Chapter XVIII: Front Matter (18)

‘Well, but to leave that, though he did in some measure, free the
nation from much tyranny and cruelty, in the casting out popish
authority, yet alack! the nation in a few years was near as much
violated by injustice and cruelty, under the succeeding power,
as ever it was once under the papal power; though before, there
had been some small reformation and change in outward appearance,
though little in ground and nature; yet oppression, and idolatry,
and superstition, in church and state, and all profaneness and
wickedness among people were grown so high, like as it had
been under the papal power before; and all that desired after
the Lord, and were weary of iniquity, and of the then present
oppressions and idolatries, were persecuted, and slain, and
destroyed; and injustice and cruelty exercised upon them, even
almost to the rooting out of righteousness, and to the grieving
of the Lord’s spirit. Well then, because of the cry of the
people, and the oppression of the nation under that authority,
my Lord looked down again; and even for his name’s sake, and for
his seed’s sake, he had compassion on this nation, to set it
free, and to break off its oppressions; and in a great measure
he did deliver the people of this nation in many things, and
there was a part of reformation wrought, and much pretended and
looked for; and all this came to pass through him, and my Lord
did accomplish it, however the instruments by which he wrought
proved deceitful, and became oppressors, as others before them;
and though there was in this nation a day of great troubles, and
wars, and contention, and great strife, and the wasting of much
blood, and earthly treasure, and none of these things, I must
tell you, fell without the ordering of my Master’s hand; yet so
it was, and came to pass, that after this nation was restored to
peace, though much unrighteousness and injustice was removed,
yet there was much also left behind; and men that he had used as
instruments in his hand, in a good work, and to whom he had given
wisdom and understanding, and appeared in much mercy and in great
deliverance, yet they even turned to seek themselves, and became
corrupted in the spoils of their enemies. And when peace and
plenty abounded, the Lord was forgotten again; and then the land
fell under oppressors, and began again to cry out for freedom,
even when other horns of the first beast sprang up, and went on
each of them after his fellow. And though one horn hath striven
to break another, yet after one hath been cast down, another hath
risen, and made an image to the first; and ruled and reigned by
the same spirit, and authority, derived from the dragon’s power
in cruelty and oppression; and made laws and executed them to
the dishonour of the Lord, and to the great oppression of his
people, and to the filling of this island with injustice and
cruelty, even from one generation to another, until this day: and
thus up and down have times and seasons been altered, powers and
authorities changed and altered, statutes, laws, and decrees,
changeable and alterable; for as the iniquity of one power was
filled up, that was cast down, and another had its day, till the
measure thereof was also filled up, that it might partake of the
same judgments. And in all these overturnings, breakings-down,
and overthrowings, the very hand of my Lord hath been, though
secretly, and not discerned; yet his power hath brought about,
and suffered all these things to come to pass: and who shall
charge him with injustice? Or, who shall say, ‘What hast thou
done?’ Or, ‘Why hast thou done it?’ For, as I have said, he is
a high and mighty prince, and can do whatsoever he will; and he
is the supreme power and authority, which rules and reigns in
and over all the kingdoms of men. And what though he hath used
wicked men as an instrument to accomplish his work, and made the
wicked his rod; and even brought it to pass, that one wickedness
should destroy another, and one oppressor break down another, and
the kingdom of antichrist confound itself; yet what of all these
things? All flesh must be silent before him, and all people, and
the whole earth must be subject unto him; for the government
and dominion over heaven and earth is his, and all power and
dominion belongeth to him alone, and all judgment is in his hand,
to bring to pass whatsoever he will, and by whomsoever, as he
pleaseth.

‘But now, my friends, though I would not be tedious to you, yet
must I tell you the truth, and faithfully deliver the Lord’s
message unto you; and as concerning this last overturning, there
was something of the hand of my Lord in it; and he can, and will
bring forth his own work and praise by it, and it shall be for
the good of all his people, that wait upon him, though there was
much ambition and corrupted ends in the instruments, and neither
part were perfectly single to the Lord in their proceedings,
but their work was tainted with the false idolatrous spirit of
self-seeking; yet notwithstanding, the Lord may bring forth his
government, and his pleasant plant, through and beyond all this,
even out of another root, which yet appears not among either of
them; and righteousness may arise in the nation, contrary to both
of them, out of another stem, and he will set up his kingdom, and
in the meantime, leave one potsherd of the earth to break another.

