Shortly after, when Colonel Kirkby was gone to London, there was a private meeting of the justices and deputy-lieutenants at Holker Hall, where Justice Preston lived; and there they granted a warrant to apprehend me. I heard over-night both of their meeting and of the warrant, and so could have gone away and got out of their reach if I would; for I had not appointed any meeting at that time, and I had cleared myself of the North.
But I considered, there being a noise of a plot in the North, if I should go away they might fall upon poor Friends, but if I gave up myself to be taken it might stop them and Friends should escape the better. So I gave myself up to be taken, and prepared myself against they came.
Next day an officer came with sword and pistol to take me. I told him I knew his errand the night before, and had given up myself to be taken; for if I would have escaped their imprisonment I might have been forty miles off before he came; but I was an innocent man, and so mattered not what they could do to me. He asked me how I heard of it, seeing the order was made privately in a parlour. I said it was no matter for that, it was sufficient that I heard of it. Then I asked him to let me see his order; whereupon he laid his hand on his sword, and said I must go with him before the lieutenants, to answer such questions as they should propound to me. I told him it was but civil and reasonable for him to let me see his order; but he would not. Then said I, "I am ready." So I went along with him, and Margaret Fell went with me to Holker Hall.
When we came thither, there was one Rawlinson, called a and one called Sir George Middleton, and many more that I did not know, besides old Thomas Preston who lived there. They brought Thomas Atkinson, a Friend of Cartmel, as a witness against me, for some words which he had told to one Knipe,(2) who had informed them; which words were that I had written against the plotters, and had knocked them down. These words they could not make much of, for I told them I had heard of a plot, and had written against it.
Old Preston asked me whether I had a hand in that script. I asked him what he meant. He said, "In The Battledore." I answered, "Yes." Then he asked me whether I understood languages. I said, "Sufficient for myself"; and that I knew no law that was transgressed by it. I told them also that to understand those outward languages was no matter of salvation, and if I did understand anything of them, I judged and knocked them down again for any matter of salvation that was in them. And so he turned away, and said, "George Fox knocks down all the languages. Come," said he, "we will examine you of higher matters."
Then said George Middleton, "You deny God, and the Church, and the faith." I replied, "Nay, I own God, and the true Church, and the true faith. But what church dost thou own? said I(for I understood he was a Papist). Then he turned again and said, "You are a rebel." I asked him to whom he spake, cr whom did he call rebel: he was so full of envy that for a while he could not speak, but at last he said he spake it to me. With that I struck my hand on the table, and told him I had suffered more than twenty such as he, or than any that were there; for I had been cast into Derby dungeon for six months together, and had suffered much because I would not take up arms against this King before Worcester fight. I had been sent up prisoner out of my own country by Colonel Hacker to Oliver Cromwell, as a plotter to bring in King Charles, in the year 1654; and I had nothing but love and goodwill to the King, and desired the eternal good and welfare of him and all his subjects. "Did you ever hear the like?" said Middleton. "Nay," said I, "ye may hear it again if ye will. For ye talk of the King, a company of you, but where were ye in Oliver's days, and what did ye do then for him? But I have more love to the King for his eternal good and welfare than any of you have."
Then they asked me whether I had heard of the plot. And I said yes, I had heard of it. They asked me how I had heard of' it, and whom I knew in it. I told them I had heard of it through the high sheriff of Yorkshire,(3) who had told Dr. Hodgson that there was a plot in the North; that was the way I heard of it; but I had never heard of any such thing in the South, nor till I came into the North. And as for knowing any in the plot, I was as a child in that, for I knew none of them. Then said they, "Why would you write against it, if you did not know some that were in it?" I said, "My reason was because you are so forward to mash the innocent and guilty together, therefore I wrote against it to clear the truth from such things, and to stop all forward, foolish spirits from running into such things. I sent copies of it into Westmorland, Cumberland, Bishoprick and Yorkshire, and to you here. I sent another copy of it to the King and his Council, and it is like it may be in print by this time." One of them said, "Oh I this man hath great power." I said, "Yes; I had power to write against plotters." Then said one of them, "You are against the laws of the land." I answered, "Nay, for I and my Friends bring all people to the Spirit of God in them, to mortify the deeds of the flesh. This brings them into well-doing, and from that which the magistrate's sword is against, which eases the magistrates, who are for the punishment of the evil-doers. So people being turned to the Spirit of God, which brings them to mortify the deeds of the flesh, this brings them from under the occasion of the magistrates sword; and this must be one with magistracy, and one with the law, which was added because of transgression, and is for the praise of them that do well. So in this we establish the law, are an ease to the magistrates, and are not against, but stand for, all good government."
Then George Middleton cried, "Bring the Book and put the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to him." Now he himself being a Papist, I asked him whether he had taken the oath of Supremacy, who was a swearer. As for us, we could not swear at because Christ and the Apostle had forbidden it. Some of them would not have had the oath put to me, but have set me at liberty, but the rest would not agree to that; for this was their last snare, and they had no other way to get me into prison, all Other things had been cleared to them. This was like the Papists' Sacrament of the Altar, by which they ensnared the martyrs. So they tendered me the oath, which I could not take; whereupon they were about to make my mittimus to send me to Lancaster jail; but considering of it, they only engaged me to appear at the Sessions, and so for that time dismissed me.
Then I went back with Margaret Fell to Swarthmoor; and soon after Colonel West came to see me, who was at that time a justice of the peace. He told us he acquainted some of the rest of the justices that he would come over to see me and Margaret Fell; "but it may be," said he, "some of you will take offence at it." I asked him what he thought they would do with me at the Sessions; and he said they would tender the oath to me again.
Whilst I was at Swarthmoor, William Kirkby came into Swarthmoor meeting, and brought the constables with him. I-was sitting with Friends in the meeting, and he said to me, "How now, Mr. Fox! you have a fine company here." "Yes," said I, "we do meet to wait upon the Lord." So he began to take the names of Friends, and them that did hot readily tell him their names he committed to the constables' hands, and sent some to prison. The constables were unwilling to take without a warrant, whereupon he threatned to set them without a warrant; but one of the constables told him he could keep in his presence, but after he was gone he could not keep a warrant. Sessions coming on, I went to Lancaster, and appeared to my engagement. There was upon the Bench that Justice Fleming who had bid five pounds in Westmorland to .any man that would apprehend me; for he was a justice both m Westmorland and Lancashire. There were also Justice Spencer, Colonel West, and old Justice Rawlinson the lawyer, who gave the charge, and was very sharp against Truth and Friends, that I thought once he would have been choked; but the Lord's power stopped him. The Sessions was large, and the concourse of people great; and way being made for me, I came up to the Bar and stood there with my hat on, they looking earnestly upon me and I upon them for a pretty space. Then proclamation being made for all to keep silence upon pain of imprisonment, and all being quiet, I said twice, "Peace be among you." The chairman asked if I knew where I was; I said, "Yes, I do; but it may be," said I, "my hat offends you; that is a low thing, that is not the honour that I give to magistrates; for the true honour is from above; which I have received, and I hope it is not the hat which ye look upon to be the honour." The chairman said they looked for the hat too, and asked wherein I shewed my respect to magistrates if I did not put off my hat. I replied, in coming when they called me. Then they bid one take off my hat. Alter which it was some time before they spake to me, and I felt the power of the Lord to arise.
