Chapter XIV (2)

So all being kept close that day, and none of the ship’s company suffered to land, next morning, Samuel Shattock, the king’s deputy, and Ralph Goldsmith, the commander of the vessel, went on shore; and sending back to the ship the men that landed them, they two went through the town to the governor’s (John Endicott’s) door, and knocked. He sent out a man to know their business. They sent him word, their business was from the king of England, and they would deliver their message to none but the governor himself. They were then admitted, and the governor came to them; and having received the deputation and the mandamus, he put off his hat, and looked upon them. Then going out, he bid the Friends follow him. He went to the deputy-governor, and after a short consultation, came out to the Friends, and said, “We shall obey his Majesty’s commands.” After this the master gave liberty to the passengers to land; and presently the noise of the business flew about the town, and the Friends of the town and the passengers of the ship met together, to offer up their praises and thanksgivings to God, who had so wonderfully delivered them from the teeth of the devourer. While they were thus met, a poor Friend came in, who, being sentenced by their bloody law to die, had lain some time in irons, expecting execution. This added to their joy, and caused them to lift up their hearts in high praises to God, who is worthy for ever to have the praise, the glory, and the honour; for he only is able to deliver, to save, and to support all that sincerely put their trust in him.

Here follows a copy of the mandamus:—

“CHARLES R.

“Trusty and well beloved, we greet you well. Having been informed
that several of our subjects amongst you, called Quakers, have
been and are imprisoned by you, whereof some have been executed,
and others, as hath been represented unto us, are in danger to
undergo the like, we have thought fit to signify our pleasure in
that behalf for the future; and do hereby require, that if there
be any of those people called Quakers amongst you, now already
condemned to suffer death or other corporal punishment, or that
are imprisoned, and obnoxious to the like condemnation, you are to
forbear to proceed any further therein; but that you forthwith
send the said persons, whether condemned or imprisoned, over into
this our kingdom of England, together with the respective crimes
or offences laid to their charge: to the end such course may be
taken with them here, as shall be agreeable to our laws and their
demerits. And for so doing, these our letters shall be your
sufficient warrant and discharge. Given at our Court at Whitehall,
the 9th day of September, 1661, in the thirteenth year of our
reign.”

Subscribed: “To our trusty and well beloved John Endicott, Esq.,
and to all and every other the governor or governors of our
plantations of New England, and of all the colonies thereunto
belonging, that now are, or hereafter shall be: and to all and
every the ministers and officers of our plantations and colonies
whatsoever, within the continent of New England.

“By his Majesty’s command.
“WILLIAM MORRIS.”

Some time after this several New England magistrates came over, with one of their priests. We had several discourses with them concerning their murdering our Friends, the servants of the Lord; but they were ashamed to stand to their bloody actions. On one of these occasions I asked Simon Broadstreet, one of the New England magistrates, “Whether he had not a hand in putting to death those four servants of God, whom they hung for being Quakers only, as they had nicknamed them?” He confessed he had. I then asked him and the rest of his associates that were present, “Whether they would acknowledge themselves to be subject to the laws of England; and if they did, by what laws they had put our Friends to death?” They said, “They were subject to the laws of England; and had put our Friends to death by the same law that the Jesuits were put to death in England.” I asked them then, “Whether they believed those Friends of ours, whom they had put to death, were Jesuits or jesuitically affected?” They said, nay. “Then,” said I, “ye have murdered them, if ye have put them to death by the law that Jesuits are put to death here in England, and yet confess they were no Jesuits. By this it plainly appears ye have put them to death in your own wills, without any law.” Then Simon Broadstreet, finding himself and his company ensnared by their own words, asked, “Did we come to catch them?” I told them, they had caught themselves, and they might justly be questioned for their lives; and if the father of William Robinson, one of them that were put to death, were in town, it was probable he would question them, and bring their lives into jeopardy. Here they began to excuse themselves, saying, “There was no persecution now amongst them:” but next morning we had letters from New England, giving us account that our Friends were persecuted there afresh. We went again, and showed them our letters, which put them both to silence and to shame; and in great fear they seemed to be, lest someone should call them to account, and prosecute them for their lives, especially Simon Broadstreet; for he had at first, before so many witnesses, confessed he had a hand in putting our Friends to death, that he could not get off from it; though he afterwards through fear shuffled, and would have unsaid it again. After this, he and the rest soon returned to New England again.

