A JOURNAL OR HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE, TRAVELS, SUFFERINGS, &c. OF GEORGE FOX.

THAT all may know the dealings of the LORD with me, and the various exercises, trials, and troubles through which be led me; in order to prepare and fit me for the work unto which he had appointed me, and may thereby be drawn to admire and glorify his Infinite Wisdom and Goodness; I think fit, before I proceed to set forth my publick travels in the service of Truth, briefly to mention how it was with me in my youth, and how the work of the LORD was begun, and gradually carried on in me, even from my childhood.

I was born in the month called July, in the year 1624, at Drayton in the Clay, in Leicestershire. My father's name was Christopher Fox. He was by profession a weav­er, an honest man, and there was a Seed of GOD in him. The neighbours called him Righteous Christer. My mother was an upright woman; her maiden name was Mary Lago, of the family of the Lago's, and of the stock of the martyrs.

In my very young years I had a gravity and stayedness of mind and spirit not usual in children; insomuch that when I have seen old men carry themselves lightly and wan­tonly towards each other, a dislike thereof hath risen in my heart, and I have said within myself. ‘If ever I come to be a man, surely I should not do so, nor be so wanton.’

[Page 2] When I came to eleven years of age, I knew pureness and righteousness; for while I was a child I was taught how to walk so as to be kept pure. The LORD taught me to be faithful in all things, and to act faithfully two ways, viz. inwardly to GOD, and outwardly to man; and to keep to yea and nay in all things. For the LORD shewed me, though the people of the world have mouths full of deceit and changeable words, that I was to keep to yea and nay in all things, that my words should be few and savoury, seasoned with grace; and that I might not eat and drink to make myself wanton, but for health, using the creatures in their service, as servants in their places, to the glory of him that created them: they being in their covenant, and I being brought up into the covenant, as sanctified by the Word which was in the beginning, by which all things are upheld, wherein is unity with the creation.

But people being strangers to the covenant of life with God, they eat and drink to make themselves wanton with the creatures, wasting them upon their lusts, living in all filthiness, and devouring the creation; all this in the world, in the pollutions thereof without God: therefore I was to shun all such.

As I grew up my relations thought to have made me a priest; but others persuaded to the contrary. Whereupon I was put to a man who was a shoe-maker by trade, and dealt in wool. He also used grazing, and sold cattle; and a great deal went through my hands. While I was with him he was blest, but after I left him he broke and came to nothing. I never wronged man or woman in all that time; for the Lord's power was with me, and over me, to preserve me. While I was in that service, I used in my dealings the word [Verily] and it was a common saying among those that knew me, ‘If George says verily, there is not altering him.’ When boys and rude persons would laugh at me: I let them alone and went my way: but people had gene­rally a love to me for my innocency and honesty.

When I came towards nineteen years of age, being up­on business at a fair, one of my cousins, whose name was Bradford, a professor, having another professor with him, came and asked me to drink part of a jug of beer with them, I, being thirsty, went in with them; for I loved any who had a sense of good, or that sought after the Lord. When we had drank a glass apiece, they began to drink healths, and called for more drink, agreeing together, That he that [Page 3]would not drink, should pay all. I was grieved that any, who made profession of religion should offer to do so. They grieved me very much, having never had such a thing put to me before, by any sort of people. Wherefore I rose up, and putting my hand in my pocket, took out a groat, and laid it upon the table before them, saying. "If it be so, I will leave you." So I went away; and when I had done my business returned home; but did not go to bed that night, nor could I sleep; but sometimes walked up and down, and sometimes prayed, and cried to the Lord, who said unto me; ☟ ‘Thou seest how young people go together into vanity, and old people into the earth; thou must forsake all, young and old, keep out of all, and be as a stranger unto all.’

Then at the command of God, the ninth of the seventh month, 1643, I left my relations, and broke off all famili­arity or fellowship with young or old. I passed to Lutter­worth where I staid some tirae. From thence I went to Northampton, where also I made some stay; then passed to Newport-pagnel, in Buckinghamshire; where, after I had staid awhile I went to Barnet, in the fourth month called June, in the year 1644. As I thus travelled through the country, professors took notice of me, and sought to be ac­quainted with me; but I was afraid of them: for I was sensible they did not possess what they professed. During the time I was at Barnet, a strong temptation to despair came upon me. I then saw how Christ was tempted, and mighty troubles I was in. Sometimes I kept myself retired in my chamber, and often walked solitary in the Chace to wait upon the Lord.

I wondered why these things should come to me. I look­ed upon myself, and said, "Was I ever so before?" Then I thought, because I had forsaken my relations, I had done amiss against them. So I was brought to call to mind all my time that I had spent, and to consider whether I had wronged any: but temptations grew more and more, and I was tempted almost to despair; and when Satan could not effect his design upon me that way, he laid snares and baits to draw me to commit some sin, whereby he might take advantage to bring me to despair. I was about twenty years of age when these exercises came upon me, and some years I continued in that condition in great trouble, and fain I would have put if from me. I went to many a priest to look for comfort, but found no comfort from them.

[Page 4] From Barnet I went to London, where I took a lodging, and was under great misery and trouble there; for I looked upon the great professors of the city of London, and saw all was dark and under the chain of darkness. I had an uncle there, one Pickering, a baptist, and they were tender then: yet I could not impart my mind to him, nor join with them; for I saw all, young and old, where they were. Some tender people would have had me staid, but I was fearful, and returned homeward into Leicestershire, having a regard upon my mind to my parents and relations, lest I should grieve them; who, I understood, were troubled at my absence.

Being returned into Leicestershire, my relations would have had me married; but I told them I was but a lad, and must get wisdom. Others would have had me into the auxiliary band among the soldiery, but I refused, and was grieved that they offered such things to me, being a tender youth. Then I went to Coventry, where I took a cham­ber for awhile at a professor's house, till people began to be acquainted with me; for there were many tender people in that town. After some time I went into my own country again, and continued about a year, in great sorrow and trou­ble, and walked many nights by myself.

Then the priest of Drayton, the town of my birth, whose name was Nathaniel Stevens, came often to me, and I went often to him; and another priest sometimes came with him; and they would give place to me, to hear me; and I would ask them questions, and reason with them. This priest Stevens asked me, ‘Why Christ cried out upon the cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ And why he said, ‘If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will, but thine be done?’ I told him; at that time the sins of all mankind were upon him, and their in­iquities and transgressions, with which he was wounded; which he was to bear and to be an offering for, as he was man, but died not as he was God; so, in that he died for all men, tasting death for every man, he was an offering for the sins of the whole world. This I spoke, being at that time in a measure sensible of Christ's sufferings. The priest said, ‘It was a very good, full answer, and such a one as he had not heard.’ At that time he would applaud and speak highly of me to others; and what I said in discourse to him on week-days, he would preach of on first-days, [Page 5]which gave me a dislike to him. This priest afterwards be­came my great persecutor.

After this I went to another ancient priest at Mansetter in Warwickshire, and reasoned with him about the ground of despair and temptations; but he was ignorant of my con­dition: he bid me take tobacco and sing psalms. Tobacco was a thing I did not love, and psalms I was not in a state to sing; I could not sing. He bid me come again, and he would tell me many things; but when I came he was angry and pettish, for my former words had displeased him. He told my troubles, sorrows, and griefs to his servants, so that it was got among the milk-lasses. It grieved me that I should open my mind to such a one. I saw they were all miserable comforters, and this increased my troubles upon me. I heard of a priest living about Tamworth, who was account­ed an experienced man. I went seven miles to him, but found him like an empty, hollow cask. I heard of one cal­led Dr. Cradock, of Coventry, and went to him; I asked him the ground of temptations and despair, and how trou­bles came to be wrought in man? He asked me, ‘Who was Christ's father and mother?’ I told him Mary was his mother, and that he was supposed to be the son of Jo­seph; but he was the Son of God. As we were walking to­gether in his garden, the alley being narrow, I chanced, in turning, to set my foot on the side of a bed; at which he raged as if his house had been on fire. Thus all our discourse was lost, and I went away in sorrow, worse than I was when I came: I thought them miserable comforters, and saw they were all as nothing to me; for they could not reach my con­dition. After this I went to another, one Macham, a priest, in high account. He would needs give me some physick, and I was to have been let blood; but they could not get one drop of blood from me, either in arms or head, though they endeavoured it, my body being, as it were, dried up with sorrows, grief, and troubles, which were so great upon me, that I could have wished I had never been born, or that I had been born blind, that I might never have seen wick­edness nor vanity; and deaf, that I might never have heard vain and wicked words, or the Lord's name blasphemed. When the time called Christmas came, while others were feasting and sporting themselves, I looked out poor widows from house to house, and gave them some money. When I was invited to marriages I went to none at all; but the next day, or soon after, I would go and visit them; and if [Page 6]they were poor I gave them some money; for I had where­with both to keep myself from being chargeable to others, and to administer something to the necessities of others.

About the beginning of the year 1646, as I was going into Coventry, a consideration arose in me, how it was said, that "All christians are believers, both protestants and pa­pists;" and the Lord opened to me that if all were be­lievers, then they were all born of God, and passed from death to life; and that none were true believers but such: and though others said they were believers, yet they were not. At another time as I was walking in a field on a first-day morning, the Lord opened unto me, ‘That being bred at Oxford or Cambridge was not enough to fit and qua­lify men to be ministers of Christ:’ and I. wondered at it, because it was the common belief of people. But I saw it clearly as the Lord opened it to me, and was satisfied and admired the goodness of the Lord, who had opened this thing unto me that morning. This struck at priest Stevens's ministry, namely, that ‘to be bred at Oxford or Cam­bridge was not enough to make a man fit to be a minister of Christ.’ So that which opened in me, I saw struck at the priest's ministry. But my relations were much trou­bled, that I would not go with them to hear the priest; for I would go into the orchard or the fields, with my bible, by myself. I asked them, did not the apostle say to be­lievers, ‘That they needed no man to teach them, but as the anointing teacheth them?’ Though they knew this was scripture, and that it was true, yet they were grieved because I could not be subject in this matter, to go to hear the priest with them. I saw that to be a true believer was another thing than they looked upon it to be; and I saw that being bred at Oxford or Cambridge did not qualify or fit a man to be a minister of Christ; what then should I follow such for? So neither them, nor any of the dissent­ing people could I join with; but was as a stranger to all, relying wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

At another time it was opened in me, ‘That God who made the world did not dwell in temples made with hands.’ This at the first seemed strange, because both priests and people used to call their temples or churches, dreadful places, holy ground, and the temples of God. But the Lord shewed me clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples which men had commanded and set up, but in peoples hearts. Both Stephen and the apostle Paul bore [Page 7]testimony, that he did not dwell in temples made with hands, not even in that which he had once commanded to be built, since he put an end to the typical dispensation; but that his people were his temple, and he dwelt in them. This opened in me, as I walked in the fields to my rela­tion's house. When I came there, they told me Nathaniel Stevens, the priest, had been there, and said, ‘He was afraid of me for going after new lights.’ I smiled in my­self, knowing what the Lord had opened in me concerning him and his brethren; but I told not my relations, who though they saw beyond the priests, yet went to hear them, and were grieved because I would not go also. But I shewed them by the scriptures, there was an anointing within man to teach him, and that the Lord would teach his people himself. I had great openings concerning the things written in the Revelations; and when I spoke of them, the priests and professors would say, that was a sealed book, and would have kept me out of it. But I told them, Christ could open the seals, and that they were the nearest things to us; for the Epistles were written to the saints that lived in former ages, but the Revelations were written of things to come.

After this I met with a sort of people that held, women have no souls (adding in a light manner) no more than a goose. I reproved them, and told them that was not right: for Mary said, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.’

Removing to another place I came among a people that relied much on dreams. I told them except they could distinguish between dream and dream they would confound all together; for there were three sorts of dreams: multitude of business sometimes caused dreams; and there were whis­perings of Satan in man in the night season; and there were speakings of God to man in dreams. But these people came out of these things, and at last became friends.

Though I had great openings, yet great trouble and temptations came many times upon me, so that when it was day I wished for night, and when it was night I wished for day; and by reason of the openings I had in my troubles, I could say as David said, ‘Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.’ When I had openings they answered one another, and answered the scriptures; for I had great openings of the scriptures; and [Page 8]when I was in troubles, one trouble also answered to another.

About the beginning of the year 1647 I was moved of the Lord to go into Derbyshire, where I met with some friendly people, and had many discourses with them. Then passing into the Peak-country, I met with more friendly people, and with some in empty high [...]notions. Travelling through some parts of Leicestershire, and into Nottingham­shire, I met with a tender people, and a very tender wo­man, whose name was Elizabeth Hootton. With these I had some meetings and discourses; but my troubles conti­nued, and I was often under great temptations. I fasted much, walked abroad in solitary places many days, and often took my bible, and sate in hollow trees and lonesome places till night came on; and frequently in the night walked mournfully about by myself: for I was a man of sorrows in the time of the first workings of the Lord in me.

During all this time I was never joined in profession of religion with any, but gave up myself to the Lord, having forsaken all evil company, taken leave of father and mo­ther, and all other relations, and travelled up and down as a stranger in the earth, which way the Lord inclined my heart; taking a chamber to myself in the town where I came, and tarrying sometimes more, sometimes less in a place: for I durst not stay long in a place, being afraid both of professor and profane, lest, being a tender young man, I should be hurt by conversing much with either. For which reason I kept much as a stranger, seeking hea­venly wisdom, and getting knowledge from the Lord; and was brought off from outward things, to rely on the Lord alone. Though my exercises and troubles were very great, yet were they not so continual but that I had some inter­missions, and was sometimes brought into such an heavenly joy, that I thought I had been in Abraham's bosom. As I cannot declare the misery I was in, it was so great and heavy upon me, so neither can I set forth the mercies of God unto me in all my misery. O the everlasting love of God to my soul, when I was in great distress! when my troubles and torments were great, then was his love exceed­ing great. Thou, Lord, makest a fruitful field a barren wilderness, and a barren wilderness a fruitful field! thou bringest down and settest up! thou killest and makest alive! all honour and glory be to thee, O Lord of Glo [...]y! The knowledge of thee in the Spirit is life; but that knowledge [Page 9]which is fleshly works death. While there is this knowledge in the flesh, deceit and self will conform to any thing, and will say Yes, Yes, to that it doth not know. The know­ledge which the world hath, of what the prophets and apostles spake, is a fleshly knowledge; and the apostates from the life, in which the prophets and apostles were, have got their words, the holy scriptures, in a form, but not in the life nor spirit that gave them forth. So they all lie in con­fusion; and are making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, but not to fulfil the law and command of Christ in his power and Spirit: for that, they say they can­not do; but to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, that they can do with delight.

After I had received that opening from the Lord, that to be bred at Oxford or Cambridge, was not sufficient to fit a man to be a minister of Christ, I regarded the priests less, and looked more after the dissenting people. Among them I saw there was some tenderness; and many of them came af­terwards to be convinced, for they had some openings. But as I had forsaken the priests, so I left the separate preachers also, and those called the most experienced people; for I saw there was none among them all that could speak to my condition. And when all my hopes in them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could tell what to do; then, O then, I heard a voice which said, "There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition." When I heard it, my heart did leap for joy. Then the Lord let me see why there was none upon the earth that could speak to my condition, namely, that I might give him all the glory. For all are concluded under sin, and shut up in unbelief, as I had been, that Jesus Christ might have the pre-eminence, who enlightens, and gives grace, faith, and power. Thus when God doth work, who shall let it? This I knew experimentally. My desires after the Lord grew stronger, and zeal in the pure know­ledge of God, and of Christ alone, without the help of any man, book, or writing. For though I read the scriptures that spake of Christ and of God, yet I knew him not but by revelation, as he who hath the key did open, and as the Father of life drew me to his Son by his Spirit. Then the Lord gently led me along, and let me see his love, which was endless and eternal, surpassing all the knowledge that men have in the natural state, or can get by history or books. That love let me see myself, as I was without him; [Page 10]and I was afraid of all company: for I saw them perfect­ly, where they were, through the love of God which let me see myself. I had not fellowship with any people, priests, nor professors, nor any sort of separated people, but with Christ who hath the key, and opened the door of light and life unto me. I was afraid of all carnal talk and talkers, for I could see nothing but corruptions, and the life lay under the burden of corruptions. When I was in the deep, under all shut up, I could not believe that I should ever overcome; my troubles, my sorrows, and my tempta­tions were so great, that I often thought I should have de­spaired, I was so tempted. But when Christ opened to me how he was tempted by the same devil, and had overcome him, and had bruised his head; and that through him and his power, light, grace, and Spirit, I should overcome also, I had confidence in him. So he it was that opened to me when I was shut up, and had neither hope nor faith. Christ, who had enlightened me, gave me his light to believe in, and gave me hope, which is himself revealed in me, and gave me his spirit and grace, which I found sufficient in the deeps and in weakness. Thus in the deepest miseries, in the greatest sorrows and temptations that beset me, the Lord in his mercy did keep me. I found two thirsts in me; the one after the creatures, to have got help and strength there; and the other after the Lord the Creator, and his Son Jesus Christ; and I saw all the world could do me no good. If I had had a king's diet, palace and attendance, all would have been as nothing; for nothing gave me comfort but the Lord by his power. I saw professors, priests, and people, were whole and at ease in that condition which was my mi­sery, and they loved that which I would have been rid of. But the Lord did stay my desires upon himself, from whom my help came, and my care was cast upon him alone. Therefore, all wait patiently upon the Lord, whatsoever condition you be in; wait in the grace and truth that comes by Jesus; for if ye so do, there is a promise to you, and the Lord God will fulfil it in you. Blessed are all they in­deed that do indeed hunger and thirst after righteousness, they shall be satisfied with it. I have found it so, praised be the Lord who filleth with it, and satisfieth the desires of the hungry soul. O let the house of the spiritual Israel say, His mercy endureth for ever! It is the great love of God, to make a wilderness of that which is pleasant to the out­ward eye and fleshly mind; and to make a fruitful field of [Page 11]a barren wilderness. This is the great work of God. But while people's minds run in the earthly, after the creatures and changeable things, changeable ways and religions, and changeable uncertain teachers, their minds are in bondage, and they are brittle and changeable, tossed up and down with windy doctrines, thoughts, notions, and things; their minds being out of the unchangeable truth in the inward parts, the light of Jesus Christ, which would keep them to the unchangeable. He is the way to the Father; who in all my troubles preserved me by his Spirit and power, praised be his holy name for ever!

Again, I heard a voice which said, Thou serpent, thou dost seek to destroy the life, but canst not; for the sword which keepeth the tree of life shall destroy thee. So Christ, the Word of God, that bruised the head of the serpent, the destroyer, preserved me; my mind being joined to his good seed that bruised the head of this serpent, the destroyer. This inward life sprung up in me, to answer all the oppos­ing professors and priests, and brought scriptures to my memory to refute them with.

At another time I saw the great love of God, and was filled with admiration at the infiniteness of it. I saw what was cast out from God, and what entered into God's king­dom; and how by Jesus, the opener of the door by his heavenly key, the entrance was given. I saw death, how it had passed upon all men, and oppressed the seed of God in man, and in me; and how I in the seed came forth, and what the promise was to. Yet it was so, that there seemed to be two pleading in me; and questionings arose in my mind about gifts and prophecies, and I was tempted again to despair, as if I had sinned against the Holy Ghost. I was in great perplexity and trouble for many days; yet I gave up myself to the Lord still. One day, when I had been walking solitarily abroad, and was come home, I was taken up in the love of God, so that I could not but ad­mire the greatness of his love; and while I was in that con­dition, it was opened unto me by the eternal light and pow­er, and I therein clearly saw. That all was done and to be done in and by Christ; and how he conquers and destroys this tempter the devil, and all his works, and is atop of him; and that all these troubles were good for me, and temptations for the trial of my faith, which Christ had giv­en me. The Lord opened me, that I saw through all these troubles and temptations. My living faith was raised, that [Page 12]I saw all was done by Christ the life, and my belief was in him. When at any time my condition was veiled, my se­cret belief was stayed firm, and hope underneath held me, as an anchor in the bottom of the sea, and anchored my immor­tal soul to its bishop, causing it to swim above the sea, the world, where all the raging waves, foul weather, tempests and temptations are. But O! then did I see my troubles, trials, and temptations more clearly than ever I had done. As the light appeared, all appeared that is out of the light; darkness, death, temptations, the unrighteous, the ungodly; all was manifest and seen in the light. After this, a pure fire appeared in me: then I saw how he sat as a refiner's fire, and as the fuller's sope. Then the spiritual discerning came into me; by which I discerned my own thoughts, groans, and sighs; and what it was that veiled me, and what it was that opened me. That which could not abide in the patience, nor endure the fire, in the light I found to be the groans of the flesh, that could not give up to the will of God; which had so veiled me, that I could not be patient in all trials, troubles, anguishes, and perplexities; could not give up self to die by the cross, the power of God, that the living and quickened might follow him, and that that which would cloud and veil from the presence of Christ, that which the sword of the Spirit cuts down, and which must die, might not be kept alive. I discerned the groans of the Spirit, which opened me, and made intercession to God: in which Spirit is the true waiting upon God, for the redemption of the body, and of the whole creation. By this true Spirit, in which the true sighing is I saw over the false sighings and groanings. By this invisible Spirit I discerned all the false hearing, the false seeing, and the false smelling, which was above the Spirit, quenching and grieving it; and that all that were there were in confusion and deceit, where the false asking and praying is, in deceit and atop, in that nature and tongue that takes God's holy name in vain, wallows in the Egyptian sea, and asketh but hath not; for they hate his light, resist the Holy Ghost, turn the grace into wantonness, rebel against the Spirit, and are erred from the faith they should ask in, and from the Spirit they should pray by. He that knoweth these things in the true Spirit can witness them. The divine light of Christ manifesteth all things, the spiritual fire trieth and severeth all things. Several things did I then see, as the Lord opened them to me; for he shewed me that which can live in his holy [Page 13]refining fire, and that can live to God under his law. He made me sensible, how the law and the prophets were until John; and how the least in the everlasting kingdom of God is greater than John. The pure and perfect law of God is over the flesh, to keep it and its works, which are not per­fect, under, by the perfect law: and the law of God which is perfect, answers the perfect principle of God i [...] every one. This law the Jews, the prophets, and John were to perform and do. None knows the giver of this law but by the Spirit of God; neither can any truly read it, or hear its voice, but by the Spirit of God. He that can receive it, let him. John, who was one of the greatest prophets that was born of a wo­man, bore witness to the light which Christ, the great heaven­ly prophet, hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world withal; that they might believe in it, become the children of light, and so have the light of life, and not come into condemnation. For the true belief stands in the light that condemns all evil; and the devil, who is the prince of darkness, and would draw out of the light into condemna­tion. They that walk in this light, come to the mountain of the house of God, established above all mountains, and to God's teaching, who will teach them his ways. These things were opened to me in the light.

I saw also the mountains burning up, and the rubbish, the rough, crooked ways and places made smooth and plain, that the Lord might come into his tabernacle. These things are to be found in man's heart; but to speak of these things being within, seemed strange to the rough, crooked, and mountainous ones. Yet the Lord saith, ‘O earth, hear the word of the Lord!’ The law of the Spirit crosseth the fleshly mind, spirit, and will, which lives in disobedi­ence, and doth not keep within the law of the Spirit. I saw this law was the pure love of God which was upon me, and which I must go through, though I was troubled while I was under it; for I could not be dead to the law but through the law, which did judge and condemn that which is to be condemned. I saw, many talked of the law, who had never known the law to be their school-master; and many ralked of the gospel of Christ, who had never known life and immortality brought to light in them by it. You that have been under that school-master, and the condemn­ation of it, know these things; for though the Lord in that day opened these things unto the in secret, they have been since published by his eternal Spirit, as on the house-top. [Page 14]As you are brought into the law, and through the law to be dead to it, and witness the righteousness of the law ful­filled in you, ye will afterwards come to know what it is to be brought into the faith, and through faith from under the law; and abiding in the faith, which Christ is the author of, ye will have peace and access to God. But if ye look out from the faith, and from that which would keep you in the victory, and look after fleshly things or words, ye will be brought into bondage to the flesh again, and to the law which takes hold upon the flesh and sin, and worketh wrath, and the works of the flesh will appear again. This law of God takes hold upon the law of sin and death; but the law of faith, the law of the Spirit of life, which is the love of God, and which comes by Jesus (who is the end of the law for righteousness-sake) makes free from the law of sin and death. The law of life fleshly-minded men do not know; yet they will tempt you, to draw you from the Spi­rit into the flesh, and so into bondage. Therefore ye, who know the love of God, and the law of his Spirit, and the freedom that is in Jesus Christ, stand fast in him, in that divine faith which he is the author of in you; and be not entangled with the yoke of bondage. For the ministry of Christ Jesus, and his teaching, bringeth into liberty and freedom; but the ministry that is of man, and by man, which stands in the will of man, bringeth into bondage, and under the shadow of death and darkness. Therefore none can be ministers of Christ Jesus but in the eternal Spirit, which was before the scriptures were given forth; for if they have not his Spirit, they are none of his. Though they may have his light to condemn them that hate it, yet they can never bring any into unity and fellowship in the Spirit, except they be in it; for the seed of God is a burthensome stone to the selfish, fleshly, earthly will, which reigns in its own knowledge and understanding that must perish, and its own wisdom that is devilish. The Spirit of God is grieved, vexed, and quenched with that which brings into the fleshly bondage; and that which wars against the Spirit of God must be mortified by it; for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are con­trary the one to the other. The flesh would have its liber­ty, and the Spirit would have its liberty; but the Spirit is to have its liberty, and not the flesh. If therefore ye quench the Spirit, join to the flesh, and be servants of it, then ye are judged and tormented by the Spirit; but if ye join to [Page 15]the Spirit, and serve God in it, ye have liberty and victory over the flesh and its works. Therefore keep in the daily cross, the power of God, by which ye may witness all that to be crucified which is contrary to the will of God, and which shall not come into his kingdom. These things are here mentioned and opened for information, exhortation, and comfort to others, as the Lord opened them unto me in that day. In that day I wondered that the children of Israel should murmur for water and victuals, for I could have fasted long without murmuring or minding victuals. But I was judged at other times, that I was not contented to be sometimes without the water and bread of life, that I might learn to know how to want, and how to abound.

I heard of a woman in Lancashire, who had fasted two-and-twenty days, and I travelled to see her; but when I came to her, I saw she was under a temptation. When I had spoken to her what I had from the Lord, I left her, her father being high in profession. Passing on, I went among the professors at Duckenfield and Manchester, where I staid awhile and declared truth among them. There were some convinced, who received the Lord's teaching, by which they were confirmed, and stood in the truth. The profes­sors were in a rage, all pleading for sin and imperfection; and could not endure to hear talk of perfection, or of a holy and sinless life. But the Lord's power was over all; though they were chained under darkness and sin, which they pleaded for, and quenched the tender thing in them.

About this time there was a great meeting of the baptists at Broughton, in Leicestershire, with some that had sepa­rated from them. People of other counties went thither, and I went also. Not many of the baptists came, but abundance of other people were there; and the Lord open­ed my mouth, and his everlasting truth was declared amongst them, and the power of the Lord was over them all. In that day the Lord's power began to spring; I had great openings in the scriptures, and several were convinced in those parts, and turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God: his power they did receive, and by it many were raised up to praise God. When I reasoned with professors and other people, some were con­vinced, and did stand. Yet I was under great temptations sometimes, and my inward sufferings were heavy; but I could find none to open my condition to but the Lord alone, unto whom I cried night and day. I went back [Page 16]into Nottinghamshire, where the Lord shewed me, that the natures of those things which were hurtful without, were within in the hearts and minds of wicked men. The na­tures of dogs, swine, vipers, of Sodom and Egypt, Pharaoh, Cain Ishmael, Esau, &c. The natures of these I saw with­in though people had been looking without. I cried to the Lord, saying, ‘Why should I be thus, seeing I was never addicted to commit those evils?’ And the Lord answered, ‘It was needful I should have a sense of all con­ditions, how else should I speak to all conditions?’ In this I saw the infinite love of God. I saw also, that there was an ocean of darkness and death; but an infinite ocean of light and love, which flowed over the ocean of darkness. In that also I saw the infinite love of God, and I had great openings. As I was walking by the steeple-house side in the town of Mansfield, the Lord said unto me, ‘That which people trample upon must be thy food.’ And as the Lord spake he opened to me, that people and professors trampled upon the life, even the life of Christ was trampled upon; they fed upon words, and fed one another with words; but trampled under foot the blood of the son of God, which blood was my life: and they lived in their airy notions talking of him. It seemed strange to me at the first, that I should feed on that which the high professors tram­pled upon; but the Lord opened it clearly to me by his eternal Spirit and power.

Then came people from far and near to see me; but I was fearful of being drawn out by them: yet I was made to open things to them. One Brown had great prophecies and sights upon his death-bed of me. He spoke openly, of what I should be made instrumental by the Lord to bring forth. And of others he spoke, that they should come to nothing; which was fulfilled on some, who then were something in shew. When this man was buried, a great work of the Lord fell upon me, to the admiration of many, who thought I had been dead; and many came to see me for about fourteen days. I was very much altered in countenance and person, as if my body had been new-moulded o [...] changed. While I was in that condition, I had a sense and discerning given me by the Lord, through which I saw plainly, that when many people talked of God and of Christ, &c. the serpent spoke in them; but this was hard to be borne. Yet the work of the Lord went on in some, and my sorrows and troubles began to wear off, [Page 17]and tears of joy dropped from me, so that I could have wept night and day with tears of joy to the Lord, in humi­lity and brokenness of heart. I saw into that which was without end, things which cannot be uttered, and of the greatness and infiniteness of the love of God, which cannot be expressed by words. For I had been brought through the very ocean of darkness and death, and through and over the power of Satan, by the eternal glorious power of Christ; even through that darkness was I brought which covered over all the world, which chained down all, and shut up all in the death. The same eternal power of God which brought me through these things, was that which af­terwards shook the nations, priests, professors, and people. Then could I say, I had been in spiritual Babylon, Sodom, Egypt, and the grave; but by the eternal power of God I was come out of it, was brought over it, and the power of it into the power of Christ. And I saw the harvest white, and the seed of God lying thick in the ground, as ever did wheat that was sown outwardly, and none to gather it; for this I mourned with tears. A report went abroad of me, that I was a young man who had a discerning spirit; where­upon many came to me from far and near, professors, priests, and people. The Lord's power broke forth, and I had great openings and prophecies, and spoke unto them of the things of God, which they heard with attention and si­lence, and went away and spread the same thereof. Then came the tempter and set upon me again, charging me, that I had sinned against the Holy Ghost; but I could not tell in what. Then Paul's condition came before me, how after he had been taken up into the third heavens, and seen things not lawful to be uttered, a messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him. Thus by the power of Christ I got over that temptation also.

In the year 1648, as I was sitting in a friend's house in Nottinghamshire (for by this time the power of God had opened the hearts of some to receive the word of life and reconciliation) I saw there was a great crack to go through­out the earth, and a great smoke to go as the crack went, and that after the crack there should be a great shaking. This was the earth in people's hearts, which was to be sha­ken before the seed of God was raised out of the earth. And it was so: for the Lord's power began to shake them, and great meetings we began to have, and a mighty power [Page 18]and work of God there was amongst people, to the asto­nishment of both people and priests.

There was a meeting of priests and professors at a justice's house, and I went among them. Here they discoursed how Paul said, ‘He had not known sin but by the law, which said, Thou shalt not lust:’ and they held that to be spo­ken of the outward law. But I told them, Paul spoke that after he was convinced; for he had the outward law before, and was bred up in it, when he was in the lust of persecu­tion; but this was the law of God in his mind which he served, which the law in his members warred against: for that which he thought had been life to him, proved death. So the more sober of the priests and professors consented that it was not the outward law, but the inward, which shewed the inward lust which Paul spake of after he was convinced; for the outward law took hold of the outward action, but the inward law of the inward lust.

After this I went again to Mansfield, where was a great meeting of professors and people, where I was moved to pray; and the Lord's power was so great, that the house seemed to be shaken. When I had done, some of the professors said, ‘It was now as in the days of the apostles, when the house was shaken where they were.’ After I had prayed, one of the professors would pray which brought deadness and a veil over them. Others of the professors were grieved at him, and told him, "It was a temptation upon him." Then he came to me, and desired that I would pray again; but I could not pray in man's will.

Soon after there was another great meeting of professors, and a captain named Amor Stoddard came in. They were discoursing of the blood of Christ. As they were discours­ing of it, I saw, through the immediate opening of the invisible Spirit, the blood of Christ; and cried out among them, saying, ‘Do ye not see the blood of Christ? See it in your hearts, to sprinkle your hearts and consciences from dead works, to serve the living God.’ For I saw the blood of the new covenant, how it came into the heart. This startled the professors, who would have the blood only without them, and not in them. But captain Stoddard was reached, and said, ‘Let the youth speak, hear the youth speak;’ when he saw they endeavoured to bear me down with many words.

There were also a company of priests, that were looked upon to be tender; one of their names was Kellet, and se­veral [Page 19]tender people went to hear them. I was moved to go after them, and bid them mind the Lord's teaching in their inward parts. Priest Kellet was against parsonage then: but afterwards he got a great one, and turned perse­cutor.

After I had some service in these parts, I went through Derbyshire into my own country Leicestershire again, and several tender people were convinced. Passing thence, I met with a great company of professors in Warwickshire, who were praying and expounding the scriptures in the fields. They gave the bible to me, and I opened it on the fifth of Matthew, where Christ expounded the law; and I opened the inward state to them, and outward state; upon which they fell into a fierce contention, and parted: but the Lord's power got ground.

Then I heard of a great meeting to be at Leicester for a dispute, wherein presbyterians, independents, baptists, and common-prayer-men, were said to be all concerned. The meeting was in a steeple-house; to which I was moved by the Lord God to go, and be amongst them. I heard their discourse and reasonings, some being in pews, and the priest in the pulpit, abundance of people being gathered together. At last one woman asked a question out of Peter, What that birth was, viz. A being born again of incorruptible seed, by the Word of God, that liveth and abideth for ever? The priest said to her, I permit not a woman to speak in the church; though he had before given liberty for any to speak. Whereupon I was wrapped up as in a rapture, in the Lord's power; and I stepped up, and asked the priest, Dost thou call this place (the steeple-house) a church? or dost thou call this mixed multitude a church? For the wo­man asking a question, he ought to have answered it, having given liberty for any to speak. But, instead of answering me, he asked me, What a church was? I told him, The church was the pillar and ground of truth, made up of liv­ing stones, living members, a spiritual houshold, which Christ was the head of: but he was not the head of a mix­ed multitude, or of an old house made up of lime, stones, and wood. This set them all on a fire. The priest came down from his pulpit, and others out of their pews, and the dispute there was marred. I went to a great inn, and there disputed the thing with the priests and professors, who were all on fire. But I maintained the true church, and the true head thereof, over their heads, till they all gave out and [Page 20]fled away. One man seemed loving, and appeared for a while to join with me; but he soon turned against me, and joined with a priest, in pleading for infant baptism, though himself had been a baptist before; so he left me alone. Howbeit, there were several convinced that day; the woman that asked the question was convinced, and her family: and the Lord's power and glory shined over all.

After this I returned into Nottinghamshire again, and went into the Vale of Beavor. As I went, I preached re­pentance to the people. There were many convinced in the Vale of Beavor, in many towns; for I staid some weeks amongst them. One morning, as I was sitting by the fire, a great cloud came over me, a temptation beset me; and I sat still. It was said, "All things come by nature:" and the elements and stars came over me, so that I was in a ma [...]er quite clouded with it. But as I sat still and said nothing, the people of the house perceived nothing. And as I sat still under it and let it alone, a living hope and a true voice arose in me, which said, ‘There is a living God who made all things.’ Immediately the cloud and tempt­ation vanished away, and life rose over it all; my heart was glad, and I praised the living God. After some time I met with some people who had a notion that there was no God, but that all things come by nature. I had a great dispute with them, and overturned them, and made some of them confess, that there is a living God. Then I saw that it was good that I had gone through that exercise. We had great meetings in those parts; for the power of the Lord broke through in that side of the country. Returning into Nottinghamshire, I found there a company of shattered baptists, and others. The Lord's power wrought mightily, and gathered many of them. Afterwards I went to Mans­field and there-away; where the Lord's power was wonder­fully manifested both at Mansfield, and other towns there­abouts. In Derbyshire the mighty power of God wrought in a wonderful manner. At Eton, a town near Derby, there was a meeting of friends, where appeared such a mighty power of God that they were greatly shaken, and many mouths were opened in the power of the Lord God. Many were moved by the Lord to go to steeple-houses to the priests and people, to declare the everlasting truth unto them.

At a certain time when I was at Mansfield there was a sitting of the justices about hiring servants; and it was up­on [Page 21]me from the Lord to go and speak to the justices, that they should not oppress the servants in their wages. So I walked towards the inn where they sat; but finding a com­pany of fiddlers there, I did not go in, but thought to come in the morning, when I might have a more serious opportunity to discourse with them, not thinking that a sea­sonable time. But when I came again in the morning, they were gone, and I was struck even blind, that I could not see. I inquired of the inn-keeper, where the justices were to sit that day? He told me, At a town eight miles off. My sight began to come to me again; and I went and ran thitherward as fast as I could. When I was come to the house where they were, and many servants with them, I exhorted the justices not to oppress the servants in their wa­ges, but to do that which was right and just to them; and I exhorted the servants to do their duties, and serve honest­ly, &c. They all received my exhortation kindly, for I was moved of the Lord therein.

Moreover, I was moved to go to several courts and stee­ple-houses at Mansfield and other places, to warn them to leave off oppression and oaths, and to turn from deceit to the Lord, and do justly. Particularly at Mansfield, after I had been at a court there, I was moved to go and speak to one of the wickedest men in the country, one who was a common drunkard, a noted whoremaster, and a rhime-ma­ker; and I reproved him, in the dread of the mighty God, for his evil courses. When I had done speaking, and left him, he came after me, and told me, He was so smitten when I spake to him, that he had scarce any strength left in him. So this man was convinced, turned from his wic­kedness, and remained an honest, sober man, to the asto­nishment of the people who had known him before. Thus the work of the Lord went forward, and many were turned from darkness to light, within the compass of these three years, 1646, 1647, and 1648. Divers meetings of friends, in several places, were then gathered to God's teaching, by his light, Spirit, and power: for the Lord's power broke forth daily more and more wonderfully.

Now was I come up in Spirit, through the flaming sword, into the paradise of God. All things were new; and all the creation gave another smell unto me than before, beyond what words can utter. I knew nothing but pureness, inno­cency, and righteousness, being renewed up into the image of God by Christ Jesus; so that I was come up to the state [Page 22]of Adam, which he was in before he fell. The creation was opened to me; and it was shewed me, how all things had their names given them, according to their nature and virtue. I was at a stand in my mind, whether I should practice physick for the good of mankind, seeing the nature and virtues of the creatures were so opened to me by the Lord. But I was immediately taken up in Spirit, to see into another or more steadfast state than Adam's in innocen­cy, even into a state in Christ Jesus, that should never fall. The Lord shewed me, that such as were faithful to him, in the power and light of Christ, should come up into that state in which Adam was before he fell; in which the ad­mirable works of the creation, and the virtues thereof may be known, through the openings of that divine Word of wisdom and power by which they were made. Great things did the Lord lead me into, and wonderful depths were opened unto me, beyond what can by words be declared; but as people come into subjection to the Spirit of God, and grow up in the image and power of the Almighty, they may receive the word of wisdom that opens all things, and come to know the hidden unity in the Eternal Being.

Thus travelled I in the Lord's service, as he led me. When I came to Nottingham, the mighty power of God was there among friends. From thence I went to Clauson in Leicestershire, in the Vale of Beavor, and the mighty power of God appeared there also, in several towns and villages where friends were gathered. While I was there, the Lord opened to me three things, relating to those three great professions in the world, law, physick, and divinity (so called.) He shewed me, that the physicians were out of the wisdom of God, by which the creatures were made; and knew not the virtues of the creatures, because they were out of the Word of wisdom, by which they were made. He shewed me, the priests were out of the true faith, which Christ is the author of; the faith which purifies, gives vic­tory, and brings people to have access to God. by which they please God; the mystery of which faith is held in a pure conscience. He shewed me also, that the lawyers were out of the equity, out of the true justice, and out of the law of God, which went over the first transgression, and over all sin, and answered the Spirit of God, that was grieved and transgressed in man. And that these three, the physicians, the priests, and the lawyers, ruled the world out of the wis­dom, out of the faith, and out of the equity and law of [Page 23]God; the one pretending the cure of the body, the other the cure of the soul, and the third the protection of the pro­perty of the people. But I saw they were all out of the wisdom, out of the faith, out of the equity and perfect law of God. And as the Lord opened these things unto me, I felt his power went forth over all, by which all might be reformed, if they would receive and bow unto it. The priests might be reformed, and brought into the true faith, which is the gift of God. The lawyers might be reformed, and brought into the law of God, which answers that of God, which is transgressed, in every one, and brings to love one's neighbour as himself. This lets man see, if he wrongs his neighbour, he wrongs himself; and this teaches him to do unto others as he would they should do unto him. The physicians might be reformed, and brought into the wisdom of God, by which all things were made and created; that they might receive a right knowledge of the creatures, and understand the virtues of them, which the Word of Wis­dom, by which they were made and are upheld, hath given them. Abundance was opened concerning these things; how all lay out of the wisdom of God, and out of the righteousness and holiness that man at the first was made in. But as all believe in the light, and walk in the light which Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world withal, and become children of the light, and of the day of Christ; in his day all things are seen, visible and invisible, by the divine light of Christ, the spiritual heavenly man, by whom all things were made and created.

I saw concerning the priests, that although they stood in the deceit, and acted by the dark power which both they and their people were kept under; yet they were not the greatest deceivers spoken of in the scriptures, for they were not come so far as many of these had come. But the Lord opened to me who the greatest deceivers were, and how far they might come; even such as came as far as Cain, to hear the voice of God; such as came out of Egypt, and through the Red Sea, to praise God on the banks of the sea-shore; such as could speak by experience of God's miracles and wonders; such as were come as far as Corah, Dathan, and their company; such as were come as far as Balaam, who could speak the word of the Lord, who heard his voice and knew it, and knew his Spirit, and could see the star of Jacob, and the goodliness of Israel's Tent; the second birth, which no enchantment could prevail against; these that [Page 24]could speak so much of their experiences of God, and yet turned from the Spirit and the Word, and went into the gainsaying, these were and would be the great deceivers, far beyond the priests. Likewise among christians, such as should preach in Christ's name, should work miracles, cast out devils, and go as far as a Cain, a Corah, and a Balaam in the gospel-times, these were and would be the great de­ceivers. They that could speak some experiences of Christ and God, but lived not in the life, these were they that led the world after them, who got the form of godliness, but de­nied the power; who inwardly ravened from the Spirit, and brought people into the form, but persecuted them that were in the power, as Cain did; and ran greedily after the error of Balaam, through covetousness, loving the wages of un­righteousness, as Balaam did. These followers of Cain, Corah, and Balaam, have brought the world, since the apostles days to be like a sea. Such as these I saw might deceive now, as they did in former ages; but it is impossi­ble for them to deceive the elect, who were chosen in Christ, who was before the world began, and before the deceiver was: though others may be deceived in their openings and prophecies, not keeping their minds to the Lord Jesus Christ, who doth open and reveal to his.

I saw the state of those, both priests and people, who in reading the scriptures cry out much against Cain, Esau, Judas, and other wicked men of former times, mentioned in the holy scriptures; but do not see the nature of Cain, of Esau, of Judas, and those others, in themselves. These said, it was they, they, they, that were the bad people; put­ting it off from themselves: but when some of these came, with the light and Spirit of truth, to see into themselves, them they came to say, I, I, I, it is I myself, that have been the Ishmael, the Esau, &c. For then they saw the nature of wild Ishmael in themselves; the nature of Cain, Esau, Corah, Balaam, and of the son of perdition in themselves, sitting above all that is called God in them. I saw, it was the fallen man that was got up into the scriptures, and was finding fault with those before-mentioned; and with the backsliding Jews, calling them the sturdy oaks, tall cedars, fat bulls of Bashan, wild heifers, vipers, serpents, &c. and charging them, that it was they that closed their eyes, stop­ped their ears, hardened their hearts, and were dull of hear­ing; it was they that hated the light, rebelled against it, quenched the Spirit, vexed and grieved it, walked despite­fully [Page 25]against the Spirit of grace, and turned the grace of God into wantonness; it was they that resisted the Holy Ghost, got the form of godliness, and turned against the power; and they were the inwardly ravening wolves who had got the sheep's cloathing; they were the wells without water, clouds without rain, trees without fruit, &c. But when these, who were so much taken up with finding fault with others, and thought themselves clear from these things, came to look into themselves, and with the light of Christ throughly to search themselves, they might see enough of this in themselves; then the cry could not be, It is he or they, but I and we are found in these conditions.

I saw also, how people read the scriptures without a right sense of them, and without duly applying them to their own states. For when they read, that death reigned from Adam to Moses; that the law and the prophets were un­til John; and that the least in the kingdom is greater than John; they read these things without them, and ap­plied them to others (and the things were true of others) but they did not turn in to find the truth of these things in themselves. As these things were opened in me, I saw death reigned over them from Adam to Moses; from the entrance into transgression, till they came to the ministration of condemnation, which restrains people from sin that brings death. When the ministration of Moses is passed through, the ministry of the prophets comes to be read and under­stood, which reaches through the figures, types, and sha­dows unto John, the greatest prophet born of a woman; whose ministration prepares the way of the Lord, by bring­ing down the exalted mountains, and making straight paths. As this ministration is passed through, an entrance comes to be known into the everlasting kingdom. I saw plainly, that none could read Moses aright without Moses's Spirit, by which he saw how man was in the image of God in pa­radise, how he fell, how death came over him, and how all men have been under this death. I saw how Moses receiv­ed the pure law, that went over all transgressors; and how the clean beasts, which were figures and types, were offered up, when the people were come into the righteous law that went over the first transgression. Moses and the prophets saw through the types and figures, and beyond them, and saw Christ the great prophet, that was to come to fulfil them. I saw that none could read John's words aright, and with a true understanding of them, but in and with [Page 26]the same divine Spirit by which John spake them; and by his burning, shining light which is sent from God. For by that Spirit their crooked nature might be made straight, their rough natures smooth, and the exacter and violent doer in them might be cast out; and those that had been hypocrites, might come to bring forth fruits meet for re­pentance, and their mountain of sin and earthliness might be laid low, and their valley exalted in them, that there might be a way prepared for the Lord in them: then the least in the kingdom is greater than John. But all must first know the voice crying in the wilderness in their hearts, which through transgression were become as a wilderness. Thus I saw it was an easy matter to say, death reigned from Adam to Moses; and that the law and the prophets were until John; and that the least in the king­dom is greater than John; but none could know how death reigned from Adam to Moses, &c. but by the same holy Spirit which Moses, the prophets, and John were in. They could not know the spiritual meaning of Moses, the pro­phets, and John's words, nor see their path and travels, much less to see through them, and to the end of them into the kingdom, unless they had the Spirit and light of Jesus; nor could they know the words of Christ and of his apostles without his Spirit. But as man comes thro' by the Spirit and power of God to Christ (who fulfils the types, figures, shadows, promises, and prophecies concerning him) and is led by the Holy Ghost into the truth and substance of the scriptures, sitting down in him who is the author and end of them, then are they read and understood with profit and great delight.

Moreover the Lord God let me see, when I was brought up into his image in righteousness and holiness, and into the paradise of God, the state, how Adam was made a living soul; and also the stature of Christ, the mystery that had been hid from ages and generations: which things are hard to be uttered, and cannot be borne by many. For of all the sects in Christendom (so called) that I discoursed withal, I found none who could hear to be told, that any should come to Adam's perfection, into that image of God, that righteousness and holiness that Adam was in before he fell; to be clear and pure without sin as he was. Therefore, how should they be able to bear being told, that any should grow up to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, when they cannot [...]ear to hear that any shall come, whilst [Page 27]upon earth, into the same power and Spirit that the prophets and apostles were in? Though it be a certain truth, that none can understand their writings aright, without the same spirit by which they were written.

The Lord God opened to me by his invisible power, how "every man was enlightened by the divine light of Christ." I saw it shine through all, and that they that believed in it came out of condemnation to the light of life, and became the children of it; but they that hated it, and did not believe in it, were condemned by it, though they made a profession of Christ. This I saw in the pure openings of the light without the help of any man; neither did I then know where to find it in the scriptures; though afterwards, searching the scriptures, I found it. For I saw in that Light and Spirit which was before the Scriptures were given forth, and which led the holy men of God to give them forth, that all must come to that Spirit, if they would know God or Christ, or the scriptures aright, which they that gave them forth were led and taught by.

But I observed a dulness and drowzy heaviness upon people, which I wondered at; for sometimes, when I would set myself to sleep, my mind went over all to the beginning, in that which is from everlasting to everlasting I saw death was to pass over this sleepy, heavy state, and I told people they must come to witness death to that sleepy, heavy nature, and a cross to it in the power of God, that their minds and hearts might be on things above.

On a certain time, as I was walking in the fields, the Lord said unto me, ‘Thy name is written in the Lamb's book of life, which was before the foundation of the world:’ and as the Lord spoke it, I believed and saw it in the new birth. Some time after, the Lord commanded me to go abroad into the world, which was like a briery, thorny wilderness. When I came in the Lord's mighty power with the word of life into the world, the world swel­led and made a noise like the great raging waves of the sea. Priests and professors, magistrates and people, were all like a sea, when I came to proclaim the day of the Lord amongst them, and to preach repentance to them.

I was sent to turn people from darkness to the light, that they might receive Christ Jesus; for to as many as should receive him in his light, I saw he would give power to become the sons of God; which I had obtained by re­ceiving Christ. I was to direct people [...] the Spirit, that [Page 28]gave forth the scriptures, by which they might be led into all truth, and up to Christ and God, as those had been who gave them forth. I was to turn them to the grace of God, and to the truth in the heart, which came by Jesus; that by this grace they might be taught, which would bring them salvation, that their hearts might be established by it, their words might be seascned, and all might come to know their salvation nigh. I saw Christ died for all men, was a propitiation for all, and enlightened all men and women with his divine and saving light; and that none could be true believers, but those who believed therein. I saw that the grace of God, which brings salvation, had appeared to all men, and that the manifestation of the Spirit of God was given to every man, to profit withal. These things I did not see by the help of man, nor by the letter, though they are written in the letter; but I saw them in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by his immediate Spirit and power, as did the holy men of God by whom the holy scriptures were written. Yet I had no slight esteem of the holy scriptures, they were very precious to me; for I was in that Spirit by which they were given forth; and what the Lord opened in me, I afterwards found was agreeable to them. I could speak much of these things, and many volumes might be written; but all would prove too short to set forth the infinite love, wisdom, and power of God, in preparing, fitting, and furnishing me for the service he had appointed me to; letting me see the depth of Satan on the one hand, and opening to me, on the other hand, the divine mysteries of his own everlasting kingdom.

When the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ sent me forth into the world to preach his everlasting gospel and kingdom, I was glad that I was commanded to turn peo­ple to that [...]nward light, spirit, and grace, by which all might know their salvation and their way to God; even that Divine Spirit which would lead them into all truth, and which I infallibly knew would never deceive any.

But with and by this divine power and spirit of God. and the light of Jesus, I was to bring people off from all their own ways, to Christ the new and living way; from their churches, which men had made and gathered, to the church in God, the general assembly written in heaven, which Christ is the head of; and off from the world's teach­ers made by men, to learn of Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the li [...] of whom the Father said, ‘This is [Page 29]my beloved Son, hear ye him;’ and off from all the world's worships, to know the Spirit of truth in the inward parts, and to be led thereby, that in it they might worship the Father of spirits, who seeks such to worship him; which Spirit they that worshipped not in, knew not what they worshipped. I was to bring people off from all the world's religions, which are in vain; that they might know the pure religion might visit the fatherless, the widows and the strangers, and keep themselves from the spots of the world: then there would not be so many beggars; the sight of whom often grieved my heart, as it denoted so much hard-heartedness amongst those that professed the name of Christ. I was to bring them off from all the world's fellowships, prayings, and singings, which stood in forms without pow­er; that their fellowship might be in the Holy Ghost, the eternal Spirit of God; that they might pray in the Holy Ghost, sing in the Spirit, and with the grace that comes by Jesus; making melody in their hearts to the Lord, who hath sent his beloved Son to be their Saviour, caused his heavenly sun to shine upon all the world, and through them all; and his heavenly rain to fall upon the just and the unjust (as his outward rain doth fall, and his out­ward sun doth shine on all) which is God's unspeakable love to the world. I was to bring people off from Jewish ceremonies, from heathenish fables, from men's inventions and windy doctrines, by which they blowed the people about, this way and the other way, from sect to sect; and from all their beggarly rudiments, with their schools and colleges, for making ministers of Christ, who are indeed ministers of their own making, but not of Christ's; and from all their images, crosses, and sprinkling of infants, with their holy-days (so called) and all their vain traditions, which they had got up since the apostles days, which the Lord's power was against. In the dread and authority thereof was I moved to declare against them all, and against all that preached and not freely, as such who had not re­ceived freely from Christ.

Moreover, when the Lord sent me into the world, he forbad me "to put off my hat" to any, high or low; and I was required to thee and thou all men and women, with­out any respect to rich or poor, great or small. And as I travelled up and down, I was not to bid people Good morrow, or Good evening, neither might I bow or scrape with my leg to any one; this made the sects and professions [Page 30]rage. But the Lord's power carried me over all to his glory, and many came to be turned to God in a little time; for the heavenly day of the Lord sprung from on high, and broke forth apace; by the light of which many came to see where they were.

Oh! the rage that was in the priests, magistrates, profes­sors, and people of all sorts; but especially in priests and professors: for though thou to a single person was according to their accidence and grammar rules, and according to the bible, yet they could not bear to hear it; and because I could not put off my hat to them, it set them all into a rage. But the Lord shewed me that it was an honour be­low, which he would lay in the dust and stain; an honour which proud flesh looked for, but sought not the honour which comes from God only. That it was an honour in­vented by men in the fall and in the alienation from God, who were offended if it was not given them; yet would be looked upon as saints, church-members, and great Chris­tians: but Christ saith, ‘How can ye believe, who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? And I (saith Christ) receive not honour of men.’ Shewing that men have an honour which they will receive and give, but Christ will have none of it. This is the honour which Christ will not receive, and which must be laid in the dust. Oh! the scorn, heat, and fury that arose! Oh! the blows, punchings, beatings, and imprisonments that we underwent for not putting off our hats to men! For that soon tried all mens patience and sobriety, what it was. Some had their hats violently pluck'd off and thrown away, so that they quite lost them. The bad language and evil usage we received on this ac­count is hard to be expressed, besides the danger we were sometimes in of losing our lives for this matter, and that by the great professors of christianty, who thereby discovered they were not true believers. And though it was but a small thing in the eye of man, yet a wonderful confusion it brought among all professors and priests; but, blessed be the Lord, many came to see the vanity of that custom of putting off the hat to men, and felt the weight of Truth's testimony against it.

About this time I was sorely exercised in going to their courts to cry for justice, in speaking and writing to judges and justices to do justly; in warning such as kept publick houses for entertainment, that they should not let people [Page 31]have more drink than would do them good; in testifying against wakes, feasts, may-games, sports, plays, and shews, which trained up people to vanity and looseness, and led them from the fear of God; and the days set forth for holi­days were usually the times wherein they most dishonoured God by these things. In fairs also, and in markets, I was made to declare against their deceitful merchandize, cheat­ing, and cozening; warning all to deal justly, to speak the truth, to let their yea be yea, and their nay be nay, and to do unto others as they would have others do unto them; forewarning them of the great and terrible day of the Lord, which would come upon them all. I was moved also to cry against all sorts of musick, and against the mountebanks playing tricks on their stages; for they burthened the pure life, and stirred up people's minds to vanity. I was much exercised too with school-masters and school-mistresses, warning them to teach children sobriety in the fear of the Lord, that they might not be nursed and trained up in lightness, vanity, and wantonness. I was made to warn masters and mistresses, fathers and mothers in private fami­lies, to take care that their children and servants might be trained up in the fear of the Lord, and that themselves should be therein examples and patterns of sobriety and virtue to them. For I saw that as the Jews were to teach their children the law of God, the old covenant, and to train them up in it, and their servants, yea the very strangers were to keep the sabbath among them, and be circumcised, before they might eat of their sacrifices; so all that made a profession of christianity ought to train up their children and servants in the new covenant of light, Christ Jesus, who is God's salvation to the ends of the earth, that all may know their salvation. And they ought to train them up in the law of life, the law of the Spirit, the law of love and of faith, that they might be made free from the law of sin and death. And all christians ought to be circumcised by the Spirit, which puts off the body of the sins of the flesh, that they may come to eat of the heavenly sacrifice, Christ Jesus, that true spiritual food, which none can rightly feed upon but they that are circumcised by the Spirit. Likewise I was exercised about the star-gazers, who drew people's minds from Christ, the bright and the morning-star, and from the Sun of righteousness, by whom the sun, moon, and stars, and all things else were made, who is the wisdom of God, from whom the right knowledge of all things is received.

[Page 32] But the black earthly spirit of the priest wounded my life: and when I heard the bell toll to call people together to the steeple-house, it struck at my life; for it was like a market-bell to gather people together, that the priest might set forth his ware to sale. Oh! the vast sums of money that are got by the trade they make of selling the scriptures, and by their preaching, from the highest bishop to the lowest priest! What one trade else in the world is comparable to it? notwithstanding the scriptures were given forth freely, Christ commanded his ministers to preach freely, and the prophets and apostles denounced judgment against all co­vetous hirelings and diviners for money. But in this free Spirit of the Lord Jesus was I sent forth to declare the word of life and reconciliation freely, that all might come to Christ, who gives freely, and renews up into the image of God, which man and woman were in before they fell, that they might sit down in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

As I went towards Nottingham on a first-day in the morning, with friends to a meeting there, when I came on the top of a hill in sight of the town, I espied the great sheeple-house; and the Lord said unto me, ‘Thou must go cry against yonder great idol, and against the wor­shippers therein.’ I said nothing of this to the friends, but went with them to the meeting, where the mighty pow­er of the Lord God was amongst us; in which I left friends sitting in the meeting, and went to the steeple-house. When I came there all the people looked like fallow ground, and the priest, like a great lump of earth, stood in his pulpit above: he took for his text these words of Pe [...]r. ‘We have also a more sure word of prophecy, where unto ye do well, that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.’ He told the people this was the scriptures, by which they were to try all doctrines, religions, and opinions. Now the Lord's power was so mighty upon me, and so strong in me, that I could not hold; but was made to cry out, ‘Oh! no; it is not the scriptures;’ and told them it was the holy Spirit, by which the holy men of God gave forth the scriptures, whereby opinions, religions, and judgments were to be tried; for it led into all truth, and so gave the knowledge of all truth. The Jews had the scriptures, yet resisted the Holy Ghost, and rejected Christ, the bright morning-star. [Page 33]They persecuted him and his apostles, and took upon them to try their doctrines by the scriptures, but erred in judg­ment, and did not try them right; because they tried without the Holy Ghost. As I spoke thus amongst them, the offi­cers came, took me away, and put me into a nasty stinking prison; the smell whereof got so into my nose and throat, that it very much annoyed me.

But that day the Lord's power sounded so in their ears, that they were amazed at the voice, and could not get it out of their ears for some time after; they were so reached by the Lord's power in the steeple-house. At night they took me before the mayor, aldermen and sheriffs of the town. When I was brought before them, the mayor was in a peevish fretful temper, but the Lord's power allay'd him. They examined me at large; and I told them how the Lord had moved me to come. After some discourse be­tween them and me, they sent me back to prison; but some time after the head sheriff, whose name was John Reckless, sent for me to his house. When I came in, his wife met me in the hall, and said, "Salvation is come to our house." She took me by the hand, and was much wrought upon by the power of the Lord; and her husband, children, and servants were much changed, for the power of the Lord wrought upon them. I lodged at the sheriff's, and great meetings we had in his house. Some persons of consider­able condition in the world came to them, and the Lord's power appeared eminently amongst them. This sheriff sent for the other sheriff, and a woman they had had dealings with in the way of trade; and he told her before the other sheriff, that they had wronged her in their dealings with her (for the other sheriff and he were partners) and that they ought to make her restitation. This he spoke cheerfully; but the other sheriff denied it, and the woman said she knew nothing of it. But the friendly sheriff said it was so, the other knew it well enough; and having discovered the matter, and acknowledged the wrong done by them, he made restitution to the woman, and exhorted the other sheriff to do the like. The Lord's power was with this friendly sheriff, wrought a mighty change in him, and great openings he had. The next market-day, as he was walk­ing with me in the c [...]ruber, he said, ‘I must go into the market, and preach repentance to the people.’ Accord­ingly he went in his slippers into the market, and into seve­ral [Page 34]others also in the town were moved to speak to the mayor and magistrates, and to the people, exhorting them to re­pent. Hereupon the magistrates grew very angry, sent for me from the sheriff's house and committed me to the com­mon prison. When the assize came on, one person was mov­ed to come and offer up himself for me, body for body, yea, life also: but when I should have been brought before the judge, the sheriff's man being somewhat long in bringing me to the sessions-house, the judge was risen before I came. At which I understood the judge was offended, and said, ‘He would have admonished the youth, if he had been brought before him:’ for I was then imprisoned by the name of a youth. So I was returned to prison again, and put into the common gaol. The Lord's power was great among friends; but the people began to be very rude: wherefore the governor of the castle sent soldiers, and dis­persed them; after that they were quiet. Both priests and people were astonished at the wonderful power that broke forth; several of the priests were made tender, and some did confess to the power of the Lord.

After I was set at liberty from Nottingham gaol, where I had been kept prisoner a pretty long time, I travelled as before, in the work of the Lord. Coming to Mansfield Woodhouse, there was a distracted woman under a doctor's hand, with her hair loose about her care. He was about to let her blood, she being first bound, and many people about her, holding her by violence; but he could get no blood from her. I desired them to unbind her and let her alone, for they could not touch the spirit in her by which she was tormented. So they did unbind her; and I was moved to speak to her, and in the name of the Lord to bid her be quiet and still; and she was so. The Lord's power settled her mind. and she mended. Afterwards she received the truth, and continued in it to her death; and the Lord's name was honoured; to whom the glory of all his works belongs. Many great and wonderful things were wrought by the heavenly power in those days; for the Lord made bare his omnipotent arm, and manifested his power to the astonishment of many; by the healing virtue whereof many have been delivered from great infirmities, and the devils were made subject through his name; of which particular instances might be given, beyond what this unbelieving age is able to receive or bear. Blessed for ever be the name of the Lord, and everlastingly honoured, [Page 35]and over all exalted and magnified be the arm of his glori­ous power, by which he hath wrought gloriously: let the honour and praise of all his works be ascribed to him alone.

While I was at Mansfield Woodhouse, I was moved to go to the steeple-house, and declare the truth to the priest and people. But the people fell upon me in great rage, struck me down, and almost stifled me. I was cruelly beaten and bruised by them with their hands, bibles, and sticks. Then they haled me out, though I was hardly able to stand, and put me into the stocks, where I sat some hours; and they brought dog-whips and horse-whips, threatening to whip me. After some time they had me before the magistrate, at a knight's house, where were many great persons; who, seeing how evilly I had been used, after much threatening set me at liberty: but the rude peo­ple stoned me out of the town, for preaching the Word of life to them. I was scarce able to go, or well to stand, by reason of the ill usage I had received; yet with much ado I got about a mile from the town, and then I met with some people that gave me something to comfort me, because I was inwardly bruised: but the Lord's power soon healed me again. That day some people were convinced of the Lord's truth, and turned to his teaching; at which I re­joiced.

Then went I out of Nottinghamshire into Leicestershire, several friends accompanying me. There were some baptists in that country, whom I desired to speak with, because they were separated from the publick worship. So Oats, one of their chief teachers, and others of the heads of them, with several of their company, came to meet us at Barrow, where we discoursed with them. One of them said, What was not of faith, was sin. Whereupon I afked them, What Faith was? and how it was wrought in man? But they turned off from that, and spake of their baptism in water. Then I asked them, Whether their mountain of sin was brought down, and laid low in them? and their rough and crooked ways made smooth and straight in them? They looked upon the scriptures as meaning outward moun­tains and ways; but I told them, they must sind them in their own hearts; which they seemed to wonder at. We asked them, Who baptized John the baptist? who baptized Peter, John, and the rest of the apostles? and put them to prove by scripture, that these were baptized in water: but they were silent, Then I asked them, Seeing Judas, [Page 36]who betrayed Christ, and was called the son of perdition, had hanged himself, what son of perdition was that which Paul spake of, that sat in the temple of God, exalted above all that is called God? And what temple of God that was in which this son of perdition sat? And whether he, that betrays Christ within in himself, be not one in nature with that Judas that betrayed Christ without? But they could not tell what to make of this, nor what to say to it. So after some discourse we parted; and some of them were loving to us.

On the first-day following we came to Bagworth, and went to a steeple-house, where some friends were got in, and the people locked them in, and themselves too, with the priest. But after the priest had done, they opened the door, and we went in also, and had service for the Lord amongst them. Afterwards we had a meeting in the town, amongst several that were in high notions. Then passing from thence, I heard of a people in prison at Coventry for re­ligion. As I walked towards the gaol, the word of the Lord came to me saying, MY LOVE WAS ALWAYS TO THEE, AND THOU ART IN MY LOVE. And I was ra­vished with the sense of the love of God, and greatly strengthened in my inward man. But when I came into the gaol where those prisoners were, a great power of dark­ness struck at me; and I sat still, having my spirit gathered into the love of God. At last these prisoners began to rant, vapour and blaspheme; at which my soul was greatly griev­ed. They said, they were God; but we could not bear such things. When they were calm, I stood up and asked them, Whether they did such things by motion, or from Scripture? They said, From Scripture. Then a bible lying by, I asked them for that scripture; and they shewed me that place where the sheet was let down to Peter; and it was said to him, what was sanctified he should not call common or unclean. When I had shewed them That scripture made nothing for their purpose, they brought another, which spake of God's reconciling all things to himself, things in heaven and things in earth. I told them I owned that scripture also; but shewed them it was nothing to their purpose neither. Them seeing they said, They were God, I asked them, If they knew whether it would rain to mor­row? They said, They could not tell. I told them, God could tell. I asked them, If they thought they should be always in that condition, or should change? They answer­ed. [Page 37]They could not tell. Then said I, God can tell, and he doth not change. You say you are God; at I yet you cannot tell whether you shall change or no. So they were consounded, and quite brought down for the time. After I had reproved them for their blasphemous expressions, I went away; for I perceived they were Ranters. I had met with none before; and I admired the goodness of the Lord in appearing so unto me, before I went amongst them. Not long after this, one of these Ranters, whose name was Jo­seph Salmon, published a recantation; upon which they were set at liberty.

From Coventry I went to Atherstone; and it being their lecture-day, I was moved to go to their chapel to speak to the priest and people. They were generally pretty quiet; only some sew raged, and would have had my relations to have bound me. I declared largely to them, that God was come to [...] his people himself, and to bring them from all their man-made teachers, to hear his Son; and some were con­vinced there.

Then I went to Market-Bossoth, and there was a lecture also. He that preached was Nathaniel Stevens, the priest of the town where I was born. He raged much when I spake, and told the people I was mad; though he had said before to Colonel Purfoy, There was never such a plant bred in England: he bid the people not to hear me; who, being stirred up by this deceitful priest, fell upon us, and stoned us out of the town: yet they did not do us much hurt. Howbeit some people were made loving that day; and others were confirmed, seeing the rage of both priests and professors; and some cried out, that the priest durst not stand to prove his ministry.

As I travelled through markets, fairs, and divers places, I saw death and darkness in all people, where the power of the Lord had not shaken them. As I was passing on in leicestershire, I came to Twy-Cross, where there were ex­cisemen. I was moved of the Lord to go and warn them to take heed of oppressing the poor; and people were much affected with it. There was in that town a great man that had long lain sick, and was given over by the physicians. Some friends in the town desired me to visit him. I went up to him in his chamber, and spake the word of life to him, and was moved to pray by him; and the Lord was entreated, and restored him to health. When I was come down the stairs into a lower room, and was speaking to the [Page 38]servants, and others there, a servant man of his came raving out of another room, with a naked rapier in his hand, and set it just to my side. I looked steadfastly on him, and said, ‘Alack for thee, poor creature! what wilt thou do with thy carnal weapon? It is no more to me than a straw.’ The standers-by were much troubled, and he went away in a rage. But when the news of it came to his master, he turned him out of his service. Thus the Lord's power preserved me, and raised up the, weak man; who afterwards was very loving to friends. When I came to that town again, both he and his wife came to see me.

After this I was moved to go into Derbyshire, where the mighty power of God was among friends. I went to Ches­terfield, where one Britland was priest. He saw beyond the common sort of priests; for he had been partly convin­ced, and had spoken much on behalf of truth before he was priest there: but when the priest of that town died, he got the parsonage, and choked himself with it. I was mo­ved to speak to him and the people in the great love of God, that they might come off from all men's teaching un­to God's teaching; and he was not able to gainsay. But they had me before the mayor, and threatened to send me, with some others, to the house of correction; and kept us in custody till it was late in the night. Then the officers with the watchmen, put us out of the town, leaving us to shift as we could. I bent my course towards Derby, hav­ing a friend or two with me. In our way we met with ma­ny professors; and at Kidsey Park many were convinced.

Coming to Derby, I lay at a doctor's house, whose wi [...] was convinced; and several more in the town. As I was walking in my chamber, the bell rung; and it struck at my life at the very hearing of it. So I asked the woman of the house, What the bell rung for? She said, There was to be a great lecture there that day, and many officers of the ar­my, priests, and preachers, were to be there, and a colonel, that was a preacher. Then was I moved of the Lord to go up to them. When they had done, I spake to them what the Lord commanded me; and they were pretty quiet. But there came an officer, and took me by the hand, and said, I must go before the magistrates, and the other two that were with me. It was about the first hour after noon that we came before them. They alked me, Why we came thither? I said, God moved us so to do; and told them, "God dwells not in temples made with hands." I [Page 39]also said, All their preaching, baptism, and sacrifices would never sanctify them; and bid them look unto Christ in them, and not unto men; for it is Christ that sanctisies. Then they ran into many words; but I told them they were not to dispute of God and Christ, but to obey him. The power of God thundered among them, and they did fly like chaff before it. They put me in and out of the room often, hurrying me backward and forward, for they were from the first hour till the ninth at night in examining me. Sometimes they would tell me in a deriding manner, that I was taken up in raptures. At last they asked me, Whether I was sanctified? I answered, Yes; for I was in the paradise of God. Then they asked me, If I had no sin? I answered, Christ my Saviour has taken away my sin; and in him there is no sin. They asked, How we knew that Christ did abide in us? I said, By his Spirit that he hath given us. They temptingly asked, If any of us were Christ? I answered, Nay, we were nothing, Christ was all. They said, If a man steal, is it no sin? I answered, All unright­eousness is sin. When they had wearied themselves in exa­mining me, they committed me and one other man to the house of correction in Derby for six months, as blas­phemers; as may appear by the mittimus, a copy whereof here followeth:

[Page 40] Now did the priests bestir themselves in their pulpits to preach up sin for term of life. Much of their work was, to plead for it; so that people said, Never was the like heard. After some time, the person committed with me, not stand­ing faithful in his testimony, got in with the gaoler, and by him made way to the justice to have leave to go see his mother; and so got his liberty. It then was reported, that he said I had bewitched and deceived him: but my spirit was strengthened when he was gone. The priests, profes­sors, justices, and the gaoler, were all in a great rage against me. The gaoler watched my words and actions, often ask­ing me questions to ensnare me; and sometimes he would ask me such silly questions, as, Whether the door was latched or not? Thinking to draw some sudden, unadvised answer from me, from whence he might take advantage to charge sin upon me: but I was kept watchsul and chaste, so that they could get no advantage of me; which they admired.

Not long after my commitment, I was moved to write to the priests and magistrates of Derby. And first to the priests.

I writ to the magistrates who committed me, to this effect:

Having thus far cleared my conscience to them, I waited in the holy patience, leaving the event to God, in whose will I stood. After some time I was moved to write again to the justices that had committed me, to lay their evils before them, that they might repent. One of them, Nathaniel Barton, was a colonel, a justice, and a preacher.

As I had thus written to them jointly: after some time I writ to each by himseif. To justice Bennet in this man­ner:

That to justice Barton was in this manner:

Having written to the justices and the priests, it was upon me to write to the mayor of Derby also; who, though he did not sign the mittimus, had a hand with the rest in send­ing me to prison. To him I wrote after this manner:

I wrote also to the Court at Derby thus:

Likewise to the ringers, who used to ring the bells in the steeple-house called St. Peter's, in Derby, I sent these sew lines:

While I was here in prison divers professors came to discourse with me. I had a sense before they spoke, that [Page 45]they came to plead for sin and imperfection. I asked them, Whether they were believers and had faith? They said, Yes. I asked them, In whom? They said, In Christ. I replied, If ye are true believers in Christ, you are passed from death to life; and if passed from death, then from sin that bringeth death: and if your faith be true, it will give you victory over sin and the devil, purisy your hearts and consciences (for the true faith is held in a pure conscience) and bring you to please God, and give you access to him again. But they could not endure to hear of purity, and of victory over sin and the devil. They said, ‘They could not believe any could be free from sin on this side the grave.’ I bid them give over babbling about the scriptures, which were holy men's words, whilst they plead­ed for unholiness. At another time a company of professors came, who also began to plead for sin. I asked them, Whether they had hope? They said. Yes: God forbid but we should have hope. I asked them, What hope is it that you have? Is Christ in you the hope of your glory? Doth it purify you, as he is pure? But they could not abide to hear of being made pure here. Then I bid them forbear talking of the scriptures, which were the holy men's words; for the holy men that wrote the scriptures pleaded for holiness in heart, life, and conversation here; but since you plead for impurity and sin, which is of the devil, what have you to do with the holy men's words?

The keeper of the prison, being an high professor, was greatly enraged against me, and spoke very wickedly of me; but it pleased the Lord one day to strike him so, that he was in great trouble, and under much terror of mind. And as I was walking in my chamber, I heard a doleful noise; and standing still, I heard him say to his wife, ‘Wife, I have seen the day of judgment; and I saw GEORGE there, and I was afraid of him; because I had done him so much wrong, and spoken so much against him to the ministers and professors, and to the justices, and in taverns and alchouses.’ After this, towards the evening, he came into my chamber, and said to me, ‘I have been as a lion against you; but now I come like a lamb, and like the gaoler that came to Paul and Silas trembling.’ And he desired he might lodge with me; I told him, I was in his power, he might do what he would: but he said, ‘Nay, he would have my leave; and he could desire to be always with me, but not to have me as a prisoner.’ He said, [Page 46] ‘He had been plagued, and his house had been plagued for my sake.’ So I suffered him to lodge with me. Then he told me all his heart, and said, He believed what I had said of the true faith and hope to be true; and he wondered that the other man, who was put in prison with me, did not stand it; and said, ‘That man was not right, but I was an honest man.’ He confessed also to me, that at those times when I had asked him to let me go forth to speak the word of the Lord to the people, when he refused to let me go, and I laid the weight thereof upon him, that he used to be under great trouble, amazed, and almost distracted for some time after, and in such a condi­tion that he had little strength left him. When the morn­ing came, he rose and went to the justices, and told them, "That he and his house had been plagued for my sake." One of the justices replied (as he reported to me) that the plagues were upon them too for keeping me. This was justice Bennet of Derby, who was the first that called us Quakers, because I bid them tremble at the word of the Lord. This was in the year 1650.

After this the justices gave leave, that I should have liberty to walk a mile. I perceived their end, and told the gaoler. If they would set down to me how far a mile was, I might take the liberty of walking it sometimes. For I had a sense that they thought I would go away. And the gaoler confessed afterwards they did it with that intent to have me go away, to ease them of their plague; but I told him I was not of that spirit.

This gaoler had a sister, a sickly young woman. She came up into my chamber to visit me; and after she had staid some time, and I had spoken the words of truth to her, she went down, and told them, ‘we were an inno­cent people, and did none any hurt, but did good to all, even to them that hated us;’ and desired them to be tender towards me.

As by reason of my restraint I had not the opportunity of travelling about to declare and spread truth through the countries, it came upon me to write a paper, and send it forth to be spread amongst friends and other tender people, for the opening of their understandings in the way of truth, and directing them to the true teacher in themselves. It was after this manner:

I wrote another much about the same time, and sent it amongst the convinced people.

But many, who had been convinced of the truth, turn­ed aside, because of the persecution that arose: whereupon I writ a few lines for the comfort and encouragement of the faithful.

While I was in the house of correction, my relations came to see me; and being troubled for my imprisonment, they went to the justices that cast me into prison, and desi­red to have me home with them; offering to be bound in one hundred pounds, and others of Derby in fifty pounds apiece with them, that I should come no more thither to de­clare against the priests. So I was had up before the justices; and because I would not consent that they or any should be bound for me (for I was innocent from any ill behaviour. and had spoken the word of life and truth unto them) jus­tice Bennet rose up in a range; and as I was kneeling down to pray to the Lord to forgive him, he ran upon me, and struck me with both his hands, crying, ‘away with him, gaoler: take him away, gaoler.’ Whereupon I was had again to prison, and there kept, till the time of my com­mitment for six months was expired. But I had now the liberty of walking a mile by myself; which I made use of as I felt freedom. Sometimes I went into the market and streets, and warned the people to repent of their wicked­ness; and returned to prison again. And there being per­sons of several forts of religion in the prison, I sometimes visited them in their meetings on first-days.

After I had been before the justices, and they had requi­red sureties for my good behaviour (which I could not con­sent [Page 51]should be given, to blemish my innocency) it came upon me to write to the justices again, which I did in the following manner:

Some little time after, I wrote to them again:

After some time, not finding my spirit clear of them, I wrote to them again:

I was moved also to write again to the priests of Derby; which I did after this manner:

[Page 53] Thus having cleared my conscience to the priests, it was not long before a concern came upon me to write again to the justices, which I did as followeth:

Besides this, I wrote the following to Colonel Barton, who was both a justice and a preacher:

While I was in the house of correction, there came a trooper, and said, As he was sitting in the steeple-house, hearing the priest, exceeding great trouble fell upon him; and the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘Dost thou not know that my servant is in prison? Go to him for di­rection.’ So I spake to his condition, and his under­standing was opened. I told him, That which shewed him his sins, and troubled him for them, would shew him his salvation; for he that shews a man his sin, is the same that takes it away. While I was speaking to him, the Lord's power opened him so that he began to have a good under­standing in the Lord's truth, and to be sensible of God's mercies. He spoke boldly in his quarters amongst the soldiers, and to others, concerning truth (for the scriptures were very much opened to him) insomuch that he said, ‘His colonel was a blind as Nebuchadnezzar, to cast the servant of the Lord into prison.’ Upon this, his colonel conceived a spite against him: and at Worcester fight the year after, when the two armies lay near one another, two came out from the king's army, and challenged any two of the parliament army to fight with them; his colonel made choice of him and another to answer the challenge. And when in the encounter his companion was slain, he drove both his enemies within musket-shot of the town, without siring a pistol at them. This, when he returned, he told me with his own mouth. But when the sight was over, he saw the deceit and hypocrisy of the officers; and being sensible how wonderfully the Lord had preserved him, and seeing also to the end of fighting, he laid down his arms.

The time of my commitment to the house of correction be­ing very near out, and there being many new soldiers raised, the commissioners would have made me captain over them; and the soldiers cried, They would have none but me. So the keeper of the house of correction was commanded to [Page 56]bring me before the commissioners and soldiers in the mar­ket-place; where they offered me that preferment, as they called it, askingme, If I would not take up arms for the com­monwealth against Charles Stewart? I told them I knew from whence all wars arose, even from the lusts, according to James's doctrine; and that I lived in the virtue of that life and power that took away the occasion of all wars. Yet they courted me to accept of their offer, and thought I did but compliment them. But I told them I was come into the covenant of peace, which was before wars and strifes were. They said, They offered it in love and kindness to me, be­cause of my virtue; and such-like flattering words they used. But I told them, If that was their love and kind­ness, I trampled it under my feet. Then their rage got up, and they said, ‘Take him away, Gaoler, and put him into the prison amongst the rogues and felons.’ So I was put into a lousy stinking place, without any bed, amongst thirty felons, where I was kept almost half a year; yet at times they would het me walk to the garden, believing I would not go away. When they had got me into Derby pri­son, it was the saying of people that I should never come out; but I had faith in God that I should be delivered in his time: for the Lord had given me to believe that I was not to be removed from that place yet, being set there for a service which he had for me to do.

After it was bruited abroad that I was in Derby prison, my relations came to see me again; and were much trou­bled that I should be in prison; for they looked upon it to be a great shame to them for me to lie in gaol. It was a strange thing then to be imprisoned for religion; and some thought I was mad, because I stood for purity, righteous­ness and perfection.

Among others that came to see and discourse with me, there was a certain person from Nottingham, a soldier, who had been a baptist, as I understood, and with him came several others. In discourse, this person said to me, ‘Your faith stands in a man that died at Jerusalem, and there never was any such thing.’ Being exceedingly grieved to hear him, I said, ‘How! did not Christ suffer without the gates of Jerusalem, through the professing Jews, chief priests, and Pilate?’ He denied that ever Christ suf­fered there outwardly. Then I asked him, Whether there were not chief priest, and Jews, and Pilate there outward­ly? When he could not deny that, I told him, As cer­tainly [Page 57]as there was a chief priest, and Jews and Pilate there outwardly, so certainly was Christ persecuted by them, and did suffer there outwardly under them, Yet from this man's words was a stander raised upon us, That the Quakers should deny Christ, that suffered and died at Jerusalem: which was all utterly false; the least thought of it never entered our hearts. The same person also said. That never any of the prophets, nor apostles, nor holy men of God, suffered any thing outwardly, but all their sufferings were inward. I instanced to him many of the prophets and apostles, how and by whom they suffered. So the power of the Lord was brought over his wicked imaginations and whimsies.

There came also another company to me, that pretended they were triers of spirits: I asked them, What was the first step to peace? And what it was by which a man might see his salvation? They were presently up in the airy mind, and said, I was mad. Thus they came to try spirits, who did not know themselves nor their own spirits.

In this time of my imprisonment I was exceedingly ex­ercised about the proceedings of the judges and magistrates in their courts of judicature, and was moved to write to the judges concerning their putting men to death for small mat­ters; and to shew them how contrary it was to the law of God in old time; for I was under great suffering in my spirit because of it, and under the very sense of death; but standing in the will of God, an heavenly breathing arose in my soul to the Lord. Then did I see the heavens open­ed, and I rejoiced, and gave glory to God. So I wrote to the judges in manner following:

Besides this, I wrote another letter to the judges, to this effect:

Moreover, I laid before the judges what an hurtful thing it was that prisoners should lie so long in gaol; shewing how they learned wickedness one of another, in talking of their bad deeds; therefore speedy justice should be done. For I was a tender youth, and dwelt in the fear of God; and being grieved to hear their bad language, I was often made to reprove them for their wicked words, and evil car­riage towards each other. People admired that I was so preserved and kept; for they never could catch a word or action from me, to make any thing of against me, all the time I was there; for the Lord's infinite power upheld and preserved me all that time; to him be praises and glo­ry for ever!

While I was here, there was a young, woman in the gaol for robbing her master. When she was to be tried for her life, I wrote to the judge and jury, shewing them how contrary it was to the law of God in old time to put people to death for stealing; and moving them to shew mercy. Yet she was condemned to die, and a grave was made for her; and at the time appointed she was carried forth to execution. Then I wrote a few words, warning all to beware of greedi­ness or covetousness, for it leads from God; and that all should fear the Lord, avoid earthly lusts, and prize their [Page 59]time while they have it: this I gave to be read at the gal­lows. And though they had her upon the ladder, with a cloth bound over her face, ready to be turned off. yet they did not put her to death, but brought her back to prison, where she afterwards came to be convinced of God's ever­lasting truth.

There was also in the gaol, while I was there, a wicked ungodly man who was reputed a conjurer. He threatened he would talk with me, and what he would do; but he never had power to open his mouth to me. And the gaoler and he falling out, he threatened to raise the devil, and break his house down; so that he made the gaoler afraid. I was moved of the Lord to go in his power and rebuke him, and to say to him ‘Come, let's see what thou canst do; do thy worst.’ I told him ‘The devil was raised high enough in him already; but the power of God chained him down;’ so he slunk away from me.

The time of Worcester fight coming on, justice Bennet sent constables to press me for a soldier, seeing I would not voluntarily accept of a command. I told them, that I was brought off from outward wars. They came again to give me press-money; but I would take none. Then I was brought up to serjeant Holes, kept there awhile, and taken down again. Afterwards the constables brought me a se­cond time before the commissioners, who said I should go for a soldier; but I told them I was dead to it. They said I was alive. I told them, where envy and hatred is, there is confusion. They offered me money twice, but I refused it. Being disappointed, they were angry, and committed me close prisoner, without bail or mainprize. Whereupon I wrote to them again, directing my letter to colonel Bar­ton, a preacher, and the rest that were concerned in my commitment. I wrote thus:

About this time I was moved to give forth the following lines, to go amongst the convinced and tender people, to manifest the deceits of the world, and how the priests have deceived the people.

To all that love the Lord Jesus Christ with a pure and naked heart, and the generation of the righteous.

Again a concern came upon me to write to the magis­trates of Derby.

[Page 63] Great was the exercise and travail in spirit that I under­went during my imprisonment here, because of the wicked­ness that was in this town; for though some were con­vinced, yet the generality were a hardened people. I saw the visitation of God's love pass away from them. I mourned over them; and it came upon me to give forth the following lines, as a lamentation for them:

After I had seen the visitation of God's love pass away from this place, I knew that my imprisonment here would, not continue long; but I saw that when the Lord should bring me forth, it would be as the letting of a lion out of a den amongst the wild beasts of the forest. For all pro­fessions stood in a beastly spirit and nature, pleading for sin, and for the body of sin and imperfection, as long as they lived. They raged, and ran against the life and spirit which gave forth the scriptures, yet professed them in words, as will appear hereafter.

There was a great judgment upon the town, and the ma­gistrates were uneasy about me; but could not agree what to do with me. One while they would have sent me up to [Page 64]the parliament; another while they would have banished me to Ireland. At first they called me a deceiver, a sedu­cer, and a blasphemer. Afterwards, when God had brought his plagues upon them, they stiled me an honest virtuous man. But their good report and bad report were nothing to me; for the one did [...]o [...] lift me up, nor the other cast me down: praised be the Lord! At length they were made to turn me out of gaol, about the beginning of winter in the year 1651, after I had been a prisoner in Derby almost a year; six months in the house of correction, and the rest of the time in the common gaol.

Being at liberty I went on, as before, in the work of the Lord. passing through the country into Leicestershire, hav­ing meetings as I went; and the Lord's Spirit and power accompanied me. Afterwards I went near Burton upon Trent, where some were convinced; and to Bushel-House, where I had a meeting. I went into the country, where there were friendly people; yet an outrageous wicked pro­sessor had an intent to have done me a mischief, but the Lord prevented him: blessed be the Lord!

As I was walking with several friends, I lifted up my head, and saw three steeple-house spires, and they struck at my life. I asked them what place that was? They said, Lichfield. Immediately the word of the Lord came to me, that I must go thither. Being come to the house we were going to, I wish'd friends to walk into the house, saying nothing to them whither I was to go. As soon as they were gone I stept away, and went by my eye over hedge and ditch till I came within a mile of Lichfield; where, in a great field, shepherds were keeping their sheep. Then was I commanded by the Lord to pull off my shoes. I stood still, for it was winter; and the word of the Lord was like a fire in me. So I put off my shoes, and left them with the shepherds; and the poor shepherds trembled, and were astonished. Then I walked on about a mile, and as soon as I was got within the city, the word of the Lord came to me again, saying; Cry, ‘Wo to the bloody city of Lichfield!’ So I went up and down the streets, cry­ing with a loud voice, WO TO THE BLOODY CITY OF LICHFIELD! It being market-day, I went into the mar­ket-place, and to and fro in the several parts of it, and made stands, crying as before, WO TO THE BLOODY CITY OF LICHFIELD! And no one laid hands on me. As I went thus crying through the streets, there seemed to [Page 65]me to be a channel of blood running down the streets, and the market-place appeared like a pool of blood. When I had declared what was upon me, and felt myself clear, I went out of the town in peace; and returning to the shep­herds gave them some money, and took my shoes of them again. But the sire of the Lord was so in my feet, and all over me, that I did not matter to put on my shoes again, and was at a stand whether I should or no, till I felt freedom from the Lord so to do: them, after I had washed my feet, I put on my shoes again. After this a deep consideration came upon me, for what reason I should be sent to cry against that city, and call it THE BLOODY CITY! For though the parliament had the minster one while, and the king another, and much blood had been shed in the town during the wars between them, yet that was no more than had befallen many other places. But afterwards I came to understand, that in the emperor Dio­clesian's time a thousand Christians were martyr'd in Lich­field. So I was to go, without my shoes, through the channel of their blood, and into the pool of their blood in the market-place, that I might raise up the memorial of the blood of those martyrs, which had been shed above a thou­sand years before, and lay cold in their streets. So the sense of this blood was upon me, and I obeyed the word of the Lord. Ancient records testify how many of the christian Britons suffered there. Much I could write of the sense I had of the blood of the martyrs, that hath been shed in this nation for the name of Christ, both under the ten persecutions and since; but I leave it to the Lord, and to his book, out of which all shall be judged; for his book is a most certain record, and his Spirit a true recorder.

Then I passed through the countries, having meetings amongst friendly people in many places; but my relations were offended at me. After some time I returned into Nottinghamshire, to Mansfield, and into Derbyshire, visit­ing friends. Then passing into Yorkshire, I preached re­pentance through Doncaster, and several other places; and came to Balby, where Richard Far [...]sworth and others were convinced. So travelling through several places, preaching repentance, and the word of life to the people, I came into the parts about Wakefield, where James Nayler lived; who, with Thomas Goodyear, came to me, and were both convinced, and received the truth. William Dewsbury also and his wife, with many more came to me, who were [Page 66]convinced, and received the truth. From thence I passed towards captain Pursloe's by Selby, and visited John Leek, who had been to see me in Derby prison, and was convin­ced. I had a horse, but was fain to leave him, not know­ing what to do with him; for I was moved to go to many great houses, to admonish and exhort the people to turn to the Lord. I was moved of the Lord to go to Beverly steeple-house, which was a place of high profession. Being very wet with rain, I went first to an inn. As soon as I came to the door, a young woman of the house said, "What! is it you? Come in," as if she had known me before; for the Lord's power bowed their hearts. So I re­freshed myself, and went to bed. In the morning, my cloaths' being still wet, I got ready, and having paid for what I had, went up to the steeple-house, where was a man preaching. When he had done, I was moved to speak to him and to the people in the mighty power of God, and turned them to their teacher, Christ Jesus. The power of the Lord was so strong, that it struck a mighty dread amongst the people. The mayor came and spoke a few words to me; but none had power to meddle with me. So I passed out of the town, and in the afternoon went to another steeple-house about two miles off. When the priest had done I was moved to speak to him and to the people very largely, shewing them the way of life and truth, and the ground of election and reprobation. The priest said, he was but a child, and could not dispute with me. I told him I did not come to dispute, but to hold forth the word of life and truth unto them, that they might all know the one seed which the promise of God was to, both in the male and in the female. Here the people were very loving, and would have had me come again on a week­day, and preach among them: but I directed them to their teacher, Christ Jesus; and the next day went to Cransick, to captain Pursloe's; who accompanied me to justice Ho­tham's. Justice Hotham was a pretty tender man, and had some experience of God's workings in his heart. After some discourse with him of the things of God, he took me into his closet; where sitting together, he told me he had known that principle these ten years, and was glad that the Lord did now send his servants to publish it abroad to the people. After awhile a priest came to visit him, with whom I had some discourse concerning truth. His mouth was [Page 67]quickly stopt; for he was nothing but a notionist, and not in possession of what he talked of.

While I was there, a great woman of Beverly came to justice Hotham about some business. In discourse she told him, ‘The last sabbath-day, as she called it, there was an angel or spirit came into the church at Beverly, and spoke the wonderful things of God, to the astonishment of all that were there; and when it had done, it passed away, and they did not know whence it came nor whither it went; but it astonished all, priest, professors, and ma­gistrates.’ This relation justice Hotham gave me after­wards; and then I gave him an account that I had been that day at Beverly steeple-house, and had declared truth to the priest and people there.

In the country thereabouts were some noted priests and doctors that justice Hotham had acquaintance with. He would fain have them speak with me, and offered to send for them, under pretence of some business he had with them; but I wish'd him not to do so.

When first-day was come, justice Hotham walked out with me into the fields; and captain Pursloe coming after us, justice Hotham left us, and returned home; but captain Pursloe went with me into the steeple-house. When the priest had done, I spoke to both priest and people; decla­red to them the word of life and truth, and directed them where they might find their teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ. Some were convinced, received the truth, and stand fast in it, and have a sine meeting to this day.

In the afternoon I went to another steeple-house, about three miles off, where preached a great high priest, called a doctor, one of them whom justice Hotham would have sent for to have spoken with me. I went into the steeple-house, and staid till the priest had done. The words which he took for his text were these: ‘Ho, every one that thirst­eth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.’ Then was I moved of the Lord God to say to him, ‘Come down, thou de­ceiver; dost thou bid people come freely, and take of the water of life freely, and yet thou takest three hundred pounds a year of them for preaching the scriptures to them? Mayst thou not blush for shame? Did the pro­phet Isaiah and Christ do so, who spake the words, and gave them forth freely?’ Did not Christ say to his minis­ters, [Page 68]whom he sent to preach, ‘Freely ye have received, freely give?’ The priest, like a man amazed, hasted away. After he had left his flock, I had as much time as I could desire to speak to the people. I directed them from darkness to the light, and to the grace of God that would teach them, and bring them salvation; to the Spirit of God in their inward parts, which would be a free teacher unto them.

Having cleared myself amongst that people, I returned to justice Hotham's that night; who, when I came in, took me in his arms, and said, His house was my house, for he was exceeding glad at the work of the Lord, and that his power was revealed. Then he told me why he went not with me to the steeple-house in the morning, and what rea­sonings he had in himself about it; for he thought, if he had gone with me to the steeple-house, the officers would have put me to him; and then he should not have known what to have done: but he was glad, he said, when captain Pursloe came up to go with me; yet neither of them was dressed, nor had their bands about their necks. It was a strange thing then to see a man come into a steeple-house without a band; yet captain Pursloe went in with me with­out his band, the Lord's power and truth had so affected him that he minded it not.

From hence I passed on, and came at night to an inn where was a company of rude people. I bid the woman of the house, if she had any meat, to bring me some; but be­cause I said Thee and Thou to her, she looked strangely on me. I asked her if she had any milk? She said, No. I was sensible she spake falsely; and, being willing to try her fur­ther, I asked her, If she had any cream? She denied that she had any. There stood a churn in the room, and a little boy playing about, put his hands into it, and pulled it down, and threw all the cream on the floor before my eyes. Thus was the woman manifested to be a liar. She was amazed, blessed herself, took up the child, and whipped it sorely: but I reproved her for her lying and deceit. After the Lord had thus discovered her deceit and perverseness, I walked out of the house, and went away till I came to a stack of hay, and lay in the hay-stack that night, in rain and snow; it being but three days before the time called Christ [...]as.

The next day I came into York, where were several very tender people. Upon the first-day following. I was com­manded of the Lord to go and speak to priest Bowles and [Page 69]his hearers in their great cathedral. Accordingly I went: When the priest had done, I told them I had something from the Lord God to speak to the priest and people. ‘Then say on quickly.’ said a professor, for it was frost and snow, and very cold weather. Then I told them, This was the word of the Lord God unto them, that they lived in words, but God Almighty looked for fruits amongst them. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, they hurried me out, and threw me down the steps. But I got up again without hurt, and went to my lodging, and seve­ral were convinced there. For what arose from the weight and oppression that was upon the Spirit of God in me, would open people, strike them, and make them consess that the groans which brake forth through me did reach them; for my life was burthened with their profession with­out possession, and words without fruit.

After I had done my present service in York, and several were convinced there, received the truth of God, and were turned to his teaching; I looked towards Cleaveland, and saw there was a people that had tasted of the power of God. I saw there was a seed in that country, and that God had an humble people there. Passing onwards that night, a papist overtook me, and talked to me of his religion, and of their meetings; and I let him speak all that was in his mind. That night I staid at an alehouse. Next morning I was moved to speak the word of the Lord to this papist. So I went to his house, and declared against all their super­stitious ways; and told him, that God was come to teach his people himself. This put him into such a rage, that he could not endure to stay in his own house.

Next day I came to Burraby, where a priest and several friendly people were met together. Many of the people were convinced, and have continued faithful ever since. There is a great meeting of friends in that town. The priest also was forced to confess to truth, though he came not in­to it.

The day following I went to Cleaveland, amongst those people that had tasted of the power of God. They had formerly had great meetings, but were then shattered to pie­ces, and the heads of them turned Ranters. I told them, That after they had such meetings, they did not wait upon God to seel his power to gather their minds inward, that they might seel his presence and power amongst them in their meetings, to sit down therein and wait upon him: for [Page 70]they had spoken themselves dry; they had spent their por­tions, and not living in that which they spake of, they were now become dry. They had some kind of meetings still; but they took tobacco, and drank ale in their meetings, and were grown light and loose. But my message unto them from the Lord was, That they should all come together again, and wait to seel the Lord's power and Spirit in themselves; to gather them to Christ, that they might be taught of him, who says, "Learn of me." For when they had declared that which the Lord had opened to them, then the people were to receive it; and both the speakers and the hearers were to live in that themselves. But when these had no more to declare, but went to seek forms without life, that made themselves dry and barren, and the people also; and from thence came all their loss: for the Lord renews his mercies and his strength to them that wait upon him. The heads of them came to nothing: but most of the people were convinced, and received God's everlasting truth, and continue a meeting to this day, sitting under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ their Saviour.

Upon the first day of the next week, the word of the Lord came to me to go to the steeple-house; which I did. When the priest had done, I spake the truth to him and the people, and directed them to their teacher within. Christ Jesus, their free teacher who had bought them. The priest came to me, and I had a little discourse with him; but he was soon stopped, and silent. Then, being clear of the place, I passed away, having had several meetings amongst those people.

Though the snow was very deep, I kept travelling; and came to a market-town, where I met with many professors, with whom I had much reasoning. I asked them many questions, which they were not able to answer; saying, They never had such deep questions put to them in their lives.

From them I went to Stath, where I met with many pro­fessors, and some Ranters. I had large meetings amongst them, and a great convincement there was. Many received the truth: amongst whom one was a man of an hundred years of age; another was a chief constable; a third was a priest, whose name was Philip Scafe. Him the Lord, by his free Spirit, did afterwards make a free minister of his free gospel.

The priest of this town was a losty one, who much op­pressed [Page 71]the people for his tythes. If they went a fishing many leagues off, he would exact the tythe-money of what they made of their fish, though they catched them at a great distance, and carried them as far as Yarmouth to sell. I was moved to go to the steeple-house there, to declare the truth, and lay open the priest. When I had spoken to him, and laid his oppressing of the people upon him, he fled away. The chief of the parish were very light and vain. After I had spoken the word of life to them, I turned away from them, because they did not receive it; and left them. But the word of the Lord, which I had declared amongst them, stuck with some, so that at night some of the heads of the parish came to me. Most of them were convinced and satisfied, and confessed to the truth. Thus the truth began to spread in that country, and great meetings we had; at which the priest began to rage, and the Ranters to be stirred; who sent me word they would have a dispute with me; both the oppressing priest and the leader of the Ranters. A day was fixed, and the Ranter came with his company. Another priest, a Scotchman, came; but not the oppressing priest of Stath. Philip Scafe was with me; and a great number of people met. When we were settled, T. Bushel, the Ranter, told me. He had had a vision of me, that I was sitting in a great chair, and that he was to come and put off his hat, and bow down to the ground before me; which he did. I told him, It was his own fi­gure; and said, "Repent, thou beast." He said it was jea­lousy in me to say so. I asked him the ground of jealousy, and how it came to be bred in man? And the nature of a beast, what made it, and how it was bred in man? For I saw him directly in that nature of the beast; and there­fore I queried how that nature came to be bred in him? I told him. He should give me an account of things done in the body, before we came to discourse of things done out of the body. So I stopt his mouth, and his fellow Rant­ers were silenced: for he was the head of them. Then I called for the oppressing priest; but only the Scotch priest came, whose mouth was soon stopt, with a very few words, he being out of the life of what he professed. Then I had good opportunity with the people. I laid open the Ranters, ranking them with the old Ranters in Sodom. The priests I maniselted to be of the same stamp with their fellow hirelings, the false prophets of old, and the priests that then bore rule over the people by their means, seeking their [Page 72]gain from their quarter, divining for money, and teaching for filthy lucre. I brought all the prophets, Christ and the apostles, over the heads of the priests, shewing how the prophets, Christ, and the apostles, had long since discover­ed them by their marks and fruits. I directed the people to the inward teacher, Christ Jesus their Saviour; and preach­ed up Christ in the hearts of his people, when all these mountains were laid low. The people were all quiet, and the gainsayers mouths were stopped; for though they broil­ed inwardly, the divine power so bound them down, that they could not break out.

After the meeting, this Scottish priest desired me to walk with him atop of the cliffs. Whereupon I called a bro­ther-in-law of his, who was in some measure convinced, and desired him to go with me, telling him, I was willing to have somebody by to hear what we said; lest the priest, when I was gone, should report any thing of me which I did not say. We went together, the priest asking me many things concerning the light, and concerning the soul; all which I answered him fully. When he had done question­ing, we parted; and he went his way; and meeting with Philip Scafe, he brake his cane against the ground in mad­ness, and said, If ever he met with me again, he would have my life, or I should have his; adding, that he would give his head, if I was not knocked down within a month. By this, friends suspected his intent was, in desiring me to walk with him alone, either to have thrust me down from the cliff, or to have done me some other mischief; and being frustrated, it made him rage. But I neither regarded his prophecies, nor his threats; for I feared God Almighty. After some years, this very Scotch priest and his wife came to be convinced of the truth; and about twelve years after I was at their house.

Another priest came to a meeting where I was; one in repute above all the priests in the country. As I was de­claring, that the gospel was the power of God, and how it brought life and immortality to light in men, and was turn­ing people from darkness to light; this high-flown priest said, The gospel was mortal. I told him, The true mi­nister said, The gospel was the power of God; and would he make the power of God mortal? Upon that, the other priest Philip Scafe, that was convinced, and had felt the immortal power of God in himself, took him up and re­proved him; so a great dispute arose between them: the [Page 73]convinced priest holding that the gospel was immortal, and the other holding it was mortal. But the Lord's power was too hard for this opposer, and stopped his mouth; and many were convinced, seeing the darkness of the opposing priest, and the light that was in the convinced priest.

Another priest sent to have a dispute with me, and friends went with me to the house where he was; but when he un­derstood we were come, he slipt out of the house, and hid himself under an hedge. The people went and found him, but could not get him to come to us. Then I went to a steeple-house hard by, where the priest and people were in a great rage: this priest had threatened friends what he would do: but when I came, he sled: for the Lord's pow­er came over him and them. Yea, the Lord's everlasting power was over the world, and reached to the hearts of people, and made both priests and professors tremble. It shook the earthly and airy spirit, in which they held their profession of religion and worship; so that it was a dread­ful thing to them, when it was told them, "The man in leathern breeches is come." At the hearing thereof the priests in many places got out of the way; they were so struck with the dread of the eternal power of God; and fear surprised the hypocrites.

We passed to Whitby and Scarborough, where we had some service for the Lord: large meetings are settled there since. From thence I passed over the Woulds to Malton, where we had great meetings, as we had also at the towns thereabouts. At one town a priest sent me a challenge to dispute with me; but when I came he would not come forth. I had a good opportunity with the people, and the Lord's power laid hold upon them. One, who had been a wild drunken man, was so reached, that he came to me as lowly as a lamb; though he and his companions had before sent for drink to make the people rude, on purpose that they might abuse us. When I found the priest would not come forth, I was moved to go to the steeple-house, and he was confounded; the Lord's power coming over all.

On first-day following, came one of the highest indepen­dent professors, a woman, who had let in such a prejudice against me, that she said, before the came, She could wil­lingly have gone to see me hanged. But coming, the was convinced, and remains a friend.

I turned to Malton again, and very great meetings there [Page 74]were; to which several more would have come, but durst not for fear of their relations; for it was thought a strange thing then to preach in houses, and not go to the church, as they called it; I was therefore much desired to go and speak in the steeple-houses. One of the priests wrote to me, and invited me to preach in his steeple-house, calling me his brother: another priest, a noted man, kept a lec­ture there. The Lord shewed me, while I was in Derby prison, that I should speak in steeple-houses, to gather peo­ple from thence; and a concern sometimes came upon my mind about the pulpits that the priests lolled in. For the steeple-houses and pulpits were offensive to my mind, be­cause both priests and people called them the house of God, and idolized them; reckoning that God dwelt in the outward house. Whereas they should have looked for God and Christ to dwell in their hearts, and their bodies to be made the temples of God; for the apostle said, ‘God dwelleth not in temples made with hands:’ but by rea­son of the people's idolizing those places, it was counted an heinous thing to declare against them. When I came into the steeple-house, there were not above eleven hearers, and the priest was preaching to them. But after it was known in the town that I was there, it was soon filled with people. When the priest had done, he sent the other priest who had invited me thither, to bring me into the pul­pit; but I sent him word, that I needed not go into the pulpit. He sent to me again, desiring me to go up into it; for, he said, it was a better place, and there I might be seen of the people. I sent him word again, I could be seen and heard well enough where I was; and that I came not there to hold up such places, nor their main­tenance and trade. Upon this they began to be angry, and said, ‘These false prophets were to come in the last times.’ Their saying so grieved many of the people, and some began to murmur at it. Whereupon I desired all to be quiet; and, stepping upon an high seat, declared to them the marks of the false prophets, shewing that they were already come; and set the true prophets, Christ, and his apostles over them; and manifested these to be out of the steps of the true prophets, of Christ and his apostles. I directed the people to their inward teacher, Christ Jesus, who would turn them from darkness to light. And having opened divers scriptures to them, I directed them to the Spirit of God in themselves, by which they might come to [Page 75]him, and by which they might also come to know who the false prophets were. So having had a large opportunity among them, I departed in peace.

After some time, I came to Pickering, where in the stee­ple-house the justices held their sessions, justice Robinson being chairman. I had a meeting in the school-house at the same time; and abundance of priests and professors came to it, asking questions, which were answered to their satis­faction. It being sessions-time, four chief constables and many other people were convinced that day; and word was carried to justice. Robinson that his priest was overthrown and convinced; whom he had a love to, more than to all the priests besides. After the meeting, we went to an inn, Justice Robinson's priest was very lowly and loving, and would have paid for my dinner; but I would by no means suffer it. Then he offered me his steeple-house to preach in; but I refused it, and told him and the people, that I came to bring them off from such things to Christ.

The next morning I went with the four chief constables and some others, to visit justice Robinson, who met me at his chamber-door. I told him, I could not honour him with man's honour. He said he did not look for it. So I went into his chamber, and opened to him the state of the false prophets, and of the true prophets; and se [...] the true prophets, Christ, and the apostles, over the other; and di­rected his mind to Christ his teacher. I opened to him the parables, and how election and reprobation stood; as that reprobation stood in the first birth, and election in the se­cond birth. I shewed also what the promise of God was to, and what the judgment of God was against. He confessed to it all, and was so opened with the truth, that when an­other justice made some little opposition, he informed him. At our parting, he said, It was very well that I did exer­cise that gift which God had given me. He took the chief constables aside, and would have given them some money for me, saying. He would not have me be at any charge in their country; but they told him, they themselves could not get me to take any money; and so accepting his kind­ness, I refused his money.

From thence I passed into the country, and the priest that called me brother (in whose school-house I had the meeting at Pickering) went along with me. When we came into a town to bait, the bells rang. I asked what they rang for? They said, For me to preach in the steeple-house. [Page 76]After some time I felt drawings that way: and as I walked to the steeple-house, I saw the people gathered together in the yard. The old priest would have had me gone into the steeple-house. I said, It was no matter. But it was some­thing strange to the people, that I would not go into that which they called the house of God. I stood up in the steeple-house yard, and declared to the people, That I came not to hold up their idol-temples, nor their priests, nor their tythes, nor their augmentations, nor their priests-wa­ges, nor their Jewish and heathenish ceremonies and tradi­tions (for I denied all these) and told them, that piece of ground was no more holy than another piece of ground. I shewed them, that the apostles going into the Jews syna­gogues and temples, which God had commanded, was to bring people off from that temple, and those synagogues, and from the offerings, tythes, and covetous priests of that time; that such as came to be convinced of the truth, con­verted to it, and believed in Jesus Christ, whom the apos­tles preached, met together in dwelling-houses; and that all who preach Christ, the Word of life, ought to preach freely, as the apostles did, and as he commanded. So I was sent of the Lord God of heaven and earth to preach freely, and to bring people off from these outward temples made with hands, which God dwelleth not in; that they might know their bodies to become the temples of God and of Christ; and to draw people off from all their superstitious ceremonies, Jewish and heathenish customs, traditions, and doctrines of men; and from all the world's hireling teach­ers, that take tythes and great wages, preaching for hire, and divining for money, whom God and Christ never sent, as themselves confess, when they say, They never heard God's nor Christ's voice. I exhorted the people to come off from all these things, directing them to the Spirit and grace of God in themselves, and to the light of Jesus in their own hearts; that they might come to know Christ, their free teacher, to bring them salvation, and to open the scrip­tures to them. Thus the Lord gave me a good opportunity to open things largely unto them. All was quiet, and many were convinced: blessed be the Lord.

I passed to another town, where was another great meet­ing, the old priest being with me; and there came profes­sors of several sorts to it. I sate on a hay-stack, and spoke nothing for some hours; for I was to famish them from words. The professors would ever and anon be speaking to [Page 77]the old priest, and asking him when I would begin, and when I would speak? He bade them wait; and told them, that the people waited upon Christ a long while before he spoke. At last I was moved of the Lord to speak; and they were struck by the Lord's power. The word of life reached to them, and there was a general convincement amongst them.

