head between two friends where I lay and prayed till the morning and coming into my ordinary capacity I rose and had strength of body though I could not eat the day before nor after this night thus speaking so much yet I was not dry neither could I take any creature-refreshing though I had much offered me This I mention to advance Christ and not for any by-end Then my friends sent me in their Coach to London where I prepared for my Cornwal-journey all that week Coming to my habitation the second day of the week that week I had much of the Lord's presence in marvelous joy and yet many temptations between whiles the tempter tempted me against my journey and when I went up a pair of stairs I was tempted that I should fall from the top to the bottom of the stairs and break my limbes so that I should in such a way be hindered my journey and I was often tempted that week before I went that some evil should befal me to hinder me from going to Cornwal or some would hear of my going that would stop it And then Satan said What will become of all thy faith and the singing report concerning it And sometimes I was thus hurried yet I staggered not in my faith concerning the truth of what I had mentioned about my journey that it should surely be as I had believed and I waited for the accomplishment of it And the sixth day of that week I took my leave of my Tower-friends sitting up till the morning with them all the night praying and praising with them with joy more then an ordinary capacity could hold And in the morning I went to bed and lay some hours and then rose and abode there that day and night and the next day being the first day of this following week I bid my Tower-friends farewel and so departed from them taking my leave also of other friends by the way as I went to Alhallows where I met with the Congregation that I am in fellowship with which use to break bread there And I that day saw great shinings and tasted much of my Saviour that day who presenting his love liness in the ministery and his sweetness in the supper of breaking bread which filled my heart with joy unspeakable and glorious in believing And then after the Ordinances were ended I took my leave of many friends there who gave me their exhortations with counsel and prayer for my well-doing and I departed from them begging their prayers for me when absent in the body and half a score of my sisters kept that night in prayer with me at my friends house from whence I was to take my journey the next day And having thus spent the night in sweet communion with God I was prepared for my journey I wanted not sleep nor food-preparation having had the cordial revivement liquors from my Lord Jesus which strengthened me for my travelling to Cornwal And I said to my friends I pray be much in spiritual communion together and don 't forget to mention before the Lord your unworthy sister at a distance Thus desiring their remembrance of me they departed from me and I and my friends for the journey went by water from Southwark to White-Hall-stairs where we landed and went to the Inne where we took Coach and many friends came to bid us farewel among them came one who said to some after I was gone That if he had known me and had known I was going into his country he would have procured the Councels Order to have stopt my journey for the love he bore to his country which sure he thought I would corrupt and make like my self which he thought to have hindered but the Lord prevented his desire for my Father would have me go there and Satan nor men could not hinder me So we rode on our journey toward the West and in the first dayes journey my thoughts were taken up with the work of the praying Saints which met that day at Alhallows it being the second day which they use to keep for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Israel praying and speaking for that concernment which is so glorious and my thoughts were very seriously intent upon generation-work praying with them at Alhallows in the Spirit though I was absent from them in body and meeting with a dear friend by the way who told me he intended to go to Alhallow meeting that day I said I pray remember what was earnestly desired of you that you would assist the Church in the wilderness and be helpful in the second dayes meeting keeping close to the work of the present day and I desired his prayer for me in my absence more words passed between us as he rode by the Coach-side a little way then he bid farewel and departed and my joy was encreased at the sight of that precious servant of Christ whose words left a fragransie upon my Spirits some part of the day and the enjoyment of prayer in the Spirit with them at Alhallows took up the other part of the day onely speaking a little sometimes to my friends with whom I went At night we came to our Inne where I had much refreshings in a little meditation of Gods goodness to me that day and after prayer I went to my bed and was refreshed with sights of the Lord in my sleep and rose in the morning taking another dayes journey and in much discourse we spent that second dayes journey And I rode the next day with the same persons as I did the day before and my Spirit then was all that day in a praying and singing frame and so it remained till night and then we came to Salisbury where we parted with the Judge that rode in the Coach with us for there the Judges met in their Circuit and there I was mightily fill'd with apprehensions of Christ's Circuit he was taking in the earth and of that blessed time that the Saints should judge the earth when in that time the earth should not pass their false judgements on the Saints and most part of that night I was thus and they that were with me saw and felt on my outward man which was like a dead clod I was so cold a great while And the fourth daies journey I sang prayed almost the whole day and so I did the fifth daies journey singing much of the creation-excellencies as trees grass and several plants and corn that grew as I went by And though I rode through townes I minded not any speakings of creatures for indeed I was not capable of outward sayings or doings nor of the ratling of the Coach those two dayes And the last day of that week we came to Exceter which day I was very cheerful in the Lord though not so very much as the dayes before there we inned at an old disciples house a widow one Mrs. Winter's a house that many yeers had entertained and lodged Saints which in their travelling still
