The general history of the Quakers containing the lives, tenents, sufferings, tryals, speeches and letters of the most eminent Quakers, both men and women : from the first rise of that sect down to this present time / being written originally in Latin by Gerard Croese ; to which is added a letter writ by George Keith ...

The Contents of the First BOOK.

THE beginning and scope of the whole Work. The Name of the Quakers; as also of Enthusiasts. What Anti∣quity these Men assume to themselves. Their Opinion con∣cerning the Doctrine of the Fathers, and of the Reformation of the Church. England their Country. G Fox their first Author and Leader. His condition when a Boy. His Youthful Studies. Fox a Shooemaker. Fox his love to the Holy Scrip∣ture. A Voice to him from Heaven. His Endeavours. He is raised up with the hopes of becoming a Minister. His Expo∣stulating continually with the Preachers of the Word. He enters upon the Office of Preaching. People flock to hear him. He is put into Prison at Nottingham. The Miracles of the growing Church of the Quakers. Their meanness. Fox thrust into the Correction House at Derby: There the Name of Qua∣kers was given to the Sect: Fox is sollicited to enter into the Wars. His Speech upon that occasion. Fox his perseverance in Preaching. His first Letter of the many he wrote to his Party. Elizabeth Hooton the first Woman that preached. Who were Fox his first Disciples and Colleagues. What sort of Men did more especially joyn themselves to the Quakers. Fell, Fox his Patron. Whose Wife, having afterwards mar∣ried Fox, did with her whole Family turn Quakers. Others of Fox's Scholars. The Quakers Sect dispersed through the Northern Parts. Some others of Fox his Companions. The rare History of ap John. Burroughs goes to London. His engaging with the London Champions, his Speech unto them, and the event thereof. Fox brought before Cromwel. Crom∣wel's Affection towards the Quakers. The Circumspection of the Quakers among themselves. Fox his new Companions. The going of the Quakers into Ireland. And into Scotland. The causes of so many Progresses. The Quakers hatred to the Episcopal Men, and to the Presbyterians. To others. To the Ministers of the Word. Their Judgment concerning all Prote∣stants. The Doctrine and particular Opinions, Life, and Con∣versation of the Quakers. Why so many Men joyned with them. How the People came to envy aud disturb them. ••he ways whereby they were persecuted. Singular Examples. The strange Boldness and Impudence of some Quakers, and hence Men became enraged against them. Naylor's History. These things pursued till Gromwel's Death. New Instances of Per∣secutions. The Quakers Affairs in Scotland. In Ireland.

(Book 1)

THE General HISTORY OF THE QUAKERS From their first beginning, down to this present Time. (Book 1)

BOOK I.

AMongst the many and great Conflicts of the Church while sojourning here on Earth, there is none more usual, and withal more difficult and hazardous than that she is engaged in for Vindicating the Truth of her Religion from the False Doctrines of her Insulting and Im∣pudent Adversaries. The Reason of all which can∣not be unknown to any who considers that those who are lovers of, and zealous for the Truth deli∣vered by God, neither ought, nor can conceal and hide the same, but make it known to the Praise and Glory of God; whereas others who are fond of Falshoods, that they may the better compass what∣ever seems good to their own Appetites, or condu∣cive to their Interest, do not usually fail to propa∣gate and defend their own Inventions, and to accuse

and condemn the more Pious and Honest Doctrines of others, as being too opposite to them and their Designs. It is likewise manifest that the Truth be∣ing of it self clear and evident, is content with a simple discovery, dealing candidly and openly with all; whereas Lyes and Falshoods, as having no soli∣dity or weight in themselves, must be adorn'd with a multitude of fair and boasting Expressions, using a hundred little Tricks and Cheats for ensnaring the unskilful and unwary; in which they are oft-times so successful, that even the wiser sort of People, and those who on other occasions are circumspect enough, do sometimes chance to be entangled, and do find it a matter of difficulty to extricate themselves from the same. Moreover though it be Natural for Mankind still to complain of the Iniquity of their own Times, insomuch that all Men are ready to fly out in Panegyricks upon the Ages past, while they condemn that they live in, yet I can scarce think that there are any who are not convinc'd that the days in which our Lot is fallen are such, as in them all manner of Errors and Falshoods are broke in upon Religion, all sorts of mad and unheard of Heresies, the most terrible and foulest Blasphemies, have over∣run, and (as it were) delug'd the Church. Inso∣much that she is now oblig'd not only to encounter Profane and Wicked Men for the defence of the Truth and Integrity of her Religion, but to oppose her self to the Arms of her Bloody and Cruel Ene∣mies for the maintenance of her Liberty and Free∣dom: It is not sufficient for her to engage with Men, but she is constrained to fight even with Beasts. But there is no Affliction can overtake the Church of the Living God, that does not admit of some Relief and Comfort. Wherefore since this is now the condition of the Church in these evil days, it is likewise her great Happiness that so many able and skilful Men have in these same very days be∣stirr'd themselves on her behalf for opposing and confuting the Erroneous Sentiments of wicked Men, occasion'd partly by Ignorance and Folly,

partly by a resolute and furious Madness; and thus assisting the distressed Church, have successfully em∣ploy'd both their Tongues and Pens, furnishing her not only with means of Knowledge, and Spiritual Weapons for instructing and confirming her self against the Assaults of her Enemies, but even for gaining, convincing, and vanquishing the same. In prosecuting this their laudable Design some have contented themselves with the bare mentioning the horrible and monstrous Assertions vented by those cunning contrivers, as accounting it a sufficient Confutation to have nam'd them, which bewray their weakness at the first view. But I cannot guess at the Reason why so very few have for so long a time made mention of the Quakers, whose rise is dated from a little before the middle of this present Century, and have since that time wonderfully in∣creased in number of Proselytes, beyond what is commonly thought of; these Men, I say, accounted by some Superstitious and followers of Old Wives Fables, by others the worst sort of Fanaticks, and in the next degree to Lunaticks and Madmen, have been quite past over in silence by most Writers, so that not so much as the History of their Rise and Progress is yet on Publick Record; at least wise if any there be that have touch'd upon this Sect, they have done it in so slight and transitory a man∣ner, that they would rather seem to have made Publick their own Ignorance, than to have left on Record the Actions, Doctrine, and Religion of these Men: Unless perhaps this may be imagin'd for a Reason of the silence of Writers, that they account of these Men so little, as that they think it fitter to pass them in a negligent and disdainful silence, than to spend words or time upon them: Others there are indeed who have wrote something of them, but to no purpose, who being themselves altogether ig∣norant what manner of Men they be, and having only heard of them by Report, as being Prodigies and Monsters of Mankind, chose rather to put in Print whatever they heard, than to have just nothing

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to say of 'em; reckoning the danger not to be great, whether the Relation prov'd true or false; for if true, it is well; if false, it falls upon such a Tribe of Men (think they) of whom nothing can be said so ill, that would not Quadrate to them. My Judg∣ment upon the matter is this; that, while I con∣sider that England (the Native Country of these Men) Scotland, and Ireland, abounds so much with those called Quakers, since their number in those Countries does daily increase, nay, and elsewhere they have propagated their Doctrines, making and gaining Proselytes; (for that it is they bend all their force to, having for this purpose for a long time publish'd many Books, and these not little small Treatises, but large Volumes, well digested, and handsomly dress'd with fit Expressions.) Since we may observe that others (no despicable Sects) ha∣ving discovered in them their own Image, have em∣braced them for Brethren and Kinsmen (such as the Quietists, that not so long ago did first appear in Campania in Italy, and the Pietists, so lately sprung up in Germany; of which last we know certainly they are daily insinuating themselves and their Do∣ctrines into the hearts of the People, and influencing their Minds even in this our own Land) and since it is uncertain what may be the issue of all this: I say, upon all these Considerations I count it abso∣lutely necessary to make a narrow search after them, in order to understand what manner of Men they be, what Actions have been done by them, from what beginnings, and by what progress they have risen to this height, and what are their Tenets and Sentiments that have so long lain in Obscurity. And this is the more necessary to be done now in this Interim of time, while the Memory of these things are fresh in our Minds, lest by the progress of time that being worn out and defaced, there be no means left of attesting what went before; and thus should we re∣main doubtful and uncertain of their Actions and Tenets, not knowing where to fix the Controversie; and whoever would pretend to examine any of these

Matters, must after the manner of the Andabatae, fight hood-wink'd; of which sort of procedure arising from the same defect we have a great many Instances both in the ancient and later Churches. Since therefore I have had the Fortune of a long time to be familiarly acquainted and much conver∣sant with these Men call'd Quakers, and that in many places; and have thus had occasion to know so much of them both from themselves and their chief Teachers, and also from Men of our Profes∣sion who were well acquainted with all their Deeds and Actions; and besides many of their Writings and Manuscripts, of which some are in Print, some not, having fallen into my hands, I thought it would be an acceptable Enterprize, calculated for the exigency of these our Times, and also useful to Posterity, to write upon this Subject. In perfor∣mance of which I shall pick out what seems most necessary and directly conducive to the management of the same, and that with all brevity and concise∣ness imaginable; not determining any thing through Precipitancy, Love to a Party, Prejudice of Opinion, or the influence of any Passion whatsoever; leaving it for every Man to judge as he thinks fit of their Actions, Tenets, Customs, and manner of Worship.

These Men are called Quakers in the English Lan∣guage. Which Name was given 'em by their mock∣ing Enemies as a note of Ignominy and Contempt, for that when they are about contemplating Sacred things, that same very moment that the Spirit over∣takes 'em, through the commotion of their Minds, and agitation of their Bodies, they presently fall a trembling, throwing themselves on the ground, oft-times froathing at the mouth, and scrieching with a horrible noise. And though they seem to resent▪ this Reproachful Title, yet they are not so averse either to the Name or to the Thing it self, but that they'll acknowledge that both do in some measure quadrate to them. For they confess them∣selves to be Quakers; nor do they deny that while they go about Sacred Things, submitting themselves

wholly to the Divine Will, and quietly waiting up∣on God, praying within themselves for the Breath∣ings and Operation of his Spirit, and with deep sighs and groans are importunately waiting the Ef∣fusion of the Spirit; that upon his first approach they fall a trembling, and are hurried out of them∣selves by the commotions of their Minds, and di∣sturbances of Body, occasioned by the resistance of the sinful stubborn Flesh; which when they have overcome, and are return'd to themselves again, and begin to be sensible of the Illuminations and Com∣forts of the Spirit, then they are transported into Raptures of Joy, which occasion these Quaking and Extatical Motions of Body and Mind. They add likewise, that the Spirit of God while speaking in the Scriptures, denominates the sincere fearers of God, and lovers of his Spirit and Word, Tremblers, requiring of them so to be, and pronouncing them blessed if such. Wherefore since they do not reject this their Name, but rather account it honourable, if rightly understood, I shall define them after the same manner; especially since they have not yet obtain'd a peculiar and proper Name whereby they can be distinguish'd from all others.

Another Name generally given to them is that of Enthusiasts. Where it is likewise to be observed, that many do reckon them among the number of those Enthusiasts that in Ancient History are men∣tioned to have been among the Primitive Christians, as also in the last Century. But these Men are not satisfied to be so called in any sense; for besides, say they, that this name of Enthusiasts is oft given to those that by the Calumniators themselves would be accounted Men of Worth and Dignity, and that even those who are so busie in fixing this Ignomi∣nious Name upon them, do oft-times come to be branded with the same themselves▪ Besides all this, say they, this Name tends openly to the discredit and dishonour of all Christians, whom the Spirit of God in his Word declares to be influenc'd by the Spirit; nay, and requires it so strictly of them, as

that without this irradiation of the Spirit they can be none of Christ's. Now these Enthusiasts that were of Old Times, and likewise those that have been since, did arrogate to themselves a peculiar fa∣miliar Spirit, and contrary to the dictates of the Holy Spirit, would under the conduct of that break forth into Tumults, Seditions, and Wars; whereas these Men called Quakers pretend to be possess'd and guided by no other Spirit than what is common unto all Christians; nay, and are so far from bring∣ing Evil upon any Man, that they will not so much as resist force by force, asserting all manner of Self-defence to be unjust, except what is meerly Verbal; and even that must be free from Anger. For this is usual amongst all, that even those who have in∣vented a new Model of Doctrine and Life, though what they maintain be never so new and lately in∣vented, yet they publish it for an Opinion of the Ancients, or at least, founded on their Doctrines; for though none pretends so to confine the Truth, and set such Bounds to Goodness, that no new thing should be accounted true or good; yet Antiquity adds a value and respect, for that we commonly judge the ancientest Opinions to be the truest and best; and hence it is that even those Tenets that are of themselves intrinsically good, do purchase more respect, and a better reception by pretended Antiquity and Custom, than by all their real worth. The Quakers therefore say, they derive their Name (though not very sollicitous what Name be given them) Doctrine, Religion, and way of Living, from God himself (whom his own Infallible Oracles term The Ancient of Days,) and from his Word first delivered from Heaven, and then committed to Writing by the inspired Men of God, which is the only Rule and Ground of all Truth.

They likewise Appeal to the Ancient Fathers, or to the Testimony of those Books that we hold for true, unanimously consenting to and asserting the same very things that they with the Holy Scriptures maintain. When I say, Fathers, I speak after our

way of speaking, not after the manner of the Qua∣kers, who admit no such Names; But by those, called by us Fathers, they understand the Writers who lived in the first and second Centuries after Christ. For they conceive those who lived nighest to the Times of the Primitive Apostles that com∣piled the Holy Writings, to have deliver'd their Doctrine with more Integrity than those who lived later, who the further distant they be from the Times of the Apostles, the more is their Sincerity and Integrity to be called in question; like Water, that the further it runs from its Fountain, the more muddy it grows. And therefore it is that they pay but little deference to those who lived in the later Ages of the Church, freely acknowledging many things to be contain'd in their Writings that are justly to be rejected; nor do they ever quote their Testimony, except it be very conducive to the esta∣blishment of what they advance. If therefore at any time others who are unacquainted with their Doctrines and Conversations, or possess'd with Pre∣judice, Envy, or Hatred against them, do at any time go about to brand them with these ignomini∣ous and opprobrious Names, they, if called to give a distinct Account of themselves, do assume the Names of Christians; Evangelick, Apostolick, Ca∣tholiek Men; as if the Doctrine and Religion prea∣ched by them were the same as was delivered at first by Christ himself to the Apostles, publish'd through∣out the whole World by the Ministry of these his Apostles, and embrac'd and retain'd by all the Faith∣ful and Godly of all Ages, whom Custom has term'd Catholick. And upon this Account in all Debates they recur to the Scriptures, not declining the Com∣parison of their Tenets with those of the Ancienter Fathers, nay, nor those of later times.

It follows next, that unto what I have said, I should subjoin some Account of the Sect that these Men so much follow, inviting all Christians to do the same. Their Sentiments therefore run in this strain; That since the Doctrines and Manners of all Chri∣stians,

as also and consequently of those called Pro∣testants likewise, have been for so long a time cor∣rupted and perverted, it would seem that Apostacy and Defection from the Apostolick Doctrine and Discipline had its first beginnings in the Times of the Apostles themselves; and from thenceforth did by degrees increase till it came to its perfect height in the Sixth and Seventh Centuries; and from that time forth having confirm'd and harden'd it self through the firm and constant continuance for so many Ages, so that no hope of its removal was re∣maining, did so continue till this very Age we now live in. Though (add they) in all this Series of Time there was always one or other in every Century that appear'd and declar'd against this their General Defection, but without any Success, as also to their own disadvantage and detriment. And thus do they imagine of those great Men, called by us the Re∣formers, that all their Endeavours for the Restaura∣tion of Religion and Purity, tended indeed to over∣throw the Falshood, Lightness, and Vanity of Men, but not to establish Truth, or introduce Gravity of Life and Manners, by restoring these Vertues to their Primitive Lustre and Splendor; much like un∣to those that throw down their old Habitation, and never think of building up a new one. Moreover, their Opinion of those who came after the First Re∣formers, is, that while they imagin'd to themselves that what they did tended to the advancement of a Reformation, it proved diametrically opposite to the same; for that in lieu of the Vices and Errors which polluted and defiled the Church, that were corrected and rooted out by them, they introduced other new ones of their own Invention, like Men cleansing a House, that cast out the Filth so as to let more come in. So that these Men Preach up their Religion for the ancientest, as having flourish'd in the first Golden Age of the Church; which was af∣terwards from the very first rise of the Christian Name, even unto this our Age, miserably mangled and corrupted, and in fine, quite demolish'd; until

at length it was retriev'd and restor'd to its Ancient Purity by them, being incited and raised up by the Divine Spirit to recover fallen Religion, for the Sal∣vation of all Men. Wherefore 'tis that in all their Writings this is distinctly treated of, having prefix'd as a Title to their Chapters, that, They as the Ser∣vants of Jesus Christ, are called and raised up by God for dispensing the Gospel, which after so long and dark a Night of Apostacy, is now again come to light, to be preach'd unto all Nations. And thus do they Ac∣cuse, Condemn, and set at nought the Doctrines, manner of Worship, Rites, Ceremonies, nay, the whole Life and Conversation not only of all these general Christians, but of the Protestants, who boast so much of their departing from that great Apostacy, and cleansing themselves from the Baby∣lonish and Papal De••ilements. Unto whom they oppose their Doctrine, Worship, and way of Life, which indeed are such, that their Doctrine is for a great part of it new, or taken from some Ancient Opinions condemn'd and rejected by the Church, which having lain so long dormant, are revived anew by them; and as to the rest, 'tis a Medley or Hotch-potch of the several Opinions of Protestants, though not radically agreeing with them, their Worship is diametrically Opposite to that of ours; and their manner of Life so singular, that between their Conversation and that not only of Protestants, but of all Christians, there is as vast a difference as pos∣sibly can be. And these are the Tenets they have so busily spread abroad both at their first rise, and in the further progress of the Sect; and all of 'em that are capable either of speaking or writing Publickly, do diligently apply themselves in all places to the Explaining, Defending, and Propagating their Do∣ctrines, inveighing and railing against the contrary Opinions of others, with as bitter and reviling Ex∣pressions as they can invent; and such their Ac∣cusatory Libels are dispersed abroad into all Coun∣tries, especially those where they expect to meet with ready Compliants with their Doctrine and

Way, or at least such as would be fond of new Re∣formations and Changes in Religion, being thus in some measure predisposed to receive and entertain their Advances.

Having thus spoken in General of the Conditions of these Men, I come next to give a more particu∣lar Account of their Rise, Progress, various Vicissi∣tudes, and Events befalling them. The Original Mother and Nurse of the Quakers is England, a Country once Famous for banishing and extirpating Heresie, now the Seat and Centre of all manner of Errors. The Quakers themselves Date their first Rise from the Forty Ninth Year of this present Cen∣tury; and 'twas (say they) in the Fifty Second they began to increase to a considerable number, from which time unto this day they and their Party have daily acquired more strength. For while that King∣dom before the middle of this Century was enga∣ged in an Intestine War, occasioned by the Differences of Church-Government, in that con∣fused and dismal Juncture, when both Church and State were miserably shatter'd and rent, and Reli∣gion and Discipline were quite overturn'd, innume∣rable multitudes of Men did on all hands separate from the Church; and afterwards when their greatest Eye-sore, and the imaginary Source of all their Evils, the Episcopal Government of the Church, was abolished, and the Presbyterian Form of Church-Government (which was what they so impatiently wish'd for, and grounded all their hopes of Com∣fort and Peace upon) was establish'd in its place, yet even there were some whom nothing would satisfie, that divided themselves into an innumerable Company of Sects and Factions, of which this of the Quakers was one.

The first Ringleader, Author, and Propagater of Quakerism was one George Fox. Some of that Party have not stood to give that Man after his Death) the Title of The first and glorious Instru∣ment of this Work, and this Society, the great and blessed Apostle. So that, as the Disciples and Fol∣lowers

of any Sect derive their Names from their Masters, so might we call these Men Foxonians, were it not unbecoming Christians to denominate themselves or others professing the Name of Christ from the Names of Men. I have many Accounts of George Fox in Writing in my hands, partly di∣ctated from his own Mouth to his Amanuensis a little before his Death, partly obtain'd from his Friends and Followers, and partly from others that were strangers both to George Fox and all his Society. Which because they differ among themselves, I shall only pick out what seems to be most probable, and generally attested, for it is difficult in such a case to distinguish between what is true, what false.

George Fox was Born in the Year One Thousand Six Hundred and Twenty Four, in a Village called Dreton in Leicestershire. His Father, Christopher Fox, and his Mother, Mary Lago, were of no con∣siderable Fortune, but gain'd their Living by Wea∣ving: They lived devoutly and piously, were of the Reformed Religion, and great Zealots for the Presbyterian Party, which then obtain'd in England. And this their Zeal for Religion was accounted He∣reditary to the Family, especially on the Mother's side; whose Ancestors had in the days of Queen Mary given Publick Testimony to their constant and unmoveable Zeal for the Truth and Purity of Religion, not only in giving their Goods and Pos∣sessions to be confiscated, and patiently undergoing the loss of the same, but in yielding their Lives for a Sacrifice to the flames of devouring Fire, prefer∣ring the undefiled and lasting Crown of Martyr∣dom, to a sinful Life. This George Fox, while yet a Child, discovered a singular Temper, not coveting to Play with his Brethren or Equals, nor giving him∣self to any of those things that take with Children, but shunning their Company, and disdaining their Childish Customs; he loved to be much alone, spoke but little, or if at any time he chanc'd to speak, both his Countenance and Speech bewray'd a sadness of Spirit; his words were more Interrogatory,

shewing a great deal of Attention and Considera∣tion, and making many Observations; unto all which was added Modesty in all his Actions, and a diligent pursuit of the early Rudiments of Piety and Devotion; so that even in his Infancy his Actions and Demeanor seemed to presignifie those Qualities of Mind, which in progress of time he discover'd on the Publick Stage of the World. Ha∣ving spent his Infancy at home, he was then sent to School to learn to Read Engl••sh, and to Write. In which Study he succeeded as the other Country Boys and those of the meaner sort use to do, having attained so much as that he could read Print pretty well; but Writing he could read but little of, nei∣ther could he write, except very rudely. And this was the only Piece of Learning the attain'd to all his Life long. For neither then, nor any time af∣ter when arriv'd at greater Maturity of Years, did he ever apply himself to any Liberal Study. So that he not only knew no other Language save his Mo∣ther-Tongue, but even in that he was so little expert, and so ill qualified either for speaking or writing, all the whole course of his Life, that what he under∣stood perfectly well he could not explain or enlarge upon in any tolerable good English, and far less could he deliver it in Writing; in so much that he oft-times made use of Amanuenses and others, who being well acquainted with his Thoughts, and grea∣ter Masters of Language, might put them into a better Dress. And this I thought worth the Remark∣ing, because a great many Books are extant in George Fox's Name, writ not only in terse English, but also in Latin, and interlarded with Sentences of ma∣ny other Languages, which are but little known to the Learned World; the Names of the Interpreters or Methodizers being concealed. Which whether it was an effect of great Simplicity in him, or of his Ambition and Ostentation, I shall not determine; only it is plain that he had not the gift of Tongues. George Fox having spent this part of his Life at School, began then to look out for some way of

Living, and providing for the future part of his Life; and accordingly concluded to betake himself to some Mechanick Trade, that being necessary for the use and accommodation of Man, could never be wanted, and consquently never fail of answer∣ing the end he undertook it for; such as making the Ornaments, and cloathing of Humane Bodies. Amongst which he chose to himself the Making of Shooes, applying himself to that Art the remain∣ing part of his Life in Nottingham, the chief Town of the County of Nottingham, bordering upon Leicestershire, the place of his Nativity. He being then a Young Man, did behave himself Honestly and Modestly amongst Men, walking devoutly to∣wards God, keeping close to that sense of Religion and Worship taught him by his Parents. He dwelt much upon the Scriptures, and when at leisure from the Exercise of his Trade (as also when about it, taking this advantage of his sedentary Work) he Meditated upon, ruminated in his Mind, and re∣collected what he had read. He had an Infallible Memory for retaining any thing he knew, especially what he read in the Bible never slip'd out of his re∣membrance. And having thus incessantly conti∣nued in the Study of the Scriptures from his Infancy to his latter end, he became so exactly versed in them, that there was no Remarkable Saying in all the Holy Writings that escap'd his Knowledge or Remembrance. I have heard some of his Friends say (and those not of the Vulgar size, but Men of Learning and Knowledge) that though the Bible were lost, it might be found in the Mouth of George Fox. Hence it was that as every one's Perfection and Talent discovers it self in their Discourses and Writings, so all the Discourses he ever had to his People, and all the Writings left on Record behind him, were nothing but a train of several Texts of Scripture sewed and patch'd together. Now after he had thus spent so much of his time in studying the Scripture, Meditating on Religious Things, and seriously weighing the condition and state of his

own Soul; he could not contain himself within the Bounds of his Trade and Station, but began to aspire after higher things, and transgressing the li∣mits of his Sphere, would needs attempt some no∣bler Enterprize, that might be Serviceable both to himself and others. And accordingly, not con∣tenting himself with the private use of what he had acquir'd, he took occasion oft-times to Discourse of these Matters to his Fellow-Tradesmen and Ac∣quaintance, exhorting and admonishing them to be much taken up with these Concerns. And in these his frequent Exhortations he was so officious and importunate, that he would never give over, till at length it came to such a height, that neither they would any longer give ear to his severe Discourses, nor could he any longer bear with the Contradicti∣ons, Reproaches, and Affronts he met with on that account: Which obliged him then to withdraw himself from all manner of Society, either Work∣ing alone in some hidden corner of his Shop, or (because even then there was frequently some cu∣rious Fellows coming to hear of him what he had to say, who since his severe Discourses could never please them, were still creating more trouble) when he had done with Working, he presently forsook the Shop, getting up into some Garret or other, where being remov'd from all manner of Company, he might both be free from the Molestations of o∣thers, and give Offence to none.

It happened in the Year of our Lord 1643. that this George Fox, being then in the Nineteenth Year of his Age, was walking alone in the Fields, pro∣foundly Meditating upon the Nature, Mind, Man∣ners, Institutions, and Discipline of Mankind; of their Societies and Converse one with another, but especially bending his thoughts upon the condition and state of Young People; considering what Du∣ties were required at their hands, what Diligence, Care, and Circumspection was necessary in one and all of them for leading Lives while here worthy of the Gospel, and becoming Men, and for obtaining

an Everlasting blessed Life when this is come to its Period. All which things he seriously and frequently ponder'd in his solitary Breast, fervently applying himself to the Throne of Grace, that it might please the Almighty God to Teach and Instruct him, a Young Man, in this state of Humane Affairs, fur∣nishing him with the knowledge of his Duty, and ability to perform the same; upon which there came a Voice from Heaven, dictating unto his Spirit, that, All Mankind was only and altogether Vanity, that Children and Young People grew up in Lyes and Vanities as they did in Years, those of middle Age ad∣vanced still more and more in the same manner of Vices; so that when arriv'd at Old Age, they were harden'd and confirm'd in the Customary Practice of the same; and when they come to be stricken in Years, and their Blood and Spirits to fade, they lose all Know∣ledge and Sense, becoming again meer Children, ha∣ving extinguish'd that light of their Minds which should then be shining most brightly, and giving them∣selves up to nothing but Doteries and Childish Trifles, Death creeping upon them insensibly, which Cites all before the Vniversal Judge and Lord of all things. Therefore it was his Duty and Interest, as being a Young Man, to separate himself from that polluted Multitude, keeping no Commerce with them, but se∣questrating himself to a solitary Life far remov'd from all manner of evil. This Divine Response did he many times report to his fellows. Whether it was really a Voice from Heaven, or only the Rea∣soning of his own Breast, I do not say; only this is to be remark'd, that both this Fox and his first Fol∣lowers did at their first appearance, and for a long time after, account all the Motions of their Spirit, or Inclinations to Good, which they found in them∣selves upon serious Meditation, or upon any new Occasion, to be the effect of the Holy Spirit of God working the same within them, and whenever they were sensible of this Commotion within them, they used to say, that a Voice was sent down from God by his Spirit unto them, uttering such and such

Discourse; and to this purpose they usher'd in all their Discourses to the People with a, Thus saith the Lord and his Spirit, by his own mouth, (this was, that they might seem more nighly to resemble the Holy Prophets and Apostles, that were inspired from above by the Divine Spirit, and sent by it.) But of late they abstain from such high-flown Pre∣tences, calling what thus comes upon them, the Impulse and Motion of their Minds. Fox used to tell how that Heavenly Oracle did so effectually re∣commend it self to his Youthful Spirit, that pre∣sently he betook himself home, not being able to express what he had heard. Nay, the Image of this Voice was always so before his Eyes, not only all that day, but all the succeeding Night, that he could not go to bed. And from that time he obey'd this Heavenly Admonition. And though he had always been diligent in Reading and Meditating on the Holy Scriptures, and had frequently set times apart for Fasting and Praying unto God; yet then being engaged in so difficult and important a De∣sign in complyance to the Divine Will, he went about the same Christian Duties with more Appli∣cation, Fervour, and Frequency: Especially having by Experience learned that there was no means more effectual than these for taming Man's vicious Na∣ture, and suppressing his unruly Appetites, so en∣clinable to Humane (though hurtful) Society, and the Corruptions of a polluted World. And though before this he had abstain'd sufficiently from Con∣verse with Men, yet from that time forth he was more strict in shunning all manner of Humane Conversation, being only intent upon the Exercise of his Trade as much as was necessary for purcha∣sing a Livelihood, and spending all the rest of his time in Holy and Religious Exercises. Nor did he only shun the Company of, or meeting with those he knew or suspected to be given up to the Vanities and Lusts of this World, but even those that made large shews of Religion and Vertue. For he did not deny that there were many who seemed to be

very Religious and Devout, pretending the Scrip∣ture or Word of God for the Rule and Ground both of Faith and Manners; but this he complain'd heavily of, that there was so many who extoll'd the Holy Scriptures, paying all Honour and Defe∣rence to the same, who yet would cry up and ex∣tol that Profession of Faith and Manners that they had suck'd from these very Scriptures: And that they were so destitute and ignorant of that Holy Spirit that endited them, and so great strangers to that Purity of Life and Conversation which is so oft recommended in the Scriptures. Fox in this his Solitary Retirement proposed nothing else to himself but doing Service to others, designing and purpo∣sing some time to be useful in Informing and In∣structing not a few, by undertaking a Publick Mi∣nistry for the Salvation of many. And thus he rea∣soned with himself, (nay, he said, it was demon∣strated to his Spirit from God himself) that though School and College Learning, the Natural and ac∣quir'd Qualities and Gifts of the Mind, those Arts Men call Liberal and Ingenuous, and the Knowledge of Tongues, were very useful Accomplishments and Adornments for a Theologue, or any invested with that Sacred Office, yet the Spirit of God was to be their chief Teacher and Conducter; and the Opera∣tion of this Divine Spirit, though without Learn∣ing, is of more avail, than Learning without the assistance of the Spirit. However he did not so totally banish himself from all Company, but that he admitted sometimes those that came to him; nay, and would sometimes of his own accord go to those he thought Men of Integrity, and who seem'd to walk reverently towards God, and confer with them. Sometimes he called on the Ministers of the Gospel, such as he thought fit, or that he heard did excel in Doctrine and Piety, and communicated to them his Sentiments. He always so ordered his Discourse, that what he spoke was about the con∣dition or state either of Men in general, or of Chri∣stians; and this was the whole, and the only Tenor

and Context of all his Discourses, that the condi∣tion of all those we call Christians was such, as that all their Religion was in their Tongues; in so much that their Ministers and Pastors who dispensed unto them the Divine Word, were Men that minded no∣thing but making a discovery of their Learning and Knowledge, and a slight discharge of their Of∣fice; nay, that proposing nothing to themselves but the bare external Reward, were very Hirelings un∣to Men. This his way of Discoursing occasioned his unwelcom Reception among many.

