CHAPTER V

CHAPTER V.

1652.—George Fox visits great men’s houses, warning them to repent—is accused of calling himself Christ—refutes the charge, and tells the accuser that Judas’s end would he his, which shortly came to pass; hence a slander is raised against Friends—is stoned at Doncaster—a scoffing priest made to tremble at the Lord’s power—a slandering priest cut off in his wickedness—a murderous man seeks George Fox, but misses him—he lays in a wood all night—the influence of one man or woman, who lives in the same spirit that the prophets and apostles were in, is to be felt within a circuit of ten miles—George Fox ascends Pendle Hill, whence he sees the place of a great gathering of people—on descending, refreshes himself at a spring of water, having taken little sustenance for several days—foresees a great people in white raiment about Wensleydale and Sedbergh—a wicked man designs to injure him, but is prevented—many are convinced in Dent, and a meeting is settled at Sedbergh, where he had seen a people in white raiment—preaches for several hours in the steeple-house yard there—preaches on a rock, near Firbank chapel, to 1,000 people, for three hours—the family of Judge Fell convinced, and a meeting settled at his house, and continued for forty years—preaches through Lancaster streets—at a meeting of priests at Ulverstone he speaks in great power, so that one of them said, “the church shook”—disputes with priest Lampitt—Justice Sawrey is the first persecutor in the north—forty priests appear against George Fox at Lancaster Sessions for speaking blasphemy; they are confounded, and he is cleared of the charge—James Naylor’s account of George Fox’s trial at Lancaster Sessions—priest Jackus is reproved from the bench for his blasphemy—these priests are reproved by the populace—Col. West defends and protects George Fox against the machinations of the priests, and the design of Judge Windham, at the risk of losing his place.

From Patrington I went to several great men’s houses, warning them to repent. Some received me lovingly, and some slighted me. Thus I passed on, and at night came to another town, where I desired lodging and meat, and I would pay for it; but they would not lodge me, except I would go to the constable, which was the custom (they said) of all lodgers at inns, if strangers. I told them I should not go; for that custom was for suspicious persons, but I was an innocent man. After I had warned them to repent, declared unto them the day of their visitation, and directed them to the light of Christ and Spirit of God, that they might come to know salvation, I passed away; and the people were something tendered, and troubled afterwards. When it grew dark, I spied a hay-stack, and went and sat under it all night, till morning.

The next day I passed into Hull, admonishing and warning people, as I went, to turn to Christ Jesus that they might receive salvation. That night I got a lodging, but was very sore with travelling on foot so far.

Afterwards I came to Balby, and visited Friends up and down in those parts; and then passed into the edge of Nottinghamshire, visiting Friends there; and so into Lincolnshire, and visited Friends there. And on the First-day of the week I went to a steeple-house on this side of Trent; and in the afternoon to one on the other side of the Trent, declaring the word of life to the people, and directing them to their teacher, Christ Jesus, who died for them that they might hear him, and receive salvation by him. Then I went further into the country, and had several meetings. To one meeting came a great man, and a priest and many professors; but the Lord’s power came over them all, and they went their ways peaceably. There came a man to that meeting, who had been at one before, and raised a false accusation against me, and made a noise up and down the country, reporting that I had said I was Christ; which was utterly false.

And when I came to Gainsborough, where a Friend had been declaring truth in the market, the town and market-people were all in an uproar. I went into a friendly man’s house, and the people rushed in after me; so that the house was filled with professors, disputers, and rude people. This false accuser came in, and charged me openly before all the people, that I had said, I was Christ, and he had got witnesses to prove it. This set the people into such a rage, that they had much to do to keep their hands off me. Then I was moved of the Lord God to stand up on the table, and, in the eternal power of God, to tell the people “That Christ was in them, except they were reprobates; and that it was Christ the eternal power of God, that spoke in me at that time unto them; not that I was Christ.” And the people were generally satisfied, except himself, a professor, and his own false-witnesses. I called the accuser Judas, and was moved to tell him, that Judas’s end would be his; and that that was the word of the Lord and of Christ, through me, to him. So the Lord’s power came over all, and quieted the minds of the people, and they departed in peace. But this Judas went away, and shortly after hanged himself, and a stake was driven into his grave. Afterwards the wicked priests raised a scandal upon us, and reported that a Quaker had hanged himself in Lincolnshire, and had a stake driven through him. This falsehood they printed to the nation, adding sin to sin; which the truth and we were clear of: for he was no more a Quaker than the priest that printed it, but was one of their own people. But notwithstanding this wicked slander, by which the adversary designed to defame us, and turn people’s minds against the truth we held forth, many in Lincolnshire received the gospel, being convinced of the Lord’s everlasting truth, and sat down therein under the Lord’s heavenly teaching.

After this I passed, in the Lord’s power, into Yorkshire, came to Warmsworth, and went to the steeple-house in the forenoon,[13] but they shut the door against me; yet after a while they let in Thomas Aldam, and then shut it again; and the priest fell upon him, asking him questions. At last they opened the door, and I went in. As soon as I was in the priest’s sight, he discontinued preaching, though I said nothing to him, and asked me, “What have you to say!” and presently cried out, “Come, come, I will prove them false prophets, in Matthew;” but he was so confounded, he could not find the chapter. Then he fell on me, asking me many questions, and I stood still all this while, not saying anything amongst them. At last I said, “Seeing here are so many questions asked, I may answer them.” But as soon as I began to speak, the people violently rushed upon me, and thrust me out of the steeple-house again, and locked the door on me. As soon as they had done their service, and were come forth, the people ran upon me, and knocked me sorely with their staves, threw clods and stones at me, and abused me much; the priest also, being in a great rage, laid violent hands on me himself. But I warned them and him of the terrible day of the Lord, and exhorted them to repent, and turn to Christ. Being filled with the Lord’s refreshing power, I was not sensible of much hurt I had received by their blows. In the afternoon I went to another steeple-house, but the priest had done before I got thither; so I preached repentance to the people that were left, and directed them to their inward teacher, Jesus Christ.

From hence I went to Balby, and so to Doncaster, where I had formerly preached repentance on the market-day; which had made a noise and alarm in the country. On the First-day I went to the steeple-house, and after the priest had done, I spoke to him and the people what the Lord had commanded me; and they were in a great rage, hurried me out, threw me down, and haled me before the magistrates. A long examination they made of me, and much work I had with them. They threatened my life if ever I came there again; and that they would leave me to the mercy of the people. Nevertheless, I declared truth amongst them, and directed them to the light of Christ in them; testifying unto them that “God was come to teach his people himself, whether they would hear or forbear.” After a while they put us out (for some Friends were with me) among the rude multitude, and they stoned us down the street. An innkeeper, that was a bailiff, came and took us into his house; and they broke his head, that the blood ran down his face, with the stones that they threw at us. We stayed a while in his house, and showed the more sober people the priest’s fruits. Then we went to Balby, about a mile off, and the rude people laid wait for us, and stoned us down the lane; but, blessed be the Lord, we did not receive much hurt.

The next First-day I went to Tickhill, whither the Friends of that side gathered together, and in the meeting a mighty brokenness by the power of God was amongst the people. I went out of the meeting, being moved of God to go to the steeple-house; and when I came there, I found the priest and most of the chief of the parish together in the chancel. So I went up to them, and began to speak; but they immediately fell upon me; and the clerk took up his Bible, as I was speaking, and struck me on the face with it, so that it gushed out with blood, and I bled exceedingly in the steeple-house. Then the people cried, “Let us have him out of the church;” and when they had got me out, they beat me exceedingly, and threw me down, and over a hedge; and afterwards they dragged me through a house into the street, stoning and beating me as they drew me along, so that I was besmeared all over with blood and dirt. They got my hat from me, which I never obtained again. Yet when I was got upon my legs again, I declared to them the word of life, and showed them the fruits of their teacher, and how they dishonoured Christianity. After a while I got into the meeting again amongst Friends; and the priest and people coming by the house, I went forth with Friends into the yard, and there I spoke to the priest and people. The priest scoffed at us, and called us Quakers. But the Lord’s power was so over them, and the word of life was declared in such authority and dread to them, that the priest began trembling himself; and one of the people said, “Look how the priest trembles and shakes, he is turned a Quaker also.” When the meeting was over, Friends departed; and I went without my hat to Balby, about seven or eight miles. Friends were much abused that day by the priest and his people; insomuch that some moderate justices hearing of it, two or three of them came, and sat at the town, to hear and examine the business. And he that had shed my blood was afraid of having his hand cut off, for striking me in the church (as they called it;) but I forgave him, and would not appear against him.

In the beginning of this year 1652 great rage got up in priests and people, and in some of the magistrates of the West-Riding of Yorkshire, against the truth and Friends; insomuch that the priest of Warmsworth procured a warrant from the justices against me and Thomas Aldam, to be executed in any part of the West-Riding of Yorkshire. At the same time I had a vision of a bear and two great mastiff dogs; that I should pass by them, and they should do me no hurt; and it proved so: for the constable took Thomas Aldam and carried him to York. I went with Thomas Aldam twenty miles towards York: and the constable had the warrant for me also, and said, “he saw me, but he was loath to trouble men that were strangers; but Thomas Aldam was his neighbour.” So the Lord’s power restrained him, that he had not power to meddle with me. We came to Lieutenant Roper’s, where we had a great meeting of many considerable men; and the truth was powerfully declared amongst them, and the Scriptures wonderfully opened, and the parables and sayings of Christ were expounded, and the state of the church in the apostles’ days was plainly set forth, and the apostacy since from that state discovered. The truth had great dominion that day, so that those great men that were present did generally confess to it, saying, “they believed that this principle must go over the whole world.” There were at this meeting James Naylor, Thomas Goodyear,[14] and William Dewsbury, who had been convinced the year before; and Richard Farnsworth also. And the constable stayed with Thomas Aldam till the meeting was over, and then went towards York prison; but did not meddle with me.