gnash with heir teeth when vve were at prayer there was a Fryer and other great men the Fryer would run as if he had been at his Wits end and call to the Keeper and he vvould run for the English Fryer and he would go the Jnquisitor for counsel and sometime they would send them word they should have a remedy J should be sent to Rome and sometimes the Fryers would come but had not power to say any thing to me of it The Lord did say to us Cut up your Uoice like the noise of a Trumpet and sound forth my Truth like the shout of a King There was one that life waâ— arisen in him but they were upon him as Eagles til they had destroy'd him he did undergo terrible Judgements all the time he was in the Inquisition Our money served us a year and seven Weeks and when it was almost gone the Fryars brought the Inquisitor's Chamberlain to buy our Hats We said we came not there to sel our clothes nor any thing we had Then the Fryar did commend us for that and told us we might have kept our money to servâ— us otherwise We said No we could not keep any money and be chargeable to any We could trust God He said He did see we could but they should have maintâ—ined us while they kept us Prisoners And then the Lord dâ—d take away our stomacks we did eat but little for three or four Weeks and then the Lord called us to fasting for eleven dayes together but it was so little that the Fryars came and said that it was impossible that Creatures could live with so little meat as they did see we did for so long time together and asked what we would do Aâ—d said their Lord Inquisitor said We might have any thing we would We said We must wait to know the mind of God what he would have uâ— to do We did not fast in our own Wills but in obedience to the Lord. They were much troubled and sent us meat and â—aid â—he English Consul sent it We could not take any thing till the Lord's time was come We were weak so that Sarah did dâ—ess her head aâ— she would lye in her Grave poor Lamb J â—ay looking for the Lord to put an end to the sad trial which way to seemed 〈◊〉 in his â—ight Then J heaâ—d a voice saying Ye shall not dye J beâ—iâ—ved the Lord and his glory did appear much in ourâ—ast he was very gracious to us and did refresh us with his living presence continually and we did behold his beauty to our great â—oy and câ—mfort and he was large to us in his promâ—ses so that we were kept quiet and still the sting of Death be in taken away our souls hearts and minds were at pâ—ace with the Lord so that they could not tell whether we were dead or alive but as they dâ—d all to us once a day till the time the Lord had appointed we should eat and they were made to bring many good things and said them down by us so that Scripture we witnessed fulfilled Our Enemies treated us kindly in a strange Land said I. But we were afraid to eat and cryed to the Lord and said We had rather dye than eat any thing that is polluted and unclean The Lord said unto me Thou mayest as freely eat as if thou hadst wrought for it with thy hands I will sanctifie it to thee through the Cross. And he said to Sarah Thou shalt eat the fruit of thy hands and be blessed We did eat and were refreshed to the praise and glory of our God for ever We did eat but little in two Months and they did bring us what ever we did speak for for 8. or 10. dayes and afterward we were so straitned for want of food it did us more hurt than our Fast. Yet the Lord did work as great a Miracle by our preservation as he did by raising Lazarus out of the Grave The Fryars did say the Lord did keep us alive by his mighty power because we should be Catholicks We said the Lord would make it manifest to us then they should know the Lord had another end in it one day But still they said There was no Redemption for us We said with the Lord there was mercy and plenteous Redemption VVe bid them take heed ye be not found fighters against God They said We were foolish women We said we were the Lord's fools and the Lord's Fools were right dear and precious in his sight and wo to them that do offend them He said they were the Lord's fools and shewed us their deceitful Gowns and their shaven Crowns and said they did wear it for God's sake to be laught at of the world We said they did not wear it for God's sake unless they were moved of the holy Spirit of God to wear it He said it was no matter they did wear it because of their Superiors mark and before it was for God's sake as he said He thought to bring us under him for our food and did make us suffer a while though the Inquisitor and the Magistrates had taken a course we should want for nothing But the Lord did torment him and all the rest till they did bring us such things as were fitting Then he did work all that he could to send me to Rome and was coming two or three times for what I know to fetch me forth but the Lord vvould not suffer them and vvhen they savv they could not prevaile that vvay they said vve should go both but the Fryar should go first because he vvas not vvell he got leave to go he vvas so vveary of coming to us that he did beseech the Lord Inquisitor he might come no more to us He told Sarah I was a Witch and that I knew what was done at London and he vvould come to me no more he said Because vvhen he did tell me a company of lyes I said I had a witness for God in me which was faithful and true and I did believe Godâ—s witness The Diviners did vvax mad and did run as at their vvits end from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain to cover them They ran to the Inquisitor and vvrit to the Pope and vvent to him their King did not hide them at all some of them did gnash vvith their teeth and even gnavv their tongues for pain Yet the rest vvould not repent of their blasphemy sorcery nor inchantments but do post on to fill up their measures Oh! the Lord revvard them according to their vvorks A little before the Fryar vvent to Rome he came to the Inquisition Chamber vvith a Scribe to vvrite concerning us to carry it vvith him I savv him as God vvould have it the Lord said There is thy deadly foe They vvere vvriting part of three dayes and vvhen they had ended it the Lord would not let me eat till the Scribe did come where I was that I might pronounce vvo against
little rest day or night sometimes but the Lord vvas vvith us and did work mightily by his power and kept us over them in the life of the Son of God My Prison was nigh to the Pallace and to their Worship that I could be heard of both and it was laid upon me of the Lord to call them to repentance and to turn to the Light vvherevvith they vvere enlightned vvhich would lead them out of all their wicked Ways Works and Worships to serve the true and living God in spirit and in truth the Power did raise the Witness in many and troubled them they did sigh and groan and some did stay to hear me â—o long as they durst for there were many did watch and it was upon pain of death or at least to be imprisoned As was the poor English man that did come and speak to me whom they hallâ—d down violently and put him in prison but the Lord delivered him for his love And we were parted near a year but great was the Work of the Lord and great was the Power to carry it on He was not wanting to us glory be to his Name but did give us Words and Wisdom according to our Work So that Scripture was fulfilled which saith on this wise Ye need not premeditate afore-hand what to speak or what to say for it shall be given you of my Heavenly Father what ye ought to speak that the Enemies shall not gain-say they were so tormented that they did run to the Hills and to the Mountains to cover them from the presence of the Lord and from the Wrath of the Lamb which sits upon the Throne to judg them righteously and to condemn them for all their wicked deeds which they so ungodlily had committed against him Oh the goodness of the Lord and his long-suffering and forbearance which vvould lead them to repentance but they would not hearken to his counsel but turned his laws behind their backs and hated to be instructed by them therefore the Lord did laugh at their destruction and did mock when their fear came Their wickedness was so great and my burthens so heavy to bear it that I cryed to the Lord and said It is better for me to dye than to live and would gladly have given up my life in testimony against them all I vvas as ' t vvere compell'd to declare against all their vvays vvorks and vvorships insomuch that they ran to the Inquisitor to have me chained or punished some other vvay but the Povver of the Lord chained them that they could not diminish a hair of my head the Lord vvas my safety praises be to his Name for ever Novv some as they passed to their Worship Houses vvould sigh and some pray and some did throvv stones at my Windovv they did vvork night and day about the Prison as though they vvould have broke through to slay me but the Lord vvas vvith me and did fight for me and did scatter his Enemies as the dust before the Wind Glory be to his Name for evermore I cannot expresse the large love of our God hovv he did preserve us from so many deaths and threatnings as they did come to me vvith falling dovvn upon their knees saying Mass and vvould have me to say after them but in the Name oâ— the Lord I denied them They vvould hovvâ—e like Dogs beause they could not beguile the innocent and slay my righteous life but praises be to the Lord our God who did preserve me from the VVoolf and the Devourers denying them and their Sacrifices And vvhen they savv they could not prevail to betray us from the truth eâ—en they said they would give us to the Devil to be tormented and deliver us over to their bad Catholicks to do by us as they pleased for they would use us badly and so they did seek to do Oh the cursed noises and cryes the Sodomites did make crying Quake Quake running about the Prison raging and some singing and crouding round the Prison night and day as if they would have broke through to slay me and the sons of Belâ—al did run to bear false witness so that I looked every hour when they would fetch me out and slay me The Enemy did so work to perswade that they had prest my dear yoke-fellow with stones vvhich vvas a great trouble to me because I could not suffer death with her I did yeild she had been slain And afterwards this great tribulation being ended then they said my dear and faithful yoke-fellow should be sent to Rome and I should tarry at Malta which did so encrease my sorrow and wrought upon my spirit to try and examine wherefore the Lord should deal so hardly with me as to leave me behind or whether he did not count me worthy to go and give in my testimony vvith her to Rome and offer up my life for the Testimony of Jesus than to have my liberty to return to England vvith her and I cryed day and night to the Lord and vvould not give my soul rest nor my eyes sleep till the Lord did ansvver me glory and praises be to his Name for ever But vve savv Jacob must part vvith all Benâ—amin must go too So vve vvere vvilling to give up in obedience to the Lord our trials were unspeakable Oh the unclean spirits they vvould speak to us at noon-day but the Lord did give us power over them that we did not fear the wild Bores out of the Wood nor the vvild Beasts out of the Field Then there vvas one came and said that Catherine and I must be sent both to Rome Which did rejoice my soul and renevved my strength because the Lord did count me Worthy to go and give in my Testimony for his Truth the Word of his Prophesie before the great and mighty ones of the Earth The Lord said I should not be afraid and he shevved me in the Light how he had bowed them down before us and saw them in the Light of Christ how the Pope the Fryars and Sorcerers stood in ranks bowing down before us So we saw our Dominion in Spirit They did work to send us to Rome but the Lord did blast it and fought against them that they could not send us Now our Testimony was as largely given in at Rome as at Malta The Fryars came to me and shewed me Mary and her Babe pictured against the Wall and would have me look upon it I stampt with my foot and said Cursed be all Images and Image-makers and all that fall down to worship them Christ Jesus is the express Image of his Fathers brightness which is Light and Life who doth reveal the mysterie of iniquity the cunning working of Satan to draw out the mind to follow him from the pure life and to veil over the Just One from beholding the Presence of the Lord. But glory be to the Lord who hath made him manifest in thousands of his in this Day of his Power When we were separated
