Richard Samble's TESTIMONY CONCERNING Christopher Bacon, Who Deceased the 29th Day of the 10th Month 1678.  
Written at Falmouth in the County of Cornwall.  
AS for our Friend Christopher Bacon, who is lately Deceased, I have known him for the space of Eleven Years, being the first Public Friend that ever I heard; and truly can I say, his Testimony was forcible to the reaching my Broken Heart, and often have I been Refreshed in Meetings with him, after my Convincement; and in this County he hath been frequent in Labours and Travels for Truth's sake, especially in this Place, where many can give in their Testimony with me, unto the Truth and Life of his Service and Labour of Love amongst us, so that we can say he was unto us a Helper; and several Friends here can truly declare, that his coming into these Parts, at first, was in the Lord's Counsel, and several Friends here away were turned by his Testimony unto God, who came into a true sense of the Life he declared of, and that Foundation which stands sure, which God hath laid in Zion; and these are Witnesses of his often and frequent Labours amongst them in his Life time; and now after all his weary Journeys and hard Labours, being sometimes brought before Rulers and Magistrates (for his Testimonies sake) in his Travels, as it was not above fourteen days before he departed this Life, being on his way to visit us, the Lords People, in this Town of Falmouth; but at Truroe he was taken up and carried before the Mayor, and examined on the account of being a Popish Recusant, but cleared himself of that, or any thing relating to the Church of Rome, so that the Mayor set him free; but Envy rested in the Bosom of some being present, and one Man struck him on the Head with a Staff in the Mayor's House: I pray God it may not be laid to their Charge. So here in the latter end of his Days he suffered the Abuse and Cruelty of the Wicked for Christ's sake, being Weak and Infirm in Body, in which Weakness he came to this Town, where he had with us a good Meeting, though in much Weakness of Body, and many weighty things opened in him, to the Satisfying and Encouraging Friends in their Testimonies for God's Truth, and how well it should be with all such, and pressed Friends to an examination of themselves, that they might not be of those sorts of Grounds that fails in bringing forth Fruit to the Glory of God, but that all might be the good Ground that brought forth Fruit to the Lords Honour: And as to the present Transactions of those Times, he spoke much of the unjust Sufferings inflicted on the Lord's People, and of the false Jealousies of the Men of these times concerning Friends; and rightly compared it to the Case of the Jews, who feared that Ch●●st was a Confederate with the Romans, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and how at last they were overthrown by them. So the day after, he took his Bed, and lay in much Weakness of Body, but still very Sensible, and sometimes spoke very Comfortably to Friends, and Exhorted them to Faithfulness to God, and desired often that the Lords presence might be with us, and his heavenly Power and Wisdom always guide us; and spoke of his Wife and Children desiring their everlasting Good; and as to his Wife, he said to a Friend, John Seantbebury, That when the Lord should take away his Life, that he might write Comfortably unto her, and I hope she will take that care, that the Children may be brought up in the Fear and Counsel of the Lord, the earnest of my Heart hath been to the Lord for my Wife, that she may be kept in the Truth, and for all Friends; and since it is my lot, after many great Labours and Travels for the Service of Truth, for me to come here, and lay down my Body here, I am well satisfied at God's Will and Pleasure, and am at this time free and clear in my Mind, willing to be with God. Then making some pause he said, Oh, Friends, keep in mimd your Latter End, and that will make you draw nigh to the Lord, and seek after him. And further said, Friends, take heed that you lose not an Heavenly Inheritance for an Earthly. And the day before he Died, being the first day of the Week, he spoke to Friends as they were going to Meeting, minding his dear Love to all Friends, and said, The Lords Presence be amongst you, for his Presence hath attended me in all my Labours and Travels, Sufferings and Exercises for his Name sake. And his End drawing near, his Body being very low, he could not speak many Words more, but continued for some time, even till the last Moment, in a sweet Harmony, and lifting up his Hands, whereby Friends understood that his Life was fresh and green in the everlasting Love of God, and in that sweet sound of heavenly Praises unto the Lord, in much Quietness and Peace he gave up the Ghost. So seeing it was ordered that his latter End was to be in this place, where he was greatly beloved, and received in much tenderness for the Gospel's sake, we thought ourselves greatly concerned to give this faithful and true Relation concerning him, to satisfy all Friends unto whom this may come, or who desires to know of his going hence, and parting out of this mortal Life, being a faithful account from an Eye and Ear Witness of what is here Related.  
Richard Samble. The Truth of this is likewise testified by Thomas Gwin Juinor.  
THE END.