From hence I passed on, the old priest being still with me, and several others. As we went along, some people called to him and said, ‘Mr. Boyes, we owe you some money for tythes, pray come and take it.’ But he threw up his hands, and said, ‘He had enough, he would have none of it; they might keep it:’ and, ‘he praised the Lord he had enough.’

At length we came to his steeple-house in the Moors, and he went before me, and held open the pulpit door; but I told him I would not go into it. This steeple-house was very much painted. I told him and the people, the painted beast had a painted house. I opened to them the rise of those houses; and their superstitious ways; shewing them, that as the end of the apostles going into the temple and synagogues, which God had commanded, was not to hold them up, but to bring them to Christ the substance; so the end of my coming there was not to hold up these temples, priests, and tythes, which God had never com­manded, but to bring them from all these things to Christ the substance. I shewed them the true worship which Christ had set up, and distinguished Christ the true way from all the false ways, opening the parables to them, and turning them from darkness to the true light, that by it they might see themselves, their sins, and Christ their Saviour; that believing in him they might be saved from their sins.

After this we went to one Birdet's, where I had a great meeting; and this old priest accompanied me still, leaving his steeple-house. He had been looked upon as a famous priest, above common-prayermen, presbyters, and inde­pendents too. Before he was convinced he went sometimes into their steeple-houses, and preached; for he had been a zealous man in his way: and when they complained of him to justice Hotham, he bid them distrain his horse for travel­ling on the Lord's day, as he called it; but Hotham did that to put them off, for he knew the priest used no horse, but travelled on foot.

Now I came towards Crantsick to captain Pursloe's and [Page 78]justice Hotham's, who received me kindly, being glad the Lord's power had so appeared, that truth was spread and so many had received it, and that justice Robinson was so civil. Justice Hotham said, If God had not raised up this principle of light and life, which I preached, the nation had been over-run with Ranterism, and all the justices in the nation could not have stopped it with all their laws; be­cause, said he, they would have said as we said, and done as we commanded, and yet have kept their own principle still. But this principle of truth overthrows their principle in the root and ground thereof; therefore he was glad the Lord had raised up this principle of life and truth.

From thence I travelled into Holderness, and came to a justice's house, whose name was Pearson, where was a very tender woman, that believed in the truth, and was so af­fected therewith, that she said, ‘She could have left all and have followed me.’

Thence I went to Oram, to George Hartise's; where many of that town were convinced. On the first-day I was moved to go into the steeple-house, where the priest had got another to help him: and many professors and con­tenders were got together. But the Lord's power was over all; the priests fled away, and a great deal of good service I had for the Lord amongst the people. Some of those great professors were convinced, and became honest faithful friends; being men of account in that place.

The next day, friends and friendly people having left me, I travelled alone, declaring the day of the Lord amongst people in the towns where I came, and warning them to repent. I came towards night into a town called Patring­ton. As I walked along the town, I warned both priests and people (for the priest was in the street) to repent and turn to the Lord. It grew dark before I came to the end of the town, and a multitude of people gathered about me, to whom I declared the word of life.

When I had cleared myself I went to an inn, and de­sired them to let me have a lodging; but they would not. I desired a little meat or milk, and I would pay for it; but they refused. So I walked out of the town, and a company of fellows followed, and asked me, What news? I bid them repent, and fear the Lord. After I was gone a pretty way, I came to another house, and desired the people to let me have a little meat, drink, and lodging for my money; but they denied me. I went to another house, and desired the [Page 79]same; but they refused me also. By this time it was grown so dark that I could not see the highway; but I discerned a ditch, and got a little water and refreshed myself. Then I got over the ditch; and, being weary with travelling, I sate down amongst the furze bushes till it was day. About break of day I got up, and passed on the fields. A man came after me with a great pikestaff, and went along with me to a town; and he raised the town upon me, with the constable and chief constable, before the sun was up. I declared God's everlasting truth amongst them, warning them of the day of the Lord, that was coming upon all sin and wickedness; and exhorted them to repent. But they seized me, and had me back to Patrington, about three miles, guarding me with watch-bills, pikes, staves, and hal­berds. When I was come to Patrington, all the town was in an uproar, and the priest and constables were consulting together; so I had another opportunity to declare the word of life amongst them, and warn them to repent. At last a professor, a tender man, called me into his house, and there I took a little milk and bread, having not eaten for some days before. Then they guarded me about nine miles to a justice. When I was come near his house, a man came riding after us, and asked me, whether I was the man that was apprehended? I asked him, wherefore he asked? He said, for no hurt. I told him, I was: so he rode away to the justice before us. The men that guarded me said, It was well if the justice was not drunk before we got to him; for he used to get drunk early. When I was brought in before him, because I did not put off my hat, and said Thou to him, he asked the man that rode thither before me, whe­ther I was not mazed or fond? The man told him, no; it was my principle. I warned him to repent, and come to the light, which Christ had enlightened him withal; that by it he might see all his evil words and actions, and turn to Christ Jesus whilst he had time; and that whilst he had time he should prize it. Ay, ay, said he, the light that is spoken of in the third of John. I desired he would mind it, and obey it. As I admonished him, I laid my hand upon him, and he was brought down by the power of the Lord; and all the watchmen stood amazed. Then he took me into a little parlour with the other man, and desired to see what I had in my pockets of letters or intelligence. I plucked out my linen, and shewed him I had no letters. He said, he is not a vagrant by his linen: then he set me at [Page 80]liberty. I went back to Patrington with the man that had rode before me to the justice: for he lived at Patrington. When I came there, he would have had me had a meeting at the Cross; but I said, it was no matter, his house would serve. He desired me to go to bed, or lie down upon a bed; which he did, that they might say they had seen me in or upon a bed, for they had got a report that I would not lie on any bed, because I laid many times without doors. When first-day was come I went to the steeple-house, and declared the truth to the priest and people; and the people did not molest me, for the power of God was come over them. Presently after I had a great meeting at the man's house where I lay, and many were convinced of the Lord's everlasting truth, who stand faithful witnesses of it to this day; and they were exceedingly grieved that they did not receive me, nor give me lodging, when I was there before.

From hence I travelled through the country to the fur­thest part thereof, warning people in towns and villages to repent, and directing them to Christ Jesus, their teacher.

On first-day I came to colonel Overton's, and had a great meeting of the prime of the people of that country, where many things were opened out of the scriptures, which they had never heard before. Many were convinced, and re­ceived the word of life, and were settled in the truth of God.

I returned to Patrington again, and visited those friends that were convinced there; by whom I understood, that taylor and some wild blades in that town had occasioned my being carried before the justice. The taylor came to ask me forgiveness, fearing I would complain of him. The constables also were afraid, lest I should trouble them. But I forgave them all, and warned them to turn to the Lord, and to amend their lives. That which made them the more afraid was this: when I was in the steeple-house at Oram not long before, a professor gave me a push on the breast in the steeple-house, and bid me get out of the church. Alas! poor man! said I, dost thou call the steeple-house the church? The church is the people whom God hath purchased with his blood, and not the house. It happen­ed that justice Hotham came to hear of this man's abuse, sent his warrant for him, and bound him over to the ses­sions; so affected was he with the truth, and so zealous to keep the peace: and indeed this justice had asked me be­fore, [Page 81]whether any had meddled with me or abused me? But I was not to tell him any thing of that kind; but was to forgive all.

From Patrington I went to several great men's houses, warning them to repent. Some received me lovingly, and some slighted me. At night I came to another town, where I desired lodging and meat, and I would pay for it; but they would not lodge me, except I would go to the consta­ble, which was the custom (they said) of all lodgers at inns, if strangers. I told them, I would not go; for that custom was for suspicious persons, I was an innocent man. After I had warned them to repent, declared to them the day of their visitation, and directed them to the light of Christ and the spirit of God, that they might come to know salvation, I passed away; and the people were somewhat tendered and troubled afterwards. When it grew dark, I spied a hay-stack, and went and sate under it till morning.

The next day I passed into Hull, admonishing and warn­ing people, as I went, to turn to Christ Jesus, that they might receive salvation. That night I got a lodging; but was very sore with travelling on foot so far.

Afterwards I came to Balby, visited friends up and down in those parts, and then passed into the edge of Nottingham­shire, visiting friends there: and so into Lincolnshire, and visited friends there. On first-day I went to a steeple-house on this side of Trent, and in the afternoon to another on the other side of Trent, declaring the word of life to the people, and directing them to their teacher Christ Jesus, who died for them, that they might hear him and receive salvation by him. Then I went further into the country, and had seve­ral meetings. To one meeting came a great man, a priest, and many professors; but the Lord's power came over them all, and they went their way peaceably. There came a man to that meeting, who had been at one before, and raised a false accusation against me, and made a noise up and down the country, reporting, that I said I was Christ; which was utterly false. When I came to Gainsborough, where a friend had been declaring truth in the market, the town and market-people were all in an uproar. I went into a friendly man's house, and the people rushed in after me; so that the house was filled with professors, disputers, and rude people. This false accuser came in, and charged me openly before the people, ‘That I said I was Christ, and he had got witnesses to prove it.’ Which put the people into such a rage, that they had much to do [Page 82]to keep their hands off me. I was moved of the Lord to stand up upon the table, in the eternal power of God, and tell the people, ‘That Christ was in them, except they were reprobates; and that it was Christ, the eternal power of God, that spoke in me at that time unto them; NOT that I was CHRIST.’ And the people were greatly satis­fied, except himself, a professor, and his own false witnesses. I called the accuser Judas, and was moved to tell him that Judas's end should be his; that was the word of the Lord and of Christ through me to him. The Lord's power came over all, and quieted the minds of the people, and they de­parted in peace. But this Judas shortly after hanged him­self, and a stake was driven into his grave. Afterwards the wicked priests raised a scandal upon us, and reported that a Quaker had hanged himself in Lincolnshire, and had a stake driven through him. This falsehood they printed to the nation, adding sin to sin; which the truth and we were clear of: for he was no more a Quaker than the priest that printed it, but one of their own people. Notwith­standing this wicked slander by which the adversary design­ed to defame us, and turn people's minds against the truth we held forth, many in Lincolnshire received the gospel, being convinced of the Lord's everlasting truth, and sate down therein under his heavenly teaching.

I passed in the Lord's power into Yorkshire, came to Warnsworth, and went to the steeple-house in the forenoon; but they shut the door against me: yet after awhile they let in Thomas Aldam, and then shut it again; and the priest fell upon him, asking him questions. At last they opened the door, and I went in. As soon as I was come in the priest's sight he left preaching, though I said nothing to him; and asked me, "What have you to say?" and presently cried out. ‘Come, come, I will prove them false prophets in Matthew.’ But he was so confounded, he could not sind the chapter. Then he sell on me, asking me many questions; and I stood still all this while, not saying any thing amongst them. At last I said, ‘Seeing here are so many questions asked, I may answer them.’ But as soon as I began to speak, the people violently rushed upon me, thrust me out of the steeple-house again, and locked the door against me. As soon as they had done their ser­vice, and were come forth, the people ran upon me, knock­ed me sorely with their staves, threw clods and stones at me, and abused me much: the priest also, being in a great rage, [Page 83]laid violent hands on me himself. I warned them and him of the terrible day of the Lord, and exhorted them to re­pent and turn to Christ. Being filled with the Lord's re­freshing power, I was not sensible of much hurt I had re­ceived by their blows. In the afternoon I went to another steeple-house, but the priest had done before I got thither: so I preached repentance to the people that were left, and directed them to their inward teacher, Jesus Christ.

From hence I went to Balby, and Doucaster, where I had formerly preached repentance on the market-day; which had made a noise and alarm in the country. On first-day I went to the steeple-house, and after the priest had done, I spoke to him and the people what the Lord commanded me: and they were in a great rage, hurried me out, threw me down, and haled me before the magistrates. A long ex­amination they made of me, and much work I had with them. They threatened my life, if ever I came there again; and that they would leave me to the mercy of the people. Nevertheless I declared truth amongst them, and directed them to the light of Christ in them; testifying unto them, ‘That God was come to teach his people himself, whether they would hear or forbear.’ After awhile they put us out (for some friends were with me) among the rude multi­tude, and they stoned us down the streets. An innkeep­er, a bailiff, came and took us into his house; and they broke his head, so that the blood ran down his face, with the stones that they threw at us. We staid awhile in his house, and shewed the more sober people the priest's fruits. Then we went away to Balby about a mile off. The rude people laid wait for us, and stoned us down the lane; but, blessed be the Lord, we did not receive much hurt.

The next first-day I went to Tickhill, whither the friends of that side gathered together, and a mighty brokenness by the power of God there was amongst the people. I went out of the meeting, being moved of God to go to the stee­ple-house. When I came there, I found the priest and most of the chief of the parish together in the chancel. I went up to them, and began to speak; but they immediate­ly fell upon me; the clerk up with his bible, as I was speaking, and ‘struck me on the face with it, so that my face gushed out with blood; and I bled exceedingly in the steeple-house.’ The people cried, ‘Let us have him out of the church.’ When they had got me out, they beat me exceedingly, threw me down, and turned me [Page 84]over a hedge. They afterwards dragged me through a house into the street, stoning and beating me as they dragged me along; so that I was all over besmeared with blood and dirt. They got my hat from me, which I never had again. Yet when I was got upon my legs, I declared the word of life, shewed them the fruits of their teacher, and how they dishonoured christianity. After awhile I got into the meet­ing again amongst friends, and the priest and people coming by the house, I went with friends into the yard, and there spoke to the priest and people. The priest scof­fed at us, and called us Quakers. But the Lord's power was so over them, and the word of life was declared in such authority and dread to them, that the priest fell a trembling himself; and one of the people said, ‘Look how the priest trembles and shakes, he is turned a Quaker also.’ When the meeting was over, friends departed; and I went with­out my hat to Balby about seven or eight miles. Friends were much abused that day by the priest and his people: insomuch that some moderate justices hearing of it, two or three of them came and sate at the town to examine the business. He that had shed my blood was afraid of having his hand cut off, for striking me in the church, as they cal­led it; but I forgave him, and would not appear against him.

In the beginning of this year 1652, great rage got up in priests and people, and in some of the magistrates, in the west riding of Yorkshire, against the truth and friends, in­somuch, that the priest of Warnsworth procured a warrant from the justices against me and Thomas Aldam, to be ex­ecuted in any part of the west riding of Yorkshire. At the same time I had a vision of a bear and two great mastiff dogs; that I should pass by them, and they should do me no hurt: and it proved so. For the constable took Tho­mas Aldam, and carried him to York. I went with Thomas twenty miles towards York, and the constable had a war­rant for me also, and said, ‘He saw me, but he was loth to trouble strangers;’ but Thomas Aldam was his neigh­bour. So the Lord's power restrained him, that he had not power to meddle with me. We went to lieutenant Roper's, where we had a great meeting of many considerable men. The truth was powerfully declared amongst them, the scrip­tures wonderfully opened, the parables and sayings of Christ expounded, the state of the church in the apostles days plainly set forth, and the apostacy since from that state dis­covered. [Page 85]The truth had great dominion that day: so that those great men present did generally confess to it, saying, ‘They believed this principle must go over the whole world.’ There were at this meeting James Nayler, Tho­mas Goodyear, and William Dewsbury, who had been con­vinced the year before, and Richard Farnsworth also. The constable staid with Thomas Aldam till the meeting was over, and then went towards York prison; but did not meddle with me.

From hence I went to Wakefield, and the first-day after to a steeple-house, where James Nayler had been a mem­ber of an independent church; but, upon his receiving truth, he was excommunicated. When I came in, and the priest had done, the people called me to come to the priest; which I did: but when I began to declare the word of life to them, and to lay open the deceit of the priest, they rushed upon me on a sudden, thrust me out at the other door, punching and beating me, and cried ‘Let us have him to the stocks.’ But the Lord's power was over them, and so restrained them, that they were not able to put me in. So I passed away to the meeting, where were a great many professors and friendly people gathered, and a great convincement there was; for the people were mightily sa­tisfied, that they were directed to the Lord's teaching in themselves. Here we got lodging; for four of us had lain abroad under a hedge the night before, there being then few friends in that place.

The same day Richard Farnsworth went to another great steeple-house belonging to a high priest, and declared the word of truth unto the people; and great service he had amongst them: for the Lord's dread and power was mighti­ly over all.

The priest of that church, which James Nayler had been a member of, whose name was Marshal, raised many wicked slanders upon me, ‘That I carried bottles about with me, and made people drink of my bottles, which made them follow me.’ And, ‘That I rid upon a great black horse, and was seen in one country upon my black horse in one hour, and in the same hour in another country threescore miles off;’ and ‘That I should give a fellow money to follow me when I was on my black horse.’ With these hellish lies he fed his people, to make them think evil of the truth which I had declared amongst them. But by these lies he preached many of his hearers away [Page 86]from him; for I travelled on foot, and had no horse at that time; and that the people generally knew. The Lord soon after met with this envious priest, and cut him off in his wickedness.

After this I came to High-Town, where dwelt a woman who had been convinced a little before. We went to her house, and had a meeting. The town's people gathered to­gether; we declared the truth to them, had some service for the Lord amongst them; and they passed away again peaceably. But there was a widow woman in the town, whose name was Green, who, being filled with envy, went to one called a gentleman in the town, who was reported to have killed two men and one woman, and informed him against us, though he was no officer. The next morning we drew up some queries, to be sent to the priest. When we had done, and were just going away, some of the friend­ly people of the town came running, and told us, That this murdering man had sharpened a pike to stab us, and was coming with his sword by his side. Being just pas­sing away, we missed him. But he came to the house where we had been; and the people generally concluded, if we had not been gone, he would have murdered some of us. That night we lay in a wood, and were very wet, for it rained exceedingly. In the morning I was moved to return to that town, when we had a full relation of this wicked man.

From hence we passed to an house at Bradford, where we met with Richard Farnsworth, from whom we had parted a little before. When we came in they set meat before us; but as I was going to eat, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Eat not the bread of such as have an evil eye.’ Immediately I arose from the table, and ate no­thing. After I had exhorted the family to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, and hearken to his teachings in their own hearts, we departed thence.

As we travelled through the country, preaching repent­ance to the people, we came into a market-town, where a lecture was held that day. I went into the steeple-house, where many priests, professors and people were. The priest that preached, took for his text those words of Jeremiah, chap. 5. ver. 3 [...]. "My people love to have it so;" leaving out the foregoing words, viz. ‘The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means.’ I shewed the people his deceit; and directed them to Christ, [Page 87]the true teacher within; declaring, that God was come to teach his people himself, and to bring them off from all the world's teachers and hirelings; that they might come to re­ceive freely from him. Then warning them of the day of the Lord that was coming upon all flesh, I passed from thence without much opposition.

At night we came to a country place, where there was no publick house near. The people desired us to stay all night; which we did, and had good service for the Lord, declaring his truth amongst them.

The Lord had said unto me, ‘If but one man or woman were raised by his power, to stand and live in the same Spirit that the prophets and apostles were in who gave forth the scriptures, that man or woman should shake all the country in their profession for ten miles round.’ For people had the scriptures, but were not in the same light, power, and Spirit, which those were in who gave forth the scriptures; so they neither knew God, Christ, nor the scrip­tures aright; nor had they unity one with another, being out of the power and Spirit of God. Therefore we warned all, where-ever we met them, of the day of the Lord that was coming upon them.

As we travelled, we came near a very great high hill, called Pendlehill, and I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of it; which I did with much ado, it was so very steep and high. When I was come to the top, I saw the sea bordering upon Lancashire. From the top of this hill the Lord let me see in what places he had a great peo­ple to be gathered. As I went down, I found a spring of water in the side of the hill, with which I refreshed myself; having eaten or drunk but little several days before.

At night we came to an inn, and declared truth to the man of the house, and wrote a paper to the priests and pro­fessors, declaring ‘the day of the Lord, and that Christ was come to teach people himself, by his power and Spi­rit in their hearts, and to bring people off from all the world's ways and teachers, to his own free teaching who had bought them, and was the Saviour of all them that believed in him.’ The man of the house spread the pa­per abroad, and was himself mightily affected with the truth. Here the Lord opened unto me, and let me see a great people in white raiment by a river-side, coming to the Lord. The place that I saw them in was about Went­zerdale and Sedbergh.

[Page 88] The next day we travelled on, and at night got a little fern to put under us, and lay upon a common. Next morning we reached a town, where Richard Farnsworth parted from me; and then I travelled alone again. I came up Wentzerdale, and at the market-town in that dale there was a lecture on the market-day. I went into the steeple-house; and after the priest had done, ‘proclaimed the day of the Lord to the priest and people; warning them to turn from the darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might come to know God and Christ aright, and to receive his teaching, who teach­eth freely.’ Largely and freely did I declare the word of life unto them, and had not much persecution there. After­wards I passed up the dales, warning people to fear God; and preaching the everlasting gospel. In my way I came to a great house, where was a schoolmaster; and they got me into the house. I asked them questions about then re­ligion and worship; and afterwards declared the truth to them. They had me into a parlour, and locked me in, pretending I was mad, and had got away from my rela­tions; and they would keep me till they could send to them. But I soon convinced them of their mistake; and they let me forth, and would have had me to stay, but I was not to stay there. Having exhorted them to repentance, and directed them to the light of Christ Jesus, that thro' it they might come unto him, and be saved, I passed from them, and came in the night to a little alehouse on a com­mon, where a company of rude fellows were drinking. Because I would not drink with them, they struck me with their clubs. But I reproved them, and brought them to be somewhat cooler; and then walked out of the house upon the common in the night. After some time one of these drunken fellows came out, and would have come close up to me, pretending to whisper to me; but perceiving he had a knife, I kept off him, and bid him repent, and fear God. So the Lord by his power preserved me from this wicked man; and he went into the house again. Next morning I went through other dales, warning and exhorting people every where, as I passed, to repent and turn to the Lord; and several were convinced. At one house, the man of the house whom I afterwards sound to be a kinsman of John Blakelin's, would have given me money, but I would not receive it.

As I travelled through the dales, I came to another [Page 89]man's house, whose name was Tennant. I was moved to speak to the family, and declare God's everlasting truth to them; and as I was turning away from them, I was moved to turn again, and speak to the man himself; who was con­vinced, with his family, and lived and died in the truth. Thence I came to major Bousfield's, who received me, as did several others. Some that were then convinced have stool faithful ever since. I went also through Grysedale, and several other of those dales; in which some were con­vinced. In Dent many were convinced also. From major Bousfield's I came to Richard Robinson's and declared the everlasting truth to him.

The next day I went to a meeting at justice Benson's, where met a people that were separated from the publick worship. This was the place that I had seen, where a peo­ple came forth in white raiment. A large meeting it was; the people were generally convinced, and continue a large meeting still of friends near Sedbergh; which was then first gathered through my ministry in the name of Jesus.

The same week there was a great fair, at which servants used to be hired. I went and declared the day of the Lord through the fair. After I had done so, I went into the steeple-house yard; and many of the people of the fair came to me, with abundance of priests and professors. ‘There I declared the everlasting truth of the Lord, and the word of life for several hours; shewing, that the Lord was come to teach his people himself, and to bring them off from all the world's ways and teachers to Christ the true teacher, and the true way to God. I laid open their teachers, shewing, that they were like those that were of old condemned by the prophets, by Christ, and by the apostles. I exhorted the people to come off from the temples made with hands; and wait to receive the Spirit of the Lord, that they might know themselves to be the temples of God.’ Not one of the priests had power to open his mouth against what I declared. At last a cap­tain said, ‘Why will you not go into the Church? This is not a fit place to preach in.’ I told him, I denied their church. Then stood up Francis Howgill, who was preach­er to a congregation. He had not seen me before; yet he undertook to answer that captain; and soon put him to silence. Then said Francis Howgill of me, ‘This man speaks with authority, and not as the scribes.’ After this, I opened to the people, that that ground and house was no [Page 90]holier than another place; and that the house is not the church, but the people, whom Christ is the head of. After awhile the priests came up to me, and I warned them to repent. One of them said, I was mad; so they turned away. But many were convinced there that day, who were glad to hear the truth declared, and received it with joy. Amongst these was captain Ward, who received the truth in the love of it, and lived and died in it.

The next first-day I came to Firbank Chapel in West­moreland, where Francis Howgill and John Audland had been preaching in the morning. The chapel was full of people, so that many could not get in. Francis said, He thought I looked into the chapel, and his spirit was ready to sail, the Lord': power did so surprize him: but I did not look in. They made haste, and had quickly done, and they and some of the people went to dinner; but abundance staid till they came again. John Blakelin and others came to me, and desired me not to reprove them publickly; for they were not parish-teachers, but pretty tender men. I could nor tell them whether I should or no, though I had not at that time any drawings to declare publickly against them; but I said, They must leave me to the Lord's mov­ings. While others were gone to dinner, I went to a brook, got a little water, and then came and sat down on the top of a rock hard by the chapel. In the afternoon the people gathered about me, with several of their preachers. It was judged there were above a thousand people; to whom I declared God's everlasting truth and word of life freely and largely for about the space of three hours; directing all to the Spirit of God in themselves; that they might be turned from darkness to light, and believe in it, that they might become the children of it, and might be turned from the power of Satan unto God; and by the Spirit of truth might be led into all truth, and sensibly understand the words of the prophets, of Christ, and of the apostles; and might all come to know Christ to be their teacher to instruct them, their counsellor to direct them, their shepherd to seed them, their bishop to oversee them, and their prophet to open di­vine mysteries to them; and might know their bodies to be prepared, sanctified, and made sit temples for God and Christ to dwell in. In the openings of heavenly life. I explained unto them the prophets, and the figures and sha­dows, and directed them to Christ, the substance. Then I opened the parables and sayings of Christ, and things that [Page 91]had been long hid; shewing the intent and scope of the apos­tles writings and that their epistles were written to the elect. When I had opened that state, I shewed also the state of the apostacy since the apostles days; that the priests have got the scriptures, but are not in the Spirit which gave them forth; and have put them into chapter and verse, to make a trade of the holy mens words; that the teachers and priests now are found in the steps of the false prophets, chief priests, scribes and pharisees of old, and are such as the true prophets, Christ and his apostles cried against, and so are judged and condemned by the Spirit of the true pro­phets, of Christ, and of his apostles; and that none in that Spirit could own them. Many old people went into the chapel, and looked out at the windows; thinking [...] strange thing to see a man preach on an hill or mountain, and not in their church, as they called it; whereupon I was moved to inform the people, ‘That the steeple-house, and the ground whereon it stood, were no more holy than that mountain; and that those temples, which they called the dreadful houses of God, were not set up by the com­mand of God and of Christ; nor their priests called, as Aaron's priesthood was; nor their tythes appointed by God, as those amongst the Jews were: but that Christ was come, who ended both the temple and its worship, and the priests and their tythes; and all now should hearken to him: for he said, "Learn of me:" and God said of him, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.’ I declared that the Lord God had sent me to preach the everlasting gospel and word of life amongst them; and to bring them off from all these temples, tythes, priests, and rudiments of the world, which had got up since the apostles days, and had been set up by such as had erred from the Spirit and power that the apostles were in.’ Very largely was I opened at this meet­ing; the Lord's convincing power accompanied my mini­stry, and reached home to the hearts of the people; where­by many were convinced, and all the teachers of that con­gregation (who were many) were convinced of God's ever­lasting truth.

After the meeting, I went to John Audland's, and from thence to Preston Patrick Chapel, where a great meeting was appointed; to which I went, and had a large opportu­nity to preach the everlasting gospel; acquainting the peo­ple that the end of my coming into that place was not to [Page 92]hold it up; no more than the apostles going into the Jew­ish synagogues and temple was [...] uphold those; but to bring them off from all such things (as the apostles brought the saints of old from off [...] Jewish temple and Aaron's priesthood) that they might come to witness their bodies to be the temples of God, and Christ in them to be their teacher.

From this place I went to Kendal, where a meeting was appointed in the town-hall, in which I declared the word of life amongst the people, shewing them, ‘How they might come to the saving knowledge of Christ, and to have a right understanding of the holy scriptures; opening to them what it was that would lead them into the way of reconciliation with God; and what would be their con­demnation.’ After the meeting I staid awhile in the town: several were convinced there, and many appeared loving. One Cork met me in the street, and would have given me a roll of tobacco. I accepted his love, but did not receive the tobacco.

From thence I went to Under-barrow, to Miles Bate­man's; and several going along with me, great reasonings I had with them, especially with Edward Burrough. At night the priest and many professors came to the house; and a great deal of disputing I had with them. Supper being provided for the priest and the rest of the company. I had not freedom to eat with them; but told them, If they would appoint a meeting for the next day at the steeple-house, and acquaint the people with it, I might meet them. They had a great deal of reassoning about it; some being for, and some against it. In the morning, after I had spoken to them again concerning the meeting, as I walked upon a bank by the house, there came several poor travellers, asking relief, who I saw were in necessity; and they gave them nothing, but said they were cheats. It grieved me to see such hard-heartedness amongst professors; whereupon, when they were gone in to their breakfast, I ran after the poor people about a quarter of a mile, and gave them some money. Mean while some that were in the house, coming out, and seeing me a quarter of a mile off, said, I could not have gone so far in such an instant, if I had not had wings. Hereupon the meeting was like to have been put by; for they were filled with such strange thoughts concerning me, that many of them were against having a meeting with me. I told them. I ran after those poor people to give them sorme mo­ney; [Page 93]being grieved at their hard-heartedness, who gave them nothing. Then came Miles and Stephen Hubbersty; who, being more simple-hearted men, would have the meeting held. So to the chapel I went, and the priest came. A great meeting there was, and the way of life and salvation was opened; and after awhile the priest fled away. Many of Crook and Under-barrow were convinced that day, re­ceived the word of life, and stood fast in it under the teach­ing of Christ Jesus. After I had declared the truth to them for some hours, and the meeting was ended, the chief con­stable and some other professors fell to reasoning with me in the chapel yard. Whereupon I took a bible and opened the scriptures. and dealt tenderly with them, as one would do with a child. They that were in the light of Christ and Spirit of God, knew when I spake scripture, though I did not mention chapter and verse, after the priests for to them.

From hence I went with an ancient man, whose heart the Lord had opened, and he invited me to his house; his name was Jatnes Dickinson. He was convinced that day, received the truth, and lived and died in it.

I came the next day to James Taylor's, of Newton in Cartmel, in Lancashire. On first-day I went to the chapel, where priest Camelford used to preach; and after he had done, I began to speak the word of life to the people. But he was in such a rage, did so fret, and was so peevish, that he had no patience to hear; but stirred up the rude multi­tude, who haled me out, struck, and threw me headlong over a stone wall. Yet blessed be the Lord, his power pre­served me. He that did this violence to me, was John Knipe, a wicked man, whom afterwards the Lord cut off. There was a youth in the chapel, writing after the priest. I was moved to speak to him, and he came to be convinced, and received a part of the ministry of the gospel: his name was John Brathwait.

Then I went to an alehouse, to which many resorted betwixt the time of their morning and afternoon preaching; and had a great deal of reasoning with the people, declaring to them, That God was come to teach his people himself, and to bring them off from all false teachers, such as the prophets. Christ, and the apostles cried against. Many re­ceived the word of life at that time, and abode in it.

In the afternoon I went about two or three miles to a steeple-house or chapel called Lyndal, When the priest [Page 94]had done, I spoke to him and the people what the Lord commanded me, and there were great opposers; but after­wards they came to be convinced. After this I went to captain Sands, who with his wife seemed somewhat affected with truth, and if they could have held the world and truth together, they would have received it; but they were hypo­crites, and he a very chaffy light man. Wherefore I re­proved him for his lightness and jesting; telling him, It was not seemly in a great professor as he was. Thereupon he told me. He had a son, who upon his death-bed had also reproved him for it, and warned him of it. But he neither regarded the admonition of his dying son, nor the reproofs of God's Spirit in himself.

From hence I went to Ulverstone, and to Swarthmore to judge Fell's; whither came one Lampitt, a priest, who was an high notionist. With him I had a great deal of reasoning; for he would talk of high notions and perfection, and thereby deceived the people. He would have owned me but I could not own or join with him, he was so full of firth. He said. He was above John; and made as though he knew all things. But I told him, ‘Death reign­ed from Adam to Moses; and that he was under death, and knew not Moses: for Moses saw the paradise of God; but he knew neither Moses, nor the prophets, nor John.’ For that crooked and rough nature stood in him, and the mountain of sin and corruption; and the way was not prepared in him for the Lord. He confessed he had been under a cross in things; but now he could sing psalms, and do any thing. I told him, ‘Now he could see a thief, and join hand in hand with him: but he could not preach Moses, nor the prophets, nor John, nor Christ, except he were in the same Spirit that they were in.’ Margaret Fell had been abroad in the day-time; and at night her children told her, priest Lampitt and I had disagreed; which somewhat troubled her, because she was in profession with him; but he hid his dirty actions from them. At night we had great reasoning; and I declared the truth to her and her family. Next day Lampitt came again, and I had a great deal of discourse with him before Margaret Fell, who then clearly discerned the priest. A convincement of the Lord's truth came upon her and her family. Soon after a day was to be observed for an humi­liation; and Margaret Fell asked me to go with her to the steeple-house at Ulverstone, for she was not wholly come [Page 95]off from them: I replied, ‘I must do as I am ordered by the Lord.’ So I left her, and walked into the fields; and the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Go to the steeple-house after them.’ When I came, Lampitt was singing with his people; but his spirit was so foul, and the matter they sung so unsuitable to their states, that after they had done singing, I was moved of the Lord to speak to him and the people. The word of the Lord to them was, ‘He is not a Jew that is one outward; but he is a Jew that is one inward, whose praise is not of man, but of God.’ Then, as the Lord opened further, I shewed them, ‘That He was come to teach his people by his Spirit, and to bring them off from all their old ways, religions, churches, and worships; for all their religions, worships, and ways were but talking of other men's words; but they were out of the life and Spirit which those were in who gave them forth.’ Then cried out one justice Sawrey. ‘Take him away;’ but judge Fell's wife said to the officers, ‘Let him alone; why may he not speak, as well as any other?’ Lampitt also, the priest, in deceit, said, "Let him speak." So at length, when I had declared a pretty while, justice Sawrey caused the constable to put me out; and then I spoke to the people in the grave-yard.

The first-day after, I was moved to go to Aldenham steeple-house, and when the priest had done, I spoke to him; but he got away. Then I declared the word of life to the people, and warned them to turn to the Lord.

From thence I passed to Ramside, where was a chapel, in which Thomas. Lawson used to preach, who was an eminent priest. He very lovingly acquainted his people in the morning of my coming in the afternoon; by which means many were gathered together. When I came, I saw there was no place so convenient as the chapel: where­fore I went into the chapel, and all was quiet. Thomas Lawson went not up into his pulpit, but left all the time to me. The everlasting day of the eternal God was pro­claimed that day, and the everlasting truth was largely declared; which reached and entered into the hearts of the people, and many received the truth in the love of it. This priest came to be convinced, left his chapel, threw off his preaching for hire, and came to preach the Lord Jesus and his kingdom freely. After that some rude peo­ple cast scandals upon him, and thought to have done him an injury; but he was carried over all, grew in the wis­dom [Page 96]of God mightily, and proved very serviceable in his place.

I returned to Swarthmore again, and the next first-day went to Dalton steeple-house; where, after the priest had done, I declared the word of life to the people, that they might be turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God; and might come off from their superstitious ways, and from their teachers made by man, to Christ the true and living way, to be taught of him.

From thence I went into the island of Walnah; and after the priest had done. I spoke to him, but he got away. Then I declared the truth to the people, but they were something rude. I went to speak with the priest at his house, but he would not be seen. The people said, he went to hide himself in the hay-mow, and they looked for him there, but could not find him. Then they said, he was gone to hide himself in the standing corn, but they could not find him there neither. I went to James Lan­caster's, who was convinced in the island, and from thence returned to Swarthmore, where the Lord's power seized upon Margaret Fell, her daughter Sarah, and several others.

Then I went to Becliss, where Leonard Fell was convin­ced, and became a minister of the everlasting gospel. Se­veral others were convinced there, and came into obedience to the truth. Here the people said, they could not dispute; and would fain have put some other to hold talk with me; but I bid them, ‘Fear the Lord; and not in a light way hold a talk of the Lord's words, but put the things in practice.’ I directed them to the Divine Light ‘of Christ and his Spirit in their hearts, which would let them see all the evil thoughts, words, and actions, that they had thought, spoken, and acted; by which light they might see their sin, and also their Saviour Christ Jesus to save them from their sins. This I told them was their first step to peace, even to stand still in the light that shewed them their sins and transgressions; by which they might come to see they were in the fall of old Adam, in darkness and death, strangers to the covenant of promise, and without God in the world: and by the same light they might see Christ that died for them to be their Re­deemer and Saviour, and their way to God.’

After this I went to a chapel beyond Gleaston: which was built, but never a priest had preached in it. Thither [Page 97]the country people came; and a quiet, peaceable meeting it was, in which the word of life was declared, and many were convinced of the truth about Gleaston.

From thence I returned to Swarthmore again. After I had staid a few days, and most of the family were convin­ced, I went into Westmoreland, where priest Lampitt had been amongst the professors on Kendal side, and had mightily incensed them against me; telling them I held many strange things. I met with those that he had so in­censed, sate up all night with them at James Dickinson's, and answered all their objections. They were both tho­roughly satisfied with the truth I had declared, and dissatisfied with him and his lies, so that he clearly lost the best of his hearers and followers, who hereby came to see his de­ceit, and forsook him.

I passed to John Audland's and Gervase Benson's, and had great meetings amongst those that had been convinced before. I passed to John Blakelin's and Richard Robin­son's, where I had mighty meetings, and then towards Grisedale.

Soon after, judge Fell being come home, Margaret his wise sent to me, desiring me to return thither; and I, feeling freedom from the Lord so to do, went back to Swarthmore. I found the priests and professors, and justice Sawrey, had much incensed judge Fell and captain Sands against the truth by their lies; but when I came to speak with him, I answered all his objections, and so thorough­ly satisfied him by the scriptures, that he was convinced in his judgment. He asked me, ‘If I was that George Fox whom justice Robinson spoke so much in commendation of amongst many of the parliament men?’ I told him, I had been with justice Robinson, and justice Hotham, in Yorkshire, who were very civil and loving to me; and that they were convinced in their judgment by the Spirit of God, that the principle which I bore testimony to was the truth, and they saw beyond the priests of the nation; so that they and many others were now come to be wiser than their teachers. After we had discoursed a pretty while together, judge Fell himself was satisfied also, and came to see, by the openings of the Spirit of God in his heart, over all the priests and teachers of the world; and did not go to hear them for some years before he died; for he knew it was the truth that I declared, and that Christ was the teacher of his people, and their Saviour. He sometimes [Page 98]wished that I was awhile with judge Bradshaw to discourse with him. There came to judge Fell's captain Sands be­fore-mentioned, endeavouring to incense the judge against me; for he was an evil-minded man, and full of envy against me; yet he could speak high things, use the scrip­ture-words, and say, "Behold, I make all things new." But I told him, Then he must have a new God; for his God was his belly. Besides him came also that envious justice John Sawrey. I told him, ‘His heart was rotten, and he was full of hypocrisy to the brim.’ Several others also carne, whose states the Lord gave me a discern­ing of; and I spoke to their conditions. While I was in those parts, Richard Farnsworth and James Nayler came to see me and the family; and judge Fell, being satisfied that it was the way of truth, notwithstanding all their op­position, suffered the meeting to be kept at his house; and a great meeting was settled there in the Lord's power, which hath continued near forty years, until the year 1690, that a new meeting-house was erected near it.

After I had staid awhile, and the meeting there was well settled, I departed to Under-barrow, where I had a great meeting. From thence I went to Kellet, and had a great meeting at Robert Withers's, to which several came from Lancaster, and some from York; and many were convin­ced. On the market-day I went to Lancaster, and spoke through the market in the dreadful power of God; declar­ing the day of the Lord to the people, and crying out against all their deceitful merchandize. I preached right­eousness and truth unto them, which all should follow after, walk and live in; directing them how and where they might find and receive the Spirit of God to guide them thereinto. After I had cleared myself in the market, I went to my lodging, whither several people came; and many were convinced, who stood faithful to the truth.

The first-day following, in the forenoon, I had a great meeting in the street at Lancaster, amongst the soldiers and people, to whom I declared the word of life, and the ever­lasting truth. I opened unto them, That all the traditions they had lived in, all their worships and religions, and the profession they made of the scriptures, were good for no­thing, while they lived out of the life and power which those were in who gave forth the scriptures. I directed them to the light of Christ, the heavenly man, and to the Spirit of God in their own hearts, that they might come to [Page 99]be acquainted with God and Christ, receive him for their teacher, and kn [...]w his kingdom set up in them.

In the afternoon I went to the steeple-house at Lancaster, and declared the truth to the priest and people; laying open before them the deceit they lived in, and directing them to the power and Spirit of God which they wanted. But they haled me out, and stoned me along the street till I came to John Lawson's house.

Another first-day I went to a steeple-house by the water­side, where one Whitehead was priest; to whom and to the people I declared the truth in the dreadful power of God. There came a doctor, so full of envy, that he said, ‘He could find in his heart to run me through with his ra­pier, though he was hanged for it the next day;’ yet this man came afterwards to be convinced of the truth, so far as to be loving to friends. Some were convinced there­abouts, who willingly sate down under the ministry of Christ, their teacher; and a meeting was settled there in the power of God, which has continued to this day.

After this I returned into Westmoreland, and spoke through Kendal on a market-day. So dreadful was the power of God upon me, that people flew like chaff be­fore me into their houses. I warned them of the mighty day of the Lord, and exhorted them to hearken to the voice of God in their own hearts, who was now come to teach his people himself. When some opposed, many others took my part. At last some fell to fighting about me; but I went and spoke to them, and they parted again. Several were convinced.

The first-day after I had a very large meeting in Under­barrow at Miles Bateman's, where I was moved to declare, ‘That all people in the fall were gone from the image of God, righteousness, and holiness, and were become as wells without the water of life, as clouds without the hea­venly rain, as trees without the heavenly fr [...]; and were degenerated into the nature of beasts, of se pents, of tall cedars, of oaks, of bulls, and of heifers: so that they might read the natures of these creatures within, as the prophets described them to the people of old, that were out of truth. I opened to them, how some were in the nature of dogs and swine, biting and reading; some in the nature of briers, thistles, and thorns; some like the owls and dragons in the night; some like the wild asses and horses, snuffing up the wind; and some like the [Page 100]mountains and rocks, and crooked and rough ways. Wherefore I exhorted them to read these things within in their own natures, as well as without: and that, when they read without of the wandering stars, they should look within, and see how they have wandered from the bright and morning star. And they should consider, that as the fallow ground in their fields must be plowed up before it would bear seed to them, so must the fallow ground of their hearts be plowed up before they could bear seed to God. All these names and things I shewed were spoken of and to [...]an and woman, since they fell from the image of God; but as they come to be renewed again into the image of God, they come out of the natures of these things, and so out of the names thereof.’ Many more such things were declared to them, and they were turned to the light of Christ, by which they might come to know and receive him, and might witness him to be their sub­stance, their way, their salvation and true teacher. Many were convinced at that time.

After I had travelled up and down in those countries, having great meetings. I came to Swarthmore again; and when I had visited friends awhile in those parts, I heard of a great meeting the priests were to have at Ulverstone on a lecture-day. I went to it, and into the steeple-house in the dread and power of the Lord. When the priest had done, I spoke among them the word of the Lord, which was as an hammer, and as a fire amongst them. And though Lampitt, the priest of the place, had been at variance with most of the priests before, yet against the truth they all joined together. But the mighty power of the Lord was over all; and so wonderful was the appearance thereof, that priest Bennet said, "The church shook;" insomuch that he was afraid and trembled. And after he had spoken a few confused words, he hastened out for fear the steeple­house would fall on his head. There were many priests got together, but they had no power as yet to persecute.

When I had cleared my conscience amongst them, I went to Swarthmore again. Thither came four or five of the priests. In discourse, I asked them, ‘Whether any one of them could say, he ever had the word of the Lord to go and speak to such or such a people?’ None of them durst say he had; but one of them burst into a passion, and said, ‘He could speak his experiences as well as I,’ I told him experience was one thing; but to receive [Page 101]and go with a message, and to have a word from the Lord as the prophets and apostles had, and as I had had to them, was another thing. And therefore I put it to them again; ‘Could any one of them say, he ever had a command or word from the Lord immediately at any time?’ But none of them could say so. Then I told them, The false prophets, false apostles, and antichrists, could use the words of the true prophets, true apostles, and of Christ, and would speak of other men's experiences, though themselves never knew nor heard the voice of God and Christ: and such as they might get the good words and experiences of others. This puzzled them much, and laid them open. For at another time, when I was discoursing with several priests at judge Fell's house, and he was by, I asked them the same question, ‘Whether any of them ever heard the voice of God or Christ, to bid him to go to such or such a people, to declare his word or message unto them!’ for any one, I told them, that could but read, might declare the experiences of the prophets and apostles, which were recorded in the scriptures. Hereupon Thomas Taylor, an ancient priest, did ingenuously confess before judge Fell, ‘That he had never heard the voice of God, nor of Christ, to send him to any people; but he spoke his experiences, and the experiences of the saints in former ages, and that he preached.’ This very much confirm­ed judge Fell in the persuasion, ‘That the priests were wrong;’ for he had thought formerly, as the generality of people then did, "That they were sent from God."

Thomas Taylor was convinced at this time, and travel­led with me into Westmoreland. Coming to Crosland sleeple-house, we found the people gathered: and the Lord opened Thomas Taylor's mouth (though he was convinced but the day before) so that he declared amongst them, "How he had been before he was convinced," and, like the good scribe converted to the kingdom, he brought forth things new and old to the people, and shewed them, ‘how the priests were out of the way:’ which fretted the priest. Some little discourse I had with them, but they fled away; and a precious meeting there was, wherein the Lord's pow­er was over all, and the people were directed to the Spirit of God, by which they might come to know God and Christ, and to understland the Scriptures a [...]gh [...]. After this I passed on, visiting friends, and had very large meetings in Westmoreland.

[Page 102] Now began the priests to rage more and more, and as much as they could to stir up persecution. James Nayler and Francis Howgill were cast into prison in Appleby gaol, at the instigation of the malicious priests; some of whom prophesied, ‘That within a month we should be all scat­tered again, and come to nothing.’ But blessed for ever be the worthy name of the Lord, his work went on and prospered; for about this time John Audland, Francis Howgill, John Camm, Edward Burrough, Richard Hub­berthorn, Miles Hubbersty, and Miles Halhead, with se­veral others, being endued with power from on high, came forth in the work of the ministry, and approved themselves faithful labourers therein; travelling up and down, and preaching the gospel freely; by means whereof multitudes were convinced, and many effectually turned to the Lord. Amongst these, Christopher Taylor was one, brother to Thomas Taylor before-mentioned, who had been preacher to a people as well as his brother; but after they had re­ceived the knowledge of the truth, they soon came into obedience thereunto, and left their preaching for hire or re­wards; and having received a part of the ministry of the gospel, they preached Christ freely, being often sent by the Lord to declare his word in steeple-houses and markets, and great sufferers they were.

After I had visited friends in Westmoreland, I returned into Lancashire, and went to Ulverstone, where Lampitt was priest; who though he had preached of a people that should own the teachings of God, and had said, ‘That men and women should come and declare the gospel:’ yet when it came to be fulfilled, he persecuted both it and them. To this priest's house I went, where abundance of priests and professors were got together after their lecture, with whom I had great disputings concerning Christ and the scriptures; for they were loth to let their trade go down, which they made of preaching Christ's, the apostles, and prophets words. But the Lord's power went over the heads of them all, and his word of life was held forth amongst them; though many of them were exceeding envi­ous and devilish. Yet after this, many priests and professors came to me from far and near. Those that were innocent and simple-minded were satisfied, and went away refreshed; but the fat and full were fed with judgment and sent away empty: for that was the word of the Lord to be divided to them.

[Page 103] When meetings were set up, and we met in private houses, Lampitt began to rage. He said, ‘We forsook the temple, and went to Jeroboam's calves houses.’ So many professors began to see how he was declined from that which he had formerly held and preached. Hereupon the case of Jeroboam's calves was opened to the professors, priests, and people. It was manifested unto them, ‘That their house (called churches) were more like Jeroboam's calves houses, even the old mass-houses, which were set up in the darkness of popery, which they who called themselves protestants, and professed to be more enlight­ened than the papists, did still hold up, altho' God had never commanded them; whereas that temple, which God had commanded at Jerusalem, Christ came to end the service of; and those that received and believed in him, their bodies came to be the temples of God, of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, to dwell in them, and to walk in them. And such were gathered into the name of Jesus, whose Name is above every name, and there is no salvation by any other name under the whole heaven but by the name of Jesus. And they that were thus gather­ed met together in several dwelling-houses, which were not called the temple nor the church; but their bodies were the temples of God, and the believers were the church which Christ was the head of. So that Christ was not called the head of an old house, which was made by mens hands, neither did he come to purchase, sanctify, and redeem with his blood an old house, which they call­ed their church; but the people, which he is the head of.’ Much work I had in those days with priests and people, concerning their old mass-houses called churches; for the priests had persuaded the people, that they were the houses of God; whereas the apostle says, ‘Whose house we are,’ &c. Heb. iii. 6. The people in whom he dwells are God's house. The apostle saith, ‘Christ pur­chased his church with his own blood;’ and Christ calls his church his spouse, his bride, the lamb's wife: so that this title church and spouse was not given to an old house, but to his people the true believers.

On a lecture-day I was moved to go to the steeple-house at Ulverstone, where were abundance of professors, priests, and people. I went near to priest Lampitt, who was blus­tering on in his preaching. After the Lord had opened my mouth to speak, John Sawrey the justice came to [Page 104]me, and said, ‘If I would speak according to the scrip­tures, I should speak,’ I admired at him for speaking so to me, and told him, ‘I would speak according to the scriptures, and bring the scriptures to prove what I had to say; for I had something to speak to Lampitt and to them’ Then he said. I should not speak; contradict­ing himself, who had said just before, ‘I should speak, if I would speak according to the scriptures.’ The peo­ple were quiet, and heard me gladly, till this justice Saw­rey (who was the first stirrer up of cruel persecution in the north) incensed them against me, and set them on to hale, beat, and bruise me. But now on a sudden the people were in a rage, and fell upon me in the steeple-house before his face, knock'd me down, kick'd me, and trampled upon me. So great was the uproar, that some tumbled over their seats for fear. At last he came and took me from the people, led me out of the steeple-house, and put me into the hands of the constables and other officers; bidding them whip me, and put me out of the town. They led me about a quarter of a mile, some taking hold by my col­lar, some by my arms and shoulders, who shook and drag­ged me along. Many friendly people being come to the market, and some to the steeple-house to hear me, divers of these they knock'd down also, and broke their heads, so that the blood ran down from several; and judge Fell's son running after to see what they would do with me, they threw him into a ditch of water; some of them crying, "Knock the teeth out of his head." When they had haled me to the common moss side, a multitude following, the constables and other officers gave me some blows over my back with their willow rods, and thrust me among the rude multitude; who, having furnished themselves with staves, hedge-stakes, holm or holly bushes, fell upon me, and beat me on my head, arms, and shoulders, till they had deprived me of sense; so that I fell down upon the wet common. When I recovered again, and saw myself lying in a watery common, and the people standing about me, I lay still a little while, and the power of the Lord sprang through me, and the eternal refreshings revived me; so that I stood up again in the strengthening power of the eternal God, and stretching out my arms amongst them, I said, with a loud voice, "Strike again; here are my arms, my head, and my cheeks." There was in the company a mason, a pro­fessor, but a rude fellow, who with his walking rule-staff [Page 105]gave me a blow with all his might just over the back of my hand, as it was stretched out; with which blow my hand was so bruised, and my arm so benumbed. that I could not draw it to me again; so that some of the people cried, ‘He hath spoiled his hand for ever having the use of it any more.’ But I looked at it in the love of God (for I was in the love of God to all that persecuted me) and after awhile the Lord's power sprang through me again, and through my hand and arm, so that in a moment I recovered strength in my hand and arm in the sight of them all. Then they began to fall out among themselves: some of them came to me, and said, If I would give them money, they would secure me from the rest. But I was moved of the Lord to declare the word of life, and shewed them their false christianity, and the fruits of their priest's mi­nistry; telling them, They were more like heathens and Jews, than true christians. Then was I moved of the Lord to come up again through the midst of the people, and go into Ulverstone market. As I went, there met me a sol­dier, with his sword by his side; "Sir," said he to me," I ‘see you are a man, and I am ashamed and grieved that you should be thus abused;’ and offered to assist me in what he could. I told him, The Lord's power was over all, and I walked through the people in the market, none of whom had power to touch me then. But some of the market people abusing some friends in the market, I turned about, and saw this soldier among them with his naked rapier; whereupon I ran, and, catching hold of the hand his rapier was in, bid him put up his sword again, if he would go along with me: for I was willing to draw him out from the company lest some mischief should be done. A few days after, seven men fell upon this soldier, and beat him cruelly, because he had taken part with friends and me. It was the manner of the persecutors of that country, for twenty or forty people to run upon one man. They fell so upon friends in many places, that they could hardly pass the highways, stoning, beating, and breaking their heads. When I came to Swarthmore, I found the friends there dressing the heads and hands of friends and friendly people, which had been broken or hurt that day by the professors and hearers of Lampitt. My body and arms were yellow, black and blue, with the bruises I received amongst them. Now began the priests [Page 106]to prophesy again, That within half a year we should be all put down and gone.

About two weeks after this, I went into Walney island, and James Nayler with me. We staid one night at a little town on this side, called Cockan, and had a meeting there, where one was convinced. After awhile came a man with a pistol; whereupon the people ran out of doors. He cal­led for me; and when I came to him, he snapped his pis­tol at me; but it would not go off. This caused the peo­ple to make a great bustle about him; and some of them took hold of him, to prevent his doing mischief. But I was moved in the Lord's power to speak to him; and he was so struck by divine power that he trembled for fear, and went and hid himself. Thus the Lord's power came over them all, though there was a great rage in the country.

Next morning I went in a boat to James Lancasler's. As soon as I came to land, there rushed out about forty men, with staves, clubs, and fishing-poles; who fell upon me, beating, punching me, and endeavouring to thrust me backward into the sea. When they had thrust me almost into the sea, and I saw they would have knocked me down in it, I went up into the middle of them; but they laid at me again, knocked me down, and stunned me. When I came to myself, I looked up and saw James Lancaster's wife throwing stones at my face, and her husband lying over me, to keep the blows and stones from me. For the people had persuaded James's wife that I had bewitched her husband; and had promised her, That if she would let them know when I came thither, they would be my death; and having got knowledge of my coming, many of the town rose up in this manner with clubs and staves to kill me; but the Lord's power preserved me, that they could not take away my life. At length I got upon my feet, but they beat me down again into the boat; which James Lan­caster observing, he presently came into the boat to me, and set me over the water from them; but while we were on the water, within their reach, they struck at us with long poles, and threw stones after us. By that time we were come to the other side, we saw them beating James Nayler: for whilst they had been beating me, he walked into a field, and they never minded him till I was gone; then they fell upon him, and all their cry was ‘Kill him, kill him.’

[Page 107] When I was come over to the town again, on the other side of the water, the townsmen rose up with pitchforks, flails, and staves, to keep me out of the town, crying, ‘Kill him, knock him on the head; bring the cart, and carry him away to the church-yard.’ So after they had abused me, they drove me a pretty way out of the town, and there left me. Then went James Lancaster again, to look after James Nayler; and I being now left alone, went to a ditch; and having washed myself, walked about three miles to Thomas Hutton's, where lodged Thomas Lawson, the priest that was convinced. When I came in, I could hardly speak to them, I was so bruised; only I told them where I left James Nayler. Whereupon they took each of them a horse, and went and brought him thither that night. The next day Margaret Fell hearing of it, sent an horse for me; but so sore I was with bruises, that I was not able to bear the shaking of the horse without much pain. When I was come to Swarthmore, justice Sawrey and justice Thompson of Lancaster granted a warrant against me; but judge Fell coming home, it was not served upon me: for he was out of the country all this time that I was thus cruelly abused. When he came home, he sent warrants into the isle of Walney, to apprehend all those riotous persons; whereupon some of them sled the country. James Lancaster's wife was afterwards convinced of the truth, and repented of the evil she had done me; and so did some others of those bitter persecutors also; but the judgments of God fell upon some, and destruction is come upon many of them since. Judge Fell desired me to give him a relation of my persecution; but I told him, They could do no otherwise in the spirit wherein they were; and that they manifested the fruits of their priest's ministry, and their pro­fession and religion to be wrong. So he told his wife I made nothing of it; and that I spake of it as a man that had not been concerned: for indeed the Lord's power heal­ed me again.

After I was recovered, I went to Yell and, where was a great meeting. In the evening came a priest to the house, with a pistol in his hand, under pretence to light a pipe of tobacco. The maid of the house seeing the pistol, told her master: who thereupon, clapping his hands on both the door-posts, told him, He should not come in there. [...]e he stood there, keeping the door way, he looked up [...]d spied over the wall a company of men coming, some [...]ed [Page 108]with staves, and one with a musket. But the Lord pre­vented their bloody design; so that seeing themselves dis­covered, they went their way, and did no harm.

The time for the sessions at Lancaster being come, I went thither with judge Fell; who on the way told me, He never had such a matter brought before him, and could not well tell what to do in the business. I answered when Paul was brought before the rulers, and the Jews and priests came down to accuse him, and laid many false things to his charge, Paul stood still all that while. When they had done, Festus the governor and king Agrippa beckoned to him to speak for himself; which Paul did, and cleared him­self of all those accusations: so he might do by me. Being come to Lancaster, and justice Sawrey and justice Thomp­son having granted a warrant to apprehend me, though I was not apprehended by it, yet hearing of it, I appeared at the sessions; where there appeared against me about forty priests. These had chosen one Marshal, a priest of Lan­caster, to be their orator; and had provided one young priest and two priests sons to bear witness against me, who had sworn beforehand that I had spoken blasphemy. When the justices were set, they heard all that the priests and their witnesses could say and charge against me; their orator Marshal sitting by, and explaining their sayings for them; but the witnesses were so confounded, that they dis­covered themselves to be false witnesses. For when the court had examined one of them upon oath, and then be­gan to examine another of them, he was at such a loss, he could not answer directly; but said. The other could say it. Which made the justices say to him, ‘Have you sworn it, and given it in already upon oath, and now say, that he can say it? It seems, you did not hear those words spo­ken yourself, though you have sworn it?’

There were then in court several who had been at that meeting, wherein the witnesses swore I spoke those blasphe­mous words which the priests accused me of; and these, being men of integrity and reputation in the country, did declare and affirm in court, That the oath, which the witnesses had taken against me, was altogether false; and that no such words as they had sworn against me were spoken by me at that meeting. Indeed, most of the serious men of that side of the country, then at the sessions, had been at that meet­ing and had heard me both at that and other meetings also. This was taken notice of by colonel West, who being a [Page 109]justice of the peace, was then upon the bench; and having long been weak in body, blessed the Lord, and said, The Lord had healed him that day; adding, That he never saw so many sober people and good faces together in all his life. Then turning himself to me, he said in the open sessions, ‘George, if thou hast any thing to say to the people, thou mayest freely declare it.’ I was moved of the Lord to speak: and as soon as I began, priest Marshal, the orator for the rest of the priests, went his way. That which I was moved to declare, was this: ‘That the holy scriptures were given forth by the Spirit of God; and all people must first come to the Spirit of God in themselves, by which they might know God and Christ, of whom the prophets and apostles learnt; and by the same Spirit know the holy scriptures; for as the Spirit of God was in them that gave forth the scriptures, so the same Spirit must be in all them that come to understand the scriptures. By which Spirit they might have fellowship with the Father, with the Son, with the scriptures, and with one another: and without this Spirit they can know neither God, Christ, nor the scriptures, nor have a right fellowship one with another.’ I had no sooner spoken these words, but about half a dozen priests, that stood behind me, burst into a passion. One of them, whose name was Jackus, amongst other things that he spake against the truth, said, That the Spirit and the letter were inseparable. I replied, ‘Then every one that hath the letter, hath the Spirit; and they might buy the Spirit with the letter of the scriptures.’ This plain discovery of darkness in the priest moved judge Fell and colonel West to reprove them openly, and tell them. That according to that position, they might carry the Spirit in their pockets as they did the scriptures. Upon this, the priests, being confounded and put to silence, rush­ed out in a rage against the justices, because they could not have their bloody ends upon me. The justices, seeing the witnesses did not agree, and perceiving they were brought to answer the priests envy, and finding that all their evi­dences were not sufficient in law to make good their charge against me, discharged me. And after judge Fell had spo­ken to justice Sawrey and justice Thompson concerning the warrant they had given forth against me, and shewing them the errors thereof, he and colonel West granted a super­sedeas to stop the execution of it. Thus I was cleared in open sessions of those lying accusations which the malicious [Page 110]priests had laid to my charge: and multitudes of people praised God that day, for it was a joyful day to many. Justice Benson of Westmoreland was convinced; and major Ripan, mayor of the town of Lancaster, also. It was a day of everlasting salvation to hundreds of people: for the Lord Jesus Christ, the way to the Father, the free Teacher, was exalted and set up; his everlasting gospel was preach­ed, and the word of eternal life was declared over the heads of the priests, and all such lucrative preachers. For the Lord opened many mouths that day to speak his word to the priests, and several friendly people and professors re­proved them in their inns, and in the streets, so that they fell, like an old rotten house: and the cry was among the people, That the Quakers had got the day, and the priests were fallen. Many were convinced that day, amongst whom Thomas Briggs was one, who before had been so averse to friends and truth, that discoursing with John Lawson, a friend, concerning perfection, Thomas said to him, "Dost thou hold perfection?" and lift up his hand, to have given the friend a box on the ear. But Thomas, being convinced of the truth that day, declared against his own priest Jackus; and afterwards became a faithful mi­nister of the gospel, and stood so to the end of his days.

When the sessions were over, James Nayler, who was present, gave a brief account of the proceedings thereof in a letter, which soon after he wrote to friends, and is here added for the reader's further satisfaction:

At this time I was in a fast, and was not to eat until this work of God, which then lay weighty upon me, was ac­complished. But the Lord's power was wonderfully exalt­ed, and he gave truth and friends dominion therein over [Page 113]all. His glory was freely preached that day, over the heads of about forty hireling priests. I staid two or three days afterwards in Lancaster, and had some meetings there. The rude and baser sort of people plotted together to have drawn me out of the house, and to have thrown me over Lancaster bridge, but the Lord prevented them. Then they invented another mischief, which was this: After a meeting at Lancaster, they brought down a distracted man, and another with him, having bundles of birchen rods, bound together like besoms, with which they should have whipped me; but I was moved to speak to them in the Lord's mighty power, which chained down the distracted man, and the other also; and made them cahn and quiet. Then I bid him throw his rods into the fire, and burn them; which he did. Thus the Lord's power being over then, they departed quietly.

The priests, fretting to see themselves overthrown at the sessions at Lancaster, got some of the envious justices to join with them; and at the following assize at Lancaster informed judge Windham against me. Whereupon the judge made a speech against me in open court; and com­manded colonel West, who was clerk of the assize, to issue a warrant for the apprehending of me; but colonel West told the judge of my innocence, and spoke boldly in my defence. Yet the judge commanded him again, either to write a warrant, or go from his seat. Then he told the judge plainly, that he would not do it; but that he would offer up all his estate, and his body also for me. Thus he stopped the judge, and the Lord's power came over all; so that the priests and justices could not get their envy exe­cuted. The same night I came into Lancaster, it being the assize-time: and hearing of a warrant to be given out against me, I judged it better to shew myself openly, than for my adversaries to seek me. So I went to judge Fell's and colonel West's chambers. As soon as I came in, they smiled on me; and colonel West said, ‘What! are you come into the dragon's mouth?’ I staid till the judge went out of town; and I walked up and down the town, but no one meddled with me, nor questioned me. Thus the Lord's blessed power, which is over all, carried me through and over this exercise, gave dominion over his ene­mies, and enabled me to go on in his glorious work and service for his great name's sake. For though the beast [Page 114]maketh war against the saints, yet the Lamb hath got and will get the victory.

From Lancaster I returned to Robert Withers's. From thence I went to Th [...] mas Leper's, and a very blessed meet­ing we had there; after which, I walked in the evening to Robert Withers's again. No sooner was I gone, but there came a company of disguised men to Thomas Leper's, with swords and pistols; who suddenly entering the house, put out the candles, and swung their swords about amongst the people of the house, so that they were fain to hold up the chairs before them, to save themselves from being cut and wounded. At length they drove all the people out, and then searched the house for me, who it seems was the only person they looked for. They had laid wait before in the highway, by which I should have gone if I had rid to Robert Withers's, and not meeting with me on the way, they thought to have found me in the house, but the Lord prevented them. Soon after I came to Robert Withers's, some friends from the town where Thomas Leper lived gave us a relation of this wicked attempt; and were afraid lest they should come and search Robert Withers's house also for me, and do me a mischief; but the Lord restrained them, that they came not. These men were in disguise, yet friends perceived some of them were Frenchmen, and supposed them to be servants belonging to one called Sir Robert Bindlas: for some of them had said, in their na­tion they used to tie the protestants to trees, and whip and destroy them. His servants often abused friends, both in, and going to and from their meetings. They once took Richard Hubberthorn and serveral others out of the meet­ing, carried them a long way into the fields, bound them, and left them in the winter season. Another time one of his servants came to Francis Fleming's, and thrust his naked rapier in at the door and windows; but a kins­man of Francis Fleming's, not a friend, came with a cudgel, and bid the servant man put up his rapier; which when he would not, but vapoured at him with it, and was rude, he knocked him down, took his rapier from him, and, had it not been for friends, would have run him through with it. So friends preserved his life, that would have destroyed theirs.

From Robert Withers's I went to visit justice West, Richard Hubberthorn accompanying me. Not knowing the way, nor the danger of the sands, we rode where, we [Page 115]were afterwards told, no man ever rode before, swimming our horses over a very dangerous place. When we were come in, justice West asked us, If we did not see two men riding over the sands? "I shall have their cloaths anon," said he, ‘for they cannot escape drowning; and I am the coroner.’ But when we told him we were the men, he was astonished, and wondered how we escaped drowning. Upon this the envious priests and professors raised a stan­derous report, That neither water could drown me, nor could they draw blood of me; and therefore I was a witch: indeed, somtimes when they beat me with great staves, they did not much draw my blood, though they bruised my body very sorely. But all these slanders were nothing to me with respect to myself; though I was concerned on the truth's behalf, which I saw they endeavoared by these means to prejudice people against; for I considered that their forefathers, the apostate Jews, called the master of the house Beelzebub; and these apostate christians from the life and power of God could do no less to his seed. But the Lord's power carried me over their slanderous tongues, and their bloody murderous spirits; who had the ground of witchcraft in themselves, which kept them from coming to God and to Christ.

Having visited justice West, I went to Swarthmore, vi­siting friends, and the Lord's power was over all the per­secutors there. I was moved to write letters to the magis­trates, priests, and professors thereabouts, who had raised persecution before. That to justice Sawrey was after this manner:

This justice Sawrey, who was the first persecutor in that country, was afterwards drowned.

I wrote also to William Lampitt, the priest of Ulver­stone, thus:

Having thus cleared my conscience to the justice and the priest of Ulverstone, it was upon me to send this warn­ing in writing to the people of Ulverstone in general.

As the foregoing was directed to all the inhabitants of Ulverstone in general, so it was upon me to write to those more particularly that most constantly followed W. Lam­pitt. To these I wrote after this manner:

Amongst the chief hearers and followers of priest Lam­pitt, [Page 122]was Adam Sands, a very wicked, false man, who would have destroyed the truth and its followers, if he could. To him I was moved to write on this wise:

This Adam Sands afterwards died miserably.

I was moved also to write to priest Tatham.

I wrote also to—Burton, priest of Sedberg, to the same purpose, he being in the same evil ground, nature, and practice. Many other epistles also and papers I wrote about that time, as the Lord moved me thereunto, which I sent among the priests, professors, and people of all sorts, for the laying their evil ways open before them, that they might see and forsake them; and opening the way of truth unto them, that they might come to walk therein; which are too many and large to be inserted in this place.

After I had cleared my conscience to the priests and peo­ple near Swarthmore, I went again into Westmoreland. A company of men with pikes and slaves laid wait for me at a bridge a the way; and they met with some friends, but missed me. Afterwards they came to the meeting with their pikes and staves; but justice Benson being there, and many considerable people besides, they were prevented from doing that mischief they intended. So they went away in a great rage, without hurting any body.

I went from the meeting to Grayrigg, and held a meet­ing at Alexander Dickson's; to which the priest, who was a baptist and a chapel-priest, came to oppose but the Lord confounded him by his power. Some of the people tumbled down some milk-pails which stood upon the side of the house (which was much crowded) whereupon the priest, after he and his company were gone, raised a slan­der, ‘That the devil frighted him, and took away a side of the house, while he was in the meeting.’ And though this was a known falsehood, yet it served the priests and professors to feed on for awhile; and so shameless they were, that they printed and published it.

Another time this priest came to a meeting, and fell to jangling. First he said, ‘The scriptures were the word of God.’ I told him, they were the words of God, but not [Page 125]Christ, the Word; and bid him prove by scripture what he said. Then he said, it was not the scripture that was the word; and setting his foot upon the bible, said, it was but copies bound up together. Many unsavory words came from him, but after he was gone we had a blessed meeting; the Lord's power and presence was preciously mainfested and felt among us. Soon after he sent me a challenge to meet him at Kendal. I sent him word he need not go so far as Kendal, for I would meet him in his own parish. The hour being fixed, we met, and abundance of rude peo­ple gathered together (besides the baptized people who were his own members) with intent to do mischief, but God prevented-them. I declared the day of the Lord to them, and directed them to Christ Jesus. Then the priest out with his bible, and said, It was the word of God. I told him it was the words of God, but not God the Word. His answer was, He would prove the scriptures to be the word before all the people. I let him go on, having a man there that could take down in writing both what he and I said. When he could not prove it (for I kept him to scripture-proof, chapter and verse for it) the people gnashed their teeth for anger, and said, He would have me anon: but in going about to prove that one error, he ran into many. And when at length he saw he could not prove it, he said, he would prove it a God: so he toiled himself afresh, till he sweat again; but could not prove what he had affirmed. And he and his company were full of wrath: for I kept his assertions on the head of him and them all; and told them, I owned what the scriptures said of them­selves, namely, that they were the words of God, but Christ was the Word. So the Lord's power came over all, and they being confounded went away. The Lord disappoint­ed their mischievous intentions against me; friends were established in Christ, and many of the priest's followers saw the folly of their teacher.

After this, priest Bennet, of Cartmel, sent a challenge to dispute with me. I came to his steeple-house on a first-day, and found him preaching. When he had done, I spoke to him and his people; yet the priest would not stand the trial, but went his way. After he was gone, I had a great deal of discourse with the people: and when I was come into the steeple-house yard, discoursing further with the professors and declaring truth unto them, one of them set his foot behind me, and two of them ran against [Page 126]my breast, and threw me down backwards against a grave­stone, wickedly and maliciously seeking to have hurt me: but I got up again, and was moved of the Lord to speak to them. Then I went to the priest's house, and desired him to come forth that I might discourse with him, seeing he had challenged me; but he would not be seen. So the Lord's power came over them all, which was greatly mani­fest at that time. There was amongst the priest's hearers one Richard Roper, one of the bitterest professors the priest had, who was very fierce and hot in contention; but after­wards he came to be convinced of God's eternal truth, be­came a minister thereof, and continued faithful to his death.

About the beginning of the year 1653 I returned to Swarthmore, and going to a meeting at Gleaston, a profes­sor challenged a dispute with me. I went to the house where he was, and called him to come forth; but the Lord's power was over him, so that he durst not meddle. I departed thence, visited the meetings of friends in Lanca­shire, and came back to Swarthmore. Great openings I had from the Lord, not only of divine and spiritual matters, but also of outward things relating to the civil government. Being one day in Swarthmore-hall, when judge Fell and justice Benson were talking of the news, and of the parlia­ment then sitting (called the long parliament) I was moved to tell them, Before that day two weeks the parliament should be broken up and the speaker plucked out of his chair; and that day two weeks justice Benson told judge Fell, that now he saw George was a true prophet; for Oli­ver had broken up the parliament.

About this time I was in a fast for about ten days, my spirit being greatly exercised on truth's behalf: for James Milner and Richard Myer went out into imaginations, and a company followed them. This James Milner and some of his company had true openings at the first; but getting up into pride and exaltation of spirit, they ran out from truth. I was sent for to them, and was moved of the Lord to go and shew them their out-goings: and they were brought to see their folly, and condemned it, and came in­to the way of truth again. After some time I went to a meeting at Arnside, where Richard Myer was, who had been long lame of one of his arms. I was moved of the Lord to say unto him amongst all the people, ‘Stand up upon thy legs,’ for he was sitting down; and he stood up, and stretched out his arm that had been lame a long [Page 127]time, and said, ‘Be it known unto you, all people, that this day I am healed.’ Yet his parents could hardly be­lieve it; but after the meeting was done, had him aside, took off his doublet, and then saw it was true. He came soon after to Swarthmore meeting, and there declared how the Lord had healed him. Yet after this the Lord com­manded him to go to York with a message from him; which he disobeyed, and the Lord struck him again, so that he died about three quarters of a year after.

Now were great threatenings given forth in Cumberland, That if ever I came there, they would take away my life. When I heard it. I was drawn to go into Cumberland; and went to Miles Wennington's, in the same parish from which those threatenings came: but they had not power to touch me.

About this time Anthony Pearson was convinced, who had been an opposer of friends. He came to Swarthmore; and I being then at colonel West's, they sent for me. Co­lonel West said, ‘Go, George, for it may be of great ser­vice to the man.’ So I went, and the Lord's power reached him.

About this time also the Lord opened several mounths to declare the truth to priests and people, and divers were cast into prison. I went again into Cumberland; and Antho­ny Pearson and his wife, and several friends, went along with me to Bootle, where Anthony left me, and went to Carlisle sessions: for he was a justice of the peace in three counties. Upon the first-day I went into the steeple-house at Bootle; and when the priest had done, I began to speak. The people were exceeding rude, and beat me in the steeple-house yard. One gave me a very great blow over my wrist, so that the people thought he had broken my hand to pieces. The constable was very willing to have kept the peace, and would have set some of those by the heals that struck me, if I would have given way to it. After my service amongst them was over, I went to Joseph Nicholson's, and the constable accompanied us, to keep off the rude multitude. In the afternoon I went up again; and then the priest had got another priest to help him, that came from London, who was highly accounted of. Before I went into the steeple-house, I sat a little upon the cross, and friends with me; but they were moved to go into the steeple-house, and I went in after them. The London priest was preaching, who gathered up all the scriptures he [Page 128]could think of, that spake of false prophets, antichrists, and deceivers, and threw them upon us. When he had done, I recollected all those scriptures, and brought them back upon himself. Then the people fell upon me in a rude manner; but the constable charged them to keep the peace, and made them quiet again. Then the priest began to rage; and said, I must not speak there. I told him, He had his hour-glass, by which he had preached; and he having done, the time was free for me, as well as for him: for he was but a stranger there himself. So I opened the scriptures to them, and let them see, ‘That those scriptures, which spake of the false prophets, antichrists, and deceivers, described them and their generation, and belonged to them who were found walking in their sleps, and bringing forth their fruits; and not unto us, who were not guilty of such things.’ I manifested to them, that they were out of the steps of the true prophets and apostles; and shewed them clearly, by the fruits and marks, that they, and not we, were such as those scriptures spoke of. And I declared the truth and the word of life to the people, and directed them to Christ their teacher. All was quiet while I was speak­ing; but when I had done, and was come forth; the priests were in such a fret and rage, that they foamed at the mouth for anger against me. The priest of the place made an ora­tion to the people in the steeple-house yard, saying, ‘This man hath gotten all the honest men and women in Lan­cashire to him, and now he come here to do the same.’ Then said I to him, ‘What wilt thou have left? And what have the priests left them, but such as themselves? For if they be the honest that receive the truth and are turned to Christ, then they must be the dishonest that follow thee, and such as thou art.’ Some also of the priest's people began to plead for their priest, and for tythes. I told them, It were better for them to plead for Christ, who had ended the tything priesthood with the tythes, and had sent forth his ministers to give freely, as they had received freely. So the rude people, that they could not do the mischief they intended. When I came down again to Joseph Nichol­son's house, I saw a great hole in my coat, which was cut with a knife, but it was not cut through my waistcoat for the Lord had prevented their mischief. The next day there was a rude wicked man would have done violence to a friend, but the Lord's power stopped him.

[Page 129] Now was I moved to send James Lancaster to appoint a meeting at John Wilkinson's steeple-house near Cocker­mouth; a preacher in great repute, who had three parishes under him; wherefore I staid at Milholm in Bootle till he came back again. In the mean time some of the gentry of the country had formed a plot against me, and had given a little boy a rapier to do me a mischief with. They came with the boy to Joseph Nicholson's to seek me; but the Lord had so ordered it, I was gone into the fields. They met with James Lancaster, but did not much abuse him; and not finding me in the house, went away again. So I walked up and down in the fields that night, and did not go to bed as very often I used to do. We came the next day to the steeple-house, where James Lancaster had ap­pointed the meeting. There were at this meeting twelve soldiers and their wives, from Carlisle; and the country people came in, like as it had been to a fair. I lay at an house somewhat short of the place, so that many friends were got thither before me. When I came, I found James Lancaster speaking under a yew-tree; which was so full of people, I feared they would break it down. I looked about for a place to stand upon, to speak unto the people: for they lay all up and down, like people at a leaguer. After I was discovered, a professor asked, If I would not go into the church? I seeing no place abroad convenient to speak to the people from, told him, Yes: whereupon the people rushed in; so that when I came, the house and pulpit was so full, I had much ado to get in. Those that could not get in, stood abroad about the walls. When the people were settled, I stood up on a seat. ‘And the Lord opened my mouth to declare his everlasting truth and his ever­lasting day; and to lay open their teachers, with the rudi­ments, traditions, and inventions they had been under in the night of apostacy since the apostles days. I turned them to Christ the true teacher, and to the true spiritual worship; directing them where to find the Spirit and truth, that they might worship God therein. I explained Christ's parables unto them, and directed them to the Spirit of God in themselves, that would open the scrip­tures unto them. I shewed them, how all might come to know their Saviour, fit under his teaching, come to be heirs of the kingdom of God, and know God's and Christ's voice, by which they might discover all the false shep­herds and teachers they had been under, and be gathered [Page 130]to the true Shepherd, Priest, Bishop, and Prophet Christ Jesus, whom God commanded all to hear.’

When I had largely declared the word of life unto them for about the space of three hours, I walked from amongst the people, who passed away well satisfied. Among the rest a professor followed me, praising and commending me; but his words were like a thistle to me. At last I turned about, and bid him 'Fear the Lord;' whereupon priest Larkham of Cockermouth (for several priests were got to­gether on the way, who came after the meeting was done) said to me, ‘Sir, why do you judge so? you must not judge.’ I turned to him, and said, ‘Friend, dost thou not discern an exhortation from a judgment? I admo­nished him to fear God; and dost thou say I judge him?’ So this priest and I falling into discourse, I mani­fested him to be amongst the false prophets and covetous hirelings; and several being moved to speak to them, he and two other of the priests soon got away. When they were gone, John Wilkinson, preacher of that parish, and of two other parishes in Cumberland, began to dispute against his own conscience for several hours, till the people generally turned against him: for he thought to have tired me out; but the Lord's power tired him out, and the Lord's truth came over him and them all. Many hundreds were convinced that day, who received the Lord Jesus Christ and his free teaching with gladness; of whom some have died in the truth, and many stand faithful witnesses thereof. The soldiers also were convinced and their wives, and continued with me till first-day.

On first-day I went to the steeple-house at Cockermouth, where priest Larkham lived. When he had done, I began to speak, and the people began to be rude; but the soldi­ers told them, we had broken no law, and they became quiet. Then I turned to the priest, and laid him open among the false prophets and hirelings; at which word he went his way, saying, 'He calls me hireling;' which was true; all the people knew it. 'Some great men of the town said,' 'Sir, we have no learned men to dispute with you.' I told them, I came not to dispute, but to shew the way of salvation to them, the way of everlasting life. I decla­red largely the way of life and truth to them, and directed them to Christ their teacher, who died for them, and bought them with his blood.

[Page 131] When I had done, I went about two miles to another great steeple-house of John Wilkinson's, called Brigham; where the people, having been at the other meeting, were mightily affected, and would have put my horse into the steeple-house yard: but I said, ‘No; the priest claims that; have him to an inn.’ When I came into the stee­ple-house yard, I saw the people coming in great compa­nies, as to a fair; and abundance were already gathered in the lanes and about the steeple-house. I was very thirsty, and walked about a quarter of a mile to a brook, where I got some water, and refreshed myself. As I came up again, I met Wiskinson; who, as I passed by him, said, 'Sir, will you preach to-day? If you will,' said he, ‘I will not oppose you in word or thought.’ I replied, ‘Oppose, if thou wilt; I have something to speak to the people. And,’ said I, ‘thou carriedst thyself foolishly the other day, and spakest against thy conscience and reason, inso­much, that thy hearers cried out against thee.’ So I left him, and went on; for he saw it was in vain to oppose, the people were so affected with the Lord's truth. When I came into the steeple-house yard, a professor asked, If I would not go into the church? And I seeing no convenient place abroad, went in; and stood up on a seat, after the people were settled. The priest came in also, but did not go up to his pulpit. ‘The Lord opened my mouth, and I declared his everlasting truth and word of life to the people; directing them to the Spirit of God in themselves, by which they might know God, Christ, and the scrip­tures, and come to have heavenly fellowship in the Spirit. I declared to them, that every one that cometh into the world was enlightened by Christ the life; by which light they might see their sins, and Christ, who was come to save them from their sins, and died for them. And if they came to walk in this light, they might therein see Christ to be the author of their faith, and the finisher thereof; their Shepherd to feed them, their Priest to teach them, their great Prophet to open divine mysteries unto them, and to be always present with them. I explained also to them, in the openings of the Lord, the first convenant, shewing them the figures, and the substance of those figures; bringing them on to Christ, the new covenant. I also manifested to them, that there had been a night of apostacy since the apostles days; but that now the ever­lasting gospel was preached again, which brought life and [Page 132]immortality to light; and the day of the Lord was come, and Christ was come to teach his people himself by his light, grace, power, and spirit.’ A fine opportunity the Lord gave me to preach truth that day for about three hours, and all was quiet. Many hundreds were convinced; and some of them praised God, and said, ‘Now we know the first step to peace.’ The preacher also said privately to some of his hearers, that I had broken them, and over­thrown them.

After this I went to a village, and many people accom­panied me. As I was sitting in an house full of people, declaring the word of life unto them, I cast mine eye upon a woman, and discerned an unclean spirit in her. I was moved of the Lord to speak sharply to her; and told her, she was under the influence of an unclean spirit. Where­upon the woman went out of the room. I being a stranger there, and knowing nothing of the woman outwardly, the people wondered, and told me afterwards, I had discovered a great thing: for all the country looked upon her to be a wicked person. The Lord had given me a Spirit of dis­cerning, by which I many times saw the states and condi­tions of people, and could try their spirits. Not long be­fore, as I was going to a meeting, I saw some women in a field, and discerned an evil spirit in them; and I was mov­ed to go out of my way into the field to them, and declare unto them their conditions. Another time there came one into Swarthmore hall in the meeting-time, and I was mov­ed to speak sharply to her, and told her she was under the power of an evil spirit; and the people said afterwards, she was generally accounted so to be. There came also another time a woman, and stood at a distance from me. I cast mine eye upon her, and said, 'Thou hast been an harlot:' for I perfectly saw the condition and life of the woman. She answered, Many could tell her of her outward sins, but none could tell her of her inward. I told her, Her heart was not right before the Lord; and that from the in­ward came the outward. This woman was afterwards con­vinced of God's truth, and became a friend.

From the aforesaid village we came to Thomas Be [...]ley's, near Coldbeck; and from thence, having had some service for the Lord there, I passed to a market-town, where I had a meeting at the cross; and all was pretty quiet. When I had declared the truth unto them, and directed them to Christ their teacher, some received the truth. We had [Page 133]another meeting upon the borders, in a steeple-house yard, to which many professors and contenders came; but the Lord's power was over all; and when the word of life had been declared amongst them, some received the truth there also.

From thence we travelled to Carlisle, and the pastor of the baptists, with most of his hearers, came to the abbey, where I had a meeting, and declared the word of life amongst them. Many of the baptists and of the soldiers were convinced. After the meeting, the pastor of the bap­tists, an high notionist, and a flashy man, asked me, ‘What must be damned?’ I was moved immediately to tell him, 'That which spoke in him was to be damned.' This stop­ped his mouth; and the witness of God was raised up in him. I opened to him the states of election and reproba­tion; so that he said, He never heard the like in his life. He came afterwards to be convinced.

Then I went to the castle among the soldiers; who beat a drum, and called the garrison together. I preached the truth amongst them, ‘directing them to the Lord Jesus Christ to be their teacher, and to the measure of his Spirit in themselves, by which they might be turned from dark­ness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. I warned them all, that they should do no violence to any man, but should shew forth a christian life: telling them, that be who was to be their teacher, would be their con­demner, if they were disobedient to him.’ So I left them, having no opposition from any of them, except the ser­jeants, who afterwards came to be convinced.

On the market-day I went to the cross. The magistrates had both threatened, and sent their serjeants; and the ma­gistrates wives had [...] If I came there, they would pluck the hair off my head; and the serjeants should take me up. Nevertheless I obeyed the Lord God, went upon the cross, and declared unto them, ‘That the day of the Lord was coming upon all their deceitful ways and doings, and de­ceitful merchandize; that they should put away all cozen­ing and cheating, and keep to Yea and Nay, and speak the truth one to another: so the truth and the power of God was set over them.’ After I had declared the word of life to the people, the throng being so great that the serjeants could not reach me, nor the magistrates wives come at me, I passed away quietly. Many people and soldiers came to me, and some baptists, that were bitter contenders; amongst [Page 134]whom one of their deacons, an envious man, finding the Lord's power was over them, cried out for very anger. Whereupon I set my eyes upon him, and spoke sharply to him in the power of the Lord: and he cried, ‘Do not pierce me so with thy eyes, keep thy eyes off me.’

The first-day following I went into the steeple-house: and after the priest had done, I preached the truth to the people, and declared the word of life amongst them. The priest got away; and the magistrates desired me to go out of the steeple-house. But I still declared the way of the Lord unto them, and told them, I came to speak the word of life and salvation from the Lord amongst them. The power of the Lord was dreadful amongst them, so that the people trembled and shook; and they thought the steeple-house shook; some of them feared it would have fallen down on their heads. The magistrates wives were in a rage, and strove mightily to have been at me: but the soldiers and friendly people stood thick about me. At length the rude people of the city rose, and came with staves and stones into the steeple-house, crying, ‘Down with these round-headed rogues:’ and they threw stones. Where­upon the governor sent a file or two of musqueteers into the steeple-house to appease the tumult; and com­manded all the other soldiers out. So those soldiers took me by the hand in a friendly manner, and said, they would have me along with them. When we came into the street, the city was in an uproar; the governor came down; and some of those soldiers were put in prison for standing by me against the town's-people. A lieutenant, who had been convinced, came and brought me to his house, where there was a baptist meeting, and thither came friends also. We had a very quiet meeting; they heard the word of life glad­ly, and many received it. The next day, the justices and magistrates of the town being gathered together in the town-hall, they granted a warrant against me; and sent for me before them. I was then gone to a baptist's; but hearing of it, I went up to the hall, where many rude people were: some of whom had sworn strange false things against me. I had a great deal of discourse with the magistrates, wherein I laid open the fruits of their priests preaching; shewed them how they were void of Christianity; and that, though they were such great professors (for they were independents and presbyterians) they were without the possession of that which they profeised. After a large examination, they com­mitted [Page 135]me to prison as a blasphemer, an heretick, and a [...] ­ducer; though they could not justly charge any such thing against me. The gaol at Carlisle had two gaolers, an up­per and an under, who looked like two bear-wards. When I was brought in, the upper gaoler had me up into a great chamber, and told me, I should have what I would in that room. But I told him, he should not expect any money from me, for I would neither lie in any of his beds, nor eat any of his victuals. Then he put me into another room; where after awhile I got something to lie upon. There I lay till the assizes came; and then all the talk was, that I was to be hanged. The high sheriff, Wilfred Lawson, stir­red them much up to take away my life; and said, He would guard me to my execution himself. They were in a rage, and set three musqueteers for guard upon me; one at my chamber-door, another at the stairs-foot, and a third at the street-door; and they would let none come at me, except one sometimes, to bring me some necessary things. At night they would bring up priests to me, sometimes as late as the tenth hour; who were exceeding rude and de­vilish. There were a company, of bitter Scotch priests, presbyterians, made up of envy and malice, who were not sit to speak of the things of God, they were so foul-mouthed; but the Lord by his power gave me dominion over them all, and I let them see both their fruits and their spirits. Great ladies also (as they were called) came to see the man that they said was to die. While the judge, justices, and sheriff were contriving together how they might put me to death, the Lord disappointed their designs by an unexpect­ed way. For the judge's clerk, as I was informed, started a question among them, which confounded all their coun­sels; after which, they had not power to call me before the judge.

Anthony Pearson being then in Carlisle, and perceiving they did not intend to bring me upon my trial, wrote a letter to the judges, as followeth:

Notwithstanding this letter, the judges were resolved not to suffer me to be brought before them; but reviling and scoffing at me behind my back, left me to the magistrates of the town: giving them what encouragement they could to exercise their cruelty upon me. Whereupon (though I had been kept so close in the gaoler's house that friends [Page 137]were not suffered to come at me, and colonel. Benson and justice Pearson were denied to see me, yet) the next day, after the judges were gone out of town, an order was sent to the gaoler to put me down into the prison amongst the moss-troopers, thieves, and murderers; which accordingly he did. A filthy, nasty place it was, where men and wo­men were put together in a very uncivil manner, and never a house of office to it; and the prisoners so lousy, that one woman was almost eaten to death with lice. Yet as bad as the place was, the prisoners were all made very loving and subject to me, and some of them were convinced of the truth, as the publicans and harlots were of old; so that they were able to confound any priest that might come to the grates to dispute. But the gaoler was cruel, and the under-gaoler very abusive both to me and to friends that came to see me; for he would beat friends with a great cudgel, who did but come to the window to look in upon me. I could get up to the grate, where sometimes I took in my meat; at which the gaoler was often offended. Once he came in a great rage, and beat me with his cudgel, though I was not at the grate at that time; and as he beat me, he cried, come out of the window, though I was then far from it. While he struck me, I was moved to sing in the Lord's pow­er, which made him rage the more. Then he fetched a fiddler, and set him to play, thinking to vex me; but while he played, I was moved in the everlasting power of the Lord God to sing; and my voice drowned the noise of the fiddle, struck and confounded them, and made them give over fiddling and go their way.

Justice Benson's wife was moved of the Lord to come to visit me, and to eat no meat but what she eat with me at the bars of the prison window. She was afterwards her­self imprisoned at York, when she was great with child, for speaking to a priest; and was kept in prison, and not suffered to go out when the time of her travail was come: so she was delivered of her child in the prison. She was an honest, tender woman, and continued faithful to the truth until she died.

Whilst I was in prison at Carlisle, James Parnel, a little lad about sixteen years of age, came to see me, and was convinced. The Lord quickly made him a powerful mi­nister of the word of life, and many were turned to Christ by him, though he lived not long. For travelling into Essex in the work of the ministry, in the year 1655, he [Page 138]was committed to Colchester castle, where he endured very great hardships and sufferings; being put by the cruel gaoler into a hole in the castle wall, called the oven, so high from the ground that he went up to it by a ladder, which being six feet too short, he was obliged to climb from the ladder to the hole by a rope that was fastened above. And when friends would have given him a cord and a bas­ket to have drawn up his victuals in, the inhuman gaoler would not suffer them, but forced him to go down and up by that short ladder and rope to fetch his victuals (which for a long time he did) or else he might have fa­mished in the hole. At length his limbs being much be­numbed with lying in that place, yet being obliged to go down to take up some victuals, as he came up the ladder again with his victuals in one hand, and catched at the rope with the other, he missed the rope and fell down from a very great height upon the stones; by which fall he was so wounded in his head, arms, and body, that he died in a short time after. When he was dead the wicked professors, to cover their cruelty, wrote a book of him, and said, "He fasted himself to death!" which was an abominable falsehood, and was manifested so to be by another book, wrote in answer to that, called, ‘The Lamb's Defence against Lies.’

When I saw that I was not like to be brought to a pub­lick hearing and trial (although I had before answered in writing the particular matters charged against me at the time of my first examination and commitment) I was mo­ved to send the following paper, as a publick challenge to all those that belied the truth and me behind my back, to come forth and make good their charge.

While I thus lay in prison, the report raised at the time of the assizes, "That I should be put to death," was gone far and near; insomuch that the parliament then sitting, which I think was called the little parliament, hearing that a young man at Carlisle was to die for religion, caused a let­ter to be sent to the sheriff and magistrates concerning me. Much about the same time I wrote also to the justices at Carlisle, who had cast me into prison, and persecuted friends at the instigation of the priests for tithes; expostula­ting the matter with them thus:

I mentioned before, that Gervase Benson and Anthony Pearson, though they had been justices of the peace, were not permitted to come to me in the prison; whereupon they jointly wrote a letter to the magistrates, priests, and people at Carlisle, concerning my imprisonment: thus,

Not long after this the Lord's power came over the justi­ces, and they were made to set me at liberty. But some time before the governor and Anthony Pearson came down into the prison to see the place where I was kept, and un­derstand what usage I had. They found the place so bad, and the favour so ill, that they cried shame of the magis­trates for suffering the gaoler to do such things. They cal­led for the gaolers into the prison, and required them to find sureties for their good behaviour; and the under-gaol­er who had been such a cruel fellow, they put into the pri­son with me amongst the moss-troopers.

After I was set at liberty I went to Thomas Bewley's, where came a baptist-teacher to oppose me; who was con­vinced. Robert Widders being with me was moved to go to Coldbeck steeple-house, and the baptist-teacher went along with him the same day. The people fell upon them, almost killed Robert Widders, and took the baptist's sword from him and beat him sorely. This baptist had the inhe­ritance of an impropriation of tithes, and he went home and gave it up freely. Robert Widders was sent to Carlisle gaol, where having lain awhile he was set at liberty. Wil­liam Dewsbury also went to a steeple-house hard by, and the people almost killed him, they beat him so; but the Lord's power was over all and healed them again. In that day many friends went to the steeple-houses to declare the truth to the priests and people; and great sufferings they underwent, but the Lord's power sustained them.

Now I went into the country, and had mighty great [Page 145]meetings. The everlasting gospel and word of life flou­rished, thousands were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his teaching. Several who had taken tithes as im­propriators denied the receiving of them any longer, and delivered them up freely to the parishioners. Passing into Westmoreland I had many great meetings. At Strickland­bead I had a large meeting, where Henry Draper, a justice of peace out of Bishoprick, came, and many contenders were there. The priests and magistrates were in a great rage against me in Westmoreland, and had a warrant to ap­prehend me; which they renewed from time to time. Yet the Lord did not suffer them to serve it upon me. I tra­velled amongst friends, visiting meetings till I came to Swarthmore, where I heard the baptists and professors in Scotland had sent to have a dispute with me. I sent them word, I would meet them in Cumberland at Thomas Bew­ley's, whither accordingly I went, but none of them came. Some dangers at this time I underwent in my travels. Going through Wigton on a market-day, the people of the town had set a guard with pitch-forks; and though some of their own neighbours were with us, they kept us out of the town and would not let us pass through it, under a pretence of preventing the sickness, which there was no occasion for. However, they fell upon us, and had like to have spoiled us and our horses; but the Lord restrained them, that they did not much hurt; and we passed away. Another time, as we were passing between two friends houses, some rude fellows lay in wait in a lane, and exceed­ingly stoned and abused us; but at last, through the Lord's assistance, we got through them, and had not much hurt. But this shewed the fruits of the priest's teaching, which shamed their profession of christianity.

After I had visited friends in that county. I went into Bishoprick, having large meetings by the way. A very large meeting I had at Anthony Pearson's, where many were convinced. From thence I passed through Northumber­land to Derwentwater, where we had great meetings; and the priests threatened they would come, but no [...] came. The everlasting word of life was freely preached, and freely re­ceived; hundreds being turned to Christ, their teacher.

In Northumberland many came to dispute. Some pleaded against perfection; to whom I declared, ‘That Adam and Eve were perfect before they fell: and all that God made was perfect; and that the imperfection came [Page 146]by the devil and the fall: but Christ, who came to de­stroy the devil,’ said, "Be ye perfect." One of the pro­fessors alledged that Job said, ‘Shall mortal man be more pure than his Maker? The heavens are not clean in his sight. God charged his angels with folly.’ I shewed him his mistake, and let him see, ‘it was not Job that said so, but one of those that contended against him; for Job stood for perfection, and held his integrity; and they were called miserable comforters.’ These professors said, The outward body was the body of death and sin. I discovered their mistake in that also, shewing them, ‘That Adam and Eve had each of them an outward body, before the body of death and sin got into them; and that man and woman will have bodies, when the body of sin and death is put off again; when they are renewed up into the image of God again by Christ Jesus, which they were in before they fell.’ They ceased at that time from opposing, and glorious meetings we had in the Lord's power.

Then passed we to Hexam, where we had a great meet­ing atop of an hill. The priest threatened he would come and oppose us, but he came not; so all was quiet: And ‘the everlasting day and renowned truth of the everliving God was sounded over those dark countries, and his Son exalted over all. It was proclaimed amongst the people, that the day was now come, wherein all that made a pro­fession of the Son of God, might receive him; and that to as many as would receive him, he would give power to become the sons of God, as he had done to me.’ It was further declared, ‘That he who had the Son of God, had life eternal; but he that had not the Son of God (though he professed all the scriptures, from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revelations) had no life.’ So after all were directed to the light of Christ, by which they might see him, receive him, and know where their true teacher was, and the everlasting truth had been largely de­clared amongst them, we passed through Hexam peacea­bly, and came into Gil [...]land, a country noted for thiev­ing.

Here a friend spying the priest, went to speak to him; wherenpon he came to our inn, and the town's-people ga­thered about us. The priest said, He would prove us de­c [...]vers out of the bible, but could find no scripture for his purpose. Then he went into the inn, and after awhile came out again, and brought some broken sentences of scripture, [Page 147]that mention the doctrines and commandments of men, &c. and Touch not. Taste not. &c. for they perish with the using. All which, poor man! was his own condition; whereas we were persecuted because we would not taste, nor touch, nor handle their doctrines and traditions which we knew perished with using. I asked him, What he called the steeple-house? 'Oh,' said he, ‘the dreadful house of God, the temple of God.’ I shewed him, and the poor, dark people, ‘That their bodies should be the temples of God, and that Christ never commanded these temples, but ended that temple at Jerusalem which God had com­manded.’ While I was speaking, the priest got away: and afterwards the people made as if they feared we would take their purses, or steal their horses; judging us like them­selves, who are naturally given to thieving.

The next day we came into Cumberland again, where we had a general meeting of thousands of people atop of an hill near Langlands. A glorious and heavenly meeting it was; for the glory of the Lord did shine over all; and there were as many as one could well speak over the multitude was so great. Their eyes were turned to Christ their teacher; and they came to sit under their own vine; insomuch that Francis Howgill, coming afterwards to visit them, sound they had no need of words; for they were sitting under their teacher Christ Jesus; in the sense whereof he sat down amongst them, without speaking any thing. A great con­vincement there was in Cumberland, Bishoprick, Northum­berland. Westmoreland, Lancashire, and Yorkshire; and the plants of God grew and flourished, the heavenly rain de­scending. and God's glory shining upon them: many mouths were opened by the Lord to his praise; yea, to babes and sucklings he ordained strength.

After my release from Carlisle prison, I was moved to go to priest Wilkinson's steeple-house again: and being got in before him, when he came, I was declaring the truth to the people, though they were but few; for the most and best of his hearers were turned to Christ's free teaching; and we had a meeting of friends hard-by, where Thomas Stubbs was declaring the word of life amongst them. As soon as the priest came in he opposed me: and there we staid most part of the day: for when I began, he opposed me so if any law was broken, he broke it. When his people would be haling me out, I manifested his fruits to be such as Christ spake of, when he said. ‘They shall hale you out of [Page 148]their synagogues:’ and then he would be ashamed, and they would let me alone. There did he stand, till it was almost night, jangling, and opposing me; and would not go to his dinner, for he thought to have wearied me out. But at last the Lord's power and truth came so over him, that he packed away with his people. When he was gone, I went to the meeting of friends, who were turned to the Lord, and established by his power upon Christ, the rock and foundation of the true prophets and apostles.

About this time the priests and professors fell to prophe­sying against us afresh. They had said long before, That we should be destroyed within a month; after that, they prolonged the time to half a year: but that time being long expired, and we mightily increased in number, they now gave out, That we would eat out one another. For after meetings, many tender people, having a great way to go, tarried at friends houses by the way, and sometimes more than there were beds to lodge in; so that some have lain on the hay-mows: hereupon fear possessed the professors and world's people. For they were afraid, that when we had eaten one another out, we would all come to be maintained by the parishes, and be chargeable to them. But after awhile, when they saw that the Lord blessed and increased friends, as he did Abraham, both in the field and in the basket, at their goings forth and comings in, at their risings up and lyings down, and that all things prospered with them; then they saw the falsehood of all their prophecies against us; and that it was in vain to curse where God had blessed. At the first convincement, when friends could not put off their hats to people, nor say You to a single person, but Thou and Thee, or could not bow, nor use flattering words in salutations, nor go into the fashions and customs of the world; many friends, that were tradesmen, lost their customers; for the people were shy of them, and would not trade with them; so that for a time some could hardly get money enough to buy bread. But afterwards, when people came to have experience of friends honesty and faithfulness and found that their Yea was Yea, and their Nay was Nay; that they kept to a word in their dealings, and that they would not cozen and cheat them; but that if they sent a child to their shops for any thing, they were as well used as if they had come themselves; the lives and conversations of friends did preach, and reached to the witness of God in the people. Then things altered so, that all the inquiry [Page 149]was. ‘Where was a draper, or shopkeeper, or taylor, or shoemaker, or any other tradesman, that was a Quaker?’ Insomuch that friends had more business than many of their neighbours; and if there was any trading, they had a great part of it. Then the envious professors altered their note, and began to cry out. 'If we let these Quakers' one, they 'will take the trade of the nation out of our hands.' This hath been the Lord's doings to and for his people! which my desire is, that all who profess his holy truth may be truly kept sensible of; and that all may be preserved in and by his power and Spirit, faithful to God and man: first to God, in obeying him in all things; and then in doing unto all men that which is just and righteous, in all things that they have to do or deal with them in: that the Lord God may be glorified in their practising truth, holiness, godli­ness, and righteousness amongst people, in their lives and conversations.

Friends being grown very numerous in the northern parts of this nation, and divers young convinced ones com­ing daily in among us, I was moved of the Lord to write the following epistle, and send it amongst them, for the slitting up the pure mind, and raising an holy care and watchfulness in them over themselves, and one another, for the honour of truth.

While friends abode in the northern parts, a priest of Wrexham in Wales, named Morgan Floyd, having heard reports concerning us, sent two of his congregation into the north to inquire concerning us, to try us, and bring him an account of us. When these triers came amongst us, the power of the Lord seized on them, and they were both convinced of the truth. So they staid some time with us, and then returned to Wales; where afterwards one of them departed from his convincement; but the other named John-ap-John, abode in the truth, and received a part of the ministry, in which he continued faithful.

Now were the priests greatly disturbed at Newcastle, Kendal, and in most of the northern counties. There be­ing one Gilpin, who had sometimes come amongst us at Kendal, and soon ran out from the truth into vain imagi­nations; they made what evil use they could of him against us; but the Lord's power confounded them all. And the Lord God cut off two of those persecuting justices at Car­lisle; and the other, after a time, was turned out of his place, and left the town.

About this time the oath or engagement to O. Cromwel was tendered to the soldiers; many of whom were disband­ed, because in obedience to Christ, they could not swear: John Stubbs, for one, who was convinced when I was in Carlisle prison, became a good soldier in the Lamb's war, and a faithful minister of Christ Jesus; travelling much in the service of the Lord in Holland, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Egypt, and America. And the Lord's power pre­served him out of the hands of the papists, though many times he was in great danger of the inquisition. But some of the soldiers, who had been convinced in their judgment, but had not come into obedience to the truth, took O. Cromwel's oath; and, going afterwards into Scotland, and coming before a garrison there, the garrison thinking they [Page 152]had been enemies, sired at them, and killed divers of them; which was a sad event.

When the churches were settled in the north, and friends were s [...]t down under Christ's teaching, and the glory of the Lord shined over them, I passed from Swarthmore to Lancaster about the beginning of the year 1654, visiting friends, till I came to Synder hill-green, where a meeting was appointed three weeks before; leaving the north fresh and green, under Christ their teacher. We passed through Halisax, a rude town of professors, and came to Thomas Taylor's, who had been a captain, where we met with some janglers: but the Lord's power was over all; for I travel­led in the motion of God's power. When I came to Synde [...]-hill-green, there was a mighty meeting; some thou­sands of people, as it was judged, and many persons of note were there, captains, and other officers; and there was a general convincement; for the Lord's power and truth was set over all, and there was no opposition.

About this time did the Lord move upon the spirits of many whom he had raised up, and sent forth to labour in his vineyard, to travel southwards, and spread themselves in the service of the gospel to the eastern, southern, and western parts of the nation: Francis Howgill and Edward Burrough to London; John Camin and John Audland to Bristol; Richard Hubberthorn and George Whitehead to­wards Norwich; Thomas Holmes into Wales, and many others different ways: for above sixty ministers had the Lord raised up, and did now send abroad out of the north country. The sense of their service being very weighty upon me, I was moved to give forth the following paper:

[Page 157] About this time Rice Jones of Nottingham (who had been a Baptist and was turned Ranter) and his company began to prophesy against me, giving out. That I was then at the highest, and after that time I should fall down as fast. He sent a bundle of railing papers from Nottingham to Mansfield, Clauson, and the towns thereabouts, judging friends for declaring the truth in the markets and in the steeple-houses; which papers I answered. But their pro­phecies came upon themselves; for soon after they fell to pieces, and many of his followers became friends, and con­tinued so. And through the Lord's blessed power truth and friends have increased, and do increase in the increase of God; and I by the same power have been and am pre­served, and kept in the everlasting seed that never fell nor changes. But Rice Jones took the oaths that were put to him, and so disobeyed the command of Christ. Many such false prophets have risen up against me, but the Lord hath blasted them, and will blast all who rise against the blessed seed, and me in that. My confidence is in the Lord; for whosoever did, I saw their end, and how the Lord would confound them before he sent me forth.

I was now at Synder-hill-green, where I had a large meeting in the day-time, and another at night in Thomas Stacy's house; for the people came from far and could not soon depart. The high sheriff of the county told captain Bradford he intended to come up, with half a dozen of his troopers, to the meeting; but the Lord prevented him. When I had staid some meetings thereabouts, I travelled up and down in Yorkshire as far as Holderness, and to the Land's-end that way, visiting friends and the churches of Christ; which were sinely settled under his teaching. At length I reached captain Bradford's house, whither many Ranters came from York to wrangle; but they were con­founded. Thither came she called the lady Montague; who was then convinced, and lived and died in the truth.

Then I went to Thomas Taylor's within three miles of Halifax, where was a meeting of about two hundred peo­ple; amongst which were many rude persons, and divers butchers, who had bound themselves with an oath before they came out, that they would kill me (as I was told): one of those butchers had been accused for killing a man and a woman. They came in a very rude manner, and made a great disturbance in the meeting, which being in a close, Thomas Taylor stood up and said to them, ‘If you [Page 158]will be civil, you may stay; but if not, I charge you to be gone from off my ground.’ But they grew worse, and said they would make it like a common; and they yelled and made a noise as if they had been at a bear-baiting. They thrust friends up and down, who being peaceable, the Lord's power came over them. Several times they push'd me off from the place I stood on, by the crowding of the people together against me; but still I was moved of the Lord to stand up again as I was thrust down. At last I was moved of the Lord to say to them, ‘If they would dis­course of the things of God, let them come up to me one by one; and if they had any thing to object, I would an­swer them all, one after another;’ but they were all silent, and had nothing to say: and then the Lord's power came so over them all, and answered the divine witness in them, that they were bound by the power of God, and a glorious powerful meeting we had, and the minds of the people were turned by the holy Spirit in them to God, and to Christ their teacher. The powerful word of life was largely declared that day, and in the life and power of God we broke up our meeting; and that rude company went their way to Halifax. The people asked them, ‘Why they did not kill me, according to the oath they had sworn?’ They maliciously answered, ‘I had so bewitched them they could not do it.’ Thus was the devil chained at that time. Friends told me, they used to come at other times and be very rude, and sometimes break their seats and make frightful work amongst them; but the Lord's power had now bound them. Shortly after, this butcher, that had been accused of killing a man and a woman be­fore, and who was one of those that had bound himself by an oath to kill me, killed another man, and was thereupon sent to York gaol. Another of those rude butchers, who had also sworn to kill me, having accustomed himself to thrust his tongue out of his mouth in derision of friends when they passed by him, had his tongue so swollen out of his month that he could never draw it in again, but died so. Several strange and sudden judgments came upon many of these conspirators against me, which would be too large to declare here. God's vengeance from heaven came upon the blood-thirsty, who soughe after blood; for all such spi­rits I laid before the Lord, and left him to deal with them, who is stronger than all, in whose power I was pre­served and carried on to do his work. The Lord hath [Page 159]raised a fine people in those parts, whom he hath drawn to Christ, and gathered in his name; who feel Christ amongst them, and sit under his teaching.

After this I came to Balby; from whence several friends accompanied me into Lincolnshire, of whom some went to the steeple-house, and some to private meetings. There came to the meeting where I was, the sheriff of Lincoln, and several with him; who made great contention and jan­gling for a time: but at length the Lord's power struck him, that he was convinced of the truth, and received the word of life, as did several others also who had opposed, and continued amongst friends till they died. Great meetings there were, and a large convincement in those parts. Many were turned to the Lord Jesus, and came to sit under his teaching, leaving their priests and their superstitious ways; and the day of the Lord flourished over all amongst them that came to our meetings in that country. One called Sir Richard Wrey was convinced; also his brother and his brother's wife, who abode in the truth and died therein; though he afterwards ran out.

