CHAPTER VII (3)

About this time Rice Jones of Nottingham (who had been a Baptist, and was turned Ranter,) and his company, began to prophesy against me, giving out, that I was then at the highest, and that after that time I should fall down as fast. He sent a bundle of railing papers from Nottingham to Mansfield, Clawson, and the towns thereabouts, judging Friends for declaring the truth in the markets and in steeple-houses; which papers I answered. But his and his company’s prophecies came upon themselves; for soon after they fell to pieces, and many of his followers became Friends, and continued so. And through the Lord’s blessed power, truth and Friends have increased, and do increase in the increase of God: and I, by the same power, have been and am preserved, and kept in the everlasting Seed, that never fell, nor changes. But Rice Jones took the oaths that were put to him, and so disobeyed the command of Christ. Many such false prophets have risen up against me, but the Lord hath blasted them, and will blast all who rise against the blessed Seed, and me in that. My confidence is in the Lord; for I saw their end, and how the Lord would confound them, before he sent me forth.

I was now at Synderhill-Green, where I had had a large meeting in the daytime; and at night we had a great meeting again in Thomas Stacey’s house; for people came from far, and could not soon depart. The high sheriff of the county told Captain Bradford, that he intended to come up with half a dozen of his troopers to the meeting; but the Lord prevented him. When I had attended some meetings thereabouts, I travelled up and down in Yorkshire, as far as Holderness, and to the land’s end that way, visiting Friends and the churches of Christ; which were finely settled under Christ’s teaching. At length I came to Captain Bradford’s house, whither many Ranters came from York to wrangle; but they were confounded and stopped. Thither came also she who was called the Lady Montague, who was then convinced, and lived and died in the truth.

Then I came again to Thomas Taylor’s, within three miles of Halifax, where was a meeting of about two hundred people; amongst which were many rude people, and divers butchers, several of whom had bound themselves with an oath before they came out, that they would kill me (as I was told); one of those butchers had been accused of killing a man and a woman. They came in a very rude manner, and made a great disturbance in the meeting. The meeting being in a field, Thomas Taylor stood up, and said unto them, “If you will be civil, you may stay, but if not, I charge you to be gone from off my ground.” But they were the worse, and said they would make it like a common; and they yelled, and made a noise, as if they had been at a bear-baiting. They thrust Friends up and down; and Friends being peaceable, the Lord’s power came over them. Several times they thrust me off from the place I stood on, by the crowding of the people together against me; but still I was moved of the Lord to stand up again, as I was thrust down. At last I was moved of the Lord to say unto them, “if they would discourse of the things of God, let them come up to me one by one; and if they had anything to say or to object, I would answer them all, one after another;” but they were all silent, and had nothing to say. And then the Lord’s power came so over them all, and answered the witness of God in them, that they were bound by the power of God; and a glorious, powerful meeting we had, and his power went over all, and the minds of the people were turned by the Spirit of God in them to God, and to Christ their teacher. The powerful word of life was largely declared that day; and in the life and power of God we broke up our meeting; and that rude company went their way to Halifax. The people asked them, why they did not kill me, according to the oath they had sworn; and they maliciously answered, that I had so bewitched them, that they could not do it. Thus was the devil chained at that time. Friends told me, that they used to come at other times, and be very rude; and sometimes break their stools and seats, and make frightful work amongst them; but the Lord’s power had now bound them.

Shortly after this, the butcher, that had been accused of killing a man and a woman before, and who was one of them that had then bound himself by an oath to kill me, killed another man, and was sent to York jail. Another of those rude butchers, who had also sworn to kill me, having accustomed himself to thrust his tongue out of his mouth, in derision of Friends, when they passed by him, had it so swollen out of his mouth, that he could never draw it in again, but died so. Several strange and sudden judgments came upon many of these conspirators against me, which would be too large here to declare. God’s vengeance from heaven came upon the blood-thirsty, who sought after blood; for all such spirits I laid before the Lord, and left them to him to deal with them, who is stronger than all; in whose power I was preserved, and carried on to do his work. The Lord hath raised a fine people in these parts, whom he hath drawn to Christ, and gathered in his name; who feel Christ amongst them, and sit under his teaching.

After this I came to Balby; from whence several Friends went with me into Lincolnshire; of whom some went to the steeple-houses, and some to private meetings. There came to the meeting where I was, the sheriff of Lincoln, and several with him, who made great contention and jangling for a time. But at length the Lord’s power struck him, that he was convinced of the truth, and received the word of life, as did several others also that had opposed, and continued among Friends till they died. Great meetings there were, and a large convincement in those parts. Many were turned to the Lord Jesus, and came to sit under his teaching; leaving their priests, and their superstitious ways; and the day of the Lord flourished over all. Amongst them that came to our meetings in that country, was one called Sir Richard Wrey, who was convinced; as was also his brother, and his brother’s wife, who abode in the truth, and died therein, though he afterwards ran out.

Having visited these countries, I came into Derbyshire; the sheriff of Lincoln, who was lately convinced, being with me. In one meeting we had some opposition, but the Lord’s glorious power gave dominion over all. At night there came a company of bailiffs and serving-men, and called me out. I went out to them, having some Friends with me. They were exceedingly rude and violent; for they had plotted together, and intended to carry me away with them in the dark of the evening by force: and then to do me a mischief; but the Lord’s power went over them, and chained them, so that they could not effect their design; and at last they went away. The next day, Thomas Aldam understanding that the serving-men belonged to one called a knight, who lived not far off, went to his house, and laid before him the bad conduct of his servants. The knight rebuked them, and did not allow of their evil carriage towards us.

After this we came into Nottinghamshire to Skegby, where we had a great meeting of divers sorts of people: and the Lord’s power went over them, and all was quiet. The people were turned to the Spirit of God, by which many came to receive his power, and to sit under the teaching of Christ, their Saviour. A great people the Lord hath in those parts.

I passed towards Kidsley Park, where came many Ranters; but the Lord’s power checked them. From thence I went into the Peak Country towards Thomas Hammersley’s, where came the Ranters of that country, and many high professors. The Ranters opposed me, and began swearing. When I reproved them for it, they would bring Scripture for it, and said, Abraham, and Jacob, and Joseph swore; and the priests, Moses, the prophets, and the angels swore. Then I told them, “I confessed all these did so, as the Scripture records; but, said I, Christ (who said, ‘Before Abraham was, I am’) saith, ‘Swear not at all.’ And Christ ends the prophets, and the old priesthood, and the dispensation of Moses, and reigns over the house of Jacob and of Joseph; and he says, ‘Swear not at all.’ And God, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, saith, ‘Let all the angels of God worship him,’him,’ to wit, Christ Jesus, who saith, ‘Swear not at all.’ And as for the plea that men make for swearing to end their strife, Christ, who says, ‘Swear not at all,’ destroys the Devil and his works, who is the author of strife, for that is one of his works. And God said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.’ So the Son is to be heard, who forbids swearing. And the apostle James, who heard the Son of God, followed him, and preached him, forbids all oaths, James v. 12.” So the Lord’s power went over them: and his Son and his doctrine was set over them. The word of life was fully and richly preached, and many were convinced that day. This Thomas Hammersley being summoned to serve upon a jury, was admitted to serve without an oath; and when he, as foreman of the jury, brought in the verdict, the judge declared, “that he had been a judge many years, but never heard a more upright verdict than that Quaker had then brought in.” Much might be written of things of this nature, which time would fail to declare. But the Lord’s blessed power and truth was exalted over all, who is worthy of all praise and glory for ever!

Travelling through Derbyshire, I visited Friends till I came to Swannington, in Leicestershire, where there was a general meeting, to which many Ranters, Baptists, and other professors came; for great contests there had been with them, and with the priests in that town. To this meeting several Friends came from various parts, as John Audland, Francis Howgill, and Edward Pyot from Bristol, and Edward Burrough from London; and several were convinced in those parts. The Ranters made a disturbance, and were very rude, but at last the Lord’s power came over them, and they were confounded. The next day Jacob Bottomley, a great Ranter, came from Leicester; but the Lord’s power stopped him, and came over them all. There came a priest too, but he also was confounded by the mighty power of the Lord. About this time the priests, Baptists, Ranters, and other professors, were very rude, and stirred up the rude people against us. We sent to the Ranters to come forth, and try their God. Abundance of them came, who were very rude, and sung, and whistled, and danced; but the Lord’s power so confounded them, that many of them came to be convinced.

After this I went to Twycross, whither came some Ranters, who sung and danced before me. But I was moved in the dread of the Lord to reprove them; and the Lord’s power came over them, so that some of them were convinced, and received the Spirit of God; and are become a fine people, living and walking soberly in the truth of Christ. I went to Anthony Brickley’s in Warwickshire, where there was a great meeting; several Baptists and other people came and jangled; but the Lord’s power came over them.

Then I went to Drayton in Leicestershire to visit my relations. As soon as I was come in, Nathaniel Stephens the priest, having got another priest, and given notice to the country, sent to me to come to them, as they could not do anything till I came. Having been three years away from my relations, I knew nothing of their design. But at last I went into the steeple-house yard, where the two priests were; and they had gathered abundance of people. When I came there, they would have me go into the steeple-house. I asked them what I should do there; and they said, Mr. Stephens could not bear the cold. I told them he might bear it as well as I. At last we went into a great hall, Richard Farnsworth being with me; and a great dispute we had with these priests, concerning their practices, how contrary they were to Christ and his apostles. The priests would know where tithes were forbidden or ended. I showed them out of the seventh chapter to the Hebrews, “that not only tithes but the priesthood that took tithes, was ended; and the law was ended and disannulled, by which the priesthood was made, and tithes were commanded to be paid.” Then the priests stirred up the people to some lightness and rudeness. I had known Stephens from a child, therefore I laid open his condition, and the manner of his preaching; and “how that he, like the rest of the priests, did apply the promises to the first birth, which must die. But I showed that the promises were to the Seed, not to the many seeds, but to one Seed, Christ; who was one in male and female; for all were to be born again before they could enter into the kingdom of God.” Then he said, I must not judge so: but I told him, “he that was spiritual judged all things.” Then he confessed that that was a full Scripture; “but, neighbours,” said he, “this is the business; George Fox is come to the light of the sun, and now he thinks to put out my star-light.” I told him, “I would not quench the least measure of God in any, much less put out his star-light, if it were true star-light—light from the morning star.” But I told him, “if he had anything from Christ or God, he ought to speak it freely, and not take tithes from the people for preaching, seeing Christ commanded his ministers to give freely, as they had received freely.” So I charged him to preach no more for tithes, or any hire. But he said he would not yield to that. After a while the people began to be vain and rude; so we broke up; yet some were made loving to the truth that day. Before we parted, I told them that, if the Lord would, I intended to be at the town again that day week.