all conditions and that saying made my heart revive presently and then the Lord gave me that Scripture-saying This he requires of thee To deal justly love mercy and walk humbly with thy God Micah 6.8 then I said Lord what am I to do here The Lord said I require this that thou holdest out a just upright walk with God before all people and in these parts thou shalt manifest the free justification received of the Father by the Spirit through Christ to poor souls telling them thy experiences there and thou shalt declare the mercy of thy God and thy love to it by shewing thy experiences thereof which thou hast had in divers maners discovered to thee Here are some tempted souls said the Lord that must be comforted through thy temptations the mercy thou foundst therein tell them love mercy in every kinde of it This saying I had also from the last words of the verse Walk humbly with thy God these things he requires of the just doing and walking mercy loving and a humble deportment in all thou doest then I said Lord make me humble said the Lord I will make thee humble through sufferings the Lord thy God begun it in thee when he manifested thy salvation to thee to be freely given thee making thee see thy self the worst of sinners and he humbled thee more in Satans prison and he hath brought thee here to humble thee more for he will teach thee much of his secrets Then my heart was melted as I was thus under divine speakings in the Garden and I said Lord if thou wilt make me a partaker of more of that lovely clothing of humility then then Lord I will not matter what I suffer here in this world below then the Lord said Thou must suffer many wayes then I said Lord balance me with thy word the Lord said What word wouldst thou have I said What thou pleasest then the Lord said Thou shalt have the same word as I gave to my servant Abraham I told him when he went he knew not whither that I would be his shield and exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 And as I was said the Lord to the father of the faithful so I will be to the children they having the same faith as faithful Abraham had I will give such the same promises then I said Lord I fall short of his faith said the Lord I look not on the quantity so much as at the quality I looking at the truth of it it bearing the same stamp with that of Abrahams which was the stamp of divine power and Spirit therefore take the same promise thou art come into a strange country among many that don't affect thee and thou art like to suffer by them but fear not I thy God have not onely given thee faith as ashield but I am thy shield and exceeding great reward I am a double shield to thee said the Lord so I was to Abraham a shield within a shield therefore fear not any enemy but look unto thy shield and buckler and defence for so Jehovah is to thee And the Lord brought to me those Scriptures that he gave me when he made me willing to go the journey as that saying He would go with me and that bis Spirit and presence should accompany me and that he would uphold me with the right hand of his righteousness which Scriptures were much enlarged on my Spirits as I thus walked alone in the Garden and I had such sweetness from the Lord through the Scriptures that it made my heart much affected with my journey and my Spirit leapt within me and rejoyced that I was come into a country where I should suffer for the testimony of Jesus and I had at that time such cordials from the Lord that I could have walked many hours in that Garden but Captain Langdons man came and desired me to walk into the room where his Masters acquaintance were For it may be they would not take it well he said if I did not come and sit in the room with them I was very unwilling for my communion in the Garden was so delightful to me yet through much entreaty by him I went I told him I could the better bear their sowre countenances and girding expressions now I had drunk of divine cordials then I could before when I first saw them at my coming into the house So I went into the room among them that did not care for my company and I heard many expressions concerning visions I perceived what and who they aimed at I sate silent among them there was Major Bawden and his Wife they were strangers then to me but they spake very friend-like to me and it was not in Tongue but in Heart as afterward appeared and there was Mr. Vinson and his Wife my very loving friends they declared themselves to be Mrs. Vinson came to me then and said Pray come to my house for I entertain you upon a Scripture-a count which adviseth to be kinde to strangers and what gain they had in old time that in entertaining strangers they entertained Angels unawares Thus she instanced the Scripture which made her to speak to me a poor undeserving creature to be thus taken notice of and indeed I felt humility in my heart springing up much when she thus spoke I lookt on my self unworthy of such a word or loving expression to me but my Father caused that friend though a stranger to shew me kindness Again further This evening being spent I went to my lodging where the Lord smiled on me and made it a lovely night and I was no whit weary after so long a journey but had refreshing rest and in the morning Mrs. Langdon came to see me but I had no minde to rise out of my bed and that day the Lord fill'd me with much joy and singing and I was in the Spirit with my