Having visited those countries, I came into Derbyshire; the sheriff of Lincoln, who was lately convinced, being with me. In one meeting we had some opposition; but the Lord's glorious power gave dominion over all. At night came a company of bailiffs and serving-men, and called me out. I went out to them, having some friends with me. They were exceeding rude and violent; for they had, it seems, plotted together, and intended to have carri­ed me away with them in the dark of the evening by force, to have done me a mischief; but the Lord's power chained them, so that they could not effect their design; and at last they went away. The next day Thomas Aldam, under­standing the serving-men belonged to a knight, who lived not far off, went to his house and laid before him the bad carriage of his servants. The knight rebuked them, and did not allow of their evil behaviour towards us.

After this we came to Skegby, in Nottinghamshire, where we had a great meeting of divers sorts; and the Lord's power went over them, and all was quiet. The people were turned to the Spirit of God, by which many came to receive his power, and to sit under the teaching of Christ, their Saviour. A great people the Lord hath in those parts.

I passed towards Kidsley-park, where came many Rant­ers; [Page 160]but the Lord's power check'd them. From thence I went into the Peak-country to Thomas Hammersley's where came the Ranters of that country, and many high professors. The Ranters opposed me, and fell a swearing. When I reproved them for swearing, they would bring scripture for it, alledging Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph swore; and the priests, Moses, the prophets, and the angels swore. ‘I confessed all these did so, as the scripture re­cords; but said I. Christ (who said, Before Abraham was I am) commanded, Swear not at all. Christ ends the prophets, the old priesthood, the dispensation of Moses, and reigns over the house of Jacob and Joseph; and he says, Swear not at all. And God, when he bringeth the first-begotten into the world, saith, Let all the angels of God worship him, to wit, Christ Jesus, who saith. Swear not at all. As for the plea that men make for swearing to end their strife, Christ, who says. Swear not at all, de­stroys the devil and his works, who is the author of strife; for that is one of his works. And God said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.’ So the Son is to be heard who forbids swearing. And the apostle James, who did hear the Son of God, followed him, and preached him, forbids all oaths, James v. 12.’ So the Lord's power went over them: and his Son and his doctrine was set over them. The word of life was fully and richly preached, and many were convinced that day. This Thomas Hammersly being summoned to serve upon a jury, was admitted to serve without an oath; and being foreman of the jury, when he brought in the verdict, the judge declared, ‘That he had been a judge so many years, but never heard a more upright verdict than that Quaker had then brought in.’ Much might be written of things of this nature, which time would fail to declare. But the Lord's blessed power and truth was exalted over all, who is worthy of all praise and glory for ever!

Travelling through Derbyshire. I visited friends till I came to Swanington, in Leicestershire, where was a general meeting, to which many Ranters, Baptists, and other pro­fessors came: for great contests there had been with them, and with the priests in that town. To this meeting several friends came from divers parts; John Audland. Francis Howgill, Edward Pyot from Bristol, and Edward Burrough from London; and several were convinced in those parts. [Page 161]The Ranters made a disturbance, and were very rude; but at last the Lord's power came over them, and they were confounded. The next day Jacob Bottomly, a great Ranter, came from Leicester; but the Lord's power stopt him, and came over them all. There came a priest too; but he also was confounded by the mighty power of the Lord. About this time the priests, Baptists, Ranters, and other professors were very rude, and stirred up rude peo­ple against us. We sent to the Ranters to come forth, and try their god. Abundance of them came, who sung, whis­tled, and danced; but the Lord's power so prevailed over them that many of them were convinced.

After this I went to Twycross, whither came some Rant­ers, who sung and danced before me; but I was moved in the dread of the Lord to reprove them: and the Lord's power came over them, so that some of them were convin­ced, and received the Spirit of God; who are become a pretty people, living and walking soberly in the truth of Christ. I went to Anthony Brickley's, in Warwickshire, where there was a great meeting; several Baptists and others came and jangled: but the Lord's power came over them.

Then I went to Drayton, in Leicestershire, to visit my relations. As soon as I was come in, Nathaniel Stephens, the priest, having got another priest, and given notice to the country, sent to me to come to them; for they could not do any thing till I came. I, having been three years away from my relations, knew nothing of their design. But at last I went into the steeple-house yard, where the two priests were; and they had gathered abundance of people. They would have had me gone into the steeple-house. I asked them, what I should do there? They said, Mr. Stephens could not bear the cold. I told them, he might bear it as well as I. At last we went into a great hall, Richard Farnsworth being with me; and a great dispute we had with these priests concerning their practice, how contraty they were to Christ and his apostles. The priests would know where tithes were forbidden or ended. I shewed them out of the seventh chapter to the Hebrews, ‘That not only tithes, but the priesthood that took tithes, was ended; and the law was ended and disan­nulled by which the priesthood was made, and tithes were commanded to be paid.’ Then they stirred up the people to some lightness and rudeness. I had known Stephens from a child, therefore I laid open his condition and the [Page 162]manner of his preaching: ‘and how he, like the rest of the priests, did apply the promises to the first birth which must die. But I shewed that the promises were to the seed, not to many seeds, but to the one seed, Christ; who was one in male and female: for all were to be born again, before they could enter into the kingdom of God.’ Then he said, I must not judge so. I told him, ‘He that was spiritual judged all things.’ Then he confessed, That was a full scripture; But, neighbours, said he, this is the busi­ness; GEORGE FOX is come to the light of the sun, and n [...] he thinks to put out my star-light. I told him, ‘I would not quench the least measure of God in any, much less put out his star-light, if it were true light from the morning-star. But I told him, if he had any thing from Christ, he ought to speak it freely, and not take tither from the people for preaching; seeing Christ commanded his ministers to give freely, as they had received freely.’ So I charged him to preach no more for tithes or any hire. But he said, he would not yield-to that. After awhile the people began to be vain and rude, whereupon we broke up; yet some were made loving to the truth that day. Be­fore we parted, I told them. ‘If the Lord would, I intend­ed to be at the town again that day seven-night.’ In the interim I went into the country, had meetings, and came again that day seven-night. Against that time this priest had got seven priests to help him; for he had given notice at a lecture on a market-day at Adderston, that such a day there would be a meeting and a dispute with me. I knew nothing of it; but only had said I should be in town that day seven-night again. These eight priests had gathered several hundreds of people, even most of the country there­abouts, and would have had me into the steeple-house. I refused to go in, and got on a hill, and there spoke to them and the people. Thomas Taylor, James Parnel, and se­veral other friends were with me. The priests thought that day to have trampled down truth; but the truth came over them. Then they grew light and the people rude. The priests would not stand trial with me; but would be con­tending here and there a little with one friend or other. At last one of the priests brought his son to dispute with me; but his mouth was soon stopt. When he could not tell how to answer, he would ask his father, and his father was confounded also when he came to answer for his son. So after they had toiled themselves, they went in a rage to [Page 163]priest Stephens's house to drink. As they went away I said, ‘I never came to a place where so many priests toge­ther would not stand the trial with me.’ Whereupon they and some of their wives came about me, laid hold of me, and fawningly said, ‘What might I have been, if it had not been for the Quakers?’ Then they fell a pushing of friends to and fro, to thrust them from me, and to pluck me to themselves. After awhile several lusty fellows came, took me up in their arms, and carried me into the steeple-house porch, intending to have carried me into the steeple-house by force; but the door being locked, they fell down on an heap, having me under them. As soon as I could I got from them to my hill again: then they got me from that place, took me to the steeple-house wall, and set me on a bass like a stool; and all the priests, being come back, stood under with the people. The priess cried, Come, to argument, to argument. I said, ‘I denied all their voices, for they were the voices of hirelings and strangers.’ They cried, Prove it, prove it. I directed them to the tenth of John, where they might see what Christ said of such; he declared, ‘He was the true Shepherd that laid down his life for his sheep, and his sheep heard his voice and fol­lowed him; but the hireling would fly when the wolf came, because he was an hireling.’ I offered to prove that they were such hirelings. Then the priests plucked me off from the bass again, and themselves got all upon basses under the steeple-house wall. Then I felt the mighty power of God arise over all, and told them, ‘If they would give audience, and hear me quietly, I would shew them by the scriptures why I denied those eight priests or teachers that stood before me, and all the hireling teachers of the world whatsoever, and I would give them scriptures for what I said.’ Whereupon both priests and people consented. Then I shewed them out of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Fzeksel, Micah, Malachi, and other prophets, that they were in the steps of such as God sent his true prophets to cry against; for, said I. ‘You are such as the prophet Jere­miah cried against, chap. v. when he said, ‘The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means;’ which he called an horrible filthy thing. You are such as used their tongues, and said. Thus saith the Lord, when the Lord never spoke to them. Such as followed their own spirits, and saw nothing; but spoke a divination of their own brain: and by their lies and their lightness [Page 164]caused the people to err, Jer. xiv. You are such as they were that sought their gain from their quarter; that were as greedy dumb dogs, that could never have enough, whom the Lord sent his prophet Isaiah to cry against, Isa. lvi. You are such as they were who taught for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, who sewed pillows under people's arm-holes, that they might lie soft in their sins. Ezek. xiii. You are such as they that taught for the fleece and the wool, and made a prey of the people, Ezek. xxxiv. But the Lord is gathering his sheep from your mouths, and from your barren mountain; and is bringing them to Christ, the one shepherd, whom he hath set over his flocks; as by his prophet Ezekiel he then declared he would do. You are such as those that divined for money, and preached for hire; and if a man did not put into their, mouths they prepared war against him, as the prophet Micah complained, chap. iii.’ Thus I went through the prophets too largely to be here repeated. Then coming to the New Testament, I shewed from thence, that ‘that they were like the chief priests, scribes, and pharisees, whom Christ cried wo against, Matth. xxiii. And that they were such false apostles as the true apostles cried against, such as taught for filthy lucre; such antichrists and de­ceivers as they cried against, that minded earthly things, and served not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bel­lies: for they that served Christ gave freely and preached freely, as he commanded them. But they that will not preach without hire, tithes, or outward means, serve their own bellies, and not Christ; and through the good words of the scriptures, and feigned words of their [...]n, they made merchandize of the people then, as (said I) ye do now. When I had largely quoted the scriptures, and shewed them wherein they were like the pharisees, loving to be called of men masters, to go in long robes, to stand praying in the synagogues, to have the uppermost rooms at feasts and the like; and when I had thrown them out in the sight to the people amongst the false prophets, de­ceivers, scribes, and pharisees, and shewed at large how such as they were judged and condemned by the true prophets, Christ, and the aposstles, I directed them to the light of Jesus, who enlightens every man that cometh into the world; that by it they might see whether these things were not true as had been spoken.’ When I appealed to that of God in their consciences, the light of Christ Jesus [Page 165]in them, they could not abide to hear it; they were all quiet till then; but then a professor said, George, what! wilt thou never have done? I told him, I should have done shortly. I went on a little longer, and cleared myself of them in the Lord's power. When I had done, all the priests and people stood silent for a time; at last one of the priests said, They would read the scriptures that. I had quoted. I told them, with all my heart. They began to read the twenty-third of Jeremiah, where they saw the [...]rks of the false prophets that he cried against. When the had read a verse or two, I said, Take notice, people; but the priests said, Hold thy tongue, George. I bid them read the whole chapter throughout. for it was all against them. Then they stopt, and would read no further; but asked me a question. I told them I would answer their question the matter being first granted that I had charged them with, viz that they were false prophets, false teachers, antichrists, and deceivers, such as the true prophets, Christ, and the apostles cried against. A professor said Nay to that; but I said, ‘Yea: for you leaving the matter, and going to another thing, seem to consent to the proof of the former charge.’ Then I answered their question, which was this; ‘Seeing those false prophets were adulte­rated, Whether I did judge priest Stephens to be an adulterer?’ To which I answered, ‘He was adulterated from God in his practice, like those false prophets and the Jews.’ They would not stand to vindicate him, but broke up the meeting. Then the priests whispered together; and Stephens came to me, and desired that my father, brother, and I might go aside with him, that he might speak to me in private, and the rest of the priests should keep the peo­ple from coming to us. I was very loth to go aside with him; but the people cried, ‘Go, George; do, George, go aside with him.’ Being afraid, if I did not go, they would say I was disobedient to my parents, I went, and the rest of the priests were to keep the people off; but they could not, for the people, being willing to hear, drew close to us. I asked the priest, what he had to say? He said, ‘If he was out of the way I should pray for him, and if I was out of the way he would pray for me; and he would give me a form of words to pray for him by?’ I replied, ‘It seems thou dost not know whether thou beest in the right way or no; neither dost thou know whether I am in the right way or no; but I know that I am in the ever­lasting [Page 166]way. Christ Jesus, which thou art out of. Thou wouldst give me a form of words to pray by yet thou de­niest the Common Prayer Book to pray by as well as I, and I deny thy form of words as well as it. If thou wouldst have me pray for thee by a form of words, is not this to deny the apostle's doctrine and practice of praying by the Spirit, as it gave words and utterance?’ Here the people fell a laughing; but I was moved to speak more to him. And when I had cleared myself to him and them we parted, after I had told them, that I should, God willing, be in town that day seven-night again. So the priests pack'd away, and many people were convinced that day; for the Lord's power came over all. Many that were con­vinced before, were by that day's work confirmed in the truth, and abode in it: and a great shake it gave to the priests. Yea, my father, though a hearer and follower of the priest, was so well satisfied, that he struck his cane up­on the ground, and said, ‘Truly I see, he that will but stand to the truth, it will bear him out.’ I passed about in the country till that day seven-night, and then came a­gain: for we had appointed a meeting at my relations house. Priest Stephens, having notice beforehand thereof, had got another priest to him. They had a company of troopers with them; and sent for me to come to them. But I sent them word, our meeting was appointed, and they might come to it if they would. The priests came not; but the troopers came, and many rude people. They had laid their plot, That the troopers should take every one's name, and then command them to go home; and such as would not go, they should take, and carry away with them. Accord­ingly they began, and took several names, charging them to go home; but when they came to take my name, my rela­tions told them I was at home already: so they could not take me away that time. Nevertheless they took my name; but the Lord's power was over them, and they went away, both professors and troopers, crossed and vexed because they had not their ends. But several were convinced that day, and admired the love and power of God. This was that priest Stephens, who once said of me, ‘Never such a plant was bred in England:’ yet afterwards he reported, ‘That I was carried up into the clouds, and found again full of gold and silver;’ and many false reports he raised on me, but the Lord swept them all away. The reason why I would not go into their steeple-house was, because I [Page 167]was to bear my testimony against it, and to bring all off from such places to the Spirit of God; that they might know their bodies to be the temples of the Holy Ghost; and to bring them off from all the hireling teachers to Christ, their free teacher, who died for them, and purchased them with his blood.

After this I went into the country, had several meet­ings, and came to Swanington, where the soldiers came; but the meeting was quiet, the Lord's power was over all, and the soldiers did not meddle. Then I went to Lei­cester, and from Leicester to Whetstone. There came about seventeen troopers of colonel Hacker's regiment, with his marshal, and took me up before the meeting, though friends were beginning to gather together; for there were several friends from divers parts. I told the marshal, ‘He might let all the friends go, I would answer for them all.’ Whereupon he took me, and let all the friends go; only Alexander Parker went along with me. At night they had me before colonel Hacker, his major, and captains, a great company of them; and a great deal of discourse we had about the priests, and about meetings; for at this time there was a noise of a plot against O. Cromwel. Much reason­ing I had with them about the light of Christ, which en­lighteneth every man that cometh into the world. Col. Hacker asked, Whether it was not this light of Christ that made Judas betray his master, and after led him to hang himself? I told him, ‘No: that was the spirit of dark­ness, which hated Christ and his light.’ Then col. Hacker said, I might go home, and keep at home; and not go abroad to meetings. I told him, ‘I was an innocent man, free from plots, and denied all such work.’ His son Need­ham said, ‘Father, this man hath reigned too long; it is time to have him cut off.’ I asked him, ‘For what? What had I done? or whom had I wronged from a child? for I was bred and born in that country, and who could accuse me of any evil from a child?’ Col. Hacker asked me again, If I would go home, and stay at home? I told him, ‘If I should promise him so, it would manifest that I was guilty of something, to make my home a prison: and if I went to meetings, they would say I broke their order. Therefore I told them, I should go to meetings, as the Lord should order me; and could not submit to their requirings: but I said, we were a peaceable people.’ 'Well then,' said colonel Hacker, ‘I will send you to­morrow [Page 168]morning by six o'clock to my lord protector, by captain Drury, one of his life-guard.’ That night I was kept prisoner at the Marshalsea; and the next morning by the sixth hour I was delivered to captain Drury. I desired he would let me speak with colonel Hacker before I went; and he had me to his bed-side. Colonel Hacker set upon me presently again to go home, and keep no more meetings. I told him, ‘I could not submit to that; but must have my liberty to serve God, and to go to meetings.’ 'Then,' said he, 'you must go before the protector.' Whereupon ‘I kneeled on his bed-side, and besought the Lord to for­give him; for he was as Pilate, though he would wash his hands; and when the day of his misery and trial should come upon him, I bid him, Then remember what I had said to him.’ But he was stirred up and set on by Ste­phens, and the other priests and professors, wherein their envy and baseness was manifest; who, when they could not overcome me by disputes and [...]arguments, not resist the Spi­rit of the Lord that was in me, they got soldiers to take me up.

Afterwards, when colonel Hacker was imprisoned in Lon­don, a day or two before his execution, he was, put in mind of what he had done against the innocent; and he remem­bered it, and confessed it to Margaret Fell; saying, He knew well whom she meant; and he had trouble upon him for it. So his son, who had told, his father I had reigned too long, and it was time to have me cut off, might observe how his father was cut off afterwards, he being hanged at Tyburn.

I was carried up prisoner by captain Drury from Leices­ter; and when we came to Harborough, he asked me, If I would go home, and stay a fortnight? I should have my liberty, he said, if I would not go to nor keep meetings. I told him, I could not promise any such thing. Several times upon the road did he ask, and try me after the same manner; and still I gave him the same answers. So he brought me to London, and lodged me at the Mermaid over against the Mews at Charing-Cross. As we travelled, I was moved of the Lord to warn people at the inns and places, where I came, of the day of the Lord that was coming upon them. William Dewsbury and Marmaduke Storr being in prison at Northampton, he let me go and visit them.

After captain Drury had lodged me at the Mermaid, he [Page 169]went to give the protector an account of me. When he came to me again, he told me, The prorector required that I should promise not to take up a carnal sword or weapon against him or the government, as it then was; and that I should write it in what words I saw good, and set my hand to it. I said little in reply to captain Drury. But the next morning I was moved of the Lord to write a paper ‘To the protector, by the name of Oliver Cromwel; wherein I did in the presence of the Lord God declare, that I did deny the wearing or drawing of a carnal sword, or any other outward weapon, against him or any man. And that I was sent of God to stand a witness a­gainst all violence, and against the works of darkness; and to turn people from darkness to light; to bring them from the occasion of war and fighting to the peaceable gospel; and from being evil-doers, which the magistrates sword should be a terror to.’ Wh [...] I had written what the Lord had given me to write, I set [...]y name to it, and gave it to captain Drury to hand to O. Cromwel; which he did. Af­ter some time captain Drury brought me before the protect­or himself at Whitehall. It was in a morning, before he was dressed; and one Harvey, who had come a little among friends, but was disobedient, waited upon him. When I came in, I was moved to say, ‘Peace be in this house: and I exhorted him [...]o keep in the fear of God, that he might receive wisdom from him; that by it he might be ordered, and with it might order all things under his hand unto God's glory.’ I spoke much to him of truth; and a great deal of discourse I had with him about religion: wherein he carried himself very moderately. But he said, We quarrelled with the priests, whom he called ministers. I told him, ‘I did not quarrel with them, they quarrelled with me and my friends. But, said I, if we own the prophets, Christ, and the apostles, we cannot hold up such teachers, prophets, and shepherds, as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles declared against; but we must declare against them by the same power and Spirit. Then I shewed him, That the prophets, Christ, and the apos­tles declared freely, and declared against them that did not declare freely; such as preached for filthy lucre, divined for money, and preached for hire, and were covetous and greedy, like the dumb dogs that could never have enough: and that they, who have the same Spirit that Christ and the prophets, and the apostles had, could not but declare [Page 170]against all such now, as they did then.’ As I spoke he several times said, It was very good, and it was truth. ‘I told him, That all Christendom (so called) had the scrip­tures but they wanted the power and Spirit that those had who gave forth the scriptures; and that was the reason they were not in fellowship with the Son, nor with the Father, nor with the scriptures, nor one with another.’ Many more words I had with him; but people coming in, I drew a little back. As I was turning, he catched me by the hand, and with tears in his eyes, said, Come again to ‘my house; for if thou and I were but an hour of a day together, we should be nearer one to the other;’ adding, That he wished me no more ill than he did to his own soul. I told him, ‘If he did, he wronged his own soul; and ad­monished him to hearken to God's voice, that he might stand in his counsel, and obey it; and if he did so, that would keep him from har [...]ess of heart: but if he did not hear God's volce, his [...]art would be hardened.’ He said, It was true. Then I went out; and when captain Drury came out after me, he told me, His lord protector said, I was at liberty, and might go whither I would. Then I was brought into a great hall, where the protector's gentle­men were to dine. I asked them, What they brought me thither for? They said, It was by the protector's order, that I might dine with them. I bid them let the protector know, I would not eat of his bread, nor drink of his drink. When he heard this, he said, ‘Now I see there is a people risen, that I cannot win either with gifts, honours, offices or places; but all other sects and people I can.’ It was told him again, ‘That we had forsook our own; and were not like to look for such things from him.’

Being set at liberty, I went to the inn where captain Drury at first lodged me. This captain, though he some­times carried it fairly, was an enemy to me and to truth, and opposed it. When professors came to me, while I was under his custody, and he was by, he would scoff at trem­bling, and call us Quakers, as the Independents and Pres­byterians had nicknamed us before. But afterwards he came and told me, That, as he was lying on his bed to rest him­self in the day-time, a sudden trembling seized on him, that his joints knocked together; and his body shook so that he could not rise from his bed: he was so shaken, that he had not strength enough left to rise. But he felt the power of the Lord was upon him; and he tumbled off his bed, and [Page 171]cried to the Lord, and said, He would never speak against the Quakers more, such as trembled at the word of God.

During the time I was prisoner at Charing-Cross, there came abundance to see me, almost of all sorts, priests, pro­fessors, officers of the army, &c. Once a company of officers being with me, desired me to pray with them. I sat still, with my mind retired to the Lord. At last I felt the power and Spirit of God move in me; and the Lord's power did so shake and shatter them, that they wondered, though they did not live in it.

Among those that came was colonel Packer, with several of his officers. While they were with me, came in one Cob. and a great company of Ranters with him. The Ranters began to call for drink and tobacco; but I desired them to forbear it in my room, telling them, ‘If they had such a mind to it, they might go into another room.’ One of them cried, 'All is ours:' and another of them said, 'All is well.' I replied, ‘How is all well, while thou art so peevish, envious, and crabbed?’ for I saw he was of a peevish nature. I spake to their conditions, and they were sensible of it, and looked one upon another, won­dering.

Then colonel Packer began to talk with a light, chaffy mind, concerning God, Christ, and the scriptures: it was a great grief to my soul and spirit, when I heard him talk so lightly; so that I told him, ‘He was too light to talk of the things of God: for he did not know the solidity of a man.’ Thereupon the officers raged, and said, Would I say so of their colonel? Packer was a Baptist: he and the Ranters bowed and scraped to one another very much; for it was the manner of the Ranters to be exceeding compli­mental, so that Packer bid them give over their compli­ments; but I told them, ‘They were fit to go together, for they were both of one spirit.’

This colonel lived at Theobalds near Waltham, and was made a justice of peace. He set up a great meeting of the Baptists at Theobalds Park; for he and some other officers had purchased it. They were exceeding high, railed against friends and truth; and threatened to apprehend me with their warrants, if ever I came there. Yet after I was set at liberty, I was moved of the Lord to go to Theobalds, and appoint a meeting hard-by them; to which many of his people came, and divers of his hearers were convinced of the way of truth, received Christ the free teacher, and [Page 172]came off from the Baptist; which made him rage the more. But the Lord's power came over him so, that he was not able to meddle with me. Then I went to Waltham, hard­by him, and had a meeting there. The people were very rude, gathered about the house, and broke the windows. Whereupon I went out to them, with the bible in my hand, desired them to come in; and told them, ‘I would shew them scripture both for our principles and practices.’ When I had done so, I shewed them also ‘that their teach­ers were in the steps of such as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles cried against. I directed them to the light of Christ, the Spirit of God in their own hearts; that by it they might come to know their free teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ.’ The meeting being ended, they went away quieted and satisfied; and a meeting hath since been settled in that town. But this was some time after I was set at liberty by O. Cromwel.

When I came from Whitehall to the Mermaid at Cha­ring-Cross, I staid not long there: but went into the city of London, where we had great and powerful meetings; so great were the throngs of people, that I could hardly get to and from the meetings for the crowds; and the truth spread exceedingly. T. Aldam and R. Craven, who had been sheriffs of Lincoln, and divers friends, came up to London after me: but A. Parker abode with me.

After awhile I went to Whitehall again, and was moved to declare ‘the day of the Lord amongst them; and that the Lord was come to teach his people himself:’ so I preached truth both to the officers, and to them that were called Oliver's gentlemen, who were of his guard. But a priest opposed, while I declared the word of the Lord amongst them: for Oliver had several about him, of which this was his news-monger; an envious priest, a light, scorn­ful, chaffy man. I bid him repent; and he put it in his news-paper the next week, that I had been at Whitehall, and had bid a godly minister there repent. When I went thither again, I met with him; and abundance of people gathered about me. I manifested the priest to be a liar in several things that he had affirmed; and he was put to silence. He put in the news, that I wore silver buttons; which was false; for they were but ochimy. Afterwards he put in the news, that I hung ribands on people's arms, which made them follow me. This was another of his lies; for I never used nor wore ribands in my life. Three [Page 173]friends went to examine this priest, that gave forth this false intelligence; and to know of him where he had that infor­mation? He said, It was a woman that told him so; and if they would come again, he would tell them the woman's name. When they came again, he said, It was a man, but would not tell them his name then; but if they would come again, he would tell them his name, and where he lived. They went the third time; and then he would not say who told him; but offered, if I would give it under my hand that there was no such thing, he would put that into the news. Thereupon the friends carried it to him under my hand; but when they came, he broke his promise, and would not put it in: but was in a rage, and threatened them with the constable. This was the deceitful doing of this forger of lies: and these lies he spread over the nation in the news, to render truth odious, and to put evil into people's minds against friends and truth: of which a more large account may be seen in a book printed soon after this time, for the clearing of friends and truth from the slanders and false reports raised and cast upon them. These priests, the news-mongers, were of the independent sect, like them in Leicester; but the Lord's power came over all their lies, and swept them away; and many came to see the naughti­ness of these priests. The God of heaven earried me over all in his power, and his blessed power went over the na­tion; insomuch that many friends about this time were moved to go up and down, to found forth the everlasting gospel in most parts of this nation, and also in Scotland; and the glory of the Lord was felt over all to his everlasting praise. A great convincement there was in London; some in the protector's house and family. I went to have seen him again, but could not get to him, the officers were grown so rude.

The Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists were greatly disturbed; for many of their people turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, sat down under his teachings, received his power, and felt it in their hearts; and then they were moved of the Lord to declare against the rest of them.

I appointed a meeting in the fields near Acton, in which the word of life, the saving truth was declared sreely. The Lord's power was eminently manifested, and his blessed day exalted over all.

About this time I was moved to write a paper, and send it among the professors, on this wise:

My spirit was greatly burdened to see the pride that was got up in the nation, even amongst professors; in the sense whereof I was moved to give forth a paper directed—

It came upon me about this time from the Lord to write ‘a short paper and send forth, as an exhortation and warn­ing to the pope, and all kings and rulers in Europe.’

Besides this I was moved to write a letter to the Protect­or (so called) ‘to warn him of the mighty work the Lord hath to do in the nations, and the shaking of them; and to beware of his own wit, craft, subtilty, and policy, or seeking any by-ends to himself.’

There was about this time an order for the trying of mi­nisters (so called) and for approving, or ejecting them out of their places or benefices; whereupon I wrote a paper to the justices and other commissioners, who were appointed to that work.

After I had made some stay in the city of London, I was moved of the Lord to go into bedfordshire to John [Page 184]Crook's; where there was a great meeting, and people ge­nerally convinced of the Lord's truth. When I was come thither. John Crook told me, that the next day several of those called the gentlemen of the country would come to dine with him, and to discourse with me. They came, and I declared to them God's eternal truth. Several friends went to the steeple-houses that day. And there was a meet­ing in the country, which Alexander Parker went to; and towards the middle of the day it came upon me to go to it, though it was several miles off. John Crook went with me. When we came there, there was one—Gritton, who had been a Baptist, but he was got higher than they, and called himself a trier of spirits. He used to tell people their fortunes, and pretended to discover when goods were stolen, or houses broken up, who the persons were that did it: by which he had got into the affections of many thereabouts. This man was in that meeting speaking, and making an hi­deous noise over the young convinced friends, when I came in; and he bid Alexander Parker give a reason of his hope. Alexander Parker told him, Christ was his hope; but be­cause he did not answer him so soon as he expected, he boastingly cried, His mouth is stopped. Then Gritton directed his speech to me; for I stood still and heard him express many things not agreeable to scripture. I asked him, ‘Whether he could make those things out by scrip­ture which he had spoken?’ He said, Yes, yes. Then I bid the people take out their bibles and search the places he should quote for proof [...] his assertions; but he could not make good by scripture [...]hat he had said. So he was ashamed, and fled out of the house, and his people were generally convinced; for his spirit was discovered, and he came no more amongst them. When they were settled in God's truth, they published a book against him, denying his spirit and his false discoveries. Many were turned to Christ that day, and came to sit under his teaching; inso­much that the judges were in a great rage, and many of the magistrates in Bedfordshire, because so many were turned from the hireling priests to the Lord Jesus Christ's free teaching. But John Crook was kept by the power of the Lord; yet he was discharged from being a justice.

After some time I returned to London again; where friends were finely established in the truth, and great com­ings-in there were. About this time several friends went beyond sea, to declare the everlasting truth of God. When [Page 185]I had staid awhile in the city, I went into Kent. When we came into Rochester, there was a guard kept to examine passengers; but we passed by, and were not stopped. So I went to Cranbrook, where there was a great meeting; se­veral soldiers were at it, and many were turned to the Lord that day. After the meeting some of the soldiers were somewhat rude; but the Lord's power came over them. Thomas Howsigoe, an Independent preacher, who lived not far from Cranbrook, was convinced, and became a faith­ful minister for the Lord Jesus. Some friends had travelled into Kent before, as John Stubbs and William Caton; and the priests and professors had stirred up the magistrates at Maidstone to whip them for declaring God's truth unto them; as may be seen in the journal of William Caton's life. Captain Dunk was also convinced in Kent. He went with me to Rye, where we had a meeting; to which the mayor, officers, and several captains came. They took what I said in writing, which I was well pleased with. All was quiet, and the people affected with the truth.

From Rye I went to Rumney, where the people had notice of my coming some time before. There was a very large meeting. Thither came Samuel Fisher, an eminent preacher among the Baptists, who had a parsonage reputed worth two hundred pounds a year; which for conscience sake he had given up. There was also the pastor of the Baptists, and abundance of their people. The power of the Lord was so mightily over the meeting, that many were reached, and one greatly shaken; and the life sprang up in divers. One of the pastors [...] the Baptists, being amazed at the work of the Lord's power, bid one of our friends that was so wrought upon, Have a good conscience. Whereupon I was moved of the Lord to bid him, Take heed of hypocrisy and deceit; and he was silent. A great convincement there was that day. Many were turned from darkness to the divine light of Christ, and came to see their teachers errors, and to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ's teaching; to know him their way, and the covenant of light, which God had given to be their salvation; and they were brought to the one Baptism, and to the one Bap­tizer, Christ Jesus. When the meeting was done, Samuel Fisher's wife said, ‘We may discern this day betwixt flesh and Spirit, and distinguish spiritual teaching from fleshly.’ The people were generally well satisfied with what had been declared; but the two Baptist teachers and their compa­ny, [Page 186]when they were gone from the meeting, fell to reason­ing amongst the people. Samuel Fisher, with divers others, reasoned for the word of life, which had been declared that day, and the other pastor and his party reasoned against it; so it divided them asunder and cut them in the midst. A friend came and told me, ‘That the Baptists were disputing one with another, and desired me to go to them.’ I said, 'Let them alone, the Lord will divide them, and they that 'reason for truth will be too hard for the other: and so it was. Samuel Fisher received the truth in the love of it, became a faithful minister, preached Christ freely, and la­boured much; being moved of the Lord to go and declare the word of life at Dunkirk, in Holland, and in divers parts of Italy, as Leghorn, and Rome itself; yet the Lord preserved him and his companion John Stubbs out of their inquisitions.

From Rumney I passed to Dover, and had a meeting, where several were convinced. Near Dover a governor and his wife were convinced, who had been Baptists. The Bap­tists thereabouts were much offended, and grew very envi­ous; but the Lord's power came over all. Luke Howard of Dover was convinced some time before, and became a faithful minister of Christ.

Returning from Dover I went to Canterbury, where a few honest-hearted people were turned to the Lord; who sate down under Christ's teaching. Thence I passed to Cranbrook again, where I had a great meeting. A friend went to the steeple-house, and was cast into prison; but the Lord's power was manif [...]ted, and his truth spread.

From thence I passed into Sussex, and lodged near Horsham, where was a great meeting; and many con­vinced. Also at Steyning we had a great meeting in the market-house, and several were convinced there and there­away; for the Lord's power was with us. Several meet­ings I had thereabouts; amongst the rest a meeting was appointed at a great man's house, and he and his son went to fetch several priests who had threatened to come and dis­pute. But none of them came, for the Lord's power was mighty in us. A glorious meeting we had. The man of the house and his son were vexed, because none of the priests would come. So the hearts of the people were opened by the Spirit of God, and they were turned from the hirelings to Christ Jesus, their shepherd, who had pur­chased them without money, and would seed them without [Page 187]money or price. Many that came, expecting to hear a dispute, were convinced; amongst whom Nicholas Beard was one.

Thus the Lord's power came over all, and his day many came to see. There were abundance of Ranters in those parts, and professors, who had been so loose in their lives that they began to be weary of them, and had thought to have gone into Scotland to have lived privately; but the Lord's net catched them, and their understandings were opened by his light, Spirit, and power, through which they came to receive the truth, and to be settled upon the Lord; and so became very sober men, and good friends in the truth. Great blessing and praising the Lord there was amongst them, and great admiration in the country.

Out of Sussex I travelled till I came to Reading; where I found a few that were convinced of the way of the Lord. I staid till the first-day, and had a meeting in George Lam­boll's orchard; and a great part of the town came to it. A glorious meeting it proved; great convincement there was, and the people were mightily satisfied. Thither came two of judge Fell's daughters to me, and George Bishop, of Bristol, with his sword by his side, for he was a captain. After the meeting many Baptists and Ranters came privately, reasoning and discoursing; but the Lord's power came over them. The Ranters pleaded, that God made the devil: I denied it, and told them, ‘I was come into the power of God, the seed Christ, which was before the devil was, and bruised his head; and he became a de­vil by going out of truth; and so became a murderer and a destroyer. I shewed them, that God did not make him a devil; for God is a God of truth, and made all things good, and blessed them; but God did not bless the devil. And the devil is bad, and was a liar and a murderer from the beginning, and spoke of himself, and not from God.’ So the truth stopt and bound them, and came over all the highest notions in the nation, and confounded them. For by the power of the Lord I was manifest, and sought to be made manifest to the Spirit of God in all, that by it they might be turned to God; as many were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ by the holy Spirit, and were come to [...]it under his teaching.

After this I passed to London, where I staid awhile, and had large meetings: then went into Essex, and came to Cogshall, where was a meeting of about two thousand [Page 188]people, as it was judged, which lasted several hours, and a glorious meeting it was; for the word of life was freely declared, and people were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher and Saviour, the way, the truth, and the life.

On the sixth-day I had a large meeting near Colchester, to which many professors and the Independent teachers came. After I had done speaking, and was stept down from the place on which I stood, one of the Independent teachers began to make a jangling; which Amor Stoddart perceiv­ing, said, Stand up again, George; for I was going away, and did not at the first hear them. But when I heard the Independent, I stood up again, and after awhile the Lord's power came over him and his company; who were con­founded, and the Lord's truth went over all. A great flock of sheep hath the Lord in that country, that feed in his pastures of life. On the first-day following we had a very large meeting not far from Colchester, wherein the Lord's power was eminently manifested, and the people were very well satisfied; for being turned to the Lord Jesus Christ's free teaching, they received it gladly. Many of these peo­ple were of the stock of the martyrs.

As I passed through Colchester, I went to visit James Parnel in prison; but the gaoler would hardly let us come in, or stay with him. Very cruel they were to him. The gaoler's wife threatened to have his blood; and in that gaol they did destroy him, as the reader may see in a book printed soon after his death, giving an account of his life and death; and also in an epistle printed with his collected books and writings.

From Colchester I went to Ipswich, where we had a lit­tle meeting, and very rude; but the Lord's power came over them. After the meeting, I said, ‘If any had a desire to hear further, they might come to the inn;’ and there came in a company of rude butchers that had abused friends: but the Lord's power so chained them they could not do mischief. Then I wrote a paper and gave it forth to the town, ‘warning them of the day of the Lord, that they might repent of the evils they lived in; directing them to Christ, their teacher and way; and exhorting them to forsake their hireling-teachers.’

We passed from Ipswich to Mendlesham, in Suffoll, where Robert Duncon lived. There we had a large meet­ing that was quiet, and the Lord's power was preciously [Page 189]felt amongst us. Then we passed to a meeting at captain Lawrence's, in Norfolk; where, it was judged, were above a thousand people; and all was quiet. Many persons of note were present, and a great convincement there was. They were turned to Christ, and many of them received him, and sate down under him, their vine. Here we par­ted with Amor Stoddart and others, who intended to meet us again in Huntingdonshire.

About the second hour in the morning we took horse for Norwich, where Christopher Atkins, that dirty man, had run out, and brought dishonour upon the blessed truth and the name of the Lord. But he had been denied by friends, and afterwrads he gave forth a paper of condemnation of his sin and evil. We came to Yarmouth, and staid awhile; where there was a friend, Thoms Bond, in prison, for the truth of Chirst. There we had some service; some being turned to the Lord in that town. From thence we rode to another town about twenty miles off, where were many tender people. I was moved of the Lord to speak to the people as I sat upon my horse, in several places as I passed along. We went to another twon about five miles from thence, and set upon my horse, in several places as I passed along. We went to another town about five miles from thence, and set upon my horses as an inn; Richard Hubber­thorn annd I having travelled five-and-forty miles that day. There were some friendly people in the town; and we had a tender, broken meeting amongst them, in the Lord's power, to his paise.

We bid the hostler have our horses ready by three in the morning; for we imended to tide to Lynn, about three-and-thirty miles, next morning. But when we were in bed, about elevent at night came the constable and officers, with a great rabble of people into the inn, and said, They were come with an hue and cry from a justice of peace, that lived near the town where I had spoken to the people in the streets as I rode along, to search for two horsemen that rode upon grey horses, and in grey cloaths; an house having been broken upon the seventh-day before at night. We told them, ‘We were honest innocent men, and ab­ [...]horred such things;’ yet they apprehended us, and set a guard with halberds and pikes upon us that night; making some of those friendly people, with others, watch us. Next morning we were up betime, and the constable with is guard carried us bofore a justice of peace about five miles off. We took two or three of the sufficient men of the twon with us, who had been at the meeting at captain [Page 190]Lawrence's, and could testify that we lay both the seventh-day night and the first-day night at captain Lawrence's; and it was the seventh-day night that they said the house was broken up. The reader is to be informed, that during the time I was prisoner at the Mermaid at Charing-Cross, this captain Lawrence brought several Independent justices to see me there, with whom I had a great deal of discourse; which they took offence at. For they pleaded for imperfec­tion, and to sin as long as they lived; but did not like to hear of Christ's teaching his people himself, and making people as clear whilst here upon the earth as Adam and Eve were before they fell. These justices had plotted toge­ther this mischief against me in the country, pretending an house was broken up; that they might send their hue and cry after me. They were vexed also and troubled to hear of the great meeting at John Lawrence's; for a colonel was convinced there that day, who lived and died in the truth. But Providence so ordered, that the constable carried us to a justice about five miles onward in our way towards Lynn, who was not an Independent justice, as the rest were. When we were brought before him, he began to be angry, because we did not put off our hats to him. I told him, I had been before the protector, and he was not offended at my hat; and why should he be offended, who was but one of his servants? Then he read the hue and cry; and I told him, ‘That night, wherein the house was said to be broken up, we were at captain Lawrence's house; and that we had several men present could testify the truth thereof.’ Thereupon the justice, having examined us and them, said, ‘He believed we were not the men that had broken the house; but he was sorry,’ he said, ‘that he had no more against us.’ We told him, ‘He ought not to be sorry for not having evil against us, but rather to be glad; for to rejoice when he got evil against people, as for house-breaking or the like, was not a good mind in him.’ It was a good while yet before he could resolve, whether to let us go, or send us to prison; and the wicked constable [...]irred him up against us, telling him, ‘We had good horses; and that if it pleased him, he would carry us to Norwich gaol.’ But we took hold of the justice's confession, ‘That he believed we were not the men that had broken the house;’ and after we had admonished him to fear the Lord in his day, the Lord's power came over him, that he let us go; so their snare was broken. A great peo­ple [Page 191]were afterwards gathered to the Lord in that town, where I was moved to speak to them in the street, from whence the hue and cry came.

Being set at liberty, we travelled to Lynn; to which we came about the third hour in the afternoon. Having set up our horses, we met with Joseph Fuce, who was an en­sign. We desired him to speak to as many of the people of the town as he could, that feared God; and the captains and officers to come together: which he did. We had a very glorious meeting amongst them, and turned them to the Spirit of God, by which they might know God and Christ, and understand the scriptures; and learn of God and of Christ, as the prophets and apostles did. Many were convinced there; and a fine meeting there is, of them that are come off from the hirelings teaching, and sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lynn being then a garrison, we desired Joseph Fuce to get us the gate opened by the third hour next morning; for we had forty miles to ride next day. By that means getting out early, we came next day by the eleventh or twelfth hour to Sutton, near the isle of Ely, where Amor Stoddart, and the friends with him, met us again. A mul­titude of people was gathered thither, and no less than four priests. The priest of the town made a great jangle; but the Lord's power so confounded him, that he went away. The other three [...]id; and one of them was convinced. One of the other two, whilst I was speaking, came to lean upon me: but I bid him sit down, seeing he was so sloth­ful. A great convincement there was that day. Many hundreds were turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, and from the spirit of error to the Spirit of truth, to be led thereby into all truth. People came to this meeting from Huntingdon, and beyond; the mayor's wife of Cambridge was there also. A glorious meeting it was; many were settled under Christ's teaching, and knew him their Shepherd to feed them: for the word of life was freely declared, and gladly received by them. The meeting ended in the power of the Lord, and in peace; and after it was done, I walked into a garden: where I had not been long, before a friend came and told me, seve­ral justices were come to break up the meeting. But ma­ny of the people were gone away; so they missed of their design; and after they had staid awhile, they departed also in a fret.

[Page 192] That evening I passed to Cambridge. When I came in­to the town, the scholars, hearing of me, were up, and were exceeding rude. I kept on my horse's back, and rode thro' them in the Lord's power; but they unhorsed Amor Stoddart before he could get to the inn. When we were in the inn, they were so rude in the courts and in the streets, that the miners, colliers, and carters could never be ruder. The people of the house asked us, What we would have for supper? 'Supper!' said I, ‘were it not that the Lord's power is over them, these rude scholars look as if they would pluck us in pieces, and make a supper of us.’ They knew I was so against the trade of preaching, which they were there as apprentices to learn, that they raged as bad as ever Diana's craftsmen did against Paul. At this place John Crook met us. When it was within night, the may­or of the town, being friendly, came and fetched me to his house; and as we walked through the streets, there was a bustle in the town; but they did not know me, it being darkish. They were in a rage not only against me, but against the mayor also; so that he was almost afraid to walk the streets with me, for the tumult. We sent for the friendly people, and had a fine meeting in the power of God; and I staid there all night. Next morning, having ordered our horses to be ready by the sixth hour, we passed peaceably out of town; and the destroyers were disappointed: for they thought I would have staid long [...] in the town, and intended to have done us mischief; but our passing away early in the morning frustrated their evil purposes against us.

Then we rode to Bishop-Stortford, where some were convinced; and to Hertford, where also some were convin­ced; and where now there is a large meeting.

From thence we returned to London, where friends re­ceived us gladly; the Lord's power having carried us through many snares and dangers. Great service we had, for many hundreds were brought to sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ their Saviour, and to praise the Lord through him. James Nayler also was come up to London; and Richard Hubberthorn and I staid some time in the city, visiting friends, and answering gainsayers: for we had great disputes with professors of all sorts. Many reproaches they cast upon truth, and lying slanderous books they gave forth against us; but we answered them, cleared God's truth, set it over them, and the Lord's power was over all.

[Page 193] Amongst other services for the Lord, which then lay up­on me in the city, I was moved to give forth a paper to those that made a scorn at trembling and quaking:

Great was the rage and enmity of the people, professors as well as prophane, against the truth and people of God at this time; and great the contempt and disdain they shewed of friends plainness. Wherefore I was moved to write the following paper, and send it forth, directed as— An epistle to gathered churches into outward forms, upon earth.

This year came out the oath of abjuration, by which many friends suffered. Several friends went to speak with the Protector about it; but he began to harden. And suf­ferings increasing upon friends, by reason that envious ma­gistrates made use of that oath as a snare to catch them in, who the knew could not swear at all; I was moved to write to the Protector as followeth:

Sufferings and imprisonments continuing and increasing, and the Protector, under whose name they were inflicted, hardening himself against the complaints that were made to him, I was moved to give forth the following lines amongst friends, to bring the weight of their sufferings more heavy upon the heads of the persecutors.

Besides this, I wrote also a short epistle to friends, as an oncoaragement to them in their several exercises.

After I had cleared myself of those services for the Lord. which lay upon me in the city of London, I passed into Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. At Wellingborough, in Northamptonshire, I had a great meeting, in which the Lord's everlasting power and truth was over all; and many in that country were turned to the Lord. Great rage was amongst the professors; for the wicked priests, Presbyteri­ans, and Independents falsely reported, ‘That we carried bottles about with us, which we gave people to drink of, which made them follow us:’ but the Power. Spirit, and Truth of God kept friends over the rage of the people. Great spoiling also there was of friends goods for tithes by the Independent, Presbyterian, and some Baptist p [...]sts, who had got into the sleeple-houses.

From Wellingborough I went into Leicestershire, where colonel Hacker had threatened, If I came he would impri­son me again, though the Protector had set me at liberty: but when I was come to Whetstone, the meeting from which he took me before, all was quiet. Colonel Hacker's wi [...] and his marshal came to the meeting, and were convinced; for the glorious, powerful day of the Lord was exalted over all, and many were convinced that day. There were at that meeting two justices of the peace from Wales, their names [Page 206]were Peter Price and Walter Jenkin; who came both to be ministers of Christ.

I went from thence to Sileby, to William Smith's, where was a great meeting, to which several Baptists came; one of them, a Baptist teacher, was convinced, and came to sit under the Lord's teaching by his Spirit and Power. This Baptist said. He had baptized thirty in a day.

From thence I went to Drayton, my native town, where so many priests and professors had formerly gathered to­gether against me; but now never a priest nor professor did appear. I asked some of my relations, Where all the priests and professors were? They said the priest of Non-eaton was dead, and eight or nine of them were secking to get his benefice. 'They will let you alone now,' said they, ‘for they are like a company of crows, when a rotten sheep is dead, they all gather together to pull out the puddings; so do the priests for a fallen benefice.’ These were some of their own hearers that said so of them: but they had spent their venom against me, and the Lord delivered me by his power out of their snare.

Then I went to Badgley, where was a great meeting. Numbers came far to it. Many were convinced, and turn­ed to the Lord; who came under christ's teaching, and were settled upon him, their foundation and rock.

From thence I passed into Nottinghamshire, and had large meetings; and into derbyshire, where the Lord's power came over all. Many were turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, and came to re­ceive the Holy Ghost. Great miracles were wrought in many places by the power of the Lord through several.

In Derbyshire James Nayler met me, and told me, se­ven or eight priests had challenged him to a dispute. I had a travail in my Spirit for him, and the Lord answered me. I was moved to bid him go on, ‘and God Almighty would be with him, and give him the victory in his pow­er.’ And the Lord did so; insomuch that the people saw the priests were foiled, and cried, ‘A Nailer, a Nailer hath confuted them all.’ After the dispute he came to me again, praising the Lord. Thus was the Lord's day proclaimed, and set over all their heads. People began to see the apos­tacy and slavery they had been under to their hireling teachers, and came to know their teacher the Lord Jesus, who had purchased them, and made their peace betwixt God and them. While we were here, friends came out of [Page 207]Yorkshire to see us, and were glad of the prosperity of truth.

After this I passed into Warwickshire amongst friends, visiting their meetings; and so into Worcestershire. I had a meeting at Birmingham, where several were convinced, and turned to the Lord. I came to one Cole's house near Chattan. This Cole had given an Independent preacher a meeting-place, who came to be convinced; after which he laid aside his preaching; whereupon the old man— Cole gave him an hundred pounds a year. I had a meet­ing there; a very great one it was, insomuch that the meeting-place would not hold the people. Many were turned to the Lord that day. Afterwards, when the time of trials came, this Independent did not stand to that which had convinced him; but turned back: whereupon the old man took away his 100 l. a year from him again. But Cole himself died in God's truth.

I heard that at Evesham the magistrates had cast several friends into divers prisons; and that, hearing of my coming, they made a pair of high stocks. I sent for Edward Pitta­way, a friend, who lived near Evesham, and asked him the truth of the thing. He said, it was so. I went that night with him to Evesham; and in the evening we had a large, precious meeting, wherein friends and people were refresh­ed with the word of life, the power of the Lord. Next morning I rode to one of the prisons, and visited friends there, and encouraged them. Then I rode to the other prison, where were several prisoners. Amongst them was Humphry Smith, who had been a priest, but was now be­come a free minister of Christ. When I had visited friends at both prisons, and was turned to go out of the town, I espied the magistrates coming up the town to have seized me in prison. But the Lord frustrated their intent, the in­nocent escaped their snare, and God's blessed power came over them all. But exceeding rude and envirous were the priests and professors about this time in these parts.

I went from Evesham to Worcester, and had a precious meeting there, and quiet. After which, coming towards our inn, some professors fell to discourse with friends, and were like to have made a tumult in the city. As we went into the inn, they all cluttered into the yard; but I went among them and got them quieted. Next day I walked into the town, and had a great deal of discourse with some of the professors concerning Christ and the way of truth. [Page 208]One of them denied, that Christ was of Abraham according to the flesh, and that he was declared to be the Son of God according to the Spirit. I proved from Rom. i. that he was of the seed of Abraham, being made of the seed of Da­vid according to the flesh; and that according to the Spirit he was declared to be the Son of God. Afterwards I wrote a paper concerning it.

From Worcester we went to Tewksbury, where in the evening we had a great meeting, to which came the priest of the town with a great rabble of rude people. The priest boasted, that he would see whether he or I should have the victory. ‘I turned the people to the Divine Light, which Christ, the heavenly and spiritual man, enlighteneth them withal; that with that Light they might see their sins, and that they were in death and darkness, and with­out God in the world; and might also see Christ from whom it cometh, their Saviour and Redeemer, who shed his blood and died for them; who is the way to God, the truth, and the life.’ Here the priest began to rage against the Light, and denied it; for neither priest nor professor could endure to hear the Light spoken of. Having railed at the Light the priest went away, and left his rude com­pany amongst us; but the Lord's power came over them, though mischief was in their hearts.

Leaving Tewksbury we passed to Warwick, where in the evening we had a meeting at a widow-woman's house with many sober people. A precious meeting we had in the Lord's power; several were convinced, and turned to the Lord. After the meeting, a Baptist in the company began to jangle; and the bailiff of the town, with his officers, came in and said. What do these people here at this time of night? So he secured John Crook, Amor Stoddart, Gerrard Roberts, and me; but we had leave to go to our inn, and to be forth-coming in the morning. The next morning many rude people came into the inn, and into our chambers, desperate fellows; but the Lord's power gave us dominion over them. Gerrard Roberts and John Crook went to the batliff to know what he had to say to us. He said, we might go our ways, for he [...] to say to us. As we rode out of town, it lay upor [...] to ride to his house, to let him know. ‘That the Prote [...]r having giver forth an instrument of government, in which liberty of [...] science was grante [...], it was very strange that, con [...]rary [...]o that instrument of government, he would trouble peace­able [Page 209]people that feared God.’ The friends went with me. but the rude people gathered about us with stones. One of them took hold of my horse's bridle, and broke it; but the horse drawing back threw him under him. Though the bailiff saw this, yet he did not stop, not so much as rebuke the rude multitude; so that it was much we had not been slain or hurt in the streets; for the people threw stones and struck at us as we rode along the town.

When we were quite out of the town, I told friends, ‘It was upon me from the Lord that I must go back into the town again; and if any one of them felt any thing upon him from the Lord, he might follow me; the rest that did not, might go on to Dun-cow.’ So I passed through the market in the dreadful power of God, declar­ing the word of life to them; and John Crook followed me. Some struck at me; but the Lord's power was over them, and gave me dominion over all. I shewed them their unworthiness of the name of christians, and the un­worthiness of their teachers, that had not brought them into more sobriety; and what a shame they were to christianity!

Having cleared myself I turned out of the town again, and passed to Coventry; where we found the people closed up with darkness. I went to a professor's house I had for­merly been at, and he was drunk; which grieved my soul so, that I did not go into any house in the town; but rode into some of the streets, and into the market-place. I felt the power of the Lord was over the town.

Then I went to Dun-cow, and had a meeting in the evening, and some were turned to the Lord by his Spirit, as some also were at Warwick and Tewksbury. We lay at Dun-cow that night; where we met with John Camm, a faithful minister of the everlasting gospel. In the morning there gathered a rude company of priests and people, who behaved more like beasts than men; for some of them came riding on horseback into the room where we were; but the Lord gave us dominion over them.

From thence we passed into Leicestershire, where we had a great meeting at the place where I had been taken for­merly. After that we came to Badgley, in Warwickshire. Here William Edmundson who lived in Ireland, having some drawings upon his spirit to come into England to see me, met with me; by whom I wrote a sew lines to friends then convinced in the north of Ireland.

When these few lines were read amo gst the friends in Ireland at their meeting, the power of the Lord seized up­on all in the room.

From Badgley we passed to Swanington and Higham, and into Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, having great meet­ings. Many were turned to the Lord by his Power and Spirit. When we came to Baldock in Hertfordshire, I ask­ed, 'If there was nothing in that town, no profession?' It was answered me, There were some Baptists, and a Baptist woman sick. John Rush of Bedfordshire went with me to visit her. When we came in, many tender people were about her. They told me, ‘She was not a woman for this world; but if I had any thing to comfort her concerning the world to come. I might speak to her.’ I was moved of the Lord to speak to her; and he raised her up again, to the astonishment of the town and country. Her husband's name was Baldock. This Baptist woman and her husband came to be convinced; and many hundreds of people have met at their house since. Great meetings and convince­ments were in those parts afterwards; many received the word of life, and fat down under the teaching of Christ their Saviour.

When we had visited this sick woman, we returned to our inn; where we found two desperate fellows fighting so furiously, that none durst come nigh to part them. But I was moved in the Lord's power to go to them: and when I had loosed their hands, I held one of them by one hand, and the other by the other, sheved them the evil of their doings, and reconciled them one to the other; and they were so loving and thankful to me, that people admired at it.

From thence I passed to Market-street, where God had a people; and through Albans to London, where friends were glad of the prosperity of truth, and the manifestation of the Lord's glorious power, which had delivered us, and [Page 211]carried us through many dangers and difficulties. I also rejoiced to find truth prosper in the city, and all things well amongst friends there. Only there was one John Toldervey, who had been convinced of truth, and run out from it; and the envirous priests took occasion from thence to write a wicked book against friends which they stuffed with many lies, to render truth and friends odious. They intituled their book, "The Foot out of the Snare." But this poor man came to see his folly, and returned, condem­ned his backsliding, answered the priests book, and mani­fested all their lies and wickedness. Thus the Lord's pow­er came over them; his everlasting Seed reigned, and reigns to this day.

After I had tarried some time in London, and had visi­ted friends in their meetings, I went out of town, leaving James Nayler in the city. As I passed from him, I cast my eyes upon him, and a fear struck me concerning him; but I went away, and rode to Ryegate in Surry where I had a little meeting. There friends told me of one Tho­mas Moore, a justice of peace, that lived not far from Rye­gate, a friendly, moderate man; whereupon I went to visit him at his house, and he came to be a serviceable man in truth.

We passed to Thomas Patchings, of Binscombe in Go­dalming, where we had a meeting, to which several friends came from London. John Bolton and his wife came on soot in frost and snow. After we had parted with friends there, we went towards Horsham Park; where having visit­ed friends, we went to Arundel and Chichester, where we had meetings. At Chichester many professors came in, and made some jangling: but the Lord's power was over them. The woman of the house, where the meeting was, though convinced of truth, yet not keeping her mind close to that which convinced her, she fell in love with a man of the world, who was there that time. When I knew it, I took her aside, and was moved to speak to her and to pray for her; but a light thing got up in her mind, and she slighted it. Af­terwards she married that man; and soon after went dis­tracted; Then was I sent for to her; and the Lord was entreated, raised her up again, and settled her mind by his power. Afterwards her husband died; and she acknowledged the just judgments of God were come upon her, for slight­ing the exhortation and counsel I had given he [...].

[Page 212] After we left Chichester, we travelled to Portsmouth. There the soldiers had us to the governor's house. After some examination, the Lord's power came over them, and we were set at liberty, and had a meeting in the town. Af­ter which we came to Ringwood, where in the evening we had a meeting. Several were convinced, and turned to the Spirit of the Lord, and to the teaching of Christ Jesus their Saviour.

From Ringwood we came to Pool; and, having set up our horses at an inn, we sent into the town to inquire for such as feared the Lord, and such as were worthy; and we had a meeting there with several sober people. William Baily, a Baptist teacher, was convinced at that time. The people received truth in the inward parts, and were turn­ed to the Lord Jesus Christ, their rock and foundation, their teacher and Saviour; and there is become a great ga­thering in the name of Jesus of a very tender people, who continue under Christ's teaching.

We went also to Southampton, and had a meeting, where several were convinced. Edward Pyot of Bristol travelled with me all this western journey.

From thence we went to Dorchester, and alighted at an inn, a Baptist's house: we sent into the town to the Bap­tists, to let us have their meeting-house to assemble in, and to invite the sober people to the meeting; but they denied it us. We sent to them again, to know why they would deny us their meeting-house? so the thing was noised in the town. Then we sent them word, If they would not let us come to their house, they, or any people that feared God, might come to our inn, if they pleased; but they were in a great rage. Their teacher, and many of them came up, and flapped their bibles on the table. I asked them, ‘Why they were so angry? were they angry with the bible?’ But they fell into a discourse about their water­baptism. I asked them, ‘Whether they could say they were sent of God to baptize people, as John was? And whether they had the same Spirit and power that the apos­tles had?’ They said, They had not. Then I asked them, ‘How many powers there are? Whether there are any more than the power of God, and the power of the devil?’ They said. There was not any other power than those two. Then said I, ‘If you have not the power of God that the apostles had, you act by the power of the devil.’ Many sober people were present, who said, ‘They [Page 213]have thrown themselves on their backs.’ Many substan­tial people were convinced that night; a precious service we had there for the Lord, and his power came over all. Next morning, as we were passing away, the Baptists, be­ing in a rage, began to shake the dust off their feet after us. 'What,' said I, ‘in the power of darkness! We, who are in the power of God, shake off the dust of our feet against you.’

Leaving Dorchester, we came to Weymouth; where also we inquired after sober people; and about fourscore of them gathered together at a priest's house, all very sober people. Most of them received the word of life, and were turned to their teacher Christ Jesus, who had enlightened them with his divine light, by which they might see their sins, and him who saveth from sin. A blessed meeting we had with them, and they received the truth in the love of it, with gladness of heart. The meeting held several hours. ‘The state of their teachers, and the apostacy was opened to them; and the state of the apostles, and of the church in their days: and the state of the law and of the prophets before Christ, and how Christ came to fulsil them; that he was their teacher in the apostles days; and that he was come now to teach his people himself by his power and spirit.’ All was quiet, the meeting broke up peaceably, the people were very loving; and a meeting is continued in that town to this day. Many are added to them; and some who had been Ranters came to own the truth, and to live very soberly.

There was a captain of horse in the town, who sent to me, and would fain have had me to have staid longer; but I was not to stay. He and his man rode out of town with me about seven miles; Edward Pyot also being with me. This captain was the fattest, merriest, cheerfullest man, and the most given to laughter, that ever I met with: insomuch that I was several times moved to speak in the dreadful power of the Lord to him; yet it was become so customary to him, he would presently laugh at any thing he saw. But I still admonished him to come to sobriety, and the fear of the Lord, and sincerity. We lay at an inn that night; and the next morning I was moved to speak to him again, when he parred from us. Next time I saw him, he told me, When I spoke to him at parting, the power of the Lord so struck him, that before he got home he was serious enough, and had left his laughing. He afterwards was convinced, and became a serious good man, and died in the truth.

[Page 214] Parting from him, we went to Honiton; and at our inn inquired, What people were in the town that feared God, and sent for them. There came to us some of the particular Baptists, with whom we had a great deal of rea­soning. I told them, ‘They held their doctrine of par­ticular election in Esau's, Cain's, and Ishmael's nature; not in Jacob, the second birth: but they must be born again before they could enter the kingdom of God. And that as the promise of God was to the Seed, not as many, but as one, which was Christ; so the election and choice stainds in Christ; and they must be such as walk in his light, grace, Spirit, and truth.’

From thence we passed to Topsham, and staid over first, day; but the inn-keeper and his people were rude. Next morning we gave forth some queries to the priests and pro­fessors: whereupon some rude professors came to our inn; and, had we not gone when we did, they had stopped us. I wore a girdle, which through forgetfulness I left behind me, and afterwards sent to the inn-keeper for; but he would not let me have it again. Afterwards, when he was troubled in his mind about it, he burnt it, lest he should be bewitched by it, as he said; yet when he had burnt it, he was more trou­bled than before. Some, notwithstanding the rudeness of the place, were convinced, and a meeting was afterwards settled in that town, which hath continued ever since.

After this we passed to To [...]nes, a dark town. We lodged there at an inn; and that night Edward Pyot was sick, but the Lord's power healed him, so that the next day we got to King's Bridge, and at our inn inquired for the sober people of the town. They directed us to Nicholas Tripe and his wise; and we went to their house. They sent for the priest, with whom we had some discourse; but he be­ing confounded, quickly left us. Nicholas Tupe and his wise were convinced; and since there is a good meeting of friends in that country. In the evening we returned to our inn. There being many people drinking in the house, ‘I was moved of the Lord to go amongst them, and direct them to the light which Christ the heavenly man had en­lightened them withal; by which they might see all their evil ways, words, and deeds, and by the same light they might also see Christ Jesus their Saviour.’ The inn-keeper stood uneasy, seeing it hindered his guests from drinking; and as soon as the last words were out of my mouth, he snatched up the candle, and said, ‘Come, here is a light [Page 215]for you to go into your chamber.’ Next morning, when he was cool, I represented to him, ‘What an uncivil thing it was for him so to do;’ then warning him of the day of the Lord, we got ready and passed away.

We came next day to Plymouth, refreshed ourselves at our inn, and went to Robert Cary's, where we had a very precious meeting. At this meeting was Elizabeth Trelaw­ny, daughter to a baronet. She being somewhat thick of hearing, came close up to me, and clapped her ear very nigh me, while I spake; and she was convinced. After this meeting came in some jangling Baptists; but the Lord's power came over them, and Elizabeth Trelawny gave testi­mony thereto. A sine meeting was settled there in the Lord's power, which hath continued ever since; where ma­ny faithful friends have been convinced.

From thence we passed into Cornwall, and came to an inn in the parish of Menhenniot. At night we had a meet­ing at Edward Hancock's, to which came Thomas Mounce and a priest, with a great deal of people. We brought the priest to confess, That he was a minister made by the state, and maintained by the state; and he was confounded and went his way: but many of the people staid. I directed them to the ‘light of Christ, by which they might see their sins, and their Saviour Christ Jesus, the way to God, their Me­diator to make peace betwixt God and them; their Shep­herd to feed them, and their Prophet to teach them. I di­rected them to the Spirit of God in themselves, by which they might know the scriptures, and be led into all truth; and by the Spirit might know God, and in it have unity one with another.’ Many were convinced at that time, and came under Christ's teaching; and there are fine gatherings in the name of Jesus in those parts at this day.

We travelled from thence through Penryn, and came to Helston; but could not get to the knowledge of any sober people, through the badness of the inn-keepers. At length we came to a village, where some Baptists and sober people lived, with whom we had discourse. Some of them were brought to confess, that they stumbled at the light of Christ. They would have had us to have staid with them; but we passed thence to Market-Jew; and having taken up our lodging at an inn, we sent over night to inquire for such as feared the Lord. Next morning the mayor and aldermen gathered together, with the high-sheriff of the county; and lent the constables to bid us come before them. We asked [Page 216]them for their warrant; and they saying they had none, we told them, we should not go along with them without a warrant. Upon the return of the constables without us, they sent their sergeants, and we asked them for their war­rant. They said, they had none; but told us, the mayor and aldermen staid for us. We told them, the mayor and his company did not well to trouble us in our inn; and we should not go with them without a warrant. So they went away, and came again; and when we asked them for their warrant, one of them plucked his mace from under his cloak. We asked them. Whether it was their custom to molest and trouble strangers in their inns and lodgings? After some time Edward Pyot went to the mayor and alder­men, and a great deal of discourse he had with them; but the Lord's power gave him dominion over them all. When he returned, several of the officers came to us; and we laid before them the incivility and unworthiness of their carriage towards us, the servants of the Lord God, thus to stop and trouble us in our inns and lodgings; and what an unchris­tian act it was. Before we left the town. I wrote a little paper, to be sent to the seven parishes at the Land's End.

This paper a friend, then with me, had; and when we were gone three or four miles from Market-Jew towards the west, he meeting with a man upon the road, gave him a copy of the paper. This man proved to be a servant to Peter Ceely, a major in the army, and a justice of peace in that county; and, riding before us to a place called St. Ives, shewed the paper to his master. When we came to Ives, Edward Pyot's horse having cast a shoe, we staid to have a shoe set; and while he was getting his horse shod, I walked to the sea-side. When I came back, I found the town in an uproar. They were haling Edward Pyot and the other friend before major Ceely. I followed them into the justice's house, though they did not lay hands upon me. When we came in, the house was full of rude people; whereupon I asked, Whether there were not an officer among them, to keep the people civil? Major Ceely said, he was a magistrate. I told him, ‘He should shew forth gravity and sobriety then, and use his authority to keep the people civil; for I never saw any people ruder: the Indians were more like Christians than they.’ After awhile they brought the paper, and asked, Whether I would own it? I said, Yes. Then he tendered the oath of abju­ration to us: whereupon I put my hand in my pocket, and produced the answer to it, which had been given to the protector. After I had given him that, he examined us severally, one by one. He had with him a silly, young priest, who asked us many frivolous questions; amongst the rest, he desired to cut my hair, which then was pretty long; but I was not to cut it, though many were offended at it, [Page 218]I told them, ‘I had no pride in it; and it was not of my own putting on.’ At length the justice put us under a guard of soldiers, who were hard and wild, like the justice himself: nevertheless we ‘warned the people of the day of the Lord, and declared the truth to them.’ The next day he sent us guarded by a party of horse, with swords and pistols, who took us to Redruth. On first-day the soldiers would have carried us away; but we told them, It was their sabbath, and it was not usual to travel on that day. Several of the town's people gathered about us; and whilst I held the soldiers in discourse, Edward Pyot spoke to the people; and afterwards Edward Pyot held the soldiers in discourse whilst I spoke to the people. In the mean time the other friend got out backwards, and went to the steeple­house, to speak to the priest and people. The people were exceeding desperate, in a mighty rage against him, and abused him. The soldiers also missing him, were in a great rage, and seerred ready to kill us; but I declared the day of the Lord, and the word of eternal life to the people. In the afternoon the soldiers were resolved to have us away; so we took horse. When we had rid to the town's end, I was moved of the Lord to go back again, to speak to the old man of the house. The soldiers drew out their pistols, and swore I should not go back. I heeded them not; but rode back, and they rode after me. So I cleared myself to the old man and the people; and then returned with them, and reproved them for being so rude and violent.

At night we were brought to a town then called Smeth­ick, but since Falmouth. It being the evening of the first-day, there came into our inn the chief constable of the place, and many sober people; some of whom began to inquire concerning us. We told them, We were prisoners for truth's sake; and a great deal of discourse we had with them concerning the things of God. They were very sober, and very loving to us. Some of them were convinced, and stood faithful ever after.

When the constable and these people were gone, others came in, who also were very civil, and went away very loving. When all were gone, we went to our chamber to go to bed; and about the eleventh hour Edward Pyot said. ‘I will shut the door, it may be some may come to do us a mischief.’ Afterwards we understood captain Keat, who commanded the party, purposed to have done us some in­jury that night; but the door being bolted, he missed his [Page 219]design. Next morning captain Keat brought a kinsman of his, a rude, wicked man, and put him into the room; him­self standing without. This evil-minded man walked huff­ing up and down the room; I bid him fear the Lord. Whereupon he ran upon me, struck me with both his hands; and, clapping his leg behind me, would have thrown me down, if he could; but he was not able, for I stood stiff and still, and let him strike. As I looked to­wards the door, I saw, captain Keat look on, and see his kinsman thus beat and abuse me. Whereapon I said to him, 'Keat, dost thou allow this?' He said he did. ‘Is this manly or civil,’ said I, ‘to have us under a guard, and put a man to abuse and beat us? Is this manly, ci­vil, or christian?’ I desired one of our friends to send for the constables, and they came. Then I desired the captain to let the constables see his warrant or order, by which he was to carry us; which he did; and his warrant was, to conduct us safe to captain Fox, governor of Pen­dennis castle; and if the governor should not be at home, he was to convey us to Lanceston gaol. I told him, He had broken his order concerning us; for we, who were his prisoners, were to be safely conducted; but he had brought a man to beat and abuse us: so he having broken his or­der, I wished the constable to keep the warrant. Accord­ingly he did, and told the soldiers, They might go their ways, for he would take charge of the prisoners; and if it cost twenty shillings in charges to carry us up, they should not have the warrant again. I shewed the soldiers the baseness of their carriage towards us; and they walked up and down the house, pitifully blank and down. The constables went to the castle, and told the officers what they had done. The officers shewed great dislike of captain Keat's base carriage towards us; and told the constables, major-general Desborough was coming to Bodmin, and that we should meet him; and it was likely he would free us. Mean-while our old guard of soldiers came by way of entreaty to as, and promised they would be civil to us, if we would go with them. Thus the morning was spent till about the eleventh hour; and then, upon the soldiers en­treaty, and promise to be more civil, the constables gave them the order again; and we went with them. Great was the civility and courtesy of the constables and people of that town towards us, who kindly entertained us; and the Lord tewarded them with his truth; for many of them have since [Page 220]been convinced thereof, and are gathered into the name of Jesus, and sit under Christ, their Teacher and Saviour.

Captain Keat who commanded our guard, understanding that captain Fox, who was governor of Pendennis castle, was gone to meet major-general Desborough, did not carry us thither; but took us directly to Bodmin, in the way to Lanceston. We met major-general Desborough on the way. The captain of his troop, that rode before him, knew me, and said, 'Oh, Mr. Fox, what do you here?' I re­plied, 'I am a prisoner.' 'Alack,' said he, 'for what?' I told him, 'I was taken up as I was travelling.' 'Then,' said he, ‘I will speak to my lord, and he will set you at liberty.’ So he came from the head of his troop, and rode up to the coach, and spoke to the major-general. We also gave him an account how we were taken. He began to speak against the light of Christ; against which I ex­horted him. Then he told the soldiers, They might carry us to Lanceston; for he could not stay to talk with us, lest his horses should take cold.

To Bodmin we were had that night; and when we came to our inn, captain Keat, who was in before us, put me in­to a room, and went his way. When I was come in, there stood a man with a naked rapier in his hand. Whereupon I turned out again, called for captain Keat, and said, ‘What now, Keat, what trick hast thou played now, to put me into a room where there is a man with his naked ra­pier? What is thy end in this?’ 'Oh,' said he, ‘pray hold your tongue; for if you speak to this man, we cannot all rule him, he is so devilish.’ 'Then,' said I, ‘dost thou put me into a room where there is such a man with a naked rapier, that thou say'st, You cannot all rule him? What an unworthy, base trick is this? and to put me single into this room from the rest of my friends, that were fellow-prisoners with me?’ Thus his plot was discovered, and the mischief they intended was prevented. Afterward we got another room, where we were together all night; and in the evening we declared the truth to the people: but they were dark and hardened. The soldiers, notwith­standing their fair promises, were very rude and wicked to us again, and sat up drinking and roaring all night.

Next day we were brought to Lanceston, where captain Keat delivered us to the gaoler. Now was there no friend, nor friendly people near us; and the people of the town were a dark, hardened people. The gaoler required us to [Page 221]pay seven shillings a week for our horse-meat, and seven shillings a week for our diet apiece. After some time seve­ral sober persons came to see us, and some of the town were convinced; and many friendly people out of several parts of the country came to visit us, and were convinced. Then got up a great rage among the professors and priests against us. They said, This people Thou and Thee all men with­out respect, and will not put off their hats, nor bow the knee to any man; but we shall see, when the assize comes, whether they will dare to Thou and Thee the judge, and keep on their hats before him. They expected we should be hanged at the assize. But all this was little to us; for we saw how God would stain the world's honour and glo­ry; and were commanded not to seek that honour, nor give it; but knew the honour that cometh from God only, and sought that.

It was nine weeks from the time of our commitment to the assizes, to which abundance of people came from far and near to hear the trial of the Quakers. Captain Brad­den lay with his troop of horse there, whose soldiers and the sherisf's men guarded us to the court through the multitude that filled the streets; and much ado they had to get us through. Besides, the doors and windows were filled with people looking upon us. When we were brought into the court, we stood a pretty while with our hats on, and all was quiet; and I was moved to say, ‘Peace be amongst you?’ Judge Glyn, a Welshman then chief justice of England, said to the gaoler, ‘What be these you have brought here into the court?’ 'Prisoners, my lord,' said he. 'Why do you not put off your hats?' said the judge to us. We said nothing. 'Put off your hats.' said the judge again. Still we said nothing. Then said the judge, 'The court commands you to put off your hats.' Then I queried, ‘Where did ever any magistrate, king, or judge, from Moses to Daniel, command any to put off their hats, when they came before them in their courts, either amongst the Jews (the people of God) or amongst the heathen? And if the law of England doth command any such things, shew me that law either written or print­ed.’ The judge grew very angry, and said. ‘I do not carry my law-books on my back.’ 'But,' said I. ‘tell me where it is printed in any statute-book, that I may read it.’ Then said the judge, ‘Take him away, prevaricator! I'll serk him.’ So they took us away, and put us among [Page 222]the thieves. Presently after he called to the gaoler. ‘Bring them up again! Come,’ said he, ‘where had they hats from Moses to Daniel? Come, answer me; I have you fast now.’ I replied, ‘Thou mayest read in the third of Daniel, that the three children were cast into the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar's command, with their coats, their hose, and their hats on.’ This plain instance stop­ped him; so that not having any thing else to the point, he cried again, 'Take them away, gaoler.' Accordingly we were taken away, and thrust in among the thieves; where we were kept a great while; and then, without being called again, the sheriff's men and the troopers made way for us to get through the crowd, and guarded us to prison again, a multitude of people following us, with whom we had much discourse and reasoning at the gaol. We had some good books to set forth our principles, and to inform people of the truth; which the judge and justices hearing of, they sent captain Bradden for them, who came and vio­lently took our books from us, some out of Edward Pyot's hands, and carried them away; so we never get them again.

In the afternoon we were had up again into the chamber by the gaoler, sheriff's men, and troopers; who had a mighty toil to get us through the crowd of people. When we were in the court, waiting to be called, observing the jurymen, and such a multitude of others swearing, it griev­ed my life to see, that such as professed christianity should so openly disobey and break the command of Christ and the apostle. And I was moved of the Lord to give forth a paper against swearing, which I had about me, to the grand and petty juries.

Concerning SWEARING.

This paper passing among them from the jury to the justices, they presented it to the judge; so when we were called before the judge, he bid the clerk give me that paper, and then asked me, Whether that seditious paper was mine? I told him, ‘If they would read it up in open court that I might hear it, if it was mine, I would own it, and stand by it.’ He would have had me to have taken it, and looked upon it in my own hand; but I again desired, ‘That it might be read, that all the country might hear it, and judge whether there was any sedition in it or no; for if there was. I was willing to suffer for it.’ At last the clerk of the assize read it with an audible voice, that all the people might hear it. When he had done, I told them, ‘It was my paper. I would own it; and so might they too, except they would deny the scripture: for was not this scripture language, the words and commands of Christ and the apostle, which all true christians ought to obey?’ Then they dropped that subject; and the judge sell upon us about our hats again, bidding the gaoler take them off; which he did; and giving them to us, we put them on again. We asked the judge and justices, ‘What we had lain in prison for these nine weeks, seeing they now ob­jected nothing to us but about our hats?’ And as for putting off our hats, I told them, ‘That was the honour which God would lay in the dust, though they made so much ado about it; the honour which is of men, and which men seck one of another, and is a mark of unbe­lievers,’ For "How can ye believe," faith Christ. ‘who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that co [...]th from God only?’ Christ saith. ‘I receive not [...] from men;’ and all true christians should be 'of his mind.' Then the judge began to make a pompous speech, how he represented the lord Protector's person, who made him lord chief juslice of England, and sent him to [Page 225]come that circuit, &c. ‘We desired him then, that he would do us justice for our false imprisonment which we had suffered nine weeks wrongfully.’ But instead of that, they brought an indiciment framed against us; so full of hes, that I thought it had been against some of the thieves, ‘That we came by force and arms, and in a hostile man­ner into the court;’ who were brought as aforesaid. I told them, ‘It was all false; and still we cried for justice for our false imprisomment, being taken up in our journey without cause by major Caedy.’ Then Peter Ceely said to the judge, ‘May it please you, my lord, this man (point­ing to me) went aside with me, and told me how service­able I might be for his design; that he could raise forty thousand men at an hour's warning, involve the nation in blood, and so bring in king Charles. I would have aided him out of the country, but he would not go. If it please you, my lord, I have a witness to swear it.’ So he called upon his witness; but the judge not being forward to ex­amine the witness, I desired, ‘That he would be pleased to let my mittimus be read in the sace of the court and coun­try, in which my crime was signified for which I was sent to prison.’ The judge said, It should not be read. I said, ‘It ought to be, seeing it concerned my liberty and my life.’ The judge said again. It shall not be read. I said, ‘It ought to be read; for if I have done any thing worthy of death, or of bonds, let all the country know it.’ Then seeing they would not read it, I spoke to one of my fellow­prisoners. 'Thou hast a copy of it, read it up said I.' It shall not be read, said the judge; gaoler, take him away. I'll see whether he or I shall be master. So I was taken away, and awhile after called for again. I still called to have the mittimus read; for that signified the canse of my commitment. I again spoke to the friend, my follow-pri­soner, to read it up; which he did, and the judge, justices, and the whole court were silent; for the people were eager to hear it. It was as followeth:

When it was read I spoke thus to the judge and justices, ‘Thou that sayest thou art chief justice of England, and you justices, know that, if I had put in sureties, I might have gone whither I pleased, and have carried on the de­sign (if I had had one) which major Ceely hath charged me with. And if I had spoken those words to him, which he hath here declared, judge ye whether bail or mainprize could have been taken in that case.’ Then, turning my speech to major Ceely, I said, ‘When or where did I take thee aside? Was not thy house full of rude people, and thou as rude as any of them, at our examination; so that I asked for a constable or some other officer to keep the people civil? But if thou art my accuser, why sittest thou on the bench? It is not the place of accusers to sit with the judge. Thou oughtest to come down and stand by me, and look me in the face. Besides, I would ask the judge and justices, Whether or no major Ceely is not guilty of this treason, which he charges against me in con­cealing it so long as he hath done? Does he understand his place, either as a soldier or a justice of the peace? For he tells you here, ‘That I went aside with him, and told him what a design I had in hand, and how service­able he might be for my design: that I could raise forty thousand men in an hour's time, bring in king Charles, [Page 227]and involve the nation in blood.’ He saith moreover, ‘He would have aided me out of the country, but I would not go; and therefore he committed me to prison for want of sureties for the good behaviour,’ as the mittimus declares. Now do you not see plainly, that major Ceely is guilty of this plot and treason he talks of, and hath made himself a party to it, by desiring me to go out of the country, demanding bail of me, and not charging me with this pretended treason till now, nor discovering it? But I deny and abhor his words, and am innocent of his de­vilish design.’ So that business was let fall; for the judge saw clear enough, that instead of ensnaring me, he had en­snared himself.

Major Ceely got up again, and said, ‘If it please you, my lord, to hear me: this man struck me, and gave me such a blow as I never had in my life.’ At this I smiled in my heart, and said, ‘Major Ceely, art thou a justice of peace, and a major of a troop of horse, and tellest the judge in the face of the court and country, that I, a pri­soner, struck thee, and gave thee such a blow as thou ne­ver hadst the like in thy life? What! art thou not ashamed? Prithee, major Ceely, said I, where did I strike thee? and who is thy witness for that? who was by? He said, It was in the Castle-green, and captain Bradden was standing by when I struck him. I desired the judge to let him produce his witness for that; and call­ed again upon major Ceely to come down from the bench, telling him, It was not fit the accuser should sit as judge over the accused.’ When I called again for his witness, he said captain Bradden was his witness. Then I said, ‘Speak, captain Bradden, didst thou see me give him such a blow, and strike him as he saith?’ Captain Bradden made no answer, but bowed his head towards me. ‘I de­sired him to speak up, if he knew any such thing; but he only bowed his head again. Nay, said I, speak up, and let the court and country hear; let not bowing of the head serve the turn. If I have done so, let the law be inflicted on me; I fear not sufferings, nor death itself, for I am an innocent man concerning all his charge.’ But captain Bradden never testified to it. The judge, finding those snares would not hold, cried, Take him away, gaoler; and when we were taken away, he fined us twenty marks apiece for not putting off our hats; to be kept in prison till we paid it; and sent us back to the gaol.

[Page 228] At night captain Bradden came to see us, and seven or eight justices with him who were very civil to us, and told us, They believed, neither the judge nor any in the court gave credit to those charges which major Ceely had accused me of in the face of the country. And captain Bradden said, Major Ceely had an intent to have taken away my life, if he could have got another witness. ‘But said I, Captain Bradden, why didst not thou witness for me, or against me. seeing major Ceely produced thee for a wit­ness that thou sawest me strike him? When I desired thee to speak either for me or against me, according to what thou sawest or knewest, thou wouldst not speak.’ Why, said he, when major Ceely and I came by you, as you were walking in the Castle-green, he put off his hat to you, and said. How do you, Mr. Fox? your servant, Sir, Then you said to him, Major Ceely, take heed of hypocri­sy and of a rotten heart; for when came I to be thy master, and thou my servant? Do servants use to cast their masters into prison? This was the great blow he meant that you gave him. Then I called to mind that they walked by us, and that he spoke so to me, and I to him; which hypocrisy and rotten-heartedness he manifested openly, when he com­plained of this to the judge in open court, and in the face of the country; whom he would have made believe that I struck him with my hand.

Now were we kept in prison, and divers came from far and nigh to see us, of whom some were people of account in the world; for the report of our trial was spread abroad, and our boldness and innocency in our answers to the judge and court was talked of in the town and country. Among others Humphry Lower came to visit us, a grave, sober, ancient man, who had been a justice of peace, and was ve­ry sorry we should lie in prison; telling us, how serviceable we should be if we were at liberty. We reasoned with him concerning swearing: and having acquainted him they tendered the oath of abjuration to us as a snare, because they knew we could not swear; and shewed him, that no people could be serviceable to God if they disobeyed the command of Christ; and that they that imprisoned us for the hat-honour, which was of men, and which men sought for, they prisoned the good, and grieved the Spirit of God in themselves, which should have turned their minds to him. So we directed him to the Spirit of God in his h [...]t, the light of Christ Jesus: and he was thoroughly convinced, [Page 229]and continued so to his death, and became very serviceable to us.

There came also to see us, one colonel Rouse, a justice of peace, and a great company with him. He was full of words and talk, as ever I heard any man in my life, so that without intruding, there was no speaking to him. At length I asked him, ‘Whether he had ever been at school, and knew what belonged to questions and answers?’ (this I said to slop him.) At school! said he, yes. At school! said the soldiers; Doth he say so to our colonel, that is a scholar? Then said I, ‘If he be so, let him be still and re­ceive answers to what he hath said.’ Then I was moved of the Lord to speak the word of life to him in God's dread­ful power; which came so over him that he could not open his mouth. His face swelled, and was red like a turkey. His lips moved, and he mumbled something; but the peo­ple thought he would have fallen down. I stept to him; and then he said, He was never so in his life before; for the Lord's power stopped the evil power and air in him, so that he was almost choked. The man was ever after ve­ry loving to friends, but not so full of airy words to us; though he was full of pride: but the Lord's power came over him, and the rest that were with him.

Another time there came an officer of the army, a very malicious, bitter professor, whom I had known in London. He was full of airy talk also, and spoke slightly of the light of Christ, and against the truth, as colonel Rouse had done, and against the Spirit of God being in men, as it was in the apostles days, till the power of God that bound the evil in him had almost choked him also, as it did colonel Rouse; for he was so full of evil air, that he could not speak; but blubbered and stuttered. From that time that the Lord's power struck him, and came over him, he was ever after more loving to us.

The assizes being over, and we settled in prison upon such a commitment that we were not likely to be soon re­leased, we broke off from giving the gaoler seven shillings a week apiece for our horses, and, seven shillings a week for ourselves, and sent our horses into the country. Upon which he grew very wicked and devilish, and put us down into Doomsdale, a nasty, [...]linking place, where they used to put murderers after they were condemned. The place was so noisome, that it was observed few that went in did ever come out again in health. There was no house of [Page 230]office in it; and the excrement of the prisoners, that from time to time had been put there, had not been carried out (as we were told) for many years. So that it was all like mire, and in some places to the top of the shoes in water and urine; and he would not let us cleanse it, nor suffer us to have beds or straw to lie on. At night some friendly people of the town brought us a candle and a little straw; and we went to burn a little of our straw to take away the stink. The thieves lay over our heads, and the head-gaol­er in a room by them over our heads also. It seems the smoke went up into the room where the gaoler lay; which put him into such a rage that he took the pots of excrement from the thieves, and poured them through a hole upon our heads in Doomsdale, till we were so bespattered that we could not touch ourselves nor one another. And the slink increased upon us; so that what with stink, and what with smoke, we had like to have been choked and smother­ed. We had the stink under our fect before, now we had it on our heads and backs also; and he having quenched our straw with the filth he poured down, had made a great smother in the place. Moreover he railed at us most hide­ously, calling us hatchet-faced dogs, and such strange names as we had never heard of. In this manner we were obliged to stand all night, for we could not sit down, the place was so full of filthy excrement. A great while he kept us after this manner before he would let us cleanse it, or suffer us to have any victuals brought in but what we got through the grate: One time a girl brought us a little meat; and he arrested her for breaking his house, and sued her in the town-court for breaking the prison. A great deal of trouble he put the young woman to; whereby others were so dis­couraged that we had much ado to get water, drink, or vic­tuals. Near this time we sent for a young woman, Ann Downer, from London, who could write and take things well in short-hand, to buy and dress our meat for us; which she was very willing to do, it being also upon her spirit to come to us in the love of God; and she was very service­able to us.

The head-gaoler, we were informed, had been a thief, and was burnt both in the hand and in the shoulder: his wise too had been burnt in the hand. The under­gaoler had been burnt both in the hand and in the shoul­der: his wise had been burnt in the hand also. Colonel Bennet, a baptist-teacher, having purchased the gaol and [Page 231]lands belonging to the castle, had placed this head-gaoler there. The prisoners and some wild people would be talk­ing of spirits that haunted Doomsdale, and how many had died in it, thinking perhaps to terrify us therewith. But I told them, ‘That if all the spirits and devils in hell were there, I was over them in the power of God, and feared no such thing; for Christ, our Priest, would sanctify the walls of the house to us, he who bruised the head of the devil.’ The priest was to cleanse the plague out of the walls of the house under the law, which Christ, our Priest, ended; who sanctifies both inwardly and outwardly the walls of the house, the walls of the heart, and all things to his people.

By this time the general quarter-sessions drew nigh; and the gaoler still carrying himself basely and wickedly towards us, we drew up our suffering case, and sent it to the sessions at Bodmin. Upon the reading of which the justices gave order. ‘That Doomsdale-door should be opened, and that we should have liberty to cleanse it, and to buy our meat in the town.’ We sent up a copy also of our sufferings to the Protector, setting forth how we were taken and com­mitted by major Ceely, and abused by captain Keat as aforesaid, and the rest in order. Whereupon the Protector sent an order to captain Fox, governor of Pendennis-castle; to examine the matter about the soldiers abusing us, and striking me. There were at that time many of the gentry of the country at the castle; and captain Keat's kinsman, that struck me, was sent for before them, and much threat­ened. They told him, ‘If I should change my principle, I might take the extremity of the law against him, and might recover sound damages of him.’ Captain Keat was also check'd for suffering the prisoners under his charge to be abused. This was of great service in the country; for afterwards friends might have spoken in any market or stee­ple-house thereabouts, and none would meddle with them. I understood that Hugh Peters, one of the Protector's chaplains, told him, ‘They could not do George Fox a greater service for the spreading of his principles in Corn­wall than to imprison him there.’ And indeed my impri­sonment there was of the Lord, and for his service in those parts; for aftere the assizes were over, and it was known we were likely to continue prisoners, several friends from most parts of the nation came into the country to visit us, Those parts of the west were very dark countries at that [Page 232]time; but the Lord's light and truth broke forth, shined over all, and many were turned from darkness to light, and from satan's power unto God. Many were moved to go to the steeple-houses, several were sent to prison to us, and a great convincement began in the country: for now we had liberty to walk in the Castle-green, and divers came to us on first-days, to whom we declared the word of life. Great service we had, many were turned to God up and down the country; but great rage got up in the priests and professors against the truth and us. One of the envious professors had gathered together many scripture-sentences to prove, ‘That we ought to put off our hats to the peo­ple,’ and he invited the town of Lanceston to come into the Castle-yard to hear him read them. Amongst other instances that he brought, one was, ‘That Saul bowed to the witch of Endor.’ When he had done we got a little liberty to speak, and shewed both him and the people, ‘That Saul was gone from God, and had disobeyed him, like them, when he went to the witch of Endor: that neither the prophets, nor Christ, nor the apostles ever taught people to bow to a witch.’ The man went away with his rude people; but some staid with us, and we shewed them, That this was not gospel-instruction, to teach people to bow to a witch. For now people began to be affected with the truth, and the devil's rage increased; so that we were often in great danger.

One time there came a soldier, and while one of our friends was admonishing and exhorting him to sobriety, &c. I saw him begin to draw his sword. Whereupon I stept to him, and represented what a shame it was to offer to draw his sword upon a naked man, and a prisoner, and how unfit and unworthy he was to carry such a weapon; and that, if he should have offered such a thing to some men, they would have taken his sword from him and have bro­ken it to pieces. So he was ashamed and went his way; and the Lord's power preserved us.

Another time, about eleven at night, the gaoler being half drunk, came and told me, He had got a man now to dispute with me (this was when we had leave to go a little into the town.) As soon as he spoke these words, I felt there was mischief intended to my body. All that night and the next day I lay down on a grass-plat to slumber, and f [...] something still about my body; and I started up, and struck at it in the power of the Lord, and still it was [Page 233]about my body. Then I rose and walked into the Castle­green, and the under-keeper came and told me, There was a maid would speak with me in the prison. I felt a snare in his words too, therefore I went not into the prison, but to the grate; and looking in, I saw a man that was lately brought to prison for being a conjurer, who had a naked knife in his hand. I spoke to him, and he threaten­ed, to cut my chaps; but being within the gaol he could not come at me. This was the gaoler's great disputant. I went soon after into the gaoler's house, and found him at breakfast; he had then got his conjurer out with him. I told the gaoler, his plot was discovered. Then he got up from the table, and cast his napkin away in a rage; and I left them, and went away to my chamber; for at this time we were out of Doomsdale. At the time the gaoler had said the dispute should be, I went down and walked in the court (the place appointed) till about the eleventh hour; but no­body came. Then I went up to my chamber again; and after awhile heard one call for me. I stepped to the stairs­head, where I saw the gaoler's wife upon the stairs, and the conjurer at the bottom of the stairs, holding his hand behind his back, and in a great rage. I asked him, ‘Man, what hast thou in thy hand behind thy back?’ ‘Pluck thy hand before thee,’ said I; 'let's see thy hand, and 'what thou hast in it? Then he angrily plucked forth his hand with a naked knise in it. I shewed the gaoler's wife their wicked design against me; for this was the man they brought to dispute of the things of God. But the Lord discovered their plot, prevented their evil design; and they both raged, and the conjurer threatened. Then I was moved of the Lord to speak sharply to him in the dreadful power of the Lord; and the Lord's power came over him, and bound him down; so that he never after durst appear before me, to speak to me. I saw it was the Lord alone that preserved me out of their bloody hands; for the devil had a great enmity to me, and stirred up his instruments to seek my hurt. But the Lord prevented them; and my heart was filled with thanksgivings and praises to him.

Now while I was exercised with people of divers sorts, that came some out of good-will to visit us, some out of an envious carping mind to wrangle and dispute wish us, and some out of curiosity to see us; Edward Pyot, who before his convincement had been a captain in the army, and had a good understanding in the laws and rights of the people, [Page 234]being sensible of the injustice and envy of judge Glyn to us at our trial, and willing to lay the weight thereof upon him, and make him sensible thereof also, wrote an epistle to him, on behalf of us all, which was thus:

By this letter the reader may observe how contrary to law we were made to suffer; but the Lord, who saw the integri­ty of our hearts to him, and knew the innocency of our cause, was with us in our sufferings, bore up our spirits, and made them easy to us; and gave us opportunities of publishing his name and truth amongst the people: so that several of the town came to be convinced, many were made loving to us, and friends from divers parts came to visit us; amongst whom were two out of Wales, who had been jus­tices of peace. Judge Hagget's wife, of Bristol, came to visit us, who was convinced, with several of her children; and her husband was very kind and serviceable to friends, and had a great love to God's people, which he retained to his death.

In Cornwall, Devonshire, Dorsetshire, and Somerset­shire, truth began mightily to spread; many were turned to Christ Jesus and his free teaching: for many friends that came to visit us were drawn to declare the truth in those [Page 249]counties; which made the priests and professors rage, and they stirred up the magistrates to ensnare friends. They set up watches in the streets and highways, on pretence of taking up suspicious persons; under which colour they stop­ped, and took up friends coming to visit us in prison; which they did, that they might not pass up and down in the Lord's service. But that which they thought to have stopped the truth by, was the means of spreading it so much the more; for then friends were frequently moved to speak to one constable, and t'other officer, and to the justices they were brought before; which caused the truth to spread the more in all their parishes. And when friends were got among the watches, it would be a fortnight or three weeks before they could get out of them again; for no sooner had one constable taken and carried them before the justices, and they had discharged them, but another would take them up and carry them before other justices: which put the country to a great deal of needless trouble and charges.

As Thomas Rawlinson was coming out of the north to visit us, a constable in Devonshire took him up; and at night took twenty shillings out of his pocket: and after being thus robbed he was cast into Exeter gaol. They cast Henry Pollexfen also into prison in Devonshire, under pre­tence of his being a jesuit; who had been a justice of peace for the most part of forty years before. Many friends were cruelly beaten by them; nay some clothiers that were but going to mill with their cloth, and others about their out­ward occasions, they took up and whipped; though men of about eighty or an hundred pounds by the year, and not above four or five miles from their families.

The mayor of Lanceston took up all he could, and cast them into prison. He would search substantial grave wo­men, their petticoats and their head-cloaths. A young man coming to see us, I drew up all the gross, inhuman, and unchristian actions of the mayor, gave it him, and bid him seal it up, and go out again the back way; and then come into the town through the gates. He did so, and the watch took him up, and carried him before the mayor; who pre­sently searched his pockets and found the letter; wherein he saw all his actions characterized; which shamed him so, that from that time he meddled little with the Lord's servants.

From the sense I had of the snare that was laid, and mis­chief intended in setting up those watches at that time to [Page 250]stop and take up friends, it came upon me to give forth the following lines, as—

An exhortation and warning to the magistrates.

Besides this general warning, there coming to my hand a copy of a warrant issued from the sessions of Exon, in express terms, "For apprehending of all Quakers;" where­in truth and friends were reproached and vilified; I was [Page 252]moved to write an answer thereunto, and send it abroad, for the clearing of truth and friends from the slanders therein cast upon them: and to manifest the wickedness of that persecuting spirit from whence it proceeded; which was after this manner:

When I had sent abroad the foregoing, so great a sense came upon me of the veil of darkness that was over the priests and professors of christianity, that I was moved to give forth the following, as an awakening warning to them:

We were continued in prison till the next assize; before which divers friends, both men and women, were sent to prison, who had been taken by the watches. When the assize was come, several of these were called before the judge, and indicted: and though the gaoler brought them into court, yet they indicted them, that they came in 'by force of arms, and in an hostile manner;' and the judge sined them, because they would not put off their hats. But we were not called before the judges any more.

Great work we had, and service for the Lord, both be­tween the assizes, and after, amongst professors and people of all sorts: for many came to see us, and to reason with us. Elizabeth Trelawny of Plymouth (daughter of one called a baronet) being convinced, the priests, professors, and some great persons of her kindred, were exasperated, and wrote letters to her. She being a wise and tender woman, and fearing to give them any advantage, sent their letters to me; which I answered, and returned them to her again, for her to send the answers to them. Which she did: till growing in the power, Spirit, and wisdom of God, she be­came able to answer the wisest priest and professor of them [Page 262]all; and had dominion over them in the truth, through the power of the Lord, by which she was kept faithful to her death.

While I was in prison here, the Baptists and Fifth mo­narchy-man prophesied. That this year Christ should come, and reign upon earth a thousand years. And they looked upon this reign to be outward: when he was come inwardly in the hearts of his people, to reign and rule; where these professors would not receive him. So they failed in their prophecy and expectation, and had not the possession of him. But Christ is come, and doth dwell and reign in the hearts of his people. Thousands, at the door of whose hearts he hath been knocking, have opened to him; and he is come in, and doth sup with them, and they with him; the heavenly supper with the heavenly and spiritual man. So many of these Baptists and Monarchy­people turned the greatest enemies to the followers of Christ: but he reigns in the hearts of his saints over all their envy.

At the assize divers justices came to us, and were pretty civil, and reasoned of the things of God soberly; expres­sing a pity to us. Captain Fox, governor of Pendennis Castle, came and looked me in the sace, and said never a word; but went to his company, and told them, ‘He ne­ver’ saw a simpler man in his life. I called after him and said, 'Stay, man, we will see who is the simpler man.' But he went his way. A light chaffy person.

Thomas Lower also came to visit us, and offered us money, which we refused; accepting nevertheless of his love. He asked us many questions concerning our deny­ing the scriptures to be the word of God; concerning the sacraments, and such like: to all which he received satis­faction. I spoke particularly to him; and he afterwards sud. My wars were as a slash of lightning, they ran so through [...]. He said. He never met with such men in his life, for they knew the thoughts of his heart; and were as the wise master-builders of the assemblies, that faslened their words like [...]. He came to be convinced of the truth, and remans a friend to this day. When he came home to his aunt Hembley's, where he then lived, and mode report to her concerning us; she, with her sister [...], hearing the report of truth, came to visit us in prison, and was convinced also. Great sufferings and [Page 263]spoiling of goods both he and his aunt have undergone for the truth's sake.

About this time I was moved to give forth the following exhortation to friends in the ministry:

After the assizes, the sheriff. with some soldiers, came to guard a woman to execution that was sentenced to die; and we had a great deal of discourse with them. One of them wickedly said, ‘Christ was as passionate a man as any that lived upon the earth.’ For which wicked saying we re­buked him. Another time we asked the gaoler, what do­ings there were at the sessions? He said, small matters, only about thirty for bastardy. We thought it very strange that they, who professed themselves Christians, should make small matters of such things. But this gaoler was very bad himself. I often admonishee him to sobricty; but he would abuse people that came to visit us. Edward Pyot had a cheese sent him by his wife from Bristol; and the gaoler took the cheese from him, and carried it to the mayor, to fearch it for treasonable letters, as, he said: and though they [Page 266]found no treason in the cheese, they kept it from us. This gaoler might have been rich, if he had carried himself civil­ly; but he fought his own ruin. which soon after came upon him: for the next year he was turned out of his place, and for some wickedness was cast into the gaol himself; and there begged of our friends. And for some unruliness in his carriage, he was by the succeeding gaoler put into Doomsdale, locked in irons, beaten, and bid to ‘remember how he had abused those good men, whom he had wick­edly, without any cause, cast into that nasty prison:’ and told, ‘That now he deservedly should suffer for his wicked­ness, and the same meature he had meted to others, he should have meted out to himself.’ He became very poor, and died in prison. His wife and family came to misery.

While I was in prison at Lanceston, a friend went to Oliver Cromwel, and offered himself, body for body, to lie in Doomsdale in my stead; if he would take him, and set me at liberty. Which thing so struck him, that he said, to his great men and council; ‘Which of you would do so much for me, if I were in the same condition?’ And though he did not accept of the friend's offer, but said, 'He could not do it, for it was contrary to law;' yet the truth thereby came mightily over him. A good while after this he sent down major general Desborow pretending to set us at liberty. When he came, he offered, if we would say, 'We would go home and preach no more,' we should have our liberty; but we could not promise him. Then he urged, that we should promise ‘to go home if the Lord permitted:’ whereupon Edward Pyot wrote him this following letter:

Some time having passed after the foregoing was deliver­ed him, and he not giving any order for our discharge, I also wrote to him as followeth:

After this major Desborow came to the Castle-green, and played at bowls with the justices and others. Several friends were moved to go and admonish them against 'spending time so vainly;' desiring them to consider, ‘That though they professed themselves to be christians, yet they gave themselves up to their pleasures, and kept the servants of God mean-while in prison;’ and also told them, ‘The Lord would plead with them, and visit them for such things.’ But notwithstanding what was wrote or said to him, he went away, and left us in prison. We understood afterwards that he left the business to colonel Bennet, who had the command of the gaol. For some time after Bennet would have set us at liberty, if we would have paid his gaol­er's [Page 270]fees. But we answered, ‘We could give the gaoler no fees, for we were innocent sufferers; how could they ex­pect ;fees of us, who had suffered so long wrongfully?’ After awhile colonel Bennet coming to town sent for us to an inn, and insisted again upon fees, which we refused. At last the power of the Lord came so over him, that the thir­teenth of the seventh month, 1656, we were set at liberty. We had been prisoners nine weeks at the first assize, called the Lent-assize, in the spring of the year.

Observing while I was here prisoner how much the peo­ple (they especially who were called gentry) were addicted to pleasures and vain recreations, I was moved, before I left the place, to give forth several papers as a warning to them, and to all that so mispend their time. One of which was thus:

Another, upon my taking notice of the bowlers that came to sport in the Castle-green, was as followeth:

Being released, we got horses, rid towards Humphry Lower's, and met him upon the road. He told us, ‘He was much troubled in his mind concerning us, and could not rest at home; but was going to colonel Bennet to seek our liberty.’ When we told him, ‘We were set at liber­ty, and were going to his house;’ he was exceeding glad. To his house we went, and had a fine, precious meeting; many were convinced, and turned by the Spirit of the Lord to the Lord Jesus Christ's teaching.

From his house we went to Loveday Hambley's; where we had a fine large meeting. The Lord's power was over all; many were convinced there also, and turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher.

After we had tarried there two or three days, we came to Thomas Mounce's, where we had a general meeting for the whole county; which, being very large, was held in his orchard. Friends from Plymouth were there, and from many places. The Lord's power was over all, and a great convincement there was in many parts of the county. Their watches were down, and all was plain and open; for the Lord had let me see, before I was at liberty, that he would make all the country plain before us. Thomas and Ann Curtis, with an alderman of Reading who was con­vinced, had come to Lanceston to see us while I was pri­soner; and when Ann and the other man returned, Thomas Curtis staid behind in Cornwall, and had good service for the Lord at that time.

From Thomas Mounce's we passed to Lanceston again, and visited the little remnant of friends that had been raised up there while we were in prison; and the Lord's plants [Page 273]grew finely, and were established on Christ, their rock and foundation. As we were going out of town again, the constable of Lanceston came running to us with the cheese that had been taken from Edward Pyot; which they had kept from us all this while, and were troubled with it. But we, being now at liberty, would not receive it.

From Lanceston we came to Okington; and lay at an inn, which the mayor of the town kept. He had stopped and taken up several friends, but was very civil to us; and was convinced in his judgment.

From thence we came to Exeter, where many friends were in prison; and amongst the rest James Nayler. For a little before we were set at liberty, James had run out into imaginations, and a company with him, who raised up a great darkness in the nation. ^* He came to Bristol, and made a disturbance there. From thence he was coming to Lanceston, to see me; but was stopped by the way, and imprisoned at Exeter; as were several others, one of whom, an honest, tender man, died in prison there; whose blood lieth on the heads of his persecutors.

The night that we came to Exeter, I spoke with James Nayler: for I saw he was out, and wrong, and so was his company. The next day, being first-day, we went to visit the prisoners, and had a meeting with them in the prison; but James Nayler, and some of them could not stay the meeting. There came a corporal of horse into the meeting, who was convinced, and remained a very good friend. The next day I spoke to James Nayler again; and he slighted what I said, was dark, and much out; yet he would have come and kissed me. But I said, ‘Since he had turned against the power of God, I could not receive his shew of kindness. The Lord moved me to slight him, and to set the power of God over him.’ So after I had been war­ring with the world, there was now a wicked spirit risen amongst friends to war against. I admonished him and his company. When he was come to London, his resisting the power of God in me, and the truth that was declared to him by me, became one of his greatest burdens. But [Page 274]he came to see his out-going, and to condemn it; and after some time he returned to truth again: as in the printed re­lation of his repentance, condemnation, and recovery may be more fully seen.

We passed from Exeter through Cullumpton and Taun­ton, visiting friends; and had meetings amongst them. From thence we came to Puddimoor, to William Beaton's; where on a first-day we had a very large meeting. A great convincement there was up and down that country; many meetings we had, and the Lord's power was over all; many were turned, by the power and Spirit of God, to the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for them, and came to sit under his free teaching.

From thence we went to John Dando's, where we had another precious meeting. The Lord's power was over all, and many were convinced of God's eternal truth. Some contention was raised by professors and Baptists, in some places; but the Lord's power came over them. From thence we came to Edward Pyot's, near Bristol. It was, the seventh-day at night that we came thither. It was quickly noised over the town that I was come. I had never been there before.

On first-day morning I went to the meeting in Broadmead at Bristol; which was large and quiet. Notice was given of a meeting to be in the afternoon in the orchard. There was at Bristol a rude Baptist, named Paul Gwin, who had used before to make great disturbance in our meetings; be­ing encouraged by the mayor, who, as was reported, would sometimes give him his dinner to encourage him. Such multitudes of rude people would he gather after him, that it was thought there had been sometimes ten thousand peo­ple at our meeting in the orchard. As I was going into the orchard, the people told me, That Paul Gwin, the rude, jangling Baptist, was going to the meeting. I bid them, "Never heed; it was nothing to me, who went to it." When I was come into the orchard, I stood upon the stone that friends used to stand on when they spoke: and was moved of the Lord to put off my hat, and to stand a pretty while; and let the people look at me; for some thousands of people were there. While I thus stood silent, this rude Baptist began to find fault with my hair; but I said nothing to him. Then he ran on into words; and at last, ‘Ye wise mon of Bristol,’ said he, ‘I strange at you that you will stand here, and hear a man speak and affirm that which [Page 275]he cannot make good.’ Then the Lord opened my mouth (for as yet I had not spoken a word) and I asked the peo­ple, ‘Whether they ever heard me speak: or ever saw me before?’ And bid them ‘take notice what kind of man this was that should so impudently say amongst them, that I spoke and affirmed that which I could not make good; and yet neither he nor they ever heard me or saw me before. Therefore that was a lying, envious, malicious spirit that spoke in him; and it was of the devil, and not of God. I charged him in the dread and power of the Lord to be silent; and the mighty power of God came over him, and all his company. A glorious, peaceable meeting we had; the word of life was divided amongst them; and they were turned from darkness to light, and to Jesus their Saviour. The scriptures were largely opened to them; and the traditions, rudiments, ways, and doctrines of men were laid open before the people, and they were turned to the light of Christ, that with it they might see them, and see him to lead them out of them. I opened also to them the types, figures, and shadows of Christ in the time of the law; and shewed them, That Christ was come, and had ended the types, shadows, tythes, and oaths, and put down swearing, and had set yea and nay instead of it, and a free ministry: for he was now come to teach people himself, and his heavenly day was springing from on high.’ For many hours did I declare the word of life amongst them in the eternal power of God; that by him they might come up into the beginning and be reconciled to him. And having turned them to the Spirit of God in themselves, that would lead into all truth, I was moved to pray in the mighty power of God; and the Lord's power came over all. When I had done, this fellow began to babble again; and John Audland was moved to bid him repent, and fear God. So his own people and followers being ashamed of him, he passed away, and never came again to disturb the meeting. The meeting broke up qui­etly. and the Lord's power and glory shined over all: a blessed day it was, and the Lord had the praise. After awhile this Paul Gwin went beyond sea; and many years after, I met with him again at Barbadoes: of which in its place.

