CHAPTER IX.

1655-1656.—Friends slandered by Presbyterians and Independents, suffer

much from them and the Baptists for refusing to pay tithes—the

priests hunt after a fallen benefice like crows after carrion—great

miracles wrought through several—an Independent preacher convinced,

but relapses—address to the convinced in Ireland—a sick woman at

Baldock restored—George Fox parts and reconciles two furious

combatants—to the seven parishes at the Land’s End, recommending

attention to the Inward Light—George Fox parts with James Naylor,

and has a presentiment of his fall—Major Ceely places George Fox and

Edward Pyot under arrest—they are sent to Launceston jail—put into

Doomsdale, and suffer a long and cruel imprisonment—a paper against

swearing—Peter Ceely’s mittimus—George Fox has great service in

jail—many are convinced, and opposers are confounded—experiences

some remarkable preservations—Edward Pyot writes an excellent letter

to Judge Glynne on the liberty of the subject, and on the injustice

and illegality of their imprisonment—Truth spreads in the west by

the very means taken to prevent it—exhortation and warning to

magistrates—answer to the Exeter general warrant for taking up and

imprisoning Friends—exhortation to Friends in the ministry—warning

to priests and professors—cruel jailer imprisoned in Doomsdale, and

further judgments upon him follow—a Friend offers to lie in prison

instead of George Fox—Edward Pyot to Major-General Desborough, in

answer to his conditional offer of liberty—George Fox to the same—he

and his Friends are soon after liberated.

After clearing myself of those services for the Lord, which lay upon me

in LONDON, I passed into BEDFORDSHIRE and NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. At

WELLINGBOROUGH, I had a great meeting, in which the Lord’s everlasting

power and truth was over all; and many in that country were turned to

the Lord. Great rage was amongst the professors, for the wicked priests,

Presbyterians, and Independents, falsely reported “that we carried

bottles about with us, which we gave people to drink of; which made them

follow us:” but the Power, and Spirit, and Truth of God kept Friends

over the rage of the people. Great spoiling also there was of Friends’

goods for tithes, by the Independent and Presbyterian priests, and some

Baptist priests, that had got into the steeple-houses.

From WELLINGBOROUGH I went into LEICESTERSHIRE, where Colonel Hacker had

threatened that if I came there he would imprison me again, though the

Protector had set me at liberty: but when I was come to WHETSTONE, (the

meeting from which he took me before,) all was quiet there. Colonel

Hacker’s wife, and his marshal came to the meeting, and were convinced:

for the glorious powerful day of the Lord was exalted over all, and many

were convinced that day. There were at that meeting two justices of the

peace, that came out of Wales, whose names were Peter Price and Walter

Jenkin; who came both to be ministers of Christ.

I went from thence to SILEBY, to William Smith’s, where was a great

meeting, to which several Baptists came; one of them, a Baptist teacher,

was convinced, and came to sit under the Lord’s teaching by his Spirit

and power. This Baptist said, he had baptized thirty in a day.

From thence I went to DRAYTON, my native town, where so many priests and

professors had formerly gathered together against me; but now not a

priest or professor appeared. I asked some of my relations where all the

priests and professors were? They said, the priest of NUN-EATON was

dead, and eight or nine of them were seeking to get his benefice. “They

will let you alone now,” said they, “for they are like a company of

crows, when a sheep is dead, they all gather together to pull out the

puddings; so do the priests for a fallen benefice.” These were some of

their own hearers that said so of them; but they had spent their venom

against me, and the Lord delivered me by his power out of their snares.

Then I went to BADDESLEY, where was a great meeting. Many came far to

it; and were convinced and turned to the Lord; who came under Christ’s

teaching, and were settled upon him, their foundation and their rock.

From thence I passed into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, and had large meetings there;

and into DERBYSHIRE, where the Lord’s power came over all; and many were

turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, and

came to receive the Holy Ghost. Great miracles were wrought in many

places by the power of the Lord through several.

In DERBYSHIRE James Naylor met me, and told me, seven or eight priests

had challenged him to a dispute. I had a travail in my spirit for him,

and the Lord answered me, and I was moved to bid him go on, and God

Almighty would be with him, and give him the victory in His power. And

the Lord did so; insomuch that the people saw the priests were foiled,

and they cried, “a Nailer, a Nailer hath confuted them all.” After the

dispute, he came to me again, praising the Lord. Thus was the Lord’s day

proclaimed and set over all their heads, and people began to see the

apostacy and slavery they had been under to their hireling teachers for

means; and they came to know their teacher, the Lord Jesus, who had

purchased them, and made their peace between God and them. While we were

here, Friends came out of YORKSHIRE to see us, and were glad of the

prosperity of truth.

After this I passed into WARWICKSHIRE, through Friends, visiting their

meetings; and so into WORCESTERSHIRE. I had a meeting at BIRMINGHAM, as

I went, where several were convinced and turned to the Lord. At length I

came to one Cole’s house in WORCESTERSHIRE, near CHATTAN. This Cole had

given an Independent preacher a meeting-place, and the Independent came

to be convinced, and after he was convinced he laid aside his preaching;

whereupon the old man—— Cole gave him a hundred pounds a-year. I had a

meeting there, and a very great one it was, insomuch that the

meeting-place would not hold the people: and many were turned to the

Lord that day. Afterwards, when the time of trials came, this

Independent did not stand to that which had convinced him, but turned

back, whereupon the old man took away his hundred pounds a-year from him

again. But Cole himself died in God’s truth.

I heard that at EVESHAM the magistrates had cast several Friends into

prison; and that, hearing of my coming, they made a pair of high stocks.

I sent for Edward Pittaway, a Friend that lived near EVESHAM, and asked

him the truth of the thing; and he said it was so. I went that night

with him to EVESHAM, and in the evening we had a large, precious

meeting, wherein Friends and people were refreshed with the word of

life, and with the power of the Lord. Next morning I rode to one of the

prisons, and visited Friends there, and encouraged them. Then I rode to

the other prison, where there were several prisoners; and amongst them

was Humphrey Smith,[42] who had been a priest, but was now become a free

minister of Christ. When I had visited the Friends at both prisons, and

was turned away from the prison to go out of town, I espied the

magistrates coming to seize me. But the Lord frustrated their intent,

the innocent escaped their snare, and God’s blessed power came over them

all. But exceedingly rude and envious were the priests and professors

about this time in those parts.

Footnote 42:

Humphrey Smith became an able gospel minister, turning many to

righteousness. He had a vision of the destruction of London by fire,

six years before it happened, which vision he made known as a warning

to the people to repent. (See _Piety Promoted_, vol. i. p. 39 and his

published works). He had also a clear foresight of his own sufferings

and death thereby. He died a prisoner for the testimony of Jesus in

Winchester jail, in 1663, where he fell ill after a year’s

imprisonment. Whilst he was very ill in prison, he said, “My heart is

filled with the power of God;” and then added, “It is good for a man

at such a time as this, to have the Lord to be his friend.” Near his

departure, he prayed earnestly, saying, “Hear me, O Lord, uphold and

preserve me. I know that my Redeemer liveth: Thou art strong and

mighty, O Lord;” and prayed “that the Lord would deliver His people

from their cruel oppressors”; and for those who had been convinced by

him, “that the Lord would be their teacher.”

I went from EVESHAM to WORCESTER, and had a precious meeting there, and

quiet. But after it, as we came down the street towards our inn, some of

the professors fell to discourse with Friends, and were like to have

made a tumult in the city. As we went into the inn, they all cluttered

into the yard; but I went among them, and got them quieted. Next day I

walked into the town, and had much discourse with some of the

professors, concerning Christ and the way of truth. One of them denied

that Christ was of Abraham, according to the flesh, and that he was

declared to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit; but I proved

from Rom. i. that he was of the seed of Abraham, being made of the seed

of David according to the flesh; and that according to the Spirit he was

declared to be the Son of God. Afterwards I wrote a paper concerning it.

From WORCESTER we went to TEWKESBURY, where in the evening we had a

great meeting; to which came the priest of the town with a great rabble

of rude people. He boasted, that he would see whether he or I should

have the victory. “I turned the people to the divine light, which

Christ, the heavenly and spiritual man, enlighteneth them withal; that

with that light they might see their sins, and that they were in death

and darkness, and without God in the world; and that with the same light

they might also see Christ from whom it comes, their Saviour and

Redeemer, who shed his blood and died for them, and who is the way to

God, the truth, and the life.” Here the priest began to rage against the

Light, and denied it; for neither priest nor professor could endure to

hear the Light spoken of. So the priest having railed at the Light went

away, and left his rude company amongst us; but the Lord’s power came

over them, though mischief was in their hearts.

