Chapter VI (1)

1652-1653.—George Fox is branded by the priests as a witch—writes to
Justice Sawrey, prophesying of the judgments impending over
him—warning to priest Lampitt—exhortation to the people of
Ulverstone—to the followers of Lampitt, against a hireling ministry,
&c.—a rebuke to Adam Sands for his wickedness—to priest Tatham,
against his hireling ministry and his suing for tithes—foretells the
dissolution of the Long Parliament—fasts ten days—James Milner and
Richard Myer create a schism, which is soon healed—the latter is
miraculously healed of his lameness, but afterwards disobeys the
Lord, and dies not long after—Anthony Pearson, an opposer, is
convinced—the priests are shown to be antichrist—George Fox preaches
at John Wilkinson’s steeple-house three hours—admonishes a professor
_for praising him_—reproves Wilkinson for speaking against his
conscience—many hundreds are convinced—discerns an unclean spirit in
a woman, and speaks sharply to her—the like of some other
women—speaks sharply to an envious Baptist—preaches in the
steeple-house at Carlisle, where the Lord’s power was such that the
people trembled—committed to Carlisle prison as a blasphemer,
heretic, and seducer—the priests who come to see him are exceedingly
rude—Anthony Pearson’s remonstrance to the Judges of assize against
the unjust imprisonment and detention of George Fox—he is put in the
dungeon, a filthy place, where a woman is found eaten to death with
vermin—here James Parnell visits him—a challenge to professors to
declare their objections to George Fox’s ministry—it being reported
that George Fox was to die for religion, the Little Parliament write
to the sheriff respecting him—he himself expostulates with Justices
Craston and Studholm on their imprisoning him—A. Pearson and the
governor visit the prison, blame the magistrates, require sureties
of the jailer, and put the under-jailer in the dungeon for his
cruelty to George Fox, who is soon after liberated—George Fox has
great meetings, and _thousands_ are convinced—visits Gilsland, a
noted country for thieving—has a glorious meeting of many thousands,
near Langlands, on the top of a hill—great convincement in the six
northern counties.

From LANCASTER I returned to Robert Widders’s, and from thence I went to Thomas Leper’s to a meeting in the evening; and a very blessed meeting we had there: after which I walked in the evening to Robert Widders’s again. No sooner was I gone, than there came a company of disguised men to Thomas Leper’s, with swords and pistols; who, suddenly entering the house, put out the candles, and swung their swords about amongst the people of the house, who held up the chairs before them to save themselves from being cut and wounded. At length they drove all the people out of the house, and then searched it for me; who, it seems, was the only person they looked for: for they had laid wait before on the highway, by which I should have gone had I rode to Robert Widders’s. And not meeting with me on the way, they thought to find me in the house, but the Lord prevented them. Soon after I was come to Robert Widders’s, some Friends came from the town where Thomas Leper lived, and gave us a relation of this wicked attempt: and they were afraid lest they should come and search Robert Widders’s house also for me, and do me a mischief; but the Lord restrained them that they came not. Though these men were in disguise, the Friends perceived some of them to be Frenchmen, and supposed them to be servants belonging to one called Sir Robert Bindlas; for some of them had said, that in their nation they used to tie the Protestants to trees, and whip and destroy them. His servants used often to abuse Friends, both in their meetings, and going to and from them. They once took Richard Hubberthorn and several others out of one, and carried them a good way off into the fields; and there bound them, and left them bound in the Winter season. At another time, one of his servants came to Francis Fleming’s house, and thrust his naked rapier in at the door and windows; but there being at the house a kinsman of Francis Fleming’s, one who was not a Friend, he came with a cudgel in his hand, and bid the serving-man put up his rapier; which, when the other would not, but vapoured at him with it, and was rude, he knocked him down with his cudgel, and took his rapier from him; and had it not been for Friends, he would have run him through with it. So the Friends preserved the life of him that would have destroyed theirs.

