empty away My dear Babes and Lambs seed of the sincere Milk of the Word of Life that you may grow up in it and wax strong in spirit to praise the Lord and to glorifie him who is worthy Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might seek him earnestly call upon him continually let your whole Meditations be staid in him alway Seek him earnestly deny your own thoughts and words give heed to the Light bring all your deeds to it give up all that is contrary to be slain stand single empty naked before the Lord that you may be fill'd with the streams of his everlasting Love Oh my dear hearts our God is full of love stand not back press forward let nothing hinder you the Lord calls for you My Son give me thy heart The promise of our God is as large to you as to any if you can believe your straitness is in your selves For God is a full Fountain abundance of love runs forth to them that can trust him I can witness it in the barren Wilderness he caused streams of living water to break forth I cannot express it is so large therefore doth my soul thirst after you my dear ones the love of God is to you My dear Sisters I have you in my remembrance and do pray to my God and your God 〈◊〉 that you may be enlarged in your measures to praise the Lord and to be kept in a sensible feeling of his power daily and that you may encrease in Wisdom Strength and Power over Gods Enemies The Blessing of the Lord God Almighty be with you and preserve you by his Mighty Power unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Salute me to my Sister S. R. there is a tender Plant in her I do feel it to my comfort praises be to the Lord. I am in health I praise the Lord and do want nothing the Lord is my portion I cannot want he hath deck't my Table richly he hath annointed my head with Balm it runneth down the skirts of my cloathing Written in the Inquisition-Prison at the Isle of Malta a sufferer for the Seeds sake Farewel at this time Amen Your dear Sister in the Lord SARAH CHEVERS Another from K. E. to her Husband and Children with somewhat from both the Lords Prisoners to Friends the which was taken with the rest of the Letters in the Inquisition and copied out for their Lord Inquisitor DEar Husband with my dear Children I beseech you together to wait in the patience having your minds alwayes staid upon the Lord Keep out of incumbrances for that is the Enemies opportunity to step in when the mind is gone forth and to vail the pure and darken the understanding and so hinder you of the pure enâ—oyment of the beholding the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Take no more upon you then you are able to perform in the Spirit of moderation and meekness for that is in the sight of God of of great prâ—ze See the Lord going before you in all your occasions that you may be prosperous in all youâ— undertakings wait diligently upon the Lord to be seasoned with his Grace that you may come to a pure understanding of the motions of his Eternal Spirit and to a true knowledge of the operation of his hands So you will be able with all Saints to comprehend what is the heigth and the depth and the length and the breadeth of the riches of his Grace and Love towards mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord Amen saith my spirit This is the counsel of the Lord unto you I do often remember M. H. I do desire she may be brought up in the fear of God and want for nothing that is convenient for her salute me to her dearly I have been very sensible dear Husband of thine and our Children and many dear friends more of your sorrowful souls mourning hearts grieved spirits troubled minds for us as being Members of one body Christ Jesus bâ—ing our Hâ—â—d we must needs suffer together that we may 〈◊〉 together a true sorrow begets a true â—oy a true Cross a true Crown We do believe it is our heavenly Fathers will and purpose to bring us back as safe to England as ever he brought us thence for his own glory though we are some of the least of Christ's Flock yet we do belong to the true Fold and our Shepherd hath had as great a care of us as he could have for any of his Lambs and hath brought us through great affliction praises be given to his glorious Nâ—mâ— of us and you and all that know him for ever Though we are absent in body in the Will of God from you yet we are present â—n spirit in the Will of God with you and do receive the benefit of all your prayers daily and do feel the Springs of Liâ—e that do stream from all the faithful hearted to our great refreshment and strengthening After our money was gone the Lord Inquisitor with the rest in Authority put a great allowance in one of their servants hands for our maintenance bâ—cause we could take no money our selves the Lord of Heaven did forbid us to meddle with any and he did send to know whether we did want any clothes he would send it to the Prison to us This was the large love of our God to us and we were made contented with that we had till the Lord God who is rich in mercy and full of all Grace and is never unmindful of any which trust in his Name of his everlasting love did send his faithful Messenger whose feet are beautiful and â—ace is comely cloathed with a bright shining Garment from the Crown of the head to the sole or the foot and came in great power and strength indeed armed with the whole Armour of Light and drest in the Majesty of the Mostâ—High and being commissioned of the Higher Power went to the Lord Inquisitor to demand our lawful liberty which would not be granted except we could get some English Merchants of Legorn or Messaena to engage four thousands Dollers that we should never come into those parts again the Lord who alone is our Life and Redeemer moved our dear Brother to offer his own body to redeem ours but it would not be received then he offered to lay down his own dear and precious life for our liberty Greater love can no man have than to lay down his life for his Friend the Lord will restore it into his bosom double his service can never be blotted out his Name is called Daniel Baker his outward being is near London a right dear and precious heart he is The blessing strength and power of the Almighty be upon him and his and overshadow them for ever Amen Greater comfort could never be administred to us in our conditions Glory honor and praise to our God for evermore Amen This is a dear and sweet Salutation in that which never changeth fadeth away nor waxeth old from us whom the Lord hath
counted worthy to beaâ— his Name and to suffer for his sake to all our Christian Friends Fathers and Elders Pillars of Gods spiritual House Brethren and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh my dear Husband with our dear and precious Children Lambs of God and Babes of Christ begotten of the Immortal Seed of Light Life and Truth with us and all the whole Family of everlasting blessedness Pray for us believingly all things are possible with our God So my Dearlings in the arms of everlasting love do I take my leave of you the blessing and peace of the Most High be upon you ever Amen Amen Oh my dear Husband praise the Lord that ever thou hadst a Wife that was found worthy to suffer for the Name of the Lord Inasmuch as I can understand the moving of the Spirit of God My dear and faâ—thful Yoke-fellow Sister and Friend is worthy to be embraced of all friends for ever the deeper the sorrow the greater the joy the heavier the Cross the weightier the Crown This was written in the Inquisition at Malta of us Malta the 11th Month of the year 1661. Katharine Evans Sarah Chevers From K. E. for two Friends DEarly beloved Brother in the everlasting Covenant of Light and Life do I dearly salute and embrace thee with thy dear Wife my beloved Sister and thy dear Children whom I dearly love in that which never changeth My dear and faithful Friends I am often refreshed in you when the Light brings you to my remembrance then do I feel the springs of Love and Life which ariseth from the pure Fountain of Eternal refreshments to my joy and comfort wherein I am made to praise and glorifie my God and your God who hath redeemed us out of the Chains of darkness and Kingdom of blâ—â—â—ness into the everlasting brightness glory joy and perfect blessedness for ever to dwell in the enjoyment of his living presence as we abide faithful to Eternity in his presence is fulness of joy and at his right hand is pleasure for evermore My prayers are night and day without ceasing to our Heavenly Father that not one of his begetting may ever turn or slide back but that every one may press forward towards the Mark of the price of the high calling in Christ Jesus who is our Life and glory and so all may come to wear the Crown of Life and Immortality triumphing in the everlasting Blessedness of the Heavenly Riches and Eternal joy and happiness that 's perfect for ever Amen Oh! my dear Brother and Sister we are all children of our Father begotten in the everlasting Seed of the Promise of Eternal life and salvation Oh my precious Friends wait patiently with me always in the pure fear of the perfect and pure God who hath an Eternal Treasure ful of everlasting Riches and ready to distribute them to all his dutiful Children Glory and Praises be given to his blessed Name for ever Oh my beloved ones your love to me is written in the Records that cannot be lost Dear hearts glorifie our God in my behalf that ever he counted me worthy to suffer for his Name I hope to see your faces again yet once more with joy and gladness with my dear yoke-fellow in the Lord's Work before we go hence and be no more seen So in the tender bowels of pure Love do I take my leave of you at this time The everlasting peace and blessedness be upon you and upon the whole Israel of God Amen Dearly salute us to all Friends This was written in the Inquisition at Malta in the 11th Month of the year 1661. Katharine Evans There was another Letter and Paper which was intercepted but I have it not here with me it being sent home from Legorn Yet here followeth more of their Writings to Friends and to my own particular which at several times I received from them unknown to the Oppressors A Copy of a Letter that I was moved to write the next day after I came to the Island and City and communicated to their hands DEar Lambs peace be unto you Amen Now seeing that the everlasting God and Father of all truth hath in his tender love and Fatherly mercy and bowels of compassion through the trials of manifold sufferings and temptations hitherto even to this day upheld and preserved you in the innocency and its testimony against the contrary although sometimes I know that you have tasted the sentence of death in your selves and even as it were ready to despair of life yet in the living testimony of innocency in the answer of a good Conscience I Daniel bear you record in the Covenant of Life the same remaineth with you and you are in it a good sweet savour to the Lord and his Eternal Truth and People Oh! blessed for ever be his Name yea and my very heart and life blesseth and magnifieth the Lord on your behalf Wherefore my dear Friends be faithful full of Faith and the living invisible God of Peace is with you and will not forsake you seeing it is so and much more you know which might be declared Oh! I am moved in the Bowels of my Father's love as one with you in trials and in the exercise of manifold temptations to stir up your pure and innocent minds by way of remembrance and also to beseech you to take heed to the Testimony of Life that 's undefiled and manifest in you and to dwell in the same which retains the joy and comfort of the Lord and his peace which you know is not of the World and so to watch and beware of the Enemy that is near to tempt to make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and to despair and so to betray not only your own innocent long-sufferings but also the Testimony of the Lord God of our Life for which you have so long suffered and by the pure Divine virtue of the same have you been to this day preserved so that the Lord who is and will be your reward hath not been wanting to you on his part Oh faint not but lift up your heads and be faithful still as I am not otherwise perswaded concerning you and I am well perswaded that in his own Covenant and Way deliverance will come to the Seed and ye know if the same come not in his own Covenant of Truth in the Light of his Countenance it cannot be well but your nay you know is to be nay and so to stand in the Truth against the contrary whatsoever our God permits unreasonable men to inflict upon the outward or visible body and the same also will work for his glory and also for the good and eternal peace of his innocent suffering Lambs notwithstanding Your tender Brother D. B. ANd when this with other Papers I had through not a little difficulty communicated to their hands over the heads of our Enemies I was moved to speak my Message as from
the Lord of Life to them after I had offered up my body and to lay down my life for these poor innocents my dear friends and so with my voice I saluted them in the Lord's Truth as they stood at the prison-Grates with these words in the behalf of the general Assembly of the Saints in light to wit The whole Body of God's Elect right dearly owneth your Testimony and you are a sweet savour unto the Lord and his people And forasmuch as one of these poor afflicted Lambs replied and said on this wise as if it was a trouble to them that they could not be more serviceable Then my heart being melted and my bowels of pity mercy and compassion being moved I said That it was a wonderful mercy of the Lord in as much as they were preserved in their own measure of Truth and pure innocency for which my heart praised the Lord for what mine eye saw which right dearly affected my heart and we were well refreshed at that season in the sweet presence of our living God albeit our bodies were at a distance but so as we could behold each others face through the Prison bars of Iron in the Inquisition Now for so much as in the Wisdom of God it is seen meet that the fore-mentioned and following Writings which came from their hands might appear to publike view that thereby every Member of the one Body may have a right understanding and not onely so but also a sensible feeling not onely of the trials and sufferings in part of these innocent Lambs but also of the consolations of each other as fellow-Members of the infinite Body of which Christ Jesus the Lord is both King and Head in whom be endless dominion and pure glory and eternal salvation Amen And so I being as it were constrained to publish the acceptable Words that sound and savor of pure innocency and clear truth for the Elect's sake in the same Love and Life I am the more free hereunto even as a Child that differs but little from a servant as I am in the Father's Love Power and Grace of Life fitted to serve the undefiled Life of the least in the Kingdom of Blessedness and to administer comfort or what else I have received from the Eternal Fountain or Fulness for the use or service of either Body Mind Soul or Spirit of my own Flesh or Family seeing no man ever hated his own Flesh and he is worse than an Infidel that provideth not for his own Family especially them of his own House This is a sweet Salutation to God's Elect Church in England and Ireland RIght dear precious and Heavenly ones whose Beauty shineth bright and at whose Name the hearts of the Heathen do tremble We who through the everlasting Mercies of our God are Members of the same Body and are held in strait Captivity and hard Bondage for witnessing forth the same Testimony and Covenant of pure Light Life and Truth of our God with you dear and faithful ones indeed We here in the same Covenant of pure Love and Bowels of tenderness do dearly salute and embrace you all glorifying and praising our Eternal Father for you all who hath counted us worthy to partake of the fellowship and sufferings for the Bodies sake with you in tribulations fiery trials manifold temptations fastings watchings heats and colds and cruel threatning and persecutions perils by Sea and perils by Land standing in jeopardy of our lives year after year and looking every hour day and night for many Weeks together when we should be brought out to Execution but though Proclamation was made and they came up to the very Caâ—e with a Drum and Musquets to fetch us out to destroy us yet the Lord God of everlasting strength who in the deepest of all dangers and greatest extremity when all hopes were past did but blow upon them with the breath of his nostrils and they did flye as dust before the Wind for which we do entreat all Friends to glorifie our God on our behalf for never did the Lord our God work greater deliverance for any than he hath done for us from time to time who are the least and weakest for what we know that ever the Lord our God sent forth in so great weighty a Work but all things are possible with him who made and created all things it is he alone which carrieth on his own work by his own mighty Power and the glory shal be his own for evermore Amen Oh our dearly beloved Friends did you know but the third part of the afflictions the Lord our God hath carried us through you would say The Lord hath wrought as great a Miracle in our preservation as ever he did in raising Lazarus out of the Grave And in the greatest of our afflictions we could not say in our hearts Father would thou hadst not brought us here but cryed mightily to our God for power to carry us through whatsoever should be inflicted upon us that the Truth of our God might not suffer through our weakness And the Lord did hear us and answered us in righteousness and carried uâ— on with all boldness and made our fore-heads as Flint and our Brows as Brass in the faces of our Enemies that whensoever we were brought forth upon trial all fear was taken away that we stood as Iron-Gates and Castle-Walls in the faces of our Enemies so that they said we would fain be burned but we answered No we would not willingly be burned but if our Heavenly Father doth call us to suffer in that kind for his Name sake he will give us power to go through it and we have great cause to believe it for our Lord God never called us to do any service for him but he gave us power and made way for his own Work glory and praise be to his holy Name for ever Dearly beloved friends marvel not why Israel is not gathered in all this time it is not for want of labour nor travel nor grief nor pain fasting nor mourning nor weeping nor love to their souls but it is because of the great oppression For here are a willing people but they dare not until the Lord make way for them Truly Friends we have not been idle since we saw your faces nor have we had much ease to the flesh but do travel night and day for Sion's prosperity and perfect joy and for the reparation of Jerusalem and her pure praise though our sorrows are deep and our afflictions grievous yet we do wait with patience to reap the peaceable fruits of righteousness and enjoy the benefit of our uprightness Praises be to our God for ever he hath kept us by his power and holiness that our Enemies have not one jot or tittle against us but for the Truth of our God and that we could not join with them so they would not suffer us to have one line of refreshment but stript us out of all so that we could not
