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At Swannington some Friends came to me, but they went away towards night, leaving me at a Friend's house. At night, as I was sitting in the hall, speaking to a widow woman and her daughter, there came one called Lord Beaumont(1) with a company of soldiers, who, slapping their swords on the door, rushed into the house with swords and pistols in their hands, crying, "Put out the candles and make fast the doors." Then they seized upon the Friends in the house, and asked if there were no more about the house. The Friends told them there was one man more in the hall. There were some Friends out of Derbyshire, one of whom was named Thomas Fanks; and this Lord Beaumont, after he had asked all their names, bid his man set down that man's name Thomas Fox; but the Friend said his name was not Fox but Fanks. In the meantime some of the soldiers came, and brought me in to him. He asked me my name; I told him my name was George Fox, and that I was well known by that name. "Ay," said he, "you are known all the world over." I said, "I was known for no hurt, but for good." Then he put his hands into my pockets to search them, and plucked out my comb-case, and afterwards commanded one of his officers to search further for letters, as he pretended. I told him I was no letter-carrier, and asked him why he came amongst a peaceable people with swords and pistols, without a constable, contrary to the King's proclamation and to the late Act. For he could not say there was a meeting, I being only talking with a poor widow woman and her daughter. By reasoning thus with them, he came somewhat down; yet sending for the constables, he gave them charge of us, and to bring us before him next morning. Accordingly the constables set a watch of the town's-people upon us that night, and had us next morning to his house, about a mile from Swannington.
When we came before him, he told us we met contrary to the Act. I desired him to shew us the Act. "Why," says he, "you have it in your pocket." I told him he did not find us in a meeting. Then he asked us whether we would take the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy. I told him I never took any oath in my life, nor engagement, nor covenant. Yet still he would force the oath upon us. I desired him to shew us the oath, that we might see whether we were the persons it was to be tendered to, and whether it was not for the discovery of Popish recusants. At length he brought forth a little book; but we called for the statute-book. He would not shew us that, but caused a mittimus to be made, which mentioned that we were to have had a meeting. With this he delivered us to the constables to convey us to Leicester jail. But when they had brought us back to Swannington; being harvest time it was hard to get anybody to go with us, for the people were loath to go with their neighbours to prison, especially in such a busy time. They would have given us our mittimus to carry it ourselves to the iail; for it had been usual for constables to give Friends their own mittimuses (for they durst trust Friends) and they have gone themselves with them to the jailer. But we told them, though our Friends had sometimes done so, yet we would not take this mittimus, but some of them should go with us to the jail. At last they. hired a poor labouring man to go with us, who was loath to go though hired. So we rode to Leicester, being five in number; some carried their Bibles open in their hands, declaring the truth to the people as we rode, in the fields and through the towns, and telling them we were prisoners of the Lord Jesus Christ, going to suffer bonds for His name and truth's sake. One woman Friend carried her wheel on her lap to spin on in prison; and the people were mightily affected.
At Leicester we went to an inn. The master of the house seemed troubled that we should go to the prison; and being himself in commission, he sent for lawyers in the town to advise with, and would have taken up the mittimus and kept us in his own house and not have let us go into the jail. But I told Friends it would be a great charge to lie at an inn; and many Friends and people would be coming to visit us, and it might be hard for him to bear our having meetings in his house; besides, we had many Friends in the prison already, and we had rather be with them. So we let the man know that we were sensible of his kindness, and to prison we went, the poor man that brought us thither delivering both the mittimus and us to the jailer. This jailer had been a very wicked, cruel man. Six or seven Friends being in prison before we came, he had taken some occasion to quarrel with them, and thrust them into the dungeon amongst the felons, where there was hardly room for them to lie down. We stayed all that day in the prison-yard, and desired the jailer to let us have some straw. He surlily answered, "You do not look like men that would lie on straw." After a while, William Smith, a Friend, came to me, and he being acquainted in the house, I asked him what rooms there were in it, and what rooms Friends had usually been put into before they were put into the dungeon. I asked him also whether the jailer or his wife was master. He said the wife was master; and though she was lame and sate mostly in her chair, being only able to go on crutches, yet she would beat her husband when he came within her reach if he did not do as she would have him. I considered, probably many Friends might come to visit us, and that if we had a room to ourselves it would be better for them to speak to me, and me to them, as there should be occasion. Wherefore I desired William Smith to go speak with the woman, and acquaint her, if she would let us have a room, suffer our Friends to come out of the dungeon, and leave it to us to give her what we would, it might be better for her. He went, and after some reasoning with her, she consented; and we were had into a room. Then we were told that the jailer would not suffer us to have any drink out of the town into the prison, but that what beer we drank we must take of him. I told them I would remedy that, for we would get a pail of water and a little wormwood once a day, and that might serve us; so we should have none of his beer, and the water he could not deny us.
