_The distressed Case and request of the suffering
people commonly called Quakers, humbly presented._
‘SHOWING,
‘That according to accounts lately given, above fourteen hundred
of the said people, both men and women, are continued prisoners
in England and Wales, only for tender conscience towards Almighty
God that made them; many under sentence of premunire, and many
near it, not for refusing the duty or substance of allegiance
itself, but only because they dare not swear; others under fines
upon the act of banishment, many on writs of excommunication;
besides some hundreds have died prisoners; many by means of this
long imprisonment since the year 1680, (as it is judged,) thereby
making widows and fatherless, and leaving poor innocent families
in distress and sorrow; these two hard winters confinement,
tending also to the destruction of many in cold holes and
jails, their healths being greatly impaired thereby; besides
the violence and woful spoil made by merciless informers on the
conventicle act, upon many, convicted unsummoned and unheard
in their own defence, both in city and county, as also on _qui
tam_ writs, and other process, on twenty pounds a month, and
two-thirds of estates seized for the king, all tending to the
ruin of trade, husbandry, and industrious families; to some
not a bed left; to others no cattle to till their ground, or
give them milk; nor corn for bread or seed; nor tools to work
withal. And also these and other severities done under pretence
of serving the king, and church, thereby to force us to violate
our consciences, and consequently to destroy our souls, which
we are very tender of, as we are of our peace with God, and our
own consciences, though accounted as sheep for the slaughter:
and notwithstanding all these long extremities, we the said
people do solemnly profess and declare in the sight of the heart
Searcher, that we have nothing but good-will and true affection
to the king, praying for his safety, and the kingdom’s peace. We
have never been found in any seditious or treasonable designs,
as being wholly contrary to our Christian principles and holy
profession.
‘And knowing that where the word of a king is, there is
power, we in Christian humility, and for Christ’s sake,
intreat, that the king will please to find out some
expedient for our relief in these cases, from prison,
spoil, and ruin, and we shall, as in Christian duty
bound, pray God for the king’s welfare in this world,
and his eternal happiness in that which is to come.’
_An account of the number of the said prisoners called Quakers,
in the several counties._
Prisoners.
Bedfordshire 30
Berkshire 37
Bristol 103
Buckinghamshire 19
Cambridgeshire 8
Ely 11
Cheshire 9
Cornwall 32
Cumberland 22
Derbyshire 1
Devonshire 104
Dorsetshire 13
Durham 39
Essex 10
Gloucestershire 66
Hertfordshire 18
Herefordshire 1
Huntingdonshire 10
Kent 16
Lancashire 73
Leicestershire 37
Lincolnshire 12
London and Middlesex 66
Norfolk 52
Northampton 59
Nottinghamshire 6
Oxon 17
Shropshire 18
Somersetshire 36
Southampton 15
Staffordshire 1
Suffolk 79
Surry 29
Sussex 17
Warwickshire 31
Westmoreland 5
Wiltshire 34
Worcestershire 15
Yorkshire 279
Wales 30
----
Sum of Prisoners 1460
Delivered to the king the 3d of the
First month called March, 1684-5.