friends at London who broke bread that day and I was filled with apprehensions of Christ the eternal Sabbath and the glorious Rest and the first-day-Resurrection how glorious all this was meeting in Christ the Saviour and Deliverer from all bondage and inthralment and my heart was much with my friends in that Ordinance of breaking bread I partook of that sweet supper with them in the Spirit And thus I spent that first day that I came to Tregasow which was the first day of the first week that I took up my abiding there much of Christs Death and Resurrection was lively presented to me and I sang forth his praises And the second day my heart was heat also with the flame of love which many waters cannot quench as the spouse saith in the Canticles so I felt it for all that day I had the Spirits flame as I had the day before it being their meeting day those particulars they first thought upon in their beginning that meeting which were the uniting of Saints in that bond of love as those were in formerly in the primitive times and
had a vision of the Ministers wife stirring against me and she was presented to me as one enviously bent against me calling that falsity which she understood not And I saw the Glergie-man and the Jurors contriving an Indictment against me and I saw my self stand before them in a vision I saw this And I sang with much courage and told them I feared not them nor their doings for that I had not deserved such usage But while I was singing praises to the Lord for his love to me the Justices sent their Constable to fetch me who came and said He must have me with him and he pulled and call'd me they said that were by but I was not capable thereof they said He was greatly troubled how to have me to his Master they told him He had better obey God then man And his hand shooke they said while he was pulling me Then some went to the Justices to tell them I could not come But they would not be pacified some offered to be bound for my appearance next day if I were in a capacity but this was refused they would have me out of my bed unless some would take their Oaths that it would in danger my life to be taken out of my bed which none could do without they had loved to take false Oaths like some others in those parts Then a friend perswaded them to see whether they could put me out of that condition and told them I was never known to be put out of it so they came Justice Launce now a Parliament-man was one of them I was told These Justices that came to ferch me out of my bed they made a great rumult them and their followers in the house and some came up stairs crying A witch a witch making a great stir on the stairs and a poor honest man rebuking such that said so he was tumbled down stairs and beaten too by one of the Justices followers and the Justices made a great noise in putting out of my chamber where I lay many of my friends and they said If my friends would not take me up they would have some should take me up one of my friends told them That they must fetch their silk gowns to do it them for the poor would not do it And they threatned much but the Lord over-ruled them they caused my eye-lids to be pull'd up for the said I held them fast because I would deceive the people they spake to this purpose One of the Justices pincht me by the nose and caused my pillow to be pull'd from under my head and kept pulling me and calling me but I heard none of all this stir and bussle neither did I hear Mr. Welsted which I was told called to the Rulers saying A whip will fetch her up and he stood at the Chamber door talking against me and said She speaks non-sence the women said Hearken for you cannot hear there is such a noise then he listened and said Now she hears me speak she speaks sence And this Clergie-man durst not come till the Rulers came for then they say The witches can have no power over them so that one depends upon another Rulers upon Clergie and Clergie upon Rulers And again After they had made all the fury appear that the Lord permitted them to vent against me they then went away saying She will fall in a trance when we shall at any time call for her The Lord kept me this day from their cruelty which they had a good minde further to have let out against me that witch tryer-woman of that Town some would fain have had come with her great pin which she used to thrust into witches to try them but the Lord my God in whom I trust delivered me from their malice making good that word to me in the Psalms The rage of man shall turn to thy praise and the remnant of rages thou wilt restrain Then further to tell you how the Lord carried me in singing prayer after they were gone two hours as I was told and then I came to my self and being all alone I blessed God for that quiet still day that I had And the Gentlewoman of the house coming into the chamber I said Have I lain alone all this day I have had a sweet day she replied and said Did not I hear the Justices there and the uproare that was in my chamber I said No. Then she told me how they dealt by her house bringing in their followers and what a noise they made Then another friend asked me Whether I did not hear that stir I said No. They wondred and so did I when I heard the Relation which is much more then I will write for I don't take delight to stir in such puddles it 's no pleasant work to me but that truth engageth me to let the world know what men have