A RELATION OF THE Labour, Travail AND SUFFERING Of that faithful Servant of the Lord Alice Curwen.  
Who departed this Life the 7th Day of the 6th Month, 1679. and resteth in Peace with the LORD.  
Here is the Patience of the Saints, here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jesus,  Rev. 14.12. The Souls of the Righteous are precious in the Eyes of the Lord, and they shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance. 
Printed in the Year 1680.   

Something of Alice Curwen's Testimony, which did lie upon her to declare some few days before she departed out of the Body: she spoke for one to come to write, and there was one that did come, and did purpose to write, but the Lord's Power and Presence was so with her, that the Friends that were with her were so broken into Tenderness that there could nothing be written; but there was one Friend which was present with her at that time which did remember something of what she did speak as followeth, whose Name is Anne Martindall.  
AND I can truly say, my Heart was greatly affected and much broken in hearing of that powerful Testimony which dear Alice Curmen did bear for the Lord, and for his Eternal Truth, and in the Sense and Consideration of that blessed heavenly Power, which did run thorough her at that time, my Spirit is often tendered as before the Lord; and truly many of her Words are passed out of my Memory. The first time I did see her she had been sick about five days, and she seemed 〈…〉 but I went again 〈…〉 very sick that 〈…〉 continued that Night, yet she was very sensible, and desired me to sit up with her, and so I did stay all that Night, in which time she did utter many precious Words, which I cannot call to mind; she said, That she felt nothing upon her, but all was clear; for (she said) I do not know that ever I did any thing that did offend the Lord, if it was but a Hasty word or a Thought, but I was reproved for it, and I was willing to lie low and wait upon the Lord until he was pleased to arise again: And she spoke much of the Goodness of the Lord towards her, how that He had been with her at all times and in all places. Some asked her, If she did think that she should not get over it? To which she answered, I do not know what the Lord has to do; but I am freely given up to do his will, whatever it be, Life or Death, I am as clear as a Child: this she spoke several times, and desired, that the will of the Lord might be done. And after she had lain a while, she said, I have something in my Mind to speak, if the Lord will enable me; and she spoke forth with a Heavenly Melody, and so spoke a long time, but I do remember very few of her words; but she said, The Lord is on his way, and he will go on Conquerings and to Conquer; and he will carry on his great work which he hath begun: And she often desired Friends to be faithful, and follow the Lord fully; and said, That she would have none to go before, nor none to stay behind, nor to turn aside either to the Right Hand or to the Left, but follows the Lord your Leader wheresoever he goes: for she had 〈…〉 Sense upon her of the 〈◊〉 know the Truth, 〈…〉 with us in a great 〈…〉 were sold it for the Preferment of this World, which will perish and past away, and yet they can come in with us, and sit down in Meetings, and have their Clothes made like the World's Fashions, and like their order, and speak their own Words; but the Lord will blow such away with the Whirlwind of his Wrath: but those that are faithful Travellers in the work of the Lord, the Lord will preserve, though they may meet with many Trials and Besetments both inwardly and outwardly. And she desired, That all would let their Light shine, and none to put it under a Bushel or under a Bed, but all stand faithful for the Lord in your Day, and then you need not be afraid of Death, but it will be as easy to you as it is to me. Truly she was so filled with the Lord's blessed Power and living Presence, that the Sense of her Sickness was many times taken from her; and she did often say, Truly Friends, I have little Pain upon me, only weak; and many a time she did lie singing, and did make a sweet Melody to the Lord, when she uttered very few words, except on this wise, Oh my Heavenly Father! how hast thou filled my Cup, and made it to overflow! for I can do no less but even praise and magnify they holy eternal Name: and so she often desired, That the Will of the Lord might be done, whether it was Life or Death; and said, For to me to live is Christ and to die is Gain: and many such like precious words, which she did speak, which I cannot call to mind. She spoke many very clear weighty things concerning the Virgins and their Lamps, and exhorted all to be diligent, and to know Life and Virtue in themselves to feed upon; for she said, The time will come that Words will cease, and Life shall more arise; and many more weighty things she did speak, and said if she did live she must declare it, and if she did die she must leave it as a Testimony for the Lord: she often desired Friends to be faithful to the Lord, and follow the Lord fully, as Deborah and Baruk did; which if all had stood faithful, what a blessed Day would it have been ere now! So when she had declared and spoken what was upon her Spirit, she had some ease, and so continued about two hours; and she spoke very much of her Off spring, and said, She desired nothing more concerning them, then that they may Fear the Lord, and then they will never Want. And then towards the latter end of the Night she had an extreme great Pain in her Head, which was very hard to bear, yet in all this time she did not utter one unpatient word, but was like a patiented Lamb, and said, Friends, breathe to the Lord for me, that he may lay no more upon me than I am able to bear, that I may not offend this good God: and immediately she did breathe forth in Prayer to the Lord; then she had a little Ease, and lay still, as if she had been in a Slumber, and a little after she said, I have been in the Deep, and I had something to speak, but I could not. So she did grow weaker and weaker, but she was sweetly carried through it to the End.  
This was declared of this faithful Servant of the Lord, who said, She would have none to mourn for her when she was gone.  
The Names of them that were with her: 

Marry Nelson,  
marvel Fallbery,  
Alice Cobb,  
Rebecca Reckly,  
Anne Martindall,  
Thomas Curwen the elder,  
Thomas Curwen the younger,  
Thomas Cobb.     

Thomas Curwen HIS TESTIMONY, Which is in behalf of his Wife's Testimony, which she did bear faithfully for God and for his Eternal Truth ever since she was Convinced, and her Heart and Mind turned from Darkness to the Light of Jesus Christ, and from Satan's Power to the Power of God, who did serve the Lord in Fear, and rejoiced with Trembling whilst Breath and Life remained.  
And Blessed are the Dead, that Dye in the Lord; they do Rest from their Labours, and their Works do follow them.  
AND this I can say to the Praise and Glory of our God, That she did Dye in the Lord; for she did Praise and magnify the Name of the Lord, and was freely given up to die; and the Lord's Presence was with her, which did carry her up above her Weakness in the Flesh: and though she be dead, and her Body return to the Dust, yet her Spirit is alive, where Hell, Death and the Grave can never separate us; Glory to our God forever, who is the God of the Living, and not of the Dead; and the Living Praise the Lord, the Dead in the Grave of Sin cannot; For the Wages of Sin is Death, but the Gift of God is Eternal Life: and blessed are they that know the Gift of God, and have their Minds exercised in it, or else it had been better for them they had never known it; but as their Minds are exercised in the Gift of God, they come to witness Redemption from Sin and Death, and come to witness Eternal Life, where the Redeemed of the Lord do rejoice, who are redeemed out of the Earth, and have a Habitation in Heaven; and the Redeemed do sing Praises and hallelujahs to the Lord God and the Lamb forever and for evermore, over Death, Hell and the Grave; for he is risen whom the Grave could not hold, Glory to our God forever, to whom all Power is given both in Heaven and in Earth, and he will rule all with his Iron Rod, everlasting Praises forever be given unto his holy & blessed Name, the Lamb of God, who was slain from the Foundation of the world, by whom the world was made, who was dead, but he is alive, whose Name is called The word of God, who was in the World, and the World knew him not; And ye will not come to me (saith Christ) that ye may have Life; who hath given us Life, Breath and Being, that we may live to his Praise, and to his Honour and Glory forever, who is worthy, who is worthy forever and for evermore, saith my Soul.  
And this I can say concerning my dear and loving Wife, who was dear and tender over me, to serve me in any thing that might do me good either for Soul or Body; and the Consideration of her endeared Love to me doth often times come very fresh into my Remembrance, which doth break my Heart into much Tenderness, which doth cause me to write these few Lines concerning God's Testimony, which she did bear for his Eternal Truth: And I can truly say, She was given me of the Lord; who was a Meet Help for me, who did live Husband and Wife about Thirty Eight Years, who was my true Friend and Companion in Tribulation, who did keep the Word of Patience in the Day of Trial and in the Hour of Temptation, and did bear the Burden in the heat of the Day without Murmuring, or looking back to the fleshpots of Egypt, but did Rejoice in Tribulation: Know ye not (saith the Apostle) that Tribulation worketh Patience, and Patience Experience, and Experience Hope, and this Hope maketh not ashamed, because we have obtained the End of our Hope, which is, Salvation to be as Walls and Bulwarks: And now we can say to the Praise and Glory of our God, That now is Salvation nearer than when we first believed. And when a measure of the Spirit of Grace was manifested to her, and she did feel the Operation of it working in her Heart, and was led and guided by it, Oh! how she did improve her Talon for the Lord! and for one Talon he gave her more; and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ did teach her to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, and to live Soberly, and Righteously, and Godly in this World; and she did grow in the Grace of God from Strength to Strength, and from Grace to Grace; and her Affections were not on things below, but on things above: for her Treasure was in Heaven, where neither Rust nor Moth could corrupt, nor Thiefs break through and Steal; and the Lord was her Portion, who is the Portion of the Righteous: And when she was got into the highest Form of Profession, she was very Zealous in her Way and Form, that when the Truth came, she was ready to receive it, who did receive it with great Joy and Gladness of Heart, and said, Now I have found him whom my Soul loves, which was my Desire, which the blind watchmen could never know in reading of the Scriptures of Truth: She had much comfort in reading of David's Psalms, which was much Refreshment to her to sound forth Praises to the Lord; and she did sing with the Spirit, and with Understanding; and she was almost always Praising the Lord, and magnifying his holy and blessed Name; and when she could not speak, she put her Hands together, and did lift them up unto the Lord, and did Praise the Lord in her Heart: And when the Lord did send her forth to preach the Everlasting Gospel, she did not reason with Flesh and Blood; for the Lord's Power and Presence was with her, wherein she did sound forth his Praises to the Nations, and did declare of the Wonderful Works which the Lord had done for the Sons and Daughters of Men: And she was not ashamed to confess the Name of the Lord before men, who was brought several times before Magistrates and Rulers, and was cast into Prison, and was set in the Stocks, and brought to the Whipping-Post for her Testimony, which she had to bear for the Lord, and for his Eternal Truth; for she did follow Christ Jesus fully, who was the Captain of her Salvation, and did make War in Righteousness with the Beast and the False Prophet, and her Captain did never fail her in time of Need, but did go before her, and did tread down her Enemies as Ashes under her Feet, and the Lamb did get the Victory; Glory to our God forever, who did plead the Cause of the Innocent, and did put a Word in her Mouth in every needful time; and the Lord was with her, and his Eternal Arm and Power did cover her Head in the Day of Battle: And she did often pray to the Lord, and said, Lord, let me enjoy thy Presence, and I desire no more; and the Lord did hear her Cry, and did answer her Desire; for the Love of God was so large unto her, which is more than I can express; Glory and Everlasting Praises be unto the Lord. And she had great Exercise with the Priests of this Nation, and other Nations and Islands beyond the Seas, and did go in the Fear & Dread of the Lord to several Priests & Steeple-houses, and the Lord was with her, and gave her Dominion, who went in the Name of the Lord: and she did not matter how Great they were, nor how High they had builded Babel; for she was over them all in the Fear and Wisdom of God; for she was a Dread and a Terror to the Wicked wherever she came: For the Wicked could not stand in Judgement, nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous. She did discover the Seat of the Beast and the Whore, who doth sit upon the Waters, with a Golden Cup in her Hand full of Abomination, which all the World wonder after, who have the Mark of the Beast in their Hand and in their Fore head. And she had a true Sense of the Priest's spirit, and did know and discover them let them come under what Pretence they would; for she did esteem the Lord's Truth above all, & would not have neglected any Opportunity whereby she might have been serviceable for the Lord; for it was her Meat & Drink to do the Will of God, who did receive her Reward in a large measure; for there are some that received thirty fold, and some sixty, but she did receive an hundred fold in this Life, and in the World to come Life Everlasting; for it was much Joy and Gladness of Heart to her in meeting to meet with the Lord and his People in the blessed Unity of the Spirit, where the Lord is Worshipped; and the Lord did fill her Cup to the overflowing to others, who would never have eaten her Morsel alone, but would have others to have eaten and drunk with her, which was to the great Refreshment and Edifying and Building up of others in the Faith of the Elect; for her Cry was to the Lord, That all who were called might be elected and chosen Vessels of Honour for the Lord; for her Joy was full in the Lord, and she did sound forth Living Eternal Praises to the God of her Life, and did Magnify his great Name while she did live in her Earthly Tabernacle, which she did give freely up to be laid in the Dust; and the Heavenly Tabernacle of Grace was with her, which God had pitched, and not Man; and the Lord put a New Song in her Mouth, which none could sing but the Redeemed of the Lord, wherein she did often in secret breathe forth Praises to the Lord; for the Lord's Presence was with her, wherein she could not contain herself, but she breathed forth Praises to the Lord, which did refresh the tender Plants of the Lord when she had no Words to speak. But when she did speak, she did speak from the Mouth of the Lord, and did blow the Trumpet in Zion, and did sound forth an Alarm in the Holy Mount, which made the Inhabitants of the Earth to tremble; for the Lion of the Tribe of Judah did roar out of Zion, and the Trumpet did give a certain sound, whereby many were awakened, and their Minds turned from Darkness to the Light; and the Day did spring from on High, which did give Light to them that had long sitten in Darkness, and under the Shadow of Death, whose Feet were guided in the Way of Peace; who was instrumental to bring many from under the Woe, whose Feet were set upon the Rock; and she did not despise the Day of small things, but was always bringing up the hindermost of the Flock, as Jacob did; and she would have stooped for the least Grain for the gathering of the Seed out of Egypt, where it did not grow, which was under Pharaoh's hardhearted Taskmasters, and was oppressed as a Cart was pressed with Sheaves: And her Conversation was as becometh the Gospel; for her Children and many more were Convinced by her Wise Walking before them, in the Wisdom of God; for she had a great Care of her Offspring, to bring them up in the Fear of the Lord, and did often breathe to the Lord for them, and the Lord did hear her Cry, and did answer her Desire; and I can say to the Praise and Glory of our God, that the Lord hath had Regard to them, and hath done wonderfully for them, who hath gathered them home unto himself, out of the Vain Conversation of the World, and hath placed his Fear in their Hearts; For a Mother may forget her Sucking-Child, but the Lord doth not forget them: Oh! what Cause have we to return Praise, Honour and Glory to the Lord forever, who is worthy forever and for evermore. And in all Places and Countries wherever she came, she exhorted Friends, To have a Care of their Children, & to bring them up in the Fear of the Lord, so that from one Generation to another the Lord's Truth may spread, and cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea, and that the Lord's Testimony may not fall, and that his great Name may be exalted over all, to the Praise and Glory of our God forever: For she was singly given up to do whatever might be for the Prosperity of God's Eternal Truth. Her Labour and Travail was very great, wherein she did spend herself, and was spent for the Seed's sake, that did suffer under great Oppression. And she did preach the Gospel freely, without Money and without Price; for the Gospel was to be preached freely: Therefore away with all Hirelings, who preach for Hire and divine for Money, who keep People always learning, and never come to the Truth: For she did desire no man's Gold, or Silver, or Apparel; for she had the Lord for her Portion, and she desired no more; for her Habitation was in Heaven, and her Dwelling was in Eternity, where she did live and move, and had her eternal Being; For no other Foundation can any man lay, than that which is already laid, which is Christ Jesus, the Rock of Ages, the Foundation of many Generations, which she did build upon, not Hay, nor Stubble, nor Gold, nor Silver, nor Precious Stones; for all these will burn when the heat of Persecution comes; but she did witness a spiritual House made up of Living Stones, and the Top-Stone was laid, which is the Ground and Pillar of Truth; for she had finished up her Testimony, and laid down her Head in Rest and Peace with the Lord. And she did exhort Friends in her Travail in the Service of the Lord, To Mind their Latter-End, and be ready and prepared for Death; for when Death comes, you may have enough to do to die; that ye be not like the Foolish Virgins, who had no Oil in their Lamps, against whom the Door was shut.  
But now the Lamb's War is accomplished, and the Lamb hath got the Victory, who hath made War in Righteousness, and hath overcome and gotten the Victory over the Beast and the False Prophet, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the Sins of the World, who was slain from the Foundation of the World; and while the World has a Foundation in man's Heart, who was dead, but is now alive, whose Name is called the Word of God: Praises, Praises endless, pure, living, eternal Praises be given, ascribed, rendered and returned by all the faithful Followers of the Lamb, as this faithful Servant of the Lord hath done Alice Curwen. Praises, Praises, endless Praises be given to the Lord God and the Lamb forever and for evermore, saith my Soul, and the Souls of the Righteous, who are travelling on in the New and Living Way, which is the Way of Life and Salvation; Glory, Honour and Everlasting Praises forever and for evermore.  
And this little Testimony I do not write in any way, but that it might be upon Record for Ages and Generations to come, and that every Testimony that is from the Right Seed may be kept, and that not one Grain be lost, that the Blessing of the Lord may be with us and with our Posterity forever, which was the Desire of my dear Wife.  
Thomas Curwen.   

Alice Cobb 's Testimony concerning her Mother Alice Curwen.  
OH, my dearly beloved Mother! though she be gone from us, and her Body in the Bowels of the Earth doth lie, yet to me her Memorial will never die, and to thousands more of the faithful ones; for indeed her Labour hath been great (both in this Nation and other Nations and Islands) to gather many from Darkness to the Light, in which she did walk; and in her Day did bear a noble Testimony for the Lord God and his Truth: She was freely given up to spend & be spent in and for the Service of the Truth; for she thought nothing too dear nor too near to part with or from, but was freely given up to follow the Lord what way soever he did call her to go: and she did preach the Truth very powerfully, and in God's Authority did she go on, not mattering what man could do unto her; for indeed the Lord was with her in every Exercise & Trial; for her Labour was great, but she did know the Lord to support her, and to lift up her Head above the many waters; for indeed before Rulers and Governors, though they were never so great, she was bold and valiant for the Lord & his Truth. And as for us her tender Children, our Loss is great; for she was a tender Mother to us indeed; and she did in her wise Walking and her harmless Conversation preach to us daily; for truly her Life was all along as it was now upon her Sickbed, breathing to the Lord God for her Offspring, That they might live to his Praise: and she prayed to the Lord very powerfully, and in as much strength as in her Health, That if the Lord see it good to remove her, that he would lay no more upon her than he would give her Patience to bear, that so whether she lived or died it might be to the Honour and Glory of the Lord God: and the Lord did give her Patience, for there came not an unpatient word out of her Mouth in all the time of her Sickness, but was exceedingly filled with the good Power and Presence of the Lord our God; for she lay making sweet Melody to the Lord when she could not speak: & a little before her Speech was taken away from her I asked my dear Mother, How art thou now? and how dost thou feel thyself? I fear thou art worse than thou wast: and her Answer was, My dear Child, be not troubled for me; I am very Easie, and have little Pain upon me, but Weakness. And so all along the Power and Presence of the Lord did keep her and preserve her, to the great Refreshment and Consolation of those that were with her. And so the Memorial of my endeared Mother can never be forgotten by me  
Alice Cobb.   

A Testimony concerning Alice Curwen.  
THE Enemies of Truth among other Devices of the Devil, beset the Son of God with hard Questions, thereby to ensnare him, one which is brought to my Bemembrance was, to oppose the Resurrection of the Dead; and the Son of God to reprove it says, God is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and of Jacob; and not the God of the Dead, but of the Living: This Answer left that Ranting Generation of the Saduces as blind as 〈◊〉 ●ound them; but the Living thereby then learned, and are now strengthened in assurance of Faith, that He, Christ, the Resurrection and the Life is risen, and alive, and lives for evermore; and who of this Life hath part, the Second Death hath no power over. So I speak not the Praise of the Dead, but of the Living, which in Spirit the Righteous have fellowship with when the outward Vessel is going or gone to Dust, as this Servant of the Lord is known to me more by her Life and Testimony than by any outward Acquaintance; & being with her on her Dying-Bed, though I heard not so much as some about her did, I could not but take notice of her Resignedness to God's Will, though she shown to me her Unwillingness to take any Medicine, not choosing any thing but the Will of God, to which she freely gave up, though she seemed not very Aged, and but a few days before appeared a healthy strong Woman, and was so; and as her Desire and Endeavour was freely to declare what she received of the Spirit of Life, and in this she lives, and in this stands the Fellowship and Communion of the Saints, whether in these earthly Bodies, or out of them, and in this stands my Unity with her. And a near Relation of this deceased Alice Curwen showing me a Paper writ by one with her in her Sickness, and asked me, If I could add any thing to it; for he intended to print it? and in my mind I had not much for printing it, there being not much Prophecy in it, and so put it off, not purposing to do any thing to it: But upon my Bed that Night or towards Morning, when in stillness was set before me the Blessing of Abraham, God's Friend, and his Portion was to Die in Peace, and this thou art a Witness this good Woman did; and dost thou think it small to be testified to when thou seest so many Restless Impatient Ones tossed, and crying for Help to Physicians of no value, and can find no Rest? Then said I, Let me Die as she has done; for I feel it a blessed End to Die in Peace; for Prophecy has and must cease, and Torgaes fail, but the Peace that is given us of Christ Jesus is Everlasting: So in the Spirit is witnessed the Bond of Peace, to bind up together in the Bundle of Life, which Hell nor Death can never break, and here is the Heaven where no Unrighteous enter, but the Sanctified rejoice together therein for evermore.  
R. T.   

A RELATION OF THE Labour, Travail and Suffering OF Alice Curwen.  
THE 10th day of the 11th month, 1677 when I was retired in my Mind waiting upon the Lord, it was opened in my Heart by the invisible Power of the living God, the virtue of which I felt, and the Springs of Life being witnessed, I was moved to write of the Deal of the Lord with me, and of my Travels and of my Testimony in writing, since I went from my outward Being; and what I had received from Friends in writing, of the good Success, and Blessing, and Presence of the invisible God, who moves in secret, and is now come to reward his People openly; Everlasting Holy Praises be breathed forth and sounded out unto the Lord our God for all his Mercies, for they are manifold at this day, therefore doth my Soul in secret bless his holy Name, who alone is worthy. And whilst I questioned in my Mind, Why I should write, fearing the Subtlety of the Enemy, and also not minding to keep Copies of several Papers that had been written, yet as I waited patiently to see my Clearness, it was said in the secret of my Heart, What thou hast kept, writ: but I fearing said within myself, Why should it be known? and the Answer was, For the Encouragement of them that hereafter may put their Trust in the Lord: and then I was made willing to write as followeth.  

IN the year 1660. I hearing of the great Tribulation that the Servants of the Lord did suffer in Boston in New-England, of cruel Whip, of Bonds and Imprisonments, yea, to the laying down of their natural Lives; four Friends being Hanged there for their Testimony to God's blessed weighty Truth, against a Wicked Generation, which remains there until this day; I, at the hearing of their Patiented Sufferings, my Heart was broken, and my Spirit deeply affected with Admiration of the Goodness of the Lord, who bears up the Spirits of them that truly fear him, and are willing to give up all that is near and dear, and to follow the Lamb whithersoever he leads; and my Spirit was comforted in the blessed invisible Power: but it was said in the secret of my Heart, That I should travail in that Nation, and see that Bloody Town of Boston; at which my Heart was exceedingly broken, and I cried unto the Lord with many Tears, and said, O Lord, what shall become of my little Children, and of my poor Husband? (he being then in Prison for Tithe) and I mourned many days in a sense of my Inability; yet at that time I could truly say, Thy blessed Will be done; let me enjoy thy Presence, and keep me in thy Heavenly Power, and I desire no more: so the thing was weighty upon me, but I kept it unto myself, not knowing how it would be brought to pass, considering in my mind the Lord might try me, whether I would give up or not; and as I found a Willingness, the thing was made easy, and the Burden taken away, whereupon I thought the Lord would accept my Willingness, and it was hid from me for a season; but I can truly say in my measure, and that to the Praise of God, that I hide the Word of the Lord in my Heart until it was as a Fire in me till I had declared it, and I then told it to my Husband, the Power being fresh in me, and the Love of God filled my Heart, in which I had true Unity with Friends in New-England; and I told my Husband, That the Lord would deliver him out of Prison, and that we must travail in another Nation together, and there bear a Testimony to God's blessed Truth, which is broken forth in this Day of his Power, wherein he is making his People willing: And though we were then, and are at this day the least of many of the Lord's People, yet his Strength hath been manifested in Weakness, for which we have cause to bless his holy Name whilst we have a day to live. So the thing rested in my Heart many Months and Years, and then the Lord delivered my Husband out of Prison, in which time my little Children were grown up, all except the youngest, which the Lord took away from me; then the Springs of Life opened in me, and the time was come that I might no longer hid it in my Heart, but make it known to Friends, which after I had done so, in opening my Heart a little to some Friends, the thing seemed harder to me to get through than before, in which time I was in a great strait, but the Lord appeared, and it was said secretly, that If I did go, I should feel my Reward from the Lord in my own Bosom: then I having this Testimony sealed in my Heart, I laboured with my Husband day and night to know his Mind, because it was much with me, that we were to Travail together; but he did not yet see it to be required of him at that time, but gave me Liberty in Obedience to the Invisible Power, though the thing was hard, because it was showed me at first, that we should Travail together; but the Lord made me willing to leave all (that was near and dear to me) and I went on my Journey towards London, and after some time had with Friends there, I made Preparation to go to Sea, and having got my Bed and Clothes on board the Ship, it pleased the Lord (in whom was and is my Trust) to send my Husband to go along with me: and so we took shipping together, and were thirteen Weeks in our Passage from London to Road-Island belonging to New-England; and I can truly say, I did not know what I might do; for all there were in an Uproar, Killing, and Burning, and Murdering, and great Distress was upon the People's Minds; and I said in my Heart, The Lord that hath brought me out of my Native Country, lead me whither thou wilt; let me but enjoy thy Power and feel thy Presence, and I desire no more. So we stayed a few days in that Island, and were refreshed with Friends; and we heard of a new Law that was made at Boston against the People of God called Quakers, which Law was as followeth, (viz.) It was ordered at their Court at Boston and the Authority thereof, That every Person found at a Quakers Meeting shall be apprehended (Ex Officio) by the Constable, etc. by Warrant from a Magistrate or Commissioner, and shall be committed to the House of Correction, and there to have the Discipline of the House applied unto them, and to be kept to work with Bread and Water for Three Days, and then released; or else shall pay Five Pounds in Money as a Fine for such an Offence (to the Colony) and all Constables neglecting their Duty, in not faithfully executing this Order, shall incur the Penalty of Five Pounds upon Conviction.  
And then it opened in us in the Springs of Life, That We must travail thither, and break in upon their new Law; in which we were willing to bear our Testimony, with the rest of Friends, to God's blessed weighty Truth, against this Generation, that remain there unto this day, that so with therest of the Lord's People, we might fill up the Sufferings that remain behind, that so the Righteous Blood shed by this Generation may come upon them, which they shall not escape. So we travailed through the Woods and Places where the devouring Indians had made great Desolation in many Places, but the Lord preserved us, and we came to Boston, and on the First Day of the Week we had a Meeting with Friends there, and their Law not being yet published, we had our Liberty and our Meeting peaceable, and afterward, travailed Eastward near One Hundred Miles, and visited Friends, and sought them out where they were scattered because of the great Distress of the Indians War, so that they had not had a Meeting to wait upon the Lord for several months before: so we travailed Eastward as far as Great-Island, and Piscattoway River, and Dover, and several other places, and came to a Friend's House beyond the River, where there were about two hundred people (some Friends, and others) who were come thither for Safety, and had fortified the House very strongly about for fear of these Bloody Indians, which had killed two of our Friends within three miles of that place; there we had several good Meetings, and the Presence of the Lord was with us, and it was a time of great Distress, both Friends and others received our Testimony gladly; for it was a needful time; and the Power of the Lord was with us, and was our Support, for which we cannot but bless his Name whilst we have a Being. Then we travailed again towards Boston, and visiting Friends all along, and so came to Boston again, where being in our Meeting, their Law being now published, the Constable with others came forcibly and drove us out of our Meeting all along the Street, until they came to the Prison, or House of Correction, whereinto they thrust us; but the Lord was with us, and our Service there was great; for many people, both rich and poor, came to look upon us, and some were convinced, it being a time of great Tribulation, their Hearts failed for fear, and God's Witness was reached, Praises to God forever: And the third day of our Imprisonment they brought us down to the Whipping-Post, but the Presence of the Lord was manifested there, which gave us Dominion over all their Cruelty, and we could not but Magnify the Name of the Lord, and declare of his Wonderful Work at that time, at which the Heathen were astonished, and shook their Heads: And the next day we were set at liberty, and went to our Meeting again (from which place they did fetch us to Prison before) and we had a good Meeting peaceably, and took leave of Friends, and so we parted; and we came to Sittuate, and Dukesberry, and to Sandwich, and did visit Friends all along in several places until we came to Road-Island; and after a little time spent with Friends there, it was with us to go into the West part of New-England, to Shelter-Island and Long-Istand, Oyster-Bay, Westchester and Eastchester, and to Gravesend, and a Place there called Jamaco, and Matunicock, and New-York, and some part of New-Jarsey, so far as Friends did inhabit to our Knowledge, when we were there: in this time of our Passage thither we were several times put on Shore, the Wind not being for us, where we had good Service for the Lord and for his Truth, where there were no Friends, upon the main Land, at a place called New-London, and Seabrook, and Milford; then we did return unto the Yearly Meeting in Road-Island; and than Bermudus and Barbadoes were before us, and we would gladly have got a Passage to Bermudus, but could not, but a Passage to Barbadoes was near ready at that time, at the hearing of which I was afraid, and great Fear fell upon me, considering my own Weakness, and the Highness of all sorts of people there, and fearing lest they should even trample upon my little Testimony, and lest I should suffer Loss; and I, like Jonah in his day, would have fled, but there was no Hiding-place but in the Arm of the Lord, which was to me, and is to all that believe and obey a strong Tower; Everlasting Blessing, Glory and Honour be ascribed unto his great Name, to whom doth belong the Glory for all his Mercies, and that for evermore. And such as may read this Epistle, may believe that it was the Lord that put it into my Heart to write it, for the Encouragement of them that hereafter maytrust in the Lord. So my Husband having much upon him to Barbadoes, Friends accompanied us on Shipboard, where we had a blessed good Meeting before we parted, and in Five Weeks and Two Days we came to Barbadoes. And the next day after we came ashore was their Quarterly-Meeting, where our Testimony was gladly received; and we travailed in that Island about Seven Months, where we had good Service both amongst Whites and Blacks; and the Lord added unto our Talon another Talon more; Everlasting Praises (saith our Souls in secret) unto his most holy Name, who hath given us good Success, and is adding unto his Church such as shall be saved in every Nation; for many did gather unto our Meetings: and we visited some of their Priests, and invited them to our Meetings, some by Word, and some by Writing. And when we were clear in our Spirits of this Island, we would gladly have gone to Bermudus, but could not get a Passage, and then we found Freedom to write to Friends in that Island, and so to return home; and after we had taken leave of Friends in the Freedom of our Spirits we took Shipping, and came for London, where we arrived the same day Seven Weeks after we came from Barbadoes, which was the beginning of the third month, 1677. And after we had seen Friends at London, it was secretly in our Hearts, that we must visit all the Meetings upon the Sea Coast Westward unto the Landsend; and now since we had performed that Service, it was upon us to visit some Meetings Eastward; and the good Presence of the Lord hath been with us, for which Cause we have good Cause to bless his holy Name whilst we have a day to live.   
Now, in regard we could not meet with a Passago to Bermudus, neither from Road-Island nor from Barbadoes, it was in our Hearts to write this Epistle to Friends there, as followeth.  
Dear Friends;  
WE having this Opportunity, it was in our Hearts to signify our Loves in writing a few words unto you, by these our dear Friends, Katherine Norton and Eliz. Cater; and we would have gladly visited you, if we could have gotten a Passage thither; for you have been often in our Remembrance, but in the Will of the Lord we stand, and in that Power that is unlimited, where neither Earth nor Seas can separate us from the Lord, nor one from another; but that is known which breathes for the Seed, and wrestles with the Lord, as Jacob did. So dear Friends, to whom the Salutation of our Unfeigned Love reacheth, dwell at Home, keep in your Tents; for they that dwell at Home, they divide the Spoil, their Enemies shall become subject unto them. Truly, dear Friends, we should have been glad to have seen your Faces, but in the Will of our Heavenly Father we stand; and we do believe, we should have been comforted together; in the mean time, let us all be diligent to stir up one the other, and to provoke one the other to Love and Good Works: So see that in God's Vineyard ye may be all found, for they that labour there, they do receive their promise, which is an earnest of that Inheritance that God hath prepared for all that love him. So dear Friends, there are but twelve Hours in the Day, in which we may all work; in the Night none can work; therefore said Christ Jesus, who is the true Light, While ye have the Light, walk in the Light, that ye may be the Children of the Light, lest Darkness come upon you. So dear Friends, in the unfeigned Love of our God (that can never be separated, as we abide faithful) do we write unto you in that Love which first begot us unto God, and is as precious unto us as ever it was; yea, the desire of our Hearts is, that in this feeling Life ye may all dwell, which is nearer than what can be declared either by Word or Writing: for blessed be the Lord God for evermore, this great and marvellous Light shines through Darkness, and shines in People's Hearts; and the Lord is working secretly, though they do little know it. And therefore, Friends, in the Holy Invisible Power of the Immortal Living God, all dwell Low and Humble in that quiet and meek Spirit that thinks no evil, but in Lowliness of Mind esteeming each other in the Lord, and truly denying self; so will you dwell upon the Rock Christ Jesus, who is become our hiding-place, in this our Age and Generation, as he was in Ages past, unto whom we flee in time of Trouble, and we are saved; Everlasting Holy Praises be unto his blessed Name for evermore: So in this weighty Power, Christ Jesus, dwell Low, that you may spread at the Root as Lebanon, and bring forth Fruit upward, to the Praise and Glory of God, unto whom be Everlasting Holy ' Praises forever, and for evermore.  
So dearly beloved Friends, Brethren and Sisters, in the true Fellowship of the Gospel, which is the Power of God unto Salvation, though this be the Day of Jacob's Troubles, and the Afflictions of Joseph, yet the Worm Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall dwell safely; and the true Israelite, in whose Heart is found no Guile, the Seed Christ Jesus, the Power of God, which doth and shall reign over all the Dark Powers of the Earth, who hath a Habitation in the Earth, which the Woe from the Lord is to. So in the Life and Power of God, and in this blessed Seed, which never sinned, nor consented to Sin, all dwell, that the Blessing of God every one may receive, & be kept in true Peace with the Lord, when Time shall be no more; for the Blessing of God is to the Seed; not unto Seeds many, but unto the one seed, Christ, that all may witness the Promise of God fulfilled, That the Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's Head, in every particular where the Blessing is received, and where the Promise is Yea & Amen forever; for Caleb & Joshua did enter into the Promised Land, who were of a right Spirit. So, dear Friends, keep your Dominion, and be true to your Testimony, that he may reign whose right it is; for the Devil, the Serpent, hath no right to reign in the Hearts of People; but Christ Jesus is come to destroy the Works of the Devil, and to reign in Righteousness, and to set up his Government; and would have all People to come under his Government (for the Increase of his Government hath no End) that he may reign whose right it is: And here we can say, in the Truth of our Hearts, That the Son of God is come, and hath given us a good Understanding to understand and know the things of God; for the Light is broken forth, which comprehends all the Works of Darkness, and shines in the Hearts of the Righteous; and the Righteous do rejoice in the Light, which gives the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And so walk in the Light, and be encouraged, and you shall have the Light of Life; and stand fast in your Liberty and Freedom wherein Christ Jesus hath made you Free; and that none may be entangled with the Yoke of Bondage, which may cause the Just to suffer; For though Trouble and Sorrow may endure for a Night, yet Joy comes in the Morning; and ye shall come to sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb.  
So dearly Beloved Friends, be encouraged to keep to the Word of Patience, and the Lord God will keep you in the Day of Trial, and in the Hour of Temptation; For the Rod of the Wicked will not always lie on the Back of the Righteous; for the Wicked, and they that forget God (who Repent not) shall be turned into Hell; Everlasting Holy Praises be unto the Lord our God forever, and for evermore.  
From us your Friends, though unknown to you outwardly, yet well-known in the Mystery of the Fellow ship, the Power of God, in which we dearly Salute you all, and bid you all Farewell. Barbadoss, the 9th of the 12th Month, 1676.  
Barbadoss, the 4th of the 8th Month, 1676.  
For the Friends of Road-Island.  
DEar Friends, in the openness of God's blessed Life, in which our Unity stands, not only when we are together, but when we are separated; in this is the Salutation of our dear Love unto you, for the Lord our God hath shed his Love abroad in our Hearts, in which love we can truly say, the Lord laid it upon us to visit his Seed amongst you, though we be the least of many of the Lords People, and our Testimony is but little, yet we are sure it is true for the Lord. So in the feeling of God's blessed Life, which cannot be limited, but limits all under it, and brings into true Subjection to do the Will of God: This blessed Life and Love of God, oh our dear Friends, which reaches over Sea and Land, this Love constrains us, as it did to visit you, so to write unto you. Therefore, Friends, dwell together in Unity, and in this precious Love that thinks no Evil, nor is not easily provoked, but endureth all things; this Love seeketh not its own, but every one another's good. Friends, we desire you, That you would bear with us a little; for we do not write these things unto you because ye know not the Truth, but because you know it; and therefore a necessity is upon us to write unto you, That not Prejudices, nor Evil Surmising, nor Whisper, nor Backbitings be or remain among you; for these things work not the Righteousness of God, but where ye lie in the bottom, though covered over with a Profession of the Truth, yet ye will eat as a Canker: Therefore, Friends, we beseech you to stand in Awe, and in the Fear and Dread of the Lord God, and sin not; for we have known the Terrors of the Lord against Sin in our own Particulars, and also his Mercies, blessed be his Name forever and ever. And therefore, we beseech you in the Love of God, that ye wait together to feel God's weighty Power, that so the ground Work ye may know, and the top Stone laid in the true Self-denial, that so as Lambs of one Fold ye may feed together in the low Valleys; Everlasting Glory and Honour be unto the Lord our God for all his Mercies, for they are exceeding great unto the Children of men in this Day of God's Salvation, which is now broken forth, and is largely manifested; and the Voice of the Lord is heard, which Voice shakes the Earth terribly, and even removes it out of its place; and not only the Earth, but the Heaven also: And the Lord is gathering in both Professors and Profane; Everlasting Blessing be to our God, the Work of the Lord prospers: Therefore, Friends, that ye may all be diligent, and Helpers on of this great Work, as Moses, and Aaron and Hurr, that so Miriam's Curse ye may escape.  
So the Lord God Almighty, who separated us from our Native Country, and from our dear Relations, the Lord of Hosts is his Name, he hath found us Worthy, with the rest of his Messengers, to bear a Testimony unto his blessed Unchangeable Truth. Therefore, Friends, to the keeping of him who keeps his Israel, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, we do commit the keeping of our Souls and Spirits, with yours also, who are of the Family of God; though we be far separated, and cannot behold the faces one of another, but in the Mystery of the Fellowship, which is the Power of God, where the World knows us not, we bid you all Farewell.  
From us your Friends, in the blessed Truth of God, in our measures, Thomas & Alice Curwen.  
Friends here are generally well, and here is an increase daily; for a Priest comes to our Meetings, and People of all sorts come, so that here is good Service for God, and the Truth increases; for the more the Enemy seeks to hinder the increase of Truth, the more it spreads: Therefore blessed will all they be, who abide faithful in the Truth. And we earnestly desire to hear from you in Writing; for our Dear Unfeigned Love is more than we can express.  
Thù for Friends at Road-Island in New-England.  
Barbadoss, the 11th of the 9th Month, 1677.  
DEar Friends, Thomas and Alice Curwen, whom I truly honour in the Lord; My Soul is truly comforted in the remembrance of you, and in the feeling of that Heavenly Life by which you are supported in God's Service amongst us; my Spirit doth rejoice and Praise the Lord our God in your behalf, who hath been very bountiful in visiting of his Seed, by sending of his faithful Servants and Ministers amongst us, to declare God's Way, which is Life, among whom ye shall be numbered. Dear Friends, this is a Salutation of my unfeigned Love and honourable Esteem which lives in my Heart of you in the blessed Truth of God. And Dear Friends, I am not a little comforted, that ye have thought me worthy of a few Lines from you, which I have received; and do desire, that ye may bteathe to the Lord our God for my Preservation in the pure Truth, which is more to be desired than all the World, and the Glory of it. And so, dear Friends, I shall conclude this with my dear Love in the Truth to you both, and remain  
Your Loving Friend in the Truth, John Readman.  
An Epistle to Nathaniel Sylvester and his Wife, at Shelter-Island, the 6th of the 4th Month, 1676.  
FRIENDS;  
IF the Truth make us free, then are we free indeed: so let none grieve the Spirit of Truth, that the Power of the Lord may be felt, which keeps all in good Order, and brings the Mind into true subjection to do the Will of God, and not our own Wills; and therefore this is in our Hearts, as a Salutation of our Love, That you who are Parents may stand in the Truth of our God as Pillars, and watch over your Children in the Fear of the Lord, and keep them to Plainness of Speech, and not only you to them, and them to you, but to all people, that so the pure Cross they may come to know, which is the Power of God, that it may rule the Mind, and this will bring them, as they stand and wait in the Simplicity of it, to see and put away all their Needless Attire, and so they will grow as tender Plants, and this is our Love in the Simplicity of our Hearts, that ye may stand over them in the Fear and Wisdom of the Lord as Pillars; or else how will ye answer the Lord, who sees the secrets of all Hearts? we do leave it to that of God in you to judge.  
THOMAS & ALICE CURWEN.  
To Friends in Gravesend in Long Island.  
FRIENDS;  
IN the Sense of God's infinite Presence and holy Power, in which our Life is preserved, and in which our Unity stands with the Father and the Son, and one with another, do we salute you (as we abide faithful to the Lord) and in his blessed Truth, a Measure whereof ye are Witnesses of, and therefore it is in our Hearts, in remembrance of God's living Presence, in which we were well refreshed when we were together, and therefore to stir up your pure Minds, and to put you in remembrance of the blessed Presence of the Lord; for ye are Witnesses how good the Lord is: Oh Dear Friends! the Lord even filled our Cup, and made it for to overflow, which broke our Hearts before the Lord, and one to another; yea, he even caused his living Presence to be manifested amongst us, to our great Satisfaction; Everlasting Holy Praises be returned to his blessed Name forever and for evermore, for his Mercies are exceeding great. And now, Friends, in a living Sense of the Lord's Presence do we write unto you, that ye may feel in reading hereof the Springing of that Life in which we writ unto you, that so as Epistles in one another's Hearts we may be read and known of all men. Oh, dear Friends! abide in the Vine Christ Jesus, that so ye may bring forth precious Fruit to God, and this is a Christian's State indeed; for the Day of the Lord is come very near, and all that bear not this holy Fruit are nigh unto Cursing; Therefore do we dearly desire, that you and all the rest of our dear Friends, with whom we have been well refreshed in God's blessed Truth, may so walk as to adorn the same, and be Possessors of it; that so they that fear not God seeing our Light shining, may confess that ye are of God. Oh Friends! see that your Lamps be trimmed, and that ye have Oil in your Vessels; for the Day of the Lord is near, when he will pour out his Wrath upon the Heathen that know him not, nor call not upon his Name in Righteousness: and therefore, Friends, do we write unto you in a living Sense, and in the Tenderness of our Spirits, that ye may be exercised in the Gift of God, every one in your several places; and none to hid the Lord's Money in the Earth, nor to account him a hard Master; for indeed he is exceeding good unto all that in the Simplicity of their Spirits seek after him, blessed be his Name forever and evermore. And if it be your Freedom, let Friends at New-York and at Flushen (as ye see convenient) see and read this Epistle in their Meeting; for our dear and unfeigned Love is unto you all more than we can here declare: And we cannot but return Praise and Thanksgiving unto the Lord, who raised his own Witness in you to receive our Testimony, though we be the least of many of the Lord's People; and truly the Remembrance thereof is exceeding precious, blessed be the Name of our God forever and for evermore.  
We are here waiting for our Passage to Barbadoes; and we desire you, if you have a convenient Opportunity, to let us hear from you, and to write to Barbadoes; for it is our Joy, and the Joy of all that truly Fear the Lord, to hear from one another, and not only to hear, but to feel one another in the Life and Power of God's eternal Truth. So in the true Sense of the Love of our God, wherein our true Comfort and Consolation stands, we remain in the eternal Spirit of Truth, which hath made us free from the Law of Sin and Death; eternal Praises, Praises forever and for evermore be rendered and returned unto the Lord God of our Life, who is worthy forever and for evermore, Amen; in which we remain  
Your Friends in the Unchangeable Truth of our God, THOMAS & ALICE CURWEN. From Newport in Road-Island, the 9th of the 5th Month, 1676.  
To Friends at New-York in New-England.  
FRIENDS;  
IN that Love of our God which caused us to leave our Native Country, and all that was dear and near unto us, and come and visit you, and in Obedience we came, and we are well satisfied in the Lord, and refreshed one in another, as you yourselves very well know: and we wrote to you from Road-Island, and earnestly desired to hear from you to Barbadoes, which made us greatly to wonder that we did not receive one Line from you; we did expect to hear from you in writing by Lewes' Morris; but indeed, we can truly say, That if our Exercise be great, yet the Lord is with us, who will not suffer us to be tried but he also brings us through by the Arm of his holy Power: and so the Righteous can Rejoice; Everlasting Holy Praises be unto the Lord our God forever and for evermore. So that which is chief in our hearts at this time is, That we may all serve the Lord in Fear, and Rejoice in Trembling; and with the Holy Man of God we can sing of the Judgements of the Lord, and also of his Mercies; and so shall we all dwell together in the holy Fear low in our measures, where we offer up unto God a living Sacrifice wellpleasing in his sight. So mind our dear Love to Friends at the Gravesend, and Long-Island, and Oyster-Bay; and let them know, that the Love of our God, which is shed abroad in our Hearts, reaches to the Seed, and breathes for the Preservation of its Offspring, that we may be comforted in our Travails concerning you; for we are very certain, that our Testimony is true for the Lord; for he rewards us an hundred fold into our Bosom; for we have had great Service in this Island, and the Lord hath given unto our two Talents two more, for which our Souls bless the Lord: Let all that feel his holy Power rejoice with us, for the Work of the Lord goes on and Prospers in this Island since our coming hither; he is turning back the Wisdom of the Wise, though they laid many Baits and Snares for the Innocent, yet the Snares are broken, and we are delivered; and Truth prospers over the Heads of them that do oppose; Everlasting holy Praises be unto the Lord our God, who carries his Lambs in his Arms, and prospers his own Work: Here is a great openness in this Island, and the Lord is working secretly in People's Hearts, though they little know it who it is that smites them.  
So dear Friends, when you have read this Epistle, which is a Salutation of our Unfeigned Love, you may read it in your Meeting; and let Friends at Gravesend, Long-Island and Oyster-Bay see it, for you are all as one to us, whose Hearts are Upright to God. Our dear Love to Matthew Pryer and his Family, to Mary Willis and her Family, and Alice Crabe and her Family, and to John Dickson and his Family, and to Friends about Flushen and Jamaco, to Hugh Couperwhete and his Wife; and though we cannot remember their Names, yet in that Unchangeable Love that can never be forgotten, in which the Lord refreshed our Immortal Souls when we were together, do we dearly salute you all, and do bid you all Farewell. And if it be in any of your Hearts to write a few Lines to us, ye may write to London, for we should be glad to hear from Friends at so great a distance, and how things are; but we do not know at present when we shall go Home; but in the Will of the Lord we stand, who hath given us good Success, Holy Praises be to his Name forever and evermore, saith your Friends,  
From Oliver Hutton's at Barbadoes, the 12th of the 12th Mon. 1676. Thomas & Alice Curwen.  
There was a Widdow-Woman in Barbadoss that had Negroes to her Servants, who were convinced of God's Eternal Truth, and I hearing of them was moved to go to speak to the Woman for their coming to our Meetings; and when I did speak to her she did deny me, and then I did write to her as followeth.  
Martha Tavernor;  
I Cannot pass by, but in Love write to thee, for in Love we came to visit thee, and to invite thee and thy Family to the Meeting; but thou for thy part art like him that was invited to work in the Vineyard, and went not: And as for thy Servants, whom thou callst thy Slaves, I tell thee plainly, thou hast no right to reign over their Conscience in Matters of Worship of the Living God; for thou thyself confessedst, that they had Souls to save as well as we: Therefore, for time to come let them have Liberty, lest thou be called to give an Account to God for them, as well as for thyself: So in thy old Age choose rather, as a good Man did, that both thou and thy whole Family may serve the Lord; for I am persuaded, that if they whom thou call'st thy Slaves, be Upright-hearted to God, the Lord God Almighty will set them Free in a way that thou knowest not; for there is none set Free but in Christ Jesus, for all other Freedom will prove but a Bondage,  
From thy Friend, Alice Curwen.  
Something in Answer to Thomas White's Paper, which he did write against us, and not only against us, but against the whole Body of Friends, who did profess himself to be a Friend, but now joins himself with the Ranters, who did come to our Meeting in New-Jarsey at Eliakim Wardall's House, who did give his Testimony for us in the Meeting, and said, That we were sent of God; and told us where he would have had us to have pointed another Meeting amongst the Ranters in New-Jarsey, at a place called Midletown; & he said, He would come to our Meeting, and came not: We did write something to him, and then he did write to us; and then we wrote an Answer, as followeth.  
Thomas White;  
WE cannot pass by thee and thy muddy Stuff, but warn thee, because we know the Terrors of the Lord in ourselves against Sin, and also his Mercies, though we be the least of many of the Lord's People, which thou calls our Tribe: And we finding thy Paper nothing worth, but for the Fire, therefore we writ a few Lines unto thee to put thee in mind of thy own words in Eliakim Wardall's House, which was more large than we shall here declare; therefore call to mind, and do not eat thy own words, and say, thou was not refreshed by T. C. & A. C. We are Instruments in the hand of the Lord, and thou mayst see thy own Folly and Madness, twisting as the Serpent did; and if not by T. C. & A. C. why did thou desire of us to have a Meeting at Midletown? Thou dark Sodomite, out of thy own Mouth thou art judged and condemned with the Light of Christ Jesus; for thou art turning backward from that of God in thy Conscience, by which the Children of Light are led and guided into all Truth. And like a Serpent, thou art shooting out thy Venom and thy Sting, the Foison of Asps is under thy Tongue: Thou mayst read thy Condition, thou false Accuser, for thou first desiredst a Meeting at Midletown, to see if the Breaches can be made up, and then thou condemnest us for meeting together, with many Lies and false Accusations, which was like the rest of thy confused Stuff, forged up in thy Paper. And as for our visiting of Friends in New-England, it is like the rest of thy Accusations; for we had been there before we did fee thy face: therefore let thy Mouth be stopped, and draw in thy Venom and Sting, and turn to the Light of God in thy Conscience, and deal plainly and honestly with thy own Heart, that if it be possible, thou mayst find Mercy with the Lord; for a Day of Blackness is over thee; for Rebellion is worse than Witchcraft: And if thou findest Mercy with the Lord, thou must pass through the Fire, and the Sword thou must witness to cut down that which is exalted. So in the Plainness and Honesty of our Hearts in the sight of the Lord we have cleared our Consciences, and remain.  
Thy Friends, in the Truth of our God, which is out of all Imaginations, Thomas & Alice Curwen. From Jamaco in Long-Island in New-England, the 18th of the 3d Month, 1676.  
This for a Priest at Barbadoes, the 20th of the 11th Month, 1676.  
Friend, William Walker;  
THe Day of the Lord's Power is come, and the marvellous Light now shines, and the Lord is making his People a Willing People, according to his Promise; and the Call of the Lord is gone forth to call People out of Darkness into his Marvellous Light; and the Trumpet of the Lord is Sounded and Sounding, that People may be awakened out of Sin and Transgression; so I being moved in the true Fear of the living God, and in his holy Power, which works secretly, the Day is come, blessed be the Lord God forever, that that which is revealed in secret must be declared openly, that so all may hear, that many may be turned from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God; for I feeling a necessity to warn you of the Day of your Visitation, thou for thy part beekened to a man to drive us away; but if I had not Freely Declared, as I Freely Received, Woe and Misery would be my Portion; for the Searcher of all Hearts is known, from whom none can be hid: And the Day hastens that all Cover shall be stripped off, but the Spirit of the Lord; and therefore do I write unto thee, to mind the Day of thy Visitation; for it is safe for every one to try all things, and hold fast that which is good. So if it be in thy Heart to prove thy Practice by the Scriptures, as we are willing to prove ours, thou may come to Widow Wickame's the next Sixth day, called by the men of thy Generation Friday, being the 20th of this Month; for we keep our Doors open, and drive none away by Force and Cruelty, but the desire of our Hearts is to the Lord, That People may so hear, that they may know the thing that belongs to their Everlasting Peace, before the Day of their Visitation be over; For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive. No more, but my Unfeigned Love to thee and all the Sons and Daughters of men; and the Desire of my Heart is, That every one may know Christ, who is the Power of God unto Salvation: From me,  
Thy Friend, Alice Curwen.  
This was given forth to another Priest of Barbadoes, called Daniel Dikes, on the 8th of the 1st Month, 1676.  
Priest, Daniel Dikes;  
IF thou hadst been invited to a Feast, where thou mightst have filled thy Belly, and have drunk Wine at thy pleasure, and have had the chiefest Seat, and have been called of men Master, we do believe thou wouldst have come; but thou art so far from being a Master, that thou art the Parish Servant, who hires thee, and thou receivest Wages of them; and therefore we tell thee plainly, that a man's Servant that is bought with his Money (whether black or white) is more honourable than thee; for in the invisible Light thou art seen with the same Eye as Daniel in his Day saw the Priests, their Wives and Children, though they went in at the Privy Door: but now the Light is broken forth, blessed be the Lord God forever, and that every Boy and Girl that abides in the Light, which is invisible, sees your Footsteps: Therefore saith the Lord unto the Idol Shepherds, that feed not the Block of Christ, but their own Bellies, I will gather my Sheep, and they shall not always he Meat for the Devourer, but I will feed them myself, and they shall not need to say, Know the Lord and his Spirit, for ye shall all know me, saith the Lord, from the greatest to the least; for I will write my Law in their Hearts, and put my Fear in their inward Parts, saith the Lord God Almighty. Therefore, Oh Priest! I tell thee plainly, 'twas to a Feast that thou wast invited; and the Lord is sending out into the Highways and Hedges to call in all, and even to compel them that will not come, that so his House may be filled, that so all may be lest without excuse, as he was that had not on his Wedding Garment, who was Speechless; for the Day is come, that that which is seen in secret must be declared openly: And therefore in the invisible Light we are moved to write unto thee, seeing thee in the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ, which lighteth every man that cometh into the World, which hath long shined in Darkness, but now the commanding Power of the Lord is gone forth; and he hath commanded Light to shine out of Darkness, and it shines in People's Hearts, and will shine more and more until the Perfect Day; for which a Remnant can bless the Lord, and sing Praises to his Name, and unto the Lamb for evermore, who was slain from the Foundation of the World, but is now alive, and lives forever and evermore, and rules in the Hearts of the Upright: And therefore, in the invisible Light, as I was waiting upon the Lord, my Heart was truly opened to write unto thee, seeing thee to be one of them that shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men, that will neither enter in themselves, nor suffer others: Therefore saith Christ Jesus, Woe unto you, ye Whited Walls, ye Painted Sepulchers, ye Blind Guides; and indeed you are so, and lead the Blind, and a Pit of Darkness is before you: Therefore is our Advice unto thee, and to all whom it may concern, That ye turn to this invisible Light, and as you wait in it, and abide with it, it will preserve your Hearts and Minds to God, and ye shall not fall into the Pit. And if thou inquire of us, What is our Way? We tell thee plainly, Christ Jesus, the Light of the World, who said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; he that believeth in me, out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water: And He, even Christ jesus, the Power of God is the Original, and not Hebrew, Greek and Latin, which the Jews set over his Head when they Crucified him, as it is in these days; and as is said before, he is our Way, and he is the Hope of our Glory; and we are not ashamed to confess him before men; for if we should not confess him before men, but be ashamed of him, as too too many are, than he will not confess us before his Father in Heaven: Therefore, Oh Priest! we warn thee, that thou cease giving thy Meanings to the Scriptures: Thou mayst read thy Doom, in the Revelations; He that Adds or Diminishes, God will add unto him the Plagues written in that Book.  
THOMAS & ALICE CURWEN.  
An Epistle written to Friends at Thickets and Cliffs Meetings at Barbadoes, the 20th of the 1st Month, 1676.  
TO you, Friends, of the Thickets and Cliffs Meetings, and to all whom it may concern, in the Love of God that truly opens our Hearts, do we write unto you, to stir up the pure Mind, and to raise up that Love that brought us unto you, even the Love of God that first begat us by the Word of his Power, that we should be as the first Fruits unto God; and this makes us to Cry many a time in the secret of our Hearts, both in Meetings and out of Meetings; Oh! how great is thy Loving kindness, O Lord! Oh, that the World knew it! And in the feeling of it we can truly say as one did, Oh! that all the Lord's People were Prophets, that they might speak one by one, that all might be comforted; and that the Lord would enlarge Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem; then there would be no complaining for want of Power, but the Lord would open even the Windows of Heaven, and pour out Blessings upon you, that ye shall not have room to hold it in, but the Overflowings of it you would feel in your own particulars; and when you were thus filled, you would bless the Lord, & you would cry unto others to come away & taste & feel how good the Lord is, for his Mercies endure forever to them that fear him and wait upon him. And therefore, Friends, we beseech you think it not hard to keep your Meetings apart, for the Blessing of the Lord is as truly witnessed in Meetings apart, both in Men and women's Meetings; and though Women be the Weaker, yet he hath laid Help upon one that is Mighty, Oh! Praises, Praises, saith our Souls forever & for evermore, who feel his Power in our Hearts at this time: And therefore do we write unto all that may be concerned in it, That ye beware of that Spirit that was in the Children of Israel in the days of old; for the Lord knows right well, before whom we stand, who knows the Innocency of our Hearts and Spirits, that we judge no man's Person, nor hint at no Particular, the Lord knows; but we have heard some say, That it was well in the Beginning, when there was not so many Meetings; and we say the same: But Friends, consider, we beseech you all, for our Spirits are bowed down in a Sense of the Work of the Lord in this Island; and therefore, ye that have known good days in your Infancy, rest not there, but come to your Growth, to a Young man's state, and to an Old man's state; for according to the manner of men, in Twenty Years time we come to our Growth; much more in the Work of the Lord can we come to teach others: And therefore look not back, as the Children of Israel did, who fainted in their Minds because of their long Travel; but take heed of that Spirit that would not have many Meetings, nor to have Truth to spread; for the Enemy lies near that would betray the Simplicity: Therefore thus saith the Lord in our Hearts this day, as he did unto Moses in days past, Speak unto the Children of Israel, that they go forward; for this is the Day of the Lord's Appearance spiritually; he is bringing out of Egypt by a strong Arm; and blessed is every one that helps on the Work, and puts his Shoulder to it. So faint not, Friends, in your Minds, nor be not weary, for the Work is the Lords, and he will carry it on; it shall Prosper; and God prospers it in this Island, Everlasting Praises be unto the Lord our God, can our Souls truly say, who feel the Work of the Lord to Prosper: and therefore we say again, Let none faint in the Day of Trial; for that's a Testimony that their Strength is small: And therefore, Friends, be Bold and Valiant for God's blessed Truth, and take no thought, but wait upon the Lord; and if ye be called before Magistrates, the Lord will put a word into your Mouths that they shall not be able to gainsay: And if it be so that ye suffer joyfully the Spoiling of your Goods, ye shall come to witness, That the Earth is the Lords and the Fullness of it; and they that Fear the Lord shall want no no good thing, neither for Soul nor Body: And if it be so, that the Devil cast into Prison, fear it not, but in Patience possess your Souls, for the Lord will bring thorough; for we speak what we know; for the Lord has delivered us out of Prison inwardly and outwardly, and his Presence has been with us in all our Troubles; and he has made us to sing in Prison, and in the Stocks, Praises be to the Lord God, and to the Lamb forever, sayour Souls: But Friends, we do not write this to make our Sufferings known, but to encourage all to abide patiently, that ye may come through as Gold purified; for the Wicked are but like Waters, and their Persecution is but like a Wave of the Sea; and though they rise never so high, yet it is our Faith in God, That he that hath put a Limit to the Bound of the Sea, and hath said unto it, Thus far shalt thou pass, and no further, and there shalt thou stay thy proud Waves: Oh Friends! bless the Lord with us; for it is a Day of fulfilling. Therefore, O let Truth spread in every Particular; let it take Root downward and grow upward, and bring forth Fruit to the Praise and Glory of our heavenly Father. And this we have to say, That every Plant that he hath not planted, shall be plucked up; and every Plant that his right hand hath planted, he watereth it, that it may bring forth more Fruit; and in this is our heavenly Father Glorified and Well-pleased, that we bear much Fruit; Everlasting Praises be unto the Lord our God forever and evermore. So with our Unfeigned Love, we take leave of you, and remain  
Your Friends in that which never altars, nor never changes, but remains forever, do we Salute you all, and bid you all Farewell. Thomas & Alice Curwen.  
For the Mayor of Plymouth in Devonshire.  
Friend, Richard Tomes;  
WE do read in the Scriptures of Truth, that in the Apostles days there was a noble Festus amongst the Magistrates: Therefore do I write unto thee, that thou be not stired up against a peaceable People that meets together singlely to worship God in Spirit & in Truth; for God is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in Spirit & in Truth; and until People turn to the Spirit of Truth, which is the Light within, with which he hath lighted every one that comes into the World; and he that hates this Light has it, and though they may kick against it, yet it stands a faithful Witness for God; and whatever People may profess, they never worship the living God acceptably; for we know at this day, that God hears not Sinners, no more than he did in the days of Old; and that the Prayers of the Wicked are abomination to him, as well in this day as in times past; but he that fears God and doth his Will, them he hears; and the Will of God is done in hearing and obeying the Light; and by this did they witness, in days past their Hearts to be Sanctified, and this is it that we meet together for; and we are but yet learning the Lord's Prayer; and as we are willing to wait that the Will of God may be done in Earth, as well as in Heaven, the Lord has blest us, and we shall spread over the face of the Earth; and though Balaam and Balack would rise up to Curse Israel at this day, yet this Testimony is in my Heart for God, That he hath blest us, and no man can Curse that which God hath blest: And as we keep the Word of his Patience, the Lord God will keep us in the Day of Trial, which shall certainly come upon all that dwell on the Earth, and know not a Habitation in the God of Jacob; for the Day is come which many would have seen (wherein the Lord is bringing mighty Things to pass, who reveals his Secrets to them that truly fear him) the same which was in the Apostles days, wherein the Everlasting Gospel was preached, which is the Power of God unto Salvation; and if any preach any other Gospel, let them be accursed: And this Gospel is a wonder to you, and is hid from you; and therefore ye perish in your Sins, which separate you from the Living God, and doth hinder good things from you, who live in the pleasure of the Flesh, and drink up Iniquity as the Ox drinks Water; but now in the Latter Days the Lord is pouring forth his Spirit upon all Flesh, his Sons and upon his Daughters; and they do Preach and Prophecy in his Name, and in his Name do wonderful things; and it is a great Wonder to all the World, who lies in Wickedness; and therefore the People perish for want of Knowledge; for the Lord would have gathered you in this Day, as he would have gathered Jerusalem in the days of old, but they would not be gathered, and therefore they were left Desolate: and the same is coming upon you, if you do not speedily Repent; for Jerusalem was destroyed, who would not be gathered, and then Lamentation, Woe and Misery did fall upon them, and remains upon them till this Day; but the Lord hath gathered a Remnant into Covenant with himself, wherein Jacob doth rejoice, and Israel doth dwell safely: And therefore the Sons of Jacob are not consumed, though many be Jacob's Troubles, and the Afflictions of Joseph, which is now, as was in the Days of old; and they that suffer for him, they shall reign with him forever and for evermore, and fit at his right Hand in his Throne of Grace, and in his Kingdom of Glory forever and for evermore, where we shall Sing and Rejoice with the Lord God and the Lamb forever; the Lamb that was slain in us in Sodom and Egypt, while the World had a Foundation in us, who was dead, but is now alive, whose Name is called the Word of God, which was in the Beginning, as the Scripture doth declare, 1 John 1.  
This was for the Priest of Ives, Joshua Herning, the 19th of the 10th Month, 1677.  
I could not be clear in the sight of the Lord, until I had written a few Lines unto thee, seeing thee come into our Meeting with the Constable and his great Staff; and I heard thee say, That thou wast an Informer; & I tell thee plainly it were better for thee to be a Hangman; for they do but execute others that by their Law are condemned to die; but many Informers have brought shameful Death upon themselves, and Ruin upon their Families, as it is on Record: Indeed, we confess we are a Suffering People at this day, as they were that went before us, who took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods, who were scoffed and mocked at, and said, That Bonds and Imprisonments were their portion, and it was for their Testimony which they held, as thou mayst read at large in the Scriptures of Truth, who hast nothing now against us but concerning the Law of our God, and there ye go about tocatch us, as they of Old did Daniel; but oh Priest! read what became of these Informers, and of those that informed against the three Children, thou blind Guide, which Christ cried, We against, and said, They were whited Walls, and painted Sepulchers, and wore long Robes, and loved to be called of men Masters, and that they loved the upper most Rome's at Feasts, and greetings in the Markets; and further he said, that By your Fruits your are known; and so it is this day: Woe unto you, said he, for ye lay heavy Burdens upon the People, and ye shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men, ye neither enter in yourselves, nor suffer others: Therefore saith Christ Jesus, Woe unto you. And if thou ask, how I know these things? I tell thee plainly it is by the invisible Light which shines in my Heart, which manifests all things, as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth; and this Light was in the beginning, & will be when all visible things shall have an end, to which thou shalt be turned to give account of all thy Deeds done in thy Body all thy Life time, and of all thy hard Speeches against the Servants of the living God; therefore turn to it, and let it search thy Heart, and believe in it: for this is my living Testimony for God, that it will deceive no man, but it will bring the hidden things of Esau to Light, and believing in it and obeying it, it will lead out of Sin: Therefore Repent, & pray unto the Lord, that he take thee not away in the midst of thy Sins, lest thou go down into the Pit out of which there is no Redemption. And as for our Names and Place of abode, it is in Lancashire, in a little Village, called Beaklife, in the Parish of Alldingham, where we were haled to Prison by such a proud Priest as thee, because we could not bow in this our day, no more than they could do in days past, but the Lord shortened that Priest's days; and we do witness Christ's words fulfilled in this our day, where he said, That it should come to pass that the Devil should cast some into Prison: But blessed be the Lord, who has delivered us; and we are at this day and time free of all the Goals in the World: therefore do we warn thee that thou come not upon thy Neighbours in pretence of a Fine for us, for we have to satisfy of our own, and according to the Act ye are to fetch it where we live, whose Names are here set down, Thomas and Alice Curwen.  
And that further We do declare what the Lord hath done for us in the inncency of our Hearts, we Bless and Praise the Lord: Oh my Soul bless thou the Lord, that has witnessed that Scripture of Truth this day fulfilled in my Ears, where Christ Jesus said, That men should speak all manner of Evil against us for his Names sake, and that falsely; Rejoice, said he, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven. Oh, Praises, Praises, saith my Soul, with many Thousands more that God hath redeemed from Death to Life; And to his blessed Name be Everlasting holy Praises, and that for evermore, saith a Friend in the Truth of God, though the least of many;  
Who am known unto men by the Name of Alice Curwen. Huntingdonshire.  
For the Priest at Godmanchester, the 21st of the 11th Month, 1677.  
Friend,  
YEsternight I spoke to thee, as thou passedst by, & thou went'st away laughing, like the rest of thy Brethren, making merry over God's Witness in thee, which is the Grace of God, which appears at this day as it did in the Apostles days; and unto all them that believe in it and obey it, it works the same effect; everlasting Praises be sounded out unto the Lord our God at this day for his blessed Appearance, saith my Soul, who is come the second time without Sin to save them that believe; Everlasting Holy Praises be sounded out aloud, saith my Soul in secret, unto the Lord for all his Mercies, and that for evermore. And truly Priest (for I do not know thee by any other Name) my Spirit is grieved when I do see any of you, or wherever I do meet with you, that you should take upon you the charge of People's Souls, and to teach them the Way of the Lord; and in all my Travels I find no men so light and airy as you Priests are, who wear your long Robes; and by Christ's words (as you may read in the Scriptures) and by the Spirit of Truth (which God hath manifested in my particular) do I see you to be them which Christ cried Woe against: therefore is the Word of the Lord as a Sword in my Mouth against the Mystery of Babylon, and the Merchants of her also; for the Lamb's War is begun, and as it is written in the Scripture of Truth, The Beast and the false Prophet makes War against the Lamb and his followers, but God shall take the Beast and the false Prophet alive, and cast them into the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone forever and evermore; and the Lamb and the Saints shall get the Victory. And so my Soul blesses the Lord that I have lived to see this day, wherein the Scriptures are fulfilled; for it is the Lords day: therefore I desire thee in love to thy immortal Soul, to prize the day of thy Visitation; for I could not be clear till I had eased my Spirit, who am a Friend to thy Soul, and truly loves all Men and Women also with that Love that God hath loved me withal,  
Who am known by my Name, Alice Curwen. Huntingdonshire.  
My Dear Friends, Thomas & Alice Curwen;  
I With many more, are glad to hear of the Arrival of John Grove his Ship, and we hope you are all safe; you are often in my Mind, but more your Innocent Lives and Conversation amongst us, which shown clear also your great Labour of Love amongst us, which will not be forgotten in the Hearts of the Faithful; and I hope will not go without its Reward. The Lord God of our Life preserve us in these Times of Troubles, which are at this time amongst us, of which I do believe you will have a full Account: I am straitened for Time at present, so cannot enlarge; only my dear Love (with my children's) is to you both, desiring, that we may be all kept in his blessed Fear to our Lives end. So my dear Friends, Farewell.  
Barbadoss, the 7th of the 5th Mon. 1677. Your Loving Friend, Elizabeth Griffin.  
Dear Beloved, Thomas & Alice Curwen.  
YOur good wills towards me and my Wife when you were with us, we cannot forget: And truly, Friends, would you know where I am, and how far I am grown in the Truth of our God, I cannot well resolve myself, by reason of the gross Darkness, and the Straitness of the Way: I seek Rest, but I cannot find it: I seek my Beloved, but cannot find him: I am often amongst those with whom God is not well-pleased, although not yet overthrown amongst those that lust after Evil Things, those that tempted Christ, and those that Murmured, though not yet, through the Riches of the Patience and Goodness of God, not destroyed of the Destroyer: Sometimes I think I feel the Well springing up, the Day of the Lord's burning, to burn like an Oven, and the Leaven working and the Seed of the Kingdom no more the least of all Seeds, the Grave opening, and the Dead arising at the Voice of the Son of God: And at other times as one that Dreamt, and mere Stranger in Israel, I am Hungry, I am Thirsty, I am hardly filled; yet I must needs acknowledge, that sometimes I do meet with Manna; and blessed be the Shepherd of Israel, I sometimes drink, and am resreshed at the Brook by the Way: I still wait for the blessed Hope and the Glorious Appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ: I see that Patience must have its Perfect Work. that my Beloved must not be awakened until he please, and that Times and Seasons are in the Father's Hand; and am a Witness for him, That he is Faithful, who hath promised, by what of his Promises I have already found to be Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus: He doth not break the bruised Reed, nor quench the smoking Flax; on whom I do wait to bring forth Judgement into Victory, to kindle his Refiners Fire, to consume the Dross and take away the Tinn, and to answer & to save so as by Fire, that I may become a Vessel meet for the Masters Use. Oh, Travel for me! Help me forward with your Breathe, and that I fall not in the Wilderness.  
From me Henry Byrch, who was a Baptist-Teacher, but now, through the Mercy of the Lord, am come to be taught of the Lord, and in measure established in the blessed Truth of our God, to the Praise, Glory and Honour of the Lord our God, who is God over all, Heaven and Earth, blessed forever and for evermore, Amen, saith my Soul, and the Souls of the Righteous, whom God hath redeemed from Death to Life; to him alone be Glory forever and evermore. Barbadoss, the 9th of the 7th Month, 1677.  
Dear Friends, Thomas & Alice Curwen,  
YOur Letter I received, and I was very glad to hear of your , and of your arrival safely in England; and truly Friends, I know you cannot easily be forgotten by me, nor many good Friends in this Island, for your faithful Service, Pains and Travel, whilst among us, in the Service and Work of the Lord; and the Desire of my Soul is, That we may be all kept in a living Sense of his Holy Fear dwelling in our Hearts at all times; for the Fear of the Lord is only that that keeps the Heart clean, and preserves us in the greatest Trials and Exercises that we meet withal, that so continuing faithful to the end of our days, we may receive our Reward from our Heavenly Father, even the Salvation of our Immortal Souls. So dear Friends, I need not use many words unto you: I could not well omit sending these two or three Lines, though at present something s●●itned in point of time. Friends are generally in pretty good Condition, though of late we were like to have had a further Breach here amongst us, by reason of altering Men and women's Meetings, at the Bridge-Town; but blessed be the Lord, the Meetings at present are pretty well ordered and composed, so that I am in good hopes that all Difference and Strife will cease, and Truth will outlive all; here are good Friends, which I hope will keep down these Unruly Passions & Heats that were usual and too often accustomed by some to rise amongst us. My Wife desires dearly to be remembered to you. So with my True and Unfeigned Love to you both, I rest and remain  
Your Friend and Brother, in my Measure of the blessed Truth, John Todd. Barbadoss, the 4th of the 11th Month, 1677.  
Loving Friends, dear Thomas & Alice;  
WE do dearly salute you in the blessed Truth of our God; and in the sense of the same do our Souls truly rejoice, and our Hearts are made truly Glad, in that we feel one another in that blessed Life which keeps our Souls alive to God, together and asunder: And truly, our dear Friends, you have been often in our remembrance; and in the sensible feeling of that blessed Life hath our Souls been truly refreshed in you; though many Miles asunder, yet can we truly say, That ofttimes our Hearts and Souls have been truly refreshed in you, and the Sense of that Living Testimony you left behind you, that ofttimes lives in our Hearts: Oh! blessed be the Lord our God for evermore, that hath brought us to see this blessed Day, in that we can feel one another in this blessed Life, which keeps our Souls alive to God, and tender one to another: And so, our dear Friends, words are too short to tell of the goodness of God to our Souls, as our Minds have been truly stayed on him: Oh! how hath his Love flown forth in our Hearts to the great Refreshment and Satisfaction of our Immortal Souls, together and asunder! We have known the Renewing of the Blessings and Mercies of the Lord unto our Souls; Oh, praised be the Name of our God forever and for evermore, that he hath brought a Remnant to see this blessed Day of the flow forth of his Love in our Hearts, which makes us truly to rejoice more than the Increase of any Visible Thing. And so, our dear Friends, how have we known the bedewings of the Lord, as our Minds & Hearts have been kept low before him; and in the sense of the same we have been kept fresh and green, and alive to God; Oh! holy Praises be to the Name of the Lord our God forever & for evermore. And so, our dear Friends, having not much more in our Hearts to you at this time, our dear Love is to you, with the rest of Friends: We remain  
Your dear Friends, Brother and Sister, in that blessed Truth of our God, Stephen Richards, Anne Barber. Falmouth, the 1st of the 3d Mon. 1678.  
Dear Friends, Thomas & Alice Curwen;  
MY True Love dearly salutes you both, and all Truehearted Friends that may inquire after me: Since your coming away good Friends have been much wanting, and things have been pretty high against me; but I hope, in the general, it will not prevail, and the Lord hath made me willing to bear; but the Lord's hand of Power will preserve the Simple and Upright in Heart, Amen, saith your Friend, in Brotherly Love,  
Barbadoes, the 2d of the 6th Mon. 1677. Ralph Freatwell.  
Dear Friends;  
I Can not be clear, without the Tender of my true Love unto you both, whose Labour of Love, Service and daily Travels for the Lord's Truth in this Place will never be forgotten by a Remnant, and the Lord's Reward I know is with you; to whom belongs all Praise, Honour and Glory, both now and forever, and for evermore, Amen, saith your Friend,  
Thomas Freatwell.  
Dear Friends, Thomas & Alice Curwen;  
IN the Unchangeable and Everlasting Love of God, do I dearly salute you both: I have received a Letter from you, which was very acceptable to me; in the reading of which I was sweetly consolated and refreshed; and your Love to us all I cannot, nor I hope shall not forget; Oh! the many precious Meetings and Opportunities which we enjoyed when ye were with us! the Remembrance of which was precious, but the glorious Presence of God which we enjoyed was much more precious: Oh! the goodness of the Lord God is Unutterable, who continues his Love to us daily, and accompanies us with his living Presence at all Times, and in all Places, as we abide low in his Fear, and are found faithful in his Work and Service: Oh! my Soul's Desire is, That I may be kept low before him forever: And my Friends, I hope your Prayers to the Almighty will be for the same.  
The Lord's Truth doth prosper mightily, and his Power is over this whole Island, though the Devil doth Rage in his Instruments mightily, even at this present time, more than ever before, as I think; and such Threatening Times against the poor Innocent Lambs, as have not been known; and only because of the Prosperity of God's blessed Truth in this little Island: But we fear not man, but are greatly encouraged to go on in the Work of the Lord, and be Valiant for God until Death; for I am persuaded here is a little Remnant, whose Trust is in the Lord, that doth not regard any of their Threaten and Unrighteous Laws, which are lately made, if they were ten times greater than they are; and I believe We shall have the Victory, through the Power of the Lord, as we abide steadfast in the Unchangeable Truth of our God, though many that are not faithful to the Lord God, but let their Testimony fall, who are the fearful and unbelieving, may lose the Crown of Eternal Life: And your Love to our Family was very large, and I am right sensible of it, in the Sense of which I am refreshed at this present; and so, in the same Love do I dearly salute you: And so with my Love to all Friends, I remain  
Your Loving Friend, in the Everlasting Truth of God, Robert Thorp.  
An Epistle to Swarthmore Meeting.  
DEar Friends at Swarthmore Meeting, to whem is my true Love; and I have an Honourable Esteem in my Heart for you all, who keep to your first Love, and retain your Integrity to this day, which is a blessed Day indeed of the Breakings-forth of the blessed weighty Truth, which we breathed for in the days of our Infancy. Oh! what shall I say to stir up your pure Minds, that ye may travail forward, that none may stand still, nor none may go backward! for this is the Day of God's spiritual Israel's Travel, God has made me a living Witness; and therefore my dear Friends, as one that has been nursed up there, can I not at this time contain myself, but in a living Sense of the days past, when we waited together for true Israel's Hope: And Oh! how is my Spirit bowed down in the weighty Power of the blessed Appearance of the Breakings-forth of the weighty Truth in the days of our Infancy, in that Meeting which I so dearly love and truly honour in the Lord, though the break out at first of the Power of the Living God was very Dreadful and very Terrible, yet (oh my Friends!) I cannot but ease my Spirit a little at this time, being loaded with the Power of the Lord, which causes me to write. And oh! what shall I say of the blessed heavenly Melody, and the spiritual Songs, yea, the new Song that God hath put into our Mouths; Oh! endless Praises, saith my Soul, with you my dear Friends, with whom I would be glad that I might sit down with you once more, that we might sing together of the Mercies of the Lord, and of his pure Judgements in this our day, as poor David did. And oh! how am I affected in my Bowels for an Opportunity that we might be comforted together! but I do not see my Service over, that I may come to my Place of Abode in the oatward; for I can truly say, that I have not taken up another; and I am as a Weaned Child at this time: and the Desire of my Heart to God is, That these few days I have to spend may be in his blessed Truth, which is more to me than all the World: therefore let none of you question in your Minds my coming home; for when I have done the Will of God, who am one of the least of the Lord's People, I shall be willing to come into the North, and sit down with you, and wait upon the Lord, who hath brought me thus far towards my Native Being, and yet my way is shut up, that I cannot come Home. Oh my Dear Friends! breath with me to the Lord for the Prosperity of this great Work, which the Lord hath made me Instrumental in; though but weak and little, yet blessed be the Lord who appears strong and weighty in every needful time, though in weak Instruments; let his Name be purely Praised, and had in Everlasting Reverence from Age to Age, and from Generation to Generation, saith my Soul, which is Immortal, and that for evermore. So, as I began in a Sense of the Love of God, and in his weighty Power, in that do I dearly salute you, and bid you all Farewell; and remain as one of God's Flock, and that Family where we were begotten to God, for which my Soul shall bless the Lord, whilst I have a Day to live.  
Huntingdon-shire, the 29th of the 11th Month, 1677. Alice Curwen.  
My Dear and Wellbeloved Friends, Thomas & Alice Curwen;  
MY dear Love is to you both; and by this you may know that we received your Letter from Barbadoes, the which indeed was very acceptable to us, and I was refreshed thereby; I carried it to our General-Meeting at Oyster-Bay, and it was read in the Men & women's Meeting; and I know many were truly glad to hear of your , and the Prosperity of Truth. My Dear Friends, you are often in my remembrance, and the remembrance of your Savoury Life is very pleasant unto me; for I am a Witness with you, That the Glory of the Lord often filled his Temple when we were together; and the Lord's Eternal Love is not wanting to his People that wait upon him in the Uprightness of their Hearts, for he openeth of his pure Fountain, and refresheth his own, though many are the Exercises of his People: We are, as it were, a Song among a wild Generation; and those Ranting Spirits are much as they were when ye were here; they come in the like manner Ranting, Roaring, Singing and Dancing in't our Meetings; & it is the harder to bear because it casts stumbling-blocks in the way of the Simple; for some of the World think they are of us, and call them Quakers; saying, Look where they differ among themselves! These Ranters were very Wicked at Oyster-Bay the last Meeting; when the Meeting was near ended my Husband was taken violent Sick with a Vomiting and Gripes; some of them hearing of it were very glad, and said to me, I should lose my Right Eye and my Right Arm; and came near the Door where we were, and where my Husband lay sick; and cried, Woe, woe, woe to that Damned Story and Jezebel his Wife. Friends are pretty well over their Spirits in these Parts, and generally well at Cravesend, Oyster-Bay and Westchester; there is much Affliction on Josiah Parnel, his Family hath been much afflicted with Sickness. My dear Friends, I am glad to write to you now, not knowing when I may have the like time again, I being with Child, and wanting but about six Weeks of my Account. My dear Husband's dear Love is to you both. So not knowing how the Lord may be pleased to deal with me, I dearly salute you, and take my leave of you both, in that Love which is of the Lords begetting.  
Your True Friend, Patience Story. New-York in New-England, the 10th of the 8th Month, 1675.  
Salem in New-England, the 22d of the 5th Month, 1677.  
My Dear and Wellbeloved Friends;  
IN the Blessed Everlasting Truth of our God, revealed and made manifest, do I at this time dearly salute you. My dearly Beloved in the Lord, unto whom the Salutation of my Love abounds, and with whom I have been well refreshed in that pure and heavenly Unity, which makes us near unto the Lord, and one to another, even in that endless love which cannot be broken, & which nothing can separate from, but it reacheth over Sea & Land, for it is unlimited, neither can any Waters quench it: Oh! read me here and feel me here, even in that which Tongue cannot express, nor Lips declare; for truly in this are you dear and near unto me; for as the Truth is dear and precious unto me, so are they that dwell in it, even in this blessed Truth which the Lord God hath been pleased to make a Remnant partakers of in this our Day and Age, and hath caused us with them to taste of his heavenly divine Love, which floweth from the Fountain of Endless Life, in which we can feel one another, and truly rejoice tegether in the Spirit, though separated in the outward, and may not see one another's faces any more in the Flesh; yet as we dwell in that which is Immortal, we shall enjoy one another in the Invisible Life, which changeth not, where there is Joy and Pleasure for evermore: Oh! blessed and magnified be the Name of our God forever, who is not wanting unto them that put their Trust in him, but he supports and preserves in all Conditions and Trials whatsoever. And dear Friends, for so you are to me in the Truth, that changeth not: for you are as an Epistle written in my Heart never to be blotted out, and the Remembrance of you is a refreshing to me, when I call to mind the blessed Society and Fellowship we enjoyed when we were together, in which the Lord God of Heaven preserve and keep us forever unto the end of our days, so shall we reap a good Harvest, if we faint not, and come to lay down our Heads in Peace and be at rest with the Lord when Time shall be no more. Dear Hearts, I have much to write unto you, but being in haste time will not permit, I being also but ill in Body. I am willing to give you an Account concerning Margaret Brewster, whom you know, who came lately from Barbadoes in the Lord's Service to Boston, where she performed it, I being also with her in her Service and in her Sufferings (except Whipping) as also was Lydia Wright and Barbary Bowers, and John Eston's Son also a Prisoner with us a Month. And Dear Hearts, I have met with many Trials since I saw your Faces, but the Lord hath hitherto preserved me through it all, blessed be his Name forever. I cannot now give you an account concerning my Mother and Brothers, who were taken Captives by the Cruel Indians some Months; but the Lord hath delivered them, and they are here now with me. So dear Friends, being in great Haste, I must take my leave of you, committing you to the Care and Keeping of the Lord, in which Everlasting Love I bid you Farewell, my dear Friends Farewell, who am  
Your True and Real Friend, Mary Milles.  
Friends here in general their Love is to you. I received your Letter with Gladness of Heart, and desire to hear from you again.  
From Flushen in Long-Island in New-England, the 15th of the 7th Month, 1677.  
Dear and Inwardly beloved Friends, Thomas & Alice Curwen;  
YOu are both dear and near unto me, as my own Life; for I can truly say, that I have been often Refreshed in remembrance of you, feeling you in that dear Love and Life which proceeds from him who is our Life, and length of our days, in whom we live and have our Being, who is our Strength in time of need, when Trials come and Exercises come, we find him a God at hand, and not afar off, blessed and praised be his holy Name forever, saith my Soul, for his unspeakable Love, by which he hath gathered us near unto himself, and near one to another, by the Arm of his endless Power, which reaches over Sea and Land, and reaches to his own, wherein we have true Fellowship one with another in the Spirit of Truth, where the World knows us not; for therein doth his Worship stand, and such doth the Lord seek to worship him, that worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth, blessed be his holy Name, who is God over all, blessed be his holy Name forever and for evermore, who hath filled our Hearts with his living Presence, which doth engage us more and more to follow him, and to lean upon him; for his Judgements are pure, and he delights to abound in Mercy. And so in that Everlasting Love, which our Heavenly Father hath loved us from the beginning, I do dearly salute you both; for you have often been in my Remembrance since we have been separated as outwardly, and have been often with you in that blessed Truth wherein our Unity stands, which endures forever, which will live over all, and outlast all the invented Worships which the Devil hath begot many into; but their Day is almost over; for they are all in Confusion, and all in Heaps; but blessed be the holy and sacred Name of the Lord forever, who has preserved a Remnant to stand in their Testimony for the Honour of his Everlasting Truth. Friends are generally well in Health, blessed be the Name of the Lord forever and for evermore. So having this opportunity I was willing to write these few Lines. Friends, you are dear and near unto me, and the Springs of Love and Life do often flow forth unto you more than Tongue or Pen can express. So no more but  
Your assured Friend and Brother in the Truth of our God, Matthew Pryar.  
And as Opportunity presents let me hear from you. Friends have suffered pretty much at Boston since you were there; Margaret Brewster of Barbadoes hath been sorely Whipped, and many Friends more; and here are a great many Friends come over to Delaware, and I fear that there is great need of Faithful Labourers in these parts. No more, but my dear Love to you both.  
Matthew Pryar.  
Dear Friends, Thomas and Alice Curwen;  
IN that Love of God which is Everlasting and Endless in all his dear Babes and Children, whom he hath begotten by his Immortal Word, do I salute you, and you are often in my Remembrance, although far separated as to the Outward, yet near in that which is Invisible and Immortal, in the Life of Innocency, in which Life you were made instrumental in the Hand of our God to comfort me and hold me up in a living hope, when I was well nigh overwhelmed with Sorrow; but Praises are given by me unto our God that lives forever, who hath given me Patience to wait his time, and a Contented Heart, that into what Estate and Condition I may be brought, I hope I shall be contented. Dear Friends, I do own dearly your Labour of Love, and in the sense of the same do bid you Farewell;  
Who am your Friend in the Truth Francis coley. Flushen in New-England, the 15th of the 8th Month, 1677.  
DEar and Wellbeloved Friends, Thomas and Alice Curwen ' whom I love in the Truth; and as my Love was dear to you when you were with us, so it remains now when we are separated, and my Heart is truly knit unto you in Unfeigned Love; and as you were a Comfort and a Strengthening in my great Weakness when you were with me, which I cannot forget, though far separated; but I do say, The Lord reward your Labour of Love into your Bosoms; for the Lord hath of his abundant Love raised me from a weak estate, that I may yet remain in the Land of the Living, to declare his Praise, and to signify my endeared Love to my Brethren and Sisters, and to bear a Living Testimony for my God against the Wrong Spirits, that burden the Seed of God. So my dear Friends, I have not much to acquaint you with, only that which was fore-seen, That Bad Spirits are working their own Destruction. So in that Love which I began, I do take my leave, and remain  
Your Friend and Sister, Mary Tyllton. Gravesend in New-England, the 15th Day of the 8th Month, 1677.  
Antego, the 19th of the 4th Month, 1677.  
Dear Friends, Thomas and Alice Curwen;  
MY true love is to you both, desiring your Everlasting  and Wellbeing in God's Everlasting Truth, that is broken forth amongst us, blessed be his Name forever, who does daily engage us with his Love, and gives us a living Experience of his Mercies and Goodness, who feeds our Immortal Souls, and keeps us fresh and green, and bears up our Heads in the time of great and deep Exercises and Trials, which we do meet withal; Everlasting Praises and Glory be to his Name forever: so that we can say of a Truth, Good is the Lord to all that wait upon him, and choose him to be their chiefest Beloved; who indeed is the chiefest of Ten Thousand to his little Remnant, that has none in Heaven but only the Lord Jesus Christ, nor none on Earth in comparison of him. And so desiring we may forever wait in singleness upon the Lord, that he may keep us and preserve us in the sense of his Love, breathing and crying unto the Lord one for another in the blessed Seed and Gift and holy Spirit, that the Lord hath blessed through all Ages and Generations; Everlasting Praises be unto his holy Name forever. Oh Friends! your Faithfulness the Lord hath made me in my measure sensible of, wherein my Soul is comforted, being Members of the one Body, of which Christ Jesus is the Head and Leader, that goes before his People, and leads into the green Pastures of Life, which the World cannot give us, nor take from us.  
JASPER TREGOUSE.  
Dear Friends, Thomas and Alice Curwen;  
I Received your Lines and your Friend R. J. and cannot but accept kindly of your Remembrance of me in the Lord, and was refreshed in them, and your true Love therein, as I have also been in your Company in several good Meetings by God's Power refreshed, for which let him have the Praise forever: and your tender and dear Advice in the Truth is owned, and I desire your Remembrance of me in the Lord may be continued, and that I may be preserved through all Trials to God's Praise, and worthy of his Mercies and Lovingkindness, which is large and incomparable. And, dear Friends; your Labour of Love in, and Service for the Lord, is not to be slipped out of Remembrance in many Hearts in this Island, but is still very fresh and green; and your Reward (I question not) is in your Bosom, and will be with the Lord, who was and is the exceeding great Reward of his Servants both in others and in this Age, who were willing to forsake their Country and Kindred at his Requirings. So dear Friends, in the Salutation of that Love which exceeds all other I remember you, and desire to be remembered by you. And if you see G. F. mind me to him; I have him in due Respect and Honour, though I am as one of the least of the Thousands of Israel, yet of true Jacob's stock, the Stem is felt through the Goodness of Jacob's God, whose Presence is better than this World's Glory.  
