1659.
In the forepart of the year 1659, there was great discord, and several
factions among the people in England; for some adhered to the protector
Richard, and others to the chief members of the long parliament; and
the royalists made also a party. G. Fox being under a concern lest some
young or raw people, who sometimes came amongst his friends, might be
drawn into some of those several interests, wrote an epistle, warning
such to be careful, and not at all to meddle with any plotting; but to
consider that their warfare was a spiritual one, and not at all wanting
the use of carnal weapons.
About this time William Caton came again into Holland, and finding
at Amsterdam some malicious people who endeavoured to bring his
fellow-believers there into trouble, and to stir up the mob against
them, that so the magistrates might take occasion to look upon the
Quakers as rioters, advised those of that persuasion to be circumspect,
and to avoid as much as possibly they could the impending storm. In
order thereto it was thought meet that their religious meetings, which
on the weekdays were kept pretty late at night, on the first days of
the week should not always be kept in one place, but sometimes in this,
and at other times in another house. Sometimes a meeting was kept
in an alley, at the town wall near the Regulars gate, where several
English people dwelt, from whence it was called the English Alley, and
has that name still: hither came very rude company, committing great
insolence. The time before that W. Caton was in Holland, he met with an
extraordinary rude encounter at the said place, insomuch that he seemed
in danger of his life; for some wicked people, not daring to do their
utmost in the house where he was, pushed him out of doors; but then a
woman pulled him into her house, where he was safe, though at first he
knew not whether he was among friends or foes. I yet well remember this
fact, being at that time with my parents in the said disturbed meeting.
Now Caton being a discreet and judicious person, and perceiving that
some of his friends there had more of a rash zeal than true wisdom,
advised the most moderate of them often to change meeting-places. In
the beginning a meeting was kept now and then in St. John’s street, so
called; and afterwards on Eland’s Graff, in an alley, at the house of
one Richard Langham; and also on the Angelier’s Graff, in the house of
my father; and some time after in the English alley abovesaid; and also
without the town, near the river Amstel, in Kuypers Padt, or Cooper’s
Lane; from whence the meeting was removed in the forepart of this year,
(if my memory doth not deceive me,) into the Verwers Padt, or Dyer’s
Lane; which was then without the city freedom, and the meeting-place
was in a large garret of a tanner’s house, where oftentimes came
abundance of people, and among these not a few of the rude rabble. Here
the meeting was continued till the year 1663, when that place came into
the possession of another owner.
W. Caton, after some stay in Holland, returned again to England. I
think it was in this year that William Ames went into Germany, where
being come into the Palatinate, he went to Heidelburgh, and came to
the court of the prince Elector, Charles Lodowick, who treated him
kindly, even at his own table, and seemed not to take offence at Ames’s
hat, which he kept on, though the lords and others that were in the
company, stood bareheaded. The baron of Helmont, who also was at that
court, was wont to tell afterwards, that Ames walking once with his hat
on, next to the prince in his garden, the courtiers asked the prince,
whether they should question Ames for this incivility; but the prince
said, ‘No, for I did expect that.’ At another time the prince made his
chaplain and Ames both dine with him, on purpose, as it seems, that
Ames, whom he knew to be a bold man, might find occasion to reprove
his chaplain; for at meat he suffered his jester to come, who playing
his tricks, the chaplain was silent; but Ames, who loved gravity, and
was averse to jesting, took occasion from thence to reprove such vain
actions; but chiefly he aimed at the chaplain, whom, because of his
silence at the lewd behaviour of the jester, he called a dumb dog;
which seemed to please the prince.
Now whilst William Ames was in the Palatinate, he got acquaintance
with the Baptists at Krieshiem, a town not far from Worms; and among
those people he found such entrance, that some families receiving the
doctrine he preached, bore a public testimony for it there, and so
continued till the settlement of Pennsylvania in America, when they
unanimously went thither, not as it seemed without a singular direction
of Providence; for not long after, a war ensued in Germany, where the
Palatinate was altogether laid waste by the French, and thousands of
people were bereft of their possessions, and reduced to poverty.