When the First-day came, I spake to one of my fellow-prisoners to carry down a stool and set it in the yard, and give notice to the debtors and felons that there would be a meeting in the yard, and they that would hear the word of the Lord declared might come thither. So the debtors and prisoners gathered in the yard, and we went down, and had a very precious meeting, the jailer not meddling. I said to my fellow-prisoners that if any of them had anything from the Lord to speak to the people they might, and if the jailer came I would speak to him. Thus every First-day we had a meeting as long as we stayed in prison; and several came in out of the city and country. Many were convinced, and some received the Lord's truth there, who have stood faithful witnesses for it ever since.
When the Sessions came we were brought before the justices, with many more Friends sent to prison whilst we were there, to the number of about twenty. Being brought into the Court, the jailer put us into the place where the thieves were put, and then some of the justices began to tender the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to us. I told them I never took any oath in my life, and they knew we could not swear, because Christ and His forbade it; therefore they put it but as a snare to us. I also desired them to read our mittimus, which set forth the cause of our commitment to be that we were to have had a meeting; and I said Lord Beaumont could not by that Act send us to jail unless we had been taken at a meeting, and found to be such persons as the Act speaks of; therefore we desired they would read the mittimus, and see how wrongfully we were imprisoned. They would not take notice of the mittimus, but called a jury, and indicted us for refusing to take the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy. When the jury was sworn and instructed, as they were going out, one that had been an alderman of the city spake to them and bid them have a good conscience; and one of the jury, being a peevish man, told the justices there was one affronted the jury; whereupon they called him up, and tendered him the oath also, and he took it.
While we were standing where the thieves used to stand, a cut-purse(2) had his hand in several Friends' pockets. Friends declared it to the justices, and shewed them the man. They called him up before them, and upon examination he could not deny it; yet they set him at liberty.
It was not long before the jury returned, and brought us in guilty; and then, after some words the justices whispered together, and bid the jailer take us down to prison again. There being a great concourse of people, most of them followed us; so that the crier and bailiffs were fain to call the people back again to the Court. We declared the truth as we went down the streets all along till we came to the jail, the streets being full of people. When we were in our chamber again, after some time the jailer came to us, and desired all to go forth that were not prisoners. When they were gone, he said, "Gentlemen, it is the Court's pleasure that ye should all be set at liberty, except those that are in for tithes; and you know there are fees due to me; But I shall leave it to you to give to me what you will."
Thus we were all set at liberty suddenly, and passed every one into his service.
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From Swannington we came into Warwickshire, where we had brave meetings; and into Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, visiting Friends till we came to London.
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And there came one from London with a motion to me, after Edward Burrough was deceased, it being a whimsey got up into her head, and an imagination got into her head, because Edward Burrough was deceased that we should be all taken away. So the power of the Lord rose in me and I was moved of the Lord to tell her that her motion was false and that she was deceived; and so sent her home again.
And Friends told me that Edward Burrough said if he had been but an hour with me he should have been well.