see my hard usage but they saw it was in vain to find fault that night so they departed and I was left alone The Matron would not admit of the maids being with me who came from Cornwall with me but said she would tend me I should not have a maid to wait on me there so my friends departed from me leaving me in the Lords protection and the Matron bid me make hast to bed for she must fetch away the candle for she said she did not trust her prisoners to put it out And when she was gone down as I was making my self unready I was much assaulted by Satan and my own heart who said to be so forward for God see what thou hast got by it thy mother little thought this would have befallen thee when she prayed that God would double his spirit on thee now thou mayest see what her prayer is come to I then was tempted to murmure at that prayer and the Tempter bid me speak against that prayer and the Tempter said to me that I should be a by-word and a laughing-stock while I lived and that every one would point at me as I went up down the streets when I came out they would say there goes a Bridwell bird and then many will gather about thee to mock and deride thee and as for thy kindred they will be ashamed of thee and will not care to hear thy name mentioned in their ears because of Bridewell reproach and therefore said Satan wilt thou still retain thy faith concerning Christ as King and Governour in the Earth And I was tempted to let go my confidence as to this but my Father kept me and gave me a discovery of my Saviour as he was hung between two thieves and also brought those scriptures to my thoughts which makes a report of Christ as he was ranked among transgressours and how he that knew no sin was dealt with so as to indure the contradiction of finners And now the Lord talked with me about my Saviours suffering much for me and therefore do not hearken to Satan said the Lord but look unto him that suffered the contradiction of sinners for thy sake then was my heart cheared and I went unto the unlovely lodging and the Matron locked me in or bolted me in I know not well which but there I was shut in alone and yet not alone for Christ was with me and when I had lain a while I grew very sick for the hard damp bed struck much into my stomach and the cold sheets so that all this set me into an Ague and I shook much and my limbs smarted with cold and I smelt such a strong scent about the bed that my heart panted and lay beating and my stomack working and my head aching exceeding much most part of my being in that Lodge this first night and at break of the day I threw off the cloaths from my stomach for I was almost spent being very fick and in much pain some hours and I said dear Father hast thou brought me to Bridewell to dye the Lord and my Father answered me presently and said no thou shalt not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord and he further told me that though my heart and my strength failed me the Lord was the strength of my heart and my portion for ever and he would never leave me nor forsake me the Lord said he would be my safety from the horn of men and Devils and I then recovered a little strength and I sang forth allelujahs song of thanksgiving and I out of that fell in a little slumber and my friends came and waked me presently against their wills they did it for they were very tender of me and it grieved them greatly when they heard what a night I had they then spake a while to me and soon after I rose and made me ready and then went to prayer with some of my sisters that came that morning and after prayer I received much reviving in my outward man but was not well yet I walked about the house all that day and was in the lower roome with my friends who came that day many of them whom I walk in fellowship with and many others for they thought I was put in a place that would daunt me if the Lord did not much appear to me and they came to expresse their tender love and care that they had of my welfare and they pleaded very much with the Matron and fetcht out the order that brought me there and procured a Copy of it which cost them sixteen pence a few words copying out and this Copy of the Order was shewed to the Matron how that nothing was laid to my charge and that I was onely to be kept there till further order and my friends prayed her to let me have another bed and other Sheets the which they offered me of theirs but that she would not grant but they prevailed at length with her after much perswasion to lay me on one of her beds and to let me have other sheets the which I had the second night and they procured one to be with me for they said I was not fit to be alone for that I was oft-times weak in body and required help so they also obtained that some ingaging to the Matron that they would bear her harmlesse in her giving way to this many that day so sweetned my Chamber with severall persumes and strowed it with herbs and Flowers that it much altered the smell yet it smelled very offensive all the time of my being there though I every day sometimes was burning many severall things in the room for the first week and severall times while I was there and after this day I was very sick yet the Matron urged me with the first day of the week to go hear their Minister at Bridewell but I told her I was very ill she said she thought I dissembled at the first but afterward she thought it was a Judgement from the Lord my sicknesse because I was unwilling she said to hear their Minister and she said she saw by my high colour that I was not well and indeed I was much in a feaver that day onely I had the ague a little while in a cold fit and I lay not desiring to be spoke to because it was painfull for me to speak or to turn my self in my bed and the next day the ague and feaver was much upon me so that my heart even sunk within me I being so burning and in so close a room and friends had a great ado to get to see me the Matron was so strict and would hardly let them in but some friends came who made me plaisters to lay to my wrists and posset drink to drink the next fit But that second day in the night I was pleading with the Lord and asked of the Lord a removall of that sicknes and saying Lord it s very grievous to ly sick