There was at that time one Nathanael Stevens, Minister of the Church at Dreton, where George Fox was born, who used not only to exspect George's coming to him, but oft-times prevented him, look∣ing on him as one of his Flock, and subject to his Discipline. Whom therefore Fox, as his Custom was, had made his Reflections on him and his Pa∣rish, accusing both the Minister and the Flock, for being ignorant of Christianity, and far estranged from it in their Lives; vindicating himself to be the Restorer and Conducter appointed for the Re∣covery of fallen Religion. Mr. Stevens would never∣theless leave him to himself, as being neither grieved nor angry at him. This same Year George went up and down from Town to Town, supplying his Ne∣cessities in every place he came to, with the Exer∣cise of his Trade, contenting himself with a little, and not apprehensive of Poverty. He was much troubled with Melancholy, a Disease very incident, and in a manner Natural to all that Nation; which at that time increased mightily among them, and was now become very common. George complain'd that he was tormented without intermission with the terrible and mighty Tentations of Satan, which drove him almost to despair, insomuch that he some∣times wish'd for Death rather than Life. And in every place he came to he made his Address to the Pious and Godly, and sometimes to the Ministers of Churches, complaining of his miserable con∣dition, imploring some help and comfort from

them. But when he had thus made known to them the anguish of his Soul, some were not wil∣ling to undertake so difficult a Cure, or thought it necessary to use Medicine for his Body as well as his Soul; others advised him to have recourse to the Word of God, Faith in him, and serious and fre∣quent Prayer for the removal of his Malady; in fine, he could meet with none that could give him any Satisfaction or Relief; then would he (as all such afflicted People use to do, when they cannot meet with their desires) rail against them, brand them for unskilful and ignorant Physicians, spreading Slanders and Reproaches against them up and down the Country.

From this time forth he wholly withdrew from all Society or Communication with the Visible Church; and on Religious days went alone into the Fields, or some retired place, carrying along with him his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and spending the day in Reading and Medi∣tating. Nay, he spent the best part of his time in Study and Contemplation. And both at that time, and in the succeeding part of his Life, he frequently told how he was at sometimes possess'd with the Divine Spirit, how many Dreams and Visions came upon him, what Answers he had from Heaven to his Petitions; as also that many things foreseen by him, and foretold to him▪ were lock'd up in his Breast. And that he was daily taught from above, and instructed in what relates to the Doctrine and Life of a Christian; sometimes in one part of it, sometimes in another; sometimes what was wicked, and disallowable; at other times what was good, and to be sought after; and all these things was he to teach and explain to Men, as being sent of God for that purpose. After this he grew and increased daily.

It happened, not precisely at this time, but a little after, when he was Teaching at Nottingham, (for some things though distant in time are to be connected together, having designed to comprise this History in as compendious Bounds as is possible)

that he was ravish'd into Paradise by the Spirit with a Flaming Sword, where he was form'd like unto Adam, such as he was while yet in Innocence, so that he clearly perceived and understood the most pro∣found and obscure things, having the whole Crea∣tion laid open and explain'd to him, how that Names were given to every Creature suited to their Natures, Vertues, and Perfections; which made him advise with himself, whether or no he should undertake the Profession of Medicine, bending his thoughts and care to the exercise of the same for the good and benefit of Mortal Men. For it happened in Leice∣ster that God discovered to him, how far the Galenical Tribe was estrang'd from Divine Wis∣dom, that Wisdom which contriv'd and fram'd all things, so that it was impossible for them to under∣stand the Natures and Constitutions of things. But withal the Heavenly Oracle did likewise insinu∣ate that it was possible to reform this corrupted Art, and settle it on a surer Foundation, if so be that Artists, before they undertake to Administer Me∣dicine to the Sick, would first apply themselves to Divine Wisdom, and then accommodate their Re∣medies according to its Rules. Fox did in every thing give shrewd Evidence that he was one of those sort of Men who covet to have both themselves and all things belonging to them taken notice of; and that he accounted it no disgrace, but rather matter of glorying, to be pointed at, and observ'd by every body. So far was he from hiding or concealing these his Revelations, and the singular Eminency of his Gifts, or imagining that they might be con∣temned and derided as vain empty shews in the Eyes of an ill-temper'd Mind; so far was he from such a strain as this, that on the contrary, as being impatient of such wonderful Secrets, he never ceased to relate and communicate them unto his familiar Friends and Followers, and that with the greatest strokes of Confidence, and huge expressions of Joy, but withal not forgetting to return unto God thanks for such singular Mercies. And these

his Friends and Followers did no less believe them things to be true, and propose them to the World, as worthy to be accounted true by all; taking all care to Trumpet forth the Praises of the Renowned Author: All which was very acceptable to George, so that if any body gave a favourable and respectful Judgment of him and his Enterprizes, he presently apply'd it to himself with a great deal of Self-applause. Of which we have an evident Instance from a saying of one Brown, on his Death-bed, con∣cerning George Fox, That he would be an Instru∣ment in the hand of God for doing great Works; which George interpreted and affirmed to be a Vision or Prophecy foretelling Infallibly what great things were to be verified in him. All his Friends were of the same strain with himself; for they gave it out (to Instance in one thing) that Nathanael Stevens (whom I formerly mentioned as Pastor of the Church of the place of George's Nativity, and Tu∣tor and Instructor to him in his Childhood) did give this Testimony unto him before a Remarkable Person; That England did never produce such a Bud as George Fox, that he began to be suspicious of his falling upon some new Methods, and carving out new ways not hitherto found out: As also that ano∣ther time, in presence of all the People, and of George himself, the same Person said, That George Fox had penetrated to the Light of the Sun, but that he went busily about to Eclipse and darken the Light of his old Pedagogue Stevens, by the greater Light which through the Sun was in him. Which these Men accounted to be the highest Elogy could be given. And it seems very wonderful to me while I consider that Fox himself did at this time com∣plain, that Stevens, who formerly express'd so much Love and Kindness to him, and was in a manner a Father to him, (for 'tis true indeed, that he com∣mended his Piety and Ingenuity at the beginning) was now become his Adversary; having publickly proclaim'd out of the Pulpit in his own Presence, that he was a Young Man toss'd about with mad and

unruly Fancies. It would seem that these Com∣mendatory Expressions were rather spoke by Stevens with Indignation and Disdain, ironically insinuating that Insolence and Haughtiness that reign'd in him, which by the People were ignorantly understood to be properly and truly design'd for Proclaiming the Merits of George Fox.

Having for a considerable time addicted himself entirely to his Studies, he now began to try and make the Experiment, whether he was able to com∣pass what he wish'd and hop'd for; to which effect he attempted to Methodize and Collect his Thoughts and Meditations, that at several times had possess'd his Mind, concerning the General Corruption and Degeneracy of Man's Nature, the Restoration of fallen Mankind, the Love and Grace of God, the Illumina∣tion of Men by the Holy Spirit, and several other Heads; in order to make a Treatise or entire Work of the whole. In this state he continued for three Years, which was to him as an Academical course, he spending that time with no less Industry and Di∣ligence, both in Nocturnal Lucubrations, and Morn∣ing Exercises, (sitting up late, and rising early to compass his Design) than is usually given by those who spend all their time upon University Learning, and dedicate their whole Lives to the prosecution of their Studies. But so soon as ever he began to peep out from his lurking Solitude (which was in the Year One Thousand, Six Hundred, and Forty Seven) and to Publish unto the World what he was, and what Design he was upon; it is incredible to think what a conflux of People followed after him, & after having heard him frequently, and became acquainted with his Thoughts, with what Unanimity and Con∣cord they all joyn'd issue to what he said and taught, and that in a very small compass of time. Where∣fore looking upon the desire and nod of the People as the Voice of God, inviting him to dedicate him∣self wholly to them, and take upon him the Office of a Teacher, that so he might freely communicate and impart to all Men whatever was in him, bending

his Wit and Abilities to their use and advantage, he thought himself obliged to give ear to this Hea∣venly Command. And accordingly from that time forth he abandon'd the Shooe-maker's Trade (in which he had never been as a Master, but as an Ap∣prentice or Journey-man; not purchasing any mag∣nificent things, but withal not living sordidly or too meanly) and now all his care was to undertake the Office of a Teacher in this new Church. And because he was thus destitute of a Livelyhood, which he formerly had by his Trade, there was not wanting of his Followers who afforded him whereupon to relieve his Necessities, lest his being reduced to straits had crush••d so glorious an Enterprize in the bud. But withal it is not to be omitted, that he never either asked any thing of his own accord, nor when he got, did he ever take more than was simply ne∣cessary for his sustenance; nay, nor afterwards when his condition was better••d, in so much that he could have afforded a splendid and costly Entertainment, did he ever allow himself a larger abundance of good things; but continued all along very moderate both in Diet, Cloathing, and all other things be∣longing to the Body. And, as if either he could not, or would not forget his Ancient Trade of work∣ing in Leather, for a long time he cloathed himself altogether with Leather; and in this Garment he went about Preaching and Teaching, which gave ground to the Name given him, viz. The Leathern Man.

Thus he daily converted many to be of his Sect, and was accounted amongst the People for a Man of singular Piety; his Name and Fame was spread round in the Counties of Leicester, Nottingham, and Darby; so that People came on all hands to hear and be taught of him, who when return'd to their homes, extoll'd him among their Neighbours for a Heavenly Man. But there were at this time others who became Colleagues and Partners with him in the work of the Ministry; and in all corners of the Land were Men to be seen going about, and Preach∣ing

up this New Doctrine, either severally, or col∣lectively in one Body. These Accessory Preachers made it their business first to Preach unto those who had already made defection from the Church; and afterwards to them who continued embody'd in the same, whose Religion and Manners were more op∣pugnant to and different from theirs, which made them testifie their abhorrence of that Church both in words and deeds. But they unanimously pur∣posed among themselves, that they should endea∣vour to perswade all Men, that all Christian Churches were long ago quite overturn'd; that nothing either of Doctrine, Discipline, Life, or Manners, was un∣corrupted or sound; and that therefore a new Church was to be rear'd up from the Foundation, according to the Model and Platform carved out by them. This they all set about, taking all occasions of speaking with the People, talking of these mat∣ters, complaining of and expressing their grief for the Corruptions of Religion, tatling this and that privily into the ears of the Vulgar; nay, when their number increased, they became bolder, going into Peoples Houses, when not invited, intruding them∣selves into Companies either of more or fewer, and presently without any Introduction beginning some new Discourse, either advancing something new, or opposing the Sayings and Discourses of others, li∣tigiously starting Controversies, without any pre∣ceding dissention, or any previous Enquiry into the state of the Question; thus would they under the pretence of discovering and vindicating the Truth, beleh out ignominious Reproaches and Slanders a∣gainst the Religions of Men, and especially the Ministers of the Church. Others there were who only mov'd Questions in Company, and affirmed nothing themselves, or of a sudden turned the Dis∣course another way, cunningly designing by their tedious repetitions, turnings, and windings, and frequent interruptions of Discourse by bringing in a new Subject, to irritate their Antagonists, that when they through Passion should chance to speak

roughly and loudly, they themselves might conti∣nue calm and moderate with a slow severity (as it oft-times happens, and is easily compassed) which might occasion their Adversaries either not to speak last, or to be passionately silent at their Obstinacy; from whence they conclude themselves Victors, and amongst the Ignorant pass for such.

And now would they publickly appear on the High-ways, standing in the Market-places, or any place where multitudes of People use to assemble together, promiscuously Admonishing and Exhort∣ing all they met, by-standers, and others, to a Re∣ligious pursuit of Repentance, Frugality, Justice, and Equity. Nay, they came to that length that they did not stick at entring into the Churches, not only of those who dissented from the Publick Church-Establishment, but even of them who were con∣form'd to it; some of 'em casually falling into the Church, and appearing as if afraid; others design∣edly and boldly went into them, finding fault with the Discourses and Prayers of the Ministers, dispa∣raging and defaming both them and their Actions with all manner of Insolence and Impudence.

These were the first beginnings. But in the subse∣quent part of this Book I shall shew that many (nay, most) of 'em have afterwards by degrees omitted, changed, or reformed many of these In∣itiatory Principles. Fox, as he was the first Author of this Sect, so was he the chief Actor, Counsellor, and Conductor of others in all Affairs relating to the same. His first Success was in the Town of Not∣tingham, from whence his Doctrine did issue forth into all corners of that County, and afterwards the whole Kingdom. For having confidently appear'd in the Church, and boldly vindicated his Doctrines in Face of the whole Assembly, he was thereupon cast into Prison; but was not so closely confin'd, but that Liberty was given to his Friends to visit and converse with him: So that many of the Citizens went frequently to Prison to Discourse him, and among the rest John Reccles, Mayor of the Town,

with his Wife and whole Family, with whom George did sharply Expostulate, treating them with some severity of words; however they became his Prose∣lytes, associated themselves to his Sect, and began publickly to Preach his Doctrines among their own People and Neighbours. This Imprisonment of George Fox was of a very short continuance. This was in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand, Six Hundred Forty Nine, in the Five and Twentieth Year of his Age. Which Year was Sacred to him, for that in the same he both commenc'd the state of a Man, being come to perfect Age, and also the Of∣fice of the Ministry: This same Year was also Me∣morable amongst the Quakers, for being the Year of the Nativity of their Church, which now began to increase and be confirm'd. And from this Year it is that they commence all the Miracles of the New-born Church. Fox remain'd yet a while lon∣ger in Nottinghamshire, and resided for some time at Mansfield, where having entred an Hospital, he spy'd a Woman, who besides the distraction of her Mind, was miserably tormented with intolerable Pains: The Physician ordered her a Vein to be open'd, that by taking away some of her Blood, her pain might be abated, for which end her hands were bound up. Fox opportunely draws nigh, views the Woman, and what they were about to do to her, presently affirms and maintains, that she was afflicted with an Evil Spirit; which he did not say, as the Vulgar use to do, who when they are ignorant of the cause of any Evil, assign the Devil for its Author: He continues stedfast in affirming what he had said, and orders the Woman to be un∣ty'd, which being accordingly done, and she being over-wearied with the Torment, and Resistance she had made, he desires her to Rest and be still. She obeys, recovers her lost Reason, and is restor'd to her former and so long interrupted Temperature of Body. Upon this, Fox Taught, that the Sick were cur'd, and unclean Spirits cast out by that Divine Vertue which works in his People. His followers,

who were as Rattles and Cymbals to blaze about his Fame, disguis'd the matter thus, That the Woman was possess'd with a Devil, who had troubled her for the space of Two and Thirty Years, that being brought unto him, after many hideous shrieks and outcries, and motions like to the bellowing of a Cow, and a most noisome stink breath'd from her mouth, she was freed of that Malignant Spirit in presence of a great multitude of People. Fox did likewise boast that he cured a certain Man in a Village called Trikossio in Leicestershire, after he had been given over by the Physicians, only by uttering some few words to him, and stretching forth his hand to Hea∣ven. His Friends added yet another, that having ended his Discourse to the People, he happen'd once to meet with a Woman (accompany'd by her Husband) all over Scabby, Ulcerous, and covered round with Cataplasms; upon which he enquired of the Husband if he had the Faith of Miracles; but while he was hesitating, and delaying to an∣swer, he asked the same Question of the Woman, and she having answered affirmatively, he imme∣diately pull'd off the Cataplasms, and she was forth∣with restored to her Health. Both himself and his Followers do likewise pretend that on some occa∣sions he performed the like Miracles by the simple touch of his hand.

But besides Miracles, the Quakers did after this time pretend to Visions and Prophecies, which they said was a singular Gift vouchsafed only to them. Yet they were more sparing in their Discourses on this Subject, and except one or two Examples which are very special, and depending on the distinction of Places, Times, and Persons, they alledge no∣thing but General Examples, which therefore can∣not be of any certain Authority, so as to merit our belief; and I do not find their special Instances of such weight as to be worth our inserting. Nay, this I choose rather to say, That the Quakers who suc∣ceeded these first beginners, do not make so much noise either of Miracles or Visions, nor do they wil∣lingly

speak or write of those of their Sect that pre∣ceded them, unless very cautiously and warily; ac∣knowledging and owning that since the old Gospel preached by Christ and his Apostles was sufficiently confirmed with Miracles and Predictions, this new Gospel which they now advance, being in substance the same with that of old, does not need these Helps and Miracles: That they do not make their Religion depend upon them; that they neither hope nor wish for Praise and Glory from Men, nor expect to pro∣cure a favourable Reception from them upon any such account. So that it seems this is their inten∣tion to boast of some of the Signs of the Primitive and Apostolick Church, but withal to take care, lest if these Signs be not clear and manifest to all, they should come to be despised and laugh'd at: Unless they propose to themselves the Example of our Sa∣viour, who sometimes took pains to conceal his Mi∣racles and Prophecies.

The Quakers commemorate it that their Sect did so multiply and increase after this Year, and main∣tain'd so much Concord and Unity among them∣selves, that now they became an orderly and settled Church, conspicuous not for external Splendor and Magnificence, but for eminent Innocence and Sim∣plicity. And whereas most of them had heretofore continued still Members of the Churches they were formerly joyned to, or if at any time they went aside to follow their New Model of Worship, it was very privately, and with a few Companions; but now they separated from them in great num∣bers, and with open and undaunted boldness, joyn∣ing into one Body among themselves with one Voice, and one Mind, professing themselves to be all incor∣porated into one common Society, entring into an Ecclesiastical Covenant one with another, that as oft, and in whatever place, as an Opportunity offered it self, they should joyn and assemble together for go∣ing about Religious Matters. And all their Religio∣nary Confessions were of this Nature, that they in∣sisted more on the received Tenets of other Churches

which they were to reject and condemn, than in delivering positively what Articles they were to be∣lieve and maintain. As to other things their Do∣ctrines were short and plain: They contain'd few necessary Articles of Faith; none of them related to the contemplation and speculation of abstruse and difficult things, which are more curious than useful to Piety and Goodness; they were all con∣cerning the Light which shines in every Man's Soul, and the Word of God within them; of inward Communion with God; of the Reverence, Love, and Obedience due to him and his revealed Will; and of the Relative Duties of Men one to another. When they assembled together for Divine Worship, their manner of Worshipping, and all sort of Sacred Exercises were free from any External Ac∣coutrements, Rites, or Ceremonies; all was wrapt up in a deep silence, and tacit waiting upon the Spi∣rit, till it raised them up to speak; and when they spoke, their Discourses were Exhorting of every Man to Self-Examination, and a serious considera∣tion of the Operations of the Spirit, the Light within them, and the Word of God which was in their Hearts; admonishing them to study to deny themselves, subject themselves to God, and endea∣vour to Repent and amend their Lives; to be Mo∣dest, Temperate, True, and Constant in their Words and Actions; and to be diligent and chearful in per∣forming all such Actions as became Men to do, and were fit for reconciling Men to one another, and ad∣vancing Peace and Concord in the World. And so far as could be observed by the strictest Enquirer, they seemed to lead Lives conform to their Prin∣ciples; for both in their promiscuous Conversation, and likewise in one anothers Company, their Mo∣deration and Temperance was such, as that it be∣came their Character, whereby they were distin∣guished from all others. In the Management of Commerce and Trade with the rest of the World, they were Meek, Mild, and Moderate; in their Countenances severe, and slow in speech; they were

but mean in their Cloathing, and their Houses not richly furnished, though there was among them Men of large Substances. The most conspicuous Vertue of all was a diligent Love, Care, and Watch∣fulness over those of their Faction, especially as to their Religious Concerns; for they narrowly en∣quired how every one behaved himself in Religious Matters. As to the ordinary Actions of Humane Life, they were free from Pride or Ostentation, Af∣fable, Familiar, Bountiful to those of an inferiour Station, so that it was no singular or new thing a∣mong them to see the Rich and Powerful Courting and Caressing the Poor. They were Merciful, Li∣beral, and Compassionate to the Miserable and Af∣flicted, either in Body or Mind; every one helped another, either with his Substance, Counsel, or As∣sistance, as his Capacity allow'd, and the Necessity of his Neighbour requir'd, so that none of them wanted for any thing. Their chiefest care and bu∣siness was so to accommodate all their Actions, as that they might seem not to introduce any new up∣start Religion, but to resemble the Ancient Primi∣tive Church, imitating their Simplicity, Gravity, and Vertuous Demeanor. By all which it came to pass that many were added to them, every body being astonish'd at the singularity of their Carriage. I my self am acquainted with a very learned worthy Man, who having heard such great things of them, had the Curiosity to undertake a Voyage to England, in order to satisfie himself of the verity of what was reported; and after having arrived there, and conversed with them, and seen their Actions, which far surpass'd his expectation, he was so much taken with them, that he forthwith yielded himself a Member of their Society. But the rest of the World who did not joyn with them, abhorred them and all their Actions, believing all their fair Pretences to be but vain shews disguised with smooth coun∣tenances and deceitful words, insomuch that they would not hear, nor be witnesses to any of their doings, of which they could not entertain the least

favourable thought; nay, they inveigh'd against them with the most reviling Expressions, spreading this Report of their Life and Manners (tho' with∣out any Author to attest it) that they were the veryest Rogues of all Men alive, Exorcists and Sor∣cerers (as the Vulgar calls them) who under the covert of such specious Doctrines opened the Gates for all manner of Wickedness and Roguery, de∣signing only to catch and ensnare simple Men by their ••uggling Enchantments. Unto which Inju∣rious Reproaches, all their Reply and Comfort was, That this their Treatment was nothing worse than what the Ancient Christians and Holy Men of all Ages have unworthily, and unjustly met with on the same Account. But now I return to George Fox.

He remained for some time at Mansfield, where he went into the Church, while the Minister was Preaching, and begun to oppose and contradict him publickly; upon which the People being incensed, fell upon him with Hands and Feet, dragging him out of the Church into Prison; and that same very day towards the Evening he was set at Liberty and dismiss'd, and the Mobb again encountred him with Affronts and Stripes, beating him out of Town. The same Treatment he met with elsewhere. But he continued still the same Old Man, becoming ra∣ther more constant and confirm'd (as it were) in defending and maintaining his Doctrine and Disci∣pline, not refraining from that Tumultuating Me∣thod he had now begun of appearing in the Publick Churches, and opposing the Ministers of the same; not suffering either the remembrance of his past pain and trouble, nor the fear of what might ensue, to abate his Fervour and Zeal in prosecuting his De∣sign, for one Minute of Time; and thus undaunt∣edly he push'd on for the two or three subsequent Years.

But before I proceed further, it is requisite that I first give a distinct, though short, Account of the chief Articles that he litigiously wrangled about

(I do not say disputed, or discoursed) in the Pub∣lick Assemblies and Congregations, the Sermons be∣ing either ended or interrupted through his Imper∣tinency. These Articles related either to the Mini∣sters themselves, who (as he said) were only in∣duced by love of a Reward or Hire to Preach the Gospel, which should be Preach'd gratis unto all Men; or to the Instrument or Source from which they suck'd the Doctrines they taught their hearers, viz. the Sacred Scriptures, or Word of God, which he thought an improper name; or to this part of their Doctrine, that the Saints, while in this Life, cannot attain to that fulness and perfection of San∣ctity and Holiness which the Law of God requires; which he said was a Principle that encouraged Men in their sins, patronizing and defending the same. But in all these Controversies he never considered how near a-kin his own Case was unto theirs who maintain'd these Doctrines; for though he pretended to take all this pains and trouble in running about to Preach the Gospel gratuitously, and without any Reward, yet those he preach'd to supply'd his Ne∣cessities, before he ask'd it of them; at least-wise he was never deny'd the Liberty of coming uncalled for (as the Flies) and (like Mice) feeding upon others Provision: He might have also remembred his usual Preface and Introduction to all his Dis∣courses, when about to inform the People of some Secret hid from the World, This is the Word of the Lord; and that he seldom discoursed to his People of the Internal, Spiritual Force and Obligation of the Law, but only of External Vertues; thus o∣mitting many real sins repugnant to the Law and Perfection of God.

In the Fiftieth Year of this Century, he being in Derbyshire, in the Town of the same name, went into a Presbyterian Church, where, after Sermon ended, he boldly discovered his Thoughts and Sen∣timents to the whole Congregation; upon which he was brought before the Magistrate, who after some Debates past betwixt Fox and the Ministers of

the Churches, ordered him to be taken and put into Gaol, as being a troublesom Fellow, putting all things into Confusion, where he remained for Six Months.

Moreover it is to be Remark'd, that these Men are not altogether averse or unwilling to be denomina∣ted Christians; though they say, that Name was at first given to Christ's Disciples by the wicked Jews and Gentiles out of Contempt and Derision; others say, it is of too narrow a compass, not including all the Godly, who are worshippers of God, and partakers of his Grace, being confined only to those who acknowledge and profess the Name of Christ. But because the Quakers have always in their mouths the name of Light, Preaching Christ as a Light enlightening every one; and exhorting all Men to walk in that Light, as Sons of the Light, they were called by some Mockers, The Confessors and Sons of the Light; which denomination did not altogether displease them. And at this time the opprobrious Nickname of Quakers was first given them, the occasion of which was this:

Fox being detained in Prison, was sometimes called before the Magistrates to be examined; where he took occasion oft-times to admonish the Judges who examined him, to reverence and fear God, to Tremble at his Word, and to work out their Salva∣tion with fear and trembling; (which was not only an usual Expression to him, but to all his abettors) one of the Judges, by Name Jeremy Bennet, hear∣ing him talk so frequently of Trembling and Qua∣king, gives him and all his Sect the denomination of Quakers. Besides, all the People having observed that in performance of Sacred Services they trembled and shook, thought this new Name the more proper, so that ever since they have been known all over England by the Name of Quakers. They by a cer∣tain dexterity they have of putting favourable Con∣structions on Names, apply this and all other Nick∣names formerly mentioned, to themselves, in their own sense and meaning; as I hinted in the beginning

of this Treatise. But the Quakers tell us, that this Judge Bennet, in the mean time that he was so se∣vere and troublesom to him, was afflicted by God with a Remarkable stroke; that the Keeper of the Prison, or Gaoler, who had formerly been fierce and severe against him as a Lion, after having un∣derstood what sort of Man he was, became meek and peaceable to him as a Lamb. Now six Months being expired, he is let loose from Prison, and was carried to the Market-place to those that were there levying Soldiers (for the Difference betwixt the King and the Parliament was not yet put to an end) in order to enlist himself a Soldier; and being brought thither, he was tempted of them by large offers to engage in the Service, but he was so far from yielding to their desire, that he accosted them with this short, but tart Discourse: What! do you think to wheedle me into your Service by your large Promises? I would not give my self for a Soldier, tho' you should threaten to inflict the greatest Evils upon my refusal. What! am not I now a Soldier already? Do not I now wage War and Fight? But the War I am engaged in is not such as brings certain Destruction both to the Conqueror and conquered; to the former the certain ruine of his Soul, and to the latter a risk of losing his Life; but my Fighting is to abstain from all these Quarrels, Wars, and Arms; nay, not only to abstain from them, but to conquer and subjugate those Passions and Lusts, from whence they arise. I am a Soldier, waging War, and fighting, but so as to pro∣vide for the Peace and Safety of my self, of you, and all Men, both here in this Humane Society, and also with God. Which Practice would to God both ye and all the World would study to imitate. Wherefore I de∣sire of you that ye give me no more trouble of this Na∣ture; and that ye be aware of running your selves into a worse condition than ye are in already, lest by indulging your selves this liberty of sinning against God the Emperor of the World, his wrath be kindled against you, and when the time for Vengeance shall come, and the Door of Mercy shut up, ye perish for

ever. This Discourse was so far from putting a stop to the fury of his Adversaries, that it spurr'd on their fierceness and cruelty the more, which they express'd not in Imprisoning him as before, but in casting him into a nasty, stinking Dungeon, dig∣ged under Ground, where Thieves and Malefactors were kept. But after other six Months he got out from thence also. And this Affliction did not in the least scare him from prosecuting his Design, but he still became bolder and brisker, Propagating his Doctrine, not only in the Counties of Notting∣ham, Darby, and Leicester (which were the The∣atre and Stage where this great Engine did first ap∣pear) but through all York-shire, Lancaster, and the vast Tract of Lands called Westmorland; in all which places he unweariedly preached his Doctrine and Discipline, being followed by vast numbers of the People. This is certain, that none of all the Quakers ever preached or discoursed so often, and unto so many different Hearers, as George Fox; and he himself never made so many Discourses as in these places, and at this time. But because he could not be present every where to speak Face to Face, he now began to write Letters to several Societies, and likewise to particular Men; Instructing and Admo∣nishing them in what he imagined most necessary to be known and practised. And to this day are to be seen in many peoples hands whole bundles of Letters wrote by him to the same Persons: Though he did not express any great strength of Discourse or Reasoning in these his Letters, for that he both wrote such Characters as were not easie to be read, and also in so rude and simple a Style, sometimes most difficult and intricate, that it is a wonder any Man so much exercised in speaking and discoursing, should have been the Author of them.