we spake one and the same thing being guided by one Spirit They would go from me to Catharine 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 St. 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 read it with the Spirit of Moderation and Meekness and see that nothing in you arise up against it for it is God's Truth Christ Jesus who is the Light of the world which hath enlightned every one that cometh into the world saith This is Life eternal To know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent New 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 conviâ—ceth of sin and iniquity when no mortal eye can see you and as you come to love it and to have your minds staid upon it you will feel the incomes of God's Power to administer condemnation upon the transgressor that keeps the pure Seed â—n bondage in you For Sion is redeemed through Judgement and her Converts with Righteousness Saint Paul saith If thou believest in thy heart the Lord Jesus and confessest with thy mouth that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart man believeth unto salvation and we do believe and see and tâ—ste and handle of the good Word of Life and have received the Spirit of Truth to lead us into all truth and doth bring all things to our remembrance without any visible thing And Saint Paul wrote to the Galatians saying My little Children of whom I travel in birth till Christ be formed in you Where Christ is formed within there needs no form without the outward form is called an Earthen Vessel or an Earthen Tabernacle or an Earthen House but Christ Jesus is the express Image of his Father's Glory or Substance which is Light and Life Now the Image of Christ is a pure and a holy Image a meek and a Dove like Image an innocent and a Lamb-like Image a righteous and a glorious Image Christ in you the hope of glory saith the Apostle to the Saints The Lord our God hath given to every man a measure of the manifestation of his own Spirit to profit withall which is the Light in the Conscience the true Teacher of his People it is the Grace of God that bringeth salvation that appeareth to all men and it teacheth all that come to believe in it and to love and to be guided by it to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to walk soberly righteously holy and godly in this pâ—esent world and it will deal plainly with every one none need to fear being deceived by that in them which doth condemn them for sin and evil But they that live in pride are deceived already they that live in covetousness are deceived already and they that live in Lusts or Drunkenness are deceived already or in Lying Swearing Adultery or Idolatry are deceived or in Hypocrisie and Deceit hard heartedness or Cruelty they are deceived already for those you know are fruits which do proceed from a deceived heart being corrupted for want of knowledge My people perish for want of knowledge saith God He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his and he that hath the Spirit of Christ ought himself to walk as Christ walked Now Christ was no persecutor he never imprisoned any nor ever put any to suffer but he and the holy Prophets and Apostles were made to suffer as evil-doâ—rs this we know The Day of the Lord is hot and terrible against all sin and iniquity and that nature from whence it doth proceed and we are a WO for all them that are laying up of a Fuel for it This is God's Truth whether you can receive it yea or nay I am ready to seal it with my blood if the Lord shall call me to it Whosoever shall interpret this Paper before the Lord Inquisitor so called I charge thee in the Name of the living God as thou wilt answer before his dreadful presence to interpret it word by word as it is written without adding or diminishing Katharine Evans THe Fryar then came to me and askt me why I did not work I said unto him What Work dost thou do He said he did write I told him I would write too if he would bring me a Pen Ink and Paper and I would write truth He said He would not that we should write for St. Paul did work at Rome and we might get nine or ten grains a day if we would knit that is three half pence I told him if we could have that priviledge amongst them that St. Paul had at Rome under Caesar which was a Heathenish King we would have wrought and not have been chargeable to any St. Paul lived in his own hired House two years with a Souldier to look to him and had friends of the same Occupation to work with him and could send where he would and whosoever would come to him might and he taught them in the Name of the Lord Jesus and no man for bad him So I askt him Whether he knew the holy War of God yea or nay if he did I told him he then did know we could not be without exercise day nor night Then his mouth was stopped and he spake no more to me of work But though our affliction of body was very great and our travel of soul was greater yet we did knit Stockins and give to them that were made serviceable to uâ— and did make Garments for the poor prisoners and mended their Clothes which had need and were made helpful to them all to their condemnation that did persecute us But we could not vvork at the Fryar's Will nor any man 's else but as we had freedom in the Lord. As I vvas vveak in my bed the Fryar came to me and said We did deny the Scriptures I told him they did deny them we did own them and hold them forth thou dost know it He was in a rage because I said they denyed the Scriptures bid me eat my words again and threatned death upon me I said Christ Jesus was the Light of the World and had lighted every one that cometh into the World which Light is our salvation that do receive it and the same Light
or what was my Father's House or what is the Land of my Nativity that I a poor â—â—flicted 〈…〉 should be raised up to see and perceive what mine eye 〈◊〉 eve in thy Eternal Power and puâ—e Life beholdâ— Oh my God! thou hast known the innocent travel of my soul â—hich 〈…〉 know the same is not hid from thee even from the day of my birth unto this moment through no small trials and tribulations and through the exercise of manifold temptations yet behold my Life is preserved a at this time And oh my heart my mind my soul my spirit in thy pure undefiled Life and Virtue blesseth thy Name thy pure Name which thy Virgins love and live in and in the same they glorifie thy beloved and the Wings of thy Majesty overshadoweth them and their delight is under the secret shadow of thy Almightiness blessed be thy Glory blessed be thy undefiled Power blessed and magnified be thy pure Wisdom and let the same be so even in the Tabernacles of the just for ever Thou Lamb of Immortality the Thrones the Kingdoms and Eternal Dominions are thine and over all thy Throne is and shall be exalted and thy Lambs behold thy glory and thy Majesty in this the day of thy terrible and glorious appearance Wisdom Riches Glory Power Might and Dominion everlasting with Eternal Salvation over all to thy Name Amen saith my Spirit in the Life which is was and for ever shall be the same which liveth and abideth for ever and fâ—deth not away In the same I commend thy dear tender Lambs to be preserved according to thy unsearchable Wisdom and counsel of thine own heart to thy everlasting Renown and Glory and their Eternal comfort and joy and felicity with thy Saints and Angels in the Light of thy countenance and in everlasting remembrance in the powerful and Eternal Kingdom of Immortality if I be no more in this World when this body is gone to its place according to thy Eternal Purpose and Decree in thy Eternal Counsel so be it saith my spirit yea and Amen saith my soul which blesseth and magnifieth thy Eternal Name in asmuch as thou hast so far fulfilled thy living Word of Prophesie and not onely so but much more also in the desire of my heart in the behalf of thy dear tender suffering and long-suffering Seed of thine own bowels for which be innumerable Praises Wisdom Salvation Glory and Dominion to thy holy Name Amen Amen MY right dearly and well-beloved Friends of Eternal Life of the Church of the first-born of the living God which is the Pillar and ground of Truth of which Christ Jesus our Lord is the alone and onely Head Peace be unto you in him who is arisen in his pure immortal life and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Word of his Power and his Eternal Gospel of Peace which is not hid from us but it 's clearly manifest in us by his coming who ariseth with healing in his wings Glory Dominion living endless praises Immortal to his Name now and for evermore and let all the upright in heart with my precious life say Even so Amen Dear suffering and long-suffering Lambs ye know that as I came in the Eternal Love and Peace of Immanuel God's Lamb to visit and serve you and minister to your necessities the which in the same Life and Peace and in the integrity and uprightness of heart and in its pure innocency my God knoweth and behold I call your Life that 's manifest in you in which is our perfect unity as Members of one Body to bear me record That I have endeavoured in the good will of my God to perform the same and verily the hand and blessing of Almighty God is with me and hath blessed me and so my reward is with me and my work hath been manifest before me even in the Light of his Countenance that liveth for ever and this Scripture is fulfilled in me also The Father worketh hitherto and I work So my dear Friends I have honestly and nakedly before the Lord cleared my Conscience so far concerning you and on your behalf which is my reasonable service and so I leave the same to the living Testimony of the Lord Jesus which you hold and for which I am satisfied and in the behalf of the whole body of God's Elect you have so long suffered So the Eternal God of Power Dominion and Glory of Heaven and Earth consolate support and strengthen you to the end that your Testimony may be finished with joy to his ever â—asting praise to whom onely it belongs and so my Spirit in the Light and Life Immortal saith Even so Amen Farewel dear Lambs I am your true Brother D. B. Joseph was not made known to his Brethren the first time though his Bowels earned towards and over them till at last he could no longer forbear crying out with tears saying I am Joseph your Brother and little Benjamin the youngest he dearly loved you know This 5th day of the Week and the 30th of the 11th Mo. 1661. When my face you do not see Wait in the Eternal Life and then remember me So farewell and feel the Well-spring of Life This and many other Papers was communicated to each others hands which are seen meet not to be added hereunto with the jeopardy of my life and what else did attend us but magnified and for ever blessed be the living Lord and his Goodness Wisdom and Salvation who prospered his Work and Workers in his own Life of lasting Righteousness through and over self over all that which must dye and go to its place Amen DANIEL Here followeth somewhat relating to the Travel and Service of D. B. which he hath freedom to giveforth for the Truth 's sake and Friends satisfaction THe intent of the Spirit of the Lord within my heart and mind stirring me up to write somewhat concerning my travel from my Native Countrey Kindred and Father's House being freely given up to serve the Lord his Truth and People in the Power and Gospel of God I having no imposition or necessity at all laid upon my Conscience as from any mortal man but certainly it was a pure necessity from the living God of Heaven Earth many of his faithful servants Messengers sons daughters that were are as dear precious to me as my own life may beat me record on the Lords behalf unto the truth of what I write on this wise surely in the counsel everlasting the thing was hid from me then whether ever I should return to my Native Countrey or not However in the love and favour of God and in his fear set up within my heart was I given up with my body also offered as a living Sacrifice which was but my reasonable sacrifice to give a sound to the Nations afar off of the mighty day of our God and his blessed Truth the Light of Jesu-manifest in every Conscience in which Light we