Your Friend and Brother in measure of God's Power, JOHN BARKER. Barbadoss, the 1st of the 5th Month, 1676.  
Dear Thomas and Alice Curwen;  
TO whom is my dear Love, desiring these precious Seasons may never be forgotten, wherein we have been sweetly watered and refreshed together, but that the Glory of all may return to him in whom all our fresh Springs are. Your Service for God amongst us I believe will be owned forever, and a Testimony thereof is fresh in the Hearts of a Remnant in this Island; and a sad and bitter Condition are many reduced to who opposed your Testimonies, and so have come to whither and blast, as is woefully manifest by Henry Jones at this present, who is gone out of the Unity into the Enmity, and heaped up a parcel of dirty stuff in writing against Friends, and some others there: about stand by him, I think none but such as are out of the Practice of meeting with their Families: I writ the less of these things, because I believe William Mullnex may give you a fuller account.  
Dear Friends, your honourable Service and innocent Behaviour amongst us cannot be forgotten by a Remnant in this Island, who would be glad (if the Lord saw meet) once more to see you; but in the mean time, I desire we may be bound up together in that one Spirit which partakes of the Dew from Heaven, and keeps always green and fresh, blossoming and bringing forth Fruit wellpleasing to the Lord. And the Desire of my Heart is, that in your Breathe to the Lord, I may not be forgotten, who love and honour in my Soul all truehearted and right-begotten Friends, who have the right Image, yea, the Father's Image stamped upon them, and with such I hope to be one forever. So no more at present, but mine with my Wife's dear Love to you both, I remain  
Your Friend in the nearest Relation, Edward Wright. Barbadoss, the 18th of the 12th Month, 1679.  
Dear Friends, Thomas and Alice Curwen;  
MY dear and wellbeloved Friends in God, who hath begotten us to himself in his blessed Truth, and so one to another, in which my Soul and Spirit doth salute you both: Having still in my Heart your faithful Labour and Courage in which you travailed amongst us here, to the refreshing of the Honest-hearted, and lives fresh in the Hearts of the Upright. Oh! how did the Lord make you as a Nursing-Father and Mother to the tender weak Lambs of God and laboured to gather in the straying Sheep, which were wand'ring from the Flock, labouring to bring them into the Fold again, where Rest is truly known: for in the Out-going and Wander there is a Spirit that is seeking for Liberty, but not that of God, but that which will not bow to Christ's Yoke; in which your Spirits had a sore travel whilst here amongst us, and all the Valiant to this day do feel the same; yet as we keep to the Lord, we do find Victory over all the Contrary Opposing Spirits, and the Lord's Power and Living Presence is with us to our great Refresh, and Spiritual Comfort of the little ones, who keep low in his Fear, and are made willing to follow him through whatsoever he will carry them; so that we can say, It is very good to keep near to the Lord, that we may feel him to bear us up continually, in Trials, Troubles and Afflictions, in which we are made to Rejoice more than in the Increase of Corn, Wine or Oil, to God's Praise and Glory, and to the Comfort of our Souls, and to the carrying on of his great Work which he hath begun, and will carry on by his Faithful, Upright, Single-hearted Ones. The Lord raise up more Faithful Ones, that may stand up for God, and plead God's Cause against all that shall oppose it, as he did faithful Moses and Joshua in the day of Israel's Rebellion, that like the good Spies, may give a good Report of the good Land, and so encourage, but not discourage any, but are willing to help forward the hindmost of the Flock, and encourage the foremost, so that we may all come to travel on to the Land of Rest, that we may all come to praise God together with one Heart and one Mind, and bless him together forever, saith my Soul.  
Barbadoss, the 12th of the 3d Month, 1676. Elizabeth Gretton.  
THE People of God called Quakers being met together in the Fear of the Lord to worship God, and to feel the Presence of the Lord, whereby we might strengthen and edify one another, to the Praise and Glory of our God, who is worthy forever; and after we had been some hours in the Meeting, there came in a Constable, called, Constable Noise, and a Merchant, called, Benjamin Gibs, with their Aid, having a Warrant from Simon Broadstreet, in his Majesty's Name (as they said) to break up our Meeting; some Friends desired them to read their Warrant, which was to this effect, That they were to bring every Person found at a Quakers Meeting; then a Friend said, This Warrant is to bring such Persons as are found at a Quakers Meeting to the House of Correction. Alice Curwen answered, This Warrant takes not hold on us; we are the Meeting; this Warrant is to bring such Persons as are found at a Quakers Meeting. So the Constable stood pretty moderately; but Benj. Gibs turned about to a Friend in the Ministry, and said, Come, ye are Blasphemers; we will not stand to sac the Devil Worshipped: Then Benj. Gibs being asked, What he heard us say? His answer was, He had not heard us speak one word; though before he had called us Blasphemers, and said, They would not stand there to see the Devil worshipped. Alice Curwen (in the Fear of the Lord) kneeling down to Prayer, was violently haled along the Room and down Stairs to the House of Correction.  
Flushen in New-England, the 6th of the 12th Month, 1677. Thomas Curwen.  
The Sufferings of Thomas Curwen, which he hath suffered for Conscience sake towards God, which was for the Testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy, the Word of God, who have Contended with several Priests concerning my Testimony for the Tithe ever since I was convinced of the Eternal Truth of God, who doth Witness the Law changed, and the Priesthood changed also, that took Tithes under the Law, which was an Offering in the time of the Law, before Christ came; but now Christ Jesus is come, and I do witness him come, who is the one Offering, who was sacrificed and offered up once for all, who hath Fulfilled and put an End to all Tithes, Types, Figures and Shadows, and Offerings under the Law of a Carnal Command: but now I do witness (Glory be to God forever) Christ Jesus come, who is the Power of God unto Salvation, who is a Priest forever, without Beginning or End of Days, who is Alpha and Omega forever; and therefore I cannot pay Tithes.  
Concerning my Sufferings and Persecution by Thomas Shaw Priest of Aldingham in Fornis in Lancashire.  
IN the year 1652. about the 14th day of the 7th month, I had a Mare taken away worth 6 l. also in the year 1654. I had a Cow taken away worth 2 l. 10 s. and in the year 1656. I had two Cows taken away worth 8 l. and in the year 1658. I had the most part of sixteen Acres of Corn taken away, which was worth at least 30 l. whose Bailiffs and Servants came forcibly & broke into the Barn: and also in the year 1660. about the 10th day of the 11th month, I had a Horse taken away worth 4 l. or thereabout. And these Goods took Priest Shaw from me, besides Eleven Years Imprisonment; and then shortly after he ended his days in great Woe and Misery to the sight of all the World that did know him; for the Lord laid his Judgements upon him, who was struck into a Palsy, that he was not sensible what he did or said.  
And then another with his Horns began to push, and make War with the Lamb, as the Scripture declares, That the Beast and the False Prophet shall make War with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall get the Victory, wherein the Redeemed of the Lord sing Praises, Praises to the Lord God and the Lamb forever in the Land of the Living; for it is the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World, and blotteth out the Handwriting, and come to know their Names written in the Book of Life: And I am a Witness that the Promise of the Lord is fulfilled, where the Lord hath written his Law in our Hearts, and put his Spirit into our inward parts, wherein we can read in the Book of Life in the great Mystery of Godsiness, which is manifest in the Flesh in this our Day; Praises to the Lord God and the Lamb forevermore.  
The Priest's Name was Theophilus Ames, who continued in Persecuting the Innocent; but the Lord shortened his days in a little time, he was so very Cruel; he sent his Bailiffs to take away my Goods, who took sixteen Beasts at one time, which were worth 50 l. or thereabout in the year 1665 about the 29th day of the 8th Month; and about the 〈◊〉 of the 5th month in the year 1667. myself, my Wife & my Son were taken to Prison for not coming to their worship nor receiving the Sacrament, and carried me to Prison in a Cart, who was so ill that I could neither go nor ride on Horseback, who did carry me about twenty Miles, and did purpose to keep us in Prison for term of Life; but the Lord did deliver us, who is a present Help in time of need to the Faithful and Upright in Heart, who are kept in his Fear; blessed for evermore be his holy and blessed Name, which is a strong Tower for the Righteous to flee unto in time of Storm, when the Heathen rages, and the People imagine vain things: and after Priest Ames had cast us into Prison, in the year 1667. about the 29th of the 5th month the Priest caused to be taken from me eleven Beasts and one Horse, which were worth about 40 l. and when he had taken these Beasts he fell on to plunder the House, and took all the Goods that he could get away, he took so near, that he took Garden-Mittans and the Cole-Rake; and when he had done this, than the measure of his Wickedness and Iniquity was filled up, and then the Lord shortly after shortened his days, who died a Woeful and Miserable Death; for the Lord laid his Judgements upon him, who was both Blind and Mad before he died, to the great Admiration and astonishment of all that did see his Death.  
And then another Beast with his Horns began to push, and to make War with the Lamb, as the Scripture declares, and blessed are they who are called to make War in Righteousness; and if we put not into the false Prophet's Mouths, they will make War against us; and he that stands in the Gap makes himself a Prey.  
The Priest's Name is Michael Stanford, who is driving on Pharaoh's Chariots as fast as he can, until the Lord shorten his days; for Pharaoh's Heart was hardened when he did persecute the Children of Israel in the days of old; and this Priest said, That his Heart was hardened against us: And what became of Pharaoh when his Heart was hardened that he would not let Israel go? So all read that can; for the Lord God will shorten the days of the Wicked for the Elect Seed's sake; for it was the full Intent and Purpose of my Heart to continue in this Warfare about Tithes, and Contend for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints, and to stand a faithful Witness for the Lord's Testimony against the Beast and the False Prophet whilst I had a being in this Earthly Tabernacle, until the Lord laid an Engagement upon me (wherein I durst not disobey) to go along with my dear Friend my Wife, to be her Companion for the Clearing of her Testimony, which the Lord had called her to; who did bear a faithful Testimony for the Lord, and hath laid down her Head in Peace.  
And as for this Persecuting Priest, these are his Actions, and the Fruits of his Ministry at this time, who about the 2d of the first month, 1674. did take from me my Brewing-pan; and also in the year 1674. his Bailiffs took from me three Beasts worth 8 l. and that which he called his Due was but about 6 s. So all People may see and know (wheresoever this may come) the Fruits of this Persecuting Priest's Ministry.  
Priest Stanford's Tythe-mongers in the year 1673. took from me as followeth, viz. Upon the 4th day of the 7th month James Chambers came forcibly, and broke into a Field of Corn of mine, and broke down the Hedge in several places, and took the Corn out of the Field before I took, and before one part of the Field was reaped, contrary to the Law of the Nation.  
And also, James Chambers did break into another Cornfield of mine upon the 11th day of the 7th month, who broke down the Hedge in several places, and did carry the Corn away before I took any.  
And at another time James Chambers, Thomas Chamblay and James Geldert, went through a Field of Corn before the most of it was reaped, contrary to the Law of the Nation.  
And also on another day James Geldert came, and broke into a Cornfield of mine, and did break down the Hedge, and carried away the Corn, contrary to the Law of the Nation.  
And upon another day James Geldert came, and broke into a Field of Corn, and broke down the Hedge, and took away the Corn, contrary to theLaw of the Nation.  
And also John Hawood, who rent the Fines, caused a Horse to be taken from me for a Fine of 15 s. which was worth 4 l. which was for Conscience sake towards God in Obedience to his holy Command.  
The Bailiffs Names by whom Priest Shaw caused my Body to be imprisoned, and my Goods to be taken away, were these, viz. Will. Garner, John Garner, Tho. Martial, James Postelwhete, Tho. Poolton, Christopher Garner, John Poolton, Miles Fell, James Garner, Richard Fell, Will. Fell, John Sanford. The Constable's Names, viz. John Garner, Christopher Chamblay, Timothy Mount, Leonard Cooper and Luke Benson Bailiff.  
Priest Ames his Bailiffs Names, viz. William Struckland, Geo. Askew, William Garner, Tho. Poope, Thomas Poolton. James Chambers was Priest Ames his Constable to assist the Bailiffs for the Plundering of my House, and let the Priest have a House to put the plundered Goods in; and this Constable did provide a Horse and a Cart to carry me to Prison.  
Priest Stanford's Bailiffs Names, viz. William Struckland, George Askew, John Garner, Richard Fell, Luke Benson, and also Roger Woodborn, who was the Steward of the Court and also Judge; there was a Jury appointed, but he did not put the Action to the Jury, but passed Judgement on it himself; but the Lord shortened his days, that he never tried more Actions, but died shortly.  
Oh! that all People would take Warning and Repent, lest they provoke the Lord to anger, and they perish in his Wrath! for the Indignation of the Lord burns like Fire against the Wicked and Ungodly upon the Earth, who is a Consuming Fire to the Wicked.  
THOMAS CURWEN.  
THE END.