and all we have And the Fryar told us if we would come to their Masse-house and receive their holy Sacrament we should be the most eminent Catholicks in all Malta but we denied them in the Name of the Lord and all their dead foppery which they have invented Here we are kept under the Inquisition as they say till they have Orders from the Pope of Rome what they should do with us We beseech you all faithful Friends pray for us for great are our trials Did you but know the abominations that the Devil hath invented here you would think it were tryal enough But here we have cruel mockings and the same contradictions trials and temptations that ever the servants of the Lord had Christ himself It is the wonderful Power of God that we are preserved till this time for all the whole Island are Papists and given up to Idolatry We are despised of all people and abhorred of all Nations and because they cannot have any just thing against us they do invent lyes against us but the Lord is on our side for else the Enemy would soon destroy us for great is their rage and we have continual War with them night and day we feel behold their threatnings and cruelty is more than our tongues can express Great is the love of our God for he doth refresh us with the sweet drops of his mercy and doth water us every moment with the everlasting springs of his Love or else we had fainted long ago Oh! let all who know the Lord praile and glorifie his holy Name for ever and ever Amen Dear Friends Friends farewel in the Lord. From us who are in outward Bonds in the City of Malta for the Testimony of Jesus glory be to his Name for ever who hath counted us worthy We are in health at present blessed be God Katharine Evan. Sarah Chevers Several other Writings to D. B. whilest he was in MALTA OH thou tender-hearted one whom our God and our Eternal Father hath sent to relieve us his poor innocent Lambs in hard bondage and deep captivity which thou art an eye-witness of none can receive or discern it but those that do see it But our Heavenly Father who hath respect to the rest of them that believe in his Name hath sent thee to be an eye-witness in some measure of what we have undergone Oh my dear precious and endeared one thou meek Lamb thou innocent Dove who dost bear the likeness beauty and brightness of that unspotted one that is come in the Volume of the Book to do the Will of God We can give in our Testimony for thee that thou camest here in the Power and Authority of the Most High to which the tall Cedars were made to bow and the strong Oaks to bend praises praises be given to our everlasting God for evermore Oh my dearly beloved Brother thy beauty shineth indeed thou art all glorious within and without thy Garments are perfumed with all delightsome scents We smell the sweet odours thereof and do feel the fulness of Love and Life which runs from thy tender heart day and night to us and in the same unity of Love do our hearts stream forth to thee and thou knowest full well Oh how have our hearts and bowels been melted for thee our heads and eyes have run with tears and our souls have been poured forth to our Heavenly Father for thy preservation and we do truly labor to see thy face before thou comest Glory and praises be given to our Eternal Lord God Amen saith our spirits that he doth vouchsafe us so great a mercy as to behold the face of so precious a Friend We do beseech God to moderate us with his Eternal Spirit that we may always be mindful of his mercies and never to let his benefits slip out of our minds We have been near death many times when we had none to come near us but those that preacht death and destruction to us I have lain twelve dayes or more in a fast in strong travel night and day that my dearly beloved Yoke-Mate would have been glad if the Lord would have taken me out of the body because of my weak affliction Then the English Fryar which was here came up and down to us and down to us and would say to my Friend She is ready to depart send for me and take notice what torment she will be in a thousand Devils will be about her to fetch her soul to Hell because she will not be a Catholick And after we vvere parted vve vvere called to fast so that my Friend vvas so vveak that she put on such linnen upon her head as she thought to lie in her Grave We did eat but little in a Month together vvhen our money vvas almost done till vve did knovv the mind of the Lord vvhat to do Then they did run to and fro like mad men and the Fryars did come and say The Inquisitor sent them to tell us vve might have any thing vve vvould eat and they did say it vvas not possible that ever creatures could live vvith so little meat for so long a time together They bring us meat and say the English Consul did send it It vvas a glorious Fast indeed the Lord did appear vvonderfully in it praises be given to him for ever Amen We vvere very vveak because the povver did vvork so strongly I had no manner of food in my body five or six days together We did lie in clothes because vve had no strength to put them off nor one to make our bed Then vve did speak to the Fryar that vve might come together but he said they had no such order if vve vvould have a Physician vve might And there vve lay none knovving from morning to morning vvhether vve vvere deador alive We vvere kept quiet and still till the Lord's time was come they brought many things for us to eat Then the Lord said Thou mayest take as freely as if thou hadst laboured for it with thy hands I will sanctifie it to thee through the â—ross And he said unto Sarah she should eat of the fruit of her hands and be blessed And we did eat and were refreshed and glorified the Lord We did cry mightily unto the Lord night and day that we might not eat nor drink to offend him vve vvould rather dye The Lord vvas vvell pleased vvith our Sacrifice and did encrease our strength and administred comfort to us honor and glory be to his blessed Name for ever In the lowest of all our conditions we were kept a top of all the Mountains so that they could not make â—â—hrink or bow one â—or or tittle to any of their Precepts or Commands Yet the Fryars have commanded us in the Name of their God to kneel vvith them in prayer The time is too little for me to disclose the twentieth part of the terrible trials but whensoever we were brought upon any tryal the Lord did take away all
fear from us and multiplied our strength and gave us power and boldness to plead for the truth of the Lord Jesus and Wisdom of Words to stop the mouths of the gain-sayers that they vvould be made to say we spake truth they could never say otherwise But they vvould say We had not the true faith but we had all virtues Oh dear heart if it be our Eternal Father's good pleasure to carry thee away vvithout us vve do beseeh our Heavenly Father to bless and to give thee a prosperous return and to seed thee with the fulness of the blessing of the povverful Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Amen And vve do believe vve shall not vvant thy prayers nor the prayers of all the faithful that we may keep faithful to the end so that our God may be glorified his Church and People may be refreshed and rejoiced and we may receive our Reward with the rest of the Lord's Lambs Our Life is with thee for oh thou art full of Love thou tender-hearted one vvho hath offered up thy sanctified body and purified life in obedience to the Lord for us poor afflâ—cted lambs vvith thee and companions in tribulations trials and persecutions and in perils at Sea and perils by Land Oh thou precious Lamb of God great is thy Reward in Heaven great will be the Well-spring of joy that vvill arise in thee in thy Journey Oh thou happy one indeed vvhom the Lord our God hath made choice of amongst his faithful Flock and endued with so much povver to come into such a place as this not the like in all Europe by their own report and all others and to stop the mouths of Lyons and to trample upon the heads of Serpents Scorpions and Vipers of the Earth and they could not hurt thee their stings are taken out of their heads and out of their tails glory honor and everlasting praises be given to our God for evermore of all that know him for he is worthy And the Lord bless thee and thine for ever Amen and encrease thy strength and multiply thee abundantly in every good gift and Grace and prosper all thy undertakings that thou mayest be approved for ever before the King of Saints in the General Assembly of the Most High and stand before the Throne of his Majesty vvith joy unspeakable and full of glory Amen Amen saith our spirits Dearly beloved pray for us that we fall not nor fail whereby our Enemies may have any advantage to rejoice and say We served a God that could not serve us and called upon a God that could not deliver us as if we were like them to call upon stocks stones pictures and painted Walls and dead thing that cannot see hear nor speak through their throats We do beseech thee to tel all our dear Friends Fathers and Elders the Pillars of the spiritual Building with all the rest of our Christian Brethren that we do desire their Prayers for we have need of them OH How strong and powerful's our KING To all that do believe in him He doth preserve them from the Snare And seeth of those that would them tear We that are sufferers for the Seed Our Hearts are wounded and do bleed To see th' Oppression and Cruâ—lty Of men that do thy Truth deny In Dungeons strong and Dungeons deep To God alone we cry and weep Our sorrows none can read nor learn But those that have past through the same But he whose Beauty shineth bright Turneth darknesse into Light Maketh Câ—dars to bow and Oaks to bend To him that 's sent to the same end He is a Fountain pure and clear His Chrystal Streams runs far and near To cleanse all those which come to him For to be healed of their sin All them that do patiently abide And never swerve nor go aside The Lord will them deliver out of all Captivity Bondage and Thrall LEt E. C. know That his Exhortations I do dearly embrace and do witness it to be an Eternal Truth I have had large experience of it the Lord hath carried me on in much difficult Service so that many times the vvay hath been stopt up that to the eye of Reason I could not have a way made both by Sea and Land Oh if thou didst but know what experience I had of the mighty hand of the Lord in making a way thou wouldst wonder Once my vvay was stopt and my persecution vvas so hot that I sate in a Field all night to wait upon the Lord to make way for me to do the Work he laâ—d upon me I could not get lodging for money in Town nor City it was at Salisbury where I was whipt in the Market And the next morning I went through the City by the Watchmen and they took no notice of me Wheresoever the Lord did send me into what Land or City or place soever if they did put me out never so oft he would make me go till I got victory save in the Isle of Man there was a Souldier came to my bed side with a naked Sword and took me by the Arm and haâ—â—d me out of the Bed at the tenth hour of the night and carried me on Ship board When I put on my clothes I did not dare to rise That place lies upon me yet and I have motions to Edenburgh in Scotland I was never there the Lord did make me to do him servâ—ce to almost all the mighty men in England and Ireland insomuch that I cryed oft to my God saying Lord What will thou do with me that am so foolish to go to such wise men If I were wise I did not care if thou didst carry me to the end of the Earth The Lord said the foolish things must confound the wise and he would carry me before the mightiest men in all the Earth to bear his Name before them and I should have victory wheresoever I went And I do believe the Lord and we both are made willing to wait the Lord's time which is a time of peace and joy safety and happiness And we do bless land praise and magnifie his holy Name that he sent so heavenly a Messenger to relieve strengthen comfort and refresh us in our great necessity which is a mercy beyond expression all Friends that do understand it will say so Glory and everlasting praises honor power and dominion be given to our Eternal Lord God for evermore of us and all that know him Amen Amen saith our spirit Oh true and faithful Brother into the Arms of everlasting power and holiness strength and mightiness purity and righteousness do we commit thee to be kept and preserved and prosperously carried on in thy Journey â—he powerful blessing peace joy and happiness of the Majesty of the Most High God go along with thee to preserve and protect thee for ever Amen Amen Pray for us dear heart that we may receive strength to overcome that we may sing the song of Moses and the Lamb and the
redeemed of the Lord Amen Dear heart it is hard for us to part with thee thou wilt feel it The Will of our Eternal Father be done in the pure unity of the blessed Spirit of Light Life Joy Peace and everlasting Glory do we here take our leave of thee at this time hoping to see thy face again with joy in our Lord's time O dear heart our hearts souls spirits and our whole lives goeth along with thee The pure peace of our God rest upon thee Amen Dearly salute us to all Friends for they are dear and precious to us indeed Farewell farewell dear heart farewell Dear heart THou hast cleared thy Conscience towards us in the sight of God and man if here had been many friends what could have been done more concerning us than thou hast done Thou hast stood in great jeopardy ever since and thy life hath been sought for much We have felt it and cryed night and day to our Heavenly Father to preserve thee and safely deliver thee Whatsoever we do suffer we desire the Will of our Heavenly Father to be done in all things if the Lord doth stir up the Earth to help the Woman it is his own free love and upon that account we shall receive it and not upon any other This they spake concerning the money I lâ—â—t with them and for their necessities And the Lord did appear unto me in a Vision of the Night and smote me on the Arm and said Look there is the Pope he will not hurt thee Where he stood in the Room as one forsaken of God and man this was at the English Consuls when there was some fear upon me concerning him Now here is a Roman in the Prison which came hither upon some account he is a a Doctor of Law and differs from them in many things but they are all of one spirit He doth constantly affirm that the Pope hath sent an Order to set us free and he saith they are lyars and false blasphemers if they do say the Pope sent any such Order as they speak of They do meet every day concerning us we do feel them some would have it one way and some another and so they cannot agree because they do act contrary to the Will of God the Lord sets it all on fire and hath burned all they have done these three years concerning us Now where they will look a Reward of their charges we do not know the wise are taken in their own craftiness and the subtile in their own snare There have twelve of them sate in Judgement upon us three years and some have struck hard at our lives so that we have been even at death's door I have lain very weak three Weeks at a time There are many for us as far as they do dare The Lord says there were two with the Inquisitor for us and did plead much with him I did see it in a Night-Vision The English Consul which is dead was with us two several times after we were in the Inquisition he said he would lend us five pounds when we did want but when our money was near done we were made to rejoice greatly and could not take any of any one We did not know the mind of the Lord in it but had we had money we had not known the mighty Power of God Now we are able to trust the Lord where-ever he shall carry us without money We do question the money in the Consul's hand It will be hard for him to part with it Our Life is with thee A few Lines to D. B. OH our dear and faithful Friend and Brother begotten of our heavenly Father right dear and precious in his sight and beautiful before his presence Dear heart we do glorifie our God in our hearts souls and spirits who hath called chosen and elected thee to come up to the help of him against the Mighty and hath carryed thee along in so weighty a work and hath prospered thee therein praises be given to his blessed Name for ever who hath enclosed thee in his Bosom and Chamber of his everlasting Love and hath hid thee in his private Pavillion where them that would hurt thee cannot find thee because of the shadowing of his Almighâ—â—ness under whose defence thou art kept safe and he doth carry thee upon the Wings of his Power so that the Mountains do become plain before thee which we do see clearly in the Light Eternal honor and glory be to his Name for ever who is called Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace in whom we have fellowship and unity one with another and none can hinder Dear heart we do dearly embrace thy sweet Exhortations thou being sensible of the instigations of Sâ—â—an â—ho hath winâ—owed us with every bait winding and twining slights 〈◊〉 he hath Praises be to our God for ever who hath preserved us and prevented him The Enemies being busie with their Temptations to have us enter into their Covenant thereupon I was moved to write these following words which I communicated to their hands with the former Paper Viz. BEhold the Word of Life arose in me saying this morning Keep to Yea and Nay and I will confirm my Covenant unto thee These Words were spoken to the true Seed that shall inherit the Kingdom the same you know is but one in Male and Female And so the blessing of my Life rest upon you and be with you in the same even in that which hath no end neither fadeth away yea and my Spirit saith Amen Dear Lambs read within and be refreshed and the God of Life and Peace encrease the same and multiply your strength abundantly Amen Malta the 10â—h day of the 11th Month 1661. D. B. Another Paper from them to my hand DEar and precious heart in the Eternal Covenant of Light and Life of our God do we salute thee and dearly embrace thee Oh! what hath the Lord made thee unto us far more precious than we are able to express and great will be thy reward for thy faithfulness to the Lord and thy dear and tender love to us and thy diligent care of us Oh! thou art the Messenger we have cried long for to our Heavenly Father saying How long Oh Lord How long will it be before thou wilt send thy Messenger whose feet are beautiful coming upon the Mountains bringing glad tyding of great joy to us thy poor Captives Now hath the Lord our God answered us at large Praises praises be to his Name for evermore Oh! how are our souls refreshed and our spirits supported and our hearts comforted our minds rejoiced and our bodâ—es strengthened Thou canst never do greater service to the Lord our God than to come into such a place as this is to offer up thy dear life in ransoming us Great was the Power that brought thee and great is the Power that doth uphold thee and Mighty is the Strength which doth preserve thee and great