After some time I travelled into Kent, having Thomas Briggs with me. We went to Ashford, where we had a quiet and a blessed meeting; and on the First-day we had a very good and peaceable one at Cranbrook. Then we went to Tenterden, and had a meeting there, to which many Friends came from several parts, and many of the world's people came in, and were reached by Truth. When the meeting was done, I walked with Thomas Briggs into a close while our horses were got ready; and turning my head, I espied a captain coming; and a great company of soldiers with lighted matches and muskets. Some of the soldiers came to us, and said we must go to their captain. When they had brought us before him, he asked, "Where is George Fox? which is he?" I said, "I am the man." Then he came to me and was somewhat struck, and said, "I will secure you among the soldiers." So he called for them to take me. He took Thomas Briggs and the man of the house, with many more; but the power of the Lord was mightily over them all. Then he came to me again, and said I must go along with him to the town; and he carried himself pretty civilly, bidding the soldiers bring the rest after. As we walked, I asked him why they did thus; for I had not seen so much ado a great while, and I bid him be civil to his neighbours, who were peaceable.
When we were come to the town they had us to an inn that was the jailer's house; and after a while the mayor of the town, and this captain, and the lieutenant, who were justices, came together and examined me why I came thither to make a disturbance. I told them I did not come to make a disturbance, neither had I made any since I came. They said there was a law against the Quakers' meetings, made only against them. I told them I knew no such law. Then they brought forth the Act that was made against Quakers and others. I told them that was against such as were a terror to the King's subjects, and were enemies, and held principles dangerous to the government, and therefore that was not against us, for we held Truth; and our principles were not dangerous to the government, and our meetings were peaceable, as they knew, who knew their neighbours were a peaceable people. They told me that I was an enemy to the King. I answered we loved all people and were enemies to none; that I, for my own part, had been cast into Darby dungeon about the time of Worcester fight because I would not take up arms against him, and that I was afterward by Colonel Hacker to London as a plotter to bring in Charles, and was kept prisoner there till set at liberty by Oliver. They asked me whether I was imprisoned in the time of the insurrection. I said yes; I had been imprisoned then, and since that also, and had been set at liberty by the King's own command. I opened the Act to them, and shewed them the King's late declaration; gave them the examples of other Justices, and told them also what the House of Lords had said of it. I spake also to them concerning their own conditions, exhorting them to live in the fear of God, to be tender towards their neighbours that feared God, and to mind God's wisdom by which all things were made and created, that they might come to receive it, be ordered by it, and by it order all things to God's glory. They demanded bond of us for our appearance at the Sessions; but we, pleading our innocency, refused to give bond. Then they would have us promise to come no more there; but we kept clear of that also. When they saw they could not bring us to their terms, they told us we should see they were civil to us, for it was the mayor's pleasure we should all be set at liberty. I told them their civility was noble, and so we parted.
Then leaving Tenterden we passed through the country, Friends, and having great meetings, all quiet and free from disturbance except by some jangling Baptists, till we came into Hampshire. After a good meeting at Southampton we went to Poulner, in the parish of Ringwood, where was a monthly meeting next day, to which many Friends came from Southampton, Poole, and other places; and the weather being very hot, some of them came pretty early in the morning. I took. a Friend and walked out with him into the orchard, inquiring of him how the affairs of Truth stood amongst them (for many of them had been convinced by me before I was a prisoner in Cornwall). While we were discoursing, another young man came and told us the trained bands were raising, and he heard they would come and break up the meeting. It was not yet meeting-time by about three hours, and there being other Friends walking in the orchard, the Friend that I was discoursing with before desired me to walk into a corn field adjoining it, which we did. After a while the young man that spake of the trained bands left us and went away, and when he was gone a pretty way, he stood and waved his hat. Whereupon I spake to the other young man that was with me to go and see what he ailed. He went, but did not return; for the soldiers, it seems, were come into the orchard. As I kept walking I could see the soldiers, and some of them, as I heard afterwards, did see me, but had no mind to meddle. Coming so long before the meeting-time, they did not tarry, but took what Friends they found at the house, and some whom they met in the lane coming, and had them away. After they were gone, it drew towards the eleventh hour, Friends began to come in apace, and a large and glorious meeting we had; for the everlasting Seed of God was set over all, and the people were settled in the new covenant of life, upon the foundation, Christ Jesus.