under the Pope's dark and cruel Authority in his Inquisition in the Island of Malta for the Word of Life which is the living Testimony of Jesus and the truth of his Innocency which they hold and stand fast to and in the same having already suffered more then three years in the said Confinement to the present 12th month of the year accounted 1661. of the same I bear Record also and affirm to the Truth of which I am a Servant and living Witness Daniel Baker O Yee Eternal and Blessed ones whose dwelling is on high in the fulness of all Beauty and Brightness Glory and everlasting Joy Happiness and Peace for evermore We who are poor sufferers for the Seed of God in the Covenant of Light Life and Truth do dearly salute and imbrace you all according to our measures Blessing and honour and Glory be given to our Lord God for ever of all who know him who hath counted us worthy and hath chosen us among his faithfull ones to bear his name and to witness forth his truth before the high and mighty men of the earth and to fight the Lords battle with his spirituall weapons to the breaking down of strong holds high lofty looks and vain imaginations and spirituall wickedness in high places The Lord did give us a prosperous journey hither and when we came to Legorne we were refreshed with friends who were there before us and they did get a passage for us and lodging but as soon as we heard of the Vessel we did feel our service So we went into the City in the living power of the Lord and there were many tender hearts did visit us to their comfort and our joy The little time we staid there we gave some of our Books and one Paper so journying towards Alexandria the Captain told us that Malta was in the way and he must put in there a small time But before we came there our burthen was so heavy that I was made to cry out saying Oh we have a dreadfull cup to drink at that place Oh how am I straitned till it be Accomplished And when we came there the walls of the City were full of people some stood on the top of the walls as if something had troubled them before we came there we stood upon the deck of the ship and I looked upon them said in my heart Shall yes destroy us If we give up to the Lord then he is sufficient to deliver us out of their hands but if we dâ—sobey our God all those could not deliver us out of his hand So all feâ—r of man was taken from us The English Consul came abord the ship as the Captain said but we did not see him and invited us to his House it was the seventh or last day of the week The next morning being moved of the Lord we went a-shore and the Consul met us and we gave him a paper who sent us to his House with his Servant and when we came there at the present we well were entertained like Princes their Neighbours and Kinssolk came in and some Jesuits and we gave them Books they read a little and laid them down they were too hot we declared our message to them in the Name of the Lord and we gave some Books in the Street so they were all set on work Away went the Friers to the King or Supreme in the Island and he would not meddle with us but said we were honest women we might go about our business and that night we went a-bord the Ship again the Consul was troubled for their snare was laid and we felt it being moved of the Lord we went in again the next day and the Consul having a sister in the Nunnery desired us to go there that she might see us and we went to them and gave them a book then to the Consuls we returned again and sitting to wait to know the mind of the Lord what he would have us to do he said we must give in the great Paper and if we would go to save our life we should lose it Here followeth a Copy of some more words which they had written before the former was given forth A True Declaration concerning the Lord's love to us in all our Voyage We were at Sea between London and Plymouth many Weeks and one day we had some trials and between Plymouth and Legorn we were 31. days and we had many trials and storms within and without but the Lord did deliver us out of all And when we came to Legorn with the rest of our friends we went into the Town after we had product and staid there many dayes where we had service every day for all sorts of people came unto us but no man did offer to hurt us yet we gave them Books and having got passage in a Dutch ship we sayled towards Cypâ—us intending to goe to Alexandria but the Lord had appointed somthing for us to do by the way as he did make it manifest to us as I did speak for the Master of the ship had no business in the place but being in company with another ship which had some business at the City of Malta in the Island of Malta where Paul suffered shipwrack and being in the Harbour on the first day of the Week we being moved of the Lord went into the Town and the English Consul met us on the shore and asked us concerning our coming and we told him truth and gave him some Books and a Paper and he told us there was an Inquisition and he kindly entreated us to go to his house and said all that he had was at our service while we were there And in the fear and dread of the Lord we went and there came many to see us and we call'd them to repentance and many of them were tender but the whole City is given to Idolatry And we went a ship-board that night and the next day we being moved to go into the City again dared not to flie the cross but in obedience went desiring the will of God to be done And when we came to the Governor he told us that he had a Sister in the Nunnary did desire to see us if we were free and in the fear of God we went and talked with them and gave them a Book and one of their Priests was with us at the Nunnery and had us into their place of Worship and some would have us bow to the high Altar which we did deny and having a great burthen we went to the Consul again and were vvaiting upon the Lord what to do that we might know And the Inquisitors sent for us and when vve came before them they asked our Names and the Names of our Husbands and the Names of our Fathers and Mothers and how many children vve had and they asked us Wherefore we came into that Countrey And vve told them We were the Servants of the living God and were moved to come and
asked Why I lookt so whether my Spirit was weak I said Nay my body was weak because I eat no meat it was in their Lent He offered me a License to eat flesh I said I could not eat any thing at all The terrors of death were strongly upon me but three nights after the Lord said unto me about the 11th hour Arise and put on your Clothes I said When vilt thou come Lord He said Whether at midnight or at Cock-crow do thou watch My Friend and I arose and the Lord said Do stand at the Door And we stood at the door in the power of the Lord I did scarce know whether I was in the body or out of the body and about the 12th hour there came many to the Prison-Gate We heard the Keys and looked when they would come in They ran to and fro till the 4th hour the Lord said he had smote them with blindness they could not find the way And we went to bed there I lay night and day for 12. days together fasting and sweating that my bed was wet and great was our affliction The tenth day of my fast there came two Fryars the Chancellor the man with the black Rod and a Physician and the Keeper and the Fryar commanded my dear Friend to go out of the room and he came and pull'd my hand out of the bed and said Is the Devil so great in you that you cannot speak I said Depart from me thou worker of iniquity I know thee not the Power of the Lord is upon me and thou call'st him Devil He took his Crucisix to strike me in the mouth and I said Look here and I asked him Whether it were that Cross which crucified Paul to the World and the World unto him And he said it was I denied him and said the Lord had made me a Witness for himself against all workers of iniquity He bid me be obedient and went to strike me I said Wilt thou strike me He said he would I said Thou art out of the Apostles Doctrine they were no strikers I deny thee to be any of them who went in the Name of the Lord. He said he had brought me a Physician in charity I said the Lord was my Physician and my saving-health He said I should be whipt and quartered and burnt that night in Malta and my Mate too wherefore did we come to teach them I told him I did not fear the Lord was on our side and he had no power but what he had received and if he did not use it to the same end the Lord gave it him the Lord would judge him And they were all smitten as dead men and went away And as soon as they were gone the Lord said unto me The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death and the Life arole over Death and glorified God The Fryar went to my friend and told her I called him worker of iniquity Did she said Sarah Art thou without sin He said he was Then she hath wronged thee But I say the wise Reader may judge For between the eighth and ninth hour in the evening he sent a Drum to proclaim at the Prison Gate We know not what it was but the fire of the Lord consumed it And about the fourth hour in the morning they were coming with a Drum and Guns and the Lord said unto me 〈◊〉 out of thy Grave-Clothes And we arose and they came up to the Gate to devour us in a moment But the Lord lifted up his Standard with his own Spirit of Might and made them to retreat and they fle◠as dust before the Wind praises and honour be given to our God for ever I went to bed again and the Lord said unto me Herod will seek the yong childes life to destroy it yet again and great was my affliction so that my dear fellow and labourer in the Work of God did look every hour when I should depart the body for many days together and we did look every hour when we should be brought to the stake day and night for several weeks and Isaac was freely offered up But the Lord said he had provided a Ram in the Bush. Afterwards the Fryer came again with his Physician I told him that I could not take any thing unless I was moved of the Lord. He said we must never come forth of that Room while we lived and we might thank God and him it was no worse for it was like to be worse We said if we had died we had died as innocent as ever did servants of the Lord. He said it was well we were innocent They did also look still when I would dye The Fryer bid my friend take notice what torment I would be in at the houre of Death thousands of Devils he said would fetch my soule to Hell She said she did not fear any such thing And he asked if I did not think it expedient for the Elders of the Church to pray over the sick I said yea such as were eternally moved of the Spirit of the Lord. He fell down of his knees and did howle and wish bitter wishes upon himself if he had not the true faith but we denied him The Physitian was in a great rage at Sarah because she could not bow to him but to God onely The last day of my fast I began to be a hungry but was afraid to eat the enemy was so strong but the Lord said unto me If thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink in so doing thou shalt heap coales of fire upon his head be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good I did eat and was refreshed and glorified God and in the midst of our extremity the Lord sent his holy Angels to comfort us so that we rejoiced and magnified God and in the time of our great trial the Sun and Earth did mourn visibly three dayes and the horror of death and pains of Hell was upon me the Sun was darkned the Moon was turned into Blood and the Stars did fall from heaven and there was great tribulation ten dayes such as never was from the beginning of the world and then did I see the Son of man coming in the Clouds with power and great glory triumphing over his enemies the Heavens were on fire and the Elements did melt with fervent heat and the Trumpet sounded out of Sion and an Allarum was struck up in Jerusalem and all the Enemies of God were called to the great day of Battle of the Lord And I saw a great wonder in Heaven the Woman cloathed with the Sun and had the Moon under her feet and a Crown of 12. Stars upon her head and she travelled in pain ready to be delivered of a Man-child and there was a great Dragon stood ready to devour the Man-child as soon as it was born and there was given to the Woman two Wings of a great Eagle to carry her into the desert where she
