pure and undefiled Love Mine eye mine eye did so affect my heart so that I awaked in the same in the morning of a clear day and I looked and behold the Sun was arisen above the Horizon of the Earth and Waters and my Life abundantly blessed and magnified the living Lord my King and my God the Rock of my strength and saving-health of his Anointed And behold I had seen a Vision of God in the morning-light and the sweet Solution of the same was given me to treasure up within my very heart till an appointed time and season The Children of the Morning-light may right-well read the same as they sit together in their several places that 's over and above the earth and be comforted and refreshed at the joyful Sound of the same Voice that brings the glad-tyding of the good things yea and my Spirit with you the blessed of the Lord shall bless his Name who is the mighty God in the midst of us Even so Amen Ha-le-lu-jah PRaise ye the Lord Salvation to his Name Ye Saints in Life Free from all strife Your voice sound forth the same My Life shall sing To Sion's King His Love in peace and glory Who hath so free Begotten me Into his Life that 's holy Among his Saints and Messengers his Fame my heart shall sound Because their life Is free from strife In Love that doth abound My prayers in the Life that 's clean shall from the same ascend Unto the God of Love and Peace that he may you defend To perfect Love and Unity that it may more abound For so your fame In his pure Name Doth give a certain sound Unto the Nations round about your Fame aloud shall sing To call them all Both great and small To bow to Sion's King Your Gates alwayes Of perfect praise Full wide shall open stand That all may come I' th free-born Son Th' Light to dwell in your Land Of rest and peace In righteousness I' th living Way that 's holy So you shall sing And fruit shall spring Within the City holy The Vine that 's true Shall compass you That sit under his shade With great delight In his clear sight None shall make you afraid Within the perfect Love there is no fear So in the Father's sight ye are right dear My bowels and my soul my very heart To you ye living Saints extends Much could I write In the true Light But ye can read my Friends Without a Book of words Which finally may end My mind that 's clean Come read the same Behold I am your Eriend In Jacob's Land Where he did stand I' th place that 's blest Where he did rest Who like a Prince prevail'd with the true Lord of Might Who also blessed him even in the Morning-light Selah And seeing that it hapned so that the Copies of the Letters of the Lord's Prisoners were left in the hands of their Enemies in a strange Land it is seen meet to insert them among thâ— rest of their Writings for the good of many of their own Nation of England who may right-well savour the tender love and vertue of true and pure natural Affection not only to their Kindred and Fathers House but also to their own Country all of which they were truly called to forsake as was good old Abraham our Father who in obedience to the good Word Commandment of the Almighty God went forth not knowing whither he went even as these poor Women and many more who are deemed by the Wise of this world foolish things not well considering how that the Lord hath chosen the Poor of this world and made them Rich in Faith and also chuseth base things and weak things and foolish things to confound the things that are mighty and to bring to nought things that are to the end that no Flesh should glory in his presence who with his mighty hand and out-stretched arm of Dignity and excellent Power is defacing and staining the Pride of all Glory and bringing into contempt all the Honourable of the earth that 's out of order and bringing down the haughtiness loftiness of Man who shall know that it is the everlasting and terrible God of Eternity when he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth that presseth down and oppresseth the Seed of his Bowels and trampleth on the principal Wheat that came out of the good Husbandmans right hand for which the God of Heaven is visiting the Nations as in the ancient dayes Albâ—it he hath long time held his peace in the habitation of his Holiness where his Honour dwelleth but behold behold he is arising in the Greatness of his strengâ—h even as a Lyon over his Prey or as a Lyonness bereaved of her Young for out of Sion hath he uttered his Voice and thundered forth the Majesty of his powerful Word of Salvation through the Gate of his beloved City Jerusalem from on high free-born which hath ecchoed into the ears and hearts of the Hypocrites and surprized the double-minded with fear on every hand for he hath cryed and yet will in the Spirit of his Prophesie through his Sons and Daughters in whom He which is holy dwelleth to make waste Mountains and Hills and to devour at once as in the ancient dayes And my Spirit saith Even so the Lord hasten it Amen for his Elects sake Katherine Evans to her Husband and Children For the hand of JOHN EVANS my right dear and precious Husband with my tender-hearted Children who are more dear and precious unto me than the Apple of mine eye MOst dear and faithful Husband Friend and Brother begotten of my Eternal Father of the immortal Seed of the Covenant of Light Life and Blessedness I have unity and fellowship with thee day and night to my great Refreshment and continual Comfort Praises Praises be given to our God for evermore who hath joyned us together in that which neither Sea nor Land can separate or divide My dear heart my Soul doth dearly salute thee with my dear and precious Children which are dear and precious in the Light of the Lord to thy endless joy and my everlasting comfort glory be to our Lord God eternally who hath called you with a holy Calling and hath caused his Beauty to shine upon you in this the day of his Power wherein he is making up of his Jewels and binding up of his faithful Ones in the Bond of everlasting Love and Salvation among whom he hath numbred you of his own free Grace in whâ—ch I beseech you dear hearts in the fear of the Lord to abide in your measures according to the manifestation of the Revelation of the Son of God in you keep a diligent watch over every Thought Word and Action and let your minds be staid continually in the Light where you will find out the snares and baits of Satan and be preserved out of his Traps Nets and Pits that you may not be captivated by him at his will Oh my dear Husband and
Children how often have I poured out my Soul to our everlasting Father for you with Rivers of Tears night and day that you might be kept pure and single in the sight of our God improving your Talents as wise Virgins having Oyl in your Vessels and your Lamps burning and cloathed with the long white Robes of Righteousness ready to enter the Bed-chamber and to sup with the Lamb and to feed â—t the Feast of fat things where your souls may be nourished refreshed comforted and satisfied never to hunger again My dear hearts you do not want teaching you are in a Land of Blessedness which floweth with Milk and Honey among the faithful Stewards whose mouths are opened wide in Righteousness to declare the Eternal Mysteries of the everlasting Kingdom of the endless Joyes and eternal Glory whereinto all the willing and obedient shall enter and be blessed for ever My dear hearts the Promises of the Lord are large and are all Yea and Amen to those that fear his Name he will comfort the Mourners in Sion and will cause the Heavy-hearted in Jerusalem to rejoyce because of the glad-tydings They that do bear the Cross with patience shall wear the Crown with joy for it is through the long-suffering and patient waitings the Crown of Life and Immortality comes to be obtained The Lord hath exercised my Patience and tryed me to the uttermost to his praise and my eternal comfort who hath not been wanting to us in any thing in his own due time We are Witnesses he can provide a Table in the Wilderness both spiritual and temporal Oh the endless Love 〈◊〉 our God who is an everlasting Fountain 〈◊〉 all living Refreshment whose Chrystal streamâ— never cease running to every thirsty Soul thâ—â— breatheth after the springs of Life and Salvation In our deepest Affliction when I looked fâ—â— every breath to be the last I could not wish 〈◊〉 had not come over Seas because I knew it wâ—â— my Eternal Father's Will to prove me with my dear and faithful Friend In all afflictions and miseries the Lord remembred Mercy and did not leave nor forsake us nor suffer hâ—â— Faithfulness to fail us but caused the sweâ—â— drops of his Mercy to distil upon us and the brightness of his glorious Countenance to shine into our hearts and was never wanting to 〈◊〉 in Revelations nor Visions Oh! how may I do to set forth the Fulness of God's Love tâ— our Souls No tongue can express it no hearâ— can conceive it nor mind can comprehend it Oh the ravishments the raptures the glorioâ—â— bright-shining Countenance of our Lord God who is our fulness in emptiness our strength iâ— weakness our health in sickness our life iâ— death our joy in sorrow our peace in disquietness our praise in heaviness our power in aâ— needs or necessities He alone is a full God unto us and to all that can trust him he hatâ— emptied us of our selves and hath unbottomed us of our selves and hath wholly built us upon the sure Foundation the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus the Light of the world where the swelling Seas nor raging foaming Waves nor stormy Winds though they beat vehemently can be able to remove us Glory honor and praises is to our God for ever who out of his everlasting Treasures doth fill us with his Eternal Riches day by day he did nourish our souls with the choicest of his Mercies and doth feed our bodies with his good Creatures and relieve all our Necessities in a full measure Praises Praises be to him alone who is our everlasting portion our confidence and our rejoycing whom we serve acceptably with reverence and God-like fear for our God is a consuming fire Oh my dear Husband and precious Children you may feel the issues of Love and Life which stream forth as a River to every soul of â—ou from a heart that is wholly joyned to the â—ountain My Prayers are for you day and â—ight without ceasing beseeching the Lord God of Power to pour down his tender Merâ—ies upon you and to keep you in his pure fear â—nd to encrease your Faith to confirm you in 〈◊〉 Righteousness and strengthen you in beâ—â—ving in the Name of the Lord God Almighty that you may be established as Moâ—â—â— Sion that can never be moved Keep yâ—â— Souls unspotted of the World and love 〈◊〉 another with a pure heart fervently serâ—â— one another in love build up one another 〈◊〉 the Eternal and bear one anothers burdeâ— for the Seeds sake and so fulfil the Law oâ— God This is the Word of the Lord untâ— you my dearly beloved Dear hearts I do commit you into the hand of the Almighty who dwelleth on high anâ— to the Word of his Grace in you who is ablâ— to build you up to everlasting Life and eternal Salvation By me who am thy dear anâ— precious Wife and Spouse in the Marriage 〈◊〉 the Lamb in the Bed undefiled K. E. My dearly beloved Yoak-mate in the Worâ— of our God doth dearly salute you Salutâ— us dearly to our precious Friends in all placeâ— I do believe we shall see your faces again wiâ—â— joy Dearly salute us to T. H. R. S. and hâ—â— Sister S. B. and his Daughter N. M. aâ—â— his dear Wife with all the rest of our deâ—â— Friends in Bristol T. C. and his dear Wiâ—â— and Daughter and all Friends in Bristol 〈◊〉 else-where J. G. and his precious Wife Children and Servants with all Friendâ— Our dear Love to E. H. with her Husband and Children at Alderberry The Original of this was written in the Inquisition in Malta in the 11th Month of the year 1661. Sarah Cheevers 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 only 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 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 entred 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 joyned 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
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 and said in my heart Shall ye destroy us If we give up to the Lord then he is sufficient to deliver us out of their hands but if we disobey our God all those could not deliver us out of his hand So all fear of man was taken from us The English Consul came aboard 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 were well entertained like Princes their Neighbours and Kinsfolk came in and some Jesuites 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 Friars to the King or Supream 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-board 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 thither that she might see us and we went to them and gave them a Booâ— 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 tryals and between Plymouth and Legorn we were 31. days and we had many tryals 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 stayed 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 sailed towards Cyprus intending to go to Alexandria but the Lord had appointed something 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 conâ—â—rning 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 called them to repentance and many of them were tender but the whole City is given to Idolatry And we went a shipboard that night and the next day we being moved to go into the City again dared not to flee the Cross but in obedience went desiring the will of God to be done And when we came to the Governour he told us that he had a sister in the Nunnery 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 waiting upon the Lord what to do that we might know And the Inquisitors sent for us and when we 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 we had and they asked us Wherefore we came into that Country And we told them We were the Servants of the living God and were moved to come and call them to Repentance and many other Questions and they went away but commanded that we should be stayed there And the next day they came again and called for us and we came but they would examine us apart and called Sarah and they asked Whether she was a true Catholick She said That she was a true Christian that worshippeth God in Spirit and in Truth and they proffered her the Crucifix and would have had her swear that she would speak the Truth and she said she should speak the Truth but she would not swear for Christ commanded her not to swear saying Swear not at all And the English Consul perswaded her with much entreating to swear saying None should do her any harm But she denied and they took some Books from her and would have had her swear by them but she would not And they asked Wherefore she brought the Books And she said Because we could not speak their Language and they might know wherefore we came and they asked of her what George Fox was and she said he was a Minister And they asked wherefore she came thither she said To do the Will of God as she was moved of the Lord. And they asked How the Lord did appear unto her And she said by his Spirit And they asked Where she was when the Lord appeared unto her And she said upon the
live without spiritual food than our temporal bodies can without temporal food He said That we did never hear Mass We said we did hear the voice of Christ he only 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 Heathenâ— 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 sent us We said No The Lord did move us to come The Friar said We were deceived and had not the faith but we have all virtues We said that faith 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 askt 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 Gods he could give 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 Friar 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 days of our lives and said Our innocent blood would be required at their hands The Friar 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 Pope 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 Christs Spirit The Friar 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 â—f 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 ask'd 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 that 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 Prophecy was that he should rise again the third day which was fulfilled But the next day they came to sit upon Judgement again but I say in the true Judgment 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 Friar would suffer the Magistrate to propound but few to us for fear the Light would break forth But they ask'd 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 but they were many Countries 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 dâ— speak the Poor do receive the Gospel the Lame do walk and the Dead are raised He asked Why I look'd 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 Licence 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 eleventh hour Arise and put on your clothes I said When wilt thou come Lord He said VVhether at midnight or at Cock-crow do thou watch My Friend and I arose and the Lord said Go 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 twelfth hour there came many to the Prison-Gate We heard the Keyes and looked when they would come in They ran to and fro till the fourth hour and the Lord said he had smote them with blindness they could not find the way And we went to bed where I lay night and day for twelve dayes 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 Friar 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
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 we do believe they would have set us at liberty had it not been for the Fryars it was they that wrote 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 near three weeks time 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 Iudgment They would have had me to set a Picture 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 dissent 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 〈◊〉 where they had their Rule to burn them that could not joyn 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 we did judge them so I said No we had otherwise learned Christ I askt him why they did bind that which 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 which the Apostle called beggarly Elements and Rudiments of the world and forbidding to marry a Doctrine of Devils said I. He could no tell what to say but told me That St. 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 without 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 few number and the little Flock is Christ's Flock He askt if we were then all the World said he I said Our Faith was from the beginning Abel 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 jot nor tittle against us but for righteousness sake Our God did keep us by his own Power 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 Whelps and told me If I would be a Catholick I should say so otherwise they woâ—â—â— 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 Countries 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 worst 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 would 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 Vineyard He curst himself and called 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 Members did the Devil's Works the Woes and Plagues of the Lord would be upon
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 would upon that account He said they would come in the morning and so they did but the Lord saw their deceit and fore-warned 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 was strengthned against them and said she stood in the Counsel of God and could take up nothing in her own will they had not power to have her forth They said the Inquisitor said If we did want Linnen Woollen Stockens Shooes or Money we should have it But there was a poor English Man heard that Sarah was in a Room with a window next the Street it was high he got up and spake a few words to her and they came violently and hall'd him down and cast him into Prison upon Life and Death And the Friars came to know of us whether 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 Friars were the chief actors of it we had a private way to send to each other I wrote to her again and after my Salutation I said Whereas she said the Friars were the chief actors she might be sure of that for they did hasten to fill up their measures but I believe the Lord will 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 would carry it and I told her of the glorious Manifestations of God to my Soul for her comfort so that I was ravished with 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 waiting 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 prick them to the heart I said it was much they did not tempt us with Money I bid her take heed the Light would discover it and many more things let it come under what cover it would And this Paper came to the Friars hands by what means we could never tell but as the Light did shew us the Lord would have it so it smote the Friar that he was tormented many dayes and he translated it into Italian and laid it before their Lord Inquisitor and got the Inquisitor's Lieutenant and came to me with both the Papers in his hand and askt me If I could read it I 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 Trunk and every where else I bid him search where he would He said I must tell what man it was that brought me the Ink or else I should be tyed with Chains presently I told him I had done nothing but what was just and right in the sight of God and what I did suffer would be for Truth 's sake and I did not care I would not meddle nor make with â—he poor Workmen He said For God's sake tell me what Sarah did write I told him a few words and said it was truth Said he You say it is much we do not tempt you with Money And in a 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 would have fallen to the ground and went their way I saw them no more in three Weeks but the poor man was 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 fend to me any more She askt him Whether he was a Minister of Christ or a Magistrate if he were a Magistrate he might take her money but she would not give it him And they that were with 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 power of an endless Life The Lord was not wanting to us at any time for Power 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 what we spake but the Friars but would have us to joyn with them There were none did come into the Inquisition but the Judgments of the Lord would be upon them so that they would cry and foam and send for a Physitian many of them The unclean spirits would cry out as much as ever they did against Jesus and would gnash vvith their teeth vvhen we vvere at prayer there vvas a Friar and other great Men the Friar vvould run as if he had been at his wits end and call to the Keeper and he vvould run for the English Frier and he vvould go to the Inquisitor for counsel and sometimes they vvould send him word they should have a remedy I should be sent to Rome and sometimes the Friars would come but had not power to say any thing to me of it The Lord did say unto us Lift up your Voice like the noise of a Trumpet and sound forth my Truth like the shout of a King There vvas one that Life was risen in him but they vvere upon him as Eagles till they had destroyed him he did undergo terrible Judgments all the time he vvas in the Inquisition Our Money served us a year and seven weeks and vvhen it vvas almost gone the Friars brought the Inquisitors Chamberlain to buy our Hats We said vve came not there to sel our clothes nor any thing vve had Then the Friar did commend us for that and told us we might have kept our money to serve us otherwise We said no we could not keep any money and be chargeable to any vve could trust God He said He did see we could but they should have maintained us vvhile they kept us Prisoners And then the Lord did take away our Stomacks vve did eat but
part according to our measures and we do press forward towards that which is perfect He then said We were good Women but yet there was no redemption for us except we would be Cathlicks Now the Lord said Fear not Daughters of Sion I will carry you forth as Gold tryed in the fire And many precious Promiâ—es 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 but 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 thée whatsoever thy heart can with 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 Friars 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 Friar asked Whether G. F. did bring me money to maintain me in prison I said No but though I was abâ—ent 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 talk'd with G. F. and he was God's Revelation Sarah said Christ was God's Revelation He said she came under the Haltar for saying Christ was God's Revelation She answered 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 preached 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 Wolf 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 seared with a hot iron I was not past feeling At last he was so weary of coming to us he did entreat the Inquisitor he might not come to us any more the Judgment of the Lord did follow him so it was like to kill him When we were partted the Lord did work mightily for us and we were kept by the Power of the Lord over our Enemies and were bold for God's Truth and did make war with them in Righteousness so they could not gain-say us in the Truth So that Scripture was fulfilled The wicked mouthes must be stopped and they were 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 would howl and make a noise like dogs and cry Jesu Maria and flie 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 was the Work of God daily our tongues cannot express it they did work day and night with their Inchantments and Divinations Sorceries unclean spirits crying and foaming insomuch that we could take little rest day or night sometimes but the Lord was with us and did work mightily by his Power and kept us over them in the Life of the Son of God My Pâ—ison was nigh to the Palace 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 wherewith they were enlightned vvhich vvould lead them out of all their wicked Wayes 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 so 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 hall'd down violently and put him in prison but the Lord delivered him for his Love And we were parted One 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 Wisdom according to our Work So that Scripture was fulfilled which saith on this vvise 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 judge 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 vvhich would 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 burthen so heavy to bear it that I cryed to the Lord and said It is better for me to die than to live and would gladly have given up my life in testimony against them all I was as 't were compelled to declare against all their Wayes Works and Worships insomuch that they ran to the Inquisitor to have me chained or punish'd some other way but the Power of the Lord chained them that they could not diminish a hair of my head the Lord was my safety praises be to his Name for ever Now some as they passed to their Worship-houses would sigh and some pray and some did throw stones at my Window they did work night and day about the Prison as though they would have broke through to slay me but the Lord was with 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 express the large Love of our God how he did preserve us from so many Deaths and Threatnings as they did come to me with falling down upon their knees saying Mass and would have me to say after them but in the Name of the Lord I denyed them They would howl like Dogs because 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 Wolf and the Devourers denying them their Sacrifices And when they saw they could not prevail to betray us from the Truth then 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 Belial 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 which was a great trouble to me because I I could not suffer death with her I did yeeld she had been slain And afrerwards 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 with her to Rome and offer up my Life for the Testimony of Jesus than to have my liberty to return to England with her and I cryed day and night to the Lord and would not give my soul rest nor my eyes sleep till the Lord did answer me glory and praises be to his Name for ever But we saw Jacob must part with all Benjamin must go too So we were willing to give up in obedience to the Lord our tryals were unspeakable Oh the unclean spirits they would speak to us at noon-day but the Lord did give us power over them that we did not fear the wild Boars out of the Wood nor the wild Beasts out of the Field Then there was one came and said that Katherine and I must be both sent to Rome Which did rejoyce my soul and renewed 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 shewed me in the Light how he had bowed them down before us and I saw them in the Light of Christ how the Pope the Friars 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 Friars came to me and shewed me Mary and her Babe pictured against a 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 Mystery of Iniquity the cunning working of Satan to draw out the mind to follow him from the pure Life and to vail 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 we spake one and the same thing being guided by one Spirit They would go from me to Katherine and they would bid her speak as Sarah did and so she did to their condemnation Praises to the Lord Amen A PAPER sent from them to the Pope's Lord Inquisitor in Malta For the Lord Inquisitor and his Council c. MEns persons I cannot admire they that do admire and respect any man's person do it because of advantage and such are transgressors the Apostles James and Jude say In obedience to the Lord in love to your souls from the Fountain of Love and Springs of Life that stream forth to the refreshment of the whole City of God am I constrained to visit you with these few Lines and I beseech you to reade it with the Spirit of Moderation and Meekness and see that nothing arise in you against it for it is God's Truth Christ Jesus who is the Light of the world that hath enl ghtned every one that comes into the world saith This is Life eternal to know thee the only true God Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Now the knowledge of God is Life eternal and there is no other way to come to this knowledge but to have the mind turned from darkness to the Light out of the visible to that which is invisible viz. the Light in the Conscience which convinceth of sin and iniquity when no mortal eye can see you And as
Saint Then as I was crying to the Lord in Prayer because of our long-suffering and our strong travel and labour and no fruit as did appear the Lord said unto me Be not grieved though Israel be not gathered the seed of Malta shall be as the stars of the sky for multitude That which ye have sown shall not dye but live Glory be to the Name of the Lord for ever A Copy of a Writing from their hands sent in pursuit after the Friar MALACHY THou saidst thou wouldst try whether we had the true Spirit yea or nay and thou hast tryed day and night but thou never tryedst the right way the Seed of God is not tried with deceit lying hypocrisie nor cruelty But if thou hadst turned in with thy mind to the Light of God in thy Conscience thou wouldst soon have known us or had the Love of Christ been shed abroad in thy heart thou mightst have comprehended us or hadst thou found the Ballance of the Sanctuary of the true Tabernacle which God hath pitched and not man thou mightst have weighed us or hadst thou laid Judgement to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet thou mightst have fathomed us or couldst thou have opened the Book of Life thou mightst have read us 〈◊〉 hadst thou gone into the House of Israel thou mightest have had fellowship with us c. Contrary to our wills were we cast in amongst you and have given our Testimony for the Lord and called you all to Repentance and have forewarned you of the evil the Lord â—s bringing upon you but you have slighted the day of your Visitation and have done despite to the Spirit of Grace and have cast many hard speeches and false aspersions upon the Truth and the Messengers thereof and the Lord will visit for these things and you have blinded your eyes that you will not see and stopped your ears that you might not hear and hardened your hearts that you might not understand lest you should see with your eyes and hear with your ears and understand with your hearts and turn to the Lord and be converted and he should heal you Oh that you had known in this your day what had belonged to your peace but now it is hid from your eyes The desire of our souls is That every one may repent that can find a place and what ever you have done to us we desire it may not be laid to your charge for we count our selves happy that we were found worthy to suffer for tâ—â— Name of the Lord. Written in the Inquisition-Prison in the Isle of Malta Katherine Evans Sarah Cheevers Behold victorious Hymns and Songs and Praises all in Verse The same sprung from the Seed of life its perfect Righteousness OH Lord my Life is given up thy Truth for to declare O Lord keep thou me in thine Arms and guide me in thy Fear Thy Bow is bent thy Sword is drawn thine enemies to deface Thy fire 's kindled against all those that will not Truth imbrace Thine Arrows which are sharp and keen upon their heads shall fall Thy double-edged Sword also to cut them down withal So plague the Heathen and correct the People in thy Wrath That they may fear and dread thy Name and come to know thy Truth Throughout the World so large and wide thy Truth thou dost declare Thy saving health for to enjoy by thy Light doth appear Thou dost send forth thy Messengers glad-tydings to proclaim To call the hungry forth to feed on thy Lamb being slain Feasts of fat things thou dost prepare the hungry for to feed And cloath the nak'd with garments fair that want and stand in need Heaven's Glory is appearing its Brightness shineth forth Over all Nations it's clearing the Lord's Eternal Truth Every one that 's in darkness under its shadow lye May come forth into the Brightness out of obscurity O Lord teach me thy perfect Wayes that I may walk therein And lead me in the Path of Life and cleanse me from all sin How gracious is the Lord our God and kind to Israel With us he doth make his abode his Presence doth us fill So that we are not desolate nor yet distrest with woes Because the Lord doth take our part and doth confound our foes Every one that is opprest and cast in danger deep If that in God they put their trust he will them safely keep Right dear and precious to the Lord are all his little ones That suffer for his holy Name he will avenge their wrongs And in his Wrath he will destroy his Enemies so stout And suddenly will make a way and lead his Servants out And he himself will them restore to Joy and Comfort both And will preserve them evermore because they do him love But as for men of corrupt minds whose wayes defiled are The Lord will visit with all kinds of Judgments and not spare He will pursue them with his Sword and cut them to the ground That do reject his holy Word his Plagues shall them confound Because that they do not obey his Mercies and his Grace Which he so free to them doth give if they would them imbrace But as their Fathers did so they requite the Lord with wrong And persecute thy Messengers and make them suffer long Because that they the Truth declare as Scripture telleth plain That Christ himself the Lord 's own Heir is come and he will reign Both Lord and Prince and King also throughout the World that 's wide And Antichrist will overthrow and Babel in her pride It 's not their golden Candlesticks nor Lamps that be so many That can shine through the Clouds so thick to give a Light to any To lead to a true resting-place where they may still behold The Beauty of God's glorious Face more bright than fined Gold Thou seest O Lord what man hath done for to exalt himself Against the Lord thy blessed Son who is our saving health They have changed his glorious Form and Image that 's so bright And fashion'd it like sinful man corrupted in thy sight Arise O Lord arise in haste and punish for these things These men that have sought thy disgrace that they might reign as Kings Over thine own Inheritance contrary to thy Will To keep them still in ignorance without knowledge or skill But now the God of Pow'r is come to raise up Sion bright And to build up Jerusalem in all the Heathens sight The Gates of Hell shall not prevail though they be wide and strong Against the gathering in of all that to the Lord belong All Glory Honour Laud and Praise be to the Lord of Might Who hath made known in these our days his Way his Truth his Light Concerning the Cross of Christ which is not a visible sign or a piece of Wood but the invisible and immortal Power of the Lord God and his Wisdom unto Salvation to and in all them that believe is the same Christ the Power of God and the
Wisdom of God But the same Cross is to the outward Jew or Christian a stumbling-block and to the wise Greek that 's exalted and puft up in the knowledge above and over the Meek Life foolishness as saith the Scripture 1 Cor. 1.18 19. THe Cross of Christ I do imbrace Which gives an entrance into Grace Both Sin and Death it doth deface And makes me run a glorious race A Crown of Life I do obtain And Sin and Death is daily slain And Christ himself alone to reign Thorow the Cross I do obtain The Cross of Christ is more to me Than all the treasures I can see It brings me to my resting-place For to behold God's lovely Face The Cross of Christ is Power indeed Against the Serpent and his seed And Salvation it doth bring To all that do believe therein The Cross of Christ is my delight It doth uphold me day and night It keeps me from the power of sin Through Christ who is my heav'nly King Without the Cross I cannot be From Sin and Death at all set free The Cross alone doth crucifie Transgression Sin Iniquity It doth break down the Middle-wall And slayes the Enmity withal And makes of twain one perfect man So renews Christ for me again The Cross of Christ it doth destroy That nature that doth disobey In those that do themselves deny And take it up most willingly And daily bear it after him Who is our Lord our Prince and King And not at all to let it down Till they come to enjoy the Crown The Cross of Christ is Power and Life It doth destroy all mortal strife It keepeth from the power of Sin All those that love to walk therein All that do own Christ Jesus Cross Through self-denial they must pass For to be purged from their sin And no longer live therein The Cross of Christ doth operate Through every vein and vital part The heart and reins to cleanse from sin Of them that 's exercis'd therein All they that live in wickedness Are enemies to Christ Jesus Cross For ev'ry sin and uncleanness Doth pierce the Life of Christ Jesus Perfect Love and breathings of undefiled Life to the Seed of God greeting THe streams of Beauty pure bright That springeth up both day and night My love to Truth doth me constrain In Prison ever to remain If it in truth be so that I Cannot be set at liberty My dear Redeemers face so bright Doth shine upon me day and night His Countenance doth exceed all Captivity and Bondage thrall My pure and undefiled Love Which cometh from a harmless Dove Within whose brests doth still remain God's perfect praises to maintain I have not time nor place to show The Love which from my heart doth flow The blessing of th' Almighty be On Jacobs Seed eternally And let it make its sure abode Upon the Heritage of God Amen K. E. THese Writings following are Copies of divers Letters which they had written to their Friends and near Relations in the time of my visitation of them But it came so to pass that as they were handing the same through the Grate of the Prison by the hand of another man to be communicated to my hand being then present in the Room also that the said Letters were intercepted and in the first place communicated to the Pope's Lord Inquisitor and he forthwith sent for the Consul and charged him to get the same truly copied forth Then the Consul was wrath with me that he should be exercised with so much trouble But in the Light and Counsel of my God I seeing and knowing that there was nothing in them but what came from a good ground of Innocency and Truth and pure natural Affection I was moved in bowels of tender Love lest the said Letters should be finally miscarried or shut up in obscurity therefore I propounded to the Consul If that were such a trouble to him if he would let me have the Letters I should copy them out truly And after some time he consented and gave them into my hand and laid it upon my Conscience to perform as I had said which I did with gladness of heart not in submission to his Will but in obedience to the God of Love and Peace which guided me in the same and so after I had finished them I gave the fair Copies into the Consul's hands for his Lord Inquisitor And so in the wisdom of the Lord which is wiser than the Serpents I obtained the very desire of my heart for his Truth and Peoples sake and retained the Original Copies and in the endless Love and Power of the Lord Almighty which was and is with me and accompanied me blessed and magnified be the Power of his excellent Majesty and Glory Amen over the heads of the lofty Mountains and barren Hills I brought the Treasures of a blessed and good ground away with this body in which I am so that they were not only in my hands but also the precious substance and vertue of the same that accomâ—anied them even in my heart within my â—osome and the Words of wisdoms Life did I wear as a Chain of precious Stones and Diamonds about my neck as Bracelets and Ornaments of a comely and delicate chaste Bride about my hands and loins and behold the Almighty Lord and King of Eternal Life that had so mightly preserved me in the shadow of his haâ—â— of Almightiness which stopt the moutâ— of devouring Lyons and chained and limitted the ravening and devouring wiâ—â— Beasts of the Forrest even he the King 〈◊〉 blessedness and endless Glory filled mâ— heart with his spotless and unexpressiblâ— Love And as I lay upon the deck of thâ— Vessel in which I was a Passenger and 〈◊〉 stranger among Men of many and diveâ—â— Nations in the morning of the day I feâ—â— and beheld the exceeding Glory of thâ— Lord under the secret shadow of his Almightiness in a Vision of God and in thâ— same I beheld the Bride the Lamb's Wife prepared for the Bridegroom 's coming and why should not I declare somewhat oâ— the felicity that mine eye in the Eternaâ— Life of blessedness saw albeit the Reâ—â— is unutterable which I felt and know how to be silent in the Father's Presence where every Babe knoweth my voice which iâ— to give a sound in their ears to whom I write and not to spread Pearls before Swine that will defile and trample oâ— them That mine eye mine eye hath seen and perfectly beheld the Free-born from above coming out of the Wilderness covered with goodly and comely Raiment white and clean as the light of the Sun or as a Stone most precious clear as Chrystal and mine eye beheld a Crown which was embraced in the Arms of the Bridegroom and the Crown was well adorned with many Stars which did excel each other in Glory and mine eye beheld the Sun as a Bridegroom rejoycing over the Virgin-Bride of his Espousal so that I was even sick with
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 â—aviour 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 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 Lord 's endless Love and Mercies to my soul and 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 joyned to the Lighâ— wherewith you are lightned that I may enjoy you in that which is Eternal and have community with you in the Spirit He that is joyned 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 dayes 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 appeariâ—â— wherein he will discover every Deed of darkness let it be done never so secret the Ligâ—â— of Christ Jesus will make it manifest in every Conscience the Lord will rip up all coveringâ— that is not of his own Spirit The God â—f Peace be with you all Amen Written in the Inquisition-Prison by the hand of Sarah Cheevers for the hand of Henry Cheevers 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 shewed'st 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 â—ould have fled the Cross but praises be to â—he Lord that kept me to it that I might â—ot 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 â—et none take thy Crown The God of Power preserve and keep thee low and single in his fear pressing forward to the price of an interruptible Crown of Glory Peace and Rest â—ut 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 inheâ—itance 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 â—asted handled and felt of his everlasting Love and indurable Riches my life is rapt up in it I have found Him whom my sâ—â—â— loveth Oh! what might I do to set hiâ— 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 My dear Aunt My dear love and life is with thee and I do embrace thee in the Arms and Bosom of my Eternal Fathers love with thy dear Husband and little Ones Another in the same Paper to Friends MY dearly beloved Sisters 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 rejoyce and have union with you My Life is given up to serve the Lord. Oh 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 Scales and the Dust in an equal Ballance He is pulling down the mighty and raising the meek humble lowly he is feeding the poor and hungry with good things but the rich he sends empty away My dear Babes and Lambs feed 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 filled 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 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
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 blackness 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 â—and 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 alwayes in the pure Fear of the perfect and pure God who hath an eternal Treasure full 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 youâ— 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. Katherine 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 their 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 fatherly mercy and bowels of compassion through the tryals 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 tryals and 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 dispair 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 Vertue 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 publick view that thereby every Member of the one Body may have a right understanding and not only
the Truth In a few dayes after we were there in a Vision in the night the Lord appeared to 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 fail not And the sight was very dreadful and terrible and the Voice of the Lord did awake 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 Chirstians 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 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 witness such an Earthquake In the end one came soberly and spake to us to go forth 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 praises be to his everlasting Name for evermore We know that there is no Inchantment against Jacob nor divination against Israel Dearly beloved Friends We dearly salute you all in the invisible Life of our God who is our life our peace our stay and strength under whose Shadow we are refreshed praises glory and honor 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 Horn is our Strength and his Name our strong Tower in all our troubles temptations tryals 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 Armour 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 absent 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 prize the company and the sight of each others faces We do not want the company of Friars Jesuites and Magistrates nor great women Here are some that have breathings 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 amongst the holy women and be maintained as long as we live in regard we have denied the world and all that we have And the Friar 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 tryals 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 tryals and temptations that ever the Servants of the Lord had and 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 lies 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
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 others satisfaction in the love of God â—n which we were wel confirmed to obey the same until the death as the Lord our God might have permitted for his Names 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 Constantinople and Smyrna in Asia and after a little season we parted in the goodness of God And when twenty four 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 our 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 Jews Greeks Heathens and others were not altogether so evil affectâ—d 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 only 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 Master whom we love serve and honour in the same and therefore keep his Sayings which are not grievous to us in that one and the selfe-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 well 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 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 meeekness and gentleness of Christ And on this wise we besought the men of our own Nation together with many more in those parts that they might 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 honourable 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 burdened 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 dishonourable 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 might be saved not only 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 Coppy of the Warrant which they produc'd and prosecuted VVHereas we are informed that there is lately arrived with the Zant Frigot one Daniel Baker with his Companion commonly called Quakers with intention to come up to this Port and because we sufficiently have had experience that the Carriage of that sort of People is ridiculous and is capable to bring dishonour to our Nation besides other ill conveniences that may redound to them in particular and to the English in general We therefore will and require you to give a stop to the said Quakers from proceeding any further in their Journey either to Constantinople or the present Court of the Grand Signior viz. the great Emperor of the Turks or to any other place where our Authority extends shipping them away either directly for England or any other Part which they shall chuse to imbarque And we do hereby require all Officers and Members of the Factory and Masters and Officers of Ships to be aiding and assisting to you herein And for so doing this shall be your Warrant For our loving Friend Anthony Isaacson Esquire Consul for the English Nation at Smyrna By his Excellency's Command Paul Ricoat Secretary Given under our Hand and Seal at our Court at Pare of Constantinople the 19th day of July it should be August for we were not in Asia in the Month called July 1661. Winchels 4. And forthwith this Warrant was dispatcht with a Messenger from the Embassador's Court at Constantinople to Smyrna and behold the Merchants of the Earth and others that could not endure to hear of the sound of Truth received the same not with little gladness
poor men wo and alas for them the end of which will not be peace but contrariwise wo and misery And they put the same Warrant in execution and sent a Turkish Janisary and a Drugerman that were Officers under the Consul of the English Nation and they came with Harmols viz. called Porters with Cain's Weapons and fetcht us from our Lodging before the Consul and the man was courteous and moderate and had his ear open then to what we in the reverence and fear of the Lord then said unto him which was his honor who then saw over and beyond that foolish Ceremony of the Hat neither did he burthen himself with the same as many unwisely do to the clouding or veiling of the nobility of a good Understanding which hath a more noble respect to Equity Justice and Judgement without respect of Persons in them where it is set up in its proper and peculiar Authority than to such foolish Ceremonies which are below men of Wisdom yet he desired that we might not take it ill as from him in his place of Authority in doing as he was obliged in the prosecution of the Warrant which summoned all Officers and Members of the Factory with Masters Officers of Ships to be aiding and assisting to surprize and banish two innocent naked harmless Men that had neither Bow nor Sword nor any such like material or visible Weapon of War to resist evil as Paul and Barnabus had not against whom the hard-hearted Jews cryed out with the same voice Help men of Israel c. and such like stir there was And we let the Consul know at our first coming that we owned his place of Authority and were ready to submit to any thing that was just or equitable and at last in this thing we could not submit without suffering forasmuch as in the uprightness of our heart and in the innocency of the same were we come so far to do the Will of God and to suffer for it as his hand permitted So with many other expressions I cleared my Conscience as also by Words Sufferings and Writings to the whole Nation there and the Consul seemed to be unwilling to use violence against us that at our departure we prayed for them that hated us without a cause knowing not what they did we seeing it could not at that season be otherwise but what the Lord had permitted them to bring to pass not to their justification but as a Judgement among them from the living God who did not onely dispence the visitation of his Love and Salvation day by day among them but he visited them also with the strokes of his Displeasure even unto death and destruction and surely he smote and took away of the Chiefest others of them daily And verily my heart often cryed and besought the Lord for them in secret more especially though I was constrained not to cease uttering my voice openly among them and for them while they sought my hurt as many of them I know by the Witness of God in them may remember And so we were sent away as Prisoners or rather as Lambs driven from the Dens of Lyons or from the barren Caves of ravening Wolves whose nature worried them Now we had spoken for a passage by a Dutch ship to have gone from thence to Constantinople but before the Ship departed Smyrna the Warrant came to the Consul's hands which thou mayest see came not from either them called Turks Jews Heathens Greeks or Barbarians but even from the men of our own Nation Alas alas yea wo and alas for them So the Reader may see what a stir there hath been in the Region of Asia against the appearance of Truth and its Innocency in plainness to expel