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

Having visited Justice West, I went to SWARTHMORE, visiting Friends; and the Lord’s power was over all the persecutors there. I was moved to write several letters to the magistrates, priests, and professors, thereabouts, who had raised persecution before; that which I sent to Justice Sawrey was after this manner:—

“FRIEND,

“Thou wast the first beginner of all the persecution in the North;
thou wast the beginner and the maker of the people tumultuous. Thou
wast the first stirrer of them up against the righteous seed, and
against the truth of God; the first strengthener of the hands of
evil-doers against the innocent and harmless; and thou shalt not
prosper. Thou wast the first stirrer up of strikers, stoners,
persecutors, stockers, mockers, and imprisoners in the North, and of
revilers, slanderers, railers, and false accusers. This was thy work,
and this thou stirredst up! so thy fruits declare thy spirit. Instead
of stirring up the pure mind in people, thou hast stirred up the
wicked, malicious, and envious, and taken hand with the wicked. Thou
hast made the people’s minds envious up and down the country; this was
thy work. But God hath shortened thy days, and limited thee; hath set
thy bounds, and broken thy jaws; discovered thy religion to the simple
and babes, and brought thy deeds to light. How is thy habitation
fallen, and become the habitation of devils! How is thy beauty lost,
and thy glory withered! How hast thou showed thy end that thou hast
served God but with thy lips, thy heart being far from him, and thou
in hypocrisy! How hath the form of thy teaching declared itself to be
the mark of the false prophets, whose fruit declares itself! for by
their fruits they are known. How are the wise men turned backward!
View thy ways, and take notice with whom thou hast taken part. That of
God in thy conscience will tell thee; the Ancient of days will reprove
thee. How hath thy zeal appeared to be the blind zeal of a persecutor,
which Christ and his apostles forbade Christians to follow! How hast
thou strengthened the hands of evil-doers, and been a praise to them,
and not to them that do well! How like a madman and blind man, didst
thou turn thy sword backward against the saints, against whom there is
no law! How wilt thou be gnawed and burned one day, when thou shalt
feel the flame and have the plagues of God poured upon thee, and thou
begin to gnaw thy tongue for pain, because of the plagues! Thou shalt
have thy reward according to thy works. Thou canst not escape; the
Lord’s righteous judgment will find thee out, and the witness of God
in thy conscience shall answer it. How hast thou caused the heathen to
blaspheme, gone on with the multitude to do evil, and joined hand and
hand with the wicked! How is thy latter end worse than thy beginning,
who art come with the dog to bite, and art turned as a wolf, to devour
the lambs! How hast thou discovered thyself to be a man more fit to be
kept in a place to be nurtured, than to be set in a place to nurture!
How wast thou exalted and puffed up with pride! and now art thou
fallen down with shame, that thou comest to be covered with that which
thou stirredst up and broughtest forth. Let not John Sawrey take the
words of God into his mouth till he be reformed; let him not take his
name into his mouth till he depart from iniquity; let not him and his
teacher make a profession of the saints’ words, except they intend to
proclaim themselves hypocrites, whose lives are so contrary to the
lives of the saints; whose church hath made itself manifest to be a
cage of unclean birds. You, having a form of godliness, but not the
power, have made them that are in the power your derision, your
by-word, and talk at your feasts. Thy ill savour, John Sawrey, the
country about have smelled, and of thy unchristian carriage all that
fear God have been ashamed; and to them thou hast been a grief; in the
day of account thou shalt know it, even in the day of thy
condemnation. Thou wast mounted up, and hadst set thy nest on high,
but never gottest higher than the fowls of the air. Now thou art run
amongst the beast of prey, and art fallen into the earth; so that
earthliness and covetousness have swallowed thee up. Thy conceitedness
would not carry thee through, in whom was found the selfish principle,
which hath blinded thy eye. Thy back must be bowed down always; for
thy table is already become thy snare.”

G. F.

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

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

“The word of the Lord to thee, O Lampitt! who art a deceiver,
surfeited and drunk with the earthly spirit, rambling up and down in
the Scriptures, and blending thy spirit amongst the saints’
conditions; who hadst a prophecy, as thy father Balaam had, but art
erred from it, as thy father did; one whose fruit hath withered (of
which I am a witness,) and many who have known thy fruit, have seen
the end of it, that it is withered, and do see where thou art in the
blind world, a blind leader of the blind; as a beast wallowing and
tumbling in the earth, and in the lust; one that is erred from the
Spirit of the Lord, of old ordained for condemnation. Thou art in the
seat of the Pharisees, art called of men master, standest praying in
the synagogues, and hast the chief seat in the assemblies; a right
hypocrite in the steps of the Pharisees, and in the way of thy
fathers, the hypocrites, which our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe
against. Such with the light thou art seen to be, and by the light art
comprehended; which is thy condemnation, who hatest it, and will be so
eternally, except thou repent. To thee this is the word of God; for in
Christ’s way thou art not, but in the Pharisees’, as thou mayest read,
Matt, xxiii., and all that own Christ’s words may see thee there.
Christ, who died at Jerusalem, cried woe against such as thou art; and
Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. The woe remains
upon thee, and from under it thou canst never come, but through
judgment, condemnation, and true repentance. To thee this is the word
of God; to that of God in thy conscience do I speak, which will
witness the truth of what I write, and will condemn thee. And when
thou art in thy torment (though now thou swellest in thy vanity, and
livest in wickedness,) remember thou wast warned in thy lifetime. When
the eternal condemnation is stretched over thee, thou shalt witness
this to be the word of the Lord God unto thee; and if ever thy eye
shall see repentance, thou wilt witness me to have been a friend of
thy soul.”

