice of the ancient Romans, and of nations. 
 
 * And although it has been openly raanifefted, upon trial 
 of appeals, at feveral quarter-feilions, both for Middlefex 
 and London, and other places, that the depofitions of diver§ 
 informers have been falfe in fad; 'yet the great trouble 
 and charge in the traverfe of appeals, and the great encou- 
 ragement informers have from him who grants the moft 
 warrants, hath been a difcouragemcnt to many from feeking 
 fuch difficult remedy, confidering alfo the treble cofts againft 
 the appellant, in cafe he fucceeds not, or is not acquitted 
 upon trial : whereas there is no cofts nor reftitution awarde4 
 nor given againft the informers, for unjuft profecution. 
 Some alio have refufed to grant appeals, others denied 
 
 ' copies of warrants to prevent appeals: which, whether this 
 be equal or juft, pray confider, ye that are wife and 
 
 1685] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 411 
 
 judicious men : and whether rt be for the king^s honour^ 
 and the people's intereft, that idle, drunken, extravagant 
 informers, fhould either be encouraged or fufFered to go 
 on thus to ruin trade, huft)andry and families, of to com- 
 mand and threaten juftices of peace, with the forfeiture 
 of an hundred pounds, if they do not make convifljons, 
 and iflue out warrants upon their ,late informations, and 
 uncertain depofitions, frequently in the abfence of the 
 accufed. 
 
 * And laftly, one-third part of the fines being affigned 
 to the king, he can only remit that ; but the informers 
 and poor being afligned two third parts, feems not to allow 
 him to remit them, how much caufe foever may appear to 
 him, to extend his favour in that cafe. Is not this againft 
 the king's prerogative, to reftrain his fovereign clemeiKy ? 
 And how far it reflefts upon the government, and is fcan- 
 dalous thereto, for beggarly rude informers (fome of them 
 confident women) not only to command, threaten, and 
 difquiet juftices, peace-officers, &c. but to deftroy the 
 king's honcft, induftrious and peaceable fubjc^s, in their 
 properties and eftates, is worthy of your ferious con- 
 Uderations : and whether the faid conventicle a6t ought not 
 therefore juftly to be repealed ? A noted inftance of the 
 like cafe, we have, concerning the ftatute of the 1 1 Hen. 
 VIL ch. 3. (for determining certain oiFences and contempts 
 only upon informers profecutionsj being repealed in the 
 firft year of K. Hen. VIII. ch. 6. though that, in fome re- 
 fpefts, was more tolerable than this. 
 
 * Be pleafed to make our cafe your own, and do to us, 
 as you would be done unto ; as you would not be oppreffed" 
 pr deftroyed in your perfons or eftates, nor have y GUI' pro- 
 perties invaded, and pofterities ruined for ferving and wor- 
 Ihipping Almighty God (that made all mankind) according 
 to your pcrfuafions and confciences, but would, no doubt, 
 enjoy the liberty thereof: fo we intreat you to allow the 
 fame liberty to tender confciences, that live peaceably 
 under the government, as you would enjoy yourfelves ; 
 and to difannul the faid conventicle afl, and to flop thefc . 
 devouring informers, and alfo take away all fanguinary 
 laws, corporeal and pecuniary punifhments, merely on tha 
 
 '•U 
 
4i« 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C1685 
 
 fcore of religion and confcience; and let not die ruin and 
 cry of the widow, fatherlefs, and innocent families, lie 
 upon this nation, nor at your door, who have not only a 
 great truft repofed in you for the profperity and good of 
 the whol« nation, but alfo do profefs Chriftianity, and the 
 tender religion of our Lord Jefus Chrifl. 
 
 * And notwiihftanding all thefe long fuftained extremi- 
 ties, we, the faid fulfering people, do folemnly profefs and 
 declare in the fight of the all-feeing God, who is the 
 fearcher of hearts, that as we have never been found in 
 any feditious or treafonable defigns fthey being wholly 
 contrary to our Chriftian principle and profeffion) fo wc 
 have nothing but good will, and true Chriftian affeftion 
 to the king and government, fmcerely defiring his and yodr 
 fafety, profperity and concurrence in mercy and truth, for 
 the good of the whole kingdom. 
 
 * Having thus given you, in fliort, the general ftatc 
 of our fuffering cafe, in matter of faft, without 
 perfonal refleftion, we, in Chriftian humility, and 
 for Chrift's fake, intreat that you will tenderly and 
 charitably confider of the premifes, and find out 
 fome cflcclual expedient or way for our relief from 
 prifons, fpoil, and ruin.' 
 
 The following application was likewife prefented. 
 
 To King J AMES the fccond. 
 
 The humble application of the people called Quakers. 
 
 * Whereas it hath pleafed Almighty God (by whom 
 kings reign) to take hence the late King Charles the fecond, 
 and to prcferve thee peaceably to fucceed ; we thy fub- 
 jefts heartily defire, that the giver of all good and perfect 
 gifts, may pleafe to endue thee with wifdom and mercy in 
 the ufe of thy great power, to his glory, the king's ho- 
 nour, and the kingdom's good ; and it being our fincerc 
 rcfolution, according to our peaceable principles and con- 
 verfation, (by the affiftance cf Almighty Cod) to live 
 
 PEOPLB CAL1.HD QUAKEItS. 
 
 413 
 
 1685] 
 
 peaceably and honeftly, as becomes true and faithful fub- 
 jefts under the king's government, and a confcicntious 
 people, that truly fear and fcrve God ; we do humblj 
 hope that the king's tendernefs will appear and extend, 
 with his power to exprefs the fame ; recommending to his 
 princely clemency, the cafe of our prefent fuffering friends 
 hereunto annexed. 
 
 TO THE KING. 
 
 The diftreffed Cafe and requeft of the fuffering people 
 commonly called Quakers, humbly prefentcd, 
 
 * Shewing, 
 ■ That according to accounts lately given, above four- 
 teen hundred of the faid people, both men and women, 
 are continued prifoners in England and Wales, only for 
 tender confcience towards Almighty God that made them; 
 many under fentence of premunire, and many near it, not 
 for refufing the duty or fubftance of allegiance itfelf, but 
 only becaufe they dare not fwear ; others under fines upoa 
 the aft of banifhment, many on writs of excommunication; 
 befides fome hundreds have died prifoners ; many by means 
 of this long imprifonment fince the year 1680, (as it 15 
 judged) thereby making widows and fatherlefs, and leaving 
 poor innocent families ia diftrefs and forrow ; thefe two 
 hard winters confinement, tending alfo to the deftruftioa 
 of many in cold holes and gaols, their healths being greatly 
 impaired thereby ; befides the violence and woeful fpoil 
 made by mercilefs informers on the conventicle aft, upoa 
 many, convifted, unfummoned, and unheard in their own 
 defence, both in city and country, as alfo on qui tarn WTits, 
 and pther procefs, on twenty pounds a month, and two- 
 thirds of eftates feized fo? the king, all tending to the ruin 
 of trade, hufbandry, and induftrious families ; to fome not 
 SI bed left ; to others no catdc to till their ground, or give 
 them milk ; nor corn for bread or feed ; nor tools to work 
 withal. And alfo thefe and other feverities done under 
 pretence of ferving the king and church, thereby to force 
 
 
 i>\ 
 
414 THE HIiPORY OF THE L^^^S 
 
 m to vfblatc our confcicnces, and confcqucntly to deflroy 
 our fouls, Vhich wc are very tender of, as we are of our 
 peace with God, and our own confeienccs,. though ac- 
 counted as (heep for the flaughter : and notwithftanding 
 all thefe long fuftained extremities, we the faid people do 
 folemnly profefs and declare in the fight of the heart 
 Searcher, that we have nothing but good will and true 
 affcftion to the king, praying for his fafety, and the king- 
 dom's peace. We have never been found in any feditious 
 ' or treafonable defigns, as being wholly contrary to our 
 Chriflian principles and holy profeffion.* 
 
 « And knowing that where the word of a king is, 
 there is power, we in Chriftian humility, and for 
 Chri(l*s fake, intreat, that the king will pleafe to 
 find out fome expedient for our relief in thefc 
 cafes, from prifon, fpoil, and ruin, and we {hall 
 (as in Chriftian duty boutid) pray God for the 
 king's welfare in this world, and his eternal hap- 
 pincfs in that which is to corac.* 
 
 1685] 
 
 PEOPLfi CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 415 
 
 An account of the number of the faid prifoners called 
 Quakers, in the feveral counties. 
 
 Bcdfordfliire 
 
 Berk (hire 
 
 Briftol • 
 
 Buckinghamfliire 
 
 Carabridgefliire 
 
 Ely 
 
 Chefliire 
 
 Cornwall 
 
 Cumberland 
 
 Derbyfliire 
 
 Devonfliire 
 
 Dorfetftiire 
 
 Durham . 
 
 Effex 
 
 Gloucefterfliire 
 
 Hertfordfeire 
 
 Herefordfliire 
 
 Huntingdonfhire 
 
 Kent 
 
 Lancaftiire 
 
 Prifoners, 
 
 30 
 
 37 
 103 
 
 8 
 II 
 
 9 
 
 3* 
 22 
 
 I 
 
 104 
 
 '3 
 
 39 
 10 
 
 66 
 
 18 
 
 I 
 
 10 
 i^ 
 
 73 
 622 
 
 Prifoners. 
 Leicefterfliire 37 
 
 Lincoln (hire i z 
 
 London and Middlefex 66 
 
 Norfolk 
 
 Northampton 
 
 Nottinghamfhire 
 
 Oxon 
 
 Shropfliire 
 
 Somerfetfliire 
 
 Southampton 
 
 Staffordlhire 
 
 Suffolk 
 
 Surry 
 
 Suffex 
 
 Warwickfhirc 
 
 Weftmorland 
 
 Wiltfliire 
 
 Worcefterfhirc 
 
 Yorkfhire 
 
 Wales 
 
 5^ 
 
 59 
 6 
 
 17 
 18 
 
 36 
 
 '5 
 I 
 
 79 
 29 
 
 17 
 
 31 
 
 S 
 
 34 
 
 15 
 
 279 
 
 30 
 
 838 
 
 622 
 
 Sum of Prifoners 1460 
 
 Delivered to the king the 3d 
 of the Firft month called 
 March, i68f 
 
 This lift, with the aforefaid petition to the king and 
 parliament, was not altogether inefFeftual : for there was 
 much talk now of liberty of confcience ; but fiuce all the 
 liberty that was enjoyed was only precarious, it could be 
 but little depended upon ; yet many feemed to be in ex- 
 peftation that fome grant of that liberty would be publiflied 
 in print ; and thus it became a common faying, that liberty 
 of confcience was in the prefs, which being of an equivocal 
 
 Vol. II. a D 
 
4i6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C.685 
 
 Unification, fometimcs afforded matter of fport. But many 
 of the Epifcopal chttrch were fo ftrongly bent to withhold 
 that hherty from ether Proteftants, that there were no ill 
 grounded reports, that fome in authority had promifed the 
 king, to give their vote for liberty of confcience to the 
 Papills, provided it was not granted to other diffenters. 
 Neverthelefs the abovefaid petition of the Quakers had 
 inch effea, that the k\n<r rcfolved to eafe them from the 
 burthen of their oppreffion, by way of pat Jon ; for thus 
 far his power reached ; but the abrogating of laws could 
 not be done without the confent of the parliament, which 
 grew jealous, that by the repeal of thofe laws, the Papifts, 
 who now had a king of their own religion, would become 
 too powerful. Tn the mean-while the king pubiifhed the 
 following proclamation : 
 
 ' ' James R. 
 
 * Whereas our moft entirely beloved brother the late 
 king deceafcd, had fignificd his intentions to his attorneys 
 general for the pardoning fuch of his fubje^s who had 
 been fuffcrers in the late rebellion for their loyalty, or 
 whofe parents or nearefl relations had been fufferers in the 
 late rebellion for that caufc, or who had themfelves tefti- 
 fied iheir loyalty and affc^ion to the government, and were 
 profecuted, indicted, or convii^cd for not taking, or re- 
 fufing to take the oaths of allegiance and fiipremacy, or 
 one of them, or had been profecuted upon any writ, or 
 any penalty, or otherwife, in any of the courts of Weft- 
 minfter-Hall, or in any of the ccciefiaftical courts, for not 
 coming to church, or not receiving the facrament : 
 
 * And whereas the feveral perfons, whofc names are men- 
 tioned in the fchedule annexed to this our warrant, have 
 produced unto us certificates for the loyalty and fufferings 
 
 ^>f them and their lamilies : 
 
 ' ' Now in purfuance of the faid will of our faid raoft dear 
 brother, and in confideration of the fufferings of the faid 
 perfons, our will and pleafure is, that you caufe all procefs 
 and proceedings, ex officio^ as well againll the faid perfons 
 mentioned in the faid fchedule hereunto annexed, as againll 
 all other perfons as fhall hereafter be produced unto you. 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 417 
 
 1685] 
 
 10 be wholly fupcrfcded and flayed ; and if any of the 
 faid perfons be decreed or pronounced excommunicated, or 
 have been fo certified, or are in prifon upon the writ de 
 excommunicatio capiendo^ for any of the caufes aforefaid, our 
 pleafure is, that you abfolve, and caufe fuch perfons to be 
 abfolvcd, difcharged, or fet at liberty, and that no procefs 
 or proceedings whatfoever be hereafter made in any court 
 againft any of the faid perfons for any caufe before-men- 
 tioned, until our pleafure therein (hall be lurther fignified. 
 
 * Given at our court at Whitehall, this i8th of April, 
 1685, in the firfl year of our reign. 
 
 * To all archbiftiops and bifhops, to th^ir chan- 
 cellors and commiffioners, and to all archdeacons 
 and their officials, and all other ordinaries and 
 perfons executing ecclefiaftical jurifdi^ion. 
 
 ' By his majcfty*s command, 
 
 * Sunderland.* 
 
 This was the king's firft ftep towards liberty of con- 
 fcience, as well for Papifts, as other perfons mentioned in 
 the fchedule annexed, which put an effe(^ual ftop to pcr- 
 fecution, and the power of the informers was thereby 
 much broken. And fince rhe moft of thefe were generally 
 bafe fellows, and profligate perfons, who did not care 
 what they did, provided they might enrich themfelves, 
 they often dealt treacheroufly even with the perfecuting 
 juftices ; who alfo were eager for having part of the prey, 
 and yet by the artifices of thefe rapacious wretches were 
 deprived of it, which fome of them now fmartcd for. 
 Among the reft, I find that one John Hilton was com- 
 mitted to gaol, as may appear from this warrant of the 
 recorder. 
 
 To the keeper of Newgate. 
 
 ' Receive into your cuftody the body of John Hilton, 
 
 herewith fent you, being charged upon oath before me, 
 
 for compoundhig feveral warrants under my hand and feal, 
 
 \for ktying df feveral fums of money on perfons convified 
 
 2 D 2 
 
4i8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1685 
 
 for being at fever^l conventicles in Kent, London, and 
 Middlefex ; and being alfo indi£led for the fame in the 
 fcveral counties aforefaid, and the bills found againft him; 
 and alfo that he the (iiid John Hilton, hath refufed to 
 obey the right honourable fir Edward Herbert, lord chief 
 juflice's warrant. And him fafcly keep, until he (hall be 
 difcharged by due courfe of law. And for fo doing thk 
 fh^ll be your warrant. Dated the 23d of December, 1685. 
 
 * Tho. Jenner, recorder. 
 * Let notice be given to me before he be difcharged.* 
 
 ^ 'Thus the informers met with a ftop, and the perfecuted 
 Quakers got fome reft ; for perfecution not only ceafed, 
 but ^py, who for religion fake had been feveral years 
 tept in prifon, obtained liberty by the favour of a popifli 
 prince, wdiich they had not been able to get from his bro- 
 ther, king Charles the fccond. Now many of the fierce 
 perfecutors came to (hame, fome to poverty, and others 
 to a miferable end. of which no fmall number of inftances 
 might be produced, if I were minded to enlarge ; however 
 I will mention one or two. 
 
 One Edward Davis, who once profeft to be a Quaker, 
 but not being Cncere, found that way too narrow for 
 him, and fo left his friends, whom afterwards being 
 become keeper of the gaol of Ivelcheft^r in Somerfet- 
 fhire, he vexed mod grievoufly ; and from mere malice 
 fettered fome, faying to John Whiting, and another, whom 
 he had hand-bolted together, thofe bolts ftiould not be 
 taken off if lice did eat them up. And his comrade Jofeph 
 Newberry was but little better, for when fomebody told 
 him, that their hands did fwell with the irons, he faid, he 
 did not care if their hearts did fwell alfo. And when one 
 John Dando once aflccd Davis, what he thought would 
 become of him when he came to die ; he anfwered, that 
 he knew what would become of him then, and therefore 
 he would make the beft of his tigie now. Alfo, that he 
 knew where he went out, and where he muft come in 
 again, if ever he was favtd ; and if he. thought he ihoukl 
 never return again, he would be as wicked as he could. 
 Truly a moft defperate faying, juft as if the door ©f mcr«/ 
 
 16853 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKWS. 419. 
 
 always continued open for man, and the day ©f the vifi- 
 t«tion of God's love never paft over his head, though he 
 per fevered in rebellion. But this Davis came to a moft 
 pitiful ftatc, fo that he fell into poverty, and was himfcif 
 imprifoned for debts, of which more hereafter. And' 
 Newberry fell into a fad condition, being taken with a 
 fcvere palfy, and yet he did not leave off curfmg andf 
 fwearing, talking of t*he devil in a dreadful manner. And* 
 by lying long in bed, the ff fli rotted on his back, and he 
 who had formerly faid concerning the hand-bolted prifon- 
 ers, he did not care if their hearts did fwell, got now fuch 
 a fore tongue, that it fwelled out of his mouth, and grew 
 black, and fo he died miferably on the loth of December. 
 Thus God fometimes puniftieth the wicked even in this 
 life. And though perfeciuors come not always to fuch a 
 miferable end, yet many of thefe fell into poverty, and 
 others were<lifcontentcd becaufc they faw that thofe whorai 
 they had cruelly perfecuted, now enjoyed an undifturbed 
 liberty ; for the king who was now on the throne, con- 
 tinued to give liberty to thofe that had been oppreffed for 
 religion. 
 
 But before I fay more of this I cannot but mention 
 fomething of the defign of the unhappy duke of Monmouth, 
 who at the death of his father king Charles the fecond, 
 was gone to Bruffcis, and being come from thence into 
 Holland, he was fpurred on fo vigoroully by fome hot-* 
 headed Engliftimen, that having got money arid affiftance 
 of mal-con tents, he went over to England with three menl 
 of war and fome forces, having given forth a declaration 
 againft king James, which vented a fiery paffion toward 
 that prince, and was written, as I have been credibly told, 
 by the violent Robert Fergufon. Monmouth being landed 
 with his forces in the Weft of England, near Lime, and 
 afterwards routed by the king's troops, was taken prifoner 
 by the perfidioufnefs of a certain lord, who thereby obtained 
 pardon for himfelf ; but Fergufon efcaped by a cunning 
 artifice, crying along the road where he came galloping on 
 horfeback, ' The rebels are routed, the rebels are routed !* 
 Juft as if he had been a courier fent on purpofe to court 
 ;md elfewliere. But thus he efcaped, and being come again 
 
 2 D 3 
 
420 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1685 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 421 
 
 into Holland, he told this crafty trick to his acquaintance. 
 Monmouth having been declared guilty of high treafon by 
 a bill of attainder, as foon as the news came of his defign, 
 was but two or three day-? after his arrival at London, 
 beheaded. I count it not unworthy to be mentioned, that 
 he undauntedly received thr news of the dead warrant's 
 being come; and on the fcaffold on Tower-Hill, he told 
 the bifhops that accompanied him, * If I had no true re- 
 pentance, I fhould not be fo free from the fear of death.' 
 And when it was objefted, that he ought not to rely too 
 much on that, fmce that might be the efFcft of natural 
 courage, he faid, *No; I do not afcribe this to my nature; 
 for naturally I am more fearful than others ; but now I am 
 freed from fear ; becaufe I feel fomething in me, which gives 
 mc affurance that I fliall go to God.' The executioner 
 gave him fever'al ftrokes with the axe, before the head was 
 fevered from the body ; and fome ecclefiafticks afterwards, 
 faid,he died an enthufiaft : for not (hewing himfelf very ready 
 to comply with their fervice, and his faying that fomething 
 within him aflured him that he (liould go to God, feemed 
 to them an enthufiaflical tenet. Bnt whatever it was, yet 
 it feems very probable to me, that he was a true penitent, 
 and fo died in peace ; for though I cannot but difapprove 
 his defign, yet by true repentance he might not only have 
 obtained forgivenefs of God, but alfo have had ^ full 
 jiffurance of it. 
 
 The earl of Argyle, who rebelled in Scotland againft 
 king James, had no better lot ; but I will not detain my 
 reader therewith, neither with a relation of the difmal 
 execution of many, who having been found guilty of high 
 treafon, either for aftual rebellion, or for having been 
 abetters of Monmouth, were fentenced to death by the 
 infamous Jeffries, who then was lord chief juftice, and 
 afterwards chancellor ; the fiercenefs or cruelty of this 
 judge being fuch, that fome loft their lives only for having 
 given fome hay or victuals to Monmouth s foldiers. But 
 this not being within my circuit, I will pafs it by, and go 
 over to the year 1686. 
 
 Therefore leaving England, I will take a turn to Embden, 
 in Eaft Frielland, where a fmall company of thofe called 
 
 1686] 
 
 Quakers had been under a fevere perfecution for feveral 
 years, as I have hinted before. But the magiftrates having 
 perfecuted by the inftigation of their preachers, the citizens 
 began to be difpleafed with it. And fince the Proteftants 
 in France were now perfecuted violently, and a Popilh 
 prince had mounted the Englifli throne, thofe at Embden 
 grew more inclined to moderation. Probably the decay 
 of trade alfo contributed a little to this change ; for it ap- 
 peared that the magiftrates were for getting more inhabitants 
 iuto their town, though they fhould be Quakers : and this 
 was counted a matter of fuch moment, that the common 
 council deliberated on the fubje(^; and two of the members 
 of that board, viz. Polman and Bonhiiyren, were fent. to 
 Magdalena van Loar, an inhabitant of Embden, defiring 
 her to write to England and Holland, that the magiftrates 
 of the city had refolved to give liberty to the people called 
 Quakers, to live, trade, and traffick there ; which grant 
 they proffered to confirm by the city feal. According 
 to their defire notice was given to thofe of that perfuafioa 
 at Amfterdam, from whence an anfwer being returned to 
 the faid Magdalena van Loar, (lie gave it to the counfellor 
 Polman, and he delivered it to the fenate. After fome 
 deliberation, the magiftrates with the council of forty, 
 and the ecclefiaftical court met together, and came to a 
 refolution, of which a copy was fent to Amfterdam. In 
 this writing were mentioned fome conditions on which the 
 magiftrates at Embden were willing to grant liberty to the 
 Quakers to live in their city. But thofe of that fociety 
 at Amfterdam, having weighed and duly confidered the 
 thing, found that the propofal contained fome cxpreffions 
 which by others, who afterwards might come to the helm, 
 and not be fo moderate as thefe at prefent, might be ufed 
 as fnares againft the Quakers, if they now fhould enter 
 upon fuch terms as were prefcribed. Therefore it was 
 thought more fafe not to enter into any engagement, 
 whereby great inconvenience might afterwards attend their 
 friends, when the magiftracy came to be in other hands. 
 Yet the conclufion was, to acknowledge the good intertion 
 of the magiftrates of Embden, by drawing up the following 
 letter, and fending it to them. 
 
 2 P 4 
 
42^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [l685 
 
 I 
 
 To the Lords, Bugomafters, Counfellors, and Rulers oF 
 
 the city of Embden. 
 
 ' Thefe are to acquaint you with due refpecl, that a 
 fchenie or plan of yours, dated the — of February, 1686, 
 is come to our hands, which having been perufed by us, 
 we have thought it convenient in the fear of the Lord, to 
 fend you the following anfwer. 
 
 * Firft, we thank God Almighty for the eafe and liberty 
 which our friends at prefent enjoy under your government, 
 and are like to enjoy in the future. And, fecondly, we 
 cannot but acknowledge very acceptably your clemency 
 and meeknefs, which ye fliew by taking notice of the Hate 
 of a defpifed and oppreffcd people, who becaufe of their 
 way and worfhip, differing from the many ways in the 
 world, are gainfayed every w^hcre. And therefore it is 
 that we are the more ftirred up in our minds to pray fer- 
 vently to the Lord God for your peace and profperity, and 
 the continuance of your good refolution ; that fo all thofe 
 who fervc the Lord in uprightnefs of heart may lead a 
 peaceable and godly life among you, by flievving forth the 
 fruits of true Chriflianity in truth, fincerity, and rightcouf- 
 nefs. Now as to what ye have been plealed to declare, 
 that ye were willing to confirm the aforefaid your good 
 refolution by a publick aft, we let you know, that we are 
 {o wxll fatisfied ,with your worcf and oral declaration con- 
 cerning the aforementioned thing, that this is more to us 
 than any thing we could further defire, as knowing that 
 good men think themfelves bound by their good words 
 to perform what is good. And fmce ye are fenfible on what 
 ground ye came, to the aforefaid refolution, and declared 
 yourfelves thus, wt doubt not but the fame perfuafion and 
 reafon continuing with you, will prove a more ftrong en- 
 gagement to you to perform the fame, than any outward 
 fcal can be. And in that engagement we were willing ^to 
 acquicfce, and fliould not have mentioned any other, unlefs 
 fomcr among you, as we have been informed, firft had made 
 mention thereof. And as to what ye demand of us, we 
 declare in the nakeJnefs and fimplicity of our hearts, that 
 in regard of our temporal converfatioa and deportment, 
 
 1686] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKE'RS. 
 
 425 
 
 we defire no further proteftion, than when we deal righ- 
 teoufly to all, and walk according to that golden rule, 
 that we do unto all men, what we defire fhould be done to 
 us. And concerning our religion and worfliip, which wc 
 believe we owe to Almighty God, it is thus: That fince it 
 differs from other perfiiafions, it makes us obnoxious not 
 only to the mockings and revilings of ignorant people, but 
 expofeth us alfo to th€ malice and envy of many, who hate 
 us without a juft caufe ; and therefore it is that we ftand 
 in need of your favourable interpretation, and your bell 
 conftruftion of what we do, and what we leave undone. 
 And if we (houkl err in thofe matters, we (hall be the 
 greateft lofers by it; and if truth be on our fide, then ©ur 
 adverfaries ■ fhall not be able to prevail ; for truth is the 
 ftrongeft, and it is not good for any to fight againft it. 
 Howfoever then it may be with us in this matter, yet wc 
 hope that ye will be pleafed, if wx behave ourfelves 
 peaceable and honeft towards you and all men, to let us 
 be partakers with our peaceable neighbours, of your 
 general proteftion. And though ye might pleafe to give 
 us a publick aft of your aforefaid refolution, yet we clearly 
 forefee, that it would be hardly poffible to ufe fuch expref- 
 fions, that our enemies, by fome wreftling or other of the 
 words, or a wrong interpretation of the expreflions con- 
 tained therein, fliouid not be able to make us efteemed 
 guilty of tranfgreflion, and fo find matter againft us* And 
 therefore we think it very fafe, to rely on your word and 
 good refolution, in which it hath pleafed you to declare, 
 that we Ihall enjoy liberty to live and trade in your city, 
 provided we pay cuftom and taxes, which other citizens 
 are fubjeft to ; and that then we fliall be at liberty to meet 
 together to worfliip God in fuch a w^ay as he hath con- 
 vinced us we ought to do, and to call upon him, and 
 to exhort one another to love and good works, and a 
 Chriftian converfation. And on your behalf it will tend 
 to the praife of the niagiftrates, that ye favour us in this. 
 And it w^ill alfo be to the promoting of God's glory ; and 
 will oblige us to pray for you, that the Lord God maybe, 
 pleafed to prefcrve you, and to make you continue in fuch 
 
 I 
 
 a 
 
424 "THE HISTORY OF THl []l686 
 
 a good, wholefome, and well-grounded refolution. Wc 
 are, and reft, 
 » 
 
 * Your true friends and well-wi(hcrs, 
 
 * Barent van Tongcrcn, 
 William Scwcl, 
 Jacob Claus, 
 Stephen Crifp, 
 John Roclofs, 
 John Claus, 
 ^ Peter Hendrikfz,' 
 
 Amfterdiun, the -fj of th« 
 Third month, ahas March, 1686. 
 
 In anfwcr to this, the fenate fcnt the following refolution 
 to the fubfcribers of the afortfaid letter, being, as appears 
 by the contents, the decree of the fc nate, fo as it was entered 
 into their records, of which the authentick copy, figned by 
 the city's fecretary, is in my cuftody. 
 
 Luna ^{ Martiiy 1686. 
 
 * Received a letter on the 4^ inftant, written at Amfter-* 
 dam the -^ of the fame month, and figned by Barent van 
 Tongeren, William Sewel, Jacob Claus, Stephen, Crifp, 
 John Roelofs, John Claus, Peter Hendrikfz, in anfwer to 
 our refolution of the 41- of February hift, with thanks for 
 the promifed admiflion and protection of this city, in their 
 free trade, and the exercife of their religion, without 
 offending any; Signifying thereby alfo, that they will be 
 content without an aCl under our feal, and willing to idy 
 on our words. This having been under deliberation, it 
 was thought meet,and rcfolved, that our word fhall effec- 
 tually be kept to the refcribers, and all others of their 
 perfuafion, and that the promifed proteftion Ihall be really 
 
 performed, 
 
 ♦ Admandattmfenatus fpeciale^ 
 
 ' O. Hillings, Sec, 
 
 1685] PEOPLE CALLED C^TAKERS, 425 
 
 Thus It plcafed the fenate of Embden to give, to thofc 
 called Quakers, liberty to dwell among them, with tl^cfrce 
 exercife of their religion. Sometime after it happened, 
 that the burgomafter Andrews, coming to the houfe of 
 Magdaleca van Loar, and the preacher Alardyn, to the 
 houfe of her daughter Magdalena Haalbaant, defired both 
 that they would caufe what the fenate had refolved, to be 
 writ to England, that fo it might be known there, that 
 if any of the Quaker's perfuafion would come over, and 
 fettle at Embden, they fhould be well received there. 
 
 Hereby we fee how God hath the hearts of all men in 
 his hands, and that he turneth them whitherfoeverhewill: 
 for the magiflrates of Embden, had fome years before 
 from a blind zeal, kindled by thofe who ought to have 
 flopped it, given forth very fevere edi<^s againft theQuakers, 
 and perfecuted them fiercely ; but now they allowed iheni 
 an entire liberty. 
 
 But leaving Embden, I turn again to England, where 
 perfccution by this linre alfo came to a ftand, infomuch 
 that the king ordered that all fuch imprifoned Quakers as 
 it was in his power to releafc, fliould be fct at liberty: 
 for thofe that were in prilon, for not paying tithes, &c. 
 were under the ecclefiaflical jurifdi^lion, which was out of 
 the king's reach. But many others who had been in 
 cuflody feveral years, appeared now at London in the 
 annual meeting of their friends, to the great joy of their 
 brethren ; and when fome of thefe went to thank the king 
 for his favour, they were kindly admitted ; and thereby 
 he drew their inclination towards him ; for his endeavours 
 were now, as he faid, to bring about a complete liberty of 
 conlcience. What his aim was, I am not to inveftigate, for 
 he never attained to it. In the mean-while he made per- 
 fccution generally to ceafe, not only in England, but alfo 
 in other places of his dominions : for having heard that 
 the Quakers in the ifle of Barbadoes, in the Weft-Indies, 
 were very much molefted, becaufe Tor confcience-fake they 
 could not bear arms, he ordered fome of the members of 
 his council to write the following letter : 
 
 * After our hearty commendations, his mnjefty having 
 bccji pleafed to refer unto us the petition of the Quakers 
 
' 
 
 4^6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF TlIE 
 
 [1686 
 
 inhabiting ifl the Barbadoes, we have thought fit hereby 
 to pray and require you to examine the allegations of the 
 faid petitions and papers hereunto annexed. And in as 
 much as his majcfty havwig lately extended his favour to 
 thofe people here, may be inclined to continue the dime 
 towards them in this particular^ we defire you to report 
 unto us what eafe may be given them in reference to the 
 militia aft, and the penalties thereby impofed, as far as it 
 may confifl: with the fafety of the iQand, and the preferving 
 of the militia according to the intention of the faid aft* 
 And fo we bid you heartily farewcl. 
 
 * Your loving friends^ 
 
 * Jefferies, 
 
 * Craven* 
 
 ' Albemarle, 
 ^ MiddletcMi/ 
 
 From the Council Chamber, WhitehaiJ, 
 the 23d July, 16S6, 
 
 From this letter it appears plainly that the king endea- 
 Tonred to relieve the Qciakcrs from that burthen of perfe- 
 cmion they were under. The following letter is alfo a 
 proof of it, wiitten by the carl of Sunderland (then, as I 
 think, prefident of the privy council) to the earl of Hun- 
 tington, to Itop the perfecution in Leiceflerfhire and Not- 
 tinghamfhire, where one John Smith had afted mod grie- 
 voufly: 
 
 < My lord, Whitehall, Dec. 7, 1686. 
 
 ' The king being informed that one John Smith, a com- 
 mon informer, doth very vexatioufly perfecute the Quakers 
 in the county of Leicefter, and in the town and county of 
 Nottingham ; and his majefty being pleafed to extend his 
 favour to thofe c> that pcrfuafion, his majefty would have 
 your grace direft the juftices of peace to give no fort of 
 countenance to the faid John Smith, and his profecution, 
 againft the Quakers. 
 
 ' My lord, I am for his grace the duke of IJewcaftle, 
 
 / 
 
 1686] 
 
 I>EOPLE CALLED QtJAKERS. 
 
 4^7 
 
 * one of his majelly's raoft honourable privy coua- 
 
 * cil, &c. 
 
 * Your grace's mofl faithful and humble fervant, 
 
 ' Sunderland, P** 
 
 To the right honourable the earl of Huntington, one of 
 his majefty's mod honourable privy council, chief 
 recorder of Leicefter, cuftos rotulorum of the county 
 of Leicefter, 
 
 The king being thus inclined to give liberty to prifoners, 
 thofe who were in cuftody for religion, neglcfted no op- 
 portunity to obtain it ; of which the following petition is 
 an evidence. 
 
 To chief juftice Herbert, and judge Wright, affigncd to 
 hold aflizes and gaol-delivery for the weftern circuit, 
 at Wells for the county of Somcrfet, the thirtieth of 
 the month called March, i686. 
 
 Several of the people called Quakers, now prifoners to 
 the goal at Ivelchefter, in the county of Somerfct,* on 
 behalf of themfelves and many others of the fame 
 people, in humility ftiew, 
 
 ' That fince the wife Difpofcr of all tilings, hath ordered 
 your employment in this honourable fervice, to relieve the 
 •oppreffed, and deliver the captives ; and fmce king 
 James IL that now is, hath committed part of his cle- 
 mency to your cuftody, to diftribute the fame, according as 
 the Lord hath inclined his heart ; and having taken, parti- 
 ' cular notice of our fufferings, and fignified his will and 
 pleafure, that we, the people commonly called Quakers, 
 (hould receive the full benefit of his general pardon, with 
 all pofliblc cafe ; which grace and favour we, with all 
 thankful nefs, acknowledge to God as the chief author, 
 who hath the hearts of kings at his difpofal ; and to -the 
 king, as being ready -herein to mind that which the Lord 
 inclined his heart unto ; and not without hope to find the 
 like opportunity to render tp you our hearty thanjiis, for 
 
I 
 
 418 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 L1686 
 
 the full accotnplifhment of that which onr God allows, and 
 the king fo readily grants us; and alfo hearing the report 
 of your nobility and moderation, in managing this weighty 
 truft committed to you, we are emboldened thus to addrcfs 
 ourfclvcs, though in plainnefs of fpcech, yet in fmccrity of 
 heart, to lay before you, that we have for feveral years 
 been prifoners to the gaol aforefaid, not for any plotting 
 againft the king or government, or harm done to his fub- 
 je£h ; our peaceable lives have manifefted our fidelity to 
 the king, and love to our neighbours, it being contrary to 
 our principles to do otherwife; but only for confcicnce 
 lake, becaiifc in obedience to Chrift Jcfus we dare not 
 iwear at all, or forbear to worftiip God, as he hath or- 
 dained, nor conform to ihofe wor(hips which we have no 
 faith in ; which to omit the one, or prafiife the other, we 
 ihould therein fin, and fo wound our confciences, and break 
 our peace with God : and what good then fliould our lives 
 do us, if we might enjoy never fo much of the world's 
 fiivour and friend fhip. 
 
 • Our humble requefl therefore to you is, to confider 
 and compafiSonate our fuffering condition, and im- 
 prove the power and authority that God and the king 
 hath entrufted you withal, for our relief and liberty ; 
 we flill rcfo'ving, and hoping (through God*s afiTift- 
 ance) for the future, to manifeft our fear to God, 
 honour to the king, and honefly to all his fubjefts, 
 by our godly, humble, and peaceable converfation. 
 The particular caufes of our imprifonments are hc're- 
 "with attefled, under our keeper's hand. And wc 
 further pray, that mercenary informers, and envious 
 profrcutors againft us, only for confcicnce fake, may, 
 according to your wifdom and prudence, be difcou- 
 raged from profecuting fuch a<^ions ; by which many 
 induflrious and confcientious families and pcrfons are 
 in danger of being ruined; and wc encouraged in our 
 diligence in our refpe6livc callings, and may enjoy the 
 benefit of our induftry; and fo fliall we be the better 
 enabled to perform with chearfulnefs the duties we 
 owe to God, the king, and all men. The Lord guide 
 
 1686] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 4a^ 
 
 you in judgment, and more and more incline your 
 hearts to love mercy, and do juftice, and grant you 
 the reward thereof; which is truly our defire and 
 prayer.' 
 
 This petition was figned by fixtecn perfohs, fome of 
 which had been imprifoned fifteen, others ten, and fome 
 fewer years ; and to the time of their imprifonment was 
 added, on what account, viz. on premunire, excommuni- 
 cation, and for tithes, &c. And it had fuch eflfeft, that 
 chief juftice Herbert difcharged thefe prifoners ; but be- 
 fore this was done, feveral of thofe that had been impri- 
 foned there, died. Many alfo were fet at liberty by the 
 king's proclamation ; and it was indeed an unufual thing 
 to enjoy fuch a free liberty, that the malicious perfecutors 
 were reftrained by the higher power. 
 
 George Fox was nov/ moftly in and about London, 
 endeavouring to bring all things among his friends into 
 good order; and therefore he writ feveral papers fince he 
 could not be every where in perfon, and difchargc himfelf 
 by word of mouth. And left carelefTnefs fliould creep in, 
 by reafon of the liberty that was now enjoyed, he writ the 
 following epiftle to his friends : 
 
 * Friends ! 
 * The Lord by his eternal power hath opened the heart 
 of the king to open the prifon doors, by which about 
 fifteen or fixteen hundred are fet at liberty ; and hath 
 given a check to the informers : fo that in many places 
 our meetings are pretty quiet. So my defires are, that 
 both liberty and fufferings, all may be fandlified to his 
 people ; and friends may prize the mercies of the Lord in 
 all things, and to him be thankful,, who ftilleth the raging 
 waves of the fea, and allayeth the ftorms and tempefts, 
 and raaketh a calm. And therefore it is good to truft in 
 the Lord, and caft your care upon him, who careth for 
 you. For when ye were in your gaols and prifons, thea 
 the Lord did by his eternal arm and power uphold you, 
 and fanci-ified them to you, (and unco fome he had made 
 them as a fanftuary ;) and tried his people, as in a furnace 
 
43<5 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1686 
 
 1686] 
 
 of affliftion,both in prifons and fpoiling of gooJg. And 
 in all this the Lord wis with his people, and taught them 
 to know that tlie earth was the Lord's, and the fulnefs 
 thereof; and that he is in all places; who crowneth the 
 year with his goodnefs, Pfalm Ixv. Therefore let all God*s 
 people be diligent, and careful to keep the camp of God 
 holy, pure, and clean ; and to ferve God, and Chrift, and 
 one another^ in the glorious peaceable gofpel of life and 
 falvation ; which glory fliines over God's camp ; and his 
 great prophet, and bi (hop, and ftiepherd is among or in the 
 midft of them, exercifing his heavenly offices in them : fo 
 that you his people may rejoice in Chrift Jefus, through 
 whom you have peace with God. For he that deftroyeth 
 the devil and his work, and bruifes the ferpent's head, is 
 all God's people's heavenly foundation and rock to build 
 upon ; which was the holy prophets and apoftles rock in 
 days paft, and is now a rock of our age ; which rock and 
 foundation of God (tandcth fure. And upon this the Lord 
 God eftablifti all his people. Amen. 
 
 * George Fox.* 
 
 London, the 25th of the Seventh month, 1686. 
 
 In this year David Barclay died at Ury in Scotland. 
 Before his departure he uttered many excellent expreffions 
 indeed. I may not omit to mention fome particulars. In 
 the latter end of September, being paft the 76th year of 
 his age, he was taken with a fever, which continued two 
 weeks ; and being much troubled with the gravel, his fick- 
 nefs was accompanied with pain in making water. Two 
 days before his death, feeling his weaknefs, and being in 
 an agony, he faid to his fon Robert, who was with him, 
 * I (hall now go to the Lord, and be gathered to many of 
 my bretliVen who are gone before me.' On the nth of 
 Oftober, very early in the morning, he growing weaker, 
 the faid Robert Barclay fignified to him, that his travail 
 Vas, that He that loved him might be near him to the 
 end. To which he anfwered, * The Lord is nigh ;* and 
 f*id further to thofe about him, ' Ye are my witneffes 
 in the prefencc of God, that the Lord is niga.' And a 
 Uttlc after he faid, ' The pcrfcft difcovery of the day- 
 
 PEOPLE CALLEB QUAKERS. 
 
 fpring from on high, how great a blefling it hath been to 
 mc and my family !' Robert Barclay's wife aflc n7i-f he 
 would have fomething to refrelh him, hi faid tTcd d 
 not ; and laying his hand upon his breaft, he faid e had 
 that inwardly that refreftcd him. A little while af^ J he 
 was heard feveral times to fay, 'The truth iov III •' 
 
 he prayed God he might never depart from the truth 
 tht'ptdenTe''^?'^ daughter comiSg near, k.^r^U 
 haveitrD.rf^"^ (for that was her name) ' Let Patience 
 have Its perfea work m thee.' And after kifling the other 
 
 £ed tEem'"H-*^'"'T' ""' 'f ' ^^"^^ upon ^hem, and 
 Sfo near T; . "'V'P°'''"^'-y ''"' ^"^"ded him coming 
 alfo near, he took him by the hand, and faid, ♦ Thou wilt 
 bear me witnefs, that in all this cxercife I have not blen 
 curious to tamper nor to pamper the fle(h.' To which the 
 apothecary faid «Sir. 1 can bear witnefs that you ha e 
 always mmded the better and more fubftantial par^ and I 
 rejoice to fee the blefled end the Lord is brSgSg y'ou u> ' 
 To this the fick man replied, 'Bear a faithful Vndtu» 
 
 rT^foV^r "• '^ ^ "^^ of righteoufnefs, the life of 
 righteoufnefs « is that we bear teftimony to, and not to 
 
 1,.;!" '• K yJ^^"'.' *'°'?^' ^°'"^'' And faid alfo, ' My 
 fo?foneV' ^''^i /^^•■^^"•'J^ he flept now and the J 
 Z^ Lr°-T ' ^?V'^'"S a carpenter coming into the 
 room, he faid to his fon, ' See thou charge him to make 
 no manner of foperfluity ttpon the coiEn.? In the .Xr! 
 noon feveral of his friends came to fee him, which he 
 havmg obferved, faid they were come in a feafoliable time ; 
 and after fome words were fpokcn, and that Patrick 
 
 ]^Tl^ T^}^^ l'^^^^^ ^^'"h ended in praifes, the fick 
 old man held up his hands and faid, 'Amen, amen, for 
 faid mtw "^'^5 tho/e that were prefent flood up,^he 
 
 drln ^a\ ?T'°"' '' '^^ '°^^ °f ^°d ^'"""S his chil- 
 dren, and their love to one another ! thereby (hall all men 
 
 know that ye are Chrift'sdifciples, if ye love one another 
 How precious a thing u is to fee brethren to dwell tooether 
 
 q J^"^ r"i^ ^^-^i' "^''^ y°"' I'^^^-e" among%ou.' 
 Voi.n "' ' P'-^'y 't'" "' "''S"^'' ftandini about 
 
43 a 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1686 
 
 1686J 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 xhc bed, and perceiving ferae of them to weep, he {aid, 
 * Dear friends, all mind the inward man, heed not the out- 
 ward. There is one that doth reward, the Lord of Hofts 
 is his name.' Next morning, after he had heard the clock 
 ftrike three, he faid, ' Now the time comes.* And a little 
 after he was heard to fay, ' Praifes, praifes, praifes to the 
 Lord ! Let now thy fcrvant depart in peace. Into thy 
 hands, O Father, I commit my foul, fpirit, and body. Thy 
 will, O Lord, be done in earth as it is in heaven.* Thefe 
 fentences he fpoke by little intervals, one after another ; 
 and foon after five in the morning, the 1 2th of Oftober, 
 he flcpt in peace and quiet, there being prefent at bis end 
 above twenty perfons, who were witneffes to what hath 
 been here related. His corpfe was attended to the grave 
 .by numerous followers ; and though he had ordered not 
 many to be called to his burial, yet a great number of the 
 gentry came uninvited, from an efteem they bore to his 
 memory. 
 
 Li this year alfo Anne Downer departed this life, one 
 of the firfl of thofe called Quakers at London ; (he had 
 been m.arricd firft to Benjamin Greenwel, and was after- 
 wards wife to George Whitehead. Being taken ill, fhe 
 removed to a place out of London, and her ficknefs in- 
 creafing, Ihe perceived it was like to take her away. Her 
 ancient friend Mary Stout vifiting her, aiked her, if flie 
 knew her, Ihe faid, * Yes, very well, it is Mary Stout. I 
 have my memory very well, and my undemanding is 
 clear, though I am very weak ; but I am given up unto 
 the will of the Lord, whether to die, or to live ; for I have 
 been faithful to him in what I knew, both in the life and 
 death.* Perceiving fome to be troubled concerning her^ 
 flic faid, * There is no caufe for you to be troubled or 
 concerned ; for I am well, and in peace.* Many Chriftian 
 cxfioriations (he gave on her dying bed, and faid to fome 
 of her friends who came to vifit her, ' What do you 
 come on purpofe to fee me ? I take it as an cffcft of the 
 love of God, and I pray God blefs your children.* To 
 another fhe was heard to fay, ' If I never fee thy face 
 more, it is well with me : God doth know my integrity, 
 and how I have been, and walked before him.' The 
 
 433 
 
 T^rl"'"? ^^I""? ^"^ f^^' ^^^""'^ ^^ ^^' hulband, George 
 Whitehead, &c. ^ The Lord is with me, I blefs his name. 
 I am well ; it may be you are afraid I (hall be taken away ; 
 and if It be, the will of the Lord be done. Do not trouble 
 yourfelves, nor make any great ado about me ; but mv 
 dear, go to bed; go to reft; and if I fhould fpeak no 
 more words to thee, thou knoweft the everlaftiuLMove of 
 God She was heard alfo to fay, that flie had done with 
 all thmgs m this life, and (he had nothing troubled her 
 but was at true peace and eafe every way. And a few 
 hours before flie departed, (he faid, ' Though I am in a 
 dying condition yet it is a living death ; for though 
 weaknefs feizes the body, yet my underftanding is as clear 
 as when m health.* Thus (he departed this life quietly' 
 about the age of fixty-three years, having been a woman 
 well gifted and very ferviceable to the church, not only 
 with wholefome exhortations, but alfo by her Chriftian 
 care for the fick and poor, and for widows and orphans, 
 who by her deceafe loft an eminent mother. 
 
 About this time George Fox writ feveral general eplftles 
 (lome of which were pretty large) to his friends, exhort- 
 mg them to (hun ftrife, to keep to mutual love and unity 
 and to mind true piety. He writ many otker edifyine 
 papers ; and (jnce the Papifts now appeared barefaced, 
 and performed their wor(hip publickly, and there was 
 jnuch talk of their praying to faints, and by beads ; in the 
 year 1687, he emitted the following paper concerning 
 prayer, not fearing to contradift openly that which he 
 judged to be fuperftition, though the king himfclf was of 
 the popi(h rehgion, 
 
 * Chrift Jefus, when he taught his difciples to pray, faid 
 unto them, « When ye do pray, fay. Our Father, which 
 art m heaven, hallowed be thy name," &c. Chrift doth 
 not fay, that they fliould pray to Mary the mother of 
 Chnft ; nor doth he fay, that they ftiould pray to angels, 
 or to faints that, were dead. Chrift did not teach theia 
 to pray to the dead, nor for the dead. Neither did Chrift 
 or his apoftles teach the believers to pray by beads, nor to 
 ling by outward organs : but- the apoftic faid, he would 
 
 2 E 3 
 
 ( 
 
434 THE HISTORY OF THE L^^^7 
 
 fmg and pray in fpirit : for the fpirit itfelf maketh inter- 
 ceffiops ; and the Lord, that fearcheth the heart, knowcth 
 the mind of the fpirit. 
 
 * To take counfel of the dead, was forbidden by the 
 law of God ; but they were to take counfel of the Lord : 
 and he hath given Chrift in the new covenant ; in his gof- 
 pel-day, to be a counfellor and a leader to all his believers 
 in his light. And men are not to run to the dead for the 
 living : for the law and teftimony of God forbids it. Thofc 
 Jews^ that refufed the running waters of Shilwli, the 
 floods and waters of the Affyrians and Babylonians came 
 over them, and carried them into captivity : and they that 
 refufc the waters of Chrift, they are overflown with the 
 flood of the world, that lieth in wickednefs. They that 
 aiked counfel of flocks and ftones, their ftate was in the 
 fpirit of error and whoredom ; and they were gone a 
 whoring from God, Hof. iv. 12. And they that joined 
 themfelves to Baal-Peor, and ate the facrifices of the dead, 
 provoked the Lord's anger, and brought the Lord^s dif- 
 pleafure upon them, Pfal. cvi. 28, 29. So here ye may 
 fee, the facrifices of the dead were forbidden. " The 
 living know that they fliall die ; but the dead know rot 
 any thing, neither have they any more a reward, for the 
 memory of them is forgotten," Ecclef. ix. 5. * Wo to 
 the rebellious children,, faith the Lord, that take counfel, 
 but not of me ; and that cover with a covering, but not 
 of my fpirir, that they may add fin to fin." Ifa. xxx. i. 
 
 • George Fox/ 
 
 On the 20th of the month called March, being the ift 
 month, Robert Widders, one of the firft preachers among 
 thofe called Quakers, died ; and G. Fox was now much 
 at London ; but he grew more and more weak in body^ 
 having endured many hardfliips in cruel imprifonments for 
 the truth. Sometimes he went into the country to take 
 the frefh air, and at other times he was a while at the 
 country -houfe of his fon-in-law, William Mead, who mar- 
 ried one of his wife's daughters. In the mean-while h« 
 writ much, for he was of a laborious temper, and did not 
 omit under all his bufindi to vifit the meetings of his^ 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (RAKERS. 
 
 435 
 
 1687] 
 
 friends, and to edify them by his admonitions and exhor- 
 tations. For now they were fuffered to keep their meet- 
 ings unmolcfted, fmce the king, in the month called April, 
 publiihcd his long expefted declaration for liberty of con- 
 fcience to all his fubjeds, which contained, That hence- 
 forth ihe execution of all penal laws concerning ecclcfiaftical 
 matters, for not coming to church, for not receiving the 
 facraments, or for any other nonconformity with the eftab- 
 liflied religion, or for performing religious worfliip in any 
 other way, fliould be fufpendcd, &c. 
 
 It would indeed have been more acceptable if this liberty 
 had been eftablifhed by the king and parliament* this being 
 granted as yet only by virtue of his royal prerogative : 
 but however it was, liberty was enjoyed. The friends 
 therefore of the church at London, feeing how thofe of 
 other perfuafions prefented addrefles of thanks to the king, 
 for his declaration tor liberty of confcicnce, which was 
 now publiflicd, and whereby the Diflenters were permitted 
 to perform their worfliip freely, provided their preaching 
 did not tend to make the minds of people averfe to the 
 government, thought it convenient to draw up an addrefs 
 alfo, and prcfent it to the king j which was as followcth : 
 
 To king JAMES IL over England, &c. 
 
 The humble and thankful addrefs of feveral of the king's 
 fubjefts, commonly called Quakers, in and about the 
 city of London, on behalf of themfelves and thofe of 
 their communion. 
 
 * May it pleafc the King, 
 
 * Though we are not the firfi in this way, yet we hope 
 we are not the lead fenfibic of the great favours we are 
 come to prefent the king our humble, open, and hearty 
 thanks for ; fmce no people have received greater benefits, 
 as well by opening our prifon-doors, as by his late ex- 
 cellent and Chriftian declaration for liberty of confcience ; 
 none having more feverely fuffered, nor flood more ge- 
 nerally expofed to the malice of ill men, upon the account 
 
 . 2 E 3 
 
 {■: 
 
 'I 
 
43^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1687 
 
 1687] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 437 
 
 of religion ; and though we entertain this aft of mercy with 
 all the acknowledgments of a perfecuted and grateful 
 people; yet we muft needs fay, it doih the lefs furprize 
 us, fince it is what fome of us have known to have been 
 the declared principle of the king, as well long before, 
 as fmce became to the throne-of his anceftors. 
 
 * And as we rejoice to fee the day that a king of Eng- 
 land fhould from his royal feat fo univerfally affert this 
 glorious principle, that confcience ought not to be con- 
 ftrained, nor people forced for matters of mere religion ; 
 (the want of which happy conduft in government, has- 
 been the defolation of countries, and reproach of religion) 
 fo we do with humble and fmcere hearts, render to God 
 firfl, and the king next, our fenfible acknowledgments ; 
 and becaufe they cannot be better cxpreffcd than in a 
 godly, peaceable, and dutiful life, it (hould be our en- 
 deavour (with God's help) always to approve ourfelves 
 the king's fauhful and loving fubjefts ; and we hope that 
 after this gracious flep the king hath made towards the 
 union of his people, and fecurity of their common intereft, 
 has had a due confidt ration, there will be no room left for 
 thofe fears and jealoufies that might render the king's 
 reign uneafy, or any of them unhappy. 
 
 ' That which remains, great prince, for us to do, is to 
 befeech Almighty God (by whom kings reign, and princes 
 decree jqflice) to infpire thee more and more with his 
 excellent wifdom and underftanding, to purfue this Chrif- 
 tian defign of eafe to all religious diffemers, with the mofl 
 agreeable and lafling methods : and we pray God to blefs 
 the king, his royal family and people, with grace and 
 peace ; and that after a long and profperous reign here, 
 he may receive a better crown amongil the bleifed. 
 
 * Which rs the prayer of,* &c. 
 
 < 
 
 This addrefs was received favourably, and therefore 
 thofe of the yearly-meeting, which fome time after was 
 held at London, alfodrew up an addrefs, and fome deputies 
 pf that meeting went to Windfor, where the court then 
 was, and where' W, Pcnp, one gf thofe that had bceii 
 
 chofen to prefent the addrefs, made the following fpeech 
 to the king : 
 
 < May it pleafe the King, 
 
 * It was the faying of our bleffed Lord to the captious 
 Jews, in the cafe of tribute, " Render to Cjefar the things 
 that are Caefar's, and to God the things that are God's." 
 As thi? diflincf^ion ought to be obferved by all men in the 
 conduft of their lives, fo the king has given us an illuftrious 
 example in his own perfon that excites us to it ; for while 
 he was a fubje^, he gave Csefar his tribute ; and now he 
 is a Cnsfar, gives God his due, viz. the fovereignty over 
 confciences. It were a great (hame then for any Englifliman 
 that pretends to Chriftianity, not to give God his due. By 
 this grace he has relieved his dirtreffed fubjefts fi-om their 
 cruel fufferings, and raifed to himfelf a new and lading 
 empire, by adding their aiFe£^ions to their duty. And 
 we pray God to continue the king in this noble refolution, 
 for he is now upon a principle that has good nature, 
 Chriftianity, and the goodnefs of civil fociety on its fide ; a 
 fecurity to him beyond all the little arts of government. 
 
 ' I would not that any (hould think, that we came hither 
 with defign to fill the gazette with our thanks ; but as our 
 fuflferings would have moved ftones to compafifion, fo we 
 fliould be harder, if we were not moved to gratitude. 
 
 * Now, fince the king's mercy and goodnefs have reached 
 to us throughout the kingdom of England, and principality 
 of Wales, our general affembly from all thofe parts met at 
 London about our church affairs, Ijas appointed us to wait 
 upon the king with our humble thanks, and me to deliver 
 them ; which I do by this addrefs, with all the afFeftion 
 and refpeft of a dutiful fubjeft.' 
 
 After W. Penn had thus delivered himfelf, he prefented 
 the addrefs to the king, which that prince kindly receiving, 
 gave it him again to read ; which W. Penn did, and it was 
 asfoUoweth: 
 
 2 E 4 
 
 "■ii 
 
'438 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1687 
 
 To king JAMES II. over England, &c. 
 The humble and grateful acknowledgments of his peaceable 
 
 fubjefts called C)iiakers, in this kingdom. 
 
 From their ufual yearly-meeting in London, the 19th day 
 
 of the Third month, vulgarly called May, 1687. 
 
 * We cannot but blefs and praife the name of Almighty 
 God, who hath the hearts of princes in his hand, that he 
 hath inclined the king to hear the cries of his fuffering 
 fubjeft^ for confcicncc-fakc ; and we rejoice, that inftead 
 of troubling him with complaints of our fufterings, he hath 
 giv^n us fo eminent an occafion to prefcnt him with our 
 thanks. Ar;d fince it hath pleafed the king out of his great 
 compaffion, thus to commiferate our affiled condition, 
 which hath fo particularly appeared by his gracious pro- 
 clamation and warrants laft year, whereby above twelve 
 hundred prifoners were releafed from their fevere impri- 
 fonments, and many others from fpoil and ruin in their 
 eftates and properties, and his princely fpeech in council, 
 gnd Chriflian declaration for liberty of confcience, in which 
 he doth not only exprefs his averfion to all force upon 
 confcience, and grant all his diffenting fubjefts an ample 
 liberty to worftip God in the way they are perfuaded is 
 moft agreeable to his will ; but gives them his kingly word 
 the fame fhall continue during his reign ; we do (as our 
 friends of this city have already done) render the king 
 our humble, Chriftian, and thankful acknowledgments, not 
 only on behalf of ourfelves, but with refpeft to our friends 
 throughout England and Wales ; and pray God with all 
 our hearts, to blefs and preferve thee, O king, and thofe 
 tinder thee in fo good a <vork : and we can affure the king 
 it is well accepted in the counties from whence we came ; 
 fo we h<^pe the good effefts thereof, for the peace, trade, 
 and profperiry of the kingdom, will produce fuch a con- 
 currence trom the parliament, as may fecure it to our 
 pollerity in after times ; and while we live, it fliall be our 
 endeavour, through God's grace, to demean ourfelves as in 
 confcience to God, and duty to the king, we are obliged. 
 
 ' His peaceable, loving, 
 
 'And faithful fubjefts.* 
 
 1687] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 435 
 
 After William Penu had read the faid addrefs, the kin? 
 fpoke as followeth : ^ 
 
 ' Gentlemen, 
 
 - M thank you heartily for your addrefs. Some of you 
 know, I am iure you do, Mr. Penn, that it was always my 
 principle that confcience ought not to be forced ; and that 
 all men ought to have the liberty of their confciences. 
 And what I have promifed in my declaration, 1 will con- 
 tuiue to perform as long as I live ; and I hope before I die, 
 to fettle it fo, that after ages fhall have no reafon to alter it/ 
 
 Here we fee what the king declared to be his intention; 
 but perhaps that prince did not confider, that if fuch a 
 general liberty had been procured, he fliould not have 
 been able to make it continue longer than the Popifh clergy 
 would have thought it convenient. For who is ignorant 
 what an unlimited power the Roman prelates have ufurped, 
 not only in the ccclefiaflical but alfo in the political fight? 
 Infomuch, that though the king's intention might have 
 been really fincere, yet it is like it would have been 
 thwarted, though he might have been willing that it fliould 
 be otherwife. That his meaning w^as fmcere, feveral I 
 know that wxre not of his perfiiafion, have believed, and 
 among thefe there were fuch, who thought that liberty of 
 conf(;ience might have been fo eftablifhed, that it fliould 
 not have been in the power of the Papifts to break it. 
 But time hath fiiewn that king James was not to be the 
 inllrument for fettling fuch a liberty of confcience ; and 
 that the repealing of the penal laws was referved for another 
 prince. Yet the king was by fome thought to do what he 
 could to flop rapacious perfecutors, and to reftrain their 
 power, with rcfpeft to impofing of oaths. It is true, it 
 was faid that the king might not do fo ; for by granting 
 this liberty to the Quakers, he opened a door for the 
 Romanifts to bear oflices, without taking the required oaths. 
 Now that he difcharged the Quakers from thefe oaths, may 
 appear by the following order to the lord mayor of London: 
 
 k 
 
 
440 The history of the [1687 
 
 Whitehall, Nov. 6, 1687. 
 * My Lord, 
 
 * The king ht'in^ informed that Edward Brooker, Henry 
 JefFcrfon, and Jofeph Tomlinfon, being (Quakers, are by 
 Mr. Barker, fteward of Southwark, put upon feveral offices, 
 as conftables and the like, which they are willing to do; 
 but the oaths being tendered to them, from which they 
 think themfelves exempted by the king's declaration for 
 liberty of confcience, they are threatened to be fined and 
 othcrwife molefted, for their refufal to take them : his 
 majefty commands me to let your lordfliip know, that his 
 plcafure is, that the faid Edward Brooker, Henry JefFerfon, 
 and Jofeph Tomlinfon, and all other Quakers, fhould now, 
 and for the future, either be allowed to ferve the faid 
 offices, without taking any oaths, or elfe that they be not 
 fined or otherwife molefted upon that account ; and his 
 majefty would have you give order therein accordingly. 
 
 ' I am, my Lord, 
 ' Your Lordftiip's moft humble fervant, 
 
 * Sunderland.' 
 
 Now whereas in fome places goods taken from the 
 Quakers lay ftill unfold, the king ordered thofe goods to 
 be reftored to them, as may appear by the following letter, 
 written to the mayor and aldermen of Leeds in Yorkftiire : 
 
 Whitehall, Dec. 14, 1687. 
 * Gentlemen, 
 * The king being informed that fome goods belonging 
 to John Wales, and other Quakers of Leeds, which were 
 Icized and taken from them upon the account of their re- 
 ligious worfliip, do remain unfold in- the hands of John 
 Todd, who was conftable at the time of the feizure, or m 
 the hands of fome other perfons ; and his majefty's inten- 
 tion being, that ail his fubje6ls (hall receive the full benefit 
 ot his declaration for liberty of confcience, his majefty com- 
 mands me to fignify his pleafure to you, that you caufe 
 the goods belonging to the faid John Wales, and all other 
 <^akers of Leeds, which were heretofore feizcd upon the 
 account of religious worftiip, and are unfuld, in whofe 
 
 1687] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 441 
 
 hands foever they remain, to be forthwith reftored to the 
 rafpeftive owners, without any charge. 
 
 • ' I am, gentlemen, 
 
 * Your affeftionate friend an dfervant, 
 
 * Sunderland.' 
 
 By fiich means fome got their goods again, that had 
 I)cen taken from them upon the account of religious wor- 
 ftiip ; for in many places they lay long unfold, becaufe few 
 would buy goods fo taken. And that the king by thefe 
 his. favours, drew the love and affection of many of his 
 fubje^s towards himfelf, none need to wonder ; for what- 
 ever his religion was, he delivered them from that grievous 
 burden, under which they had been opprcfled fo many 
 years. To this may be added, that he ufed them kindly in 
 all refpe^ls; and would not fuffer his fervants to moleft any 
 for nor pulling off their hats, when they came near his royal 
 perfon. Nay, fo far went his coadefcenfion, that a certain 
 countryman of the Qiiakers' perfuafion, coming to him with 
 his hat on his head, the king took off his own hat, and 
 held It under his arm ; which the other feeing, faid, ' The 
 king needs not keep off his hat for me.' To which that 
 prince returned, ^ You do not know the cuftom here, for 
 ihat requires that but one hat muft be on here.' I have 
 been told of more fuch like occurrences, which I pafs by; 
 but it appears from thence that the king endeavoured to 
 have among the Quakers the repute of a mild and courteous 
 prince. And.this year he gave alfo fall liberty of confcience 
 jn Scotland, and freed thofe that were ftill under fufferin^rs, 
 grannng them the free liberty of their religious meetings, 
 1 he faid liberty he alfo allowed to the Prefbyterians, pro- 
 vided they Ihould not meet in the fields, or in ftieds, as 
 fome did. 
 
 The king having thus granted liberty of confcience to 
 people of all perfuafions, did whatever he Could to introduce 
 popery in Enghnd ; for he permitted the Jefuits to ereft 
 a college in the Savoy at London ; and fuffcred the friars ' 
 to go publickly in the drefs of their monaftical orders. 
 This was a very ftrange fight to I'Voteftants in England, 
 and It cauied no fmaU fermentation in the minds of people. 
 
 1^' 
 
 I -'^ 
 
 i *■ 
 
442^ THE HISTORY OF IHE [1688 
 
 when the fellows of Magdalen College at Oxford, were by 
 the king's order difpoflefled, to make way for l^omanffts. 
 This was fuch a grofs a ufurpation, that W. Pcna, who had 
 ready accefs to the king, and \vho endeavoured 10 get the 
 penal laws and teft abrogated, thinking it poffible to find 
 om a way whereby to limit the Papifts fo effeaually, that 
 they fhould not be able to prevail, did, for all that, not 
 omit to blame this ufurpation at Oxford, and to tell the 
 king that it was an aft which could not in julticc be defended, 
 fince the general liberty of eonfcience did not allow of de- 
 priving any of their property, who did what they oughi to 
 do, as the fellows of the faid college appeared to have done. 
 But this could not cool the king's zeal for popery, for he 
 drove on fo fad, without difguife, to that degree, ihat tiic 
 popc*s nuncio, D'Ada, this fummer made his publick entry 
 at VVindfor, in very much flate. 
 
 Great endeavours were now made to repel the penal laws 
 and tefts ; for when this point was gained, then Papifts 
 Kight be admitted into the government as well as others : 
 and fuch a general liberty of eonfcience making an alluring 
 fhew, fcvcnil difTcnters, as Baptifts and others, ferved the 
 king with their pens on this account : and W. Penn, who 
 always had been a defender, of libeny of eonfcience, was 
 alfonot unaftive in this affair, though with a good intent, 
 howbeit he might have failed in his expeftation. I re- 
 , member when in thofe days the patrons of the church of 
 Rome afferted liberty of eonfcience to be a Chriftian duty, 
 I heard fomebody fay, " Can the Ethiopian change his Ikin, 
 or the Leopard his fpots ?'' The king laboured alfo to 
 perfuade the prince and princefs of Orange, to give their 
 affent to the repealing of the teft and penal laws ; but this 
 could not be obtained of them. And fince the king caufed 
 the advocate James Stuart, to write concerning this matter 
 to the heer Fagcl, counfellor and chief penlionary at the 
 Hague ; Fagel anfwered this paper in a letter to the faid 
 James Stuart, wherein he declared the judgment of the 
 prince and princefs in this cafe ; and fignifi'ed that they 
 were willing to aflent to the repealing of the penal laws, as 
 far as they had any tendency to the exercife of worfhip ; 
 but as for thofc that debarred Papifts from fitting in pariia. 
 
 1688] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 44J 
 
 ment, of which the teft was not the leaft, they could not 
 ^ive their aflent to the repealing of fuch limitations. This 
 letter was generally approved by the Proteftants in England, 
 but the king for all that went on with the introducing of 
 popery; and about the beginning of the year 1688, he 
 not only put in feveral Romanifts to be fellows of Magdalen 
 college at Oxford, but endeavoured alfo to ufticr thofe of 
 his perfuafion into the magiftracy; and the better to cloak 
 this defign, he would have other diflenters aHb chofcn ^ 
 but they generally rejefted this offer, as did alfo Stephen 
 Crifp, at Colchefter, who was too circumfpe^: to be caught 
 thus, and therefore he dechndd the offer. 
 
 The king's declaration for liberty of eonfcience was, 
 on the 27th of the month called April, publiftied again' 
 to fhew that he was firm and conftant in his refolution' 
 and that his intentions were not changed fince he iffued it 
 out, to excite his fubjefts to join in it, and to chufe fuch 
 members of parliament as might do their part to finifti what 
 he had begun. Hereto was annexed an order of the 
 council, for reading this declaration in all churches and 
 chapels throughout the kingdom; and ordering the bifliops 
 tofendand diflribute the declaration throughout their feveral 
 diocefes, to be read accordingly. But they refufed to do 
 io^ pretending it was not legal (though feme there w^ere 
 who thought it was) becaufe they were againft liberty of 
 eonfcience. Now the archbifliop of Canterbury, and fix 
 other bifliops, petitioned the king not to infift on the 
 diftribution and reading of his declaration ; alledging that 
 their great averfenefs to the diftribution and publfcation of 
 It m their churches proceeded neither from any want of 
 duty and obedience to his majefty, nor yet from any want 
 of due tendernefs to diflenters ; but becaufe it was founded 
 upon fuch a difpenfing power, as had been often declared 
 illegal in parliament. 
 
 This refufal the king fo rcfentcd, that he fent thcfe 
 bifliops to the tower. Whilft they were thus confined 
 there was much difcourfe every where about this matter ; 
 and fince it was well known that fome bifliops had been 
 the promoters of the former perfecutions, fomeitfeems fpok4 
 alfo in prejudice of thcfe that were now in confinement. 
 
'444 THE HISTORY OF THE [1688 
 
 This being reported to them, they faid that the Qiiakers 
 belied them, and divulged that they (the bifhops) had 
 been the caufe of the death of fome. This gave occafion 
 to Robert Barclay to vifit the bifhops in the tower ; and 
 fpeaking with th.m, he gave them undeniable proofs of 
 fome perfons who, by order of bifhops, had been kept 
 in prifon till death ; though they had been told of the 
 danger oFthofe perfons by phyficians, that were notQuskers. 
 This was fo evidently manifefted by R. Barclay, that they 
 were not able to deny it : yet Barclay told ihcm, that 
 . fince they themfelves were now under oppreffion, the 
 intention of the Quakers was in no wife to publifh fuch 
 matters leaft thereby they fhould exafperate the king 
 againft them. And they wxre careful indeed not to do 
 any thing that might aggravate the cafe of thefe prifoners ; 
 for it was not time now to rub old fores, fince the bifliops 
 themfelves feemed to be inclined tp declare for liberty of 
 coBfcience. And fince this liberty was now enjoyed all 
 over the kingdom, thofe called Quakers thought it conve- 
 nient at their yearly-meeting, which was held this fummer 
 at London, again to draw up an addrefs to the king, and 
 to acquaint him of one thing more, which continued to be 
 iroublefome to them. This addrefs they prefented to him, 
 and was as foUowcth : . 
 
 To king JAMES II. over England, &c. 
 
 « 
 
 The humble addrefs of the People called Quakers, 
 from tkeir yearly-meeting in London, the 6th day of. 
 the month called June, i6S8. 
 
 • We the king's lovmg and peaceable fubjefts, from 
 divers parts of his dominions, being met together in this 
 city, after our ufual manner, to infpeft the affairs of our 
 Chriftian fociety throughout the world, think it our duty 
 humbly to rcprefent to him, the bleffed effefts the liberty 
 he has gracioufly granted his people to worfhip God ac- 
 cording to their confciences, hath had, both on our per- 
 fons and eftates: for whereas formerly wc had ever long 
 and forrowfiil lifts brought to us from aimed all parts of 
 
 1688] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 445 
 
 his territories, of prifoners, and the fpoils of goods by 
 violent and ill men, upon account of confcicnce ; we blcfs 
 God, and thank the king, the gaols are every where clear, 
 except in cafes of tithes, and the repairs of parifh churches' 
 and lome few about oaths ; and wc do in all humility lay 
 It before the king, to confider the hardfliips our friends 
 are yet under for confcience-fake in thofe refpec^s ; being 
 m the one chiefly expofed to the prefcnt anger of the 
 offended clergy, who have therefore lately Vaiprifoned 
 fome of them till death ; and in the other they are ren- 
 dered very unprofitable to the publick and themfelves ; for 
 both in reference to freedoms in corporations, probates of 
 wills and teftaments, and adminiftrations, anfwers in chan- 
 eery and exchequer, trials of our juft titles and debts, 
 proceeding in our trade at the cuftom houfe, fervino- the 
 office of conflables, &c. they are difabled, and |rcat 
 advantages taken againft them., unlefs the king's favour do 
 intcrpofe ; and as we humbly hope he may relieve us, fo 
 we confidently affure ourfelves he will eafe us what he can. 
 
 ^ ' Now fince it has pleafcd thee, O king, to renew to 
 all thy fubje^s by thy laft declaration, thy gracious affur- 
 ances to purfue the eftablifliment of this Chriftian liberty 
 
 ' and property upon an unalterable foundation ; and ia 
 order to it, to hold a parliament in November next ar 
 fartheft : 
 
 J We think ourfelves deeply engaged to renew our 
 .affurances of fidelity and affection, and with God's help 
 intend to do our parts for the perfe^ing fo bleffed and 
 glorious a work ; that fo it may be out of the power of 
 any one party to hurt another upon the account of con- 
 icience : and as we firmly believe that God will never 
 defei-t this juft and righteous caufe of liberty, nor the kin^ 
 in maintaining of it ; fo we hope by God's grace, to la 
 the world fee we can honeftly and heartily appear for 
 Jiberty of confcicnce; and be inviolably true to our own 
 religion, whatever the folly or malice of fome men on tha^ 
 account may fuggeft to the contrary.' 
 
