There were then in Court several people who had been at that meeting, wherein the witnesses swore I slake those blasphemous .words which the priests .accused me of; and ,these being men of integrity and reputation in the country, declared and affirmed in Court, that the oath which the witnesses had taken against me was altogether false; and that no such words as they had sworn against me were spoken by me at that meeting. Indeed, most of the serious men of that part of the country, that were then at the Sessions, had been at that meeting, and had heard me both at that and other meetings also. This was taken notice of by Colonel William West, who, being a justice of the peace, was then upon the Bench; and having long been weak in body, blessed the Lord, and said the Lord had healed him that day; adding that he never saw so many sober people and good faces together in all his life. And then, turning himself to me, he said, "George, if thou hast anything to say to the people, thou mayst freely declare it in the open Sessions." I was moved of the Lord to speak; and as soon as I began, priest Marshall, the orator for the rest of the priests, went away. That which I was moved to declare was this: that the Holy Scriptures were given forth by the Spirit of God, and all people must first come to the Spirit of God in themselves, by which they might know God and Christ, of whom the prophets and the apostles learnt; and by the same Spirit know the Holy Scriptures; for as the Spirit of God was in them that gave forth the Scriptures, so the same Spirit of God must be in all them that come to understand the Scriptures; by which Spirit they might have fellowship with the Son, and with the Father, and with the Scriptures, and with one another; and without this Spirit they can know neither God nor Christ, nor the Scriptures, nor have right fellowship one with another. I had no sooner spoken these words, than about half a dozen priests that stood behind me burst out into a passion; and one of them, named Jackus,(2) amongst other things that he spake against the truth, said that the Spirit and the letter were inseparable. I replied, "Then every one that hath the letter hath the Spirit; and they m~ht buy the Spirit with the letter of the Scriptures." This plain discovery of darkness in the priest moved Judge Fell and Colonel West to reprove them openly, and tell them, that according to that position they might carry the Spirit in their pockets, as they did the Scriptures. Upon this the priests, being confounded and put to silence, rushed out in a rage against the justices, because they could not have their bloody ends upon me. The justices, seeing the witnesses did not agree, and perceiving that they were brought to answer the priests' envy, and finding that all their evidences were not sufficient in law to make good their charge against me, discharged me. And after Judge Fell had spoken to Justice Sawrey and Justice Thompson concerning the warrant they had given forth against me, and shewed them the errors thereof, he and Colonel West granted a supersedeas to stop the execution of it.
Thus was I cleared in open Sessions of all those lying accusations which the malicious priests had laid to my charge; and multitudes of people praised God that day, for it was a day of everlasting salvation to hundreds of people. For the Lord opened many mouths that day to speak His word to the priests, and several friendly people and professors reproved the priests in their inns, and in the streets; so that they fell, like an old rotten house; and the cry was among the people, that the Quakers had got the day and the priests were fallen. Many people were convinced that day.
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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 set over all, and gave me dominion over all to His glory. His 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 stratagem, which was this: after a meeting at Lancaster they brought down a distracted man, and another with him, in their waistcoats, 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 made him like a lamb, and the other also. 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 spake 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, he should do it himself; 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 shew 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.
From Lnncaster I returned to Robert Widders's, and: from thence 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 me; 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.
Having visited Justice West, I went to Swarthmoor, 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. One I sent to Justice Sawrey, the first persecutor in that country, who was drowned. I wrote also to William Lampitt, priest of Ulverston, and to his followers, and to the people of Ulverston in general. I was moved to write to Adam Sands, one of the chief hearers of priest Lampitt, a very wicked, false man, who afterwards died miserably; also to priest Tatham and to Burton, priest of Sedbergh.(3) Many other epistles also and papers I writ about this time, as the Lord moved me thereunto.
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It was now about .the beginning of the year 1653, when I returned to Swarthmoor. Great
openings I had from the Lord, not only of divine and spiritual matters, but also of outward things,
relating to the civil government. For being one day in Swarthmoor Hall, when Judge Fell and
Justice Benson were talking of the news in the News Book, and of the Parliament then sitting,
which was called the Long Parliament, I was moved to tell them that before that day two weeks
the Parliament should be broken up, and the speaker plucked out of his chair.(4) And that day two
weeks Justice Benson, coming thither again, told Judge Fell that now he saw George was a true
prophet; for Oliver had broken up the Parliament. And many openings I had of several things
which would be large to utter.
About this time I was in a fast for about ten days, my spirit :being greatly exercised on Truth's
account; for James Milner mad Richard Myer went out into imaginations, and a company
followed them. This James Milner and some of his company had true openings at the first; but
getting into pride and exaltation of spirit, they ran out from Truth. I was sent for to them, and was
moved of the Lord to go and shew them their outgoings: and they were brought to see their folly,
and condemned it, and came into the way of Truth again. After some time I went :to a meeting in
Arnside, where Richard Myer was. Now he had been long lame of one of his arms. I was moved
of the Lord to say unto him, amongst all the people, "Prophet Myer, stand up on thy legs" (for he
was sitting down): and he stood up, and stretched out his arm ,that had been lame :a long time,
and said, "Be it known unto yon, all people, that this day I am healed." Yet his parents could
hardly believe it; but after the meeting was done, they had him into a house, took off his doublet,
and then saw it was true. He came soon after to Swarthmoor meeting, and there declared how the
Lord had healed him. Yet alter this the Lord commanded him to go to York with a message from
Him, but he disobeyed the Lord; and the Lord struck him again, so that he died about three
quarters of a year after.
Now were great threatnings given forth in Cumberland, that if ever I came there again they would take away my life. When I heard it I was drawn to go into Cumberland, and went to Miles Wennington's, in the same parish from which those threatnings came; but they had not power to touch me.
About this time Anthony Pearson was convinced, who had been an opposer of Friends. He came over to Swarthmoor; and I being then at Colonel West's, they sent for me. Colonel West said, "Go, George, for it may be great service to the man." So I went, and the Lord's power reached him.
I went again into Cumberland, and Anthony Pearson and his wife, and several Friends, went with me to Bootle, where Anthony Pearson left me and went to Carlisle Sessions, for he was a justice of the peace in three counties; over his head they carried a sword when he went to the Bench. On a First-day I went into the steeple-house at Bootle. The priest of that parish, hearing of my coming, had got another to help him, a priest from London. I was moved to speak in his time, he uttered such wicked things, and therefore, for the truth's sake, I was moved to speak to him if I had been imprisoned for it. But the people were exceeding rude, and struck and beat me in the yard. One gave me a very great blow with a great hedge-stake over my wrist, so that the people thought he had broken my hand to pieces. Yet I felt no harm, the power of the Lord bare all off. The constable was very desirous to keep the peace, and would have set some of them by the heels that struck me, if I would have given way to it.
In the afternoon I went again to the steeple-house and Friends with me. I sate down and heard till the London priest had done, though several Friends spake in his time. He gathered up all the Scriptures he could think of that spake of false prophets and and-Christs, and deceivers, and threw them upon us, but when he had done I recollected all those Scriptures and brought them back upon himself. Then the people fell upon me in a rude manner, but the constable charged them to keep the peace in the name of the Commonwealth, and so made thegn quiet again.
Then the priest began to rage and said I must not speak there, I told him he had his hour-glass, by which he had preached, and he having done, the time was free for me. He had accused me that I had broken the law in speaking to him in his time in the morning, and I told him he had broken the law then in speaking m my time. All was quiet while I was speaking; but when I had done, and was come out, the priests were both of them in such a rage that they foamed at the mouth for anger against me. The priest of the place made an oration to the people in the steeple-house yard, and said, "This man hath gotten all the honest men and women in Lancashire to him; and now," said he, "he comes here to do the same." Then said I unto him, "What wilt thou have left? and what have the priests left them, but such as themselves? For if it be the honest that receive the truth, and are turned to Christ, then it must be the dishonest that follow thee, and such as thou art."
Now was I moved to send James Lancaster to appoint a meeting at John Wilkinson's steeple-house near Cockermouth, who was a preacher in great repute, and had three parishes under him.
The next day we came to the steeple-house where James Lancaster had appointed the meeting. There were at this meeting twelve soldiers and their wives, who were come thither from Carlisle; and the country people came in, as if it had been to a fair. I lay at a house a short distance from the place, so that many Friends got thither before me. When I came, I found James Lancaster speaking under a yew tree; which was so full of people that I feared they would break it down. I looked about for a place to stand upon, to speak- to the people; for they lay all up and down like people at a leaguer. After I was discovered, a professor came to me, and asked if I would not go into the church; seeing no place convenient to speak to the people from, I told him, "Yes"; whereupon the people rushed in, so that when I came in the house and the pulpit was so full of people that I had much ado to get in; and they that could not get in stood about the walls. When the people were settled, I stood up on a seat; and the Lord opened my mouth to declare His everlasting truth.
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So when I had largely declared the word of life unto them, for about three hours, I walked from amongst the people, and they passed away very well satisfied.
Among the rests professor followed me, praising and commending me; but his words were like a thistle to me. At last I turned about, and bid him fear the Lord; whereupon priest Larkham,(5) of Cockermouth (for several priests, were got together on the way who came after the meeting was over), said to me, "Sir, why do you judge so? you must not judge." But I turned to him and said, "Friend, dost not thou discern an exhortation from a judgment? I admonished him to fear God; and dost thou say I judge him?" So this priest and I falling into discourse, I manifested him to be amongst the false prophets and covetous hirelings. And several people being moved to speak to him, he and two others of the priests soon got away. When they were gone, John Wilkinson, who was preacher of that parish, and of two other parishes in Cumberland, began to dispute, against his own conscience for several hours, till the people generally turned against him; for be thought to have tired me out, but the Lord's power tired him out, and the Lord's truth came over him and them all. Many hundreds were convinced that day, and received the Lord Jesus Christ, and His free teaching, with gladness; of whom some have died in the truth, and many stand faithful witnesses thereof. The soldiers also were convinced, and their wives, and continued with me till the First-day.
On the First-day I went to the steeple~house, at Cockermouth, where priest Larkham lived, When he had done, I began to speak, and the people began to be rude; but the soldiers told them we had broken no law, and they became quiet. Then I turned to the priest, and laid him open among the false prophets and hirelings; at which word the priest went his way, and said "He calls me hireling"; which was true enough, and the people knew it. Then some of the great men of the town came to mem and said, "Sir, we have no learned men to dispute with you." I told them I came not to dispute, but to shew the way of salvation to them, the way of everlasting life. I declared largely the way of life and truth, and directed them to Christ their Teacher, who had died for them, and bought them with His blood.
When I had done, I went about two miles to Brigham, another great steeple-house of John Wilkinson's, that stood in a field, where the people, having been at the other meeting, were mightily affected, and would have put my horse into the steeple-house yard; but I said, "No, the priest claims that; take him an inn." When I came into the steeple-house yard, I saw the people coming in great companies, as to a fair; and abundance were already gathered in the lanes, and about the steeple-house. I was very thirsty., and walked about a quarter of a mile to a brook, where I got some water, and refreshed myself. As I came up again, I met priest Wilkinson, who, as I passed by him, said, "Sir, will you preach to-day? If you will," said he, "I will not oppose you in word or thought." I replied, "Oppose if thou wilt; I have something to speak to the people. And," said I, "thou carriedst thyself foolishly the other day, and spake against thy conscience and reason; insomuch that thy hearers cried out against thee." So I left him, and went on; for he saw it was in vain to oppose, the people were so affected with the Lord's truth. When I came into the steeple-house yard, a professor came to me, and asked if I would not go into the church (as he called it). And l seeing no more convenient place to stand to speak to the people from, went in, and stood up on a seat after they were settled. The priest came ha also, but did not go up to his Pulpit.
And so I declared His everlasting truth and word of life to people.
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After this I went to a village, and many people accompanied me. And as I was sitting in a house full of people, declaring the word ,of life unto them, I cast ,mine eye upon a woman, and discerned an unclean spirit in her. And I was moved of the Lord to speak sharply to her, and told her she was a witch; whereupon she went out of the room. Now, I being a stranger there, and knowing nothing of the woman outwardly, the people wondered at it, and told me afterwards that I had discovered a great thing; for all the country looked upon her to be a witch. The Lord had given me a spirit of discerning, by which I many times saw the states and conditions of people, and could try their spirits. For not long before, as I was going to a meeting, I saw some women in a field, and I discerned them to be witches; and I ,was moved to go out of my way into the field to them, and declare unto them their conditions. At another time there came such an one into Swarthmoor Hall in the meeting time; and I was moved to speak sharply to her, and told her she was a witch; and the people said afterwards she was generally accounted so. There came also at another time another woman, and stood at a distance from me, and I east mine eye upon her, and said, "Thou hast been a harlot"; for I perfectly saw the condition and life of the woman. The woman answered and said many could tell her of her outward sins, but none could tell her of her inward. Than I told her her heart was not right before the Lord, and that from the inward came the outward. This woman came afterwards to be convinced of God's truth, and became a Friend.
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From thence passing on we came to Carlisle, and the pastor of the Baptists, with most of his hearers, came to me to the Abbey, where I had a meeting, and declared the word of life amongst them; and many of the Baptists, and of the soldiers, were convinced. After the meeting, the pastor of the Baptists, a high notionist and a fleshy man, came to me, and asked me what must be damned; I was moved immediately to tell him that which spake in him was to be damned. This stopped his mouth; and the witness of God was raised up in him, and he also came afterwards to be convinced.
Then I went up to the Castle among the soldiers, who beat a drum, and called the garrison together. I preached the truth amongst them, directing them to the Lord Jesus Christ to be their Teacher, and to the measure of His Spirit in themselves, by which they might be turned from the darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God. I warned them all that they should do no violence to any man, but should shew forth a Christian life; telling them that He who was to be their Teacher would be their condemner if they were disobedient to Him. So I left them, having no opposition from any of them except the sergeants, who afterwards came to be convinced.
On the market-day I went up into the market, to the market-cross. Now the magistrates had both threatened and sent their serjeants; and the magistrates wives had said that if I came there they would pluck the hair off my head, and that the serjeants should take me up. Nevertheless, I obeyed the Lord God and went upon the cross, and there declared unto them that the day of the Lord was coming upon all their deceitful ways and doings and deceitful merchandise; and that they should put away all cozening and cheating, and keep to Yea and Nay, and speak the truth one to another; so the truth and the power of God was set over them. After I had declared the word of life to the people; the throng became so great that the serjeants could not get to me, nor the magistrates' wives come at me, so I passed away quietly. Many people and soldiers came to me, and some Baptists that were bitter contenders; amongst whom one of their deacons, an old man, finding the Lord's power was over them, cried out for very anger. Whereupon I set my eyes upon him, and spake sharply to him in the power of the Lord; and he cried, "Do not pierce me so with thy eyes; keep thy eyes off me."
On the First-day following I went into the steeple-house; and after the priest had done, I preached the truth to the people, and declared the word of life amongst them. The priest got away, and the magistrates desired me to go out of the steeple-house. But I still declared the way of the Lord unto them, and told them I came to speak the word of life and salvation from the Lord amongst them. The power of the Lord was dreadful amongst them in the steeple-house, so that the people trembled and shook, and they thought the steeple-house shook: and some of them feared it would fall down on their heads. The magistrates' wives were in a rage, and strove mightily to be at me; but the soldiers and friendly people stood thick about me. At length the rude people of the city rose, and came with staves into the steeple-house, crying, "Down with these round-headed rogues"; and they threw stones. Whereupon the governor sent a file or two of musketeers into the steeple-house to appease the tumult, and commanded all the other soldiers out. So those soldiers took me by the hand in a friendly manner and said they would have me along with them. When we came forth into the street, the city was in an uproar, and the governor came down; and some of those soldiers were put in prison for standing by me, and for me, against the town's-people. A lieutenant, that had been convinced, came, and had me to his house, where there was a Baptists' meeting, and thither came Friends also, and we had a very quiet meeting; they heard the word of life gladly and many received it.
