That this writing of F. Howgill, who was a pious man, of great parts,
together with many other powerful exhortations of such who valiantly
went before, and never left the oppressed flock, tended exceedingly
to their encouragement in this hot time of persecution, is certain.
For how furious soever their enemies were, yet they continued faithful
in supplications and fervent prayers to God, that he might be pleased
to assist them in their upright zeal, who aimed at nothing for self,
but from a true fear and reverence before him, durst not omit their
religious assemblies. And they found that the Lord heard their prayers,
insomuch that I remember to have heard one say, that at a meeting where
they seemed to be in danger of death from their fierce persecutors, he
was as it were ravished, so that he hardly knew whether he was in or
out of the body. They then persevering thus in faithfulness, to what
they believed the Lord required of them, in process of time, when their
enemies had taken such measures, that they were persuaded they had
found out such means, by which they should suppress and extinguish the
Quakers, they saw the Lord God Almighty rose up in their defence, and
quashed and confounded the wicked devices of their cruel persecutors,
as will be seen in the course of this history.
In the meanwhile let us take a view of the persecution in Southwark.
Here the Quakers’ meetings were no less disturbed than in London.
Several persons having been taken from their religious meetings, were
committed; and after having been in White-lion prison about nine
weeks, were brought to the bar, where Richard Onslow sat judge of the
sessions. The indictment drawn up against them was as followeth.
‘The jurors for our lord the king do present upon their oath,
that Arthur Fisher, late of the parish of St. Olave, in the
borough of Southwark, in the county of Surry, yeoman; Nathaniel
Robinson, of the same, yeoman; John Chandler, of the same,
yeoman; and others, being wicked, dangerous, and seditious
sectaries, and disloyal persons, and above the age of sixteen
years, who on the 29th day of June, in the year of the reign
of our lord Charles the Second, by the grace of God, king of
England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, &c. the fourteenth, have
obstinately refused, and every one of them hath obstinately
refused, to repair unto some church, chapel, or usual place of
common prayer, according to the laws and statutes of this kingdom
of England, in the like case set forth and provided, (after forty
days next after the end of the session of parliament, begun and
holden at Westminster, on the 29th day of February, in the year
of our lady Elizabeth, late queen of England, the thirty-fifth,
and there continued until the dissolution of the same, being the
tenth day of April, in the 35th year abovesaid.) To wit, on the
3d day of August, in the year of the reign of the said Charles,
King of England, the fourteenth abovesaid, in the parish of St.
Olave aforesaid, in the borough of Southwark aforesaid, in the
county aforesaid, of themselves, did voluntarily and unlawfully
join in, and were present at an unlawful assembly, conventicle,
and meeting, at the said parish of St. Olave, in the county
aforesaid, under colour and pretence of the exercise of religion,
against the laws and statutes of this kingdom of England, in
contempt of our said lord the king that now is, his laws, and
to the evil and dangerous example of all others in the like
case offending against the peace of our said lord the king that
now is, his crown and dignity, and contrary to the form of the
statute in this same case set forth and provided.’
I have inserted this indictment, that the reader may see not only the
manner of proceeding, but also with what black and heinous colours
the religious meetings of those called Quakers, were represented.
This indictment being read, the prisoners desired that they might
be tried by the late act of parliament against conventicles. But it
was answered, they might try them by what they would that was in
force. Then the prisoners desired that the statute, (viz. the 35th of
Elizabeth,) might be read. This was done but in part, and it was said
to the clerk, it was enough. The prisoners said then, that that act was
made in the time of ignorance, when the people were but newly stept
out of popery; and they showed also how unjustly they were dealt with.