 This addrefs being prefented to the king, was well re- 
 ceived. Some have been ready to think, that the biicr 
 part of this addrefs concerned the office of magiftratcs. 
 
 \ 
 
446 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1688 
 
 which not without reafon, it is believed that a Chridian 
 might ferve, with no more difparageilient to an inoffenfive 
 life, than it is inconfiftent for a pious father to give due 
 corrcftion to his rebcllioui child: for though our Saviour 
 charges not to refifl evil, but to love enemies : and that 
 he reproving Peter, who from a forward zeal cut off the 
 high priefl's fervant's ear, faid to him, ' Put up thy fword 
 into the fheath :* and that alfo the apoftle James difap- 
 proves war and fighting, yet we find in facred writ, that 
 the apoflle Paul calls the magiftrate, the minifter of God, 
 and a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doih evil : 
 and he faith in plain terms, that he beareth not the fword 
 in vain. 
 
 But to return to my relation, and to take up again the 
 thread of this hiftory, from which I have been diverted a 
 little by this digreflion ; I know there were fome in thofe 
 days, who thought that if people of all pcrfuafions in Eng- 
 land had a (hare in the government, f roportionable to 
 their number, a means might have been found out* to 
 hinder any paity, efpecially the Papifts, from exalting 
 therafelves above the others. But to me it feems not im-* 
 probable, thai if this had cfTeft, and a higher band had not 
 cut off the way thereto, it would have appeared that thofe^ 
 men did not reckon well. But it never came to this pafs, 
 for the king's power was tottering already, though he en- 
 deavoured to fupport it, even with good means ; for to 
 be helpful to his fubjefls, who, though free-born men, 
 were deprived of their freedom, merely becaufe for con- 
 fcicnce-fake they could not fwear ; and to help them to 
 this right to which they were entitled as well as others, 
 could not be judged undue means, unlefs under it had 
 been hidden an intent to introduce this liberty alfo in 
 favour of the Papifts, though they did not believe fwear- 
 ing unlawful. 
 
 There were now at Norwich, about forty of the people 
 called Quakers, who having petitioned the king, that he 
 woulJ be pleafcd to caufe them to be made freemen, ob- 
 tained the following order from him : 
 
 1688] 
 
 I'EOPLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 447 
 
 To ou'r ti-ufty and well-beloved our Attorney-General. 
 
 ' James fe. 
 ^ / Trufty and wcll-beloyed, we greet you well : whereas 
 
 II fT ''Tl^^^ ^ ^°^^ charafter of the loyalty of oor ' 
 wdU^eloved fu%as, Thomas Howard, Pefer ^Launce 
 W.ihamBooly Henry jackfon, Edward Pears, John Jenn' 
 Nicholas Comfit John Harridence, John Gurpey, Samuel 
 S^' ¥r"^ Cobb, Philip Pain, Jofiah SheSingham 
 Anthony Alexander, Thomas Darmar John Cadee, John 
 F.dde^.an, WiHrnm Kiddle, James Pooley, John Defrance? 
 J«n. Daniel Sharp.n, William, Miichar,' William Brown 
 John Sharpen,jun. Samuel Kettl?, Stephen Ames, Richard 
 Kofe Bemamm Stud, Edward Monk, John Cornifli, Joha 
 Hodfon /ames Polls. Michael Parker, Richard BriwD 
 D mel Dye, jun John Elfegood, John Pike, and jS 
 Allen, we have thought fit hereby to require you, firth. 
 riw,"'r?'" ^"^-l -^^yjheperfons abovememionei. 
 f reemen pf thac our c.ty of Norwich, with all the rights 
 and privileges thereunto belonging, without adminiftering 
 are a;!^"" f^ f '^ P^ o^ths whatfoever, with which we 
 are gracoufly^p eafed to difpenfe in their behalf ; and for 
 ferfrf'A--^-" ^' }'«"-• .warrant: and fo we bid you 
 of lulv* , ST'"" rVT ^' Whitehall, the 13th day 
 ot July ,688, m the fourth year of our reign. By hi? 
 flidjelty s command. ^ . ' 
 
 ' Sunderland/ 
 
 rhi ^f^"T ^^'^ f ™™°"^y tbat, the .king might not do 
 Jf '. ^"^. ^.Ji"*^ ^vho grudged the Quakers this libeny. 
 did not ftick to fct forth this difp^nfation in very HI 
 
 STk i' °"'''; nay, they faid that William- Penn ad- 
 
 V red the king to do what he could not do without break- 
 
 ghis promife. Yet if the king had made no greater 
 
 fringement, his reign it may b? would have lafted longer; 
 
 O.V^^ '^ifP^f'^ffing of the fellows of Magdalen college at 
 
 •vinfv ' '^ r^P/'.^""'"""^ °f '^^ bilhops, and the publick 
 n^n^ f ^ of jefujtsjnd monks, caufed a fertnent in the ' 
 nimds o people. Now the Wlhops'were tried at the 
 
 J 
 
448 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THfi 
 
 [l68S 
 
 1 68 a] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 king's bench bar, in Weftminfter-Hall ; but they were ac- 
 quitted, and fo releafed. The king alfo had appointed 
 fome ccclefiaftical comraiflioners ; but many looked upon 
 this as a kind of inquifition, and it feemed not well to 
 agree with liberty of confcicnce, which if he had main- 
 tained juftly, according to the advice of the Quakers in 
 their addrefs, it is not likely that he would have come 
 to fuch a flrait, as now he was put to. 
 
 Not long before his time, one Theophila Townfend, a 
 woman of years and underflanding, publifhed a book, 
 wherein 1he gave a relation of the grievous perfecution her 
 friends in Gloucellerlhire had fuffered, by imprifonment ' 
 and fpoil of goods, and how flie herfelf had alfo under- 
 gone many fufferings, and had been imprifoncd in the 
 caftle of Gloucefter more than three years. Among 
 ether cafes, flie relates alfo, how fome time before her 
 imprifonment, it happened, that by order of the juftices, 
 Thomas Cutler and James George, flie being feized in the 
 ftreet, faid to the latter, that the Lord would plead her 
 caufe, and that what meafure he meted, fhould be meafured 
 to him again. And it thus happened, that before fhe was 
 releafed, the wife of the faid George, who took her from 
 her hulband, was by death taken from him. Afterwards 
 this George came with the bifliop of Gloucefter into 
 a meeting, where Theophila was on her knees praying ; 
 at which the bilhop aiking him whether fhe was the 
 woman he fpoke of, and he anfvvering, * Yes, my lord ;' 
 the bifliop took her by the arm with fuch violence, thar 
 he had almoft pulled her down backward, faying, « Give 
 over, woman, and obey the king's officers.' But fuch was 
 her zeal, that it could not be Hopped ; for the more oppo- 
 fitioii (he met with, the more flie felt herfelf encouraged, 
 and infpired, to praife God for his goodnefs ; and though 
 the bifhop ftirred up the juftice, yet it feemed not in his 
 power to break off th^ current of her fpeech ; fo that they 
 let her alone, till flie having difcharged herfelf, flood up. 
 Then the names of ihofe that were met, were taken in 
 writing; and fome time after, flie, though aged and 
 weakly, was m winter-feafon led three or four miles 
 through the fnow, and committed to gaol at Gloucefter, 
 
 449 
 
 where {he was kept three years and four months, and then 
 releafed by king James. 
 
 Afterward ftie publiflied a book, as hath been faid 
 already, in which fhe gave an account how fome of her 
 friends had been beaten, punched and abufed to that de- 
 gree, that they died of it, as flie tefl^ified to have fcen her- 
 felf: ' Yet,' faid fhe, ' though many died who were 
 flronger than I, it hath pleafed the Lord to preferve 
 my life, that I may fpeak to the praife of his name, 
 and tell of his wonders, ?.nd put you, perfecutors, once 
 more in mind what belongs to your peace. BltfTed be the 
 Lord, he is rifen for Zion's fake, which ye have plowed 
 long as a field ; and when her enemies have done their 
 wwft, then the Lord fhall make his Zion to be an ever- 
 lafting glory, and Jerufalem the praife of the whole earth. 
 And as ye fee now in others that perfecution is evil, fo fee 
 it alfo in yourfelves : repent in dull and aflies. Remem- 
 ber who it was that fliid, the wife man's eyes are in his 
 head, but the fool walketh in darknefs. The eyes of fools 
 look out for mifl:akes in others, and they blame in others 
 what they are guilty of themfelves. Methinks the eye-lids 
 of the morning, that is now dawned and rifing before you, 
 ought to bring you to a true fight of your condition in this 
 matter.' Going on thus, flie reproves the informers who had 
 enriched themfelves with the fpoils of their neighbours; and 
 fhealfo relates how the priefl: of Gloucefl:erhad put his name 
 to a petition tothe king, in which jufl:ice George, and others, 
 defired that the mecting-houfe of the Quakers might be" 
 given to the town, to make a workhoufe of for the poor. 
 • But,' faid fhe, ' this is like Judas, who, when the woman 
 came with an alabafl:er box of very precious fpikenard, 
 faid, « Why was this wafl:e made ? Why was not the oint- 
 ment fold, and the money given to the poor? But the 
 fcripture faith, that this he faid, not that he cared for the 
 poor, but becaufe he was a thief, and had the bag. Thus 
 the priefl made it appear by what he did, that he was not 
 a true minifl:er of the gofpel ; for he came fliort of the 
 works of the law, which faith, ' Thou ftialt not covet thy 
 neighbour's houfe, nor anything that is thy neighbour's.*^ 
 And Chrift commands to do unto men what we woi^lci 
 
 2 F a 
 
 / 
 
 ill 
 
 ^: 
 
^s^^ 
 
 THp ^ISXOf.,Y pF T.HE 
 
 [l6?8 
 
 have them dp to us; % which it is plain th at fuch doings 
 are contrary to the' law and the gqfpcl. Thqfe pow whp 
 ^\\\ have fuch ,blind lleepy watchmen ^o be their teachers, 
 let them pay them, and not conflrain others (who Ji^Qw 
 Ihem to be blind) to pay them alfo. 
 
 Then fpcaking to thofe who had a hand in xhe fpoiling 
 of goo^s, and fetting forth the odioufnefs of that work, 
 fflie faith at lad, * I do not write this from a fpirit of 
 revenge againft any, but it is in the J,ove of God, to warn 
 you, and to exhort you to repentancje, that ye m^y fiud 
 toercy mxh the Lord, which is the re;i^ defire of my foul : 
 I can truly fay, in the prcfencc of the Lord, that I have 
 nothing in my heart but lov,c and good- will to the worfl of 
 our enemies, and this in purity of heart, and in fincerity 
 bf mind. I defire really your eternal peace and well-being, 
 though ye have hardened your hearts againfl the Lord, 
 and his truth and people. Twrij to the Lord, I befeecl> 
 vou J bo\y before the Almighty, who will plead with all 
 flefti, and Ihallcall all to an account^ and reward every ou<f 
 |pf prying ^o what he hath done in the body, whether i; 
 he good or bad. fionfidcr this therefore wjiilll ye have 
 ijme, and mind the things that belong to your peace, 
 before they be hid from your eyes: for the long fuffering 
 pf the Lord will come to an end, who faid. < My fpLritf 
 Aall not always ft rive with man.' Therefore whi|ft the 
 fpirit bf'the Lord, his light, his grace, yet ftrives in'your 
 hearts, to turn you off from your evil ways, be willing to 
 embrace it, believe in it, take counfel of h, fubmit to i; 
 with all your heart, be willing to be led and guided by it, 
 and incline your hearts to follow it in all things, and then 
 J^wilf lead you to reft' and peace with the Lo^d for eyer.* 
 Yet more (he faid ; but I break off. By fuch kind of 
 cinphatical fpceche?, fometimes perfecutors have b^cii fo 
 louched to the heart, that they themfelves became harailcfj 
 Cnnuians. 
 
 I a«n^ come now almoft to a cpnclufion of niy relation 
 conccrffing pcrfecution : of \yf)icli t could have writteq 
 much more, but that I w^s unwilling to extcud i^jwpF.k.- 
 beyond what I Ihould have been well able to cviugjet'c- 
 Yet Ittforc I altogether part with this nuitter, I \yiji;i^ca-. 
 UoftfomethiDg toocerning' Thpophil us Green, o^ whom 
 
 i^mj PECfPLE CALLED q^AKttLS. 451 
 
 mention haJth heeri made before. He lived at Batterfea. 
 m far from London, and was a man beloved of hisneiffli- 
 bonrs, bttaufe of hishoneflconverfation; yet he was much 
 periccutfed, both for attending meetings, and fof preacWn^. 
 Once u happened that fome officers catae to his houfe to' 
 fee whether there was a meeting, and they behaved them." 
 felves moderately : for what they did feemed againft their' 
 mmd, If bemg only in obedience to the order of jufticc 
 iJuke, who, on afccount of a former offence, had iffued 
 out warrants to make diftrefs. The officers not fatisied 
 m the cafe, and feeing no meeting, went their way, and' 
 returned the warrant ; and T. Green went afterwards tp 
 the fard juftitfe, and fpeakingtohim, faid amongft the reft, 
 Confiderwhat that mouth and tongue of thine hath faid 
 formerly, VIZ. that I had been very kind to thee; and is 
 this the way of requiting it ? know for certain, that that" 
 Ood whom I have ferved, and for whofe caufe I nowfuffer 
 will aveiige me ; for vengeance is the Lord's, and he will 
 repay , tone way or other, except thou fpeedily repenteft.* 
 At this faying the juftice began to tremble, and crying out, 
 laid, I will do you no more hurt than I will do my own 
 
 V. ^f^^ S*" '° ^''^ ''^''"'' ^"'^ te» Aem I will never 
 trouble them any more upon the account of you.' Green 
 did fo ; and they were glad of it. And Duke bein? upon 
 feme complaint difmiffed, one Sir John Broadrick fuc- 
 ceedcd m his room ; and he was fo moderate, that he pre- 
 vented the informers, by keeping Theophilus and his 
 fnends out of their meeting-houfe, which was for about 
 two years and a half. 
 
 Afterwards they were fuffered again to go into their 
 mecting-houfe, but then juflice Forfter came once, and 
 taking their names, ^ned Theophilus lol. as a preacher 
 And afterwards he with others coming with a conftable to 
 cize for the fine, the conftable being come to the door of 
 the houfe, fa.d, ' Neighbour Green! where are you? we 
 
 tl^ fo'^Jr '.° ^"'f yo!''-,8«o J^. if you will let us in. But 
 tim fo d.fpleaied the juftice, that going down the yard, and ' 
 ceing fome oars and poles, he required the conftable to 
 take them away. To which he anfwered, ' I am no 
 porter. ' Ihen,' faid the jt.flice, < command fome others 
 
 2 f3 
 
 
 'i 
 
 1 
 If 
 
452 THE HISTORY OF THE [1688 
 
 to do It.* To which the conflable rerurned, * I cojnmand 
 you to do it.' This (o enraged the juftice, that he fined 
 him. . Some time after the laid juftice coming again with 
 an high conftable, and another petty conftable, feized a 
 barge, and had it carried away, and feveral times oliered 
 it to fale, but none would buy it. And after it had been 
 carried about from place to place for fale, at length it was 
 found adrift by one who knew not of its being feized ; 
 and hearing that it was Theophilus's barge, he brought it 
 to him. But Thcophilus went to the coiiiiables, and told 
 them how it came to him, and wheie he had it, faying, 
 fmce it was'come to him again he was willing to keep it ; 
 but if they took it away again he would not hinder them. 
 This account being given to the juftice, he fent a warrant, 
 and committed Thcophilus to theMarflialfea prifon. After 
 three weeks the feffions was held at the Marftialfea; and 
 the laft day the faid juftice came to him in the prifon, fay- 
 ing he came out of love to fee him, and to advife him for 
 his good ; which was, that he would have him pay his fine; 
 * for,' faid he, ' I am fure the grand jury hath found the 
 bill as;ainft you ; and if you fliould come off, I have fuch 
 an influence with the judge, as to caufe the oath to be 
 tendered to you ; and I know you will not take it ; and 
 then you will be run to a premunire, and are not hke to 
 come out as long as you live.* To which Theophilus 
 anfwered, * Thou faidft thy coming was in love, to advife 
 me for my good ; but by what thou haft faid, it appears 
 the contrary ; for now 1 perceive thou haft devifed as 
 jnu-h mifchief as thou canft againft me. As to the fine, 
 if it were but ten pence, nay ten farthings, 1 would not 
 pry it. And if the Lord (liou'd permit thee to do as thou 
 haft faid, and fo be the caufe of bringing my grey hairs; 
 the fooner to the grave, my blood will be at juftice For- 
 fter's door, and it will cry vengeance againft thee.' 
 
 The next day the two conftables being called before the 
 grand jury, were afked what they had againft Theophilus 
 d-reen, that ftood there indifted ; and the high conftable 
 anfwered, « As to Theophilus Green, he is as honeft a 
 man, though a Qiiaker, as lives about us ; and he was 
 Jately in office for the poor, and behaved Ijimfelf as well ii^ 
 
 i688] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 453 
 
 it as any hath done thefe twenty years. And touching the 
 barge he is indi£led for, when it came to him he came to 
 us, and told how it came, and where he had laid it, faying 
 if we would take it away again he would not hinder us. 
 This is all we have to fay.' Some of the grand jury 
 knowing Thcophilus very well, and the caufe too, did ag- 
 gravate the matter very high againft the juftice : and as to 
 the indiameni they brought it in ig?2oramus. So Theophi- 
 lus was cleared by proclamation : and fir Richard How, 
 being one of the jury, advifed him to arreft the juftice, 
 there being two good anions, as defamation and falfe im- 
 prifofiment. But Theophilus faid he owned their love, but 
 would leave the thing to the Lord, for whofe caufe he 
 fuftered ; for vengeance was the Lord's, and he would re- 
 pay it. And it was but fome little time after that the faid 
 juftice Forfter died, as was reported, in great horror and 
 niifery. The time when this happened I do not know ex- 
 a£lly, yet I take it to have been fome years before the 
 time I now defcribe. We fee by this inftance a very 
 Angular deliverance, fuch as did not befal every one, but 
 which could not but encourage Theophilus the more. 
 
 Before I conclude this year I muft mention fomething 
 cpncerning W. Penn, who, when the government of king 
 James was finking, not only bore the blame of many mif- 
 carriages ; but by fome was ftiled a papift, though this 
 was altogether falfe. But he had a great many enemies; 
 and it was no new thing to brand the Quakers with the 
 odious name of jefuits : for thirty years before this time at 
 Briftol great endeavours were ufed to perfuade people 
 they were Francifcans. William Penn patiently bore the 
 flander of being decried as a Papift, faying but little in juf. 
 tification of himfelf, till at length he made a return to a 
 ^letter fent by one who ferioufly begged of him to give an 
 anfwer to thofe accufations that had been forced in preiu- 
 dice ot his reputation. In this paper he afcribed his free 
 accefs to the king, partly to the relation his father, as 
 admiral, had to the fervice of the faid king, and who was 
 then duke of York, and high admiral of England ; and hivS 
 fpecial favour alfo in releafing him out of the tower of 
 tondoo m the year 1669. Tq tliis he added, ' My 
 
 1? F 4 
 
 •'I 
 
454 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [1.683 
 
 '•i 
 
 f 
 
 father s humble requeft to him, upon his death-bed, was, 
 to proteft me from the inconvci>iences arid troubles my 
 perfuafion might expofe me unto ; and hjs friendly promife 
 to do It, and exaft performance of it, from the moment I 
 , addreffed myfclf to him : 1 fay, when all this is confidered, 
 any body that hath the Icaft pretence to good-nature, gra- 
 titude, or gencrofuy, mufl needs know how to interpret 
 my accefs to the king.— Is any thing more foolifli as well 
 as falfe, than that becaufe I aln ofien at Whitehall, there! 
 tore I muft be author of all that is done there, tliat doth 
 not pleafe abroad. But fuppofing fome fuch things to 
 have been done ; pray tell me iM am bound to oppofe 
 any thmg I am not called to do : I never was a member 
 of council, cabinet, or committee, where the affairs of the 
 kingdom are tranfefted. I have had no office or truft, and 
 confequently nothing can be faid to be done by me; nor 
 tor that reafon could I lie under any teft or any obliga- 
 tion to difcover my opinion of publick aas of (late : and 
 therefore, neither can any fuch arts, nor any fiience aboui 
 them, in jultice be made my crime. Volunteers are blanks 
 and cyphers in all governments. And unlefs calling at 
 Whitehall once a day, upon many occafions, or my not 
 being turned out of nothing, (for that no office fs ) be the 
 evidence of my compliance in difiigreeable things, I know 
 not what elfe can with any truth be alleged agaiiift me.— 
 I am not without apprehenfions of the caufe of this beha- 
 viour towards me ; I mean my conftant zeal for an Impar- 
 tial liberty of confcience. But if that be it, the caufe is 
 too good to be in pain about it. I ever underftood that 
 to be the natural right of all men ; and that he that had 
 a religion without it, his religion was none of his own. 
 tor what IS not the religion of a man's choice, is the reli- 
 gion of him that impofes it : fo that liberty of confcience 
 IS the firft ftep to have a religion. 'Ihis is no new opinion 
 with me, I have writ many apologies within the laft twenty 
 years to defend ,t, and that impartially. Vet I have as 
 conftantly cTeclared, that bounds ought to be fet to this 
 trecdom, and that morality was the beft; and that as often 
 as that was violated under a pretence of confcience, it was 
 lit the civil power ihould take place. Nor did I ever once 
 
 ^mi 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED CHTAKERS. 
 
 45S 
 
 tliink of promoting any fort of liberty of confcience for 
 anybody, which did not preferve the common proteftancv 
 of the kingdom, and the ancient rights of the government': 
 for to fay truth, the one cannot be maintained without the 
 other.— And till I faw my own. friends, with the kingdom 
 delivered from the legal bondage which penal laws for 
 rehgion had fubjcfled them to, I could with no fatisfaftion 
 think of leaving England, though tnuch to my prejudice 
 beyond fea, and at my great expence here, liaving in alf 
 , this time neither had either office, or penfion, and always 
 refufmg the rewards or gratuities ofthofe I have been abie 
 to oblige.' From this little abftraft of William Penn's 
 Apology, it appears fufficiemly what kind of liberty he 
 defended ; and fuch a liberty afterwards took place in the 
 reign of the next kin?. 
 
 Of George Fox I have been long filent, and I do not 
 meet with any very remarkable tranfaftions that concerned 
 him, except that he writ much, both for edification of hi^ 
 friends, and for the inftruc'lion and admonition of others ; 
 for he was continually occupied with the care of the church^ 
 and that things might be kept in good order, which to 
 perform the better, he now ftaidalong while in and about 
 London. 
 
 In this year died William Dewfbury, one of the firft 
 preachers among thofe called Quakers ; having been a 
 very zealous teacher, and an eminent inflrument to the 
 converfion of many. He was born in Yorkihire, ancj in 
 his youth was a fhepherd, and afterward* put apprentice 
 to a clothier ; but when the civil wars broke out, he be- 
 came a foldier and joined with thofe who faid they fought 
 for the gofpel. Now though he was religious according 
 to his knowledge; yet growing more and more ferious, 
 and turninT his mind inwardly, he faw there were inward 
 and fpiritual enemies to encounter with, according to the 
 faying of the apoftle, ' We wreflle not againft flefh and 
 blood ; but againft fpiritual wickednefs,' &c. And this 
 itate was inwardly manifefled to him in the words of our 
 baviour : ^ Put up thy fword into the fteath. If my kin<r. 
 dom were of this world, then would my fervants fight!* 
 Ihis wrought io powerfully upon his mind, that he coukf 
 
tiy 
 
 45? THE HISTORY OF THE [l683 
 
 no longer meddle with martial affairs, but left the army ; 
 and returned to his former calling, endeavouring to im- 
 prove in true godlinefs, in which he fo advanced gradually, 
 that when George Fox in the year 1651, came to Balby 
 in Yorkfhire, and preached the gofpel there, he could not 
 but confent to the do^rine declared by him, as being the 
 fame of which he him.felf was already convinced in his 
 mind ; viz. that heed ought to be given to the inward 
 Divine reproving*? for that which is evil : which do(firine 
 was preached by George Fox under the denomination of 
 the true light, which enlighteneih every man coming into 
 the world ; and that heed muft be given thereunto, as 
 beinii the grace which brin.5S falvation, of which the 
 apoftle fpeaks in his epiflle to Titus, ii. 11. faying, '''That 
 it hath appeared to all men.*' W. Dewfbnry having heard 
 fuch a fermon as this, agreed not only with G. Fox in this 
 point of doctrine, but in procefs of time became himfelf 
 alfo a very zealous preacher of it, for which he fell under 
 great fuiTcrings : infomuch that he was prifoner at Warwick 
 nineteen years for religion's fake, befides the imprifonments 
 he fuffered on that accoiint in other places. But being 
 now releafcd, he came in the month called May to London, 
 and preached a fermon there concerning regeneration, 
 which was taken from his mouth in fhort-hand, and after- 
 wards printed as underneath.* His intention was to have 
 
 ♦ A Sermon preached by Wlllinm Dewfbury, at Gracechurch Street, 
 
 the 6th of the Third month, 1688. 
 
 ' My friends, 
 
 " Ex rep you be regenerated and Born n^a'in^ ye cannot mherit the kingdom of 
 
 Cod:' 
 
 « THIS is the word of the Lord God to all people this day ; this h'es 
 rot in airy profeflion. and in vain imagination, and whatloever elfe it is 
 that you reck youifelves withal; you murt cvcy particular man and 
 v.oTian be born again, c'fe you camot enter into the kingdom o\ heaven. 
 T hs was the do<5lrinc of Chrift in that prepared body wherein he ap- 
 pea ed in the world, and preached to Nicodemus, that ftandinp dodrine 
 to this moment of time, and will be fo while any man breathes upon the 
 earth 5 there Is no pther way, no other gate to enter into life, but t>y 
 
 i638] 
 
 PE0PJ.E CALLED (VUAKERS, 
 
 457 
 
 been at the yearly meeting of his friends ; but by illnefs 
 he was prevented ; and therefore before he grew worfe, 
 he returned to Warwick, where he lived. Being come 
 thither, his difeafe increafed, and lying very fick? in bed. 
 
 this great work of regeneration. Now to enforce people to come to 
 this great work, and to fet forward from enrth fo heaven, all being 
 driven out of Paradife by the cherubim fet with a flaming fword, there 
 is no returning to that Mefled life, but by the lofs of that life that did 
 grieve the Spirit of God, and which did caufe man to be driven out; 
 there is no other way of return again but by this new birth. As you 
 are all driven and forced out of Paradife, and the flaming fword and the 
 cherubims are fet to keep the way of the tree of life, io you muft return 
 into the favour of God again, by the light of Chriii ; and you have line 
 upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little, to 
 dire<5t your minds to the light of Chrift Jefus. As the liril Adam was 
 made a living foul, fo the fecond Adam is a quickening fpirit. This 
 know for certain, no man Oi woman can be quickened, and raifed up 
 into the life of the fecond Adam, till the life of the firfi: Adam be taktn 
 away from them. 
 
 * So now, let every one of 'you deal plainly with your own hearts, 
 how you came to be a flain people to the life of the firft Adam, in which 
 life there was a working of the myfteryof iniquity in every part of man. 
 One cries, ' Lo liere is Chrift;* another, ' Lo there is Chrifl: ;' and 
 every one is following his own imagination about the letter of the 
 •Scripture ; this is flill but the vain fpirit of man, running and ftriving - 
 to recover himfelf; and this is the caufe there is fo much profeflion of 
 God, and fo little of his nature appearing among the fons and daughters 
 of men. Now all of you that come to be regenerated, you muft come 
 to the light of Chiilt ; there is no other way to it. He will fearch your 
 hei;rts, and try your reins, and fet your (ins in order before you, and 
 trace out the iniquities that compais you about ; therefore you mud: fee 
 yourfelves a loft people, a fmful people, and fo come to feel the weight 
 of your fins upon your confciences, there is no otlier way to come to 
 life ; you will never complain of fin till you are burthened with it, till 
 you have a trumpet founding in your ears, to awaken you, that you may 
 arife from the dead, that Chrift may give you light : there is no other 
 way, dear people, you muft bring your deeds to the light of Chrift, and 
 abide in the fentence of condemnation ; if you fave your lives, you iofe 
 them ; if you will Iofe your lives for Chrift's fake, there is no danger 
 of your eternal life. John the Baptift, Chrift's forerunner, declared, 
 " I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh 
 after me is mightier than I, the latchet of whofe flioes I am not worthy 
 to unloofe, he fl^dl baptize you with the Holy Ghoft, and with fire: 
 whofe fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and 
 will gather his wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn with 
 ViDguenchable fire.'' What i^ it the better for you to read the Scriptar^f 
 
45« 
 
 't:i 
 
 THif niaroRY or rnr 
 
 [i6ga 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QiTA-KERS 
 
 455 
 
 
 »•■ 
 
 and bcmg vifited by fome of his friend^ he faid to them 
 in great weaknefs of body, as followcth : , ■ 
 
 ' My God hath yet put it in my heart to bear a tefUmonr 
 to his name and bleffed truth, and I can never forget the 
 
 i« you know not th,s fiery baptifm, which all muft know that are reje- 
 
 nerated; deceive not yourfelves, Chrift w,ll appear in flaming fire and 
 
 -ta«e vengeance on al them that know not God™ and that oblr not tht 
 
 gpfpel of our Lard Jefus Chrilt. "cy nuc in« 
 
 ' I ftind here as a witnefs of the Lord of life this day. there }y no^ 
 w-ay^ or people to come to faivation, but they mud know Chrift revealed 
 .n aU the,r hearts What is he doing but\endering vengeance upon 
 the carnal m.nd, felf-p.eafing. and all inordinate affeaionsVhTcomes 
 
 Slrh^r"-i° '^u^r'^ '^y "^^' ''^ ^^'" b^Fi" the wither 
 "°'y Gbo ^ and with fire. If thou knoweft not this,- tliou art not a' 
 true Chriftian, thou wilt never look death in the face with jl nop 
 !nH 7 ft /^\2T; *'"Vf"i">ph- If thou lived at home in tbe'body! 
 ff if ^ „ n^5 '''^■' '"''r "' ""^ ^' ^»''"g w '°f^ thy lift for ChrS. 
 fr^W'?^ '^"^ ""''/ J^"" ^"^'^ ""'have Chrift to waft the^ 
 
 itZl\u^"fu ""t ^r' ^°' '^.'^■'°^'^ ^^'" ^^^"f"* 'hi'), if Chrift doth 
 not warn thee, thou haft no part m him ; you muft oorae to Chrift to 
 
 pwnfy you in the fiery furnace; the day of the Lord Ihall burn as an 
 oven (as the prophet fpeaks) : this is a dreadful day, a day of v^,-' 
 & r ^"^^■^'^- ^"^ J^f"' Chrift, who rede^ieth hi peo^e • 
 l-°l' r f"'- rf'"" " ^^d^-^-^ed with judgment, and eftabli(hed\vith 
 nghteoufnefs. Do not make the way to heaven eafier on your niindj 
 and imaginations than indeed it is, and think it not fufficient to live in 
 an outward obd-rvance of the ways of God. If your own wills be alive; 
 and your corruptions remain unmortified, the judgment of God will b« 
 your portion therrfore in the Lord's name come along with m e l\m 
 come to declare what I have heard and f.en of the Father. Come and 
 examine thy confcence. Halt thou brought thy deeds to The li.ht > ' 
 
 i- "}^J.aZ ''^Tf- ,'^';"<^^'""«^°" upon thyfelf, and thy haughtfnefs 
 ., bowed down, and laid Imv. and thou feeft thyfelf a poor miferable 
 
 Z'V^ ^a"u^" "'/"''' 9°^- ■^^■hitfoever thou knoweft of the n:ind 
 of God, haft thou reformed thy ways-? Come along with me, and tell 
 me what is the ground of thy faith, and thy" confidence, is it thy' 
 obca^nce and qualifications? Becaule thy obedience is right, and thy 
 Suil.Ccat.ons right what ufe doft thou make of them ? Read the book 
 ot confcence ; haft thou no ground for thy faith ? Thou haft put on 
 the reformed faith, and liveth an unreformed life : fearcli and try thvfelf ' 
 inan or woman. Dolt thou watch over thyfelf, and keep in a fenfe of 
 thy diflolution notwithftandlng all thy qualifications and partial rcfor- 
 ,3" H ,""', n '° 'T '?- '• '"'^ "'"•''' sate, and the narrow 
 
 cf'tL ^c'Ta H *',? "'"i" ''''^'^' ^''= ''f^ °' «''y will, the lift 
 ;of the firlt AduB ; the juftjce of God will oot luffer thcc to make a 
 
 ,day of his great power and bleffed appearance, when' he 
 fiHt km me to preach the cverlafting gofpd, and proda<m 
 the day of the Lord to all people. Therefore, friends, be 
 faithful, and truft to the Lord your Gad; for this 1 can 
 
 faviourof thy duties and qualifications; and to take Godi Jewels a«i 
 to dec^ .t^ylelf with them, thou c-.mft not be fi-rH »,VV,t - . k -^ 
 teoufocfs ,0/ God in Chrift lelus. Wiat fakh hv Jf^l 't' 
 
 brought to this d.,age of th ,,ind. and of tb' fo'nv 1"^ "' IV'Z 
 all wdhng to part with your fins, with you? pride and har.tiTn Jf 5 
 Are you willing to part wi.h your vile affekonsr TWst ' t^f ^ 
 God's grace upon you, Doft thou place tbv corfderre in ,1,? . 
 and qualifications, and taktft God's eweU L? thy cuties 
 
 th^rJr ,„:,i, .k 3 vj,, '^ " , „ jewels «od ornaments, and deckelt 
 
 IwlheTrln^ f ,J'"" '"ok^ft ™y jewels. Cith the Lord, and tfdft 
 play the h^irlpt ; if tliou return to the Lord, and humhlp thvff.]'' .„ j 
 
 grough this difficulty, thou wilt be happy VortrTh^ti^gnTet'^ 
 God. this flaming fword that turns every way, will keen thee fl^ 
 WoTir ^\''>i'>^^"S .hee to Chrilf, and'' cut hee '^ff f "JTi 
 liope of ialvation but by him, and make thee to fee the abfolute need ^ 
 a Sayiour, apdtbat thy life is hid with Chrift in God ^ • 
 
 ,„H i! 'iS. V"'^""*=8°°^,°<^ to -"eD that he will hide pride from them 
 and humble them under his mighty hand. This is the coXon of 
 poor creatures t),,t are ftain by the hands of tl.e Moft High. How maj 
 
 Th ,^ ^^"^ Vl "^f '"'^ ''''P""'^' ^"^ ""-^ to have finclrk^ 
 nA? /nl*v,''j'r'"''"'^ ^'''" '"'° 'he heavenly life, if you love , he 
 
 io k i°. the e tJ "He'l-r"f '^ ""r" *"'' y''' '''"' -"' ™='^" " « 
 wort HI the earth. He will fct thy fins m order before thee and mak» 
 
 thee watchful upto pray., . and lead thee to holinefs of ife and conler 
 fauon, and make thee abhor thvfelf and dcfnit Jl l! '"""e^- 
 pleafures and vanities of this woi/d. ' Wht h t A 1 ortd^'XT wi^h 
 ft'lt^'fcfi- T *T'? ^"'u "'^ ''«'''■' ='"'* '" 'he light of Chrift th i 
 
 Jut!.'"Ai&Sutihtftird;:'Vou"rG'o^^"' '" " ^^y^ 
 
 this will n«t jufti^ .hef Jf^^der \oX eler^^^'L^rft^'' h^l^ 
 
 as a little child, awi be ftriuDed of all ml ? ' ^^"^ ^^'^"'^ 
 
 saifl as .0 my own wilJ, ajid eonhdcnce iir my owo rightceufncfs ; X 
 
4^0 
 
 THE HIS TORY OF THE 
 
 ti68i 
 
 1688] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 fay, I never fince played the coward, but as joyfully entered 
 prifons as palaces, and in the prifon-houfe I fang praifes 
 to my God, and efteemed the bolts and locks upon me as 
 jewels, And^ friends, this I muft once again teftify to you. 
 
 will not then quefllon bat I fhall live a holy life, but I will pive all that 
 life I had, for that life which is hid with Chrift in God ; O ! there is 
 none come fo far that ever mifs of eternal life. All (hufling people 
 that would have falvation by Chrift, and will not let him exercife his 
 heavenly power, his princely glorious power to baptize them into his 
 death it is they that come fhort of falvation ; but all thofe that yield 
 themfelves up to Chrift to be redeemed throu^^h judgment, and are be- 
 come as littL- children, thefe are in a happy ftate. You know that our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift took a little child in his arms, and faid, '* Whofoever 
 becomes not as a little child, cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven ; 
 you muft all of you become as little children, and depend upon the 
 mercy and free grace of God ; you muft all come to a holy refigBatlon 
 of your wills to God's difpofal ; if you come to Chrift as little children, 
 and depend unon him, you cannot mifs of falvation ; It is entailed upon 
 fuch fouls as hear the voice of Chrift, they that hear the voice of the Son 
 of God fhall live. 
 
 * I ftand here as a wltnefs for the God of heaven, I never heard the 
 voice of Chrift (as his follower) till I was ftain and baptized, and lay 
 as a little child under his heavenly chaftifements ; as foon as ever my 
 foul was brought to this in my humiHation> O then the dreadful judg- 
 ment was taken away, and the book of life was opened unto me, and the 
 L.ord fpake comfortably to me, I have loved thee with an everlafting 
 love, and I have made a Chiiftian through a day of vengeance, and of 
 burning as an oven ; and the haughtinefs and pride of man in me was 
 brought low. Now in this conformity to Chrift's death, people may 
 die into life, and blefTed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they reft 
 fropn their labours, and their works do follow them. Away with all 
 your own wills, and your pride, and haughtinefs, and your hypocrify 
 and deceit, and all dependency upon any qualifications of your own ; 
 you muft cdme to have your life feparated from you. elfe yo.u will all 
 peri 111. Thofe that will die with Chrift, and be willing to die for him, 
 he is revealed as a Saviour to them. He was before us in the days of 
 his flefh, and complied with his father's will ; he was nailed to the crofs. 
 The Son of God, when he was come to the depth of his fufferings, what 
 was his cry, '* My God, my God, why haft thou forfaken me?" 
 This was for thy fake, and my fake, and every man and woman's fake 
 that do believe In him : he drank the cup which his father gave him 
 to drfnk. If it was done thus to the green tree, what fliall be done unto 
 the dry ? He went before u«, and when he cometh again he will take 
 us to himfelf, and take us from the filth of fw, that we may be made new 
 creatures. 
 
 46% 
 
 m the name of the Lord God, that what I Ciw above thirty 
 years ago, ftiU refts as a teftimony to leave behind me 
 that a dreadful terrible day is at hand, 2nd will certainly 
 come to pafs ; but the time when, I cannot % ; but all 
 
 nfC^nT f ? ^-^ ^' ^'" '2^'"' ^' ^^""^^ ^"t^'- i"to the kingdom 
 «M . n ""t^ »s no becoming new creatures, till we be flain to the 
 old man. Thou muft be ftain to thy pride and haughtinefs, and the 
 corruption of thine own will, and all r.ltifhnefs thou n^uft hav^ God to 
 
 ^tL" ^^'V^'u' Holy Ghoft w.ll doftroy, and burn up nothin<r 
 m thee, but that which will bring an eternal fire upon thy foul. Shew 
 
 of the flock of thy compamons ? Why fhouM I be as one that goes afide > 
 
 vluToT"' '^'''iTu' ^^°"^' ^^ '^' ^°^^"^ °^ ^^^f' '^^^ this with 
 you though you profefs the truth, and live in an outward conformity 
 
 flefti-pleafing life, and confult with fiefh and blood,' and are not rent oif 
 tTJr\ ?'' y°;^.c^""«t enjoy the Lord of life ; while I am at home 
 in the body, I am ablent from th- Lord. 
 
 • The body of fin is a loadftone to draw you from the life of God, and 
 from glorying m the crofs of Chrift: this is flefh and blood, and fleOi 
 and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. For the Lord's fake, 
 for you foul s fake, and for the fake of your eternal happinefs, put not 
 off- this work, but purfue it, and it will be perfected. See how Chrift 
 
 ITl X 7 ^'" ^/•'^' ^"^y ^^'"^' ^"^ ^^th fire. God will redeen^ 
 you by the fpint of jua-,.ment and burning; It is not ranging abroad in 
 
 wa'er v^lr ." T' ' T "'^ ^^^"^"P«" ^imfelf, and made you to 
 water your couch with your tears ; if he hath broken your fteep fo as 
 
 rtTis win h."^ '"'' ' ^- ^"^^ ^' ^^."^"^^' -^ "-- ^'^^ to faiv^lion • 
 (this will be your cry, it was once my cry), O let not your eyes flumber 
 
 nor your eyelids ta e any reft, till 'you be fure the Lord is^you Sod • 
 if you find thefe qualifications, you are on your way, otherwise you will 
 Wdofefl'a^ -d never abide in' jud.mL ; ifyourga^l^ 
 tZllu ? • ^^ ^ yo"^^eJves, and refufe to be crucified with Chrift. 
 and to be baptized with baptifm, you will never have life ; but by hL 
 
 fai?ft clift'' "'^ 'I' 'rf"l^ "P^»^^'^" ^^^- Spirit, /f tho/haft 
 tlfn fs f±.^^^^^^^ uT ^^' u' "^^"^^^ ^° ^^^^ in everlafting^igh. 
 ulon n7 ' u vl^^ ^.' ^'""S^t to us, and eternal life be beftowed 
 
 upon us; even that ife which is hid with Chrift in God, he wXive 
 
 n re ^.n^r/c^^^"^ f-^^-'"'""^^ '^ ^'^ '^^^^^ will and bdiefh 
 in tne Lord Jefus Chrift: this is not a faith of our own mikirifr nor a 
 
 garment of our own embroidery, bu. that which the Lord ha h^W^^^^^^^ 
 
 will n?. iT^.k''" ""r ""^^^'"^ '^'' ^^taineft this gift of God I ol who 
 
 tht et nf li e r' t h' '''' ''i''^^' '''' ^ ^'^ ^''^ -t diet 
 
 J uv/uw luc wiu ot (jod, then watca that your own wills 
 
nffSc 
 
 'r'ft^ HISTORY OF Tfe 
 
 fi 68l 
 
 1688 J 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 463 
 
 * 
 
 
 \ 
 
 pm on ftrCi*gt!i in the name of tbe lW, and wtrft to feel 
 bis -eternirl po^or, to pVeft¥ve you tbro'ug^fi t'h'c tri'bulat?6'ns 
 rf thofc days that approiich very hear. This I h^Ve fiihher 
 to fig-nify, that my departure (Srksvs tii^h. Blefied be mjr 
 
 be flain, and that your curfed feJf uke not the jewets of God, and h?s 
 bracelets and ornamcntSj and beftow them upon felf, and paint and 
 deck cuifed {c\£: and take not the members of ChriA, artd make them 
 the members of an harlot ; if you be dead to yoilr oWn wills, you arc 
 rifen with Chrift, and fhall receive a refurrcaion to etei-niil Jife : crucify 
 felf, and fet the world at nought, and trample upoh it, and all things of 
 it, and count them as dro(s and duncr in comparifon of Chrift ; that the 
 Father hath revealed to be our Jifc, in the chiys bf our forrow and 
 mournrag, in the day of our calamity, in the day when we cried our 
 hope is loft. 
 
 ' Thus it hath been with the holicft people on earth; it is not by 
 works of righteoufnefs of thy own that thou canft be faved ; Chrift 
 comes to^ cut all thefe dov.-n, th.it tiiou maycfl be ingrafted into him, 
 and juftified by his grace* Do not make this matter of talk, and fay, 
 I have heard this and that ; but look into your own hearts, and fee 
 what heavenly workings are there ; what there is of the power of. the 
 Lord Jefus, that hath made you to loathe this world, and the inordinate 
 love of the creature, that you may enjoy all thefe things, as if you 
 enjoyed them not. We cannot when we are flain and crucified to this 
 world, but fay, my life is in Chrift, when we come to afcribe nothing 
 to ourfclves, and all to Chrift : here is a blelTed harrttony, broken 
 hearts, melted fpirits, and yet joyful fouls ; poor creatures that were 
 mourning and fighing, and crying btfore the Lord in retired places,- 
 and yet rejoicing in Chrift Jefus, I am rifen with Chrift, 1 faid, my 
 hope is cut off, I will lie down in thy will, O God ; do what thou wilt 
 with me, it is in thy fovereign pleafure and free gift, whether thou 
 give me life or deny it to me : there muft be a resignation of ODrfelves 
 to the will of God ; it was fo with the Lord Jefus, and it is fo with 
 every true faint of God; you muft be humbled as little children before 
 the judgment be taken away, and the lonng^ kindnefs of God fealed up 
 to your fouls ; if you feek this work of God, you will find it ; if you 
 ■feek it upon your beds, io all your labours and concernments, in all 
 your ftations and relations ; if you prcfs after the new birth, you muft 
 ufe this world 41s if you ufed it not, and live a marritd life, as if you 
 were unmanied, for the faihion of this world paffcth away. This is not 
 lancifm. 
 
 * But let me itll you, a new world comes by regeneration, a man is 
 DOt lifted up in his own mind, but laid low in his own eyes, he waits 
 for the wifdom of God to govern him, and he is as a fteward of the 
 grace of God, to give to them that ftand in need. When a man is 
 regenerated and born .^gain, he is as contented With bread and water, 
 as with ail the enjoyments of this world : what is the matter ? His own 
 
 God, I am prepared, and I have nothing to do but die, 
 and put ofFthis corruptible and mortal tabernacle, this flefh 
 that hath fo many infirmities ; but the life that dwells in it, 
 aicends out of the reach of death, hell, and the grave j 
 
 will is gone, and put down under his feet, and whatfoever it is that 
 gives life to all his vain defires and affe<5tions, there is a harmony of all 
 within, a man praifing of God, and bleiling his holy name ; there are 
 no entanglements fhall draw away the heart from ferving of God, and 
 feeking his glory ; and if God fhall call the huftjand from the wife, or 
 the wife f cm the hufband, for the glory of his name, there is no 
 whining and complaining, and crying out, but giving them «p, and 
 a praifing and blelJing God, when they are called to fuch an exercife ; 
 and if they are not called to that, then they fet their hearts to glorify 
 God in their feveral places and ftations ; then they have a full content 
 in a blefled refignation. Here their wills are flain, but they praife Ood 
 they have no defi; e, but Lord thy will be done, always praifing God, 
 always having the fear and the glory of God before their eyes. All 
 the mifchief is hatched in pleafing men's own wills : that is, the counfel 
 of every heart that Chrift doth not govern. Will you live as the Quakers ? 
 Then you muft live contemptibly, the miftrefs and the maid are hail- 
 fellows well met. No, every one muft walk in humility, and live in 
 acquaintance with the God of heaven ; flie that is wrought upon by 
 the fame fpirit, muft with all diligence behave herfelf as becomes a 
 fervant of the Lord. Here is now a new world, and the faftiions of 
 the old world are gone ; all pride, haughtinefs, croffnefs, and trampling 
 upon one another are all gone, all flain through the operation of Chrift. 
 
 ' What remains now, Chrift is in me, and we are all one in him ; 
 Chrift laid down his life for thee and me ; now he reigns In me, and 
 he hath prepared my body to die for the truth, as his prepared body 
 was laid down for my fin. It is a kind of foolifli profefFion, to make 
 profeflion of Chrift, and live in covetoufnefs, profanenefs, fenfuality, 
 and the like ; they that are come to this heavenly birth, feek the things 
 that are above, thou canft do no other ; make the tree good, and the 
 fruit will be good. You muft be ingrafted into the vine of God's 
 righteoufnefs : O! flight not the day of your vifitation. What was it 
 to me to read of any being born again, till I was flain, and knew the 
 heavenly baptifm of Chrift Jefus ? Till I faw the flaming fwofd ready to 
 flay me in every way, in every turning. The light of Chrift convinced 
 me of fin, and his righteoufnefs juftified me, and thofe works were abo- 
 minable to me, that hindered my foul's paffage to Chrift ; Chrift Jefus 
 in marrying my foal to himfelf feized upon me, and did work effeftually 
 w me : there is the teftimony of Chrift in me, he hath fealed up 
 my foul to the day of my jedemption. Here is a certain paflage, and a 
 certain way which never any mifs of, that Iggi their lives for Chrift : if 
 you be not ready and willing to lofe your lives for Chrift, you fliall 
 never come here ; the gate is ftraight, and the way is narrow, none 
 
 Vol. IL z c • 
 
464 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1688 
 
 and immortality and eternal life is my crown for ever*' 
 
 Therefore you that are left behind, fear not, nor be dif- 
 
 couraged, but go on in the name and power of the Lord, 
 
 . and bear a faithful and living teftimony for him in your 
 
 come hither but fhofc that die into an heavenly onenefs with Chrift. O,' 
 friends, let us empty oudblves, that Chrilt may fill us ; let us be nothing 
 in our own eyes, that we may- be all in him, and receive of his fullnefs. 
 
 ' Now I commend you to God's witnefa, that you may remember 
 what hath been fpokcn among you > but confider, if you do not hearken 
 to it, it will follow you, and be a plpf;;iic to you to all eternity; if you 
 will not yield up yourfelves to Chrift this day that burns like an oven, 
 this fire you mull dwell with when out of the body, there will be no 
 quenching of thij> fire for ever; but if you be fo wife for your fouls, as 
 to refign yourfelves up to Chrift, 2nd come to him as little children, this 
 will not hinder your earthly concerns, though the world may account 
 thee a fool, yet thou hall that part of heavenly wifdom to do what thou 
 doft as unto God : thou carridt to thy wife, as in the fight of God, 
 that fhe may be fandlified to thee, and thou to her ; and thou carrieft 
 becomingly to thy children and fervants, and thou wilt abound in grace^^ 
 and in every good work, which will be for thine eternal welfare, 
 
 * O, I befeech you people, for the Lord's fake, wait for the light 
 of Chrift to guide you ; learn of him to be meek and lowly, then happy 
 are you; for he dwelleth with the humble, but he beholdeth the proud 
 afar off. This new birth, which is a true v/ork, a fincere and heavenly 
 work, it will make you for ever, O make room for Chrift in your 
 hearts, or elfe he is never like to dwell with you ; he loveth to dwelt 
 with the poor and humble and contrite fpirit, he abhors the proud, he 
 will empty your fouls, that he may fill them. 
 
 * And fo I commend you to God. I have been long held in durance 
 
 under great weaknefs ; and I was refllefs, till I could come up to this- 
 
 great city of London, to preach the everlafting gofpel among you, and 
 
 you fee I am among you here ; pray every one of you turn inward ; 
 
 let not thefe words, palling through a mean vefTel, be as a bare empty 
 
 difcourfe of truth to you, which you only hear, and take no farther care 
 
 of your falvation. Take heed of defpifing the light that fhincs in the 
 
 m\di\ of you, and be prefling forward to the heavenly work that is laid 
 
 in the power of Chrift Jefus, even through judgment into death, and 
 
 then he will give eternal life ; the Lord confirm this, that it may reft 
 
 upon your hearts, that you may be dead to the things of the world : we 
 
 are not to come to Mount Sinai, that genders to bondage, but we arc 
 
 come to Mount Sion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jernfalem, 
 
 and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general affembly, and 
 
 church of the firft-born which arc written in heaven, and to God the 
 
 judge of all, and to the fpiglts of jiifl men made perfedl, and to Jefus 
 
 the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of fprinkling, that 
 
 /peaksth better things th an that of Abel. This is the inheritance of the 
 
 1688] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 465 
 
 day. And the Lord will profper his work in your hand, 
 and caufe his truth to flourifh and fpread abroad. For it 
 fhall have the viftory, and no weapon formed againft it 
 (hall profper.* 
 
 Thus ferveiit in fpirit was W» Dewfbury in his latter end, 
 and he prayed to God very earneftly for all his friends, 
 efpecially thofe that were met at the annual affembly 
 at London. And fo he very pioufly departed this life at 
 his houfe, in a good old age, in the month called June, 
 in this current year. He was indeed a man of a remarkable 
 zeal and perception. He fpoke fometimes to young lads 
 as to men, telling them that the bleffing of the Lord would 
 reft upon them if they lived a godly life : fome of which 
 being fmce come to man's eftate, have experienced the 
 truth of his faying. 
 
 Two days before the deceafe of William Dewfbuty, 
 Rebecca Travcrs departed this life at about the age of 
 feventy-nine years. She was a woman exceedingly well 
 gifted ; and fpoke not only fomtimes in publick for edifi- 
 cation of the church, but writ alfo feveral books for the 
 advancement of piety ; in one of which Ihe fignified, that 
 though fhe liad been a reader of the Scriptures from a child 
 of fix years old ; yet when by the power of the eternal 
 gofpel fhe^was turned from darknefs to light, the Scriptures 
 then became much more plain to her, as not wanting in- 
 terpretation. She was an excellent open-hearted woman, 
 and took great care of the poor : flie had feveral times 
 been imprifoned for religion, but perfevered conftantly 
 in the faith, and fo pioufly entered into eternal reft. 
 
 As to ftate affairs, there now appeared a wonderful agi* 
 tation in England, fince it was reported that the queen was 
 
 redeemed of the Mod High, bleffed be the name of the Lord; let us 
 reft in hope, till he bring [us to humility and lownefs of mind, that he 
 may clothe us with heavenly glory, according to his promife, I will 
 beautify my houfe with glory, faith the Lord. This is the portion of a 
 poor people, that caft down themfelves before the Lord, that he may 
 lift them up, and be all in all to them, in whofe bleffed prefence they 
 fhall have jov, and rivers of pleafures at his right hand for cYcrmore,* 
 
 2 2 
 
466 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ti68i 
 
 big %vith child. And the endeavours for introducing 
 popery, befides the incroaching upon fome rights and 
 privileges, caufcd fuch aflir, that William the third, prince 
 of Orange, and ftadtholder (or lord deputy) of Holland, 
 &c. was intreated and invited by the Englifli Proteftants, 
 to come to their afliftance. This at length he did, and 
 came over with a fleet, and a confiderable number of forces. 
 What was the iflue of this expedition, is very amply de- 
 fcribed by other pens, and not properly my province to 
 relate ; wherefore I think it fuflTicient to my purpofe to 
 Yay, that the prince after fome difficulty at fca^ came into 
 England ; where having many adherents, the king^ many 
 of whofe forces deferred him, refi;lved to go to France, 
 whither the queen with the young child was gone fometime 
 before. Accordingly h^ went over, where he was well 
 received by the French king, who provided him a court at 
 St. Germain's. In the mean-while the prince of Orange 
 came to London, and was fainted there by the great ones 
 as the deliverer of England. The lord mayor of the faid 
 city, with the aldermen and the Iheriffs, having congratu- 
 lated him, the prince fent for fome of the 'members of 
 former parliaments to come to him, and fignified to them, 
 that he had defired them to meet to advife him in the beft 
 manner how to purfue the ends of his declaration in calling 
 a free parliament, for the prefervaiion of the Proteilant 
 religion, the refloring of the rights and liberties of the 
 kingdom, and fettling the fame, that they might not be 
 in danger of being again fubverted. 
 
 In anfwer to this, thanks were given to the prince for 
 his care and pains in defence of the people, their religion 
 and laws. And all things took a favourable turn for him. 
 
 In Holland a good while before a paper was publifhed 
 in print, called, * A Copy of a Letter written by a Quaker 
 at London to his Friend at Rotterdam.' In which forged 
 letter were mentioned feveral things that were not altogether 
 untrue, and the prince's going over to England, was alfo 
 in a manner predicted. Who was the author of the faid 
 letter, I could never learn, but of this I am fully fatisfied, 
 that he was no Quaker; for it never was their way to 
 ridicule princes, and to charafterizc them with ridiculous 
 
 1688] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 467 
 
 denominations, as in the faid letter we find mentioned, of 
 James of Great Britain, Mary of Modena, William of 
 Orange, and Mary of England, his wife. This was no 
 more the language of Quakers, than the following expref- 
 fions that are found in this letter. « The Spirit hath in- 
 fpired me to tell thee, I fhould not be able to declare my 
 opinion, before the Spirit Ihall have revealed it to me. If 
 the Spirit doth dictate it to thee, go and fpeak with him. 
 Dentfch hath had a revelation, and the Spirit hathaffured 
 him,' &c. This foolifli language betrays itfelf, and ferves 
 for a palpable evidence, that it never proceeded from the 
 pen of any of the people called Quakers. But perhaps the 
 author of that letter knew a fecret of flate, whereof (to 
 remain unknown) he would acquaint the world in a ridicu-. 
 lous way ; that under the cloak of being a Quaker, he 
 fliould beft continue undifcovered, and that by this device 
 the letter would fpread the more, as indeed it did 5 for it 
 had a very quick vent. . 
 
 203 
 
."N -x? 
 
 THE 
 
 ~x. 
 
 p I S T o R y 
 
 OF TH^ 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 (^ y A K p R s. 
 
 THE ELEVENTH BOOK. 
 
 I PROCEED now to the year 1689, in the beginning 
 of which the peers of the realm, &c. offered the 
 adminiftration of the government to the prince of Orange, 
 >vhich he accepted of. Not long after he called a con- 
 vention of the commons ; for a parliament it could not be 
 named, fmce in England none but a king has power to 
 call a parliament. In the mean-while the prince had caufed 
 the princefs his confort, to come over from Holland into 
 England ; and at length the convention, after many great 
 debates, came to this refolution, that the throne was vacant; 
 the confequence of which was, that the prince and princefs 
 of Orange were declared by the names of William the third, 
 and Mary the fecond, king and queen of England, &c. and 
 accordingly were afterwards crowned. A large relation 
 thereqf is to be found in feverfil books. By the way I will 
 only fay, that the coronation was performed by the bifhop 
 of London, the archbifhop of Canterbury having refufed 
 to a6l in that folemnity ; at the performance of which the 
 king and queen were afkcd'by the biftiop, ' Will yovi 
 
 1689] 
 
 THE HISTORY, &C. 
 
 469 
 
 folemnly promife and fwear to govern the people of this 
 kingdom of England, and the dominions thereto belongmg, 
 according to the ftatutes in parliament agreed to, and the 
 laws and cufloms of the fame ? * To which the king and 
 queen having anfwered, ' I folemnly promife fo to do ^' 
 the bifhop alked, ' Will you to your power caufe law and 
 juftice in mercy to be executed in all your judgments ?' 
 Anfwer was made, '^ I will.' The next queftion was, 
 « Will you to the utmofl of your power maintain the law 
 of God, the true profeflion of the gofpel, and the Proteftant 
 Reformed religion eflabliflied by law ? And will you pre- 
 fcrve unto the biftiops.and clergy of this realm, and to the 
 churches committed to their charge, all fuch rights and 
 privileges as by law do or fliall appertain to them, or any 
 of them ?' To which the king and queen anfwered, ' All 
 this I promife to do/ After this they laying each of them 
 their hands upon the book t)f the gofpel, faid, ' Thefe 
 things which I have here before promifed, I will perform 
 and keep. So help rfie God.' Under thefe punftual and 
 nice queftions was more hidden than fome would think. 
 For the king having anfwered fo as hath been faid, could 
 not now free any from paying tithes to the clergy, without 
 violation of his oath. 
 
 Not long after W illiam and Mary were thus made king 
 and queen of England, they were alfo in Scotland declared 
 king and queen of Scotland. And fomebody in Holland 
 denoted the year of his being made king in this manner : 
 « VVILheLMVs tertIVs angLlseVInDeX.' Not long after 
 this a war was proclaimed againft France, and the late king 
 James, fupported by the French king, went over to Ireland, 
 from whence in prdcefs of time he was dpven away by 
 king William, after the bloody battle near the river Boyne; 
 but that not belonging to this hiftory, I will not detain 
 my reader with a relation thereof, 
 
 'a king having now mounted the throne, the convention 
 was turned into a parliament; and then this auguft affembly 
 made it their bufmefs to reftrain the forcing of confcience;^ 
 and an aft paffed for exempting Proteftant diffenters from 
 the penal laws,- by which fome diffenters, and efpecially 
 the Quakers, had fuffercd and been perfecutcd many years. 
 
 204 
 
470 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1689 
 
 16S9] 
 
 VEOVLE CALLED QtlAKERS. 
 
 47> 
 
 Yet care was taken to keep that law in force by which 
 Papifts were excUided from fitting in parliament. And 
 thofe penal laws, of which mention hath been made here- 
 tofore in due place, were now reftrpined, except the tell 
 a£t, properly required for ferving in high offices, and to 
 keep out the Papifts. The aforefaid a£t gave alfo liberty 
 to diffeilters to keep religious meetings, provided the doors 
 were not locked, barred or bolted, during the time of fuch 
 meeting. But none of thefe diffentcrs were freed from 
 paying tithes, or other church duties fo called, to the 
 clergy, nor from being cited before bifhops' courts. But 
 this liberty of keeping public meetings was not allowed to 
 Papifts; for all that would participate of the faid liberty, 
 were required to take the oath of allegiance ; yet to com- 
 ply with the people called Quakers, who for confcience- 
 fake fcruplcd to take any oath, this a^l: enjoined that they 
 {hould fubfcribe the followiog declaration : 
 
 * I A. B. do fmcerely promife and fclemnly declare, 
 before God and the world, that I will be true and faithful 
 to king William and queen Mary; and I do folemnly profefs 
 and declare, that 1 do from ray heart abhor, detell and re- 
 nounce, as impious and heretical, that damnable doftrine 
 and pofition, that princes excommunicated or deprived by 
 the pope, or any authority of the fee of Rome, may be 
 depofcd or murdered by their fubjefts, or any other what- 
 foever. And I declare that no foreign prince, perfon, 
 prelate, ftate, or potentate, hath, or ought to have any 
 power, jurifdiftion, fuperiority, pre-eminence, or authority, 
 ccclefiaftical or fpiritual, within this realm.' 
 
 Befides this they were obliged to fubfcribe alfo another, 
 with refpe£l to their orthodox, and for excluding Soci- 
 nianifm. 
 
 * I J. J?, profefs faith in God the Father, and in Jefus 
 Chrifl his eternal Son, the true God, and in the holy 
 Spirit, one God, bleffed for evermore : and do acknow- 
 ledge the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Teflamcnt 
 to be giveo by divine infpiration/ 
 
 And left any Papifl: might make ufe of this declaration, 
 there were required fufficient Proteftant witneffes that the 
 declarer was a Proteftant diffcnter. Befides no congre- 
 gation or affembly for religious worfliip was permitted or 
 allowed by this act, until the place of {uch meeting fhould 
 be certified to the bifliop of the diocefe,or to the archdeacon 
 of the archdeaconry ; or to the juftices of the peace at the 
 general or quaner-fcffions of the peace for the county, city, 
 or place, in which fuch meeting fhould be held, andregif- 
 tered in the faid bifliop's or archdeacon's court refpectively, 
 or recorded at the faid general or quarter-feffionsi.for 
 which the regifter or clerk fliould not take greater fee or 
 reward than fixpence. 
 
 By this we now fee the religion of the Quakers acknow- 
 ledged and tolerated by an a6t of parliament ; and them, 
 felv^s rcleafed from all perfecution for performance of their 
 publick worfhip, and their rcfufal of the oath of allegiance. 
 This was a work referved for that great prince king Wil- 
 liam, who being born in a country where force upon con- 
 fcience was abrogated, when a Proteftant government was 
 fettled there, now alfo according to his ability introduced 
 the like Chriftian liberty in England : but to releafe from 
 the payment of tithes was beyond his reach, how unreafon- 
 ably foever the clergy aaed in this cafe ; whereof about 
 this time a notable inftance was publiftied in print, of one 
 John Bifliop, a countryman at Wortham, from whom for 
 two years tithes there had been .taken, horfes, kine, and 
 flieep, to the value of feventy-fix pounds, according to the 
 eftimate of impanial perfons, though rated by himfelf at 
 eighty-three pounds. And yet the prieft, Thomas Thurlow, 
 * had declared upon his oath, that he believed that the tithes 
 of every year's growth of the faid Bilhop, did amount one 
 year with another, to three pounds feventeen (hillings and 
 fixpence ; but the charges were reckoned fo high, and the 
 rating of the diftrained goods was fo very much beneath 
 the real value, that the lofs thereby fuftained was exceed- 
 
 ing great. 
 
 In Barbadoes in the Weft Indies, where the inhabitants 
 were marflialled to bear arms, the Quakers, notwithftand- 
 iiig what had been ordered in their favour by king James, 
 
 \ 
 
472 THE HISTORY OF THE [1689 
 
 trontiniied yet under hard fufferings, of which more in the 
 fequel. They now that were thus opprefled fcnt over a 
 petition to the king, wherein they fet forth how they were 
 molefted, and prayed for relief; which had fuch effeft, 
 that the king iflbed forth the following order : 
 
 At the Council at Whitehall, Dec. 12, 1689, 
 Prefent the king's moft excellent raajcfty in council. 
 
 • Upon reading a petition of the people called Quakers, 
 inhabiting the ifland of Barbadoes, fetting forth, that be- 
 caufc the faid Quakers could not bear arms, nor take an 
 oath in any cafe, they have fuffered much by virtue of an 
 aft made to fettle the militia in the faid ifland ; as in the 
 petition hereunto annexed is more at large expreffed ; his 
 jnajefty in council is gracioufly pleafed to refer the matter 
 of the faid petition to the examination of James Kenda!, 
 cfq. his majefty's governor of Barbadoes for the time 
 being, who is to give the petitioners fuch relief in relation 
 to the mihtia, as to him fhall feem juft and reafonable to 
 anfwer their particular circuraftances, and to make report 
 thereof to his majefly. 
 
 * Richard Collinge/ 
 
 / - 
 
 This year deceafcd Alexander Parker, fometimes men- 
 tioned in this hiftory, being a man not only of a godly life 
 and converfation, but alfo of a goodly mem and grave de- 
 portment. In the following year, viz. that of 1690, Robert 
 Barclay alfo departed this life ; a man of eminent gifts and 
 great endowments, expert not only in the languages of the 
 learned, but alfo well verfed in the writings of the ancient 
 fathers, and other ecclefiaflical writers, and furnifhed with 
 a great underftanding, being not only of a found judgment, 
 but aJfo ftrong in argumeiKs, and cheerful in fufferings. 
 Befides, he was of a friendly and pleafant, yet grave, con- 
 verfation, and eminently fitted for compofmg of differences ; 
 and he really lived up to yv^hat he profeffed, being of an 
 unblameable deportment, truly pious, and well beloved of 
 thofe he conveHed with. And in this happy ftate it pleafed 
 God to take liim away out of this vale of tears, into a glo^ , 
 
 1690] 
 
 PEOPLE Called Quakers. 
 
 473 
 
 rious immortality, in the prime of his age, having not 
 lived much above ha[f the life of a man, as it is commonly 
 accounted, viz. in his 42d year, on the third of Oftober, 
 at his houfe at Ury in Scotland, where he died of a fick- 
 ncfs wliich did not lafl: long ; yet he fignified with a good 
 imderaanding, that it was weli with him as to his foul. 
 
 This year Stephen Crifp writ an epiflle of tender love 
 and brotherly advice to all the churches of Chrifl through- 
 out the world, in which he exhorted them more particu- 
 larly to charity; and fince therein feveral remarkable 
 duties are held forth and recommended, I cann©t well omit 
 to infert a copy of it here, which is as followcth : 
 
 'Dearly beloved friends and brethren, gathered out of 
 the world by the eternal arm and power of the mighty 
 God, to bear his holy name in your generation ; my love 
 and life in the fellowftiip of the univerfal fpirit falutes you 
 all, and my prayer to God is, you may be kept ftedfaft and 
 immoveable in the grace of (iod, and in the communion of 
 his holy Spirit, that ye may bring forth fruit in abundance, 
 according to the abundant mercy and grace beftowed upon 
 you, to the glory of God, and to your mutual joy, com* 
 fort, and edification. 
 
 ' And that you may fo do, let your eye be kept daily 
 to the Lord, and behold and take notice of the wondrous 
 works that he hath wrought in you, and for you, fince the 
 day ye were firft quickened by his immortal word, and 
 ftirred up to ftek after him, and to wait upon him ; how 
 good and gracious he hath been to you, in bringing you 
 from the barren mountains, where your fouls languilhed 
 for the heavenly nourilhment; where you knew not the 
 Lord, nor one another, but were without a comforter, or 
 any to fympathize with you in your mournings ; Oh, how 
 hath he pitied your groanings, and had compaflion on 
 your fighings, and brought you into acquaintance with 
 thofe that Were in the like exercifes ; and then he taught 
 you to believe on him that wa« able to help you-: and 
 thofe that were thus taught of the Father, and felt his 
 ^rawing cords of love prevailing upon them 5 thefe came 
 
474 T^^* HISTORY OF THE [1690 
 
 to Chrift their Saviour, and in him began to feel an unity 
 ODC with another, in the faith you had received in him; 
 Tvhercby you believed he ^\^ould give you of his fpirit to 
 teach and guide you in the way of truth, righteoufncfs, 
 and peace ; and thus was the foundation of your holy 
 communion laid, and a livefy hope raifed in each particu- 
 lar foul, that he that had begun this bleffed work would 
 carry it on ; and this hope made you that were not 
 afhamed to make a publick profeffion of his name before 
 the world ; but cheerfully to take up his crofs, and deny 
 yourfeives of your former pleafures, friendfhips, and de- 
 lights of this world : this hope hath been your fuppori in 
 inany fharp trials, and bitter combats yoa have had with 
 the enemy of your foul's peace within, and with the 
 enemies of God's holy way and truth without ; and in all 
 your confli£ls you have found him nigh at hand, to put 
 forth his power on your behalf, as you have depended 
 upon him for afliftance ; and by thefe experiences of his 
 goodncfs, your faith hath been ftrengthened ; and by the 
 fame word of life that quickened you, many m&rc have 
 been reached unto, fo that you have ken a daily addition 
 of ftrength in the particular, and alfo an addition to your 
 number, to your great comfort and encouragement ; and 
 many have come* to w^ait upon the Lord among you ; and 
 many are daily inquiring the way to Zion, with their faces 
 thitherward. Thefe things are worth your remembrance 
 and ferious confiderations, that you may look upon thefe 
 great mercies as obligations upon your fouls, to walk 
 humbly before the Lord, and to be devout and fervent in 
 your teflimony, for that God that hath done thus great 
 things for you. 
 
 * And, friends; confider of the great works that this 
 mighty arm of the Lord hath brought to pafs in the 
 general, as well as in the particular ; how many contriv- 
 ances have been framed, and laws and decrees made to lay 
 you wafle, and to make you ceafe to be a people, and bow 
 have the wicked rejoiced thereat, (for a feafonj crying, 
 * Ah, ah ! thus would we have it; they arc all now given 
 up to baniihments, to imprifonments, to fpoils and ruins ; 
 now let us fee if that inviible arm they truft in can deliver 
 
 1690] 
 
 PtilOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 475 
 
 them.' Oh friends ! how hath your God been your ftip- 
 port in the midft of all thefe exercifes ? and when he hath 
 pleafcd, how he hath quieted the (harpefl ftorms^ and 
 turned back the greateft floods and torrents of perfecutioa 
 that ever you met ? and how hath he confounded his and 
 your enemies, and brought confufion upon the he^ds of 
 them that fought your hurt? .were not thefe things 
 WTOught by the power of God? did your number, your 
 policy, your iniereft, or any thing that might be called your 
 own, contribute any thing to thefe your great prefervations 
 and deliverances ? if not, then let God have the glory, 
 and acknowledge, to his praife^ thefe have been the Lord's 
 doings, and are marvellous in our eyes. 
 
 * Again, dear friends, confider how the wicked one 
 hath wrought in a myftery among yourfelves, to fcattcr 
 you, and to lay you wafte from being a people as at this 
 day ; how many feveral ways hath be tried, raifing up 
 men and perverfe minds, to fubvert and to turn you from 
 the faith, and from the fimpUcity that is in Chrift Jefus 
 our Lord ; and to feparatc you from that invifible power 
 that hath been your ftrength, and to feparate you one 
 from another, and by fubtile wiles to lead you into a falfc 
 liberty above the crofs of Chrift; and fometimesby fowmg 
 feeds of herefy and feditions, endeavouring to corrupt the 
 minds of whom they tould with pernicious principles ; but 
 oh, how have their dcfigns been fruftrated, and the authors 
 thereof confounded and brought to nought: and how 
 have you been preferved as a flock under the hand of a 
 careful ftiepherd, even unto this day, which minifters great 
 caufe of thankfgiving unto all the faithful, who have wit- 
 neflfed the working of this prcferving power in their owq 
 
 particulars. * ri • 
 
 « Alfo, my friends, it is worth your confiderations, to 
 behold how that by this invifible power fo many faithful 
 watchmen are raifed up upon the walls of your Zion \ that 
 in moft of your meetings there be men and women, upon 
 whom God hath laid a concern to be taking care for the 
 good of the whole ; and to take the overfight upon ihem, 
 to fee all things kept in good and decent order, and to 
 make due provifion for the comforting and relieving the 
 
476 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE ^■ 
 
 [i6()o 
 
 neceffirics of the needy and xJiftrefled ; that nothing be 
 lacking to make your v?ay -comfortable ; and thefe have 
 not been, nor are brought under this charge by any 2.^: 
 of yours, but God hath raifed up paftors and teachers, 
 ciders and deacons of his own election and choice, and 
 bowed their fpirits to take upon them the- work and fer- 
 vice to which they are appointed, for the Lord's fake, and 
 for the body's fake, which is the church ; to whom it may 
 truly be faid, as in Afts xx. 28. "Take ye heed to the 
 flock of God, over which the Holy Ghoft hath made you 
 overfeers," &c. And fuch ought to be hearkened to in 
 the difcharge of their truft, as thofe that muft give an ac- 
 count to him that called them, and gifted them for their 
 feveral works and fcrvices in the church. 
 