‘And as for you, that now sit on the throne and bear rule,
whether committee of safety, so called, chiefly, though it is
not without my Master, for he hath the knowledge of it at least,
yet you are not the only men of his choice, truly called of
him to the place of government, neither is your government the
government of the Lamb, neither must it be forever established
by him; its foundation is not blessed, nor can its building be
prosperous. For why? Alas, it is but another horn of that fourth
beast, that hath been made to rule over the world, and upon the
earth for many generations, and it is but hitherto a very little
refined from the last, and is of the last, even as the eighth
was of the seventh, spoken of by that servant, Rev. xvii. 11,
and it may also make war with the Lamb and his followers for
a little season, and it may have a small measure of injustice
and persecution to bring forth in the land, even till the words
of God be fulfilled, and his kingdom be fully come, the way of
which is but yet preparing by all these overturnings. And this
your present government originally is leavened with the spirit
of the old dragon, that hath killed the saints, and drunk their
blood, and how should the Lord establish it? Nay, your kingdom
may prove but small and little, and full of uproars and troubles,
and little peace, and satisfaction and establishment in it to
yourselves, or the people under you; but confusion will attend
it, and fears will compass it about: though this I must tell
you, as you are men, you have your day of trial what you will
do, as many others have had before you; and something you may
and ought to do, if but to make the whore, (the false church,)
more naked, and to scourge her, more than some others have done;
and indeed my Lord requires something more of you, (as such,) to
do, than others before you could do; and you have a price put
into your hands, which you may improve to the Lord’s honour,
and to the nation’s good, and to your own happiness; which, if
you will be faithful to the Lord, to do what he requires of
you, and if you become meek and humble men, and fear his name,
and deny yourselves, and not seek your own honours, nor any
earthly advantage to yourselves; if you do thus, then my Lord
will show mercy to you, and you shall not suddenly fall before
your enemies, though many may rise up against you; but your days
shall be lengthened, and the purpose of the Lord may be turned
to your longer continuance, and not to your sudden destruction;
and if you walk in this way, and rule only for the Lord, then
shall you be honoured as men if not as an authority, and you
and the nation preserved in peace, and the force of the wicked
shall be turned backward, and you shall not suddenly fall. And
the late sundry overturnings in this nation may be examples to
you, that you follow not the steps of those that God hath cast
out, lest you come to the same end of confusion and misery:
for, as concerning that assembly of men, that last sat on the
throne, something was done by them in their day and time, and in
both their assemblings, in some things they served my Lord, and
they were a rod in his hand to smite his enemies; yet they were
not faithful to the end, till all his enemies were destroyed,
but rather joined themselves to fight against the Lord and his
people, and were hastening on towards the way of oppression and
persecution; and it was time for the Lord to remove them, and
to lay them aside as an empty vessel, sometime useful; and to
break them as a rod, sometime of service to be a scourge upon his
enemies. And when the day of their trial was over, which God gave
unto them, being any longer, (at present,) unfit instruments for
his hand, then he cast them into the fire; and this his purpose
came to pass upon them; so that they and the whole nation may
be contented, and yield themselves subject to what he hath done
concerning them; for they being entering into the very same
spirit of wickedness, of oppression and persecution, which the
Lord had once reproved through them, and cast out by them; then
was a rod raised up against them, even as they had been against
others, and they were dealt withal as they had done to others;
and this was in the justice of my Lord’s hand; and what hath
mortal man to question his proceedings? And though some of you,
(present rulers,) be looked upon as great traitors and tyrants in
your dealings towards them; and doubtless the men of that part
will seek vengeance against you, even by preaching and praying;
and they will curse you in the name of their God, and seek
continually your destruction, as such as have taken away part of
their strength, and cast down their idol; but alas! All this is
nothing; for the Lord doth not account as men; for these things
must needs thus come to pass, for the furtherance of the kingdom
and government of Jesus Christ, that it may arise through all;
and if you were but faithful to what the Lord requires of you,
in your proceedings, what you have done unto them should not be
reckoned on account against you, neither by God, nor good men.
But if you of the army be always treacherous and disobedient
towards him, and abuse your power, and disregard your price that
God hath given you, and trifle away your hour about places of
honour, and such self-seeking matters, and the cause of God be
neglected by you, and his people continued oppressed sufferers
under you, as they have long been; even then shall you be cast
aside with shameful disgrace, and the heavy hand of the Lord
shall be upon you in judgment, and you shall be smitten more
than any before you; your estates shall not be spared from the
spoiler, nor your souls from the pit, nor your persons from the
violence of men, no, nor your necks from the axe: for if you be
unfaithful, and continually treacherous to the cause of God,
then shall you be left to the will of your enemies, and they
shall charge treachery and treason upon you, and your persons and
estates shall be given for a prey to your enemies; and you shall
not deliver yourselves, neither will the Lord deliver you from
the execution of merciless men; for my Lord shall leave the cruel
hearted to plead with you.