Leaving TEWKESBURY, we came to WARWICK, where in the evening we had a

meeting at a widow’s house, with many sober people. A precious meeting

we had in the Lord’s power, and several were convinced and turned to the

Lord. After it, as I was walking out, a Baptist in the company began to

jangle; and the bailiff of the town with his officers came in, and said,

“What do these people here at this time of night?” So he secured John

Crook, Amor Stoddart, Gerrard Roberts,[43] and myself, but we had leave

to go to our inn, and to be forth-coming in the morning. Next morning

many rude people came to the inn, and into our chambers, desperate

fellows; but the Lord’s power gave us dominion over them. Gerrard

Roberts and John Crook went up to the bailiff to speak with him, and to

know what he had to say to us. He said we might go our ways, for he had

little to say to us. As we rode out of town, it lay upon me to ride to

his house to let him know, “that the Protector having given forth an

instrument of government, in which liberty of conscience was granted, it

was very strange that, contrary to that instrument of government, he

would trouble peaceable people that feared God.” The Friends went with

me, but the rude people gathered about us with stones; and one of them

took hold of my horse’s bridle and broke it; but the horse drawing back

threw him under him. Though the bailiff saw this, yet he did not stop,

nor so much as rebuke the rude multitude, so that it was much we were

not slain or hurt in the streets; for the people threw stones, and

struck at us, as we rode along the town.

Footnote 43:

Gerrard Roberts, a merchant of London, was one of the most active

members of the Society in making the needful arrangements for the

visits of its ministers to foreign parts.

When we were quite out of the town, I told Friends, “it was upon me from

the Lord, that I must go back into it again; and if anyone of them felt

anything upon him from the Lord, he might follow me, and the rest that

did not, might go on to DUN-COW.” So I passed up through the market in

the dreadful power of God, declaring the word of life to them, and John

Crook followed me. Some struck at me; but the Lord’s power was over

them, and gave me dominion over all. I showed them their unworthiness of

the name of Christians, and the unworthiness of their teachers who had

not brought them into more sobriety; and what a shame they were to

Christianity!

Having cleared myself, I turned back out of the town again, and passed

to COVENTRY; where we found the people closed up with darkness. I went

to a professor’s house that I had formerly been at, and he was drunk,

which grieved my soul so, that I did not go into any house in the town;

but rode into some of the streets, and into the market-place. I felt the

power of the Lord God was over the town.

Then I went on to DUN-COW, and had a meeting there in the evening, and

some were turned to the Lord by his Spirit, as also at WARWICK and

TEWKESBURY. We lay at DUN-COW that night, and there we met with John

Camm, a faithful minister of the everlasting gospel. In the morning

there gathered a rude company of priests and people, who behaved more

like beasts than men; for some of them came riding on horseback into the

room where we were; but the Lord gave us dominion over them.

From thence we passed into LEICESTERSHIRE, where we had a great meeting

at the place where I had been taken formerly; and after that we came to

BADDESLEY in WARWICKSHIRE. Here William Edmundson,[44] a Friend who

lived in Ireland, having some drawings upon his spirit to come over into

England to see me, met with me; by whom I wrote to the few Friends then

convinced in the north of Ireland, as follows:—

“FRIENDS,

“In that which convinced you, wait; that you may have that removed you

are convinced of. And all my dear Friends, dwell in the life, and

love, and power, and wisdom of God, in unity one with another, and

with God; and the peace and wisdom of God fill all your hearts, that

nothing may rule in you but the life, which stands in the Lord God.”

G. F.

Footnote 44:

William Edmundson was the first person who publicly espoused the

principles of Friends in Ireland. He was some time a soldier in

Cromwell’s army, but the strivings of the Holy Spirit drew him out of

the corruptions of the world, to a nearer acquaintance with God. He

left the army, and joined the people called Quakers, though they were

much spoken against. His life and property were given up to the

service of the gospel, and many were his trials and sufferings on its

account, which he bore with exemplary patience. During the civil wars,

he had on one occasion twenty of his cows driven away from him. His

house was also beset by some hundreds of banditti, and the shots they

fired into the house were heard at two miles’ distance. After it was

plundered and burned, himself and two sons were led away prisoners,

bareheaded, and barefooted, and nearly naked, except they gave William

Edmundson an old blanket of his own to wrap about him.

After a toilsome night, journeying through bushes, rough stones, mire,

and water knee-deep, they were taken to a wood, and after a mock show

of justice, condemned to death; the young men to be hanged, and their

father, in compliment to his courage, to be shot. Though death was no

terror to this pious man, he expostulated with his persecutors;

reminding them of his services in behalf of their countryfolk. Several

of them confessed they knew him to be an honest man; yet justice and

mercy were disregarded, and they prepared to execute their purpose.

The youths were hoodwinked, in order to hang them; and two firelocks

made ready to shoot their father, whom they were about to hoodwink

also; but he told them they need not, for he could look them in the

face, and was not afraid to die.

At this juncture arrived a lieutenant, a brother of one whose life

William Edmundson had saved, when the English soldiers were about to

hang him. Thus the Lord interposed and would not suffer them to take

their lives. The officer released the prisoners from death, but did

not restore them to liberty, taking them to Athlone, not from a

grateful sense of remembered services, but from a hope of preferment

thereby. On entering the town, the high sheriff, soldiers, and rabble,

gave them abusive language; and their lives were endangered, had not a

lieutenant of the Irish army who recognised William Edmundson,

declared aloud his knowledge of him, and of his worth, and thus

quieted the tumult. They were then brought to the Irish colonel,

before whom he appeared, wrapped in his blanket. Though the colonel

was personally acquainted with him, he did not, in these

circumstances, know him; but when he said, I am old William Edmundson,

the colonel rose, and with tears in his eyes, expressed his sorrow to

see him in that condition. After reprimanding the lieutenant, he

committed them to the care of one of his captains, sent them food and

money, and they met with better treatment.

Great sufferings was it the lot of this faithful man to endure; who

was unwearied in his Master’s service for upwards of fifty years of

his life, counting nothing too near or dear to part with, or too great

to suffer, if he could but win Christ and the souls of his fellow-men.

Yet in these and many other great exercises and straits, the Lord’s

arm and generous providence, says he, have preserved and supported me.

He spared not himself, even to old age, in performing travels and

services as a gospel minister, beyond the ordinary course of nature,

often saying the Lord was his song and his strength, and had carried

him through many and various exercises and perils. As a fixed star in

the firmament of God’s power did he continue to hold his integrity to

the last, being enabled to say, “O death! where is thy sting? O grave!

where is thy victory?”

When these few lines were read amongst the Friends in Ireland at their

meeting, the power of the Lord came upon all in the room.

From Baddesley we passed to SWANINGTON and HIGHAM, and so into

Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, having great meetings; and many were

turned to the Lord by his power and Spirit. When we came to BALDOCK in

Hertfordshire, I asked, if there was nothing in that town, no

profession; and it was answered me, there were some Baptists and a

Baptist woman sick. John Rush of Bedfordshire went with me to visit her.

When we came in, there were many tender people about her. They told me

she was not a woman for this world, but if I had anything to comfort her

concerning the world to come, I might speak to her. I was moved of the

Lord God to speak to her; and the Lord raised her up again to the

astonishment of the town and country. This Baptist woman and her

husband, whose name was Baldock, came to be convinced, and many hundreds

of people have met at their house since. Great meetings and

convincements were in those parts afterwards; many received the word of

life, and sat down under the teaching of Christ, their Saviour.

When we had visited this sick woman, we returned to our inn, where were

two desperate fellows fighting so furiously, that none durst come nigh

to part them. But I was moved, in the Lord’s power, to go to them; and

when I had loosed their hands, I held one of them by one hand, and the

other by the other, showed them the evil of their doings, and reconciled

them one to the other, and they were so loving and thankful to me, that

people admired at it.[45]

Footnote 45:

The circumstance above related is reminding of a somewhat similar one

recorded of Edward Burrough.

“At London,” says Sewell the historian, “there is a custom in

summer-time, when the evening approaches, and tradesmen leave off

working, that many lusty fellows meet in the fields, to try their

skill and strength in wrestling, where generally a multitude of people

stand gazing in a ring.