From Bristol we returned to Edward Pyot's, where we had a great meeting. The Lord's power was over all, truth was declared and spread abroad, and many were turn­ed [Page 276]to Christ Jesus, their life, their Prophet to teach them, their Shepherd to feed them, and their Bishop to oversee them. After the meeting I had reasoning with some pro­fessors; and the Lord's truth and power came over them.

From Edward Pyot's we passed to Slattenford, where we had a very large meeting (Edward Pyot and another friend being still with me;) and a great turning of people there was to the Lord Jesus Christ their teacher. People were glad that they were brought to know their way, their free teacher, and their Saviour Christ Jesus.

The first-day following we went to Nathaniel Crips's house, who had been a justice of peace in Wiltshire; where it was supposed between two and three thousand people were at a meeting, and all was quiet. ‘The mighty power of God was manifest, and people were turned to the grace and truth in their hearts, that came by Jesus Christ, which would teach them to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly and godly in this present world. So that every man and woman might know the grace of God, which had appeared to all men, which was saving, and sufficient to bring their salvation. This teacher, the grace of God, would teach them how to live, what to do, and what to deny: it would season their words, and esta­blish their hearts. This was a free teacher to every one of them: so that they might come to be heirs of this grace, and of Christ, by whom it came; who hath ended the prophets, and the priests that took tythes, and the Jewish temple. And as for these hireling priests that take tythes now, and their temples (which priests were made at schools and colleges of man's setting up, and not by Christ) they, with all their inventions, were to be de­nied. For the apostles denied the true priesthood and which God had commanded, after Christ had put an end thereto. The scriptures, and the truths therein contained, were largely opened, and the people turned to the Spirit of God in their hearts; that by it they might be led into all truth, understand the scriptures, know God and Christ, and come to have unity with them, and one with another in the same Spirit.’ The people went away generally satisfied, and were glad that they were turned to Christ Jesus, their Teacher and Saviour.

The next day we went to Marlborough, where we had a little meating. The sessions being held that day, they were granting a warrant to send for me; but justice Stooks, [Page 277]being at the sessions, stopped them, telling them there was a meeting at his house yesterday, at which were several thousands. So the warrant was stopped, our meeting was quiet; and several received Christ Jesus their teacher, and came into the new covenant, and abode in it.

From hence we went to Newbury, where we had a large blessed meeting; several were convinced. Thence we pass­ed to Reading, where we had a large, precious meeting in the Lord's power amongst the plants of God. Many of other professions came in, were reached, and added to the meeting. All was quiet, and the Lord's power was over all. We went from Reading to Kingston upon Thames, where a few came to us that were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ: but since it is become a large meeting.

Leaving Kingston, we rode to London. When we came near Hyde Park, we saw a great concourse of people, and looking towards them, espied the protector coming in his coach. Whereupon I rode to his coach side. Some of his life-guard would have put me away; but he forbad them. So I rode by his coach side with him, ‘declaring what the Lord gave me to say to him, of his condition, and of the sufferings of friends in the nation; shewing him, how contrary this persecution was to Christ and his apostles, and to christianity.’ When we were come to James's Park Gate, I left him; and at parting he desired me to come to his house. The next day, one of his wife's maids, whose name was Mary Sanders, came to me at my lodging, and told me, Her master came to her, and said, he would tell her some good news. When she asked him, What it was? He told her, George Fox was come to town. She replied, That was good news indeed (for she had re­ceived truth) but she said, She could hardly believe him; till he told her how I met him, and rode from Hyde Park to James's Park with him.

After a little time Edward Pyot and I went to White­hall; and when we came before him, Dr. Owen, vice­chancellor of Oxford, was with him. We were moved to ‘speak to Oliver Cromwel concerning the sufferings of friends, and laid them before him: and directed him to the light of Christ, who had enlightened every toan that cometh into the world. He said; It was a ratural light; but we shewed him the contrary; and manifested that it was divine and spiritual, proceeding from Christ the spi­ritual and heavenly man; and that which was called the [Page 278]life in Christ the Word, was called the light in us. The power of the Lord God arose in me, and I was moved in it to bid him lay down his crown at the feet of Jesus.’ Several times I spoke to him to the same effect. I was standing by the table, and he came and sat upon the table's side by me, saying, He would be as high as I was: and so continued speaking against the light of Christ Jesus; and went his way in a light manner. But the Lord's power came over him, so that when he came to his wife and other company, he said, 'I never parted so from them before:' for he was judged in himself.

After he had left us, as we were going out, many great persons came about us; one of them began to speak against the light, and against the truth; and I was made to slight him, for speaking so lightly of the things of God. Where­upon one of them told me he was the major-general of Northamptonshire. 'What!' said I, ‘our old persecutor, that has persecuted and sent so many of our friends to pri­son, and is a shame to christianity and religion! I am glad I have met with thee,’ said I. So I was moved to speak sharply to him of his unchristian carriages; and he slunk away: for he had been a cruel persecutor in North­amptonshire.

After I had visited the meetings of friends in and about London, I went into Buckinghamshire, and Edward Pyot was with me; and in several places in that county many received the truth. Great meetings we had, and the Lord's power was eminently manifested. I passed through North­amptonshire and Nottinghamshire into Lincolnshire. After several meetings in Lincolnshire, I had at last a meeting, where two knights, one called Sir Richard Wrey, the other Sir John Wrey, with their wives, were at the meeting. One of then wives was convinced, received the truth, and died in it. When the meeting was done, we passed away; and it being in the evening, and dark, a company of wild serving men encompassed ine about, with intent, as I ap­prehended, to have done me some mischief. But I spoke aloud to them, and asked, 'What are ye? highwaymen? Whereupon some friends and friendly people behind came up to us, and knew some of them. So I reproved them for their uncivil and rude carriage, exhorted them to fear God, and the Lord's power came over them, and stopped their misehievous design; blessed be his name for ever.

Then I turned into Huntingdonshire. The mayor of [Page 279]Huntingdon came to visit me, and was very loving, and his wife received the truth.

Thence I passed into Cambridgeshire, and into the Fen Country; where I had many meetings, and the Lord's truth spread. Robert Craven (who had been sheriff of Lincoln) Amor Stoddart, and Alexander Parker were with me. We went to Crowland, a very rude place; for the town's people were got together at the inn we went to, and were half drunk, both priest and people. ‘I reproved them for their drunkenness, and warned them of the day of the Lord that was coming upon all the wicked; exhort­ing them to leave their drunkenness, and turn to the Lord in time.’ Whilst I was thus speaking to them, and shew­ing the priest the fruits of his ministry, the priest and the clerk broke out into a rage, and got up the tongs and fire­shovel at us; so that had not the Lord's power preserved us, we might have been murdered amongst them. Yet, for all their rudeness and violence, some received the truth then; and have stood in it ever since.

From thence we passed to Boston, where most of the chief of the town came to our inn, and the people seemed to be much satisfied. But there was a raging man in the yard; and Robert Craven was moved to speak to him, and told him, He shamed christianity; which, with some few other words, so stopped the man, that he went away quiet. Some were convinced there also.

Thus we had large meetings up and down; for I travel­led into Yorkshire, and returned out of Holderness, over Humber, visiting friends; and then going into Leicester­shire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire, among friends. I had a meeting at Edge-hill. There came to it Ranters, Baptists, and several sorts of rude people; for I had sent word about three weeks before, to have a meeting there; so that hundreds of people were gathered, and many friends came from far to it. The Lord's ever­lasting truth and word of life reached over all; rude and unruly spirits were chained down; and many that day were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, by his power and Spirit, who came to sit under his blessed free teaching, and to be fed with his eternal, heavenly food. All was peaceable; the people passed quietly away, and some of them said, It was a mighty, powerful meeting: for the presence of the Lord was felt, and his power and Spirit amongst them.

From hence I passed to Warwick, and to Bagley; hav­ing [Page 280]precious meetings. From thence into Gloucestershire, and so to Oxford, where the scholars were very rude; but the Lord's power came over them, and great meetings we had up and down, as we travelled. Then I went to colo­nel Grimes's, where was a very large meeting; and from thence to Nathaniel Crips's, where came another justice to the meeting, who was also convinced. At Cirencester also we had a meeting, which is much increased; so we came to Evesham again, where I met John Camm.

Thus having travelled over most part of the nation, I returned to London, having cleared myself of that which lay upon me from the Lord. For after I was released out of Lanceston gaol, I was moved of the Lord to travel over most parts of the nation (the truth being now spread, and finely planted in most places) that I might answer, and re­move out of the minds of people some objections, which envious priests and professors had raised and spread concern­ing us. For, what Christ said of false prophets and anti­christs coming in the last days, that they applied to us; and said, We were they.

Therefore was I moved to open this through the nation, and to shew, 'That they, who said we were the false pro­phets, antichrists, and deceivers, that should come in the last days, were indeed themselves they. For when Christ told his disciples in the viith and xxivth of Matthew, that false prophets and antichrists should come in the last times, and, if it were possible, should deceive the very elect, he said, ‘By their fruits ye shall know them: for they should be inwardly ravening wolves, having the sheeps cloathing. And,’ said he, ‘do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?’ as much as to say, Their nature and spirit should be like a thorn, or like a thistle; and he bids his disciples not go after them. But before the disciples were deceased, the antichrists, false prophets, and deceivers were come. For John in his first epistle said, ‘Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time.’ So here, as Christ said to his disciples, They should come; the disciples saw they were come: as may be seen at large in Peter. Jude, John, and other places of scripture; "whereby," says John, "we know it is the last time:" and this last time began above sixteen hundred years since. John said ‘They went out from us;’ the false prophets, antichrists, seducers, and [Page 281]deceivers, went out from the church; "But you," said he to the church, ‘have an anointing which abideth in you; and you need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things; and as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.’ Christ said to his disciples, ‘Go not after them, for they are inwardly ra­vening wolves;’ and John exhorts the saints to the anointing within them; and the rest of the apostles ex­hort the churches to the grace, the light, the truth, the Spirit, the word of faith, and to Christ in their hearts, the hope of glory. Christ told the saints, that the Spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost, should be their leader into all truth; and Jude exhorts the church to ‘pray in the Ho­ly Ghost,’ and ‘to be built up in their most holy faith, which Christ was the author of.’ Christ, by his servant ‘John, exhorted the seven churches to hear what the Spirit said to the churches;’ and this was an inward spiritual hearing. Christ says, the inwardly ravening wolves should have the sheeps cloathing. Paul speaks of some in his time that had a form of godliness, but denied the power. John said, "They went out from us." Jude said, ‘They go in Cain's way, and in Balaam's and Corah's way.’ By all which it may be clearly seen, that the false prophets and antichrists, which Christ foretold should come, the apostles saw were come; and in their day the last time was begun. These went from them into the world, and the world went after them! These were the fore-men, the leaders of the world, that brought them into a form of godliness, but inwardly ravened from the power and Spirit! These have the sheeps cloathing, the words of Christ, of the prophets, and of the apostles; but are in­wardly ravened from the power and Spirit that they were in who gave forth the scriptures. These have made up the beast, and the whore! These have gotten the dragon's power, the murdering, destroying, persecuting, power! And these are they that the world wonders after! These have drunk the blood of the martyrs, prophets, and saints, and persecuted the true church into the wilderness! These have set up the salse, compelling worships, and have drunk the blood of the saints, that will not drink of their cup! These have made the cage for the unclean birds, that have their several unclean notes in their cage; which cage is made up by the power of darkness, and unclean ghost: and the birds of the cage deny the Holy Chofl, and the [Page 282]power of God, which the apostles were in, to be now manifested in the saints! Thus since Christ said, the false prophets and antichrists should come, and the apostle said. They were come, the beast's and the dragon's wor­ship hath been set up; the whore is got up with her false prophets, her cage hath been made, all nations have drunk of her cup of fornication, the blood of the martyrs and saints they have drunk, and the true church hath fled into the wilderness. All this since the apostles days. Yet the blind deceivers of all sorts, the antichrists and false prophets of our age, would make us and people believe that the false prophets, antichrists, and deceivers are come but now; though John and other of the apostles tell us, they began to come above sixteen hundred years ago. And ye may see what work and confusion they have made in the world; how much blood these Cains have drunk, that went in Cain's way: which blood cries to God for vengeance upon Christendom! And how these Balaams, who have erred from the power of the Spirit which the apostles were in, have coveted after other men's estates, the many gaols, courts, and spoiling of goods will bear witness. And how these Corahs have gainsayed the lise, power, and spirit which the apostles and true church were in, and the free teaching of Christ and of his apostles, and the work of their ministry, which was ‘to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,’ hath been evident.

Therefore in the name and power of the Lord Jesus was I sent to preach again the everlasting gospel, which had been preached before unto Abraham, and in the apostles days; and was to go over all nations, and to be preached to every creature. For as the apostacy hath gone over all nations since the apostles days, so that the nations are be­come as waters, unstable, being gone from Christ, the foundation; so must the gospel, the power of God, go over all nations again. We find the false prophets, anti­christs deceivers, whore, false church, beast, and his wor­ship in the dragon's power, have got up in the times betwixt the apostles and us. For Christ said, ‘They should come:’ and the apostles saw, "They were come," and coming in their days; and that they went forth from them, and the world went after them. And now hath the Lord raised us up beyond them, and set us over them in the everlasting gospel, the power of God: that as all have been [...]k [...]ned by the beasts, whore, false prophets, and anti­christs, [Page 283]so the everlasting gospel may be preached again by us to all nations, and to every creature, which will bring life and immortality to light in them, that they may see over the devil and his false prophets, antichrists, seducers and deceivers, and over the whore and beast, and to that which was before they were. This message of the glorious, everlasting gospel was I sent forth to declare and publish, and thousands by it are turned to God, having received it; and are come into subjection to it, and into the holy order of it. And since I have declared this message in this part of the world and in America, and have written books of the same, to spread it universally abroad, the blind pro­phets, preachers, and deceivers have given over telling us, the salse prophets should "come in the last times;" for a great light is sprung up and shines over their heads: so that every child in truth sees the folly of their sayings.

Then they got other objections against us, and invented shifts to save themselves from truth's stroke. For when we blamed them for taking tithes, which came from the tribe of Levi, and were set up here by the Romish church, they would plead, ‘That Christ told the scribes and pharisees, they ought to pay tithes of mint, anise, and cummin, though they neglected the weightier matters:’ and that Christ said, ‘the scribes and pharisees sat in Moses's seat, therefore all that they bid you do, that do and observe.’ And when we told them they were envious persecuting priests, they would reply, ‘That some preached Christ of envy, and some of contention, and some of good-will.’ Now these scriptures and others such-like they would bring to darken the minds of their hearers, and to persuade them and us, ‘That we ought to do as they say, though they themselves were like the pharisees; and that we should re­joice when envious men and men of strife preached Christ; and that we should give them the tithes as the Jews did to the tribe of Levi.’ These were fair glosses; here was a great heap of husks, but no kernel. Now this was their blindness; for the Levitical priesthood Christ hath ended, and disannulled the commandment that gave them tithes, and the law by which those priests were made. Christ did not come after that order, neither did he send forth his mi­nisters after that order: for those of that order were to take tithes for their maintenance, but his ministers he sent forth freely. And as for hearing the pharisees and the Jews pay­ing tithes of mint, anise, and cummin, that was before [Page 284]Christ was sacrificed and offered up; the Jews were then to do the law, and perform their offerings and sacrifices which the Jewish priests did teach them. But after Christ was offered up, he bid them then ‘Go into all nations and preach the gospel; and lo,’ said he, ‘I will be with you to the end of the world;’ and in another place he saith, "I will be in you." He did not bid them go to hear the pharisees then, and pay tithe of mint, anise, and cummin then; but ‘Go, preach the gospel, and believe in the Lord Jesus and be saved, and receive the gospel,’ which would bring people off from the Jews, the tithes, the Levitical law, and the offerings thereof, to Christ, the one Offering, made once for all. O what work had the apostle both with the Galatians and the Romans to bring them off the law to the faith in Christ!

And as for the apostle's saving, ‘Some preached Christ of envy and strife,’ &c. That was at the first spreading of Christ's name abroad, when they were in danger not on­ly to be cast out of the synagogues, but to be stoned to death, that confessed to the name of Jesus; as may be seen by the uproars that were among the Jews and Diana's worshippers at the preaching of Christ. So the apostle might well rejoice if the envious, and men of strife and contention did preach Christ at that time; though they thought thereby to add affliction to his bonds. But af­terward, when Christ's name was spread abroad, and ma­ny had got a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof, ‘Envious, proud, contentious men, men of strife, covetous men, teachers for filthy lucre,’ the apostle com­manded the saints to turn from, and not to have any fel­lowship with them. And the deacons and ministers were first to be proved, to see if they were in the power of godliness, and the Holy Ghost made them overseers and preachers. So it may be seen how the priests have abus­ed these scriptures for their own ends, and have wrested them to their own destruction, to justify envious, conten­tions men, and men of strife. Whereas the apostle says, "The man of God must be patient, and apt to teach;" and they were to follow Christ, as they had them for their examples. The apostle indeed was very tender to people, while he saw them walk in simplicity, as in the case of those that were scrupulous about meats and days; but when the apostle saw, that some drew them into the observation of days, and to settle in such things, he then [Page 285]reproves them sharply, and asks them, ‘Who had be­witched them?’ So in the case of marrying he was ten­der, lest their minds should be drawn from the Lord's joining; but when they came to forbid marriage, and to set up rules for meats and drinks, he called it a ‘doctrine of devils,’ and an "erring from the true faith." So also he was tender concerning circumcision, and in tenderness suffered some to be circumcised; but when he saw they went to make a sect of it, and to set up circumcision as a standing practice, he told them plainly, ‘If they were circumcised, Christ would profit them nothing.’ In like manner he was tender concerning the baptizing with water; but when he saw they began to make sects about it, some crying up Paul, others Apollos, he judged them, and called them carnal, and thanks God he had baptized no more but such and such; declaring plainly, that he was sent to preach the gospel, and not to baptize; and brought them to the one baptism by the one spirit, into the one body which Christ, the spiritual man, is the head of; and exhorted the church, ‘all to drink into that one Spirit.’ For he asserted in the church the one saith, which Christ was the author of; and one baptism, which was that of the Spirit into the one body; and one Lord Jesus Christ, who was the spiritual baptizer, who John said should come after him. And further the aposile de­clared, that they, who worshipped and served God in the Spirit, were of the circumcision of the Spirit, which was "not made with hands;" by which the ‘body of the sins of the flesh was put off:’ which circumcision Christ is the minister of.

Another great objection they had, ‘That the Quakers denied the sacrament,’ as they called it, ‘of bread and wine, which’ they said, ‘they were to take, and do in re­membrance of Christ to the end of the world.’ A great deal of work we had with the priests and professors about this, and about the several modes of receiving it in Christ-endom, so called: for some of them take it lanceling, some sitting; but none of them all, that ever I could sind, take it as the disciples took it. For they took it in a chamber after supper; but these generally take it before dinner and some say, after the priest hath blessed it, it is ‘Christ body.’ But as to the matter, Christ said, ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’ He did not tell them how oft they should do it, or how long; neither did he [...] them [...]o [Page 286]do it always as long as they lived, or that all believers in him should do it to the world's end. The apostle Paul, who was not converted till after Christ's death, tells the Corinthians, that he had received of the Lord that which he delivered unto them concerning this matter, and relates Christ's words concerning the cup thus; "This do ye," as oft as ye drink it, "in remembrance of me:" and himself adds, ‘For [as often as] ye do eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.’ So according to what the apostle here delivers, neither Christ nor he did enjoin people to do this always, but leaves it to their liberty, ["as oft as ye drink it," &c.] The Jews did use to take a cup, and to break bread and divide it among them in their seasts; as may be seen in the Jewish Antiquities; so the breaking of bread and drinking of wine were Jewish rites, which were not to last always. They did also baptize with water, which made it not seem a strange thing to them, when John the Baptist came with his decreasing ministration of water-baptism. But as to the bread and wine, after the disciples had taken it, some of them questioned whether Jesus was the Christ? For some of them said, after he was crucified, ‘We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel,’ &c. And though the Corinthians had the bread and wine, and were baptized in water, the apostle told them they were "reprobates, if Christ was not in them;" and bid them "examine themselves." And as the apostle said, ‘As oft as ye do cat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do s;hew forth the Lord's death [till he come;]’ so Christ had said before that he was the "bread of life," which "came down from heaven;" and that ‘he would come, and dwell in them;’ which the apostles did witness ful­filled; and exhorted others to seek for that which ‘comes down from above:’ but the outward bread and wine, and water, are not from above but from below. Now ye that eat and drink this outward bread and wine in remem­brance of Christ's death, and have your fellowships in that, will ye come no nearer to Christ's death than to take bread and wine in remembrance of it? After ye have eaten in remembrance of his death, ye must come into his death, and die with him, as the apostles did, if ye will live with him. This is a nearer and further advanced state, to be with him in the fellowship of his death, than only to take bread and wine in remembrance of it. You must have [Page 287]fellowship with Christ in his sufferings; if ye will reign with him, ye must suffer with him; if ye will live with him, ye must die with him; and if ye die with him, ye must be buried with him; and being buried with him in the true baptism, ye also rise with him. Then having suf­fered with him, died with him, and been buried with him, if ye are risen with Christ, ‘seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.’ Eat the bread which comes down from above, which is not outward bread; and drink the cup of salvation which he gives in his kingdom, which is not outward wine. And then there will not be a looking at the things that are seen (as outward bread and wine and water are:) for, as says the apostle, ‘The things that are seen are tempo­ral, but the things that are not seen are eternal.’ So here are many states and conditions to be gone through before people come to see that, and partake of that which "cometh down from above." For first, There was ‘a taking of the outward bread and wine in remembrance of Christ's death.’ This was temporary, and not of neces­sity; but at their liberty, "As oft as ye do it," &c. Se­condly, There must be ‘a coming into his death, a suf­fering with Christ;’ and this is of necessity to salvation; and not temporary, but continual: there must be ‘a dying daily.’ Thirdly, "a being buried with Christ." Fourthly, "a rising with Christ." Fifthly, After they are risen with Christ, then ‘a seeking those things which are above, a seeking the bread that comes down from heaven,’ and a ‘feeding on that and having fellowship in that.’ For outward bread, wine, and water are from below, and are visible and temporal; but, saith the apos­tle, ‘We look not at things that are seen, for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.’ So the fellowship that stands in the use of bread, wine, water, circumcision, outward temple, and things seen will have an end: but the fellowship which stands in the gospel, the power of God, which was before the devil was, and which brings life and immortality to light, by which people may see over the devil that has darkened them, this fellowship is eternal, and will stand. And all that are in it seek that which is heavenly and eternal, which comes down from above, and are settled in the eternal mystery of the fellowship of the gospel, which is hid from all eyes that look only at visible things. The apostle told [Page 288]the Corinthians, who were in disorder about water, bread and wine, that he ‘desired to know nothing amongst them, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.’

Thus were the objections which the priests and professors had raised against friends answered, and the stumbling-blocks they had laid in the way of the weak removed. And as things were thus opened, people came to see over them and through them, and to have their minds settled upon the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher: which was the service for which I was moved to travel over the nation after my imprisonment in Lanceston gaol. In this year the Lord's truth was finely planted over the nation, and many thousands were turned to the Lord; insomuch that there were seldom sewer than one thousand in prison in this na­tion for truth;s testimony; some for tithes, some for going to the steeple-houses, some for contempts, as they called them, some for not swearing, and others for not putting off their hats, &c.

After I had visited most parts of the nation, and was come to London again, finding that evil spirit at work which had drawn J. N. and his followers out of the truth, to run friends into heats about him, I wrote a short epistle to friends, as followeth:

I wrote another short epistle to friends, to encourage them to keep up their meetings in the Lord's power; which here followeth:

About this time many mouths being opened in our meetings to declare the goodness of the Lord, some that were young and tender in the truth would sometimes utter a few words in thanksgiving and praises to God; that no disorder might arise from thence in our meetings, I was moved to write an epistle to friends by way of advice in that matter:

About this time I received some lines from a high-flown professor concerning the way of Christ; to which I return­ed the following answer:

Great opposition did the priests and professors make about this time against the light of Christ Jesus, denying it to be universally given; and against the pouring forth of the Spirit, and sons and daughters prophesying thereby. Much they laboured to darken the minds of people, that they might keep them still in a dependence on their teach­ing [Page 296]Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to give forth the following lines, for the opening of the minds and un­derstandings of people, and to manifest the blindness and darkness of their teachers.

Having staid some time in London, and visited the meet­ings of friends in and about the city, and cleared myself of what services the Lord had at the time laid upon me there, I left the town and travelled into Kent, Sussex, and Sur­ry, visiting friends; amongst whom I had great meetings, and often met with opposition from Baptists and other jangling professors; but the Lord's power went over them.

We lay one night at Farnham, where we had a little meet­ing. The people were exceeding rude; but at last the Lord's power came over them. After meeting we went to our inn, and gave notice, ‘That any who feared God might come to our inn to us.’ There came abundance of rude people, the magistrates of the town, and some professors. I declared the truth to them; and those of the people that be­haved themselves rudely, the magistrates put out of the room. When they were gone, another rude company of professors came up, and some of the chief of the town. They called for faggots and drink, though we forbad them, and were as rude a people as ever I met withal. The Lord's power chained them, that they had not power to do us any mischief; but when they went away they left all the faggots and beer, which they had called for into the room, for us to pay for in the morning. We shewed the innkeep­er what an unworthy thing it was; but he told us, ‘we must pay it;’ and pay it we did. Before we left the town, I wrote to the magistrates and heads of the town, and to the priest, shewing them how he had taught his people, and laying before them their rude and uncivil carriage to strangers that sought their good.

Leaving that place we came to Basingstoke, a very rude town; where they had formerly very much abused friends. [Page 304]There I had a meeting in the evening, which was quiet; for the Lord's power chained the unruly. At the close of the meeting I was moved to put off my hat, and to pray to the Lord to open their understandings; upon which they raised a report, ‘That I put off my hat to them, and bid them good night,’ which was never in my heart. After the meet­ing, when we came to our inn, I sent for the innkeeper, as I used to do; and he came into the room to us, and shew­ed himself a very rude man. I admonished him to be so­ber, and fear the Lord; but he called for faggots and a pint of wine, and drank it off himself; then called for another, and called up half a dozen men into our chamber. Thereup­on I bid him go out of the chamber, and told him he should not drink there; for we sent for him up to speak to him con­cerning his eternal good. He was exceeding mad, rude, and drunk. When he continued his rudeness and would not be gone, I told him, ‘The chamber was mine for the time I lodged in it;’ and called for the key. Then he went away in a rage. In the morning he would not be seen; but I told his wife of his unchristian carriage towards us.

After this we came to Bridport, having meetings in the way. We went to an inn, and sent into the town for such as feared God; and there came a shopkeeper, a professor, and put off his hat to us: and seeing we did not the like to him again, but said Thou and Thee to him, he told us, 'He was not of our religion;' and after some discourse he went away. After awhile he sent to the inn to us, to de­sire us 'to come to his house, for some would speak with us.' Thomas Curtis went to his house; where when he came, the man had got the priest and magistrates thither, and they boasted much that they had catched George Fox, taking him for me. When they perceived their mistake they were very angry; yet the Lord's power came over them, so that they let him go again. Mean while I had an opportunity of speaking to some sober people that came to the inn. When Thomas was returned, and we were passing out of the town, some came to us, and said, ‘The officers were coming to fetch me;’ but the Lord's power was over them, so that they had not power to touch me. There were some con­vinced in the town who were turned to the Lord, and have stood faithful in their testimony to the truth ever since, and a sine meeting is settled there.

Passing from hence we visited Portsmouth and Pool, where we had glorious meetings; and many were turned to [Page 305]the Lord. At Ringwood we had a large general meeting, where the Lord's power was over all. At Weymouth we had a meeting; and from thence came through Dorchester to Lime, where the inn we went to was taken up with mountebanks, so that there was hardly any room for us or our horses. In the evening we drew up some queries con­cerning the ground of all diseases, and the nature and virtues of medicinable creatures, and sent them to the mountebanks; l [...]tting them know, ‘If they would not an­swer them, we would stick them on the cross next day.’ This brought them down and made them cool, for they could not answer them; but in the morning they reasoned a little with us. We left the queries with some friendly people that were convinced in the town, to stick upon the market-cross. The Lord's power reached some of the sober people in that place, who were turned by the Light and Spirit of Christ to his free teaching.

We then travelled to Exeter; and at the Seven Stars, an inn at the bridge foot, we had a general meeting of friends out of Cornwall and Devonshire; to which came Humphry Lower, Thomas Lower, and John Ellis from the Land's­end, Henry Pollexfen, with friends from Plymouth, Eli­zabeth Trelawny, and divers other friends. A blessed hea­venly meeting we had, and the Lord's everlasting power came over all; in which I saw, and said, ‘That the Lord's power had surrounded this nation round about as with a wall and bulwark, and his seed reached from sea to sea.’ Friends were established in the everlasting feed of life, Christ Jesus, their life, rock, teacher, and shepherd.

The next morning, major Blackmore sent soldiers to ap­prehend me; but I was gone before they came. As I was riding up the street, I saw the officers going down. So the Lord crossed their design, and friends passed away peacea­bly and quietly. The soldiers examined some friends after I was gone, 'What they did there?' but when they told them, ‘They were in their inn, and had business in the city,’ they passed away without meddling any further with them.

From Exeter I took meetings as I went, till I came to Bristol; and was at the meeting there. After it was done I did not stay in the town, but passed into Wales, and had a meeting at the Slone. Thence going to Cardiff, a justice of peace sent to me, desiring, ‘I would come with half a dozen of my friends to his house,’ So I took a friend or [Page 306]two and went to him, and he and his wife received us very civilly. The next day we had a meeting in Cardiff in the town-hall; to which that justice sent about seventeen of his family. There came some disturbers, but the Lord's power was over them; and many were turned to the Lord. To some who had run out with James Nayler, and forsook meetings, I had to send word, ‘That the day of their visit­ation was over;’ and they never prospered after.

We travelled from Cardiff to Swansea, where we had a blessed meeting; and a meeting was settled there in the name of Jesus. In our way thither we passed over in a passage-boat with the high sheriff of the county. The next day I went to have spoken with him, but he refused.

We went to another meeting in the country; where the Lord's presence was much with us. From thence we went to a great man's house, who received us very lovingly; but the next morning he would not be seen: one, that in the mean time came to him, had so estranged him, that we could not get to speak with him again.

We passed through the countries, having meetings, and gathering people in the name of Christ, their heavenly teacher, till we came to Brecknock; where we set up our horses at an inn. There went with me Thomas Holmes, and John-ap-John, who was moved of the Lord to ‘speak in the streets.’ I walked out but a little into the fields; and when I returned the town was in an uproar. When I came into the chamber in the inn, it was full of people, and they were speaking in Welch. I desired them to speak in English, which they did; and much discourse we had. After awhile they went away. Towards night the magis­trates gathered in the streets with a multitude of people, and they bid them shout, and gathered up the town; so that, for about two hours together, there was such a noise as the like we had not heard; and the magistrates set them on to shout again when they had given over. We thought it looked like the uproar, which we read was amongst Diana's craftsmen. This tumult continued till it was within night, and if the Lord's power had not limited them, they seemed likely to have pulled down the house, and us to pieces.

At night the woman of the house would have had us go to supper in another room; but we, discerning her plot, refused. Then she would have had half a dozen men come into the room to us, under pretence of discoursing with us. [Page 307]We told her, ‘No person should come into our room that night, neither would we go to them.’ Then she said, we should 'sup in another room;' but we told her, we would have no supper if we had it not in our own room. At length, when she saw she could not get us out, she brought up our supper. So she and they were crossed in their de­sign; for they had an intent to have done us mischief, but the Lord prevented them. Next morning I wrote a paper to the town concerning their unchristian carriage, shewing the fruits of their priests and magistrates; and as I passed out of town I spoke to the people, and told them, They were a shame to Christianity and religion.

From this place we went to a great meeting in a steeple-house yard; where was a priest, and Walter Jenkin, who had been a justice, and another justice. A blessed glorious meeting we had. There being many professors, I was mov­ed of the Lord to open the ‘scriptures to them, and to answer the objections which they stuck at in their profes­sion (for I knew them very well;) and to turn them to Christ, who had enlightened them; with which light they might see the sins and trespasses they had been dead in, and their Saviour who came to redeem them out of them, who was to be their way to God, the truth and the life to them, and their priest made higher than the heavens; so that they might come to sit under his teaching.’ A peace­able meeting we had; many were convinced, and settled in the truth that day. After the meeting, I went with Walter Jenkin to the other justice's, who said to me, ‘You have this day given great satisfaction to the people, and answer­ed all the objections that were in their minds.’ For the people had the scriptures, but they were not turned to the Spirit, which should let them see that which gave them forth, the Spirit of God, which is the key to open them.

From hence we passed to Richard Hamborow's at Ponte­moil, where was a great meeting; to which there came an­other justice, and several great people; whose understand­ings were opened by the Lord's Spirit and power, and they were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, from whence it came. A great convincement there was; a large meeting is gather­ed in those parts, and settled in the name of Jesus.

After this returning to England, we came to Shrewsbury, where we had a great meeting; and visited friends up and down the country in their meetings, till we came to Wil­liam Gandy's, in Cheshire, where we had a meeting of be­tween [Page 308]two and three thousand people, as it was thought; and the everlasting word of life was held forth, and received that day. A blessed meeting it was; for friends were settled by the power of God upon Jesus Christ, the rock and foun­dation.

At this time there was a great drought; and after this general meeting was ended there fell so great a rain, that friends said, They thought we could not travel, the waters would be so risen. But I believed the rain had not gone so far as they had come that day to the meeting. The next day in the afternoon, when we turned back into some parts of Wales again, the ways were dusty, and no rain had fallen thereabouts.

When Oliver Cromwel set forth a proclamation for a fast throughout the nation for rain, in a very great drought, it was observed, that as far as truth had spread in the north, there were pleasant showers and rain enough; yet the south, in many places, was almost spoiled for want of rain. At that time I was moved to write an answer to the Pro­tector's proclamation; wherein I told him: ‘If he had come to own God's truth, he should have had rain; and that drought was to them a sign of their barrenness, and want of the water of life.’

About the same time was wrote the following paper to 'distinguish betwixt the true and false fasts.'

Concerning the true Fasts and the false.

We passed into Wales through Montgomeryshire, and so into Radnorshire, where there was a meeting like a leaguer, for multitudes. I walked a little aside, whilst the people were gathering: and there came to me John-ap-John, a Welshman, whom I desired to go to the people; and if he had any thing upon him from the Lord to them, he might speak in Welsh, and thereby gather more together. Then came Morgan Watkins to me, who was become loving to friends, and said, ‘The people lie like a leaguer, and the gentry of the country are come in.’ I bade him go up also, and leave me; for I had a great travail upon me for the salvation of the people. When they were well ga­thered, I went into the meeting, and stood upon a chair about three hours. I stood a pretty while, before I geban to speak: after some time I felt the power of the Lord over the whole assembly: and his everlasting life and truth shined over all. ‘The scriptures were opened to them, and the objections they had in their minds answered. They were directed to the light of Christ, the heavenly man; that by it they might see their sins, and Christ Jesus to be their Saviour, their Redeemer, their Mediator, and come to seed upon him, the bread of life from heaven. Many were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to his free teach­ing that day; and all were bowed down under the power of God; so that though the multitude was so great that many sat on horseback to hear, there was no opposition. A priest sat with his wife on horseback, heard attentively, and made no objection. The people parted peaceably, with great satisfaction; many of them saying, They never heard such a sermon before, nor the scriptures so opened. For the new covenant was opened, and the old, the na­ture and terms of each, and the parables were explained. The state of the church in the apostles days was set forth, the apostacy since laid open; and the free teaching of [Page 314]Christ and the apostles was set atop of all the hireling teach­ers; and the Lord had the praise of all, for many were turned to him that day.’

I went from thence to Leominster, where was a great meeting in a close; many hundreds of people being gather­ed together. There were about six congregational preach­ers and priests amongst the people; and Thomas Taylor, who had been a priest, but was now become a minister of Christ Jesus, was with me. I stood up, and declared about three hours; and none of the priests were able to open their mouths in opposition; the Lord's power and truth so reached and bound them. At length one priest went off about a bow-shot from me; drew several of the people after him, and began to preach to them. So I kept our meet­ing, and he kept his. After awhile Thomas Taylor was moved to go and speak to him; upon which he gave over: and he, with the people he had drawn off, came to us again; and the Lord's power went over all. At last a Baptist, that was convinced, said, ‘Where's priest Tombs? how chance he doth not come out?’ This Tombs was priest of Leominster. Hereupon some went and told the priest; who came with the bailiffs and other officers of the town. When he was come, they set him upon a stool over against me. I was speaking of the heavenly, divine light of Christ, which he ‘enlightens every one withal that com­eth into the world; to give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus their Saviour.’ When priest Tombs heard this, he cried out, ‘That is a natural light, and a made light.’ Then I desired the peo­ple to take out their bibles, and asked the priest, ‘Whether he did affirm that was a created, natural, made light, which John, a man sent from God, bore witness to, when he said, ‘In him (to wit, in the Word) was life, and that life was the light of men,’ John i. 4. Dost thou affirm and mean, said I, that this light here spoken of was a created, natural, made light? He said, Yes. Then I shewed by the scriptures, that the natural, created, made light is the out­ward light in the outward firmament, proceeding from the fun, moon, and stars? "And dost thou affirm," said I, ‘that God sent John to bear witness to the light of the sun, moon, and stars?’ "Then," said he, "Did I say so?" I replied, ‘Didst thou not say it was a natural, created, made light, that John bore witness unto? If thou dost not like thy words, take them again, and mend them.’ [Page 315]Then he said ‘That light, which I spoke of, was a na­tural, created light.’ I told him, He had not at all mended his cause; for that light, which I spoke of, was the very same that John was sent of God to bear witness to; which was the life in the Word, by which all the na­tural lights, sun, moon, and stars, were made.’ ‘In him (to wit, the Word) was life, and that life was the light of men.’ I directed the people to turn to the place in their bibles, and recited to them the words of John, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God: All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.’ (So all natural, created lights were made by Christ the Word.) ‘In him was life, and the life was the light of men: and that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ And Christ saith of himself, John viii. 12. 'I am the light of the world:' and bids them 'believe in the light,' John xii. 36. And God said of him by the prophet Isaiah, ch. xlix. 6. ‘I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth.’ So Christ in his light is saving. And the apostle said, ‘The light, which shined in their hearts, was to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ:’ which was their treasure in their earthen vessels, 2 Cor. iv. 6, 7.

When I had thus opened the matter to the people, the priest cried to the magistrates, ‘Take this man away, or else I shall not speak any more.’ 'But,' said I, ‘priest Tombs, deceive not thyself, thou art not in thy pulpit now, nor in thy old mass-house; but we are in the fields.’ So he was shuffling to be gone: and Thomas Taylor stood up, and undertook to prove our principle by Christ's para­ble concerning the sower, Mat. 13. Then said the priest, 'Let that man speak, and not the other.' So he got up into jangling for awhile; till the Lord's power catched him again, stopped and confounded him. Afterwards a friend stood up and told him, He had sued him for tithe eggs, and other friends for other tithes: for he was an Anabaptist preacher, yet had a parsonage at Leominster, and had se­veral journeymen under him. He said, ‘He had a wife, and he had a concubine; his wife was the baptized people, and his concubine was the world.’ But the Lord's power [Page 316]came over all, the everlasting truth was declared that day, and many were turned by it to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher and way to God. Of great service that meeting was in those parts. The next day Thomas Taylor went to this priest, reasoned with him, and overcame him by the power of the Word.

From this place I travelled in Wales, having several meetings, till I came to Tenby; where as I rode up the street, a justice of peace came out of his house, desired me to alight, and stay at his house; which I did. On first-day the mayor with his wife, and several others of the chief of the town, came in about the tenth hour, and staid all the time of the meeting. A glorious meeting it was. John-ap-John being then with me, left the meeting, and went to the steeple-house; and the governor cast him into prison. On second-day morning the governor sent one of his officers to the justice's to fetch me; which grieved the mayor and the justice; for they were both with me in the justice's house, when the officer came. The mayor and the justice went to the governor before me; and awhile af­ter I went with the officer. When I came in I said, 'Peace be unto this house.' And before the governor could examine me, I asked him, ‘Why he cast my friend into prison?’ He said, ‘For standing with his hat on in the church.’ I said, ‘Had not the priest two caps on his head, a black one and a white one? Cut off the brims of the hat, and then my friend would have but one; and the brims of the hat were but to defend him from weather.’ 'These are frivolous things,' said the governor. ‘Why then,’ said I. ‘dost thou cast my friend into prison for such frivolous things?’ He asked me, ‘Whether I owned election and reprobation?’ 'Yes,' said I, ‘and thou art in the reprobation.’ At that he was in a rage, and said, 'He would send me to prison till I proved it.' I told him, ‘I would prove that quickly, if he would confess truth.’ I asked him, ‘Whether wrath, fury, rage, and persecution. were not marks of reprobation? for he that was born of the flesh, persecuted him that was born of the Spirit; but Christ and his disciples never persecuted nor imprisoned any.’ He fairly confessed, That he had too much wrath, haste, and passion in him. I told him, ‘Esau was up in him, the first birth; not Jacob, the second birth.’ The Lord's power so reached the man, and came [Page 317]over him, that he confessed to truth; and the other justice came, and shook me kindly by the hand.

As I was passing away, I was moved to speak to the governor again; and he invited me to dinner with him; and set my friend at liberty. I went back to the other justice's house: and after some time the mayor and his wife, and the jus [...]ice and his wife, and divers other friends of the town, went about half a mile out of town with us, to the water-side, when we went away; and there, when we part­ed from them, I was moved of the Lord to ‘kneel down with them, and pray to the Lord to preserve them.’ So after I had recommended them to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour and free teacher, we passed away in the Lord's power; and he had the glory. A meeting continues in that town to this day.

We travelled to Pembrokeshire; and in Pembroke town had some service for the Lord. From thence we passed to Haverford-west, where we had a great meeting. All was quiet; the Lord's power came over all, many were settled in the new covenant, Christ Jesus, and built upon him, their rock and foundation: and they stand a precious meet­ing to this day. The next day, being their fair-day, we passed through the fair, and ‘sounded the day of the Lord, and his everlasting truth amongst them.’

After this we came into another county, and at noon into a great market town; and went to several inns, before we could get any meat for our horses. At last we came to one, where we got some. Then John-ap-John being with me, went, and spoke through the town, declaring the truth to the people; and when he came to me again, he said he thought all the town were as people asleep. After awhile he was moved to go and declare truth in the streets again; then the town was all in an uproar, and cast him into prison. Presently after, several of the chief of the town came down, with others, to the inn where I was, and said, 'They have cast your man into prison.' 'For what?' said I. 'He preached in our streets,' said they. I asked them, ‘What did he say? Had he reproved some of the drunkards and swearers, and warned them to repent, and leave off their evil doings, and turn to the Lord?’ I asked them, 'Who cast him into prison?' They said, 'The high-sheriff, the justices, and the mayor.' I asked their names, and whether they understood themselves? and whether that was their carriage to travellers who passed [Page 318]through their town; and to strangers that admonished them, and exhorted them to fear the Lord, and reproved sin in their gates? These went and told the officers what I said; and after awhile they brought John-ap-John guarded with halberds, in order to put him out of the town. I being at the inn-door, bid the officers take their hands off of him. They said, ‘The mayor and justices had commanded them to put him out of town.’ I told them, ‘I would talk with their mayor and justices anon concerning their un­civil and unchristian carriage towards him.’ I spoke to John to go look after the horses, and get them ready; and charged the officers not to touch him; and after I had de­clared the truth to them, and shewed the fruits of their priests, and their incivility and unchristian-like carriage, they went away and left us. They were a kind of Inde­pendents; a very wicked town, and false. We bid the inn-keeper give our horses a peck of oats; and no sooner had we turned our backs, but the oats were stolen from our horses. After we had refreshed ourselves a little, and were ready, we took horse, and rode up to the inn, where the mayor, sheriff, and justices were. I called to speak with them, and asked them the reason, ‘Wherefore they had imprisoned John-ap-John, and kept him in prison two or three hours?’ But they would not answer me a word; only looked out at the windows upon me. I shewed them ‘how unchristian their carriage was to strangers and travel­lers, and manifested the fruits of their teachers; and de­clared the truth to them, and warned them of the day of the Lord that was coming upon all the evil-doers: and the Lord's power came over them, that they looked asha­med;’ but not a word could I get from them in answer. So when I had warned them to repent, and turn to the Lord, we passed away; and at night came to a little inn, very poor, but very cheap; for our own provision, and our two horses cost but eight pence: but the horses would not eat their oats. We declared the truth to the people of the place, and sounded the day of the Lord thro' the countries.

From thence we came to a great town, and went to an inn. Edward Edwards went into the market, and declared the truth amongst the people; who followed him to the inn, silled the inn-yard, and were exceeding rude. Yet a good service we had for the Lord amongst them. For the life of christianity and the power of it tormented their chaffy spi­rits, and came over them, so that some were reached and [Page 319]convinced; the Lord's power came over all; and the ma­gistrates were bound, they had no power to meddle with us.

After this we came to another great town on a market-day; where John-ap-John declared the everlasting truth through the streets, and proclaimed the day of the Lord. In the evening many gathered about the inn; and some of them, being drunk, would fain have had us into the street again; but seeing their design, I told them, ‘If there were any that feared God, and desired to hear truth, they might come into our inn; or else we might have a meeting with them next morning.’ Some service for the Lord we had amongst them, both over night and in the morning: and though they were hard to receive the truth, yet the seed was sown; and thereabouts the Lord hath a people gather­ed to himself. In that inn also I turned my back to the man that was giving oats to my horse; and looking back, he was filling his pockets with the provender. A wicked, thievish people, to rob the poor dumb creature of his food! I had rather they had robbed me.

Leaving this town, and travelling on, a great man over­took us on the way. He purposed (as he told us afterwards) to have taken us up at the next town for highwaymen. But before we came to the town, I was moved of the Lord to speak to him. What I spoke, reached to the witness of God in the man; who was so affected therewith, that he had us to his house, and entertained us very civilly. He and his wife desired us to give them some scriptures, both for proof of our principles, and against the priests. We were glad of the service, and furnished him with scriptures enough; and he wrote them down, and was convinced of the truth, both by the Spirit of God in his own heart, and by the scriptures, which were a confirmation to him. Af­terwards he set us on in our journey; and as we travelled, we came to an hill, which the people of the country say is two or three miles high; from the side of this hill I could see a great way. And I was moved to set my face several ways, and to sound the day of the Lord there: and I told John-ap-John (a faithful Welsh minister) in what places God would raise up a people to himself, to sit under his own teaching. Those places he took notice of; and since there hath been a great people arisen there. The like I have been moved to do in many other parts inhabited by rude people: yet I have been moved to declare the Lord had a seed in those places: and afterwards there hath been a brave [Page 320]people raised up in the covenant of God, and gathered in the name of Jesus; where they have salvation and free teaching.

From this hill we came to Dolegelle: and went to an inn. John-ap-John declared through the streets; and the town's people rose and gathered about him. There being two Independent priests in the town, they came out, and discoursed with him both together. I went to them: and finding them speaking in Welsh, I asked them, ‘What was the subject they spoke upon, and why they were not more moderate, and spoke one by one? For the things of God,’ I told them, ‘were weighty, and they should speak of them with fear and reverence.’ Then I desired them to speak in English, that I might discourse with them; and they did so. They affirmed, ‘That the Light, which John came to bear witness of, was a created, natural, made light.’I took the bible, and shewed them (as I had done to others before) ‘That the natural lights, which were made and created, were the sun, moon, and stars: but this light, which John bare witness to, and which he called the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, is the life in Christ the Word, by which all things were made and created. The same that is called the life in Christ, is called the light in man. This is an heavenly, divine light, which lets men see their evil words and deeds, and shews them all their sins; and (if they would attend to it) would bring them to Christ, from whom it comes, that they might know him to save them from their sin, and to blot it out. This light, I told them, shined in the darkness in their hearts, and the darkness in them could not comprehend it; but in those hearts, where God had commanded it to shine out of darkness, it gave unto such the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus their Saviour. I opened the scriptures largely to them, and turned them to the Spirit of God in their hearts; which would reveal the mysteries in the scriptures to them, and would lead them into all truth, as they became sub­ject thereunto. I directed them to that which would give every one of them the knowledge of Christ, who died for them; that he might be their way to God, and might make peace betwixt God and them.’ The people were attentive, and I desired John-ap-John to stand up, and speak it in Welsh to them; which he did: and they gene­rally received it, and with hands lifted up, blessed and prais­ed [Page 321]God. The priests mouths were stopped, so that they were quiet all the while; for I had brought them to be so­ber at the first, by telling them, ‘when they spoke of the things of God and of Christ, they should speak with fear and reverence.’ Thus the meeting broke up in peace in the street. Many of the people accompanied us to our inn, re­joiced in the truth that had been declared to them; and that they were turned to the light and Spirit in themsel [...]es, by which they might see their sin, and know salvation from it. When we went out of the twon, the people were so affected, that they lifted up their hands, and blessed the Lord for our coming. A precious seed the Lord hath there-away; and a great people in those parts is since gathered to the Lord Jesus Christ, to sit under his free teaching; and they have suffered much for him.

From this place we passed to Ca [...]rnarvon, a town like a castle. When we had set up our horses at an inn, and re­freshed ourselves, John-ap-John went and spoke through the streets; which were so straight and short, that one might stand in the midst of the town, and see both the gates. I followed John-ap-John, and a multitude were soon gather­ed about him; amongst whom a very dark priest began to babble; but his mouth was soon stopped. When John had cleared himself, I declared the word of life amongst the people; ‘directing them to the light of Christ in their hearts, that by it they might see all their own ways, religions, and teachers, and might come off from them all to Christ, the true and living way, and the free teacher.’ Some of the people were rude, but the greater part were civil; and told us, ‘They had heard how we had been persecuted and abused in many places, but they would not do so to us there.’ I commended their moderation and sobriety, ‘and warned them of the day of the Lord that was coming upon all sin and wickedness; testifying unto them, that Christ was now come to teach his people himself, by his Spirit and power.’

From hence we went to Beaumaris, a twon wherein John-ap-John had formerly been a preacher. After we had put up our horses at an inn, John went and spoke through the street; and there being a garrison in the town, they took him, and put him into prison. The inn-keeper's wife came, and told me, ‘That the governor and magistrates were send­ing for me, to commit me to prison also.' I told her, They had done more than they could answer already; [Page 322]and had acted contrary to christianity in imprisoning him for reproving sin in their streets and gates, and for declar­ing the truth.’ Soon after came other friendly people, and told me, ‘If I went into the street, they would imprison me also; therefore they desired me to keep within the inn.’ Upon this I was moved to go and walk up and down in the streets; and told the people, 'What an uncivil, unchristi­an 'thing they had done, in casting my friend into prison. And they being high professors, I asked them, ‘If this was the entertainment they had for strangers? And if they would willingly be so served themselves? And whether they, who looked upon the scriptures to be their rule, had any example in the scriptures, from Christ or his apostles, for what they had done?"’ So after awhile they set John-ap-John at liberty.

Next day, being market-day, we were to cross a great water; and not far from the place where we were to take boat, many of the market-people drew to us; amongst whom we had good service for the Lord, ‘declaring the word of life and everlasting truth unto them, and proclaiming the day of the Lord amongst them, which was coming upon all wickedness; and directing them to the light of Christ, which he, the heavenly man, had enlightened them with­al; by which they might see all their sins, and all their false ways, religions, worships and teachers: and by the same light might see Christ Jesus, who was come to save them, and lead them to God.’ After the truth had been declared to them in the power of God, and Christ the free teacher set over all the hireling teachers; I bid John-ap-John get his horse into the boat, which was then ready. But there being a company of wild gentlemen, as they cal­led them, got into it, whom we found very rude, and far from gentleness; they, with others, kept his horse out of the boat. I rode to the boat's side, and spoke to them, shewing them, ‘What an unmanly and unchristian carriage it was; and told them, they shewed an unworthy spirit, below christianity or humanity.’ As I spoke, I leaped my horse into the boat amongst them; thinking John's horse would have followed, when he had seen mine go in before him: but the water being pretty deep, John could not get his horse into the boat. Wherefore I leaped out again on horseback into the water, and staid with John on that side, till the boat returned. There we tarried from the eleventh hour of the forenoon to the second in the afternoon, [Page 323]before the boat came to fetch us; and then had forty-two miles to ride that evening; and by that time we had paid for our passage, we had but one groat left between us in money. We rode about sixteen miles, and then got a little hay for our horses. Setting forward again, we came in the night to a little ale-house, where we thought to have staid and baited. But finding we could have neither oats nor hay there, we travelled all night; and about the fifth hour in the morning got to a place within six miles of Wrexham; where that day we met with many friends, and had a glo­rious meeting; the Lord's everlasting power and truth was over all: and a meeting is continued there to this day. Ve­ry weary we were with travelling so hard up and down in Wales; and in many places we found it difficult to get meat either for our horses or ourselves.

The next day we passed from thence into Flintshire, sounding the day of the Lord through the towns: and came into Wrexham at night. Here many of Floyd's people came to us; but very rude, wild, and airy they were, and little sense of truth they had: yet some were convinced in that town. Next morning one called a lady sent for me, who kept a preacher in her house. I went to her house, but found both her and her preacher very light and airy; too light to receive the weighty things of God. In her lightness she came and asked me, 'If she should cut my hair? I was moved to reprove her, and bid her cut down the corrup­tions in herself with the sword of the Spirit of God; so after I had admonished her to be more grave and sober, we pass­ed away. Afterwards in her frothy mind she made her boast, that she, 'came behind me, and cut off the curl of my hair;' but she spoke falsely.

From Wrexham we came to West-chester; and it being the fair-time, we staid there awhile, and visited friends. For I had travelled through every county in Wales, preach­ing the everlasting gospel of Christ: and a brave people there is now, who have received it, and sit under Christ's teaching. But before I left Wales, I wrote to the magis­trates of Beaumaris concerning their imprisoning John-ap-John; letting them see their condition, the fruits of their christianity, and of their teachers. Afterwards I met with some of them near London; but oh! how ashamed they were of their action!

From West-chester we came to Liverpool, where was at that time a fair; and as I rode through the fair, there stood [Page 324]a friend upon the cross, declaring the truth to the people; who seeing me ride by, and knowing I had appointed a meeting to be the next day upon an hill not far off, gave notice to the people, ‘That George Fox, the servant of the Lord, would have a meeting next day upon such an hill; and if any feared the Lord, they might come and hear him declare the word of life to them.’ We went that night to Richard Cubban's, who himself was convinced, though not his wife; but at that time she was convinced also.

Next day we went to the meeting on the top of the hill, which was very large. Some rude people with a priest's wife came, and made a noise for awhile; but the Lord's power came over them, the meeting became quiet, and the truth of God was declared amongst them. Many were that day settled upon the rock and foundation Christ Jesus, and under his teaching; who made peace betwixt God and them.

We had a small meeting with a few friends and people at Malpoth. From thence we came to another place, where we had a meeting. There came a bailiff with a sword, and was rude; but the Lord's power came over him, and friends were established in the truth.

From thence we came to Manchester: and the sessions being there that day, many rude people were come out of the country. In the meeting they threw at me coals, clods, stones, and water: yet the Lord's power bore me up over them, that they could not strike me down. At last, when they saw they could not prevail by throwing water, stones, and dirt at me, they went and informed the justices in the sessions; who thereupon sent officers to fetch me before of life to the people, plucked me down, and haled me into their court. When I came there all the court was in a dis­order and a noise. Wherefore I asked, ‘Where were the magistrates, that they did not keep the people civil?’ Some of the justices said, They were magistrates. I asked them, ‘Why then they did not appease the people, and keep them sober?’ For one cried, I'll swear, and another cried, I'll swear. I declared to the justices, ‘How we were abused in our meeting by the rude people, who threw stones, clods, dirt, and water: and how I was haled out of the meeting and brought thither, contrary to the instrument of government,’ which said, ‘None should be molested in [Page 325]their meetings that professed God, and owned the Lord Jesus Christ;’ which I did.' The truth so came over them, that when one of the rude followers cried, ‘He would swear;’ one of the justices checked him, saying, 'What, will you swear? hold your tongue.' At last they bid the constable, ‘Have me to my lodging, and there I should be secured till to-morrow morning that they sent for me again.’ So the constable had me to my lodging. As we went the people were exceeding rude; but I let them see the ‘fruits of their teachers, how they shamed christia­nity, and dishonoured the name of Jesus which they pro­fessed.’ At night we went to a justice's in the town, who was pretty moderate, and I had a great deal of discourse with him. Next morning we sent to the constable to know if he had any thing more to say to us? He sent us word, ‘He had nothing to say to us, we might go whither we would.’ The Lord hath since raised up a people to stand for his name and truth in that town over those chaffy pro­fessors.

We passed from Manchester, having many precious meetings in serveral places, till we came to Preston; be­tween which and Lancaster I had a general meeting: from which I went to Lancaster. There at our inn I met with colonel West, who was very glad to see me; who meeting with judge Fell, told him, ‘I was mightily grown in the tuth;’ when indeed he was come nearer to the truth, and so could better discern it.

We came from Lancaster to Robert Widders's. On the first-day after I had a general meeting near the Sands-side, of friends of Westmoreland and Lancashire, when the Lord's everlasting power was over all; in which the word of eternal life was declared, and friends were settled upon the foundation, Christ Jesus, under his free teaching; and many were convinced, and turned to the Lord.

Next day I came over the Sands to Swarthmore, where friends were glad to see me. I staid there two first-days, vi­siting friends in their meetings there-away. They rejoiced with me in the goodness of the Lord, who by his eternal power had carried me through and over, many difficul­ties and dangers in his service; to him be the praise for ever!

Having got a little respite from travel, I was moved to write an epistle to friends, as followeth:

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

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

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

From hence I went through Kendal, where a warrant had long lain to apprehend me; and the constables seeing [Page 334]me ran to fetch their warrant as I was riding through the town; but before they could come up with it I was past, and so escaped their hands.

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

From hence we passed into Cumberland, where we had many precious, living meetings. After we had travelled to Gilsland, and had a meeting there, we came to Carlisle, where they used to put friends out of the town; but there came a great flood while we were there, that they could n [...] put us out of the town; so we had a meeting there on the first-day. After which we passed to Abbey-holm, and had a little meeting there. This is a place where I told friends long before there would be a great people come forth to the Lord; which hath since come to pass, and a large meeting there is gathered to the Lord in those parts.

I passed from hence to a general meeting at Langlands in Cumberland, which was very large; for most of the people had so forsaken the priests, that the steeple-houses in some places stood empty. And John Wilkinson, a preacher, that I have often named before, who had three steeple-houses, had so few hearers left, that, giving over preaching in the steeple-houses, he first set up a meeting in his house, and preached there to them that were left. Afterwards he set up a silent meeting (like friends) to which came a few: for most of his hearers were come to friends. Thus he held on, till he had not past half a dozen left; the rest still forsaking him, and coming away to friends. At last, when he had so very few left, he would come to Pardsey-Crag (where friends had a meeting of several hundreds of people, who were all come to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ's teaching) and he would walk about the meeting on the first-days, like a man that went about the commons to look for sheep. During this time, I came to Pardsey-Crag meeting, and he with three or four of his followers, yet left him, came to the meeting that day; and were all thoroughly convinced. After the meeting. Wilkinson asked me two or three questi­ons, which I answered to his satisfaction; from that time he came amongst friends, became an able minister, preached the [Page 335]gospel freely, and turned many to Christ's free teaching. And after he had continued many years in the free ministry of Christ Jesus, he died in the year 1675.

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

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

Leaving Heads, we went to Badcow, and had a meeting there: to which abundance of people came, and many were convinced: amongst whom was one called a lady. From thence we passed towards the Highlands to William Os­born's, where we gathered up the sufferings of friends, and the principles of the Scotch priests, which may be seen in a book called, "The Scotch Priests Principles."

Afterwards we returned to Heads, Badcow, and Gar­shore, where the said lady Margaret Hambleton was con­vinced; who afterwards went to warn O. Cromwel and Charles Fleetwood of the day of the Lord that was coming upon them.

On first-day we had a great meeting, and several profes­sors came to it. Now the priests had frighted the people with the doctrine of election and reprobation: telling them, ‘That God had ordained the greatest part of men and wo­men [Page 336]for hell; that, let them pray, or preach, or sing, and do what they could, it was all to no purpose, if they were ordained for hell; that God had a certain number, which were elected for heaven; and let them do what they would, as David an adulterer, and Paul a persecutor, yet elected vessels for heaven. So the fault was not at all in the crea­ture, less or more; but God had ordained it so.' I was led to open to the people the falseness and folly of their priests doctrines, and shewed them, the priests had abus­ed those scriptures which they had brought and quoted to them, as in Jude, and other places. For whereas they said, "There was no fault at all in the creature;" I shew­ed them, that they, whom Jude speaks of, to wit, Cain, Core, and Balaam, who, he says, were ordained of old to condemnation, the fault was in them. For did not God warn Cain and Balaam, and put the question to Cain, "If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted?" And did not the Lord bring Core out of Egypt, and his company? yet did not he gainsay both God and his law, and his prophet Moses? Here people might see that there was a fault in Cain, Corah, and Balaam; and so there is in all that go in their ways. For if they, who are called chris­tians, resist the gospel as Core did the law, err from the Spirit of God as Balaam did, and do evil as Cain did, is not here a fault? which fault is in themselves, and is the cause of their reprobation, and not God. Doth not Christ say, "Go, preach the gospel to all nations?" Which is the gospel of salvation. He would not have sent them into all nations, to preach the doctrine of salvation, if the greatest part of men had been ordained for hell. Was not Christ a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, for those that became reprobates, as well as for the saints? He died for all men, the ungodly as well as the godly, as the apostle bears witness, 2 Cor. v. 15. Rom. v. vi. And "he enlightens every man that cometh into the world," that through him they might all believe. And Christ bids them believe in the light: but all they that hate the light, which Christ bids all believe in, are reprobated. Again, ‘The manifestation of the Spirit of God is given to every man to profit withal;’ but they that vex, quench, and ‘grieve it, are in the reprobation; and the fault is in them, as it is also in them that hate his light: The apostle saith, The grace of God, which brings salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and [Page 337]worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world,’ Tit. ii. 11, 12. Now all those that live ungodly, and in the lusts of the world, that turn from this grace of God into wantonness, and walk despitefully against it, and so deny God, and the Lord Jesus Christ that bought them, the fault is in all such that turn from the grace of God into wantonness, and walk despitefully against that which would bring their salvation, and save them out of the reprobation. But the priests, it seems, can see no fault in such as deny God, and the Lord Jesus Christ that bought them, such as deny his light, which they should believe in, and his grace, which should teach them to live godly, and which should bring them their salvation. Now all that believe in the light of Christ, as he commands, are in the election; and sit un­der the teaching of the grace of God, which brings their salvation. But such as turn from this grace into wanton­ness are in the reprobation: and such as hate the light are in the condemnation. Therefore I exhorted all to believe in the light, as Christ commands, and own the grace of God their free teacher; and it would assuredly bring them their salvation: for it is sufficient.’ Many other scriptures were opened concerning reprobation, and the eyes of the people were opened; and a spring of life rose up among them.

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

The first was, ‘Cursed is he that saith, Every man hath a light within him sufficient to lead him to salvation: and let all the people say, Amen.’

The second, ‘Cursed is he that saith, Faith is without sin: and let all the people say, Amen.’

[Page 338] The third, ‘Cursed is he that denieth the sabbath-day: and let all the people say, Amen.’

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

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

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

There were a company of Scots near Badcow, who chal­lenged a dispute with some of our Scotch friends (for with me they would not dispute:) so some of the Scotch friends met them at the market-place. The dispute was to be concerning the sabbath-day, and some other of their princi­ples before-mentioned; and I having got their principles and assertions, shewed the friends where they might easily be overthrown; and a Scotch friend, a smith, overthrew them clearly.

There were two Independent churches in Scotland, in one of which many were convinced; but the pastor of the other was in a great rage against truth and friends. They had their elders, who sometimes would exercise their gifts amongst the church members, and were sometimes pretty tender: but their pastor speaking so much against the light, and us, the friends of Christ, he darkened his hearers; so that they grew blind and dry, and lost their tenderness. He continued preaching against friends, and against the light of Christ Jesus, calling it natural; at last one day in his [Page 339]preaching he cursed the light, and fell down as dead in his pulpit. The people carried him out, laid him upon a grave-stone, and poured strong waters into him, which fetched him to life again; and they carried him home, but he was mopish. After awhile he stripped off his cloaths, put on a Scotch plaid, and went into the country amongst the dairy-women. When he had staid there about two weeks he came home, and went into the pulpit again. Whereupon the people expected some great manifestation or revelation from him; but, instead thereof, he began to tell them what entertainment he had met with; how one woman gave him skimmed milk, another buttermilk, and another good milk: so the people were obliged to take him out of the pulpit again, and carry him home. He that gave me this account, was Andrew Robinson, one of his chief hearers, who came afterwards to be convinced, and re­ceived the truth. He said, he never heard that he reco­vered his senses again. By this people may see what came upon him that cursed the light, which light is the life in Christ, the word; and it may be a warning to all others that speak evil against the light of Christ.

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

[Page 340] When I had staid awhile at Edinburgh, I went to Leith, where many officers of the army came in with their wives; and many were convinced. Edward Billing's wife was one. She brought a great deal of coral in her hand, and threw it on the table before me, to see whether I would speak against it, or no, I took no notice of it, but declared the truth to her, and she was reached. Many Baptists were very rude; but the Lord's power came over them, so that they went away confounded. Then there came in another sort; one of whom said, ‘He would dispute with me; and, for argument's sake, would deny there was a God.’ I told him, ‘He might be one of those fools that said in his heart, There is no God; but he should know him in the day of his judgment.’ So he went his way, and a fine precious time we had afterwards with several people of account; and the Lord's power came over all. William Osborn was with me. Colonel Lidcot's wife, William Welsh's wife, and se­veral of the officers themselves were convinced. Edward Billing and his wife at that time lived apart; and she being reached by truth, and become loving to friends, we sent for her husband, who came, and the Lord's power reached to them both; they joined together in it, and agreed to live together in love and unity, as man and wife.

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

I mentioned before, that many of the Scotch priests being greatly disturbed at the spreading of truth, and the loss of their hearers thereby, were gone to Edinburgh to petition the council against me. When I came from the meeting to [Page 341]the inn where I lodged, an officer belonging to the council brought me the following order:

When he had delivered me the order, he asked me, 'Whether I would appear or no?' I did not tell him whe­ther I would or no; but asked him, ‘If he had not forged the order?’ He said, ‘No; it was a real order from the council, and he was sent as their messenger with it.’ When the time came I appeared, and was had into a great room, where many persons came and looked at me. After awhile the door-keeper had me into the council-chamber: and as I was going, he took off my hat. I asked him, ‘Why he did so? and who was there, that I might not go in with my hat on? I told him, I had been before the Protector with my hat on.’ But he hung up my hat and had me in before them. When I had stood awhile, and they said nothing to me, I was moved of the Lord to say, ‘Peace be amongst you. Wait in the fear of God, that ye may receive his wisdom from above, by which all things were made and created; that by it ye may all be ordered, and may order all things under your hands to God's glo­ry.’ They asked me, ‘What was the occasion of my com­ing into that nation?’ I told them I came to visit the ‘seed of God, which had long lain in bondage under cor­ruption; that all in the nation, who professed the scrip­tures, the words of Christ, of the prophets and apostles, might come to the light, Spirit, and power, which they were in who gave them forth; that in and by the Spirit they might understand the scriptures, and know Christ and God aright, have fellowship with them, and one with another.’ They asked me, ‘Whether I had any outward business there?’ I said, 'Nay.' Then they asked me. 'How long I intended to stay in that country?' I told them, ‘I should say little to that; my time was not to be long; yet in my freedom in the Lord I stood, in the will of him that sent me.’ Then they bid me withdraw; and 'the door-keeper took me by the hand, and led me forth. [Page 342]In a little time they sent for me again, and told me, ‘I must depart the nation of Scotland by that day sevennight.’ I asked them. ‘Why? What had I done? What was my transgression, that they passed such a sentence upon me to depart out of the nation?’ They told me, ‘They would not dispute with me.’ ‘I desired them to hear what I had to say to them.’ They said, ‘They would not hear me.’ I told them, ‘Pharaoh heard Moses and Aaron, yet he was an heathen; and Herod heard John Bap­tist; and they should not be worse than these.’ But they cried, 'Withdraw, withdraw.' Whereupon the door-keeper took me again by the hand and led me out. I returned to my inn, and continued still in Edinburgh; visiting friends there and thereabouts, and strengthening them in the Lord. After a little time I wrote a letter to the council, to lay be­fore them their unchristian dealings, in banishing me, an innocent man that sought their salvation and eternal good.

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

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

After I had visited friends at and about Heads, and en­couraged them in the Lord, I went to Glasgow, where a meeting was appointed; but not one of the town came to it. As I went into the city, the guard at the gates took me before the governor, who was a moderate man. A great deal of discourse I had with him; but he was too light to receive the truth; yet he set me at liberty: so I passed to the meeting. But seeing none of the town's people came to the meeting, we declared truth through the town; then passed away, visited friends meetings thereabouts, and re­turned towards Badcow. Several friends declared truth in their steeple-houses, and the Lord's power was with them. [Page 345]One time, as I was going with William Osborn to his house, there lay a company of rude fellows by the way-side, who had hid themselves under the hedges and in bushes. I espying them, asked him, 'What they were?' 'Oh!' said he, 'they are thieves.' Robert Widders, being moved to go to speak to a priest, was left behind, intending to come af­ter; so I said to William Osborn, ‘I will stay here in this valley, and do thou go look after Robert Widders.’ But he was unwilling to go, being afraid to leave me there alone because of those fellows; till I told him, ‘I feared them not.’ Then I called to them, asking them, What they lay lurking there for? I bid them come up to me; but they were loth to come. I charged them to come up to me, or else it might be worse with them. Then they came trem­bling to me; for the dread of the Lord had struck them. I admonished them to be honest, and directed them to the light of Christ in their hearts, that by it they might see what an evil it was to follow after theft and robbery; and the power of the Lord came over them. I staid there till William Osborn and Robert Widders came, and then we passed on together. But it is likely, if we two had gone before, they would have robbed Widders when he had come after alone, there being three or four of them.

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

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

Leaving Stirling we came to Burnt-Island, where I had two meetings at Captain Pool's; one in the morning, the other in the afternoon. Whilst they went to dinner I walk­ed [Page 346]to the sea-side, not having freedom to eat with them. Both he and his wife were convinced, and became good friends afterward; and several officers of the army came in and received the truth.

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

Being thus thrust out of Johnstons we went to another market-town, where Edward Billing and many soldiers quartered. We went to an inn, and desired to have a meet­ing in the town, that we might preach the everlasting gospel amongst them. The officers and soldiers said, ‘We should have it in the town-hall;’ but the Scotch magistrates in spite appointed a meeting there that day for the business of the town. Which when the officers of the soldiery under­stood, and perceived that it was done in malice, they would have had us to have gone into the twon-hall nevertheless. But we told them, 'No, by no means;' for then the magis­trates might inform the governor against them, and say, ‘They took the town-hall from them by force, when they were to do their town-business therein.’ We told them. 'We would go to the market-place.' They said. ‘It was market-day.’ We replied, ‘It was so much the better; for we would have all people to hear the truth and know our principles.’ Alexander Parker went and stood upon the market-cross, with a bible in his hand, and declared the [Page 347]truth amongst the soldiers and market-people: but the Scots, being a dark, carnal people, gave little heed, nor hardly took notice what was said. After awhile I was mo­ved of the Lord to stand up at the cross, and to declare with a loud voice the everlasting truth, and the day of the Lord that was coming upon all sin and wickedness. Where-upon the people came running out of the town-hall, and gathered so together that at last we had a large meeting; for they only sate in the court for a colour to hinder us from having the hall to meet in. When the people were come away, the magistrates followed them. Some walked by, but some staid and heard; and the Lord's power came over all and kept all quiet. ‘The people were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for them, and had en­lightened them, that with his light they might see their evil deeds, be saved from their sins by him, and might come to know him to be their teacher. But if they would not receive Christ, and own him, it was told them, that this light which came from him would be their condemna­tion’

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

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

I went from Leith to Edinburgh again, where they said the warrants from the council were out against me. I went [Page 348]to the inn where I had lodged before, and no man offered to meddle with me. After I had visited friends in the city, I desired those that travelled with me to get ready their horses in the morning; and we rode out of town together. There were with the me Thomas Rawlinson, Alexander Parker, and Robert Widders. When we were come out of the town, they asked me, 'Whither I would go?' I told them, ‘It was upon me from the Lord to go back again to Johnstons (the town out of which we had been lately thrust) and to set the power of God and his truth over them also.’ Alexan­der Parker said, 'He would go along with me;' and I wish­ed the other two to stay at a town about three miles from Edinburgh till we returned. Then Alexander Parker and I got over the water, which was about three miles over, and rode through the country; but in the afternoon, his horse being weak and not able to hold up with mine, I put on and got into Johnstons just as they were drawing up the bridges, the officers and soldiers never questioning me. I rode up the street to captain Davenport's, from whence we had been banished. There were many officers with him: and when I came amongst them they lifted up their hands, admiring that I should come again; but I told them, ‘The Lord God had sent me amongst them again.’ They went their way; and the Baptists sent me a letter, by way of chal­lenge, 'That they would discourse with me the next day.' I sent them word, ‘I would meet them at such a house, about half a mile out of the town, at such an hour.’ For I considered, if I should stay in town to discourse with them, they might, under pretence of discoursing with me, have raised men to put me out of town again, as they had done before. At the time appointed I went to the place, captain Davenport and his son accompanying me; where I staid some hours, but not one of them came. While I staid waiting for them, I espied Alexander Parker coming; who not being able to reach the town, had lain out the night before; and I was exceeding glad that we were met again.

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

When we had waited beyond reasonable ground to expect any of their coming we departed; and Alexander Parker being moved to go again to the town where we had the meet­ing at the market-cross, I passed alone to licutenant Fos­ter's [Page 349]quarters, where I found several officers that were con­vinced. From thence I went to the town where I had left the other two friends, and they and I went back to Edin­burgh together.

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

As we travelled along the country I espied a steeple-house, and it struck at my life. I asked, what steeple-house it was? and was answered, it was Dunbar. When I came thither, and had set up at an inn, I walked to the steeple­house, having a friend or two with me. When we came to the steeple-house yard, one of the chief men of the town was walking there. I spoke to one of the friends that was with me, ‘To go to him, and tell him, that about the ninth hour next morning there would be a meeting there of the people of God called Quakers; of which we desired he would give notice to the people of the town.’ He sent me word, ‘That they were to have a lecture there by the ninth hour; but that we might have our meeting there by the eighth hour if we would.’ We concluded so, and desired him to give notice of it. Accordingly in the morning both poor and rich came; and there being a captain of horse quartered in the town, he and his troopers came also, so that we had a large concourse: and a glorious meeting it was, the Lord's power being over all. After some time the priest came, and went into the steeple-house; but we being in the yard, [Page 350]most of the people staid with us. Friends were so full, and their voices so high in the power of God, that the priest could do little in the house, but came quickly out again, stood awhile, and then went his way. I opened to the people, ‘Where they might find Christ Jesus, turned them to the light, which he had enlightened them withal, that in the light they might see Christ who died for them, turn to him, and know him to be their Saviour and teacher; let them see, that the teachers they had hitherto followed were hirelings, who made the gospel chargeable; shewed them the wrong ways they had walked in, in the night of apostacy, directed them to Christ, the new and living way to God; manifested unto them, how they had lost the re­ligion and worship which Christ set up in spirit and truth, and had hitherto been in the religions and worships of men's making and setting up; and after I had turned the people to the Spirit of God, which led the holy men of God to give forth the scriptures, and shewed them that they must also come to receive and be led by the same Spirit in themselves (a measure of which was given unto every one of them) if ever they came to know God and Christ and the scriptures aright, perceiving the other friends to be full of power and the word of the Lord, I stepped down, giving way for them to declare what they had from the Lord to the people.’ Towards the latter end of the meeting some professors began to jangle; whereupon I stood up again and answered their questions, so that they seemed to be satisfied and our meeting ended in the Lord's power, quiet and peaceable. This was the last meeting I had in Scotland. The truth and the power of God was set over that nation, and many, by the power and Spirit of God were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour and Teacher, whose blood was shed for them; and there is since a great increase, and great there will be in Scotland, tho' the time may be far distant at present. For when first I set my horse's feet upon Scottish ground, I felt the seed of God to sparkle about me, like innumerable sparks of fire. Not but that there is abundance of thick, cloddy earth of hy­pocrisy and salseness atop, and a briery, brambly nature, which is to be burned up with God's word, and plowed up with his spiritual plough, before God's seed brings forth heavenly and spiritual fruit to his glory. But the husband­man is to wait in patience.

From Dunbar we came to Berwick, where we were ques­tioned [Page 351]a little by the officers; but the governor was loving towards us, and in the evening we had a little meeting, in which the power of the Lord was manifested over all.

Leaving Berwick we came to Morpeth, and through the country, visiting friends, to Newcastle, where I had been once before. The Newcastle priests wrote many books against us, and one Ledger, an alderman of the town, was very envious against truth and friends. He and the priests had said, ‘The Quakers would not come into any great towns, but lived in the fells like butterflies.’ I took An­thony Pearson with me, and went to this Ledger and seve­ral others of the aldermen; ‘desiring to have a meeting amongst them, seeing they had written so many books against us: for we were now come, I told them, into their great town.’ But they would not yield we should have a meeting, neither would they be spoke with, save only this Ledger and one other. I queried, ‘Had they not called friends butterflies, and said, We would not come into any great towns? And now we were in their town, they would not come at us, tho they had printed books against us: who are the butterflies now?’ Then Ledger began to plead ‘for the sabbath-day. I told him, They kept markets and fairs on that which was the sabbath-day, for that was the seventh day of the week; whereas that day which the pro­fessed christians now meet, on, and call their sabbath, is the first day of the week.’ As we could not have a pub­lick meeting among them, we got a little meeting among friends and friendly people at the Gate-side; where a meet­ing is continued to this day in the name of Jesus. As I was passing by the market-place the power of the Lord rose in me ‘to warn them of the day of the Lord that was com­ing upon them.’ And not long after, all those priests of Newcastle and their profession were turned out when the king came in.

From Newcastle we travelled, having meetings and visit­ing friends, in Northumberland and Bishoprick. A very good meeting we had at lieutenant Dove's, where many were turned to the Lord and his teaching. After which I went to visit a justice of peace, a very sober, loving man, who confessed to the truth.

From thence we came to Durham, where was a man come from London to set up a college to make ministers of Christ, as they said. I went with some others to reason with the man, and to let him see, ‘That to teach men He­brew, [Page 352]Greek, Latin, and the seven arts, which were all but the teachings of the natural man, was not the way to make them ministers of Christ. For the languages began at Babel; and to the Greeks, that spoke Greek as their mother-tongue, the preaching of the cross of Christ was soolishness; and to the Jews, that spoke Hebrew as their mother-tongue, Christ was a stumbling-block. The Ro­mans, who had the Latin, persecuted the Christians; and Pilate, one of the Roman governors, set Hebrew, Greek, and Latin atop of Christ when he crucified him. So he might see the many languages began at Babel, and they set them atop of Christ, the Word, when they crucified him. John the divine, who preached the Word which was in the beginning, said, ‘That the beast and the whore have power over tongues and languages, and they are as wa­ters.’ Thus, I told him, he might see the whore and the beast have power over the tongues and the many languages, which are in mystery Babylon; for they began at Babel, and the persecutors of Christ Jesus set them over him, when he was crucified by them; but he is risen over them all, who was before them all. Now (said I to this man) dost thou think to make ministers of Christ by these na­tural, confused languages which sprung from Babel, are admired in Babylon, and set atop of Christ, the Life, by a persecutor? Oh, no!’ The man confessed to many of these things. Then we shewed him further, ‘That Christ made his ministers himself, gave gifts unto them, and bid them ‘Pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send forth labourers.’ And Peter and John, though unlearned and ignorant as to school-learning, preached Christ Jesus the Word, which was in the beginning, before Babel was. Paul also was made an apostle, not of man, nor by man, neither received he the gospel from man, but from Jesus Christ; who is the same now, and so is the gospel, as it was at that day.’ When we had thus discoursed with him, he became very loving and tender: and after he had considered further of it, declined to set up his college.

From Durham we went to Anthony Pearson's, from thence into Cleveland, and passed through Yorkshire to the further and of Holderness, and had mighty meetings, the Lord's power accompanying us.

After we passed from. Anthony Pearson's, we went by Hust and Pomsret to George Watkinson [...]s, and visited most of the meetings in these parts, till we came to Scale house, [Page 353]and so, to Swarthmore; the everlasting power and arm of God carrying us through and preserving us. After I had visited friends there-away, I passed into Yorkshire and Cheshire, and so through other counties into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire; and glorious meetings we had, the Lord's presence being with us.

At Nottingham I sent to Rice Jones, desiring him ‘to acquaint his people that I had something to say to them from the Lord.’ He came and told me, ‘Many of them lived in the country, and he could not tell how to send to them.’ I told him, ‘He might acquaint them about the town of it, and send to as many in the country as he could.’ The next day we met at the castle, there being about fourscore people, to whom I declared the truth for about the space of two hours; and the Lord's power was over them all, so that they had not power to open their mouths in opposition. When I had done, one of them asked me a question, which I was loth to have answered; for I saw it might lead into jangling, and was unwilling to go into jangling, for some of the people were tender; yet I could not well tell how to escape it. Wherefore I an­swered the question, and was moved forthwith to speak to Rice Jones, and lay before him, ‘That he had been the man who had scattered such as had been tender, and some that had been convinced and had been led out of the va­nities of the world, which he had formerly judged; but now he judged the power of God in them, and they being simple turned to him; so he and they were turned to be vainer than the world: for many of his followers were become the greatest foot-ball players and wrestlers in the whole country. I told them it was the serpent in him that had scattered and done hurt to such as were tender towards the Lord. Nevertheless, if he waited in the fear of God for the seed of the woman, Christ Jesus, to bruise the serpent's head in him, that had scattered and done the hurt; he might come to gather them again by this heaven­ly seed; though it would be an hard work for him, to ga­ther them again out of those vanities he had led them into.’ At this Rice Jones said, ‘Thou liest, it is not the seed of the woman that bruises the serpent's head.’ 'No! said I, 'what is it then? "I say, it is the law," said he. 'But 'said I, the scripture, speaking of the seed of the woman, saith. "It shall bruise thy head, and thou shal [...] bruise his "heel" now, hath the law an heel, said I, to be bruised?' [Page 354]Then Rice Jones and all his company were at a stand, and I was moved in the power of the Lord to say, ‘This seed, Christ Jesus, the seed of the woman, which should bruise the serpent's head, shall brurse thy head, and break you all in pieces.’ Thus I left on the heads of them the seed, Christ; and not long after he and his company scattered to pieces; several of whom came to be friends, and stand to this day. Many of them had been convinced about eight years before, but had been led aside by this Rice Jones: for they denied the inward cross, the power of God, and so went into vanity. It was about eight years, since I had been formerly amongst them; in which time I was to pass over them, and by them, seeing they had slighted the Lord's truth and power, and the visitation of his love unto them. But now was the time that I was moved to go to them again, and it was of great-service; for many of them were brought to the Lord Jesus Christ, and were settled upon him, sitting down under his teaching and feeding, where they were kept fresh and green; and the others that would not be gathered to him soon after withered. This was that Rice Jones, who had some years before said, ‘I was then at the highest, and should fall;’ but, poor man: he little thought how near his own fall was.

We left Nottingham, and went into Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, and Leicestershire, visiting friends, and having meetings as we travelled. We came into Bedford­shire, where we had large gatherings in the name of Jesus. After some time we came to John Crook's, where a general yearly meeting for the whole nation was appointed to be held. This meeting lasted three days, and many friends from most parts of the nation came to it; so that the inns and towns round thereabouts were filled, for many thou­sands of people were at it. And although there was some disturbance by some rude people that had run out from truth; yet the Lord's power came over all, and a glorious meeting it was. The everlasting gospel was preached, and many received it, which gospel brought life and immortality to light in them, and shined over all.

I was moved by the Power and Spirit of the Lord to open unto them the ‘promise of God, that it was made to the seed, not to seeds, as many, but to one; which seed was Christ: and that all people, both male and female, should feel this seed in them, which was heir of the pro­mise, that so they might all witness Christ in them, the [Page 355]hope of glory, the mystery which had been hid from ages and generations, which was revealed to the apostles, and is revealed again now, after the long night of apostacy. So that all might come up into this seed, Christ Jesus, walk in it, and sit down together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, who was the foundation of the prophets and apos­tles, the rock of ages, and is our foundation now. All sitting down in him, sit down in the substance, the first and the last, that changes not, the seed that bruises the serpent's head, which was before he was, who ends all the types, figures, and shadows, and is the substance of them all; in whom there is no shadow.’ Now, these things were upon me to open unto all, that they might mind and see what it is they sit down in.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seventhly, They that sit down in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, sit down in him that never fell, nor ever changed. Here is the safe sitting for all his elect, his church, his spiritual members, of which he is the living head, his living stones, the household of faith; of which [Page 356]house he is the corner-stone, that stands and abides all weathers. "For", as the apostle said, ‘he hath quick­ened us, who were dead in sins and trespasses, &c. and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us, through Jesus Christ.’ Now the ages are come, that his kindness and exceeding riches towards us through Jesus Christ is truly manifested in us, as it was in the apostles days; even in us, who have been dead in sins and trespasses, as they were; but now are quickened, and made to sit together in the hea­venty places in Christ Jesus, the first and the last, by whom all things were created; who is ascended above all, and is over all, and whose glorious presence is now known. All that sit down here, in Christ Jesus, see where all other people sit, and in what. The promise of God being to the seed, which is one, Christ Jesus, every man and woman must come to witness this seed, Christ in them, that they may be heirs of the promise; and inheriting that, they will inherit substance. These things were largely declared of; the state of the church, and the state of the false church since the apostles days, opened; and how the true church fled into the wilderness: and the state of the false prophets, which Christ said should come, and John saw were come, and how all the world wondered after them; and how they had filled the world with false doctrines, ways, worships, and religions: and how the everlasting gospel is now preached again to all nations, kindreds, tongues and peo­ple; for all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people had drunk the whore's cup, and she was over them, and sat up­on them. In this night of apostacy the pure religion and worship in spirit, which was in the apostles days, the way of life and living faith, and the power and Holy Ghost were lost; but now they came to be set up again by Christ Jesus, his messengers and ministers of the gospel, as in the apostles days. For as Christ sent his disciples to go and preach the gospel into all the world, and after that, the false prophets and antichrists went over the world, and preach­ed their false doctrines and traditions, and heathenish and Jewish rudiments, so now again the everlasting gospel must be preached to all nations, and to every creature, that they may come into the pure religion, to worship God in the Spirit and truth, and may know Christ Jesus, their way to God, to be the author of their faith, and may re­ceive [Page 357]the gospel from heaven, and not from men; in which gospel, received from heaven, is the heavenly fellowship, which is a mystery to all the fellowships in the world.' After these things had been largely opened, with many others concerning Christ Jesus and his kingdom, and the people were turned to the divine light of Christ and his Spirit, by which they might come to know God and Christ, and the scriptures, and to have fellowship with them, and one with another in the same Spirit, I was moved to de­clare and open divers other things to those friends who had received a part of the ministry, concerning the exercise of their spiritual gifts in the church: which, being taken in writing by one present, was after this manner;

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

After this meeting was over, and most of the friends gone away, as I was walking in John Crook's garden, there came a party of horse, with a constable, to seize me. I heard them ask, 'Who was in the house?' Somebody made an­swer, 'I was there.' They said, ‘I was the man they looked for;’ and went forthwith into the house, where they had many words with John Crook, and some few friends that were with him. But the Lord's power so confounded them, that they came not into the garden to look for me; but went their way in a rage. When I came into the house, friends were very glad to see them so disappointed, and that I had escaped them. Next day I passed from thence: and after I had visited friends in several places, came to London, the Lord's power accompanying me, and bearing me up in his service.

I had not been long in London, before I heard that a Jesuit, who came over with an embassador from Spain, had challenged all the Quakers to dispute with them at the earl of Newport's house; whereupon some friends let him know some would meet him. Then he sent us word, ‘He would meet with twelve of the wisest learned men we had.’ Awhile after he sent us word, ‘He would meet with but six;’ after that, he sent us word again, ‘He would have but three to come.’ We hastened what we could. lest, for all his great boast, he should put it quite off at last. When we were come to the house, I bid Nicholas Bond [Page 364]and Edward Burrough go up, and enter the discourse with him; and I would walk awhile in the yard, and then come up after them. I advised them to state this question to him, ‘Whether or no the church of Rome, as it now stood, was not degenerated from the true church which was in the pri­mitive times, from the life and doctrine, and from the pow­er and spirit that they were in?’ They stated the question accordingly: and the Jesuit affirmed, ‘That the church of Rome now was in the virginity and purity of the primi­tive church.’ By this time I was come to them. Then we asked him, ‘Whether they had the Holy Ghost poured out upon them, as the apostles had?’ He said, 'No.' 'Then,' said I, ‘If ye have not the same Holy Ghost poured forth upon you, and the same power and Spirit that the apostles had, ye are degenerated from the power and Spirit which the primitive church was in.’ There needed little more to be said to that. Then I asked him, ‘What scripture they had for setting up cloysters for nuns, abbeys and monasteries for men; for all their several or­ders; for their praying by beads, and to images; for making crosses; for forbidding of meats and marriages; and for putting people to death for religion? If, (said I) ye are in the practice of the primitive church, in its pu­rity and virginity, then let us see by scriptures where-ever they practised any such things?’ (For it was agreed on both hands, that we should make good by scriptures what we said.) Then he told us of a written word, and an un­written word? I asked him what he called his unwritten word? He said, ‘The written word is the scriptures, and the unwritten word is that which the apostles spoke by word of mouth; which (said he) are all those traditions that we practise.’ I bid him prove that by scripture. Then he brought that scripture where the apostle says, 2 Thess. ii. 5. ‘When I was with you, I told you these things. That is,’ said he, ‘I told you of nunneries and monasteries, and of putting to death for religion, and of praying by beads, and to images, and all the rest of the practices of the church of Rome; which,’ he said, ‘was the unwritten word of the apostles, which they told then, and have since been continued down by tradition unto these times.’ Then I desired him to read that scripture ‘again, that he might see how he had perverted the apos­tles words; for that which the apostle there tells the Thessalonians, "he had told them before," is not an un­written [Page 365]word, but is there written down; namely, That the man of sin, the son of perdition, shall be revealed be­fore the great and terrible day of Christ, which he was writing of, should come: so this was not telling them any of those things that the church of Rome practises. In like manner the apostle, in the third chapter of that epis­tle,’ tells the church of some disorderly persons, ‘he heard were amongst them, busy-bodies, who did not work at all; concerning whom he had commanded them by his unwritten word, when he was among them, that if any would not work, neither should he eat: which now he commands them again in his written word in this epis­tle’ 2 Thess. iii. So this scripture afforded no proof for their invented traditions, and he had no other scripture-proof to offer. Therefore I told him, ‘This was another degeneration of their church into such inventions and tra­ditions as the apostles and primitive saints never practised.’

After this he came to his sacrament of the altar, begin­ning at the paschal lamb, and the shew-bread, and came to the words of Christ, 'This is my body,' and to what the apostle wrote of it to the Corinthians; concluding, ‘That after the priest had consecrated the bread and wine, it was immortal and divine, and he that received it, received the whole Christ.’ I followed him through the scriptures he brought, till I came to Christ's words and the apostle's. I shewed him, ‘That the same apostle told the Corinthi­ans, after they had taken bread and wine in remembrance of Christ's death, that they were reprobates, ‘if Christ was not in them;’ but if the bread they ate was Christ, he must of necessity be in them after they had eaten it. Besides, if this bread and this wine, which the Corinthians ate and drank, was Christ's body, then how hath Christ a body in heaven? I observed to him also, ‘That both the disciples at the supper, and the Corinthians afterwards, were to eat the bread and drink the wine in ‘remem­brance of Christ.’ and to ‘shew forth his death till he come;’ which plainly proves the bread and wine, which they took, was not his body. For if it had been his real body that they ate, then he had been come, and was then there present, and it had been improper to have done such a thing in remembrance of him, if he had been then pre­sent with them, as the must have been, if that bread and wine which they ate and drank had been his real body.’ As to those words of Christ, 'This is my body,' I told him, [Page 366] ‘Christ calls himself a vine, and a door, and is called in scripture a rock. Is Christ therefore an outward rock, door, or vine?’ O, said the Jesuit, ‘Those words are to be interpreted;’ so, said I, are those words of Christ, "This is my body." Having stopped his mouth as to ar­gument, I made the Jesuit a proposal thus; That seeing he said, ‘The bread and wine was immortal and divine, and the very Christ; and that whosoever received it, re­ceived the whole Christ;’ let a meeting be appointed be­tween some whom the pope and his cardinals should ap­point, and some of us; let a bottle of wine and loaf of bread be brought, and divided each into two parts, and let them consecrate which of those parts they would. Then set the consecrated and the unconsecrated bread and wine in a safe place, with a sure watch upon it; and let trial be thus made, Whether the consecrated bread and wine would not lose its goodness, and the bread grow dry and mouldy, and the wine turn dead and sour, as well and as soon as that which was unconsecrated? By this means, said I, the truth of this matter may be made manifest. And if the consecrated bread and wine change not, but retain their savour and goodness, this may be a means to draw many to your church: if they change, decay, and lose their goodness, then ought you to confess and forsake your error, and shed no more blood about it: for much blood hath been shed about these things; as in queen Ma­ry's days.’ To this the Jesuit made this reply, "Take," said he, ‘a piece of new cloth, and cut it into two pieces, and make two garments of it, and put one of them upon king David's back, and the other upon a beggar's, and the one garment shall wear away as well as the other.’ ‘Is this thy answer, said I? Yes, said he. Then, said I, by this the company may all be satisfied that your conse­crated bread and wine is not Christ. Have ye told peo­ple so long, that the consecrated bread and wine was im­mortal and divine, and that it was the very and real body and blood of Christ, and dost thou now say it will wear away or decay as well as the other! I must tell thee, "Christ remains the same to day as yesterday," and never decays; but is the saints heavenly food in all generations, through which they have life.’ He replied no more to this, being willing to let it fall; for the people that were present saw his error, and that he could not defend it. Then I asked him, ‘Why their church did persecute, and [Page 367]put people to death for religion?’ He replied, ‘It was not the church that did it, but the magistrates.’ I asked him, ‘Whether those magistrates were not counted and called believers and christians?’ He said, Yes: ‘Why then, said I, are they not members of your church?’ 'Yes,' said he. Then I left it to the people to judge from his own concessions, whether the church of Rome doth not perse­cute, and put people to death for religion. Thus we part­ed, and his subtilty was consuted by simplicity.

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

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

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

About this time came forth a declaration from O. Crom­wel, the Protector, for a ‘collection towards the relief of divers protestant churches,’ driven out of Poland, and of ‘twenty protestant families, driven out of the confines of Bohemia.’ And there having been a like declaration pub­lished some time before to invite the nation to a day of solemn fasting and humiliation, in order to a contribution to be made for the suffering protestants of the vallies of Lucern, Angrona, &c. who were persecuted by the duke of Savoy; I was moved to write to the Protector and chief magistrates on this occasion, both to shew them the nature of a true fast (such as God requires and accepts) and to [Page 370]make them sensible of their injustice and self-condemnation in blaming the papists for persecuting the protestants abroad, while they, calling themselves protestants, were at the same time persecuting their protestant neighbours and friends at home. That which I wrote to them was after this manner:

Divers times, both in the time of the long parliament, and of the protector (so called) and of the committee of safety, when they proclaimed fasts, I was moved to write to them, and tell them, their fasts, were like unto Jezebel's: for commonly, when they proclaimed fasts, there was some mischief contrived against us. I knew their fasts were for strife and debate, to smite with the fist of wickedness; as the New-England professors soon after did; who, before they put our friends to death, proclaimed a fast also.

Now it was a time of great suffering; and many friends being in prisons, many other friends were moved to go to the parliament, to offer themselves up to lie in the same prisons where their friends lay, that those in prison might go forth, and not perish in the stinking gaols. This we did in love to God and our brethren, that they might not die in prison; and in love to those that cast them in, that they might not bring innocent blood upon their own heads; which we knew would cry to the Lord, and bring his wrath, vengeance, and plagues upon them. But little favour could we find from those professing parliaments; in­stead thereof, they would rage, and sometimes threaten friends that attended them, to whip, and send them home. Then commonly soon after the Lord would turn them out, [Page 375]and send them home; who had not an heart to do good in the day of their power. But they went not off without being forewarned; for I was moved to write to them, in their several turns, as I did to the long-parliament, unto whom I declared, before they were broken up, ‘that thick darkness was coming over them all, even a day of dark­ness that should be felt.’

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

After this, as I was going out of town, having two friends with me, when we were little more than a mile out of the City, there met us two troopers belonging to colonel Hack­er's regiment, who took me, and the friends with me, and brought us back to the Mews, and there kept us prisoners a little while; but the Lord's power was so over them, that they did not bring us before any officer; but after awhile set us at liberty. The same day, taking boat, I went to Kingston, and from thence to Hampton Court, to speak [Page 376]with the Protector about the sufferings of friends. I met him riding into Hampton Court Park; and before I came to him, as he rode at the head of his life-guard, I saw and felt a waft (or apparition) of death go forth against him; and when I came to him, he looked like a dead man. Af­ter I had laid the sufferings of friends before him, and had warned him, as I was moved to speak to him, he bid me come to his house. So I returned to Kingston, and the next day went to Hampton Court, to have spoken further with him. But when I came, he was sick, and—Har­vy, who waited on him, told me, The doctors were not willing I should speak with him. So I passed away, and never saw him more.

From Kingston I went to Isaac Penington's, in Buck­inghamshire, where I had appointed a meeting; and the Lord's truth and power were preciously manifested amongst us. After I had visited friends in those parts, I returned to London; and soon after went into Essex; where I had not been long, before I heard the Protector was dead, and his son Richard made Protector in his room. Whereupon I came to London again.

Before this time the church faith (so called) was given forth, which was said to be made at the Savoy in eleven days. I got a copy of it before it was published, and wrote an answer to it: and when their book of church faith was sold up and down the streets, my answer to it was sold also. This displeased some of the parliament-men; so that one of them told me, 'They must have me to Smithfield.' I told him, I was over their fires, and feared them not. Reasoning with him, I wished him to consider, Had all people been without a faith these sixteen hundred years, that now the priests must make them one? Did not the apostle say that Jesus was the author and finisher of their faith? And since Christ Jesus was the author of the apos­tles faith, of the church's faith in the primitive times, and of the martyrs faith, should not all people look unto him to be the author and finisher of their faith, and not to the priests? A great deal of work we had about the priests made-faith; for they called us house-creepers, leading silly women captive, because we met in houses, and would not hold up their priests and temples which they had made and set up. I told them, it was they that led silly women cap­tive, and crept into houses, who kept people always learn­ing under them, who were covetous, and had got a form [Page 377]of godliness, but denied the power and Spirit, which the apostles were in. Such began to creep in the apostles days; but now they had got the magistrates on their side, who upheld those houses for them, which they had crept into, their temples, with their tithes: whereas the apostles brought people off from even that temple, and those tithes and offerings, which God had for a time commanded. And the apostles met in several private houses, being to preach the gospel in all nations; which they did freely, as Christ commanded them. Thus do we, who bring people off from these priests, temples, and tithes (which God never commanded) to meet in houses, or on mountains, as the saints of old did, who were gathered in the name of Jesus; and Christ was their Prophet, Priest and Shepherd.

Major Wiggan, a very envious man, was present, yet he bridled himself before the parliament-men, and some others that were there in company. He took upon him to assert, ‘Christ had taken away the guilt of sin, but had left the power of sin remaining in us.’I told him, that was strange doctrine; for Christ came to destroy the devil's works, and the power of sin, and so to cleanse men from sin. So major Wiggan's mouth was stopped at that time. But next day desiring to speak with me again, I took a friend or two with me, and went to him. Then he vented a great deal of passion and rage, beyond the bounds of a christian, or moral man; whereupon I was made to reprove him; and having brought the Lord's power over him, and let him see what condition he was in, left him.

After some time I passed out of London, and had a meeting at sergeant Birkhead's at Twickenham, to which many people came; some of considerable quality. A glo­rious meeting it was, wherein the scriptures were largely and clearly opened, and Christ exalted above all, to the great satisaction of the hearers.

But there was great persecution in many places, both by imprisoning and breaking up of meetings. At a meeting about seven miles from London, the rude people usually came out of several parishes round about, to abuse friends, and often beat and bruised them exceedingly. One day they abused about eighty friends, that went to that meet­ing out of London, tearing their coats and cloaks from off their backs, throwing them into ditches and ponds; and, when they had besmeared them with dirt, they said they looked like witches. The next first-day I was moved of [Page 378]the Lord to go to that meeting, though I was then very weak. When I came there, I bid friends bring a table, and set it in the close, where they used to meet, to stand upon. According to their wonted course, the rude people came; and I, having a bible in my hand, shewed them theirs and their teachers fruits; and the people became ashamed, and were quiet. I opened the scriptures to them, and our principles agreeing therewith; and turned them from darkness to the light of Christ and his Spirit, by which they might understand the scriptures, see themselves and their sins, and know Christ Jesus to be their Saviour. So the meeting ended quietly, and the Lord's power came over all, to his glory. But it was a time of great sufferings; for besides imprisonments (through which many died) our meetings were greatly disturbed. They have thrown rotten eggs and wild-fire into our meetings, and brought in drums beating, and kettles, to make noises with, that the truth might not be heard; and, among these, the priests were as rude as any; as may be seen in the book of the fighting priests, wherein a list is given of some priests that had actu­ally beaten and abused friends.

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

After awhile I went to Reading, where I remained under great sufferings and exercises, and in great travail of spirit for about ten weeks. For I saw there was great confusion and distraction amongst the people, and that the powers were plucking each other to pieces. And I saw how many were destroying the simplicity, and betraying the truth. A great deal of hypocrisy, deceit, and strife, was got upper­most in the people, so that they were ready to sheath their swords in one another's bowels. There had been tender­ness in many of them formerly, when they were low; but when they were got up, had killed, and taken possession, they came to be as bad as others: so that we had much to do with them about our hats, and saying Thou and Thee to them. They turned their profession of patience and moderation into rage and madness; many of them were like distracted men for this hat-honour. For they had hard­ened themselves by persecuting the innocent, and were at this time crucifying the Seed, Christ, both in themselves and others; till at last they fell a biting and devouring one another, until they were consumed one of another; who had turned against and judged that which God had wrought in them, and shewed unto them. So shortly after God overthrew them, turned them upside down, and brought the king over them, who were often surmising that the Quakers met together to bring in king Charles, whereas friends did not concern themselves with the outward powers or government. But at last the Lord brought him in, and many of them, when they saw he would be brought in, voted for the bringing him in. So with heart and voice praise the name of the Lord, to whom it doth belong; who [Page 380]over all hath the supremacy, and who will rock the nations, for he is over them. I had a sight and sense of the king's return a good while before, and so had some others. I wrote to Oliver several times, and let him know, that while he was persecuting God's people, they whom he accounted his enemies were preparing to come upon him. When some forward spirits, that came amongst us, would have bought Somerset-house, that we might have meetings in it, I forbad them to do so: for I then foresaw the king's com­ing in again. Besides, there came a woman to me in the Strand, who had a prophecy concerning king Charles's coming in, three years before he came; and she told me, she must go to him to declare it. I advised her to wait upon the Lord, and keep it to herself; for if it should be known that she went on such a message, they would look upon it to be treason; but she said, she must go and tell him, that he should be brought into England again. I saw her prophecy was true, and that a great stroke must come upon those in power: for they that had then got possession were so exceeding high, and such great persecution was acted by them who called themselves saints, that they would take from friends their copyhold lands, because they could not swear in their courts. Sometimes, when we laid these suf­ferings before Oliver Cromwel, he would not believe it. Wherefore Thomas Aldam and Anthony Pearson were moved to go through all the gaols in England, and to get copies of friends commitments under the gaolers hands, that they might lay the weight of their sufferings upon Oli­ver Cromwel. And when he refused to give order for the releasing of them, Thomas Aldam was ‘moved to take his cap off his head, and rend it in pieces before him, and to say unto him, ‘So shall thy government be rent from thee and thy house.’ Another friend also, a woman, was moved to go to the parliament (that was envious against friends) with a pitcher in her hand, which she broke into pieces before them,’ and told them, ‘So should they be broken to pieces:’ which came to pass shortly after. And in my great suffering, and travail of spirit for the nation, being grievously burdened with their hypocrisy, treachery, and falsehood, I saw God would bring that atop of them which they had been atop of; and that all must be brought down to that which convinced them, before they could get over that bad spirit within and without: for it is the pure, [Page 381]invisible Spirit, that doth and only can work down all de­ceit in people.

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

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

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

[Page 384] Not long after this, George Booth rose in arms in Che­shire, and Lambert went against him. At which time some foolish rash spirits, that came sometimes amongst us, were ready to have taken up arms; but I was moved of the Lord to warn and forbid them, and they were quiet. In the time of the committee of safety (so called) we were invited by them to take up arms, and great places and commands were offered some of us; but we denied them all, and declared against it both by word and writing; testifying, that our weapons and armour were not carnal, but spiritual. And lest any that came amongst us, should be drawn into that snare, it came upon me from the Lord to write a few lines on that occasion, and send them forth, as a caution to all amongst us. Of which this is a copy:

After I had staid some time in London, and had visited friends meetings there and thereabouts, and the Lord's power was set over all, I travelled into the counties again, passing through Suffolk, Essex, and Norfolk, visiting friends, till I came to Norwich, where we had a meeting about the time called Christmas. The mayor of Norwich, having got notice beforehand of the meeting I intended to have there, granted a warrant to apprehend me. Wherefore when I was come thither, and heard of the warrant, I sent some friends to the mayer to reason with him about it. His answer was, the soldiers should not meet; and did we think to meet? he would have had us met without the city: for he said, the town's-people were so rude, that he could hardly order them, and he feared that our meeting would make tumults in the town. But our friends told him, we were a peaceable people, and that he ought to keep the peace; for we could not but meet to worship God, as our manner was. So he became pretty moderate, and did not send his officers to the meeting. A large meeting it was, and abundance of rude people came, with intent to have done mischief: but the Lord's power came over them, so that they were chained by it, though several priests were there, and professors, and Ranters. Among the priests, one, whose name was Townsend, stood up and cried, Error, blasphemy, and an ungodly meeting! I bad him not burden himself with that which he could not make good; and I asked him, what was our error and blasphemy? for I told him, he should make good his words, before I had done with him, or be shamed. As for an ungodly meeting, I said, I did believe there were many people there that feared God, and therefore it was both unchristian and uncivil in him, to charge civil godly people with an ungodly meeting. He said, [Page 386]My error and blasphemy was, in that I said, people must wait on God by his power and Spirit, and feel his presence, when they did not speak words: I asked him then, Whe­ther the apostles and holy men of God did not hear God speak to them in their silence, before they spake forth the Scripture, and before it was written? He replied, Yes: David and the prophets did hear God, before they did pen the scriptures, and felt his presence in silence, before they spake them forth. Then said I, All people take notice, he said this was error and blasphemy in me to say these words; and now he hath confessed it is not more than the holy men of God in former times witnessed. So I shewed the people, that as the holy men of God, who gave forth the Scriptures, were moved by the Holy Ghost, did hear and learn of God, before they spake them forth, so must they all heark­en and hear what the Spirit saith, which will lead them into all truth, that they may know God and Christ, and may understand the Scriptures. O, said the priest, this is not that George Fox I would speak withal; this is a subtil man, said he. So the Lord's power came over all, the rude peo­ple were moderate, and were reached by it; and some pro­fessors called to the priests, saying, ‘Prove the blasphe­my and errors, which ye have charged them with: ye have spoken much against them behind their backs, but nothing ye can prove now to their faces.’ But the priest began to get away: whereupon I told him, we had many things to charge him withal, therefore let him set a time and place to answer them; which he did and went his way. A glorious day this was: for truth came over all, and people were turned to God by his power and Spirit, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher, who was exalted over all. And as we passed away, generally people's hearts were filled with love towards us; yea, the ruder sort of them de­sired another meeting: for the evil intentions they had against us were thrown out of their hearts. At night I pas­sed out of town to a friend's house, and from thence to colo­nel Dennis's, where we had a great meeting: and afterwards travelled on, visiting friends up and down in Norfolk, Hunt­ingtonshire, and Cambridgeshire. But George Whitehead, and Richard Hubberthorn staid about Norwich, to meet the priest, who was soon confounded and down, the Lord's power came so over him.

After I had travelled through many counties in the Lord's service, and many were convinced, notwithstanding [Page 387]that in some places the people were very rude, I returned to London again, when general Monk was come up thither, and the gates and posts of the city were pulling down. ‘Long before this I had a vision, wherein I saw the city lie in heaps, and the gates down; and it was then repre­sented to me, just as I saw it several years after, lying in heaps when it was burned.’

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

Being now clear of the city, and finding my spirit drawn to visit friends in the western parts of England, I went out of town; and passing first into Surry and Sussex, came to a great town, where there was a large meeting, to which several frieds from Reading came; and a blessed meeting it was. The priest of the town was in a great rage, but did not come out of his house, wherefore, hearing him make a great noise in his house, as we were passing from the meet­ing, we bid him come out into the street, and we would dis­course with him; but he would not. So the Lord's power being over all, friends were refreshed therein. From thence I went to another market-town, where in the evening we had a precious meeting; and the fresh sense of the presence of the Lord God was sweetly felt amongst us. Then turn­ing into Hampshire and Dorsetshire, I went to Ringwood and Pool, visiting friends in the Lord's power, and had great meetings amongst them.