‘Wherefore, that you may be warned, I advise you to be faithful;
let not the cause of God fall, nor the cause of his enemies
prosper before you; for there is no other way whereby you can
be preserved, nor no other defence shall you ever find from the
wrath of the Lord, and from the fury of your devouring enemies,
than your faithfulness in God’s cause; and therefore relieve
the oppressed, and take off all oppressions, break down all
unjust laws, and set all people free from unjust burdens, and
let all oppression cease, both in church and civil state; and
even all oppressive laws, and unjust judges, and evil men in
power, let all these be removed, and the nation clean quitted
and discharged, even from all men and laws whatsoever, that have
held under oppression the persons, estates, and consciences of
the good people of this land; and let the nation be corrected,
and all orders and places of men, and laws and decrees be
purified: for this my Lord, the great King, requireth, and he
will suddenly have it brought to pass in the nation, if not by
you, then contrary to you, and to your utter destruction. And
this is the very substance of my message to you, that my Master
hath given me to say unto you; and on his behalf I am come to
claim of you my Master’s long lost right: let him have his right,
from which he hath long been banished; I demand it of you, all
ye whatsoever, that seem to bear rule in the nation; I charge
you in his name let him have his title and prerogative, let him
be Lord and King wholly in his own kingdom, let him have the
exercise of his people’s consciences by his own Spirit in all
things relating to his worship and service; and let him have the
full authority by his Spirit in all things pertaining to church
and ministry, and faith, and religion; and let his Spirit have
the alone authority to persuade and dissuade people from, or to,
such or such ministry, worship, and practices of religion; and
let all forced maintenance to ministers, and tithes, be speedily
taken away; and let all laws and decrees whatsoever, made and
practised in the days of antichrist, upon the bodies, estates,
and consciences of the people, in oppression and unjustness about
church, and worship, and religion, be utterly repealed, and made
void, and never more be in force in this nation; but let my Lord
be sole ruler and governor, and have the full authority in his
own kingdom, in all things whatsoever pertaining thereunto. And
let no man henceforth hereafter be intrusted with the liberties
of the members of Christ’s kingdom, as they are such, nor to
judge over them in any matters of faith and worship, but give
that right and privilege wholly unto the Spirit of Jesus Christ;
for unto him only it pertaineth to be whole judge, and to have
full power in his own kingdom; and until you give him the right,
and deliver up unto him his own kingdom, and the exercise of
peoples’ consciences in all things about religion, you shall
never prosper, nor none that cometh after you, that shall in any
measure abridge my Master of his proper right, from which he hath
long been banished, as I have said; and till his right be given
him, in the case aforesaid, he will dash one man against another,
and none shall ever be established; but horn after horn shall be
broken, and one power after another brought into confusion.

‘And, therefore, ye men, do not strive with him in this matter,
but yield unto him the exercise of your own consciences by his
Spirit in you, and let him do so unto all others, even as ye
hope to prosper, and upon the penalty of his sore displeasure
upon you in this world, and in the world to come; and let just
men, and righteous men, and meek men, and men that have the
fear and wisdom of God in them, without acceptation of birth, or
otherwise; let such men have the power and judgment committed
to them, to determine in things between man and man. Down with
all the false-hearted flatterers, that have ruled for man and
not for God, and for themselves, and not for the good of the
people; cast all such out from you; for the good among you is
choaked by them: down with all that judge for rewards; and away
with all hireling rulers, that execute the law for money, and
will not plead the cause of the poor without great fees; and down
with all that will not serve places of trust without so large
stipends; away with all these things out of the land, for they
are heinous oppressions unto men, and great abominations in the
sight of God; and the land hath long groaned under the weight
and burden of these things, and the earth is weary of them, and
my Lord requires their utter dissolution, as being iniquities
fully ripe, and having the guilt of so much cruelty, injustice,
and oppression lying upon the nation because hereof; therefore
is the Lord’s season to destroy them, and remove them out of the
land; which if you be the instruments in such a work, it will be
your greatest crown, and your perpetual honour. For the Lord’s
purpose is one way or other to cleanse the land of all these and
other oppressions whatsoever, that the people of this land may
be a free people from all the heavy yokes of antichrist, which
have long sorely pressed them down; and the purpose of the Lord
is to break the yokes of oppression and tyranny from off the
necks of this people; and therefore it is that he overturneth,
yea, and will overturn, all men and authorities that shall oppose
his work, and none shall be able to stand before him; for the
presence of my Lord is more dreadful to a nation, when he shows
himself in wrath, than any multitude of armed men; and wo is unto
you, if you be found opposing of him; and if you seek to stop his
work, you shall not cumber the earth very long, nor oppress the
nations many days. Wherefore consider, cursed will you be, if
you be unfaithful in what you have to do on the Lord’s behalf;
for your hour passeth over, that is allotted you; and will be
suddenly expired, never to be recalled, and then you cannot work.

‘And whereas there is a great cry about ministry, for sending
forth and maintaining, and encouraging a godly ministry, as you
say.