This list, with the aforesaid petition to the king and parliament, was
not altogether ineffectual: for there was much talk now of liberty
of conscience; but since all the liberty that was enjoyed was only
precarious, it could be but little depended upon; yet many seemed to be
in expectation that some grant of that liberty would be published in
print, and thus it became a common saying that liberty of conscience
was in the press, which being of an equivocal signification, sometimes
afforded matter of sport. But many of the Episcopal church were so
strongly bent to withhold that liberty from other Protestants, that
there were no ill-grounded reports, that some in authority had promised
the king, to give their vote for liberty of conscience to the Papists,
provided it was not granted to other dissenters. Nevertheless the
abovesaid petition of the Quakers had such effect, that the king
resolved to ease them from the burden of their oppression, by way of
pardon; for thus far his power reached; but the abrogating of laws
could not be done without the consent of the parliament, which grew
jealous that by the repeal of those laws, the Papists, who now had
a king of their own religion, would become too powerful. In the
meanwhile the king published the following proclamation:
‘_James R._
‘Whereas our most entirely beloved brother, the late king,
deceased, had signified his intentions to his attorneys general
for the pardoning such of his subjects who had been sufferers
in the late rebellion for their loyalty, or whose parents or
nearest relations had been sufferers in the late rebellion for
that cause, or who had themselves testified their loyalty and
affection to the government, and were prosecuted, indicted,
or convicted for not taking, or refusing to take the oaths of
allegiance and supremacy, or one of them, or had been prosecuted
upon any writ, or any penalty, or otherwise, in any of the courts
of Westminster Hall, or in any of the ecclesiastical courts, for
not coming to church, or not receiving the sacrament:
‘And whereas the several persons, whose names are mentioned in
the schedule annexed to this our warrant; have produced unto us
certificates for the loyalty and sufferings of them and their
families:
‘Now in pursuance of the said will of our said most dear brother,
and in consideration of the sufferings of the said persons, our
will and pleasure is, that you cause all process and proceedings,
_ex officio_, as well against the said persons mentioned in the
said schedule hereunto annexed, as against all other persons as
shall hereafter be produced unto you, to be wholly superseded
and stayed; and if any of the said persons be decreed or
pronounced excommunicated, or have been so certified, or are in
prison upon the writ _de excommunicato capiendo_, for any of the
causes aforesaid, our pleasure is, that you absolve and cause
such persons to be absolved, discharged, or set at liberty, and
that no process or proceedings whatsoever be hereafter made in
any court against any of the said persons for any cause before
mentioned, until our pleasure therein shall be further signified.
‘Given at our Court at Whitehall, this 18th of April, 1685, in
the first year of our reign.
‘To all archbishops and bishops, to their chancellors
and commissioners, and to all archdeacons and their
officials, and all other ordinaries and persons
executing ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
By his majesty’s command,
SUNDERLAND.’
This was the king’s first step towards liberty of conscience, as well
for Papists, as other persons mentioned in the schedule annexed, which
put an effectual stop to persecution, and the power of the informers
was thereby much broken. And since the most of these were generally
base fellows, and profligate persons, who did not care what they did,
provided they might enrich themselves, they often dealt treacherously
even with the persecuting justices; who also were eager for having part
of the prey, and yet by the artifices of these rapacious wretches were
deprived of it, which some of them now smarted for. Among the rest, I
find that one John Hilton was committed to jail, as may appear from
this warrant of the recorder.
_To the keeper of Newgate._
‘Receive into your custody the body of John Hilton, herewith sent
you, being charged upon oath before me, for compounding several
warrants under my hand and seal, for levying of several sums of
money on persons convicted for being at several conventicles in
Kent, London, and Middlesex; and being also indicted for the same
in the several counties aforesaid, and the bills found against
him; and also that he the said John Hilton, hath refused to obey
the right honourable sir Edward Herbert, lord chief justice’s
warrant. And him safely keep, until he shall be discharged by due
course of law. And for so doing this shall be your warrant. Dated
the 23d of December, 1685.
THO. JENNER, _Recorder_.
‘Let notice be given to me before he be discharged.’
Thus the informers met with a stop, and the persecuted Quakers got some
rest; for persecution not only ceased, but many, who for religion’s
sake had been several years kept in prison, obtained liberty by the
favour of a popish prince, which they had not been able to get from his
brother, king Charles the Second. Now many of the fierce persecutors
came to shame, some to poverty, and others to a miserable end, of which
no small number of instances might be produced, if I were minded to
enlarge; however I will mention one or two.