The first Letter he wrote was in the Year Fifty, to his Friends, which I shall here insert. It was wrote Originally in English, and is translated from the Original into Latin, which done from the Latin into English again (for the Original is not in our

hands) runs thus. The Lord is King over all the Earth; wherefore all ye Nations praise and magnifie your King in true Obedience, purity of Holiness and Sincerity. O! consider in true Obedience, how ye should know the Lord with Vnderstanding; mark and consider in silence, in submission of Mind, and ye shall hear the Lord speaking to you in your Minds. His Voice is sweet and pleasant. His Sheep hear his voice, and will give ear to no other. And when they hear his voice, they rejoyce and obey, and also sing for joy. O! their hearts are filled with Eternal Tri∣umphs. They sing forth and praise the Eternal God in Zion. Their Joy shall none take from them. Glory be to the Lord for ever. G. F.

In this same Fiftieth Year Elizabeth Hooton, born and living in Nottingham, a Woman pretty far ad∣vanced in Years, was the first of her Sex among the Quakers who attempted to imitate Men, and Preach, which she now (in this Year) commenced. After her Example, many of her Sex had the confidence to undertake the same Office. This Woman after∣wards went with George Fox into New-England, where she wholly devoted her self to this Work; and after having suffered many Affronts from that People, went into Jamaica, and there finished her Life. But I return again to Fox.

While he thus continued so forward and zealous for Preaching his Doctrines, his condition was very various; strange Events and Accidents falling out, of which I think it convenient to give you a short Account. It happened in Yorkshire, in a Town to∣wards the East Part of it, called Beverlar, that he went into the Church, being mightily mov'd in Spirit: where he first kept himself silent, till the Minister had finish'd his Sermon; then before all the People he thunder'd out his extemporary and reviling Ha∣rangues, and presently convey'd himself away; thus he escaped safe and unpunish'd. Some few days after that, at Crantsick, as the Minister had just read the Text of his ensuing Discourse (being a Man of considerable Worth and Fame) he fell

upon him with a Discourse, the only purport of which was to express his contempt of the Dignity, Order, and Religion of this worthy Divine. Which Action might have brought him into extream dan∣ger, for every body almost accounted it a signal of so great Impudence and Insolence, that they thought no Vengeance too great, nor no Resentment too high for so villainous and injurious a Crime, yet he escap'd unpunish'd. But I come to give you a larger Account of a certain Sermon of his. Being in Leicester, his Native Country, he had occasion to Travel in that Country with some of his Friends. He spyes from afar a certain Town, not knowing which it was; but having asked of his Friends, comes to understand that it was Lichfield. Thither he presently resolves to go, and pronounce Curses a∣gainst all the Citizens, high or low, or of whatever degree; for they were all equally unknown to him. While I call to remembrance the Ancient Annals of the British Affairs, it comes into my Mind, that at this very Town, in the time of Dioclesian the Em∣perour, there was a great many Christian Martyrs miserably afflicted, and tortured with all manner of exquisite Torments: And then in the Reign of Henry the Sixth, King of England, there was a Battel fought betwixt the King and the Earl of Salisbury, near to this place, in which great num∣bers of Men were slain on both sides, and the King's Army almost totally routed. So that on both these occasions this Ground was covered with the Blood of so many Men. And besides, in Fox's own time, while that Fatal Civil War was raging in England, betwixt the King and the People, in the same Fields, and this very same Town, there was a great deal of Humane Blood shed; all which Fox was not igno∣rant of. Thither (I say) did he presently direct his course; and because he did not know the right Road (for he had now parted from his Friends) being impatient of delay, he follow'd the sight of his Eye, moving in a straight line, without winding or turning to either hand, leaping over rugged

uneven places, Hedges, Ditches, and all that came in his way. But before he arrived at the Town, he sees some Shepherds, to whom he approaches, and stays a little with them. It was now the Winter Season, and very cold, yet he was burning like a Fire: Therefore he throws off his shooes, leaving them with the Herds; and thus bare-footed (with∣out his Shooes) he made haste to get at the Town, where running up and down, he cries, Woe! Woe! to this bloody City, Lichfield; not adding why or to what purpose he had said so, or what had been done there, or what was to come to pass; or with what Design and Signification he had said so, what Ex∣hortation he would give them for amendment of their Lives, or what other Caution was fit and sea∣sonable on such an Occasion. Of all these he could give no Account, neither then, nor any time after∣wards; neither would he ever interpret or explain this any further, than that God had revealed it to his Spirit. But a little after, he came to know of some Friend of his, that in this City, and adjacent Country had been seen some Bloody Spectacle. While he thus continued running up and down, crying the same words, the Citizens suffered him to pass, imagining him to be a Mad-man, rather to be pityed or laugh'd at, than called to an Account. At length becoming cold all over his Body, and his Joynts stiff with cold, and being weary with run∣ning, he goes out of Town, and returns to the Shepherds; and when he had come at them, he was now so inslam'd with a Heavenly and Divine Fire, that he mattered not whether he put on his Shooes again or not. But being admonish'd of God, he puts them on, and leaves that place. It frequently fell out, that Men believing him to be a Mad-man, suffered him to go unpunish'd. But his Confidence and Constancy did not always escape so. For in other places he was forbid access, or Lodging, or Refreshing himself in his Journey, to satisfie Hun∣ger and Thirst; so that he was sometimes forced to lie whole Nights in the open Fields, without Meat

or Sleep. And if he came to a place unawares, or of a sudden, he was sometimes repulsed with threats and hard words; and if he adventur'd to enter a Church, and make any Publick Discourse, or contra∣dict the Preacher, the Congregation frequently re∣warded him, not only with words, but with good hard blows, and that sometimes very cruelly: As it happened in Yorkshire, at Warnsfort and Doncaster.

At Tickhill, while he was yet speaking in the Church, they beat him so severely, that the Blood sprung out of his Face; then having caught him by the Neck, they dragg'd him out of the Church, Caning him, till at length he got into some House, and from thence convey'd himself privily out of the Town. But he was no where so hardly and cruelly dealt with, as at Vlverstown in Lancashire; where he entertain'd a sharp Debate with the Mi∣nister for some time; after which the Mobb (not all the Congregation, but the ignorant and meaner sort, Youths, Children, and such like) did imme∣diately attack him, thumping him with their Fists while in the Church, then dragging him from thence, they trampled him under foot, so mangling and tearing him, that he was in danger of his Life; but in the mean while neither did he refrain from beat∣ing and wounding some of them; which, though against his Conscience, yet was not much blame∣worthy. The rest of the Congregation endeavoured by words to mollifie the enraged Mobb, and to rescue the distressed poor Man from their merciless hands. At another place in this same County, when he was making towards them, they assembling toge∣ther into Companies, and being slightly armed, came out and met him, denying him access into their Bounds. But he still remained constant, with an unmoveable Patience, doing the same Actions still, maugre all the danger that surrounded him. And while these Evils and Sufferings were ready to grieve and pierce his Soul, he took it to be an Ad∣monition and Exhortation from God to adventure upon every thing; he imagined that God shewed

him large Countries in the top of a high Hill, in which he had chosen a peculiar People to himself. He boasted that he found in the declining of that Hill a Foun∣tain, whose Waters were most comfortable and ef∣fectual for quenching Thirst, after he had wanted Meat and Drink for some days; that a little while after he saw a multitude of Men cloathed in white Raiment approaching unto God, towards the gentle and gliding streams of these Waters. All these things he diligently remark'd, writing them down in his Papers, and communicating the same to his Friends.

Now was the Year of our Lord, One Thousand, Six Hundred, Fifty Two, after which this Sect did wonderfully increase, having been ever before but (as it were) in its Birth and first Appearance. There be two things that usually concur to procure an easie Progress and honourable Reception to any new Undertaking: The Dignity and Fame of those who engage in it, and the Conveniency and Opu∣lency of their Place of Meeting and Assembling together. Now, whereas heretofore Fox with his Adherents and Followers had none to be of their Society save those of the meanest and lowest Rank; nor any to Preach and Teach, save those of the Vul∣gar, Ignorant sort of People; now were added to them many Opulent and Considerable Men, of good Reputation and Dignity in the World, who not only made up the number of their Hearers, but likewise supply'd the place of Doctors and Teachers. And, whereas before they used to Assemble them∣selves together promiscuously in any place, whether in Town or Country; and he of 'em who had a mind to speak or discourse to the People, was ob∣liged to take occasion of the casual Conflux and Congregations of the People, either in Churches, Courts, Market-places, Fields, Streets, or where∣ever occasion served; from which oft-times follow'd Insurrections of the People to beat and stone them; sometimes to cast them in Prison, and bind them with Irons and Chains; now they began to Meet in

Houses, and there to Teach and go about Sacred Things, which was a much safer way, for that thus they were freed from many Inconveniencies, par∣ticularly that of lying open to the Fury of the Mobb. Both these Advantages accrued unto them by degrees, and sometimes by wonderful chance.

I have already told what Countries Fox did most∣ly resort to at this time, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Westmorland. The first in Yorkshire that became his Disciple, and afterwards his Colleague, was William Densbury, born in that County, who had once been a dealer in Wool in Wakefield, and afterwards a Trumpeter in Oliver Cromwels Army. This Man heard Fox Preach one day; and when towards the Evening of that same very day Fox went out into the Fields to Meditate, he followed after him, and told him, that of a long time he had bended his Mind upon the same Design that he had underta∣ken; and that now he was so mov'd with his Dis∣courses, that he wholly gave up himself to be his Disciple: Upon which Fox and he consulted seri∣ously together about their Design. A little while after, Densbury became a Preacher, performing the Office of a Trumpeter of the new Doctrines to this new Church with a great deal of Applause. And though he spent the best part of his succeed∣ing Life in Prison, because of his Boldness and Con∣fidence in sounding this Religious Trumpet; yet this Affliction he patiently endured, not suffering Trouble or Anguish to invade his Mind, but continuing con∣stant and chearful in receiving the Injuries he suf∣fered for the sake of a good Conscience, and of that Holy Office he had undertaken for the Salvation of Mankind. His very Enemies acknowledge that he was Eloquent, and every way fit for managing what relates to that Society.

The next that followed him in this Office was James Naylor, once a Country Boor not far from Wakefield, afterwards a Soldier in the Parliament's Army, who not long after he had undertaken this Office, met with wonderful Accidents, as I shall

relate, when I come to that Period of Time. After him followed Thomas Aldham, who oft-times co∣veted the Company of Ecclesiastical Men, for to Discourse and Dispute with them; nay, he affected also to converse with the Politicians, and Cromwel the Protector himself, whom he went to, partly to manifest his Learning and Knowledge, and partly to obtain his Consent and Belief to their Articles; so great Confidence and Hope he placed in that Man. Next to him was Philip Scafey, Minister of a Publick Church at a little Village in this same County, near to Whitby, called Robin Hood's Bay▪ upon the Sea-side.

In Lancashire, the first that apply'd himself to Fox and his Society, was Richard Hubberthorn, born in the Northern Parts of that County, of good Paren∣tage, and liberally Educated, who was at that time a Captain in the Parliament's Army; and so over-Religious, that oft-times at the Head of his Com∣pany he would make Discourses to them, as if he had been a Preacher. And not long after he be∣came a Preacher among the Quakers, which Office he discharged so well in their Eyes, that they all unanimously gave him a very high Testimony. His Writings left behind do testifie him to have been no contemptible Disputant, but too violent and tart, and sometimes bitter and reviling. Next were Tho∣mas Taylor, and his Brother Christopher Taylor, both Publick Ministers in that Country. Next was Ri∣chard Farnsworth, Author of a Book which treats of the Pronouns Tu and Vos, or Thou and Ye; wherein he proves by Examples pick'd out of the Holy Writings, that it is unlawful in our particu∣lar Discourses one with another, to use any other compellation than Thou.

In Westmorland, the first that joyn'd to this Society, and became Preacher among them, was John Ad∣lance; then Francis Howgil, formerly a Taylor at Appleby, at that time a Sectary Preacher to an In∣dependant Congregation, who returned the Money he had formerly received of his Congregation for a

Reward of his Service; a Man of Learning, and as well qualified as many of that Sect. After them came Edward Burrough, a Young Rustick Fellow, of Sixteen or Seventeen Years; but equall'd to a Man, and designed for great things. Last of all, I shall mention one George Whitehead, who at this time joyned himself to this Sect, taking upon him also the Office of a Teacher; he was then Minister to the Church of Lancaster, talked of among the Learned for his skill in both Tongues, his Piety and Modesty; and Famous at this very day, though stricken in Years, for his dexterity of Disputing and Managing Controversies, both with Tongue and Pen. I omit the Names of others. But it is ma∣terial here to Remark, that the chiefest and greatest part of those who engaged in this Society, were such as were either Members of Presbyterian Churches, or Independants, or Brownists, or Bap∣tists; of which latter a great many bore Arms for Cromwel and the Parliament; for the most part of their Army consisted of such kind of Men: And not only these Sectaries themselves gave themselves to this Society, but even their Doctors and Teach∣ers, whose Example and Influence induced many of their Congregations to do the like. So that the first Congregation of Quakers was a multitude of People, not so extravagant or faulty in their Man∣ners, as fluctuating and unsettled in their Religions, which were very various and discrepant one from another; and of which England had now great store, Those of them that were better accommo∣dated than others, fitted their Houses, and other Private places for receiving their Assemblies when congregated for Divine Worship. They did not exclude even those who were not of their Party, if they came in Peaceably, only to hear and see, without intermedling with any thing; unless they suspected or understood 'em to be Spies, coming up∣on some ill Design to trap them, or hatch some Mis∣chief against them.

Fox was very diligent in insinuating himself and his Doctrines into the Affections of those who were Men of Dignity and Power; who though they were not fitter to Judge of his Design, yet were more capable to advance and propagate that Interest, and he gain'd not a few of them. Among whom were some Magistrates greater or lesser, who like Load∣stones drew many of their underling Inferiours af∣ter them. But there happened likewise at this time a memorable Instance of the Progress and Advance∣ment of Fox and his Adherents in Lancashire, which is not here to be omitted. There lived in Lancashire Thomas Fell, (one of the Judges) who with his Wife Margaret Fell, were famous and renown'd for Religion and Piety. Fox having made himself acquainted with them, became so Familiar in their House, that it was always open to him, when he pleased to come there, and all things in it at his Service. But the Husband continued still steadfast to the Reformed Church, being a true Lover, and sincere Practiser of the Reformed Religion all his Life long; so that he was not fond of Fox's Church-Conventicles, nor would he joyn himself to his So∣ciety; yet he was not so averse from it, but that he thought it should be suffer'd, and enjoy its Li∣berty; so that he resolved to defend and vindicate the same from all Injury. And afterwards when Fox was accused by many Ministers of the Church before the Judges at Lancaster, for having used some horrible Expressions in his Discourses to the People, such as, That God taught Lyes and Fallacies, and that his Word, the Holy Scriptures, contained many Lyes; this Judge with some others defended him, asserting all these Slanders to be injuriously affix'd upon him, and maliciously feign'd without any ground: Thus he relieved him, not only from the danger of his Life, he had otherwise been in, but also from all fear and apprehension; and after this time he always appeared a great Enemy to the Op∣posers of Fox and his Society, rendring all their Efforts against him ineffectual. But when the

Hatred and Envy of Fox's Antagonists grew to so great a height, that he could no longer restrain them, and fearing they should become his Enemies likewise, he seldom went to the Publick Meetings, shunning to hear their Voices, whose different Man∣ners, Designs, and Contrivances he so much abhorr'd. So much for the Husband: But as to the Wife, she totally forsook the Reformed Churches, dedicating her self entirely to be a Member of the Quakers Society, and spending all her time in their Com∣pany. Her Husband loved her exceedingly, and was much taken with her Piety, so that she could easily obtain of him this favour, that her House might be a Receptacle for Fox and his Colleagues, and also a place of Meeting for all the Society to Assemble in together, as oft as they would, for the Publick Performance of Sacred Duties; as indeed it was, and continued so after his death, till the death of Fox her second Husband. Not long after her Conversion to this new Religion, she began to aban∣don her Distaff and Womanly Instruments, beta∣king her self to Preach and Teach, Instructing the People not only Viva Voce, but by several Books wrote and published by her; by which means she gained many Proselytes. And after this time her House and Family became, as it were, a School and Nursery for all that Sect, both Hearers, Preachers, and Students, of both Sexes; and accordingly sent out about this time one William Caton, a Young Man of Pregnant Parts, conspicuous for his Modesty and Learning, whom Judge Fell had taken into his Family, for a Companion to his Eldest Son, that by his good Example he might Encourage and Con∣duct him to a Vertuous Behaviour. This worthy Young Man became afterwards very Famous and Renown'd for his great Accomplishments, both at home and abroad (in Holland.) But this was not all. Leonard Fell, a Son of the Family, followed his Example, as one Comrade imitates another, or a Disciple traces the foot-steps of his Master; being fondly loved and caressed by his Father, for that he

introduced into his Family that Sacred Office of a Minister: His Brother, Henry Fell, imitated his Elder Brother. They both became Great and Fa∣mous Teachers, and tenacious defenders of that Sect. After the Males of the Family followed Sarah Fell their Sister, undertaking the same Office; whom these People do so much extol, that they say, she was not only Beautiful and Lovely to a high degree, but wonderfully Happy in Ingeny and Memory; so stupendiously Eloquent in Discoursing and Prea∣ching, and so effectual and fervent in her Addresses and Supplications to God, that she ravish'd all her beholders and hearers with Admiration and Wonder. She apply'd her self to the study of the Hebrew Tongue, that she might be more prompt and ready in defending and proving their Doctrine and Prin∣ciples from the Holy Scriptures; and in this study the Progress she made was so great, that she wrote Books of her Religion in that Language. This is that Family which Fox came afterwards to be a Member of, when upon the Death of Fell, the Hus∣band, he married Margaret his Widow; of which I shall have occasion to speak afterwards. I now return to the Order of Times and Places that cor∣responds to the Actions of Fox and his Colleagues.

While Fox is propagating his Doctrine in the Countries above-mentioned in the Year Fifty Two, of a sudden there appeared some in Cambridgeshire (a place considerably distant from the Countries where Fox was now residing) who owned themselves Members of this New Church. Among whom ex∣celled James Parnel, a Youth of Fifteen Years of Age, well skilled in the Tongues, and of no obscure Birth or Condition. Because the History of this Youth's Life and Actions is but short, I shall here insert the same in one perpetual thread of Discourse. This Young Man having so boldly adventur'd in so tender an Age on such an Enterprize, was disown'd, disinherited, rejected, and shut out of Doors by his Parents, Friends, and Relations, all upon this Ac∣count. Being thus forsaken and left to himself, and

receiving but sorry assistance from his new Friends, he was obliged to live sparingly and meanly; yet nevertheless he continued steadfast and eager in pur∣suing the same Design. And after having frequently debated with his Condisciples and others concerning their Religion and his own, and in this condition of Life spent two Years, he comes into the County of Essex, and Cloaths himself with the Office of a Preacher, which accordingly he performed in the Fields. Then in the Year Fifty Five he goes to Colchester, and the next day after his arrival Prea∣ches there, and entertains many Disputations and Dialogues with the Doctor and Reader to that Church, both publickly in the Church, and in his own Lodgings, and elsewhere; by which one day's work he converted many to his Religion. Having staid here some few days, he goes to Cogshall, where he went to Church, and heard the Minister Preach a Sermon against the Quakers; upon which when Sermon was ended, he answered and resuted him in Publick Church. Then retiring from Church, he was caught, and brought to Colchester, and there put into a Castle or strong Prison. Afterwards he was taken to Chelmsford, to appear before the Judges, but they, because they could not finish and con∣clude the Business, remitted him back to Colchester, where he was block'd up in a Cave, in some high craggy place, where having endured Hunger, want of Sleep, and Cold, for a long time, becoming be∣numb'd in this nasty Dungeon, and at length mis∣fortunately falling, and bruising his whole Body, he finished his unhappy days, notwithstanding all the Complaints and Addresses he made himself, and all the Entreaties and Sollicitations made to the Ma∣gistrate by his Friends for relieving him out of all these Miseries. It is reported that before his Death, he sometimes was heard to say, One hour's sleep shall put an end to all my Troubles. When Death ap∣proached, he said, Now I go away; then he fell asleep; and about an hour thereafter he awaked,

and yielded up the Ghost. His Body was tumbled away to the place where Malefactors are executed, and interred

In this same Year this Doctrine and Scheme began to diffuse it self beyond the Countries where Fox was now making his Terms with the Neighbouring County of Cumberland; in which great numbers associated themselves to this Party. Amongst the more Remarkable of these new Converts, the first was one Thomas Lawson, at that time Publick Mi∣nister to a Church at a Village called Ramside in Westmorland; afterwards he continued both the Ex∣ercise of this Function among these People, and likewise gave himself to the study of Herbs; and after he came to London, became the most noted Herbalist in England. Next after him followed John Wilkinson, Pastor to a Church at Embleton in Cumberland, who afterwards proved a Famous Preacher among the Quakers, both in Scotland and Ireland. All his Hearers had deserted him, and joyned to the Quakers; upon which being forsaken, he followed after them, and became of the same Profession with them. And now both in Cumber∣land, Northumberland, and the Bishoprick of Durham, a great many of all Ranks and Degrees embraced this New Religion. So that having thus over-run all the North of England, it began to spread it self towards Scotland. But as the multitudes of their Followers increased, the Envy and Malice of their Adversaries was spurred up the more against them. For they were not only laugh'd at and derided every where, but many Reproaches and Calumnies were also thrown upon them, and many Wicked and Impious Principles and Practices imputed to them. In some places Orders were given to the Constables and Of∣ficers to detain Fox, or any other Quaker, in firm Custody, whenever they could meet with them, or else to hinder them access into their Precincts. Ac∣cordingly Naylor and Howgil of Appleby are taken and put in Prison: As also Fox is apprehended and imprisoned at Carlisle in Cumberland; whom they

looked upon as an Heretical, Blasphemous Arch-Impostor and Deceiver; the Head and Ring-leader of this deceitful Crew. And it was confidently reported, that the Judges were consulting among themselves, whether they should put this Man to Death for his incessant Frauds and Enormities. But it happened quite otherwise, for Fox was absolved and dismissed, without any other Affront or note of Ignominy, save that they severely check'd and reprov'd him. William Caton and John Stubs were whipp'd at Maidston in Kent.

In Lancashire their Meetings were opposed with great violence. At length because the Doctrine and Sect of the Quakers was not yet known in the other Parts of England, especially in London, the chief Seat and Compend of the whole Kingdom, where they knew nothing of this New Religion, save what they heard by the wandring Reports that were mur∣mured about: Those who were the principal Ad∣ministrators and Managers of that Church, thought fit to select some of their Number that excelled for dexterity of Speaking and Teaching, who should go into these other Parts of the Kingdom, and per∣form the Office of Converting and Convincing the People. These were the Evangelists and Apostles of the New Church, who were sent out in the Year Fifty Four. Accordingly they directed their course first into Wales; first, North-Wales, then South-Wales, and the adjacent Countries; and at length to London, the Capital City (though far distant from the places of their first Pilgrimage) from whence, as from the Head, they might diffuse their Doctrines through all the Members, and infect the whole Body of the Kingdom with their Religious Tincture. Howgil and Burrough were at that time Men of great Authority and Esteem among them. These were the two chief Ministers appointed to Preach their Doctrines in Wales, and at London; though Burrough went afterwards to London alone, being invited so to do by a strong itch and desire he had to be there. When they came together to Wales, and had begun

to sow the Seeds of their Doctrine, they found some who received them readily. Among those who embraced their Religion, in that Country, and even among the first, were several Justices of Peace, par∣ticularly one Peter Price, a Famous Preacher among them from that time to this very day. Moreover there happened a very wonderful Conversion of one John Vp-John, a Member of an Independant Con∣gregation, who was sent by his Pastor, Morgan Lloyd, into the North, to inform himself, both by seeing and hearing, what sort of a Man Fox was, (who was then in those Countries) what for People the Quakers might be, and what were the Doctrines they Taught, and to bring him certain word of the same; for he had heard many things of them which he doubted to be false. He performs the Journey, and returns possessed with their Principles; and shortly thereafter undertakes the Office of a Prea∣cher among them, opposing himself vehemently to his Ancient Pastor and Doctor, and to all the Con∣gregation, reproving and accusing them and their Religion, exhorting all to follow him; and per∣swaded many to separate from them. Some few Years after, he travelled through all Wales, Preaching and teaching every where he came to, in Towns, in the Fields, in the Publick Roads and Streets, Market-pla∣ces, Inns, &c. exhorting Men to Repent; sometimes he had Fox for a Companion and Witness of his Actions. And though he was sometimes cast into Prison, yet when released again, he set about his old Trade as vigorously as ever. Howgil stays in that Country for some considerable time; but in the mean time that he is Preaching there, and the other Evangelists busie at the same work at their respe∣ctive Posts in the several places of the Kingdom, Burrough goes for London, where few of his Sect had gone before him, that being the place he loved and longed mightily to see. The time of his abode there, though he went sometimes to other places and returned again, yet he mostly confin'd himself to the City, till at length in the Year Sixty Two,

when block'd up in Prison, and having patiently and constantly grappled with many Tormenting Evils that surrounded him, and with a Grievous and Mortal Disease, he yielded up the Ghost. While he was in London he bended all his Thoughts and Cares how to be most Serviceable to that Interest, and so to discharge his Office, that he might not disappoint the Hopes and Expectations which his Associates had conceived of his Success. And be∣cause he could not always meet with fit and oppor∣tune Places and Occasions of Preaching, he some∣times promiscuously improved every occasion (whe∣ther seasonable or not) to that effect, thinking no time or place unseasonable or improper for promo∣ting the Salvation of Mankind, of which I subjoyn one Example. All that are acquainted with the City of London, cannot but know that vulgar and frequent Custom among the meaner Tradesmen, Shooe-makers, Taylors, &c. their Apprentices and Journeymen, of getting together into some by∣place, where they struggle and wrestle with one another, till either by pulling them down, or trip∣ping them up, they throw them. Burrough acci∣dentally passes by the place, where a whole Band of them were at this Exercise. He draws near, looks on, and waits to see what the issue of the Spectacle would be. At length a lusty Young Fel∣low, and dextrous Wrestler, appears in the Field, who throws them all round; first one, then ano∣ther, and at length a third; yet even then he un∣wearied, challenges any fourth to encounter him. The whole Company stands amazed at the boldness and dexterity of the Fellow, none of them daring to enter the Field, save Burrough; who steps into the Ring, and moves towards the Triumphant Vi∣ctor, who was insulting over all the rest. He think∣ing Burrough meant also to try his Skill in Wrestling, makes ready to receive him. But Burrough looking austerely and gravely upon him, in some few severe words checks his Fury and Fortitude, so that both his Courage and Strength were overcome and van∣quished.