should be nourished for a time times and half a time and the Dragon cast a Flood out of his mouth c. And I saw War in Heaven Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and his Angels and the Lamb and his army did overcome them and there was a Trumpet sounded in Heaven and I heard a voice saying to 〈◊〉 The City is divided into three parts and I heard another Trumpet sounding and I looked and saw an Angel go down into a great pool of water and I heard a voice saying unto me Whosoever goeth down next after the troubling of the Waters shall be healed of whatsoever Disease he hath And I heard another Trumpet sounding and I heard a voice saying Babylon is fallen is fallen Babylon the great is fallen And I looked and saw the smoke of her torment how it did ascend and I heard another Trumpet sounding and I heard a voice saying Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for he that is mighty hath magnified you and holy is his Name and from henceforth all generations shall call you blessed And I heard another trumpet sounding in Heaven and J heard a voice saying unto me Beholdâ— and J looked and J saw Pharoah and his Host pursuing the Children of Israel and he and his Host were drowned in the Sea Dear Friends and People whatsoever J have written it 's not because it is recorded in the Scripture or that J have heard of such things but in obedience to the Lord J have written the things which I did hear see tasted and handled of the good Word of God to the praise of his Name for ever And all this time my dear Sister in Christ Jesus was in as great affliction as I in a manner to see my strong travel night and day yet she was kept in the patience and would willingly have given me up to death that I might have been at rest yet she would have been left in as great danger wo and misery as ever was any poor captive for the Lord's truth for they did work night and day with their divinations inchantments and temptations thinking thereby to bring us under their power but the Lord prevented them every way so that great was their rage and they came of ten with their Physician and said it was in charity I askt them whether they did keep us in that hot room to kâ—ll us and bring us a Physician to make us alive The Fryar said the Inquisitor would lose his head if he should take us thence and it was better to keep us there than to kill us The Room was so hot and so close that we were fain to rise often out of our bed and lie down at a chink of their door for air to fetch breath and with the fire within and the heat without our skin was like sheeps Leather and the hair did fall off our heads and we did fail often our afflictions and burthens were so great that when it was day we wished for night and when it was night we wished for day we sought death but could not find it We desired to die but death fled from us We did eat our bread weeping and mingled our drink with our tears We did write to the Inquisitor and laid before him our innocency and our faithfulness in giving our testimony for the Lord amongst them and I told him if it were our blood they did thirst after they might take it any other way as well as to smother us up in that hot room So he sent the Fryar and he took away our Ink-horns they had our Bibles before We asked why they took away our goods They said it was all theirs and our lives too if they would We asked how we had forfeited our lives unto them they said For bringing Books and Papers We said if there were any thing in them that was not true they might write against it They said they did scorn to write to fools and asses that did not know true Latine And they told us the Inquisitor would have us separated because I was weak and I should go into a cooler room but Sarah should abide there I took her by the arm and said The Lord hath joined us together and wo be to them that should part us I said I rather chuse to dye there with my friend than to part from her He was smitten and went away and came no more in five weeks and the door was not opened in that time Then they came again to part us but I was sick and broken out from head to foot They sent for a Doctor and he said We must have air or else we must dye So the Lord compelled them to go to the Inquisitor he gave order for the door to be set open six hours in a day they did not part us till ten Weeks after But oh the dark clouds and the sharp showers the Lord did carry us through Death it self had been better than to have parted in that place They said we corrupted each other and that they thought when we were parted we would have bowed to them But they found we were more stronger afterwards than we were before the Lord our God did fit us for every condition They came and brought a Scourge of small Hemp and asked us if we would have any of it They said they did whip themselves till the blood did come We said that could not reach the Devil he sate upon the heart They said All the men and women of Malta were for us if we would be Catholicks for there would be none like unto us We said the Lord had changed us into that which changed not They said all their holy women did pray for us and we should be honored of all the world if we would turn VVe said we were of God and the whole world did lye in wickedness and we denied the honor of the World and the glory too They said We should be honored of God too but now we were hated of all We said it is an evident token whose servants we are the servant is not greater than the Lord and that Scripture was fulfilled which saith All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Upon a first day of the Week we were fasting and waiting upon the Lord till the second hour after mid-day and the Fryars came and commanded us in the Name of the Lord to kneel down with them to prayer We said we could not pray but as we were moved of the Lord. They commanded us the second time Then they kneeled down by our bed side and prayed and when they had done they said they had tryed our spirits now they knew what spirit we were of We told told them they could not know our spirit unless their minds were turned to the Light of the Lord Jesus in their Consciences The English Fryar was wrath and shewed us his Crucifix and bid us loook there We said
The Lord saith Thou shalt not make to thy self the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath nor in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow to them nor worship them but I the Lord thy God only He was so mad he called for the irons to chain Sarah because she spake so boldly to him She bowed her head and said to him Not onely my feet but my hands and my neck also for the Testimony of Jesus His wrath was soon appeased and he said He would do us any good he could he did see what we did was not in malice the power had broken him down for that present they came to us often saying If you would do but a little you should be set at liberty but you will do nothing at all but are against every thing We said We are against nothing that is of God but would do any thing that might make for God's glory Many did think we should not have been heard nor seen after we were in the Inquisition but the Lord did work wonderfully for us and his Truth For they new built the Inquisition and there were many Labourers for a year and a half and the great men came to see the building and we were carried forth with great power to declare in the Name of the Lord Jesus not fearing the face of man the Lord was our strength But behold they threatned us with Irons and Halters for preaching the Light so boldly and they said None ought to preach but Prelates to a Bishop as they use to say in England Now their Lord Inquisitor so called and the Magistrates were kept moderate towards us and gave order we should have Ink and Paper to write to England But we were hindered still and vve do believe they would have set us at liberty had it not been for the Fryars it was they that wrought against us still to the Pope and to the Inquisitor and we told them so They sought three quarters of a year to part us before they could bring it to pass and when they did part us they prepared a bed for Sarah and their own Catholicks lay upon the boards that had not beds of their own When we were parted the Lord would not suffer me to keep any money I knew not the mind of God in it Their Fryars came and said We should never see one anothers faces again but the Inquisitor should send me my food But the Lord would not suffer him to send it Sarah did send me such as she could get neare three Weeks then the Fryar came and askt me what I did want I said one to wash my Linnen and something hot to eat I was weak He sent to Sarah to know if she would do it for me She said she would And by that means we did hear of each other every day The Fryar said You may free your self of misery when you will you may make your self a Catholick and have your freedom to go where you will I told him I might make my self a Catholick and have a name that I did live when I was dead and said he had Catholicks enough already he should bring some of them to the Light in their Consciences that they might stand in awe and sin not He said He would lose one of his fingers if we would be Catholicks I said it was Babylon that was built with blood Sion was redeemed through Judgement They would have had me to a Picture set at my beds head for a representation I askt them if they did think I did lack a Calf to worship And whether they did not walk by the Rule of Scripture The Fryar said They did but they had traditions too I said if their traditions did derogate or discent from the fundamentals of Christ's Doctrine the Prophets and Apostles I denied them in the Name of the Lord. He said they did not I askt him where they had their Rule to burn them that could not join with them for Conscience He said St. Paul did worse he gave them to the Devil and that they did judge all damned that were not of their Faith And he askt whether vve did judge them so I said No We had othervvise learned Christ. I askt him vvhy they did bind that vvhich the Lord did not bind and set tyes chains and limits where the Lord did not as in meats and drinks or in respect of dayes or times vvhich the Apostle called beggarly Elements and rudiments of the wâ—rld and forbidding to marry a Doctrine of Devils said I. He could not tell vvhat to say but told me That Saint Peter was the Pope of Rome and did build an Altar there and the Pope was his Successor and he could do what he would I denied that and said We never read any such thing in Scripture for Peter Christ's Apostle had no money to build Altars he himself did offer Sacrifice upon the Altars made vvithout hands And he said We were but a few and risen up but late and they were many and had stood fourteen hundred years and God was a lyar if they had not the true faith for he had confirmed it to them by a thousand miracles I said the fevv number and the little Flock is Christ's Flock He askt if vve vvere then all the World said he I said our saith was from the beginning Abol was of our Church and the world by wisdom did not know God He went to Sarah with the same temptation and she told him also that Abel was of our Church He said Abel was a Catholick and Cain and Judas were so She said Then the Devil was a Catholick and she would not be one He threatned her and told her how many they were She said Daniel was but one and if there were no more but she her self she would not turn but took her fingers and shewed them if they would tear her joint-meal she did believe the Lord would enable her to endure it for the Truth So they went from one to another thinking to entangle us in our talk but we were guided by one Spirit and spake one and the same thing in effect so that they had not a â—ot nor tittle against us but for righteousness sake Our God did keep us by his own Power and Holiness out of their hands honor and praises be given to his powerful Name for ever He the said Fryar came to me another time like a Bear robbed of her Whelpâ— and told me if I would be a Catholick I should say so otherwise they would use me badly and I should never see the face of Sarah again but should dye by my self and a thousand Devils should carry my soul to Hell I asked him if he were the Messenger of God to me He said he was I said What is my sin or wherein have I provoked the Lord that he doth send me such a strait Message He said Because I would not be a Catholick I said I