One Edward Davis, who once professed to be a Quaker, but not being
sincere, found that way too narrow for him, and so left his friends,
whom afterwards, being become keeper of the jail of Ivelchester in
Somersetshire, he vexed most grievously; and from mere malice fettered
some, saying to John Whiting, and another, whom he had hand-bolted
together, those bolts should not be taken off if lice did eat them
up. And his comrade Joseph Newberry was but little better, for when
somebody told him, that their hands did swell with the irons, he said,
he did not care if their hearts did swell also. And when one John Dando
once asked Davis, what he thought would become of him when he came
to die; he answered, that he knew what would become of him then, and
therefore he would make the best of his time now. Also, that he knew
where he went out, and where he must come in again, if ever he was
saved; and if he thought he should never return again, he would be as
wicked as he could. Truly a most desperate saying, just as if the door
of mercy always continued open for man, and the day of the visitation
of God’s love never passed over his head, though he persevered in
rebellion. But this Davis came to a most pitiful state, so that he
fell into poverty, and was himself imprisoned for debts, of which more
hereafter. And Newberry fell into a sad condition, being taken with
a severe palsy, and yet he did not leave off cursing and swearing,
talking of the devil in a dreadful manner. And by lying long in bed,
the flesh rotted on his back, and he who had formerly said concerning
the hand-bolted prisoners, he did not care if their hearts did swell,
got now such a sore tongue, that it swelled out of his mouth, and
grew black, and so he died miserably on the 10th of December. Thus
God sometimes punisheth the wicked even in this life. And though
persecutors come not always to such a miserable end, yet many of these
fell into poverty, and others were discontented because they saw that
those whom they had cruelly persecuted, now enjoyed an undisturbed
liberty; for the king who was now on the throne, continued to give
liberty to those that had been oppressed for religion.
But before I say more of this, I cannot but mention something of the
design of the unhappy duke of Monmouth, who at the death of his father
king Charles the Second, was gone to Brussels, and being come from
thence into Holland, he was spurred on so vigorously by some hot-headed
Englishmen, that having got money and assistance of malcontents, he
went over to England with three men of war and some forces, having
given forth a declaration against king James, which vented a fiery
passion toward that prince, and was written, as I have been credibly
told, by the violent Robert Ferguson. Monmouth being landed with his
forces in the West of England, near Lime, and afterwards routed by the
king’s troops, was taken prisoner by the perfidiousness of a certain
lord, who thereby obtained pardon for himself; but Ferguson escaped by
a cunning artifice, crying along the road where he came galloping on
horseback, ‘The rebels are routed, the rebels are routed!’ Just as if
he had been a courier sent on purpose to court and elsewhere. But thus
he escaped, and come again into Holland, he told this crafty trick to
his acquaintance. Monmouth having been declared guilty of high treason
by a bill of attainder, as soon as the news came of his design, was
but two or three days after his arrival at London, beheaded. I count
it not unworthy to be mentioned, that he undauntedly received the news
of the death-warrant being come; and on the scaffold on Tower-Hill, he
told the bishops that accompanied him, ‘If I had no true repentance,
I should not be so free from the fear of death.’ And when it was
objected, that he ought not to rely too much on that, since that might
be the effect of natural courage, he said, ‘No; I do not ascribe this
to my nature; for naturally I am more fearful than others; but now I
am freed from fear; because I feel something in me, which gives me
assurance that I shall go to God.’ The executioner gave him several
strokes with the axe, before the head was severed from the body; and
some ecclesiastics afterwards said, he died an enthusiast: for not
showing himself very ready to comply with their service, and his saying
that something within him assured him that he should go to God, seemed
to them an enthusiastical tenet. But whatever it was, yet it seems very
probable to me, that he was a true penitent, and so he died in peace;
for though I cannot but disapprove his design, yet by true repentance
he might not only have obtained forgiveness of God, but also have had a
full assurance of it.
The earl of Argyle, who rebelled in Scotland against king James, had no
better lot; but I will not detain my reader therewith, neither with a
relation of the dismal execution of many, who having been found guilty
of high treason, either for actual rebellion, or having been abetters
of Monmouth, were sentenced to death by the infamous Jeffries, who then
was lord chief justice, and afterwards chancellor; the fierceness of
cruelty of this judge being such, that some lost their lives only for
having given some hay or victuals to Monmouth’s soldiers. But this not
being within my circuit, I will pass it by, and go over to the year
1686.