‘Now to this I do answer on my Lord’s behalf, and I must tell you
plainly; as for a true godly ministry, truly called and sent of
God, such a ministry, and such ministers you can never be able
to hinder; but the Lord will send them out, maintaining them
and preserving them, whether you will or no; and while you are
troubling yourselves about such a matter, you are but meddling
with things above your line, and out of your jurisdiction, while
you act in such a case; for it belongs to his government to send
out ministers, whom, and as he will, and to maintain them and
defend them according to his own pleasure, and all this without
you; for such ministers, truly called thereunto, and sent of
the Lord, will not seek to you to be sent forth, or maintained
by you, they will not be beholden to you in such a case; but
even without you, and contrary to you, must they be sent out
and maintained; so that the Lord will have a ministry in this
nation purely of his own, and not of man, nor by man, and such a
ministry you shall not be able to hinder.

‘And I must tell you plainly, as for these men called ministers,
in this nation, the way of their setting up, and sending forth,
and the way of their maintenance, and the way of their standing
and defence, and in every particular of their being such, they
are the greatest and most woful oppression in the nation; even
the most abominable and unjust cruelties and tyrannies are acted
through them, as any other thing in the nation; and they are,
(as such aforesaid,) the woful cause of the nation’s groaning
under merciless dealing; and there is upon their account, the
guilt of blood, injustice, and oppression lying upon this nation;
their iniquities, their iniquities, cry for vengeance upon their
own heads; for they are full, they are full, and the measure
thereof is near finished, and God’s eternal vengeance is their
next reward from the eternal God. What shall I say of them, but
this? The earth is oppressed by them, the inhabitants groan
under them, and the righteous God is vexed through them, and
they are the very men of high indignation and fierce wrath, and
all their practices, (as such,) are the fuel of his anger, to be
consumed by the fire of his jealousy; the nation is weary, and
its inhabitants, and the Lord is weary, because of these men: and
is this the ministry cried up by you as godly and pious? &c. Are
these the men that the nation must be forced to maintain in their
pride and idolatry? Is this the ministry that must be encouraged?
Well, if these be the men, and this the ministry which must be
established and encouraged by you, in so doing you shall never
prosper, but thereby gain the displeasure of the Almighty unto
you, to bring a curse upon all your doings, even because hereof;
for I must tell you, the hand of my Lord is against them; and
whosoever shall seek to defend them, shall not prosper in their
doings, because their oppressions, cruelties, deceits, and
abominations, are nigh finished and fulfilled; wherefore take
heed unto yourselves, for this is my Master’s advice unto you;
let this ministry alone, and join not yourselves to Baal, lest
you perish, neither take part with antichrist any longer, neither
be ye fighters against the Lamb and his kingdom; but free the
nation, and let all its inhabitants be freed, from the cruel
tasks and yokes of such men, and such a ministry as aforesaid;
uphold it not against the Lord, for if you do, you shall never be
established, and this is from the mouth of my Lord unto you.

‘And, last of all, my Master hath a people in this nation, even a
suffering people, that have borne the burden of the cruelty and
injustice, and wickedness, both of rulers and teachers, who have,
as it were, trodden them down, and made them a very prey to their
devouring mouths; the very cry of their sufferings hath reached
unto heaven, and the very sound thereof your ears have heard;
and this people are greatly beloved, and my Lord will assuredly
honour them, and his hand shall be continued to preserve them and
defend them against all their enemies whatsoever; and he doth
reserve them to himself, and for a glorious work that he hath to
do by them; and he hath formed them for himself, and they cannot
join with any of the horns of the great beast, neither can a
place of honour pervert them from their perfect way; but my Lord,
he compasseth them about on every side, and hath kept them in the
midst of trials, reproaches, and sufferings, and covered them in
the heat, and in the storm, till his pleasure is to make further
use of them. They are his, and not their own; and they must
fulfil his will, and none besides; and they lie at rest in him,
while mountains are overturned, and while one potsherd of the
earth breaks another; and this must be even till the appointed
time: and to say no more of them, though much more might be said,
they are had in remembrance before the Lord, to do with them even
for his own glory, and for the nation’s perpetual good; and to
the authority of the Most High, through them, shall kings of the
earth, and nations of the world bow and tremble; wherefore, ye
men, touch them not, neither do ye afflict them, even as you hope
to prosper; remember their cause, and suffer it not always to be
rejected, as it hath long been, but keep yourselves free from
the injustice and cruelty of them that have gone before you, who
have been merciless, and oppressors of that people, even till
my Lord hath confounded them, and brought them into confusion;
for there is the weight of blood, tyranny, and oppression, lying
upon the nation in that people’s cause, and my Lord will revenge
them in his season; and though they are not weary of their
sufferings, but are in the patience which beareth all things, yet
the nation can never be happy, nor its government ever blessed,
while this people are held in bondage; and their sufferings are
deeply considered of the Lord, and the season thereof is expiring
towards an end; and when this cometh to pass, then wo unto the
kingdom of antichrist, and to the whore and false prophet, even
when their strength is dried up, by which they have made war
against the Lamb and his followers: yea, wo unto them; great
fearfulness shall be upon all the world when the king of that
people reigns upon the earth, and the time is at hand: blessed
is the man that waiteth for it, and blessed is he that is not
offended in his coming, but is prepared to receive him in his
appearing, which suddenly cometh upon all the world.

