1662.
Having now left America, and being returned to England, let us go and
see the state of persecution at London, where desperate fury now raged;
though it was not in that chief city alone the Quakers, so called,
were most grievously persecuted: for a little before this time there
was published in print a short relation of the persecution throughout
all England, signed by twelve persons, showing that more than four
thousand and two hundred of those called Quakers, both men and women,
were in prison in England; and denoting the number of them that were
imprisoned in each county, either for frequenting meetings, or for
denying to swear, &c. Many of these had been grievously beaten, or
their clothes torn or taken away from them; and some were put into such
stinking dungeons, that some great men said, they would not have put
their hunting dogs there. Some persons were crowded full both of men
and women, so that there was not sufficient room for all to sit down at
once; and in Cheshire sixty-eight persons were in this manner locked
up in a small room; an evident sign that they were a harmless people,
that would not make any resistance, or use force. By such ill-treatment
many grew sick, and not a few died in such jails; for no age or sex
was regarded, but even ancient people of sixty, seventy, and more
years of age, were not spared: and the most of these being tradesmen,
shopkeepers, and husbandmen, were thus reduced to poverty; for their
goods were also seized, for not going to church, (so called,) or for
not paying tithes. Many times they were fain to lie in prison on cold
nasty ground, without being suffered to have any straw; and often they
have been kept several days without victuals: no wonder therefore that
many died by such hard imprisonments as these.
At London, and in the suburbs, were about this time no less than five
hundred of those called Quakers, imprisoned, and some in such narrow
holes, that every person scarcely had convenience to lie down; and the
felons were suffered to rob them of their clothes and money. Many that
were not imprisoned, nevertheless suffered hardships in their religious
meetings, especially that in London, known by the name of Bull and
Mouth. Here the trained bands came frequently, armed generally with
muskets, pikes, and halberds, and conducted by a military officer,
by order of the city magistracy; and rushing in, in a very furious
manner, fell to beating them, whereby many were grievously wounded,
some fell down in a swoon, and some were beaten so violently, that
they lived not long after it. Among these was one John Trowel, who was
so bruised and crushed, that a few days after he died. His friends
therefore thought it expedient to carry the corpse into the aforesaid
meeting-place, that it might lie there exposed for some hours, to be
seen of every one. This being done, raised commiseration and pity
among many of the inhabitants; for the corpse, beaten like a jelly,
looked black, and was swoln in a direful manner. This gave occasions
to send for the coroner, and he being come, empannelled a jury of the
neighbours, and gave them in charge, according to his office, to make
true inquiry upon their oaths, and to present what they found to be the
cause of his death. They viewing the corpse, had a surgeon or two with
them, to know their judgment concerning it; and then going together in
private, at length they withdrew without giving in their verdict, only
desiring the friends to bury the corpse, which was done accordingly
that evening. And though the coroner and jury met divers times together
upon that occasion, and had many consultations, yet they never would
give in a verdict; but it appeared sufficiently, that the man was
killed by violent beating. The reasons some gave for the suspense of
a verdict were, that though it was testified that the same person,
now dead, was seen beaten and knocked down; yet it being done in such
a confused crowd, no particular man could be fixed upon, so that any
could say, that man did the deed. And if a verdict was given that the
deceased person was killed, and yet no particular person charged with
it, then the city was liable to a great fine at the pleasure of the
king, for conniving at such a murder in the city in the day-time, not
committed in a corner, but in a public place, and not apprehending the
murderer, but suffering him to escape. In the meanwhile the friends of
the deceased were not wanting to give public notice of the fact, and
sent also a letter to the lord mayor, which afterwards they gave out in
print, together with a relation of this bloody business. In this letter
it was said, ‘It may be supposed thou hast heard of this thing, for it
was done not in the night, but at the midtime of the day; not suddenly,
at unawares, or by mishap, but intendedly, and a long space of time a
doing; and not in a corner, but in the streets of the city of London;
all which circumstances do highly aggravate this murder, to the very
shame and infamy of this famous city, and its government.’
A certain person who spread some of these printed relations, was
imprisoned for his pains; nevertheless another brought one of them to
the king, and told him how the thing had been done; at which the king
said, ‘I assure you it was not by my advice that any of your friends
should be slain: ye must tell the magistrates of the city of it, and
prosecute the law against them.’ This saying of the king was not long
after also published in print: but violence prevailed still; for the
person that was apprehended for spreading the said books, was sent to
prison, by the special order of Alderman Brown, of whom, since mention
may be made several times in this work, it gives me occasion to say
something of what kind of man he was.
