Society of Quakers This Man being born in Holland of English Parentage went over into England where he finish'd his Philosophical and Theological course in the University of Cambridge that Nursery of Learning which boasts so much of her integrity that she never emitted any Disciples that prov'd corrupt or unsound in Religious matters He afterwards became Minister to a Church in that Country being ordain'd by Reynolds Bishop of Norwich but he had not long exercis'd this function when he made defection to Quakerism at the same very time that he was most busy in confirming and fortifying himself and his hearers against the influences of that sect There was a young Virgin among the Quakers fam'd for her dexterity and skill in Preaching whom many of the people us'd to follow Coughen having understood that she was to preach in a certain place goes thither himself in his Canonical Robes in order to preserve his hearers from being seduc'd by her discourses But so soon as he came to hear her he was so mov'd and affected that he not only not oppos'd her or her Doctrine but appear'd for its defence and spoke publickly for it at that same occasion and returning home abandon'd his Ecclesiastick habit joyning himself to be a member of their Society in which he afterwards became a Doctor and Preacher and was much caress'd and applauded by them But not long after this he return'd to Holland again and meeting at Harlem with Edward Richardson Minister to the English Church in that place and discoursing with him about Religion he was so influenc'd by his company that he forsook the Quakers and their Society betaking himself to Leyden when he pursued the study of Medicine Which where he had finish'd he returns to England and professes that Art of administring medicine to the sick sequestrating himself all along from that Society till at length some three years thereafter he attempts to introduce a new Model of Doctrine and Discipline which had been so often endeavour'd by so many and so great Men of obliging all Christians to concentrate in one common faith and interpose their interest and power for reconciling the differences of Religion amongst all who profess'd the Name of Christ All this while Fox was not Remembred or talk'd of except amongst those of his own Profession and Society for he had been detain'd Captive for three successive years together one half of that time in Lancashire and the other half in Yorkshire he was first Imprison'd for his frequent Conventicles and also for refusing his Oath of fidelity so oft as it was requir'd of him During the whole course of his Captivity the Judges order'd and decreed many injurious and rough sentences against him The chiefest of his fellow Prisoners was Margaret Fell whom he afterwards made consort of his marriage-bed both of them were mutually assistant to each other in all duties of Religion affording one another such help and comfort as people so intimately conjoyn'd both in Friendship and Religion generally expect from one another But after this he was shut up in a Dungeon full of filth and nastiness and standing stagnating water where he underwent much misery being forc'd sometimes to pass the night without having whereupon to sup upon which he was taken very ill and was now but slowly recovering his former strength I have already told what havock that merciless plague had made both in London and the Neighbouring Countries But upon the back of this evil there succeeded another in the ensuing year sixty six viz. That terrible fire which did not indeed reach the whole Country but burn'd and wasted almost all that noble and populous City of London so that to this day all England has not been able to forget it nor shall succeeding ages ever obliterate such a dismalâ— account of their Remembrance Having given you an account of the many hard and miserable conditions of these Men I shall now adorn this treatise with some pleasing variety to divert and refresh the mind of my Reader perhaps now wearied with reading It will not be amiss therefore to take a view of what the Quakers wrote for these four years by way of Prophecy and Prediction concerning the future State of the Kingdom and both these memorable afflictions of the City of London for such kind of Histories do much delight and charm the ears of Men I shall only select those that are most memorable and worth observation The predictions of Men do generally run upon some great and wonderful revolutions and changes tho they seldom come to light till the event be past These people were so certainly persuaded that some of their faction had so distinctly and clearly foretold the future scenes of affairs and both these Calamities of London that whoever misbeliev'd 'em was concluded by them to have shaken off all manner of faith and belief A certain Quaker call'd Serles a Weaver in the year one thousand six hundred and sixty two saw these words wrote in legible Characters upon the Circumference of a Kettle hanging over the fire Wo to England for poysoning of Charles the 2d Cardinal I understand Moloch Twenty Nations with him Englands misery cometh The Man being affraid at the sight calls the Neighbours to come and see it who coming were ravish'd with admiration to behold that wonder which they could not guess from whence it came The writing appear'd legible for a whole hour together and then evanish'd on its own accord Many of the people and those of considerable note who were not Quakers attested the verity of this wonder I my self have seen and read both the story and the same very words mark'd by John Coughen whom I formerly mention'd in his Note-book that same year which book was kept in the Closet of a certain great Man in this Country from that year till two years after King Charles's Death all which time it was kept secret from any other body so that no doubt is to be made of the Authentickness of that Annotation But what the Quakers would have meant by these words or that sight and how they Accommodated it to the manner of K. Charles's Death and to the changes of Religion and Miseries to come after many years and how the future event of things happening about the King Charles's Death that were told reported known and seen through all England did agree with these words is not needful to be determin'd in this place The Quakers affirm'd that one of their Captives at London did clearly foretell the pestilence that was to overtake that City saying that in a short time the streets which then were replenish'd with Men and resorted to by many should be seen cover'd with grass and wanting Men to tread uponâ— them But I shall not extend this presage any further lest I seem to recede from the design'd order and brevity of this treatise This they relate of the fire of London that there was a Quaker at Hereford who before the burning of
Enemy to the Opposers of Fox and his Society rendring all their Efforts against him ineffectual But when the Hatred and Envy of Fox's Antagonists grew to so great a height that he could no longer restrain them and fearing they should become his Enemies likewise he seldom went to the Publick Meetings shunning to hear their Voices whose different Manners Designs and Contrivances he so much abhorr'd So much for the Husband But as to the Wife she totally forsook the Reformed Churches dedicating her self entirely to be a Member of the Quakers Society and spending all her time in their Company Her Husband loved her exceedingly and was much taken with her Piety so that she could easily obtain of him this favour that her House might be a Receptacle for Fox and his Colleagues and also a place of Meeting for all the Society to Assemble in together as oft as they would for the Publick Performance of Sacred Duties as indeed it was and continued so after his death till the death of Fox her second Husband Not long after her Conversion to this new Religion she began to abandon her Distaff and Womanly Instruments betaking her self to Preach and Teach Instructing the People not only Viva Voce but by several Books wrote and published by her by which means she gained many Proselytes And after this time her House and Family became as it were a School and Nursery for all that Sect both Hearers Preachers and Students of both Sexes and accordingly sent out about this time one William Caton a Young Man of Pregnant Parts conspicuous for his Modesty and Learning whom Judge Fell had taken into his Family for a Companion to his Eldest Son that by his good Example he might Encourage and Conduct him to a Vertuous Behaviour This worthy Young Man became afterwards very Famous and Renown'd for his great Accomplishments both at home and abroad in Holland But this was not all Leonard Fell a Son of the Family followed his Example as one Comrade imitates another or a Disciple traces the foot-steps of his Master being fondly loved and caressed by his Father for that he introduced into his Family that Sacred Office of a Minister His Brother Henry Fell imitated his Elder Brother They both became Great and Famous Teachers and tenacious defenders of that Sect. After the Males of the Family followed Sarah Fell their Sister undertaking the same Office whom these People do so much extol that they say she was not only Beautiful and Lovely to a high degree but wonderfully Happy in Ingeny and Memory so stupendiously Eloquent in Discoursing and Preaching and so effectual and fervent in her Addresses and Supplications to God that she ravish'd all her beholders and hearers with Admiration and Wonder She apply'd her self to the study of the Hebrew Tongue that she might be more prompt and ready in defending and proving their Doctrine and Principles from the Holy Scriptures and in this study the Progress she made was so great that she wrote Books of her Religion in that Language This is that Family which Fox came afterwards to be a Member of when upon the Death of Fell the Husband he married Margaret his Widow of which I shall have occasion to speak afterwards I now return to the Order of Times and Places that corresponds to the Actions of Fox and his Colleagues While Fox is propagating his