 ' And by thefe ways and means hath the Lord eftab- 
 lifhed among you a heavenly government, and built as it 
 were a hedge about you, that ye may be preferved:from 
 generation to generation, a people fitted for the glory that 
 is, and fhall daily more and more be revealed among and 
 upon the faithful, who delight in that power that called 
 them to be faints, and to bear a profeilion for the holy 
 name of God, againft the many hames and ways that men 
 in their changeable minds have fet up, that the name of 
 the Lord alone may be e::alted. 
 
 'And dear friends and brethren, I intreat you, that the 
 confideration of thefe great and weighty things which. God 
 hath wrought for you, and among you, may have that deep 
 and weighty influence upon your fouls, that ye may find 
 yourfelves engaged to anfwer the love and mercy of God in 
 your lives and converfations, and in all you have to do in 
 this world j that ye may (hew forth the honour of God in 
 all things, that the light which hath (hined in you, may 
 Ihine forth through you unto others, who yet fit in dark- 
 nefe ; that all men may know by your innocent and harm- 
 kfs converfations, and by your clofe keeping to the Lx)rd, 
 that ye are a people who arc afllfted and helped by a fuper- 
 natural power, which governs your wills, and fubje^ts 
 them to his bleffcd will ; and that guides and orders your 
 affeftions, and fets them upon heavenly and divine objefts, 
 and that gives you power to deny your own private intc- 
 
 1690] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 477 
 
 rcfts, where they happen to ftand in competition whh the 
 intereft of truth ; for thefe, and thefe only, will be found 
 the true difciples of our Lord jefus Chrift, who can deny 
 tberafelvesj take up a crofs daily, and follow him in the 
 guidance of his regenerating power ; which brings death 
 upon felf, and crucifies the old nature, with its affe6lio!3s 
 and lufts, and raifeth up a bhth in you, that hath a holy 
 will and defire to ferve the Lord, and do his will in thei 
 earth ; and fuch as thefe are inflruments m the hand of 
 God for him to work by^ and to do works of righteouf- 
 nefs, ofjuftice, of charity, and all other the virtues belong- 
 ing to a Chriftian life, to the honouf of God, and for the 
 comfort and benefit of his church and people. 
 
 ' And all you, dear friends, upon whom the Lord hath 
 laid a care for his honour, and for the profperity of the 
 truth ; and gathered you into the good order of the gofpel, 
 to meet together to manage the affairs thereof; take heed 
 that ye have a fingle eye to the Lord, to do the Lord's 
 bufinefs in the leadings of his Spirit, which is but one, 
 and brings all (that are given up to be governed by it) to be 
 of one mind and heart, at leafl in the general purpofe and 
 fervice of thofe meetings ; although through the diverfity of 
 exercifes, and the feveral degrees of growth among the 
 brethren, every one may not fee or underiland alike in 
 every matter, at the firfl propounding of it ; yet this makes 
 no breach of the unity, nor hinders the brotherly-kindnefs, 
 but puts you often upon an exercife and an inward tra- 
 velling, to feel the pure peaceful wifdom that is front 
 above to open among you ; and every one's ear is open^ 
 to it, in whomfocver it fpeaks, and thereby a fenfe of hfe 
 is given to the meeting, to which all that are of a Cmple and 
 tender mind join and agree ; but if any among you (hould be 
 contrary minded in the management of fome outward affair, 
 relating to the truth, this doth not prefently break the 
 unity that ye have in Chrift ; nor (hould weaken the bro- 
 therly love, fo long as he keeps waiting for an under-: ] 
 (landing from God, to be gathered into the fame feofc 
 with you, and walks iwith you, according to the law of; 
 charity. Such a one ought to be borne with and cheriflied; 
 and the fupplicutions of your fouls fliall go up to God for 
 
478 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1690 
 
 him, that Gpd may reveal it to him if it be. his will ; 
 that no difference may be in underftanding, fo far as is 
 neceflary for the good of the church, no more than there 
 is in matters of faiih and obedience to God ; for, my 
 friends, it is not of abfolute necclTity that every member 
 of the church fliould have the fame mcafure of under- 
 ftanding in all thi^igs ; for then where were the duty of 
 the ftrong bearing with the weak ? Then where were the 
 brother of low degree ? Where would be any fubmitting 
 to them that are fct over others in the Lord ; which all 
 tend 10 the prcferving unity in the church, nolhwithflanding 
 the different meafurcs and difftftent growths of the members 
 thereof; for as the fpirits of the prophets are fiibjeft to 
 the prophets ; fo are the fpirits of all that are kept in a 
 true fubje^tion to the fpirit of life in themfelves, kept in the 
 fame fubjcffion to the fenfe of life given by the fame fpirit 
 in the church ; and by this means we come to know the 
 one mafter, even Chrift, and have no room for other 
 niaflers in the matter of our obedience to God ; and while 
 every one keeps in this true fubjedtion, the fweet concord 
 is known, and the oil is not only upon Aaron's head, but 
 it rcachcth the ikirts of his garment alfo ; and things are 
 kept fweet and favory, and ye love one another from the 
 greateft to the leall in fmcerity, and (as the apoftle faith) 
 without dilfimulation ; and this love excludes all whifperings 
 of evil things ; all backbiting, tale-bearing, grudgings, and 
 murmurings ; and keeps friends minds clean one towards 
 another, waiting for every opportunity to do each other 
 good, and to preferve each other's reputation ; and their 
 hearts are comforted at the fight of one another ; and in 
 all their affairs, -boch relating to the church and to the 
 world, they will be watchful over their own fpirits, and 
 keep in the Lord's power, over that nature and grotmd in 
 themfelves that would be apt to take an offence, or conflrue 
 any word or adlion to a worfe fcnfe than the fimplicity 
 thereof, or the intention of die other concerned will 
 allow of. 
 
 * And whereas it may often fall out, that among a great 
 many, fome may have a different apprehenfion of a matter 
 from the reft of their brethren, cfpccially in outward or 
 
 1690] PEOPLE CALLED QITAKERS. 479 
 
 temporal things ; there ought to be a Chriftian liberty 
 maintained for fuch to exprefs their fenfe with freedom of 
 mind^ or elfe they will go away burdened ; whereas if they 
 fpeak their minds freely, and a friendly and Chriftian 
 conference be admitted thereupon, they may be eafed, 
 and oftentimes the different apprehenfion of fuch an one 
 comes to be wholly removed, and his underftanding opened, 
 to fee as the reft fee ; for the danger in fociety doth not 
 lie fo much in that, that fome few may have a differing 
 apprehenfion in fome things from the general fenfe ; as it 
 doth in this, namely, when fuch that fo differ, do fuffer 
 themfelves to be led out of the bond of charity, and ftiall 
 labour to impofe their private fenfe upon the reft of their 
 brethren, and to be offended and angry if it be not re- 
 ceived ; this is the feed of fedition and ftrife that hath 
 grown up in too many, to their own hurt. 
 
 * And therefore, my dear friends, beware of it, and 
 feek not to drive a matter on in fiercenefs or in anger, nor 
 to take offence into your minds at any time, becaufe what 
 feems to be clear to you, is not prefently receivf-d •, but 
 let all things in the church be propounded with an awful 
 reverence for him that is the head and life of it ; who hath 
 faid, " Where two or three are met in my name, I will be 
 in the midft of them." And fo he is, and may be felt by 
 all who keep in his fpirit ; but he that follows his own 
 fpirit, fees nothing as he ought to fee it. Therefore let 
 all beware of their own fpirits and natural tempers (as 
 they are fometimes called), but let all keep in a gracious 
 temper ; then are ye fit for the fervice of the houfe of God, 
 whofe houfe ye are, as ye keep upon the foundation that 
 God hath laid ; and he will build you up, and teach you 
 how to build up one another in him, and as every mem- 
 ber muft feel life in themfelves, and all from one head ; 
 this life will not hurt itfelf in any^ but be tender of the life in 
 all ; for by this one life of the word ye were begotten, and 
 by it ye are nouriflied, and made to grow into your fevcral 
 fervices in the church of God ; it is no man's learning, 
 nor artificial acquirements; it is no man's riches, nor 
 greatnefs in this world : it U no man's eloquence and 
 natural wifdom, that makes Km fit for government in the 
 
 Vol. 11. 2 H 
 
480 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ^1690 
 
 church of Chrifl ; unlefs he, with all his endowments, be 
 feafoned with the heavenly fait, and his fpirit fubjeftcd, 
 and his gifts pafs through the fire of God's altar, a facrifice 
 to his praife and honour ; that fo felf be crucified and 
 baptized in death, and the gifts made ufe of in the power 
 of the refurreftion of the life of Jefus in him ; and when 
 this c^reat work is wrought in a man, then all his gifts and 
 qualifications are fanftified, and they are made ufe of for the 
 Tood of the body, \vhich is the church ; and are as orna- 
 ments and jewels, which ferves for the joy and comfort of 
 all who are partakers of the fame divine fellowfhip of life 
 in Chrift Jefus our Lord ; and thus come many to be fitted 
 and furnifhed to good works, which are brought forth in 
 iheir due feafons, for edification and building up the w^eak, 
 and for repairing the decayed places, and alfo for defence 
 of them that are feeble, that hurtful things may not come 
 
 near them. 
 
 ' Oh friends! great is the work the Lord hath called 
 you to, and is a fitting you for, who innocendy wait upon 
 him ; and the Lord hath opened my heart unto you, and 
 laid it upon me to exhort and befeech you to have a care 
 that ye quit yourfelves as ye ought, in what God requires 
 of ye ; and for the more particular exprefling what lies 
 before me in the matter, 1 Ihall fet down a few particular 
 obfervations for your benefit and advantage ; and my foul's 
 defire is, that my labour of love may have a good effeft in 
 all your bofoms, that God may be honoured thereby. 
 And, friends, ye know the chief bufinefs, to which ye are 
 called in your particular men and women's meetings, is 
 under thefe two heads, juflice and charity ; the firft, to 
 fee that cvery-one hath right done him ; and the other, to 
 take care there be nothing lacking to the comfort of the 
 poor, that are made partakers of the fame faith with you. 
 
 ' And when ye meet about thefe things, keep the Lord 
 in your eye, and wait to feel his power to guide and dire6l 
 you, to fpeak and behave yourfelves in the church of God, 
 as becomes the peaceable gofpel : and beware of all brittle- 
 »efs of ipirit, and Iharp refleftions upon each others words ; 
 for that w'll kindle up heats, and create a falfe fire ; and 
 when one takes a liberty of a fbarp word fpoken out of 
 
 1690] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 481 
 
 the true fear and tendernefs, it oftentimes becomes a 
 temptation to another; and if he hath not a great care, it 
 will draw him out alfo, and then the firft is guilty of two 
 evils, firft, being led into a temptation, and then fecoudly, 
 he becomes a tempter to others ; therefore all had need 
 be upon their watch, neither to tempt, nor be tempted ; 
 and let none think it a fufficient excufe for them that they 
 were provoked ; for we are as anfwerable to God for 
 every evil word fpoken upon provocation, as without pro- 
 vocation ; for, for that end hath the Lord revealed his 
 power to us, to keep and preferve us in his fear and 
 counfel in the time of our provocations ; and therefore if 
 any man through want of watchfulnefs, fhould be overtaken 
 with heat or pafiion, a foft anfwer appeafeth wrath, faith 
 the wife man ; and therefore fuch a time is fitteft for a 
 foft anfwer, left the enemy prevail on any to their hurt, 
 and to the grief and trouble of their brethren ; for it is the 
 
 ' proper duty of watchmen and overfeers* to fpare the flock; 
 that is, let nothing come nigh them that will hurt them, 
 and wound and grieve them ; nay, the good apoftle was 
 fo careful over the flock of believers, that if there were 
 any doubtful matters to be difputed of, he would not have 
 them that were weak in the faith at fuch difputes ; much 
 lefs ought they that are weak, to fee thofe that are lli-ong, 
 defcend from their ftrength, and go into the weaknefs where 
 they are not able to bear; for that is certainly the 
 weak that cannot bear; thofe that really live in the 
 
 ' ftrength and power, they can bear even burdens for them 
 that cannot bear their own. The apoftle in the place 
 before-mentioned, when he fent for the elders of Ephefus 
 to Miletus, and left a charge with them, before he faid, 
 take heed to the flock of God ; he faid, " Take ye heed 
 to yourfelves." And indeed we are none of us like to 
 difcharge ourfelves well towards others, but by taking 
 heed to ourfelves, to be kept in that fober innocent frame 
 of fpirit, which the truth calls for. 
 
 ' In the next place, my dear friends, when ye arc called 
 upon in point of juftice, to give a fentence of right between 
 friend and friend, take heed that neither party get pofleflion 
 of your fpirit aforehand, by any way or means whatfoever, 
 
 i H 2 
 
ii 
 
 4S? 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [[1690 
 
 or obtain any word or fentence from you in the abfencc of 
 the other party, he not being yet heard -.there is nothing 
 more comely among men than impartial judgment ; judg- 
 ment is a feat where neither intereft, nor affeftion, nor 
 former kindnefles may come ; we may make no difference 
 c>i^lheworthinefs or unworthinefs of perfons in judgment, 
 \as we may in charity ; but in judgment, if a good man be 
 .miftaken, hath a bad caufe, or a bad man a good caufe, 
 according to liis caufe muft he have fentence. It was a 
 good faying, he that judged among men, judgeth for the 
 Lord, and he will repay it. Therefore let all be done as 
 unto the Lord, and as ye are willing to anfwer it in his 
 prcfence ; and although fome may for a time be dif<!bntent 
 thereat, yet in time God fhall clear up your innocency as 
 the fun at noon-day ; and they that kick at found judgment 
 will find but hard work of it ; they do but kick againfl 
 ' that which will prick them ; and however fuch through 
 their willfulnefs, and their abounding in their own fenfe 
 may hurt themfelves, yet you will be preferved, and enjoy 
 your peace and fatisfadion in the difcharge of your confci- 
 ences in the fight of God. 
 
 ' And as concerning praftical charity, ye know it 1$ 
 fupported by liberality, and where liberality ceafeth, charity 
 waxeth cold, yea, fo far ceafeth ; where there is no con- 
 tribution, there is no diftribution ; where the one is fparing, 
 the other is fparing ; and therefore let every one nourifh 
 charity in the root, that is, keep a liberal mind ; a heart 
 that looks upon the fubftance that is given him, as really 
 bellowed upon him for the fupport of charity, as for the 
 fupport of his own body ; and where people are of this 
 mind, they will have a care of keeping back any of God's 
 part, for he hath in all ages, in a moft fmgular manner, 
 cfpoufed the caufe of the poor, the widow, and fatherlefs ; 
 and hath often fignified by his prophets and minifters, a 
 fpccial charge upon rich men that had this world's goods, 
 that they fliould look to it that they were faithful ftcwards 
 of what they poffeffed, and that .they might be found in 
 good works, and might not fuffer their hearts fo to cleave 
 to uncertain riches, as to negle6 the fervice God bad 
 given than the things of this life for : either to give them 
 
 1690] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QJIAKERS. 
 
 483 
 
 up when called for in a teftlmony of his worthy naine, 
 or to communicate of them to thofe that were in neceffity. 
 ' Now as concerning the neceffuies of the poor, there 
 is ^reat need of wifdom when ye meet together about that 
 affair ; for as I faid before, though the worthinefs or 
 unworthinefs of perfons is not to be confidered in judgment, 
 yet in this it is ; and you will find fome that God hath 
 made poor, and fome that have made themfelves poor, and 
 fome that others have made poor, which muft all have their 
 feveral confiderations ; in which you ought to labour to be 
 unanimous, and not one to be taken up with an affeftion 
 to one perfon more than another ; but every one to love 
 every one in the univerfal fpirit, and then to deal out that 
 love in the outward manifeftations thereof, according to 
 the meafure that the Lord in his wifdom working in you, 
 fhall meafure forth to them. 
 
 ' And as to thofe who by ficknefs, lamenefs, age, or 
 other impotency, are brought into poverty by the hand of 
 Providence j thefe are your peculiar care and objefts pomted 
 out to you, to beftow your charity upon, for by them the 
 Lord calls for it ; for as the earth is the Lord's, and the 
 fullnefs of it, he hath by his fovereign power commanded 
 in every difpenfation, that a part of what we enjoy from 
 him, fhould be thus employed. The Ifraeiites were not 
 to reap the corners of their fields, nor to gather the 
 gleanings of the corn nor vintage ; it was for the poor ; 
 and in the time of the gofpel, they were to lay apart on 
 the Firft day of the week, a part of what God had bleffed 
 them with, for the relief of thofe that were in neceffity ; 
 nay, they did not confine themfelves in their charity to 
 their own meetings, but had an univerfal eye through the 
 whole church of Chrift, and upon extraordinary occalions, 
 fent their benevolence to relieve the faints at Jerufalem \\\ 
 a time of need ; and all that keep in the guidance of the 
 fame univerfal Spirit, will make it their bufinefs to be found 
 in the fame praftice of charity and good works. To do 
 good, and communicate, forget not, faith the apoftle : fo 
 they that forget not this Chriftian duty, will find out the 
 poor's part in the corners and gleanings of the profits ot 
 their trades and merchandizings, as well as the old Ilraclitc 
 
 2 H 3 
 
 I 
 
484 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1690 
 
 1690] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 485 
 
 
 .11 
 
 1^ 
 
 did the corners and gleanings of his field ; and in the diftri- 
 biition of it, will have a regard to comfort the bowels of 
 fuch, who are by the divine providence of God, put out 
 of a capacity of enjoying thofe outward comforts of health, 
 and ftrength, and plenty, which others do enjoy ; for 
 while they are partakers of the fame faith, and walk in the 
 way of righteoufnefs with you, fubmitting themfelves pa- 
 tiently to the difpenfation of God's providence towards 
 them, they are of your houfehold, and under your care, 
 both to vifit and to relieve, as members of one body, of 
 which Chrifl: Jefus is head ; and he that giveth to fuch 
 poor, lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay it. 
 
 ' But there is another fort of poor, who make themfelves 
 poor through their floth and careleffnefs, and fometimes 
 by their wilfulnefs, being heady and high-minded, and 
 taking things in hand that are more than they can manage, 
 and making a flourifh for a feafon, and then, through 
 their own neglefts, are plunged down into great poverty. 
 Thefe are a fort the primitive churches began to be troubled 
 withal in the early days of the gofpel ; for the apoftle took 
 notice of fome that would not work at all, and ftiarply 
 reproved them, and faid, they that would not work, fhould 
 not eat ; and thefe are commonly a fort of bufy-bodies, 
 and meddlers with others' matters, while they neglecl their 
 own, and run into a worfe way than the unbelievers, while 
 they profefs to be believers, yet do not take a due care 
 for thofe pf their own houfehold. 
 
 * The charity that is proper to fuch, is to give them 
 admonition and reproof, and to convince them of their floih 
 and negligence ; aixi if they fubmit to your reproof, and 
 are willing to amend, then care ought to be taken to help 
 them into a way and means to fupport themfelves ; and fome- 
 times by a little help of this kind, fome have been reclaimed 
 from the fnares of their foul's enemy i but if they will not 
 receive your wholefome counfel and admonitions, but kick 
 , againft it, either in their words or aftions, friends Avill be 
 clear of fuch in the fight of God ; for it is unreafonable to 
 feed them that will not be ruled by you, they break the 
 obligation of fociety by their diforderly walking ; for our 
 communion doth not (land only in frequenting meetings, 
 
 and hearing truth preached, but in anfwering the blcffed 
 principle of truth, in life and converfation, and therein 
 both the rich and the poor have fellowftiip one w^ith 
 another. 
 
 ' ? here are another fort that are made poor by the op- 
 prrflions and cruelties of others. Thefe oppreflcd poor cry 
 loud m the ears of the Almighty, and he will in his own time 
 avenge their caufe ; but in the mean-time there is a tender- 
 jnefs to be extended to them, not knowing how foon it may 
 be our turn ; and if there be need of counfel and advice, 
 or if any applications can be made to any that are able to 
 deliver them from the oppreflbrs ; in fuch cafes let all that 
 are capable be ready and willing ;o advife, relieve, and 
 help the diftreffed ; and this is an acceptable work of 
 charity, and a great comfort to fuch in their (harp affliftions, 
 and their fouls will blefs the inftruments of their eafe and 
 comfort. 
 
 ' And, my dear friends, as God hath honoured you with 
 fo high and holy a calling, to be his fervants and workmen 
 in this his great and notable day, and to work together in 
 his power, in fetting forth his praife and glory in the earth, 
 and gathering together in one the fcattered feed in this and 
 other nations ; oh, let the dignity of your caUing provoke 
 and encourage you to be diligent attenders upon this work 
 and fervice you are called to, and let not your concerns in 
 the world draw you from obferving the times and feafons 
 appointed to meet together; but you that are elder, fet 
 a good example to the younger fort, by a due obfervation 
 of the hour appointed, that they that come firft one time, 
 may, not by their long flaying for others be difcouraged, 
 fo as perhaps they may be lafl another time ; but when 
 the time is come, leave your bufinefs for the Lord's work, 
 and he will take care your bufinefs (hall not fujffer, but yj'ill 
 add a blefllng upon it, which will do more for you than 
 the time can do that might be faved out of his fervice. 
 
 ' And when you have to do with perverfe, and fro ward, 
 or diforderly perfons, whom ye have occafion to reprove, 
 and to rebuke for the truth's fake, and you find them flout 
 and high, and reflefting upon ye; then is a time for the 
 Lamb's mecknefs to fhine forth, and for you to feel your 
 
 2 H 4 
 
 H 
 
486 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1690 
 
 authority in the name of Chrift, to deal with fuch an one, 
 and to wait for the pure and peaceable wifdom from above, 
 to bring down and confound the earthly wifdom. And in 
 this frcime of mind you labour together to pull the entangled 
 Iheep out of the thicket, and to reftore that which is gone 
 aftray, to the fold again, if you can ; but if you cannot, yet 
 you fave yourfelves from the guilt of his blood ; and if fuch 
 do perifti, his blood will be on his own head : but on the 
 other hand, if ye fufter their perverfe fpirits to enter, and 
 their provocations to have a place in you, fo as to kindle 
 your fpirits into a heat of paflion, then you get a hurt, 
 and are uncapable to do them any good ; but words will 
 break out that will need repentance, and the wicked will 
 be ftiiFened and flrengthened thereby, and you mils the 
 fervice that you did really intend. Therefore, dearly be- 
 loved, keep upon your w^atch, keep on your fpiritual 
 armour ; keep your feet fliod with the preparation of the 
 gofpel of peact, and the God of peace will be with you, and 
 crown your endeavours with good fuccefs, to your joy and 
 comfort, and will bring up his power over your adverfaries 
 and oppofers more and more, to which many fhall bow 
 and bend in your fight ; and will bring Ihame and confufion 
 upon the rebellious, who harden their hearts and ftifFen 
 their necks againft the Lord, and his Chrift, and kingdom; 
 vrhich he will exalt in the earth, notwithftanding all that 
 Satan, and all his evil inftruments can do to hinder the 
 growth and progrefs of his blelTed truth ; for of the increafe 
 of the government, and of the peace of the kingdom of 
 Chrift, there fliall be no end. 
 
 ^ And now, friends, I have cleared my confcience of 
 what lay upon me for fome time, to write by way of re- 
 membrance, and as the exhortation of my life unto you, 
 I remain travailing in fpirit for the welfare of Zion : and 
 alihopgb the outward man decays, yet in the inward man 
 I am comforted, in beholding daily the great things that 
 our (jod hath done, and is ftill doing for thofe that have their 
 fole dependance upon him. So committing you to the 
 grace of God, for your direftor and preferver, in thefe 
 and all your feveral fervices unto which God hath called 
 you, that by the operations of his mighty power ye may 
 
 1690] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 487 
 
 be kept blamelefs and unfpotted of the world, to his honour 
 and your comfort, and to the univerfal comfort and edifi- 
 cation of the church, that fo praifes and thankfgivings may 
 fill your hearts and mouths, your families, and your meet- 
 ings ; for he is worthy who is our tower, our fupport, 
 the Lord of hofts, the King of laints, to whom be glory, 
 honour, and renown, through this and all generations, 
 for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 * From your friend and brother in 
 the communion and fellowlhip 
 pf the gofpel of peace and 
 purity. 
 
 ' Stephen Crifp/ 
 
 liOwxlon, the i.'th of the 7th month, 
 16^. . 
 
 PafTing now by other matters of this year, we ftep to 
 the next, being that of 1 69 1 , about the beginning of which 
 G. Fox departed this life, who, even in the laft period 
 thereof writ much, and continued laborious without faint- 
 ing. The laft epiftle I find of his, was to his friends and 
 brethren in Ireland, who becaufe of the revolution and 
 troubles there, fufFered much, chiefly as I think by the 
 Papifts ; and therefore in the faid epiftle he exhorted his 
 friends to ftedfaftnefs. This was in the month called 
 January 5 and the next day, being the firft of the week, 
 and the nth of the faid month, he went to the meeting 
 at Gracechurch-ftreet, where he preached very eiFe6lually, 
 treating of many things with great power and clearnefs ; 
 and concluded with a prayer. After which, the meeting 
 ending, he went to Henry Gouldney's, in White-Hart 
 court, near the meeting-houfe, where he faid to fome that 
 came with him, he thought he felt the cold ftrike to hi; 
 heart, as he cajne out of the meeting. Yet added, ' I am, 
 glad i was here : now 1 am clear ; I am fully clear.* When 
 thofe friends that were with him were w^ithdrawn, he lay 
 down in his clothes upon a bed, but foon rofe again ; yet 
 after a little time he lay down again, complaining ftill of 
 cold ; and his ftrength decaying, he not long after un- 
 dreflcd, and went to bed, where he lay in much content- 
 
488 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1.69X 
 
 ment and refignation, continuing very fenfible to the 
 laft. His diftemper increafing, and perhaps perceiving 
 that his end was at hand, he recommended to feme of his 
 friends that came to him after having been fent for, the 
 fpreading of books containing the doftrine of truth. And 
 to fome others who came to vifit him in his iihiefs, he faid, 
 ' All is well, the feed of God reigns over all, ar-d over 
 death hfelf. And though (continued he) I am weak in 
 the body, yet the power of God is over all, and the feed 
 reigns over ail diforderly fpirits.' He ufed often, even in 
 his preaching, when he fpoke of Chrift, to call him the 
 feed ; wherefore thofe that were with him very well knew 
 what he meant when he fpokc of the feed. Thus he lay 
 in a heavenly frame of mind, his fpirit being wholly exer- 
 cifed towards the Lord, and he grew weaker and weaker 
 in body, until, on the third day of the week, and of his 
 ficknefs alfo, he piouily departed this life. About four or 
 five hours before, being alked how he did, he anfwered, 
 ' Do not heed, the power of tlie Lord is above all ficknefs 
 and death ; the feed reigns, blelTed be the Lord. And 
 thus triumphing over death, he departed from hence in 
 peace, and flept'fweetly on the 13th of the month, anciently 
 called January, (for being as a door or entrance into the 
 new year) about ten o'clock at night, in the 67th year of 
 hi? age. His body was buried near Bunhill-fields, on the 
 i6th'of the faid month, the corpfe being accompanied by 
 great numbers of his friends, and of other people alfo: 
 for though he had had many enemies, yet he had made 
 himfclf alfo beloved of many. 
 
 He was tall of flature, and pretty big bodied, yet very 
 moderate in meat and drink ; neither did he yield much 
 to ilcep. He was a man of a deep underftanding, and of 
 ;i difcerninr^ fpirit ; and though his words were not always 
 linked together by a neat grammatical connexion, and his 
 Pieech fometimes feemed abrupt, as with a kind of gap ; 
 vet he expreffed himfelf intelligently, and what was want-^ 
 incT in human wifdom, was abundantly fupplied with 
 lit-avcnly knowledge. He was of a quick apprehenfion ; 
 «ncl though his wit was not polifhed by human art, yet 
 he was ingenious ; and in his prayers C^vhich generally 
 
 1691] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QITAKERS, 
 
 489 
 
 were not very long, though powerful) appeared a decent 
 gravity, mixed with an awful reverence, to admiration. 
 His qualities are at large fei forth by Thomas Ellwood, 
 an eminent author, w^ho having much converfed with him, 
 gave the following charafter of him. ' He was indeed 
 an 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 alTerting it, patient in 
 fuffering for it, unwearied in labouring in it, fleady in his 
 teftimony to it, immoveable as a rock. Deep he was in 
 divine knowledge, clear in opening heavenly myfteries, 
 plain and powerful in preaching, fervent in prayer. He 
 was richly endued with heavenly wifdom, quick in difcern- 
 ing, found in judgment; able and ready in giving, difcreet 
 in keeping counfel; a lover of righteoufnefs; an encourager 
 of virtue, juftice, temperance, mceknefs, purity, chaftity, 
 modefty, and felf-denial in all, both by word and example. 
 Graceful he was in countenance, manly in perfonage, grave 
 in gefture, courteous in converfation, weighty in communi- 
 cation, inflru6i:ive in difcourfe ; free from affectation in 
 fpeech and carriage. A fevere reprover of hard and obfti- 
 nate finners ; a mild and gentle admonifher of fuch as were 
 tender and fenfible of their failings. Not apt to refent 
 perfonal wrongs ; eafy to forgive injuries ; but zealoufly 
 earnefl, where the honour of God, the profpcrity of truth, 
 the peace of the church, were concerned. Very tender, 
 compafGonate, and pitiful he was to all that were under 
 any fort of affliiflion ; full of brotherly love, full of fatherly 
 care : for indeed the care of the churches of Chrill was 
 daily upon him, the profperity and peace whereof he ilu- 
 dioufly fojght.^ Yet more is faid of him to his praife, 
 both by the faid Thomas Ellwood and others, but I will 
 not detain my reader any longer therewith. His wife, 
 about fix months before his death, came to him at London, 
 and being glad of his health, which then was better than 
 fome time before, Ihe, after fome flay in the faid city, re- 
 turned home well fatisfied, leaving him at London, wherC' 
 his general fervice to the church feemed to be then mod 
 requifite. After his deceafe an epifllc was found, which 
 was writ with his own hand, and left fealed up with this 
 
49© THE HISTORY OF TifE L^^9^ 
 
 fuperfcription, ^ Not to be opened before the time.* 
 What this fignified, fcemed to be a riddle, but he being 
 now dcceafed, it was judged to be the time to open 
 this letter, which was directed to his friends, and was as 
 followeth : 
 
 For the yearlj" and fecond-days-mef^tings m London, and to 
 all the children of God in all places in the world. By 
 and from G. Fox. 
 
 This for all the children of God every where, that are led 
 by his fpirit, and do walk in his light, in which they 
 
 - have life, and unity, and fellow^fliip with the Father, 
 and the Son, and one with another. 
 
 * Keep all your meetings in the name of the Lord Jefus, 
 that be gathered in his name by his light, grace, truth, 
 power and fpirit ; by which you will feel his bleffed and 
 refrefhing prcfence among you, and in you, to your com- 
 fort and God's glory. 
 
 * And now all friends, all your meetings, both mens and 
 womens, monthly and quarterly, and yearly, &c. were fct 
 up by the power, and fpirit, and wifdom of God : and in 
 them you do know that you have felt both his power, and 
 fpirit, and wifdom, and bleffed refrefhing fpirit among you, 
 and in you, to his praife and glory, and your comfort: fo 
 that you have been a city fet on a hill, that cannot be hid* 
 
 ' And although many loofe and unruly fpirits have rifea 
 betimes to oppofe you and them, both in print and other 
 ways ; but you have feen how they have come to nought ; 
 and the Lord hath blafted them, and brought their deeds 
 to light, and made them manifeft to be the trees without 
 fruit, and wells without water, and wandering ftars from 
 the firmament of God's power, and the raging waves of 
 the fea, cafting up their mire and dirt : and many of them 
 are like the dog turned to his old vomit, and the fow that 
 was wafhed, turned again to the mire. And this hath been 
 the condition of many, God knoweth, and his people. 
 
 ' And therefore all to ftand fledfaft in Chrift Jefus your 
 head, in whom you ar£ all one, male and female, and 
 
 169 1] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED <>UAKERS. 
 
 491 
 
 know his government, and of the increafe of his govern- 
 ment and peace there fhall be no end ; but there will be 
 an end of the devil's, and of all them that be out of 
 Clhrifl, and do oppofe it and him, whofe judgment doth 
 not linger, and their damnation doth not {lumber: and 
 therefore in God and Chrift's light, life, fpirit and power 
 live and walk, that is over all (and the feed of it) in love 
 and in innocency, and in fimplicity ; and in righteoufnefs 
 and holinefs dwell, and in his power and Holy Ghoft, in 
 which God's kingdom doth ftand. All children of new 
 and heavenly Jerufalem, that is from above, and is free, 
 with all her holy, fpiritual children, to her keep your 
 eyes. 
 
 ' And as for this fpirit of rebellion and oppofition, that 
 hath rifen formerly and lately ; it is out of the kingdom of 
 God and heavenly Jerufalem : and is for judgment and 
 condemnation, with all its books, words and works. And 
 therefore friends are to live and walk in the power and 
 fpirit of God, that is over it, and in the feed, that will 
 bruifc and break it to pieces : in which feed you have joy 
 and peace with God, and power and authority to judge it; 
 and your unity is in the power and fpirit of God, that 
 doth judge it ; and all God's witneffes in his tabernacle go 
 out againft it, and always have and will. 
 
 ' And let no man live to felf, but to the Lord, as they 
 will die in him ; and feek the peace of the church of 
 Chrift, and the peace of all men in him : for bleffed are 
 the peace-makers. And dwell in the pure, peaceable, 
 heavenly wifdom of God, that is gentle and eafy to be in- 
 treated, that is full of mercy ; all ftriving to be of one 
 mind, heart, foul, and judgment in Chrift^ having his 
 mind and fpirit dwelling in you, building up one another 
 in the love of God, which doth edify the body of Chrifl, 
 his church, who is the holy head thereof. So glory to 
 God through Chrift, in this age, and all other ages, \vli6' 
 is the rock and foundation, and the Emanuel, God with 
 us. Amen, over all, the beginning and the ending ; in him 
 live and walk, in whom you have life.eternal, in whom you 
 will feel me, and I you. 
 
 * All children of new Jerufalem, that defeends from 
 
 • ,^ 
 
49* THE filSTORY OF THE f 169I 
 
 above, the holy city, which the Lord and the Lamb h the 
 light thereof, and is the tercple : in it they are born again 
 of the fpirit : fo Jerufalcm that is above is the mother of 
 them that are born of the fpirit. And fo they th?t come^ 
 and are come, to heavenly Jerufalem, are them that re-» 
 ceive Chrift ; and he giveth them power to become the 
 fons of God, and are born again of the fpirit : fo Jerufa- 
 lem, that is their mother. And fuch do come to heavenly 
 mount Sion, and the innumerable company of angels, and 
 to the fpirits of juft men made perfe£i ; and are came to 
 the church of the living God, written in heaven, and have 
 the name of God, and the city of God written upon them : 
 fo here is a new mother, that bringcth forth a heavenly 
 and a fpiritual generation. 
 
 ' There is no fc;hifm, nor divifion, nor contention, nor 
 flrife, in heavenly Jerufalem, nor in the body of Chrift^ 
 which is made up of living flones, a fpiritual houfe. And 
 Chrift is not divided, for in him there is peace. Chrift 
 faith, in me you have peace. And he is from above, and 
 not of this world ; but in the world below, in the fpirit of 
 it there is trouble : therefore keep in Chrift, and walk in 
 him. Amen. G. F.* 
 
 Jerufalem was the mother of all true Chriftians before 
 the apoftacy ; and fince, the outward Chriftians are broken 
 into many fefts, and they have gotten many mothers ; but 
 . all they that are come out of the apoftacy by the power 
 and fpirit of Chrift, Jerufalem that is above, is their 
 mother, (and now below her j) who doth nourifli'all her 
 fpiritual children. 
 
 G. F. 
 
 Read at the Yearly Meeting 
 in London, 1691. 
 
 This year 1 find that William Goodndge, of Banwell in 
 Somcrfetftiire, was releafed from prifon, where he had 
 been confined about thirteen years. He had been premu- 
 nired for refufing to take the oath : and his goods, 
 •whereof the moveables were rated at about two hundred 
 forty- four pounds, and the real eftate counted worth fixty 
 pounds per annum, were confifcated. Thus to fuffer fpoil 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 49^3 
 
 1692] 
 
 of goods hath been the lot of many otherj, and among 
 thefe was Benjamin Brov;n, an ancient man, of Brownifh 
 in Suffolk, who alfo, for not taking the oath, wa« ftript of 
 all, fo that his wife and child were fain to lie o^ the floor 
 without a bed. 
 
 Now time calls me to fay fomething of the apoftacy of 
 George Keith, who being in Pennfylvania, made a great 
 buftle there. He was a witty perfon, and efteemed very 
 learned ; and at the univerfity obtained the degree of'mafter 
 of arts. He often alfo gave proofs of an high foaring 
 knowledge, and was very ready to fliew from philofophy 
 the reafons and caufes of many things in the creation ; 
 but the doftrine of Francis Mercurius, baron of Helmons, 
 concerning the tranfmigration of fouls, became fo palatable 
 to him, that he not only in forae manner approved it, 
 but alfo was believed to be concerned in the book contain- 
 ing two hundred queries about that matter, great part of 
 which, as I have been informed, he acknowledged to 
 have been put in writing by himfelf, though it appeared 
 in publick without the author's name. But this notion 
 meeting with no acceptance among the Quakers, his love 
 to them began to abate ; and his difcontent increafed, 
 becaufe two perfons, who oppofed him, had (as he faid) 
 ufed fome unwarrantable expreflions, and were not fo 
 Ih^rply reproved, as he, who was of a fiery temper, de- 
 fired. He accufed them that they had faid, that the light 
 • within was fufl5cient to falvation^ without any thing elfe. 
 From whence he endeavoured to prove, that they excluded 
 the man Jefus Chrift, as not neceflary to falvation ; but 
 they denied this to be their do6lrine. 
 
 He afterwards fiid of William Stockdell, one of thofe 
 two perfons at Philadelphia in Pennfylvania, that he had 
 charged him G. K. to have preached two Chrifts, becaufe 
 he preached faith in Chrift within, and in Chrift without 
 lis. Now though Stockdell would not allow this to be 
 true, and fome of the hearers alfo denied it, though aflbrtcd 
 by two others of his party, yet G. Keich blew the fire of 
 this quarrel, and fo got fome adherents. He alfo charged 
 the deputy- governor, Thomas Lloyd, to have faid, that 
 faith in Chrift without us, as he died for our fins, and rofe 
 
494 
 
 THE HISTORY QF THE 
 
 [1692 
 
 again, was not neceffary to our falvation. But others faid, 
 that the words were not fo, and that the matter was not 
 fairly ftated ; fincc the queftion was not, whether faith in 
 Chrift without us, as he died for our fins, and r >fe again, 
 was not neceffary to our falvation ; but whether that faith 
 were indifpenfably necefliiry to all mankind, and that none 
 could be faved without it, though they had not the means, 
 opportunity, or capacity to know or receive it. Which 
 being afferted, it was thought that fuch a pofirion did not 
 only exclude from falvation whole nations, but alfo infants, 
 and deaf and dumb perfons. Better had it been that fuch 
 queflions never had been ftarted, for a paffionate main- 
 taining of a different pofition often breeds ftrife and con- 
 tention. But G. Keith, with fome others, having now 
 feparated themfelves from the fociety, he faid his diffatis- 
 faftion was only with fome unfound Quakers in America ; 
 but he was in unity with all faithful friends in England. 
 
 And now he began to behave himfelf very difrepe£lfully, 
 and was on that account (harply reproved by the aforefaid 
 Thomas Lloyd ; to whom he did not (lick to fpeak in a 
 reproachful way, charging him with impudence, and faying, 
 that he was unfit to be a governor, and that his name 
 fliould, flink, ^c. And becaufe fome members of the 
 council did not expeft to be better treated by him, fmce he 
 had called one of the magiftrates impudent rafcal ; this 
 was much refented, and the more, becaufe G. Keith hav- 
 ing drawn in a printer, publifhed a paper, wherein he not 
 only fcandaloufly flandered the diligence of the magiftrates 
 in reftraining of robbers, but alfo the judicial proceedings 
 againft murderers. And feeing feveral Mennonites of the 
 county of Meurs lived alfo in Pennfylvania, it was not 
 ^much to be wondered that they who count it unlawful for 
 a Chriftian to bear the fword of magiftracy, did flick to 
 him ; and to get adherents fcemed the main thing he 
 aimed at ; for he himfelf was not trained up under fuch a 
 notion, but in the doftrine of the kirk of Scotland. The 
 confcquence of this cafe was, that Keith and one Ihomas 
 Bud, who (with him) had been compiler of the aforefaid 
 pap':r, were fined for it; but yet the government was fo 
 moderate, that the fine was never exaSed : and for all that 
 
 I692] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 495 
 
 G, Keith did not flick to make a great clamour of his fuf- 
 ferings ; and abput two years afrer he came iuto England, 
 to make his complaint to the church at London. 
 
 • This year in the month called Auguft, Stephen Crifp 
 deceafed near London. He had Ion 2^ been weak in body, 
 and was much afluifted with the ftoiie, performing never- 
 thelefs his miniftry of the gofpe! ; and h^s fervice was 
 very acceptable, becaufe he hid a gift beyond many, 
 being not only found in doctrine and judgment, but grave 
 and elegant in his utterance, and well qualified for con- 
 vincing his hearers, and to touch them to the heart ; (o 
 that he generally met with a great concourfe of people. 
 Four days before his deceafe, lying fick in bed, and being 
 under great pain, he was vifited by G. Whitehead, to 
 whom he faid in fubftance, ' I fee an end of mortality, and 
 yet cannot com<: at it, I defire the Lord to deliver me out 
 of this painful body : if he will but fay the word, it is 
 done : yet there is no cloud in my way. I have a full 
 affurance of my peace with God in Chrift Jefus ; my in- 
 tegrity and uprightnefs of heart is known to the Lord; 
 and I have peace and juftification in Jefus Chrift, who 
 made me fo.* The day before his departure, G. White- 
 head being come again to fee him, found him in a dying 
 ftatc and almoft fpeechlefs ; yet he was underftood to fay, 
 
 * I hope I am gathering, I hope, I hope.* G. Whitehead 
 near parting from him, afked him whether he had any 
 <hing to his friends ; to which he gave this anfwer, ' Re- 
 member my dear love in Jefus Chrift to all friends.* The 
 next day, being the 28th of the aforefaid month, he died 
 at Wandfworth, about five miles from London. Many of 
 his fermons taken in fhort-hand from his mouth arc pub- 
 liflied in print, and give proofs of his having been indeed 
 an able minifter of the gofpel. 
 
 In this year died alfo Catharine Evans, who, as hath 
 been mentioned here before, had been long imprifoncd at 
 Malta. She had fufFercd much for her religion ; and in 
 the year 1657, having at Salifbury exhorted the people to 
 repentance, this fo inccnfed the magiftrates, that by order 
 of Henry Ditton, juftice, and Robert Good, mayor, 
 (he was ftript, and faftened to the whipping-poft in the 
 
 V©L, IL 2 I 
 
496 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1692 
 
 \ 
 
 Oiarkct, and then whipt. Afterwards coming thither 
 again, and fpeaking to the people in the market, by way 
 of admonition, fiie was fent to Bridewell, and put into a 
 dark nafty place. After her return from Malta, imprifon- 
 ment fell to her fliarc fevcral times ; once at Welchpool 
 in Montgomery Ihire in the year 1666, for refufing to 
 fwear ; and fe\;eral years after (he was alfo imprifoned at 
 Briftol. And after many adverfities and great fufFcrings, 
 having lived to a great age, fhe died, and fo entered into 
 cvcrlafting reft. 
 
 Now I return again to George Keith, who appeared in 
 the annual afTembly at London, anno 1694, but there he 
 ihewed himfelf fo paflionate and boifterous, that no means 
 could be found to compofe the difference. Yet he fecmed 
 to get adherents among fomc of the feparatifts about Lon- 
 don : but thefe alfo foon growing weary of him, he got a 
 place called Turner's Hall to preach in^ Here at firft he 
 had a great concourfe of people, fince novelties generally 
 beget curiofity. But he from time to time more and more 
 conning thofe of the church of England, and falling in 
 with the Epi'fcopalians, began to lofe his efteem among 
 people of other perfuafions, efpecially when at length he 
 entirely conformed to that church, which formerly in print 
 he had zealoufly attacked : but in procefs of time he took 
 a gown, and was ordained to be a preacher. After which 
 he fometimes preached with the furplice on, which in all 
 probability he would have abhorred before ever he joined 
 with the Quakers ; for he had been a member of the 
 Prefbyterian kirk of Scotland, which always hath been a 
 zealous oppofer of the epifcopal ceremonies. And fince 
 lie had contradifted that, which formerly he had afferted 
 find defended in good earneft; and charged the Quakers 
 with a belief, which they never had owned to be theirs, 
 they found themfelves obliged publicly to fet forth their 
 -faith anew print, which they had often before afferted 
 both in words and writing, thereby to manifeft that their 
 belief was really orthodox, and agreeable with the Holy 
 Scriptures. This they did by the following reprefentation, 
 which in the year 1 693, came forth in print at London, a$. 
 follows, with this title. 
 
 1692] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS^ 
 
 A91 
 
 The Chriftian Doftrine, and Society of the People called 
 
 Quakers, cleared, &c. 
 
 * WHEREAS divers accounts have been lately pub- 
 liflied in print, of fome late divifion and difputes between 
 fome perfotis under the name of Quakers in Pennfylvania, 
 about feveral fundamental doflrines of the Chriftian faith, 
 (as is pretended by one party) which being particularly 
 mentioned, and thereupon occafion very unduly taken by 
 our adverfarles to reproach both the Chriftian miniftry, 
 and whole body of the people commonly called Quakers,^ 
 and their holy and Chriftian profeffion, both in England 
 and clfewhere, though no ways concerned in the faid 
 divifion or matters charged, but rather grieved and troubled 
 at it, and at the indifcreet and reproachful management 
 thereof in print, to the amufing and troubling the world 
 therewith, and giving occafion to the loofe, ignorant, and 
 profane, to flight and contemn the truth, and the intereft 
 of the tender religion of our Lord Jefus Chrift: 
 
 < We are, therefore, tenderly concerned for truth's fake, 
 m behalf of the faid people (as to the body of them, and 
 for all of them who are Cncere to God, and faithful to 
 their Chriftian principle and profeffion; to ufe our juft 
 endeavours to remove the reproach, and all caufelefs 
 jealoufies concerning us, touching thofe doftrines of 
 Chriftianity, or any of them pretended (or fuppofedj to be 
 in queftion in the faid divifion ; ia reladon whereunto wc 
 00 in the fear of God, and- in fimplicity and plainnefs of 
 hi^ truth received, folemnly and fincerely declare what our 
 Chriftian belief and profeffion has been, and ftill is, in 
 rc^ea to Jefus Chrift the only begotten Son of God, hi^ 
 fufltering, death, refurreftion, glory, light, power, great 
 day of judgment, &c. 
 
 ' We fincerely profefs faith in God by his only begotten 
 bon Jefus Chrift, as bemg our light and life, oi4r only way 
 to the Father, and alfo our only mediator and advocate 
 With the Father {ay 
 
 • That God created all things, he made \he worlds, by 
 
 <<»^ I John ij. a. Johnx»i.6. lTiDv..ii. 5. 
 
 2X2 
 
49^ 
 
 THE ItlSTORT OF THE 
 
 [1691 
 
 bis Soil Jefus Chrift, as being that powerful and living 
 word of God by whom all things were made (h) ; and 
 that the Father, the word, and Holy Spirit are one, in 
 Divine Being infeparable ; one true, living and eternal 
 God, blcfled for ever (^r). 
 
 ^ Yet that this word, or Son of God in the fulnefs of 
 time, took flefh, became perfcft man, according to the 
 flelh, defcended and came of the feed of Abraham and 
 David (rf), but was miraculoufly conceived by the Holy 
 GhoIl,^and born of the Virgin Mary (e). And alfo far- 
 ther, declared powerfully to be the Son of God, according 
 to the fpirit of fanftification, by the refurrcftion from the 
 dead(/> 
 
 * That, in the word (or Son of God) was life, and the 
 fame life was the light of men ; and that he was that true 
 light which enlightens every man coming into the world 
 (g) ; and therefore that men are to believe in the light, 
 that they may become the children of the light '^ (h)-, 
 hereby we believe in Chrift the Son of God, as he is the 
 light and life within us ; and wherein we mufl needs have 
 fmcere refpeft and honour to (and belief in) Chrifl, as in 
 his own unapproachable and incomprehenfible glory and 
 fulnefs (/) : as he is the fountain of life and light, and 
 giver thereof unto us ; Chrifl, as in himfelf, and as in us, 
 being not divided. And that as man, Chrifl died for our 
 fins, rofe again, and was received up into glory, in the 
 heavens (y&). He having, in his dying for all, been that 
 oiie great univerfal offering and facrifice for peace, atone- 
 ment and reconciliation between God and man (/; ; and he 
 is the propitiation not for our fins only, but for the fins of 
 the whole world (tw). We were reconciled by his death, 
 but faved by his life. 
 
 ' That Jefus Chrifl, who fitteth at the right hand of 
 the throne of the majefty in the heavens, yet he is our 
 king, high-priefl and prophet («), in his church, a minified 
 cf the fan6li2fary, and of the true tabernable which the 
 
 h. Ill, 9 
 
 1692] PEOrLE CALLED QUAKERS. 499 
 
 Lord pitched, and not man (o). He is intercefifor and ad- 
 vocate with the Father in heaven, and there appearing ii> 
 the prefcnce of God for us (/)), being touched with the 
 feeling of our infirmities, fufFerings and forrows. And 
 alfo by his fpirit in our hearts, he maketh interceiTion ac- 
 cording to the will of God, crying, Abba, Father (j). 
 
 * For any whom Qod hath gifted (r), and called fin* 
 cerely to preach faith in the fame Chrifl, both as within 
 and without us, cannot be to preach two Chrifls, but one 
 and the fame Lord Jefus Chrifl (^), having refpe^ to thofe 
 degrees of our fpiritual knowledge of Chrifl Jefus in us 
 ( /). and to his own unfpeakable fulnefs and glory («), as in 
 himfelf, in his own entire being, wherein Chrifl himfelf and 
 the leafl meafure of his light or life, as in us or in mankind, 
 are not divided nor feparable, no more than the fun is 
 from its light. And as he afcended far above all heavens,, 
 th^t he might fill all things (a;), his fulnefs cannot be com^ 
 prehended, or contained in any finite creature (y) ; but 
 in fome meafure known and experienced in us, as we are 
 capable to receive the fame, as of his fulnefs we have re- 
 ceived 'grace for grace. Chrifl our Mediator, received the 
 fpirit, not by meafure (;;::), but by fulnefs; but to every 
 one of us is given graccj according to the meafure of his 
 
 * That th? gofpel of the grace of God {hould be preached 
 in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Gh.QJfl;(^), being 
 one (^), in power, wifdonl, and goodnefs, and indivifible, 
 (or not to be divided) in the great \york of man*$ 
 falvation, 
 
 ^ We fincerely confefs (and believe in) Jefas Chrifl, both 
 as he is true iGod, and perfe£l man (c/), and that he is the 
 author of bur living faith in the power arid got)dnefs of 
 God, as manrfefied in his Son Jefus Chrifl, and by his own 
 bleffed fpirit (or divine un6lion) revealed in us ^<r)*, where- 
 by we inwardly feel and tafte of his goodnefs (/), life, and 
 
 foj Heb. vlil. I, 2., (f) Heb. vii. 25. Heb. ir. 24. fq) Rom. viii. 26, 27. 34. 
 Gal. IV. 6. (r) Eph. iii. 7. i Pet. iv. 10, (s) i Cor. viii. «, (t) John xv. 25. 
 and xvj. 13, I4, J5 { u) John i. 16. (x) Eph. iv. 10 /'j/ Col. i. 19. and ii. 9. 
 (x) John ii. 34. (a) bph. iv. 7 (b) Mat, xxviii. 19. '(c) John i J, 2, 3, 4. 
 /i/; Johni. r,2. Rom. ix. 5. i John v. 20. i Tim. ii. j. /^e; i Joiiiwi. 20. 27. 
 //; I Pet. ii. 3. John vi. 33, is> Sh 57, J«. ' 
 
 21 3 
 
500 
 
 THE HISTORY 01' THE 
 
 b^93 
 
 '/ 
 
 virtue.; to as our fouls live and profper by and in him: 
 and the inward fenfe of this divine power of Chrift, and 
 faith in the fame, and the inward experience, is abfolutely 
 neceffary to make a true fincere and perfeft Chriftian in 
 fpirit and life^ 
 
 ' That divine honour and worfhip is due to the Son of 
 God (g) ; and that he is, in true faith to be prayed unto, 
 apd the nanie of the Lord Jefus Chrift called upon (as 
 the primitive Ghriftians did), (^h) bccaufe of the glorious 
 union or onenefs of the Father and the Son (i) ; and 
 that we cannot acceptably offer up prayers and praifes to 
 God, nor receive a gracious anfwcr or blefSng from God, 
 but in and through his dear Son in Chrilt, 
 
 ' That Chrift's body that was cruciified was not the god- 
 head, yet by the power of God was raifed from the dead; 
 and that the fame Chrift that was therein crucified, afcendcd 
 into heaven and glory (^), is not queftioned by us. His 
 flelli faw no corruption (/J, it did not corrupt, but yet 
 doubtlefs his body was changed into a more glorious (ni) 
 and heavenly condition than it was in when fubje£l: to 
 divers fufferings on earth ; but how and what manner of 
 change it met withal after it was raifed from the dead, fo 
 as to become fuch a glorious body (as it is declared to be) 
 is too wonderful for mortals to conceive, apprehend or pry 
 into Cand more meet for angels to fee) ; the fcripturc is 
 filent therein, as to the manner thereof, and we are not 
 curious to enquire or difpute it ; nor do we efteem it ne- 
 ceffary to make ourfelves wife above («) what is written, 
 as to the manner or condition of Chrift's glorious body, as 
 in heaven ; no more than to enquire how Chrift appeared 
 in divers manners or forms (o) ; or how he came in among 
 his difciples, the dpors being (hut (p) ; or how he vanifhed 
 out of their fight after he was rifen. However, we have 
 caufe to believe his body, as in heaven, is changed into a 
 inoft glorious condition, far tranfcending what it was ip on 
 earth, otherwife how could our low body be changed, fo 
 as to be made like unto his glorious body (j) > for when 
 
 fgj ]ohn y. 2$. Hch. I 6. fbj j Cor.l t. Acts vii. .?9 /'/V John x. 30 
 
 I John V. fij Luke xxiv. 26. fl) Pfal. xvi. 10. Ad» ii. .l'- and xiii. 35, 37* 
 (m) Phil. Hi. 21. (n) I Cor. \v. 6. fo) John «, ly />; John xx. J9. Luke 
 5P"^' 3^1 37> ^^ xxiv. 31, (f ) Phil. iii. ll, 
 
 «693] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 iof 
 
 he vras on earth, and attended with fufferings, he was faid 
 to be like unio us in all things, fin only excepted (r) ; 
 which may not be fo faid of him as now in a ftate of glory, 
 as he prayed for (j) ; otherwife where would be the change 
 both in him and in us ? 
 
 ' True and living faith in Chrift Jefus the Son of the 
 living God (/), has refpcft to his entire being and fulnefs, 
 to him intirely as in himfelf, and as all power in heaven 
 and earth is given unto him («) ; and alfo an eye and re- 
 fpeft to the fame Son of God (s) as inwardly making him- 
 felf known to the foul, in every degree of his light, life, ' 
 fpirit, grace, and truth ; and as he is both the word of 
 faith, and a quickening fpirit in us ; (y) whereby he is the 
 immediate caufe, author, objeft, and ftrength of our living 
 faith in his name and power ; and of the work cf our fal- 
 vation from fin and bondage of corruption ; and the Son of 
 God cannot be divided from the leaft or loweft appearance 
 of his own divine light (or life in us or in mankind) no 
 more than the fun from its own light ; nor is the fuffici* 
 cncy of his light within by us fet up in oppofition to him 
 the man Chrift^ or his fulnefs, confidered as in himfelf, as 
 without us ; nor can any meafure or degree of light, 
 received from Chrift (as fuch) be properly called the 
 fulnefs of Chrift, or Chrift as in fulnefs, nor exclude 
 him (fo confidered) from being our complete Saviour j for 
 Chrift himfelf to be our light, our life, and Saviour (i;), is fo 
 confiftent, that without this light we could not know life, 
 nor him to fave us from fin or deliver us from darknefs, 
 condemnation or wrath to come : and where the leaft de- 
 gree or meafure of this light and life of Chrift within is 
 fincerely -waited in, followed and obeyed ; there is a bleffed 
 increafe of light and grace known and felt ; as the path of 
 the juft it fhines more and more, until the perfe£l day (a) ; 
 and thereby a growing in grace, and in the knowledge of 
 God, and of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, hath been, 
 'and is truly experienced. And this light, life, or fpirit of 
 
 (r) Heb. ii. 1 7. and iv. 1$. (i) John xxii. 5. (t) John xvi. I. (u) Mar. 
 xxviii. 1 8. and xi. 17. John xvii. a. Heb. li. 8. (x) John xiv. 23. and xvii. il» 
 ii, 23, 24, 26. (y) I Cor. XV. 45. Rom. x. 7, 1. (9,) John i. 4» 9- andlii. I9, 
 ao. and xii. 3J, 36, 46. and viii. 12. (•) Piov. iv> 18. Ffal. xxxvi. 9. 
 
 214 
 
So% 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 1^693 
 
 ' Chrifl within ffor they are one divine principle) is fufS- 
 cient to lead unto all truth ; having in it the divers 
 miniftrations both of judgment and mercy, both of law 
 and gofpel, (even that gofpel which is preached in every 
 intelhgent creature under heaven :) it does not only, as in 
 its firft miniftration, manifeft fin, and reprove and condemn 
 for fin ; but alfo excites and leads them that believe in it 
 to true repentance ; and thereupon to receive that mercy, 
 pardon, and redemption in Chrifl Jefus, w^hich he has ob- 
 tained for mankind in thofe gofpel terms of faieh, (in his 
 name) true repentance and converfion to Chrift tUereby 
 required. 
 
 * So that the light and life of the Son of God within^ 
 truly obeyed and followed, as being the principle of the 
 fccond or new covenant, as Chrift the light is confefled to 
 be (even as he is the feed or word ot faith in all men,) 
 this does not leave men or women (who believe in the 
 light) under the firft covenant, nor as the fons of the bond- 
 woman, as the literal Jews were ; (when gone from the 
 Spirit of (iod, and hii Chrift in them) but it naturally 
 leads them into the new covenant, in the new and living 
 way, and to the adoption of fons, to be children and fons 
 of the free- woman, of Jerufalem from above. 
 
 * It is true, that we ought not to lay afidc, nor any way to 
 undervalue (but highly to cfteem; true preaching and the 
 holy fcriptures ; and the finccre belief and faith of Chrift, 
 as he died for our fins, and rofe again for our juftification ; 
 together with Chrift's inward and fpiritual appearance, and 
 work of grace in the foul ; livingly to open the myftery of 
 his death, and perfectly to effect our reconciliation, fanftr- 
 fication, and juftification; and wherever Chrift qualities and 
 calls any to preach and dcmonftrate the myftery of his 
 coming, death, and refurre6Uon, Sec. even among the gen- 
 tiles, i. hrift ought accordingly to be both preached, believed 
 and received, 
 
 ' Yet fuppofing there have been, or are fuch pious and 
 confcientious gentiles, in whom Chrift was and is as the 
 feed or principle of the fecond or new covenant, the light, 
 the word of faith ; (as is granted) and that fuch live up- 
 rightly and fiiithfully to that light they have, or to what is 
 
 1693] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 503 
 
 wade known of God in them, and who therefore in that 
 ftate cannot perifh, (but (hall be fiwed ) as is alfo confefTed ; 
 and fuppofing thefe have not the outward advantage of 
 preaching, fcripture, or thence the knowledge of Chrift's 
 outward coming, being outwardly crucified andrifen from 
 the dead ; can fuch (thus confidered) be juftly excluded 
 Chriftianity, or the covenant of grace, (as to the virtue, • 
 life, and nature thereof) or truly deemed no Chriftians, or 
 void of any Chriftian faith in the fife and power of the Son 
 of God within, or be only fons ofthe firft covenant, and bond* 
 woman, like the literal outfide Jews ; or muft all be ex^ 
 eluded any true knov/ledge or faith of Chrift within them, 
 unlefs they have the knowledge of Chrift as without them? 
 No fure, for that would imply infufficiency in Chrift and 
 his light, as within them, and to fruftrate God's good end 
 and promiie of Chrift, and his free and univerfal love and 
 grace to mankind, in fending his Son. We charitably 
 believe the contrary, that they muft have fome true faith 
 ' and intereft in Chrift and his mediation, becaufe of 
 God's free love in Chrift to all mankind, and Chrift's 
 dying for all men (^), and being given for a light of 
 the gentiles, and for icilvation to the ends of the earth, (c) 
 And becaufe of their living up fincerely and faithfully 
 to his light in them ; their being pious, confcientious, ac- 
 cepted and faved, (as is granted) we cannot reafonably think 
 a fincere, pious, or godly man, wholly void of Chriftianity 
 (of what nation foever he he) becaufe none can come to 
 God or godlinefs but by Chrift (^), by his light and grace 
 in them : yet we grant if there be fuch pious fincere men 
 or women^ as have not the fcripture or knowledge of Chrift, 
 as outwardly crucified, &c. they are not perfect Chriftians 
 ID all perfca:ijns, as in all knowledge and undcrftanding, 
 all points of doctrine, outward profefTion of Ciirift ; fa 
 that they are better than they profefs or pretend to be ; 
 they are more Jews inward, and Chriftians inward, thar^ 
 in outward fliew or profefGon* Thefe are Chriftians fm^ 
 cere and perfe^l in kind or nature, in life and fubftance, 
 though not in knowledge and underftanding. A man or 
 
 (b) % Cor. V. 14, ly 
 
 {c) Ifa. xllx. 6. 1-ukc il. 32* A5;s xiii. 47. 
 (J) John xiv. 6. 
 
504 THE HISTORY OF THB C'^9#. 
 
 woman having the life and fruits of true Chriftianity, the 
 fruits of the Spirit of Chrift in them, that can talk little 
 thereof, or of creeds, points, or articles of faith, (yea many 
 that cannot read letters) yet may be true Chriftiaus in fpi- 
 rit and life ; and fome could die for Chnft, that could not 
 difpute for him ; and even infants that die in innocency, 
 are not excluded the grace of God, or falvation in and by 
 Chrift Jefus, the image and nature of the Son of God, 
 being in fome meafure in them, and they under God's care 
 and fpecial Providence. Sec Matt, xviii. 2, 10. 
 
 * And though we had the holy Scriptures of the Old and 
 New Teftament, and a belief of Chrift crucified and rifen, 
 &:c. we never truly knew the myftery thereof, until we 
 were turned to the light of his grace and fpirit within us ; 
 we knew not what it was to be reconciled by his death, and 
 faved by his life, or what it was to know the fcllowftiip 
 of his fufferings, the power of his refurreftion, or to be 
 made conformable unto his death ; we knew not until he 
 opened our eyes, and turned our minds from darknefs unto 
 his own divine life and light within us. 
 
 ' Notwithftanding we do fmcerely and greatly value the 
 holy Sctiptures, preaching and teaching of faith ul, divinely 
 infpired, gifted and qualified perfons and minifters of Jefus 
 Chrift, as being great outward helps, and inftrumental in 
 his hand, and by his fpirit, for converfion, where God is 
 pleafed to afford thofe outward helps and means, as that 
 we neither do nor may oppofe the fufEciency of the light 
 or Spirit of Chrift within, to fuch outward helps or means, 
 fo as to rejcft, difefteem, or undervalue them ; for they all 
 proceed from the fame light and fpirit, and tend to turn 
 mens minds thereunto, and all center therein. 
 
 ' Nor can the holy Scriptures or true preaching without, 
 be juftly fet in oppofition to the light or Spirit of God or 
 Chrift within ; for his faithful meffengers are minifters 
 thereof, being fent to turn people to the fame light and 
 fpirit in them. Acts xxvi. I'S. Rom. xiii. 2. 2 Cor. iv. 6« 
 1 Pet. ii. 9. I John ii. 8, 
 
 * It is certain, that great is the myftery of godlinefs in 
 ifielf, in its ctwn being and excellency : namely, that God 
 fliould be and was manifeft in the flefti, juftified in the fpirit. 
 
 Jij693'] PEOPLE called' QUAKERS. 
 
 soi 
 
 / 
 
 fcen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed on ia 
 the world, and received up into glory. 
 
 ' And it is a great and precious myftery of godlinefs and 
 Chriftianily alfo, that Chriftfliould be fpiritually and effec- 
 tually in mens hearts, to (live and deliver them from fin, 
 Satan, and bondage of corruption, Chrift being thus re- 
 vealed in true believers, and dwelling in their hearts by 
 faith, Chrift within the hope of glory, our light and life,' 
 who of God is made unto us wifdom, righteoufnefs, fanc- 
 lification, and redemption, i Cor. i. 30. And therefore 
 this myftery of godlinefs, both as in its own being and 
 glory, and alfo as in' men (in many hid and in fome re- 
 vealed) hath been and muft be teftified, prei;ched, and 
 believed ; where God is pleafed to give commiffion, and 
 prepare peoples hearts for the fame, and not in men*s 
 
 wills. 
 
 ^ Concerning the refurreftion of the dead, and the great 
 day of judgment yet to come, beyond the grave, or after 
 death, and Chrift's coming without us, to judge the quick 
 ^nd the dead : Cas divers queftions are put in fuch terms) 
 what the holy Scriptures plainly declare and teftrfy in thefc 
 matters, we have great reafon to credit, and not to queftion, 
 and have been always ready to embrace, with refpefl: to 
 Chrift and his apoftlcs own teftimony and propheiies. 
 
 ■ ^ 1. For the doftrine of the refurreftion ; if in this life 
 ©nlv we have hope in Chrift, we are of all men the moft 
 miferable, i Cor. xv. 19. We fmcerely believe, not only 
 a relurreftion in Chrift from the fallen finful ftate here, but 
 a riling and afcendlng into glory with him hereafter; that 
 when he at laft appears, we may appear with him in glory. 
 Col. iii. 4. I John iii. 2. 
 
 ^ But that all the wicked w^ho live in rebellion as^ainft the 
 light of grace, and die finally impenitent, fhall come forth 
 to the refurreftion of condemnation. 
 
 ^ And that the foul or fpirit of every man and woman fliall 
 be refcrved in its own diftin6l and proper being, ( fo as 
 there fliall be as many fouls in the world to come as in this j 
 and every feed Cyea every foul) (hall have its proper body, 
 ^s God is pleafed to give it, i Cor. xv. A. natural body is 
 
5o6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [^693 
 
 fown, a fpiritual bcdy is raifed ; that being firft which is 
 natural, and afterward that which is fpiritual. Aqd though 
 it is faid, this corruptible (hail put on incorruption, an4 
 this mortal fcall put on incorruption, and this mortal 
 Ihall put on immortality ; the change (hall be fuch as fit fh 
 and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth 
 corruption inherit corruption, i Cor. xv. We fliall be 
 raifed out of all corruption and corruptibility, out of^ all 
 mortality ; and the children of God and of the refurrcftion, 
 fhall be equal to the angels of God in heaven, (e) 
 
 ^ And as the celeflial bodies do far excel terreftrial, fo we 
 cxpeft our fpiritual bodies in the refurreftion, (liall far excel 
 what our bodies now are; and we hope that none can juftly 
 blame us for thus expecting better bodies than now they 
 arc. Howbeit we efleem it very unneceflTary to difpute 
 or qucdion how the dead are raifed, or with what body 
 they come : but rather fubmit that tg the wifdom an4 
 plcafure of the Almighty God, 
 
 2. For the doflrinc of eternal judgment j 
 
 * God hath committed all judgment unto his Son Jefus 
 Chrift •, and he is both judge of quick and dead, and of 
 the ftates and ends of all mankind, John v. 22, 27. Afts 
 X. 42. 2 Tim. iv. I. I Pet. iv. 5. 
 
 * That there fliall be hereafter a great harveft, which is 
 the end of the world, a great day of judgment, and the 
 judgment of that great day, the holy Scripture is clear. 
 Mat. xiii. 39, 40, 4^ ch. x. 15, and xi, 24. Jude 6. 
 " When the Son of Man comcth in his glory, and all the 
 holy angels with him, then (hall he fit upon the throne of 
 his "Icry, and before him Ihall be gathered all nations, &c.'* 
 Matt. XXV. 31, 32. to the end, compared with ch. xxii, 
 31. Mark viii. 38. Luke ix. 26, and 1 Cor. xv. 52. 
 2 Thef. i. 7, 8. to the end, and 1 Thef. iv. 16. Rev. xx. 
 
 12, M, M9 15- r ' 1 
 
 *:That this blelTed lietivenly man, thic Son of Man, who 
 
 hath fo deeply fuffered aiid endured fo many great indigni* 
 
 {e) Matt. xxij. 30. M:nk xii. 25. Lulsc xi. :>6. 
 
 i 
 
 1693] 
 
 PEOPLE CAILBD QUAKERS. 
 
 S07 
 
 ties and perfeculions from his adverfaries, (both to himfelf 
 and his members and brethren) Qiould at kft, even in the 
 laft and areat day, fignally and manifeftly appear in glory 
 and triumph, attended with all his glorious heavenly holt 
 and retinue before all nations, before all his enemies, and 
 ihofe that have denied him ; this will be to their great 
 terror and amazement, that this moft glorious heavenly man, 
 and his brethren, that have been fo much contemned and 
 fetat nought, "fhould be thus exalted over their enemies 
 and perfccutors, in glory and triumph, is a righteous thing 
 with God : and that they that fufFer with him, fhould ap- 
 pear with him in glory and dignity when he thus appears at 
 lafl. thrift was judge of the world, and the pnncc 
 thereof, when on earth, John ix. 39. and xii. 31. He 
 is ftill judge of the world, the wickednefs, and prince 
 thereof, by his light, fpirit, and gofpel in mens hearts and 
 confciences, John xvi. 8, 11. Matt. xii. 20. Ifa. xlu i. 
 Rom. ii. 16. I Pet. iv. 5. And he will be the judge and 
 final determiner thereof in that great day appointed ; God 
 having appointed a day wherein he will judge the world m 
 righteoufnefs by that man whom he haih ordained. Chrat 
 foretold it fhall be more tolerable for them of the land of 
 Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for 
 that city or people that would not receive his meffengers 
 orminifters, &c. Matt. x. 15. and fce chap. m. 24. and 
 Mark vi. 11. Luke x. 12, 14. It is certain that God 
 knows how to deliver the godly out of all their trials and 
 afflictions, and at laft to bring them forth, and raiic them 
 up into glory with Chrift ; fo he knoweth alio how to re- 
 fcrvc the unjuft and finally impenitent unto the day of 
 judgment to be punifhcd, 2 Pet. ii. 9. He will bring them 
 forth unto the day of deftruaion, Job xxi. 30. 1 he Lord 
 can and will referve fuch impenitent, prefumptuous and 
 rebellious criminals, as bound under chains of darknefs, as 
 were the fallen angels, unto the judgment ol the great day, 
 Tude 6. Matt. xxv. ^o. It is not far for us to, determine or 
 difpute the manner how they jhaU be fo referved ; but 
 leave it to God, he knows how.' 
 
 
s^i 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THl 
 
 [^hi 
 
 A Poflfcrlpt relating to the doflrine of the Refurrcftioti 
 
 and eternal Judgment. 
 
 * At the lafl: trump of God, and the voice of the arch- 
 angel, the dead fhall be raifed incorruptible, the dead in 
 Chrift fhall rife firft, i Cor. xv. 52. i Thef. iv 16. com- 
 pared with Matt. xxiv. 31. 
 
 * Many arc often alarmed in confcience here by the 
 Word and voice of God ; who ftop their ears and flight 
 thofe warnings ; but the great and final alarm of the Taft 
 trumpet, they cannot (lop their ears againft, nor efcape, it 
 will unavoidably fcize upon, and farther awaken them 
 finally to judgment. They that will not be alarmed in their 
 confciences unto repentance, nor out of their fins here, 
 muft certainly "be alarmed to judgment hereafter. 
 
 *^Whofoever do now wilfully (hut their eyes, hate, 
 contemn, or fliun the light of Chrift, or his appearance 
 within, (hall at laft be made to fee, and not be able to fhun 
 or hide themfelves from his glorious and dreadful appear- 
 ance from heaven with his mighty angels, as with lightning 
 and flaming fire, to render vengeance on all them that 
 know not God, and obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jcfus 
 Chrifl:, i Thef. iv. 16. Matt. xxiv. 27. Luke xvii. 24. Dan. 
 X. 6. Job xxxvii. 3- 
 
 * And though many now evade and reje£l the inward 
 conviftions and judgment of the light, and fhut up the re- 
 cords or books thereof in their own confciences, they fhall 
 be at lafl opened, and every one judged of thefe things 
 recorded therein, according to their works, Rev. xx. 12, 
 
 13* ^4, iS« 
 
 Signed in behalf of our Chriflian profefEon aftd 
 
 people aforefaid. 
 George Whitehead, Charles Marfliall, 
 Ambrofe Rigg, John Bowater, 
 
 William Fallowfield, John Vaughton, 
 James Parke William Bingley. 
 