Then turning himself to the Circle of the By-standers, addresses himself to them thus: It is a barbarous and cruel Spectacle to see Men de∣light so much in this Exercise, fitter for and more be∣coming Brutes than Men; which the wildest of the irrational Creatures abstain from, unless provoked and irritated to the same. We have another Conflict to mind, which is more consonant to our Natures, and allowed of God; nay, which both the Law of Nature, and the Common Law implanted within us by God, and his Divine Word revealed from above, do Ap∣prove, Command, and Encourage. I mean that fight wherein we are all engaged, as being the Soldiers of Jesus Christ, and fellow-soldiers one with another; striving with all the endeavours of our Souls and Bo∣dies to encourage and invite one another to pursue this fight of Faith and Piety, that at length we may become Victors, and obtain Eternal Life. Which being spoke, though most of the Multitude gave little heed to what he said, yet some of them being mo∣ved with a sudden heat of Reverence and Fear of God, and afterwards bethinking themselves more diligently of these words, began to understand their Duty aright, and abstain from such vain Exercises and Spectacles, altering the whole Scene of their Lives, and afterwards conforming to the Doctrine and Religion of the Quakers, incorporating, them∣selves into their Society. Thus was it that Burrough by his indefatigable diligence pick'd up so many Followers and Adherents both in City and Country. The number of the Proselytes at London was after∣wards much increased when Fox came to that City: For he was the Man among them all who pursued his business with the greatest Application and Dili∣gence, maugre all the Difficulties and Dangers stood in his way. I may freely say, that there is not one Church in any County Fox came into (from the beginning of his Ministry to this very time) nor any place of Religious Worship frequented ei∣ther by those of our Profession, or others, that he did not visit, taking occasion there to disprove the

received Principles, and advance his own; not one day on which they used to Congregate for Religious Service, that he did not punctually observe, beta∣king himself to some Congregation or other, and disturbing their Services with his Accusatory Libels. Nor did he refrain from using the same Importunacy with the Military Men, among whom, though the greatest part of them differed vastly from our Common Soldiers, since they only carried Arms for the Liberty and Religion of their Country, and li∣ved innocent and harmless Lives, yet there were many light vain Fellows, dissolute and corrupted in their Conversation, who loved rather to be enjoying themselves in Taverns or Alehouses, than hearing Religious Discourses. Fox used to be running a∣mong them, boldly and freely reproving them to their faces, not only for what he found faulty in their Religion, but for the Vices of their private Lives. So that by his courage and boldness he over∣came all that stood in his way; neither did he take it ill to be called bold and forward, but rather glo∣ried in being such. Nay, he came to that length, that oftner than once or twice in midst of great crouds, he would brand some Women, that he had never seen in his life before, for being Witches and Sorceresses, which he pretended to do by a discretive Spirit within him. But in all these his Accusations, I do not find that ever there was any Experiment made of the Art of these Women, or any Tryal made of it, or any Credit given to him, unless by some that were prepossess'd with the same Fancy of the Women before. Wherefore it is no wonder that he met with such Indignities and Affronts every where, insomuch that sometimes several of the People would joyn together and Assault him open∣ly; others would lie in wait to take Advantage of him. It is much more wonderful that he who was so oft sought after, apprehended, imprisoned, and delivered into the hands of his Enemies, should have escaped so oft, or survived so great and many Troubles. However he always acknowledged and

returned thanks to the Almighty for that Divine Assistance which he said he never wanted in time of his bitterest and severest Afflictions; nay, which ap∣peared so oft in his behalf, taking Vengeance after a wonderful manner of his Injurious Enemies, and such as contrived or executed such Wickedness a∣gainst him. Among many Examples which might be adduced, I know none more wonderful and worthy to be related, than this following, which he used so often to make mention of among his Brethren, and confirm with many words. At Olican in Yorkshire a Band of Men had combined together to kill him, and for that end came rushing into the Convention where Fox was; but so soon as they cast their Eyes upon him, they were all so astonish'd, and filled with Fear and Confusion, that none durst to move or attempt any thing. Not long there∣after one of these Men happened to kill another Man, and was seized as guilty of Murder: Another of them, who used as he passed by the Quakers, to put out his Tongue and ridicule them, exposing both himself and the Quakers to the Derision and Laughter of the Multitude, had his Tongue swell'd so big, that it hang'd out of his Mouth, and he could not draw it in; which new sort of Disease in a short time cut the Thread of his miserable Life. But I return to speak of Fox's coming to London.

There happened a Memorable Accident both at Weston in Leicestershire, and at London. Fox was yet remaining in that Country, and chanced to be in that place; where he was in a Congregation of his Brethren going about Sacred Service, when in the mean time some Ministers to Independant and Presbyterian Congregations Address Francis Hacker, an Officer in the Army, desiring of him that he would send of his Soldiers to suppress that irregular Meeting; accordingly the Soldiers are sent, and Ap∣prehend Fox in the middle of the Assembly, bring∣ing him Captive to the Officer; who having exa∣mined him, sends him away Prisoner for London, to be Judged there, and undergo the condign Pu∣nishment

of his Offences. After some Years Hacker acknowledged that he did this by the Instigation and Influence of these Ministers; which Confession he made the very day before he was hang'd, having been found guilty of the Murder of the King. Fox arriving at London, is laid up in Prison; and after having lain some time there, is carried to Court, to appear before Cromwel, then Protector. Cromwel, after having entertained long Discourses with him backwards and forwards, and given many Evidences of his Benevolence and Good-will towards him and his Faction, absolves him; ordering him to go into a large spacious Closet, whither he sent some of his Domesticks to entertain him with Discourse, and to invite him in the Protector's Name to Sup with him. But he refuses, and as having now ob∣tained all the Liberty he sought after, went away. Unworthy he was to have such an Opportunity put into his hands of Engaging and Obliging so great a Man, and of promoting both his own, and his Church's Interest, and also inconsistent with himself, who could not observe the same Measures with Su∣periour People that he did with those of an Inferior Rank. When the Protector's Domesticks told him, that Fox had refused to stay, he express'd himself after this manner: It seems therefore that this Peo∣ple is a Sect which no fair means, nor courteous deal∣ings can gain, whereas by these I have subjected all other Men to my self. In this course of Fox's Life and Ministry, which was properly nothing but a perpetual Pilgrimage, he began now to publish Books, in which he was more intent upon over∣turning the Religions of other Churches, than in building up a new one, or explaining and confirm∣ing those Doctrines that he press'd all Men to em∣brace: He wrote also many Letters, some to his Colleagues, admonishing and stirring them up to their Duty; others to those of a different Perswa∣sion, inviting and exhorting them to receive and entertain the Doctrines which he taught. And he carefully dispersed both the Books and Letters

(which he likewise caused to be Printed) through all the Counties of England. But as Fox was con∣stant and diligent in his Office, so his Adherents and Disciples imitated their Master, Preaching up and down with the greatest servour and alacrity, converting great numbers of Men, who not only associated themselves to them, but also signalized their Courage and Constancy in the patient endu∣rance of all manner of Labour, Fatigue, and Per∣secution it self, that they might not seem to recede from the Example and Pattern of their Ring-leader Fox. They met frequently together in every City or Town, either in Houses in the Night-time, or in the Fields, Desart Places, and Mountains, where the top of some rising Ground served for a Pulpit to the Preacher. Being therefore that they thus persisted in their irregular courses, the Magistrates, whose Duty it was to prevent them, caused them to be Apprehended, cast into Prison, and kept there for some time. In the mean time Cromwel the Pro∣tector by an Edict discharges the Quakers to As∣semble or Congregate together Publickly, having observed that to be the mind of all the Publick Churches; but withal forbids either the Ecclesia∣sticks, or any other Men to do the least Injury or harm to them, while they committed nothing a∣gainst the Government and Publick Constitution of the Kingdom; and when any sollicited him to use greater Severity against the Quakers (as Hugh Peters his Chaplain frequently did, that Famous wrangler, that thought he could not exercise his Function of the Ministry aright, unless he filled all with Con∣fusion and Disorder by his Tumultuous Complaints) he returned this Answer, That, That Sect the less it was persecuted, the sooner it would fall and decay of its own accord. But this Order of the Protector had little or no Effect, for their Adversaries never wanted occasion of Accusing them of this Crime, and they themselves became daily more bold and resolute in celebrating these forbidden Assemblies. Hence ensued many Miseries upon the Quakers, and

oft-times Bonds; which they endured with the greatest Constancy imaginable, of which I give you one Instance. Fox continuing to disperse his Books and Letters, and keeping Conventicles and Meetings notwithstanding the Protector's Edict to the con∣trary; choosing rather to undergo the greatest Miseries, nay, the loss of Life it self, than to desert his Office, or desist from this his wonted Course; is cast into Prison at Launceston in Cornwal, and bound with Chains, under which Affliction he continued for a long time, as I shall afterwards shew, designing now to treat in order not only of the Actions of Fox, but of all the Society. While he was thus con∣••ined, and uncapable to do any Service to his Church, one of his Friends and Relations, who preferred the publick Good of his Sect, and of his Friend in particular, to his own Safety and Peace, goes to the Protector while sitting in Council, and desires of him that Fox might be exempted for his Captivi∣ty and Bondage, and he himself put into his stead; engaging himself to answer for his Crime, as if he were guilty of it himself. Though Cromwel de∣nied the Request, yet he could not cease to wonder, and looking to the Council, says, Is there any of you would do so kind an Office to his Neighbour, though it conduced never so much to his and the publick Advantage? But neither did the Adversaries of the Quakers want Occasion of accusing and ar∣raigning them for being guilty of raising Tumults, and rebelling against the Civil Magistrate, and Publick Government, as this one Example can in∣stance. There was at that time a great many foolish silly Men who were great pretenders to Re∣ligion, that used to raise their Spirits by wonderful Motions of their Bodies, and antick Gestures, cal∣ling it Piety and Sanctity: But on the other hand there was also many turbulent and factious Spirits striving to innovate and confuse all things, either upon a religious or civil Pretence; and if any such kind of Crimes were committed against the Go∣vernment by these turbulent Fellows, the Quakers

were accused as being the Authors, or at least A∣bettors and conscious of the same. But the Quakers did so enervate and nullifie this Calumny, that all Judges pronounced them innocent. It was true indeed, nor did they deny it, that many who pro∣fessed to be of their Society, were simple and foo∣lish, morose and impertinent, and not so polished in their Temper and Conversation, as their Do∣ctrine and Profession required; who made it their Business to run up and down the Streets, and fre∣quented Roads, shouting and crying with a hideous Noise and Clamor, exhorting the People to such Endeavours as they themselves knew nothing of; and who oft-times committed many Incivilities and Impertinencies. But they denied that this was peculiar to their Sect or Discipline; for they who had Authority among them reproved and se∣verely check'd such as were guilty of the like E∣normities, and threatned to expell them from their Society, unless they amended their Ways; of which more afterwards. About this time many Converts of various Stations and Professions were added to this new Church, and were afterwards invested with the Ministerial Function among them, who became famous, not only enlarging their own Credit and Reputation, but that of their Sect, both in the Island of Britain, and in the United Provinces of Holland; so that it shall not be im∣proper in this place to give some account of them, such as the designed Brevity of this Work may al∣low. William Ames flourished at this time, a Man of an acute Ingeny, and indefatigable Industry both in Teaching, Preaching, and Writing; and so much admired by these Men in this Country (Holland) that they do not stick to proclaim him a perfect Doctor. He was born in Somersetshire, near Bristol, but was ill educated in his Infancy and Youth, having applied himself to nothing that could be useful to humane Life. So that being of a lazy Temper and dissolute in his Life, he betakes himself to the Soldiery, that common Refuge for

Sluggards, and Covert to all manner of Wickedness, joyning himself unto the King's Army, which in those days was the most debauch'd and wicked Crew upon Earth. He first serv'd therefore in the King's Army till the Death of King Charles I. Then he becomes a Marine Soldier under Prince Rupert, in the Admiral's own Ship, in which were many Dutchmen, by whose Converse he acquir'd Know∣ledge of that Language: In the mean time he be∣gins to return to his right Wits, and repent of his by-past Actions and manner of Life. But because he was not capable of exercising any other Trade for pur∣chasing a Livelihood than that of being a Soldier, though he now despis'd a Military Life, as being liable to many Inconveniencies; yet he continued in the same Condition of Life still, even after his Mind was thus alter'd, joyning himself to the Parlia∣ment's Army then in Ireland, in which he was made Serjeant to a Company of Foot in one Ingoldsby's Regiment. He preferred being in this Army than elsewhere, because he thought there was many good Pious Men in it, and Military Discipline better ob∣serv'd. Moreover, many in that Army, both of Officers and Centinels were of the Sect called Bap∣tists, (who do not differ from the Presbyterians save only in this one Point, that they do not Bap∣tize the Members of their Church, till they give publick Confession of their Faith, and engage for their own behaviour) of whom Ames entertain'd very favourable Thoughts; and having joyn'd him∣self to their Church, became first an Elder, and then a Minister in the same. It happened, that while Ames was residing at Waterford, a Town in Munster, Francis Howgil, and Edward Burrough came into Ireland, and to that same very Town, in order to meet and converse with the Baptists, whom they they thought, of all Men, the most accommodated and disposed for reception of their Religion, and accordingly came into their Meetings, and discours'd unto them of those Mat∣ters: Ames gave great Ear to all their Discourses;

for his Mind was yet fluctuating and unsettled in his own Religion, the Cares and Thoughts of his by-past Life afflicting and distracting his Mind; and in a short time apostatizes from his own Church to the Quakers, among whom he became a Preacher, discharging that Function to the great Satisfaction and Contentment of that Party. He wrote a Tractate entituled A true Declaration of the Witness of God in Man; in which he relates and explains what Sense he had of the Divine Light within him from his Infancy to his Conver∣sion, and what Resistance he gave to the same. Contemporary with him was Stephen Crisp, an a∣cute and polite Meeter, who if he had added the Study of those Arts and Sciences call'd Liberal, to the Promptness and Agility of his Wit, he had gi∣ven wonderful Specimens of Learning: He lived in Colchester in Essex, a Weaver by Trade; he serv'd in the Parliament's Army some Years, ha∣ving abandoned his Trade, not so much for love of a Military Post, as for the Defence of his Li∣berty and Religion; so that he did not suffer him∣self to be tainted with the Vices of Soldiers, but lived honestly and devoutly; at length wearied with Fatigue and Labour, he returns again to his old Trade, having professed himself a Baptist; at which time James Parnel came to this Town (he was the first of the Quakers that preached their Doctrine in this Place) where he taught and disputed publickly. Crisp and his Father hearing him and being moved with his Discourses, turn Quakers; but the Son becomes a Preacher: He died at London in September 1694. Contemporary with them was Thomas Green, in his youth a Coachman, but now a Dealer in Merchandize at London, and John Higgins a Cobler at Dover; both Men of brisk Ingenies, and much esteem'd by their Associates: Also John Crosby, a Gentleman of Bed∣fordshire, and Justice of the Peace, famous for all manner of Learning, an eloquent, neat and accu∣rate Man, both in his Discourses and Writings: Also

Josiah Coaly of Bristol, a Gentleman, who in his youth having come with his other Companions to a Quakers Meeting to ridicule and mock them, was so taken with their Discourses, that he forsook that Course, and was afterwards so much affected and mov'd by the Counsel and Advice he received from two of their Preachers, that he incorporated into their Family, undertaking the same Office with them of teaching others, while he was yet but twenty Years of Age: It is said of him, that in Prayer and Supplication he did it with so much Ef∣ficacy, with such a Grace and Mode of Speech, tho' without Affectation, that he infinitely surpassed many of his Brethren. He spent most part of his Life in Travels, extending his Doctrine to se∣veral parts of the New-World, resolutely encoun∣tering all Dangers, even that of his Life it self. Another Contemporary was Isaac Pennington the younger, a Gentleman also of good Birth, whose Father was Mayor of London, and a Man of eminent Vertue, civil and humane to all, and much belo∣ved of the Citizens, had not he by his Consent embru'd his hands in the Blood of the King. His Son had added to the Splendor and Nobility of his Birth, a diligent Study of all Liberal Arts, and was much exercised in Learning, not that he might gain or live by it, for he had whereupon to live with a handsome and magnificent Port; but that he might adorn and beautifie himself, and be capa∣ble to help and assist his Brethren. He spent not his Youth as many do, whose Fortunes and Ex∣pectations are l••rge and magnificent, in Idleness and Debauchery, or in pampering his Belly, and living intemperately; but in pursuing eagerly and diligently his Studies, exercising his Ingeny with such Exercises as might be profitable both to him∣self and others. He had wrote and published ma∣ny Books, full of Learning and Eloquence before the Name of a Quaker was so much as heard of. After he became a Quaker he wrote several Theo∣logical Tractates in a grave, plain Scriptural Style.

The last, I shall mention, that liv'd about this time, was Charles Marshal of Bristol, a noted Phy∣sician then at London. These were the Men that have over-run all Britain and the Netherlands, not as Emissaries, but as Ringleaders and Heads of the Party. I forbear to mention the Carews, the Bailzies, the Smiths, and many others. I have selected these, not as the Periods and Order of Time conjoyn'd them, but as they were noted and famous both among the Quakers and others. But I cannot pass by Samuel Fisher, whom they all extoll for the Credit and Pillar of their Church, and never speak of but with the greatest Panegy∣ricks: a Man singularly learned, and wonderfully eloquent, because of his accurate Knowledge of the Greek and Latin Antiquities, which stuck so to him, even after he changed his Religion and Life, that the Writings which he published since that time, relish much of the same; though I be∣lieve it fell out so contrary to his Will and Design; at leastwise it is repugnant to the Natures, Customs and Practices of these Men. His Parents had de∣signed him for a Minister to the Church of England, and kept him (while a Boy) at Schools and Colleges, in which his Diligence and Progress was so great that he surmounted most of his Fellows. His Mind led him mostly to the Study of Eloquence, Rhetorick and Poetry, which were the Sciences he put the greatest Value upon; so that, as the Ro∣man Orators used to say, he kept Commerce with all the Muses, that is, he read and perused all O∣rators and Poets. Having ended this Academick Course, he was made a Presbyter of the Church of England, and became Pastor to a Church in the House of some Nobleman, who was likewise a Man of Eminent Piety and Vertue: He demean'd himself in this Function so well, that the Report of his Fame invited those who knew how to Judge of his Ability and Skill for greater things to ad∣vance him higher, to some more dignified Place; accordingly he obtains a Living in Kent, of five

hundred Pounds a year. While he lives there, one of his own Acquaintance and Friends, called How∣ard, solicits and disturbs him frequently about his Religion and Profession and many Rites and Ceremonies used in the Church: This made Fisher begin to doubt and fluctuate within himself, what he should make of his Hearers. There came to him, much about the same time, a Baptist, (a Man of no Learning, at least what is properly accoun∣ted Learning, but of a sternly Countenance, and supercilious Looks, of a ready but flattering and deceitful Tongue, which knew how to brand all the World besides with an infinity of Vices, but to conceal or disguise those of his own Society; extol∣ling and commending all their Actions, gilding o∣ver their Errours and Delusions with counterfeit Glosses) who seeing him waver and fluctuate in his Mind, accosts him with many fair and specious Words, and those frequently turning over the same Crambe, till at length he could endure his Discourses no longer; as we see it frequently fall out, that when Men cannot enervate the Objections of their Adversa∣ries or discover their Fallacy, they yield to them, and forsake the Truth; and accordingly he cast off his Reli∣gion, divests himself of his Office, and returns to the Bishop Diploma, which he had got for to confirm his undertaken Office, and joyns to the Church of the Baptists, becoming a Diphabus, or true bap∣tiz'd; believing That the only true Means to be in∣corporated into the City of God, and numbred a∣mong his peculiar People. Being thus destitute of so good a Living, he contented himself with a little he had of his own, and Farm'd a little piece of Ground in the Neighbourhood, by which he had enough to live upon, exercising this innocent and pleasant Trade of Life, till at length he be∣came a Baptist Minister. About which time Caton and Stubs came to that Country, and went to vi∣sit Fisher, who receiv'd them in his House very kindly, treating them as his Friends and Intimates, though he had scarce known them before. But they

did not press him much to comply with their De∣sires for this first time, lest by their preposterous Haste, they had seem'd to encroach upon his Li∣berty; yet when they returned again a second time, they inculcated and repeated more vehemently, and frequently what they had spoke to him before: Up∣on this he began to waver and consulted his Collegue Hammond upon the Matter, who was much wrath with him, expostulating the Matter very sharply before the whole Congregation: At length Fisher forsakes both the Baptists Society and the Office he was cloath'd withal, becoming, in a short time, not only a Professor but a Preacher and a zealous Propagator of Quakerism. He wrote many Books in Defence of that Religion, among which is a no∣ted one entituled, The Country-man to the Vniver∣sity-Scholar; in which he refutes the Arguments of his Adversaries with many pretty and cunning Ex∣pressions. So much for this Man. But because I have already spoke of the Writings of this Man, it is to be remark'd, that all these Men I have hitherto mention'd from the beginning of this Treatise, did write many Books, nay, great Volumes, if they were all gathered together, which were published after their Deaths: For it is a Custom among the Quakers, that when any famous Writer dies, they pick up all his Writings and print them together, prefixing for a Preface the Testimony of some no∣ted Men of their Society, of the Integrity and Worth of the dead Authors; that so those who are bereav'd of their Natural Life may still live in the Memories of their Followers.

These new Ministers, and many others not men∣tioned, divided themselves into several Provinces, some of them going up and down England, others travelling into Foreign Countries, all diligently solliciting and inviting Men to be Converted; while, in the mean time, Fox the Head and Prince of that Society, was incessantly proceeding in the Exercise of his Ministry in England, not daunted or discouraged by all the Evils he grapled with. He had a Custom, when he designed a Visit for a∣ny

City, Town, or Village, to premonish and ad∣vertise them, by Letters and Emissaries, of the Time of his coming, and Place of abode, that all who had a mind to hear him might have timous Advertise∣ment to resort thither. In the Years fifty six, and fifty seven, he traversed Somersetshire, Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, Devonshire and the neighbouring Counties. At Bristol in Somersetshire, there was at one time a Meeting of above a Thousand of the Inhabitants and Neighbours of that Place, in some Woody Place near-by. A little thereafter, above Two Thousand assembled in one Place in Wiltshire. So much Footing had this Sect taken in these Coun∣tries; and so many Followers and Adherents had Fox in all the Countries he had been in, among whom were many not ordinary or mean Persons, but noted and conspicuous Men; some of them Men of Authority and Trust in the Nation, who shook off that Dignity and the Honour that at∣tended it, and part of whom became Ministers to the Sect. And the more Resistance or Opposition was offered to them in their Meeting and Congrega∣ting, the more resolute they were in pursuing their wonted Course. So some were ordered to watch and observe them, keeping Watches and Guards in the Streets and Roads near to the Houses and Places where they used to assemble; and as many as were catch'd were imprison'd, insomuch that the Number of the Prisoners and Captive Quakers was seldom under a Thousand. By this time Fox had purpos'd to go for London, and communicate the Light of his Doctrine to the great Crowds and Confluence of People in that great and populous City, thinking that the most probable way of promoting his Design. And in his Journey thither, stay'd some time upon the Road, losing no Op∣portunity of propagating his Religion; taking Ad∣vantage in the Inns and Taverns, to apply himself to the other Lodgers, admonishing them to take good heed what Religion they profess, also to send hither and thither to invite all that feared God to come into the Inn and hear him speak or dispute

about religious Matters. In which Course he gave the People Occasion of putting Tricks upon him, and was several times so serv'd, as the following Examples can Testifie; which I should have ta∣ken for Fabulous, and thought unworthy to be here inserted, were they not confirm'd, not only by the Relations of People that were present, but by his own Mouth to his Followers, and handed down to Posterity by his own Writings, as me∣morable and true. At Farnham, after having preach'd somewhere in that Town, he retires to an Inn, desiring the Master of the Inn if he knew of any pious, good People, to give them Adver∣tisement to come to him in the Inn: According∣ly many came, some Men of Honesty and Reli∣gion, others more subtile and cunning than good or religious. They all heard him preach and ex∣press himself with a great multitude of Words. After he had ended, most of them go away; and some few stay, desiring the Master of the Inn to cause a Fire to be made in the very same Room, (where he had preach'd) for it was now cold Weather, and to bring them something to drink. In fine they sate there drinking all the rest of the day, notwithstanding all the Entreaties and Solicitations Fox us'd to perswade them to be gone, and demean themselves as good and sober Men; and at length went away without paying their Reckoning which they left upon Fox who had invited them thither. The Tapster came and call'd for the Reckoning from Fox, who declin'd such an unjust thing, using many Reasons to the contrary. The Man, who minded his Money most, pressed him the more to pay it. At length, Fox seeing that he could not perswade him to desist, paid the whole Sum, writing a Letter to the Magistrates, full of Wrath and Indignation, warning them to take notice what manner of Citizens they had, and to take some Measures for reclaiming them from the like Insolen∣cies. The next day he lights at an Inn in Lemnan, which he found full of Stage-players, Musicians, and Quack-doctors: After he and his Companions had

put up their Horses, and refresh'd themselves, they agreed upon some Problems among themselves of the Natures of Diseases, and the use of Medicine, and towards the Evening presented the same to that Company, in order to be consider'd upon and an∣swer'd while they lodged in the House. They reje∣cted their Proposal, flouting at them for Mad-men; but Fox and his Companions took this ill, and caused the Theses to be stuck upon the Mercat-Cross, to be subjected to publick View after they were gone. At London Fox was not so forward as elsewhere, for he did not disturb the Publick Chur∣ches, nor raise any Tumult or Crowd in any place, but behaved himself more cautiously than he used or desired to do. Before his coming thither, many of great Note had been converted by the Ministry and Influence of Burrough: And these frequently assem∣bled together with Fox, who had many Discourses among them, and to the People; but after all his utmost Efforts he gain'd but very few new Prose∣lites, which was much contrary to his Expectation, having fill'd himself with great hopes of the Success of this Journey. However he contents himself to stay a while longer in this City, where he could see and hear so many things, and be inform'd of every thing done in the whole Kingdom; as also see and observe what o∣pinions Men entertain'd concerning the Progress and State of his Religion all over the World. At length ha∣ving view'd enough of that City, and satisfied himself, he makes for the Country. There was about this time a great Multitude of People in Wales, who being of an unsettled and fluctuating Temper, and fond of every thing New or Singular, abandon'd their former Religion, and professed Quakerism; which Conversion was chiefly wrought by Howgil, Vp-John, Wilkinson, and others. Thi∣ther did Fox direct his Course, though quite igno∣rant of the Welsh Language. At first when he came and happened to preach separately from his brethren, his Labour was all or most part in vain since so many of his Auditors either understood not his Dialect, or were quite ignorant of his Lan∣guage

(for his Mother-Tongue was the only Language he knew.) But afterwards, when he took into his Society some of the Na∣tives of that Country, all the Progress he could make, was, that he preached sometimes among those of his own Perswasion; and those of his As∣sociates that understood English explained it in Welsh to the rest. So that these his Interpreters were more Instrumental in propagating this Interest than he; among whom the chiefest was Vp-John, who had for a long time resided in this Country, apply∣ing himself diligently to the Conversion of those People, of whom he perswaded not a few to be Quakers. These Interpreters were Fox's Predecessors in this Country, who being back'd by him, run up and down in the Country, the Cities, the Streets, the High-Roads, &c. inviting and exhorting all Men to repent, and these their clamorous Harangues had so much effect upon these People, that no Country in England was so fertile of New Converts to Quakerism as Wales.