Doctrine in the Countries above-mentioned in the Year Fifty Two of a sudden there appeared some in Cambridgeshire a place considerably distant from the Countries where Fox was now residing who owned themselves Members of this New Church Among whom excelled James Parnel a Youth of Fifteen Years of Age well skilled in the Tongues and of no obscure Birth or Condition Because the History of this Youth's Life and Actions is but short I shall here insert the same in one perpetual thread of Discourse This Young Man having so boldly adventur'd in so tender an Age on such an Enterprize was disown'd disinherited rejected and shut out of Doors by his Parents Friends and Relations all upon this Account Being thus forsaken and left to himself and receiving but sorry assistance from his new Friends he was obliged to live sparingly and meanly yet nevertheless he continued steadfast and eager in pursuing the same Design And after having frequently debated with his Condisciples and others concerning their Religion and his own and in this condition of Life spent two Years he comes into the County of Essex and Cloaths himself with the Office of a Preacher which accordingly he performed in the Fields Then in the Year Fifty Five he goes to Colchester and the next day after his arrival Preaches there and entertains many Disputations and Dialogues with the Doctor and Reader to that Church both publickly in the Church and in his own Lodgings and elsewhere by which one day's work he converted many to his Religion Having staid here some few days he goes to Cogshall where he went to Church and heard the Minister Preach a Sermon against the Quakers upon which when Sermon was ended he answered and resuted him in Publick Church Then retiring from Church he was caught and brought to Colchester and there put into a Castle or strong Prison Afterwards he was taken to Chelmsford to appear before the Judges but they because they could not finish and conclude the Business remitted him back to Colchester where he was block'd up in a Cave in some high craggy place where having endured Hunger want of Sleep and Cold for a long time becoming benumb'd in this nasty Dungeon and at length misfortunately falling and bruising his whole Body he finished his unhappy days notwithstanding all the Complaints and Addresses he made himself and all the Entreaties and Sollicitations made to the Magistrate by his Friends for relieving him out of all these Miseries It is reported that before his Death he sometimes was heard to say One hour's sleep shall put an end to all my Troubles When Death approached he said Now I go away then he fell asleep and about an hour thereafter he awaked and yielded up the Ghost His Body was tumbled away to the place where Malefactors are executed and interred In this same Year this Doctrine and Scheme began to diffuse it self beyond the Countries where Fox was now making his Terms with the Neighbouring County of Cumberland in which great numbers associated themselves to this Party Amongst the more Remarkable of these new Converts the first was one Thomas Lawson at that time Publick Minister to a Church at a Village called Ramside in Westmorland afterwards he continued both the Exercise of this Function among these People and likewise gave himself to the study of Herbs and after he came to London became the most noted Herbalist in England Next after him followed John Wilkinson Pastor to a Church at Embleton in Cumberland who afterwards proved a Famous Preacher among the Quakers both in Scotland and Ireland All his Hearers had deserted
but he was forthwith and without any delay in the presence of all that were there according to the Military Practice of some Men so beaten and kick'd by the Colonel himself because he ought above any other to have desisted from such doings and practices as he had then taken upon him that he made him bleed and then was sent back to his old Prison and tyed Neck and Heels there But as there were many of Ames's fellow Soldiers and also other Soldiers who by little and little became of the Quakers Sect several of them having taken Counsel together and allotted their Work did either use their babling Interruptions in the Publick Assemblies while they were at Prayer or Preaching or fell a Trembling there or shewed some such idle and foolish Prank this Example was followed by many others both of the one and of the other Sex wherefore they were ever and anon one after another fined driven to Prisons and in some places miserably harrassed some of them were severely lashed but the Soldiers more than any until the Year Fifty Six when Colonel Ingoldsby the Governour commanded all upon a very severe Penalty to give no manner of Entertainment to any Quaker whatsoever and not suffer them to come within their Doors and that whoever did to the contrary should be expelled out of the City But it was to no purpose some indeed were driven away but their Number did even then and by that means increase and so by degrees came to hold their Assemblies Officers were sent to break open their Doors and to interrupt and disturb them some they fined others were banished but yet for all this they increased and multiplyed more and more this happened at Limerick Cork Waterford Kingsale and other places And thus did this Sect of the Quakers about the time of their rise and first Progress struggle in the time of the Common-wealth under the two Cromwels Father and Son Protectors under the many Afflictions they were put to by their Enemies and to the great hazzard both of their Religion and People The End of the First Book BOOK II. PART I. The Contents of the Second BOOK THE Endeavours of the Quakers upon the King's Restauration G. Keith R. Barclay The Quakers vain hopes concerning the King The Oath of Allegiance an inexplicable Snare to these Men. Tythes also The Cruelty of Keepers towards them Instances The King and Parliament's Disposition towards them A Letter of Fox the Younger to the King Fox his Book of many Languages concerning the Pronoun Thou Several Laws against the Quakers Hence their various Tryals Hubberthorn Burroughs and Howgil die in Prison A vain Suspicion that the Quakers cherished Popery Their Persecution at London The fall of Priscilla Mo The Burials of the Quakers The Persecuting of them at Colchester A Council held concerning Transplanting of the Quakers into the American Islands This transacted and handled several times The various and strange haps and Adventures of such as suffered this Penalty The Ecclesiastical Court The Law De Excommunicato capiendo Several Examples made upon their refusing to pay Tythes The Death of Fisher in Prison Fox's Three Years Imprisonment The Prophecy of a certain Quaker concerning the Burning of London The Troubles of the Quakers in Scotland and Ireland Keith's Doctrine of Christ being in Man Helmont concerning the Revolution of Souls rejected by the Quakers William Pen's turning Quaker A full Description thereof His singular Opinion concerning a Toleration of all Religions The Ecclefiastical state of the Quakers The Order of their Teachers A Meeting of their Teachers together Synods Liturgies or Sacred Duties How they observe the Lord's Day Their Complaint concerning the Protestants study of Divinity Their Opinion concerning a knowledge of Languages and Philosophy Of the Sallary of the Ministers of God's Word What the Call of Ministers is among them Their Discipline Their Solemnizing of Marriages Keith's Imprisonment Pen's Imprisonment at London Solomon Eccles's Fooleries and mad Pranks in several places Fox's Marriage A great Persecution of the Quakers throughout England accompanied with the greatest baseness Green's Fall Pen again and Mead with him Imprisoned at London They are Tryed Pen's Speech to the Judges A great Persecution in Southwark The notable Zeal of these Men in keeping their Assemblies A short respite from the Persecution G. Fox goes to the English Colonies in America His Imprisonment in Worcester and what was done at that time He writes several Letters more elaborately than profitably A Conference between the Quakers and Baptists R. Barclay's Apology for the Christian Theology variously received A Comparison between the Quietists and Quakers Several Persecutions of the Quakers in England The Assaulting of them in Scotland All manner of Slanders put upon the Quakers Doctrine and Life The Persecution of Bristol Of London The Quakers state under King James the Second W. Pen's Diligence for the Quakers The Quakers Affairs under King William Pen's Default Freedom and Liberty given to the Quakers by the Parliament Pen's second Default The Death of Fox The great Book written by him A Description of Fox The great Dissention between the Quakers themselves The present state of them I Have brought down the History of the Quakers to the Time of King Charles II. in whose Reign and even in the very beginning thereof as great changes happened not only in the State every thing being abrogated and taken away that had been Obstacles to the Kingly Power and Dignity or that might be so for the future but also in the Ecclesiastical Constitution for that Equality and Conjunction that ought to be between the Brethren Friends and Disciples of Christ was taken away whilst the Government thereof reverted to a few and for the most part to the King himself so there was among those Persons who were not dissatisfied with the Name Splendor and Authority of a King but with that turn in the Church no small commotion of Mind no light Care and Diligence not only that they might defend their own Churches with the Orders and Constitutions of them lest they should suffer any damage any other way but also that they might further vindicate all their Practices from the Envy of their Adversaries confirm and trim up the same and recommend them unto others Therefore this Study and Concern also seemed to be among all Persons who had as well departed from that same pitch of Religion as from that publick Religion in the very same manner did George Fox and his Colleagues and all of that Herd even every one according to his Place and Station diligently and industriously apply themselves to this Affair wherefore Fox according to his wonted manner began his Peregrination in England to visit his Friends to Preach amongst them but did not take upon him as formerly to talk in the Publick Churches Markets and Streets and there to stir up the People and seeing that he had before this attempted many things more earnestly than successfully he took diligent heed