But to return to Ames, when some in the Palatinate began to give an
ear to his preaching, a fine was settled upon those that gave him
entertainment: but the prince Elector, being informed hereof, took off
that fine; and though those of the consistory did send for Ames, the
prince generously ordered them not to meddle with him. The prince’s
sister also behaved herself very kindly towards him, and received his
exhortations favourably.
A year after Ames came again into the Palatinate, with John Higgins,
and visiting the prince Elector, he understood from the captain of the
prince’s guard, that the prince was glad of Ames’s return thither.
Awhile after Higgins delivered to the prince Elector a book of G. Fox,
with a letter of Ames to the said prince, who was so well pleased with
it, that he bade Higgins to thank Ames on his behalf, saying also that
he took the coming of Ames and Higgins to him and his family very
kindly, and really believed that what they spoke was in love to their
souls.
Several years after this, some others of Ames’s friends from England,
visited the aforesaid prince Elector, and he always, (to his praise be
it said,) received them kindly. W. Ames, who was at sundry times in
Germany, came not only to Hamburgh, but travelled also through Bohemia
to Dantzick, and from thence to Poland. At Hamburgh and Dantzick he met
with some that received the Truth he preached; but in Poland people
were too rude and haughty, to get entrance among them.
In the forepart of this year, W. Ames being at Rotterdam in Holland,
was confined there in Bedlam; which having made a great a noise, I
will give a brief relation of it here. At Moordrecht, a village near
Gouda, lived at that time one Martin Martinson, a cooper by trade;
this man approving the doctrine preached by Ames at Rotterdam and
elsewhere, began to assert it as truth: and seeing now and then he
with some of his sober neighbours kept a meeting at his house, this
caused a great stir in the town, insomuch that sometimes he suffered
rude treatment from the people. Ames coming once there, and keeping a
meeting in Martin’s house, great insolence was committed by the wicked
rabble. And going from thence to pass over the water to Gouwerek, he
was followed by a multitude of riotous people, both young and old, with
a hideous cry of ‘Quake, Quake, Quake!’ And was pelted with stones and
clods, till he came to the boat that carried him over. The preacher
of Gouwerek hearing the noise, came to the boat, and asked what the
matter was, why people made such a sad noise? To which Ames answered,
‘It seems the people are not taught better.’ To which the preacher
returned, ‘They are not used to make such ado against honest people;
but I believe you to be a deceiving wolf, that comes among the sheep
to seduce them, and therefore they cry so.’ ‘Prove this,’ replied
Ames. ‘I do not know you,’ said the preacher. ‘Learn then,’ returned
Ames, ‘better manners, than to call one thou knowest not, a wolf and
deceiver.’ And so going his way, shortly after he wrote from Rotterdam
to Martin, and bade him go to the preacher, and desire him to appoint a
time to prove that Ames was a deceiving wolf. But to this the preacher
showed himself backward; yet to be rid of Martin, he said at length,
‘Come, I will prove it presently.’ But Martin replied, ‘I am not come
for that; but this must be done to Ames;’ and insisting thereon,
‘Well,’ said the preacher, ‘let him come next Sunday before noon, after
sermon; then I will prove it publicly before all the people.’
Of this Martin sent word to Ames; but things were managed so, that this
project of proof was quashed: for the preacher of Gouwerek went to
his colleague at Moordrecht, and consulted with him what to do in the
case; and Ames being come to Moordrecht on the first day of the month
called March, and the last of the week, though it was late at night,
was seen and known by some; who committed much violence upon the house
of Martin, where Ames was entered. The next day it was reported that
some of the sheriff’s men of Gouda were come to Gouwerek to apprehend
Ames when he came there; and at Moordrecht the dikegrave’s men came for
the same purpose; and so they took Ames prisoner, and carried him to
Rotterdam, where he was locked up in Bedlam, as a madman. And a week
after, Martin, for having kept meetings at his house, where not above
eight persons were come together, was also by the dikegrave’s men taken
prisoner in his house, and carried to Rotterdam, where he was locked up
with Ames. Who were the instigators of this business is plain enough,
though I do not mention them.
