“In the afternoon, before we were brought before thee at the assize at

Launceston, thou didst cause many scores of our books to be violently

taken from us by armed men without due process of law; which being

perused to see if anything in them could be found to be laid to our

charge, who were innocent men, and then upon our legal issue, thou

hast detained from us to this very day. Now our books are our goods,

and our goods are our property; and our liberty is to have and enjoy

our property; and of our liberty and property the law is the defence,

which saith, ‘No free man shall be disseized of his freehold,

liberties, or free customs, &c., nor any way otherwise destroyed: and

we shall not pass upon him, but by lawful judgment of his peers, or by

the law of the land.’ Magna Charta, cap. 29. Now friend, consider, is

not the taking away of a man’s goods violently, by force of arms, as

aforesaid, contrary to the law of the land? Is not the keeping of them

so taken away, a disseizing him of his property, and a destroying of

it and his liberty, yea, his very being, so far as the invading of the

guard the law sets about him, is in order thereunto? Calls not the law

this, a destroying of a man? Is there any more than one common guard

or defence to property, liberty, and life, viz. the law? And can this

guard be broken on the former (viz. property and liberty), and the

latter (viz. life,) be sure? Doth not he that makes an invasion upon a

man’s property and liberty (which he doth, who, contrary to law, which

is the guard, acts against either,) make an invasion upon a man’s

life; since that which is the guard of the one, is also of the other?

If a penny, or a penny’s-worth, be taken from a man contrary to law,

may not by the same rule all that a man hath be taken away? If the

bond of the law be broken upon a man’s property, may it not on the

same ground be broken upon his person? And by the same reason, as it

is broken on one man, may it not be broken upon all, since the

liberty, and property, and beings of all men under a government are

relative, a communion of wealth, as the members in the body, but one

guard and defence to all, the law? One man cannot be injured therein,

but it redounds to all. Are not such things in order to the subversion

and dissolution of government? Where there is no law, what is become

of government? And of what value is the law made, when the ministers

thereof break it at pleasure upon men’s properties, liberties, and

persons? Canst thou clear thyself of these things, as to us? To that

of God in thy conscience, which is just, do I speak. Hast thou acted

like a minister, the chief minister, of the law, who hast taken our

goods, and yet detainest them, without so much as going by lawful

warrant, grounded upon due information, which in this our case thou

couldst not have; for none had perused them, whereby to give thee

information? Shouldst thou exercise violence and force of arms on

prisoners’ goods, in their prison-chamber, instead of proceeding

orderly and legally, which thy place calls upon thee, above any man,

to tender, defend, and maintain against wrong, and to preserve entire

the guard of every man’s being, liberty, life, and livelihood?

Shouldst thou, whose duty it is to punish the wrong-doer, do wrong

thyself? who ought to see that the law is kept and observed, break the

law, and turn aside the due administration thereof? Surely from thee,

considering thou art chief justice of England, other things were

expected, both by us and by the people of this nation.

“And when we were brought before thee, and stood upon our legal issue,

and no accuser or accusation came in against us, as to what we had

been wrongfully imprisoned, and in prison detained for nine weeks,

shouldst not thou have caused us to be acquitted by proclamation?

Saith not the law so? Oughtest thou not to have examined the cause of

our commitment? And there not appearing a lawful cause, oughtest thou

not to have discharged us? Is it not the substance of thy office and

duty, to do justice according to the law and custom of England? Is not

this the end of the administration of the law? of the general assizes?

of the jail delivery? of the judges going the circuits? Hast not thou

by doing otherwise, acted contrary to all these, and to Magna Charta?

which, cap. 29, saith, ‘We shall sell to no man, we shall deny or

defer to no man, either justice or right.’ Hast thou not both deferred

and denied to us, who had been so long oppressed, this justice and

right? And when of thee justice we demanded, saidst thou not, ‘If we

would be uncovered, thou wouldst hear us, and do us justice?’—‘We

shall sell to no man, we shall deny or defer to no man, either justice

or right,’ saith Magna Charta, as aforesaid. Again, ‘We have commanded

all our justices, that they shall henceforth do even law, and

execution of right to all our subjects, rich and poor, without having

regard to any man’s person; and without letting to do right for any

letters or commandments, which may come to them from us, or from any

other, or by any other cause, &c., upon pain to be at our will, body,

lands, and goods, to do therewith as shall please us, in case they do

contrary,’ saith Stat. 20. Edw. III. cap. 1. Again, ‘Ye shall swear

that ye shall do even law and execution of right to all, rich and

poor, without having regard to any person; and that ye deny to no man

common right by the king’s letters, or other man’s, nor for any other

cause. And in case any letter come to you contrary to the law, that ye

do nothing by such letter, but certify the king thereof, and go forth

to do the law notwithstanding those letters. And in case ye be from

henceforth found in default in any of the points aforesaid, ye shall

be at the king’s will of body, lands, and goods, thereof to be done,

as shall please him,’ saith the oath, appointed by the statute to be

taken by all the judges, Stat. 18. Edw. III. But none of these nor any

other law hath such an expression or condition in it as this, viz.,

‘provided he will put off his hat to you, or be uncovered:’ nor doth

the law of God so say, or that your persons be respected; but the

contrary. From whence then comes this new law, ‘If ye will be

uncovered I will hear you, and do you justice?’ This hearing complaint

of wrong, this doing of justice, upon condition, wherein lies the

equity and reasonableness of that? When were these fundamental laws

repealed, which were the issue of much blood and war; to uphold which

cost the miseries and blood of the late wars, that we shall now be

heard, as to right, and have justice done us but upon condition, and

that too such a trifling one as putting off the hat? Doth thy saying

so, who art commanded, as aforesaid, repeal them, and make them of

none effect, and all the miseries undergone, and the blood shed for

them of old, and of late years? Whether it be so or not indeed, and to

the nation, thou hast made it so to us, to whom thou hast denied the

justice of our liberty (when we were before thee, and no accuser, nor

accusation came in against us,) and the hearing of the wrong done to

us, who are innocent, and the doing us right. And bonds hast thou

cast, and continued upon us until this day, under an unreasonable and

cruel jailer, for not performing that thy condition, for

conscience-sake. But thinkest thou that this thine own conditional

justice maketh void the law? or can it do so? or absolve thee before

God or man? or acquit the penalty mentioned in the laws aforesaid?

unto which hast thou not consented and sworn? viz., ‘And in case ye be

from henceforth found in default, in any of the points aforesaid, ye

shall be at the king’s will, of body, lands, and goods, thereof to be

done as shall please him.’ And is not thy saying, ‘If ye will be

uncovered (or put off your hats), I will hear you, and do you

justice;’ and because we could not put them off for conscience-sake,

thy denying us justice, and refusing to hear us, as to wrong, who had

so unjustly suffered, a default in thee against the very essence of

those laws, yea, and overthrow thereof, for which thing’s sake (being

of the highest importance to the well-being of men), so just, so

equal, so necessary, those laws were made, and all the provisions

therein? To make a default in any one point of which provisions,

exposeth to the said penalty. Dost not thou by this time see where

thou art? Art thou sure thou shalt never be made to understand and

feel the justice thereof? Is thy seat so high, and thy fence so great,

and art thou so certain of thy time and station, above all that have

gone before thee, whom justice hath cut down, and given them their

due, that thou shalt never be called to an account, nor with its long

and sure stroke be reached? Deceive not thyself, God is come nearer to

judgment than the workers of iniquity in this age imagine; who

persecute and evil-entreat those that witness the just and Holy One,

for their witnessing of him who is come to reign for ever and ever.

Saith he not, he will be a swift witness against the false swearers?

God is not mocked.

“Surely, friend, that must needs be a very great offence which

deprives a man of justice, of being heard as to wrong, of the benefit

of the law, and of those laws afore-rehearsed; to defend the justice

and equity of which a man hath adventured his blood and all that is

dear to him. But to stand covered (or with the hat on), in conscience

to the command of the Lord, is made by thee such an offence (which is

none in law), and rendered upon us (who are innocent, serving the

living God), effectual to deny us justice, though the laws of God, and

of man, and the oath, equity and reason, say the contrary, and on it

pronounce such a penalty. ‘If ye will be uncovered (uncovered, saidst

thou), I will hear you, and do you justice;’ but justice we had not,

nor were we heard, because Jesus Christ, who is the higher power, the

lawgiver of his people, in our consciences commanded us not to respect

persons, whom we choose to obey rather than man. And for our obedience

unto him hast thou cast us into prison, and continued us there till

this very day, having showed us neither law for it, nor Scripture, nor

instances of either, nor example of heathens nor others.

“Friend, come down to that of God, that is just in thee, and consider,

was ever such a thing as this heard of in this nation? what is become

of seriousness, of true judgment, and of righteousness? An unrighteous

man, standing before thee with his hat off, shall be heard; but an

innocent man, appearing with his hat on in conscience to the Lord,

shall neither be heard nor have justice. Is not this regarding of

persons contrary to the laws aforesaid, and the oath and the law of

God? Understand and judge: Did we not own authority and government

oftentimes before the court? Didst not thou say in the court, thou

wast glad to hear so much from us of our owning magistracy? Pleaded we

not to the indictment, though it was such a new-found one as England

never heard of before? Came we not when thou sent for us? Went we not

when thou bade us go? And are we not still prisoners at thy command

and at thy will? If the hat had been such an offence to thee, couldst

not thou have caused it to be taken off, when thou heard us so often

declare, we could not do it in conscience to the commands of the Lord,

and that for that cause we forbore it, not in contempt of thee or of

authority, nor in disrespect to thine, or any man’s person (for we

said, we honoured all men in the Lord, and owned authority, which was

a terror to evildoers, and a praise to them that do well; and our

souls were subject to the higher powers for conscience-sake): as thou

caused them to be taken off, and to be kept so, when thou called the

jury to find us transgressors without a law?

“What ado hast thou made to take away the righteousness of the

righteous from him, and to cause us to suffer further, whom thou knew

to have been so long wrongfully in prison contrary to law? Is not

liberty of conscience a natural right? Had there been a law in this

case, and we bound up in our consciences that we could not have obeyed

it, was not liberty of conscience there to take place? For where the

law saith not against, there needs no plea of liberty of conscience;

but the law have we not offended, yet in thy will hast thou caused,

and dost thou yet cause us to suffer for our consciences, where the

law requires no such thing; and yet for liberty of conscience hath all

the blood been spilt, and the miseries of the late wars undergone, and

(as the Protector saith,) this government undertakes to preserve it;

and a natural right, he saith, it is; and he that would have it, he

saith, ought to give it. And if it be a natural right, as is

undeniable, then to attempt to force it, or to punish a man for not

doing contrary to it, is to act against nature; which, as it is

unreasonable, so it is the same as to offer violence to a man’s life.

And what an offence that is in the law thou knowest; and how, by the

common law of England, all acts, agreements, and laws, that are

against nature, are mere nullities; and all the judges cannot make one

case to be law that is against nature. But put the case, had our

standing with our hats on been an offence in law, and we wilfully, and

in contempt, and not out of conscience had stood so (which we deny as

aforesaid), yet that is not a ground wherefore we should be denied

justice, or be heard as to the wrong done to us. ‘If ye will not

offend in one case, I will do you justice in another;’ this is not the

language of the law, or of justice, which distributes to everyone

right; justice to whom justice is due, punishment to whom punishment

is due. A man who does wrong may also have wrong done to him; shall he

not have right wherein he is wronged, unless he right him whom he hath

wronged? The law saith not so; but the wrong-doer is to suffer, and

the sufferer of wrong to be righted. Is not to do otherwise a denying,

letting, or stopping of even law and execution of justice, and a

bringing under the penalties aforesaid? Mind and consider.

“And shouldst thou have accused, when no witness appeared against us,

as in the particulars of striking Peter Ceely, and dispersing books

(as thou saidst) against magistracy and ministry, with which thou

didst falsely accuse one of us? Saith not the law, ‘the judge ought

not to be the accuser?’ much less a false accuser? And wast not thou

such a one, in affirming, that he dispersed books against magistracy

and ministry, when as the books were violently taken out of our

chamber (as hath been said,) undispersed by him, or any of us? Nor

didst thou make it appear in one particular, wherein those books thou

didst so violently cause to be taken away, were against magistracy or

ministry? or gave one instance, or reply, when he denied what thou

charged therein, and spoke to thee to bring forth those books and make

thy charge appear. Is not the sword of the magistrate of God to pass

upon such evil-doing? And according to the administration of the law,

ought not accusations to be by way of indictment, wherein the offence

is to be charged, and the law expressed against which it is? Can there

be an issue without an indictment? Or can an indictment be found

before proof be made of the offence charged therein? And hast thou not

herein acted contrary to the law and the administration thereof, and

thy duty as a judge? What just cause of offence gave George Fox to

thee, when, upon thy producing a paper concerning swearing, sent by

him (as thou said) to the grand jury, and requiring him to say,

whether it was his handwriting? he answered, ‘read it up before the

country, and when he heard it read, if it were his, he would own it?’

Is it not equal, and according to law, that what a man is charged with

before the country, should be read in the hearing of him and of the

country? When a paper is delivered out of a man’s hand, alterations

may be made in it to his prejudice, which, on a sudden looking over

it, may not presently be discerned, but by hearing it read up, may be

better understood, whether any such alterations have been made

therein? Couldst thou in justice have expected or required him to do

otherwise? Considering also, that he was not insensible how much he

had suffered already, being innocent, and what endeavours were used to

cause him further to suffer? Was not what he said, as aforesaid, a

plain and single answer, and sufficient in the law? Though (as hath

been demonstrated) thou didst act contrary to law, and to thy office,

in being his accuser therein, and producing the paper against him. And

his liberty it was, whether he would have made thee any answer at all,

to what thou didst exhibit, or demand, out of the due course of law;

for to the law answer is to be made, not to thy will. Wherefore then

wast thou so filled with rage and fury at his reply? Calmly, and in

the fear of the Lord, consider, wherefore didst thou revile him,

particularly with the reproachful names of juggler and prevaricator?

Wherein did he juggle? wherein did he prevaricate? Wherefore didst

thou use such threatening language, and such menacings to him and us,

saying, thou wouldst _ferk_ us, with such like? Doth not the law

forbid reviling, and rage, and fury, threatening, and menacing of

prisoners? Soberly mind, is this to act like a judge or a man? Is not

this transgression? Is not the sword of the magistrate of God to pass

on this as evil-doing, which the righteous law condemns, and the

higher power is against, which judgeth for God?

“Take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who

is with you in the judgment. ‘Wherefore now, let the fear of the Lord

be upon you; take heed, and do it: for there is no iniquity with the

Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts,’ said

Jehoshaphat to the judges of Judah. Pride and fury, passion and rage,

reviling and threatening, are not the Lord’s; these, and the principle

out of which they spring, are for judgment, and must come under the

sword of the magistrate of God; and it is of an ill savour, especially

such an expression, as to threaten to _ferk_ us. Is not such a saying

more becoming a schoolmaster with his rod and ferula in his hand, than

thee, who art the chief justice of the nation, who sittest in the

highest seat of judgment, who ought to give a good example, and so to

judge that others may hear and fear? Weigh it soberly and consider,

doth not threatening language demonstrate an inequality, and

partiality in him, who sits as judge? Is it not a deterring of a

prisoner from standing to, and pleading the innocency of his cause?

Provides not the law against it? Saith it not, that irons and all

other bonds shall be taken from the prisoner, that he may plead

without fear, and with such freedom of spirit, as if he were not a

prisoner? But when he, who is to judge according to the law, shall

beforehand threaten and menace the prisoner contrary to the law, how

can the mind of the prisoner be free to plead his innocency before

him? or expect equal judgment from him who, before he hears him,

threatens what he will do unto him? Is not this the case between thee

and us? Is not this the measure we have received at thy hands? Hast

thou herein dealt according to law? or to thy duty? or as thou wouldst

be done unto? Let that of God in thy conscience judge.

“And didst thou not say, there was a law for putting off the hat, and

that thou wouldst show a law? and didst not thou often so express

thyself? But didst thou produce any law, or show where that law might

be found? or any judicial precedent, or in what king’s reign, when we

so often desired it of thee, having never heard of, nor known any such

law, by which thou didst judge us? Was not what we demanded of thee

reasonable and just? Was that a savoury answer, and according to law,

which thou gave us, viz., ‘I am not to carry the law-books at my back,

up and down the country; I am not to instruct you?’ Was ever such an

expression heard before these days to come out of a judge’s mouth? Is

he not to be of counsel in the law for the prisoner, and to instruct

him therein? Is it not for this cause that the prisoner, in many

cases, is not allowed counsel by the law? In all courts of justice in

this nation, has it not been known so to have been? And to the

prisoner has not this been often declared when he demanded counsel,

alleging his ignorance in the law, by reason of which his cause might

miscarry, though it were righteous, viz., ‘the court is of counsel for

you’? Ought not he that judgeth in the law, to be expert in the law?

Couldst thou not tell by what act of parliament it was made, or by

what judicial precedent, or in what king’s reign, or when it was

adjudged so by the common law (which are all the grounds the law of

England has), had there been such a law, though the words of the law

thou couldst not remember? Surely, to inform the prisoner when he

desired it, especially as to a law which was never heard of, by which

he proceeds to judge him, that he may know what law it is by which he

is to be judged, becomes him who judgeth for God; for so the law was

read to the Jews by which they were to be judged, yea, every

Sabbath-day; this was the commandment of the Lord. But instead thereof

to say, ‘I am not to carry the law-books at my back up and down the

country; I am not to instruct you:’ to say, ‘there is a law,’ and to

say, ‘thou wilt show it,’ and yet not to show it, nor to tell where it

is to be found; consider whether it be consistent with truth or

justice?

“Have not thy whole proceedings against us made it evidently appear,

that thy desire was to cause us to suffer, not to deliver us, who,

being innocent, suffered; to have us aspersed and reproached before

the country, not to have our innocency cleared and vindicated? Doth

not thy taking away our books as aforesaid, and perusing them in such

haste before our trial, and accusing us with something, which thou

said was contained in them, make it to appear, that matter was sought

out of them, wherewithal to charge us, when the Et Cetera warrant

would not stand in law, by which we stood committed, and were then

upon our delivery, according to due course of law? Doth it not further

appear, by thy refusing to take from our hands a copy of the strange

Et Cetera warrant, by which we were committed, and of the paper for

which we were apprehended, to read it or cause it to be read, that so

our long sufferings by reason of both might be looked into, and

weighed in the law, whether just or righteous, and the country might

as well see our innocency and sufferings without a cause, and the

manner of dealing with us as to hear such reports as went of us, as

great offenders, when we called upon thee often so to do, and which

thou ought to have done, and said, thou would do, but did it not; or

so much as take notice before the country that we had been falsely

imprisoned, and had wrongfully suffered? But what might asperse and

charge us, thou brought in thyself, contrary to law, and called to

have us charged therewith. Is not this further manifest, in that thou

didst cause us on a sudden to be withdrawn, and the petty jury to be

called in with their verdict, whereupon Peter Ceely’s falsely accusing

George Fox with telling him privately of a design, and persuading him

to join therein, it was by G. Fox made so clear to be a manifest

falsehood, and so plainly to be perceived, that the cause of our

sufferings was not any evil we had done, or law that we had

transgressed, but malice and wickedness?

“And is it not abundantly clear from thy not permitting us to answer,

and clear ourselves of the many foul slanders charged upon us in the

new-found indictment, of which no proof was made; but when we were

answering thereunto, and clearing ourselves thereof, thou didst stop

us, saying, ‘thou minded not those things, but only the putting off

the hat’ when as, before the country, the new-found indictment,

charged us with those things, and the petty jury brought in their

verdict, ‘guilty of the trespasses and contempts mentioned therein;’

of which (except as to the hat) not one witness or evidence was

produced; and as to the hat, not any law, or judicial precedent, upon

the transgression of which all legal indictments are only to be

grounded? Now the law seeks not for causes whereby to make the

innocent suffer, but helps him to right who suffers wrong, relieves

the oppressed, and searches out the matter, whether that, of which a

man stands accused, be so or not, seeking judgment, and hastening

righteousness; and it saith, ‘the innocent and the righteous slay thou

not.’ But whether thou hast done so to us, or the contrary, let the

witness of God in thee search and judge, as these thy fruits do also

make manifest.

“And, friend, consider how abominably wicked, and how highly to be

abhorred, denied, and witnessed against, and how contrary to the laws

such a proceeding is, to charge a man with many offences in an

indictment, which they who draw the indictment, they who prosecute,

and they who find the bill, know to be false, and to be inserted

purposely to reproach and wound his good name, whom with some small

matter which they can prove, they charge and indict; as is the common

practice at this day. Prove but one particular charge in the

indictment, and it must stand (say they) for a true bill, though there

be ever so many falsehoods therein, purposely to wrong him, who is

maliciously prosecuted: this is known to the judges, and almost every

man who has to do with, and attends, their courts. How contrary is

this to the end and righteousness of the law, which clears the

innocent, and condemns the guilty, and condemns not the righteous with

the wicked! Much it is cried out against; but what reformation is

there thereof? How else shall clerks of assize, and other clerks of

courts, fill up their bags (out of which perhaps their master must

have a secret consideration), and be heightened in pride and

impudence; that even in open court they take upon them to check and

revile men; men without reproof, when a few lines might serve instead

of a hundred? How else shall the spirit that is in men, that lusteth

unto envy, malice, strife, and contention, be cherished and nourished

to feed the lawyers, and dependents on courts, with the bread of men’s

children, and the ruin of their families, to maintain their long suits

and malicious contentions! For a judge to say, ‘I mind not these

things; I will not hear you clear yourselves of what you are falsely

accused: one thing I mind in your charge, the rest are but matter of

form, set there to render you such wicked men before the country, as

the thing that is to be proved against you is not sufficient to make

out.’

“O! abominable wickedness, and perverting of the righteous end of the

law, which is so careful and tender of every man’s peace and

innocency. How is the law in the administration thereof adulterated by

lawyers, as the Scriptures are mangled by priests! And that which was

made to preserve the righteous, and to punish the wicked, perverted to

the punishing of the righteous, and the preserving of the wicked! An

eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth; life for life; burning for

burning; wound for wound; a stripe for a stripe; he that accuseth a

man falsely to suffer the same as he should have suffered, who was

falsely accused, if he had been guilty; this saith the righteous law

of God, which is agreeable to that of God, in every man’s conscience.

Are not such forms of iniquity to be denied, which are so contrary to

the law of God, and man? which serve for gendering strife, and

kindling contention? and of this nature was not that, with which thou

didst cause us to be indicted? and this form didst thou not uphold, in

not permitting us to answer to the many foul slanders therein; saying,

‘Those things thou mindest not.’ Will not the wrath of God be revealed

from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who

hold the truth in unrighteousness; who are so far from the power of

godliness, that they have not the form, but the form of iniquity,

which is set and held up, instead of, and as a law, to overthrow and

destroy the righteousness of the righteous, and so to shut him up, as

by the law he can never get out? Is not the cry, thinkest thou, gone

up? ‘It is time for thee to set to thine hand, O Lord, for thine

enemies have made void thy law!’ Draws not the hour nigh? Fills not up

the measure of iniquity apace? Surely the day is coming, and

hasteneth. Ye have been warned from the presence, and by the mouth of

the Lord; and clear will he be when he cometh to judgment, and upright

when he giveth sentence. That of God in every one of your consciences

shall so to him bear witness and confess, and your mouths shall be

stopped, and before your Judge shall ye be silent, when he shall

divide you your portion, and render unto you according to your deeds.

Therefore, whilst thou hast time, prize it, and repent: for verily

‘Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour

before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall

call to the heavens from above, and to the earth that he may judge his

people; and the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is

judge himself. Consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in

pieces, and there be none to deliver.’

“And, friend, shouldst thou have given judgment against us (wherein

thou didst fine us twenty marks a-piece, and imprisonment till

payment), without causing us, being prisoners, to be brought before

thee, to hear the judgment, and to move what we had to say in arrest

of judgment? Is not this contrary to the law, as is manifest to those

who understand the proceedings thereof? Is not the prisoner to be

called before judgment be given? and is not the indictment to be read?

and the verdict thereupon? And is not liberty to be given him to move

in arrest of judgment? And if it be a just exception in the law, ought

not there to be an arrest of judgment? For the indictment may not be

drawn up according to law, and may be wrong placed, and the offence

charged therein may not be a crime in law; or the jury may have been

corrupted, or menaced, or set on by some of the justices; with other

particulars, which are known to be legal and just exceptions. And the

judgment ought to be in the prisoner’s hearing, not behind his back,

as if the judge were so conscious of the error thereof, that he dare

not give it to the face of the prisoner. But these privileges of the

law, this justice, we (who had so long and so greatly suffered

contrary to law), received not, nor could have at thy hands; no, not

so much as a copy or sight of that long and new-found indictment

(which in England was never heard of before, nor that the matter

contained therein was an offence in law, nor ever was there any law,

or judicial precedent, that made it so); though two friends of ours in

our names and our behalf, that night, next day, and day following,

often desired it of the clerk of the assize, his assistants, and

servants; but they could not have it, nor so much liberty as to see

it. And it is likely not unknown or unperceived by thee, that, had we

been called, as we ought to have been, or known when it was to be

given, three or four words might have been a sufficient, legal arrest,

of the judgment given on that new-found indictment, and the verdict

thereupon.

“Therefore, as our liberties, who are innocent, have not (in thy

account) been worth the minding, and esteemed fit for nothing but to

be trampled under foot, and destroyed, so, if we find fault with what

thou hast done, thou hast taken care that no door be left open to us

in the law, but a writ of error; the consideration whereof, and the

judgment to be given thereon, is to be had only where thyself art

chief; of whom such complaint is to be made, and the error assigned

for the reverse of thy judgment. And what the fruit of that may be

well expected to be, by what we have already mentioned, as having

received at thy hands, thou hast given us to understand. And here thou

mayest think thou hast made thyself secure, and sufficiently barred up

our way of relief, against whom (though thou knew we had done nothing

contrary to the law, or worthy of bonds, much less of the bonds and

sufferings we had sustained): thou hast proceeded as has been

rehearsed: notwithstanding that thou art (as are all the judges of the

nation) entrusted, not with a legislative power, but to administer

justice, and to do even law and execution of right to all, high and

low, rich and poor, without having regard to any man’s person; and art

sworn so to do, as has been said: and wherein thou dost contrary art

liable to punishment, as ceasing from being a judge, and becoming a

wrong-doer, and an oppressor; which what it is to be, many of thy

predecessors have understood, some by death, others by fine and

imprisonment. And of this thou mayest not be ignorant, that to deny a

prisoner any of the privileges the law allows him, is to deny him

justice, to try him in an arbitrary way, to rob him of that liberty

which the law gives him, which is his inheritance as a free man; to do

which is in effect to subvert the fundamental laws and government of

England, and to introduce an arbitrary and tyrannical government

against law; which is treason by the common law; and treasons by the

common law are not taken away by the statutes of 25 Edw. III. 1 Henry

IV. 1, 2, m. See O. St. Johns, now chief justice of the common pleas,

his argument against Strafford, fol. 65, in the case.

“These things we have laid before thee in all plainness, that (with

the light of Jesus Christ, who lighteth every one that cometh into the

world, a measure of which thou hast, which showeth the evil, and

reproveth thee for sin, for which thou must be accountable,) thou

mayest consider and see what thou hast done against the innocent; that

shame may overtake thee, and thou mayest turn unto the Lord, who now

calleth thee to repentance by his servants, whom, for witnessing his

living truth in them, thou hast cast into, and yet continues under,

cruel bonds and sufferings.”

EDW. PYOT.

From the Jail in Launceston, the 14th

day of the 5th Month, 1656.

By this letter the reader may observe how contrary to law we were made

to suffer; but the Lord, who saw the integrity of our hearts to him, and

knew the innocency of our cause, was with us in our sufferings, bore up

our spirits, and made them easy to us; and gave us opportunities of

publishing his name and truth amongst the people; so that several of the

town came to be convinced, and many were made loving to us. Friends from

many parts came to visit us; amongst whom were two out of Wales, who had

been justices of peace. Also Judge Haggert’s wife, of Bristol, who was

convinced, with several of her children; and her husband was very kind

and serviceable to Friends, and had a love to God’s people, which he

retained to his death.

Now in Cornwall, Devonshire, Dorsetshire, and Somersetshire, truth began

to spread mightily, and many were turned to Christ Jesus and his free

teaching; for many Friends that came to visit us, were drawn forth to

declare the truth in those counties; which made the priests and

professors rage, and they stirred up the magistrates to ensnare Friends.

They placed watches in the streets and highways, on pretence of taking

up all suspicious persons; under which colour they stopped and took up

the Friends that travelled in and through those counties, coming to

visit us in prison; which they did, that they might not pass up and down

in the Lord’s service. But that by which they thought to stop the truth,

was the means of spreading it so much the more; for then Friends were

frequently moved to speak to one constable, and to the other officer,

and to the justices they were brought before; and this caused the truth

to spread the more amongst them in all their parishes. And when Friends

got among the watches, it would be a fortnight or three weeks before

they could get out of them again; for no sooner had one constable taken

them and carried them before the justices, and they had discharged them,

than another would take them up, and carry them before other justices;

which put the country to much needless trouble and charges.

As Thomas Rawlinson was coming out of the north to visit us, a constable

in Devonshire took him up, and at night took twenty shillings out of his

pocket; and after being thus robbed, he was cast into Exeter jail. They

cast Henry Pollexfen also into prison in Devonshire for being a Jesuit,

who had been a justice of peace for nearly forty years before. Many

Friends were cruelly beaten by them; nay, some clothiers that were going

to the mill with their cloth, and others about their occupations, were

taken up and whipped, though men of about eighty or a hundred pounds a

year, and not above four or five miles from their families.

The mayor of Launceston, too, was a very wicked man, for he took up all

he could get, and cast them into prison; and he would search substantial

grave women, their petticoats and their head-clothes. A young man having

come to see us, who came not through the town, I drew up all the gross,

inhuman, and unchristian actions of the mayor (for his carriage was more

like a heathen than a Christian,) to him I gave it, and bid him seal it

up, and go out again the back way; and then come into the town through

the gates. He did so; and the watch took him up, and carried him before

the mayor, who presently searched his pockets and found the letter,

wherein he saw all his actions characterized. This shamed him so, that

from that time he meddled little with the servants of the Lord.

Now from the sense I had of the snare that was laid, and mischief

intended, in setting up those watches at the time to stop and take up

Friends, it came upon me to give forth the following, as—

“_An Exhortation and Warning to the Magistrates._

“All ye powers of the earth, Christ is come to reign, and is among

you, and ye know him not; who doth enlighten every one of you, that ye

all through him might believe in him, who is the light, who treads the

wine-press alone without the city, and whose feet are upon it.

Therefore see all, and examine with the light, what ye are ripe for;

for the press is ready for you.

“Before honour is humility. You that would have honour before ye have

humility (mark, before ye have humility), are ye not as the heathen

are? Ye would have honour before ye have humility; did not all the

persecutors that ever were upon the earth want this humility? They

wanted the honour, and yet would have the honour before they had the

humility, and had learned that. So ye that are out of the humility,

are out of the honour; and ye are not to have the honour, who have not

the humility; for before honour is humility; mark, before it.

“Now ye pretend liberty of conscience; yet one shall not carry a

letter to a friend, nor men visit their friends, nor prisoners, nor

carry a book about them, either for their own use, or for their

friends. Men shall not see their friends; but watches are set up to

catch and stop them; and these must be well-armed men too, against an

innocent people, that have not so much as a stick in their hands, who

are in scorn called Quakers. Yet by such as set up these watches is

pretended liberty of conscience; who take up them, whose consciences

are exercised towards God and men, who worship God in their way, which

is the truth; which they that are out of the light call heresy. Now

these set up the watches against them, whom they in scorn call

Quakers, because they confess and witness the true light, that

lighteth every one that cometh into the world, amongst people, as they

pass through the country, or among their friends. This is the

dangerous doctrine which watchmen are set up against, to subdue error,

as they call it, which is the light that doth enlighten every man that

cometh into the world—Him, by whom the world was made; who was

glorified with the Father before the world began. For those whom they

in scorn call Quakers, have they set their watches, able men,

well-armed; to take up such as bear this testimony either in words,

books, or letters. So that is the light you hate, which enlightens

every man that cometh into the world; and these that witness to this

light you put in prison; and after you have imprisoned them, you set

your watches to take up all that go to visit them, and imprison them

also; so that by setting up your watches, ye would stop all relief

from coming to prisoners.

“Therefore this is the word of the Lord God to you, and a charge to

you all, in the presence of the living God of heaven and earth; every

man of you being enlightened with a light that cometh from Christ, the

Saviour of people’s souls; to this light, all take heed, that with it

you may see Christ, from whom the light cometh, to be your Saviour, by

whom the world was made, who saith, ‘Learn of me.’ But if ye hate this

light, ye hate Christ, who doth enlighten you all, that through him

(who is the light) you might believe. But not believing in, nor

bringing your deeds to the light, which will make them manifest and

reprove them, this is your condemnation, even the light. Remember, you

are warned in your life-time, for this light is your way to salvation,

if you walk in it; and your condemnation, if you reject and hate it.

You can never come to Christ, the Second Priest, unless you come to

the light, which the Second Priest hath enlightened you withal. So ye

that come not to the light, ye go to the priests that take tithes, as

did the first priesthood: and hale out of your synagogues and temples

(as some call them), as that priesthood did that took tithes; which

they that were of the second priesthood did not. Was there ever such a

generation! or did ever such a generation of men appear, as in this

age, who are so full of madness, envy, and persecution, that they

stand up in watches, with weapons against the truth, to persecute it,

as the towns and countries do declare; which rings as Sodom, and like

Gomorrah! And this hath its liberty, and truth is stood against; and

to reprove sin is accounted a breach of the peace, as they say who are

out of the truth, and set up their watches against it.”

G. F.

Besides this general warning, there coming to my hand a copy of a

warrant issued from the Exeter sessions, in express terms, “for

apprehending all Quakers,” wherein truth and Friends were reproached and

vilified, I was moved to write an answer thereunto, and send it abroad,

for clearing truth and Friends from the slanders therein cast upon them,

and to manifest the wickedness of that persecuting spirit from whence it

proceeded; which was after this manner:—

“Whereas a warrant was granted last sessions, held at Exeter, on the

eighteenth day of the fifth month, 1656, which warrant is ‘for

apprehending and taking up all such as are Quakers, or call themselves

Quakers, or go under the notion of Quakers; and is directed to the

chief constables, to be sent by them to the petty constables,

requiring them to set watches, able men with bills, to take up all

such Quakers as aforesaid.’ And whereas in your said warrant, you

speak of the Quakers spreading seditious books and papers; I answer,

They whom ye in scorn call Quakers, have no seditious books or papers:

but their books are against sedition, and seditious men, and seditious

books, and seditious teachers, and seditious ways. Thus ye have

numbered them, who are honest, godly, and holy men, that fear God,

amongst beggars, rogues, and vagabonds; thus putting no difference

between the precious and the vile. You are not fit to judge, who have

set up your bills, and armed your men, to stand up together in battle

against innocent people, the lambs of Christ, who have not lifted up a

hand against you. But if ye were sensible of the state of your own

country, your cities, your towns, your villages, how the cry of them

is like Gomorrah, and the ring like Sodom, and the sound like the old

world, where all flesh had corrupted its way, which God overthrew with

the flood;—if you did consider this with yourselves, you would find

something to turn the sword against, and not against the lambs of

Christ;—you would not make a mock of the innocent, that stand a

witness against all sin and unrighteousness in your towns and

steeple-houses.

“Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, was grieved

with the filthy conversation of the wicked; so are we now. So likewise

just Lot was grieved with their unmerciful deeds, and the filthy

conversation of Sodom. And were not these hated of the world, and of

them that lived in filthiness? And whereas you speak of those, whom

you in scorn call Quakers, that they are a grief to those whom you

call pious and religious people, and their religion. To such as are in

the religion that is vain, whose tongues are not bridled, I believe

the Quakers are a grief; but they are not a grief to such as are in

the pure religion, which keepeth unspotted from the world; which sets

not up bills, nor watches, to maintain it by the world; for they are

not of the world who are in the pure religion, which keeps them

unspotted of the world; mark, the ‘pure religion, which keeps

unspotted of the world.’ But to such as are in the religion that is

not pure, who have a form of godliness, and not the power—to such as

you call pious, the truth itself was always a grief; and so it is in

this age. And now your fruits appear, the end of your religion and

profession, and what you possess; but you are in the error, and have

been but in the profession, out of the possession of the Spirit, who

are not in the Spirit of truth. For where did that ever set stints and

bounds, and number the just and innocent with the wicked? But the

wicked set stints, and bounds, and limits to the just, and number them

among the wicked; yea, they spoke all manner of evil of them, as ye

are doing now of us. Nay, according as it was foretold in the

Scripture, such as tremble at the word of God, you cast out and hate,

you that have your temple-worship.

“You say, the Quakers come to disturb you in your churches (as you

call them,) was it not the practice of the apostles to go into the

synagogues and temples, to witness against the priesthood that took

tithes, and was it not the practice of the Jews to hale them out,

persecute and stone them, that witnessed Christ the second priest, and

went to bring people off from the first priesthood? Was it not the

practice of the prophets, to go and cry against the high places? And

was it not the practice of the Jews, when they were backslidden, and

of the heathen, to imprison and persecute the prophets, and send after

them into other countries? And is this not the practice of you now,

who are holding up your high places, which the Papists erected, which

ye now call your churches; where ye beat and persecute? What kind of

religious people are you, that are filled with so much madness? Did

not Paul confess he was mad, while he was in your practice, haling,

beating, imprisoning, putting out of the synagogues, having his

authority from the chief priests? And are not the chief priests the

cause of this? Was there ever such a cry made in any age past, as

there is now in the pulpits, railing against an innocent people, whom

in scorn ye call Quakers, who lift not up a hand against you; but who

are indeed the pious, that are of the pure religion, who fear God,

worship him in Spirit and in truth, and cannot join with you in your

religion? And do not the ministers of God say, that the Scriptures are

a declaration, which you call the word? Do you not rob Christ of his

title, and of his honour, and give it to the letter, and show

yourselves out of the doctrine of the ministers of God, who call the

Scriptures by the name of writings and treatises, and declarations;

and who said, Christ’s name is called the Word of God? Are not you

here in the error you speak of, which is your common talk among you?

There was talk among some of you of your gospel-shining; doth your

gospel which you profess persecute? Did ever any of them, that did

possess it, cast into prison and not suffer others to go to visit

them? Are you like Christians in this, or like heathens, who set

bounds and watches over the land, that they should not pass to visit

them that are in prison? Was ever the like heard in any age? Search

and see, if you have not outstripped them all in your watches, in your

persecution, and imprisonments. O! never talk, that we are a grief to

them that are in the pure religion.

“And whereas in your warrant we are represented as disaffected to

government; I say, the law, which is a terror to the evil-doer, we

own, the higher power to which the soul must be subject; but we deny

the evil-doer, the malicious man reigning, and the envious man seeking

for his prey, whose envy is against the innocent; who raiseth up the

country against honest men, and so becomes a trouble to the country,

in raising them up to take the innocent; but that we leave to the Lord

to judge. Your false accusations of heresy and blasphemy we deny. You

should have laid them down in particulars, that people might have seen

them, and not have slandered us behind our backs. The law saith, the

crime should be mentioned in the warrant. Then for your saying, ‘we

deny the godly ministers to be a true ministry of Christ,’ that is

false; for we say, that the godly ministers are the ministers of

Christ. But which of your ministers dare say, that they are truly

godly? And your charging us with seducing many weak people, is false

also; we seduce none; but you, that deny the light, which lighteth

every man that cometh into the world, are seduced from the anointing

which should teach you; and if ye would be taught by it, ye would not

need that any man should teach you. But such as are taught by the

anointing, which abideth in them, and deny man’s teaching, these ye

call seducers, quite contrary to John’s doctrine, 1 John ii. 26, 27.

You speak quite contrary to him; that which is truth, ye call

seducing; and that which he calls seducing, you call truth; read the

latter part of the chapter.

“Beware, I warn you all from the Lord God of glory, set not any bound

against him; stint him not; limit not the Holy One of Israel; for the

Lord is rising in power and great glory, who will rule the nations

with a rod of iron, which to him are but as the drop of a bucket. He

that measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, will dash the

nations together as a potter’s vessel. And know, you that are found in

this his day blaspheming his work, that God hath brought forth,

calling it blasphemy, fighting against it, setting up your carnal

weapons, making your bonds strong; God will break asunder that which

your carnal policy hath invented, and which by your carnal weapons ye

would uphold; and make you to know there is a God in heaven, who

carries his lambs in his arms, which are come among wolves, and are

ready to be torn in pieces in every place, yea, in your

steeple-houses; where people have appeared without reason, and natural

affection.

“Therefore all ye petty constables, sheriffs, and justices, take

warning; take heed what ye do against the lambs of Christ; for Christ

is come, and coming, who will give to every one of you a reward

according to your works, you who have the letter, which speaks of

Christ; but now ye are persecuting that which the Scripture speaks of;

as your fruits make manifest. Therefore every one, sheriffs, justices,

constables, &c., consider what ye do possess, and what a profession ye

are now in, that all these carnal weapons are now set up against the

innocent, yea, against the truth; which shows that ye have not the

spiritual weapons, and that ye want the counsel of Gamaliel, yea, ye

want the counsel of such a man among you, who said, ‘Let the apostles

alone; if it be of God it will stand; if it be not, it will come to

nought.’ But ye may see yourselves on the contrary, in the spirit of

them that came with Judas, with swords and staves from the chief

priests against Christ; still it is against Christ, where he is made

manifest. Paul (while Saul) went against him, though he professed a

Christ that was to come; and the Jews professed a Christ that was to

come; yet Paul persecuted him, where he was manifested in his saints.

So ye profess a Christ that is come, but persecute him where he is

manifest. You that have the letter, the high places, the synagogues,

you persecute him, where he is made manifest in his saints, as the

Jews did. They who were in the letter, out of the life, persecuted

them that were in the life of that which they profess in the letter;

so now do you persecute them that are in the life, and are yourselves

strangers to it, as your fruits make appear. You have numbered the

people of God amongst transgressors; but have you imprisoned any of

the rogues and transgressors you speak of? You have imprisoned the

innocent, and let the others go free.”

G. F.

When I had sent abroad the foregoing, so great a sense came upon me of

the veil of darkness that was over the priests and professors of

Christianity, that I was moved to give forth the following, as an

awakening warning to them:—

“Blindness hath happened to the professed Christians of the letter

now-a-days, as blindness happened to the Jews, who professed the

letter, but owned not the life which the letter speaks of; as the

Christians now, to whom this blindness hath happened, who profess the

Scripture, but own not the life, which the Scripture speaks of. For

against the life the Jews stood, who professed the letter of the

Scripture, but they were blind; they gathered counsel against the

life; they were in an uproar when the babe was born in Bethlehem,

Herod and all the chief priests. And Herod sought to destroy all the

young children in Bethlehem, yet missed the babe; Herod, that fox,

though he put John to death. You may here see how the literal

professors stood up, not for the truth, but quite against it.

Furthermore, the chief priests consulted together how they might take

Jesus by subtilty, and put him to death; mark, by their subtilty. The

professors of a Christ that was to come, preached of a Messiah, of a

Christ, of a Saviour; but denied the life, when he was made manifest.

The chief priests, when they were assembled with the elders, and had

taken counsel, gave large money unto the soldiers, to declare that

‘his disciples came by night, and stole him away.’ Likewise in the

day, when the children of Israel were in Egypt, and they with their

children began to spread and multiply, ‘Come,’ said the Egyptians,

‘let us deal wisely with them to afflict them, and tax them;’ which

held, until the Lord overthrew their oppressors, and brought out his

seed by his mighty power from under the oppressor, and exalted his Son

above all, though the heathen raged, and the people imagined vain

things. He made his power known, that all might see that there was no

God upon the earth but himself. This power now hath brought forth the

work of the Lord! Many who are turned to Christ, the light, have

received the power of God, and are thereby become the sons of God.

“Now this birth, that is born of God, are all the powers of the world

joined together to crucify; to put to death those Jews in the Spirit,

as they put Christ to death in the flesh formerly. This is the birth

that all the wicked world is enraged against; against this they set

their watches,—this birth, brought forth by the Mighty God of Jacob,

who rides upon the high places of the earth. This is the birth that

the professed Christians without the life in our days rage against,

and lay out all their wisdom about. Are not the chief priests and wise

men of the earth consulting together how they may destroy this birth?

Is not this the birth, that is banished out of your hearts, you that

profess the Scripture, and are talkers of it, but do not own the light

and life which the Scripture speaks of, as the Jews would not; and so

you will not have Christ to reign over you, as they would not? Do you

not hale out of your synagogues, and before magistrates? Do you not

herein fulfil Christ’s words, who said to his disciples, They should

be haled out of the synagogues, and before rulers? Do you not

persecute them from city to city? Do you not almost fill your prisons

with them? And now set your watches, that none may visit them, whom ye

have put into prison? Is not this an unchristian spirit? How can you

for shame say you are upholders of truth? Or how can you for shame say

that truth hath been professed among you? Yet we grant that you have

talked of it. And how can you for shame say the gospel shines among

you, when you will not own the life of it; when you call it error, and

the evil seed? Yea, the very truth, the very life of truth ye have

blasphemed against now, as the Jews did against Christ, calling him a

devil; you now call it error, and the evil seed, and stand up against

it, and turn the sword against it. As in the days of the Jews, it was

the Jews outward in the flesh, not the Jews in the Spirit, who turned

the sword against Christ; so in these days it is those Christians who

profess the Scripture, but are out of the Life of it. And is it not a

shame to all the ministers of the Gospel (as they are called,) that

they can find no better way to maintain that which they call the truth

and their Gospel, than by carnal weapons, stocks and prisons, whips,

watches, and wards, and powers of the earth? Were these the apostles’

weapons? Carnal watches and wards, stocks and prisons, and haling out

of the synagogues, when they came to speak? Judge yourselves, what an

antichristian spirit you have. Never talk of defending truth with that

which is against truth. For are you not setting up the rabble of the

world against it? Do they not join with you with swords and staves

against it? Is this the life of Christians? Is not this the life of

error, and of the evil seedsman?

“Surely, ye would find work enough, if ye were in the fear of the

Lord, to turn your swords against profaneness, the oaths and

wickedness that are in your streets and highways. How do they ring

like Sodom, and give a sound like Gomorrah! But these are become a

prey in this your age, that reprove in your gates sin, wickedness, and

profaneness; they are become your by-word. Against them your councils

are gathered, them you cast into prison, and hale out of your

synagogues; and cast them likewise into prison that write and speak

against it, and set your guards to stop and hinder any from visiting

them whom you cast into prison, and give them the names of vagabonds

and wanderers. Was ever the like heard, in the days of the heathen,

against the apostles who witnessed the gospel? Did they set guards and

watches in every town, in every city, to take the disciples, the

brethren, the believers, that heard that the apostles were cast into

prison, and came to see what they wanted? Show ye not as much rage and

fury now in your age, as was in those in that age? And how can you

talk of the gospel, and of defending the gospel, when you are setting

guards and watches against it, and are defending that which stands

against it; and the lambs of Christ are almost torn to pieces amongst

you, who are like wolves? for the Lord hath now sent his lambs amongst

wolves. Have not you professed the words of Christ, of the prophets

and apostles, as the Jews had long professed the Scriptures, the words

of Moses and of the prophets, that prophesied of Christ that was to

come, and stood against him when he was come? as you do in this day of

his reign, in this day of his glorious gospel, who are persecuting the

messengers of it, imprisoning them, persecuting them in your streets

and highways; and are setting up your watches against them, who bring

you the glad tidings of peace to your souls, whose feet are beautiful

on the top of the mountains; mark, on the top of the mountains, that

against which the mountains rage and swell. But God will make them

melt; the sun is risen, which will make them melt. God will cleave the

rocks and mountains asunder, and make the hills to bow perpetually;

for his Son he will exalt, and his glory he will give to HIM and not

to another.

“Therefore be awakened, ye rulers of the earth, and take counsel of

the Lord; take not counsel together against him. Make not your bonds

strong; set not yourselves in battle against him, for ye will be found

but as briars and thorns before him, which the fire shall consume.

Therefore be awakened, all ye talkers of the Scripture, that gather

yourselves together by your multitudes and meetings, and have had your

teachers; but not having the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures,

the Lord God of glory, the Father of spirits, will scatter you. All

your bonds will not hold you together, who are out of the Spirit,

which is the bond of peace. The thrashing instrument is gone forth,

which will beat the hills to pieces. Sion is risen to thrash. Out of

the holy mountain is the trumpet sounded. Stand not up against the

Lord; for all nations are with the Lord as the drop of a bucket. He

that measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, and weighs the

earth in scales, the Lord of hosts is his name, who is now risen and

rising to plead the cause of the innocent; who is exalting his Son,

and bringing his sheep to him. Now are they seen and known that feed

upon wind, that are lifted up, given up to believe lies; who report,

and say, ‘Report, and we will report it.’ Now are they seen who have a

form of godliness, but deny the power; so Christ is denied, the power

itself is denied; for Christ is the power of God. And the power being

denied by you, that have a form of godliness, that have the words of

the Scriptures, the gospel is denied; for the gospel is the power of

God. Thus it is among you, that have the knowledge and wisdom that is

sensual, earthly, and devilish. Doth it not appear so? Let your jails

and watches witness your fruits in every town. Your wisdom is earthly,

sensual, and devilish; you have a knowledge and wisdom, but not that

which is from above; for that is pure and gentle, so is not your

knowledge; but to know Christ is life eternal. Now your fruits have

manifested that you are not of this; and so out of the power of God,

which is the cross of Christ; for you are found in the world, out of

the power of God, out of the cross of Christ, persecuting. So that

which doth persecute, and send forth writings and decrees to stop all,

and take up all, and set watches, and prepare bonds to stint the Lord;

to imprison and persecute, and suffer none to go to visit them; this

shows you are not Christians, but stand against a Christian’s life,

which brings to love enemies.

“Where is your heaping up coals of fire; your love to your enemies;

who are thus persecuting your friends? ‘He came to his own, and his

own received him not;’ here is a turning of the sword against the

just. Do you show here a Christian’s life, or yourselves Christians,

who are filling your jails with Christians in Spirit, you that are in

the letter (in shadows), as the Jews in the letter put the Jews in the

Spirit into prison? Is not this the fruit in our days of the

Christians in the letter, to put the Christians in the Spirit into

prison? Doth not this show that your decrees, which you have sent

forth, proceed from death, who thus act against the life, and them

that are in it; which the Scriptures were given forth from? Is it not

here as it was with Saul, when he went to persecute, to hale to

prison, and bind all that he could find calling upon that name, who

were Christians in the life, the Spirit, such as you are now

persecuting, because they are in the life, though you profess their

words? Are not your decrees gone forth from the same spirit of envy,

against the same Spirit of Christ they were in? Is it not manifest to

all that fear God, and to the sober-minded and honest-hearted people

that see your practices, your decrees, your letters, to stop, to

molest, to hinder, to imprison them that are moved of the Lord to do

his will, or to go to visit prisoners whom you have imprisoned? Doth

this show you to have a spirit like Paul, yea or nay? or are you not

quite contrary, like unto them that persecuted Paul? The day hath

declared it.

“To that of God in you all I speak, which shall witness it at the last

day,—the day of judgment. Persecution was blind in all ages; and

madness and folly led it: yet persecution got always a form or

pretence of godliness,—a talk of religion, as in the days of Moses, of

Jeremiah, of Christ, and of the apostles. ‘Come,’ saith the council,

‘let us crush them while they are young, they have almost overspread

the nation in every corner.’ This is as much as to say, ‘Let us put

this birth to death, as Pharaoh and Herod did the children.’ But the

Lord caused his truth the more to spread. For you may read, what

numbers came out of Egypt! and what multitudes followed Christ!

Therefore, with consideration read these lines, and not with fury. Let

not foolishness appear; but consider in humility the paths you go in,

what spirit you are of, and what the end of your conversation is; for

in love to your souls I write, that in the day of your visitation you

may consider it.

“From him who loveth righteousness, and the establishing of it, and

truth, peace, and faith, which is by Christ Jesus (Mercy and peace be

multiplied among such!) but a witness against all hypocrites, and all

who have a profession, but live out of the possession, in an

hypocritical religion, in the lusts and fashions of the world, having

a form of godliness, but standing against the power with might and

main, sword and staff. Which things declare your conversation and

practices to be out of Christ’s life, against the gospel practice, and

contrary to the manner and order of the saints.”

G. F.

We continued in prison till the next assize; before which time divers

Friends, both men and women, were sent to prison, that had been taken up

by the watches. When the assize came on, several of these were called

before the judge, and indicted; and though the jailer brought them into

court, yet they indicted them, that they came in “by force of arms and

in an hostile manner;” and the judge fined them, because they would not

put off their hats. But we were not called before the judges any more.

Great work we had, and service for the Lord, both between the assizes

and after, amongst professors and people of all sorts; for many came to

see us and to reason with us. Elizabeth Trelawny of Plymouth (who was

the daughter of a baronet) being convinced (as was formerly mentioned,)

the priests and professors, and some great persons of her kindred were

exasperated, and wrote letters to her. She being a wise and tender

woman, and fearing to give them any advantage, sent their letters to me;

and I answered them, and returned them to her again, for her to answer.

Which she did: till growing in the power, and Spirit, and wisdom of God,

she came herself to be able to answer the wisest priest and professor of

them all; and had a dominion over them in the truth, through the power

of the Lord, by which she was kept faithful to her death.

While I was in prison here, the Baptists and Fifth-monarchy-men

prophesied, “That this year Christ should come, and reign upon earth a

thousand years.” And they looked upon this reign to be outward; when he

was come inwardly in the hearts of his people, to reign and rule there,

and these professors would not thus receive him. So they failed in their

prophecy and expectation, and had not the possession of him. But Christ

_is_ come, and doth dwell in the hearts of his people, and reign there.

Thousands, at the door of whose hearts he hath been knocking, have

opened to him; and he is come in, and doth sup with them and they with

him; the heavenly supper with the heavenly and spiritual man. So many of

these Baptist and Monarchy-people became the greatest enemies to the

possessors of Christ; but he reigns in the hearts of his saints over all

their envy.

At the assize divers justices came to us and were pretty civil, and

reasoned of the things of God soberly, expressing a pity towards us.

Captain Fox, governor of Pendennis Castle, came and looked me in the

face, and said not a word; but went to his company, and told them, “he

never saw a simpler man in his life.” I called after him, and said,

“Stay, we will see who is the simpler man.” But he went his way; a light

chaffy man.

Thomas Lower[49] also came to visit us, and offered us money, which we

refused; accepting his love nevertheless. He asked us many questions

concerning our denying the Scriptures to be the word of God; and

concerning the sacraments and such like; to all which he received

satisfaction. I spoke particularly to him and he afterwards said, “my

words were as a flash of lightning, they ran so through him.” He said,

“he never met with such men in his life; for they knew the thoughts of

his heart, and were as the wise master-builders of the assemblies, that

fastened their words like nails.” He came to be convinced of the truth,

and remains a Friend to this day. When he came home to his aunt

Hambley’s, where he then lived, and made report to her concerning us,

she, with her sister Grace Billing, hearing the report of truth, came to

visit us in prison, and was convinced also. Great sufferings and

spoiling of goods both he and his aunt have undergone for the truth’s

sake.

Footnote 49:

Thomas Lower was son-in-law to Judge Fell, having married his daughter

Mary.

About this time I was moved to give forth the following exhortation to

Friends in the ministry:—

“FRIENDS,

“In the power of life and wisdom, and dread of the Lord God of life,

and heaven, and earth, dwell, that in the wisdom of God over all ye

may be preserved, and be a terror to all the adversaries of God, and a

dread, answering that of God in them all, spreading the truth abroad,

awakening the witness, confounding deceit, gathering out of

transgression into the life, the covenant of light and peace with God.

Let all nations hear the sound by word or writing. Spare no place,

spare no tongue nor pen; but be obedient to the Lord God; go through

the work; be valiant for the truth upon earth; and tread and trample

upon all that is contrary. Ye have the power, do not abuse it; and

strength and presence of the Lord, eye it, and the wisdom; that with

it you may all be ordered to the glory of the Lord God. Keep in the

dominion; keep in the power over all deceit; tread over them in that

which lets you see to the world’s end, and the uttermost parts of the

earth. Reign and rule with Christ, whose sceptre and throne are now

set up, whose dominion is over all to the ends of the earth; whose

dominion is an everlasting dominion; whose throne is an everlasting

throne; whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and whose power is

above all powers. Therefore this is the word of the Lord God to you

all: keep in the wisdom of God, that spreads over all the earth; the

wisdom of the creation, that is pure, from above, not destructive. For

now shall salvation go out of Zion, to judge the mount of Esau: and

now shall the law go forth from Jerusalem, to answer the principle of

God in all; to hew down all inventors and inventions. For all the

princes of the earth are but as air to the power of the Lord God,

which you are in, and have tasted of: therefore live in it; this is

the word of the Lord God to you all, do not abuse it; keep down and

low; and take heed of false joys, that will change.

“Bring all into the worship of God. Plough up the fallow ground.

Thrash and get out the corn; that the seed, the wheat, may be gathered

into the barn; that to the beginning all people may come—to Christ,

who was, before the world was made. For the chaff is come upon the

wheat by transgression; he that treads it out, is out of

transgression, and fathoms transgression; puts a difference between

the precious and the vile; and can pick out the wheat from the tares,

and gather into the garner: so brings to the lively hope, the immortal

soul into God, out of which it came. None worship God but who come to

the principle of God, which they have transgressed. None are ploughed

up but he who comes to the principle of God in him, that he hath

transgressed. Then he doth service to God; then is the planting and

the watering; and the increase from God cometh. So the ministers of

the Spirit must minister to the Spirit that is in prison, which hath

been in captivity in every one; that with the Spirit of Christ, people

may be led out of captivity up to God, the Father of Spirits, do

service to him, and have unity with him, with the Scriptures, and one

with another. This is the word of the Lord God to you all, and a

charge to you all in the presence of the living God; be patterns, be

examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you

come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of

people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the

world, answering that of God in every one; whereby in them ye may be a

blessing, and make the witness of God, in them to bless you: then to

the Lord God you will be a sweet savour, and a blessing.

“Spare no deceit. Lay the sword upon it; go over it; keep yourselves

clear of the blood of all men, either by word, or writing; and keep

yourselves clean, that you may stand, in your throne, and everyone

have his lot, and stand in the lot in the Ancient of Days. The

blessing of the Lord be with you, and keep you over all the idolatrous

worships and worshippers. Let them know the living God; for teachings,

churches, worships, set up by man’s earthly understanding, knowledge,

and will, must be thrown down by the power of the Lord God. All this

must be overthrown by that which gave forth Scripture; and who are in

that, reign over it all: that is the word of the Lord God to you all.

In that is God worshipped, that brings to declare his will; and brings

to the church in God, the ground and pillar of truth: for now has the

mighty day of the Lord appeared, and the arrows of the Almighty are

gone forth, which shall stick in the hearts of the wicked. Now will I

arise, saith the Lord God Almighty, to trample and thunder down

deceit, which hath long reigned, and stained the earth: now will I

have my glory out of every one. The Lord God Almighty over all in his

strength and power keep you, to his glory, that you may come to answer

that of God in every one.

“Proclaim the mighty day of the Lord of fire and sword, who will be

worshipped in spirit and in truth; and keep in the life and power of

the Lord God, that the inhabitants of the earth may tremble before

you; that the Lord’s power and majesty may be admired among the

hypocrites and heathens, and ye in the wisdom, dread, life, terror,

and dominion preserved to his glory: that nothing may rule or reign,

but power and life itself; and in the wisdom of God ye may be

preserved in it. This is the word of the Lord God to you all. The call

is now out of transgression; the Spirit bids, ‘come.’ The call is now

from all false worships and gods, and from all inventions and dead

works, to serve the living God. The call is to repentance, to

amendment of life, whereby righteousness may be brought forth; which

shall go throughout the earth. Therefore ye that are chosen and

faithful, who are with the Lamb, go through your work faithfully, and

in the strength and power of the Lord: and be obedient to the power;

for that will save you out of the hands of unreasonable men, and

preserve you over the world to himself. Hereby you may live in the

kingdom, that stands in power, which hath no end; where glory and life

is.”

G. F.

After the assizes, the sheriff, with some soldiers, came to guard a

woman to execution, that was sentenced to die; and we had much discourse

with them. One of them wickedly said, that “Christ was as passionate a

man as any that lived upon the earth;” for which we rebuked him. Another

time we asked the jailer what doings there were at the sessions; and he

said, “Small matters: only about thirty for bastardy.” We thought it

very strange, that they who professed themselves Christians should make

small matters of such things. But this jailer was very bad himself; I

often admonished him to sobriety; but he abused people that came to

visit us. Edward Pyot had a cheese sent him from BRISTOL by his wife;

and the jailer took it from him, and carried it to the mayor, to search

it for treasonable letters, as he said; and though they found no treason

in the cheese, they kept it from us. This jailer might have been rich if

he had carried himself civilly; but he sought his own ruin; which soon

after came upon him; for the next year he was turned out of his place,

and for some wickedness cast into the jail himself; and there begged of

our Friends. And for some unruliness in his conduct, he was, by the

succeeding jailer, put into Doomsdale, locked in irons, and beaten; and

bid to “remember how he had abused those good men, whom he had wickedly,

without any cause, cast into that nasty dungeon;” and told, “that now he

deservedly should suffer for his wickedness; and the same measure he had

meted to others, should be meted out to himself.” He became very poor,

and died in prison; and his wife and family came to misery.

While I was in prison in LAUNCESTON, a friend went to Oliver Cromwell,

and offered himself, body for body, to lie in Doomsdale in my stead; if

he would take him, and let me have liberty. Which thing so struck him,

that he said to his great men and council, “Which of you would do so

much for me if I were in the same condition?” And though he did not

accept of the Friend’s offer, but said, “he could not do it, for that it

was contrary to law;” yet the truth thereby came mightily over him. A

good while after this he sent down Major-General Desborough, pretending

to set us at liberty. When he came, he offered us our liberty, if we

would say, “we would go home, and preach no more;” but we could not

promise him. Then he urged, that we should promise “to go home, if the

Lord permitted;” whereupon Edward Pyot wrote him the following letter:—

“_To Major-General Desborough._

“FRIEND,

“Though much might be said as to the liberty of Englishmen to travel

in any part of the nation of England, it being as the Englishman’s

house by the law, and he to be protected in any part of it; and if he

transgress the law, the penalty upon the transgressor is to be

inflicted. And as to the liberty of conscience, which is a natural

right, and a fundamental; the exercise of it, by those who profess

faith in God by Jesus Christ, is to be protected; as by the instrument

of government appears, though they differ in doctrine, worship, and

discipline; provided the liberty extend not to Popery, to prelacy, nor

to licentiousness. Where these rights, which are the price of much

blood and treasure in the late wars, are denied us, our liberty is

infringed. Yet in the power of God over all, by which all are to be

ruled, are we, and in it dwell, and by it alone are guided to do the

will of God; whose will is free; and we, in the freedom of his will,

walk by the power, either as it commands or permits, without any

condition or enforcement thereunto by men; but as the power moves

either by command or permission. And although we cannot covenant or

condition to go forth of these parts, or to do this or that thing, if

the Lord permit (for that were to do the will of man by God’s

permission,) yet it is probable we may pass forth from these parts in

the liberty of the will of God, as we may be severally moved, guided

by the pure power, and not of necessity. We, who were first committed,

were passing homewards when we were apprehended; and, as far as I

know, we might pass, if the prison doors were commanded to be opened,

and we freed of our bonds. Should we stay, if the Lord commands us to

go; or should we go, if the Lord commands us to stay; or having no

command to stay, but being permitted to pass from hence, the pure

power moving thereto, and yet we stay; or go, when as before commanded

to stay; we should then be wanderers indeed; for such are wanderers,

who wander out from the will and power of God, abroad, at large, in

their own wills and earthly minds. And so, in the fear of the Lord

God, well weigh and consider, with the just weight and just balance,

that justice thou mayest do to the just and innocent in prison.”

EDWARD PYOT.

Some time having elapsed after the foregoing was delivered him, and he

not giving any order for our discharge, I also wrote to him, as

follows:—

“_To Major-General Desborough._

“FRIEND,

“We who are in the power of God, the ruler and upholder of all things,

who know and dwell in his power, to it we must be obedient; which

brings us to stand out all men’s wills, unlimited. To say, ‘we will,

if the Lord permit,’ in a case of buying and selling to get gain, if

the intent be so to do, may be done; but we standing in the power of

God to do his will, and to stand out of man’s will, if man propose,

‘we shall have our liberty if we will say we will go to our outward

home, if the Lord permit, or if it will be the will of God;’ and

because we cannot say these words in this case, shall not have our

liberty, when we know that the will of God is, we shall ‘go to speak

at some other place;’ here we cannot say these words truly. For to

say, ‘we will go to our outward habitation, if it be according to the

will of God,’ when we know the will of God is otherwise, we cannot

speak so truly and clearly. Neither can any man say so to him, that

requires it of him; who stands in the power, and knows the power of

God to lead him, according to God’s will, when it leads him to another

place than his outward home. But the Son of God, who came to do, and

did, the will of God, had no place whereon to lay his head; and the

apostles, and many of the followers of Christ, had no certain

dwelling-place. Now, if these should have been restrained, because

they could not say, they would go to their outward homes, if it were

the will of God, when they knew it was the will of God they should

not; and they could not do the will of God in doing so; and therefore

could not speak those words to satisfy man’s mind and will, would not

such restraint have been evil? Abraham could not do the will of God,

but in going from his native country; and those who are of faith are

of Abraham, of whom Christ came according to the flesh. Now, if you

allege, ‘this is to let all loose, and at liberty to idleness,’ I say,

no; such as are in the power of God, who do the will of God, come to

receive his wisdom, by which all his creatures were created; and by

which they are used to his glory. This I shall say; whoever are moved

by the Lord God of glory and power, to go to their outward

habitations, such of us may go to our outward homes, and there be

diligent in serving the Lord, that they may be a blessing from the

Lord God in their generation; diligently serving him in life and

doctrine, in manners, in conversation, in all things. And those of us

who are moved of the Lord to go to any other place, we standing in his

will, and being moved by his power, which comprehends all things, and

is not to be limited, we shall do his will, as we are commanded to do.

“So the Lord God open your understandings, that you may see this great

power of the Lord, which he is now manifesting among his children in

this his day; that ye may not withstand it in our Friends, that are

come into the power of God, and to God, and know him by whom the world

was made; by whom all things were created that were created; and there

was not anything made, but what was made for him, and to him, and by

him; who is the power of God, and doth enlighten every man that cometh

into the world. Friends being come to this light, which cometh from

Christ, and having received power from him, by whom all things were

created, who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him, who is

the wisdom of God, we have received wisdom and power from him; by

which the Lord doth give us to know how to use and order the creatures

to the glory of him who is the creator of all things. Friends here are

taught of the Lord to be diligent, serving him; and who come into the

life, the Scriptures were given forth from, are given up to serve the

Lord; and of this I have in all your consciences a witness. So, if

thou open the prison door, we shall not stay there. If thou send a

liberate, and set us free, we shall not stay in prison; for Israel is

to go out free, whose freedom is purchased by the power of God, and

the blood of Jesus. But who goeth out of the power of God, loseth his

freedom.

“GEORGE FOX,

“The 13th of the 6th And the rest who are sufferers for

Month, 1656.” the truth in Launceston jail.”

After this Major Desborough came to the Castle-Green, and played at

bowls with the justices and others. Several Friends were moved to go,

and admonish them not to spend their time so vainly; desiring them to

consider, that “though they professed themselves to be Christians, yet

they gave themselves up to their pleasures, and kept the servants of God

meanwhile in prison;” and telling them, “the Lord would plead with them,

and visit them for such things.” But notwithstanding what was written or

said to him, he went away, and left us in prison. We understood

afterwards, that he left the business to Colonel Bennet, who had the

command of the jail. For sometime after Bennet would have set us at

liberty, if we would have paid his jailer’s fees. But we told him, “we

could give the jailer no fees, for we were innocent sufferers; and how

could they expect fees of us, who had suffered so long wrongfully?”

After a while Colonel Bennet coming to town, sent for us to an inn, and

insisted again upon fees, which we refused. At last the power of the

Lord came so over him, that he freely set us at liberty on the 13th day

of the seventh month, 1656. We had been prisoners nine weeks at the

first assize, called the Lent-assize, which was in the spring of the

year.