Now did I see the end of the travail which I had had in my sore exercise at Reading; for the everlasting power of the Lord was over all, and His blessed truth, life and light shined over the nation, and great and glorious meetings we had, and very quiet; and many flocked in unto the truth. Richard Hubberthorne had been with the King, who said none should molest us so long as we lived peaceably, and promised this to us upon the word of a King, telling him we might make use of his promise. Some Friends also were admitted into the House of Lords, and had liberty to declare their reasons why they could not pay tithes, swear, or go to the steeple-house worship, or join with others in worship, and they heard them moderately, which in the other power's days we could never have so much favour. And there being about seven hundred Friends in prison in the nation, who had been committed under Oliver's and Richard's government, upon contempts, when the King came in he set them all at liberty. And though O. C. at Dunbar fight had promised to the Lord that if He gave him the victory over his enemies he would take away tithes, &c., or else let him be rolled into his grave with infamy; but when the Lord had given him victory and he came to be chief, he confirmed the former laws that if people did not set forth their tithes they should pay treble, and this to be ,executed by two justices of peace in the country, upon the oath of two witnesses.
But when the King came in, they took him up and hanged him; and buried him under Tyburn, where he was rolled into his grave with infamy. And when I saw him hanging there, I saw his word justly come upon him. There seemed at that time an inclination and intention in the Government to grant Friends liberty, because they were sensible that we had suffered as well as they under the former powers. But still, when anything was going forward in order thereto, some dirty spirits or other, that would seem to be for us, threw something in the way to stop it. It was said there was an instrument drawn up for confirming our liberty, and .that it only wanted signing; when, suddenly, that wicked attempt of the Fifth-monarchy people broke out, and put the City and nation in an uproar.
This was on a First-day night, and very glorious meetings we had had that day, wherein the Lord's truth shined over all, and His power was exalted above all; but about midnight, or soon after, the drums beat, and the cry was, "Arm! Arm!" I got up out of bed, and in the morning took boat, and landing at Whitehall-stairs, walked through Whitehall. They looked strangely at me there, but I passed through them, and went to Pall-Mall, where divers Friends came to me, though it had now become dangerous passing the streets; for by this time the City and suburbs were up in arms, and exceeding rude the people and soldiers were. Great mischief was done in the City this week; and when the next First-day came, as Friends went to their meetings many were taken prisoners.
I stayed at Pall-Mall, intending to be at the meeting there; but on the Seventh-day night, a company of troopers came and knocked at the door. The maid letting them in, they rushed into the house and laid hold of me; and there being amongst them one that had served under the Parliament, he clapped his hand to my pocket, and asked whether I had any pistols.
I told him he knew I did not carry pistols, why therefore ask such a question of me, whom he knew to be a peaceable man? Others of the soldiers ran into the chambers, and there found in bed Esquire Marsh, who, though he was one of the King's bed-chamber, out of his love to me came and lodged where I did. When they came down again, they said, "Why should we take this man away with us? We will let him alone." "Oh," said the Parliament soldier, "he is one of the heads, and a chief ringleader." Upon this the soldiers were taking me away, but Richard Marsh hearing of it, sent for him that commanded the party, and desired him to let me alone, for he would see me forthcoming in the morning.
In the morning before they could fetch me, and before the meeting was gathered, there came a company of foot soldiers to the house, and one of them drawing his sword, held it over my head. I asked him why he drew his sword at a naked man, at which his fellows, being ashamed, bid him put up his sword. These foot soldiers took me away to Whitehall before the troopers came for me. As I was going out, several Friends were coming in to the meeting, whose boldness and cheerfulness I commended, and encouraged them to persevere therein. When I was brought to Whitehall, the soldiers and people were exceeding rude, yet I declared Truth to them; but some great persons coming by, who were very full of envy, "What," said they, "do ye let him preach? Put him into such a place, where he may not stir." So into that place they put me, and the soldiers watched over me. I told them though they could confine my body and shut that up, yet they could not stop the Word of Life. Some came and asked me what I was..I told them, "A preacher of righteousness." After I had been kept there two or three hours, Richard Marsh spake to Lord Gerard, and he came and bid them set me at liberty. The marshal, when I was discharged, demanded fees. I told him I could not give him any, neither was it our practice; and asked him how he could demand fees of me, who was innocent. Nevertheless, in my own power, I would give him two pence to make him and the soldiers drink, but they shouted at that and took it disdainfully. So I told them if they would not accept it, choose them, for I should give them no fees.