In the time of Cromwell he had been very fierce against the royalists,
especially at Abingdon, not far from Oxford; for this error he
endeavoured now to make compensation by violently persecuting the
harmless Quakers; otherwise he was a comely man, and could commit
cruelty with a smiling countenance. But more of his actions may be
represented hereafter.
The Quakers, so called, seeing that they could not obtain justice, let
the matter of the murdered persons alone; for suffering was now their
portion, and therefore they left their cause to God. Oftentimes they
were kept out of their meeting-houses by the soldiers; but then they
did not use to go away, but stood before the place, and so their number
soon increased; and then one or other of their ministers generally
stepped upon a bench, or some high place, and so preached boldly. Thus
he got sometimes more hearers than otherwise he might have had. But
such an one sometimes was soon pulled down, which then gave occasion
for another to stand up and preach, and thus often four or five one
after another, were taken away, as innocent sheep, and carried to
prison with others of their friends, it may be forty or fifty at once.
This puts me in mind of what I heard my mother Judith Zinspenning say,
who in the year next following being gone for England, with William
Caton and his wife, who lived at Amsterdam, to visit her friends there,
and coming to London, went with others to the Bull and Mouth meeting;
but entrance being denied, they stayed in the street, where she saw one
preacher after another pulled down, at the instant cry of some officer
or other, ‘Constable, take him away.’ Several being thus led away, the
constable came also to her, and perceiving by her dress that she was
a Dutch woman, pulled her by the sleeve, and said with admiration,
‘What a Dutch Quaker!’ but meddled no further with her. This keeping
of meetings in the streets became now a customary thing in England;
for the Quakers, so called, were persuaded that the exercise of their
public worship was a duty no man could discharge them from, and they
believed that God required the performing of this service from their
hands. And by this meeting in the streets, it happened sometimes that
more than one, nay, it may be three or four at a time, did preach, one
in one place, and another in another, which in their meeting places
could not have been done conveniently. But thus they got abundance of
auditors, and among these sometimes eminent men, who passing by in
their coaches, made their coachmen stop. At this rate they found there
was a great harvest, and thus their church increased under sufferings;
and in those sharp times they were pretty well purified of dross, since
the trial was too hot for such as were not sincere: for by frequenting
their meetings in such a time, one was in danger of being imprisoned,
or beaten lame, or unto death; but this could not quench the zeal of
the upright.
Now the taking away of one preacher, and the standing up of another,
became an ordinary thing in England, and it lasted yet long after, as
I myself have been an eye-witness of there. And when there were no
more men preachers present, it may be a woman would rise, and minister
to the meeting; nay, there were such, who in years being little more
than boys, were endued with a manly zeal, and encouraged their friends
to steadfastness. In the meanwhile many also were imprisoned, without
being hauled out of their meetings; for some have been apprehended for
speaking only something on the behalf of their friends; as Rebecca
Travers, who, going to the lieutenant of the Tower, desired him
to have compassion on some who were imprisoned for frequenting of
meetings. But he grew angry at this; and when she went away, one of
the keepers gave her ill language: on which she exhorting him, to be
good in his place, whilst it was the Lord’s will he had it, he was so
offended, that going back to the lieutenant, he complained that she had
spoken treason, and thereupon she was apprehended, and sent to prison.
Nay, the rude soldiers were encouraged to cruelty by officers who were
not a whit better, for they themselves would sometimes lay violent
hands on peaceable people; as amongst the rest of the aforementioned,
alderman Richard Brown, who formerly had been a major-general under
Cromwell, and now behaved himself with such outrageous fierceness, that
even the comedians did not stick to expose him, by an allusion to his
name Brown, and saying, ‘The devil was brown.’
A book was also printed, wherein many base abuses, and also his furious
behaviour were exposed to public view; and this book was dedicated to
him with this small epistle:
‘_Richard Brown_,
‘If thou art not sealed up already for destruction, and if
repentance be not utterly hid from thy eyes, the Lord convert
thee, and forgive thee all thy hard and cruel dealings towards
us: we desire thy repentance rather than thy destruction; and the
Lord God of heaven and earth give judgment of final determination
between thee and us, that all the earth may know whether thy
cause against us, or our cause be just before him, who only is
the righteous judge.’