acted against the pourings out of the Spirit in a dispensation beyond their understanding they hearkened not to Scripture-advice which would not have any judge that they know not After that dayes tumult at night many came to catch at my words and it was very probable that the Rulers sent some to watch for what could be had further against me and there were two women that they had got their names who had promised them to swear against me and of this I shall further speak when I come to it but now I am telling of what past that night mentioned many people spake much to me asking me questions the which the Lord helped me to answer And my friends kept most part of that night in prayer on my behalf And many watched what they said in prayer for there were listeners under the window which fain would have had something to have informed against them There was great endeavouring to have found a Bill of Indictment against Captain Langdon but they could not they could not vent their spleen though they to the utmost desired it the Lord would not let them have their evil desires herein for though they in this would have brought him into contempt yet they endeavoured this that so I might want a surety and then they had had what they desired which was to have cast me into the Goal But to leave that and to tell you that I had the presence of the Lord with me that night abundantly and my sleep was sweeter then at other times my sister Langdon lay with me that night and in the murning she told me That she could not sleep all night for thinking of my going to the Sessions that day she told me She wandered I could sleep so soundly all night I told her I never had a sweater night in my lise and as for my going before the Rulers I was no what afraid or thoughtful for I had cast my care upon the Lord which I was perswaded would speak for me therefore I was not troubled nor afraid for the Lord said to me Fear not be not dismaied I am
pourings out of the Spirit that hath been on my heart ever since I declared visions I had seven yeers ago concerning four sons of horns presented to me which related to four several changes of Powers one more fierce and sharper still then the other and the little Horns worst of all more in its pushings then the former I spake of so many things and so largely that it took up the afternoon for the most part so that before I spake much of my going to White-Hall and praying and singing there I broke forth into singing my heart being so thorowly heated with discoursing of God goodness so many hours And I sang and prayed a great part of that night and when I gave over my friends carried me in a chair into my chamber and put me into bed where I lay the remaining part of the night and the next day sang and prayed many hours and many souls were much taken in that speaking concerning the preciousness of Christ to them that believe 1 Pet. 2.7 from this Scripture and many others relating to Saints and to sinners not changed brought in to Christ which day was so glorious to me that Satan stirr'd up many against me afterwards because many were convinced that were prejudiced before by their teachers and some carnal ones were judiced before by their teachers and some carnal ones were awed convincing Scriptures came with such authority as that Behold ye despisers wonder and perish and that word in Isa 28.22 Be ye not mockers left your bands be made strong Many other Scriptures were spoken upon largely that day to sinners and some said afterwards Which of all our Ministers can hold out thus many hours without a cordial Now when their Ministers thought they should lose their fleece they began to stir like that maids masters spoken of in Acts 16.19 When her masters saw what was done they caught Paul and Sitas and drew them into the marker-place into the Rulers this was for the gift of healing and calling out that unclean Spirit All people observe how they loved sooth-saying in those times and I would they did not in these dayes of more light But I pray minde the Relation That after that day wherein I was thus carried forth to speak for Christ's interest the Clergie with all their might rung their jangling bells against me and called to the Rulers to take me up that I heard was the speech of Mr. Welsted and others said The people would be drawn away if the Rulers did not take some course with me They were extremely afraid of losing Diana's repute And after these two days spent at Truro I returned to my place of abode at Tregasow but the Clergie gate information in many places of the Country what an impostor and a dangerous deceiver was come into Cornwal that the people wondred what strange kinde of creature was come into their Country and thus they spit forth venome against me but it did me no hurt because my Father made it work for good my joy was not lessened but increased And after a little while I was invited again to Truro and I went to visit Mrs. Hill her husband being gone to London she prayed me to carry and bear her company And after that I had sat down a while word was brought me that there were two Warrants out for to take me either at Captain Langdons or at Major Bawdens as for Major Bawdens I was but once at his house for I kept at my friends house I went down with though the report was I went from place to place aspersing the Government I did not the one nor the other I was but twice at Truro I have told all