wasted their Substance in Drinking Gaming and Brothel-Houses and among Thieves and Cut-Throats as if they were their Associates or alike infected with them and so being in those places enforced to Labour very hard and thereby sustain their Lives which when they endeavoured to do some of them at length being in that manner opprest with many Miseries and Calamities were freed therefrom by Death This was done in London Worcester and in other places Some of them in other places whom either the Circumstances of Life or the Clamour of many Persons did more especially expose to Envy were seized and taken out of their Beds at Midnight and carryed into Prison by reason of which Practices and seeing there was no likelihood of any end of these things the Quakers did again Present an Humble Petition to the King and did therein set forth in what Trouble and under what great Calamities they all lived and proved that from the King's Restauration to this time there were Four Thousand and Five Hundred of them imprisoned and that Fifty Six were dead through the Hardships and Difficulties they underwent But as to what effect this Petition had it will appear from hence that he who wrote it obtained from the King for his Reward a place where those Persons were imprisoned concerning whom he made his Complaint in that same Petition so that that very thing was looked upon as a Crime in that they deplored and deprecated their own Miseries But at length after that the King had found nothing by Deeds or Witnesses whereby it did appear that the Quakers were desicient in their Loyalty towards him or that they had done any thing whereby he might gather that the Crime of Rebellion was not far from their Disposition and Manners and that also the Accusation and Clamour of the People as being the most easie and lightest things vanished of their own accord and that Time had allayed the Envy of the People towards them in respect to their ways the King suffered this sting of Severity to be removed from his Heart and seeing that hitherto he had been forgetful of his Promise made to this People he now calls it to mind and so orders his Officers and other Magistrates that they should no further vex these People and set those that were imprisoned at Liberty notwithstanding which Command such was the Severity and Hardness of some of these Magistrates that though they did not reject the King's Authority openly yet they did indeed fulfil it either not in earnest or but slowly Which thing even the Gaolers in some places did not stick to maintain when they offered that they were willing to loose and free the Prisoners at last if so be they would lay down Money either of themselves or others for them to be delivered from their Imprisonment the which when they affirmed they would never do and that they would choose rather to rot there and perish and held stoutly to it and seeing that indeed some of them were so harrassed with dangerous Diseases contracted from the stench of the place that they died thereof and that the Cries and Lamentations of these Men did reach the Court and even the King's Ears while they were treated in this manner the King at length Commands all of them to be set at Liberty without any Money and Terms whatsoever In this Persecution of the Year Sixty Two the Quakers recount several Examples of their severe Usage and great Constancy of these Men. I shall only mention two Richard Payton at Duley in Worcestershire was thrown into Prison because he would not take the Oath of Allegiance all his Goods were confiscated and he himself so long to remain in that place as the King pleased Thomas Stourdey of Moorhouse a Gentleman of Cumberland was brought before a Magistrate and the Oath of Allegiance put to him which he refusing to take but at the same time affirming that he was otherwise one of them who without Swearing would obey the King more than many that had swore to him was condemned by John Lowther a Man in Authority in that County to have all his Goods confiscated and himself to perpetual Imprisonment who being thus shut up not as the rest that were afterwards set at Liberty by the King's Favour but detained till the Year Eighty Four about the end of the same ended his Miseries by Death in the same place Moreover these Men do more especially in this Year commomorate the Death of two of their chiefest Leaders who departed this Life at London as upon the score of Religion so as being a very glorious and happy Departure and Guides to Heaven and to God One of them was Hubberthorn who we have said a little before was in esteem with the King and so received into his Favour that even in him the welfare of all his Friends might seem to be safe and secured from all Molestation and Trouble this Man resided in London and on a certain day having got the People together he began to Preach which when the Lord Mayor came to know whose Name there is no need to mention the Quakers know it well enough he sent with as much immoderation of Power as he had extensiveness of Authority to fetch Hubberthorn away from that Assembly and so was brought before him who when the Man would not put off his Hat before him according to the usage of the Quakers in that regard he used him as if he had been the greatest Villain and seditious Fellow and taken openly in the greatest Wickedness beat him with his own hands haled him by the hair of the Head and threw him upon the Ground and after that Commands him to be put into Prison among Rogues and Malefactors in which place Hubberthorn obtained that Favour that a Criminal desires most of the Attorney that his Cause might be transferred to another Court and seeing there was no Cognizance taken of the Man's Religion they now bent all their Accusations against his Morosity Irreverence and Contempt of the Magistrate and required he might be severly punished for the same Hubberthorn after he had lain in this sad and doleful place two Months falls very sick and weak and in a short time after died leaving this Memorial of himself with his Friends That he had born whatever befel him with an even Mind and always ready to maintain his Religion and chose rather to die for the same than to live The other was Burroughs who also in the City of London stood firm to his Religion and died for it in Prison and whom the Quakers were wont to esteem as the Apostle of the Londoners Of him they say when a little before he had resided at Bristol that upon his departure from thence towards London he took his leave of his Friends with these words as a Presage of his approaching Destiny That now he was directing his Course for London that he might there together with his Brethren suffer for the sake of the Gospel
and to lay down his Life When he came to London he presently goes to their Meeting and there Preaches esteeming he could not otherwise satisfie his Conscience discharge his Duty and use the Gift which he had received which as soon as it was told the Mayor who was the same before mentioned away goes he with some of his Officers and Followers and lest he should do the same again which is not very much commendable in a Magistrate he Commands them to hale away the Man and forthwith thrust him into Prison which they do and put him into an horrid place full of filth and stench and so narrow that he could not well stand there with which Miseries after Eight Months he falls sick and his Disease increasing upon him daily he at length dies as he had lived supporting and comforting himself and his Friends who were not hindred access to him and so were present at all times with many words the sum and substance whereof was this I have hitherto preached the Gospel in this City freely and not to the burden of any and have often spent my Life therein and now in the midst of my Labours part with my Life for it and how true it is that I have truly and sincerely both acted and dealt in this matter is known to him who knoweth all things And thou O God hast then loved me when I was yet shut up in my Mother's Womb and I have loved them from my Cradle and have served thee from my Childhood and Youth to this very time to some good purpose and that with the greatest Fidelity and though this Body of mine returns unto the Dust yet I am conscious to my self and assuredly know that my Soul shall return from whence it came and that that Spirit which hath lived in me wrought in me ruled me and hath ruled in all will be diffused into Thousands I pray unto God that he would Pardon if it be his will the Sins and evil Practices of my Enemies And when he died winking as it were with both his Eyes he said Now my Soul resteth in her own Centre Fisher doth describe this Man 's untimely Death in a lofty style and according to his way in a Rhetorical and Tragical manner The Persecution of these Men was very hot the Year following in the City of Worcester Several Quakers were met together in the House of Rupert Smyth not for to Preach but to the intent they might Advise together concerning four Children the Death of whose Father had left them destitute of Sustenance and Education they chiefly considered what might be done lest the Children should come upon the Parish and that then as the Parish should have the charge of bringing them up so it would also take care to have them instructed in the Religion and Discipline of the same Presently upon this some Soldiers get together and having given no sign of their being sent rush upon them as upon a Rabble withstanding or despising the Government and with much Clamour and great Violence take Twenty Four of the Company and carry them to the places where they were wont to be put amongst Bawdy-house haunters for this now was come in fashion Ruffians Thieves and such sort of vitious