The said book, though published without the author’s name, yet one of
them was not only sent to Brown, but as a sign that the Quakers, so
called, owned it, others were, by about thirty of them, delivered to
the lord mayor, and the sheriffs of London, that so they might know
what was acted under their authority; for some, though not authorized,
yet being favourites at court, made bold to act against the Quakers
whatever their malice prompted them to. Among these was one Philip
Miller, who, though not an officer, yet in the month called May of
this year, came into a meeting of the said people, in John’s street,
in the parish of Sepulchres, at London, without any order or warrant,
and having a cane in his hand, commanded the rabble who attended him to
secure whom he pleased; and then he fetched a constable, whom he forced
by his threats to go along with him, and five persons he apprehended,
among whom was John Crook, of whom further mention is like to be made
again. Some days after, this Miller came to the said meeting place
again, and struck several persons with his cane, because they would
not depart at his command; and then he charged the constables, whom he
brought along with him, to secure and take into custody whom he pleased.
About the latter end of the aforesaid month, on a First-day of the
week, one captain Reeves, and some soldiers with muskets and drawn
swords, came violently rushing into the Bull and Mouth meeting, where
they pulled down him that was preaching, and presently laid hold of
another, who desired Reeves to show his order for this his doing:
to which he answered, he would not in that place; but it appeared
afterwards that he could not, as having no warrant. Yet he caused his
soldiers to take away about forty persons, (some of whom were not at
the meeting, but had been taken up in the streets,) and have them into
Paul’s yard, where they were kept till the public worship was ended
there; and then alderman Richard Brown came into the place where the
prisoners were guarded, and with great rage and fury laid hands first
on a very aged person, and pulled him down twice by the brim of his
hat, whereby he lost it. Then he served another in like manner, and a
soldier struck this person a great blow with a pistol on his bare head:
two others Brown used in the like manner, and then he sent them all to
Newgate, guarded by soldiers.
The same day some soldiers came to a meeting in Tower street, and
without any warrant, took away twenty-one persons, called Quakers,
and carried them to the Exchange, where they kept them some time, and
then brought them before the said Richard Brown, who in a most furious
manner struck some, and kicked others; which made one of the prisoners,
seeing how Brown smote one with his fist on the face, and kicked him
on the shin, say, ‘What Richard, wilt thou turn murderer? Thou didst
not do so when I was a soldier under thy command at Abingdon, and thou
commandedst me with others, to search people’s houses for pies and
roast meat, because they kept Christmas as a holy time; and we brought
the persons prisoners to the guard, for observing the same.’ For such
a precise man the said Brown was at that time, that he pretended to
root out that superstitious custom; though there is reason to question,
whether his heart were sincere in this respect: however, such blind
zeal was unfit to convince people of superstition; and Brown well
knowing that by his former carriage, he had very much disobliged those
of the church of England, endeavoured now to make amends for it, by
his fierce brutality against the harmless Quakers, and so to come into
favour with the ecclesiastics and courtiers. One of Brown’s family
having heard what was said to him, replied, ‘There is an Abingdon
bird.’ To which Brown, returned, ‘He is a rogue for all that,’ and
struck him with his fist under the chin; which made another prisoner
say, ‘What, a magistrate and strike!’ Upon which Brown with both his
hands pulled him down to the ground by the brim of his hat, and then
commanded the soldiers to take them all away, and carry them to Newgate.
Upon a First-day of the week, in the month called June, a company
of soldiers came into the Bull and Mouth meeting, with pikes, drawn
swords, muskets, and lighted matches, as if they were going to fight;
though they knew well enough they should find none there but harmless
people. The first thing they did was to pull down him that preached,
whom they hauled out of the meeting, rejoicing as if they had obtained
some great victory: then they brought him to the main guard at Paul’s,
and returned to the Bull and Mouth, where they apprehended some more,
whom they also carried to Paul’s. After some hours, these prisoners
were carried to the house of the fore-mentioned Brown, and he, asking
the names of the prisoners, and hearing that of John Perrot, said,
‘What, you have been at Rome to subvert,’ but recalling himself, said,
‘to convert the Pope.’ On which Perrot told him, ‘He had suffered at
Rome for the testimony of Jesus.’ Whereupon Brown returned, ‘If you had
converted the Pope to your religion, I should have liked him far worse
than I do now.’ To which Perrot replied, ‘But God would have liked him
better.’ After some more short discourse, Brown committed them all to
Newgate.