‘And thus I have told the Lord’s present message unto you, which
I received from him, and thus far I am clear; and whether you
accept it, or reject it, my peace and reward is forever with him,
who am a subject of his kingdom, and a friend to this nation,
however otherwise judged by ignorant men.

E. BURROUGH.’

_The Ninth month, 1659._

Now how soon after these sayings of Burrough, ‘Your estates shall not be spared from the spoiler, nor your necks from the axe; your enemies shall charge treason upon you, and if you seek to stop the Lord’s work you shall not cumber the earth very long,’ were fulfilled, we shall see shortly.

About this time also he wrote several epistles to his friends, wherein he so powerfully exhorted them to faithfulness and steadfastness, that thereby he hath procured to himself a name that will never die; as living still in the remembrance of thousands, though he long ago went the way of all flesh, having laid down his life in bonds for the testimony of Jesus, as will be said in its due place.

There is also extant a piece of a letter written about this time to the cavaliers, which, whether done by E. Burrough, or by George Fox the younger, or by George Bishop, I cannot tell: but thus it speaks:

‘The very spirit of pride and oppression, and idolatry, is
entered into them, (viz. your enemies,) and now lives in them
in as high a measure as ever it lived amongst you; and their
iniquities are well nigh finished, and the Lord will one way or
other correct and reprove them; and they shall be dealt with in
like manner as they have dealt with you; for they were no more
than a rod in the hand of the Lord for a season, and they must
also be broken and cast into the fire; and whether the Lord
may ever make use of you to reprove them, as he did of them to
reprove you, this I determine not, but leave it to him who can
discover whatsoever he will, by what instrument he pleaseth. It
is true, you have made many attempts to be revenged upon them,
but you have not hitherto prospered; but could you be humbled,
and come into the meek Spirit of the Lord, then might you
prosper; hitherto the Lord hath always defeated you, and bowed
you down under a people as unworthy as others; but their time
will come to an end. Submit therefore unto the will of the Lord
in what is come to pass, and seek not vengeance to yourselves,
and then the Lord will avenge your cause; for the iniquities of
your adversaries are ripe. And Charles Stuart must either be
converted to God, and ruled by him, or else he can never rightly
rule for God in this nation; though this I believe, it is not
impossible but that he may be a rod upon them that once smote
him: and their oppressions and ambitions may receive a check
through him.’

Among several other eminent preachers, Stephen Crisp was now also become a public minister of the word of God; and it was about this time that he went to Scotland, to preach the gospel there, and to edify the churches with his gift.

G. Fox the younger, this year wrote an exhortation to the military officers, and the army, showing them how they were departed from their first integrity, and fallen into pride and wantonness.

G. Fox the elder, about the Tenth month, was at Norwich, where a meeting being appointed, and the mayor having got notice of it, intended to have given out a warrant to apprehend him, but he having heard of this, sent some of his friends to the mayor, to speak with him about it. And his answer was, that he feared such a meeting would cause tumults in the town. But being spoken to in a kind way, he behaved himself moderately, and a large peaceable meeting was kept; to which, among others, several priests also came, and among these was one Townsend, who stood up and cried, ‘Error, Blasphemy,’ &c. G. Fox desired him not to burden himself with that which he could not make good. But he asserted it to be error and blasphemy, that G. Fox had said that people must wait upon God by his power and Spirit, and feel his presence when they did not speak words. On this G. Fox asked him, whether the apostles and holy men of God, did not hear God speak to them in their silence before they spake forth the Scriptures, and before it was written? He replied ‘Yes,’ and confirmed it by saying plainly, that David and the prophets did so. Then G. Fox showed people how absurd it was, that Townsend, had called such a practice error and blasphemy. This so puzzled Townsend, that he said, ‘O this is not that George Fox I would speak withal; but this is a subtil man.’ Now when some of the auditory called to the priest, and bade him prove the blasphemy and error which he had charged G. Fox with, he went away; and being afterwards spoken to by George Whitehead, and Richard Hubberthorn, who were then also about Norwich, he was soon confounded and brought down.

The committee of safety being now in power, Edmund Ludlow continued to urge the restoring of the parliament; and general Monk, who commanded the army in Scotland, aiming at the restoration of the king, yet wrote to the speaker, Lenthal, that he would act for the parliament: and so it was restored.

G. Fox the younger, wrote to this parliament a letter, wherein he told them, that their day was turned into darkness; and that the sun was gone down over them. Yea, that the decree was gone out, and sealed against them, and it could not be recalled: with many other remarkable expressions. He had written at other times to the army, and to the parliament, as did also Richard Hubberthorn, which to avoid prolixity, I pass by.