G. F.

Having thus cleared my conscience to the justice, and to the priest of ULVERSTONE, who had raised the first persecution in that country, it was upon me to send this warning in writing to the people of ULVERSTONE in general.

“Consider, O people! who are within the parish of ULVERSTONE; I was
moved of the Lord to come into your public places to speak among you,
being sent of God to direct your minds to him, that you might know
where you might find your teacher; that your minds might be staid
alone upon God, and you might not gad abroad without you for a
teacher; for the Lord God alone will teach his people; and he is
coming to teach them, and to gather them from idols’ temples, and from
the customary worships, which all the world is trained up in. God hath
given to every one of you a measure of his Spirit, according to your
capacity; liars, drunkards, whoremongers, and thieves, and who follow
filthy pleasures, you all have this measure in you. This is the
measure of the Spirit of God, that shows you sin, and evil, and
deceit; which lets you see that lying is sin; and theft, drunkenness,
and uncleanness, all to be the works of darkness. Therefore mind your
measure (for nothing that is unclean shall enter into the kingdom of
God), and prize your time while you have it, lest the time come that
you say with sorrow, we had time, but it is past. O! why will ye die?
why will ye choose your own ways? why will ye follow the course of the
world? and why will ye follow envy, malice, drunkenness, and foolish
pleasures? know ye not in your consciences that all these are evil and
sin? and that they who act such things, shall never enter into the
kingdom of God? O! that ye would consider, and see how you have spent
your time, and mind how ye do spend it, and observe whom you serve;
for ‘the wages of sin is death.’ Do not ye know, that whatsoever is
more than yea and nay, cometh of evil? O! ye drunkards, who live in
drunkenness, do ye think to escape the fire and the judgment of God?
Though ye swell in venom, and live in lust for a while, yet God will
find you out, and bring you to judgment.

“Therefore love the light, which Christ hath enlightened you withal,
who saith, ‘I am the light of the world,’ and who doth enlighten every
one that cometh into the world. One loves the light, and brings his
works to the light and there is no occasion at all of stumbling; the
other hates the light, because his deeds are evil, and the light will
reprove him. Thou that hatest this light, thou hast it; thou knowest
that lying, drunkenness, swearing, whoredom, theft, all ungodliness,
and all unrighteousness, are evil. Christ Jesus hath given thee light
enough to let thee see these are evil. This light, if thou lovest it,
will teach thee holiness and righteousness, without which none shall
see God; but if thou hatest this light, it is thy condemnation. Thus
are Christ’s words found to be true, and fulfilled among you; you that
hate this light, set up hirelings, and idols’ temples, and such
priests as bear rule by their means; such shepherds as hold up such
things; who are called of men masters, and have the chiefest place in
the assemblies, whom Christ cried woe against, Matt, xxiii.; such as
go in the way of Cain in envy, and after the error of Balaam for
wages, gifts, and rewards; these have been your teachers; and these
you have held up. But they who love the light, are taught of God; and
the Lord is coming to teach his people himself, and to gather his own
from the hirelings, and from such as seek for their gain from their
quarter, and from such as bear rule by their means. The Lord is
opening the eyes of people, that they may see such as bear rule over
them. But all, whose are shut, are such as the prophet spoke of, that
‘have eyes and see not,’ but are foolish, upholding such things.
Therefore, poor people, as ye love your own souls, consider the love
of God to your souls, while ye have time, and do not turn the grace of
God into wantonness. That which shows you ungodliness and worldly
lusts, should and would be your teacher, if ye would hearken to it;
for the saints of old witnessed the grace of God to be their teacher,
which taught them to live soberly and godly in this present world. Ye
that are not sober, this grace of God hath appeared unto you, but you
turn it into wantonness, and so set up teachers, who are not sober,
not holy, not godly. Here you are left without excuse, when the
righteous judgment of God shall be revealed upon all who live ungodly.
Therefore to the light in you I speak; and when the book of conscience
shall come to be opened, then shall you witness what I say to be true,
and you all shall be judged out of it. God Almighty direct your minds
(such of you especially who love honesty and sincerity,) that you may
receive mercy in the time of need. Your teacher is _within you_; look
not forth; it will teach you both lying in bed, and going abroad, to
shun all occasion of sin and evil.”