I went also to Governor Winthrop, and discoursed with him on these matters; he assured me, “He had no hand in putting our Friends to death, or in any way persecuting them; but was one of them that protested against it.” These stingy persecutors of New England were a people that fled thither out of Old England, from the persecution of the bishops here; but when they had got power into their own hands, they so far exceeded the bishops in severity and cruelty, that whereas the bishops had made them pay twelve pence a Sunday (so called) for not coming to their worship here, they imposed a fine of five shillings a-day upon such as should not conform to their will-worship there; and spoiled the goods of Friends that could not (for conscience’ sake) pay it. Besides, many they imprisoned, divers they whipped, and that most cruelly; of some they cut off the ears, and some they hanged; as the books of Friends’ sufferings in New England largely show, particularly that written by George Bishop, of Bristol, entitled, _New England Judged_. Some of the old royalists were earnest with Friends to prosecute them, but we told them, we left them to the Lord, to whom vengeance belongeth, and he would repay it. And the judgments of God have since fallen heavy on them; for the Indians have been raised up against them, and have cut off many of them.

About this time I lost a very good book, being taken in the printer’s hands; it was a useful teaching work, containing the signification and explanation of names, parables, types, and figures in the Scriptures. They who took it were so affected with it, that they were loth to destroy it; but thinking to make a great advantage of it, they would have let us have it again, if we would have given them a great sum of money for it; which we were not free to do.

Before this, while I was a prisoner in Lancaster castle, the book called _The Battledore_ was published, which was written to show, that in all languages Thou and Thee is the proper and usual form of speech to a single person; and You to more than one. This was set forth in examples or instances taken from the Scriptures, and books of teaching, in about thirty languages. J. Stubbs and Benjamin Furly took great pains in compiling it, which I set them upon; and some things I added to it. When it was finished, copies were presented to the king and his council, to the bishops of Canterbury and London, and to the two universities one each; and many purchased them. The king said, it was the proper language of all nations; and the bishop of Canterbury, being asked what he thought of it, was at a stand, and could not tell what to say to it. For it did so inform and convince people, that few afterwards were so rugged toward us, for saying Thou and Thee to a single person, for which before they were exceedingly fierce against us. Thou and Thee was a sore cut to proud flesh, and them that sought self-honour, who, though they would say it to God and Christ, could not endure to have it said to themselves. So that we were often beaten and abused, and sometimes in danger of our lives, for using those words to some proud men, who would say, “What! you ill-bred clown, do you Thou me?” as though Christian breeding consisted in saying You to one; which is contrary to all their grammars and teaching books, by which they instruct their youth.

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

“Christ’s worship is free in the Spirit to all men; and such as
worship in Spirit and in truth, are they whom God seeks to worship
him; for he is the God of truth, and is a Spirit, and the God of
the spirits of all flesh. He hath given to all nations of men and
women breath and life, to live, and move, and have their being in
him: and hath put into them an immortal soul. So all are to be
temples for him to dwell in; and they that defile his temple will
he destroy. Now as the outward Jews, while they had their outward
temple at Jerusalem, were to go up thither to worship (which
temple God hath long since thrown down, and destroyed that
Jerusalem, the vision of peace; and cast off the Jews and their
worship; and instead thereof hath set up his gospel-worship in the
Spirit and in the truth), so now all are to worship in Spirit and
in truth. This is a free worship; for where the Spirit of the Lord
is, and ruleth, there is liberty; the fruits of the Spirit are
seen, and will manifest themselves; and the Spirit is not to be
limited, but lived and walked in, that its fruits may appear. The
tares are such as hang upon the wheat, and thereby draw it down to
the earth; yet the tares and the wheat must grow together, till
the harvest, lest they that take upon them to pluck up the tares,
should pluck up the wheat with the tares. The tares are such as
worship not God in Spirit and in truth; but grieve the Spirit, vex
and quench it in themselves, and walk not in the truth; yet will
hang about the wheat, the true worshippers in the Spirit and in
the truth.