deny thee and thy Message too and the Spirit which spake in thee the Lord never spake it He said that he would lay me in a whole Pile of Chains where I should see neither Sun nor Moon I said he could not separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus lay me where he would He said He would give me to the Devil I said I did not fear all the Devils in Hell the Lord was my Keeper Though he had the Inquisition with all the Countreys round about on his side and was alone by my self I did not fear them if there were thousands more the Lord was on my right hand and the work they could do was but to kill the body they could not touch my life no more than the Devil could Job's He said that I should never go out of that Room alive I said the Lord was sufficient to deliver me But whether he would or would not I vvould not forsake a living Fountain to drink at a broken Cistern And they had no Law to keep us there but such a Law as Ahab had for Naboth's Vinyard He curst himself and callâ—d upon his gods and went forth and as he was making fast the door he put in his hand at the hole of the door and said Abide there Member of the Devil I said The Devil 's Meâ—bers did the Devil's Work the Woes and Plagues of the Lord would be upon them for it He went and told the Inquisitor of it and he â—aught at him saw it and felt it in that which is Eternal I vvas moved out of that Room before he came agaâ—n and vvhen he came he brought one of the Inquisitors men vvith him and tvvo very good Hens and said the Lord Inquisitor had sent them in love to me I said his love I did receive but I could not take his â—ens for it was not the practice oâ— the servant of the Lord to be chargeable to any while they have of their own He said We must not count anything our own for in the primitive times they did sell their possessions and laid them down at â—he Apostles feet He said We should not want any thing if they did spend a thousand Crowns I believe he would have had us lay down our money at his feet He saâ—d I was proud beâ—ause I would not take the inquisitors Hens when he sent them me in Charity I asked whether he kept me in Prison and sent me his Charity He said it was for the good of our souls he kept us in prison I told him Our souls were out of the Inquisitors reach or his either he told me before if we had not been going to preach we mâ—ght have gone where we would I askt him What should our souls have done then and vvhy their love shouâ—d extend moâ—â— to us than to their own family They could not charge us vvith â—in and they did commit all manner of sin they might put them into the inquisition and bid turn He said again We had not the true Faith and shew'd me his Crucâ—fix and askâ— me if I thought he did worship that I askt him what he did do with it he said it was a Represenâ—ation J said it did not represent Christ for he vvas the expresâ— image of his Father's glory which 〈◊〉 Light and Life J said it he could put any life in any of his images he might bring them to me And J 〈◊〉 him vvhat Representation Daniel had in the Lyonsâ—Dâ—n or Jonas in the Whales bâ—lly they oryed unto the Lord and he dâ—livered â—hâ—m He said I talks like a mad woman I talks so much against their idols He was in a rage and said He would give me to the Devil J bid him give his own J am the Lords He stood up and said He would do by me as the Apostles did by Ananias and Saphira He stood up and opened his mouth and I stood up to him and denied him in the Name of the Lord the living God and said he had no power over me And away he went to Sarah with the Henâ— and told her that I was sick and the Lord Inquisitor had sent two Hens and I would be glad to eat a piece of one if she should dress one of them presently and the other to morrow Mark this Deceiver this Lyar But she standing in the Counsel of the Lord answered him accordingly as did and he carried them away again We did not dare to take them the Lord did forbid us He said You would fain be burned because you would make the World believe you did love God so well as to suffer in that kind I said J did not desire to be burnt but if the Lord did call me to it J did believe he would give me power to undergo it for his truth and if every hair of my head was a body J could offer them up all for the Testimony of Jesus He came twice to know whether I had not been inspired of the Holy Ghost to be a Catholick since I came into the Inquisition J said No he said we were he said We called the Spirit of the Holy Ghost the Sipirit of the Devil We said the Spirit of the Holy Ghost in us will resist the Devil We told him the inspiration of the Holy Ghost was never wrought in the Will of man nor in man's time but in the Will of God and in God's time He asked How we did know a clean from an unclean Spirit We said an unclean spirit did burden the Seed of God and dam up the Springs of Life and a clean spirit would open the Springs of Life and refresh the Seed it was a Riddle to him but he said it was true He would assent to pure truth sometimes We asked him Whether every man and woman dâ—d not stand guilty before God of all the sins they ever committed beâ—ore Regeneration He said Yea. And he did confess all their Learning and languages in their places was but to serve the Lord. We told him all their Praying Preaching and â—rouding was no more accepted than Cain's Sacrifice unless they were moved of the Eternal Spirit of the Lord. We askt him if he that was in them was greater than he that was in us and why they had not overcome us all that time We were very sensible of their workings day and night He said Because we resisted still We askt him for our Bibles He said We should never see them again they were false We said if they were conjuring Books they had no warrant from the Lord to take them from us They always came two Fryars at a time and they would fall down and howl and wish bitter wishes upon themselves if they were not in the truth We would deny them and preach truth to them the Light of the Lord Jesus in the Consciences of every one to lead them to a pure life and did ask them where the pure and holy life was and what all of them did do
it and defie it which I did do in the Name of the Lord and it did wither vvith all the rest After it vvas gone the English Consul came to us with a Scribe and he brought us a doller from a Master of a Ship that came from Plymouth I told him I did receive my Countrey man's Love but could not receive his Money He askt me What I wouâ—d do if I would take no money I said the Lord was my portion and I could not lack any good thing I said to him We were in thy House near 15. Weeks didst thou see any cause of Death or Bonds in us He said No. I askt him how he would dispence with his Conscience for telling us He would have us before the Inquisitor and thou didst know that Room vvas provided for us and had not we been kept alive by the mighty Power of God we might have been dead long since He said How could I help it I said We are the Servants of the living God and were brought here by permission and in the Spirit of Meekness gave in our Testimony for the Lord in faithfulness and told you the truth as it is in Jesus and called you all to repentance and fore-warned you in love to your souls of the evil the Lord is bringing upon you if you do not repent He said However it be it will go well with you Mark that I told him he required a sign of me when vve vvere at his house if we were the servants of the Lord God I gave him a sign from the living God and my friend gave him another from the Lord to his shame and destruction for ever I askt him Whether it were not true we spake to him he said it was but how should he help it I said Thou art a condemned person and stands guilty before God yet nevertheless repent if thou canst find a place He smil'd upon the Scribe in deceit but his lips did quiver and his belly trembled and he could scarce stand upon his legs He was as proper a man as most was in the City and full and in his prime age O! he was consumed as a Snail in a shell which was a sufficient sign for the whole City if their hearts were not harder than Adamants He said How should he help it He might have helpt it but he was as willing to prove us as any of them all He was sworn upon his Oath to protect the English and their Ruler bid him let us go about our business and said He were honest women and then he might have let us go before we were under the black Rod. Then he went to Sarah with the Doller she told him she could not take the Money but if he had a Letter for us she should be free to receive that He said he had not any He askt her what she did want She said the Lord was her Shepherd she could not want any good thing but she did long for her Freedom He said That you may have in time He told us we should have ink and paper to write But when he was gone they vvould not let us The next time we heard of him he was dead We could have rejoiced if he had dyed for righteousness sake for the Lord delighteth not in the death of a sinner The Fryar was gone to Rome and they said he must stay there till we came There was great working to send us there but the Lord did prevent them that they could not send us there Then the Lord did work to bring us together again after so long time we had been parted There vvere five doors between us with Locks and Bolts but the Keeper had not power to make them fast but as Sarah could undo them to come where I could see her but could not speak to her for there were them that did watch us night and day yet she being moved of the Lord did come to my door by night she must come by the Fryars door he and the Doctor of Law were together and they did set a trap to take her in and many did watch about the Prison and would complain Then she was lockt up again but they had no peace in that till the doors were open again then we did sit in the sight of each other to wait upon the Lord so that our voices were heard far the Magistrates vvould hear and bow to it sometime then the complainers were weary and did work to have us brought together and we did wait and pray and the Magistrates would come in and look upon us many times but would say nothing to us There were of divers Nations brought into the Inquisition Prisoners and the Fryars and the rest that were great would go in their way to make Christians of them and we were made to stand up against them and their vvays and deny them in the Name of the Lord and declare the truth to the simple-hearted continually if vve did suffer death for it We could not endure to hear the Name of the Lord blasphemed nor his pure Way of Truth perverted nor the ignorant deceived They did vvrite all they understood of vvhat vve spake and sent it to the Court-Chamber before the Inquisitor and Magistrates but the Lord did blast it vvith the Mildevvs of his vvrathful indignation and burnt it up vvith the brightness of his Son and vve rejoiced in our God but still our burdens continued very heavy and our righteous souls vvere vexed vvith the filthy Conversation of the Wicked and the pure Seed of God vvas prest from day to day that our spirits did mourn and our hearts vvere grieved because of the hardness of their hearts and their Rebellion against their Maker vvho vvas so gracious to them to suffer them so long in all their abominations and vvaited to be gracious to them and knock at the Door of their hearts calling for Justice Mercy and Humility but behold Oppression Cruelty and Self-Exaltation notvvithstanding the Lord did strive so much vvith them and sent so many undeniable truths and inâ—allible testimonies of the coming of his Son to Judgement and so clear a manifestation of the vvay to eternal Salvation given forth of his ovvn mouth by his eternal Spirit and having us for an example vvho vvere kept by his Povver and Holiness they had not a jot nor tittle against us but for righteousness sake though they had vvinnovved and fanned us so long Glory honor and praises be given to our God for ever O they would not let us know of any English Ship that came into the Harbour as near as they could but the Lord would make it manifest to us We had a great working and striving in our bodies but we knew not what it meant the arrows of the Wicked did flye so that my soul was plunged and overwhelmed from head to feet and the terrors of the unrighteous had taken hold of us and the flames of Hell compassed us about then the Lord appeared
unto me in a dream and said There were two English Friends in the City which did plead for our liberty in our behalf and he had taken all fear away from them and made them bold And in a little while after the Magistrates sent for us forth and askt us whether we were sick or whether we did want any thing and were very tender to us and said we should write to England and bid the Scribe give us Ink and Paper he said he would but he was so wicked he did not They did not tell us of any English that were there but there was one Francis Steward of London a Captain of a Ship and a Fryar of Ireland which came to the City together for what we know and they did take great pains for us and went to their Ruler and the Inquisitor and to several Magistrates and Fryars and the new English Consul with them and wrought much amongst them that all were willing to let us go save the Inquisitor they said and he said He could not free us without an Order from the Pope But we had many heavy Enemies besides which vvould not be seen but they obtained the favour to come and speak with us which was a great thing in such a place They sent for us to the Court-Chamber and the English Consul askt us if we were willing to go back to England We said if it were the Will of God we might The Captain spake to us with tears in his eyes and told us what they had done for us but could not prevail It is this Inquisitor said he the rest were made free you have preached among these people he said We told him we were called upon the Testimony of our Conscience and the truth that we have witnâ—ssed forth among them we should stand to maintain with our blood He said if they could get us off he would freely give us our passage and provide for us and he Vessel was his own We cold him his love was as well accepted of the Lord as if he did carry us He offered us money he savv the Lord vvouldâ— not suffer us to take any He took our Names We told them they took us out of our way and put us into the Inquisition and bid us changâ— our minds and we could not the Lord had changed us into that which changed not if they would burn us to ashes or chop us as Herbs to the Pot. The Fryar said We did not work which was false we had Work of our own and did work as we were able We told him our Work and Maintenance was in England And they said it was true He said We would not accept of the Inquisitors Dyet We did not know who did prepare for us we did receive our meat as we had freedom in the Lord. Then he said We had suffered long enough and too long but we should have our freedom in 〈◊〉 days and that they would send to the Pope for an Order And there were many English ships that way but the Captain saw it was a very hard thing so that it grieved him to the heart He prayed God to comfort us and he went away and we do beseech God to bless and preserve him unto everlasting life and never to let him nor his go without a blessing from him for his love he did venture himself exceedingly in that place But after he was gone they arose up against us with one accord the Inquisitor came up into a Tower and lookt down upon us as if he would have eaten us and they did try us for our lives again and did shut up our doors many Weeks we could not tell for what at length the Inquisitor came into the Tower again and Sarah was moved to call to him to have the door opened for us to go down into the Court to wash our clothes Then he gave command for the door to be opened once a Week and in a little while 't was open every day But great was our affliction indeed and she told him if we were the Popes Prisoners we would appeal to the Pope and he should send us to him But them in the prison with us especially the Fryar were mortal Enemies to us but yet they would have fed us with the choicest of their meat and would gladly give us whole Bottles of Wine if we would receive it and were greatly troubled because we did refuse to eat and drink with them and did persecute us exceedingly but the Lord did visit them with his dreadful Judgements the Fryar was tormented night and day his body did perish the Doctors and Chyrurgions did follow him a long time And there were two or three English Ships there came into harbour and Sarah saw the coming of them in a Vision of the night and there was great pleading for us that we saw but she heard a Voice saying We could not go now So we were made willing to wait the Lords time Then they sent for us forth when the Ships were gone and askt us if we would be Catholicks And we said we were true Christians and had received the Spirit of Christ and he that had not the Spirit of Christ was none of his The English Consul told us of the Ships and said they would not let us go unless we would be Catholicks and that we must suffer more imprisonment yet and said he did what he could for us One of the Magistrates shewed us the Cross We told them and said We did take up the Cross of Christ daily which is the great Power of God to crucifie sin and iniquity So we told them that one of their Fathers did promise us our liberty We did think that Fryar was too tender-hearted to stay among them he did take a great deal of pains for us the Captain said we told him he would never have cause to repent it the blessing of God would be upon him for any thing he should do for us for we were the Servants of the living God and he promised us our freedoms in a little time This following I received from them in other Papers to Friends D. B. O Dearly beloved Friends Fathers and Elders and Pillars of Gods Spiritual House and Brethren and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ in the measure of Love and Life of our God do we salâ—te you all and do embrace you in that which is Eternal and we do greatly rejoice and glorifie the Name of our Heavenly Father that he hath counted us worthy to be partakers of the death and sufferings of his blessed Son with you though we be the least of Gods Flock yet we are of the true Fold whereof Christ Jesus is Shepherd and he hath had as tender a care over us as he hath had of any of his Lambs which he hath called forth in this the day of his Power and hath carryed us through and ever as great afflictions as most of our Brethren and sufferers for his Name both in
troubled in my spirit to know the Vision and I waited upon the Lord and he signified to me in the Light The six Suns were six Nations whose Lights were near out and the five which crossed each other signified to me some rising amongst them And the Fryar came to me and said It was God's will we should be kepâ— there or else they could not keep us I told him the Lord did suffer wicked men to do wickedly but did not will them to do it He did suffer Herod to take off John Baptist's head but he did not will him to do it and did suffer Stephen to be stoned and Judas to betray Christ but he did not will them to do it for if he had he would not have condemned them for it He said Then we are wicked men I said They are wicked men that work wickedness The Fryar would say still We had not the true Faith We said By Faith we stand and by the Power of God we are upholden dost thou think it is by our own power and holiness we are kept from a vain conversation from sin and wickedness He said That was our pride We said No We could glory in the Lord we were children of wrath once as well as others But the Lord hath quickned us that were dead by the living Word of his Grace and hath washed cleansed and sanctified us through soul and spirit in part according to our measures and we do press forward towards that which is perfect He then did say We were good Women but yet there was no redemption for us except we would be Catholicks Now the Lord said Fear not Daughters of Sion I will carry you forth as Gold tryed out of the fire And many precious promises did the Lord refresh us with in our greatest extremity and would appear in his glory that our souls would be ravished in his presence I had the Spirit of Prayer upon me and I was afraid to speak to the Lord for fear I should speak one word that would not please him And the Lord said Fear not Daughter of Sion ask what thou wilt and I will grant it thee whatsoever thy heart can wish I desired nothing of the Lord but what would make for his glory whether it were my liberty or bondage life or death wherein I was highly accepted of the Lord. The Room wherein I was separated was near the Chancery where all the Bishops Courtiers did resort and would come into the Inquisition Courts and I had Work amongst them daily they would come on purpose to their condemnation some would be smitten and run as if they hunted and some would be set on fire and cry Caldere caldere and fuoco fuoco and many would pitty us because we were not Catholicks the Fryars would say We might be Catholicks and keep our own Religion too and we should not be known we were Catholicks except we were brought before a Justice of Peace We askt if we should profess a Christ we should be asham'd of But as for the poor Workmen they were willing to do any thing for us and were diligent to hear us the Witness of God in them did answer to the truth there were many eyes over them had it not been for the great opposition there were hundreds would have flown to the truth And because I said I did talk with G. F. he the Fryar asked Whether G. F. did bring me money to maintain me in prison I said no but though I was absent in body yet I was present in spirit and was refreshed in him and in hundreds more besides They said I had seen Revelations and had talkt with G. F. and he was God's Revelation Sarah said Christ was God's Revelation he said she came under the Halter for saying Christ was God's Revelation She answered St. Paul said As soon as it pleased God to reveal his Son in me I did not consult with flesh and blood but immediately I went and preacht him and is not Christ God's Revelation then He said Who denied that What they would have done to Sarah if they had taken her forth we know not but the Lord did work so wonderfully that night for the preservation of her poor soul out of their net that he is worthy to be glorified for ever The next time he came to me he came in sheeps clothing but he had a Woolf under his Gown he gave me words as soft as Butter and as smooth as Oyl when he had a Sword in his heart and a Spear in his hand when they speak most fairest then beware of them He desired us we would not think so hardly of him as if he were the Author of all our wrongs and troubles he was not he said but would do any good he could for us were it with his blood But we thought he had been the chiefest that cast the poor man in prison but he was the man that hope him out without any punishment at all though the Inquisitor did say he should be severely punished I told him he did well he would have peace in it and would never have cause to repent it He did entreat us he might not bear all the burthen We told him of many wicked things he did act against us and of his lying and cruel words He bid us take no notice what he did speak But we did feel his spirit that what he spake he would do if he had not been chained I did use to tell him My Conscience was not feared with a hot iron J was not past feeling At last he was so weary of coming to us he did entreat the Jnquisitor he might not come to us any more the Judgements of the Lord did follow him so it was like to kill him When we were parted the Lord did vvork mightily for us and we vvere kept by the Power of the Lord over our Enemies and vvere bold for God's Truth and did make war vvith them in righteousness so that they could not gain-say us in the truth So that Scripture was fulfilled The wicked mouths must be stopped and they vvere put to silence praises be to our God and were made to confess or say Of a truth God was in us our God was a consuming fire to them they were not able to stand in his presence but they vvould howl and make a noise like Dogs and cry Jesu Maria and flye as people driven by a mighty rushing Wind the Power of the Lord did pursue after them like a Sword that Scripture was fulfilled which saith Christ came not to send peace on earth but a sword to cut down his Enemies the Lord was on our side and did take our part and did fight for us and did tread down our Enemies under our feet that they could not hurt us Mighty vvas the Work of God daily our tongues cannot express it they did vvork day and night vvith their Incâ—antments and Divinations Sorceries unclean Spirits crying and foaming insomuch we could take
away nor waxeth old from us whom the Lord hath counted worthy to beaâ— his Name and to suffer for his sake to all our Christian Friends Fathers and Elders Pillars of Gods spiritual House Brethren and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh my dear Husband with our dear and precious Children Lambs of God and Babes of Christ begotten of the Immortal Seed of Light Life and Truth with us and all the whole Family of everlasting blessedness Pray for us believingly all things are possible with our God So my Dearlings in the arms of everlasting love do I take my leave of you the blessing and peace of the Most High be upon you ever Amen Amen Oh my dear Husband praise the Lord that ever thou hadst a Wife that was found worthy to suffer for the Name of the Lord Inasmuch as I can understand the moving of the Spirit of God My dear and faâ—thful Yoke-fellow Sister and Friend is worthy to be embraced of all friends for ever the deeper the sorrow the greater the joy the heavier the Cross the weightier the Crown This was written in the Inquisition at Malta of us Malta the 11th Month of the year 1661. Katharine Evans Sarah Chevers From K. E. for two Friends DEarly beloved Brother in the everlasting Covenant of Light and Life do I dearly salute and embrace thee with thy dear Wife my beloved Sister and thy dear Children whom I dearly love in that which never changeth My dear and faithful Friends I am often refreshed in you when the Light brings you to my remembrance then do I feel the springs of Love and Life which ariseth from the pure Fountain of Eternal refreshments to my joy and comfort wherein I am made to praise and glorifie my God and your God who hath redeemed us out of the Chains of darkness and Kingdom of blâ—â—â—ness into the everlasting brightness glory joy and perfect blessedness for ever to dwell in the enjoyment of his living presence as we abide faithful to Eternity in his presence is fulness of joy and at his right hand is pleasure for evermore My prayers are night and day without ceasing to our Heavenly Father that not one of his begetting may ever turn or slide back but that every one may press forward towards the Mark of the price of the high calling in Christ Jesus who is our Life and glory and so all may come to wear the Crown of Life and Immortality triumphing in the everlasting Blessedness of the Heavenly Riches and Eternal joy and happiness that 's perfect for ever Amen Oh! my dear Brother and Sister we are