G. F.

As the foregoing was directed to all the inhabitants of ULVERSTONE in general, so it was upon me to write also to those more particularly, that most constantly followed W. Lampitt, the priest. To these I wrote thus:—

“The word of the Lord God to all the people that follow priest
Lampitt, who is a blind guide. Ye are such as are turned from the
light of Christ within, which he hath enlightened you withal; ye are
such as follow that which Christ cried woe against, that go not in
Christ’s way, but in the Pharisees’ way, as ye may read, Matt. xxiii.,
which our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe against. He is the same
yesterday, to-day, and for ever; but him ye own not, while ye follow
such as he cried woe against; though under a colour ye make a
profession, and Lampitt, your priest, makes a trade of Christ’s and
the saints’ words, as his fathers, the Pharisees, made a profession of
the prophets’ and of Moses’s words. Woe was unto them who had not the
life, so woe is unto you who have not the life that gave forth the
Scriptures, as your fruits have made manifest. For when the Lord hath
moved some to come amongst you to preach the truth freely, you have
knocked them down, beat, and punched, and haled them out of your
assemblies. Such a people serve thee, O Lampitt, to make a prey upon,
and these are thy fruits. O! let shame, shame, strike thee and you all
in the faces, who make a profession of Christ’s words, and yet are
stoners, and strikers, and mockers, and scoffers. Let all see, if this
be not a cage of unclean birds, spoken of in the Scriptures, by those
who had the life of the Scriptures. Such a company of people thou
deceivest, and feedest them with thy fancies; thou makest a trade of
the Scriptures, and takest them for thy cloak. But thou art manifest
to all the children of light; for that cloak will not cover thee; thy
skirts are seen, and thy nakedness appears. The Lord made one to go
naked among you, a figure of thy nakedness, and of your nakedness, and
as a sign amongst you, before your destruction cometh; that you might
see that you were naked, and not covered with the truth. To the light
in all your consciences I speak, which Christ Jesus doth enlighten you
withal. It will show you the time you have spent, and all the evil
deeds you have done in that time; who follow such a teacher, that acts
contrary to this light, and leads you into the ditch. When you are in
the ditch together, both teacher and people, remember ye were warned
in your lifetime. If ever your eyes come to see repentance, and you
obey the light of Jesus Christ in you, you will witness me to have
been a friend of your souls, and that I have sought your eternal good,
and written this in dear love to you. Then will you own your
condemnation; which you must all own, before you can come into that
blessed life, of which there is no end. But ye, who hate the light,
because your deeds are evil, this light is your condemnation. O! that
ye would love this light, and hearken to it! It would teach you, both
in your daily occupations, and as you lie upon your beds, and would
never let you speak a vain word. In loving it, you love Christ; in
hating it, you bring condemnation thereof upon yourselves. To you this
is the word of God, from under which you can never pass, nor ever
escape the terror of the Lord, in the state you are in, who hate the
light.”

G. F.

Amongst the chief hearers and followers of this priest Lampitt of ULVERSTONE, was one Adam Sands, who was a very wicked, false man, and would have destroyed truth and its followers if he could. To him I was moved to write thus:—

“ADAM SANDS,

“To the light in thy conscience I appeal, thou child of the Devil,
thou enemy of righteousness; the Lord will strike thee down, though
now for a while in thy wickedness thou mayest reign. The plagues of
God are due to thee, who hardenest thyself in thy wickedness against
the pure truth of God. With the pure truth of God, which thou hast
resisted and persecuted, thou art to be thrashed down, which is
eternal, and doth comprehend thee; and with the light, which thou
despisest, thou art seen; and it is thy condemnation. Thou as one
brutish, and thy wife as an hypocrite, and you both as murderers of
the just, in that which is eternal, are seen and comprehended; and
your hearts searched, and tried, and condemned by the light. The light
in thy conscience will witness the truth of what I write to thee; and
will let thee see that thou art not born of God, but art from the
truth, in the beastly nature. If ever thy eye see repentance, thou
wilt witness me a friend of thy soul, and a seeker of thy eternal
good.”