The next day, the justices and magistrates of the town being gathered in the town-hall, they granted a warrant against me, and sent for me to come before them. I was then gone to a Baptist's house; but hearing of it, I went up to the hall to them, where many rude people were, some of whom had sworn strange, false things against me. After a large examination they committed me to prison as a blasphemer, a heretic, and a seducer, though they could not justly charge any such thing against me. The jail at Carlisle had two jailers, an upper and an under, who looked like two great bear-wards.(6) Now when I was brought in, the upper jailer had me up into a great chamber, and told me I should have what I would in that room. But I told him he should not expect any money from me, for I would neither lie in any of his beds nor eat any of his victuals. Then he put me into another room, where, after a while, I got something to lie upon. There I lay till the Assizes came; and then all the talk was that I was to be hanged. The high sheriff, whose name was Wilfred Lawson, stirred them much up to take away my life, and said he would guard me to my execution himself. They were in a black, dark rage, and set three musketeers for a guard upon me; one at my chamber door, another at the stairs' foot, and a third at the street door; and they would let none come at me, except one, sometimes, to bring me some necessary things. At night they would bring up priests to me; droves of them, sometimes as lam as the tenth hour; who were exceeding rude and devilish. There was-a company of bitter Scotch priests, Presbyterians, made up of envy and malice, who were not fit to speak of the things of God, they were so foul-mouthed; but the Lord, by His power, gave. me dominion over them all, and I let them see both their fruits and their spirits. Great ladies also and countesses came to see the man that they said was to die. Now, while both the judge, justices, and sheriff were contriving together how they might put me to death, the Lord disappointed their design by an unexpected way; for the judge's clerk (as I was informed) started a question among them which confounded all their counsels; so that after that they had not power to call me before the judges.
Anthony Pearson being then in Carlisle, and perceiving that they did not intend to bring me, as was expected, upon my trial, writ a letter to the judges.
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Notwithstanding this letter, the judges, were resolved not to suffer me to be brought before them; but, reviling and scoffing at me behind my back, left me to the magistrates of the town, giving them what encouragement they could to exercise their cruelty upon me; Whereupon (though I had been kept up so close in the jailer s house that Friends were not suffered to visit me, and Colonel Benson and Justice Pearson were denied to see me) the next day, after the judges, were gone out of town an order was sent to the jailer to put me down, into the dungeon among the moss-troopers,(7) thieves and murderers, which accordingly he did. A filthy nasty place it was, where men and women were put together in a very uncivil manner, and not even a house of office to it; and the prisoners so lousy that one woman was almost eaten to death with lice. Yet, as bad as the place was, the prisoners were all made very loving and subject to me; sad some of them were convinced of the truth, as the publicans and harlots were of old; so that they were able to confound any priest that might come to the grates to dispute. But the jailer was very cruel, and the under-jailer very abusive to me and to Friends that came to see me; for he would beat Friends with a great cudgel that did but come to the window to look in upon me, as if he had been beating a pack of wool. I could get up to the grate, where sometimes I took in my meat; at which the jailer was often offended. One time he came in a great rage, and beat me with a great cudgel, though I was not at the grate at that time; and as he beat me, he cried, "Come out of the window," though I was then far enough from it. While he struck me, I was made to sing in the Lord's power; and that made him rage the more. Then he fetched a fiddler, and brought him in where I was, and set him to play, thinking to vex me thereby; but while he played, I was moved in the everlasting power of the Lord God to sing; and my voice drowned the noise of the fiddle, and made the fiddler sigh and gave over fiddling and pass away with shame.
Justice Benson's wife was moved of the Lord to come to visit me, and to eat no meat but what
she ate with me at the bars of the dungeon window. She was afterwards herself imprisoned at
York, when she was great with child, for speaking to a priest; and was kept in prison, and not
suffered to go out when the time of her travail was come; so she was delivered of her child in the
prison.(8) She was an honest, tender woman, and continued faithful to the truth until she died.
Whilst I was in the dungeon at Carlisle, James Parnell, a little lad of about sixteen years of age, came to see me, and was convinced. And the Lord quickly made him a powerful minister of the word of life, and many were turned to Christ by him, though he lived not long. For, travelling into Essex, in the work of the ministry, in the year 1655, he was committed to Colchester Castle, where he endured very great hardships and sufferings; being put by the cruel jailer into a hole in the castle wall, called the Oven, so high from the ground, that he went up to it by a ladder, which being six feet too short, he was obliged to climb from the ladder to the hole by a rope that was fastened above. And when Friends would have given him a cord and a basket, to draw up his victuals in, the inhuman jailer would not suffer them, but forced him to go down and up by that short ladder and rope, to fetch his victuals (which for a long time he did), or else he might have famished in the hole. At length, his limbs being much benumbed with lying in that place, yet being constrained to go down to take up some victuals, as he came up the ladder again with his victuals in one hand, and caught at the rope with the other, he missed the rope, and fell down from a very great height upon the stones; by which fall he was exceedingly wounded in his head and arms, and his body was so much bruised, that he died in a short time after.
Now when I saw that I was not like to be brought to a public hearing and trial (although I had
before answered, in writing, the particular matters charged against me, at the time of my first
examination and commitment), I was moved to send the following paper, as a public challenge to
all those that belied the truth and me behind my back, to come forth and make good their charge:
If any in Westmorland, or Cumberland, or elsewhere, that profess Christianity, and pretend to love God and Christ, are not satisfied concerning the things of God, which I, George Fox, have spoken and declared, let them publish their dissatisfaction in writing, and not back-bite, nor lie, nor persecute, in secret: this I demand of you all in the presence of the living God, as ye will answer it to Him. For the exaltation of the truth, and the confounding of deceit, is this given forth. To that of God in your consciences I speak; declare or write your dissatisfactions to any of them whom you call Quakers, that Truth may be exalted, and all may come to the light, with which Christ has enlightened every one that cometh into the world: that nothing may be hid in darkness, in prisons, holes, or corners, but that all things may be brought to the light of Christ, and by it may be tried.
This am I moved of the Lord to write, and send forth to be set upon the market-crosses in Westmorland, and elsewhere. To the light of Christ in you I speak, that none of you may speak evil of the things of God, which you know not; nor act contrary to the light, that gave forth the Scriptures; lest you be found fighters against God, and the hand of the Lord be turned against you.
G.F.
While I thus lay in the dungeon at Carlisle, the report raised at the time of the Assize that I should be put to death was gone far and near; insomuch that the Little Parliament then sitting, hearing that a young man at Carlisle was to die for religion, caused a letter to be sent to the sheriff and magistrates concerning me.
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Not long after this, the Lord's power came over the justies, and they were made to set me at liberty. But some time previous, the governor, and Anthony Pearson, came down into the dungeon to see the place where I was kept, and understand what usage I had. They found the place so bad, and the savour so ill, that they cried shame on the magistrates for suffering the jailer to do such things. They called for the jailers into the dungeon, and required them to find sureties for their good behaviour, and the under-jailer, who had been such a cruel fellow, they put into the dungeon with me, amongst the moss-troopers.
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In Northumberland many came to dispute, of whom some pleaded against perfection: unto whom I declared that Adam and Eve were perfect before they fell; and all that God made was perfect; and that the imperfection came by the Devil and the fall; but Christ, that came to destroy the Devil, said, "Be ye perfect." One of the professors alleged that Job said, "Shall mortal man be more pure than his Maker? The heavens are not clean in His sight. God charged His angels with folly." But I shewed him his mistake, and let him see that it was not Job that said so, but one of those that contended against Job; for Job stood for perfection, and held his integrity: and they were called miserable comforters. Then these professors said the outward body was the body of death and sin. I shewed them their mistake in that also; for Adam and Eve had each of them an outward body, before the body of death and sin got into them; and that man and woman will have bodies when the body of sin and death is put off again; when they are renewed up into the image of God again by Christ Jesus, which they were in before they fell. So they ceased at that time from opposing further; and glorious meetings we had in the Lord's power.
