CHAPTER XIV (6)

About this time the oaths of allegiance and supremacy were tendered to Friends, as a snare, because it was known we could not swear, and thereupon many were imprisoned, and divers premunired. Upon that occasion Friends published in print “The grounds and reasons why they refused to swear;” besides which I was moved to issue these few lines, to be given to the magistrates:—

“The world saith, ‘Kiss the book;’ but the book saith, ‘Kiss the Son, lest he be angry.’ And the Son saith, ‘Swear not at all,’ but keep to Yea and Nay in all your communications; for whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil. Again, the world saith, ‘Lay your hand on the book,’ but the book saith, ‘Handle the word;’ and the word saith, ‘Handle not the traditions,’ nor the inventions, nor the rudiments of the world. And God saith, ‘This is my beloved Son, hear Him,’ who is the life, the truth, the light, and the way to God.”

Now their being very many Friends in prison in the nation, Richard Hubberthorn and I drew up paper concerning them,[73] and got it delivered to the king, that he might understand how we were dealt with by his officers. It was directed thus:—

“Friend,

“Who art the chief ruler of these dominions, here is a list of some of the sufferings of the people of God, in scorn called Quakers, that have suffered under the changeable powers before thee, by whom there have been imprisoned, and under whom there have suffered for good conscience’ sake, and for bearing testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus, ‘three‘three thousand one hundred and seventy-three persons,’ and there lie yet in prison in the name of the Commonwealth ‘seventy-three persons,’ that we know of. And there died in prison in the time of the Commonwealth, and of Oliver and Richard, the protectors, through cruel and hard imprisonments, upon nasty straw, and in dungeons, ‘thirty-two persons.’persons.’ There have been also imprisoned in thy name, since thy arrival, by such as thought to ingratiate themselves thereby with thee, ‘three thousand, sixty and eight persons.’ Besides this, our meetings are daily broken up by men with clubs and arms, though we meet peaceably, according to the practice of God’s people in the primitive times, and our Friends are thrown into waters, and trod upon, till the very blood gushes out of them; the number of which abuses can hardly be uttered.

“Now this we would have of thee, to set them at liberty that lie in prison in the names of the Commonwealth, and of the two Protectors, and them that lie in thy own name, for speaking the truth, and for good conscience’ sake, who have not lifted up a hand against thee or any man; and that the meetings of our Friends, who meet peaceably together in the fear of God, to worship him, may not be broken up by rude people, with their clubs, swords, and staves. One of the greatest things that we have suffered for formerly, was, because we could not swear to the Protectors and all the changeable governments; and now we are imprisoned because we cannot take the oath of allegiance. Now, if our yea be not yea, and nay, nay, to thee, and to all men upon the earth, let us suffer as much for breaking that, as others do for breaking an oath. We have suffered these many years, both in lives and estates, under these changeable governments, because we cannot swear, but obey Christ’s doctrine, who commands, ‘we should not swear at all’ (Matt. v. James v.), and this we seal with our lives and estates, with our yea and nay, according to the doctrine of Christ. Hearken to these things, and so consider them in the wisdom of God, that by it such actions may be stopped; thou that hast the government and mayest do it. We desire that all that are in prison may be set at liberty, and that for the time to come they may not be imprisoned for conscience and for truth’s sake; and if thou question the innocency of their sufferings, let them and their accusers be brought up before thee, and we shall produce a more particular and full account of their sufferings if required.”

I mentioned before, that in the year 1650, I was kept prisoner six months in the house of correction at Derby, and that the keeper of the prison, a cruel man, and one that had dealt very wickedly towards me, was smitten in himself, the plagues and terrors of the Lord falling upon him because thereof (p. 57.). This man, being afterwards convinced of truth, wrote me the following letter:—

“Dear Friend,

“Having such a convenient messenger, I could do no less than give thee an account of my present condition, remembering, that in the first awakening of me to a sense of life, and of the inward principle, God was pleased to make use of thee as an instrument. So that sometimes I am taken with admiration that it should come by such a means as it did; that is to say, that providence should order thee to be my prisoner, to give me my first real sight of the truth. It makes me many times think of the jailer’s conversion by the apostles. O happy George Fox! that first breathed that breath of life within the walls of my habitation! Notwithstanding my outward losses are since that time such, that I am become nothing in the world, yet I hope I shall find that all these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, will work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They have taken all from me, and now, instead of keeping a prison, I am rather waiting the time when I shall become a prisoner myself. Pray for me, that my faith fail not, but that I may hold out unto death, that I may receive a crown of life. I earnestly desire to hear from thee, and of thy condition, which would very much rejoice me. Not having else at present but my kind love unto thee, and all Christian Friends with thee, in haste, I rest, thine, in Christ Jesus,

Derby, 22nd of 4th Month, 1662.

There were two of our friends in prison in the Inquisition at Malta, both women; Katherine Evans and Sarah Chevers.[74] I was told that one called the Lord D’Aubigny [a Roman Catholic priest], could procure their liberty, so I went to him; and having informed him concerning their imprisonment, desired him to write to the magistrates there for their release. He readily promised he would; and, “if I would come again within a month, he would tell me of their discharge.” I went again about that time, and he said, “he thought his letters had miscarried, because he had received no answer.” But he promised he would write again, and he did so; and they were both set at liberty.

With this great man I had much reasoning about religion, and he confessed that “Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world, with his spiritual light; that he tasted death for every man; that the grace of God, which brings salvation, hath appeared to all men, and that it would teach them and bring their salvation, if they obeyed it.”it.” Then I asked him, “what would they (the Papists) do with all their relics and images, if they should own and believe in this light, and receive the grace to teach and bring their salvation?” He said, “those things were but policies, to keep people in subjection.” He was very free in discourse; I never heard a Papist confess so much as he did.

Though several about the court began to grow loving to Friends, yet persecution was very hot, and several Friends died in prison. Whereupon I gave forth a little paper concerning the grounds and rise of persecution; which was thus:—

“All the sufferings of the people of God in all ages were, because they could not join in the national religions and worships, which men had made and set up; and because they would not forsake God’s religion and his worship, which he had set up. You may see through all chronicles and histories, that the priests joined with the powers of the nation; the magistrates, soothsayers, and fortune-tellers, all united against the people of God, and imagined vain things against them in their councils. When the Jews did wickedly, they turned against Moses; and when the Jewish kings transgressed the law of God, they persecuted the prophets, as may be seen in the prophets’ writings. When Christ, the substance, came, the Jews persecuted Christ, his apostles, and disciples. And when the Jews had not power enough of themselves to persecute answerably to their wills, they got the heathen Gentiles to help them against Christ, and against his apostles and disciples, who were in the Spirit and power of Christ.”

After I had made some stay in London, and had cleared myself of those services that at that time lay upon me there, I went into the country, having with me Alexander Parker and John Stubbs. We travelled through the country, visiting Friends’ meetings, till we came to Bristol. There we understood the officers were likely to come and break up the meeting. Yet on First-day we went to the meeting at Broadmead, and Alexander Parker standing up first, while he was speaking the officers came and took him away. After he was gone, I stood up, and declared the everlasting truth of the Lord God in his eternal power, which came over all; the meeting was quiet the rest of the time, and broke up peaceably. I tarried till the First-day following, visiting Friends, and being visited by them.

On First-day morning several Friends came to Edward Pyot’s house (where I lay the night before,) and used great endeavours to persuade me not to go to the meeting that day, for the magistrates, they said, had threatened to take me, and had raised the trained bands. I wished them to go to the meeting, not telling them what I intended to do; but I told Edward Pyot I intended to go, and he sent his son to show me the way from his house by the fields. As I went I met divers Friends who were coming to me to prevent my going, and did what they could to stop me. “What!” said one, “wilt thou go into the mouth of the beast?” “Wilt thou go into the mouth of the dragon?” said another. I put them by and went on. When I came to the meeting, Margaret Thomas was speaking; and when she had done, I stood up. I saw a concern and fear upon Friends for me; but the power of the Lord, in which I declared, soon struck the fear out of them; life sprang, and a glorious heavenly meeting we had. After I had cleared myself of what was upon me from the Lord to the meeting, I was moved to pray; and after that to stand up again, and tell Friends, “Now they might see there was a God in Israel that could deliver.” A very large meeting this was, and very hot; but truth was over all, the life was exalted, which carried through all, and the meeting broke up in peace. The officers and soldiers had been breaking up another meeting, which had taken up their time, so that our meeting was ended before they came. But I understood afterwards they were in a great rage, because they had missed me; for they were heard to say one to another before, “I’ll warrant we shall have him;” but the Lord prevented them.

I went from the meeting to Joan Hily’s, where many Friends came to see me, rejoicing and blessing God for our deliverance. In the evening I had a fine fresh meeting among Friends at a Friend’s house over the water, where we were much refreshed in the Lord. After this I stayed most part of that week in Bristol, and at Edward Pyot’s. Edward was brought so low and weak with an ague, that when I first came, he was looked upon as a dying man; but it pleased the Lord to raise him up again, so that before I went away, his ague left him, and he was finely well.

Having been two First-days together at the meeting at Broadmead, and feeling my spirit clear of Bristol, I went next First-day to a meeting in the country not far distant. And after the meeting, some Friends from Bristol told me, that the soldiers that day had beset the meeting house round at Bristol, and then went up, saying, “they would be sure to have me now;” but when they came, and found me not there, they were in a great rage, and kept the Friends in the meeting-house most part of the day, before they would let them go home; and queried of them, which way I was gone, and how they might send after me; “for the mayor,” they said, “would fain have spoken with me.” I had a vision of a great mastiff dog, that would have bitten me, but I put one hand above his jaws, and the other hand below, and tore his jaws in pieces. So the Lord by his power tore their power to pieces, and made way for me to escape them.