After some pause, old Justice Rawlinson, the chairman, asked me if I knew of the plot. I told him I had heard of it in Yorkshire, by a Friend, that had it from the high-sheriff. Then they asked me whether I had declared it to the magistrates. I said, "I sent papers abroad against plots and plotters, and also to you, as soon as I came into the country, to take all jealousies out of your minds concerning me and my Friends; for it was and is our principle to declare against such things." They asked me then if I knew not of an Act against meetings. I said I knew there was an Act that took hold of such as met to the terrifying of the King's subjects, and were enemies to the King, and held dangerous principles; but I hoped they did not look upon us to be such men, for our meetings were not to terrify the King's subjects, neither are we enemies to him or any man. Then they tendered me the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy. I told them I could not take any oath at all, because Christ and His Apostle had forbid it; and they had had sufficient experience of swearers first one way then another; but I had never taken any oath in my life. Then Rawlinson the lawyer asked me whether I held it was unlawful to swear. This question he put on purpose to ensnare me; for by an Act that was made, such were liable to banishment or a great fine that should say it was unlawful to swear. But I seeing the snare, avoided it, and told him that in the time, of the law, amongst the Jews before Christ came, the law commanded them to swear; but Christ, who doth fulfil the law in His gospel time, commands not to swear at all; and the apostle James forbids swearing, even to them that were Jews and had the law of God. So after much other discourse had passed they called for the jailer and committed me to prison.
I had about me that paper which I had written as a testimony against plots, which I desired they would read, or suffer to be read, in open Court; but they would not. So I being committed for refusing to swear, I bid them and all the people take notice that I suffered for the doctrine of Christ, and for my obedience to His command. Afterwards I understood the justices said they had private instructions from Colonel Kirkby to prosecute me, notwithstanding his fair carriage and seeming kindness to me before, when he declared before many of them that he had nothing against me.
Several other Friends were committed to prison, some for meeting to worship God, and some for not swearing; so that the prison was very full. Many of them being poor men that had nothing to maintain their families by but their labour which now they were taken off from, several of their wives went to the justices who had committed their husbands, and told them if they kept their husbands in jail for nothing but the truth of Christ, and for good conscience sake, they would bring their children to the justices for them to maintain them. A mighty power of the Lord rose in Friends, and gave them great boldness, so that they spake much to the justices. Friends also that were prisoners wrote to the justices, laying the weight of their sufferings upon them, and shewing them both their injustice and want of compassion towards their poor neighbours, whom they knew to be honest, conscientious, peaceable people, that in tenderness of conscience could not take any oath; yet they sent them to prison for refusing to take the oath of Allegiance, Several who were imprisoned on that account were known to be men that had served the King in his wars, and had hazarded their services and sufferings, and that by them that pretended to be the King's friends, was hard, unkind, and ungrateful dealing. At length the justices being continually attended with complaints of grievances, released some of the Friends, but kept divers of them still in prison.
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I was kept till the Assize; and Judge Turner and Judge Twisden coming that circuit, I was brought before Judge Twisden on the 14th day of the First Month, called March, in the latter end of the year 1663.(4) When I was set up to the Bar, I said, "Peace be amongst you all." The judge looked upon me, and said, "What do you come into the Court with your hat on?" Upon which, the jailer taking it off, I said, "The hat is not the honour that comes from God." Then said the judge to me, "Will you take the oath of Allegiance, George Fox?" I said, "I never took any oath in my life, nor any covenant or engagement." "Well," said he, "will you swear or no?" I answered, "I am a Christian, and Christ commands me not to swear, and so does the apostle James, and whether I should obey God or man, do thou judge." "I ask you again," said he, "whether you will swear or not." I told him they had had experience enough, how many men had first sworn for the King and then against him. But as for me, I had never taken an oath in all my life; and my allegiance did not lie in swearing, but in truth and faithfulness; for I honour all men, much more the King. Then I asked the Judge if he did own the King. "Yes," said he, "I do own the King." "Why then," said I, "dost thou not observe his declaration from Breda, and his promises made since he came into England, that no man should be called in question for matters of religion, so long as they lived peaceably? Now if thou ownest the King, why dost thou call me into question, and put me upon taking an oath which is a matter of religion, seeing neither thou nor any else can charge me with unpeaceable living?"
Upon this he was moved, and looking angrily at me, said, "Sirrah! will you swear?" I told him I was none of his sirrahs, I was a Christian; and for him, an old man and a judge, to sit there and give names to prisoners, it did not become either his gray hairs or his office. "Well," said he, "I am a Christian too." "Then do Christian works," said I. "Sirrah!" said he, "thou thinkest to frighten me with thy words," Then catching himself and looking aside, he said, "Hark! I am using that word again, and so he checked himself. I said, "I spake to thee in love; for that language did not become thee, a judge. Thou oughtest to instruct a prisoner in the law, if he were ignorant and out of the way. "And I speak in love to thee too," said he. "But," said I, "love gives no names." Then he roused himself up, and said, "I will not be afraid of thee, George Fox; thou speakest so loud thy voice drowns mine and the Court's; I must call for three or four criers to drown thy voice: thou hast good lungs." I am a prisoner here," said I, "for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake; for his sake do I suffer, for Him do I stand this day; and if my voice were five times louder, I should lift it up, and sound it for Christ's sake, for whose cause I stand this day before your judgement seat in obedience to Christ who commands not to swear; before whose judgment seat you must all be brought and must give an account." "Well," said the judge, "George Fox, say whether thou wilt take the oath, yea or nay." I replied, "I say, as I said before, whether ought I to obey God or man, judge thou. If I could take any oath at all, I should take this; for I do not deny some oaths only, or on some occasions, but all oaths, according to Christ's doctrine, who hath commanded His followers not to swear at all."
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"Then you will not swear," said the judge; "take him away, jailer." I said, "It is for Christ's sake that I cannot swear, and for obedience to His command I suffer, and so the Lord forgive you all." So the jailer took me away; but I felt the mighty power of the Lord was over them all.
The sixteenth day of the same month I was brought before Judge Twisden again: he was somewhat offended at my hat; and it being the last morning of the Assize before he was to go out of town, and not many people there, he made the less of it, asked me whether I would traverse, stand mute, or submit. But he spake so fast that it was hard to know what he said, I told him I desired I might have liberty to traverse indictment, and try it. Then said he, "Take him away, I will have nothing to do with him; take him away." I said, "Well, live in the fear of God and do justice." "Why," said he, have not I done you justice?" I replied, "That which thou hast done has been against the command of Christ." So I was taken to the jail again, and kept prisoner till the next Assizes.
Some time before this Assize,'Margaret Fell was sent prisoner to Lancaster jail by Fleming, Kirkby, and Preston, justices; and at the Assize the oath was tendered to her also, and she was again committed to prison, to lie till the next Assize.
Now Justice Fleming being one of the fiercest and most violent justices in persecuting Friends, and sending his honest neighbours to prison for religion's sake, and many Friends at this time being in Lancaster jail committed by him, and some having died in prison, we that were then prisoners had it upon us to write to him.
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Besides this, which went in the names of many, I sent him also a line subscribed by myself alone.
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It was not long after this ere Fleming's wife died and left him thirteen or fourteen motherless children,
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In the Sixth Month, 1664, the Assizes were held again at Lancaster, and the same Judges, Twisden and Turner, came that circuit again; but Judge Turner then sate on the Crown Bench, and so I was brought before him. Before I was called to the Bar, I was put among the murderers and felons for about two hours, the people, the justices and the judge also gazing upon ne. After they had tried several others, they caused me to be brought, and caused the jury to be called. Then the judge asked the justices whether they had tendered me the oath at the Sessions. They said they had. Then he bid give them the book, that they might swear they had tendered me the oath according to the indictment. Some of the justices refused to be sworn; but the judge said he would have it done to take away all occasion of exception. When the jury were sworn, and the justices had sworn that they had tendered me the oath according to the indictment, the judge asked me whether I had not refused the oath at the last Assizes. I said I never took an oath in my life, and Christ, the Saviour and Judge of the world, said, "Swear not at all." The judge seemed not to take notice of my answer, but asked me whether or not I had refused to take the oath at the last Assizes. I said, "The words that I then spake to them were, that if they could prove, either judge, justices, priest or teacher, that after Christ and the Apostle had forbidden swearing, they commanded that. Christians should swear, would swear. The judge said he was not at that time to dispute whether it was lawful to swear but to inquire whether I had refused to take the oath or not. I told him, "Those things mentioned in the oath, as plotting against the King, and owning the Pope's or any other foreign power, I utterly deny." "Well," said he, "you say well in that; but did you deny to take the oath? what say you?" "What wouldst thou have me to say?" said I; "for I have told thee before what I did say." Then he asked me ff I would have these men to swear that I had taken the oath. I asked him if he would have those men to swear that I had refused the oath, at which the Court burst out into laughter. I was grieved to see so much lightness in a Court, where such solemn matters are handled, and thereupon asked them if this Court was a play-house. "Where is gravity and sobriety? for this behaviour doth not become you."
Then the clerk read the indictment, and I told the judge I had something to speak to it; for I had informed myself of the errors that were in it. He told me he would hear afterward any reasons that I could allege why he should not give judgment. Then I spake to the jury, and told them that they could not me in guilty according to that indictment, for the indictment was wrong laid, and had many gross errors in it. The judge said I must not speak to the jury, but he would speak to and he told them I had denied to take the oath at the last Asaizes; and said be, "I can tender the oath to any man now, premunire him for not taking it"; and he said they must bring me in guilty, seeing I refused to take the oath. Then said I, "What do ye do with a form ? ye may throw away your form then." And I told the jury it lay upon their consciences, as I would answer it to the Lord God before His judgment-seat. Then the judge spake again to the jury, and I called to him, "Do me justice." So the jury brought me in guilty. Whereupon I told them that both the justices and they had forsworn and therefore they had small cause to laugh, as did a little before. So they set me aside, and called up Margaret Fell, who had much good service among them; and then the Court brake up near the second hour.
In the afternoon I was brought again to have sentence passed me. Margaret Fell desired that sentence might be deferred the next morning. I desired nothing but law and justice at his hands, for thieves had mercy, only I desired the judge to send some one to see my prison, which was so bad they would put no creature they had in it: and I told him that Colonel Kirkby, who was then on the Bench, said I should be locked up, and no flesh alive should come to me. The judge shook his head, and said when the sentence was given, he would leave me to the favour of the jailer. Now most of the gentry of the country were gathered together expecting to hear the sentence; and the noise among the people was that I should be transported. But they were all crossed at that time; for the sentence being deferred till next morning, I was had back to prison again. Upon my complaining of the badness of my prison, some of the justices, with Colonel Kirkby, went up to see it; but when they came, they durst hardly go in, the floor was so bad and dangerous and the place so open to wind and rain. Some that came up said, "Sure it is a jakes-house." When Colonel Kirkby saw it, and heard what others said of it, he excused the matter as well as he could, saying I should be removed ere long to some more convenient place.
Next day, towards the eleventh hour, I was called again to hear the sentence; and Margaret Fell being called first to the Bar, had counsel to plead, who found many errors in her indictment; whereupon, after the judge had acknowledged them, she was set by. Then the judge asked what they could say to my indictment. I was not willing to let any man plead for me, but to speak to it myself, and indeed, though Margaret had some that pleaded for her, yet she spake as much herself as she would. But before I came to the Bar, I was moved in my spirit to pray that God would confound their wickedness and envy, set His truth over all, and exalt His Seed. The thundering Voice said, "I have glorified thee and will glorify thee again.'" And I was so filled full of glory that my head and ears were full of glory, and then when the trumpets and judges came up again, they all appeared as dead men under me. And the Lord heard and answered, and did confound them in their proceedings against me; and though they had most envy against me, yet the most gross errors were found in my indictment.
Now, I having put by others from pleading for me, the judge asked me what I had to say why he should not pass sentence upon me. I told him I was no lawyer, but I had much to say, if he would have patience to hear. At that he laughed, and others laughed also, and said, "Come, what have you to say? he can say nothing." "Yes," said I, "I have much to say, have but the patience to hear me." Then I asked him whether the oath was to be tendered to the King's subjects, or to the subjects of foreign princes. He said, "To the subjects of this realm." Then said I, "Look at the indictment, and ye may see that ye have left out the word subject: so not having named me in the indictment as a subject, ye cannot premunire me for not taking the oath." Then they looked over the statute and the indictment, and saw that it was as I said; and the judge confessed it was an error.
I told him I had something else to stop his judgment; and I desired him to look what day the indictment said the oath was tendered to me at the Sessions there. They looked, and said it was the eleventh day of January. "What day of the week were the Sessions held on?" said I. "On a Tuesday," said they. Then said I, "Look at your almanacs, and see whether there were any Sessions held at Lancaster on the eleventh day of January." So they looked, and found that the eleventh was the day called Monday, and that the Sessions were on the day called Tuesday, which was the twelfth day of that month. "Look ye now," said I, "ye have indicted me for refusing the oath in the Quarter Sessions held at Lancaster on the eleventh day of January last, and the justices have sworn that they tendered me the oath in open Sessions here that day, and the jury upon their oaths have found me guilty thereupon; and yet ye see there were no Sessions held in Lancaster that day." Then the judge, to cover the matter, asked whether the Sessions did not begin on the eleventh. But some in the Court answered, "No; the Sessions held but one day, and that was the twelfth." Then the judge said this was a great mistake, and an error. Some of the justices were in a great rage at this, and were ready to have gone off the Bench; they stamped and said, "Who hath done this? somebody hath done it on purpose"; and a great heat was amongst them. Then said I, "Are not the justices here, that have sworn to this indictment, forsworn men in the face of the country? But this is not all," said I, "I have more yet to offer why sentence should not be given against me."
Then I asked in what year of the King the last Assize here was holden, which was in the month called March last. The judge said, "It was in the sixteenth year of the King." "But," said I, "the indictment says it was in the fifteenth year." They looked and found it so. This also was acknowledged to be another error. Then they were all in a fret again, and could not tell what to say; for the judge had sworn the officers of the Court that the oath was tendered to me at the Assize mentioned In the indictment. "Now," said I, "is not the Court here forsworn also, who have sworn that the oath was tendered to me at the Assize holden here in the fifteenth year of the King, when it was in his sixteenth year, and so they have sworn a year false?" The judge bid them look whether Margaret Fell's indictment was so or not. They looked, and found it was not so. I told the judge I had more yet to offer to stop sentence; and asked him whether all the oath ought to be put into the indictment or no. "Yes," said he, it ought to be all put lm. Then, said I, "compare the indictment with the oath, and there thou mayst see these words, viz., or by any authority derived, or pretended to be derived from him, or his see, left out of the indictment, which is a principal part of the oath, and in another place the words heirs and successors are left out." The judge acknowledged these also to be great errors. "But," said I, "I have not yet done; I have something further to allege." "Nay," said the judge, "I have enough, you need say no more." "If," said I, "thou hast enough, I desire nothing but law and justice at thy hands, for I don't look for mercy." "You must have justice," said he, "and you shall have law." Then I asked, "Am I at liberty and free from all that hath ever been done against me in this matter? Yes," said the judge, "you are free from all that hath been done against you. But then," starting upon a rage, he said, "I can put the oath to any man here, and I will tender you the oath again." I told him he had examples enough yesterday of swearing and false-swearing, both in the justices and the jury; for I saw before mine eyes that both justices and jury. had forsworn themselves. The judge asked me if I would take the oath. I bid him do me justice for my false imprisonment all this while; for what had I been imprisoned so long for? and I told him I ought to be set at liberty. "You are at liberty," said he, "but I will put the oath to you again." Then I turned me about and said, "All people, take notice, this is a snare, for I ought to be set free from the jailer and from this Court." But the judge cried, "Give him the book"; and the sheriff and the justices cried, "Give him the book." Then the power of darkness rose up in them like a mountain; and a clerk lifted up a book to me. I stood still and said, "If it be a Bible, give it me into my hand." "Yes, yes," said the judge and justices, "give it him into his hand." So I took it and looked in it, and said, "I see it is a Bible; I am glad of it."
Now he had caused the jury to be called, and they stood by; for after they had brought in their former verdict, he would not dismiss them, though they desired it; but told them he could not dismiss them yet, for he should have business for them, and therefore they must attend and be ready when they were called. When he said so, I felt his intent that if I was freed he would come on again. So I looked him in the face, and the witness of God started up in him, and made him blush when he looked at me again, for he saw that I saw him. Nevertheless, hardening himself, he caused the oath to be read to me, the jury standing by; and when it was read, he asked me whether I would take the oath or not. Then said I, "Ye have given me a book here to kiss and to swear on, and this book which ye have given me to kiss, says, 'Kiss the Son'; and the Son says in this book, 'Swear not at all'; and so says also the. apostle James. Now, I say as the book says, and yet ye imprison me; how chance ye do not imprison the book for saying so ? How comes it that the book is at liberty amongst you, which bids me not swear, and yet ye imprison me for doing as the book bids me? Why don't ye imprison the book?" Now as I was speaking this to them, and held up the Bible open in my hand, to shew them the place in the book where Christ forbids plucked the book out of my hand again; and the "Nay, but we will imprison George Fox." Yet this over all the country as a by-word that they gave me a swear on that commanded me not to swear not all; and Bible was at liberty, and I in prison for doing as the Bible
Now when the judge still urged me to swear, I told him never took oath, covenant, or engagement in my life, yea or nay was more binding to me than an oath was to others; for had they not had experience how little men an oath; and how they had sworn one way and then and how the justices and Court had forsworn
I told them I was a man of a tender conscience, and any sense of a tender conscience, they would consider was in obedience to Christ's command that I could "But," said I, "if any of you can convince me and the Apostle had commanded not to swear, they that command and commanded Christians to swear, shall see I will swear." There being many priests by, I said, "If ye cannot do it, let your priests stand up and do it." But not one of the priests made any answer. "Oh" said the judge, "all the world cannot convince you." "No," said I; how is it like the world should convince me? for the whole world lies in wickedness; but bring out your spiritual men, as ye call them, to convince me." Then both the sheriff and the judge said, "The angel swore in the Revelations." I replied, "When God bringeth in His first-begotten Son into the world, He saith, 'Let all the angels of God worship Him'; and He saith, 'Swear not at all.' Nay," said the judge, "I will not dispute." Then I spake to the jury, telling them it was for Christ's sake that I could not swear, and therefore I warned them not to act contrary to that of God in their consciences, for before His judgment seat they must all be brought. And I told them, "As for plots, and persecution for religion and Popery, I do deny them in my heart; for I am a Christian, and shall shew forth Christianity amongst you this day. It is for Christ's sake I stand, for it is Lotish shabiun becoll daber."(5) And they all gazed and there was a great calm. More words I had both with the judge and jury before the jailer took me away.
In the afternoon I was brought up again, and put among the thieves a pretty while, where I stood with my hat on till the jailer took it off. Then the jury having found this new indictment against me for not taking the oath, I was called to the Bar; and the judge asked me what I would say for myself. I bid them read the indictment, for I would not answer to that which I did not hear. The clerk read it, and as he read the judge said, "Take heed it be not false again"; but he read it in such a manner that I could hardly understand what he read..When he had done, the judge asked me what I said to the indictment. I told him that at once hearing so large a writing read, and at such a distance that I could not distinctly, hear all the parts of it, I could not well tell what to say to it; but ff he could let me have a copy, and give me time to consider it, I would answer it. This put them to a little stand; but after a while the judge asked me what time I would have. I said, "Till the next Assize." "But," said he, "what plea will you now make? are you guilty or not guilty?" I said, "I am not guilty at all of denying swearing obstinately and wilfully; and as for those things mentioned in the oath, as Jesuitical plots and foreign powers, I utterly deny them in my heart; and if I could take any oath, I should take that; but I never took any oath in my life." The judge said I said well; "but," said he, "the King is sworn, the Parliament is sworn, I am sworn, the justices are sworn, and the law is preserved by oaths." I told him they bad had sufficient experience of men's swearing, and he had seen how the justices and jury had sworn wrongly the other day; and if he had read in the Book of Martyrs how many of the martyrs had refused to swear, both within the time of the ten persecutions and in Bishop Bonner's days, he might see that to deny swearing in obedience to Christ's command was no new thing. He said he wished the laws were otherwise. I said, "Our Yea is yea, and our Nay is nay; and if we transgress our yea and our nay, let us suffer as they do, or should do, that swear falsely." This I told him we had offered to the King, and the King said it was reasonable. After some further discourse, they committed me to prison again, there to lie till the next Assize; and Colonel Kirkby gave order to the jailer to keep me close, and suffer no flesh alive to come at me, for I was not fit, he said, to be discoursed with by men.
Then I was put into a tower, where the smoke of the other rooms came up so thick, that it stood as dew upon the walls, and sometimes it was so thick that I could hardly see the candle when it burned; and I being locked under three locks, the under-jailer, when the smoke was great, would hardly be persuaded to come up to unlock one of the upper doors, for fear of the smoke, so that I was almost smothered. Besides, it rained in upon my bed; and many times, when I went to stop out the rain in the cold winter season, my shift would be as wet as muck with the rain that came in upon me. And the place being high and open to the wind, sometimes as fast as I stopt it, the wind, being high and fierce, would blow it out again. In this manner did I lie all that long cold winter, till the next Assize; in which time I was so starved with cold and rain, that my body was greatly swelled, and my limbs much numbed.
The Assize began on the 16th day of the month called March, 1664-5. The same judges, Twisden and Turner, coming down again, Judge Twisden sate this time on the Crown Bench, and before him I was had. Now I had informed myself of the errors in this indictment also. For though at the Assize before, Judge Turner had said to the officers in Court, "Pray see that all the oath be in the indictment, and that the word subject be in, and that the day of the month and the year of the King be put in right; for it is a shame that so many errors should be seen and found in the face of the country"; yet there were many errors, land those great ones, in this indictment as well as in the former. Surely the hand of the Lord was in it to confound their mischievous work against me and to blind them therein; insomuch, that although after the indictment was drawn at the former Assize the judge examined it himself and tried it with the clerks, yet the word subject was left out of this indictment also, the day of the month was put in wrong, and several material words of the oath were left out; yet they went on confidently against me, thinking all was safe and well.
When I was set to the Bar, and the Jury called over to be sworn, the clerk asked me first whether I had any objection to make against any of the jury. I told him I knew none of them. Then, having sworn the jury, they swore three of the officers of the Court to prove that the oath was tendered to me at the last Assizes, according to the indictment. "Come, come," said the judge, "it was not done in a comer." Then he asked me what I had said to it, or whether I had taken the oath at the last Assize. I told him what I had said, viz., that the book they gave me to swear on says, "Swear not at all"; and I repeated more of what I had formerly said to them, as it now came to my remembrance. Whereupon the judge said, "I will not dispute with you, but in point of law." "Then," said I, "I have something to speak to the jury .concerning the indictment." He told me I must not speak to the jury, but if I had anything to say, I must speak to him. Then I asked him whether the oath was to he tendered to the King's subjects only, or to the subjects of foreign princes. He replied, "To the subjects of this realm; for I will speak nothing to you," said he, "but in point of law." "Then," said I, "look in the indictment, and thou mayest see that the word subject is left out of this indictment also. And therefore seeing the oath is not to be tendered to any but the subjects of this realm, and ye have not put me in as a subject, the Court is to take no notice of this indictment." I had no sooner spoken than the judge cried, "Take him away, jailer, take him away." So I was presently hurried away. The jailer and people looked when I should be called for again; but I was never brought to the Court any more, though I had many other great errors to assign in the indictment.
After I was gone, the judge asked the jury if they were agreed, They said, "Yes," and found for the King against me, as I was told. But I was never called to hear sentence given, nor was any given against me that I could hear of. For I heard that when they had looked more narrowly into the indictment, they saw it was not good: and the judge having sworn the officers of the Court that the oath was tendered me at the Assize before~ such a day, according as was set in the indictment, and that being the wrong day, I should have proved the officers of the .Court forsworn men again, if the judge would have suffered me to plead to the indictment; which was thought to be the reason why he hurried me away so soon. It seems, when I was hurried away so, they recorded me as a premunired person, though I was never brought to hear the sentence or knew of; it; which was very illegal. For: they ought not only to have had me present to hear the sentence given, but also to have asked me first what I could say why sentence should not be given against me. But they knew, I had so much to say, that they could not give sentence if they heard it.
While I was prisoner at Lancaster there was a great noise and talk of the Turk's overspreading Christendom, and great fears entered many, But one day as I was walking in my prison chamber I saw the Lord's power turn against him, and that he was turning back again. And I declared to some what the Lord had let me see, when there were such fears of his over-running Christendom; and, within a month after, the news-books came down, wherein it was mentioned that they had given him a defeat.
Another time, as I was walking in my chamber, with my eye to the Lord, I saw the angel of the Lord with a glittering drawn sword stretched southward, as though the Court had been all of a fire. Not long after, the wars brake out with Holland, and the sickness brake forth, and afterwards the fire of London; so the Lord's sword was drawn indeed.
Now by reason of my long and close imprisonment in so bad a place, I was grown very weak in body; but the Lord's power was over all, supported me through all, and enabled me to do service for Him and for His troth and people, as the place would admit. For while I was in Lancaster prison I answered several hooks.
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After the Assize, Colonel Kirkby and some other justices were very uneasy with my being at Lancaster; for I had galled them sore at my trials there, and they laboured much to get me removed to some remora place. Colonel Kirkby threatned should be sent far enough, and beyond sea. About six weeks after the Assizes, they got an order from the King and Council to remove me from Lancaster; and with it they brought a letter from the Earl of Anglesea, wherein was written that if those things were found true against me, which I was charged withal, I deserved no clemency or mercy: yet the greatest matter they had against me was because I could not disobey the command of Christ and swear.
When they had prepared for my removal, the under-sheriff and the head-sheriff's man, with some bailiffs, came and fetched me out of the Castle, when I was so weak with lying in that cold, wet, and smoky prison, that I was not able to go or stand. They had me into the jailer's house, where were William Kirkby, a justice, and several others, and they called for wine to give me. I told them I would have none of their wine. Then they cried, "Bring out the horses." I desired them first to shew me a copy of their order, if they intended to remove me; but they would shew me none but their swords. I told them there was no sentence passed upon me, nor was I premuneried, that I knew of; and therefore I was not made the King's prisoner, but was the sheriff's; for they and all the country knew that I was not fully heard at the last Assize, nor suffered to shew the errors that were in the indictment, which were sufficient to quash it, though they had kept me from one Assize to another, to the end they might try me. Instead of shewing me their order, they haled me out, and lifted me upon one of the sheriff's horses. When I was on horseback in the street, the town's-people being gathered to gaze upon me, I told the officers I had received neither Christianity, civility, nor humanity from them. They 'hurried me away about fourteen miles to Bentham, though I was so very weak I was hardly able to sit on horseback; and my clothes smelt so of smoke, that they were loathsome to myself. The wicked jailer, one Hunter,(6) a young man, would come and give the horse a whip, and make him skip and leap; so that I being weak, had much ado to sit him; and then he would come and look me in the face, and say, "How do you, Mr. Fox?" I told him it was not civil in him to do so. The Lord cut him off soon after.
When we were come to Bentham, there met us many troopers, and a marshal; and many of the gentry of the country were come in, and abundance of people to stare at me. I being very weak and weary desired them to let me lie down on a bed, which the soldiers permitted me; for they that brought me thither gave their order to the marshal, and he set a guard of his soldiers upon me. When they had stayed a while they pressed horses, and raised the bailiff of the hundred, and the constables and others, and had me to Giggleswick that night; but an exceeding weak man I was. There they raised the constables with their dog-shoes, who sate drinking all the night in the room by me, so that I could not get much rest. Next day we came to a market-town, where several Friends called to see me; and Robert Widders and divers Friends came to me on the road. The next night I asked the soldiers whither they intended to carry me, and whither I was to be sent. Some of them said, "Beyond sea"; others said, "To Tynemouth Castle." A great fear there was amongst them, lest some one should rescue me out of their hands; but that fear ;vas needless.
Next night we came to York, where the marshal put me up into a great chamber, where most part of two troops came to see me. One of these troopers, an envious man, hearing that I was premunired, asked me what estate I had, and whether it was copyhold or free land. I took no notice of his question, but was moved to declare the word of life to the soldiers, and, many of them were very loving. At night the Lord Frecheville,(7) who commanded these horse, came to me, and was very civil and loving. I gave him an account of my imprisonment, and declared many things to him relating to Truth. They kept me at York two days, and then the marshal and four or five soldiers were sent to convey me to Scarborough Castle. Indeed these were very civil men, and carried themselves civilly and lovingly to me. When we were come to Scarborough, they had me to an inn, and gave notice to the governor, who sent six soldiers to be my guard that night. Next day they conducted me into the Castle, put me into a room, and sera sentry on me. Being so very weak and subject to fainting, they let me go out sometimes into the air with the sentry. They soon removed me out of this room, and put me into an open one, where the rain came in; it smoked exceedingly, which was very offensive to me.
One day the governor, Sir Jos. Crosland,(8) came to see me, and brought with him Sir Francis Cobb. I desired the governor to go into my room, and see what a place I had. I had got a little fire made in it, and it was so filled with smoke that when he was in it he could hardly find his way out again; and he being a Papist, I told him that was his Purgatory which they had put me into. I was forced to lay out a matter of fifty shillings to stop out the rain and keep the room from smoking so much. When I had been at that charge, and made the room somewhat tolerable, they removed me into a worse room, where I had neither chimney nor fire-hearth. This being to the sea-side and lying much open, the wind drove in the rain forcibly, so that the water came over my bed, :and ran about the room, that I was fain to skim it up with a platter. And when my clothes were wet, I had no fire to dry them; so that my body was numbed with cold, and my fingers swelled, that one was grown as big as two. Though I was at some charge on this room also, I could not keep out the wind and rain. Besides they would suffer few Friends to come to me, and many times not any, no, not so much as to bring me a little food; but I was forced for the first quarter to hire one of the world to bring me necessaries. Sometimes the soldiers would take it from her, and she would fight with them for it, Afterwards I hired a soldier to fetch me water and bread, and something to make a fire when I was in a room where a fire could be made. A threepenny loaf served me three weeks; and sometimes longer, and most of my drink was water with wormwood steeped or bruised in it. One time when the weather was very cold, and I had taken great cold, I got a little elicampane beer, and I heard one of the soldiers say to the other that they would play me a pretty trick, for they would send for me up to the deputy-governor, and in the meantime drink my strong beer out; and so they did. When I came back, one of the soldiers came to me in a jeer and asked me for some strong beer. I told him they had played their pretty trick; and so I took no further notice of it.
They kept me so very strait, not giving liberty for Friends to come to me. But though they would not let Friends come to me, they would often bring others, either to gaze upon me or to contend with me. One time a great company of Papists came to discourse with me; they affirmed the Pope was infallible, and had stood infallible ever since Peter's time. But I shewed them the contrary by history; for one of the bishops of Rome (Marcellinus by name) denied the faith and sacrificed to idols:; therefore he was not infallible. I told them if they were in the infallible spirit, they need not have jails, swords and staves, racks and tortures, fires and faggots, whips and gallows, to hold up their religion by, and to destroy men's lives about it; for if they were in the infallible spirit they would preserve men's lives, and use none but spiritual weapons about religion. I told them also what one that had been of their society told me. It was a woman who lived in Kent, and had not only been a Papist herself, but had brought over several to that religion; but coming to be convinced of God's truth and turned by it to Christ, her Saviour, she exhorted the Papists to the same; one of them, a tailor, being at work at her house, while she opened to him the falseness of the Popish religion, and endeavoured to draw him from it to the truth, drew his knife at her and got between her and the door; but she spake boldly to him, and bid him put up his knife, for she knew his principle. I asked the woman what she thought he would have done with his knife: she said he would have stabbed her. "Stab thee!" said I, "what would he have stabbed thee for? thy religion? "Yes," said she, "it is the principle oi the Papists, if any turn from their religion to kill them if they can." This story I told those Papists, and that I had it from a person that had been one of them, but had forsaken their principles and discovered their practices. They did not deny this to be their principle; but said what! would I, declare this abroad. I told them yes, such things ought to be declared abroad; that it might be known how contrary their religion was to true Christianity. Whereupon they went away in a great rage.