1686.
Therefore leaving England, I will take a turn to Embden, in East
Friesland, where a small company of those called Quakers had been
under a severe persecution for several years, as I have hinted before.
But the magistrates having persecuted by the instigation of their
preachers, the citizens began to be displeased with it. And since the
Protestants in France were now persecuted violently, and the Popish
prince had mounted the English throne, those at Embden grew more
inclined to moderation. Probably the decay of trade also contributed
a little to this change; for it appeared that the magistrates were
for getting more inhabitants into their town, though they should be
Quakers: and this was counted a matter of such moment, that the common
council deliberated on the subject; and two of the members of that
board, viz. Polman and Bonhuyren, were sent to Magdalena van Loar, an
inhabitant of Embden, desiring her to write to England and Holland,
that the magistrates of the city had resolved to give liberty to the
people called Quakers, to live, trade, and traffic there; which grant
they proffered to confirm by the city seal. According to their desire
notice was given to those of that persuasion at Amsterdam, from whence
an answer being returned to the said Magdalena van Loar, she gave it
to the counsellor Polman, and he delivered it to the senate. After
some deliberation, the magistrates with the council of forty, and
the ecclesiastical court met together, and came to a resolution, of
which a copy was sent to Amsterdam. In this writing were mentioned
some conditions on which the magistrates at Embden were willing to
grant liberty to the Quakers, to live in their city. But those of
that society at Amsterdam, having weighed and duly considered the
thing, found that the proposal contained some expressions, which by
others, who afterwards might come to the helm, and not be so moderate
as these at present, might be used as snares against the Quakers, if
they now should enter upon such terms as were prescribed. Therefore
it was thought more safe not to enter into any engagement, whereby
great inconvenience might afterwards attend their friends, when the
magistracy came to be in other hands. Yet the conclusion was, to
acknowledge the good intention of the magistrates of Embden, by drawing
up the following letter, and sending it to them.
_To the Lords, Burgomasters, Counsellors, and Rulers of the
city of Embden._
‘These are to acquaint you with due respect, that a scheme or
plan of yours, dated the 16/26 of February, 1686, is come to
our hands, which having been perused by us, we have thought it
convenient in the fear of the Lord, to send you the following
answer.
‘First, we thank God Almighty for the ease and liberty which our
friends at present enjoy under your government, and are like to
enjoy in the future. And, secondly, we cannot but acknowledge
very acceptably your clemency and meekness, which ye show by
taking notice of the state of a despised and oppressed people,
who because of their way and worship, differing from the many
ways in the world, are gainsayed every where. And therefore it is
that we are the more stirred up in our minds to pray fervently to
the Lord God for your peace and prosperity, and the continuance
of your good resolution; that so all those who serve the Lord in
uprightness of heart may lead a peaceable and godly life among
you, by showing forth the fruits of true Christianity in truth,
sincerity, and righteousness. Now as to what ye have been pleased
to declare, that ye were willing to confirm the aforesaid your
good resolution by a public act, we let you know, that we are
so well satisfied with your word and oral declaration concerning
the aforementioned thing, that this is more to us than any
thing we could further desire, as knowing that good men think
themselves bound by their good words to perform what is good. And
since ye are sensible on what ground ye came to the aforesaid
resolution, and declared yourselves thus, we doubt not but the
same persuasion and reason continuing with you, will prove a more
strong engagement to you to perform the same, than any outward
seal can be. And in that engagement we were willing to acquiesce,
and should not have mentioned any other, unless some among
you, as we have been informed, first had made mention thereof.