And thus did the Sect, Doctrine, and Religion of the Quakers in so short a time spread over all England, to the year one thousand six hundred and fifty eight, in which Year these Men proceeded to that height of boldness that they appointed a General Assembly out of the whole Realm to be held in the House of John Cross, being a Place that was large and capacious for that purpose, in the County of Bedford; thereby, as it were, shewing and up∣braiding their Enemies to what increase both of Number and Strength they were now arrived, and seeing that they had not before despaired of the Progress, and Improvement of their Affairs, that they were also now full of hopes to bring them to perfection, and altogether assured thereof. There did the Messengers of each particular Congregation meet, being accompanied with a great number of others, who came not to speak, but to see only▪ Here were such Matters transacted as referred to their spiritual Laws, and tended to the upholding of their Communities; and the Council was cele∣brated

for three whole Days: I have said a little before, how Howgil and Burroughs were the first that brought the Opinions of the Quakers into Ireland, and particularly to Waterford: This was done in the Year fifty five. In the very same Year were these Men followed towards the carrying on the same Work by one Man, whose Name was Lancelot War∣dal, and three Women, Rebecca Ward, Elizabeth Fletcher, and Elizabeth Marshal: But those for a long time made so little Progress in their Affairs, that the Religion of the Quakers was universally un∣known there, that the very Name it self came not, or at leastwise nothing but the Name within the Verge of their Knowledge. The foresaid Burroughs was now the first Man that introduced these Opi∣nions into Scotland, who a little while after was fol∣lowed by Alexander Parker, who before he took up∣on him this new Function, exercised the Trade of a Butcher; which came to pass in the Year fifty four; but by the Means of these Guides and Teachers there appeared a greater Concourse of People in Scot∣land that espoused the Quakers Cause, and conse∣quently frequenter Meetings of them, whom when the Nobility and Magistrates, who from the dispo∣sition and usage of the Nation, do not easily admit of a strange Religion, opposed them, they did the more firmly and intensly hold to it; until at length a Persecution ensued, and that Persons were or∣dered into their Houses, to disturb their Meetings, and hale the Men to Prisons, and some they detained and handled severely for a long time; but for Bre∣vity's sake I shall add no more hereof: But of Fox I have this further to say; in the year fifty seven he lived in Cumberland, upon the Borders of Scotland and so went thither, who, though he were ignorant of the Tongue, yet knowing and confiding in his Companions, which he took along with him, and whom he was about to meet with there, he made use of them for his Interpreters; this man with his Friends have frequent Conferences in Houses about the Unity of Religion, often preaches amongst them, and goes about all Places, seeking to

find out, or to make known, if he could, more of his Mind. The which he endeavoured to effect with much Labour and Toyl, yet he failed of his purpose; for when he sometimes sent out his Messengers to invite Men to hear him Preach, and appointed both Time and Place for that purpose, it so happened now and then that there was not one Man came near him: Besides this, he made it his business here and there in the Streets where he found a concourse of People, to allure Men to him, but with the like success. Fox also with a few Followers directed his Course to the Highlanders of Scotland, who are Men of rude and unpolished Natures, which when they came to hear, they came down from the Hills to meet them, and drove them back with their Weapons: Upon this, Fox goes to Edinburgh, the Capital City of the Kingdom, which when the Council came to know, who were not ignorant of Fox's Methods, and fore∣seeing he would not be wanting there also to play his usual and giddy Pranks, they cite him to appear before them, and gently require him, if he had no Business in those Parts, thence to depart. Fox withdraws, but very slowly, visiting in the mean time other Towns and Places, and trying to bring over Men to his Party, but, as I said, to no ef∣fect. Fox and his Companions during the time of his sojourning in Scotland, endeavoured both by Libels, which Fox together with his Followers and Associates wrote, and by their Railleries to render the Doctrine and Articles of Faith of the Scotish Church as odious and hateful to Men as possibly they could. Wherein they so demeaned themselves, that the Scots thought nothing enough to be said concerning the Impudence, Revilings, and Cheats of those Men; for they charged the Ministers of that Church, and perswaded their Followers, that that Church taught such Articles of Faith, par∣ticularly concerning Divine Election and Reproba∣tion, and the Providence of God, concerning the sins of Men, according to their ungrounded Opi∣nions and fardled Consequences, as that Church not

only never taught, but such also as she abhorred. Moreover as the Scots, as well as the English, and also divers of the Reformed Churches, called the Lord's Day, whereon Christians abstaining from their daily Labours, give up themselves to the Wor∣ship of God, as 'tis vulgarly phrased, the Sabbath∣day, or day of Rest, according to the Appellation of the Ancient Sabbath of the Jews; and seeing it did manifestly appear, that all the Scotch Churches did strictly observe that day, and during the whole time abstained from their Labours, and demeaned themselves as reverently and decently as they could, Fox and his Companions wrote and preach'd every where, that the Scots did wickedly Profane the Sab∣bath-day, by keeping of Fairs, and doing of many other momentous things appertaining to their daily Labour and Business; the which when they were enforced to explain themselves, they did it in this manner: That the Scots did those Works on the last day of the Week, but that that day was truly the Sabbath-day, according to God's Com∣mand delivered to the Jews. Moreover, Fox had this up in the whole course of his Ministry and Pe∣regrination even to this time, in what place, at what time and part soever of the day he sate any where, and discoursed with Men of his own Sect, though there were but two or three present, and that they only saluted one another, this he called, to have had, to have found an Assembly, as it were of Men, for the Professing of their Religion; and that the number of their People had so much increased. But if there were any of his Auditors who did not cry out against them, but were at∣tentive to what was delivered, and took any thing under consideration, them he called convinced Per∣sons and Associates; and when it happened that at any time he met with some who prest him with some ingenious and sharp Answer or Question, or Argument; when he was not able to make Answer again, or resolve the Question, or enervate their Arguments, he went his ways, or thus put off the

matter; That it was a weighty and dangerous Dis∣quisition, that there were some Persons who made it their business to wrangle, that it was a thing he did not care for, and that he was very unwilling to Discourse with such Men: And whereas there were not a few of the number of those that joyned with Fox and the Quakers, who were part of that vast multitude that dissented from the Publick Church of England, and such also as exercised the Functi∣ons of Preachers, and that some of these Men were of scandalous Lives, Tiplers, and Alehouse-keepers, Fox when he acquainted his Party with his Progres∣ses among Men, all these without any distinction did he call by one and the same name of Professors, Presbyters, Teachers, and by such other names, as were commonly used to be given to the Members and Ministers of the Publick Church, thereby drawing no small Envy and Scandal upon that Church. And all this Fox hath carefully set down in his Journal-Books, and wrote to his Friends, who believed, appro∣ved, and published it all. Moreover, Fox as often as he made mention of any business that was transacted conjoyntly by himself and Friends, if any thing was well managed therein, there was no Name so much celebrated as his own, and he was more espe∣cially a great Publisher of his own Affairs; but these things I shall not pursue at large, nor the History of Fox, as studying brevity; the Order both of the Thing and the Time requires that I should shew more particularly, what has been the Cause, Oc∣casion, and Original, wherefore so many Men should so suddenly, which is a very hard thing, fall away every one from his own Church and Religion to that of these Quakers. The Principal Reason here∣of seems to be, in that Men, among whom there were really many who were desirous to live Piously and Religiously, and to lead a truly Christian Life, did imagine, that they saw so much Corruption every where, if not in Doctrine, yet in Rites, and most assuredly in the Manners of all Societies, that would be accounted and called Christians, and even Protestants, that if any one persisted in Commu∣nion

with any of them, he might very well diffide and despair of his Salvation; and that indeed there was at this time either no Church, or that this Church which these new Teachers pretended was that wherein a Man might and ought to render his self secure, and come into a saveable state. And though many who joyned themselves to this new Sect, did not give such exact Accounts of their Thoughts and Affections, yet they who were found to be more wise and intelligent than the rest, judged they were able to give such Reasons as were most valid for this their departure and new Confederacy. And seeing that those who had never been without the Bounds of their own Native Country, enter∣tained so ill an Opinion chiefly of the English Churches; those who also passed into and travelled Foreign Nations, passed the same Judgment upon the rest of those other Churches; therefore did these chiefly and in the first place charge the English Churches with such great depravedness and corrup∣tion; and of these they did more especially re∣prehend those, that to this time under the Kingly Government did prevail by Publick Authority, which from the Bishops their Authors and Rectors they called Episcopal; that is, they did so blame and revile this Hierarchy, or Spiritual Power, Order and Degree, Rule and Lordly Jurisdiction; yea, their Harshness and Tyranny towards those who dissented from their Religion, or seemed to be in the wrong, who yet out of no Obstinacy, but only from a tender Conscience, could not joyn with them; the Magnificence and Pomp, gross Idleness, Remissness, and Delicacy both of their Prelates, and all the rest of their Clergy or Ministers of the Word that were under them; moreover such a bun∣dle of Ceremonies or Rites in their Churches and Sacred Communions, and Collection of Lessons, Singings, and Prayers, the forms whereof to be so strictly followed, with the Observation of Holy Days. Lastly, besides this, the Sloth, Incontinency, and Lasciviousness of the whole People in words

and deeds, that from hence it came, that not only the Quakers now at length, but many other Socie∣ties of Men, long before the Quakers were born or known, separated themselves from the Communion of that Publick Church. And thus did they heap up as much suspicion of Corruption upon that Church as they could, and stirred all Men to Envy and implacably to hate her: Now as these Men did chiefly by this blot and censorious Discourse vilifie the Episcopal Churches, and so fiercely and violently inveigh and bellow against them, so did they next fall upon accusing of them, called by the name of Presbyterians, in as severe and harsh a manner, who notwithstanding had not only long since withdrawn themselves from under the Government, Order, Rites, and Methods of the Episcoparians, but also sharply opposed them, and were now after the Abolition of Episcopacy, and the taking away of all that Ceremonious Worship, and after the be∣heading of the King, and almost an entire extin∣ction of the Regal Name, intensly bent upon the Reformation of the whole Church: These from the first beginning of their Church they did own to be no bad Christians, and that some of them did excel, and continued to be such, as all ought al∣ways to be, both in the Faith and Rule of Life, but that afterwards they became by degrees more and more changed, and that for some time neither that Care and Attention to God's Spirit, no, nor to the Word which they professed to have, was to be met with amongst them, but that they were found to be puffed up with much confidence, hope, and assurance in their own even External Performances, and that many of them had more the shadow than real Vertues of Christians, and more Vices under a shew of Vertues. Now, though among all the Parties they entertained the most esteem for those Independants, which they call Brownists, yea, and for those whom they call Baptists, yet they objected against these, that they had indeed great Love and Affection for their Religion, but

that they were very much wanting in a Spiritual and true Love to God, and in Unanimity and A∣greement amongst themselves; and that they were very rash and morose towards such as dissented from them, and sometimes full of Cruelty and Harshness. For as to those others, who also would be accounted Independants, them they looked upon as Hypocrites, who had a shew of Religion in their Countenances, and at their Tongues ends, and who while they saw many Vices with great clearness, and resented them in others with much clamour and a scornful contempt, were themselves inwardly full of the most secret and worst of Vices. Moreover, as the Quakers did censure so hard of the Churches of England, they did most grievously in∣veigh against those, whom these Churches looked upon as their Guides, Teachers, and Pastors; and did conclude that the Original Stock and Seed of all that Calamity did arise from them; to wit, that while they profest it to be their business to dis∣charge that Office of Teaching and of Guiding-Men in their Spiritual Concerns, and seemed to give up themselves entirely thereunto, did some of them desert their Work, others were slothful and negli∣gent, others did indeed publickly discharge their Office, and many times with a loud Voice, but had privately no regard to their Work, but only con∣sulted their own Profit, and served their own Turn, preferring the same before the Common Good of the whole Church, and that so indeed they fed their Peoples Ears with words; but in like manner to stick to their Manners, and to that which comes to pass by their Examples, this they thought by the same Doctrine to be honest and not unlawful. There were more especially two things, which these Men could not bear in those Rulers and Ministers of the Publick Churches; one of which was this, In that they in lieu of their Labours in Preaching of the Gospel, and discharging of their Office amongst their People, did not only receive a Reward, which they did indeed bear with, but such an one as was

certain and by Compact, almost always a great, sometimes a greater, now and then the greatest Sum, not only from the Publick Annual Profits, but also from the Incomes of Private Persons, and that even of such, who had scarce of their own whereon to set their Foot; from the Fruits, Cattle, Services, Annual Profits, Marriages, Christenings, Funerals, and other things; which same if any alike were not, yet some in gathering of those Pro∣fits, were so severe and hard-hearted, that they re∣duced the poorer sort to beggery; such as were able and not willing, and whom they could not bring to Reason, they subdued by Force, of whom they said, they were driven thereunto from the only de∣sire of Lucre and Gain, and so lived upon their Ministry, worse than Porters, Watermen, and such sort of rough Fellows; and that they were always craving, and that they went as often as they could to other Assemblies of Men, and to them especially from whom they hoped to receive most Advantage. Another thing against which these Men were very Angry, and highly complained, was this; That there was, and is still, such among those Men, who some of them cannot endure some of their own People and Citizens, differing from them in Matters of Religion, though very docible, and upon better Information, ready to obey, but throw them out, and eject them; others they vexed, tormented, and fined; and those same Persons did this, who for such severity had themselves called upon God and Men to bear Witness, and when they were able shook off that Yoke from their Necks, and esteemed, and do still esteem this Liberty as a great Blessing of God; of which two things the Quakers did so much the more complain, because they were at this time most touched and afflicted therewith. To this came to be added afterwards the Complaint and Lamentation of their Fellows and Companions in New-England, That there were Brownists there, who injured them various ways, and put some of them to Death: These being the same things, which

these Men did more particularly discommend, and so much charge upon the Churches of England, their Native Country: But those things which they generally and universally blamed, as well in these same, as in other Protestants abroad, were these: That this indeed is the Doctrine, Faith, and Profession of all those who are called by this specious Name, and love and take delight to be so called; that upon the differences being taken away by the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the bright appearance of the Gospel, that was between the beloved Nation of the Jews, and the rest of Mankind, whom by way of singularity and distinction, they called Gentiles; the Grace of God hath shined upon all Men, and that this coming of Christ, and those desireable and saving Tydings ought now to be preached throughout the whole World, and that this one thing was proposed unto all Men, who are made partakers of Christ, and of the Gospel, that as much as lies in them, both by Words, and good and pious Works, they gain over, and present unto Jesus Christ and to God, and bring into a salvable state, all those who are yet Christless. And moreover, that all would have and teach this, that Circumcision being taken away from among the People of God by Christ Jesus, which was of Old observed by the Jewish Na∣tion, and that the External Worship of that Nation being overthrown, to which this same Circumcision was annext, that now these are circumcised, who have that which Circumcision did then prefigure and typifie, and that which External Worship did represent, and that which all the Law and the Prophets did presignifie and promise, should be brought to pass and accomplished by Jesus Christ; and that there must needs have been those then who were true and real Jews, and such as were in Covenant with God, and that there are even now true Jews, that do heartily and sincerely Worship God; and that these are truly Christians, chosen by Christ, and made one with those Ancient Jews, that were so united to God, and therefore accepted with him, who serve God in the Spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the Flesh; and that this now is pure

Religion, and undefiled before God and the Father, to bridle the Tongue, so as to speak ill of, vilifie, ruine no Man, but charitably to Teach, Edifie, and Help ones Neighbour; and besides this, to visit the Father∣less and Widows, and to help as much as may be the poor, miserable, and distressed, and over and above to keep ones self undefiled from the World. But here did these Men interpose, and raise a clamour and noise, saying, That the Protestants did nothing less than any one of these things; neither did they stick to say, that all that Multitude was a dead Body, or a living Carcase, bearing only the name of Christians; and this they said, they would demon∣strate, thus pretending, That all Protestants, their Rulers, each Member of their Churches, were so little concerned about that Grace of God that was brought in by Jesus Christ, and is daily offered by him in the Gospel, that they had scarce one serious thought of their own, and not at all of the Salvation of others; and that they either declined to do any thing, or did what they could most slightly towards the Instructing of their own People, confuting of others, convincing of Strangers, and enlightning of Foreign and Remote Countries and Nations, where a gross Ignorance of Mind, and a debauched Life caused hideous Darkness, and for delivering of them out of the Jaws of Death, for the destroying of the Kingdom of Satan, and pro∣moting of the Kingdom of Christ in all the Parts of the Earth, as if the name of a Christian, which they avouch, were enough, and that that Happy Life were granted and tyed to them by a certain, private, and sure Law, and that others were to look unto themselves. Moreover that all of them did follow in those things, which belong to the Knowledge and Observation of Di∣vine things, not the Holy Spirit, who is the true and genuine Master and Guide, whom indeed they knew not, but their own and others Instructions, or their own Vnderstanding and Sense, drawn, if it happen so well with them, from the single and bare Reading of the Scriptures; moreover that they did herein flatter themselves, that they bare in their Mouths the Name

of Christ, held Communion with him, and partaked of his Benefits, but were therein miserably mistaken, in that they knew not who this Christ is, what it was to have Communion with him, and what his Benefits were, or that they by no means spake from their hearts those things they talked of, neither were they actuated in those things that were done by them, or which befel them, from an inward Principle, Motion, and Instinct; and moreover that they put their trust in Ceremonies, External Rites, Sacraments, and bodily Exercise, Publick and Private, which profiteth nothing, and that so they embraced a Shadow, neglecting the Thing it self. Lastly, That all of them, laying aside the Love they owed one to another, and passing by that Pity and Con∣cern which they ought to have for the adverse and troublesome Concerns of their Brethren and Friends, they were so divided and distracted among themselves, as well privately, with wranglings, Strifes, and Con∣tentions, and that often-times for things of no moment, and often by reason of the difference of ones Opinions, as Publickly with Wars and Devastations, and that many times for Trifles, and now and then because of the Diversity of Religions, and that they gaped after, and strove to accommodate themselves for the attaining all Honours, Riches, Pleasures, and such sorts of Va∣nities, and were at the least so conform to the Fashion of the Men of this World, that they could not be ac∣knowledged to be the true Disciples, and sincere Fol∣lowers of Jesus Christ. And these things, they said, were so clear and manifest, that if any one was conversant among such sort of Men, he should pre∣sently find work to interrogate his Eyes and Ears thereupon. Moreover they did blame, and lay this to their Charge: That there was scarce any foot-steps left among these Protestants of that Ancient Ecclesia∣stical Discipline, as well in respect to the Rulers and Ministers of the Church, as to the whole Church her self, and so from the Practice thereof they have all swerved to depraved disuse of such Discipline; so that now any Teacher that Publickly in his Pulpit does that work not altogether negligently and undecently, is

reputed a good Pastor; as to the rest, as long as any one owns his Religion with his Mouth, and serves the Shadows and Images of Godliness, though he be given to worldly and vain Lusts and Desires, this same is accounted to be a good Member of the Church, and is easily admitted to participate of all the Mysteries there∣of. From hence they went on to Doctrinals; and when they had particularly reproved many things in single Persons, this came generally to be repre∣hended in all, as if it were a common and recei∣ved Opinion: That Christ did all things for Man, and that this only is to be done by Man, That when any one sins most in the course of his Life, he must lay hold on Christ as a Mediator and Saviour, and lay claim to him without Works, and do his endeavour to follow the Command and Example of Christ in his Conver∣sation according to the measure of his strength, and that thus it shall be well always with every one, and when Death cometh, that the Bands of the Body must be loosened, there is a way opened for him into Heaven, wherein he shall enjoy Life Everlasting, where are all things, and that now is fully consummate, which was that very moment to be consummated. Finally, these Men went up higher, and came to the Schools and Universities, those Seminaries of the Church-Mini∣stry, and future Props of the Church, of all which this was their Complaint: That these Places were as vitious as might be, and that this was almost the com∣mon Practice of all Students, that they either did no∣thing, or but very little of those things that conduced thereto; and that they either alone, or one with another, as much as they could, pursue Pleasures, or that they who endeavoured to excel the rest, were only taken up with more remote and subtil Meditations and Disputes, and with the Methods and Arts of declaiming, and exercised their Minds therein; and did not improve the domestick Knowledge and Discipline of their own Minds, and cultivate their Thoughts and their Affe∣ctions with the true and absolute Knowledge and Vse of Godliness and a Spiritual Life; but that by such Me∣thods and Occupations as these are, some were set at

nought, and looked upon to be Foreign from such Stu∣dies and Scholastical Documents, and beneath the cares of such Wits and more Learned and Eminent Places. And that from hence some apply themselves to Ecclesi∣astical Offices, and attain thereto, others come in by begging of Suffrages, others by other Methods, whose Promotion is rendred difficult through the dulness of their Vnderstandings, and want of Elocution. Others who have a distinct Voice, and the knack of speaking, and are furnished with Oratorical Sentences, though they have no other Commendable Quality, do prevail, and so the People are indeed taught some things, yea, sometimes many things, but not such, or but very care∣lesly and negligently, as ought mostly to be insisted upon, as appertain to the Faith it self, tend to the amending of Life, and to Holiness; and so the People are as it were thus defrauded of their just Right. But though the Quakers accused and condemned all Protestants of Theft and such sorts of Vices, yet they granted that the first of them, of whatever Profession, were the best of all of them, as being such as were more upright than the rest, and set themselves in Oppo∣sition to those Corruptions, and did most prudently and gently advise and warn their Friends and Bre∣thren, and studied to amend and heal so great a Disease and Contagion as was crept into the Church, and for this purpose gave in their Help, Counsel, and Assistance. But they said, that this Diligence, Intention, and Study, fell but to the share of a few, and that the multitude resisted, and forthwith made a noise, and gainsaid, gave them an ill name, and endangered their Esteem, Business, and Fortune, and were so beset and hemmed in, that all their Labour was in vain, and they neither could, nor durst stir further. So things came now to that pass, that Men could easier and sooner bear Vices, and all manner of Evils, than Remedies for the same; and there was no way left then that those who were concerned for the Good and Salvation of their Souls, seeing there was so great, insuperable, and deadly a Plague, withdraw themselves and depart; from

hence therefore sprung these Quakers Grief, hence their Tears; first, by reason of the English Churches, and especially of the Episcopal, then of other Re∣formed ones, and this chiefly because of the Rule, Order, and Discipline, and the Lives and Manners of the Men, not so much by reason of Doctrine, yet so, as that they themselves acknowledged, that there were in these same Churches many Teachers, who reproved, be••ailed, and endeavoured to amend some things which the Quakers so much carped at, so as that the thing which the Quakers wished for, was not to be despaired of. And this was the oc∣casion of the Schism of these Men, or their with∣drawing from the Church, and from an hatred sprung-up, heat and burning against the whole Church of England, and afterward against the rest of the Reformed Churches, and at length against all Protestants; which cause they so laid hold on, not that every one should continue in his Church, no, not in those whom they confest to be less cor∣rupted than the rest, and their endeavour to set things to rights, as stated Reformers, who ought; and knew, would and durst, as being of a great Capacity, and most patient of Labour, and also of Injuries; but that they should forthwith forsake all the Churches, and as it were, pluck down such as they could not change and renew, and leave no∣thing for Charity, Hope, and Patience, as a per∣severing Good often overcomes the Evil. But and after they had thus forsaken those Churches, many of them did not with Grief and Compassion disco∣ver those Vices, neither did they as became Chri∣stians, gently, and discreetly advise the wandring, and such as were out of the way, and bring them kindly back again, but did most bitterly and invi∣diously relate all things, and cast all manner of Re∣proaches upon those Churches, and as it were set upon the Men in an Hostile manner, and drew to∣gether and united into a Mutual Confederacy in this War, though no ways injured, nor provoked, nor indeed entertained with an hard word; and this

in such a manner, as that all were frightned by them from the Community of such Churches, and from the entrances into them, and set them such Examples, as were much to be shunned, that there is no doubt to be made as concerning them who thus raged, but that they acted more from a desire and study of Novelty and Glory, than from a sincere and pious Mind; so that that Man who blames the Works of another, ought to take heed lest he be deceived himself, and to see 〈◊〉〈◊〉 while he is apply∣ing of Remedies for one Evil, other Evils arise therefrom; thus it was with the Brownists and Inde∣pendants many years before, who first separated them∣selves from the Church of England, because of the many Defects and Abases therein, and afterwards from the rest of the Reformed Churches, by rea∣son also of the unworthiness and want of Diligence which they imagined they saw in them; and even so now the Quakers, supposing they had the same Causes and Reasons for what they did, undertook the same thing, and that in such a manner, that supposing those fore-runners had not done enough; they began a new Schism, and did altogether con∣stitute and pursue a new Doctrine among themselves, a new way of Living, and a new Church; these they testified to be the causes they had, whenever they spake of their Undertakings, or conferred with others, or appeared before the Magistrates, and that in plain and direct words; and upon this Head did many of them write Books and Pamphlets (which upon such an occasion are much more efficacious and prevalent than larger Tracts) among which the most remarkable were published by Fox the In∣ventor and Introducer of these things, and Howgil, Pennington, and Whitehead, which last three were however more moderate in their Writings, than Fox was, to say nothing of the rest of them. These Pieces they also translated into other Languages, and dispersed through other Countries. Now I am come to that which has occasioned me to dwell so largely upon this Subject. And because I have

spoken of that Religion and course of Life, which these Men went about to overthrow, I have also deemed it seasonable and necessary, distinctly to set forth, what manner of Life and Doctrine that was, which they (after that they were increased to a Multitude, and so much polished and instructed under so many Masters and Teachers) then set up, and which is now maintained by all their Followers: For the Tenour of their Doctrine was the same as that of others, that they who framed it, should in process of time, from smaller beginnings polish and reduce the same into a greater Decorum and Order. Especially, in that they were more intent at first up∣on the destroying of the Religion of others, than upon erecting any new one of their own, and that they were at this time more given to an Active than a Contemplative Life, or than to that which consists in much Meditation, Enquiry, and strength of Understanding; thus judging with themselves, that to be a Christian, was not to understand pro∣found things, nor to speak of great Matters, but to live; from whence, as in former times, so also now these Men can no otherwise be compared, than with most Professors of Religion, be it what it will, that they are endued with greater Love and Zeal for their Religion, than a knowledge of it, and even many Teachers of the Quakers themselves not ex∣cepted: But yet there were some from the begin∣ning, as there are many at this day, that gave a good Account of their Religion, and explained it. Now the Doctrine of these Men consisted chiefly of four kinds; the first whereof was the Principle of Religion; another the Subject of the Divine Bene∣fits; the third, the embracing of them; the fourth and last, the way and manner of Communion. The first sort therefore was that which belonged to the Principle and Foundation of true and saving Know∣ledge, this with them was a clear and distinct Re∣velation of the Holy Ghost, either without the written Word, to wit, by Speech, or some Appa∣rition, or Dreams, or by the written Word, and

either this or that which we call the Holy Scriptures, or by some other; or else some certain way which is equivalent to the Word. For the Holy Scriptures, as we take that Word, is not to them a perpetual Medium, and such as is absolutely necessary, and the only and compleat Rule and Form of Faith and Manners; and here you may easily see, how far they differ from those, who while they own the Scripture, take away the Spirit, and substitute Reason in the room thereof; and how much from those, who acknowledge the Scripture as the only necessary Instrument, and the sole Rule of Faith and Manners: And that the Assistance of the Spirit is required towards our having a certain knowledge of the Divine Will, and performing of the same. The Second Head contained the Subject, on which the Divine Benefits are bestowed, con∣cerning which they thus judged and determined; That all Mankind, by the Sin and Fall of Adam, were utterly depraved and lost, so destitute of strength, and in so desperate and forlorn a condi∣tion, as that they were unable to think of that which is good; but that God did so universally love Mankind, as that he gave his Son Jesus Christ, and constituted him to be a Peace-maker between God and Man. Hence God bestowed upon all Men a new Birth, Himself, his Son, his Holy Spirit, the Light and Word within, and did by the same so stir up their Minds, even every one of them in his true Way, and peculiar Measure so as to under∣stand and perceive their Misery, and did so excite them, as that they at length sought God, and were converted unto him; which Light was yet effected sometimes by the Word from without, and lively Preaching; but then it was (they said) that that Light and Word was to be received of Men, when they did not resist the Divine Operation, but re∣ceived it, and being stirred up by God, they gave way to his Impulse and Incitement; but here, see∣ing there was none to whom the Doctrine of the purer Protestants upon this Head was known, and

to whom the Opinions of such as savoured of Pe∣lagianism, or in some part inclined to them, were not unknown, who did not think that the Quakers also pursued and imitated some such thing as these last mentioned; the Quakers hereupon cryed out, that they were much in the wrong, since indeed their meaning was, that either the Humane Na∣ture was not so depraved, or that there was some Natural Light remaining, whereby they may free themselves from that Vitiosity, and that God in∣deed joyns himself to such as do their endeavour, and helps them; so as that it is not the meer Grace of God, but in some sort Merit in Man, and that either some Word, or somewhat else is bestowed of God to this end, whereas the Quakers have no such thoughts. The next Article consisted of such Be∣nefits, which are peculiar to those, whom they said did not resist the foresaid Illumination, but obeyed it; for when this Article is known, and that which all Protestants teach concerning this matter, none will deny, but that there is a great deal of difference between the Opinion of Protestants, and these Men of whom I now speak apart; for this is that which they would have, that Christ having performed his Obedience, and suffered Death, ob∣tained for all Men indifferently to be brought into such a state, wherein they are capable of receiving of Christ into them; which when it comes to pass, that then Christ, who is altogether Holy and Just, exists in that Person, and lives, and operates, and that by that means the same Person, the Justice of Christ existing and operating in him, becomes him∣self Just, to wit, that the Depravation and Malice of his Nature is gradually unlearnt and laid aside, and greater proficiency daily made in Justice and Goodness, but yet so as that he may always sin, backslide, and fall into his former Darkness: But he may also arrive at that Perfection, so as not to sin at all, neither can that constancy in Good fail and cease; and seeing no one is happy but he that knows himself to be so, this same Man is even then

fully conscious of his own Felicity. The last Di∣vision of this their Doctrine was this, and which consists in the Measures and Mediums of receiving the Benefits, by which how much also these Men differ from those of whom I have spoken, will from hence be no hard matter for us to Judge: For they would allow no other Mediums and Aids herein, than watchfulness of Mind, and attention to that Light, which shines in the Heart of every Man, and to the Oracles of the Holy Spirit in the Scrip∣ture, or the Admonitions and Exhortations of Spi∣ritual Persons. And thus indeed did they receive and admit of the Ministry of the Gospel, but such a Ministration as every one ought to undertake, though in a different degree, being impelled there∣unto by the Holy Spirit alone, without the Voca∣tion of Men, without Price and Reward, and that even Women themselves should not be excluded from Teaching: This they would now have and require, that all Christians ought frequently to meet at certain Times and Places, to the end that they might Worship God and the Father with Bro∣therly and united Minds, and Instruct and Admo∣nish one another to the Observation of the Laws of God and Men, and to the exercise of Vertue and Modesty; but yet not so, as that their Worship should be confined to those Places and Times, so as that it must necessarily be undertaken, begun, and finished there and then, according to the Decree and Limitation of those Men; for that Worship should be performed by the Impulse and Assistance of the Spirit alone, who Acts freely, being con∣fined to no spaces or limitations; now they would admit of no Sacraments, Signs, or Seals of the Grace of God that were perceptible by the Senses, whence they assumed the Notion, that Baptism and the Lord's Supper is something that is inward and Spi∣ritual, and that those external Rites continued in the Apostolical Churches but as Figures for a time, until the substance of the thing it self was obtained. The Quakers spoke and wrote many things from

the very beginning of their Sect concerning God, and Christ, as they were in Men, and that Men sub∣sisted in them, and almost all their Discourse de∣pended hereon, but so as that it was hard, yea, im∣possible for a Man to understand what they meant thereby, or to cause any other to understand it. They began in process of time to explain their meaning more clearly upon this Head, and to be more open concerning it, and therein as it were placed the Foundation of their whole Doctrine, which shall be spoken of at a more convenient time: This therefore was the first Form and Description of their Doctrine; but as the Doctrine and Faith of these Men was admirable and singular, their Life and Conversation was no less; for this chiefly con∣sisted in Abstinence and Continency; they said, all publick and private Wars were forbidden by the Law of God, and they shunned all Acts of Revenge, and Resistance also, neither would they when they had any concerns with other Men, though before a Magistrate, and that the matter might require it, con∣firm their Asseverations with any Religious Affirma∣tion, much less with an Oath, and such ways, they said, were altogether forbidden: Moreover, they abstained from Pleasures, gay Cloaths, and super∣fluous Attire, and hated such ways and artifices as tended to Vanity and Pastime, as also Shews, Play∣houses, Plays, and all manner of Joking and Laugh∣ter; and besides these, they declined to use such Voices, Faces, Gestures, Motions, Salutations, Blandishments, Obsequiousness, and the like, which are commonly practised in the Societies and Inter∣views of Men, and go by the name of Vertues, or of Good Manners and Breeding, and did require this, That every one look after, practise, and per∣form, in a serious, prudent, sparing, sober, grave, and severe manner, all that which the Dignity, Ho∣nour, and Excellency of a Christian did require, and this both in words and deeds; and that they conformed themselves as much as might be to that way of Living. This is that Method of Living which

