A true account of the great tryals and cruel sufferings undergone by those two faithful servants of God, Katherine Evans and Sarah Cheevers in the time of their above three years and a halfs confinement in the island Malta. Also, how God at last by his almighty power effected their deliverance, and brought them back into the land of their nativity. To which is added, a short relation from George Robinson, of the sufferings that befel him in his journey to Jerusalem; and how God saved him from the hands of cruelty when the sentence of death was passed against him.

Katherine Evans to her Husband and Children.

For the hand of JOHN EVANS, my right dear and precious Hus∣band, with my tender-hearted Children, who are more dear and precious unto me, than the Apple of mine eye.

MOst dear and faithful Husband, Friend and Brother, begotten of my Eternal Father, of the immortal Seed of the Cove∣nant of Light, Life and Blessedness, I have unity and fellowship with thee day and night, to my great Refreshment, and continual Com∣fort; Praises, Praises be given to our God for evermore, who hath joyned us together in that which neither Sea nor Land can separate or divide.

My dear heart, my Soul doth dearly salute thee, with my dear and precious Children, which are dear and precious in the Light of the Lord, to thy endless joy, and my everlasting comfort; glory be to our Lord God eternally, who hath called you with a holy Calling, and hath caused his Beauty to shine upon you in this the day of his Power, wherein he is making up of his Jewels, and binding up of his faith∣ful Ones in the Bond of everlasting Love and Salvation, among whom he hath numbred you of his own free Grace; in wh••ch I beseech you (dear hearts) in the fear of the Lord, to abide in your measures, according to the ma∣nifestation of the Revelation of the Son of God in you; keep a diligent watch over every Thought, Word and Action, and let your minds be staid continually in the Light, where you will find out the snares and baits of Satan, and be preserved out of his Traps, Nets and Pits, that you may not be captivated by him at his will. Oh my dear Husband and Children, how often have I poured out my Soul to our everlasting Father for you, with Rivers of Tears, night and day, that you might be kept pure and single in the sight of our God, impro∣ving your Talents as wise Virgins, having Oyl in your Vessels, and your Lamps burning, and cloathed with the long white Robes of

Righteousness, ready to enter the Bed-cham∣ber, and to sup with the Lamb, and to feed ••t the Feast of fat things, where your souls may be nourished, refreshed, comforted, and sa∣tisfied, never to hunger again.

My dear hearts, you do not want teaching, you are in a Land of Blessedness, which floweth with Milk and Honey, among the faithful Stewards, whose mouths are opened wide in Righteousness, to declare the Eternal Myste∣ries of the everlasting Kingdom, of the end∣less Joyes, and eternal Glory; whereinto all the willing and obedient shall enter, and be blessed for ever.

My dear hearts, the Promises of the Lord are large, and are all Yea and Amen to those that fear his Name; he will comfort the Mourners in Sion, and will cause the Heavy-hearted in Jerusalem to rejoyce, because of the glad-tydings; They that do bear the Cross with patience, shall wear the Crown with joy; for it is through the long-suffering and pati∣ent waitings, the Crown of Life and Immor∣tality comes to be obtained: The Lord hath exercised my Patience, and tryed me to the ut∣termost, to his praise and my eternal comfort, who hath not been wanting to us in any thing in his own due time; We are Witnesses he can provide a Table in the Wilderness, both spiri∣tual

and temporal. Oh the endless Love 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our God, who is an everlasting Fountain 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all living Refreshment; whose Chrystal stream•• never cease running to every thirsty Soul, th•••• breatheth after the springs of Life and Sal∣vation!

In our deepest Affliction, when I looked f•••• every breath to be the last, I could not wish 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had not come over Seas, because I knew it w•••• my Eternal Father's Will to prove me, with my dear and faithful Friend; In all afflicti∣ons and miseries, the Lord remembred Mercy, and did not leave nor forsake us, nor suffer h•••• Faithfulness to fail us, but caused the swe•••• drops of his Mercy to distil upon us, and the brightness of his glorious Countenance to shine into our hearts; and was never wanting to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Revelations nor Visions. Oh! how may I do to set forth the Fulness of God's Love t•• our Souls? No tongue can express it, no hear•• can conceive it, nor mind can comprehend it. Oh the ravishments, the raptures, the glorio•••• bright-shining Countenance of our Lord God, who is our fulness in emptiness, our strength i•• weakness, our health in sickness, our life i•• death, our joy in sorrow, our peace in disquiet∣ness, our praise in heaviness, our power in a•• needs or necessities; He alone is a full God un∣to us, and to all that can trust him; he hat••

emptied us of our selves, and hath unbotto∣med us of our selves, and hath wholly built us upon the sure Foundation, the Rock of Ages, Christ Jesus the Light of the world; where the swelling Seas, nor raging, foaming Waves, nor stormy Winds, though they beat vehemently, can be able to remove us. Glory, honor and praises is to our God for ever, who out of his everlasting Treasures, doth fill us with his Eternal Riches day by day; he did nourish our souls with the choicest of his Mer∣cies, and doth feed our bodies with his good Creatures, and relieve all our Necessities in a full measure; Praises, Praises be to him a∣lone, who is our everlasting portion, our con∣fidence, and our rejoycing, whom we serve ac∣ceptably with reverence and God-like fear; for our God is a consuming fire.

Oh my dear Husband and precious Chil∣dren, you may feel the issues of Love and Life, which stream forth as a River to every soul of ••ou, from a heart that is wholly joyned to the ••ountain! My Prayers are for you day and ••ight without ceasing, beseeching the Lord God of Power to pour down his tender Mer∣••ies upon you, and to keep you in his pure fear, ••nd to encrease your Faith, to confirm you in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Righteousness, and strengthen you in be∣••••ving in the Name of the Lord God Al∣mighty,

that you may be established as Mo•••••• Sion, that can never be moved. Keep y•••• Souls unspotted of the World, and love 〈◊〉〈◊〉 another with a pure heart, fervently ser•••• one another in love; build up one another 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Eternal, and bear one anothers burde•• for the Seeds sake, and so fulfil the Law o•• God. This is the Word of the Lord unt•• you, my dearly beloved.

Dear hearts, I do commit you into the hand of the Almighty, who dwelleth on high, an•• to the Word of his Grace in you, who is abl•• to build you up to everlasting Life, and eter∣nal Salvation. By me, who am thy dear an•• precious Wife, and Spouse, in the Marriage 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Lamb, in the Bed undefiled,

K. E.

My dearly beloved Yoak-mate in the Wor•• of our God, doth dearly salute you; Salut•• us dearly to our precious Friends in all place•• I do believe we shall see your faces again wi•••• joy. Dearly salute us to T. H. R. S. and h•••• Sister, S. B. and his Daughter, N. M. a•••• his dear Wife, with all the rest of our de•••• Friends in Bristol. T. C. and his dear Wi•••• and Daughter, and all Friends in Bristol 〈◊〉〈◊〉 else-where. J. G. and his precious Wife, Children and Servants, with all Friend••

Our dear Love to E. H. with her Husband and Children at Alderberry.

The Original of this was written in the Inquisition in Malta, in the 11th. Month of the year, 1661.