under the Pope's dark and cruel Authority in his Inquisition in the Island of Malta for the Word of Life which is the living Testimony of Jesus and the truth of his Innocency which they hold and stand fast to and in the same having already suffered more then three years in the said Confinement to the present 12th month of the year accounted 1661. of the same I bear Record also and affirm to the Truth of which I am a Servant and living Witness Daniel Baker O Yee Eternal and Blessed ones whose dwelling is on high in the fulness of all Beauty and Brightness Glory and everlasting Joy Happiness and Peace for evermore We who are poor sufferers for the Seed of God in the Covenant of Light Life and Truth do dearly salute and imbrace you all according to our measures Blessing and honour and Glory be given to our Lord God for ever of all who know him who hath counted us worthy and hath chosen us among his faithfull ones to bear his name and to witness forth his truth before the high and mighty men of the earth and to fight the Lords battle with his spirituall weapons to the breaking down of strong holds high lofty looks and vain imaginations and spirituall wickedness in high places The Lord did give us a prosperous journey hither and when we came to Legorne we were refreshed with friends who were there before us and they did get a passage for us and lodging but as soon as we heard of the Vessel we did feel our service So we went into the City in the living power of the Lord and there were many tender hearts did visit us to their comfort and our joy The little time we staid there we gave some of our Books and one Paper so journying towards Alexandria the Captain told us that Malta was in the way and he must put in there a small time But before we came there our burthen was so heavy that I was made to cry out saying Oh we have a dreadfull cup to drink at that place Oh how am I straitned till it be Accomplished And when we came there the walls of the City were full of people some stood on the top of the walls as if something had troubled them before we came there we stood upon the deck of the ship and I looked upon them said in my heart Shall yes destroy us If we give up to the Lord then he is sufficient to deliver us out of their hands but if we dâ—sobey our God all those could not deliver us out of his hand So all feâ—r of man was taken from us The English Consul came abord the ship as the Captain said but we did not see him and invited us to his House it was the seventh or last day of the week The next morning being moved of the Lord we went a-shore and the Consul met us and we gave him a paper who sent us to his House with his Servant and when we came there at the present we well were entertained like Princes their Neighbours and Kinssolk came in and some Jesuits and we gave them Books they read a little and laid them down they were too hot we declared our message to them in the Name of the Lord and we gave some Books in the Street so they were all set on work Away went the Friers to the King or Supreme in the Island and he would not meddle with us but said we were honest women we might go about our business and that night we went a-bord the Ship again the Consul was troubled for their snare was laid and we felt it being moved of the Lord we went in again the next day and the Consul having a sister in the Nunnery desired us to go there that she might see us and we went to them and gave them a book then to the Consuls we returned again and sitting to wait to know the mind of the Lord what he would have us to do he said we must give in the great Paper and if we would go to save our life we should lose it Here followeth a Copy of some more words which they had written before the former was given forth A True Declaration concerning the Lord's love to us in all our Voyage We were at Sea between London and Plymouth many Weeks and one day we had some trials and between Plymouth and Legorn we were 31. days and we had many trials and storms within and without but the Lord did deliver us out of all And when we came to Legorn with the rest of our friends we went into the Town after we had product and staid there many dayes where we had service every day for all sorts of people came unto us but no man did offer to hurt us yet we gave them Books and having got passage in a Dutch ship we sayled towards Cypâ—us intending to goe to Alexandria but the Lord had appointed somthing for us to do by the way as he did make it manifest to us as I did speak for the Master of the ship had no business in the place but being in company with another ship which had some business at the City of Malta in the Island of Malta where Paul suffered shipwrack and being in the Harbour on the first day of the Week we being moved of the Lord went into the Town and the English Consul met us on the shore and asked us concerning our coming and we told him truth and gave him some Books and a Paper and he told us there was an Inquisition and he kindly entreated us to go to his house and said all that he had was at our service while we were there And in the fear and dread of the Lord we went and there came many to see us and we call'd them to repentance and many of them were tender but the whole City is given to Idolatry And we went a ship-board that night and the next day we being moved to go into the City again dared not to flie the cross but in obedience went desiring the will of God to be done And when we came to the Governor he told us that he had a Sister in the Nunnary did desire to see us if we were free and in the fear of God we went and talked with them and gave them a Book and one of their Priests was with us at the Nunnery and had us into their place of Worship and some would have us bow to the high Altar which we did deny and having a great burthen we went to the Consul again and were vvaiting upon the Lord what to do that we might know And the Inquisitors sent for us and when vve came before them they asked our Names and the Names of our Husbands and the Names of our Fathers and Mothers and how many children vve had and they asked us Wherefore we came into that Countrey And vve told them We were the Servants of the living God and were moved to come and
said Do you beâ—ieve in the Saints and pray to them We said We did believe the Communion of Saints but we did not pray to them but to God onely in the Name of Jesus Christ. He asked Whether we did believe in the Catholick Church We said We did believe the true Church of Christ but the Word Catholick we have not read in Scripture He asked if we believed a Purgatory We said No but a Heaven and a Hell The Fryar said We were commanded to pray for the dead for those that were in Heaven had no need and they that were in Hell there is no redemption therefore there must be a Purgatory He asked if we believed their holy Sacrament We said We never read the Word Sacrament in Scripture The Fryar replied Where we did read in our Bibles Sanctification it was Sacrament in theirs He said Their holy Sacrament was Bread and Wine which they converted into the Flesh and Blood of Christ by the virtue of Christ. We said they did work Miracles then for Christ's virtue is the same as it was when he turned Water into Wine at the Marriage in Canaan He said If we did not eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God we had no life in us We said the Flesh and Blood of Christ is spiritual and we do feed upon it daily for that which is begotten of God in us can no more live without spiritual food than our temporal bodies can without temporal food He said that we did never hear Masse We said We did hear the voice of Christ he onely had the words of eternal life and that was sufficient for us He said We were Hereticks and Heathens We said they were Hereticks that lived in sin and wickedness and such were Heathens that knew not God He asked about our Meetings in England And we told them the truth to their amazement And they asked Who was the Head of our Church We said Christ. And they asked What George Fox is And we said He is a Minister of Christ. They asked Whether he sont us We said No the Lord did move us to come The Fryar said We were deceived and had not the faith but we had all virtues We said that saith was the ground from whence virtues do proceed They said If we would take their holy Sacrament we might have our liberty or else the Pope would not leave us for millions of Gold but we should lose our souls and our bodies too We said the Lord had provided for our souls and our bodies were freely given up to serve the Lord. They askt us if we did not believe Marriage was a Sacrament We said it was an Ordinance of God They ask't us if we did believe men could forgive sins We said None could forgive sins but God onely They brought us that Scripture Whose sins ye remit-in earth shall be remitted in heaven We said All Power was God's and he could givâ— it to whom he would that were born of the Eternal Spirit and guided by the same such have power to do the Fathers Will as I answered a Fryar also in the City of Naples and they were silent the Power greatly working We asked them wherein we had wronged them that we should be kept Prisoners all dayes of our lives and said Our innocent blood would be required at their hands The Fryar said He would take our blood upon him and our Journey into Turky too We told him the time would come he would find he had enough upon him without it They said The Popes was Christ's Vicar and we were of his Church and what he did was for the good of our souls We answered The Lord had not committed the charge of our souls to the Pope nor to them for he had taken them into his own possession glory was to his Name for ever They said We must be obedient We said We were obedient to the Government of Christ's Spirit The Fryar said None had the true Light but the Catholicks the Light that we had was the Spirit of the Devil We said Wo to him that calleth Jesus accursed Can the Devil give power over sin and iniquity then he would destroy his own Kingdom He said We were laught at and mockt at of every one We said What did become of the mockers It was no matter He said We did run about to preach and had not the true Faith We said the true Faith is held in a pure Conscience void of offence towards God and man and we had the true Faith And he said There was but one Faith either theirs or ours and askt us which it was We said Every one had the true Faith that did believe in God and in Jesus whom he had sent but they that say they do believe and do not keep his commandments are lyars and the truth is not in them He said it was true but he did thirst daily for our blood because we would not turn and urged us much about our Faith and Sacrament to bring us under their Law but the Lord preserved us They said It was impossible we could live long in that hot room So the next Week-day they sate in Council but oh how the swelling Sea did rage and the proud waves did foam even unto the clouds of Heaven and Proclamation was made at the Prison-Gate we did not know the words but the fire of the Lord flamed against it K. my life was smitten and I was in a very great agony so sweat was as drops of blood and the righteous one was laid into a Sepulcher and a great stone was roll'd to the door but the Prophesie was that he should arise again the third day which was fulfilled But the next day they came to sit upon Judgement again but I say in the true Judgement they sate not but upon it they got up unjustly above the righteous and upon the same they sate a child of Wisdom may understand and they brought many Propositions written in a paper but the Fryar would suffer the Magistrate to propound but few to us for fear the Light would break forth but they askt how many friends of ours were gone forth in the Ministry and into what parts We told them what we did know They said all that came where the Pope had any thing to do should never go back again We said the Lord was as sufficient for us as he was for the children in the fiery Furnace and our trust was in God They said we were but few and had been but a little while and they were many Countreys and had stood many hundred years and wrought many Miracles and we had none We said we had thousands at our Meetings but none of us dare speak a word but as they are eternally moved of the Lord and we had Miracles the Blind receive their sight the Deaf do hear and the Dumb do speak the Poor do receive the Gospel the Lame do walk and the Dead are raised He
asked Why I lookt so whether my Spirit was weak I said Nay my body was weak because I eat no meat it was in their Lent He offered me a License to eat flesh I said I could not eat any thing at all The terrors of death were strongly upon me but three nights after the Lord said unto me about the 11th hour Arise and put on your Clothes I said When vilt thou come Lord He said Whether at midnight or at Cock-crow do thou watch My Friend and I arose and the Lord said Do stand at the Door And we stood at the door in the power of the Lord I did scarce know whether I was in the body or out of the body and about the 12th hour there came many to the Prison-Gate We heard the Keys and looked when they would come in They ran to and fro till the 4th hour the Lord said he had smote them with blindness they could not find the way And we went to bed there I lay night and day for 12. days together fasting and sweating that my bed was wet and great was our affliction The tenth day of my fast there came two Fryars the Chancellor the man with the black Rod and a Physician and the Keeper and the Fryar commanded my dear Friend to go out of the room and he came and pull'd my hand out of the bed and said Is the Devil so great in you that you cannot speak I said Depart from me thou worker of iniquity I know thee not the Power of the Lord is upon me and thou call'st him Devil He took his Crucisix to strike me in the mouth and I said Look here and I asked him Whether it were that Cross which crucified Paul to the World and the World unto him And he said it was I denied him and said the Lord had made me a Witness for himself against all workers of iniquity He bid me be obedient and went to strike me I said Wilt thou strike me He said he would I said Thou art out of the Apostles Doctrine they were no strikers I deny thee to be any of them who went in the Name of the Lord. He said he had brought me a Physician in charity I said the Lord was my Physician and my saving-health He said I should be whipt and quartered and burnt that night in Malta and my Mate too wherefore did we come to teach them I told him I did not fear the Lord was on our side and he had no power but what he had received and if he did not use it to the same end the Lord gave it him the Lord would judge him And they were all smitten as dead men and went away And as soon as they were gone the Lord said unto me The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death and the Life arole over Death and glorified God The Fryar went to my friend and told her I called him worker of iniquity Did she said Sarah Art thou without sin He said he was Then she hath wronged thee But I say the wise Reader may judge For between the eighth and ninth hour in the evening he sent a Drum to proclaim at the Prison Gate We know not what it was but the fire of the Lord consumed it And about the fourth hour in the morning they were coming with a Drum and Guns and the Lord said unto me 〈◊〉 out of thy Grave-Clothes And we arose and they came up to the Gate to devour us in a moment But the Lord lifted up his Standard with his own Spirit of Might and made them to retreat and they fle◠as dust before the Wind praises and honour be given to our God for ever I went to bed again and the Lord said unto me Herod will seek the yong childes life to destroy it yet again and great was my affliction so that my dear fellow and labourer in the Work of God did look every hour when I should depart the body for many days together and we did look every hour when we should be brought to the stake day and night for several weeks and Isaac was freely offered up But the Lord said he had provided a Ram in the Bush. Afterwards the Fryer came again with his Physician I told him that I could not take any thing unless I was moved of the Lord. He said we must never come forth of that Room while we lived and we might thank God and him it was no worse for it was like to be worse We said if we had died we had died as innocent as ever did servants of the Lord. He said it was well we were innocent They did also look still when I would dye The Fryer bid my friend take notice what torment I would be in at the houre of Death thousands of Devils he said would fetch my soule to Hell She said she did not fear any such thing And he asked if I did not think it expedient for the Elders of the Church to pray over the sick I said yea such as were eternally moved of the Spirit of the Lord. He fell down of his knees and did howle and wish bitter wishes upon himself if he had not the true faith but we denied him The Physitian was in a great rage at Sarah because she could not bow to him but to God onely The last day of my fast I began to be a hungry but was afraid to eat the enemy was so strong but the Lord said unto me If thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink in so doing thou shalt heap coales of fire upon his head be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good I did eat and was refreshed and glorified God and in the midst of our extremity the Lord sent his holy Angels to comfort us so that we rejoiced and magnified God and in the time of our great trial the Sun and Earth did mourn visibly three dayes and the horror of death and pains of Hell was upon me the Sun was darkned the Moon was turned into Blood and the Stars did fall from heaven and there was great tribulation ten dayes such as never was from the beginning of the world and then did I see the Son of man coming in the Clouds with power and great glory triumphing over his enemies the Heavens were on fire and the Elements did melt with fervent heat and the Trumpet sounded out of Sion and an Allarum was struck up in Jerusalem and all the Enemies of God were called to the great day of Battle of the Lord And I saw a great wonder in Heaven the Woman cloathed with the Sun and had the Moon under her feet and a Crown of 12. Stars upon her head and she travelled in pain ready to be delivered of a Man-child and there was a great Dragon stood ready to devour the Man-child as soon as it was born and there was given to the Woman two Wings of a great Eagle to carry her into the desert where she