the Quakers from the very first rise of them have retained constantly to this very day; and they did indeed so extol this their Theology, as if this at last, and no other, did agree to the Constitution and Condition of the New Covenant between God and Man, and of the Instrument thereof the New Te∣stament, and as if it were the only one adapted to convince and lead all sorts of Men to the Reception of the Christian Faith, and to ingenerate true Piety towards God and Men. And as to what apper∣tained to the Life and Manners of them, they were themselves very sensible, how the Men of this World hated them, made a Laughing-stock of them, and accounted them as it were the scum and off-scour∣ings of Men, for the austereness and severity of their Manners, as being so opposite to the Conversation of Men, and as it were upbraiding the Folly of all of them. But as they bare this Misfortune with great Constancy of Mind, and said, that they shun∣ned nothing, feared nothing, besides what was really a sin, either against God or Men; so they also retor∣ted this, that all good Men, who own, that the Christian World hath long since groaned, and as it were, been fatigued with so many, and so great vi∣tiosities, Fooleries, and Juglings, ought to acknow∣ledge their Vertue, in that they durst batter and break through such common and inveterate Pravi∣ty and Perverseness with so much Inconveniency to themselves; though these Men did not deny, as Ex∣perience doth now also force them to confess, but that some of them were not such as they would have, and wished themselves, and all other Men to be, and that indeed there were at first, and are at this day some among so great a confluence of these Men, who hiddenly and craftily insinuate themselves into their Societies, and do follow rather their words than deeds, and not only pass over the Limits of that their so great Severity and Gravity, but do al∣so themselves commit those Vices, which they lay to the charge of others; and more especially do carry themselves maliciously and fraudulently in

their Negotiations and Dealings with Men, and set their Profession to Sale, and serve Persons and not Offices, and also accommodate themselves to the present times; but they say, they hate, despise, and are angry with such Men, yea, that they are a loathing to them, and that they make a diligent search after them, and if they find they will not be reclaimed, nor repent, that then there are severe Chastisements reserved for them, but and if not∣withstanding, they do not return, they order them to be cast out of their Community: But, as I have long before begun to say, there was so great a con∣course of Men to the Inventors and first broachers of Quakerism, and after they had associated them∣selves unto them, there was such a Zeal from time to time for this same Religion, and this Sect or way of Living, and on the other side so great an Emulation and Strife of other Men against these, that both sides seemed to strive, who should most fatigue and soonest overcome the other; concern∣ing which matter I have now at length determined to speak at large. This is that which those Men have professed of themselves, and such is the Te∣stimony they gave unto them, who daily joyned themselves to their Communion, that they were, and indeed had been of the number of those Men who had a great desire for and single Love to God, and their own Salvation; wherefore as Birds of a Feather do easily flock together, there were those of the multitude of every Religion, especially such, who had most Piety towards God, and were most desirous of the blessedness of their Souls, than which nothing is more desirable to Man, that betook themselves to their Society; they did confess they were now sensible of and bewailed, with what neg∣ligence, sloth, indifferency, and perverseness they had sought God before, and studied their own Sal∣vation, for which they should have been mostly con∣cern'd, and that they were desirous now to make amends for and compensate this Evil with so much the greater and more vigorous diligence in doing

good. Hence they had frequent Meetings together, and with united Minds turned to God, they pre∣sented themselves unto him, and stirred up one a∣nother to do the same: Thus they loved nothing so much as their Meetings, and did so exercise mutual Offices one towards another, that they were resolved rather to suffer any thing, yea, rather Death it self, than not do so. And now they affirmed that they pitied others, the wretchedness of all, and the com∣mon destruction, because that they were affected with no manner of care, no thoughts of their Sal∣vation, and that they had no other desire than to deliver them from such great danger and hazard of their Souls; hence it was that they used many words to such as they thought to be within the compass of such danger; whence many were daily enticed and brought over by them, and several were taken by no Word, but only Example; and seeing that all of them were of the same Mind herein, there was none or rarely any Dissention between them in regard to their Sermons or Speeches, no contempt of any Man's Parts, Condition, and Gifts; and thus every one, as gifted one way or another, bestowed upon and dispensed to one another, and divided his Talent among all, which is indeed the real Com∣munion of Saints; so also did the younger Men dis∣charge the Offices of a full Age, as did likewise Vir∣gins and Maidens, and neither did Women confine themselves to the discharge of their Duties towards their Husbands, which was only in use to this time, but publickly Taught and Preached; wherefore many of both Sexes were daily moved to betake themselves to this side, where they might have an Opportunity to shew what they were, especially Women, partly through the Inconstancy of their Natures, partly from a super-abounding Zeal and Love of Religion, and partly for to have a Publick Tryal of themselves, and also to Instruct Men be∣fore the Church; which only thing seemed yet to be wanting in this part of the World to make up the licentiousness of the Female Sex: Moreover, as

in England this Sex is looked upon as having a great power and ascendency by their blandishing demea∣nors over their Husbands, and such as belonged un∣to them, hence it came to pass, that many Families by their means did often joyn and unite themselves to these Quakers, though they were not so ready to receive and admit of these Men into their Society, and they did try each of them with all the exact∣ness they could; and though in the beginning a less number of Men joyned themselves to them, and that afterwards, and at this day, there is a much greater increase of them, that Custom of Womens Teaching and Discoursing publickly, did then, and more and more by degrees, and at this day almost universally wear out, and grow into disuse: Now their Assemblies, and the Worship performed in them, were without any charge to them, and if there were any of their number, poor and needy, these held the same Rank, and were had in the same Esteem with them as the rest, and them they relieved, according as their Wealth and Substance would bear, so as that laying aside all Ambition and Pride, its Price and Reward might be equally distributed to Vertue alone, and that every ones Probity might be only his own Com∣mendation and Praise; wherefore there were many, who were either not so much esteemed, or not so well relieved among their own Societies, who fled to these; among whom there were not a few found, who according to the old and common Contagion, made Religion only a Cloak for their Humility and Obscurity, and the nourisher of their Idleness; but there was a far greater cause than all this, and indeed there is nothing so opposite to Religion and Godliness, so much an Enemy to Reason, common Sense and Humanity, than to desire to Rule in such things as appertain to Religion over the Con∣sciences of Men, much more, to constrain Men in a violent manner, not to follow their Religion, which they believe they have received of God, and to compel and force them to embrace that Religion

which they loath and shun, and if they will do neither of these, to torment, oppress and destroy, and not to allow them a being among Men; for another thing is, if there are some, who cease not to be troublesome unto others, but are busie to de∣ceive them, to speak ill of their Religion and Or∣dinances, to disturb and infest them, and to ruine and destroy their Churches; and these if they be restrained and corrected; which not to do, and to tolerate such, especially if they be such, who sup∣pose this to belong to their own Religion and Church for to overthrow the Religion and Churches amongst which they live, were the same thing, as knowingly and wittingly to ensnare themselves, and to make way for and run headlong into their own voluntary destruction; and a great many People in former times in these Kingdoms have felt the smart of such a Persecution, and an innumerable Com∣pany of the best of Christians have felt the same from those very Persons, who had before under∣gone themselves that severe Tyranny from others; but in reference to the manner how this befel the Quakers in these Countries from the initiation of their Religion, Ways, and Manners, and by what right or wrong, these Men did afterward so bewail their hard usage, we shall take upon us a little more distinctly to set forth. For as the Doctrine of these Men was so opposite to the Doctrine of others; hence the same was every where charged with divers Accusations and Reproaches, as also Calum∣nies, especially by them, who, as it usually happens, followed only vulgar Reports, and were in the mean time ignorant of the Doctrine that these Men held. And since their manner of Living was so di∣rectly opposite to the Custom and Manners of all, and more especially in that they appeared very sad both in gate and countenance in the Streets, and in Company, and that some of them were very nasty in their Habit, and all of them silent, or of few words, and when they spake, used many other un∣usual Expressions, and them delivered slowly and

by piecemeals, and as it were by points, and espe∣cially if they treated of any serious matters, they made use of such sort of Protractions, Hesitations, and Delays, and expressed every word by syllables, and did not only not salute Men in the Streets, but utterly disused Salutation both in their approaches to and departures from Men, by which things, be∣ing as it were the Ensigns of this Sect, they were commonly known; hence it was that they were envied and hated of all that had to do with them. The Principal thing which drew upon them much Envy and great Calamities, was their first Violence and fierce Incursions both in their words and wri∣tings against the Doctrine and Faith of others, especially of them, who were within the Com∣munion of the Publick Church, even because of certain names and words that were used by the whole Church, and that for a long time, which if not literally contained in the Scripture, yet did a∣gree in the thing, and were consonant to other words and names in the Scriptures, but such indeed as seemed to be foolish unto them. Another thing was, their rashness and boldness in Judging, Con∣demning, Sadding, and Cursing of all and singular Persons, who did not agree with them in their mat∣ters, and such besides who were unknown had not been heard, made no defence, and so innocent as to any Injury done them, in the doing whereof, they were most forward, who held the first Rank amongst this Sect of Quakers; but besides these, there were divers others, but of a different condition, and who had this Property, to have little Wit, and to be thoughtful of nothing, but furnished with Impru∣dence and Impudence, that began some sort of Dis∣course in Publick Places, where there were most People, in a kind of clamorous manner, but with a very unpleasing Noise, and even stood in the Churches (which now the Quakers in general cal∣led Steeple-houses by way of Reproach) while Di∣vine Service was performed, with their Hats on, sometimes during the Sermons of the Ministers and

Common-Prayers (but such as they called Divina∣tions, disagreeing with themselves, and not know∣ing what they said) and sometimes after they were ended, suddenly uttered some uncouth words, and without shewing any previous Reasons, reprehended the doings of the former; yea, and detested them, as if they were wicked and accurst; and thus did they do those things themselves which they had blamed so much in other Men. There were some, who in a Mimical and Fool's Habit and Gesture of Body, did as it were either describe the Actions of Men in the open Market-places, or deride them, or did take upon them to fore-tell the Fate that should attend them. These were commonly such as were of meaner Parts and Fortune than the rest, and more especially of the Female kind; and even they who did these things, said, they did them by the Instinct of the Holy Ghost, and according to the Example of the Prophets, and of Christ and his Apostles, whom they contended to have been ac∣customed to have done such things openly in crouds of People, in the Temple, and other places, from whence the Fame thereof might pass into all places, and that there never was any Law made in England, that did forbid such things; thus over and above defending themselves with their Quibbles and also Law-Sophistry, to which also others of them, even their Leaders, added their Consent, there were others who neither approved of this Practice, nor blamed it. But this in process of time they all left and avoided; and hence it was that all Persons were not only alienated in their Affections from these Men, but also most enraged against them, and as often as they durst do any such thing, they were assaulted and had violence offered unto them. Though they notwithstanding all, were by no means deterred from it, but did continuedly repeat the same, having this their Opinion as a Brazen Wall unto them, neither regarding herein the words and deeds of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of those Holy Men, that we should beware of Men, and

should not provoke them, but so admit of those things which we may avoid, and run our selves into danger. Now, when the Quakers were brought into Courts of Justice, and put upon answering for themselves, they would not off with their Hats, nor call the Judges by Names suitable to their sta∣tion (which Honours they thought unlawful to be∣stow upon Men, and that it was a Worship that appertained to God alone) and when they were asked some things, as solemnly, descreetly, and mildly as might be, many of them shifted back∣wards and forwards, and made such Answers as were no ways to the purpose, and when th••s with∣out any further hearing of the Cause than this, they have been often thrust into Prisons, the same Persons have slighted and blamed their Judges to their faces, as the framers of such Laws, whereby they omitted what God and a good Conscience di∣ctated to them, or did that which was contrary thereunto; and others of the same Kidney did every where in their Sermons and Libels cast all manner of Reproaches upon those Magistrates be∣fore all Men, and imprecated all Evils upon them, and did as it were pronounce them by the Com∣mand of God, forgetting the Monitor and Author of that saying, That in such a case we should not delay to confess all our own failings, and also love our Enemies, and bless and do good unto them, and so be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect; whence it came to pass, that not only they who were thus deservedly committed by the Judges, but also such as thus maintained their Obstinacy, were laden with more and greater Evils, and the same thing sometimes fell upon the Heads of the whole Multitude. But those who were of a more mode∣rate Temper, blamed the immoderation of these Men; but the Quakers were never universally trou∣bled and persecuted at any time during the Inter∣regnum and Cromwel's Protectorship, in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and there was no particular Persecution of them, by the appointment of Pub∣lick

Authority, unless it were that these Men pro∣ceeded to Assemble together in too unwary and audacious a manner, or to disturb the Publick As∣semblies of others with their chatterings, or lessen the Reputation of them by their invidious Speeches, Invectives, and Writings, or did some such thing by speech or gesture: Neither was there any of them punished or put to Death either by Publick Authority, or Tumultuously by the Multitude; but such indeed otherwise was the severity of the following Times, and the calamity of these Men, that all were commanded every where to abstain from their Meetings; and when they urged that they could not do that for Conscience sake, and that therefore they would do it in no wise; then there was a very heavy Persecution, and not of one sort, raised as much as might be against all of them in general, and in other places against each in particu∣lar, as began to be turbulent and introduced any Novelty in the Churches. And this afterward be∣came an accessional Crime, in that they would not Swear before a Magistrate, pay Tythes, nor do and suffer many more things, by reason of scruple of Mind, and fear of God; by which Practice of theirs, though none of the Quakers were at any time put to Death publickly or privately, by Officers, Ser∣geants, and Executioners, by the Magistrate's Com∣mand, yet many of them were so handled in Pri∣sons, and so injured with Stripes and Wounds by wicked and villainous Men, that they died mise∣rably thereof; yea, and seeing the boldness and con∣stancy of these Men was such, that whatever they begun, that they would go through with, and omit nothing of such things as I have spoken of before, and the more they were chastised, the more obsti∣nate they would be against such as censured and chastised them. This was their daily Fate, that some of them were committed publickly to Prison by the Magistrates, some fined, some banished, and reproached sufficiently by the Common People, and were cuffed, kicked, cudgelled, and stoned out of

the places where they were. Neither were there any of the Teachers and Guides of the People, who was not some where or other imprisoned; and many times while they were gathered together they had Information given against them, and thereupon Officers, Guards, and the like Men were sent, who under the colour of their Office, fell upon, beat, and carried away all that were present. Again, there were many Private Persons, and of the meaner and vulgar sort, born, brought up, and trained to Mischief and Rapine, that either came under such Leaders as these now spoken of, whither also with∣out doubt their own greediness had led them with∣out this, or alone and of their own accord, like Theives and Robbers, and broke in where they ho∣ped to gain most Pillage and Plunder, and forced the Doors open, and first of all laid hold on, stripped, and beat the People with their Hands and Sticks, and scattered and dissipated all of them, and what∣ever they could not carry away, they wasted and spoiled, the rest they stole away, and every one carryed his Booty to his own House; by which fu∣rious doings those mad and wicked Men did often∣times in a moment deprive as well the Poor as the Rich of all their Substance, which they had been gathering for many Years, and of all the Houshold∣stuff they had, and to that degree, that they did not leave the poor People as much as their Tools and Utensils which they made use of for to gain their Livelihood. Sometimes it so happened, while these Men did not meet covertly, that these Villains all of a sudden rushed into the midst of the As∣sembly, put out the Candle, and of those they caught, some of them they dragged by the Hair of the Head, others, tyed Hand and Foot, they carryed into the Fields, and there left them, where the Peo∣ple continued all Night, to the endangering of their Lives; and thus many of them did at last perish, both in Prisons, by Sickness, and the want of Ne∣cessaries, Stench, and other Inconveniencies, as also in their own Houses, because of the Miseries they

sustained through the rage and violence of the Peo∣ple; neither yet did these things alone at once seize upon these People, but by degrees, and one after another; in the mean time the Quakers suffered and endured all these things from the very begin∣ning, with so much Patience and Resolution of Mind, that they not only wearied many of their Enemies, but also excited and enclined many Peo∣ple to become of their Communion; thus judging with themselves, that Men neither would nor could undergo and sustain such intolerable Troubles and Miseries, unless they were very well assured in their Consciences of the truth of those things for which they suffered, even as the Quakers themselves pre∣tended, that this their Patience for their Faith, which they turned to the Glory of Martyrdom, joyned with their singular way of Life and Manners, was the principal Seed of their Church both then and at all times: Yea, I have heard some of them Preach, that it would certainly come to pass, that their Religion would be a new Reformation and In∣stauration of the World, but that this would be very unlike unto that Reformation which happened in the Age before, as being partly supported by an Arm of Flesh, whereas this would be the only Pro∣perty of theirs, to be perfected and accomplished by Faith alone, and the Patience and Long-suffering of the Espousers thereof.

In the mean time the Quakers complained very much of the Ministers of the Publick Churches, as also of the Independants, but more especially of the Baptists; (to which Baptists themselves there was at that time granted great freedom both to speak and act what they pleased) that they above all others were injurious to them, called upon the Magistrates, and stirred up also the People to ha∣sten their Ruine, by reason that they lessened their Number and Dignity by shaking and medling with them more than other Men. I have spoken of these things in general; I come now to particular In∣stances, as being them alone wherein the Proof,

Testimony, and Truth of things do lie; for the Quakers did not deny, but did Object, that there were many things which they reprehended in the Doctrine and Religion of others, insomuch that they harped much upon this string, That there were many and great Scandals and Reproaches cast upon their Doctrine and Conversation by many, and that from hence it was that great Injuries were offered unto them every where. The Quakers did indeed Muster up several Petitions offered by the Publick Priesthood (let me make use of the pub∣lick words of that People) who were in Publick Power, which tended to the expelling and banish∣ing of the Quakers for those Reasons, which, if they had been true, they themselves did confess that they deserved, having thus carried it in respect to the Christian Religion, not only to be thrust out of one Province, or the whole Kingdom, but from the face of the Earth, and the number of the Li∣ving; if as these Men did deny, it was Lawful for any Humane Power to inflict so severe and violent a Punishment upon any for any wickedness what∣soever. Such an Humble Petition as this, if I mi∣stake not, was presented in the Year Fifty One, by several Pastors of Churches, and Citizens and In∣habitants of the County of Westmorland to the Ju∣stices of the Peace for that County, wherein they desired, That James Naylor, and George Fox, and Francis Howgil, and the rest of their Companions, which Men, they said, were generally unknown unto them, from whence they came, where they dwelt, what their business was, and whom, they said, came by their own Authority into these Places, and did miserably distract all sorts of Men, and set them at dissention, and together by the Ears, and had wickedly seduced many People with great Efficacy from the true Reli∣gion, into dangerous, pernicious, horrible, and dam∣nable Ways and Errors, and brought things to such a pass, as that they perverted and disturbed all Peace and Order in the Common-wealth, when in the mean time they are, notwithstanding any egregious and even

Divine Reasons offered by them to the contrary, wicked Men, Impostors, the Ministers of Satan; wherefore they pray, they may be driven away, and commanded to go into their own Countries, and confine themselves within those bounds to their own Occupations and Em∣ployments: The Effect and Prevalency of which Petition was this, that Naylor and Howgil were thrust into Prison, though one of the Magistrates, to wit, Gervase Benson, did bear open Testimony against his Brethren, that Naylor did not deserve to be censured for what he had done, as if he were guilty of Blasphemy, and that he as a Criminal should be admonished and laid under such a Pu∣nishment for violating of the Law against such Per∣sons, and so great Villains. To which this must be added, that the same Justice, Gervase Benson, and Anthony Pearson, another that was Judge in that matter, did afterward turn Quakers, and wrote several things for those Men: Another Example of this Petitioning was, One two Years after presented to the Council of State (so they call'd it) by many Noblemen, Iustices of the Peace, Ministers, and Citizens of Lancashire, in which Petition you have these words; That G. Fox, and James Naylor, and their Associates and Companions, did not cease both to dissolve the Bond and Vnity that was between all sorts and ranks of Men, as also between the People and God, and brought their own Followers to such a pass, that all of them, Men, Women, Children, and little Ones were in their Conventicles agitated with strange and ridiculous motions, trembled, foamed, swole with their Bellies, and that some of their Teachers did not stick to say of themselves, besides other abominable Heresies, that they were equal to God. To this Pe∣tition was subjoyned a Catalogue of their Heresies, with the Witnesses hands to it, in these words; That George Fox confess'd, and did persist therein, That he was equal to God, the only Judge of the World, Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and so if that any one took upon him in his Sermon to the People to explain any Text of Scripture, be was an Enchan∣ter,

and his Preaching an Enchantment, and that the Scripture was carnal; that James Melver confessed that he was God and Christ, and that the same Man gave out these Prophecies, that the Day of Judgment was at hand, and farther, that there should be no more a Judge in Lancashire, and that he would shortly pull up the great Assembly of Parliament by the Roots; that Leonard Fell professed, that Christ never had any other Body but the Church; that R. Hubberthorn had said, that the coming of Christ in the flesh was only a Type and Figure. But though the Quakers did thus determine among themselves, that these things which were laid to their charge, were such, that even the thing, if they held their peace, would totter of it self; but yet as they left nothing that was objected against them without some Answer, so did they also confute this in their Writings in such a manner, and with such Reasons, that it was very apparent, that they were wicked Men who invented these things, and that those who believed them, were Fools, excepting the Prophecies of Melver, the Vanity of whose words they willingly acknowledged and reproved; yea, and seeing it was the Fate of these Men in all Judgments, to have many Actions and Opinions full of Scandal and Disgrace laid to their charge, besides their Doctrine and way of Living, they answered and overthrew these charges, not in one Pamphlet only, and set forth what they had expounded concerning any matter, what their Opinion was, and whose it was, but they also sent these Pamphlets to all the Judges, and also to the Protector Cromwel, and did more∣over Publish them among the People, so that all and every Person might be throughly acquainted with their Doctrine and Life, with the causes there∣of, and plainly weigh those things that might come to be controverted, and if any suspicion insinuated it self into the Minds of some Persons, they might remove it, and that they might no longer lie under such false Accusations as these; but whether it came to pass from such an imputed Crime, or from

Resisting and Opposing in an over violent manner, or rather wickedly and imprudently impugning the Doctrine and Fame of the Ministers of God's Word; Hubberthorn from this time forward did not sustain one only Imprisonment at Chester, but was also confined in Norwich, and that to the Year Fifty Five; but of this briefly, and by the way: Let's go on; there are some Instances of these Men being accused by their Adversaries falsly, even then when they went to them for to clear themselves of that Ignominy, either they challenged them to set them∣selves in some place, and to hear how these Accusers proved and made the thing good, after they had given them leave to speak, or they did suddenly and at unawares, or after some foolish Expressions, ensnare them with some words, and so haled them to Prison: This was the Lot of William Desborough, in a Town of Northamptonshire, called Welling∣borough. A certain Minister met him in that Town (but what Minister it was, and of what Church, I pass over, and these things I spare because I would spare the Order and Dignity) at a time, when he was going to Church to Preach to his People; he sets upon the Man, threatens and severely charges him to give over to deceive the People, before God's Judgment overtook him; the Quaker asked him, wherein it was that he deceived the People? To which the Minister replyed, That Desborough taught, that there was no Original Sin, and when Desbo∣rough would fain know, whether he had heard him at any time say so, he, whether out of choice, or that he was unprepared and straightned for time, held his Tongue, and went his ways into the Church, Desborough follows him, and keeping close to the manner and way of his Party, stood there all the time that the Minister Prayed and Preached, with his Hat on, and waited for the end of his Sermon, and an Opportunity to speak himself: Therefore when the Minister came down from the Pulpit, he drew nigh, and asked him that he should now be∣fore the People prove and demonstrate what he had

before said to him to his face; but here the Mini∣ster went his ways, and left the Man in the midst of his Congregation: And thus Desborough suppo∣sing that it was his part now to speak, there he be∣gins to make a sort of a Speech to the People, in which they affirmed he should say, that all the Mi∣nisters of the People were Hirelings, who, only for Gain gave their Labours to the People; hereupon he was hurried away, first, before the Magistrate, and afterward into Prison, and laid among Thieves, Murderers, and Cut-Throats; in which place after he had continued almost for the space of Seven Months, he was carryed to the Grand Assizes, then held at Northampton, the County Town of that County, before Edward Atkins, a Man endued with great Modesty and Moderation of Mind: But seeing there was no more but one of his Accusers present, and that the Judge was now to determine the matter, he did it in these words; Common Fame is indeed a good Accuser, but not therefore a good Proof: And thus far I am satisfied as to those things I have heard of thee; but yet because thou art brought out upon a Common Report, that you are a dangerous Peo∣ple, and the disturbers of the Publick Peace, I'll send thee back into Prison, unless thou wilt give in Bail, that thou wilt demean thy self well, and appear next Assizes. But when Desborough said, that he look'd upon that unreasonable, and that he ought not to give Bail in such a case, he was again committed to Prison; and when in the next Assizes, where Hales was Judge, the same Action was brought against him, and that there was yet no Accuser there, the Judge did also acquit him of the Charge in this Place, yet commanded him to be carryed back to the same place, and kept there till another time: Another Instance of this kind was this; some of the Quakers had a Meeting together, and were at their Worship in Manchester; a certain Minister of the Publick Church goes in to them of his own accord, and challenges all that would oppose him, and said, that he would shew that their Spirit they pretended

to, was the Spirit of the Devil, and so appoints both time and place, where, if they pleased, they might hear him demonstrate the same by Argu∣ments. There was then present there Leonard Fell afore spoken of, who, more especially being not able to hear, nor endure such an heavy Objection and Charge, he promised to be present, and having taken some of his Companions along with him, appears at the time and place appointed: There the Minister being more animated, than ready and furnished for the Work, protracts and defers the Business to another time, but they did then offer themselves, and came briskly to the matter in Con∣troversie; which while that was done, some rude and impertinent Fellows break in, and fall upon them with great violence and sharpness, give them many blows, and pull them not only out of the Houses, but also hal'd them out of the Town, crying that they were sent by the Officers of the place to do so. There were indeed some wicked Fellows at Beverley, who while Isaac Gate was Preaching to his Follow∣ers, set upon them in the House, crying out, that he vilified their Ministers, and pull'd him out by the hair of the Head into the Street. It were a te∣dious, and almost an endless thing to declare how many Assemblies have been disturbed, how many Men tormented, and what and how great Calami∣ties they have endured in their own Habitations, how many have been burdened and fined, wearied with Imprisonments, forbid their own Homes, and driven into Banishment, only for that cause, be∣cause they held their own Conventicles, some be∣cause they stood about such places as those, some because they went to visit their Companions and Friends, as they called themselves one among ano∣ther, and named themselves to other People, though they were otherwise free from any Offence, and though there was no manner of Sect except the Popish one, which had not as much freedom as they pleased to meet and come together. There is an Obsolete Law in England, which contains, That

if any one as a Labouring-man betake himself some where to get his Living, and cannot shew and prove who he is, from whence he comes, whither he goes, and what his business is, by a Pass under some Justice of Peace his Hand, that same Person as a Vagabond, an Idle and Rascally Fellow, is Im∣prisoned among such as are so, and there made to beat Hemp his belly full, and to earn his Liveli∣hood. Wherefore as often as they found any of the Quakers, when they met together, they haled them from thence before a Magistrate, and if they were not so well known, or but Poor and could not pay, these they punished in this manner; and this indeed seemed to administer just matter of Com∣plaint to the Quakers against their Adversaries; for it is an Old Maxim taken from the very Marrow of the Law, That one should not do to another what he would not have done to himself. And this is the Golden Sentence of our Saviour, fetched from the Holy Law of God, and from the Prophets, That whatever any one would have done to himself by Men, let him do the same unto them; wherefore he com∣plains in vain, of having wrong done unto him, who does the same unto another. And it's a most wicked thing, and not to be endured, to deny that to another, which one would have to be given to himself. Moreover, seeing that the Quakers seek∣ing so much after the Severity of the Old Laws, and the Primitive Religion, and Christian Faith, did complain so much of the hard dealings of those whom they looked upon as their Enemies and Ad∣versaries, and as they could not deny, but that many of their own People did often-times so de∣mean and carry themselves towards them, who esteemed them also in like manner to be their Ene∣mies, of whom they so far complained, as that if their Complaint were not unjust, even that Com∣plaint which their Adversaries made against them, was just and right also; and seeing that those Men would be esteemed as altogether Innocent, they gave occasion for Persons to believe, that there were

wicked ones amongst them, who practised Evil Arts, and who intimated, they would do any Mis∣chief, if they had Power to their Will. Examples hereof were these, to wit, some of them cast Scan∣dals and many vile Reproaches upon the Ministers of the Gospel, and their whole Churches, at the very time, wherein they were performing their most Religious Duties, and so endeavoured to stir up against them, yea, the whole Society, the Resent∣ments of the Magistrate, the Rage of the People, and the ill Will and Persecutions of both, so that now those few Persons might deservedly be accoun∣ted the Tormentors of all the rest, and the Betray∣ers of the whole Multitude; of which outragious doings, seeing they who were Authors and Actors thereof, or doubtless their Friends and Favourers have in their Libels published by them given us Examples, glorying in such their Actions, there is no doubt to be made but that those which I shall gather and pick out of them, are such, as that there cannot be had the least suspicion concerning them: One Boswel Middleton, a Shooe-maker in the City of York, was the first that cut out, and, as it were, fenced the way for the rest of them, crying out against Edward Bowles while he was Preaching in the midst of his Sermon to the People, and in the hearing of all, Thou art the Servant of Antichrist, and so is thy Flock; for which words he was forth∣with put in Chains: The like bold and impudent Example we have in the same Year done at Oxford by two Women, Elizabeth Havens and Elizabeth Fletcher, these did first chatter and talk in their way of Cant to the Students in the Streets, and then in the Publick Churches, and last of all in the Universities, but with more hazard, and greater danger than they imagined, and yet they might easily have done it. For these Persons being as it were taken with such Polite Conceits as these gave them forth, with a more pleasant Entertainment, or that I may be in earnest, and tell the truth, as these Waggs are more especially exceeding arch and wan∣ton,

they draw them into their Colleges, Pump them, and throw them into the Privy, and did a∣gain afterward take one of them, to wit, Elizabeth Fletcher, and threw her into a Grave, that was o∣pened for the burying of a dead Corps, with such violence, that she received such hurt by her fall, that she afterwards died thereof: But when they were got free from this hardship, they go again to the Church, and while one was silent the other spoke there openly; so that both of them were taken away and thrown into Prison amongst Rogues and Burglars; and afterward when they were brought to a Tryal before the Mayor, and that he had tur∣ned them over to some other Magistrates of the City, and to the Vice-Chancellor, they were by their Command thrust out of the City as Vaga∣bonds; but seeing we have many of these strange Examples, and them done not in one place, nor at one time; it will not be improper to set forth what have been done by these sort of Men all this time in the City of Bristol, and which has been recorded by their own Companions, and real Defenders, as being famous and worthy Performances; and the rather, because that in this Relation some other things like unto these do offer themselves unto us, and others also are not to be omitted and past over. This City, after these mens Dogms and Opinions were broached in that Country, was as it were the Seminary, Receptacle, and Refuge-place of these Sectaries, and as it were the Theatre of those things, which was proper and peculiar for these Men both to do and to suffer. Which thing did very much nettle all Men of all Religions, where∣with the City was full: And though these same Men dissented one from another in respect to their various Religions, and many other businesses, and were at very great and almost deadly Enmity a∣mong themselves, yet they all agreed in this one thing, for to oppose and resist the Quakers: At this time came John Audland and John Camie, and soon after them Francis Howgil and Edward Burroughs,