After Ames had not been much above three weeks in Bedlam, the
deputy-governor of the house, on the 27th of the month, about night,
came to him and Martin, and said, ‘If I was in your place, I would go
out.’ Which made Ames ask, whether he would suffer them to do so? To
which he answered, that he should not hinder them. Then Ames returned,
‘I will not be reputed as one that broke prison.’ To which the deputy
replied, ‘Nay, why should you be reputed so? You may go out freely; all
is unlocked, and the door will stand open for you; for the governors
are not minded that you should stay here.’ Then Ames said, ‘Well, I
intend to go out to-morrow.’ The next day Martin’s wife came to see her
husband; but the deputy told her, that he had an order in writing from
the dikegrave, that rather than to let Martin’s wife come to him, he
might let him and Ames go out together. The issue was, that they were
both let out that morning, it being the 28th of the month. But they
staid at Rotterdam, intending not to depart the town before they had
given notice to the dikegrave of their being let out; lest occasion
might be given for saying that they had broken prison. And it was not
without reason they were so cautious; for the next day, in the morning,
the deputy came to them, and said, ‘I desire that you will not bring
me into trouble, for I am an ancient man; and the dikegrave hath been
with me, and asked for you; to which I answered, that you were gone
out; but he took this very ill. I desire, therefore, that you would
say that you were gone out without my knowledge.’ But this was not to
be expected from Ames, whom I knew so well, that I truly believe that
he would rather have died, than to have spoken a lie: for in such a
case he was without question of the same mind as formerly Christian
Langedul, uncle to my grandmother by the mother’s side, who, when at
Antwerp, he, with others, martyrs, was led to the stake to be burnt,
cried out undauntedly, ‘If we would once but have told a lie, we might
have escaped this.’ But to return to Ames, he told the deputy, that
he himself intended to go and speak with the dikegrave; and if he was
displeased at their going out, he might put them in again where they
had been; for they would not have the name of prison-breakers.
Then they both went to the dikegrave, and told him after what manner
they were come out; saying also that they would not have it said, that
they broke out. ‘That name,’ said the dikegrave, ‘you would have had,
if you had departed the town; for the deputy hath told me that you
got out by breaking a window.’ After some other words were exchanged,
he further said, ‘I have nothing to object against your life and
conversation, having heard nothing concerning you but a good report;
neither do I seek to persecute you. But would you be willing to return
to Bedlam?’ Ames answered, ‘Here we stand before thee; thou mayest do
with us according to thy pleasure. And if thou desirest us to return
thither, we will do so.’ The dikegrave signifying that this was his
desire, said that they might go and walk in the gallery then, till
another order came. And so he caused his messenger to go along with
them. Being come thither, they not long retained the liberty to walk in
the gallery, but on the 31st of the month, they were locked up again,
each in a hole by himself. Now Ames acquainted the deputy that he heard
from the dikegrave, that he had been informed by him, that they were
got out by breaking a window. But the deputy denied to have said so.
They were detained there yet sometime, and were pretty much visited,
and this often by such as sought nothing but to scoff at them; and
among these a certain clergyman did not stick to say to Ames, that he
was a deceiver, because he wore pewter buttons, to make people believe
they were silver ones. Whilst Ames was confined here, he wrote some
papers which afterwards he published, and among these a reply to an
answer of one Jacob Koelman, to eighty-three queries given forth by the
said Ames; who now being set at liberty, travelled to Germany, as hath
been said before, and from thence going back to his native country,
after some time returned again into Holland, as did also William Caton.