Towards the latter part of the meeting there came a man in gay apparel, and looked in while I was declaring, and went away again presently. This man came with an evil intent; for he went forthwith to Ringwood and told the magistrates they had taken two or three men at Poulner, and had left George Fox there preaching to two or three hundred people. Upon this the magistrates sent the officers and soldiers again; but the meeting being nearly ended when the man looked in, and he having about a mile and a half to go with his information to fetch the soldiers, and they as far to come after they had received their orders, before they came our meeting was over, ending about the third hour peaceably and orderly. After the meeting I spake to the Friends of the house where it was held (the woman of the house lying then dead in the house), and then some Friends conducted me to another Friend's house at a little distance, where, after we had refreshed ourselves, I took horse, having about twenty miles to ride that afternoon to one Fry's house in Wiltshire,(3) where a meeting was appointed for the next day.
And as we were going, one of the officers passed by us, as we heard afterwards, but the Lord's power so struck him that he durst not meddle with us.
After we were gone, the officers and soldiers came in a great heat, and when they found they were too late, and had missed their prey, they were much enraged; and the officers were offended with the soldiers, that they had not seized my horse in the stable the first time they came. But the Lord, by His good providence, did deliver me, and prevented of their mischievous design. For the officers were envious men, and had an evil mind against Friends; but the Lord brought His judgments upon them, so that it was taken notice of by their neighbours.
At Fry's in Wiltshire we had a very blessed meeting, and quiet, though the officers had a purpose to have broken it up, and were on their way in order thereunto. But before they got to it, word was brought after them that there was a house newly broken up by thieves, and they were required to go back again with speed to search after and pursue them: by which means our meeting escaped disturbance, and we were delivered out of their hands.
We passed through Wiltshire into Dorsetshire, and into Cornwall to Loveday Hambley's, where we had a general meeting for the whole country; and all was quiet.
A little before this Joseph Hellen and George Bewley had been at Loo to visit Blanch Pope, a Ranting woman, under pretence to convince and convert her; but before they left her, she had so bewitched them with her principles that they seemed to be like her disciples, especially Joseph Hellen (but I was made to judge them, both to Friends and others), for she had asked "Who made the Devil; did not God ?" This idle question so puzzled them that they could not answer her. They afterwards asked me that question. I told them, "No; for all that God made was good and was blessed; so was not the Devil. He was called a serpent before he was called a Devil, an adversary, and then he had the title of Devil given to him because he was a destroyer. Afterwards he was called a dragon. The Devil abode not in the truth, and by departing from the truth he became a Devil. So the Jews, when they went out of the truth, were said to be of the Devil, and were called serpents. Now there is no promise of God to the Devil that ever he shall return to Truth again; but to man and woman, who have been deceived by him, the promise of God is that the Seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head--shall break his power and strength to pieces." Now when these things were opened more at large to the satisfaction of Friends, those two who had yielded to the spirit of that Ranting woman were judged by the truth; and one of them, Joseph Hellen, ran quite out from Truth and was denied by Friends; but George Bewley was recovered, and came afterwards to be serviceable to Truth.
We passed from Loveday Hambley's to Francis Hodges's, near Falmouth and Penryn, where we had a large meeting. Thence we went to Helston, where some Friends came to visit us; and next day passed to Thomas Teage's, where we had another large meeting, at which many were convinced. I was made to open the state of the Church in the primitive times, the state of the Church in the wilderness, and the state of the false Church that was got up since, and that now the everlasting gospel was preached again over the head of the whore, beast, false prophets and antichrists, which had got up since the apostles' days; and now the everlasting gospel was received and receiving, which brought life and immortality to light, that they might see over the Devil that had darkened them. The people received the gospel and the word of life gladly, and a glorious blessed meeting we had for the exalting of the Lord's everlasting truth and His name. After the meeting was done I walked out, and as I was coming in again I heard a noise in the court, and coming nearer, I found the man of the house speaking to the tinners and others of the world's people, and telling them it was the everlasting truth that had been declared there that day; and the people were generally confessing to it.
From thence we passed to the Land's End, to John Ellis's, where we had a precious meeting. Here was a fisherman, one Nicholas Jose, that was convinced. He spake in meetings, and declared the truth amongst the people, and the Lord's power was over all. I was glad that the Lord had raised up His standard in those dark parts of the nation, where there is since fine meeting of honest-hearted Friends; many are come to sit under Christ's teaching; and a great people the Lord will have in that country.