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We came through the country into Cumberland again, where we had a general meeting of many
thousands of people atop of a hill near Langlands.(9) A glorious and heavenly meeting it was for
the glory of the Lord did shine over all; and there as many as one could well speak over, the
multitude was great. Their eyes were fixed on Christ their Teacher; and they came to sit under
their own vine, insomuch that Francis Howgill, coming afterwards to visit them, found they had
no need of words, for they were sitting under their Teacher, Christ Jesus; in the sense whereof he
sate down amongst them, without speaking anything. A great convincement there was in
Cumberland, Bishoprick,(10) Northumberland, Westmorland, Lancashire and Yorkshire; and the
plants of God grew and flourished, the heavenly rain descending, and God's glory, shining upon
them, so that many mouths were opened by the Lord to His praise; yea, to babes and sucklings He
ordained strength.
After I came out of Carlisle prison I went into the Abbey Chamber, and there came in a mad woman that sometimes was very desperate. And she fell down of her knees and cried, "Put off your hats, for grace, grace hangs about thy neck." And so the Lord's power ran through her that she was sensible of her condition, and after came and confessed it to Friends.
And I came to another place in Cumberland, Where a-man's wife was distracted and very desperate, attempting at times to kill her children and her husband. But I was moved .of the Lord God to speak to her, and she kneeled down of her bare knees and cried, and said she would work on her bare knees it she might go with me. And the Lord's power wrought through her and she went home well.
And in Bishoptick, whilst I was there, they brought a woman, tied behind a man, that could neither eat nor speak, and had been so a great while. And they brought her into the house to me to Anthony Pearson's. And I was moved of the Lord God to speak to her, that she ate and spake and was well; and got up behind her husband without any help and went away well.
And as I came out of Cumberland, one time, I came to Hawkshead, and lighted at a Friend's house. And there was young Margaret Fell with me and William Caton. And it being a very cold season, we lighted, and the lass made us a fire, her master and dame being gone to the market. And there was a boy lying in the cradle which they rocked, about eleven years old. And he was grown almost double. And I cast my eye upon the boy; and seeing he was dirty, I bid the lass wash his face and his hands, and get him up and bring him unto me. So she brought him to me, and I bid her take him and wash him again, for she had not washed him clean. Then was I moved of the Lord God to lay my hands upon him and speak to him, and so bid the lass take him again and put on his clothes. And after we passed away.
And sometime after I called at the house, and I met his mother, but did not light. "Oh! stay," says she, "and have a meeting at our house, for all the country is convinced by the great miracle that was done by thee upon my son. For we had carried him to Wells and the Bath, and all doctors had given him over, for his grandfather and father feared he would have died and their name have gone out, having, but that son; but presently, after you were gone," says she, "we came home and found our son, playing in- the streets. Therefore," said, she, "all the country would come to hear," if I would come back again and have a meeting there. And this was about three years after she told me of, it, and he was grown to be a straight, full youth them. So the Lord have the praise.
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2.
John Jaques, minister of Bolton-le-Sands. (N.P.)3.
Perhaps Leonard Burton, vicar of Sedbergh 1660-1682, who, at this time, may have been assistant to his predecessor. (N.P.)4.
The Long Parliament was dissolved on 20th April. (N.P.)5.
George Larkham, M.A., Independent. (N.P.)6.
Or bear-herds. (N.P.)7.
Moss-troopers were marauders who infested the mosses or borderland of England and Scotland prior to the union of the two kingdoms. (N.P.)8.
Dorothy Benson. Her child, Immanuel, was born in York Castle, 2 xii 1653. (N.P.)9.
Langlands, in Uldale parish, was the home of Christopher Fell. (N.P.)10.
That is, County of Durham. (N.P.)