should be nourished for a time times and half a time and the Dragon cast a Flood out of his mouth c. And I saw War in Heaven Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and his Angels and the Lamb and his army did overcome them and there was a Trumpet sounded in Heaven and I heard a voice saying to 〈◊〉 The City is divided into three parts and I heard another Trumpet sounding and I looked and saw an Angel go down into a great pool of water and I heard a voice saying unto me Whosoever goeth down next after the troubling of the Waters shall be healed of whatsoever Disease he hath And I heard another Trumpet sounding and I heard a voice saying Babylon is fallen is fallen Babylon the great is fallen And I looked and saw the smoke of her torment how it did ascend and I heard another Trumpet sounding and I heard a voice saying Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for he that is mighty hath magnified you and holy is his Name and from henceforth all generations shall call you blessed And I heard another trumpet sounding in Heaven and J heard a voice saying unto me Beholdâ— and J looked and J saw Pharoah and his Host pursuing the Children of Israel and he and his Host were drowned in the Sea Dear Friends and People whatsoever J have written it 's not because it is recorded in the Scripture or that J have heard of such things but in obedience to the Lord J have written the things which I did hear see tasted and handled of the good Word of God to the praise of his Name for ever And all this time my dear Sister in Christ Jesus was in as great affliction as I in a manner to see my strong travel night and day yet she was kept in the patience and would willingly have given me up to death that I might have been at rest yet she would have been left in as great danger wo and misery as ever was any poor captive for the Lord's truth for they did work night and day with their divinations inchantments and temptations thinking thereby to bring us under their power but the Lord prevented them every way so that great was their rage and they came of ten with their Physician and said it was in charity I askt them whether they did keep us in that hot room to kâ—ll us and bring us a Physician to make us alive The Fryar said the Inquisitor would lose his head if he should take us thence and it was better to keep us there than to kill us The Room was so hot and so close that we were fain to rise often out of our bed and lie down at a chink of their door for air to fetch breath and with the fire within and the heat without our skin was like sheeps Leather and the hair did fall off our heads and we did fail often our afflictions and burthens were so great that when it was day we wished for night and when it was night we wished for day we sought death but could not find it We desired to die but death fled from us We did eat our bread weeping and mingled our drink with our tears We did write to the Inquisitor and laid before him our innocency and our faithfulness in giving our testimony for the Lord amongst them and I told him if it were our blood they did thirst after they might take it any other way as well as to smother us up in that hot room So he sent the Fryar and he took away our Ink-horns they had our Bibles before We asked why they took away our goods They said it was all theirs and our lives too if they would We asked how we had forfeited our lives unto them they said For bringing Books and Papers We said if there were any thing in them that was not true they might write against it They said they did scorn to write to fools and asses that did not know true Latine And they told us the Inquisitor would have us separated because I was weak and I should go into a cooler room but Sarah should abide there I took her by the arm and said The Lord hath joined us together and wo be to them that should part us I said I rather chuse to dye there with my friend than to part from her He was smitten and went away and came no more in five weeks and the door was not opened in that time Then they came again to part us but I was sick and broken out from head to foot They sent for a Doctor and he said We must have air or else we must dye So the Lord compelled them to go to the Inquisitor he gave order for the door to be set open six hours in a day they did not part us till ten Weeks after But oh the dark clouds and the sharp showers the Lord did carry us through Death it self had been better than to have parted in that place They said we corrupted each other and that they thought when we were parted we would have bowed to them But they found we were more stronger afterwards than we were before the Lord our God did fit us for every condition They came and brought a Scourge of small Hemp and asked us if we would have any of it They said they did whip themselves till the blood did come We said that could not reach the Devil he sate upon the heart They said All the men and women of Malta were for us if we would be Catholicks for there would be none like unto us We said the Lord had changed us into that which changed not They said all their holy women did pray for us and we should be honored of all the world if we would turn VVe said we were of God and the whole world did lye in wickedness and we denied the honor of the World and the glory too They said We should be honored of God too but now we were hated of all We said it is an evident token whose servants we are the servant is not greater than the Lord and that Scripture was fulfilled which saith All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Upon a first day of the Week we were fasting and waiting upon the Lord till the second hour after mid-day and the Fryars came and commanded us in the Name of the Lord to kneel down with them to prayer We said we could not pray but as we were moved of the Lord. They commanded us the second time Then they kneeled down by our bed side and prayed and when they had done they said they had tryed our spirits now they knew what spirit we were of We told told them they could not know our spirit unless their minds were turned to the Light of the Lord Jesus in their Consciences The English Fryar was wrath and shewed us his Crucifix and bid us loook there We said
The Lord saith Thou shalt not make to thy self the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath nor in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow to them nor worship them but I the Lord thy God only He was so mad he called for the irons to chain Sarah because she spake so boldly to him She bowed her head and said to him Not onely my feet but my hands and my neck also for the Testimony of Jesus His wrath was soon appeased and he said He would do us any good he could he did see what we did was not in malice the power had broken him down for that present they came to us often saying If you would do but a little you should be set at liberty but you will do nothing at all but are against every thing We said We are against nothing that is of God but would do any thing that might make for God's glory Many did think we should not have been heard nor seen after we were in the Inquisition but the Lord did work wonderfully for us and his Truth For they new built the Inquisition and there were many Labourers for a year and a half and the great men came to see the building and we were carried forth with great power to declare in the Name of the Lord Jesus not fearing the face of man the Lord was our strength But behold they threatned us with Irons and Halters for preaching the Light so boldly and they said None ought to preach but Prelates to a Bishop as they use to say in England Now their Lord Inquisitor so called and the Magistrates were kept moderate towards us and gave order we should have Ink and Paper to write to England But we were hindered still and vve do believe they would have set us at liberty had it not been for the Fryars it was they that wrought against us still to the Pope and to the Inquisitor and we told them so They sought three quarters of a year to part us before they could bring it to pass and when they did part us they prepared a bed for Sarah and their own Catholicks lay upon the boards that had not beds of their own When we were parted the Lord would not suffer me to keep any money I knew not the mind of God in it Their Fryars came and said We should never see one anothers faces again but the Inquisitor should send me my food But the Lord would not suffer him to send it Sarah did send me such as she could get neare three Weeks then the Fryar came and askt me what I did want I said one to wash my Linnen and something hot to eat I was weak He sent to Sarah to know if she would do it for me She said she would And by that means we did hear of each other every day The Fryar said You may free your self of misery when you will you may make your self a Catholick and have your freedom to go where you will I told him I might make my self a Catholick and have a name that I did live when I was dead and said he had Catholicks enough already he should bring some of them to the Light in their Consciences that they might stand in awe and sin not He said He would lose one of his fingers if we would be Catholicks I said it was Babylon that was built with blood Sion was redeemed through Judgement They would have had me to a Picture set at my beds head for a representation I askt them if they did think I did lack a Calf to worship And whether they did not walk by the Rule of Scripture The Fryar said They did but they had traditions too I said if their traditions did derogate or discent from the fundamentals of Christ's Doctrine the Prophets and Apostles I denied them in the Name of the Lord. He said they did not I askt him where they had their Rule to burn them that could not join with them for Conscience He said St. Paul did worse he gave them to the Devil and that they did judge all damned that were not of their Faith And he askt whether vve did judge them so I said No We had othervvise learned Christ. I askt him vvhy they did bind that vvhich the Lord did not bind and set tyes chains and limits where the Lord did not as in meats and drinks or in respect of dayes or times vvhich the Apostle called beggarly Elements and rudiments of the wâ—rld and forbidding to marry a Doctrine of Devils said I. He could not tell vvhat to say but told me That Saint Peter was the Pope of Rome and did build an Altar there and the Pope was his Successor and he could do what he would I denied that and said We never read any such thing in Scripture for Peter Christ's Apostle had no money to build Altars he himself did offer Sacrifice upon the Altars made vvithout hands And he said We were but a few and risen up but late and they were many and had stood fourteen hundred years and God was a lyar if they had not the true faith for he had confirmed it to them by a thousand miracles I said the fevv number and the little Flock is Christ's Flock He askt if vve vvere then all the World said he I said our saith was from the beginning Abol was of our Church and the world by wisdom did not know God He went to Sarah with the same temptation and she told him also that Abel was of our Church He said Abel was a Catholick and Cain and Judas were so She said Then the Devil was a Catholick and she would not be one He threatned her and told her how many they were She said Daniel was but one and if there were no more but she her self she would not turn but took her fingers and shewed them if they would tear her joint-meal she did believe the Lord would enable her to endure it for the Truth So they went from one to another thinking to entangle us in our talk but we were guided by one Spirit and spake one and the same thing in effect so that they had not a â—ot nor tittle against us but for righteousness sake Our God did keep us by his own Power and Holiness out of their hands honor and praises be given to his powerful Name for ever He the said Fryar came to me another time like a Bear robbed of her Whelpâ— and told me if I would be a Catholick I should say so otherwise they would use me badly and I should never see the face of Sarah again but should dye by my self and a thousand Devils should carry my soul to Hell I asked him if he were the Messenger of God to me He said he was I said What is my sin or wherein have I provoked the Lord that he doth send me such a strait Message He said Because I would not be a Catholick I said I
deny thee and thy Message too and the Spirit which spake in thee the Lord never spake it He said that he would lay me in a whole Pile of Chains where I should see neither Sun nor Moon I said he could not separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus lay me where he would He said He would give me to the Devil I said I did not fear all the Devils in Hell the Lord was my Keeper Though he had the Inquisition with all the Countreys round about on his side and was alone by my self I did not fear them if there were thousands more the Lord was on my right hand and the work they could do was but to kill the body they could not touch my life no more than the Devil could Job's He said that I should never go out of that Room alive I said the Lord was sufficient to deliver me But whether he would or would not I vvould not forsake a living Fountain to drink at a broken Cistern And they had no Law to keep us there but such a Law as Ahab had for Naboth's Vinyard He curst himself and callâ—d upon his gods and went forth and as he was making fast the door he put in his hand at the hole of the door and said Abide there Member of the Devil I said The Devil 's Meâ—bers did the Devil's Work the Woes and Plagues of the Lord would be upon them for it He went and told the Inquisitor of it and he â—aught at him saw it and felt it in that which is Eternal I vvas moved out of that Room before he came agaâ—n and vvhen he came he brought one of the Inquisitors men vvith him and tvvo very good Hens and said the Lord Inquisitor had sent them in love to me I said his love I did receive but I could not take his â—ens for it was not the practice oâ— the servant of the Lord to be chargeable to any while they have of their own He said We must not count anything our own for in the primitive times they did sell their possessions and laid them down at â—he Apostles feet He said We should not want any thing if they did spend a thousand Crowns I believe he would have had us lay down our money at his feet He saâ—d I was proud beâ—ause I would not take the inquisitors Hens when he sent them me in Charity I asked whether he kept me in Prison and sent me his Charity He said it was for the good of our souls he kept us in prison I told him Our souls were out of the Inquisitors reach or his either he told me before if we had not been going to preach we mâ—ght have gone where we would I askt him What should our souls have done then and vvhy their love shouâ—d extend moâ—â— to us than to their own family They could not charge us vvith â—in and they did commit all manner of sin they might put them into the inquisition and bid turn He said again We had not the true Faith and shew'd me his Crucâ—fix and askâ— me if I thought he did worship that I askt him what he did do with it he said it was a Represenâ—ation J said it did not represent Christ for he vvas the expresâ— image of his Father's glory which 〈◊〉 Light and Life J said it he could put any life in any of his images he might bring them to me And J 〈◊〉 him vvhat Representation Daniel had in the Lyonsâ—Dâ—n or Jonas in the Whales bâ—lly they oryed unto the Lord and he dâ—livered â—hâ—m He said I talks like a mad woman I talks so much against their idols He was in a rage and said He would give me to the Devil J bid him give his own J am the Lords He stood up and said He would do by me as the Apostles did by Ananias and Saphira He stood up and opened his mouth and I stood up to him and denied him in the Name of the Lord the living God and said he had no power over me And away he went to Sarah with the Henâ— and told her that I was sick and the Lord Inquisitor had sent two Hens and I would be glad to eat a piece of one if she should dress one of them presently and the other to morrow Mark this Deceiver this Lyar But she standing in the Counsel of the Lord answered him accordingly as did and he carried them away again We did not dare to take them the Lord did forbid us He said You would fain be burned because you would make the World believe you did love God so well as to suffer in that kind I said J did not desire to be burnt but if the Lord did call me to it J did believe he would give me power to undergo it for his truth and if every hair of my head was a body J could offer them up all for the Testimony of Jesus He came twice to know whether I had not been inspired of the Holy Ghost to be a Catholick since I came into the Inquisition J said No he said we were he said We called the Spirit of the Holy Ghost the Sipirit of the Devil We said the Spirit of the Holy Ghost in us will resist the Devil We told him the inspiration of the Holy Ghost was never wrought in the Will of man nor in man's time but in the Will of God and in God's time He asked How we did know a clean from an unclean Spirit We said an unclean spirit did burden the Seed of God and dam up the Springs of Life and a clean spirit would open the Springs of Life and refresh the Seed it was a Riddle to him but he said it was true He would assent to pure truth sometimes We asked him Whether every man and woman dâ—d not stand guilty before God of all the sins they ever committed beâ—ore Regeneration He said Yea. And he did confess all their Learning and languages in their places was but to serve the Lord. We told him all their Praying Preaching and â—rouding was no more accepted than Cain's Sacrifice unless they were moved of the Eternal Spirit of the Lord. We askt him if he that was in them was greater than he that was in us and why they had not overcome us all that time We were very sensible of their workings day and night He said Because we resisted still We askt him for our Bibles He said We should never see them again they were false We said if they were conjuring Books they had no warrant from the Lord to take them from us They always came two Fryars at a time and they would fall down and howl and wish bitter wishes upon themselves if they were not in the truth We would deny them and preach truth to them the Light of the Lord Jesus in the Consciences of every one to lead them to a pure life and did ask them where the pure and holy life was and what all of them did do