Thence we returned to Redruth, and next day to Truro, where we had a meeting. Next morning some of the chief of the town desired to speak with me, amongst whom was Colonel Rouse. I went and had much discourse with them concerning the things of God. In their reasoning they said the gospel was the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; and they called it natural. I told them the gospel was the power of God, which was preached before Matthew, Mark, Luke and John or any of them were printed or written; and it was preached to every creature (of which a great part might never see or hear of those four books), so that every creature was to obey the power of God; for Christ, the spiritual Man, would judge the world according to the gospel, that is, according to His invisible power. When they heard this, they could not gainsay, for the truth came over them. I directed them to their teacher, the Grace of God, and shewed them the sufficiency of it, which would teach them how to live, and what to deny; and being obeyed, would bring them salvation. So to that grace I recommended them, and left them.
The priests and professors of all sorts were much against Friends' silent meetings; and sometimes the priests and professors would come to our meetings and when they saw one hundred or two hundred people all silent, waiting upon the Lord, they would break out into wonder and despising, and some of them would say, "Look how these people sit mumbling and dumbing! what edification is here where there are no words? Come," would they say, "let us be gone. Why should we stay here to see a people sit in this manner?" And they said they never saw the like in their life.
Then, it may be, some Friends have been moved to speak to them, and say, "Didst thou never see the like in thy life? Look in thy own parish and let the priest see there, how your people sit mumbbing and dumbing, and sleeping under your priests all their life-time; who keep people always under their teaching that they may be always paying."
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In Cornwall I was informed there was one Colonel Robinson,(4) a very wicked man and one who had forsaken the nation before the King came in for ravishing a woman, who, after the King came m, was made a justice of the peace, and became a cruel persecutor of our Friends, of whom he sent many to prison. Hearing that they had some little liberty, through the favour of the jailer, to come home sometimes to visit their wives and children, he made a great complaint thereof to the judge at the Assize against the jailer; whereupon the jailer was fined a hundred marks, and Friends were kept very strictly up for a while. After he was come home from the Assize, he sent to a neighbouring justice, to desire him to go to a fanatic-hunting with him. So on the day that he intended, and was prepared to go, he sent his man about with his horses, and he walked on foot from his dwelling-house to a tenement, where his cows and dairy were kept, and where his servants were then milking. When he came there he asked for his bull. The servants said they had shut him into the field because he was unruly against the kine and hindered their milking. Then he went into the field to the bull, and having formerly accustomed himself to play with him, he began to fence at him with his staff. But the bull snuffed at him, and passed a little back; then turning upon him again, ran fiercely at him and struck his horn into his thigh, and heaving him upon his horns, threw him over his back and tore up his thigh to his belly. When he came to the ground again he gored him with his horns and would run them into the ground in his rage and violence, roared, and licked up his master's blood. The maid-servant, hearing her master cry out, came running into the field, and took the bull by the horns to pull him off from her master. The bull, without hurting her, put her gently by with his horns, but still fell to goring of him and licking up his blood. Then she ran and got some carpenters and other people that were at work not far off to come and rescue her master; but they could not all beat off the bull, till they brought mastiff dogs to set on him; and then he fled in great rage and fury. Upon notice of it his sister came and said to him, "Alack! brother, what a heavy judgment is this that is befallen you!" He answered, "Ah! sister, it is a heavy judgment indeed. Pray let the bull be killed, and the flesh given to the poor," said he. So they carried him home, but he died soon after. The bull was grown so fierce that they were forced to shoot him with guns; for no man durst come near to kill him. Thus does the Lord sometimes make some examples of His just judgment upon the persecutors of His people, that others may fear and learn to beware.
I had cleared myself of Cornwall I left Thomas Lower, who came over Homebridge into Devonshire with me. Thomas Robert Widders and I came to Tiverton; and it being their fair, and many Friends there, we had a meeting amongst them. The magistrates gathered in the street, but the Lord's power stopped them. I saw them in the street over against the door but they had not power to come in to meddle with us, though they had will enough to do it.