“Now it so fell out, that Edward Burrough passed by the place where

they were wrestling, and standing still among the spectators, saw how

a strong and dexterous fellow had already thrown three others, and was

waiting for a fourth champion, if any durst venture to enter the

lists. At length, none being bold enough to try, Edward Burrough

stepped into the ring, which was commonly made up of all sorts of

people; and having looked upon the wrestler with a serious

countenance, the man was not a little surprised, instead of an airy

antagonist, to meet with a grave and awful young man; and all stood

amazed as it were at this sight, eagerly expecting what would be the

issue of this combat. But it was quite another fight Edward Burrough

aimed at. For having already fought against spiritual wickedness, that

had once prevailed over him, and having overcome in measure, by the

grace of God, he now endeavoured also to fight against it in others,

and to turn them from the evil of their ways. With this intention, he

began very seriously to speak to the bystanders, and that with such a

heart-piercing power, that he was heard by the mixed multitude, with

no less attention than admiration; for his speech tended to turn them

from darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God. To

effect this, he laboured with convincing words, showing how God had

not left himself without a witness, but had given to man a measure of

his grace, and enlightened every one with the light of Christ.

“Thus zealously he preached; and though many might look upon this as a

novelty, yet it was of such effect, that some were convinced of the

truth; for Burrough was a breaker of stony hearts, and therefore by a

certain author not unjustly called ‘a son of thunder;’ though he

omitted not in due season to speak a word of consolation to those that

were of a broken heart, and of a contrite spirit.”

From thence I passed to MARKET-STREET, where God had a people, and

through ALBAN’S to LONDON, where Friends were glad of the prosperity of

truth, and the manifestation of the Lord’s glorious power which had

delivered us, and carried us through many dangers and difficulties. I

also rejoiced to find truth prosper in the city, and all things well

amongst friends there. Only there was one John Toldervey, who had been

convinced of truth, and run out from it, and the envious priests took

occasion from thence to write a wicked book against Friends, which they

stuffed with many lies, to render truth and Friends odious. They

entitled their book, “_The Foot out of the Snare_.” But this poor man

came to see his folly and returned, condemned his backsliding, answered

the priest’s book, and exposed all their lies and wickedness. Thus the

Lord’s power came over them, and his everlasting Seed reigned, and

reigns to this day.

Now after I had tarried some time in London, and had visited Friends in

their meetings, I went out of town, leaving James Naylor in the city. As

I passed from him I cast my eyes upon him, and a fear struck me

concerning him; but I went away, and rode down to RYEGATE in Surrey,

where I had a little meeting. There the Friends told me of one Thomas

Moore, a justice of peace, that lived not far from Ryegate, a friendly,

moderate man; I went to visit him at his house, and he came to be a

serviceable man in truth.

We passed on to Thomas Patching’s, of Binscombe in Godalming, where we

had a meeting, to which several Friends came from London, and John

Bolton and his wife came on foot in frost and snow. After this we went

towards HORSHAM-PARK; and having visited Friends, passed on to ARUNDEL

and CHICHESTER, where we had meetings. At Chichester many professors

came in, and made some jangling, but the Lord’s power was over them. The

woman of the house where the meeting was, though convinced of truth, yet

not keeping her mind close to that which convinced her, fell in love

with a man of the world, who was there that time. When I knew it, I took

her aside, and was moved to speak to her, and to pray for her; but a

light thing got up in her mind, and she slighted it. Afterwards she

married the man, and soon after went distracted; for he was greatly in

debt, and she greatly disappointed. Then was I sent for to her, and the

Lord was entreated, raised her up again, and settled her mind by his

power. Afterwards her husband died; and she acknowledged the just

judgments of God were come upon her, for slighting the exhortation and

counsel I had given her.

After we left Chichester, we travelled to PORTSMOUTH. There the soldiers

had us to the governor’s house. After some examination, the Lord’s power

came over them, and we were set at liberty, and had a meeting in the

town. After which we came to RINGWOOD, where in the evening we had a

meeting, at which several were convinced, and turned to the Spirit of

the Lord, and to the teaching of Christ Jesus, their Saviour.

From Ringwood we came to POOLE; and having set up our horses at an inn,

we sent into the town to inquire for such as feared the Lord, and such

as were worthy; and had a meeting with several sober people. William

Baily, a Baptist teacher, was convinced there at that time.[46] The

people received the truth in the inward parts, and were turned to the

Lord Jesus Christ, their rock and foundation, their teacher and Saviour;

and there is become a great gathering in the name of Jesus of a very

tender people, who continue under Christ’s teaching.

Footnote 46:

William Bailey (or Bayley), whose writings were published in one

volume, 4to, in 1676, and of whom there is a brief account in _Piety

Promoted_, vol. i., p. 83, is stated to have been “mighty in the

Scriptures,” and not only a believer and preacher of the word of

faith, but a sufferer for the same. On one occasion, he was thrown

down and dragged upon the ground by the hair of his head, his

persecutors endeavouring to rend and break asunder his jaws, so that

the ground whereon he lay was besmeared with his blood. As if this

butchering had not been enough to make him a sacrifice, a heavy man

stamped on his breast with his feet, endeavouring to beat the breath

out of his body. When this persecutor had done his pleasure, he told

the jailer to take him away and put him in some nasty hole, for his

entertainment and cure.

William Bailey, being master of a ship, often crossed the mighty

waters for the maintenance of his family, and many beyond the seas

were comforted by his ministry. He was taken ill at sea on his return

from visiting Friends in Barbadoes, and died on board the _Samuel_ of

London, in latitude 46° 36´ N. He died in great peace, as if he had

fallen asleep, exhorting those around him to fear God.

We went also to SOUTHAMPTON and had a meeting; several were convinced

there also. Edward Pyot of Bristol travelled with me all this western

journey.

From thence we went to DORCHESTER, and alighted at an inn, a Baptist’s

house; we sent into the town to the Baptists, to let us have their

meeting-house to meet in, and to invite the sober people to the meeting;

but they denied it us. We sent to them again, to know why they would

deny us their meeting-house; so the thing was noised in the town. Then

we sent them word, if they would not let us come to their house, they,

or any people that feared God, might come to our inn, if they pleased.

They were in a great rage; and their teacher and many of them came up,

and slapped their Bibles on the table. I asked them, why they were so

angry; were they angry with the Bible? But they fell into a discourse

about their water-baptism. I asked them, whether they could say, they

were sent of God to baptise people, as John was; and whether they had

the same Spirit and power that the apostles had? They said, they had

not. Then I asked them, how many powers there are; whether there are any

more than the power of God, and the power of the devil? They said, there

was not any other power than those two. Then said I, “if you have not

the power of God that the apostles had, then you act by the power of the

devil.” Many sober people were present, who said, “they have thrown

themselves on their backs.” Many substantial people were convinced that

night; a precious service we had there for the Lord, and his power came

over all. Next morning, as we were passing away, the Baptists, being in

a rage, began to shake the dust off their feet after us. “What,” said I,

“in the power of darkness! We, who are in the power of God, shake off

the dust of our feet against you.”

Leaving Dorchester, we came to WEYMOUTH; where also we enquired after

the sober people; and about fourscore of them gathered together at a

priest’s house. Most of them received the word of life, and were turned

to their teacher Christ Jesus, who had enlightened them with his divine

light, by which they might see their sins, and him who saveth from sin.

A blessed meeting we had with them of several hours, and they received

the truth in the love of it, with gladness of heart. The state of their

teachers and the apostacy was opened to them; and the state of the

apostles, and of the church in their days; and the state of the law, and

of the prophets before Christ, and how Christ came to fulfil them; how

he was their teacher in the apostles’ days, and how he was come now to

teach his people himself by his power and Spirit. All was quiet, the

meeting broke up peaceably, and the people were very loving; and a

meeting is continued in that town to this day. Many are added to them;

and some that had been Ranters came to own the truth, and to live very

soberly.

There was a captain of horse in the town, who sent to me, and would fain

have had me to stay longer; but I was not to stay. He and his man rode

out of town with me about seven miles, Edward Pyot also being with me.

This captain was the fattest, merriest man, the most cheerful, and the

most given to laughter, that ever I met with; insomuch that I was

several times moved to speak in the dreadful power of the Lord to him;

and yet it was become so customary to him, that he would presently laugh

at anything he saw. But I still admonished him to come to sobriety,

sincerity, and the fear of the Lord. We staid at an inn that night; and

in the morning I was moved to speak to him again, when he parted from

us. Next time I saw him, he told me, that when I spoke to him at

parting, the power of the Lord so struck him, that before he got home he

was serious enough, and had discontinued his laughing. He afterwards was

convinced, and became a serious and good man, and died in the truth.

Parting from him we went to HONITON; and at our inn inquired what people

there were in the town that feared God, and sent for them. There came to

us some of the Particular Baptists, with whom we had much reasoning. I

told them, “they held their doctrine of particular election in Esau’s,

Cain’s, and Ishmael’s nature; not in Jacob, the second birth; but they

must be born again, before they could enter the kingdom of God. And that

as the promise of God was to the Seed, not as many, but as one, which is

Christ; so the election stands _in Christ_; and they must be such as

walk in his light, grace, Spirit, and truth.”