G. F.

This Adam Sands afterwards died miserably.

I was moved also to write to priest Tatham.

“The word of the Lord to thee, priest Tatham, who art found out of the
doctrine of Christ; having the chiefest place in the assembly, being
called of men, master, and standing praying in the synagogue in the
steps of the Pharisees, which our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe against.
In his way thou art not, but in the way of the scribes and Pharisees,
as thou mayest read, Matt. xxiii. There Christ’s words judge thee, and
the Scriptures of truth condemn thee. For thou art such a one as sues
men at the law for tithes, and yet professest thyself to be a minister
of Christ; which Christ never empowered his to do; neither did any of
his apostles or ministers ever do so. Here I charge thee in the
presence of the living God, to be out of their doctrine; and that as
one of those evil beasts the Scripture speaks of, thou mindest earthly
things, which the life of the Scriptures is against. Thou art for
destruction in the state wherein thou standest; and it will be thy
portion eternally, if thou dost not repent. To that of God in thy
conscience I speak, which will witness the truth of what I say. Thou
goest in Cain’s way, in envy, an enemy to God, and from the command of
God. Thou goest in Balaam’s way, from the Spirit of God, for gifts and
rewards, the wages of unrighteousness. Thou son of Balaam, thou art
worse than thy father, for though he loved the wages of
unrighteousness, yet he durst not take them; but thou not only takest
them, but suest men at the law if they will not give them thee, which
no true minister of Jesus Christ ever did; therefore stop thy mouth
for ever, and never make mention of them, or profess thyself one of
them. With the light thou art seen and comprehended, who art light and
vain, and speakest a divination of thy own brain, and deceivest the
people. That in thy conscience will witness what I say, and will
condemn thee, who art one of those that bear rule by their means,
which the Lord sent Jeremiah to cry against, Jer. v.; and so thou
holdest up ‘the horrible and filthy thing that is committed in the
land.’ They that do not tremble at the word of the Lord, are the
foolish people that hold thee up; they are sottish children, and have
no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but not to do good, who
are deceived by thee. Thou art one of those that seek their gain from
their quarter; a greedy dumb dog, that never hath enough, as thy
practice makes manifest, which the Lord sent Isaiah to cry against,
Isa. lvi. 11, 12. And thou art such a one as the Lord sent Ezekiel to
cry against, who feedest of the fat, and clothest with the wool, and
makest a prey of the people. But the Lord is gathering his sheep from
thy mouth, that to thee they shall be a prey no longer. Thou enemy of
God, here this prophecy is fulfilled upon thee, Ezek. xxxiv., and thou
art one of them; I charge it upon thee in the presence of the living
God; a hireling thou art, and they that put not into thy mouth, thou
preparest war against them. Thou hatest the good, and lovest the evil,
which the Lord sent Micah to cry against, Mic. iii. Cover thy lips,
and stop thy mouth for ever, thou child of darkness; for with the
light thou art comprehended, and seen to be among them which the holy
men of God cried woe against; and by the Spirit of the Living God thou
art judged. In the light, which is thy condemnation, thou art
comprehended; thy race is seen, and thy compass known, who art out of
the commands of Christ, and out of the doctrine and life of the
apostles. Thou art proved and tried: to thee this is the word of the
Lord, to thee it shall be as a hammer, a fire, and a sword, and from
under it thou shalt never come, unless thou repent; who art with the
light to be condemned in that state wherein thou standest: and if ever
thy eye see repentance, this thy condemnation thou must own.”

G. F.

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

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

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

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

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

It was now about the beginning of the year 1653, when I returned to SWARTHMORE; and going to a meeting at GLEASTON, a professor challenged a dispute with me. I went to the house where he was, and called him to come forth; but the Lord’s power was over him, so that he durst not meddle. Then I departed thence, and visited the meetings of Friends in LANCASHIRE, and came back to SWARTHMORE. Great openings I had from the Lord, not only of divine and spiritual matters, but also of outward things, relating to the civil government. For being one day in Swarthmore-hall, when Judge Fell and Justice Benson were talking of the news, and of the parliament then sitting, which was called the Long Parliament, I was moved to tell them, that before that day two weeks the Parliament should be broken up, and the speaker plucked out of his chair. And that day two weeks Justice Benson coming thither again, told Judge Fell, that now he saw George was a true prophet; for Oliver had broken up the parliament.