After this manner, the meetings of those called Quakers were disturbed
at that time, of which I could produce, if necessary, many more
instances. Once, one Cox, a wine-cooper, came with some soldiers into
a meeting, where, after great violence used, they took up two men of
those called Quakers, whom they beat most grievously, because they
refused to go along with them, though they showed no warrant for it.
At length the soldiers carried them both upon muskets into Paul’s
yard, and when they laid them down, they dragged one of them by the
heels on his back, in a very barbarous manner; which being done, the
said wine-cooper was heard to say, he would go and get a cup of sack,
for these devils had even wearied him out: and yet he went to another
meeting-place of these people, where he also behaved himself very
wickedly; and being asked for his order, his answer was holding out his
sword, this is my order. Thus it seems he would ingratiate himself with
Brown, who now being in favour at court, was knighted, and sometime
after also chosen lord mayor of London; and by his furious behaviour,
the soldiers were also encouraged to commit all manner of mischief;
insomuch, that being asked, what order they had for their doings, one
lifting up his musket, said, ‘This is my order:’ so that things now
were carried by a club-law. Nor did the soldiers respect age, but took
away out of a meeting at Mile-end, two boys, one about thirteen and the
other about sixteen; and they were brought before the lieutenant of the
Tower, who to one present, saying, he supposed they were not of the age
of sixteen years, and then not punishable by the act, returned, they
were old enough to be whipped; and they should be whipped out of their
religion. And so he sent them to Bridewell, where their hands were
put into the stocks, and so pinched for the space of two hours, that
their wrists were much swoln; and this was done because they refused
to work, as being persuaded that they had not deserved to be treated
so; they also eating nothing at the charge of the said workhouse. These
lads, though pretty long in that prison, yet continued steadfast,
rejoicing they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of the Lord:
and they wrote a letter to their friends’ children, exhorting them
to be faithful in bearing their testimony for the Lord, against all
wickedness and unrighteousness.
Some days before this time, Thomas and John Herbert, living in London,
and other musketeers, came with their naked swords into some private
dwellings, and broke two or three doors; (for when some persons were
seen to enter a house, though it was only to visit their friends, it
was called a meeting.) Now it happened in one house, these rude fellows
found five persons together, one of whom was William Ames, who was
come thither out of Holland, and another was Samuel Fisher: and when
it was demanded what warrant they had, they held up their swords,
and said, ‘Do not ask us for a warrant; this is our warrant.’ And
thereupon they took away these persons by force, and carried them to
Paul’s yard, where they were a laughing-stock to the soldiers; and from
thence they were brought to the Exchange, where they met with no better
reception from the rude soldiers; and from thence they were conducted
to alderman Brown’s house in Ivy-lane. He seeing these prisoners, sent
them to Bridewell with a mittimus, to be kept at hard labour. But
afterwards bethinking himself, and finding that his mittimus was not
founded on justice, (for these persons were not taken from a meeting,)
next morning he sent another mittimus, wherein they were charged with
unlawful assembling themselves to worship. Now, suppose one of the
musketeers had heard any of these persons speak by way of exhortation
to faithfulness in this hot time of persecution, this would have been
taken for a sufficient charge, though not cognizable by law: but they
ran upon shifts, how poor or silly soever.
Thus these persons were committed to Bridewell, and required to beat
hemp; and they were treated so severely, that W. Ames grew sick, even
nigh to death, wherefore he was discharged; for in a sense it might be
said, that his dwelling-place was at Amsterdam in Holland, since he was
there the most part of the time for some years successively, and that
he might not be chargeable, he worked at wool-combing; and it being
alleged that he was of Amsterdam, it seems they would not have him die
in prison, as some of his friends had done. The others having been six
weeks in Bridewell, were presented at the sessions in the Old Bailey:
but instead of being tried for what was charged against them, they
were required to take the oath of allegiance, as the only business,
(according to what the deputy recorder said,) they were brought thither
for. The prisoners then demanded, that the law might be read, by virtue
of which the said oath was required of them. This was promised by the
court to be done; but instead thereof, they ordered the clerk to read
only the form of the oath, but would not permit the law for imposing
it to be read. But before the prisoners had either declared their
willingness to take it, or their refusal of it, they were commanded to
be taken away; which the officers did with such violence, that they
threw some of them down upon stones. This made Samuel Fisher say, ‘Take
notice people, that we have not yet refused to take the oath; but the
court refuseth to perform their promise which they made but just now
before you all, that this statute for it should be read: if such doings
as this ever prosper, it must be when there is no God.’ But this was
not regarded; and the prisoners, without any justice were sent to
Newgate. Among these, was also one John Howel, who had been sent by
alderman Brown to work at Bridewell, because he being brought before
him, did not tell on a sudden what was his name: and being demanded
in the court why he did not tell his name, he answered, because he
had been beaten and abused in the presence of Richard Brown, when he
was brought before him. Brown, who was also on the bench, asked him
roughly, ‘Wherein were you abused?’ And Howel replied, ‘Blood was drawn
on me in thy presence; which ought not to be done in the presence of a
justice of peace.’ But Brown growing very impetuous, returned, ‘Hold
your prating, or there shall be as much done again here in the presence
of the court.’