that the people did live in sin and all manner of wickedness And whether words and forms would serve without life and power He was as bloody a fiery Serpent as ever was born of a Woman and did strike as hard at our lives would hold up his hand often to strike us but had never the power he would quickly be cut down that he would say we were good women and he would do us any good He was compell'd to work for us sometimes and would say it was for God's sake and would have us thank him for it We would tell him those that did any thing for God did not look for a reward from man He said We were the worst of all creatures and we should be used worse than any the Turks Arminians Protestants and Lutherans should be used better than we We said the pure Life was ever counted the worst and we must suffer we were the Lords and could trust him let him do what he would vvith us vve did not fear any evil tydings vve vvere setled and grounded in the truth and the more they did persecute us the more stronger vve did grovv We vvere bold and valiant for God's Truth that vvhatsoever we did suffer vve could not fear We were separated two years I had neither fire nor candle in that time above two hours none did bring me any nor I had not freedom to call for any The Fryars went to Sarah and told her if she would she should go forth of the Prison and say nothing nor do nothing She said she vvould upon that account He said they vvould come in the morning and so they did but the Lord saw their deceit and forewarned Sarah and bid her mind Esau who sold his Birth right for a morsel of meat and Judas that betrayed his Master for thirty pieces of Silver That when they came she vvas strengthned against them and said she stood in the Counsel of God and could take up nothing in her ovvn vvill they had not povver to have her forth They said the Inquisitor said if we did want Linnen Woollen Stockins Shooes or Money vve should have it But there was a poor English man heard that Sarah was in a room vvith a Windovv next the Street it vvas high he got up and spake a few vvords to her and they came violently hall'd him down and cast him into prison upon life and death And the Fryars came to know of us vvhether he had brought any Letters We said no I did not see him They said they did think he would be hang'd for it He was one that they had taken from the Turks and made a Catholick of him Sarah wrote a few lines to me of it and said she did think the English Fryars were the chief actors of it we had a private way to send to each other I vvrote to her again and after my Salutation I said Whereas she said the Fryars vvere the chief actors she might be sure of that for they did hasten to fill up their measures but I believe the Lord wil preserve the poor man for his love I am made to seek the Lord for him with tears And I desired she would send him something once a day if the Keeper vvould carry it and I told her of the glorious manifestations of God to my soul for her comfort so that I was ravished vvith love and my Beloved was the chiefest of ten thousands and how I did not fear the face of any man though I did feel their arrows for my Physician is nigh me and how I was vvaiting upon the Lord and saw our safe return into England and I was talking with G. F. to my great refreshment The Name of G. F. did prâ—ck them to the heart I said it vvas much they did not tempt us with money I bid her take heed the Light vvould discover it and many more things let it come under what cover it vvould And this Paper came to the Fryar's hands by vvhat means vve could never tell but as the Light did shew us the Lord vvould have it so it smote the Fryar that he vvas tormented many days and he translated it into â—talian and laid it before their Loâ—d Inquisitor and got the Inquisitor's Lievtenant and came to me with both the Papers in his hand and askt me if I could read it J said Yea I writ it O! did you indeed said he And what is it you say of me here That which is truth said I. Then he said Where is the Paper Sarah sent bring it or else I will search the I runk and every where else J bid him search where he vvould He said I must tell what man it was that brought me the Ink or else I should be tyed with Chains presently J told him had J done nothing but vvhat vvas just and right in the sight of God and vvhat J did suffer vvould be for Truth 's sake and J did not care J vvould not meddle nor make with the poor Workmen He said For God's sake tell me what Sarah did write J told him a few vvords and said it was truth Said he You say it is much we do not tempt you with money And in few hours they came and tempted us with money often So the Lieutenant took my ink and threw it away and they were smitten as if they vvould have fallen to the ground and vvent their vvay J saw them no more in three Weeks but the poor man vvas set free the next morning They went to Sarah and told her that I had honestly confest all and that she was best to confess too and threatned her with a Halter and to take away a Bed and Trunk and her Money to have half of it for me she answered she might not send to me any more She askâ— him Whether he was a Minâ—ster of Christ or a Magistrate 〈◊〉 he vvere a Magistrate he might take her money but she vvould not give it him And they that were vvith him said No he should not meddle with any thing He was a bitter wicked man He told her She was possest She answered and said she was with the povver of an endless life The Lord was not vvanting to us at any time for Povver nor Words to stop the mouths of gain-sayers of his Truth neither in Revelations nor Visions Praises be to his Name for ever He kept us in our weakest condition bold for his Truth declaring against all sin and wickedness so that many were convinced but did not dare to own it for fear of Faggot and Fire There were none that had any thing to say against vvhat vve spake but tâ—e Fryers but would have us to join with them There were none did come into the inquisition but the judgements of the Lord vvould be upon them so that they vvould cry and foam and send for a Physiâ—ian many of them The unclean spirits would cry out as much as ever they did against Jesus and would
gnash with heir teeth when vve were at prayer there was a Fryer and other great men the Fryer would run as if he had been at his Wits end and call to the Keeper and he vvould run for the English Fryer and he would go the Jnquisitor for counsel and sometime they would send them word they should have a remedy J should be sent to Rome and sometimes the Fryers would come but had not power to say any thing to me of it The Lord did say to us Cut up your Uoice like the noise of a Trumpet and sound forth my Truth like the shout of a King There was one that life waâ— arisen in him but they were upon him as Eagles til they had destroy'd him he did undergo terrible Judgements all the time he was in the Inquisition Our money served us a year and seven Weeks and when it was almost gone the Fryars brought the Inquisitor's Chamberlain to buy our Hats We said we came not there to sel our clothes nor any thing we had Then the Fryar did commend us for that and told us we might have kept our money to servâ— us otherwise We said No we could not keep any money and be chargeable to any We could trust God He said He did see we could but they should have maintâ—ined us while they kept us Prisoners And then the Lord dâ—d take away our stomacks we did eat but little for three or four Weeks and then the Lord called us to fasting for eleven dayes together but it was so little that the Fryars came and said that it was impossible that Creatures could live with so little meat as they did see we did for so long time together and asked what we would do Aâ—d said their Lord Inquisitor said We might have any thing we would We said We must wait to know the mind of God what he would have uâ— to do We did not fast in our own Wills but in obedience to the Lord. They were much troubled and sent us meat and â—aid â—he English Consul sent it We could not take any thing till the Lord's time was come We were weak so that Sarah did dâ—ess her head aâ— she would lye in her Grave poor Lamb J â—ay looking for the Lord to put an end to the sad trial which way to seemed 〈◊〉 in his â—ight Then J heaâ—d a voice saying Ye shall not dye J beâ—iâ—ved the Lord and his glory did appear much in ourâ—ast he was very gracious to us and did refresh us with his living presence continually and we did behold his beauty to our great â—oy and câ—mfort and he was large to us in his promâ—ses so that we were kept quiet and still the sting of Death be in taken away our souls hearts and minds were at pâ—ace with the Lord so that they could not tell whether we were dead or alive but as they dâ—d all to us once a day till the time the Lord had appointed we should eat and they were made to bring many good things and said them down by us so that Scripture we witnessed fulfilled Our Enemies treated us kindly in a strange Land said I. But we were afraid to eat and cryed to the Lord and said We had rather dye than eat any thing that is polluted and unclean The Lord said unto me Thou mayest as freely eat as if thou hadst wrought for it with thy hands I will sanctifie it to thee through the Cross. And he said to Sarah Thou shalt eat the fruit of thy hands and be blessed We did eat and were refreshed to the praise and glory of our God for ever We did eat but little in two Months and they did bring us what ever we did speak for for 8. or 10. dayes and afterward we were so straitned for want of food it did us more hurt than our Fast. Yet the Lord did work as great a Miracle by our preservation as he did by raising Lazarus out of the Grave The Fryars did say the Lord did keep us alive by his mighty power because we should be Catholicks We said the Lord would make it manifest to us then they should know the Lord had another end in it one day But still they said There was no Redemption for us We said with the Lord there was mercy and plenteous Redemption VVe bid them take heed ye be not found fighters against God They said We were foolish women We said we were the Lord's fools and the Lord's Fools were right dear and precious in his sight and wo to them that do offend them He said they were the Lord's fools and shewed us their deceitful Gowns and their shaven Crowns and said they did wear it for God's sake to be laught at of the world We said they did not wear it for God's sake unless they were moved of the holy Spirit of God to wear it He said it was no matter they did wear it because of their Superiors mark and before it was for God's sake as he said He thought to bring us under him for our food and did make us suffer a while though the Inquisitor and the Magistrates had taken a course we should want for nothing But the Lord did torment him and all the rest till they did bring us such things as were fitting Then he did work all that he could to send me to Rome and was coming two or three times for what I know to fetch me forth but the Lord vvould not suffer them and vvhen they savv they could not prevaile that vvay they said vve should go both but the Fryar should go first because he vvas not vvell he got leave to go he vvas so vveary of coming to us that he did beseech the Lord Inquisitor he might come no more to us He told Sarah I was a Witch and that I knew what was done at London and he vvould come to me no more he said Because vvhen he did tell me a company of lyes I said I had a witness for God in me which was faithful and true and I did believe Godâ—s witness The Diviners did vvax mad and did run as at their vvits end from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain to cover them They ran to the Inquisitor and vvrit to the Pope and vvent to him their King did not hide them at all some of them did gnash vvith their teeth and even gnavv their tongues for pain Yet the rest vvould not repent of their blasphemy sorcery nor inchantments but do post on to fill up their measures Oh! the Lord revvard them according to their vvorks A little before the Fryar vvent to Rome he came to the Inquisition Chamber vvith a Scribe to vvrite concerning us to carry it vvith him I savv him as God vvould have it the Lord said There is thy deadly foe They vvere vvriting part of three dayes and vvhen they had ended it the Lord would not let me eat till the Scribe did come where I was that I might pronounce vvo against
it and defie it which I did do in the Name of the Lord and it did wither vvith all the rest After it vvas gone the English Consul came to us with a Scribe and he brought us a doller from a Master of a Ship that came from Plymouth I told him I did receive my Countrey man's Love but could not receive his Money He askt me What I wouâ—d do if I would take no money I said the Lord was my portion and I could not lack any good thing I said to him We were in thy House near 15. Weeks didst thou see any cause of Death or Bonds in us He said No. I askt him how he would dispence with his Conscience for telling us He would have us before the Inquisitor and thou didst know that Room vvas provided for us and had not we been kept alive by the mighty Power of God we might have been dead long since He said How could I help it I said We are the Servants of the living God and were brought here by permission and in the Spirit of Meekness gave in our Testimony for the Lord in faithfulness and told you the truth as it is in Jesus and called you all to repentance and fore-warned you in love to your souls of the evil the Lord is bringing upon you if you do not repent He said However it be it will go well with you Mark that I told him he required a sign of me when vve vvere at his house if we were the servants of the Lord God I gave him a sign from the living God and my friend gave him another from the Lord to his shame and destruction for ever I askt him Whether it were not true we spake to him he said it was but how should he help it I said Thou art a condemned person and stands guilty before God yet nevertheless repent if thou canst find a place He smil'd upon the Scribe in deceit but his lips did quiver and his belly trembled and he could scarce stand upon his legs He was as proper a man as most was in the City and full and in his prime age O! he was consumed as a Snail in a shell which was a sufficient sign for the whole City if their hearts were not harder than Adamants He said How should he help it He might have helpt it but he was as willing to prove us as any of them all He was sworn upon his Oath to protect the English and their Ruler bid him let us go about our business and said He were honest women and then he might have let us go before we were under the black Rod. Then he went to Sarah with the Doller she told him she could not take the Money but if he had a Letter for us she should be free to receive that He said he had not any He askt her what she did want She said the Lord was her Shepherd she could not want any good thing but she did long for her Freedom He said That you may have in time He told us we should have ink and paper to write But when he was gone they vvould not let us The next time we heard of him he was dead We could have rejoiced if he had dyed for righteousness sake for the Lord delighteth not in the death of a sinner The Fryar was gone to Rome and they said he must stay there till we came There was great working to send us there but the Lord did prevent them that they could not send us there Then the Lord did work to bring us together again after so long time we had been parted There vvere five doors between us with Locks and Bolts but the Keeper had not power to make them fast but as Sarah could undo them to come where I could see her but could not speak to her for there were them that did watch us night and day yet she being moved of the Lord did come to my door by night she must come by the Fryars door he and the Doctor of Law were together and they did set a trap to take her in and many did watch about the Prison and would complain Then she was lockt up again but they had no peace in that till the doors were open again then we did sit in the sight of each other to wait upon the Lord so that our voices were heard far the Magistrates vvould hear and bow to it sometime then the complainers were weary and did work to have us brought together and we did wait and pray and the Magistrates would come in and look upon us many times but would say nothing to us There were of divers Nations brought into the Inquisition Prisoners and the Fryars and the rest that were great would go in their way to make Christians of them and we were made to stand up against them and their vvays and deny them in the Name of the Lord and declare the truth to the simple-hearted continually if vve did suffer death for it We could not endure to hear the Name of the Lord blasphemed nor his pure Way of Truth perverted nor the ignorant deceived They did vvrite all they understood of vvhat vve spake and sent it to the Court-Chamber before the Inquisitor and Magistrates but the Lord did blast it vvith the Mildevvs of his vvrathful indignation and burnt it up vvith the brightness of his Son and vve rejoiced in our God but still our burdens continued very heavy and our righteous souls vvere vexed vvith the filthy Conversation of the Wicked and the pure Seed of God vvas prest from day to day that our spirits did mourn and our hearts vvere grieved because of the hardness of their hearts and their Rebellion against their Maker vvho vvas so gracious to them to suffer them so long in all their abominations and vvaited to be gracious to them and knock at the Door of their hearts calling for Justice Mercy and Humility but behold Oppression Cruelty and Self-Exaltation notvvithstanding the Lord did strive so much vvith them and sent so many undeniable truths and inâ—allible testimonies of the coming of his Son to Judgement and so clear a manifestation of the vvay to eternal Salvation given forth of his ovvn mouth by his eternal Spirit and having us for an example vvho vvere kept by his Povver and Holiness they had not a jot nor tittle against us but for righteousness sake though they had vvinnovved and fanned us so long Glory honor and praises be given to our God for ever O they would not let us know of any English Ship that came into the Harbour as near as they could but the Lord would make it manifest to us We had a great working and striving in our bodies but we knew not what it meant the arrows of the Wicked did flye so that my soul was plunged and overwhelmed from head to feet and the terrors of the unrighteous had taken hold of us and the flames of Hell compassed us about then the Lord appeared