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

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

About this time Anthony Pearson was convinced, who had been an opposer of Friends.[27] He came over to SWARTHMORE; and I being then at Colonel West’s, they sent for me. Colonel West said, “Go, George, for it may be great service to the man.” So I went, and the Lord’s power reached him.

Footnote 27:

Justice Pearson, who “was convinced as he sat on the bench,” became
the author of an approved work, _The Great Case of Tithes_. A striking
letter from him, dated in 1653, respecting his religious state, is
inserted in _Letters of Early Friends_, pages 10-12.

About this time also the Lord opened several mouths to declare the truth to priests and people, so that many were cast into prison. I went again into CUMBERLAND, and Anthony Pearson and his wife, and several Friends, went with me to BOOTLE, where Anthony Pearson left me, and went to Carlisle sessions; for he was a Justice of the peace in three counties. On a First-day I went into the steeple-house at BOOTLE; and when the priest had done, I began to speak. But the people were exceeding rude, and struck and beat me in the yard: one gave me a very great blow over my wrist, so that the people thought he had broken my hand to pieces. The constable was very desirous to keep the peace, and would have set some of them by the heels that struck me, if I would have given way to it. After my service amongst them was over, I went to Joseph Nicholson’s house,[28] and the constable went a little way with us, to keep off the rude multitude. In the afternoon I went again; and then the priest had got another priest, that came from LONDON, and was highly accounted of, to help him. Before I went in to the steeple-house, I sat a little upon the Cross, and Friends with me; but the Friends were moved to go into the steeple-house, and I went in after them. The London priest was preaching; who gathered up all the Scriptures he could think of, that spoke of false prophets, and antichrists, and deceivers, and threw them upon us; but when he had done I recollected all those Scriptures, and brought them back upon himself. Then the people fell upon me in a rude manner; but the constable charged them to keep the peace, and so made them quiet again.

Footnote 28:

Joseph Nicholson was one of those who, with his wife, suffered in the
New England persecution, being imprisoned there and laid in irons. He
was also immured within the walls of Dover Castle in 1661. See
Bowden’s _History of Friends in America_, vol. i., pp. 203-206, and
268, &c.

Then the priest began to rage, and said I must not speak there, I told him he had his hour-glass, by which he had preached, and he having done, the time was free for me, as well as for him, for he was but a stranger there himself. So I opened the Scriptures to them, and let them see “that those Scriptures, that spoke of the false prophets, and antichrists, and deceivers, described them and their generation, and belonged to them who were found walking in their steps, and bringing forth their fruits; and not unto us, who were not guilty of such things.” I manifested to them, that they were out of the steps of the true prophets and apostles; and showed them clearly, by the fruits and marks, that it was they of whom those Scriptures spoke, and not we. And I declared the truth, and the word of life to the people, and directed them to Christ their Teacher. All was quiet while I was speaking; but when I had done, and was come out, the priests were both of them in such a rage, that they foamed at the mouth for anger against me. The priest of the place made an oration to the people in the steeple-house yard, and said, “This man hath gotten all the honest men and women in LANCASHIRE to him; and now,” said he, “he comes here to do the same.” Then said I unto him, “What wilt thou have left? and what have the priests left them, but such as themselves? For if it be the honest that receive the truth, and are turned to Christ, then it must be the dishonest that follow thee, and such as thou art.” Some also of the priest’s people began to plead for their priest, and for tithes; but I told them it were better for them to plead for Christ, who had ended the tithing-priesthood and tithes, and had sent forth his ministers to give freely, as they had received freely. So the Lord’s power came over them all, put them to silence, and restrained the rude people, that they could not do the mischief they intended. When I came down again to Joseph Nicholson’s house, I saw a great hole in my coat, which was cut with a knife, but it was not cut through my doubtlet, for the Lord had prevented their mischief. And the next day a rude wicked man would have done violence to a Friend, but the Lord’s power stopped him.