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

From thence we passed into Somersetshire, where the presbyterians and other professors were very wicked, and often disturbed friends meetings. ‘One time especially (as we were then informed) a very wicked man put a bear's skin on his back, and undertook with that to play pranks in the meeting. Accordingly, setting himself opposite to the friend that was speaking, he lolled his tongue out of [Page 390]his mouth, and made sport to his wicked followers, causing great disturbance in the meeting. But an eminent judg­ment overtook him, and his punishment slumbered not; for as he went from the meeting there was a bull-baiting in the way, which he stayed to see; and coming within the bull's reach, he struck h [...] [...]orn under the man's chin into his throat, and thrast his tongue out of his mouth, so that it hung lolling out, as he had used it before in derision in the meeting. And the bull's horn running up into the man's head, he swung him about upon his horn in a most remarkable and fearful manner. Thus he that came to do mischief amongst God's people was mischieved himself; and well would it be if such apparent examples of divine vengeance would teach others to beware.’

We travelled through Somersetshire and Devonshire, till we came to Plymouth, and so into Cornwall, visiting the meetings of friends, to the Land's-end. Many precious and blessed meetings we had all along as we went, wherein the convinced were established, and many others were added to them. At the Land's-end an honest fisherman was convin­ced, who became a faithful minister of Christ. I took no­tice of him to friends, telling them, 'He was like Peter.'

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

This paper had good service among people: and friends have endeavoured much to save the lives of men in time of wrecks, and to preserve the ships and goods for them. And when some, who suffered shipwreck, have been almost-dead and starved, friends have taken them to their houses to suc­cour and recover them, which is an act to be practised by all true christians.

I had many precious, blessed, living meetings in Corn­wall, several eminent people being convinced in that coun­ty, whom neither priests nor magistrates, by spoiling goods or imprisonments, could bring to forsake their shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, who bought them; and friends who were turned to Christ, their Teacher and Saviour, being settled in peace and quietness upon him, their Foundation, we left them to the Lord's teaching and ordering, fresh and green. Thomas Lower, who had accompanied me through that county, brought me over Horse-bridge into Devonshire again; and after several meetings in Devonshire we came to Somersetshire, where we had divers large and peaceable meetings, and visited friends till we came to Bristol.

I entered Bristol on a seventh-day. The day before the soldiers came into the meeting, and were exceeding rude, beating and striking friends with their muskets, and drove them out of the orchard in a great rage, threatening what they would do if they came there again. For the mayor and the commander of the soldiers had, if seems, combined together to make a disturbance amongst us. When friends told me what a rage there was in the town, how they were threatened by the mayor and soldiers, and how unruly they [Page 394]had been the day before, I sent for George Bishop, Thomas Gouldney, Thomas Speed, and Edward Pyot, and desired them to go to the mayor and aldermen, and request them, seeing they had broke up our meetings, to let us have the town-hall to meet in; and for the use of it we would give them twenty pounds a year, to be distributed amongst the poor: and when the mayor and aldermen had business to do in it, friends would not meet in it, but only on the first-days. Those friends were astonished at this, and said, The mayor and aldermen would think they were mad. I said, Nay; for they should offer them a considerable benefit to the poor. And it was upon me from the Lord to bid them go. At last they consented, and went, though in the cross to their own wills. When they had laid the thing before the mayor, it came so over him, that he said. ‘For his part he could consent to it, but he was but one.’ He told them of another great hall they might have, but that they did not accept of, it being inconvenient. So they came away, leaving the mayor in a very loving frame towards them; for they felt the Lord's power had come over him. When they came back, I spoke to them to go to the colo­nel, and lay before him the rude carriage of his soldiers, how they came armed amongst naked innocent people, who were waiting upon and worshipping the Lord; but they were backward to go to him. Next morning, being first-day, we went to the meeting in the Orchard, where the sol­diers had so lately been so rude. After I had declared the truth a pretty while in the meeting, there came in many rude soldiers and people, some with drawn swords. The innkeepers had made some of them drunk; and one of them had bound himself with an oath, ‘to cut down and kill the man that spoke.’ He came pressing in through the crowd to within two yards of me, and stopped at those four friends before-mentioned (who should have gone to the colonel as I would have had them) and fell a jangling with them. On a sudden I saw his sword was put up and gone; for the Lord's power came over all, and chained him with the rest. We had a blessed meeting, for the Lord's everlasting power and presence was felt amongst us. The day follow­ing those four friends went and spoke with the colonel, and he sent for the soldiers, and cut and slashed some of them before the friends faces. Which when I heard of I blamed them for letting him do so, and also for not going on the seventh-day as I would have had them. Which might have [Page 395]prevented this cutting of the soldiers, and the trouble they gave at our meeting. Thus the Lord's power came over all those persecuting, bloody minds, and the meeting was held in peace for a good while after.

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

And as we had a great deal of work with priests and pro­fessors, who pleaded for imperfection, I was opened to de­clare and manifest to them that Adam and Eve were perfect before they fell, and all that God made he saw was good, and he blessed it; but the imperfection came in by the fall, through man's and woman's hearkening to the devil who was out of truth. And though the law made nothing perfect, yet it made way for the bringing in of the better hope, which hope is Christ, who destroys the devil and his works, which made man and woman imperfect. Christ saith to his disci­ples, ‘Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is per­fect:’ and he, who himself was perfect, comes to make man and woman perfect again and brings them again to the [Page 396]state which God made them in. So he is the maker up of the breach, and the peace betwixt God and man. That this might the better be understood by the lowest capacities, I used a comparison of two old people who had their house broken down by an enemy, so that they, with all their chil­dren, were liable to all storms and tempests. And there came some to them that pretended to be workmen, and of­fered to build up their house again, if they would give them so much a year; but when they had got their money they left their house as they found it. After this manner came a second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, each with his seve­ral pretence to build up the old house, and each got the people's money, and then cried, ‘They could not rear up the house, the breach could not be made up; for there is no perfection here.’ They tell them, the house can never be perfectly built up again in this life, though they have taken the people's money for doing it. For all the sect­masters in christendom (so called) have pretended to build up Adam's and Eve's fallen house, and when they have got people's money, tell them the work cannot be perfectly done here; so their house lies as it did. But I told the people, Christ was come to do it freely, who by one offer­ing hath perfected for ever all them that are sanctified, and renews them up into the image of God, which man and woman were in before they fell, and makes man's and woman's house as perfect again as God made them at the first; and this Christ, the heavenly Man, doth freely. Therefore all are to look unto him, and all that have re­ceived him are to walk in him, the Life, the Substance, the First, and the Last, ‘The Rock of Ages, the Founda­tion of many Generations.’ Largely were these and ma­ny other things opened to people, the word of life was preached, which lives and abides, and all were exhorted to hear and obey it, that by it all might be born again of the immortal seed, and feed of the milk of the word. A glo­rious meeting there was, wherein the Lord's everlasting seed, Christ Jesus, was set over all, and friends parted in the power and Spirit of the Lord, in peace, and in his truth, that is over all.

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

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

We passed from thence to Tewksbury, and so to Wor­cester, visiting meetings as we went. And in all my time I never saw the like drunkenness as then in the towns; for they had been choosing parliament-men. At Worcester the Lord's truth was set over all, people were finely settled therein, and friends praised the Lord; nay, I saw the very earth rejoiced. Yet great fears and troubles were in many, looking for the king's coming in, and that all things should be altered. They would ask me what I thought of times and things? I told them the Lord's power was over all, his light shined over all, and that fear would take hold only on the hypocrites, such as had not been faithful to God, and on our persecutors. In my travail and sufferings at Reading, when people were at a stand, and could not tell who might rule, I told them the Lord's power was over all (for I travelled through in it) and his day shined whosoever should come in, and whether the king came in or no, all would be well to them that loved the Lord, and were faith­ful [Page 398]to him. Therefore I bid all friends fear none but the Lord, and keep in his power that was over all.

From Worcester I visited friends meetings till I came to Badgely; from thence I went to Drayton, in Leicestershire, to visit my relations. While I was there, one Burton, a justice, hearing I had a good horse, sent a warrant to search for me and my horse; but I was gone before they came, so he missed of his wicked end. I passed to Twycross, Swan­ington, and Derby, where I visited friends, and found my old gaoler amongst them, who had formerly kept me in the house of correction there, who was now convinced of the truth which I then suffered under him for. Passing into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, I came to Synderhill­green, visiting friends meetings; and so to Balby in York­shire, where our yearly meeting at that time was held, in a great orchard of John Killam's, where it was supposed some thousands of people and friends were gathered together. In the morning I heard a troop of horse was sent from York, about thirty miles off, to break up our meeting, and that the militia newly raised was to join them. I went into the meeting, and stood up on a great stool; and after I had spoken some time, two trumpeters came, sounding their trumpets pretty near me, and the captain of the troop cried, 'Divide to the right and left, and make way.' Then they rode up to me. I was declaring the everlasting truth and word of life, in the mighty power of the Lord. The captain bid me ‘Come down, for he was come to disperse our meeting.’ After some time I told him, they all knew we were a peaceable people, and that we used to have such great meetings; but if he apprehended we met in an hostile way, I desired him to make search among us, and if he found either sword or pistol about any there, let such suffer. He told me, ‘He must see us dispersed, for he came all night on purpose to disperse us.’ I asked him, What honour it would be to him to ride with swords and pistols amongst so m [...]ny unarmed men and women as there were? I [...] he would be still and quiet, our meeting probably might not continue above two or three hours, and when it was done, as we came peaceably together, so we should part; for he might perceive the meeting was so large all the [...]oun­ [...]ry the [...]abouts could not entertam them, but that they in­ [...]d to dep [...] towards their homes at night. He said, ‘He could not [...]ay to see the meeting ended, but must dis­perse them before he went.’ I desired him then, if he [Page 399]himself could not stay, that he would let a dozen of his soldiers stay, and see the order and peaceableness of our meeting. He said, 'He would permit us an hour's time,' and left half a dozen soldiers with us. Then he went away with his troop, and friends of the house gave the soldiers that staid, and their horses, some meat. When the captain was gone, the soldiers that were left told us, ‘We might stay till night if we would.’ But we staid but about three hours after, and had a glorious, powerful meeting; for the presence of the living God was manifest amongst us, and the seed, Christ, was set over all. Friends were built upon him the foundation, and settled under his glorious, heaven­ly teaching. After the meeting friends passed away in peace, greatly refreshed with the presence of the Lord, and filled with joy and gladness that the Lord's power had given them such dominion. Many of the militia-soldiers staid also, much vexed that the captain and troopers had not broke up our meeting, and cursed the captain and his troopers. It was reported they intended evil against us that day; but the troopers, instead of assisting them, were rather assistant to us, in not joining them as they expected, but prevent­ing them from doing the mischief they designed. Yet this captain was a desperate man; for it was he that said to me in Scotland, ‘He would obey his superior's commands, if it was to crucify Christ he would do it, or execute the great Turk's commands against the christians if he was under him.’ So that it was an eminent power of the Lord, which chained both him and his troopers, and those envious militia-soldiers also, who went away, not having power to hurt any of us, nor to break up our meeting.

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

From Warmsworth I passed, in the Lord's power, to [Page 400]Barton-abby, where I had a great meeting; from thence to Thomas Taylor's, and so to Skipton, where was a gene­ral meeting of men friends out of many counties concerning the affairs of the church. ‘A friend went naked through the town, declaring truth, and was much beaten. Some other friends also came to me all bloody.’ As I wakled in the street, a desperate fellow had an intent to have done me mischief; but he was prevented, and our meeting was qui­et. To this meeting came many friends out of most parts of the nation; for it was about business relating to the church both in this nation and beyond the seas. Several years before, when I was in the north, I was moved to recommend to friends the setting up of this meeting for that service; for many friends suffered in divers parts of the nation, their goods were taken from them contrary to law, and they understood not how to help themselves, or where to seek redress. But after this meeting was set up, several friends who had been magistrates, and others who under­stood something of the law, [...]e thither, and were able to inform friends, and to assist them in gathering up the suffer­ings, that they might be laid before the justices, judges, or parliament. This meeting had stood several years, and divers justices and captains had come to break it up, but when they understood the business friends met about, and saw friends books, and accounts of collections for relief of the poor, how we took care one county to help another, and to help our friends beyond sea, and provide for our poor that none of them should be chargeable to their pa­rishes, &c. the justlices and officers confessed that we did their work, and would pass away peaceably and lovingly, 'commending friends practice.' Sometimes there would come two hundred of the poor of other people, and wait till the meeting was done (for all the country knew we met about the poor) and after the meeting friends would send to the bakers for bread, and give every one of those poor people a loaf, how many soever there were of them; for we were taught ‘to do good unto all, though especially to the household of saith.’

After this meeting, I visited friends meeting till I came to Lancaster; from whence I went to Robert Withers's, and so to Arnside, where I had a general meeting for all the friends in the counties of Westmoreland, Cumberland, and Lancashire. This meeting was quiet and peaceable, and the living presence of the Lord was amongst us. I went [Page 401]back with Robert Withers, and friends passed away, fresh in the life and power of Christ, in which they had domi­nion, being settled upon him the Heavenly Rock and Foun­dation. Several rude fellows, serving-men belonging to Sir George Middleton, a justice, that lived not far off, came to have made some disturbance, as it was thought; but the meeting being ended they did nothing there: but lighting on three women friends going homeward, they set upon them with impudent scoffs, and one of them carried him­self very abusively and immodestly towards them. The same man abused other friends also, and was so outrageous that he would have cut some with an ax, but that the was restrained by some of his fellows. At another time the same man set upon six friends that were going to a meeting at Yelland, and beat and abused them so, that he ‘bruised their faces and shed much of their blood,’ wounding them very sore, and one of them in several parts of his body; yet they lifted not an hand against him, but gave him their backs and cheeks to beat.

From Robert Withers's I went next day to Swarthmore, Francis Howgil and Thomas Curtis being with me. I had not been long there before Henry Porter, a justice, sent a warrant by the chief constable and three petty constables to apprehend me. I had a sense of the thing beforehand; and being in the parlour with Richard Richardson and Marga­ret Fell, some of her servants came and told her, there were some come to search the house for arms, and they went up into some of the chambers under that pretence. It came upon me to go out to them, and as I was going by some of them, I spoke to them; whereupon they asked me my name. I readily told them my name, and they laid hold on me, saying, I was the man they looked for, and led me away to Ulverstone. There they kept me all night at the constable's, and set a guard of fisteen or sixteen men to watch me; some of whom sate in the chimney, for fear I should go up the chimney: such dark imaginations possessed them. They were very rude and uncivil to me, and would neither suffer me to speak to friends nor friends to bring me necessaries; but with violence thrust them out, and kept a strong guard upon me. Very wicked and rude they were, and a great noise they made about me. One of the consta­bles, whose name was Ashburnham, said, ‘He did not think a thousand men could have taken me.’ Another of the constables, whose name was Mount, a very wicked man, [Page 402]said, ‘He would have served judge Fell himself so, if he had been alive, and he had a warrant for him.’ Next morning, about the sixth hour, I was putting on my boots and spurs to go with them before some justice; but they pulled off my spurs, took my knife out of my pocket, and hasted me away along the town, with a party of horse and abundance of people, not suffering me to stay till my own horse came down. When I was gone about a quarter of a mile with them, some friends, with Margaret Fell and her children, came towards me, and then a great party of horse gathered about me in a mad rage and fury, crying out, 'Will they rescue him! will they rescue him!' Where­upon I said, ‘Here is my hair, here is my back, here are my cheeks, strike on!’ Upon which their heat was a little assuaged. Then they brought a little horse, and two of them took up one of my legs, and put my foot in the stir­rup, and two or three lifting over my other leg, set me upon the little horse, behind the saddle, and so led the horse by the halter, but I had nothing to hold by. When they were come a pretty way out of the town, they beat the little horse, and made him kick and gallop; whereupon I slipped off him, and told them, ‘They should not abuse the creature.’ They were much enraged at my getting off, and took me by the legs and feet, and set me upon the same horse behind the saddle again, and led the horse about two miles, till we came to a great water called Carter-ford. By this time my own horse was come to us, and the water being deep, and their little horse scarce able to carry me through, they let me get upon my own horse through the persuasion of some of their own company, they leading him through the water. One wicked fellow ‘kneeled down, and lifting up his hands blessed God that I was taken.’ When I was come over the sands, I told them I had heard I had liberty to choose what justice I would go before; but the constables cried, 'No, I should not.' They led me to Lancaster, about fourteen miles, and a great triumph they thought to have had; but as they led me I was moved to ‘sing praises to the Lord, in his triumphing power over all.’ When I was come to Lancaster, the spirits of the people being mightily up, I stood and looked earnestly upon them, and they cried, 'Look at his eyes!' After a while I spoke to them, and they were pretty sober. Then came a young man who took me to his house, and after a little time the officers had me to major Porter's, the justice [Page 403]who had sent the warrant against me, who had several others with him. When I came in, I said, ‘Peace be amongst you.’ Porter asked me, ‘Why I came into the country that troublesome time?’ I told him, 'To visit my bre­thren.' But said he, ‘You have great meetings up and down.’ I told him though we had, our meetings were known throughout the nation to be peaceable, and we were a peaceable people. He said, ‘We saw the devil in peo­ple's faces.’ I told him, ‘If I saw a drunkard, or a swear­er, or a peevish heady man, J could not say I saw the Spirit of God in him.’ And I asked him, ‘If he could see the Spirit of God?’ He said, ‘We cried against their ministers.’ I told him, While we were as Saul, sitting under the priests, and running up and down with their packets of letters, we were never called pestilent fellows nor makers of sects; but when we were come to exercise our consciences towards God and man, we were called pestilent fellows, as Paul was. He said, We could express ourselves well enough, and he would not dispute with me; but he would restrain me. I desired to know, ‘for what, and by whose order he sent his warrant for me;’ and complained to him of the abuse of the constables and other officers after they had taken me, and in their bringing me thither. He would not take notice of that, but told me, ‘He had an orden but would not let me see it; for he would not re­ [...]al the king's secrets;’ and besides, 'a prisoner,' he said, 'was not to see for what he was committed.' I told him, that was not reason: for how should he make his defence then? I said I ought to have a copy of it. But he said, There was a judge once, ‘that fined one for letting a pri­soner have a copy of his mittimus; and,’ said he, ‘I have an old clerk, though I am a young justice.’ Then he called to his clerk, saying, 'Is it not ready yet? Bring it;' meaning the mittimus. But it not being ready, he told me I was a disturber of the nation. I told him, I had been a blessing to the nation, in and through the Lord's power and truth, and the Spirit of God in all consciences would answer it. Then he charged me as an ‘enemy to the king, that I en­deavoured to raise a new war, and imbrue the nation in blood again.’ I told him, I had never learned the postures of war, but was clear and innocent as a child con­cerning those things; and therefore was bold. Then came the clerk with the mittimus, and the gaoler was sent for and commanded to take me, put me into the Dark-house, and [Page 404]let none come at me, but keep me there close prisoner till I should be delivered by the king or parliament. Then the justice asked the constables where my horse was? ‘For I hear,’ said he, ‘he hath a good horse; have ye brought his horse?’ I told him where my horse was, but he did not meddle with him. As they had me to the gaol the constable gave me my knife again, and then asked me to give it him: I told him, Nay; he had not been so civil to me. So they put me into the gaol, and the under-gaoler, one Hardy, a very wicked man, was exceeding rude and cruel, and many times would not let me have meat brought in, but as I could get it under the door. Many came to look at me, some in a rage, and very uncivil and rude. One time there came two young priests, and very abusive they were; the meanest people could not be worse. A­mongst those that came in this manner, old Preston's wife of Howker was one. She used many abusive words to me, telling me, my 'tongue should be cut out,' and that ‘I should be hanged;’ shewing me the gallows. But the Lord God cut her off, and she died in a miserable condition.

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

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

Upon my being taken, and forcibly carried away from Margaret Fell's, and charged with things of so high a nature. she was concerned, looking upon it to be an injury offered to her. Whereupon she wrote the following lines, and sent them abroad, directed thus:

After this Margaret Fell determined to go to London to speak with the king about my being taken, to shew him the manner of it, and the unjust dealing and evil usage I had received. Which when justice Porter heard of, he vapour­ed that he would go and meet her in the gap. But when he came before the king, he having been a zealous man for the parliament against the king, several courtiers spoke to him concerning his plundering their houses; so he had quickly enough of the court, and returned into the country. Meanwhile the gaoler seemed very fearful, and said, He was afraid major Porter would hang him because he had not put me in the Dark-house. But when the gaoler went to wait on him, after he was come from London, he was very blank and down, and asked 'how I did?' pretending he would find a way to set me at liberty. But having overshot himself in his mittimus, by ordering me ‘to be kept prisoner till I should be delivered by the king or parliament,’he had put it out of his power to release me if he would. He was the more dejected also upon reading a letter which I sent him; for when he was in the height of his rage and threats against me, and thought to ingratiate himself into the king's favour by imprisoning me, I was moved to write to him, and put him in mind, ‘How fierce he had been [...]st the king and his party, though now he would be thought zealous for the king.’ Among other passages in my letter, I called to his remembrance, that when he held Lancaster castle for the [...]liament against the [...]ng he was so rough and frience against those that favoured [Page 409]the king, that he said, ‘He wo [...]ld leave them neither dog nor cat if they did not bring him provision to his castle. I asked him also, Whose great buck's horns those were that were in his house? and where he had them and the wainscot that he cieled his house withal? Had he not them from Hornby castle?’

About this time Ann Curtis, of Reading, came to see me; and understanding how I stood committed, it was upon her also to go to the king about it. Her father, who had been sheriff of Bristol, was hanged near his own door for endeavouring to bring the king in; upon which consi­deration she had some hopes the king might hear her on my behalf. Accordingly, when she returned to London, she and Margaret Fell went to the king together; who, when he understood whose daughter she was, received her kindly. And her request to him being ‘to send for me up, and hear the cause himself,’ he promised her he would, and commanded his secretary to send an order for bringing me up. But when they came to the secretary for the or­der, he said, ‘It was not in his power; he must go accord­ing to law; and I must be brought up by an Habeas Corpus before the judges.’ So he wrote to the judge of the king's bench, signifying it was the king's pleasure I should be sent up by an Habeas Corpus. Accordingly a writ was sent, and delivered to the sheriff; but becausse it was directed to the chancellor of Lancaster, the sheriff put it off to him; on the other hand the chancellor would not make the warrant upon it, but said the sheriff must do that. At length both chancellor and sheriff were got together; but being both enemies to truth they sought occasion for delay, and found an error in the writ, which was, that be­ing directed to the chancellor, it said, ‘George Fox in prison under YOUR custody,’ whereas the prison I was in was not in the chancellor's custody, but the sheriff's; so the word YOUR should have been HIS. Upon this they returned the writ to London again, only to have that one word altered. When it was altered and brought down again, the sheriff refused to carry me up, unless I would seal a writing to him, and become bound to pay for the sealing and the charge of carrying me up: which I denied, t [...]ing them, I would not seal any thing to them, nor be bound. So the matter rested awhile, and I continued in prison. Meanwhile the assize came on; but as there was a writ for removing me up, I was not brought before the [Page 410]judge. At the assize many came to see me. I was moved to speak out of the gaol-window to them, and shew them, ‘How uncertain their religion was, and that every sort, when uppermost, had persecuted the rest. When popery was uppermost, people had been persecuted for not fol­lowing the mass; and those who held it up cried, ‘It was the higher power,’ and people must be subject to the higher power. Afterwards they that set up the Common Prayer persecuted others for not following that; saying, "It was the higher power, and we must be subject to that." Since that, the Presbyterians and Independents cried each of them, ‘We mu [...] be subject to the higher power, and submit to the directory of the one and the church faith of the other.’ Thus all, like the apostate Jews, have cried, "Help, men of Israel, against the true Christians." So people might see how uncertain they are of their religions. But I directed them to Christ Jesus, that they might be built upon him, the Rock and Foundation, that changeth not.’ Much on this wise I declared to them, and they were quiet and very attentive. Afterwards I gave forth a lit­tle paper concerning True Religion, as followeth:

Soon after this I gave forth another against persecution, on this wise:

While I was kept in Lancaster gaol, I was moved to give forth the following paper, ‘For staying the minds of any such as might be hurried or troubled about the change of government.’

I was moved also to write to the king, to ‘exhort him to exercise mercy and forgiveness towards his enemies, and to warn him to restrain the prophaneness and looseness that was got up in the nation upon his return.’

To the KING.

It was long before the sheriff would yield to remove me to London, unless I would seal a bond to him, and bear their charges; which I still refused to do. Then they con­sulted how to convey me up, and first concluded to send up a party of horse with me. I told them, ‘If I were such a man as they had represented me to be, they had need send a troop or two of horse to guard me.’ When they considered what a charge it would be to them to send up a party of horse with me, they altered their purpose, and con­cluded to send me up guarded only by the gaoler and some bailiffs. But upon farther consideration they found that would be a great charge to them also, and therefore sent for me to the gaoler's house, and told me, if I would put in bail that I would be in London such a day of the term, I should have leave to go up with some of my own friends. I told them I would neither put in bail, nor give one piece of sil­ver to the gaoler; for I was an innocent man, they had im­prisoned me wrongfully, and laid a false charge upon me. Nevertheless I said, If they would let me go up with one or two of my friends to bear me company, I might go up and be in London such a day, if the Lord should permit; and, if they desired it, I or any of my friends that went with me would carry up their charge against myself. When they saw they could do no otherwise with me, the sheriff con­sented that ‘I should come up with some of my friends, without any other engagement than my word, to appear before the judges at London such a day of the term, if the Lord should permit.’ Whereupon I was let out of prison, and went to Swarthmore, where I staid two or three [Page 414]days; and from thence went to Lancaster, and so to Pres­ton, having meetings amongst friends till I came into Che­shire, to William Gandy's, where was a large meeting with­out doors, the house not being sufficient to contain it. That day the Lord's everlasting seed was set over all, and friends were turned to it, who is the heir of the promise. Thence I came into Staffordshire and Warwickshire, to An­thony Bickliff's, and at Non-caton, at a priest's widow's house, we had a blessed meeting, wherein the everlasting word of life was powerfully declared, and many settled in it. Then travelling on, visiting friends meetings, in about three weeks time from my coming out of prison, I reached London, Richard Hubberthorn and Robert Withers being with me.

When we came to Charing-cross, multitude [...] of people were gathered together to see the burning of the bowels of some of the old king's judges, who had been hanged, drawn and quartered.

We went next morning to judge Mallet's chamber, who was putting on his gown to sit upon more of the king's judges. He was then very peevish and froward, and said, I might come another time. We went another time to his chamber, when judge Foster was with him, who was called Lord Chief Justice of England. With me was one called Esquire Marsh, o [...]e of the bed-chamber to the king. When we had delivered to the judges the charge against me, and they had read to those words, ‘That I and my friends were embroiling the nation in blood,’ &c. they struck their hands on the table. Whereupon I told them, ‘I was the man whom that charge was against, but I was as innocent of any such thing as a new-born child, and had brought it up myself; and some of my friends came up with me, without any guard.’ As yet they had not minded my hat; but now, seeing my hat on, they said, ‘What, did I stand with my hat on!’ I told them I did not stand so in any contempt of them. Then they commanded one to take it off; and when they had called for the maishal of the king's bench, they said to him, You must take this man and secure him, but you must let him have a chamber, and not put him amongst the prisoners. My Lord, said the marshal, I have no chamber to put him into; my house is so full that I cannot tell where to provide for him but amongst the prisoners. Nay, said the judges, you must not put him amongst the prisoners. But whet he still answered, he had [Page 415]no other place to put me in, judge Foster said to me, ‘Wall you appear to-morrow, about ten of the clock, at the king's bene. bar in Westminster-hall?’ I said, ‘Yes, if the Lord give me strength.’ Then said judge Foster to the other judge, ‘If he says yes, and promises it, you may take his word.’ So I was dismissed. The next day I ap­peared at the king's bench bar at the hour appointed, Robert Withers, Richard Hubberthorn, and Esquire Marsh going with me. I was brought into the middle of the court, and as soon as I came in I was moved to look about, and turn­ing to the people, said, 'Peace be among you;' and the power of the Lord sprang over the court. The charge against me was read openly. The people were moderate, and the judges cool and loving; and the Lord's mercy was to them. But when they came to that part of it which said, ‘That I and my friends were embroiling the nation in blood and raising a new war, and that I was an enemy to the king,’ &c. they lifted up their hands. Then, stretch­ing out my arms, I said, ‘I am the man whom that charge is against, but I am as innocent as a child concerning the charge, and have never learned any war postures. And, said I, do ye think, that if I and my friends were such men as the charge declares, that I should have brought it up myself against myself? Or that I should be suffered to come up with one or two of my friends with me? Had I been such a man as this charge sets forth, I had need to have been guarded up with a troop or two of horse. But the sheriff and magistrates of Lancashire thought fit to let me and my friends come up with it ourselves, almost two hundred mile, without any guard at all; which, you may 'be sure they would not have done if they had looked upon me to be such a man.’ The judge asked me, Whether it should be filed? or what I would do with it? I answered, Ye are judges, and able, I hope, to judge in this matter; therefore do with it what ye will; for I am the man these charges are against, and here ye see I have brought them up myself. Do ye what ye will with them, I leave it to you. Then judge Twisden beginning to speak some angry words, I appealed to judge Foster and judge Mallet, who had heard me over night. Whereupon they said, ‘They did not accuse me, for they had nothing against me.’ T [...] stood up ‘squire Marsh, and told the judges, It was the king's pleasure that I should be set at liberty, seeing no accuser came up against me.’ They asked me, ‘Whether [Page 416]I would put it to the king and council?’ I said, ‘Yes, with a good-will.’ Thereupon they sent the sheriff's re­turn, which he made to the writ of Habeas Corpus, con­taining the matter charged against me in the mittimus, to the king, that he might see for what I was committed. The return of the sheriff of Lancaster was thus:

Upon perusal of this, and consideration of the whole matter, the king, being satisfied of my innocency, com­manded [...]s secretary to send an order to judge Mallet for my release; which the secretary did, thus:

‘For Sir Thomas Mallet, knight, one of the justices of the king's bench.’

[Page 417] When this order was delivered to judge Mallet, he forth­with sent his warrant to the marshal of the king's bench for my release; which warrant was thus worded.

Thus, after I had been a prisoner somewhat more than twenty weeks, I was freely set at liberty by the king's com­mand, the Lord's power having wonderfully wrought for the clearing of my innocency, and Porter, who committed me, not daring to appear to make good the charge he had falsely suggested against me. But after it was known I was discharged, a company of envious, wicked spirits were trou­bled, and terror took hold of justice Porter; for he was afraid I would take the advantage of the law against him for my wrong imprisonment, and thereby undo him, his wife, and children. And indeed I was pressed by some in authority to have made him and the rest examples; but I said, I should leave them to the Lord; if the Lord forgave them I should not trouble myself with them.

Now did I see the end of the travail which I had in my sore exercise at Reading; for the everlasting power of the Lord was over all, and his blessed truth, life, and light shined over the nation, and great and glorious meetings we had, and very quiet; and many flocked unto the truth. Richard Hubberthorn had been with the king, who said, 'None should molest us so long as we lived peaceably,' and promised this upon the word of a king; telling him, we might make use of his promise. Some friends were also ad­mitted in the house of Lords, to declare their reasons, why [Page 418]they could not pay tithes, swear, nor go to the steeple-house-worship or join with others in worship; and they heard them moderately. There being about seven hundred friends in prison, who had been committed under Oliver's and Richard's government, upon contempts (so called) when the king came in he set them all at liberty. There seemed at that time an inclination and intention in the government to have granted friends liberty, because they were sensible we had suffered as well as they under the former powers. But when any thing was going forward in order thereunto, some dirty spirits or other, that would seem to be for us, threw something in the way to stop it. It was said there was an instrument drawn up for confirming our liberty, which only wanted signing; when on a sudden that wicked attempt of the Fifth-monarchy-people broke out, and put the city and nation in an uproar. This was on a first-day night, and very glorious meetings we had that day, wherein the Lord's truth shined over all, and his power was exalted above all; but about midnight the drums beat, and the cry was, 'Arm, Arm.' I got out of bed, and in the morning took boat, and landing at Whitehall-stairs, walked through Whitehall. They looked strangely at me there; but I pas­sed through, and went to Pall-mall, whither divers friends came to me, though it was now grown dangerous passing the streets; for by this time the city and suburbs were up in arms, and exceeding rude the people and soldiers were; in­fomuch that Henry Fell, going to a friend's house, the sol­diers knocked him down, and he had been killed if the duke of York had not come by. Great mischief was done in the city this week; and when first-day came, that friends went to their meetings, many were taken prisoners. I staid at Pall-mall, intending to be at the meeting there; but on the seventh-day night a company of troopers came and knocked at the door. The maid letting them in, they strait laid hold of me; and there being amongst them one, that had served under the parliament, he clapped his hand to my pocket, and asked, 'Whether I had any pistols?' I told him, He knew I did not use to carry pistols; why did he ask such a question of me, who he knew to be a peaceable man? O­thers of the soldiers ran up into the chambers, and there found in bed 'squire Marsh, who, though he was one of the king's bed-chamber, out of his love to me had come and lodged where I did. When they came down again, they said, 'Why should we take this man away with us? We [Page 419]will let him alone, Oh! said the parliament-soldier, he is one of the heads and a chief ringleader. Upon this the soldiers were taking me away; but 'squire Marsh hearing of it, sent for the commander of the party, and desired him to let me alone, for he would see me forth-coming in the morning. In the morning, before they could fetch me, and before the meeting was gathered, there came a company of foot to the house, and one of them, drawing his sword, held it over my head. I asked him, ‘Why he drew his sword at a naked man?’ At which his fellows being ashamed bid him put up his sword. These soldiers took me away to Whitehall before the troopers came for me. As I was going out several friends were coming in to the meeting, whose boldness and cheerfulness I commended, and encouraged them to persevere therein. When I was brought to Whitehall, the soldiers and people were exceed­ing rude, yet I declared truth to them; but some great persons coming by, who were very full of envy, 'What,' said they, ‘do ye let him preach? Put him into such a place where he may not stir.’ So into that place they put me, and the soldiers watched over me. I told them, Tho' they could confine my body and shut that up, they could not stop up the word of life. Some thereupon came, and asked me, 'What I was?' I told them, I was a preacher of righteousness. After I had been kept there two or three hours, 'squire Marsh spoke to lord Gerrard, who came and bid them set me at liberty. The marshal, when I was dis­charged, demanded fees. I told him, I could not give him any, neither was it our practice. I asked him, How he could demand fees of me who was innocent? Then I went through the guards, the Lord's power being over them; and after I had declared truth to the soldiers, I went up the streets with two Irish colonels that came from White­hall to an inn, where many friends were prisoners under a guard. I desired those colonels to speak to the guard to let me go in to visit my friends that were prisoners there; but they would not. Then I stept to the centry, and de­sired him to let me go up; which he did. While I was there the soldiers went to Pall-mall again to search for me; but not finding me they turned towards the inn, and bid all come out that were not prisoners; so they went out. But I asked the soldiers within, Whether I might not stay awhile with my friends? They said, Yes. I staid, and escaped their hands again. Towards night I went to Pall-mall, to [Page 420]see how it was with friends there, and after went into the city. Great rifling of houses there was at that time to search for people. I went to a private friend's house and Richard Hubberthorn with me. There we drew up a declaration against plots and fightings, to be presented to the king and council; but when we had finished it, and sent it to the press, it was taken in the press.

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

Margaret Fell went to the king, and told him what sad work there was in the city and nation, and shewed him we were an innocent peaceable people, and that we must keep our meetings as we used to do whatever we suffered; but it concerned him to see that peace was kept, that no inno­cent blood might be shed.

Now were the prisons every where filled with friends and others in the city and country, and the posts were so laid for the searching of letters, that none could pass unsearched. We heard of several thousands of our friends that were cast into prison in several parts of the nation, and Margaret Fell carried an account of them to the king and council. The next week we had an account of several thousands more that were cast into prison, and she went and laid them also before the king and council. They wondered how we could have such intelligence, seeing they had given such strict charge for the intercepting of all letters; but the Lord did so order it that we had an account notwithstanding all their stoppings. In the deep sense I had of the grievous sufferings friends underwent, and of their innocency to­wards God and man, I was moved to send the following epistle to them, as a word of consolation, and to put them upon sending up their sufferings.

Having lost our former declaration in the press, we made haste and drew up another against plots and fighting, got it printed, and sent some copies to the king and council; others were sold up and down the streets, and at the Ex­change. Which Declaration was some years after reprinted.

Some time after this several New-England magistrates came over, with one of their priests. We had several dis­courses with them concerning their murdering our friends, [Page 435]the servants of the Lord; but they were ashamed to stand to their bloody actions. At one of those meetings I asked Simon Broadstreet, one of the New-England magistrates, Whether he had not an hand in putting to death those four servants of God, whom they hanged for being Quakers only, as they had nicknamed them? He confessed, He had. I then asked him, and the rest of his associates then present, Whether they would acknowledge themselves to be subjects to the laws of England? And if they did, by what law they had put our friends to death? They said, They were subjects to the laws of England, and they had put our friends to death by the same law as the Jesuits were put to death here in England. I asked them then, Whether they did believe those friends of ours, whom they had put to death, were Jesuits or jesuitically affected? They said, Nay. Then, said I, ye have murdered them, if ye have put them to death by the law that Jesuits are put to death here in England, and yet confess they were no Jesuits.' By this it plainly appears ye have put them to death in your own wills, without any law. Then Simon Broadstreet, finding himself and his company ensnared by their own words, said, Did we come to catch them? I told them, they had catched themselves, and they might justly be questioned for their lives; and if the father of William Ro­binson (who was one of those that were put to death) was in town, it was probable he would question them, and bring their lives into jeopardy. Hereupon they began to excuse themselves, saying, ‘There was no persecution now amongst them;’ but next morning we had letters from New-England, giving us account that our friends were per­secuted there afresh. Thereupon we went to them again, and shewed them our letters, which put them both to silence and to shame. In great fear they seemed to be, lest some should call them to account and prosecute them for their lives, especially Simon Broadstreet; for he had at first be­fore so many witnesses confessed, ‘He had a hand in put­ting our friends to death,’ that he could not get from it; though he afterwards through fear shuffled, and would have unsaid it again. After this he and the rest soon left the city, and got back to New-England again. I went also to go­vernor Winthorp, and discoursed with him about these matters; but he assured me, ‘He had no hand in putting our friends to death, or in any way persecuting of them, but was one of them that protested against it.’ These [Page 436]stingy persecutors of New-England were a people that fled out of Old England thither from the persecution of the bishops here; but when they had got power into their hands, they so far exceeded the bishops in severity and cru­elty, that whereas the bishops had made them pay twelve pence a Sunday (so called) for not coming to their worship here, they imposed a fine of five shillings a day upon such as should not conform to their will-worship there, and spoil­ed the goods of friends that could not pay it. Besides, many they imprisoned, divers they whipped, and that most cruelly; they cut the ears off some, and some they hanged: as the books of friends sufferings in New-England largely shew, particularly one written by George Bishop of Bristol, intituled, New-England judged: (in two parts.) Some of the old Royalists were earnest with friends to have pro­secuted them; but we told them, we left them to the Lord, to whom vengeance belonged, and he would repay it. And the judgments of God have since fallen heavy on them; for the Indians have been raised up against them, and have cut off many of them.

About this time I lost a very good book, being taken in the printer's hands: it was a useful, teaching book, con­taining the signification and explanation of Names, Para­bles, Types, and Figures in the scriptures. Those who took it were so affected therewith that they were loth to destroy it; but thinking to have made a great advantage of it, they would have let us had it again, if we would have given them a great sum of money for it; which we were not free to do.

Before this, while I was prisoner in Lancaster castle, the b [...]k called the Battledore came forth, which was written to shew that in all languages Thou and Thee is the proper and usual form of speech to a single person, and You to more than one. This was set forth in examples or instances taken out of the scriptures, and out of books of instruction in about thirty languages. John Stubbs and Benjamin Furly took great pains in compiling it, which I put them upon; and some things I added to it. When it was finish­ed, some of them were presented to the king and his coun­cil, to the bishops of Canterbury and London, and to the two universities one apiece; and many bought of them. The king said, 'It was the proper language of all nations.' The bishop of Canterbury, being asked what he thought of it, was so at a stand that he could not tell what to say to [Page 437]it. For it did so inform and convince people, that few afterwards were so rugged towards us for saying Thou and Thee to a single person, which before they were exceeding fierce against us for. For Thou and Thee was a sore cut to proud flesh, and them that sought self-honour; who, though they would say it to God and Christ, would not endure to have it said to themselves. So that we were often beat and abused, and sometimes in danger of our lives for using those words to some proud men, who would say, 'What! you ill-bred clown, do you Thou me!' as though there lay christian breeding in saying You to one, which is contrary to their grammars and teaching books, by which they instructed their youth.

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

About this time many Papists and Jesuits be [...]n to fawn upon friends, and talked up and down where they came, that of all the sects the Quakers were the best and most self­denying people; and said, ‘It was great pity that they did not return to the holy mother church.’ Thus they made a buzz among the people, and said, ‘They would willingly discourse with friends.’ But friends were loth to meddle with them, because they were Jesuits, looking upon it to be both dangerous and scandalous. But when I under­stood it, I said to friends, ‘Let us discourse with them, be they what they will.’ So a time being appointed at Ger­rard Roberts's, there came two of them like courtiers. They asked our [...]ames, which we told them; but we did not ask their nam [...]s, for we understood they were called Papists, and they knew we were called Quakers. I asked them the same question that I had formerly asked a Jesuit, namely, [Page 439] ‘Whether the church of Rome was not degenerated from the church in the primitive times, from the Spirit, power, and practice that they were in in the apostles times?’ He to whom I put this question, being subtle, said, ‘He would not answer it.’ I asked him, Why? But he would shew no reason. His companion said, he would answer me; and said, ‘They were not degenerated from the church in the primitive times.’ I asked the other, ‘Whether he was of the same mind? He said, Yes. Then I replied, for the better understanding one another, and that there might be no mistake, I would repeat my question over again after this manner: Whether the church of Rome now was in the same purity, practice, power, and Spirit, that the church in the apostles time was in?’ When they saw we would be exact with them, they flew off, and denied that, saying, ‘It was presumption in any to say they had the same power and Spirit which the apostles had.’ I told them, It was presumption in them to meddle with the words of Christ and his apostles, and make people believe they succeeded the apostles, yet be forced to confess, ‘They were not in the same power and Spirit that the apostles were in:’ This, said I, is a spirit of presumption, and rebuked by the apostles Spirit. I shewed them how different their fruits and practices were from the fruits and practices of the apos­tles. Then got up one of them, and said, ‘Ye are a com­pany of dreamers.’ Nay, said I, ye are the filthy dream­ers, who dream ye are the apostles successors, and yet con­fess, ‘Ye have not the same power and Spirit which the apostles [...]ere in.’ And are not they defilers of the flesh, who say, ‘It is presumption for any to say, they have the same power and Spirit which the apostles had?’ Now, said I, if ye have not the same power and Spirit which the apostles had, then it is manifest that ye are led by another power and spirit than the apostles and church in the primi­tive times were led by. Then I began to tell them how that evil spirit, which they were led by, had led them to pray by beads and to images, and to set up nunneries, fria­ries, and monasteries, and to put people to death for reli­gion; which practice I shewed them was below the law, and far short of the gospel, in which is liberty. They were soon weary of this discourse, and went their way, and gave a charge, as we heard, to the Papists, ‘That they should not dispute with us, nor read any of our books.’ So we were rid of them; but we had reasonings with all the other [Page 440]sects, Presbyterians, Independents, Seekers, Baptists, Epis­copal-men Socinians, Brownists, Lutherans, Calvinists, Arminians, Fifth-monarchy-men, Familists, Muggletonians, and Ranters; none of which would affirm they had the same power and Spirit that the apostles had and were in; so in that power and Spirit the Lord gave us dominion over them all.

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

A JOURNAL OR HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE, TRAVELS, SUFFERINGS, &c. OF GEORGE FOX.

THIS year several friends were moved to go beyond sea, to publish truth in foreign countries. John Stubbs, Henry Fell, and Richard Costrop were moved to go towards China and Prester John's country; but no masters of ships would carry them. With much ado they got a warrant from the king; but the East-India company found ways to avoid it, and the masters of their ships would not carry them. Then they went into Holland, hoping to have got passage there; but no passage could they get there neither. Then John Stubbs and Henry Fell took shipping for Alexandria in Egypt, intending to go by the caravans from thence. Meanwhile Daniel Baker being to go to Smyrna, drew Richard Costrop, contrary to his own free­dom, along with them; and in the passage, Richard falling sick, D. Baker left him sick in the ship; where he died: but that hard-hearted man afterwards lost his own condition.

John Stubbs and Henry Fell got to Alexandria; but they had not been long there before the English consul banished them from thence; yet before they came away, they dispersed many books and papers for the opening the principles and way of truth to the Turks and Grecians. [Page 4]They gave the book called, 'The Pope's strength broken,' to an old friar, for him to give or send to the pope; which book, when the friar had perused, he clapped his [...] up­on his breast, and confessed, ‘What was written therein was truth; but,’ said he, ‘if I should confess it openly, they would burn me.’ John Stubbs and Henry Fell, not being suffered to go farther, returned to England, and came to London again. John had a vision that the English and Dutch, who had joined together not to carry them, ‘would fall out one with the other.’ And so it came to pass.

Having staid in London some time. I felt drawings to visit friends in Essex. I went to Colchester, where I had very large meetings, and from thence to Coggeshall; not far from which there was a priest convinced, and I had a meeting at his house. So travelling a little in those parts, visiting friends in their meetings, I returned pretty quickly to London, where I sound great service for the Lord; for a large door was opened, many slocked in to our meetings, and the Lord's truth spread mightily this year. Yet friends had great travail and fore labour, the rude people having been so heightened by the Monarchy-men's rising a little before. But the Lord's power was over all, and in it friends had dominion though we had not only those sufferings without, but sufferings within also, by John Perrot and his company; who giving heed to a spirit of delusion, sought to introduce among friends that evil and uncomely practice of 'keeping on the hat in the time of publick prayers.' Friends had spoken to him and divers of his followers about it, and I had written to them concerning it; but he and some others rather strengthened themselves against us. Wherefore feeling the judgment of truth rise against it, I gave forth the following lines, as a warning to all concerned therein.

Among the exercises and troubles that friends had from without, one was concerning friends marriages, which some­times were called in question. In this year there happened to be a cause tried at the assize at Nottingham concerning a friend's marriage. The case was thus: Some years before two friends were joined together in marriage amongst friends, and lived together as man and wife about two years. Then the man died, leaving his wife with child, and leaving an est [...] in lands of copyhold. When the woman was deli­vered, the jury presented the child heir to its father's lands, and accordingly the child was admitted; afterwards another friend married the widow. And after that, a person near of kin to her former husband, brought his action against the friend who had last married her, endeavouring to dispossess them, and deprive the child of the inheritance, and to pos­sess himself thereof, as next heir to the woman's first hus­band. To effect this, he endeavoured to prove the child illegitimate, alleging, ‘The marriage was not according to law.’ In opening the cause, the plaintiff's counsel used unseemly words concerning friends, saying, ‘they went to­gether like brute beasts,’ with other ill expressions. After the counsel on both sides had pleaded, the judge, (viz. judge Archer) took the matter in hand, and opened it to them, telling them, ‘There was a marriage in paradise when Adam took Eve, and Eve took Adam, and that it was the consent of the parties that made a marriage. And for the Quakers (he said) he did not know their opinions; but he did not believe they went together as brute beasts, as had been said of them, but as Christians; and therefore he did believe the marriage was lawful, and the child lawful heir.’ The better to satisfy the jury, he brought them a case to this purpose, ‘A man that was weak of body, and kept his bed, had a desire in that condition to marry, and did declare before witnesses, that he did take such a woman to be his wife, and the woman declared that she took that [Page 6]man to be her husband. This marriage was afterwards called in question, (and as the judge said) all the bishops did conclude it to be a lawful marriage.’ Hereupon the jury gave in their verdict for the friend's child against the man that would have deprived it of its inheritance.

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

Abundance of friends being in prison, Richard Hubber­thorn and I drew up a paper concerning them; and got it delivered to the king, that he might understand how we were dealt with by his officers. It was directed thus: To the KING.

I mentioned before, that in the year 1650 I was kept pri­son [...]i [...] months in the house of correction at Derby, and [Page 8]that the keeper of the prison, being a cruel man, and had dealt very wickedly by me, was smitton himself, the plagues and terrors of the Lord falling upon him because thereof: this man, being afterwards convinced of truth, wrote me the following letter.

There were two of our friends in prison in the inquisi­tion at Malta, both women; Catherine Evans and Sarah Chevers. I was told that one called the Lord D'Aubeny could procure their liberty; wherefore I went to him: and having informed him concerning their imprisonment, desir­ed him to write to the magistrates there for their release. He readily promised me he would; and said, ‘If I would come again within a month he would acquaint me of their dis­charge.’ I went again about that time, and he said, ‘He [Page 9]thought his letters had miscarried, because he had received no answer.’ But he promised he would write again, and did so; whereupon they were set at liberty.

With this great man I had a great deal of reasoning about religion, and he confessed that ‘Christ hath enlight­ened every man that cometh into the world with his spiri­tual light; that he had tasted death for every man: that the Grace of God, which brings salvation, hath appeared to all men; and that it would teach them, and bring their salvation, if they did obey it.’ I asked him, What would they (the Papists) do with all their relicks and images, if they should own and believe in this light, and receive the grace to teach them and bring their salvation? He said, ‘Those things were but policies to keep people in subjec­tion.’ Very free he was in discourse. I never heard a Papist confess so much as he did. Tho' several about the court began to grow kind to friends, yet the persecution was very hot, and several friends died in prison. Whereupon I gave forth a little paper concerning the grounds and rise of persecution; which was thus:

After I had made some stay in London, and had cleared myself of what lay upon me there, I went into the country, having with me Alexander Parker and John Stubbs. We [Page 10]travelled through the country, visiting friends meetings, till we came to Bristol. There we understood, that the officers were likely to come and break up the meeting; yet on first-day we went to the meeting at Broad-mead, and Alexander Parker standing up first, while he was speaking, the officers came and took him away. After he was gone, I stood up and declared the everlasting truth of the Lord God in his eternal power, which came over all, and the meeting was quiet the rest of the time, and broke up peaceably. I tarried till first-day following, visiting friends, and being visited by friends. On first-day morning several friends came to Ed­ward Pyot's (where I lay the night before) and used endea­vours to persuade me not to go to the meeting that day; for the magistrates had threatened to take me, and had rais­ed the trained-bands. I wished them to go to the meeting, not telling them what I intended to do; but I told Edward Pyot I intended to go, and he sent his son to shew me the way from his house by the fields. As I went I met divers friends, who did what they could to stop me: 'What,' said one, 'wilt thou go into the mouth of the beast?' 'Wilt thou go into the mouth of the dragon?' said another. I put them by and went on. When I came to the meet­ing, Margaret Thomas was speaking. When she had done, I stood up. I saw a concern and fear upon friends for me; but the power of the Lord, in which I declared, soon struck the fear out of them. Life sprang, and an heavenly glori­ous meeting we had. After I had cleared myself of what was upon me from the Lord to the meeting, I was moved to pray, and after prayer to stand up again, and tell friends, ‘Now they might see there was a God in Israel that could deliver.’ A very large meeting this was, and very hot; but truth was over all, and the life was exalted which car­ried through all, and the meeting broke up in peace. The officers and soldiers had been breaking up another meeting, which had taken up their time; so that our meeting was ended before they came. But I understood afterwards they were in a great rage, because they had missed me; for they were heard to say one to another before, ‘I'll warrant we shall have him;’ but the Lord prevented them. I went to Joan Hily's, where many friends came to see me; re­joicing and blessing God for our deliverance. In the even­ing I had a fine fresh meeting at a friend's house over the water, where we were much refreshed in the Lord. After this I staid most part of that week in Bristol, and at Ed­ward [Page 11]Pyot's. Edward was brought so low and weak with an ague, that when I first came he was looked upon as a dying man; but it pleased the Lord to raise him up again, so that, before I went away, his ague left him, and he was sinely well.

Having been two first-days at the meeting at Broad­mead. and feeling my spirit clear of Bristol. I went next first-day to a meeting in the country not far distant. And after the meeting. some friends from Bristol told me, the soldiers that day had beset the meeting-house round at Bris­tol, and then went up, saying. ‘They would be sure to have me now;’ but when they found me not there, they were in a great rage, and kept friends in the meeting-house most part of the day before they would let them go home; and queried of them, Which way I was gone, and how 'they might send after me? For the mayor,' they said, 'would fain have spoken with me.' I had a vision of a great mastiff dog, that would have bit me; but I put one hand above his jaws, and the other hand below, and tore his jaws in pieces. So the Lord by his power tore their power to pieces, and made way for me to escape them. Then I passed through the country, visiting friends in Wilt­shire and Berkshire, till I came to London, having great meetings amongst friends as I went. The Lord's power was over all, and a blessed time it was for the spreading of his glorious truth. It was indeed the immediate power of the Lord that preserved me out of their hands at Bristol, and over the heads of all our persecutors; and the Lord alone is worthy of all the glory, who did uphold and pre­serve for his name and truth's sake.

At London I staid not long, being drawn in spirit to visit friends northward as far as Leicestershire. John Stubbs was with me. We travelled down, having meetings amongst friends as we went; and at Skegby we had a great meet­ing. Thence we came to Barnet-hills, where lived captain Brown, a Baptist, whose wife was convinced of truth. This captain Brown, after the act for 'breaking up meetings' came forth, being afraid his wife should go to meetings, and be cast into prison, left his house at Barrow, and took a place on these hills, saying, 'His wife should not go to prison.' And this being a free place, many priests and others fled thither as well as he. But he, who would neither stand to truth himself nor suffer his wife, was in this place, where he thought himself safe, found out by the Lord, whose hand [Page 12]fell heavy upon him for his unfaithfulness; so that he was sorely plagued, and grievously judged in himself for flying and drawing his wife into that private place. We went to see his wife, and being in the house, I asked him, how he did? 'How do I!' said he, ‘The plagues and vengeance of God are upon me, a runagate, a Cain as I am. God may look for a witness for me, and such as me; for if all were not faithfuller than I, God would have no witness left in the earth.’ In this condition he lived on bread and water, and thought it was too good for him. At length he got home again with his wife to his own house at Barrow, where afterwards he was convinced of God's eternal truth, and died in it. A little before his death he said, ‘Though he had not borne a testimony for truth in his life, he would bear a testimony in his death, and would be buried in his orchard;’ and was so. He was an example to all the flying Baptists in the time of persecution, who could not bear persecution themselves, yet persecuted us when they had power.

From Barnet-hills we came to Swanington, in Leicester­shire, where William Smith and some, other friends visited me; but went away towards night, leaving me at a friend's house in Swanington. At night, as I was sitting in the hall, speaking to a widow-woman and her daughter, lord Beaumont came with a company, of soldiers, who, slapping their swords on the door, rushed into the house with swords and pistols in their hands, crying, ‘Put out the candles, and make fast the doors.' Then they seized upon the friends in the house, and asked, If there were no more about the house?’ The friends told them, there was one man more in the hall. There being some friends out of Derbyshire, one of them was named Thomas Fauks; lord Beaumont, after he had asked all their names, bid his man set down that man's name Thomas Fox. The friend said, Nay, his name was not Fox, but Fauks. In the mean time some of the soldiers came, and fetched me out of the hall to him. He asked my name. I told him my name was George Fox, and that I was well known by that name. 'Aye,' said he, 'you are known all the world over.' I said, I was known for no hurt, but for good. Then he put his hands into my pockets to search them, and plucked out my comb-case, and afterwards commanded one of his offi­cers to search further for letters. I told him, I was no let­ter-carrier, and asked him, Why he came amongst a peace­able [Page 13]people with swords and pistols, without a constable, contrary to the king's proclamation and to the late act? For he could not say, there was a meeting, I being only talking with a poor widow-woman and her daughter. By reasoning thus with him, he came somewhat down; yet sending for the constables, he gave them charge of us that night, and to bring us before him next morning. Accord­ingly the constables set a watch of the town's people upon us that night, and had us next morning to his house about a mile from Swanington. When we came before him, he told us, 'We met contrary to the Act.' I desired him to shew us the act. 'Why,' says he, ‘you have it in your pocket.’ I told him, he did not find us in a meeting. Then he asked, ‘Whether we would take the oaths of alle­giance and supremacy?’ I told him, I never took any oath in my life, nor engagement, nor the covenant. Yet still he would force the oath upon us. I desired him to shew us the oath, that we might see whether we were the persons it was to be tendered to, and whether it was not for the discovery of popish recusants. At length he brought a little book, but we called for the statute-book. He would not shew us that, but caused a mittimus to be made, which mentioned, 'That we were to have had a meeting.' With this mittimus he delivered us to the constables to convey us to Leicester gaol. But when the constables had brought us back to Swanington, being harvest-time, it was hard to get any body to go with us. The people were loth to take their neighbours to prison, especially in such a busy time. They would have given us our mittimus to have carried ourselves to the gaol; for it had been usual for constables to give friends their own mittimuses, and they have gone themselves with them to the gaoler. But we told them, though our friends had sometimes done so, we would not take this mittimus; but some of them should go with us to the gaol. At last they hired a poor labouring man, who was loth to go, though hired. So we rode to Leicester, being five in number; some carried their bible [...] open in their hands, declaring truth to the people as we rode in the fields and through the towns, and telling them, ‘We were prisoners of the Lord Jesus Christ, going to suffer bonds for his name and trutl sake.’ One woman friend carried her wheel on her lap to spin on in prison, and the people were mightily affected. At Leicester we went to an inn, The master of the house seemed to be troubled that we [Page 14]should go to prison; and being himself in commission, he sent for lawyers in the town to advise with, and would have taken up the mittimus, and kept us in his own house, and not have let us gone into the gaol. But I told friends, it would be great charge to lie at an inn, many friends and people would come to visit us, and it might be hard for him to bear meetings in his house: besides, we had many friends in the prison already, and we had rather be with them. So we let the man know we were sensible of his kindness, and to prison we went; the poor man that brought us thither delivering both the mittimus and us to the gaoler. This gaoler had been a very wicked, cruel man. Six or seven friends being in prison before we came, he had taken some occasion to quarrel with them, and had thrust them into the dungcon amongst felons, where was hardly room for them to lie down. We staid all that day in the prison­yard. and desired the gaoler to let us have some straw. He surlily answered, ‘You do not look like men that would lie on straw.’ After awhile William Smith came to me, and being acquainted in the house, I asked him, What rooms were in the house, and what rooms friends had been usually put in before they were put into the dungeon? I asked him also, Whether the gaoler or his wife was master? He said, The wife was master; and though she was lame, and sate mostly in her chair, not being able to go but on crutches, yet she would beat her husband when he came within her reach, if he did not as she would have him. I considered that many friends might probably come to visit us, and if we had a room to ourselves, it would be better for them to speak to me, and for me to speak to them in, as there should be occasron. Wherefore I desired William Smith to speak with the woman, and acquaint her, if she would let us have a room, suffer our friends to come out of the dungeon, and leave it to us to give her what we would, it might be better for her. He went, and after some reasoning with her she consented; and we were had into a room. Then we were told, The gaoler would not suffer us to have any drink out of the town into the prison, but what beer we drank we must take of him. I told them, I would remedy that if they would; for we would get a pail of water, and a little wormwood once a day, and that might serve us; so we should have none of his beer, and the water he could not deny us.

Before we came, when those sew friends that were pri­soners [Page 15]met together on first-days, if any of them was moved to pray to the Lord, the gaoler would come up with his quarter-staff in his hand, and his mastiff-dog at his heels, and pluck them down by the hair of the head, and strike them with his staff; but when he struck friends, the mastiffdog, instead of falling upon them, would take the staff out of his hand. When first-day came, I spoke to one of my fellow-prisoners to carr, a stool and set it in the yard, and give notice to the debtors and felons that there would be a meeting in the yard, and they that would hear the word of the Lord declared might come thither. So the prisoners gathered in the yard, and we went down and had a very precious meeting, the gaoler not meddling. Thus every first-day we had a meeting as long as we staid in prison, and several came out of the town and country. Many were convinced, and some received the Lord's truth there, who stood faithful witnesses for it ever since.

When the sessions came, we were brought before the jus­tices, with more friends, to the number of about twenty. Being brought into the court, the gaoler put us in the place where the thieves were, and some of the justices began to tender the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to us. I told them, I never took any oath in my life; and they knew we could not swear, because Christ and his apostle forbad it: therefore they put it but as a snare to us. We told them, if they could prove, that after Christ and the apostle had forbid swearing, they did ever command Christians to swear, we would take these oaths; otherwise we were resolved to obey Christ's command and the apostle's exhortation. They said, ‘We must take the oath, that we might manifest our allegiance to the king.’ I told them, I had been formerly sent prisoner by col. Hacker from that town to London, under pretence that I held meetings to plot to bring in king Charles. I also desired them to read our mittimus, which set forth the cause of our commitment to be, that 'we were to have a meeting;' and I said, lord Beaumont could not by that act send us to gaol, unless we had been taken at a meeting, and found to be such persons as the act speaks of; therefore we desired they would read the mitti­mus, and see how wrongfully we were imprisoned. They would not take notice of the mittimus; but called a jury, and indicted us ‘for refusing to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy.’ When the jury was sworn and instruct­ed, as they were going out, one who had been an alderman [Page 16]of the city bid them, 'Have a good conscience;' and one of the jury, being a peevish man, to [...]d the justices, there was one affronted the jury; whereupon they called him up, and tendered him the oath also, which he to.

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

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

Thus we were all set at liberty on a sudden, and passed every one into our services. Leonard Fell went with me again to Swanington. I had a letter from lord Hastings, who hearing of my imprisonment had wrote from London to the justices of the sessions to set me at liberty. I had not delivered this letter to the justices; but whether they had any knowledge of his mind from any other hand, which made them discharge us so suddenly, I know not. But his letter I carried to lord Beaumont, who sent us to prison; and when he had broke it open and read it, he seemed much troubled; but at last came a little lower; yet threatened us, if we had any more meetings at Swanington, he would break them up and fend us to prison again. But notwithstanding his threats we went to Swanington, and had a meeting with friends there, and he neither came nor sent to break it up.

From Swanington we came to Twy-cross, where that great man formerly mentioned, whom the Lord raised up from his sickness in the year 1649 (whose serving-man came at me with a drawn sword to have done me a mischief) and [Page 17]his wife came to see me. From thence we travelled through Warwickshire, where we had brave meetings; and into Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, visiting friends till we came to London.

I staid not long in London, but went into Essex, and so to Norsolk, having great meetings. At Norwich, when I came to captain Lawrence's, there was a great threatening of disturbance; but the meeting was quiet. Passing from thence to Sutton, and into Cambridgeshire, I heard of Ed­ward Burrough's decease. And being sensible how great a grief and exercise it would be to friends to part with him, I wrote the following lines for the staying and settling of their minds.

From thence I passed to Little-port and the Isle of Ely; where one that had been the mayor, with his wife, and the wife of the then present mayor of Cambridge, came to the meeting. Travelling into Lincolnshire and Huntingdon­shire. I came to Thomas Parnel's, where the mayor of Hun­tingdon came to see me, and was very loving. From thence I came into the Fen-country, where we had large and quiet meetings. While I was in that country, there came so great a flood, that it was dangerous to go out; yet we did get out, and went to Lynn, where we had a blessed meeting. Next morning I went to visit some prisoners there; then back to the inn, and took horse. As I was riding out of the yard, the officers came to search the inn for me. I knew nothing of it then, only I felt a great burden come upon me as I rode out of the town, till I was got without the gates. When some friends that came after overtook me, they told me their officers had been searching for me in the inn, as soon as I was gone out of the yard. So by the good hand of the Lord I escaped their cruel hands. After this we passed through the countries, visiting friends in their meetings. [Page 18]The Lord's power carried us over the persecuting spirits, and through many dangers; and his truth spread and grew, and friends were established therein: praises and glory to his name for ever!

Having passed through Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Hertfordshire, we came to London again; where I staid awhile, visiting friends in their meetings, which were very large, and the Lord's power was over all. After some time I left the city, and travelled into Kent, having Thomas Briggs with me. We went to Ashford, where we had a qui­et and a very blessed meeting. On first-day we bad a very good and peaceable meeting at Cranbrook. Then we went to Tenterden, and had a meeting there, to which friends came from several parts; and many other people came in and were reached by the truth. When the meeting was done, I walked with Thomas Briggs into a close, while our horses were getting ready; and turning my head, I espied a captain coming, and a great company of soldiers with light­ed matches and muskets. Some of the soldiers came to Tho­mas and me, and said, 'We must go to their captain.' When they had brought us before him, he asked, ‘Where was George Fox? Which was he? I said, I am the man.’ ‘Then he came to me, and was somewhat struck, and said, I will secure you among the soldiers.’ So he called for the soldiers to take me. Then he took Thomas Briggs and the man of the house, with many more; but the power of the Lord was mightily over them all. Then he came to me again, and said, 'I must go along with him to the town;' and he carried himself pretty civilly, bidding the soldiers bring the rest after. As we walked, I asked him, ‘Why they did thus? for I had not seen so much ado a great while;’ and I bid him be civil to his peaceable neighbours. When we were come to the town, they had us to an inn that was the gaoler's house. After awhile the mayor of the town, this captain, and the lieutenant, who were justi­ces, came together and examined me, ‘Why I came thither to make a disturbance?’ I told them, I did not come to make a disturbance, neither had I made any disturbance since I came. They said, ‘There was a law against the Quakers meetings, made only against them.’ I told them, I knew no such law. Then they brought the act made against Qurakers and others. I told them, that was against such as were a ‘terror to the king's subjects, who were ene­mies, and held principles dangerous to the government;’ [Page 19]and therefore it was not against us, for we held the truth; our principles were not dangerous, and our meeting were peaceable, as they knew, who knew their neighbours were a peaceable people. They told me, ‘I was an enemy to the king.’ I answered, We loved all people, were enemies to none, and that I had been cast into Derby dungcon about the time of Worcester fight, because I would not take up arms against him; and that I was afterwards brought by colonel Hacker to London, as a plotter to bring in king Charles, and was kept prisoner at London till I was set at liberty by Oliver. They asked me, ‘Whether I was im­prisoned in the time of the insurrection?’ I said, Yes; I had been imprisoned then and since, and had been set at liberty by the king's own command. I opened the act to them, shewed them the king's late declaration, gave them the examples of other justices, and told them also what the house of lords had said of it. I spoke also to them con­cerning their own conditions, exhorting them to live in the fear of God, to be tender towards their neighbours that fear­ed God, and to mind God's wisdom by which all things were made and created, that they might come to receive it, be ordered by it, and by it order all things to God's glory. They demanded bond of us for our appearance at the ses­sions; but we, pleading our innocency, refused to give bond. Then they would have us promise to come no more there; but we kept clear of that also. When they saw they could not bring us to their terms, they told us, ‘We should see they were civil to us, for it was the mayor's pleasure we should all be set at liberty.’ I told them, their civility was noble; and so we parted.

Leaving Tenterden, we went to Newick in Sussex, where we visited some friends. From thence we passed through the country, sisiting friends, and having great meetings; all quiet and free from disturbance (except by some jangling Baptists) till we came into Hampshire. Where, after a good meeting at Southampton, we went to Pulner, in the parish of Ringwood, where was to be a monthly meeting next day, to which many friends resorted from Southampton, Pool, and other places; and the weather being very hot, some came pretty early in the morning. I took a friend, and walked out with him into the orchard, enquiring of him how the affairs of truth stood amongst them? (For many of them had been convinced by me before I was pri­soner in Cornwall.) While we were discoursing, a young [Page 20]man came and told us the trained bands were raising, and he heard they would break up the meeting. It was not yet meeting-time by about three hours, and there being other friends walking in the orchard, the friend I was dis­coursing with before desired me to walk into a corn-field adjoining to it, which we did. After awhile, the young man that spoke of the trained bands left us, and when he was gone a pretty way he stood and waved his hat. Where­upon I spoke to the other young man that was with me to go see what he meant. He went, but came not to me again, for the soldiers were come into the orchard. As I kept walking I could see the soldiers, and some of them, as I heard afterwards, did see me, but had no mind to meddle. So the soldiers coming so long before meeting-time, did not tarry; but took what friends they found at the house, and some they met in the lane, and had them away. After they were gone, it drew towards the eleventh hour, friends began to come in apace, and a large and glorious meeting we had; for the everlasting seed of God was set over all, and the peo­ple were settled in the new covenant of life, upon the foun­dation Christ Jesus. Towards the latter end of the meeting there came a man in gay apparel, and looked in while I was declaring, and went away again presently. This man came with an evil intent; for he went forthwith to Ringwood, and told the magistrates, ‘That they had taken two or three men at Pulner, and had left George Fox there preaching to two or three hundred.’ Upon this the magistrates sent the officers and soldiers again; but the meeting being near ended when the man looked in, and he having about a mile and a half to go with his information to fetch the soldiers, and they as far to come after they had received their orders, before they came our meeting was over; ending about the third hour peaceably and orderly. After the meeting, I spoke to the friends of the house where this was held (the woman of the house then lying dead in the house) and then some friends led me to another friend's at a little distance; where after we had refreshed ourselves, I took horse, having about twenty miles to ride that afternoon to one— Frye's. in Wiltshire, where a meeting was appointed to be held the next day.

After we were gone, the officers and soldiers came in a great heat, who finding they had missed their prey were much enraged; and the officers were offended with the sol­diers, because they had not seized my horse in the stable [Page 21]the first time they came. But the Lord, by his good pro­vidence, delivered me, and prevented their mischievous de­sign. For the officers were envious men, and had an evil mind against friends; but the Lord brought his judgments upon them, so that it was taken notice of by their neigh­bours. For ‘as before they were wealthy men, after this their estates wasted away; and John Line, the constable, who was not only very forward in putting on the soldiers to take friends, but also carried those that were taken to prison, and took a false oath against them at the assize, upon which they were fined and continued prisoners, was a sad spectacle to behold. For his flesh rotting away while he lived, he died in a very miserable condition, wishing he had never meddled with the Quakers, and confessing he never prospered since he had an hand in persecuting them; and that he thought the hand of the Lord was against him for it.’

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

We passed through Wiltshire into Dorsetshire, having large and good meetings. The Lord's everlasting power was with us, and carried us over all; in which we sounded forth his saving truth and word of life, which many gladly received. Thus we visited friends till we came to Topsham, in Devonshire, travelling some weeks eight or nine score miles a week, and had meetings every day. At Topsham we met with Margaret Fell and two of her daughters, Sa­rah and Mary, and with Leonard Fell and Thomas Salt­house. From thence we passed to Totness, where we visited some friends, and then to Kingsbridge, and to Henry Pol­lexfen's, who had been an ancient justice of peace. There we had a large meeting. This old justice accompanied us to Plymouth, and into Cornwall, to justice Porter's, and from thence to Thomas Mount's, where we had a large meeting. After which we went to Humphry Lower's, where also we had a large meeting; and from thence to Loveday Hambley's, where we had a general meeting for the whole country: and all was quiet.

[Page 22] A little before this, Joseph Hellen, and G. Bewley had been at Loo to visit Blanch Pope, a Ranting woman, un­der pretence to convince and convert her: but before they left her, she had so darkened them with her principles, that they seemed to be like her disciples, especially Joseph Hel­len. She asked them, ‘Who made the devil? Did not God?’ This idle question so puzzled them, they could not answer her. They afterwards asked me the question. I told them, No; for all that God made was good and was blest, so was not the devil. He was called a serpent before he was called a devil and an adversary and then he had the title of devil given him. Afterwards he was called a dragon, because he was a destroyer. The devil abode not in the truth: by departing from the truth he became a de­vil. So the Jews, when they went out of the truth, were said to be of the devil, and were called serpents. There is no promise of God to the devil, that ever he shall return into truth again; but to man and woman, who have been deceived by him, the promise of God is, that ‘The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head;’ shall break his power and strength to pieces. When these things were opened more at large to the satisfaction of friends, those two, who had let up the spirit of that ranting woman, were judged by the truth; and one of them, viz. Joseph Hellen, ran quite out, and was denied by friends; but Georgo Bewly was recovered, and afterwards became serviceable.

We passed from Loveday Hambley's to Francis Hodges's, near Falmouth and Penryn, where we had a large meeting. From thence we went to Helstone that night, where friends came to visit us, and next day passed to Thomas Teage's, where we had a large meeting, at which many were con­vinced. I was led to open ‘the state of the church in the primitive times, the state of the church in the wilderness, the state of the false church that was got up since; and to shew, that now the everlasting gospel was preached over the head of the whore, beast, false prophets, and anti­christs, which had rose up since the apostles days; and now the everlasting gospel was received and receiving, which brought life and immortality to light, that they might see over the devil who had darkened them.’ The people received the gospel and the word of life gladly, and a glorious blessed meeting we had for the exalting the Lord's everlasting truth and his name. After it was done I walked out, and coming in again, I heard a noise in the court. [Page 23]Approaching nearer, I found the man of the house speaking to the tinners and others, telling them, It was the ‘ever­lasting truth that had been declared there that day;’ and the people generally confessed to it.

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

From thence we returned to Redruth, and the next day to Truro, where we had a meeting. Next morning, some of the chief of the town desired to speak with me, amongst whom was colonel Rouse. I went, and had a great deal of discourse with them concerning the things of God. In their reasoning they said, ‘The gospel was the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John;’ and they called it natural. I told them, the gospel was the power of God, which was preached before Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John were written; and it was preached to every creature (of which a great part might never see nor hear of those four books) so that every creature was to obey the power of God; for Christ, the Spiritual Man, would judge the world ac­cording to the gospel, that is, according to his invisible power. When they heard this, they could not gainsay; for the truth came over them. I directed them to their teacher, the grace of God, and shewed them the sufficiency of it, which would teach them how to live, and what to deny; and being obeyed would bring them salvation. So to that grace I recommended them, and left them.

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

‘In Cornwall I was informed there was one colonel Ro­binson, a very wicked man, who after the king came in was made a justice of peace, and became a cruel perse­cutor [Page 24]of friends; of whom he sent many to prison. Hear­ing they had some little liberty, through the favour of the gaoler, to go home sometimes to visit their wives and children, he made great complaint thereof to the judge at the assize against the gaoler: whereupon the gaoler was fined an hundred marks and friends were kept very strict­ly up for awhile. After he was come home from the as­size, he sent to a neighbouring justice to desire him to go a fanatick-hunting with him. He sent his man about with his horses, and walked himself on foot from his dwel­ling-house to a tenement where his cows and dairy were kept, and where his servants were then milking. When he came there, he asked for his bull. The servant-maids said, They had shut him into the field because he was un­r [...]y, and hindered their milking. Then went he into the field to the bull; and having formerly accustomed himself to play with him he began to sence at him with his staff. But the bull snuffed at him, and passed a little back; then turning upon him again, ran fiercely at him, and struck his horn into his thigh, and heaving him upon his horn, threw him over his back, and tore up his thigh to his belly. When he came to the ground again he gored him with his horns run them into the ground in his rage and violence, and roared, and licked up his master's blood. The maid­servant, hearing her master cry out, ran into the field, and took the bull by the horns to pull him off from her master. The bull, without hurting her, put her gently by with his horns, but still fell to goring of him, and licking up his blood. Then she ran, and got some men that were at work not far off, to come and rescue her master; but they could not at all beat off the bull, till they brought mastiff­dogs to set on him; and then he fled in great rage and fu­ry. Upon notice of it his sister came, and said to him, ‘Alack! brother, what a heavy judgment is this that is befallen you!’ He answered, ‘Ah! sister, it is an hea­vy judgment indeed.’ Pray let the bull be killed, and the flesh given to the poor, said he. They carried him home; but he died soon after. The bull was grown so fierce, they were forced to shoot him with guns; for no man durst come near to kill him. Thus does the Lord sometimes make examples of his just judgment upon the persecutors of his people, that others may fear, and learn to beware.’

After I had cleared myself of Cornwall, and Thomas [Page 25]Lower had brought us over Horse-bridge into Devonshire again, we took our leave of him. Thomas Briggs, Robert Widders, and I came to Tiverton. It being their fair­time, and many friends there, we had a meeting amongst them; and the magistrates gathered in the street, but the Lord's power stopped them. I saw them over against the door; but they had not power to come in to meddle with us, though they had will enough to have done it.

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

At one place they warned friends to come to the steeple-house. Friends met to consider of it, and sinding freedom to go, they met together there. They sate down to wait upon the Lord in his power and Spirir and minded the [Page 26]Lord Jesus Christ, their Teacher and Saviour; but did not mind the priest. When the officers saw that, they came to them to put them out of the steeple-house again; but the friends told them, it was not time for them to break up their meeting yet. Awhile after, when the priest had done, they came to the friends again, and would have had them go home to dinner; but the friends told them, they did not choose to go to dinner, they were feeding upon the bread of life. So there they sate, waiting upon the Lord, and enjoying his power and presence, till they found freedom in themselves to depart. Thus the priest's people were of­fended, first because they could not get them to the steeple-house, and when there, they were offended, because they could not get them out again.

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

We came from thence to Street, and to William Beaton's at Puddimore, where we had a very large general meeting; wherein the Lord's everlasting truth was declared, the peo­ple refreshed, and all quiet. From thence we went to John Dandy's, where we had another large and very precious meet­ing; and then passed to Bristol, where we had good service for the Lord, and all quiet. Here we met with Margaret Fell and her daughters again. After some time we went to Slattenford in Wiltshire, where was a very large meeting in a great barn. Good service we had there; for the truth, as it is in Jesus, was published amongst them, and many were gathered by it into the name of the Lord.

After this I passed into Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, having large meetings in each. In Hereford I had a meet­ing in the inn; after which, and I was gone, the magis­trates [Page 27]hearing of it, came to search the inn for me, and were vexed they had missed me. But the Lord so ordered it, that I escaped their hands, and friends were established up­on Christ, their Foundation, the Rock of Ages.

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

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

From thence we came into Shropshire, where we had a large and precious meeting. After many meetings in those parts, we came into Warwickshire, visited friends there, and so into Derbyshire and Staffordshire, visiting meetings as we went. At White-haugh we had a large blessed meet­ing, and quiet; after which we took horse, and rode about twenty miles that night to captain Lingard's. We heard afterwards, that when we were gone, the officers came to have seized us, and were much disturbed they missed us; but the Lord disappointed them, and friends were joyful in the Lord that we escaped them.

At captain Lingard's we had a blessed meeting, the Lord's presence being wonderfully amongst us. After which we passed thro' the Peak-country in Derbyshire, and went to Synderhill-green, where we had a large meeting. Here John Whitehead and several friends came to me. Then I passed through the country, visiting friends, till I came to the farther end of Holderness, and by Scarborough, Whit­by, and Malton, to York, having many meetings in the way, and the Lord's everlasting power was over all.

We went from york to Boroughbridge, where I had a glorious meeting. Thence we passed into the Bishoprick to one Richmond's, where was a general meeting; and the Lord's power was over all, though people were exceed­ing rude about this time. After the meeting we went to Henry Draper's, where we staid all night. Next morning [Page 28]a friend came as I was passing away, and told me, ‘If the priests and justices could light on me, they would destroy me.’

Being clear of the Bishoprick, I went over Stainmore into Yorkshire, and to Sedberg; where having visited friends, I went into Westmoreland, visiting friends there also. From thence I passed into Lancashire, and came to Swarthmore, where I staid but a little while before I went over the Sands to Arnside; where I had a general meeting. After it was ended some men came to have broken it up, but under­standing before they got thither the meeting was over, they turned back. I went to Robert Widders's, and from thence to Underbarrow, where I had a glorious meeting; and the Lord's power was set over all. From thence I passed to Grayrigg, visited friends, and then to Ann Audland's, where they would have had me to have stay'd their meeting the next day; but I felt a stop in my Spirit. It was upon me to go to John Blaykling's, in Sedberg, to be at the meeting there; which is large, and a precious people there is. We had a very good meeting the next day; but the constables went to Ann Audland's meeting to look for me. Thus by the good hand and disposing providence of the Lord I escaped their snare.

I went from John Blaykling's with Leonard Fell to Strickland-head, where on, first-day we had a very precious meeting on the common. That night we staid amongst our friends there, and the next day passed into Northumberland. After the justices heard of this meeting, they made search for me; but by the good hand of the Lord I escaped them, though there were some very wicked justices. We went to Hugh Hutchinson's, in Northumberland, a friend in the ministry, from whence we visted friends thereabouts; and then to Derwent-water, where we had a very glorious meet­ing. There came an ancient woman, and told me, her husband remembered his love to me; she said I might call him to mind by this token, that I used to call him, ‘The tall white old man.’ She said, he was six score and two years old, and that he would have come to the meeting, but that his horses were all employed upon some urgent occa­sion. I heard he lived some years after.

When I had visited friends in those parts, and they were settled upon Christ, their Foundation, I passed through Northumberland, and came to old Thomas Bewley's, in Cumberland. Friends came about me and asked, ‘Would [Page 29]I come there to go into prison?’ For there was great per­secution in that country at that time; yet I had a general meeting at Thomas Bewley's, which was large and pre­cious; and the Lord's power was over all.

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

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

From Pardsey-crag we went into Westomoreland, calling in the way upon Hugh Tickell, near Keswick, and upon Thomas Laythes, where friends came to visit us; and we had a fine opportunity to be refreshed together. We went that night to Francis Benson's, in Westmoreland, near jus­tice Fleming's. This justice was at that time in a great rage against friends, and me in particular; insomuch that in the open sessions at Kendal, just before, he had bid ‘Five pounds to any man that should take me,’ as Francis Ben­son told me. And it seems, as I went to this friend's house, I met one man coming from the sessions that had this five pounds offered him to take me, and he knew me; for as I passed by him, he said to his companion, ‘That is George Fox:’ yet he had not power to touch me; for the Lord preserved me over them all. The justices being so eager to have me, and I being so often nigh them and you they missing me, it tormented them the more.

I went from thence to James Taylor's at Cartmel, in Lan­cashire, [Page 30]where I staid first-day, and had a precious meeting. After which I came over the Sands to Swarthmore.

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

Shortly after, when colonel Kirby was gone to London, there was a private meeting of the justices and deputy-lieu­tenants at Houlker-hall, where justice Preston lived; where they granted a warrant to apprehend me. I heard over night both of their meeting and of the warrant, and could have gone out of their reach if I would; for I had not ap­pointed any meeting at that time, and I had cleared myself of the north, and the Lord's power was over all. But I considered, there being a noise of a plot in the north, if I should go away they might fall upon friends; but if I gave myself up to be taken, it might prevent them, and friends should escape the better; so I gave myself up to be taken, and prepared against they came. Next day an officer came with his sword and pistols to take me. I told him, ‘I knew his errand before, and had given myself to be taken; [Page 31]for if I would have escaped their imprisonment, I could have been forty miles off before he came; but I was an innocent man, and so mattered not what they could do to me.’ He asked me, ‘How I heard of it, seeing the order was made privately in a parlour?’ I said, it was no matter for that, it was sufficient that I heard it. I asked him to let me see his order; whereupon he laid his hand on his sword, and said, ‘I must go with him before the lieutenants, to answer such questions as they should propound to me.’ I told him, it was but civil and reasonable for him to let me see his order; but he would not. Then said I, I am ready. So I went along with him, and Margaret Fell ac­companied us to Houlker-hall. When we came thither, there was one Rawlinson, a justice, and one called Sir George Middleton, and many more that I did not know, besides old justice Preston who lived there. They brought Thomas Atkinson, a friend, of Cartmel, as a witness against me, for some words which he had told to one Knipe, who had informed them; which words were, ‘That I had writ­ten against the plotters, and had knocked them down.’ These words they could not make much of; for I told them I had heard of a plot and had written against it. Old Preston asked me, 'Whether I had an hand in that script?' I asked him what he meant? He said, in the Battledore? I answered, Yes. Then he asked me, ‘Whether I did un­derstand languages?’ I said, Sufficient for myself; and ‘that I knew no law that was transgressed by it. I told them also, That to understand those outward languages, was no matter of salvation; for the many tongues began but at the confusion of Babel: and if I did understand any thing of them, I judged and knocked them down again for any matter of salvation that was in them.’ Thereupon he turned away, and said, ‘George Fox knocks down all the languages. Come,’ said he, ‘we will exa­mine you of higher matters.’

Then said George Middleton, ‘You deny God, and the church, and the faith.’ I replied, ‘Nay: I own God, and the true church, and the true faith. But what church dost thou own, said I?’ (for I understood he was a Papist.) Then he turned again, and said, ‘You are a rebel and a traitor.’ I asked him, Whom he spoke to? or whom did he call a rebel? He was so full of envy, that for 02 awhile he could not speak; but at last he said, ‘He spoke it to me.’ With that I struck my hand on the table, and [Page 32]told him, I had suffered more than twenty such as he, or than any that were there; ‘for I had been cast into Derby prison for six months together, and had suffered much be­cause I would not take up arms against the king before Worcester fight. I had been sent up prisoner out of my own country by colonel Hacker to O. Cromwel, as a plot­ter to bring in K. Charles, in the year 1654; and I had nothing but love and good-will to the king, and desired the eternal good and welfare of him and all his subjects. "Did you ever hear the like?". said Middleton. Nay, said I, ye may hear it again, if ye will. For ye talk of the king, a company of you; but where were ye in Oliver's days? and what did ye do then for him? I have more love to the king for his eternal good and welfare than any of you have.’

Then they asked me, ‘Whether I had heard of the plot? I said, Yes, I had heard of it.’ They asked me, ‘How I had heard of it? and whom I knew in it?’ I told them, ‘I had heard of it through the high-sheriff of Yorkshire, who told Dr. Hodgson there was a plot in the north;" that was the way I heard of it; but I never heard of any such thing in the south, nor till I came into the north. And as for knowing any in the plot, I was as a child in that, for I knew none of them.’ Then they said, ‘Why would you write against it, if you had not known some that were in it?’ I said, ‘My reason was, because you are so for­ward to mash the innocent and guilty together; therefore I wrote against it to clear the truth from such things, and to stop all forward foolish spirits from running into such things.’ I sent copies of it into Westmoreland, Cumber­land, ‘Bishoprick, Yorkshire, and to you here. I sent an­other copy of it to the king and his council, and it is like it may be in print by this time.’ One of them said, ‘O! this man hath great power!’ I said, Yes, I had power to write against plotters. Then said one of them, ‘You are against the laws of the land.’ I answered ‘Nay; for I and my friends direct all people to the Spirit of God in them, to mortify the deeds of the flesh. This brings them into well-doing, and from that which the magistrates sword is against, which eases the magistrates, who are for the pu­nishment of evil-doers. People being turned to the Spirit of God, which brings them to mortify the deeds of the flesh, from under the occasion of the magistrates sword. This must needs be one with magistracy, and one with [Page 33]the law, which was added because of transgression, and is for the praise of them that do well. In this we establish the law, are an ease to the magistrates, and are not against but stand for all good government.’

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

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

The sessions coming on, I went to Lancaster, and ap­peared according to my engagement. There was upon the bench justice Fleming, who had bid five pounds in West moreland to any man that would apprehend me; for he was a justice both in Westmoreland and Lancashire. There [Page 34]were also justice Spencer, colonel West, and old justice Rawlinson, the lawyer, who gave the charge, and was very sharp against truth and friends; but the Lord's power stop­ped them. The session was large, the concourse of people great, and way being made for me, I came up to the bar, and stood with my hat on, they looking earnestly upon me and I upon them for a pretty space. Proclamation be­ing made ‘for all to keep silence upon pain of imprison­ment;’ and all being quiet, I said twice, ‘Peace be among you.’ The chairman asked, If I knew where I was? I said, ‘Yes, I do; but it may be, said I, my hat offends you. That's a low thing, that's not the honour that I give to magistrates, for the true honour is from above; which, said I, I have received, and I hope it is not the hat which ye look upon to be the honour.’ The chairman said, 'They looked for the hat too,' and asked, ‘Wherein I shewed my respect to magistrates, if I did not put off my hat?’ I replied, 'In coming when they called me.' Then they bid one, 'Take off my hat.' After which it was some time before they spoke to me, and I felt the pow­er of the Lord to arise. After some pause, old justice Rawlinson (the chairman) asked me, ‘If I knew of the plot?’ I told him, ‘I heard of it in Yorkshire by a friend, who had it from the high-sheriff.’ They asked me, 'Whether I had declared it to the magistrates?' I said, ‘I had sent papers abroad against plots and plotters, and also to you, as soon as I came into the country, to take all jealousies out of your minds concerning me and my friends; for it is our principle to declare against such things.’ They asked me, ‘If I knew not of an act against meetings?’ I said, ‘I knew there was an act that took hold of such as met to the terrifying of the king's subjects, were enemies to the king, and held dangerous principles; but I hoped they did not look upon us to be such men, for our meetings were not to terrify the king's subjects, neither are we enemies to him or any man.’ Then they tendered me the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. I told them, ‘I could not take any oath at all, because Christ and his apostle had forbid it; and they had sufficient ex­perience of swearers, first one way, then another; but I had [...]er taken any oath in my life.’ Rawlinson asked me, 'Whether I held it was unlawful to swear?' This question he put on purpose to ensnare me; for by an act that was made; such were liable to banishment or a great [Page 35]fine, that should say, it was 'unlawful to swear.' But I, seeing the snare, avoided it, and told him, ‘That in the time of the law amongst the Jews, before Christ came, the law commanded them to swear; but Christ, who doth fulfil the law in his gospel-time, commands, ‘not to swear at all;’ and the apostle James forbids swearing, even to them that were Jews, and who had the law of God.’ After much discourse they called for the gaoler, and committed me to prison. I had the paper about me which I wrote as a testimony against plots, which I desired they would read, or suffer to be read in open court; but they would not. So being committed for refusing to swear, ‘I bid them and all the people take notice, that I suffered for the doctrine of Christ, and for my obedience to his command.’ After­wards I understood the justices did say, that they had pri­vate instructions from colonel Kirby to prosecute me, not­withstanding his fair carriage and seeming kindness to me before, when he declared before many of them. ‘That he had nothing against me.’ Several other friends were com­mitted to prison, some for meeting to worship God, and some for not swearing; so that the prison was very full. Many of them being poor men, without any thing to main­tain their families by but their labour, which now they were taken from, several of their wives went to the justices who committed their husbands, and told them, ‘If they kept their husbands in gaol for nothing but the truth of Christ and for good conscience-sake, they would bring their chil­dren to them to be maintained.’ A mighty power of the Lord rose in friends, and gave them great boldness, so that they spoke much to the justices. Friends also that were prisoners wrote to the justices, ‘laying the weight of their sufferings upon them, and shewing them both their injustice and want of compassion towards their poor neighbours, whom they knew to be honest, conscientious, peaceable people, that in tenderness of conscience could not take any oath; yet they sent them to prison for refusing to take the oath of allegiance. Though several of those imprisoned on that account were known to be men who had served the king in his wars, had hazarded their lives in the field in his cause, had suffered great hardships, with the loss of much blood for him, and always stood faithful to him from first to last, yet never received pay for their service; and to be thus requited for all their faithful services and sufferings by those that pretended to be the king's friends, [Page 36]was hard, unkind, and ungrateful dealing.’ At length the justices, being continually attended with complaints of grievances, released some of the friends, but kept divers still in prison.

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

‘This is Oliver Atherton, of Ormskirk parish, perse­cuted to death by the countess of Derby for good con­science-sake towards God and Christ, because he could not give her tithes, &c.’

Setting forth the reasons of his refusing to pay tithes, the [Page 37]length of his imprisonment, the hardships he underwent, her hard-heartedness towards him, and the manner of his death. After his death, Richard Cubban, another of her prisoners for tithes, wrote a large letter to her, on behalf of himself and his fellow-prisoners at her suit, laying their innocency before her; ‘and that it was not out of wilful­ness, stubbornness, or covetousness, that they refused to pay their tithes, but purely in good conscience towards God and Christ; letting her know, if she should be suf­fered to keep them there till they every one died, as she had done their fellow-sufferer, Oliver Atherton, they could not yield to pay her. And therefore desired her to con­sider their case in a Christian spirit, and not bring their blood upon herself also.’ Yet she would not shew any pity or compassion to them, who had now suffered hard imprisonment about two years and an half under her. In­stead thereof she sent to Garstang, and threatened to com­plain to the king and council, and bring them into trouble, for suffering the paper concerning Oliver Atherton's death to be stuck upon their cross. The rage she expressed made the people take the more notice of it, and some of them said, 'The Quakers had given her a bone to pick.' But she, that regarded not the life of an innocent sufferer for Christ, lived not long after herself; for that day three weeks that Oliver Atherton's body was carried through Ormskirk to be buried, she died; and her body was carried that day seven weeks through the same town to her burying-place. Thus the Lord pursued the hard-hearted persecutor. I was kept till the assize, and judge Turner and judge Twis­den coming that circuit, I was brought before judge Twis­den, the 14th of the month called March, the latter end of the year 1663. When I was set to the bar, I said, ‘Peace be amongst you all.’ The judge looked upon me, and said, ‘What! do you come into the court with your hat on! Upon which words, the gaoler taking it off, I said, The hat is not the honour that comes from God.’ Then said the judge to me, ‘Will you take the oath of allegi­ance, George Fox?’ I said, ‘I never took any oath in my life, nor any covenant or engagement.’ 'Well,' said he, 'Will you swear or no?' I answered, ‘I am a Chris­tian, and Christ commands me "not to swear;" so does the apostle James; and whether I should obey God or man, do thou judge.’ I ask your again, said he, ‘Whether you will swear or no?’ I answered again, ‘I am neither [Page 38]Turk, Jew, nor Heathen, but a Christian, and should th [...]w forth christianity. I asked him, If he did not know that Christians in the primitive times, under the ten persecu­tions, and some also of the martyrs in queen Mary's days, refused swearing, because Christ and the apostle had for­bidden it? I told him also, they had experience enough, how many had first sworn for the king and then against him. But as for me I had never taken an oath in my life, My allegiance did not lie in swearing, but in truth and faithfulness; for I honour all men, much more the king. But Christ, who is the Great Prophet, the King of kings, the Saviour and Judge of the whole world, saith, I must "not swear." Now, whether must I obey Christ or thee? For it is tenderness of conscience, and in obedience to the command of Christ, that I do not swear: and we have the word of a king for tender consciences. Then I asked the judge, If he did own the king? "Yes," said he, ‘I do own the king.’ Why then, said I, dost thou not observe his declaration from Breda, and his promises made since he came into England, ‘That no man should be called in question for matters of religion, so long as they lived peaceably?’ If thou ownest the king, said I, why dost thou call me in question, and put me upon taking an oath, which is a matter of religion; seeing thou nor none else can charge me with unpeaceable living?’ Upon this he was moved, and looking angrily at me, said, ‘Sir­rah, will you swear?’ I told him, ‘I was none of his Sirrahs, I was a Christian; and for him, an old man, and a judge, to sit there and give nick-names to prisoners, it did not become either his grey hairs or his office.’ 'Well,' said he, 'I am a Christian too.' ‘Then do Christian works,’ said I. 'Sirrah!' said he, ‘Thou thinkest to frighten me with thy words.’ Then catching himself, and looking aside, he said, ‘Hark! I am using the word (Sirrah) again;’ so checked himself. I said, ‘I spoke to thee in love; for that language did not become thee, a judge. Thou oughtest to instruct a prisoner in the law, if he were ignorant and out of the way.’ ‘And I speak in love to thee too,’ said he. 'But,' said I, 'Love gives no nick­names.' Then he roused himself up, and said, ‘I will not be afraid of thee, George Fox. Thou speakest so loud, thy voice drowns mine and the court's; I must call for three or four criers to drown thy voice: thou hast good lungs.’ 'I am a prisoner here,' said I, ‘for the Lord Je­sus [Page 39]Christ's sake; for his sake do I suffer, for him do I stand this day, and if my voice were five times louder I should lift it up, and sound it out for Christ's fake, for whose cause I stand this day before your judgment-seat, in obedience to him who commands "not to swear;" be­fore whose judgment-seat you must all be brought, and must give an account.’ 'Well,' said the judge, ‘George Fox, say, Whether thou wilt take the oath, Yea or Nay?’ I replied, ‘I say as I said before, Whether ought I to obey God or man, judge thou? If I could take any oath at all, I should take this; for I do not deny some oaths only or on some occasions, but all oaths, according to Christ's doctrine, who hath commanded his, "Not to swear at all." Now if thou or any of you, or any of your ministers or priests here, will prove that ever Christ or his apostle, after they had forbid all swearing, commanded Christians to swear, then I will swear.’ I saw several priests there; but not one of them offered to speak. Then said the judge, ‘I am a servant to the king, and the king sent me not to dis­pute with you, but to put the laws in execution; there­fore tender him the oath of allegiance.’ ‘If thou love the king,’ said I, ‘why dost thou break his word, and not keep his declarations and speeches, wherein he promised liberty to tender consciences? I am a man of a tender conscience, and in obedience to Christ's command I can­not swear.’ 'Then you will not swear,' said the judge; 'Take him away, gaoler.' I said, ‘It is for Christ's sake that I cannot swear, and for obedience to his command I suffer; and so the Lord forgive you all.’ So the gaoler took me away; but I felt the mighty power of the Lord was over them all.

The sixteenth of the same month I was brought before judge Twisden again, who was somewhat offended at my hat; but it being the last morning of the assize, before he was to go out of town, and not many people there, he made the less of it. He asked me, ‘Whether I would tra­verse, stand mute, or submit.’ But he spoke so fast, it was hard to know what he said. However I told him, ‘I desired I might have liberty to traverse the indictment, and try it.’ Then said he, ‘Take him away. I will have nothing to do with him, take him away.’ I said, ‘Well, live in the fear of God, and do justice.’ 'Why,' said he, 'have not I done you justice?' I replied, ‘That which thou hast done hath been against the command of Christ.’ [Page 40]So I was taken to the gaol again, and kept prisoner till the next assizes.

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

Justice Fleming being one of the fiercest and most vio­lent justices in persecuting friends, and sending his honest neighbours to prison for religion's ske; and many friends being at this time in Lancaster gaol committed by him, and 02 some having died in prison, we that were then prisoners had it upon us to write to him, as followeth.

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

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

When I was prisoner at Lancaster, there was prisoner al­so one major Wiggan, a Baptist-preacher. He boasted much before-hand what he would say at the assize, if the oath should be put to him; and that he would refuse to swear. But when the assize came, and the oath was ten­dered him, he desired time to consider of it; and that being granted him till the next assize, he got leave to go to Lon­don before the assize came again, and staid at London till the plague broke forth, and there both he and his wife were cut off. He was a very wicked man, and the judgments of God came upon him; for he had published a very wicked book against friends, full of lies and blasphemies; the occa­sion of which was this. Whilst he was in Lancaster castle, he challenged friends to a dispute. Whereupon I got leave of the ga [...]er to go up to them. And entering into discourse with him, he affirmed, ‘That some men never had the Spi­rit of God, and that the true light, which enlighteneth eve­ry one that cometh into the world, is natural.’ For proof of his first assertion, he instanced Balaam, affirming, ‘Ba­laam had not the Spirit of God,, I affirmed and proved, That Balaam had the Spirit of God, and that wicked men have the Spirit of God, else how could they quency it, vex it, grieve it, and resist the Holy Ghost, like the stiff-necked [Page 44]Jews?’ To his second assertion, I answered, ‘That the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, was the life in the world, and that was di­vine and eternal, and not natural. And he might as well say, the word was natural as that the life in the word was natural. And wicked men were enlightened by this light, else how could they hate it? It is expressly said, they did hate it; and the reason given why, was, ‘because their deeds were evil;’ and they would not come to it, because it reproved them; and that must needs be in them, which reproved them. Besides, that ligth could not be the scrip­tures of the New-Testament; for it was testified of before any part of the New-Testament was written; so it must be by the Divine Light, which is the life in Christ, the Word, before the scriptures were. And the grace of God, which brought salvation, had appeared unto all men, and taught the saints; but they that turned from it into wan­tonness, and walked despitefully against the Spirit of Grace, were the wicked. Again, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, which leads the disciples of Christ into all truth, the same should reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, of judgment, and of their unbelief. So the wicked world had it to reprove them, and the true disciples and learners of Christ, that believed in the light as Christ commands, had it to lead them. But the world that did not believe in the light, though they were lighted, but hated the light which they should have believed in, and loved the darkness rather than it, this world had a right­eousness and a judgment, which the Holy Ghost reproved them for, as well as for their unbelief.’ Having proved, that the good and the bad were enlightened, that the Grace of God had appeared unto all, and that all had the Spirit of God, else they could not vex and grieve it, I told major Wiggan, The least babe there might see him; and presently stood up one Richard Cubham, and proved him an anti­christ and a deceiver by scripture. Then the gaoler had me away to my prison again. Afterwards Wiggan wrote a book of this dispute, and put in abundance of abominable lies; which was soon answered in print, and himself was not long after cut off, as aforesaid.

This Wiggan was poor, and while he was prisoner at Lancaster he sent into the country, and got money gathered for relief of the poor people of God in prison; and many people gave freely, thinking it had been for us, when in­deed [Page 45]it was for himself. But when we heard of it, we laid it upon him, and wrote into the country, that friends might let the people know the truth of the matter, that it was not our manner to have collections made for us, and that those collections were only for Wiggan and another, a drunken preacher of his society: who was so drunk, that once he lost his breeches.

After this it came upon me to write to the judges and other magistrates concerning their ‘giving evil words and nick-names to such as were brought before them.’ Which was after this manner.

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

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

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

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

In the sixth month the assizes were held again at Lancaster, and the same judges, Twisden and Turner, came that cir­cuit again; but judge Turner then sate on the crown-bench, so I was brought before him. Before I was called to the bar, I was put among murderers and felons for about the space of two hours, the people, the justices, and the judge also gazing upon me. After they had tried several others, they called me to the bar, and impanelled a jury. Then the judge asked the justices, ‘Whether they had tendered me the oath at the sessions?’ They said, 'They had.' Then he bid, ‘Give them the book, that they might swear they had tendered me the oath at the sessions.’ They said, 'They had.' Then the bid, ‘Give them the book, that they might swear they had tendered me the oath according to the indictment.’ Some of the justices refused to be sworn; but the judge said, he would have it done to take away all occasion of exception. When the jury were sworn, and the justices had sworn ‘they had tendered the oath ac­cording to the indictment,’ the judge asked me, ‘Whether I had not refused the oath at the last assizes?’ I said, ‘I never took an oath in my life, and Christ, the Saviour and Judge of the World, said, "Swear not at all." The judge seemed not to take notice of my answer; but asked me, Whether or no I had not refused to take the oath at the [Page 53]last assize?’ I said, ‘The words that I then spoke to them were, that if they could prove, either judge, justices, priest, or teacher, that after Christ and the apostle had forbidden swearing, they commanded that Christians should swear, I would swear.’ The judge said, ‘He was not at that time to dispute whether it was lawful to swear, but to inquire whether I had refused to take the oath or no.’ I told him, ‘Those things mentioned in the oath, as plotting against the king, and owning the pope's or any other fo­reign power, I utterly deny.’ 'Well,' said he, ‘you say well in that; but did you deny to take the oath? What say you? What wouldst thou have me to say?’ said I, 'for I have told thee before what I did say.' Then he asked me, ‘If I would have these men to swear that I had taken the oath?’ I asked him, ‘If he would have those men to swear that I had refused the oath?’ At which the court burst out into laughter. I was grieved to see so much lightness in a court, where such solemn matters are handled, and thereupon asked him, ‘If this court was a play-house? Where is gravity and sobriety,’ said I; ‘for this behaviour doth not become you.’ Then the clerk read the indict­ment, and I told the judge, ‘I had something to speak to it; for I had informed myself of the errors that were in it.’ He told me, ‘He would hear me afterward any reasons that I could allege why he should not give judgment.’ Then I spoke to the jury, and told them, ‘They could not bring me in guilty according to that indictment; for the indict­ment was wrong laid, and had many gross errors in it.’ ‘The judge said, I must not speak to the jury, but he would speak to them;’ and he told them, ‘I had denied to take the oath at the last assizes, and,’ said he, ‘I can tender the oath to any man now, and premunire him for not taking it; and,’ he said, ‘they must bring me in guil­ty, seeing I refused to take the oath.’ 'Then,' said I, ‘what do ye do with a form? Ye may throw away your form then.’ And I told the jury, ‘It lay upon their con­sciences, as they would answer it to the Lord God before his judgment-seat.’ Then the judge spoke again to the jury, and I called to him to 'do me justice.' The jury brought me in guilty. Whereupon I told them, ‘That both the justices and they had forsworn themselves, and 'therefore they had small cause to laugh as they did a little before.’ Oh! the envy, rage, and malice, that appeared against me, and the lightness; but the Lord confounded [Page 54]them, and they were wonderfully stopped. So they set me aside, and called up Margaret Fell, who had a great deal of good service amongst them, and then the court broke up near the second hour.

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

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

I having put by others from pleading for me, the judge [Page 55]asked me, ‘What I had to say, why he should not pass sentence upon me?’ I told him, ‘I was no lawyer; but I had much to say if he would but have patience to hear.’ At that he laughed, and others laughed also, and said, 'Come, what have you to say? He can say nothing.' 'Yes,' said I, ‘I have much to say; have but the patience to hear me.’

I asked him, ‘Whether the oath was to be tendered to the king's subjects, or to the subjects of foreign princes?’ He said, 'To the subjects of this realm.' Then said I, ‘Look into the indictment, ye may see that ye have left out the word Subject; so not having named me in the in­dictment as a subject, ye cannot premunire me for not taking an oath.’ Then they looked over the statute and the indictment, and saw it was as I said; and the judge confessed it was an error. I told him, I had something 'else to stop his judgment,' and desired him to look what day the indictment said the oath was tendered to me at the sessions there. They looked, and said, ‘It was the eleventh day of January.’ ‘What day of the week was the sessions held on?’ said I. 'On a Tuesday,' said they. Then said I, ‘Look your Almanacks, and see whether there was any sessions held at Lancaster on the eleventh day of Ja­nuary, so called?’ So they looked, and found that the eleventh day was the day called Monday, and that the ses­sions was on the day called Tuesday, which was the twelfth day of that month. 'Look now,' said I, ‘ye have indicted me for refusing the oath in the quarter-sessions held at Lancaster on the eleventh day of January last, and the justices have sworn that they tendered me the oath in open sessions here that day, and the jury upon their oaths have found me guilty thereupon; and yet ye see there was no session held in Lancaster that day.’ Then the judge, to cover the matter, asked, ‘Whether the sessions did not begin on the eleventh day?’ But some in the court an­swered, ‘No; the session held but one day, and that was the twelfth.’ Then the judge said, ‘This was a great mistake and an error.’ Some of the justices were in a great rage at this, stamped, and said, ‘Who hath done this? Somebody hath done this on purpose;’ and a great heat was amongst them. Then, said I, ‘Are not the jus­tices here, that have sworn to this indictment, forsworn men in the face of the country? But this is not all,’ said I ‘I have more yet to offer why sentence should not be [Page 56]given against me.’ I asked, ‘In what year of the king the last assize here was holden, which was in the month called March last?’ The judge said, ‘It was in the six­teenth year of the king.’ 'But,' said I, ‘the indictment says, it was in the fifteenth year.’ They looked, and found it so. This also was acknowledged to be another error. Then they were all in a fret again, and could not tell what to say; for the judge had sworn the officers of the court, that the oath was tendered to me at the assize mentioned in the indictment. 'Now,' said I, ‘is not the court here forsworn also, who have sworn that the oath was tender­ed to me at the assize holden here in the fifteenth year of the king, when it was in his sixteenth year, and so they have sworn a year false?’ The judge bid them look whe­ther Margaret Fell's indictment was so or no. They look­ed, and found it was not so. I told the judge, ‘I had more yet to offer to stop sentence;’ and asked him. ‘Whe­ther all the oath ought to be put into the indictment or no?’ 'Yes,' said he, 'it ought to be all put in.' 'Then,' said I, ‘compare the indictment with the oath, and there thou mayest see these words; viz. [or by any authority de­rived, or pretended to be derived from him or his see] left out of the indictment, which is a principal part of the oath; and in another place the words [heirs and successors] are left out.’ The judge acknowledged these also to be great errors. 'But,' said I, 'I have something further to allege.' 'Nay,' said the judge, 'I have enough, you need say no more.' 'If,' said I, ‘thou hast enough, I desire nothing but law and justice at thy hands; for I don't look for mercy.’ ‘You must have justice,’ said he, 'and you shall have law.' Then I asked, ‘Am I at liberty, and free from all that ever hath been done against me in this matter?’ 'Yes,' said the judge, ‘you are free from all that hath been done against you. But then,’ starting up in a rage, he said, ‘I can put the oath to any man here, and I will tender you the oath again.’ I told him, ‘He had examples enough yesterday of swearing and false-swearing. both in the justi­ces and in the jury; for I saw before mine eyes that both justices and jury had forsworn themselves.’ The judge asked me, 'If I would take the oath?' I answered. Do me ‘justice for my false imprisonment all this while; for what have I been imprisoned so long for? I told him, I ought to be set at liberty.’ 'You are at liberty,' said he, ‘but I will put the oath to you again.’ Then I turned about, [Page 57]and said, ‘All people, take notice this is a snare, for I ought to be set free from the gaoler and from this court.’ But the judge cried, 'Give him the book,' and the sheriff and the justices cried, 'Give him the book.' Then the power of darkness rose up in them, like a mountain, and a clerk lifted up a book to me. I stood still, and said, ‘If it be a Bible, give it me into my hand.’ 'Yes, yes,' said the judge and justices, 'give it him into his hand.' ‘So I took it, and looked into it, and said, I see it is a Bible, I am glad of it.’ He had caused the jury to be called, and they stood by; for after they had brought in their former verdict, he would not dismiss them though they desired it, but told them, ‘He could not dismiss them yet, he should have bu­siness for them; therefore they must attend, and be ready when they were called.’ When he said so, I felt his intent, that if I was freed, he would come on again. So I looked him in the face, and the witness of God started up in him, and made him blush when he looked at me again; for he saw that I discovered him. Nevertheless hardening himself, he caused the oath to be read to me, the jury standing by. When it was read, he asked me, ‘Whether I would take the oath or no?’ Then said I, ‘Ye have given me a book here to kiss, and to swear on; and this book which ye have given me to kiss, says, "Kiss the Son;" and the Son says in this book, "Swear not at all;" and so says also the apostle James. I say as the book says, yet ye imprison me. How chance ye do not imprison the book for saying so? How comes it that the book is at liberty among you, which bids me not to swear, and yet ye imprison me for do­ing as the book bids me?’ I was speaking this to them, and held up the Bible open in my hand, to shew them the place where Christ forbad swearing, they plucked the book out of my hand, and the judge said, ‘Nay, but we will im­prison George Fox.’ Yet this got abroad over all the country as a by-word, ‘That they gave me a book to swear on that commanded the "not to swear at all;" and that the Bible was at liberty, and I in prison for doing as the Bible said.’ When the judge still urged me to swear, I told him, ‘I never took oath, covenant, nor engagement in my life; but my yea, or nay was more binding to me than an oath was to many others; for had they not had ex­perience how little men regarded an oath? and how they had sworn one way and then another? and how the justices and court had forsworn themselves now? I told him, I. [Page 58]was a man of a tender conscience, and if they had any sense of a tender conscience, they would consider, that it was in obedience to Christ's command that I could not swear. But,’ said I, ‘if any of you can convince me, that, after Christ and the apostle had commanded not to swear, they altered that command, and commanded Christians to swear, ye shall see I will swear.’ There being many priests by, I said, ‘If ye cannot do it, let your priests stand up and do it.’ But not one of the priests made answer. 'Oh!' said the judge, 'all the world cannot convince you.' 'No,' said I, ‘how is it like the world should convince me? "The whole world lies in wickedness." Bring out your spiritual men, as ye call them, to convince me.’ Then both the sheriff and the judge said, ‘The angels swore in the Revelations.’ I replied, ‘When God bringeth his first-be­gotten Son into the world, he saith, "Let all the angels "of God worship him;" and he saith, "Swear not at all." Nay,’ said the judge, 'I will not dispute.' Then I spoke to the jury, telling them, ‘It was for Christ's sake that I could not swear, and therefore I warned them not to act contrary to that of God in their consciences; for before his judgment seat they must all be brought.’ I told them, ‘As for plots, and persecution for religion and popery, I deny them in my heart; for I am a Christian, and shall shew forth Christianity amongst you this day. It is for Christ's doctrine I stand.’ More words I had both with the judge and jury before the gaoler took me away.

