shaken. We were called before Judge Fell, Colonel West, Justice Sawrey, &c., to answer what was charged against George. There were three witnesses to eight particulars, but they were much confused in themselves; which gave much light to the truth; whereby the justices did plainly see that it was envy; and they many times told them so. One of the witnesses was a young priest, who confessed he should not have meddled, had not another priest sent for him, and set him to work. The other witnesses were two priests' sons: it was proved there by many that heard one of them say, 'if he had power he would make George deny his profession, and that he would take away his life.' This was a single witness to one of the greatest untruths that was charged against George; and the justices told him, that they saw, because he could not take away his life, he went about to take away his liberty. There was one priest chosen out of the whole number, as an orator to plead against us; who spared no pains to show forth his envy against the truth: and when he could not prevail, he went down in a rage; and there came up a number of them into the room, among whom was one Jackus. George was then speaking in the room, one of the justices having desired him, if he had anything to say, he would speak, at which priest Jackus was in such a rage, that he broke forth into many high expressions against the truth spoken by my dear brother George; amongst which this was one that the letter and the Spirit were inseparable. Hereupon the justices stood up, and bid him prove that, before he went any further. Then seeing himself caught, he would have denied it; and when he could not get off so, the rest of the priests would have helped him to a meaning for his words; but the justices would admit no other meaning than the plain sense of the words, and told him he had laid down a position, and it was fit he should prove it; pressing the matter close upon him. Whereupon the priests, being put to silence, went down in a greater rage than before; and some of them, after they were gone down, being asked what they had done, lied and said, they could not get into the room; thereby to hide their shame, and keep the people in blindness. The justices, Judge Fell and Colonel West, were much convinced of the truth, and set up justice and equity; and have much silenced the rage of the people. Many bitter spirits were at Lancaster to see the event, but went home and cried the priests had lost the day: everlasting praises be to him who fought the battle for us, who is our King for ever! There were others called, whom the witnesses confessed were in the room when the things charged on George were said to have been spoken; but they all, as one man, denied that any such words were spoken; which gave much light to the justices, and they durst rely on what they witnessed; for they said they knew many of them to be honest men. There was a warrant granted against us at Appleby; but Justice Benson told them it was not according to law, and so it ceased. I hear he is a faithful man in the truth. The priests began to preach against the justices, and said, they were not to meddle in these things, but to end controversy between neighbour and neighbour. They are not pleased with the law, because it is not in the statute to imprison us, as the priest that pleaded against us said. The justices bid him put it into the statute, if he could; he said, it should want

no will of his. They are much afraid that they shall lose all; they are much discontented in these parts; and some of them cry, all is gone." Dear Friends, dwell in patience, and wait upon the Lord, who will do his own work. Look not at man, in the work; nor at man, who opposeth the work; but rest in the will of the Lord, that so ye may be furnished with patience, both to do and to suffer what ye shall be called unto; that your end in all things may be his praise. Take up his cross freely, which keeps low the fleshly man; that Christ may be set up and honoured in all things, the light advanced in you, and the judgment set up, which must give sentence against all that opposeth the truth;-that the captivity may be led captive, and the prisoner set free to seek the Lord;-that righteousness may rule in you, and peace and joy may dwell in you, wherein consisteth the kingdom of the Father; to whom be all praise for ever! Dear Friends, meet often together; and take heed of what exalteth itself above its brother; but keep low, and serve one another in love for the Lord's sake. Let all Friends know how it is with us, that God may have the praise of all."

Written from Kellet, the 30th

of the 8th Month, 1652.

J. N.

At this time I was in a fast, and was not to eat until this work of God, which then lay weighty upon me, was accomplished. But the Lord's power was wonderfully exalted, and gave truth and Friends dominion therein over all, to his glory. This gospel was freely preached that day, over the heads of about forty hireling priests. I stayed two or three days afterwards in Lancaster, and had some meetings there; and the rude and baser sort of people plotted together to draw me out of the house, and to throw me over Lancaster bridge, but the Lord prevented them. Then they invented another mischief, which was this: after a meeting at Lancaster they brought down a distracted man, and another with him with bundles of birchen rods, bound together like besoms, with which they would have whipped me: but I was moved to speak to them in the Lord's mighty power, which chained down the distracted man, and the other also, and made them calm and quiet. Then I bid him throw his rods into the fire, and burn them; and he did so. Thus the Lord's power being over them, they departed quietly.

But the priests, fretting to see themselves overthrown at the sessions at Lancaster, got some of the envious justices to join with them; and, at the following assize at Lancaster, informed Judge Windham against me. Whereupon the judge made a speech against me in open court; and commanded Colonel West, who was clerk of the assize, to issue forth a warrant for the apprehending of me: but Colonel West told the judge of my innocency, and spoke boldly in my defence. Yet the judge commanded him again, either to write a warrant, or go off from his seat: then he told the judge plainly that he would not do it; but that he would offer up all his estate, and his body also, for me. Thus he stopped the judge; and the Lord's power came over all; so that the priests and justices could not get their

envy executed. That same night I came into LANCASTER, it being the assize time, and hearing of a warrant to be given out against me, I judged it better to show myself openly, than for my adversaries to seek me. So I went to Judge Fell's and Colonel West's chambers. As soon as I came in they smiled on me; and Colonel West said, "What! are you come into the dragon's mouth ?" I stayed in town till the judge went out of town; and I walked up and down the town, but no one meddled with me, or questioned me. Thus the Lord's blessed power, which is over all, carried me through and over this exercise, gave dominion over his enemies, and enabled me to go on in his glorious work and service for his great name's sake. For though the beast maketh war against the saints, yet the Lamb hath got, and will get, the victory.