and banish it together with its Message and Messengers out of their Coasts or Borders and not to have any entertainment or at least to come within the extent of their Authority whatever becomes of them let them go where they will c. So as in effect they say We will not have this man the Light Truth Temperance Innocency its Life and Wisdom from above to rule or have its preheminence over us in our Consciences we will rather chuse to live in the practice of our own evil hearts and ways And therefore thus to their own hurt they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy Wayes Job 21. and as for the Word of the Lord we have no delight in it Lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them And such the holy perfect and upright Man saw rebel against the Light and said They are of those that rebel against the Light they know not the Wayes thereof Job 24.13 neither abide in the Paths thereof And so with consent they joyned together to banish Truth its Message and Messengers of Peace which provoked them to jealousie that believed not who scorned us as fools and what not else not honestly considering how that God is provoking the Nations to jealousie and wrath with a foolish People as in the ancient dayes Deut. 22. was prophesied And such besought our Lord and Master even Jesus to depart out of their Coasts or Borders who loved and fed their Swine upon the Mountains even the Gadarens besought him to depart who saith He that loveth Father or Mother or what else more than Me is not worthy of Me and Father and Mother and such Relations are of more honourable esteem than many Swine And to his Disciples he also saith that was dead and is alive and liveth for ever As they have done unto me so will they do unto you if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you These are his faithful and true Sayings He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me John 13.20 receiveth him that sent me Mark that Verily verily I say unto you Whomsoever receiveth whom I shall send receiveth me and him that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me c. He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And it 's to be understood that such like dealing J. S. and H. F. our Brethren found at Alexandria from whom they also were banished And on this wise being rejected despised banished out of Asia from Smyrna in about eight dayes we arrived at the Island Zant where my dear Brother and Companion in sufferings and not only so but in the Kingdom patience of Christ he was visited with sickness nigh unto death but the Word and Commandment of the Lord ordered me to pass through part of Italy and my face was set towards Venice and we weighed the thing in the fear and counsel of the Lord and were both given up in one to travel yet it was so that the poor Lamb was not capable in body to travel with me by reason of weakness and he being fully perswaded and satisfied in his own mind
that I was to pass onward in the tender Love of our God he did the more constrain me I finding some unwillingness to leave him in that condition which was not a little cross unto me But in the heavenly Will and Peace of our God and joy of the Lord out of all visibles we parted asunder and it came to pass that he laid down his Body there in about two dayes after There being a Ship of Venice ready I embarqued on the same and had a good Passage through the Gulf of Venice After three Weeks were finished was I admitted together with the Ships company to receive Product or Admission to come into the City as their manner is and there I continued about eight dayes as a sign and wonder among many and gave somewhat of a sound of the Lord's Day in truth among them and from thence I travelled to Legorn and my face was as if it were set towards England I being alone as a Mourning-Dove in a desolate Wilderness Yet it came so to pass when I arrived at the same Port or City that the everlasting Love of my God did fill and overcome my heart and mine eye right dearly affected the same and verily the living Word and Commandment of my God sounded in mine ear and mine understanding was quickened in the Spirit of Life from God so that I was made willing and not to rebel against the Heavenly Voice And what if I testifie that mine eye saw the Angel of his presence which was expresly for me to give up and pass away from thence to visit his long-suffering Seed of Innocency shut up in the Inquisition in the Isle of Malta under the Popes Authority and to communicate to their necessities and verily the sweet Promise of the Lord entered and possessed my heart and my God made my way prosperous for in the Light of his Countenance he had often set these poor afflicted long-suffering Innocents before my face Wherefore my body and mind was freely offered up as my reasonable service to serve his Truth the least Member of it and so to the death of the Cross whereto I became obedient in uprightness of heart as if I should never see the face of my Kindred or Native Country more a Vessel of France being ready to depart from thence East-ward I embarqued thereon for the Isle of Cicilia to Masena and from thence to the Isle of Malta in a Vessel of the said Island and in my passage the Vessel did bear in to Syracuse where Paul abode three dayes in his passage to Rome after he had suffered shipwrack on Malta and at Syracuse I abode five dayes where I gave a sound of the Lord's Truth and Life And so we immediately sailed from thence and within twenty four hours we arrived at the Island of Malta and within some hours after I came upon the said Island I had admittance to the Pope's Lord Inquisitor to whom I delivered my Message in the Italian Tongue on this wise I am come to demand the just Liberty of my innocent Friends the two English Women in Prison in the Inquisition And he asked If I were related to them as a Husband or Kinsman and whether I came out of England on purpose with that Message And I answered I came from Legorn for that same end and he replied at last They should abide in Prison till they dye except some English Merchants or others that were able would engage or give obligation for the value of three or four thousand Dollers conditionally that they should never return again into those Parts On this wise was his reply divers times with the Consul and many others together and asunder but in the Name and Fear of the Lord God I withstood the same unchristian-like Demand and Cruelty in the Word Power and Travel of the Lord in his innocent suffering Lambs behalf albeit they daily threatned me with their Cruelty and Inquisition of darkness and followed me to and fro with their Officer and Black-rod and the Pope's Deputy would have bound me that I should neither speak good nor evil to any one while I was on the Island as the Consul said save to him neither to come to the Prison alone except the Consul came also with me or some of his Family at least But their Snares Bonds and Covenants in the Name of my God I defied because the Spirit of Life from the Lord gave me dominion through sufferings in spirit first over their unjust dark Impositions yea and in the same good Authority in the innocency and uprightness of my heart I travelled through and over the darkness over its works and ceased not to publish the end of my coming which they would not have known abroad and the sound of Truth and its dread and fame struck terror in their hearts that both high and wise great Men together with the popish Priests and Jesuites Knights them called of the Nobility of the Pope's Dominion of Spain and France and of many Nations they did not burthen themselves a little with my bodily presence my clear Testimony and Friends in general all which they defied and withstood as it doth appear by the words of Truth in this Treatse And thus it comes to pass among the Nations because we are not of this world as our Life and Testimony also is not for but against the same therefore we marvel not if the World hate us knowing its birth which is from beneath earthly and sensual persecuteth that which is from above heavenly and spiritual and so the Lord hath made me as a burthensome stone among them My heart blesseth his Name that wonderfully preserved me Yet some of them came to see somewhat of my Innocency About twenty four dayes I abode upon the said Island they daily continuing their Threatnings against me as aforesaid and many times attempted me to take my Passage to Cicillia or to some parts of Italy to produce the unreasonable and unchristian-like Obligation demanded by them but in the fear of God I with my dear Friends withstood them and they were freely given up rather to suffer than to hurt Gods Truth and People thus to gratifie them who as it doth appear the Spirit of the Lord God of Truth rules neither in Pope nor in any of his Lords Priests or Jesuites that exercise such Lordship over the Innocent long-suffering Heritage of the everlasting God The time hasteneth and behold it cometh to pass that the weight of eternal Vengeance is coming over them which the Man of Sin and his Sons of Perdition will not be able to bear For the doleful Cry of the Innocent that sighs and groans with tears hath long uttered its voice which hath ascended into the ears of the Most High who is higher than the Highest yet hath he respect unto the needy to uphold them yea and to such as are of an upright contrite lowly and trembling heart What if I should say the God of Love and
Long-suffering dwels in such and verily their sacrifice is acceptable in his bosom that liveth for ever and I am a living Witneâ—s that the sweet Testimony innocent Sufferings of these his long-suffering Lambs is right dear and precious in his eye which is the Light of his Countenance and so it is not otherwise but the same in oneness with his people concerning them And so in the endless mercy blessing and peace of our God we parted and I came away with the love and peace of my God within my heart having the answer and living testimony of a good Conscience and in the wisdom of God brought away these their Words and Writings which testifieth somewhat of their Sufferings and Faithfulness unto the Lord his Truth People which I right-well know cannot be shut out of the Record of Life eternal unto which I bear Record again that they have been and are a sweet savour unto the Lord God of Faithfulness and so their Reward which attends the same is not only with them but with all the Sons and Daughters of truth and innocency that are so travelling in their Long-sufferings which are but light and momentary in competition to the eternal weight of Glory which afterward is to be revealed in the same that suffered in all generations even from righteous Abel unto this day of our God to whom be Wisdom Glory Salvation and everlasting Thansgivings aâ—d Dominion for ever Amen saith my soul and spirit even so Amen And it came to pass in the third Month of the year 1662. also after my God had well preserved me in my passage and in his work and service from Malta to divers places in Italy till I came to the Straits mouth of the Mediterranean Sea at the place called Gibralter it was the pleasure of the Lord God to suffer the Wind and Weather to continue contrary well nigh about thirty dayes in which season I suffered many Trials and Tribulations in spirit having little or no Rest in the same because of the Vision and Words of the Everlasting which sounded often up to my understanding even as the roaring of a Lyon which mine eye saw and mine ear heard also in the year 61. when I was a Prisoner for the pure Word and Testimony of God and his Truth in Worcester City Jayl before I departed England and the place was the high Mountain of Gibralter that stands within the King of Spains Dominion which was the subject of the Vision and often as I cast mine eye upon the scituation of the place the pure Life and Power of God's eternal Presence did arise up in me in the word of life so that I saw clearly that some great exceeding weighty service for his Name and eternal Truths sake was to be done by me which was so terrible and dreadful to me when as I entred into reasoning so that I was brought down even to the jaws of death in dust and ashes and as Jonah turned his back upon Nineveh the same temptation attended me also to my wounding before I could give up for I fled often from the place to escape with my life from among such an unreasonable and bloody generation and the Lord would not be intreated to let such a bitter Cup pass unfulfilled but behold with the sound and stroak of his eternal Word his Spirit of Life became awakened quickned and mightily revived in me in his Wisdom over all fear of the Nations of men and the same brake through the snares and bonds of death and over destruction and the true Seed that mourned cried Not my Will but thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven and so it was a hard thing to part with little Isaac which is received again in the Covenant of promise of Life and that was offered up which fled so often but at last was caught in a thicket When the Ships of divers Nations attempted to pass through but the God of heaven whom the wind and sea obeyeth suffered them not but they knew not what the matter was which was revealed within my heart as the displeasure of God was against them to humble them also as I told them often by words and writings to clear my Conscience albeit they strove being perplexed in their minds and attempted often to wit seven or eight times in about twenty one dayes and could not pass but about two or three Leagues and on this wise it happened it would either prove calm and then the currant would drive them back into the Straits again sometimes and otherwhile Storms and Tempests would scatter them as a figure of Pharoah and his Hoste of Egyptian darkness so that the Chariot-wheels mine eye saw struck off so that they drove but heavily within and without and at last I gave out among them that God had service for me to do at that place and my Life was given up to do his Will if I never saw my Native Country Kindred or Fathers house at all any more and therefore the pleasure of the Lord in his mighty Power had made me willing also gave me dominion through and over the Bonds and Snares of Death and Destruction as it were to lay down my precious Life that I may take it again together with the body which through his righteous judgements he had prepared to perform the good pleasure of his Almightiness for his Truth and Names sake Now the heavenly Voice was often sounded within my heart on this wise saying O Jerusalem cut off thine hair and furthermore to gird sackcloth on my loins as to the Prophet Jer. 7.29 and so I became obedient in the singleness and innocency of my heart unto the God of Heaven and of my Life as a dreadful Sign against the whorish Church of Rome and against all her Heads 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 and 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 Isa 57.20 which are like the troubled Sea So the Ship-master let my Body be on this wise cast over board from the Ship God having provided a Whale to swallow up that which fled from his presence so often and so it happened that it was upon one of their called Holy-dayes or Saints dayes namely the day called Holy-Thursday So I being cast on dry land passed through their streets directly until I came into the Mass-House or Idolaters Temple among the Idolaters where I found the Frier or Priest at the High Altar down upon his knees in his white Surplice adoring of the Host which is a Chalice or a piece of Bread which they called 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 beheld 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 mine 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 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 nights to be tryed on this wise and to fall among divers temptations afterwards the which as a mighty Host surrounded and beset me on every hand immediately after I had done his good will in his all-sufficient power and strength Thus the Enemy with his subtilty in a mystery was suffered to compass me about to steal away my peace and reward with my God in whom the same is hid and then I was in a blessed condition though sometime vailed 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 I 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 Jesus 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 Mat. 5. Jam. 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 Gibletore 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 Judgements is come Wherefore Oh Inhabitants of the earth Repent Repent Repent and fear God and give Glory and 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 and 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 Tongues c. These Words with a Paper in Latine with honest Words of Truth was delivered with many more Scriptures in their own Language that they may read understand repent and cease from Idolatry and from all Ungodliness that the Blessings of Eternal Life might arise through Judgements and have room among the Nations to the eternal glory and renown of the Lord God over all who is blessed for ever Amen A brief Account of their further Tryals and how God at last by his Almighty Power effected their Deliverance and brought them again into the Land of their Nativity THe second month the year 1662. at the time of their Feast called the Resurrection of Christ on the first day we spake to the Keeper to buy us some meat not knowing but we might have eaten it in the time of their Feast yet it had been laid upon us to fast most times when they did feast which did torment
them for when we did fast in obedience to the Lord they were greatly troubled so the Keeper asked me whether we would not eat meat to morrow yea or nay I was smote that I durst not say but what the Lord will we shall do When the morning came there was a great Triumph amongst them and there sounded a Trumpet near us in reference to the Lord Inquisitor Immediatly the Word of the Lord came unto us saying We must not eat Bread nor drink VVater in thrée dayes nor I K. must not speak word in that time but be silent and sit upon the ground in the Inquisition with very little clothes on nothing upon our heads but ashes no stoken nor shoe on and the last day Sarah had nothing at all but one petticoat on and they kept much ado and said we would mort and go to the Devil because the wind blew very cold So in the end the Lord opened Sarah's mouth in Prophesie against their Superstition Idolatry and unclean conversation they came wondring and look'd upon us but could not tell what to say for we were very dreadful to them So the time being expired of our Fast the Lord opened my mouth in praises and with singing these Verseâ— following All praise to him that hath not put nor cast me out of mind Nor yet his mercy from me shut as I could ever find Infinite Glory Laud and Praise be given to his Name Who hath made known in these our dayes his strength and noble fame Oh none is like unto the Lamb whose beauty shineth bright O glorifie his holy Name his Majesty and Might My soul praise thou the only God a Fountain pure and clear Whose Chrystal streams spreads all abroad and cleanseth far and near The Well-springs of Eternity which are so pure and sweet And do arise continually my Bridegroom for to meet My sweet and dear beloved one whose Voice is more to me Than all the Glory of the Earth or Treasures I can see He is the glory of my life my joy and my delight Within the bosome of his Love he clos'd me day and night He doth preserve me clean and pure within his Pavill'on Where I with him should be secure and saved from all wrong My soul praise thou the Lord I say praise him with joy and peace My sp'rit and mind both night and day praise him and never cease O magnifie his Maâ—estie his Fame and his Renown Whose dwelling is in Sion hie the glory of his Crown O praises praises to our God sing praises to our King O teach the People all abroad his praises for to sing A Sion Song of Glory bright that doth shine out so clear O manifest it in the sight of Nations far and near That God may have his Glory due his Honour and his Fame And all his Saints may sing anew the praises of his Name And after I had sung the Lord commanded me to go to the Well in the Court and drink Water the first thing I took So in obedience to our tender Father and God of health and power we went and drank much Water in the sight of the Prisoners we were very dry and they cried out in their language saying We would kill our selves and go to the Devil S. washed her head in cold water and we never had so much as the snuff in our noses After that they did admire and said It was the Lord that did command us and preserve us if they should have done so they should have died So the Lord was glorified and we were comforted And many a time were we made a dreadful sign and wonder to them that it can never be forgotten Praises praises to our God who wrought it in our hearts K. E. For the hands of our right worthily beloved Friends RIght dear and precious Friends in the Eternal Truth and Covenant of Life and Immortality yea Right Honourable indeed who are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Peace Love and Salvation with whom my soul is refreshed nourished and cherished day by day and my spirit is supported and my heart is comforted with the well-springs of Eternal Life that stream from the Fountain and Rock of Salvation for which my soul doth truly magnifie the God of Life that giveth Life with you my Eternal Friends according to my measure in which I dearly salute and imbrace you in the heavenly unity of divine vertue Praises praises to our pure holy and wise God and Father of the Eternal Fulness of all Blessedness who doth give me of the same richly to enjoy so that I do mount up with wings as an Eagle and do run and am not weary and walk and am not faint because I do see of the travel of my soul and am satisfied the Glory is the Lord's whose mighty Power doth the work yea everlasting praises laud honour and dominion to the Lord of lords King of kings over all Scepters Thrones Tongues and Languages for ever to rule and reign world without end Amen and Amen O precious and wel-beloved Brethren Fathers and Elders the Pillars of God's spiritual Building whom my soâ—l right dearly loveth yea verily the Lord our God hath not raised renowned honoured nor exalted you higher in the heart mind spirit and soul in any one member in all his whole Body than he hath in me according to my measure the God of my Life and sweet Salvation doth know that you have been and are in my thoughts of right dear remembrance so that my life hath not neither doth it seem dear to me to save you harmless ever since I first saw your faces God Almighty bless and preserve you out of the hands of unreasonable men and encrease and multiply his whole Church and People in strength life and power and add unto you daily such as shall be saved and number in his Israelites indeed in whose mouths there is no guile out of every Kindred Tongue and Nation both Jew and Gentile bond and free so many as are appointed Heirs of Eternal Salvation Amen Amen saith my spirit And the Lord keep you all in the Power Dominion and Authority over the Heathen and all the dark Powers that do corrupt the Earth for ever Amen Oh dear and worthy Friends I can do no less than put you in remembrance of our gracious Deliverance out of the Inquisition in our eternal Father 's own time and way and according to his own will none wrought it but himself that he alone may have the Glory Honour and Renown of his own mighty Work in the hearts of you and all the faithful-hearted and from Sea to Sea and from Island to Island yea verily the Voice is gone forth to the ends of the Earth to the praise honour and glory of the strength of our powerful Lord God and here is our joy and here is our Glory and here is our Crown that our pure holy perfect and wise God is magnified And is not our
Joy your Joy and our Crown your Crown yea really I know it cannot be otherwise For if one of the members of the body do faint or fail or break or start aside it causeth a breach or defect in the whole body So likewise if one member do prosper in his measure be it never so small I know the whole body is strengthened refreshed and comforted and we know you all delight in us and rejoyce over us even as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the â—ride I do behold it in the Light of Righteousness and receive the benefit of it in the bright shining Countenance of our everlasting Father's Love and our souls do magnifie the Lord of Life and Glory and our spirits do sing for joy that ever we were found worthy of so high and honourable a Calling to bear the Name of our pure perfect Redeemer before the High and Mighty of the Earth and to suffer so long time under them for our pure living Testimony of the pure holy Life of Innocency Oh! praises praises to our God everlastingly world without end Amen Amen In a short time after our gracious Deliverance out of the Inquisition the Lord committed great Judgement to me to pronounce against the City saying That I must prophesie yet once more in his Name and give it out in writing The Cross seemed very heavy but I did not dare to look at it but was obedient to the heavenly Voice and writ the Prophecy O All ye Heads and Rulers Princes and Governours of Malta hearken to the Voice of the Lord. The 25th day of the sixth month called August the year 1662. near the tenth hour of the day the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Thou must prophesie yet once more in my Name to the Heads and Rulers Princes and Governours of Malta the aforesaid City and prophesie saying Thus saith the Lord God of power who made Heaven and Earth the Seas and all things that are therein and is the Preserver of all mankind especially of them that do believe in his Name My wrath is kindled against you and my Judgment is set up amongst you because of your hard-heartedness and unbelief I the Lord God who desire the death of no man but that all should return unto me and live in tenderness and love to your souls I cast in my Servants yet amongst you contrary to their wills and out of their own knowledge to go and forewarn you of the evil that I was bringing upon you with line upon line and precept upon precept of my undenyable Testimonies and unfailable Truths of the glorious and powerful Appearing of my blessed Son the Lord Jesus Christ the Light of the World in thousands of my Saints and People in this the great and mighty Day of my Power for the destruction of Sin and Satan and all the works of darkness all manner of iniquity and uncleanness in this Nation and in all Nations and Counâ—ries throughout the whole Earth for all the Wicked shall be brought to Judgement that that which is pure may arise to rule in the hearts of people and I will overturn overturn in all places till I have restored Judges as at the first and Counsellours as at the beginning men of perfect hearts and upright spirits fearing my Name doing the works of Equity and Justice to every one without respect of persons like unto faithful Moses and righteous Samuel and will establish my beloved Son upon his Throne and he shall rule in his Princely Power and reign in his Kingly Majesty whose right it is over all and his own Spiritual Government shall be set up in all places Righteous Rulership and pure Worship in Spirit and in Truth and there is nothing that can prevent the Lord who saith If ye will not hear my Servant which speakeâ—h my Word whom you have proved almost these four years whose life hath been harmless and spotless in pure Innocency amongst you then will I bring Wo upon Wo and Judgment upon Judgment upon you till the living shall not be able to bury the dead my mouth hath spoken it and my zeal