“Christ’s church was never established by blood, nor held up by
prisons: neither was the foundation of it laid by carnal-weaponed
men, nor is it preserved by such. But when men departed from the
Spirit and truth, they took up carnal weapons to maintain their
outward forms, and yet they cannot preserve them with their carnal
weapons; for one plucketh down another’s form with his outward
weapons. And this work hath been among nominal Christians, since
they lost the Spirit, and spiritual weapons, and the true worship
which Christ set up, that is in Spirit and in truth, which they
that worship in, are over all the tares. All that would be
plucking up the tares are forbidden by Christ, who hath all power
in heaven and earth given to him; for the tares and the wheat must
grow together till the harvest, as Christ hath commanded. The
stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the
whole earth; now, if the stone fill the whole earth, all nations
must be temples for the stone. All that say they travail for the
seed, and yet bring forth nothing but a birth of strife,
contention, and confusion, their fruit shows their travail to be
wrong; for by the fruit, the end of every one’s work is seen, of
what sort it is.”

G. F.

About this time many Papists and Jesuits began to fawn upon Friends, and talked where they came, that of all sects the Quakers were the best and most self-denying people; and said, “It was a great pity they did not return to the holy mother church.” Thus they made a buzz among the people, and said, “They would willingly discourse with Friends.” But Friends were loth to meddle with them, because they were Jesuits, looking upon it to be both dangerous and scandalous. But when I understood it, I said to Friends, “Let us discourse with them, be they what they will.” So a time being appointed at Gerrard Roberts’s house, there came two of them like courtiers. When we were met together, they asked our names, which we told them; but we did not ask their names, for we understood they were called Papists, and they knew we were called Quakers. I asked them the same question that I had formerly asked a Jesuit, namely, “Whether the church of Rome was not degenerated from the primitive church, from the Spirit, power, and practice, of the apostles’ times?” He to whom I put this question being subtle, said, “He would not answer it.” I asked him, “Why?” But he would show no reason. His companion said, he would answer me; and said, “They were not degenerated from the primitive church times.” I asked the other, whether he was of the same mind? He said, “Yes.” Then I told them that for better understanding one another, and that there might be no mistake, I would repeat my question over again after this manner, “Whether the church of Rome now was in the same purity, practice, power, and Spirit, that the church in the apostles’ time was in?” When they saw we would be exact with them, they flew off, and denied that, saying, “It was presumption in any to say, they had the same power and spirit that the apostles had.” “But I told them, it was presumption in them to meddle with the words of Christ and his apostles, and make people believe they succeeded the apostles, and yet be forced to confess they were not in the same power and Spirit the apostles were in. This,” said I, “is a spirit of presumption, and rebuked by the apostles’ Spirit.” I showed them how different their fruits and practices were from those of the apostles.

Then one of them said, “Ye are a company of dreamers.” “Nay,” said I, “ye are the filthy dreamers, who dream ye are the apostles successors; and yet confess ye have not the same power and Spirit they were in. And are not they defilers of the flesh, who say, ‘It is presumption in any to say, they have the same power and Spirit the apostles had?’ Now,” said I, “if ye have not the same power and Spirit the apostles had, then it is manifest that ye are led by another power and spirit than the apostles and primitive church were led by.” Then I began to tell them how that evil spirit, which they were led by, had led them to pray by beads and to images; to set up nunneries, friaries, and monasteries, and to put people to death for religion; and this practice of theirs, I showed them, was below the law, and far short of the gospel, in which is liberty. They were soon weary of this discourse, went away, and gave a charge, as we heard, to the Papists, “That they should not dispute with us, or read any of our books;” so we were rid of them. But we had reasonings with all the other sects as Presbyterians, Independents, Seekers, Baptists, Episcopalians, Socinians, Brownists, Lutherans, Calvinists, Arminians, Fifth-monarchy-men, Familists, Muggletonians and Ranters; none of which would affirm they had the same power and Spirit the apostles had, and were in; so in that power and Spirit the Lord gave us dominion over them all.

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

This year several Friends were moved to go beyond the seas, to publish Truth in foreign countries. John Stubbs, and Henry Fell, and Richard Costrop were moved to go towards China and Prester John’s country; but no masters of ships would carry them. With much ado they got a warrant from the king; but the East India Company found ways to avoid it, and masters of their ships would not carry them. Then they went into Holland, hoping to get passage there, but none could they get there either. Then John Stubbs and Henry Fell took shipping for Alexandria in Egypt, intending to go by the caravans from thence. Meanwhile Daniel Baker being to go to Smyrna, drew Richard Costrop,[71] contrary to his own freedom, to go along with him, and in the passage Richard falling sick, Daniel Baker left him so in the ship, where he died: but that hard-hearted man afterwards lost his own condition.