In the afternoon I was brought up again, and put among the thieves a pretty while, where I stood with my hat on till the gaoler took it off. Then the jury having found this new indictment against me 'for not taking the oath,' I was called to the bar, and the judge asked me, ‘What I would say for myself?’ I bid them read the indictment, for I would not answer to that which I did not hear. The clerk read it, and as he read the judge said, ‘Take heed it be not false again;’ but he read it in such a manner, that I could hardly understand what he read. When he had done, the judge asked me, 'What I said to the indictment?' I told him, ‘At once hearing so large a writing read, and that at such a distance, that I could not distinctly hear all the parts of it, I could not well tell what to say to it; but if he would let me have a copy of it, and give me time to consider of it, I should answer it.’ This put them to a little stand; but after awhile the judge asked me, ‘What time I would [Page 59]have?’ I said, 'Till the next assize.' 'But,' said he, ‘what plea will ye now make? Are ye guilty, or not guilty?’ I said, ‘I am not guilty at all of denying to swear obstinately and wilfully; and as for those things mentioned in the oath, as jesuitical plots and foreign powers, I utterly deny them in my heart. If I could take any oath I should take that; but I never took any oath in my life.’ The judge answer­ed, 'I said well; but,' said he, ‘the king is sworn, the par­liament is sworn, I am sworn, and the justices are sworn, and the law is preserved by oaths.’ I told him, ‘They had sufficient experience of men's swearing, and he had seen how the justices and jury had sworn wrong the other day; and if he had read in the book of martyrs how many of them had refused to swear, both in the time of the ten persecutions and in bishop Bonner's days, he might see, that to deny swearing in obedience to Christ's command was no new thing.’ He said, 'He wished the laws were otherwise.' I said, ‘Our yea is yea, and our nay is nay; and if we transgress our yea or our nay, let us suffer as they do, or should do, that swear falsely.’ This, I told him, we had offered to the king, and the king said, 'It was reasonable.'

After some further discourse, they committed me to pri­son again, there to lie till the next assize; and colonel Kir­by gave order to the gaoler, ‘To keep me close, and suffer no flesh alive to come at me; for I was not fit,’ he said, 'to be discoursed with by men.' I was put into a tower, where the smoke of the other prisoners came up so thick, it stood as dew upon the walls, and sometimes it was so thick that I could hardly see the candle when it burned; and I being locked under three locks, the under-gaoler, when the smoke was great, would hardly be persuaded to come up to unlock one of the uppermost doors, for fear of the smoke, so that I was almost smothered. Besides it rained in upon my bed, and many times, when I went to stop out the rain in the cold winter-season, my shirt was as wet as muck with the rain that came in upon me while I was labouring to stop it out. And the place being high and open to the wind, sometimes as fast as I stopped it the wind blew it out again. In this manner did I lay all that long cold winter till the next assize, in which time I was so starved with cold and rain, that my body was greatly swelled, and my limbs much benumbed.

The assize began the sixteenth of the month called March 1661-5. The same judges, Twisden and Turner, coming, [Page 60]that circuit again, judge Twisden sat this time on the crown­bench, and before him I was brought. I had informed my­self of the errors in this indictment also. For though at the assize before, judge Turner said to the officers in court, ‘Pray, see that all the oath be in the indictment, and that the word Subject be in, and that the day of the month and year of the king be put in right; for it is a shame that so many errors should be seen and found in the face of the country;’ yet many errors, and those great ones, were in this indictment as well as in the former. Surely the hand of the Lord was in it, to confound their mischievous work against me, and to blind them therein; insomuch that al­though, after the indictment was drawn at the former assize, the judge examined it himself, and tried it with the clerks, yet the word Subject was left out of this indictment also, the day of the month was put in wrong, and several mate­rial words of the oath were left out; yet they went on con­sidently against me, thinking all was safe and well. When I was set to the bar, and the jury called over to be sworn, the clerk asked me, first, ‘Whether I had any objection to make to any of the jury?’ I told him, ‘I knew none of them.’ Then, having sworn the jury, they swore three of the officers of the court, to prove, ‘That the oath was tendered to me at the last assizes, according to the indict­ment.’ 'Come, come,' said the judge, ‘it was not done in a corner.’ Then he asked me, ‘What I had to say to it; or whether I had taken the oath at the last assize?’ I told him what I had formerly said to them, as it now came to my remembrance. Whereupon the judge said, ‘I will not dispute with you but in point of law.’ 'Then,' said I, ‘I have something to speak to the jury concerning the indictment.’ He told me, ‘I must not speak to the jury; but if I had any thing to say, I must speak to him.’ I asked him, ‘Whether the oath was to be tendered to the king's subjects only, or to the subjects of foreign princes?’ He replied, ‘To the subjects of this realm; for I will speak nothing to you,’ said he, 'but in point of law.' 'Then,' said I, ‘look in the indictment, and thou mayest see the word Subject is left out of this indictment also. There­fore, seeing the oath is not to be tendered to any but the subjects of this realm, and ye have not put me in as a subject, the court is to take no notice of this indictment.’ I had no sooner spoke thus, but the judge cried, ‘Take him away, gaoler, take him away.’ So I was presently [Page 61]hurried away. The gaoler and people looked when I should be called for again; but I was never brought to the court any more, though I had many other great errors to assign in the indictment. After I was gone, the judge asked the jury, 'If they were agreed?' They said, 'Yes;' and found for the king against me, as I was told. But I was never called to hear sentence given, nor was any given against me that I could hear of. I understand, when they looked narrowly into the indictment, they saw it was not good; and the judge having sworn the officers of the court, that the oath was tendered me at the assize before, such a day, according as was set in the indictment, and that being the wrong day, I should have proved the officers of the court forsworn men again, if the judge would have suffered me to plead to the indictment; which was thought to be the reason why he hurried me away so soon. The judge had passed sentence of premunire upon Margaret Fell be­fore I was brought in; and it seems, when I was hurried away, they recorded me as a premunired person, though I was never brought to hear the sentence, nor knew of it; which was very illegal. For they ought not only to have had me present to hear the sentence given, but also to have asked me first, ‘What I could say why sentence should not be given against me?’ But they knew I had so much to say they could not give sentence if they heard me.

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

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

By reason of my long and close imprisonment in so bad a place, I was become very weak of body; but the Lord's power was over all, supported me through all, and enabled [Page 62]me to do service for him, and for his truth and people, as the place would admit. For while I was in Lancaster pri­son, I answered several books, as the Mass, the Common­prayer, the Directory, and the Church-faith; which are the four chief religions that are got up since the apostles days. And there being several friends in prison at Lancaster and other prisons for not paying tithes, I was moved to publish the following lines concerning tithes:

After the assize, colonel Kirby and other justices were very uneasy with my being at Lancaster; for I had galled them sore at my trials there, and they laboured much to get me removed from thence to some remote place. Colonel Kirby threatened I should be sent far enough; sometimes he said, 'I should be sent beyond sea.' About six weeks after the assizes, they got an order from the king and coun­cil to remove me from Lancaster; and with it they brought a letter from the earl of Anglesey, wherein was written, ‘That if those things were found true against me, which I was charged withal, I deserved no clemency nor mercy;’ yet the greatest matter they had against me was, because I could not disobey the command of Christ, and swear.

When they had prepared for my removal, the under­sheriff and the head-sheriff's man, with some bailiffs, came and fetched me out of the castle, when I was so weak with lying in that cold, wet, and smoky prison, that I could hardly go or stand. They had me into the gaoler's house, where was William Kirby and several others, and they cal­led for wine to give me. I told them, ‘I would have none of their wine.’ Then they cried, 'Bring out the horses.' I desired them first to shew me their order, or a copy of it, if they intended to remove me; but they would shew me none but their swords. I told them, ‘There was no sen­tence passed upon me, nor was I premunired, that I knew of; and therefore I was not made the king's prisoner, but was the sheriff's; for they and all the country knew, that I was not fully heard at the last assize, nor suffered to [Page 64]shew the errors in the indictment, which were sufficient to quash it, though they had kept me from one assize to an­other, to the end they might try me. But they all knew there was no sentence of premunire passed upon me; therefore I, not being the king's prisoner but the sheriff's, did desire to see their order.’ Instead of shewing me their order, they haled me out, and lifted me upon one of the sheriff's horses. When I was on horseback in the street, the town's people being gathered to gaze upon me, I told the officers, I had received neither Christianity, civility, nor humanity from them. They hurried me away about four­teen miles to Bentham, though I was so very weak that I was hardly able to sit on horseback, and my cloaths smelt so of smoke they were loathsome to myself. The wicked gaoler, one Hunter, a young fellow, would come behind and give the horse a lash with his whip, and make him skip and leap; so that I, being weak, had much ado to sit on him; then he would come and look me in the face, and say, 'How do you, Mr. Fox?' I told him, ‘It was not civil in him to do so.’ The Lord cut him off soon after.

When we were come to Bentham in Yorkshire, there met us many troopers and a marshal; and many of the gentry of the country were come in, and abundance of people to take a view of me. I being very weak and weary, desired them to let me lie down on a bed, which the soldiers per­mitted; for those that brought me thither gave their order to the marshal, and he set a guard of his soldiers upon me. When they had staid awhile, they pressed horses, raised the bailiff of the hundred, the constables, and others, and had me to Giggleswick that night; but exceeding weak I was. There they raised the constables with their clog-shoes, who sat drinking all the night in the room by me, so that I could not get much rest. Next day we came to a market-town, where several friends came to see me. Robert Widders and divers friends came to me upon the road. The next night I asked the soldiers, ‘Whither they intended to carry me, and whither I was to be sent?’ Some of them said, ‘Be­yond sea,’ others said, 'To Tinmouth-castle.' And a great fear there was amongst them, lest some should rescue me out of their hands; but that fear was needless. Next night we came to York, where the marshal put me up into a great chamber, where there came most part of two troops to see me. One of those oopers, an envious man, hearing I was premunired, asked me, ‘What estate I had, and [Page 65]whether it was copy-hold or free-land?’ I took no notice of his question, but was moved to declare the word of life to the soldiers, and many of them were very loving. At night lord Frecheville, who commanded those horse, came to me, and was very civil and loving. I gave him an ac­count of my imprisonment, and declared many things to him relating to truth. They kept me at York two days, then the marshal and four or five soldiers were sent to con­vey me to Scarborough castle. Indeed these were very ci­vil men, and carried themselves civilly and lovingly to me. On the way we baited at Malton, and they permitted friends to come and visit me. When we were come to Scarborough, they had me to an inn, and gave notice to the governor, who sent half a dozen soldiers to be my guard that night. Next day they conducted me to the castle, put me into a room, and set a centry on me. I being very weak, and subject to fainting, they for awhile let me go out some­times into the air with a centry. They soon removed me out of this room, and put me into an open room, where the rain came in; and the room smoked exceedingly, which was very offensive to me. One day the governor, who was call­ed Sir Jordan Crosland, came to see me, and brought with him one called Sir Francis Cobb. I desired the governor to go into my room, and see what a place I had. I had got a little fire made in it, and the room was so filled with smoke, that when they were in they could hardly find their way out again. He being a Papist, I told him that was his purgatory which they had put me into. I was forced to lay out about fifty shillings to stop out the rain, and keep the room from smoking so much. When I had been at that charge, and made it somewhat tolerable, they removed me into a worse, where I had neither chimney nor fire-hearth. This being to the sea-side, and lying much open, the wind drove in the rain forcibly, so that the water came over my bed, and ran about the room, that I was fain to skim it up with a platter. And when my clothes were wet, I had no fire to dry them; so my body was numbed with cold, and my fingers swelled, that one was grown as big as two. Though I was at some charge on this room also, yet I could not keep out the wind and rain. Besides they would suffer few friends to come at me, and many times not any, not so much as to bring me a little food; but I was forced for the first quarter, to hire one of another society to bring me ne­cessaries. Sometimes the soldiers would take it from her, [Page 66]and she would scuffle with them for it. Afterwards I hired a soldier to fetch me water and bread, and something to make a fire of, when I was in a room where a fire could be made. Commonly a three-penny loaf served me three weeks, and sometimes longer, and most of my drink was water, with wormwood steeped or bruised in it. One time, when the weather was very sharp, and I had taken a great cold, I got a little elecampane-beer; and I heard one of the soldiers say to the other, ‘They would play me a pretty trick, for they would send for me up to the deputy-governor, and in the mean time drink my strong beer out;’ and so they did. When I returned, one of the soldiers came to me in a jeer, and asked me for some strong beer. I told him, They had played their pretty trick, and took no far­ther-notice of it. But inasmuch as they kept me so very strait, not giving liberty for friends to come to me, I spoke to the keepers of the castle to this effect: ‘I did not know till I was removed from Lancaster castle, and brought pri­soner to this castle of Scarborough, that I was convicted of a premunire; for the judge did not give sentence upon me at the assizes in open court. But seeing I am now a prisoner here, if I may not have my liberty, let my friends and acquaintance have their liberty to come and visit me, as Paul's friends had among the Romans, who were not Christians but Heathens. For Paul's friends had their li­berty; all that would might come to him, and he had his liberty to preach to them in his hired house; but I cannot have liberty to go into the town, nor for my friends to come to me here. So you, that go under the name of Chris­tians, are worse in this respect than those Heathens were.’

But though they would not let friends come to me, they would often bring others, either to gaze upon me or to con­tend with me.

One time came a great company of Papists to discourse with me, who affirmed, ‘The pope was infallible, and had stood infallible ever since Peter's time.’ I shewed them the contrary by history: ‘For one of the bishops of Rome, Marcellinus by name, denied the faith, and sa­crificed to idols; therefore he was not infallible. I told them, if they were in the Infallible Spirit, they need not have gaols, swords, staves, racks, tortures, fires, whips, and gallows, to hold up their religion by, and to destroy men's lives about religion; for if they were in the Infalli­ble Spirit, they would preserve men's lives, and use none [Page 67]but spiritual weapons about religion. I told them also what one that had been of their society told me. A wo­man lived in Kent, who had not only been a Papist her­self, but had brought over several to that religion; but coming to be convinced of God's truth, and being turned by it to Christ, her Saviour, she exhorted the Papists to the same. One of them, a taylor, being at work at her house, while she opened to him the falseness of the Popish religion, and endeavoured to draw him from it to the truth, drew his knife, and got between her and the door. But she spoke boldly to him, and bid him put up his knife, for she knew his principle. I asked the woman, What she thought he would have done with his knife? She said, "He would have stabbed her." "Stab thee!" said I, ‘What would he have stabbed thee for? thy reli­gion?’ "Yes," said she, ‘It is the principle of the Pa­pists, if any turn from their religion, to kill them if they can.’ This story I told those Papists, and that I had it from a person who had been one of them. but had forsook their principles, and discovered their practices. They did not deny this to be their principle, but said, What! would I declare this abroad? I told them, Yes, such things ought to be declared abroad, that it might be known how con­trary their religion was to true Christianity;’ whereupon they went away in a great rage.

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

Another time came Dr. Witty, who was esteemed a great doctor in physick, with lord Falconbridge, the governor of Tinmouth castle, and several knights. I being called to them, Witty undertook to discourse with me, and asked me, 'What I was in prison for?' I told him, ‘Because I [Page 68]would not disobey the command of Christ, and swear.’ He said, 'I ought to swear my allegiance to the king.' He being a great Presbyterian, I asked him, ‘Whether he had not sworn against the king and house of lords, and taken the Scotch covenant? And had he not since sworn to the king? What then was his swearing good for? But my allegiance,’ I told him, ‘did not consist in swearing, but in truth and faithfulness.’ After some further dis­course, I was had away to my prison again; and afterwards Dr. Witty boasted in the town amongst his patients, that he had conquered me. When I heard of it, I told the governor, ‘It was a small boast in him to say, He had con­quered a bondman.’ I desired to bid him come to me again, when he came to the castle. He came again awhile after, with about sixteen or seventeen great persons, and then he ran himself worse on ground than before. For he affirmed before them all, ‘That Christ had not enlightened every man that cometh into the world;’ and ‘that the grace of God, that brought salvation, had not appeared unto all men, and that Christ had not died for all men.’ I asked him, what sort of men those were which Christ had not enlightened? and whom his grace had not appeared to? and whom he had not died for? He said, ‘Christ did not die for adulterers, and idolaters, and wicked men.’ I ask­ed him, ‘Whether adulterers and wicked men were not sinners?’ He said, 'Yes.' 'Did not Christ die for sin­ners?' 'said I. 'Did he not come to call sinners to re­pentance?' 'Yes,' said he. 'Then,' said I, ‘thou hast stopped thy own mouth.’ So I proved, that the grace of God had appeared unto all men, though some turned from it into wantonness, and walked despitefully against it; and that Christ had enlightened all men, though some hated the light. Several of the people confessed it was true; but he went away in a great rage, and came no more to me.

Another time the governor brought a priest; but his mouth was soon stopped. Not long after he brought two or three parliament-men, who asked me, ‘Whether I did own ministers and bishops?’ I told them, ‘Yes, such as Christ sent, such as had freely received, and would freely give, such as were qualified, and were in the same power and spirit the apostles were in. But such bishops and teachers as theirs, that would go no farther than a great benefice, I did not own; for they were not like the apos­tles. Christ saith to his ministers, ‘Go ye into all na­tions, [Page 69]and preach the gospel;’ but ye parliament-men, ‘who keep your priests and bishops in such great fat benefi­ces, have spoiled them all. For do ye think they will go into all nations to preach? or will go any farther than a great fat benefice? Judge yourselves whether they will or no.’’

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

After this came Dr. Cradock, with three priests more, and the governor with his lady (so called) and another that was called a lady, with a great company. Dr. Cradock asked me, 'What I was in prison for?' I told him, ‘For obeying the command of Christ and the apostle, in not swearing. But if he, being both a doctor and a justice, could convince me, that after Christ and the apostle had forbid swearing, they commanded Christians to swear, then I would swear. Here was the bible, I told him, he might if he could shew me any such command.’ He said. ‘It is written, ye shall swear in truth and righteousness.’ 'Aye.' ‘said I, 'it was written so in Jeremiah's time; but that was many ages before Christ commanded not to swear at all; but where is it written so since Christ forbad all swearing? I could bring as many instances out of the Old Testament [Page 70]for swearing as thou, and it may be more; but of what force are they to prove swearing lawful in the New Testa­ment since Christ and the apostle forbad it? Besides,’ said I, ‘in that text where it is written, "Ye shall swear," what [Ye] was this? Was it Ye Gentiles, or Ye Jews?’ To this he would not answer; but one of the priests that were with him answered. ‘It was to the Jews that this was spo­ken.’ Then Dr. Cradock confessed it was so.' 'Very well,' said I, ‘but where did God ever give a command to the Gentiles to swear? For thou knowest that we are Gentiles by nature.’ 'Indeed,' said he, ‘in the gospel-times every thing was to be established out of the mouths of two or three witnesses; but there was to be no swearing then.’ 'Why then,' said I, ‘dost thou force oaths upon Christi­ans, contrary to thy own knowledge, in the gospel-times? And why,’ said I, 'dost thou excommunicate my friends?' (for he had excommunicated abundance both in Yorkshire and Lancashire.) He said, 'For not coming to church.' 'Why,' said I, ‘ye left us above twenty years ago, when we were but young lads and lasses, to the Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists, many of whom made spoil of our goods, and persecuted us because we would not follow them. We being but young, knew little then of your principles, and the old men that did know them, if ye had intended to have kept them to you, and have kept your principles alive, that we might have known them, ye should either not have fled from us as ye did, or ye should have sent us your epistles, collects, homilies, and evening songs; for Paul wrote epistles to the saints, though he was in prison. But they and we might have turned Turks or Jews for any collects, homilies, or epistles we had from you all this while. And now thou hast excommunicated 'us, both young and old, and so have others of you done; that is, ‘Ye have put us out of your church, before ye have got us into it,’ and before ye have brought us to know your principles. Is not this madness in you, to put us out before we were brought in? Indeed, if ye had brought us into your church, and when we had been in, if we had done some bad thing, that had been something like a ground for excommunication or putting out again. But,' said I, 'What dost thou call the church?' 'Why,' said he, 'that which you call the steeple-house,' Then I afted him, 'Whether Christ shed his blood for the steeple-house? and purchased and sanctified the steeple-house [Page 71]with his blood? And seeing the church is Christ's bride and wife, and that he is the head of the church, dost thou think the steeple-house is Christ's wife and bride, and that he is the head of that old house, or of his people? No,’ said he, ‘Christ is the head of his people, and they are the church.’ 'But,' said I, ‘you have given the title church to an old house, which belongs to the people; and you have taught them to believe so.’ I asked him also, ‘Why he persecuted friends for not paying tithes? And whether God ever commanded the Gentiles to pay tithes? And whether Christ had not ended tithes when he ended the Levitical priesthood that took tithes? And whether Christ, when he sent his disciples to preach, had not commanded them to preach freely as he had given them freely? And whether all the ministers of Christ are not bound to observe this command of Christ?’ He said, 'He would not dispute 'that.' Neither did I find he was willing to stay on that sub­ject; for he presently turned to another matter, and said, ‘You marry, but I know not how.’ I replied, ‘It may be so: but why dost thou not come and see?’ Then he ‘threatened that he would use his power against us, as he had done.’ I bid him. 'Take heed; for he was an old man.' I asked him also, ‘Where he read from Genesis to Revelations, that ever any priest did marry any? I wished him to shew me some instance thereof, if he would have us come to them to be married; for, said I, thou hast excommunicated one of my friends two years after he was dead, about his mar­riage. And why dost thou not excommunicate Isaac, and Jacob, and Boaz, and Ruth? For we do not read they were ever married by the priests; but they took one ano­ther in the assemblies of the righteous, in the presence of God and his people; and so do we. So that we have all the holy men and women, that the scripture speaks of in this practice, on our side.’ Much discourse we had; but when he found he could get no advantage on me, he went away with his company.

With such people I was much exercised while I was there; for most that came to the castle would desire to speak with me, and great disputes I had with them. But as to friends, I was as a man buried alive; for though many came far to see me, few were suffered to come at me; and when any friend came into the castle about business, if he looked but towards me, they would rage at him. At last the governor came under trouble himself; for having sent [Page 72]out a privateer to sea, they took some ships that were not enemies ships, but their friends; whereupon he was brought into trouble; after which he grew somewhat more friendly to me. For before I had a marshal set over me, on pur­pose to get money out of me; but I was not to give him a farthing; and when they found they could get nothing from me, he was taken off again. The officers often threatered me, that I should be hanged over the wall. Nay, the de­puty-governor told me once, that the king, knowing I had great interest in the people had sent me thither; that if there should be any stirring in the nation, they should hang m [...] over the wall to keep the people down. There being awhile after a marriage at a Papist's house, upon which occasion a great many of them were met together, they talked much then of hanging me. But I told them, ‘If that was what they desired, and it was permitted them, I was ready; for I never feared death nor sufferings in my life; but I was known to be an innocent, peaceable man, free from all stirrings and plottings, and one that sought the good of all men.’ Afterwards, the governor growing kinder, I spoke to him, when he was to go to London to the parliament. and desired him to speak to 'squire Marsh, Sir Francis Cobb, and some others; and let them know how long I had lain in prison, and for what: which he did. When he came down again, he told me, 'squire Marsh said, ‘He would go an hundred miles barefoot for my liberty, he knew me so well;’ and several others, he said, spoke well of me. From which time the governor was very loving to me.

There were amongst the prisoners two very bad men, who often fat drinking with the officers and soldiers; and because I would not sit and drink with them, it made them the worse against me. One time, when these two prisoners were drunk, one of them (whose name was William Wil­kinson, a Presbyterian, who had been a captain) came and challenged me to fight with him. I seeing what condition he was in, got out of his way; and next morning, when he was more sober, shewed him, ‘How unmanly a thing it was in him to challenge a man to fight, whose principle, he knew it, was not to strike; but if he was stricken on one ear, to turn the other. I told him, if he had a mind to fight, he should have challenged some of the soldiers, that could have answered him in his own way. But however, seeing he had challenged me, I was now come to answer [Page 73]him, with my hands in my pockets: and (reaching my head towards him) Here said I, here is my hair, here are my cheeks, here is my back.’ With that he sk [...]pped away from me, and went into another room: at which the sol­diers fell a laughing; and one of the officers said, ‘You are a happy man that can bear such things.’ Thus he was conquered without a blow. After awhile he took the oath, gave bond, got out of prison; and not long after the Lord cut him off.

There were great imprisonments in this and the former years, while I was prisoner at Lancaster and Scarborough. At London many friends were crowded into Newgate, and other prisons, where the sickness was; and many died in prison. Many also were banished, and several sent on ship­board by the king's order. Some masters of ships would not carry them, but set them on shore again; yet some were sent to Barbadoes, Jamaica, and Mevis, and the Lord bles­sed them there. One master of a ship was very wicked and cruel to friends that were put on board his ship; for he kept them down under decks, though the sickness was amongst them; so that many died of it. But the Lord visited him for his wickedness; for he lost most of his seamen by the plague, and lay several months crossed with contrary winds, though other ships went out, and made their voyages. At last he came before Plymouth, where the governor and ma­gistrates would not suffer him nor any of his men to come ashore, though he wanted necessaries for his voyage; but Thomas Lower, Arthur Cotton; John Light, and other friends went to the ship's side, and carried necessaries for the friends that were prisoners on board. The master, being thus crossed and vexed; cursed them that put him upon this freight; and said, ‘He hoped he should not go far before he was taken.’ And the vessel was but a little while gone out of sight of Plymouth, before she was taken by a Dutch man of war, and carried into Holland. When they came into Holland, the States sent the banished friends back to England, with a letter of passport, and a certificate, ‘That they had not made an escape, but were sent back by them.’ In time the Lord's power wrought over this storm, and ma­ny of our persecutors were confounded and put to shame.

After I had lain prisoner above a year in Scarborough castle, I sent a letter to the king, in which I gave him ‘an account of my imprisonment, and the bad usage I had re­ceived in prison; and also that I was informed no man [Page 74]could deliver me but he.’ After this, John Whitehead being at London, and having acquaintance also with squire Marsh, he went to visit him, and spoke to him about me; and he undertook, if John Whitehead would get the state of my case drawn up, to deliver it to the master of requests, Sir John Birkenhead, who would endeavour to get a release for me. So John Whitehead and Ellis Hookes drew up a relation of my imprisonment and sufferings, and carried it to Marsh; and he went with it to the master of requests, who procured an order from the king for my release. The sub­stance of the order was, ‘That the king being certainly in­formed that I was a man principled against plotting and fighting, and had been ready at all times to discover plots, rather than to make any, &c. therefore his royal pleasure was, that I should be discharged from my imprisonment,’ &c. As soon as this order was obtained, John Whitehead came to Scarborough with it, and delivered it to the go­vernor; who, upon receipt thereof, gathered the officers together, and, without requiring bond or sureties for my peaceable living, being satisfied that I was a man of a peace­able life, he discharged me freely, and gave me the follow­ing passport:

After I was released, I would have made the governor a present for the civility and kindness he had of late shewed me; but he would not receive any thing; saying, ‘What­ever good he could do for me and my friends, he would do it, and never do them any hurt.’ And afterwards, if at any time the mayor of the town sent to him for soldiers to break up friends meetings, if he sent any down, he would pri­vately give them a charge, 'Not to meddle.' He continu­ed loving to his dying-day. The officers also and the sol­diers were mightily changed, and become very respectful to me. When they had occasion to speak of me, they would [Page 75]say, ‘He is as stiff as a tree, and as pure as a bell; for we could never bow him.’

The very next day after my release, the fire broke out in London; and the report of it came quickly down into the country. Then I saw the Lord God was true and just in his word, which he had shewed me before in Lancaster gaol, when I saw the angel of the Lord with a glittering drawn sword southward, as before expressed. The people of Lon­don were forewarned of this fire: yet few laid it to heart, or believed it; but rather grew more wicked, and higher in pride. A friend was moved to come out of Huntingdon­shire a little before the sire, and to scatter his money up and down the streets, turn his horse loose, untie the knees of his breeches, and let his stockings fall down, and to unbutton his doublet, and tell the people, 'So should they run up and down, scattering their money and goods, half undressed, like 'mad people, as he was a sign to them;' which they did when the city was burning. Thus hath the Lord exercised his prophets and servants by his power, shewed them signs of his judgments, and sent them to forewarn the people; but instead of repenting, they have beaten and cruelly entreat­ed some; and some they have imprisoned, both in the for­mer power's days, and since. But the Lord is just; and happy are they that obey his word. Some have been mov­ed to go naked in their streets, in the other power's days, and since, as signs of their nakedness; and have declared amongst them, ‘That God would strip them of their hypo­critical professions, and make them as bare and naked as they were.’ But, instead of considering it, they have fre­quently whipped, or otherwise abused them, and some­times imprisoned them. Others have been moved to go in sackcloth, and to denounce the woes and vengeance of God against the pride and haughtiness of the people; but few regarded it. And in the other power's days, the wick­ed, envious, professing priests put up several petitions both to Oliver and Richard, called protectors, and to the parlia­ments, judges, and justices against us, stuffed full of lies, and vilifying words and slanders; but we got copies of them, and through the Lord's assistance answered the all, and cleared the Lord's truth and ourselves of them. But oh! the body of darkness that rose against the truth, in them that made lies their refuge! But the Lord swept them away; and in and with his power, truth, light, and life hedged his lambs about, and preserved them as on eagles' [Page 76]wings. Therefore we all had and have great encourage­ment to trust the Lord, who, we saw, by his power and Spirit, overturned and brought to nought all the confedera­cies and counsels that were hatched in darkness against his trath and people; and by the same truth gave his people dominion, that therein they might serve him.

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

Being now at liberty, I went about three miles to a large general meeting at a friend's house, who had been a chief constable; and all was quiet and well. On fourth-day af­ter I returned to Scarborough, and had a meeting in the town at Peter Hodgson's. To this meeting came one call­ed a lady, and several other great persons; also a young man, son to the bailiff of the town, who had been convinc­ed while I was there in prison. That lady (so called) came [Page 77]to me, and said, 'I spoke against the ministers.' I told her, ‘Such as the prophets and Christ declared against for­merly, I declared against now.’

From hence I went to Whitby: and, having visited friends there, passed to Burlington, where I had another meeting. From thence to Oram, where I had another meeting; and thence to Marmaduke Storr's, and had a large meeting at a constable's house, on whom the Lord had wrought a great miracle.

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

I passed from thence to Grace Barwick's, where I had a general meeting, which was very large. I came next to Richard Shipton's, where I had another meeting; and to a priest's house, whose wife was convinced, and himself grown very loving, and glad to see me. This was that priest, who, in the year 1651, threatened, ‘If ever he met with me again, he would have my life, or I should have his;’ and said, ‘He would lose his head if I were not knocked down in a month;’ but now he was partly convinced, and become very kind. I went from his house towards the sea, where several friends came to visit me: amongst others, Philip Scarff, who had formerly been a priest, but, having receiv­ed the truth, was now become a preacher of Christ freely, and continued so. Passing on, I called to see an ancient man, who was convinced of truth, and was above an hun­dred years old. Then I came to a friend's house, where I had a great meeting, and quiet. I had a great meeting near Malton; and another large one near Hull: from whence I went to Holdendike. As we went into the town, the watch­men questioned me and those that were with me; but they not having any warrant to stay us, we passed by them, and they in a rage threatened they would search us out. I went to the house of one called the lady Montague, where I lodg­ed [Page 78]that night; and several friends came to visit me. Next morning, being up betimes, I walked into the orchard, and saw a man about sun-rising go into the house in a great cloak. He staid not long; but soon came out again, and went away, not seeing me. I felt something strike at my life; and went into the house, where I found the maid-ser­vant affrighted and trembling. She told me, ‘That man had a naked rapier under his cloak.’ By which I perceiv­ed he came with an intent to have done mischief; but the Lord prevented him.

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

About this time I wrote a book, intituled, ‘Fear God, and honour the king;’ in which I shewed, ‘That none could rightly fear God, and honour the king, but they that departed from sin and evil:’ This book did much affect the soldiers and most people.

Having visited friends at York, we passed to a market town, where we had a meeting at George Watkinson's, who formerly had been a justice. A glorious, blessed meeting it was, very large, and the seed of life was set over all. But we had been troubled to get into this town, had not Pro­vidence made way for us; for the watchmen stood ready to stop us: but there being a man riding just before us, the watchmen questioned him first; and perceiving he was a justice, let him pass; and we riding close after him, by that means escaped.

From this place we passed to Thomas Taylor's, who had formerly been a captain, where we had a precious meeting. Hard by Thomas Taylor's lived a knight, who was much displeased when he heard I was like to be released out of prison; and threatened, ‘if the king set me at liberty, he would send me to prison again the next day.’ But though I had this meeting so near him, the Lord's power stopped him from meddling, and our meeting was quiet. Colonel Kirby also, who had been the chief means of my imprison­ment [Page 79]at Lancaster and Scarborough castles, when he heard I was set at liberty, got another order for the taking me up; and said, ‘He would ride his horse forty miles to take me, and would give forty pounds to have me taken.’ Awhile after I came so near as to have a meeting within two miles of him: and then he was struck with the gout, and kept his bed, so that it was thought he would have died.

From Thomas Taylor's I visited friends till I came to Synderhill-Green, where I had a large and general meeting. The priest of the place, hearing of it, sent the constable to the justices for a warrant; and they rode their horses so hard, they almost spoiled them: but the notice they had being short, and the way long, the meeting was ended before they came. I heard not of them till I was going out of the house, after meeting was over; and then a friend came and told me, ‘They were searching another house for me, the house I was then going to.’ As I went along the closes towards it, I met the constables, wardens, and the justice's clerk. I passed through them, they looking at me, and went to the house they had been searching. Thus they lost their design; for the Lord's power bound them, and preserved me over them; and friends parted, and all escaped them. The officers went away as they came; for the Lord had frustrated their design; praised be his name for ever!

After this I went into Derbyshire, where I had a large meeting. Some friends were apprehensive of the constable's coming; for they had great persecution in those parts: but our meeting was quiet. A justice of peace in that county had taken away much of friends goods: whereupon Ellen Fretwell had made her appeal to the sessions, and the rest of the justices granted her her goods again, and spoke to that persecuting justice, that he should not do so any more. She was moved to speak to that justice, and to warn him: whereupon he bid her, 'Come and sit down on the bench.' 'Ay,' said she, ‘if I may persuade you to do justice to the country, I will sit down with you.’ 'No,' said he, ‘then you shall not. Get out of the court.’ As she was going. she was moved of the Lord to turn again, and say, ‘She should be there when he should not.’ After the sessions, he went home and drove away her brother's oxen, for going to meetings. Then Susan Frith, a friend of Chesterfield was moved of the Lord to tell him, ‘If he continued in his persecuting of the innocent, the Lord would execute his [Page 80]plagues upon him.’ Soon after which he fell distracted, and died. This relation I had from Ellen Fretwell herself.

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

From Nottingham I passed into Leicestershire, and came to Syleby, where we had a large blessed meeting. After which I went to Leicester to visit the prisoners there, and then to John Penford's, where we had a general meeting, large and precious. From thence I passed, visiting friends and my relations, till I came to Warwick; where having visited the prisoners, I passed to Badgley, and had a pre­cious meeting. I travelled through Northamptonshire, Bed­fordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire, visiting friends in each county. In Oxfordshire the devil had laid a snare for me, but the Lord broke it; his power came over all, his blessed truth spread, and friends were increased therein. Thus after I had passed through many counties, visiting friends, and had many large and precious meetings amongst them, I came to London. But I was so weak with lying almost three years in cruel and hard imprisonments, my joints and my body were so stiff and benumbed, that I could hardly get upon my horse, nor bend my joints, nor well bear to be near the fire, or to eat warm meat, I had been kept so long from it. Being come to London, I walk­ed a little among the ruins, and took good notice of them I saw the city lying, according as the word of the Lord came to me concerning it several years before.

After I had been a time in London, and visited meetings through the city, I went into the country again, and had large meetings as I went, at Kingston, Reading, and in Wiltshire, till I came, to Bristol; where also I had many large meetings. Thomas Lower came out of Cornwall to [Page 81]meet me, and friends from several parts of the nation, it be­ing then the fair-time. After I was clear of Bristol, I went to Nath. Crips's, and through the country to London again, having large meetings in the way, and all quiet, blessed be the Lord. Thus, though I was very weak, I travelled up and down in the service of the Lord, who enabled me to go through in it.

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

Then I was moved of the Lord to recommend the setting up of five monthly meetings of men and women in the city of London, besides the women's meetings and the quarterly meetings, to take care of God's glory, and to admonish and exhort such as walked disorderly or carelessly, and not ac­cording to truth. For whereas friends had only quarterly meetings, now truth was spread and friends grown more numerous, I was moved to recommend the setting up of monthly meetings throughout the nation. And the Lord opened to me what I must do, and how the men's and women's monthly and quarterly meetings should be ordered and established in this and other nations; and that I should write to those where I came not, to do the same. After things were well settled at London, and the Lord's truth, power, seed, and life reigned and shined over all in the city, I went into Essex. After the monthly meetings were settled in that county, I went into Suffolk and Norfolk, Thomas, Dry being with me. When we had visited friends in those parts, and the monthly meetings were settled, we went into Huntingdonshire, where we had very large and blessed meetings; and though we met with some opposition, the Lord's power came over all, and the monthly meetings [Page 82]were established there also. When we came into Bedford­shire, we had great opposition; but the Lord's power came over it all. Afterwards we went into Nottinghamshire, where we had many precious meetings, and the monthly meetings were settled there. Then passing into Lincoln­shire, we had a meeting of some men friends of all the meet­ings in the county, at his house who had been formerly sheriff of Lincoln; and all was quiet. After this meeting we passed over Trent into Nottinghamshire, he that had been the sheriff of Lincoln being with me, where we had some of all the meetings in that county together. Our meeting was glorious and peaceable, and many precious meetings we had in that county.

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

From thence we passed into Leicestershire and Warwick-shire, where we had many blessed meetings. The order of the gospel was set up, and the men's monthly meetings established in all those counties. Then we went into Der­byshire, where we had several large and blessed meetings. In many places we were threatened by the officers, but through the power of the Lord we escaped their hands. Leaving things well settled in Derbyshire, we travelled over the Peak-hills (which were very cold, for it was then frost and snow) and came into Staffordshire. At Thomas Ham­mersley's we had a general men's meeting; where things were well settled in the gospel order, and the monthly meetings established. I was so exceeding weak, I was hardly able to get on or off my horse's back; but my spirit being earnestly engaged in the work the Lord had concerned me in and sent me forth about, I travelled on therein, not­withstanding the weakness of my body, having confidence in the Lord, that he would carry me through, as he did by his power. We came into Cheshire, where we had several blessed meetings, and a general men's meeting; wherein all the monthly meetings for that county were settled, accord­ing to the gospel order, in and by the power of God. Af­ter [Page 83]the meeting I passed away. But when the justices heard of it, they were very much troubled that they had not come and broke it up, and taken me; but the Lord prevented them. After I had cleared myself there in the Lord's ser­vice, I passed into Lancashire, to William Barnes's, near Warrington, where met some of most of the meetings in that county; and there all the monthly meetings were esta­blished in the gospel order. From thence I sent papers into Westmoreland by Leonard Fell and Robert Widders, and also into Bishoprick, Cleveland, Northumberland, Cumberland, and Scotland, to exhort friends to settle the monthly meetings in the Lord's power in those places; which they did. So the Lord's power came over all, and the heirs of it came to inherit it. For the authority of our meetings is the power of God, the gospel, which brings life and immortality to light; that all might see over the devil that darkened them, that all the heirs of the gospel might walk according to the gospel, and glorify God with their bodies, souls, and spirits, which are the Lord's: for the or­der of the glorious gospel is not of man nor by man. To this meeting in Lancashire, Margaret Fell, being a prisoner, got liberty to come, and went with me from thence to Jane Milner's in Cheshire, where we parted. I passed into Shropshire, and from thence into Wales, and had a large general men's meeting at Charles Lloyd's, where some op­posers came in; but the Lord's power brought them down.

Having gone through Denbighshire and Montgomery­shire, we passed into Merionethshiro, where we had several blessed meetings; and then to the sea-side, where we had a precious meeting. We left Wales, the monthly meetings being settled there in the power of God, and re­turned into Shropshire, where the friends of the county ga­thering together, the monthly meetings were established there. Coming into Worcestershire, after many meetings amongst friends in that county, we had a general men's meeting at Henry Gibs's, at Pashur; where also the month­ly meetings were settled in the gospel order.

The sessions being held that day in the town, some friends were concerned lest they should send officers to break up our meeting; but the power of the Lord restrained them, so that it was quiet; through which power we had domi­nion. I had several meetings amongst friends in that cour­ty, till I came to Worcester; and it being the fair-time, we had a precious meeting. There was then in Worcester [Page 84]one major Wild, a persecuting man; and after I was gone some of his soldiers inquired after me; but having left the friends there settled in good order, we passed to Droitwich, and from thence to Shrewsbury, where also we had a very precious meeting. The mayor, hearing I was in town, got the rest of the officers together to consult what to do against me; for they said, ‘The great Quaker of England is come to town.’ But when they were come together, the Lord confounded their councils, so that some were for imprison­ing me, others opposed it; and being divided amongst themselves, I escaped their hands.

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

Upon this occasion I wrote a letter to the justices, and [Page 85]the judge of assize, which was then at hand. I employed some friends to carry it to the justices first. The justice, to whom the clerk belonged, rebuked him and the others also, for abusing us upon the highway; so that they were glad to come and intreat friends not to appear against them at the assize; which, upon their submission and acknow­ledgment, was granted. This was of good service in the country; for it stopped many rude people, who had been forward to abuse friends.

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

The like contrivance they had in other places. For there was one Pocock at London, that married Abigail Darcy, who was called a lady; and she being convinced of truth, I went to his house to see her. This Pocock had been one of the triers of the priests; and, being an high Presbyterian, and envious against us, he used to call our friends house-creepers. He being present, she said to me, ‘I have some­thing to speak to thee against my husband.’ 'Nay,' said I, 'thou must not speak against thy husband.' 'Yes,' said ‘she, but I must in this case. The last first-day,’ said she, ‘he, his priests and people, the Presbyterians, met; they had candles, tobacco-pipes, bread, cheese, and cold meat on the table; and they agreed beforehand, if the officers should come in upon them, they would leave their preach­ing and praying, and fall to their cold meat.’ 'Oh,' said ‘I to him, is not this a shame to you who imprisoned us, [Page 86]and spoiled our goods, because we would not join you in your religion, and called us house-creepers, that ye do not stand to your own religion yourselves? Did ye ever find our meetings stuffed with bread and cheese and tobacco­pipes? Or did ye ever read in the scriptures of any such practice among the saints?’ 'Why,' said the old man, 'we must be as wise as serpents.' I answered, ‘This is the serpent's wisdom indeed. But who would have thought that you Presbyterians and Independents, who persecuted, imprisoned others, spoiled their goods, and whipped such as would not follow your religion, should now flinch yourselves, and not dare to stand to your own religion, but cover it with tobacco-pipes, flagons of drink, cold meat, and bread and cheese!’ But this, and such-like de­ceitful practices, I understood afterwards, were too common amongst them in times of persecution.

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

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

As I was in bed at Bristol, the word of the Lord came to me, that I must go back to London. Next morning [Page 87]Alexander Parker and several others came to me. I asked them, What they felt? They asked me, What was upon me? I told them, I felt I must return to London. They said, the same was upon them. So we gave up to return to London; for which way the Lord moved and led us, thither we went in his power. Leaving Bristol, we passed into Wiltshire, and established the men's monthly meetings in the Lord's power there; and visited friends till we came to London.

After we had visited friends in the city I was moved to exhort them to bring all their marriages to the men's and women's meetings, that they might lay them before the faithful; that care might be taken to prevent such disorders as had been committed by some. For many had gone to­gether in marriage contrary to their relations minds; and some young, raw people, that came among us, had mixed with the world. Widows had married without making provision for their children by their former husbands, be­fore their second marriage. Yet I had given forth a paper concerning marriages about the year 1653, when truth was but little spread, advising friends, who might be concerned in that case, ‘That they might lay it before the faithful in time, before any thing was concluded; and afterwards pub­lish it in the end of a meeting, or in a market, as they were moved thereto. And when all things were found clear, being free from all others, and their relations satis­fied, they might appoint a meeting on purpose, for the taking of each other; in the presence of at least twelve faithful witnesses.’ Yet these directions not being observ­ed, and truth being now more spread over the nation, it was ordered by the same power and Spirit of God, ‘That marriages should be laid before the men's monthly and quarterly meetings, or as the meetings were then establish­ed; that friends might see, that the relations of those who proceeded to marriage were satisfied; that the parties were clear from all others; and that widows had made provision for their first husband's children, before they married again; and what else was needful to be inquired into; that all things might be kept clean and pure, and be done in righte­ousness to the glory of God.’ Afterwards it was ordered in the wisdom of God, ‘That if either of the parties intending to marry came out of another nation, county, or monthly meeting, they should bring a certificate from the monthly meeting to which they belonged; for the satisfaction of the [Page 88]monthly meeting before which they came to lay their in­tentions of marriage.’

After these things, with many other services for God, were set in order, and settled in the city, I passed out of London, in the leadings of the Lord's power, into Hert­fordshire. After I had visited friends there, and the men's monthly meetings were settled, I had a great meeting at Baldock of many sorts of people. Then returning towards London by Waltham, I advised the setting up of a school there for teaching boys; and also a women's school to be opened at Shacklewell for instructing girls and young maid­ens, in whatsoever things were civil and useful in the crea­tion.

Thus, after several precious meetings in the country, I came to London again, where I staid awhile in the work and service of the Lord; and then went into Buckingham­shire, where I had many precious meetings. At John Brown's of Weston near Aylesbury some of the men friends of each meeting being gathered together, the men's monthly meetings for that county were established, in the order of the gospel, the power of God; which confirmed it in all that felt it, who came thereby to see and feel-that the power of God was the authority of their meetings. I then went to Nathaniel Ball's, at North Newton near Banbury, Oxford­shire, who was a friend in the ministry. And there being a general meeting, where some of all the meetings were pre­sent, the monthly meetings for that county were settled in the power of God; and friends were very glad of them; for they came into their services in the church, to take care for God's glory. After this, we came into Gloucestershire, vi­siting friends till we came into Monmouthshire, to Richard Hambery's; where meeting with some of all the meetings of that county, the monthly meetings were settled there in the Lord's power, that all in it might take care of God's glory, and admonish and exhort such as did not walk as be­came the gospel. And indeed these meetings made a great reformation amongst people, insomuch that the justices took notice of their usefulness.

Richard Hambery and his wife accompanied us a day's journey, visiting friends, till we came to a widow's, where we lay that night. From thence we passed over the hills, visiting friends, and declaring the truth to people, till we came to another widow's, where we had a meeting. The [Page 89]woman could not speak English; yet she praised the Lord for sending us to visit them.

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

From hence we endeavoured to get over the water into Cornwall: and in order thereunto went back through Swansey to Mumbles, thinking to have got passage there; but the master deceived us; for though he had promised to carry us, when we came he would not. We went to ano­ther place, where was a passage-boat, into which we got our horses; but some rude men in the boat (though called gen­tlemen) threatened to pistol the master if he took us in; who, being afraid of them, turned our horses out again; which put us out of hopes of getting over that way. Where­fore turning back into the country, we staid up all night; and about the second hour in the morning took horse, and travelled till we came near Cardiff, where we staid one night. The next day we came to Newport, and it being market-day there, several friends came to us, with whom we sat awhile; and after a fine refreshing season together, we part­ed from them, and went forward.

Beyond this market-town we overtook a man who linger­ed on the way, as if he staid for somebody; but when we came up to him, he rode along with us, and asked us many questions. At length meeting with two, who seemed to be pages to some great persons, he took acquaintance with them; and I heard him tell them he would stop us, and take us up. We rode on; and when he came to us, and would have stopped us, I told him. ‘None ought to stop us on the king's highway, for it was as free for us as for them;’ and I was moved to exhort him to fear the Lord. Then he galloped away before us; and I perceived his in­tent was to stop us at Shipton in Wales, a garrison-town, through which we were to pass. When we were come to Shipton. John-ap-John being with me, we walked down the hill into the town, leading our horses. It being mar­ket-day there, several friends met us, and would have had us to an inn. But we were not to go into any inn, so we [Page 90]walked directly through the town over the bridge, and then were out of the limits of that town. Thus the Lord's ever­lasting arm and power preserved us, and carried us over in his work and service.

The next first-day we had a large meeting in the Forest of Dean; and all was quiet. Next day we passed over the water to Oldstone; where after we had visited friends, we came again to William Yeomans's, at Jubb's Court in So­mersetshire. From thence we went to a meeting at Posset, whither several friends of Bristol came to us. After which we went further into the country, and had several large meetings. The Lord's living presence was with us, sup­porting and refreshing us in our labour and travel in his service.

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

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

The next day several friends of Minehead accompanied us as far as Barnstable and Appledon in Devonshire, where we had a meeting. Barnstable had been a bloody persecut­ing town. There were two men friends of that town, who had been a great while at sea; and coming home to visit their relations (one of them having a wife and children) the mayor of the town sent for them, under pretence of dis­course with them; and put the oaths of allegiance and supre­macy to them. Because they could not swear, he sent them to Exeter gaol, where judge Archer premunired them, and kept them till one of them died in prison. When I heard of this, I was moved to write a letter to judge Archer, and another to that mayor of Barnstable, laying their wicked and unchristian actions upon their heads; and letting them know, that the ‘blood of that man would be required at their hands.’

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

Being clear of that county, we came into Devonshire, and had a meeting amongst friends at Plymouth. Whence passing to Richard Brown's, we came to the widow Phi­lips's, where we had some men friends from all the meet­ings together; and there the men's monthly meetings were fettled in the heavenly order of the gospel, the power of [Page 92]God; which answered the witness of God in all. There was a great noise of a troop of horse coming to disturb our meeting; but the Lord's power prevented it, and preserved us in peace and safety.

After things were well settled, and the meeting done, we came to King's Bridge, and visited friends. Then (leaving friends in those parts well settled in the power of God) we passed to Topsham and Membury, visiting friends, and hav­ing many meetings in the way, till we came to Ilchester in Somersetshire. Here we had a general men's meeting, and therein settled the men's monthly meetings for that county in the Lord's everlasting power, the order of the gospel. After the meetings were settled, and friends refreshed, com­forted in the Lord's power, and established upon Christ, their rock and foundation, we passed to Puddimore; where, at William Beaton's, we had a blessed meeting, and all was quiet: though the constables had threatened before.

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

Then we came to Southampton, where we had a large meeting on the first-day. From thence we went to Capt, Reeves's, where the general men's meeting for Hampshire was appointed; to which some from all parts of the county came, and a blessed meeting we had. The men's monthly meetings for that county were settled in the order of the gospel, which had brought life and immortality to light in them.

But there came a rude company of Ranters, who had opposed and disturbed our meetings much. One of the women had lain with a man, who had declared it at the Market-cross, and gloried in his wickedness. A company of these lewd people lived together, at a house hard by the place of our meeting. I went to the house, and told them of their wickedness. The man of the house asked, ‘Why! did I make so strange of that?’ Another of them said, ‘It was to stumble me.’ I told them, ‘Their wickedness should not stumble me; for I was above it.’ I was mov­ed of the Lord to tell them, ‘The plagues and judgments of God would overtake them, and come upon them.’ Af­terwards [Page 93]they went up and down the country, till at last they were cast into Winchester gaol; where the man that had lain with the woman stabbed the gaoler, but not mor­tally. After they were let out of gaol, this fellow that stab­bed the gaoler hanged himself. The woman also had like to have cut a child's throat, as we were informed. These people had formerly lived about London; and, when the city was fired, they prophesied, ‘That all the rest of Lon­don should be burnt within fourteen days,’ and hasted out of town. Though they were Ranters, great opposers of friends, and disturbers of our meetings, yet in the country, where they came, some would be apt to say they were Quakers. Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to write a paper, to be dispersed amongst the magistrates and people of Hampshire, to clear friends and truth of them and their wicked actions.

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

We had a general men's meeting at a friend's house in Surry; who had been plundered so extremely, that he had scarce a cow, horse, or swine left. The constables threaten­ed to come and break up our meeting; but the Lord re­strained them. At this meeting the men's monthly meet­ings were settled in the authority of the heavenly power. After we had visited friends in that county, and had many large and precious meetings, we passed to a friend's house in Sussex, where the general meeting for the men friends of that county was appointed to be held; and thither came se­veral from London to visit us. We had a blessed meeting; and the men's monthly meetings for that county were then settled in the Lord's eternal power, the gospel of salvation; that all in it might keep to the order of the gospel. There were at that time great threatenings of disturbance; but the meeting was quiet. We had several large meetings in that county; though friends were in great sufferings there, and many in prison. I was sent for to visit a friend that was [Page 94]sick, and went to see friends that were prisoners. There was danger of my being apprehended; but I went in the faith of God's power, and thereby the Lord preserved me in safety.

We passed into Kent; where, after we had been at seve­ral meetings, we had a general one for the men friends of that county. There also the men's monthly meetings for that county were settled in the power of God, and esta­blished in the order of the gospel, for all the heirs of it to enter into their services and care in the church for the glory of God. Friends rejoiced in the order of the gospel, and were glad of the settlement thereof.

After this I visited the meetings in Kent; and when I had cleared myself of the Lord's service in that county, I came to London. Thus were the men's monthly meetings settled through the nation; for I had been in Berkshire be­fore, where most of the ancient friends of that county were in prison; and when I had informed them of the service of these monthly meetings, they were settled amongst them al­so. The quarterly meetings were generally settled before. I wrote also into Ireland, Scotland, Holland, Barbadoes, and several parts of America, advising friends to settle their men's monthly meetings in those countries. For they had their general quarterly meetings before; but now that truth was increased amongst them, they should settle monthly meetings in the power and Spirit of God which first con­vinced them. Since these meetings have been settled, ma­ny mouths have been opened in thanksgivings and praise, and many have blessed the Lord, that he sent me forth in this service; yea, with tears have many praised him. For all coming to have a concern and care for God's honour and glory, that his name be not blasphemed, which they pro­fess; and to see that all who profess the truth, walk in the truth, in righteousness and holiness, which becomes the house of God, and that all order their conversation aright, that they may see the salvation of God; all having this care upon them for God's glory, and being exercised in his holy power and Spirit, in the order of the heavenly life and gos­pel of Jesus, they may all see and know, possess and partake of the government of Christ, of the increase of which there is to be no end. Thus the Lord's everlasting renown and praise is set up in every one's heart that is faithful; so that we can say the gospel order established amongst us is not of man, nor by man, but of and by Jesus Christ, in and [Page 95]through the Holy Ghost. This order of the gospel, which is from Christ the heavenly man, is above all the orders of men in the fall, whether Jews, Gentiles, or apostatized Christians, and will remain when they are gone. For the power of God, which is the everlasting gospel, was before the devil was, and will be and remain for ever. And as the everlasting gospel was preached in the apostles days to all nations, that all might come into the order thereof, through the divine power, which brings life and immortality to light, that they who were heirs of it, might inherit the power and authority of it; so now, since all nations have drunk the whore's cup, and all the world hath worshipped the beast (but they, whose names are written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, who have worshipped God in spirit and truth, as Christ commanded) the everlasting gos­pel is to be and is preached again, as John the divine fore­saw it should, to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. This everlasting gospel torments the whore, and makes her and the beast to rage, even the beast that hath power over the tongues, which are called the original, to order them, by which they make divines, as they call them. But all that receive the gospel, the power of God, which brings life and immortality to light, come to see over the beast, devil, whore, and false prophet, that darkened them and all their worships and orders, and come to be heirs of the gospel, the power of God, which was before the beast, whore, false prophet, and devil were, and will be when they are all gone and cast into the lake of fire. And they that are heirs of this power and of this gospel inherit the power which is the authority of this order, and of our meet­ings. These come to possess the joyful order of the joyful gospel, the comfortable order of the comfortable gospel, the glorious order of the glorious gospel, and the everlasting or­der of the everlasting gospel, the power of God, which will last for ever, and will outlast all the orders of the devil, and that which is of men or by men. These shall see the government of Christ, who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him; and of the increase of his glorious, righteous, holy, just government there is no end; but his government and his order will remain: for he who is the au­thor of it is the first and the last, the beginning and ending the foundation of God, which over all stands sure; Christ Jesus, the Amen.

Being returned to London, I slaid some time, visiting [Page 96]friends meetings in and about the city. While I was in London, I went one day to visit squire Marsh, who had shewed much kindness both to me and friends. I happen­ed to go when he was at dinner. He no sooner heard of my name, but he sent for me up, and would have had me sit down with him to dinner; but I had not freedom to do so. Several great persons were at dinner with him; and he said to one of them who was a great Papist, ‘Here is a Quaker, which you have not seen before.’ The Papist asked me, 'Whether I did own the christening of children?' I told him, 'There was no scripture for any such practice.' 'What!' said he, 'not for christening children!' I said, 'Nay.' I told him, ‘The one baptism by the one spirit into one body we owned; but to throw a little water on a child's face, and say, that was baptizing and christening it, there was no scripture for that.’ He asked me, ‘Whe­ther I did own the Catholic faith?’ I said, 'Yes;' but added, ‘That neither the pope nor the papists were in the Catholic faith; for the true faith works by love, and puri­fies the heart; and if they were in that faith that gives victory, by which they might have access to God, they would not tell the people of a purgatory after they were dead. So I undertook to prove, ‘That neither pope nor papists, that held a purgatory hereafter, were in the true faith.’ For the true, precious, divine faith, which Christ is the author of, gives victory over the devil and sin, that separated man and woman from God. And if they (the Papists) were in the true faith, they would never use racks, prisons, and fines to persecute and force others to their religion, that were not of their faith. This was not the practice of the apostles and primitive Christians, who wit­nessed and enjoyed the true faith of Christ; but it was the practice of the faithless Jews and heathens so to do. But,’ said I, ‘seeing thou art a great leading man among the Papists, and hast been taught and bred up under the pope,’ and seeing thou sayest, ‘There is no salvation but in your church;’ I desire to know of thee, ‘What it is that doth bring salvation in your church?’ He answer­ed, "A good life." 'And nothing else?' said I. 'Yes,' said he, 'good works!' ‘Is this it that brings salvation in your church, a good life and good works? Is this your doctrine and principle?’ said I. 'Yes,' said he. ‘Then, said I, neither thou, nor the pope, nor any of the Papists know what it is that brings salvation.’ He asked me, [Page 97]'What brought salvation in our church?' I told him, That which brought salvation to the church in the apos­tles days, the same brought salvation to us, and not ano­ther; namely, "The grace of God, which," the scripture says, "brings salvation, and hath appeared to all men," which taught the saints then, and teaches us now. This grace, which brings salvation, teaches, ‘To deny ungod­liness and worldly lusts, and to live godly, righteously, and soberly.’ So it is not the good works, nor the good life that brings salvation, but the grace. 'What!' said the Papist, 'doth this grace, that brings salvation, appear unto all men?' 'Yes,' said I. 'Then,' said he, 'I deny that.' I replied, 'All that deny that are sect-makers, and are not in the universal faith, grace, and truth, which the apostles were in.' Then he spoke to me about the mo­ther-church. I told him, The several sects in Christen­dom had accused us, and said, ‘We forsook our mother-church.’ The Papists charged us with forsaking their church, saying, "Rome was the only mother-church." The Episcopalians taxed us with forsaking the old Protes­tant religion, alleging, ‘Theirs was the reformed mo­ther-church.’ The Presbyterians and Independents blamed us for leaving them, each of them pretending "Theirs was the right-reformed church." But I said, if we could own any outward place to be the mother-church, we should own Jerusalem, where the gospel was first preached by Christ himself and the apostles, where Christ suffered, where the great conversion to Christianity by Pe­ter was, where were the types, figures, and shadows, which Christ ended, and where Christ commanded his ‘disci­ples to wait until they were endued with power from on high.’ If any outward place deserved to be called the mother, that was the place where the first great conversion to Christianity was. But the apostle faith, Gal. iv. 25, 26. ‘Jerusalem, which now is in bondage with her chil­dren; but Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for the desolate hath many more children than she that hath an husband,’ ver. 27. The apostle doth not say, outward Jerusalem was the mother, though the first and great conversion to Christianity was there; and there is less reason for the title [mother] to be given to Rome, or to any other outward place or city, by the chil­dren [Page 98]of Jerusalem, that is above and free: neither are they Jerusalem's children that is above and free, who give the title of mother either to outward Jerusalem, to Rome, or to any other place or sect of people. And though this title [mother] hath been given to places and sects by the degenerate Christians, yet we say still, as the apostle said of old, "Jerusalem that is above, is the mother of us all." We can own no other, neither outward Jerusalem, nor Rome, nor any sect of people for our mother, but Jerusa­lem which is above; which is free, the mother of all that are born again, become true believers in the light, and are grasted into Christ, the heavenly vine. For all who are born again of the immortal seed, by the word of God which lives and abides for ever, feed upon the milk of the word, the breast of life, grow by it in life; and cannot acknowledge any other to be their mother, but Jerusalem which is above.' 'Oh!' said squire Marsh to the Papist, You do not know this man. If he would but come to church now and then, he would be a brave man.'

After some other discourse, I went asid with justice Marsh to another room, to speak with him concerning friends; for he was a justice of peace for Middlesex, and be­ing a courtier, the other justices put much of the manage­ment of affairs upon him. He told me, ‘He was in a strait how to act between us and some other Dissenters. For,' said he, 'You cannot swear, and the Independents, Baptists, and Fifth-monarchy-people say also, They can­not swear; therefore,' said he, 'how shall I distinguish betwixt you and them, seeing they and you all say. It is for conscience-sake that you cannot swear?' I answered, I will shew thee how to distinguish. They, or most of them, thou speakest of, can and do swear in some cases, but we cannot swear in any case. If a man should sleal their cows and horses, and thou shouldest ask them whe­ther they would swear they were theirs? many of them would readily do it; but if thou try our friends, they can­not swear for their own goods. Therefore, when thou put­test the oath of allegiance to any of them, ask them, ‘Whether they can swear in any other case, as for their cow or horse?’ Which, if they be really of us, they cannot do, though they can bear witness to the truth.’ I gave him a relation of a trial in Berkshire, which was thus: ‘A thief stole two beasts from a friend of ours. The thief was taken and call into prison, and the friend appeared against [Page 99]him at the assizes. But somebody having informed the judge, that the prosecutor was a Quaker and could not swear, the judge, before he heard the friend, said, ‘Is he a Quaker? And will he not swear? Then tender him the oaths of allegiance and supremacy.’ So he cast the friend into prison, and premunired him, and set the thief at li­berty.' Justice Marsh said, 'That judge was a wicked man. 'But,' said I, 'If we could swear in any case, we would take the oath of allegiance to the king, who is to pre­serve the laws that are to support every man in his estate. Whereas others, that can swear in some cases, to preserve a part of their estates if they be robbed, will not take this oath to the king, who is to preserve them in their whole estates and bodies also. So that thou mayest easily dis­tinguish and put a difference betwixt us and those people.’ Justice Marsh was afterwards very serviceable to friends in this and other cases; for he kept several, both friends and others, from being [...]emonired: and when friends were brought before him, in time of persecution [...] set many of them at liberty. When he could not avoid sending to pri­son, he sent some for a few hours, or a night. At length he went to the king, and told him, ‘He had sent some of us to prison contrary to his conscience, and he could not do so any more.’ Therefore he removed his family from Limehouse, where he lived, and took lodgings near James's Park. He told the king, ‘If he would be pleased to give liberty of conscience, that would quiet and settle all; for then none could have any pretence to be uneasy.’ And indeed he was a very serviceable man to truth and friends in his day.

We had great service at London this year; the Lord's truth came over all. Many who had gone out came in again this year, confesting and condemning their outgoings.

After I had staid some time in London, I visited friends in Surry, Sussex, and other places that way, and then tra­velled northward, having Leonard Fell with me. We vi­sited friends till we came to Warwick, where many were in prison. We had a meeting in the town. I passed from thence to Birmingham and Badgely. At Badgely I had a large meeting. After which I passed to Nottingham, where on the first-day we had a precious meeting, but not without danger of being apprehended; the constables having threat­ened friends.

I passed from thence, visiting friends, ti [...]l I came to Bal. [Page 100]by, and so to York quarterly-meeting. A blessed meeting we had. Friends had in Yorkshire seven monthly meetings before, and they were so sensible of the service of them, that they desired to have seven more added; for truth was much spread in that county. Accordingly in that quarterly meet­ing they were settled: so now they have fourteen monthly meetings.

It being the assize-time at York, I met with justice Ho­tham, a well-wisher to friends, who had been tender and very kind to me from the first.

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

I then visited friends at Whitby and Scarborough. When I was at Scarborough, the governor, hearing I was come, sent to invite me to his house, saying, ‘Surely, I would not be so unkind, as not to come and see him and his wife.’ After the meeting I went to visit him, and he received me very courteously and lovingly.

Having visited most of the meetings in Yorkshire, the Woulds, and Holderness, I came to Henry Jackson's, where [Page 101]I had a great meeting. From thence to Thomas Taylor's, and to John Moor's at Eldreth, where we had a very large meeting: the Lord's power and presence was eminently amongst us. Not far from this place lay colonel Kirby, lame of the gout, who had threatened, ‘If ever I came near, he would send me to prison again; and had bid forty pounds to any man that could take me,’ as I was credibly informed.

After this I came into Staffordshire and Cheshire, where we had many large and precious meetings. I had a very large one at William Barns's, about two miles from War­rington; and though colonel Kirby was now got abroad again, as violent in breaking up meetings as before, and was then at Warrington, the Lord did not suffer him to come to this meeting: so we were preserved out of his hands.

Now was I moved of the Lord to go over into Ireland, to visit the seed of God in that nation. There went with me Robert Lodge, James Lancaster, Thomas Briggs, and John Stubbs. We waited near Liverpool for shipping and wind. After we had waited some days, we sent James Lan­caster, who took passage, and brought word the ship was ready, and would take us in at Black-rock. We went thi­ther on foot. It being pretty fair and the weather very hot, I was much spent with walking. When we arrived the ship was not there, so we were o [...]ged to go to the town and take shipping. When we were get on board, I said to the rest of the company, ‘Come, ye will triumph in the Lord; for we shall have fair wind and weather.’ There were many passengers in the ship sick, but not one of our company. The master and many of the passengers were very loving; and being at sea on a first-day, I was moved to declare truth among them: whereupon the master said to the passengers, ‘Come, here are things that you never heard in your lives.’ When we came before Dublin, we took boat, and went ashore; and the earth and air smelt, me­thought, with the corruption of the nation, so that it yielded another smell to me than England did; which I imputed to the popish massacres that had been committed, and the blood that had been spilt in it, from which a foulness as­cended. We passed through among the officers of the cus­toms four times, yet they did not search us; for they per­ceived what we were. Some of them were so envious, they did not care to look at us. We did not presently sind friends; but went to an inn, and sent to inquire for some, [Page 102]who were exceeding glad of our coming, and received us with great joy. We staid there the weekly meeting, which was a large one, and the power and life of God appeared greatly in it. Afterwards we passed to a province-meeting, which lasted two days, there being both a men's meeting about the poor, and another more general, in which a migh­ty power of the Lord appeared. Truth was livingly de­clared, and friends were much refreshed therein.

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

We went on to New-garden, where was a great meeting. From thence we travelled to Bandon-bridge and the Land's-end, having many meetings as we went; in which the mighty power of the Lord was manifested, friends were well refreshed, and many people were affected with the truth. At Bandon, the mayor's wife, being convinced, de­sired her husband to come to the meeting; but he bid her for her life she should not make known that I was at a meeting there.

He that was then mayor of Cork, being very envious against truth and friends, had many friends in prison; and knowing I was in the country, he sent four warrants to take me; therefore friends were desirous that I might not ride through Cork. But being at Bandon, there appeared to me in a vision, ‘A very ugly-visaged man, of a black and dark look. My spirit struck at him in the power of God, and it seemed to me that I rode over him with my horse, and my horse set his soot on the side of his face.’ When I came down in the morning, I told a friend, the command of the Lord was to me to ride through Cork; but bid him tell no man. So we took horse, many friends be­ing with me. When we came near the town, friends would have shewed me a way on the backside of it; but I told [Page 103]them, my way was through the streets. Taking Paul Mor­rice to guide me through the town, I rode on; and as we rode through the market-place, and by the mayor's door, he, seeing me, said, 'There goes George Fox;' but he had not power to stop me. When we had passed through the centinels, and were come over the bridge, we went to a friend's house, and alighted. There the friends told me, what a rage was in the town, and how many warrants were granted to take me. While I was sitting there with friends, I felt the evil spirit at work in the town, stirring up mis­chief against me; and I felt the power of the Lord strike at that evil spirit. By-and-by some other friends coming in, told me, ‘It was over the town, and amongst the magis­trates, that I was in the town.’ I said, ‘Let the devil do his worst,’ After awhile that friends were refreshed one in another, and we travellers had refreshed ourselves, I call­ed for my horse, and having a friend to guide me, we went on our way. But great was the rage that the mayor and others of Cork were in, that they had missed me, and great pains they afterwards took to have taken me, having their scouts abroad upon the roads, as I understood, to observe which w [...], I went. Afterwards, scarce a public meeting I came to, but spies came to watch if I was there. And the envious magistrates and priests sent informations one to another concerning me, describing me by my hair, hat, cloaths, and horse; so that when I was near an hundred miles from Cork they had an account concerning me, and description of me, before I came amongst them. One very envious magistrate, who was both a priest and a justice, got a warrant from the judge of assize to apprehend me; the warrant was to go over all his circuit, which reached near an hundred miles. Yet the Lord disappointed all their councils, defeated all their designs against me, and by his good hand of Providence preserved me out of all their snares, and gave us many sweet and blessed opportunities to visit friends, and spread truth through that nation. For meetings were very large, friends coming to them far and near; and other people flocking in. The powerful pre­sence of the Lord was preciously felt with and amongst us; whereby many of the world were reached, convinced, ga­thered to the truth, and the Lord's flock was increased; and friends were greatly refreshed and comforted in feeling the love of God. Oh! the brokenness that was amongst them in the flowings of life! So that, in the power and Spirit [Page 104]of the Lord, many together broke out into singing, even with audible voices, making melody in their hearts.

At which time I was moved to declare to friends there in the ministry, as followeth:

To James Hutchinson's in Ireland came many great per­sons, desiring to discourse with me about Election and Re­probation. I told them, ‘Though they judged our prin­ciple foolish, it was too high for them, they could not with their wisdom comprehend it; therefore I would discourse, with them according to their capacities. You say,’ said I, ‘that God hath ordained the greatest part of men for hell, and that they were ordained so before the world began; for which your proof is in Jude. You say, Esau was reprobated, and the Egyptians, and the stock of Ham. But Christ saith to his disciples, "Go, teach all nations;" and, ‘Go into all nations, and preach the gospel of life and salva­tion.’ If they were to go to all nations, were they not to go to Ham's stock, and Esau's stock? Did not Christ die for all? Then for the stock of Ham, of Esau, and the Egyptians. Doth not the scripture say, ‘God would have all men to be saved?’ Mark, "All men;" then the stock of Esau, and of Ham also. Doth not God say, "Egypt my people?" and that he would have an altar in Egypt? Isa. xix. Were there not many Christians for­merly in Egypt? And doth not history say, that the bi­shop of Alexandria would formerly have been pope? And [Page 106]had not God a church in Babylon? I confess, ‘The word come to Jacob, and the statutes to Israel; the like was not to other nations.’ For the law of God was given to Israel; but the gospel was to be preached to all nations, and is to be preached. The gospel of peace and glad-tid­ings to all nations. ‘He that believes is saved, but he that doth not believe is condemned already;’ so the con­demnation comes through unbelief. And whereas Jude speaks of some that were of old ordained (or written of be­fore) to condemnation, he doth not say, before the world began; but, "written of old;" which may be referred to Moses's writings, who wrote of those whom Jude men­tions, namely Cain, Corah, Balaam, and the angels that kept not their first estate; and such Christians as followed them in their way, and apostatized from the first state of Christianity, were and are ordained for condemnation by the light and truth, which they are gone from. And though the apostle speaks of God's loving Jacob and hating Esau, yet he tells the believers, ‘We all were by nature children of wrath, as well as others.’ This includes the stock of Jacob, of which the apostle himself and all believ­ing Jews were. Thus both Jews and Gentiles were all concluded under sin, and so under condemnation, that God might have mercy upon all through Jesus Christ. The election and choice stands in Christ: ‘and he that believes is saved, and he that believes not is condemned already.’ Jacob typifies the second birth, which God loved; and both Jews and Gentiles must be born again, before they can enter the kingdom of God. When you are born again, ye will know election and reprobation; for the election stands in Christ, the seed, before the world began; but the reprobation lies in the evil seed since the word began.’ After this manner, but somewhat more largely, I discoursed with those great persons about this mat­ter, and they confessed they had never heard so much be­fore.

After I had travelled over Ireland, and visited friends in their meetings, as well for business as worship, and answer­ed several papers and writings from monks, friars, and Pro­testant priests (for they all were in a rage against us, and endeavoured to stop the work of the Lord, and some Jesuits swore in some of our hearing, that we came to spread our principles in that nation, but we should not do it) I return­ed to Dublin, in order to take passage for England. When [Page 107]I had staid the first-day's meeting there, which was very large and precious, there being a ship ready, and the wind serving, we took our leave of friends; parting in much ten­derness and brokenness, in the sense of the heavenly life and power, manifested amongst us. Having put our horses and necessaries on board in the morning, we went ourselves in the afternoon, many friends accompanying us to the ship; and divers friends and friendly people followed us in boats, when we were near a league at sea, their love drawing them, though not without danger. A good, weighty, and true people there is in that nation, sensible of the power of the Lord God, tender of his truth, and very good order they have in their meetings; for they stand up for righteousness and holiness, which dams up the way of wickedness. A precious visitation they had, and there is an excellent spirit in them, worthy to be visited. Many things more I could write of that nation, and of my travels in it, which would be large to mention particularly; but thus much I thought good to signify, that the righteous may rejoice in the pros­perity of truth.

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

We landed at Liverpool, and went to Richard John­son's, William Barnes's, and to William Gandy's, visiting friends, and having many precious meetings in Lancashire and Cheshire. We came into Gloucestershire, and met with a report at Nailsworth, which was spread in that coun­try, ‘That George Fox was turned Presbyterian, that a pulpit was prepared for him and set in a yard, and that there would be a thousand people there the next day to hear him.’ I thought it strange that such a report should be raised of me; yet as we went further from one friend's house to another, we met with the same. We passed by the yard where the pulpit was, and saw it, and went to the place where friends meeting was to be next day, where we staid that night. Next day, being the first-day, we had a [Page 108]very large meeting, and the Lord's power and presence was amongst us.

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

Not long after this John Fox was complained of in the house of commons, for ‘having a tumultuous meeting, in which treasonable words were spoken:’ which (according to the best information I could get) was thus. John Fox had formerly been priest of Mansfield in Wiltshire; and, being put out of that place, was afterwards permitted by a Common-prayer priest to preach sometimes in his steeple­house. At length this Presbyterian priest, presuming too far upon the parish priest's former grant, began to be more bold than welcome, and attempted to preach there whether the parish priest would or no. This caused a great bustle and contest in the steeple-house between the two priests, and their hearers on either side; in which contest the Common­prayer-book was cut to pieces, and some treasonable words spoken by some of the followers of John Fox. This was quickly put in the news, and some malicious Presbyterians cansed it to be so worded as if it had proceeded from George Fox the Quaker, though I was above two hundred miles from the place when this bustle happened. When I heard of it. I soon procured certificates from some of the members of the house of commons, who knew this man, and gave it [Page 109]under their hands, that it was J. Fox, who had formerly been parson of Mansfield in Wiltshire, that was complained of to the house of commons, to be the chief ringleader in that unlawful assembly.

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

After this meeting in Gloucestershire, we travelled till we came to Bristol; where I met with Margaret Fell, who was come to visit her daughter Yeomans. I had seen from the Lord a considerable time before, that I should take Marga­ret Fell to be my wife; and when I first mentioned it to her, she felt the answer of Life from God thereunto. But though the Lord had opened this thing to me, yet I had not received a command from him for the accomplishing of it then. Wherefore I let the thing rest, and went on in the work and service of the Lord, according as he led me; tra­velling in this nation, and through Ireland. But now be­ing at Bristol, and finding Margaret Fell there, it opened in me from the Lord that the thing should be accomplished. After we had discoursed the matter together, I told her, ‘If she also was satisfied with the accomplishing of it now, [Page 110]she should first send for her children:’ which she did. When the rest of her daughters were come. I asked both them and her sons-in-law, ‘If they had any thing against it, or for it?’ and they all severally expressed their satisfaction therewith. Then I asked Margaret, ‘If she had fulfilled her husband's will to her children?’ She replied, ‘The children knew she had.’ Whereupon I asked them, ‘Whether, if their mother married, they should not lose by it?’ I asked Margaret, ‘Whether she had done any thing in lieu of it, which might answer it to the children?’ The children said, ‘She had answered it to them, and desired me to speak no more of it.’ I told them, ‘I was plain, and would have all things done plainly: for I sought not any outward advantage to myself.’ So our intention of marriage was laid before friends both privately and publick­ly, to their full satisfaction, many of whom gave testimony that it was of God. Afterwards, a meeting being appoint­ed on purpose for the accomplishing thereof, in the publick meeting-house at Broad Mead in Bristol, we took each other in marriage; the Lord joining us together in the ho­nourable marriage, in the everlasting covenant and immor­tal Seed of life. In the sense whereof, living and weighty testimonies were borne thereunto by friends in the movings of the heavenly power, which united us together. Then was a certificate, relating both the proceedings and the mar­riage, openly read, and signed by the relations, and by most of the ancient friends of that city; besides many others from divers parts of the nation.

We staid about a week in Bristol, and then went toge­ther to Oldstone: where, taking leave of each other in the Lord, we parted, betaking ourselves each to our several ser­vice; Margaret returning homewards to the north, and I passing on in the work of the Lord as before. I travelled through Wiltshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckingham­shire, and so to London, visiting friends: in all which counties I had many large and precious meetings.

Being in London, it came upon me to write to friends throughout the nation, about ‘putting out poor children to trades.’ Wherefore I sent the following epistle to the quarterly meetings of friends in all the counties.

[Page 112] I staid not long in London; but having visited friends, and finding things there quiet and well, the Lord's power being over all, I passed into Essex and Hertfordshire, where I had many precious meetings. Intending to go as far as Leicestershire, I wrote a letter to my wife, to acquaint her therewith; that, if she found it convenient, she might meet me there. From Hertfordshire I turned into Cam­bridgeshire; thence into Huntingdonshire, and so into Lei­cestershire; where, instead, of meeting my wife, I heard she was haled out of her house to Lancaster prison, by an order got from the king and council, to fetch her back to prison upon the old premunire; though she had been dis­charged from that imprisonment by an order from the king and council the year before. Wherefore, having visited friends as far as Leicestershire, I returned by Derbyshire and Warwickshire to London; having had many large and bles­sed meetings in the several counties I passed through, and been sweetly refreshed amongst friends in my travels.

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

[Page 113] The declaration here mentioned was a printed sheet, written upon occasion of a new persecution stirred up. For by that time I was got to London, a fresh storm was risen, occasioned, it was thought, by that tumultuous meeting in [...] steeple-house in Wiltshire or Gloucestershire, mentioned [...] little before, from which, as it was said, some members of parliament took advantage to get an act passed against sedi­tious conventicles; which soon after came forth, and was turned against us, who of all people were free from sedition and tumult. Whereupon I wrote a declaration, shewing from the preamble and terms of the act that we were not such a people, nor our meetings such as were described in that act. Besides that declaration, I wrote also another short paper, on the occasion of that act against meetings; opening our case to the magistrates, as followeth:

As I had endeavoured to soften the magistrates, and to take off the sharpness of their edge in the execution of the act, so it was upon me to write a few lines to friends, to ‘strengthen and encourage them to stand fast in their testi­mony, and bear, with Christian patience and content, the suffering that was coming upon them.’

On the next first-day after the act came in force, I went to the meeting-house at Gracechurch-street, where I expect­ed the storm was most likely to begin. When I came there, I found the street full of people, and a guard set to keep friends out of their meeting-house. I went to the other pas­sage, out of Lombard-street, where also I found a guard; but the court was full of people, and a friend was speaking amongst them: but spoke not long. When he had done, I stood up, and was moved to say, ‘Saul, Saul, why per­secutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against that which pricks thee. Then I shewed, it is Saul's nature that persecutest still; and that they, who persecute Christ in his members now, where he is made manifest, kick against that which pricks them. That it was the birth of the flesh that persecuted the birth born of the Spirit; and that it was the nature of dogs to tear and devour the sheep; but that we suffered as sheep that bite not again; for we were a peaceable people, and loved them that persecuted us.’ After I had spoken awhile to this effect, the constable came with an informer and soldiers; and as they plucked me down, I said, 'Blessed are the peace-makers.' The com­mander of the soldiers put me among the soldiers, and bid them secure me, saying to me, ‘You are the man I looked for.’ They took also John Burneyate, with another friend, and had us away first to the Exchange, and after­wards towards Moorfields. As we went along the streets the people were very moderate. Some of them laughed at the constable, and told him, 'We would not run away.' The informer went with us unknown; till falling into dis­course with one of the company, he said, ‘It would never be a good world till all people came to the good old reli­gion that was too hundred years ago.’ Whereupon I ask­ed him, ‘Art thou a Papist? What! a Papist informer? for two hundred years ago there was no other religion but that of the Papists.’ He saw he had ensnared himself, and was vexed at it; for as he went along the streets, I spoke often to him, and manifested what he was. When we were come to the mayor's house, and were in the court-yard, se­veral [Page 116]asked me, 'How and for what I was taken?' ... I desir­ed them to ask the informer; and also know what his name was: but he refused to tell his name. Whereupon one of the mayor's officers looking out at a window, told him, ‘He should tell his name before he went away: for the lord mayor would know by what authority he intruded himself with soldiers into the execution of those laws which belonged to the civil magistrate to execute, and not to the military. After this, he was eager to be gone; and went to the porter to be let out. One of the officers called to him, saying. Have you brought people here to inform against, and now will you go away before my lord mayor comes?’ Some called to the porter not to let him out; whereupon he forci­bly pulled open the door and slipped out. No sooner was he come into the street but the people gave a shout, that made the street ring again, crying out, ‘A Papist informer! A Papist informer!’ We desired the constable and soldiers to go and rescue him out of the people's hands, lest they should do him a mischief. They went, and brought him into the mayor's entry, where we staid awhile: but when he went out again, the people received him with such ano­ther shout. Whereupon the soldiers were obliged to rescue him once more; and then they had him into an house in an alley, where they persuaded him to change his perriwig, so he got away unknown.

When the mayor came, we were brought into the room where he was, and some of his officers would have taken off our hats; which he perceiving, bid them, ‘let us alone, and not meddle with our hats; for,’ said he, ‘they are not yet brought before me in judicature.’ So we stood by, while he examined some Presbyterian and Baptist teachers; with whom he was somewhat sharp, and convicted them. After he had done with them, I was brought to the table where he sat; and then the officers took off my hat. The mayor said mildly to me, ‘Mr. Fox, you are an eminent man amongst those of your profession; pray, will you be instrumental to dissuade them from meeting in such great numbers? for, seeing Christ hath promised, that where two or three are met in his name, he will be in the midst of them; and the king and parliament are graciously pleased to allow of four to meet together to worship God; why will not you be content to partake both of Christ's promise to two or three and the king's indulgence to four?’ I answered to this pur­pose: ‘Christ's promise was not to discourage many from [Page 117]meeting together in his name; but to encourage the few, that the fewest might not forbear to meet, because of their fewness. But if Christ hath promised to manifest his pre­sence in the midst of so small an assembly, where but two or three were gathered in his name, how much more would his presence abound, where two or three hundred are ga­thered in his name? I wished him to consider whether this act would not have taken hold of Christ, with his twelve apostles and seventy disciples (if it had been in their time) who used to meet often together, and that in great numbers? However, I told him this act did not concern us; for it was made against seditious meetings, of such as met, under colour and pretence of religion, to contrive in­surrections, as (the act says) late experience had shewn; but we had been sufficiently tried and proved, and always found peaceable; therefore he should do well to put a dif­ference between the innocent and the guilty.’ He said, ‘The act was made against meetings, and a worship not ac­cording to the liturgy.’ I told him, ‘[According to] was not the very same thing; and asked him, whether the li­turgy was according to the scriptures? And whether we might not read scriptures, and speak scriptures? He said, Yes. I told him, This act took hold only of such as met to plot and contrive insurrections, as late experience had shewn; but they had never experienced that by us. Be­cause thieves are sometimes on the road, must not honest men travel? And because plotters and contrivers have met to do mischief, must not an honest, peaceable people meet to do good? If we had been a people that met to plot and contrive insurrections, &c. we might have drawn ourselves into fours; for four might do more mischief in plotting than if there were four hundred, because four might speak out their minds more freely to one another than four hun­dred could. Therefore we being innocent, and not the people this act concerns, we keep our meetings as we used to do; and I said, I believed that he knew in his consci­ence we were innocent.’ After some more discourse he took our names, and the places where we lodged, and at length, as the informer was gone, set us at liberty.

Being at liberty, the friends with me asked, ‘Whi­ther I would go?’ I told them, ‘To Gracechurch-street meeting again, if it was not over.’ When we came there, the people were generally gone; only some few stood at the gate. We went into Gerrard Roberts's. From thence [Page 118]I sent to know how the other meetings in the city were? And understood, that at some of the meeting-places friends were kept out; at others they were taken, but set at liberty again a few days after. A glorious time it was; for the Lord's power came over all, and his everlasting truth got renown. For as fast as some, that were speaking, were ta­ken down, others were moved of the Lord of stand up and speak, to the admiration of the people; and the more, be­cause many Baptists and other sectaries left their publick meetings, and came to see how the Quakers would stand. As for the informer aforesaid, he was so frighted, that there durst hardly any informer appear publickly again in Lon­don for some time after. But the mayor, whose name was Samuel Starling, though he carried himself smoothly towards us, proved afterwards a very great persecutor of our friends, many of whom he cast into prison, as may be seen in the trials of W. Penn, W. Mead, and others at the Old Bailey this year.

After some time the heat of persecution in the city be­gan to abate, and meetings were quieter there. I being then clear of the city, went to visit friends in the country; and attended several meetings in Middlesex, Buckingham­shire, and Oxfordshire, which were quiet, though in some places there was much threatening. At Reading most of the friends were in prison; and I went to visit them. When I had been awhile with them, the friends that were prisoners gathered together, and several other persons came in; so I had a fine opportunity amongst them, and ‘declared the word of life, encouraging them in the truth; and they were refreshed in feeling the presence and power of the Lord amongst them.’ When the meeting was ended, the gaoler understanding I was there, friends were concerned how to get me safe out again; for they feared he should stop me. After I had staid awhile, and eat with them, I went down stairs, and the gaoler being at the door, I put my hand in my pocket, which he had such an eye to, hoping to get something of me, that he asked me no question. So I gave him something, and bad him ‘be kind and civil to my friends in prison, whom I came to visit;’ and he let me pass out without interruption. But soon after Isaac Penington coming to visit them, he stopped him, and caused him to be made a prisoner.

Next morning I rode to a meeting at Baghurst in Hamp­shire, Thomas Briggs being with me. When we came into [Page 119]the parish, some sober people told us, ‘the priest of the town was an envious man, and did threaten us.’ We went to the meeting, which was large, and after some time Thomas Briggs stood up and spoke. It seems the priest had got a warrant, and sent the constables and other officers with it. They came to the house, staid awhile, and then went away, but did not come into the meeting; so we in the meeting did not know of their being there. After Tho­mas Briggs had done speaking, I was moved of the Lord to stand up, and declare the word of life to the people; and a precious meeting we had. When the meeting was ended and risen, I heard a great clutter in the yard; and when we came out, the man of the house told us, ‘The officers had been in the house before, and did not come into the meet­ing, but went away without doing any thing. And that now the priest in a great rage had sent them again, and his own servant with them.’ But the meeting being ended before they came, they could do nothing. Thus the good providence of the Lord preserved us from the wicked de­sign of the envious priest.

From thence we went to a friend's on the edge of Berkshire, where several friends came to visit us. Afterwards we passed into Surry, and had many precious meetings, till we came to Stephen Smith's near Guildford, where great persecution had been; and much goods had been taken away from friends for their meetings, and under great threatenings they were at that time; yet we had several blessed meetings there­abouts; and the Lord's power was over all, in and by which we were preserved.

We went into Sussex, by Richard Baxe's, where we had a large, precious, quiet meeting, though the constables had given out threatenings before. I had many more meetings in that county; and though there were some threatenings, meetings were peaceable; and friends refreshed, and esta­blished upon the foundation of God that stands sure. When I had thoroughly visited Sussex, I went into Kent, and had many glorious and precious meetings in several parts of that county. I went to a meeting near Deal, which was very large; and returning from thence to Can­terbury, visited friends there; then passed into the Isle of Sheppy, where I staid two or three days: and thither came Alexander Parker, George Whitehead, and John Rouse.

The next day, finding my service for the Lord finished there, we passed towards Rochester. As I was walking [Page 120]down a hill, a great weight and oppression fell upon my spirit. I got on my horse again; but the weight remained so, that I was hardly able to ride. At length we came to Rochester, but I was much spent, being so extremely loaden and burden­ed with the world's spirits, that my life was oppressed under them. I got with difficulty to Gravesend, and lay at an inn there; but could hardly either eat or sleep. The next day John Rouse and Alexander Parker went for London. John Stubbs and I went over the Ferry into Essex. We came to Horn-church, where was a meeting on the first-day. Af­ter the meeting I rode with great uneasiness to Stratford, to a friend's whose name was Williams; he had formerly been a captain. Here I lay exceeding weak, and at last lost both hearing and sight. Several friends came to me from Lon­don. I told them, ‘I should be as a sign to such as would not see, and such as would not hear the truth.’ In this condition I continued a pretty while. Several came about me; and though I could not see their persons, I felt and discerned their spirits, who of them was honest-hearted, and who was not. Divers friends, who practised physick, would have given me medicines, but I was not to meddle with any; for I was sensible I had a travail to go through; and therefore desired none but solid, weighty friends might be about me. Under great sufferings, sorrows, and oppressions I lay for several weeks; whereby I was brought so low and weak in body, that few thought I could live. Some of those with me went away, saying, 'They would not see me die;' and it was reported both in London and in the country that I was deceased; but I felt the Lord's power inwardly supporting me. When those about me had given me up to die, I spoke to them to get a coach to carry me to Ger­rard Roberts's, about twelve miles off; for I found it was my place to go thither. I had now recovered a little glim­mering sight, so that I could discern the people and fields as I went, and that was all. When I came to Gerrard's, he was very weak. I was moved to speak to him, and en­courage him. After I had staid about three weeks there, it was with me to go to Enfield. Friends were afraid of my removing; but I told them I might safely go. When I had taken my leave of Gerrard, and was come to Enfield, I went first to visit Amor Stoddart, who lay very weak, and almost speechless. I was moved to tell him, ‘He had been faithful as a man, and faithful to God; and that the im­mortal Seed of life was his crown.’ Many more words I [Page 121]was moved to speak to him; though I was then so weak, I was hardly able to stand; and within a few days after Amor died. I went to the widow Dry's at Enfield, where I lay all that winter; warring in spirit with the evil spirits of the world, that warred against truth and friends. For there were great persecutions at this time. Some meeting-houses were pulled down, and many were broken up by soldiers. Sometimes a troop of horse or a company of foot came; and some broke their swords, carbines, muskets, and pikes with beating friends. Many they wounded, so that their blood lay in the streets. Amongst others, that were active in this cruel persecution at London, my old adversary colonel Kir­by was one; who, with a company of foot, went to break up several meetings; and would often inquire for me at the meetings he broke up. One time, as he went over the water to Horslydown, there happening some scuffle between some of his soldiers and some of the watermen, he bid his men 'Fire at them;' which they did, and killed some.

I was under great sufferings at this time, beyond what I have words to declare. For I was brought into the deep, and saw all the religions of the world, and people that lived in them, and the priests that held them up; who were as a company of men-eaters, eating up the people like bread, and gnawing the flesh from off their bones. But as for true religion and worship, and ministers of God, alack! I saw there was none amongst those of the world that pretended to it. For they that pretended to be the church, were but a company of men-eaters, men of cruel visages, and of long teeth; who, though they had cried against the men-eaters in America, I saw they were in the same nature. And as the great professing Jews did 'eat up God's people like bread,' and the false prophets and priests then preached peace to people, so long as they ‘put into their mouths and fed them;’ but if they fed them not, they prepared war against them; ‘they ate their flesh off their bones, and chopped them for the caldron;’ so these that profess themselves christians now (both priests and professors) and are not in the same power and Spirit that Christ and the holy prophets and apostles were in, are in the same nature that the old pro­fessing Jews were in, and are men-eaters as well as they. These stirred up persecution, and set the wicked informers on work; so that a friend could hardly speak a few words in a private family, before they sat down to cat, but some [Page 122]were ready to inform against them. A particular instance of which I have heard, as followeth: At Droitwich, J. Cartwright came to a friend's house; and being moved of the Lord to speak a few words before he sat down to supper, there came an informer, and stood heark­ening under the window. When he had heard the friend speak, hoping to get some gain to himself, he went and in­formed; and go: a warrant to distrain the friend's goods, under pretence that there was a meeting at his house: whereas there was none in the house at that time but the friend, the man of the house, his wife, and their maid-ser­vant. But this evil-minded man, as he came back with his warrant in the night, fell off his horse, and broke his neck. So there was a wretched end of a wicked informer, who hop­ed to have enriched himself by spoiling friends; but the Lord prevented him, and cut him off in his wickedness.

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

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

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

Whilst I was under this spiritual suffering, the state of the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven, was opened to me; which some carnal-minded people had look­ed upon to be like an outward city, dropped out of the elements. I saw the beauty and glory of it, the length, the breadth, and the height thereof, all in complete proportion. I saw that all, who are within the light of Christ, in his faith, which he is the author of, in the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, which Christ, the holy Prophets and Apostles were in, and within the grace, truth, and power of God, which are the walls of the city, such are within the city, are members of this city, and have right to eat of the tree of life, which yields her fruit every month, and whose [...]ves are for the healing of the nations. But they that are out of the grace, truth, light, Spirit and power of God, such as resist the Holy Ghost, quench, vex, and grieve the Spirit of God, who hate the Light, turn from the grace of God into wantonness, and do despite to the Spirit of Grace, such as have erred from the faith, made shipwreck of it and of a good conscience, who abuse the power of God, and despise prophesying, revelation, and inspiration, these are the dogs and unbelievers that are without the city. These make up the great city Babylon, confusion, and her cage, the power of darkness; and the evil spirit of error surrounds and covers them over. In this great city Babylon are the false prophets, in the false power and false spirit; the beast in the dragon's power, and the whore that is gone a whor­ing from the Spirit of God, and nom Christ her husband. But the Lord's power is over all this power of darkness, cage, [Page 124]whore, beast, dragon, false prophets and their worshippers, who are for the lake which burns with fire. Many things more did I see concerning the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, which are hard to be uttered, and would be hard to be received. But, in short, this holy city is with­in the light; and all that are within the light are within the city; the gates whereof stand open all the day (for there is no night there) that all may come in. Christ's blood being shed for every man, he tasted death for every man, and en­lighteneth every man that cometh into the world; and his grace, that brings salvation, having appeared to all men, there is no place or language where his voice may not be heard. The christians in the primitive times were called by Christ 'A city set upon an hill;' they were also called 'The light of the world,' and, 'The salt of the earth;' but when christians lost the light, salt, and power of God, they came to be trodden under foot, like unsavoury salt. Even as the Jews, who while they kept the law of God were preserved above all nations, but when they turned their backs on God and his law they were trodden under foot of other nations; so Adam and Eve, while they obeyed God, were kept in his image and in the paradise of God, in dominion over all the works of his hands; but when they disobeyed God, they lost the image of God, the righte­ousness and the holiness in which they were made; they lost their dominion, were driven out of paradise, fell under the dark power of Satan, and came under the chains of darkness. But the promise of God was, ‘That the Seed of the woman. Christ Jesus, should bruise the serpent's head,’ should break his power and authority, which had led into captivity, and had held man therein. So Christ, who is the first and last, sets man free, and is the resurrec­tion of the just and unjust, the Judge of quick and dead; and they that are in him are invested with everlasting rest and peace, out of all the labours, travails, and miseries of Adam in the fall. So he is sufficient and of ability to re­store man up into the state that he was in before he fell; and not into that state only, but up into that state also that never fell, even to himself.

I had also in this time a great exercise and travail of spi­rit upon me, concerning the powers and rulers of these na­tions, from the sense I had of the many tender visitations and faithful warnings given them, and of their great abuse thereof, who had refused to hear, and rejected the counsel of [Page 125]the Lord. And though I knew friends would be clear of their blood, yet I could not but mourn over them, and give forth these few lines concerning them:

While I continued at Enfield, a sense came upon me of an hurt, that sometimes happened by persons coming under the profession of truth out of one country into another, to take an husband or wife amongst friends, where they were strangers, and it was not known whether they were clear and orderly or no. And it opened in me to recommend the following method to friends, for preventing such incon­veniencies.

When I had recovered, so that I could walk a little up and down, I went from Enfield to Gerrard Roberts's again, and from thence to the women's school at Shacklewell, and so to the meeting at Gracechurch-street, London; where, though I was yet but weak, the Lord's power upheld and enabled me to declare his eternal word of life.

About this time I was moved to pray to the Lord, as followeth:

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

After this meeting was over, and I had finished my ser­vices for the Lord in England, the ship, and the friends that [Page 128]intended to go with me, being ready, I went to Gravesend the 12th of the 6th month. The friends that were bound for the voyage with me went down to the ship the night before. Their names were, Thomas Briggs, William Ed­mundson, John Rouse, John Stubbs, Solomon Eccles, James Lancaster, John Cartwright, Robert Widders, George Pattison, John Hull, Elizabeth Hooton, and Elizabeth Mi­ers. The vessel we were to go in was a yacht, called the Industry, the master's name Thomas Forster, and the num­ber of passengers about fifty. I lay that night on board; but most of the friends lay at Gravesend. Early next morning, the passengers, and those friends that intended to accompany us to the Downs, being come on board, we took our leave in great tenderness of those that came with us to Gravesend only, and set sail about six in the morning for the Downs. Having a fair wind, we outsailed all the ships that were outward-bound, and got thither by the even­ing. Some of us went ashore that night, and lodged at Deal; where we understood an officer had orders from the governor to take our names in writing, which he did the next morning, though we told him they had been taken at Gravesend. In the afternoon, the wind serving, I took leave of my wife and the other friends, and went on board. Before we could set sail, there being two of the king's fri­gates riding in the Downs, the captain of one of them sent his press-master on board us, who took three of our seamen. This had certainly delayed, if not wholly prevented our voyage, had not the captain of the other frigate, being in­formed of the leakiness of our vessel, and the length of our voyage, in compassion and much civility, spared us two of his men. Before this was over, an officer of the custom­house came on board to peruse packets and get fees, so that we were kept from sailing till about sun-set; during which stop, a very considerable number of merchantmen, outward­bound, were got several leagues before us. Being clear we set sail in the evening, and by next morning overtook part of that fleet about the height of Dover. We soon reached the rest, and in a little time left them all behind us; for our yatch was counted a very swift sailer. But she was very leaky, so that the seamen and some of the passengers did for the most part pump day and night. One day they observed that in two hours time she sucked in sixteen inches of water in the well.

[Page 129] When we had been about three weeks at sea, one after­noon we spied a vessel about four leagues astern of us. Our master said, It was a Sallee man of war who seemed to give us chace. Our master said, ‘Come, let us go to supper, and when it grows dark, we shall lose him.’ This he spoke to pacify the passengers, some of whom began to be very apprehensive of the danger. But friends were well sa­tisfied, having faith in God, and no fear upon their spirits. When the sun was down, I saw the ship out of my cabin making towards us. When it grew dark, we altered our course to miss her; but she altered also, and gained upon us. At night the master and others came into my cabin, and asked me, 'What they should do?' I told them, ‘I was no mariner;’ and asked them, ‘What they thought was best to do?’ They said, ‘There were but two ways, either to out-run him, or tack about and hold the same course we were going before.’ I told them, ‘If he were a thief, they might be sure he would tack about too; and as for out-running him, it was to no purpose to talk of that, for they saw he sailed faster than we.’ They asked me again, 'What they should do?' 'For,' they said, ‘if the mariners had taken Paul's counsel, they had not come to the damage they did.’ I answered, ‘It was a tria of faith, therefore the Lord was to be waited on for counsel.’ So retiring in spirit, the Lord shewed me, ‘That his life and power was placed between us and the ship that pursued us.’ I told this to the master and the rest, and that the best way was to tack about and steer our right course. I wished them also to put out all their candles, but that they steered by, and to speak to all the passengers to be still and quiet. About the 11th hour in the night the watch called, and said, 'They were just upon us.' That disquieted some of the passengers; whereupon I sat up in my cabin, and looking through the port-hole, the moon being not quite down, I saw them very near us. I was getting up to go out of the cabin; but remembering the word of the Lord, 'That his life and p [...]er was placed between us and them,' I lay down again. The master and some of the seamen came again, and asked me, ‘If they might not steer such a point?’ I told them, 'They might do as they would.' By this time the moon was gone quite down, a fresh gale arose, and the Lord hid us from them; and we sailed briskly on, and saw them no more. The next day, being the first day of the week, we had a publick meeting in the ship, as [Page 130]we usually had on that day throughout the voyage, and the Lord's presence was greatly among us. I desired the peo­ple, ‘To mind the mercies of the Lord, who had delivered them; for they might have been all in the Turks hands by that time, had not the Lord's hand saved them.’ About a week after, the master and some of the seamen endeavoured to persuade the passengers, it was not a Turkish pirate that chased us, but a merchant-man going to the Canaries. When I heard of it, I asked them, ‘Why then did they speak so to me? Why did they trouble the passengers? And why did they tack about from him, and alter their course?’ I told them, ‘They should take heed of slight­ing the mercies of God.’

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

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

The third of the eighth month, early in the morning, we discovered the island of Barbadoes; but it was between nine and ten at night ere we came to anchor in Carlisle-bay. We [Page 131]got on shore as soon as we could, and I with some others walked to a friend's house, a merchant, whose name was Richard Forstall, above a quarter of a mile from the bridge. But being very ill and weak, I was so tired, that I was in a manner spent by that time I got thither. There I abode very ill several days, and though they several times gave me things to make me sweat, they could not effect it. What they gave me did rather parch and dry up my body, and made me probably worse than otherwise I might have been. Thus I continued about three weeks after I landed, having much pain in my bones, joints, and whole body, so that I could hardly get any rest; yet I was pretty cheary, and my spirit kept above it all. Neither did my illness take me off from the service of truth; but both while I was at sea, and after I came to Barbadoes, before I was able to travel about, I gave forth several papers (having a friend to write for me) some of which I sent by the first conveyance for England to be printed.

After I had rested three or four days at Richard For­stall's, where many friends came to visit me, John Rous, having borrowed a coach of colonel Chamberlain, came to fetch me to his father Thomas Rous's. But it was late ere we could get thither, and little or no rest could I take that night. A few days after, colonel Chamberlain, who had so kindly lent his coach, came to give me a visit, and car­ried himself very courteously towards me.

Soon after I came into the island, I was informed of a remarkable passage, wherein the justice of God did emi­nently appear: It was thus. There was a young man of Barbadoes, whose name was John Drakes (a person of some note in the world's account, but a common swearer and a bad man) who, when he was in London, had a mind to marry a friend's daughter, left by her mother very young, with a considerable portion, to the care and government of several friends, whereof I was one. He made application to me, that he might have my consent to marry this young maid. I told him, ‘I was one of her overseers appointed by her mother, who was a widow, to take care of her; that if her mother had intended her for a match to any man of another profession, she would have disposed her accordingly; but she committed her to us, that she might be trained up in the fear of the Lord; and therefore I should betray the trust reposed in me, if I should consent that he, who was out of the fear of God, should marry [Page 132]her; which I would not do.’ When he saw that he could not obtain his desire, he returned to Barbadoes with great offence of mind against me, but without a just cause. After­wards, when he heard I was coming to Barbadoes, he swore desperately, and threatened, ‘if he could possibly procure it, he would have me burned to death when I came there.’ Which a friend hearing, asked him, ‘What I had done to him, that he was so violent against me?’ He would not answer, but said again, 'I'll have him burned.' Where­upon the friend replied, ‘Do not march on too furiously, left thou come too soon to thy journey's end.’ About ten days after, he was struck with a violent burning fever, of which he died; by which his body was so scorched, that the people said, 'It was as black as a coal; and three days before I landed, his body was laid in the dust. This was taken notice of as a sad example.

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

Because I was not well able to travel, the friends of the island concluded to have their men's and women's meeting for the service of the church at Thomas Rous's, where I lay; by which means I was present at each of their meet­ings, and had very good service for the Lord in both. For they had need of information in many things, divers disor­ders being crept in for want of care and watchfulness. ‘I [Page 134]exhorted them, more especially at the men's meeting, to be careful with respect to marriages, to prevent friends marrying in near kindreds, and also to prevent over-hasty proceedings towards second marriages after the death of a former husband or wife; advising that a decent regard be had in such cases to the memory of the deceased husband or wife. As to friends children marrying too young, at thirteen or fourteen years of age, I shewed the unfitness thereof, and the inconveniencies and hurts that attend such, childish marriages. I admonished them to purge the floor thoroughly, and to sweep their houses very clean, that nothing might remain that would defile; and that all should take care, that nothing be spoken out of their meet­ings to the blemishing or defaming one of another. Concern­ing registering of marriages, births, and burials, I advised them to keep exact records of each in distinct books for that only use; and also to record in a book for that pur­pose, the condemnations of such as went out from truth into disorderly practices, and the repentance and restora­tion of such as returned again. I recommended to their care the providing of convenient burying-places for friends, which in some parts were yet wanting. Some directions also I gave them concerning wills, and the ordering of le­gacies left by friends for publick uses, and other things re­lating to the affairs of the church. Respecting their ne­groes, I desired them to endeavour to train them up in the fear of God, as well those that were bought with their money, as them that were born in their families, that all might come to the knowledge of the Lord; that so, with Joshua, every master of a family might say, ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ I desired also, that they would cause their overseers to deal mildly and gently with their [...]groes, and not use cruelty towards them, as the manner of some hath been and is; and that after certain years of servitude they should make them free.’ Many sweet and precious things were opened in these meet­ings, by the Spirit and in the power of the Lord, to the edifying, confirming, and building up of friends in the faith and holy order of the gospel.

After these meetings, the vessel bound for England not being gone. I was moved to write another epistle to friends there; the copy whereof follows:

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

The same week I went to Bridge Town. There was to be a general meeting of friends that week; and the visit I had made to the governor, and the kind reception I had with him, being generally known to the officers, civil and [Page 137]military, many came to this meeting from most parts of the island, and those not of the meanest rank; divers of them being judges or justices, colonels or captains; so that a very great meeting we had of friends and others. The Lord's blessed power was plentifully with us, and though I was somewhat straitened for time, three other friends having spoken before me, the Lord opened things through me to the general and great satisfaction of those present. Colonel Lewis Morrice came to this meeting, and with him a judge in the country, whose name was Ralph Fretwell; who was well satisfied, and received the truth.