From thence we passed to TOPSHAM, and stayed over the First-day; but the

innkeeper and his people were rude. Next morning we gave forth some

queries to the priests and professors; whereupon some rude professors

came into our inn; and had we not gone when we did, they would have

stopped us. I wore a girdle, which through forgetfulness I left behind

me at the inn, and afterwards sent to the innkeeper for, but he would

not let me have it again. Afterwards, when he was tormented in his mind

about it, he took it and burnt it, lest he should be bewitched by it, as

he said; yet when he had burnt it, he was more tormented than before.

Some, notwithstanding the rudeness of the place, were convinced; and a

meeting was afterwards settled in that town, which has continued ever

since.

After this we passed to TOTNESS, a dark town. We lodged at an inn, and

at night Edward Pyot was sick, but the Lord’s power healed him, so that

next day we got to KINGSBRIDGE, and at our inn inquired for the sober

people of the town. They directed us to Nicholas Tripe and his wife, and

we went to their house. They sent for the priest, with whom we had some

discourse; but he being confounded, quickly left us. Nicholas Tripe and

his wife were convinced; and there is since a good meeting of Friends in

that country. In the evening we returned to our inn; and there being

many people drinking in the house, I was moved of the Lord to go amongst

them, and to direct them to the light, which Christ, the heavenly Man,

had enlightened them withal; by which they might see all their evil

ways, words, and deeds, and by the same light they might also see Jesus

Christ their Saviour. The innkeeper stood uneasy, seeing it hindered his

guests from drinking; and as soon as the last words were out of my

mouth, he snatched up the candle, and said, “Come, here is a light for

you to go into your chamber.” Next morning, when he was cool, I

represented to him “what an uncivil thing it was for him to do so;” then

warning him of the day of the Lord, we got ready and passed away.

We came next day to PLYMOUTH, and after having refreshed ourselves at

our inn, we went to Robert Cary’s house, where we had a very precious

meeting. At this meeting was one Elizabeth Trelawny, daughter to a

baronet; she being somewhat dull of hearing came close to me, and placed

her ear very near me while I spoke; and she was convinced. After the

meeting some jangling Baptists came in, but the Lord’s power came over

them, and Elizabeth Trelawney gave testimony thereto. A fine meeting was

settled there in the Lord’s power, which has continued ever since; where

many faithful Friends have been convinced.

From thence we passed into CORNWALL, and came to an inn in the parish of

MENHENIOT. At night we had a meeting at Edward Hancock’s house, to which

came one Thomas Mounce, and a priest, with many people. We made the

priest confess he was a minister made and maintained by the state; and

he was confounded and went his way; but many of the people stayed. I

directed them to the “light of Christ, by which they might see their

sins, and their Saviour Christ Jesus, the way to God, and their Mediator

to make peace between God and them; their Shepherd to feed them, and

their Prophet to teach them. I directed them also to the Spirit of God

in themselves, by which they might know the Scriptures, and be led into

all truth; by which they might know God, and in it have unity one with

another.” Many were convinced at that time, and came under Christ’s

teaching, and there are fine gatherings in the name of Jesus in those

parts at this day.

We travelled thence through PENRYN to HELSTON; but could not obtain

knowledge of any sober people, through the badness of the innkeepers. At

length we came to a village where some Baptists and sober people lived,

with whom we had some discourse; and some of them were brought to

confess, that they stumbled at the light of Christ. They would have had

us to stay with them, but we passed thence to MARKET-JEW (Marazion); and

having taken up our lodging at an inn, we went out over-night to inquire

for such as feared the Lord. Next morning the mayor and aldermen

gathered together, with the high-sheriff of the county; and they sent

first the constables to bid us come before them. We asked them for their

warrant, and they saying they had none, we told them we should not go

along with them without. Upon the return of the constables without us,

they sent their serjeants, and we asked them for their warrant. They

said, they had none; but they told us, the mayor and aldermen stayed for

us. We told them, the mayor and his company did not well to trouble us

in our inn, and we should not go with them without a warrant. So they

went away and came again; and when we asked them for their warrant, one

of them pulled his mace from under his cloak; we asked them whether this

was their custom to molest and trouble strangers in their inns and

lodgings? After some time Edward Pyot went to the mayor and aldermen,

and had much discourse with them; but the Lord’s power gave him dominion

over them all. When he had returned, several of the officers came to us,

and we laid before them the incivility and unworthiness of their conduct

towards us, who were the servants of the Lord God, thus to stop and

trouble us in our lodgings; and what an unchristian act it was. Before

we left the town I wrote a paper, to be sent to the seven parishes at

the Land’s End. A copy of which follows:—

“The mighty day of the Lord is come, and coming, wherein all hearts

shall be made manifest, and the secrets of everyone’s heart shall be

revealed by the light of Jesus, who lighteth every man that cometh

into the world, that all men through him might believe, and that the

world might have life through him, who saith, ‘Learn of me,’ and of

whom God saith, ‘This is my beloved Son, hear ye him.’ Christ is come

to teach his people himself; and everyone that will not hear this

Prophet, which God hath raised up, and which Moses spoke of, when he

said, ‘Like unto me will God raise you up a Prophet, him shall you

hear;’ every one (I say) that will not hear this Prophet, is to be cut

off. They that despised Moses’s law, died under the hand of two or

three witnesses; but how much greater punishment will come upon them

that neglect this great salvation, Christ Jesus, who saith, ‘Learn of

me: I am the way, the truth, and the life;’ who lighteth every man

that cometh into the world: and by His light lets him see his evil

ways and his evil deeds. But if you hate this light, and go on in

evil, this light will be your condemnation. Therefore, now ye have

time, prize it; for this is the day of your visitation, and salvation

offered to you. Every one of you hath a light from Christ, which lets

you see you should not lie, nor do wrong to any, nor swear, nor curse,

nor take God’s name in vain, nor steal. It is the light that shows you

these evil deeds; which if you love, and come unto it and follow it,

will lead you to Christ, who is the way to the Father, from whom it

comes; where no unrighteousness enters, nor ungodliness. If you hate

this light, it will be your condemnation; but if you love it and come

to it, you will come to Christ; and it will bring you off from all the

world’s teachers and ways, to learn of Christ, and will preserve you

from the evils of the world, and all the deceivers in it.”

G. F.

This paper a Friend who was then with me had; and when we were gone

three or four miles from Market-Jew towards the west, he meeting with a

man upon the road, gave him a copy of the paper. This man proved to be a

servant to one Peter Ceely, major in the army, and a justice of peace in

that county; and he riding before us to a place called St. Ives, showed

the paper to his master, Major Ceely. When we came to IVES, Edward

Pyot’s horse having cast a shoe, we stayed to have it set; and while he

was getting his horse shod, I walked down to the sea-side. When I

returned I found the town in an uproar; and they were hailing Edward

Pyot and the other Friend before Major Ceely. I followed them into the

justice’s house, though they did not lay hands upon me. When we came in,

the house was full of rude people; whereupon I asked whether there were

not an officer among them to keep the people civil? Major Ceely said, he

was a magistrate. I told him, “he should show forth gravity and sobriety

then, and use his authority to keep the people civil; for I never saw

any people ruder: the Indians were more like Christians than they.”

After a while they brought forth the paper aforesaid, and asked whether

I would own it? I said, yes. Then he tendered the oath of abjuration to

us; whereupon I put my hand in my pocket and drew forth the answer to

it, which had been given to the Protector. After I had given him that,

he examined us severally, one by one. He had with him a silly, young

priest, who asked us many frivolous questions; and amongst the rest he

desired to cut my hair, which then was pretty long; but I was not to cut

it though many times many were offended at it. I told them, “I had no

pride in it, and it was not of my own putting on.” At length the justice

put us under a guard of soldiers, who were hard and wild, like the

justice himself; nevertheless “we warned the people of the day of the

Lord, and declared the truth to them.” The next day he sent us, guarded

by a party of horse with swords and pistols, to REDRUTH.

On First-day the soldiers would have taken us away; but we told them it

was their Sabbath, and it was not usual to travel on that day. Several

of the town’s-people gathered about us, and whilst I held the soldiers

in discourse, Edward Pyot spoke to the people; and afterwards he held

the soldiers in discourse whilst I spoke to the people; and in the mean

time the other Friend got out the back way, and went to the

steeple-house to speak to the priest and people. The people were

exceedingly desperate, in a mighty rage against him, and abused him. The

soldiers also missing him, were in a great rage, ready to kill us; but I

declared the day of the Lord, and the word of eternal life to the people

that gathered about us. In the afternoon the soldiers were resolved to

have us away, so we took horse. When we were got to the town’s-end, I

was moved of the Lord to go back again, to speak to the old man of the

house; the soldiers drew out their pistols, and swore I should not go

back. I heeded them not, but rode back, and they rode after me. I

cleared myself to the old man and the people, and then returned with

them, and reproved them for being so rude and violent.

At night we were brought to a town called Smethick then, but since

FALMOUTH. It being the evening of the First-day, there came to our inn

the chief constable of the place, and many sober people, some of whom

began to inquire concerning us. We told them we were prisoners for

truth’s sake; and much discourse we had with them concerning the things

of God. They were very sober and loving to us. Some were convinced and

stood faithful ever after.

After the constable and these people were gone, other people came in,

who were also very civil, and went away very loving. When all were gone

we went to our chamber to go to bed, and about eleven o’clock Edward

Pyot said, “I will shut the door, it may be some may come to do us some

mischief.” Afterwards we understood that Captain Keat, who commanded the

party, had purposed to do us some mischief that night; but the door

being bolted he missed his design. Next morning Captain Keat brought a

kinsman of his, a rude, wicked man, and put him into the room, he

himself standing without. The evil-minded man walking huffing up and

down the room, I bid him fear the Lord; whereupon he ran upon me, struck

me with both his hands; and placing his leg behind me, would have fain

thrown me down, but he could not for I stood stiff and still, and let

him strike. As I looked towards the door, I saw Captain Keat look on and

see his kinsman thus beat and abuse me. Whereupon I said, “Keat, dost

thou allow this?” and he said, he did; “Is this manly or civil,” said I,

“to have us under a guard and put a man to abuse and beat us? is this

manly, civil, or christian?” I desired one of our friends to send for

the constables, and they came. Then I desired the captain to let the

constables see his warrant or order, by which he was to carry us; which

he did; and his warrant was to conduct us safe to Captain Fox, governor

of Pendennis Castle; and if the governor should not be at home, he was

to convey us to Launceston jail. I told him, he had broken his order

concerning us; for we, who were his prisoners, were to be safely

conducted, but he had brought a man to beat and abuse us; so he having

broken his order, I wished the constable to keep the warrant.

Accordingly he did, and told the soldiers they might go, for he would

take charge of the prisoners; and if it cost twenty shillings in charges

to carry us up, they should not have the warrant again. I showed the

soldiers the baseness of their carriage towards us; and they walked up

and down the house, being pitifully blank and down. The constables went

to the castle, and told the officers what they had done. The officers

showed great dislike of Captain Keat’s base carriage towards us; and

told the constables that Major-General Desborough was coming to Bodmin,

and that we should meet him; and it was likely he would free us.

Meanwhile our old guard of soldiers came by way of entreaty to us, and

promised that they would be civil to us, if we would go with them. Thus

the morning was spent till it was about eleven o’clock; and then upon

the soldiers’ entreaty, and promise to be more civil, the constables

gave them the order again, and we went with them. Great was the civility

and courtesy of the constables and people of that town towards us, who

kindly entertained us; and the Lord rewarded them with his truth; for

many of them have since been convinced thereof, and are gathered into

the name of Jesus, and sit under Christ, their teacher and Saviour.

Captain Keat, who commanded our guard, understanding that Captain Fox,

who was the governor of Pendennis Castle, was gone to meet Major-General

Desborough, did not take us thither; but went with us directly to

Bodmin. We met Major-General Desborough on the way; the captain of his

troop that rode before him, knew me, and said, “O, Mr. Fox, what do you

here?” I replied, “I am a prisoner.” “Alack,” said he, “for what?” I

told him, “I was taken up as I was travelling.” “Then,” said he, “I will

speak to my lord, and he will set you at liberty.” So he came from the

head of his troop, rode up to the coach, and spoke to the major-general.

We also told him how we were taken. He began to speak against the light

of Christ, for which I reproved him; then he told the soldiers they

might carry us to Launceston; for he could not stay to talk with us,

lest his horses should take cold.

So to BODMIN we were conveyed that night; and when we were come to our

inn, Captain Keat, who was in before us, put me into a room, and went

his way. When I was come in, there stood a man with a naked rapier in

his hand. Whereupon I turned out again, called for Captain Keat, and

said unto him, “What now, Keat, what trick hast thou played now, to put

me into a room where there is a man with his naked rapier? what is thy

end in this?” “O,” said he, “pray hold your tongue; for if you speak to

this man, we cannot all rule him, he is so devilish.” “Then,” said I,

“dost thou put me into a room where there is such a man with a naked

rapier, that thou sayest you cannot rule him? what an unworthy, base

trick is this! and to put me singly into this room from the rest of my

friends, that were my fellow prisoners with me!” Thus his plot was

discovered, and the mischief they intended was prevented. Afterwards we

got another room, where we were together all night; and in the evening

we declared the truth to the people; but they were hardened and dark

people. The soldiers also, notwithstanding their fair promises, were

very rude and wicked to us again, and sat up drinking and roaring all

night.

Next day we were brought to LAUNCESTON, where Captain Keat delivered us

to the jailer. Now was there no friend, nor friendly people near us; and

the people of the town were dark and hardened. The jailer required us to

pay seven shillings a-week for our horse-meat, and seven for our diet a

piece. But after some time several sober people came to see us, and some

of the town were convinced; and many friendly people out of several

parts of the country, came to visit us, and were convinced. Then arose a

great rage among the professors and priests against us; and they said,

this people Thou and Thee all men without respect, and they will not put

off their hats, nor bow the knee to any man: this made them fret. But,

said they, we shall see, when the assize comes, whether they will dare

to Thou and Thee the judge, and keep on their hats before him. They

expected we should be hanged at the assize. But all this was little to

us; for we saw how God would stain the world’s honour and glory, and

were commanded not to seek that honour, nor give it; but we knew the

honour that comes from God only, and sought that.

It was nine weeks from the time of our commitment to the assizes, to

which abundance of people came from far and near to hear the trial of

the Quakers. Captain Bradden lay with his troop of horse there, whose

soldiers and the sheriff’s men guarded us up to the court through the

multitude of people that filled the streets; and much ado they had to

get us through them. Besides, the doors and windows were filled with

people looking out upon us. When we were brought into the court, we

stood some time with our hats on, and all was quiet; and I was moved to

say, “Peace be amongst you!” Judge Glynne, a Welchman, then chief

justice of England, said to the jailer, “what be these you have brought

here into the court?” “Prisoners, my Lord,” said he. “Why do you not put

off your hats?” said the judge to us: we said nothing. “Put off your

hats,” said the judge again. Still we said nothing. Then said the judge,

“The court commands you to put off your hats.” Then I spoke, and said,

“Where did ever any magistrate, king, or judge, from Moses to Daniel,

command any to put off their hats, when they came before them in their

courts, either amongst the Jews, the people of God, or amongst the

heathens? and if the law of England doth command any such thing, show me

that law either written or printed.” Then the judge grew very angry, and

said, “I do not carry my law-books on my back.” “But,” said I, “tell me

where it is printed in any statute-book, that I may read it.” Then said

the judge, “Take him away, prevaricator! I’ll _jerk_ him.” So they took

us away, and put us among the thieves. Presently after he calls to the

jailer, “Bring them up again.” “Come,” said he, “where had they hats

from Moses to Daniel; come, answer me: I have you fast now,” said he. I

replied, “Thou mayest read in the third of Daniel, that the three

children were cast into the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar’s command,

with their coats, their hose, and their hats on.” This plain instance

stopped him: so that not having any thing else to say to the point, he

cried again, “Take them away, jailer.” Accordingly we were taken away,

and thrust in among the thieves, where we were kept a great while; and

then, without being called again, the sheriff’s men and the troopers

made way for us (but we were almost spent) to get through the crowd of

people, and guarded us to the prison again, a multitude of people

following us, with whom we had much discourse and reasoning at the jail.

We had some good books to set forth our principles, and to inform people

of the truth: which the judge and justices hearing of, they sent Captain

Bradden for them, who came into the jail to us, and violently took our

books from us, some out of Edward Pyot’s hands, and carried them away;

so we never got them again.

In the afternoon we were had up again into the court by the jailer and

sheriff’s men, and troopers, who had a mighty toil to get us through the

crowd of people. When we were in the court, waiting to be called, I

seeing both the jurymen, and such a multitude of others swearing, it

grieved my life, that such as professed Christianity should so openly

disobey and break the command of Christ and the apostle. And I was moved

of the Lord to give forth a paper against swearing, which I had about

me, to the grand and petty juries; which was as follows:—

“_Concerning Swearing._

“Take heed of giving people oaths to swear: for Christ our Lord and

Master saith, ‘Swear not at all; but let your communications be yea

yea, and nay nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.’