troubled in my spirit to know the Vision and I waited upon the Lord and he signified to me in the Light The six Suns were six Nations whose Lights were near out and the five which crossed each other signified to me some rising amongst them And the Fryar came to me and said It was God's will we should be kepâ— there or else they could not keep us I told him the Lord did suffer wicked men to do wickedly but did not will them to do it He did suffer Herod to take off John Baptist's head but he did not will him to do it and did suffer Stephen to be stoned and Judas to betray Christ but he did not will them to do it for if he had he would not have condemned them for it He said Then we are wicked men I said They are wicked men that work wickedness The Fryar would say still We had not the true Faith We said By Faith we stand and by the Power of God we are upholden dost thou think it is by our own power and holiness we are kept from a vain conversation from sin and wickedness He said That was our pride We said No We could glory in the Lord we were children of wrath once as well as others But the Lord hath quickned us that were dead by the living Word of his Grace and hath washed cleansed and sanctified us through soul and spirit in part according to our measures and we do press forward towards that which is perfect He then did say We were good Women but yet there was no redemption for us except we would be Catholicks Now the Lord said Fear not Daughters of Sion I will carry you forth as Gold tryed out of the fire And many precious promises did the Lord refresh us with in our greatest extremity and would appear in his glory that our souls would be ravished in his presence I had the Spirit of Prayer upon me and I was afraid to speak to the Lord for fear I should speak one word that would not please him And the Lord said Fear not Daughter of Sion ask what thou wilt and I will grant it thee whatsoever thy heart can wish I desired nothing of the Lord but what would make for his glory whether it were my liberty or bondage life or death wherein I was highly accepted of the Lord. The Room wherein I was separated was near the Chancery where all the Bishops Courtiers did resort and would come into the Inquisition Courts and I had Work amongst them daily they would come on purpose to their condemnation some would be smitten and run as if they hunted and some would be set on fire and cry Caldere caldere and fuoco fuoco and many would pitty us because we were not Catholicks the Fryars would say We might be Catholicks and keep our own Religion too and we should not be known we were Catholicks except we were brought before a Justice of Peace We askt if we should profess a Christ we should be asham'd of But as for the poor Workmen they were willing to do any thing for us and were diligent to hear us the Witness of God in them did answer to the truth there were many eyes over them had it not been for the great opposition there were hundreds would have flown to the truth And because I said I did talk with G. F. he the Fryar asked Whether G. F. did bring me money to maintain me in prison I said no but though I was absent in body yet I was present in spirit and was refreshed in him and in hundreds more besides They said I had seen Revelations and had talkt with G. F. and he was God's Revelation Sarah said Christ was God's Revelation he said she came under the Halter for saying Christ was God's Revelation She answered St. Paul said As soon as it pleased God to reveal his Son in me I did not consult with flesh and blood but immediately I went and preacht him and is not Christ God's Revelation then He said Who denied that What they would have done to Sarah if they had taken her forth we know not but the Lord did work so wonderfully that night for the preservation of her poor soul out of their net that he is worthy to be glorified for ever The next time he came to me he came in sheeps clothing but he had a Woolf under his Gown he gave me words as soft as Butter and as smooth as Oyl when he had a Sword in his heart and a Spear in his hand when they speak most fairest then beware of them He desired us we would not think so hardly of him as if he were the Author of all our wrongs and troubles he was not he said but would do any good he could for us were it with his blood But we thought he had been the chiefest that cast the poor man in prison but he was the man that hope him out without any punishment at all though the Inquisitor did say he should be severely punished I told him he did well he would have peace in it and would never have cause to repent it He did entreat us he might not bear all the burthen We told him of many wicked things he did act against us and of his lying and cruel words He bid us take no notice what he did speak But we did feel his spirit that what he spake he would do if he had not been chained I did use to tell him My Conscience was not feared with a hot iron J was not past feeling At last he was so weary of coming to us he did entreat the Jnquisitor he might not come to us any more the Judgements of the Lord did follow him so it was like to kill him When we were parted the Lord did vvork mightily for us and we vvere kept by the Power of the Lord over our Enemies and vvere bold for God's Truth and did make war vvith them in righteousness so that they could not gain-say us in the truth So that Scripture was fulfilled The wicked mouths must be stopped and they vvere put to silence praises be to our God and were made to confess or say Of a truth God was in us our God was a consuming fire to them they were not able to stand in his presence but they vvould howl and make a noise like Dogs and cry Jesu Maria and flye as people driven by a mighty rushing Wind the Power of the Lord did pursue after them like a Sword that Scripture was fulfilled which saith Christ came not to send peace on earth but a sword to cut down his Enemies the Lord was on our side and did take our part and did fight for us and did tread down our Enemies under our feet that they could not hurt us Mighty vvas the Work of God daily our tongues cannot express it they did vvork day and night vvith their Incâ—antments and Divinations Sorceries unclean Spirits crying and foaming insomuch we could take
little rest day or night sometimes but the Lord vvas vvith us and did work mightily by his power and kept us over them in the life of the Son of God My Prison was nigh to the Pallace and to their Worship that I could be heard of both and it was laid upon me of the Lord to call them to repentance and to turn to the Light vvherevvith they vvere enlightned vvhich would lead them out of all their wicked Ways Works and Worships to serve the true and living God in spirit and in truth the Power did raise the Witness in many and troubled them they did sigh and groan and some did stay to hear me â—o long as they durst for there were many did watch and it was upon pain of death or at least to be imprisoned As was the poor English man that did come and speak to me whom they hallâ—d down violently and put him in prison but the Lord delivered him for his love And we were parted near a year but great was the Work of the Lord and great was the Power to carry it on He was not wanting to us glory be to his Name but did give us Words and Wisdom according to our Work So that Scripture was fulfilled which saith on this wise Ye need not premeditate afore-hand what to speak or what to say for it shall be given you of my Heavenly Father what ye ought to speak that the Enemies shall not gain-say they were so tormented that they did run to the Hills and to the Mountains to cover them from the presence of the Lord and from the Wrath of the Lamb which sits upon the Throne to judg them righteously and to condemn them for all their wicked deeds which they so ungodlily had committed against him Oh the goodness of the Lord and his long-suffering and forbearance which vvould lead them to repentance but they would not hearken to his counsel but turned his laws behind their backs and hated to be instructed by them therefore the Lord did laugh at their destruction and did mock when their fear came Their wickedness was so great and my burthens so heavy to bear it that I cryed to the Lord and said It is better for me to dye than to live and would gladly have given up my life in testimony against them all I vvas as ' t vvere compell'd to declare against all their vvays vvorks and vvorships insomuch that they ran to the Inquisitor to have me chained or punished some other vvay but the Povver of the Lord chained them that they could not diminish a hair of my head the Lord vvas my safety praises be to his Name for ever Novv some as they passed to their Worship Houses vvould sigh and some pray and some did throvv stones at my Windovv they did vvork night and day about the Prison as though they vvould have broke through to slay me but the Lord vvas vvith me and did fight for me and did scatter his Enemies as the dust before the Wind Glory be to his Name for evermore I cannot expresse the large love of our God hovv he did preserve us from so many deaths and threatnings as they did come to me vvith falling dovvn upon their knees saying Mass and vvould have me to say after them but in the Name oâ— the Lord I denied them They vvould hovvâ—e like Dogs beause they could not beguile the innocent and slay my righteous life but praises be to the Lord our God who did preserve me from the VVoolf and the Devourers denying them and their Sacrifices And vvhen they savv they could not prevail to betray us from the truth eâ—en they said they would give us to the Devil to be tormented and deliver us over to their bad Catholicks to do by us as they pleased for they would use us badly and so they did seek to do Oh the cursed noises and cryes the Sodomites did make crying Quake Quake running about the Prison raging and some singing and crouding round the Prison night and day as if they would have broke through to slay me and the sons of Belâ—al did run to bear false witness so that I looked every hour when they would fetch me out and slay me The Enemy did so work to perswade that they had prest my dear yoke-fellow with stones vvhich vvas a great trouble to me because I could not suffer death with her I did yeild she had been slain And afterwards this great tribulation being ended then they said my dear and faithful yoke-fellow should be sent to Rome and I should tarry at Malta which did so encrease my sorrow and wrought upon my spirit to try and examine wherefore the Lord should deal so hardly with me as to leave me behind or whether he did not count me worthy to go and give in my testimony vvith her to Rome and offer up my life for the Testimony of Jesus than to have my liberty to return to England vvith her and I cryed day and night to the Lord and vvould not give my soul rest nor my eyes sleep till the Lord did ansvver me glory and praises be to his Name for ever But vve savv Jacob must part vvith all Benâ—amin must go too So vve vvere vvilling to give up in obedience to the Lord our trials were unspeakable Oh the unclean spirits they vvould speak to us at noon-day but the Lord did give us power over them that we did not fear the wild Bores out of the Wood nor the vvild Beasts out of the Field Then there vvas one came and said that Catherine and I must be sent both to Rome Which did rejoice my soul and renevved my strength because the Lord did count me Worthy to go and give in my Testimony for his Truth the Word of his Prophesie before the great and mighty ones of the Earth The Lord said I should not be afraid and he shevved me in the Light how he had bowed them down before us and saw them in the Light of Christ how the Pope the Fryars and Sorcerers stood in ranks bowing down before us So we saw our Dominion in Spirit They did work to send us to Rome but the Lord did blast it and fought against them that they could not send us Now our Testimony was as largely given in at Rome as at Malta The Fryars came to me and shewed me Mary and her Babe pictured against the Wall and would have me look upon it I stampt with my foot and said Cursed be all Images and Image-makers and all that fall down to worship them Christ Jesus is the express Image of his Fathers brightness which is Light and Life who doth reveal the mysterie of iniquity the cunning working of Satan to draw out the mind to follow him from the pure life and to veil over the Just One from beholding the Presence of the Lord. But glory be to the Lord who hath made him manifest in thousands of his in this Day of his Power When we were separated
the 11th Month of the year 1661. Sarah Chevers to her Husband and Children MY Dear Husband my love my life is given up to serve the living God and to obey his pure Call in the measure of the manifestation of his Love Light Life and Spirit of Christ Jesus his onely begotten Son whom he hath manifested in me and thousands by the brightness of his appearing to put an end to sin and Satan and bring to light Immortality through the preaching of the everlasting Gospel by the Spirit of Prophesie which is poured out upon the sons and daughters of the living God according to his purpose whereof he hath chosen me who am the least of all but God who is rich in mercy for his own Name sake hath passed by mine offences and hath counted me worthy to bear testimony to his holy Name before the mighty men of the Earth Oh the love of the Lord to my soul my tongue cannot express neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of the things that God hath laid up for them that fear him Therefore doth my soul breath to my God for thee and my Children night and day that your minds may be joined to the Light of the Lord Jesus to lead you out of Satans Kingdom into the Kingdom of God where we may enjoy one another in the Life Eternal where neither Sea nor Land can separate in which Light and Life do I salute thee my dear Husband with my Children wishing you to embrace Gods love in making his Truth so clearly manifest amongst you whereof I am a Witness even of the everlasting Fountain that hath been opened by the Messengers of Christ who preach to you the Word of God in season and out of season directing you where you may find your Saviour to purge and cleanse you from your sins and to reconcile you to his Father and to have unity with him and all the Saints in the Light that ye may be fellow-Citizens in the Kingdom of Glory Rest and Peace which Christ hath purchased for them that love him and obey him What profit is there for to gain the whole world and lose your own souls Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all other things shall be added to you Godliness is great gain having the promise of this life that now is and that which is to come which is fulfilled to me who have tasted of the Lords endlesse love and mercies to my soul from a moving of the same love and life do I breath to thee my dear Husband with my Children my dear love salutes you all my Prayers to my God are for you all that your minds may be joined to the Light wherewith you are lightened that I may enjoy you in that which is Eternal and have community with you in the Spirit He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit one heart one mind one soul to serve the Lord with one consent I cannot by Pen or Paper set forth the large love of God in fulfilling his gracious promises to me in the Wilderness being put into prison for God's Truth there to remain all days of my life being searched tryed examined upon pain of death among the Enemies of God and his Truth standing in jeopardy for my life until the Lord had subdued and brought them under by his mighty Power and made them to feed us and would have given us money or clothes but the Lord did deck our Table richly in the Wilderness the day of the Lord is appearing wherein he will discover every deed of darkness let it be done never so secret the light of Christ Jesus will make it manifest in every Conscience the Lord will rip up all coverings that is not of his own Spirit The God of Peace be with you all Amen Written in the Inquisition-Prison by the hand of Sarah Chevers for the hand of Henry Chevers my dear Husband give this fail not I do not well remember that this was one of the surprized Letters A Letter to a Kinswoman of S. C. S. P. MY dear Kinswoman I dearly salute thee with thy Husband and thy tender Babes I am not unmindful of thee nor of thy love that thou shewedst to me I know thou shalt not lose thy reward thou hast found refreshment in it for it was of the Lord My Burthen was weighty for the Lord I would have fled the Cross but praises be to the Lord that kept me to it that I might not lose the Crown I was straitned in it till I gave up to it praised be the Name of our God for ever Amen Stand fast in the Lord let none take thy Crown The God of Power preserve and keep thee low and single in his fear pressing forward to the prize of an incorruptible Crown of Glory Peace and Rest out of all strife Keep to the pure life watch the Enemy keep thy mind staid in the measure of God's Grace that is able to make thee wise unto salvation and to give thee an inheritance with the rest of the Children of Light My tender lamb fear and dread the living God keep in his presence go not out to let in the Enemy to break thy peace and to darken thy understanding and to vail over the pure from beholding thy Saviour Incline thine ear to him give up to a daily Cross to thy own will Stand single empty wait upon the Lord to be fill'd with his fulness let him be all thy treasure ask of him he giveth liberally Believe and thou shalt receive his promise is large I have found it so Having nothing yet enjoying all things I have tasted handled and felt of his everlasting love and indurable Riches my life is wrapt up in it I have found him whom my soul loveth Oh what might I do to set him forth He is the choicest of ten thousands therefore doth my soul love him My life is given up for him his truth for to declare Lord guide me in thy path and keep me in thy fear Amen Thy dear Aunt My dear love and life is with thee and I do embrase thee in the Arms and Bosom of my Eternal Father's love with thy dear Husband and little ones Another in the same Paper to Friends MY dearly beloved Sisters and Friends of Truth I dearly salute you in the Light Life and Love of our God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost wherein I do rejoice and have union with you My Life is given up to serve the Lord. O how my soul travels for the Seed of God's Kingdom to be sown throughout all Nations for the gathering in of Christ's scattered Flock and for the destruction of sin and Satan For our God is weighing the Mountains in Skales and the Dust in equal 〈◊〉 Ballance He is a pulling down the mighty and raising the meek humble lowly he is a feeding the poor and hungry with good things but the rich he sends