And as to what ye demand of us, we declare in the nakedness
and simplicity of our hearts, that in regard of our temporal
conversation and deportment, we desire no further protection,
than when we deal righteously to all, and walk according to that
golden rule, that we do unto all men, what we desire should
be done to us. And concerning our religion and worship, which
we believe we owe to Almighty God, it is thus: That since it
differs from other persuasions, it makes us obnoxious not only
to the mockings and revilings of ignorant people, but exposeth
us also to the malice and envy of many, who hate us without a
just cause; and therefore it is that we stand in need of your
favourable interpretation, and your best construction of what
we do, and what we leave undone. And if we should err in those
matters, we shall be the greatest losers by it; and if truth be
on our side, then our adversaries shall not be able to prevail;
for truth is the strongest, and it is not good for any to fight
against it. Howsoever then it may be with us in this matter, yet
we hope that ye will be pleased, if we behave ourselves peaceably
and honest towards you and all men, to let us be partakers
with our peaceable neighbours, of your general protection. And
though ye might please to give us a public act of your aforesaid
resolution, yet we clearly foresee, that it would be hardly
possible to use such expressions, that our enemies, by some
wresting or other of the words, or a wrong interpretation of the
expressions contained therein, should not be able to make us
esteemed guilty of transgression, and so find matter against us.
And therefore we think it very safe, to rely on your word and
good resolution, in which it hath pleased you to declare, that
we shall enjoy liberty to live and trade in your city, provided
we pay custom and taxes, which other citizens are subject to;
and that then we shall be at liberty to meet together to worship
God in such a way as he hath convinced us we ought to do, and to
call upon him, and to exhort one another to love and good works,
and a Christian conversation. And on your behalf it will tend to
the praise of the magistrates, that ye favour us in this. And it
will also be to the promoting of God’s glory: and will oblige us
to pray for you, that the Lord God may be pleased to preserve
you, and to make you continue in such a good, wholesome, and
well-grounded resolution. We are, and rest,
Your true friends and well-wishers,
_Barent van Tongeren_,
_William Sewel_,
_Jacob Claus_,
_Stephen Crisp_,
_John Roelofs_,
_John Claus_,
_Peter Hendriksz_.’
Amsterdam, the 9/19 of the Third
month, alias March, 1686.
In answer to this, the senate sent the following resolution to the
subscribers of the aforesaid letter, being, as appears by the contents,
the decree of the senate, so as it was entered into their records, of
which the authentic copy, signed by the city’s secretary, is in my
custody.
_Lunæ 15/25 Marti, 1686._
‘Received a letter on the 12/22 instant, written at Amsterdam
the 9/19 of the same month, and signed by Barent van Tongeren,
William Sewel, Jacob Claus, Stephen Crisp, John Roelofs, John
Claus, Peter Hendriksz, in answer to our resolution of the
16/26 of February last, with thanks for the promised admission
and protection of this city, in their free trade, and the
exercise of their religion, without offending any; signifying
thereby also, that they will be content without an act under our
seal, and willing to rely on our words. This having been under
deliberation, it was thought meet, and resolved, that our word
shall effectually be kept to the rescribers, and all others of
their persuasion, and that the promised protection shall be
really performed.
_Ad mandatum senatus speciale_,
O. HILLINGS, _Sec._’
Thus it pleased the senate of Embden to give to those called Quakers,
liberty to dwell among them, with the free exercise of their religion.
Sometime after it happened, that the burgomaster Andrews, coming to the
house of Magdalena van Loar, and the preacher Alardyn, to the house of
her daughter Magdalena Haasbaant, desired both that they would cause
what the senate had resolved, to be written to England, that so it
might be known there, that if any of the Quakers’ persuasion would come
over, and settle at Embden, they should be well received there.
Hereby we see how God hath the hearts of all men in his hands, and that
he turneth them whithersoever he will: for the magistrates of Embden,
had some years before from a blind zeal, kindled by those who ought to
have stopped it, given forth very severe edicts against the Quakers,
and persecuted them fiercely; but now they allowed them an entire
liberty.