But now I turn again to England, where an account was published in
print of the sufferings of the people called Quakers, which being
offered to the parliament, was delivered to the speaker, Thomas
Bampfield. This contained a relation of above one hundred and forty
persons, all distinguished by their names, who for keeping of meetings,
refusing to swear, not putting off their hats, not paying of tithes,
and their travelling up and down the country, had been taken up and
imprisoned, and many also had been deprived of their goods, and one
and twenty of these died either by sickness in prison, or by violent
abuses; among whom was Richard Sale, near West Chester, who being
constable, had a minister of the people called Quakers brought to
him, with a pass as a vagabond, whose conversation so convinced the
constable, that he gave him his pass and liberty. And because the said
Sale judged both priests and people to be exceedingly darkened, he
entered upon an extraordinary act, to show them by a sign that they
wanted to be enlightened, viz. he came in the day time with a lantern
and a burning candle into the steeple-house, during the sermon. But
this was resented to such a high degree, that by order of the mayor he
was put into prison, and thrust into a hole called Little Ease, which
was so strait, that it could not well receive his body; but he was
thrust in with such violence, that his body was bruised, and he spit
blood, and shortly after grew sick; and his body swelling, occasioned
by the squeezing it into the hole, he died in great pain. In the before
mentioned account it was also said that in the last six years, about
two thousand persons, for being Quakers, had suffered in their body and
goods. To this was added a paper, signed by more than one hundred and
sixty persons, (several of whom I knew,) whereby they offered to the
parliament to put themselves in the stead of their brethren, who were
confined either in prisons, or houses of correction, or in dungeons,
some being fettered, and others lying sick only on a little straw;
wherefore they declared themselves ready to change places with them out
of true love, that so they might go out, and not die by hardship, as
many had done already; to prevent which, they were willing to take upon
themselves the sufferings of their brethren, and lay down their lives
for them. Under their names they added, ‘If we had been of Esau’s race,
we should have fainted before this time; and if we had been of Cain’s
progeny, we should have fought with his weapons: but this never was,
neither is it the way of the righteous and chosen, of which we are,
from the foundation of the world.’ It was in the month called April,
that this paper was delivered to the parliament, but I do not find that
this offer was accepted, or any thing done for releasing the imprisoned.
About this time also Edward Burrough published a paper, containing a
very remarkable prediction of what followed the next year; when king
Charles the Second was placed on the throne. In it he saith, that as
he was travelling in Warwickshire, in the 1st month, his meditations
being upon the Lord, and considering what unjust and woful sufferings
had been inflicted upon the Lord’s people within these few years, a cry
went through him, ‘The Lord will be avenged, the Lord will be avenged
upon his enemies, and he will avenge the cause of his people.’ This cry
stuck close upon him, and his heart was even broken therewith, and his
spirit melted before the Lord, it being as it were said to him, ‘Write
unto the rulers, and yet once more warn them of that recompense, and of
that indignation, which is at hand upon them, even a just recompense
for all their deeds; and as they have done, even so shall it be done to
them; as they have sought to destroy the generation of the righteous,
even so shall they be destroyed from off the face of the earth; and as
they have unjustly judged and condemned the innocent, so shall they be
condemned, and justly judged of the Lord; and as they have cast the
bodies of the poor lambs of Christ into prison, and been a snare upon
them, even so shall they be insnared, and into captivity shall they go.
And as they have caused the goods and possessions of the innocent to
be spoiled, and made a prey, even so in like manner shall the curse of
the Lord spoil their substance. And as they have done, so shall it be
done unto them; and as they have meted to others, so shall it be meted
to them again.’ ‘And I saw a great misery and desolation nigh at hand,
even the sword of the Lord; and that it should slay them; and I beheld
it was made ready for the slaughter; and in the sense of these things
a sadness fell upon my spirit, considering the desolation and the
judgment that is at hand, to be executed upon the cruel oppressors.