the places I went to while I remained at Tregasow This report of theirs is as false as the rest But I will come to tell you how they acted against me after I heard Warrants were out for me I looked when they would come in to the house where I was to take me And many people came to see me And one Haulbow a Minister with whom I had some converse and he said I had fully satisfied him in his request And for his part he said what he asked me it was not so much for his own satisfaction as for others whom he could now satisfie and he invited me to his house and said I should be welcome and he told me He would satisfie those that had spoken against me which were set on by false reports And all these words and many other more amounted to just nothing it was but Clergie-puff which soon was gone like a puff of winde that is almost at an end as soon as it riseth and so was his fair speech to me for I understand since he hath reproached me and other friends that are of more worth then I and yet this man spoke me so fair but so much shall suffice as to him I come again to tell you that this day wherein I expected the Warrant for me it came not I that day found my timorous fearful nature work against me what I should do and say before the Magistrate having never been before any in that kinde to be accused by them but the Lord seeing me not prepared to go before them nor strong enough he would take me first into the Mount and give me the preparations of the Sanctuary and so he did before I was called before them That night following this day that I have been speaking of there came about a dozen men and women to see me and one Mr. Paul a minister who had rode ten miles to that Town to understand aright concerning me for that he had heard so many reports and he desired to be satisfied from my own mouth so I related the Lords dealing with me and what he had freely given me for my own particular and for others benefit and when I had done speaking I told him how I was like to suffer through false rumouts raised against me I desired him to pray with me but he said He would joyne with me if I would pray I said I rather would hear him pray and have a caste of the cluster he had received of the Vine Christ so he prayed very sweetly and spiritually and when he had ended it was about twelve a clock at night and afterwards I spoke a little by way of discourse and was a little silent Then the Lord made his Rivers flow which soon broke down the Banks of an ordinary capacity and extraordinarily mounted my Spirits into a praying and singing frame and so they remained till morning-light as I was told for I was not capable of that but when I had done and was a while silent I came to speak weakly to those about me saying I must go to bed for I am very weak and the men and women went away and my friend that tended me and some other maids helpt me to bed where I lay till the afternoon they said silent And that time I
bed wiping away the tears from my eyes which she said came exceeding fast all night as I sung and prayed And truly the Sonne from on high had very much thawed my heart and I prayed and sung after that night four dayes and sometimes wrapt up in silence with the Lord beholding his glory in visions and on the last day of that week I spoke to some sea-men and others that came to visit me telling them the Lords kindnesse to me in my troubles in Cornwall and other experiences I related to them and the Lord knows I did speak of these things to them that they might be more in love with Christ who let out himself to a poore creature so extraordinarily And the next day after it was the first day of another week some would fain have had me gone to have heard the word preached that day but it could not be granted that I should go out of the Fort and indeed I was very weak having lain four dayes and five nights and came not out of my bed nor took no refreshing creature save a draught of small beer or syder and sometimes eat a little piece of toast out of it and this was but once at a night and not every night neither and this was for sixt dayes and this first day that I rose out of my bed I lay down again quickly and I took a Bible and read the 11. Chapter of Luke and the 12. Chapter and my heart was much taken with the words there that Christ spoke to them and the Lord applyed much to me of what Christ spoke concerning their calling of him Beelzebub and if they dealt so with Christ I thought it was but as Christ was dealt with to be called Devil and that saying I was possest with a lying spirit but this was made very easie when I conceived Christ bare a great deal more and after that these Chapters were fastened and knit to my heart the Lord making them mine I admiring at the sufferings of Christ and at his patience and I continued singing most part of that day concerning the Resurrection and my interest therein and I sang as to the conditions of many who lived in the Fort and concerning my passage on the sea that I should have speaking of the Lords appearances that I should have there and the Joy and Triumph I should be in in all my imprisonment time and the next day after this it being the second day of the week I had been a prisoner seven dayes and this was the eighth day from the Souldiers taking me so I that day at night after the hours spent with my friends at London which I knew kept that day in part in prayer so did I though absent in