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
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
Launse I should have told you how I said to him If he would know what the ordinary impulse of Spirit was that I had to bring me into that country I would tell him so I related the Scriptures as that in the Psalmes and in the Prophet Isaiah how the presence and Spirit of the Lord should be with me and he would uphold me and strengthen me with the right hand of his righteousness he answered Such impulse was common they hoped they had that they were not ignorant of such impulse of Spirit much to this effect was spoken I seeing they were very willing to be gone I said Have you done with me answer was I might now go away but I said Pray what is it to break the good behaviour you have bound me over to I know not what you may make a breaking of it is it a breaking the good behaviour to pray and sing Justice travel said No so I did it at the habitation where I abode It 's well said I you will give leave it shall be anywhere I said I will leave one word with you and that is this A time will come when you and I shall appear before the great Judge of the tribunal seat of the most High and then I think you will hardly be able to give an account for this days work before the Lord at that day of true judgement said Tregegle Take you no care for us So they were willing to have no more discourse with me And as I went in the croud many strangers were very loving and careful to help me out of the croud and the rude multitude said Sure this woman is no witch for she speaks many good word which the witches could not And thus the Lord made the rude rabble to justifie his appearance for in all that was said by me I was nothing the Lord put all in my mouth and told me what I should say and that from the written word he put it in my memory and mouth so that I will have nothing ascribed to me but all honor and praise given to him whose right it is even to Jehovah who is the King that lives for ever I have left our some things that I thought were not so material to be written and what I have written of this it 's to declare as much as is convenient to take off those falsities and contrary reports that are abroad concerning my sufferings some making it worse then it was and some saying It was little or nothing Now to inform all peoples judgements I have thought it meet to offer this relation to the worlds view and with as much covering as I can of Saints weaknesses herein praying the Lord to forgive them and as for the Lords enemies that he would confound them but as for my enemies I still pray I now shall declare how God shewed me kindnesse further I rode home with my friends to Tregasow that day rejoycing that I was counted worthy to be so reproachfully dealt by for speaking in the Lord Christs behalf in prayer and praises and I remained very chearfull continuing in prayer and Thanksgiving and many spirituall songs unto the Lord but about ten dayes after the Souldiers of the Fox came to take me and the day before they come it being the first day of the the week I went to hear Mr. Frances who preached hard by where I abode one whom the Clergy would fain have had to have spoke against me but he said he would not they then called him my disciple and laughed and jeered at him when he came among them on their Lecture dayes They used to meet at an Ordinary where many of the Clergy and others dined together while I was in these parts the Clergy and others made me their Table and Pulpit talk and would have had Mr. Frances to have done as they did but he refused and hath since I hear left the place where he preached when I was in those parts But I return where I left in telling you how I was the day before that the Souldiers came for me I was very heavy in my spirit as I sat at dinner with my friends and I was very ready to shed tears and being loath my friends should see me I held from weeping as much as I could for I thought they would think that I took something unkindly but truly I could not for I had as much love from every one in the Family as could be desired but I was very sad and I rose from the Table where I dined and went and took my Bible wherein the Lord refreshed me and in the afternoon I went to hear and came home and went into the garden to walk alone and Captain Langdon coming into the Garden I discoursed a while with him and I said sure my London friends pray me up to London and when I come there I will write of Cornwell Cornhell in the West He said you might have suffered at London but not as here said I for here they deal very uncivilly and unchristian like by me well said I the Lord send me to London for I shall count it a great mercy to see their faces again I had said a Bridewell among them shall be sweet to me and so the Lord made it I that night was perswaded my work was done in Cornwall and that I should erelong see London yet being I was bound over to the Sessions which was not to be till August so that I was to have carried many weeks by the Justices order but they could not bear so much praving so long a time to be in their parts therefore they hasted their Letters to the Councell at White Hall to send their order down for me having a Governours Troop so near to agitate their businesse And the Governours was afraid of his Souldiers he commands them to their Colours and Ensign Raundle he must be cast out of his place for inviting his old friend Captain Longdon and his wife and his mother and me to come with them to his house And the Souldiers were charged to keep me out of Tregny that is three miles from Tregasow where a poore tempted soul was that would fain have entertained me at her House and this work the Fox made in his fortified places but the poore who are rich in faith prayed for me in those parts and some I never saw about ten miles from the place where I was who hearing of my trouble improved their interest with the Lord for me their faith and prayer did me more good than all the gold or filver or favours of great men could have done me I shall relate now further concerning that night before the Souldiers took me I saw in my sleep Souldiers come to take me and I rode towards London with them very joyfully and in the morning I made me ready and went down stairs and there was a friend came to see Captain Langdon so I went up into my Chamber to write to London and
at the moment change and make them hate sin and all manner of evil and cleave to that good the Scripture makes mention of then to the tempted was spoken from Heb. 2.18 for in that Christ suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted and unto them were experiences spoken how greatly Christ was sensible of the temptations of his people and his succourings were great and his sympathizing much So I related what bowels of compassion from the Lord I found herein though when I was murmuring against the Lord who I thought dealt roughly by me I said with Jonas I do well to do thus as he said I do well to be angry So I was very peevish thinking that Satan would have made an end of me I said with Jonah I do well to be angry to the death I prayed tempted souls to hearken to Christ and not to Satan some tempted souls there wept bitterly and the next day came again and accompanied me out of that Town So I took my leave they begging to hear from me and desired my welfare Then I rode to a place called Lew where I desired to stay an hour but it was hard to be obtained of the Quartermaster though he had promised Captain Langdon that I should see some friends there yet when I came there he was afraid I should have broke out into prayer there and so have staied him longer then he would but I and my friends did so intreat him that he gave me leave to go with a Souldier with me to bring me quickly back to him again he staying a little way off and said that I should have no body come into the house that I went to this he charged the Souldier so that coming to that house I went to there I was entertained with much love and some few did hear of my being there and came to see me and watched for my coming out I had some discourse with a blind man there who had much of the light of the Lord in his soul and his words were so savoury that my heart was quickned by the Lord in that discourse I had with this seeing soul though blind outwardly and I stayed among them a while till I was full of joy in the sight of these dear friends so that being hurried away by the Souldiers I brake forth into tears and said the time will come that spirituall communion shall not be interrupted and indeed the thoughts of Eternity melted my heart that I said I weep not for sorrow but my tears flow from apprehensions of communion with the Lord and those glorified Saints there if Saints on earth did so take up my heart I said what will that company be to me in heaven sure it will be joy to the full So those dear souls went with me out of the Town and then bid farewell saying they were sory I could stay no longer with them so I parted and rode towards Plimmouth with very much of the Lords presence And when I came to Plimmouth after the Quartermaster had been to inform that I was coming he came and had me up to the Fort two of the other Souldiers going with me and four others who were my friends these bore me company to the Fort and when I came into the Lieutenants house I sate down a while and he told me I was committed to his charge as his prisoner for that Major Sanders was not there unto whom the Letter was sent concerning me so after a few words had past between us I defired him to let me hear the order read so he read it wherein was exprest that I was to be sent from thence in the first States Ship that went to Portsmouth and so to be sent from thence to the Counsell and when this was read after a little while spent in discourse Lieutenant Lark in whose house I was a prisoner he asked me whether I would go up stairs and see my chamber unto which I was willing and my four friends went up with me and I blesse the Lord I never was in so blessed a frame in my life being in an ordinary capacity the which I was in a while but at length the Lord wound me up higher and as I was telling you that coming into my chamber I found the Lord Christ opening his love to me from that Scripture in Hosea the 2.19 I have betrothed thee to my self in mercy and loving kindnesse for ever And I had some inlargement upon that and likewise from Scripture expressions in the Canticles and in Habbakuk but I omit writing what sweet unfoldings I had therein from the Lord because I intend if the Lord will give me opportunity to write down the cordialls of the Lord which I had in my confinement by man in a book wherein I shall set out Satans prison the which I was in a year before mans prison that very month that I was set at liberty from Satans confinement men confined me which was the second month called April which was a year after that horrible pit of Satans the which I lay in from the beginning of February till the beginning of April about nine weeks but I have been in mans prison 15. weeks yet that was to me much easier then a shortertime in Sataus clutches But I return to the Relation of my first coming into prison I was exceedingly transported in my spirits and I was as if I had been to die presently nothing was in my thoughts but divine bosome which made me bid farewell to all creatures I thought I could have imbraced death though it should be never so gastly and cruelly tendered to me I never had such joy in the thoughts of death and I said to Lieutenant Lark pray Sir let me have the liberty to be private a while with my friends who came with me the which he granted and he went down from us then I said this is the greatest preferment as ever I had to be honoured with a prison for Christ this is honour said I indeed I now can take my leave of all things under the Sun and see all things vanity and poor empty nothings and I said farewell all creatures and welcome Christ then I desired my friends that we might pray together before they departed for I said it was the best work to begin my imprisonment in spirituall Communion then we prayed and after some time spent in prayer the Sonne of righteousnesse shone so hot on my spitits that I could not forbear singing forth his prarise and my friends told me that I was three hours on my knees praying and praising that I felt no pain nor wearisomnesse though I had journeyed so far They took me off my knees and set me in a chair where I sat some hours after in singing and then was silent and some women put me to bed where I lay praying and singing the other part of that night while morning and the maid that tended me said she sate in the