Then she said to her Mother, 'I desire thee to give me a little
clear posset drink, then I will see if I can have a little rest
and sleep before I die.'
When the posset drink came to her, she took a little.... Then
she said to her Mother, 'I have a swelling behind my ear, but I
would not have anything done to it, nor to my sore throat nor
mouth, for all will be well enough when I am in my grave.'
Then she asked what time of day it was? it being the latter part
of the day, her Grandfather said, 'The chimes are going four;'
she said, 'I thought it had been more; I will see if I can have
a little rest and sleep before I die.'
And so she lay still, and had a sweet rest and sleep; and then
she awaked without any complaint, and in a quiet peaceable frame
of spirit laid down her head in peace, when the clock struck the
fifth hour of the 9th day of the 2nd month, 1680.
We whose names are under-written were eye and ear witnesses of
what is before expressed, as near as could be taken, and does
not much vary from what she declared, as the substance (though
much more sweet and comfortable expressions passed from her, but
for brevity sake are willing this only to publish) who stood by
her when she drew her last breath.
William Dewsbury, her Grandfather.
Mary Samm, her Mother.
Joan Dewsbury, her Aunt.
Hannah Whitthead, a Friend.
'AN UNDISTURBED MEETING.'
I first heard this story graphically told by Ernest E. Taylor. His
intimate knowledge of the neighbourhood, and minute historical
researches into the lives of the Early Friends in this district, made
the whole scene vivid to his listener. In writing down my own account
from memory, some months later, I find I have unintentionally altered
some of the details, and have in particular allowed too long a time
for the soldiers' carouse, and have substituted a troop of horse for
militia. For these lapses from strict historical accuracy I alone am
responsible; but it has seemed better to leave the story as it was
written and to append the following note from the ancient MS. account
of the sufferings at Sedbergh, to show exactly what did occur:
'1665. Friends being met at John Blaykling's at Draw-well, Lawrence
Hodgson of Dent, an Ensign to the Militia, came into the meeting with
other Militia men, cursing and swearing that if Friends would not
depart and disperse, he would kill them and slay and what not. Then as
Friends did not disperse they pulled them out of doors and so broke up
the meeting. The Ensign thereupon went off, expecting Friends to have
followed him, but they sat down and stood together at the house end [?
and] on the hill-side. So the Ensign came back and with his drawn
sword struck at several Friends and cut some in the hat and some in
the clothes, and so forced and drove them to Sedbergh town, where
after some chief men of the parish had been spoken with, Friends were
let go home in peace.'--_Sedbergh MSS. Sufferings._
It was of course the gathering together 'in numbers more than five'
and 'refusing to disperse' that was at this time illegal and made the
Friends liable to severe punishment. There is still a tradition in the
neighbourhood that the Quakers were to be taken not to Ingmire Hall,
but to the house of another Justice at Thorns.
'BUTTERFLIES IN THE FELLS.'
See 'Bygone Northumberland,' by W. Andrews. 'Piety Promoted,' i.
88-90. W.C. Braithwaite's 'Beginnings of Quakerism,' p. 373. 'The
Society of Friends in Newcastle,' by J.W. Steel.
'THE VICTORY OF AMOR STODDART.'
See George Fox's Journal, i. 185, 190, 261, 431; ii. 167. Sewel's
History, i. 29. 'Beginnings of Quakerism,' p. 365.
'THE MARVELLOUS VOYAGE OF THE GOOD SHIP "WOODHOUSE."'
Taken from Robert Fowler's own account: 'A true Relation of the Voyage
undertaken by me Robert Fowler with my small vessel called the
"Woodhouse" but performed by the Lord like as he did Noah's ark,
wherein he shut up a few righteous persons and landed them safe, even
at the Hill Ararat,' published in the 'History of the Society of
Friends in America.'
The scenes on Bridlington Quay and in London are not strictly
historical, but may be inferred from the above account.
'RICHARD SELLAR AND THE "MERCIFUL MAN."'
Taken from Richard Sellar's own narrative: 'An account of the
sufferings of Richard Seller of Keinsey, a Fisherman who was prest in
Scarborough Piers, in the time of the two last engagements between the
Dutch and English, in the year 1665,' published in Besse's 'Sufferings
of the Quakers,' vol. ii. pp. 112-120.
'TWO ROBBER STORIES--WEST AND EAST.'
(1) Leonard Fell and the Highwayman, taken from 'The Fells of
Swarthmoor Hall,' by M. Webb, p. 353.
(2) On the Road to Jerusalem. Taken from George Robinson's own
account, published in 'A Brief History of the Voyage of Katharine
Evans and Sarah Cheevers.' pp. 207 ad fin.
'SILVER SLIPPERS.'
Mainly historical. See Sewel's History, i. 294, 473; ii. 343. See also
'History of the Quakers,' by G. Croese, for some additional
particulars. The best account of Mary Fisher and her adventurous
journey is given in 'Quaker Women,' by Mabel R. Brailsford, Chapters
v. and vi., entitled 'Mary Fisher' and 'An Ambassador to the Grand
Turk.' I am indebted to Miss Brailsford for permission to draw freely
from her most interesting narrative, and also to quote from her
extracts from Paul Rycaut's History.
The only historical foundation for the 'Silver Slippers' is the
statement by one historian that before Mary Fisher's interview with
the Sultan she was allowed twenty-four hours to rest and to 'arrange
her dress.' H.M. Wallis has kindly supplied me with some local
colouring and information about Adrianople.
'FIERCE FEATHERS.'
A historical incident, with some imaginary actors. The outlines of
this story are given in 'Historical Anecdotes' by Pike. Several
additional particulars and the copy of a painting of the Indians at
Meeting are to be found in the Friends' Reference Library at
Devonshire House. For some helpful notes about the locality I am
indebted to H.P. Morris of Philadelphia, U.S.A.
'THE THIEF IN THE TANYARD.'
Historical. The facts and the words of the speakers are taken almost
verbatim from Pike's 'Historical Anecdotes.' I have only supplied the
setting for the story.
'HOW A FRENCH NOBLE BECAME A FRIEND.'
Entirely historical. All the facts are taken from the Autobiography of
Stephen Grellet.
'PREACHING TO NOBODY.'
This story is not to be found in Stephen Grellet's Autobiography. It
appeared in 'The American Friend,' November 1895, and is now included
in the penny 'Life of Stephen Grellet' in the Friends Ancient and
Modern Series. The actual words of Stephen Grellet's sermon have not
been recorded. Those in the text are expanded from a sentence in
another discourse of his, given here in quotation marks. The incident
of the cracked mug is not historical.