‘Wherefore all ye rulers, and all ye that have trodden down the
heritage of God, and ye that have disregarded these many warnings
that ye have had; I say unto you all, in the power of the Lord
God, in his dominion, and by his Spirit, this is once more a
warning to you from the Lord, and that these things must surely
come to pass, and be fulfilled in their season, and no man shall
be able to deliver his brother; but every man shall bear his
own burden, and drink his own cup prepared for him: and though
it hath been counted a light thing amongst you, and you have
despised the reproof, and gone on without fear; yet in as much
as the Lord hath spared you, and not speedily executed judgment
upon you, but rather waited for your return; yet the dealing of
the Lord towards you, in sparing of you, you have not accepted;
and therefore shall his judgments be the greater upon you. For
if you do now come to the witness in your own consciences, what
evil hath this people done? Whose ox have they taken, or what
have they desired of you? Or what have they sought from you? Or
wherein have they been a burden to you? Saving that they have
reproved you for your iniquities, and desired your redemption?
Would you but now at last come to consider this, and confess the
Truth in your consciences, will not that tell you, that they
have patiently suffered all things that you have cruelly imposed
upon them? And have not they walked peaceably towards you, and
humbly, meekly, and justly among their neighbours? And have they
not been meek and innocent even as lambs, and as the sheep before
the shearers? And have they wrought offences towards any? Have
they sought the overthrow of the government, or have they sought
vengeance against their enemies? Or what injury have they done
to any man’s person, or estate, saving to satan and his kingdom?
Have they not sought to reform and reclaim the ungodly from their
ways? And have they not pitied and prayed for their enemies? And
have they not in all things walked in good conscience towards the
Lord, and towards all men? Yea, my friends, in the day of the
Lord, when the witness in your consciences shall not be limited,
but shall speak plainly, and when the impartial judge shall
appear upon his throne, then shall you acknowledge these things.
‘Wherefore I say unto you, receive the judgment of the Lord to
purify you, otherwise the judgment shall destroy you; and now
come to be more wise, that some of you may be as a brand plucked
out of the fire, and be reserved from being consumed; for the
visitation of the Lord is near an end, when his loving kindness
will be shut from you, and his long suffering turned into fury;
and he will make you know that we are his people, with whom you
have thus dealt; yea, you shall suddenly know it; the time is not
long till he will crown his people in the sight of his enemies;
he will crown them with praise and with righteousness, with
honour and majesty, and he will keep them in safety, even when
sorrow compasses you about; his mercy and loving kindness shall
extend towards them, even when his wrath and judgment smites you,
and confound you. O! What shall I say unto you; for the deep
sense thereof remains upon my heart; when I consider, how that
in all ages the Lord did avenge his people’s cause, and when
the time of their suffering was expired, he broke the bonds of
iniquity, and set them free. Thus did he with his people Israel
of old, and many times it was his way with his people, to bring
them low by suffering, and then to raise them up again in glory;
and he suffered their enemies for a season to glory over them,
that he might bring them down. And thus he did in England, in
the case between the bishops and their crew of persecutors, and
the poor people at that day called Puritans: did not he confound
that persecuting crew, and deliver his people? And is not he the
same to effect the same work at this very day? Yea, doubtless,
and much more will he do, in as much as the manifestation of
Truth is more clear than it was in their days; and in as much
as the rulers and people of this nation have rejected a more
clear testimony, than either the Papists in Queen Mary’s days,
or the bishops and prelates in their days; even so much the more
will the Lord God execute his vengeance with more violence, in a
more manifest way; and all shall know, that it is he that doth
it, and he will set his people free: for he hath regarded their
sufferings, and he hath said it is enough; for he hath tried
them, and found them faithful; and all this hath been suffered
to prove them, and not to destroy them: and like as he hath
preserved them in patience and peace through it all, even so will
he give them hearts to walk answerably to their deliverance; and
as they have abounded in patience in their sufferings, so shall
they abound in praises everlasting in the day of their freedom;
and the earth shall be glad, and shall yield the increase and
blessing: the heavens and earth shall rejoice, and the hearts
of the righteous shall leap for joy; when the Lord hath broken
the yoke of the oppressed, and set his people free, inwardly and
outwardly; and then shall they sing to the Lord over all their
enemies, who shall be tormented and vexed in the Lord’s sore
displeasure; for their reward cometh, and their recompense shall
be even as their work, and he will give unto them sorrow and
anguish, instead of rejoicing.