* * * * *

Let us now again take a view of the persecution in New England. I have already made mention of Lawrence and Cassandra Southwick, and their son Josiah, of whom more is to be said hereafter; but first I will speak of Daniel and Provided, son and daughter of the said Lawrence and Cassandra. These children seeing how unreasonably their honest parents and brothers were dealt with, were so far from being deterred thereby, that they rather felt themselves encouraged to follow their steps, and not to frequent the assemblies of such a persecuting generation; for which absence they were fined ten pounds, though it was well known they had no estate, their parents being already brought to poverty by their rapacious persecutors. To get this money, the following order was issued in the general court at Boston.

‘Whereas Daniel Southwick, and Provided Southwick, son and
daughter of Lawrence Southwick, absenting themselves from the
public ordinances, have been fined by the courts of Salem and
Ipswich, pretending they have no estates, and resolving not
to work, the court upon perusal of a law, which was made upon
the account of debts, in answer to what should be done for the
satisfaction of the fines, resolves, that the treasurers of
the several counties are, and shall be fully impowered to sell
the said persons to any of the English nation, at Virginia, or
Barbadoes, to answer the said fines, &c.

EDWARD RAWSON, _Secretary_.’

The subject of this order was answered effectually at large in print, by G. Bishop, who showed the unreasonableness of this work very plainly from sacred writ; as from Amos, ii. 6, where the judgments of God are denounced against those who sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; and from Levit. xxv. 42, where the making the children of Israel bondmen, is expressly forbidden; this being not lawful, but in the case of theft, if the thief had nothing to make satisfaction with. But to return to Daniel and Provided, there wanted nothing but the execution of the said order against them. Wherefore Edmund Butter, one of the treasurers, to get something of the booty, sought out for passage, to send them to Barbadoes for sale; but none were willing to take or carry them: and a certain master of a ship, to put the thing off, pretended, that they would spoil all the ship’s company. To which Butter returned, ‘No, you need not fear that, for they are poor harmless creatures, and will not hurt any body.’ ‘Will they not so,’ replied the shipmaster: ‘and will you offer to make slaves of such harmless creatures?’ Thus Butter, maugre his wicked intention, the winter being at hand, sent them home again, to shift for themselves, till he could get a convenient opportunity to send them away.

It happened also in this year, that a girl, about eleven years old, named Patience Scot, whose religious mother had been cruelly whipt by these people, bore witness against their wicked persecution; which so incensed the persecutors, that they sent her to prison: and the child having been examined, spoke so well to the purpose, that she confounded her enemies; some of whom confessed, that they had many children, who had been well educated, and that it were well if they could say half so much for God, as she could for the devil. But this child not being of years to be obnoxious to the law, how wicked soever they were, it seems they could not resolve to proceed to banishment, as they did with others.

All that hitherto I have said of the New England persecution, is but cursorily, and only a very small part of those manifold whippings that were inflicted there; besides the extortions of fines, which were exorbitant to a high degree; as may appear by what was done to William Maston, at Hampton, who was fined ten pounds for two books found in his house, five pounds for not frequenting their church, and three pounds besides, as a due to the priest: and he not being free in conscience to pay this fine, had taken from him what amounted to more than twenty pounds. I find also, that not long after this time, above a thousand pounds was extorted from some, only because they had separated themselves from the persecuting church: and it seems they were deemed such as were shut out from the protection of the law; insomuch that Thomas Prince, governor of Plymouth, did not stick to say, that in his conscience the Quakers were such a people, that deserved to be destroyed, they, their wives, and children, their houses and lands, without pity or mercy. I find also that one Humphrey Norton at Newhaven, for being a Quaker, was whipt severely, and burnt in the hand with the letter H. to signify heretic.

This cruelty of the English did also stir up the Dutch to persecution: for without inquiring what kind of people the Quakers were, they seemed ready to conclude them to be men of pernicious opinions, since those of their own nation, who pretended to more purity than other Protestants, did so severely persecute them.

It happened that one Robert Hodshone, being in the Dutch plantation at Hamstead, had a meeting with some of his friends that were English, and lived there; but as he was walking in an orchard, an officer came and took hold of him, and brought him before one Gildersleave, an Englishman, and a magistrate there, who committed him to prison, and rode to the Dutch governor to acquaint him therewith: and coming back with a guard of musqueteers, the fiscal searched the prisoner, and took away his knife, papers, and bible, and pinioned him, and kept him so all night, and the next day. And making inquiry after those that entertained him, he took into custody two women on that occasion, one of whom had two small children, the one yet sucking at her breast. Then they got a cart and carried the women away in it, and Robert was fastened to the hinder part of the cart, pinioned, and so drawn through the woods in the night season, whereby he was much torn and abused. And being come to New Amsterdam, (now New York,) he was loosed, and led by the rope, with which he had been fastened to the cart, to the dungeon, being a filthy place, full of vermin; and the two women were carried to another place. Some time after he was examined, there being one captain Willet of Plymouth, who had much incensed the governor against him, who before had been moderate. The conclusion was, that a sentence was read in Dutch, to Robert, to this effect, that he was to work two years at the wheelbarrow with a negro, or pay, or cause to be paid, six hundred guilders. To this he attempted to make his defence in a sober way, but was not suffered to speak, and sent to the dungeon again; where no English were suffered to come to him. After some days he was taken out, and pinioned, and being set with his face towards the court chamber, his hat was taken off, and another sentence read to him in Dutch, which he did not understand: but that it displeased many of that nation, did appear by the shaking of their heads. Then he was cast again into the dungeon, where he was kept some days.