About midsummer, Daniel Baker returned into England, (who, as hath been
related, had been at Malta,) and about a fortnight after his arrival,
he, with four others, were taken by a band of soldiers from the Bull
and Mouth meeting, and carried to Paul’s yard, where having been kept
for some hours, they were brought to Newgate; but in the evening they
were had before alderman Brown, to whom Baker with meekness said,
‘Let the fear of God and his peace be set up in thy heart.’ But Brown
fell a laughing, and said, ‘I would rather hear a dog bark;’ and
using more such scoffing expressions, he charged Baker, &c. with the
breach of the king’s law in meeting together. To which Baker said,
‘The servants of God in the apostles’ days, were commanded to speak no
more in the name of Jesus; and they answered, and so do I too, whether
it be better to obey God than men, judge ye.’ He also instanced the
case of the three children at Babylon, and Daniel who obeyed not the
king’s decrees. But Brown grew so angry, that he commanded his men to
smite Daniel on the face. This they did, and pulling him four or five
times to the ground, they smote him with their fists, and wrung his
neck so, as if they would have murdered him. This these fellows did
to please Brown, showing themselves to be ready for any service, how
abominable soever. And Baker reflecting on his travels, signified,
that even Turks and heathens would abhor such brutish actions. His
fellow-prisoners were also abused by Brown, and then sent to Newgate
again. And after some days, they were called to the sessions, where
their indictment was read, which like others in such cases, did
generally run in these terms: that the prisoners, under pretence of
performing religious worship, otherwise than by the laws of the kingdom
of England established, unlawfully and tumultuously did gather and
assemble themselves together, to the great terror of his majesty’s
people, and to the disturbance of the peace of the king, in contempt of
our said lord the king, and his laws, to the evil example of all others
in the like case offending, &c. The indictment being read, no witness
appeared against the prisoners, save Brown, who sat on the bench: and
therefore the oath, as the ordinary snare, was tendered to them; for it
was sufficiently known, that their profession did not suffer them to
take any oath. They denying to swear, were sent back to prison, to stay
there until they should have taken the oath.
If I would here set down all such like cases as have happened, I might
find more work than I should be able to perform: for this vexing with
the oath was become so common, that some have been taken up in the
streets, and brought to a justice of the peace, that he might tender
the oath to them, and in case of denial, send them to prison, though
this was directly contrary to the statute of Magna Charta, which
expressly saith, ‘No freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be
disseised of his freehold or liberties, but by the law of the land.’
But this was not regarded by Richard Brown, who did whatever he would;
for force and violence were now predominant: and sometimes when the
prisoners were brought to the bar, for frequenting meetings, freedom
was denied to them to justify themselves; but to be hectored and
baffled was their lot.
Once it happened, that a prisoner, who had been a soldier formerly
under Brown, seeing that no justice or equity was observed, called to
him, saying, ‘That he was not fit to sit on the bench; for he made the
son to hang the father at Abingdon; so that he could prove him to be
a murderer.’ This bold saying caused some disturbance in the court,
and Brown, how heavy soever the charge was, did not deny the thing
in court, nor clear himself from it: yet the other Quaker prisoners
did not approve this upbraiding, but signified, that though the fact
were true, yet they were not for reproaching any magistrate upon the
bench, whose place and office they did respect and honour. But I do not
find that Brown, (on that account,) ever prosecuted him that spoke so
boldly, although otherwise he did whatever he would, without fearing
that his fellow-magistrates, (who respected him that was a favourite at
court,) would disclaim it, as may appear by this following instance.