If any man was to suffer death, it must be by the hand of two or three

witnesses; and the hands of the witnesses were to be first put upon

him, to put him to death. And the apostle James saith, ‘My brethren,

above all things swear not, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by

any other oath, lest ye fall into condemnation.’ Hence you may see,

those that swear fall into condemnation, and are out of Christ’s and

the apostle’s doctrine. Therefore, every one of you having a light

from Christ, who saith, ‘I am the light of the world,’ and doth

enlighten every man that cometh into the world; who also saith, ‘Learn

of me,’ whose doctrine is, not to swear; and the apostle’s doctrine

is, not to swear; ‘let your yea be yea, and your nay be nay, in all

your communications; for whatsoever is more, cometh of evil.’ Then,

they that go into more than yea and nay, go into evil, and are out of

the doctrine of Christ.

“Now, if you say, ‘that the oath was the end of controversy and

strife,’ they who are in strife, are out of Christ’s doctrine; for he

is the covenant of peace: and they who are in it, are in the covenant

of peace. And the apostle brings that but as an example: as, men

swearing by the greater; and the oath was the end of controversy and

strife among men; and said, verily, men swear by the greater: but God

could not find a greater, but swears by himself, concerning Christ;

who, when he was come, taught not to swear at all. So such as are in

him, and follow him, cannot but abide in his doctrine.

“If you say, ‘they swore under the law, and under the prophets,’

Christ is the end of the law, and of the prophets, to every one that

believeth for righteousness’ sake. Now mark; if you believe, ‘I am the

light of the world, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into

the world,’ saith Christ, by whom it was made; and every man of you

that is come into the world is enlightened with a light that comes

from Christ, by whom the world was made, that all of you through him

might believe; that is the end for which he doth enlighten you. Now if

you do believe in the light, as Christ commands, and saith, ‘believe

in the light, that you may be children of light,’ you believe in

Christ, and come to learn of him who is the way to the Father. This is

the light which shows the evil actions you have all acted, the ungodly

deeds you have committed, and all the ungodly speeches you have

spoken; and all your oaths, cursed speaking, and ungodly actions. Now

if you attend to this light, it will let you see all that you have

done contrary to it; and loving it, it will turn you from your evil

deeds, evil actions, evil ways, evil words, to Christ, who is not of

the world; who is the light which lighteth every man that cometh into

the world;—who testifies against the world, that the deeds thereof are

evil. So doth the light in every man, that he hath received from him,

testify against his works and deeds that are evil, that they are

contrary to the light; and each shall give an account at the day of

judgment for every idle word that is spoken. This light shall bring

every tongue to confess, yea, and every knee to bow at the name of

Jesus; in which light, if you believe, you shall not come into

condemnation, but come to Christ, who is not of the world;—to him by

whom it was made; but if you believe not in the light, this, the

light, is your condemnation, saith Christ.”

G. F.

This paper passing among them from the jury to the justices, they

presented it to the judge; so that when we were called before the judge,

he bade the clerk give me that paper; and then asked me, “whether that

seditious paper was mine;” I told him, “If they would read it up in open

court, that I might hear it, if it was mine I would own it, and stand by

it.” He would have had me to take it, and look upon it in my own hand;

but “I again desired that it might be read, that all the country might

hear it, and judge whether there was any sedition in it or not; for if

there were I was willing to suffer for it.” At last the clerk of the

assize read it with an audible voice, that all the people might hear it:

and when he had done, I told them, “it was my paper; I would own it; and

so might they too, except they would deny the Scripture: for was not

this Scripture language, and the words and commands of Christ, and the

apostle, which all true Christians ought to obey?” Then they let fall

that subject; and the judge fell upon us about our hats again, bidding

the jailer take them off, which he did, and gave them to us; and we put

them on again. Then we asked the judge and the justices, what we had

lain in prison for these nine weeks, seeing they now objected nothing to

us but about our hats; and as for putting off our hats, I told them,

that was the honour which God would lay in the dust, though they made so

much to do about it; the honour which is of men, and which men seek one

of another, and is the mark of unbelievers. For “how can ye believe,”

saith Christ, “who receive honour one of another, and seek not the

honour that cometh from God only?” and Christ saith, “I receive not

honour from men;” and all true Christians should be of his mind.

Then the judge began to make a great speech, how he represented the lord

Protector’s person; who had made him lord chief justice of England, and

sent him to come that circuit, &c. We desired him then, that he would do

us justice for our false imprisonment, which we had suffered nine weeks

wrongfully. But instead of that, they brought in an indictment, that

they had framed against us; so strange a thing, and so full of lies,

that I thought it had been against some of the thieves; that we came “by

force and arms, and in a hostile manner into the court;” who were

brought, as aforesaid. I told them, “it was false:” and still we cried

for justice for our false imprisonment, being taken up in our journey

without cause by Major Ceely. Then Peter Ceely spoke to the judge, and

said, “May it please you, my lord, this man (pointing to me), went aside

with me, and told me how serviceable I might be for his design; that he

could raise forty thousand men at an hour’s warning, and involve the

nation in blood, and so bring in King Charles. I would have aided him

out of the country, but he would not go. If it please you, my lord, I

have a witness to swear it.” So he called upon his witness; but the

judge not being forward to examine the witness, I desired that he would

be pleased to let my mittimus be read in the face of the court and

country, in which my crime was signified, for which I was sent to

prison. The judge said, “it should not be read;” I said, “it ought to

be, seeing it concerned my liberty and my life.” The judge said again,

“It shall not be read;” but I said, “it ought to be read; for if I have

done anything worthy of death, or of bonds, let all the country know

it.” Then seeing they would not read it, I spoke to one of my

fellow-prisoners, “Thou hast a copy of it, read it up,” said I. “It

shall not be read,” said the judge; “Jailer,” said he, “take him away, I

will see whether he or I shall be master.” So I was taken away; and a

while after called for again. I still cried to have my mittimus read;

for that signified the cause of my commitment: wherefore I again spoke

to the friend, my fellow prisoner, to read it. He did read it, and the

judge, justices, and whole court were silent; for the people were eager

to hear it. It was as follows:—

_Peter Ceely, one of the Justices of the Peace of this County, to the

Keeper of His Highness’s jail at Launceston, or his lawful Deputy in

that behalf, Greeting_:—

“I send you herewithal by the bearers hereof, the bodies of Edward

Pyot of Bristol, and George Fox of Drayton-in-the-Clay, in

Leicestershire, and William Salt of London, which they pretend to be

the places of their habitations, who go under the notion of Quakers

and acknowledge themselves to be such; who have spread several papers

tending to the disturbance of the public peace, and cannot render any

lawful cause of coming into these parts, being persons altogether

unknown, and having no pass for their travelling up and down the

country, and refusing to give sureties of their good behaviour,

according to the law in that behalf provided; and refuse to take the

oath of abjuration, &c. These are therefore, in the name of his

Highness the lord Protector, to will and command you, that when the

bodies of said Edward Pyot, George Fox, and William Salt, shall be

unto you brought, you them receive, and in his highness’s prison

aforesaid you safely keep them, until by due course of law they shall

be delivered. Hereof fail you not, as you will answer the contrary at

your perils. Given under my hand and seal, at St. Ives, the eighteenth

day of January, 1665.”

P. CEELY.

When it was read I spoke thus to the judge and justices: “Thou that

sayest thou art chief justice of England, and you justices know, that if

I had put in sureties, I might have gone whither I pleased; and have

carried on the design (if I had had one), which Major Ceely hath charged

me with: and if I had spoken those words to him, which he hath here

declared, judge ye, whether bail or mainprize could have been taken in

that case.” Then, turning my speech to Major Ceely, I said, “When or

where did I take thee aside? Was not thy house full of rude people, and

thou as rude as any of them at our examination: so that I asked for a

constable or some other officer, to keep the people civil? But if thou

art my accuser, why sittest thou on the bench? This is not a place for

thee to sit in; for accusers do not use to sit with the judge: thou

oughtest to come down, and stand by me, and look me in the face.

Besides, I would ask the judge and justices whether or not Major Ceely

is not guilty of this treason, which he charges against me, in

concealing it so long as he hath done? Does he understand his place

either as a soldier or a justice of the peace? For he tells you here,

that I went aside with him, and told him what a design I had in hand,

and how serviceable he might be for my design: that I could raise forty

thousand men in an hour’s time, and bring in King Charles, and involve

the nation in blood. He saith, moreover, he would have aided me out of

the country, but I would not go; and therefore he committed me to prison

for want of sureties for the good behaviour, as the mittimus declares.