After the meeting we passed to Collumpton and Wellington, we had appointed a meeting five miles off, where we had a large one at a butcher's house, and a blessed meeting it was. The people were directed to their Teacher, the Grace of God, would bring them salvation, and many were settled under its teaching. The Lord's presence was amongst us, and we were refreshed in Him, in whom we laboured and travailed; the meeting was quiet. There had been very great persecution in that country and town a little before, insomuch that Friends questioned the peaceableness of our meeting; but the Lord's power chained all, and His glory shined over all. Friends told us how they had broken up their meetings by from the justices, and how by their warrants they required to carry Friends before the justices; and Friends bid them carry them then. The officers said nay; they must go: but Friends said nay; that was not according to their warrants, required them to carry them. Then they were fain to hire carts, and waggons, and horses and to lift Friends up into waggons and carts, to carry them before a justice. When they came to a justice's house, sometimes he happened to be home, and if he were a moderate man he would, it may be, get out of the way, and then they were obliged to carry them before another, so that they were almost three weeks carting carrying Friends up and down from place to place. And when afterward the officers came to lay their charges for this upon the town, the town's-people would not pay it, but made them bear it themselves; which brake the neck of their persecution for that time. The like was done in several other places till the officers had shamed and tired themselves, and then were fain to give over.
At one place(5) the town's officers warned Friends to come to come to the steeple-house. Friends met to consider of it, and the Lord moved them to go to the steeple-house and meet together there. Accordingly when they came thither, they sate down to wait upon the Lord in His power and spirit, and minded the Lord Jesus Christ, their Teacher and Saviour; but did not mind the priest. When the officers saw that, they came to them to put them out of the steeple-house again; but the Friends told them it was not time for them to break up their meeting yet. A while after, when the priest had done his stuff, they came to the Friends again, and would have had them go home to dinner; but the Friends told them they did not use to go to dinner, but were feeding upon the bread of life. So there they sate, waiting upon the Lord, and enjoying His power and presence, till He ordered them to depart. Thus the priest's people were offended because they could not get them to the steeple-house; and when there, they were offended because they could not get them out again.
From the meeting near Collumpton we went to Taunton, where we had a large meeting. The next day we came to a general meeting in Somersetshire, which was very large; and the Lord's everlasting word of life and truth was largely declared. The people were refreshed thereby, and settled upon Christ, their Rock and Foundation, and brought to sit under His teaching; the meeting was peaceable. But about two of the clock in the night there came a company of men about the house, who knocked at the doors and bid us open them or they would break them down; for they wanted a man that they came to search the house for. I heard the noise and got up, and at the window saw a man at the door with his sword by his side. When they had let him in, he came into the chamber where I was, and looked on me, and said, "You are not the man I look for," and went his way.
We came thence to Street, and to William Beaton's, at Puddimore, where we had a very large general meeting, wherein the Lord's everlasting truth was declared, the people refreshed, and all quiet. Thence we went to John Dander's, where we had another large and very precious meeting; and then passed on to Bristol, where we had a large service for the Lord, and all quiet. Here we met with Margaret Fell and her daughters. After some time we went to Slaughterford in Wiltshire, where was a very large meeting in a great barn. Good service we had there: for the truth, as it is in Jesus, was published amongst them, and many were gathered by it into the name of the Lord.
After this I passed into Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, having large meetings in each. In Hereford I had a meeting in the inn. When I was gone, the magistrates, hearing there had been a meeting, came to search the inn for me, and were in a great rage that they had missed me. But the Lord so ordered it that I escaped their hands; and Friends were established upon Christ, their Foundation, the Rock of Ages.
Then I went into Radnorshire, in Wales, and had several precious meetings there. The Lord's name and standard was set up, and many were gathered to it, and settled under the teaching of Christ Jesus, their Saviour, who bought them.
After I was clear of Wales, I came to a market-town between England and Wales where there was a great fair that day; and several Friends being at the fair, we went to an inn and they came to us. After we had had a fine opportunity with Friends, we parted from them and went on our way. The officers of the town took notice, it seems, of our being there, and of Friends gathering to us. They began also to get together to consult among themselves how to ensnare us, though it was the fair time; but before they could do anything we were gone on our journey, and so escaped them.
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Then I passed through the country, visiting Friends, till I came to the farther end of Holderness, and so passed by Scarbro', Whitby and Malton to York, having many meetings in the way; and the Lord's everlasting power was over all.