Footnote 71:

This Richard Costrop (or Scostrop) was born in 1628. He was
originally a sore persecutor of Friends, but becoming convinced of
the soundness of their principles, he at length joined the
Society, and preached the faith which once he destroyed,
travelling for this object into various parts of Europe. he seems
to have been chiefly instrumental in establishing the meeting at
Scalehouse. He appears to have been a man of some estate, but left
all, and spent his days in the service of the gospel. In a
document issued by Friends of Settle Monthly Meeting in 1704, it
is said of him, “his memory is sweet this day among the brethren.”
See _Life, &c., of William and Alice Ellis_, by James Backhouse,
pp. 278, 279, &c.

John Stubbs and Henry Fell reached Alexandria; but they had not been there long before the English consul banished them: yet before they came away, they dispersed many books and papers, for opening the principles and way of truth to the Turks and Grecians. They gave the book called, _The Pope’s Strength Broken_, to an old friar, for him to give or send to the Pope; which when the friar had perused, he placed his hand on his breast, and confessed, “What was written therein was truth; but” said he, “if I should confess it openly, they would burn me.” John Stubbs and Henry Fell, not being suffered to go further, returned to England, and came to London again. John had a vision that the English and Dutch, who had joined together not to carry them, would fall out one with the other; and so it came to pass.

Having now stayed in London some time, I felt drawings to visit Friends in Essex. So I went down to COLCHESTER, where I had very large meetings; and thence to COGGESHALL; not far from which a priest was convinced, and I had a meeting at his house. Travelling a little up and down in those parts, and visiting Friends in their meetings, I returned pretty quickly to LONDON, where I found great service for the Lord; for a large door was opened, many flocked in to our meetings, and the Lord’s truth spread mightily this year.

Yet Friends had great travail and sore labour, the rude people having been so heightened by the Monarchy-men’s rising a little before. But the Lord’s power was over all, and in it Friends had dominion; though we had not only those sufferings without, but sufferings within also, by John Perrot and his company; who, giving heed to a spirit of delusion, sought to introduce among Friends that evil and uncomely practice of “keeping on the hat in time of public prayers.” Friends had spoken to him and many of his followers about it, and I had written to them concerning it; but he and some others rather strengthened themselves against us.[72] Wherefore feeling the judgment of truth rise against it, I gave forth the following as a warning to all that were concerned therein:—

“Whosoever is tainted with this spirit of John Perrot, it will
perish. Mark his and their end, who are turned into those outward
things and janglings about them, and that which is not savoury;
all which is for perpetual judgment—is to be swept and cleansed
out of the camp of God’s elect. This is to that spirit, that is
gone into jangling about that which is below (the rotten principle
of the old Ranters)—gone from the invisible power of God, in which
is the everlasting fellowship; and thus many who now clamour and
speak against them that are in the power of God, are become like
the untimely figs, and like the corn on the house-top. O!
consider! the light and power of God goes over you all, and leaves
you in the fretting nature, out of the unity which is in the
everlasting light, life, and power of God. Consider this, before
the day be gone from you; and take heed, that your memorial be not
rooted out from among the righteous.”

G. F.

Footnote 72:

John Perrot was one who at this time caused great distress and
trouble to the faithful members of the Society, from giving way to
self-importance and extravagant notions. For particulars, the
reader is referred to Sewell’s _History_; and to Hodgson’s
_Historical Memoirs_.

Whilst the Society kept steadily pursuing its path, and increasing
in numbers, notwithstanding the persecutions to which its members
were everywhere subjected, it was not to be expected that every
individual who was found within its precincts should have been
rightly prepared for the station which he might have assumed. It
would have been indeed remarkable, if, in the multitude of those
who went forth in that day of zeal, in the service of the
ministry, there had not been instances of men who had taken upon
them (perhaps mistakenly) the office of a gospel minister, without
waiting for the preparation and the call. And it would have been
still more surprising if such forward spirits had proved firm in
the day of outward trial, or of inward fascinations and snares of
the enemy.