At length, betimes in the morning, he was hauled out, and chained to a wheelbarrow, and commanded to work: to which he answered, he was never brought up, nor used to such a work. Upon which they made a negro to take a pitched rope, nigh four inches about, and to beat him; who did so, till Robert fell down. Then they took him up again, and caused the negro to beat him with the said rope, until he fell down the second time, and it was believed that he received about one hundred blows. Thus he was kept all that day in the heat of the sun, chained to the wheelbarrow; and his body being much bruised and swelled with the blows, and he kept without food, grew very faint, and sat upon the ground, with his mind retired to the Lord, and resigned to his will, whereby he felt himself supported. At night he was locked up again in the dungeon, and the next morning he was chained again to the wheelbarrow, and a sentinel set over him, that none might come so much as to speak with him. On the third day he was had forth, and chained in like manner; and no wonder that he still refused to work, for besides the unreasonableness of requiring such a servile work of him who had committed no evil, he was not in a condition to perform it, being made altogether unable by the cruel blows given him. In this weak state he was brought before the governor, who demanded him to work, otherwise he said, he should be whipt every day. Robert asked him what law he had broken? And called for his accusers, that he might know his transgression. But instead of an answer he was chained to the wheelbarrow again, and threatened, that if he spake to any one, he should be punished worse. Yet he did not forbear to speak to some that came to him, so as he saw meet, and thought convenient. Then seeing they could not keep him silent, they put him into the dungeon again, and kept him close there several days, and two nights; one day and a half of it, without bread or water.

After this, he was brought very early in the morning, into a private room, and stript to the waist, and hung up by his hands, and a great log of wood tied to his feet, so that he could not turn his body; and then a strong negro was set to whip him with rods, who laid many stripes upon him, which cut his flesh very much. Then he was let down again, and put into the dungeon as before, and none suffered to come to him. Two days after he was had forth again, and hung up as before, and many more stripes were laid upon him by another negro. He almost fainting, and not knowing but his life might be taken away, desired that some English might be suffered to come to him: which was granted, and an English woman came and washed his stripes, finding him brought so low that she thought he would not live till the next morning. And she telling this to her husband, it made such an impression upon him, that he went to the fiscal and proffered him a fat ox, to suffer Robert to be at his house until he was well again. But the fiscal would not permit this, unless the whole fine was paid. And though there were some that would willingly have paid the fine for him, yet he could not consent to it; but within three days after he had thus been whipped, he was made whole, and as strong as before, and was free to labour, that he might not be burdensome to any. Some others of those called Quakers, (who came thither from the plantations in New England to enjoy liberty of conscience, and whose names and sufferings I pass by for brevity’s sake,) met also with hard measure from the governor, by the instigation of the aforesaid Captain Willet. Robert now though guiltless, being kept like a slave to hard work, it raised compassion in many, and the governor’s sister, who was much affected with his sufferings, became instrumental in obtaining his liberty; for she so plied her brother, that he at length set him free without paying one penny, or any body for him; by which the governor showed, that though he had been too easily wrought upon to commit evil, yet he was not come near to that height of malice as the New England persecutors; who increased in their hard-heartedness, and became inured to cruelty, insomuch that if any one amongst them would not give his vote for persecution, he was counted unworthy to be a magistrate: as appears by a letter of one James Cudworth, written some time before to one of his friends in Old England, wherein I meet with these words:

‘As for the state and condition of things amongst us, it is
sad. The antichristian persecuting spirit is very active, and
that in the powers of this world. He that will not whip and
lash, persecute, and punish men that differ in matters of
religion, must not sit on the bench, nor sustain any office in
the commonwealth. Last election Mr. Hatherly and myself left the
bench, and myself was discharged of my captainship, because I had
entertained some of the Quakers at my house, that thereby I might
be the better acquainted with their principles. I thought it
better to do so, than with the blind world to censure, condemn,
rail at, and revile them, when they neither saw their persons,
nor knew any thing of their principles. But the Quakers and
myself cannot close in divers things; and so I signified to the
court I was no Quaker, but must give my testimony against sundry
things that they held, as I had occasion and opportunity. But
withal, I told them, that as I was no Quaker, so I would be no
persecutor.’

Now shall I enter upon the narrative of their putting some to death, who died martyrs; for this was yet wanting to complete the tragedy, which it seems could not be done to the satisfaction of the actors, without playing a murdering part.