 This paper generally gave fatisfaftion, and was wel! 
 xeccived alfo in Holland, where, having tranflated it into 
 
 1693] 
 
 PROPLE CALLED QtJAKlRS* 
 
 5^ 
 
 Dutch, I got it publifhed in print. Now fincc Franm 
 Bugg, an envious apoflate, charged the Quakers with fom« 
 Socinian notions ; and being fet on by fome churchmen, 
 endeavoured alfo to render them odious witli the govern- 
 ment, the following confeflion of faith, figned by one and 
 thirty perfons, of which G. Whitehead was one, was ia 
 December prefented to the parliament : 
 
 Be it known to all, that we fincerely believe and 
 
 confefs, 
 
 L That Jcfus of Nazareth, who was born of the Virgia 
 Mary, is the true Meffiah, the very Chrift, the Son of the 
 living God, to whom all the prophets gave witnefs : and ia 
 that we do highly value his death, fufferings, works, offices, 
 and merits for the redemption of mankind, together with 
 his laws, doftrine, and minifbry. 
 
 IL That this very Chrift of God, who is the Lamb of 
 God, that .takes away the fins of the world, was' flain, 
 - was dead, and is alive, and lives for ever in his divine eter- 
 nal glory, dominion, and power with the Father. 
 
 IIL That the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Tef- 
 lament, are of divine authority, as being given by infpira- 
 tion of God. 
 
 IV. And that magiftracy or civil government, is God's 
 ordinance, the good ends thereof being for the puniflimem 
 of evil doers, and praifc of them that do well. 
 
 By this and the like writings, the eyes of many that 
 were at the helm began to be more opened ; and even 
 among the bifhops were fome that inclined to moderation ; 
 for the king endcavouipcd as much as he could to promote 
 the moft moderate among the churchmen to thofe high dig- 
 nities ; and prejudice, which had blinded many in refpcft 
 to the Quakers, began to abate more and more. But yet 
 there was one thing that continually caufed them much 
 hardfhip, viz. their rcfufing to fwear ; for by reafon of 
 this they were not only deprived of their^ights as freemen^ 
 but alfo of giving evidence in courts of judicature. They 
 ♦ did not therefore omit frpm time to time, to petition the 
 
yo 
 
 THi HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [1693 
 
 parliament ; wherein they defired to be relieved of this 
 heavy burden ; though hitherto they had not been able to 
 obtain this favour: wherefore on the 26th of November, 
 they delivered a petition to the parliament, fctting forth 
 their great fufferin'gs, for want of their folemn declaration 
 being taken inftead of an oath; and that not in their own 
 cafes only, but in evidence vhercin others were concerned* 
 This petition concluded thus : 
 
 We therefore earneflly and humbly requeft, that you 
 ' will favourably pleafe to give leave to bring in a bill 
 to admit, that our folemn anfwer, affirmation, or de- 
 nial, may be accepted inftead of an oath, to relieve 
 us in the cafes aforcfaid, or in fuel) of them as you 
 in your wifdom fhall fee meet : we freely fubmitting, 
 that if any reputed a Quaker, ftiall falfify the truth,- 
 and be duly convi^ed thereof, that every fuch perfon 
 fliall undergo the like pains and penalties, as are pro- 
 vided againft perjured perfons. And your petitio- 
 ners fhall, as in duty bound, pray, &c. 
 
 William Mead, 
 George Whitehead, 
 William Crouch, 
 Walter Bental, 
 Thom.as Hart, 
 Michael RulTcl, 
 
 William Bingley, 
 Samuel Waldenfield, 
 John Staploe, 
 William Macker, 
 Jofeph Wright, junr. 
 Theodore Eccleftone. 
 
 This petition being read in the Houfe of Commons, 
 they came to the following refolution : 
 
 * A petition of the people called Quakers was read. 
 Refolved, That the confidcration thereof be referred to a 
 committee ; and that they report their opinions therein to 
 the houfe/ 
 
 A committee being ordered accordingly, fate thercupoa, 
 and gave their judgment as followeth : 
 
 * Upon the whole it is the opinion of this committee, 
 
 ^593] 
 
 l^EdPLX CALLED QITAKBRSt 
 
 5"^ 
 
 that the Quakers ought to be relieved according to the 
 prayer of their petition.* 
 
 ; But nothing was obtained that feflion ; for their enemiis 
 ^ere yet fo powerful in parliament, that they found means 
 to retard this beneficial work, and to ftay the progrefs of 
 it : for fo long as the Quakers were not relieved in the 
 cafe of oaths, they who now were not liable to perfecutioir 
 on account of their pubiick worftiip, might yet for all that 
 be otherwife molefted and vexed. Wherefore on the «2d 
 of December, in the year 1694, a reprefentation of their 
 cafe of not fwearing, being figned in behalf by Theodore 
 Eccleftone, was delivered to the members of parliament, 
 and was as followeth : , > 
 
 A.brieffeprefentatiori of the Quakers cafe of not fwear^ 
 ing; and why they might have been, and yet may be 
 relieved therein by parliament. 
 ; *, It is ^ certain truth, that among Chriftians, and Pro- 
 teftants efpecially, there are divers particular things about 
 religion, confcientioufly fcrupled by fome as unlawful, that 
 others efteem orthodox : and therefore it is not to-be won- 
 dered, that the Quakers differ from many others ( though 
 not from all)' in this cafe of oaths; they believing they 
 are abfolutely forbid to fwear in any cafe, by thatpofitive 
 command of Chrift, Matt. v. 12. And that this is unde- 
 niably their Chriftian perfuafion, is evideuoed by their fuf- 
 ferjngs thefe many years for not fwearing.. ,,: 
 
 * And therefore their cafe may be worth the charitable 
 notice of the gbvernment, by law to relieve them therein; 
 and not, for theif religious, perfuafion, 10 continue them 
 and their families expofed to ruin; who among their 
 neighbours cheerfully pay to the fupport of the govern- 
 ment i .a,nd by their trades and induftry, according to their 
 capacities, advance the national ftock. , 
 
 * It may therefore be humbly offered, that it is not the 
 ktereft of the government to refufe them relief. 
 
 . « Their induftry in trade both at fea and land, bringing 
 profit to the government as well as others ; the ftation they 
 ftand in as iperchants, farmers, manufafturers, improvers 
 Vol. II. a k 
 
s»* 
 
 THE HISTORT OF THE 
 
 {1694 
 
 of lands and (locks, is advantageous te their neighbours as 
 truly as others. And as it fceras not the iuterell of the go. 
 ▼eramcnt in general that they (hould be any ways difcou- 
 i^grd in their honeft induftry, fo neither is it the intereft of 
 an eminent part of the government, that they fhould not bc 
 relieved, viz, the judges* 
 
 * For the frequent fuits that are brought againfl the 
 Quakers, before the chancery and exchequer judges, arc 
 no doubt very troublefome and burthenforae, by the diffi^ 
 culty of getting at a juft iffue, for want of fwearing ; 
 whereby juftice is delayed, and their caufes often held very 
 long ; and no doubt when juft judges fee the Quakers 
 wronged and abufed, and cannot relieve them, it is irkfome 
 to them: fo that it is humbly conceived, it would bc 
 a great eafe to thofe courts, to have the Quakers relieved 
 in this cafe of oaths. 
 
 * Neither is it without advantage to the king's other 
 courts, to be able to ufe the evidence of one who is now a 
 Quaker, that perhaps was not fo fome years ago ^ when he 
 was witnefs to a bill, bond, book-debt, or deed of inden- 
 ture ; or when he was fteward or truftee, or fervant, 
 cither to pcrfons of quality, or to others of trade or 
 eftatc 
 
 * Nor may their teftimony be unufcful to coroners, la 
 cafe of imnatural deaths ; tfbr inconvenient in cafes of tref- 
 pafs or felony, &c. 
 
 * And it is ferrfier propofed, that it is not the intereft of 
 the fubjeS to continue them unrelieved ; for it is not the 
 intereft of thofe the Quakers are indebted ; becaufe though 
 fuch may fue and harrafi the Quakers in perfon and 
 cflate, yet they may long want a decifion of their debt 
 0(r daim, as to the right of it, for want of an anfwcr upon 
 oath, 
 
 * It is not the intereft of thofe they are concerned with 
 in any doubtful cafe, becaufe of the diflSculty to come to 
 ttial, 
 
 * And for thofe that owe money to the Quakers, to bc 
 allowed to fly into chancery for a refuge, to obftruft pay* 
 ing juft debts, is fuch an injury as it is hoped no one that 
 i$ L^atioaiil will countenance, or delirc fliould bc continued 
 
 1694] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* 
 
 5^S 
 
 upon them. And may it not then be afferted, that it is no 
 honeft man's true and juft intereft to have the Quakers denied 
 relief; no, not the gown-men of Weftminfter-hall, whofe 
 few fees from the Quakers as plaintiffs, might fuggeft 
 (though unduly) that they have no long-tailed debts to fue 
 for, nor titles to recover ; but if they fo fuppofe, it is a mit 
 lake, for it is rather their defpair of relief, and their welU 
 known inability to purfue a caufe, that is their common 
 determent to begin. 
 
 * So that of all caufes that crowd thefe courts, few are 
 brought by the Quakers, though they may need it as much 
 as others, to the great lofs of the learned in the law, as 
 well as the poor injured Quaker. 
 
 * And one might think it were great pity an induftrious 
 people ftiould be kept liable to all injurious fuits, and fo 
 much barred from fuing for their rights, be their caufe-. 
 never fo reafonable, juft, or neceffary. 
 
 * Seeing their relief is to them fo needful, fo harmlefs to 
 all, and fo ufeful to the government and their neighbours ; 
 let us a little confider the common objeftions ; which may 
 be fummed up in fliort thus : 
 
 Firft objeftion, * How fliall we then be at a cer- 
 tainty?' 
 
 Secondly, ^ Why fliould the laws be altered for them ? 
 For, 
 
 Thirdly, * It would be to rafe old foundations : 
 
 Fourthly, * And let them into the government.* 
 
 * Which it is hoped will not "be difficult to anfvver one 
 by one, and that to reafonable fatisfaftion. 
 
 * And to the firft, viz. the doubt of certainty. It may 
 be rationally affirmed, that whofoever is bound to tell the 
 truth (efpecially againft mens own intereft, where the 
 temptation, if any, mainly lies J fuch are either fo bound by 
 the law of God, or the law of men, or both. 
 
 * Now the obligations by the law of. God are binding on 
 good men, whether they give anfwerson oath, or on their 
 folemn affirmation in the fear of God ; and knaves are only 
 
 2 k 2 
 
5H 
 
 tHE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1694 
 
 1694] 
 
 FEOPtE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 5^5 
 
 bound by the penal laws of men ; which if made equally 
 fevere to thofe that gave fallacious anfwers, as well with- 
 out oath as by oath, would be equally efFe£lual and 
 binding, both to them that gave anfwers without fwearing, 
 and to them that fwear. 
 
 ' The fccond objeftion, That it would be an alteration 
 of the law. Not of the fubftance of the law, but of a 
 circumftance ; and if that hath no detriment in it, but that 
 the alteration be really an amendment, and a convenkncy 
 to an honed induftrious people, pray why fliould it not be 
 done? What fcffions of parliament is there that paffes, but 
 fome law or other is made for the eafe, fecurity, or relief 
 
 of the fubjeft ? *- 
 
 • If foreigners are too hard for our fea-faring-pcople, 
 out goes an aft of navigation to prevent it. 
 
 ' If our poor at home want filk to work with, how 
 foon IS it granted, notwithftanding the fame aft, to come 
 ever land, and not direftly in (hipping, from the places of 
 ^ts produce, as the faid aft before did cnjom : and fliall 
 . the eafe of trade be fo foon granted againft a pofitivc 
 Itatute ; and the eafe of confcience be fo long denied in 
 .diis, as pofrtive a command of Chrift, at leaft really fo be- 
 lieved and accepted ? 
 
 • « And for the third objeftion, That it is to rafc old 
 foundations. Anfwer, No, as it was faid it is rather to 
 mend them j a proper work for parliament's/ 
 
 • « Did not parliaments abrogate popery, with all its 
 claim to antiquity ? Did not a parliament make the aft of 
 Habeas Corpus againft ihe claim of prerogative ? And was 
 it more rcafonable to fccurc the fubjeft from perpetual im- 
 prifonraent by a king without a trial ; than it is to fccurc 
 one fubjeft.from imprifoning another till death, for not 
 giving an anfwer in chancery or exchequer upon oath ? 
 Does it belong to parliaments to fecure other fubjefts in 
 their eftates, liberties, and properties, and is it unparlia- 
 -mcntary to fecure the Quakers from fequeftrations againft 
 their whole cftates, bccaufe they dare not comply to a cir- 
 
 cumftancc of the law, when (as they underftand it) it is 
 againft an exprefs command of Chrift? Surely no: and 
 therefore their relief in parliament is a fitting cafe to be 
 there tenderly taken notice of, and provided for. 
 
 * May it not then be well worth the while for the pre- 
 fent parliament to relieve thefe diftrefled people, and af- 
 ford their fuffering cafe redrefs ; that thereby their caufes 
 may the fooner come to an ifllie, whether they fue for 
 juft debts, or are fued ; whereby many unjuft and vexa- 
 tious fuits, by injurious and litigious perfons, may be pre- 
 vented ; which have often tended rather to the Quaker's 
 ruin and others damage, tl^^in recovery of their right ? 
 
 * As to the foiirth objeftion, That it will tend to let 
 them into the gorernment. For anfwer thereto, bar that 
 as hard a§ you pleafe ; only do not let the fuppofal of that, 
 from which fo eafily and fo willingly they may be excluded, 
 be a hindrance to that eafe and benefit the government 
 piay fo eafily afford them* 
 
 * But now, while you have opportunity by the ftatlon 
 Providence hath placed ^you in, pray be you of fuch noble, 
 generous fpirits as to relieve them; though they differ 
 
 • from you in the conftruftion of a text they cfte^m plain 
 and po^tiye on their fide, and from which they dare no; 
 fwerve j having therein the concurrence of many ancient 
 fathers and martyrs, and fince them the Mennifts, and of 
 
 . the late Francis Ofbourne, efq. in his Political Refleftions, 
 7th edition, p. 319, who, treating of judicial cafes, calls 
 Not fwearing, a yielding a fincere and faithful obedience 
 to the precept of our Saviour, *' Swear not at all:" whi^h, 
 fays he, the corrupt gloffes of expofitors labour much, 
 though all in vain, to dude. 
 
 ' And Swinderby, ii> his appeal to the king, complaining 
 of the errors of the Papifts, fliys thus : * As Chrift forbids 
 fwearing, fo, (fays he) the pope juftifie^U fwearing, and 
 compels men to fwear.' 
 
 ' Which no man can rationally fay h pnly fpoken, of 
 fwearing in comraunicauon, for his complaint is againft 
 ^uftifyin^ fwearing, and compelling njen to. fwear, \yhicl?, 
 
 2K 3 
 
5.6 
 
 The HfSTORY OF THE 
 
 [1695 
 
 cannot be pretended to mean other than folemn fwearing; 
 for no age that we . read of, did ever authorife profane 
 fwearing, much lefs compel to it. 
 
 ' Since therefore not only profane fwearing, but alfo 
 folemn fwearing was early complained of by Proteftants j 
 let it not feem ftrange to any, that the Quakers now 
 fcruple fwearing, and for eafe therein have often fought 
 relief in parliament, the proper place. 
 
 * Seeing then they believe they have the authority oJ 
 Chrifl's command, and the apoftle's exhortation, and the 
 martyr's doftrine on their fi'de, though divers of you are 
 not fo pcrfuaded ; 
 
 ' Yet let the world behold your juflice anc^ willingnefs, 
 according to your power, to do good to all the honeft and 
 induftrious people you both reprefent and govern; by 
 cnafting, that their folemn affirmation fliall be accepted in 
 lieu of an oath, and all that falfify therein, Qiall be punifhed 
 equally with perjured perfons. 
 
 * It having been made appear to a committee of this 
 parliament, (Dec. 2, 1692) that they are expofed to great 
 hardftiips as aforefaid ; and not themfelves only, but others 
 alfo ; (which was the cafe of a member or two of this prer 
 fent parliament ; ) 
 
 ' So that upon the whole matter, the faid committee 
 were of opinion, and did report it to the houfe, that the 
 Qiiakers ought to be relieved according to the prayer of 
 their petition, then newly prefented to the houfe. 
 
 * Wherefore as liberty hath been given them to declare 
 their allegiance to the government without fwearing, for 
 which eafe they are fincerely thankful ; fo be pleafed to 
 add to that kindnefs, their relief in the matter of oaths, 
 between them and other fubjefts, as well as between tU^ , 
 government and then). 
 
 * Signed in behalf of the faid people, 
 
 ♦ Theodore Ecclcftqne.' 
 
 London, Dec. 22, 1694. 
 
 Though after the delivering of the faid reprefentation, 
 the parliament this year came not to a full refolution for 
 their relief, yet fcvcral members fliewed themfelves tnore 
 
 1695] 
 
 P£OPL£ CALLED QUAKCR$» 
 
 5»7 
 
 inclined to it, and in the next year the matter was taken, 
 in band again in good earnefl. 
 
 Toward the conclufion of this year, Mary the 2d, 
 queen of England, deceafed. She was a princefs eminent 
 beyond many, being well verfed in reading, and of great 
 knowledge, of which I will mention only this paffagc, viz^ 
 that the ambalTador of the king her father at the Hague, 
 having tried by many arguments to bring her over to the 
 papal religion, faid afterwards in the prefence of fome great 
 men, that he never before believed that a woman was to 
 be found any where fo well experienced in the doftrine of 
 Chriftian religion ; that therefore he would not advife any 
 to enter into difcourfe with her about that matter. On 
 the -2ifl of December fome fymptoms of the fmall-pox 
 appeared on the queen, who had been ill a day or two 
 before; and her diftemper fuddenly increafed to that de- 
 gree, that the phyficians began to defpair of her recovery: 
 but this was fo far from frightening her, that (he faid, 
 * God be thanked, I am prepared.' And this quietnefs of 
 mind did not leave her, even when fhe felt death approach- 
 ing ; for then (he was heard to fay, * I believe now that 
 1 fhall die Ihortly ; and I thank God, that from my youth 
 I have learned this true doftrine, that repentance ought 
 not to be deferred to a dying bed.* In fuch a Chriflian 
 difpofition fhe continued to her dying hour, and fo quietly 
 gave up the ghoft to her Creator, from whom fhe had 
 received it, departing at Kenfington not long after mid- 
 night, between the 26th and 27th of December, and left 
 the king in unfpeakable forrow, who, in all the time of 
 her ficknefs, it is faid, had not depaned from her chamber. 
 Many pens laboured to celebrate her praifes, and bewail 
 her death ; and perhaps no queen in many ages hath been 
 more beloved than fhe was. But I break off; others have 
 given an iccount of her excellent qualities and charafter 
 to the world, and it may be none better than Gilbert 
 Burnet, bifhop of Salifbury, in a treatife intitled, * Ad 
 Effay on the Memory of the late Queen.* 
 
 Now I return again to the cafe and affairs of the 
 Quakers. 
 
 And iince thofe of Barbadoes in America were itill about 
 
 2 K 4 
 
5'8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 li6gs 
 
 this time much molefted, for not bearing arms, they fcnt 
 over a lift in the year 1695, of what had been taken from 
 them under the government of the colonels Searle and 
 Muddiford, the prefident Wallum, the lords Francis Wil* 
 loughby and William Willoughby, the knight Jonathan 
 Atkins, and Richard Duttonj and the colonels Edwin 
 Stede and JaraesKendal, all which amounted to 1,423, '1641b. 
 Mufcovado fugar, and 2,9 1 ol. 1 6 s. in money. To this lift 
 was joined an account of the difaftcrs which befel feveral 
 of the perfecutors in Barbadoes. In this, account I find 
 above thirty marflials or the deputies named, who, though 
 they had enriched themfelvcs with the fpoil and havock of 
 the goods of honeft people, yet they all died poor, and 
 feveral cither by an unnatural death, or with great pains ; 
 but I decline mentioning 9II the particulars. Among thefc 
 was John Thurborn, marfhal to colonel Tidcomb, who 
 ufcd fcoflSngly to call the Quakers his milch cows, faying, 
 that George Gray (^one of thefe people) was one of bis 
 beft cows, and gave a brave mefs of milk every exercifing 
 day. For he and other fuch birds of prey took always 
 much more than the fine amounted to : but at length he 
 died in poverty, being affli6ied with ^ fiftula in his funda* 
 ment, that did admit of no cure. 
 
 It was not only for not bearing arms that the Quakers 
 fuffered thus ; but frequent occafions were fought to vex 
 them. For when they (to bring their negroes, if poflible,^ 
 to fome knowledge of the true God) caufed them to meet 
 together for an hour or two once a week^ Co inftruft them 
 according to their capacity, by reading to them fome part 
 of the Holy Scriptures, and fpeajcing fomething to this 
 purpofej a law was made, forbidding the Quakers to let 
 their negroes come into their meetings, though kept in 
 their own houfes, on pain of forfeiting every fuch negro as 
 was found there, or ten pounds inftead thereof. And by 
 one Thomas Cobham, an aftion was brought againft 
 Ralph Fretwell, for eighty negroes of his own at a meet- 
 ing in his own family. But though the juftice, John 
 Merrick, did what he could to countenance the (aid 
 Cobham, yet after feveral feffions of the court, at Avhich 
 the faid juftice was an afliftant, judgment was given in 
 
 1695] 
 
 1>E0PLE CALLED QtJAKEkS. 
 
 5^9 
 
 favour of the defendant ; and it was remarkable that the 
 abovefaid Coj^ham, though a lufty likely young man, be- 
 came dejefted, and generally flighted ; and foon after was 
 taken with a fever and an inflammation in his neck and 
 throat, which fo increafed that towards his hatter end, he 
 cried out, * Fire, fire ; I am all on fire ; and to bis 
 mother he faid, fhe needed not provide a coffin for him ; 
 for he ftiould be burnt up before it was made : crying out, 
 « Neither heaven nor hell, but all fire, fire ;' to which he 
 added, ^ Now the Quakers will fay it is a judgment fallen 
 on me.' After this manner he miferably ended his days. 
 And juftice Merrick's exit was alfo difmal : for riding to 
 his houfe, after having drank too much, he was thrown 
 from his horfe, whereby his brain was fo hurt, that he lay 
 .fome days in a violent raving condition, to the terror of 
 his friends, and fo died. In like manner William Sharp, a 
 judge of the court, who had been a great oppofer of the 
 Quakers inftrufting their negroes, riding from his houfe to 
 Bridgetown, fell from his horfe, and was fo hurt, that he 
 was not heard to fpeak any thing elfe afterwards, but < O 
 my head ;* and three or four days after his fall, he died. 
 
 Sir Timothy Thornhill, major-general, had often threat- 
 ened to take away the Quakers' lives, and was fuch an 
 . abominable blafphemer, that I feel myfelf feized with horror 
 in reading the moft dcteftable and direful, blafphemies 
 which this monftrous wretch belched out : for being at a 
 feaft, and drinking fo exceflively, that fome of the company 
 refufed to drink fo hard, he wiflied, (ftiall I fay it, or be 
 filent) Seipfum ejfe Deum Omnipotentem^ quo poffet damnare 
 animas Horum qui cum ipfo biben nollent. At another time, 
 being in company where a woman, by way of difcourfe, 
 fpoke of the'power and omnipotency of Almighty God, he 
 returned this accurfed language, worfe than that of the 
 devil himfelf. Matt. iv. ' God damn ye, go to the top 
 of yonder tree, and fee if God Almighty can favc yoii 
 from breaking your neck before you come to the bottom.' 
 Other devilifti language he fpoke, I pafs by with filencc. 
 When once a perfon was brought before him for not ap- 
 pearing in arms, and told him, he could not do fo for 
 confcience^fake, he returned, ' God damn your confciencej 
 
J 
 
 540 THI HISTORY OF THH [1696 
 
 if I cannot make your confcicncc bow, I will make yopr 
 ftubborn dog's back bend/ and fo tied hira neck and 
 heels with his own hands fo violently that he almofts 
 deprived the man of life. He alfo once, when a decla- 
 ration of war was publifhcd in the ifland, faid, that the 
 firft time any enemy appeared, he would hang up the 
 Onakcrs, binding his words with abominable oaths, to 
 which be was fo accuflomcd, that he feldom fpokc without 
 them. But now at length the time came that he muft 
 rcmore from this to the other world. He had been fick, 
 and being pretty well recovered, he boafled among his 
 companions of his conqueft over death, an*! daringly f.iid 
 that he had taken a new leafc of his life from God .almighty 
 for thirty years longer. But within a few mont s after 
 the thread of his life was cut, and his pretendt*d leafv was 
 taken from him by the fovereign of the univcrfe. Thus 
 he died unlamented by moderate people, and ciirfed by 
 others who loft confiderably by him, notwichftandiiig a 
 great eftate left him by his father. 
 
 But more happy was bis marftial, John Batt, who ijad 
 taken much goods from the Quakers; yet on his -dying 
 bed, fome years before, viz. 1679, ^^^ ^^ fenfibly touclied 
 with repentance, that he caufed the following paper to be 
 writ, and figned iu 
 
 * Whereas I John Batt the younger, of the ifland of 
 Barbadoes, was lately by commiflion from colonel 
 Thomhill, marlhal to his regiment of foot foldters ; and 
 by that power did diftrain upon the eftate$ of feveral of 
 the people called Quakers, and took and carried away 
 many parcels of their fugar, and other goods, for their de- 
 faults in not appearing in arms to the faid regiment ; which 
 they refufed out of tendernefs of confciencc, to which I 
 had not regard ; but now the Lord having laid his hand 
 forcly on me, by afflifting me with a hard and grievous 
 ficknefs, thofe things done to the aforefaid people come 
 frefh in my mind to my very great grief and terror ; and I 
 do declare that all the fins that I have been guilty of 
 bcfides, (which are very many) do not trouble or he fo 
 ^eavy upon my confciencc, as thofe my doings to that pco* 
 
 16963 
 
 People called (Rakers* 
 
 l^t 
 
 pie ; and do believe that no man will ever be bleffed or 
 profpcr that praftifes fuch things againft that people. In 
 witnefs whereof I have hereunto fet my hand this tenth 
 day of May, 1679, 
 
 \ 
 
 Witnefs William Howard, 
 
 Antrobus. 
 
 * John Batt, jun.! 
 
 Well had others done, if they had taken example by It ; 
 
 but it was not in vain that our Saviour in the parable of the 
 
 rich man and Lazarus, made Abraham fay to the rich man, 
 
 ^' If they hear not Mofes and the prophets, neither will they 
 
 b6 perfuaded though one rofe from the dead." But other 
 
 persecutors took no caution by this penitent John Batt ; 
 
 for yet long after fome others in Barbadoes nioft furioufly 
 
 (hewed their malice and rage againft the Quakers, and 
 
 ;among thefe one Alexander Ruddock, a Scotchman, who 
 
 was not only a colonel of a regiment of foot, but alfo 
 
 judge of a court, and one of the council. He caufed one 
 
 pf the foclety of the Quakers to be rated four hundred 
 
 pounds of fugar, for payment of the prieft^s wages, who. 
 
 was his fon-in=-law ; whereas upon complaint of the faid 
 
 perfon, and upon enquiry, it appeared that the pretended 
 
 due was but ten pounds of fugar : and it was well known 
 
 that he and his friends duly paid for maintaining the poor, 
 
 jind for mending highways j but all this could not avail him; 
 
 for a cow was taken. from him worth ten pounds fterling. 
 
 And though fome of the magiftrates, feeing the unrcafon* 
 
 ablenefs of thefe proceedings would have had the cow 
 
 returned to the right owner, yet fuch was the power of the 
 
 faid Ruddock, that they were not able to withftand it. 
 
 And becaufe the aforefaid man had complained of the 
 
 wrong and oppreffion he fuifercd, this fo incenfed Ruddock, 
 
 that he caufed him to be fined five pounds fterling, for 
 
 Jiaving refufed to take the oath as conftable, though he 
 
 was willing to have ferved the office. For this fine 
 
 Ruddock iffiied out a warrant againft him, upon which was 
 
 taken fjrom him a negro woman, that by the management 
 
 gf BLuddock was valued at about two thoufand three huu- 
 
.R 
 
 521 THE HISTORY OF TH^ C'^PS^ 
 
 dred pounds of fugar, which as ihc price of fugar thea 
 Wfjit, might amount to eleven pounds ten {hillings : and 
 yet the negro was fold for fix and twenty pounds ftcrling, 
 and all kept for the fine of five pounds. From this fame 
 man was taken the value of above feven thoufand pounds 
 of fugar in one year by the direftion of Ruddock ; which 
 the luflferer laying before hijn in the prefence of his 
 .daughter, the pricil's wife, and telling him he had fufFered 
 all that for complaining of the wrong he had done him 
 about his cow, he, as rejoicing at it, faid, 'it fhould be fo 
 yearly, fo long as he was magiilrate. But he did not live 
 a year after. 
 
 He was of a fierce temper, and very ready to put 
 negroes to death for example, faying, ' What is it for Bar-- 
 bacjoes to put twenty or thirty negroes to death yearly for 
 example fake ?* And as he vexed the Quakers many ways, 
 fo he ihewed his grudge alfo by taking the meat they 
 bought and paid for ; nay fq malicious he was, that meet- 
 ing once a butcher carrying mea; to the houfe of him that 
 bought it, he commanded him to carry it back, faying the 
 Quakers fhall not eat frefh meat. But at length the mear 
 fure of his iniquity was full : he came from the council, 
 where an order was iflued from the governor to break up 
 the Quaker's meetings, and he promifed the governor dili- 
 gently to obey all his commands. But in his very way 
 home he was taken ill, and being come to his houfe, he 
 called for fomc Creain of Tartar, which he ufed to take 
 in his broth ; but by his own miftake he took Arfeniclc 
 inftead thereof, and fo wretchedly ended his days. An4 
 how wicked foevenhe was, yet the prieft Kennedy, his 
 countryman, did not flick when he was to preach hi^ 
 funeral fermon, to take his text fromthefe words of the appf., 
 tie, " I have fought a good fight, I havefiniftied my courfcj^ 
 I have kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me 
 a crown of righteoufnefs." And in this fermon it was 
 declared of him, that he had attained to the prudence of ^ 
 judge, the dignity of a colo^iel, and the honour of a coun- 
 fellor ; and that he had fervcd bis king and country faith- 
 fully, and died a faint. This lad expreffion feemed to 
 regard fome repentance he had fhewcd j but whatever it; 
 
 legs'] 
 
 1?E0PLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 >: 
 
 was, wc muft commit that to God ; and in the mean-white 
 not rely too much on fuch a repentance : fince Judas alfo 
 repented of his wickednefs. If I did not ftudy brevity, I 
 could relate more remarkable cafes concerning the perfe- 
 cutors in Barbadoes ; but I break off. ^ ^ ' 
 
 Now I return to England, where the parliament fitcmg 
 tbe latter end of this year, had effeftually taken in hand the 
 making an aft to cafb the people called Quakers from that 
 heavy burden of fwearing; but this work met with great 
 oppofition : for though many good-natured members were 
 inclined to it in good earned, yet their enemies were fo 
 aaive in altering and clipping the bill, that it looked almoft 
 as if the whole projeft would have come to nought. But 
 the king himfelf forwarded the work, and to his praife be 
 it faid, he was the principal promoter of it : infouuich that 
 in the beginning of the year 1696, it was enaaed by 
 the king and parliament, that the folemn affirmanon and 
 declaration of the people called Quakers fhall be accepted 
 inftead of an oath in the ufual form, as appears by the a^, 
 which was as foUoweth : 
 
 t :r 
 
 i. ' 
 
 An Aft that the folemn Affirmation and Declaration' of 
 the people called Quakers, fliall be accepted inftead of 
 an Oath in the ufual form. 
 
 ')' 
 
 Whereas divers dlffenters, commonly called Qtiakers, 
 rcfufing to take an oath in courts of juftice, and othe^ 
 places, are frequently imprifoned, and their efbtes fequef- 
 tered by procefs of contempt iffuing out of foch courts^ t9 
 the ruin of themfelves and families : for jemedy thereof, 
 be it enaaed by the king's mofl excellent majefty, by and 
 with the advice and confcnt of the lords fpiritual and tem- 
 poral, and commons in this prefent parliament affembled, 
 and by the authority of the fame, thax from and after the 
 fourth day of May, which fhall be in the year of our Lord 
 one thoufand fix hundred and ninety-fix, every Quaker 
 within this kingdom of England, dominion of Wales, or 
 town of Berwick upon Tweed, who fhall be required upon 
 any lawful occafion to take an oath in any cafe, where by 
 Jaw an oath is required, fhall inftead of the ufual form be 
 
I 
 
 5^4 THE HISTORY OP THE [1696 
 
 permitted to make his or her folemn affirmation or dcclara* 
 tion, in thefe words following, viz, 
 
 ^l A B, do declare in the prefence of Almighty God, 
 the witnefs of the truth of what I fay/ 
 
 11. Which faid folemn affirmation or declaration, fhall be 
 adjudged and taken, and is hereby enafted aad declared, tp 
 be of the fame force and effeft, to all intents and purpofcsin 
 all courts of jufticc, and other places, where by law an oath 
 is required, within this kingdom of England, dominion of 
 Wales, or town of Berwick upon Tweed, as if fuch 
 Quaker had taken an oath in the ufual form. 
 ' III. And be it further enafted by the authority aforefaid, 
 that if any Quaker making fuch folemn affirmation or de- 
 claration, (hall be lawfully convifted, wilfully, falfcly, and 
 corruptly, to have affirmed or declared any matter or thing, 
 which if the fame had been in the ufual form, would have 
 amounted to wilful and corrupt perjury, every fuch 
 Quaker fo offending Ihall incur the fame penalties and 
 forfeitures as by the laws and flatutes of this reahn arc 
 enafted againft perfons convifted of wilful and corrupt 
 perjury. 
 
 IV. And whereas by reafon of a pretended fcruple of 
 confcience Quakers do refufe to pay tithes and church 
 rates, be it enafted by the authority aforefaid, that where 
 any Quaker fhall refufe to pay, or compound for hi* great 
 for fmall tithes, or to pay any church rates, it (hall and 
 may be lawful, to and for the two next juftices of the 
 peace of the fame county (other than fuch juftice of the 
 peace as is patron of the church or chapel, when the faid 
 tithes do or fhall arifc, or any ways interefted in the faid 
 tithes) upon the' complaint of any parfdh, vicar, farmer, 
 or proprietor of tithes,- churchwarden or churchwardens, 
 who ought to have, receive, or colleft the fame, by war- 
 rant under their hands and feals, to convene before them 
 fuch Quaker or Quakers neglefting or refufing to pay or 
 compound for the fame, and to examine upon oath, which 
 oath the {aid juftices are hereby empowered to adminifter, 
 or in fuch manner as by this aft is provided, the truth and 
 jmftice of the faid complaint, and to afcertain and ftate 
 
 i«963 
 
 f EOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 5^5 
 
 tvhat h due and payable by fuch Quaker or Quakers 
 to the party or parties complaining, and by order under 
 their hand* and feals to dircft and appoint the payment 
 thereof, fo as the fum ordered, as aforefaid, do not exceed 
 ten pounds ; and upon refufal by fuch Quaker or Quakers 
 to pay according to fuch order, it ftiall and may be lawful 
 to and for any one of the faid juftices by warrant under 
 his hand .and feal, to levy the money thereby ordered to 
 be paid, by diftrefs and fale of goods of fuch officnder, his 
 executors or adminiftrators, rendering only the overplus to 
 him, her, or them, neceffary charges of diftraining being 
 thereout firft dedufted and allowed by the feid juftice ; and 
 any perfon finding him, her, or themfelves aggrieved by any 
 judgment given by two fuch juftices of the peace, fliall and 
 may appeal to the next general quarter feffions to be held 
 for the county, riding, city, liberty, or town corporate : 
 and the juftices of the peace there prefent, or the major 
 pan of them, ftiall proceed finally to hear and determine 
 the matter, and t0 reverfe the faid judgment, if they fhall 
 fee caufe : and if the juftices then prefent, or the major 
 pan of them, ftiall find caufe to continue the judgment 
 given by the firft two juftices of the peace, they flialT then 
 decree the fame by order of feffions, and Ihall alfo pro- 
 ceed to give fuch cofts againft the appellant, to be levied by 
 diftrefs and fale of the goods and chattels of the faid ap- 
 pellant as to them fliall feem juft and reafonable : and no 
 proceedings or judgment bad or to be had by virtue of this 
 aft fliall be removed or fuperfeded by any writ of certiorari 
 or other writ out of his majefty's courts at Weftminfter, or 
 any other court whatfoever, unlefs the title of fuch tithes 
 fliall be in queftion. 
 
 V. Provided always, that in cafe any fuch appeal be 
 made as aforefaid, no warrant of diftrefs fliall be granted 
 until after fuch appeal be determined. 
 
 VI. Provided, and be it enafted, that no Quaker, or 
 repute^ Quaker fliall by virtue of this aft be qualified or 
 permitted to give evidence in any criminal caufes, or fervc 
 on any juries, or bear any office or place of profit in the 
 government ; any thing in this aft contained to the contrary 
 k any wife noiwithftanding. 
 
5«6 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1696 
 
 VII. Provided^ that this aft (hall continue in force for 
 the fpacc of feven years, and from thence to the end of the 
 next feflion of parliament, and no longer. 
 
 Thus the Quakers became difcharged, and free from 
 that grievous burthen by which they had been oppreffed 
 fo many years. This parliament made alfo an z£t for en- 
 forcing the laws which rcftrain marriages without licenfcs 
 or hands ; and for the better regiftering marriages, births, 
 and burials ; and for keeping a diftina regifter of all per- 
 foqs boru j for which no more was to be paid than fix- 
 pence. 
 
 • Mention hath beet made already that George Keith 
 had at London got a place called Turner's hall to preach 
 in ; and as his auditory confilled chiefly of perfons envious 
 againft the Quakers, fo there were among thefe alio many 
 of the vulgar fort who generally, are /fickle and unftcady, 
 and often inclined to noveliies ; though Keith would as 
 yet in forae refpeft be looked upon as an adherent of the 
 Quakers ; he alfo had pubiiftied forae papers, wherein he 
 endeavoured to make it appear that they held fevcral he- 
 terodox fentiments. ^ ^ ' 
 , The books which he had publiflied concerning this tnat- 
 ter were fo fully anfwered by the Quakers, that he being 
 at a lofs to make a reply to their anfwers, pretended that 
 he was not in a condition td fet the prefs at work, and 
 bear the charges of the impreffion. But that this was: a 
 frivolous evafion was well known. Yet he, to do fomethjng, 
 fell upon another projca, and publilhed an advertifement, 
 that on the nth of the month called June, he would de- 
 fend his charge againft the Quakers, and therefore heium- 
 moned fome of them to appear there at the time, toanCwer 
 for themfelves. Beginning noW to comply with the EpiC* 
 copalians, he had, as he faid afterwards, given noiice 
 of his intention to the lord mayoi? of London, who not 
 having forbidden it^ he grew the more bold. . But the 
 Quakers did not think it meet to appear there to enter into 
 a difpute with him, the rather becaufe the king at that time 
 was beyond fea, and many of the vulgar were idle for 
 
 1696] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 527 
 
 want of work and trade, occafioned by the fcarcity of mo- 
 ney, (which then was very great, by reafon of the recoin- 
 ing it,) infomuch that it could not be forefeen whether 
 fome difaffcfted perfons might not have got together, and 
 caufed a dangerous difturbancc. And therefore they 
 declined to appear there, and gave the foUowings reafons of 
 their refufal, which were read in the appointed meeting, 
 and afterwards publiflied in print : 
 
 * Whereas G. Keith hath, after his wonted irregular 
 and unruly manner, challenged divers of us to defend our- 
 felves againft fuch charges as he has to exhibit againft us 
 at Turner's hall : thefe are to certify all whom it may con* 
 cern, that the reafons why we decline any fuch meeting are 
 as follow : 
 
 Firft. * Becaufe the faid G. Keith hath given us fuch 
 frequent proofs of his very paflionate and abufive behavi- 
 our, at the many more feleft meetings we have had witU 
 him, in all manner of fweetnefs, long-fufFering and pati- 
 ence, on our fide, to fatisfy and preferve him from thefe 
 extremes : that we cannot affure ourfelves now of any 
 better entertainment, or that the meeting can have any 
 defirable fuccefs, for a thorough information. - \ 
 
 Secondly. * We decline to meet, becaufe it is not an 
 agreed meeting on both fides, which it ought to have 
 been, and where that is not, or cannot be adjuited, the 
 prefs is the next fair way and expedient, which he ha? 
 begun with, and now feems to decline ; nor hath he fent 
 us a copy of his charge or indiftment againft us, which 
 alfo he ought to have done. 
 
 . Thirdly. ' That he has two of our books which lie 
 hard at his door, in vindication of us and our doftrine? 
 from his conceptions, and which he has pot yet anfwered ; 
 •fo that he is not upon equal terms with us ; and therefore 
 we think his challenge, appointment, and fummons, unfair ; 
 and that all that are not partial will be of the fame «iiadi 
 with us. 
 
 Vol. II. a 1. 
 
528 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1696 
 
 Fourthly. ^ Such publick and unlimited meetings, arc 
 too often attended with heats, levity, and confufion, and 
 anfwer not the end defired by fober and enquiring 
 men. Befides, that it fets up a praftice that authority may 
 judge to be an abufe to our liberty, and fo draw that 
 under refleftion, as no friend to the civil peace. 
 
 Fifthly^ ' We know not what religion or perfuafion 
 this waverin^T man is of, or what church or people he 
 adheres to, or will receive him, with his vain fpcculations, 
 that have led him to defert us ; nor who are accountable 
 to us for him and his irregularities and abufes ; the gene- 
 rality of fuch affemblies ufually making ill auditors, worfe 
 iudges, and no good fecurity for our fatisfa£^ion. And we 
 rnuft therefore take leave to fay, it fecms to us an indireft 
 way of difquieting and invading our prefent liberty, that 
 fo irrelig'^ous a meeting fliould be held, whofe end is to 
 abufe other men for their religion. If this fhould be 
 imitated by all the feveral forts of different perfuafions 
 in this city, what heats ^nd confufions muft neceffarily 
 enfue. 
 
 Sixthly, andlaftly. ' Wherefore be it known unto all, ' 
 that for the fake of religion, the liberty granted us, and 
 the civil peace, we decline to meet hnn ; and not from 
 any apprehenfion we have of his abilities, or our own con- 
 fcioufnefs of error, or injuftice to the faid G. Keith ; whofe 
 weak and unbridled temper we know is fuch, that what 
 learnincT and parts he hath, have not been able to balance 
 and fupVt him on lefs occafions, fo that we may fay thev 
 are in ill hands ; and if he proceeds as he begins, they will 
 be employed to an ill end, which his (poor man !) cannot 
 but be, unlefs he change his courfe ; which we heartily 
 pray for, that a place of^ repentance he may find ; and 
 through a true contrition, the remiffion of his great fm ot 
 envy, and evilly intreating the Loyd's peopld and way, 
 which we profefs, and which he, the faid G. l^eith, hath 
 long and late both profeffed, and zealoufly vindicated as 
 fuch/ 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAkERS. 
 
 5f9 
 
 Thefe reafons the Quakers, as hath been faid, publiflied 
 in print, to ftiew the world, that it was not without a 
 weighty caufe, that they_did not accept G. Keith's fum- 
 mons. Now though G. Whitehead and W. Penn, for 
 the above faid reafons did not appear in Turner's-hall, yet 
 fgme of their friends were there as fpeftators, to fee what 
 would be the ifliie of the bufinefs. G* Keith feeing him- 
 felf thus difappointcd in his intention, took upon him for 
 all that to defend his charge in the abfence of his adverfa- 
 ries, which now he could do eafily, fince none contradicted 
 him ; and he was applauded by the frequent fhoutings of 
 the mob that was there in great numbers. After the rea- 
 fons of non-appearance was read, Keith fignified that they 
 were not fatisfa6tory, by calling them (lender, weak, and 
 frivolous, ' What,* faid he, ' may a malefador make this 
 excufe ; You fliall not call me before a juftice without my 
 confent ? If a man robs me, 1 may complain of him as a 
 robber, and without his confent call him to account But 
 here is a flrange thing : if injuring men may not be called 
 to account without their confent, it will trefpafs againft the 
 law, and intrenches upon liberty of confcience.' This rea- 
 fon he publifhed in print, in his narrative of that day's 
 work : but who would formerly ever have thought, that 
 fuch a little man as he was, would have been fo big. It 
 looked juft as if the Quakers were obliged to appear as 
 malefaftors before the pretended judge Keith, accompanied 
 with his affiftants the mob, and I do not know who. And 
 to keep to G. Keith's comparifon, though a malefa%r may 
 not fay, you fhall not call me before a juftice without my 
 confent, yet with fome good reafon he might fay, you (hall 
 not make yourfelf a juftice, as Keith now did. It is proba- 
 ble that he was fupported by fome great churchmen, 
 otherwife fuch a bold aftion might eafily have turned to 
 his difadvantage. 
 
 My limits do not admit of a circumftantial relation of 
 what was tranfaftcd at that time in Turner's-hall ; yet to 
 fliew briefly how he treated matters, I will produce one or 
 two inftances, by which my reader may know, ut ex ungue 
 konem^'^ and fo judge of the reft. He faid he would 
 
 * As of a Hon by his claw* 
 2 L 2 
 
5j« 
 
 THE h;story of the 
 
 Ii6s6 
 
 charge the Quakers with nothing but what he would prwc 
 from their own writings, and he went on thus: * I offer 
 to prove that G- Whitehead hath denied Chrift both to 
 be God and man.' A ftrange thing indeed, fmce it was 
 very well known that G. Whitehead had pubhfhed a book 
 of above twenty fhcets, under this title, * The Divmity of 
 Chrift, and Unity of the Three that bear record m Hea- 
 ven, with the bleffed end and effcft of Chrift's appearance, 
 coming in the flcfli, fufferings, and facrifice for fmners, 
 confeffed and vindicated by his followers, called Quakers. 
 This book G- Keith could not pretend ignorance of, for 
 he picked fomewhat out of it in his narrative : but to 
 maintain his charge he appealed to a book of G. White- 
 head's, called ' The Light and Life of Chrift within. 1 his 
 book G. Whitehead had written in anfwer to W. Burnet, 
 a Baptift preacher, who writing of Chrift, faid, As he was 
 God, he was Co-Creator with the Father, and fo was 
 before Abraham, and had Glory with God before the 
 world was, and in this fenfc came down from heaven. To 
 vrhich G. Whitehead anfwered, ^ W^hat nonfenfe and 
 unfcripture-like language is this, to tell of God being Co- 
 Creator with the Father? Or that God had glory with 
 God ?' Doth this imply two gods, and that God had a 
 father ? Let the reader judge.* Certainly it appears from 
 this plainly, that G. Whitehead did not intend any thing 
 clfe, but to cenfure the unfcriptural expreilions of his an-^ 
 tagonift, as Co-Creator, and implying two gods : for not 
 only the apoftle faith, God is One, but Chrift himfdf faith, 
 I and the Father are One. Yet G. Keith did not ftick to 
 fay G. Whitehead denieth the divinity of Chrift, and he 
 deceives the nation and the parliament by telling them 
 the Quakers own Chrift to be both God and Man, and 
 believe all tliat is recorded of him in the holy fcripturc. 
 This he ftrove to prove from a paffage taken out of the 
 aforementioned book, which in fenfe agreed with the 
 former ; and fpeaking in another page of the fame matter 
 Tiz. ITieBaptifts calling God the Word, Co-Creator with 
 the Father, G. Whitehead aafwers thus to it : * To tell of 
 the Word God CoXreator with the Fathef , is all one a$ 
 to tell of God being Co-Creator with Cod, if the Father 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 Al 
 
 1696] • 
 
 be God ; and this is to make two gods and two creators : 
 for God Co-Creator with the Father plainly implies two. 
 Was this ftiewing of others their abfurd expreffions, a 
 denial that Chrift was God, as Keith would have it ? Might 
 it not be afked here, whether the acute wit of Keith was 
 now altogether flown away? But a great part of his 
 auditory confifted of an ignorant crew, and one or other of 
 them was continually heard to cry out. It is fufficient. 
 
 Now to prove that G. Whitehead had denied Chrift to 
 be man, K^sith cited from the forementioned book, called 
 
 * The Divinity of Chrift,' &c. thefe words, « If the body 
 and foul of the Son of God were both created, doth not 
 this render him a fourth perfon ?* Here Keith. ftopped, 
 and broke off with an &c. without adding the following 
 Words ; ^ For creation was in time, which contradifts the 
 doftrine of three diftinft, uncreated, co-eternal, co-eflential 
 perfons in the Deity, feeing that which was cres^ted was 
 not fo.* This G. Whitehead alked and faid, to ftiew his 
 opponent, T. Danfon, t;he abfurdity of his aflfcrtions about 
 the perfohalities of the Deity. But Keith went on, reading 
 from G. Whitehead's book thus: * Where doth the 
 Scripture fay that his foul was created ? For was not he 
 the brightr>pfs of the Father's glory, and the exprefe 
 image of his divine fubftance ? But fuppofing the foul of 
 Chrift was with the body created in time,' &c. Here 
 Keith broke off again, omitting the following words : * I 
 a/k, if from eternity he was a perfon diftinft from God and 
 his holy Spirit, without either foul or body? Where doth 
 the Scripture fpeak bf any perfon without either foul, on 
 body ? Let us have plain Scripture.* 
 
 Now though G. Whitehead had written this to. (hew, 
 how we often enter into inextricable ftraits, when we do 
 not keep to the words of the holy Scripture, which no 
 where fpeaks of three perfons in the Deity; yet Keith 
 perverting the paflage abufively, faid to his auditory, 
 
 * Here ye fee he will not own that Chrift had a created 
 foul.' At this rate, and after this manner, Keith rearmed, 
 and treated the other paffages. But how fmartly would 
 he have carped at others, if they liad cited his words thus 
 piecc-mcal. 
 
 i? L 3 
 
5i^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [^696 
 
 But now he had a temporal reward in his view, and 
 feeing for thai end he began more and more to declare 
 himfelf in favour of the epifcopal church ; foir.ehody of 
 that perfuafion, who did no farther make himfelf known 
 than by thcfe initial letters, W. C. made it his bufinefs to 
 flitw the changeablenefs of Keuh's opinion and ientiments, 
 from his own writings, which he had publiftied in print ; 
 and thereby evidently proved, that in every rcrfped Keith was 
 turned an apoftaic, though he appeared much oflcnded at 
 the Quakers, beoiufe thty had called him fo. ' But,' faid 
 this author, * if thePrcfbyterian principles (of which fociety 
 Keith once was a member) were better than the Quakers, 
 then is Mr. Keith an apoftate, in revolting from, and 
 ' deferting the Prefbyterians, and turning his coat Quaker- 
 faihion. But if the Qiiakers were more in the right thai> 
 the l're{bvterians, then e contra.* 
 
 Now he appeared to fawn on the epifcopal clergy, and 
 efleemed lawful what formerly he had zealoufly oppugned. 
 For he was in hopes that by oppofing the Quakers he 
 fliould be bed rewarded among the epifcopahans ; and 
 this was n- 1- altogether without reafon ; for it bemg no 
 more in their power now to perfecute the Qiiakers in 
 manner as formerly, they made ufe of other means as 
 much as poffibly they could, to render them and their 
 dodrine odious ; for which Keith feemed to them no unht 
 tool ; for he being both of a witty and impetuous temper, 
 was alfo crafty, fubtle, cunning, and violent in his expref- 
 fions. And to charge the Q^uakers with morthodoxy, he 
 himfelf launched out into an heterodox fentiment. For it was 
 believed, that for maintaining this pofition, that the hilto- 
 rical knowledge of Chrift's fufferings, death, refurreaion, 
 &c. was abfolutely neceffary for falvaiion, he had no other 
 ground than the twelve pretended iranfmigrations or tranli- 
 tions of man's foul from one body into another •, becaule 
 the ignorant fouls from hence feemed to get opportunity 
 of being informed, before the end of the world, con- 
 cerning the death and refurredtion of our Saviour. Who 
 would have imagined before that this fame G. Keith 
 fhould have accufed the Quakers of inorthodoxy in point 
 of doarine, which he had often fa efFeftually defended^ 
 
 1696] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 5:^3 
 
 and among the refl:, in a book againfl: one Cotton Mather, 
 wherein upon the charge of their being guilty of many 
 herefies and blafphemies, he faid after this manner ; ' Our 
 principles do moftly agree with the fundamental articles 
 of the Chriftian Protcftant fairh. According to my befl 
 knowledge of the people called Quakers, and thofe 
 owned by them as preachers and publilliers of their belief, 
 being of an unqueflionable efleem among them, and wor- 
 thy of double honour, as there are many fuch, 1 know 
 none of them that are guilty of fuch herefies and blafphe- 
 mies as they are charged with. And I think I fhould 
 know, and do know thofe called Quakers, having beeJl 
 converfant with them in publick meetings as well as in 
 private difcourfes, with the moil noted and efteemed 
 among them, for about twenty years pad, and that in niiiny 
 places of the world, both in Europe and America.' Who 
 w^ouid ever have thought then, that one who had converfed 
 fo many years with the Qiiakers, preached their do£lrine, 
 and defended it publickly both by v;riting and by word of 
 mou:b, fhould afterwards have decried them, as deniers of 
 the mofl clTcntial points of the Chriflian fiiilh. But to 
 what extravagancies may not temporal gain tranfport a 
 man, the cafe of Balaam may ferve for an evidence. 
 
 I have in all this relation of Keith's behaviour, fet 
 down nothing but what I believe to be really true ; nei- 
 ther have I endeavoured to aggravate his failures; for I 
 never bore him ill-will, but a good efleem when I believed 
 him to be upright, becaufe in that lime I perceived in him 
 fome good abilities. And I yet wifh from my very heart, 
 that it may pleafe God, in his unfearchablc mercy, fo to 
 touch his heart, before the door of grace be fliut, that 
 feeing the greatnefs of his tranfgrefTion, he may by true 
 repentance, obtain forgivenefs fro n the Lord, of his evil ; 
 which I take to be worfe, becaufe by his craftinefs he 
 endeavoured to fet falfe colours on things that were really 
 good, thereby to infinuate himfelf into favour with the 
 epifcopal party.* And fince fomc others fuborned thereto 
 did not omit alfo to render the Qiiakers odious, as fuch that 
 
 ♦ N. B. This was written fome years before I heard G.K^^ith was deceafed, 
 
 2 L 4 
 
534 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1695 
 
 held inorthodo5t fentiments, thefc did not neglcft to fhew 
 in print, how they were injured and wronged. For now 
 the old tale, that there were popifh emiffaries among them, 
 was revived and divulged anew. But it was no hard mat- 
 ter for them to fticw how ill-grounded this conceit was j 
 and therefore they might fay, ' We are fo well known to 
 our neighbours, that if this were true, our adverfaries 
 would be very aclive to find out and difcover fuch emifla- 
 ries, fince the law againft them is ftill in force. Three epif- 
 copal clergymen in Norfolk, had alfo drawn up a paper to 
 the king and parliament, to blacken the Quakers from 
 their own writings ; but George Whitehead, William 
 Penn, and others, were not backward to fhew how their 
 Words, or the true meaning thereof, were perverted ; fmce 
 at fuch a rate, even the falutary leffons of the holy Scrip- 
 tures might be expofed as wicked expreffiens. 
 
 Now the late king James intending an invafion upon 
 England, and great preparations being made in France m 
 order thereto, a plot was difcovered in England againd king 
 William -, this gave occafion to the Houfe of Commons; 
 to draw up a kind of declaration, which was called 
 an affociation, to be figned by all their members, as 
 follows : 
 
 ' Whereas there has been a horrible and detcftable 
 confpiracy, formed and carried on by Papifts, and other 
 wicked and traitcrous perfons for affaihnating his majefty's 
 royal perfon, in order to encourage an invafion from 
 France, to fubvcrt oyr religion, laws, and liberties, wa 
 whofc names are hereunto fubfcribed, do heartily, fin- 
 cerely, and folemnly promife, teftify, and declare, that his^ 
 prefcnt majefly king William, is rightful and lawful king of 
 thefe realms. And we do mutually promife and cngagQ 
 to ftand by and affift each other, to the mmoft of our 
 power, in the fupport and defence of his majefty's rood 
 lacred ptrfon and government, againft the late king James^ 
 and all his adherants. And in cafe his majefty come to 
 any violent and unrimcly death (which God forbid) we da 
 hereby farther freely and unanimouily oblige ourfelves t(X 
 uniie, affociatxf, and Hand by each other, in revenging the 
 
 1696] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QllAKERS, 
 
 535 
 
 fame upon his enemies and their adherents, and in fup- 
 portingand defending the fucceflion of the crown, according 
 to an aft made in the firft year of the reign of king William 
 and queen Mary, entitled, ' An Aft declaring the Rights 
 and Liberties or the Subjefts, and fettling the fucceflion of 
 thd Crown.' 
 
 An affociation was alfo figned by the lords, and both 
 prefented to the kmg, and were followed by all the corpo- 
 rations in England. See Life of king William, vol. Ilf. 
 The diiTcnters alfo prefented declarations to the king, that 
 had fome refemblance with the other. But the Quakers 
 profefling non-refiflance, and an inoffenfive behavbur, 
 could in no wife enter into fuch a league j yet to fhew that 
 they were loyal and faithful to the king, they drew up the 
 following declaration, and publifhed it in print : 
 
 The ancient teftimony and principle of the people calleil 
 Quakers renewed, with refpeft to the king and govern- 
 ment, and touching the prefcnt aflfociation : 
 
 * We, the faid people do folemnly and fincerely declare, 
 that it hath been our judgment and principle from the firfl 
 day we were called to profefs the light of Chrift Jefus 
 manifcfted in our confciences unto this day, that the fetting 
 up, and putting down kings, and governments, is God's 
 peculiar prerogative, for caufes bed known to himfelf; 
 and that it is not our work or bufinefs to have any hand or 
 contrivance therein, nor to be bufy-bodies in matters 
 above our ilation ; much lefs to plot and contrive the ruin 
 or overturn of any of them -, but to pray for the king and 
 for the fafety of our nation, and good of all men, that wc 
 live a peaceable and quiet Hfe, in all godlinefs and honefly, 
 under the government which God is pleafcd to fet over 
 us. 
 
 ^ And according to this our ancient and innocent priq- 
 ciple, we often have given forth our teflimony, and now 
 do, againfl: all plotting, confpiracies, and contriving infur* 
 redHons againfl the king or the government, and againft all 
 treacherous, barlwiQus, and muxderous defigna whatfoever. 
 
53^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1696 
 
 1696J 
 
 PEOPLE CALL£D QTJAKERS. 
 
 537 
 
 as work^ of the devil and darknefs : and we fincerely bicfs , 
 God, and are heartily thankful to the king and govern- 
 nicnt, for the liberty and privileges we enjoy under them 
 by law : cflceming it our duty to be true and faithful to 
 them. 
 
 ' And whereas we the fa id people are required to fign 
 the fa id affociation, we fincerely declare, that our refufing 
 fo to do, is not ouc of any difaffc!(ftion to the king or govern- 
 ment, nor in oppofition to his being declared rightful and 
 lawful king of ihefe realms, but purely becaufe we cannot 
 for confcicnce-fake, fight^ kill, or revenge, either for our^- 
 feives or any man elfe. 
 
 ' And we believe that the timely difcovery and preven- 
 tion of the late barbarous defign and miichievous plot 
 agaiiift the king and government, and the fad efFeifls it . 
 might have had, is an eminent mercy from Almighty 
 God ; for which we, and the whole nation, have great 
 caufe to be humbly thankful to him, and to pray for the 
 continuance of his mercies to them and us. 
 
 * From a meeting of the faid people in London, 
 the 23d, of the firil month, called March, 
 
 In this year Roger Haydock died of a fever, at hia 
 houfe in Penketh, in Lancaihire, about the age of fifty- 
 three years. He had been in Holland the year before, 
 in which time I had more than once opportunity to fpeak 
 with him privately, and thereby difcovered fuch Chriftian 
 qualities in him, that were indeed excellent ; therefore 
 the news of his deceafe did much afFcrt me ; and becaufe 
 of his miniftry, in which he was eminent, being more than 
 ordinary full of matter in his preaching ; his death was 
 much lamented among ihofe churches in England where 
 he had laboured luod in the gofpel. His wife, Eleanor, 
 in her teilimony concerning him, faid, * My fpirit hath 
 been, and is bowed under a deep fenfe of my great lofs 
 and exercife, in the removal of my dear hulband, whom 
 it hath pleafed God in his wifdom to rake away from me, 
 who was comfort to my life, and joy to my days in thit; 
 
 world, being given me of God, in great mercy and loving- 
 kindnefs; and fo he hath been enjoyed by me in thank- 
 fulnefs of heart, to the clofe of that time God had ap- 
 pointed ; and now is taken from the world, with all its 
 troubles and exercifes, as alfo from all his labours and 
 travels, which were great amongft the churches of Chrifl, 
 which with me have no fmall lofs in his removal. But 
 what fliall I fay : wife and good is the Lord, who doth 
 what he will in heaven and in earth, and amongft his 
 churches and his chofm. He can break and bind up, 
 wound and heal, kill and make alive again, that the living 
 may fee his wonders, and magnify his power in all, 
 through all, and over all, who is God eternal, bleffed for 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 Then in her teftimony flie gives an account of his life, 
 and how in her young years he had been to her a faithtul 
 inftruclor in godlinefs, and at length became her hufband. 
 After a defcription of his life, and his many travels in the 
 miniftry of the gofpel, to edify and build up the churches, 
 Ihe faith alfo, that though his love to her was above all 
 vifibles, as the beft of enjoyments he had in this world, 
 yet fhe was not too dear to him to give up to ferve the 
 l;;uth of God. ^ 1 was made (faith flie) a blefTing to him, 
 more comfortable every day than other : he would often 
 cxprefs it ; and truly fo was he to me every day, every way, 
 ar4 in every refpeft. No tongue nor pen can relate the 
 full of that comfort and joy we had in God and one in 
 another. Yet we find fuch hath been the pleafure of God 
 concerning them he hath loved, to try them in the moft 
 near and dear enjoyments, that it might be manifeft he 
 was loved above all ; that no gifts may be preferred above 
 the giver ; but that he may be all in all, who is, and is t6 
 come, God bleffed for ever. And truly there hath been 
 great care and watchfulnefs one over another, and over 
 our own fpirits, to fee that our love, though great, was 
 bounded and kept within its compaC;, the truth being its 
 original, the Alpha and Omega alfo. Although it hath 
 been the pleafure of God to try me, in the removal of fo 
 great a bleffing from me, fure it is, that I may be the more 
 inward to him, and have his love always in my remem- 
 
Si9 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1697 
 
 1697]] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 539 
 
 brancc, who gives and takes away^ and in all blcfs his 
 name. My foul travails that I may always follow his foot- 
 fteps of felf denial in all things, that I may finifli my courfc 
 in this world to the glory of God, as he did, and have my 
 part in that manfion of glory with him eternal in the hea« 
 vens; though it may be my lot to flay for a time in this 
 world of troubles, yet I have hope in immortality and 
 eternal blefiednefs when time in this world (hall be no 
 ntore/ Thus flie writ : but to fliun prolixity, 1 break ofF. 
 She then giving fome account of his life and miniftry, 
 mentions^ that being gone from home, (he was not prefent 
 itt his death ; but that they having taken leave of each 
 other before, had parted in great love, with mutual 
 breathings to God, for one another's welfare : and flic 
 concludes with thefe words : ' Though I faw not his going 
 aw-ay, yet I have feen in what he went, and that it was full 
 of zeal and fervency in the love of God, and life of 
 righteoufnefs. So in pure fubmiiEon to the will of God, 
 I conclude this fliort but true relation of my worthy 
 dear huiband, whofe name and memory is blelTed, and 
 will live, and be of a fweet favour in the hearts of the 
 righteous through ages/ With fuch a teftimony it was, 
 that Eleanor tranfmitted the memorial of her beloved con. 
 fort to pofterity. 
 
 Meeting in this year with no more remarkable occur- 
 rences, I pafs over to 1697, '^ which a treaty of peace 
 was concluded between England, France, and Holland, and 
 though many thought it would be lafling, yet among the 
 popilh clergy there were thofe that had another opinion of 
 it ; of which this artificial diftich, fent over by a clergyman 
 from Ghent in Flanders to Holland, fo that it fell firit intg 
 my hands, was an evidence : 
 
 Profpicimm modb quod durabiint Feeder a longo 
 Tempore^ ncc nobis pax ciio diffugiet : 
 
 which may be turned into Englifh thus, * We forefee now 
 that the con.edtracy fliall laft a long time, and that peace 
 
 will not quickly fly aw^ay from us.' But if one reads this 
 diftich backward, it rus thus : 
 
 Diffugiet cito pax nobis ^ nee tempore longo 
 Fadera durabunt^ quod modb profpicimus : 
 
 and It makes out a quite contrary fenfe, viz. ^ Peace w^ill 
 foon fly away from us, and the covenant fhall not laft 
 long ; which we forefee already.* 
 
 This peace being concluded, the inhabitants of England 
 vied with one another to congratulate their king on that 
 account, who was now acknowledged as king of Great 
 Britain, by the French king Lewis XIV. And fince the 
 magiftrates of cities, the heads and fellows of the univer- 
 fities, and people of all fo;:ieties and perfuafions addrcfled 
 the king, the Quakers were not wanting in this refpecl, 
 and therefore drew up alfo an addr.efs, which they pre- 
 fentcd to the king, and was as followeth : 
 
 To King William III. over England, &c. 
 
 The grateful acknow^ledgment of the people commonly 
 called Qiiakers, humbly prcfented : 
 
 * May it pleafe the .king, 
 
 •"Seeing the moft high God, who ruleth in the kingdoms 
 of men, and appointeth over them whomfoever he w^ill, 
 hath by his over- ruling power and providence, placed thee 
 in dominivOn and dignity over thefe realms ; and by his 
 divine favour hath fignally preferved and delivered thee 
 from many great and eminent dangers, and graciouCy 
 turned the calamity of war into the defired mercy of peace ; 
 wc heartily wilh that we and all others concerned may be 
 truly fenfiblc and humbly thankful to Almighty God for 
 the fame, that the peace may be a lafting and perpetual 
 bldling. 
 
 * And now, O king, the God of peace having returned 
 thee in fafety, it is caufe of joy to them that fear him, to 
 hear thy good and feafonable refolution efFe(ftually to dif- 
 couragc profanenefs and Immorality^ righteoufnefs being 
 
540 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1697 
 
 that which exalteth a nation : and as the king has been 
 tenderly inclined to give cafe and liberty of confcience to 
 his fubjtras of different perfuafions, (of whofe favours we 
 have largely partaken) fo we efteem it our duty gratefully 
 to commemorate and acknowledge the fame: earneftly 
 befeeching Almighty God to affifl the king to profecute all 
 ihffe his juft and good inclinations, that his days here 
 may be happy and peaceable, and hereafter he may par- 
 take of a lading crown that will never fade away/ 
 
 London, the 7th of the 1 1 th Month, 
 called January ,.1697. 
 
 This addrefs being figned, and prefented to the king by^ 
 George Whitehead, Thomas Lower, Daniel Quare, John 
 Vaughton, John Edge, and Gilbert La:ey, was favourably 
 received and accepted by that prince ; who gave fignal 
 proofs that he bore no ill will to any for difference of 
 opinion in religion, if they were honed people ; of which 
 this may ferve for an evidence, that both his watch-maker, 
 and the nurfe of the young duke of Glouceftcr, were of 
 the Chiakers pcrfuafion. 
 
 I think it was about the beginning of the year 1698, 
 that a bill was brought into parliament, for reftraining the 
 licentioufnefs of ihe prefs. Thofe called Quakers perceiv- 
 ing that this might be pernicious, drew up the following 
 remarks, which they delivered to the members of parlia- 
 ment : 
 
 Some confiderations humbly offered by the people called 
 Quakers, relating to the bill for reftraining the licentiouf-. 
 ncfs of the prefs. * 
 
 « 
 
 ' This bill is, they conceive, of the like nature with the 
 expired aft, 13 and 14 Car. II. ch. 33. and many incon- 
 veniences did attend the fubjefts by it whillt in force, by 
 which the fa id people were fufferers. 
 
 ' To prevent the printing and publilhing of feditious 
 or treafonable books againft the government, and fcanda- 
 lous pamphlets tending to vice and immorality, is tHe 
 
 1697] 
 
 People called quAKERS, 
 
 54t 
 
 wifdom of all good governments, and mufl: be the dcfirc 
 of all good men. > 
 
 ' But 10 limit religious books to a licenfe, wh^re the 
 tolerated perfuafions are many, they conceive, feems alto- 
 gether unfafe to all, but that whofe opinion the liccnfrr i? 
 of, who by this bill hath power to allow what he (hall 
 judge found and orthodox, or rejeft what he (hallconftrne 
 to be either heretical, feditious, or offenfive. . 
 
 « Hiftory and experience have taught how the obfcure 
 term of herefy hath been turned and ftretched ?gai'if> pri- 
 mitive Chriftians, martyrs, and famous reformers : nor is 
 it forgotten for what reafon the Vvrrit De Haretko Combu- 
 rendo was aboliflied. 
 
 ' It is no ftrange thing to have karned men of the flime 
 church interfere in their opinions concerning feveral texts 
 of holy Scripttire; and it is uncertain when their opininns 
 come to the. liccnfer, whether the world ihall have the 
 beft or no. 
 
 * The different apprehenfions men have of divers parts 
 of Scripture, gives birth to diffei*ent perfuafions, who yec 
 all make the Scripture the tcft thereof; which by the 
 kindnefs qf the government being tolerated, they conceive 
 they ought to be left free to defend them from ihe mif- 
 reprefentations, prejudice, or miftake of others, without 
 being ftibjefted to the cenfure of a licenfer of a different 
 perfuafion. 
 
 * They therefore humbly hope that nothing may be 
 enafted that will leffen the toleration, which they 
 thankfully enjoy under the favour of this, as well 
 as the late government.' 
 
 Thefe confiderations, with what others were offered, were 
 of fuch effe^l, that the bill dropped. 
 
 About this time the writings of Antonia Bourignon 
 were not only tranflated into Englifli, but alfo publiflied in 
 print at London. This difpleafed many of the clergy, and 
 an author was employed to write againft them, but chiefly 
 againft the Quakers. He called his book, * The Snake 
 in the Grafs j' but his own name he concealed; though 
 
 
54t 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1657 
 
 ji was diTcovcred afterwards that he was a fuppreffcd par- 
 fan, who had rcFufcd the oath of allegiance to king 
 William. This man, to render the (fakers odious, had 
 picked up and collcftcd many things from their writings 5 
 but he h^d fo mutilated their cxpreffions, hj omitting 
 fevcral words that went before, or followed, and by 
 jkipping over fome in the midft of the period, that 
 they made out quite another fenfe than the authors had 
 given. To this he added relations of fcveral things that 
 happened, as .he faid, among the Quakers. Whereas 
 fome of thefe were fictitious, and mere untruths; he alfo 
 laked up things that never had been approved by the 
 Quakers, as the cafe of James Nayler, defcribcd here 
 before in its due place ; notwithftaiiding the faid James 
 Nayler had publickly given eminent tokens of true repent- 
 ance. * 
 
 Among the author's untruths this was one, that the 
 Quakers in their fchools did not fuffer the children to read 
 the holy Scriptures. The falfenefs of which was made co 
 ^pear very evidently by a certificate of the French uflier 
 of one of their fchools at Wandfworth, n^ar London, who 
 himfelf was no Qiiaker ; as alfo by the teftimonies of 
 fome of the neighbours that were people of note ; and 
 declared that the bible was daily read by the fcholars in 
 the faid fchool, beginning with Gcnefis, and going on to 
 the end of the Revelations ; and then from Cenefis agaiiK 
 The falfc citations of the aforefaid author, were alfo clearly 
 fet fonh : for if any would be fo malicious, it mighty by 
 his metliod be infmuated from Pfal. xiv. i. and Pfal. liii. 1. 
 that in the holy Scriptures was faid, * There is no God / 
 becaufe thefe words are indeed found there. But who 
 would be fo defperatc as to draw fuch a conclufion from 
 thence, imlefs he were an atheift, who openly made a 
 mock of what is facred. The anfwerers of this poifonoug 
 book, ' The Snake in the Grafs,' were George Whitehead 
 and Jofeph VVycth ; this being a work which required 
 more toil and labour than art, to review all thofe mani- 
 fold citations from many authors, and to fhew the un- 
 fairnefe and difmgenuity of the Snake. Now fmce many 
 were very ready to take for tru€ the falfities in than 
 
 1697] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 543 
 
 book, and alfo in the pamphlets of the apoftatc Francis 
 Bugg, who was gone over to the church of England, at- 
 the requeft of John Crook (who was ftill alive, though 
 above eighty years of age) a book of his v^ras reprinted, 
 firft publiflied in the year 1663, and fofive and thirty years 
 before, the title of which was, ' Truth's Principles con- 
 cerning the Man Chrift, his Suffering, Death, Refurrei^ion, 
 Faiih in his Blood, the Imputation of his Righteoufnefs, 
 &c.' By this it appeared that the fentiments of the 
 Quakers concerning thefe points were not only orthodox 
 now, but that they had been fo in thofe early days. 
 
 Having thus again made mention of John Crook, of 
 whom I have fpoken feveral times in this hiftory, I proceed 
 now to mention fomewhat concerning his deceafe, fince he 
 departed this life in the year 1699. He left behind ia 
 writing an- exhortation or advice to his children and grand- 
 children, written fcarce two months before his death, and 
 of this tenor : 
 
 ' Dear Children, 
 
 * I muft leave you in a wicked age, but commend you 
 to the meafure of the grace of God in your inwards parts, 
 which you have received by Jefus Chrifl: ; and as you love 
 it, and mind the teachings of it, you will find it a coun- 
 fcllor to inftruft you in the way everlafting, and prefervc 
 you out of the ways of the ungodly. 
 
