the certain ruine of his Soul and to the latter a risk of losing his Life but my Fighting is to abstain from all these Quarrels Wars and Arms nay not only to abstain from them but to conquer and subjugate those Passions and Lusts from whence they arise I am a Soldier waging War and fighting but so as to provide for the Peace and Safety of my self of you and all Men both here in this Humane Society and also with God Which Practice would to God both ye and all the World would study to imitate Wherefore I desire of you that ye give me no more trouble of this Nature and that ye be aware of running your selves into a worse condition than ye are in already lest by indulging your selves this liberty of sinning against God the Emperor of the World his wrath be kindled against you and when the time for Vengeance shall come and the Door of Mercy shut up ye perish for ever This Discourse was so far from putting a stop to the fury of his Adversaries that it spurr'd on their fierceness and cruelty the more which they express'd not in Imprisoning him as before but in casting him into a nasty stinking Dungeon digged under Ground where Thieves and Malefactors were kept But after other six Months he got out from thence also And this Affliction did not in the least scare him from prosecuting his Design but he still became bolder and brisker Propagating his Doctrine not only in the Counties of Nottingham Darby and Leicester which were the Theatre and Stage where this great Engine did first appear but through all York-shire Lancaster and the vast Tract of Lands called Westmorland in all which places he unweariedly preached his Doctrine and Discipline being followed by vast numbers of the People This is certain that none of all the Quakers ever preached or discoursed so often and unto so many different Hearers as George Fox and he himself never made so many Discourses as in these places and at this time But because he could not be present every where to speak Face to Face he now began to write Letters to several Societies and likewise to particular Men Instructing and Admonishing them in what he imagined most necessary to be known and practised And to this day are to be seen in many peoples hands whole bundles of Letters wrote by him to the same Persons Though he did not express any great strength of Discourse or Reasoning in these his Letters for that he both wrote such Characters as were not easie to be read and also in so rude and simple a Style sometimes most difficult and intricate that it is a wonder any Man so much exercised in speaking and discoursing should have been the Author of them The first Letter he wrote was in the Year Fifty to his Friends which I shall here insert It was wrote Originally in English and is translated from the Original into Latin which done from the Latin into English again for the Original is not in our hands runs thus The Lord is King over all the Earth wherefore all ye Nations praise and magnifie your King in true Obedience purity of Holiness and Sincerity O! consider in true Obedience how ye should know the Lord with Vnderstanding mark and consider in silence in submission of Mind and ye shall hear the Lord speaking to you in your Minds His Voice is sweet and pleasant His Sheep hear his voice and will give ear to no other And when they hear his voice they rejoyce and obey and also sing for joy O! their hearts are filled with Eternal Triumphs They sing forth and praise the Eternal God in Zion Their Joy shall none take from them Glory be to the Lord for ever G. F. In this same Fiftieth Year Elizabeth Hooton born and living in Nottingham a Woman pretty far advanced in Years was the first of her Sex among the Quakers who attempted to imitate Men and Preach which she now in this Year commenced After her Example many of her Sex had the confidence to undertake the same Office This Woman afterwards went with George Fox into New-England where she wholly devoted her self to this Work and after having suffered many Affronts from that People went into Jamaica and there finished her Life But I return again to Fox While he thus continued so forward and zealous for Preaching his Doctrines his condition was very various strange Events and Accidents falling out of which I think it convenient to give you a short Account It happened in Yorkshire in a Town towards the East Part of it called Beverlar that he went into the Church being mightily mov'd in Spirit where he first kept himself silent till the Minister had finish'd his Sermon then before all the People he thunder'd out his extemporary and reviling Harangues and presently convey'd himself away thus he escaped safe and unpunish'd Some few days after that at Crantsick as the Minister had just read the Text of his ensuing Discourse being a Man of considerable Worth and Fame he fell upon him with a Discourse the only purport of which was to express his contempt of the Dignity Order and Religion of this worthy Divine Which Action might have brought him into extream danger for every body almost accounted it a signal of so great Impudence and Insolence that they thought no Vengeance too great nor no Resentment too high for so villainous and injurious a Crime yet he escap'd unpunish'd But I come to give you a larger Account of a certain Sermon of his Being in Leicester his Native Country he had occasion to Travel in that Country with some of his Friends He spyes from afar a certain Town not knowing which it was but having asked of his Friends comes to understand that it was Lichfield Thither he presently resolves to go and pronounce Curses against all the Citizens high or low or of whatever degree for they were all equally unknown to him While I call to remembrance the Ancient Annals of the British Affairs it comes into my Mind that at this very Town in the time of Dioclesian the Emperour there was a great many Christian Martyrs miserably afflicted and tortured with all manner of exquisite Torments And then in the Reign of Henry the Sixth King of England there was a Battel fought betwixt the King and the Earl of Salisbury near to this place in which great numbers of Men were slain on both sides and the King's Army almost totally routed So that on both these occasions this Ground was covered with the Blood of so many Men. And besides in Fox's own time while that Fatal Civil War was raging in England betwixt the King and the People in the same Fields and this very same Town there was a great deal of Humane Blood shed all which Fox was not ignorant of Thither I say did he presently direct his course and because he did not know the right Road for he had now parted from his Friends being impatient
Life neither do they always avail to the happiness of living for not a few among these Men may be found that have too great a propension to vices of that nature The Masters and Observers of behaviour omitted not to reprove such faults very smartly and some of them who had also committed 'em forbore not to invey sharply against themselves Examples hereof I 'll designedly pass by tho some without Calumny and Reproach I cou'd insert lest they that are concerned may be somewhat displeas'd at the ripping of that which may rub upon themselves Yet one I shall mention which London resounded with lest fame report it otherwise than perhaps it was done There was a very sincere Quaker free from all suspicion of this kind who being scorch'd with the flames of Love that the Charms of his Mistress's face had kindled convers'd with her with too much weakness and frequency but upon Remorse and Knowledge of his Guilt being pierc'd with Shame and Sorrow for his sin he makes a publick Confession of his fault to the Church submitting himself to the Censure and Correction of his friends yea further for deviating from Honesty and Modesty so far that he might not fall into that snare again or for the future repeat the like wickedness with his own hand he Chastises himself by a present cutting off the delinquent Member Tho all this time they enjoy'd so much liberty yet they neither were nor are wholly free from all sort of Commotion and Disturbance Neither when the Oath of fidelity that great invitation to oppression was taken away were other pretences of Oaths wanting that might prove Incitements to bring on Persecution For from that day to this many instances may be seen of these Men whose inheritance for refusing an Oath has been forfeited some having their goods wholly taken from 'em others beside the loss of their goods being cast into Prison And since as yet as well as before the wilfulness of the one party in exacting and of the other in refusing the payment of Tythes is not at all impair'd or abated a time cou'd very seldom be pitch'd on wherein there was none of 'em to be found in Custody That the grudge of ancient and levity of new Enemies are the efficients of this and not the supreme Power and Authority every one will easily own who considers that Kings have many Eyes Ears and Hands but yet must be always long-suffering and patient but not able at all times to effect what they wou'd nor always willing to do what they can and shou'd The End of the Second Book THE General History OF THE QUAKERS BOOK III. The Contents The Quakers going to New England in America The coming of Quaker-Women to New England How they were receiv'd The Laws of the Cities against Quakers The various Persecution of 'em some were whipt some had their Ears cut off others were hang'd A writing of the Magistracy of Boston concerning those that were hang'd Edict of King Charles to his Governours in those Countries to forbear Persecution What happen'd in New Holland Virginia Barmuda's and other places Pensylvania a Countrey for Quakers In it was given liberty to men of all Religions The various and mix'd multitude of men in that Countrey From hence flows a confus'd and various Doctrine and Conversation among the Quakers themselves Hence came that sharp Debate of Keith and his Adherents against their Adversaries chiefly concerning Christ internally and externally and a great confusion and disturbance of affairs thereupon This Disputation awaken'd such Dissention Commotion and Distraction of minds not unlike to a mutiney and Civil War that it was scattered from Pensylvania into England especially London whereas yet it remains to this very day Some of the Quakers took Voyage for the East Indies Others went into Africa The Quakers travelling into Neighboâ—ring and Forreign Countries What was done by them in Holland and Friezeland A short History of the Labadists The Departure and Death of Anna Maria Schurman The Endeavours of some Quakers among men of that Sect. What the Quakers did at Emdin a Town in East Friezeland There at length liberty was offer'd 'em by the chief of the City The Endeavours of Ames and Penn in the Palatinate on the Rhine Fox's Letter to Elizabeth Prineess Palatine and the Princes 's Answer to him Penn's Sermon before that Princess The Quakers Affairs in Alsace and at Gedan Fox's wonderful Letter to the King of Poland The History of the Petists as they call them in Germany The great wanderings of some of them The Excursion of others into Pensylvania the Countrey so fertile of Quakers What Quakers went into France and with what success Who of 'em went iuto Italy What happen'd to Love and Perrot at Rome George Robinson's wonderful Fortune at Jerusalem The Suffering of Two Quaker-women in the Island Melita by reason of the Inquisition The Rarity of Mary Fishers Journey to and Return from the Emperour of the Turks I Have already shewn in the former Books the State of the Quakers from their beginning to this preseut time in Brittain their Mother-Countrey and Nurse I shall now give as short a Narrative as I can of their Affairs also in other Regions In treating hereof some Places in America subjected to the Sway of the English Government especially New England in the North towards the Sea seem first to present themselves to our View Hither many from Old England flying from the Imperious and Cruel Regency of Licentious Kings and Proud Bishops retired and fixed their Residence here Purchasing for themselves a peculiar Inheritance which the Quakers among the first â—ent to hoping therefore among their Friends whom not only one Neighbourhood but also cause of abandoning their Countrey did now conjoyn and unite in one Society they might promote and advance their present Interest and Peace with more liberty and safety than they had in Old England The first that went with that Design to these new uncultivated and Desart Places leaving the Pleasant and Fortunate Island of Brittain being destinâ—d and sent there to bud forth the blooming blossoms of a Religious Spring were John Burniat a man more Famous than Learned call'd out to the Ministry in the Year Fifty Three Robert Hosben Joseph Nicholson and several others of the Masculine Order Ann Austin a Woman stricken in Years Mother of some Children Mary Fisher a Maid whose Intellectual Faculties was greatly adorn'd by the Graviâ—y of her Deportment afterwards married to William Baily a Famous Preacher and others also of the Female Rank This fell out in the Year Fifty Five Of those Burniat survives in our present Memory as yet I suppose a Preacher in Ireland Many of those made their way for Virginia Maryland the Caribes Barmuda's Barbadoes and other adjacent Islands Of these having found little worth our Observation I shall discourse in the last place if Occasion offers But the Women Ann Austin and Mary Fisher travell'd into New England and were shortly
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
was so forcibly incens'd that they could be broken by no Violence or Reproaches thinking then themselves to be truly happy when they were counted worthy to suffer Affliction for their Religion yea Death tho never so Ignominious and Cruel hence it comes that each Sect has its Martyrs This they also ambition'd as a holy sight running to embrace Death as the Crown of their Religion sign of faith Mark of Society witness of Communion Monument of their Name matter of perpetual fame and not only end of this Temporary life but also beginning of that which is Eternal Thus the Senate of Boston after many debates being unwilling to conclude of Leaders affair regarding the Actions not the words of the Criminal at length order'd him to be Indicted of Treason and pronounc'd him a Man whom they Judg'd and Declar'd to deserve to be sever'd from among the Number of the Living which sentence was accordingly executed upon the 14th day of March Then his head was lifted up on high on an unhappy Gibbet and he ended his life without any fear having spoken these words before some friends my God to thee I commend my just Soul After him the Court 's first enquiry was on Wenlock who seem'd to them to have drawn all severity on himself When no body doubted but Wenlock wou'd fall a victim to appease the Judges fury when he came to be tryed he disputed long and the Judges differ'd in their Thoughts and Intentions whereupon Wenlock did so much urge the Equity and Justice of discussing the affair according to the Rules of the English Laws arguing that those Laws were only made against Jesuits and not Quakers who might very justly expect Impunity altho they err'd in the sight of Men The Judges were at length so Inveigl'd and Entangled that they return'd to the old form of proceeding and committed the whole weight of the cause to the Judgment of twelve Sworn Jury-Men But they also having long delay'd Wenlock at length brought him in guilty of Death This was done on the 13th day of the 1st month of the Summer Season but the Execution of the sentence was some days delay'd John Currier an inhabitant of Boston having been whipt through three Towns before return'd by the same places to Boston to his Wife and Children whom he had left there being again whipt about the same round he was detain'd in Prison at Boston where he had resid'd In the opinion of himself and other Men he was to be branded with a burning Iron in the shoulder and there mark'd with the Letter R. to design him according to the English and Roman Laws that which we call a Rogue There were 28 more Prisoners there One of 'em condemn'd for all his life to remain in the Prison where he then was the rest were uncertain what shou'd become of 'em seeing themselves daily detain'd and delay'd As many things unexpected and unlook'd for in the life of Man falls oftner out than when we have hopes and expectations of the matter so while the Judges were so often remiss and the Quakers punishment so frequently delay'd and yet nothing was seen to retard it suddenly and beyond all Expectation it was appointed by the Magistrates Command that a new Law shou'd immediately take place to release Wenlock and the rest of the Prisoners from any punishment they were liable to by the old so that they might when they pleas'd be free'd from the Prison and for that purpose the doors were set open The signal being given they went out without Loitering Only Peter Pearson and Judith Brown were contrary to their hopes detain'd and whipt at a Cart. The cause of so unexpected a change was suppos'd to be the fear of the Magistrates foreseeing that the King and Nobles in Old England wou'd not well resent such Rigour and Cruelty and wou'd therefore take care to prevent it for the future Not long after King Charles being inform'd how the Quakers were treated in new-New-England by Rumors Messengers and their own complaints given in by Petition to the King and Parliament and that not only once but often sent immediately to the Governour of Boston and the rest of the fellow rulers of these Countreys and Colonies a Letter concerning the Imprison'd Quakers giving it to be carried by Sam. Sattoc a Quaker who had been an Inhabitant there but was thence banish'd as I mention'd already and now return'd there in a Ship commanded by one of his own perswasion The Letter was as follows C. R. to his dear and faithful Subjects since we 've Learn'd that many of our Subjects among you call'd Quakers to have been some Imprison'd others kill'd the rest as we 're told remaining fall in danger we thought good to signify our will and pleasure to you concerning that affair for the future Our will is therefore that if there be any Quakers among you whose Death Corporal punishment or Imprisonment you have order'd or may for the future have occasion to determine that you proceed no further in that affair but forthwith send 'em whether they be Condemn'd or bound into our Kingdom of England with an account of their particular Tryals and Faults that they may here be dealt withal according to our Laws and their Merits Herein this letter shall be your warrant Given from our Court at VVhitehall the 10th of Sept. 1661 the 13th year of our Reign By the Kings command William Morris This Epistle of the King so stay'd their Persecution that it was no Crime to be reckon'd a Quaker The Magistracy of Boston fearing the Kings displeasure for what they had done sent three into Old England Temple an Officer a Magistrate and Norton a Minister to acquaint the King with what they had done But Jurisdiction and Judgment was not therefore wholly stopt or taken away But being forbidden to inflict a final severity and punishment they compens'd it by the heavier Temporary torment making some by their Chastisement rather wish to die than endure so great and many Evils so often Tho I cou'd instance many examples of this I 'll only relate one or two partly to avoid Prolixity and partly because by one we may guess of the rest That year Ann Cotton a woman of sixty came with a design to live at Boston but was so far from being admitted that she was thrown into Goal Being at length wearied of her they took her to a Wood and after many wandrings she found occasion to go for England There she obtain'd a pattent from the K. allowing her to reside at Boston She renew'd her Journey and came boldly back to Boston But neither was she then admitted She went therefore to Cambridge where she was thrown into a dark Deu thrice lash'd then carry'd to a Remote and Desolate place where from wild Beasts she might be in daily danger of her life But returning by the same ways she went out she was also whipt as she had been before The following year being scarce expir'd Ann
the same time the Quakers put out a Pamphlet wherein they recounted what every Minister of the Publick Church throughout England had done against every one of their Society how they had handled them with the Name and Sirname of every one of them at what time George Monk General of all the Armies of Britain put an end to this Evil by a Proclamation that none should injure the Quakers provided they demeaned themselves dutifully towards the Common-wealth I have given an Account of the Afflictions and Persecutions of these Men in England and have produced various Instances of every kind concerning their Troubles and now these Quakers shew themselves in Scotland behaving themselves here as in all other places where they came being often-times very vexatious and troublesom in the Publick Meetings and Conversations of Men in the Markets in the Churches and that either before or after or while they were at their Solemn Prayers and Preaching neither did they only confound Speakers and Hearers and made them dissatisfied with their Meeting together or exercise of their Religion but as often as they were taken and did not beg Pardon for the fault committed they were handled in the same manner as they had been in England many of them being Imprisoned some whipped and others banished This was a thing very singular and strange in this Country and among this Nation there was a Law made at Glascow in the General Assembly that no Quaker should be cherished and relieved by any Member of the Reformed Church and that no Person should have any Commerce with them or make use of their Labour and Employ them under the Penalty of being Excommunicated and by this means these wretched People were forced to seek for other though uncertain Abodes or else to perish through extream want Notwithstanding which Law which the Quakers cryed was by no means made with a Christian Temper but was a barbarous Rite and the Effects of Cruelty when their Affairs seemed to have been brought to the utmost danger they did so struggle with these Difficulties that they even increased in Number day by day Neither must we pass over in silence that those two Men John Swinton and David Barclay did at this time go off to the Quakers who because both of them were very Famous and Renowned first among all the Scots and afterwards among the Quakers I cannot pass it over but must here insist a little upon it John Swinton was of a good Family and at first well deserving of the Common-wealth having his Name from the Place whereof he was Lord when King Charles the Second fled from England and was received and crowned by the Scots this Swinton was a Member of the General Assembly then as also of the Parliament and then it was that the said King Solemnly swore he would preserve the Church of Scotland as then established inviolable but when the King afterward changed his Faith and endeavoured to promote the Function and Rule of Bishops and that now both Nations were at deadly and Intestine Wars one with another and that the Members in Parliament took into Deliberation what they should do with the King Swinton said it was his Opinion that they should reject the King's Interest and be at Peace and Amity with the English by which Speech when Swinton found that he had much exasperated the Minds of all of them and being afraid of the Danger withdraws from the Parliament and with all Expedition flies to his Estate in the Country which was not far from the Frontiers of England and cunningly contrives it that he had fallen into the hands of the English Soldiers these carry him to London when the English had overcome the Scots the English Parliament appoint this Man that was so Faithful to their Church and Country together with others to Govern the Affairs of Scotland But while Swinton tarryed at London he contracted Acquaintance and Familiarity with the Quakers and afterward became of their Society When the King was restored and come over Swinton who was then at London though he was not ignorant how angry the King was with him yet he staid there trusting to a good Conscience that he had discharged his Duty to the Publick without any private Enmity against the King There the King Commands him to be seized and carryed into Scotland to the end that he might be put to Death when he was brought before the Parliament and being allowed the freedom to defend himself he did so Plead his own Case and by his Eloquence allay the Anger and Fury of all the Members that they did acquit him from his Capital Crime and only confined him Prisoner to the Castle of Edenburgh where he continued for some Years David Barclay was a Gentleman of Scotland and descended from the Ancient and Illustrious Family of the Barclays of which these Men have not only reported of themselves but it has also been asserted by others that they have not only proceeded from so Noble Great and Ancient a Stock but also that they were a-kin to the Royal Family this same Gentleman using his Nobleness not for a Veil to Sloath and Idleness but as fewel and an incitative to Industry and Vertue after he had from his Childhood given himself up to the Exercise of the Liberal Arts and Sciences and finding that in the doubtful Affairs of his Country he could not find room for his Studies he betook himself to the German Wars and was first a Captain in the Swedish Army and in some time came to be a Colonel but after that the English had enforced their Government in Scotland he returns to his own Country and he is together with Swinton and other Nobles appointed for the Governance of it and is sent for to London that he might be present at the making and establishing of the League between both Kingdoms but in process of time when King Charles was restored he is committed Prisoner to the Castle of Edenburgh to his old Friend Swinton and not long after gave himself over in Company with Swinton to the Sect of the Quakers this David Barclay was the Father of Robert Barclay who if not the only yet was the most memorable of the Latin Writers amongst all the Quakers In Ireland Howgil and Burroughs the fore-runners of this Sect were sent back from Cork into England by the Command of Henry Cromwel who then governed that Kingdom by the Title of Lord-Deputy and when after they were gone Ames took upon him to propagate Quakerism in that City he was also thrown into Prison from whence being afterwards set at Liberty and seeing he could not forbear but must speak openly in the Church against the Preacher he was again clap'd up in the same place from which place when he wrote a Letter to Colonel Henry Ingoldsby who was Governour of that same City and under whom he was a Soldier and endeavoured to make his Defence and procure his Liberty he was indeed brought before him
Divines and not the Quakers alone speak as often as Latin words fail them his Humanity and the Presence or Existence of him as of the Seed and Light and his Manifestation and Operation in Men hitherto either unknown or but very obscurely delivered Barclay betook himself to Write a long time after Keith and at last came out a large Treatise of his written in Latin Entituled Apologia Theologiae vere Christianae Presented to King Charles II. A Book highly praised by those Men and very common among all that are curious of the Writings of those Men of which Book I shall elsewhere more particularly speak so that as the Doctrine and Religion of the Quakers owes its Original and Increase to England so it does its Perfection and Completion to Scotland And now even in this Kingdom of Scotland these Quakers especially Keith had many Contests with the Presbyterians there concerning the causes of their Separation and Secession from those Churches with which they had till this time firmly united and concerning their new Articles of Faith which they were said to have obtruded upon those Old Professors and that by Conferences Disputations and Writings which gave occasion to Keith to write those Books wherein by examining seriously all that was objected against them and often ruminating upon and digesting all that he had before published or spoke he brought forth his Meditations in that Method and Form before spoken of These Men did in the mean time grow here also by degrees more moderate and leave off their rude and audacious ways that had gained them much Hatred and many Evils and so by degrees being accustomed to the sight of their Adversaries they began to live more safely and also to increase in number Their Affairs went on in Ireland but slowly where they who presided as it were over the rest took their advantage in promoting their Doctrine and Religion from the Institutions and Manners of their Friends in England and Scotland And so from this time forward was the Sect of the Quakers brought into form and their Doctrine and Faith consummated to which this may be further added Seeing that a Publick Confession of Faith made by all is a great Bond for the uniting of their Souls together and an apt Symbol of Communion and Fellowship Keith did at a certain time propose this unto them That it would be a most useful thing if such a Book were composed in the Name of all the People called Quakers by worthy and choice Men with clear Words and Sentences which might be an Abridgment and Publick Confession of all their Doctrine and Faith and that the same were Subscribed by all even each one in his particular Church who for the future should be received into the Society of the Quakers and joyn themselves unto them But their Friends were not pleased with this Advice by reason that they thought it to be a thing on the one side that carried in it too much Authority between Equals and on the other side an Obligation of Servitude in a free Affair and that they should be very cautious lest they should be brought under any Inconveniency in that kind for the avoiding of which they had all hitherto gathered together and lived in the greatest Union as they had done in the greatest Freedom imaginable But to return to the beginning of the Reign of King Charles the Second and Record the Facts of these Men and what befel unto them Their Study and Endeavours did indeed appear to comply with the Government of this King as did those of other Sects and Dissenters from the Publick Worship if not from their Judgment yet better by their yielding and giving way and that because of the disposition of the King to be Easie and Indulgent Besides this King himself with all his Followers seemed to have sufferd for so long a time so many and such great Injuries and Calamities and so must be mindful of the Lot and uncertain state of Man that he would at length grant Rest to these Men from the many Troubles which they had been exposed to To this may be added that the King at that time when they were debating in Parliament concerning the Restauration of him he himself being then at Breda in the Court of the Prince of Orange his Nephew by his Sister writes very lovingly and tenderly of his own accord to that Supream Council as also to the City of London That he would give to and preserve the Liberty of Tender Consciences and Opinions in Religion provided it were without endangering the Publick Peace Which thing was again repeated by the King after he was Solemnly established in his Throne Wherefore the Quakers upon the King's Restauration conceived great hopes concerning their Affairs At last when in the beginning of the King's Reign some of the Quakers full of good will towards the King and of a good Opinion of his kindness towards them went to the King and implored his Favour Protection and Help against the Injuries and Cruelty of their Enemies The King grants them all they desired and it 's not to be doubted but that he did it of his own accord for he suffered them at first to live and act according to their own Way and Mode as also to Meet to perform their Religious Worship and so also did he sometime Promise that for the future he would not only not obstruct but also promote their Liberty therefore these Men from the very beginning of the change of the Government did most Industriously proceed in their Affairs and Exercises for the Common Good neither did they do it unknown to their Adversaries but openly and in their sight as it were not by the tacit but express consent and also Command of the King But it will not be long ere all this matter shall fall out much otherwise than this and the Event deceive all the Hope and Opinion of these Men. Yea indeed it so happened as if this Letter the Name Power of the King did not avail for the Liberty and Ease but Ruine of these Men that even from the first Decree of the Parliament concerning the King's Restauration in all that Interval till the King did apply himself to the Administration of the Government they who were the Quakers Adversaries amongst other Pretences which they made use of for to repress and ensnare these Men they turned the Edict Name and Dignity of the King to their Molestation and Destruction Therefore as often as they met together to Celebrate their Worship they were apprehended and carryed away as disturbers of the Peace and though they had not the least Weapon that might give any Offence they were treated as if they had been armed Men and like Enemies and Cut-Throats and stirred up one another and other Peaceable Subjects to Rebellion and to offer Violence to the Common-wealth This I will say to those who do not so well know what the Oath of Fidelity among the English means which they
there among some of their own Friends of their Religion some whereof had been there for Two Years and longer because that they also refused to pay Tythes and to Swear the Jaylor put such thick and heavy Fetters of Iron upon these two Men that their Feet were wounded with them which when they desired might be taken off the Keeper of the Prison demanded Money of them for so doing they did not shew themselves very forward to do that whereupon he thrusts them into a filthy and noisom place where they had nothing either to sit or lie upon besides dirt and so they desire they might have a little Straw allowed them and here the same Mercenary Wretch promised he would give them some if they gave him Four Pounds in Money which when they despised and rejected the Keeper's Wife who was even more wretchedly Covetous than her Husband and far more greedy of Prey as often as she came to them would rail and revile them bitterly pulling and haling of them violently at her pleasure In some time they were both ordered to appear at the Assizes of Oxford where when they were accused of various things and that nothing could be found against them that was worthy of Punishment they were again asked as before to take the Oath of Allegiance which when they now also said they could not do it they are remanded back into the same Prison among the same Thieves and Cut-Throats that were kept there which before it was done Goodrey asked whether the Judges did Command them to be laid in Irons The Chief Judge made Answer That the Keeper of the Prison might do as he pleased because they were Persons out of the King's Protection There does the Keeper put them again amongst those Villains and profligate Wretches and gives those wicked Men leave if they wanted any Cloaths to take off theirs I mean these two Innocent mens Apparel at which one of the vilest amongst the whole Crew made Answer That he had rather go altogether naked than take any thing away from these Men And so it was that while the Law was silent at the Bar of Justice and no Fence against Injuries in Prison and Darkness these wretched Men suffered all Violence and Cruelty These few Instances from among many may serve but because the first Parliament under this King was yet sitting the Quakers supposing the Tribunals to be every where set against them so as that there was no hopes of Justice for them they prefer their Supplications to the King and Parliament as being Supream Magistrates and the Authors and Defenders of Liberty Right and Judgment highly complain of the great and many Injuries Violences and Troubles that they suffered from their own Country-men and Neighbours and implore their Help and Assistance and that they might affect them the more they produce a great Commentary or rather Catalogue in Writing containing how that during the time of the two Cromwels there were no less than Three Thousand One Hundred and Seventy Nine of their Society that had been Imprisoned in England Scotland and Ireland and other Countries beyond the Seas Subject to the King's Dominion and that of them Thirty Two were dead And in the close thereof they add That from the King 's Coming in to the present time there had been and were still kept in Prison Three Hundred and Seventeen of them They name every place of their Imprisonment and give the Names of most of the People and did also set forth the Afflictions that most of them had suffered before for what Causes and what those are also for which they were still Imprisoned they did moreover the next Year Present a Writing to the King and Parliament wherein they set forth that their Number was now so increased who since the King's Return had been thrown into Prison that they were no less than Five Hundred Fifty and Two many of whom had also even before their Imprisonment sustained many Afflictions in their own Congregations and did even now undergo many Miseries in the places where they were detained they did in that Writing confirm the Matter with Examples and Testimonies that the Magistrates themselves in some places came to them and carryed them away that in other places they left them to the management of Soldiers and elsewhere that the Commonalty and Rabble who had neither Fortune nor Good Name set upon them with Swords and Staves haled them away and after many blows threw them into Prison Moreover that many Ministers of Churches in several Countries seeing there were some of the Quakers who had not paid Tythes and refused to pay any that came and took out of their Houses and Fields for these Tythes much more than they ought to have done neither did they afterward restore the Over-plus yea that some of them were so choused of their Money that they had rendred them uncapable of paying any more and needed take no further care of exacting the same from them This Writing which was full of Truth was partly neglected and partly despised both by the King and whole Assembly For which there seems to be more than one cause for when the King who was not yet well confirmed in his Kingdom minded his own and other Publick Affairs he did indeed think that these mens Affairs were not yet seasonable and worthy of his Cognizance and Judgment and had entirely forgot all that he had promised to these Men which they thought they had fixt in his Memory with a Ship-nail But as to the Senate of the Kingdom they did indeed seem not yet to have laid aside their Hatred and Enmity against these Men at leastwise the greatest part of them They acknowledged indeed the freedom of Religion given to them but they thought that under that Pretence and Cloak all wicked and abominable Sects and Opinions would creep in and that this Sect of the Quakers was of that sort moreover although the former Endeavours of the Quakers and their Insolent Attempts and such as seemingly were Turbulent were now over and that no Crime could be laid to their charge that tended to the disturbance of the Publick Peace yet as the good as well as the bad of such as are once envied are always hated and that to those who are afraid even false things are true such an Opinion of them did continue and could not be removed that the Quakers were still Men of the same Spirit and Temper and that all their doings tended to Discords and Disturbances Lastly this Affair of the Quakers seemed to have been so often adjudged and decided by so many Judgments that it were unworthy to be brought upon the Stage again So that these calamitous Men were hereby deprived of the benefit of all Judgment of every Suit and Complaint there being no room left for the same And so those who were imprisoned were like to be so always and kept in greatest want and misery neither had any of them the least hopes of their
to the greatest they seem'd to be harden'd and confirm'd against the greatest punishments whatsoever as if all their misfortunes and disasters had been means rather to excite and encourage their boldness than to enfeeble or repress the same So that now there was no remedy left to restrain them save close imprisonment But because it was difficult and hard to detain them all in perpetual prison It was at last resolv'd that they should not only be banisâ—'d from their houses and livings but from the whole kingdom and commanded to the American Colonies subject to the English where they should be condemn'd to the same service and slavery that the barbarous natives of that Country are who are a people so stiffneck'd and stubborn that neither levity of treatment can break them nor severity of punishment scare from their barbarous customs so that by an inveterate and immoveable despair they break all the bounds of Temperance and Reverence among the Christians Accordingly there were several decrees made in several Courts and Judicatories at one and the same time about the Captive Quakers that is those of them that were refractory and obstinate wheâ— neither imprisonment nor any other manner oâ— punishment could move to desist from their disallowable practices for there were some of 'em that after having been three four or five several times dismiss'd and set at liberty still returned to their former vomit that they should be sever'd from the rest of the English World by being transported to Barbado's and Jamaica where the Garrisons and Forts were strong enough to oppose them and stiffle their designs and where there was no great fear of any danger that could arise from their commotions And that they might be depriv'd of any support or comfort from conjugal love or fellowship they order'd the women and men to be separated and transported to separate Colonies But the term of their banishment did not exceed seven years And this favour was likewise indulg'd them that whoever would pay one hundred pounds English for his offence should redeem himself from being transported But it was never heard that any of them attempted this manner of redemption I shall here mention only two examples the one remarkable for insolence the other for the place and manner of Judgment The first Was in Hereford Town where one and twenty of 'em were kept in Prison of which sixteen were Married Persons and very comfortably match'd to loving consorts because of their frequent meetings and Religious â—â—onventicles who had been before try'd and condemn'd in a Convention of the County and were afterwards sentenc'd to suffer the aforesaid Exportation by a Court held in every respective County The Quakers relate that all things were done very superficially in the latter nothing of tryal being made sure only for fashon sake as if they would not repine or reverse the Sentences formerly cast against them in other Courts or as if the matter had been so plain that there was no further place left for the guilty to put up defences so that all things were ready for passing Sentence The Witnesses that had been Examin'd before depon'd that they saw the Quakers assembled together at that place from whence they were brought to Prison and that in this their assembly they were sitting quiet and mute without any speaker The Quakers made no dispute upon the matter only replied That as they us'd to do at all other times they had then met together not tumultuously nor after any unhandsom manner However this was accounted a Crime sufficient to demerit such a punishment The Quakers say That when the President of the Court Henry Chany was pronouncing Sentence of Transportation against them his Countenance bewray'd great trouble of mind and the words he spoke were very faint and languid as if the Injustice of the Sentence had struck him with fear and confusion This they observ'd and indeed they are men very apt and ready to make their Observations and commemorate the same for infallible Truths However this Judg having pronounced Sentence interrogates them all if they were willing to redeem themselves at the price set allowing them the next night to consider upon it Which night as they write themselves they spent not in consulting one with another what Answer to give but in secure and profound sleep as being conscious to themselves of no evil thing they had done which self conscious innocence devoided them of fear and encourag'd them readily and chearfully to undergo all the Afflictions that might befal them In the Morning being call'd before 〈◊〉 Judicatory to give answer to the question put to them the preceeding day they reply'd to the Judge interrogating them a fresh that they would pay nothing and tho they had a hundred lives they would not redeem them for a hundred pence so far were they from offering or promising so many pounds Some few days after that two Courts were held at London about the same business which may be accounted the Metropolitans of all the others held on this account as London is of that Kingdom The Decisions and Judgments of these Councils were very various as the exit testify'd The Quakers being 〈◊〉 up in Prison for having congregated themselves in publick Crowds and obstinately persisting in the same irregularity were arraign'd before the Court and accus'd of having transgress'd the Laws in meeting and preaching to more than five at a time in contempt of the King and the Laws of the Realm that tho they met together for worshipping God yet their manner of worship was dissonant from the Liturgy and Canons of the Church of England and that tho they design'd to advance mutual concord among themselves by their frequent Conventicles yet they tended to raise discord sedition amongst the People The informers and delaters against them were mostly the Magistrates Servants and Officers or the Keepers of Prisons and suchlike who yet testified nothing against them save that they found them assembled together tho they did not hear any speaking amongst them or that they were deliver'd to them by the Messengers who apprehended 'em or that they saw them brought into Prison Unto which the Quakers reply'd that they did not deny their being together but that they desir'd it might be proved that their Congregating together was upon any such wicked design as to shew contempt of the King and Government which was the crime laid to their Charge and upon which they were then call'd in question They added likewise that they did not deny their meeting together in greater numbers than five which if it was contrary to the King's commands was excusable in them since they were bound to obey the Commands of God and give ear to his voice alone tho Kings and all Men on Earth should Countermand the same And as to the Liturgy of England they reply'd that if it contain'd any thing contrary to the Divine Will it was to be put in the same ballance with the Kings
Laws when of the same strain and so could not be urg'd upon them as a rule to walk by Besides that the Liturgy did not forbid nay commanded to Worship God after the same manner that they did viz. In Spirit and in Truth The Jurymen after having understood the whole matter how it stood did not all so freely tell their minds as they might have done nor were they all equally forward and ready to decide the matter some pleading that it being an intricate case they were doubtful and uncertain how to determine it others refusing positively to Judge of it as being a most important and momentous affair But all the Judges unanimously concentred in this sentence that such Religious Meetings as were not conform to the Modes of the Church of England or exceeded the number of five were unlawful and that these Quakers whatsoever was their design in Meeting be it good oâ— ill had celebrated such unlawful Meetings and persisted to do the same still which they openly and Judicially acknowledged so that no place was left for attenuating the crime or alleviating the punishment wherefore they were all guilty of a Capital crime And whereas some of these Quakers were married others were single persons in some Courts the sentence was that the former should pay a fine of so many pounds or suffer a years Imprisonment and the latter be Transported to the American Islands to do slavery in the English Colonies there In other Courts they were all promiscuously order'd to be Transported Yet so as in some Courts Liberty was given to those that had receiv'd sentence of Banishment in some places to them all but elsewhere only to the Boys and Girls to choose whether they would rather be Transported or stay in England and frequent the publick Churches to hear Sermon which they all unanimously rejected some of 'em returning this answer that they wondred how the Judges should propose such an offer since they all knew very well that if any of the Quakers came that length as to embrace their Proposal it would not be from a sincere love to the Church or their Sermons but through Hypocrisy and Dissimulation which in Religious matters is the most heinous and superlative crime that can be Committed In fine since the Quakers continued so obstinate in rejecting all offers made by the Judges they likewise continued stedfast in ordering their sentence to be put in Execution against them The first Court that took this affair into Cognisance was held about the middle of October William Proctor being chosen president The Jurymen were unwilling and refractory to meddle with it which Created a great deal of trouble to the Judges At this time there were twelve receiv'd sentence of Transportation partly Men of which some very ancient some very young partly women among whom was one Girl under sixteen years of Age. Another Court was held the same very month to which Robert Hide presided Differences arose betwixt the Judges and Jurymen for that the latter were slow and backward to decide the matter At length after they had reason'd and debated among themselves about the nature of the Crime the matter of fact and the tenor of the Law they with one voice gave in this Resolution that these men were guilty of having kept Conventicles but that they could not determine whether they kept such Conventicles as here repugnant to the rites and customs of the Church or what was their intention in so doing By which sentence they thought they freed themselves from any further trouble in the affair But the Judges began to debate with some of them about the Religion of the Quakers and at last to threaten them openly and cited six of the twelve to appear before the King to give an account of what they had done the six were not at all affraid persisting in their opinion in favour of the Quakers which they thought it their duty not to revoke from Upon which the Court was dismiss'd for that occasion and the matter left undecided yet it sate again that same very day but Judge Hide did not sit the Lord Mayor supplying his place and then it was determin'd nemine contra dicente that they were guilty of most heinous Crimes unworthy to live in their Country and therefore to be banish'd to the outmost bounds of the Remorter Earth Among them was a Boy in Coats being so very young who being ask'd if he would not swear that he was not sixteen years old had not the Ripeness enough of Judgment to give a grave and pertinent Answer but reply'd that no Man could Remember the Day of his Birth and that he was not born for nor train'd up in Swearing On this occasion Eighteen were condemn'd to the same punishment of being Transported The next Court was held in December Hide presiding in which without any dissention or variety of Opinions they condemn'd Two and Thirty to be turn'd out of all their Possessions and Enjoyments and banish'd their Countrey One of these Two and Thirty boldly desir'd leave of the Judges to ask One Question which being granted he tells them That they were constituted Judges to resolve him and others about dubious matters which they acknowledg'd to be true Then he asks of them since the cause of his Condemnation was his frequenting the Meetings of the Quakers and absenting from the Publick Churches and since the Commands of God enjoyn'd the former and the Laws of Men constrain'd the latter which would they have him obey or what would they advise him to do The Judges gave no answer either because they durst not answer contrary to their own Consciences or because they would not seem by their Judgment to overturn a Law establish'd and confirm'd by so many Judgments pass'd upon the same Affair Some of these condemn'd both in this and other Courts demanded by their Solicitors as well as themselves to have a Copy of the Judges Sentenco that they might consider it and answer distinctly to each Article of the same but it was denied them lest by protracting and pretending this for an Excuse of further Delay they should seem to elude the Law Wherefore some of them as soon as they open'd their mouths in their own defence were instantly carried away Another Court was held upon this account that same month Judge Hide presiding in which the Judgment was summary and compendious For since the Accused did not deny their congregaâ—ing together the confession of this was accounted an acknowledgment of the Crime and without any further Enquiry or Proof they were forthwith adjudg'd to undergo the same punishment There was a Widow among the rest a Mother of Three Children who while the rest were alledging That they were not found guilty of any Illegality in the manner and design of their assembling for the Act it self they did not deny cry'd out That she was most unjustly accus'd not only of the Crime but of the Fact it self and that it would be a wicked
and scandalous Action to inflict upon her such a Punishment which she never deserv'd fot that she was only standing at the Doors of the House where the Quakers her Friends and Neighbours were assembled and had not yet entred in when the Sergeants and Officers laying violent Hands upon her drew her into the House Upon which one of the Quakers turning himself to the Jurymen for they are upon Oath when they give Judgment and greater caution is to be us'd after the taking of an Oath accosts them thus That they would think upon God the supreme Judge Omnipresent and Omniscient and on Conscience the Judge within them And not imagine to themselves that the times or the necessity of doing so or so would be a solid excuse for 'em or to take Encouragement from any other respect whatsoever Which injected some terror and scruple into their minds some of them answering that things were now come to that length that they could not help what they did At this time they condemn'd twenty to the same punishment Another Court was held in January in which also Judge Hide presided for all this affair was totally devolv'd upon him as being the ablest and expertest of his function in England They condemn'd thirty two after the same manner as the former to be sever'd from their Friends possessions and all Commerce with their native Country by being banish'd into these remoter Plantations In February there ensued two more onely Counsellor Wachlon presiding in the first and Windham in the latter The former condem'd twenty four the latter ten Men and Women both to undergo the above-mention'd proscription There was some among them who alledg'd that at that time when the Conventicle was kept at which they were accus'd and said to have been present they were in places far distant from it but all Defences and Allegations were in vain So that in this one City the Principal of the whole Kingdom so many of this Society as were Charg'd to be seditious wicked and tumultuating were not allowed to breath in their native Air of which they were said to be unworthy and confin'd to these Solitary distant Colonies of the New World to be there hardly us'd and oblig'd to truckle with the native Barbarians to all manner of servile work this being accounted the most effectual way for allaying their fury and quelling the restless Commotions of their Spirits The Quakers relate that in some of these Courts there happen'd a Remarkable instance as at Hereford that while they read over the sentence given against the Quakers they did it with so much Consternation Hesitation and Slowness of Speech that of all the multitude standing by there was none could tell what was read They tell likewise of the first witness or informer against them at these Courts that from that time that he appear'd against them he never enjoy'd either peace of mind or health of body but losing all appetite to meat shortly afterwards pin'd away and Died. All these observables are accounted by the Quakers to be a signification of the Divine wrath against them It being usual for Men when in Adversity to make curious Observations and Reflections upon those things that in Prosperity might have past without being taken notice of which they then interpret favourably for themselves as tending to their comfort and support and signifying the wrath and anger of the Almighty against the Actions of their Adversaries I have not inserted the Names of these persecuted Quakers because it would have been tedious to mention all their Names and also invidious to name some of 'em whether they place their Glory or their shame in this their affliction This severe and intollerable Affliction had that effect upon them As all afflictions have even upon Children the most rude and unskilful of Eloquence that those who formerly were mute and uncapable to say any thing to the purpose in their Defence now became talkaâ—ive and ready in their discourses Insomuch that both the Afflicted themselves and also their Friends and Relations who were touch'd with pity and brotherly Compassion for their hard lot were heard frequently to express themselves after this Manner That it was just for Evil doers to be ill treated But they who offended no Man were injur'd by all that what all other People praise and applaud themselves in was imputed to them as a superlative Crime what they accounted vertuous and worthy of a Reward in themselves they had severely punish'd and persecuted in them viz. Constancy in Religion and Faith This seems say they to be such a Metamorphosis and Renversement of things as cannot but prove matter of Wonder and Astonishment to all good and wise Men that what of old was deem'd for a hainous Crime should now be Crown'd with the Testimony of vertue what of old was branded as Contrary to all Divine and Humane Laws should now be establish'd and enacted in a Law By this Law it is that such Numbers of Mâ—n are accus'd examin'd try'd and condemn'd by Witnesses Jurymen and Judges all fill'd with Passion and Revenge excepting only a few who while they plainly insinuate that such unaccountable procedure is contrary to their mind yet would not openly disclose their thoughts or oppose the rest of their angry and passionate Companions Moderate punishments are moderately endur'd but this of theirs was so intollerable and grievous that is surpassâ—d the tortures of Hangmen insomuch that Death it self even the cruellest would be welcome to them and accounted a favour That what God and Nature had most sweetly and strictly Conjoyn'd and Cemented together could be sever'd and torn asunder without the most ineffable pain of Torment That of this nature were the Enjoyments they were bereav'd of and despair'd ever to Recover That the dearest and most loving Friends were separated from one another cast out and banish'd their Country their Houses Families and the Society of their Friends Relations and Acquaintances Nay the Wives were Ravish'd from their Husbands the Parents from their Children the Infants were snatch'd from the Bosom and Embraces of their Parents and Sucklings pull'd from the Breasts of their Mothers That free Christian Men were reduced to Slavery and Bondage and thrust out among the Barbarous and cruel Indians who were estrang'd from all Religion towards God or Humanity towards Man So that the Common liberty purchas'd with so much labour and pains with the Blood and Lives of our Ancesters and deliver'd to us their posterity as a most precious and invaluable depositum not to be parted with but with the loss of our Lives is now violated and trampl'd under in these very Lands which boast of their happiness in enjoying more freedom and liberty than other Nations And thus it decays a pace lessening by degrees and changing its face every day so that there is just ground to suspect that what now is their lot may afterwards befall the whole Nation and that those who now rejoyce and exult secure of
those who conceal and are asham'd to own their poverty of the Orphans widdows old people the afflicted and miserable and the sick unto whom they are to afford what is necessary for their sustenance and relief for which end the Quakers say they make Contributions of Money putting it into chests and distributing it as they have occasion These Men are also to allot every one their particular offices and functions which they are severally and distinctly to perform Stephen Crisp wrote a monitory Epistle to all Churches concerning these offices which is very well worth any Man's reading All the Quakers when ask'd about these matters do mightily extoll and magnify the diligence liberality and bounty of their Associates one to another However these Elders and the Ministers do frequently convâ—â—n among themselves for deliberating about the affairs of their Sect and the necessities of their Church which Conventions are somewhat like to what the English and Dutch call Presbyteries and Synods and the French Consistories There were of them in Holland who because no Society could be laudable and permanent without Government and Laws propos'd to have an Ecclesiastical senate constituted in every Church consisting of the ancient Elderly Men and such as were married excluding Batchellours who should have the Government lodg'd in their hands and order every thing according to certain Rules and Laws laid down by them But others oppos'd it pretending that it would introduce a new Hierarchy and interrupt their Community and restrain and suppress the gifts of the Spirit They have likewise Meetings like to those we call Classes and provincial and national Synods or Councils These conventions are Celebrated oftner or Seldomer as the number and variety of their Churches is but so as to Allot each Sex Men and Women their distinct and particular Meetings Wherefore if the Churches be more numerous or large the Seniors or Elders with the Ministers meet frequently chiefly on the first days of the weeks and also on other days at which time after having Communicated their thoughts one to another they confer and consult together what is to be every Man's task what part of the charge he is to undertake and what is incumbent upon him to do Other Meetings are appointed every fourth week in which they deliberate of the affairs common to the Church Others every three months in which they consider of their provincial affairs and such as are remitted to them by appeal In these they inspect into and Recognize all Books that are Printed after they have been perus'd and approv'd by the Censors appointed for that purpose The Acts of these assemblies are put into Registers of which some are very curiously and Elegantly done They have Anniversary Synods in every considerable Kingdom to whom belongs the care and administration of all the affairs of that Kingdom In England they have a fix'd Anniversary Synod on the 3d. day of Pentecost according to the English calculation which they pitch'd upon not out of any superstition for they are as averse and estranged from Religious observation of days as any people in the World but that the time might be determin'd and every one have sufficient information of the same This Synod continues sitting for three or four days only unless some extraordinary business be tabled before them which requires much debate and is hard to be decided as it happen'd in the year ninety four in the case of Keith when it fate whole twelve days together Delegates also come to this Synod from the Churches in all other Countries or places where the Quakers obtain any footing but these must be such as are in the Ministry At their first Meeting together liberty is given for all manner of people to come in and be present which time is spent in Preaching Praying and Thanksgiving After which the Delegates retire all into one room They have no president to their Meeting which place they say is supplied by the Holy Ghost but they have a Clerk who marks down every thing that is mov'd before the Assembly It would be tedious and needless here to insert any further account of their Councils for there be stories enough flying about of them only I shall here remark what are the subjects mostly treated of by them when thus solemnly conveen'd They take into consideration all that may pertain to the general good of all the Churches They lay before the whole assembly the State of every particular Church especially if there be any thing memorable or worthy their consideration They make a Catalogue of the sufferers for Religion describing what their sufferings were or for what causes they were inflicted They examine all singular or rare events and accidents They decide all Controversies and Differences They enquire into the Lives and Conversations of their Ministers and check those who perform their tasks negligently or remissly or who through officiousness and impertinency affect to be Ministers of the word forsaking the offices that become them better and are more indispensably requir'd at their hands than this which they usurp to themselves without invitation or call running up and down as invested with this pretended function and turning it to their private lucre and gain They admonish and exhort one another to be careful and diligent in the tasks alloted them and to conform themselves to the dignity and gravity of their respective offices They settle a standard for these things which relate to Domestick cares of Christians in their Families especially to the education of Children endeavouring and exhorting by all means to be aware of these two destructive Evils which are more Consequential than all others viz. Indulging their Children too great liberty and decking and adorning their bodies too gaudily lest by so doing they occasion sin and contract infamy to themselves They take care also for the redemption of Captives and relief of the poor such of them as are known to be well and virtuously dispos'd and consult of many other things for giving mutual assistance to one another When the Synod is dismiss'd all their Acts and Decisions are enregistred by the publick Authority of the Synod which are afterwards copy'd from the Records and Printed in order to be sent to all the Synods of their Associates throughout the World or to any particular Country Associated with them of which Prints I have several Examples by me As not a few before in England so the Quakers did always invey against the Liturgy which was laid aside in Cromwell's a directory being substituted in its place and again restor'd in K. Charles's Reign as stuffed with the fopperies of Popish Darkness superstitious and ill placed Lessons and Prayers Ornaments Dresses bodily Actions and Gestures and many rites of observing holy days These the Quakers did vigorously oppose preferring the simple Exercises in their Meetings When they meet after a long silence and quiet Recollecting of their thoughts they make it their whole care and business earnestly to wait for the
faithful account how the whole matter was manag'd Thus the Quakers were remitted to Goal and more Barbarously treated by the Keepers them formerly there being no Room left for Prayer or price to obtain the least bodily Convenience The Quakers not being fully content to have these affairs known only to those of their own City did in many writings publish and divulge 'em to the Perusal and Remembrance of the rest of the Nation About this time many Quakers at London for not forbearing their publick Meetings and refusing to pay the sines they ow'd on that score were thrown into Prison and forc'd there to remain In the mean time the sharping crew of Informers took away their goods wheresoever they could light on 'em not according to the summ was laid on but as they pleas'd to value them which was at little enough Among the Prisoners there were two Quaker Preachers W. Bringly and Fr. Stamper from the latter was taken 49 lib. ster and more At Wortham in Suffolk Jo. Bishop a Countreyman owed the Parish Minister 8 lib. for two years Tythes which when he did not pay the Minister got out a Judgment for 76 lib. to be Levy'd out of his Horses Sheep Cows and Oxen. While the Kingdom was in this State toss'd with the storms of Persecution and trouble King Cha. II. dyed and Ja. the D. of York succeeded in his stead The 7th of that Name In the year 1685 being install'd into the Throne the first thing he Levelled the force of his desires at was the Introducing and advancing the Popish Religion that he might open the way for and abate the envy of others against it he granted a Common Priviledge to all to exercise their Religion according to their pleasures all being tickled with the specious Allurement that were formerly hated because of their perswasion ran as it were upon the first Allarum to Congratulate by their special and particular Addresses the tenderness of his Majesties grace and favour and throw themselves into his Protection and Patronage The Quakers also all tho less Courtly and more rustick in a certain writing very Civil and Complaisant emitted by the order of a General Meeting gave him thanks and gratefully laid hold of his Benevolence About that time were detain'd in the Prisons of England 1460 Quakers these all by the coming out of the Kings Edict had Liberty to go out and live as they pleased and afterward when 200 and more were thrown into Prison In the year following they had the same impunity and liberty Moreover that the King might avoid all suspicion of severity and attain the Popular praise of Benignity he gave in charge to his Courtiers and Servants that none of 'em should dare to trouble a Quaker tho he stood or pass'd by the King without being discovered Nay more he us'd sometimes to come to them when he knew they desir'd to see and speak with him finding them asham'd or affraid to approach he prevented and Anticipated the subject of their desire A thing seldom to be met with in the Court It was pleasant and facetious when a certain Quaker drew nigh to the King who tho the Quaker was covered yet discovered himself he desir'd the King not to do it but was answer'd wherever there is the person of a King there must of neceâ—â—ty always one be discovered Thus the King was ingraciated into the Quakers favours having extraordinarily kindled their Love and Affection Yet some thought their reason was therefore bestow'd that they might be so wise as to look further then they cou'd see with their Eyes did not prize the Kings bounty and facility so highly putting a great difference betwixt the effect of a free and unbyass'd Inclination and Product of a self-seeking Contrivance and Design and knowing the measure of the Kings endeavour took all his indulgence as an ill Omen and sign of a storm to follow a Clam W. Penn was greatly in favour with the K. the Quakers sole Paâ—ron at Court on whom the hateful Eyes of his Enemies were intent the K. loved him as a singular and intire Friend and imparted to him many of his Secrets and Counsels The K. often honour'd him with his audience in private discoursing with him of various affairs and that not for one but many hours together delaying to hear the best of his peers who at the same time were attending in the presence Chamber or some other nigh by to meet with the King One of 'em being envious and impatient of delay taking it as an affront to see Penn more regarded then he adventur'd to take the freedom to tell the K. that when he met with Penn he regarded not his Nobility The K. made no other Answer then that Penn talk'd Ingeniously and he heard him willingly Penn being so highly favour'd by the K. acquir'd thereby a Number of Friends These also that formerly were e're acquainted with him when they had any thing to be done or desired of the K. came to Courted and Intreated Penn to promote their business by his favour with the K. He was especially thus importun'd by the Quakers Penn refus'd none of his friends any Office he cou'd do for any of 'em with the K. but was principally ready to serve the Quakers especially wherever their Religion was concern'd It 's usually thought when you do me one favour readily you thereby encourage me to expect a second Thus they run to Penn without Intermission as their alone Pillar and Support who always caress'd and received 'em cheerfully and effected their business by his Interest and Eloquence Hence his house and Gates were daily throng'd by a Numerous train of Clients and Suppliants desiring him to present their addresses to his Majesty There were sometimes there 200 and more When the carrying on these affairs required expences at Court for Writings and drawing out of things into Acts Coppyings Fees and other Moneys which are due or at least are usually payed Penn so discreetly managed matters that out of his own which he had in abundance he liberally discharged all emergent expences Tho he did thus yet could he not decline the virulent Lashes of Malicious Tongnes and these of the lower as well as the higher sort which came to his Ears but did not much affect him that he was not so Active in his friends concerns so much from the freedom of a willing Inclination as the Mercenary expectation of profit and advantage that all that confluence of People that Courted him and Industrious Administration of their affairs was not for nothing if it were put to the Test but rewarded with more then what was expended This reproach Penn only repuls'd with some by silence the best avenger of Calumny But with the King who was desirous to know what truth was in it he so cleared and acquitted himself that he judg'd him not only Blameless but them also tardy who had the vanity to think or folly to assert Penn to be guilty of such Malicious
came to the Princess's Court and desired liberty to speak with her she who was full of humanity and gentleness and never disdained any tho never so mean and unequal to her Condition that desired to apply themselves unto her admits and hears them with chearful and favourable Countenance being especially pleased with Isabells Discourse who indeed had a curious voice and a freer way of delivering her self and having heard what they had to say dismist them with a short and pithy answer and having afterward opened and read Fox's Epistle She takes care to deliver unto them her own Letter writ in the Language he had done to wit English that they might give it to Fox which Letter was to this effect Dear Friend I cannot chuse but tenderly Love all those that Love the Lord Jesus Christ and who not only believe in him but also suffer for his Sake wherefore I was mightily pleased with the Letter which you sent me and your Friends that visited me I shall pursue the Advice both of the one and of the other as far as God shall grant me his â—ight and Motion and in the mean time remain Your Loving Friend Elizabeth And about this time William Penn being on his German Expedition together with his other Friends directs his Course to this Princess and that I may not multiply many words Preach'd twice in the Princesses Inner-Chamber there being some few of the Towns-men present concerning the Vanity and Rejection of Earthly Things and the Elevation of the Mind to higher Speculations and did so far prevail by his polite Eloquence and Approbation of the Auditors that the Princess declared that she had been always intent upon the Duty Penn spoke off and did not yet cease to go on the same Work and Duty with which answer those Men departed And because that the attempt of these Quakers in their Opinions had hitherto met with no bad success in this part of Germany the same Men egg'd on with the same hope go into Holsatia and the parts adjacent There were yet in these parts amongst the Mennonites or Anabaptists who were few a small number still remaining and lurking here of those Sectaries wherewith Germany in the preceeding Age had been plagued being those who sprung up from the School or rather Stall and Hog-sty of David George not from the Family of Love as they called it and such scum and off-scourings as these and who still retained their foolish and vain Imaginations and according to their vain and vile Inventions and Examples united together and entred into a Fraternity more feignedly then truly and really Now these itinerant Quakers found some of these Men at Hamburg which is the most famous City of Holsatia as also at Fredricburg a place upon the Eyder and frequented and partly inhabited by the Arminians and Remonstrants of our Country who looking upon these Men to come up very near to their Opinions Tenets and Ways and so begin of their own accord prepared and fitted thereunto they did easily fall in with them though there were also some that were not of this Sect but intensly addicted to the Mennonites who now associated together and applied themselves with all their might and main to maintain the Assertors of the Quaker's Doctrines All these that lurked among the Anabaptist and even others also tho' they were like unto them and followed their ways still in many things were always suffered upon the account of their Ignorance and supposed Innocence to live quietly untill that about two years before the Mayor of the City of Fredricburg then newly created and that he himself might do somewhat new and make himself to be taken notice of began to disturb the Peace of these Quakers that had hitherto been left alone and to create them some Molestation and Trouble Which when the Remonstrants of Amsterdam came to understand and particularly Ph. Limburg their Pastor and worthy Professor and being careful of the Safety of those Men and concerned to maintain the esteem of their own Religion urge least that now all Men both good and bad should say they were become other sort of Persons and cruel whom most Men looked upon always remote from all manner of Persecution that they should Revoke their Proceedings against those Men and intercede for the continuation of their Liberty that had been hitherto unviolable and entirely respite them and cease their Persecution Fox Travels from Holland through the Countries of Friesland and Aldenburg to go to these Men taking more Consolation with his Friends than doing any good to others Those fame Itinerants and Emissaries of whom I have made mention before went forwards and came to Regal Prussia as far as the Baltick Sea where at Dantzick a very few also of the remainder of those old Fanaticks and of the Mennonites Men who could discern little what belonged to Religion or was to be pursued therein and poor who could scarce by their daily and hard labour get daily sustenance applied themselves to them and fell in with their Doctrine and Counsels These Men from this time forwards have been continually harrassed by the Lutherans in whose Hands the Supream Power and Magistracy is and heavily Fined and Imprisoned Wherefore G. Fox did upon their behalf as being his Friends Brethren and Equals in the year 1677 send a Letter to John III. King of Poland and intercedes with him thereby for a Tolleration for them concerning which Epistle which Fox took care should be published in his long Diary after his Death this is worthy to be noted That at first it was written in England in the English Tongue then sent into Holland and there Translated into the German Language and lastly sent from thence and delivered to the King The substance whereof was this That it was a most equitable and righteous thing that all Kings Princes and Magistrates should grant Liberty of Conscience to all their Subjects and by no means disturb nor obstruct their Assemblies and Divine Exercises He set forth that this was the judgment of the Fathers and ancient Doctors of the Church as also the modern ones and even the Learned Men of the present time we live in And that many Kings and Princes had Indulged this Grace and Favour to their People and for that reason were highly worthy of Praise and were really extolled by worthy honest and wise Men He also collected and pick'd out several Sayings and Sentences turned out of Greek Latin French and other Languages as also Examples and Precepts found in Histories to press this matter more upon him But this Epistle was so written that it look'd and represented not the Work and Sentiment only of one single Person but of many and seemed to take in the Complicated Sence and Advice of the whole Society of the Quakers Yet this Letter had the name of George Fox only subscribed to it and that without any other Mark and Designation of Persons or Authority so that Fox though a most-illiterate
perhaps destruction The same year did William Cotton go to Calaiâ— a City on the Sea-coast of France six miles distant from Dunkirk with the same design as the other two had before-mentioned but not so skilful in the Language of the Country where entring into the great Church and viewing all things frowningly but holding his Peace he said at last that he was a sort of a new Guest and when after some time he was known to be an English-man he was led to the House of a certain Noble Scotch-man and being asked what he was he did not deny but that he was so and so There when the foresaid Scotch-man made himself to be his Interpreter to the People Cotten speaks a few words concerning the Idolatry and Corrupt Manners of the People which when he had done and that they contrived to do him an Injury he no sooner came to hear of it but bethinking himself he ought to take heed and to reserve his life for another necessity of dying as his Friends before had done he suddenly and without any manner of delay that he might disappoint the Consultations and Contrivances of his Enemies flies and makes the best of his way back again into England George Ball was the only person that penetrared into France and so that he never returned thence again and so it 's uncertain and unknown what he did or what became of him The Quakers think he perished somewhere in Prison None other after thesemen went on this design into France St. Crisp tryed this Experiment in that horrid and more than barbarous Persecution of the whole Reformed Churches in that Kingdom and in the dispersion of so many Thousands of men through other Reformed Countries of which we have not yet seen an end that he wrote a book and took care to send and deliver it to those men to try whether he could aâ—â—ect some of them so as to entertain a good Opinion of the Quakers Religion and joyn themselves to their Sect. It 's not to be doubted but that Book had its first beginning from Crisp but because it was written in French as it was to the French and that Crisp was ignorant of that Language or not well skilled therein itâ—s certain it was Translated and believed to have been much increased and published bâ— another hand And it 's no crime to think seeing the Style is so like unto that way of wâ—iâ—ing used by Peâ—n who is still the choicest Writer amongst the Quakers that he was that same Artificer It contains in it nothing concerning Religion It only puts those French in mind to consider with themselves wherefore God suffered such Calamities to befal them whether they were not the Consequent of their Soft and Depraved Education and Love to Earthly things and blind Obedience towards those to whose care they commited the Direction of their Consciences then that they should weigh what Good what Progress in Sanctity of Life those Calamities wrought in them which they endured with so much Lamentation Lastly That not contenting themselves with that Reformation which hitherto was instituted amongst them they should go on and do their endeavour to Finish and Consummate this begun Work But the Book was writ both in Respect to the Sentences Phrases and words very different from the English Mode and not only from that of the Quakers and to Conform to the Method and way of Writing in the French Tongue at this day when that Language is Arrived to its highest Maturity that there could be nothing in my Judgment writ more neatly and more congruous to the Genius and Temper of those People This Book the Quakers distributed gratis every where through the Countries where those French Refugees had Fled and in some places as the People were coming out of their Churches But there was not one found that we have heard of or came to understand that was induced by this Book to fall in with the Quakers Hester Bidley relates this Passage to have happened to her self a little before this time which every one is at liberty to believe as he pleases She went to the late Q. of England of happy memory and complains to her That it was very great grief of Heart to her as she was a Woman and a Christian that so great and tedious a War was waged between Christians and such great Calamities and Slaughters of Men which happened every day pierced her Heart and therefore she Exhorted the Queen to endeavour at least to bend her study this way for to end this War that Peace may be made and so gain great respect and affection from all The Queen who was of a most free and good Temper having given her her Answer she further desires That the Queen would grant her leave to go over into France saying she would advise and speak to the French King about the same affair and would have a Letter from the Queen to the same effect This the Queen refused and diswades her from the said enterprise urging that such a Journey and Business would be very difficult and dangerous yet for all this the woman through her importunity and earnest sollicitation got a pass from the said Queen's Secretary and seeing that a short space of time is tedious to a longing person she forthwith sets out and after various traverses comes into France and goes to Versailles and there coming to know that the late King of England was there she at first applies her self unto him as to one to whom he had been some years before known upon the like occasion and delivers unto him the Letter written by her to the French King the substance whereof was this That she being stirred by God the Supreme King of all that Illuminates this World pray'd the King to make his Peace with God and with the Nations he was at War with and put a stop to such an over-flowing and Rivulet of Blood that was shed King James having seen the Epistle sends the Woman to the Duke of Orleance to whom when she had come she delivered the Letter and said withal that she must speak with the King the Duke agrees to deliver the Letter but said she must not speak with the King whereupon the Woman full of Grief and Lamentation and with shedding many Tears did at last break forth into these words Am I permitted to speak with the King of Kings anâ— may not I speak with Man Should I tell this to our People in England they would believe what they are all of them already perswaded of that the King of France is so high and proud that none can speak with him Which passage when the King came to understand he in about three days after grants her liberty to come to his Presence the Room was full of Princes and Princesses Prelates and great Men the King Enters the same and having seen the Woman speaks to her with his Hat under his Arm whereupon she asked whether he was the King the King
answers yes Then said she What is the meaning that the King is bare it 's not the fashion of the Kings of England Upon this the King puts on his Hat so the Woman run over briefly what she had before written in the Letter in the King's Presence to whom the King with a Kingly Gravity and Brevity replyed But Woman I desire Peace and seek Peace and would have Peace and tell the Prince of Orange so So in envy and spight do they in France call William King of great Brittain to this very time wherein now for fear they begin to acknowledg and own his Regal Majesty in their pompous words and names this K. I say a K. so constituted according to all Divine and Human Laws that if any one would decipher a Lawful and Just K. he can do it no better than by defining of it under the name of this when as at the same time that name of Prince of Orange has been throughout this Age and before throughout the World as Glorions and Venerable as that of King and as much feared by Enemies At these words the K. went his ways and so did the Woman likewise and having got Passes from the King goes to Holland and from thence returns for England having with all her endeavours effected nothing and so far is the Woman's Account of her self whom the Quakers think ought not to be mistrusted herein because related by her self of whose Sinceriry and Honesty they make no manner of of doubt but others think it a thing more to be heeded because the Woman did shew the Letters delivered to her before the one signed by the Queen's Secretary and the other by the King's Command and with his own Hand Strange are the things which these Men relate and some Write concerning the Travels of Samuel Fisher John Stubbs John Perrot and John Love Ministers of their Church into Italy and from thence to Ionia the Lesser Asia and Smyrna as also of others and of some Womens Journeys into those remote parts as I know not through what difficult places and what great pains they took for the propagation of their Religion and how many Expeditions they went upon as if they would view and enlighten throughly all those Countries and Nations I shall only persue these Men's Relations as they refer to that same expedition of mine formerly from Italy into Ionia and what is worth Remembrance shall be taken notice of briefly and so calling to remembrance my former Journey and that same City I mean Smyrna I lived for some time in my younger days and was Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord for so pleasant and delightful are our past Labours and the most pleasant thing most unpleasant if we may not some times speak of it or at least remember it Those four Men which we have already named arrived in Italy by Sea and came ashore at the Port of Leghorne as 't is now called but formerly Portus Herculeus c. There they delivered some of their Pamphlets to the Governor who delivered the same to the Inquisitors and Censors of Matters that appertain to Religion who when they found nothing in them that belonged to the Popish Religion and that they had done nothing for which by right they ought to be dissatisfied with them they dismiss them They go forwards and get to Venice and there offer their Pamphlets to the Doge who holds the Chief Dignity in thâ— Republick and from thence without stop go to Rome the compendium of the whole Papacy and there see slightly and hastily the vast heap and mass of so many things that are to be seen in that place and having viewed them leave them as an evil Omen and return without any delay to Venice from whence they came Then Perrote and Love take Shipping at this place and go for Smirna touching all the way no Land no Port nor so much as any Shore where when they were arrived because they had an intention to go for Constantinople when the English Consul came to hear of it and had wisely considered the Life and rough Demeanours of those Men who knew not how to forbear and to serve the times and so fearing least they should act somewhat rashly towards the Emperor that might tend not only to their own Inconveniency but to the Disadvantage of the English Nation he sends them against their Wills back again into Italy And so when they arrived there they returned to Rome while they were at Rome Love and Perrote being Men not able to hide their Disposition and moderate the same for some time and in the place they were and to the Men they came amongst and not willing to dissemble and form Lies when by this their Carriage they came to be known what they were and what their Design was they are by the Inquisitors thrown into Prison Love died under his Confinement as some Monks declared by Starving himself to Death but as afterwards some of the Nuns reported so hard a thing it is to keep a secret most difficult when once blabbed out to suppress for the more 't is concealed the more it 's discovered he was Murdered in the night Perrote continued some time in Prison and was afterwards set at liberty About the occasion of which Enlargement there was at first various Opinions but afterwards there was no vain Suspicion that he being shut up in this place chose rather to go backward than forward in his Work seeing that after his return into England he forsook the Quakers and set himself directly against them drawing others also off along with him and engaging of them to embrace his new Opinions and Precepts The other two being struck with fear fled away And here I shall subjoin the Example of a London Youth one George Robinson by name He when he had sailed from England in a Merchant Ship to the end of the Mediterranean and arrived at Scanderoon and from thence as 't is the way of many that Travel those parts as being a shorter and easier way continued his Journey towards the place which they call Jerusalem with a design to see if he could behold or effect any thing there that might be advantageous to his Religion Here he many ways discovered himself to be a Quaker the which when it came to the Monks and Popish Priests Ears they in their Monastery which is as it were the Store-House and Treasury of all manner of Villany take Counsel together whereby to bring him to such a danger from which there should be no escape and so put this villanous trick upon him There was such a Law among the Turks formerly tho' not many years past made That if any Christian enter into any of their Churches he is put to Death unless he redeem his Life with the change of his Religion which Law was made not by the invention of the Turks themselves but by the instinct of Ambassadors and European Consuls on those Coasts who