The two first that sealed their testimony with their blood, were William Robinson, merchant of London, and Marmaduke Stevenson, a countryman of Yorkshire. These coming to Boston in the beginning of September, were sent for by the court of assistants, and there sentenced to banishment on pain of death. This sentence was passed also on Mary Dyar, mentioned heretofore, and Nicholas Davis, who were both at Boston. But William Robinson, being looked upon as a teacher, was also condemned to be whipt severely; and the constable was commanded to get an able man to do it. Then Robinson was brought into the street, and there stript; and having his hands put through the holes of the carriage of a great gun, where the jailer held him, the executioner gave him twenty stripes with a three-fold cord whip. Then he and the other prisoners were shortly released, and banished; which that it was for no other reason but their being Quakers, may appear by the following warrant:

‘You are required by these, presently to set at liberty William
Robinson, Marmaduke Stevenson, Mary Dyar, and Nicholas Davis,
who by an order of the court and council, had been imprisoned,
because it appeared by their own confession, words, and actions,
that they are Quakers; wherefore a sentence was pronounced
against them, to depart this jurisdiction on pain of death, and
that they must answer it at their peril, if they, or any of them
after the 14th of this present month, September, are found within
this jurisdiction, or any part thereof.

EDWARD RAWSON.’

Boston, September 12, 1659.

Now though Mary Dyar and Nicholas Davis left that jurisdiction for that time, yet Robinson and Stevenson, though they departed the town of Boston, could not yet resolve, (not being free in mind,) to depart that jurisdiction, though their lives were at stake. And so they went to Salem, and some place thereabout to visit and build up their friends in the faith. But it was not long before they were taken, and put again into prison at Boston, and chains locked to their right legs. In the next month Mary Dyar returned also. And as she stood before the prison, speaking with one Christopher Holder, who was come thither to inquire for a ship bound for England, whither he intended to go, she was also taken into custody. Thus they had three persons, who, according to their sanguinary law, had forfeited their lives. And on the 20th of October, these three were brought into the court, where John Endicot and others were assembled. And being called to the bar, Endicot commanded the keeper to pull off their hats: and then said, that they had made several laws to keep the Quakers from amongst them; and neither whipping, nor imprisoning, nor cutting off ears, nor banishing upon pain of death, would keep them from amongst them. And further he said, that he or they desired not the death of any of them. Yet notwithstanding, his following words without more ado, were, ‘Give ear, and hearken to your sentence of death.’ W. Robinson then desired that he might be permitted to read a paper, giving an account of the reason why he had not departed that jurisdiction. But Endicot would not suffer it to be read, and said in a rage, ‘You shall not read it, nor will the court hear it read.’ Then Robinson laid it on the table. He had written this paper the day before, and some of the contents were, that he being in Rhode Island, the Lord had commanded him to go to Boston, and to lay down his life there. That he also had felt an assurance that his soul was to enter into everlasting peace, and eternal rest. That he durst not but obey, without inquiring further concerning it; believing that it became him as a child, to show obedience to the Lord, without any unwillingness. That this was the cause, why after banishment on pain of death, he staid in their jurisdiction: and that now with sincerity of heart he could say, Blessed be the Lord, the God of my life, who hath called me hereunto, and counted me worthy to testify against wicked and unjust men, &c. This paper being handed to Endicot, he read it to himself, and after he had done, said to Robinson, ‘You need not keep such ado to have it read; for you spoke yesterday more than here is written.’ Yet this was not so; for it contained a circumstantial relation of the divine operations on his mind; and that he was not come there in his own will, but in obedience to his Creator: and that travelling in Rhode Island, on the 8th of the Eighth month, he had been moved thereto from the Lord, and therefore had submitted to his divine pleasure without murmuring. W. Robinson desired again that the paper might be read, that so all that were present might hear it, it was denied him, and Endicot said, ‘W. Robinson hearken to your sentence of death; you shall be had back to the place from whence you came, and from thence to the place of execution, to be hanged on the gallows till you are dead.’ This sentence was not altogether unexpected to W. Robinson; for it was four months now that he had believed this would be his share.

Robinson being taken away, M. Stevenson was called, and Endicot said to him, ‘If you have any thing to say, you may speak.’ He knowing how they dealt with his companion, was silent, though he had also written in prison a paper, containing the cause of his being come there; but he kept it with him, and found afterwards occasion to deliver it to somebody. Then Endicot pronounced sentence of death against him, saying, ‘M. Stevenson, you shall be had to the place from whence you came, and from thence to the gallows, and there be hanged till you are dead.’ Whereupon M. Stevenson spoke thus: ‘Give ear, ye magistrates, and all who are guilty; for this the Lord hath said concerning you, and will perform his word upon you, that the same day ye put his servants to death, shall the day of your visitation pass over your heads, and you shall be cursed for evermore. The mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. Therefore in love to you all, I exhort you to take warning before it be too late, that so the curse may be removed. For assuredly if you put us to death, you will bring innocent blood upon your own heads, and swift destruction will come upon you.’