will perform it and every man's hands shall be upon his loins for pain for the day of Recompence is come But if you will hear my Servant which speaketh unto you in my Name and return in your minds to the Light in your Consciences which convinceth of all sin and wait upon me in pure silence holy fear dread and awe and deny all evil thoughts words and actions then will I pour out of my Spirit upon you and will make my wayes known unto you and will soon cure you of your diseases and heal you of your pain This have I written in obedience to the God of all Power whom I truly serve in spirit and in truth according to my measure O dear and noble Prince and People receive it from the Lord and not from me and prove the Prophecy in the Spirit of meekness as you are wise and sober-minded men without rashness or hastiness in the fear of the Lord God that gave you life and see whether I have prophesied in mine own name or in the Name of the Lord if in mine own name the things I have prophesied of will not come to pass but if in the Name of the Lord then they will come to pass daily one after another This have we prophesied ever since the time you call Christ's Resurrection as we have been moved of the Spirit of the Lord and delivered it to the Consul to take it to the Grand Master with the rest of the Heads and Governors The Consul threatened me with the Prison again The Lord said Fear not I am thy God And in a few dayes after the Lord uttered his Voice and manifested his mighty Power in great Thunder and Lightning so that it set on fire one of their Powder-houses being near a mile out of the City It was in the eighth month the eighth day of the month in the night according to their account and the wind of the Powder blew down another Powder-house a quarter of a mile from it but the Powder was preserved and it did great execution in the City as they say it blowed down five Houses and broke most of the Glass Windows of both Palaces and all the Merchants Windows in the City and the Magazine where the Merchants Goods were the Doors were blown out of the hooks and the Walls shaken and torn and the whole City was terribly shaken and the doors of the houses drew up so that great fear fell upon them all and we heard a great shreem in the City it was at midnight and they rung out their Bells and there was a great Glass Window in the Chamber where we lay over right our Beds-feet it was very thick Glass and much of it was broken to pieces and beat in on each side of our bed but the Lord did not suffer any harm to us the glory is his own The
bitter against us for Righteousness sake in-so-much that we stood in great hazard of our lives many a time we did feel their slaying Instruments drawn so that we had even the sentence of death in our selves but the Lord prevented them and preserved us and great was our travel of soul night and day the glory is the Lord's whose mighty Power did the work everlasting praises honour and dominion over all to our pure holy and perfect Lord God world without end Amen Now for the satisfaction of all Friends concerning our deliverance out of â—he Inquisition this is a true and brief Relation Three quarters of a year before Daniel Baker came to Malta the Consul for the English came to us and said the Inquisitor sent him to know if we would be Catholicks yea or nay We answered we were true Christians He said if we would be Catholicks we might dwell at Melita or go to England We said we were the Servants of the true and living God One of the Magistrates said we were not Christians neither had we the Cross of Christ We answered we were Christians and had received the Spirit of Christ which made a Christian and he that had not the Spirit of Christ was no Christian and we had the Cross of Christ without the Cross there was no Salvation the Cross of Christ is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth He said If we would not be Catholicks we must suffer long Imprisonment by the Popes Order That was not true I had an Answer in my Conscience against it And in a little time after they told us if we would kiss the Cross we should be freed out of Prison and go to the Consul 's till a convenient passage did present to carry us for England for the Pope had sent word they should take it into their consideration and set us free for England without doing any violencce as we heard and we did believe it because we had a more sure word of Prophecy than did use to proceed out of their mouthes we told them we could not kiss the Cross to get our liberty neither did we desire our freedom on any such terms but we looked every day when they would call us forth to kiss the Cross and we did pray and cry mightily to our Eternal Father to prevent them in it and to preserve us out of it for the Tempter was very strong within and without so that I took little rest for many dayes and nights seeing the great danger it would plunge us into for I saw the painted walls and the Crosses set before me but the gracious God of power who did appear in our Afflictions and revealed his Will to me in a Night-Vision saying Touch not taste not handle not but wait diligently upon me you have two things yet to work over before you can be set at liberty We knew the Cross was one but we knew not what the other was The next time the Consul came he told us that the Inquisitor said If any one would engage for three or four thousand Dollers to be paid if ever we came thither again we should be set at liberty but he said no more of the Cross but the Obligation was the second thing that we were to work over but I could never see nor dare desire any man to be engaged for us because I do know all Decrees Laws Tyes Bonds and Chains and Precepts of men must be broken through the righteous Decree of our mighty Lord God and upon the same consideration we were made willing to wait till the Lord should break this Chain also that no other dear Friend or Lamb of God might suffer for the same thing no God forbid Then it pleased the Lord to send Daniel Baker who in obedience to the God of Heaven did offer up body for body yea life all for our liberty but could not be heard but the Inquisitor said If any would engage for the payment of three or four thousand Dollers to be paid if ever we came there again we should have our liberty but otherwise we must die in the Prison for that was the Pope's Law but we knew it was left to his consideration so we told them we could not engage nor desire any to engage for us because it was out of the Covenant of God and our yea was yea and our nay was nay and we did not believe that ever it was the mind of God that we should return thither again So Daniel departed in the Love of God and they sent to England to Friends and to other Islands to the English Merchants for some to engage for us that we might have our liberty but the Merchants sent word they were not willing to answer their unreasonable demands for the payment of so many thousand Dollers if in case we returned thither again There were many that did seek for our liberty that were not of us because they knew our cruel and strait bondage and terrible afflictions and were willing to engage what was reason but because our just and wise God would make his Power known for his own honour he would not suffer any thing to prevail for our Deliverance insomuch as we could understand but what he wrought by his invisible Power in the hearts of our Enemies It was given into my heart half a year after Daniel came thence that if I could speak with the Inquisitor he would grant us our liberty and in a little time he came to the Inquisition-Court-Chamber and we heard of it and desired to speak with him which he granted us and we told him we had wronged none we had defrauded none neither was guile found in our mouthes but we had suffered innocently almost four years for Conscience-sake and we knew they had no peace in our sufferings So the Inquisitor was very courteous to us and promised our liberty in a few dayes and he said he would send for the Consul and get him to engage for five hundred Dollers to be paid for us if ever we came again in case the Consul did deny it he would send to Rome to the Pope for an Order to set us at liberty without an Obligation So we were contented to wait the Lord's time who had often promised us That we should have our liberty in a day when we thought not of and at an hour when we were not aware and good was the Word of the Lord and faithful in all his Promises About two weeks after the Inquisitor came to the Inquisition with his Lieutenant and other of the Magistrates and a Consul for the English and he sent the Proctor of the Court to call us forth before them and when we came he told us the Consul would engage for the payment of five hundred Dollers if ever we returned thither again We not knowing at present whether it was the mind of our heavenly Father that the Earth should help the Woman yea or nay yet waiting
in the Feâ—r of God it was brought to my remembrance that the Lord had said we had two things to work over before we could be set at liberty So they used many words but we eying the Lord yet answered them in the Spirit of meekness They called for half a sheet of paper and the Chancellour asked what he should write but the Lord stood up for his own glory so that they had not power to write one Letter The Lieutenant said they would talk of it another time and they did ask us whether we would not return back again to our Husbands and Children if it were the will of God We answered It was our intent in the will of God so to do The Lord Inquisitor took his leave very courteously of us and desired our prosperous return into our Country and likewise the Magistrates with the inferiour Officers not requiring penny or penny-worths for any Fees or Attendance that we had among them in that time but as we saw our freedom in the Lord we gave the Keeper and some poor men something for Conscience sake So we departed in peace according to the compleat example of the holy men of God kneeling down and desiring our heavenly Father never to lay to their charge what they did unto us because they knew us not so this Scripture was fulfilled that he made our enemies our footstool and they that hate us without a cause to be at peace with us So we were delivered in Power and great glory out of the Inquisition into the Consul's hand to be sent for England as opportunity did present The Consul said that he did engage for us after we were out of the Inquisition but we could never find that it was true So we were kept eleven weeks at the Consul's house before they could have a passage to carry us out of their Coast and the Cross was so heavy and the travel of souls so great that as to the visible all hopes were past that I could live in the body but all things are possible with God who by his mighty Power hath removed Mountains and subdued the Earth and broke through the double-doors locks and bolts and Iron bars and all the chains of wickedness every unrighteous Decree and by his high mighty Hand and strong outstretched Arm hath returned our Captivity that Jacob may rejoyce and Israel may be glad magnified be the Name of our Eternal Father for ever yea Honour and Glory Power and Dominion over all to him who ruleth on high world without end Amen And when we had been at the Consul's house eleven weeks there came one of the King's Frigats called the Saphire the Captain 's name was Samuel Titswel The Grand-Master sent to the Captain of the Saphire to entreat him to stay the Ship all night to take up almost forty Passengers The Captain made himself unwilling because he had no product but lay out in the Road a league from the City The Grand-Master writ to him he knew his brother at England would not deny him such a courtesie to take in twenty four Knights Cavalliers and their servants and two Quakers and so he staid till the next day it was for his great advantage Upon pain of death the Cavaliers must not see us heretofore but our heavenly Father doth know how to bring his own purposes to pass and none can hinder him Oh! that we should be put on board with so many of them and one was the Inquisitors own brother as he said and was as like him as if the same man as I told the Captain before I knew who he was he spake to the Captain often that we might not want any thing that was in the Ship and he told us if we were at Malta again we should not be persecuted so for as soon as he saw our faces he said he would not differ with us he and some other of them laid to the Captain If we went to Heaven one way and they another yet we should all meet together at the last But we held out Christ Jesus the Light of the World to be the alone way to the Father And great was our labour from day to day But our own Country-men were much worse than most of them so that they bid us go back to Malta again and said the English would use us worse than the Maltezes So when we came to Legorn the Ship could get no product and if we would go a-shoar there we might go into the Lazaretta for forty dayes And so the King's Agent desired the Captain to carry us as far as he could till he met the General and then he would provide a passage for us if that Ship was commanded back again for if he should have left us there in Lazaretta the Agent must take order for us he said according to the King's Order The Merchants shewed us no small kindness and treated us with much love and sent us Wine and Bread and a great many good things for our refreshment the Sea was high so that they could not conveniently come to us but they told the Captain they would come and if we would have money or any thing else whatsoever we would write for they would send it to us We had but little money but being we were coming for our Country we saw but little freedom to take up money And the Captain promised as we should not want any money nor any thing else till we came to England so he should not have taken any money for our passage because it was the King's Ship but he received several Dollers which victualled the Ship So he hasted thence and came to Tarloone and there he could get no product but all the Malta Knights were set a-shoar into Lazaretta so we came to Malago and there the Captain had product but he did not dare to make any long stay there for fear the Fleet should be before him at Tangeer He was sent before the Fleet out of Turkie with Letters to Malta and to Legorn and other places and we had some service for the Lord in every Harbour So we came to Tangeer above two weeks before the Fleet came The Captain said it was above an hundred pound out of his way because he made so much haste The Lord did hasten him for his Work 's sake as it was clearly manifested to us all along The Captain said we must not go a-shoar till he had spoke with the Governour 's Excellency So we went a-shoar as we were moved of the Lord and great was our Work for the Seeds sake Oh! oh great are the Abominations of the wicked in that place none worse than English-men for swearing lying pride drunkenness whoredoms and such like so that our righteous souls were vexed day and night with their unclean conversation and the pure Spirit of the Lorâ— was grieved and the Seed of God was pressed even as a Cart is pressed with sheaves So we declared boldly against