notorious Offenders after some Weeks Smyth and a few other are brought before the Magistrates and examined they ask them whether they had taken the Oath of Allegiance And when they said they had not they ask them again whether they would now Swear according to their usual way of Interrogating of them in these Times They Answer That they could not swear for Conscience-sake and affirm a thing according to their forms and in such a manner but that otherwise they could sincerely affirm that they would discharge all their Duty towards the King and Government neither would they attempt any thing which tended to their dishonour and Incommodity neither would they do any thing for which they might justly be blamed But whilst that in this hearing there was no dispute about the Thing but the Mode and Circumstance thereof was only controverted and that the Quakers in the mean time held to their own way and stood covered the Magistrates laying aside the Dispute about Swearing they take up the matter of these mens wearing their Hats before them and urge that to stand covered before the Magistrate as it did here manifestly appear was a great derogation from the King's Honour and such and so great an Offence that it ought to be punished and that severely by the Court. To which Smyth wittily replyed Seeing that there was not only any appearance of no Crime no nor the least suspicion against them that they had lessened the Reputation of this King his Name Rule and Government in words or deeds it was a very trivial thing for them to urge that as a mark of it and seeing that the Hat is a Covering to the Head and that each part of the Body has his Covering and that none in his approach to others though they be Magistrates uncovers any other part of his Body and that his not doing so is not for all that taken as a mark of Contumacy and Disobedience it 's most strange Men should be bound by this Law and Religion about the Bonnet After this Reply there was Sentence pronounced against all of them that they should be detained in Prison because they refused to obey and be observant towards the King and irreverent towards the Judges As for Smyth they adjudged him to be out of the King's Protection to have his Goods Confiscate and brought to the Exchequer after this the rest of them were accused and partly because of their Meeting together and partly because they refused to Swear adjudged also to Prison the thing from a Hearing came to a Tryal the Evidence Swear to the Matter in the absence of the Criminals but the Witnesses disagreed very much one with another the whole Action of which the Accusation and Case was made up is found to be far otherwise than was thought to be the Judges hereupon were somewhat concerned what clear Answer they should give and what to determine concerning the Men at last they adjudge them to be carryed back to Prison At this time Francis Howgil a diligent Teacher among these People was taken from the Market-place where he attended his business by a Traveller and carryed before the Justices of the Peace that were met together in the next Inn These look askew upon the Man hesitate question him and at last come to that which they designed and require him to take the Oath of Allegiance he did at first in like manner delay as knowing their Tricks made no Excuse lest his going about to purge him of a fault might be esteemed as a fault but he afterward goes on whither they desired him and denyed that he could with a safe Conscience take the Oath And so was committed to Prison whence being brought before the Judges to
before and after think upon the Mortal state of all Men and every one of his own in particular and how in a short time every one must enter upon that Journey unto Eternity from which there is no returning and commit this to their Heart and Memory and excite one another to the study of an Honest and Pious Life that his Death may be answerable thereunto And that I may add this further which is not to be omitted but not therefore to be extended to many It 's a wonder how much hatred also the odd and different way of managing and carrying their Funerals and what storms of Reproaches and Trouble it brought upon the Quakers they themselves Report that the dead Carkasses of their Friends were dug up again and buryed in other places and all this lasted till the next Year after this wherein that Memorable Plague raged and when the Quakers had free Liberty to Bury in their own Places and perform their Funeral Rites as they themselves pleased And seeing I have said thus much concerning the Burials of these Men I shall take the Liberty to add this one passage more concerning them There was a certain Man whose Name was Oliver Atharton of the Parish of Ormskirk who because he would not pay Tythes was put into the Common Goal of Derby by the Countess of Derby where after a long Imprisonment the Man died the Quakers having Liberty granted them carry the Corps away and passing through some Streets into the place where he had dwelt there bury him and in the mean time set up pieces of Paper on Poles in all those places with this written thereon whereby they extolled Oliver as a Martyr but defamed the Countess as being guilty of Murder This is Olliver Atharton of Ormskirk persecuted to Death by the Countess of Derby because he would not pay her Tythes After which when that the Countess in a few days after died in like manner and was carryed the same way to be buried the Quakers made also a Miracle of this her Death as if it had been the Effect of Divine Vengeance and Displeasure as all are prone to Judge of the sudden unexpected and heavy Misfortunes of their Enemies This Year a new and odd Persecution attended these Men which here we shall a little largely insist upon It happened in the City of Colchester I have given an Account in the First Book how the Quakers first came into this City but by this time having much increased in Number they met together daily and could by no means be diverted from that their Practice and Custom at which things the Mayor of the City did at first wink but afterward finding them proceed in their ways he began to look upon this Connivance as a disgrace unto him and therefore bethought himself what he ought and what he could do in that matter and at last seeing that they still persisted therein he was much grieved and inflamed with Anger and fully determined with himself to Prosecute them severely It 's a fearful thing to have an angry and an armed Enemy It happened on the 25th day of October being the Lord's Day that many of the Quakers were met together in a House to Worship God according to their way which when the Mayor came to hear being eager with a desire to Punish them he hasted thither with his Officers breaks open the House rushes in and in harsh Words but with a grave Authority said he came according to the King's Laws for to disturb this their Cabal and Conventicle and immediately without delay charges his Followers to Apprehend some of them and lead them to Prison and at the same time Commands the other Quakers to follow their Companions into the same place which they quickly and readily did not in conformity to his Command but of their own will and inclination After this the same Officers on the Nine and Twentieth Day of the same Month in pursuance to their Master's Command return and repeat the same thing with great Care and Diligence But when the Quakers on the First day of the next Month and Week met together again the same Officer advises what to do and does himself with his Guard undertake the same thing as before invades and sets upon the House where many Quakers again not expecting his Command knowing already what his Will was go away into the same Prisons and because that the rest of them did for all this meet again together on the Tenth Day of the said Month there came either by the Command or certainly by the Permission of the Governour part of the County Troop and these violently rush upon the Assembly take some of them and conduct them to Prison beat and thump others and besides ransacked the Place rent and pull down the Seats Windows and every thing else besides the Walls and Rafters when this was done the Governour set one of the Gang that lived not far from the House where the Quakers met together at the Door for to hinder them with Words and Threats for to Meet there if they were not minded to fall from one Calamity unto another whom when they would not resist they all stood in the Yard in the open Air and pursue their Worship quietly according to their usual manner the Porter and Keeper does the same thing on the following days and these same Men did the same as they had done before not caring to what Inconveniencies of Air they were exposed nor to what Injuries and Reproaches of their Enemies nor with what Danger they were beset by lyers in wait for them and not knowing what great Evil and Misery was a brewing for them at this very time for their Obstinacy and Perseverance For seeing they would not desist from their Method and Purpose it came to pass as if the Law and Civil Power were too weak and feeble that they had recourse to the Law of the Sword and the Force of Arms there were Forty Horsemen well mounted with choice Horse made ready and these being furnished with Swords Carabines and Pistols as they are wont to be they drew nigh that if so be they should again attempt any such thing they were forthwith to fall upon them and put them under Military Execution so as that they did not kill them outright The Quakers come again together on the Fifth of December upon which this Troop approach and seeing the Quakers did immediately with drawn Swords like stout Soldiers as if they assaulted armed Men but such as few of them had ever done gallop up with full speed unto them and then crying aloud as if that were the Signal What a Devil do you do here They set upon them beat knock and wound some of them with their Swords and Muskets sparing neither the tender Age nor Female Sex nor the grey and wrinkled and drove them from one place into another and some that met them even far from the place and whom they took to be Quakers were
occasions which the Quakers were very refractory to do That they sent not their Children to School to be taught by the Parish School-masters who otherwise were straiten'd for a livelyhood for the Quakers had School-masters of their own profession to whom they committed the Education of their Children that they refus'd to pay their quota for repairing the Churches and keeping them in order that they omitted to give the Easter-Offerings or such other gifts as ought and us'd to be given to the Curates or Minsters of their Parish and lastly that they refus'd to pay the Tithes of their Cattel Lands Trees Honey c. to the Minister this say the Quakers the Clergy look'd upon as their greatest Calamity accounting it their cloros as they us'd to taunt them or the loss and rottenness of their honeycombs and the product of their Bees Thus the Quakers both in their gestures Speeches and Writings sometimes cunningly insinuated such â—art buâ—ter Reflections Liberty was given the Quakers before the sentence of Excommunication was pronounc'd against 'em to propose their Defences and Apologies for themselves before the Bishops and Magistrates But because they were not allow'd to do it themselves but only by Procurators and Sollicitors which could not be done without giving Money they declin'd appearing before them for they thus reason'd with themselves that if their business succeeded favourably it was well if not it would be the multiplying expences upon expences in vain and besides they bethought themselves that no faith would be had to their Allegations without interposing their Oaths which they were very a verse to nay so resolute that they would rather run the hazard of the greatest persecutions whatsoever So that none of them obtain'd any favour Nor were they excus'd who pretended to be sick and so unable to attend the Court for this their pretended sickness was interpreted to be feign'd and not real So that one after another great numbers of them were Condemn'd apprehended and put in Prison some Rich some Poor some Citizens some Country-Peasants several of the latter being Imprison'd for a very small summ not exceeding ten or six pence Which small summs they all refus'd to advance not that they were so poor as that they could not or so pinching and niggardly that they would not part with so much but that they thought the pursuers had no right to them And the pursuers were so eager and strict that they would not forgive such little summs nor abate the least farthing of their due lest others should have taken Encouragement from such a precedent to expect the like immunity So they were all promiscuously Imprison'd In the mean while the fomenters of the Action while they pretended to recover what was owing them took by force from their houses what as they said would amount to the summ pillaging their houses Embezzeling and Spoiling their Barns Stacks Harvest Vintage taking their Horses Cows and all other possessions they could be Masters of so that they recover'd their Money with Interest destroying all that the diligent Men had scrap'd together by the sweat of their brows and living sparingly and leaving nothing almost for the sustenance of their families Yet the Quakers continued still stedfast and unmoveable resolving to suffer to the last extremity rather than recede from the course they had begun so that some of them were cast into common Goals some into Castles and Places of strength some into stinking noysom Dungeons where dogs could not live being forc'd to live at the Discretion and Arbitrement of their Keepers and expos'd for a ridicule to the basest and meanest of the Vulgar Servants some were put in among the profligate and debauch'd who had liv'd in all manner of wickedness and villany and were justly punish'd for their evil deeds who yet even then could not abstain from their perverse and wicked courses nor refrain from calumniating and vexing their fellow Prisoners and lastly some of them were banish'd into so distant Countrys from their Wives and Children and all other Enjoyments that were dear or comfortable to them which one Affliction crush'd some of them to Death being overwhelm'd with anguish and sorrow for the loss of their endeared consorts Many of them died by the noysome smell and other inconveniences of the Prison or through grief or being wearied out and oppress'd with long and tedious diseases arising from such causes Some came sooner to this unhappy end some later but others endow'd with more strength and firmness of Body wrestled out for a long time There were some of them set at liberty and freed from this insupportable weight of misery through the intercession and entreaties of their Friends with the Magistrates who likewise were mov'd with pity and compassion towards them but were afterwards remitted to their old miserable habitation not for any new debt or crime but for that same they were Imprison'd for before where they continued till Death alleviated their sorrows Some few years after this the Quakers divulg'd all this severe usage to the World by writings which they presented to the King and Parliament In which they run thorough all the several Countries of the Kingdoms amassing together all the instances of the cruelty and barbarity us'd towards them But I shall here content my self with two of their most Remarkable Examples adding unto them a third which tho omitted by them upon what account I know not is as memorable and worthy to be remarked as any The year that first affords us these Examples is the year sixty four The first is this There liv'd a Blacksmith in a little Village in Hampshire by name Thomas Penford who was Imprison'd at Worcester in the common Goal by an edict of Excommunication because he would not pay three pence for Reparation of the Church which he obstinately refus'd to do so that after three years and a half Imprisonment he died in Goal The next is Thomas Rennes a Country Farmer in some little Village in Oxfordshire was Imprison'd at Oxford by an Edict of Excommunication for not paying the Tithes which he was aversâ— to do While he was detain'd Captive the Minister goes and seizes on his Horses which were much more valuable than the summ he wanted yet the poor Man continu'd in Prison a long time and ends his days upon the place The third Example which is a Complex and Image as it were of all the rest was after this manner One Thomas Dobson liv'd at a little Village call'd Brichtnel in Berkshire where he maintain'd himself and his Family very honestly by a Farm he kept and some small substance he had scrap'd together by his labour and diligence He refus'd to pay the Tithes not that he was so straitned for Money that he could not make up the summ but that he could not do it because of the dictates of his Conscience disallowing the same There was one Radulph Wistler who bought the Tithes and had an Eye for a long time upon this Man's
substance and was fond of an occasion to terrify the rest from doing the like he caus'd this Man to be hal'd to Prison where he smarted for his contumacy by fifteen weeks Captivity during which time and likewise after that Dobson was releas'd and return'd to his own house he pillag'd and harass'd his house and possessions taking off his Horses Kine and other possessions which were priz'd and sold for his benefit till he made about forty pounds English And afterwards in the year sixty six and sixty seven when the poor Man was secure fearing nothing he attacks him again takes from him his Horse four Kine and all the Cattle he had of whatever sort all the furnishing of his house and the very beds they lay upon so distressing and empoverishing the poor Man that he and his Family scarce had wherewithal to cloath themselves But some time after when he had almost overcome this disafter having purchas'd two kine which gave Milk out of which and the cheese made of it he sustain'd his Family without any other food the Minister of the Parish Church whose name I choose rather to conceal pursues him with an Edict of Excommunication insomuch that not only this small remnant he had for maintenance of his family was taken from him but himself thus poor and empty was cast into Prison which was done in the same year from which time he remain'd captive till the year Seventy two when he was set at liberty by the King 's special Command at length having return'd to his former dwelling place and beginning to improve his small fortune a little by labouring the ground and diligent working this same Tithe-master I have already nam'd so well vers'd in his exactory Discipline that no office of humanity withheld him from the same falls upon him again and takes all the possessions he now enjoy'd leaving him nothing so that the value and price of what he took from him was reckon'd to be eightly pounds English which is eight hundred and fifty eight Dutch Gilders And moreover to give a farther instance of his unparallel'd Barbarity he caused him to be cast into Prison in the year seventy five where he was shut up among Thieves and Robbers and those who were not only guilty of such Enormous Crimes but even of Whoring and Revelling the Botches and Exulcerations arising from their intemperate Venery being yet running upon their bodies creating a most noysome and grievous smell and all the whole Members of their body being infected and corrupted with the same But Dobson's greatest comfort was that he found in Prison Men of his own Society who were kept Captive upon the same account that he was Sometime after when one of these miserable pocky wretches had rotted unto Death through the Corruption of that blackest and foulest disease the Keeper of the Prison a Man inferior to none for wickedness and excess of Rudeness and Inhumanity who dealt so with these Quakers his Prisoners that he shew'd to the World that his humor and constitution was fitted for tormenting mankind gather'd up the straw upon which this Corrupted and Loathsome carkass was laid bringing it into that place where Dobson with his fellow Quakers and also the rest of these flagitive miscreants were throng'd up where he burnt it in a fire to testify that burning hatred and malice against the Quakers which rag'd and flam'd within his Breast And from the flames of this burning straw there proceeded such Exhalations and Contagious fumes that the Quakers were all taken ill of a most grievous and dangerous disease which in a short time put a period to the lives of some of them Dobson recover'd of this Distemper but continu'd under the same miserable Captivity till the wellcome day of his Death which happen'd in the last day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred seventy and seven The Quakers therefore being griev'd in soul for this insupportable affliction of their Brethren and apprehensive of the like Events about to befall themselves could not contain themselves from expressing the Estuations and Boylings of their incensed Minds nor restrain their extravagant Tongues and Pens from complaining and lamenting every where publishing Books and Writings Exaggerating the misery of their Condition and demonstrating unto the World what for Men these Evangelical Reform'd Protestants as they call'd 'em Evidenc'd themselves to be Those who in ancient Times cry'd out against Persecution for Religion's sake pretending that none but God had Power to call their Religion and Conscience to account and yet in these days are so fierce and cruel with their own Countreymen upon the same Religious Account sighting against them with carnal Weapons and oppressing them to such an high degree that tho they spar'd their Lives yet inâ—licted Evils far worse than Death it self introducing the same Tyranny that was us'd against the Church oâ— Old but with a New Face and Name The Quakers relate and also some of the Chroniclers or these Times record That in the Time of that fatal and bloody Plague which Rag'd so severely both in London and many parts of that Realm the Bishops besought the King and boldly counsell'd him That in Order to avert and appease the Weath of God which then so heavily afflicted them he would free and cleanse the Kingdom from that Pâ—st of Quakers and other Fanaticks the Banishment and Extirpation of whom would be an acceptable and Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the Land But the moderation of the King was too great to give Ear to such Counsels for though he would not countenance or assist these men yet he was not willing to use such inhumane Cruelty against them and accordingly chose rather that the Old Punishment should be continued against them than a New One of that Nature take place This Year which was so fatal unto many places destroying both the Quakers and their Enemies promisouously did likewise give the same deadly stroke to Samuel Fisher whose Fame among the Quakers Acuteness of Wit Learning and Neat Polite Way of Writing I have already mentioned He died in Prison The Quakers mightily lamented his Death being sensible what a great Doctor and what a Skillful and dexterous Defender of them and their Religion they had lost Their Enemies and Ministers of the Church on the contrary rejoyc'd and congratulated his Death who had given them so much trouble while alive being educated in the same Colledges with themselves and having been one of their own Tribe taught the same manner of learning and invested with the same office and well acquainted with all their writings â—â—trigues methods and Ecclesiastical Policy so that he was more capable to use their own Weapons and Arguments against themselves which he did very dexterously At this same very time they were likewise bereav'd of John Coughen so fam'd and renown'd among the Quakers who tho he was not taken out of the World yet deserted his Station and separated himself from the
this theme as if he had aim'd at no other design then to bring in some and play upon others with a few frothy flowrishes of words This is the matter of fact The Parliament made it their purpose and endeavour to give Liberty of Conscience to such as I have Nam'd A Committee of a select number of the house was order'd to treat of this affair They when doubting of the Quakers Doctrine and saith concerning the sacred Scripture and mystery of the holy Trinity because they use not to call the Scripture the word of God thinking that name to be proper only to Christ or to the internal word of God under which sense external Letters can never fall nor to term the Father Son and Spirit three persons that being a word not used in Scripture ordered their Articles and opinion to be presently inquired into Two famous Quakers at that time Geo. Withad and John Virughton treated of these matters with Sir Tho. Clargy a member of the house He advis'd 〈◊〉 with Kindness and Candour to publish their mind fully and fairly concerning these two Articles that were doubted of They without delay write and subscribe their Thoughts and willingly presented 'em to that honourable Man from whom as they had received a wholsom Advice they now also expect a seasonable assistance The form of each of 'em for himself was to this purpose I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth the sacred Scriptures to be Divine left us by Men Inspir'd of God as an exact rule of our faith and behaviour and I profess to believe in one only God who is the father and in Jesus Christ his Eternal Son very God and very Man and in the Holy Spirit one and the same God with the Father and Son blessed for evermore This confession having pleas'd Clargy was given to be read to the rest of the Members who thought fit to call in some nine or ten Quakers that were ready at hand for such a design to question 'em if that were their faith and perswasion Upon their owning it the day following the matter was presented by the Committee to the whole house and thus it was agreed that the Quakers shou'd have liberty and order'd it shou'd be recorded and drawn out into an Act. While publick affairs were thus changed W. Penn was not so regarded and respected by King and Court as he was formerly by King James partly because of his intimacy with King James and partly for adhering to his old opinion concerning the Oath of fidelity which was now mitigated but not abrogated Besides this it was suspected that Penn Corresponded with the late King now Lurking in France under the umbrage and protection of the French King an enemy justly and equally odious to the Brittish King and united Provinces 'twixt whom there was now an inveterate War This suspicion was follow'd and also encreas'd by a Letter intercepted from King James to Penn desiring Penn to come to his assistance in the present State and Condition he was in and express the Resentments of his favour and benevolence Upon this Penn being cited to appear was ask'd why King James wrote unto him he answer'd he cou'd not hinder such a thing being further question'd what Resentments these were which the late King seem'd to desire of him he answer'd he knew not but said he supposed King James wou'd have him to endeavour his Restitution and that tho he cou'd not decline the suspicion yet he cou'd avoid the guilt and since he had loved King James in his prosperity he shou'd not hate him in his adversity yea he lov'd him as yet for many favours he had conferr'd on him tho he wou'd not joyn with him in what concern'd the State of the Kingdom He own'd he had been much oblig'd to King James and that he wou'd reward his kindness by any private office as far as he cou'd observing inviolably and intirely that duty to the publick and Government which was equally Incumbent upon all Subjects and therefore that he had never the vanity to think of endeavouring to restore him that Crown which was fallen from his head so that nothing in that Letter cou'd at all seem to fix guilt upon him From that time Penn withdrew himself more and more from business and at length at London in his own house confin'd himself as it were to a voluntary exile from the converse fellowship and conference of others employing himself only in his Domestick affairs that he might be devoted more to Meditation and Spiritual exercises In the year Ninety three two books of his came out in English the one of a Solitary life the other a Key to understand the Articles of the Quakers faith This year Penn went out of his voluntary Prison compensing the leisure of his lonely life by the comfort of Marriage which he now entred into and the greater toil he took on himself in managing all his business and affairs Geo. Fox also after many changes and viciâ—â—itudes having seen various chances and dangers after he had often been Anxious concerning the progress and continuance of his life now not doubting to Consummate and end his Labours in the beginning of Ninety one resign'd up his Life After his Death his Widdow Margaret an old woman of about 76 years who had shar'd with him in the office of preaching wrote thus to a General Meeting of women held at London that same year Most Dear Friends and Sisters in the Lord I Did not scruple to write unto you from the Sense of that which was from the beginning which now is and for ever shall be and that for your great Love and care of me and the half of my self my Husband as long as he labour'd among you for the Lord. Since he 's now entred into Rest and heavenly Glory if we 'll regard what he said while he was alive let 's fix our constant Dependance upon God Neither doubt I if we walk with that Spirit of Life and Strength he had but we shall be preserv'd even unto the end In the mean time growing up and bearing fruit unto the Lord we shall become Trees Justice to the praise and Glory of God Wherefore I do earnestly warn and exhort you to abide constantly in the service of God for ye shall certainly reap the reward of much Consolation in this World and of an eternal Recompence in that which is to come Farewell and joyn with me in praising of God Fox not long before he died by the Interposal of certain Friends and Amanuenses's wrote a large book in English only with reference to what concern'd himself during the time he labour'd among his friends in the Ministry and provided by his latter will it shou'd be carefully Printed and a Coppy of it sent to all the yearly and Quarterly Meetings of his Friends wherever gather'd together throughout the whole World in Remembrance of him and for their particular Advantage The book was publish'd being strengthen'd
duly consider'd finding their obsticy cou'd not otherwise be restrain'd we made a Law according to the Model of that which was settled in England against the Jesuits that such sort of Men shou'd be put to Death The making this Law did not hinder their return and disdainful continuance within our Territories even after the time for their departure was expir'd They were therefore justly thrown into Goal and confessing themselves to be those we had driven from among us before by the Court's order according to the sentence of that Law they forfeited their Life except Mary Dyer to whom at her Sons humble intercession We with an equality of Mercy and Clemency granted the Liberty to be gone from among us within two days which she promis'd to observe The Contemplation of that gradual progress we made in the whole series of that affair will confute all Clamours and Accusations of our cruelty since our own just and necessary defence did not only invite but also injoyn us to show the edge of so sharp a Law to Men of such stiffness and obstinacy which as these Men opposed with Contumacious violence they freely and willingly murder'd themselves It was always our wish that they had not done it and that the supream Law the peoples safety might be kept intire from all danger and detriment Our Antodating their danger that was to ensue and granting of pardon to Mary Dyer are evident Demonstrations that we were more desirous to preserve their lives than take 'em away Moreover tho so great punishment was provided against Quakers by Law especially those who being ejected did return yet there were not a few so rash as to come not only those who had not been here before but also who had been expell'd and banâ—sh'd ready to suffer any torment that cou'd happen yea to welcome death it self tho never so cruel A chief instance of boldness and obstinacy was very Conspicuous in the same Mary Dyer who as it was known tho she was on the Ladder and her neck in the Rope upon the very Borders of her last breath Yet after she had been once expell'd she return'd and yet was dismiss'd on this Condition that she wou'd no more repeat the same crime Notwithstanding all this she return'd once more persisting in the same purpose and mind that she must either have liberty for her self and Companions that Law of ejecting and murdering Quakers being Abrogated to rest in ease safely and quietly or if she cou'd not obtain it she wou'd seal with her Death her constant confidence in her Religion and thereby accuse the wickedness and insatiable cruelty of these Judges and convince them in the presence of all Men to be guilty of doing the highest of Injuries She came therefore undaunted from Rhodes to Boston in the year following which was the 60th the 31 day of the month of May. She was seiz'd and immediately the next day brought before the Judge the Court being throng who having told what charge had been formerly given her as the same time gave sentence of Death that to morrow she shou'd be hang'd by the neck till she dy'd that they might make sure to prevent her return for the future and give her no more occasion to be guilty of the like The next day accordingly she 's taken out of the Town guarded with Souldiers before and behind with their Drums beating round about her she came to the Gibbet with Courage in her Breast and very great Chearfulness in her face from whence she knew she shou'd not return any more having there spoken a great many words that show'd both the greatness of her mind and certain hope she had placed in Heaven she gave up her Spirit and so fell asleep The Quakers that either knew this Woman or had it from others Testimony of her say in her praise that she was a person of no mean Extract and Parentage of an Estate pretty plentiful of a comely Stature and Countenance of a piercing knowledge in many things of a wonderful sweet and pleasant Discourse so sit for great affairs that she wanted nothing that was Manly except only the Name and the Sex William Leadre was another instance of such constancy He being also upon pain of Death ejected and forbidden to see Boston again as I show'd before notwithstanding the year following viz. sixty two return'd thither prepar'd to expect and endure the same that these who had gone before had already suffer'd to offer his Blood for his Religion to those who he knew were thirsty enough to drink it When the report of his arrival was spread abroad and had also reach'd the Ears of the Judges they order'd the Man that thus contemn'd all threats of judicial punishment to be seiz'd and hurried headlong to Goal and all the cold season of the Winter to be kept in great hunger and want fasten'd to a thick and heavy log so that he scarce cou'd move himself out of his place being only as a dead trunk of a Man Having at length consider'd what to do with him they accus'd him heinously for daring to return he answer'd as the cause of expelling him was injust he thought he had just occasion to return They set the danger of his life before him because neither threatnings nor fear cou'd restrain him He answer'd that were he so easily to be frighted he would never have had the boldness again to return Being ask'd at another time if he would go into England he answer'd he had no business there afterward they endeavour'd earnestly to perswade him to renounce his Errors and Conform to the Church of England He reply'd then with greater vehemency that if he own'd his own confession to be false he must deny and reject God himself If he should herd with those of the Church of Englands Communion he must joyn with Notorious Murderers and Cut-Throats They again threatned him with an Infamous Death to which he answer'd he would Everlastingly rejoyce to suffer any thing for his Faith and Religion and that he was not at all afraid of Death so much as of the just Judgment of God yea that he would not decline any sort of Death since the just cause why he suffer'd it was absent and that that punishment they blazon'd with the threatning Colours of Death seem'd to him the way of Life and Eternal felicity so this discourse was not long continued But while they thâ—s lingred doubting what to do and could not come to a certain Conclusion other Quakers to the Number of five who had all been banish'd and prohibited to return upon the same penalty of losing their Life did yet without prudence or fear return Whereof one Wenlock Christyson understanding what they design'd to determine of Leader went straight way to the Court and told 'em that it was his sole errand to come to warn 'em to shed no more Innocent blood But his admonition was no worse rewarded than with a Goal Most of 'em at this time
was about the time that the Persecution against these people began to rage in New-England Another Town in the like Condition belonging indeed to the English but under the Jurisdiction of the Hollandew was Gravesend And there a Noble Lady the. Countess of Mordee who was a Puritan was turn'd Quaker and resided chiefly at this place gave the remaining people of this Society the liberty of Meeting in her house but mannaged it with that prudence and observance of time and place as gave no offence to any stranger or person of another Religion than her own and so she and her people remained free from all Molestation and Disturbance And because we have made mention of this Lady and her Company in this place I 'll relate a memorable story There was the Son of certain English Clergyman arriv'd at years of Discretion and of very honest Conversation Who being often in the house of this Lady and Entertaining her many times with discourses upon Religious Subjects she invites him to come to their Meeting and hear their Preaching at least for once He answer'd her again and again for she was very earnest with him that he should be always very ready to obey her Ladyship in any other thing but in this humbly begg'd her Ladyships excuse This young Gentlewoman continuing obstinate and the Lady by how much more she persisted in the thing by so much the greater was the grief of her Disappointment at last he did that of his own accord which he neither would or could upon her Prayers and Intreaties He fancied to himself one night in his sleep that he heard and saw many things of the Quakers and when he was awaked and thought nothing had put a deceit upon his senses he heard as it were a voice and went and came to a Company of those sort of people of whom he had form'd in his mind so many representations when he was asleep He approving of his Oraculous Dream the day following goes to a Meeting of the Quakers where he was so taken with their Discourses that he was Transported beyond himself And his mind was continually running on going thither again But before he did he Communicates his Intention to several of his Friends who mightily dehorted him therefrom Considering therefore their reasons on the one hand and on the other the Continual Idea of his Night Vision never going out of his mind and that not devised or fancied but real discourse of theirs was always turmoiâ—ing him so that with the horrible Agonies of his mind not knowing which way to turn or what to do he fell into a greivous and dangerous fit of Sickness From which being recover'd he not onely Estranged himself wholly from that sort of People but also imputed what had happen'd to him among that people to the Effects of Incantation and said the Devil wrought amongst them Of the truth of this I have a very worthy Gentleman a witness who is now a faithful Minister of the Word of God in our Countrey to whom the young Man has often related this story Sometimes there has been of these sort of People who before a Magistrate have said they could not say or do any thing with them without their hats on These there was no better way to deal with than by severely reprimanding them and sending them away unheard and soundly rated at There were some women which in the high ways others tho but few who in the middle of the Sermon or Prayers of our people would break out either into an Extempore or Praemiditated Noise or Singing These Women were Commanded or Compelled to go away or carried away and taken into Custody till they were discharged And so if their crime was no greater they were no further punish'd Now to speak a little of the other Plantations of the English Virginia Bermudas c. I have said already in the beginning who they were that first Voyaged hither but who they were that first went to those places I can't so certainly tell It seems George Wilson came to Virginia in the year 56 and there died in Bâ—â—â—s Henry Fell went to Barmudas the same year and not long after return'd again In those parts also the Religion of the Quakers began to appear abroad sensibly and shew its face As for these Men till the year 60 I don't find any punishment inflicted on them only some Fines were laid upon them because they us'd to entertain one another in their houses or refus'd to take an Oath or be uncover'd before a Magistrate or to undertake any Military Services Altho these fines were often so great that even for one default onely the third part or more of their goods were taken away they not having much Money as the generality of them were of the meaner sort of people This I find that in Mariland a province joyning to Virginia this year Thomas Thurston was cast into Prison and the Officer desiring one John Holland to assist him in this business who refusing and saying it was unreasonable Thurston should be us'd so and that he could not assist him in the taking of a Man Prisoner who was his Friend and old Acquaintance to be any ways assistant to the said Office which the Laws of England will no ways excuse not even among those that are of the first Degree and Quality he himself was put in Prison too and afterwards severely whipt Then in the year 60 and that following as the Spirit and Courage of these people began to increase with their Numbers and these Friends to set up their Meetings and at last they went on Cheerfully in their ways then both for the reasons aforesaid And especially on the account of these Meetings they were prosecuted with Imprisonments Whippings Banishments Transportations into wild Woods and Desolate places till at length this excessive severity began to abate and this Sect of People to rest and be confirm'd and that especially by reason of the Kings Interposition and an order sent like that I spake of before to the Governour of New-England Those who are acquainted with that part of America which is under the English Jurisdiction know Pensilvania the Propriety and Government of which vacant by the Death of William Pen from whom the said Countrey takes its Denomination descended to his Son William Penn that famous Patron and Head of the Quakers And he being heir to this Countrey it became as it were the Inheritance and Portion of the Quakers especially since the year 82 at which time Penn going to his Government order'd all things to his own mind and appointed all his Officers and Agents their proper places Omitting therefore to speak of the political Order and Government of this Countrey and its legal Establishment and of the Benefits and Advantages these Quaker-people enjoy both throughout the whole Province and especially in the Town which from their mutual Love to one another they have call'd Philadelphia these people at that time were induc'd with such
imaginable Readiness to comply with the Magistrates desire herein and to render an Account of their Faith and Actions before these men The Quakers made their appearance and stood with their Hats on to plead their own Cause and First the Magistrates began to reprove them not only for refusing to obey their Order but also that they had so far cast of all manner of Obedience to them to whom by the Laws of the City they were subject and the Confession of their Life and Faith they left to them to declare to those who with so much mildness attended their Answer as to these things Then both those Ministers began with a great deal of Modesty and Simplicity to ask them their Opinion of the several chief Heads of Divinity and the Christian Religion and where they Esteem'd them to lye under any Error to instruct them To whom the Quakers opposing their Answers both Parties entered into a Dispute amongst themselves and in the Disputation the Quakers at last grew so far out of patience that they inveighed against the Preachers and Ministers of the Word and term'd their Examination a Spanish-Inquisition and them Hireling Ministers and thereupon cry'd out That they would have nothing to do with them with which immoderation the Magistrate being moved against forbid them to Meet under the same Penalty And tells them withal that if yet they would so do that he would take Order that they should depart the City and his Jurisdiction This was done in full Senate But yet this Threatning was so far from deterring them that presently after in the very same place they held their Meetings again The number of the Quakers was found to be about 10 or at the most not above 12 Families Therefore the Magistrate supposing that so far he might possibly give License to their obstinacy but their Confidence increasing that it would be a troublesome thing always to Contest with People of this sort of Temper and that therefore it would not be Proper to defer the Punishing of them any longer but to Inflict it as far as his Power and the Condition of the City requir'd it so he calls the Quakers afore him again and they continuing still to be in their former tune and Refractory as before by his Edict and Command he orders them within 3 days to depart the City and his whole Jurisdiction and if they would not Obey they were to expect a severe Sentence to be passed upon them and this interdict they despise and again reiterate their Facts and meet together nevertheless This was told again to the Magistrate and the Penalty they had incurr'd was found and read So they together being ten in number both Men and Women as being Disobedient to the Laws of the City were sent aboard a Ship and carried out of the jurisdiction of the City with Charge that they should never in their whole life-time return into the Province again So the Magistrate unwillingly and contrary to his Nature and Custom dealt the more sharply with these Men only to set an example before other stubborn Persons and those that might be ready to do ill Deeds as not unless compell'd we cut of a Limb of the Body least it should infect the rest and bring the whole to Destruction But they being sent away scarce tarried one day before they came back again Then they were all committed to Prison which was a Cellar under the Burgo-master's House and had nothing else allow'd them for Food but only Bread and Water and were denied the priviledge of having their Friends come to see them or bringing any better Provision for their Accommodation But if any of them was not well he had the liberty granted him of going home to his House and there remaining till he was recovered A little while after they were again sent out of the Country all but Haasbaard And though they had undergone so many Hardships yet resolved to lose their very lives rather than give over their Enterprizes they return back again Being provok'd now after the usual manner and as it were made a joke and â—aughing-stock they were clapt into the same Prison again and afterwards transported in a Ship out of the City and all the Province except Haasbaard again upon whom as the Ringleader of the rest the Indignation and Anger of the Magistrates principally fell And the Quakers complained and wrote that some of the Magistrates especially the Consuls they give you both the Deeds and Names of them I only which is enough for my purpose shall take notice of the thing it self at this time were very vehement against their Friends and especially very high in their Words They added also that the Ministers of the Word were also more hard and rigid against them except one of whom they said and wrote that in a publick Sermon he had declaim'd against the Persecution of the Quakers They pass over his Name I shall speak both of the Name and Passage what was told me by Reverend Men who both at this day are Pastors and Elders of the Church of Embden and chief Men in the Ecclesiastical Assembly of that Tract to wit That there was none of the Ministers and Pastors of the Church who besides Refuting the Opinions of the Quakers in Words did any thing more And amongst those Ministers there was then one Herman Holthuse now of Pious Memory of whom I remember that he was a Man both of great strictness as to other things and also as to his Life and Conversation joyned with the highest lenity and goodness towards all other Men who deeply Commiserating the Case and Afflictions of the Quakers thought and said that they were too too severely prosecuted but this in his private Discourses never abroad and in the Pulpit Now an ill Omen follow'd there was an Order issued out to the Chamberlain to confiscate the Goods of the Captives and Exiles When neither Haasbaard nor his Mother being called upon would lay down the Fine his Goods were all Sealed up in the House and he again driven into Exile from whence nevertheless he quickly returns with the fresher and more eager heat because of his loss by Death of the dearer part of himself his Wife and his little Children left behind the Mother now out of her Goods fallen to her paying the Chamberlain the Sum of 200 Imperials The Goods of another a banished Maid were sold by publick Outcry Moreover about the end of the year there was an Order set out That no body should let his House to a Quaker or take any of them for Lodgers Now return back as I said before all the expelled Quakers But all of them are again thrust into the same place and also a Woman with Child but not so near her time as the Quakers thought As also that was too great a glory of Martyrdom which the Quakers told of a certain Quakers Child of 3 years old or scarce so much which upon a disturbance made in the