Now do not you see plainly that Major Ceely is guilty of this plot and

treason that he talks of, and hath made himself a party to it, by

desiring me to go out of the country, and demanding bail of me, and not

charging me with this pretended treason till now, nor discovering it?

But I deny and abhor his words, and am innocent of his devilish design.”

So that business was let fall: for the judge saw clearly enough, that

instead of ensnaring me, he had ensnared himself.

Major Ceely then got up again and said, “If it please you, my lord, to

hear me: this man struck me, and gave me such a blow, as I never had in

my life.” At this I smiled in my heart, and said, “Major Ceely, thou art

a justice of peace, and a major of a troop of horse, and tells the judge

here in the face of the court and country, that I (who am a prisoner)

struck thee, and gave thee such a blow, as thou never hadst the like in

thy life? What! art thou not ashamed? Prithee, Major Ceely?” said I,

“where did I strike thee? and who is thy witness for that? who was by?”

He said it was in the Castle-Green, and that Captain Bradden was

standing by, when I struck him. “I desired the judge to let him produce

his witness for that, and I called again upon Major Ceely to come down

from off the bench, telling him, it was not fit that the accuser should

sit as judge over the accused.” When I called again for his witnesses,

he said Captain Bradden was his witness. Then, I said, “Speak, Captain

Bradden, didst thou see me give him such a blow, and strike him, as he

saith?” Captain Bradden made no answer; but bowed his head towards me. I

desired him to speak up, if he knew any such thing: but he only bowed

his head again. “Nay,” said I, “speak up, and let the court and country

hear, and let not bowing of the head serve the turn. If I have done so,

let the law be inflicted on me; I fear not sufferings, nor death itself,

for I am an innocent man concerning all this charge.” But Captain

Bradden never testified to it: and the judge finding those snares would

not hold, cried, “Take him away, jailer:” and then, when we were taken

away, he fined us twenty marks a-piece for not putting off our hats; and

to be kept in prison till we paid it: so he sent us back to the jail.

At night Captain Bradden came to see us, and seven or eight justices

with him, who were very civil to us, and told us, they believed neither

the judge nor any in the court gave credit to the charges which Major

Ceely had brought forward against me in the face of the country. And

Captain Bradden said, Major Ceely had an intent to take away my life if

he could have got another witness. “But,” said I, “Captain Bradden, why

didst not thou witness for me, or against me, seeing Major Ceely

produced thee for a witness, that thou saw me strike him; and when I

desired thee to speak either for me or against me, according to what

thou saw or knew, thou wouldst not speak.” “Why,” said he, “when Major

Ceely and I came by you, as you were walking in the Castle-Green, he put

off his hat to you, and said, ‘How do you do, Mr. Fox? Your servant,

Sir.’ Then you said to him, ‘Major Ceely, take heed of hypocrisy, and of

a rotten heart: for when came I to be thy master, and thou my servant?

Do servants cast their masters into prison?’ This was the great blow he

meant you gave him.” Then I called to mind that they walked by us, and

that he spoke so to me, and I to him; which hypocrisy and

rotten-heartedness he manifested openly, when he complained of this to

the judge in open court, and in the face of the country; and would have

made them all believe, that I struck him outwardly with my hand.

Now we were kept in prison, and many came from far and near, to see us;

of whom some were people of account in the world; for the report of our

trial was spread abroad, and our boldness and innocency in our answers

to the judge and court were talked of in town and country. Among others

came Humphrey Lower to visit us, a grave, sober, old man, who had been a

justice of peace; he was very sorry we should lie in prison; telling us

how serviceable we might be if we were at liberty. We reasoned with him

concerning swearing; and having acquainted him how they tendered the

oath of abjuration to us, as a snare, because they knew we could not

swear, we showed him that no people could be serviceable to God, if they

disobeyed the command of Christ; and that they that imprisoned us for

the hat-honour, which was of men, and which men sought for, prisoned the

good, and vexed and grieved the spirit of God in themselves, which

should have turned their minds to God. So we turned him to the Spirit of

God in his heart, and to the light of Christ Jesus; and he was

thoroughly convinced, and continued so to his death, and became very

serviceable, to us.[47]

Footnote 47:

Humphrey Lower, who resided near Bodmin, in Cornwall, was an

influential magistrate, his name appearing as such in the history of

the county, under Charles I. He could, however, say with Paul, “What

things were gain unto me, those I counted loss for Christ.” In 1658,

for not attending the national worship, and refusing to enter into

bond to appear at the assizes, on a presentment made against him by

the constable of the parish, H. Lower was, on his non-appearance,

committed, notwithstanding his age and high character, to Launceston

jail, where he continued till the assizes; and then was put forth

without examination or trial, or any satisfaction for such rough

treatment. In 1660, he was sent for by a warrant, to appear before two

justices at Wadebridge, when one of them, Roscarrock, tendered him the

oath of supremacy; and for his refusing to take it, a mittimus was

made out and subscribed by him and two other magistrates, who acted

very unwillingly. Thereupon he was again sent to Launceston jail,

where he remained about two weeks, and then was freed by Sir J.

Coryton and E. Hearle. It is stated that H. Lower, when himself in the

commission of the peace, had more obliged the said Roscarrock than any

other man, by doing him many singular offices of justice and courtesy.

The return was a very ungrateful one.

G. Fox mentions large and satisfactory meetings held at his house in

1663 and 1668, and says that he continued serviceable till his death,

the date of which event is not recorded.

There came also to see us one Colonel Rouse, a justice of peace, with a

great company with him. He was as full of words and talk as ever I heard

any man in my life, so that there was no speaking to him. At length I

asked him, “whether he had ever been at school, and knew what belonged

to questions and answers;” (this I said to stop him.) “At school!” said

he, “Yes.” “At school!” said the soldiers; “doth he say so to our

colonel, that is a scholar?” Then said I, “If he be so, let him be

still, and receive answers to what he hath said.” Then I was moved to

speak the word of life to him in God’s dreadful power; which came so

over him that he could not open his mouth: his face swelled and was red

like a turkey; his lips moved, and he mumbled something; but the people

thought he would have fallen down. I stepped to him, and he said he was

never so in his life before: for the Lord’s power stopped the evil power

in him; so that he was almost choked. The man was ever after very loving

to Friends, and not so full of airy words to us; though he was full of

pride; but the Lord’s power came over him, and the rest that were with

him.

Another time there came an officer of the army, a very malicious, bitter

professor, whom I had known in London. He was full of his airy talk

also, and spoke slightingly of the light of Christ, and against the

truth, and against the Spirit of God being in men, as it was in the

apostles’ days; till the power of God that bound the evil in him, had

almost choked him as it did Colonel Rouse: for he was so full of evil

that he could not speak, but blubbered and stuttered. But from the time

that the Lord’s power struck him, and came over him, he was ever after

more loving to us.

The assize being over, and we settled in prison upon such a commitment,

that we were not likely to be soon released, we discontinued giving the

jailer seven shillings a-week each for our horses, and seven for

ourselves; and sent our horses out into the country. Upon which he grew

very wicked and devilish; and put us down into Doomsdale, a nasty,

stinking place, where they put murderers, after they were condemned. The

place was so noisome, that it was observed few that went in ever came

out again in health. There was no house of office in it; and the

excrements of the prisoners that from time to time had been left there,

had not been carried out (as we were told) for many years. So that it

was all like mire, and in some places to the top of the shoes in water

and urine; and he would not let us cleanse it, nor suffer us to have

beds or straw to lie on. At night some friendly people of the town

brought us a candle and a little straw, and we burnt some of it to take

away the stink. The thieves lay over our heads, and the head jailer in a

room by them, over us also. It seems the smoke went up into the jailer’s

room; which put him into such a rage, that he took the pots of

excrements of the thieves, and poured them through a hole upon our heads

in Doomsdale; whereby we were so bespattered, that we could not touch

ourselves or one another. And the stink increased upon us, so that what

with that, and what with smoke, we had nearly been choked and smothered.

We had the stink under our feet before, but now we had it on our heads

and backs also; and he having quenched our straw with the filth he

poured down, had made a great smother in the place. Moreover he railed

at us most hideously, calling us hatchet-faced dogs, and such strange

names as we had never heard. In this manner were we fain to stand all

night, for we could not sit down, the place was so full of filthy

excrements.[48] A great while he kept us in this manner, before he would

let us cleanse it, or suffer us to have any victuals brought in but what

we had through the grate. Once a girl brought us a little meat, and he

arrested her for breaking his house, and sued her in the town-court for

breaking the prison. Much trouble he put her to, whereby others were so

discouraged, that we had much to do to get water or victuals. Near this

time we sent for a young woman, Ann Downer, from London, that could

write, and take things well in short-hand, to buy and dress our meat for

us, which she was very willing to do, it being also upon her spirit to

come to us in the love of God; and she was very serviceable to us.

Footnote 48:

We who live in the 19th century, when the impartial administration of

justice extends to all ranks of society, and when the accommodations

of our prisons are so vigilantly looked into, can scarcely credit that

respectable Englishmen should be subjected to such gross abuse in

pestilential dungeons. But the early annals of Friends abound with

similar cases, many of them still more aggravated. Take the following

example:—

During the close imprisonment of Friends at Aberdeen, Patrick

Livingstone often preached to the people through the prison windows,

exhorting the people to fear God. This practice was highly displeasing

to the magistrates. They, therefore, sought to prevent it, by causing

some of them to be separated from the rest of their companions, and

violently thrust into a close-vaulted cell, on the top of the jail,

called the “iron-house,” where the worst of felons and murderers were

usually confined. They had neither light nor air, except through a

long hole in a thick wall, which had a double grating of iron on the

outside and another within. Here they were kept night and day, in the

heat of the summer of 1678, when the filthiness of the place, and the

corruption of the air so closely pent-up, produced a multitude of

worms, called _white maggots_ and _other vermin_, which swarmed about

even upon their beds and victuals, and manifestly tended to the

extreme danger of their health and lives.

This head-jailer, we were informed, had been a thief, and was branded in

the hand and in the shoulder: his wife, too, had been branded in the

hand. The under-jailer had been branded in the hand and shoulder; and

his wife in the hand also. Colonel Bennet, who was a Baptist teacher,

having purchased the jail and lands belonging to the castle, had placed

this head-jailer therein. The prisoners, and some wild people, talked of

spirits that haunted Doomsdale, and how many had died in it; thinking

perhaps to terrify us therewith. But I told them, that if all the

spirits and devils in hell were there, I was over them in the power of

God, and feared no such thing; for Christ, our priest, would sanctify

the walls and the house to us, he who bruised the head of the devil. The

priest was to cleanse the plague out of the walls of the house under the

law, which Christ, our priest, ended; who sanctifies both inwardly and

outwardly the walls of the house, the walls of the heart, and all things

to his people.

By this time the general quarter-sessions drew nigh; and the jailer

still carrying himself basely and wickedly towards us, we drew up our

suffering case, and sent it to the sessions at Bodmin. On reading of

which the justices gave order, “that Doomsdale door should be opened and

that we should have liberty to cleanse it, and to buy our meat in the

town.” We also sent a copy of our sufferings to the Protector, setting

forth how we were taken and committed by Major Ceely; and abused by

Captain Keat as aforesaid, and the rest in order. The Protector sent

down an order to Captain Fox, governor of Pendennis Castle, to examine

the matter about the soldiers abusing us, and striking me. There were at

that time many of the gentry of the country at the castle; and Captain

Keat’s kinsman, that struck me, was sent for before them, and much

threatened. They told him, “that if I should change my principle, I

might take the extremity of the law against him, and might recover sound

damages of him.” Captain Keat also was checked, for suffering the

prisoners under his charge to be abused. This was of great service in

the country; for afterwards Friends might have spoken in any market or

steeple-house thereabouts, and none would meddle with them.

I understood that Hugh Peters, one of the Protector’s chaplains, told

him they could not do George Fox a greater service for the spreading of

his principles in Cornwall, than to imprison him there. And indeed my

imprisonment there was of the Lord, and for his service in those parts;

for after the assizes were over, and it was known we were likely to

continue prisoners, several Friends from most parts of the nation came

into the country to visit us. Those parts of the West were very dark

countries at that time; but the Lord’s light and truth broke forth,

shone over all, and many were turned from darkness to light, and from

Satan’s power unto God. Many were moved to go to the steeple-houses; and

several were sent to prison to us; and a great convincement began in the

country. For now we had liberty to come out and to walk in the

Castle-Green; and many came to us on first-days, to whom we declared the

word of life. Great service we had among them, and many were turned to

God, up and down the country; but great rage got up in the priests and

professors against the truth and us. One of the envious professors had

collected many Scripture sentences, to prove that we ought to put off

our hats to the people; and he invited the town of Launceston to come

into the castle-yard to hear him read them: amongst other instances that

he there brought, one was, that Saul bowed to the witch of Endor. When

he had done, we got a little liberty to speak; and we showed both him

and the people, “that Saul was gone from God, and had disobeyed God,

like them, when he went to the witch of Endor: that neither the

prophets, nor Christ, nor the apostles ever taught people to bow to a

witch.” The man went away with his rude people; but some stayed with us,

and we showed them that this was not gospel instruction, to teach people

to bow to a witch. For now people began to be affected with the truth,

and the devil’s rage increased; so that we were often in great danger.

One time there came a soldier to us; and whilst one of our friends was

admonishing and exhorting him to sobriety, &c., I saw him begin to draw

his sword. Whereupon I stepped to him, and told him what a shame it was

to offer to draw his sword upon a naked man, and a prisoner; and how

unfit and unworthy he was to carry such a weapon; and that if he should

have offered such a thing to some men, they would have taken his sword

from him, and have broken it to pieces. So he was ashamed, and went his

way; and the Lord’s power preserved us.

Another time, about eleven at night, the jailer being half drunk, came

and told me he had got a man now to dispute with me (this was when we

had leave to go a little into the town.) As soon as he spoke these

words, I felt there was mischief intended to my body. All that night and

the next day, I lay down on a grass-plat to slumber, and I felt

something still about my body; and I started up and struck at it in the

power of the Lord, and yet still it was about my body. Then I arose and

walked into the Castle-Green, and the under-keeper came to me, and told

me there was a maid would speak with me in the prison. I felt a snare in

his words too, therefore I went not into the prison, but to the grate,

and looking in, I saw a man that was lately brought to prison for being

a conjurer, and he had a knife in his hand. I spoke to him, and he

threatened to cut my chaps; but being within the jail, he could not come

at me. This was the jailer’s great disputant. I went soon after into the

jailer’s house, and found him at breakfast; and he had then got his

conjurer out with him. I told the jailer his plot was discovered. Then

he got up from the table, and cast his napkin away in a rage; and I left

them and went away to my chamber; for at this time we were out of

Doomsdale. At the time the jailer had said the dispute should be, I went

down and walked in the court (the place appointed) till about eleven,

but nobody came. Then I went up to my chamber again, and after a while I

heard one call for me. I stepped to the stairs’ head, and there I saw

the jailer’s wife upon the stairs, and the conjuror at the bottom of the

stairs, holding his hand behind his back and in a great rage. I asked

him, “Man, what hast thou in thy hand behind thy back? Pluck thy hand

before thee,” said I; “let us see thy hand, and what thou hast in it.”

Then in a rage he plucked forth his hand with a naked knife in it. I

showed the jailer’s wife the wicked design of her husband and herself

against me; for this was the man they they had brought to dispute of the

things of God. But the Lord discovered their plot, and prevented their

evil design; they both raged, and the conjuror threatened. Then I was

moved to speak sharply to him in the dreadful power of the Lord, which

bound him down, so that he never after durst appear before me to speak

to me. I saw it was the Lord alone that preserved me out of their bloody

hands; for the devil had a great enmity to me, and stirred up his

instruments to seek my hurt. But the Lord prevented them; and my heart

was filled with thanksgivings and praises unto him.

Now while I was exercised with people of divers sorts, that came some

out of good will to visit us, some out of an envious, carping mind to

wrangle and dispute, and some out of curiosity to see us, Edward Pyot,

who before his convincement had been a captain in the army, and had a

good understanding in the laws and rights of the people, being sensible

of the injustice and envy of Judge Glynne to us at our trial, and

willing to lay the weight thereof upon him, and make him sensible

thereof also, wrote an epistle to him on behalf of us all, thus:—

“_To John Glynne, Chief Justice of England._

“FRIEND,

“We are free men of England, free born; our rights and liberties are

according to law, and ought to be defended by it: and therefore with

thee, by whose hand we have so long suffered, and still suffer, let us

reason a little plainly concerning thy proceedings against us, whether

they have been according to law, and agreeable to thy duty and office,

as chief minister of the law, or justice of England. And in meekness

and lowliness abide, that the witness of God in thy conscience may be

heard to speak and judge in this matter, for thou and we must all

appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that everyone may receive

according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Therefore,

friend, in moderation and soberness, weigh what is herein laid before

thee.