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

About this time the oaths of allegiance and supremacy were tendered to Friends, as a snare, because it was known we could not swear, and thereupon many were imprisoned, and divers premunired. Upon that occasion Friends published in print “_The grounds and reasons why they refused to swear_;” besides which I was moved to issue these few lines, to be given to the magistrates:—

“The world saith, ‘Kiss the book;’ but the book saith, ‘Kiss the
Son, lest he be angry.’ And the Son saith, ‘Swear not at all,’ but
keep to Yea and Nay in all your communications; for whatsoever is
more than this cometh of evil. Again, the world saith, ‘Lay your
hand on the book,’ but the book saith, ‘Handle the word;’ and the
word saith, ‘Handle not the traditions,’ nor the inventions, nor
the rudiments of the world. And God saith, ‘This is my beloved
Son, hear Him,’ who is the life, the truth, the light, and the way
to God.”

G. F.

Now their being very many Friends in prison in the nation, Richard Hubberthorn and I drew up paper concerning them,[73] and got it delivered to the king, that he might understand how we were dealt with by his officers. It was directed thus:—

“_For the King._

“FRIEND,

“Who art the chief ruler of these dominions, here is a list of
some of the sufferings of the people of God, in scorn called
Quakers, that have suffered under the changeable powers before
thee, by whom there have been imprisoned, and under whom there
have suffered for good conscience’ sake, and for bearing testimony
to the truth as it is in Jesus, ‘three thousand one hundred and
seventy-three persons,’ and there lie yet in prison in the name of
the Commonwealth ‘seventy-three persons,’ that we know of. And
there died in prison in the time of the Commonwealth, and of
Oliver and Richard, the protectors, through cruel and hard
imprisonments, upon nasty straw, and in dungeons, ‘thirty-two
persons.’ There have been also imprisoned in thy name, since thy
arrival, by such as thought to ingratiate themselves thereby with
thee, ‘three thousand, sixty and eight persons.’ Besides this, our
meetings are daily broken up by men with clubs and arms, though we
meet peaceably, according to the practice of God’s people in the
primitive times, and our Friends are thrown into waters, and trod
upon, till the very blood gushes out of them; the number of which
abuses can hardly be uttered.

“Now this we would have of thee, to set them at liberty that lie
in prison in the names of the Commonwealth, and of the two
Protectors, and them that lie in thy own name, for speaking the
truth, and for good conscience’ sake, who have not lifted up a
hand against thee or any man; and that the meetings of our
Friends, who meet peaceably together in the fear of God, to
worship him, may not be broken up by rude people, with their
clubs, swords, and staves. One of the greatest things that we have
suffered for formerly, was, because we could not swear to the
Protectors and all the changeable governments; and now we are
imprisoned because we cannot take the oath of allegiance. Now, if
our yea be not yea, and nay, nay, to thee, and to all men upon the
earth, let us suffer as much for breaking that, as others do for
breaking an oath. We have suffered these many years, both in lives
and estates, under these changeable governments, because we cannot
swear, but obey Christ’s doctrine, who commands, ‘we should not
swear at all’ (Matt. v. James v.), and this we seal with our lives
and estates, with our yea and nay, according to the doctrine of
Christ. Hearken to these things, and so consider them in the
wisdom of God, that by it such actions may be stopped; thou that
hast the government and mayest do it. We desire that all that are
in prison may be set at liberty, and that for the time to come
they may not be imprisoned for conscience and for truth’s sake;
and if thou question the innocency of their sufferings, let them
and their accusers be brought up before thee, and we shall produce
a more particular and full account of their sufferings if
required.”

G.F. and R.H.

Footnote 73:

About this time persecution was very hot, and from estimates
deduced from documents of the period, it is probable that, in 1661
or 1662, there were no less than 4,500 Friends in prison, in
England and Wales, at one time, for meeting to worship God,
refusing to swear, &c. And in such prisons too! They who would
know what the miseries of prisoners have been in England, let them
read Sewell’s _History_, which exhibits such a scene of savage
persecution on the one hand, and firmness and patience in
suffering on the other, as is not easily paralleled. Little known
as these things are, it will hardly be credited now, that to such
a length was hatred carried against the Quakers, that few of them,
except those below the cognizance of the magistrates, were not in
prison, at one time or other, for their religious faith.