But leaving Embden, I turn again to England, where persecution by this
time also came to a stand, insomuch that the king ordered that all
such imprisoned Quakers as it was in his power to release, should be
set at liberty; for those that were in prison, for not paying tithes,
&c. were under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, which was out of the
king’s reach. But many others who had been in custody several years,
appeared now at London in the annual meeting of their friends, to the
great joy of their brethren; and when some of these went to thank the
king for his favour, they were kindly admitted; and thereby he drew
their inclination towards him; for his endeavours were now, as he said,
to bring about a complete liberty of conscience. What his aim was, I
am not to investigate, for he never attained to it. In the meanwhile
he made persecution generally to cease, not only in England, but also
in other places of his dominions: for having heard that the Quakers in
the isle of Barbadoes, in the West Indies, were very much molested,
because for conscience-sake they could not hear arms, he ordered some
of the members of his council to write the following letter:
‘After our hearty commendations, his majesty having been pleased
to refer unto us the petition of the Quakers inhabiting in the
Barbadoes, we have thought fit hereby to pray and require you to
examine the allegations of the said petitions and papers hereunto
annexed. And in as much as his majesty, having lately extended
his favour to those people here, may be inclined to continue the
same towards them in this particular, we desire you to report
unto us what ease may be given them in reference to the militia
act, and the penalties thereby imposed, as far as it may consist
with the safety of the island, and the preserving of the militia,
according to the intention of the said act. And so we bid you
heartily farewell.
Your loving friends,
_Jefferies_,
_Craven_,
_Albemarle_,
_Middleton_.’
From the Council chamber, Whitehall,
the 23d July, 1686.
From this letter it appears plainly that the king endeavoured to
relieve the Quakers from that burden of persecution they were under.
The following letter is also a proof of it, written by the earl of
Sunderland, then, as I think, president of the privy council, to the
earl of Huntington, to stop the persecution in Leicestershire and
Nottinghamshire, where one John Smith had acted most grievously:
‘_Whitehall, Dec. 7, 1686._
‘MY LORD,
‘The king being informed that one John Smith, a common informer,
doth very vexatiously persecute the Quakers in the county of
Leicester, and in the town and county of Nottingham; and his
majesty being pleased to extend his favour to those of that
persuasion, his majesty would have your grace direct the justices
of peace to give no sort of countenance to the said John Smith,
and his prosecution, against the Quakers.
‘My lord, I am for his grace the duke of Newcastle, one of his
majesty’s most honourable privy council, &c.
Your grace’s most faithful and humble servant,
SUNDERLAND, P.’
‘To the right honourable the earl of Huntingdon, one of
his majesty’s most honourable privy council, chief
recorder of Leicester, custos, rotulorum of the county
of Leicester.’
The king being thus inclined to give liberty to prisoners, those who
were in custody for religion, neglected no opportunity to obtain it; of
which the following petition is an evidence.
‘_To chief Justice Herbert and judge Wright, assigned
to hold assizes, and jail-delivery for the western
circuit, at Wells for the county of Somerset, the
thirtieth of the month called March, 1686._
‘Several of the people called Quakers, now prisoners in
the jail at Ivelchester, in the county of Somerset,
on behalf of themselves and many others of the same
people, in humility show,
‘That since the wise Disposer of all things, hath ordered your
employment in this honourable service, to relieve the oppressed,
and deliver the captives; and since king James II. that now
is, hath committed part of his clemency to your custody, to
distribute the same according as the Lord hath inclined his
heart; and having taken particular notice of our sufferings, and
signified his will and pleasure, that we, the people commonly
called Quakers, should receive the full benefit of his general
pardon, with all possible ease; which grace and favour we with
all thankfulness, acknowledge to God as the chief author, who
hath the hearts of kings at his disposal; and to the king, as
being ready herein to mind that which the Lord inclined his
heart unto; and not without hope to find the like opportunity to
render to you our hearty thanks, for the full accomplishment of
that which our God allows, and the king so readily grants us;
and also hearing the report of your nobility and moderation, in
managing this weighty trust committed to you, we are emboldened
thus to address ourselves, though in plainness of speech, yet in
sincerity of heart, to lay before you, that we have for several
years been prisoners in the jail aforesaid, not for any plotting
against the king or government, or harm done to his subjects; our
peaceable lives have manifested our fidelity to the king, and
love to our neighbours, it being contrary to our principles to do
otherwise; but only for conscience-sake, because in obedience to
Christ Jesus we dare not swear at all, or forbear to worship God,
as he hath ordained, nor conform to those worships which we have
no faith in; which to omit the one, or practice the other, we
should therein sin, and so wound our consciences, and break our
peace with God: and what good then shall our lives do us, if we
might enjoy never so much of the world’s favour and friendship.