Another Papist came to discourse with me, who said all the patriarchs were in hell, from the creation till Christ came, and that when Christ suffered He went into hell, and the Devil said to Him, "What comest thou hither for? To break open our strongholds?" And Christ said, "To fetch them all out." So he said Christ was three nights and three days in hell, to bring them out. I told him that was false, for Christ said to the thief, "This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise." And Enoch and Elijah were translated into heaven. And Abraham was in heaven, for the Scripture saith that Lazarus was in his bosom; and Moses and Elias were with Christ upon the Mount before He suffered. These instances stopped the Papist's mouth, and put him to a stand.
Another time came Dr. Witty,(9) who was esteemed a great doctor of physic, with Lord Falconbridge;(10) with these came also the governor of Tynemouth Castle,(11) a and several knights, Being called to them, Witty undertook to discourse with me, and asked me what I was in prison for, I told him, "Because I' would not disobey the command of Christ, and swear." He said I ought to swear my allegiance to the King. Now he being a great Presbyterian, I asked him whether he had not sworn against the King, and House of Lords, and taken the Scotch covenant, and had he not since sworn to the King, and what then was his swearing good for. "My allegiance," I told him, "does not consist in swearing, but in truth and faithfulness," After some further discourse, I was sent away to my prison again, And afterwards this Dr. Witty boasted in the town amongst his patients that he had conquered me. When I heard of his boasting, I told the governor it was a small boast in him to say he had conquered a bondman. I desired to bid him come to me again when he came to the Castle.
He came again a while after, with a matter of sixteen or seventeen great persons; and van himself worse on ground than before. For be affirmed before them all that Christ had not enlightned every man that cometh into the world; and that the grace of God, that brought salvation, had not appeared unto all men; and that Christ bad not died for all men. I asked him what sort of men those were whom Christ had not enlightned,. and to whom His grace had not appeared, and for whom He had not died. lie said, "Christ did not die for adulterers, and idolaters, and wicked men," I asked him whether adulterers and wicked men were not sinners. He said, "Yes." "And did not Christ die for sinners?" said I. "Did He not come to call sinners to repentance?" "Yes," said he. "Then," said I, "thou hast stopped thy own mouth." So I proved that the grace of God had appeared unto all men, though some turned it into wantonness, and walked despitefully against it; and that Christ had enlightned all men, though some hated the light. Several of the people that were present confessed it was true; but he went away m a great rage, and came no more to me.
Another time the governor brought a priest, but his mouth was soon stopped. Not long after he brought two or three Parliament-men, who asked me whether I owned ministers and bishops. I told them yes, such as Christ sent, such as had freely received, and would freely give, such as were qualified, and were in the same power and Spirit that they were in the apostles' days. But such bishops and teachers as theirs were, that would go no farther than a great benefice, I did not own; for they were not like the apostles. "Christ saith to His ministers, 'Go ye into all nations and preach the gospel'; but ye Parliament-men, who keep your priests and bishops in such great fat benefices, ye have spoiled them all. For do ye think they will go into all nations to preach; or any farther than they have a great fat benefice? Judge yourselves whether they will or no."
There came another time the widow of him who was called the old Lord Fairfax,(12) and with her a great company, one of whom was a priest. I was moved to declare the truth to them; and the priest asked me why we said Thou and Thee to people, for he counted us but fools and idiots for speaking so. I asked him whether they that translated the Scriptures, and that made the grammar and accidence, were fools and idiots, seeing they translated the Scripture so, and made the grammar so--Thou to one, and You to more than one, and left it so to us. If they were fools and idiots, why had not he, and such as he, that looked upon themselves as wise men, and that could not bear Thou and Thee to a singular, altered the grammar, accidence, and Bible, and put the plural instead of the singular. But if they were wise men that had so translated the Bible, and had made the grammar and accidence so, I wished him to consider whether they were not fools and idiots themselves, that did not speak as their grammars and Bibles taught them; but were offended with us, and called us fools and idiots for speaking so. Thus the priest's mouth was stopped, and many of the company acknowledged the truth, and were pretty loving and tender. Some of them would have given me money, but I would not receive it.
After this came one called Dr. Cradock, with three priests more, and the governor and his lady(13) and another lady, and a great company with them. Dr. Cradock asked me what I was in prison for. I told him for obeying the command of Christ and the Apostle, in not swearing. But if he, being both a doctor and a justice of peace, could convince me that after Christ and the Apostle had forbidden swearing, they commanded Christians to swear, then I would swear. Here was the Bible, I told him, he might, if he could, shew me any such command. He said, "It is written, 'Ye shall swear in truth and righteousness.'" "Ay," said I, "it was written so in Jeremiah's time; but that was many ages before Christ commanded not to swear at all; but where is it written so since Christ forbade all swearing? I could bring as many instances for swearing out of the Old Testament as thou, and it may be more; but of, what force are they to prove swearing lawful in the New Testament, since Christ and the Apostle had forbade it? Besides," said I, "in that text, where it is written, 'Ye shall swear,' what ye was this? Was it ye Gentiles, or ye Jews?" To this he would not answer. But one of the priests their were with him answered, "it was to the Jews that this was spoken." Then Dr. Cradock confessed it was so. "Very well," said I, "but where did God ever give a command to the Gentiles to swear? For thou knowest that we are Gentiles by nature." "Indeed," said he, "in the gospel-times everything was to be established out of the mouths of two or three witnesses; but there was to be no swearing then." "Why then," said I, "dost thou force oaths upon Christians, contrary to thy own knowledge, in the gospel-times? And why dost thou excommunicate my friends?" (For be had excommunicated abundance, both in Yorkshire and Lancashire.) He said, "For not coming to church." "Why!" said I, "ye left us above twenty years ago, when we were but young lads and lasses, to the Presbyterians, Independents and Baptists, many of whom made spoil of our goods and persecuted us, because we would not follow them. Now we, being but young, knew little then of your principles; and, if ye had intended to keep the old men that did know them, to you, and your principles alive, that we might have known them, ye should either not have fled from us as ye did, or ye should have sent us your epistles, and collects, and homilies, and evening-songs. (For Paul wrote epistles to the saints, though he was in prison.) But they and we might have turned Turks or Jews for any collects, homilies or epistles we had from you all this while. And now thou hast excommunicated ns, both young and old, and so have others of you done: that is, ye have put us out of your Church before ye have got ns into it, and before ye have brought us to know your principles. Is not this madness in you, to put us out before we were brought in ? Indeed, if ye had brought us into your Church, and ,when we had been in, if we had done some bad thing, that had been something like a ground for excommunication or putting out again. But," said I, "what dost thou call the church? Why," said he, "that which you call the steeple-house." Then I asked him whether Christ shed His blood for the steeple-house; and purchased and sanctified the steeple-house with His blood. "And seeing the Church is Christ's bride and wife, and that He is the head of the Church, dost thou think the steeple-house is Christ's wife and bride, and that He is the head of that old house, or His people? No," said he, "Christ is the head of the people, and they are the Church." Then said I, "But you have given the title church, which belongs to the people, to an old house, and you have taught people to believe so." I asked him also why he persecuted Friends for not paying tithes. And whether God ever gave a command to the Gentiles "that they should pay tithes," And whether Christ had not ended tithes when He ended the Levitical priesthood that took tithes. And whether Christ, when He sent forth His disciples to preach, had not commanded them to preach freely, as He had given them freely. And whether all ministers of Christ are not bound to observe this command of Christ. He said he would not dispute that; neither did I find he was willing to stay on that subject, for he presently turned to another matter, and said, "You marry, but I know not how." I replied, "It may be so; but why dost thou not come and see?" Then he threatned that he would use his power against us as he had done. I bid him take heed, for he was an old man. I asked him also where he read ~om Genesis: to the Revelations that ever any priest did marry any. And I wished him to shew me some instance thereof, if he would have ns come to them to be married; "for," said I, "thou hast excommunicated one of my friends, two years after he was dead, about his marriage. And why dost thou not excommunicate Isaac, and Jacob, and Boaz, and Ruth? Why dost thou not use thy power against these ? for we do not read that they were ever married by the priests; but they took one another in the assemblies of the righteous, in the presence of God and His people; and so do we. So that we have all the holy men and women, that the Scripture speaks of in this practice, on our side." Much discourse we had, but when he found he could get no advantage over me, he went away with his company.