A certain person who had been in a very violent and abusive manner
taken to prison by the soldiers out of a meeting, because he was not
willing to go, said in the court, that his refusing to go, was because
they would not show him any warrant for their apprehending him: since
for aught he knew, they might be robbers or murderers, with whom he
was not bound to go. But Brown, who was for violence, said to this,
if they had dragged him through all the kennels in the street, they
had served him right, if he would not go. This he spoke in such a
furious manner, that one of the prisoners told him, ‘Thou hast had many
warnings and visitations in the love of God, but hast slighted them;
therefore beware of being sealed up in the wrath of God.’ Hereupon one
of the jailers came with his cane and struck several of the prisoners
so hard, that divers of them were much bruised; and it was reported by
some, that Brown cried knock him down, though others, (for mitigating
it a little,) would have it, pull him down. But the former seems most
probable: for the blows were so violent, that some of the spectators
cried out, murder! murder! and asked, ‘Will ye suffer men to be
murdered in the court?’ Whereupon one of the sheriffs in person came
down from his seat to stop the beating. But Brown was so desperately
filled with anger, that he said to the prisoners, ‘If any of you be
killed, your blood shall be upon your own head:’ and the hangman
standing by with his gag in his hand, threatened the prisoners to gag
any of them that should speak any thing. Thus innocence was forced
to give way to violence. And once, when one at the common juridical
question, guilty, or not guilty, answered, I deny I am guilty, and I
can say I am not guilty; and also in Latin, _non reus sum_. Yet he was
sentenced as mute, and fined accordingly, though the words he spoke,
fully signified not guilty, albeit he had not expressed them in the
same terms. But now they were for crossing the Quakers in every respect.
I will yet mention some more instances of Brown’s brutality, before
I leave him. Another being demanded to answer to his indictment,
guilty, or not guilty, and not presently answering, but thinking a
little what to speak safely, Brown scoffingly said, ‘We shall have a
revelation by and by.’ To which the prisoner said, ‘How long will ye
oppose the innocent? How long will ye persecute the righteous seed of
God?’ But whilst he was speaking, Brown indecently began to cry in
the language of those wenches that go crying up and down the streets,
‘Aha, aha! Will you have any Wellfleet oysters?’ And, ‘have you any
kitchen-stuff, maids?’ And when a prisoner at the bar said he could
not for conscience-sake forbear meeting among the people of God, Brown
scurrilously returned, ‘Conscience,--a dog’s tail.’ And when alderman
Adams speaking to one of the prisoners said, ‘I am sorry to see you
here.’ ‘Sorry!’ said Brown, ‘What should you be sorry for?’ ‘Yes,’ said
Adams, ‘He is a sober man.’ But Brown, who could not endure to hear
this, replied, that there never was a sober man amongst them, meaning
the Quakers. The spectators, who took much notice of him, discommended
this his carriage exceedingly. But he seemed to be quite hardened; for
at a certain time two persons being upon their trial for robbing of a
house, he told them, they were the veriest rogues in England, except it
were the Quakers.
Sometimes it happened that the prisoners were brought to the bar
without being indicted; and when they said, ‘What have we done?’
and desired justice; Brown, having no indictment against them,
often cried, ‘Will you take the oath?’ And they then saying, ‘that
for conscience-sake they could not swear,’ were condemned as
transgressors, though such proceedings as these were directly against
the law. But this seemed at that time little to be regarded.
However, sometime before, it happened at Thetford in the county of
Norfolk, that judge Windham, at that time showing himself just in the
like case, sharply reproved the justices upon the bench, for having not
only committed some persons to prison, but also had them up to the bar,
when no accuser appeared against them. But Richard Brown did whatever
he would, and showed himself most furiously wicked, when any prisoner
was brought before him with his hat on.
One John Brain, being taken in the street, and not in any meeting, was
brought by some soldiers before Brown; who, seeing him with his hat on,
ordered him to be pulled down to the ground six or seven times, and
when he was down, they beat his head against the ground, and stamped
upon him; and Brown, like a madman, bade them pull off his nose;
whereupon they very violently pulled him by the nose. And when he was
got up, they pulled him to the ground by the hair of his head, and
then by the hair pulled him up again. And when he would have spoken in
his own behalf against this cruelty, Brown bade them stop his mouth.
Whereupon they not only struck him on the mouth, but stopped his mouth
and nose also so close, that he could not draw breath, and was like to
be choaked: at which actions Brown fell a laughing, and at length sent
him to jail.