CHAPTER VI.

1652-1653.-George Fox is branded by the priests as a witch-writes to Justice Sawrey, prophesying of the judgments impending over him-warning to priest Lampitt-exhortation to the people of Ulverstone-to the followers of Lampitt, against a hireling ministry, &c.-a rebuke to Adam Sands for his wickedness-to priest Tatham, against his hireling ministry and his suing for tithes-foretells the dissolution of the Long Parliament-fasts ten days-James Milner and Richard Myer create a schism, which is soon healed-the latter is miraculously healed of his lameness, but afterwards disobeys the Lord, and dies not long after-Anthony Pearson, an opposer, is convinced-the priests are shown to be Antichrist-George Fox preaches at John Wilkinson's steeple-house three hours-admonishes a professor for praising him-reproves Wilkinson for speaking against his conscience-many hundreds are convinced-discerns an unclean spirit in a woman, and speaks sharply to her-the like of some other women-speaks sharply to an envious Baptist-preaches in the steeple-house at Carlisle, where the Lord's power was such that the people trembled-committed to Carlisle prison as a blasphemer, heretic, and seducer-the priests who come to see him are exceedingly rude-Anthony Pearson's remonstrance to the Judges of assize against the unjust imprisonment and detention of George Fox-he is put in the dungeon, a filthy place, where a woman is found eaten to death with vermin-here James Parnell visits him-a challenge to professors to declare their objections to George Fox's ministry-it being reported that George Fox was to die for religion, the Little Parliament write to the sheriff respecting him he himself expostulates with Justices Craston and Studholm on their imprisoning himA. Pearson and the governor visit the prison, blame the magistrates, require sureties of the jailer, and put the under-jailer in the dungeon for his cruelty to George Fox, who is soon after liberated-George Fox has great meetings, and thousands are convinced-visits Gilsland, a noted country for thieving—has a glorious meeting of many thousands, near Langlands, on the top of a hill-great convincement in the six northern counties.

FROM Lancaster I returned to Robert Widders's, and from thence I went to Thomas Leper's to a meeting in the evening; and a very blessed meeting we had there; after which I walked in the evening to Robert Widders's again. No sooner was I gone than there came a company of disguised men to Thomas Leper's, with swords and pistols; who suddenly entering the house put out the candles, and swung their swords about amongst the people of the house, who held up the chairs before them to save themselves from being cut and wounded. At length they drove all the people out of the house, and then searched it for me; who, it seems, was the only person they looked for: for they had laid wait before on the highway, by which I should have gone had I rode to Robert Widders's. And not meeting with me on the way, they thought to find me in the house, but the Lord prevented them. Soon after I was come to Robert Widders's, some friends came from the town where Thomas Leper lived, and gave us a relation of this wicked attempt: and they were afraid lest they should come and search Robert Widders's house also for me, and do me a mischief; but the Lord restrained them that they came not. Though these men

were in disguise the friends perceived some of them to be Frenchmen, and supposed them to be servants belonging to one called Sir Robert Bindlas; for some of them had said, that in their nation they used to tie the Protestants to trees, and whip and destroy them. His servants used often to abuse Friends, both in their meetings, and going to and from them. They once took Richard Hubberthorn and several others out of one, and carried them a good way off into the fields; and there bound them, and left them bound in the Winter season. At another time one of his servants came to Francis Fleming's house, and thrust his naked rapier in at the door and windows; but there being at the house a kinsman of Francis Fleming's, one who was not a Friend, he came with a cudgel in his hand, and bid the serving-man put up his rapier; which when the other would not, but vapoured at him with it, and was rude, he knocked him down with his cudgel, and took his rapier from him; and had it not been for Friends, he would have run him through with it. So the Friends preserved the life of him that would have destroyed theirs.

From Robert Widders's I went to visit Justice West, Richard Hubberthorn accompanying me. Not knowing the way, or the danger of the sands, we rode where, as we were afterwards told, no man ever rode before, swimming our horses over a very dangerous place. When we were come in, Justice West asked us if we did not see two men riding over the sands: I shall have their clothes anon," said he, "for they cannot escape drowning, and I am the coroner." But when we told him that we were the men, he was astonished, and wondered how we escaped drowning. Upon this the envious priests and professors raised a slanderous report concerning me, that neither water could drown me, nor could they draw blood of and that therefore surely I was a witch; indeed, sometimes when they beat me with great staves, they did not much draw my blood, though they bruised my body ofttimes very sorely. But all these slanders were nothing to me with respect to myself, though I was concerned on the truth's behalf, which, I saw, they endeavoured by these means to prejudice people against; for I considered that their forefathers, the apostate Jews, called the master of the house Beelzebub; and these apostate Christians from the life and power of God, could do no less to his seed. But the Lord's power carried me over their slanderous tongues, and their bloody murderous spirits; who had the ground of witchcraft in themselves, which kept them from coming to God and to Christ.

me;

Having visited Justice West, I went to SWARTHMORE, visiting Friends; and the Lord's power was over all the persecutors there. I was moved to write several letters to the magistrates, priests, and professors, thereabouts, who had raised persecution before; that which I sent to Justice Sawrey was after this manner :

"FRIEND,

"Thou wast the first beginner of all the persecution in the North; thou wast the beginner and the maker of the people tumultuous. Thou wast the first stirrer of them up against the righteous seed, and against the truth of God; the first strengthener of the hands of evil-doers against