The interruption of family ties, the breaking up of households,
the loss to many of all means of support, were hard and cruel
sufferings for conscience’ sake, but they were grievously
aggravated at this period by the damp and filthy condition of the
prisons, holes, and dungeons in which the sufferers were confined,
as well as by their very crowded condition. And to all these
circumstances of trial, must be added those of personal abuse,
fines, distraints, and, it may strictly be said, of wholesale
robberies they endured. Some died of the beatings which they
received in the breaking up of their meetings, and many from the
filthy and close state of the prisons, in some of which they were
so closely packed that they had to take it by turns to stand up,
whilst others sat or lay down. They were also often overrun with
lice and other vermin.

I mentioned before, that in the year 1650, I was kept prisoner six months in the house of correction at Derby, and that the keeper of the prison, a cruel man, and one that had dealt very wickedly towards me, was smitten in himself, the plagues and terrors of the Lord falling upon him because thereof (p. 57.). This man, being afterwards convinced of truth, wrote me the following letter:—

“DEAR FRIEND,

“Having such a convenient messenger, I could do no less than give
thee an account of my present condition, remembering, that in the
first awakening of me to a sense of life, and of the inward
principle, God was pleased to make use of thee as an instrument.
So that sometimes I am taken with admiration that it should come
by such a means as it did; that is to say, that providence should
order thee to be my prisoner, to give me my first real sight of
the truth. It makes me many times think of the jailer’s conversion
by the apostles. O happy George Fox! that first breathed that
breath of life within the walls of my habitation! Notwithstanding
my outward losses are since that time such, that I am become
nothing in the world, yet I hope I shall find that all these light
afflictions, which are but for a moment, will work for me a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They have taken all
from me, and now, instead of keeping a prison, I am rather waiting
the time when I shall become a prisoner myself. Pray for me, that
my faith fail not, but that I may hold out unto death, that I may
receive a crown of life. I earnestly desire to hear from thee, and
of thy condition, which would very much rejoice me. Not having
else at present but my kind love unto thee, and all Christian
Friends with thee, in haste, I rest, thine, in Christ Jesus,

THOMAS SHARMAN.”

Derby, 22nd of 4th Month, 1662.

There were two of our friends in prison in the Inquisition at Malta, both women; Katherine Evans and Sarah Chevers.[74] I was told that one called the Lord D’Aubigny [a Roman Catholic priest], could procure their liberty, so I went to him; and having informed him concerning their imprisonment, desired him to write to the magistrates there for their release. He readily promised he would; and, “if I would come again within a month, he would tell me of their discharge.” I went again about that time, and he said, “he thought his letters had miscarried, because he had received no answer.” But he promised he would write again, and he did so; and they were both set at liberty.

-----

Footnote 74:

Katherine Evans and Sarah Chevers suffered a dreadful confinement
for about four years in the Inquisition at Malta, of which a full
account has been published. A more condensed one may be seen in
_Select Miscellanies_, v. p. 50-68.

“——These ministers of Christ did leave
Their homes in England, faithfully to bear
The Saviour’s message into Eastern lands;
And here, at Malta, they were seized upon
By bigoted intolerance, and shut
Within this fearful engine of the Pope.
Priests and inquisitors assail them there,
And urge the claims of Popery. The rack
And cruel deaths are threatened; and again
Sweet liberty is offered, as the price
Of their apostacy. All, all in vain!
For years these tender women have been thus
Victims of cruelty. At times apart,
Confined in gloomy, solitary cells.
But all these efforts to convert them failed;
The inquisition had not power enough
To shake their faith and confidence in Him,
Whose holy presence anciently was seen
To save his children from devouring flames;
He from this furnace of affliction brought
These persecuted women, who came forth
Out of the burning, with no smell of fire
Upon their garments, and again they trod
Their native land, rejoicing.”

Some idea of the sufferings of these poor creatures may be formed
from the fact of their _often lying down before the crevice of
their prison-door, to inhale what air could be obtained from it_.
In this state their skin was parched, the hair fell off their
heads, and, they frequently fainted; and, in moments when the
strength and glory of the Divine presence was not so feelingly
experienced as at others, it cannot occasion surprise that,
through human weakness, they wished for death; their distress
sometimes being such, that when it was day they longed for night,
and yet when night came it was only to prompt the constant sigh
for returning light. Yet the heavenly content which, on the whole,
was the portion of these sufferers for Christ’s sake, in this dark
and cloudy day, was remarkable. One of them, in writing to her
relatives in England, says, “We are witnesses that the Lord can
provide a table in the wilderness, both spiritual and temporal. In
all our afflictions and miseries, the Lord remembered mercy, and
did not leave nor forsake us, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail;
but caused the sweet drops of his mercy to distil upon us, and the
brightness of his glorious countenance to shine into our hearts.”

The other of these suffering captives writes that she could not,
by pen and paper, set forth the extent of the love of God to her
soul, in fulfilling his gracious promises to her in the
wilderness. They were indeed enabled to “sing the Lord’s song in a
strange land;” and in the midst of heaviness, “their mouths were
often filled with laughter, and their tongues with joy,” being
strong in the faith, giving praises and glory to God.

The following, composed by them in the Inquisition, affords a view
of the motives and abilities of these devoted women:—

“In prisons strong, and dungeons deep,
To God alone we cry and weep;
Our sorrows none can learn nor read,
But those that in our path do tread.
But he whose beauty shineth bright,
Who turneth darkness into light,
Makes cedars bow, and oaks to bend,
To him that’s sent to the same end;
He is a fountain pure and clear,
His crystal streams run far and near
To cleanse all those that come to him
For to be healed of their sin:
All them that patiently abide,
And never swerve nor go aside,
The Lord will free them out of all
Bondage, captivity, and thrall.”

It was not in the Inquisition only that these women suffered, but
much also in England. In 1657, Katherine Evans was stripped, and
tied to a whipping-post in the market-place at Salisbury, and
there whipped, for exhorting the people to repentance. Her
husband, a man of property, also suffered several imprisonments,
and at last died in prison for obeying our Saviour’s command,
“Swear not at all.”

-----

With this great man I had much reasoning about religion, and he confessed that “Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world, with his spiritual light; that he tasted death for every man; that the grace of God, which brings salvation, hath appeared to all men, and that it would teach them and bring their salvation, if they obeyed it.” Then I asked him, “what would they (the Papists) do with all their relics and images, if they should own and believe in this light, and receive the grace to teach and bring their salvation?” He said, “those things were but policies, to keep people in subjection.” He was very free in discourse; I never heard a Papist confess so much as he did.

Though several about the court began to grow loving to Friends, yet persecution was very hot, and several Friends died in prison. Whereupon I gave forth a little paper _concerning the grounds and rise of persecution_; which was thus:—

“All the sufferings of the people of God in all ages were, because
they could not join in the national religions and worships, which
men had made and set up; and because they would not forsake God’s
religion and his worship, which he had set up. You may see through
all chronicles and histories, that the priests joined with the
powers of the nation; the magistrates, soothsayers, and
fortune-tellers, all united against the people of God, and
imagined vain things against them in their councils. When the Jews
did wickedly, they turned against Moses; and when the Jewish kings
transgressed the law of God, they persecuted the prophets, as may
be seen in the prophets’ writings. When Christ, the substance,
came, the Jews persecuted Christ, his apostles, and disciples. And
when the Jews had not power enough of themselves to persecute
answerably to their wills, they got the heathen Gentiles to help
them against Christ, and against his apostles and disciples, who
were in the Spirit and power of Christ.”

G. F.

After I had made some stay in London, and had cleared myself of those services that at that time lay upon me there, I went into the country, having with me Alexander Parker and John Stubbs. We travelled through the country, visiting Friends’ meetings, till we came to BRISTOL. There we understood the officers were likely to come and break up the meeting. Yet on First-day we went to the meeting at Broadmead, and Alexander Parker standing up first, while he was speaking the officers came and took him away. After he was gone, I stood up, and declared the everlasting truth of the Lord God in his eternal power, which came over all; the meeting was quiet the rest of the time, and broke up peaceably. I tarried till the First-day following, visiting Friends, and being visited by them.