Then being required to plead guilty, or not guilty, to the indictment,
some who were not very forward to answer, were hauled out of the court,
as taken _pro confessis_; and so sent back to prison. The rest, being
twenty-two in number, pleaded not guilty. Then the jurymen were called,
and when they had excepted against one, the judge would not allow
it, because he did not like the reason they gave, viz. that they saw
envy, prejudice, and a vain deportment in him. Another was excepted
against, because he was heard to say, that he hoped ere long, that the
Quakers should be arraigned at the bar, and be banished to some land,
where there were nothing but bears. At this the court burst out into
a laughter; yet the exception was admitted, and the man put by. The
prisoners not thinking it convenient to make more exceptions, the jury
were sworn; then two witnesses were called, who testified at most,
that in such a place they took such persons met together, whose names
were specified in writing. Then the prisoners bid the jury, take heed
how they did sport or dally with holy things, and that those things,
which concerned the conscience, were holy things. And as a man was not
to sport with the health or illness of his neighbour, so he was not to
sport with the liberty or the banishment of his neighbour. And whereas
they were accused of being wicked, dangerous, and seditious sectaries,
that was not true; for they were not wicked, but such as endeavoured to
live soberly, righteously, and godly in the world; concerning the truth
of which, they appealed to themselves. Neither were they seditious,
but peaceable. And whereas they were charged for not coming to hear
the common prayer, this was incongruous; for the service book was not
quite printed several weeks after the said 29th of June; so that they
could not be charged of neglecting to hear that which was not to be
heard read any where. This puzzled the court not a little; and other
pinching reasons were also given by the prisoners, some of whom were
men of learning; insomuch that the judge was not able to answer the
objections, but by shifts and evasions. At length the jury went out
to consult, and one of them was heard to say, as they were going up
stairs, ‘Here is a deal to do indeed, to condemn a company of innocent
men.’
After some time, the jury coming again, and being asked whether the
prisoners at the bar were guilty or not guilty, they said they were
guilty in part, and not guilty in part. But this verdict did not please
the judge. The jury then going out again, and prevailing upon one
another, quickly returned, and declared the prisoners guilty, according
to the form of the indictment. Hereupon the judge Onslow pronounced
sentence, viz. That they should return to prison again, and lie
there three months without bail; and if they did not make submission
according as the law directed, either at or before the end of the
aforesaid three months, that then they should abjure the realm: but in
case they refused to make abjuration, or after abjuration made, should
forbear to depart the realm within the time limited, or should return
again without license, they should be proceeded against as felons.
Just before sentence given, the judge said to one of the prisoners,
there was a way to escape the penalty, viz. Submission. And being
asked, what that was? the judge answered, ‘To come to common prayer,
and refrain these meetings.’ The prisoner giving reasons for refusal
of both, the judge said, ‘Then you must abjure the land.’ ‘Abjure,’
returned the prisoners, is ‘forswear.’ To which one of the justices
said laughingly, ‘And ye cannot swear at all.’ Just as if it were but
jest, thus to treat religious men. But they had signified already to
the jury, that they must rather die than do so. How long they were kept
prisoners, and how released, I could not learn; but this I know, that
many in the like cases have been long kept in jail, till sometimes they
were set at liberty by the king’s proclamation.
In this year it was the share of John Crook, (who himself once had been
a justice,) to be taken out of a meeting at London in John’s street,
as hath been said already, by one Miller, though not in office. And he
with others was brought to his trial in the said city, before the lord
mayor of London, the recorder of the same, the chief justice Forster,
and other judges and justices, among whom was also Richard Brown.
Now since J. Crook published this trial in print, and by that we may
judge, as _ex ungue leonem_, of other trials of the Quakers, I will
give it here at large.
J. Crook being brought to the sessions house in the Old Bailey,
with two of his friends, viz. Isaac Gray, doctor of physic, and
John Bolton goldsmith: one of the prisoners was called to the
bar, and then asked by the
Chief Judge. What meeting was that you were at?
Prisoner. I desire to be heard, where is my accuser?
Ch. Judge. Your tongue is not your own, and you must not have
liberty to speak what you list.
Pris. I speak in the presence and fear of the everlasting God,
that my tongue is not my own, for it is the Lord’s, and to be
disposed of according to his pleasure, and not to speak my own
words; and therefore I desire to be heard: I have been so long in
prison----then he was interrupted by the judge.
Judge. Leave your canting; and commanded him to be taken away,
which he was accordingly, by the jailer. This was the substance
of what the prisoner aforesaid spoke the first time.
C. Judge. Call John Crook to the bar; which the crier did
accordingly, he being amongst the felons as aforesaid.
J. C. being brought to the bar: