THE JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX

A One Volume, Abridged Edition, Edited by Norman Penney
From the text published London: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1924.


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CHAPTER 13: THROUGH MANY COUNTIES TO SWARTHMOOR, 1659-1660.

After I had stayed some time in London, and had visited Friends' meetings there and thereabouts, and the Lord's power was set over all, I travelled into the countries again, passing through Essex and Suffolk into Norfolk, visiting Friends, till I came to Norwich, where we had a meeting about the time called Christmas. The mayor of Norwich, having got notice beforehand of the meeting I intended to have there, granted out a warrant to apprehend me. When I was come thither and heard of the warrant, I sent some Friends to the mayor to reason with him about it. His answer was the soldiers should not meet; and did we think to meet? He would have us to go out and meet without the city, for he said the town's-people were so rude that he could hardly order them, and he feared that our meeting would make tumults in the town. But our Friends told him we were a peaceable people, and that he ought to keep the peace; for we could not but meet to worship God, as our manner was. So he became pretty moderate, and did not send his officers to the meeting. A large one it was, and abundance of rude people came with an intent to do mischief, but the Lord's power came over them so that they were chained by it, though several priests were there, and professors and Ranters.

Among the priests, one whose name was Townsend(1) stood up and cried, "Error, blasphemy, and an ungodly meeting!" I bid him not burden himself with that which he could not make good; and I asked him what was our error and blasphemy; for I told him he should make good his words before I had done with him or be shamed. As for an ungodly meeting, I said I did believe there were many people there that feared God, and therefore it was both unchristian and uncivil in him to charge civil, godly people with an ungodly meeting. He said my error and blasphemy was in that I said that people must wait upon God by His power and spirit, and feel His presence when they did not speak words. I asked him then whether the apostles and holy men of God did not hear God speak to them in their silence, before they spake forth the Scripture, and before it was written. He replied, "Yes, David and the prophets heard God before they penned the Scriptures, and felt His presence in silence before they spake them forth." Then said I, "All people take notice; he said this was error and blasphemy in me to say these words; and now he hath confessed it is no more than the holy men of God in former times witnessed." So I shewed them that as the holy men of God who gave forth the scriptures as they were moved by the holy Ghost, did hear and learn of God before they spake them forth, so must they all hearken and hear what the Spirit saith, which will lead them into all truth, that they may know God and Christ, and may understand the Scriptures. "Oh!' said the priest, "this it not that George Fox I would speak withal; this is a subtle man," said he. So the Lord's power came over all, and the rude people were made moderate, and were reached by it; and some professors that were there called to the priests, saying, "Prove the blasphemy and errors which ye have charged them with; ye have spoken much against them behind their backs, but nothing ye can prove now to their faces." But the priest began to get away; whereupon I told him we had many things to charge him withal, therefore let him set a time and place to answer them; which he did, and went his way.

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After I had travelled through many countries in the Lord's service, and many were convinced, notwithstanding the people in some places were very rude, I. returned to London, when General Monk was come up thither, and the gates and posts of the city were pulling down. Long before this I had a vision, wherein I saw the city lie in heaps and the gates down; and it was then represented to me, just as I saw it several years after lying in heaps, when it was burned.

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Being now clear of the City of London, I found my spirit drawn to visit Friends in the western parts of England.

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At Dorchester we had a great meeting in the evening at our inn, which manor soldiers attended, and were pretty civil. But the constables and officers of the town came, under pretence to look tora Jesuit, whose head was shaved; and they would have all pet off their hats, or they would take them off to look for the Jesuit's shaven crown. So they took off my hat (for I was the man they aimed at), and looked very narrowly, but not finding any bald or shaven place on my head they went away with shame; and the soldiers and other sober people were greatly offended with them. But it was of good service for the Lord, and all things wrought together for good; for it affected the people; and after the officers were gone we had a fine meeting, and people were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Teacher, who had bought them, and would reconcile them to God.

Thence we passed into Somersetshire,.where the Presbyterians and other professors were very wicked, and often disturbed Friends' meetings. One time especially there was a very wicked man, whom they got to come to the meeting; this man put a bear's skin on his back, and undertook with that to play pranks in the Quakers' general meeting. Accordingly, setting himself just opposite to the Friend that was speaking, he lolled his tongue out of his mouth, having his bear's skin on his back, and so made sport to his wicked followers, and caused a great disturbance in the meeting. And as he returned from the meeting there was a bull-baiting in the way which he stayed go see; and coming within the bull's reach, he struck his horn under the man's chin into his throat, and struck his tongue out of his mouth, so that it hung lolling out, as he had used it before in derision in the meeting. And the bull's horn running up into the man's head, he swung him about upon his horn thru he that came to do mischief amongst God's people was mischiefed himself.

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While I was in Cornwall there were great shipwrecks about the Land's End. Now it was the custom of that country, that at such a time both rich and poor went out to get as much of the wreck as they could, not caring to save the people's lives; and in some places they call shipwrecks "God's grace." These things troubled me; it grieved my spirit to hear of such unchristian actions. Wherefore I was moved to write a paper, and send it to all the parishes, priests, and magistrates, to reprove them for such greedy actions, and to warn and exhort them that, if they could assist to save people's lives and preserve their ships and goods, they should use their diligence therein; and consider, if it had been their own condition they would judge it hard if they should be upon a wreck and people should strive to get what.:they could get from them, and not matter their lives.

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This paper had good service among the people; and Friends have endeavoured much to save the lives of the men in times .of wrecks, and to preserve the ships and goods for them. And when some that have suffered shipwreck have been almost dead and starved, some Friends have taken them to their houses to succour and recover them; which is an act to be practised by all true Christians.

We passed through the country, visiting Friends, till we came to Bristol.

I entered Bristol on the Seventh-day of the week. The day before the soldiers came with their muskets into the meeting and were exceeding rude, beating and striking Friends with them, and drove them out of the Orchard in a great rage, threatning what they would do if Friends came there again. For the mayor and the commander of the soldiers had, it seems, combined together to make a disturbance amongst Friends. When Friends told me what a rage there was in the town, how they were threatned by the mayor and soldiers, and how unruly the soldiers had been the day before, I sent for four Friends and desired them to go to the mayor and aldermen, and request them, seeing he and they had broken up our meetings, to let Friends have the town-hall to meet in; and for the use of it Friends would give them twenty pounds a-year, to be distributed amongst the poor; and when the mayor and aldermen had business to do in it, Friends would not meet in it, but only on the First-days. These Friends were astonished at this, and said the mayor and aldermen would think that they were mad. I said, "Nay; for this would be a considerable benefit to the poor." And it was upon me from the Lord to bid them go. At last they consented and went, though in the cross to their own wills. When they had laid the thing before the mayor, it came so over him that he said for his part he could consent to it, but he was but one: and he told Friends of another great hall they might have, but that they did not accept, it being inconvenient. So Friends came away, leaving the mayor in a very loving frame towards them; for they felt the Lord's power had come over .him. When they came back, I spake to them to go also to the colonel that commanded the soldiers, and lay before him the rude carriage of his soldiers, how they came armed amongst naked,(2) innocent people, who were waiting upon and worshipping the Lord; but I could not get them to go to him.

Next morning, being the First-day, we went to the meeting in the Orchard, where the soldiers had so lately been so rude. After I had declared the truth a great while in the meeting, there came in many rude soldiers and people, some with drawn swords. The innkeepers had made some of them drunk; and one had bound himself with an oath to cut down and kill the man that spoke. He came pressing in through all the crowd of people to within two yards of me, and stopped at those four Friends who should have gone to the colonel as I would have had them, and began jangling with them. Suddenly I saw his sword was put up and gone; for the Lord's power came over all, and chained him with the rest. We had a blessed meeting, and the Lord's everlasting power and presence was felt amongst us. On the day following, the four Friends went and spoke with the colonel, and he sent for the soldiers, and cut and slashed some of them before the Friends' faces; which, when I heard of, I blamed the Friends for letting him do so, and also that they did not go on the Seventh-day, as I would have had them, which might have prevented this cutting of the soldiers, and the trouble they gave at our meeting. And thus the Lord's power came over all those persecuting, bloody minds, and the meeting there was settled in peace for a good while after without disturbance.

I had then also a general meeting at Edward Pyot's, near Bristol, at which it was judged were divers thousands; for besides Friends from many parts thereabouts; some of the Baptists and Independents, with their teachers, came to it, and many of the sober people of Bristol; insomuch that the people that stayed behind said the city looked naked, so many were gone out of it to this meeting. It was very quiet and many glorious truths were opened to the people.

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After the meeting at Edward Pyot's I passed to Gloucester, visiting meetings, in Gloucester we had a peaceable meeting though the town was very rude and divided; for one part of the soldiers were for the King, and another for the Parliament. As I passed out of the town over the bridge, Edward Pyot being with me, the soldiers there said they were for the King; but after we were past them, and they understood it was I, they were in a great rage that I had escaped them, and said that had they known it had been I, they would have shot me with hail-shot, rather than I should have escaped them. But the Lord prevented their devilish design.

We passed thence to Tewkesbury, and so to Worcester visiting Friends in their meetings as we went. And in all my time I never saw the like drunkenness as in the towns, for they had been choosing Parliament-men. At Worcester the Lord's truth was set over all, people were finely settled therein, and Friends praised the Lord; nay, I saw the very earth rejoiced. Yet great fears were in many people, and a looking for the King's coming in, and all things being altered. They would ask me what I thought of times and things. I told them the Lord's power was over all, and His light shined over all; that fear would take hold only on the hypocrites, such as had not been faithful to God, and on our persecutors. And whether the King came in or not, all would be well to them that loved the Lord and were faithful to Him. Therefore I bid all Friends fear none but the Lord, and keep in His power that was over all.

From Worcester I went to Drayton, in Leicestershire, to visit my relations, and passing into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, I came to Balby in Yorkshire, where our Yearly Meeting at that time was held in a great orchard of John Killam's, where it was supposed some thousands of people and Friends were gathered together. In the morning I heard that a troop of horse was sent from York to break up our meeting, and that the militia, newly raised, was to join them. I went into the meeting, and stood up on a great stool, and after I had spoken some time, two trumpeters came up, sounding their trumpets near me, and the captain of the troop cried, "Divide to the right and left, and make way"; then they rode up to me. I was declaring the everlasting truth, and word of life, in the mighty power of the Lord. The captain bid me come down for he was come to disperse our meeting. After some time I told him they all knew we were a peaceable people, and used to have such great meetings; but if he questioned that we met in a hostle way, I desired him to make search amongst us, and if he found either sword or pistol about any there, let such suffer. He told me he must see us dispersed, for he came all night on purpose to disperse us. I asked him what honour it would be to him to ride with swords and pistols amongst so many naked(3) men and women as there were. If he would be still and quiet, our meeting probably might not continue above two or three hours; and when it was done, as we came peaceably together, so we should part; for he might perceive the meeting was so large, that all the country thereabouts could not entertain them, but that they intended to depart towards their homes at night. He said he could not stay to see the meeting ended, but must disperse them before he went. I desired him then, if he himself could not stay, that he would let a dozen of his soldiers stay, and see the order and peaceableness of our meeting. He said he would permit us an hour's time; and left half a dozen soldiers with us. Then he went away with his troop, and Friends of the house gave the soldiers that stayed, and their horses, some meat. When the captain was gone, the soldiers that were left told as we might stay till night if we would. But we stayed but about three hours after, and had a glorious, powerful meeting; for the presence of the living God was manifested amongst us; the Seed, Christ, was set over all, and Friends were built upon Him, the foundation, and settled under His glorious, heavenly teaching.

After the meeting, Friends passed away in peace, greatly refreshed with the presence of the Lord, and filled with joy and gladness that the Lord's power had given them such dominion. Many of the militia-soldiers stayed also, and were much vexed that the captain and troopers had not broken up our meeting, and cursed them. It was reported that they intended to do us some mischief that day; but the troopers, instead of assisting them, were rather assistant to us, in not joining with them as they expected, but preventing them from doing the mischief they designed,

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From Balby I passed to Skipton, where there was a General Meeting of men Friends out of many counties, concerning the affairs of the Church. To this Meeting came some Friends out of most parts of the nation; for it was about business relating to the Church both in this nation and beyond the seas.

Several years before, when I was in the North, I was moved to recommend the setting up of this Meeting for that service; for many Friends suffered in divers parts of the nation, their goods were taken from them contrary to the law, and they understood not how to help themselves or where to seek redress, But after this Meeting was set up, several Friends who had been magistrates, and others that understood something of the law, came thither, and were able to inform Friends, and to assist them in gathering up the sufferings, that they might be laid before the justices, judges or Parliament. This Meeting had stood several years, and divers justices and captains had come to break it up; but when they understood the business Friends met about, and saw their books and accounts of collections for relief of the poor, how we took care one county to help another, and to help our Friends beyond the seas, and provide for our poor that none of them should be chargeable to their parishes, etc., the justices and officers confessed we did their work, and passed away peaceably and lovingly, commending Friends' practice. Sometimes there would come two hundred of the world's poor people, and wait there till the Meeting was done (for all the country knew we met about the poor), and after the Meeting Friends would send to the bakers for bread, and give every one of these poor people a penny loaf, how many soever there were of them; for we were taught to "do good unto all; though especially to the household of faith."

After this meeting I visited Friends in their meetings, till I came to Lancaster; whence I went to Robert Widders's.

From Robert Widders's I went next day to Swarthmoor.




NOTES

1. Sampson Townsend, an anti-Quaker writer. (N.P.)

2. That is, unarmed. (N.P.)

3. That is, unarmed. (N.P.)