body from them and at night as I said before I went down and discoursed with Lieutenant Lark a while and after I had shewed him two Letters which I had written to London that he saw there was none of that which is called Treason in them then I wished him a good night and I went to bed and he the next day rode out of Town to fetch his wife who was with her friends in the Countrey and in his absence Ensign Owen was my keeper and he was very carefull to fulfill his office and was loath to let in my friends to see me but charged them at the gate with trespasse if they let in any of my friends saying they had best to be traytors too so he was as severe as if I had been a traytor yet he spake me very fair to my face but I saw he indeavoured to catch my words and to ensnare me putting his own sense upon them but the Lord kept me out of his insnarements but he watched for my halting and when my friends came a great way to see me they had much ado to get into the Fort and then my Gaoler sat by and heard what I said to my friends but this severity was not many days for Major Sanders came and then my Gaoler departed who told me the order did not make mention of my going to the Counsel but Major Sanders read that I should and so did the Lieutenant but my Gaoler it may be had a mind to affright me but he could not and he told me I dreamed that the order run so I am sure I said I was not asleep but he jeered me and he told Major Sanders that I would not have so many people come to me indeed he would have had no body come if he could have bore sway but the Lord ordered all for my good and when Major Sanders came he gave me leave with a keeper which was a friend to go to hear the first dayes and he was very courteous and so was Lieutenant Lark who came home with his wife before I was gone I stayed there for the wind and a States Ship to carry me I staid five weeks the Lord made it but as a few dayes to me I had so much of his presence and power from him he made kindnesse flow from strangers in the Family and in the Fort these were strangers and yet they were fellow Citizens and I blesse the Lord they are not now strangers but acquaintance and they are a company that are written in my heart they and their Teacher for they were not ashamed of my Chain they owned me in my Bonds and were a succour to me in a strange Countrey my Soul was administred to by them and the Pastor over them they every way administred to my necessity in what I stood in need of I wanted not their help and the people of the Parish shewed me love in visiting me and some of them when they had heard me pray and in singing they wept that they had taken up hard thoughts of me Their Teacher Mr. Hughes was very bitter against me and would not come and talk with me though some of his Auditory desired him but he writ to one of his friends at Cornwall that he had read my book and he from that drew that I was an impostor and he called the book non sense so that he confirmed his friend in her judging of me and so he continued judging me for the sake of that Dispensation he never saw nor came not to try it by the word but he indeavoured to incense others against me and his sometimes Scholler R.V. was afraid to displease his Father Hughes else he would have come according to his promise but it may be had forgot that he promised a young man whom I sent the first night I came to tell him I was come to the Fort a prisoner and I knew not how little a while I should stay therefore I should be glad to see him and he told the Messenger that he would come next day but he came not and yet was much in the Town most part of my stay there and many wondered he came not to see me having been acquainted with me above seven years the
which they understanding said sure he knew some evil by me thus it bred a jealousie among strangers concerning me but some said he would not suffer evil to be spoken of me for he said sure the root of the matter was in me he was much urged by my friends to come but would not see me though in bonds and this use I was taught by the Lord to make of that unkindnesse of a friend who I hearing when I was coming to Plimouth that such an one was come there I leaned upon him as a prop to me in my suffering and I rejoyced much saying to my friends that he would vindicate me who had been known to him so long and one whom I was alwayes ready to vindicate when aspersed but my God learned me to know that all flesh was grasse and a sading flower and like an Egyptian reed and by this unkindnesse from a friend my God drew me the more to rest upon himself alone and what unkindnesse I relate from any received my end hereby is not to reproach or seek revenge on any but the Lord my God knows had there not been so many severall reports passed far and near I would not have set pen to paper in this kind but it is that truth may silence falsity and though I fail in an orderly penning down these things yet not in a true Relation of as much as I remember and what is expedient to be written I could not have related so much from the shallow memory I have naturally but through often relating these things they become as a written book spread open before me and after which I write Now I shall come again to the Relation and tell you that I had much kindnesse at Plimouth from many and great labour of love stewed me untill my departure and some went with me a shipboard and were sory to