‘But again, when I considered the long-suffering, and patience,
and forbearance of the Lord’s innocent people under all their
sufferings; and when I looked at their innocency, and at their
righteousness, and spirit of holiness, with which the Lord hath
blessed them, my heart was made glad in the consideration of
this; and the more was my joy, the more I beheld their innocency,
and the guiltlessness of their cause; whereby the unjustness of
their suffering did the more appear: and withal, when I looked
and beheld their increase under all their sufferings, and how
that the Lord had turned all these things to their good, and to
the overthrow of all their enemies; how that by that way, wherein
their enemies intended to destroy them from being a people, even
thereby did the Lord most wonderfully increase them to be a great
people; for through all have they grown in life and power, and
in strength, and in number, and through it all have they been
encouraged to follow the Lord with more zeal and boldness. And in
the consideration of this I did rejoice, with magnifying the Lord
forever, that he had brought forth his praise, even through the
wickedness of the wicked, and he had increased his people, and
exalted them through the cruelty of all their enemies; and that
through all opposition they were attained unto a happy rest, and
through all the tempest of great trial, they were arrived into
the harbour of renown and great glory: and when I consider this,
how that the Lord hath given them dominion, and brought their
life to reign over all their enemies, these things were a joy
unto me; and looking back into ages, seeing there was nothing,
nor any people for generations, that had grown, and risen through
all opposition like unto these; wherefore it is a sign and
testimony that we are the Lord’s, and that these things are of
him, and from him, and by him alone, that he might be praised
forever.
‘Again, when I do consider, how that the Lord had raised his
people, even out of the dust; and them that were not a people,
are become a people, and the Lord hath provoked nations by them
that were not a people within these few years; and the Lord hath
carried on this work amongst his people, not by any thing of man,
nor by the arm of flesh; but in pure innocency and simplicity
hath it been accomplished; not by the wisdom of this world, nor
by men in places of honour, and of power in the nations; for all
that has been wanting to them; and what they are, it is through
the opposition of all this; for they have had none of the great
men of the earth on their side to defend them, and establish
them, but all have been against them; and even oppression and
tyranny executed upon them, rather than any approbation, or
justification from men in outward authority: so that truly it
may be said, there hath been nothing of man in this work, but
all of the Lord, by his own power; and in a contrary way to all
the false sects, and false churches, hath the beginning and
carrying on of these things been: for we know that all the false
sects in this nation, have risen and been established through
the countenance of men in place and power; and upon man, and the
wisdom of this world, and authority of the powers of the earth,
hath the rise and fall of all false churches depended; and as the
powers of the earth have sided with them, so have they been set
up; and at the displeasure of authority, have been cast down. But
as for this people, they are raised of the Lord, and established
by him, even contrary to all men; and they have given their power
only to God, and they cannot give their power to any mortal men,
to stand or fall by any outward authority, and to that they
cannot seek; but to the Lord alone, who heareth their cry, and
will avenge their cause.
‘Wherefore let all the persecutors bow before the Lord, and let
all the saints walk humbly in his sight, and let them continue in
that innocent life in which they have begun; and let them never
forget the mercies of the Lord, and what he hath brought to pass,
who hath manifested great things, and will do more and more to
the confounding of all his enemies, and to the praise of his
elect people. And all ye saints upon the earth, have ye the Lord
in respect continually, and turn you not unto idols, but let the
Lord be your joy for evermore.