With such people I was much exercised while I was there; nor most that came to the Castle would desire to speak with me, and great disputes and reasonings I had with them. But, as to Friends, I was as a man buried alive: for though many came from far to see me, yet few were suffered to come at me: and when any Friend came into the Castle about business, if he looked but towards me they would rage at him. At last the governor came under some trouble himself, for he, having sent out a privateer to sea, they took some ships that were not enemies' ships, but their friends'; whereupon he was brought into trouble; after which he grew somewhat more friendly to me. For before I had a marshal set over me, on purpose to get money out of me, but I was not free to give him a farthing; and when they found they could get nothing from me, he was taken away again. The officers often threatned that I should be hanged over the walls. Nay, the deputy-governor told me once that the King, knowing I had a great interest in the people, had sent me thither, that if there should be any stirring in the nation, they should hang me over the walls to keep the people down. The governor growing kinder, I spake to him when he was to go to London to the Parliament, and desired him to speak to Esquire Marsh, Sir Francis Cobb, and some others; and let them know how long I had lain in prison and for what; and he did so. When he came down again, he told me that Esquire Marsh, that was one of the King's Esquires of his body, said he would go a hundred miles barefoot for my liberty, he knew me so well; and several others, he said, spake well of me. From which time the governor was very loving to me.
There were, amongst the prisoners, two very bad men, that often sate drinking with the officers and soldiers; and because I would not sit and drink with them too, it made them the worse against me. One time, when these two prisoners were drunk, one of them (whose name was William Wilkinson, a Presbyterian, who had been a captain)came to me and challenged me to fight with him. Seeing what condition he was in, I got out of his way; and, next morning, when he was more sober, shewed him how unmanly it was in him to challenge a man to fight, whose principle, he knew, it was not to strike; but if he was stricken on one ear to turn the other. I told him if he had a mind to fight, he should have challenged some of the soldiers, that could have answered him in his own way. But however, seeing he had challenged me, I was now come to answer him with my hands in my pockets; and (reaching my head towards him), "Here," said I, "here is my hair, here are my cheeks, here is my back." With that he skipped away from me and went into another room; at which the soldiers fell a laughing; and one of the officers said, "You are a happy man, that can bear such things." Thus he was conquered without a blow. Alter a while he took the oath, gave bond, and got out of prison; and the Lord soon cut him off in his wickedness.
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After I had lain prisoner above a year in Scarborough Castle I sent a letter to the King, in which I gave him an account of my imprisonment and the bad usage I had received in prison; and also that I was informed no man could deliver me but he. After this, John Whitehead being at London, and having acquaintance with him that was called Esquire Marsh, went to visit him, and spake to him about me; and he undertook if John Whitehead would get the state of my case drawn up, to deliver it to the master of requests, whom he called Sir John Birkenhead, and endeavour to get a release for me. So John Whitehead and Ellis Hookes drew up a relation of my imprisonment and sufferings, and carried it to Marsh; and he went with it to the master of requests, who procured an order from the King for my release.
As soon as this order was delivered to the governor, he gathered the officers together, discharged me freely, and gave me the following certificate:
Permit the bearer hereof, George Fox, late a prisoner in Scarborough Castle, and now discharged by His Majesty's order, quietly to pass about his lawful occasions, without any molestation. Given under my hand at Scarborough Castle, this first day of September, 1666.
J. CROSLAND,
Governour of Scarbro' Castle.
After I was released. I would have made the governor a present for the civility and kindness he had of late shewed me; but he would not receive anything, saying whatever good he could do /or me and my friends he would do it, and never do them any hurt. And afterwards, if at any time the mayor of the town sent to him for soldiers to break up Friends' meetings, if he sent any down he would privately give them a charge "not to meddle." He continued loving to his dying day. The officers also and the soldiers were mightily changed and grown very respectful to me, and when they had occasion to speak of me, they would say "He is as stiff as a tree and as pure as a bell, for we could never stir him."
The very next day after my release the fire brake out in London, and the report of it came quickly
down into the country. Then I saw the Lord God was true and just in His word, which He had
shewed me before in Lancaster jail, when I saw the angel of the Lord with a glittering sword
drawn southward, as before expressed.
1. Richard Kirkby (c. 1625-1681.) (N.P.)
2. William Knipe, of the parish of Cartmel. (N.P.)
3. Sir Thomas Gower, Bart. (N.P.)
4. According to the old reckoning, the year 1664 began on the 25th of March. (N.P.)
5. The Hebrew means "Ye shall not swear by anything." (N.P.)
6. Randolph Hunter, "deputy-gaoler." (N.P.)
7. John, Baron Frescheville, who was governor of York. (N.P.)
8. Sir Jordan Crosland (c. 1620-1670.) (N.P.)
9. Robert Wittie, M.D., of Hull, and later of York. (N.P.)
10. Thomas Belasyse, second Viscount Fauconberg. (N.P.)
11. Colonel Edward Villiers. (N.P.)
12. Probably Rhoda, second wife and widow of Ferdinando, second Baron Fairfax. (N.P.)
13. Sir Jordan Crosland married Bridget, oldest daughter of John Fleming of Rydal. (N.P.)