I told Robert Barwicke if he had been upon Earth when Christ told the Jews They were of their Father the Devil he would have sent him to Prison Therefore all you who own this to be of God be not hasty to speak or act thus because it is agreeable to Scripture for a bare literal Imitation will not carry forth in time of Trouble neither will you find benefit by it For it is only the Spirit of Truth that gives righteous Judgment wait for the movings thereof And on the contrary you that talk of the Scriptures Fear to speak evil of those who are brought into the Life and Practice of them as the Holy Men of God witnessed lest the Scriptures condemn you This I was moved to write to fore-warn all of Extreams And now further top declare how I was dealt with at that place called Sessions Robert Barwicke declared Lawyer-like That he could do no otherwise with me than he had done seeing he had never seen my Face before To which I answered I had been with him upon Occasions and often I had seen him and he me Then he said I might not affront him I answered I might not suffer him to Lie but tell him of it Then after saying what he could against me he at down saying That he being concerned in the business would leave it to them others called Justices who asked me Whether I would submit or Traverse I answered In the Will of God I was and what he suffered them to do with me they might Then one of them asked me What Call or Occasion I had to that place I answered The same the Prophet Amos had to go into the King's Chappel to cry against the Altar in Bethel and Paul into the Synagogues as his manner was Acts 17.16 Robert Barwicke hearing this rose up in great Rage not heeding what he had said That he would leave it to them and begun to speak his Imaginations Priest-like wherein was no Truth and to say that he perceived and thought it was my Practice to disturb their Ministers as he called them and proceeded further using these Speeches Sirrah Sirrah Then I bid him see if these words did not come from an envious spirit But he went on with Threats that if I did so any more he would send me to the House of Correction and have me soundly Whipp'd whereupon these words were spoken O Tyranny Then he begun to take witness that I called him a Tyrant but they could not agree and so left it For one of them called a Justice said I said O Tyranny Then they asked me again whether I would submit or Traverse I answered them as before Then they concluded that they should get no other answer Then I asked them What Law I had broken And said If I had broken a Law they might lay the Penalty upon me But they would not shew me any Law that I had broken Then I asked them If the Prophets were Railers But they said that they might not discourse with me Then they caused me to be taken away And thus were they suffered to act And this is their time wherein they rule over others to their own hurt Herein they were seen and taken notice of by many both Officers Soldiers and others the Event I leave unto Him in whose Power I am who is present The next Day he who had the Charge of me brought to me two Papers called Mittimus's whereby I was by the Court ordered back again Prisoner to York Castle where I am in their Bonds but at Liberty in the Spirit of the Lord Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 This is witnessed Praises to the Lord God Almighty for evermore And all you who are guided by the Spirit of the Lord with whom I am one Praise the Lord with me who am a Well-wisher to the Souls of all Known by the Name of Roger Hebden A Warning from the Lord to Magistrates AWake awake look about you see what you are a doing You that profess your selves to be Christian Magistrates What are you doing with Christ's Appearance Do you not cast such into Prison who are brought into the Life and Practice of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles If you say They will not be subject to Authority but act contrary to Law So said the Jews of Christ We have a Law said they and by our Law he ought to dye But Pilate knew that it was out of Envy that the Jews did it What think ye was he clear of his Blood although he took Water and washed his Hands and said He was Innocent To that which is Pure of God in every one of your Consciences I leave it to judge you who am a Lover of Souls and a Lover of Justice It is not my desire nor the desire of any other that fears God that Sin should be unpunished when it is brought forth That is your Place and that is your Duty use the Sword put into your Hand for that end and the Blessing of God will accompany you But take heed lest you in your Wills or out of Zeal to prevent Sin do put in Practice those Laws whereby the Innocent are brought to suffer and so you come to be Actors of Sin instead of preventing it This I was moved to write to put you to a Search in your Selves to see how your Profession and Practice does agree and herein to you I have