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

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

Of the other friends that came over with me, James Lan­caster, John Cartwright, and George Pattison, were gone some time before to Jamaica, and others to other places; so that few remained in Barbadoes with me. We had ma­ny great and precious meetings, both for worship, and for the affairs of the church; to the former of which many of other societies came. At one of these meetings, colonel Lyne, a sober person, was so well satisfied with what I de­clared [Page 138]that he said, ‘Now I can gainsay such as I have heard speak evil of you; who say you do not own Christ, nor that he died: whereas I perceive you exalt Christ in all his offices, beyond what I have ever heard before.’ This man, observing one to take in writing the heads of what I delivered, desired him so let him have a copy of it; and said another day with us before he went away; so great a love was raised in him to the truth. A very great convince­ment there was in most parts of the island; which made the priest and some professors fret and rage. Our meetings were very large, and free from disturbance from the govern­ment; though the envious priests and some professors en­deavoured to stir up the magistrates against us. When they found they could not prevail that way, some Baptists came to the meeting at the town, which was full of people of se­veral ranks and qualities. A great company came with them; and they brought a slanderous paper written by John Pennyman with which they made a great noise. But the Lord gave me wisdom and utterance to answer their cavils; so that the auditory generally received satisfac­tion, and those quarrelsome professors lost ground. When they had wearied themselves with clamour, they went away; but the people staying, the meeting was continued; the things they cavilled about were further opened and cleared, and the life and power of God came over all. But the rage and envy in our adversaries did not cease; they endea­voured to defame friends with many false and scandalous reports, which they spread through the island. Whereupon I, with some other friends, drew up a paper, to go forth in the name of the people called Quakers, for the clearing truth and friends from those false reports. It was after this manner:

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

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

Having been three months or more in Barbadoes, and having visited friends, thoroughly settled meetings, and dis­patched the service for which the Lord brought me thither; I felt my spirit clear of that island, and found drawings to Jamaica. Which when I had communicated to friends, I acquainted the governor also, and divers of his council, with my intention; which I did, that as my coming thither was open and publick, so my departure also might be. Be­fore [Page 143]I left the island, I wrote the following letter to my wife; that she might understand both how it was with me, and how I proceeded in my travels.

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

About a week after we landed in Jamaica, Elizabeth Hooton, a woman of great age, who had travelled much in truth's service, and suffered much for it, departed this life. [Page 144]She was well the day before she died; and departed in peace, like a lamb, bearing testimony to truth at her departure.

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

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

We went on board the 8th of the first month 1671-2; and having contrary winds, were a full week sailing for­wards and backwards, before we could get out of sight of Jamaica. A difficult voyage this proved, and pretty dan­gerous, especially in our passing through the gulph of Flo­rida, where we met with many winds and storms. But the great God, who is Lord of sea and land, and who rideth upon the wings of the wind, did by his power preserve us through many and great dangers, when by extreme stress of weather our vessel was divers times like to be overset, and much of her tackling broken. And indeed we were sensible that the Lord was a God at hand, and that his ear was open to the supplications of his people. For when the winds were so strong and boisterous, and the storms and tempests so great, that the sailors knew not what to do, but let the ship go which way she would; then did we pray unto the Lord; who did graciously hear and accept us, and did [Page 145]calm the winds and seas, gave us seasonable weather, and made us to rejoice in his salvation; blessed and praised be the holy name of the Lord, whose power hath dominion over all, and whom the winds and seas obey!

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

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

Here we found Burneyate, intending shortly to sail for [Page 146]Old England; but upon our arrival he altered his purpose, and joined us in the Lord's service. He had appointed a general meeting for all the friends in the province of Mary­land, that he might see them together, and take his leave of them, before he departed out of the country; and it was so ordered by the good providence of God, that we landed just time enough to reach that meeting; by which means we had a very seasonable opportunity of taking the friends of the province together. A very large meeting this was, and held four days; to which, besides friends, came many other people, divers of whom were of considerable quality in the world's account: for there were five or six justices of the peace, the speaker of their assembly, one of their coun­cil, and others of note, who seemed well satisfied with the meeting. After the publick meetings were over, the men's and women's meetings began; wherein I opened to friends the sevice thereof, to their great satisfaction. After this we went to the Cliffs, where another general meeting was ap­pointed. We went some of the way by land, the rest by water; and a storm arising, our boat was run aground, in danger to be beaten to pieces, and the water came in upon us. I was in a great sweat, having come very hot out of a meeting before, and now was wet with the water besides: yet having faith in the divine power, I was preserved from taking hurt, blessed be the Lord! To this meeting many came, who received the truth with reverence. We had also a men's meeting and a women's meeting. Most of the backsliders came in again; and several of those meetings were established for taking care of the affairs of the church.

After these two general meetings, we parted company, dividing ourselves unto several coasts, for the service of truth. James Lancaster and John Cartwright went by sea for New-England; William Edmundson and three friends more sailed for Virginia, where things were much out of order; John Burnyeate, Robert Widders. George Pattison, and I, with several friends of the province, went over by boat to the eastern shore, and had a meeting there on the first-day; where many people received the truth with glad­ness, and friends were greatly refreshed. A very large and heavenly meeting it was. Several persons of quality in that country were at it, two of whom were justices of the peace. It was upon me from the Lord to send to the In­dian emperor and his kings, to come to that meeting; the emperor came, and was at the meeting; but his kings, lying [Page 147]further off, could not reach thither time enough; yet they came after with their cockarooses. I had in the evening two good opportunities with them; they heard the word of the Lord willingly, and confessed to it. ‘What I spoke to them. I desired them to speak to their people; and let them know, that God was raising up his tabernacle of witness in their wilderness-country, and was setting up his standard and glorious ensign of righteousness.’ They car­ried themselves very courteously and lovingly; and in­quired, ‘Where the next meeting would be, and they would come to it.’ Yet they said, ‘They had a great debate with their council about their coming, before they came now.’

The next day we began our journey by land to New­England; a tedious journey through the woods and wil­derness, over bogs and great rivers. We took horse at the head of Tredaven Creek, and travelled through the woods till we came a little above the head of Miles River; by which we passed, and rode to the head of Wye River; and so to the head of Chester River; where, making a fire, we took up our lodging in the woods. Next morning we travelled the woods till we came to Sassafras River, which we went over in canoes (or Indian boats) causing our horses to swim by. Then we rode to Bohemia River; where in like manner swimming our horses, we ourselves went over in canoes. We rested a little at a plantation by the way, but not long, for we had thirty miles to ride that af­ternoon, if we would reach a town; which we were willing to do, and therefore rode hard for it. I with some others, whose horses were strong, got to the town that night ex­ceedingly tired, and wet to the skin; but George Pattison and Robert Widders, being weaker-horsed, were obliged to lay in the woods that night also. The town we went to was a Dutch town, called Newcastle; whither Robert Wid­ders and George Pattison came to us next morning. We departed thence, and got over the river Delaware, not with­out great danger of some of our lives. When we were over, we were troubled to procure guides; which were hard to get, and very chargeable. Then had we that wilderness country to pass through, since called West Jersey, not then inhabited by English; so that we have travelled a whole day together without seeing man or woman, house or dwel­ling-place. Sometimes we lay in the woods by a fire, and sometimes in the Indians wigwams or houses. We came [Page 148]one night to an Indian town, and lay at the king's house, who was a very pretty man. Both he and his wife received us very lovingly, and his attendants (such as they were) were very respectful to us. They laid us mats to lie on; but provision was very short with them, having caught but little that day. At another Indian town, where we staid, the king came to us, and he could speak some English. I spoke to him much, and also to his people; and they were very loving to us. At length we came to Middletown, an English plantation in East Jersey; and there were some friends; but we could not stay to have a meeting at that time, being earnestly pressed in our spirits to get to the half-year's meeting of friends at Oyster-Bay in Long­Island, which was near at hand. We went with a friend, Richard Hartshorn, brother to Hugh Hartshorn, the up­holsterer in London, who received us gladly to his house, where we refreshed ourselves, and then he carried us and our horses in his own beat over a great water, which held us most part of the day in getting over, and set us upon Long-Island. We got that evening to friends at Grave, send, with whom we tarried that night. Next day we got to Flushing. The day following we reached Oyster-Bay; several friends both of Gravesend and Flushing accompany­ing us. The half-year's meeting began next day, which lasted four days. The first and second days we had pub­lick meetings for worship, to which people of all sorts might and did come. On third-day were the men's and women's meetings, wherein the affairs of the church were taken care of. Here we met with some bad spirits, who were run out from truth into prejudice, contention, and opposition to the order of truth, and to friends therein. These had been very troublesome to friends in their meetings, there and there abouts formerly, and it is like would have been so now; but I would not suffer the service of our men's and women's meetings to be interrupted and hindered by their cavils. I let them know, ‘if they had any thing to object against the order of truth which we were in, we would give them a meeting another day on purpose.’ And indeed I labour­ed the more, and travelled the harder to get to this meeting, where it was expected many of these contentious people would be; because I understood they had reflected much upon me when I was far from them. The men's and wo­men's meetings being over, on the fourth day we had a meeting with those discontented people, to which as many [Page 149]of them as would did come, and as many friends as had a desire were present also; and the Lord's power broke forth gloriously, to the confounding of the gainsayers. Then some, that had been chief in the mischievous work of con­tention and opposition against the truth, began to fawn up­on me, and cast the blame upon others; but the deceitsul spirit was judged down and condemned, and the glorious truth of God was exalted and set over all; and they were all brought down and bowed under. Which was of great service to truth, and great satisfaction and comfort to friends; glory to the Lord for ever!

After friends were gone to their several habitations, we staid some days upon the island, had meetings in several parts thereof, and good service for the Lord. When we were clear of the island, we returned to Oyster-Bay, wait­ing for a wind to carry us to Rhode-Island, computed to be about two hundred miles. As soon as the wind served we set sail, and a [...]rived in Rhode-Island the thirtieth of the third month; where we were gladly received by friends. We went to Nicholas Easton's who was governor of the island; where we lay, being weary with travelling. On first-day following we had a large meeting; to which the deputy-governor and several justices came, and were mighti­ly affected with the truth. The week following, the yearly meeting for friends of New-England, and other colonies adjacent, was held in this island; to which, besides many friends who lived in those parts, came John Stubbs from Barbadoes, and James Lancaster and John Cartwright from another way. This meeting lasted six days. The first four were spent in general publick meetings for worship; to which abundance of other people came. For having no priests in the island, and no restriction to any particular way of worship; and the governor and deputy-governor, with several justices of the peace, daily frequenting meet­ings; it so encouraged the people, that they flocked in from all parts of the island. Very good service we had amongst them, and truth and good reception. I have rarely observ­ed a people, in the state wherein they stood, to hear with more attention, diligence, and affection, than generally they did, during the four days; which was also taken notice of by other friends. These public meetings over, the men's meeting began, which was large, precious, and weighty. The day following was the women's meeting, which al­so was large and very solemn. These two meetings be­ing [Page 150]for ordering the affairs of the church, many weighty things were opened, and communicated to them, by way of advice, information, and instruction in the services relating thereunto; that all might be kept clean sweet, and savoury amongst them. In these, several men's and women's meet­ings for other parts were agreed and settled, to take care of the poor, and other affairs of the church, and to see that all who profess truth walk according to the glorious gospel of God. When this great general meeting was ended, it was somewhat hard for friends to part; for the glorious power of the Lord, which was over all, and his blessed truth and life flowing amongst them, had so knit and united them to­gether, that they spent two days in taking leave one of ano­ther, and of the friends of the island; and then, being mightily filled with the presence and power of the Lord, they went away with jovful hearts to their several habita­tions, in the several colonies where they lived.

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

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

After this I had a great travail in spirit concerning the Ranters in those parts, who had been rude at a meeting which I was not at. Wherefore I appointed a meeting amongst them believing the Lord would give me power [Page 151]over them; which he did, to his praise and glory, blessed be his name for ever! There were at this meeting many friends, and divers other people; some of whom were jus­tices of the peace, and officers, who were generally well af­fected with the truth. One, who had been a justice twenty years, was convinced, spoke highly of the truth, and more highly of me than is fit for me to mention or take notice of.

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

After this we went to Narraganset, about twenty miles from Rhode-Island; and the governor went with us. We had a meeting at a justice's, where friends never had any be­fore. The meeting was very large, for the country general­ly came in; and people from Connecticut, and other parts round about. There were four justices of peace. Most of these people were such as had never heard friends before; but they were mightily affected, and a great desire there is after the truth amongst them. So that meeting was of very good service; blessed be the Lord for ever! The justice, at whose house it was, and another justice of that country, in­vited me to come again; but I was then clear of those parts, and was going towards Shelter-island. John Burnyeate and John Cartwright, being come out of New-England in­to Rhode-Island before I was gone, I laid this place before them, and they felt drawings thither, and went to visit them. At another place, I heard some of the magistrates said among themselves, ‘If they had money enough, they would hire [Page 152]me to be their minister.’ This was, where they did not well understand us, and our principles: but when I heard of it, I said, ‘It was time for me to be gone; for if their eye was so much to me, or any of us, they would not come to their own teacher.’ For this thing (hiring ministers) had spoiled many, by hindering them from improving their own talents; whereas our labour is, to bring every one to their own teacher in themselves.

I went from hence towards Shelter-Island, having with me Robert Widders, James Lancaster, George Partison, and John Jay, a planter in Barbadoes. We went off in a sloop; and passing by Point Juda and Block-Island, we came to Fishers-Island, where at night we went on shore, but were not able to stay for the musquetoes (a sort of gnats, or little flies) which abound there, and are very trouble­some. Wherefore we went into our sloop again, put off from the shore, cast anchor, and lay in our sloop that night. Next day we went into the Sound, but finding our sloop was not able to live in that water, we returned again, and came to anchor before Fishers-Island, where we lay in our sloop that night also. There fell abundance of rain, and our sloop being open, we were exceeding wet. Next day we passed over the waters called the Two Horse Races, and then by Garner's-island; after which we passed by Gull's-island, and got at length to Shelter-island, which though it was but about twenty-seven leagues from Rhode-island, through the difficulty of passage, we were three days in get­ting thither. The day after, being first-day, we had a meet­ing there. In the same week, I had a meeting among the Indians, at which were their king, with his council, and about an hundred Indians more. They sat down like friends, and heard very attentively, while I spoke to them by an interpreter, an Indian that could speak English well. After the meeting they appeared very loving, and confessed what was said to them was truth. The next first-day we had a great meeting on the island, to which many people came who had never heard friends before. They were well satisfied with the meeting, and would not go away when it was done till they had spoke with me. I went amongst them, and found they were much taken with the truth; good desires were raised in them, and great love. Blessed be the Lord, his name spreads, and will be great among the nations, and dreadful among the heathen.

White we were in Shelter-island, William Edmundson [Page 153]came to us, who had been labouring in the work of the Lord in Virginia. From whence he travelled through the Desert-country, through difficulties and many trials, till he came to Roan-oak, where he met with a tender people. After seven weeks service in those parts, sailing to Maryland, and so to New-York, he came from thence to Long-island; where we met with him, and were very glad to hear from him the good service he had for the Lord in the several pla­ces where he had travelled since he parted from us.

We staid not long in Shelter-island, but entering our sloop again, put to sea for Long-island. We had a very rough passage; the tide run so strong for several hours, that I have not seen the like; and being against us, we could hardly get forward though we had a gale. We were upon the water all that day and the night following, but found our­selves next day driven back near Fisher's-island. For there was a great fog, and towards day it was very dark, so that we could not see what way we made. Besides, it rained much in the night, which in our open sloop made us very wet. Next day a great storm arose, so that we were fain to go over the Sound, and did get over with much ado. We passed by Faulcon-island, and came to the Main, where we cast anchor till the storm was over. Then we crossed the Sound, all very wet, and much difficulty we had to get to land, the wind being strong against us. But blessed be the Lord God of heaven and earth, and of the seas and waters, all was well. We got safe to Oyster-bay in Long-Island, the seventh of the sixth month, very early in the morning, which, they say, is about two hundred miles from Rhode-Island. At Oyster-bay we had a very large meeting. The same day James Lancaster and Christopher Holder went over the bay to Rye, on the continent, in governor Win­throp's government, and had a meeting there. From Oyster­bay we passed about thirty miles to Flushing, where we had a very large meeting, many hundreds of people being there; some of whom came about thirty miles to it. A glorious and heavenly meeting it was (praised be the Lord God!) and the people were much satisfied. Meanwhile Christo­pher Holder and some other friends went to a town in Long-Island, called Jamaica, and had a meeting there. We passed from Flushing to Gravesend, about twenty miles, and there had three precious meetings; to which many would have come from New-York, but that the wea­ther hindered them. Being clear of this place, we hired a [Page 154]sloop, and, the wind serving, set out for the new country now called Jersey. Passing down the bay by Conny-island, Natton-island, and Stratton-island, we came to Richard Hartshorn's at Middletown-harbour, about break of day, the twenty-seventh of the sixth month. Next day we rode about thirty miles into that country, through the woods, and over very bad bogs, one worse than all the rest; the descent into which was so steep that we were fain to slide down with our horses, and then let them lie and breathe themselves before they could go on. This place the peo­ple of the country called Purgatory. We got at length to Shrewsbury, in East-Jersey, and on first-day had a precious meeting there; to which friends and other people came far, and the blessed presence of the Lord was with us. The same week we had a men's and women's meeting out of most parts of New-Jersey. They are building a meeting-place in the midst of them, and there is a monthly and general meeting set up, which will be of great service in those parts, in ‘keeping up the gospel-order, and govern­ment of Christ Jesus (of the increase of which there is no end) that they who are faithful may see that all who pro­fess the holy truth live in the pure religion, and walk as 'becometh the gospel.’

While we were at Shrewsbury, an accident besel, which for the time was a great exercise to us; John Jay, a friend of Barbadoes, who came with us from Rhode-Island, and intended to accompany us through the Woods to Mary­land, being to try a horse, got upon his back, and the horse fell a running, cast him down upon his head, and broke his neck, as the people said. Those that were near him took him up as dead, carried him a good way, and laid him on a tree. I got to him as soon as I could; and, feeling him, con­cluded he was dead. As I stood pitying him and his fa­mily, I took hold of his hair, and his head turned any way, his neck was so limber. Whereupon I took his head in both my hands, and setting my knees against the tree, I raised his head, and perceived there was nothing out or broken that way. Then I put one hand under his chin, and the other behind his head, and raised his head two or three times with all my strength, and brought it in. I soon perceived his neck began to grow stiff again, and then he began to rattle in his throat, and quickly after to breathe. The people were amazed; but I bade them have a good heart, be of good faith, and carry him into the house. They [Page 155]did so, and set him by the fire. I bid them get him some­thing warm to drink, and put him to bed. After he had been in the house awhile, he began to speak; but did not know where he had been. The next day we passed away (and he with us, pretty well) about sixteen miles, to a meet­ing at Middletown, through woods and bogs, and over a river; where we swam our horses, and got over ourselves upon a hollow tree. Many hundred miles did he travel with us after this.

To this meeting came most of the people of the town. A glorious meeting we had, and the truth was over all; blessed be the great Lord God for ever! After the meeting we went to Middle-town-harbour, about five miles, in or­der to take our long journey next morning, through the woods towards Maryland, having hired Indians for our guides. I determined to pass through the woods, on the other side of Delaware-bay, that we might head the creeks and rivers as much as possible. The ninth of the seventh month we set forward, passed through many Indian towns, and over some rivers and bogs. When we had rid about forty miles, we made a fire at night, and lay by it. As we came among the Indians, we declared the day of the Lord to them. Next day we travelled fifty miles, as we comput­ed; and at night finding an old house, which the Indians had forced the people to leave, we made a fire, and lay there, at the head of Delaware-bay. The next day we swam our horses over a river about a mile, at twice, first to an island called Upper-Dinidock, and then to the main land, having hired Indians to help us over in their canoes. This day we could reach but about thirty miles, and came to a Swede's house, where we got a little straw, and lay that night. Next day, having hired another guide, we travelled about forty miles through the woods, and made a fire at night, by which we lay, and dried ourselves; for we were often wet in our travels. Next day we passed over a des­perate river, which had in it many rocks and broad stones, very hazardous to us and our horses. From thence we came to Christian-river, where we swam our horses over, and went ourselves in canoes; but the sides of the river were so miry, that some of the horses had like to have been laid up. From thence we came to New-Castle, heretofore called New-Amsterdam; and being very weary, and inquir­ing in the town where we might buy some corn for our horses, the governor came and invited me to his house, and [Page 156]afterwards desired me to lodge there; telling me, he had a bed for me, and I should be welcome. So I staid, the other friends being taken care of also. This was on a seventh day, and he offering his house for a meeting, we had the next day a pretty large one; for most of the town were at it. Here had never been a mecting before, nor any within a great way; but this was a very precious one, many were tender, and confessed to the truth, and some received it; blessed be the Lord for ever!

The sixteenth of the seventh month we set forward, and travelled, as near as we could compute, about fifty miles, through the woods and over the bogs, heading Bohemia-river and Sassafras-river. At night we made a fire in the woods, and lay there all night. It being rainy weather, we got un­der some thick trees for shelter, and afterwards dried our­selves again by the fire. Next day we waded through Chester-river, a very broad water, and afterwards passing through many bad bogs, lay that night also in the woods by a fire, not having gone above thirty miles that day. The day following we travelled hard, though we had some troublesome bogs in our way; we rode about fifty miles, and got safe that night to Robert Harwood's, at Miles-river in Maryland. This was the eighteenth of the seventh month; and though we were very weary, and much dirtied with the bogs, yet hearing of a meeting next day, we went to it, and from it to John Edmundson's; from whence we went three or four miles by water to a meeting on the first-day following. Here was a judge's wife, who had never been at any of our meetings before, who was reached, and said after the meeting, ‘She had rather hear us once, than the priests a thousand times.’ Many others also were well satisfied; for the power of the Lord was eminently with us. Blessed for ever be his holy name! We passed from thence about twenty-two miles, and had a good meeting upon the Kentish shore, to which one of the judges came. After ano­ther good meeting hard-by at William Wilcock's, where we had good service for the Lord, we went by water about twenty miles to a very large meeting, where were some hun­dreds of people, and four justices of peace, the high-sheriff of Delaware, and others from thence; there was an Indian emperor or governor, and two others of the chief men among the Indians. With these Indians I had a good opportuni­ty. I spoke to them by an interpreter: they heard the truth attentively; and were very loving. A blessed meeting [Page 157]this was, of great service both for convincing, and establish­ing in the truth those that were convinced of it. Blessed be the Lord, who causeth his blessed truth to spread! After the meeting a woman came to me, whose husband was one of the judges of that country, and a member of the assembly there. She told me, ‘Her husband was sick, not likely to live, and desired me to go home with her to see him.’ It was three miles to her house, and I being just come hot out of the meeting, it was hard for me then to go; yet considering the service, I got an horse, went with her, visited her husband, and spoke what the Lord gave me to him. The man was much refreshed, and finely raised up by the power of the Lord; and afterwards came to our meetings. I went back to the friends that night, and next day we departed thence about nineteen or twenty miles to Tredhaven-creek, to John Edmundson's again; from whence, the third of the eighth month, we went to the general meeting for all Maryland friends.

This meeting held five days. The first three we had meetings for publick worship, to which people of all sorts came; the other two were spent in the men's and women's meetings. To those publick meetings came many Protes­tants of divers sorts, and some Papists; amongst whom were several magistrates and their wives, with other persons of chief account in the country. Of the common people, it was thought there were sometimes a thousand at one of those meetings; so that though they had enlarged their meeting-place, and made it as big again as it was before, it could not contain the people. I went by boat every day four or five miles to the meeting, and there were so many boats at that time passing upon the river, that it was almost like the Thames. The people said, ‘There were never so many boats seen there together before;’ and one of the justices said, ‘He never saw so many people together in that country.’ It was a very heavenly meeting, wherein the presence of the Lord was gloriously manifested, friends were sweetly refreshed, the people generally satisfied, and many convinced; for the blessed power of the Lord was over all: everlasting praises to his holy name for ever! Af­ter the publick meetings were over, the men's and women's began, and were held the other two days; for I had some­thing to impart to them, which concerned the glory of God, the order of the gospel, and the government of Christ Je­sus. When these meetings were over, we took our leave of [Page 158]friends in those parts, whom we left well established in the truth. The tenth of the eighth month we went about thirty miles by water, passing by Cranes-island, Swan-island, and Kent-island, in very foul weather and much rain; whereby, our boat being open, we were not only very much wetted, but in great danger of being overset; insomuch that some thought we could not have escaped being cast away, till they saw us come to shore next morning. But blessed be God, we were very well. Having got to a little house, dried our cloaths by the fire; and refreshed ourselves a little, we took to our boat again, and put off from land, some­times sailing, and sometimes rowing; but having very foul weather, we could not get above twelve miles forward. At night we got to land, made us a sire, by which some lay, and others by a sire at a house a little way off. Next morn­ing we passed over the Great-bay, and sailed about forty miles that day. Making to shore at night, we lay there, some in the boat, and some at an alehouse. Next morn­ing being first-day, we went six or seven miles to a friend's house, a justice of the peace; where we had a meeting. This was a little above the head of the Great-bay. We were almost four days upon water, weary with rowing, yet all was very well; blessed and praised be the Lord! We went next day to another friend's over the head of Hatton's­island, where we had good service; as we had also the day following at George Wilson's, a friend, that lived about three miles further, where we had a very precious meeting, there being great tenderness amongst the people.

After this we sailed about ten miles to James Frizby's, a justice of peace; where, the sixteenth of the eighth month, we had a very large meeting, at which, besides friends, were some hundreds of people, as it was supposed. Amongst them were several justices, captains, and the sheriff, with other persons of note. A blessed heavenly meeting this was; a powerful, thundering testimony for truth was borne therein; a great sense there was upon the people, and much brokenness and tenderness amongst them. We staid till about the eleventh hour in the night, that the tide turned for us; then taking boat, we passed that night and the next day about fifty miles to another; friend's house. The two next days we made short journies, visiting friends. The twentieth we had a great meeting at a place called Severn, where there was a meeting-place, but not large enough to hold the people. Divers chief magistrates were at it, with [Page 159]many other considerable people, and it gave them generally great satisfaction. Two days after we had a meeting with some that walked disorderly, and had good service in it. Then spending a day or two in visiting friends, we passed to the Western-shore, and the twenty-fifth had a large and precious meeting at William Coale's, where the speaker of their assembly, with his wife, a justice of peace, and several people of quality, were present. Next day we had a meet­ing, six or seven miles further, at Abraham Birkhead's, where many of the magistrates and upper sort were; and the speaker of the assembly for that country was convinced. A blessed meeting it was; praised be the Lord! We tra­velled next day; and the day following, the twenty-eighth, of the eighth month, had a large and very precious meeting at Peter Sharp's, on the Clifts, between thirty and forty miles distant from the former. Many of the magistrates and upper rank of people were present, and a heavenly meeting it was. One of the governor's council's wives was con­vinced; and her husband was very loving to friends. A justice of peace from Virginia was convinced, and hath a meeting since at his house. Some Papists were at this meet­ing, one of whom threatened, before he came, to dispute with me; but he was reached, and could not oppose. Blessed be the Lord, the truth reached into the hearts of people beyond words, and it is of a good savour amongst them! After the meeting we went about eighteen miles to James Preston's, a friend that lived on Patuxent River. Thither came an Indian king, with his brother, to whom I spoke, and I found they understood the thing I spoke of. Having finished our service in Maryland, and intending for Virginia, we had a meeting at Patuxent the fourth of the ninth month, to take our leave of friends. Many people of all sorts were at it, and a powerful meeting it was.

The fifth of the ninth month we set sail for Virginia, and in three days came to Nancemum, about two hundred miles from Maryland. In this voyage we met with foul weather, storms, and rain, and lay in the woods by a fire in the night. Here lived a friend, called the widow Wright. Next day we had a great meeting at Nancemum, of friends and others. There came to this meeting colonel Dewes, with several other officers and magistrates, who were much taken with the declaration of truth. After the meeting, we hastened towards Carolina; yet had several meetings by the way, wherein we had good service for the Lord: one about [Page 160]four miles from Nancemum Water, which was very pre­cious; and there was a men's and a women's meeting set­tled, for the affairs of the church. Another very good meet­ing we had at William Yarrow's, at Pagan Creek; which was so large that we were fain to be abroad, the house not being big enough to contain the people. A great openness there was, the sound of truth spread abroad, and had a good savour in the hearts of people: the Lord have the glory for ever!

After this, our way to Carolina grew worse, being much of it plashy, and pretty full of great bogs and swamps; so that we were commonly wet to the knees, and lay abroad a-nights in the woods by a fire: saving one of the nights we got to a poor house at Sommertown, and lay by the fire. The woman of the house had a sense of God upon her. The report of our travel had reached thither, and drawn some that lived beyond Sommertown to that house, in ex­pectation to have seen and heard us; but they missed us. Next day, the twenty-first of the ninth month, having tra­velled hard through the woods, and over many bogs and swamps, we reached Bonner's Creek; there we lay that night by the fire-side the woman lending us a mat to lie on.

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

Not far from hence we had a meeting among the people, and they were taken with the truth; blessed be the Lord! Then passing down the river Maratick in a canoe, we went down the bay Connie-oak, to a captain's, who was loving to us, and lent us his boat (for we were much wetted in the canoe, the water flashing in upon us.) With this boat we went to the governor's; but the water in some places was [Page 161]so shallow, that the boat, being loaden, could not swim; so that we put off our shoes and stockings, and waded through the water a pretty way. The governor, with his wife, re­ceived us lovingly; but a doctor there would needs dispute with us. And truly his opposing us was of good service, giving occasion for the opening of many things to the people concerning the Light and Spirit of God, which he denied to be in every one; and affirmed it was not in the Indians. Whereupon I called an Indian to us, and asked him, ‘Whether or no, when he did lie, or do wrong to any one, there was not something in him that did reprove him for it?’ He said, ‘There was such a thing in him, that did so reprove him; and he was ashamed when he had done wrong, or spoken wrong.’ So we shamed the doctor be­fore the governor and people; insomuch that the poor man ran out so far, that at length he would not own the scrip­tures. We tarried at the governor's that night; and next morning he very courteously walked with us himself about two miles through the woods, to a place whither he had sent our boat about to meet us. Taking leave of him, we en­tered our boat, and went about thirty miles to Joseph Scot's, [...] of the representatives of the country. There we had a sound, precious meeting; the people were tender, and much desired after meetings. Wherefore at an house about four miles further, we had another meeting; to which the gover­nor's secretary came, who was chief secretary of the pro­vince, and had been formerly convinced.

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

Having visited the north part of Carolina, and made a little entrance for truth upon the people there, we began to return again towards Virginia, having several meetings in our way, wherein we had good service for the Lord, the people being generally tender and open; blessed be the [Page 162]Lord! We lay one night at the scretary's, to which we had much ado to get; for the water being shallow, we could not bring our boat to shore. But the secretary's wife, see­ing our strait, came herself in a canoe (her husband be [...]ng from home) and brought us to land. By next morning ou [...] boat was sunk, and full of water; but we got her up, mend­ed her, and went away in her that day about twenty-four miles, the water being rough, and the winds high: but the great power of God was seen, in carrying us safe in that rot­ten boat. In our return we had a very precious meeting at Hugh Smith's; praised be the Lord for ever! The people were very tender, and very good service we had amongst them. There was at this meeting an Indian captain, who was very loving; and acknowledged it to be truth that was spoken. There was also one of the Indian priest, whom they called a Pauwaw, who sat soberly among the people. The ninth of the tenth month we got back [...] Bonner's-Creek, where we had left our horses; having spent about eighteen days in the north of Carolina.

Our horses having rested, we set forward for Virginia again, travelling through the woods and bogs as far as [...] could well reach that day, and at night lay by a fire in the woods. Next day we had a tedious journey through bogs and swamps, and were exceeding wet and dirty all the day, but dried ourselves at night by a fire. We got that night to Sommertown. When we came near the house, the woman of the house seeing us, spoke to her son to keep up their dogs (for both in Virginia and Carolina they generally keep great dogs to guard their houses, living lonely in the woods) but the son said, ‘He need not, for their dogs did not use to meddle with these people.’ Whereupon, when we were come into the house, she told us. ‘We were like the chil­dren of Israel, whom the dogs did not move their tongues against.’ Here we lay in our cloaths by the fire, as we had done many a night before. Next day we had a meet­ing; for the people, having been informed of us, had a great desire to hear us; and a very good meeting we had among them, where we never had one before: praised be the Lord for ever! After the meeting we hasted away. When we had rid about twenty miles, calling at a house to enquire the way, the people desired us to tarry all night with [...]hem: which we did. Next day we came among friends, [...] we had travelled about an hundred miles from Caroline into Virginia: in which time we observed great variety of cli­mates, [Page 163]having passed in a few days from a very cold to a warm and spring-like country. But the power of the Lord is the same in all; is over all, and doth reach the good in all; praised be the Lord for ever!

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

Having sinished what service lay upon us at Virginia, the thirtieth of the tenth month we set sail in an open sloop for Maryland. But having a great storm, and being much wetted, we were glad to get to shore before night; and, walking to an house at Willoughby-Point, we got lodging there that night. The woman of the house was a widow, a very tender person. She had never received friends be­fore; but she received us very kindly, with tears in her eyes. We returned to our boat in the morning, and hoisied sail, getting forward as fast as we could; but towards evening a storm rising, the wind being high, we had much ado to get to shore; and our boat being open, the water stashed often [Page 164]in, and sometimes over us, so that we were sufficiently wet­ted. Being got to land, we made a fire in the woods, to warm and dry us; and there we lay all that night, the wolves howling about us. The first of the eleventh month we sailed again, but the wind being against us, we made but little way; and were fain to get to shore at Point-Comfort, where yet we found but small comfort; for the weather was so cold, that though we made a good fire in the woods to lie by, our water that we had got for use was frozen near the fire-side. We made to sea next day; but the wind be­ing strong against us, we advanced but little; and were glad to get to land again, and travel about to find some house where we might buy provisions, for our store was spent. That night also we lay in the woods; so extreme cold was the weather, the wind blowing high, and the frost and snow great, that it was hard for some to abide it. The third of the eleventh month, the wind setting pretty fair, we fetch­ed it up by sailing and rowing, and got to Milford-Haven, where we lay at Richard Long's near Quince's-Island. Next day we passed by Rappahannock-river, where dwell much people; and friends had a meeting there-away at a justice's, who had formerly been at a meeting where I was. We passed over Powtomack-river also, the winds being high, the water very rough, the weather extreme cold; and having a meeting there-away, some were convinced; and when we parted thence, s [...]me of our company went amongst them. We steered our course for Patuxent-river. I sat at the helm most part of the day, and some of the night. About the first hour in the morning we reached James Preston's on Patuxent-river, which is accounted about two hundred miles from Nancemum in Virginia. We were very weary; yet the next day, being the first of the week, we went to the meeting not far from thence. The same week we went to an Indian king's cabin, where several Indians were, with whom we had a pretty opportunity to discourse, and they carried themselves very lovingly. We went also that week to a general meeting; from thence about eight [...]en miles fur­ther to John Geary's, where we had a very precious meet­ing; praised be the Lord God for ever! After this the cold grew so exceeding sharp, such extreme frost and snowy wea­ther beyond what was usual in that country, that we could hardly endure to be in it. Neither was it easy or safe to stir abroad: yet we got with some difficulty six miles through the snow to John Mayor's, where we met with some friends [Page 165]that were come from New-England, whom we had left there when we came away; and glad we were to see each other, after such long and tedious travels. By these friends we understood William Edmundson, having been at Rhode-Island and New-England, was gone from thence for Ire­land; that Solomon Eccles coming from Jamaica, and landing at Boston in New-England, was taken at a meeting there, and banished to Barbado [...], that John Stubbs and another friend were gone into New-Jersey, and several other friends to Barbadoes, Jamaica, and the Leeward Islands. It was matter of joy to us to understand the work of the Lord went on and prospered, and that friends were un­wearied and diligent in the service.

The twenty-seventh of the eleventh month we had a very precious meeting in a tobacco-house. The next day we returned to James Preston's, about eighteen miles distant. When we came there, we found his house was burnt down to the ground the night before, through the carelessness of a maid servant; so we lay three nights on the ground by the fire, the weather being very cold. We made an observa­tion which was somewhat strange, but certainly true; that one day in the midst of this cold weather, the wind turning into the south, it grew so hot, that we could hardly bear the heat; and the next day and night, the wind chopping back into the north, we could hardly endure the cold.

The second of the twelfth month we had a glorious meet­ing at Patuxent; and after it went to John Geary's again, where we waited for a boat to carry us to the monthly meet­ing at the Clifts; to which we went, and a living meeting it was; praised be the Lord! This was on the sixth of the twelfth month. Another meeting we had on the ninth, wherein the glory of the Lord shined over all; blessed and magnified be his holy name for ever!

The twelfth of the twelfth month we set forward in our boat, and, travelling by night, we run our boat on ground in a creek near Manaco River. There we were fain to stay till morning, that the tide came and lifted her off. In the meantime sitting in an open boat, and the weather being bitter cold, some had like to have lost the use of their hands, they were so frozen and benumbed. In the morn­ing, when the tide set our boat a-float, we got to land, and made a good fire, at which we warmed ourselves well, and then took boat and passed about ten miles farther to a friend's house, where next day we had a very precious [Page 166]meeting, at which some of the chief of the place were. I went after the meeting to a friend's about four miles off, at the head of Anamessy River, where the day following the judge of the country and a justice with him came to me, and were very loving, and much satisfied with friends or­der. The next day we had a large meeting at the justice's in his barn, for his house could not hold the company. There were several of the great folks of that country, and among the rest an opposer; but all was preserved quiet and well. A precious meeting it was; the people were much affected with the truth; blessed be the Lord! We went next day to see captain Colburn, a justice of peace, and there we had some service. Then returning again, we had a very glorious meeting at the justices where we met before, to which came many people of account in the world, ma­gistrates, officers, and others. It was a large meeting, and the power of the Lord was much felt, so that the people were generally well satisfied and taken with the truth; and there being several merchants and masters of ships from New-England, the truth was spread abroad; blessed be the Lord!

A day or two after we travelled about sixteen miler through the woods and bogs heading Anamessy River and Amoroca River, part of which we went over in a canoe, and came to Manaoke, to a friendly woman's house, where on the twenty-fourth of the twelfth month we had a large meeting in a barn. The Lord's living presence was with us and among the people; blessed be his holy name for ever­more! Friends never had a meeting in those parts before. After this, we passed over the river Wicocomaco, and through many bad watery swamps and marshy way, and came to James Jones's, a friend and a justice of the peace, where we had a large and very glorious meeting; praised be the Lord God! Then passing over the water in a boat, we took horse, and travelled about twenty-four miles through woods and troublesome swamps, and came to another jus­tice's house, where we had a very large meeting much peo­ple and many of considerable account being present; and the living presence of the Lord was amongst us; praised for ever be his holy name! This was the third of the first month 1672-3. The fifth of the same we had another living and heavenly meeting, at which divers justices with their wives and many others were; amongst whom we had very good service for the Lord; blessed be his holy name! [Page 167]At this meeting was a woman that lived at Anamessy, who had been many years in trouble of mind, and sometimes would sit moping near two months together, and hardly speak or mind any thing. When I heard of her, I was moved of the Lord to go to her, and tell her, ‘That sal­vation was come to her house.’ After I had spoken the word of life to her, and intreated the Lord for her, she mended, went up and down with us to meetings, and is since well blessed be the Lord!

We left Anamessy the seventh of the first month; and passing by water about fifty miles, came to a friendly wo­man's hous at Hunger River. We had very rough wea­ther in our passage to this place, and were in great danger, for the boat had like to have been turned over. But through the good providence of God we got safe thither; praised be hi [...] name! At this place we had a meeting. Amongst the people were two Papists, a man and a wo­man; the man was very tender, and the woman confessed to the truth. I had no friend with me but Robert Wid­ders, the rest having dispersed themselves into several parts of the country in the service of truth.

So soon as the wind would permit, we passed from hence about forty miles by water, rowing most part of the way, and came to the head of Little Choptanck River, to Dr. Winsmore's, a justice of peace, lately convinced. Here we met with some friends, with whom we staid awhile, and then went on by land and water, and had a large meeting abroad, for the house we were at could not receive the peo­ple. Divers of the magistrates and their wives were pre­sent; and a good meeting it was; blessed be the Lord, who is making his name known in that wilderness country! We went from thence to William Stephens's, where we met with those friends that had been travelling in other parts; and were much refreshed in the Lord together, when we imparted to each other the good success we had in the Lord's work, and the prosperity and spreading of truth in the pla­ces where we travelled. John Cartwright and another friend had been at irginia, where were great desires in people after the truth; and being now returned, they staid a little with us here, and then set forward for Barbadoes. Before we left this place, we had a very glorious meeting, at which were many people; amongst others, the judge of that coun­try, three justices of the peace, and the high-sheriff, with their wives. Of the Indians, was one called their emperor, [Page 168]an Indian king, and their speaker, who sat very attentive, and carried themselves very lovingly. An establishing, set­tling meeting it was. This was the twenty-third of the first month.

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

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

Having travelled through most parts of that country, and visited most of the plantations, having alarmed people of all sorts where we came, and proclaimed the day of God's salvation amongst them, we found our spirits began to be clear of those parts of the world, and to draw towards Old England again. Yet we were desirous and felt freedom from the Lord to stay till the general meeting for the pro­vince of Maryland was over (which drew nigh) that we might see friends generally together before we departed. Wherefore spending our time in the interim in visiting friends and friendly people, in attending meetings about the Clifts and Patuxent, in writing answers to some cavilling objections which adversaries had raised and spread abroad [Page 169]to hinder people from receiving the truth; we were not idle, but laboured in the work of the Lord until that general pro­vincial meeting, which began the seventeenth of the third month, and lasted four days. The first of these days the men and women had their meetings for business, wherein the affairs of the church were taken care of, and many things relating thereto were opened to their edification and comfort. The other three days were spent in publick meetings for the worship of God, at which divers of con­siderable account in the government, and many others were present; who were generally satisfied, and many of them reached; for it was a wonderful glorious meeting, and the mighty presence of the Lord was seen and felt over all; blessed and praised be his holy name for ever, who over all giveth dominion!

After this meeting we took our leave of friends, parting in great tenderness, in the sense of the heavenly life and virtuous power of the Lord that was livingly felt amongst us, and went by water to the place where we were to take shipping; many friends accompanying us thither and tar­rying with us that night. Next day, the twenty-first of the third month, 1673, we set sail for England: the same day Richard Covell came on board our ship, his own being taken from him by the Dutch. We had foul weather and contrary winds, which caused us to cast anchor often, so that we were till the thirty-first of the third month ere we passed the capes of Virginia into the main sea. But after this we made good speed, and the twenty-eighth of the fourth month cast anchor at King's Road, the harbour for Bristol. We had in our passage very high winds and tem­pestuous weather, which made the sea exceeding rough, the waves rising like mountains, so that the masters and sailors wondered, and said, 'They never saw the like before.' But though the wind was strong, it sat for the most part with us, so that we sailed before it; and the great God who com­mands the winds, who is Lord of heaven; earth, and the seas, and whose wonders are seen in the deep, steered our course, and preserved us from many imminent dangers. The same good hand of Providence that went with us, and carried us safely over, watched over us in our return, and brought us safely back again. Thanksgivings and praises be to his holy name for ever! Many sweet and precious meetings we had on board the ship during this voyage (commonly two a week) wherein the blessed presence of the [Page 170]Lord did greatly refresh us, and often break in upon and tender the company. When we came into Bristol harbour, there lay a man of war, and the press-master came on board to impress our men. We had a meeting at that time in the ship with the seamen, before we went to shore; and the press-master sat down with us, staid the meeting, and was well satisfied with it. After the meeting I spoke to him to leave two of the men he had impressed in our ship (for he had impressed four) one of which was a Iame man; he said, 'At my request he would.'

We went on shore that afternoon, and got to Shear­hampton. We procured horses, and rode to Bristol that night, where friends received us with great joy. In the evening I wrote a letter to my wife, to give her notice of my landing.

Between this and the fair my wife came out of the north to Bristol, and her son-in-law Thomas Lower with two of her daughters with her. Her other son-in-law John Rouse, W. Penn and his wife, and Gerrard Roberts came from London, and many friends from several parts of the nation to the fair, and glorious powerful meetings we had there; for the Lord's insinite power and life was over all. In the fresh openings whereof I was moved to declare of Three [Page 171]Estates and Three Teachers, viz. ‘God was the first teach­er of man and woman in paradise; and as long as they kept to and under his teaching, they kept in the image of God, in his likeness, in righteousness and holiness, and in dominion over all that God had made; in the blessed state, in the paradise of God. But when they hearkened to the serpent's false teaching (who was out of truth) disobey­ed God, and obeyed the serpent, in feeding upon that which God forbad; they lost the image of God, the righ­teousness and holiness, came under the power of Satan, and were turned out of paradise, out of the blessed into the cursed state. Then the promise of God was, ‘That the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head,’ break his power that man and woman were under, and destroy his works. So here were Three States and Three Teachers. God was the First Teacher in paradise; and whilst man kept under his teaching, he was happy. The serpent was the second teacher; and when man followed his teaching, he fell into misery, into the fall from the image of God, righteousness, and holiness, and from the power that he had over all that God had made; and came under the serpent whom he had power over before. Christ Jesus was the Third Teacher; of whom God saith, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him:’ and who himself saith, "Learn of me." This is the true gospel-teacher, who bruises the head of the ser­pent the false teacher, and the head of all false teachers and false religions, false ways, false worships, and false churches. Christ, who said, who said, "Learn of me," and of whom the Father said, "Hear ye him," said, ‘I am the way to God, I am the truth, I am the life, and the true light.’ So as man and woman come to God, and are renewed up into his image, righteousness, and holiness by Christ, there­by they come into the paradise of God, the state which man was in before he sell; and into an higher state than that, to sit down in Christ who never fell. Therefore the Son of God is to be heard in all things, who is the Saviour and the Redeemer; who hath laid down his life, and bought his sheep with his precious blood. We can chal­lenge all the world. Who hath any thing to say against our way? our Saviour? our Redeemer? our Prophet, whom God hath raised up that we may hear, and whom we must hear in all things? Who hath any thing against our Shepherd, Christ Jesus, who leads and seeds us, and [Page 172]we know his heavenly voice? Who hath any thing against our Bishop, in whose mouth was never guile found, who doth oversee us in his pasture of life, that we do not go astray out of his fold? Who hath any thing against our Priest, Christ Jesus, made higher than the heavens, who gives us freely, and commands us to give freely? Who hath any thing to say against our Leader and Counsellor, Christ Jesus, who never sinned, but is holy, harmless, and separate from sinners? God hath commanded us to hear him, and he saith, "Learn of me;" and if we should disobey God's and Christ's command, we should be like our father Adam and mother Eve, who disobeyed God's command, and hearkened to the serpent's teaching. Man commands, and would force us to hear the hirelings, who plead for sin and the body of death to the grave; which doctrine savours of the devil's teaching, not of Christ's; but we resolve to hear the Son, as both the Father and he command; and in hearing the Son, we hear the Father also, as the scripture testifies. For the author to the He­brews says, ‘God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the pro­phets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son:’ Mark that, God hath spoken unto us (his apostles, disci­ples, and church) by his Son. And whereas some have objected, ‘That although Christ did speak both to his disciples and to the Jews in the days of his flesh, yet since his resurrection and ascension he doth not speak now;’ the answer is, as God did then speak by his Son in the days of his flesh, so the Son, Christ Jesus, doth now speak by his Spirit. Wherefore John saith in the Revelations, ‘He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches,’ Rev. ii. And Christ is said to ‘speak from heaven,’ Heb. xii. 25. ‘See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.’ They that resisted Moses's law (who spake on earth) died for it without mercy, which was a natural death; but they that refuse him that speaks from heaven, neglect and slight their own salvation, and so die a spiritual death, through unbelief and hardness of heart. Therefore was the exhor­tation given of old, ‘To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,’ &c. Heb. iii. 15. &c. They who neglect or refuse to hear the voice [Page 173]of Christ now speaking from heaven in this his gospel-day, harden their hearts. Therefore let all mark well these three states and teachers: the God of truth was the first teacher, while man was in paradise and in innocence. The serpent was the second teacher, the false teacher, who by his false teaching came to be the god of the world which lies in wickedness. Christ Jesus, that bruises the serpent's head, is the third teacher, who saith, "Learn of me;" of whom God saith, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him;’ and of whom the testi­mony of the saints of old was, ‘That God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.’ Thus they, that come to be renewed up again into the divine heavenly image in which man was at first made, will know the same God, that was the first teacher of Adam and Eve in para­dise, to speak to them now by his Son, who changes not; glory be to his name for ever!’

Many deep and precious things were opened in those meetings by the eternal Spirit which searcheth and reveal­eth the deep things of God. After I had finished my ser­vice for the Lord in that city, I departed into Gloucester­shire, where we had many large and precious meetings; and the Lord's everlasting power flowed over all. From Glou­cestershire I passed into Wiltshire, where also we had many blessed meetings. At Slattenford in Wiltshire we had a very good meeting, though we met with much opposition from some, who had set themselves against women's meetings; which I was moved of the Lord to recommend to friends, for the benefit of the church of Christ. ‘That faithful wo­men, called to the belief of the truth, made partakers of the same precious faith, and heirs of the same everlasting gospel of life and salvation as the men are, might in like manner come into the possession and practice of the gospel­order, and therein be meet helps unto the men in the re­storation, in the service of truth, in the affairs of the church, as they are outwardly in civil or temporal things. That so all the family of God, women as well as men, might know, possess, perform, and discharge their offices and services in the house of God, whereby the poor might be the better taken care of; the younger sort instructed, informed, and taught in the way of God; the loose and disorderly reproved and admonished in the fear of the Lord; the clearness of persons proposing marriage, more closely and strictly inquired into in the wisdom of God; [Page 174]and all the members of the spiritual body the church might watch over and be helpful to each other in love.’ After these opposers had run into much contention and wrangling, the power of the Lord struck down one of the chief of them, so that his spirit sunk, and he came to be sensible of the evil he had done, in opposing God's heavenly power, con­fessed his error before friends, and afterwards gave forth a paper of condemnation, wherein he declared, ‘That he did wilfully oppose (although I often warned him to take heed) until the fire of the Lord did burn within him, and he saw the angel of the Lord with his sword drawn in his hand, ready to cut him off,’ &c.

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

After this I went to Marlborough, and had a meeting there, to which some of the magistrates came, and were civil and moderate. Then passing to Bartholomew Maylin's, I had a very precious meeting there. From thence went a lit­tle beyond Ore, where we had a blessed meeting, and very large, as we had also soon after upon the border of Hamp­shire. Then turning into Oxfordshire, we visited friends there; then went to Reading where we had a large meeting. From thence passing into Buckinghamshire, we had many precious meetings in that county. After which we visited friends till we came to Kingston upon Thames, where my wife and her daughter Rachel met me.

I made no long stay at Kingston, but went to London, where I found the Baptists and Socinians, with some old apostates grown very rude, having printed many books against us: so I had a great travail in the Lord's power, before I could get clear of that city. But blessed be the Lord, his power came over them, and all their lying, wic­ked, scandalous books were answered. I made a short journey into some parts of Essex and Middlesex, visiting friends at their meetings, and their children at the schools, and returned soon to London. After some service there among friends. I went to Kingston, and from thence to Stephen Smith's, in Surrey, where was a very large meet­ing, many hundreds of people attending it. I staid in these parts till I had cleared myself of the service the Lord [Page 175]had given me to do there, and then returned by Kingston to London, whither I felt my spirit drawn; having heard that many friends were taken before the magistrates, and di­vers imprisoned, both in London and in other parts of the nation, for opening their shop-windows upon holy-days and fast-days (as they were called) and for bearing testimony against all such observation of days. Which friends could not but do, knowing that the true Christians did not observe the Jews holy-days in the apostles times, neither could we observe the Heathens and Papists holy days (so called) which have been set up amongst those called Christians since the apostles days. For we were redeemed out of days by Christ Jesus, and brought into the day which hath sprung from on high, and are come into him, who is Lord of the Jewish sabbath, and the substance of the Jews signs.

After I had staid some time in London, labouring for some relief and ease to friends in this case, I went with my wife, and her daughter Rachel, to Hendon, in Middlesex, and from thence to William Penn's at Rickmansworth, in Hertfordshire, whither Thomas Lower, who married an­other of my wife's daughters, came the next day to accom­pany us in our journey northward. After we had visited friends thereabouts, we passed to a friend's house near Ayles­bury; and from thence to Bray Doily's at Adderbury, in Oxfordshire, where, on first-day, we had a large and pre­cious meeting. Truth being well spread, and friends in those parts much increased in number, two or three new meetings were then set up thereabouts.

At night, as I was sitting at supper, I felt I was taken; yet I said nothing to any body of it then. But getting out next morning, we travelled into Worcestershire, and went to john Halford's at Armscot, in Tredington parish; where we had a very large and precious meeting in his b [...]rn, the Lord's powerful presence being eminently with and amongst us. After the meeting, friends being most of them gone, as I was sitting in the parlour, discoursing with some friends, Henry Parker, a justice, came to the house, and with him Rowland Hains, a priest of Hunniton, in Warwickshire. This justice came to know of the meeting by means of a woman-friend, who, being nurse to a child of his, asked leave of her mistress to go to the meeting to see me; and she speaking of it to her husband, he and the priest plotted together to break up the meeting, and apprehend me. But by means of their sitting long at dinner, it being the day on [Page 176]which his child was sprinkled, they came not till the meet­ing was over, and friends mostly gone. But though there was no meeting when they came, yet I being in the house, who was the person they aimed at, Henry Parker took me, and Thomas Lower for company with me, and though he had nothing to lay to our charge, sent us both to Worcester gaol, by a strange sort of mittimus; a copy of which here followeth:

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

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

[Page 179] But no enlargement did we receive by our application to the lord Windsor (so called.) And although Thomas Lower received several letters from his brother Dr. Lower, who was one of the king's physicians, concerning his liber­ty, and one, by his procurement, from Henry Savil, who was of the king's bed-chamber; to his brother called the lord Windsor to the same effect; yet seeing it related only to his enlargement, not mine, so great was his love and re­gard to me, that he would not seek his own liberty singly, but kept the letter by him unsent; so we were continued prisoners till the next general quarter sessions of the peace. At which time divers friends from several places being in town, did speak to the justices concerning us; who spoke fair, and said we should be discharged. For many of the jus­tices seemed to dislike the severity of Parker's proceedings against us, and declared an averseness to ensnare us by the tender of the oaths. Some friends also had spoken with lord Windsor, who likewise spoke them fair; so that it was the general discourse we should be discharged. We heard also, that Dr. Lower had procured a letter from colonel Sands at London, to some of the justices in our favour. Some of the justices also spoke to some friends, to acquaint us, that they would have us speak but little in the court, lest we should provoke any of the bench, and they would warrant we should be discharged.

We were not called till the last day of the sessions, which was the twenty-first of the eleventh month, 1673. When we came in, they were struck with paleness in their faces, and it was some time before any thing was spoken; insomuch that a butcher in the hall said, ‘What! are they afraid? Dare not the justices speak to them?’ At length, before they spoke to us, justice Parker made a long speech on the bench, much to the same effect as was contained in the mittimus, often mentioning the common laws, but not instancing any we had broken. Adding, ‘That he thought it a milder course to send us two to gaol, than to p [...]t his neighbours to the loss of two hundred pounds, which they must have suffered if he had put the law in execution against conventicles.’ But in this he was either very ig­norant, or very deceitful; for there being no meeting when he came, nor any to inform, he had no evidence to convict us, or his neighbours by.

When Parker had ended his speech, the justices began with Thomas Lower, whom they examined of the cause of [Page 180]his coming into that country; of which he gave them a full and plain account. Sometimes I put in a word while they were examining him, and then they told me, ‘They were upon his examination, when it came to my turn, I should have free liberty to speak, for they would not hinder me; but I should have full time, and they would not ensnare us.’ When they had done with him, they asked me an account of my travel, which I gave them, as is mentioned before, but more largely. And whereas justice Parker, to aggravate the case, had made a great noise of ‘there being some from London, some from the north, some from Corn­wall, and some from Bristol, at the house when I was taken.’ I told him, ‘This was in a manner all but one family. For there was none from London, but myself; none from the north, but my wife and her daughter; none from Cornwall, but my son-in-law Thomas Lower; nor any from Bristol, but one friend, a merchant there, who me [...] us, as it were, providentially, to assist my wife and her daughter in their journey homewards, when by our imprisonment they were deprived of our company and help.’ When I had spoken, the chairman, whose name was Simpson, an old Presbyterian, said, ‘Your relation or account is very innocent.’ Then he Parker whispered awhile together, and after that the chairman stood up, and said: ‘You, Mr Fox, are a famous man, and all this may be true which you have said; but that we may be the bet­ter satisfied, will you take the oaths of allegiance and su­premacy?’ I told them, 'They had said, ‘They would not ensnare us;’ but this was a plain snare: for they 'knew we could not take any oath.; However, they cans­ed the oath to be read; and when they had done, I told them, ‘I never took an oath in my life, but I had always been true [...] the government: that I was cast into prison at Derby, and kept a prisoner six months there, because I would not take up arms against king Charles at Wor­cester-fight; and for going to mee [...]ings, was carried up out of Leicestershire, and brought before Oliver Cromwel, as a plotter to bring in king Charles. And ye know,' said I, in your own consciences, that we, the people called Qua­kers, cannot take an oath, nor swear in any case, because Christ hath forbidden it. But as to the matter or sub­stance contained in the oaths, this I can and do say, that I do own and acknowledge the king of England to be lawful heir and successor to the realm of England, and do abhor [Page 181]all plots and plotters, and contrivances against him; and I have nothing in my heart, but love and good-will to him and all men, and desire his and their prosperity; the Lord knows it, before whom I stand an innocent man. And as to the oath of supremacy, I deny the pope, his power, and his religion, and abhor it with my heart.’ While I was speaking, they cried, 'Give him the book.' I said, ‘The book saith, "Swear not at all." Then they cried, Take him away, gaoler;’ and I still speaking on, they were urgent upon the gaoler, crying, ‘Take him away, we shall have a meeting here. Why do you not take him away? That fellow (meaning the gaoler) loves to hear him preach.’ Then the gaoler drew me away; and as I was turning from them, I stretched out my arm, and said, ‘The Lord forgive you, who cast me into prison for obey­ing the doctrine of Christ.’ Thus they apparently broke their promise in the face of the country; for they promised I should have free liberty to speak, but now they would not give it me; and they promised they would not ensnare us, yet now they tendered me the oaths on purpose to en­snare me.

After I was had away, Thomas Lower was stayed behind in the court; and they told him, 'He was at liberty.' Then he would have reasoned with them, asking them, ‘Why I might not be set at liberty as well as he, seeing we were both taken together, and our case was alike?’ But they told him, 'They would not hear him;' saying, ‘You may be gone about your business, for we have nothing more to say to you, seeing you are discharged.’ This was all he could get from them. Wherefore, after the court was risen, he went to speak with them at their chamber, desiring to know, ‘What cause they had to detain his father, seeing they had discharged him?’ and wishing them to consider, whether this was not partiality, and would be a blemish to them. Whereupon Simpson threatened him, saying, ‘If you be not content we will tender you the oaths also, and send you to your father.’ To which he replied, ‘They might do that, if they thought fit; but whether they sent him or no, he intended to go and wait upon his father in prison; for that was now his business in that country.’ Then said justice Parker to him, ‘Do you think, Mr. Lower, that I had not cause to send your father and you to prison, when you had such a great meeting that the parson of the parish complained to me, that he hath lost the greatest part of his [Page 182]parishioners; so that when he comes amongst them he has scarce any auditors left?’ 'I have heard,' replied Thomas Lower, ‘that the priest of that parish comes so seldom to visit his flock (but once, it may be, or twice in a year, to gather up his tithes) that it was but charity in my father to visit such a forlorn and forsaken flock; therefore thou hadst no cause to send my father to prison for visiting them, or for teaching, instructing, and directing them to Christ, their true teacher, who had so little comfort or benefit from their pretended pastor, who comes amongst them only to seck for his "gain from his quarter."’ Upon this the justices fell a laughing; for it seems Dr. Crowder, the priest they spoke of, was then sitting among them, though Thomas Lower did not know him; and he had the wit to hold his tongue, and not undertake to vindicate himself in a matter so noto­riously known to be true. But when Thomas Lower was come from them, the justices did so play upon Dr. Crow­der, that he was pitifully ashamed, and so nettled with it, that he threatened to sue Thomas Lower in the bishop's court, upon an action of defamation. Which when Tho­mas Lower heard of, he sent him word, he would answer his suit, let him begin it when he would; and would bring his whole parish in evidence against him. This cooled the doctor. Yet some time after he came to the prison, pre­tending he had a mind to dispute with me, and to talk with Thomas Lower about that business; and he brought ano­ther with him, he himself being then a prebendary at Wor­cester.

When he came in, he asked me, ‘What I was in prison for?’ 'Dost not thou know that?' said I. ‘Wast not thou upon the bench, when justice Simpson and Parker tendered the oath to me? And hadst not thou an hand in it?’ Then he said, ‘It is lawful to swear; and Christ did not forbid swearing before a magistrate; but swearing by the sun and the like.’ I bid him prove that by the scriptures, but he could not. Then he brought that saying of Paul's. 'All things are lawful unto me,' 1 Cor. vi. 12. 'And if,' said he, ‘all things were lawful unto him, then swearing was lawful unto him.’ 'By this argument,' said I, ‘thou mayst also affirm, that drunkenness, adultery, and all manner of sin and wickedness is lawful also, as well as swearing.’ 'Why,' said Dr. Crowder, ‘do you hold that adultery is unlawful?’ 'Yes,' said I, 'that I do.' ‘Why then,’ said he, 'this contradicts the saying of St. Paul.' [Page 183]Thereupon I called to the prisoners and the gaoler, to hear what doctrine Dr. Crowder had laid down for orthodox, viz. ‘that drunkenness, swearing, adultery, and such like things were lawful.’ Then he said, ‘He would give it under his hand;’ and took a pen, but wrote another thing than what he had spoken. Then turning to Thomas Lower, he asked him, ‘Whether he would answer what he had there writ­ten?’ Who undertook it. Whereupon, when he had threatened Thomas Lower to sue him in the bishop's court for speaking so abusively (as he called it) of him before the justices, and Thomas had bid him begin when he pleased, for he would answer him, and bring his parishioners in evi­dence against him, he went away in a great fret, grumbling to himself as he went. A few days after Thomas Lower sent him an answer to the paper he had wrote and left with him; which answer a friend of Worcester carried to him, and he read it, and said, 'He would reply to it;' but he never did, though he often sent him word he would do it.

Soon after the sessions, the term coming on, an Habeas Corpus was sent to Worcester for the sheriff to bring me up to the king's-bench-bar. Whereupon the under-sheriff, having made Thomas Lower his deputy to convey me to London, we set out the twenty-ninth of the eleventh month, 1673, and came to London the second of the twelfth month; the ways being very deep, and the waters out. Next day, notice being given that I was brought up, the sheriff was or­dered to bring me into court. I went accordingly, and did appear in court before judge Wild; and both he and the lawyers were pretty fair, so that I had time to speak, to clear my innocency, and shew my wrong imprisonment. After the return of the writ was entered, I was ordered to be brought into court again next day; the order of court be­ing as followeth:

Accordingly I went in the morning, and walked in the hall till the sheriff came to me (for he trusted me to go whi­ther I would) and it being early, we went into the court of King's Bench, and sat among the lawyers almost an hour, till the judges came in, when the sheriff took off my hat; and after awhile I was called. The Lord's presence was with me, and his power I felt was over all. I stood and heard the king's attorney, whose name was Jones, who in deed spoke notably on my behalf, as did also another coun­sellor after him; and the judges, who were three, were all very moderate, not casting any reflecting words at me. I stood still in the power and Spirit of the Lord, seeing how the Lord was at work, and the earth was helping the wo­man. But when they had done, I applied myself to the chief justice, desiring, 'That I might speak;' and he said, I might. ‘Then I related the cause of our journey, the manner of our being taken and committed, and the time of our imprisonment until the sessions; with a brief ac­count of our trial at the sessions, and what I had offered to the justices then, as a declaration that I could make or sign, instead of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy.’ When I had done, the chief justice said, ‘I was to be turn­ed over to the King's-bench, and the sheriff of Worcester to be discharged of me.’ He said also, ‘That they would consider further of it; and if they found any error in the record, or in the justices proceedings, I should be set at liberty.’ So a tipstaff was called to take me into custody, and he delivered me to the keeper of the King's-bench, who let me go to a friend's house, where I lodged and appointed to meet me at Edward Man's in Bishopsgate-street the next day. But after this, justice Parker, or some other of my ad­versaries, moved the court, that I might be sent back to Worcester. Whereupon another day was appointed for another hearing, and they had four counsel that pleaded against me. George Stroude, a counsellor, pleaded for me, and was pleading before I was brought into the court; but they bore him down, and prevailed with the judges to give judgment. ‘That I should be sent down to Worcester ses­sions.’ Only they told me I might put in bail to appear [Page 185]at the sessions, and to be of good behaviour in the mean time. I told them, ‘I never was of ill behaviour in my life; and that they, the four judges, might as well put the oath to me there, as send me to Worcester to be ensnared by the justices, in their putting the oath to me, and then premuniring me, who never took oath in my life. I told them, if I broke my Yea or Nay, I was content to suffer the same penalty which they should that break their oaths.’ This alteration of the judges minds in my case proceeded, as was thought, from some false informations that my adversary justice Parker had given against me: for between the times of my former appearance and this, he had spread abroad a very false and malicious story, viz. ‘That there were many substantial men with me out of several parts of the nation when he took me, and that we had a design or plot in hand; and that Thomas Lower staid with me in prison long after he was set at liberty, to carry on our design.’ This was spoken in the parliament­house; insomuch that if I had not been brought up to London when I was, I had been stopped at Worcester, and Thomas had been re-committed with me. But although these lies were eafily disproved and laid open to Parker's shame, yet would not the judges alter their last sentence, but remanded me to Worcester gaol; only this favour was granted, that I might go down my own way, and at my own leisure; provided I would be without fail there by the assize, which was to begin the second of the second month following.

I staid in and about London till towards the latter end of the first month 1674, and then went down leisurely (for I was not able to abide hasty and hard travelling) and came into Worcester the last of the first month 1674, being the day before the judges came to town. The second day of the second month I was brought from the gaol to an inn near the hall that I might be in readiness if I should be called. But not being called that day, the gaoler came at night, and told me, 'I might go home,' meaning to the gaol. Gerrard Roberts of London being with me, he and I walked down together to the gaol without any keeper. Next day being brought up again, they set a little boy about eleven years old to be my keeper. I came to under­stand justice Parker and the clerk of the peace had given order that I should not be put into the calendar, that I might not be brought before the judge; wherefore I got [Page 186]the judge's son to move in court, ‘That I might be called:’ whereupon I was called and brought to the bar before judge Turner, my old adversary, who had ten­dered me the oaths, and premunired me once before at Lancaster. After silence made, he asked me, ‘What I did desire?’ I answered, 'My liberty according to justice.' He said, 'I lay upon the oath;' and asked, ‘If I would take it?’ ‘I desired he would hear the manner of my being taken and committed;’ and being silent, I gave him an account thereof at large, as is before set down, letting him also know, ‘That since my imprisonment I had under­stood my mother, who was an ancient, tender woman, and had desired to see me before she died, hearing that I was stopped and imprisoned in my journey, so that I was not likely to come to see her, it struck her so, that she died soon after, which was a very hard thing to me.’ When I had done speaking, he again asked me, 'To take the oaths.' I told him, ‘I could not take any oath, for conscience-sake; and I did believe he and they all knew in their consciences 'that it was for conscience-sake I could not swear at all. I declared amongst them what I could say and what I could sign, in owning of the king's right to the government, and in denying the pope and his pretended power, and all plot­ters, plots, and conspiracies against the government.’ Some thought the judge had a mind to set me at liberty, for he saw they had nothing justly against me; but Parker, who com­mitted me, endeavoured to incense him, telling him, ‘That I was a ringleader; that many of the nation followed me, and he knew not what it might come to;’ with many more envi­ous words, which some took notice of; who also observed, that the judge gave him never a word in answer. However, the judge, willing to ease himself, referred me and my case to the sessions again, bidding the justices make an end of it there, and not trouble the assizes any more with me. So I was continued prisoner, chiefly (as it seemed) through the means of justice Parker, who in this case was as false as en­vious; for he had promised Richard Cannon of London, who had acquaintance with him, ‘That he would endea­vour to have me set at liberty;’ yet he was the worst ene­my I had in court, as some of the court observed and re­ported. Other justices were very loving, and promised. ‘That I should have the liberty of the town, and to lodge at a friend's house till the sessions;’ which accordingly I had, and the people were very civil and respectful to me.

[Page 187] Between this time and the sessions I had some service for the Lord with several that came to visit me. At one time came three nonconformist priests and two lawyers to discourse with me; and one of the priests undertook to prove, 'That the scriptures are the only rule of life.' Af­ter I had defeated his proof, I had a fit opportunity to open to them, ‘The right and proper use, service, and ex­cellency of the scriptures; and also to shew, that the Spirit of God which was given to every one to profit withal, the grace of God which bringeth salvation, and which hath appeared to all men, and teacheth them that obey it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live sober­ly, righteously, and godly in this present world; that this, I say, is the most fit, proper, and universal rule which God hath given to all mankind to rule, direct, govern, and order their lives by.’

Another time came a common-prayer priest, and some people with him. He asked me, ‘If I was grown up to perfection?’ I told him, ‘What I was, I was by the grace of God.’ He replied, 'It was a modest and civil answer.' Then he urged the words of John, ‘If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.’ He asked, 'What did I say to that?' ‘I said with the same apostle, ‘If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us;’ who came to destroy sin, and to take away sin. So there is a time for people to see that they have sinned, and there is a time for them to see that they have sin; and there is a time for them to confess their sin, and to forsake it, and to know the blood of Christ to cleanse from all sin.’ Then the priest was asked, ‘Whether Adam was not perfect before he sell? and whether all God's works were not perfect?’ The priest said, ‘There might be a perfection as Adam had, and a falling from it.’ But I told him, ‘There is a perfection in Christ above Adam, and beyond falling; and that it was the work of the ministers of Christ to present every man perfect in Christ; for the perfecting of whom they had their gifts from Christ; therefore they that denied per­fection, denied the work of the ministry, and the gifts which Christ gave for the perfecting of the saints.’ The priest said. 'We must always be striving.' I answered, ‘It was a sad and comfortless sort of striving, to strive with a belief that we should never overcome.’ I told him also, that 'Paul, who cried out of the body of death, did also [Page 188] ‘thank God, who gave him the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ So there was a time of crying out for want 'of victory, and a time of praising God for the victory. 'And Paul said, ‘There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.’ The priest said, ‘Job was not per­fect.’ I told him, ‘God said Job was a perfect man, and that he did shun evil; and the devil was forced to confess, that "God had set an hedge about him;" which was not an outward hedge, but the invisible, heavenly power.’ The priest said, 'Job said, ‘He chargeth his angels with folly, and the heavens are not clean in his sight.’ I told him, ‘That was his mistake, it was not Job said so, but Eliphaz, who contended against Job.’ 'Well, but,' said the priest, 'what say you to that scripture, ‘The justest man that is sinneth seven times a day?’ 'Why truly,' said I, 'I say there is no such scripture;' and with that the priest's mouth was stopped. Many other services I had with several sorts of people between the assizes and the sessions.

The next quarter-sessions began the twenty-ninth of the second month, and I was called before the justices. The chairman's name was—Street, he was a judge in the Welsh circuit, and he misrepresented me and my case to the country, telling them ‘That we had a meeting at Treding­ton from all parts of the nation, to the terrifying of the king's subjects, for which we had been committed to pri­son: that for the trial of my fidelity the oaths were put to me; and, having had time to consider of it, he asked me if I would now take the oaths?’ ‘I desired liberty to speak for myself; and, having obtained that, began first to clear myself from those falsehoods he had charged on me and friends; declaring, that we had not any such meeting from all parts of the nation, as he had represented it; but that (except the friend from whose house we came, and who came with us to guide us thither, and one friend of Bris­tol, who came accidentally, or rather providentially, to assist my wife homewards, after we were taken) they that were with me were in a sense part of my own family, be­ing my wife, her daughter, and her son-in-law. And we did not meet in any way or manner that would occasion terror to any of the king's subjects; for we met peaceably and quietly, without arms; and I did not believe there could be any one produced that could truly say he was terrified with our meeting. Besides, I told them we were [Page 189]but in our journey, the occasion whereof I now related as before. As to the oaths, I shewed why I could not take them (seeing Christ hath forbidden all swearing) and what I could say or sign in lieu of them, as I had done before. Yet they caused the oaths to be read to me, and after­wards read an indictment, which they had drawn up in readiness, having a jury ready also.’ When the indict­ment was read, the judge asked me, 'If I was guilty?' I said, ‘Nay; for it was a great bundle of lies; which I shewed and proved to the judge in several particulars, which I instanced; asking him, if he did not know in his conscience they were lies?’ He said, 'It was their form.' I said, 'It was not a true form.' He asked me again, 'Whether I was guilty?' I told him, ‘Nay, I was not guilty of the matter, nor of the form; for I was against the 'pope and popery, and did acknowledge and should set my hand to that.’ Then the judge told the jury what they should say and do, and what they should write on the back­side of the indictment; and as he said, they did. But be­fore the jury gave in their verdict, I told them, ‘It was for Christ's sake, and in obedience to his and his apostle's command, that I could not swear; therefore,’ said I, ‘take heed what ye do, for before his judgment-seat ye shall all be brought.’ The judge said, 'This is canting.' I said, ‘If to confess Christ our Lord and Saviour, and to obey his command, be called canting by a judge of a court, it is to little purpose for me to say more among you; yet ye shall see that I am a christian, and shall shew forth christianity, and my innocency shall be manifest.’ So the gaoler led me out of the court; and the people were generally tender, as if they had been in a meeting. Soon after I was brought in again, and the jury found the bill against me, which I traversed. Then I was asked to put in bail till the next sessions, and the gaoler's son offered to be bound for me. But I stopped him, and warned friends not to meddle, for I told them, 'There was a snare in that;' yet I told the justices, I could promise to appear if the Lord gave health and strength, and I was at liberty. Some of the justices were loving, and would have stopped the rest from indict­ing me or putting the oath to me; but judge Street the chairman said, 'He must go according to law.' So I was sent to prison again; yet within two hours after, through the moderation of some of the justices, I had liberty given me till next quarter-sessions. These moderate justices, as it [Page 190]was said, desired justice Parker to write to the king for my liberty, or for a Noli prosequi, because they were satisfied I was not such a dangerous person as I had been represent­ed. This, it was said, he promised to do, but did it not.

After I had got a copy of the indictment, I went to Lon­don, visiting friends as I went. When I came there, some that were earnest to get me out of the hands of those envious justices that sought to premunire me at Worcester, would needs be tampering again, to bring me before the judges of the King's Bench; whereupon I was brought again by an Habeas Corpus before them. I tendered them a paper, in which was contained what I could say instead of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, as followeth:

But the business being so far proceeded in at Worcester, they would not meddle in it, but left me to appear again before the justices at the next general quarter-sessions at Worcester.

Meanwhile the yearly meeting of friends came on, at which I was present; and exceeding glorious the meetings were, beyond expression; blessed be the Lord!

After the yearly meeting, I set forward for Worcester, the sessions drawing on, which were held in the fifth month. [Page 191]When I was called to the bar, and the indictment read, some scruple arising among the jury concerning it, the judge of the court, justice Street, caused the oaths to be read and tendered to me again. I told him, ‘I came now to try the traverse of my indictment; and that his tendering me the 'oaths anew, was a new snare. I desired him to answer me a question or two; and asked him, Whether the oaths were to be tendered to the king's subjects, or to the sub­jects of foreign princes?’ He said, ‘To the subjects of this realm.’ 'Then,' said I, ‘You have not named me a subject in the indictment, and therefore have not brought me within the statute.’ The judge cried, ‘Read the oath to him.’ I said, 'I require justice.' Again I asked him, ‘Whether the sessions ought not to have been holden for the king, and the body of the county?’ He said, 'Yes.' 'Then,' said I, you have there left the king out of the in­dictment; ‘how then can you proceed upon this indictment to a trial between the king and me, seeing the king is left out?’ He said, 'The king was in before.' But I told 'him, ‘The king's name being left out, here was a great error in the indictment, and sufficient, as I was informed to quash it. Besides, I told him that I was committed by the name of George Fox of London, but now I was indicted by the name of George Fox of Tredington in the county of Worcester. I wished the jury to consider how they could find me guilty upon that indictment, see­ing I was not of the place the indictment mentioned.’ The judge did not deny but there were errors in the indict­ment; but said, 'I might take my remedy in its proper 'place.' I answered, 'You know that we are a people that 'suffer all things, and bear all things; and therefore ye 'thus use us, because we cannot revenge ourselves; but we 'leave our cause to the Lord.' The judge said, 'The oath 'hath been tendered to you several times, and we will have 'some satisfaction from you concerning the oath.' I offer­ed them the same declaration instead of the oath, which I had offered to the judges above; but it would not be ac­cepted. Then I desired to know, seeing they put the oath anew to me, whether the indictment was quashed or no? In­stead of answering me, the judge told the jury, 'They 'might go out.' Some of the jury were not satisfied; whereupon the judge told them, 'They had heard a man 'swear that the oath was tendered to me the last sessions;' and then directed what they should do, I told him, ‘He [Page 192]should leave the jury to their own consciences.’ However, the jury, being put on by him, went forth, and soon after came in again, and found me guilty. I asked them, ‘How they could satisfy themselves to find me guilty upon that indictment, which was laid so false, and had so many er­rors in it?’ They could make but little answer; yet one who seemed to be the worst of them, would have taken me by the hand: but I put him by, saying, ‘How now, 'Ju­das, hast thou betrayed me, and dost thou now come with a kiss?’ So I bid him and them repent. Then the judge began to tell me, ‘How favourable the court had been to me.’ I asked him, ‘How he could say so? Was ever any man worse dealt by than I had been in this case, who was stopped in my journey when travelling upon my law­ful occasions, and imprisoned without cause; and now had the oaths put to me only for a snare? I desired him to answer me in the presence of the Lord, in whose pre­sence we all are, whether this oath was not tendered to me in envy?’ He would not answer that; but said, ‘Would you had never come here, to trouble us and the country!’ I answered, ‘I came not thither of myself, but was brought, being stopped in my journey. I did not trouble them, but they had brought trouble upon them­selves.’ Then the judge told me, ‘What a sad sentence he had to tell me.’ I asked him, ‘Whether what he was going to speak was by way of passing sentence, or for in­formation? For I told him I had many things to say, and more errors to assign in the indictment, besides those I had already mentioned, to stop him from giving sentence against me upon that indictment.’ He said, ‘He was go­ing to shew me the danger of a premunire, which was the loss of my liberty and of all my goods and chattels, and to suffer imprisonment during life.’ But he said, ‘He did not deliver this as the sentence of the court upon me, but as an admonition to me.’ Then he bid the gaoler ‘Take me away.’ I expected to have been called again to hear the sentence; but when I was gone, the Clerk of the peace (whose name was Twittey) asked him, as I was informed, ‘Whether that which he had spoken to me should stand-for sentence?’ And he, consulting with some of the justices, told him, 'Yes, that was the sentence, and should stand' This was done behind my back, to save himself from shame in the face of the country. Many of the justices, and the generality of the people, were moderate and civil; and [Page 193]John Ashley, a lawyer, was very friendly both the time be­fore and now, speaking on my behalf, and pleading the errors of the indictment for me; but justice Street, the judge of the court, would not regard, but over-ruled all. This jus­tice Street said to some friends in the morning before my trial, ‘That if he had been upon the bench the first sessions, he would not have tendered me the oath; but if I had been convicted of being at a conventicle, he would have proceeded against me according to that law; and that he was sorry that ever I came before him;’ yet he maliciously tendered the oath to me in the court again, when I was to have tried my traverse upon the indictment. But the Lord pleaded my cause, and met with both him and justice Simp­son, who first ensnared me with the oath at the first sessions; for Simpson's son was arraigned not long after at the same bar for murder. And Street, who, as he came down from London, after the judges had returned me back from the King's Bench to Worcester, said, ‘Now I was returned to them, I should lie in prison and rot;’ had his daughter (whom he so doted on that she was called his idol) brought dead from London in an herse to the same inn where he spoke those words, and brought to Worcester to be buried within a few days after. People took notice of the hand of God, how sudden it was upon him; but it rather hardened than tendered him, as his carriage afterwards shewed.

After I was returned to prison, several came to see me; amongst others, the earl of Salisbury's son, who was very loving, and troubled that they had dealt so wickedly by me. He staid about two hours with me, and took a copy of the errors of the indictment in writing.

The sessions being now over, and I fixed in prison by a premunire, my wife came out of the north to be with me; and the assizes coming on in the sixth month, the state of my case being drawn up in writing, she and Thomas Lower delivered it to judge Wild. In it was set forth the occasion of my journey, the manner of my being taken and imprison­ed, the proceedings of the several sessions against me, and the errors in the indictment by which I was premunired. When the judge had read it, he shook his head, and said, ‘We might try the validity or invalidity of the errors, if we would;’ which was all they could get from him.

While I lay in prison, it came upon me to state our prin­ciple to the king: not with particular relation to my own [Page 194]sufferings, but for his better information concerning our principle, and us as a people.

About this time I had a sit of sickness, which brought me very low and weak in my body; and I continued so a pretty while, insomuch that some friends began to doubt of my recovery, I seemed to myself to be amongst the graves and dead corpses; yet the invisible power did secretly sup­port me, and conveyed refreshing strength into me, even when I was so weak that I was almost speechless. One night, as I was lying awake upon my bed in the glory of the Lord which was over all, it was said unto me, ‘That the Lord had a great deal more work for me to do for him, before he took me to himself.’

Endeavours were used to get me released, at least for a time till I should grow stronger; but the way of effecting it proving difficult and tedious (for the king was not willing to release me by any other way than a pardon, being told he could not legally do it; and I was not willing to accept of a pardon, which he would readily have given me, because I did not look upon that way as agreeable with the innocence of my cause) Edward Pitway, having occasion to speak with justice Parker upon business, desired him to give or­der to the gaoler, That, in regard of my weakness, I might have liberty to go out of the gaol into the city. Whereup­on justice Parker wrote the following letter to the gaoler, and sent it to the friend to deliver.

After this, my wise went to London, and spoke to the king; ‘laying before him my long and unjust imprison­ment, with the manner of my being taken, and the justices proceedings against me, in tendering me the oath as a snare, whereby they had premunired me: so that I being now his prisoner, it was in his power and at his pleasure to release me; which she desired.’ The king spoke kindly to her, and referred her to the lord keeper; to whom she went, but could not obtain what she desired; for he said, ‘The king could not release me otherwise than by a par­don;’ and I was not free to receive a pardon, knowing I had not done evil. If I would have been freed by a par­don, I needed not have laid so long; for the king was willing to have given me one long before; and told Tho­mas Moore, ‘That I need not scruple being released by a pardon, for many a man that was as innocent as a child had had a pardon granted him:’ yet I could not consent to accept one. For I had rather have lain in prison all my days, than come out in any way dishonourable to truth: wherefore I chose to have the validity of my indictment tried before the judges. Having first the opinion of a counsellor upon it (Thomas Corbet of London, whom Richard Davis of Welchpool was well acquainted with, and recommended to me) an Habeas Corpus was sent to Worcester, to bring me up once more to the King's Bench bar, for the trial of the errors in my indictment. The un­der-sheriff set forward with me the fourth of the twelfth month, there being also in the coach the clerk of the peace, and some others. The clerk had been my enemy all along, and now sought to ensnare me in discourse; but I saw, and shunned him. He asked me, ‘What I would do with the errors in the indictment?’ I told him, ‘They should be tried, and every action should crown itself.’ He quarrel­led with me for calling their ministers priests. I asked him, 'If the law did not call them so?' He asked me, ‘What I thought of the church of England? Were there no Christians among them?’ I said, ‘They are all called so, and there are many tender people amongst them.’ We [Page 198]came to London the eighth of the twelfth month, and the eleventh I was brought before the four judges at the King's Bench, where counsellor Corbet started a new plea. He told the judges, ‘They could not imprison any man upon a premunire.’ Whereupon the chief justice Hale said, ‘Mr. Corbet, you should have come sooner, at the begin­ning of the term, with this plea.’ He answered, ‘We could not get a copy of the return and the indictment.’ The judge replied, ‘You should have told us, and we would have forced them to have made a return sooner.’ Then said judge Wild, ‘Mr. Corbet, you go upon general terms; and if it be so as you say, we have committed ma­ny errors at the Old Bailey, and in other courts.’ Corbet was positive that by law they could not imprison upon a premunire. The judge said, ‘There is summons in the statute.’ 'Yes,' said Corbet, ‘but summons is not impri­sonment, for summons is in order to a trial.’ 'Well,' said the judge, ‘we must have time to look in our books, and consult the statutes.’ So the hearing was put off till next day.

The next day they chose rather to let this plea fall, and begin with the errors of the indictment; and when they came to be opened, they were so many and gross, that the judges were all of opinion the ‘indictment was quashed and void, and that I ought to have my liber­ty.’ There were that day several great men, lords and others, who had the oaths of allegiance and supremacy tendered to them in open court, just before my trial came on; and some of my adversaries moved the judges that the oaths might be tendered again to me, telling them, 'I was a dangerous man to be at liberty.' But judge Hale said, ‘He had indeed heard some such reports, but he had also heard many more good reports of me;’ so he, with the rest of the judges, ordered me to be freed by proclama­tion. Thus after I had suffered imprisonment a year and almost two months for nothing, I was fairly set at liberty upon a trial of the errors of my indictment, without receiv­ing any pardon, or coming under any obligation or en­gagement at all; and the Lord's everlasting power went over all, to his glory and praise. Counsellor Co [...]bet got great same by it; many of the lawyers told him, ‘He had brought that to light which had not been known before, as to the not imprisoning upon a premunire;’ and after the trial a judge said to him, ‘You have obtained a great [Page 199]deal of honour by pleading George Fox's cause so in court.’

During the time of my imprisonment in Worcester (not­withstanding my want of health, and being so often hurried to and fro to London and back) I wrote several books for the press, one whereof was called, ‘A warning to En­gland;’ another was, ‘To the Jews, proving by the pro­phets, that the Messiah is come;’ another, ‘Concerning inspiration, revelation, and prophecy;’ another, ‘Against all vain disputes;’ another, ‘For all bishops and minis­ters to try themselves by the scriptures;’ another. ‘To such as say, We love none but ourselves;’ another, inti­tuled, 'Our testimony concerning Christ;' and another little book 'concerning Swearing,' being the first of those two given to the parliament. Besides these, I wrote many papers and epistles to friends, to encourage and strengthen them in their services for God, which some (who made pro­fession of truth, but had given way to a seducing spirit, and were departed from the unity and fellowship of the gos­pel, in which friends stand) endeavoured to discourage them from; especially in their diligent and watchful care for the well-ordering and managing the affairs of the church of Christ.

Being at liberty, I visited friends in London; and having been very weak, and not yet well recovered, I went to Kingston; and having visited friends there, returned to London, wrote a paper to the parliament, and sent several books to them. A great book against swearing had been delivered to them a little before; the reasonableness where­of had so much influence, that it was thought they would have done something towards our relief if they had sat lon­ger. I staid in and near London till the yearly meeting, to which friends came from most parts of the nation, and some from beyond sea. A glorious meeting we had in the everlasting power of God.

This meeting over, and the parliament risen (who had done nothing for nor against friends) I was clear of my ser­vice for the Lord at London. And having taken my leave of friends there, and had a glorious meeting with some of them at John Elson's in the morning, I set forward with my wise and her daughter Susan by coach (for I was not able to travel on horseback) towards the north, many friends accompanying us as far as Highgate, and some to Danstable, where we lodged that night. We visited friends and were [Page 200]visited by them at Newport-Pagnel, Northampton, and Cossel, where, amongst others, came a woman, and brought her daughter for me to see how well she was; putting me in mind, ‘That when I was there before, she had brought her to me much troubled with the king's evil, and had then desired me to pray for her.’ Which I did, and she mended upon it; praised be the Lord! From Cossel we went by John Simcock's and William Gandy's to Warring­ton, Preston and Lancaster.

I had not been at Lancaster since I was carried prisoner from thence by the under-sheriff and gaoler, towards Scar­borough castle in Yorkshire. I found the town full of peo­ple; for it was fair-time, and the trained bands were met upon a general muster. Many friends were also in town from several parts of the county, because the quarterly meet­ing was to be there next day. I staid two nights and a day at Lancaster, and visited friends both at their men's and women's meetings, which were very full, large, and peace­able; for the Lord's power was over all, and none meddled with us. Here met us Thomas Lower and his wife, Sarah Fell, James Lancaster, and Leonard Fell. The next day after the meeting, the twenty-fifth of the fourth month, we went over the sands, with several other friends to Swarth­more.

After I had been awhile at Swarthmore, several friends from divers parts of the nation came to visit me, and some out of Scotland; by whom I understood, four young stu­dents of Aberdeen were convinced there this year, at a dis­pute held by Robert Barclay and George Keith with some of the scholars of that university.

Among others, colonel Kirby paid me a visit, who had been one of my great persecutors; but now he said he came to bid me welcome into the country, and carried himself in appearance very lovingly; yet before I left Swarthmore he sent for the constables of Ulverstone, and ordered them to tell me, ‘That we must have no more meetings at Swarth­more; for if we had, they were commanded by him to break them up, and were to come the next first-day.’ That day we had a very precious meeting, the Lord's pre­sence was wonderful amongst us, and the constables did not come to disturb us. The meetings have been quiet since, and have increased.

The illness I got in my imprisonment at Worcester had so much weakened me, it was long before I recovered my [Page 201]natural strength again. For which reason, and as I had many things lay upon me to write for public and private service, I did not stir much abroad during the time I now staid in the north; but when friends were not with me, spent pretty much time in writing books and papers for truth's service. While I was at Swarthmore, I gave several to be printed; viz.

One, 'Concerning swearing.'

Another, shewing, ‘That none are successors to the prophets and apostles, but who succeed them in the same power and Holy Ghost that they were in.’

Another, shewing, ‘That possession is above profession; and how the professors now do persecute Christ in spirit, as the professing Jews did persecute him outwardly in the days of his flesh.’

Another little book, 'To the magistrates of Dantzick.'

Another, called, ‘Cain against Abel; or, An answer to the New-England men's laws.’

Another, 'To friends at Nevis, concerning watching.'

Another, 'A general epistle to all friends in America.'

Another, 'Concerning Caesar's due, and God's due, &c.'

Another, 'Concerning ordering of families.'

Another, intituled, 'The spiritual man judgeth all things.'

Another, 'Concerning the higher power.'

Besides these, I wrote several epistles to friends, both in England and beyond the seas; and answers to divers papers concerning the ‘running out of some who had opposed the order of the gospel,’ had stirred up a great deal of strife and contention in Westmoreland. Wherefore I was moved to write a few lines particularly to friends there.

I also wrote the following general epistle to friends at the yearly meeting in London:

During this time, I collected together as many as I could of the epistles I had wrote in former years to friends. I made a collection too of the several papers I had wrote to Oliver Cromwel and his son Richard, in the time of their protectorships, and to the parliaments and magistrates, in their times. I collected also the papers I had wrote to king Charles the Second since his return, and to his council and parliaments, and the justices or other magistrates under him. I made another collection of certificates, which I had received from divers governors of places, judges, justices, parliament-men, and others, for the clearing of me from many slanders, which the envious priests and professors, both here and beyond sea, had cast upon me. This I did for the truth's sake, knowing that their design in slandering me was to defame the truth published by me, and hinder the spreading thereof amongst the people. Besides these, I made two books of collections; one was, a list or cata­logue of the names of those friends who went out of the north of England, when truth first broke forth there, to proclaim the day of the Lord through this nation. The other was of the names of those friends that went first to preach the gospel in other nations, countries, and places, in what years, and to what p [...]rts they went.

I made another collection, in two books; viz. one of [Page 213]epistles and letters from friends and others, on several occa­sions, to me; the other of letters of mine to friends and others.

I wrote also a book of the types and figures of Christ, with their significations; and many other things, which will be of service to truth and friends in time to come.

I took notice also of those who had run out from truth, drawn others out after them, and turned against truth and friends, since the first breaking forth of truth in this latter age, and what became of them; noting particularly the re­pentance and return of such of them as came back to truth again. Some ran quite out, and never returned, but were cut off in their gainsaying and rebellion; for the word and power of God hath blasted, and is blasting them, and the holy seed hath ground, and is grinding them to pieces. I have observed that they, who have been convinced, and have not lived and walked in the truth, have been the worst enemies to the truth, and done most hurt amongst friends in the truth, and to others. In these I have seen fulfilled what the Lord did long since shew me, ‘That such would be greater deceivers than all the priests and professors.’ For such as came as far as Cain, Balaam, Corah, and Da­than, who could 'preach Christ,' and say, ‘They had preached in his name;’ such as came to be apostles, and had tasted of the power of Christ, and then turned from it, such could yet speak their old experiences, and have good words like Corah and Balaam; but not keeping in the life and truth, they deceived the hearts of the simple. Such come to be of the [...]evil, who abode not in the truth; as Cain and all the Jews that abode not in the truth were. For though Cain did sacrifice to God, and did talk with God, and the Jews could talk of Abraham, Moses, and the pro­phets, yet Christ told them, ‘They were of their father the devil.’ In like manner, though those called Christians can talk of Christ, and use his and his apostles and disciples words, yet not abiding in the truth, power, and spirit the apostles were in, they are of the devil, out of truth, and do his work. So are all those that have been convinced of God's eternal truth since it sprang up in this nation, that have not abode in the light, in the spirit and power of Christ Jesus, but have turned against the power, and have oppos­ed the work thereof; though they may retain their former experiences, and be able to speak many good words, yet not living in the life and power that gave them those experien­ces, [Page 214]they live in the power of darkness, which is of the de­vil; and by the light and truth both he and they are con­demned, and must own their condemnation, if ever they come to truth again. For to resist the heavenly power, and to oppose the workings and divine manifestations there­of through any, is not a light matter. And as I had been moved of the Lord to travel in his power round this nation, and in other parts, to preach the everlasting gospel, and to declare the word of life, which was in the beginning, through many imprisonments, hardships, sufferings, and trials: so I was afterwards moved to travel in the same heavenly power about the nation again (and to write to such places where I came not) to recommend unto friends the ‘setting up of the quarterly and monthly meetings in all counties, for looking after the poor, taking care for orderly proceed­ings in marriages, and other matters relating to the church of Christ.’ Though some meetings for this end were set­tled 'in the north of England in the year 1652.

After this also, truth still spreading further over the nation, and friends increasing in number, I was moved by the same eternal power to recommend the setting up women's meet­ings also, that all, both male and female, who had receiv­ed the gospel, the word of eternal life, might come into the order of the gospel, brought forth by the power of God, and might act for God in the power, and therein do busi­ness and service for him in his church. All the faithful must labour in God's vineyard; they being his hired ser­vants, he having given them the earnest of his Spirit. For a master that hires a servant, and gives him the earnest of his hire, expects he should do his work after he knows his will, in the outward creation; so all God's people that are of the new creation, and have received the earnest of his Spi­rit, ought to labour with, by, and in his Spirit, power, grace, and faith, in the light, in God's vineyard, that they may have their wages when they have done God's work and business in his day, which is eternal life. But none can labour in his vineyard, and do his work and will, but as they walk in the heavenly divine light, grace, and Spirit of Christ; which hath been, and is my travail and labour in the Lord to turn all to.

Some that professed truth, and had made a great shew thereof, being gone from the simplicity of the gospel into jangling, division, and a sp [...]t of separation, endeavoured to discourage friends (especially the women) from their godly [Page 215]care and watchfulness in the church over one another in the truth; opposing their meetings, which in the power of the Lord were set up for that end and service. Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to write the following epistle, and send it among friends, for the discovering of that spirit by which those opposers were acted, its work and way by which it wrought, and to warn friends of it, that they might not be betrayed by it.

While I was at Swarthmore, died William Lampit, priest of Ulverstone (the parish that Swarthmore is in.) He was an old deceiver, and perverter of the right way of the Lord, and a persecutor of the people of God. Much contest I had with him when I first came into those parts. He had been an old false prophet: for in the year 1652 be prophe­sied (and said he would wage his life upon it) ‘that the Qua­kers would all vanish and come to nought within half a year:’ but he came to nought himself. For he continued in his false accusing of God's people till a little before he died, and then cried for a little rest. To one of his hearers, that came to visit him before he died, he said, ‘I have been a preacher a long time, and thought I had lived well; but I did not think it had been so hard a thing to die.’

After I had sinished the services which lay upon me then to do, seeling my spirit drawn towards the south (though I was but weak, and not able to travel far in a day) I left Swarthmore the twenty-sixth of the first month 1677, and went to Thomas Pearson's at Powbank in Westmoreland, where I had a meeting the next day; and from thence to Thomas Camm's at Camm's-gill, whither Robert Widders, with his wife and several other friends came to see me be­fore I left the country, and to attend the meeting there the [Page 219]next day, which was very large, and in which I was largely drawn forth in testimony to the truth. I had much dis­course with some of that meeting, who were not in unity with the quarterly meeting they belonged to: but after­wards several of them, that were somewhat tender, came to see their error, and gave forth condemnations against them­selves. Next day John Blaykling came to Thomas Camm's, to bring me to his house at Drawell in Sedberg in York­shire; whither I went with him, visiting friends in the way. I staid at Drawell two or three nights, having meetings there and thereabouts: for while I was there, the men's and women's meetings were held, which were very large and precious. The first-day following I had a meeting at Brig-flats, to which most of the friends from the several meetings round, with a great concourse of other people, came; it was thought there were five or six hundred people. A very good meeting it was, wherein truth was largely declared and preciously opened, to the comforting and refreshing the faithful, and the drawing near them that were afar off. I had another meeting at John Blaykling's, where came many friends that were going to the quarterly meeting at Kendal: with them my wife went back (who with her daughter Ra­chel had accompanied me thus far;) and I, having Leonard Fell with me, passed through Sedberg and Garsdale into Wensydale, visiting friends as we went. At night I reach­ed Richard Robinson's at Counterside, where several friends came to me that evening; some of whom went with me next day to the widow Tenant's at Scarhouse in Langstroth-dale, whither we had much ado to get, the snow lay so deep, though it was a week in the second month. Here on first-day we had a large meeting, friends coming to it from seve­ral parts round about; and the Lord gave me a very sea­sonable testimony to bear amongst them, which I did for several hours, to their great satisfaction and comfort. Thence passing through Bishopsdale, Mildum, Barton, and by Be­dal and Northallerton, I came to George Robinson's at Burrowby, where also friends coming from several parts, we had a very large and good meeting, and very peaceable. Not long after, an envious justice, hearing I had a great meeting there, troubled friends about is, and made them appear at the sessions, where he asked them many ensnaring questions; for he knew not how to convict them, because he had no proof against them. When he saw his questions did not catch them, he told them, ‘He had heard that [Page 220]George Fox was at a large meeting with them, and they all sat silent, and none spoke in the meeting.’ This false story he cunningly feigned, thinking thereby to have drawn some of the friends to have contradicted him, and have said, 'That I had spoke in the meeting;' that he might have convicted them upon their own confession, and have fined them. But friends standing in the wisdom of God, did not answer him according to his desire, and so escaped his snare. But two friends that came out of Ireland having a meeting that evening about three miles off this evil-minded justice got information thereof, and fined friends, and plun­dered them very sorely for it.

I went from Burrowby to Isaac Lindley's, calling upon friends as I went. Robert Lodge, and some friends with me, next day passed to York; and the day following, being first-day, I was at friends meeting at York, which was large and peaceable. The second day also I staid in York, and had two meetings with friends at John Taylor's, from whence I wrote to my wife, as followeth:

Leaving York, I visited friends at Tadcaster, Nottingly, Doncaster, and Balby, having meetings as I went. At Balby I staid the first-day meeting, and went next day to Thomas Stacy's at Ballowfield, where in the evening I had a meeting, to compose a difference that had happened be­tween some that professed truth, and they were reconciled. Next day I came to Stainsby in Derbyshire, in which coun­ty I had formerly lived, about the first breaking forth of truth. Here I had a good meeting with friends, and after­wards passed to Skegby in Nottinghamshire, and from thence to Nottingham, to John Reckless's. I had a meeting with friends at his house that evening, and another the next day in friends publick meeting-house, which was peaceable and well.

I went the day following to John Fox's at Wymeswould in Leicestershire, where I had a meeting that evening: and next day to William Smith's at Sileby, where, it being first-day, we had a very large meeting: for besides friends from several places, many of the town's-people, hearing I was there, came to the meeting, and heard the truth declar­ed gladly. Next day I went to Leicester, where finding many friends come out of the country, to be at the horse­fair next day, I had a very good meeting with them that night, and another next evening at William Wells's at Knighton, about a mile from Leicester. Next day I passed to Swanington, and had a meeting there: from thence to Samuel Fretwell's at Hartshorn in Derbyshire, where I had a meeting also; then to Henry Sidon's at Badgely in War­wickshire, and staid the meeting there, which, being the first-day, was very large and peaceable, notwithstanding a justice had threatened to come and break it up. I went in [Page 222]the evening to Richard Baal's of Whittington, where seve­ral friends came to visit me. Next day I went to Nathani­el Newton's at Hartshill, where several friends met me, with whom I had good service. After this I passed on, visiting friends in divers places, till I came to Dingley, where a meeting was appointed before, which was very numerous, and truth was largely opened to the people: the meeting was peaceable, and the people generally sober; saving that, while I was shewing how christendom (so called) was gone from the pure religion that is underfiled, &c. a man rushed out in a furious manner, and said, 'I deny that.' After this meeting, I went with Thornas Charles to his house at Adingworth; and next day to Northampton, where I staid the first-day meeting, which was very large and peace­able. I had much service among friends besides. Next day Edward Cooper of Northampton accompanied me to Olney in Buckinghamshire, where I staid at James Brier­lie's, several friends coming to see me in the evening. Next day I went to a meeting at Turry in Bedfordshire, to which friends came from several parts. It was a very large meeting. Here I met with William Dewsberry, who after the meet­ing took me to his son-in-law John Rush's of Kempston, where I staid with William that night and most of the next day; passing thence towards the evening through Ampthill to Thomas Gamboll's of Bullocks-hill. William Dews­berry went along with me, and several friends came to visit vs. Next day, passing through Luton, I went to Market- [...]treet, William Dewsberry accompanying me part of the way, and the day following Leonard Fell. I had a meet­ing at Kensworth, which was pretty large and peaceable; after which we visited friends at Alban's, and next day at South Mims and Barnet. We came that night to the wi­dow Haly's at Guttershedge in Hendon, Middlesex. Next day, being first-day, we had a very large meeting there, se­veral friends coming from London. I staid second-day, and the third went to William Mead's house at Highgate, with whom next day I went to London. It being fourth-day, I went to the meeting at Gracechurch-street, where friends and I were greatly refreshed in each other in the Lord, and the Lord's power and Seed was set over all; blessed be his name for ever!

Thus it pleased the Lord to bring me sase to London, tho' much wearied; for tho' I rode not very far in a day, yet thro' weakness of body, continual travelling was hard to [Page 223]me. Besides, I had not much rest a-nights to refresh na­ture, for I often sat up late with friends where I lodged, to inform and advise them in things wherein they were want­ing; and when I was in bed, I was often hindered of sleep by great pains in my head and teeth, occasioned, as I thought, by cold I had taken by riding often in the rain. But the Lord's power was over all, and carried me through all, to his praise.

In my journey I observed a slackness and shortness in some that professed truth, in keeping up the ancient testimo­ny of truth against tithes: for where-ever that spirit got en­trance which wrought division in the church, and opposed the men's and women's meetings, it weakened those that re­ceived it in their testimony against tithes. Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to give forth an 'Epistle to friends,' to stir up the pure mind in them, and to encourage and strengthen them in their christian testimony against that an­tichristian yoke of oppression.

I came to London ten or twelve days before the yearly meeting; in which time I fell in with friends there in the service of truth, visiting them at the meetings. The par­liament then sitting, we prepared something to lay before them, concerning seizing the third part of friends estates, as Popish recusants; which was a great suffering, and a griev­ance we complained of; but no redress we got.

To the yearly meeting many friends came from most parts of the nation, and some out of Scotland, Holland, &c. Very glorious meetings we had, wherein the Lord's power­ful presence was very largely felt, and the affairs of truth were sweetly carried on in the unity of the Spirit, to the satisfaction and comfort of the upright-hearted; blessed be the Lord for ever! After the yearly meeting, having staid a week or two with friends in London, I went with William Penn to his house in Sussex; John Burnyeate and some other friends being with us. As we passed through Surry, hearing the quarterly meeting for the county was that day, William Penn, John Burnyeate, and I went from the road to it; and after the meeting returning to our other com­pany, went with them to William Penn's that night, which is forty miles from London. I staid at Worminghurst about three weeks, in which time John Burnyeate and I answered a very wicked and envious book, which Roger Williams, a priest of New-England (or some colony thereabouts; had written against truth and friends. When we had finished that service, we went with Stephen Smith to his hous [...] [Page 225]Warpledon in Surry, where we had a large meeting. Friends thereaway had been exceedingly plundered about two months before on the priest's account; for they took from Stephen Smith five kine (being all he had) for about fifty shillings tithes. From thence we went to Kingston, and so to London, where I staid not long: for it was upon me from the Lord to go into Holland, to visit friends and to preach the gospel there and in some parts of Germany. Wherefore setting things in order for my journey as fast as I could, I took leave of friends at London, and with several other friends went down to Colchester in Essex, in order to my passage for Holland. Next day, being first-day, I was at the publick meeting of friends there, which was very large and peaceable. In the evening I had another large meeting, but not so publick, at John Furly's house, where I lodged. The day following was the women's meeting, which was also very large. Next day we passed to Har­wich, where Robert Duncon, and several other friends came to see us; and some from London that intended to go over with me. The packet-boat not being ready, we went to the meeting in the town, and a precious opportu­nity we had together; for the Lord, according to his wont­ed goodness, by his overcoming, refreshing power, opened many mouths to declare his everlasting truth, and to praise and glorify him. After the meeting, we returned to John Vandewall's, where I had lodged; and when the boat was ready (taking leave of friends) we that were bound for Hol­land went on board about the 9th hour in the evening, the 25th of the 5th month, 1677.

The friends that went over with me were William Penn, Robert Barclay, George Keith and his wife, John Furly and his brother, William Tailcoat, George Watts, and Isabel Yeomans, one of my wife's daughters. About the first hour in the morning we weighed anchor, having a fair, brisk wind, which by the next morning brought us within sight of Holland. But that day proving very clear and calm, we got forward but little till about the fourth hour in the afternoon, when a fresh gale arose, which car­ried us within a league of land. Then being becalmed, we cast anchor for that night between the hours of nine and ten in the evening. But William Penn and Robert Bar­clay (understanding Benjamin Furly was come from Rot­terdam to the Briel to meet us) got two of the boatmen to let down a small boat that belonged to the packet, and [Page 226]row them to shore: but before they could reach it, the gates were shut; and there being no house without the gate, they were fain to lie in a fisher's boat all night. As soon as the gates were opened in the morning, they went in, and found Benjamin Furly, with other friends of Rotterdam, come to receive us; and they sent a boat, with three young men in it, that lived with Benjamin Furly, who brought us to the Briel, where the friends received us with great gladness.

We staid about two hours to refresh ourselves; and then took boat, with the Holland friends, for Rotterdam, where we arrived about the eleventh hour that day, the 28th of the fifth month 1677. I was very well this voyage, but some of the friends were sea-sick. A fine passage we had, and all came safe and well to land; blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for ever!

The next day, being first-day, we had two meetings at Benjamin Furly's, where many of the town's-people and some officers came in, and all were civil. Benjamin Furly or John Claus interpreted, when any friend declared. I spent the next day in visiting friends. The day following, William Penn and I, with other friends, went towards Am­sterdam, with some of that city, who came to Rotterdam to conduct us thither. We took boat in the afternoon, and, passing by Overkirk, came to Delft, through which we walk­ed on foot; and then took boat again to Leyden, where we lodged that night at an inn. This is counted six Dutch miles from Rotterdam, which are eighteen English miles, and five hours sail, or travelling; for our boat was drawn by an horse that went on the shore. Next day taking boat again, we went to Harlem, fourteen miles from Leyden, where we had appointed a meeting, which proved very large. Many of the town's-people came in, and two of their preach­ers. The Lord gave us a blessed opportunity, not only with respect to friends, but to other sober people, and the meeting ended peaceably and well. After meeting we pas­sed to Amsterdam, accompanied by several friends of that city and of Alkmaer.

Next day was the quarterly meeting at Amsterdam, to which came friends from Harlem, and Rotterdam, and with them those of our company, whom we had left at Rotter­dam, viz. Robert Barclay, George Keith and his wife, &c. The meeting was at Gertrude Dirick Nieson's. A very large and serviceable meeting it was. William Penn and I were drawn to open many things concerning the order of [Page 227]the gospel, and to shew the benefit and service of yearly, quarterly and monthly meetings of men and women. We had another meeting at Gertrude's the next day, more pub­lick, and very large, at which were professors of several sorts, unto whom the way of life and salvation was largely and livingly opened; which they hearkened very attentively to, none making any objection to what was declared. In the afternoon we had another meeting in the same place, but less, and more private. The day following we had a meet­ing of friends only, wherein by joint agreement were settled several meetings, to wit, monthly, quarterly, and a yearly meeting, to be held at Amsterdam for friends in all the United Provinces of Holland, and in Embden, the Palati­nate, Hamburgh, Frederickstadt, Dantzick, and other pla­ces in and about Germany; which friends were very glad of, and it hath been of great service to truth.

Next day an exercise came upon me concerning that de­ceitful spirit which wrought in some to make divisions in the church, and the care of the churches being upon me, I was moved to write a few lines to warn friends of it, as followeth:

[Page 228] This being first-day, we had a very large meeting, there coming to it a great concourse of people of several opinions, Baptists, Seekers, Socinians, Brownists, and some of the Collegians. Robert Barclay, George Keith, William Penn and I, did all severally declare the everlasting truth among them; opening the state of man in the fall, and shewing by what way man and woman may come into the restoration by Christ Jesus. The mystery of iniquity and the mystery of godliness were very plainly laid open, and the meeting ended quietly and well.

The day following, George Keith, Robert Barclay, and William Penn, leaving me and some other friends at Am­sterdam, set forward towards Germany, where they travelled many hundred miles, and had good service for the Lord, Benjamin Furly going with them, and interpreting.

That day and the next I staid at Amsterdam, visiting friends, and assisting them in some business concerning their meetings. Three Baptists came to discourse with me, to whom I opened things to their satisfaction, and they parted from me in kindness. I wrote a letter also to the princess Elizabeth, which Isabel Yeomans delivered to her, when George Keith's wife and she went to visit her.