all children of our Father begotten in the everlasting Seed of the Promise of Eternal life and salvation Oh my precious Friends wait patiently with me always in the pure fear of the perfect and pure God who hath an Eternal Treasure ful of everlasting Riches and ready to distribute them to all his dutiful Children Glory and Praises be given to his blessed Name for ever Oh my beloved ones your love to me is written in the Records that cannot be lost Dear hearts glorifie our God in my behalf that ever he counted me worthy to suffer for his Name I hope to see your faces again yet once more with joy and gladness with my dear yoke-fellow in the Lord's Work before we go hence and be no more seen So in the tender bowels of pure Love do I take my leave of you at this time The everlasting peace and blessedness be upon you and upon the whole Israel of God Amen Dearly salute us to all Friends This was written in the Inquisition at Malta in the 11th Month of the year 1661. Katharine Evans There was another Letter and Paper which was intercepted but I have it not here with me it being sent home from Legorn Yet here followeth more of their Writings to Friends and to my own particular which at several times I received from them unknown to the Oppressors A Copy of a Letter that I was moved to write the next day after I came to the Island and City and communicated to their hands DEar Lambs peace be unto you Amen Now seeing that the everlasting God and Father of all truth hath in his tender love and Fatherly mercy and bowels of compassion through the trials of manifold sufferings and temptations hitherto even to this day upheld and preserved you in the innocency and its testimony against the contrary although sometimes I know that you have tasted the sentence of death in your selves and even as it were ready to despair of life yet in the living testimony of innocency in the answer of a good Conscience I Daniel bear you record in the Covenant of Life the same remaineth with you and you are in it a good sweet savour to the Lord and his Eternal Truth and People Oh! blessed for ever be his Name yea and my very heart and life blesseth and magnifieth the Lord on your behalf Wherefore my dear Friends be faithful full of Faith and the living invisible God of Peace is with you and will not forsake you seeing it is so and much more you know which might be declared Oh! I am moved in the Bowels of my Father's love as one with you in trials and in the exercise of manifold temptations to stir up your pure and innocent minds by way of remembrance and also to beseech you to take heed to the Testimony of Life that 's undefiled and manifest in you and to dwell in the same which retains the joy and comfort of the Lord and his peace which you know is not of the World and so to watch and beware of the Enemy that is near to tempt to make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and to despair and so to betray not only your own innocent long-sufferings but also the Testimony of the Lord God of our Life for which you have so long suffered and by the pure Divine virtue of the same have you been to this day preserved so that the Lord who is and will be your reward hath not been wanting to you on his part Oh faint not but lift up your heads and be faithful still as I am not otherwise perswaded concerning you and I am well perswaded that in his own Covenant and Way deliverance will come to the Seed and ye know if the same come not in his own Covenant of Truth in the Light of his Countenance it cannot be well but your nay you know is to be nay and so to stand in the Truth against the contrary whatsoever our God permits unreasonable men to inflict upon the outward or visible body and the same also will work for his glory and also for the good and eternal peace of his innocent suffering Lambs notwithstanding Your tender Brother D. B. ANd when this with other Papers I had through not a little difficulty communicated to their hands over the heads of our Enemies I was moved to speak my Message as from
the Lord of Life to them after I had offered up my body and to lay down my life for these poor innocents my dear friends and so with my voice I saluted them in the Lord's Truth as they stood at the prison-Grates with these words in the behalf of the general Assembly of the Saints in light to wit The whole Body of God's Elect right dearly owneth your Testimony and you are a sweet savour unto the Lord and his people And forasmuch as one of these poor afflicted Lambs replied and said on this wise as if it was a trouble to them that they could not be more serviceable Then my heart being melted and my bowels of pity mercy and compassion being moved I said That it was a wonderful mercy of the Lord in as much as they were preserved in their own measure of Truth and pure innocency for which my heart praised the Lord for what mine eye saw which right dearly affected my heart and we were well refreshed at that season in the sweet presence of our living God albeit our bodies were at a distance but so as we could behold each others face through the Prison bars of Iron in the Inquisition Now for so much as in the Wisdom of God it is seen meet that the fore-mentioned and following Writings which came from their hands might appear to publike view that thereby every Member of the one Body may have a right understanding and not onely so but also a sensible feeling not onely of the trials and sufferings in part of these innocent Lambs but also of the consolations of each other as fellow-Members of the infinite Body of which Christ Jesus the Lord is both King and Head in whom be endless dominion and pure glory and eternal salvation Amen And so I being as it were constrained to publish the acceptable Words that sound and savor of pure innocency and clear truth for the Elect's sake in the same Love and Life I am the more free hereunto even as a Child that differs but little from a servant as I am in the Father's Love Power and Grace of Life fitted to serve the undefiled Life of the least in the Kingdom of Blessedness and to administer comfort or what else I have received from the Eternal Fountain or Fulness for the use or service of either Body Mind Soul or Spirit of my own Flesh or Family seeing no man ever hated his own Flesh and he is worse than an Infidel that provideth not for his own Family especially them of his own House This is a sweet Salutation to God's Elect Church in England and Ireland RIght dear precious and Heavenly ones whose Beauty shineth bright and at whose Name the hearts of the Heathen do tremble We who through the everlasting Mercies of our God are Members of the same Body and are held in strait Captivity and hard Bondage for witnessing forth the same Testimony and Covenant of pure Light Life and Truth of our God with you dear and faithful ones indeed We here in the same Covenant of pure Love and Bowels of tenderness do dearly salute and embrace you all glorifying and praising our Eternal Father for you all who hath counted us worthy to partake of the fellowship and sufferings for the Bodies sake with you in tribulations fiery trials manifold temptations fastings watchings heats and colds and cruel threatning and persecutions perils by Sea and perils by Land standing in jeopardy of our lives year after year and looking every hour day and night for many Weeks together when we should be brought out to Execution but though Proclamation was made and they came up to the very Caâ—e with a Drum and Musquets to fetch us out to destroy us yet the Lord God of everlasting strength who in the deepest of all dangers and greatest extremity when all hopes were past did but blow upon them with the breath of his nostrils and they did flye as dust before the Wind for which we do entreat all Friends to glorifie our God on our behalf for never did the Lord our God work greater deliverance for any than he hath done for us from time to time who are the least and weakest for what we know that ever the Lord our God sent forth in so great weighty a Work but all things are possible with him who made and created all things it is he alone which carrieth on his own work by his own mighty Power and the glory shal be his own for evermore Amen Oh our dearly beloved Friends did you know but the third part of the afflictions the Lord our God hath carried us through you would say The Lord hath wrought as great a Miracle in our preservation as ever he did in raising Lazarus out of the Grave And in the greatest of our afflictions we could not say in our hearts Father would thou hadst not brought us here but cryed mightily to our God for power to carry us through whatsoever should be inflicted upon us that the Truth of our God might not suffer through our weakness And the Lord did hear us and answered us in righteousness and carried uâ— on with all boldness and made our fore-heads as Flint and our Brows as Brass in the faces of our Enemies that whensoever we were brought forth upon trial all fear was taken away that we stood as Iron-Gates and Castle-Walls in the faces of our Enemies so that they said we would fain be burned but we answered No we would not willingly be burned but if our Heavenly Father doth call us to suffer in that kind for his Name sake he will give us power to go through it and we have great cause to believe it for our Lord God never called us to do any service for him but he gave us power and made way for his own Work glory and praise be to his holy Name for ever Dearly beloved friends marvel not why Israel is not gathered in all this time it is not for want of labour nor travel nor grief nor pain fasting nor mourning nor weeping nor love to their souls but it is because of the great oppression For here are a willing people but they dare not until the Lord make way for them Truly Friends we have not been idle since we saw your faces nor have we had much ease to the flesh but do travel night and day for Sion's prosperity and perfect joy and for the reparation of Jerusalem and her pure praise though our sorrows are deep and our afflictions grievous yet we do wait with patience to reap the peaceable fruits of righteousness and enjoy the benefit of our uprightness Praises be to our God for ever he hath kept us by his power and holiness that our Enemies have not one jot or tittle against us but for the Truth of our God and that we could not join with them so they would not suffer us to have one line of refreshment but stript us out of all so that we could not
expect one drop of mercy favour nor affection but what our Heavenly Father did distil upon us from his living presence and work for us by the operation of his own Arm of strength and power But dear Friends though a long Winter and many sharp and terrible storms have past over our heads so that we cannot express our sorrows so likewise we cannot declare our joys Oh! in the midst of all our afflâ—ctions our God did draw nigh unto us an did speak comfortably unto us with many sweet and precious promises and did never suffer his faithfulness to fail us nor was he wanting unto us in Visions and Revelations Oh how doth he appear in his glory beauty and brightness so that our souls are ravished and wrapped up with his living presence and glory many times so that we do not dare to look out at our long sufferings nor trials but do press forwards towards the fulness of joy and blessedness which our Eternal Father hath prepared for all them that love him and walk in obedience to him and we know the deeper our sorrow is the greater our joy shall be and the heavier our Cross the weightier our Crown as we abide faithful And we do believe that neither Principalities nor Powers nor sufferings nor imprisonment nor pesecution nor life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour Amen Dearly beloved Friends though our bodies are bolted up in the Rocks and Caves of the Earth yet our spirits you know nonâ— can limit nor confine to any place And we do behold your order and steadfastness of your faith and labour of love and are daily refreshed in all the faithful-hearted Oh dear hearts the remembrance of the least of you is precious Oh! the Rivers of tears that have distilled from our eyes whilst we do think upon you for joy because of your growth and flourishing in the Truth Oh! you are Virgins indeed who have Oyl in your Vessels and your Lamps burning and are cloathed with the long white Robes of Righteousness and are adorned with the Ornaments of pure Beauty and glorious brightness abundance of you to our joy and comfort and we do pray night and day That every Babe of our Heavenly Father's begetting may prosper even as we desire our own souls should prosper and that every one may be kept out of incumbrances and use the World as if they used it not but every one's mind spirit heart and soul may be exercised in