Names that were well known and dear there, into the City: Audland and Camie in a short time after departed; but the other two tarryed and were ci∣ted before the Magistrates; they appeared; the Magistrate commands them to depart out of the City; they refuse, and added, that if the Magistrate would exercise Power, they would not resist what∣ever was imposed upon them: Upon this the whole City was so chafed, agitated, and exasperated a∣gainst the Quakers, that where ever they saw them, especially when they were gathered together, and as they went to the place, and departed from thence, all People almost of all degrees, kind, and Age, derided, mocked, threw dirt upon them, thumped, kicked, and cast stones at them: But notwithstand∣ing all this, the Quakers were not repressed and di∣verted from their Undertakings; but some of them, even as if they were intent upon that very thing, for to increase and heighten the Anger and Rage of Men against them and all their Party, undertook also some new ways and Methods, from which they could not only hope for and procure no good, but from which they might easily know it might con∣duce further to their hurt; for Elizabeth Marshal, during the time that the Minister of the Church, Rodolph Farmer, and the whole Church were met together to preach and hear the Word of God, to pray to him, and to celebrate the Lord's Supper, stood all the while over against Farmer, and when he was going about to Administer the Lord's Supper, she cryed out, Wo, Wo, Wo, hangs over thy Head from the Lord, O Farmer, who takest the Word of the Lord into thy mouth when the Lord never sent thee; at which words all the People being in an Uproar, and many of them enraged against her, they fell violently upon her, and thrust out the Woman, dragging her headlong out of the Church, and the Boys without threw stones at her, and pursued her until she got into and saved her self in her own Habitation, and there remained secure from more Outrages. This Fact might have been severely

punished by the Magistrates, but they chose rather to forget, or to defer it to another time. But she, as if she had done a good deed, undertakes the same thing on the next Lord's Day, and in the same Church, spoke these words against John Knowles the Preacher, after he had pronounced the Blessing upon the People: This is the Word of God to thee, Knowles, I command thee to Repent for what thou hast done, and to hearken to the Light of Conscience that is within thee; and so being again punished with many blows, and thrown out of the Church, she was first confined by the Watch of the City, and afterward committed by the Mayor into the Common Prison, and had no heavier Punishment inflicted upon her. From whence almost all sorts of Citizens grew enraged, and cryed out, that these Men sought nothing else by their Inventions and Undertakings, but occasions of Reproaches, Di∣sturbances, and Confusions, as also matter of En∣mities and Revenge against them. Now Audland and his Companion were returned into the City, who when they were a going out of the City to∣wards a place where the Quakers intended to keep a Meeting, they were like to be in great danger from the Boys that assaulted them; and its very like they had perished, if they had not been saved by the Care and Industry of some of the chief Men of the Place. Which when the Common People, and such like unto them, came to know, and sup∣posing those Principal Citizens had not done their Duty as they ought, they broke out against them, and some threatned the Magistrates, and made a Clamour, That this new, base, and partly flagitious and wicked People, the Quakers, had passed over the Bounds of Modesty, and proceeded so far; that they could not arrive to a greater Audacity and Impudence, than they were come to; and that the Magistrate saw and bore with all this, to whose care it was committed to maintain the Honour and Dignity of the Common∣wealth, whom they represented, and to take heed, lest the whole People should at last be endangered in their

Religion; so that seeing now, when so great a matter is in agitation, the Laws are silent, Judgments dumb, Punishments ceased, all things both Divine and Hu∣mane lie unregarded, and the extream Fate of the Re∣ligion and Liberty of the City was at hand; it was high time that the People themselves should watch, and up∣on the neglect of the Magistrate, those whom it most concerns, are to be Magistrates to themselves, and must seek after their own safety, which they cannot otherwise procure. This, though it may not be Lawful at another time, yet at such a time as this is, it's both right and just, and ought, and there is need it should be done; but before they would enter upon it, they de∣sired that an Account of the whole matter might be transmitted to Cromwel, who was the defender of the Common Law and Liberty. The which was done without delay, for there were some who transmitted their desires forthwith in this matter to Cromwel: And so while these Men thought that they acted the part of Citizens bravely, yea, that they like so many Viceroys imagined they discharged the Office of Judges well, the Magistracy winked hereat, or contemned it, especially because things were brought to that pass, that the Guard of Soldiers that was placed in the City, did no ways deter them there∣from. This Tumult lasted for the space of two days, and then was appeased of it self: But lo, while the Magistrates were studying to aslay this great outragiousness of the Times, by reason of such Insolence in their own People, (and upon this Consideration did not afterwards call the heads of the Rioters to an Account for such their doings) another Quaker, Henry Warren by Name, had ra∣ther exasperate the matter, and was as it were the poisoned Nail in this Altar of the City, for he had such a Lust, as I may say, for it, and proceeded to such a height of boldness, that in the Church, and that even when there was a very great Assembly, he spake these words to the face of the Minister, after he had made an end of his Office and Work, The Prayers of the Wicked are an abomination to the

Lord; with which opprobrious speech, than which nothing could be more contemptible, all were stir∣red up and provoked so as that they violently drave the Man from the Church, and lead him before the Mayor and Sheriffs of the City, who, that they might not go unpunished, commanded them to be thrust into Prison; but such was the intenseness and desire of these Men to talk at this rate in these places, and they were so much tickled with the Glory which they placed therein, that they seemed to deliberate one with another, and to determine with Judgment for to pursue this matter, whatever Hatred, Trouble, or Mischief befel them and their Companions; therefore it was not only one, but many of them broke out in this manner, who were ever and anon assaulted and violently beaten for it, and indeed wounded in the croud, until they were thrust into Prison. At last the Magistrate calls all these Prisoners to an Account for their do∣ings, which till then by reason of the Times and other necessary Circumstances, was omitted, but so, even as now things stood, their Examination was done in a mild, tender, and gentle manner, the Magistrate supposing, that many harsh things might be alleviated by gentle Animadversion and Forbear∣ance; but those Prisoners made their Answers to the Magistrate not at all more submissively, but in a sharper manner, and as often as their Crime was laid to their charge, they would acknowledge and confess no Crime, and stifly vindicated what they had done, as what was Lawful and decent, and that they did not do them things of their own will, but according to the Will of God, and the Instinct and Admonition of his Divine Spirit, and the Examples of Holy Men, insomuch that the Obstinacy and Obdurateness of these Men prevailed; wherefore the Judges commanded them to be kept in Bonds by reason of their causing these Molestations and Disturbances, and for their perverse Manners and Obstinacy (and not for any other causes, as these Men by way of Complaint did alledge) Moreover

the People were generally so irritated and exaspe∣rated with hatred, wrath, and rage against them, that they set upon the Quakers every where, laid hands on them, beat, knock'd, and kick'd them, and that so far, that some of them rushed into their Houses, and haled Men out from thence, ransacked all that was therein, and omitted nothing that might gratifie their incensed Minds. Of them that were at this time in this City, were Audland and Camie, Howgil and Burroughs, and Naylor and Fox, whom we ought to have named first, as being always the first and with the foremost, as if there had been a Council called here, and that this were done about most weighty Affairs; which when the Magistrates came to know, because there was a Re∣port made unto them, and that some had made Oath of it, that there were certain Franciscan Fryars come from Rome to London, who concealed them∣selves under the name of Quakers, and deluded simple Men, and that there were many in this City of Bristol, who under colour of being Quakers, lurked there, and did pervert Men by their Artifices, they commanded these Men to appear before them: But they declared, that they did not know any thing concerning the coming of those Franciscans, and had nothing to do with those sort of Men, their Studies and Cheats, and complain grievously that they were laid under such vile Slanders and invidi∣ous Crimes, and that such vile Personages as these were affixt upon them, who were honest Men, and who had so far withdrawn themselves from those idle Monks, and the whole Papacy; so they were discharged, till the Judges had got further Cogni∣zance of this Truth, than what they had heard from the Reports of others; but because this O∣pinion stuck in the Minds of most of the Citizens, that it was most certain, that such fallacious People wandered in these Places, the City Guard, and also many of the common People, run about, and search'd all places to see if they could light on any of this new sort of Men. Which thing did one day light

upon many of the Quakers, among whom was Josiah Cole, a Person of Note in that Country. But here it was on the very same day that Christo∣pher Birhead, an Inhabitant of this place, a Ship∣wright and Mariner, a Man according as Time and Opportunity served, of a rude and rough disposi∣tion, as those Men are wont to be, as if he were minded still further to stir up and exasperate the Populacy, that were already sufficiently moved and observing all things, and rather than extinguish their Fury, blow up the Coals, and raised it up, goes to the Church, and stands and loyters during the time of Prayer with his Hat on, which when a considerable Man of the City beheld, knowing what sort of a Man he was, he takes care to have him conducted from the Church to his own home, as fearing some Tumult might be raised by him; but he immediately returns, and when all things in the Church were over, cries out with a loud voice, pointing to the Minister, O thou Son of Pride, and so had gone on if some had not seized upon him; they therefore carry this Rascal before the Mayor of the City, who even for that time suffers him to go his ways, but commands him the day after to come before him, and when he came, he asked him, why he was yesterday so notoriously Impudent? He an∣swered, That he had not done it imprudently, but justly, and defends the Fact with many hard and rough words, but winded them about that he might not come close to the matter in hand; so great was the Clemency of the Magistrates, that they would have even pardoned the Obstinacy of this Man, if he had but promised and received what they requi∣red of him, that he would do no such thing any more. To which Proposals when he had detained and illuded the Magistrates for a long time with many impertinent words, and foreign from the matter in hand, and was no more moved with gentleness than with threats, they would not suffer such great Impudence and Obstinacy to go unpu∣nished, and therefore they remanded the Man back

to Prison. And because the Actions of those that were now in use and ordinary amongst them had escaped some time; others not content herewith, invented other unusual and extraordinary ways and actions; thus did Thomas Murford, a Man among the meanest degree of Men, of some account and understanding enough in his own Concerns, but ignorant of all others, had made for himself a Garment of Goats hair and Sheeps wool, and walked about in it up and down every where, and this with a design to rebuke the Pride of the People in Ap∣parel and Dresses of the Body, and as a sign of the Punishment to ensue from God for it, unless they said the same aside and gave it over. Such another Garment did Sarah Goldsmith procure to be made for her self, to the end that being cloathed there∣with, having her Hair dishevelled, dirt upon her Head, and so sufficiently nasty, she might go to every Gate of the City, and pass through all the Streets, and afterward sit in the Market-place in the view of all People, and that the Truth might be publick and made known there, and the true and real cause of the full and certain wrath of God, and an Example be given all People for the appea∣sing thereof, and this for the space of six whole days: And so on the first very early in the Morn∣ing, and being accompanied with two more, she goes to the Gates of the City, and passes through several Streets, but finding many People excited hereat, and pursuing of her, she turns home, and afterward at Nine of the Clock goes to the Market-place, being accompanyed only with one of her Companions afore spoken of, and a great croud of People at her heels, and stands still as a stock for half an hour, saying never a word; all sorts of Men, especially Boys, flock to her, and every one accord∣ing to his Judgment, wonders, conjectures, enquires, what Woman was there, what new Habit that was, what she meant and would have by standing there, and by and by the mea••••r sort, especially Boys, did every one together with their tongues use their hands,

and did so jeer and entertain this Spectacle, that was thus adorned and furnished to receive the shock, (for such a Dress was of Old in use among Legier Ladies) that she did not know what to do, or which way to turn her self. At length comes a certain Person, who using all shifts, got her from the Mar∣ket-place and Croud into a Shop, from whence she was by the Sergeants carried into the Court, whither some of the Aldermen came by and by, who, after they had examined her, why she had done such ri∣diculous things? and when she had answered, That she obeyed the Light of her Conscience; and seeing that she seemed without all doubt to be Mad, and out of her Senses, and not fit to walk about in the Streets, they commanded her to be shut up in Pri∣son; but the Quakers did again defend this Fact by the Examples of the Saints of the Old Testament, who according to the Command of God himself, by various and strange Methods informed the People of their Sins and the Divine Judgments: After this interval of time, the Quakers did again, and as it were, strive to gainsay the Preachers of God's Word in the Churches, some asked them Questions, and did interrupt them in the midst of their Ser∣mons; of these last Benjamin Maynard was one, that brought up the Rear, in these words; In God's Name, Preacher, hold thy peace; so that where be∣fore they stood the shock but of a few People, now it became an Habit in almost all to Assault them, and all these were thrown into Prison; with which Prisons some of them were yet not so far terrified, but that they used their way of babling and reviling even there also, and made it their business to de∣fame, and heap up scandalous Reproaches upon the Credit, Fame, and Reputation of the Magistrates and Pastors of the Church, in their most bitter Letters to their Friends; such Practices as these might also be seen in other places; and these things did the Quakers of those Times extol as noble do∣ings, and glorious actions, and to be imitated by others, and on the contrary did in their Pamphlets

represent those things which these Men suffered for such Practises, as the most Criminal and bloody deeds of their Enemies. And indeed these things were done by Men of a depraved disposition, and not by the best of them, who may justly be called Ideots, for all of them were not guilty of it, they who were of better quality and disposition, their Leaders and Rulers, saving perchance one or two, or the like, and saving always Fox, did neither com∣mit nor commend these sorts of little Fooleries, even as all this day, as far as they can avoid it, nei∣ther do, nor admit of the same, and when they hear of such things transacted by their Sect, they say, they do esteem such Actions as the impulses and singular motions of those Men, and as it were the burning sparks of their Zeal, Love, or Desire, whereof there have been many instances in this kind in the Church, both in Ancient times, and within the memory of our Fathers; these things were transacted in the Years Fifty Four and Fifty Five; but some Quakers this last Year met at Eve∣sham in Worcestershire, in the House of one Thomas Cartwright, to Celebrate their Divine Worship; when this came to be known, a certain Constable rushes into the House, and brings out Cartwright, and together with him under one labour, Humphrey Smyth, and carries them before certain Justices that were together in the same, and in company with Haphinch, the Minister of the Church, these after a long Debate and Contention with them, did at last promise to dismiss these Men, if they would engage and swear, that they would not meet again, but when they denyed that they neither would nor could do so, but would meet for such just ends as they had in hand, and would not confirm any man∣ner of thing with an Oath; these Justices suppo∣sing they had sufficient cause against them, they commanded them, as Persons intent upon Rebel∣lion and disturbance of the Peace, to be lead to Prison: But some Quakers were so affected with the Misery of their own Imprisoned Friends, and

mindful of them, as if they had been in Prison themselves, that they betook themselves to the Pri∣son, and when they were not permitted to go in, they stand still without mute, to see if they could at least by their Sighs and Prayers obtain any relief from God; but whether Smyth by receiving of some sign, came to know that they were there present, or that he was stirred up thereunto of his own ac∣cord, he at the same time with a loud voice falls to Prayer in the Prison; which when the Keeper and others that belonged to the Prison that were by chance there present, heard, they run to him, and being ready to do the Man a mischief, hal'd him from thence, and drive him down into another place under Ground, of the Nature of a Dungeon; those who were without repeat the same thing next day, and seeing that before they had held only a silent Meeting, one of them now, Thomas Woodren by Name, began to speak; the same Keeper, when he perceived this, goes out unto them in great Rage, and Commands them in a very rough and angry manner all to avoid the place, and to de∣part: This they did, not because of his words, but of their own will and accord, and return again with∣in a few hours after they had departed. The which as soon as Smyth in his Cell came to know, he calls and speaks to them, and they Discourse together: It was on a day wherein the Townsmen had been at their Religious Worship in the Church, and the hour wherein they were to depart from thence to their re∣spective homes, and so some of them passed by that way where the Quakers were gathered together, and Woodren was speaking to them about their Concerns; but a certain Colonel lays hold on him, and brings him before the Mayor, and was thereupon by his Command sent into Prison to Smyth, and this Ma∣gistrate was so angred and enraged against these Meetings, that he threatned them, if they offered to come together in that manner again, to Pillory, hang them, and what not; and because they were afraid, lest the Quakers persisted in that their pur∣pose,

they keep a Watch; but yet they proceeded to do as they were wont to do, and therefore they also were punished with Imprisonment; Smyth had some Pamphlets of the Quakers in his custody, these were taken from him, and burnt in the sight of the People in the Market-place. There had been a Law some time before made by the Protector Cromwel, wherein it was enacted under a severe Penalty, That none should Swear profanely, and more especially, not only to swear falsly, but that none should swear slightly, and for no cause, and by no means Profane the Holy Name of God. This Sta∣tute was read before the People, but not set up, as the Custom was, on any Publick Place; the Quakers hence took occasion to Complain, that there were some among the Magistracy of this City, and so of the Nation, who themselves did grievously offend more than one way against so Holy a Consti∣tution; for one was to be met with, who drove Men most lightly to take an Oath, when he must needs know, how great the wickedness of some Men was, and how that many might, and were wont to be brought to swear falsly, and to Perjure themselves with no more Conscience, than if they told an officious Lye; another there was, who him∣self had no Religion, but confirmed ever and anon what he said, with an Oath, another that was a Drunkard; wherefore a certain Quaker fixt that Decree of the Protector on the Post of the Court, that it might be read by all; but this was pluck'd off by another: The Quakers did hereupon send their Petition concerning these things to the Pro∣tector, and then was a Letter sent by the Mayor, Subscribed by Forty Hands besides, to him; they urge, that he would do them Justice, and that Cromwel's Decree might be put in execution, in pur∣suance to which, both theirs and other mens Vices might be punished; but their Petitions had no such Effect as they expected, for they did indeed but disturb the Ears of the one with them, and so irri∣tated the Minds of the others, that they brought a

new Misfortune upon themselves, and did also ren∣der the Cause of their Friends and Familiars the more difficult, and did besides aggravate the Bur∣den of the same; upon which they afterward chose rather to contain themselves, and stir the less, and so be the less liable to danger. Towards the l••tter end of this Year, and almost the whole Year fol∣lowing, George Fox and Edward Pyot, who had been a Captain before, and a Person well skilled in the Law of the Land, and could Argue well, and William Sault, underwent an hard and troublesom Imprisonment at Lanceston in Cornwal, because they had dispersed some Pamphlets concerning the Religion and Discipline of their Sect: For when at every Quarter Sessions they refused to un∣cover their Heads, and to Swear Allegiance to the present Government (though they said, they em∣braced the same in their Minds, and did not shun to declare it in naked works) out of a scrupulous and meerly an anxious care of Conscience, the Judges for these slight matters commanded them as often to be detained till the next Quarter Sessions. The Prisoners made grievous Complaints of the In∣juries done them by the Justices of that Country, by whose Commands they were brought into that place, aggravating their words and deeds above measure by their captiousness, calumny, and wrest∣ing of the same. In the mean time, as if Prison had not been appointed for to confine Men, but to punish them, the Gaoler, a merciless and inhumane Wretch, that never was taught Humanity, and al∣way, conversant among Thieves, and for that reason stigmatized, than whom there was no one fitter for such a Servile Office, did treat and entertain these his Prisoners all the time in a barbarous and wicked manner; for he did not only defraud them of Food, and hinder their Friends to come to them, lest they should bring them any Victuals, which might seem to be the same thing as if he designed to destroy them, but also when he was swoln and frantick with Drink, would in a Rage fall upon them with

his Hands, inveigh, insult, give them blows, and threaten to kill them. There were many other Quakers confined to this Prison, some because they came to Visit their Friends that were detained and confined in this place, others because they carryed their own Prohibited Books either about them, or gave them to others; some because they would not pull off their Hats with their own hands before the Magistrates, for some of them were brought to that pass (but what did little agree with their Do∣ctrine and Discipline, seeing it matters not, whe∣ther a Person does that himself, or suffers another to do it) that when they did themselves refuse to uncover their Heads, they did suffer the Officers, Sergeants, and others to do it: And these Quakers were used by this same Keeper in the same manner as the rest of them. But when these Men com∣plained to the Magistrates of their Usage, and made known unto them the wrongs that were done them, and that the Keeper did not only deny the whole thing, but brought a quite contrary Accusation a∣gainst them, as if the Prisoners studied to oppress and kill him and his whole Family: It was he, and not they that was believed, and so he went free and unpunished, but these were more strictly confined and afflicted with more stripes, so that some of them, besides what they might have done through want, the stench and filthiness of other nasty and unclean Prisoners (for it was a Common Prison, full of such Nastiness, as is not to be named with∣out saving your Reverence, and had not been emp∣tied for a Year's space) contracted Sickness through these new Miseries, and one of them, called John Iagram, fell so ill, that at length he died there. At last, when the Quakers complained, that the Minds of the Magistrates were so prejudiced, that there was no room left for their Lamentations, no en∣trance for Truth, and that that Tormentor, the Gaoler, dealt with them as he pleased; General Desborough (by this Name alone do the Quakers, who have composed this History at large, distinguish

and notifie the Man, being herein a little subtil or civil, and officious, in that they have not rendred the Name of a Person that was most kind to them, and one of their Patrons, more explicitly and at large) interposes himself for the decision of the Cause and Controversie in hand, and having searched into all Matters relating thereunto, he so unravelled the business, that it was ordered, the Quakers should not be injured nor wronged, and that they should have greater Enlargement and Freedom; and not long after this, they were freed from their Bonds and Misery: But notwithstanding the remembrance hereof among so great a multitude of People, there were not some wanting, who through their Levity and Fooleries, contracted to themselves and the whole Society of them great Envy, Trouble, and Affliction: For at London, on the Morning of a certain day, there were some of them, but such as were of the meaner and more abject sort, that went half naked, and only clad with a Shirt, and preached to the People; from whence arose the Suspicion, Fame, Discourse, and Accusation, that the Quakers were all of them such a sort of wan∣dring, naked, fantastical People, like unto the Old Anabaptists of Munster, and this gave cause and occasion for their being handled severely more than once, as such uneasie and turbulent Persons. More∣over, seeing there was in these Times not a few be∣sides the Quakers, that expected, though they scarce knew what that Fifth Monarchy, and the new Reign of Christ alone was, which should destroy all the Kingdoms of Men, and made themselves ready for it, and who had their Arms in a readiness for to Invade this Kingdom (which sort of Men, even our Country of Holland and Church hath seen to spring up from it self, and we do very well know and remember it) there were also some found a∣mong the Quakers, who, whether knowingly, or unwittingly, began some such thing as looked like such an Imperious Mode; from whence the Qua∣kers were again brought under Suspicion, that they

also were such a sort of Men, and hence they came to be called, if not universally, yet many of them, by the Name of Monarchical Men, and if any such thing happened amongst them, they were severely used for it. And that I may say this by the by, it's most certain that the most learned Men in our Provinces have attributed and ascribed such Errors as these the Quakers, and could not be driven from it, notwithstanding all the Endeavours of the Quakers by word and writing to divert them from harbouring such an Opinion concerning them; but because I would pass over such Instances of the Matter in hand as are of lesser note, I would give you a Narration of the true History of James Naylor, which some have related not as an History, but as a Fable, being used to lay hold on every twig, and to make a story of the matter: The bu∣siness happened in the Year Fifty Six, and thus it was. Naylor had been first a Foot Soldier, and af∣terward an Horseman in the Parliament's Army; when he was weary of this sort of Life, he began to look about for an easier way of Living, and so retiring to his Native City, he betook himself to the Communion and Fellowship of the Quakers, wherein when he had in a short time, together with great Commendations of his Knowledge, gained a great Opinion of his Probity among his Party, he became very dear unto all of them: But such is the Weakness and Imbecillity of almost all Men, that after they have wished for and coveted the Applause and Observance of others, and have obtained it, that they bear the same immoderately: Naylor, af∣ter he saw the Love and Good-will of his Party un∣to him, was so much taken up with it, and over∣valued himself hereupon. He was invited by Let∣ters from John Stranger and Ann his Wife, as also by Thomas Simonson and his Wife Martha, to come into the City of Bristol, and to dwell with them; in which Letters they dignified him with these very Elogies, which every body knows to whom, and to whom alone they do belong; which was to this

purpose, That he was the fairest among Ten Thou∣sands, the only begotten Son of God, the Prophet of the most High, the King and Judge of Israel, the E∣ternal Son of Righteousness, the Prince of Peace, Jesus, in whom was the hope of Israel. Naylor with a few Friends go on Horseback towards Bristol; and so these Friends coming to hear of his Journey and Approach, as did also some other Men and Wo∣men, they, while the rest waited for him in the City, and in their Houses, go out of the City full of Joy and Gladness for to meet him, some on Horseback, and others on Foot, and so marching both before and behind him on foot, bring him into the City; those Women which I have named before, as also Dorcas Erbury, spreading part of their Clothes on the way, and crying aloud, and repeat∣ing that Sentence, which the Multitude used as the Scripture witnesseth, to our Saviour, as he entred Jerusalem, Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord; as also, The Holy Jehovah and Lord of Hosts; while one of their Fraternity, Jurian Witgorley by Name, was in the mean time chiding and blaming of the rest of them for their Ignorance and Folly, in worshipping of the Man; Naylor being thus accompany'd, is brought into the City, and goes into the House of two Men, who were already before entred into his Brother∣hood and Society; there manifold Honours are done him by the whole Company, and Ann Stranger with a few more, being forward to do their utmost in Entertaining of the Man, fall down before him, and stretching out their hands in a suppliant man∣ner to his Feet, kiss them; all which doings Naylor was so far from rejecting, that he took much Plea∣sure therein. When these things were known through the City, and that a Concourse of People came to the House from all parts of the Town, there were Persons forthwith sent by the Mayor, who hal'd Naylor to Prison, as contemning the present Go∣vernment, which must not go unpunished, or af∣fecting Novelty, and carrying the marks and

semblance thereof before him. And that I may pass over what intervened between, I shall rehearse briefly what followed: Naylor was sent to the Par∣liament, who appointed a Committee to make In∣quisition into the matter. Naylor being summoned to Answer for himself, and asked concerning the Epistles and Titles ascribed unto him in them, as also concerning the Submission and Supplication of the Women to him, being not willing to deny the Fact, he constantly and boldly answered as to the way and manner how these things might be attri∣buted to him, to wit, not as he was a Creature, but as Christ dwelt in him, and maintained that God had so far enjoyned those Persons to do it, and that he had permitted the same to be done to him; these things being over, the Committee bring him in Guilty in their Report to the Parliament, which when they had expended the matter again with great care and diligence, they adjudged Naylor to be guilty of great Blasphemy against God, and of Seducing Men, and ordered the Punishment of such Wickedness in this manner: Naylor was brought into the New Palace-Yard in Westminster, and there aloft set in the Pillory, so as he might be seen of all that were there, for the space of two hours, and then he was from thence carryed to the Old Ex∣change, and between both the places was well whip∣ped; and then two days after, was in this same place Pillory'd again for so many hours as before, and had his Tongue bored through with an hot Iron, and his Forehead marked with the Letter B. as a Mark and Testimony that might always re∣main there of his Blasphemy; and after he had been thus handled at London, he was sent to Bristol, and there in the open Market-place set on Horse∣back, but with his Face to the Horses Tail, naked, and whipped also as before; and at length after all, was carryed again to London, and there committed to Bridewel, where, if he was minded to eat, he was obliged to earn it with his own hands: He had the first day of his Whipping three hundred lashes

given him, and them so severely, that his Sides and all his Waste was so slashed and torn, that his Bowels did almost gush out; for that very day wherein Naylor suffered his Punishment, the De∣puties of several Counties had put up their Petitions to the Parliament, that the Quakers might be sup∣prest, as most troublesom and intolerable, where∣ever they were, whithersoever they came, and di∣sturbed all places. On the contrary, many of Nay∣lor's stedfast Friends in this uncertain Affair Peti∣tion the Parliament on the same day, that they would be pleased to remit what remained yet be∣hind of their Sentence, in respect to the Punish∣ment of Naylor: And thus far they did prevail, that the Punishment he was to suffer the next day, should be protracted. The Parliament sent to Naylor five Ministers, one of which was Edward Reynolds, afterwards the Famous Bishop of Nor∣wich, to sound his Mind, and to induce him to confess and acknowledge his Offence, and to re∣cant it, but he with the same Constancy and For∣titude as he had used before in making his Defence, did now also persevere in his Opinion; from whence when he might otherwise have procured Favour in the sight of the House, he was now by their Com∣mand ordered to suffer the remainder of his Sen∣tence; while these things were transacted, there were some of Naylor's Friends, both Men and Wo∣men, who were punished with Imprisonment at Exeter, because that all of them, as Naylor had done, endeavoured to divert the Crime laid to their Charge with their frivolous Excuses and Exceptions. But to return to Naylor, the second time that he stood in the Pillory, one Robert Rich, from among the great multitude of Spectators, who was a spe∣cial Friend of Naylor's, with two Women, get up to him, and stand about him; then Rich pulled a Paper out of his Bosom, and set it upon his Head, wherein was written these words, This is the King of the Jews. Rich being thrust from that place with the Women who were his Companions in