Then I went through the guards, the Lord's power being over them; and after I had declared Truth to the soldiers, I went up the streets with two Irish colonels that came from Whitehall, to an inn, where many Friends were at that time prisoners under a guard. I desired those colonels to speak to the guard to let me go in to visit my friends, that were prisoners there; but they would not. Then I stepped to the sentry, and desired him to let me go up; and he did so. While I was there, the soldiers went to Pall-Mall again to search for me there; but not finding me, they turned towards the inn, and bid all come out that were not prisoners; so they went out. But I asked the soldiers that were within whether I might not stay there a while with my friends. They said, "Yes." I stayed, and so escaped their hands again. Towards night I went to Pall-Mall to see how it was with the Friends there; and after I had stayed a while, I went up into the City.
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Margaret Fell went to the King, and told him what sad work there was in the city and nation, and shewed him we were an innocent, peaceable people, and that we must keep our meetings as heretofore, whatever we suffered; but that it concerned him to see that peace was kept, that no innocent blood might be shed. The prisons were now everywhere filled with Friends, and others, in the City and country, and the posts were so laid for the searching of letters that none could pass unsearched, Yet we heard of several thousands of our Friends being cast into prison in several parts of the nation, and Margaret Fell carried an account of them to the King and Council. Next week we had an account of several thousands more being cast into prison; and she went and laid them also before the King and Council They wondred how we could have such intelligence, having given strict charge for the intercepting of all letters; but the Lord so ordered it that we had an account, notwithstanding all the stoppings.
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Having lost a former declaration in the press, we hastily drew up another against plots and fighting, got it printed, and sent some copies to the King and Council; others were sold in the streets and at the Exchange
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This declaration somewhat cleared the dark air that was over the City and country And soon after the King gave forth a proclamation that no soldiers should search any house without a constable. But the jails were still full, many thousands of Friends being in prison; which mischief was occasioned by the wicked rising of the Fifth-monarchy-men. But when those that were taken came to be executed, they did us the justice to clear us openly from having any hand in or knowledge of their plot, After that the King being continually importuned thereunto, issued a declaration that Friends should be set at liberty without paying fees. But great labour, travail and pains were taken before this was obtained; for Thomas Moore and Margaret Fell went often to the King about it.
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Although those Friends that had been imprisoned on the rising of the Monarchy-men were set at liberty, meetings were much disturbed, and great sufferings Friends underwent. For besides what was done by officers and soldiers, many wild fellows and rude people often came in. There came one time, when I was at Pall-Mall, an ambassador with a company of Irishmen and rude fellows; the meeting was over before they came, and I was gone up into a chamber, where I heard one of them say he would kill all the Quakers. I went down to him, and was moved in the power of the Lord to speak to him. I told him, "The law said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth'; but thou threatnest to kill all the Quakers, though they have done thee no hurt. But," said I, "here is gospel for thee: here is my hair, here is my cheek, and here is my shoulder," turning it to him. This came so over him, that he and his companions stood as men amazed, and said if that was our principle, and if we were as we said, they never saw the like in their lives. I told them what I was in words, I was the same in life. Then the ambassador, who had stood without, came in: for he said that Irish colonel was such a desperate man that he durst not come in with him for fear he should do us some mischief; but Truth came over him, and he carried himself lovingly towards us, as also did the ambassador; for the Lord's power was over them all.
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Before this time we received account from New England that the government there had made a law to banish the Quakers out of their colonies upon pain of death in case they returned; and that several Friends, having been so banished, and returning, were taken, and actually hanged, and that many more were in prison, in danger of the like sentence berg executed upon them. When those were put to death, I was in prison at Lancaster, and had a perfect sense of their sufferings, as though it had been myself, and as though the halter had been put about my own neck; though we had not at that time beard of it.
But as soon as we heard of it, Edward Burrough went to the King, and told him there was a vein of innocent blood opened in his dominions, which, if it were not stopped, would overrun all. To which the King replied, "But I will stop that vein." Edward Burrough said; "Then do it speedily, for we do not know how many may soon be put to death." The King answered, "As speedily as ye will. Call," said he to some present, "the secretary, and I will do it presently."(1) The secretary being called, a mandamus was forthwith granted. A day or two after Edward Burrough going again to the King to desire the matter might be expedited, the King said he had no occasion at present to send a ship thither, but if we would send one, we might do it as soon as we chose. Edward Burrough then asked the King if it would please him to grant his deputation to one called a Quaker, to carry the mandamus to New England. He said, "Yes, to whom ye will." Whereupon E. B. named Samuel Shattock, as I remember, who being an inhabitant of New England, was by their law, to be hanged if he came again; and to him the deputation was granted. Then we sent for Ralph Goldsmith, an honest Friend, who was master of a good ship, and agreed with him for three hundred pounds, goods or no goods, to sail in ten days. He forthwith prepared to set sail, and, with a prosperous gale, in about six weeks arrived before the town of Boston, in New England, upon a First-day morning, Sunday. Many passengers went with him, both of New and old England, Friends, whom the Lord moved to go to bear against those bloody persecutors, who had exceeded the world in that age in their persecutions.
The townsmen at Boston seeing a ship come into the bay English colours, soon came on board, and asked for the captain. Ralph Goldsmith told them he was the commander. asked him if he had any letters. He said, "Yes." They asked if he would deliver them. He said, "No, not to-day." So they went on shore, and reported there was a ship full of Quakers, and that Samuel Shattock was among them, who, they knew, was, by their law, to be put to death, for coming again after banishment; but they knew not his errand nor his authority.
So all being kept close that day, and none of the ship's company suffered to land, next morning Samuel Shattock, the King's deputy, and Ralph Goldsmith, the commander of the vessel, went on shore; and sending back to the ship the men that landed them, they two went through the town to the door of the governor, John Endicott, and knocked. He sent out a man to know their business. They sent him word their business was from the King of England, and they would deliver their message to none but the governor himself. They were then admitted, and the governor came to them; and having received the deputation and the mandamus, he laid off his hat, and looked upon them. Then going out, he bid the Friends follow him. He went to the deputy-governor, and after a short consultation, came out to the Friends, and said, "We shall obey his Majesty's commands." After this the master gave liberty to the passengers to come on shore; and presently the noise of the business flew about the town, and the Friends of the town and the passengers of the ship met together to offer up their praises and thanksgivings to God, who had so wonderfully delivered them from the teeth of the devourer. While they were thus met, in came a poor Friend who, being sentenced by their bloody law to die, had lain some time in irons, expecting execution. This added to their joy, and caused them to lift up their hearts in high praises to God, who is worthy for ever to have the praise, the glory and the honour; for He only is able to deliver and to save, and to support al; that sincerely put their trust in Him.
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Before this, while I was a prisoner in Lancaster Castle, the book called The Battledore(2) was published, which was written to shew that in all languages Thou and Thee is the proper and usual form of speech to a single person; and You to more than one. This was set forth in examples or instances taken from the Scriptures, and books of teaching, in about thirty languages. J. Stubbs and Benjamin Furly took great pains in compiling it, which I set them upon; and some things I added to it. When it was finished, copies were presented to the King and his Court, to the Bishops of Canterbury and London, and to the two universities one each; and many purchased them.
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Among the exercises and troubles that Friends had from without, one was regarding Friends' marriages, which sometimes were called in question. This year(3) a there was a cause tried at the Assize at Nottingham concerning one. The case was thus: some years before, two Friends were joined together in marriage amongst Friends, and lived together as man and wife about two years. Then the man died, leaving his wife with child, and an estate in lands of copyhold, When the woman was delivered, the jury presented the child heir to its father's lands, and accordingly the child was admitted; afterwards another Friend married the widow. After that, a man that was near of kin to her former husband brought his action against the Friend that had last married her, endeavouring to dispossess them and deprive the child of the inheritance, and to possess himself thereof as next heir to the woman's first husband. To effect this he endeavoured to prove the child illegitimate, alleging the marriage was not according to law. In opening the case, the plaintiff's counsel did use unseemly words concerning Friends, saying that they went together like brute beasts, with other ill expressions. After the counsels on both sides had pleaded, the judge (viz., Judge Archer) took the matter in hand, and opened it to the jury, telling them that there was a marriage in Paradise when Adam took Eve and Eve took Adam; and that it was the consent of the parties that made a marriage. As far the Quakers, he said he did not know their opinions, but he did not believe they went together as brute beasts as had been said of them, but as Christians, and therefore he did believe the marriage was lawful, and the child lawful heir. And the better to satisfy the jury, he brought them a case to this purpose: A man that was weak of body, and kept his bed, had a desire in that condition to marry, and did declare before witnesses that he did take such a woman to be his wife, and the woman declared that she took that man to be her husband. This marriage was afterwards called in question; and (as the judge said)all the bishops at that time concluded it to be a lawful marriage. Hereupon the jury gave m their verdict for the Friend's child against the man that would have deprived it of its inheritance.
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I mentioned before,(4) that in the year 1650 I was kept prisoner six months in the House of
Correction at Derby, and that the keeper of the prison, a cruel man, and one that had dealt very
wickedly towards me, was smitten in himself, the plagues and terrors of the Lord falling upon him
because thereof. This man, being afterwards convinced of Truth, wrote me the following letter:
Dear Friend,--Having such a convenient messenger, I could do no less than give thee an account of my present condition, remembering, that to the first awakening of me to a sense of life, and of the inward principle, God was pleased to make use of thee as an instrument. So that sometimes I am taken with admiration that it should come by such a means as it did; that is to say, that providence should order thee to be my prisoner, to give me my first real sight of the truth. It makes me many times to think of the jailer's conversion by the apostles. O happy George Fox! that first breathed that breath of life within the walls of my habitation. Notwithstanding my outward losses are since that time such, that I am become nothing in the world, yet I hope I shall find that all these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, will work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They have taken all from me, and now, instead of keeping a prison, I am rather waiting the time when. I shall become a prisoner myself. Pray for me, that my faith fail not, but that I may hold out unto death, that I may receive a crown of life. I earnestly desire to hear from thee, and of thy condition, which would very much rejoice me. Not having else at present but my kind love unto thee, and all Christian Friends with thee, in haste, I rest, Thine in Christ Jesus,
Thomas Sharman.
Derby, the 22nd of the 4th Month, 1662.
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After I had made some stay in London, and cleared myself of those services that at that time lay upon me there, I went into the country, having with me Alexander Parker and John Stubbs. We travelled through the country, visiting Friends' meetings, till we came to Bristol. There we understood the officers were likely to come and break up the meeting. Yet on the First-day we went to the meeting at Broadmead, and Alexander Parker standing up first, while he was speaking the officers came and took him away. After he was gone, I stood up and declared the everlasting truth of the Lord God in His eternal power, which came over all; the meeting was quiet the rest of the time, and brake up peaceably. I tarried till the First-day following, visiting Friends and being visited by them.
On the First-day morning several Friends came to Edward Pyot's house (where I lay the night before), and used great. endeavours to persuade me not to go to the meeting that day, for the magistrates, they said, had threatened to take me, and had raised the trained bands. I wished them to go to the meeting, not telling them what I intended to do; but I told Edward Pyot I intended to go, and he sent his son to shew me the way from his house by the fields. As I went I met divers Friends who were coming to me to prevent my going, and did what they could to stop me. "Alack!" said Friends. "What! wilt thou go into the dragon's mouth?" I put them by and went on. When I came to the meeting, Margaret Thomas was speaking; and when she had done I stood up. I saw a concern and fear upon Friends for me; but the power of the Lord in which I declared soon struck the fear out of them; life sprang, and a glorious heavenly meeting we had. After I had cleared myself of what was upon me from the Lord to the meeting, I was moved to pray; and after that to stand up again, and tell Friends now they might see there was a God in Israel that could deliver. A very large meeting this was, and very hot; but Truth was over all, the life was exalted, which carried through and the meeting brake up in peace. The officers and soldiers had been breaking up another meeting, which had taken up their time, so that our meeting was ended be/ore they came. But I understood afterwards they were in a great rage because they had missed me; for they were heard to say one to another before, "I'll warrant we shall have him"; but the Lord prevented them.
Having been two First-days together at the meeting at Broadmead, and feeling my spirit clear of
Bristol, I passed through the country, visiting Friends, till I came to London, having great
meetings amongst Friends as I went.
NOTES
2.
A Battle-Door for Teachers and Professors to learn Singular and Plural, etc. 1660. (N.P.)3.
The trial took place in 1661. (N.P.)4.
See page 33. (N.P.) (Discussed in chapter two. -pds)