The princess Elizabeth's answer:

Next day John Claus and I passed to Buyckslote, Pur­merent, and Alkmaer, about thirty miles from Amsterdam. We went to a friend's whose name was Willem Willems, where I had a meeting that night. I had another next day, which was larger: several professors came, and all was quiet and well. After the meeting I visited some friends; then, taking boat, passed to Hoorn, counted the chief city in North Holland. We lodged at an inn; and, taking wag­gon [Page 232]early next morning, we passed to Enckhuysen, where we took ship for Friesland; and, landing in the afternoon at Workum, took water, and rode upon the high bank of the Friezen seas, till we met two friends coming with a wag­gon to meet us, with whom we went to Harlingen, the chief sea-port town in Friesland. We went to Hessel Jacobs's, whither several friends came to visit us that night. Next day we visited the friends of the place; and I wrote a paper, directed. ‘To all them that persecute friends for not ob­serving their fast-day.’

The day following being first-day, friends had a meeting there, to which we went, and many professors came to it. I declared the everlasting gospel amongst them, John Claus interpreting. They were all very civil, and heard attentive­ly; and when the meeting was done, departed peaceably, without making any opposition. After meeting I went to Hessel Jacobs's again, whither after awhile came a Calvin­ist, to ask me some questions, which I answered to his satis­faction; and he departed friendly. Soon after he was gone, a preacher of the Collegians came to discourse with me, who seemed well satisfied also, and we parted lovingly. That evening I had another meeting with the friends there, and next morning we passed to Leuwarden, the chief city in Friesland, and lodged that night at a friend's house whose name was Sybrand Dowes.

Next morning early we passed to Dockum, and, walking through the city, took boat again to Strobus, which is the utmost part of Friesland. There we baited at a commissa­ry's. Then taking boat, we passed to Groningen, the chief city of the province of Groningland. One of the magis­trates of that city came with us from Leuwarden, with whom I had some discourse on the way; and he was very loving. We walked near three miles through the city; then took boat for Delfziel; and passing, in the evening, through Ap­pingdalem, where had been a great horse-fair that day, there came many officers rushing into the boat, who, being in drink, were very rude. I exhorted them to ‘fear the Lord, and beware of Solomon's vanities.’ They were a sort of boisterous fellows; yet somewhat more civil afterwards. We landed at Delfziel about the tenth hour at night, having travelled much about fifty English miles that day. We went to an inn to lodge; and as we passed through the guards, they examined John Claus, whether I was not a [Page 233]militia soldier? He told them I was not, and they let us pass peaceably.

Delfziel stands on the river Eems, over which we passed next day to Embden, where friends had been cruelly per­fecuted, and from which they had been often banished. I went to an inn, where I dined with some men that under­stood English, with whom I had a fine time, and they were loving. Meanwhile John Claus went with his wife to her father's, in Embden; whither, after I had dined, I went also, understanding the old man was desirous to see me. In the afternoon John Claus and I walked through the city, to the place where the waggon was to meet us: and while we tarried for it, the friends that were in the city came to the house where we were, and we had a little meeting. When the meeting was over, and the waggon came not, we sent to know the reason. The master of the waggon sent us word, he durst not let his waggon go; for the bishop of Munster's soldiers were up in the country, and he was afraid they would take away his horses. Being disappointed of our passage, we returned to John Claus's father-in-law's house, where I left him, and went to my inn at night.

We took shipping next day, and passed about fifteen miles upon the river Eems, to a market-town in East Fries­land, called Leer, where lived a friend that had been banish­ed from Embden. When we had visited him, we hired a waggon, and passed to a garrison-town called Strikehuysen, where the guards examined us; and then we went to Deter­en, where hiring another waggon, we passed to another gar­rison town, where we were very strictly examined. From thence we passed to Apre, in the king of Denmark's coun­try, where we lodged that night. In our travelling this day, we met the earl of Oldenburgh, going to the treaty of peace at Lembachie.

Next day we passed to Oldenburgh, lately a great and fa­mous place, but then burnt down, and but few houses left standing in it. At this place we hired another waggon, and went to Delmenhurst, where, after we had been examined by the guards, we went to a burgomaster's to lodge, whose house was at an inn. There being many people, I decla­red the way of truth to him and them, warning them of the day of the Lord that was coming upon all evil-doers.

We passed next day to Bremen, a stately city in Germa­ny; and from thence, after a double examination, we went to a water called Overdeland, and there took boat to Fisher­holder; [Page 234]where finding pretty many people together, I de­clared the way of God to them, and exhorted them ‘to fear the Lord.’ There we took waggon again, and travelled in the bishop of Munster's country, to Closter-Seven. Hav­ing no inclination to stay there, we got fresh horses, intend­ing to travel all night. Accordingly we went a little way; but it quickly grew so dark, and rained so hard, that we thought best to turn back again; for our waggon being open, we had no defence against the rain, and our cloaths were already wet with the rain that had fallen for several days before. So we went to an inn, and got a little fresh straw; upon which we lay till about break of day, then set out and travelled to the city of Buxtehude.

The people in the bishop of Munster's country were very dark. As we passed amongst them, I preached truth to them, warning them of the great and notable day of the Lord, exhorting them to soberness, and to mind the good Spirit of God in themselves.

It was on a first-day that we went through Buxtehude; and without the walls was a great fair of sheep and geese that day. We staid a little to refresh ourselves, and went on as fast as we could to Hamburgh, partly by waggon, and partly by water.

We got to Hamburgh time enough to have a meeting there that evening. A good and glorious meeting it was. There were, amongst others, a baptist teacher and his wife, and a great man of Sweden with his wife; and all was quiet, blessed be the Lord, whose power was exalted over all! Yet a hard, dark place this is, and the people are much shut up from truth.

At Hamburgh was a woman that had spoken against me in John Perrot's time, though she had never seen me till now. She had been troubled for it ever since, and now was glad of an opportunity to acknowledge her sault; which she very readily did, and I as readily and freely for­gave her.

We staid that night at Hamburgh, encouraging and strengthening the friends there in their testimony to the truth; and betimes next morning we set forwards towards Frederickstadt, which is two long days journey from Ham­burgh. We went the first-day to Elmshoorn, where we baited, and then rode through a garrison-town of the king of Denmark's; and, passing by the monument of the earl of Rantzow, came to the city of Itzeho, where we lodged that [Page 235]night. I had some service in the evening, among the people in the inn, whom I exhorted to soberness, and to live in the fear of the Lord. Next morning we travelled to Hoghenhorn, where we dined at an inn with one of the coun­cil of Frederickstadt; to whom, and to the rest of the peo­ple present, I declared the truth, with which they seemed to be affected. Then travelling on, we came to a river cal­led Eyder, where we took boat and went to Frederickstadt. We went to William Paul's, where several friends came to us, for there is a pretty company of friends in that city. We had a fine refreshing meeting together that evening, which made us forget our weariness; for we were indeed very weary, having travelled hard those two days, and were wet through our cloaths, having had much rain in our open waggons. But the Lord made all easy and good to us; and we were well and glad to see friends; blessed be his holy name for ever!

This city is in the duke of Holstein's country, who would have banished friends out of the city and country, and sent to the magistrates of the city to do it; but they said, they would lay down their offices rather than do it; inasmuch as themselves came to that city to enjoy the liberty of their consciences. Friends still enjoy their liberty there, and truth and they are of good report amongst the people, both in city and country.

On first-day I had a meeting here, to which many people came, and some rough spirits; but the power of the Lord bound them down, and the Seed of life was set over all. While I was here, I had a discourse with a Levite concern­ing the coming of the Messiah; and he was much confound­ed in what he said; yet he carried himself lovingly, and in­vited me to his house. I went, and there discoursed with a Jew, who shewed me their Talmud, and many other Jew­ish books: but they are very dark, and do not understand their own prophets.

There was at this city a Baptist teacher, who had reproach­ed and belied friends; wherefore John Claus went, with two friends of the town, to the house where he lodged, cleared truth and friends from his reproaches, and laid his lies and slanders upon his own head, to his shame.

Before we left this place, I had another meeting with friends only, wherein I laid before them the usefulness of a monthly meeting, for looking after the poor, and taking care that marriages, and all other things relating to the [Page 236]church, were performed in an orderly manner. The thing answered the witness of God in their consciences, so they readily agreed to have monthly meetings thenceforward amongst themselves, that both men and women might take care of the outward concerns of the church.

Feeling my spirit clear of that place, we took leave of friends, whom we left in good order, and turned back for Hamburgh. When we had travelled one day's journey, and came to an inn at night to lodge, I enquired whether there were any tender people in the town that feared God, or that had a mind to discourse of the things of God? The inn-keeper told me, there were few such in that town. Next night we got to Hamburgh, and having passed the guards, went to a friend's house, being very weary; for we had been up those two mornings before the third hour, and had travelled each day hard and late. Here we met with John Hill, an English friend, who had been travelling in Germany; and being in a ship bound for Amsterdam that waited for a wind, he had lain sick on board about two weeks; and now hearing that I was in the country got off from the ship, and came hither to meet me, and go along with me.

We had a very good meeting here, and very peaceable. After which I had discourse with a Swede, an eminent man in his own country; who having been banished from thence upon the account of his religion, was come to Hamburgh, and was at the meeting I had there before. When I had done with him, I had another discourse with a Baptist con­cerning the sacraments, so called: in both which I had good service, having opportunity thereby to open truth un­to them.

Being clear of Hamburgh, we took leave of friends there, whom we left well; and taking John Hill with us, passed by boat to a city in the duke of Lunenburgh's country; where, after we were examined by the guards, we were had to the main guard, and there examined more strictly; but after they found we were not soldiers, they were civil to us, and let us pass. In the afternoon we travelled by waggon, and the waters being much out, by reason of the great rains that had fallen, when it drew towards night we hired a boy to guide us through a great water. When we came to it the water was so deep, before we could come at the bridge, that the waggoner was sain to wade, and I drove the wag­gon. When we were come upon the bridge, the horses broke part of it down, and one of them fell into the water, [Page 237]the waggon standing upon that part of the bridge which remained unbroken. It was the Lord's mercy to us, that the waggon did not run into the brook. When they had got the horse out, he lay awhile as if he had been dead; but at length they got him up, put him to the waggon again, laid the planks right, and then, through the goodness of the Lord to us, we got safe over.

After this we came to another water, which finding to be very deep, and it being in the night, we hired two men to help us through. These men put cords to the waggon to hold it by, that the force of the water might not drive it beside the way. But when we came into it, the stream was so strong it took one of the horses off his legs, and was car­rying him down the stream; which I seeing, called to the waggoner to pluck him to him by his reins, which he did, and the horse recovered his legs, and with much difficulty we got over the bridge, and went to Bormer-haven, the town where the waggoner lived. It was the last day of the sixth month that we escaped these dangers, and being about the eleventh hour in the night when we came in here, we got some fresh straw, and lay upon it till about four in the morning. Then getting up, we set forward again towards Bremen, going part of the way by waggon, and part by boat. In the way I had good opportunities to publish truth, especially at a market-town where we staid to change our passage; where I declared the truth to the people, warning them of the day of the Lord that was coming upon all flesh; and exhorting them to righteousness, telling them, 'that God was come to teach his people himself,' and that they should turn to the Lord, and hearken to the teachings of his Spirit in their own hearts.

At Bremen we were examined, and after went to an inn, and staid till another waggon was provided to carry us fur­ther. Though I felt the Lord's power was over the city, and kept the wicked and unruly spirits down, yet my spirit suffered much in this place for the people's sake. When our waggon was ready we left Bremen, and travelled to Ke­by, where we lodged at an inn, and early next morning set out for Oldenburgh. It was a lamentable sight to see so great and brave a city burnt down. We went to an inn, and though it was first-day the soldiers were drinking, and playing at shovel-board, and at those few houses that were left, the shops were open, and the people trading one with another. I was moved to declare the truth among them, [Page 238]and warn them of the judgments of God; and though they heard me quietly, and were civil towards me, yet I was bur­thened with their wickedness. Many times in mornings, and at noons and nights, at the inns, and on the ways, as I travelled, I spoke to the people, preaching the truth to them, warning them of the day of the Lord, and exhorting them to turn to the light and Spirit of God in themselves, that thereby they might be led out of evil.

Next day, passing through many great waters, we came to Leer, and the day following to Embden, where John Claus's wife's father lived; at whose house, when we went into Germany, we left a young man sick, who travel­led with me, and used to write for me; whom now we found pretty well recovered. John Claus went to his father-in­law's, John Hill and I to an inn, where we dined. After dinner we went also to John Claus's father's, and had a good meeting there in the evening.

The day following we took shipping at Embden, and passed to Delfziel, and went to an inn, where a friend came to us that then lived in Delfziel, having been often banished from Embden: he was a goldsmith by trade, and had a house and shop in Embden, and still as they banished him he went again. Then they imprisoned him, fed him with bread and water, and at length took his goods from him, and banished him, his wife and children, leaving them nei­ther place to come to, nor any thing to subsist on. We comforted and encouraged him in the Lord, exhorting him to be faithful, and stand steadfast in the testimony committed to him. When we had taken leave of him, we passed the same day to Groningen, where we met with Cornelius An­dries, a friend, that had also suffered much by imprison­ment and banishment at Embden. We went with him to his house, and the next day we had a good meeting in that city, to which several professors came, who were very peace­able and attentive. After meeting we passed by boat to Stro­bus, and Dockum, where we lodged that night at an inn. Taking boat again next morning, we passed to Leuwarden, the chief city of Frienstand, where I found my daughter Yeomans, who was come from Amsterdam thither to meet me. That day we had a precious meeting at Sybrand Dowes's house. After the meeting I had discourse with some that were at the meeting, who had been formerly con­vinced of truth; but were not come into obedience to it. [Page 239]We staid there that night; but John Hill left us, and went that day to Harlingen, and so to Amsterdam.

Next day we passed down the river to the lake of Hem­pen-Sarmer, and thence by the lake Lugmer, and so to a town called Anderigo; from whence sailing through the lake Whispool, we came to Gardick within night. We lodged at an inn; and the next day, being first-day, we were at friends meeting there, which was very large, many of the town's-people coming in. I declared the truth in the power of the Lord, that was upon me; which tendered the people, and they were very sober. After the meeting we staid to refresh ourselves, and went to take boat again; but the people observing us, gathered together at a bridge we were to pass, and there I declared the way of life and salva­tion unto them, and they were very attentive and civil.

We went back that evening to Leuwarden, being twenty­seven miles; but before we could reach it, the gates were shut and the bridges drawn up, so that we could not get into the city, but were fain to lie in the boat all night; and a man being killed in the city that night, it was late before the gates were opened. When we could get in, we went to a friend's house, where we staid awhile; then taking boat, we passed through Franeker to Harlingen, to Hassel Jacobs's, where we found several Dutch friends come to be at the meeting there next day. William Penn, returning two or three days before out of Germany, had been at a large meeting at Amsterdam on first-day; and after meet­ing, understanding I was at Harlingen, came thither to me.

Next day was the monthly meeting for men and women, to which we went. It was large and good. And there it was agreed, ‘a meeting should be held there once a month, both for the men and for the women, to take care of the outward concerns of the church.’

In the afternoon we had a publick meeting, to which came people of several sorts. Socinians, Baptists, Luther­ans, &c. amongst whom was a doctor of physich and a priest. After I had declared the truth pretty largely open­ing the happy state that man and woman were in whilst they kept under God's teaching, and abode in paradise; and the wo and misery that came upon them when they went from God's teaching, hearkened to the serpent's, trans­gressed God's command, and were driven out of the para­dise of God; and set forth the way whereby man and wo­man might come into that happy state again: the priest, an [Page 240]ancient grave man, stood up just as I had done speaking, and, putting off his hat, said, ‘I pray God to prosper and consirm that doctrine, for it is truth, and I have nothing 'against it.’ He would willingly have staid till the meeting had been ended, but being to preach that evening, he could not stay longer, the time for h [...]own worship being come. Wherefore, when he had made confession of the truth, he hastened away, that he might come again; and did come, it seems, to the meeting-place, but the meeting was ended first. After which we went to Hassel Jacobs's, where I had a meeting with friends, and the doctor of phy­sick came thither to discourse with William Penn, who had a good opportunity to open truth to him. By this doctor the priest sent his love to me, wishing him to tell me, that he had left preaching that evening half an hour sooner than he used to do, that he might come to our meeting again to hear more of that good doctrine. I heard afterwards, that his hearers questioned him for what he had said in our meet­ing; and that, he standing by his words, they had com­plained of him for it to the other priests of the city, who called him to account about it; but the result I could not learn.

Early next morning William Penn, taking John Claus with him, passed from Harlingen for Leuwarden, where he had appointed a meeting, intending to travel into some other parts of Germany to visit a tender people there. I, with those friends that were with me, took ship the same day for Amsterdam, where we arrived a little after mid­night; but the gates being shut, we lay on board till morn­ing: then went to Gertrude Dirick Nieson's, where many friends came to see us, being glad of our safe return. Next day, seeling a concern upon my mind, with relation to those seducing spirits that made division among friends, and being sensible that they endeavoured to insinuate themselves into the affectionate part, I was moved to write a few lines to friends concerning them, as followeth:

The first-day following, I was at friends meeting at Am­sterdam, to which many people came, and were very civil and attentive, hearing truth declared several hours. John Roeloffs interpreted for me.

Before this several of the friends that came over with me were returned to England again, as Robert Barclay, George Keith's wife, and others; and now my daughter Yeomans went back also: so that I was left alone at Amsterdam. While I was there, it came upon me to visit my suffering friends at Dantzick with a few lines, to encourage and strengthen them in their sufferings, as followeth:

The next day, the fourth of the week and the nineteenth of the month, I had a large meeting at Amsterdam, many professors being at it, and truth was largely opened to them, in the demonstration of the heavenly power. The day following I went by boat, many friends going with me, to Landsmeer in Waterland (a town in which, they say, there are above an hundred bridges) where I had a very good meeting, to which several professors came. After the meet­ing I returned with friends to Amsterdam again, where I staid till the first-day following, and went to their meeting which was large. Many professors of several sorts were at it, and heard the truth declared with great attention.

I tarried next day, and the night following had a great exercise upon my spirit concerning that loose spirit that was run into strife and contention among friends, and had drawn some after it into division and separation; the way, work, and end whereof the Lord opened to me; wherefore, feeling the motion of life upon me, I got up in the morning and wrote the following epistle to friends.

After I had given forth the foregoing epistle, whereby my spirit was in some measure eased of the weight that lay upon it, I went in the afternoon to the monthly meeting of friends at Amsterdam; where the Lord was present with us, and re­freshed our spirits together in himself.

I thought to have gone next day to Harlem: but there being a fast appointed to be kept that day, I was stopped in my spirit, and moved to stay at friends meeting at Amster­dam. We had a very large meeting, a great concourse of people coming to it, and amongst them many great persons. The Lord's power was over the meeting, in the openings whereof I was moved to declare to the people, ‘That no man by all his wit and study, nor by reading history in his own will, could declare or know the generation of Christ, who was not begotten by the will of man, but by the will of God. After I had largely opened this, I shewed them the difference between the true fast and the false, ma­nifesting that the professed Christians, Jews, and Turks, were out of the true fast, and fasted for strife and debate, being under the band and fists of iniquity and oppression, wherewith they were smiting one another; but the pure hands were not lifted up to God. And though they did all appear to men to fast, and did hang down their heads for a day like a bulrush, yet that was not the fast which God did accept; but in that state all their bones were dry, and when they called upon the Lord he did not answer them, neither did their health grow; for they kept their [Page 247]own fast, and not the Lord's. I exhorted them to keep the Lord's fast, which was to fast from sin and iniquity, strife and debate, violence and oppression, and to abstain from every appearance of evil.’ These things were open­ed to the astonishment of the fasters, and the meeting ended peaceably and well.

I went to Harlem the day following, having before ap­pointed a meeting. Peter Hendricks and Gertrude Dirick Nieson went with me, and a blessed meeting we had. There were professors of several sorts, and a priest of the Lutherans, who sat very attentive for several hours while I declared the truth. Gertrude interpreting. When the meeting was done, the priest said, ‘He had heard nothing but what was ac­cording to the word of God, and desired the blessing of the Lord might rest upon us and our assemblies.’ Others also confessed to the truth, saying, ‘They had never heard things so plainly opened to their understandings before.’

We staid that night at Harlem at a friend's house, whose name was Dirick Klassen; and returning next day to Amster­dam, went to Gertrude's house; where we had not been long before a priest of great note, who had formerly belonged to the emperor of Germany, and another German priest, came, desiring to have some conference with me. I took the op­portunity to declare the way of truth, opening unto them how they might come to know God and Christ, and his law and gospel; and shewing them, that they could never know it by study, nor philosophy, but by divine revelation through the Spirit of God, opening to them in the stillness of their minds. The men were tender, and went away well satisfied.

The first-day following I was at friends meeting at Am­sterdam, where, amongst several sorts of professors, was a doctor of Poland, who for his religion was banished from the place he lived in, and being affected with the testimony of truth in the meeting, he came afterwards to have some discourse with me: and after we had been some time to­gether, and I had opened things further to him, he went away very tender and loving.

While I was at Amsterdam, I spent much of my time in writing books, papers, or epistles on truth's behalf. I wrote several epistles from Amsterdam to friends in England and elsewhere, on several occasions, as the Lord moved me by his Spirit thereunto. I wrote also from thence, ‘A warning to the inhabitants of the city of Oldenburgh, which was [Page 248]lately burned down;’ also, ‘A warning to the inhabitants of the city of Hamburgh.’ I wrote also an epistle to the ambassadors that were treating about a peace at Nimeguen. To the magistrates and priests of Embden I wrote, shewing them their unchristian practices in persecuting friends. I wrote several other books there, in answer to priests and others, of Hamburgh, Dantzick, and other places, to clear the truth and friends from their false charges and slanders.

After some time George Keith and William Penn came back from Germany to Amsterdam, and had a dispute with one Galenus Abrahams (one of the most noted Baptists in Holland) at which many professors were present; but not having time to finish the dispute then, they met again two days after, and the Baptist was much confounded, and truth gained ground. Between these two disputes we had a very great meeting at friends meeting-place, at which many hun­dreds of people were; some of high rank in the world's ac­count. An earl, a lord, and divers other eminent persons were present, who all behaved themselves very civilly. But, when the meeting was ended, some priests began to make opposition; which when William Penn understood, he stood up again, and answered them to the great satisfac­tion of the people, who were much affected with the several testimonies they had heard. After the meeting several of them came to Gertrude's, where we were, with whom George Keith had much discourse in Latin.

Having now finished our service at Amsterdam, we took leave of friends there, and passed by waggon to Leyden, about twenty-five miles; where we staid a day or two, seek­ing out and visiting some tender people that we heard of there. We met with a German, who was partly convinced. He informed us of an eminent man that was inquiring after truth. Some sought him out and visited him, and found him a serious man. I also spoke to him, and he owned the truth. William Penn and Benjamin Furly went to visit another great man, that lived a little out of Leyden, who, they said, had been general to the king of Denmark's forces. He and his wife were very loving to them, and heard the truth with joy.

From Leyden we went to the Hague, where the prince of Orange kept his court; and visited one of the judges of Holland, with whom we had much discourse. He was a wise tender man, and put many objections and queries to us, which when we had answered, he was satisfied, and part­ed [Page 249]with us in much love. Leaving the Hague, we went to Delft, and from thence that night to Rotterdam, where we staid several days, and had several meetings. While I was here, I gave forth a book for the Jews, with whom, when I was at Amsterdam, I had a desire to have had some discourse; but they would not. Here also I reviewed seve­ral other books and papers, which I had given forth before, and were now transcribed.

Finding our spirits clear of the service which the Lord had given us to do in Holland, we took leave of friends of Rotterdam, and passed by boat to the Briel, in order to take passage that day in the packet-boat for England, several friends of Rotterdam accompanying us, and some of Am­sterdam, who were come to see us again before we left Hol­land. But the packet-boat not coming in till night, we were fain to lodge at the Briel; and next day, the one-and-twentieth of the eighth month, and the first-day of the week, we went on board, and set sail about the tenth hour, viz. William Penn, George Keith and I, and Gertrude Dirick Nieson, with her children.

We were in all about sixty passengers, and had a long and hazardous passage: for the winds were contrary, and the weather stormy; the boat also very leaky, insomuch that we were fain to have two pumps continually going day and night, so that it was thought there was twice as much water pumped out as the vessel would have held. But the Lord, who is able to make the stormy winds to cease and the raging waves of the sea to be calm, yea, to raise them and stop them at his pleasure, he alone did preserve us; praised be his name for ever! Though our passage was hard, yet we had a fine time, and good service for truth on board among the passengers, some of whom were great folk [...], and were very kind and loving. We arrived at Harwich the 23d of the eighth month at night, having been two nights and almost three days at sea. Next morning William Penn and George Keith took horse for Colchester; but I staid, and had a meeting at Harwich; and there being no Col­chester coach there, and the post-master's wife being unrea­sonable in her demands for a coach, and deceiving us of it also after we had hired it, we went to a friend's house about a mile and an half in the country, and hired his waggon, which we bedded well with straw, and rode in it to Col­chester.

I staid in Colchester till first-day, having a desire to be at [Page 250]friends' meeting there that day; and a very large and weighty meeting it was: for friends hearing of my return from Hol­land, flocked from several parts of the country; and many of the town's people coming also, it was thought there were about a thousand people at the meeting, and all was peace­able. Having staid a day or two longer at Colchester, I travelled through Essex, visiting friends at Halsted. Brain­tree, Felsted, and Saling, and having meetings with them. At Chelmsford I had a meeting in the evening. There being many friends prisoners, they got liberty, and came to the meeting, and we were well refreshed together in the Lord. Next day, the 9th of the ninth month, I got to London, where friends received me with great joy; and the first-day following went to Gracechurch-street meeting, where the Lord visited us with his refreshing presence, and the glory of the Lord surrounded the meeting; praised be the Lord!

After I had been a little while in London, I wrote the following letter to my wife:

About this time I received letters from New-England, which gave account of the magistrates and rulers cruel and unchristian proceedings against friends there, whipping and abusing them very shamefully; for they whipped many wo­men friends. One woman they tied to a cart, and dragged her along the street, she being stripped above the waist. [Page 251]Yea, they whipped some masters of ships, that were not friends, only for bringing friends thither. At that very time, while they were persecuting friends in this barbarous man­ner, the Indians slew threescore of their men, took one of their captains, and flayed the skin off his head while he was alive, and carried it away in triumph: so that the sober people said, ‘The judgments of God came upon them for persecuting the Quakers:’ but the blind, dark priests said, "It was because they did not persecute them enough." Great exercise I had in seeking relief here for poor suffer­ing friends there, that they might not lie under the rod of the wicked.

Upon this and other services for truth I staid in London a month or five weeks, visiting meetings, and helping and encouraging friends to labour for the deliverance of their suffering brethren in other parts. Afterwards I went to Kingston, and visited friends there and thereaway. Having stard a little among friends there, overlooking a book which I had then ready to go to the press, I went into Bucking­hamshire, visiting friends, and had several meetings amongst them at Amersham, Hungerhill, Jordans, Hedgerly, Wick­ham, and Turvil-heath. Im some of which, those that were gone out from the unity of friends in truth, into strife, op­position, and division, were very unruly and troublesome; particularly at the men's meeting at Thomas Ellwood's at Hungerhill, where the chief of them came from Wickham, endeavouring to make disturbance, and to hinder friends from proceeding in the business of the meeting. When I saw their design, I admonished them to be sober and quiet, and not trouble the meeting, by interrupting the service thereof; but rather, if they were dissatisfied with friends pro­ceedings, and had any thing to object, let a meeting be ap­pointed on purpose some other day. So friends offered to give them a meeting another day; which at length was agreed to be at Thomas Ellwood's the week following. Accordingly friends met them there, and the meeting was in the barn; for there came so many, the house could not receive them. After we had sat awhile, they began their jangling. Most of their arrows were shot at me; but the Lord was with me, and gave me strength in his power to cast back their darts of envy and falsehood upon themselves. Their objections were answered; things were opened to the people; and a good opportunity it was, and serviceable to the truth; many that before were weak, were now strength­ened [Page 252]and confirmed; some that were doubting and waver­ing were satisfied and settled; and faithful friends were refreshed and comforted in the springing of life amongst us: for the power rose, and life sprung, and in the arisings there­of many living testimonies were borne against that wicked, dividing, rending spirit, which those opposers were joined to and acted by: and the meeting ended to the satisfaction of friends. That night I lodged, with other friends, at Thomas Ellwood's; and the same week I had a meeting again with those opposers at Wickham, where they again shewed their envy, and were made manifest to the upright-hearted.

After I had visited friends in that upper side of Bucking­hamshire, I called at Henley in Oxfordshire, and went by Causham to Reading, where I was at meeting on first-day, and in the evening had a large meeting with friends. Next day there being another meeting about settling a women's meeting, some of those that had let in the spirit of division fell into jangling, and were disorderly for awhile, till the weight of truth brought them down. After this I passed on, visiting friends, and having meetings in several places, through Berkshire and Wiltshire, till I came to Bristol, which was on the 24th day of the 11th month, just before the fair.

I staid at Bristol the time of the fair, and sometime after. Many sweet and precious meetings we had; many friends being there from several parts of the nation, some on account of trade, and some in the service of truth. Great was the love and unity of friends that abode faithful in the truth, though some who were gone out of the holy unity, and were run into strife, division, and enmity, were rude and abusive, and behaved themselves in a very unchristian manner to­wards me. But the Lord's power was over all; by which being preserved in the heavenly patience, which can bear injuries for his name's sake, I felt dominion therein over the rough, rude, and unruly spirits; and left them to the Lord, who knew my innocency, and would plead my cause. The more these laboured to reproach and vilify me, the more did the love of friends, that were sincere and upright-hearted, abound towards me; and some, that had been be­trayed by the adversaries, seeing their envy and rude beha­viour, broke off from them; who have cause to bless the Lord for their deliverance.

When I left Bristol, I went with Richard Snead to a house of his in the country, and from thence to Hezekiah [Page 253]Coale's at Winterburn in Gloucestershire, whither came se­veral friends that were under great sufferings for truth's sake, whom I had invited to meet me there. Stephen Sp [...]ith, Richard Snead, and I, drew up a breviate of their sufferings, setting forth the illegal proceedings against them; which was delivered to the judges at the assizes at Glouces­ter; and they promised to put a stop to those illegal pro­ceedings. Next day we passed to Sudbury, and had a large meeting in the meeting-house, which at that time was of very good service. We went next day to Nathaniel Crips's at Tedbury, and from thence to Nailsworth; where on first-day we had a brave meeting and large. From thence we went to the quarterly meeting at Finchcomb, where were several of the opposite spirit, who (it was thought) intended to have made disturbance amongst friends; but the Lord's power was over, and kept them down, and good ser­vice for the Lord we had at that meeting. We returned from Einchcomb to Nailsworth, and had another very pre­cious meeting there, to which friends came from the several meetings thereabouts; which made it very large also.

We went from Nailsworth the first of the first month, 1677-8, and travelled, visiting friends, and having many meetings at Cirencester, Crown-Allins, Cheltenham, Stoke-Orchard, Tewksbury, &c. so went to Worcester, where I had formerly suffered imprisonment above a year for the truth's sake; and friends rejoiced greatly to see me there again. Here I staid several days, and had many very precious meetings in the city, and much service amongst friends. After which I had meetings at Pershore and Eves­ham; then struck to Ragley in Warwickshire, to visit the lady Conway, who I understood was very desirous to see me, and whom I found tender and loving, and willing to have detained me longer than I had freedom to stay. About two miles from hence I had two meetings at a friend's house, whose name was John Stanley, whither Wil­liam Dewsbury came, and staid with me about half a day. I visited friends in their meetings at Stratford, Lamcoat, and Armscott (from whence I was sent prisoner to Worces­ter in the year 1673) and thence passed into Oxfordshire, visiting friends, and having meetings at Sibbard, North-Newton, Banbury, Adderbury, &c. Then visiting friends through Buckinghamshire, at Long-Crendon, Ismer, Men­dle, Weston, Cholsberry, Chesham, &c. I came to Isaac Penington's, where I staid a few days; then turning into [Page 254]Hertfordshire, visited friends at Charlewood. Watford, Hempstead, and Market-street, at which places I had meet­ings with friends. From Market-street I went in the morn­ing to Luten in Bedfordshire, to see John Crook, with whom I spent good part of the day, and went towards evening to Alban's, where I lay that night at an inn. And visiting friends at South-Mims, Barnet, and Hendon, where I had meetings, I came to London the eighth of the third month. It being the fourth-day, I went to Gracechurch­street meeting, which was peaceable and well; many friends, not knowing I was come to town, were very joyful to see me there, and the Lord was present with us, refreshing us with his living virtue; blessed be his holy name!

The parliament was sitting when I came to town, and friends having laid their sufferings before them, were waiting on them for relief against the laws made against Popish re­cusants, which they knew we were not; though some ma­licious magistrates took advantage to prosecute us in several parts of the nation upon those statutes. Friends being at­tending that service, when I came, I joined them therein; and some probability there was that something might have been obtained towards friends ease and relief in that case, many of the parliament-men being tender and loving to­wards us, as believing we were much misrepresented by our adversaries. But when I went one morning with George Whitehead, to the parliament-house, to attend them on friends behalf, on a sudden they were prorogued though but for a short time.

About two weeks after I came to London the yearly meet­ing began, to which friends came out of most parts of the nation, and a glorious heavenly meeting we had. Oh the glory, majesty, love, life, wisdom and unity, that was amongst us! The power reigned over all, and many testimonies were borne therein against that ungodly spirit which sought to make rents and divisions amongst the Lord's people; but not one mouth was opened amongst us in its, defence, or on its behalf. Good and comfortable accounts also we had, for the most part, from friends in other countries; of which I find a brief account in a letter which soon after I wrote to my wife, the copy whereof here follows:

The letter to the king of Poland, before-mentioned, is as followeth:

I continued yet in and about London some weeks, the parliament sitting again, and friends attending to get some redress of our sufferings, which about this time were very great and heavy upon many friends in divers parts of the nation; they being very unduly prosecuted upon the sta­tutes [Page 262]made against popish recusants; though our persecutors could not but know friends were utterly against popery, having borne testimony against it in word and writing, and suffered under it. But though many of the members of parliament in either house were kind to friends, and willing to have done something for their ease; yet having much business they were hindered from doing the good they would, so that the sufferings upon friends were continued.

But that which added much to the grief and exercise of friends was that some, who made professio of the same truth with us, being gone from the simplicity of the gospel into fleshly liberty, and labouring to draw others after them, did oppose the order and discipline which God by his pow­er had set up and established in his church; and made a great noise and clamour against prescriptions; whereby they easily drew after them such as were loosely inclined, and de­sired a broader way than the path of truth to walk in. Some also that were more simple, but young in truth, or weak in judgment, were apt to be betrayed by them, not knowing the depths of Satan in these wiles: for whose sake I was moved to write the following paper, for the undeceiving the deceived, and opening the understandings of the weak in this matte [...]

When I had finished what service I had for the Lord at this time here, I went towards Hertford, visiting friends, and having several meetings in the way. At Hertford I staid several days, having much service for the Lord there; both amongst friends in their meetings, and in conferences with such as, having let in evil surmisings and jealousies concern­ing friends, stood in opposition to the order of truth; and in answering some books written against truth and friends. Whi [...] I was here, it came upon me to write a few lines, and send them abroad amongst friends, as followeth:

[Page 267] Next day a fresh exercise came upon me, with respect to those unruly and disorderly spirits which were gone out from us, and were labouring to draw others after them into a false liberty. In the sense I had of the hurt and mischief these might do, where they were given way to, I was moved to write a few lines to warn friends of them, as followeth:

I went from Hertford to a meeting at Rabley Heath, and thence to Edward Crouch's of Stevenage. Next day I went to Baldock where I had a meeting that evening, and after had meetings at Hitchin and Ashwell. Then passing through part of Bedfordshire, where I had a meeting or two, I went to Huntingdon, in which county I staid several days, having many meetings, and much service amongst friends; [Page 268]labouring to convince gainsayers, and to confirm and strength­en friends in the way and work of the Lord. At Ives in Huntingdonshire George Whitehead came to me, and tra­velled with me in the work of the Lord five or six days in that county, and some part of Northamptonshire. Leaving me in Great Bowden in Leicestershire, he went towards Westmoreland. I staid in Leicestershire, visiting friends at Saddington, Wigston, Knighton, Leicester, Sileby, Swan­nington, and divers other places; where I had very preci­ous meetings, and good service amongst friends and others: for there was great openness, and many weighty and excel­lent truths did the Lord give me to deliver amongst them.

At Leicester I went to the gaol to visit the friends in pri­son for the testimony of Jesus, with whom I spent some time, encouraging them in the Lord to persevere steadfastly and faithfully in their testimony, and not to be weary of suf­fering for his sake. And when I had taken my leave of the friends, I spoke with the gaoler, desiring him to be kind to them, and let them have what liberty he could, to visit their families sometimes.

I had a meeting or two in Warwickshire, and then went into Stassordshire, where I had several sweet and opening meetings, both for gathering into truth, and establishing therein. While I was in Stassordshire, I was moved to give forth the following paper:

Out of Stassordshire I went to visit John Gratton at Mo­niash in Derbyshire, with whom I tarried one night, and went next day to William Shaw's, of the Hill in Yorkshire, where I appointed a meeting to be on first-day following. Many friends out of Derbyshire, and from several meetings in Yorkshire came, and a precious, comfortable meeting it was; wherein was opened the blessed estate that man was in before he fell; the means by which he fell, the miserable condition into which he sell, and the right way of coming out of it into a happy state again by Christ, the promised Seed.

I spent about two weeks in Yorkshire, and many heaven­ly [Page 270]meetings I had in that county. Then visting Robert Widders at Kellet in Lancashire, I passed to Arnside in Westmoreland, where I had a precious living meeting in the Lord's blessed power, to the great satisfaction and comfort of friends, who came from divers parts to it. The next day I went to Swarthmore: and it being the meeting-day there, I had a sweet opportunity with friends; our hearts being opened in the love of God, and his blessed life flowing amongst us.

I had not been long at Swarthmore ere a concern came upon me to visit the churches of Christ, by an epistle as sol­loweth:

There were about this time several friends in prison for bearing testimony to the truth; to whom I was moved to write a few lines to comfort, strengthen, and encourage them; having a true sense of their sufferings upon my spi­rit, and a sympathizing with them therein. That which I wrote was after this manner:

I abode in the north above a year, having service for the Lord amongst friends there, and being much taken up in writing in answer to books published by adversaries; and for [Page 273]opening the principles and doctrines of truth to the world, that they might come to have a right understanding thereof, and be gathered thereunto. Several epistles also I wrote to friends in this time. One was to the yearly meeting held in London this year, 1679; a copy of which here follows:

Divers other epistles and papers I wrote to friends dur­ing my stay in the north; one was ‘To encourage friends to be bold and valiant for the truth, which the Lord had called them to bear witness to.’ It was thus:

[Page 278] The next day having a sense upon me that some who had received the truth, and had openings thereof, for want of keeping low had run out therefrom, I was moved to give forth the following epistle, as a ‘warning and exhortation to all to dwell in humility.’

[Page 279] About the latter end of this year I was moved of the Lord to travel into the south again. I set forward the be­ginning of the first month, 1679-80, and passing through part of Westmoreland and Lancashire, I visited friends at several meetings, and came into Yorkshire. Divers large and weighty meetings I had in Yorkshire, before I came to York city. When I came there it was the assize-time, and there being many friends in prison for truth's sake, I put those at liberty upon drawing up the sufferings of the friends in prison, that they might be laid before the judges; and I affisted them therein. The quarterly meeting of friends was also at that time, so I had a brave opportunity amongst them. Many weighty and serviceable things did the Lord open through me to the meeting, relating to the inward state of man; how man by faith in Christ comes to be graft­ed into him, and made a member of his spiritual body; and also the outward state of the church, how each member ought to walk and act, according to its place in the body. I spent several days in York, having divers meetings; and all was peaceable and well. I went also to the castle, to visit the prisoners; with whom I spent some time, encou­raging and strengthening them in their testimony.

Then leaving York, I travelled southward, having meet­ings amongst friends, till I came to Burton in Lincolnshire; where on first-day I had a large and precious meeting. Then turning into Nottinghamshire, I travelled through good part of that county, in which I had several very good meetings, and then passed into Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Warwickshire, having meetings all along as I went, till I came to Warwick: there William Dewsbury came to me, and several other friends; and we had a little meeting in that town. Then passing through Southam and Radway, at each of which places I had a very good meeting, I came to Nathaniel Ball's, of North-Newton, in Oxfordshire, and so to Banbury to a monthly meeting there. After I had visited friends at their meetings in the bordering parts of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Northamptonshire, I pas­sed to Richard Baker's, of Biddlesden, in Buckinghamshire; and the next day, being first-day, I had a very large meet­ing in Biddlesden, at an old abbey-house, which a friend rented and dwelt in. Many friends and people came to this meeting out of Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, and the parts adjacent; and of good service it was. After this, I visited friends in those parts, having meetings at Lilling­stone, [Page 280]Lovel, and Bugbrook. Then going to Stony-strat­for [...], I went into some parts of Bedfordshire, till I came to Edward Chester's of Dunstable. Whence passing on by Market-street, I had a meeting at Albans; and calling on friends at Mims and Barnet, I came to the widow Haly's, at Guttershedge, in Hendon, Middlesex, on a seventh-day night, and had a very large and good meeting there the day following.

I passed from thence to London the third-day following, and went directly to the Peel-meeting at John Elson's, and next morning to the meeting at Gracechurch-street, which was very large and quiet; and friends rejoiced in the Lord to see me. The yearly meeting was in the week following, to which many friends came out of most parts of the nation, and a blessed opportunity the Lord gave us together; where­in the ancient love was sweetly felt, and the heavenly life flowed abundantly over all. After the yearly meeting, I continued about a month or five weeks in and about Lon­don, labouring in the work of the Lord both in and out of meetings; for besides the publick testimony, which the Lord gave me to bear both to friends and to the world in meet­ings, I had much service lay upon me with respect to friends sufferings, in seeking to get ease and liberty for them in this and other nations. Much pains and time I spent while I was at London, in writing letters to friends in divers parts of England, and in Scotland, Holland, Barbadoes, and several other parts of America.

After this I was moved of the Lord to visit friends in some parts of Surrey and Sussex. I went to Kingston by water, and tarried certain days; for while I was there, the Lord laid it upon me to write both to the great Turk and the dey of Algiers severally, to warn them and the people under them to turn from their wickedness, and fear the Lord, and do justly, lest the judgments of God should come upon them, and destroy them without remedy. To the Algerines I wrote more particularly, concerning the cruelty they exercised towards friends and others, whom they held captives in Algiers. When I had finished that service, and visited friends in their meetings at Kingston, I went further into the country, and had meetings amongst friends at Wor­plesdon, Guildsord, Esher, Capell, Patchgate, Worming­hurst. Bletchington, Horsham, I field, Ryegate, Gatton, &c. and so came back to Kingston again, and from thence to Hammersmith. And having spent some days in the service [Page 281]of truth amongst friends at Hammersmith, Battersea. Wands­worth, and thereabouts I crossed over, by Kensington, to Hendon, where I had a very good meeting on first-day; and went from thence to London.

When I had been about ten days in London, I was drawn again to visit friends in the country; and went to Edmonton to Christopher Taylor's, who kept a school for the education of friends children. I had some service amongst the youth, and then went towards Hertford, visit­ing friends in the way. At Hertford I met with John Story, and some others of his party; but the testimony of truth went over them, and kept them down, so that the meeting was quiet. It was on a first-day, and the next day being the men's and women's meeting for business, I visited them also; and the rather because some in that place had let in a disesteem of them. Whereupon I was moved to open the service of those meetings, and the usefulness and benefit thereof to the church of Christ, as the Lord opened the thing in me; and it was of good service to friends. I had a meeting also with some of those that were gone into strife and contention, to shew them wherein they were wrong; and having cleared myself of them. I left them to the Lord. After another publick meeting in the town [...] returned to­wards London by Waltham-abbey, where I had a publick meeting the first-day following, and another with friends in the evening. Next day I went to Chris [...]opher Taylor's at Edmonton, and staid a day or two, having some things upon me to write for the service of truth. When I had finished that service, I went to London by Shacklewell, where was a school kept by friends, for the breeding up young maidens that were friends daughters.

I abode at London most part of this winter, having much service for the Lord there, both in and out of meetings; for as it was a time of great sufferings among friends, I was drawn in spirit to visit friends meetings more frequently, to encourage and strengthen them by exhortation and exam­ple. The parliament was also sitting, and firends were di­ligent to wait upon them, to lay their grievances before them. We received fresh [...]cco [...]nts almost every day of the [...]ad sufferings friend und [...]rwent in many parts of the na­tion. In seeking relief for my suffering brethren, I spent much time, together with other friends who were freely given up to that service, att [...]nding at the p [...]liament-house many days together, and watching all opp [...]tunities to speak [Page 282]with such members of either house as would hear our just complaints. And indeed some of the members of each house were very courteous, and appeared willing to help us if they could; but the parliament being then earnest in exa­mining the popish plot. and contriving ways to discover such as were popishly affected, our adversaries took advan­tages against us (because they knew we could not swear nor fight) to expose us to those penalties that were made against Papists; though they knew in their consciences we were no Papists, and had experience that we were no plotters. To clear our innocency and stop the mouths of our adversaries, I drew up a short paper to be delivered to the parliament; as followeth:

About this time I received two very envious books writ­ten against truth and friends; one of them by a doctor (so called) of Bremen, in Germany, the other by a priest, of Dantzick, in Poland. They were both full of gross false­hoods and reproachful slanders. I found it upon me to answer them, and that I might not be over-much interrupt­ed by other business and company, I went to Kingston upon Thames, where I wrote an answer to each of them, [Page 283]and also to some other scandalous papers which had been printed and scattered about to misrepresent friends.

While I was there I wrote also the following paper, to persuade the magistrates to moderation towards dissenters, and take off their edge to persecution. Because it should have its full service, I directed it—

[Page 287] After I had finished these services, I returned to Lon­don, where I staid about a month, labouring amongst friends in the work of the Lord, both in publick meetings for wor­ship, and in those relating to the outward affairs of the church. Then feeling my spirit drawn to visit friends about Enfield, I went to Waltham Abbey, where I had a very precious meeting, and another at Flamstead Heath. Having spent some time amongst friends thereabouts, and had divers good meetings at Edmonton, Enfield, Winchmore-hill, and other places, I came back to London a little before the yearly meeting, which was in the third month 1681. It was a very precious meeting, in which the glorious presence and power of the Lord was eminently felt and enjoyed.

Some time after it came upon me to write the following epistle:

About this time I had occasion to go to several of the judges chambers, upon a suit about tithes. For my wife and I, with several other friends, were sued in Cartmel Wa­pentake Court in Lancashire, for small tithes, and we had demurred to the jurisdiction of that court. Whereupon the plaintiff prosecuted us in the exchequer court at Westmin­ster; where they run us up to a writ of rebellion, for not answering the bill upon oath, and got an order of court to the serjeant to take me and my wife into custody. This was a little before the yearly meeting, at which time it was thought they would have taken me up; and according to outward appearance it was likely, and very easy for him to have done it, I lodging at the same places where I used to lodge, and being very publick in meetings. But the Lord's power was over them, and restrained them, so that they did not take me. Yet understanding a warrant was out against me, as soon as the yearly meeting was well over, I took William Mead with me, and went to several of the judges chambers, to let them understand both the state of the case, and the ground and reason of our refusing to pay tithes. The first we went to was judge Gregory, to whom I ten­dered mine and my wife's answer to the plaintiss's bill; in [Page 289]which was set forth, That my wife had lived three-and-forty years at Swarthmore, and in all that time there had been no tithe paid nor demanded: and an old man, who had long been a tithe-gatherer, had made affidavit that he never gathered tithe at Swarthmore Hall in judge Fell's time, nor since. There were many particulars in our answer, but it would not be accepted without an oath. I told the judge, that both tithe and swearing among Christians came from the pope; and it was matter of conscience to us not to pay tithes, nor to swear; for Christ bid his disciples, who had freely received, give freely; and he commanded them, ‘Not to swear at all.’ The judge said. There was tithe paid in England before popery was. I asked him by what law or statute they were paid then? but he was silent. Then I told him, there were eight poor men brought up to London out of the north about two hundred miles, for small tithes; one of them had no family, but himself and his wife, and kept no living creature but a cat. I asked him also, Whe­ther they could take a man and his wife, and imprison them both for small tithes, and so destroy a family? If they could, I desired to know by what law? He did not answer me; but only said, That was an hard case. When I found there was no help to be had there, we left him, and went to judge Montague's chamber. With him I had a great deal of dis­course concerning tithes. Whereupon he sent for our ad­versary's attorney; and when he came, I offered him our answer. He said, If we would pay the charges of the court, and be bound to stand trial, and abide the judgment of the court, we should not have the oath tendered to us. I told him, they had brought those charges upon us, by requiring us to put in our answer upon oath; which they knew before we could not do for conscience-sake; and as we could not pay any tithe, nor swear, so neither should we pay any of their charges. Upon this he would not receive our answer. So we went from thence to judge Atkyns's chamber; and he being busy, we gave our answers and our reasons against tithes and swearing to his clerk; but neither could we find any encouragement from him to expect redress. Where­fore leaving him, we went to one of the most noted counsel­lors, and shewed him the state of our case, and our answers: he was very civil to us, and said, ‘This way of proceeding against us was somewhat like an inquisition.’ A few days after, those eight poor friends, that were brought up so far out of the north, appeared before the judges and the Lord [Page 290]was with them, and his power was over the court, so that the friends were not committed to the Fleet. Our cause was put off till the next term (called Michaelmas term) and then it was brought before the four judges again. William Mead told the judges, that I had engaged myself never to meddle with my wife's estate. The judges could hardly believe that any man would do so; whereupon he shewed them the writing under my hand and seal; at which they wondered. Then two of the judges and some of the law­yers stood up and pleaded for me, that I was not liable to the tithes; but the other two judges and divers lawyers 'pressed earnestly to have me sequestered, alleging that I 'was a publick man. At length they prevailed with one of the other two judges to join with them, and then granted a sequestration against me and my wife together. There­upon, by advice of counsel, we moved for a limitation, which was granted; and that much defeated our adversary's design in suing out the sequestration; for this limited the plaintiff to take no more than was proved. One of the judges, baron Weston, was very bitter, and broke forth in a great rage against me in the open court: but in a little time after he died.

After the yearly meeting I tarried about a month in London; then went into Sussex to visit friends there, amongst whom I had many large and very precious meet­ings in divers parts of that county. Yet I spent not much time in Sussex, but returned pretty soon to London, whi­ther I felt drawings in my spirit; and had very good service for the Lord there, both in publick meetings and amongst friends. When I had tarried sometime in London, I went to Edmonton; and from thence into Buckinghamshire, where I visited friends at several meetings in the upper side of that county; and then went by Henley to Reading, where I tarried several meetings. I went no farther west­ward at this time than Ore, where I had a very large meet­ing; after which, striking through the edge of Oxfordshire, I had a large and very precious meeting at Warborough, in which the glory of the Lord shined over all. Many friends came to this meeting out of Berkshire, Buckingham­shire, and Hampshire. From thence I passed to Ilmore in the Vale of Buckinghamshire, where we had a glorious meet­ing. The day following I returned to Mary Penington's. From whence I visited the men's and women's monthly meetings at Hungerhill, and some other meetings there­abouts; [Page 291]then passed to Watford, where was a marriage of two friends, at which I was present. A very large meeting we had on that occasion, and the Lord's power was over all. I went from Watford to Longford in Middlesex, visiting friends at Uxbridge in the way. At Longford we had a large meeting, it being on first-day, and the presence of the Lord was preciously felt amongst us; blessed be his name! I passed from Longford to Kingston, visiting friends as I went, at Staines and Sunbury. At Kingston I abode with friends two meetings, wherein we were sweetly refreshed together in the Lord. Passing from thence towards London, I had a very precious meeting at Wandsworth: then crossing over to Hammersmith. I had a good meeting there; which was the larger by reason of a burial, and there being a pretty open­ress in the people on that occasion, I had a fine opportuni­ty to open the way of truth amongst them.

After I was come to London, I was moved to write the following paper, concerning that spirit which had led some who professed truth, into strife and division, and to oppose the way and work of the Lord:

Sufferings continuing severe upon friends at London, I found my service lay mostly there: wherefore I went but lit­tle out of town, and not far; being frequent at the most publick meetings, to encourage friends, both by word and example, to stand fast in the testimony to which God had called them. At other times I went from house to house, visiting those friends that had their goods taken away for their testimony to truth. And because the wicked inform­ers were grown very audacious, by reason they had much countenance and encouragement from some justices, who, trusting wholly to their information, proceeded against friends without hearing them: whereby many were made to suffer, not only contrary to right, but even contrary to law al­so. I advised with some friends about it; and we drew up a paper, which was delivered to most of the magistrates in and about the city, as followeth:

‘WHEREAS informers have obtained warrants of some justices of peace, who have convicted many of us without hearing us, or once summoning us to appear be­fore them; by which proceedings many have had their goods seized and taken away, being generally sined ten pounds apiece for an unknown speaker: and some of those persons so fined have not been at the meetings they were fined for; and the speaker notwithstanding hath himself been fined for the same meeting, the same day the others were fined for the unknown speaker. The justices may see the wickedness of these informers, by whose false oaths we have been convicted for an unknown preacher, when the preacher hath been both known and fined. Also in their swearing such persons to have been at such a meeting such a day, when indeed those so sworn against have not [Page 294]been at that meeting. By which proceedings several fa­milies of the king's peaceable subjects are like to be ruined, if a speedy stop be not put thereunto. Therefore we hope and desire that you, the king's justices, for the time to come, when any informers shall come to any of you with an in­formation against any of us, will summon such as are ac­cused to appear before you, and hear us and our accusers face to face; that none may suffer for what they are not guilty of. For Pilate the governor heard Christ and his accusers face to face before he condemned him, John xix. The council and chief priests heard Stephen and his ac­cusers, with the witnesses that were brought against him, face to face, before they condemned him, Acts vii. The Roman captain heard Paul and his accusers face to face. Acts xxiii. Felix the governor heard Paul and Ananias the high-priest, and the elders that accused Paul, face to face, Acts xxiv. And when the high-priests and chief of the Jews accused Paul to Festus, he heard Paul and his accusers, and them that witnessed against him, face to face, Acts xxv. Doth the law of God, or did the Roman law, or doth the law of the land judge any man before he and his accusers, and they that witness against him, be heard face to face?’

This somewhat moderated the justices: and after this se­veral friends, who had been illegally prosecuted and fined, entered their appeals; upon trial whereof they were acquit­ted, and the informers cast: which was a great discourage­ment to the informers, and some relief to friends.

A little before the time for choosing new sheriffs for the ci­ty, those who put up to be chosen desiring our friends to give their voices for them, I wrote a few lines, tending to discover what spirit they were of, and how they stood affect­ed to true liberty; it was by way of inquiry, thus:

‘DO any here in London, who stand to be chosen she­riffs, own that Christ, who was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem, to be the light of the world, that "en­lightens every man that cometh into the world," who saith, ‘Believe in the light, that ye may become children of the light?’ Is any of you against persecuting people for their religion and worship of God in Spirit and truth, as Christ commandeth? For Christ said. ‘I am not of this world nor my kingdom:’ therefore he doth not uphold his spi­ritual [Page 295]worship and pure religion with worldly and carnal weapons. Christ said, "Swear not at all;" and his apostle James saith the same: but will not you force us to swear, and break Christ's and his apostle's commands, in putting oaths to us? Christ saith to his apostles, ‘Freely ye have received, freely give:’ Will not you force us to give tithes and maintenance to such teachers as we know God hath not sent? Shall we be free to serve and worship God, and keep his and his Son's commands, if we give our voices freely for you? for we are unwilling to give our voices for such as will imprison and persecute us, and spoil our goods.’

But whatever the candidates were, I observed heat and strife in the spirits of the people that were to choose; where­fore I wrote a few lines to be spread amongst them, di­rected,

I wrote also concerning meditation, delight, exercise, and study; shewing from the scriptures of truth what true Chris­tians ought to meditate upon, exercise their minds and take delight in, and what they shoud study to do. For in these things not prophane and loose people only, but even great professors of religion, are very much mistaken; taking de­light in earthly, sading, perishing things; whereas they ought to meditate on heavenly things, delight in the law of God after the inw [...]d man, and exercise themselves to have always a ‘conscience [...] of off [...]ce towards God and to­wards men,’ as the apostle Paul did.

As sufferings continued very sore and heavy upon friends [Page 300]not only in the city, but in most parts of the nation, I drew up a paper to be presented to the king; setting forth our grievances, and desiring redress from him in those particular cases which I understood were in his power. But not hav­ing relief from him, it came upon me to write an epistle to friends, to encourage them in their sufferings, that they might bear with patience the many exercises brought upon them, both by magistrates and false brethren and apostates; whose wicked books and filthy slanders grieved the upright-hearted. This epistle I wrote at Dalston, whither I went to visit an ancient friend that lay sick.

I made but little stay at Dalston, but return [...]d to London, where I continued most part of the winter; labouring in the service of truth amongst friends: save that I was a little while at Kingston, in the tenth month of this year, where I wrote a book, setting forth ‘The state of the birth temporal, and the birth spiritual: and the duty and state of a child, youth, young men, aged men and fathers in the truth,’ &c. But I staid not long at Kingston neither; for the heat of persecution still continuing, I felt my service to be most at London, where our meetings were for the most part dis­turbed and broken up, or friends were forced to meet with­out doors, being kept out of their meeting-houses by the [Page 303]officers. Yet sometimes, beyond expectation, we got a quiet and peaceable meeting in the houses. One time I was minded to have gone a mile or two out of town, to visit a friend that was not well: but hearing that the king had sent to the mayor to put the laws in execution against dissenters, and that the magistrates thereupon intended to nail up the meeting-house doors, I had not freedom to go out of town, but was moved to go to the meeting at Grace­church-street; and, notwithstanding all their threats, a great meeting it was, and very quiet; and the glory of the Lord shone over all.

The same week I went to the meeting at the Peel in John's-street, and the sessions were holden the same day at Hicks's-hall. I went in the morning; and William Mead being to appear at the sessions for not going to the steeple-house worship, came once or twice from Hicks's-hall to me at the Peel; which some ill-minded people observing, went and informed the justices at the bench, that he was gone to a meeting at the Peel. Whereupon they sent a messenger to see if there was a meeting; but this being in the forenoon, there was no meeting, so the messenger went back and told them. Then others informed the justices that there would be a meeting there in the afternoon: whereupon they sent for the chief constable, and asked him, ‘Why he suffered a meeting to be at the Peel, so nigh him?’ He told them, 'He did not know of any meeting there.' They asked him, 'How he could but know it, and live so nigh it?' He said, ‘He was never there in his life, and did not know there was a meeting there.’ They would have persuaded him that he must needs know of it; but he standing steadfast in the de­nial of it, they said, ‘They should take order to have it looked after in the afternoon.’ But a multitude of busi­ness coming before them at the sessions, when dinner-time came, they hastened to their dinner, without giving order; and when they came to the bench again after dinner, the Lord put it out of their minds, so the meeting was quiet, beginning and ending in peace; and a blessed meeting we had, the Lord's presence being preciously amongst us. Many friends had a concern upon their minds, when they saw me come into the meeting, lest I should have been ta­ken; but I was freely given up to suffer, if it was the Lord's will, before I went, and had nothing in my mind concerning it but the Lord's glory. I do believe that the Lord put it out of their minds, that they should not send to [Page 304]break up our meeting that day. Yet the first-day after, three or four justices (as I heard) came to the Peel, and put friends out of their meeting-house, and kept them out: and inquired for William Mead, but he was not there.

That day I was moved to go to Gracechurch-street meet­ing; and it was expected that the officers would come to break up the meeting, or keep friends out; and many hundreds of people came to see what would be done to us. But the officers came not; so we were in peace and quietness; and many of the people that came to look on, staid all the time; and a glorious, precious meeting we had, for the Lord's presence was plentifully amongst us, and his power came over all; glory to his name for ever, who is over all!

I had seen the mayor's printed speech for putting the laws in execution against dissenters: and it was much in my mind that we should draw up a paper to send to the mayor and aldermen, to clear ourselves from being such as those laws were made against; and to set forth our peaceable behaviour both towards the king and the government. Accordingly a paper was drawn up, signed, and delivered to the mayor; and copies thereof delivered to the aldermen, and the bishop of London, who generally took it kindly, and were civil to the friends that delivered it.

About this time I was moved to write the few lines fol­lowing to friends:

Not long after, I received an account by letter, from some friends that were prisoners at Denbigh in Wales, that many friends there were under great sufferings for the testimony of a good conscience. In the tender sense whereof I was moved in the love of God to visit them with a few lines, as a word of consolation to them in their sufferings; and of exhortation, to stand fast in the testimony committed to them, after this manner:

Because the magistrates were many of them unwilling to have fines laid upon meeting-houses, they kept friends out in many places, setting officers and guards of soldiers at the doors and passages; yet sometimes friends were fined for speaking or praying, though it were abroad. One first-day it was upon me to go to Devonshire-house meeting in the afternoon; and because I had heard friends were kept out there that morning (as they were that day at most meetings about the city) I went somewhat the sooner, and got into the yard, before the soldiers came to guard the passages: but the constables were got there before me, and stood in the door-way with their staves. I asked them to let me go in: they said, ‘They could not, nor durst not; for they were commanded the contrary, and were sorry for it.’ I told them, I would not press upon them; so I stood by, and they were very civil. I stood till I was weary; then one gave me a stool to sit down on: and after awhile the power of the Lord began to spring up among friends, and one began to speak. The constables soon forbad him, and said, he should not speak; and he not stopping, they began to be wroth. But I gently laid my hand upon one of the constables, and wished him to let him alone. The consta­ble did so, and was quiet; and the man did not speak long. After he had done, I was moved to stand up and speak: and in my declaration said, ‘They need not come against us with swords and staves; for we were a peaceable people, and had nothing in our hearts but good-will to the king and magistrates, and to all people upon the earth. We did not ‘meet under pretence of religion to plot and contrive against the government, or to raise in­surrections’ but to worship God in Spirit and in truth. We had Christ to be our Bishop, Priest, and Shepherd, to feed us and oversee us, and he ruled in our hearts; so we could all sit in silence, enjoying our teacher. So to Christ, their Bishop and Shepherd, I recommended them all.’ I sat down, and after awhile was moved to pray, and the power of the Lord was over all; and the people, with the constables and soldiers, put off their hats. When [Page 307]the meeting was done, and friends began to pass away, the constable put off his hat, and desired the Lord to bless us: for the power of the Lord was over him and the people.

After this I went up and down, visiting friends at their houses, who had their goods taken from them for worship­ping God. We took an account of what had been taken from them: and some friends met together about it, and drew up the case of the sufferings of our friends in writing, and gave it to the justices at their petty sessions. Where­upon they made an order, ‘That the officers should not sell the goods of friends which they had in their hands, but keep them till the next sessions;’ which gave some dis­couragement to the informers, and put a little stop to their proceedings.

The next first-day it was upon me to go to the meeting at the Savoy; and by that time it was gathered, the beadle came in; and after him the wild people, like a sea, but the Lord's power chained them all. The Spirit of the Lord went through and over all, and they were quiet, and we had a glorious, peaceable meeting; blessed be the Lord for his unspeakable goodness! This was in the twelfth month 1682.

In the first month 1683 I went to Kingston upon Thames. As I went to the meeting, I met the chief con­stable who had been at the meeting-place, and had set watchmen to keep us out; yet he was pretty civil, and the watchmen let friends have a couple of forms out, to sit upon in the highway: so friends met together there, and a very precious meeting we had; for the refreshing presence of the Lord was with us, in which we parted in peace.

Having visited and encouraged friends there, I returned to London, and went to the meeting at Bull and Mouth, where the constables with their watchmen kept a guard, to keep friends out of the house. So we met in the street; and when any friend spoke, the officers and watchmen made a great bustle to pull him down, and take him into custody. After some other friends had spoken, it was upon me to speak. I said, ‘Heaven is God's throne, and earth is his footstool: and will ye not let us stand upon God's foot­stool to worship and serve the living God?’ While I spoke, they were quiet: and after I had cleared myself, we broke up our meeting in peace. This was on the sixth day of the week.

On the first-day following I was moved to go to the [Page 308]meeting at Gracechurch-street. When I came there, I found a guard set at the entrance in Lombard-street, and another at the gate in Gracechurch-street, to keep friends out of the meeting-place; so we were fain to meet in the street. After some time I got a chair, stood up in it, and spoke largely to the people, ‘Opening the principles of truth to them, and declaring many weighty truths con­cerning magistracy, and the Lord's prayer.’ There was, besides friends, a great multitude of people, and all was very quiet; for the Lord's power was over all, and in his time we broke up our meeting, and departed in peace.

Next day I went to Guildford in Surry; and having vi­sited friends there, passed to Worminghurst in Sussex, where I had a very blessed meeting among friends, free from dis­turbance. While I was there, James Claypole of London (who with his wife was there also) was suddenly taken very ill with so violent a fit of the stone, that he could neither stand nor lie; but through the extremity of pain cried out like a woman in travail. When I heard it, I was much exercised in spirit for him, and went to him. After I had spoken a few words to him, to turn his mind inward, I was moved to lay my hand upon him, and prayed the Lord to rebuke his infirmity. As I laid my hand on him, the Lord's power went through him; and by saith in that power he had speedy ease, so that he quickly fell into a sleep. When he awaked, the stone came from him like dirt; and he was so well, that the next day he rode with me five-and-twenty miles in a coach, though he used formerly (as he said) to lie sometimes two weeks, sometimes a month, with one of those fits of the stone. But the Lord was intreated for him, and by his power soon gave him ease at this time: blessed and praised be his holy name therefore!

After I had had some meetings in Sussex and Surry, and visited friends thereaway, I returned to London by Kings­ton, where I had a meeting on the first day of the second month, being first-day. We were kept out of the meeting­house by a constable and watchmen, so were fain to meet in the highway. But it being the monthly meeting day, and many people being there, the meeting was pretty large, and very quiet; and the Lord's blessed presence was amongst us; blessed be his name for ever!

Being come to London, I went to the meeting at Wheel­er-street near Spitalsi [...]lds, which that day proved very large, and a gloricus, blessed meeting it was: for the Lord's power [Page 309]and truth was over all, and many deep and weighty things were opened to the people to their great satisfaction.

I tarried in and near London, visiting meetings, and la­bouring in the service of the gospel, till the yearly meeting came on, which began the 28th of the third month. It was a time of great sufferings; and much concerned I was, lest friends, that came up out of the country on the church's ser­vice, should be taken and imprisoned at London. But the Lord was with us, his power preserved us; and gave us a sweet and blessed opportunity to wait upon him, and be refreshed together in him, and to perform those services for his truth and people, for which we met. As it was a time of great persecution, and we understood that in most counties friends were under great sufferings either by impri­sonments or spoiling of goods, or both, a concern was weigh­tily upon me, lest any friends, especially traders and dealers in the world, should hazard the losing of other men's goods or estates through their sufferings. Wherefore, as the thing opened in me, I drew an epistle of caution to friends in that case, which I communicated to the yearly meeting; and from thence it was sent among friends throughout the na­tion; a copy of which here followeth:

[Page 311] Some time after the yearly meeting I went to Kingston upon Thames to visit friends; and while I was there, it came upon me to write the following epistle to friends in general, as a salutation of love, and to stir up the pure mind in them.

Before I left Kingston something further opened in me, which I was moved to write and send amongst friends; as followeth.

Having visited friends at and about Kingston I returned to London; for it being a suffering time with friends there, I had not freedom to be long from the city. I went to the meeting at the Peel; which but a little before the justices and constables had broken up, and had carried themselves very roughly; but that day the meeting was in the house, and quiet, and a glorious meeting it was, blessed be the Lord.

On first-day following I went to the meeting at Grace-church-street, where I found three constables in the meeting­house, who kept friends out; so we met in the court. After I had been some time in the meeting, I stood up, and spoke to the people, and continued speaking a pretty while. Then one of the constables came, took hold of my hand, and said, 'I must come down.' I desired him to be patient, and went on speaking to the people; but after a little time he plucked me down, and had me into the meeting-house. I asked them, if they were not weary of this work? One of them said, 'Indeed they were.' They let me go into the widow Foster's house, which joined to the meeting-house, where I staid, being hot. When the meeting was ended, for one prayed after I was taken away, the constables asked some friends, ‘Which of them would pass their words that I should appear, if they should be questioned about me?’ But the friends telling them, ‘They need not require that, for I was a man well known in the city to be one that would neither fly nor shrink;’ they came not to me, but went their way, and I heard no further of it. The same week I was at the meeting at the Savoy, which used to be kept out and disturbed; but that day it was within doors and peaceable, and a precious meeting it was. The first-day after it was upon me to go to the meeting at Westmin­ster, where used to be great disturbances: but there also the meeting was within doors that day, and was very large. The Lord's power was over all, and kept all quiet and still; for though many loose spirits were there, yet they were [Page 318]bound down by the power and Spirit of the Lord, that they could not get up to make disturbance.

About this time I was moved to write the following epistle:

I continued yet at London, labouring in the work and service of the Lord both in and out of meetings; sometimes visiting friends in prison for the testimony of Jesus, encou­raging them in their sufferings, and exhorting them to stand faithful and steadfast in the testimony which the Lord had committed to them to bear: sometimes also visiting those that were sick and weak in body, or troubled in mind, helping to bear their spirits up from sinking under their in­firmities. [Page 320]Sometimes our meetings were quiet and peacea­ble, sometimes they were disturbed and broken up by the officers. One first-day it was upon me to go to the meet­ing at the Savoy, which was large: for many professors and sober people were there. The Lord opened many precious weighty things in me to the people, which I declared amongst them, and ‘directed them to the spirit of God in themselves, which the Lord had given them a measure of; that all by the Spirit might understand the Scriptures, which were given forth from the Spirit of God; and that by the Spirit of God they might know God, and Christ whom God hath sent, whom to know is eternal life; and that by the Spirit they might all come into Christ, and know him to be their sanctuary, who destroys the devil, the destroyer, and his works, and bruises the serpe [...]s head. For Christ was a sanctuary to them to whom he was a Saviour, whom he saved from the destroyer. And Christ did baptize them with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and did thoroughly purge his floor, and burn up their chaff with unquenchable fire; that is, sin and cor­ruption, which is got into man and woman by their trans­gression: but Christ gathereth his wheat into his garner. So all that are baptized with Christ's baptism, their wheat is in God's garner; and no spoiler can get into God's gar­ner to meddle with the wheat there, though they may be permitted to meddle with the outward goods, &c. As I was speaking in the power of the Lord, and the people were greatly affected therewith, on a sudden the constables, with the rude people, came in like a sea. One of the constables said, Come down,’ and laid hands on me. I asked him, 'Art thou a Christian? We are christians.' He had hold on my hand, and was very fierce to pluck me down; but I stood still, and spoke a few words to the people; desir­ing of the Lord, that the blessings of God might rest upon them all. The constable still called upon me to come down, and at length plucked me down, and bid another man with a staff, 'Take and carry me to prison.' That man had me to another officer's house, who was more ci­vil; and after awhile they brought in four friends more, whom they had taken. I was very weary, and in a great sweat; and several friends hearing where I was, came to me in the constable's house: but I bid them all go their ways, lest the constables and informers should stop them. After awhile the constables had us almost a mile to a jus­tice, [Page 321]who was a fierce, passionate man: who, after he had asked me my name, and his clerk had taken it in writing, upon the constable's informing him, ‘That I preached inthe meeting,’ said in an angry manner, ‘Do not you know that it is contrary to the king's laws to preach in such conventicles, contrary to the liturgy of the church of England?’ There was present one Shad (a wicked inform­er, who was said to have broken gaol at Coventry, and to have been burnt in the hand at London) who hearing the justice speak so to me, stepped up to him, and told him, ‘That he had convicted them on the act of the 22d of king Charles the Second.’ 'What! you convict them?' said the justice. 'Yes,' said Shad, ‘I have convicted them, and you must convict them too upon that act.’ With that the justice was angry with him, and said, ‘You teach me! What are you? I'll convict them of a riot.’ The informer hearing that, and seeing the justice angry, went away in a fret; so he was disappointed of his purpose. I thought he would have sworn somebody against me: where­upon I said, ‘Let no man swear against me, for it is my principle, Not to swear;’ and therefore I would not 'have any man swear against me.' The justice there­upon asked me, 'If I did not preach in the meeting?' I told him. ‘I did confess what God and Christ had done for my soul; and did praise God. I thought I might have done that in the streets, and in all places, viz. praise God, and confess Christ Jesus; which I was not ashamed to con­sess. Neither was this contrary to the liturgy of the church of England.’ The justice said, ‘The laws were against such meetings as were contrary to the liturgy of the church of England.’ I said. ‘I knew no such laws against our meetings; but if he did mean that act that was made against such as did meet to plot, contrive, and raise in­surrections against the king, we were no such people, but did abhor all such actions; and did bear true love and good-will to the king, and to all men upon the earth.’ The justice then asked me, 'If I had been in orders?' I told him. No. Then he took his law-books, and searched for laws against us, bidding his clerk take the names of the rest the mean time. But when he could find no other law against us, the clerk swore the constable against us. Some of the friends bid the constable ‘take heed what he swore, lest he were perjured; for he, took them in the entry, and not in the meeting.’ Yet the constable, being an ill man, [Page 322]swore, 'That they were in the meeting.' However, the justice said, ‘Seeing there was but one witness, he would discharge the rest; but he would send me to Newgate, and I might preach there.’ I asked him, ‘If it stood with his conscience to send me to Newgate for praising God, and for confessing Christ Jesus?’ He cried, ‘Con­science! conscience!’ but I felt my words touched his ‘conscience. He bid the constable take me away, and he would make a mitrimus to send me to prison when he had dined.’ I told him, ‘I desired his peace, and the good of his family; and that they might be kept in the fear of the Lord.’ So I passed away, and as I went the constable took some friends word that I should come to his house the next morning by the eighth hour. Accordingly I did go with those friends, and the constable told us he went to the justice for the mittimus after he had dined; and the justice bid him, 'Come again after the evening service;' which he did; and then the justice told him, ‘He might let me go.’ So, said the constable, you are discharged. I blamed him for turning informer, and swearing against us. He said, 'He would do so no more.' Next day, the jus­tice meeting with Gilbert Laty, asked him. ‘If he would pay twenty pounds for George Fox's fine?’ He said, 'No.' 'Then.' said the justice, ‘I am disappointed; for, being but a lodger, I cannot come by his fine; and he having been brought before me, and being of ability him­self, I cannot lay his fine on any other.’

After I was discharged, I went into the city. The same week the sessions coming on, where many friends were con­cerned, some as prisoners, and some on trials of appeals upon the conventicle act, I went to a friend's house not far off, that I might be in readiness to assist those friends with counsel, or otherwise, as occasion should offer; and I found service in it. But as my spirit was concerned on behalf of friends, with resp [...]ct to their outward sufferings by the per­secutors without; so an exercise also came weightily upon me at this time, in the sense I had of the mischievous work­ing of that adulterated spirit, which, being gone out from the heavenly unity, and having drawn out some that pro­ [...]essed truth into enmity and opposition against friends, en­deavoured to trouble the church of Christ with their jan­glings and contention. And as a further discovery of the working of that seducing spirit, and a warning to all friends to beware of it, I was moved to write the following epistle:

When I had finished the services for which I went thi­ther, and had visited the friends, I returned to London, and visited most of the meetings in and about the city. After­wards I went to visit a friend in Essex; and returning by Dalston, I made some stay at the widow Stot's, where I wrote an epistle to friends, which may be read amongst my other printed books.

I came from Dalston to London, and the next day was sent for in haste to my son Rouse's at Kingston; whose daughter Margaret lay very sick, and had a desire to see me. I tarried at Kingston about a week, and then returned to London; where I continued most part of the winter and the spring following, until the general meeting in 1684 (save that I went once as far as Enfield, to visit friends there­abouts.) In this time I ceased not to labour in the work of the Lord, being frequent at meetings, and visiting friends that were prisoners. or that were sick, and in writing books for the spreading of truth, and opening the understandings of people to receive it.

The yearly meeting was in the third month. A blessed, weighty meeting it was, wherein friends were sweetly re­freshed together; for the Lord was with us, and opened his heavenly treasures amongst us. And though it was a time of great difficulty and danger, by reason of informers and persecuting magistrates, yet the Lord was a defence and place of safety to his people.

Now I had drawings in Spirit to go into Holland, to visit the seed of God in those provinces. And as soon as the yearly meeting was over, I prepared for my journey. There went with me from London Alexander Parker. George Watts, and Nathaniel Brassey, who also had draw­ings into that country. We took coach the 31st of the third month 1684, and got to Colchester that night. Next day, being first-day, we went to the meeting there; and though there was no notice given of my coming, our being there was presently spread over the town, and in several places in the country, at seven and ten miles distance; so that abun­dance of friends came in double-horsed, which made the meeting very large. I had a concern and travail in my mind, lest this great gathering should have stirred up the town, and been more than the magistrates could well bear; [Page 327]but it was very quiet and peaceable, and a glorious meeting we had, to the settling and stablishing of friends both in the town and country: for the Lord's power was over all; blessed be his name for ever! Truly, the Lord's power and presence was beyond words; for I was but weak to go into a meeting, and my face (by reason of a cold) was sore: but God manifested his strength in us and with us, and all was well; the Lord have the glory for evermore for his support­ing power. After the meeting came, I think, above an hun­dred friends of the town and country to see me at John Furley's. Very glad we were to see one another, and great­ly refreshed we were together, being filled with the love and riches of the Lord; blessed be his name for ever!

We tarried at Colchester two days more; which we spent in visiting friends, both at their meetings for business, and at their houses. Early in the morning on fourth-day we took coach for Harwich, where we met William Bingley and Samuel Waldenfield, who went over with us. About the eighth hour at night we went on board the paquet-boat, Richard Gray, master; but by reason of contrary winds it was the first hour in the morning before we sailed. We had a very good passage; and about the fifth hour in the afternoon next day we landed at the Brill in Holland, where we staid that night. Early next morning we went to Rotterdam, where we abode some days. The next day after we came to Rotterdam, one Wilbert Frouzen, a burgo­master, and kinsman of Aarent Sunneman's, hearing I was there, invited me to his country-house, having a desire to speak with me about some business relating to Aarent Sun­neman's daughters. I took George Watts with me, and a brother of Aarent Sunneman's had us thither. The burgo­master received us very kindly, was glad to see me, and entering into discourse about his kinsman's daughters, I found he was apprehensive that, their father being dead, and having left them considerable portions, they might be stolen, and married to their disadvantage. Wherefore I told him, ‘It was our principle and practice, that none should marry amongst us, unless they had a certificate of the consent of their relations or guardians; for it was our Christian care to watch over and look after all young people that came among us, especially those whose relations were dead. And as for his kinsiman's daughters, we should take care that nothing should be offered to them but what should be agreeable to truth and righteousness, and that they [Page 328]might be preserved in the fear of God, according to their father's mind.’ This seemed to give him great satisfaction. While I was with him, there came many great people to me; and ‘I exhorted them all to keep in the feat of God, and to mind his good Spirit in them, to keep their minds to the Lord.’ After I had staid two or three hours, and discoursed with them of several things, I took my leave, and he very kindly sent me to Rotterdam in his chariot.

Next day, being first-day, we were at the meeting at Rotterdam, which was pretty large, and declared to the people by an interpreter. The day following alderman Gaul came to speak with me, with whom we had much discourse about religious matters; wherewith he seemed to be well satisfied, and was very tender. Several other per­sons of account intended to have come to speak with me, but being hindered by extraordinary business (as I under­stood) they came not.

We went next day from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, where we had a large and very precious meeting. In the after­noon I was at another meeting with friends there, about business.

There is a yearly meeting at Amsterdam for the friends of Holland and Germany, &c. which begun now the eighth of the fourth month, and ended the twelfth. Here we had a fine opportunity of seeing friends from divers parts, and of being refreshed together in the love of God. After this meeting, before those that came out of the several provinces were gone, we had a meeting with some particular friends, about the places and countries into which we, who came out of England in the work of the ministry, were to travel; and to inquire who among them were suitable persons to go along with us as interpreters. This concluded on, William Bingley and Samuel Waldenfield took shipping for Fries­land, with Jacob Claus their interpreter.

Alexander Parker and George Watts remained with me. We tarried a few days longer at Amsterdam, where I had further service. Before I left Amsterdam. I went to visit Galenus Abrahams, a teacher of chief note among the Men­nonites, or Baptists. I had been with him when I was in Holland about seven years before; and William Penn and George Keith had disputes with him. He was then very high and very shy, so that he would not let me touch him, nor look upon him (by his good-will) but bid me "Keep my eyes off him; for," he said, "they pierced him." But [Page 329]now he was very loving and tender, and confessed in some measure to truth: his wife also and daughter were tender and kind, and we parted from them very lovingly. Feeling our spirits drawn toward Friesland, Alexander Parker, George Watts, and I, having John Claus of Amsterdam with us for our interpreter, took shipping at Amsterdam for Friesland, and having sailed nine or ten leagues, we left the ship and travelled through Friesland, visiting friends and tender people in the towns and villages, having commonly one, sometimes two meetings in a day. After we had been at Leuwarden, we passed by Franeker to Harlingen in West-Friesland, which was the furthest place we went to that way. And having been out six days from Amsterdam, and had very good service in that time, in visiting friends and pub­lishing truth amongst the people, we took ship at Harlingen for Amsterdam the 26th of the fourth month, and arrived there that night. The first-day following we were at the meeting at Amsterdam, which was very large and precious. Many of the people were there, and some of their teachers, some great persons also. They seemed very attentive, and a good opportunity we all had, one after another, to de­clare the word of the Lord and open the way of truth amongst them, John Claus interpreting for us. I tarried the next day at Amsterdam; but George Watts went to a burial at Harlem, where many hundreds of people were; amongst whom he had a good opportunity and came back at night to us.

The day following we went by boat to Osanoverton in Wa­terland, and from thence in another small boat about a league over a small river, where we passed over and by an hundred bridges, and so to Lansmeer to a friend's, whose name was Timon Peters; where we had a very good meeting. We returned to Amsterdam at night, and were at the meeting there next day. Many were at this meeting besides friends, among the rest the great Baptist-teacher Galenus, who was very attentive to the testimony of the truth, and when the meeting was done came and got me by the hand very lov­ingly.

We went next day by boat to Alkmaer, about eight leagues from Amsterdam, passing through Sardam, the great town of ship-carpenters, and several other towns in the way. At Alkmaer, which is a pretty city, we staid and had a meeting next day at William Williams's. There were, be­sides friends, many very sober people at this meeting, who [Page 330]were very attentive to the testimonies of truth that were borne by Alexander Parker, George Watts, and myself, John Claus being our interpreter. This was on a sixth-day, and on the seventh we returned to Amsterdam, being willing to be at the meeting on first-day, because it was like to be the last meeting we should have there. Accordingly we were at it, and a very large and open meeting it was. Many great persons were present, some earls, we were told, with their attendants, out of Germany, who were very grave and sober; and the everlasting gospel was preached unto them.

After this meeting we took leave of the friends of Am­sterdam, and next morning departed to Harlem, where we had a meeting at a friend's, whose name is Abraham Fron­denberg. Great numbers of people were at this meeting, and of great service it was. After the meeting, a watch­maker of Amsterdam, who with his wife was at the meet­ing, desired to speak with me concerning religion. I had pretty much discourse with him, and both he and she were very low and tender, received with gladness what I spoke to them, and seemed to depart well satisfied.

We went next day to Rotterdam, where we tarried two meetings, and the sixteenth of the fifth month went to the Brill, to take ship for England.

About four in the afternoon, we went on board the pack­et-boat, William Sherman, master, and set sail from the Brill. When we had gone over the Mase about a league, we cast anchor at a place called the Pit, because it is near the sands, where we tarried till about four next morning; when having a pretty fair wind, and the tide with us, we weighed anchor, and by four next day were within five leagues of Harwich, over against Alborough castle; but the wind falling short, and the tide being weak, it was the first hour in the afternoon before we came so near Harwich that boats could come to receive the passengers and goods. There were on board about forty passengers in all, of which some were English, some Scots, some Dutch, some French, some Spanish, some Flemish, and some Jews.

I spent a day with friends at Harwich, while Alexander Parker and George Watts went to visit friends at Ipswich, and returned at night. Next morning early we all took coach for Colchester, and were at the meeting there, which was large and peaceable; after the meeting we travelled to Witham and lodged there that night. Next day, William [Page 331]Mead meeting us on the way at Harestreet, I went with him to his house, and the other friends went for London.

Here, being weak with travel and continual exercise, I spent some time to rest myself and recover my health; visiting in the meantime friends in that part of the country as I was able to get abroad. When I was a little recovered I went to Enfield, visiting friends there and thereabouts, so to Dal­ston to see the widow Stot, and from thence to London; some friends being come over from New-Jersey in America about business which I was desired to be present at.

It was the latter end of the summer when I came to Lon­don, where I staid the winter following; save once or twice, my wife being in town with me, I went with her to her son Rouse's at Kingston. And though my body was very weak, yet I was in continual service either in publick meetings, when I was able to bear them, or in particular businesses among friends, and visiting those that were suffer­ers for truth, either by imprisonment or loss of goods. Many things also in this time I wrote, some for the press and some for particular service; as letters to the king of Denmark, and one to the duke of Holstein, on behalf of friends that were sufferers in his dominions; whereof the fol­lowing is a copy:

Besides the foregoing, I wrote also epistles to friends; one of which the following is a copy of:

About a month after I got a little out of London, visit­ing friends at South-street, Ford-green, and Enfield, where I had meetings. Afterwards I went to Waltham-abbey, and was at a meeting there on a first-day; which was very large and peaceable. Then returning through Enfield, and about Edmonton-side, I came back to London in the third month, to advise with and assist friends in laying their suf­ferings before the parliament then sitting; and we drew up a short account of our sufferings, which we caused to be printed and spread amongst the parliament-men.

[Page 337] The yearly meeting coming on, I was much concerned for friends that came up to it out of the country, lest they should meet with any trouble or disturbance in their passage up or down; and the rather, because about that time a great bustle arose in the nation upon the duke of Mon­mouth's landing in the West. But the Lord, according to his wonted goodness, was graciously pleased to preserve friends in safety, and gave us a blessed opportunity to meet together in peace and quietness, and accompanied our meet­ing with his living, refreshing presence: blessed for ever be his holy name!

Considering the hurries that were in the nation, it came upon me at the close of this meeting to write a few lines to friends, ‘to caution all to keep out of the spirit of the world, in which trouble is, and to dwell in the peaceable truth;’ as followeth:

I wrote several other letters to friends, in divers foreign countries, from whom I had received letters about the affairs of truth. Which when I had dispatched, I got a little way out of town, being much spent with the heat of the weather, throngs in meetings, and continual business. I went [...] first to South-street, where I abode some days. And a great sense entered me of the growth and increase of pride, vanity, and excess in apparel, and that not only amongst the people of the world, but too much also in some that came among us, and seemed to make profession of the truth. In the sense I had of the evil thereof, it came upon me to give sorth the following, as a reproof and check thereunto.

[Page 342] After some weeks I returned to London. Among other services that I found there, one was to assist in drawing up a testimony to clear our friends of being concerned in the late rebellion in the west, and from all plots against the go­vernment; which accordingly was done, and delivered to the chief justice, who was then to go into the west with commission to try prisoners.

I tarried some time in London, visiting meetings, and labouring among friends in the service of truth. But find­ing my health much impaired for want of fresh air, I went to Charles Bathurst's country-house at Epping-forest, where I staid a few days. There it came upon me to write the following epistle to friends:

Having spent about a week in the country, I returned to London; where I continued about two months, visiting [Page 344]meetings, and labouring to get relief for friends from their sufferings, which yet lay heavy upon them in many parts of the nation. I also wrote several papers relating to the ser­vice of truth, one of which was concerning order in the church of God, which some that were gone out of the unity of friends did much oppose. It was as followeth:

When I had been about two months in London, I was sent for to my son Rouse's at Kingston, to visit a daughter of his, who at that time lay very sick; but recovered. Whilst I staid there, I had several meetings with friends: and returning by Hammersmith, staid the first-day meeting there, which was large and peaceable. Having visited friends thereabouts. I came back to London again; being very intent upon the business of getting redress for suffering friends. In this and other services I continued at London till the latter end of the eleventh month; save that I went to visit an ancient friend at Bethnal-Green, with whom I tarried three or four days. While I was there, I was much exercised, in the sense of the enemy's working, to draw from the holy way of truth into a false liberty, and so into the [Page 346]world's ways and worships again. And the example of the backsliding Jews coming before me, I was moved to write the following, as a warning to all such:

I soon returned to London, but made no long stay there, my body not being able to bear the closeness of the city long together. While I was in town, besides the usual services of ‘visiting friends, and taking care about their suf­ferings to get them eased,’ I assisted the friends of the city in distributing certain sums of money, which our friends of Ireland had charitably and very liberally raised, and sent over hither for the relief of their brethren who suffered for the testimony of a good conscience; which monies were distri­buted [Page 349]amongst poor suffering friends in the several counties in proportion, according as we understood their need.

Before I left the city I heard of a great doctor lately come from Poland, whom I invited to my lodging, and had a great deal of discourse with him. After I had informed my­self by him of such things as I had a desire to know, I wrote a letter to the king of Poland on behalf of friends at Dant­zick, who had long been under grievous sufferings. A copy whereof follows:

[Page 352] After this I went into Enfield, where, and in the coun­try thereabouts several friends had country-houses, amongst whom I tarried some time visiting and being visited by friends, and having meetings with them. Several things I wrote in this time relating to the service of truth. one whereof was concerning judging; for some, who had de­parted from the truth, were so afraid of truth's judgment, that they made it much of their business to cry out against judging. Wherefore I wrote a paper, proving by the scrip­tures of truth, that the church of Christ hath power and abi­lity to judge those that profess to be of it, not only with respect to outward things relating to this world, but with respect to religious matters also. A copy of which follows:

I returned to London in the first month 1686, and set myself with all diligence to look after friends sufferings, which we had now some hopes of getting relief from. The sessions came on in the second month at Hicks's Hall, where many friends had appeals to be tried; with whom I was from day to day to advise, and see that no opportunity was slipt, nor advantage lost: and they generally succeeded well. Soon after, the king was pleased, upon our often laying our sufferings before him, ‘To give order for the releasing all that were imprisoned for conscience-sake; which were in his power to discharge.’ Whereby the pri­son-doors were opened, and many hundreds of friends, some of whom had been long in prison, were set at liberty. Some of them, who had many years been restrained in bonds, came up to the yearly meeting, which was in the third month this year. This caused great joy to friends, to see [Page 360]our ancient, faithful brethren again at liberty in the Lord's work, after their long confinement. And indeed a precious meeting we had; the refreshing presence of the Lord ap­pearing plentifully with us and amongst us. After the meeting I was moved to write a few lines, to be sent amongst friends; the tenor whereof was thus:

I remained most part of this year it London, save that sometimes I got to Bethnal-green for a night or two, some­times as far as Enfield and thereabouts amongst friends, and once or twice to Chiswich, where an ancient friend had set up a school for the educating of friends children; in all which places I found service for the Lord. At London I spent my time amongst friends, either in publick meetings, as the Lord drew me, or visiting such as were not well, and in looking after the sufferings of friends. For though many were released out of prison, yet some remained prisoners still for tithes, &c. and sufferings of several sorts lay heavy on friends in many places. Yet inasmuch as many who had been prisoners were now set at liberty; I felt a concern upon me that none might look too much at man, but might eye the Lord therein, from whom deliverance comes. Where­fore I wrote an epistle to friends, as followeth:

Divers other epistles and papers I wrote this year, whereof one was by way of exhortation to ‘friends to keep in unity in the truth, in which there is no division nor separation:’ thus,

Soon after this, finding those apostates whom the enemy had drawn into division and separation from friends continu­ed their clamour and opposition against out monthly, quar­terly, and yearly meetings, it came upon me to write ano­ther short epi [...]e to friends to put them in mind of the ‘evi­dence and seal they had received in themselves by the Spi­rit of the Lord, that those meetings were of the Lo [...] and accepted by him,’ that they might not be shaken by the ad­versaries. I wrote as followeth:

A little after it came upon me to write something con­cerning the state of the church and the true members there­of; as followeth:

Towards the latter end of this year I went to my sou Rouse's near Kingslon. While I was there I wrote a paper [Page 369]concerning the 'falling away,' foretold by the apostle Paul, 2 Thess. ii. 3. as followeth:

While I was at Kingston, I wrote another paper, shew­ing, ‘That the Lord in all ages called the righteous from amongst the wicked, before he destroyed them;’ after this manner:

[Page 375] While I was at Kingston, one day meditating on the things of God, some particular observations arose in my mind concerning the first, and the 'second or last Adam. As that—

The first man Adam was made on the sixth day of the week; and Christ, the second Adam, was crucified on the sixth day of the Week.

The first Adam was betrayed by the serpent in the gar­den of Eden: Christ our Saviour, the second Adam, was betrayed by Judas in a garden near Jerusalem.

Christ arose from the dead on the first-day of the week; and they that do believe on him are entered into Christ their rest: the christians meet together to worship God on the first day of the week; and on the first day of the week it was, that God said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light.’ The Jews reft was on the seventh day of the week, which was given to them as a sign of the eternal rest of the Lord, sanctifying them, after they came out of the land of Egypt: for before that time the Lord had not giv­en to man and woman his outward Sabbath-day to keep, neither in the old world, nor after in Abraham's time, nor in Isaac's, nor in Jacob's time; until the Jews came out of Egypt to Mount Sinai in the wilderness. Then the Lord gave the law, and his Sabbath, as a sign in the old covenant, of Christ the eternal rest in the new cove­nant: and they that believe do enter into Christ their rest.

Adam, the first man, is the root from whence we all spring naturally: and Christ is called the last or second Adam, because he is the beginning and root of all that are spiritual.

The first Adam was made a living soul: and Christ the last Adam is a quickening spirit.

Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man, that they might all come into favour with God; and that every tongue should confess, that ‘Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’

I wrote also a paper there, concerning the two seeds, dis­tinguishing the seed wherein the blessing is received, from the seed which the curse remains upon. Of which the fol­lowing is a copy:

Quickly after this I returned to London, and continued there a month in the service of the Lord; being daily exer­cised either in public meetings, or more particular services relating to the church of Christ: as visiting such as were sick or afflicted, writing books or papers for the spreading of truth, or resuting of error. As it was a time of general liberty, the Papists appeared more open in their worship than formerly, and many unsettled people going to view them, a great talk there was of their praying to saints, and by beads, &c. whereupon I wrote a short paper concern­ing prayer; as followeth:

When I had staid about a month in London, I got out of town again: For by reason of the many hardships I had undergone in imprisonments, and other sufferings for truth's sake, my body was grown so infirm and weak, that I could not bear the closeness of the city long together; but was fain to go a little into the country, where I might have the be­nefit of the fresh air. At this time I went with my son-in­law William Mead, to his country-house called Gooses in Essex, where I staid about two weeks; and among other services, that I had there, I wrote the following paper:

The beginning of the third month I returned to London, and continued there till after the yearly meeting, which be­gan the sixteenth, and was very large; friends having more freedom to come up out of the countries to it, by reason of the general toleration and liberty now granted. The meet­ing lasted several days; and at the close thereof it was upon me to write the following lines, to be dispersed among friends e [...]ery where, as— ‘A word of counsel and caution to them to walk circumspectly in this time of liberty:’

By that time the yearly meeting was over, I was very much wearied and spent: wherefore about a week after I got out of town to a friend's house a little beyond Edmon­ton, where, and at South-street, I abode some time, and had meetings amongst friends there; and at Winchmore­hill and Berry-street. Having my mind continually exer­cised in the things of God, the sense of his infinite good­ness and mercy to mankink, in visiting them, after they had transgressed and rebelled against him, and providing a way and means for their return to him again, was very much upon me; and in the opening of the Spirit of truth, I writ the following paper on that subject:

After I had been awhile here, I went to a monthly meeting at Enfield, and from thence with some friends to Hertford; where I staid three or four days, visiting friends both at their public meetings on first-day, and at their quar­terly meetings of men and women: and good service for the Lord I had amongst them. Them passing to Waltham-Abby. I had a very good meeting with friends, and the next day went to another place, to compose a difference, which, for want of a right understanding of each other, had happened between some friends. I returned to Wal­tham that night: and the next day went with some friends to William Mead's house in Essex.

Here I staid some weeks, yet was not idle, but often visited meetings thereabouts: as at Wanslead, Barking, and at John Harding's. Betwixt meeting and meeting I wrote many things for spreading truth, and opening peo­ple's understandings to receive it. One was a paper, prov­ing from the scriptures that people must repent before they can receive the gospel, and the Holy Spirit, and the king­dom of God, or be baptized; after this manner:

Here I staid some weeks, yet was not idle, but often visited meetings thereabouts: as at Wanslead, Barking, and at John Harding's. Betwixt meeting and meeting I wrote many things for spreading truth, and opening peo­ple's understandings to receive it. One was a paper, prov­ing from the scriptures that people must repent before they can receive the gospel, and the Holy Spirit, and the king­dom of God, or be baptized; after this manner:

Another short paper I wrote about the same time, shew­ing, 'wherein God's people should be like unto him.' Thus:

And because most people would confess, that God's peo­ple should be thus, but few know how to come to this state, therefore in the openings of the Spirit of truth I wrote ano­ther short paper, directing to 'the right way and means whereby people might come unto Christ, and so be made like unto God. Thus:

[Page 389] Before I left this place I wrote another paper, the scope whereof was to shew, by many instances taken out of the holy scriptures, that the kingdom of God, which most people talk of at a distance and refer altogether to another life, is in some measure to be known and entered into in this life; but that none can know an entrance thereinto, but such as are regenerated and born again. Of that paper the following is a copy:

[Page 394] Having been more than a quarter of a year in the coun­try, I returned to London somewhat better in health than sormerly, having received much benefit by the country air. And it being a time of general liberty and great openness amongst the people, I had much service for the Lord in the city, being almost daily at publick meetings, and fre­quently taken up in visiting friends that were sick, and in other services of the church. I continued at London about three months; then finding my strength much spent with continual labouring in the work of the Lord, and my body much stopped for want of fresh air, I went to my son Rouse's by Kingston, where I abode some time, and visited friends at Kingston. While I was there, it came upon me to write a paper concerning the Jews, shewing, ‘How by their dis­obedience and rebellion they lost the holy city and land.’ By which example the professed Christians may see what they are to expect, if they continue to disobey and provoke the Lord. The copy here followeth:

After this I went to Guildford to visit friends there, and staid three days with them, and had a large and very good meeting on first-day. After which I came back to King­ston again, and tarried about two weeks longer, visiting friends and having meetings amongst them, both at their publick meeting-house and in their families. Many things I wrote while I was at Kingston; amongst which the fol­lowing was one:

Another paper I wrote concerning the stone spoken of by Daniel, chap ii. which became a great mountain and silled the whole earth, shewing ‘That thereby was set forth the kingdom and power of Christ.’

Several other things I wrote while I was at Kingston for my spirit being continually exercised towards God, I had many precious openings of divine matters; and divers places of scripture, both in the Old Testament and in the New, relating to the state of regeneration and sanctification, &c. were brought to my remembrance by the Holy Spirit; some of which I committed to writing, as followeth:

I returned to London towards the latter end of the ele­venth month 1687, visiting friends in the way at Chiswick and Hammersmith, where I had two meetings, one upon a feast-day, and the other on occasion of a marriage; at which were many people of other denominations, amongst whom I had a very seasonable opportunity of opening the way of truth.

Being come to London, I visited meetings in and about the city, as the Lord led me! in whose service I continued labouring till the middle of the first-month 1687-8. At which time I went towards Enfield, and visited friends there and thereabouts, and at Barnet, Waltham-Abbey, and other places; where I had many meetings, and very good service, in which I spent several weeks. I then returned to London, where I continued labouring in the work of the gospel till after the yearly meeting, which this year was about the beginning of the fourth month. A precious meet­ing it was. A very refreshing season friends had together, the Lord vouchsasing to honour our assemblies with his liv­ing glorious presence in a very plentiful manner. At the conclusion of the meeting I felt a concern upon my spirit to give forth the following paper, to be dispersed amongst friends.

Some time after the yearly meeting I went to my son Mead's in Essex, and abode some weeks; often visiting friends meetings near, and sometimes at Barking. After I had been awhile there, I went to visit friends at Waltham-Abbey, Hodsdon, Enfield, South-street, Ford-Green, and [Page 406]Winchmore-hill; where I had several very serviceable meetings; the Lord opening many deep and weighty things through me, for the informing the understandings of inquirers, and building up those that were gathered into the truth, and establishing them therein.

In the seventh month I returned to London, having been near three months in the country for my health's sake, which was very much impaired; so that I was hardly able to stay in a meeting the whole time, and often after a meet­ing was fain to lie down upon a bed. Yet did not my weak­ness of body take me off from the service of the Lord; but I continued to labour in and out of meetings in the work of the Lord, as he gave me opportunity and ability.

I had not been long in London, before a great weight came upon me, and a sight the Lord gave me of the great bustles and troubles, revolution and change, which soon after came to pass. In the sense whereof, and in the mov­ings of the Spirit of the Lord, I wrote, ‘A general epistle to friends, to forewarn them of the approaching storm; that they might all retire to the Lord, in whom safety is,’ as followeth:

About this time great exercise and weights came upon me (as had usually done before great revolutions and chan­ges of government) and my strength departed from me; so that I reeled, and was ready to fall as I went along the streets; and at length I could not go abroad at all, I was so weak for a pretty while; till I felt the power of the Lord to spring over all, and had received an assurance from him, that he would preserve his faithful people to himself through all.

In the time that I kept within, I wrote a paper, shewing; ‘Moses, as a servant, was faithful in all his house, in the Old Testament; and Christ, as a Son, is over his house, in the New Testament.’

Some time after this, my body continuing weak, I went with my son Mead to his house in Essex; where I staid some weeks. In which time I writ many things relating to the service of truth, some were printed soon after; others were spread abroad in manuscript; and amongst other things, a few lines to this purpose:

‘THAT, while men are contending for thrones here below, Christ is on his throne, and all his holy an­gels are about him, who is the beginning and the ending, the first and last, over all. And that the Lord will make way and room for himself, and for them that are born of his Spirit, which are heavenly Jerusalem's children, to come home to their free mother.’

A few words also I writ concerning the world's teachers, and the emptiness of their teaching. Which were thus:

‘DOTH not that which is called Christendom live in talking of Christ's, of the apostles, and prophets words, and the letter of the Scriptures? And do not their priests minister the letter, with their own conceptions thereupon, for money, though the holy Scriptures were freely given forth from God, Christ, the prophets, and apostles? Yet the apostle saith, ‘The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life,’ 2 Cor. iii. 6. The ministers of the New Testament are not ministers of the letter, but of the Spirit, and they sow to the Spirit, and of the Spirit reap life eternal. But people's spending time about old authors, and talking of them, and of the outward letter, doth not feed their souls. For talking of victuals and clothes doth not clothe the body, nor feed it. No more are their souls and spirits fed and clothed, except they have the bread and water of life from heaven to feed them, and the righteousness of Christ to clothe them. Talking of out­ward things and spiritual things, and not possessing them, may starve both their bodies and their souls. Therefore [Page 411]quench not the spirit of God, which will lead to be di­ligent in all things.’

With this I writ another short paper, shewing, ‘The hurt they did, and the danger they run into, who turned people from the inward manifestation of Christ in the heart.’

I writ also a paper to shew, by instances taken out of the holy scriptures, that ‘many of the holy men and prophets of God, and of the apostles of Christ, were husbandmen and tradesmen: by which people might see how unlike to them the world's teachers now are.’

It was now a time of much talk, and people too much busied their minds, and spent their time, in hearing and tel­ling news. To shew them the vanity thereof, and to draw them from it, I writ the following lines:

About the middle of the first month, 1688-9, I went to London, the parliament then sitting, and being then about the bill of indulgence. Though I was weak in body, and not well able to stir to and fro, yet so great a concern was upon my Spirit on behalf of truth and friends, that I at­tended continually for many days, with others, at the par­liament-house, labouring with the members, that the thing might be done comprehensively and effectually.

In this and other services I continued till towards the end of the second month, when being much spent with continual labour, I got out of town for a little while, as far as Southgate and thereabouts. While I was there I wrote a letter to Peter Hendricks, a friend, at Amsterdam, in which I inclosed an epistle to friends at Dantzick, in Po­land, who at this time were under great persecution. And I wrote unto them to encourage and strengthen them in their testimony, and to comfort them in their sufferings for the truth. I also wrote a paper to their persecutors, the magistrates of Dantzick, laying before them the evil of per­secution, persuading them to Christian moderation, and ‘to [Page 415]do unto others, in matters of religion, as they would be done unto.’

[Page 418] Having staid in the country about three weeks, I return­ed to London a little before the yearly meeting, which was in the third month this year, and was a very solemn, weighty meeting; the Lord, as formerly, visiting his peo­ple, and honouring the assembly with his glorious presence, to the great satisfaction and comfort of friends. After the business of the meeting was over, it was upon me to add a few lines to the epistle, which went from the meeting to friends, after this manner:

Soon after this the yearly meeting began at York, which, because of the largeness of that county, and for the conve­niency of friends in the northern parts, had for some years been held there. And inasmuch as there had been some hurt done in that place, by some that were gone out of the unity of friends, it was upon me to write a few lines to that meeting, to ‘exhort them to keep in pure heavenly love, which brings into and keeps in the true unity.’ Which was thus:

Being much wearied and spent with many large meet­ings, and much business with friends during the time of the yearly meeting, and finding my health much impaired there­by, I went out of town with my daughter Rouse to their country-house near Kingston, and tarried there most of the remaining part of the summer. In which time I sometimes visited friends at Kingston, and wrote divers things for the service of truth and friends. One was an epistle to friends at Barbadoes; as followeth:

I staid at Kingston till the beginning of the seventh month, where not only friends came to visit me, but some considerable people of the world, with whom I discoursed about the things of God. Then leaving Kingston, I went to London by water, visiting friends as I went, and taking Hammersmith-meeting in my way. Having recovered some strength by being in the country, when I was come to Lon­don I went from meeting to meeting, labouring diligently in the work of the Lord, and opening the divine mysteries of the heavenly things, as God in his Spirit opened them to me. But I found my body would not long bear the city; wherefore, when I had travelled amongst friends there about a month, I went to Tottenham-High-Cross, and from thence to Edward Man's country-house near Winchmore-hill and to Enfield; spending three weeks amongst friends thereabouts, and had meetings at all those places. Then, being a little refreshed in the country, I returned to Lon­don; where I tarried, labouring in the work of the ministry, [Page 423]till the middle of the ninth month; at which time I went with my son Mead to his house in Essex, and abode there all the winter. During which time I stirred not much abroad, unless sometimes to the meeting to which that fa­mily belonged, which was about half a mile from thence; but I had meetings often in the house with the family and those friends that came thither. Many things also I wrote while I was there, some of which follow. One was an epistle to the quarterly and yearly meetings of friends in Pennsylvania, New-England, Virginia, Maryland, the Jer­seys, Carolina, and other plantations in America. Which was thus:

‘Gooses, the 28th of the 11th month, 1689.’

While I was in the city I had a concern upon my spirit with respect to a twofold danger that attended some who professed truth; one was of young people's running into the fashions of the world, and the other was of old people's go­ing into the earth. And that concern coming now again weightily upon me, I was moved to give forth the follow­ing as a reproof to such, and an exhortation and warning to all friends to beware of and keep out of those snares.

Another I wrote while I was here concerning the Ensign which Isaiah prophesied the Lord should set up for the [Page 426]Gentiles, which I shewed was Christ. Of which follows a copy:

A week after this I returned to London; and after a little stay there, went to visit friends at Kingston, where I staid not long; but came back to London, and remained in the Lord's work, till after the yearly meeting, which was in the fourth month this year; in which the wonted goodness of the Lord was witnessed, his blessed presence enjoyed, and his heavenly power livingly felt, opening the hearts of his people unto him, and his divine treasures of life and wisdom in and unto them; whereby many useful and necessary things, relating to the safety of friends, and to the honour and prosperity of truth, were weightily treated of, and una­nimously concluded.

After the meeting, I wrote the following paper to friends, to be added to the epistle, which from the yearly meeting was sent into the several counties.

I staid in town between three weeks and a month, after the yearly meeting, and then went to Tottenham-High­Cross, where was a meeting on first-day, which I was at; and then went to Edward Man's at Ford-Green near Winchmore-Hill: and the first-day following to the meet­ing at Enfield; where the Lord gave me many precious openings to declare to the people. Afterwards, moving to and fro amongst friends thereabouts, I visited the meetings at Chesshunt, Waltham-Abbey, Enfield, Tottenham, and Winchmore-Hill frequently; the Lord being with me, and opening many deep and weighty truths, divine and heaven­ly mysteries to his people through me, to their great re­freshment, and my joy. After some time I went to Hert­ford, to visit friends there; and was at their meeting on a first-day. And having something more particular upon me to the ancient friends of that place, I had a meeting with [Page 432]some of them the next day, and imparted to them what the Lord had given me for them. Then passing to Ware, I made a little stay amongst friends there, and was at their meeting. After which, returning, amongst friends about Edmonton side and Tottenham, and taking meetings as I went, I came back to London in the end of the seventh month.

I remained at London till the beginning of the ninth month, being continually exercised in the work of the Lord, either in publick meetings, opening the way of truth to peo­ple, and building up and establishing friends therein, or in other services relating to the church of God. For the par­liament now sitting, and having a bill before them concern­ing oaths, and another concerning clandestine marriages, several friends did attend the house, to get those bills so worded, that they might not be hurtful to friends. In this service I also assisted, attending on the parliament, and dis­coursing the matter with several of the members.

Having staid more than a month in London, and much spent myself in these services, I went to Tottenham, and some time after to Ford-Green. At which places I con­tinued several weeks, visiting friends meetings round about at Tottenham, Enfield, and Winchmore-Hill. In this time several things came upon me to write: whereof one was an epistle "to friends in the ministry;" as followeth:

[Page 434] Another epistle I wrote soon after, more particularly to the friends in the ministry, that were gone into America: after this manner.

Not long after I returned to London, and was almost daily with friends at meetings. When I had been near two weeks in town, the sense of the great hardships and sore suf­ferings that friends had been and were under in Ireland coming with great weight upon me, I was moved to write the following epistle, as a word of consolation unto them: