Boston, September 12, 1659.
Now though Mary Dyar and Nicholas Davis left that jurisdiction for
that time, yet Robinson and Stevenson, though they departed the town
of Boston, could not yet resolve, (not being free in mind,) to depart
that jurisdiction, though their lives were at stake. And so they went
to Salem, and some place thereabout to visit and build up their friends
in the faith. But it was not long before they were taken, and put again
into prison at Boston, and chains locked to their right legs. In the
next month Mary Dyar returned also. And as she stood before the prison,
speaking with one Christopher Holder, who was come thither to inquire
for a ship bound for England, whither he intended to go, she was also
taken into custody. Thus they had three persons, who, according to
their sanguinary law, had forfeited their lives. And on the 20th of
October, these three were brought into the court, where John Endicot
and others were assembled. And being called to the bar, Endicot
commanded the keeper to pull off their hats: and then said, that they
had made several laws to keep the Quakers from amongst them; and
neither whipping, nor imprisoning, nor cutting off ears, nor banishing
upon pain of death, would keep them from amongst them. And further
he said, that he or they desired not the death of any of them. Yet
notwithstanding, his following words without more ado, were, ‘Give ear,
and hearken to your sentence of death.’ W. Robinson then desired that
he might be permitted to read a paper, giving an account of the reason
why he had not departed that jurisdiction. But Endicot would not suffer
it to be read, and said in a rage, ‘You shall not read it, nor will the
court hear it read.’ Then Robinson laid it on the table. He had written
this paper the day before, and some of the contents were, that he being
in Rhode Island, the Lord had commanded him to go to Boston, and to lay
down his life there. That he also had felt an assurance that his soul
was to enter into everlasting peace, and eternal rest. That he durst
not but obey, without inquiring further concerning it; believing that
it became him as a child, to show obedience to the Lord, without any
unwillingness. That this was the cause, why after banishment on pain
of death, he staid in their jurisdiction: and that now with sincerity
of heart he could say, Blessed be the Lord, the God of my life, who
hath called me hereunto, and counted me worthy to testify against
wicked and unjust men, &c. This paper being handed to Endicot, he read
it to himself, and after he had done, said to Robinson, ‘You need not
keep such ado to have it read; for you spoke yesterday more than here
is written.’ Yet this was not so; for it contained a circumstantial
relation of the divine operations on his mind; and that he was not
come there in his own will, but in obedience to his Creator: and that
travelling in Rhode Island, on the 8th of the Eighth month, he had
been moved thereto from the Lord, and therefore had submitted to his
divine pleasure without murmuring. W. Robinson desired again that the
paper might be read, that so all that were present might hear it, it
was denied him, and Endicot said, ‘W. Robinson hearken to your sentence
of death; you shall be had back to the place from whence you came, and
from thence to the place of execution, to be hanged on the gallows
till you are dead.’ This sentence was not altogether unexpected to W.
Robinson; for it was four months now that he had believed this would be
his share.
Robinson being taken away, M. Stevenson was called, and Endicot said
to him, ‘If you have any thing to say, you may speak.’ He knowing how
they dealt with his companion, was silent, though he had also written
in prison a paper, containing the cause of his being come there; but
he kept it with him, and found afterwards occasion to deliver it to
somebody. Then Endicot pronounced sentence of death against him,
saying, ‘M. Stevenson, you shall be had to the place from whence you
came, and from thence to the gallows, and there be hanged till you are
dead.’ Whereupon M. Stevenson spoke thus: ‘Give ear, ye magistrates,
and all who are guilty; for this the Lord hath said concerning you, and
will perform his word upon you, that the same day ye put his servants
to death, shall the day of your visitation pass over your heads, and
you shall be cursed for evermore. The mouth of the Lord of hosts hath
spoken it. Therefore in love to you all, I exhort you to take warning
before it be too late, that so the curse may be removed. For assuredly
if you put us to death, you will bring innocent blood upon your own
heads, and swift destruction will come upon you.’
After he had spoken this, he was taken away, and Mary Dyar was called:
to whom Endicot spoke thus: ‘Mary Dyar, you shall go to the place from
whence you came, (to wit, the prison,) and from thence to the place
of execution, and be hanged there until you are dead.’ To which she
replied, ‘The will of the Lord be done.’ Then Endicot said, ‘Take
her away, marshal.’ To which she returned, ‘Yea, joyfully I go.’ And
in her going to the prison, she often uttered speeches of praise to
the Lord; and, being full of joy, she said to the marshal, he might
let her alone, for she would go to the prison without him. To which
he answered, ‘I believe you, Mrs. Dyar: but I must do what I am
commanded.’ Thus she was led to prison, where she was kept a week, with
the two other, her companions, that were also condemned to die.
* * * * *
The paper of Marmaduke Stevenson, mentioned before, which he gave forth
after he had received sentence of death, was thus:
‘In the beginning of the year 1655, I was at the plough, in the
east parts of Yorkshire, in Old England, near the place where
my outward being was, and as I walked after the plough, I was
filled with the love and presence of the living God, which did
ravish my heart when I felt it; for it did increase and abound
in me like a living stream, so did the love and life of God run
through me like precious ointment, giving a pleasant smell, which
made me to stand still; and as I stood a little still, with my
heart and mind stayed on the Lord, the word of the Lord came to
me in a still small voice, which I did hear perfectly, saying to
me, in the secret of my heart and conscience,--I have ordained
thee a prophet unto the nations.--And at the hearing of the word
of the Lord, I was put to a stand, being that I was but a child
for such a weighty matter. So at the time appointed, Barbadoes
was set before me, unto which I was required of the Lord to go,
and leave my dear and loving wife, and tender children: for the
Lord said unto me immediately by his Spirit, that he would be as
a husband to my wife, and as a father to my children, and they
should not want in my absence, for he would provide for them when
I was gone. And I believed that the Lord would perform what he
had spoken, because I was made willing to give up myself to his
work and service, to leave all and follow him, whose presence and
life is with me, where I rest in peace and quietness of spirit,
(with my dear brother,) under the shadow of his wings, who hath
made us willing to lay down our lives for his own name sake, if
unmerciful men be suffered to take them from us; and if they do,
we know we shall have peace and rest with the Lord for ever in
his holy habitation, when they shall have torment night and day.
So, in obedience to the living God, I made preparation to pass to
Barbadoes, in the Fourth month, 1658. So, after I had been some
time on the said island in the service of God, I heard that New
England had made a law to put the servants of the living God to
death, if they returned after they were sentenced away, which
did come near me at that time: and as I considered the thing,
and pondered it in my heart, immediately came the word of the
Lord unto me, saying, ‘Thou knowest not but that thou mayest go
thither.’ But I kept this word in my heart, and did not declare
it to any until the time appointed. So, after that, a vessel
was made ready for Rhode Island, which I passed in. So, after a
little time that I had been there, visiting the seed which the
Lord hath blessed, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
‘Go to Boston with thy brother William Robinson.’ And at his
command I was obedient, and gave up myself to do his will, that
so his work and service may be accomplished: for he hath said
unto me, that he hath a great work for me to do; which is now
come to pass: and for yielding obedience to, and obeying the
voice and command of, the ever-living God, who created heaven and
earth, and the fountains of waters, do I, with my brother, suffer
outward bonds near unto death, and this is given forth to be upon
record, that all people may know, who hear it, that we came not
in our own wills, but in the will of God. Given forth by me, who
am known to men by the name of