On First-day morning several Friends came to Edward Pyot’s house (where I lay the night before,) and used great endeavours to persuade me not to go to the meeting that day, for the magistrates, they said, had threatened to take me, and had raised the trained bands. I wished them to go to the meeting, not telling them what I intended to do; but I told Edward Pyot I intended to go, and he sent his son to show me the way from his house by the fields. As I went I met divers Friends who were coming to me to prevent my going, and did what they could to stop me. “What!” said one, “wilt thou go into the mouth of the beast?” “Wilt thou go into the mouth of the dragon?” said another. I put them by and went on. When I came to the meeting, Margaret Thomas was speaking; and when she had done, I stood up. I saw a concern and fear upon Friends for me; but the power of the Lord, in which I declared, soon struck the fear out of them; life sprang, and a glorious heavenly meeting we had. After I had cleared myself of what was upon me from the Lord to the meeting, I was moved to pray; and after that to stand up again, and tell Friends, “Now they might see there was a God in Israel that could deliver.” A very large meeting this was, and very hot; but truth was over all, the life was exalted, which carried through all, and the meeting broke up in peace. The officers and soldiers had been breaking up another meeting, which had taken up their time, so that our meeting was ended before they came. But I understood afterwards they were in a great rage, because they had missed me; for they were heard to say one to another before, “I’ll warrant we shall have him;” but the Lord prevented them.

I went from the meeting to Joan Hily’s, where many Friends came to see me, rejoicing and blessing God for our deliverance. In the evening I had a fine fresh meeting among Friends at a Friend’s house over the water, where we were much refreshed in the Lord. After this I stayed most part of that week in Bristol, and at Edward Pyot’s. Edward was brought so low and weak with an ague, that when I first came, he was looked upon as a dying man; but it pleased the Lord to raise him up again, so that before I went away, his ague left him, and he was finely well.

Having been two First-days together at the meeting at Broadmead, and feeling my spirit clear of Bristol, I went next First-day to a meeting in the country not far distant. And after the meeting, some Friends from Bristol told me, that the soldiers that day had beset the meeting house round at Bristol, and then went up, saying, “they would be sure to have me now;” but when they came, and found me not there, they were in a great rage, and kept the Friends in the meeting-house most part of the day, before they would let them go home; and queried of them, which way I was gone, and how they might send after me; “for the mayor,” they said, “would fain have spoken with me.” I had a vision of a great mastiff dog, that would have bitten me, but I put one hand above his jaws, and the other hand below, and tore his jaws in pieces. So the Lord by his power tore their power to pieces, and made way for me to escape them.

Then I passed through the country, visiting Friends in WILTSHIRE and BERKSHIRE, till I came to LONDON, having great meetings amongst Friends as I went. The Lord’s power was over all, and a blessed time it was for the spreading of his glorious truth. It was indeed his immediate hand and power that preserved me out of their hands at Bristol, and over the heads of all our persecutors; and the Lord alone is worthy of all the glory, who did uphold and preserve for his name and truth’s sake.

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

From Barnet-Hills we came to SWANNINGTON in LEICESTERSHIRE, where William Smith and some other Friends came to me; but they went away towards night, leaving me at a Friend’s house in Swannington. At night, as I was sitting in the hall, speaking to a widow woman and her daughter, there came one called Lord Beaumont with a company of soldiers, who, slapping their swords on the door, rushed into the house with swords and pistols in their hands, crying, “Put out the candles, and make fast the doors.” Then they seized upon the friends in the house, and asked, “if there were no more about the house?” The Friends told them, there was one man more in the hall. There were some Friends out of Derbyshire, one of whom was named Thomas Fauks; and this Lord Beaumont, after he had asked all their names, bid his man set down that man’s name Thomas Fox; but the Friend said, his name was not Fox, but Fauks. In the meantime some of the soldiers came, and brought me out of the hall to him. He asked me my name; I told him, my name was George Fox, and that I was well known by that name. “Ay,” said he, “you are known all the world over.” I said, “I was known for no hurt, but for good.” Then he put his hand into my pockets to search them, and pulled out my comb-case, and afterwards commanded one of his officers to search further for letters, as he pretended. I told him, I was no letter-carrier, and asked him, Why he came amongst a peaceable people with swords and pistols, without a constable, contrary to the king’s proclamation, and to the late act? For he could not say there was a meeting, I being only talking with a poor widow woman and her daughter. By reasoning thus with them, he came somewhat down; yet sending for the constables, he gave them charge of us, and to bring us before him next morning. Accordingly the constables set a watch of the town’s-people upon us that night, and had us next morning to his house, about a mile from Swannington.