We went from York to Boroughbridge, where I had a glorious meeting. Thence we passed into Bishoprick to one Richmond's,(6) where there was a general meeting; and the Lord's power was over all, though people were grown exceeding rude about this time. After the meeting we went to Henry Draper's,(7) where we stayed all night. Next morning a Friend came to me as I was passing away, and told me if the priests and justices (for many priests were made justices in that country at that time) could light of me, they would tie me to a stake and burn me.
Being clear of Bishoprick, I went over Stainmoor into Yorkshirre and to Sedbergh, where having visited Friends I went into Westmoreland, visiting Friends there also. Thence I passed into Lancashire and came to Swarthmoor. Here I stayed but a little while before I went over the Sands to Araside, where I had a general meeting. Alter it was ended, there came some men to break it up; but understanding before they arrived that the meeting was over, they turned back. I went to Robert Widders's, and thence to Underbarrow, where I had a glorious meeting, and the Lord's power was over all. Thence I passed to Grayrigg, and having visited Friends there, I went to Anne Audland's, where they would have had me to stay their meeting next day; but I was much burdened in my spirit whilst I was in the house. It came upon me to go to John Blayking's in Sedbergh, and to be next day at the meeting there, which is large, and a precious people there is. We had a very good meeting next day at Sedbergh; but the constables went to the meeting at Anne Audland's to look for me. Thus by the hand and power of the Lord I escaped their snare.
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I passed into Northumberland to Derwentwater,(8) where we had a very glorious meeting. There came an ancient woman to me, and told me her husband remembered his love to me; she said I might call him to mind by this token, that I used to call him "the Hale White Old Man." She said he was six score and two years old, and that he would have come to the meeting, but his horses were all employed upon some urgent occasion. I heard he lived some years after.
When I had visited Friends in those parts, and they were settled upon Christ, their Foundation, I passed through Northumberland, and came to old Thomas Bewley's in Cumberland, Friends came about me, and asked would I come there to go into prison. For there was great persecution in that country at that time; yet I had a general meeting at Thomas Bewley's, which was large and precious, and the Lord's power was over all.
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So eager were the magistrates about this time to stir up persecution in those parts, that some offered five shillings, and some a noble a day, to any that could apprehend the speakers amongst the Quakers; but it being now the time of the Quarter Sessions in that country, the men who were so hired were gone to the Sessions to get their wages, and so all our meetings were at that time quiet.
From Pardshaw-Crag we went into Westmorland, calling on the way upon Hugh Tickell, near Keswick,(9) and upon Thomas Laythes, where Friends came to visit us; and we had a fine opportunity to be refreshed together. We went one night to Francis Benson's, in Westmorland, near Justice Fleming's house.(10) This Justice Fleming was at that time in a great rage against Friends, and me in particular; insomuch that in the open Sessions at Kendal just before he had bid five pounds to any man that should take me, as Francis Benson told me. And it seems, as I went to this Friend's house, I met one man coming from the Sessions that had this five pounds offered him to take me, and he knew me; for as I passed by him he said to his companion, "That is George Fox"; yet he had not power to touch me, for the Lord's power preserved me over them all. The justices being so eager to have me, and I being so often nigh them, and yet they missing me, tormented them the more.
I went thence to James Taylor's at Cartmel, where I stayed the First-day and had a precious
meeting; and after it I came over the Sands to Swarthmoor.
2.
A pickpocket. (-pds)3.
William Fry (c. 1622-1708) lived at Ashgrove, in the parish of Donhead St. Mary. (N.P.)4.
Thomas Robinson (died 1663) was M.P. for the borough of Helston. (N.P.)5.
Said to be Wellingborough. (N.P.)6.
Perhaps Heightinton, where several Friends named Richmond were living. (N.P.)7.
Draper lived at Headlam, Co. Durham. (N.P.)8.
The upper portion of the river Derwent, where it forms the boundary between Durham and Northumberland. (N.P.)9.
Hugh Tickell (c. 1610-1680) belonged to Portinscale Meeting. (N.P.)10.
Sir Daniel Fleming (1663-1701), of Rydal Hall. (N.P.)