Now was I moved to send James Lancaster to appoint a meeting at John Wilkinson’s steeple-house near COCKERMOUTH, who was a preacher in great repute, and had three parishes under him; wherefore I stayed at MILLOM-IN-BOOTLE till he came back again. In the meantime some of those called the gentry of the country had formed a plot against me, and had given a little boy a rapier, to do me mischief with it. They came with the boy to Joseph Nicholson’s house to seek me; but the Lord had so ordered it, that I was gone into the fields. They met with James Lancaster, but did not much abuse him; and not finding me in the house, after a while they went away again. So I walked up and down in the fields that night, and did not go to bed, as very often I used to do.

The next day we came to the steeple-house, where James Lancaster had appointed the meeting. There were at this meeting twelve soldiers and their wives, who were come thither from CARLISLE; and the country people came in, as if it had been to a fair. I lay at a house a short distance from the place, so that many Friends were there before me. When I came, I found James Lancaster speaking under a yew tree; which was so full of people that I feared they would break it down. I looked about for a place to stand upon, to speak to the people; for they lay all up and down like people at a leaguer. After I was discovered, a professor came to me, and asked, if I would go into the church; seeing no place convenient to speak to the people from, I told him, “Yes;” whereupon the people rushed in; so that when I came in, the house and even the pulpit was so full of people, that I had much ado to get in; and they that could not get in, stood about the walls. When the people were settled, I stood up on a seat; and the Lord opened my mouth “to declare his everlasting truth, and his everlasting day; and to lay open all their teachers, their rudiments, traditions, and inventions, that they had been in, in the night of apostacy since the apostles’ days. I turned them to Christ the true teacher, and to the true spiritual worship; directing them where to find the Spirit and truth, that they might worship God therein. I opened Christ’s parables unto them, and directed them to the Spirit of God in themselves, that would open the Scriptures unto them. And I showed them, how all might come to know their Saviour, and sit under his teaching;—might come to be heirs of the kingdom of God, and know both the voice of God and of Christ, by which they might discover all the false shepherds and teachers they had been under; and be gathered to the true shepherd, priest, bishop, and prophet, Christ Jesus, whom God commanded all to hear.” So when I had largely declared the word of life unto them, for about three hours, I walked from amongst the people, and they passed away very well satisfied.

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

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

When I had done, I went about two miles to another great steeple-house of John Wilkinson’s, called BRIGHAM; where the people, having been at the other meeting, were mightily affected, and would have put my horse into the steeple-house yard; but I said, “No, the priest claims that; take him to an inn.” When I came into the steeple-house yard, I saw the people coming in great companies, as to a fair; and abundance were already gathered in the lanes, and about the steeple-house. I was very thirsty, and walked about a quarter of a mile to a brook, where I got some water, and refreshed myself. As I came up again, I met Wilkinson, who as I passed by him said, “Sir, will you preach to-day? If you will,” said he, “I will not oppose you in word or thought.” I replied, “Oppose if thou wilt; I have something to speak to the people.” “And,” said I, “thou carriedst thyself foolishly the other day, and spoke against thy conscience and reason; insomuch that thy hearers cried out against thee.” So I left him, and went on; for he saw it was in vain to oppose, the people were so affected with the Lord’s truth. When I came into the steeple-house yard, a professor came to me, and asked if I would not go into the church as he called it. And I seeing no convenient place to stand to speak to the people from, went in, and stood up on a seat after they were settled. The priest came in also, but did not go up to his pulpit.

The Lord opened my mouth, and I declared his everlasting truth, and word of life to the people; “directing them to the spirit of God in themselves, by which they might know God and Christ, and the Scriptures, and come to have heavenly fellowship in the Spirit. I declared to them, that every one that cometh into the world, was enlightened by Christ the life; by which light they might see their sins, and Christ, who was come to save them from their sins, and died for them. And, if they came to walk in this light, they might therein see Christ to be the author of their faith, and the finisher thereof; their Shepherd to feed them, their Priest to teach them, and their great Prophet to open divine mysteries unto them, and to be always present with them. I explained also unto them, in the openings of the Lord, the first covenant, explaining to them the types, and the substance of those figures; and so bringing them on to Christ, the new covenant. I also manifested unto them, that there had been a night of apostacy since the apostles’ days; but that now the everlasting gospel was preached again, which brought life and immortality to light; and the day of the Lord was come, and Christ was come to teach his people himself by his light, grace, power, and Spirit.” A fine opportunity the Lord gave me to preach truth among the people that day for about three hours; and all was quiet. Many hundreds were convinced; and some of them praised God and said, “Now we know the first step to peace.” The preacher also said privately to some of his hearers, that I had broken them and overthrown them.

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