have me go from their Quarters not that I was any thing but the Lord did their souls good through a worm and when we had been a day and a night tossing on the Sea the wind being against us drove us back into the Harbour again Some at Dartmouth reported that I had bewitched the winds that the ships could not go to sea and they cursed me there but the Lord blessed me the more many reproaches he helpt me to bear and though we were beating on the waves against the wind yet I was not sick for the Lord had there much for me to declare to Sea men of free grace and of the vilenesse of mans nature and the excellent work of Redemption And I spake this unto them and prayed and sang in the Cabbin where I lay and the Sea-men were much affected the Lord made some of them declare how the Lord refreshed them and that they knew if I had stayed longer much good their souls would have reaped they were very respectfull to me though there were few that had any rellish of good the Lord made much to be rellished by them through a poore nothing creature the Scripture the Lord inlarged amongst them in the 73. Psalm verse 1. Truly God is good to Israel and to them that are of a clean heart the new Covenant the Lord made known amongst them very much so that it was a blessed passage though as from man it was bitter to be tossed upon the Sea four dayes and the maid that came with me lying vomiting grievously by me and sick even ready to dy she thought her heart would have broke and I hurt my leg against the ship side that it raged greatly a day and a night and lying in a little Cabbin sweating much the maid and I together which lodge was very little it being in the Masters Cabbin which was a little Lodge But though I met with much difficulty as to flesh and blood yet I murmured not onely I was once a little troubled and said Lord why is man thus cruell to deal thus with me they never considered whether my nature could bear the Sea but I said Father lay not this evil usage to their charge I was brought up among the Pirates that had robbed upon the Sea and were taken prisoners and sent in the ship with me but the Lord preserved me from all hurt and caried me safe to Land and all in the ship both Captain and Master and men gave me civill respect while I was with them So the Lord made good his promise to me that nothing should harm me neither on the Sea nor the Land And the Captain with some of his men came with me ashore and we landed at Portsmouth and the Governour not being in Town I went with the Captain to Major Morefords the deputy Governour who receiving the order from the Captain of the ship after some Discourse with him he departed and the Deputy Governour told me I was committed to his Charge untill such time that he could dispose of me with conveniency so he lovingly entertained me and those two friends that came with me and his daughters shewed me much kindnesse and in the afternoon the Deputy Governour having no lodging in his house for me he procured me lodging at Ensign Bakers in the Town and he went with me thither it being not far off and there he left me desiring the Ensigns wife to be kind to me but she heard I was a frenzy-headed creature and she looked very sowr upon me and all the while I was there she offered me no drink nor any thing else but one day when the Governour sent his servant to see what I had then she sent to me and I had newly eaten a piece of Pye that I had brought with me from Plimmouth so that was all my food I eat from the second day to the fifth day that I came away then she seemed to be very kind and said she heard such a clamour concerning me which made her afraid of me but after she heard me she was of another mind I prayed and sang there a night and a day for the most part and so departed from thence the next morning after and came in a Coach to London and a Lieutenant came with me to convey me to Westminster and he brought a Present of Egges that was sent from Gernsie to the great man at White Hall they were Partridge Egges of the largest kind I was told and if they were not well put up they could not be kept whole for the Coach broke twice by the way and overturned once it was a great mercy that we had no hurt the dealings of man being unjust every thing will make them manifest and discover their breakings where they or their Presents be If such that hold forth King Jesus be near one danger or other they will be lyable to meet withall I was through Divine Power brought safe in the Coatch to Fox Hall where we lighted and the Coach man and Lieutenant told me I must bear all my Charges both by the way and the Coach hire so I