 * I have feen much in my days, and I always obfervcd 
 that the fear of the Lord God proved the beft portion ; 
 and thofe that walked in it were the only happy people, 
 both in this life (while they continued faithful) and when 
 they come to die, though they meet with many hardftiips 
 in their paflage. By experience I can fpeak it, that the 
 Ways of holinefs afford more true comfort and peace to 
 the upright foul than the greatefl: pleafures this world 
 can afford.; the former reaches the heart and foul, while 
 the delights of this world are but a fhew, and appear- 
 ance only, vanifhing like a dream ; and whoever believes 
 otherwife of them, will certainly find them to be but 
 lying vanities; therefore the apoflle, Rom. vi. 21, might 
 
 Vol. if, 2 m 
 
544 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THB 
 
 [1697 
 
 boldly put the qucftioii to the converted Romans, viz.. 
 'What fruit had you then in thofe ihings whereof you arc 
 now afliamed ? For the end of thofe things is death/ 
 
 ' Therefore, dear children, be in love with hohnefs ; 
 make it your companion, and thofe that walk in it ; you 
 may find buddings of it from an holy feed in your hearts ; 
 as. you mind the inner man, the light will manifeft the 
 ilirrings of it after God, which I felt from my tender years ; 
 although I underllood them not fo plainly till I heard the 
 truth declared. 
 
 ' I advife you to keep a pure confcience, both towards 
 God and man : for if that be defiled, hypocrify and forma- 
 hty will deprive you of all comfortable feehng of God's 
 prefence; and then deadnefs and dryncfs will be your 
 raiferable portion. 
 
 * Be careful how you fpend your precious time, for an 
 account muft be given of every idle word, though but few 
 r<'gard it s but foolifh jelling and vain f talking, are faid 
 to grieve the fpirit of God ; read Eph. iv. 29, 30. But 
 improve your time in prayer and religious exercifes, &c. 
 and be diligent in your lawful callings ; for, " The defirc 
 of the iloihful man killeth him." Prov. xxi. 25. 
 
 ' Be careful w hat company you frequent ; for a man is 
 commonly known by the company he keeps, as much as 
 by any cue outward thing ; and of your behaviour in com- 
 pany ; for I have found that a wife and fober deportment, 
 adds much to a man's reputation and credit in the world. 
 
 < Watch to the light, and its difcoveries of good and 
 evil, that you may not be ignorant of Satan's devices ; fo 
 the net will be fpread in vain in the fight of the bird, 
 for watchfulnefs will make you in love with a retired 
 cftate ; and the more trulv and perfectly any man knows 
 and underftands himfelf,'the better difcerning will fuch 
 have of other men ; as in the beginning, when deep filence 
 of allflefli was more in ufe, the fpirit. of difcerning was 
 more common and quicker, than fince it hath been neglect- 
 ed; therefore be fure you fpend fome time (at convenient 
 fcafons) in waiting upon God in filence, though it be dif- 
 pleafing to flefh ; for I have had more comfort and con- 
 lirmation in the truth, in my inward retiring in filence^ thaa 
 
 1699] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 545 
 
 from all words I have heard from others, though I have 
 often been refreflied by them alfo. 
 
 ' Love the holy Scriptures, preferring them to all other 
 books whatfoever ; and be careful to read them with an 
 holy awe upon your fpirits, left your imaginations put con- 
 ftru6lions upon them to your hurt ; but exercife faith in 
 the promife of Chrift, who hath faid, " My fpirit fliall 
 take of mine, and fhew them unto you." 
 
 " Keep conftantly to religious meetings amongfl friends ; 
 but look to your affeftions, that you refpeft not perfons, 
 but the power and life of truth, from whomfoever it 
 comes y not minding the tickUng of your affeftions, but 
 the demonftration of the truth to your underflandings and 
 confciences ; for that will abide, when flafties of affec- 
 tions will fade and come to nothing, after the words are 
 ended. 
 
 ' Love one another truly, manifefting your love by good 
 counfel, and being helpful to each other upon all occa- 
 fions ; being good examples to all you converfe with, 
 efpecially to your children, and thofe of your own fami- 
 lies ; that pride and vanity may not be countenanced by 
 you, but rather reproved ; remembering while they are 
 under your government, you muft give an account of the 
 difcharge of your duty to God towards them. 
 
 * Laftly, Be always mindful of your latter end, and live 
 as you would die, not knowing how foon your days may 
 be finiflied in this world : and while you do live in it, def- 
 pife not the chaftenings of the Lord, whatever they be he 
 is pleafed to vifit you withal. I have been aflJicted from 
 my youth up, both inwardly and outwardly, but the God 
 whom I ferved provided for me, ^vhen all my outward 
 relations forfook me, none of them giving me any portion 
 to begin the world withal. This I fpeak, to let you know, 
 I (hall leave more outwardly, even to the leaft of you, than 
 was left me by all my relations, &c. I need not mention 
 this fliarp affliftion (beyond exprcflion) in my old age, be- 
 caufe, in fome meafure, you know it; but I could not have 
 been without it, as the Lord hath fliewed me, for 1 have 
 feen his wonders in the deeps; therefore I fay again, 
 
 2 M 2 
 
546 
 
 THX HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1699 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QITAKIRS. 
 
 547 
 
 dcfpife not affliftioas, but embrace them as mcflengers of 
 peace to your fouls (though difpleafmg to the flcfti.) 
 
 * Thefe things I commend unto you, out of true love tp 
 your fouls, knowing how the vain mind of man little re- 
 gards fuch advice as this I leave behind me ; but by this 
 advice I flicw my true love to you all, defiring God's blef- 
 fing upon it; to whom I pommit you all, my dear children, 
 and end my days. 
 
 « Your loving father and grandfather. 
 
 John Crook,^ 
 
 Hertford, the firft of the Firft month, 1698-99. 
 
 The fharp affliftion he fpcaks of in this writing was 
 more than one diftemper, for the Hone, gout, and 
 cholick, attacked him fometimcs forely j and though this 
 had been for a long time, yet he always behaved him- 
 felf patiently, though his pain was fometimes fo violent, 
 that he was often heard to fay, that did he not feel and 
 Vitnefs an inward power from the Lord, he could not 
 fubfifl: under his great pains. That of the ftone was 
 the greateft, which continued with him to his end ; and 
 yet he was not heard to utter any unfavoury word, or tcJ 
 cry out impatiently ; but when the extremity of his fits 
 were over, then he expreffed his inward joy and peace, 
 and fo praifed the Lord. He had an excellent gift in 
 opening the myflerics of the holy Scriptures, fo that he 
 was like A polios, of whom we find upon record, that he 
 was an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures. And 
 by his zealous and effeftual preaching, when he was in his 
 ftrength of life, many were convinced of the truth. In 
 his latter days he faid fometimes that the furnace of afflic- 
 lion was of good ufe to purge away the drofs and earthly 
 part in us. And under the forrow and grief he had 
 concerning fome of his offspring, he would fometimes com- 
 fort himfclf with the words of David, *^ Although my 
 houfe be not fo with God, yet he hath made with me an 
 cverlafting covenant, ordered in all things, and fure.'* In 
 his old age he was many times heard to fay, * Many of the 
 
 1701] 
 
 ancienrs are gone to their long home, and we arc making 
 hafte after them :• they ftep away before me, and I, that 
 would go, cannot. Well, it will be my turn foon alfo/ 
 And then he feemed to rejoice in the confideration, that the 
 time of his diffoliition, to be freed from his fore diftera- 
 pers, approached apace. Yet in the latter part of his life 
 he often appeared fo ftrong in the fpiritual warfare, that 
 fome judged that in fome refpeft he might have faid with 
 Caleb, ^ As yet I am as ftrong this day as I was in the 
 day that Mofes fent me ; as my ftrength was then, even fo 
 is my ftrength now, for w^ar, both to go out, and to come 
 in.* About three weeks before his death, though he was 
 Weak in body, yet he faid powerfully, and after a prophe- 
 tical manner, ' Truth muft profper, truth fliall profper, but 
 a trying time muft firft come, and afterwards the glory of 
 the Lord fhall more and more appear.' He continued in 
 a fedate and truly Chriftian frame of mind to the lad 
 period of his life, and departed the 26th of the month 
 called April, in the eighty-fecond year of his age, in his 
 houfe at Hertford, where he had lived many years. I knew 
 him in England, and he hath alfo been in Holland, fo that 
 I do not fpeak of one that was unknown to me. 
 
 George Keith, by villifying the doftrine of the Quakers, 
 was now fo much in favour with the epifcopal clergy, 
 that he began to ferve them as a vicar; having been 
 ordained by the bifhop of London about the year 1700. 
 And fince this ijeemed ftrange and wonderful to many, 
 fomebody, of wliat perfuafion I do not know, made a col- 
 le^lion of his fentiments concerning a national church, and 
 its clergy, and what account he gave of their rices and 
 ceremonies, from books and p?pers he had publiflied 
 many years before ; to which the author gave this title, 
 * Mr. George Keith's Account of a National Church and 
 - Clergy, humbly prefented to the bifliop of London/ 
 To this were added fome queries, he once writ concerning 
 what is called the facrament of the Lord's fupper. . This 
 account was now publiihed in print, and prefented to the 
 biihop of London, ending with ihefe words of the apoftlc, 
 *^ If I build again the things which I deftroyed, I make 
 my/elf a tranfgreffor," 
 
 2 M 3 
 
54» 
 
 THE HISTORY Of THE 
 
 [\699 
 
 1699] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (RAKERS. 
 
 S49 
 
 In the next year, viz. 1701, the late king James died m 
 France. I mentioned before how that;: unhappy prince, 
 after having afcendcd the throne, fell fuddenly by his hafty 
 condua, and ardent defire to introduce popery in Eng- 
 land, and all his endeavours to regain his loft kingdoms 
 proved inefFcaual. In September, being at mafs, he was 
 feized with a qualm, and the diftemper increafing, withm a 
 day or two he vomited blood, and all remedies made ufe of 
 \Tere unprofitable. If what was written about that time 
 from Paris be true, he declared that he forgave all men 
 what they had done amifs to him: and on the 16th of the 
 faid month he died at St. Germain's, in France, where he 
 kept his court. 
 
 King William was returned from Holland, where he had 
 been, becaufe of new troubles drawing on from France. 
 And fmce the fucceffion of the crown of England was now 
 fettled in the Proteftant line, and for want of nearer Pro- 
 teftant heirs, then to the houfe of Hanover, the king was 
 congratulated on that account with many addreifes from his 
 fubieas : and therefore thofe called Quakers thought it 
 alfo their duty to addrefs him (againft whofe hfe-a horrible 
 plot was difcovered; with a thankful acknowledgment of 
 his favours. Ihis they did as followeth, it being pre-^ 
 fented to the king in December, by George Whitehead, 
 Wm. Mead, and Francis Camfield. 
 
 To King William III. over England, &c. 
 
 An Addrefs from the People commonly called 
 Qiiakers, humbly prefented. 
 
 May it pleafe the King, 
 
 « WF, thy dutiful fubjefts, fincerely exprefs our joy for 
 thy fafe return to thy people ; having great caufe to love, 
 honour, and pray for thee, as a prince whom we believe 
 God hath promoted and principled for the good ends ot 
 government, under whofe reign we enjoy great mercies 
 and favours j and particularly that of liberty to tender 
 
 confciences in religious Vorfhip, as a proper expedient to 
 unite thy proteftant fubjefts in intereft and aiFeftion, 
 
 * For which great mercy we cannot hut be humbly 
 thankful to God ; and renew our grateful acknowledg- 
 ment to the king, whom God by' his almighty power hath 
 eminently preferved, and made exemplary in prudence, as 
 well as goodnefs, to other kings and princes, whereby thy 
 memorial will be renowned to pofterity. 
 
 ' We are alfo engaged to blefs the Lord for that he liath 
 manifeftly fruftrated the mifchievous and treacherous de- 
 figns of thine and the nations adverfaries, both againfl 
 the lawful eftablifliment of thy throne, and the true in- 
 tereft of thy Proteftant fubjeds. 
 
 * And we befeech Almighty God to blefs the good 
 defigns and juft undertakings of the king, and his great 
 council, for the good of his people, and for obtaining to 
 Europe a firm and lafting peace ; and continue thee, O 
 king, a blefling to thefe nations, eftablifli thy throne in 
 
 ♦mercy and rrutn, give to thee a long and profperous reign 
 over us, and hereafter a glorious immortality, is, and 
 fhall be the fervent prayer of us, thy true and faithful 
 fubjefts. 
 
 Signed in behalf and by appointment of the 
 aforefaid people, at a meeting in London, 
 the 8th month, 1701. 
 
 This addrefs being read to the king, was favourably 
 received, and he thanked thofe that prefented it. George 
 Whitehead and the others faying what they thought mate- 
 rial to the cafe, the king returned, ' I have protefted you, 
 and fliall proteft you :' and repairing w^ith the addrefs to 
 his clofet, he read it over again, as was underftood after- 
 wards, and fpoke in its commendation. But he keeping 
 the paper fome days by him, without giving it to be made 
 publick by the Gazeteer, fome French news-writers, at 
 London, forged a very ridiculous addrefs, and fent ic 
 beyond fea ; and the French Gazeteers in Holland were 
 very ready to divulge in their prints fuchfiftitious ftufF, 
 though the expreffions therein were fo exceeding blunt 
 
 2 M 4 
 
I 
 
 550 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 and unmannerly, that they could not be fpoken to a king, 
 but by fuch who were impudent enough publickly 10 
 make a mock of crowned heads, which the Quakers never 
 have been guilty of. After a few days the king gave the 
 addrefs to be made publick ; and then every body could 
 fee how fliamefully the French news-mongers had expofed 
 
 their malice. 
 
 This year being come to an end, that of 1702 followed, 
 and alfo the end of king William's life. 
 
 The French king, upon the death of^the king of Spain, 
 had not only placed his grandfon, the duke of Anjou, on 
 the throne of that kingdom, but had alfo aknowledged 
 ihe pretended prince of Wales as king of England ; by 
 which, in a manner, he attainted king William's crown ; 
 who thereupon took occafion to make alliances for his 
 fecurity, with other princes and potentates. Of this he 
 gave notice to^ the parliament that was then fitting, who 
 promifed to affill him to the utmoil of their power, and to 
 maintain the facceilion of the crown in the Proteftant line. - 
 And an abjuration was alfo drawn up, wherein it was 
 declared, that the aforefaid pretended prince, who now fuf- 
 fered hirafelf to be called James the Hid. king of England, 
 &c. had no right or claim co the crown of that kingdom, or 
 any dominions appertaining thereto. Now though all ih\s 
 was intended for maintaining and aiSfting the rightful king' 
 William, yet he lived not to fee the efecl of it ; for his 
 time was near expired, and his glafs run, as foon appeared. 
 
 About the beginning of the month called March, he 
 went a hunting, and riding a horfe he never rid on before, 
 the horfe fell, and the king, at the fame time, broke his 
 collar-bone: the fracture Svas foon fet, and all feemed 
 like to do well ; but the king having endured nlany fatigues 
 and hardftiips, had been weak in body fome time before ; 
 infomuch that this fore fall feemed to occafion his ficknefs, 
 which foon followed, and put a period to his life. But 
 b^re his departure, he did yet one good work more for 
 tha '^Quakers ; for the term of feven years, granted for 
 tbdir affirmation to be accepted inftead of an oath, was 
 liear expiring ; and therefore they folicited the king and 
 parliament that this aft might be continued, and coufinned 
 
 1702]! 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 55* 
 
 by a new one, which was obtained ; for the king always 
 Ihcwed himfclf willing to favour them as his peaceable 
 fubjefts ; and in parliament many eminent members were 
 well affefted towards them. Thereupon this renewed aft, 
 containing a prolongation of the (liid grant for the fpace 
 of eleven years, paffed at length, after mature confidera- 
 tion, the king having named commiflioners, who on the 
 third of March, gave the royal aflent to it in the houfe of 
 Lords, becaufe, by reafon of his illnefs, he could not appear 
 himfelf on the throne. He alfo fent a mefllige to the par- 
 liament, recommending the uniting of the two kingdoms 
 of England and Scotland, into one, commiflioners being 
 already appointed in Scotland, to treat with the Englifli 
 concerning that affair : but time fliewed that he was not to 
 bring that work to an end, fmce the accomplifhing thereof 
 was referved for his fucceflbr, though fome hopes appeared 
 of his recovery ; for he had been walking a little in his 
 garden to take the air, and fitting down afterwards, he 
 caught cold, which was followed by a fever ; and his 
 ficknefs fo increafed, that on the next firft-day of the week„ 
 being the eighth of the month called March, he died at 
 Kenfmgton, to the great grief of all his faithful fubjefts ; 
 nay, fuch was the forrow on the death of that excellent 
 prince, that the news of it being come to Holland, it 
 caufed a general dejeftion, and drew tears from many eyes; 
 for perhaps no king in thefe late ages hath been more 
 beloved than he was. The day before his demife, he had. 
 by commiflioners given the royal aflent to the bill of abji:- 
 ration of the pretended prince of Wales ; and the follow- 
 ing night, feeling death approaching, he fent for the 
 princefs Anne, fiirer of his deceafed confort, queen Mary; 
 and having kept her fometime with him, after tender 
 embracing, he wiflied her the lall farcwel. Then he fent 
 for the archbifhop of Canterbury, and his underfl:anding 
 continuing good to the lail, with evident tokens of piety, 
 and a refignation to the will of his Creator, in the morning 
 about eight of the clock, he gave up the ghoft to him 
 from whom he had received ir, being entered into the 
 .fiFty-fecond year of his age, and having reigned as king 
 above thirteen years. 
 
55'^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF Tl^E 
 
 [1702 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qiTAKERS. 
 
 55 
 
 '» 
 J 
 
 In the afternoon the princefs Anne was proclaimed 
 queen of Englind, Scotland, France, and Ireland, &c. and 
 the parliament promifed to aiTift her, in maintaining thofe 
 alliances that were already made, or ftiouid yet be made, 
 with foreign powers. This the queen accepted with much 
 fiktisfa6lion, and confirmed the minifters and high officers in 
 their refpefiive fiations. She alfo writ to the ftates-ge- 
 neral of the united Netherlands, that flie would keep to 
 the alliances made with the ftates by the deceafed king 
 her brother* 
 
 The body of the king, which was lean, and much ema- 
 ciated, was opened after his death, and many of the 
 inward parts appeared found, efpecially. the brain ; yet in 
 general little blood was found in the body ; but in the 
 lungs, which adhered much to the pleura, was more than 
 in all oihtr parts ; his heart was firm and ftrong; but fomc 
 iuflanimations, on the left fide of the lungs, was thought 
 to have been the immediate caufe of the king's death, for 
 he had long been afthmatical. 
 
 He was of a middle flature ; his face lean and oblong ; 
 his eyes were exceeding good, quick, and piercing ; his 
 hands very fine and white ; he did not talk much, but was 
 folid in thought ; of a ftrong memory, quick of apprehcn- 
 lion, of a compofed mind, and not given to vcluptuoufnefs, 
 but <^rave in his deportment ; he often gave evidence of a 
 devout attention at the hearing of the name of Gcd ; and 
 even in the midft of dangers, put great truft in divine Pro- 
 vidence. Thus he was valiant and undaunted without 
 temerity ; for where he judged his prefence to be nccef- 
 fary, he repaired thither without fear. He was a great 
 Jovcr of hunting, that being his moft pleafant diverlion, 
 which roi^de him the more fit to endure the fotigues of 
 war. He was eafy of accefs, and gave a favourable 
 hearing to eveiy body, and thofe that fpoke to him he 
 tij-eated difcreetly ; and fuch was his devotion, that he 
 often retired privately, when fome thought he was about 
 other bufinefs. Many had conceived hopes that this great 
 prince, in that critical juncture, would ha\e lived yet 
 fomewhat longer: but his work was dc^ne; and God hath 
 lincc that time fiicwed very eminently, that he is not hmited 
 
 to any inftruments ; and the queen who fucceeded on the 
 throne, gave afterwards fignal proofs of it to the world. 
 Hi^ corpfe was interred the 12th of the month called 
 April, about midnight, in the chapel of kine Henrv the 
 Vllth, in Weftminfter Abbey. / ^ ^ 
 
 It was by the favour of this king, (a Hollander by birth) 
 that the Quakers, fo called, were tolerated a free people; 
 fo that now they faw fulfilled the truth of what fome of their 
 deceafed friends had prophetically foretold, viz. That it 
 ihould not be in the power of their enemies to root them 
 out, but that God, in his own time, Ihould work their 
 deliverance. 
 
 Thus we have now {czn from what weak beginnings 
 they had their rife, and how they increafed and became a 
 great people againft all oppofition, of which at firft there 
 feemed little probability ; as in the beginning of this hiftory 
 may be feen : and to look a litde back, it may appear alfo, 
 by a teftimony of George Fox, publilhed after his death, 
 in the collection of his epiftles, viz. 
 
 * When the Lord firft fent me forth in the year 1643, 
 I was fent as an innocent lamb (and young in years) 
 amongft (men in the nature of; wolves, dogs, bears, lions, 
 and tigers, into the world, which the devil had made like 
 a wildernefs, no right' way then found out of it. And I 
 was fent to turn people from darknefs to the light, which 
 Chrift, the fecond Adam, did enlighten them wuhal ; that 
 fo they might fee Chrifl, their waf to God, with the Spirit 
 of God, which he doth pour upon all flefh, that with it 
 they might have an underftanding to know the things of 
 God, and to know him, and his Son Jesus Chrift, which is 
 eternal life; and fo might worfliip and ferve the living 
 God, their Maker and Creator,' who takes care for all^ 
 who is Lord of all ; and with the light and Spirit of God 
 they might know the Scriptures, which were given forth 
 from the Spirit of God in the faints, and holy men and 
 women of God. . 
 
 * And when many began to be turned to the light 
 (which is the life in Chrift) and the Spirit of God, which 
 gave them an undcrftanding, and had fo\md the path of 
 
 I. 
 
554 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [170a 
 
 1>02] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 555 
 
 the jufl, the fliining light; -then did the wolves, dogs, dra- 
 gons, bears, lions, tygers, wild beafts, and birds of prey, 
 make a roaring, and a fcreeching noife againft the lambs, 
 Ihcep, doves, and children of Chrift, and were ready to 
 devour ihcin and mc, and to tear us to pieces. But the 
 Lord's arm and power did prefcrve me, though many 
 times I was in danger of my life, and very often caft into 
 dungeons, and prifons, and haled before raagiftrates. But 
 all things did work together for good : and the njore I 
 was caft into outward prifons, the more people came out 
 of ihcir fpiritual and inward prifon (through the preaching 
 of the gofpel). But the pviefts and profeffors were in fucli 
 a great rage, and made the rude and profane people in fucli 
 fury, that 1 could hardly walk in the ftreets, or go in the 
 highways, but they were ready oft-times to do me a mif- 
 chicf. But Chriil:, who hath all power in heaven and in 
 the earth, did fo reftrain and limit them with his power, 
 that my life was preferved ; though many times I was near 
 killed. 
 
 * Gh, the burdens and travails that I went under ! 
 Often my life preffed down under the fpirits of profelTors 
 and teachers v/ithout life, and the profane ! And befides, 
 the troubles afterwards with backfliders, apoftates, and 
 falfc brethren, which were like fo many Judas's in betray- 
 ing the truth, and God's faithful and chofen feed, and 
 caulmg the way of truth to be evil fpokeu of! but the Lord 
 Wailed, wafted, and confounded them, fo that none did 
 ft and kmg ; for the Lord did either deltroy them, or bring 
 them to uonqht, and Iiis truth did flourifh, and his people 
 in it, to the praife of GodL, who is the revenger of his 
 chofen. 
 
 * G. y: 
 
 G. Fox then, having in England been the firft: of the 
 Quakers that preached and proclaimed Chrift the light, 
 v.hich enli^hteneth every man coming into the world, had 
 in a fhort time (as we have in this hiftory,,notwithftanding 
 all cppofuion) many adherents, whereby feveral others alfo 
 began to publifli tliac ckfflrine. And many of thefe firft 
 ];Teaciier^ were like fons of thundery for they teftiiying of 
 
 the light of Chrift fliining in the confciences of men, pro- 
 claiined, that the day of the Lord was dawned, and niould 
 yet farther break forth, to the deftroying of the former 
 buildmgs of human inventions and inftitutions ; thouah not 
 of that which had formerly been felt and enjoyed by true 
 experience of the operations of the Spirit of God in 
 people's hearts. By their powerful way of preaching- 
 repentance, many were awakened out of the ilcep of 
 careiefs fecurity, and came to fee that their covering was 
 too fliort, and that they were not covered with the true 
 wedding garment : and many that had been of a rude 
 life, came to be fo touched to the heart by thefe zealous 
 preachers, that crying out, what fhall we do to be faved ? 
 they we're brought to repentance and converfion ; and fo 
 from wild and rough, came to be fedate and fober. And 
 as in the beginning many of thefe firft preachers did run 
 on like a mighty ftream, and feemed fit to threfli and 
 grind mountains and ftones, and to hew down tall cedars, 
 and waQi away all oppofition ; fo there were others alfo^ 
 who as foos of confolation, proclaimed glad tidings to the 
 hungry and thirfty fouls, many of which were in England 
 about that time, inforauch that fomc faid. Now the ever- 
 lafting gofpel is preached again. And it was indeed 
 remarkable, that though thefe promulgators of the doclrine 
 of the inward light fhining in the hearts of men, were 
 mean and illiterate, yet many people of note, not only 
 fuch as were in raagiftracy, but alfo many preachers of 
 feveral perfuafions, were fo touched at the heart by their 
 lively preaching, that they not only received their dcdrlne, 
 but came themfelves, in procefs of time, to be zealous 
 publifliers thereof, and thus a great crop was gathered ; 
 nay fometimes even men of great fkill, and fliarp wir^ 
 were deeply ftruck by plain and homely preaching: of 
 whom. 
 
 Ifaac Pennington, mentioned more than once in this 
 hiftory, was a fignal inftancc, as may appear from a relation 
 concerning himfelf, -writ With his own hand, and found 
 among his papers after his death, wherein he fpeaks as 
 foUoweth: 
 
55^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 * I have been a man of fonowand afRI(5lion from my childhood, feeling 
 the want of the Lord, and mourning after him ; feparated by him from 
 the love, nature and fpirit of this world, and turned in fpirit towards him, 
 almofl ever fince I could remember. 
 
 « In this fenfe of my low eftate, I fought after the Lord, I read Scrip- 
 tures, I watched over mine own heart, I cried unto the Lord for what I 
 felt the wantef, 1 bltfll-d his name in what he mercifully did for me, and 
 beftowcd on me, &c. Whatever I read in the Scriptures, as the way of 
 God to my underftanding, I gave myfelf to the faithful practice of; 
 being contented to meet with all the reproach, oppofition, and fevcral 
 kinds of fufferings, which it pleafed the Lord to meafure out to n\e 
 therein ; and I cannot but fay, that the Lord was good unto me, didvifit 
 me, did teach me. and help me, did teftify his acceptance of me many 
 times, to the refrefhing ana joy of ray heart before him. 
 
 ' But my foul was not iatisfied with what 1 met with, nor indeed 
 could be, there being further quickenings and preflings in my fpirit, 
 after a more full, certain, and fatisfadlory knowledge ; even after the 
 fenfe, fight and enjoyment of God. as was tclrified in the Scriptures to 
 have been felt and enjoyed in the former times ; for I faw plainly, that 
 there was a Hop of the ihcams, and a gr-eat falling fhort of the pov/er, 
 life, and glory, which they partook of. We had not fo the fpirit, nor 
 were fo in the faith, nor did fo walk and live in God, as thty did. 
 They were come to Mount Sion and the heavenly Jerufalem, &c. v/hich 
 we had hardly fo much as the literal knowledge or apprehenlion what 
 they were. So that I faw the whole courfe of religion among us, was 
 (for the moft part) but a talk, to what they felt, enjoyed, poirefTed, and 
 lived in. 
 
 * This fenfe made me fick at heart indeed, and fet me upon deep 
 crying to God, clofe fearching the Scriptures, and waiting on God, 
 that I might receive the pure fenfe and underllanding of them, from 
 and in the light, and by the help of his Spirit. (And what the Lord 
 did beflow on me in that ftare, with th.inkfuinefs I remember before him 
 at this very day : for he was then my God, and a pitier and a watcher 
 over ; though he had not plealed then to dired me, how to flay my 
 mind upon him and abide with him.) And then I was led (indeed I 
 was led, J did not run of myfelf) into a way of feparation from the 
 worlhip of the world, into a gathered fociety ; for this both the Scrip- 
 ture and the Spirit of God in me gave teflimony unto ; and what we 
 then met with, and what leadings and help we then felt, there is a 
 repaembrance and tefHmony in my heart to this day. But there was 
 fon>ewhat wanting, and we miftook our way, for whereas we fhould 
 have preffed forward into the fpirit and power, we ran too much out- 
 ward into letter and form : and though the Lord in many things helped 
 us, yet therein he was againft us, and brought darknefs, confulion, and 
 fcattering upon us. I was forely broken and darkened, and in this 
 darkened ilate, fometimes lay ftill for a long feafon, fecretly mourning 
 and crying out to the Lord night and day ; fometimes I ran about, 
 hearkening after what might appear or break forth in others, but never 
 met with any thing, whereto there was the leaft anlwer in my heart, 
 Ikvc in one people, who had a touch of truth : but I never exprcflld 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 /57 
 
 • Atlafh after all my diflrefTes, wanderings, and fore tnriiTc T,m^ 
 Wh fome writings of this people called. of^Lrr-wrchS^^ 
 eye upon and difdained, as falling very iho^of thulSn. fZ t 
 andpo,ve wh^ch I haa been l^.^n^t^ ^^d^^l^^^ 
 Uew^e (fome pretty diilance of time after this) opportunity of mLt^ 
 
 It to be fo fince) to come to me : as I remember, at the vervWa .u 
 reached to the hie of God i« me ; which life Xr d tHe r'voic t^ 
 caufed a great love in me to fpring to them ; but ffilHn my reaf^;!^^ 
 
 very far off from ownmg them, as fo knowina the Lord orfo.nJ 
 -gin h. hfe and power as my condition needed, Ld af n;y £ Xd 
 tor. Yea, the more I converfed with them the mnr. T / '"^V 
 underflanding and reafon to get ovTthem and .nT 1 ?''"* ^" ""'^ 
 my feet, as 'a poor, weaK, ilrc^^^teT^til' "^^^^^^^^^ 
 fome rmatterrngs of truth in them, and fom ho eif dXs toVa'd;^^^^ 
 but very far off from the clear and full underflandi 1 of hr' L ami 
 Wl. And this was the effed almoft of every difcourfe with them ^ fh 
 ciTttIo"' '""' ^^'f ^ ^^^^ ^^-- - the^ecrct:o7^yV rU:^ 
 
 them and therein I daily nJ.e and more d?fpfed Tem/ ""' "'" 
 fitter a long tmie T was invited to hear ore of th^m f-^cTU^i 
 
 nor withftand any thing which was of him h Z\u. I u r ^'^' 
 
 dead quickened the feed ra.fed, infomuch as my heart, f in the cer^int^ 
 of Jight and ciearnefs of true fenfe) did, 'This is he thi^th; ?. ^ 
 
 my childhood who was always near n,e. and had often befio en Hft 
 .n my heart but I l.new h.m not diftinaly. nor how to receive LTn" 2 
 dwell w.tl, htm.' And then in this fenfe (in the melting and b'ak'n!^ 
 of my fptru) was Ig.ven up to the Lord, to become his, bo:h in « .iiinl 
 for the farther revealings of his feed in me, and to ferve h in a t^i uf 
 and power of his feed. 
 
 . • Now what I met with after this, in n,y travels, in my wiitinw 
 .n my fp.ruual exercifes, is not to be uttered ; only in g^ner"] I nf; 
 lay ,h,s, I met w.th the very ftrength of hell'. The cn,e olpreZ 
 roared upon me, and made me feel the bitternefs of his captivityf-^^ 
 he had any power: yea, the Lord was far from my help, and LTZ 
 »o.ce ot my rojttmg. 1 alio met with deep fubuhic/and device t» 
 
jfsV. 
 
 THE HISTOPlY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 tntanglf me ;in that wifdom, which fccmcth able to make wife in the 
 things of God ; but indeed is foolifiincfs and a fnarc to tlie foul, bring- 
 ing it back into captivity, where the enemies gin» prevail. And what 
 I met with outwardly from my own dear father, fiom my kindred, fronfi 
 my fervants, from the people and powers of the world, for no other 
 caufe but fearing my God, worfhipping him as he hath required of me, 
 and bowing to his feed (which is his 8on, ) who is to be worfhipped by 
 men and angels for evermore ; the Lord my God knoweth, before 
 whom my heart and ways are, who prcfervcd me in love to them, in the 
 midft of all I fuffered from them, and doth ilill fo prcferve me, bleffed 
 be his pure and holy name. 
 
 • But feme may delire to know what I have at lad met with : I 
 tfifwer, ♦ 1 have met with the feed.* Underlland that word, and thou wilt 
 be fatisfied, And enquire no farther. I have met with my God, I have 
 met with my Saviour ; and he hath not bsen prefent with me without bis 
 falvation ; but I have felt the dealings drop upon my foul from under 
 his wings. I have met with the true knowledge, the knowledge of life, 
 the living knowledge, the knowledge which is life ; and this haih had 
 the true virtue in it, which my foul liath rejoiced in, in the prefence of 
 the Lord. 1 have met with the feed's father, and in the feed I have felt 
 him my father : there I have read his nature, his love, his compaflions, 
 his tendernefs, whicii have melted, overcome, and changed my heart 
 before him. I h^ve met with the feed's fa.th, v/hich hath done and 
 doth that which the faith of man can never do. I have met with the 
 true birth, widi the bi.th which is heir of the kingdom, and inl^rits the 
 kingdom. 1 have met with the true fpirit of prayer and fupplication, 
 whtrein the Lord is prevailed with, and which draws from him what 
 ever the condition needs, the foul always looking up to him in the will, 
 and in the time and way which is acceptable with him. , What (hall 1 
 (ay ? I have met with the true peace, the true righteoufnefs, the true 
 holincfs, the true reft of the foul, the evcrlafting habitation, which the 
 redeemed dwell in. And I know all thcfe to be true, in him that is 
 true, and am capable of no doubt, difpute, or reafoningin my mind about 
 them, it abiding there, where it hath received the full aflfurance and 
 iatisfaaion. And alfo I know very well and diftindly in fpirit, where 
 the doubts and difputes are, and where the certainty and full afTurance 
 is, and in tlie tender mercy of the Lord am preferved out of the one, 
 and in the otheY. 
 
 ' Now (the Lord knows, thefe things I do not utter in a boaftibg way, 
 but would ratlier be fpcakii'g of my nothingnefs, my emptinefs, my 
 wcuknefs, my manitold inlirmities which I feel more than ever. The 
 Lord hath broken the man's part in me, and I am a worm and no man 
 before him : 1 have r.o lirength to do any good or fervice for him ; 
 nay, I cannot watch over cr prcferve myfejf : I feel daily that I keep not 
 alive my own foul, but am weaker before men, yea weaker in my fpirit 
 (as in myfelf) than ever I have been. But I cannot but utter to the 
 praife of my God, rhat I feel his arm ftretched out for me ; and my 
 weakntfs (which I feel in m.yfelf ) is not my lofs, but advantage, before 
 him. And thefe things I vvrite. as having no end at all therein of my 
 owu^ but felt it this oiurniog required of mc, and fo io fubmiiTioo aod 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 559 
 
 fubjeaion to nry God, have I given up to do it, leaving the fuccefs and. 
 ier?ice of it with them. 
 
 AyeAury, 15th of 3d month, 1667. 
 
 • I. Penaington.* 
 
 From this conclufion, we fee the humility of the mind 
 of this friend, who, when he writ this, was already much 
 advanced in the way of godlinefs, and had lived feveral 
 year^ in the communion of thofe called Quakers. Now, 
 though it be the duty of every one, not to be conceited of 
 himfelf, yet certain it is, that men. of refined wits, above all 
 others, have Heed to continue truly humble, and not to rely 
 thereon, fince the trufting to acutenefs of wit, hath rather 
 drawn oiF many from the way of truth, than led them to it ; 
 nay, it hath occafioned the fall of fome. But that J. Penl 
 nington endeavoured to continue in true humility, appears 
 plainly from the relation above. He was a man of a very 
 compaflionate temper, and yet valiant in adverfities : he 
 alfo fuffered not a little on the. account of his reliction 
 but endured many tedious and long imprifonments ; wliich 
 were the more hard to him, becaufe he being of a weakly 
 conflitution, the fuffering of cold and hardfhip, did him 
 the more hurt. And yet he never fainted, but continued 
 itedfaft to the end of his life, which was in the latter part 
 of the year 1679, when he departed in a pious frame of 
 mind. 
 
 By the foregoing relation, it appears evidently that he 
 was very earneftly feeking after the true way to falvation, 
 before he attamed to a perfeft quietnefs of mind ; yet in 
 that lime there wanted not fuch as were helpful to him 
 with good and wholefome advice ; and among thefe John 
 Crook (whofe occurrences make up no fmall part of this 
 hiftory) was none of the leaft. And fince there is yet 
 extant a letter of his to him, wherein he not only fpoke 
 very efliftually to the inward ftate of I. Pennington; but 
 tor his inltruftion and encouragement, gave alfo an account 
 ot the great difficulties and temptations he himfelf had met 
 with, I cannot well omit to infert the fame here ; becaufe 
 trom the ingenuous and open-hearted letters of famUiar 
 triads to one another, we generally may difc6ver very 
 
 Vol. II, 2 N ' 
 
560 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 1702] 
 
 plainly their inward ftate, and alfo their oufward qualities. 
 This letter was as followeth : 
 
 * Dear friend, 
 * My dear and tender love falutes thee, in that love 
 from whence 1 had my being, from whence fprang all my 
 Father's children, who are born from above, heirs of an 
 everlafting inheritance. Oh ! how fweet and pleafant are 
 the paftures which my Father caufeth all his (lieep to feed 
 in ; there is variety of plenty in his paftures, milk for 
 babes, and ftrong meat for them of riper age, and wine 
 to refrefh thofe that arc ready to faint ; even the wine of 
 the kingdom, that makes glad the heart when it is ready 
 to faint, by reafon of the infirmities : fure I am, none can 
 be fo weary, but he takes care of them ; nor none fo nigh 
 fainting, but he put his arm under their heads ; nor none 
 can be fo befet with enemies on every fide, but he will 
 arife and fcatter ; nor none fo heavy laden and big with 
 young, but he takes notice of them, and gently leads them, 
 and will not leave them behind unto the mercilefs wolf ; 
 becaufe they are his own, and his life is the price of their 
 redemption, and his blood of their ranfom ; and if they 
 be fo young that they cannot go, he carries them in his 
 arms ; and when they can feel nothing flirring after him, 
 his bowels yearn after them ; fo tender is this good Shep- 
 herd after all his flock. I can tell, for I was as one tftat 
 once went aflray, and wandered upon the barren moun- 
 tains ; and when I had wearied myfelf with wandering, I 
 went into the wildcrnefs, and there I was torn as with 
 briars, and pricked as with thorns; fometimes thinking 
 this was the way, and fometimes concluding that was the 
 way, and by and by concluding all was out of the way. 
 And then bitter mourning came upon me, and weeping for 
 want of the interpreter ; for when I fought to know what 
 was the matter, and where I was, it was too hard for me ; 
 then I thought I would venture on fome way where it was 
 moft likely to find a lofl God ; and I would pray with 
 them that prayed, and fafl: with them that faded, and 
 mourn with them that mourned, if by any means I might 
 come to reft, but found it not, until I came to fee the 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qiJAKERS. 
 
 561 
 
 candle ighted m my own houfe, and my heart fwept from 
 thole thoughts and imaginations, and wiljin^s, and run- 
 nuigs ; and to die unto them all, not heeding of them - 
 but watching againfl them, left I fliouid let my mind go a 
 whormg after them ; and here I dwelt for a time, .sin a 
 dcfohue land unmhabited ; where I fate alone as a fparrow 
 upon the houfe top, and was hunted up and down like a 
 partridge upon the mountains; and could reft nowhere 
 but fome lufl or thought or other followed me at the heeh! 
 and difqu.cted me night and day, until I came to know him 
 in whom was reft, and no occafion of ftumbling, in whom 
 the devil hath no part ; and he became unto me as a 
 hidmg-place from the ftorms, and from the te-npefts • then 
 came my eyes to fee my Saviour, and my forrow to 'fly 
 awa};, and he became made unto me all in all, my wifdom. 
 my righteoufnefs, my fanftification, in whom I was and 
 am complete, to the praife of the riches of his grace and 
 goodnefs that endures for ever. Therefore be not dif- 
 couraged O thoti tofTed as with tempefts, nor difmayed in 
 thyfelf, becaufe thou feeft fuch mighty hofts of enemies 
 riling up agamft thee, and befetting thee on every fide • 
 for none was fo befet, and tried, and tempted as the true 
 leed was, who was a man of forrows, and acquainted with 
 gnef : but be thou ftill in thy mind, and let the billows 
 pals over and wave upon wave, and fret not thyfelf 
 becaufe of them neither be caft down, as if it fliould 
 never be otherwife with thee : forrow comes at ni^hr, but 
 joy in the morning, and the days of thy mourning fliall be 
 over, and the accufer will God caft out for ever- for 
 therefore was I afHided, and not comforted, and tempted 
 and tilled for this end, that I might know how to fpeak a 
 word in due feafon unto thofe who are tempted and afHi^ed 
 as I once was : as it was faid unto me in that day when 
 forrow lay heavy upon me. Therefore be not difconfolated - 
 neirher give heed unto the reafonings and difputin-s of 
 thy own heart nor the fears that rife therefrom ; but be 
 ftrong in the faith, believing in the light which lets thee 
 ee them ; and his grace thou wilt know to be fufScient for 
 thee and his ftrength to be made perfect in thy weaknefs ; 
 and fo wilt thou rather glory in thy infirmities, that his 
 
 2 N 2 
 
56^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 £1702 
 
 power may reft upon thee, than in thy earned defires to be 
 rid of them ; for by thefe things thou wilt come to live in 
 the life of God, and joy in God, and glory in tribulation ; 
 when thou haft learned in all condhions to be contented, 
 and through trials and deep exercifes is the way to learn 
 this lelTon. Thefe things, in dear love to thee, I have 
 written, being fomewhat fenfible of thy condition, and the 
 many fnares thou art daily liable unto; therefore watch 
 that thou fiill not into temptation, and my God and Father 
 keep thee in the arms of eternal love, over all, unto the 
 end, unto his praife. Amen. 
 
 ' John Crook.* 
 
 This John Crook had been a man of note in the world, 
 not only becaufc he had been a juftice of peace, as hath 
 been fliid in due place, but alfo becaufe he was a man of 
 good intellc6^s ; and yet his zeal for what he beheved to 
 be truth, was fuch, that he became willing to bear the 
 reproach of the world, that fo he might enjoy peace with 
 God. But though he v/as a man of learning, yet moft of 
 the firft preachers of the doftrine held forth by thofe called 
 Quakers, were people of fmall account in the world ; but 
 yet they were fo powerful in their preaching, that many 
 thereby were turned to true godlinefs. 
 
 Some have been reached by the fayings of dying peni- 
 tents ; for there htivc been remarkable inftances of young 
 people fprung from honeft parents, who having walked in 
 the broad way, did very earneftly bewail their out-goings 
 on a dying bed, and then declared, that if it plcafed God 
 to raifc them up again, they would not, as before, be 
 alhamtd of the defpifed way of the Quakers, nor fear any 
 mockings or perfecution, but that they would fervc the 
 Lord in uprighinefs, and with all their heart. Thefe thus 
 repenting with tears for their tranfgreflions, have experi- 
 enced after great agonies, that God wills not the death of 
 finners, but that they (hould repent, and fo Uve in everlaft- 
 ing happinefs. 
 
 Of fcveral fuch like cafes, I will only mention one, viz. 
 that of a young maid at London, called Sufanoa Whitrow, 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 5^3 
 
 whofe mother was of the fociety of the Quakers, but not 
 1-er father. On her dying bed file complained exceedingly 
 of her rebellion and vain behaviour : ' Ah* faid (he to her 
 mother, ' how often haft thou faid, the Lord would plead 
 with us: now the day is come. Pride and difobedience 
 were my curfed fruits, which I brought forth when I wa*; 
 a hearer in the publick church. How often have I 
 adorned myfelf as fine in their fafliion as I could make 
 me ; yet they defpifed my drefs, and faid, " How like a 
 taudry have youdreffed yonrfelf ; you are not at all in the 
 mode." Then coming home on the Sabbath-day, I went; 
 immediately up into my chamber, and locking the door, I 
 altered all my laces, and fo went to their wcrftiip in the 
 afternoon, dreffed in their mode, and then I pleafed them. 
 At another time ftie faid, ' O that I might have a little time 
 longer to go into the country, and walk in the woods to 
 feek the Lord. O what matter for fine houfes and filk 
 apparel : O remember him that fate on the ground, and 
 wore a garment without a feam, our bleffed holy Lord, 
 who went up to the mountains to pray, and withdrew, 
 himfelf into gardens and defolate places. I have done 
 nothing for the Lord, but he hath done all for me : there- 
 fore I defire to live, that I might live an holy and righteous 
 life, that my converfation might be in heaven, though my 
 body be here on earth. How would I then invite and 
 warn others, not to fpend their precious time in adorning 
 themfelves like Jezebel, patching and painting, and curling 
 their hair. O the Chriftian life is quite another thing : 
 we muft not give ourfelves the liberty to think our 
 own thoughts, much lefs to aft fuch abominations.* 
 Several days flie was in a ftrong wreftling and conflift of 
 fpirit, and in fervent prayer to God, fo that when fome- 
 body wajs for removing her head a little, flie refufmg it, 
 faid, * 1 would not fufFer a thought to wander ; if I move, I 
 Uiall be drawn off my watch, and then the tempter will 
 prevail.' Continuing in this conflift, flie conceived at 
 length hopes of forgivenefs j and being thus ftrengthened 
 by mercy, flie faid to the Lord, ' O what can my foul fay 
 of thy power : when I fought thee, but could not find 
 thee ; I knocked hard, but none did open : for my fui"? 
 
 2 N 3 
 
5^4 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1703 
 
 flood like mountains, that I could not come near thee : I 
 vould fain have prayed to thee, but could nor. Thus I 
 lay feveral days and nights flruggling for life, but coyld 
 find none : and I faid, " There is no mercy for me :" then 
 I faid, *' I will never leave thee ; if I perifh, I will perifh 
 here; I will never ceafe crying unto thee.'* And then I 
 htard a voice fay, " Jacob w^reftled all night before he 
 obtained the bleffing." Oh then thy word, O Lord, was 
 ilrong to my foul : then my (lony heart was broken to 
 }.iece^, and the fpirit of prayer and lupplication was poured 
 upon nic. And now I can fing as David did, of mercy, 
 ;ind of judgment : ' Unto thee, O Lord, will I fuig, with 
 a rent heart, and with my mouth in the duit will I fing 
 praif; s to thee, my blcfled Saviour.' In this frame fhe 
 endeavoured to continue, and unce flie prayed for her 
 father, called Robert Whitrow, part of which prayer w^as 
 as followeih : ' O Lord, remcm'x-r not his oiFences, let 
 me bear tliera ; kn it be eafy to him; make his friends 
 to be enemies to him, that thou mayefl have mercy upon 
 him. His lemf tatic ns are great, Lord, carry him through ; 
 O let him not peri/h with the world ; do thou fupport hini 
 over this v\orld. Shall a liitlc dirt cf this world draw 
 awd) his m'rd . O^ Lord, let his mind be fet on things 
 above ; fix hi s mind upon thee.' Thus fervently this 
 young mtiid prayed for her father, herfelf now having 
 attained a lull aflurance of her falvation, fo that fhe 
 once faid to the Lord, ' O thou beloved of my foul, what 
 Ihall 1 fay of thee, for thou art too wonderful for me : O 
 praifes be unto thee.' And afterward perceiving that her 
 end was approaching, ibc faid to her mother, * I muft lay 
 down this body, the Lord will not truft me longer in this 
 prefent wicked world ; happy am I : my Saviour, my foul 
 loves thee dearly ; thy love is better than wine : my Savi- 
 our, my holy One, how glorious art thou : I have feen thy 
 glory ; I am overcome w^ith thy fweet countenance ; O how 
 lovely art thou ! My heart is ravifhed with the fweet fmiles 
 of thy glorious countenance. O, come away, come away, 
 why doft thou (lay ? I am ready, I am ready.' Then flie 
 lay fome time very ftill, and fo departed this life without 
 fjgh or groan : which was about the year 1677. 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 s^s 
 
 Such like dying perfons have been the means fometimes 
 to ftir up others to true godlinefs, whereby they came to 
 be joined with the people called Quakers ; and though 
 thefe in time came to be very numerous, yet at firfl there 
 were but few labourers in the miniflry of the word. But 
 thefe recommending one another to give diligent heed to 
 the word of God in the heart, and mind that, as their 
 teachers did often meet together and keep affemblies, 
 fitting down with fuch a deep retirednefs of mind, being 
 turned inward to God, that tears trickled down their 
 cheeks, to the aftonilhment of many that looked upon 
 them, fome of which only by beholding this retirednefs, 
 came to be fo effectually reached, that they alfo joined 
 with them, and frequented their meetings. In the mean- 
 while many of thefe became more and more confirmed in 
 their minds by this filent exercife, and their underflandings 
 came to be fo opened, that in procefs of time they became 
 apt and fit inftruments to exhort others to godlinefs : and 
 among thefe feveral women alfo found it their duty to 
 preach the gofpel. 
 
 There have been many who were very averfe to the 
 Quakers, and yet came to join with them in the faith ; as 
 among others, Chriftopher Bacon in Somerfetflure, who 
 (about the year. 1656, coming into a meeting, not with 
 intention to be edified there, but rather to fcofF, and to 
 fetch his wife from thence, who went thither againft his 
 mind) was fo reached by the lively exhortation he heard, 
 that he was not only convinced of the truth preached 
 there, but in time became a zealous preacher of it himfelf, 
 and w^as valiant in fufferings. Once being taken up at a 
 meeting at Glaftonbury, and brought before bifliop Mew, 
 at Wells, who called him a rebel, for meeting contrary to 
 the king's laws, Chriftopher, having formerly been a foldier 
 for the king, faid to him, 'Doft thou call me rebel: I 
 would have thee to know, that I have ventured my life 
 for the king in the field, when fuch as thou lay behind 
 hedges.' By this he flopped the biiliop's mouth, who did 
 not expert fuch an anfwer, and therefore was walling to be 
 rid of him. 
 
 2 N 4 
 
\ 
 
 566 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 The like inftance, of an unexpefted converfion, was feen 
 alfo in William Gibfon, whom I knew well, and who at 
 the time of the civil wars, being a foldier at Carlifle, he 
 and three others having heard that a Quaker's meeting 
 was appointed in that city, thej' agreed to go thither and 
 abufe the preacher, whofe name was Thomas Holmes ; 
 but Gibfon hearing him powerfully declare the truth, 
 was fo zSc£ted by his teftimony, that he flepped in near 
 him, to defend him, if any fhould have offered to abufe 
 him : and he himfelf afterwards came to be a zealous 
 preacher of that truth he had been at unawares convinced 
 of. 
 
 To thefe inftances I may add that of a certain trum- 
 peter, who coming into a (Quaker's meeting, began in an 
 jnfolent manner to found his trumpet, thereby to drown 
 the voice of him that preached : but this had a contrary 
 cffeft, and ftirred up the zeal of the preacher the more, fo 
 ' that he went on as if none difturbed him. The trumpeter 
 } at length to recover his breath, was fain to ceafe blowing; 
 but being ftill governed by an evil fpirit, after fome inter- 
 milKon began to found again ; but whatever he did, he 
 was not able to divert the preacher from his difcourfe, 
 though he hindred the auditory from hearing what was 
 fpoken. Thus he wearied himfelf fo much, that he-was 
 forced to reft again for refpiration ; whereby in fpite of his 
 evil will, he came to hear what the preacher fpoke, which 
 was fo piercing, that the trumpeter came to be deeply 
 affefted with it, and burfting into tears, confeffed his 
 crime, and came to be a true penitent ; a remarkable 
 evidence of the truth of that faying of the apoftle, *' So 
 then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, 
 but of God that flieweth mercy.'* 
 
 Among thefe, who contrary to their intent entered into 
 communion with the Quakers, fo called, may be reckoned 
 alfo Anthony Pearfon, the juftice, of whom in this hiftory 
 it hath been mentioned, that he was fo reached by G. Fox, 
 at Swarthmore, that he canle to be one of his followers ; 
 which though true, yet it was before that time that he 
 \vas in fome refpeft convinced of the doftrine maintained 
 by the people called Quakers : which happened to be by 
 
 i702]] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 567 
 
 James Naylor, who upon an indiamcnt of blafphemy, 
 appearing at the feffions at Appleby, in tlie month called 
 January, 1652, found the faid juftice Pearfon fitting there 
 on the bench as one of his perfecutors : who aiking hitn 
 feveral queftions received fuch pertinent anfwers from 
 J. Naylor, that in a great degree he was convinced of the 
 truth held bv J. Naylor and his friends. 
 
 By what hath been related here may be feen how 
 unexpeftedly fome entered into fociety with the Quakers, 
 fo called ; more inftances of which might be produced if 
 needful ; fince I have known fuch, who being naturally of 
 a boifterous temper, yet were fo flruck with the terror of 
 the Lord, that they came to be of fuch a quiet fpirit, and 
 harmlefs behaviour, that as formerly they could not fuffer 
 the leaft provocation, fo now they bore all revilings and 
 mockings with an even and undifturbed mind; becaufc 
 the fear of God had made fuch deep impreffion upon 
 them, that they were careful left by an angry or impetuous 
 deportment they ftiould fin againft him. And thus conti- 
 nuing to live in fear, and a reverential awe, they improved 
 in true godlinefs ; infomuch that by their pious lives, they 
 preached as well as others with words. After this man- 
 ner the number of their fociety increafed; but then 
 grievous fufferings enfued ; for the priefts could "not endure 
 to fee that their hearers left them; the furious mob was 
 fpurred on, and among the magiftrates there were many, 
 who being of a fierce temper, ufed all their ftrength to 
 root out the profeflbrs of the light, (as they were called 
 atfirft) and to fupprefs and ftifle their doftrine; but all 
 proved in vain, as appears abundantly from this hiftory; 
 although there were hardly prlfons in England, where 
 fome of thefe people where not fhui up ; befides the fpoii 
 of goods, and cruel whippings that befel fome of them. 
 Yet all this they bore with a more than ordinary courage, 
 without making refiftance, how great foever their number 
 was ; and notwithftanding many of them had been valiant 
 foldiers, who often had flain their enemies in the field, 
 without regarding danger. 
 
 In the confideration of this undaunted ftedfaftnefs, k 
 Jiath fcemed to me, that there have been fome fuch amons 
 
lu 
 
 l^ 
 
 568 
 
 THE HISTORY, &C. 
 
 1702 J 
 
 THE 
 
 this people, whofe talent was valiantly to endure perfecn- 
 tion for a good caufe ; and who perhaps in eafe would 
 not have been fuch good Chriftians as they proved to be 
 under thefe fufferings ; refembling the camomile in this, 
 which the more it is depreflcd or rubbed, the better it 
 grows, and yields the ftrongcr fcent. Being then thus 
 opprefTed, they found themfclves under a neceffity of con- 
 tinuing vigihmt and watchful ; and, according to king 
 Solomon's advice, to keep their hearts with all diligence. 
 This made them love what they judged 10 be truth, more 
 than their lives, and it caufcd them to be careful ; Icil that 
 JhoulJ come over them which the church of Ephefus was 
 threatened with, becaufe fhe had left her fiifl love, viz. 
 the removing of her candleflick out of its place. Thus their 
 mutual love increafed, and their own lives they valued not 
 when the grieving of their confciences flood in competition 
 with it. 
 
 Having thu<? pafled through many adverfuies, with an 
 unwearied and lafting patience, and being become a great 
 people, known by the name of Q^iaktrs, they were at 
 length, by the generous clemency of king William Hid. 
 and the favour of the Parliament, declared to be a fociety, 
 who fhould henceforth be tolerated in the kingdom as 
 Proteftant Diflcnters, with liberty to perform their religious 
 worfhip in publick without dilturbance. 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEOPLE 
 
 CALLED 
 
 (QUAKERS. 
 
 THE TWELFTH BOOK. 
 
 OUEEN Anne having now afcended the throne, and 
 taken in hand the reins of government, was con- 
 gratulated from all quarters ; and the people called 
 Quakers thought themfclves no lefs obliged than others to 
 condole the king's death, and teftify their afteaion and 
 fidelity to the Queen ; and therefore they drew up an 
 addrefs ; and when fome of them, of whom G. Whitehead 
 was one, went to prefent it (which was on the i ith of the 
 €d month, April) they were introduced by the then earl, 
 but now duke, of Marlborough, and the duke of Ormand. 
 The addrefs was as foUoweth ; 
 
 To Queen Anne over England, &c. 
 
 ' May it pleafe the queen, 
 * We, thy peaceable fubje^ls, cannot but be forrowfully 
 affe(5^ed with a deep fenfe of the lofs fufbined by the death 
 of our laie king William the Hid. whom God made the 
 
57« 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 1703] 
 
 TEOPLE called QUAKERS. 
 
 57 « 
 
 / 
 
 inftrumcnt of much good to ihefe nations ; a prince who 
 indeed defircd to be the common father of his people, and 
 as fuch did by his great example, as well as precept, 
 endeavour to unite them in inrcred and affe^^ion, and pro- 
 moted and confirmed a legal liberty to tender confcicnces, 
 by all which his reign was adorned, to the renown of his 
 
 memory. 
 
 * And it having plcafed the all-wife God, the diipofer ot 
 kingdoms, to pr'eferve thee to fuccecd to the government 
 of thefe nations ; and thereby to the maintaining and 
 confummating thofe great works fo happily begun ; we 
 burably beg leave to congratulate thy free and peaceable 
 acceflion to the throne, from whence we obfervc the 
 queen*s excellent declaration, manifefting her care for the 
 good of all her- people, and therefore doubt not but wc 
 her Proteftant diffenting fubjefts fhall partake of her royal 
 favour and proteftion. 
 
 'Wefmcerely declare, that with "the affiflance of the 
 grace of God, we will always, according to our Chriftian 
 duty, demonftrate our good affeftion, truth, and fidelity to 
 the queen and her government ; and heartily pray that his 
 wifdom may direa, and his bleffing be upon the queen 
 and her great council, to the fuppreffing of vice and 
 immorality, and the promoting of piety, peace, and cha- 
 rity, to the gk)ry of God, and the benefit of thefc 
 
 nations. , . , 1 i 
 
 ' May the King of kings make thy reign long and glo- 
 rious,, to which temporal bleffing we fliall pray for thy 
 eternal happinefs. - 
 
 Signed on behalf and by appointment of the aforefaid 
 people, at a meeting in London, the icth of the 
 lecond month, 1702. 
 
 This addrefs was very favourably received by the queen, 
 and after it was read to her, fhe anfwercd, 
 
 * I thanic you fcr your addrefs, and I aflure you of my 
 protection.' 
 
 It was fcarce a month after, when war was proclaimed 
 in England againft France, which had been proclaimed ia 
 Holland alfo againft that crown fome days before. Not 
 long after followed the general yearly meeting of thofe 
 called Quakers, held at London, in which it was thought 
 fit to thank the queen for her declaration, that (he would 
 maintain the aft of toleration in favour of the diflenters ; 
 and therefore an addrefs was drawn up by the faid aficm- 
 bly, which was as followeth : 
 
 To Queen Anne over England, kc. 
 
 The humble and thankful acknowledgement of the people 
 commonly called Quakers, from their yearly meeting 
 in London, the 30th day of the 3d month, called May, 
 
 * May it pleafe the queen, 
 
 * We, thy peaceable and dutiful fubjefts, met from moft 
 parts of thy dominions at our ufual yearly meeting (for 
 the promotion of piety and charity) being deeply affefted 
 with thy free and noble refolution in thy late fpeech at the 
 prorogation of the parliament, to preferve and maintain 
 the aft of toleration for the eafe and quiet of all tjjy 
 people, could not but in gratitude efteem ourfelves enga<^ed 
 both to thank Almighty God for that favourable influen1:e, 
 and to renew and render our humble and hearty acknow- 
 ledgments to the queen for the fame, affiiring her (on 
 behalf of all our friends) of our fincere affeftion and 
 Chriftian obedience. 
 
 And we befeech God, the fountain of wifdom and 
 goodnefs, fo to dircft all thy counfels and undertakings, 
 that righteoufnefs, which exalts a nation, and mercy and 
 jufticc, that cftablifli a throne, may be the charafter of thy 
 reign, and tlie bleffings of thcfe kingdoms under it." 
 
 Signed by the appointment and on the behalf of the 
 faid meeting. 
 
 Of thofe who prefented this addrefs, William Penn was 
 the deliverer, and the queen was pleafed to fpeak to him 
 
IT^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ([1702 
 
 In a very kind manner, and not only received the faid 
 addrefs favourably, but after it was read to her, fhe made 
 the following mofl gracious anfwer : 
 
 * Mr. Penn, I am fo well pleafed that what I have faid 
 IS to your fatisfa£lion, that you and your friends may be 
 aflured of my protedlion.'* 
 
 This year died Margaret, the widow of G. Fox, at 
 about eighty -fevon years of age, as appears to me from 
 an account of her fon-in-law, Dr. Thomas Lower, in which 
 I find, that (lie was born at Marfli-Grange, in the parifli 
 of Dalton in Lancafliire. Her father was John Afkew, a 
 gentleman of an ancient family, a man of a good eftate, 
 and famous for his piety and charity. His daughter 
 Margaret was religious even in her young years, and was 
 married, before flie attained the age of eighteen, to Thomas 
 Fell of Swarthmore ; who being bred a lawyer, became a 
 juftice of peace, and having afterwards been a member in 
 feveral parliaments, was made a vice-chancellor of the 
 county of Lancafter, and in procefs of time a judge, 
 being beloved becaufe of his juftice, wifdom, moderation, 
 and mercy. 
 
 In the year 1652, George Fox coming the firft time to 
 his houfe, when he himfelf, was from home, did by his 
 exhortations fo reach ro the family, that a prieft with fome 
 gentlemen went and told judge Fell, that a great difafter 
 had befallen his wife and family, they being feduced and 
 turned Quakers. This was fo odioufly reprefented to him, 
 that it troubled him not a little: but being come home, and 
 received very kindly by his wife, according to her ufual 
 manner, he foon perceived that it had been intended to 
 make him believe untruths, and poflefs him with prejudice. 
 Not long after George Fox got opportunity to fpeak to 
 him, which gave him fuch fatisfaftion, that he owned rhat 
 which was fpoken to be truth ; and his wife ordered a 
 dinner to be made ready for her friend G. Fox, and thofe 
 
 • This from the Record appear^ to be rather the fubftance than the exa»a words 
 of the aniwer. 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* 
 
 'sn 
 
 that were with him. And fome time after he told his wife^ 
 when he heard that flie and her friends were confulting 
 where to have a meeting, that they might meet in his hall, 
 which they did ; and though he himfdf did not come 
 there, yet when a meeting was kept, he ufed to fit in a 
 chair fo near to it, that though he could not be feen of 
 every body, yet he could hear what was preached ; which 
 he liked fo well, that it is not knov/n, that after he had 
 heard George Fox, he even frequented the publick church \- 
 infomLch, that though he entered not into full fociety with 
 the Qiiakers, yet he favoured them, and feveral times 
 ftopt the malice of their perfecutors, when it was in his 
 power fo to do. 
 
 After he had been married fix and twenty years to 
 Margaret, and had nine children by her, he deceafcd 
 in the year 1658, leaving behind him a fon and fevea 
 daughters. 
 
 Margaret being thus become a widow, negle^^ed no 
 opportunity to ferve her friends. In the year 1660, when 
 king Charles II. was reftorcd, (fcarce two weeks after he 
 came in) fhe went to London, and fpoke feveral times with 
 that prince, that he would caufe the fufferings of her 
 friends to ceafr ; and in order thereto flie writ, not only 
 to him, but alfo to the dukes of York and Gloucefter, 
 the queen mother, the princefs of Orange, and the queen 
 of Bohemia. And after having been about fifteen months 
 at London, flie at length prevailed with the king, that 
 her friends who were in prifon, were releafed by procla- 
 mation. But perfecution afterwards beginning again, fhe 
 went to fpeak with the king and the duke of York, at 
 Hampton Court.' In the year 1 664, for refufing to fwear, 
 (he was confined in Lancafter Caflle, and kept long in 
 durance ; for (becaufe of her great fervice in the church) 
 file was much envied as well as George Fox, to whom flie 
 was married about eleven years after the deceafe of her 
 firft hufband judge Fell. But not long after, flie was again 
 imprifoned, and continued a year in jail, being mofl part 
 of that time fickly ; and afterwards was feveral times fined 
 for preaching. In the fcventieth year of her age fhe 
 fpoke again with the king, which was the laft time ; but 
 
57^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 1^1702 
 
 flie was not received fo favourably as formerly, for he 
 fccraed to be fomewhat angry ; and therefore (he writ to 
 him, and ftaid at London in hopes of an anfwer ; but he 
 was fuddenly taken away by death. Afterwards flie 
 fpoke with king James, and writ to him alfo. And at 
 length after a laborious and godly life, (he pioufly departed 
 from hence in a great age, as hath been faid already, 
 having uttered in the time of her fickuefs, many excellent 
 fayings, by which it appeared that fhe was prepared for 
 death, and longed to be diflblved. She had been a zea- 
 lous preacher, and alfo written much, and among the reft 
 a book entitled, * The Call of the Jews out of Babylon,' 
 which flie dedicated to the famous ManaiTeh Ben Ifrael, and 
 charged him, as he would anfwer it before God, to caufe 
 it to be read among his brethren. This book being tranf- 
 lated by William Ames, into Dutch, was alfo printed in 
 ihat language^, whilft her firft hulband lived. 
 
 The fame year flie died, George Keith, who now preached 
 tip and down where the bifliops thought fit, went by their 
 order to New-England, New- York, Pennfylvania, &c. for 
 it feems he imagined that in thofe parts he fliould get many 
 adherents among the Quakers : but he came much fliort 
 of his aim ; for even in Pennfylvania, where many of the 
 Baptifts formerly fided with him, he wa? by them looked 
 upon with difdain, and rejefted for wearing a clergyman's 
 gown ; and now appearing to be a great apoftate, there was 
 no likelihood for him to get entrance, or to be efteemed 
 there. After fome time being returned into England, 
 he got a living in the parifti of Edburton, in Suflex, 
 worth about 120I. a year. Now though the Epifcopa- 
 lians feemed to be in great expeftation that Keith fliould 
 fupprefs the doftrine of the Quakers, yet all his endea- 
 vours proved in vain ; for whatever fome may think, it is 
 certain, and appears from this hiftory, that they are become 
 a great people after a very fingular manner, and that all 
 proje«5ls and attempts to root them out, have been quaflied, 
 and come to nought : and from this confideraiion it was, as I 
 have reafon to think, that many of the Quakers, fo called, in 
 their preaching did found forth thefe words, being as it 
 Uere extorted from Balaam : " There is no enchantment 
 
 1^01} 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED CUTAKERS. 
 
 S75 
 
 againft Jacob, nor divination againil Ifrael ;'' as I mvfelf 
 have often heard. And now the ft^ength ^nd powe of 
 d^ir violent oppofers was broken by the favour of kin. 
 Wilham the Illd. and his fucceffor, queen Anne, hath 
 favourably confirmed the liberty of confcience and wor hTp 
 granted by an aft of pariiament to the Quakers. So tha 
 now we may look upon them as a f^e people, and a 
 focety tolerated by fupreme authority; and^herefore 
 I might now finilh this hiftory. as to th^ import of the 
 
 n^r^l ?'''''' ""^^^''^ "^'"^'^^ hath been often made 
 
 n this work, VIZ That their chief principle, in which 
 
 they differ from the generality of modern Chriftian focie- 
 
 ties IS, That every man is enlightened with the Divine 
 
 S^r'r.!'"^ Vnl T"S^^^^ J^h"' ^1^^ in the firft 
 chapter fpeaking of Ghrift, as he was from- eternity with 
 
 ' w\?rnr;.''"' n ^^.'^^ ^"^^' ^^^ ^^^^h' " That theVord 
 was God, that all things were made by him, that in hira 
 
 evangehft, fpeaking concerning John the Baptift, who 
 was fent from God faith, " He was not that lighlb^t was 
 fent to bear witnefs of that light. That vvas the true 
 
 Sd'' '^\h^^-'^'' ^'"^ "^^ '^'' ^^-^^h into [L 
 world. By this it appears, that the Quakers have not 
 
 coined ^ new phrafe, but only made u?e of the exprefs 
 
 words of the holy Scripture. I am not unacquainted fha 
 
 during the great apoftacy, people generally have not clearly 
 
 underftood this ; yet it ought not to fcem ftrange, becaufe 
 
 he evangehft faith, " The light flxineth in darknefs, and 
 
 the darkneft comprehended it not.- But to elucidate this 
 
 doftrine a little more, it may ferve for information, tha 
 
 the Quakers believe this light to be the fame that the 
 
 apoftle Paul calls " The grace of God that bringeth 
 
 falvaiion, and bath appeared to all men :" and concerning 
 
 Its operation, be faith « teaching us, that denying ungod^ 
 
 linefs, and worldly lufts, we fliould live foberly, ri/hte. 
 
 oufly, and godly in this prefent world.'' 
 
 . Thus much briefly, concerning the -above-mentioned 
 
 denominations of this divine light; and to make it appear 
 
 2 o 
 
575 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [170a 
 
 more plainly what thi« phrafe means, * Take heed to the 
 Light ; thereby we underftand, that each one minding the 
 counfel of the light in their fouls, may learn to fear God, 
 and hate pride, arrogancy, and every evil way; which 
 will beget in us fuch a reverential awe towards God, that 
 we dare not do any thing which we certainly know, will 
 difpleafe him ; and this is the firfl flep to godlinefs : and 
 therefore both David and Solomon have faid, that the 
 fear of God is the beginning of wifdom ; viz. that fear 
 which is filial accompanied with circumfpcftion and cautu 
 oufnefs ; and as we perfevere in this fear, we are enabled 
 to ferve the Lord with holinefs and righteoufnefs all the 
 
 days of our life. ^ c r^ a - 
 
 But fmce we can do this only by the grace of God, it 
 is abfolutely neceffary that we take heed thereto: and 
 therefore we ought to pray to God continually for his 
 affiftance. But here ftarts up fomething, of which people 
 <yenerally have a ftrong notion : for all forts of Chriftians 
 agree, that we muft often pray to God, but in the manner 
 of it many err greatly. For fome think they perform this 
 duty of praying to God, when in the •mornings and 
 evenings, and at other certain times of the day, they repeat 
 or recite fome forms of prayer, and do not feem to confi- 
 dcT, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. 
 And the apoftle Paul exhorts to pray without ceafing. And 
 what this means he himfelf explains in thefe words, 
 " Praying always with all prayer and fupplication in the 
 Spirit,'* which plainly Ihews, that it confifts not in aconti- 
 nual repeating of prayers, but in pious and devout breath- 
 ings to God, raifed in the foul by the Spirit of Chrifty that 
 it may pleafe him to keep us continually in his fear and 
 counfel, fmce we are in want of daily fupport from him. 
 And thus praying in faith, we receive an anfwer t^3ur 
 breathings in fome meafure, though not always fo fobn as 
 we defire : but we muft not faint ; and our prayer muft be 
 from a fmcere believing and breathing of the heart; 
 otherwife we pray amifs, and do not receive : according 
 to the faying of the apoftle James, " Ye afk, and receive 
 not, becaufe ye alk amifs.*' But what devices^ and wiles 
 have not been invented by the enemy of man's foul, to 
 
 1702] PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 577 
 
 keep him off from this continual ftate of prayer! although 
 Chrift very exprefsly faith, - Watch and pray, that ye enter 
 
 all. Watch. Which m regard to the inAruaion we may 
 reap thence, doth not imply a continual watchin? without 
 fleeping, but a vigilancy of the mind, which Solomon 
 recommends in thele words, « Keep thy heart with all 
 diiigence.^ Now though our conftitution doth not feem to 
 admit an inceffant continuance in the deepeft rerirednefs of 
 mmd ; yet this is certain, that the more fervently we turn 
 our minds to God, the more we are kept from evil. And 
 man perfevenng in this godly exercife, is the lefs in danger 
 ot falling lino ipiruual pride; fmce* he finds that his pre- 
 ifnlf r^'' ' V'".' ^^'"'>'' '"^^" a continual dependLe 
 
 Snfff '' /'' ''"f ^'P''''' ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^«d thinks 
 
 Welffafe enough, and that now he needs not to walk 
 Circumfpeaiy m fear as he once did, then he is caught 
 already and fomewhat gone aftray from his fpiritual guide • 
 to wit, from that which fhewed unto him his tranfgreffions* 
 and troubled him whilft he ^^as in the evil wav. And ^S 
 3s the manifeftation of the fpirit, which the apoftle faith is 
 given to every man to profit withal. 
 