‘Our humble request therefore to you is, to consider and
compassionate our suffering condition, and improve
the power and authority that God and the king hath
entrusted you withal, for our relief and liberty; we
still resolving, and hoping, through God’s assistance,
for the future, to manifest our fear to God, honour
to the king, and honesty to all his subjects, by
our godly, humble, and peaceable conversation. The
particular causes of our imprisonments are herewith
attested, under our keeper’s hand. And we further pray,
that mercenary informers, and envious prosecutors
against us, only for conscience-sake, may, according
to your wisdom and prudence, be discouraged from
prosecuting such actions; by which many industrious
and conscientious families and persons are in danger
of being ruined; and we encouraged in our diligence in
our respectable callings, and may enjoy the benefit of
our industry; and so shall we be the better enabled to
perform with cheerfulness the duties we owe to God, the
king, and all men. The Lord guide you in judgment, and
more and more incline your hearts to love mercy, and
do justice, and grant you the reward thereof; which is
truly our desire and prayer.’
This petition was signed by sixteen persons, some of which had been
imprisoned fifteen, others ten, and some fewer years; and to the time
of their imprisonment was added, on what account, viz. on premunire,
excommunication, and for tithes, &c. And it had such effect, that chief
justice Herbert discharged these prisoners; but before this was done,
several of those that had been imprisoned there, died. Many also were
set at liberty by the king’s proclamation; and it was indeed an unusual
thing to enjoy such a free liberty, that the malicious persecutors were
restrained by the higher power.
George Fox was now mostly in and about London, endeavouring to bring
all things among his friends into good order; and therefore he wrote
several papers since he could not be every where in person, and
discharge himself by word of mouth. And lest carelessness should
creep in, by reason of the liberty that was now enjoyed, he wrote the
following epistle to his friends:
‘_Friends_,
‘The Lord by his eternal power hath opened the heart of the king,
to open the prison doors, by which about fifteen or sixteen
hundred are set at liberty; and hath given a check to the
informers: so that in many places our meetings are pretty quiet.
So my desires are, that both liberty and sufferings, all may be
sanctified to his people; and friends may prize the mercies of
the Lord in all things, and to him be thankful, who stilleth the
raging waves of the sea, and allayeth the storms and tempests,
and maketh a calm. And therefore it is good to trust in the Lord,
and cast your care upon him, who careth for you. For when ye were
in your jails and prisons, then the Lord did by his eternal arm
and power uphold you, and sanctified them to you, and unto some
he had made them as a sanctuary; and tried his people, as in a
furnace of affliction, both in prisons and spoiling of goods. And
in all this the Lord was with his people, and taught them to know
that the earth was the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; and that
he is in all places; who crowneth the year with his goodness,
Psalm lxv. Therefore let all God’s people be diligent and careful
to keep the camp of God holy, pure, and clean; and to serve God,
and Christ, and one another, in the glorious peaceable gospel of
life and salvation; which glory shines over God’s camp; and his
great prophet, and bishop, and shepherd is among or in the midst
of them, exercising his heavenly offices in them: so that you
his people may rejoice in Christ Jesus, through whom you have
peace with God. For he that destroyeth the devil and his work,
and bruises the serpent’s head, is all God’s people’s heavenly
foundation and rock to build upon; which was the holy prophets’
and apostles’ rock in days past, and is now a rock of our age;
which rock and foundation of God standeth sure. And upon this the
Lord God establish all his people. Amen.