that mad Prank, when Naylor was stigmatized with an hot Iron in the Forehead, and not running of his own accord, but haled, held Naylor with his hand while the Brand was a doing, and presently after licks the Wound with his Tongue, as if it had been some Sacred and Religious thing; though in∣deed Naylor always excused himself herein, that he did nothing to an ill intent and purpose, or suf∣fered to be done unto him; but did always, and particularly then, when that was done unto him, condemn him for his Folly, that he had so much vain and foolish Honour done him by the People, and that he suffered justly and deservedly for that Crime and Offence, and acknowledged that he was under the Vindictive hand of God for it; and 'tis a wonderful thing that amidst so many, and such great Torments, he was not heard to pour out the least sigh or groan: Besides, while all these things were doing, many of the Quakers sent Letters daily to Naylor, and did incessantly rebuke him, that he would be so audacious, as to do such a Wickedness, and to advise and exhort him, that he would do his utmost to correct and amend his Fault, and at length forsake it. Though either these very Advi∣sers, or others of that Society, did again as well as Naylor, defend all that was done of Naylor, by publick Papers, and concerning Naylor by his Friends, and for this purpose they alledged divers Sayings and Examples of the Holy Scripture, and would adapt them for the Proof hereof. And in∣deed Naylor did continue all the remainder of his days in the same manner affected towards the Re∣ligion of the Quakers, and also wrote Books, where∣by he endeavoured to promote his and their Reli∣gion among other People. I have said before, that George Fox and his Followers were clapped up in Prison, and detained there for a long time, because of their publishing and dispersing of their Libels and Pamphlets among the Common People: Fox in another Pamphlet did so clear himself of all Crime herein, that he affirmed, that there was nothing else

taught in those Pamphlets, but that it was the Duty of all Men aright to consider the Light that shone in their Consciences; and that he might extenuate the Suspicion had of them, he so exaggerates and amplifies their Sufferings, as if the cry of his and his Friends Blood reached up even as far as Heaven, and drew on the Anger and Vengeance of the Al∣mighty upon them for it. Just at this time, when Fox was not yet set free from his Imprisonment and the Afflictions he complained of, which he cryed out were so hard, and not to be endured, came a Pamphlet abroad at London, without any Name indeed to it, yet without all doubt George Fox was the Author thereof. That Libel opened and ex∣plained the causes why, and for which the Quakers ought to refuse, deny, and reject these Earthly Teachers, by whom they meant the Ministers of the Publick Churches: The Author did in that Li∣bel blame and accuse all Pastors and Teachers upon the same foot without distinction, as of other Vices, so of Falsity, Deceivings, Frauds, Lyes, in as much as that they pursued Lyes for Gain or Fa∣vour, and for Covetousness sake brought Men to their bow with hypocritical words, and adulterated the Holy Scriptures; yea, that they were guilty of Enchantment, Magick, and Necromancy. The Ac∣cuser ought to have a good Memory, and take heed, lest while he is falsly and foolishly Accusing of o∣thers, he do give occasion for himself to be derided of Men, and be very nigh a-kin to the very same Crime he lays to their charge. The thing it self manifests that the Author of this Libel had an evil purpose therein, in that they also blamed, and se∣verely carped at these things in their Adversaries, because they said, that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were the Gospel; that they said, the Gospel was light, the Scripture saying, that Christ was the Light; the Apostle taught, that the Bodies of Believers were the Temples of God, and of the Holy Spirit, but that they taught, that those Temples were Steeple-Houses, and material Build∣ings,

which were made of Stone and Wood; and many such things there were, not spoken, but writ∣ten cunningly for to stir up the ignorant Multitude, and provoke Men of a wicked and evil Disposition by these Practices, which were not much different from a Malignant Spirit, and flagitious lust of Mind, or furious Rage and Madness; and thus did these Men again and again stir up the Envy, Wrath, and Hatred of their Adversaries. Moreover, seeing that the same Men, especially being encited there∣to by these Heralds and Enticers, did not only not cease, but went on more and more in their rash ways, and inconsiderate boldness, not only to Preach about, and to direct their Discourses to People in the Markets, and such like places, but also to in∣terrupt the Ministers Preaching in the Churches, with their inveighing Interruptions and Bablings, or afterwards to make a noise, excusing themselves at the same time, according to their usual manner, with this one Sentence constantly, That they were excited by the Spirit hereunto. Hence all sorts of Men increased in Indignation and Bitterness against them, and Severity in Punishing of them. This happened from the Year Fifty Six, for the two fol∣lowing Years. For so indeed it came to pass, that not only they who spoke what they pleased in Pub∣lick places, but even they also who were not wont to go hear the Sermons usually preached in the Churches, or had Sermons of their own in their own Houses, were some of them fined, some cast into Prison, some whipped, and then forbid their Homes, and thrust into Banishment, of whom some were so stiff and obstinate, being as it were Conquerors over Fear and Pain, that they returned again (one was George Bayley, who came back twice) who were as often whipped for the same; the same was done in the Towns of Sherborn, Long∣horton, &c. and in Dorchester, the chief Town of the County it self. The Quakers wrote, that the Ministers of the Churches themselves did not only in their Sermons that were adapted to stir up and

inflame the People, excite the Magistrates, and more especially the credulous and headlong Multi∣tude, so far, as that they should either drive away the Quakers, or hinder them to hold their Meetings, but also that they did come themselves among those that were armed, for to disturb their Meetings, as well among the Publick Guard as the Promiscuous Multitude; but there are no deeds so much noted and enlarged upon by them in all the Monuments of their Writings, as those done by the Scholars and Students of the University of Oxford against them: If the Quakers did at any time enter into the Churches, they fell upon and severely treated them for their boldness in coming to the sight of those Youths, who were themselves most bold and ready for all wanton tricks. As often as the Quakers held their Conventicles, and that it came to the Ears of these Students, they flew thither, and hal••d and thrust the Men out of Doors, and there tossed them backward and forward, and tormented them all the ways they could; but if they could not con∣veniently get in, they broke the Doors and Win∣dows, but when they could not, or would not do that, they stood about the House, and there recei∣ved them as they came out as before; and this also was a small matter with them; there were some of them who were furnished with Pipes and Tobacco (an Herb well known, and so called from him who first shewed the use of it) and Ale, of which they themselves did not only sip often, but also reached the same to the Quakers, and upon their refusing thereof, yea, saying nothing at all to the matter, and as it were silently sipping up and digesting all that Affliction, they poured the Drink down the Throats of the People, and upon their Cloaths, struck them, pulled them by the Nose, and tore their Beards, that they might force them to speak something to them. But these vile doings were yet but little in their Eyes; there were some of them, who run upon, and trod them under their Feet, who discharged Muskets at them, and threw

Squibs and Serpents, as they call them, which flew and burnt their Cloaths where ever they touched them; others brought Mastiff Dogs with them, and set them on, not only to bark at the People, but to fly at them, and bite them; some of them when they went away, took the mens Goods along with them, and when the Quakers made Complaint of these Mischiefs and Injuries done them to their Tutors and Professors, they were deaf to them, and took them but as so many Tales told them. And indeed they suffered such great and so many Evils, that unless these Men had written concern∣ing the same openly to the World, and that none did ever refel and confute what was written by them hereupon, they could not be believed: Such things also as these, they complained were done unto them by the Students in Cambridge, and this they set forth in Print. While these things were transacted, Oliver Cromwel died, being the Year One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and Eight, on the Third Day of September, at Three of the Clock in the Afternoon, of a Tertian Ague, after he had had a severe Fit of it. This Man had the boldness to arrogate to himself so great a Power in all the three Kingdoms, that of Old were esteemed to be another World, that all things were governed and managed according to his Pleasure alone, having rejected the Name of King, and assuming that of Protector, that he himself might be the more pro∣tected from all Hatred and Envy. Under the Go∣vernment of whose Son Richard, which was but very short, and not managed with that Industry as his Father had done, nor administred with that Moderation that he shewed, so as that neither his Authority had lessened the Peoples Love to him, nor the Favour of the People his Gravity, the Qua∣kers Affairs begun daily to grow worse and worse, while both on the one side and the other the Qua∣kers were hurried on with greater boldness; and those who opposed, with greater Cruelty. And seeing there are very many Instances extant, and

such as are very memorable, yet because we would shun satiety, and that I find the same creeping on, I shall dispatch the matter in a few words. Seeing there were now more Persons among the Quakers than before, who uttered their vain Ribaldry and Bablings, even in the Churches, and while the Mi∣nisters were in the midst of their Sermons, so there were also other Men that were more animated and forward to do nothing with Deliberation, so that the Quakers for that reason were much more se∣verely punished, especially in Wales, and some parts of Pembrokeshire. There was at London a certain Man, whose Name was Solomon Eccles, a Man void, not of Understanding, but of all Shame and Fear, who began such a deed, that it's very strange that the same Quaker himself should be willing to Re∣cord it, and put the matter beyond all doubt, and maintain it besides in the very same Pamphlet, and thereby shew that no Fact can be feigned, be it ne∣ver so foolish and rash, which some would not at least do, and not commend as a right and laudable thing, to be committed against those whom they so much complained of, in respect to the wrongs and injuries done unto them. I shall take the thing from the beginning: This Man was a Musician, and could Sing and Play very well, having been Instru∣cted in this Art and Science by his Father and Grandfather, and did by it maintain both himself and his Family very genteelly and plentifully: It was believed he could Yearly by Teaching of others, and by Playing, get no less than Two Hundred Pounds Sterling. But he had a mind to change this sort of Life, and to get into the Fellowship of the Quakers, and so experience another way of Li∣ving; and so he first sells his Books, and all his Mu∣sical Instruments at a great rate, as being now use∣less and noxious to him; but afterwards bethink∣ing himself, that they might be hurtful to others as well as to him, and that he ought not, if he could avoid it, suffer any to be injured at the ex∣pence of his Profit and Conveniency, he buys them

back again of those to whom he had Sold them, for the same Money, and when he had so done, he gathered them all together, and goes with them directly to Tower-Hill, and having there set up a Pile of Wood, and fired it at Noon day, he does in the sight of many People commit to the Flames, and burn all these Excellent and Precious Instru∣ments and Books altogether, as being a means to draw Men to be idle, to promote a Lascivious Life, and as stings to their Lusts, and commands all Men to take Pattern by him, and shun and curse all such vain and profane Arts. So great was the Zeal of this Man for his new Religion, and so great was his Anger and the fervour of his Mind against the Pub∣lick Religion of the Kingdom, that he could not forbear, but must go upon every new, bold, and rash Act, whereof above others this is a most me∣morable Instance.

When the People were met together in Alder∣manbury Church, for to Celebrate the Lord's Supper, this Man came thither, having furnished himself first with a Sack full of Shooe-maker's Ware, so that now from a Musician he was turned Shooe-maker, and partly a Cobler, to that end that he might go into the Church, and there in the croud, before that the Minister had got into the Pulpit, might Act somewhat of the part of a Shooe-maker: And so that he might not be put out, he had taken care to get very timely and secretly into the Church, and hid himself there in some place. Afterward when they were singing of Psalms, he rushes up, and draws nigh unto the Table, and stood with his Hat on, looking about to see how he might get up into the Pulpit; but when he could not find a way to it, he determines with himself to get up to the top of the Altar, and there to do his business; but as the croud was also here in his way and ob∣structed him, and that he in the mean time was diligently considering of every thing about him, and standing all the time with his Hat on, while all the rest were singing, some of them when the

Psalm was ended take his Hat off his Head, and deliver it into his Hand: He put it on again; ano∣ther pulls him by the Hair, and takes it off a se∣cond time; then comes the Clerk, and notwith∣standing his Refractoriness and Contempt of Reli∣gious things, leads him away gently; but he be∣lieving, and being much assured that the Spirit of God would have him do this, he had contrived and projected, seeing he had failed of his purpose this day, returns thither the next Lord's Day, fully animated, as he thought, with Divine and Heaven∣ly Zeal, and when he was now come nigh, and that the Minister was going up into the Pulpit, he drives forwards, and being as it were stung with Fury, rushed headlong over the Peoples Seats, and briskly gets up into the Pulpit, pulls out his Shooe-maker's Tools, and begins to sow: Upon which comes up a strong hardy Man, and thrusts the Beast down, where being received by many below better than he deserved, does notwithstanding struggle and en∣deavour to get up again into the same place, until at length being driven out of the Church, after he had been sufficiently insulted over by the Boys, and received some blows, he was carryed before the Lord Mayor, who orders him, as being an Instru∣ment of such notorious Impieties, and come not from the dregs of the People, but from an Hog∣stye, and fit for such a place, into such another, and as being unworthy the use of the Light, there to be kept in Chains and Darkness. I shall say more of this Man in another place. And now seeing that in the City of London, and every where else, the Quakers Meetings were forbid, and constantly hindered, as is wont to be done to such Conventicles, the Soldiers did many times, being accompanied with the next Neighbours, between whom other∣wise there is no strict Union and Conjunction commonly in England, break into the Quakers Houses, even when they were gathered together in a Religious manner, and without fraud, and took and carryed away some of them, spoiled others of

their Cloaths, others they punched, beat, and drag∣ged by the hair of the Head, and handled some of them in such a manner, that they seemed to be left for dead by them. A great many Men with a multitude of Boys got together at a place called Sabridford in Heresordshire, and twice set upon the Quakers, while they were peaceably attending at their Devotion, and besides the opprobrious words they used to them, added all the Obscenity and Wickedness almost that could be: For they broke the Windows, Walls, and Posts of the Door, laid hold on the Men, threw Stones at them, stinking rotten Eggs, Dirt, and even Humane Excrements, which Men do not care to see, much less to handle, risted them, and rent and tore their Cloaths, and tormented them other ways. And when the Qua∣kers alledged these things, and made them plainly to appear before the Magistrates, they complained that there were none of those Rioters either called, much less made an Example of. Such things might be daily seen, not only in some, but in all Coun∣ties; but while these things were doing, these Men supposing that their Complaints would be to no purpose before these Inferiour Magistrates, they Address themselves to the Supream Assembly of the Nation, and set forth in their Petitions, That for six Years last past, there were within the Kingdom of England, above a Thousand and Nine Hundred Persons of their Society shut up in Prisons, and that there were yet this Year an Hundred and Forty of them so confined, and that One and Twenty had died there, adding the Names of each of them withal, the places where they suffered, and the causes for which every one suffered; in demonstra∣ting of which they could not yet leave off their old way of Accusation, as well by concealing the greater Crimes, and more notorious Offences that had brought many of them under such Confine∣ments as by aggravating and exaggerating too much the many lighter Evils which they suffered, and often-times taking and amplifying a light Scratch,

a Pinch, and blue Spot, for a grievous Torment, and bloody Wound; which two things seem to me may be well observed in most of the Monuments which these Men have left of their Sufferings, for indeed I cannot allow that these Authors have been so often used by their Adversaries (as they say) so as that they were left for half dead, for no Ex∣ample can be produced by them of any of their Deaths the same moment, or in a short time after, and when all of them, even then when they are at best, seem to be half dead, and without their Senses; nor this, that they should so often speak loosely and ambiguously, and use those Forms, to which their Cases and Law-Suits are accommodated, which they themselves also understand to be the Gins and Snares of the Fact and Law, and which George Fox in such cases as these calls huge Monsters, whose Mouths are as wide as Hell: It is a much greater sign of Community and Communion, to make the Misfortunes of our Enemies one with our own, and to look upon their Calamities as if they befel our selves; but seeing that in time some out of such a Number of the Quakers as were shut up in Pri∣sons, by reason of the languishing of their Bodies, could not hold out as they would, and others grew very sick, and besides very low in their Spirits, when this came to be known among all the other Qua∣kers, every one began to look upon, and take care, not so much of himself as of another and the whole Society, and so every one offered himself, if it might be allowed, to go and Ransom those sick and infirm Friends and Companions from that wretched place, and to become Prisoners in their room; and having at a certain time resolved hereupon, an Hun∣dred and Sixty Four of these Men, of their own accord, and without being stirred thereunto by other Exhortations, go all together to the Parlia∣ment, and Present this Humble Petition unto them, drawn by George Fox, (who was not yet himself one of these Sureties) in this rude style, many of them at the same time speaking to him against it,

and desiring that some Words and Sentences therein might be amended (which was told me by a Prin∣cipal Man among, and one that was of the number of those Sureties) and after it was written down as he dictated, they subscribed every one their Names to it. Friends, You that are called the Parliament of this Nation, we, out of the Love we bear to our Bre∣thren, that are in Prisons, Bridewels, and Iron Chains, beaten severely by merciless Officers, fined, and pu∣nished to Death, and dying in their Imprisonments, seeing that now many of them lie sick, lying upon Straw, we give up our selves and ours unto you, that you may shut up us like Sheep in the Prisons, Bride∣wels, Litter, and Sinks of those our Brethren, and we are ready as so many Sacrifices to go into their places, out of the Love which we bear unto them, for we cannot choose but be ready to lay down our Lives for our Brethren, and take those Torments upon our selves, which you have prepared for them; neither can we, when our Brethren suffer, choose but feel our selves the same thing, even as Christ has said, he suf∣fered and was afflicted; and this indeed is our Love towards God, and Christ, and our Brethren, which we owe both to them, and to our Enemies, who are al∣so the lovers of your Souls, and of your Eternal Sal∣vation; and if ye will take our Bodies, which we offer for our Brethren, who are Imprisoned because they have preached the Truth in many places, refused to pay Tythes, met together in the fear of God, have not sworn, stood with their Hats on, because they have been looked upon as Vagabonds, when they have gone to visit their Friends, and such like; we whose Names are under written, wait for your Answer in the great Hall of Westminster, to the end we may be satisfied in this our desire, and manifest our Love to our Friends, and remove the Judgment and Vengeance that hangs over our Enemies. The Parliament did indeed re∣ject this Petition, but seeing these Men were affe∣cted with so much Pity and Concern for the Mise∣ries of their Friends, and that they themselves were so nearly touched with a sense of so many Evils

and Miseries, it had this further Effect, that other Men seeing such great Affection of Heart between them, and so great Courage and Constancy in bear∣ing any Miseries, they began to judge more favoura∣bly of them, and many daily joyned themselves to their Society and Community. Moreover, what these Petitioners and Deprecators of these Miseries and Dangers complained of in this their Humble Petition to the Parliament, as also in that men∣tioned a little before concerning their Brethren, that there was so many of them shut up in Prisons, and that some of them were so severely and hardly used, some perished under the weight and pressure of their Afflictions, was so true, that there was scarce any Common Gaol, or such like places, where∣in Felons and Criminals were kept, which could not very manifestly bear Testimony to the Complaints of these Men. Now, for the remainder of the Year Sixty, until King Charles the Second his Coming in, these Men had no better Fortune; for during that time the Soldiers in many Countries, following the heels of their Commanders, break into the Hou∣ses of these Men, whilst they kept their Meetings, and drive them out with Muskets and Swords, in some places discharging their Muskets upon them, and wounding them, or struck them with their Hands, and kicked them, or pulled them by the hair of the Head, and sometimes after they had ha∣led them out of their Houses, drove them into the Water. Sometimes the Soldiers came alone, and being asked, by whose Command they came, and what Authority they had? And answering, That their Warrant was in their Pockets, they fell upon them, and did them violence, ransacked all things, or took them away, and turned them to their own Use, though many times it was but little, that these Burglars and Sharers carryed away, though they did not only not spare the Houshold Goods of the richer sort, but also seized upon whatever they had in their Possession of other things, seeing they had mostly nothing of their own, but what was necessary

for daily use for the support of their Bodies. The Students in the University of Cambridge had not yet sufficiently insulted over, and exercised their Rage against the Quakers; they therefore at this time reassumed their former Licentiousness, Wan∣tonness, and Impudence, and did not alone, but accompanied with the Populacy and meaner sort of People, that are ready for all audacious, facinorous and vile doings several times, but more especially thrice break into the Quakers Meeting, and Assault them, after they had broke the Locks and Doors with great Hammers, and break all things with their Hands and Feet to pieces, frighten some of the Men away, use others basely, and throw Dirt and such like filth in their Faces, beat others with sticks tear their Cloaths, prick and wound them with Knives, till the Blood gushed out, others they haled cruelly by the hair of the Head, and having so done, let them down and soaked them in Ditches, and the Kennels of the Streets; neither did they spare any of them, had no regard to any Age, nor Sex, nor Degrees of Men, for when an Alderman came to them the second time they were engaged in this Work, to hinder them to proceed, they thrust him into the Water-course of the City, and abused not the Man only, but the Dignity also; and so the last time, when some of the Justices of the Peace dis∣swaded them from such Practices in the King's Name (because the King some days before had been Proclaimed publickly) and that others also stood by, and urged them to desist, they for all that go on. There were besides at this time also many of these Men by the Magistrates Command haled from the Conventicles, and shut up in Prisons, whipped, and sent into Banishment, as wicked Men and Va∣gabonds, from which People they thought their present Danger might arise. In the mean time the Soldiers, which were thus placed every where in Garrison, or wandered up and down the Country, that the Quakers could reside no where but as it were within their Camps, did so Ravage these Men

at their pleasure, that no Person, nor House, nor Goods could be safe, nothing so well fortified and defended, that was not exposed to their Fury, and became a Prey to their Rage. And the Quakers made no less Complaint of the Officers than they did of the Soldiers, because they did not restrain their Insolence, and punish them for their Wicked∣ness; but they did more especially complain of Ge∣neral Lambert, whom, they said, was a great Ene∣my to their Sect. Which Person however some Years after, when we went to visit in the Company of an Honourable Person, being then kept a Priso∣ner in a certain Castle in the County of Devon, we found he was not so averse to the Sect of the Qua∣kers, and such sort of Men. All sorts of Men, both learned and unlearned, had to this time written and published Books and Pamphlets against the Quakers; all these, which were an Hundred and Fifteen in all, Fox in the Year Fifty Nine gathered together, and digested in Order into one Book, and did partly refute them, and scoffed at the rest, as being some of them not written in any serious man∣ner: At the same time the Quakers put out a Pam∣phlet, wherein they recounted, what every Mini∣ster of the Publick Church throughout England had done against every one of their Society, how they had handled them, with the Name and Sir∣name of every one of them, at what time George Monk, General of all the Armies of Britain, put an end to this Evil by a Proclamation, that none should injure the Quakers, provided they demeaned themselves dutifully towards the Common-wealth; I have given an Account of the Afflictions and Per∣secutions of these Men in England, and have pro∣duced various Instances of every kind concerning their Troubles; and now these Quakers shew them∣selves in Scotland, behaving themselves here as in all other places where they came, being often-times very vexatious and troublesom in the Publick Meetings and Conversations of Men, in the Markets, in the Churches, and that either before, or after, or while

they were at their Solemn Prayers and Prea∣ching, neither did they only confound Speakers and Hearers, and made them dissatisfied with their Meeting together, or exercise of their Religion, but as often as they were taken, and did not beg Pardon for the fault committed, they were handled in the same manner as they had been in England, many of them being Imprisoned, some whipped, and o∣thers banished: This was a thing very singular and strange in this Country, and among this Nation; there was a Law made at Glascow in the General Assembly, that no Quaker should be cherished and relieved by any Member of the Reformed Church, and that no Person should have any Commerce with them, or make use of their Labour, and Em∣ploy them, under the Penalty of being Excommu∣nicated; and by this means these wretched People were forced to seek for other, though uncertain, Abodes, or else to perish through extream want. Notwithstanding which Law, which the Quakers cryed, was by no means made with a Christian Temper, but was a barbarous Rite, and the Effects of Cruelty, when their Affairs seemed to have been brought to the utmost danger, they did so struggle with these Difficulties, that they even increased in Number day by day. Neither must we pass over in silence, that those two Men, John Swinton and David Barclay, did at this time go off to the Qua∣kers, who, because both of them were very Famous and Renowned, first, among all the Scots, and af∣terwards among the Quakers, I cannot pass it over, but must here insist a little upon it. John Swinton was of a good Family, and at first well deserving of the Common-wealth, having his Name from the Place whereof he was Lord; when King Charles the Second fled from England, and was received and crowned by the Scots, this Swinton was a Member of the General Assembly then, as also of the Par∣liament, and then it was that the said King Solemnly swore, he would preserve the Church of Scotland as then established inviolable; but when the King

afterward changed his Faith, and endeavoured to promote the Function and Rule of Bishops, and that now both Nations were at deadly and Intestine Wars one with another, and that the Members in Parliament took into Deliberation what they should do with the King, Swinton said, it was his Opinion, that they should reject the King's Interest, and be at Peace and Amity with the English, by which Speech when Swinton found that he had much ex∣asperated the Minds of all of them, and being afraid of the Danger, withdraws from the Parlia∣ment, and with all Expedition flies to his Estate in the Country, which was not far from the Frontiers of England, and cunningly contrives it, that he had fallen into the hands of the English Soldiers; these carry him to London: when the English had over∣come the Scots, the English Parliament appoint this Man, that was so Faithful to their Church and Country, together with others, to Govern the Af∣fairs of Scotland. But while Swinton tarryed at London he contracted Acquaintance and Familiarity with the Quakers, and afterward became of their Society: When the King was restored and come over, Swinton, who was then at London, though he was not ignorant how angry the King was with him, yet he staid there, trusting to a good Conscience, that he had discharged his Duty to the Publick without any private Enmity against the King. There the King Commands him to be seized and carryed into Scotland, to the end that he might be put to Death; when he was brought before the Parliament, and being allowed the free∣dom to defend himself, he did so Plead his own Case, and by his Eloquence allay the Anger and Fury of all the Members, that they did acquit him from his Capital Crime, and only confined him Prisoner to the Castle of Edenburgh, where he con∣tinued for some Years. David Barclay was a Gen∣tleman of Scotland, and descended from the An∣cient and Illustrious Family of the Barclays, of which these Men have not only reported of them∣selves,

but it has also been asserted by others, that they have not only proceeded from so Noble, Great, and Ancient a Stock, but also that they were a-kin to the Royal Family; this same Gentleman using his Nobleness not for a Veil to Sloath and Idleness, but as fewel and an incitative to Industry and Ver∣tue, after he had from his Childhood given himself up to the Exercise of the Liberal Arts and Sciences, and finding that in the doubtful Affairs of his Country he could not find room for his Studies, he betook himself to the German Wars, and was first a Captain in the Swedish Army, and in some time came to be a Colonel; but after that the English had enforced their Government in Scotland, he re∣turns to his own Country, and he is together with Swinton and other Nobles appointed for the Go∣vernance of it; and is sent for to London, that he might be present at the making and establishing of the League between both Kingdoms; but in process of time, when King Charles was restored, he is committed Prisoner to the Castle of Eden∣burgh to his old Friend Swinton, and not long after gave himself over in Company with Swinton to the Sect of the Quakers; this David Barclay was the Father of Robert Barclay, who if not the only, yet was the most memorable of the Latin Writers a∣mongst all the Quakers. In Ireland, Howgil and Burroughs, the fore-runners of this Sect, were sent back from Cork into England by the Command of Henry Cromwel, who then governed that Kingdom by the Title of Lord-Deputy; and when after they were gone, Ames took upon him to propagate Qua∣kerism in that City, he was also thrown into Pri∣son, from whence being afterwards set at Liberty, and seeing he could not forbear, but must speak openly in the Church against the Preacher, he was again clap'd up in the same place; from which place, when he wrote a Letter to Colonel Henry Ingoldsby, who was Governour of that same City, and under whom he was a Soldier, and endeavoured to make his Defence, and procure his Liberty, he was indeed brought before him; but he was forth∣with,

and without any delay, in the presence of all that were there, according to the Military Practice of some Men, so beaten and kick'd by the Colonel himself, because he ought above any other to have desisted from such doings and practices, as he had then taken upon him, that he made him bleed, and then was sent back to his old Prison, and tyed Neck and Heels there. But as there were many of Ames's fellow Soldiers, and also other Soldiers, who by little and little became of the Quakers Sect; several of them having taken Counsel together, and allotted their Work, did either use their babling Interrup∣tions in the Publick Assemblies, while they were at Prayer or Preaching, or fell a Trembling there, or shewed some such idle and foolish Prank; this Ex∣ample was followed by many others, both of the one and of the other Sex, wherefore they were ever and anon, one after another, fined, driven to Pri∣sons, and in some places miserably harrassed, some of them were severely lashed, but the Soldiers more than any; until the Year Fifty Six, when Colonel Ingoldsby the Governour, commanded all, upon a very severe Penalty, to give no manner of Enter∣tainment to any Quaker whatsoever, and not suffer them to come within their Doors, and that whoever did to the contrary, should be expelled out of the City. But it was to no purpose; some indeed were driven away, but their Number did even then and by that means increase; and so by degrees came to hold their Assemblies. Officers were sent to break open their Doors, and to interrupt and disturb them; some they fined, others were banished, but yet for all this they increased and multiplyed more and more; this happened at Limerick, Cork, Wa∣terford, Kingsale, and other places: And thus did this Sect of the Quakers about the time of their rise and first Progress, struggle in the time of the Com∣mon-wealth, under the two Cromwels, Father and Son, Protectors, under the many Afflictions they were put to by their Enemies, and to the great haz∣zard both of their Religion and People.

The End of the First Book.