Thomas Spire, being brought before Brown, he commanded his hat to
be taken off; and because it was not done with such violence as he
intended, he caused it to be put upon his head again, saying, ‘It
should not be pulled off so easily.’ Then he was pulled down to the
ground by his hat, and pulled up again by his hair. William Hill being
brought before him, he commanded his hat to be pulled off, so that his
head might be bowed down: whereupon he being pulled to the ground,
was plucked up again by the hair of his head. George Ableson was thus
pulled five times one after another to the ground, and plucked up by
his hair, and so beaten on his face, or the sides of his head, that he
staggered, and bled, and for some days was under much pain.
Nicholas Blithold being brought before Brown, he took his hat with both
his hands, endeavouring to pull him down to the ground; and because
he fell not quite to the ground forwards, he pushed him, to throw him
backwards; and then he gave him a kick on the leg, and thrust him
out of doors. Thomas Lacy being brought before him, he himself gave
him a blow on the face; and Isaac Merrit, John Cook, Arthur Baker,
and others, were not treated much better; so that he seemed more fit
to have been hangman, than an alderman, or justice. But I grow weary
of mentioning more instances of his cruelty. These his abominable
achievements were published in print, more at large than I have
mentioned them: and the book, as hath been said already, was dedicated
to him. And yet I do not find any have been prosecuted on that account;
though his wickedness was extravagant, and such as if he wanted to
have stakes erected at Smithfield to vend his wood; being by trade a
woodmonger.
In this hot time of persecution, Francis Howgill wrote, and gave forth
the following paper for encouragement of his friends.
‘The cogitations of my heart have been many, deep, and ponderous
some months, weeks, and days, concerning this people which the
Lord hath raised to bear testimony unto his name, in this the
day of his power; and intercession hath been made often for them
to the Lord, and a patient waiting to know his mind concerning
them for the time to come; which often I received satisfaction
in as to myself, but yet something I was drawn by the Lord to
wait for, that I might comfort and strengthen his flock by an
assured testimony. And while I was waiting out of all visible
things, and quite out of the world in my spirit, and my heart
upon nothing but the living God, the Lord opened the springs of
the great deep, and overflowed my whole heart with light and
love; and my eyes were as a fountain because of tears of joy,
because of his heritage, of whom he showed me, and said unto me
in a full, fresh, living power, and a holy, full testimony, so
that my heart was ravished there with joy unspeakable, and I was
out of the body with God in his heavenly paradise, where I saw
and felt things unutterable, and beyond all demonstration or
speech. At last the life closed with my understanding, and my
spirit listened unto him; and the everlasting God said, “Shall
I hide any thing from them that seek my face in righteousness?
Nay, I will manifest it to them that fear me; I will speak, do
thou listen, and publish it among all my people, that they may be
comforted, and thou satisfied.” And thus said the living God of
heaven and earth, upon the 28th of the Third month, 1662.
‘The sun shall leave its shining brightness, and cease to give
light to the world; and the moon shall be altogether darkness,
and give no light unto the night; the stars shall cease to know
their office or place; my covenant with day, night, times, and
seasons, shall sooner come to an end, than the covenant I have
made with this people, into which they are entered with me, shall
end, or be broken. Yea, though the powers of darkness and hell
combine against them, and the jaws of death open its mouth, yet
I will deliver them, and lead them through all. I will confound
their enemies as I did in Jacob, and scatter them as I did in
Israel in the days of old. I will take their enemies, I will hurl
them hither and thither, as stones hurled in a sling; and the
memorial of this nation, which is holy unto me, shall never be
rooted out, but shall live through ages, as a cloud of witnesses,
in generations to come. I have brought them to the birth, yea,
I have brought them forth; I have swaddled them, and they are
mine. I will nourish them, and carry them, as on eagles’ wings;
and though clouds gather against them, I will make my way through
them; though darkness gather together on a heap, and tempests
gender, I will scatter them as with an east wind; and nations
shall know they are my inheritance, and they shall know I am the
living God, who will plead their cause with all that rise up in
opposition against them.
‘These words are holy, faithful, eternal, good, and true; blessed
are they that hear and believe unto the end: and because of them
no strength was left in me for a while; but at last my heart was
filled with joy, even as when the ark of God was brought from
the house of Obed-Edom, when David danced before it, and Israel
shouted for joy.