them all in the Name of the Lord and they came flocking about us high and low great and small into the house where we were lodged or where-ever we went of all sorts In a few days we were moved to go to the Governour and to lay their Abominations before him the just Judgments due unto them from the Lord for their great and grievous Wickedness and laid it upon him from the Lord to suppress it in so much as lay in him to do lest the just and holy Lord God Almighty did suddenly deliver them into the hands of their Enemies to be destroyed after the rest of them were slain in the Wrath and Anger of the Almighty and we told him they had not greater enemies without than they had within and if they did repent and truly fear the Lord their Enemies would be subdued within and they would know when to go out against their Enemies and prosper and the Lord would make their Enemies to be at peace with them So the Governour said he did lovingly receive our good Instructions and Admonitions and promised to follow our Counsel and would have given us money and desired us to eat and drink in his house We did freely imbrace his love without meat drink or money And he was very courteous to us and tender over us so that he gave Commandment to all the Garison That none should abuse us in word nor action upon pain of severe punishment There are many Portugals Jews and Irish which could as freely have burnt us as they could have burnt wood but our pure holy wise strong and powerful Lord God protected us in the midst of them and took away all slavish fear from us so that we were as bold as Lions for God's Truth against all their Idolatry and Wickedness The Lord is worthy to have the glory for evermore Amen And in a few dayes after it was laid upon us of the Lord to go forth to meet the Moors their Enemies which laid siege against them and they were such a bloody savage people that it seemed a very hard thing to us but the Lord said unto me Go forth fear not they shall not harm thée or you Behold the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon is with you And so we believed and were made willing to adventure life and all in obedience And so we went to the Governour to desire we might be let out of the Gate declaring the mind of God in it but the Governor told us we must expect nothing but cruel death or bonds for ever telling us what terrible weapons they had and entreated us to go again to our lodging and wait upon the Lord and pray as our manner was he said and then if we could not have peace we might come to him again And in two or three dayes after he came to us and asked us concerning the thing We told him we were made willing to bear and to wait upon the Lord to perswade his heart to let us go and said we did believe the Lord would preserve us in the midst of them and deliver us from them and we should be returned as safe as we went forth yet however our bodies were but a reasonable sacrifice to offer for him that gave them us So he left us at that time After that we went to his house again and he did seem to be somewhat willing then to let us go Then his Secretary stept to him and desired him that he would not let us go declaring to him that if he did let us go that it could not possibly be expected that ever we should return into the City again or see any of our Relations or Country except the Lord did work a wonderful Miracle by delivering us out of their hands And then the Governour told us in pitty and tenderness towards us he believing we were innocent harmless women and did truly fear God he could not let us go forth the English would speak very hardly of him and say he forced us forth to be destroyed by them So in a day or two after the Moors did shew forth their Flag to parley for Peace and came near to treat with them and till then our souls hearts and spirits were exercised in such strong travel and labour night and day we could not hide it from the people of the house where we lay but we do believe if we had gone forth among them before they came to treat with them the Lord our God who liveth for ever would have preserved us and we should have been returned to the conviction of many and to the astonishment of all the whole Garison for his own glory but if we should have gone forth to them when they came to parley for Peace then our Country-men would have said that that was the reason we were preserved and God would not have had the glory The Lord said our Sacrifice was accepted because he knew the uprightness of our hearts We went to take our leaves of the Governour having finished our Testimonies in that place acknowledging the love we received from him and he proffered us whatever we wanted for the Ship and his kindness extended so far that he would send it to the Vessel We received his love but took nothing of him and so we departed the City and went aboard the Ship that brought us thither and that Ship was commanded back into the Straits so that we were destitute of a passage So Sarah being moved of the Lord went unto the General and made him acquainted therewith and he very lovingly sent us aboard in another Ship and bade us take care for nothing he would give Order we should not want any thing till we came to England When we were ready to set sail there came a mighty Scool of Fish dancing round the Ship and leaping above water with great joy as I am a witness of and as I waited on the Lord considering what it might signifie the Lord answered me It signified the multitudes of his Saints and Servants in England or elsewhere that will rejoyce at the return of our Captivity and glorifie his Name which caused great joy and refreshment to our souls The Lord made it manifest we should have a safe passage to England and caused us to declare it so that many desired to return with us in that Ship on that account yet I told them we might meet with storms and hardships by the way and so it came to pass and great tryals we had by reason of storms and tempestuous weather that we were in great danger and peril so that many were wounded and bruised with the tossing of the Vessel and the Master of the Ship cast over-board when the Sea was so high as Mountains yet the Lord wrought wonderfully for his deliverance and he was brought into the Ship safe again and we all came safe to Land The Captain was a very civil man and we were very civilly used in that Ship We were
speak The Lord said formerly and doth say now Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image or the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath c. Cursed be thy Images and thou that teachest people to fall down to worship them Thou sayest this is Moses Law He that despiseth Moses 's Law dyeth without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy that trampleth under foot the blood of the Covenant and counteth it an unholy thing wherewith he was sanctified and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace Thou art he Malachi the Lord saith thou art a cursed Reprobate Depart from me thou worker of iniquity I know thée not Thou sayest thou wouldst chain our arms because we could not bow at thy commacd We said our necks with our whole bodies for the Testimony of Jesus and the Word of God which we give forth among you we were ready to seal it with our blood glory be to the Lord God Almighty who called and counted us worthy to suffer for his Name-sake and gave us power over thee thou crooked Scorpion if thou hadst known that Power that did restrain thy hands and thy feet from shedding our blood thou wouldst have known whose Servants we were but thou art in the Reprobation with Cain Judas and bloody Herod thou wouldest have us call thee a holy Father and thou sayest Whosoever sins ye remit on Earth they should be remitted in Heaven and yet thou saidst none could be assured of their Salvation in this life and thou asked us about a Purgatory we knew no such place The Scripture speaks of a Hell and a Heaven in which the souls of the Righteous should enter into when they depart â—he body where is joy and rest for evermore but the souls of the wicked into everlasting torment Thou saidst thou couldst prove a Purgatory in Maccabees we know no such place but we know it speaketh of a woman that had seven sons which because they could not forsake the Law of the living God their tongues were cut out Art not thou a lyer didst not thou say thou wast a Remitter of sins and a saviour of souls and yet they must dye in their sins and go to Purgatory Oh thou blind guide thou art to be denied dost not thou see thy own confusion If any sin against God you then give a Pardon but if any offend you Oh the Rackings Halterings Strapado's Chains Bolts Irons your cruelty doth exceed what we do testifie you have sold your selves to work wicked Abominations you wear defiled garments to deceive the simple-hearted and say there is virtue in them and think it an honour for them to kiss your defiled garments The Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter days there should be seducing spirits teaching lyes in hypocrisie the Doctrine of the Devil to abstain from marriage and meats which God hath created for the preservation of the Creation but if a man commit Adultery with a woman and come and confess to you you will pardon him Oh horrible Blasphemy there is none can forgive sins but God only If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world When Nathan came to David to tell him of his sins the faithful Witness in his own Conscience which did convince him he was a sinner made him cry out I am the man that hath sinned against the Lord. Nathan was a true Prophet of the Lord to convince of sin but not pardon sin If Noah Daniel and Job were in that City they should save but their own souls alive for their own righteousness Oh! how do you dare to pervert the holy Scriptures which by so many infallible Testimonies were given forth by the Spirit of the living God For the Scriptures are of no private interpretation but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and they are profitable for Doctrine Uses and Reproofs that all whose minds are turned to the measure of the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation that hath appeared in all to teach and lead out of sin and to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and godly in this present evil world they come to have the Scriptures fulfilled in them as they were in them which gave them forth for they lived in the life of the Scriptures their lives and what they did declare was Yea and Amen and they were guided by one Spirit and they spake one and the same thing as the Light did lead them for the Light is a perfect guide into all truth and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart of every one and is a discerner of spirits it shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not The Light will discover every deed of darkness it is the faithful and true Witness of God which he hath given to every one a measure to profit to convince to reprove to instruct to condemn to justifie And those that receive the Light in the love thereof to them he doth reveal his everlasting loving-kindness and make known the Mysteries of his Truth and Counsel The willing and obedient shall eat the good of the Land but those that refuse and rebel the Sword of the Lord shall devour The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and his zeal will perform it Every one that loveth the Light will bring their deeds to the Light that they may be approved of the Light that they are wrought in God for to the Light of Christ all must come and whatsoever hath been done in secret shal be made manifest when the Book of every ones Conscience shall be laid open then shall every ones heart be made manifest by the Light and shall receive every one according to their deeds done in the body they that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but they that sow to the Spirit shall reap life everlasting For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord who is the Light of the World that lighteth every one that cometh into the World that all men through him might believe He is the true Light and Life of men God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting This Life is in the Son he that hath the Son hath Life O Friends and People of all sorts turn in your minds to the Light within which will shew you your conditions and how you have been seeking a Saviour without in the many wandrings from hills to mountains crying Lo here and Lo there when he is nigh you calling you to return to him that your sins may be pardoned and you reconciled