 Now to call this principle which reproves men for evil, 
 and confequent^ difcovers it, Light, doth not carry with it 
 
 anyabfurduy, efpectally if weconfider rhat this denoLati^^^ 
 
 s found m facred writ. Evil deeds are called by the apoftle 
 
 the works of darknefs ; and, faith he, - All things that 
 
 arc reproved, are made manifeft by the light: for what, 
 
 tZZ Y ,'"''^' T"^^^^' '' ''gh^'" By which it 
 appears plainly that the Quakers have not coined a nevr ' 
 
 phrafe, but only followed the fcripture language. And 
 hat they are not the only people that have' declared of 
 the light might be proved from other authors of gogd 
 cfteem, if neceffity required. ^ 
 
 As to oaths, they judge the taking of an oath unlawful; 
 and why, miay abundantly be feen in this hiftory from a 
 .multitude of inftances. ^ 
 
 ^J!"^ ""'n "^5 '^"' '^^y ^'f^ believe to be inconfiftent 
 M'hpureChnftian.ty, and efteem that its followers bein^ 
 led by Its precepts, will come to beat their fwor4s ml 
 
 202 
 
578 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THH 
 
 [1702 
 
 plow-fhare?, and their fpcars into pruning-hooks, and not 
 to learn war any more. According to the prediflion of 
 the prophet Ifaiah ii. 4. and Chrift, the Author of our 
 faith, unto whom we are commanded to look, faith 
 exprefsly, " My kingdom is not of this world: if my ^ 
 kingdom were of this world, then would my fervants ' 
 fight ;" and the apoftle James iv. giveth us to underlland, 
 that wars and fightings come of lulls. And we believe 
 that by receiving the Spirit of Chrift in our fouls, and 
 being entirely guided by it, enmity and lufts (the root 
 of wars and fightings) come to be deftroyed, and his love 
 remains, by which we not only love one another fincerely, 
 but alfo can love our enemies, and pray for them ; as alfo 
 for thofe who hate and perfecute us for his name, not ren- 
 dering evil for evil, but good for evil ; and this we believe 
 to be that lamb-like fpirit which will prevail, and muft 
 overcome. And therefore they judge it not lawful for them 
 : to make war, and for all that they think that they may very 
 fafely be tolerated by the civil government : not only becaufe 
 they are willing and ready to pay taxes to Casfar, but alfo 
 that fince they cannot fight for the government, neither 
 can they fight againft it. 
 
 Concerning the fword of magiftracy, they do in no wife 
 -affert, that it is unlawful for fome Chriftians to be magif- 
 tratcs : for to fay fo, what doth it imply, but the unchrif- 
 tianing of magiftrates, whom they truly honour ; magiftracy 
 being the ordinance of God. But although they believe 
 this office to be confiftent with Chriftian religion, yet they 
 think it more fafe for themfelves not to feek for it. 
 
 Tithes to the priefts they do not look upon as a gofpel 
 
 maintenance ; fince our Saviour faid in exprefs terms to 
 
 his difciples, " Freely ye have received, freely give j" 
 
 yet they do not ftretcb this fo far, as not to fuflfer that any 
 
 who hath imparted of his fpiritual gifts to others, might 
 
 not receive temporal gifts of them, if be himfelf was in 
 
 ..want- thereof, provided the maintenance of a minifter of 
 
 the gofpel be free, and not forced ; and alfo that it corififts 
 
 : not in a fixed ftipend, which leads to turn the miniftry 
 
 of the gofpel into a provifion of a livelihood ; which they 
 
 v-look upon to be far beneath the dignity of the minifterial 
 
 1 702 J 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qiJAKERS. 
 
 579 
 
 office, which ought to be performed purely out of love to 
 God and our neighbour, and not with any regard tofecular 
 gain. . ' 
 
 The ordinary way of fhewing refpeft or honour in com- 
 mon converfation is alfo what they fcruple ; for to give 
 the fame outward fign of refpedl to men, which is given to 
 God, viz. the uncovering of the head, they think (not 
 without good reafon) to be unfit; and fo they efteem 
 alfo the giving flattering titles of honour ; fince Chrift {o^ 
 Iharply reproves the greetings in the markets, and the 
 being called of men Rabbi, Rabbi, faying, ' Be not ye 
 called Rabbi ; which title of that time may be equalled 
 with the modern maftcr or fir. Thus Chrift faith alfo, 
 *' How can ye believe, who receive lionour of one 
 another ?'' Yet they limit this only ro common conver- 
 fation with ones equals: for a fervant may call his mafter 
 by that tide, and fubjefts their magiftrates by the title 
 of their office, and this may be fpoken not contrary to 
 truth ; whereas the other is nothing but mere flattery, 
 invented to gratify and cherifti pride ; and therefore they 
 think it inconfiftent with the true gravity of a Chriftian to 
 call one's felf a fervant of one who has not any mafter- 
 Ihip over us ; and they believe we cannot be too cautious 
 in fpeaking, fince our Saviour faith, " That every idle word 
 that men fhall fpeak, they fliall give account thereof in the 
 day of judgment.'* The common falhion of greeting they 
 alfo decline, thinking it more fafe not to imitate the ordi- 
 nary cuftom therein. But that it is, more agreeable with 
 Chriftian fimplicity to greet one another by giving their 
 hand, or by other innocent and harmlefs notice in paffing 
 by, which are figns of friendftiip and refped, that may be 
 flicwed, without giving to man that which appertains to 
 God, as the uncovering of the head is among Chriftians : 
 for the uncovering of the head is an outward fign of the 
 worftiip and honour that is paid to God : and if we give 
 the fame token alfo to men, it may be queried, wherein 
 the diSerence confifts ? If it be anfwered that it confifteth 
 in the meaning and intention, then ufe is made of the fame 
 argument, whereby Papifts endeavour to excufe their ado- 
 
 ration of images and relicks. 
 
 203 
 
580 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 As the Quakers teftify againft the common vain way of 
 falutation, fo likewife againft gaming, interludes, iefting, 
 and all fmful and unprofitable recreations, and drinking of 
 healths, all which they believe to be contrary to the ex- 
 hortation of the apoftle, " Whether ye eat or drink, or 
 whatfoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 
 
 In their method of marriage, they alfo depart from the 
 common way: for in the Old Teftament they find not 
 that the joining of a couple in marriage ever was the 
 ofiSce of a prieft, nor in the gofpel, any preacher among 
 Chriftians appointed thereto. Therefore it is their cuf- 
 torn, that when any intend to enter into marriage, they 
 firft having the confent of parents or guardians, acquaint 
 the refpeftive mens and womens meetings of their inten- 
 tion, and after due enquiry, all things appearing clear, 
 they in a public meeting folemnly take each other in 
 marriage, with a promife of love and fidelity, and not ta 
 leave one another before death feparates them. Of this a 
 certificate is drawn, mentioning the names and diftin^lions 
 of the perfons thus joined, which being firft figned by 
 themfelves, thofe then that arc prefent fign as witnefTes. 
 
 In the burying of their dead they mind decency, and 
 endeavour to avoid all pomp ; and the wearing of mourn- 
 ing is not approved among them ; for they think that the 
 mourning which is lawful, may be fticwxd fafiiciently to 
 the world by a modcft and grave deportment. 
 
 As to water-baptifm, and the outward fupper, thoagh 
 they do not ufe the external figns, (witncfling Chrift the 
 fubftance to be come) yet they are not for judging others 
 who do ufe them confcientioufly and devoutly. They do 
 not deny that water-baptifm was ufed by fome in the pri- 
 mitive church ; but let it be confidered unto whom it was. 
 adminiftered, viz. to fuch that came over either from the 
 Jews or the Gentiles, to the Chriftian focicty: and baptifm 
 was as well a judaical ceremony as circinncihon ^ for, 
 according to the account of Maimonides*, a Gentile, who 
 would be received into the covenant of the Jews, rauft be 
 baptifed as well as circumcifed, whereby he became a pro- 
 
 • Vid. John Lcufdcn Philog. Hcbrxo-mlxr, Differtat. xxi. de Profuly t. Scdl. X 
 pag. mihi 144. 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CAtLED QUAKERS.^ 
 
 581 
 
 felyte. Whence it evidently appears that baptifm did not 
 • come in the place of gircumcifion, as it hath been often 
 urged often, to perfuade the ignorant. But as a Jcwefs 
 profelyte needed not to get the child fhe brought forth 
 baptized, fince the Jews did not baptize their children, but 
 adminiftered baptifm only to fuch of the Gentiles that 
 came over to them ; fo we do not find the leaft evidence 
 that the primitive Chriftians in the time of the apoftles, 
 did baptize their iffufe, that fo they might claim to be 
 members of the church ; but the contrary feems rather to 
 appear from what the apoftle faith, ** The unbelieving huf- 
 band is fanftified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife 
 is fanftified by the huftj.and ; elfe were your children 
 unclean, but now they are holy : which impKeth no 
 more, but that fuch children, whofe father or mother alone 
 was a believer, were not excluded from, but comprehended 
 in the outward memberfliip : for this cannot have any 
 relation to that fanftification, whereby the mind comes to 
 be cleanfed : but in regard of being partaker of the 
 outward fellowfliip, this reached fo far, that if but one 
 of the parents, either father or mother, was a believer, 
 the child thereby became intitled to the outward fociety : 
 for to make one a true and real member of the church of 
 God, the baptifm of the fpirit waa required, as the main 
 thing ; which made John the baptift, fpeaking of Chrift, 
 £ay, " He Diall baptize you with the Holy Ghoft." And 
 the apoftle Peter fignifieth, that baptifm, which now faves 
 us, is not theputtiug away of the filth of the flefh, but the 
 aufwer of a good confcience towards God. This was that 
 baptifm of which God by the prophet Ezekiel faid con- 
 cerning Ifrael^ "I will take you from among the heathen^ 
 and gather you out of all countries. Then will I fprinkle 
 clean water upon youj ariid ye fliall be cle^n from all youi? 
 filthinefs,'* &c. 
 
 It is a common objeftion, that Chrift himfelf was bap- 
 tized with water, and that we are required to follow his 
 footfteps : but let it be confidered that he was circumcifed 
 alfo, though the one as well as the other needed not to 
 his melioration, but was done for our fake, to ftiew us by 
 the lat.ter, that our hearts muft be circumcifed, that is^ 
 
 204 • 
 
58^ 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THK 
 
 [1702 
 
 feparated from all evil inclinations and lufts. And by the 
 baptifm which he fuffertd to be adminiflered to him, is 
 fignified to us that we mufl be baptized by his fpirituil bap- 
 tifm. And if it be obje£led, that Chrift faid to Nicode- 
 mus, *^ Except a man be born of water and of the fpirit, 
 he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." It may be 
 anfwered, that if this mufl be underftood of outward 
 water, the confequence will be, that water-baptifm is of 
 fuch an abfolute neceflity, that if any be deprived of it, 
 he is to be fhut out of heaven, which, though believed by 
 Papifts, yet I think Proteftants will hardly fay fo ; neither 
 wa^ John Calvin* of that opinion. It is alfo worth taking 
 notice, that John the baptifl faid, ' That Chrift fhould 
 baptize with fire;' by which it appears, that both water 
 and fire in this fenfe, are metaphorical expreffions : for 
 they both ferve for cleanfing and purifying, though in a 
 ditferent way. Now althouf^h fome did baptize with 
 water, yet it ought to be confidered, that if the command 
 of Chrift to his difciples, *' Go ye and teach all nations, 
 baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Hcly Ghoft," related abfolutely to water- 
 baptism, it would indeed have been very ftrange, that 
 Paul, that eminent apoftle of the Gentiles, did not think 
 himfelf comn^iffionated for the adminiftration cf that bap- 
 tifm. Whereas, if the apoftles had really received a 
 commiflion from the Lord to that purpofe, he by no means 
 would have been fingled out ; fmce fpeaking of himfelf 
 he faith. That he fuppofed he was not a whit behind the 
 very chiefeft apoftles ; and yet he alfo faith in exprefs 
 tf-rirs, "Chrift fcnt me not to baptize, but to preach the 
 golpel. And I thank God that I baptized none of you 
 but Crifpus and Gains. And I baptized alfo the houfe- 
 hold of Stephanas : befides, I know not whether 1 bap- 
 tized any other." And yet he faith, ^ 1 here is one 
 Lord, one laith, one baptifm,'- which was the baptifm of 
 the Spirit. And the fame apoftle faith alfo, * As many as 
 have been baptized into Chrift, have put on Chrift f and 
 this caanoi: have relation to water-baptifm, bccaufe many 
 
 • Vid. Calvin; Epifl. 184. & jaj. 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 5S5 
 
 receive that, who never put on Chrift, and become con- 
 formable to his image, which however is required of all 
 Chriftians. To this may be added, that if the command 
 to baptize. Matt, xxviii. 19, were literally refirifled to 
 water-baptifm, then why may not our Saviour's words be 
 as well underftood literally concerning the waftiing his 
 difciples feet, when he faid to Peter, " If I wafti thee not, 
 thou haft no part with me ;" and to his difciples, " If I 
 then your Lord aad Mafter have waftied your feet, ye alfo 
 ought to wafli one anothers feet.*' More might be faid 
 on this fubjeft ; but fince R. Barclay hath treated of this 
 matter at large long ago, the reader may apply to his Apo- 
 logy for the true Chriftian divinity. 
 
 Concerning the outward fupper, it may be truly faid, 
 that it was the paflbver that was kept by Chrift at the 
 eating of the pafchal lamb ; which likewife was a judaical 
 ceremony, that Chriftians generally take to be a figure or 
 fhadow. But is not the modern ufe of the outward fupper 
 in remembrance of Chrift's fufFerings, alfo a figure, viz. of 
 his fpiritual fupper with the foul j and doth it not feem 
 abfurd, that one figure fhould be the antitype of the other. 
 The paflbver was not a memorial of another figu that was 
 to follow ; but it was a memorial of the flaying of all the 
 firft-born in Egypt, and of the prefervation of Ifrael and 
 their firft-born. Moreover it may be faid, that the pafchal 
 Jamb was eaten in their families, whereas the outward 
 fupper now is celebrated in publick places for w^orfliip. 
 We find, that the apoftles " Breaking bread from houfc 
 to houfe, did eat their meat with gladnefs and finglenefs of 
 heart ;" which implies an ufyal meal or eating. And 
 certainly they do well, who daily at meals remember Chrift 
 and his fufFerings : for the fpiritual fupper, which is the 
 thing required, ought to be partaken of by every true 
 Chriftian ; and this cannot be, unlefs we being attentive, 
 open the door of our hearts to Chrift, and let him<:ome 
 in. Let it alfo be confidered, that the foul wants daily 
 food as well as the body ; and being dcftitute of that, 
 will faint and languifli, and fo become unable to do good ; 
 ^nd therefore our Lord recommanded his difciples to pray 
 
584 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 1702] 
 
 t 
 
 for* daily bread : for that this chiefly had relation to the 
 fpiritual manna, the bread that comes down from heaven, 
 appears from this laying of Chrifl, " Labour not for the 
 meat which perifheth,but for that meat which endureth unto 
 cverlafting life." Befides, the apoftle tells us, ^' That the 
 kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteoufncfs, 
 and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghofl." And the author 
 to the Hebrews faith, " It is a good thing that the heart 
 be eftabliflied with grace, not with meats, which have not 
 profited them that have not been occupied therein.** 
 
 All this then being duly confidered by thofe called 
 
 uakers, it hath reftrained them from the ufe of thofe 
 ceremonies. For the man who through grace is beqom^ 
 truly fpiritual, hath no need of ceremonies or outward 
 means to depend upon, but finds himfelf excited to rely on 
 the inward divine grace, and to depend upon God alone, 
 walking continually in reverential watchfulnefs before him, 
 and fo keeping to the immediate teachings of Chrifl in his 
 heart, he approaches with boldnefs to the throne of grace, 
 and with a full affurance of faith, becomes a partaker, pf 
 falvation. 
 
 But I leave this matter, to fay fomething alfo concerning 
 the Quakers way of worfliip. It is ufual among them, 
 when they meet together in their religious affemblies, to. 
 fpend fome time in a devout filence and retiredncfs of 
 mind, inwardly praying with pure breathings to God, which 
 they generally call, waiting upon the Lord : and if under 
 this fpiritual exercife any one feels himfelf ftirred up of 
 God to fpeak fomething by way of doftrine or exhorta- 
 tion, he doth fo, and fcmetimes more than one, but 
 orderly, one after another. .And that this was ufual in the 
 primitive apoftolical church, appears from what Paul faith, 
 '* If any thing be revealed to another that fitteth by, let 
 the iirft bold his peace : for ye may all prophefy one by 
 one." And what prophefying fignifieth under the 
 new covenant, the apoflle himfelf explains with thefe 
 words, " He that prophefieth, edifieth the church.'* Yet 
 
 * ToK a-'loy iiri^a-tou, fignlfyiog according to the nice explanation of 
 Pafor, bread to maintain or uphold the cfience or I'ubftance ; though 
 others have tranfiated it fupercfTsntial bread. 
 
 PEGPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 585 
 
 let none think this liberty of fpeaking to be fo unlimited, 
 that every body that can fay fomething, may freely do fo 
 m the congregation : for he that will fpeak there, muft 
 alfo by all means be of a good, and honeft, and holy life, 
 and found in doctrine; and if ia procefs of time he finds 
 m huufelf a concern from the Lord to travel in the minif- 
 try, and defires a certificate of his foundnefs in doftrine 
 and orderly life, he may have it from the congregation 
 where he refides. And certainly a preacher himfelf ou^ht 
 to have experience of the work of fanflification, before 
 he IS qualified to inftrudl others in the way thereto • for 
 mere brain-knowledgc cannot do that effeaually. Some- 
 times in their meetings there is a nublick prayer before 
 preaching ; and preaching is generally concluded with a 
 prayer. • 
 
 _ Now preaching among them is not confised to the male 
 fex, as among others : for they believe that women whom 
 the Lord hath gifted for gofpel-miniftry, may exercife their 
 . gifts among them to edification : for who will prefume to 
 fay to him, What dofl thou? To him namely, who by 
 his apoftle hath faid, ^^ Qi^iench not the Spirit." Thev 
 are not ignorant that the fame apoftle faid to the Corin- 
 thians, " Let your women keep filence in the churches.'* 
 Now not to infift on the word your, which feems to carry 
 an emphafis along with it, as being chiefly applicable to 
 thofe Corinthian women, yet by what follows it appears 
 plainiy, that it regards ignorant women, fince it is faid 
 there, " If they will learn any thing, that is, if they will 
 be fiiriher mftrudfed concerning fome poiqts of dodtrine 
 " Let them aik their huflDands at home.'' Whereby it 
 appears that this faying hath relation to fuch women, 
 who either from indifcretion or ciu-iofity, or out of a 
 defire to be looked upon as fuch that knew alfo to fay 
 fomething, propofed queftions to the church, and thereby 
 caufed more confufion than edification : " For it is indeed 
 a fliame for [fuch] women to fpeak in the church;'* and 
 the apoftles precept is, « Let all things be done decently 
 and in order. Moreover, it ought to be confidered alfo, 
 that thefe words, " Let your womeu keep filence," have a 
 tendency alfo to the fubjeaion which women owe to their 
 
586 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 587 
 
 ii 
 
 hufbands, brraufe it is faid there alfo, that women arc 
 commanded '' to be imder obedience," This the apoftle 
 explains farther in one of his epiftles to Timothy, where 
 he fliith, " Let the women learn in filence with all fubjec- 
 tion : but I fuffer not a woman to t(.ach nor to uinrp autho- 
 rity over the man." Now that the apoitle doth not abfo- 
 hitcly forbid women fpcaking to edification in the church, 
 appears from his own words, when he faith, " Every woman 
 that prayeth, or prophefieth, with her head uncovered, 
 dilhonoureth her head :*' for here he gives to women a 
 prefcript how to behave themfelves wh^-n they prophefy ; 
 and what he means by prophefying, he himfelf declareth 
 in the fame cpiftle, as hath been hinted already, where he 
 faith, *• He that prophefieth fpeakcth unto men to edifica- 
 lioii, and exhortation, and comfort ; and he that prophe- 
 fieth edifieth the church." And pray what is this but 
 that which we now a-days call preaching? For though 
 prophefying under the old covenant feemeth chiefly to 
 fjgnify a prediction of what is to come, yet it is credible 
 chat the ancient prophets were alfo preachers; and ac-^ 
 cording to the New Teftament language, it is evident that 
 prophefying is chiefly preaching. Hence we may eafily 
 imderftand what kind of virgins the four daughters of 
 Philip were, which did prophefy, and what kind of fer- 
 vant of the church Phoebe was, and Tryphena, and Try- 
 phofa, who laboured in the Lord, and PerCs, which 
 laboured much in the Lord, which is confiderably more 
 than what is faid of that Mary, who bellowed much 
 labour on the apoftles. How fignificantly doth the apoftle 
 call Prifcilla and Aquila, his helpers in Chrift Jefus. And 
 what he means by his helpers in that fenfe, we may fee 
 Philip, iv. 3. where he fpeaks of women which laboured 
 WMth him in the gofpel. All this then being duly confi- 
 dered, the Quakers fo called, think it unlawful to forbid 
 fuch women to preach whom the Lord hath gifted, and 
 who are of a godly life and conveifation ; fmce it appears 
 fufficiently that in the primitive church they were not 
 debarred from that fervice. And as in thofe days, fo in 
 ours, it hath evidently appeared, that fome pious women 
 have had a v«ry excellent gift to the edification of ihe 
 
 church. All which tends to the glory of God, who is no 
 refpe£Ver of perfons, and is pleafed to make ufe of weak 
 inftruments to fhew forth his praife. 
 
 As to finging the words of David, fince they do not fuit 
 the ftate and condition of mixed aflfemblies, they difufe the 
 cuftomary formal way of finging in the churches, which 
 has neither precept nor precedent in the New Teftament. 
 
 Concerning the refurreffion, their belief is orthodox, 
 and agreeable with the teftimonies of the holy Scriptures : 
 but becaufe they judge it to be very improper to fay that 
 we (hall rife again with the fame numerical bodies we now 
 have, their oppofers have often falfely accufed them, as 
 fuch who deny the refurreftion ; though they fully believe 
 this faying of the apoftle, "- If in this life only we have 
 hope in Chrift, we are of all men moft miferable." And 
 as to the qualities of the bodies wherewith we (hall arife, 
 he faith, '* It is fown a natural body, it is raifed a fpiritual 
 body :" " For," faith the famx apoftle, " our converfation 
 is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, who fliall change our vile body, that it 
 may be fafliioned like unto his glorious body, accordincr to 
 the working whereby he is able to fubdue all things inno 
 himfelf." And therefore they have counted it more fafe, 
 not to determine with what kind of bodies we ftiall be 
 raifed, provided we have a firm belief that there is to be 
 ■a refurre^ion of the dead : for from fuch a determination 
 many diflScnlties may arife, which othei'wifc are avoided ; 
 and therefore they have alfo faid to their antagonifts^ 
 * Chrift's refurre£lion is indeed an argument for our refiir- 
 re^ion ; but would it be valid from thence thus to argue : 
 becaufe Chrlft's body, which was without fin, and was 
 not corrupted in the grave, was raifed the fame it was 
 buried ; therefore our bodies, which admit of corruption, 
 muft alfo be raifed the fame they are buried ? * Nay, by 
 infifting ftiflfliy on this point, wc fall into many difFiculties : 
 who will venture to fay, that when people die, and are 
 .buried abotit the age of ninety years, ^ their bodies in the 
 refurreftion fliall be the fame decrepid bodies ihey were 
 when buried; and that imborn children dying, ftiall be 
 raifed with fuch fmall bodies as they had then F To fhua 
 
588 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1702 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 58J 
 
 i 
 
 therefore fuch kind of abfurditics, they think it better 
 not to fufFer human wic to expatiate too far, fince the 
 apoftle faith, " Mind not high things ;'* and advifeth every 
 man, " not to think of himfelf more highly than he ought 
 to think." 
 
 Now as to church-government, both for looking to the 
 orderly converfation of the members, and for taking care 
 of the poor, and of indigent widows and orphans, and 
 alfo for making enquiry into marriages folemnized among 
 them, they have particular meetings, either weekly, or 
 every two weeks, or monthly, according to the greatnefs 
 of the churches. They have alfo quarterly meetings in 
 every county, where matters are brought that cannot 
 well be adjufted in the particular meetings. To thefe 
 meetings come not only the minifters and elders, but alfo 
 other members, that are known to be of fober converfa- 
 tion ; and what is agreed upon there, is entered into a 
 book belonging to the meeting. Bcfides thefe meetings a 
 general annual affcmbly is kept at London in the Whitfun 
 week* fo called ; not for any fuperftitious obfervation the 
 Quakers have for that more than at any other time, but 
 becaufe that feafon of year beil fuits the general accom- 
 modation. 
 
 To this yearly meeting, which fometimes lafteth four, 
 or five, or more days, are admitted fuch as are fent from 
 all churches of that fociety in the world, to give an 
 account of the ftate of the particular churches ; which 
 from forae places is done only by writing ; and from that 
 meeting is fent a general epiftle to all the churches, which 
 commonly is printed ; and fometimes particular epiftlcs 
 are fent alfo to the refpeftive churches. By which it 
 may be known every year, in what condition the churches 
 are ; and in the faid epiftle generally is recommended a 
 godly life and converfation, and due care about the edu- 
 cation of children. If it happens that the poor any 
 where are in want, then that is fupplied by others who 
 have in ftore, or fometimes by an extraordinary colledion. 
 
 • It has (incc been fixed to be held on the fecond day immediately 
 following the ihird Firft day in the fifth month. 
 
 As to the denomination by which they are diftinguifhed 
 from other religious focieties, it is, as is well known, 
 Quakers ; but fince that name was given them in fcorn, as 
 hath been faid in due place, they do not aflurae it any 
 farther than for diftinftion-fake from others; but the 
 name whereby they call one another is that of Friends. 
 And herein they have the example of primitive Chriftians, 
 as may be feen Afts xxvii. 3. where it is faid, that Julius 
 the centurion courteoufly intreated Paul, and gave him 
 liberty to go unto * the friends (for fo the Greek hath it) 
 to refrefh himfelf, and 3 Epift. John 14. we read. The 
 friends falute thee ; and greet the friends by name. Now 
 this name of Friends is fo common among the Quakers in 
 England, that others alfo know them, and fometimes call 
 them by that name. 
 
 It was, as I find, in the year "^i 705, that Anne, the late 
 Wife of Thomas Camm, deceafed in a great age ; and 
 having already made mention of her by the name of Anne 
 Audland, I will fay fomething more of her before I def- 
 cribe her exit. She was daughter of Richard Newby, in 
 the parifli of Kendal in Weftraoreland, being born in'the 
 year 1627, and well educated; and being come to matu- 
 rity, flie converfed much with the moft religious people of 
 that time. About the year 1650, fhe was married ro John 
 Audland, and in the beginning of 1652, they both were 
 by the miniftry of G. Fox convinced of that truth he 
 preached ; and in the next year they began to preach that 
 doftrine to others ; for which in the following year flie 
 was committed to prifon in the town of Aukland in the 
 county of Durham, where (he had opportunity to fpcak to 
 the people through the window ; which flie did fo patheti- 
 cally, that feveral were affeaed with her teftimony ; and 
 after being releafed, fhe travelled up and down the coun- 
 try,^ and had good fervice ; but not long after (he was 
 again committed to prifon on an accufation of having 
 fpoken blafphemy, for which (he was tried at Banbury in 
 
 * Hfor TM 'f>/A«f, and h *i*;.o/, which is not his friends, or our friends 
 IS It is rendered, I^ut the friends. 
 
59« 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [[1702 
 
 OxfordflVire ; the indiftment drawn up againft her con- 
 taining that flie had laid, God did not live : whereas that 
 'which (he f.iid w^s, that true words might be a lie in the 
 mouth of fome that fpoke them, allcdging for truth the 
 faying of the prophet Jeremiah v. 2. '' Though they fay 
 ^he Lord liveth, fure they fwear falfely." The judge 
 before whom fhc appeared, behaved himfelf moderately, 
 and obferving how wifely (he anfwered to his queftions 
 with a modcft boldnt-fs, propofed the matter to the jury 
 thus ; ' That (he acknowledged the Lord her God and 
 Redeemer to live, and that there were gods of the heathen 
 that were dead gods/ Some of the juftices upon the 
 bench, who fought her deilru6lion, perceiving they (hould 
 not obtain their end, (for it had been divulged that (he 
 fhould be burnt) went off to influence the jury, and bias 
 them; which had this eflFeft, that they brought her in 
 guilty of mifdemeanor : which made one prefent fay, it 
 was illegal to india her for one fa^l:, and to bring her in 
 guilty of another ; fmce they ought to have found her 
 either guilty or not guilty upon the matter of faft charged 
 in the indiftment. The judge, though he had carried 
 himfelf difcreetly, had a mind however fomewhat to pleafe 
 the juftices that were her enemies ; and therefore at her 
 refjafal to give bond for her good behaviour, (he was fent 
 to prifon again ; though he was heard to fay, that (he 
 ought to have been difcharged. And the prifon whether 
 fhe was fent was a nafty place, feveral fteps under ground ; 
 on the fide whereof was a common fewer, which fome- 
 times ftunk very much, and frogs and toads crawled in the 
 room. Here (he was kept about eight months, but (hewed 
 herfelf content, being perfuaded that it was for the Lord's 
 fake fhe thus fufFered. 
 
 Her hu(band, John Audland, died, as hath been faid 
 before, about the beginning of the year 1664, and two 
 years after (he was married to Thomas Camm, a minifter 
 alfo of the gofpel. She lived very retiredly, and fpent 
 much time in folitarinefs, and was almoft daily exercifed in 
 reading the holy Scriptures and other edifying books. 
 Her hu(band fuifered imprifonment three years at Kendal, 
 and about fix years at Appleby.; inComuch that (lie came 
 
 1702] 
 
 PEOPtE CALLED QpAKERS. 
 
 591 
 
 to be well acquainted with adverfities : but by all thefe (he 
 was the more fpurred on to advance in true piety ; and 
 was a very remarkable teacher in the church, having an 
 rxtraordmary gift to declare the truth. And yet (he was 
 very modcft and humble, infomuch that how full foever 
 toe was of matter, (lie rarely appeared to preach in large 
 meetings, where ftie knew there were men qualified for 
 that fcrvicc ; and flie was grieved when (he perceived any. 
 o^ her lex to be too forward on fuch occafions ; and there- 
 tore Ihc advifcd them to be cautious, though (he did not 
 omit to encourage the good in all, and endeavoured not to 
 quench the Spirit in any. Thus flic continued in a vir. 
 tuous life to the end of her days. At Briftol (he once fell 
 10 lick, that It was thought flie was nigh death : and then 
 toe exhorted thofe that flood by, to prize their time, and 
 to prepare for their latter end, as God, faid flie, hath 
 inclined me to do, lb that I enjoy unfpeakable peace here, 
 with full aflbrance of eternal reft and felicity in the world 
 to come. 
 
 But toe recovered from this ficknefs ; and when her 
 dying hour came, which was in her dwelling place near 
 Kendal, flie was not lefs prepared, but faid, ^ I blefs the 
 Lord 1 am prepared for my change. . I am full of affur. 
 ance of eternal (alvation, and a crown of glory, throueh 
 my dear Lorc^nd Saviour Jefus Chrift.^ Many other excel, 
 lent fayings flie uttered during the time of her ficknefs ; 
 and when flie drew near her end, fome of her friends 
 alking her, whether flie knew ihem. ' Yes,' faid toe « I 
 know you every one. I have my underftanding as clear as 
 ever : for how fliould it be oiherwife, fince my peace is 
 made with God through the Lord Jefus Chrift. I have 
 no difturbance in mind, therefore is my underftanding and 
 judgment fo good and clear ; but to lie under afflidlion of 
 body and mind, to feel pinching pangs of body evea to 
 death, and to want peace with God ; O that would be 
 intolerable to hear!' She advifed her hufl^and to quit 
 himldf of the cumber of the things of this world, after 
 her death, that he might with the more freedom attend the 
 miniftry of the gofpel, and, faid toe, ' Warn all, but 
 cfpecially the rich, to keep love, and not to be high- 
 Vol. II. 2^ 
 
592 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 minded : for humility and holinefs is the badge SPour 
 profeffion.' A liitle bcLre her departure, fome fhinting 
 fits taking her, (he revived again, and faid, ' I was gladi* 
 thinking I was going to my eternal reft, without difturb- 
 ance. I have both a fight and earnelt of eternal reft with* 
 God in the world to come.' A little after fhe faid, 
 « Methinks I grow weak and cold. My hands and feet 
 are grown very cold, yet 'my heart is very ftrong. I muft 
 meet WMth ftiarper pangs than I have yet felt — This pain 
 is hard to flcfli and blood, but muft be endured ^ little 
 time ; eafe and eternal reft is at hand ; I am glad I ice 
 death fo near me.' A little after, feeing her friends weep, 
 file faid, ' Be not concerned, for all is well : I have only 
 death to encounter, and the fting of it is wholly taken 
 away : the grave hath no victory, and my foul is afcending 
 above all lorrow and pains. So let me go freely to my 
 heavenly raanfion, difturb mc not in my paffage. My 
 friends, go to the meeting ; let me not hinder the Lord's 
 bufiDers,"but let it be the chief, and by you all done 
 faithfully, that at the end ye may receive your reward : 
 for mine is fare. I have not been negligent, my day's 
 work is done.' Feeling afterwards her pains encreafing, 
 flie prayed the Lord to help her through the agony of 
 death ^ and a little after flie faid, ' O my God, O my 
 God, thou haft not forfaken me, bleffed be thy name for 
 ever. O my bleffed Saviour, that faffered, for me and all 
 mankind, great pains in thy holy body upon the crofs, 
 remember me thy poor handmaid in this my great bodily 
 afihftion. My truft is in thee, my hope is only in thee, my 
 dear Lord. O come, come dear Lord Jefus, come quickly^ 
 receive my foul to thee, I yield it up, help me now in my 
 bitter pangs.' Then her huft^and prayed to God, that he 
 would be pleafed to make her paffage eafy. And (he had 
 MO more fuch pangs, but drew her breath fliorter by de- 
 grees, andfaiil little more, but that it was good to- leave 
 all to the Lord. And fo (lie flcpt in the Lord the 30th of 
 November, 1705, in the 79th year of her age.^ Thus 
 Anne Camm departed this life, and her huft)and faid after- 
 wards that he counted it a great bleffmg to have had her 
 to wife:- for fliC was indeed a very excellent woman, aai 
 
 1708] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (^TAKERS. 
 
 59^ 
 
 therefore I have defcribed her latter end thus circum* 
 ftantially. 
 
 Having now related what hath come to my knowledge, 
 that L thought remarkable, and of Angular moment ia 
 refpeft of the rife and progrefs of the people called 
 (fakers, I think what I have written mayfuffice, and 
 anlwer the contents of the title of this hiftory ; and there- 
 fore I will add .only a few occurrences, and then come to 
 a conclufion. 
 
 Many years ago, even in the time of king James I. 
 endeavours were ufed to unite England and Scotland into 
 one kmgdom, but all in vain ; king Williaiu TIL alfo tried 
 what could be done in this cafe, but his life did not permit 
 him to bring the work to perfeftion. Yet at length the 
 matter was agreed and fettled about the beginning of the 
 ^^^^{7^7^}^^^^T^^'^g^o(QucGn Anne, it being concluded 
 that thefe two kingdoms henceforth fhould be united into 
 one, and called Great Britain. In the fore-part of the 
 year 1708, Scotland was. threatened with an invafion by 
 the pretended prince of Wales; but he failed' in the 
 attempt, and his defign came..to nought. Now fince the 
 union of the faid kingdom w^ith'that of England was accom- 
 plifhed, and the fucceffion of the. crown in the Proteftant 
 Ime eftabliflied by law, the queen on that account was con- 
 gratulated by a multitude of addreffes of her fubjecfts ; and 
 the Quakers fo called judged themfelves obliged alfo to 
 teftify their. affe^ion to that princefs, as they did by the 
 following addrefs : 
 
 To Anne, C^ieen of Great Britain, ]&c. 
 
 1,1 , 
 
 The grateful and humble '4^dyrefs of the People com- 
 monly called Qiiakers,/ from, their Yearly Meeting in 
 
 ; London^ this 28th' dacv pf^thV third month called May, 
 ^708. ■' " ^' 
 
 •;UfW^ having good can fe to commemorate the manifold 
 mercies of God youchfafed to:this tmited kingdom of 
 Great Britain, believe i.t /pur /duty to make our humble 
 acknowledgmenrs, M tQ,the Divine Majefty, and next to 
 
 a F 2 
 
594 
 
 THE HISTORY CF THE 
 
 ^[1708 
 
 the queen, for the liberty we enjoy under her kind and 
 favourable government, with hearty defires and prayers to 
 Almighty God (who hath hitherto difappomted the mit- 
 chicvous and vvicked defigns of her enemies, both foreign 
 and domcaick) that he will fo effeaually repleniQi the 
 queen's heart, together with thofe of her greut coimcil, 
 with his divine wifdom, that righteoufnefs, jullice and 
 moderation, which are the ornaments of the queen*s reign, 
 and wWch exalt a nation, may be incieafed and pro- 
 moted. . . 1 I, 
 * And we take this opportunity to give the queen the 
 
 renewed affurance of our hearty afFeftion to the prefent 
 cftabliflied government, and that we will as a people in our 
 refpcftive ftations, according to our peaceable principles, by 
 the erace of God, approve ourfelves in all fidelity the 
 queen's faithful and obedient fubjefts, and as fuch con- 
 elude with fervent prayers to the Lord of Hofts, that 
 after a profperous, Mt and long reign in this life, thou, 
 O queen, mayft be bleffed with an eternal crown of glory. 
 
 This addrefs was figned in the name of the meeting by 
 fourteen members thereof, who alfo were ordered to pre- 
 fent it ; but it being underftood that the queen fecmed willing; 
 to be attended with it in private, only feven, among whom 
 were G. Whitehead and Tho. Lower, went in with it, 
 and were introduced by the principal fecretary of ftatc 
 Boyle ; and G. Whitehead prefenting it, faid, * Wc 
 heartily wifh the queen health and happinefs : we are come 
 to prefent an addrefs from our yearly meeting, which we 
 could have defired might have been more early and feafon- 
 ably timed, but could not, becaufe our faid meeting was 
 but the laft week ; and therefore now hope the queen wil 
 favouraWr accept our addrefs.' Then G. Whitehead 
 delivering it, the queen faid, * Pray read it:' whereupon 
 he took and read it, and the queen anfwered, 
 
 « I thank you very kindly for your addrefs, and I affurc 
 YOU of my protcftion ; you may depend upon it.' 
 
 To which G. Whitehead replied, * We thankfully ac- 
 knowledge, that God by his power and fpecial providence, 
 
 1708] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUA7CERS. 
 
 595 
 
 hath pref.rved and defended the queen againft ihc evil 
 defigns of her enemies, having made the queen an emi- 
 nent inftrument for the good of this nation and realm of 
 Great Britain, in maintaining the toleration, the liberty 
 wc enjoy in refpedl to our confciences againft perfecution. 
 Which liberty being grounded upon this reafon in the late' 
 king's reign, for the uniting the Proteftant fubjefts in - 
 intereft and affeftion, the union, of Great Britain now 
 fettled tends to the ftrength and fafety thereof; for in 
 union is the ftrength and ftability of a nation, or kingdom ; 
 and without union, no nation or people can be fafe^; but 
 are weak and uiiftable. The fucceflion of the crown 
 being fettled and eftabliftied in the Proteftant line, muft 
 needs be very acceptable to all true Proteftant fubjefts. 
 
 [ And now, O queen, that the Lord may pr>eferve and 
 defend thee for the future, the remainder of thy day$, and 
 fupport thee under all thy great care and concern for the 
 fafety and good of this nation and kingdom of Great 
 Britain, and that the Lord may blefs and preferve thee to 
 the end, is our fmcere defire.' * 
 
 To this the queen returned, < I thank you for your 
 fpeech, and for your addrefs ; and ye may be affured I 
 will take care to proteft you.' 
 
 And G. Whitehead replied, « The Lord blefs and 
 profper the queen and all her good intentions.' And 
 thereupon he and his friends withdrew. 
 
 The moft remarkable occurrences t^e Quakers m 
 England now met with, were that they enjoying the liberty 
 to perform their religious worfliip publickly, without dif- 
 turbance, were afterward encountered by the writings of 
 their enemies from ignorance or envy, and reprefented as 
 maintainers of heterodox fentiments ; but they not failing 
 •of anfwers, the eyes of many were opened, and fome 
 c; me over to them. And though foraetimes thofe of the 
 j^ublick church had the fuccefs tp draw over one that was 
 born and educated among the Quakers, but inclined to 
 more liberty, and to be eftejemed by the world, yet there 
 
 2 p 3 
 
59^ 
 
 XriE KISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1708 
 
 have been bthers of the epifcopal church, who not from 
 any earthly coriftderatioil, biit merely by a convincement of 
 tHcir; mind, have entered into 'focitty with the Quakers ; 
 nbt"^ fearing t6*" make public k profclTion of their reKgion, 
 as may appCcir by two letters which I will infert here'; 
 the oiiC bf' Samuel Crifp, a clergyman of the epifcopal 
 chufch, \'Jho"gilve the following account of his change, to 
 one of his dear relations : 
 
 ,]Vly dear Friend, 
 
 '/^'* t received a letter from thee, the week before lafl, 
 \VhTth was fent by thy uncle Bolton : there were a great 
 miiriy kind expreffions in it, and in thy fifter Clopton's 
 likcvt^ife ; I acknowledge myftlf much obliged to you both, 
 aud*t6the Wh le family, for rfiatiy repeated kindn^fles, and 
 if Wy f^'hoolhad lipt ingroffeifomuch of my tirn^, I would 
 have taken. opporftinityto^ailf\Ver my dear friend^ letter 
 lio\^i 'and iupon that account my delay will be itore ex- 
 culable. 
 
 « The news jhovi haft heard of my late change is really 
 ''fr^t,'! cirrbot cbticeal it,for it is what I glory in; nei- 
 ther was it any profpe£V of temporal advantage that 
 induced me to it, but a fmcere love to the truth, and 
 pure, reg^id so my own foul : neither can 1 be fuffi- 
 ^t^tfently rhlmkful to God, that he hath let me live to this 
 ^^Icfrious day', and not cut me off" in the midft of my fms 
 and provocations 'againft him ; he is long faffering to 
 vs ward, not )(villing that any flipuld perifh, but that all 
 flK/ijf|i come, to repentance : "he hath brought nie off from 
 .tHc f()rms' ati8 fhiidows of religion, and let me fee in a 
 ;ntbi^'e itluftrit)\is^ manner what' is the hfe and fubftance of it, 
 *^s'he fott'nd me'' in fbme degree fjtithful to that meafure of 
 l«ght and knowledge he had beftowed on me, whilft I was 
 -m'the commtiriion bf'the church of England ; therefore he 
 was pleafcd of late, as I humbly waited upon him, to 
 make known to fnc greater and deeper myfteries of his 
 kingdom; and I can truly Tay, that I find by daily ex- 
 perience, as I keep low aH3 retired into that pure gift 
 VN'hich he hath planted within rac, things are every day 
 
 ■1 
 
 i -^ 
 
 1708] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 597 
 
 more and more cleared up to me, and the truth fhines and 
 prevails greatly over the kingdom of darknefs ; and if I 
 Ihould now turn my back upon fuch manifefi-ations as 
 thefe, and entangle myfclf again with tlie yoke of bond- 
 age, fiirely I ihould grieve the Holy Spirit, fo that he 
 might joflly withdraw his kind operations, and never return: 
 more to ailift and comfort me ; for God is not mocked -^ 
 religion is a very ferious and weighty thing; repentance 
 and falvation are not to be trifled with, nor is turning to 
 God, to be put off till our own time, leifure, or con- 
 veniency, but we muft love and cherifli the leall: appear- 
 ance of Chrift, not flighting or defpifiwg the day of fmall 
 things, but embrace the 'firft opportunity of following 
 Chrift in any of his commands : when he fpeaks, there is' 
 fuch force and authority in it, that v/e cannot ftand to 
 cavil, difpute, or aflc queftions ; for unlefs we will be fo 
 obftinate as to fliut our eyes againft the fun, we muft needs 
 ccvnfefs to the truth of his do6lrine, and prefently ftrike in 
 with it ; and therefore when for feveral weeks I had lived 
 more privately and retiredly in London, than was ufual, 
 fafting twice or thrice in a week, or fometimes more, 
 fpending my time in reading the Scriptures, and in prayer 
 to God, this was a good preparation of my mind, to re- 
 ceive the truth which he was then abput to make known 
 to me. I lamented the errors of my pad: life, and was de- 
 flrous to attain a more excellent degree of holinefs than I- 
 had difcovered in the chuich of England. In this religious 
 retirement God knew the breathings of my foul, how fin- 
 cere I was, and refigned to him when alone. I wanted 
 him to fet me free, and to fpeak peace and comfort to my 
 foul, which was grieved and wearied with the burden of 
 my fm : for though I had ftri^ily conformed myfelf to the 
 orders and ceremonies, of the church of England, and had 
 kept myfelf from running into any great or fcandalous 
 enormities, the fear of the Almighty preferving me, yet 
 ftiil I had not that reft and fatisfa^lion in myfelf which i 
 defired, and greatly longed for. I found when I had ex*, 
 amined my Hate and condition to God-ward, that things 
 were not right with me. ^ 
 
 2 p 4 
 
598 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [i"7a8 
 
 As for a fober and plaufible converfaiion in the eye of 
 the world, I knew that was a very cafy attainment. A 
 good natural temper, witli the advantage of a liberal iedu- 
 cation, will quickly furnifli a man with abilities for that, 
 fo that he fliall be looked upon :;s a faint, and very 
 fpiritual ; when perhaps in chains of darknefs, in the gall 
 of bitternefs, and in the very bond of iniquity. If this 
 fort of righteoufnefs would have done, perhaps 1 might 
 make as fair pretcnfions that way as fome others ; but alas, 
 I quickly faw the emprinefs and uiifatisfa£lorinefs of thofe 
 things : this is a covcriig tiat will not prote£l or hide us 
 from the wrath of tiie Almighty, when he comes to judg;- 
 ment. It is not a man's natural temper, nor his education, 
 that makes him a good Chriftian ; this is not the rightcouf- 
 jiefs w^hich the gofpcl calls for, nor is this the truth in the 
 inward parts which God requires. The heart and affec- 
 tions muft be cleanfed and purified before we can be ac- 
 ceptable to God ; therefore it was death to me to think of 
 taking up my reft in a formal pretence oF holincfs, wherein 
 yet I faw to my grief, abundance of people wrapped them- 
 fclve^, flept fccurely and quietly ; dreaming of the felicity 
 of paradife, as if heaven were now their own, and they 
 needed not trouble themfelves any more about religion, 
 I could not entertain fo dangerous an opinion as this, for 
 then I fhould be tempted to take up my reft by the way, 
 "^'hilft I was travelling towards the promifed land. I think 
 1 made a little prpgrcfs in a holy life, acd through God's 
 aiSftancc I weakened fome of my fpiritual enemies, whilft 
 I lived in the communion of the national church. I thank 
 my God, I can truly fay, whilft I ufed thofe prayers, I did 
 it with zeal and fmcerity, in his fear and dread ; but ftill 
 I ceafcd not my carneft fupplication to him in private, that 
 he would (hew me fomething more excellent j that 1 might 
 get a complete viftory over all my lufts and paffions, and 
 might perfcft righteoufnefs before him ; for I found a great 
 many fins and weakneffes daily attending me ; and though 
 I made frequent rcfolutions to forfake thofe fins, yet ftill 
 the temptation was too ftrong for me ; fo that often I had 
 caufeto complain with the apoftle in the bitternefs of my 
 ioul, " O wretched man that I am, who fliuli deliver mc 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qilAKERS, 
 
 599 
 
 1708] 
 
 from the body of this death ?*' Who fhall fet mc free, and 
 give me ftrength to triumph over fin, the world, and the 
 devil : that 1 may in every thing pleafe God, and there 
 may not be the haft thought, word, or motion, gcftureor 
 aaion, but what is exadlly agreeable to his moft holy will, 
 as if I faw him ftanding before me, and as if I were to be 
 judged by him for the thought of my heart next moment? 
 
 divine life! O feraphick foul! O that I could always 
 fta^d here ; for here is no refleftion, no forrow, no re- 
 pentance: but at God's right hand there is perfect peace, 
 and a river of unfpeakable joy. O that we might imitate 
 the life of Jefus, and be thoroughly furniflied unto every 
 good word and work. This was the frequent breathin<r 
 or my ioul to God when I was in the country, but more 
 cfpccially after I had left my new preferment of a chaplain, 
 and took private lodgings in London. In this retirement 
 
 1 hope I may fay without boafting, that I was very devout 
 and religious, and I found great comfort and refrefhment 
 in it from the Lord, who let me fee the beauty of aolinefs ; 
 and the fweetnefs, that arifes from an humbled mortified 
 life, was then very pleafant to my tafte, and I rejoiced in 
 it more than in all the delights and pleafures of the world- 
 
 * And now it pleafed God td ftiew me, that if I would 
 indeed live ftriftly and holily as becomes the gofpcl, then 
 I muft leave the communion of the church of England ; 
 but knew not yet which way to determine myfelf, nor to 
 what body of men I fhould join, who were more orthodox 
 and more regular in their lives. As for the Quakers, fo 
 called, I was fo great a ftranger to them, that Ihad never 
 read any of their books, nor do I remember that ever I 
 converfed with any one man of that communion in my 
 whole fife. I think there was one in Foxly, wliilft I was 
 curate there ; but I never faw the man, though I went 
 feveral times to his houfe on purpofe to talk with him, and 
 to bring him off from his mad and wild enthufiafm, as I 
 then ignorantly thought it to be. As for that way, I knew 
 it was every where fpoken againft. He that had a mind 
 to appear more witty and ingenious than the reft, would 
 chufe this for the fubjed of his profane jefts and drollery; 
 with this he makes fport, and diverts the company ; for a 
 
60O THE HISTORY OF THE [1708 
 
 Quaker is but another name for a fool or a mnd-man, and 
 was fcarcc ever mentioned but with fcorn and contempt. 
 As for drollery, I confefs I was never any great friend to 
 it ; but indeed if all was true that was laid to the Quakers 
 charge, I thought they were fome of the worft people that 
 ever appeared in the world, and wondered with what face 
 they could call thcmfelves Chriftians ; fmce I was told 
 they denied the fundamental articles of the holy faith, to 
 which 1 ever bore the higheft veneration arid efteem ; jnd 
 notwithftanding I had always lived at the greatcft diftance 
 from that people, and was very zealous in the worlhip of 
 the church of England, and upon all occafians would fpeak 
 very honourably of it, moreover was content to ftiffer fome 
 few incouvenicncies upon that account ; (as thou very welt 
 knoweft) yet my father flill locked upon rae as inclining to 
 .the C^iakers ; and fome years ago fignified to a friend, he 
 was afraid I would become an cinhufiail; and whilll I wai 
 at Bungan fchool, he fent me two books to read that vrere 
 writ againft the (Vuakers, one of which was John Faldo's : 
 who had been fulhciently expofed for it by William Penn. 
 ' Whilft I lived in London in that private retired manner 
 (I was juft now fpeaking of) walking very humbly in the 
 fight of God, and having opportunity to reflca upon my 
 part life, as 1 had occafion to be one day at a bookfeller's 
 Ihop, I happened to cart my eye on Barclay's works : and 
 having heard in the country, that he was a man of grrat 
 account amongil the Quakers, I had a mind to fee what 
 their principles were, and what defence they could make 
 for themfclves ; for furc, thought I, thefe people are not 
 fo filly and ridiculous ; nor maintainers of fuch horrid 
 opinions, as the author of the Snake, and fome others 
 would make us believe. I took Barclay home with me, 
 and I read him through in a week's time, fave a little trea- 
 tife at the end, which 1 found to be very philofophkal, I 
 omitted ; but however, I foon read enough to convince 
 mc of my own biindnefs and ignorance in the things of 
 Gud; there I found a light to break in upon my mind, 
 which did mightily refrefh and comfort me, in that poor, 
 low, and humbled rtate, in which 1 then was; for indeed 
 I was then, and had been for a confiderable time before, 
 
 ^708] 
 
 PEOPLE CAM i!T> (VTTAlv'feRS. 
 
 661 
 
 very hungry and thirfty after riglireoufnefi', and therefore 
 I receivt^d the truch with all readincfs of mind : it was like 
 balm to my foul, and as fhowers of rain to the thirfty 
 earth, which is parched with heat and drought. This 
 author laid things down fo plainly, and proved ihem with 
 fuch ingenuity and dexterity lof learning, and opened the 
 Scriptures fo cleaily to me, that without (landing to cavil, 
 difpnte, raife argument or objection, or confulcing with 
 'fleili and blood, 1 prefcntly refigned myielf to God; and 
 weeping for joy that I had found fo great a treafure, I 
 often thanked him with tears in my eyes for fo kind a 
 vifitation of his love, that he was gracioully pleafed to look 
 toward me when my foul cried ahcr him ; fo, though be- 
 fore I was in great doubt and trouble of mind, not know- 
 ing which way to determine myfelf, yet now the fun 
 breaking out fo powerfully upon me, the clouds were feat- 
 tered: I w^as now fully fatisfied in my own mind which way 
 I ought to go, and to what body of people I (hould join 
 myfelf. 
 
 * So I immediately left the communion of the church of 
 England, and went to Gracechurch-flreet meeting. After 
 I had read Barclay, I read fome other books of that kind, 
 among which was an excellent piece, though in a fraall 
 volume, called No Crofs, No Crown. Thus I continued 
 reading and frequenting meetings for feveral weeks to- 
 gether, but did not let any one foul know what I was about. 
 The firfl man I converfed with was George Whitehead, 
 and this was feveral weeks after I began to read Barclay, 
 and frequent their meetings. By him I was introduced 
 into more acquaintance, and ftill the farther I went, the 
 more I liked their plainnefs, and the decency and fimplicity 
 of their converfation. They do not ufe the ceremonies 
 and falutations of the church of England, but fliake hands 
 freely, and converfe together as brothers and fifters, that 
 are fprung of the fame royal feed, and made kings and 
 priefts unro God. O, the love, the fweetnefs and tender- 
 nefs of atFecflion, I have ken among this people ! " By 
 this," fays Chrift, ^' fhall all men know that ye are my 
 difciples, if ye have love one to another." ** Put on there- 
 fore," fays the apoftle, ^' (as the clec'l of God, holy anc} 
 
€02 
 
 THE RlSTOlvY OF THE 
 
 [1708 
 
 beloved) bowels of mercy, kindnefs, humblcnefs of mind, 
 mcckncfs, long-fuffcring." 
 
 *Thus, my dear friend, I have given thee an account of 
 my proceeding on this affair. As to my bodily flate, if . 
 thou dcfirelt to know what it is, I may acquaint thee that 
 I have my health as well as lever, and I blefs God I have 
 food and raiment fufBcient for me, fo that I want no out- 
 ward thing ; and I have the neceffities and conyeniencies 
 of life liberally : let us not burden ourfclves with taking 
 care for the vanities and fuperfluities of it ; let us poffefs 
 our veflels in fanftification and honour ; and as we bring 
 our minds into perftft fubjeftion to the whole will of God, 
 fo let us bring our body to the mofl fimple and natural way 
 of living ; being content with the feweft things, never 
 ftudying to gratify our wanton appetites, nor to follow the 
 cufloms'^and humours of men ; but how we may fo conrraft 
 our earthly cares and pleafures, that we may bring moll 
 glory to God, mod health and peace to our own louls, 
 and do moft fervice to the truth ; and if this be our aim, 
 certainly a very fmall portion of the things of this world 
 will fuffice us : feeing we are Chriitians ; we Ihould there- 
 fore earneftly purfue thofe things which bring us neareft 
 10 Cod, and which are moft perfcftive of human nature : 
 for what is more than a competency, feems to be a burden 
 to a generous philofophical foul, which would breathe in 
 a pure vehicle, that fo it may have a quick fenfe and relifh 
 of all blcffingb, both of the fupcrior and inferior worlds. 
 
 * Thou knoweft, my dear friend, that religion is a very 
 ferious thing, and repentance is a great work, and one 
 precious immortal foul is of more worth than ten thoufand 
 periihing worlds, with all their pomp and glory ; therefore 
 let us take courage, and be valiant for the truth up.-»n the 
 earth, let us not^content ourfclves with a name and pro- 
 feffion of godlinefs, let us come to the life and power of 
 ir, let us not defpond of getting the viftory. We have a 
 lii'ile ftrcngth for God : let us be faithful to him, and he 
 will ^ive us more ftrength, fo that we Ihall fee the enemy 
 of our peace fall before us, and nothing fhall be impoffible 
 unto us : 1 fay, my friend, let us be faithful to that mea- 
 fure of light and knowledge which Qod has given us, to 
 
 1708] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 60 
 
 be profited and edified by it in a fpiritual life, and as God 
 fees we are diligent and faithful to work with the ftrength 
 we have, he will more and more enlighten us, fo Jiat wc 
 fliall fee to the end of thofe forms and ftiadows of religion 
 wherein we had formerly lived ; but if he fees we arc 
 about to take up our reft in thofe ftiadows, that we gro\r 
 cold and indifferent in the purfuit of holinefs, running out 
 into notions and fpeculations ; and have more mind to 
 difpute, and to make a ftiew of learning and fubtihy, than 
 to lead a holy and devout life, then it is juft with God to 
 leave us in a carnal and polluted ftate ;. to continue yet but 
 in the outward court, where we may pleafe ourfelves with 
 beholding the beauty and ornaments' of a worldly fanftuary, 
 and never witnefs the veil being taken away, and that wc 
 are brought by the blood of Jefus, into the holieft of all, 
 where alone there is true peace with God, and reft to the 
 weary foul. I could fay much upon this head, if time or 
 leifure would give leave. 
 
 ' As for a particular anfwer to thy letter, I haTe not 
 time now to give it ; and for the prefent let this general 
 anfwer fufHce : and if thou wilt confider things in their 
 pure abftracled nature, and not fufFer the prejudice of 
 education to fway thee, but in fear and humility wilt fearch 
 out the truth for thyfelf, thou wilt find that there needs no 
 other anfwer to thy letter than what I have already given ; 
 for by waiting upon God, and diligently feeking him, thou 
 ivilt find an anfwer to it in thy own bofom, and this will 
 be much more full, clear, and fatisfaftory than I, or any 
 other man living can pretend to give thee, or any other 
 friend who hath lovingly wrote to me ; for whom I defirc, 
 with all the fincere-h^arted in the church of England, that 
 they may come to witnefs the Almighty power of God, to 
 fave and redeem them from every yoke ; and that they may 
 fee clearly to the end of thofe things which are aboliflied, 
 and come to the enjoyment of fpiritual and heavenly things 
 themfelves, is the daily prayer and deep travail of my 
 foul, God knoweth. Till 1 can be more particular, if thou 
 .pleafe thou mayeft communicate this to them, and let them 
 know that I am well, and thank them for their kind let. 
 tcrs. Let us remember to pray for one another with all 
 
6o4 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1708 
 
 1708] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 60s 
 
 fervency, that we may (land perfi cl in the whole will of 
 God, Amer, faith my foul. 1 am thy mod affeftionate 
 friend and fervant in Jefus, ^ 
 
 * Samuel Crifp.' 
 
 The following letter, or account of one Evan Jevaus, is 
 
 alfo remarkable. 
 
 * Since it hath picafcd the divine goodnefs to endue me 
 with reafon, I heartily thank his moft excellent Majefty : 
 that it has been the further prodnft of his good will to 
 give mc life and being in that part of the world, where I 
 have had the freedom to ufe it ; efpecially in the choice of 
 my perfuafion, and way of returning my acknowledgment 
 to him. I wilh that all, who make any pretenfions to re- 
 ligion, would make ufe of this noble faculty with fabjeftioa 
 to the divine v/iil to determine their choice in this grand 
 affair; and not let the religion of their education be that 
 of their judgment. If people were thus truly wife unto 
 their own falvation, and did not too lazily refign themfelves 
 to the condu(5l of their guides, thereby regarding more 
 their eafe than fjfety, they would not only be the better 
 able to give a reafon of the hope that is in them, but they 
 would Ihew more warmth in their devotion, more charity 
 in their religion, and more piety in their converfation than 
 at prefent they do. 
 
 * When I was vifited fome time ago by the chaftifing 
 hand of the Lord, for fin and my difobedience to his holy 
 will, 1 laboured under great affli£lion of mind and anguifh 
 of fpirit ; and though 1 was canftant above many in my 
 attendance on the publick prayers of the church, ftrift in 
 my obfervation of its ceremonies, and exceeding frequent 
 in the ufe of private devotion, yet my burden encreafcd, 
 and I waxed worfe. 
 
 * In this wretched and doleful condition I was, when at 
 a relation's houfe, who had providentially returned from 
 Peunfylvariia to his native country, I lighted upon R. 
 Barclay's Apology for the Quakers ; by. the reading where- 
 of 1 was To well perfuaded of their principles, and by 
 turning my mind inward to the divine gift, (according to 
 
 their doftrine) it gave me viaory, in a great meafure, over 
 our common enemy, baniihed away my diforderly imagi- 
 nations, and reftored me to my former regularity; 1 re- 
 ceived fuch fatisfa<5lion and comfort -o my diftreffed foul, 
 that thereupon I left the church of England, and joined 
 niyfelf in fociety with them ; and I am the more confirmed 
 in my change, efpecially where it refpefts the worfliip of 
 our Creator ; becaufe it is not only the moll agreeable to 
 the S<^riptures of Truth, but heaven has given us affurance 
 of its approbation thereof, it having been at times, to my 
 own experience, moft powerfully attended with the pre- 
 fence of the Moft High. 
 
 * I hope none will begrudge me this mercy, becaufe I 
 received it not by their miniftry ; if they do, I have caufc 
 to fufpeft their charity is not of a Chriftian latitude, fmce 
 our bleffed Redeemer approved not of that narrownefs in 
 his difciples in fomewhat a like cafe. 
 
 * But here to obviate the objeaion fome may make to 
 my change, becaufe of the diftrcfs I lay under, and the 
 difcompofure I was fubjeft to at times, i would have it re- 
 marked, that I read the faid Apology beyond my expec- 
 tation, with more fedateiiefs than ufual, and a more quiet 
 compofure of tnind : fo that with the influence of the Ak 
 mighty, or Providence, or both, I had alfo the benefit of 
 that diftinguiftiing faculty of man in the change of my 
 opinion. O that I may never, forget the Lord's mercy to 
 my foul, who had compaffion on me when I wallowed, in 
 my blpod,^ and who.'faid tothc dry bones. Live. O that 
 all fuch as are vifited: by the chaflifing |and of their Maker, 
 would ferioufly lay it to heart, and confider their own wel- 
 fiire and falvation ; i could wifh wi:!i all my heart, thRt 
 fuch who labour^dndcr this anxiety ot^ mind, would take 
 encouragement to hope in the Lord's mercy through their 
 bleffed Redeemer, by his kindnefs and long forbearance 
 v*'ith me. I am a living monumein of it now ; and I hope 
 I fhall be fo, while he affords me a being here. If thcfc 
 lines fhould come to the hands of'any.thiuare affliifted and 
 diftrcffed as I was, I have an cffc<Shial remedy; through 
 mercy, to prefcribc unco them. Turn your minds inward 
 to the grace of God in yotir.Qwi;i.Jittanis Tefrai.i frojn 
 
 n 
 
 1 
 
 •'I 
 
[it 
 
 u 
 
 h 
 f 
 
 I « 
 It 
 
 606 THE HISTORY OV THE [«7^8 
 
 vour own imaginations, be ftill, and quietly rcfign your- 
 ielves to his holy will, fo you fiiall find health to your 
 fouls, refreftiment to jour fpirits, and the fwect confolation 
 of the Lord in you* own bofoms; you (hall find your 
 mourning turned to gladnefs, and your heavinefs to joy ; 
 this has been my experience of the goodnefs of the Holy 
 One of Ifrael, who abhors fin and iniquity ; therefore I 
 recommend it to you, and I think this is no miftrufting of 
 the caufe, for they are the fick and wounded in fpirit, not 
 the whole, that need the phyfician. 
 
 ' As for renouncing the covenant, which I and every 
 Chriftian ought to be under, of forfiking the devil and 
 ail his works, I am fo far from entertaining one thought of 
 neglefting that duty, that I think myfelf wholly obhged to 
 obferve it: and if 1 ihould aflirm, that through the grace 
 of God, and his afliftance (for otherwife I am fatisfred I 
 cannot do it,) the obfcrvation of it is poflible, I can find 
 no reafon why it fliould be falfe doiStrinc in a Quaker, 
 more than in a churchman. 
 
 ' As for deferting that church and miniftry which the 
 Son of God came down from heaven to eftablifh, I arn^ 
 not confcious to myfelf thereof; for I fay, Chrift himfelf 
 IS the head of our church, and, by his Spirit and grace, 
 the ordainer of our miniftry, 
 
 ' And as to the laft query my ingenious aquaintance is 
 pleafcd to propofe, I do let him know, that my former 
 dcfpair and forlorn condition has been, fince my adhering 
 to that reproached people, changed into a fweet enjoyment 
 of the goodnefs of Pod. I could not conceal the Lord's 
 goodnefs, lealt he fhould withdraw his mercies from me. 
 
 ' I had no fecular intereft to corrupt me in this change. 
 Ft is apparent to many, I declined it ; but as it was peace 
 with (Jod my Maker,' and mercy to my foul I wanted ; fa 
 having found the pead of great price among them, 1 parted 
 with all to purchafe it ; or rather, I was reftored to all, I 
 mean, the enjoyment of the divine goodnefs, and of my- 
 felf, by fetting a due value upon it.' 
 
 From this account it appears, that the writer thereof 
 aimed at nothing in his change of religion, but the quiet- 
 ncfs 0/ his mind, and the falvation of his foul. 
 
 1710] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 66 jr 
 
 Now I am to mention, that the queen in the year 1710 
 
 L woSr '' -^^ r^T'""'^ ^^^^"^^ ^g^'" declared that 
 flie would maintam the toleration and liberty of confcience 
 
 was addreffed by many; wherefore tlJpeode cS 
 Quakers efteemed it their duty to (hew alfo the r gra S 
 aclcnowledgment of this favour, which they did^irthc 
 following addrefs. ^ ^ 
 
 To Queen Anne, of Great Britain, &c. 
 eftan fubjeas, the people called Quakers, b and about 
 
 our rchgious liberty, and the frefh affurance from the 
 throne of her Chriftian refokuion to maintain the Lul! 
 gcnce by law allowed to fcrupulous confciences, and her 
 
 ^'"i'p''' a'' '?" '""^^ "'^•y ^^ tranfmitted to pofterity 
 m the Pro eftant fucceffion in the houfe of Hanover, we 
 
 find ourfelves concerned gratefully to- acknowledge her 
 
 goodnefs therein and the ready concurrence of he? ^reat 
 
 council therewith : taking this occaf.on to alTure the queen 
 
 of our duty, and affeaion, and peaceable behaviour Snder 
 
 our pralicr°'' ^' " ''"'" ^'"'"''P'^' ^"'^ ^""'^ ^^^^'"^^ ^^^"^ 
 
 ' And we heartily defire our fellow-fubjeas may lay afida 
 
 all animofities, and m a fpirit of love and meeknefs, en! 
 
 deavour to out-do each other in virtue and univerfal 
 
 A Il'f 'u"^y gracioufly pleafe Almighty God to defend 
 and blefs thee, (O queen) and guide thee by his counfe} 
 ma long and profperous reign here, and afterwards re 
 
 futje'a^'^ '° ^ ^'^' '' '^' ^"'"^ ^'^y^' "^ '^y f^"i^^«* 
 
 "^ot^'s addrefs the queen was pleafed to anfwer: 
 my proteS" ^"' ^'°"'' "^^''■'' '"^ ^' "^/d^P^nd upon 
 Vol. II. 2 Q. 
 
6o8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [17^3 
 
 The aniniofitics mentioned in this addrefs, did regard 
 the diviiion, which having been a good while among the 
 fubjeas, bej^an to increafe as many thought by the change 
 of the minillry. But this being out of my provmce, I will 
 
 not meddle with it. n , r r 
 
 In the year 1712, died Richard Cromwell, the ion ot 
 Oliver the protcaor, about the age of ninety years. Great 
 changes this man had seen, having himfelf been the fupremc 
 rulcr'of England, as hath been mentioned in due place. 
 
 AUhough I do not intend to relate much more of any 
 occurrences, becaufe I hailen towards a conclufion, yet I 
 think it y:orth the while to add the- following cafe : 
 
 In the year 17 13, in the fpring, there was a fuit at law, 
 on the aft againft Occafional Conformity. In happened 
 that one John Penry, a juftice of peace of Allborough, m 
 the county of Suffolk, going to the parifh church, under- 
 flood by the way, that no fervice was to be done there 
 at that time ; but hearing that there was a Quakers nieet- 
 ing there, he went to it. One Wall, the bailiff of the 
 place, being informed thereof, imagined that the faid jul- 
 lice might not go there, becaufe of the aforefaid aft, and 
 therefore thinking that fomething might be gained by it, 
 crot witnelTes to declare that the faid juftice had been m 
 the meeting ; and faid afterwards in a boafting way to 
 him, ' Now I have hooked you.' To which the other 
 replied, ' I will ftand to it.' The bailiff then entered his 
 i"uit in ihc name of one that Uved thereabouts by charity. 
 •When the cafe was pleaded at the feffions, the judge, who 
 t^as baron Salathiel Lovel, declared the meanmg of the 
 foFemeniioned aft to be thus, viz. That it did riot regard 
 any who accidentallv went into a meeting of difleiners; 
 Kut that it was againft thofe who conformed with the 
 ehurch, thereby to qualify themfelves for an office, with- 
 out changing their religion. But this was quite another 
 cafe ', for the prieft of the parifli himfcU gave a certificate 
 that the faid juftice was a good member of the church. 
 From hence it appeared that the fuit was mere malice ; 
 and* the informers or witneffes, were brought to that 
 pinch^ that they durft not'cxpeft the vcrdift of the jury, 
 
 ^7^3^ 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED "C>lJAT^ERS. 
 
 609 
 
 for fear that they fhould have been condemned to pay ihc 
 charges, and therefore they let ihe thing fall 
 
 Be.ng now entered into this year, I cannot omit to fay, 
 tha «P^-«« between England and France being concluded 
 and the lubjefts from all parrs of the nation congratulating 
 the queen ^vnh addreffes, the q,,akers did not omit alfo to 
 prcltnt an addrefs ; being as follows : 
 
 To Anne, Queen of Great Britain, &c. 
 
 The humble Addrefs of her Proteftant diJTenting fubiea. 
 called Quakers met at our annual meeting in London 
 the 5d day of the Fourth month, called June, 1713. 
 
 ' May it pleafe the queen, 
 ' We having been forrowlully affefled at the calamity 
 U-h.ch war brought on Kurope, cannot omit to exnrefs 
 our ^t,sfaa.on and gladnefs for the queen's great cnre 
 and Chrillian concern, for eftablifhing. fo lon<T dcfircd a 
 peace, 
 
 ♦ We are alfo under a dutiful fcnfe of the queen's Gra- 
 cious government and compaffion manifefted toM'ards len- 
 der confc.ences at home as well as noble and Chriftian 
 interpoHtion, in favour of pcrfecuted Proteftants abroad. 
 
 And farther crave leave to affure the queen, that we 
 iha 1 as in duty bound, approve ourfelres, in all humility 
 and faithfulnefs, the queen's obedient fubicas; and thouoh 
 but a fmall part of thofe that enjoy, under thy mild go- 
 vernment, proteftion in religion and civil liberties : we 
 cannot but carneftly pray for, and defire the quiet and 
 fafety of our country; which evidently appears to be the 
 queen s care to eftablifh, in having done fo much for fe- 
 cunng the Proteftant intereft, and maintaining prrfcft 
 fnendflnp with the houfe of Hanover. That it may nlc.fe 
 Almighty God m his mercy and goodnefs to aillll with his 
 wifdom the queen, in all her councils, and giv.- her lon-r 
 to enjoy the quiet fruit of lafting peace in this life, and in 
 that which is to come joy and peace evuJallin-, is our 
 hearty and fervent prayer.' 
 
 2Q.3 
 
6io 
 
 THE HISTORY OP THE 
 
 [I7'4 
 
 »7I4] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 61 1 
 
 
 ii 
 
 This addrcfs, which chiefly contained an affurance of 
 fidelity to the queen, was accepted favourably. 
 
 The next year, being that of 17 14, the queen was often 
 ill, and there was much divifion among the people : for a 
 bill was brought into parliament called, An Aft to prevent 
 the growth of Schifm ; and the party that prevailed was 
 very affive to get this bill paffcd. And llncc it tended to 
 deprive the diifenters from keeping fchools, and to allow 
 that liberty to none but members of the epifcopal church, 
 or at lead to nobody but who had licenfe from them, it 
 met with great oppolition, and many reafons againfl: it were 
 publiflied ; the people called quakers offered alfo to the 
 legiflature the following reafons againft it : 
 
 I. The ehtirch of England hath frequently declared, by 
 fcveral of her members, in a clericaK as well as civil ca- 
 pacity^ by thofe who framed and efpcufed one or more of 
 the bills againft occaficnal conformity, that flie is in prin- 
 ciple againft pcrfecution, and for preferving the toleration. 
 
 II. The promoters of this bill may pleafe to remember, 
 that the queen hath declared from tlie throne, that (he will 
 maintain the toleration inviolable. 
 
 in. The Proteftant fubjefts of this kingdom, who are 
 parents of children, are fuppofed to have preferved to 
 them, by the fundamental laws of this kingdom, the na- 
 tural right of the care and dire^ion cf the education of 
 their own children ; which natural right this bill feems caU 
 culated to take away and dcftroy. 
 
 IV. If the governments, which are now either heathen 
 or Mahometan, fhould take into the fame policy, the fo- 
 ciety which the queen hath incorporated for the propagation 
 of the gofpel in foreign parts, can have very little, it any 
 good effeft or fuccefs. 
 
 V. May it not feem an objeftion and contradiftion to 
 the many princely and Chriftian folicitations which the 
 queen by her minifters hath made at foreign courts, en the 
 
 behalf of Proteftants, againft the violent intrufions of 
 Papifts, into their rights and juft privileges ? 
 
 VI. It may be a means to oblige the carr)^ing out of 
 large fums of money for foreign education. ^ 
 
 yil. It may probably do much hurt to charitable foun- 
 dations. 
 