the Eternal by the Power of God out of the earthly out of the visible out of the carnal and perishing things of this life so as to trust in it into the heavenly into the spiritual into the invisible into that which never changeth sadeth nor waxeth old where every one may dwell in the enjoyment of the presence of the Lord for in the presence of the Lord is fulness of joy and at his right hand is pleasure for evermore Oh! that every one may be emptied of your selves and unbottomed of your selves that you may build wholly upon the sure foundation and anchored so fast upon the Rock of Ages that neither the swelling Seas nor the foaming Waves nor stormy Winds though they beat vehemently may ever be able to remove you Oh dear Brethren in the life and power you may feel the issues of Love and Life which stream as a River to every soul of you from the hearts of us that are wholly joined to the Fountain Glory and everlasting praises be given to his holy Name Our whole souls spirits hearts and minds are given up to serve the Lord in whatsoever he requireth of us as he shall make it manifest unto us And we do blesse his Name for ever that he hath found us worthy of so high a calling as to bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of Iron Our prayers are continually for the advancement of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus throughout the whole Earth for the gathering of the Seed of the Elect of God and for the raising of it up over the Seed of the Serpent in power and great glory to bear rule and to have dominion over the whole World that the Kingdoms of this World may become the Kingdoms of our Lord Jesus that he may rule in his Princely Power and reign in his Kingly Majesty whose Right it is that the knowledge of the Lord may cover the Earth as the Water covereth the Sea that all the Children of the Lord may be taught of the Lord and be established in Righteousness that so the Mourners in Sion may rejoice and the heâ—â—y hearted in Jerusalem may be right glad The Lord God of Power hasten it for his own Name 's sake and for his Elect's sake that lye in captivity under the hands of the dark Powers of the Earth either spiritual or temporal Amen Amen saith our spirits Dear and precious Friends and Brethren pray for us that we may finish our Testimony to the glory of God and to the praise of his holy Name and to the comfort of all that love his appearing and to our own eternal salvation and to the shame and confusion of all that hate the Lord Jesus and persecute his Truth So in the pure Vnity of the Covenant of Light Life Peace Love and everlasting Righteousness do we take our leaves of you all at this time hoping and believing we shall see your faces once again before we go hence and be no more seen Dear Friends pray for us Though we were in many streights and hardships by reason of the oppression yet whilst our minds were staid upon the Fountain we saw no want but our tender Father whose heavenly eye was ever over us saw our necessities sent his right dear and precious Servant and 〈◊〉 and faithful Steward Daniel Baker to administer to our necessities both spiritual and temporal he came not in his own time will nor strength but in the Will and time Strength and Power of the Almighty God at whose presence the Mountains were removed the tall Cedars were made to bow the strong Oaks to stoop Oh wonderful He went to the Lord Inquisitor the Popes Deputy to demand our lawful Liberty which would not be granted unless he and we would write to Messaena or Legorn to some English Merchant to be engaged for four thousand Dollers Which Proposition being out of the Covenant of Light we durst not stoop to it but our dear Brother in Christ Jesus offered his body for our liberty but it would not be granted nothing would serve but one to engage for four thousand Dollers to be paid if ever we come into these parts again Then in obedience to the Lord he offered up his Life for our Freedom but all would not serve the Will of our God be done Oh dear Friends greater Love was never heard of than for a man to lay down his Life for his Friend Oh! it is worthy to be recorded
fear from us and multiplied our strength and gave us power and boldness to plead for the truth of the Lord Jesus and Wisdom of Words to stop the mouths of the gain-sayers that they vvould be made to say we spake truth they could never say otherwise But they vvould say We had not the true faith but we had all virtues Oh dear heart if it be our Eternal Father's good pleasure to carry thee away vvithout us vve do beseeh our Heavenly Father to bless and to give thee a prosperous return and to seed thee with the fulness of the blessing of the povverful Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Amen And vve do believe vve shall not vvant thy prayers nor the prayers of all the faithful that we may keep faithful to the end so that our God may be glorified his Church and People may be refreshed and rejoiced and we may receive our Reward with the rest of the Lord's Lambs Our Life is with thee for oh thou art full of Love thou tender-hearted one vvho hath offered up thy sanctified body and purified life in obedience to the Lord for us poor afflâ—cted lambs vvith thee and companions in tribulations trials and persecutions and in perils at Sea and perils by Land Oh thou precious Lamb of God great is thy Reward in Heaven great will be the Well-spring of joy that vvill arise in thee in thy Journey Oh thou happy one indeed vvhom the Lord our God hath made choice of amongst his faithful Flock and endued with so much povver to come into such a place as this not the like in all Europe by their own report and all others and to stop the mouths of Lyons and to trample upon the heads of Serpents Scorpions and Vipers of the Earth and they could not hurt thee their stings are taken out of their heads and out of their tails glory honor and everlasting praises be given to our God for evermore of all that know him for he is worthy And the Lord bless thee and thine for ever Amen and encrease thy strength and multiply thee abundantly in every good gift and Grace and prosper all thy undertakings that thou mayest be approved for ever before the King of Saints in the General Assembly of the Most High and stand before the Throne of his Majesty vvith joy unspeakable and full of glory Amen Amen saith our spirits Dearly beloved pray for us that we fall not nor fail whereby our Enemies may have any advantage to rejoice and say We served a God that could not serve us and called upon a God that could not deliver us as if we were like them to call upon stocks stones pictures and painted Walls and dead thing that cannot see hear nor speak through their throats We do beseech thee to tel all our dear Friends Fathers and Elders the Pillars of the spiritual Building with all the rest of our Christian Brethren that we do desire their Prayers for we have need of them OH How strong and powerful's our KING To all that do believe in him He doth preserve them from the Snare And seeth of those that would them tear We that are sufferers for the Seed Our Hearts are wounded and do bleed To see th' Oppression and Cruâ—lty Of men that do thy Truth deny In Dungeons strong and Dungeons deep To God alone we cry and weep Our sorrows none can read nor learn But those that have past through the same But he whose Beauty shineth bright Turneth darknesse into Light Maketh Câ—dars to bow and Oaks to bend To him that 's sent to the same end He is a Fountain pure and clear His Chrystal Streams runs far and near To cleanse all those which come to him For to be healed of their sin All them that do patiently abide And never swerve nor go aside The Lord will them deliver out of all Captivity Bondage and Thrall LEt E. C. know That his Exhortations I do dearly embrace and do witness it to be an Eternal Truth I have had large experience of it the Lord hath carried me on in much difficult Service so that many times the vvay hath been stopt up that to the eye of Reason I could not have a way made both by Sea and Land Oh if thou didst but know what experience I had of the mighty hand of the Lord in making a way thou wouldst wonder Once my vvay was stopt and my persecution vvas so hot that I sate in a Field all night to wait upon the Lord to make way for me to do the Work he laâ—d upon me I could not get lodging for money in Town nor City it was at Salisbury where I was whipt in the Market And the next morning I went through the City by the Watchmen and they took no notice of me Wheresoever the Lord did send me into what Land or City or place soever if they did put me out never so oft he would make me go till I got victory save in the Isle of Man there was a Souldier came to my bed side with a naked Sword and took me by the Arm and haâ—â—d me out of the Bed at the tenth hour of the night and carried me on Ship board When I put on my clothes I did not dare to rise That place lies upon me yet and I have motions to Edenburgh in Scotland I was never there the Lord did make me to do him servâ—ce to almost all the mighty men in England and Ireland insomuch that I cryed oft to my God saying Lord What will thou do with me that am so foolish to go to such wise men If I were wise I did not care if thou didst carry me to the end of the Earth The Lord said the foolish things must confound the wise and he would carry me before the mightiest men in all the Earth to bear his Name before them and I should have victory wheresoever I went And I do believe the Lord and we both are made willing to wait the Lord's time which is a time of peace and joy safety and happiness And we do bless land praise and magnifie his holy Name that he sent so heavenly a Messenger to relieve strengthen comfort and refresh us in our great necessity which is a mercy beyond expression all Friends that do understand it will say so Glory and everlasting praises honor power and dominion be given to our Eternal Lord God for evermore of us and all that know him Amen Amen saith our spirit Oh true and faithful Brother into the Arms of everlasting power and holiness strength and mightiness purity and righteousness do we commit thee to be kept and preserved and prosperously carried on in thy Journey â—he powerful blessing peace joy and happiness of the Majesty of the Most High God go along with thee to preserve and protect thee for ever Amen Amen Pray for us dear heart that we may receive strength to overcome that we may sing the song of Moses and the Lamb and the
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 24. 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 then to hurt God's 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 Priest or Jesuits that exerciseth 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 〈◊〉 and his sons of perdition will not be able to bear For the doleful cry of the Innocent it sighs and groans with tears hath long uttered its voice which hath ascended into the ears of the most high who is higher hen 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-suffeering dwels in such and verily their sacrifice is acceprable in his bosome that liveth for ever and I am a living witness that the sweet testimony and 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 is 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 and 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 in not onely 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 afterwards is to be revealed in the same that suffered in all generâ—tions even from righteous Abel unto this day of our God to whom be wisdom glory salvation and everlasting thanksgivings and 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 Malâ—â— to diverse places in Italy till I came to the Straights 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 30 daies 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 ofen 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 Niniveh 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 diverse Nations attempted to pass through but the God of heaven whom the wind and sea obeieth 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 7 or 8 times in about 21 daies and could not pass but about 2 or 3 leagues and on this wise it happened it would â—ther prove calm and then the currant would drive them back into the Streights again sometimes and otherwhile storms and tempests would scatter them as a figure of Pharaoh and his Hoste of Egyptian darkness so that the Charet-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 wiâ—ling and 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 judgments he had prepared to perform the good pleasure of his Almightiness for his Truth and Names sake Now the heavenly voice was often founded within my heart on this wise saying O Jerusalem cut off thine hair and further more to gird