expect one drop of mercy favour nor affection but what our Heavenly Father did distil upon us from his living presence and work for us by the operation of his own Arm of strength and power But dear Friends though a long Winter and many sharp and terrible storms have past over our heads so that we cannot express our sorrows so likewise we cannot declare our joys Oh! in the midst of all our afflâ—ctions our God did draw nigh unto us an did speak comfortably unto us with many sweet and precious promises and did never suffer his faithfulness to fail us nor was he wanting unto us in Visions and Revelations Oh how doth he appear in his glory beauty and brightness so that our souls are ravished and wrapped up with his living presence and glory many times so that we do not dare to look out at our long sufferings nor trials but do press forwards towards the fulness of joy and blessedness which our Eternal Father hath prepared for all them that love him and walk in obedience to him and we know the deeper our sorrow is the greater our joy shall be and the heavier our Cross the weightier our Crown as we abide faithful And we do believe that neither Principalities nor Powers nor sufferings nor imprisonment nor pesecution nor life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour Amen Dearly beloved Friends though our bodies are bolted up in the Rocks and Caves of the Earth yet our spirits you know nonâ— can limit nor confine to any place And we do behold your order and steadfastness of your faith and labour of love and are daily refreshed in all the faithful-hearted Oh dear hearts the remembrance of the least of you is precious Oh! the Rivers of tears that have distilled from our eyes whilst we do think upon you for joy because of your growth and flourishing in the Truth Oh! you are Virgins indeed who have Oyl in your Vessels and your Lamps burning and are cloathed with the long white Robes of Righteousness and are adorned with the Ornaments of pure Beauty and glorious brightness abundance of you to our joy and comfort and we do pray night and day That every Babe of our Heavenly Father's begetting may prosper even as we desire our own souls should prosper and that every one may be kept out of incumbrances and use the World as if they used it not but every one's mind spirit heart and soul may be exercised in the Eternal by the Power of God out of the earthly out of the visible out of the carnal and perishing things of this life so as to trust in it into the heavenly into the spiritual into the invisible into that which never changeth sadeth nor waxeth old where every one may dwell in the enjoyment of the presence of the Lord for in the presence of the Lord is fulness of joy and at his right hand is pleasure for evermore Oh! that every one may be emptied of your selves and unbottomed of your selves that you may build wholly upon the sure foundation and anchored so fast upon the Rock of Ages that neither the swelling Seas nor the foaming Waves nor stormy Winds though they beat vehemently may ever be able to remove you Oh dear Brethren in the life and power you may feel the issues of Love and Life which stream as a River to every soul of you from the hearts of us that are wholly joined to the Fountain Glory and everlasting praises be given to his holy Name Our whole souls spirits hearts and minds are given up to serve the Lord in whatsoever he requireth of us as he shall make it manifest unto us And we do blesse his Name for ever that he hath found us worthy of so high a calling as to bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of Iron Our prayers are continually for the advancement of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus throughout the whole Earth for the gathering of the Seed of the Elect of God and for the raising of it up over the Seed of the Serpent in power and great glory to bear rule and to have dominion over the whole World that the Kingdoms of this World may become the Kingdoms of our Lord Jesus that he may rule in his Princely Power and reign in his Kingly Majesty whose Right it is that the knowledge of the Lord may cover the Earth as the Water covereth the Sea that all the Children of the Lord may be taught of the Lord and be established in Righteousness that so the Mourners in Sion may rejoice and the heâ—â—y hearted in Jerusalem may be right glad The Lord God of Power hasten it for his own Name 's sake and for his Elect's sake that lye in captivity under the hands of the dark Powers of the Earth either spiritual or temporal Amen Amen saith our spirits Dear and precious Friends and Brethren pray for us that we may finish our Testimony to the glory of God and to the praise of his holy Name and to the comfort of all that love his appearing and to our own eternal salvation and to the shame and confusion of all that hate the Lord Jesus and persecute his Truth So in the pure Vnity of the Covenant of Light Life Peace Love and everlasting Righteousness do we take our leaves of you all at this time hoping and believing we shall see your faces once again before we go hence and be no more seen Dear Friends pray for us Though we were in many streights and hardships by reason of the oppression yet whilst our minds were staid upon the Fountain we saw no want but our tender Father whose heavenly eye was ever over us saw our necessities sent his right dear and precious Servant and 〈◊〉 and faithful Steward Daniel Baker to administer to our necessities both spiritual and temporal he came not in his own time will nor strength but in the Will and time Strength and Power of the Almighty God at whose presence the Mountains were removed the tall Cedars were made to bow the strong Oaks to stoop Oh wonderful He went to the Lord Inquisitor the Popes Deputy to demand our lawful Liberty which would not be granted unless he and we would write to Messaena or Legorn to some English Merchant to be engaged for four thousand Dollers Which Proposition being out of the Covenant of Light we durst not stoop to it but our dear Brother in Christ Jesus offered his body for our liberty but it would not be granted nothing would serve but one to engage for four thousand Dollers to be paid if ever we come into these parts again Then in obedience to the Lord he offered up his Life for our Freedom but all would not serve the Will of our God be done Oh dear Friends greater Love was never heard of than for a man to lay down his Life for his Friend Oh! it is worthy to be recorded
in remembrance of him for ever here he came up and down to administer to us with his Life in his hand time after time So the Lord God of Power reward him double into his bosome for ever Oh how did he refresh our souls spirits minds and bodies through great tryals which is never to be forgotten Written in the Inquisition at Malta in the 11th Month of the year 1661. By us Katharine Evans Sarah Chevers Who have suffered for the living testimony of Jesus and his pure Innocency in Bonds tryals and tribulations more than three years to this day A short Relation of some more of their exceeding great Tryals and Temptations NOw in short time after we were taken Prisoners we were stung with Flyes called Muskatoes in our faces and our heads as we lay in our Beds that were swollen as if we had the small-Pox so that all people were afraid of us save the English Consul they thought we had been unclean persons so that a Fryar told Sarah he saw an evil spirit in her face which was a great trial they could not sleep in their beds in the house they were so tormented we were told that they had seen them that did pray and preach every day were burnt for Witches in a short time and they would keep us to see our lives and conversations and so they have And glory beto our God they cannot lay guilt to our charge but are made to confess the truth In a few days after we were there in a Vision in the night the Lord appeared unto me and shewed me that round about us and above and beneath us there were many Magicians of Aegypt and the Lord smote me and said unto me The Devil hath desired to winnow you as Wheat but pray that your faith faâ— not And the sight was very dreadful and terrible and the voice of the Lord did awaked me with much trembling and amazement and a great War for the space of twelve hours before I could get the victory and we did witness but little ease to the flesh night nor day We went in obedience to the Lord to one of their Tower-Houses in time of their Worship and stood trembling in the midst of them and I was made to turn my back to the high Altar and kneel down and lift up my voice in prayer unto the Lord and he that was saying Service drew off his Surplice and kneeled a little beside us till I had done and he reacht forth his hand to us to come to him and offered me a token and the Lord shewed me it was the Mark of the Beast And I refused it and he put it into Sarah's hand and she gave it him again and shewed him her Purse that she had to give if any had need And he asked if we were Calvinists or Lutherans And we said Nay And he asked if we would go to Rome to the Pope But we denied And he asked if we were Catholicks And we told him We were true Christians the servants of the living God And many of them were amazed and came round about us We having but little of their Tongue gave our Testimony for the Lord in words and signs as well as we could and they were made subject to the Power at that present praises be given to our God and we departed in peace And since that the Lord laid such a heavy burthen upon us that we did question what he would do with us before we knew the mind of God in it And upon a set-day they had a great Meeting to take their holy Sacrament as they call it in a high place but we knew nothing of it nor where it was but what the Lord revealed to us And we were made to go in and stand in the midst and there were many lights in divers places and many Christs as they call them and much costliness and abominations of the Earth they had so many sorts of holy Garments as they call them of so many colours that it would make one wonder how the Devil did invent it And there we were made to stand in the midst for the space of three parts of an hour as near as I can judge in great power trembling and quaking and bitter mourning so that they were all amazed and some removed further for fear but knew not what to do for I never did witnesse such an Earthquake In the end one came soberly and spake to us to go â—orth and we went in the Lord's time and sate at the door trembling and mourning to the astonishment of them and being so overcome with their abominations we went along the street reeling to and fro and staggering like drunken men so that we were a wound to all that saw us It was the wonderful Power of God that made way for us to go forth to them and kept us They have used all the Craft they have day and night to Inchant us as the Lord hath made it known unto us Glory and prayses bee to his everlasting Name for ever more We know that there is no Inchantment against Jacob nor divination against Israel Dearly beloved friends Wee dearly salute you all in the inuisable life of ouâ— God who is our life our peace our stay and strength under whose shaddow wee are Refreshed praises glory and honour be given unto his powerful name of all his for ever Truly friends we are not able to declare the large mercies of our God vouchsafed unto us from time to time his born is our strength and his Name our strong Tower in all our troubles temptations trials and sufferings he is a God at hand and not afar off and doth make us sensible before-hand by Visions and Revelations what is coming upon us and doth arm us with his own Armouâ—â— and makes us as bold as Lyons for we fear not the face of man because we know we shall not suffer any thing but what shall make for the glory of our God but truly we had fainted long ago had not the Lord upheld us by his free Spirit but we know the Lord taketh care of the least of them that trust him Praises be unto him for ever Dear Friends though we be abâ—ent in body yet we are present in spirit and do feel you in that which cannot be separated as we abide faithful and are much refreshed in you and the remembrance of you is precious unto us Oh! that all our Friends could prise the company and the sight of each others faces We do not want the company of Fryars Jesuits and Magistrates nor great women Here are some that have breathing after life but they dare not shew it for the same thing that was is they will not enter in themselves nor suffer them that would The Lord Inquisitor sent to us that if we would being we are good Women we should go into the Nunnery among the holy Women and be maintained as long as we live in regard we have denied the World
will be thy Reward Thy labour of Love we do bear Testimony cannot be forgotten nor thy faith unfeigned put out of remembrance it is written in the Book of Life for ever and it will be registred and read in the House of Israel Eternally The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and he will perform it Farewell in the Lord. By us Katharine Evans Sarah Chevers OH our dearly beloved and precious Friend and Brother right honorable indeed for ever We dare not look out at thy departure because we stand in the will of our Maker The blessing of the Almighty be upon thee for ever and make thee flourish in all thy endeavours Thou art called by the Name of Daniel Baker in the midst of thine Enemies thou art in the hand of thy Maker And this the Lord hath spoken Where-ever thou dost come thy Glass shall not be broken until thy Sand be run Oh! this day is this Prophesie fulfilled in our sight When they have done dealing treacherously they shall be dealt treacherously withall the Lord doth steal in upon them Praises be to his Name Dear heart salute us dearly to thy dear and precious Wife with all dear Friends in the Covenant of Grace and Peace Dear heart farewell farewell K. E. S. C. Another Letter from Sarah Chevers to friends in Ireland to be read among the assemblies of Saints in Light OH all ye righteous ones whose dwellings are on high in the fulness of beauty holiness and glory whose Name and Fame reacheth to the ends of the Earth to the astonishment of the Heathen and the amazement of the ungodly to the preparation of all Nations to appear before the dreadful presence of our Lord God Almighty to be stript of all false coverings and to be left without excuse Glory and praises be to our God for ever Amen word hath made us eye witnesses of his mighty Work and 〈…〉 with you according to our measures â—o the 〈◊〉 down of the Powers of darkness and to the defacing of that paâ—â—ted Hâ—â— lot Mysterie Babylon with all her Loverâ— to the utter overthrow of Anâ—iâ—hrist with all his wicked Kingdom Amen The day is dawning the Sun of Righteousness is arising over all Nations for to make a clear separation to gather in his own Flock and to scatter the proud in the imaginations of their own hearts to feed the hungry to heal the sick and to bind up the broken hearted to cloath the naked to visit the spirits in prison and comfort the Mourners in Sion to cause the heavy-hearted in Jerusalem to rejoice Oh my dear Friends who are precious in the sight of our Heavenly Father partakers of his Divine Nature living Stones and holy Assemblies wherein dwelleth the fulness of God Almighty's Power and Strength Riches Glory Wisdom Counsel Knowledge and Understanding he is the Rock of Ages the sure Foundation the Ark of the Covenant of the Promise of everlasting blessedness Amen My dear and precious ones whom my soul loveth my heart delighteth in you and my spirit rejoiceth greatly because of the excellency of God's Almightiness amongst you so that you are a dread to the Nations Kings Princes and mighty men of the Earth shall bow before the Power of Almighty God by whom we stand and all shall be brought under the Foot-stool of Christ and his Government and he alone shall reign in righteousness and rule the Nations in Judgement then shall the cry of the poor be heard and the sighing of the needy be eased and the yoke of Wickedness be broken and the oppressed shall be set free the Image of Christ restored and the Image of that subtile Serpent defaced destroyed and utterly cast down for ever Amen so saith my spirit Glory honor laud and praise be given to our Lord God Almighty for ever Amen A sweet Salutation is this from the breathing forth of my pure Life to the same Life in my Spirit joining in my measure a sufferer for the Seeds sake glory to the Lord who hath counted me worthy Farewel farewel my dear hearts My dear Yoke-mate K. E. dearly salutes all Friends O ye holy Assemblies whose hearts are wholly joined to the Lord. I with you in the Life Power of the Almighty God do travel for the raising of the Seed the gathering in of the lost sheep of the House of Israel Oh! blessed be the day wherein the Lord called me and counted me worthy to suffer for the Seed's sake Praise praise the Lord for me ye blessed of the Lord in whom the living praises are sound in the living Fountain of God Almighty the fulness that filleth every empty soul in the Streams of Love Life Light Strength Riches Immortality and Eternal Glory So Truth Joy Peace and everlasting Blessedness remain with you all for ever Amen My Life is given up for the service of the Lord Bonds Chaine Bolts Irons double doors Death it self is too little for the Testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God so the Seed be gathered it is but a reasonable Sacrifice Bonds and Afflictions betide the Gospel of Christ He that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution it is an evident token My dear Friends my Light my Life my Love hath perfect Union in the Eternal Spirit of the living God and remains with you all for ever Fathers Elders Pillars Nursing-Mothers in Israel true Israelites indeed in whom is no guile My dear Salutation and breathing forth of my Eternal Father's Love is to all the breathing Seed begotten of the Heavenly Father Peace Mercy and Truth be multiplied among you all for ever Amen Pray for us that we may have boldness over our Enemies to fuâ—fil the righteous Will of our Heavenly Father and be kept faithful in his Will for ever Amen Streams of Love and Life floweth from a living Fountain to you all my dear Friends Our love remaineth ever with you all Amen Present this to the hand of L. C. L C. Thou Nursing-Mother in Israel peace be to thee for ever Amen Thy dear Brother Daniel Baker in the Covenant of Life in obedience to the Lord hath visited us to the amazement of our Enemies Glory be to the Lord for ever Amen He hath been a faithful Steward indeed worthy to be had in remembrance in the Book of Israel for ever Amen Whatsoever for the Truth we suffer our reward is with us and our innocent life will clear us Amen Written by me Sarah 〈…〉 Prisoner in the Inquisition for the clear Testimony of the Lord Jesus This 11th Month of the year 1661. NOw after I had received these Papers though not through a little streights and difficulty with jeopardy of my precious Life which my God 〈◊〉 through all preserved Glory to his Name my 〈…〉 overcome with the loving-kindness and salvation of the living Lord and in his savory Life my mouth 〈…〉 giving and praises to my God and I said in my heart on this wise Who am I oh Lord