 VIII. It feems not to be agreeable to that great law of 
 Chrift. Mat, vii. 12. " Therefore all things whatfoevcr ye 
 would that men fliould do to you, do ye even fo to them ; 
 for this is the law and the prophets.'- 
 
 But whatever was objefted, the faid bill at length paffed, 
 and was confirmed with the royal affent, which gave oc- 
 cafion to the Quakers to add in the conclufion of the 
 printed epiftle of their annual affembly at London, the' 
 following caution and exhortation : * There feems at pre- 
 fent to hang over us a cloud, threatening a ftorm. Let us 
 all watch and pray, and retire to our munition and ftrong 
 hold in our fpiritual rock and foundation which ftandeth 
 fure; that our God may defend, help and blefs us as his 
 peculiar people, to the end of our days and time here, 
 and the full fruition of the heavenly kingdom and glory 
 hereafter. 
 
 About Midfummer this year died Sophia, widow and 
 eledVoral princefs of Brunfwick Lunenburg, on whom 
 the fucceflion of the crown of Great Britain was fettled. 
 Scarce two months after her demife, queen Anne deceafed, 
 who after having languiflied a long time, at length was 
 taken away, by death on the firft of 'Auguft, the felf-fame 
 day that the aft againft the growth of fchifm was to have 
 taken effeft. 
 
 The fame day George, prince eleftor of Brunfwick 
 Lunenburg, was proclaimed king of Great Britain ; who 
 fome lime after repairing to England, made his entry at 
 Loudon on the 20th of Septem.ber. Not long after his 
 arrival he declared in council, that he would maintain the 
 toleration in favour of the Proteftant diilenters. Hereupoa 
 
6 12 
 
 The history of the 
 
 \t 
 
 \ [1714 
 
 many acMrclTcs of congrtitulation were prefcnted to him, 
 and on the third of (^6lober the people called Qiiakers 
 alfo offered their addrefs, whch wms delivered by George 
 "VVhiichead, and about forty of his friends, introduced 
 by the lord Townfi^nd, one of the principal fecrctaries of 
 (tare. The prince was not only prefent, but many of the 
 nobles and others alfo ; and G. Whitehead prefenting the 
 addrefs to the king, faid, ^ We are come in behalf of the 
 people called Quakers, to prefent to king George our 
 addrefs and acknowledgment : may it be favourably ac- 
 cepted.' Being then prefentcd, G. Whitehead faid, ' One 
 of us inay re.id it to the king.* Whereupon he receiving 
 it aeain, delivered it to Jofcph Wyeth, who read it audibly, 
 being as folioweth : " , 
 
 To George^, King of Great Britain, 8cc, 
 
 The humble addrefs of the people commonly called 
 
 CKiakers. 
 
 ' Gr.^at prince, 
 
 '• 
 
 ^ It having plcafed Almighty God to deprive thefe kingr 
 doms of our late gracious queen, we do in orcat humility 
 approach thy royal prefence with hearts truly thankful to 
 divine Providence for thy fafe arrival, w ih the prince thy 
 ion : and for iliy liappy and uninterrupted acceffion to the 
 croun of thefe realms; which, to the univerfal joy of thy 
 £iithful fubj^<fls, hath fecured to thy people the Proteftant 
 fuccdlirn, and difiipared the juft apprehenfiors we were 
 under, of lofihg thofe religious and civil liberties, which 
 were granted us by laAv, in the reign of king William III. 
 whofe memory we inenrion with great gratitude and affec- 
 tion. We arc alfo in duty obliged thankfully to ackiiow- 
 led.2;e thy early and gracious di claration in couneil, wherein 
 thou hail, irr princely and ChriiVian exprefEons, maniieftrd 
 thy juft fenfc of the ftaie of thy people, and which we 
 hope will make all degree^ of thy fubjcfts eafy. 
 
 And as it hath been our known principle to live peace- 
 ;^)ly uridcr government, fo we hope it will always he our 
 
 J7U] 
 
 People called quakeks. 
 
 6x3 
 
 praftice through God's affiftance, to approve ourfelves with 
 hearty affcftion, ihy faithful and dutiful fubjefts. 
 
 * ^ay the wonderful Counfellor and great Preferver of 
 
 men, guide the king by his divine wifdom ; prote(St 
 him by his power; give him health and length of 
 days here, and eternal felicity hereafter. And fo blefs 
 his royal offspring, that they may never fail to adorn 
 the throne with a fuccelTor endowed with piety and 
 virtue.' 
 
 To this addrefs the king v/as pleafed to give this gracioi^s 
 
 anfwer : 
 
 * I am well fatisfied with the marks of duty you exprefs in 
 your addrefs, and you may be allured of my prote61ion.' 
 
 The addrefs being read, G. Whitehead fpoke to this elFeft : 
 
 * Thou art welcome to us, king George -y we heartily 
 /wifh thee health and happinefs, and thy fon the prince alfo. 
 
 King William III. was a happy inftrument in putting a ftop 
 -to perfecution, by promoting toleration, which being in- 
 tended for the uniting the king's Proteftant fubie6ls in in- 
 tereft and affedion, it hath fo far that elTecl:, as to make 
 them more kind to one another, even among the difFering 
 pcrluafions, than they were when perfecution was on foot. 
 We defire the king may have further knowledge of us 
 and our innocency ; and that to live a peaceable and quiet 
 life in all godlinefs and hoiiefty, under the king and his 
 government, is according to our principle and pradlice.' 
 
 G. Whitehead having thus fpoken, his name was afkcd ; 
 whereupon he anfwered, 'George Whitehead.' And 
 having it upon his mind to fee the prince alfo, and inti- 
 mating his defire to a lord who was gentleman to the 
 prince's bed-chamber, he made way to it ; and thus G. 
 Whitehead, with fome of his friends, got accefs ; and 
 they were introduced by one of the prince's gentlemen 
 
 2 0^4 . 
 
6i4 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 b7H 
 
 into a chamber, where the prince met them ; and then G. 
 Whitehead fpoke to him, the fubftance of which was as 
 folio wet h : 
 
 * We take it as a favour, that we are thus admitted to 
 fee the prince of Wales, and truly are very glad to fee 
 thee ; having delivered our addrtfs to the king thy royal 
 father, and being defirous to give 'thyfclf a vifit in true 
 love, we very heartily wifli health and happinefs to you 
 both ; and that if it fhould plcafe God thou fhouldeft fur- 
 vive thy father, and come to the throne, thou mayeft enjoy 
 tranquility and peace, &c. 
 
 * I am perfuaded, that if the king thy father, and thyfelf, 
 do ftand for the toleration for liberty of confcience to be 
 kept inviolable, God will ftand by you. 
 
 ^ May king Solomon's choice of wifdom be thy choice, 
 fV'ith holy Job's integrity and compaflion to the oppreffed ; 
 and the ftate of the righteous rliler commended by king 
 David, viz. he that ruleth over men mud be jufl, ruling 
 in the fear of God ; and he ihall be as the light of the 
 morning, -Avhen the fun rifeth, even a morning without 
 clouds, as the tender grafs fpringing out of the earth by 
 clear fhining after rain.* This fpeeeh was favourably heard 
 by the princct 
 
 It was not long after the king's coming over, that Dr. 
 Gilbert Burnet, bifhop of Salifbury, the renowned author 
 of the hiftory of the reformation in England, died. He 
 generally had fhowed himfelf moderate, and bad written 
 very plainly againft perfccution in matters of faith, efpecially 
 in his ' Apology for the Church of England,* firft printed 
 in Holland in the year 1688, and afterv/ards alfo in Eng- 
 land, wherein among other things he faid, * I will not 
 deny, but many of the dilfentcrs were put to great hard- 
 Ihips in many parts of England ; I cannot deny it, and I 
 am fure I will never jnftify it. And I will boldly fay this, 
 that if the church of England, after fhe is gdrout of this 
 ftorm, will return to hearken to the peeviflinefs of fome 
 four men, fhe will be abandoned both of God and map* 
 ^nd will fet bpth heaven and earth againft hcr^' 
 
 ^7'5l 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 61J 
 
 The year being come to an end, I go on to that of 
 
 1715- In the month called May it was moved in par- 
 
 liament, that the term of the a^ for the Quakers folemn 
 
 affirmation was afmoft expired ; and thereupon it was re- 
 
 folved, that a bill fhould be brought in to prolong that 
 
 faid term ; and on the 7th of the laid month a bill was 
 
 accordingly brought into the Houfe of Commons, read 
 
 the firfi time, and five days after the fecond time and com- 
 
 mittcd. And whereas the former aft was limited to a 
 
 term of years, this limitation was omitted now, and con- 
 
 fequcntly the aft was to be perpetual. The bill thus far 
 
 advanced, was at length engrolfcd, and on the fecond of 
 
 the month called June, after a third reading, paffed in the 
 
 Houfe of Commons and fent to the Lords, from whence 
 
 It was fent back with this addition, that this favour fhould 
 
 be extended alfo to the northern part of Great Britain, 
 
 known by the name of Scotland, and to the plantatiorf^ 
 
 belonging to the crown of Great Britain for five years (for 
 
 fo far the former aft had not reached) and to the end of next 
 
 fcflions of parliament. 
 
 This amendment was agreed to by the Houfe of Com- 
 mons on the 13th of the faid month, and on the laft of 
 that month was confirmed by the royal afTent. Thus the 
 quakers were protected anew againft the heavy (hock 
 which otherwife they might have expefted on the rcfufal 
 of an oath. King George on all occafiohs having fhewn 
 himfeif favourable to them, they did not omit thankfully 
 to acknowledge his kindnefs, as appears from the general 
 epiftle of their annual aiTembly, where they exprelTed their 
 gratitude in thefe words : ■ 
 
 ^ The Lord our God, who for the fake of his herirao^e 
 hath often heretofore rebuked and limited the raging 
 waves of the fea, hath, bleffed be his name, mercifully 
 difperfed the cloud threatening a ftorm, which lately feemed 
 to hang over us ^ which, together with the favour God 
 hath given us in the eyes of the king and the government, 
 for the free enjoymeDt of our religious and civil liberties, 
 call for true thankfulnefs to him. And humbly to pray to 
 Almighty God for the king and ihofe i^ authority, lor hisi 
 
6i6 
 
 THE MISTORY OF THE 
 
 Z^7^S 
 
 1716] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED qUAKERS. 
 
 6if 
 
 and their fafety and defence, is certainly our Chrillian duty, 
 as well as to walk inoffenfively as a grateful people.' 
 
 Thus they fignified their thankfulnefs for the favour 
 they enjoyed ;* and as they did now enjoy liberty and 
 quiet, fo the other fuhjeds were alfo maintained in their 
 rights under a gentle government, fo that none had caufc 
 to fear, who behaved thcmfclves like peaceable fubjedts. 
 And yet in many places in England were great convulfions 
 -and tumults ; and fome hot-headed clergymen were not a 
 little inftrumental therein ; whereupon an open rebellion 
 cnfued, but the rebels were defeated near Prtllon by the 
 king's forces. 
 
 Before I conclude this year, I am to fay that the French 
 king Lewis XIV. did not live to fee the end of ir, but on 
 the iirft of September, N. S. after having long languiflv^d 
 by a malignant diftemper, died in the 77th year of his age: 
 having before appointed his brother's fon, the duke of 
 Orleans, regent of the kingdom of France. 
 
 Ihis death feemed not a little to have ahered the mea- 
 fures of the Pretender ; neverthelefs in the beginning of 
 the year 1716, he came over from France to Scotland, in 
 hopes to make an inroad from thence into England, but 
 his attempt mifcarried, and his forces were difcomfited by 
 thofe of the king. The common opinion was, that he 
 chiefly relied on afliflance from France ; but that was de- 
 nied him by that court, though he feemed to have reckoned 
 upon it. He alfo lingered fome time in Great Britain, 
 afier his forces were defeated ; but feeing no way to in- 
 vade the throne he aimed at, he returned at length to 
 France, which kingdom he hath been fain to depart fmce, 
 to the joy of many inhabitants of England ; for it was 
 thought that the rebels being deprived of their chief, the 
 difturbance would be at an end. 
 
 This rebellion being thus happily quenched, induced the 
 
 / 
 
 * But feeing from the firR fi^rant of an affirmation InQcad of an oath, the form 
 then obtained was not entirely fuch as was defired, and many were not eafy there- 
 with ; they feveral times applied to the parliament lor a more eafy form, which at 
 length, through the merciful providence of God, and the favour of king George 
 and the parliament, was obtained in the latter end of 'heycar lyni ; the form now 
 being, *i, A. B. *lo folemnly, linccrtly, and truly declare and aihrm,' &c. ^ 
 
 inhabitants of Great Britain to congratulate the king with 
 addrcfles ; and thefe congratulations being become fo ge* 
 neraU the people called Quakers were not wanting to 
 prepare alfo an addrcfs, to tcflify their' loyalty ; and to 
 exprcrfs their joy fur the quelling of the rebellion ; and 
 therefore in their yearly mectiii^^r ihey drew up an addrefs, 
 which they prtftnted to the king on the lad day of the 
 month called May, being introdiiced by the earl of Man- 
 cheller, one of the gentlemen of the king's bed-chamber, 
 when G. Whitehead faid in fubltance; 
 
 That in their annual aflembly held for the religious 
 concerns of their fociety, endeavouring to promote and 
 put in pra^ice the duties of religion profeffed by them, 
 the fenfe of the great deliverance had fuch a weight upon 
 their minds, that they were willing to exprefs it in aa 
 addrefs to king George, whom God by his providence 
 had brought hither and preferved, fo that he could well 
 fay, he was George by the grace of God, king of Great 
 Britain, &c. And that as men carried that faying ftampt 
 on the money in their pockets, fo it was to be wifhed it 
 might be imprinted in the hearts of the fubjefts. 
 
 Hereupon the addrefs was prefented, and read to the 
 king, being as followeth : * 
 
 To George, King of Great Britain, &c. 
 * 
 The humble Addrefs of the People called Quakers, from 
 their yearly meeting in London, the 26th day of the 
 third month, called May, 1716. 
 
 ^ May it pleafe the king, 
 * We thy 'faithful and peaceable fubjefts, being met in 
 this our annual aflembly, do hold ourfelves obliged, in 
 point of principle and gratitude, rather than by formal and 
 frequent addrefles, hui^bly and openly to acknowledge 
 the manifold blelSngs and kind providences of God, which 
 have attended thefe kingdoms ever fmce thy happy acceffion 
 fo the throne. 
 
6i8 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1716 
 
 < And as our religion cfFeftually enjoins us obedience to 
 the fupreme authority, fo it is with great fatisfa£lion that 
 we pay it to a prince, whofe juftice, clemency and mode- 
 ration cannot but endear, and firmly unite the hearts and 
 affeftions of all his true Proteftants fubjefts. 
 
 * We are therefore forrowfully affe6led with the un- 
 happinefs of thofe our countrymen, who have fo little 
 gratitude or goodnefs, as to be uneafy under fo juft and 
 mild an adminiftration : nor can we refleft on the late un- 
 juft and unnatural rebellion, without concluding the pro- 
 moters thereof, and a£^ors therein, were men infatuated, 
 and hurried by fuch an evil fpirit, as would lay wafte and 
 deftroy both the civil and religious liberties of thefe Pro- 
 tcftant nations. 
 
 « And as God, the Lord of Hofts, hath moft fignally 
 appeared to the confounding that Black Confpiracy, fo wc 
 pray his good Providence may always attend the king's 
 councils and undertakings, to the eftablifhing his throne ia 
 righteoufnefs and peace, and making his houfe a fure houfe. 
 
 « Permit us therefore, great prince, to lay hold of this 
 opportunity to approach thy royal prefence, with our 
 hearty thanks to the king and his great council, for all the 
 privileges and liberties we enjoy, To behold a prince upoa 
 the throne, folicitous for the cafe and happinefs of his 
 people, beyond any other views, fo heightens our fatif- 
 fa£^ion and'joy, that we want words to exprefs our full 
 fenfe thereof. And therefore we can do no lefs than 
 alTure the king, that as it is our duty to demean ourfelves 
 towards the king's perfon and government with all. faith- 
 ful obedience, fo we are determined by divine affiftance, 
 devoutly and heartily to pray the God and Father of all 
 oui mercies, to vcuchfdfe unto the king a long, peaceable 
 ^nd profperous reign ; and that when it Ihall pleafe the 
 Almighty to remove from us fo precious a life, by taking 
 it to himfelf, there may not want a branch of the royal 
 family, endowed with wifdom and virtue, to fill the throne,. 
 \\\\ time fhall be no more,' 
 
 « 
 
 To this addrefs the king was pleafed to give this gra,cious 
 ^nfwer. 
 
 1717] 
 
 PEOPL'E CALLED qUAKERS, 
 
 619 
 
 - « I thank you for the afllirance of duty and afFeaion to 
 ' my perfon and government, contained in this addrefs j and 
 you may always depend upon my proteftion.' 
 
 Thus we again fee a prince on the throne, who folemnly 
 affureih the Quakers fo called, of his protection ; fo that 
 now they enjoy the due liberty of fubjeas that behave 
 themfelves peaceably and dutifully under the government 
 fet over them, in like manner as other inhabitants of 
 Great Britain : and therefore they have not negle^ed to 
 exhort one another to fhew their thankfulnefs to Almighty 
 God, and to pray for the king, as it hath been intimated 
 already, that this was recommended in one of the epiftles 
 of their yearly meeting. Now fince mention hath feveral 
 times been made in this hiftory of thofe epiftles of the 
 annual affembly to the particular churches, I have thought 
 fit to infert here one of them, viz. that of the year 1717, 
 which is as followeth : 
 
 i 
 
 The Epiftle from the Yearly Meeting in London, held by 
 adjournment, from the 10th day of the fourth month, 
 to the 14th of the fame inclufive, 1717. To the quar- 
 terly and monthly meetings of Friends in Great Britain, 
 and olfewhere. 
 
 « Our falutation, in the love of Chrift Jefus our bleffed 
 Lord, is freely extended unto you, whofe tender care 
 over, and mercy to, this our annual affembly, we do hum- 
 bly and thankfully acknowledge, in the love, amity, tender 
 condcfcenfion, and peaceable procedure thereof, with re- 
 fpea to the divine power and goodnefs of the Lord our 
 God, and the fervice of his church and people ; fincerely 
 defiring the profperity of his whole heritage, even in all 
 the churches of Chrift among us, in his dear love, unity 
 and peace, to his eternal glory, and our univerfal comfort 
 and perpetual joy in the kingdom of the dear Son of God. 
 
 « We are truly comforted, in that we underftand there 
 is fuch a general concurrence and union among Friends, 
 with our former earneft deflres and counfel, for true and 
 univerfal love, unity, peace, and good order, to be car. 
 
620 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [171? 
 
 neftly endeavoured and maintained amons> us, as a peculiar 
 people, chofen of the Lord out of the world, to bear a 
 faithful teftimony to his holy name and truth, in all re- 
 fpefts ; and that all that is contrary be watched againfl: and 
 avoided; as (Irife, difcord, contention, and difputes tend- 
 ing to divifions, may be utterly fiipprcft and laid afidc, a^ 
 the light and righteous judgment of truth require. 
 
 * Oh ! that all the churches and congregations of the 
 faithful, would be excited by the Spirit of the dear Son 
 of God, fervently to pray for the profperity of his church 
 and people throughout the. world, that Sion may more 
 and more fhine in the beauty of holinefs, to the glory and 
 praife of the King of glory. ' 
 
 *The friends and brethren, come up from the feveral 
 quarterly meetings in this nation, have- given a good ac- 
 count to this meeting of truth's profperity, and that frieiids 
 are generally in love and unity one with anoth«-r ; and by 
 feveral epiftles, from friends of North Carolina, Jtrfey, 
 Pennfylvania, Maryland, Barbadoes, Holland, Scotland, 
 Ireland, and Wales, which have been read in this meet- 
 ing; as alfo by verbal accounts given by feveral friends 
 that have lately travelled in divers parts of America, and 
 elfewhere, we have received comfortable accounts of the 
 ftate of truth and friends in thofe parts ; by which we are 
 encouraged to hope truth prevails in many places, and a 
 concern grows upon friends for the profperity thereof; 
 and that there is an inclination in people to hear the truth 
 
 declared. 
 
 ' By the accounts brought up this year, we find that 
 friends fufferings in England and Wales, amount to five 
 thoufand two hundred and ninety pounds, and upwards,' 
 chiefly for tithes, priefls wages, and fteeple-houfe rates ; 
 and that notwithftanding there have been four friends dif- 
 charged the lafi: year, there yet remain twenty friends 
 prifoners on thefe accounts. 
 
 ' We advife that a tender care remain upon friends In 
 all places, to be faithful in keeping up our Chnftian tef- 
 limony againft tithes as being fully perfuaded, it is that 
 whercumo God hath called his people in this our day; we 
 feeing by daily experience, that iuch as are i\oi faithful 
 
 1717] 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 62 f. 
 
 therein, do thereby add to the fufferings of honefl: friends, 
 and hinder their own growth and profperity in the mofl 
 bleffed truth. 
 
 * As touching the education of Friends children, for 
 which this meeting hath often found a concern ; we think 
 it our duty to recommend unto you, the neceflity that 
 there is of a care in preferving of them in plainnefs of 
 fpeech and habit, fuiiable to our holy profeiTion : and alfa 
 that no opportunity be omitted, nor any endeavour want- 
 ing, to inftruft them in the principle of truth which we 
 profefs ; that thereby they, being fcnfible of the operation 
 thereof in themfelves, may find, not only their fpirits 
 foftened and tendered, fit to receive the impreff^ons of the 
 divine image, but may alfo from thence find themfelves 
 under a neceflity to appear clear in the feveral branches of 
 our Chriftian teflimony. And as this will be moft bene- 
 ficial to them, being the fruits of conviction, To it is the 
 moft effe£tual way of propagating the fame throughout the 
 churches of Chrift. And there beino; times and feafons 
 wherein their fpirits are (more than at others) difpofed to 
 have' thofe things impreflcd upon them ; fo we defire that 
 all parents, and others concerned in the overfight of youth, 
 might wait in the fear of God, to know themfelves divinely 
 quaHficd for that fervice, that in his wifdom they mav 
 make ufe of every fuch opportunity, which the Lord (hall 
 put into their hands. And we do hereby warn and advife 
 friends in all places to flee every appearance of evil, and 
 keep out of pride, and following the vaic fafhions and cuf- 
 toms of this world, as recommended in the Epiftle, 171 5. 
 ■ * And as we always found it our concern to recommend 
 love,. concord, and unity in the churches of Chrift every 
 where, fo as a means to efie£l the fame, we earneftly 
 defire that Friends, but more efpecially fuch as are con- 
 cerned in meetings of bufinefs, do labour ro know their 
 own fpirits fubjcs5i:ed by the Spirit of Truih ; that thereby 
 being baptized into one body, they may be truly one in 
 the foundation of their love and unity, and that therein 
 they may all labour to find a nearnefs to each other in 
 fpirit ; this being the true way to a thorough reconciliation, 
 wherever there is, or may have been any difference of 
 
622 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE 
 
 [1717 
 
 apprehenfion : thereby Friends will be prefcrved in that 
 fwcetnefs of fpirit, that is, and will be the bond of true 
 peace, throughout all the churches of Chrift. 
 
 ' And, dear friends, the Friends of this meeting, to 
 whom the infpcftion of the accounts was referred, made 
 report, that having pcrufed the fame, they found the Hock 
 to be near expended ; whereupon this meeting thinks it 
 nccefiary to recommend uino you, that a general and free 
 contribution be made in every county, and that what fhali 
 be thereupon coilefted, be fent up to the refpeclive cor- 
 refpondents. 
 
 * Finally, dear Friends and Brethren, be careful to walk 
 umblameable in love and peace among yourfelves, and to- 
 wards all men in Chriftian charily, and be humbly thank- 
 ful to the Lord our moft gracious God, for the favour he 
 hath given us in the eyes of the king ai^d civil govern- 
 ment, in the peaceable enjoyment of our religious and 
 Chriftian liberties under them ; and the God of peace (we 
 truft) will be with you to the end. 
 
 ' The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with your fpirits. 
 Amen. 
 
 * Signed in, and on the behalf, and by the order of 
 
 this meeting, 
 
 * By Benjamin Bealing.' 
 
 From this cpiftle may be judged in fome degree of the 
 others, which are fent from the yearly meeting of the 
 people called Quakers, to the particular meetings of their 
 fociety every where. We fee by it, that they give notice 
 of the ftate of their particular churches, and that they 
 carncftly recommend love and unity among their brethren, 
 with other Chriftian virtues, and efpecially a gcx>d educa- 
 caiion of their children, befidcs other matters which they 
 'judge to be meet and neceffary. With this epiftle here 
 inierted, I will finifh this work, as having pcrfornried my 
 dcfign and intention, viz. the giving of a plain and circum- 
 ftaniial account and relation of the rife of this religious fo- 
 ciety, which, as we have- feen, fprung frou mean be- 
 ginnings, to a great increafe and progrefs, and extended 
 itfclf far, notwithftanding the violent oppofition, and moft 
 
 1717] 
 
 People called Quakers. 
 
 623 
 
 grievous feverity, for fupprelling and rooting them out, fo 
 often put m praftice, and committed by their enemies, but 
 all m vain. And they now enjoy an undifturhed liberty 
 to perform the publick exercife of their worfhip to God, 
 fince their religion is permitted by law; which liberty they 
 in no wife have obtained by making refiftance, but by a 
 long fuifering patience, a peaceable deportment, an J a 
 dutiful fidelity to the government fet over them : fo that 
 now they fee clearly, that God doth not forfake thofc tha^ 
 do not forfake him, according to what the pn.phet Azariah 
 formerly faid to king Afa, and all Judah and Beniamm, 
 2 Chron. xv. 2. " The Lord is with you^ while ye be 
 with him ; and if ye feek him, he will be found of you • 
 but if ye forfake him, he will forfake you.'* Having thus 
 performed what I intended with this hiftorical relation I 
 conclude it, to the praife and glory of the Moft High, who 
 hath afforded me life-time and ability, after a long and 
 difficult labour, to bring this hiftory to a fuitable end. 
 
 Vol. IL 
 
 2 ^ 
 
Addenda. 
 
 The Author towards the conckifion of this hlftory, having 
 given feme account of the principles of the People called 
 (fakers, thought fit, in the Dutch Appendix (among 
 other things), to add the following treatife in Latin, 
 concerning the Light, written about the year 1662. 
 And fince in this Englifh tranflation the fuhjecl: matters 
 contained in the faid Appendix are inferted in the body 
 of the hiftory, in thofe places to which they properly 
 belong, and no reference being made to this, but as 
 mentioned in the preface, it is thought fit to fuhjoin it 
 here, with the following words of the Author prefixed 
 to the fame. . 
 
 In the preface to this hiftory, mention is made of a certain 
 book, intitled ' The Light upon the Candleilick,' pub- 
 liflied in the name (as many fuppofed) . of William 
 Ames, yet no ways writ by him, though it contains his 
 doftrine, but by a certain learned man, unwilling to be 
 known publickly, and as it feems to me writ originally 
 in Latin ; which, though printed, being but in few 
 hands, I have thought fit to reprint. 
 
 And the original in Latin, foon after the firil: publication, 
 being tranflated into Englifli by B. F. was printed in 
 the year 1663, from which tranflation take it as fol- 
 lows, viz. 
 
 2 R 2 
 
626 
 
 ADDENDAt 
 
 Tbe Light upon the Candle/lick* 
 
 THINGS are not for words, but words for things ; if 
 therefore we underftahd things aright, and as they 
 ought, by words, it mull be by fuch as are fit to imprint 
 the things themfelves in thofe to whom they fliould occur, 
 and then it were enough (to make known our thoughts 
 toothers as we conceive themj only to make ufc of fuchr 
 words. 
 
 But forafmuch as we find the matter in this cafe far 
 ©therwife, and that two men fpeaking or writing the fame 
 W'ords, may neverthekfs have different, yea, contrary 
 thoughts, the difability of performing this fitly by words 
 or difcourfe, is clearly inferred. Nor may we at all won- 
 der at it, feeing we know to what a perpetual change lan- 
 guages arc fubjeft, even fuch, that the very words may 
 be changed from their prifline fignification. And the im- 
 perfcftion is fo great, that v/hofoever fliould have invented 
 them, fuch as now they are in ufe, we fliould certainly 
 believe that he had little or no knov»ledge of thofe things 
 that^are thereby intended to be fignified. So that if we 
 would better exprefs things unto another by words and 
 fpceches, we had need find new words, and confequently a 
 isrhole new language : but that would be a toTl and labour 
 indeed. 
 
 In the mean-while we fee what a fea of confufion flows 
 from hence upon all mankind : for although there fliould 
 be none, who fometimes through ignorance, and fomc- 
 limcs by fubtilty or wickednefs, might wreft or pervert 
 words contrary to the mind of the fpeaker or writer, ia 
 fuch manner as themfelves, that fo do, fliould think bell 
 for their own ends, from whence confequently all this 
 deceit, flandering, contention, and the like proceeds ; yet, 
 fo it is, that how uprightly or prudently foevcr a mau 
 goes to work in this matter, he neverthclcfs fia4s himfclf 
 Hablc to nviflcad, or tube niiflcd. 
 
 ADDENDA. . 627 
 
 But although the cafe be thus with words and difcourfes 
 at prefent in ufe ; yet for all that, they are the mofl: ready, 
 and (o far as I know, the fittefl: means to make known all ^ 
 our thoughts unto others by t and^ for this reafon there- 
 fore, though fo much confufion and deceit happen to 
 arise from hence, that no man that hath any experience 
 can be ignorant thereof; yet may we not therefore be 
 too niuch afraid of them neither, as many yet do manifefl: 
 themfelves to be, who, becaufe they have fome experience 
 hereof, are apt to believe we are about to deceive them, 
 cfpecially if they be forewarned thereof. 
 
 This, as in many things, fo it hath chiefly taken place 
 jn that which is commonly efteemed for religion ; in which 
 it is fo with mofl: men, that they will fcarce give audience 
 to, much jefs take into confideration, any thing held forth 
 unto them, by any whom they judge not to be of their - 
 own opinion j to avoid as they imagine, being thereby de-' 
 luded. 
 
 Yet if they were to aft thus towards their own party, 
 we might think it was an a^ of prudence, and that they 
 would fee with their own eyes : but no, in ftowife, this is 
 too hard a tafk: whatfoever cometh on that fide is re- 
 ceived with fuch partiality for good and current coin, as if 
 there were no danger nor poflibility of erring ; whereas 
 neyerthelefs, it is aU alike with the one as with the other 
 opinion. It all depends but upon a poflibility of being 
 neareft to the truth ; and for the upholding every one his 
 own opinion, and defending it againft others, there is fo 
 much ado, fp much pains taken, fo much fcholaftick learn- 
 ing, ftudy, and difputing, that one would rather believe 
 that there were no true religion at all, than that this fliould 
 peeds be it. • 
 
 Seeing then it is thus at prefent, can we much blame the 
 common people, that they defpair of ever being able to 
 folve this di$culty, and are glad when they can but find 
 any that are greedy of the work, upon whom they may 
 cait the whole burthen : furely no; for he that Yees but a 
 little c'carly, fees that there is always contention behind, 
 and no end till a man grows weary of it : nor is the con- 
 c^u^ft his that hath truth, but his that can befl handle his 
 
 CR3 
 
028 
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 tongue. A miferable thing if it were thus to be fought 
 ana found : but it is not fo with the trucrchgion. 
 
 Go to rht-n, O man, whoever thou art, we will not 
 draw thee off from one focicty of men, to carry thee over 
 to another ; it is fomcwhat elfe we invite tlue to. Lend 
 us bur a linle audience; furely thou knowcfl: thus much, 
 th;ir as it is an abfurdicy to receive all things without dif- 
 tiii61i(jn th.a pnftn* themfelvcs to us, fo it is no lefs fo to 
 rcj;.(fi all things without judgment. We invite thee to 
 fomrthing which may be a means whereby to attain to thy 
 own falvation and weil-being. Be as diflruflful, or rather 
 prudcnr, or fortfightrd as thou wilt, thou canft not in rea- 
 fon retiile u^ thy ear in this thing All the damage thou 
 canli pufiiMy have by doing that \^ hich we f xhort thee to, 
 is only to have taken a little pans in vain, if that which is 
 promifcd ihould not fucceed ; whereas, on the contrary, 
 if it fliould fucceed, thou mayeft come to ihr enjoyment of 
 a ir.atier of fo great worth, that (hould not be exchanged 
 for all that is erie-.mcd great in the earth. Moreover it is 
 not fnr to feek, but at hand; it is nigh thee, yea and in 
 thyfclf. Mnd there thou mayeft experience the trial of 
 thai which we declare, which is the mod certain and fure 
 that can be dcfired. 
 
 We dirt(^t thee then to look within thyfelf; that is, 
 that th< u oughrcft to turn into, to mind, and have a re- 
 gard unto, that which i? within thefe, viz. the light of truth, 
 ti^.e true hghi, which enlighteneth every man that cometh 
 ir.io the world. Here it is that thou muft be, and not 
 without tlite. Heie thou flialt find a principle certain 
 and infallible, and whereby increafing and going on there- 
 in, thou mayeil at length arrive unto a hippy condition: 
 ot this ihou maycfl fafely 'adventure the trial. But if thou 
 dareil not do fo mtich, it is hard to help thee. And if 
 thou happened to be one of thofe that wouldeil know all 
 things, l^efore thou doft begin, yea, even thofe things 
 which are experienced in a coudirion to which thou art to 
 much a ftrnngcr, thiu there is nothing in thee hath fo 
 much agreement therewith, as to comprehend it according 
 to trur'. ; know this, thou dofl (f herein ") juft as thofe that 
 would learn to read, without knowing the letters. 
 
 ADDENDA* 629 
 
 To defire to know all things that we are capable of, is 
 good and laudable : but to go further is folly. There will 
 be always fomething elfe to aik, and our knowledge will 
 ever be too (hort. He that will not adventure till he be 
 fully fatisfied, will never begin^, much lefs finifli to his own 
 falvation. 
 
 But we judge it needful (as much as in us lies) to open 
 unto you chat unto which we do exhoi't you, that people 
 may underftand what it properly is. 
 
 We fay then^ that we exhort every one to turn unto the 
 light that is in him. We give it rather the appellation 
 of light, than any thing elfe, otherwife it is all one to us 
 whether ye call it, Chrift, the Spirit* the Word, &c. fee- 
 ing thefe all denote but one and the fame thing : yet the 
 word Light being in its natural fignification fomewhat elfe 
 than that which we intend thereby, we fliall therefore in 
 brief endeavour clearly to exprefs what we intend under 
 this denomination. 
 
 The Light (then we fay) is a clear and diftinft know- 
 ledge of truth in the underftanding of every man, by which 
 he is fo convinced of the being and quality of things, that 
 he cannot poffibly doubt thereof. 
 
 From this definition which is here given of the light, it 
 is clear, that it muil needs comprehend in it the principd 
 cSe£t of fhewing us, and giving us the knowledge of 
 what is truth and falfehood, what is good and evil : which 
 verily is a matter of fo great concernment, that without it 
 men mufl needs wander up and down in continual dark- 
 nefs,. uncertainty of opinion and in fin, neither knowing 
 truth at all, nor doing any good^ but as it were by hap- 
 hazard, and without certainty. 
 
 This light then, Chrill the truth, &:c. is that which 
 makes manifeft and reproves fin in man, (lieweth him how 
 he is ftrayed from God, accufeth him of the evil which 
 he doth, and hath committed ; yea, this is it which judg- 
 eth and condemncth him. Again, 
 
 This is the preaching to every creature under heaven, 
 though they have never read or heard of the fcripture. 
 This is it which leads man in truth, into the way to God, 
 which excufeth him in well-doing, giving him peace in his 
 
 2 R 4 
 
6x0 
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 confclencc, yea, brings him to union with God, wherein 
 all happinefs and falvaiion do confift. 
 
 Moreover, feeing it is properly the naturcof this light 
 infallibly to difcover fin and evil, to reprove and convince 
 then of; it can never poffibly confent thereunto. And 
 although it be true indeed, that the operations of the light 
 are not in all men alike powerful, in whom neverthelefs it 
 is ; yea though in fome men it feems to have no operation 
 at all ; yet this is occafioned only by thofe impediment* 
 that do hinder it : for as the natural light by the interpo- 
 lition of other bodies or covers, may be hindered from 
 having its operation there, where clfe it would, were thofc 
 ^ things which impcce removed, the light (itfelf) ftill abid- 
 ing in itfelf .^unchanged ; even fo it is alfo with this light 
 whereof v/e fpeak. The hindrances in this are manifold. 
 A\\ that we meet with in this world, feems to proclaim war 
 in this cafe. What is there that hath not a powerful ope- 
 ration upon one or other of the fenfes of man, through 
 which, pafling over into the foul, the memory is fo filled, 
 that nothing elfe can enter? The eyes and cars ftand fo 
 perpetually open to all things, that they never want an 
 cbjcft to bring to mind the experience of that which plea- 
 fed the body fo well ; and this flirs up the defire to enjoy 
 it, yet all without fatiety : the afts are multifarious, the 
 enjoyment am be but fingle and tranfient, and the incite- 
 ments inceifant. 
 
 Mow where this operateth in us after this manner^ by 
 education and example in manners and cufloras which arc 
 regulated by opinion, and not by the true light, that men 
 live altogether therein ; is it any wonder that here (in 
 ihele men) there is fo little, or no operation of the light? 
 iJot at all. 
 
 We are fo involved in the idea of that which is high* 
 in the world, fo overwhelmed in pleafures, that it is almoft 
 impoflible for the light tp c^ufe ouc defire after good to 
 fpring or bubble up. 
 
 Where then thofe fo contrary operations to the hght 
 are, there it can never break through. 
 
 According to the nature and kind of every thing, is the 
 * operation thereof: where they are oppofite, the ouc 
 
 ADDENDA. 6tt 
 
 • i 
 
 mun: give way unto rhc other, and that which is moft 
 powerful prevails ; from whence alfo the efFefts thereof 
 become mod' vifible. The light, notwiihftanding>^ abides 
 always the fame ; and therefore although man by fin, 
 through his love and union to corruptible things, comes to 
 perifh, be damned, and mifs of his everlailing happinefs, 
 the light neverthelefs, which is in every man that comes 
 into the world, abides for ever unchangeable. 
 
 The light is alfo the firft principle of religion. For, 
 feeing there can be no true religion without the know- 
 ledge of God, and no knowledge of God without this 
 light, religion mufl: neceflTarily have this hght for its prin- 
 ciple. 
 
 God being then known by this light, according to the 
 meafure of knowledge which the finite and circumfcribed 
 creature can have of the infinite and uncircumfcriptiblc 
 Creator, man hath obtained a firm foundation, upon which 
 he may build all firm and lafling things : a principle where- 
 by he may, with ut ever erring, guide the whole courfe of 
 his life^ how he is to carry himfelf towards God,, his neigh- 
 bour, and himfelf, and all things elfe, whereby he may 
 happily attain unto his foul's fiilvation, which confifteth 
 only in union with God. And thus this light is therefore 
 the firft principle of religion. 
 
 Without this light, there is no power or ability at all in 
 man to do any good. 
 
 This muft firft raife him and quicken him out of the 
 death of fin. It is folly to expeft any thing, where no-' 
 thing is ; there is no effect without a caufe: there muft be 
 fomething then which muft caufe a man to acft, if he does 
 any thing. 
 
 And this caufe muft have in it whatfoever the efFeft 
 produced hath in it: as for example, if the efFefts of light 
 be produced, light muft dq it, and nothing elfe. 
 
 And therefore, is it not a filly thing, that all men would 
 have people to do this or that as good, and leave this or 
 that as evil, becaufe they tell them fo, without any more 
 ado, or at beft affigning only the accuftomary motives 
 thereto, and think they have reafon too, juft as if this 
 
6^2 . ADDENDA. 
 
 were enough ? Who can fee fiich effefts as are hereby 
 required, included in this caufe? not I, for my part. 
 
 Experience alfo teacheth us the fame ; elfe how could 
 it all pafs away in a train and cuftom, without any fruit ; 
 thefe are therefore not the right means ; but fuch we mud 
 endeavour to furnifli people with ; means from whence 
 power may ifliie forth to do that which they are exhorted 
 to. Such is the nature of man, that he is moved to chufe 
 that which he judgcth to be heft, before the word, and is 
 ahvays willing to change for the befl. 
 
 Now if it fo happens (aS for the mofl'part it doth) that 
 a man chufeth the worlt before the bcft, it is for want of 
 knowledge, and contrary to his aim, and fo he erreth, not 
 being led by the true light. 
 
 Here then it fhoiild be begun; it is eafy leading a man 
 to that which of himfelf he is delirous of: if thefe now 
 who make it their work to teach others, were but led 
 ihcmfelvcs by the true light, knowing better things than 
 tiiofe to which the multitude are linked fo fafl: with love, 
 they would be able to hold them forth clearly to others : 
 and fo making it their continual work, it were impoffible 
 tntir labour fliould be fruitlefs ; for people knowing better, 
 would do better. Who remembers not the play of our 
 ycurh, how much v/e were in love therewith, and yet how 
 ridiculous is it now unto us but to think upon it? And why? 
 Becaufe we now know that, which we judge better : henee, 
 not by force, but very eafily and of itfelf, ic comes in time to 
 be worn out, and pafs away, that there is now no defire 
 nor motron moving thereunto. How may we think then 
 it would be, if the' foul came but once to apprehend ihofe 
 things aright which are durable and incorruptible, and 
 which infinitely tranfcend all bodily toys in worth ? So far 
 as thofe things then Ihould come to be efteemed more 
 giori.us than^ill bodily things, fo much the more power- 
 ful would be the annihilation of thofc things in which all 
 men, even to old age, yea, death itfelf, do take fo much 
 tlelight; and then we might hope and expect that thofe 
 iliings which are (indeed) alone wortiiy to be known, 
 would gain entrance, and being- brought forth in the light> 
 "%-ouId be alfo owned and received by every one, accord-: 
 
 ADDUKDA. 633 
 
 ing to the meafure in which they fliould (land In the fame 
 light. 
 
 Hence from within, the amendment and converfion is to 
 be waited for ; from within it mufl begin, if with a foun- 
 jdation; the outward then will follow of itfelf: the weakeft 
 mud give way to the ftrongeft, all depends but upon the 
 knowledge of fomething better, to make a true and lad- 
 ing change. Therefore to hold this forth to men, is the 
 bell thing we can give them. This light is the inward ear, 
 by which alone, and by no other, the voice of God, viz. 
 the truth, can be heard. 
 
 By this alone muft the fenfe and mind of him that would 
 fignify any thing by words ; or any outward fign, be com- 
 prehended and underftood. So that if the truth of God 
 be prefented to a man who flands not in the light of 
 truth, it is impoffible he fhould underftand it, although 
 he hears and comprehends the words after a manner, yet 
 he is ftill fenced off from the true fenfe and meaning 
 thereof. 
 
 Hence therefore it is, that, among fo many hearers, 
 there are fo few that have ears to hear. 
 
 He that hears truth aright, that is, underftands it well, 
 muft not ftand out of, but in the truth itfelf. 
 
 Therefore neither is it any wonder that all men do not 
 underftand and conceive thofe things that are brought 
 forth by the light. Thofe only that ftand in it are alone 
 capable thereof. 
 
 The cafe being thus, we fee of how great concernment 
 it is continually to exhort and excite men to turn unto the 
 light that is in them, that fo they may go on to fuch a 
 condition and meafure therein, as to be fit to underftand 
 aright the word: that is, the truth of God, becaufe out 
 of this there can be nothing underftood, and concluded 
 from the words and writing<^ given forth from the light, but 
 mere opinions, and probably errors. This light, Chrift, 
 &c. is the truth and word of God, as hath been already 
 faid, and every where appears by what we have hitherto 
 . laid down : for this is a living word, and tranflateth man 
 from death to life, is powerful, and Cnableth a man to bear 
 . witnefs of it every where. 
 
^34 
 
 \ 
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 This !s a]fo the true rule according unto which all our 
 aftions are to be fquared. 
 
 This hath the pre-eminepce before any wrieing, fcrip- 
 lure, doftrine, or any thing elfe that we meet with from 
 without. We are burn into the world, and brought up, 
 as every body knows : from the very firfl we hear dif- 
 ferences, every one pretends that he knows the matter, and 
 haih truth : one hold forth this, another that to us. If 
 BOW tlie light which is in every man that comes into the 
 \vorld, (liall not be judi>e, whith^-r fhall we go? To believe 
 all, ii impoffible ; to rejcft all, no lefs : who fhall be judge 
 here? Who elfe can be, but the light within us ? For wbat- 
 foever comes from without, is the thing to be judged of: 
 who then fitter ; feeing this is infallible ? 
 
 Again, is not this (the light) that by which w^e rauft 
 fee and knovv" God, and fo confequently'that by which 
 we muft judge all things divine ? Certainly it is : then i| 
 follows alfo, that we can judge of no doflrine, of no bool^ 
 that js divine, but by this light ; and judging it thereby to 
 be divine, it cannot bnt be truly fo. As for example, if 
 we experience that the book called the Bible, in regard^ 
 of the divine doftrioe therein comprifed, hath fuch aq 
 harmony with that in which God is known, that he mu{| 
 needs have been the author of it ; there cannot ration- 
 ally any more pov/erful dcmonflration be demanded.—^ 
 With them that are thus, the Scripture may become liv- 
 ing and pow^erful, and not a dead letter, as it muft needs 
 be to thofe men who have no feeling of this thing. An4 
 from hence then it is apparent, feeing this hght muft be 
 preferred to all things whatfocver that we meet with from 
 iviihout, that then M.in muft. firft of all be directed to this ; 
 for without it what profit is there (I pray) to be reaped any 
 where by external fign but by it. Lay the book of the 
 Scripture freely before any man ; let him alfo have all thq 
 fiinefs (the univcrfities can give him) to look into it in its 
 proper language in v. hich it may haye been firft written, 
 what vAW all be without ihc light? Nothing. The letters, 
 ihc vrcrds, are not the Scriptures, but the meaning alone 
 is the Scripture, and this me?ning can never be truly and 
 juftly hit, but by thofe alone that ftand in the fame lightj^ 
 out of which the Sciipiures proceeded. 
 
 ADDEND^A. ' C^C 
 
 • 
 
 Thefe arc they then to whom the Scripture is a co-wit- 
 ncfs, and as a feal of their being fons of God j while by 
 experience they find themfclves, every one according to 
 his meafure, in the fame condition in which the faints for- 
 merly were, who fpake and writ all thofe things compre- 
 hended in the book of the Scripture ; thefe then have the 
 true linderftanding and meaning of the Scriptures, not 
 thofe that imagine unto themfeives a meaning by opinioa 
 and guefs, through a thoufand imaginations, without the 
 leaft alTurance of not erring ; which becomes the very 
 ground of all jangling and contention. 
 
 In fine, this light in every man is the means to come to 
 the knowledge of God, And feeing all external figns muft: 
 needs prefuppofe this knowledge, therefore itfelf muft 
 need be immediate, without any external fign : that figns 
 muft prefuppofe fuch a knowledge, is undeniable; for 
 thefe figns muft cither be words or effeas, works or mi- 
 racles. 
 
 If words, we fee at firft an impoffibility in the thing 
 itfelf: for words are created and finite, and God who ftiould 
 make known himfelf by them, uncreated and infinite: and 
 therefore here is fo infinite a difference, that there is no 
 maimer of agreement, nor any thing in the w^ords by 
 which they might be capable to' do it. But again, if you 
 fly to the meaning of the words, as being fit for fuch a 
 thing, then that which we fay will more manifeftly appear: 
 as -put cafe, for example-fake, that God about to make 
 known^ himfelf by words, ftiould fay, ' I am God,* and 
 that this fliould be the fign by which he would make him- 
 felf known, we fee clearly, that it would be impoffible for 
 a man at firft to know God by this : for if he^fhould com- 
 prehend any thing out of the fenfe of the wwds, he mi:ft 
 needs formerly have had the fignification of the word, 
 God, and what he is to underftand by it: in like manner, 
 if God maketh his will known to man, the knowledge of 
 God (which hath its original from the true hght)' muft 
 precede and convince him, that that (manifeftation; can 
 be from none but God alone, whereupon he is then fuf- 
 ficicntiy alTured. ' . 
 
6^6 ADDENDA* 
 
 If by effefts Tor outward miraculous works) it is fhe 
 fame thing ; for thcfe are no lefs created, no lefs finite :• 
 and though we might obferve fomething in the nature of 
 a thing, which might be too difficult for the power of any 
 creature, which we know, to effecfi ; yet this at the utmoft 
 would be but a demonflration taken from our impotency, 
 and not from the nature and all the operations of it ; and 
 this kind of demonftration cannot be certain and {table, 
 till we were able clearly and dillin(^ly to fee that there was 
 not a concurrency of many caufes to produce fuch an 
 'cffeft, but that it mufl needs have been caufed by an in- 
 finite and unlimited caufe, whom we call God? But who 
 Inoweth this ? Or who can declare it ? 
 
 Add to this. That the knowledge of God in all things 
 muft firfl: be, before the knowledge of any creature or par- 
 ticular thing ; fo that no particular thing without this can 
 be well knov/n ; and confequently is altogether uncapable 
 to come to know God by, or certainly to make known 
 Lfimfelf to man by. 
 
 Go to then, without thyfelf, O man : thou hafl no means 
 to look for, by which thou mayeft know God. Thou muft 
 abide within thyfelf, to the light that is in thee thou muft 
 turn thee, there thou wilt find it, and no where elfe. 
 
 God is, confidered in himfelf, neareft unto thee, and 
 every man. He that goeth forth of himfelf to any creature, 
 thereby to know God, departs from God, and fo much 
 the further, as he comes more to admire the creature, and 
 ftand in contemplation thereof, to miltake himfelf by it. 
 This thou jnuft then (hun, and the contrary mind, viz. 
 Mind the light that is in thee, by it to work, unmoveably 
 2nd faithfully to pcifevere. 
 
 FINIS, 
 
 i*riniffcl by W. Phillips, George Yard, Lombard Street, London 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 A 
 
 A. 
 
 BRAHAMS (Dr. GalenJs) his companTon of Ames and Stubb, 
 vol. 1. p. 232. 
 
 — — ~ difputes with G. Fox and W. Penn, vol. ii. p. 368. 
 Adts of P arliament againft conventicles, vol. i. p. 545. vol. ii p 045 
 ; ^Sainfl Quakers meetings, -and to enforce oaths, vol. i. « 577' 
 
 ' '° lupprels feditious conventicles, vol. ii. p. 246 
 
 - to reltrain non-conformifts from living in corporations, yol. ii. 
 
 p. loj. 
 
 • allowing the affirmation of Quakers to be accepted inflead of 
 
 A jj ,w ^"^ °^^^' ^^^- "• P- 523, 551, 616. 
 
 ^^^^'-^"" (Major General) a New-England perfecutor, vol. i. p. 469. 
 
 ———his remarkable death, vol. i. p. 578. ^ 
 
 AddreA of the Quakers to king Charles fl. vol. ii. p. 402, 
 
 " IP king James II. on the toler;ition, vol. iif pT 435. 
 
 VA^ZI ""'"'^"^ '^ ^^"° ^° the toleration, vol. H, 
 
 p. 4J», 444. 
 
 : ,^° ^!"S ^'"!>"' "P°n *e peace of 1697, yol. ii. p. 539. 
 to ditto on difcovery of a plot, vol. ii. p. 548. 
 
 - f '5?.'^" A""^ °" h^^ f«"eilion to the throne, vol. ii. p. 569 
 to d.tto on her prom.fe to mainuin the tolerationi vol it 
 
 p. 0/ 1 . 
 
 '°^;^;° .°" the renewal of her promifc to maintain the tc^ 
 
 Jeration, vol. n. p. 607. 
 
 ; to king George, on his acceffion a.nd declaration for thf 
 
 toleration, vol. i. p. 612, 
 
 •— to ditto, on fuppreflion of the rebels, vol. ii. p. 617 
 
 Affirmation, an aft obtained for its acceptance, ii. 523 
 ' mode perpetual, and the form more eafy, ii. 615. 
 
^ INDEX. 
 
 Aldam, Thomas, imprifoncd in York CafHe for preaching, Sec, i, 86. 
 ^ clitto for not paying tithes, &c. i. 208. 
 
 — ; predias the f^ll of O. Cromwell, i. 325. ' 
 
 Algiers, fomc Quakers flaves there allowed to hold meetings, ii. 80. 
 Ames, William, conviaed at Dublin by the minifiry of E. Burrough 
 and F. Howgll, and becomes a minifter, i. 18S. 
 
 ■ baniflicd Amftcrdam, i. 283. 
 
 ■ kindly entertained bv the clciJlor Palatine, i. 341. 
 
 *■ fcvcral Baptifls conrirxed by him near Worms in Germany, 
 
 i. 341. 
 * imprifoned in Rotterdam, and is dlfmifTcd, i, 343. 
 
 '^ in London, and ditto, ii. 10, 
 
 - ■ dies at Amderdani, ii. 57. 
 
 Amltcrdam, fome pretended Qu^akers there, i. 28^. 
 Auflin, Anne, travels with Mary Fifher, (fee Mary Firmer) i. 433* 
 Armorer, Wm. a judice, his cruelty to the Quakers, ii. 207. 
 Audland, John, convinced by G. Fox, i. 90. 
 
 ■ his teflimony received by many at Bridol, i. 142. 
 brief account of his life and death, ii. 113. 
 
 ■ fome account of his wife and others, ii. 589, 
 AthertOD, Oliver, dies in piifon for tithes, ii. 96. * 
 
 B. 
 
 Bofton, In New England, fomc Quakers arrive there, arc Ill-treated, 
 imprifoncd, and fentLack again, i. 270. 
 
 ■ ■ a law made to prohibit brinoing Quakers there, i. 272. 
 
 ■ cruelti^'s praftifcd there, i. ^290, 292, 326. 
 
 " the country round will not now yield wheat, though formerly 
 
 fertile, -i. 580. 
 
 ■ the jailer ordered to whip the Qiiakers twice a week, begin- 
 
 ning with 10 ladies, and incrcafiug 3 erery time till they 
 
 would work, i. 328. 
 ^ Quakers banifhed from, i. 337. 
 
 * an addrefs of the general court of, to king Charles II. to 
 
 juitify their cruel proceedings, which is anfwered by Ii. 
 
 Burrough, i. 459. 
 Baily, Wm. convinced by G. Fox, i. 216. 
 — his exhortation agpinit perfecution, ii. 148, 160. 
 
 ■ ■ marries M. FHher. Dies at fea, coming from the Weft 
 
 Indies, it. 315. . 
 Baker, iJaniel. account of his being at Malta, i. 540. 
 
 ■ imprifoned in London, and writes liis travels, i. 543. 
 — — is illegally and barbaroufly abufed, ii. 12. 
 
 Baptifm, water, difcourfe concerning, i. 216. 
 
 ■ the principle of Quakers refpeding it, and the outward fup- 
 
 per, ii. 580. 
 Baptifts, fcveral convinced, I. 22. 
 •' Ibme at Barrow in Leiccilcrfhire, (ilervccdby G. Fox, i. 38^ 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 sBaptift, a teacher at CarllHe, convinced, i 114, 
 • , another in Cumbfrland who gives up an impropriation of tithej, 
 
 Barbadoes, Quakers fufFer much there by the prlcfls.- i. 581. 
 
 negroes prohibited by law from going to Quakers meetings, 
 
 ' . Quakers petition king William for relief— His order there ' 
 
 upon, ii. 472. 
 Barclay, his education and charafler, ii. 216. 
 
 writes to Adrian Pae^s concerning the Immediate rerelatlon 
 
 of the Spirit, ii. 326. 
 
 • writes in Latin to the ambalTaddrs at Nimeguen, ii. 374, 
 
 — — his death, ii. 473. 
 
 BarnadiftoD, Giles, convinced by G. Fox, becomes a minifter ahil a 
 iuffcrer, ii. 69. 
 - Barrow, Henry, and two more, put to death by Inftigation of the 
 • ^^ clergy, i. 8. 
 
 Battledore, a book publidied by &. Fox and others, i. 486. 
 ^aily, George, dies in prifon in France, i. 283. 
 Bennet, ajuftice, faid to be the fi ft who in fcorn gave Friends the 
 
 name of Quakers, i. 43. 
 * ' ftrikes^ G. Fox as he was kneeling down to pray for hira, 
 
 1. 56. 
 Benfon, ajuflice, conrinced by G. Fox, i. li5. 
 
 ' ■ • his wife imprifoned at York, i. 116. 
 
 refufed leave to vifit G. Fox in Carhfle dungeon, i. 124. 
 
 Beraudin, a martyr, fpoke after his tongue was cut out, praifing God 
 
 i. 4. 
 Birkhead, Chiiftopher, fent to prifon, i. 150. 
 
 — ditto at Rochelle, i. 281. 
 
 — — — confined in the houfe of corredion at Middleburgh. and dif* 
 
 charged, i. 283. 
 Bifhop, George, convided at Briffol, i. 142, 182. 
 
 * • author of an account of the peifecution in New England. 
 
 i. 472. ^ ' 
 
 • ► his prophetic caution to the king and parliament, ii. 160. 
 
 — fa:ne fulfilled, ii. 175. 
 
 Bifhops, their zeal for ceremonies, i. 12. 
 
 ^— cruel fayings of the bifhop of Peterborough, Ii. 275. 
 
 ^ alphemers in Coventry prifon, confounded by G. Fox, i. 39. 
 
 ^ aipheray often charged upon the Quakers, but not proved, i. 237, 332. 
 
 i^Jaugdon, Barbara, convinced by John Audland and John Camm. i. 142. 
 
 ' imprifoned at Briffol, Marlborough, Exeter, and feveral ether 
 
 places, i. l54, 155, 156. 
 
 * arrives in Ireland, and pays a vifit to the deputy, I. 188. 
 
 goes to Cork, returns to B; iftol, after to Ireland, imprifoned 
 
 at Dublin and Limerick, i. 191, 192. 
 
 committed to Bridewell in Briftol. ii. 391. 
 
 Vol. II. ^ 2S 
 
 
 ftk«« 
 
'(/.' \ 
 
 Blome, Richard, author 6f the Fanatick Mldory; iRrhlcb feen>5 chleftf 
 
 defigncd againft the Quakers, k 260, 
 Bourignon, Antonia, her writings, &c. ii. 551. 
 Bowing and fcraping cenfured by G. Fox, i. 50. 
 Bowing at the name of Jefus, whal it is, &c. i. 521. 
 Boyes, a prieft, invites G. Fox to his pwlpit, i. 77. 
 
 goes with him, i. 79. 
 
 refuleth tithes from fome who proffered them, i. 80. 
 
 Bread, William, imprifoncd and ufed barbaroufly at Bofton, i. 329. 
 Briggs, Thomas, convinced by G. Fox, i. 107. 
 
 . is crnelly treated at Warrington,. Yarmouth, Lynn, and othef 
 places, i. 116, 117, 118. 
 
 goes to America, i. 118. 
 
 _. foretells the de(truftion of London, ir. 19^, 
 
 dies, ii. 406. 
 
 Brifcoe, William, i juftice, is fo feized and ftruck by the dread- of tH ft 
 Lord, that he recalls his warrant for imprifoning R. 
 AVidders, i. 126. ' 
 BridofT dlfmal perfecution there, ii. 588. 
 ■ ■ meetings kept up by children, ii. 391. 
 
 . R. Lindy, a blind man, ufcd feverely, ii. 295, 
 
 ■ dreadful death of the jailer, ii. 3JT5. 
 
 Br«wn, Richard, alderman of London, his chara(5ter and cruelty, ii. 4. 
 
 Brownifts, whence their name, ii. 10. 
 
 Buggy Francis, an apoftate, charges the Quakers with Socinlan notions^ 
 
 ii. 509. 
 Bull and Mouth meeting houfe in Martin's-le-Grand, i. 14^. 
 Burden, Ann, a widow, cruelly treated in New-England, i. 290. 
 Burial of the dead, pra(5lice of the Quakers refpcdting, ii. 580. 
 Burnet, Dr. remarkable fayings agaimt perfecution, &c. ii. 614. 
 Burrongh, Edward, convinced by G. Fox, i. 92. 
 . becomes an eminent minifter, i. 100. 
 
 ■ ■ preaches in the fields near London, i. 137. 
 
 , goes with F, Howgil to Ireland, and arc baniflied thence^ 
 
 i. 182. 
 
 ■ writes to the Protedor on different fubjefts, i. 210, 278, 
 
 280, 313, 326. 
 < writes to his wife and children, i. 316. 
 meets the funeral of O. Cromwell, &c. i. 325. 
 
 ■ a remarkable prophecy of his, i. 308. 
 
 ■ goes to Dunkirk, i. 352. 
 
 ■ meffage to the rulers of England, i. 358. 
 
 — — — writes an apology for Quakers, and againft perfecution, 
 
 i. 554. 
 — has the foreknowledge of his death, injprifoned in Newgate 
 
 with fix or feven fcorc more. The king fends- au order 
 
 for his releafe, but it is ftifled, ii. 50. 
 —— his death, ii. 51. 
 
 ■ his ulogiurn, by F, Howgil, iir 52; 
 
 index; 
 
 c. 
 
 'i 
 
 ralvin, John, admits the indwelling of God's fplrlt m man, I 5, 
 Lamm, John, a zealous preacher, ^. 100, 142. 
 
 ' goes to Briftol, and perfecuted there, i. 143. 
 
 ■ fhort account of his life and death, ii. 112. 
 
 Caton, William, convinced by G. Fox, i. 96. 
 
 ; J^i' early piety when in judge Feil's family, J. 172. 
 
 " *s moved to go to warn people to repen,tance, i. 173. 
 
 . at 17 years of age, travels to divers places, viUting' Friends' 
 
 at London meets with J. Stubbs, i. 172. * 
 
 — confined at Maidftone and cruelly whipt, i. 176. 
 
 ■ goes by himfelf to France, and afterwards* with' J. Stubbs to 
 
 Holland-^Goes to Scotland, i. 179, 180. 
 — returns to England, i. IgO. 
 
 — goes again to Scotland, thence to Holland, fccuredl at .Middle. 
 
 burgh, and fent to England, i, 233. 
 
 — goes to Amfterdam, i. 339. 
 
 imprifoned fix months in Yarmouth, ii. 91. 
 
 his death and charafts 
 
 r, 11. 192. 
 
 Chanty doth not impoveiifh, ve«ificd in the Quakers, l. 130. 
 l-harles II. his delaration at Breda for liberty of confcience, i. 40^. 
 •-^ this promife renewed to the Quakers, i. 432. 
 
 Cheevers, Sarah, travels with C. EvansTTee C. E. 
 Chnftening of children, no Scripture for it^ ii. 221. 
 ChriMoii, Wenlock, baniflied Bolton, appears in court there and la 
 fent to jail, i. 461, 462. 
 
 — — brought again to court, i. 467. 
 
 • receives fentence of death, his prophetical fpeech. Is fet at 
 
 _ liberty with 27 more of his Friends, i. 470, 471 
 
 Church, what a church is, i. 28, 88, 93. ii. 120. 
 Church Faith, a paper fo called, anfwered by G. Fox i 322 
 Church government, amonglt the Quakers, account of, ii. 588. 
 Clarendon, Edward earl of, his faying of O. Cromwell, i, 320 
 " , . ._■ %Pofed to propofe queries to the Quakers, i. 415. 
 Clarke Mary, cruelly whipt and imprifoned 12 weeks in NcwEncrland 
 _ . . for warning againft perfecution, i 291. «> * 
 
 Clayton, Richard^ in Suffolk^ fixes fome queries to a fteeple-houfe door 
 
 is with two others taken up, examined and whipt, i 204 
 
 Ql act CtO lyct rr A r-r p ttf /-..-. ^^ >' * *v». 
 
 Chrift, i. 21 22, 23, 73, 74, 75, 76, 88, 89, 95, 500, 501. 
 CoHies, Johah, convinced by J. Audland and J. Cp.mm, i. 142 
 
 ' — committed to Newgate in Briftol, i. 149. 
 
 goes with T. Thiribne to Virginia, thence witli T. Chapman 
 
 to New England, i. 459. ^ 
 
 "^"^ i- writes a warning againft perfecution, ii. 410. 
 
 — — his exhortation to cohftattcy under fufferings, ii. 148. 
 
 '■ his warning to the king, ii. 201. 
 
 anfwers a Popilh book, ii. 213. 
 
 hij death and chara(aer, ii. 230, 231, 
 
 o « o 
 
 \ 
 
INDEX. 
 
 INDEK# 
 
 Colchefler, cruel and bloody perfecution there, ii. 6B. 
 
 Colema;5, Ann, with two more women, fcntcnced to be whipt through 
 
 eleven towns, i. 563. 
 
 again cruelly whipt with fome others, i. 5G6. 
 
 Conjuror, one fo reputed, baffled by G, Fox, i, G8. 
 
 Conventicle, vide a«5ls of parliament. 
 
 Conrincement, forae convinced by dying penitems, &c. ii. 56^, 566, 567m 
 
 Copeland, John, his right ear cut off at Bofton, i. 335. 
 
 — fome of his dying expreflions, death and chara(5tcr. ii. 495. 
 
 Corbet, counfellor, gains reputation by his defence of G. Fox*s cauie, 
 
 ii. 302. 
 Creatures, virtues of them opened to G, Fox, i. 29. 
 Crifp, Stephen, convinced by J. Parnel, i. 183. 
 ■ becomes a minillcr, and goes to Scotland, i, 375. 
 
 ■ — — a brief account of him, ii. 90. 
 •^ goes to York, ii. 174. 
 
 ■ his epiftle to Friends concerning the prefent and fucceeding 
 
 times, ii. 202. 
 
 ■ ' imprifoned at Ipfwich, ii. 221. 
 
 • ■■ declines being made a magiftrate at Colchefler, ii. 443. 
 
 — • his epirtle of advice to all the churches of Chrift, ii, 473. 
 
 Crifp, Samuel, his leiter to a relation after he became a Quaker, ii. 506» 
 Croefe, Gerard, fome of his hiltory noted, i. 20, 44, 487. 
 Cromwell, O. his fpecch for liberty of confcience, i. 144. 
 
 yet fufFers the Quakers to be perlecuted, i. 145. 
 
 connives ftill at the grievous perfecution of the QuakerSjt 
 
 i. 210. 
 Crook, John, a jufHce, convinced by G. Fox, I. 170. 
 
 a yearly meeting kept at his houfe, i. 299. 
 
 apprehended at a meeting in London, ii. 7. 
 
 brought to trial, ii. 23. 
 
 ■ fentenced to a premunire, ii. 42. 
 
 '■ his advice to his children and grandchildren, ii* 513# 
 
 his deatli and charader, ii. .457. 
 
 ■ his letter to Ifaac Pennington, ii. 560. 
 
 Cruelties excrcifed on the Quakers in New England, I. 291, 292; 22G, 
 
 227, 328, 329, 335, 379, 380, 670, 571, 581. 
 
 at Warborough in Oxon, ii. 275. 
 
 at Horflydown, ii. 277. 
 
 at Long Claxton, in Lcicefterfhire, ii. 311. 
 
 at Norwich, ii. 320. 
 
 in Wales, ii. 324. 
 
 in Plymouth and Glouceflerlhire, ii, 372. 
 
 in Yorkfhire, ii, 375. 
 
 ^ in Brifbl and Leicefterfliire, ii. 378, 384. 
 
 Curtis, Anne, has accefs to the king, aod obtains her requefl in fafour 
 
 of G. Fox, i. 422. 
 
 Decciveis, who are the greateft, i. 30. 
 
 Declarations of fidelity and Chriftian Faith, to be fubfcribed to by Qua- 
 ii!"47a ''''^'' ""^ allegiance, and fufrem^y, 
 
 Derby, countcfs of, her cruelty and death, ii. 07 
 JJewfbury, William, convinced, i. 73. 
 
 ■ begins to preach, i. 86. 
 
 — is be^t^cn ^tUl almo(t killed, but healed by the power of the 
 
 • imprifoned with others at Northampton, about half a year, 
 
 " '"''ftfre'' i^<^ut^' ^'^"'' *'• ''°'" "'^'^ """' '■" ^°*- 
 
 his letter t» his oppre/Ted Friends, ii. 396. 
 
 • Uiort account of his life, and convincement, ii. 455. 
 
 was 19 vears prifoner at Warwick, befides other places, 
 
 11. 4oO. * ' 
 
 Difpute about '^^'J^^'^"^^^on^ Chriil's body in heaven, and the rcfur- 
 
 . betweea the Bapti/ts'and the Qimkers, ii. 295, 30" 
 
 naZr^f,^'' ^^^:^']9"' '^^''^'-^^ fo"-- young ftudents are convinced, ii. 311 
 D.llrefs often made for t*oor three times the value, ii. 71 ' 
 
 Powner, Ann,jhe^firtt^woman Quaker that preached publickly at Lon- 
 
 ' "^"'"ink^Ttt "• '"'"'' ^- ^°^' ^"-^ "^° companion. 
 
 .__ is married 'to B Greenwell, after to Georse Whitehead her 
 dymg words an<l death, ii, 432. ' 
 
 Drayton .n Le.cefterlhirc. the birth place of Georce Foy ; JO II 
 Orcams, fome believers in, convinced, i. 19. ^ ' ^"' '^• 
 
 -— ^ a rc-narkable one of C. Evans at Malta, i. 530. 
 
 Dnng, Robert, fi, ft rneeting in London held at his houfe, i. 13C 
 Drummer, a pneft, his ralh expreffion, i. 565. ' 
 
 Drurv, Caplan,, a remarkable paffage concerning him. i, 108 
 Dundas, Wni. a Scotchman, convinced, ii. m. 
 
 *"" IS excommuDicaied, ii. 188. 
 
 . goes^to ^i^rance, ^returns jo England and joi.s the Quakers, 
 
 Dyer, Mary, banlflied New England, i. 3S2. 
 
 returning is taken upj^^i. 383. 
 
 ' feritenced to death, i. 385, 3SG. 
 
 - ; — — writes to the magifbates of Bofton, I • 3S7 
 T reprieved when ready to be turned off,* i 391 
 
 P^;: ^^ha/a^'^er, returns to Bofton, i. 393. 394.' 
 
 - 13 fent for by the general cpurt, examined .gain, fentenccj 
 _ and executc<l, i. 396. ** * ^cniencca 
 Pfnms, J. jailor at BriftoJ, his dreadful death, ii. 395 
 
 2 S '^ 
 
 3 
 
I • 
 
 u 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 XNTDEX. 
 
 p. 
 
 Ecclcs, Solomon, for his bold and zealous adions becomes a fuffercr* 
 
 ii. 241. 
 
 feverely whipt at Cork, hi? Cncerity, ii. 279, *?80. 
 
 Education in unlverfities, not fuificient to make a mmiiler of Chrif^ 
 
 i. 17. 
 Eledion and reprobation, i. 78. 
 Elizabeth's, princefs of the Pahiinate, letter to Wni. Penn, ii. 365. 
 
 • her anfwer to G Fox's lette from AmfTerdam, ii. 365. 
 
 . other of her eiterb to Wm. Penn, ii. 358, 368, 372. 
 
 Embden, Quakers perfecuted there, i!. 360. 
 
 Wra, Ptnn writes to ihe fcnatc, ii. 361. 
 
 — '■ the Quakers are invited to relide among them, ii. 420. 
 
 Endicot, John, governo. of Bofton, his cruelty, i. 271, 27^,459, 47(!), 
 
 471, 567, 572. 
 
 his barbarous inoratitude, i. 572. 
 
 dies of a loa'.hfome d.feafe, i. 577, 578. 
 
 Error, not to be conquered by the arm of fielh or carnal weaponsj 
 
 i. 260. 
 Evans, Catharine and Sarah Cheever>, viflt Scotland, i. 158. 
 ~ travel towards Alexandria, embark for Leghorn, arrive at 
 
 Malta, ami have fonrie fenfe of their enfuing trouble, 
 * are Tome time entertained by the Englifh confiil, i. 494» 
 
 495. 
 
 ■ arc put into the inquifition, i. 496. 
 
 ' the Englifh conful grieves for being acceflary to their con^ 
 
 flriement, i. 499. 
 
 —r . — their great fufferings, &c. i. 502 503, 504. 
 
 . endeavours for their liberty prove vain, i. 505, 
 
 they are not idle in prifon, i. 521. 
 
 ' inftance of friendfhip in an Englifhman towards, i. 522. 
 
 " they continue ftedfaft, i. 523. 
 
 — . after four years confinement, are fet at liberty at the inftance 
 
 of lord D'Aubigny, and go on board an Englifh vefFoL 
 
 i. 529. 
 
 , C. Evans is committed to Bridewell, in Briftol, ii. 39 U 
 
 — her death, ii. 496. 
 
 F. 
 
 Faith, who have the true, i. 500. 
 
 ■ hot to be forced, ii. 122. 
 
 . its genuine efFe<ft, ii. 222. 
 
 . whether it comes by outward hearing, li, 344, 345, 
 
 hiftorical, how far efiential to the Chriftian Religion, ii. 327# 
 
 Falfe prophets, who arefuch, i. &5. 
 
 Fanatick hidory, wri'ten chiefly againft th« Quakers, i. 260. 
 
 — — — . fome citations in anfwer to ir, i. 360. 
 
 Farmer, Ralph, aprieft, flirs up perfccution at Briftol, i. 143, 150. 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Famfworth, Rkhard, convmced by the preaching of G. Fox, i. 73. 
 — becomes a minifter, i. 73. 
 
 ' "^"t«s »gainft Muggleton and Reeves^ ii. 9^. 
 
 • his death, ii. 214. 
 
 Fa(>, remarkable one of a woman in Lancafhire, I. 23. 
 Falts, G. Fox's letter concerning, i. 306, 307. 
 Felon, one convinced, i. 67, 68. 
 
 p^n ^^^^^' ^^kc" out ofa meeting and whipped, I. 428. 
 
 Fell, Margaret, and moft of her family convinced by the preachinc of 
 
 G. Fox, i. 97. ^ i h 
 fends forth an information agalnft H. Porter, mayor of jLan- 
 
 calter, goes to London and applies to the king, i. 421, 
 
 — acquaints him with Friends fufferings, i. 439. 
 
 r is premunired, ii. 178. 
 
 •"— " aihortaccountof her life and death, ii. 572, 573. 
 