cleared my Conscience who am a Friend to Truth and a Witness against Deceit For which I am now Prisoner in York Castle known by the Name of Roger Hebden Copies of this was sent to those called Justices at several Sessions in Yorkshire and the City of York about the 16th of the 11th Month 1654. A Letter written to Friends in the Truth after I came to Prison before I was had to the Sessions at Wetherby This was to Friends in the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire before the 16th Day of the 11th Month 1654. from York-Castle O my dear Hearts THE Remembrance of you is precious my Bowels are even sweetly refreshed therewith even by every of you that are Faithful to the Lord in obeying the Measure of Grace received God Almighty bless you preserve you and increase the Knowldge of himself in every of you to his Praise and Glory who alone is worthy for ever and ever And all of you as Members one of another be faithful in your places watching one over another in Simplicity of Heart with a single Eye and in Love to re-call those that go astray from the Simplicity from that Spirit of Truth in them which ought to guide So the Simple will be delivered out of the Snare of the Crafty and so you will be altogether in the Unity serving God in Spirit which is the Service well-pleasing to him wherein you will come to witness the Rejoycing and Abiding therein the continuance of that Love which cannot be expressed In which Love I salute
declared as I have received where they are to wait even within to hear That of God even his Word which is nigh them even in their Mouths and in their Hearts as in Deut. 30. Rom. 10. speaking unto them and so come to know something of him near them even what is to be known of him Rom. 1.19 Seeking him where they may haply feel after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us as in Acts 17.27 Which being known and obeyed will bring into the true Fear of him which must be before he can be served or worshipped who is a Spirit and is worshipped in Spirit and Truth which is witnessed as in Scripture declared John 4.24 And although it be so now with me and such like as it was with those which did Tremble at the Word of the Lord Isa 66.5 That this Generation doth cast Reproach upon and say That we deny the Ordinances of Jesus Christ and for a pretence say Let the Lord be glorified as they did But the Lord hath already arisen to our Joy who have been made to Tremble at his Word and his Commands obey And your Shame will follow when the Lord lays open your Nakedness to all the World as he hath done to me which hasteth greatly Praises Eternal be unto Him alone who hath let me see by the Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightned me who is the true Light which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World John 1.9 That divers of your Observations in your pretended Worship of God are not the real Ordinances of Jesus Christ but the Inventions of Man for which you have no Command from Christ nor Example in Scripture as they are used by you And naming thee and thy practice as is hereafter written it came to me for to send thee in Writing what was written of thee before it went forth unto any other With a Warning therein written unto thee and the rest of thy Brethren Priests who live in these Practices hereafter mentioned who take Tithes as the Priests did who were of Levi but the Stranger the Fatherless and the Widdow have no liberty for to eat thereof with you and to be satisfied therewith as it was required Deut. 14.29 And your Store-house that you instead of keeping for them is for your own particular Prosit and not to receive them into for to distribute forth as the Lord required And so as you own Tithes take the Name of Priests who were of Levi and do as they did and never make mention of the Name of Christ who was of another Tribe to wit of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing of Priesthood Heb. 7. 13 14. Neither did Christ ever that we read of in Scripture speak any thing concerning this being continued for to be his Ministers Wages But if any say When were they taken away I answer The Apostle saith That the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change of the Law Heb. 7.12 And none will say but that Law which made the Priests gave the Tithes and so must end together by right For Christ's Ministers were not for to stand and for to condition with People for any such Wages but as they had freely received so freely give Mat. 10.8 And into whatsoever House or City they did enter if they were received there to remain Eating and Drinking such things as they had given them and this was the Hire he appoints his Luke 10.7 But thou and such like will either see or hear from Man what you may have before you will sit down with a People and so plainly shew that you dare not trust but live by Sense and not by Faith in the Son of God And as you are ordained and ordered by Man to your Places and your Wages of Man's setting down and the Will of Man only to be seen in all these things so never profess your selves to be more than Ministers made by Worldly Men and for Worldly Ends and then poor Ignorant People may know you as you are who have long been deceived by you looking upon you to be Ministers of Christ or else prove that it is otherwise But it was not so with the Apostle He was not of Man Gal. 1.1 neither by Man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the Dead and such an one I own and all others who walk contrary I testifie against as Deceivers of the People And now for to write unto thee at present in short thus Concerning those things which you use and call some of them Ordinances of Christ which I say he did not Ordian And prove that he did if thou canst by plain Scripture and let me hear it in Writing and do not Back-bite that is a work of Dark-ness and condemned with the Light that comes from Christ jesus Therefore do to me as thou wouldst be dealt withal And what is said of thee and thy Brethren do not call it Railing for it is no harsher than Christ's telling the Jews That they were of their Father the Devil although they pretended to be of Abraham yet the Fruits which proceeded from their Lusts made them manifest as yours also do to be as he said John 8.44 And as to your Practice this I say That when Christ Jesus was upon Earth whom in Words some of you pretend to be Followers of when he told his Disciples what they must do to come after him he did not tell them That they must Sing David's Words either themselves or others not being Witnesses of his Conditions Or Sprinkle little Children or Infants with Water Or take a Text or Place of Scripture another's Condition and add to it their own Inventions But these things said he unto them Whosoever will come after me must deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me Luke 9.23 A Letter written to Friends in the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire to be read at their settled Meetings ALL Friends In the Measure that you have received of the Spirit of God dwell and wait for increase from him and do not fear Want not do you distrust the Love of God but there wait upon him in the Obedience to his Will made manifest being content with what is made known by him That Mind in you that would know more than he gives you to know is proud and is not willing to do what is made known Therefore take heed of that which would be high that is not of God It 's the Lowly that the Lord loves and he will give more Grace to the Humble but he resists the Proud and the Rich and Full must be sent empty away So all of you I exhort to dwell low at the Feet of Jesus wait for to hear his Word every one at the least Appearance of his Light and Grace which is pure in you bend down in Obedience and herein only do you Worship God who is a Spirit and is Worshipped in the
A Plain ACCOUNT Of Certain Christian Experiences Labours Services and Sufferings OF THAT Ancient Servant and Mininister of Christ Roger Hebden DECEASED Containing both Warning Consolation and Instruction in Righteousness They who are faithful unto Death shall receive a Crown of Life London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle in 〈◊〉 Hart-Court in Gracious-street 1700. The Author's Introduction SOmething in this Book is writen relating to my coming to Understand the Way of God and how I walked therein with Passages concerning my Imprisonment and Letters unto Friends and others With some Passages relating my Exercise for several Years of my Life-time with several other Passages therein written according to the Times and as there was a Service then seen The Author's Introduction With Directions therein for all that know not God how they may come for to Know Fear Serve and Worship Him in Love the Way is declared agreeable to the Scriptures of Truth and according to the Measure of Knowledge then communicated to Roger Hebden A Plain Account OF THE Christian Experiences c. OF Roger Hebden IN or about the â—â—st Month of the Year 1651 and in the Thirty First Year of my Life I Roger Hebden Son of John Hebden late of Appleton in the Street then using the Calling of a Woollen Draper and Dwelling in New Malton The Lord God of Heaven and Earth whose Love hath been to Mankind manifest in all Ages and to all Generations of Men upon the Face of the Earth about that time did manifest himself more fully than to many Ages and Generations in sending forth his Servants who in his infinite Love he had given to know his Kindness to them in placing a Witness for himself in them to lead and command them as Isaiah 55.4 And altho' this kindness of the great God the Author of the Good of all Mankind I was made partaker of with others and at sundry times had felt his Witness at work in me even when I was but Young even about the Age of Eleven or Twelve Years and at several times in my Life-time after bearing Testimony against the Evil of my Doings and condemned me for the sames yet I knew not that this was of God neither did I understand that this was given to Lead and Command me and so when I did such things as I knew to be evil was condemned in my self not knowing who it was that Condemned me as John 1.5 3.19 But the Lord God in his infinite Love towards me appeared in sending a faithful Servant of his named George Fox whom he had given to know the way of God and to direct others to know the same by his Power speaking thorow him made him serviceable to inform me and bring me to the knowledge of that Light and Grace of God within me which when I heard of it there was raised a Witness that I had felt such a thing divers times and coming to understand who it was that I had resisted and pierced it wounded me deeply and after I came to see what had been the cause of my Trouble avoiding it I had Peace as is in this Book mentioned And the Lord going on with his Work in me about six Months after poured forth his Spirit of Prayer and Prophesie upon me Thus I came to be made a Minister of Christ whom I Preach and in obedience to the same Spirit being led into the World's Assemblies occasioned my being cast into Prison Here followeth the cause why I was and am Imprisoned not being ashamed of my Bonds Unto Friends and to the World I do declare as followeth I Being led by the Movings of the Spirit of the Lord in me to be near Tadcaster amongst Friends of Truth who Worship God in Spirit The 17th Day of the 10th Month 1654. I came to a House in Newton being accompanied with divers other Friends where the People of God were met together to wait upon God whilst I there waited I was stirred in Spirit to go to the World's People's Meeting-Place in that Town where they Worship an unknown God as Paul was whilst he waited at Athens Acts. 17.16 And for speaking such words there as are hereafter expressed was I by Robert Barwicke called Justice sent Prisoner to York-Castle and kept Prisoner from the time afore-mentioned until the 16th day of the 11th Month following at which time in Weatherby at the Sessions I being called an Indictment as they call it was read wherein the Jury for him called Lord Protector did upon their Oaths present that I Wilfully and Maliciously with such like words which they use in their Form at such a time came to such a place By which Form and through Ignorance the Jurors whom I pity are led as out of the Doctrine of Christ in Swearing so into the Work of the Devil to tell Lyes as I told them then There was nothing of my Will in going thither which was and is my present Comfort The thing they charged me withal was the same in the Mittimus namely That I uttered unto Master Clapham as they called him many Railing and Reviling Speeches as Thou art a Hirelings a dumb Dog c. and the like only that whereas Robert Barwicke called Justice said in that Paper called the Mittimus that I spoke these words to him Before he came forth of the Pulpit therein being taxed to be a Lyar These words before-mentioned to wit Before he came out of the Pulpit were left out of the Indictment Therein Deceit was manifest although he had given it under his Hand and Seal in the Mittimus That all that was there written was done in his presence and hearing Now Friends to You and to the World a few words As concerning what is here Charged upon me before any of these words were spoken to him he proved himself and was seen to be what was said of him and to him for before I spoke one word to him he spoke to me after he was come forth of the Pulpit Then I asked him this Question By what Authority dost thou speak He could not answer thereunto And so proved himself like the Watch-Men Isaiah spoke of Chap. 56.10 And also fled like the Hireling Christ spoke of John 10.13 before he was so called Then I being moved to speak to the People to direct them to the Anointing their Teacher within them the Way to Life that Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightned them And minding that they would have no need to follow such Hirelings whereby their Souls might be deceived And it being with me even as it was with the Prophet Micah Chap. 3.8 I was full of Power by the Spirit of the Lord and of Judgment For the Word of the Lord unto me before I went was Tell them of their Sins And so to every one as they came before me as I was moved of the Lord I declared unto them their Condition and their Portion without Repentance which they must find which they called Judging But as
Spirit and in Truth This is not only in Form here is no acting by meer imitation of others who keep here to be guided by that which is pure in themselves this leads into the Power and into the endless Life which changes not nor will wither but endure for ever where is Peace endless and unutterable Therefore all to come forth of that which Fades into that which will Endure and every one of you as you come into the sincere Obedience of that which is pure the measure of the Grace of God within your Selves you will come to witness that Comfort flow in which is not from below but is from above and over all these things that are Visible and Perishing And this which Unites you unto God the same will Unite you one unto another and the Peace of God you will come to witness which passeth Understanding whereby the Heart and Mind is kept in the Knowledge and Fear of God and the Blessing of God you thereupon will partake of even of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as the Apostle prayed that they might have to whom he writ And I pray God that you may have the same continually whereby you may be known to be of God and Christ and to be guided by his Spirit the Fruit whereof is Love Joy Peace c. Therefore my Friends and Brethren every where I exhort you to consider from whence comes Strife Envying and Divisions proceed they not from hence from the Lusts that war in the Members of such who are looking at others with an evil Eye and watching over others for Hurt and not Good Therefore in the Presence of the Living God I charge you by his Spirit that you suffer not this amongst you even no Strife nor Envying one another as you will answer it before the Terrible and Dreadful God before whom you must all give an Account for all the Actions done in the Body therefore any of you that hath any thing against another do not speak of it behind his Back for that 's a work of Darkness but in love speak to them of it and if they will not hear then acquaint those who are appointed in the Church for to examine Differences and end Strife that they may be proceeded against according to the good Order given forth in the Churches from the Spirit of Truth and so Strife will be ended and Controversies cease so that those who are found in the fault if they fall not under the just Reproof then they may be denyed But Friends It is sadness of Heart to me to think of it that any that hath made but so much as a Profession of Christ much more that those that have tasted of the Love of God in measure should so much forget themselves and what they do Profess as that there should be cause for to Reject any such and deny them the Society of the Saints Therefore as my Heart's desire is so my Prayers unto the Lord for you all are That he would open the Eyes of such who have been in froward ways or that live in Strife Envying and Back-biting one another that they may turn from their wicked Ways and live for their Destruction if they be Destroyed is of themselves for the Lord not only by his Light in them shews the Evil but also by his Messengers hath many times and now at this time by his Servant whom he is pleased for to make use of doth Charge and Require all such among you once more for to cease from all Strife and Envying Surmising Whispering and speaking Evil one of another behind your Backs and that you all deal Plainly Simply and Honestly one with another in what you see or hear that is amiss and none to be Rash or Hasty in Reproving but let all things that are done amongst you be done in Meekness and Love and then you will be a People amongst whom the Lord will delight to dwell who is a God of Love and the Fruit of the Spirit will be seen amongst you which is Love and then I shall not have cause for to write unto you from Sorrow but from the Inflowings of Love which is my Delight for Sorrow it is unto me God is my Witness for to Write unto any among you of a Rod but I cannot forbear for the Rod is prepared for the Backs of Fools who wander from That of God within which is pure which ought to Guide and it is to Such that I am forced to hold forth the Rod with Sorrow and Weeping that there should be any such Fools sheltering themselves amongst the Flock of Christ But I thank my God that there is such amongst you who are my Joy and Rejoycing yea my glorying to my Brethren yea and I trust in the Lord that they shall be so and none can take it from me Therefore all who have received the Love of God dwell low in the Love received that you may find daily the Inflowings of the Love of God that the daily growth you may witness even that which Nourishes the Babe that it daily feeds upon the Milk of the Word you may suck from the Breasts of Consolation which all they receive who are obedient to that which is Pure even the Measure of the Grace of God in themselves And all you whose Minds are run forth into the Vanities Ob turn ye turn ye Why will you Dye This is the Lords call by his Spirit in his Servant and consider wherein have you run forth return within hearken call to mind what is past and what did call when you were running forth into the Evil and you would not hear but put off And now whilst that you have time prize it and return unto the Lord by a speedy Reformation of Life all you stiff necked ones who think much to stoop down to the Cross to walk in that way wherein your Wills are crossed and Self is denyed never expect to have Sin to dye until you deny your Selves and your own Wills for it 's the daily Cross that Christ's Disciples must take up and follow him in Therefore thou Fool and Unwise do not deceive thy self in forming up a nearer or easier Way than this his Yoke is easie his Burden is light when it comes to be taken up it is not Grievous but Joyous Oh come into the Obedience and than thou shalt witness what I say to be Truth do not say How long shall I do such things That 's it which makes the Burthen great for to consult with the Carnal Part which would limit the Lord and would set him down a way that you would serve him in that is for Destruction that must never enter it 's that which is willing and obedient and doth not say wherein or how long but which is willing to wait and doth not make haste but believes in the Lord it is that part and those that are therewith guided that Eat the good of the Land and come to partake of
in Commission to have done Justice he threatned for to send me away to Prison which he did early the next Morning and whilst I was there in the House of Correction I received Intelligence how that at the Sessions in Yorkshire there was a Bill of Indictment preferred against me to this purpose in it How that at a Meeting where I was at North-Allerten I intended or endeavoured to put one Thomas Mann Priest of that Town into a Well So opening the Bible it opened and I read these Scriptures Psalm 119.85 The Proud have digged Pits for me which are not after thy Law And in the 69th Verse of the same Psalm The Proud have forged a Lie against me The Pits were the Goal and House of Correction in Alisbury which I was put into for doing nothing else but what was agreeable to Scripture and the Lie which the Proud had forged against me was what they had laid to my charge in Yorkshire for true it was I went to the Priest in Buckinghamshire but in Yorkshire the Priest came to me with a salse Accusation in his Mouth at his coming using words to this purpose How now Roger Thou says I Preach false Doctrine It being denyed and he being put to Prove what he said otherwise he would be found to be a false Accuser put it off with asking What was the false Doctrine he did Preach So by his coming a great Tumult was raised insomuch that my Life was much in danger to have been taken away but by the Power of God and the endeavour of some Friends who bestirred themselves and got me forth of the Throng I was preserved There was a Well in the place so the wicked not being satisfied with what was done against me forged a Lie viz. That I intended or endeavoured such a thing as to put the Priest therein So after my return into Yorkshire I was arrested by an Attachment forth of the Sessions for to Answer at the next Sessions but I not having had any Summons given nor any word left at my House for my former appearance I could not own to the Bayliff that his proceedings were agreeable to their own Law and so could not give him his Fee which he said was Two Shillings so he cast me into Prison as by the Mittimus fore-mentioned is expressed so coming to the Sessions neither Priest nor Bayliff which I heard preferred the Bill of Indictment against me appeared against me but were to be questioned for their own Miscarriage laid to their Charge as I heard so I being called and none appearing against me for to lay any thing to my Charge by Proclamation I was cleared and the Bayliff who was the cause of my being sent to Prison at that time much reproved I was three Weeks and more a Prisoner upon the account afore-mentioned Roger Hebden A Copy of the Mittimus by which I was sent Peisomer to York for refusing to pay Tythes Thomas Harrison Esq Sheriff of the said County to the Keeper of the Goal of the Castle of York Greeting Yorkshire I Command that the Body of Roger Hebden by me lately taken you receive into your Custody so that I may have his Body before the Lord Protectour in the upper Bench at Westminster on Monday next after three Weeks of St. Michael to answer Henry Sowtheby in a Plea of Trespass Given under the Seal of my Office the 9th day of August 1658. A true Copy examined by John Thomlinson By the Sheriff About 9 Weeks Prisoner THis Plea of Trespass that is fore-mentioned which I was commited to Prison for that I was to answer Henry Sowtheby in was for the Tenth of my Hay and Corn that Year Growing which he claimed right to being an Impropriator And he cast me or by his means I was cast into Prison before a good part of the Hay was got or Corn near ready to cut Notwithstanding these his Dealings he openly confessed how Honest I had been and that he believed that it was for Conscience sake that I could not pay it and that it was true I had often paid him his Rent before the time it was due For in the time of my Ignorance of the Root from whence Tythes were I had a Lease of him for seven Years and did perform giving 1 l. 6 s. 8 d. Yearly for the Tythe of my own Land but after I writ to him to this purpose following and gave it him before he caused my Imprisonment fore-mentioned Henry Sowtheby unto thee formerly I paid a Composition Yearly Rent for Tythes of Lands in my Possession in the time of my Ignorance from whence Tythes were but finding in Scripture that they were the Lord 's by his express Command read Levit. 27.30 and he gave the Tenth unto the Children of Levi for an Inheritance for their Service which they served even the Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation as Numb 18.21 And with the Levite the Stranger the Fatherless and the Widow were to eat and be satisfied as in Deut. 14.29 But seeing that none of these things are performed by them that receive Tythes in England now as then in Israel And lastly finding in Scripture that the Priesthood being Changed there is made of necessity likewise a Change of the Law as Heb. 7.12 denial is made of them that not any Right or Due thou hast unto Tythes by the Law of God as is seen by Roger Hebden IN the Year following I was ordered in the Movings of the Lord's Spirit for to visit Friends the former part thereof I passed through the Eastern Counties up to London and returned thorow the middle Counties Then before the middle of that Summer I passed into Scotland about that time when King Charles the Second came into England again and after my passing through several parts of Scotland amongst most of them few Friends that were then convinced of the Truth them to strengthen for to stand in the day of Tryal then approaching for then many did expect we should soon have been brought under either to have denyed our God or under great Sufferings and then was a time of much Wickedness and Lewdness much of God's good Creatures consumed in Drinking and Fires making Ringing and Rejoycing because of the Coming of the King Notwithstanding all that Lewdness which was then alost by the Lord's Power I and a Friend with me named Samuel Watson passed and had little Interruption and so returned forth of Scotland into Cumberland and visited several Friends in that County and so returned into Yorkshire before the middle of Summer About the time and after King Charles the Second returned into England again But there were some who could not be content therewith amongst others some of them called Fifth Monarchy Men who as I understand expect Christ to come for to Reign Outwardly in Person upon Earth and some few of them being stirred up in a forward Zeal without a true Knowledge of what Spirit they were of did
rise in London whereby a great Disturbance was occasioned then presently Proclamation was sent forth and we who were called Quakers were reckoned with Ranters and them who made the Disturbance and so were numbred amongst the Transgressors though Innocent Then by the Proclamation we were not to enjoy our Meetings for to wait upn God under any Pretence of Worshipping or to that purpose were words in it as formerly but if we did which many durst not neglect then we were to be Apprehended and had before Justices of the Peace and there we were to have the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance prosered which if we refused then by the Proclamation we were either to find Sureties for good Behaviour or go to Goal until the next Assizes To this purpose was the Subfrance of the Proclamation as I remember By this means we were hunted for and sought out at our Meetings by wicked Men who were glad of such an opportunity and this gladded the Hearts of the Wicked and made the Hearts of the Righteous sad for a time but the Lord comforted and made His meet together with boldness although some few did faint and with boldness we were carried before the Magistrates and could not Obey their Commands nor own that we were of Evil Behaviour by entering into Bonds for the Good Behaviour and to take the Oaths and so break the Commands of Christ Jesus who saith Swear not at all Mat. 5. And so we were sent to Prison to York-Castle There were committed upon that account between four and five Hundred and some of us I and others were continued a Quarter of a Year's time or more but the Lord cleared or more but the Lord cleared our Innocency and they set us at Liberty in the Lord's time therefore it is good to trust in Him Presently after this the King consented to that Act of Parliament which they made against us That was to this purpose That if we to wit the People called Quakers did meet together upon pretence of Worshipping of God to or above the number of Five we were to be apprehended and be proceeded against for the same by Fines and Banishment But this dismayed not many although many for meeting together to wait upon the Lord as formerly in obedience him were Apprehended and Fined and some as I have heard in London where their Cruetly was grear were haled forth of their Meetings and cut by rude and wicked Persons and one died of Wounds that he received others by Magistrates were Sentenced to Banishment but the Lord disappointed them But as for me I was not cast into Prison upon that Account but was called before the Magistrates But herein was and is may Comfort that I did not see that I neglected my Duty in meeting amongst the Lord's People for fear of Man And after a time the Rulers they forbore pursuing that Act and we had our Meetings much quieter than could have been expected and Truth did spead and Desires in People after the knowledge of the Way of God encreased and the Lord God gladded the Hearts of his People by letting them see now by this Power the Wicked were chained And then the Bishops they set themselves by their Power to terrifie the Lord's Host the Followers of the Lamb but prevailed not Praised be the Lord but the Lord's Mercies were multiplied upon his People both Inward and Outward After this it pleased the Lord for the Trial of this People and that his Power might be manifest to suffer the Powers of the Earth in the following Year to make another Act against our Meetings more strict and cruel than the former the Substance whereof was to this purpose to wit That if we namely those People called Quakers should after the first Day of July 1664. meet together above the number of Five under a pretence of Worshipping God we should for the first Offence according to the pleasure of them in Commission for Justices of the Peace pay a Sum of Money under Five Pounds or suffer a time of Imprisonment not exceeding Three Months for the Second Offence the Prenalty was doubled and for the Third Offence they were either to pay One Hundred Pounds or to be Banished into some of the King 's Foreign Plantations and if they within Seven Years time should return without Liberty then to be proceeded against as Felons And the like Penatly they were to undergo in whose Houses or Grounds such Meetings were kept But Praised be the Lord all this prevailed not nor terrified the Lord's People neither durst they neglect their Duty For even the First Day of the Week after this Act took place at my outward Being where there might be above a Hundred Friends of Truth and others there was no Molestation from without But upon the 8th Day of the Month following I being with several other Friends met together in Sherif-Hutton for to wait upon the Lord the sence of God's Goodness to me and his People being upon my Spirit and I being kneeled down and expressing the same as the Spirit gave utterance There rushed in one rude Man with some Soldiers who haled me forth and that Man with the Constable had me before one Sir Thomas Gowre who was a Parliament Man and in Commission to do Justice who asked me If I spoke any words amongst the People Or to that purpose My answer was as is afore expressed And after I expressed the same he said That was a Transgression of the Act. My Wife standing by and hearing him say so thought in her Mind as she said since If that were a Transgression of the Act for me to express the Sence of God's Goodness upon my Spirit she was well content that I should suffer for it or to this effect things passed So the next Day he and George Mountain being in Commission for to do Justice by their Warrant commited me and a Friend named John Hicks at whose House the Meeting was to Prison to York-Castle for the space of Eleven Weeks and Five Days The Cruelties of Men were much seen in pursuing this Act in several parts of the Nation especially in and about London Sentencing many for Banishment and Banishing some but they were much restrained of what might be intended for that Summer that many might have been sent away there was Wars by Sea and the Pestilence very hot about London which I believe did as the Lord saw it good put a great stop to them in sending many away who were Sentenced for Banishment although many of our dear Friends in that common Calamity the Lord took away by Death that all might be humbled as as shown me at that time when I was Prisoner the Second time upon that Act in York-Castle which was thus occastioned I being at a Meeting of Friends of Truth namely those People called Quakers at Bishop-Wilton in the East-Riding of Yorkshire upon the 14th Day of the 3d Month 1665. the Constables came with a Warrant and there with took us our Meeting being as they said an Unlawful Meeting and the next Day had us before Tobias Jenkins and Liebard Robinson in Commission to have done Justice who committed me and nineteen other Friends to Prison for three Months In all these things the Lord's Support was much seen by those that Feared Him and the Prosecutors of the Act who thought to have wearied us grew weary in many places and Meetings became very quiet for some time and Truth prevailed exceedingly Blessed be Lord for ever whose work it was to Strengthen His and to give them Courage and Comfort every way FINIS