that they might be of one heart and one minde and that knowledge might cover the earth as water the sea and that Jew and Gentile-fulness might be brought in and the Kingdom restored to this old Israel which was the first married Wife as it 's recorded in Scripture And that Judges and Rulers might be as at the beginning as Moses and Joshua and as Samuel and Gideon and other faithful ones as is made mention of in Scripture And I besought the Lord for these things and for the reign of Christ in and by which these things should be brought forth and for this every one professing the Lord ought to pray And thus I spent the second day and it was very sweet to me and fitted me for what I was to suffer in those parts And after that second day my heart was carried on very chearfully in the apprehensions of the Lords presence still with me and I had a great deal of tenderness from my friends I went down with who were as a tender Father and Mother to me at all times and in suffering their tenderness and care of me exceeded it abounded as my sufferings abounded and many that were at the first strange in their carriages to me after I had been there a while they were very loving to me and I had great kindness from the whole family where I abode till the wills of men fetcht me away with their Souldiers Further I shall give people to know that after I had been a week and a few dayes there I was desired to go to Truro to hear the Lecture that was kept there every third day so I did and that morming before we went there came a Letter which after we had prayed was read wherein a Gentleman at Truro invited Captain Langdon and his Wife and my self to his house the which invitation we looked upon as answer of prayer it coming so suitable to those requests put up to the Lord that morning And we went to Truro and heard the Sermon and that day there preacht one Mr. Allen a young man who spake of many things from the I verse of the 8 of the Romans And when the Sermon was ended we went home with Mrs. Hill to dinner her husband having invited us by writing the which I mentioned And after dinner there came many to see me some out of good-will and love to what they had heard was of God in me and others came to gaze and others to catch at my words so as to reproach me but the Lord taught me how to speak before them all as in the presence of the great God I spake who is my Father who alwaies shewed me kindness and did then before those several sorts of people I seeing many come into the room and Mr. Powel a Teacher in those parts came in with his Wife and another woman so that being there I thought to be silent but some desiring to have me speak I said I was loth to speak before that critical-pated man who would take my words and put his own sence upon them and so insnare me and it proved according as I said but when I had sat a while and saw so great a room full of people who desired I should give an account for their edification and satisfactions what God had done for my soul there having gone such a rumour abroad concerning me some saying one thing and some another it was therefore thought convenient to speak something among that great company of people that was come to my friends house and the Lord bringing that word also which is recorded by the Apostle 1 Pet. 3.15 which is to be ready to give an account at all times when required of the hope that is in me And I being desired to speak I thought it my duty though at the first I refused and when I began to speak I said to Captain Langdon who was then discoursing with that Mr. Power I mentioned I said I remember a word from Mr. Bridges of Yarmouth which was That we must still either be doing or receiving good And said I here is neither of these among us and I repeated a word I told them Mr. Greenhil once said to one whom he desired with many of that Congregation then present who desired experiences to be imparted to them using that word of David's who said Come you that fear God and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul and then I took up Paul's speech he used before Agrippa having been falsly accused by many he declares the manner of his life from his youth Acts 26. And so to others he said How he had walked in all good conscience before the Lord unto that day he then spoke it Acts 23. I used these words of the Apostle and said This was his practice when false rumours had gone concerning him and being that people had reported many things which were very contrary concerning me I thought it requisite to acquaint them there present with the Lords dealings concerning me from my Childhood And I told them the first conviction I had at nine yeers old and how I remained under a formal work and then how I was brought into a despairing condition and was so a while and then I told them the Work of Free-grace on me and the Testimony of the Spirit bearing witness to my Spirit that I was in union with the Father Son and Spirit and I told them of my desertions and temptations and of Satans many cunning wiles and of freedom many times therefrom and I related my fit of sickness which was cured in believing that I had eight yeers ago and I related the time and manner of my coming into Church order and likewise I told them the first bringing of my Spirit into this extraordinary praying and singing and visions was six weeks before Dunbar-fight in Scotland which was a beginning three yeers before but did not so much appear to the view of others and I told them how I prayed against this publick-spiritedness and how the Lord silenced me from those words in 1 Cor. 1.27 28. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are wights and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are I could be contented to be made use of under these terms as a fool and base and despised and as a thing that is not The Lord knows I then stooped to his will to do with me as he pleased when he set home this Scripture to my soul And this I told them and a great deal more largely then I will relate for brevities sake I gave a Relation of my horrible fit I was in a yeer ago and Sarans tyranny over me in that time and the great freedom the Lord afforded me after that storm and the