or what was my Father's House or what is the Land of my Nativity that I a poor â—â—flicted 〈…〉 should be raised up to see and perceive what mine eye 〈◊〉 eve in thy Eternal Power and puâ—e Life beholdâ— Oh my God! thou hast known the innocent travel of my soul â—hich 〈…〉 know the same is not hid from thee even from the day of my birth unto this moment through no small trials and tribulations and through the exercise of manifold temptations yet behold my Life is preserved a at this time And oh my heart my mind my soul my spirit in thy pure undefiled Life and Virtue blesseth thy Name thy pure Name which thy Virgins love and live in and in the same they glorifie thy beloved and the Wings of thy Majesty overshadoweth them and their delight is under the secret shadow of thy Almightiness blessed be thy Glory blessed be thy undefiled Power blessed and magnified be thy pure Wisdom and let the same be so even in the Tabernacles of the just for ever Thou Lamb of Immortality the Thrones the Kingdoms and Eternal Dominions are thine and over all thy Throne is and shall be exalted and thy Lambs behold thy glory and thy Majesty in this the day of thy terrible and glorious appearance Wisdom Riches Glory Power Might and Dominion everlasting with Eternal Salvation over all to thy Name Amen saith my Spirit in the Life which is was and for ever shall be the same which liveth and abideth for ever and fâ—deth not away In the same I commend thy dear tender Lambs to be preserved according to thy unsearchable Wisdom and counsel of thine own heart to thy everlasting Renown and Glory and their Eternal comfort and joy and felicity with thy Saints and Angels in the Light of thy countenance and in everlasting remembrance in the powerful and Eternal Kingdom of Immortality if I be no more in this World when this body is gone to its place according to thy Eternal Purpose and Decree in thy Eternal Counsel so be it saith my spirit yea and Amen saith my soul which blesseth and magnifieth thy Eternal Name in asmuch as thou hast so far fulfilled thy living Word of Prophesie and not onely so but much more also in the desire of my heart in the behalf of thy dear tender suffering and long-suffering Seed of thine own bowels for which be innumerable Praises Wisdom Salvation Glory and Dominion to thy holy Name Amen Amen MY right dearly and well-beloved Friends of Eternal Life of the Church of the first-born of the living God which is the Pillar and ground of Truth of which Christ Jesus our Lord is the alone and onely Head Peace be unto you in him who is arisen in his pure immortal life and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Word of his Power and his Eternal Gospel of Peace which is not hid from us but it 's clearly manifest in us by his coming who ariseth with healing in his wings Glory Dominion living endless praises Immortal to his Name now and for evermore and let all the upright in heart with my precious life say Even so Amen Dear suffering and long-suffering Lambs ye know that as I came in the Eternal Love and Peace of Immanuel God's Lamb to visit and serve you and minister to your necessities the which in the same Life and Peace and in the integrity and uprightness of heart and in its pure innocency my God knoweth and behold I call your Life that 's manifest in you in which is our perfect unity as Members of one Body to bear me record That I have endeavoured in the good will of my God to perform the same and verily the hand and blessing of Almighty God is with me and hath blessed me and so my reward is with me and my work hath been manifest before me even in the Light of his Countenance that liveth for ever and this Scripture is fulfilled in me also The Father worketh hitherto and I work So my dear Friends I have honestly and nakedly before the Lord cleared my Conscience so far concerning you and on your behalf which is my reasonable service and so I leave the same to the living Testimony of the Lord Jesus which you hold and for which I am satisfied and in the behalf of the whole body of God's Elect you have so long suffered So the Eternal God of Power Dominion and Glory of Heaven and Earth consolate support and strengthen you to the end that your Testimony may be finished with joy to his ever â—asting praise to whom onely it belongs and so my Spirit in the Light and Life Immortal saith Even so Amen Farewel dear Lambs I am your true Brother D. B. Joseph was not made known to his Brethren the first time though his Bowels earned towards and over them till at last he could no longer forbear crying out with tears saying I am Joseph your Brother and little Benjamin the youngest he dearly loved you know This 5th day of the Week and the 30th of the 11th Mo. 1661. When my face you do not see Wait in the Eternal Life and then remember me So farewell and feel the Well-spring of Life This and many other Papers was communicated to each others hands which are seen meet not to be added hereunto with the jeopardy of my life and what else did attend us but magnified and for ever blessed be the living Lord and his Goodness Wisdom and Salvation who prospered his Work and Workers in his own Life of lasting Righteousness through and over self over all that which must dye and go to its place Amen DANIEL Here followeth somewhat relating to the Travel and Service of D. B. which he hath freedom to giveforth for the Truth 's sake and Friends satisfaction THe intent of the Spirit of the Lord within my heart and mind stirring me up to write somewhat concerning my travel from my Native Countrey Kindred and Father's House being freely given up to serve the Lord his Truth and People in the Power and Gospel of God I having no imposition or necessity at all laid upon my Conscience as from any mortal man but certainly it was a pure necessity from the living God of Heaven Earth many of his faithful servants Messengers sons daughters that were are as dear precious to me as my own life may beat me record on the Lords behalf unto the truth of what I write on this wise surely in the counsel everlasting the thing was hid from me then whether ever I should return to my Native Countrey or not However in the love and favour of God and in his fear set up within my heart was I given up with my body also offered as a living Sacrifice which was but my reasonable sacrifice to give a sound to the Nations afar off of the mighty day of our God and his blessed Truth the Light of Jesu-manifest in every Conscience in which Light we
have most assuredly believed unto salvation And verily the Power and pure Presence of his Eternal Strength was with me through many hardships trials and tribulations the right hand of the hiding of his Power did sweetly guide strengthen support me even as it did and doth his Lambs whom he so send forth as among Wolves in his Dovelike innocency harmlesness wisdom which is as wise or rather wiser than the Serpents And this Scripture have I well witnessed fulfilled whilst travelling from one Nation to another people as my Father did in the ancient days And on this wise with three more Brethren so freely given up with one consent in the behalf of the Gospel everlasting that is now preaching again to the Nations Tongues and Kindreds We set forward the 16th of the third Month and we sweetly parted with our right dearly beloved Friends Brethren Fathers and near Relations that were flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and from all our outward acquaintance and Native Countrey in the Will Love and Spirit of our God in the same day from Graveseâ—d we set forth and at the end of 44. days we arrived at Legorn in Italy where we gave a certain sound of our innocent service and Message of Salvation and of-its life and blessedness coming upon the Nations as a weight either to condemnation or justification as the same is received or rejected among them And thus as we had opportunity among the men of our own Nation the Jews and others we gave a sound and the blessing of the God of Heaven and his Presence was with us whether the Nations of men did hear or forbear but the Witness of God in sundry was reached and the same answered in us And herein we are so far well satisfied whilst others were hardened who defied us and our Testimony as their uncircumcised Fathers always did resist and gain say the truth that saves from sin and so finally from its condemnation And it came to pass after that we had waited upon the Lord to understand his good will and pleasure he answered us in the joy of our hearts and we received his counsel and communicated of the same to each other's satisfaction in the love of God in which we were wel confirmed to obey the same until the death as the Lord our God might have permitted for his Name 's sake who then further ordained us to be separated viz John Stubs and Henry Fell to pass on towards Alexandria and my dear brother and companion Richard Scostrop with me to pass Eastward to Smyrna and Constantinople in Asia and after a little season we parted in the goodness of God And when 24. dayes were finished having in the mean time touched a little season at the Island Zant we arrived at Smyrna But behold it came to pass immediately at out coming there was not a little stir together with the evil surmizings and what else arising up as a flood with threatnings breathed forth from the Apostate Christians especially men of no small degree of our own Nation against us when Turks Jew Greeks Heathens and others were not altogether so evil affected as to let us from the exercise of our Conscience void of offence towards God and man and so to hold forth the example of the harmless Life and unblameable Conversation in all equitableness in Doctrine Life and Practice of what we professed in the midst of them But oh how the Christians by Name in Asia who should first have received the Word of saving-health how did they defie and reproach not onely us but our living Testimony and Message of Blessedness which day by day was sounded in their ears notwithstanding the Lord God lay not what they did against us to their charge when they have most need of Mercy and Peace with God if happily repentance unto life be witnessed by them who know not what they did yea and my spirit is ready to say Amen for their sakes that hated us without a cause as the same unbelieving nature did our Lord and Maâ—â—er whom we love serve and honor in the same and therefore keep his sayings which are not grievous to us in that one and the self-same Spirit which reproves the World for sin in which we worship him as the Father the which guideth into all truth from all evil concerning which we wel admonished their minds to subject to the one and to avoid and turn from the other each having their proper effects attending them as anguish woes judgements and disquietments upon the soul and conscience that doth evil and contrariwise blessings peace glory honor and the goodness of God attending the soul of man which worketh good in the Light of the same excellent Spirit of God which exerciseth the Conscience in temperance and sobriety meekness and gentleness of Christ. And on this wise we besought the men of our own Nation together with many more in them parts that they may become a sweet savour of the pure life of Christ and Christianity indeed and in truth which tends to answer the Witness of the Eternal God manifest in Turks Greeks Jews Heathens and Apostate Christians among the dark Nations where they have their conversation Yet I am constrained to express somewhat of their manner of dealing with us to our good Wherefore men of reasonable and honorable understanding may bear with me to the end that the honest-hearted may be informed to beware of a persecuting Spirit which is not of God neither ever was it born of him Their threatnings encreased daily and they burthened themselves exceedingly with us whose deportment and behaviour they were made to confess to as did the Consul and divers others which in truth they could not say otherwise but that it was temperate innocent harmless and unblameable in our conversation Magnified be the Lord and blessed be his Grace of Life by which we in submission to the same were guided herein But because our Testimony was not for but against whatsoever might be said in truth to be evil unjust or unequitable which is dishonorable therefore were we hated of the high and lofty to the disquieting of their own rest day and night because they burthened themselves so with the truth and innocency of the Lord's Testimony which our Life held forth among them who received not the same in his love that they migâ—t be saved not onely from sin but also from the wrath to come So they forthwith sent a Message from Smyrna to the great City Constantinople to the King's Embassador of England and besought him to expel us out from among them of Asia that we might not have a being in the extent of their Authority in visiting them on this wise as by the annexed Warrant thou that reads the same may understand A Copy of the Warrant which they produc't and prosecuted WHereas we are informed that there is lately arrived with the Zant Frigot one Daniel Baker with his Companion commonly called Quakers
sackcloth on my loins As to the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 7. 29. and so I became obedient in the singleness and innocency of my heart unto the God of Heaven of my life as a dreâ—dful sign against the Whorish Church of Rome and against all her Heads and Horns throughout the world And I then signified to the Master of the ship in which I was a passenger how that I did believe that God would soon give opportunity for the Fleet of ships to pass away after this service of God was performed after I had used many perswasions to the end that he might suffer my body on that wise to be cast among the wicked idolaters lyars and murtherers which are like the troubled sea So the ship-Master let my body be on this wise 〈◊〉 over board from the ship God having provided a great 〈◊〉 to swallow up that which sled from his presence so often and so it happened that it was upon one their called Holy-dayes or Saints days namely the day called Holy-Thursday So I being cast on dry land passed through their streets directly until I came into the Mas-House or Idolater temple among the Idolaters where I found the Fryer or Priest at the high Altar down upon his knees in his white Surplice adoâ—ing of the Host which is a Chalice or a piece of bread which they call the real substance of the body of Christ after their unclean spirit of darkness hath muttered some words over it which they call Consecration and after I had stood a season viewing this Idolatry with the indignation of the Eternal God set up within my heart against the same I turned my back-part upon the Priest and his dead God and dumb Idols at the high Altar and in the holy Commandment of life eternal my face was set towards the people and I be held them a certain season in the power of God in which I stood I saw the multitude of ignorant people upon their knees also worshipping the dark inventions and imaginations of their sottish leaders and blind guides and they know not what and in the Lord's time which mine eye had a circumspect heed unto I then spread forth my arms and stript off my Vesture and rent the same from top to bottom in divers pieces and cast them from me with indignation And then I took my Hat off my head which was the uppermost covering of the outside of a man and cast the same under my feet and stamped upon these things and the nakedness appeared with the sack-cloath covering to their astonishment and then with a clear voice I sounded Repentance three times and gave testimony as the sound of a trumpet among them that the life of Christ and his Saints was arisen from the dead and so passed away sounding the same words of the Lord's Message with Repentance through the streets as it were flying from the Idols temple and from Idolatry and Idolaters until I came to the sea-side and there was I moved to kneel down and pray and give thanks to the living Lord who had so wonderfully preserved me in doing his pleasure and good will on earth and he suffered no man to touch or do me harm And the next day following the Lord God gave opportunity accordingly as I had let the Ship-master know I believed would come to pass and it was so and all the Fleet did partake of the blessing But how many of them rewarded me men of my own Nation to whom I also continued a sign which they spake bitter things against the Lord my God saw the same and smote them with rebuke and astonishment in his displeasure who in his wise determinate Counsel ordained me for many dayes and nights to be tryed on this wise and to fall among divers temptation afterwards the which as a mighty 〈◊〉 of surrounded and beset me on every hand immediately after I had done the good will in his all-sufficient power and strengths thus the Enemy with his subtilty in a mysterie was suffered to compass me about to steale away my peace and reward with my God in whom the same is hid and then I was in a blessed condition though sometime veiled for a little season and then the Fathers countenance was hid from mine eye and therefore was I troubled Yet blessed are ye when you fall among divers temptations saith one and verily they were even as thorns in my flesh yea as Messengers of Satan suffered to buffet me for a season even as the servant of God witnessed who was wrapt up into the third Heaven What if I should somewhat testifie so was it with me lest I should be exalted above measure so that I was made to bow and fall upon my face and cry day and night to the Lord of Eternal life that had respect to the tears of the innocent and bowed the strength of his arm to support the lowly And so his Almightiness gave ear to the sighs and groans of my distressed state and had respect unto the voice of my mourning as a Dove or Pelican in the Wilderness and verily his Grace I found sufficient to save and preserve my innocency in its sweet life of holiness to the Lord through all this and that which letted salvation to his Name Amen So his strength is made perfect in weakness even so it is in truth in which I set to my seal of my right hand that God is true in which life J give thanks to his Name of Power and Defence the which over all Nations is to be exalted in the hearts of his Saints as in the ancient dayes yea and much more abundantly in the Light of his bright-shining countenance in which his Eternal and excellent glory and pure dreadful Majesty for ever hath his holy habitation to whom be endless Dominion with praises living and everlasting over all Amen Written in Newgate this 5th Month the 18th day 1662. where he suffereth Bonds together with many Brethren of Truth for one and the same Testimony of the Lord Iesus not for evil doing or speaking but against the same For we suffer because we cannot otherwise but meet together in the Name and Fear of God neither swear at all neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by any other Oath Matth. 5. James 5. 12. D. B. A Copy of a Paper which was written in the Spanish Tongue and delivered the same day that I was upon the service directed as followeth Viz. For the Governor and Inhabitants of Gibâ—etore in the Kingdom of Spain BEhold behold the great day of God is come and of his wrath and of the wrath of his Lamb is come and the hour of his Iudgements is come Wherefore Oh Inhabitants of the earth Repent Repent Repent and fear God and give glory honor to him that made Heaven and Earth and the Fountains of Waters Wo wo wo to the Inhabitants of the earth And I heard another voice from Heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye partake not of her sins that ye receive not of her plagues These are the words of the power of Christ that is contrary to the false Church Behold behold Plagues Plagues Plagues are coming upon the Church of Rome and upon her Heads in England in all parts of the world And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth and he saith unto me the waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are Peoples Nations Multitudes and Tongue c These words with a Paper in Lâ—tâ—ne with honest words of truth was delivered with many more Scriptures in their own Language that they may read understand repent cease from idolatry from all â—ngodliness that the blessings of Eternal life might arise through Judgments have room among the Nations to the eternal glory renown of the Lord God over all who is blessed for ever Amen The End Prov. 29. * The wise may judge Job 21. Job 24. 13 John 13. 20 Isaiah 57. 20.