 , {he wrote the call of the Jews out of Babylon, and other 
 
 pKces, ii. 574. 
 fell, Thomas, a judge in Wales, I. 90. 
 •^ entertains G. Fox, and is convinced by him, and offers his 
 
 houfe for a mee.ting place, i. W. 
 * defers the ^lefign of juflices Sawry and Tbompfoa agaiiift 
 
 G. Fox, i. 104. ^ ^ 
 
 •- death and charader, ii. 573. 
 
 Fifth-monarchy men, fome are put to death, but acquit the Quakers of 
 
 havmg any hand m the plot, i. 439. 
 Fmes, exorbitant, extorted from the Quakers, i. 379. 
 fifhcr, Samuel, a pried, afterwards a Baptifi teacher, convinced by 
 
 J. Stubbs, i. 175. ^ 
 
 p the purport of his intended fpcech before the parliament, 
 
 ' go^s to Dunkirk with E. Burrough, i. S'ol, 
 
 * goes to Rome with J. Stubbs, u 433. 
 
 "— ^^ his death, ii. 174. 
 
 Filher, Mary, goes to Bofton with Ann Auflin, harbaroufly nfed, and 
 after five weeks imprifonment ftnt back to England, 
 
 « — goes to Tuikey, delivers a mefTage from God to Mahomet IV. 
 
 in his camp, which he favourably received, flie returns to 
 England, i. 433, 435. 
 — Is married to Wm. Bayly, ii. 315 
 Fletcher, Elizabeth, fp cruelly abuled at Oxford as to occafion her death. 
 1. 153, 154. ' 
 
 f Icyd, Morgan, prieft oi Wrexham, fends two men into the Nortli to 
 enquire after the Quakers, who are both convinced, but 
 one of then; falls of^, i. 133. 
 Fox, G. birth, parentage, a'hd education, and various occurrences re- ' 
 latmgto him, i. 10 a 33. 
 
 ' powerful e^bas of his preaching at Nottingham, where he 
 
 IS jmpnfoncd, i. '65, 
 
 2 S 4 
 
I' 
 
 INQEX; 
 
 G. Fox, a diflraJled woman quicte4 and convinced, i. 37, 
 " confounds blafphemers, i. 39. 
 
 ■ — is fix months in the houfe of corrcdtion at Derby, i; 42, 
 
 ■ ■ / • writes to the priefts, magiftrates, &c. i. 45. 
 
 ' — the keeper of the prifon a bitter enemy, becomes his friend^ 
 
 i. 50. 31. 
 
 ■ — aremarkab e pa/Ta^re of a foldier convinced by him, i. 64. 
 
 * is offered his libeity and a captain's place, but refufes it, for 
 
 which he is put among felons ; here he writes feveral 
 letters, and fome are convinced by him, i. 64, 65, 66, 67. 
 
 *' is fet at liberty after a years confinement, i. 73. 
 
 ■ goes to York/hire, is befriended by captain Purflow and juflice 
 » Hotham, fpeak^ in fteeple-houfes, and holds meetings, 
 
 where many are convinced, i. 74, 75. 
 
 ■ ■ at Fatrington being rcfufed ladging, is forced to lie in the 
 
 fields, i. 81, 8'i. 
 ^ fpeaks in the mceting-houfe unraolefted, and has a great meet- 
 
 ing, and many are convinced, i. 83, 84, 85. 
 
 ■ is barbaroufly treated at Warnfworth, Doncafter, and Tickliill, 
 
 i. 85. 
 ' ■ ■■ malicious reports fpread of him, i. 87. 
 
 has a meeting near Firbank chapel, many convinced, i. 88, 
 89. 
 
 — many are convinced at ICf ndal and Undcrbarrow, 1. 92. 
 
 — preaches at Ulverftone. Aldeuham, aad Ramfide, where pricft 
 Lavvfon is convinced, i. 95, 96. 
 
 — * preaches at Lancafter, where he is ft©ned, i. 99, 100. 
 
 — at Uiverflone is dragged out of town, and is barbaroufly ufed^ 
 and futfers greatly at Cockan, i. 103. 
 
 — is wonderfully preferved, accufed of blafphemy at Lancaflcr 
 fefTions, where forty priefts appear againfl him, but iij 
 cleared, i. 105, 106, 107. v 
 
 — foretels the diflblution of parliament by force, which fell ou^ 
 accordingly, i. 112, 113. 
 
 — at Carlifle, convinces the Baptifl teacher, i. 114. 
 — - is committed to jail, among thieves and murderers^ as a 
 
 blafphemer, i. 115. 
 •— is at length releafed, i. 125. 
 •— travels through many places in the North, i. 129. 
 — • difputes with feveral prieib at Drayton, i. 163, 164, 
 
 — is taken ; t Whetflone,fent prifoner to the prote<5lor at London^ 
 with whom he has a confereace, and is in a friendly manV 
 ner difrrifFed, i. 165, 166, 167, 168. 
 
 I — writes to the proteiftor refpeding the oath of abjuration* 
 i. 209. • ' . 
 
 — fent to Launccflon jail, i. 218, 219, 
 
 — his trial at the affizes, i. 220. 
 
 — fined and recommitted, i. 2ll. 
 "^ after great fufiering, is releafed; i. 226< , 
 
 «* 
 
 «««• 
 
 »wi 
 
 INDEX, 
 
 rox, George, going to London, he fpeaks with, the proteflor on the 
 road, lhewi»g him the evil of perfecution, goes with E. 
 Pyot to Whitehall, and talks with the proteftor, i. 273 
 
 — — — — his luccefs in Wales, i. 285, 286. . 
 
 : •— travels in. Scotland, i. 287, 288, 
 
 *■ difputes with a Jcfuit, i. 299. 
 
 ■ -writes to the protector's daughter Claypole under rroublci 
 
 writes to the proteflor, difTuading him from becoming king, 
 
 — Speaks with the proteaor at Hampton Court, is invited to his 
 houlc, but fees him no more, i. 315, 316. 
 forefees the refloration, i. 324. 
 
 travels through divers places, labouring in the ^ofpel, i. 403^ 
 
 404. 405. o f > m 
 
 ' exhorts king Charles II. I. 413. 
 • icnt to Lancafler jail, i. 420, 
 
 - what enfucd thereupon till his releafe by the king, I. 42^ , 
 
 a 4'27, t 
 
 — taken again at London, and releafed, i, 437. 
 
 — ' difcourfcs with feme Jefuits, i, 487, 488. 
 
 imprifoned at Leicefter, i. 545. 
 
 tried and found guilty, yet releafed, i, 548. 
 
 ■ • performs many fignal fervices, ii. 61. 
 
 again appreheHded, ii. 63. 
 
 ^ brought to the affizes, ii. 99. 
 
 • proves his indictment erroneous, ii, 104. 
 
 again indidcd and brought in guilty, ii. 106. 
 
 - recommitted, writes to the emperor, kings of France and Spain, 
 and to the pope, ii. 107, 108. * 
 
 - prifoner in Lancader caffcle, ii. 181. 
 • removed to Scarborough cafHe, ii. 182. ' 
 
 - releafbd by order of king Charles II. ii. 198. 
 
 - travels in America, ii. 281. 
 
 - travels in Engiand, goes to Holland, ii. 355. 
 to Hamburg and Fiedricklbdt, ii. 358. 
 
 - his ficknefs, death and cliaradler, ii. 488. 
 his character by T. Eilwood, ii. 488. 
 an epiaie of his, left fealed up, ii. 489. 
 another, concerning his firft miflion, ii. 553. 
 
 Fox, George the younger, convinced, i. 72, 73,' 
 
 wrifecs an exhortation to the army, and prophetically to the 
 
 long parliament after its reftoration, i. 374. 
 ■ ■ imprifoned at Harwich, i. j409, 
 . fcnt for bv parliament, and committed to Lambeth Gatehoufc 
 
 with R. GralTinoham, who after fourteen weeks are dif- 
 
 charged, ii. 411. 
 , abflraa of a book wrote to the king while there, and delivered 
 
 to him by R. Hubberthorh, and afterwards printed, ii. 
 
*! 
 
 I I 
 
 t , 
 
 ^' 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Fox, George the younger, writes to the king agalnfl popery and the abp, 
 
 minarion of the times, ii. 478, 
 
 ^"5 behaviour in his laft ficknefs and at his death, i. 487. 
 
 ~ forefees approaching calamities, ii. 175. 
 
 Friends, the name whereby the Quakers are called amonn themfelves. 
 
 ii. 589. «» ^ 
 
 Friars at Rome, ackno-wledge the truth contained in books given them 
 by S. Fifher and J. Stubbs, but dare not pubhckly profefs 
 it, i. 471. "^ - 
 
 Furnier, Ifaac, ringleader of fome unruly people pretending to be Quakers, 
 but difowned by them, turns Papift, debauched and diflb, 
 iute, i. 232. 
 
 Gardner, Hored, a woman being whipt (with a girl) kneels down and 
 
 prays for her perfecutors, i. 327. 
 Gibbons, Sargh, and Dorothy Waugh, kept fix days in the houfe of cor, 
 
 . redion without vliftuals, and whipt, i. 3^27. 
 GliD, Chriftophtr, prieit at Burford, a perfecutor of the Quakers, is ftruck 
 
 bliod in the pulpit, ij. 342. 
 Glyn, lord chief juIHce, has a long difcouife with G. Fox at his trial. 
 
 i 220. 
 
 God : fome people wlio denied his being, refuted ancj convinced by G, 
 Fox, i. 23. ^ 
 
 ' " teaches his people by his fpi; it, i. 95, 
 
 how good men know they arc in his favour, ii. 335. 
 
 Goodyear, J. imprifoned. i. 208. 
 
 poldfmith, Sarah, te(tifics agiinft pride iti a remarkable way, and is fent 
 
 to prilon, i. J 50. 
 Goodair, Thomas, anH Benjamin Staples, imprifoned at Oxford, out- 
 
 iawed, and (iript of all, for rcfufing to fwear, i. 548. 
 Goodridge, Wm. thirteen years a prifoner, liiffers feverely, ii. 402. 
 Gofpel Mt eflabiiihed by the fword, or law of man, but by the'might, 
 
 power, and fpirit of God, i. 130. 
 GovernmeDt ard Governors, principles of the Quakers, with relation to 
 
 them, i. 139. 
 Grace of God, that hath appeared to all men, able to bring them to the 
 
 favour of God, i. 3 ! . 
 
 • ' ' k brings falvation, and the Hniverfality of it, ii. 222. 
 
 Gracechurch-flreet meeting-houfe built, ii. 221. 
 
 Green, Thomas, a faithful paftor, luffer* fevere dlftrefles on his goods, 
 
 ii. 27G. 
 Green, Theophilus, fervant to O. Cromwell, convinced by F. Howgill. 
 
 i. 141. ' ^ 
 
 ^T^T'TT ^^ i" the Ttocks and feverely fined, and fent to Newgate by 
 
 juftice Hawtree, with a remarkable mittimus, ii. 277. 
 
 — — : fee his fuiferings, ii. 450, 451. 
 
 Greetings, G. Fox is forbid to ufe them, i. 32, 33. 
 
 ^ -- — — the principles .of the Quakers concerning them, ii, G00» 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Gwln, Paul, a BaptJft, finds fault with G. Fox, who foon puts him to. 
 iii»;nce;i. 272. ^ 
 
 H 
 
 Hacker, col. Francis, fends for G. Fox, from whom ho has a prophetu 
 cal warning, i. 166. * ^ 
 
 •— his wife and ma iliai convinced by G. Fox. i. 209. 
 
 — •— — be is hanged cind quartered for high treafon,'i. 435. 
 S iu' . ^J"^^^^' di^^^^^^^rgcs G. Fox by proclamation, ii. 2^9. 
 tialhead, Miles, a zealous preacher, i. 100. 
 
 -' ^^ '^ b^^^^" by the order of jufh'ce Preflon's wife, and two 
 
 very notable occurrences refpeding her at Skipton ; he is 
 beaten till he is nigh unto death ; miraculoudy healed ; 
 at Doncaftcr meets with like treatment ; a remarkable oc- 
 currcncc concerning his wife, i. 118, 120. 
 
 ^ at Stanley chapel he is thrown over a wall, and wonderfully 
 
 recovered pf his bruifcs, i. 122. 
 
 ' goes to Newcaftle, he is there imprifoned. and relcafed 
 
 again; many by him are convinced, i. 123. 
 
 rz — : goes to Ireland with James Lancaller and Miles Bateman, 
 
 wherethey pioclaim the truth, they return to England, 
 from thence with James Lancafter, he goes to Scotland, 
 are in danger of being floned at Dumfries, vifit feverai 
 places m Scotland, and return to England, i. 158 a 160. 
 
 f— ^ is imprifoned at Berwick, where fome remarkable occur- 
 rences happen, i. 160. 
 
 — he tells the queftion the prieft defigns to afk him, a»d an- 
 fwers it, is releafed and goes home, i. 161. 
 
 ■—gpes to London, from thence with T. Salthoufe to Exeter 
 and Plymouth, where he is much peifecuted and im- 
 prifoned, and remains fo for many months, i. 193. 194 
 196, 197,198. • 
 
 — the fate of fome of his perfecutors, ii. 2 17, 218. 
 -i has a long conference with general Lambert, ii. 287. 
 
 his letter to G. Fox, ii. 289, 290. 
 
 Hamilton, Alexander, ere^s a meeting-houfe at Drumbowy and Heads 
 
 in Scotland, and is convinced, i. 159. 
 •_ is one of the firft Scotch preachers of that perfuadon, a re- 
 
 markable pafTage concerning him, i. 159. 
 Hammerfly, Thomas, foreman of a jury without an oath, his veriid 
 
 commcndedbythejudge, i. 162. 
 Harris, Charles, joins with the feparatifts, i. 401. 
 
 Harrifon,a priefl in Dublin, alTents to the truth of B. Blaugdon's fpeecli 
 
 to the deputy, i. 190. ' 
 
 Garwood, John, t?ken at Burcs in Suffolk, examined and fent to iaiL 
 
 i. 214. -^ ' 
 Hat-honour forbid to G. Fox,i. 32, 
 . difuiedby \V. Caton, being convinced, I. 170. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 1^ 
 
 Haydock, John and Roger, convinced, and both become preachers, 
 ii*. 217. 
 
 ■ the dea:h of Roger, his characfler by his widow, ii. 536, 537. 
 
 Heavens, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth Fletcher's cruel fufFerings at Oxford, 
 
 i. 110, 119. 
 Helliar, John, and fir John Knight, two violent perfecutors at Brillol, 
 
 ii. 416. » 
 
 Herefy, what punifliment belongs to it, i. 477, 
 Hide, judge, an active perfecutor, ii. 14j. 
 
 • — dies fuddeniy, ii. 185. 
 
 Hide, Matthew, an eminent oppofer of the Qnakers for about 20 years, 
 
 dies penitent, ii. 317. 
 Hignel, Jeremy, taken from his fhop, and fent to prifon withoat a mit- 
 timus, for being a Quaker, i. 149. 
 Hignel, Temperance, fo violently abufed, that (he died in three days, 
 
 i. 131, 
 Hire, thofe who teach for hire, not minifters of Chrift, ii. 123. 
 Hirelings and falle prophets pre.\ch for wages, i, 1G4. 
 Hiilory, the defign of this. i. 10. 
 
 and to ftir up others to "improve It for the benefit of pofleritv, 
 
 i. lUi. 
 Hodflione, Robert, the criieltles pra6lifed on him by the Dutch in 
 
 America, at the inlHgation of the Englifli, i. 370. 
 Holder^ Chriflophvr, and John Copeland, cruelly whipped and im- 
 piifoncd, &c. at Bofton, i. 201. 
 
 — • they with John Rous had their right cars cut off, and were 
 
 afterwards whipt, i. 33 i, 335, 
 Hooten, Elizabeth, one of the firfi convinced, i. 23. 
 
 ■ preaches publickly, i. 01. ■* 
 
 ■ cruelly ufjd in New En{;land. i. 5Q9. 
 
 Jioufe ofCoiumonspafs^thc Bill of Exclufion, Their refolution againff 
 CTiecuting the penal laws on Protcftant di/Tenters, ii. 385. 
 
 Houfe of God, a building of lime and {):one, abfurdly fo called, i. 101, 102, 
 
 Hotham, juftice, entertains G. Fox in a friendly manner, i. 74. ' 
 
 Howard, Luke, convinced by W. Caton, i. 173. 
 
 • ■ S. Fifher. a prielt, in endeavouring to convince hrm of the 
 
 lawfulnefs of (inging pfalms, is by him convinced to thq 
 contrary, i. 174. -* 
 
 Howgill, FraRcis, convinced by G. Fox, i. 88, 89. 
 
 -■ a fiurt account of him : becomes a minifter, and is im« 
 
 prifon^dat Appleby, i. 91, 92. 
 
 — — — — goes to London, and is one of the firfl who preaches there at 
 , a Quaker's meeting,!. 136, 137, 
 
 •- — goes to Court, and fpeaks to O. Cromwell, i. 139. 
 
 ■ writes to him in .i prophetical fpirit and (tyle, i. 139. 
 
 — is fix months in Ireland, and afterwards baniflied, i. 188. 
 
 ■ — writes a paper for encouragement in time of hot perfeciu 
 
 tion, ii. 17. 
 — — is imprifoned for not fwearing, ii, 90, 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Howgill, Francis, appears at the afHzes at Ajjpleby, ii. 109, 
 ■ — ^ is recommitted, ii. 112. 
 
 — his trial : he is outlawed and imprifoned, ii. 124, 
 
 " dies in Appleby jail, ii. 233. 
 
 • his advice to his daughter, ii. 225. 
 
 Hubberthorn, Richard, a zealous preacher, i. 100. 
 
 • ^'\'^}}^, ^^'t'^^^'> ^^'^^ »^t of a meeting, and left bound In 
 
 the fielas in the winter, i. 119. 
 
 " Soes to Norwich, where he is imprifoned, and writes eplflles 
 
 of exhortation to his friends, his birth, parentage, former 
 lire and charaaer, i. 151, 152. 
 
 .•"~- he ^^^ ^oi^g difcourfe with king Charles the Second, I. 428, 
 
 .—— he ^s violently haled from Bull and Mouth meeting, and fent 
 
 ^ to Newgate, where he dies, ii. 51 . 
 
 Hutchlns, John, imprifoned without caufe or warrant,!. 207. 
 Hufs, John, his martyrdom, i, 1. 
 
 Hutton, Thomas, entertains G. Fox after he had b?en forely abufed. 
 i. 104. ^ y ^"> 
 
 Hypocrify of the Parliament reproved by G. Fox, i. 135. 
 
 Hi%ical knowledge of Chrifl not commonly manifefted to us but by the 
 
 holy Scriptures, though Cod can impart it otherwife, 
 
 II. 331. 
 
 Jackus, a priefl, remarkably confounded by G. Fox, i*. lOG. 
 Jailer of Dc-i by prifon enraged againit G. Fox, i. 50. 
 
 • • his vifion and repentance, i. 51. 
 
 r Launcerton prifon, his inhuman treatment of G. Fox and two 
 
 companions, i. 225. 
 
 — he is turned out and put Into the dungeon, where he ends 
 
 his days,i. 220. 
 
 ' of Bo/ton in New England, his barbarous cruelty to W. 
 
 Brend, i. 329. / 
 
 of Lancafter Caftle, his cruelty to G. Fox, foon after which 
 
 he dies, 11. 181. 
 
 of Ilcheller, Davis ^nd Newberry, their miferabic condition. 
 
 11. 419. 
 
 :; — ""^e'* J^iJer at Carllfle, his cruelty to G. Fox, i. 126. 
 
 James Second proclaimed king ; the diffenters petition him for liberty of 
 
 worfhip, ii. 400. '' 
 
 —^ hy kis proclamation puts a ftop to perfccution, ii. 410. 
 
 — bis order for cafe to Quakers at Barbadoes, ii. 420. 
 
 . , publifhes his declaration for liberty of confcience, ii. 431. 
 
 his order to the Lord Mayor to admit Quakers to offices, 
 
 11. 440. 
 
 -,. . ^, ^"^^''3 a Quaker to be covered In his prefence, ii. 441 . 442. 
 Ibbit; ihomas, denounces the judgment of fire againfl London two davs 
 before it begaBj ii. 199, 
 
INDEX. 
 
 JefTerics; lord chief juflice, infamous for the many difmal executions {tf 
 
 the well, ii. 4^0. 
 Jefuit, one challenges the Quakers to difpute at the Earl of Newport'^ 
 
 houle, fonie ot whom met him, i. '299, 
 Jevans, Evan, his account why he became a Quaker, ii. 604. 
 Imprifonmenti, more than 4200 Quakers in prnon in fin^Iand^ Bnd many 
 
 die there, ii, 1. 
 * - ■ " account of the number of prifoners in the fcveral counties. 
 
 ii 415. 
 
 king James fcts all at liberty, except thofe for tithes, ii. 425, 
 
 Indian prince, his kindaefs to a perfecuted Englifliman, and faying con* 
 
 cerning the Engliih, i. '17'Z, 
 Indidmcnt of feveral perfons taken at a meeting in Southwark, ii. 19, ^0, 
 
 of John Crook, with fome remarks on it, ii. 42. 
 
 . — G. fox proves his erroneous, ii. 103. 
 
 Informers, their bafcncfs and cruelty, ii. 275, 276. 
 ' the fudden death of one of them, ii. 258, 
 
 —wicked perfons encouraged to become informers again 
 fenters, ii.273. 
 
 ft dif- 
 
 fuddcn and remarkable end of one at Norwich, ii. 376* 
 
 Shad burnt in the hand, ii. 405. 
 
 Hilton committed to Newgate, ii. 417, 418. 
 
 Infpiration of the Spirit of God ; by it we believe the words and writings 
 
 of the prophets to be divine, ii. 329. 
 J©hn, ap John, fent by a prieft in Wales to enquire concerning the Quak' 
 
 ers ; is convinced ; becomes a preacher, i. 133. 
 
 is imprifoned, i. 285, 286. 
 
 Jury, trial by jury refufed the Quakers in New England, i. 333. 
 
 — - llrange advice to a jury on the Conventicle Ad, ii. 410. 
 
 1^— . — barbarous ufagc of Penn and Mead, who are fined and im<» 
 
 prifoned, ii. 269, 
 
 K 
 
 Keith, George, with others difputes with the Baptifts in London, ii. 302. 
 — difputes at Aberdeen with fome of the fcholars, four of whonj 
 
 are convinced, ii. 311, 312. 
 
 — goes with W. Penn, &c. into Holland, kc. ii. 364. 
 
 fome account of his apoftacy, ii. 493. 
 
 returns to England, ii. 495. 
 
 . preaches at Turner's Hall, conforms to the church of Eng-^ 
 
 land, and is ordained, ii. 496. 
 
 ■ ■ ■ charges the Quakers with heterodoxy ; challenges them to 
 
 meet him at Turner's Hall, which they decline for rea-» 
 fons affigned, ii. 526. 
 I charges Quakers with fuch points as he had notably defended^ 
 
 ii. 532. 
 
 ■ is much in favour with the clergy, ii. 548. 
 
 ■ is fent to America, and returns with little fuccefs, and gets Sk 
 
 benefice in Suffex, ii. 574. 
 
 Index. 
 
 Kmgdom of Chrift is fetting \ip,by his own power, i. 280; 
 Xirby, colonel, his cruelty to G. Fox, ii. 107. 
 
 Knight, fir John, and J. Heliiar, two violent perfecutors at Briflol il. 
 387. ' 
 
 Labbadie, John de, a noted teacher in Holland, il. 350. 
 Lampit, William, prieft at Ulverftone, oppofed by G Fox i 04 
 
 ■ — put to filence by G. Fox, i. 98, 99. ' ^ ' ' 
 
 -^ , — friends barbaroufly ufed by his hearers, i. 10^ ' 
 
 . he with another prieft are filenced, when iviilerHalhead went 
 
 into the houie where W. Lampit was preaching, i. 123. 
 • his death, 11. 319. ** 
 
 Lancafter, James, his wife throws ftones at G. Fox, i. 103.- 
 
 ftie repents, and becomes one of his friends, i. 105 
 
 he acconipanies Miles Halhead into Ireland, and afterwards 
 
 into Scotland, i. 158, 159. 
 Launcefton, mayor of, a cruel perfecutor, i. 225. 
 Languages and fclences not requifite to make a minifter of Chrift, i. 298. 
 laws ongmally defigned againft Papifts executed againft Proteftant dif- 
 
 lenters, 1. 441. 
 
 an abftraa of them interfperfed with cafes, i. 441, 443, 444, 
 
 Laws in equity fhould extend no farther than there is power in man to 
 obey, ii. 179. 
 
 t ;: •J?'^'^^ ^" ^^^ England againft the Quakers, i. 328, 338. 
 
 Lawfon, Thomas, convinced by G. Fox, and becomes a preacher, i. 96. 
 Xawfon, Wilrrid, high foe: iff, a great enemy to G. Fox when in Carlifle 
 
 prilon, 1. 115. 
 Lawyers arc without juftice and equity, for want of the true knowledge 
 
 and wildom, 1. 30. 
 
 -^ an expoftulation with them, I. 253. 
 
 Le Clerc, John, his conftancy in martyrdom, i. 3. 
 
 Leddra, William, taken up at Newberry, and fent to the hoi^fe of cor. 
 
 redlion at Bofton. Was kept five days without food, and 
 
 nad twenty lalhes with a three corded whip, i. sog 
 ' though banifhed on pain of death he returned to Bofton, is 
 
 ^aken up, and chained to a log of wood day and night, i, 
 
 is thus brought to court and examined ; receives fentence of 
 
 death ; writes to his friends, i. 4d2. 
 his execution, i. 465, 466. 
 
 Letchford, Leonard, a cruel perfecutor; his fudden death, i. 549, 550, 
 Liberty of confcience, the proteftor's fpeech for it i 144 
 
 the pretended affertors of it perfecute more fiercely than the 
 
 iipilcopahans had done before, i 151 
 proimfe^d by king Charles the Second in his'declaration, 1. 406, 
 
 - the court feems Inclined to it but prevented It, i. 436 
 
 - a little i)ook cogccmlng it prefented to the king, i. 491, 
 
 \ ; 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Liberty of c»nfclencc, cxpcded from king James the Second, ii. 410, 
 
 — but is fettled by king William in his firil parliament, ii. 409^ 
 
 470. 
 Licentioufnefs of the prefs, a bill for rcflraining it brought into parlia- 
 ment, ii. 540. 
 
 • confiderations relating to It offered by the Quakers and given 
 
 to the members, ii. 5 10. 
 
 iioht of Chrift, vide i. 97, 194, ^80. 
 
 X.ilburn, John, lieutenant-colonel, reproves the proteflor, I. 210. 
 ■ — his chara^fter; imprifoned, tried for trcafon, acquitted, yet kept 
 
 prifoner during the prote<5lor's life, and afterwards co»- 
 vinced, i. 211,212,213. 
 
 Lockhart, governor of Dunkirk, i. 352, 
 
 — — fends for E. Burrough and S. Fiflier, and difcourfes with them" 
 
 in a friendly mann^jr, i. 355, 
 
 Lodowick, Charles, elevf>or palatine, his kind entertainment of W. Ames, 
 and his friends, i. 340, 311. 
 
 X.oe, Thomas, a zealous minifler of the gofpel ; his dying words ; W. 
 Penn convinced by him, ii. 227. 
 
 London, F. Howgill and A. Pearfon, the firft of the Quakers who held 
 a meeting there, i.l 3G, 137. 
 
 ' meeting-houfes built and meetings fettled there, i. 141, 142. 
 
 ■ Quakers are feverely perfccuted ; about 500 of them impri- 
 foned, ii. 2. 
 
 ■ many inftances of barbarous cruelties, ii. 3, 4, 15, 16. 
 
 ■ pellilence incrcales ; above 8000 people die in one week, iu 
 
 172, 173. 
 
 — fire breaks out, by which above 1320 houfes were burnt, ii, 
 
 199. 
 
 Love, mutual Chriflian love amongfl friends, i. 346. 
 
 Love, John, travels to Leghorn, Venice, Rome, where for his teftlmony 
 he IS put in the inquifition, and dies, i. 433. 
 
 Lower, Thomas, convinced by G. Fox in LaunceftoB jail, i. 225. 
 
 — — — — imprifoned with him at Worcefter, ii. 286. 
 
 ■ — fet at liberty, pleads for G. Fox, and fmartly reprimands Dr^ 
 
 Crowder, ii. 292. 
 
 Lucern, valley of, proteftants there much perfccuted, i. 306. 
 
 Lurtin, Thomas, a fighting failor, becomes a peaceable Chriflian, meets 
 with many troubles by being prefled into tHe king's fer- 
 vice ; is taken by an Algerine j retakes the fhip without 
 fighting ; lands the Turks on the Barbary Ihore ; on his 
 return, the king being informed of the circumftance, went 
 and difcourfcd with the matter and mate about it; ii. 7^ 
 to 80. 
 
 Lindy, a blind man of 90, feverely ufed at Briftol, ii. 395. 
 
 IM - 
 
 Magiftracy, the end and dcfign of it, I. 320; 
 
 . — its degeneracy, i. 321. 
 
 ' — ■ ■ » the Quakers opinion concerning Itj i. 43U 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Maglflrates of Boflon, in New England, encouraged by the priefts in 
 perfecution, i. 330. ^ j f '-'■^^ ^ 
 
 makes a cruel order, which is cruelly executed, i 361 
 ' good and bad, our duty to each refpedively, i 431 
 
 rj- how far their power extenderh, i. 478 
 
 Magna Charta, proceedings againft Quakers contrary to It ii 1^ 
 Malta, English confulacce(r.r'y to thTputting two inghfh wLen'in the 
 inquuition, I. 501. 
 
 his death, i. 515. 
 
 • C. Evans writes to its rulers, i. 527. 
 
 Tl 777 ^ <^''eadful tempeft and earthquake, i.' 305 
 
 Mansfield, Woodhoure, people fall upon G. fox in rhe fteeple-houfe, and 
 
 . ""ke h.m down, Sec. a diltraaed woman quieted i 37 
 
 Marnage. the pnncple of the Quakers relating thereto. Ii 58a ' 
 
 Marlh, , efq one of the lung's bed-chamber, a friend to G. Fox, 
 
 ^^• ~ ^'Js extraordinary refpecSt for him, ii. 198 
 
 - IS made jultice of peace, continues kind to G. Fox and other 
 
 ^ friends, ii. 221, 222, 223. 
 
 IWarfhal, Charles, convinced; travels through the nation in the heat of 
 perfecution, yet none lay hands on him, neither is he 
 lined for preaching, i. 142. 
 Marfhal, Henry, a perfecuting prieft, his prefumptuous faying from the 
 TIT n 1, . P^^Ft, and f^a death, 11. 212, 213. 
 Marflia , pneft fpreads faife and flanderous reports of G. For i 87 
 Marfhall, Elizabeth, imprifoned at Briftol, i. 146 ' ^^' 
 
 Mafs-houfes not the houfes of God, i. 101. 
 
 Meeknefs and patieP.cc, notable inftances of them, i. 181 ii 68 60 
 Meeting, the firft great one kept in Nottinghamfhire ; an ^xt atd nary 
 one at Mansheld ; of profeffors aud others vifited in feve! 
 . ^ ral places, i. 30,31. ^^^ 
 
 Meetings fettled, i. 31; 
 
 Several raeeting-houfes ereded at London, i. I42 
 
 A general meeting^at^^Swannington in Bedfordfliire, and at Skipton, 
 
 Meetings fre^ue.^^^^^^^ -d perfons 
 
 — beaten and grievoufly wounded, fome even to death, and when 
 
 friends were kept by force out of their meeting-houfes 
 they meet in the ftreet, ii. 23. 
 
 — J yearly meeting at London, ii. 239. 
 
 • fome convinced in fiient meetings, ii, 5^5 
 
 ~ meeting-hou/e at RatclifFe pulled down, ii.' 258 
 
 Military employment te/tified a^amft, i. 152. 
 
 Mdler, P^^^'P> J^^volunteer m perfecution, difturbing meetings without 
 
 £l!lL7?o^S-'7?''^^^ ^'"^^'^^^ "^^ g-^^ ^^^"^ g'^^^' «• 298. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Miiiiflcrs of the \vord, above 60 of them ralfed among the Quakefs, g9 
 
 Odi in the fcrvice of the gofpel ; the names ot feveral of 
 
 them, i. 130. 
 Monk, general, gives an order againft foldlers difturbing friends meetings, 
 
 i. 40G. 
 Motions of the body and mind diftinguifhed, ii. 338, 339. 
 Muoaleton, Lodowick, and John Reeves, their monftrous blafphemies, 
 
 **** a book publifiied againft him by R. Farnfworth, ii. 93. 
 
 ,_—— to v«^hich he replies, ii. 91. 
 Murder, flrange account of one at Dublin, i. 191, 19^. 
 Miifgrave. fir Fhilip, a perfecutor of Friends, and a violent profecutor 
 of F. Howroill, ii. 108. 
 
 N 
 Naylor, James, convinced by G. Fox, becomes a preacher, i. 73. 
 .. reproved by G. F. and friends at Brillol, i. 233. 
 
 ^ — his birth and education, &c. i. 231. 
 
 .^ the beginning of his fall, i. 230. 
 
 . his procelfion into Briftol, taken up there, examined, and fent 
 
 to London to be examined by the parliament, their refolu- 
 
 tion and fcntcnce, i. 236, 237. 
 
 petitions on his behalf, i. 238. 
 
 publick preachers prevail with the Protedor not to flop his 
 
 punilhment, i. 231. 
 
 — — fentence executed at London, I. 241. 
 
 he comes to a true repentance of his tranfgreflion, and pub- 
 
 lifties feveral books and papers by way of recantation, i. 
 
 244, 245, 246, 247. 
 Extradl from the preface to hisworks. — See Appendix, vol. i. 
 his crime not owing to the doftrine of which he made pro- 
 
 feflion, but to his being exalted in his own opinion, i. 267. 
 
 — his dying words, i. 269, 
 
 I^ewcalUe, mayor of, troubled for imprlfoning M. Halhead; fets him at 
 
 liberty, i. 123, 124. 
 Kew England, perfecution there, i. 271. 
 
 . cruel lav;s made, i. 328. 
 
 : Nicholas Davis baniftied on pain of death, i. 382. 
 
 their deputies come to England to defend their cruelty, but 
 
 fearing danger, retreat, i. 258. 
 . — impious exprcflions of fome of the magiftrates, i. 574. 
 
 a relation of their proceedings publiflied, i. 579. 
 
 Nimeguen, th-^ ^ norefs there. The apology, and a letter written ia 
 
 Latin by R. Barclay, delivered to each ambaflador, &c. 
 
 11. 374. 
 Korten, John, prieft at Bofton in New England, encourages the magif- 
 
 trates in perfecution, i. 331. 
 e with other priefts petition for a law to banifh Quakers on 
 
 pain of death, i. 335. 
 
 . »— his fudden and remarkable death, ii. 629. 
 
 Norwich, R. Hubberthorn and G. Whitehead go thither, by whofe mi- 
 
 ni.^ry a meeting i^ fettled there, i. 136^ 151, 152, 
 
 Oath., reafons why the Quakers rcfufe to take them, Sec. and petition oa.- 
 
 s:l:;,i tr"°" ""^^ "''" ""''> "'^^ ^^^ °f 
 
 Oath of fidelity to O Cromwell refufed by his foldiers, convinced of the 
 
 f >"^''^." P^Oi^fio". who thereupon are diftanded. i 135 
 
 — of abjuration of the pope, refufed and why, i. 197 ' 
 
 -— of fupremacy, i, 44G. ' 
 
 Oaths, no 8°fpel ordinance, a book written by F. Howgil againft oath,. 
 
 <ioa'ineoJth,<:>,^,,, concerning oaths net abfolutely ne. 
 
 n,.J,„ „f II • ""'"y 'o government, 11 577. '' 
 
 Oaths °f »"'2'-" and fupvemacy tendered to Quakers, and by then. 
 
 547. 550 sf^"'' '"'""" *"' P^i^cuting them, i. 515. 
 
 Oppreflbd, God hears th'em, 'and brings diftrefs on their perfecutors. {. 
 
 Orange, prince of, king William HI. the glorious inftrument of eftablilh- 
 
 ing liberty of confcieuce by law, ii 472 
 IT '~ P ?' "^••""'t'"'"'' ^""1 a2bciations thereupon.'ii. 534. 
 
 blb;;^"l;;^'r'r"^f f 'r'r^"'''''^'''''P'"'"Sthef'eairociations, ii. 535. 
 VJlburn. Wra. one of the firft Scotch preachers of the Quakers, i. I 59. 
 
 IsT ^ '"^"*'" "'°"^' ''«""•<= a "»!»"' minifter. i. 
 
 Oxford, cruel ^"^ Wbarous ufage of Elizabeth Heavens and Elizabeth 
 
 153 ' *' ^"^^ °^ *''°'" '^'='' f°°° »ftcr, i. 
 
 .- ) 
 
 Pope, Blanche, confuted by G. Fox, il. 60. 
 i-aets, Adrian his argument againft revelation, ii. 326,327 
 I 77" -''"^^^^^d^by R. Barclay and others, ii. 328, 346, 331 
 i'age,John, mayor of Plynjoath, his unjuft treatment of M. Hdhed and 
 1 . baltlioufe, 1. 196. 
 
 n,akes excufe for^itin a letter to general Defborough, who 
 . ishttlefatisfiedwithit, ii.214. . ^ 
 
 rapilts endeavour to make profelytes of Quakers, i 487. 
 
 Parl^T? ^^^^".^" "'^'^*' 1^^'"^^ '^^"'' executed againft 'Quakers, if. 125. 
 i arkcr, Alexander, an early miniihr, i. 170. 
 
 Z 'r~ ^^5 ^^'^th and chara^er, ii. 472.* 
 
 darnel, James, a youth of fixteenvifiting G. Fox in Carl ifle dungeon, 
 oTtre go^p'el; ri^^^^^^^^ ^'''"" a powerful mi'nillcr 
 
 ~ 1'°'*°.^^ Retford, and trained up in literature, i. 182. 
 
 imprilpned at Cambridge ; d.fputes with the fcholars, and is 
 rudely created ; goes to a faft at Coggefhall ; reafons with 
 and confounds pneft Willis, though but about eighteen 
 years of age; he is fent to Colchefter prifon, and from 
 
 2x2 
 
INDEX. 
 
 « 
 
 thence to Chelmsford felTions, chained night and day with 
 felons and murderers, i. 184, 186. 
 Parnel, James, is indiaed, fined, and fent back to Colchefter Caltle, 
 
 i. 187. , u 
 
 . unpr.rAlled cruelty exercifed towards him there, proves the 
 
 caufe of his death, i. 187. r„ , . j 
 
 raftor, independent, preaching againft the Quakers, falls down as dead, 
 brought ag;iin to life, but never to his right ienles, i. 2h7, 
 Pearfon, Anthony, convinced, i. 113. , 
 
 . rcfufed accefs to G Fox in Carhfle dungeon, i. 124. 
 
 one of the hrd Quakers that preached at London, i. 136. 
 
 he and T. Aldhani vilit moll of the jails, and get copies ot 
 
 Fiiends convidiens to lay before O. Ciomwelt, i. 313. 
 Pembleton, Brian, a New England Magiftrate, perfccutor and blafphc 
 
 mer, i. 574. 
 Pcnn, William, his education and convincement, ii. 221. 
 publiflies a book, for which he is committed to the Tower, 
 
 ii.'230. 
 
 . is tried with Wm. Mead at the Old Bailey, ii. 1^9. ^ 
 
 goes into Holland, and travels into Germany with R. Bar- 
 
 clav 11 355 
 with whom he v'lrits the princefs Elizabeth, and travels fur- 
 ther into Germany, ii. 356. 
 . writes to the princefs EHxabeth, the countefs of Homes, and 
 
 to the eledor Palatine, ii. 357. ** • oi 
 goes to VViewart, where he fpeaks with Anne Maria Shcr- 
 
 man.theSomerdykes, and Peter Ivon the French palbr ; 
 
 goes to Embden, when he fpeaks with the burgomailer 
 
 Andre, ii. 358. 
 
 his letter to him againft pcrfeoition, ii. 360. 
 
 . revifitsthe princefs and countefs, ii. 364. 
 
 difputes at Amllerdam, ii. 366. 
 
 ^ arrives at Harwich, thence j^oesto London, ii. 368. 
 
 . writes to the princefs, ii. 369. r>x. i 
 
 , Pennfylvania granted to him and his heirs by king Lharxcs 
 
 ll.ii. 386. _. . ^ .J r 
 his fpeech to king James II. on his delivering the addrels 
 
 from the yearly meeting, and the king's anfwer, ii. 437. 
 _: blames the timing out of the fellows of Magdalen College, 
 
 ii 442. .. 
 
 anfwers the refleaion of his being a Papilt, ii. 453. 
 
 piefents an addrefs to queen Anne, "• ^^l. 
 
 Penn, admiral, fent by the Protedor with a fleet to the Weft Indies, i. 215. 
 
 his dying fentiments and advice to his fon, ii 387. 
 
 Pennington, Ifaac, a prifoner, writes to the king and parliament of the 
 
 unreafonablenefs of perfecution, ii. 175. 
 a queftion propofed by him to both houfes of parharaent, 
 
 * * 1 ^O 
 
 __— - fhort account of his convincement, death, and burial, ii. 376, 
 his accouDt of himfcif, ii. 555 to 558. 
 
 l.VDEX, 
 
 Pcnry, juftlce, profecufed on the aa aaai-flft oe«fInn,I .„„f • •• 
 008,809 occalional conformity, ii, 
 
 • ^'"P'' °^ ^°'^:,,i/:r'^^ T'r"' °^ '"■' ""^"S to KmMf^ people i„ 
 
 SXlT. ^r'jSr *=^'"'""'°" '0 P^"-" and 
 Perfcaion. -corr,.c„ded ^by G. Fox. and defended ^aioft fon,e pro- 
 
 Pcrrot,JohB, travels into Italy with T Lov^ . ;- • r , r. 
 __ and releafed. i:433 ^' ' ' in^pnfoned at Rome. 
 
 gives way to vain imaginations, i. 489, 490. 
 
 " • ^"^ abandons his profellion, i '491 
 
 ^ hjs anfwers tb alderman Brown, ii.'g. 
 
 f'% '^' ''^"thor of a paper fathered by Rogers's party on 
 , H.. Burrou;'h, 11. 40O. ^ ^ ^ " 
 
 rerfecution at Brifbl, i. 143. 
 
 in New EngKind, i. 268. 
 
 ,s contrary to Ch: ifl, his apoflles, and Chriftlanitv 1 97s 
 
 „,exculable ,n the profefe of relioion, i 307 7 210 
 
 ZZ ^^'T^''^' ^"^ ^°«"^'J war.ed againU it i'. 313 
 
 '" London and elfewhere, i. 3^3 ' 
 
 p,ne flop put to itby chan.oo ofVvernment, i. UQ 
 
 IS very fevere throughout England, ii. ], 143 160 
 
 ,s at a (fund, which U.fpleafes forne churchmVn', if. «39 
 
 IS rene-.ved, 11. <2l;0. 2.51. ' ' * 
 
 "ges in the cou-try, ii. 258. 
 "lany inftances of it, ii. 075 ^g 030 
 
 r~; a ''o;) !'v.t to it, ii. .J 1 7. 
 
 PerfecLUor,, thei, difna! fate, ii 218, 313, 31 }, 394. 
 excellent advice to them, ii. J50. 
 J- f^-'t dies penitent, ii. 520, 
 -_- wrenched end „f .Alexander Rudock, ii 522 
 
 Petuion of ,h= Quakers to king fames I f. ii. m 
 
 two papers prefen.ed to hinv in one of .vhich" was the num 
 PI r • n. ^^'. "^P"'«n^"-s i^ every county, ii. 412 to 41 ■-, 
 PhyHcans fhouid be .n the wifdon, of 'cod, b^: wh^ch the re'atures were 
 p-rt I , ■ ,""''^' '^ ''"=y ^■"'°"'d know their virtues i "^ 
 
 Piftol, one held to G. Fox's bread would no"eo off a^d ^i?; 
 ^, . ^ _ away trembling, i. 103. ^ °^' '"^ *' '»^'' *"' 
 
 Plain fpeech required of G. Fox, i. 32. 
 r-— - -- rcafons for ufing it, i. 33, 486. 
 
 ^lays, (hows, wakes, may-games, &c.teftifieda"ainflbvG Pav ; r,. 
 1 ope, .nnocent Xr. two letters to hi™, with queries'tt^T™ ITg': !„% 
 
 ?oTi^%\Se"::d: 1- 1;'" ''"■' " '"'''''- "-^ g--" "^ "• - 3". . 
 
 Preachers. 16..2. are25 in „u.,er. and every wh:re .eet *itH opp. 
 
 ^T3 
 
INDFX. 
 
 Prenchlng of the Qiiakers, atfir^ of what it confifted,i. It. 
 
 Prefi,, Qua'.rrs cciiiii J-'-^*Tons on the bill to re{i:rain it, ii. 340. 
 
 Preilon, Thorn ^, h:s w Te irakes her fcrvant beat M. Halhed for pafanor 
 
 b) her w.thou^- erecting ; flie ionietimc after dies in a 
 
 raifcjrMblc condition, i. 118,119. 
 — her ferv.int mucii i:oub'cd with what he had done ; three 
 
 yeq(£s after bc,,s f.T^ivenefs, i. 120, 
 PrefumptioB of the church ot "omc, i. 4h8 489. 
 Pretences for imprifooir.^ Q^aktrs groundicrs and frivolous, i. 192, 189, 
 
 218, jinafccjiicL ^ 
 
 Pride, a \va»'n:'r:' to yojng people agnin^l it, ii. 562. 563. 
 Pricfts endeavc tf to pcrfu.ide pople that there is no pofTibility of being 
 • fiecQ from iin in this hfe, i. 42. 
 
 — how the\ decLivtd the people, i. 68. 
 
 — when they heard of G. Fox's coming, they would hide them- 
 
 fclvcs, i. 76. 
 
 . thr y poiTtfs not what thev fpeak of to others, i. P3. 
 
 — — ha^e r.ot the word of the Lord, as the prophets and apodlea 
 
 had, i. 100. 
 
 . fruits of their miniAry, i. 105. 
 
 they flir up to perfccution, i. 143» 144, 322. 
 
 their lives and practifes difagrce with their do(5brine, i. 201. 
 
 why they are fometimes treated a little rauglily, i. 218. 
 
 - their domineering pride and covetoufncfs, ii. 187. 
 
 Prince, Thomas, governor of 1 ly mouth, his barbarous expreffion con-* 
 ceining the Quaker^;, i. 378. 
 
 Prifoncrs to lie long in a jail dangeious to their morals, i. 67. 
 
 — fome very wicked ones are kind to G. Fox, and become con- 
 verts, i. 1 16. 
 
 ProfefTors of the ii^ht, Quakers were formerly fo called, i. 43. 
 
 Prophecy of the priefts, iliut the Qiiakers would be all gene in half a 
 
 yci 
 
 i. lo: 
 
 Prophetical warnings, layinos, and paiTages, i. 165. 
 
 • — ' -of G. F'^x 10 colonel Hi^cker, i. 165. 
 
 ot B. Blaugdone to Judc Pepes at Dublin, i. 189. 
 
 — ofa won^Lti before the parliament, i. 312. 
 
 of Crcm\vell'sfail,by T. Aldham, i. 313. 
 
 — by B. Burrough, i. 313, 314, 326, 351, 352, 358 to 374, 
 
 of C. Fox, Jan. to tl.e parliament and army, i. 400. 
 
 •^— of VV. Chriitifon to captain Aldcrton, i. 467. 
 
 — and to the court of Hoilon. i. 475. 
 
 of G. Fox, jun, to his f; iends, i. 474. 
 
 cf C. Evans, i. 196, 510, 514. 
 
 of F. Howg I, ii. 17. 
 
 . of G Blfnop ta the king and Parliament, ii. 160. 
 
 Profelyr.es, J-Tuits endeavour to make them from among the Quakers, 
 
 but in vain, i. 488. 
 Puritans when i) cal ed, i. 8. 
 Furfloe, captain, rejoices for the fpreading of the truth, i. 74, 81. 
 
 INDEX. * 
 
 Pyot. Edward, fellow traveller with G. Fox, is taken Into cufloilr at 
 Ives, i. 218. ^ 
 
 -—— was formerly a captain, writes to iudee Glvn, ii. 9^5. 
 
 Pattifon, M imprifoned, i. 207. ^^ 
 
 P^ace, the firft ftep thereto is to fland ftill in the light that difcovers fin 
 and tranfgreiTions, i. 97. 
 
 * 
 
 Quakers, fo called in fcorn, i. 10. 
 
 ■ the reafoBS for their plain carriage and fl^ecch, which prov^ 
 
 the occafion of great trouble and perfecution to them, 
 
 fome priefts convinced, I. 40. 
 
 firft fo cdlkd at Derby, the origin of the name, i. 42. 
 
 given by the independents, i. 160. 
 
 are f^lftly charged with denying that Chrifl fiffcred at Jeru- 
 
 falem, i. 05, 
 
 their firft meeting in Swarthmore was in judiie Fell's houfe 
 i. 100. , "^ ^ ' 
 
 they meet with great and grievous fufferings, i. 104. 
 
 by patience furmount difficulties, and become numerous 
 
 1. 107. ' 
 
 they never refift their pcrfecutors in imitation of the primitive 
 
 Chr;ftians, i. 118. 
 
 by what means they becanre fo n'jmerous in early times, ?nd 
 
 why they went fo frequently to fteeple houfes, &c. i. l'>7 
 
 - they at M\ loofe their bufmcfs, but it afte. wards increases 
 1. 130. ■ * 
 
 meetings fettled In moft parts of the North, above fixty mi- 
 
 infters are raifed among them, they arc imprifoned, whipt, 
 &c. under various pretences, are branded for witchec 
 i. 135. ' 
 
 - many books are written agalnfl them, which arc confuted by 
 E. Eurrough and F. Howgil, i. 142. 
 
 --^ all manner of infolcnce and violence ufed agalnfl ihem at 
 Biiftol. i. 143. 
 
 - charged with being of the Franclfcan order, but refuted, 
 i. 148. 
 
 - P' .^'romwell's charaaer of them, i. IGS. 
 jufHccs and other officers difj^-laccd for owninc» them. I. 168. 
 
 offer to lie in prifbn for their brethren, but rcfukd and 
 
 threatened, i. 281. 
 their tongues to be bored through with a hot Iron, for re- 
 turning a third time to New England, i. 328. 
 
 — their great fufferings, and on what account, i. 348. 
 
 their charity to the poor commended, i. 420. 
 
 their mutual Chriflian love, i, 377. 
 
 ' fome of tireir principles, I 4!^S, ii. 497. 50S, 575^ .-ySO. 
 - v/hy they meet together, i. 431. 
 
 2 T 4 
 
IKDEX. 
 
 Qaakcrs, fomc of them had before the lords, 700 of them fet at liberty 
 
 by king Chctrles II. i. 437. 
 , are perfecuted afieili on the infurreftion of the fifth monarchy 
 
 men, i. 439. 
 . • are not deterred from doing their duty by any fufferings, 
 
 ii. 137, 143, . 
 ■ > fland firm wi>iJe other diflenters give way, ii. 388. 
 
 . . — fuifer un;r«^ved the fpoil of goods, ii. 492. 
 
 ._ their perfcvCiance and fledfaftiiefs till they obtain liberty, 
 
 ii. 566. 
 i • namt ol Quakers not affumed but given, and how fnr ufed 
 
 by ibeni, among themfelvcs they aie diilmguiihed by that 
 
 of Friends, 'i. 589. 
 
 rea'bns againtt the fchifm bill, ii. 610. 
 
 . Yearly meeting E) iltle, i. C2l. 
 
 Queries of E. Burrough to the friars a' d nuns at Dunkirk, i. 353. 
 molUv political propofc to the Quakers, by an eminent roy- 
 
 alilt, fuppuLd the earl of Clareadonj i. 415. 
 
 anfwtred by E. Burrough, i. 239. 
 
 . to ihx ?oy ard I'apilb, written by G. Fox, done into Latia 
 
 by W. Sewd, and fcnt to Rome, i. 411, and fe^uel. 
 
 Rigg, Ambrofe, convinced by G. Fox, i. 136. ^ 
 
 imprifoned at Bafi -^itoke, i. 230. 
 
 -I tiavL-ls, imprifoned at Mtlcomb Regi?, v/hipt at South- 
 ampton, afterwards imprifoned at Horfham, and pre- 
 munired, i 549. 
 
 Kanters, confuted by G- Fox; fome of them convinced by him at Twy 
 Crofs. i. 163 
 
 Rnwlinfon, capt. VVm. his cruelty to M. Halhed, i. 123. 
 
 Rcckleis, John, (heriff at Nottingham, convinced by G. Fox, and be- 
 comes a pieacher, .i. 37. 
 
 Recreations, the principle of the Qu^akers as to them, ii. 580. 
 
 Kee, Richard, one of the firll Scotch preachers among the Quakers, 
 i. 162. 
 
 Reformation, fmall at firfl, proceeds by degrees, began in England under 
 king Henry VII. i. I and fcquel. 
 
 Regeneration the work of God's fpirit, i. 205. 
 
 . a fermon concerning it, by W. Dewfbury, ii. 456 and feq. 
 
 Religion impofed by force fills the land with hypocrites, i. 325. 
 
 Rthgion, Chriftian, depends not alone on the hiflorical knowledge of 
 Chrift, i. 348. 
 
 Remorfc on a death bed for cruelly fmiting a Quaker, i. 117. 
 
 Refurre<5tion, the belief of the Quakers concerning, ii. 587. 
 
 Revelation, divine, how it is known to be fuch, ii. 333'. 
 
 — by dreams, ii. 343. 
 
 : in the mmds of the prophets by inward iafpiratlon, ii. 342« 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Revelation, and certain without any outward miraculous demonftratioD, 
 
 Revenge, not defired but refufed by the .profefTors cf the llpht, i. 579 
 Rich, Robert, a merchant of London, writes to parlianient in vindl- 
 cation of James Nayler, from the guilt of blafpheniy, 
 
 his behaviour to him at the execution of his fentence, i. 243. 
 joins John Perrot in his extravagancies, and afterwards quits 
 his former profeffion, i. 491. ^ 
 
 Repan, mayor of Lancafter, convinced by G. Fox's fpeech at the felTions 
 
 there, i. 106. 
 Robertfon, Thomas, and Jofiah Coales, imprifoned in Briilol for at- 
 T> u r . ^!^™Pt^"2 to fpeak in a fteeple houfe, i. 148. 
 Robertfon, juftice, kind to G. Fox, i. 78. 
 
 Kobmfon, colonel a juflice, and cruel perfecutor of the Quakers ; hi» 
 o . . r ^ dreadful exit as he went fanatick hunting, ii;62. 
 Kobinion, George, travels to Jerufalem, his wonderful prefervation and 
 
 fafe return, i. 2C2. 
 Robmfon, Thomas reRifing the oath of abjuration Is imprifoned and 
 V w r ^xr :^ ^^^ ' ^^^"^ releafed goes to Portfmouth, i. 230. 
 
 Robmfon, Wm. taken up at Bollon in New England, is cruelly whipt 
 
 and banifhed, but not leaving the country is again takea 
 
 up and imprifoned, i. 382, 383. 
 ., [^i:°"8^t before the court, receives fentence of death, I. 384. 
 "IS behaviour and execution, i. 391. 
 
 ; }j^ .^"^ ^. Stephenfbn's dead bodies ufed inhumanly, i. 393. 
 
 Rogers and Crifp, feparatis, ii. 400. 
 
 Rome, church of, not lad by the good but by the evil fplrit, i". 488. 
 
 Roufe, John, his right ear cut off in the houfe of correflion in Boflon. 
 New England, and afterwards whipt, i. 334. 
 
 Rudyard, Thomas, a lawyer, is profecuted for writing a book fliexvins 
 the right r.f juries, &c. for pleading the caufe of the op- 
 preiTcd, iL 271. ^ 
 
 Rulers, an expoftulation with them touching their duty, i. 251. 
 
 S 
 
 Sufferings of friends, account of, publifhed and offered to the parliament. 
 
 Sacrament, that woid not found In Scripture. The Quakers belief con- 
 cerning bread and wine, i. 430. 
 Sale, Richard, fo violently thruR into a ftrait hole, called Little Eafe 
 >" Weft Chefter prifon, that he foon after died, i. 346 ^ 
 Salt, Wm. imprifoned at Ives, i. 218. 
 
 Salthoufe, Thomas, travels with M. Halhed to Briftol, and are ini- " 
 , piifoned there, i. 193. 
 
 ■ the caufe of it, and are brought to trial, i. 196.- 
 
 fined and fent to Bridewell on falfe or frivolous pretences 
 
 i. 197, 202. r > 
 
 Salutations. See greetings, i. 32. 
 Sanders, Mary, convinced, fervant to the proteaor's wife, i; 140, 273. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Sawyer, Sarah, at her houfe in Alderfgate-ftrcet was the firft fettlecj 
 meeting of the Quakers in London, i. 141. 
 
 Saurey^ John, a juftice, the firJf perfecutor in the north, his cruelty to 
 G. Fox, i. 102. 
 
 —— G. Fox*s prophetical letter to him, i. 109, 
 
 ■ he is drowned, i. 111. 
 
 Scarth, Philip, a prieft convinced by G. Fox; becomes a preacher 
 
 among the Quakers, i. 76. 
 Schifm bill pafTed, ii. 616. 
 
 Schurman, Anna Maria, fome account of her life, ii. 352, 
 Scoffer, a remarkable judgment upon one, i. 403. 
 
 ■ others convinced and converted, ii. 566. 
 
 Scot, Patience, a girl of eleven years old fent to prifon, i. 414. 
 Scotch, prieilj who had threatened G. Fox's life, afterwards becomes 
 
 a Quaker, i. 76, 
 Scotland, vilited by M. Halhed and J. Lancafter, and by C. Evans and 
 
 S. Cheevers, i. 138. 
 
 ' alfo by S. Crifp, i. 375. 
 
 — meetings fettled at Drombo\vy, Heads, Garlhore, Edinburgh^ 
 
 and Aberdeen, i. 159. 
 
 — •— flrft Scotch preachers of the Quakers, i. 159. 
 
 Quakers perfecutcd there^ ii. 372. 
 
 Scriptures, vide i. 31,51, 106, 431. 
 
 Seal, Peter, mayor of Southampton, his cruelty to A. Rigg» foon after 
 
 which he dies, i. 231 . 
 Sedbergh, G. Fox, preaches in a meeting of Separatifls there, and con- 
 vinces mod of them, i. HU, 
 5emper Idem, a popifh book fo called, anfwered by Edw. Burroufrh, 
 
 i. 477. 
 Separation of Wilkinfon and Story, the rife and progrefs of it; it dif- 
 
 appears, ii. 399. 
 Separatifls from the church of England perfecuted, afterwards become 
 
 perfecutors, i. 9, 10. 
 $ev/el, Jacob Willianifon, the author's father, and Judith Zinfpenning, 
 
 his mother, convinced by W. Ames, i. 284. 
 Shattock, William, a (lioemaker in Bofton in New England, haled to 
 
 the houfe of corredion, cruelly whipt, and kept to work, 
 
 i. 327. 
 Shattock, Samuel, banifhed New England on pain of death, afterwards 
 
 carries the king's mandamus to New England, to pi event 
 
 farther perfecution of the Quakers, i. 474. 
 Sheriff of Lincoln contending againft G. Fox is convinced and travels 
 
 with him, i. 162. ^ 
 
 Shipwrecks, G. Fox writes, refpcdling the wickednefs of muking fpoil 
 ' of them, i. 404. 
 
 Signs, T. Aldham, a fign to O. Cromwell, and a broken pitcher to the 
 
 parliament, i. 312. 
 
 R. Huntingdon to Prcfbyterians and Independents, i. 436. 
 
 .. an Englifli v/omau to the French Protcibints at Dieppe, 
 
 ii. 19U 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Signs, T. Abbit to London, ii. I69. 
 
 •": S. Eccles to Papirts at Galloway, ii. 141, 
 
 Sin, a freedom from it afferted by G. Fox, i. 41, 
 
 for which he is imprifoned fix months, i. 41. 
 
 "- the guilt and power of it taken away by Chrifl, i. 320. 
 
 — ** pleaded for by profeflbrs, i. 53. ' ' 
 
 Singing pfalms fcrupled by G. Whitehead, i. 152. 
 
 • reafonsagainfl: it, 153. 
 
 ~--— P"f J'r^e of Qu^;kers concerning finding in churche.^, Ii. 5S7 
 Smith, Humphry, and others abafed and haled to prifon from a meeting 
 
 had a vifion in 1660 concerning the fire of London, dies m 
 
 prifon, 11. 388. ' 
 
 S^ake in tjie Grafs, an anonymous book, written chiefly a?ainft the 
 Quakers, anfwered by G. Whitehead and h Wveth 
 11.541, 542. -^ *>""» 
 
 Soldiers, one at Nottingham, denying that Chrift fuffered at Terufalem 
 refuted by G. Fox, i. 65. 
 
 * a remarkable paflage of fome of them, i. 110. * 
 
 • • one at Ulverftone cruelly beaten for taking part with G. Fox 
 
 1. 102. * 
 
 Spmerdykes, gentlewomen followers of Labadie vifited by and difcourfe 
 ^ with Wm. Penn, ii. 359. 
 
 v^ouls, fome who alTerted that women have none refuted bv G Fot 
 i. 19. ^ ' * 
 
 Southick, Laurence and CafTandra, their fufFerings, i. 292. 
 - ^—-t^vo of their children ordered to bef;->Idfor their fines, I 375 
 bpnunck,, Jofiah, his Chriftian magnanimity, is whipt through thre^ 
 
 ^ towns and turned Into the wildernefs, i. 562. 
 
 ^50uthwarK, meetings difbrbed there, ii. 19. 
 Spiritof God wrought glorioufly in the martyrs at the reformation I 4 
 
 ■ Its teaching. Sec, owned by them and other reformers, and bV 
 Calvin, 1. 4, 5, 6. ^ 
 
 '^•^'' a meafure of it afforded to all men, i. 32. 
 
 ' it muft be in thole who underftand the Scriptures, i 106 
 
 — who are guided by it, i. 205. 
 
 — how to know if we are led by It, i. 430, 
 
 thereby wc come to believe the Scripture come from God 
 11. 328. 
 Staples, Benjamin, fee Thomas Goodair. 
 
 Stealing goods, S:c. not punifhcd w.th death by the law of God. ii 72 
 Steepk-hoi^fes, why puMIck churches are fo called by Quakers, i. 10]* 
 
 tncy are improperly termed churches, i. 443^" 
 
 -why the Quakers do not frequent them, ii. 120. 
 
 5>tcpcns, NathanieL prieft of Drayton, i. 16. 
 
 at his inftance the peo]>le ftone G. Fox and his friends out of 
 
 the town, i. 40. 
 
 SL-phenfon, Marmaduke, imprifoned at Bofton and baniihed, i. 219 
 «ignin apprehended and imi3iifoned, i. 3S2. 
 
 (i 
 
I 
 
 u 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Stephenfon, Marmaduke, receives fentence of death ; his account of his 
 call toBoflon, i. 385. 
 
 — — his execution, i. 391. 
 
 Stoddard, Amos, convinced by G. Fox, i. 27. 
 
 Stordy, Thomas, refigns an impropriation j hisfufferings and pious end 
 
 li. ~\0o, . ' 
 
 Stranger. Hannah, writes extravagant letters to J. Nayler, i. 235, 236. 
 Stubbs, John, convinced by G. Fox in Carlille prifon, and becomes T mil 
 
 nifter, i. 147. 
 
 meets with W. Caton, i. 173. 
 
 travels with him, i. 174. ' 
 
 Stubbs, John, and S. Fifiier are at Rome, i. 433. 
 
 J- S. having been in Turkey returns to E.igland, i. 513. 
 
 Sufferings of friends reprclentcd totheprotedor by G. fox and S.* Pvo^ 
 
 i. 273. * ^ "* 
 
 ' hy E. Burrough in a letter, i 275. 
 
 -— and by him to R. Cromwell, i. 320. 
 
 ' — in New England unparalleled, i. 326 &feq. 
 
 • a relation of them fince the reftoration publifhed and prefented 
 
 to the king and parliament, ii. 384, 
 
 ■ in Barbadoes, ii. 517, 518, 
 
 Sultan, ^!ahomet IV. favourably receives a meflage from Mary Fifher 
 
 and difmi/Tes her with refpedt, i. 434. 
 Supper, Lord's fo called, fee water baptifm. 
 Swearing, unJav/fuI for Chriflian?, i. 1G2, ii. 99. 
 — denied by the W:,ldcnles and primitive Chriliians, ii, 122. 
 
 ■ r.rguments againll it, ii. 196. 
 
 •— * a reprcfentation of the Qiiakers cafe of not fwearing glren tq 
 
 the iiieiiibers of parhanient, ii. 511. 
 
 Taylor, blfhop, his thoughts refpecling herefy, drunkards, &c. i. 492. 
 Teachers of the world preach for hire, i. 80. 
 
 •~— defcribed and expoltulattd with, i. 250. 
 
 Temples of God, not churches or ileeples fo called, but his people's 
 
 hearts, i. IS, 77. 
 Timc-fervcrsnominifters of Chrift, ii. 123. 
 Tithes, R. Widdersand thoufands more fuflfer much in their eflates for 
 
 refufing topay them, i. 127. 
 " " ' that they are now' aboliihed ; a difpute ; about 100 fuffer for 
 
 not pacing them, i. 2c8. 
 
 t ' a motion to abolifli them, i. 357. 
 
 — a law concerning them, i. 441. 
 
 — dodrine of the Quakers concerning them, ii. 578. 
 
 Tongues and languages, the be.ift has power over them, i. 298. 
 Travdhng to and fro, the pradife of Chrirt and his apoftlcs in preachln** 
 
 the word and doing good, i. 206. * 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Trigg, Hannah, a maid of 1 5 fentcnced to banifkment, dies in prifon, 
 
 ii. 144. 
 Trinity, the word not found in the Scripture, i. 195. 
 Trooper, one at Derby convinced by G. Fox ; fpeaks boldly among the 
 
 foldiers, is wonderfully preferved and lays down his arms, 
 
 i. 64. 
 Truth of the Scriptures, how known, i. 432. 
 Triers of fpii its, that know not of what fpirit themfelvcs are, filenced by 
 
 G. Fox, i. 06. 
 Trial of, John Crook, ii. 23 & feq. 
 
 of many prifoners at Worceder, ii. 71. 
 
 of G. Fox, ii 99 & fcq. 
 
 I ofF. Howgill, ii. 108. 117. 
 
 of eight friends at Hertford, ii. 137 & feq. 
 
 of W. Penn and \V. Mead, ii. 259 &,feq. 
 
 Tumults at Briftol, in which the Quakers fuffer greatly, i, 142; 
 
 Vine, fir Henr\% chalrmanof a committee where many friends are tried, 
 i. 323. 
 heistiied, found guilty, and beheaded on Tower-hill, i. 551. 
 
 Vickiris, Richard, imprifoned at Briftol, i. 445, 
 
 Unfaithful nefs, the fruit of it, i. 575. 
 
 Upflial, Nicholas, member of the church of Bofton, in New England, 
 
 gives 5s. a week for the liberty of taking viduals to two 
 
 Quaker women in prifon, i. 271. 
 is fined, impriloned, and baniflied forfpeaking againfl perfecu- 
 
 tion ; kindnefa of an Indian prince to him, i. 272. 
 Ufagc of fuch as for confcience-fake could not follow the ordinary cuftom, 
 
 i. 33, 
 
 w 
 
 Wages, fuch as preach for, are hirelings and falfe prophets, i. 164, 
 Waldcnfes denied all fwearing, fee*fwearing. 
 Ward, captain, convinced by G. Fox, i. 97. 
 Warfare of a Chriliian, fpiritual, i. 339. 
 Wars, whence they proceed, i. 356. 
 Warrants, i. 147, ' 198, 218, 563, 571. 
 
 Waltfidd, Daniel, a clofe p ifoncr 33 days, not fuffered to fee his dying 
 ,^ child, i. 149. ^ * 
 
 Waugh, D. fee S. Gibbons. 
 
 Weapons, carnal, not ufed by Quakers, i. 339, 356, 440. 
 Weft, colonel, G. Fox's friend, i. 105. 
 
 refufes to grant a warrant for apprehending him, would rather 
 
 hazard ail, i. 108. 
 
]■■ 
 
 Whitehcid, Ckorge, goes to Norwich, i. 15^, 
 
 ■ a ftiort account of his former Jife, and convincement, i. 153, 
 
 ■ api rehciidtd, examined, and imprifoacdat Bures in SafFolk, 
 
 i. S03. 
 
 ■ writes ag.iin ft perfecution, ii. 136. 
 
 > * difputes with W. Burnet and J. Ives about the refurr€(5lion, 
 
 and with T. Vincent about the Trinity, ii. 228. 
 
 •- with other prcfents an addrefs to king WilKam, ii. 548. 
 
 — another to queen Anne, ii. 559. 
 
 — — his fpeeches to the queen, on prefcnting an addrefs, ii. 594. 
 
 ■ another to king George, and his f|)ceches to the prince, ii.. 
 
 CI3. 
 
 . another to ditto on fupprefiing the rebelHon, ii. G17. 
 
 Whitrow, Sufannah, a young woman, her warning to young people, if, 
 
 562. 
 
 Widders, Robert, grievoufly abufed at Coldbeck, difmi/Tcd by juftice 
 
 Brifcoe, after a warrant to carry him to jail at Carhlle, i, 
 105. 
 
 •—- goes to feveral fleeple-houfes, is fometlmes imprifoned^ and 
 
 fometimes remarkably delivered, i, 127. 
 •— — — his death, ii. 5^2. 
 William III. fee prince of Orange. 
 Wilkinfon and Story, fee feparation. 
 "Wilfon, prieft, his infolent behaviour at the execution of William Robla- 
 
 fon and M. Stephenfon, i. 393. 
 - he makes a ballad on them, i. 394. 
 
 Witt, John and Cornelius, their miferable end, ii. 285. 
 Wits, a caution 10 conceited ones, ii. 559. 
 Witnefsof God within, awakens and leproves what is contrary to gravity 
 
 and fobriety, i. 171. 
 Woman, one, foretels the difTolution of parliament, i. 313. 
 .- miferable end of one who reviled W. Robinfon and M# 
 
 Stephenfon at their death, i. 393. 
 Women's preaching, the belief and practice of the Quakers concerning 
 
 It, 11. 58 J. 
 Women's monthly meetings, rife of, ii. 195. 
 Word, written and underwritten aflerted by the Papifts, i. 300. 
 Work of the Lord not to be oppofed, i. 122. 
 
 Worfhip, Quakers think publick worfliip an indifpcnfable duty, ii. 5, 
 — — -— their way of worfliip, ii. 621. 
 
 — • felf-willed, is barren and unprofitable, i. 127. 
 
 m — the end of true worSiip, ii. 120. 
 
 Wrath of God, how felt by profane men as fire, ii. 366. 
 
 Wright, Hannah, a girl of about fourteen years of age, travels fome 
 
 hundred miles to Bofton, and watns the magiftrates to 
 
 Ipill no more innocent blood, i. blQ, 
 
 Young, Edward, mayor gf Everfham, his cruelties towards the Quakersj 
 i. 22b. 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Young, Edward, his barbarous treatment of two women for Yifiting tha 
 prifoners, i. 229. „ ^ « .» 
 
 York, duke of, advifes the king to feverity agalnft G. Fox the younger, 
 for h\^ letter. The king's prudent anlwer, 1. 4»i. 
 
 ZiDfpenning, Judith, the author's mother, comes'to England, andfpeaks 
 ^ in publick by an interpreter, and writes a book of pro- 
 
 verbs, ii. 90. 1 r 1 
 
 , brief account of her life, ii. 161 and fequel. 
 
 her death, ii. 166. ,, •• ,«^ 
 
 her epidle to the frieads of truth, u, 107. 
 
 Jl^^ 
 
 ^*- 
 
 LONDON: rWNTED BY WILLIAM PHILLIPS, GEORGE YARD, 
 
 LOMBARD STREET. 
 
1 
 
 /.... 
 
 .>'■'- 
 ii-i 
 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 
 
 0025980661 
 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 
 
 This book is due on the date indicated below, or at the 
 expiration of a definite period after the date of borrowing, as 
 provided by the library rules or by special arrangement with 
 the Librarian in charge. 
 
 DATE BORROWED 
 
 r*aE 
 
 DATE BORROWED 
 
 DATE DUE 
 
 ^ 
 
 93r« 
 
 
 
 
 \M^\Lf 
 
 
 
 
 %aM1' 
 
 ) 
 
 
 
 Tf 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 » 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 C28(a42)M80 
 
 
 
 
 ^Aii 
 
 WnU 9n 'Q7I 
 
 'V 
 
iJS^_ 
 
 if* .' •' 
 
 5* 
 
 ;*<. 
 
 **. 
 
 ■^^ 
 
 /,*1^' 
 
 
 fi^S 
 
 <=€^5 
 
 ^"C 
 
 ->*?» 
 
 
 :%J-^ 
 
 -# 
 
 f?J*« 
 
 --r{ 
 
 
 *»»• 
 
 ■-Is 
 
 4 ^ 
 
 «.V' 
 
 ? f ^f ^^ 
 
 «-«1v 
 
 iS r.- 
 
 
 ?;v?i, 1 
 
 
 i^ 
 
 
 n^. 
 
 r* '<-■•■ t 
 
 ^v 
 
 liSv-." 
 
 Jiig- 
 
 
 m: 
 
 
 (# M*n- 
 
 W-B 
 
 
 W' 
 
 •n^l^- 
 
 i% 
 
 •PmK.'. 
 
 W .**^ 
 
 
 ^- %~'- 
 
 
 
 
 
 ••-••• 
 
 "^^^ 
 
 -'h 
 
 '^^i 
 
 .V 
 
 '^;; 
 
 
 sv: