"--**
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE JEOfLE CALLED 
 
 QUAKERS, 
 
 IN IRELAND, 
 FROM THE YEAR 1653 to 1700. 
 
 COMPILED AT THE REQUEST OF THEIR NATIONAL MEETlNCj 
 
 BY THOMAS WIGHT, OF CORK. 
 
 AFTERWARDS 
 
 REVISED, ENLARGED, and CONTINUED to the YFAR 1751, 
 
 BY JOHN RUTTY. 
 
 FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED AND SOLD BT WILLIAM PHILLIPS, 
 EORGE YARD, LOMBARD ITREKT, 
 
 1811.
 
 CONTENTS OF THE INTRODUCTION. 
 
 PART. I. 
 
 THE faith of the primitive Chriftians confidered as a 
 lively operative one. An apoftacy fucceeded, in 
 which that was loft. That apoftacy was brought 
 on, and the Chriftian religion corrupted by the 
 pretended vicars and reprefrntatives of Chrift jefus. 
 The ground of the apoftacy, the corruption of 
 human nature, and particularly pride, fomented by 
 riches and large revenues annexed to the church. 
 The pride and policy of the pope and his 
 minifters exemplified in their arrogating the name 
 and power of the church to themfelves, in enjoin- 
 ing celibacy to thofe called the clergy. The bifhop 
 of Rome's afTuming a fupremacy over all other 
 bifhops ; his claiming the fupretne direction over 
 univerfities, and the power of licenfmg books, and 
 his fetting up a dominion over kings and emperors; 
 his extreme and peculiar cruelty, and his monftrous 
 covetoufnefs fhewn. A fhort iketch of the popifh 
 corruptions, of the primitive difcipline and do&rine, 
 whilft a time of grofs ignorance prevailed. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 JN the moft dark and ignorant ages a faithful few were 
 preferved, who teftified againft the prevailing cor- 
 ruptions of the times, fome of which are fpecified, 
 as Claudius Bifhop of Turin, Petrus de Bruis, 
 Henricus ex Monacho, Hildegardis and Bridget, 
 two propheteffes, Waldo, from whom the Wal- 
 denfes, John Wickliff, Walter Brute, John HITS, 
 Jerpm of Prague, Luther, Zuinglius, Melanfton, 
 CEcolampadius, and others ; Tindal's tranflation 
 of the Bible, and the remarkable oppofition of the 
 clergy ro it ; the progrefs of the reformation gra- 
 dual j the defects of the reformation traced infornc 
 
 2063812
 
 remains of the pride, covetoufnefs, and tyrannical 
 fpirit of antichrift, amen?? thofe called the reformed 
 clergy. Remnants of the fuperflition and idolatry 
 of antichrifl traced among the reformers in the 
 obfervation of fairtts days, clerical habits, and in 
 the light in which Baptifm and the Lord's Supper 
 are confidered. Another inftance of the deficiency 
 of the reformation, with refpeft to the liberty of 
 prophefying or preaching, praying, and finging in 
 the church. Silence in the worfnip of God, par- 
 ticularly confidered, recommended, and exemplified. 
 The lofs of Chriftian difcipline another important 
 defeft in the reformation. Swearing and fighting 
 confidered in the fame light. The conclufion, re- 
 prefenting the predifpofition of the age to receive 
 the doclrines of the people called Quakers. . 
 
 CONTENTS OF THE WORK. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 THE firft period, viz. from the firft appearance of 
 this people in Ireland, to the fettlement of church- 
 difcipline among them in the year 1669. 
 
 CMAV. II. 
 
 The fecond period, viz. from the fettlement of church- 
 difcipline, to the end of the troubles under king 
 James the Second. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 From the end of the troubles under king James the 
 Second, to the paffing of the aft of parliament, for 
 rcgiflering friends meeting-houfes, in common with 
 thofe of other diffenters, in the year 1719.
 
 THE 
 
 INTRODUCTION, 
 
 TWO PARTS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Of the Faith of the primitive Chriftians, and the Apof- 
 tacy from it, traced infome ofitsfucceffwejleps, until 
 that part of the -world called Chriftendom was almoft 
 lotally overfpread with a midnight of darknefs and 
 
 Jitperftition. 
 
 WHEN I confider the efficacy cf faith as re- 
 corded in the Holy Scriptures, whether 
 among the elders who had not yet received the pro- 
 mifes, but feen them afar off as defcribed in the 
 eleventh of the Hebrews ; or among thofe who be- 
 lieved in Ghrift actually come in the flefh, as recorded 
 in the New Teftament, in the following (among 
 many other) places, John i. 12. " To as many as 
 received him gave he power to become the fons of 
 God, even to them that believe on his name." 
 Mark ix. 23. ^ " All things are poflible to him that 
 believeth." Afts xv. 9. and xxvi. 18. " The hearts 
 of both Jews and Gentiles were purified by faith j'* 
 and i John v. 4. <f This is the victory that over- 
 cometh the world, even our faith." James ii. 18. 
 f< I will (hew thee my faith by my works." Eph. vi. 
 16. " The fhield of faith, ^wherewith they were able 
 to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked : - 1 fay 
 when I confider this Scripture account of faith, I fee 
 clearly that it was a lively operative one, and fuch as 
 VOL. III. A
 
 2 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 profeffed Chriftians of ungodly lives have no claim 
 to ; for a dead faith may be reckoned either no faith 
 at all, or (in fome refpeft) to fall fhort of that of 
 devils mentioned by the above-cited apoftle James, of 
 whom he fays, that they not only believe but tremble, 
 a difpofition which many profeiling faith in Chrift, 
 are ftrangers to. 
 
 Now in my fmall reading I find alfo the accounts 
 given of the early Chriftians, not only during the 
 lives of the apoflles, but for fome time afterwards, to 
 be fuch as imply that their faith alfo was of the fame 
 lively operative kind as that above defcribed from the 
 NewTeftament, and fuperior in efficacy to the dic- 
 tates of merereafon. 
 
 c There appears,' fays Stillingfleet, 1. 2. c. 9. of 
 his Orirines facr*, ' to have been a divine efficacy in 
 the firft preaching, of the gofpel, far beyond that of 
 the mere dictates of philofophy, which was not fuited 
 to all capacities, but to the few only, and even where 
 it was fuited to the capacities of men, did indeed 
 render them more knowing, but rarely more good j 
 whereas the gofpel did not only change men's opi- 
 nions and way of worfhip, but fliewed its fuperior 
 power, in turning them from their lulls, fenfualities, 
 and habitual fins.' 
 
 ' We do indeed,' continueshe, c read of one Phjedon 
 and one Polemon brought off from their debaucheries 
 by Socrates and Xenocrates ; but what are thefe to 
 the multitudes which by the mean and contemptible 
 language of the apoflles were converted from intem- 
 perance to fobriety, from injuflice to fair dealing : 
 from cowardice to the higheft conftancy ; yea fo 
 great as to lay down their lives For the fake ofviitue? 
 and this is what Origen, in his books againft Celfus, 
 triumphs in, as the mofl fignal evidence of a divine 
 power in the doclnne of Chrift:.' 
 
 Agreeably to this, 1 find that, ' the Primitive Chrif- 
 tians placed their religion, not in talking finely, but
 
 in living well, nor did they efteem any Chriftians that 
 merely profeffed, but fuch as lived as Chrift com- 
 manded ; and Tcrtullian openly declares that when 
 men depart from the difcipline of the gofpel, they fo 
 farceafe amongft us to be accounted Chriftians.'* 
 
 But alas, how was the face of things changed, itt 
 procefs of time,, and that faith which was once deli- 
 vered to the faints caft off in the fenfe of the apoftle, 
 i Tim. v. 1 2 ? In fhort, an apoftacy from the primi- 
 tive purity and fimplicity did creep in, and from fmall 
 beginnings prevail at length fo far as to render many 
 parts of the Chriftian world as corrupt, and in fome 
 cafes more fo than the heathen. 
 
 Of fuch an apoflacy befalling the Chriftian churches 
 it hath feemed fit to the divine wifdom to forewarn 
 us in the Revelation of John the divine, and feveral 
 other places of the Ntw Teftament, of which it (hall 
 fuffice at prefent to mention but two, viz. i John iv. 
 " Many fa'fe prophets are gone out into the world, 
 that fpirit of Antichrift whereof you have heard that 
 it fhould come, and even now already is it in the 
 world," and 2 Theff. ii. i, 2, 3, 4. " We befeech 
 you, that ye be not foon ftiaken in mind, or troubled, 
 neither by fpirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from 
 us, as that the day of Chrift is at hand : let no man 
 deceive you by any means, for that day (hall not 
 come except there come a falling away firft, and that 
 min of fin be revealed, the fon of perdition ; who 
 oppofeth and exalteth himfelf above all that is called 
 God, or that is worfhipped ; fo that he as God fitteth 
 in the temple of God, (hewing himfelf that he is God. 
 
 Accordingly when we come to confider by whofe 
 means it chiefly happened that the primitive beauty, 
 purity and fimplicity above hinted at, came to fuffer 
 an eclipfe, we fhall find that it was not by aliens and 
 open adverfaries, but by profeffed brethren : that the 
 
 * Cave's Primitive Chiiftinnitj, 
 A 2
 
 4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 greatefl enemies of the church were thofe of her own 
 houfe, even as was faid of Judas, John xiii. i. " He 
 that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel againft 
 me," who kilTed, and at the fame time betrayed his 
 Lord and Matter ; for indeed when we come to trace 
 the origin and progrefs of the apoflacy, we lhall find 
 that the great corrupt crs of Chriftianity have been 
 the pretended difciples, apoilles, and vicars of ChrHt 
 Jefus, who by their conduct have brought infamy 
 upon the Chriftian name and profeilion, and expofed 
 it to that contempt with which it hath foinetimes been 
 treated. 
 
 Now in ord^r that this may appear, I fhall fliew 
 that the practices of thofe men have been the moil 
 barefaced contradictions to the precepts of their Lord ; 
 that from the humility, meeknefs, and love by him 
 exemplified and recommended, they have degenerated 
 into the mod enormous degree of pride and cruelty, 
 from a heavenly diipofition of mind and contempt of 
 worldly riches, into the mod fordid and mod oppref- 
 live covetoufnefs ; and that, as corruption of mannel-s 
 is commonly accompanied by that of judgment alfo, 
 they have egregioufly corrupted the primitive doftrinc 
 as well as diicipline. 
 
 The true origin of this woeful apoflacy feems to 
 havebee.i pretty deeply feated, viz. in the corruption 
 of human nature : we are told that pride found 
 admittance even among the angels, and degraded 
 them from their heavenly flations. It alfo, through 
 the iniinuation of the ferpent, found entrance into 
 Paradife, and appears to have been one principal 
 caufe of the fall of our firil parents. See Gen. iii. 
 5, 6. And if the wife man's maxim, Prov. xiii. 10- 
 viz. te Only by pride cometh contention," be of uni- 
 verfal extent, it feems to have poifeffed fome of the 
 Chriftians even of the early ages, and even fo far as 1 
 to have introduced among them the perfecution, one 
 of another : for what was it elfe that caufed Viftor,
 
 INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 bifhop of Rome, in the fecond century, to raife fo many 
 broils in fupport of his opinion, upon a queftion of 
 no more importance than this, On what day the 
 Paffovcr ought to be celebrated, and even to excom- 
 municate all the churches of the lefler Ada, becaufe 
 they celebrated that feflival on the I4th day of the 
 Inrft Month, and not on the Firfl-day of the week 
 following, as he would have had it ? 
 
 And again, upon the fame principle, what elfe but 
 pride was the origin of thofe great contentions we 
 read of, that the Chriflians in the fourth century 
 fell into about their creeds ? 
 
 And moreover, certain external accidents attending 
 the church feem to have had no fmall {hare in foflering 
 this pride incident to fome of her members, that is to 
 fay, outward cafe, liberty and an affluence of the riches 
 of this world. When the church's fortune grew better, 
 herfons grew worfe, and fome of her fathers, (as a 
 learned author obferves) word of all : and indeed, as far 
 as I have learned, the moft memorable aera from whence 
 we may date the corruption of Chriftians was, when 
 the church, through the favour of Emperors, became 
 endowed with lands, poffeffions, and patrimonies, fo 
 that (in the words of Fox, in his A&s and Monu- 
 ments, Vol. I. p. 716.) ' the bifhops thereof, feeling 
 the fmack of wealth, eafe, and prosperity, began to 
 fwell in pomp and pride,' where I alfo read, that 
 about this time a voice was heard, as it were from 
 Heaven, over the city of Conftantiriople, faying, 
 Ci This day is poifon poured forth into the churches." 
 
 That lordly impofmg fpirit, which I have hinted at 
 as creeping in among fome of the leading men, even 
 in the early times, grew much more flagrant in fuc- 
 ceeding ages ; and to fuch a degree, that in procefs 
 of time, upon the growing pride of the prelates and 
 corruption of the people^ a fpiritual fovereignty was 
 creeled, a feparate jurifcliction was eftablilhed and 
 tyrannically exercifed over the reft of mankind. Thus 
 
 A 3
 
 6 , INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the word Church, which, in Scripture language, 
 fignifies any number of perfons who embraced the 
 doctrine of the gofpel, and worfhipped God in the 
 name of jefus Chrift, was in procefs of time wrefted 
 from the people, and appropriated, together with the 
 power thereto belonging, to a certaiu fet of men who 
 called themfelves the clergy. Now this was a mere 
 novelty, and utterly inconfiftent with the primitive 
 example. v tor, * in the apoflolick age, the laity bore 
 a pan in the moft folemn deliberations which con- 
 cerned the interefl and government of the church. 
 The whole number of believers was confulted in the 
 choice of a fit perfon to fucceed in the apoftlefhip 
 after Judas. The apoflles, elders, and brethren, or 
 as it is otherwife exprtfled in the i5th chapter of the 
 Acls of the Apoftles, the church, or all the multitude 
 affembled at Jerufalem to deliberate on the great 
 queftiqn, How far the gentile converts were obliged 
 to fubmit to the law of Mofes : and after the affembly 
 had proceeded, n t by apoftolical authority, but in 
 the way of a rational and free debate, they came 
 to a r folution, which they communicated to the 
 churches, convened in the name of the whole body. 
 Nor indeed did any of the bifhops of the firft three 
 hundred years after Chrift claim any feparate exclufive 
 powers for the exerc fe of church difcipline, but left 
 thcfe matters to the provincial and diocefan confifto- 
 ries, which, in the purer ages ot the church, were 
 compofcd of bifliops, clergy, and laity. J * 
 
 Hence, in the laws of the Anglo Saxons, we find a 
 perpetual mixture of eccleuUftica) and civil laws f ; 
 nor was it until the papal power grew to a monflrous 
 hcighth, under the Norman kings, that the clergy 
 claimed a privilege of debating apart all m.uters, that 
 in any wife related to religion, in ecclefi ftical aiTem- 
 
 * Fvamin tion of the bifhop of London's ' Codex Juris F.eclcCaQici 
 ni,' publifhed ; n London, 1735. 
 
 f Rapin'b Jiiftoty of England.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 blics or fynods. Even in the time of king Henry I. 
 we meet with plain proofs of the civil court retaining 
 their ancient jurifdiftion in ecclefiaftical caufes j but in 
 the time of king Henry II. the two courts, ecclefi- 
 aftical and civil, are conftantly fpoken of as diflinft, 
 and enjoying feparate jurifdi&ions : and herein the 
 clergy had the countenance and authority of pope 
 Innocent II. (who began his reign A. D. 1 1 30, and 
 died 1143), who at this very junfture excluded the 
 laity from all pontifical aiTemblies at Rome.* 
 
 And here it feems worthy of obfervation, that the 
 celibacy of the clergy was not eftablifhed until this 
 time, or pretty ne?.r it ; for in the New Teftament, 
 (iTim.iv. 1,3) the prohibition of marriage is reckoned 
 among the marks of apoftacy and doftrines of devils, 
 and even in the year of our Lord 60 1, marriage was 
 allowed to priefls that could not live continently ; but 
 in the year 1102, in the reign of king Henry I. a 
 national fynod was held, of which the fourth canon 
 forbids the clergy to marry, or to live with their wives 
 already married ; f and this point once gained was a 
 great ftep towards putting in execution the project 
 the pope had formed, of rendering the clergy inde- 
 pendent of the civil power, and incorporating them 
 into a fociety apart, which fhould be governed by 
 its own laws : and indeed whilft the priefts had chil- 
 dren of their own, it was a hard matter to prevent 
 them from having fome dependence on their princes, 
 whofe favour has fo great an influence on the fortune 
 of private perfons ; but being without families, and 
 confequently in expectation of no .great matters from 
 their fovereign, they were more at liberty to flick by 
 the pope, who would be looked upon as the fovereign 
 of the clergy. | 
 
 This however he did not attain to, till after a feries 
 
 See the place before cited. } Rapin's Hiftory of England, Vol. II. 
 
 J Ibid. Vol. II. 
 
 A4
 
 8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 of ages of growing darknefs and ignorance. For 
 the bifliop of Rome at firfl had no more authority 
 than others, nor was Rome deemed a mother church 
 until the time of Boniface III. who did not begin to 
 prefide till after the year of our Lord 600, and ob- 
 tained from the emperor Phocas, that the fee of 
 Rome ihould be acknowledged the head of all other 
 churches : for before that, the Conftantinopolitan 
 church was accounted the higheft, as Jerufalem was 
 before- : nor did the church of Rome remarkably 
 extrcife her fway over England until the yth or 8th 
 cf ntury. The ancient Britons had been converted to 
 Chriflianity by the apoftles, or fome of their difciples,* 
 and adhered to the rites prefcribed to them by their 
 firfl teacher^ and when Auitin the monk came into 
 England, being fent by pope Gregory I, chiefly 
 urging this cue point, that they fliould fubmit to the 
 authority of the pope, the church of Rome having 
 made feveral innovations in the celebrating divine 
 fervicc, to which they pretended all other churches 
 ought to conform, the Britifh bifhops refufed to 
 fubmit to any alterations, profeffing that they owed 
 no more deference to the bifhop of Rome than to 
 any other Chriflian bifhop : however, by and by, 
 they fubmitted their necks to the yoke, for A.D. 669, 
 Theodore, archbifhop of Canterbury,, as foon as he 
 came into England, made a vifit to all the churches 
 in his jurifdiftion, and brought the people to a 
 thorough conformity to the ufr.ges of the church of 
 Rome ; and A. D. 735, the Englifli archbifhops went 
 to Rome to receive the pall.-j- 
 
 Betides the celibacy of the clergy, there was yet 
 another flratagem, by which the dominion of this 
 
 * "The firft fpringing of Child's gofpcl in England was in the time of 
 king I.iu-'us, in the year of our Lord 180, and the continuance ot it from 
 thence to the entrance of the Infidel Saxons, -was 302 years. The decay of 
 the fame, to the entrance ol Auftin the monk, was 143 years." Fcx'&A&s 
 and Monuments, Vol. I. p. 104. 
 
 j- Rapin's Hiftory of England, Vol. I.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 9 
 
 mighty prince was extended far and near ; of which 
 PufFendorf, in his Spiritual Monarchy of the Church 
 of Rome, gives us the following account: 
 
 " The popes claimed the fupreme direction over 
 the univerfities, whereby thefe were rendered mainly 
 inftrumental in maintaining the popifh fovereignty. 
 For, in the univerfities, men are firft tinctured with 
 fuch opinions as they are afterwards to make ufe of 
 during their whole life, and inftil them into others : 
 and it was for this reafon, that the fciences there to 
 be taught were fure to be accommodated to the pope's 
 interefl. Here the profeffors of divinity, thofe of 
 the canon law, and even the philofophers, were the 
 creatures and flaves of the pope ; and indeed the 
 divinity and philofophy profeffed in thefe univerfities, 
 were not taught with an intention to make the young 
 ftudents more learned and understanding, but that 
 the ingenious, by confufed and idle terms, might be 
 diverted from thoroughly canvaffing thofe matters 
 which would have led them to the whole difcovery 
 of the popifli intrigues : for their fchool-divinity is 
 not employed in fearching the Holy Scripture, but 
 for the mofl part entangled in ufeleis questions, in- 
 vented chiefly by Peter Lombard, Thomas Aquinas, 
 Scotus, and other patriarchs of pedantry : and what 
 they call philofophy is nothing elfe but a collection 
 of foolifh chimeras, empty terms, and very bad Latin, 
 the knowledge of which is rather hurtful than pro- 
 fifctble. So that all their aim was, to take care that 
 the fciences Ihould not be fundamentally taught ; and 
 above all the reft, the mod ufeful of all, the doctrine 
 of morality is much mifinterpreted, and entangled in 
 an endlefs labyrinth, that the fathers confeffors may 
 not want means to domineer over laymen's confciences, 
 and that thefe may be rendered incapable to examine 
 and rule their actions according to folid principles, 
 but be obliged to be guided blindfold, at the pleafure 
 of their fathers confeffors/* So far PufFendorf.
 
 16. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Agreeable to all this was one fingular matter flroke 
 of infolence which defcrves particular notice. It fo 
 happened, that many of the popifh inftitmions were 
 dire&ly contrary to the precepts and examples re- 
 corded in the New Teftament : one thing therefore 
 \vas neceflary, which once admitted obviates entirely 
 this difficulty to their reception, and that was to 
 decree, as pope Nicholas did about the year 870, 
 that the pope's laws and letters fhould be of equal 
 authority with the Scriptures. 
 
 And again, whereas the fecurity of the kingdom 
 of this fpiritual fovereign flood in darknefs and igno- 
 rance, he and his adherents finding it neceffary, in 
 order to maintain themfelves in the peaceable pofTef- 
 fion of this their kingdom, did arrogate unto them- 
 ierves a right of cenfuring and licenfing all forts of 
 books whatfoever ; by which means, ftiey were 
 effectually empowered to hinder' any thing from 
 coming to light, which might be prejudicial to their 
 own intereft. 
 
 But it was not fufficient for this mighty prince, 
 thus to have eftablifhed to himfelf an empire over 
 the confciences of men in fpiritual matters, but he 
 muft exercife it alfo in temporals, and over kings and 
 emperors. 
 
 Indeed the example of him who was Lord of all, 
 who was the moft perfecl pattern of humility and 
 mteknefs, flood in his way, as did alfo that exprefs 
 declaration of his to his dilciples, (Mark x.) {t Ye 
 know that they which are accounted to rule over the 
 Gentiles exercife lordfhip over them, and their great 
 ones exercife authority upon them; but fo it fhall not 
 be among you; but whofoever will be great among 
 you, fhall be your minifter, and whofoever will be 
 the chiefefl fhall be fervant of all;" and therefore it 
 feemed to him but decent, to put on the cloke of 
 humility, and call himfelf Servus Servorum; but if 
 cue were to judge from his conduct, he were in
 
 INTRODUCTION. II 
 
 reality rather King of kings, and Lord of lords, viz. 
 when he took upon him the difpofal of kingdoms 
 and empires, as is well known of pope Adrian IV. 
 who g:ive this kingdom of Ireland unto Henry If. 
 king of England, and of pope Innocent III. who 
 A. D. 1195, crowned Otho the emperor, and after- 
 wards depofed him again, faying, ' It lies in my 
 power to fet up and pluck down emperors, kings, 
 and princes, at my pleafure, for all power is given 
 unto me both in heaven and in earth.' And by the 
 fame pope was the kingdom of England interdi&ed, 
 king John excommunicated, and his fubjefts abfolved 
 from their oaths of allegiance ; and in the year of 
 our Lord 1212, the king was depofed, and the 
 kingdom of England and lordfhip of Ireland, by him 
 refigned unto the pope : and the fame king did thence- 
 forward acknowledge himfelf a vaffal to the holy fee, 
 and as fuch bound himfelf to pay the yearly tribute of 
 one thoufand marks, viz. feven hundred for England 
 aud three hundred for Ireland.* That the popes did 
 really, in fome of the mod eflential concerns, invade 
 the rights of princes to a great degree, may appear 
 from hence, that pope John XXII. by his fole autho- 
 rity publifhed a truce between England and Scotland, 
 againit the confent of one of the parties, and em- 
 powered his legates to conclude a peace between the 
 two kingdoms, upon what terms they pleafed, with 
 orders to compel the two kings and their fubjefts punc- 
 tually to keep it, under pain of excommunication. f 
 
 Next to the pope's pride, it remains that I give 
 fome account of his cruelty. 
 
 The great and glorious event of the birth of our Lord 
 Jesus Chrift, was introduced by that angelic acclama- 
 tion, (Luke xi 14.) " Glory to God in the higheft, 
 on earth peace and good-will to men;" and Chriil 
 himfelf was the author of the new commandment, 
 (John xiii. 34, 35), " Love one another," and laid 
 
 * Rapin's Hiftory of England. | Ibid. Vol. IV,
 
 12 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 down this as a {landing characterise by which his 
 difciples fhould be diftinguiihed, viz. that they loved 
 one another. 
 
 Now, if war, bloodflied, and the deftru&ion of 
 one another (even among the profeffors of faith in 
 the fame Jefus) be inflances of peace and marks of love 
 and good-will to men, then the pretended vicar of Chrift 
 Jefus had them ; but if thefe things be marks of 
 hatred, he wants the diftinguifhing badge of a difciple 
 of Chrift ; and fince, in the language of the apoflle 
 John, (i John iv. 20.) " If a man fay, I love God, 
 and hateth his brother, he is a liar," this appellation 
 fuits him better, whilft, under the profeffion of being 
 a reprefentative of the Lamb of God, he is fpreading 
 defolation and deftruftion among men. 
 
 Again the apoftle faith, (2 Tim. ii. 24, 28) " The 
 fervant of the Lord inuft not itrive, but be gentle unto 
 all men, apt to teach, patient, in meeknefs inftrucVmg 
 thofe that oppofe themfclves ; if God peradventure will, 
 give them repentance to the acknowledging of the 
 Truth." And the weapons of the welfare of the pri- 
 mitive Chriftians were not carnal : but the weapons and 
 methods the pope ufually had recourfe to for the 
 overcoming of thofe who oppofed him were carnal, 
 and the reverfe of gendenefs, patience, and meeknefs ; 
 for whereas it is notorious, that efpecially from the 
 year 1 160, t;o the year 1 170, divers were by God's 
 good Providence railed up to bear a publick tefli- 
 inony agair/1: the many grofs corruptions that had 
 crept into the church, thefe were fure to do this 
 with the hazard of their lives and liberties, among 
 whom were the followers of Wickliff, called Lollards 
 in England, and the Waldenfes in France, many of 
 whom were burned to death, and others fcattered. 
 into divers countries by perfecution ; and a few years 
 after thofe rofe the Albigenfes in the city of Tholoufe, 
 ;5gainft whom the pope incenfed fent Dominic, with 
 fcveral miilionaries called inquiiitors, into .the county
 
 INTRODUCTION". 13 
 
 of Tholoufe, and employed armies againft them, and 
 deftroyed above two hundred thoufand in rhe fpace 
 of fome months.* 
 
 In the maflacre of Paris, A. D. 1572, the number 
 deilroyed is computed at one hundred thoufand, the 
 news whereof, as Thuanus tells us, they received at 
 Rome with tranfports of pleafure, and the pope and 
 cardinals inftantly repaired to St. Mark's to thank 
 God for fo great a favour conferred on the fee of 
 Rome, and appointed a Jubilee over the whole 
 Chriftian world for this {laughter of thofe called 
 Hereticks in France. 
 
 In the Irifli maffacre one hundred and fifty thoufand 
 Proteftants, according to the moil moderate compu- 
 tation, were murdered in cold blood. j Nor are 
 there wanting later inflances of the continuance of 
 the fame cruel difpofition, parlicularly the perfecution 
 in France under Lewis XIV. the cruelties at Thorn 
 in Poland, and on the poor Sahzburghers ftripped 
 of all they had and driven from their habitations, and 
 Hi 11 more recent examples might be produced to the 
 fame purpofe. 
 
 In fhort, we are allured from good authority that 
 far more blood hath been Hied by the papal empire 
 and its agents, than ever was fhe-d by Rome heathen : 
 and jndeed perhaps it may with too much truth be 
 obferved, that when ecelefiafi;ical men once become 
 corrupt, they feem zealous to outftrip not only lay- 
 men, but even heathens and infidels, and to have 
 eXercifed far more cruelty in infli&ing their punifh- 
 rnents than either of diefe ; for, in fome of the courts 
 of inquifition (ereted firft in the kingdom of him 
 called the Catholick king, about the year 1479) any 
 one not convicted, but barely fufpe&ed of he 
 is by various tortures tempted to accufe himfelf (con- 
 trary to common law) and his goods are cbnfitcated 
 
 * Sermons againft Popery, A- D. 1735- f The Life cf Oliver Croraw.-".
 
 14 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 (not after convicYion, but) when they firft apprehend 
 him ; and whatever procefs is carried on againfl him 
 no perfon knoweih, but only the holy fathers and 
 thf tormentors who are fworn to execute the torments. 
 The accufatioh is fecret, the crime is fecret, and fo 
 is the witnefs ; and even the prifoner in his examina- 
 tion fwears inviolably to keep fecret the affairs of the 
 inquifition, a method of procedure which the ancient 
 heathens would undoubtedly have abhorred, as we 
 may learn from the xxiv. xxv. and xxvi. chapters of 
 the Acls. And although Chrift Jefus exprefsly 
 forbids his difciples to call for fire from heaven to 
 confume fuch as would not receive him, yet his pro- 
 feffed reprefentative hath (by his agents) frequently 
 called for and a&ually applied fire to the confuming 
 the bodies of fuch as would not receive his impofi- 
 rions ; and with refpeft to the torments of the 
 inquifition, it is obferved that the final execution is 
 not by common burning, but by a flow fire ; and 
 moreover, if the fuppofed heretick has been dead, 
 though many years, the procefs is carried on againfl; 
 him as if he were alive, and he is burnt in effigy 
 with his bones, even as were the bones of that 
 eminent reformer John Wickliff, after he had been 
 dead forty-one years, taken out of the grave by a 
 decree of the fynod of Conftance, and publickly 
 burnt, and the afties thrown into the river.* 
 
 And when John Hus, another reformer, was 
 condemned to be burnt by the fynod of Conftance, 
 feven bifhops degraded him, and then a proper mitre 
 was put on his head, &c. and. the prelates delivered 
 his body to be burnt, adding thefe words : ' And we 
 devote thy foul to the devil in Hell.' Such was the 
 cruelty peculiar to ecclefiafticks, whereas when our 
 temporal judges pronounce fentence againft the worfl 
 
 * See the Hifcory of the Inquifition at Goa, and the Hiftory of tht 
 Eni-lifh Martvrs.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 15 
 
 aialefa&ors, they pray, ' The Lord have mercy on 
 thy foul.' * 
 
 Thefe and the above mentioned may fuffice as 
 fhort fpecimens of the pope's pride and cruelty. Let 
 us next take a view of the temper of his mind with 
 regard to earthly treafure, and fee what title he has 
 to the appellation of a reprefentative of Chrift on 
 this account alfo. 
 
 Now we find by the hiftory of the New Teftament 
 that Chrift Jefus, who was greater than Ivlofes, who 
 promifed to the obedient an increafe of outward 
 fubftance, as of corn and cattle, Deut. xxviii. (the 
 fan&ions of his laws being, for the moft part, outward 
 rewards and punifliments) ever directed the defires 
 of his difciples, not to the riches of this world, but 
 to the fpiritual ones, exprefsly enjoining them not to 
 " Lay up treafures on earth, where moth and ruft do 
 corrupt and thieves break through and fteai, but in 
 heaven." (Mat. vi. 19. 20.) Nor do I find in the cata- 
 logue of bleffings pronounced by our Lor# on the 
 Mount, or elfewhere in the New Teftument, one blcf- 
 fing on rich men as fuch, but on thofe who were pof- 
 feffed of a heavenly difpofition of mind : on the con- 
 trary, I find woes denounced on the rich and full, but 
 bleffings to the poor, in Luke vi. and confidently 
 with this the apoftle Paul, in his firft epiftle to Timothy, 
 chap. vi. fays, " Having food and raiment let us be 
 therewith content ; but they that will be rich, fall 
 into temptation and a fnare, and into many fooliih 
 and hurtful lufts, which drown men in ddtruftipn and 
 perdition ; for the love of money is the root of all 
 evil, which while fome coveted after they have erred 
 from the faith, and pierced themfelves through with 
 many forrows. But thou O Man of God, flee theie 
 things, and follow after righteoufnefs, godlinefs, fahh, 
 love, patience, mecknefs." 
 
 * Sermonf agninft Popsrr, A, D. I'jJ-
 
 l6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Such was the ftnfe of the apoftle Paul concerning 
 the difpofition of inind that ought to prevail in a 
 Chriftian bifliop with regard to the riches of this 
 world. Let us fee how confidently with this the 
 bifhops of fucceeding times have afted. 
 
 After the Chriilian religion became modifli, the 
 liberality, partly of certain piouily difpofed perfons, 
 and partly of tome deluded ones, \vho vainly ima- 
 gined that by donations of this fort they might pur- 
 chafe the re million of their fins, became great, and 
 in procefs of time increafed to an enormous degree, 
 even fo far as to corrupt the minds of the receivers ; 
 for with the acquifition of riches the defire of them 
 alfo by and by increafed, even as commonly happens 
 to mere carnal men ; and truly to a greater degree 
 in thofe apoflatizing Chrillians than in heathens. 
 
 Property and power entering into Chriftian (even 
 as in other) focieties, created parties and fa^ions. 
 To accept of the office of a bifhop became, in 
 procefs of time, no longer an inftance of felf-denial, 
 nor a port of labour and vigilance as at firft, but a 
 defirable bait to fenfual men ; and whereas their 
 profeflcd Lord and Matter teftifieth of himfelf that 
 though the foxes had holes, and the birds of the 
 air nefts, yet he had not where to lay his head, 
 nothing lefs than (lately pp.laces at length would 
 fatisfy thefe his profefled reprefentatives. In (hort, 
 the gofpel- motive of love to the fouls of men, gave 
 way to, and was fupplanted by views merely carnal 
 and human ; Chrift was followed for the loaves and 
 fillies, preaching the gofpel became a trade, and a 
 very gainful one too. 
 
 A few inftances flial! fuffice to fliew what an advan- 
 tageous trade the pope and his agents did follow, 
 and how the fpirit of avarice at length prevailed fo 
 far as to render the trade of prieftcraft bare- faced, and 
 that ihis was driven ou to that extremity as at length
 
 INTRODUCTION. I'J 
 
 to threaten, in feme fort, the ruin of thofe that were 
 exercifcd therein. 
 
 The office of a bifliop or other minifter was originally 
 fuch as required a conftant and afiiduous refidence ; 
 and indeed many fevere canons and decrees of councils 
 were made againfl pluralifts and non refidcnts ; as like- 
 wife againfb the tranflations of bilhops from one city 
 or bifhoprick to another. But what did thefe canons 
 avail? Truly they were but like fpHers' webs, letting 
 the greac flies through, and catching the little ones, 
 and fo proved an effectual ftratagem to bring money 
 into the apoftolical exchequer ; for by that one claufe 
 of the pope's difpenfing power, the richer clergy 
 were indulged in their non-refidence, &c. whilft the 
 poor vicars were bound by a conftitution of Otho, 
 to take a drift oath of continual refidence, and. 
 without it their inilitution was declared to be null and 
 void.* 
 
 The pope, in procefs of time, engrofTed to himfelf 
 the collation of almoft all the church preferments, 
 and conferred the greateft part of the benefices in 
 England on the cardinals and their relations, who 
 enjoyed the profits without ever refiding ; and thefe 
 benefices were commonly farmed out to the Englifh, 
 who, to make the moft of them, got the cure ferved 
 for a very fmall falary. Hence divine fervice was 
 neglefted, the churches ran to ruin, and the inftru&ion 
 of Chriftians was almoft wholly laid afide.f It ap- 
 peared, however, upon a computation, made by order 
 of king Henry III. A. D. 1245, that more money 
 was carried out of England annually by the pope's 
 authority, than all the revenues of the crown put 
 together ; and without doubt all the riches of the 
 nation had been conveyed away through this channel, 
 and the ccclefiafticks foon become mailers of all the 
 
 * Dr. Ayliff's I'arergon juris Canonic! 
 f Rapin's Hiftory of England 
 
 VOL, III, B
 
 l8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 lands of the kingdom (feeing they daily acquired 
 and never alienatfd), had not certain ftatutes, parti- 
 cularly that of Mortmain, enabled in the reign ,of 
 king Edward I. to check the growth of the riches 
 of the clergy, prevented it.* 
 
 But to conclude, about the year 147^, was erected 
 the famous trade of pardons and indulgencies, i. e. 
 a procurement of the remiffion of the pains of purga- 
 tory, which was fold for money like any other ware, 
 in the time of Boniface iX.-f- And Thuanus fays, 
 that the pope fent his bulls throughout Chriftendom 
 to raife money for his immenfe expences, promifing 
 the expiation of -all fins, and eternal life at a fet price 
 and rate, according to the nature of the crimes ; and 
 he appointed a treafury and queftors, and preachers, 
 to fet forth the value and efficacy of thofe indulgencies. 
 4 The collectors under the authority of pope Leo X. 
 about' the year 1516, perfuaded the people that who- 
 foever would give ten fhillings, fhould at his pleafare 
 deliver one foul from the pains of purgatory, and 
 preached, that if it were one jot lefs than ten fhillings, 
 it would profit them nothing.*;}; Hence many were 
 encouraged to fin, and the authority of the keys was 
 much debafed. 
 
 Behold the awakening impofition that made all 
 men feel the bondage ; and indeed this feems to have 
 been the ne plus ultra, of Romifh corruption, or the 
 very midnight of popifh darknefs, out of which, by 
 God's good providence, emerged more refplendont 
 beams of the glorious light of the reformation. For 
 this kind of filthy merchandize, being, among other 
 countries, propagated alfo in Germany, by the me^ins 
 of Tecellus, a Dominican friar, his fcandalou.s fermons 
 much moved Martin Luther the monk, who upon this 
 
 * Rapin's Hift. and Sermons againft Popery, 
 f Polydore Virgil' de rer. invcntoribus. 
 s aud Monuments.
 
 INTRODUCTION. Ip 
 
 occafion publi.fl.ied certain propofitions concerning in- 
 dulgencies,* which gave rife to a controverfy, and 
 from thefe fmall beginnings he proceeded with great 
 zeal and conftancy to detect many of the long eilab- 
 lilhed errors of popery. 
 
 That great corruptions did really prevail in the 
 church about this time ; that there was a ftrong ne- 
 ceffity and even a loud call for a reformation, we may 
 very fafely affirm, fmce we have a remarkable tefti- 
 mony of Adrian the pope, then reigning, in his in- 
 flructions publifhed againft Luther,-}- acknowledging 
 it in thefe words : 
 
 f We confefs that God fuffereth this perfecution to 
 be inflicted on his church for rhe fins of men, efpc- 
 cially of priefls and prelates of the clergy, and the 
 Scripture teftifieth that the fins of the people do irTiie 
 out from the fins of the priefls. We know that in 
 this holy fee there have been many abominable things 
 wrought and practifed. And no marvel if the fick- 
 ncfs beginning at the head have defcended afterward 
 to inferior prelates. Wherefore, &c. in us fhall be 
 lacking no diligence of a better reformation, firft be- 
 ginning with our own court, that like as the contagion 
 ffi-fl from thence defcended into all /the inferior parts, 
 fo reformation and amendment of ail that is amifs 
 from the fame place, again lhall take its beginning : 
 whereunto they fliall find us fo much the more ready, 
 for that we fee the whole world fo defirous of the 
 fame.' So far Pope Adrian. 
 
 Now, that under the influence of fuch directors as 
 thofe above defcribed, novelties and corruptions of 
 the primitive difcipline and doctrine fhould creep in, 
 we need not wonder ; fome in-flances whereof have 
 been occafionally mentioned already, viz. their prohi- 
 bition of marriage to the clergy, their excluding the 
 laity from the alTemblies for church difcipline, and 
 
 * Fox'o A-fts and Monuments* f Ibid- 
 
 B 2
 
 2O INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the fetting up the authority of the church of Rome 
 above all other churches : a few more examples to 
 the like purpofe now follow, viz. 
 
 I. The veneration paid by the Papifts to their 
 images (contrary to the practice of the primitive 
 Chriftians within four hundred years after Chrift, 
 among whom no images were worfhipped or ufed in 
 their churches*) and to their faints ; to whom they 
 erecl: temples and chapels, confefs their fins, pray and 
 give praifes, thus robbing the one fupreme God of 
 his honour. Now this their wornYip of faints is a 
 practice borrowed from the heathenifh theology, and 
 particularly from the worfhip of daemons among the 
 Pagans ; and accordingly they have a variety of 
 faints and faintefles to anfwer the gods and goddeiTes 
 in the heathen world ; and as the feveral kingdoms 
 of the earth were formerly fuppofed to be under the 
 prote&ion of different gods, in like manner are they 
 now configned over to the guardianfhip of feveral 
 Roman faints, as St. Dennis for France, George for 
 England, Andrew for Scotland, &<:. 
 
 In fome other inilances they corrupted the fimpli- 
 city of the gofpel by the introduction of divers 
 Jewifh rites. Thus the ufe of holy water, or the 
 water of purifying, was a Jewifti rite mentioned in 
 the Eighth chapter of Numbers, where God com- 
 mands the water of purifying to be fprinkled on the 
 Levites ; and hence Alexander I. bifhop of Romef 
 is faid to have been the author of cbnfecrating fuch 
 cleanflng water, ordering it to be kept in temples 
 / and houfes to drive away devils. Whether the 
 bifhop laft mentioned, who prefided in the beginning 
 of the Second century, was really the introducer of 
 this cuftom, I lhall not take upon me to determine ^ 
 however, its origin is plainly Jewifh, and the continu- 
 
 * Cave's Primitive Chriftianitv. 
 j 
 f- Pulyd. VJ.rj. dc rcr. invcrtorib. 1. v. c. 8.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 21 
 
 ance of it in the Chriflian church, a voluntary relapfe 
 from gcfpel-liberty into Jewifh bondage. 
 
 II. The priefts' veftmems are derived from the 
 Hebrews, as the lad cited author fhews in the mitre, 
 furplice, girdle, &c. from Exodus xxviii. &c. 
 
 III. The payment of tithes is another Jewifh rite, 
 void of all fupport by precept or example in the New 
 Tcflamenr, and which was not eftablifhed until about 
 the fame cera as divers other popifh corruptions. 
 For as father Paul, in his Treatife of Ecclefiaftical 
 Benefices and Revenues, obferves, the ' Law of 
 tithes was a divine Mofaical law, and as fuch, binding 
 only to the Jewifh people. All right \vhatfoever of 
 tithes is merely human j and about the year 1170, 
 Alexander III. ordered proceedings by cenfures to 
 enforce the payment of tithes, under pain of excom- 
 munication. 5 * 
 
 IV. Auricular confeffion does not appear to have 
 been abfolutely enjoined to be pra&ifed once a year, 
 earlier than the ^th Lateran f council in 1215. 
 
 I ihall fubjoin but a few words of their corruptions 
 of the Chriftian do&rines, and firft, in their doftrine 
 of purgatory, which is exprefsly contrary to the 
 fenfe of the catholic church in the four firfl centuries; 
 and is moreover acknowledged by an eminent popifh 
 author, and an opponent of Luther, to have been 
 but lately received into the | univerfal church. 
 
 Secondly. The doftrine of tranfubftantiation. is 
 alfo another novehy, not broached until the Eighth 
 century, and even about that time w .irmly oppofed 
 by the mod learned men, particularly Johannes 
 Sc'otus, In the year 1214, Pope Honorius III. com- 
 manded that the miffil-bread fhould be lifted up 
 above the prieft's head at a certain time, and that all 
 the people fliould fall down and worlhip it ; and 
 
 * Father Paul's Treatife of FcclefiaVcal Revenues, &e. chsp. xxviii, 
 { Sercions againft pcpcry. A.D. 1735. \ l^bid,
 
 22 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 though the new-found device and term of Tranfub- 
 ftantiation was hatched in the Lateran council, A. D. 
 1059, the do&rine of tranfubftantiation was not de- 
 creed or eftabliflied by any general council but the 
 council * of Trent, A. D. 15.5 i. 
 
 To conclude ; that divers of the novel order of 
 Jejuits, of whom Ignatius Loyala the founder was 
 not canonized until 1622, did corrupt the great doc- 
 trines of Chriftianity, and-reprefent the Chriftian 
 morality as far fhort of the purity of the heathenifh, 
 the reader may fee in a treatife written by the Abbe 
 de Berthier, publifhed in Dublin, 1726, entitled the 
 ' Parallel of the Doftrine of the Pagans with the 
 doctrine of the Jefuits, and that of the Conflitution 
 Unigenitus, ilTued by Pope Clement XI.' Out of 
 feveral inftances therein mentioned of the nature of 
 the doctrines of thele fathers, it fhall fuffice here to 
 tranfcribe one as a fpecimen of the reft, viz. 
 
 Father Rhodes, in his fchplafBc theology, fays, ' if 
 any one commits adultery or murder, and at. the fame 
 time confic'crs the malignancy and heinous nature of 
 thefe actions but in fuch a manner as is very imper- 
 fect and fuperficial, though the matter of it is very 
 grofs, yet his fin is venial.' To which I mall fubjoin 
 one inftance more of the Chriftian morality being 
 reprefented even by the profefTed vicar of Chrift 
 Jefus himlclf, as far fhort of the heathenifh, viz. * in 
 a bull of Pope Clement VI. in the year 1351, a dif- 
 penfation was granted to John, king of France, and 
 to queen Joan, his fecond wife, giving to the king and 
 queen's confefTor a power to abfolve them both for 
 the pad and future from all engagements and con- 
 tracts, though backed by an oath, if they could not 
 keep them without fome inconveniency.' Thus is 
 perjury authorized ; whereas among the ancient 
 Romans, it was an opinion generally received that 
 
 * Sermons againfl Popery, A. D. 1735.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 23 
 
 rather than break one's oath, one ought to be ready 
 to brave all that is dreadful in baniihment, imprifon- 
 ment and torment.' * 
 
 Now f'urely it mud have been in a time of deep 
 fleep that thofe tares were fown, that thefe grofs cor- 
 ruptions in doctrine and practice, thefe flat untradic- 
 tions to the precepts laid down by the author of the 
 Chridian religion in the New Tedament, were 
 broached ; and indeed the broachers of them feem 
 to have been well aware of their being fuch, and 
 therefore, confidently enough, ordered that book to 
 be locked up from the ufe of the vulgar ; and that 
 ignorance was the mother of devotion became an 
 eftabliflied maxim among them ; and (difmal to re- 
 late !) the prayers of the church were to be muttered 
 in a language which mod of thofe that were therein 
 exercifed did not underftand ; for even in queen 
 Mary's time, in the year 1557, it was deemed a 
 crime for any clergyman to perform divine f fervice 
 in Englifh : and indeed an univerfal ignorance, ex- 
 tending to human as well as divine things, did reign 
 for divers centuries preceding the grand sera of the 
 midnight of popifh clarknefs above hinted at : v. g. 
 king Alfred who died in 900, complained bitterly 
 that from the Humber to the Thames there was not 
 a prieil that undtrftood the liturgy in his mother 
 tongue ; and that from the Thames to the fea there 
 .was not a man that knew how to tranflate the eafieft 
 piece | of Latin. 
 
 And in the 151!! century, the date of learning was 
 very deplorable, viz. real learning was then fcarce fo 
 much as heard of. School divinity and ilxill in the 
 canon law were all the ecclefiadicks valued themfelves 
 upon, and it was the only road by which they could 
 hope to arrive at church dignities. On the other 
 
 * l.'ttcr from a Librarian at Geneva, publifhed in the London 
 
 Magazine, 1751, 
 * rox's EC clcihftital Hiitorj-. \ Rapiii's Hiftory of England, Vol. I. 
 
 B 4
 
 24 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 hand, the monks who had crept into moft of the 
 profeiTorfhips in rhe univerfiries had over-run divinity 
 and philofophy with fuch a heap of jargon as ferved 
 only to give their difciples falfe notions of learning,* 
 and to teach them to wrangle. 
 
 But wWh the reformation in religion, a more folid 
 and ufeful learning did alfo revive; and here it feems 
 well vorthy of notice, as a fwguiar providence greatly 
 favouring the progrefs and eftablilhment of the re- 
 formation, thar about the year 1450, the myftery of 
 printing was firfl difcovered ; and is faid to have been 
 brought into England, A. D. 1471, in the reign of 
 Henry VI ; which, as Fox obferves., proved a forcible 
 engine to batter popery, and a means of fpreading 
 knowledge among the people, who had with great 
 care been kept in ignorance by the prevailing power. 
 But now, as the poet fays, by means of this excellent 
 invention, 
 
 ' Learning revives, nor fears again t'expire 
 ' 'Midfl papal ignorance and Gothic fire : ' 
 
 and 'tis humbly hoped that the fame thing may juftly 
 now alfo be applicable to the reformed religion. 
 
 Thus have I, for the fake of thofe who may have 
 been lefs converfant in thefe matters, given a brief 
 portraiture of the apoflacy of the profelTors of 
 Chriftianity, thofe efpecially who arfe&ed the title 
 of vicars and representatives of Chrift Jefus ; of 
 whom as it is fuppofed to have been propheiied that 
 his vifage was more marred than any man's, thefe 
 men have taken care that this (hould be amply ful- 
 filled in the reprefentation they have given of Chrift 
 and his religion to the world : a religion, although 
 calculated to promote the temporal as well as eternal 
 
 * Rupin's Hiflory of Englanc', Vcl- VI.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 25 
 
 happinefs of mankind, yet, if one were to frame his 
 idea of it from their conduft as above defcribed, 
 would appear to be no better than a ftratagem to en- 
 rich and aggrandize a few men, called ecclefiafticks, 
 at the coft of impoverifhing and enflaving the reft; 
 from whence I ceafe to wonder at the contempt with, 
 which the profeilion of Chriftianity, without the 
 power and fpirit of it, hath been fometimes treated.
 
 PART. If. 
 
 Of the Reformation, and its gradual progrefs, and the 
 .. defefls yet. attending it. 
 
 the \voful darknefs above defcribed, which did 
 forfome ages eclipfe the brightncfs of the gofpd-day, 
 it hath feemed good to Divine Providence to fore- 
 warn us in the Revelation, where the church is fup- 
 pofed to be reprefented by the " woman clothed with 
 the fun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her 
 head a crown of twelve Mars," and being with child, 
 and perfecuted by the dragon (i whofe tail drew the 
 third part of 'the ftars of heaven and did caft them 
 to the earth ; arid he flood before the woman which 
 was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as 
 foon as it was born ; but the child being brought 
 forth, and caught up to,God and his throne, (he fled 
 into the wildernefs," (a flate of obfcnrity) and was 
 to remain there during the time appointed her of 
 God : which was but a limited time, and is believed 
 to have been accompli fhed, and that the return of 
 the church out of the wildernefs commenced at the 
 reformation, and that this great work (hall be carried 
 on and perfected in God's time. 
 
 It mud indeed be acknowledged, to the glory of 
 God's good providence,, that even in the moil dark 
 and corrupt ages there was ilill preferved a faithful 
 remnant, who bore witnefs againfl. the prevailing cor- 
 ruptions, though the greater part of thefe were 
 branded for hereticks by the ruling majority, whereof 
 it is neceffary to fubjoin a few inftances. 
 
 A. D. 815, Claudius, bifhop of Turin, is fligma- 
 fized for an arch heretick for teaching that the crofi
 
 INTRODUCTION. 2J 
 
 is not to be worfhipped, nor the fepulchres nor re- 
 liques of faints, and that pilgrimages are vain : and 
 for the like re'afcn were Petrus de Bruis and Henri- 
 cus ex Monacho, A. D. 1119, branded for hereticks.* 
 
 In the year 1146 lived Hildegardis, a prophetefs, 
 and indeed fo efleemed by the papifls themfelves, who 
 among other things f prophefieth againft the priefls 
 and prelates of the Romifh church thus : 
 
 * Now is the law neglected among the fpiritual 
 people, which neglect to teach and do good things ; 
 the mafter likewife and the prelate do fleep, defpifing 
 juflice, and laying it afide : and in a certain vifion the 
 church appeared to her in the fhape of a woman 
 complaining that the priefls had bewrayed her face 
 \vith dufl, rent her coat, &c. and that they did not 
 fliine over the people, neither in doctrine, nor example 
 of life that all ecclefiaflical order did every day be- 
 come worfe and worfe, and that the priefls did not 
 teach, but deflroy the law of God : and for thefe 
 horrible crimes {he threateneth and prophefieth unto 
 them God's moft heavy wrath and difpleafure, and 
 doleful punifhments. The crown of apoflolical ho- 
 nour thall be divided, becaufe there fhall be found no 
 religion among the apoflolical order ; and for that 
 caufe fhall they defpife the dignity of that name, and 
 fhall fet over them other men and other archbifhops, 
 in fo much that the apoflolic fee of that time {hall 
 have fcarce Rome and a few other countries there- 
 abouts under his crown. And thefe things {ball 
 partly come to pafs by incurfion of wars, and partly 
 alfo by a common counfel and confent of the fecular 
 and fpiritual perfons. Then {hall juflice flourifh, fo 
 that in thbfe days men {hall honeflly apply themfelves 
 to the ancient cufloms and difcipline of ancient men, 
 and {hall obferve them as ancient men did.'| 
 
 * Synops Concilior. Paris 1671. 
 f Fox's Eccl. Hiftory, Vl. I. p. 237, 238. J Ibid, Vol. I. y. 258.
 
 28 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 A. D. i r 60, one Waldo, a merchant of Lyons, 
 applying himfrlf to the ftudy of the Scriptures, and 
 finding there no grounds for feveral of the popifh 
 do&rines, and particularly tranfubftantiation, publickly 
 oppofed them. His followers, called Waldenfes, 
 were grievoufly perfecuted by the reigning power, 
 fome of them burnt to death, and others fcattered 
 into divers countries ; and indeed they did overfpread 
 a great part of * Europe, by which means (to the 
 glory of God's Providence bringing good out of evil) 
 the reformation was alfo fpread. 
 
 Among others of their tenets were the following: 
 * That the church of Rome is Babylon fpoken of in. 
 the Revelation : that praying for the dead is vain, 
 and a thing only found out for the lucre of priefls : 
 that the hoft is an idol : that the feafts and feftivals 
 of the faints ought to be rejefted : that preaching of 
 the word is free to all men called f thereunto.' 
 
 And indeed in that dark interval of time, between 
 the year 1170 and 1470, many bore a publick tefti- 
 mony againft the corruption and abominable idolatry 
 which was crept into the church ; though commonly 
 with the lofs of their liberties or lives ; for a further 
 account of whom I refer to the lafl-cited author ; 
 and it is obfervahle, to the glory of the power and 
 providence of God, now as formerly, " choofing the 
 weak things to confound the things that are mighty ;" 
 and that though there were fome learned men among 
 thefe, many of them were mean perfons, mechanics, 
 and feveral women, (who fuffered for their teftimony 
 to the Truth) : not for the moft part the men of the 
 eftiblifhrnent, the mercenary priefts and bifhops, who 
 Wi-re commonly iheir ptrifrcutors, and hindered, as 
 much as in them lay, the progrcfs of the reformation. 
 
 In the year 1370, lived Bridget, dignified by the 
 
 * Rapin's Hiftory rf England, Vol. III. 
 f F<?x'i Ecelefiaftical History, Vol. I.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 29 
 
 name of Holy, the church of Rome having canonized 
 her not only for a faint, but pfophetefs, who, nor- 
 withftanding, in her book, of revelations, was a great 
 rebuker of the pope and of the filth of his clergy, 
 calling him a murderer of fouls, a,fpiller and piller 
 of the flock of Chrift, affirming that the prelates, 
 biihops, and priefls, are the caufe why the doclrine of 
 Chrift is neglefted and almofl extinft ; that the clergy 
 have turned the Ten Commandmens of God into 
 two words, Da Pecuniam, or Give money ; and pro- 
 phefieth that the fee of the pope fhall be thrown 
 down into the deep like a miliflone.* 
 
 But it were an inexcuiable negiecl, in a difconrfe 
 of this kind, to fcpprefs one faft redounding to the 
 fmgular honour of the Englifli nation, or rather a 
 notable inftance of God's goodnefs worthy of the 
 moil grateful commemoration from the people of 
 thefe nations, viz. that England was one of the firft 
 that was favoured with the dawn of the glorious 
 light of the reformation, even long before the days 
 of Martin Luther, viz. by the means of John Wick- 
 liff, who has been called the morning-ftar of the re- 
 formation, and was born about the year 1324, was 
 Divinity ProfefTor in Oxford, and afterwards parfon 
 of I Aitterworth in Leicefterfliire. He flourifhed in 
 the latter end of king Edward III. and the beginning 
 of king Richard lid's time, about 130 years before 
 the reformation of Luther. f 
 
 He publifhed certain conclufions againfl tranfub- 
 ftantiation and the infallibility of the pope, and that 
 the church of Rome was not the head of all other 
 churches. That the New Teftament is a perfect rule 
 of life and manners, and ought to be read by the 
 people. He alfo declared againfl the eftabiilhment 
 of tithes, aiTerting them to be pure alms, and main- 
 
 * Fox's Ecclefiastic^l History. 
 f Naal's History of the Puritans.
 
 30 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tained that to retrain men to a prefcribed forfn of 
 prayer, is contniry to the liberty granted them by 
 God.* 
 
 For thefe and other pretended herefies his books 
 were, by the pope and his cardinals, condemned to 
 the flames, and his bones were taken out of the 
 grave and burnt forty-one years after his death, 
 by a decree of the fynod of Conflance, as is before 
 obferved. 
 
 His followers, otherwife called Lollards, in the year 
 1389, began to feparate from the church of Rome, 
 and to appoint pritifus from among themfelves to per- 
 form divine fervice in their own way ; and it is 
 obfervable, that the church of England, though (he 
 embraces WickliiPs doctrines with regard to articles 
 of faith, cannot however forbear expreffing very little 
 efteem for that doctor., becaufe he has combated the 
 hierarchy which {he has thought fit f to retain. 
 
 That we may judge how neceffary, and at the fame 
 time how great and difficult, that work of reformation 
 was, which he was inftrumental, through God's good 
 providence, to promote, it feems worth our while to 
 look. back and confider what the (late of the church 
 was in thofe days, which is thus defcribed by Fox in 
 his Ecclefiaftical Hiflory. 
 
 ' The Scriptures, learning, and divinity, were 
 known but to few, and that ift the fchools only, and 
 there alfo converted almofl all into fophiilry. Inftead 
 of Peter and Paul, men occupied their time in ftudy- 
 ing Aquinus and Scouis, and the mailer of fentences. 
 The world leaving and foriaking the lively power of 
 God's fpiritual word and doctrine, was altogether led 
 and blinded with outward ceremonies and human 
 traditions, wherein the whole fcope in a manner of 
 all Lhriftian perfection did confift and depend. In 
 thefe was all hope of obtaining falvation fixed : here- 
 
 jpc UJ. UUUlUlUlg ItUVrtUU 
 
 * Nt-al's History of the Puritans, 
 f Rapin's Hi'.-tory of England.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 31 
 
 unto all things were attributed. Inftead of the apof- 
 tolic gifts, and continual labours and travels, iloth- 
 fulnefs and ambition was crept in among the prieils.' 
 
 f Thus, in thefe times of horrible darknefs and 
 ignorance, what time there feemed in a manner no 
 one fpark of pure doctrine left remaining, did the 
 aforeiaid John Wickliff, by God's providence, rife 
 up, through whom the Lord would firlt weaken and 
 raife up the world overwhelmed with human tra- 
 ditions.' . 
 
 Walter Brute was another of the firft reformers 
 mentioned by the fame author,, who appeared alfo 
 in king Richard lid's time, among other truths con- 
 tending far this, that tithes are not due by the law cf 
 Mofes, nor by the law of Chrift, but by the tradition 
 of men only : he alfo reafoned ftrongly upon Chriilian 
 principles againit fighting and {wearing. 
 
 A. D. 1410, the doctrines of the gofpel began to 
 be fpread in Bohemia, by means of the books of 
 Wickliff (which happened through the intercourfe be- 
 tween England and Bohemia, upon occafion of 1%-ng 
 Richard II. marrying queen Ann, who was a Bohe- 
 mian) which then coming into the hands of John 
 Hus (a learned man and preacher at that time in 
 the univerfity of Prague;), and others both mei, and 
 women, especially of the lay-fort and artificers, were 
 a means of awakening them : and Jerom, of Prague, 
 Matter of Arts, was the companion of the faid Hus, 
 and his fellow in bonds, and both underwent the 
 fame tragedy, viz. were burnt to death, and their 
 aihes thrown into the river. 
 
 About the year 1517 and 1521, Luther, in Ger- 
 many, and 7/uinglius. in Switzerland, wrote againfl 
 the Pope's indulgences and pardons, and from thence 
 proceeded gradually to dcteft many other of the 
 errors of popery, as is above obferved j and the 
 reformation made a confiderable progrefs in thofe 
 coumr'u's by the preaching and writings of the laid
 
 33 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Luther, Zuiuglitis, Melancton, Oecolampadius and 
 others, fome of whofe books which had been pub- 
 lifhed in thofe parts, being tranilated into Engliih, 
 excited the curiofity of the people to look into the 
 ftate of religion at home. 
 
 At a time not far diflant from this, ' William Tindal, 
 brought up in the univerfity of Oxford, where he in- 
 creafed as well in the knowledge of the tongues and 
 liberal arts as (and mere efpecially) in the knowledge 
 of the Scriptures, wherennto his mind was fingularly 
 addicted, confidering the great mifchief done to the 
 church, by keeping the Scriptures of God hid from 
 the people's eyes, was therefore moved to tranilatc 
 the Scripture into his mother- tongue, for the publick 
 utility of the iimple vulgar people of the country, 
 and accordingly did tranflate the New Tcftament. 
 about the year of our Lord 1527 or 1529. But, 
 did the clergy and prelates encourage the publication 
 of it ? No luch matter ; they cried out ftrenuoufly 
 againft it, reprefenting that there w r ere a thoufand 
 herefies in it ; that it was not fit to be corrected, but 
 utterly to be fupprefied. Some faid, that it was not 
 poflible to tranflate the Scripture into Englifli ; fome 
 that it was not lawful for lay-people to have it in 
 their mother-tongue ; fome that it would make them 
 ail hereticks ; and to the intent to induce the tem- 
 poral rulers alib to their purpofe, they faid it would 
 make the people to rebel and rife againft their king. 
 Such were the forward devices of the Englifh clergy 
 to drive the people from the text and knowledge of 
 the Scripture, which they would neither tranflate 
 themfe'-ves, nor yet abide it to be translated by others: 
 to the intent (as Tindal himfelf faith) that, the world 
 being kept {till in darknefs, they might fit in the 
 confciences of the people through vain fuperflition 
 and falfe doctrine, to fatisfy their lufts, their ambition, 
 and unf;. liable covetoufnefs. In fine, the clergy never 
 retted until they had procured by proclamation the
 
 INTRODUCTION. 33 
 
 prohibiting the faid tranflation of the New Teftament 
 of Tindal, and not contented herewith, proceeded 
 further to entangle him in thf ir nets and bereave him 
 of his life, which at length they effected.' * 
 However, this tranflation of the Scriptures into 
 the vulgar tongue did at length prevail over .oppo- 
 iiticn ; whereby the doctrines of the New Teflament 
 were fpread among the people, whofe curiofity was 
 alfo hereby greatly railed ; and although the bifhops 
 bought up and burnt all the books of this fort they 
 could meet with, the teflament was printed abroad, 
 and fent over to merchants in London, who difperfed 
 the copies privately among their friends and acquaint- 
 ance : and at length Tindal's bible, reviewed and 
 corrected by Cranmer, was allowed by- authority, 
 and in the year 1 1538, by king Henry Vlllth's injunc- 
 tions, was let up in all the churches in England, that 
 the people might read it.f 
 
 Such light was by this means difFufed among the 
 people, as foon detected many of the abominable 
 corruptions of the Chriftian doctrine, which had crept 
 in, in the times of darknefs and ignorance ; particu- 
 larly purgatory, the power of indulgencies, tranfub- 
 ilantiation, the worlhip of faints, and veneration of 
 images, the fupreme authority of the church and 
 bifhop of Rome, c. which, like birds of the night, 
 difappeared on the dawn of this glorious day : and 
 indeed the firft reformers deferve to be acknowledged 
 as excellent inftruments, raifed up by God's good pro- 
 vidence, to begin the purging and building of his 
 houfe, and worthy to be had of us and'pofterity in 
 everlafting remembrance : but, without in the leaft 
 detracting from the honour due to thofe Chrifiian 
 heroes, it muft be acknowledged that the great work 
 of a complete reformation and refloration of the pri- 
 mitive purity and fimplicity was not the work of one 
 
 * Fox's EcclefiafUeal Hiftory. f Ne?.l's HiHorj- of the Puritans. 
 
 VOL. III. c
 
 34 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 day, year, or age ; and indeed as the apoflacy itfelf 
 did not arrive at that tremendous height to which I 
 have traced it, fo neither is the return from thence to 
 be effected, all at once ; but notwithstanding divers 
 confiderable advances have been made at different 
 times, and in different countries in this great work, 
 and fome eftabliihments been formed, yet that fome 
 of the dregs of popiih corruption have been, and Hill 
 are, retained, we acknowledge and deplore, with many 
 fincere proteflants of other communities, the removal 
 of \vhich is earneflly to be defircd. 
 
 To this purpofe I think it worth while here to 
 recite fome part of the memorable fpeech of John 
 Robinfon, an Independent minifter, on his taking 
 leave of his congregation, mentioned in Neal's Hiftory 
 of the Puritans, in the time of king James I. A. D. 
 1620, viz. ' Follow me no farther than you have 
 feen me follow the Lord Jefus. If God reveal any 
 thing to you by any other inftruraent of his, be as 
 ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any 
 truth by my miniftry ; for I am verily allured that 
 the Lord has yet more truth to break forth out of 
 his holy word. For my part I cannot fufficiently be- 
 wail the condition of the reformed churches who are 
 come to a period in religion, and will at prefent go 
 no farther than the Inflruments of their reformation 
 The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go farther than 
 what Luther faw : and the Calvinifts flick faft where 
 they were left by that great man of God, who yet 
 law not all things. This is a mifery much to be la- 
 mented ; for though they were burning and fhining 
 lights in their times, yet they penetrated not into the 
 whole counfel of God. It is not poflible that the 
 Chriftian world fhould come fo lately out of fuch 
 thick antichriflian darknefs, and that perfection of 
 knowledge fhould break forth at once.' 
 
 I proceed therefore to the ungrateful ta/k of fpeci- 
 fying feveral inflances of the imperfection of the
 
 INTRODUCTION. 35 
 
 reformation, and to fliew the true ground? of the fe- 
 paration of this people from the eftablifhed church of 
 this nation, with refpe& to Tome of the moil important 
 particulars wherein they differ from it; whether 
 they be fuch as are common to them and other 
 proteftant diffenters, or fuch as are peculiar to them- 
 felves. ' 
 
 That too much of the pride and covetoufnefs, and 
 fome degree of the tyranny, of antichrift is dill re- 
 tained, amon'g the men called the clergy of the 
 eftablifhment, will be too manifeft if we confider, 
 
 I. That they alfo appropriate unto themfelves both 
 the name and jurifdiction of the church, excluding 
 thofe they call Laicks both from the title and the 
 power annexed to it; hereby depriving them of their 
 original rights as Chriftian brethren, according to the 
 primitive example, as is before {hewn ; and that the 
 entire feparation of laymen from the ecclefiaftical 
 affcmblies was the genuine effecl: of the growing- pride 
 of the clergy, and did not take place until Pope Inno- 
 cent lid's time. 
 
 II. What, but the remains of the pride of anti- 
 chrift hath induced thofe called Lords- Archbifli ops 
 and Lords-Bifhops to affiime a lordfhip over God's 
 heritage, and to become too little apt to teach, con- 
 trary to the primitive injuntion to bifhops ? 
 
 III. Perfecution is another of the vile reliqnes of 
 th" pride and cruelty of antichrift ; and to fay the 
 truth, too much of the principles and fpirit of perfe- 
 cution eame over with the reformers themfelves ; and 
 almoft all parties and denominations in their turn 
 have had a notion of ferving God by doing rnifchief 
 to men, men who could not believe as they pleafcd, 
 or would not lie in profefling to believe what they did 
 not. 
 
 Thus, though the church of England be juftly 
 eileemed at prefent for her moderation having long 
 fmce ceafed to punifli diflenters, as formerly, with 
 
 C 2
 
 36 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 imprifonmcnt, and the lofs of eflate or life ; yet as 
 long as Athanafius's creed, together with the fen- 
 tence of everlafling perdition thereunto annexed, is 
 retained, and a fubfcription of certain articles of faith 
 is impofed in their univerfities, on all their members, 
 on pain of their entire exclufion from thence, me- 
 thinks it can hardly be denied that fomething of that 
 fame tyrannical fpirit (which as is before (hewn, arro- 
 gated to itfelf the fupreme direction of univerfities) is 
 (lill retained alfo in this inflance : and indeed every 
 impofition of creeds, common prayers, and liturgies, 
 jfcarce poflible to be fo framed as every one can ho- 
 neftly fubfcribe them, feems to have taken its rife 
 from the fame origin ; and the multiplication of 
 creeds has ever been attended with the pernicious 
 confequence of fcattering and dividing Chriflians, 
 although propofed as a means to unite them. 
 
 I find that the very fame fpirit prevailed likewife 
 both in the Kirk of Scotland, and the Prefbyterians 
 In England; for in the year 1645, the Scots publifhed 
 a declaration againft the toleration of feftaries, and 
 liberty of confcience, in which they even fay, that 
 liberty of confcience is the nouriiher of all herefies 
 and fchifms ; and the Prefbyterians, during the 
 anarchy, frequently addreffed for the fuppreffion of 
 all feftaries by the civil authority, and declared 
 againft toleration and liberty of confcience, both 
 from the pulpit and prefs. They prefled covenant- 
 uniformity,, yea and uniformity in matters of belief, 
 on pain of imprifonment and death itfelf, as appears 
 by their ordinance againft what they are pleafed to 
 call blafphemy and herefy.* 
 
 IV. I proceed next "to confider the covetoufnefs 
 of thofe who call themfelves the clergy of the re- 
 formed church. 
 
 What a trade the pope and his dependents "exer- 
 
 * NeaTs Hiftory of the Puritans, Vol. III. p. 497, 498, 499, 500.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 37 
 
 i 
 
 cifed with the gofpel ; how gainful to themfelves, and 
 oppreffive to the people, has been amply fhewn above. 
 It were greatly to be wifhed, that it could be affirmed, 
 truly, that nothing of the fame fpirit polTeiTed the 
 hearts of the reformers : but the truth is, that the 
 prefent fupport of their minifhy is worldly, and their, 
 call, though profeiTedly from a motion of the Holy 
 Spirit, is truly like a merely human one, undertaken, 
 not only for the fupport, but aggrandizement of 
 families, contrary to the tenor of the precepts of the 
 gofpel. Their maintenance by tithes is no other than 
 a Jewifti rite, a popifh innovation which took place 
 in the midnight of apoftacy and degeneracy, as has 
 been before obferved ; when a corrupt mini dry, be- 
 coming ftrangers to the love of God and their 
 brethren, loft alfo confidence in both, and fo deemed 
 it neceffary to have fecured to themfelves by law 
 what wanted authority in the gofpel, and by force to 
 extort a maintenance formerly yielded by free will : 
 nor indeed can we fay better of fome of the pretended 
 reformers in the anarchy ; for although the Indepen- 
 dents and Anabaptifts concurred in defiring the abo- 
 lition of tithes as being of Judaical inflinuion, which 
 was ajfo one of thofe national grievances the army 
 propofed to redrefs, yet the reigning party were not 
 willing to. part with an eftablilhment fo x grateful to 
 flefh and blood ; for the parliament in the year 1 644, 
 p'iblifhed an ordinance enjoining the payment of 
 tithes. 
 
 A few more, particular inflances of covetoufnefs 
 too flagrant, and fuch as are both highly reproachful 
 to a Chriftian miniftry and hurtful to mankind, will 
 but too clearly evince what I propofed,. viz. 
 
 I. What is the difpenfing with the publication of 
 the bans of matrimony in the congregation, by a 
 biih ;p's licence, fora certain, fum of money, but a 
 corruption of Chriftian difcipiine for the fake of nlthy 
 lucre ? and truly of the fame fpirit and origin as the
 
 38 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 difpenfing power of the Pope, or the redeeming of 
 penance with money ; a corruption fo much the more 
 worthy of being taken notice of, as by this means 
 the rights of parents are daily invaded, many an un- 
 thinking couple are precipitated into ruin, and the 
 peace and religious ceconomy of families is deftroyed 
 through this truly licentious meihod of marriage, and 
 which by a flricft and wholcfome difcipline, might, 
 in many cafes, be prevented. 
 
 II. What (hall we think of their pluralities of be- 
 nefices, and their non-refidence, but as reproachful 
 inftances of the fame fpirit of covetoafnefs iliil fub- 
 fifting, and an exprefs breach of the folemn promife 
 made by every pried at his ordination ? c tkit- betides 
 adminiflring the do&rine and facraments and difcipline 
 of Chrift, he will be ready to ufe public and private 
 monitions and exhortations, as well to the whole as 
 the fick within his cure, as need mall be given, and 
 as occafion fhall require?' 
 
 I have above (hewn, that thefer non-refidences and 
 pluralities, as likewife the trarflation of bifhops from 
 one city or bifhoprick to another, are feverely pro- 
 hibited by divers canons and decrees of councils 
 received even among the papifls ; and that the dif- 
 penfing with them is, in its original, a genuine fetch 
 of popifti policy to get money ; from which it is 
 greatly to be withed that the churches profcffing 
 reformation were entirely delivered. 
 
 As I look upon this affair, how much foever coun- 
 tenanced or neglected at prefent, to be of great 
 moment, I think it worth my while to tranfcribe here 
 (from Fox's a&s and Monuments) the fenfe of a 
 king of England on this matter, viz. Henry III. who 
 on this occafion wrote to one of his bifhops in the 
 following terms, viz.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 39 
 
 ' The King to the Bifhop of Hereford fendeth 
 greeting. 
 
 ' Pailors or fhepherds are fet over their flocks that 
 by exercifmg themfelves in watching over them day 
 and night, they may know their own cattle by their 
 look, bring the hunger-ftarved fheep into the mea- 
 dows of fruitfulnefs, and the flraying ones into one 
 fold, by the word of falvation and the rod of cor- 
 rection, and to do their endeavour that unity indiflb- 
 luble may be kept. 
 
 ' But ibme there be, who damnably defpifing this 
 doctrine, and not knowing to difcern their own cattle 
 from another's, do take away the milk and the wool, 
 not caring how the Lord's flock may be nourifhed : 
 they catch up the temporal goods, and who perimeth 
 in their parifh with ramifliment, or raifcarrieth in 
 manners they regard not : which men deferve not to 
 be called paftors, but rather hirelings. 
 
 ' And that we even in thefe days, removing our- 
 felves into the marches of Wales, to take order for 
 the difpoftiig of the garrifons of our realm, have 
 found this default in your church of Hereford, we 
 report it with grief; for that we have found there a 
 church dcftimte of a paftor's comfort, as having 
 neither bifhop nor official, vicar nor dean, that may 
 exercife any fpi ritual funftion or duty in the fame. 
 But the church itfelf (\yhich was wont in times pail 
 to flow in delight, and had canons that tended upon 
 days and nights fervice, and that ought to exercife 
 the works of charity, they forfaking the church, and 
 leading their lives in countries far hence) hath put off 
 her flole or robe of pleafure, and fallen to the ground, 
 bewailing the Icfs of her widowhood, and there is 
 pone among all her friends and lovers that will com- 
 fort her. Verily, \vhilft we beheld this, and confidered 
 diligently, the prick of pity did move our bowels, 
 the iword of compailion did inwardly wound our
 
 4O INTRODUCTION. 
 
 "heart very fore, that we could no longer diiTemble 
 fo great injury done to our mother the church, nor 
 .pals the fame over uncorre&ed. 
 
 4 Wherefore we command and ftriftly charge you, 
 that all occafions fet afide, you endeavour to re- 
 move yourfelf with all poffible fpeed unto your faid 
 church, and there perfonally to execute the paftoral 
 charge committed unto you in the fame. Otherwife 
 we will you to know for certainty, that if you 
 have not a care to do this, we will wholly take into 
 our own hands all the temporal goods and whatfoever 
 elfe doth belong unto the barony of the fame church ; 
 which for fpiritual exercife therein it is certain our 
 progenitors out of a godly devotion have bellowed 
 thereupon. And fuch goods and duties which we 
 have commanded hitherto to be gathered, and fafely 
 kept and turned to the profit and commodity of the 
 fame chur*ch, the caufe now ceafing, we will feize 
 upon and fufier no longer that he {ball reap temporal 
 things, which feareth riot unreveremly to withdraw 
 and keep back fpiritual things, whereunto by office 
 and duty he is bound, or that he (hall receive any 
 profits which refufeth to undergo and bear the burthen 
 of the fame. 
 
 { Witnefs the king at Hereford, the id of June, 
 in the 48th year of our reign.' 
 
 So much for the pride and covetoufnefs ; I pro- 
 ceed next to confider whether or no fome degree of 
 the fuperftition and idolatry of Amichrift be not alfo 
 retained among our profdTed reformers. 
 
 By fuperftition I mean a ilrenuous adherence to 
 feveral of thofe things which were introduced in the 
 time of Popifli darknefs and apoftacy, without any 
 authority from Scripture. And*by their participating 
 of idolatry, I underftand their inordinate and un- 
 juflifiable veneration of mere outward figns,, fliadows, 
 and reprefentations. 
 
 Under the firft head I rank the prefeut obfcrvauoa
 
 INTRODUCTION. 4! 
 
 of faints days among thofe of the eftablimment, who 
 though they have juftly thrown out the great rabble 
 of Romilh faints and faintefles, yet ftill retain many 
 without any authority from Scripture; the obfervation 
 of which is ftill grolsly perverted to the purpofes of 
 vice, idlenefs, and the impoveridiment of families, to 
 the no fmall fcandal of the Chriftian profeflion, which 
 furely it were now much better to lay afide, even as 
 for this very reafon was the celebration of the feafts 
 appointed on the days of the- deaths of the early 
 martyrs, being perverted to excefs and intemperance, 
 in procefs of time, laid quite afide.* To the fame 
 head I refer their dedications of churches, and con- 
 fecrations of grounds and houfes. 
 
 II, Though they have in part thrown out the holy 
 \vatcrr, one Jewilh rite, they have thought fit to re- 
 tain another, viz. the clerical habits, which have 
 been before (hewn to be derived from the Jews, and 
 were eftablifhed in the times of popery, and yet are 
 to this day infifted on as effential. What is this but 
 an evident breach of gofpel liberty, and a relapfe 
 into Jewifh bondage, the New Teilament being en- 
 tirely filent about thefe things. 
 
 III. Though they have indeed mod juftly thrown 
 down the popifli altars as well as images ; yet if we 
 impartially confider the degree of veneration paid by 
 them to thofe two outward figns and fhadows com- 
 monly called the facraments, it feems to fall very 
 ftiort of idolizing them. 
 
 That this may appear, I offer to their confideration, 
 I. That there have been raifed more controverfies 
 and quarrels (yea fometimes excommunications and 
 perfecutions even to bloodfhed), on account of thefe 
 outfide things, both betwixt Papifts and Proteftants, 
 and among Proteftants betwixt themfelves, than, 
 matters ciTeatial to the falvation of the fouls of men. 
 
 * Cave's Primitive Chrlftianity.
 
 42 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Now, what are fuch vehement and inordinate con- 
 tentions about fuch things, but the genuine products 
 of carnal minds preferring forms, ihadows, and cir- 
 cu-mftances, to the power, fubftance,, and efTence of 
 things : to the deflruction of charity, the badge of 
 Chriflian difciplefhip ? 
 
 II. The church of Rome indeed is accufed of 
 flagrant idolatry in falling down to worfhip a piece 
 of bread ; and the zeal and indignation of many of 
 the firfL reformers on this occafion, is very remark- 
 able, fome of whom did (hatch the hoft out of the 
 prieftV hands and deilroy it, in order to (hew by the 
 evidence of fenfe the impotency of this their new- 
 made god : a method of reafoning that feems to me 
 very juftifiable from what I find recorded with marks 
 of God's approbation, in the conduct of kingHezekiah, 
 in a cafe that feems to bear analogy to the prefent ; 
 viz. when the children of Ifrael burnt incenfe to the 
 brazen ferpent (though formerly erected by divine 
 appointment), he broke it to pieces, and called it 
 by way of contempt, Nehufiitan, /. e. a piece of brafs. 
 But to return, 
 
 The common fnare to catch the firil reformers,, was 
 to aik them what they believed of the fiicrament of 
 the altar, ar.d their uiual anfwer, that it was an idol, 
 fpeedily condemned them to the flames. Now as the 
 Reformation had its beginning in their thus bearing 
 teftiraony againil the fuperftitious, inordinate, and ex- 
 travagant regard paid to outward figns and (hadows* 
 fo fhall it receive its completion, when men. rejecting 
 all vain confidence in thefe things, (hall embrace the 
 Jubilance. 
 
 In the mean time it roufl be owned that many of 
 the fuccelTors. of the fir ft reformers, have been fo 
 far deficient in this refpccl, or at ieaft fo far from 
 ?,n harmonious and confident conduct on this occafion, 
 as to have given too much grounds for the following 
 farcafm of an adverfary, viz.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 43 
 
 c The Papifts have a better plea 
 Than you, when they adore't they fay 
 It is no longer bread and wine, 
 But changed by the word divine 
 Into the body of our Lord, 
 And therefore ought to be ador'd.' 
 
 But of the church of England, he fays thus : 
 
 * Kneeling when they communicate, 
 Although it is but bread they eat.' 
 
 They do not indeed avow with the Papifls that the 
 bread and wine is a propitiatory facrifice for the living 
 and dead, and a means to deliver fouls out of pur- 
 gatory; but yet, when befides the circumftance of 
 kneeling, enjoined upon pain of a deprivation of 
 divers civil as well as religious privileges, it is alfo made 
 a viaticum morientium, or paflport for dying finners ; 
 when (without authority from Scripture; it is dignified 
 by the title of a principal feal of the covenant of 
 grace ; and when we are told that the worthy re- 
 ceivers do really and indeed feed on Chrift crucified, 
 and receive of his fullnefs, and are hereby made 
 partakers of all the benefits of Chriil's death to their 
 fpiritual nourifhment and growth in grace ; I pray, 
 what mighty difference is there between thefe things 
 and what the Popifli manual pronounces concerning 
 their venerable facrament of the altar, viz. that 
 herewith we are nourifhed, cleanfed, fan&ified, and 
 our fouls made partakers of all heavenly graces and 
 fpiritual benedictions ? Is not all this an abundant 
 evidence of an inordinate and fuperftitious regard 
 paid hereunto, and fuch as cannot be warranted by 
 authority from Scripture ? Is not this (in the words 
 of an eminent author*) plainly attributing that to a 
 
 * Plain Account of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, puMilhed i
 
 44 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 fmgle ceremony, which, according to the conftant 
 tenor of the New Teflament, is due only to an uni- 
 verfal, faithful obfervation of the laws of God : and 
 I add, to the great damage of the fouls of men, who 
 may be hereby betrayed into a dangerous and un- 
 warrantable confidence in thefe outward things ? 
 And how much all this falls fhort of idolizing the 
 outward and vifible fign, I leave to the judicious. 
 
 Let us next fee whether we can entirely acquit 
 them of the fame error with regard to water-baptifm. 
 I do indeed find that the church of Rome placetli 
 infants dying unbaptized in the upper part of hell"; 
 and truly the baptifm of infants feems to have been 
 ihe genuine confequence of an opinion of its being 
 sbfolutely necefiary to falvation, whence their licenfing 
 of mid wives to baptize children in fome cafes; and they 
 affirm that it maketh them children of God, infufeth 
 \uftifying grace, and all fupernatural graces and virtues. 
 Now though I dare not affirm of feveral Proteftants, 
 that they do literally proceed to all thefe lengths, 
 yet when we find that when the child is required to 
 anfwer, that by baptifm it was made a child of God, 
 and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven ; when 
 in the office for the burial of the dead, over all who 
 have undergone this operation, whether faints or 
 finners, thefe words, are pronounced, ' Forafmuch 
 as it hath pleafed God of his 'great mercy to take 
 the foul of our dear brother here departed unro him- 
 felf, we therefore, &c. in fure and certain hope of 
 the refurrecHon to eternal life,' &c. But on the 
 contrary, if any have not been baptized, he ihall not 
 have the honour of this which is called Chriftian 
 burial j in fhort, when unto the ceremony of baptifin 
 is peculiarly annexed regeneration, purgation from 
 original fin, and a fure and certain hope of a happy 
 refurreclicn ? as it feems to be by the letter of the 
 Common Prayer ; it is obvious to remark, that what 
 the judicious author above quoted has obferved con-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 4jJ 
 
 cerning the Lord's fupper, is alfo juftly applicable to 
 thefe accounts of baptifm (in reality but very little 
 Ihort of the above mentioned accounts which the 
 church of Rome hath been pleafed to give of it), viz. 
 that this alfo is plainly attributing that to one fmgle 
 ceremony, which the whole tenor of the New Tefta- 
 ment attributes to univerfal holinefs and obedience 
 to God's commands, a more effectual feal and fign 
 undoubtedly of a man's being a child of God, of 
 his fins being remitted, and a far better ground for 
 a hope of a happy refurre^lion ; or in other terms, 
 that one baptifm whereof the New Teftament fre- 
 quently fpeaks, and particularly in Pet. iii. ai. 
 " The baptifm which now faveth us is not the putting 
 away the filth of the flefh, but the anfwer of a good 
 conscience towards God, by the refurre&ion of Jefus 
 Chriit." And Rom. vi. that baptifm by which we 
 " are buried with Chrift into death, that like as 
 Chrift was raifed up from the dead by the glory of the 
 Father, even fo we fhould walk in newnefs of life." 
 
 Such a baptifm feems mod fuitable to the fpirituality 
 of the new covenant difpenfation, even the fubftance, 
 for ever to be magnified above all the " outward 
 wauYmgs and carnal ordinances impofed until the time 
 of reformation," Heb. ix. ic. and whereof thefe things 
 are no more than a fhadow or reprefentation, although 
 fo ftrenuoufly cried up by the miniflers of the letter,; 
 whilfl all fuch as have not undergone thefe adminiftra- 
 tions from their hands have ordinarily been by them 
 numbered among infidels ; whereas the others do 
 hereupon (if we believe them) inftantly commence 
 v * children of God, regenerate and heirs of everlafting 
 life." Now how far all thefe things fall fhort of 
 idolizing the outward and vifible fign, I muft alfo 
 leave. 
 
 I proceed in the next place, to confider the femi- 
 mems and practice of the men of the eflablifhmem,
 
 4*> INTRODUCTION. 
 
 with regard to the call nnd qualifications of a Chriftiaii 
 niiniftry, and the exercife of fpiritual gifts in the 
 church : as another important infhmce of their falling 
 greatly fhort of the primitive pattern. 
 
 It mi^ht indeed feem rafli to affirm that the call 
 and qualifications of the miniflry of the eflablidiment 
 are merely human and worldly, feeing in the tyok 
 of Common Prayer, an efTential rcqnifite to the con- 
 ftitution of a deacon is, that he declare that he 
 believes he is inwardly moved of the Holy Ghoft to 
 take upon him that office ; and that the bifhop in 
 the ordination of every priefl fays, c Receive the 
 Holy Ghoil,' whence undoubtedly the firil compilers 
 of that, book mufl have deemed fuch qualification 
 effential to a Chriftian niiniftry ; and indeed to fuppofe 
 that they who give and receive holy orders at this 
 day, do it not finccrely, were to fuppofe them grofs 
 prevaricators with God and man. I fhali therefore 
 fuppofe them to be fincere in v/hat they do ; but 
 then fhall beg leave to alk them, by what authority 
 they have, to the utmoil of their power, limited the 
 free and univerfal grace and Spirit of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrifl to themfelves, and to fuch only us fhall be 
 clothed with certain particular velhnents, and have 
 ftudied the liberal arts ? 
 
 Such limitations ,of the gifts of the Holy Spirit,, 
 fuch rcftraints on the liberty of prophefying, feem to 
 be very remote from the fpirit, temper, and practice 
 of the holy men recorded in the Old and New Tefta- 
 ment : for we read of Mcfcs, (Numbers xi. ) that he 
 was fo far from fuch a monopolizing diipofition, that 
 when news was brought to him that Eldad and Medad 
 did prophefy in the camp, and he was defired to 
 forbid them, he anfwered, " Envieft thou for my 
 fake ? Would God that all the Lord's people were 
 prophets, and that he would put his Spirir upon 
 them-:" and Mofes himfelf was a keeper of meep, 
 as well as Jacob and David j Elifha, a ploughman ;
 
 47 
 
 Arnos, a herdfman ; Peter and John, fifbermen ; 
 Matthew, a toll gatherer ; Paul, a tent-maker; and 
 Luke, a phyfician ; and though looked upon as lay 
 people by the priefts of thofe ages, yet it pleafed 
 God, by the operation of his Spirit, not to be bounded 
 by mortal man, to infpire and make of them prophets, 
 apoflles, and evangelifts. 
 
 This indeed will be eafily allowed with refpeft to 
 thofe former ages, but is pitifully denied to later times ; 
 whereas according to my fenfe, it was the fame Spirit 
 that infpired our firft reformers, even that wifdom 
 which is defcribed to be the " Breath of the power of 
 God, and a pure influence that-flowed! from the glory 
 of the Almighty, which entering into holy fouls, 
 maketh them friends of God and prophets :" ( Wifdom 
 of Solomon, vii. 27.) or in other words, that eternal 
 word of xvhich we read in the Firft of John,, which 
 took flefh in the perfon of Jefus Chrifl, who after- 
 wards promifed to be with his difciples to the end 
 of the world ; which can be no otherwife than by 
 the fame Word or Spirit ; and accordingly I make 
 no difficulty in believing that it was this fame fpirit 
 that actuated Waldo, the merchant of Lyons above 
 mentioned, and his followers, thofe early reformers, 
 and particularly (to return to our point) their teachers, 
 though fome of them were mechanicks, as weavers 
 and coblers, which when it was offered as matter of 
 reproach to them, they anfwered, that they were 
 not afhamed of them becaufe they laboured with 'their 
 hands, according to the example of the apoftles. Ah 
 xx. 34. 
 
 Such a liberty of prophefying is alfo through the 
 goodnefs of God revived and maintained in our days ; 
 and though lefs adapted to tickle the ears than fuch 
 preachings as come recommended by the decorations 
 of human art, yet herein alfo more conformable to 
 the primitive pattern, as well as experienced more 
 effe&ual to the edification of the hearers j (i Cor. ii.
 
 48 INTR.ODUGTION. 
 
 4, 5.) and indeed the purity and Simplicity of the 
 doc~fcrin.es of the gofpel (now through the Welling of 
 God no longer concealed in foreign languages, but 
 obvious and clear to an ordinary capacity) feein 
 icore likely to be preferved among men of clean 
 hearts and moderate undeiilandings, than among 
 many of thofe \vhofe learning, not being fanclified, 
 hath tempted them to corrupt, under a pretence of 
 refining it. 
 
 Another inftance of gofpel liberty revived, and 
 agreeable to the primitive example, though forbidden 
 in the national and moft other churches, is that of 
 prophefying (or fpeaking to edification, exhortation, 
 and comfort) one by one, that all might learn, and 
 all might be comforted, i Cor. xiv. 3, 31. 
 
 I know it will here be alledged, thar prophefying 
 or preaching as a gift of the Holy Ghoft, is now 
 ceafed, together with other extraordinary operations 
 thereof, as the gifts of healing and tongues. But to 
 this I anfwer, That th'e gift of prophefying (i.e. in 
 the fenfe of Paul the apoftle, " Speaking to men to 
 edifkaiion, exhortation, and comfort/' i Cor. xiv. 
 3, 31.) is not lefs necefTary now than in the early 
 ages of the church, which cannot with truth be 
 affirmed of the gifts of tongues and healing; tongues, 
 by the teflimony of the fame apoille, " being for a 
 jfign not to them that believe, but to them that 
 believe not (which is applicable to the gift of healing) ; 
 but prophefying ferveth not for them that believe 
 not, but for them which believe." i Cor. xiv. 22. 
 
 And indeed, as I conceive, the only reafon why. 
 the gift of prophefying in the above-mentioned apofto- 
 lical fenfe, is not now more diffufed among Chriftians, 
 or why fuch is not now experienced to be the ordi- 
 nary operation of the Holy Spirit, is carnality and 
 fpiritual idlenefs ; the promife of Chrift to his difci- 
 ple.s, that he would be with them c< always even to the 
 end of the world" and that " where two oc three
 
 INTRODUCTION. 49 
 
 Were gathered in his name, he would be in the midft of ' 
 them," being not confined to the days of the apoflles^ 
 but gracioufly experienced at this day to be fulfilled ; 
 even that he is prefent with them who gather in his 
 name; not as an una&ive, dormant principle, but 
 powerful fpirit, enlightening their undcrftandings, 
 warming their hearts, furnifhin? them with diverfitiss 
 
 O , * O 
 
 of gifts, and giving to one the 6 Word of wifdom ; to 
 another faith j to one a doftrine ; to another a reve- 
 lation ; to another a pfalm,' &c. i Cor. xii. and xiv. 
 to the glory of God and edification of the church, 
 which affuredly now as in the primitive times, edifieth 
 itfelf in love ; Eph. iv. 6. that fruit of the Spirit, 
 that greater! of all Chriftian graces, that love of Chrifl^ 
 which polTeffing the heart of Peter, the confequencc 
 was to be the feeding his fheep. John xxi. 16. 
 
 And indeed this love of God and the brethren 
 (though fupplanted by the love of this world in a 
 human, carnal, and apoftatized miniftry, who have 
 made" a trade of the gofpel, and followed Jefus for 
 tiie loaves and frfhes) is all the encouragement and 
 fupport fuch a miniftry wants : and as love begets 
 love, whatever outward fupport may be needful, 
 will be adminiftered freely and voluntarily according 
 to the primitive pattern ; Luke x. and though fuch a 
 miniftry may not enjoy great riches or revenues, yet 
 as thele are provocations to luxury, and many other 
 evil?, this will be no lofs to them as fpiritual men, 
 but on the contrary, lefs temptation being adminittered, 
 in refpeft to the cares and pleafures of this life, they 
 will be enabled to apply thcmfelves to the concerns of 
 the other with lefs diftraction, and fhine as living 
 examples of piety among the people ; whereas on the 
 contrary great riches fettled on the minidry have ever 
 proved incentives to that pride, covetqufnefs, and 
 luxury, which has been their di fen-ace and ruin : agree- 
 able to the obfervation of the difference of the ancient 
 from the modern times in this refpeft, viz, that wooden 
 
 VOL III. D
 
 $9 INTRODUCTION* 
 
 chalices were attended by golden priefts, bu 
 chalices by wooden priefls. 
 
 Having now (hewn that prophefying or preaching 
 in the Chriftian church, both was and is a gift of the 
 Holy Spirit, I am led to confider more minutely the 
 practice of that and other acts of devotion among the 
 profefled reformers, as falling (hort of the primicivc 
 precepts and example : and firft as to preaching. 
 
 The apofile exprefsly teftifieth " that his fpeech 
 and preaching was not with enticing words of man's 
 wifdom, but in demonftration of the fpirit and of 
 power, that their faith fliould not ftand in the wifdom 
 of men, but in the power of God :" i Cor. ii. 4, 5. 
 and that the knowledge of the things fpiritual where* 
 of they fpoke, was not attained unto by natural 
 \vifdom, but by the revelation of the fpirit, and by 
 the fpiritual man only, is the plain tenor of the 
 ontest. 
 
 But the modern preaching is with enticing words 
 of man's wifdom ; and the knowledge of the things 
 whereof the moderns fpeak is acquired by ftudy like 
 any other fcience, and by the mere natural man. 
 
 Next, as to praying and fmging, the fame apoftle 
 faith, " I will pray with the fpirit and 1 will ling 
 with the fpirit" I Co. vix. 15. Eph. vi. 18. and 
 Jude xx. and elfewhere praying in the fpirit, and in 
 the Holy Ghoft is recommended ; and the neceflity 
 of the ailHlance of the Spirit, as well as the impotence 
 of man without it is expreffed in thefe words, " the 
 Spirit alfo helpeth our infirmities : for we know not 
 what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itfelf 
 maketh interceiTion for us with groanings that cannot 
 be uttered." Rom. viii. 26. 
 
 Now what is complained of in the exercife of 
 preaching, praying, and fmging, among many of 
 the profelled reformers, is their neglect of this aiTift- 
 ance, and of that due preparation of heart which is 
 ueceflary to the performance of thcfe duties, fo as to
 
 INTRODUCTION. 51 
 
 render them acceptable to God or profitable to 
 themfelves. 
 
 We fee up want of fermons, prayers, or fons, all 
 made ready to be uttered at a certain hour appointed ; 
 but whether thefe be a mere lip-labour, or mechanical 
 effufion of founds ; whether the preacher aft the vain 
 orator, preaching Jiimfelf rather than Chrift Jefus, 
 whether he affeft ajc^re to tickle the ears than mend 
 the hearts of his hearers (who alfc love to have it fo 
 according to the prophecy, " heaping unto themfelves 
 teachers having itching ears") 2 Tim. iv. 3. whether 
 they either preach, pray, or fing, with the fpirit, 
 whether they really pray, or only fay prayers, is very 
 little confidered. 
 
 It is, however, the want of this confideration that 
 is the true reafon of the unfruitfulnefs of the modern 
 prayings and preachings, that too frequently appears 
 both among Papifls and Proteftants ; and that their 
 afliduity in obferving the fet hours and feafons of 
 prayer, &c. has little or no influence on their lives 
 and converfations, but thefe remain for the mod pare 
 as bad as ever. Men, finding it eafier to facrifice 
 in their own wills than obey God's will, have multi- 
 plied facrifices without obedience. 
 . Now that in this cafe it would be both more ac- 
 ceptable to God and more profitable to men to learn 
 filence; yea, what is more, that in the view of 
 heaven the facrifices of fuch are no other than an 
 officious and even criminal activity, we may learn from 
 the following exprefs declarations of God's will in 
 the holy records, viz. " Unto the wicked God faith, 
 what haft thou to do to declare my ftatutes, or that: 
 thou fhouldft take my covenant into thy mouth, feeing 
 thou hatefl inftruction and cafteft my words behind 
 thee?" Pfalm 1. 16, 17. And again, 
 
 " Reftore me unto the joy of thy falvation, and 
 uphold me with thy free fpirit : then flill I teach 
 
 r> 2
 
 5^ INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tranfgreflbrs thy ways, and finners fhall be converted 
 unto thee." Pfalm li. 12. 13. Again, 
 
 ** Thou defirefl not facrifice, clfe I would give it ; 
 thou delighted not in burnt offering :- the facrifices of 
 God are a broken fpirit : a broken and a contrite 
 heart, O God, thou wilt not defpife." Pfalm li.. 16. 17. 
 
 " The facrifice of the wicked* is an abomination 
 to the Lord, but the prayer *>f the upright is his 
 delight." Prov. xv. 8. 
 
 " To what purpofe is the multitudes of your fa- 
 crifices unto me ? faith the Lord. When you come 
 to appear before me, who hath required this at your 
 hands, to tread my courts ? Bring no more vain obla- 
 tions : incenfe is an abomination unto me ; the new 
 moons and fabbaths, the calling of aflemblies I cannot 
 away with : it is iniquity, even the folemn meeting. 
 Wafh ye, make you clean ; put away the evil of 
 your doings from before mine eyes, ceafe to do evil, 
 learn to do well." Ifaiah i. u, 12, 13. 16, 17. 
 
 To the fame purpofe is Ifaiah Ixvi. i, 2, 3, 4. 
 from all which it is evident, that for wicked men to 
 rufh into the exercifes of preaching and praying 
 without previouily \vitneiTmg fome degree of that 
 power that changes and clean fes the heart, is fo far 
 from being acceptable to- God that it is criminal in 
 his fight ; or in other terms that in this cafe filcnce 
 is preferable to fpeaking ; and that contrition of fpi- 
 rit and trembling at the word of the Lord is far more 
 acceptable than the mod pompous fbews of devotion : 
 and if the Jews when in captivity in Babylon could 
 no longer lt f.ng the fong of the Lord, but chofe to 
 fie down and weep and* hang their harps on the 
 willows," Pfalm cxxxvii. furely the analogy will hold, 
 that the like difpofition of mind is mod fuitable alfo 
 to fuch whofe fouls are under the captivity of fin : 
 and this is one cafe wherein filence is better tha.n 
 fpeaking .: there is yet another, viz, . ' 
 
 Men whom we call good, in this date of probation
 
 INTRODUCTION. 53 
 
 and purgation, do fometimes, without confcioufnefs 
 of- any crime, experience withdrawings of that power 
 and fpirit which at other times animates their fouls : 
 they are left barren and impotent, and it feems very* 
 confident with Dirine wifdom and goodnefs that it 
 fliould be fo, viz. in order that, .being humbled under 
 a. fenfe of their own we^knefs, they might depend on 
 and feek after God, a, way of fpeaking (though much 
 out of fafhion among marfy modern Chriftians, yet 
 very frequent in the holy writings.) In the io4th 
 Pfalm we have a beautiful description of God's 
 power and providence over the animals even of an' 
 inferior order, of which if it be judly faid in that 
 addrefs to Almighty God, " Thefe all wait on thee 
 that thou mayft give them their meat in due feafon : 
 thou opened thine hand, and they are filled with 
 good : thou fended forth thy fpirit, they are created 
 and thou renewed the face of the earth:" and on 
 he other hand, " Thou hided thy face and they are 
 troubled," they mud have a very contracted idea of 
 the Divine providence and goodnefs who could fup- 
 pofe that it does not at lead equally operate in the 
 world of fpirits and rational fouls of men, as among 
 thofe creatures of an inferior order : and the latter 
 part of the text feems alfo not lefs applicable to the 
 jlate of the fouls of men in times of languor, impo- 
 lence, and defertion, according to thefe layings of 
 the Pfalmid, " Thou didil hide thy face and I was 
 troubled : and O forfake me not utterly." Pfalm xxx. 
 7. and cxix. 8. 
 
 Now it is exprefsly prpmifed that " They who 
 wait on the Lord (hall renew their ftrength," Ifaiah 
 xl. 31. xli. i. and in the following yerfe filence is 
 enjoined for this purpofe: and Pfahji xlvi. 10. it is 
 laid " Be dill and know that I am God. 5 ' 
 
 The amufemems of fenfible obje&s, ' the didra&ing 
 pares oi this life, and the activity of our own imagi- 
 flatiqiVij a.e undoubtedly great impediments to thj
 
 54 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 operation of the Divine Spirit in our minds, and not 
 infrequently drown the voice of that eternal \vifdom, 
 of which the wife man fpeaks in the 8th of Proverbs, 
 and pronounceth that man blefled who " heareth it, 
 watching daily at its gates, and waiting at the pods 
 of its doors," which- furely he is mofl likely to do 
 wLo is in a (late of filence. *Js it not therefore juft 
 matter of furprife, that waiting upon God in filence, 
 in his worship, fhould be treated with fuch contempt 
 as it hath even lately been among fome profefling 
 great advancements in religion ? 
 
 This brings me to mention a third cafe, wherein 
 filence may fometimes be chofen preferably to fpeak- 
 ing, which I fhall exprefs in the words of Barclay, in 
 his i ith Proportion concerning worfhip, viz. 
 
 4 The meeting may be good and refrt- fliful, though 
 from the fitting down to the rifing up thereof, there 
 hath not been a word as outwardly fpoken ; and yet 
 the life may have been known to abound ia each, 
 particular, and an inward growing up therein, and 
 thereby, yea fo as words might have been fpoken 
 acceptably and from the life : yet there being no ab- 
 folute necerTity laid upon any one fo to do, all might 
 have chofen rather {ilemlj and quietly to poiTefs and 
 enjoy the Lord in themfelves ; which is very fweet 
 and comfortable to the foul, that hath thus learned 
 to be gathered from all its own thoughts and work- 
 ings, to feel the Lord to bring forth both the will 
 and the deed, which many can declare by a blefled, 
 experience ; though indeed it cannot but be hard for 
 the natural man to receive and believe this doclrine j 
 and therefore it mud be rather by a fenfible experi- 
 ence, and by coming to make a proof of it, than bj 
 arguments, that fuch can be convinced of this thing ; 
 feeing it is not enough to believe it, if they come not 
 alfo to enjoy and poiTefs it.' So far Barclay, who 
 moreover obferves that this worfhip of God in filence, 
 though very different from the divers eiiablifhed h)-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 55 
 
 Vented worfhips among Chriftians, and fuch as may 
 feem ftrange to many, yet hath it been teftified of 
 and pra&iied by the moft pious of all forts in all ages, 
 even among fome of thofe that were otherwife over- 
 clouded with the darknefs of popery, and particularly 
 by the myftical writers, a feel generally efteemed by 
 all, and fo called from their profeiling and praftifing 
 thereof, whofe books are full of the explanation and 
 commendation of this fort of worfhip, where they 
 plentifully aflert the inward introverfion arid abftrac- 
 tion of the mind, as they call it, from all* tillages and 
 thoughts, and the prayer of the will ; yea they look 
 upon this as the heighth of Chriftian * perfection. 
 
 To the above inftance let me add an account of a 
 certain people, called a feel: prevailing very much 
 among the Proteflants of Germany and thofe of 
 Switzerland, who call themfelves Pietifls, which has 
 been left us by a very learned writer in his travels 
 to Jtaly,f of whom though he be no admirer, nor 
 indeed recommends their practice as an example 
 worthy to be followed, yet as his naked narration of 
 matter of fatfc feems well worthy of notice, and to be 
 pertinent to my prcfent purpofe of (hewing that not 
 only the defpifed people called Quakers, but many 
 Others, of different ages and countries, have alfo 
 both recommended and praclifed this worfhip of 
 Almighty God in filence, I fhall here fubjoin it, 
 yiz. 
 
 6 They pretend to great refinements, as to what 
 regards the practice of Chriftianity, and to obferve 
 the following rules ; to retire much from the conver- 
 fation of the world : to fmk v themfelves into an entire 
 repofe and tranquillity of mind. In this fta,te of 
 filence to attend the fecret illapfe and ffowiiigs in of 
 fhe Hcly Spirit, that may fill their minds "with peacq 
 
 * ?e Barclay's Apology, Erop. II. Se. 16, 
 Addifon
 
 56 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and confolation, joys, or raptures : to favour all his 
 fecret intimations, and give themfclves up entirely to 
 his conduct and direction, fo as neiiher to fpeak, 
 move or act, but as they find his impuHe on their 
 fouls : to retrench themfelves within the convenien- 
 cies and neceilities of life .to avoid as much as 
 poffible what the world calls innocent pleasures, left 
 they fhould have their, affections tainted by any fen- 
 fuality, and diverted from the love of him who is to 
 be the only comfort, repofe, and delight, of their 
 whole beings.' 
 
 I fhall conclude my recommendation of filent 
 \vorfhip, by giving one particular example more qf 
 it, (in another country allb) and of its good effects, 
 viz. 
 
 The lady Guion in France, a great promoter of - 
 piety and virtue, and who was inltrumental to the 
 converfion of multitudes of the inferior fort of people, 
 and fome others in the fouthern parts of France, to 
 a more ^religious and Chriftian-like way of living, and 
 v/ho in her writings taught and recommended, above 
 all things, the knowledge of pure and- divine love 
 (whofe doctrine the famous archbifhop of Cambray 
 defended, and was thereupon exiledj ; I fay, this lady 
 being permitted to inftruct the young women of the 
 houfe or college of St. Cyr, in the ways of piety, 
 inftead of repeating a number of prayers by rote, as 
 they had been taught, put them upon filent prayer 
 and inward recollection of mind and thought, by 
 which they might fee their own conditions, and what 
 they flood in need of, in order to make them accept- 
 able to God ; and indeed, the good effects of this 
 practice appeared in a fignal manner, in fetting them 
 at liberty from the captivity of their darling lulls ; for 
 whereas fome of thefe had been working the nun. cf 
 their families by theii gaming, and the expenfivenefs 
 of their apparel, thefe now having their hearts di- 
 jrected to the love of more amiable objects, were
 
 INTRODUCTION. 57 
 
 brought off from the inordinate love of themfelves 
 and decking their bodies, and from affe&ations of 
 new fafhions and modes of drefs, and from mifpend- 
 ing their time at cards, dice, and other diverfions too 
 common among perfons of high rank and quality.'* 
 
 So much -may fuffice concerning the worfiiip of 
 Almighty God : it feems next to be of no fmall im- 
 portance, to confider the exercife of Chriftian difci- 
 pline in the church, or rather the relaxation or lofs 
 thereof, among the men of the eftablifhment, as an- 
 other effential defect in the reformation. 
 
 With refpeft to the celebration of marriage, I 
 have already hinted how much the rights of parents 
 are daily violated, and the peace and religious eco- 
 nomy of families deftroyed ; and with regard to the 
 morals of both clergy and laity, is there not an 
 almoft univerfal negleft ? What discipline, for inftance, 
 is exercifed in the church on fraudulent dealers, and 
 bankrupts, drunkards, whoremongers, fwearers, and 
 litigious perfons ? Are not fuch often entertained in 
 the body of the church without either expullion or 
 admonition ? 
 
 But what need I dwell on this matter ? The church 
 of England in her liturgy exprefsly acknowledged! 
 this lofs of Chriftian discipline, but contents herfelf 
 with wifhing for its reftoration ; and in the mean- 
 time pronouncing the comminations, on the day 
 called Afh-Wednefday, without adireft application to 
 the 0-irending individuals : which how well it quadrates 
 with the apoftolical precept in i Cor. v. on fuch 
 occafions, as well as Chriftian zeal and prudence, I 
 offer to their confideration; and haften to the mention 
 of two more inftances of a deficiency in the reforma- 
 tion, and thofe are fighting and fwearing among 
 profefled Chriftians, and which I am apt to think few 
 will difpute with me, but that they fhall ceafe when 
 
 * Apologetic Preface to Archbishop of Cambray's Differtation on pure Love.
 
 $* INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the prophecy, t!i:it the " kingdoms of this world fhall 
 become the: kingdoms of the Lord and his Chrift," 
 Rev. xi. 15. fhall become accomplished. 
 
 In ihe mean-time, ' it will fcarcely be denied that 
 becaufe of oaths the land mourns ; nor that* it is a 
 fliameful thing and very difhonourable to the Chrif- 
 tian religion, that thofe, who pretend themfelves to 
 be the true followers of Chrift, fliould fo degenerate 
 from his do&rine and example,, as to want and life 
 icaring afleverations (not known even to ancient Jews 
 and heathens) to afcertain one another of their faith 
 and truth, that religion muft have fuffered a great 
 ebb, and Chriftianity a fearful eclipfe, fmcc thofe 
 brighter ages of its profeilion j for bifhop Gauden in, 
 his treatife of oaths confefTes that the ancient Chrif- 
 tians were fo ft rift and exacl, that there was no neecj 
 of an oath among them ; and furely, the prohibition, 
 of Chriu 1 in the 5th of Matthew, comprehends not 
 pnly thofe called profane oaths, but others; and when 
 it is added, whatfoe.ver is more than yea, yea, and 
 nay, nay, cometh of evil, this is applicable alfo to 
 affeverations made before the magiflratej for diftruft 
 jifid difllmulation are the grounds of going beyond a 
 fimple affirmation or negation in both cafes.' Noble 
 therefore and confident both with this and the fpirit 
 of the ancient Chriftians feems to have been the fol- 
 lowing tdlimony of the people called Quakers,* viz. 
 
 4 God hath taught us to fpeak truth as readily with- 
 out an oath as with an oath, fo that far us to fwear 
 v;ere to take God*s holy name in vain.' 
 
 And that feveral of the ancient fathers did hold all 
 taking of an oath unlawful, is acknowledged by Cave 
 in his Primitive Chridianity Polycarp particularly 
 refufed to fwear becaufe he was a Chriftian : and we 
 (trc allured, as a thing well known, that ' the ancient 
 
 * Treatife of Oaths publifhed inlithalf, of the people called Quakers \ 
 A.D. 1675.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 fathers of the firft three hundred years after Chrifl:, 
 underftood the words of Chrifl to be a prohibition* 
 of all forts of oaths.' And one of the popes of the 
 fifth or fixth century, is faid to have been the firfl 
 author of the inftitution of fwearing by the gofpel, fo 
 that the prefent eftablifhment of oaths, among Chrif- 
 tians, fhould feem to deferve a place among other 
 innovations and corruptions of popery. 
 
 Next, as to fighting ; there are two exprefs pro- 
 phefies, viz. of the fame event, uttered in the fame 
 words by two different prophets, the completion of 
 which we are furely to expeft in thefe gofpel times, 
 viz. 
 
 " Nation fhall not lift up fword againft nation, 
 neither fhall they learn war any more :' Ifa. ii. 4. and 
 Micah iv. 3. Which prophefies the ancient fathers 
 of the firft three hundred years after Chrifl did affirm 
 to be fulfilled in the Chriftians of their times who 
 were mofl averfe from war. Agreeable to this are 
 the words of the Chriflians in Juflin Martyr, viz* 
 * We fight not with our enemies,' and the anfwer-of 
 Martin to Julian the apoftate related by Sulpicius 
 Severus, < I am a foldier of Chrift, therefore I can- 
 not fight,' which was three hundred years after 
 Chrifl.f And as the true caufes of wars and fight- 
 ings according to the apoflle, (James iv. i.) are the 
 lufts of men, an obvious confequence is, that when 
 thefe fhall be fubdued and mortified, wars, their effeft, 
 fhall ceafe. 
 
 It feems to be flrongly hinted, even in the Old 
 Teftament, that there is fomething of a defiling nature 
 in the fpilling of human blood ; for this is allege^ 
 under Divine fanftion, as a reafon why David was a 
 perfon unfit to build the houfe of the Lord ; for we 
 read that the word of the Lord came to David, faying, 
 *' Thou flialt not build an houfe unto my name, 
 
 * Barclay'i Apology, Prep. 15. $ Ibid.
 
 60 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 caufe thou hail. flied much blood upon the earth in my 
 fight." i Chron. xxii, 8. 
 
 The lame fentimeiu, concerning fpilling of blood, 
 feerns alfo to have been entertained even among the 
 heathens ; , for whereas divers of the fathers held 
 fighting unlawful to Chriftians, particularly ' Juftin 
 Martyr, Tertullhm and Drigen ; the laft of thefe in 
 his anfwer to Celfus upon this fubject., fpeaks thus, 
 ' Your own priefts sn4 thofe who belong to your 
 temples, keep their hands from being defiled with 
 blood, by rcafon of the facrifices they mufl offer, with 
 unbloody and unpolluted hands, to thofe you efteem 
 your gods ; and when ye go to war, ye never take of 
 the priefHy order for foldiers.' 
 
 If then ye heathens faw thus far, furely we by the 
 help of gofpel-light fhould fee farther: for my pan I 
 do not fee how the method of determining contro- 
 verfies by righting is reconcileable to reafon ; for 
 furely the righteous caufe is not always a neceflary 
 concomitant of the longeit fword ; and much lefs do I 
 fee how the reparation of injuries received is, by this 
 method, reconcileable to the following fublime pre- 
 cepts, recommended to the practice of all Chriflians, 
 viz. ' See that none render evil for evil to any man, 
 and overcome evil with good, and love your enemies, 
 -blefs them that curfe- you, &c. that ye may be the 
 children of your Father which is in, heaven,' iTheff, 
 v. 15. Rom. xii. 21. Mat. v. 44, 45. 
 
 From all which I conclude, that wars and fightings 
 are an eifeft of the coi-'.iption of mankind, another 
 ftrong inftance of the deficiency of the reformation, 
 and fball entirely ceafe among Chriftians, when they 
 fhall arrive at that flandard of purity and perfection 
 which is prefcribed to them in the gofpel. 
 
 I have now but one thing more to take notice of, 
 before I conclude this my introduction to the Hiftory 
 of the People called Quakers, and that is the difpofi- 
 tion of th^ age at thiit juri>ure of time, when this
 
 INTRODUCTION'. t 
 
 people made their firft appearance in the world, as 
 being one confiderable co-operating means of making 
 Way for the reception of their doclrines. 
 
 ' The true church,' in the words* of William Penn, 
 having fled into the wildernefs, did at length make 
 many attempts to return, but the waters had yet been 
 too high and her way blocked up, and the lad age 
 did make confiderable advances to a reformation 
 both as to doctrine, worfhip, and practice. Bat 
 practice quickly failed, for in a little time wickednefs 
 flowed in as well among the reformers as thofe they 
 reformed from, fo that by the fruits of converfatiofi 
 they were not to be diftinguiihecL And the children 
 .of the reformers, if not the reformers themfelves, 
 betook themfelves very early to earthly policy and 
 power to uphold and carry or\ their reformation that 
 had begun by fpiritual weapon?, which feems to have 
 been one of the greateft reafonswhy the reformation 
 made no better progrefs, as to the life and foul of 
 religion. For whilft the reformers wrc lowly and 
 fpiritually minded, and trufted in God, and looked 
 to him, and lived in his fear, and confulted not with 
 flefh and blood, nor fought deliverance in their own 
 way, there were daily added to the church fnch as 
 one might reafonably fay fhould be faved : for they 
 were not fo careful to be fafe from perfeciuioa, as to 
 be faithful and in offensive under it, being more con- 
 cerned to fpread the Truth by their faith and patience 
 jn tribulation, than to get the worldly power out of 
 their hands that infiifted thofe fufFerings upon them. 
 
 6 Thofe before mentioned, owned the fpirit, infpi- 
 ration and revelation indeed, and grounded their 
 Reparation and reformation upon the fenfe and u-nder- 
 ftanding they received from .*t in reading the Scrip- 
 tures. But yet there was too much of human inven- 
 tion, tradition and art that remained both in praying 
 
 * Rife and Progrcfs of the People cr.llcd Quakers.
 
 02 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and preaching, and of worldly authority and worldly 
 greatnefs in their minifters. They were more ftrift 
 in preaching, devout in praying* and zealous for 
 keeping the Lord's day, and catechizing of children 
 and fervants, and repeating at home in their families 
 what they had heard in public. But even as thefe 
 grew into power * they were not only for whipping 
 fome out, but others into the temple : and they ap- 
 peared rigid in their fpirits, rather than fevere in their 
 lives, and more for a party than for piety : which 
 brought forth another people, that were yet more 
 retired and feleft. 
 
 ' They would not communicate at large, or in 
 common with others ; but formed churches among 
 themfelves of fuch as could give fome account of 
 their converfion ; at leaft, of Very promifmg experi- 
 ences of the work of God's grace upon their hearts ; 
 and under mutual agreements and covenants of fci- 
 lowfhip, they kept together. Thefe people were 
 fomewhat of a fofter temper, and feemed to recom- 
 mend religion by the charms of its love, mercy, and 
 goodnefs, rather than by the terrors of its judgments 
 and punifhment ; by which the former party would 
 have awed people into religion. 
 
 4 They alfo allowed greater liberty to prophecy 
 than thofe before them ; for they admitted any 
 member to fpeak or pray, as well as their paftor, 
 whom they always chofe, and not the civil magiftrate. 
 If fuch found any thing prefling upon them to either 
 duty, even without the diftinftion of clergy or laity, 
 perfons of any trade had their liberty, be it never fo 
 low and mechanical. But alas ! even thefe people 
 fuffered great lofs : for tafting of worldly empire, 
 and the favour of princes, and the gain that enfued, 
 they degenerated but too much. For though they 
 had cried down national churches and min.iftry, and 
 maintenance too ; some of them, when it was thr-ir 
 Q\\n turn to be tried, fell under the weight of worldly
 
 INTRODUCTION. 63 
 
 horrour and advantage, got into profitable parfonages 
 too much, and outlived and contradicted their own 
 principles : and, which was yet worfe, turned, fome 
 of them, abfolute perfecutors of other men for God's 
 fake, that but fo lately came themfelves out of the 
 furnace : which drove many a ftep farther, and thac 
 xvas into the water ; another baptifm, as believing 
 they were not fcripturally baptized; and hoping to 
 find that prefence and power of God in fubmitting 
 to this watery ordinance, which they dejQred and 
 Wanted. 
 
 ' Thefe people made alfo profelnon of negle&ing* 
 if not renouncing and cenfuring, not only the necef- 
 fity but ufe of all human learning as to the miniftry ; 
 and all other qualifications to it, befides the helps 
 and gifts of the Spirit of God, and thofe natural 
 and common to men. And for a time they feeined 
 like John of old, a burning and a fhining light to 
 other focieties. 
 
 * They were very diligent, plain, and ferious ; 
 flrong in Scripture, and bold in profeffion ; bearing 
 much reproach and contradiction. But that which 
 others fell by, proved their fnare. For worldly 
 power fpoiled them too ; who had enough of it to 
 try them what they would do if they had more : and 
 they rcfled alfo too much upon their watery difpen- 
 fation, inftead of paffing on more fully to that of the 
 fire and Holy Ghofl, which w r as his baptifm, who 
 came with a fan in his hand, that he might throughly 
 (and not in part only') purge his floor, and take away 
 the drofs and the tin of his people, and make a man 
 finer than gold. Withal, they grew high, rough, 
 and felf-righteous ; oppofing further attainment : too 
 much forgetting the day of their infancy and little- 
 nefs, which gave them fomething of a real beauty ; 
 infomuch that many left them and all vifible churches 
 and focieties, and wandered up and down, as flieep 
 \vithout a fliepherd, and as doves without their
 
 64 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 mates ; feeking their beloved, but could not find him 
 (as their fouls defired to know him) whom their foul 
 loved above their chiefeft joy. 
 
 ' Thefe people were called Seekers by fome, and 
 the Family of Love by others : becaufe, as they came 
 to the knowledge of one another, they fometimes 
 met together, not formally, to pray or preach at ap- 
 pointed times or places, in their own wills, as in 
 times pail they were accuftomed to do ; but waited 
 together in filence, arid as any thing rofe, in any one 
 of their minds, that they thought favoured of a Di- 
 vine fpring, they fometimes fpoke. But, fo it was, 
 that fome of them not keeping in humility and in the 
 fear of God, after the abundance of revelation, were 
 exalted above meafure ; and for want of Haying their 
 minds, in an humble dependance upon him that 
 opened their underilandings, to fee great things in 
 his law, they ran out in their own imaginations, and 
 mixing them with thofe Divine openings, brought 
 forth a monftrous birth, to the fcandal of thofe that 
 feared God, and waited daily in the temple, not made 
 with hands, for the confolation of Ifrael, the Jew in- 
 ward, and circumcifion in Spirit.' 
 
 Thus* it appears that the fields were now ripe unto 
 the harveft ; and as the fame author proceeds, ' It 
 was about that very time, as you may fee in the annals 
 of George Fox, that the eternal, wife, and good 
 God was pleafed, in his infinite love to honour and 
 vifit this benighted and bewildered nation with his 
 glorious diiy-fpring from on high ; yea with a moft fure 
 and certain found of the word of light and life, through 
 the teftunony of a choicn veffel,* to an effectual and 
 
 * i. e. George Fox, whbfe character J thui given us by William Penn nd 
 Thomas tilwood, from an intimate acquaintance and converi'ation frith 
 him, viz. ' He was the firft and chief elder in this age; a man though not 
 of elegant fpeech or learned - j fter the way of this world, yet endued with a 
 wonderful depth in Divine knowledge; and although his espreflions mi^lil 
 feem uncouth and unfalhionable to nice ears, hi matter was nevertheless 
 very profound; and as abruptly and brokenly as fometimes hi, fentenccs 
 ibout Divine things would feem to fall frm hitn, ic is Well kn/jwn thef
 
 V 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 65 
 
 tlefled purpofe, can many thoufands fay, Glory be to 
 the name of the Lord for ever. 
 
 6 For as it reached the confcience, and broke the 
 heart, and brought many to a fenfe and fearch, fo 
 that which people had been vainly feeking without, 
 with much pains and coil, they by this miniilry, 
 found within, where it was they wanted what they 
 fought for, viz. the right way to peace with God. 
 For they were dire&ed to the light of Jefus Chrifl 
 within them, as the feed and leaven of the kingdom 
 of God ; near all, becaufe in all, and God's talent to 
 all : a faithful and true witnefs, and juft monitor in 
 every bofom : the gift and grace of God to life and 
 falvation, that appears to all, though few regard it. 
 
 were as texts to many fairer declarations ; and indeed this {hewed that God 
 f'ent him, that no art or parts had any fhare in the matter or manner of his 
 miniilry, and that fo many great and excellent truths, as he came forth to 
 preach to mankind, had nothing of man's wit or vrifdom to recommend 
 them ; nor were thefe truths notional or fpeculative, but fenfible and 
 practical, tending to converfion- and regeneration, and the fetting up the 
 kingdom of God in the hearts of men. 
 
 He was a diiccrner of other men's fpirits, and very much a matter of his 
 own : he had an extraordinary gift in opening the Scriptures j but above 
 all, he excelled in prayer: the inwardnefs and weight of his fpirit, the 
 reverence and folemnity of his addrefs and behaviour, and the fewnefs acd 
 fullnefs of his words have often ftruck even ftrangers with admiration, as 
 they 'ufed to reach others with confolation. 
 
 He was an inceflant labourer both in doftrine and in difcipline, the care 
 of the churches being much upon him ; and as he wai unwearied, fo he was 
 undaunted in his fervices for God and hvt people, being no more to be moved 
 to fear than to wrath. 
 
 He fuffered abundantly, not only from ftrangers, but from fome of the 
 fame profeflion, and (which was not the ieaft part of his honour) he waa 
 the co nmon butt of the envy of all apo.lates, whofe good notwithflanding 
 he earheftly fought. 
 
 He held his place in the church of God with great meekne's and a mod 
 engaging humility and moderation, being on all occafions (like his blciTed 
 Mailer,) a fervant to all, exercifing no authority but over evil, and that 
 every where and in all, but with love, companion, and long fuffering. 
 
 He was found in judgment, able and ready in giving, difcreet in keeping-, 
 counfel : of an innocent life, no bufy body, nor felf-feeker, not touchy nor 
 critical ; very tender and compafiionaie to all under afflidion ; a moft mer- 
 ciful man, as ready to forgive as unapt to take or give offence ; very civil, 
 beyond all forms of breeding, in his behaviour ; very temperate, eating little, 
 and fleeping lefs. 
 
 Thus he lived and fojourncd among us, and as he lived, fo he died; and 
 in his laft moments was fo full of affurance that he triumphed over death.* 
 
 * See Penu's Rife and Progrefs, kc. and Ellwood'n TcftiaWBy f George Fo* prefixed t 
 bi Jouuiil, 
 
 VOL. III. 2
 
 66 INTRODUCTION?, 
 
 This, the traditional Chriftian, conceited of himfelf, 
 and ftrong in his own will and righteoufnefs, and 
 overcome with blind zeal and pailion, either defpifed 
 as a low and common thing, or oppofed as a novelty, 
 under many hard names, and opprobrious terms ; de- 
 nying in his ignorant and angry mind, any frefh 
 manifeflation of God's power and fpirit in man, in 
 thefe days, though never more needed to make true 
 Chriftians : not unlike thofe Jews of old, that rejec- 
 ted 'the Son of God, at the very fame time that they 
 blindly profeffed to wait for the Mefliah to come - 9 
 becaufe, alas, he appeared not among them according 
 to their carnal mind and expectation.' 
 
 And as it was one great and principal diftinguifhing 
 bufmefs of the people called Quakers (at a time of 
 fuch high profeilion as that was, when they made- 
 their firft appearance in the world) to call men off 
 from an acquiefcence in the mere hi (lory and letter 
 of the Scripture, without experiencing the fpirit and 
 myflery thereof; or in other terms, to (hake hypo- 
 critical profeffors, in their vain confidence in the mere 
 belief of what Chrift did without them in refpeft to 
 his life, doctrines, miracles, and fufferings (matters 
 of faith, undoubtedly of great importance, and necef- 
 fary to be affented to, and mofl gratefully acknow- 
 ledged,' but without a further work fo far from being 
 effectual to falvation, that doubtlefs the revelation of 
 thefe truths will aggravate the condemnation of the 
 impenitent), and to awaken their attention to the in- 
 ward appearance of the fame Chrift in their own 
 hearts ; to republifli to the world faith in Chrift, not 
 only as fitting in power and great glory at the right 
 hand of the Majefty in heaven, according to the 
 teflimony of holy writ, but alfo as the light of the 
 world according to the fame teftimony, and that men 
 *' fhould believe in the light that they might be the 
 children of the light," John xii. 36. according to the 
 precept of Chrift - t and that there is a divine efficacy
 
 INTRODUCTION. O? 
 
 in this light to make men fons of God, according to 
 the firft chapter of John the Evangelift : now I fay, 
 as this was thd diftinguilhing teftiinony of the people 
 called Quakers, to there are not wholly wanting 
 among fome of the writers of thofe times inftances of 
 a concurrence herewith. It mall fuffice for this pur- 
 pofe to tranfcribe, a fingle inftance, being a iliort 
 extract, from two fermons preached at Allhallows in 
 Lombard-ilreet in the year 1654, by John Webfter, 
 viz. 
 
 * It is not holding forth the higheft profeffion of 
 Chrift, in the letter, that makes us free, except 
 Chrift come into the heart and make us free indeed. 
 The chief thing that every foul is to mind, in reading 
 and hearing, is to examine whether the fame thing 
 be wrought in them. Whatever we find in the letter, 
 if it be not made good in us what are the words to 
 us ? We muft fee how Chrift is crucified and buried 
 in us, and how he is rifen and raifed from death in 
 us ; the chief thing I fay is to look into our own 
 breads. All generally that hold forth a profeffion of 
 Chrifl, they fay in words, that Chrift is the deliverer, 
 but that is not the thing j is he a deliverer to thec 1 
 is that glorious Meffiah promifed and the deliverer 
 \vith power, come into thy foul ? hath he exalted 
 himfelf there ? hath he made bare his arm and been 
 a glorious conqueror in thee ? hath he taken to him- 
 felf his great power to reign in thee ? is he King of 
 kings and Lord of lords in thee ? Whatever thau 
 talked of Chrift and his miracles, if thou haft no wit- 
 nefs, no evidence of the truth of them in thine own 
 heart, what is all that ever he did, and what is all 
 that ever he fuifered to thee ? It may be thou mayeft 
 have a notion and opinion of the things of God, and 
 thou haft them by hiftory and by relation, or education, 
 or example, or ctiftom, or by tradition, or becaufe 
 moft men have received them tor truths : but if thou 
 haft no evidence of his ipighty miracles and God-like 
 
 2
 
 <58 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 power- in thy own foul, how canft thou be a witne& 
 that they are the things that thou haft feen and 
 heard ? for all thofe outward things are but fhadows 
 and reprefentations, figures and patterns of the hea- 
 venly things themfelves. Thou may eft have a ftrong 
 opinion, but no experience of them, viz. that Chrift: 
 hath freed and delivered thy foul. Haft thou really 
 feen thyfelf in captivity, deaf, dumb, blind, and lame ? 
 Oh that men were but come to this condition, to be 
 fenfible of their mifery ! Oh then what mourning, 
 what hanging of their harps upon the willows, and 
 fitting by the rivers of Babylon, and crying out, how 
 (hall we fmg the Lord's fong in a ftrange land ? Till 
 they have deliverance they cannot but mourn, and 
 who can deliver them, but the Lion of the tribe of 
 Judah ? To fuch a foul only Chrift is precious : others 
 may talk of him and make a great profeflion of him, 
 but they cannot love him till he be Immanuel and 
 Saviour in them. Forms and ordinances cannot be 
 the reft of a Chriftian, becaufe they may be ufed and 
 lived in, and admired and prized, whilft thofe that ufc 
 them may be carried away with divers lufts. Thus 
 may not one be dipt and receive water -baptifm and 
 yet be a forcerer ? Was not Simon Magus fo ? May 
 not one be at breaking of bread with Chrift, and yet 
 be a devil ? Yes, for fo was Judas.' So far Webfter,
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 I. A HE Reader Is defined to excufe the diverfity of ftyle that 
 occurs in different parts of this work ; for which it is hoped the 
 following reafons will fufficiently apologize '1ft. The foregoing 
 part of the Hiftory to the year 1700, haviag been compiled for 
 the mod part by the perfon mentioned in the title-page, it was 
 deemed moft expedient to publiih it in his own words ; and 2dly, 
 in order that the genuine fenfe of the authors, of divers narrations 
 and epiftles, might be faithfully conveyed to pofterity, their own 
 words are alfo retained in their native {implicit/. 
 
 IT. Order of time, with refpecl to tbe accounts of the convince- 
 rncnt and fervices of many eminent minifters and elders, hath not 
 been always obferved, becaufe of the compiler's defign to place 
 thefe things together in one view, with the testimonies, or characters 
 given of them at their deccafe, where this could be conveniently 
 done. 
 
 III. It is but doing jufHcc to many other worthy ministers and 
 elders, of whom nothing in particular is related in the following 
 Hiftory, to acknowledge that their memoirs are as honourable as 
 thofe of whom particular accounts have been given, and their 
 fervices oftentimes were as great, although partly through the 
 great modefty of the perfons concerned, and partly through the 
 siegleft of others, no record was prefer red of them.
 
 THE 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 OP THE PEOPLE CALLID 
 
 QUAKERS^ . 
 
 IN 
 
 IRELAND. 
 
 CHAPTER I, 
 
 From the Jirft appearance of this People in Ireland, tt 
 the fett lenient of church-difdpline among them in the 
 year 1669 ; wherein is given an account of the Jirft 
 miniftring Friends who uijited Ireland, and their 
 labours in the gofpel ; (and particularly of William 
 Edmundfon) ; of the fuffermgs and hard/hips they 
 underwent ; the effeEis of their labours in the con- 
 vincement of many ; and the fir/I fettlement of particu- 
 lar meet ings i a./id of provincial, monthly and national 
 meetings. 
 
 IT i'eemed good to a half year's meeting affembled 
 in Dublin, in the Third month 1700, that a faithful 
 narrative fhoutd be preferved and tranfmitted to future 
 generations, of what great things the Lord had done 
 for a people within the c'ompafs of forty-five years 
 then part, and not out of the memory of fome elders 
 then living. Accordingly fuch a narrative was by 
 their advice compiled, being collected from divers 
 authentick papers and certificates, from whence the 
 following account *\vas drawn by Thomas Wight, of
 
 72 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 Cork, a worthy elder, whofe character is given in due 
 courfc of time in the following hiftory. 
 
 It is true, William Sevvel did, in the year 1722, 
 publifh a general hiftory of this people, who (in his 
 own 'words) ' began to take heed to a divine convic- 
 tion in the confcience, and preached unto others the 
 doctrine of an inward light wherewith Chrift had en- 
 lightened man, and in the latter end of the time of 
 king Charles I. began to increafe in number, and be- 
 came a feparate fociery among men, diftinguifhed by 
 the fcornful appellation of Quakers,' for an account 
 of whofe particular doctrines the reader is referred 
 fo Barclay's Apology. 
 
 The prefent undertaking may therefore perhaps be 
 pVejudged by fome as fuperfluous : nevertheless, a-s 
 divers occurrences have happened peculiar to Ireland, 
 both before the year 1700 when the aforefaid. 
 Thomas Wight finifhed his account, and through a 
 fcries of years to the prefent time, and fuch as feemed 
 Worthy of obfervation as matters of inftruftion and 
 edification, the collections of Thomas Wight have 
 been revifed and improved by fome important ad- 
 ditions, particularly of feverai epiftles, tefti monies, 
 or characters, of divers eminent minifters and elders, 
 together with a minute and faithful account of their 
 fpiritual experiences, and of the various fteps which 
 the divine wifdom led them through, in their purfuit 
 of everlafling happinefs, taken from their own writ- 
 ings, and fome other matters of raft, tending to give 
 unto thofe of the prefent age a true idea of the fpirit 
 and difpofition of their predeccfibrs, and of the pre- 
 fent fpiritual fituation of the fociety, with which view 
 the hiftory is continued down to the prefent time: 
 and moreover, as neither Sewel nor any author I am 
 acquainted with, hath, as yet, given fuch a minute 
 and circumftantial account of the Chriftian difcipline 
 exercifed among this people as either the fubject, or 
 its importance and ufefuliicis feem to demand.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 73 
 
 William Edmnndfon, born at Little Mufgrove in 
 Weftmoreland, in the year 1627, having received 
 Truth in the love of it, and obtained mercy of the 
 Lord to be faithful, was made inftrumental for gather- 
 ing and convincing fome (by declaring what God had 
 done for his foul) before any other miniftring friends 
 came out of -England in the meffage of the gofpel, of 
 whom as alfo of his own inward exercifes, trials and 
 fufferings, he kept an account in writing, which we 
 fhall therefore in the firfl place fubjoin with his own 
 words, viz. 
 
 ' It pleafed the Lord in my youthful days to bring 
 me often to a conftderation of my foul's happinefs, 
 and when I was in the army in Scotland under Oliver 
 Cromwell, matters relating to my falvation came more 
 clofe upon me; for the Lord was vifiting me, and 
 driving with me both in judgments and mercies. In 
 the year 1651, I came out of Scotland into England, 
 and being in Derbyfhire where the name of a people 
 called Quakers was much talked of, and one George 
 Fox to be the ring-leader of them ; various reports 
 went abroad concerning them, fome for good, and 
 many for evil ; but my heart was drawn towards 
 them for good. 
 
 ' Now about this time I married and left the army, 
 and \vas about to fettle in Derbyfhire : in the interim 
 my brother John Edmundfon being then a foldier in 
 Ireland, came over into England to vifit his relations, 
 and p'erfuaded me to go and live in Ireland : my wife 
 being willing, we prepared for it, and taking with us 
 one fervant, fome neceffaries, and merchants' goods, 
 \ve landed in Dublin, where I was flrongly impor- 
 tuned to fettle ; trading being then very brifk, and 
 houfes upon eafy terms, it being not long after the 
 plague ; but I was prevented by a fecret hand that I 
 did noc then know, which preferved me from the de- 
 ceitfulnefs of riches , with which, if 1 had given way 
 to this temptation, I had according to all probability,
 
 74 TJTE KISE AND PROGRESS Of THB 
 
 been laden as with thick clay, and thereby been hin- 
 dered from the Lord's fervice, as fome others are. 
 
 * So from Dublin we went into the North, and 
 took a houfe in Antrim, and my brother lived with 
 us, for the troop he belonged to, quartered in and 
 about that place : I foon fold off fny goods and went 
 for England to buy more ; and going into the North, 
 wnderftanding George Fox and James Naylor (of 
 whom I had heard) were come into thofe parts, I was 
 glad of that opportunity, and went to a place where 
 was James Naylor, who fpoke of the things of God's 
 kingdom, and work of regeneration ; and though his 
 words were not many, they were powerful, and 
 reached God's witnefs in me, that had long ftrove 
 with me, and my heart being then opened, as the 
 Lord opened the heart of Lydia, I knew it to be the 
 truth, and received it in the love of it ; for I had 
 longed after it, and was ready for the Lord's harveft. 
 Things appeared fo plain, and concurred with fo many 
 Scriptures, which were brought to my remembrance, 
 that I thought all that heard it declared, muft needs 
 confefs it was the very truth. In a very few days 
 the Lord's prayer mightily feized on me, and hedged 
 up my former way, and I was under great exercife of 
 fpirit on many accounts ; fo when I had done my 
 bufmefs in England, I intended by God's permhTion 
 again for Ireland, bound for Carrickfergus, or near 
 it, and at fea the Lord's hand was heavy on me, and 
 great wreftlings and conflicts of fpirit I had ; under 
 which exercifes I landed at Carrickfergus ; it was 
 fomething la'tt in the afternoon, yet I rode twelve 
 miles to Antrim, where, my wife and aforefaid 
 brother were. He meeting me at the door appeared 
 with his ufual falutation, but the Lord's power fo 
 ki/.ed on me that 1 could not join in it, and I was 
 broken into many tears. We went in, and fat down, 
 and I was mightily exercifed under the fenfe of the 
 Lord's power, which begat in me a true godly forrow.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 75 
 
 but mixed with comfort in his tender mercies. My 
 wife and brother fat quiet, with no fmall admiration 
 at the change; (this was in the year 1653.) Now 
 I came to the entry of my goods which was no fmall 
 cxercife to get through, becaufe at the cuftom-houfe 
 an oath would be required, and when they required 
 it of me, I told them I could not fvvear ; for Chrift 
 had forbidden it. This was a flrange thing to them, 
 not having met with the like before ; my deportment, 
 and fpeech in ufing the words Thee and Thou to 
 them, and not putting off my hat was very offenfive ; 
 but the Lord flrengthened me, and my mind was 
 towards him, which enabled me to ftand in the crofs, 
 and defpife the fhame, and fo according to my fmall 
 meafure, I flood in my teftimony for his truth, by 
 which I got through that exercife, and received my 
 goods and came home. By this time great difcourfes 
 were about the Quakers ; and I was yet under great 
 exercife of fpirit, the Lord's hand being mighty 
 upon me in his judgments, yet, as I faid before, 
 mixed with his mercies, and my pain and trouble in- 
 creafed as a woman's in travail bringing forth her 
 firft-born ; and in the night feafon I wifhed for 
 morning, and when the morning came, my travail 
 and hard labour ceafed not, and then I wiflied for 
 night again, that my bed might give me eafe ; thug 
 was I like one tofled, and afflicted in this fpiritual 
 warfare, wherein I could find none that could fpeak 
 a word of comfort, that had trod in this (trait path. 
 Many profeffors came to jangle and contend, and 
 fpake evil of the way to truth, which added trouble 
 to my wounded heart, and broken fpirit, but it 
 wrought for good, ror it raifed difcourfes far and 
 near what a people there, was, and of their \rays, 
 manners, and behaviour ; which fettled fo in the 
 minds of fober people, that it put them upon an 
 inquiry into the principles and faith of them. 
 
 ' Now was my name much talked of abroad, and
 
 j THE KISE AND PROGRESS OF THB 
 
 one Miles Bousfield called a major, who had received 
 fome convincemenr In England by George Fox, came 
 foon away upon it into Ireland, and being about that 
 pare of the country I lived in, and hearing of me, 
 and the great exercife of confcience I was in, came 
 to fee me, but it happened I was from home : he 
 fpoke much of religion, and the work of the inner 
 man to my wife, and how glad he would be of my 
 company, &c. When I came home, my wife in- 
 forming me of him, and his difcourfe, 1 was very 
 glad ; for I would have gone far to find an experi- 
 enced friend that could have informed or helped me 
 in my great ftraits ; for I faw my own poverty, and 
 weaknefs, and the enemy as a ftrong man armed 
 making war within and without: fo I rode to fee major 
 Bousfield twelve miles, and abode with him all night. 
 He talked much of the work of God in man ; fpoke 
 \vell of the way of truth, and of George Fox, and 
 James Naylor, and exhorted me to be cheerful and 
 merry, and not to be caft down with thofe troubles, 
 for it was the enemy's work to drive me into defpair ; 
 for I had the tokens of God's love, and he would 
 love me to the end, and nothing in me could hinder 
 his work, &c. I gave attention to his words, being 
 low, and dejefted in my fpirit j his words anfwered 
 me in that which pleafed felf ; for fomething in me 
 would have enjoyed the Lord without bearing his 
 righteous judgments, or living in the daily crofs of 
 Chrifl : and this I found major Bousfield was a 
 ill-anger to, but made me eafy over God's witnefs in 
 iny confcience, and healed my hurt too fafE ; for in a 
 few days after I left him, it broke out again, the 
 Lord's hand purfuing me, in whofe light I faw and 
 felt fomething yet in me that withftood the work of 
 God, which mufl be flain and crucified by the Lord*$ 
 judgments, and the daily crofs of Chrift Jefus. Then 
 my wound was opened, and I faw there was no phy- 
 fician but the Lord alone, and I aifo faw where
 
 t>OPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 7^ 
 
 Bousfield was, and all of that fpirit ; that they took 
 up their reft and fatisfaftion in a talk and notion of 
 religion, without the true crofs of Chrift, that fhould 
 mortify their lufts, wills, and vile affeftions, and cru- 
 cify them to the world, and the world unto them, 
 being at eafe in a form of godlinefs without the real 
 work of the power/ So far William Edmundfon. 
 
 In the beginning of the year 1654, Miles Halhead, 
 James Lancafter, and Miles Bateman, plain men* 
 came out of England with a teftimony for truth, on 
 which account they had fome fervice with the chief 
 rulers and officers of the army : they made little 
 ftay, but went into the North, and took (hipping at 
 Belfaft for England again. 
 
 At that time William Edmundfon was removing 
 his habitation from Antrim to Lurgan, and foon after 
 his brother came and dwelt with him, and a meeting 
 was kept at his houfe in Lurgan, which was the firft: 
 fettled meeting of the people called Quakers in Ire- 
 land. This meeting was but fmall at firft, but as 
 their minds were kept inward, waiting in ftillnefs 
 upon God, they felt his prefence to comfort and 
 ftrengthen them in time of great forrow and weak- 
 nefs, and their number increafed ; for the name of 
 Friends and fame of truth did fpread, and divers 
 fober people that fought after the knowledge of God 
 joined with them, as William Soulden and his wife, 
 John Hendryn, William Lynas, and feveral others : 
 and fhe Lord was pleafed to give William Edmundfon 
 a part in the word and teftimony of his kingdom and 
 gofpel of falvation, which he laboured in according 
 to his meafure in much weaknefs and fear. He 
 was moved to go to the publick worfhip-hpufe be- 
 longing to Lurgan, to declare truth in the time of 
 their worfhip, and was much beaten there by colonel 
 Stewart ; but his teftimony reached the hearts of 
 fome, particularly Mark Wright and Mark Sawyer,
 
 78 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 who followed him out of the faid worfhip-houfe, and 
 joined with friends. 
 
 The next friend that came out of England was 
 John Tiffin, who came and fat with the above-men- 
 tioned friends in their meeting, and did fometimes 
 fpeak a few comfortable and edifying words among 
 them : William Edmnndfon and he travelled together 
 to feveral places, and had good fervice fcr truth, and 
 difcoui fed and had difputes with profcflbrs, and many 
 began to liften to them and inquire into their faith 
 and principles, and truth began to fpread, though 
 through great oppofition ; for now the priefts and 
 people began to be alarmed and in a rage, and 
 Friends were expofcd to great fufferings upon feveral 
 obvious accounts ; particularly, as the teilimony of 
 truth was againfl all hireling teachers, and their 
 forced maintenance, thefe made it their bufmefs to 
 inccnfe the magiflrates and rulers againfr. Friends as 
 holding damnable doclrineSj led away with the de- 
 lulions of fatan, &c. and their confcientious. fcrnpling 
 to fwear, in obedience to Chriil's command, Swear 
 not at all, was a ftrange thing to die people, as was 
 alfo the ufe of the plain and proper fpeech of Thou 
 and Thee to a fmgle perfon, and refufing to take off 
 their hats, as being a teftimony of honour and refpect 
 due to Almighty God only ; and few could fuffer 
 thefe things,* but frequently on thefe accounts treated 
 them with abufive words, and fometimes with blows 
 or throwing {tones. The keeping to one price in 
 felling of goods and to the firfl demand without 
 
 * ' Thefe pra>Sticc of theirs ',T<TC not the refult oF humour, or of a 
 framed Jcfijrn to declar.- or recommend fchifm or novelty, or to diftinguift* 
 themfelves as a party from others: but God having given them a fight, of 
 ibcnifclvfs, they faw the whol<- world in the lame glufs of truth, and fen- 
 lihly ciiCccrned the affcoliyns and paQions of men, and the rife avid tendency 
 of thirgs.' Sc-e Perm's Rife and I'rogrels of the People called Quaker*. 
 And in a Treatife of the fame author entiuiled Kfo CROSS No CROWN, 
 thefe matters arc difcuflld at h'.r^e, and particularly the true honeUi ei-c.-l-. 
 .'-.'!: !y ciltingiufh<! 1'rwm the vuiti aad v?yr!(]ljr.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 79 
 
 abatement, was alfo a great flumbling-block to moft, 
 and made them decline dealing with them for fome 
 time, until they faw into the juftice * thereof. But 
 to return to John Tiffin. 
 
 He and William Edmundfon went to Belfafl (a 
 town of great profeffion) where there was but one 
 of all the inns and publick houfes that would lodge 
 them ; here John Tiffin lodged, and often endea- 
 voured to get an entrance for truth in that town, 
 but they refilled, (hutting their ears, doors and hearts 
 againfl the publimers thereof, f Near this town 
 there dwelt one Laythes, who promifed to let them 
 have a meeting at his houfe, but through forne flavifh 
 fear failed of his promife and difappointed them; 
 yet this did not hinder them, viz. John Tiffin, Wm. 
 Edmundfon, &c. from holding a meeting in the 
 open air ; for there being a little way from the laid 
 Laythes's houfe three lanes ends that met, they fat 
 down and kept their meeting there, and were a 
 wonder to the people who came about them ; and 
 fomething was fpoken to direft their minds to God'* 
 Spirit in their own hearts. Thefe exercifes, though 
 in much weaknefs and fear, fpread the name and 
 fame of truth, and occafioned many honeft people to 
 inquire after it, and fome were added to the meeting 
 at Lurgan.} John Tiffin having fpent five or fix 
 weeks with friends, returned for England. 
 
 Thus at the beginning, was the way ftrait and diffi- 
 cult, but yet truth gained ground and prevailed, and 
 the number of friends increafed, and they had a 
 godly care over their words and a&ions, that they 
 might give no occaiion to the adverfaries of truth, 
 who were many ; but as friends kept low in the fear 
 of the Lord, they were prelerved and God's witnefs 
 in the people was reached ; of which it may not be 
 impertinent to mention one inftance, viz. John, Shaw 
 
 Edmundfon'i journal, Se<3. , f Ibid. S?&, 3. t Ibid.
 
 CO THE KISE A^D PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 of Broad-Oak near Lifnegarvy, (who with his family 
 were convinced about this time) often faid that 
 "William Edmundfon's words and deportment were a 
 means to convince him of the truth. 
 
 The next friend that came out of England in the 
 miniftry was Richard Clayton, who came to William 
 Edmundfon's houfe, by the Lord's direction, as he 
 faid ; fo he and William Edmundfon travelled toge- 
 ther on foot in the Lord's fervice (for then it was 
 not eafy for travellers to ride, or get lodging at inns, 
 the people being prejudiced againd friends by the 
 inftigations of the prieds, throwing (tones and dirt 
 at them as they puffed along. ) They went through 
 feveral towns and villages to Coleraine, and there 
 publifhed the truth in their flrcets, and put a paper 
 upon their, wormip-houfe door ; for the inhabitants 
 would not receive them, nor let them lodge in the 
 town, but banifhed them out of it, fo they lodged at 
 a cabin in the mountains, and next day they went to 
 Londonderry, where one Evans hofpitably received 
 and entertained them. They had two meetings there, 
 and he and his wife and two fons and one daughter 
 were convinced of the truth : the governor was at 
 both meeings, and he and feveral others acknow- 
 ledged the truth declared by them, (hewing them- 
 felves kind and affectionate. From thence they 
 travelled to Strabane and Newtown-ftewart, Omagh, 
 Dungannon, and Charlemont, and to the houfe of 
 Margery Atkinfon (near Killmore, where William 
 Edmundfon had been once before), a widow and a 
 worthy woman, who received the Truth with glad- 
 nefs, and lived and died in the Lord, and her memo- 
 rial is bled. They had a meeting at her houfe upon 
 the fird day of the week, at which meeting Richard 
 Clayton was very ferviceable, and feveral tender 
 people received the truth at that time in the love of 
 it, as William Williamfon the elder, a faithful, godly 
 man, and his fon William Williamfon (a faithful, fer-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. $t 
 
 viccable man to his dying day) and their wives and 
 families: alfo John VVilliamfon, Matthew Horner 
 and wife, and feveral others ; and foon after, old 
 William Brownlow, Francis Hobfon, Lawrence Hcb- 
 fon and feveral others; and having fettled a meeting 
 there (which in time became large) they parted in 
 the love of God, and foon after Richard Clayton 
 went for England. Now the truth began more to 
 fpread, and its friends increafed, and they had meet- 
 ings in feveral phces. Not long after this a meeting 
 was fettled at the Grange below Antrim, at the houfe 
 of Gabriel Clark, an honeft, religious, imcient man, 
 who received truth, as alfo his wife and family. 
 Another meeting was alfo held at Toberhead at the 
 houfe of Archibald Scott, who alfo received truth 
 (a religious, honeil-hearted man), and people more 
 and more were convinced, infomuch that the priefts 
 and profeffors ftill raged, many tender people leaving 
 them; and to revenge themfelves they caft William 
 Edmundfon into pnfon in Ardmagh, the county- gaol 
 not being repaired after the war. He was put into a 
 little room in the gaoler's houfe, where although he 
 was weak in his own eyes, the Lord was his ftrength, 
 and his 'power comforted him, and he was made a 
 terror to the gaoler and his wife, although he faid 
 nothing. 
 
 This year James Lancafler and John Tiffin came 
 over from England, in the miniftry a fecond time. 
 They landed in the North, and being at meeting on 
 the green in Lurgan, near the market-place, many 
 rude perfons came thither, and beat the faid two 
 friends and William Edmundfon very fevcrely, and 
 drove them to the town's end, thinking to drive them 
 out of it, but the more fober fort of people rofc up 
 againft them and prevented it. v 
 
 In the beginning of this year alfo came over, and 
 landed in Dublin, Elizabeth Fletcher and Elizabeth 
 Smith, who having the teftimony of truth to declare. 
 
 VOL. III. F
 
 82 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OT THE 
 
 publiftied the fame both at the publick worftiip-honte 
 called St. Audeon's, and at a meeting of the Baptifts* 
 For the firft they were committed by order of Richard 
 Tigh) Lord mayor of the city, to Newgate prifon, 
 and the Baptifts reje&ed the teftimony of truth* 
 After they were releafed from Newgate, they had a 
 meeting at the chamber of Richard Fowkes, a taylor* 
 near Polegate, which was the firft meeting that can 
 be remembered to have been kept in Dublin, and the 
 firft fettled meeting was at George Latham's near 
 Polegate. Their fervice was alfo great in the fonth- 
 crn parts, particularly at Youghall, where divers 
 were convinced by their minillry, viz. captain James 
 Sicklemore, Robert Sandham, and feveral others ; 
 and the fame two women were the firft of the 
 people called Quakers that came to the city of Cork, 
 in the fame year 1655 ; and with Edward Burrough 
 and Francis Howgil, who alfo arrived the fame year, 
 were inftrumental to the convincement of many in 
 the province of Munfter, and particularly in Cork, 
 viz. Elizabeth Erberry, Alexander Atkins, and Ann 
 'his wife, Thomas Mitchel, and Sufanna his wife, Philip 
 Dymond, Richard Pike, and Elizabeth his wife, Fran- 
 cis Rogers, William Rogers, Stephen Harris, and his 
 wife, George Webber, George Gamble, Henry Fag- 
 gater, Thomas Ridge, and others. 
 
 Not long after this feveral were convinced, as 
 Elizabeth Gardner, a faithful, zealous woman who 
 lived and died in the truth, Samuel Claridgc, James 
 Fade, and William Wadman. 
 
 The aforefaid Elizabeth Fletcher vifited Ireland a 
 fecond time about two years after,* and Francis 
 Howgil recommended her by the following teftimony 
 addreffed to the Friends of Ireland : 
 
 * As this record of the friends of Ireland may he relied on as authentic, 
 the perfon called Elizabeth Fletcher, who in SewcL's Hiftory, p. 91 . is faid 
 to have died foon after the abufe fhe received in the year 1654, muft eithjr 
 lizvr. been another of the fame name, or elfc it mult have been a miilakc that 
 <!K t1>d foon after that time.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* S$ 
 
 * I am glad that my dear and well- beloved filler 
 Elizabeth Fletcher ( who is a helper and worker in 
 the Lord's vineyard) is moved to come to you again, 
 \vho is found, honeft, precious, and of good report 
 in the family of God, who I know will be ferviceablc 
 to the Lord and to you, in this his day wherein he 
 is fpreading his name through the nations.' 
 
 ' Francis HowgiL* 
 
 The faid Elizabeth Fletcher having declared Truth 
 in the market-place at Youghall, after flie had had a 
 large and fatisfactory meeting, James Wood, an inde- 
 pendent teacher, oppofed women's preaching ; but 
 ihe, having fpoken largely before, and particularly 
 among other things, of the Lord's pouring forth his 
 fpirit upon fons and daughters according to the pro- 
 phet Joel, and recommended jhe people to the grace 
 of God) was not forward to anfwer his cavils ; but 
 James Sicklemore and Edward Laundy took up the 
 argument in her behalf, and in the conclufion truth 
 prevailed over the oppofition then raifed againft it. 
 
 About this time W. E. relates in his Journal that 
 .he had fome drawings on his, fpirit to go for England 
 and fee George Fox, whom he had not yet feen ; and 
 accordingly went over, and met with him at Badgeley 
 in Leicefterfhire, and that George Fox took notice of 
 him, and they went into a retired place, where G. 
 Fox hneeled down and prayed, and that the Lord's 
 heavenly power and prefence was there : he told 
 George of feveral being convinced in Ireland, and 
 of the opennefs amongft people in the North of that 
 nation to hear the truth declared, and of the want 
 of miniftring friends in the gofpel there, who here- 
 upon wrote the following epiftle to friends of Ireland, 
 and fent it by William Edmundfon, viz. 
 
 * Friends, 
 
 4 In that which convinced you, wait, that you may 
 
 F 2
 
 34 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 have that removed you are convinced of; and all my 
 dear friends, dwell in the life, and love, and power, 
 and \v5fdom of God, in unity one with another, and 
 with God ; and the peace and wifdom of God fill all 
 your hearts, that nothing may rule in you but the 
 life, which ftands in the Lord God. G. F.' 
 
 And W. E. upon his return to Ireland read the 
 foregoing epiftle to friends in a meeting ; whereupon 
 he further relates that the power of the Lord feized 
 on them xvhereby they were mightily lhaken and 
 broken into tears. 
 
 The fummer of the fame year was memorable for 
 the landing of Francis Howgil and Edward Burrough, 
 two able eminent preachers of the gofpel of peace : 
 they had great fervice in Munfter, feveral receiving 
 their teflimony and adhering to the do&rine they 
 preached. It was therefore refolved that they fhould 
 not be fnffered to flay long in Ireland, but by an 
 order from the government, at the infligation of the 
 prieils, they were taken prifoners in Cork, and fent 
 by a guard from garrifon to garrifon to Dublin in 
 order to be banifhed. They had no meeting in 
 Dublin, yet had fome fervice for the Lord with 
 thofe that came to fee them, being confined to the 
 houfe of Mortimer, ferjeant at arms, and after fome 
 time were in a violent manner haled a fhip-board, and 
 banifhed for England. 
 
 Some hints of their fervices are left us, which I 
 {hall here infert, and next an account of the firfl 
 convincement of friends at Limerick. 
 
 And firfl of the fervice of the faid Francis Howgil, 
 at Bandon, where he was received by Edward Cook 
 (a man of great parts, a cornet of horfe in Oliver 
 Cromwell's own troop, and receiver to the lord Cork), 
 who alfo went with him on a Firfl-day of the week 
 to the public worfhip-houfe at Bandon, where th 
 laid Francis having declared truth amongft the
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 85 
 
 people, Edward Cook invited them to come to a 
 meeting to be held at his houfe that evening ; where 
 there was a great concourfe of people, to whom 
 Francis preached the gofpel, and opened the way of 
 -life and falvation ; and many confefled to the truth of 
 what he declared, and joined in fociety with friends, 
 as Edward Cook and Lucretia his wife, Daniel 
 Mafley and Sarah his wife, Robert Mallins and 
 Mary his wife, Katharine Smith, William Smith, 
 Matthew Prin, William Driver, Joan Frank, Thomas 
 Bifs, &c. 
 
 Concerning the aforefaid Edward Cook the follow- 
 ing teftimony is left us : 'he embraced the truth 
 with his whole heart, and retained it ; was given up 
 to ferve the Lord, and lived and walked under the 
 crofs of Chrift Jefus, in great felf-denial to the world 
 and the glory and greatnefs of it, to his dying day, 
 and laid down his head in peace with God, and fweet 
 unity with true-hearted fiiends.' 
 
 On the Seventh day of the week Edward Burrough 
 and Francis Howgil, and with them James Sicklemore 
 and Edward Cook, went to Limerick, and next morn- 
 ing to the publick place of worihip, and after fome 
 time, attempting to fpeak, were run upon by the 
 people, and next day put forth through the gates by 
 an order j and as they rode along, Edward Burrough 
 preached through the ftrcets on horfeback, and with- 
 out the gates had an opportunity of fpeaking to a 
 great multitude that followed ; as alfo l ? rancis How- 
 gil, James Sic!;lemore, and Edward Cook fpoke a few 
 words; the tendency of which was to direct the people 
 to Chrift Jef^s, a meafure of whole light was given 
 to every one to profit withal. Thefe acceptable 
 tidings of the gofpel of peace took place with 
 Thomas Phelps, Richard Pearce, John Love, &c. 
 
 Divers alfo were convinced the fame year at 
 Kinfale by the miniftry of the aforcf.iid Ed war 1 
 Burrough and Francis Howgil, and among the rel't
 
 86 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 Sufannah Worth, wife of Edward Worth, afterwards 
 bifhop of Killaloc, who, though (lie fuffered much 
 from her hufband, lived and died in unity with 
 friends. 
 
 After fomc time, feveral other friends came to 
 Limerick, as John Perrott, Robert Mallins, Humphrey 
 Norton, William Shaw, Thomas Loe, and fome 
 women friends, as Barbara Blugdon, &c. Now thofe 
 who had received fome degree of convincement, 
 being yet but tender and weak, went for fome time 
 to hear one Robert Wilkinfon, a captain in the army, 
 and withal a preacher, a man in great efteem, much 
 given to religious difputation, and attended by a large 
 auditory, who, according to the account given of him, 
 appears to have been a man that had received fome 
 illuminations, but too much a ftranger to that filent 
 and humble waiting in the divine light, which would 
 mortify the carnal will, that would bufily but unpro- 
 litably intermeddle in fpiritual matters. Him, how- 
 ever, thefe newly convinced went to hear, until one 
 Abraham Newbold, by an impulfe on his mind, 
 came from Waterford and went alfo to that meeting 
 where the faid Robert Wilkinfon was preaching, 
 and (food up, and with a flrong voice uttered thefe 
 words, Serpent be filent ; a few words, but power- 
 ful, which when Wilkinfon heard, he would have 
 entered into difpute and known by what fpirit the 
 faid Newbold fpake, to which Newbold only gave 
 anfwer, Thou knoweft not. Wilkinfon attempted 
 however to proceed in his preaching ; but was fo 
 difcompofed that he could not, but was carried out 
 of the meeting, an4 on the next meeting-day was fo 
 difordered that he was taken out of the meeting 
 fainting, and from that time ceafcd preaching any 
 more, and became foolifh in the latter end of his 
 .days. 
 
 Jn procefs of time it came to pafs that thofe con- 
 vinced, being more enlightened in their unclerftnnd- 
 ings, met together in Uknce, and alfo became
 
 PEOPLE CALLED (QUAKERS. 87 
 
 concerned to bear a teftimony to the truth againft 
 the world's fafhions and manners $ and their words, 
 habits and deportment made them a reproach, and 
 brought them into {offerings, as imprifonment, &c. 
 Nay, the mgiftrates did publickly forbid the people to 
 buy any thing of friends, and particularly of Richard 
 Pearce, apothecary in Limerick ; and this fufpenfion 
 continued on him feveral months, but he regained 
 his bufmefs, and followed it with reputation the reft 
 of his days. He was the firft in Limerick that re- 
 ceived friends into his houfe, where meetings were 
 kept for many years, and was fucceeded by his fon 
 Thomas Pearce, both in his outward and in his inward 
 calling. But to return to Edward Burrough ; befides 
 divers places in Munfter, he vifited Kilkenny, where 
 he laboured in the gofpel, and feveral were convinced, 
 and a meeting was fettled there and kept up feveral 
 years : but William Mitchel and his wife fell into 
 fome wild imaginations, and George Danfon and his 
 wife into quarrelling, and fo the meeting came to be 
 loft, yet one ancient woman, by name Ellher Beaver, 
 continued faithful to her dying day, who received 
 friends that came to vifit the fajd place, and meet- 
 ings were many times kept there afterwards, 
 
 In order that my reader may form fome idea of 
 ihe fpirit and character of the aforefaid Edward 
 Burrough, I fliall here infert the fubftance of two 
 papers written by him, breathing forth the fpirit of 
 evangelical liberty, viz. 
 
 ' To the judge? and juftices and all that handle 
 the law.' 
 
 ' Chrift Jefus is the light of the world, by which 
 every one of you is enlightened, which light if you love 
 and be guided by, it will lead you out of the world's 
 ways, nature, and unrighteaufnefs, and will give you 
 an entrance into everlafting life ; and in this world it 
 will teach you how to ferve God in righteoufnefs in 
 your generation., and to, give righteous judgments and 
 
 F4
 
 58 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 counfels among your brethren without refpect of per- 
 funs. None can rule for God but who are ruled by 
 him, with his light that (nines in the confcience, by 
 which you being. governed, will by it govern in the 
 earth righreouily. You are' not to judge for gifts 
 and rewards, for if you do, you judge not for God, 
 but for }>ourfelves, and you and your judgment is to 
 be judged and condemned with the righteous law of 
 God, which is free; but fuch who fear God and 
 hate covetoufnefs, and gifts and rewards, are to bear 
 rule, and fuch will handle the law righteouily, and be 
 a terror to evil doers, and will fhind for the praife of 
 them that do well. But if fuch bear rule and 
 handle the law which know not God, nor are ruled 
 by him, thefe will abufe the law and be a terror to 
 righteoufnefs and good works, and will ftrengthen 
 the hands of evil doers, and will let vice and wicked- 
 nefs efcape unpunifhed. 
 
 ' The law was added, to flay unrighteoufnefs, 
 againft the difobedient and lawlef.s ; but it was not 
 made for the righteous, whofe confciences are exer- 
 cifed towards God and towards man by the pure law 
 of God written in the heart. If you make a law in 
 your own (carnal) wills, and judge by fuch a law, 
 then you will make the innocent fuffer, arid opprefs 
 them who walk in the law of God, and in the exer- 
 cife of a pure confcience : Chrift was put to death 
 by fucb a law, and the faints in all generations were 
 perfecuted by fuch laws which were made in the will 
 of man, contrary to the will and law of God : fo 
 take heed what you do, and know your place and 
 the length and breadth of your law, which is com- 
 mitted, to you, which is to keep the outward man in 
 good order, and the nation in peace and truth, and 
 from theft, and murder, and adultery, and quarreling, 
 and drunkennefs, and wronging one another, and fuch 
 like : fuch who aft thefe things walk contrary to the 
 light., and fo bring therafelves under the penalty of
 
 PEOPLE CALJLED QUAKERS. 89 
 
 the law : but over the inward man your law, which 
 is outward, hath no power to limit, to tie to or from 
 any way of worfhip in religion ; but let religion 
 defend itfelf. and lay not your law upon the confer- 
 ence- to exercife dominion over it (for it is Chrift's 
 feat in which he will rule), left you be found tyrants 
 and numbered for deftrucYion ; nor limit the Spirit 
 of the Lord, how, when, where, and by whom it 
 mult fpeak ; for the holy men of God in all ages ever 
 cried againft fuch rulers as did judge falfe judgment, 
 and for gifts and rewards, and againft fuch priefls 
 and prophets as preached for hire and divined for 
 money, and fought for their gain from their quarter, 
 and through covetoufnefs made merchandize of fouls : 
 therefore ye be warned, if fuch you uphold, by law, 
 who aft fuch things which the Scripture declares 
 againft, the Scripture which you profefs will (tand 
 a witnefs againft you, and the law of God will con- 
 demn you ; and God will lay your honour in the 
 duft, and caft you out of the feat of judgment : but 
 judge the caufe of the poor and needy, of the widow 
 and fatherlefs, and join mercy with judgment, and 
 lay your fwords upon oppreffion and all tyranny and 
 wrong dealing, that the land may be cleanfed of 
 evil-doers, and equity and righteoufnefs may flow 
 down, and the nation in good order may be kept, 
 in peace and righteoufnefs, and fo God will eltablifli 
 you among his children, who are taught of him alone, 
 and are far from oppreffion.' Written at Dublin the 
 2-3d of the Eighth month, 1655, by Edward Burrough. 
 He alfo wrote another paper entitled, 'The Unjult 
 Sufferings of the Juft declared, and their Appeal to 
 the Juft Witnefs of God in all Men's Confciences,' 
 which was as follows : 
 
 * To all ye colonels and commanders and officers, 
 and to all the honeft-hearted in the city of Dublin 
 and elfewhere, to whom this may come.
 
 90 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 c Hereby we the prifoners of the Lord, for the 
 teftimony of Jefus, and for the exercife of a pure 
 confcience, do lay down our caufe before you, and to 
 the light of Jefus Chrift in all your confciences we 
 appeal in this our caufe of righteoufnefs and innocency, 
 to be judged thereby. We are men fearing God 
 and working righteoufnefs, and are friends to the 
 commonwealth of Ifrael, and are exalters of juflice 
 and true judgment in the earth, and are fubjeft to 
 all juft power, and to every juft ordinance of man 
 for confcience-fake, and have fuffered the lofs of all, 
 and have borne part of the burden with you, that 
 we might obtain the freedom of the righteous feed, 
 and the liberty of tender confciences, to ferve the 
 Lord in his own way ; and we are well known to the 
 Lord though Grangers to you, and are freemen in 
 the record of heaven, though now fufferers unjuftly 
 under your prefent authority, who have taken the 
 place of exercifing lord (hip over our pure confciences, 
 und have imprifoned us, and endeavoured to give 
 judgment of banifliing us, only upon falfe accufations, 
 and informations and fianders, without the proof or 
 teiYimony of any accufation of evil juilly laid to our 
 charge. And to you hereby be it 'known, that not 
 for evil-doing do we thus fuffer, for to this prefent 
 no man hath convinced us of any evil, nor juflly 
 proved the tranfgrcllion of any law, martial or civil, 
 tfgainft us, though we fhind accufed of many grievous 
 tilings, of which we are clearly innocent in the fight 
 of him that lives for ever, and do nothing more dclire 
 herein but to be tried by the law of equity and righ- 
 teoufnefs and judged according thereunto. By virtue 
 of command given, untp us by the eternal Spirit of the 
 Lord came we into this land of Ireland, contrary to 
 the will of man, not to feck ourfelves, nor our own 
 glory, nor to prejudice your nation nor government, 
 jjpr to be hurtful to your commonwealth, but with 
 the meiiag? of the gofpcl of Chrift Jefus, we. came
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. <JI 
 
 to turn from darknefs to light, and from the power 
 of fatan to the power of God, and to minifter the 
 word of reconciliation and falvation freely (with- 
 out gift or reward) unto loft fouls ; and hereof God 
 is our witnefs, and alfo we have the feals of our 
 miniftry, which unto us herein can give teftimony by 
 the fame fpirit, and this are we ready to feal with 
 our blood. And thefe fix months and upwards 
 have we laboured in travels and fufferings, and re- 
 proaches, and have paffed through your cities and 
 towns in fobernefs j and in meeknefs have we preached 
 the kingdom of God, and have holden forth the word 
 of truth and the teftimony of Jefus ; and our lives 
 have we not loved till this day, though fometimes 
 dangers on every fide have befet us, that we might 
 hold forth the faith of Jefus, the author of o.ur pro- 
 feflion, in the exercife of a pure confcience, both by 
 doclrine and converfation ; and herein are we juftified 
 in the fight of God, and who is he that condemns 
 us ? And we call heaven and earth to record, and 
 the light in all men's confciences who have heard 
 our doftrine and feen our converfation, to witneO 
 for us herein ; and we challenge all your nation of 
 Ireland, our very enemies, to prove the contrary ; 
 though otherwife we (land falfely accufed and falfely 
 reputed to be difturbers and makers of diforders, to 
 the breach of publick peace and fuch like grievous 
 things, upon the falfe information whereof a warrant 
 was iffued out from the chief ruler and council of 
 Ireland, and we thereby were apprehended in the 
 city of Cork, and haled by guards as malefa&org 
 too, before the council in this city, where none of 
 all thefe falfe accufations were or could be proved 
 againft us, nor the tranfgreflion of any known law 
 could we be convicted of; and though occafions were 
 fought againft us, yet none could be found, and 
 though fnares were laid for our feet, yet were we 
 not entrapped, but were cleared in the light of God,
 
 92 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 witneffed by the light in all their confciences, and 
 were found innocent and without reproof in the eye 
 of the Lord ; and by our innocency were their orders 
 of falfe accufations ma e of none effect, and we thus 
 far proved to be guiltlefs before the throne of true 
 judgment: yet notwithstanding, contrary to the light 
 in their own confciences, and contrary to the juft 
 laws of the nations (which afford freedom to the 
 free-born and righteous) were we committed to 
 prifon without convi&ion, or any guilt charged upon 
 us, or the leaft appearance of evil towards any man's 
 perfon, though falfely accufed, yet no true teftimony 
 given againft us, whereby our boldnefs in the way of 
 the Lord could be difcouraged, as having the tefti- 
 mony of the Spirit of God bearing us witnefs in the 
 Holy Ghoft, that in all good confcience towards 
 God and towards man we have lived to this day ; 
 allb are without reproof in the fight of God and all juft 
 men ; and though upon fearch and examination we were 
 found guiltlefs thus far, yet farther hath the enemy, 
 the devil, prevailed in cruelty againft the innocent, 
 that it is endeavoured that we be banifhed under the 
 account of vagabonds, which lad accufation is the 
 mofl falfe and unrighteous ; for we challenge this, 
 Of whom have we begged ? Or to whom have we 
 been burthenfome ? Or whofe bread have we eaten 
 for nothing ? Or what evil have we done ? Where 
 is the teftimony of your {landers? But innocently do 
 \ve fufTer thefe things, bearing reproaches, and binding 
 the cruelty done unto us as chains about our necks, 
 and as crowns upon our head?, having the aiTurance 
 that for well-doing we fuller thefe things from the 
 hands of the rulers, through the lies and (landers of 
 the teachers, who are in Cain's way of perfecution, 
 till they have fulfilled their mcafure of wickednefs, 
 and be laid wafte as the wildernefs. And this is our 
 caufe, and hereby it comes before you, by the light 
 of Chrift in your confciences to be judged, if your 
 hearts be not altogether hardened, and your mind
 
 PEOPLrE CALLED QUAKERS. 93 
 
 \vholly blinded ; and we lay it at your door to re- 
 ceive fcntence from yon, and without refpect of 
 perfons hold forth our guiltlefs catife before you, 
 not begging any thing from you, but herein to clear 
 our confciences, that you may fave yourfelves from 
 this untoward generation, whofe root is corrupt, and 
 fruit bittcrnefs ; for while we have breath from the 
 Lord, and enjoyment of his prefence, our duty is to 
 ferve the Lord, in bearing witnefs againil injuftice, 
 and all cruelty and oppreiHon, and fliall appeal to 
 receive juftice from the prefent power that now rules; 
 for in the name of the Lord we challenge our privi- 
 lege of freedom, as being free born, till we be accufed 
 guilty by the juft law of equity, unto which we arc 
 fubjeft for confcience-fake, and not to any man's 
 will, but by word and writing are bound by the law 
 of God to bear witnefs againil the unjufl proceedings 
 herein of the heads and rulers of Dublin, and (hall 
 feal our witnefs againft them, and again!} their un- 
 righteous decrees fealed in their cruelty againfl the 
 innocent, with our blood, if thereunto we be called. 
 
 ' Edward Burrough.' 
 
 Dublin, the a:h of the Twelfth Month, 
 16.55- 
 
 He alfo wrote a paper dated from the city of Cork, 
 entitled, ' A Difcovery of the Idol Dumb Shepherds 
 in Ireland, and a Lamentation over their Starved and 
 Strayed Flocks.' And another from Catherlough, 
 entitled, * An Invitation to all the poor defolate 
 Soldiers, to repent, and make their Peace with the 
 Lord, and their Duty fhewed them what the Lord 
 requires of them/ Both which may be feen in his 
 works. 
 
 So much may fuffice as fpecimens of the faid Edward 
 Burrough's method of addreffing {hangers : I fliall 
 next fubjoin an epiflle of his to the brethren heve, 
 both as a fpecimen of the language and fentiments 
 of friends in thofe days, and as containing matter
 
 94 
 
 not unworthy the attention of thofe of the prefent 
 generation, viz. 
 
 ' To all the feed of God in Ireland, whom the Lord 
 is gathering by his out-itretched arm, and making 
 vefiels of his honour, that he may dwell with you. 
 
 'The grace, mercy, and peace of God be incrcafed 
 amongft you, that the Father may reap fruit of you, 
 who is glorified by bringing forth much fruit : I fay 
 unto you all, Love the Lord and his truth above all 
 things, and let his fear be before your eyes, and his 
 judgments in your hearts continually, that you may 
 never offend his Spirit in you, nor grieve his righteous 
 foul. Take heed unto yourfelves and be watchful, 
 left the enemy prevail over you, and lead you afidc 
 from the way of truth and peace, and then trouble 
 and wrath come upon you if you fin againft him. 
 
 * Therefore every particular of you know and feel a 
 iveafure of the flrength of Chrift in you, that you 
 may be warned againlt all the wiles of fatan, whofe 
 power worketh and moveth in the fiefhly part which 
 ruleth above the feed of God, which part mud be 
 crucified and circumcifed with the circumcifion made 
 without hands, that you may be pure and clean, 
 veflels of honour fitted for the matter's ufe ; for 
 none can honour the Lord but thofe that are purified 
 by him, and Chrifl comes to purify, and he is fitting 
 as a refiner's fire, and this is witnefled amongfl all 
 that wait upon him. 
 
 ' So you that are turned to the power of God in 
 you, mind it and be obedient umo it in all things, 
 and refifl the power of fatan, which would lead from 
 God, and wait for power that you may be the chil- 
 dren of God, and may fulfil his will in all things, 
 and unto this you are called by the preaching of the 
 gofpel which came amongft you from the Lord, that 
 y u may know things which are eternal, and might 
 be reconciled to God thereby.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 95 
 
 * I fay from the Lord, you are not called to fulfil 
 your own wills in any things, but the will of the Lord 
 in all things, which if you do his will, you will there- 
 by be fanclified, and the old man will be put off, and 
 all the works of the devil will be deftroyed, and Chrift 
 the fecond Adam will give you power over all your 
 enemies within and without, as the fL-fhly part in you 
 is fubdued by the working of his Spirit, which every 
 one of you muft feel and know, which leads into all 
 truth, and condemneth all evil : and all that are in the 
 evil are not led by the Spirit of God though they 
 profefs the Scriptures, and fuch are not the children 
 of God, nor heirs of his inheritance, which every 
 one of you muft wait for, and to be born of the 
 incorruptible feed by the word of God, which lives 
 for ever, which word you muft feel in you,, and its 
 operation, which is as a fire, and like a hammer: fo 
 the faints faid it was, and fo we witnefs it to be ; 
 and every one that handles, taftes and feels of this- 
 word, thereby ip the enmity flain in its ground and 
 fruits, and the body of death is put off, and the new 
 man is put on, who is the exprefs image of God, 
 which every one of you muft know and witnefs, for 
 it is the Father's mark upon the forehead, for ye that 
 bear it not cannot be juitified nor faved in the day of 
 the Lord. 
 
 ' Every one of you having a meafure of light from 
 Chrift the Saviour, unto this you are to take heed 
 only, and it leads to Chrift to receive him and be 
 joined to him : fo every one take heed to your own 
 meaiures of the grace of God, and a fufficient teacher 
 you will witnefs, and the new covenant you will 
 know, where fin and iniquity is not remembered, but 
 forgiven and blotted out ; and here is the true re- 
 joicing where power is received over all fin, and death 
 is deftroyed, and vi&ory is known, and thefonfiiip is 
 v/itneffed, and into this muft every one grow, into 
 perfection and compktenefs in Jefus Chrift.
 
 96 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 e So all friends, I do warn you all, patiently to wak 
 upon the Lord, that you may witnefs the fulfilling of 
 the promifes, and may know thefe things in the fpirit, 
 and may have them as a treafure in your hearts ; for 
 the knowledge of God is a treafnre, and to know him 
 is life eternal ; and it is the upright in heart whom 
 lie teacheth knowledge, and it is into the pure heart 
 that his knowledge is put. 
 
 6 So mind that which will purify your hearts, that 
 the Lord may dwell in you and with you, and let love 
 and unity abound one towards another, and ferve one 
 another in love ; and all ferve the Lord Jefus, and 
 /hvell in the crofs to the world and all its ways ; for 
 the crofs of Chrift is the power of God which flays 
 the enmity, and brings forth the feed of God, and 
 every one keep to your own meafures which God hath 
 given you, and that will guide you in all the ways of 
 peace. 
 
 ' Judge not above your meafures, for then the Lord 
 doth not guide you ; neither be hafty, rafh, or for- 
 ward, for then you go out of God's counfel, and lay 
 yourfelves open to temptations to be overcome of ihe 
 devil, you going from the light you lofe your armour, 
 and that which fhould defend you from the devil, 
 and your latter end is worfe than your beginning, 
 if again you be overcome of him : wherefore all 
 friends, be circumfpecl: and watchful, left at any time 
 you be tempted and oveicome, and fo lofe your 
 peace, and then trouble and forrow take hold upon 
 you, whenfoever you have loll the countenance of 
 the Lord. 
 
 * Keep your meetings in the fear of the Lord, and 
 you will fee the Lord amongft you, and his prefence 
 refrefhing your hearts; and as you are moved with 
 the power of the Lord, be obedient in every thing, 
 and watch over one another with a fmgle eye, and 
 inform and inflrucl: in the fear of the Lord, and be 
 examples ont to another in rightcoufncfs, and give no
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTJAKfifcS. 97 
 
 occafion unto the 'world by an impure converfation, 
 but* walk in wifdom and in the fear of the Lord 
 towards all men, that the witnefs of God in every 
 one may anfwer for you and juftify our God. 
 
 ' The Lord hath a feed in Ireland gathering and to 
 be gathered, and your heavenly converfation will 
 preach to others, and fo every one will be a minifter 
 of Chrift in his place, as ye walk in the light which 
 Chrift hath enlightened you withal, who lighteth 
 every man that cometh into the world, that all men 
 may believe ; and he that hateth the light remaineth 
 in unbelief and under condemnation , but he that 
 loveth the light, his deeds arc wrought in God, and 
 they fhall not be condemned. 
 
 ' My love in the Lord is towards you all that 
 hunger after righteoufnefs, and my prayers are for 
 you all, that perfect reft you may obtain, and 
 falvation. 
 
 ' I am now a prifoner for Chrift's fake, and for his 
 truth's fake, through the cruelty of men who hate 
 the Lord and his fervants, but am perfectly well in 
 the Lord, knowing that this fhall be for the further- 
 ance of the gofpel of Chrift. The prefence of the 
 Lord be amongft you all, and his eternal power give 
 you victory over all your enemies. Amen. 
 
 * Edward Burrough.* 
 
 From the common paol in Kingfton upon 
 Thames, in the county of Surry, the 
 Cjth dry of the Sixth month, 1657. 
 
 Concerning the faid Edward Burrough and Francis 
 liowgil, this teftimony is given in the account of the 
 early fufferings of friends in Ireland, viz. 
 
 e They were made a bleffing to us, the Lord work- 
 ing mightily by them, to the turning of many from 
 darknefs to light, and from fatan's power unto God ; 
 and their doctrine and converfation was fuch as truly 
 reached unto and anfwered the witnefs of God* in our 
 
 VOL. III. G
 
 9$ THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF TH8 
 
 confciences 5 and we may praife the Lord on their 
 behalf, who were unto us the meffengers of ialvation.' 
 
 The fame day, or a few days after that Edward 
 Burrough and Francis Howgil were banifhed for 
 England, landed Barbara Blaugdon from the weft of 
 England, who went to Henry Cromwell, then lord- 
 deputy, and bad him beware he was not found 
 fighting againft God, in oppofing the truth and per- 
 fecuting the innocent ; but like wife Gamaliel to let 
 them alone, for if the work was of God, it would 
 (land, but if of man, it would fall.* The deputy 
 heard her moderately, fo that fhe perceived the 
 enmity did not lie fo much in himfelf, as that he was 
 itirred up to perfecution by evil magistrates and 
 priefts. Having performed her fervice in Dublin, 
 Ihe went to Cork, where fhe had fome acquaintance 
 and relations ; but her fufferings were great, for fhe 
 was imprifoned almoft wherever fhe came, being 
 moved to follow thofe of her acquaintance into feve- 
 ral fleeple-houfes ; yet wherever her mouth was 
 opened, there were fome that received her teftimony. 
 Not long after, flie was moved to come a fecond time 
 to Ireland, and in Dublin fhe went into the court of 
 juftice and fpoke to the judges, exhorting them to 
 righteoufnefs ; which was taken fo ill that fhe was 
 imprifoned for it, but was releafed by the inter- 
 cemon of fir William King, colonel Fare, and the 
 lady Browne.f 
 
 This year (1656") feveral others in the miniftry came 
 over, and had good fervice in turning many to the Lord, 
 particularly John Bowran of Cotherflone in York- 
 (hire, who landed in Dublin, and afterwards travelled 
 into the North. He vifited Ireland fix times in fix. 
 years. See Piety Promoted, Part III. 
 
 About the fame time William Edmundfon, was 
 
 * Sec Scwcl's Hiftory of the Quaker* f Ibid.
 
 JPEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 99 
 
 moved in fpirir to leave off fliop-keeping, and take 
 a farm, in order that he might, by his own example, 
 minifter ftrength and encouragement in the teftimony 
 which this people deemed themfelves confcientioufly 
 concerned to hold forth and maintain, againft that 
 amichriftian yoke of oppreflion, the enforcing the 
 payment of tithes in thefe gofpel-times. With this 
 view he and feveral friends leaving the meeting to 
 which they belonged well fettled, viz. Richard Jack- 
 fon, Anthony Jackfon, John Thompfon, Richard 
 Fayle, John Edmundfon, William Moon, and their 
 families, removed and took land in the county of 
 Cavan, and dwelt there, and fettled a meeting in 
 that county, and held meetings in divers places to the 
 advancement of truth and increafe of friends, feve- 
 ral being convinced and joining with friends : particu- 
 larly John Pirn, Robert Wardel, William Ncale, 
 William Parker, Thomas Lun, Thomas Morris, John. 
 Chandley, John Savage, Ifabel Acton, and many 
 more. 
 
 But as their numbers increafed, fo did their fuffer- 
 ings alfo increafe, and they were greatly expofed to 
 the fcorn, derifion, and foul abufes of the people, in 
 bearing their innocent teftimonies, in their lives and 
 converfations, againft the pride, pleafures, paftimes, 
 vain fafhions and cuftoms, with the excefles and 
 evils that were in the world, both among profeffors 
 and profane, even the very priefts themfelves, who 
 incenfed the magiftrates and other people againft 
 Friends, as being hereticks, deceivers, and what not? 
 
 Of thefe fufferings W. E. in particular met with 
 a large fhare, befides the many hard and dangerous 
 travels and exercifes he went through, when he was 
 alone in the times when tories and robbers, after the 
 war, were abroad, being fometimes put under the 
 neceffity of pafling deep waters in the winter-feafon. 
 where bridges were not built ; and once particularly 
 he was put into prifon in Strabane, in his wet clothes, 
 
 C 2
 
 JOO THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 after travelling and fwimming, by which he grew fick, 
 and received no help from any but the Lord, who 
 healed him : yet through all thefe difficulties truth 
 prevailed, and feveral were convinced, particularly at 
 Strabane, where a meeting was fettled and continued 
 until the reftoration of king Charles II. but then 
 great fufferings being expected, Robert Burgefs and 
 another, who were looked upon as the leading men 
 of that meeting, proved unfaithful : the latter through 
 fear of perfecution fled, and Burgefs accepted of the 
 office of a parifh-clerk to the epifcopal priefl that 
 then came in ; but in a little time he was fmitten 
 with great affliction both in body and mind, which 
 he believed to be for his backfliding from the truth, 
 as he confefled to W. E. who went to fee him in his 
 illnefs, and foon after he died ; and fo through the 
 unfaithfulnefs of thofe men the meeting fell. 
 
 The ilate of friends in general, about this time, 
 and fome particular memorable tranfaftions at Bel- 
 turbet, are fo minutely defcribed in the journal of 
 W. E. that I {hail here infert them in his own 
 words, viz. 
 
 ' Now truth was much fpread, and meetings fettled 
 in feveral places, many being convinced and brought 
 to the knowledge of God, were added to friends ; 
 but fufferings increafed for not paying tithes, priefts* 
 maintenance, and towards repairing their worfhip- 
 houfes, for not obferving their holy days (fo called) 
 and fuch like ; they fleeced us in taking oar goods, 
 and imprifoned fome of us. 
 
 ' In thofe days die world and the things of it were 
 not near our hearts, but the love of God, his truth 
 and teftimony" lived in our hearts; we were glad of 
 one another's company, though fometimcs our out- 
 ward fare was veiy mean, and our lodging on flraw ; 
 we did not mind high things, bat were glad of one 
 another's welfare in the Lord, and his love dwelt 
 -in us.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 * Now I was often abroad in truth's fervicc, viflt- 
 ing of fi lends, and getting meetings in feveral places. 
 I was moved to travel into Leiniler province, and 
 went from place to place as the Lord's good Spirit 
 guided me. I came to RofTenallis, and there met 
 with two families come out of England, convinced 
 of the truth; from thence I went to Nicholas 
 Starkey's near Athlone, and had a meeting there on 
 a. Firfl-day, to which feveral fobcr peopie came, and 
 the Lord's power and prefence was with us. 
 
 From thence I went to Mullingar, and lodged 
 there one night, where was a trooper that was con- 
 vinced, who rode with me feveral miles the next clay, 
 and continued coming to meetings. I came that night 
 to Finagh, but the inn-keepers in the town refufed 
 me lodging, for that (they knew) I was a Quaker: 
 it was in winter-time, and cold weather ; fo I inquired 
 for the confhible, and they (hewed me his houie. I 
 told him he mull provide me lodging, for I was a 
 traveller, had money to pay for what I fhould have, 
 and' had been at the inns, where they refufed me 
 lodging. He kept an ale-houfe, and had alfo re- 
 fufed me, but after much difcourfe with him, he told 
 me 1 mufl be content with fuch lodging as he had for 
 me. I told him, to let me have a room with a fire to 
 fit by, and hay for my horfe, and I would be content : 
 fo I alighted, went into the houfe, and there were 
 troopers drinking. They foon perceived what I was, 
 and began to fcorF and to nik me many queftions, 
 which I anfwered in my freedom ; but when I thee'd 
 and thou'd them in our difcourfe, they were very 
 angry, and one of them fwore, if I thou'd him again 
 he would cleave my head ; but in our difcourfe when 
 it came in its place I thou'd him agrin, and he 
 flirting up in anger, drew his fword ; but one of his 
 corporals fitting by him (lopped him, and commanded 
 him to put up his fword, for there fhould be no 
 cleaving of heads there ; fo caufed the troopers tp 
 
 G 3
 
 102 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 go to their quarters, but he ftaid with me difcourfing' 
 late in the night, and was convinced, being tender, 
 received the truth, and came to meetings. 
 
 ' About this time we had a meeting at Belturbet, 
 and the Lord's power and prefence was with us, but 
 the provoft of the town was an envious man ; who 
 came with fome rude people, broke up our meeting, 
 and took us to prifon, both men and women ; we 
 were all night in a very cold place, the women were 
 mightily pinched with cold, it being froft and fnow ; 
 the next morning he fet all the other friends at 
 liberty, but me he put in the flocks in the market- 
 place, arid people gathered about me, where I had 
 an opportunity to preach the truth to them, which 
 they heard with fobernefs, were tender and refle&ed 
 much upon the provoft for abufing us. 
 
 ' Robert Warden 1 then (being but a boy) told the 
 provoft, he had fet a better man than himfelf in the 
 flocks, and there was a time when fuch as he durft 
 not have meddled with me ; wherefore the provoft 
 took him and fet him in the (locks by me ; but his 
 father foon heard of it, and threatened the provoft 
 \vith the law ; for he was then mafter of the ftore, 
 (there being a garrifon of foldiers there) fo Robert 
 Wardell was foon taken out of the ftocks ; who 
 being convinced, kept with friends, and afterwards 
 became a ferviceable man for truth, and a preacher 
 of it. 
 
 ' The people were much difTatisfied with, the pro- 
 voft ; fo he fent his officer to let me loofe, who 
 opened the ftocks, and bid me take out my leg, for 
 I might go my way ; I told him, I had been grofsly 
 abufed, and made a publick fpeftacle to the people, 
 as though I &!$ .done fome great offence, but was 
 not convi&ed or* the breach of any law; fo let the 
 provoft come himfelf and take me out, for he put me 
 in. The provoft came and opened the ftocks, bidding 
 me take out my leg. I told him, No, for he had
 
 fEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 103 
 
 made me a fpe&acle to the people, and I knew no 
 law that I had broken, but let him take out my leg 
 that put it in ; fo he opened the flocks with one 
 hand, and took my leg out with the other : his name 
 was Richard Weft. 
 
 ' At this time, Oliver Cromwell had put forth a 
 declaration, that fuch fhould be protected in their 
 religion, as owned God the Creator of all things, and 
 Chrifl Jefus the Saviour of man,, and the Scriptures, 
 and feveral other things mentioned therein : fo the 
 governor of that garrifon, with the officers and chief 
 men in the town, and abundance of people with 
 them (that filled the court-houfe) would try us by the 
 declaration, whether we and our religion were under 
 Oliver's protection, or not : the provofl was there, 
 and I was fent for in ; the clerk of the garrifon, who 
 was then a Baptiil (but afterwards a friend) read the 
 declaration, and I was called to anfwer to the parti- 
 culars ; I anfwered, them fo, that the governor and 
 they with him gave their judgment, that we were under 
 protection, and our religion was to be protected. 
 
 ' Then I called aloud, that they would bear witnefs, 
 how long we had been imprifoned illegally, and that 
 I fat in the market-place in the flocks wrongfully, 
 and that the law provided reparation in fuch cafes ; 
 feveral of the chief of them offered to be evidence, 
 if we would take the advantage of the law againft 
 the provofl; he was quite darned and looked very 
 pale. The governor came from his feat, and took 
 me by the hand, faying he was forry that I and my 
 friends were fo abufed, and did affure me that he 
 had no hand in it. I afked him, who he was ? He 
 faid, he was the governor of that garrifon. I afked 
 him, where he had been thofe two days, that he did 
 not appear with his band of foldiers to appeafe the 
 uproar ; for I had read in the Scriptures, that at 
 Jerufalem, when there was an uproar on the like 
 account, the governor came with a band of foldiers, 
 
 G 4
 
 JO4 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 and refcued Paul from them, and appeafed the uproar; 
 and was it not a fhame for him, that a heathen fhould 
 out-do him tha-t profefTed to be a Chriftian ? He was 
 a Baptift, and fo were feveral that were in authority ' 
 thereabouts. My fpirit was borne up in the power 
 of the Lord, as upon the wings. of an eagle that day: 
 truth's teflimony was over all theii heads, and my 
 heart was filled with joy and praifes to the Lord ; 
 many were convinced that day, and feveral of them 
 received the truth, and abode in it. 
 
 'There was one William Parker, a preacher amongd 
 
 ' \ 
 
 the Baptifts, he had oppofed me flrongly at. a court 
 3 little before this; his wife was a friend convinced 
 in England ; (he was a prifoner with us ; they 1'ned 
 then in the country, and his wife not coming home, 
 in the morning he came to look for her, and rinding 
 rne fitting in the (locks in the cold winter, in the open 
 market-place, he was fmitten to the heart ; after I 
 had done with them all, I was at liberty, and came 
 to friends with my heart full of joy. The faid Parker 
 Wjas with friends, fo I afked him, what he thought of 
 his brethren, to fuller us to be thus ufed, and they 
 chief in command in that place ? He anfvvered with 
 tears in his eyes, he was aflvuned of them, that had 
 been fo long profefling and fighting for confcience^ 
 now to fuller confcience to be trodden in the dirt ; 
 he went to them no more, but came to our meetings, 
 taking up the crofs of Chrift, and became an honed, 
 zealous man of truth, having a publick reftimony - 
 in meetings, and died in the true f.iith which Jefus 
 is the author of. 
 
 4 There was alfo one William Morris, an elder 
 amongd the Baptifls, in great repute, captain of a 
 company, juftice of the peace, coramiflioaer of the 
 revenues, chief treafurer in that quarter, alfo chief 
 governor of three garrifons ; to whom the news of 
 this day's work was foon carried, whereat he was 
 jnuch troubled in mind, and told the meffenger, who*
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 105 
 
 was a juftice of peace, it was a fhame for them to 
 fuffcr us to be fo abufed, faying, the time would 
 come, that they would be glad to {heher under our 
 wings. The rumour foon went among the Baptifls, 
 and to the court at Dublin, that capt. Morris was 
 turned Quaker, whereupon he was removed with 
 his company Southward ; not long after he was 
 fent for to Dublin, to appear before the general and 
 chief officers, many of whom were Baptiits ; he was 
 examined about* his being turned Quaker, which he 
 did not deny, but conferred our faith and principles, 
 and at that time was discharged from his command, 
 becaufe he was a Quaker; he was a worthy, wife man, 
 had a teilimony in our meetings, and died in the 
 faith of Jefus.' 
 
 Thomas Loe, who was a lively minifter of Chrift 
 Jefus, and could divide the word aright, came over 
 this year (1657) from Oxford in England, and had 
 good fervice in Munfter, and from thence travelled to 
 Dublin on foot, where he declared the day of the 
 Lord through the flreets thereof; preaching the word 
 of life and falvation from James's gate until he came 
 to Lazer's hill : he lodged at Stephen Rich's, where 
 he fometimes had meetings ; alfo at captain Allen's, 
 but the fettled meeting was at George Latham's by 
 Polegate : he had blefTed fervice, and many were 
 convinced by him. Dublin was alfo vifited this year, 
 by W. E. Edward Cook, and others, who had good 
 fervice, being inflrumemal to the convincement of 
 fever al. 
 
 Richard Roper and William Waller alfo came 
 over about this time, in the fervice cf the truth : 
 they were fincere and ferviceable men, and they and 
 Thomas Loe vifited fome friends who had received 
 truth in the county of Carlow, and feveral were 
 convinced by their teftimony, as Thomas Wefton and 
 his wife, Henry Rofe, and oihers. 
 
 The before-mentioned Tho.nas Loe alfo vifited
 
 106 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF TH* 
 
 friends in Ulfter, and had good fervice, many being 
 convinced by him there, as alfo in moft other parts 
 of the nation. 
 
 This year (1658) friends in the miniftry, with great 
 2eal and fervency, travelled up and down, and fettled 
 meetings where they could in new places ; and par- 
 ticularly W. E. travelling towaids the Moate, a 
 meeting was held at the houfe of Nicholas Starkey 
 at Ballykilroe, being the firft meeting that friends 
 had obtained in thofe parts. 
 
 This year (1659) landed at Donaghadee in Ulfter, 
 JohnBurnyeat,an eminent, faithful fervant of theLord. 
 He travelled on foot through divers parts of that pro- 
 vince, and by his means many were convinced, and 
 converted to God from the evil and vanity of their 
 ways. From thence he travelled to Dublin, and had 
 good fervice for truth there, from whence he pro- 
 ceeded to Mountmelick, to Kilkenny, and fotoMunfter^ 
 thence to Rofs, Wexford, Carlow, and back again to 
 Mountmelick, and had meetings in other places as 
 lie travelled, preaching the true faith of Jefus, and 
 returned to the North ; and at Lurgan he met with 
 Robert Lodge, who was newly come from England, 
 who was alfo an able minifter of Chrift, and they 
 joined in travels as true fellow-labourers in the gofpel 
 of the Son of God, fpreadlng truth and convincing 
 many. They went to Londonderry, but when the 
 people dlfcovered what they were, they were un- 
 willing to receive them, or let them have lodging for 
 their money. They went to the fteeple-houfc there 
 on the Firft-day of the week, and had a good oppor- 
 tunity to declare the truth among the people j but 
 at length the mayor fent his officers and forced them 
 out of the city, from whence they proceeded to feveral 
 ether places in the province of Ulfter, and to Dublin, 
 Moummelick, Athlone, Gahvay, Limerick, Cork and 
 Ban don, and returned to the North again : and thus 
 they fpent their time with diligence and hard travel,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 107 
 
 often in cold, hunger, and hardfhip, many parts of 
 the country being then uninhabited. They were im- 
 prifoned feveral times, as in Armagh, Dublin, and 
 Cork, befides other abufes that they received, be- 
 caufe of the teftimony they had to bear in towns and 
 fleeple-houfes, againft hireling priefts : and thus 
 having laboured in the gofpel together for the fpace 
 of twelve months, and being inftrumental to the con- 
 vincing and gathering of many to the truth, being 
 clear of their fervice here, in the Seventh month, 1 660, 
 they took (hipping at Carrickfergus for England. 
 
 Among others that believed and were added to 
 Friends about the years 1658 and 1659, and conti- 
 nued faithful and ferviceable in their day, by the 
 lively miniftry of the above mentioned Thomas Loe, 
 "W. E. John Burnyeat, Robert Lodge and others, 
 were Francis Robfon, Roger Webb, Peter Rofs, 
 Robert Hoope, and George Gregfon, who after fome 
 time was endued with a clear, lively, convincing gift 
 of the miniftry. 
 
 This year (1659) feveral of the friends above-men- 
 tioned,* by reafon of their landlords not performing 
 covenant with them, removed from the county of 
 Cavan, and fettled in and about Mountmellick, in the 
 Queen's county, viz. W. E. Richard Jackfon, John 
 Edmundfon, John Thompfon, William Moon, John 
 Pirn, and others, with their families ; and feveral hav- 
 ing be^n convinced thereabouts fome time before, a 
 meeting was fettled at Mountmelick, which is fmce 
 become large. As to the places they removed from, 
 they left the meetings there in a fettled condition, and, 
 fo they continued, particularly the meeting at Cavan, 
 until it was loft by means of the wars, friends that 
 lived there being difperfed thereby, and driven from 
 their habitations. 
 
 This year a meeting was fettled at or near Moate, 
 at the houfe of Thomas Englifh. Some time after 
 
 * Sec page 99.
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 John Clihborne, James "Wifely, Henry Fuller, formerly 
 a captain, Abraham Fuller, Samuel Strangman, Thomas 
 Beale, William Slade of Athlone, and many others 
 being convinced, the meeting was removed to the 
 fcoufe of John Clibborne at Moate. 
 
 About the fame time W. E. and other friends viiited 
 Drogheda, where fome were convinced, and a meeting 
 fettled : much labour of miniilering friends hath been 
 fince beftowed u>on that place, but through the un- 
 faithfulnefs of fcveral who lived there, the meeting 
 hath decayed rather than increafed, yet a fmall meeting 
 remains there unto this day. 
 
 Robert Turner having, about the year 1657, been 
 ipftrumemal to the convincement of a few who lived 
 in Grange, near Charlemont in the province of Ulfter, 
 this year (i66r), their numbers being confiderably 
 increafed through the labours of other travelling 
 friends, a meeting was fettled there, 
 
 About this time alfo a meeting was fettled at Bally- 
 nakill in the Queen's county, Chriftophcr and John 
 Raper being convinced. 
 
 The flate of Friends this year f 1 66 1) is defcribed in 
 
 the following words, by W.E. in his journal, p. 39, 40. 
 
 ' Now was king Charles coming in, and thefe na- 
 
 t_7 % C* * 
 
 rions were in heaps of confufion, and ran upon us as 
 if they would have dedroyed us at once, or fwallowed 
 us up ; breaking up our meetings, taking us up in 
 high-ways, and haling us to prifon ; fo that it was a 
 general imprisonment of friends in this nation. 1 was 
 prifoner at Maryborough, with many more friends, 
 yet the- Lord fupported and bore up our fpirirs above 
 bufferings and mens' cruellies ; fo that friends were 
 frcfli and lively in the Lord's goodnefs and covenant 
 of light and life, contented in the will of God ; for 
 \ve had many heavenly, bleffed meetings in prifon, and 
 the Lord's prefence with us, to our great comfort 
 and confolation in him, who wrought 'liberby for us 
 in his own time.'
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 1 09 
 
 This year ("1664) John Burnyeat aforementioned, 
 came over a fecond time and vifited* friends in many 
 parts of the nation, and had- good fervice, fcveral being 
 convinced by his means, and about the Seventh month 
 he took (hipping at Galvvay for Barbadoes. The num- 
 ber of friends increafed greatly, and many vifits this 
 nation had in thofe days by faithful labourers in the 
 gofpel, both of its own inhabitants and Grangers, 
 notwithstanding that through the covetoufnefs of the 
 priefts, great fpoil was made of friends goods, a 
 great deil being forcibly taken away for tythe and 
 other demands, which friends for confcience-fake 
 could not pay ; whence fome of them were caft into 
 prifon upon writs of excommunication and definitive 
 leniences ; yet Mill the Lord wrought favour in the 
 hearts of rulers, and fheriiFs were often very favour- 
 able to friends, granting them their liberty when it 
 was in their power. 
 
 The (bite of friends at this' time (i66c;), about 
 Mountmelick,is thusdefcribed in WilliamEdmuadfon's 
 journal : 
 
 ' I having my liberty, found a concern on my mind, 
 to folicit the government againfl the priefts' fiercenels 
 and cruelty: for George Clapham, prieft of Mount- 
 melick, endeavoured to prevent the miller's grinding 
 our corn for our families, or any to fpeak or trade 
 with us or any of our families; he watched the 
 marke*" and friends (hops ; and thofe lie faw or knew 
 to deal with friends, he fent the apparitor to fummon 
 them to the bifhop's court ; fo forced them to pay 
 him and the apparitor money, to get freed from that 
 trouble, they being afraid of the bifhop's court, it 
 bore fuch a great name. 
 
 ' This prieft told his hearer?, that if they met any 
 of us in the high-way, they fhould (hun us as they 
 would iliun the plague; and if they owed us any- 
 thing, they need not pay it ; or if they knocked us 
 on the head, the law would bear them out. At which
 
 110 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 the people were mightily troubled, and in general 
 their love declined from the prieft, and diew towards 
 friends ; they would offer their fervauts to carry our 
 coin to the mill, that we might get bread for our 
 families, or any other kindnefs they could do for us. 
 
 6 1 drew up a great deal of his grofs proceedings, 
 and got many hands to them of his own people, who 
 had been abufed ; fo went to Dublin and petitioned 
 the government, who with the primate took notice 
 of it, and the privy-council refented it, being contrary 
 to all law and rule ; fo fent an order for the prieft 
 and apparitor to appear before the council ; they 
 came, and were fharply reproved, and had been 
 punifhed (for the primate faid he would make them 
 examples), but that I told him, we defired nothing 
 but to be quiet, and live peaceably in our callings, 
 and that they would defift from their cruelty. The 
 primate, Boyle, who was alfo chancellor, faid, if they 
 do not defift, do but write to him, and he wou'd make 
 them examples to the nation ; fo I forgave them, and 
 let all fall. This gained much on the minds of many 
 chief men in authority. 
 
 ' Now this priefc was very angry againft me, although 
 I had forgivea him as aforefaid (being very greedy 
 and covetous). One time he took a neighbour's horfe 
 and cart, came to my houfe, and loaded and carried 
 away a great deal of cheefe ; alfo at that time took 
 away much goods, corn, and wearing-clothes, from 
 friends of our meeting, for fome church-dues as 
 he .faid ; and I being at a meeting in Mountmelick, 
 as I ufed to be when at home, he being a juftice of 
 the peace, fent a conftable to apprehend me, and 
 made a mittimus to fend me to Maryborough goal ; 
 but the earl of Mountrath fuperfeded his warrant, 
 and fet me at liberty till the affizes. 
 
 * When the allizes came, he flood by me againfl the 
 faid pried, who had drawn up two indi&mems againft 
 me; and when they came into court, four lawyers,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. in 
 
 one after another pleaded for me, though I knew 
 nothing of them, or gave them any fee ; but the 
 Lord gave us place in the hearts of people, and their 
 bowels yearned towards us. The indi&rnent was 
 quaftied, and the prieft hiffed at by the court to his 
 fhame ; the judge alfo turned againft him ; feveral 
 friends came a great way to fee and hear the trial, 
 and greatly rejoiced in the Lord to fee the prieit 
 fruftrated in his evil defigns. 
 
 Another time this prieft Clapham indifted feveral 
 friends of our meeting at the ailizes at Maryborough, 
 and me, for being at a meeting ftlch a day, which 
 he called an unlawful afiembly, and for not being ac 
 church (as he called it) the fame day ; he alfo in- 
 di&ed me for not paying a levy, or fefs, towards 
 the repairs of his worlhip-houfe ; though the wardens 
 and conflable had before taken from me for the fame, 
 a mare worth three pounds ten fhillings. Several 
 friends were thus proceeded againft, and we were 
 fined, and order given to diflrain our goods : fo I 
 rode to Dublin and petitioned the lord lieutenant and 
 council. I and one other friend were admitted inta 
 the council chamber, to (late our grievance, and had a 
 very fair hearing, that judge being prefent who gave 
 judgment againft us at the affizes ; the council gave 
 their judgment that their proceedings were illegal ; 
 and the lord lieutenant would know, why we did 
 not pay tithes to the minifters ? So I fhewed him out 
 of the Scriptures, the law was ended that give tithes, 
 and the prieflhood changed that received them, by 
 the coming and fuffering of Chrift, who had fettled 
 a miniftry on better terms, and ordered them a main- 
 tenance j he would know, what maintenance the 
 minifters mull have? I told him, ' Chrift's allowance;' 
 and I fhewed him from the Scriptures what it was, 
 as the Lord opened them to me, by his Spirit and 
 Power that was with me, which gave me wifdom and 
 utterance, and fet home what I faid to their under-
 
 112 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 {landings. There were three bifhops prefent, and 
 not one of them replied in all this difcourfe, though 
 fo nearly concerned in it. In the concluliorr the 
 lord lieutenant bid God blefs us ; adding, we fhould 
 not fuflfer for nor going to their publick worihip, 
 neither for going to our meetings. Now this quieted 
 theprieft, and it foon wem abroad, that the Quakers 
 had the liberty of their religion, which was a great 
 eafe to friends, for we had been often imprifoned, and 
 had much goods taken from us on that account.' 
 
 In the year 1666 a certain perfon, who afterwards 
 became very confpicuous for his good fervices both to 
 the church and to mankind in general, viz. William 
 Penn was convinced ; his father, fir William Penn, 
 then vice-admiral of England", having committed to 
 his care and management a confider.ible eftate in this 
 kingdom, which occafioned his coming hither ; and 
 being informed that 1 homas Loe was to be at a 
 meeting in Cork, he went to hear him ; who began 
 his declaration with thefe words; "There is a faiili 
 that overcomes the world, and there is a faith that is 
 overcome by the world-; 'upon which fubjecT: he 
 enlarged with great clearnefs and energy ; and by 
 the living and powerful teftimony of this man (which 
 had made fome impreflion upon his fpirit ten years 
 before) he was now thoroughly convinced, and after- 
 wards conftantly attended the meetings of the people 
 called Quakers, even through the heat of perfecution. 
 
 On the 3d of the Ninth month, 1667, being again 
 at a meeting at Cork, he, with many others, was 
 apprehended and carried before the mayor, who 
 obferving that his drefs difcovercd not the Quaker, 
 would have fet him at liberty, upon bond for his 
 good behaviour ; which he refilling, was, with about 
 eighteen others, committed to prifon. He had, 
 during his abode in Ireland, contracted an in-timate 
 acquaintance with many of the nobility aad gentry,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. I I,J 
 
 and, being now a prifoner, wrote the following 
 letter 
 
 To the Earl of Orrery, Lord Prefident of Munfter. 
 
 ' The occafion may feem as ftrange as my caufe is 
 jufl ; 'but your lordfhip will no lefs exprefs your 
 charity in the one, than your juflice in the other. 
 
 Religion, which is at once my crime, and mine 
 innocence, makes me a prifoner to a mayor's malice, 
 but mine own freeman ; for being in the affembly of 
 the people called (Quakers, there came feveral con- 
 flables back'd with ibidiers, rudely and arbitrarily 
 requiring every man's appearance before the mayor, 
 and amongft others violently haled me with them. 
 Upon my coming before him, he charged me for 
 bting prefent at a tumultuous and riotous affembly, 
 and unlefs I would give bond for my good behaviour, 
 who challenge the world to accufe mejaftly with the 
 contrary, he would commit me. ' I afked for his 
 authority ; for I humbly conceive without an act of 
 parliament, or an acl of flate, in might be juftly 
 termed too much ofEcioufnefs. His anfwer was, A 
 proclamation in the year "1660, and new inflruclions 
 to revive that dead and antiquated order. I leave 
 your lordfhip to be judge if that proclamation relates 
 to this concernment : that only was deiigned to 
 fupprefs fifth-monarchy killing fpirits ; and fines the 
 king's lord lieutenant and yourfelf, being fully per- 
 fuaded the intention of thefe called Quakers by their 
 meetings, was really the fervice of God, have there- 
 fore manifested a repeal by a long continuance of 
 freedom, I hope your lordihip will not now begin 
 an unufual feverity, by indulging fo much malice in 
 one whofe acVions favour ill with his neareU neis;h- 
 
 O ^ 
 
 bours, but that there may be a fpecdy releafemenr. 
 to all for attending their honeft callings, with the 
 .enjoyment of their families, and not to be longer 
 feparated from both, 
 
 VOL. III. H
 
 114 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 And though to diflent from a national fyftem, 5m- 
 pofed by authority, renders men hereticks, yet I 
 dare believe your lordfliip is better read in reafon 
 and theology, than to fubfcribe a maxim fo vulgar 
 and untrue j for imagining moft vifible conftitutions 
 of religious government, fuited to the nature and 
 genius of a civil empire, it cannot be efteemed herefy, 
 but to fcare a multitude from fuch enquiries as may 
 create divifions fatal to a civil policy, and therefore at 
 
 . \vorfl deferves only the name of difturbers. 
 
 B.ut I prefume, my lord, the acquaintance you have 
 had with other countries, mu(t needs have furnidied 
 you with this infallible obfervation, that diveriities 
 of faith and worth ip contribute not to the diilurbance 
 of any place, where tootal uniformity is barely requi- 
 fite to preferve the peace. It is not long fmce you 
 were a good folicitor for the liberty I now crave, 
 and concluded no way fo effectual to improve or ad- 
 vantage this country, as to difpenfe with freedom in 
 
 .things relating to confcience ; and I fuppofe were it 
 riotous or uuruiituary, as by feme vainly imagined, 
 your lordfhip's inclination, as well as duty, would 
 entertain a very remote opinion. My humble 
 (application therefore to you is, that fo malicious and 
 injurious a practice to innocent Englifhmen, may not 
 receive any countenance or encouragement from your 
 lordfhip ; for as it is contrary to the practice elfe- 
 where, and a bad argument to invite Englifh hither. 
 fo, with fubmiflion, will it not refemble that clemency 
 and Englifti fpirit, that hath hitherto made you 
 honourable. 
 
 If in this cafe I may have ufed too great a liberty, 
 it is my fubjeft, nor (hall I doubt your pardon, fmce 
 by your authority I expecl: a favour, which never will 
 be ufed unworthy an honcft man, and 
 
 Your Lordfhip's faithful, &c. 
 
 ' W, Penn/
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 115 
 
 His reqneft in the letter, fo far as related to himfelf, 
 was quickly granted, for thr earl forthwith ordered 
 his difcharge. 
 
 His late imprifonrnent was fo far from terrifying, 
 that it ftrcngthcncd him in his refolution of a clofer 
 union with that people, whofe religious innocence 
 was the only crime they fuffered for. And now his 
 more open joining with the Quakers, brought himfelf 
 under that reproachful name.* 
 
 From the year 166.5 to 1668, it doth not appear 
 that Friends were under any great fufferings, except 
 by the priefts, on account of tithes, &c. but the 
 number of friends increafed, and they gained credit 
 by their faiihfulnefs, and feveral new meetings were 
 fettled, whereof an account is given in due place 
 hereafter. 
 
 And now the number of friends being become great, 
 the neceility of church-government and difcipline did 
 iliore and more appear ; and the weight thereof did 
 reft upon fome, and chiefly upon W. E. whom the 
 Lord hath been pleafed to honour, as the chief in- 
 itrument in this land, for the fpreading of truth, 
 and preferving friends faithful therein ; fo that pro- 
 vincial meetings were fet up to be held once in fix 
 weeks, and thefe were prior to the monthly meetings 
 (even as the quarterly meetings in England v/ere 
 alfo prior to the monthly meetings there) j and 
 thofe iffairs which have fince fallen under the cogni- 
 zance of monthly meetings, were tranfa&ed at the 
 provincial meetings, becaufe in thofe times of infancy 
 and fufferings the mutual help and advice of brethren 
 affembled from different parts was neceffary, when 
 particular meetings were frequently but fmall and 
 weak. The chief bufmefs of thefe meetings was. to 
 take care of the poor, fatherlefs, and widows ; that 
 marriages fhould be decently and orderly accompli fhed 
 
 * ScePcnn'sWorke, Vol. I. 
 H 2
 
 Il6 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 according to the example of Holy Scripture, that 
 juftice and equity upon all occafions might be praftifed 
 by fuch as frequented our aflemblies ; and whereas 
 fome of thefe did not walk confidently with their 
 profeffion, it was necefiary that the judgment of 
 truth might be exercifed on fuch, in order that the 
 Chriflian reputation cf the fociety might be maintained 
 and prefer ved* 
 
 Thus was good order and difcipline introduced in 
 this kingdom, which was further confirmed, and 
 monthly meetings and national half-year's meetings, 
 were eitablifhed here upon the arrival of George Fox, 
 in the following year. 
 
 In the mean-time, in the year 1668, died that^, 
 eminent minifter of Chrift, Thomas Loe, concerning 
 whom the friends of Ireland have left the following 
 teftimony : 
 
 * He was a man of an excellent gift, found, clear, 
 and powerful in his miniftry, elegant in fpecch, fliarp 
 and quick in his underftanding. and his teftimony 
 was very convincing, to the flopping the mouths of 
 gainfayers. Much people flocked after him ; many 
 friends up and down this nation received their con- 
 vincement by him, and many were by him confirmed 
 in the Truth. He was often in meetings engaged 
 by priefts and oppofers of truth, in which exerdfe 
 he was as a (harp threfhing inftrumtnt in the hand of 
 the Lord to confound them. In converfation he was 
 fweet and pleafant, and fympathizing with, friemk 
 under affli&ions, in which (hue, yea, and in all Mates, 
 he had a word in feafon to adminifter. He travelled 
 this land very much, vifiting it feveral times from 
 England, and was feveral times a prifoner for his 
 teftimony to the iruth. He was freely given up 
 to fpend and be fpent in the fervice of the gofpel, 
 and in his laft vifit to Ireland, his natural ftrength 
 was much impaired; after which when his fcrvicc
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 117 
 
 War, fmifhed, he returned to England, and laid down 
 the body at London in great peace, finging praifes to 
 the Lord on his death-bed :' whereof a more minute 
 account may be feen in the firft part of Piety Pro- 
 moted. 
 
 The county of Wicklow, which had been formerly 
 vifited by Thomas Loe and John Edwards, was this 
 year, 1 669, vifitcd again by J. Haydock and fome 
 orber friends, who had good fervice; ThomasTrafford, 
 the Penrofes and fome others being convinced ; and 
 fome time after a meeting was fettled at Thomas Traf- 
 ford's houfe at Garrymore ; but the faid Thomas re- 
 moving to Wicklow, fome time after, it pleafed the 
 Lord to give him a fhare in the miniftry, and the 
 meeting was kept there. 
 
 This year (1669) alfo came over from England in 
 the fervice of truth John Kilburne, who had good fuc- 
 cefs, and Roger Roberts particularly was convinced by 
 his miniftry. 
 
 The fame year alfo was memorable for the arrival 
 of that eminent minifter and elder in the church, 
 George Fox, who together with Robert Lodge, James 
 Lancaller, Thomas Briggs, and John Stubbs, landed 
 at Dublin, and had a large meeting there on a week- 
 day, and thence patted on to other parts, and had 
 great fervice both among friends and other people. 
 
 After the conclufion of one of their meetings fome 
 Papifts who had been prefent, were angry and raged 
 muclf : whereoC when George Fox heard, he fent for 
 one of them,, but he re fufed to come to him, where- 
 upon George fcnt a challenge to him with all the 
 friars, monks, priefls, and- jefuits to come forth and 
 try their god and their chrift, which they had made 
 of their bread and wine, but no anfwer could he goc 
 ijrom them, wherefore he told them they were worfe 
 than the priefts of Baal : for Baal's priefls tried their 
 wooden god, but thefe durfl not try their god of
 
 Il8 THE RISE-AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 bread and wine, and Baal's priefts did not cat their 
 god as they did, and then make another.* 
 
 George Fox w his journal gives the following ac- 
 count of this vifit : 
 
 * The priefts and magiflrates were envious, but the 
 Lord difappointed their counfels, and gave us many 
 fweet and bleffed opportunities to vifit friends and 
 fpread truth in that nation. Meetings were large, 
 friends coming to them far and near : many were 
 reached, and convinced and gathered to the truth, 
 and friends greatly refrefhed. Oh the brokennefs 
 that was among them in the flowings of life! fo that 
 in the power and fpirit of the Lord many together 
 broke out into linging with audible j- voices.' 
 
 The faid George Fox had a fingular gift in church 
 difcipline, and having in the year 1667 recommended 
 the fetting up of monthly meetings throughout Eng- 
 land, he in the year 1668 wrote to Ireland and other 
 countries, advifing friends to fettle the like meetings 
 there alfo, and afterwards vifited thofe countries in 
 perfon, (and particularly this kingdom this year) and 
 ailifted them in fettling their men and women's meet- 
 ings, and at Dublin he recommended the holding 
 their men and women's meetings every two weeks, 
 which hath been continued ever iince ; and the ge- 
 neral meetings, confifiing of fome from each province, 
 were concluded to be held half-yearly, on the Third 
 and Ninth months, the firft appointed meeting of 
 which fort was in the Third month, 1670, and this 
 fettlement remains unto this day..| 
 
 In thofe early days there was little more done at 
 thofe general meetings than collecting the fufferings 
 of friends for conference- fake, and making a record 
 thereof with the caufes alledged, and by whofe order 
 
 * This fa-ft may ferve abundantly to manifeft the abfurdity of a fcandal 
 which fome woul<i airix on the original Quakers, as having been Jefuirs in 
 diiguife, as it likewife fhsws that they are one; with other found Prot'^ftants, 
 in renouncing the ktohtry of the church of Rome. 
 
 f See George I ox's Journal. J Alt ered to a yearly meeting in i; 93.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. , 119 
 
 and on *.vhofe account ; ,and if any friends were in 
 prifon, to endeavour to make proper application for 
 their releafe. 
 
 But in.procefs of time many other weighty affairs, 
 refpefting good order and difcipline in the church, 
 became the fubje&s of their confideration in thefe 
 meetings ; and indeed friends of this nation became 
 juftly confpicuous by their zeal and diligence in the 
 exercife hereof, and the fame good fpirit led both 
 them and their brethren in England into the fame 
 wholefome rules fo excellent in themfelves, and fo 
 highly conducive to the prefervation of a Chriflian 
 community. 
 
 But to return to George Fox ; after he had tra- 
 velled over feveral parts of the nation and vifited 
 friends in their meetings for bufmefs as well as wor- 
 Ihip, and recommended the fettlement of meetings 
 of difcipline as above, and had anfwered feveral 
 papers and writings from monks, friars, and Proteft- 
 ant priefls (who were enraged againft him) he, with 
 Robert Lodge, Thomas Briggs, &c. returned for 
 England, parting with friends in much tendernefs and 
 brokennefs in the fen fe of the heavenly life and power 
 that was manifefted among them. 
 
 This year (1669) alfo Solomon Eccles was put into 
 prifon at Galway, by an occalion fomewhat extraordi- 
 nary. His zeal was fo great that what he judged evil he 
 oppofed with the hazard of his life, aninftanceof which 
 occui red in a ftrange aclion he performed in a chapel 
 of the Papifts without the faid town of Galway, 
 where he went naked above his waiil with a charing- 
 di(h of coals and burning brimftone upon his head, 
 and entered the chapel, when all the people were on 
 their knees praying to their idol,'* and fpoke as fol- 
 loweth : ' Woe to thefe idolatrous worfhipp-rs : 
 God hath fent me this day to warn you and to fliew 
 you what will be jour portion except you repeat j* 
 
 * Or images. 
 
 ' H 4
 
 I2O THE RISE AND PROGRESS, &C. 
 
 xvhich when he had done, he wenj away to the town, 
 where he was prefently made a prifoner.* 
 
 Another tranfaftion of the faid Solomon Eccles 
 recorded by the fame hiftorian, A. D. 1670, and a 
 memorable inftance of his zeal againfl time-ferving, 
 was as follows : the faid Solomon going into the 
 cathedral at Cork, found there Benjamin Crofs 
 preaching in a furplice, who having formerly been a 
 Prtfbyterian preacher in Dorfetfliire, had there faid, 
 that he had rather go to the Itake and be burnt, than 
 put en a furplii e. This prieft (now become a turn- 
 coat for gain) having finifhed his fermon and con- 
 cluded with a prayer, Solomon Eccles declared that 
 the prayer of ihe wicked is an abomination to the 
 Lord, and knowing the deceitfulnefs of the faid prieft, 
 and' that he was an apoftate, added thefe words : 
 * What (hall be done to the man that makes fhip- 
 vvreckof a good confcience r" For this he was taken 
 and commited to prifon by the mayor, where being 
 kept ten days, he was accufed as a vagabond, and, 
 without examination, whipped through the ftreeu of 
 Cork, from north-gate to fouth-gate, and, having re- 
 ceived about ninety ftripes, was expelled. 
 
 Befides the above-mentioned, feveral other friends 
 alfo this year vifited this nation in the fervice of 
 truth, viz. Thomas Janny and John Abraham ; and 
 John Burnyeat landed here* a third time and had 
 blefled fervice in Dublin and other parts of the 
 nation ; and thus by the bleffing of the Lord upon 
 the labours of his minifters, many in divers parts of 
 the nation were convinced of the truth, and joined 
 with friends. 
 
 This year (1669) alfo Anthony Sharp came from 
 England and fettled in Dublin, who was very fervice- 
 able in many refpe&s to friends, and after fome time 
 received a gift in the miniflry. See the teftimony 
 concerning him. A. D. 1706. 
 
 * Sewcl's Hif,orv
 
 THE 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 OF THE PEOPLE CALLED 
 
 QUAKERS,, 
 
 JN 
 
 IRELAND. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Frotr. the fettlement of Church^difcipHne to the end of 
 the troubles under King James IL The progress 
 and increase of Friends in aftate offujfering. Their 
 peculiar zeal andfteadinefs in keeping up their Meet- 
 ings for Divine ivor/hip in a time of perfection <iohi!Jl 
 other diffenters fled. The ftate of Friends under 
 King James IL and their wonderful prefervation 
 during 'the troubles. Summary accounts of the lives 9 
 characters, and Chriftian experiences of divers of 
 their eminent minijlers interfperfed. 
 
 SUFFERINGS (till attended friends, on divers ac- 
 counts, particularly for bearing their teflimony 
 againft the antichriftian oppreffion of tithes, for re- 
 fuilng to fwear, for not obferving the days called 
 holy-days, and frequently for mere meeting together 
 peaceably to worfhip God, on which account they 
 iu.ffered imprifonment and fines. 
 
 William Penn, who was here this year,, did fre- 
 quently vifit his friends in prifon, and hold meetings 
 with them, omitting no opportunity he had with thofc 
 in, authority to folicit on their behalf j and as th,^
 
 122 THS RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 Ninth month national meeting was this year held at 
 his lodgings in Dublin, an account of friends' fuffer- 
 
 o o * 
 
 ings was there drawn up by way of addrefs, which 
 he prefented to the lord-lieutenant,* whereupon an 
 order of council was obtained for the releafe of 
 ihofe that were imprifoned. 
 
 For a more minute account of the fufferings of 
 friends on the above-mentioned and other occafions, 
 I muft refer my reader to the Account of the Suffer- 
 ings of the people called Quakers in Ireland, from 
 the year 1655 to the end of the reign of King 
 George I. publiflied in Dublin, 1731. 
 
 The following inftance however of the innocency 
 of the fufferers on the one hand, and of the feverity 
 of the perfecutors on the other, I {hall here infert, 
 viz. 
 
 Blanch Holden and Margaret Trotter, two very 
 poor women, for going to the publick worfhip-houfe 
 at Lifnegarvy, alias Lifburn in the county of Antrim, 
 on the day called Chriftmas-day, and faying thefe or 
 the like words, ' Let them that keep a day, keep it to 
 the Lord,* were fined by judge Kennedy, at the affixes 
 ut Carrickfergus, one hundred marks each, and com- 
 mitted to Carrickfergus gaol, where they continu-ed 
 prifoners above two years. 
 
 This year John Banks, from Pardfhaw in Cumber- 
 land, came into Ireland a fecond time, having in the 
 foregoing year vifited the northern parts of the nation 
 in company with our ancient friend John Tiffin : he 
 landed in Dublin the Third month, the morning the 
 half-year's meeting began ; and on the following 
 Seventh-day of the week, in purfuance of a particu- 
 lar exercife upon his fpirit to go to a certain place 
 ibuthward from Dublin, in order to have a meeting 
 there the next Firit-day of the week, he went from 
 Dublin to Wicklow, where no meeting of friends had 
 been kept before. He, accompanied by two friends, 
 went to an inn that night, and gave notice that he 
 
 * John Lord Bcrl;ly, Baron Stratton.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 12^ 
 
 intended to have a meeting in that town next day, 
 being the Fird day of the week : fo the report foou 
 fpread among the people, that an Englifh. Quaker 
 was come to preach there : and there was a mighty 
 noife of it in the place, the people being (birred up 
 by the pried ; end the governor, one Hamman, lived 
 at the cattle, where a garrifon of foldiers was then 
 kept : the following part of this narrative I (hall 
 give in the faid John Bank's own words from his 
 journal, viz. 
 
 ' When I was ready to go from the inn where we 
 lodged, the landlady laid to me,' c For God's fake 
 go not along the ftreet, for there is a guard of muf- 
 keteers waiting at the crofs to take you. I will fhe\v 
 you a back way ;' I faid, ' I accept of thy love, but 
 I mud not go any private way, but along the town- 
 dreet, for I have a teftimony to bear for the Lord, 
 in love to the fouls' of people.' So by that time 
 we were well fat down, before my mouth was 
 opened, came a ferjeant with a halbert and a guard 
 of mu/keteers, and faid to me, I mud go along with 
 him to the governor. I anfwered, 4 What authority 
 had thou to take me ? if thou had a warrant fo to 
 do, I (hall go.' He held out his halbert, and faid, 
 ' This is my warrant.' I faid, ' You need not to 
 have come to us with your fwords and guns, as thofc 
 thar came againd Chrid, with fwords and flaves; we 
 are known to be a peaceable people : howbeit I fhall 
 go with thee.' So they took me to a houfe where 
 was the pried, his wife, the governor, &c. The 
 pried was in a great rage when I came ip. and faid 
 to the governor, ' Sir, this is the deceiver, this is the 
 deluder that is come from England, to delude the 
 people here, I hope you will do judice and execute 
 the law.' The governor being pretty moderate faid 
 nodiing for fome time and the people being in an 
 uproar preiTed in at the door, and I -being willing to
 
 124 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 let the prieft rage on a litr.le, till he had fomething 
 vented himfelf, that he might be more manifeft to the 
 people, at kft faid to him, ' Thou fayefl I am a de- 
 ceiver and a deluder :' He anfwered in a great fury, 
 f So thou art, fo thou art:' but I (aid, ' Have patience, 
 and let thy moderation appear unto all men, and 
 hear what I have to fay to clear my felf from thy 
 falfe accufation : for I fhall not take thy affertion. 
 for proof: I have had patience to hear thee: art 
 ihou a minifter of Chrifl ?' ' Yes,* faid he, ' I am.' 
 I replied, e but if I prove thee a liar, as by the wit- 
 iiefs of this people thou art ; (in charging me with 
 what thou canfl bring no proof for) and if fo, thou 
 art out of the doftrine of Chrift, and To no minifter 
 of Chrift, but of antichrift, and fo of thy father the 
 devil, and therefore thou art the deceiver and the 
 deluder of the people.' Upon which the prieft's 
 mouth was ftopped.' 
 
 And then John had an opportunity of declaring 
 truth to the people ; yet the governor committed 
 him and two more to prifon : but the gaoler was 
 favourable, and gave them the liberty of a room, 
 where the people followed,' and John preached the 
 way of life and falvation to them in and through 
 Jefus Chrift, by believing iir his pure light, and 
 walking ahfwerable to the teachings of his grace, 
 arid reproof of his Holy Spirit ; by which they might 
 receive power to become the fons of God, and fev'e- 
 ral w r ere convinced that day, and received truth ia 
 the love of it. He was kept in prifon three days, 
 where there was a great refort of people to fee him., 
 and to difcourfe about 'the principles of religion. 
 Then he returned to Dublin, and from thence tra- 
 velled into the North, vifiting friends. there ; and on 
 his return to Dublin he went to Wicklow again, 
 there being a letter from thence lignifying that the
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. IJ 
 
 people defired another meeting, which, notwithftand* 
 ing the oppofition of the pried, was iield there peace- 
 ably ; and althougli the pried, as foon as he had 
 opportunity, began to profecute and iraprifon friends 
 for tithes, and fuch like things, and got fever a i put 
 into prifon that came to vifit that place, yet truth 
 profpered, and a meeting was fet up in that town, 
 and flill continueth. 
 
 This year (1672) died in Cork, Sufanna Mitchell, 
 of that city : ihe was a zealous faithful fervant of the 
 Lord for many years till her deceafe, and often bore a 
 publick tedimony to God's everlafting truth before 
 magiilrates, prieds, and people j for which ihe was 
 often a Cofferer in bonds, and rejoiced to be found 
 worthy. 
 
 This year (1673) friends addreffed the lord-lieute- 
 nant* and council for relief from their fufferings on 
 manyoccafions, and particularly this, that whereas they - 
 durft not on any account take an oath, as being forbid- 
 den by Chrift, wicked men laid hold on this their 
 confcientious fcruple to enfnare and defraud them, by 
 caufing them to be fubpoensed into chancery, where 
 their anfwers without an oath would not be admitted; 
 for indance, in the county of Wexford, Thomas 
 Holme having about 2001. due to him from captain 
 Thornhili, for which judgment was obtained. againd 
 him in common law, was fubpcenaed into chancery by 
 the faid Thornhili, where he well knew Thomas 
 could not anfwer upon oath, and fo this friend loft 
 his debt : and in Dublin, James Fade having about 
 40!. dae to him from one Ezekiel Webb, was by the 
 {aid Webb fubpcenaed into chancery, and becaufe the 
 friend could not give in his anfwer upon oath, he 
 not only loft the faid debt, but was condrained to 
 give above -90!. to get clear of the debtor:, and in- 
 deed this iniquity continued, in practice, and friends 
 were expofed to fufferings on this account, even until 
 
 * Arttvr, Lord CapeL Earl of Effex.
 
 X26 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF 
 
 the reign of our late gracious fovereign George the 
 Firft, when they were delivered from this yoke of 
 oppreffion.* 
 
 About the fame time friends met with great 
 trouble and exercife at Cork, Dublin, and ieveral 
 other places, by reafon of divers perfons that were 
 gone into the loofe and foolifh imaginations of 
 Muggleton and others, and perverted into loofenefe 
 and indulgence of their carnal wills and affeftions 
 from the crofs of Chrift and fclf-denial ; but truth 
 prevailed, and God gave an underloading to place 
 judgment upon them. 
 
 This year ( 1 675) and about the fifty-fifth of his age, 
 died Robert Sandham, of Youghal, a faithful elder, 
 though not a minifter. He was born at Woodcutt near 
 Petworth, in the parifli of Graffom and county of 
 SulTex, A.D. 1620, was of a pious difpofition from his 
 youth, and joined himfelf in fociety with the drifted fort 
 of Baptifts, who were a perlecuted and tender people at 
 that time ; among!!: whom he underwent great mock- 
 ings, ftonings in the ftreets, &c. and was very zealous 
 in their way, travelling up and down on foot with 
 their minifters, infomuch that he obtained the name 
 of young Timothy; but in procefs of time finding 
 that this people whilft they adhered to the form, had 
 too much loft the power that he firft found among 
 them, his anxious foul panted after fome further ma- 
 nifeftation, and a clofer communion with his Maker. 
 
 In the year 1650 he came from England a lieute- 
 nant in colonel Sanders's regiment of foot, and arrived 
 at Youghal, and in the year 1652, took to wife 
 Deborah Baker of that town, then an Anabapiift, 
 afterwards a faithful friend, of whom hereafter. He 
 was convinced in the year 1655, by tlie miniftry of a 
 woman, viz. Elizabeth Fletcher, who preached in 
 the ftreets at Youghal. In the year 1661 he was 
 imprifoned at Cork, for not fwearing when fummoned 
 
 * See tire year 1719.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 127 
 
 to be on a jury, and was fined five pounds, for which 
 he had a horfe taken from him of more than twice 
 that value. 
 
 In the year 1662, he was in great doubt whether 
 he fliould fettle at Cork or Youghal. Cork yielded 
 him a profpeft of the greateft advantage as to the 
 riches of this world, but Youghal was the place 
 where it feemed tc^him he fhould be the moft fervice- 
 able as a Chriftian, the meeting there being men 
 but fmall and weak, and upon fome late occafion 
 grown weaker ; whereas Cork meeting was ftronger, 
 having many faithful friends belonging to it : under 
 this confideration he gave up in faith to dwell in 
 Youghal, trufting in God's providence as to his 
 worldly fupport. In the year 1663, a meeting was 
 fettled at his houfe ; but perfecution followed;- a 
 centinel being fet at his door to keep friends out, 
 and their meetings were broken up by guards of 
 foldiers, and Matthew Appleyard the governor, 
 commanded him with his family to leave the town j 
 but being a freeman, he afferted his liberty as fuch, 
 and refufed to obey the governor's unjuft command. 
 The faicl governor however, forcibly fent him away 
 with a guard of foldiers on foot (not fuffering him 
 to ride his own horfe, though he defired ir, being 
 under fome bodily infirmity), to Charleville, a jour- 
 ney of twenty-four miles, there to appear before 
 Rog.r Boyle, lord prefident of Munfter, afterwards 
 earl of Orrery, who when he had read his accufation, 
 finding him charged with nothing except concerning 
 the law of his God, immediately fet him at liberty ; 
 and he returned to Youghal, and continued to dwell 
 there, undergoing with patience and courage, the 
 reproaches and fufferings that attended him for the 
 exercife of a good conscience ; and a meeting was 
 conftantly kept at his houfe whilft he lived, and after 
 his death, at his widow's, until a meeting-houfe was 
 tajik in that town, which was in the year 1681. He
 
 128 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 was juft in his -dealings among men, cf a benevolent 
 fpirit, ready to do good to all, efpecially thofe of the 
 houfehold of faith ; zealous and firm in his teftimony 
 for Truth, againft apoftates, backfliders, and falfe 
 brethren, and particularly againil the erroneous and 
 blafphefnous principles of Lodowick Muggleton, which 
 prevailed on fome, to their utter lofs as to truth. 
 He was a (harp reprover of diforderly and unfaithful 
 walkers, but a help to, and a ftrengthener of weak 
 brethren and the young convinced, by fuitable counfel. 
 He died in a fcnfible and reiigned frame of fpirit. 
 
 This year (1676) Oliver Sanfom vidted friends in the 
 work of the miniflry, from whofe journal the follow- 
 ing paflage will ferve to give the reader a juft idea 
 of the devout difpofition of friends in thofe days, viz. 
 
 * The general half-year's meeting -at Dublin, began 
 on the Fourth-day of the week, at- the ninth hour in 
 the morning, and the meeting for worfhip continued 
 until after the firft hour. About an hour after, 
 friends met again in order to confider of the affairs 
 of the church : but the power of the Lord brake 
 forth fo mightily among friends in many teftiinonies,, 
 prayers and praifes to the Lord, that there was no 
 time to enter upon bufinefs that day, and fo the 
 meeting broke up. Next morning the meeting began 
 again about the ninth hour, and continued until near 
 the third hour in the afternoon, and a precious hea- 
 venly time it was. Then adjourning for one hour, 
 friends came together again to go upon the bufinefs 
 of the meeting : but then again the Lord's power 
 mightily appeared, whereby many mouths were opened 
 to declare of the goodnefs of the Lord, and to offer 
 up prayers and praifes to him, which took up the 
 time of the meeting of that day alfo, fo that very 
 little could be done as touching bufinefs. 
 
 But early next morning friends went about thebufmefs 
 of the meeting, and continued at it the greateft part of
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. I2() 
 
 that day, and the next day alfo, when it was concluded, 
 viz. on the Seventh-day of the week, in the evening, 
 having been generally carried on in much unity and 
 harmony.' 
 
 The faid friend further relates, that befides feveral 
 publick meetings for worfliip, and fome at friends 
 houfes in Dublin, a meeting was alfo appointed for 
 him at Chappel-izod, and held to good fatisfacHon, 
 and another again a little while afterwards in the 
 fame place. He (laid four months in Ireland, and 
 travelled 950 miles. 
 
 Thisyear( 1678) befides feveral friends fromEngland 
 one Katharine Norton, alias M'Laughiin, travelled 
 this nation in the fervice of truth. Her maiden name 
 was M'Laughiin ; fhe was born of Irilh parents <;f 
 account in or near Colerain ; and was fen: to i.oiuion- 
 derry for education, where fhe remained for {. i-ne 
 time. When fhe was fixteen years of age, there 
 came a fhip to Derry to take in paiTengers for Bar- 
 badoes, which fhe embarked in and landed in that 
 ifland, where (he was married ; and fome time after, 
 that ifland being vifited by George Fox and fome 
 others, fhe was convinced by their miniftry ; and 
 afterwards became an able minifter, and in or abouc 
 this year, 1678, came on truth's fervice into the 
 kingdom of Ireland. She vifued friends meetings 
 in the North ; preached in Lurgan market on a 
 market-day in Irifh ; had feveral meetings near Cole- 
 rain, where her relations lived, and feveral difputos 
 on the account of truth, which got the victory ; 
 from whence fhe travelled to Armagh, Cavan, the 
 Moate of Granoge ; and had feveral meetings there 
 and elfewhere, to the fatisfaftion and edification of 
 friends ; and fome time after fhe travelled to Dublin, 
 and took fhipping for England. She was well qualified 
 for the fervice, being of a found judgment, large in 
 teftimony, of a good utterance, had of her own to 
 diftribute, and did not make the gofpel chargeable. 
 VOL. III. i
 
 130 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 This year (167 9) Judith Boulby was here in Trmh*s 
 fervice, arid being moved to goto Londonderry, having 
 a particular meflage to that place, {he publifhed the 
 fame in their publick worfhip-houfe, and for fo doing 
 was imprifoned ; but committed to wiiting, and left 
 with them, the following lines : 
 
 A few words as a warning from the Lord to the 
 
 C3 
 
 Inhabitants of Londonderry, and alfo to the whole 
 nation of Ireland. 
 
 * Oh, repent, repent ! for a terrible day from the 
 Lord is approaching, wherein the hearts of many 
 fhall fail, terror {hall lay hold upon them, but they 
 that fear the Lord fhall daily renew their flrength. 
 My bowels are troubled, I am pained as one to be 
 delivered, or as one whom wine hath overcome, 
 becaufe of the Lord, and becaufe of the word of his 
 holinefs. Thus faith the Lord, " How long will you 
 fcorners delight in fcorning, and you that hate know- 
 ledge harden yourfelvcs againft God's reproof?" 
 God's day is come, and woe to all the workers of 
 iniquity. Woe is me ; woe is me ; for the mifery 
 that is coming upon you. Your wound is hard 
 to be cured ; your phyficians are phyficians of no 
 value ; your watchmen are watchmen of the night. 
 Oh nation, thy teachers have deceived thee, they 
 have fpoken a divination of their own brain, and not 
 from the mouth of the Lord ; they have cried Peace, 
 Peace, when indeed, as the Scripture faith, " there 
 is no peace to the wicked." The meffenger of the 
 new covenant hath been reje&ed by you, who hath 
 long waited to be gracious. How hath the vifitation 
 of his love been founded forth in your markets and 
 in your ftreets ? But now the herald of God's wrath, 
 a noife of confufion, terror, and amazement, is even 
 ready to enter into your borders ; a bitter cup with- 
 out mixture the Lord is handing forth unto the
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 nations, and you mnft drink it, except high and law, 
 rich and poor, repent fpeedily. Oh, is there none 
 to intercede for you, is there none to Hand in the 
 gap and flop the judgment, and flay the deflroying 
 angel, who is ready with the fword in his hand to 
 execute God's fierce wrath upon the nations ; and 
 though you have driven furioufly againfl the Lord, 
 and againlt his appearance in his people, the Lord 
 God will flrike off your chariot-wheels ; and that 
 which is the joy, and comfort, and fatisfaction of 
 God's people, will be your woe and torment ; it 
 will be in you as a worm that will never die, it will 
 gnaw you in your inward parts, and it will be in 
 you as a fire that can never be quenched, until you 
 know that the Mofl High rules in the kingdom of 
 men, and gives them to whom foe ver he pleafeth. 
 And you, O friends, who are put in power to be 
 governors of this nation, O exercife it for God, and 
 while you have a day, prize it, left that your power 
 be given to others, and then the Scriptures be ful- 
 filled upon you, where God faith, " I called, and ye 
 refufed ; I have ftretched forth my hand,- and no man 
 regarded ; therefore will I laugh at your calamity > 
 and mock when your fear cometh j' J when tribulation 
 fhall come upon you as an armed man, then fhall 
 ye call, but the Lord will not anfwer, ye fhall feek 
 him early, but fhall not find him, and then fhall ye 
 know that I have not written thefe lines of myfelf, 
 but the Lord God hath fent me to proclaim thefc 
 things in your ears. 
 
 Judith Boulby.' 
 
 7th Month, 1679. 
 
 i 
 
 This year (1680) died William Morris of Cafllefalem 
 in the county of Cork ; who, though a man of great 
 parts and wifdom, was convinced of truth by a weak 
 inflrument. He was ferviceable upon many occafions 
 with the government in appeasing on behalf of fuffer- 
 
 I 2
 
 \Tj1 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 ing friends, though he was alfo divers times a fuffercr 
 in bonds for his teftimony. He wrote an excellent 
 ihort treatife entitled, Tithes no Gofpel Ordinance.* 
 
 This year (1682) friends of the three provinces made 
 colle&ions, and remitted to London the fum of 333!. 
 to be applied to the redemption of certain friends that 
 were captives in Algiers, in conjunction with money 
 colleded in England for the fame purpofe ; and 281!. 
 was fubfcribed here for the fame ufe, in the year 1686. 
 
 In the fame year (1682) Benjamin Bangs landed 
 in Dublin, and travelled up and down in the work 
 of the gofpel, and had great and good fervicc, many 
 being convinced by means of his miniflry. At Antrim, 
 a place of great profeffion, he had a meeting in the 
 evening, to which a great many came, and fome with 
 a defign to oppofe him. The place was not large 
 enough to contain the people ; which occafioned thofe 
 without to be very noify and turbulent, fome of the 
 ruder fort pelting them with bits of dirt and turf, 
 whilft Benjamin was preaching : upon which he made 
 a full ftop, which occafioned a general filence ; and 
 after a little time he faid, ' I uuderftand this is a 
 place of great profeflion of religion ; I am forry to 
 fee fo much irreligion as appears amongfl you at this 
 time, through your rude behaviour. It is not long 
 fince I came out of my native country, and I think 
 it will not. be long ere I return again, and then what 
 {hall I fay of you to your poor fuffering brethren in 
 England ?' He relates that there was a dread upon 
 them when he fpoke thefe words, which alfo affefted 
 thofe prefent, for many of them trembled and their 
 faces gathered palenefs. Upon which he advifed 
 them, if they had any regard to the reputation of 
 religion, to enquire after thofe that were the occa- 
 fion of thefe diforders ; for that fuch behaviour was 
 bafe and fcandalous ; and moreover he was moved 
 
 See a further account in 1656, page 104.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 133 
 
 to fay, that " the time draws nigh that you will be 
 blown away like chaff before the fummer threfhing- 
 floor, and the place of your meeting will not be 
 found." After this fome cried out in a Scottiili tone, 
 ' We be all alhamed ;' and getting out of the houfe, 
 enquired after thofe that were the occafion of the 
 diforders. Some lads they got and beat ; others that 
 abfconded they took the names of: after which they 
 had a folemn good meeting, the lively fenfe of the 
 love of God reached to the hearts of many prefent, 
 and the meeting ended well. At this meeting was a 
 young man, a Papiil and fervant to William Wilkinfon, 
 convinced, as were many more eliewhere in the North, 
 &c. He travelled through Ulfter, and feveral parts 
 of Munfler and Leinfter, where he had many meet- 
 ings, having departed from Dublin the i4th of the 
 Ninth, and returned thither again the 2jth of the 
 Firfl month, 1683. 
 
 After the conclufion of the following third month's 
 half-year's meeting, he intended to have returned lo 
 England ; and in order to it had fold his horfe, and 
 prepared for the voyage, but the wind proving con- 
 trary, he could not get off; and befides, he found 
 fome flop inhimfelf, a further fervice being prefented 
 to his view, to which he gave up, though much 
 contrary to his inclination, viz. It fell with fome 
 weight upon him to have a meeting at Tralee in the 
 county of Kerry, where William Bingley had been : 
 accordingly he fet out from Dublin the iyth of the 
 Third month, taking meetings in the way, and went 
 to Cork, and from thence to Tralee, a journey of 
 one hundred and fifty -eight miles, accompanied by 
 John Hammond, Thomas Wight, and fome others. 
 He had a comfortable opportunity at Tralee, many 
 hearts were tendered, the Lord's prefence attending 
 and helping them ; and after the meeting ended, the 
 People withdrew in a folemn and peaceable manner. 
 J\ Whke ? a man of note in the town, came and 
 
 1 3
 
 134 TH2 RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 offered them his houfe to meet in, which they kindly 
 accepted,, as aifo of his invitation to dine with him 
 next day, and parted with him in much friendfhip. 
 After this he vificed feveral meetings in Leinfter pro- 
 vince, and Vvnit to the North again. As he was 
 going from Am im to the Grange, he faw ten or 
 twelve men upon the road, walking in a very folitary 
 manner, and it arofe in his heart, ' Thefe are fheep 
 having no fhepherd.' When he came up to them, 
 he flackened his pace and queried of them, ' What 
 news ?' The men were flartled at the queftion, and 
 anfwered, ' We know of none ; continuing to go 
 foftly, he faid, ' Are ye going to a meeting ?' They 
 anfwered, c Our minifler is filenced, for orders are 
 come down commanding all diffenters not to affemble, 
 fo now we have no teacher.' This brought to his 
 remembrance what he had been concerned to deliver 
 as above, at the evening meeting he had at Antrim, 
 where he met with fo much rudenefs, viz. that the 
 time draws nigh that " you will be .blown away like 
 chaff befpie the fuminer threfhing-floor, and the place 
 o r your meeting will not be found." At this time all 
 diffenters, except friends, had declined keeping up* 
 their meetings. Benjamin proceeded to difcourfe with 
 the men afqrefaid, and faid, ' e The hireling flecth, 
 becaufe he is a hireling and careth not for the fheep," 
 as it is faid, John x. 11, 12, 13. referring them, to 
 the text, further, {hewing that it is happy for thofe 
 that are come to the knowledge of that teacher which 
 cannot be removed into a corner. God faid, he 
 would teach his children himfclf, and the children of 
 the Lord are taught of the Lord, See John vi. 45, 
 and Ifaiah liv. 13. and you may read in the firft 
 epiftle of John ii. 27. " The anointing which ye 
 have received of him abideth in you, and ye need 
 cot that any man teach you, but as the fame anoint- 
 ing teacheth you of all things," &c. And in Titus ii. 
 1 1, 1 2. " The grace of God which bringeth falvation,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 135 
 
 hath appeared unto all men, teaching us," &c. Here 
 he directed them to the great heavenly Schoolmafter, 
 who faid, " Learn of me, for I am mec'- and lowly 
 in heart ; follow me, and ye (hall find reft unto your 
 fouls.*' Mat. xi. 29. Thus labouring to bring them 
 from their hireling teachers, to the teaching of God 
 and Chriil in themfelves, by which they might come 
 to the knowledge of God and ways of his falvation, 
 ** For a manifestation of the Spirit is given to every 
 man to profit withal," i Cor. xii. 7 ; advifing them 
 to turn their minds inward, and mind the fecret 
 operations of it, thereby they would find, through a 
 lively experience, that h checks and reproves for bad 
 words and aftions ; and as they turned tq that, they 
 would find it would lead them into all truth, with 
 many more words to this effect. They were well 
 pleafed with this difcourfe, declaring at parting that 
 they had never heard things fo opened to them in 
 their lives. 
 
 % The number of miles our faid friend Benjamin 
 travelled in Ireland were one thoufand feven hundred 
 and forty-fix ; the number of meetings he had here, 
 exclufive of Dublin, were one hundred and eighty ; 
 and he fpent in this fervice one year within a few 
 days. 
 
 William Edmundfon and Robert Jackfon were 
 put into the bifhop's court for tithes, excommunicated, 
 taken with a writ and committed to prifon, and they 
 were kept prifoners about twenty weeks. The lord 
 of Ely interceding for their liberty, thebiihop ordered 
 them to come to his court at Kildare ; and accord- 
 ingly they came, and there was the bilhop, about 
 ten or twelve priefts, the lord of Ely, and feveral other 
 perfons of note, and dean Sing was chancellor of the 
 court. The biihop began to difcourfe with William 
 Edmundfon concerning tithes, which he was unwilling 
 to enter upon, being fenfible of his own weaknefs, 
 but the bifhop urging it, a conference was commenced, 
 
 14
 
 1 36 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 which lafted three hours, and in a quiet manner 
 without any other bufinefs, wherein wifdom and 
 underfhmding was given to William Edmundfon, and 
 fcriptures brought fluently into his memory ; fo that 
 he proved tithes to be ended, and that it was anti- 
 chriilian to pay or receive them in gofpel times, 
 which was opened fo cledily to the underftandings of 
 the people, that there feemed to be great fatisfuclion 
 in the court ; and dean Sing flood up before 
 them all and faid, if he had known W. Edmundfon 
 as well before as now, he fhould not have fuffered; 
 xvith feveral other expreiiions of kindnefs. 
 
 Several other matters were aifo then difcourfed of, 
 and queries aniVercd in relation to gofpel-minifters, 
 the Chriflian religion, faith, and the true worfhip of 
 God, to thefts ' "' a of thofe prefect ; andthebifbop, 
 ordering the two "friends to appear at the next court, 
 wrote to the flic-riff to let them have their liberty till 
 then ; and at the next court he wrote again to the 
 {heriff, to difcharge them out of prifon, which was 
 readily clone : thus this fuffering and conference had 
 a good enV ; and aftenvards both the bifliop and 
 officers of that court were kind to friends. 
 
 This year (1683^ $ lc< ^ HV> ert Cuppage of Lambf- 
 town in the county of Wexford, a man of an exemplary 
 life and converfation, who loved truth, and had a 
 found teftimony for it, and lived in it as well as 
 preached it to ethers. 
 
 About the mjcklle of this fummer the government 
 gave order to the feveral forts of diffenters in Dublin, 
 that they {liquid forbear meeting publickly together 
 in their worfhip houfes as formerly. The archbifhop 
 of Dublin alfo fent for Anthony Sharp, and told him 
 it wiis the mind and defire of the government that 
 friends fhould alfo forbear meeting HI their meeting, 
 houfes ; but Friends returned anfwer, that they be- 
 lieved it was their indifpenfible duty to meet together 
 to worfhip the great God of heaven and earth, from
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 137 
 
 whom we receive all our mercies, and not. to forbear 
 aflembling ourfelves together for fear of punifhment 
 from men, for that we met purely to worfhip the 
 Lord, and not upon any other account. So accord- 
 ing to the defire of the government, other profeflbrs 
 generally left their meeting-houfes, but Friends met 
 together to worfhip the Lord as formerly, as they 
 were perfuaded it was their duty to do : fo upon a 
 Firft-d?y in the Sixth month this year came the marfhal 
 and feveral of the mayor's officers to the meeting at 
 Wormwood gate ; where John Burnyeat being fpeak- 
 ing, the marQial commanded him to go with him, 
 which after fome difcourfe he did. He commanded 
 the meeting to difperfe, but friends kept quiet in 
 their places. John was carried before the mayor, 
 with whom he had fome difcourfe to this effeft : 
 he alked him, why they did aft contrary to the go- 
 vernment, having been commanded not to meet? 
 John anfwered, ' We do nothing in contempt of the 
 government.' ' But,' faid he, ' why do you not 
 obey then?' John replied, ' becaufe it is matter of 
 conscience to us, and that which we believe to be 
 our indifpenfible duty, to meet together to worfliip 
 God.' To which he anfwered, ' You may be mifled ;' 
 John told him, ' If we are mifled, we are willing to 
 be informed, if any can do it.' Then it was urged, 
 oiher diflenters had fubmitted, and why would not 
 we? lohn faid, ' What they do wi]l be no plea for 
 us before the judgment-feat of the great God.' So 
 after fome other difcourfe, the mayor committed John 
 to the marfhalfea prifon, to which alfo were taken 
 afterwards Alexander Seaton, Anthony Sharp, and 
 others. 
 
 Now feveral fober perfons obferving other pro- 
 feflbrs to fhrink in this time of perfecution, whiift 
 Friends kept their meetings as ufual, came to our 
 peetings and became faithful friends. 
 
 The couiideration of the great fufferings that were
 
 138 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 upon Friends in England for their innocent teftimony 
 towards God, whereby many of them were brought 
 into great neceffity and affli&ion by the ravenous 
 hands, of wicked informers and violent persecutors, 
 being before the national meeting, a collection for 
 their relief was ordered from the feveral provinces. 
 
 Now, as well as before, alfo in this nation. Friends 
 were not exempt from fuffering on account of their 
 non-payment of tithes, &c. and the unreafonablenefs 
 of the fees and cofts of the bifhop's court ; on which 
 occafion they petitioned the lord -lieutenant and 
 council. 
 
 This year (1684) was publifhed an account of 
 Friends* fuiferings on the occafions aforefaid, and 
 ordered to be fent into the feveral provinces. 
 
 Like wife this year, Thomas Ellwood's book, called 
 A DiiTuafive from Pr-fecution, was printed at a na- 
 tional charge. 
 
 o 
 
 The fame year died Thomas Carleton, at Ballyna 
 carrick in the county of Wicklow, who wasconvinced 
 in Cumberland about th year 1663., before which 
 he underwent great conflicts of foul, which 1 fhall 
 defcribe in his own words from one of his trea- 
 tifes, viz. 
 
 6 I was early vifited by the love and tender mercy 
 of the Lord, which often prcfcnted unto me my ftate 
 and manner of life, and by the f?.me love and light 
 he made known unto me that h[s way and worfhip 
 was a purer, holier way and cleaner life than I had 
 yet attained unto. Thus I was induced to feek after 
 the Lord ; I read and fearched the Scriptures with 
 much diligence and zeal, and gave myfclf up to hear 
 fermons, fcarch catechifms, &c. was often toffed in 
 myfelf like reftlefs waves in a troubled fea, not feeling 
 peace nor (lability. I often befought the Lord in 
 contrition of fpirit, to clear my 'underftanding and 
 judgment, and make me to know his living way.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 139 
 
 truth, and people, feh and opinions then abounding, 
 one faying, Lo, Chrift is here, another, Lo, he is 
 there ; every denomination conftruing, \vrefting, and 
 interpreting the Scriptures to their fundry tenets, and 
 forcing meanings from them to anfwer their prin- 
 ciples, and to maintain every of their interpretations ' 
 as authentic truths j in all which I was as one without 
 foundation, tofled with every of their windy doc- 
 trines ; but it ftill retted with me, that man was 
 created for God's glory, I being ever and anon 
 judged and condemned in myfelf for fin and difobe- 
 dience j for the law was come by which is the know- 
 ledge of fin, a-nd the commandment being come, fin 
 revived and 1 died as it were ; then fin by the com- 
 ^mandment became exceeding finful, and then I was 
 driven to feek for peace night and day, early and 
 Jate, in publick and private failings, feaftings, family 
 devotions, &c. running from one houfe, town, af- 
 fembly, and worfhip to another, feeking the word of 
 the Lord in all their fabbaths, le&ures., humiliations, 
 or thankfgivings, diligently obferving every ordinance 
 in which the minifler faid, God was to be found, and 
 all to obtain peace with my Maker; but it fled from 
 me, nor was to be found amongil them. 
 
 ' At length, after much humiliation, contrition, 
 and diftrefs, it pleafed the Father to reveal his Son in 
 me; and by his light that gives the knowledge of the 
 glory -of God in the face of his Son Jefus Chrift, 
 2 Cor. iv. 6. he was pleafed to give me a glimpfe of 
 the heavenly land, and of the way to the kingdom of 
 God, which I (aw to be in and through the light of 
 Chrift Jefus, which lighteth every man that cometh 
 into the world, as it was then preached and teflified 
 ' by the fervants of the Lord ; a meafure of which I 
 felt in myfelf, which told me all that ever I did, fe- 
 cretly condemning every work in me, with every 
 word that was contrary to the will and mind of the 
 Father : and alfo juftifying every word and work that
 
 J4O THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 according to his will. Thus the Lord having 
 p cned my underflanding, and given me in meafure 
 a iecliu^ of himtelf, I was forced to conclude (as the 
 w< nran of Samaria did) that this was the Chrift, this 
 was the way, this was the truth ; as by daily expe- 
 rience I found, by the operation of the lighr in my 
 own heart, co'npvired with the tettimony that the 
 flirts and fervants of God had given in ages pail ; 
 and thus in the mouths of two or three witncfles this 
 teftimony was eftablifhed and confirmed in me. But 
 {till how to receive and give obedience to it, I knew 
 nor, the enemy often raifing doubts and fears in me, 
 and the warfare between the flefh and fpirit was 
 great. I faw that I (hould never find peace nor re- 
 conciliation with the Lord, until I gave obedience to 
 the light, and came into fociety with the children of 
 light, and to the woifhip that flood in fpirit ; contrary 
 to all the ways,, worfhips and fervices of the world, 
 fet up in the wills and limitations of men, which I 
 faw to be only formal and traditional, and no lefs 
 than idolatry, as they then ftood in the wiil-worfhip, 
 being prefcribed and fet forth at the wills and plea- 
 lures of men, and cftabliihed by the then prefent 
 powers, government and authority ; as the Indepen- 
 dent Church Faith, the Freibyterian Directory, and 
 the Common Prayer Book of the Kpifcopals may 
 fully teftify ; none being to queftion or object againft 
 any thing that was or is believed by their feveral 
 churches and afTembl : es, or prefcribed by their rules 
 or canons, directories or fervice- books (though 
 never fo much difiatisfied in confcience), without 
 undergoing the cenfures or abjudications of their 
 particular focieties. But they that are come to the 
 light and liberty of the fons of God, and to live and' 
 \vaik in the Spirit, by the Spirit, they know the 
 anointing which abideth in them, and is truth and no 
 lie, which tcacheth them in all things to follow the 
 Lamb only, whitherfoever he goes, and the leadings
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QJJAKER3. 14! 
 
 of his Spirit, and not the formal trafli and traditional 
 precepts of men ; and fo they are ceafed from man 
 and his teachings, knowing the Lord is come to teach 
 bis people himfelf; whereof I being perfuaded la my 
 own heart, was at length conftrained to yield and 
 refign myfelf unto the will of the Lord.' So Far 
 Thomas Carleton, respecting himfelf : let us now hear 
 teftimony of the brethren concerning him, 
 
 He came to Ireland about the year 1673, was a 
 very zealous, honeft friend, and an able miniiler; 
 having a divine gift to admihifler from, in the exer- 
 cife of which he was very ferviccable ; both for the 
 convincing of many who were ftrangers to the way 
 of rhe Lord, and for the edifying, building up and 
 provoking to diligence, thofe already convinced. He 
 was a man of a good underftanding and clear dif- 
 cerning, yet of a lowly mind, and ready to prefer 
 others before himfelf. He ufually flood up in great 
 fear and dread, when he was exercifed under the 
 powerful word of life. He was valiant in aliening 
 and defending truth agaiml the oppofnion of its 
 enemies, and patient in fuffering for it, as appears 
 from a fmall traft he published, entituled, The Cap- 
 tive's Complaint, or the Prifoner's Plea ag;:in(l the 
 burrhenfome and contentious title of tithes, &c. 
 wherein are laid down feveral grounds and reafons 
 againft the propriety and payment of tithes in this 
 evangelical day and difpenfarion. He alfo publifhed 
 fome other fmall pieces, and particularly an excellent 
 general epifUe of admonition and advice to Friends in 
 Ireland and elfewhere. 
 
 Whilft other dhTenters on occafion of the prohibi- 
 tion lately mentioned, 1685, ^ l ^ e ' r ufaal meeting- 
 houfes and met more privately, Friends ftill continued 
 both their public meetings for the worfhip of Almighty 
 God, and thofe for Chriftian difcipline, and great 
 unity and peace was amongft them ; great numbers
 
 142 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 alfo of other people came to our publick meeting";, 
 and Friends gained credit among many fober perfons, 
 notwithstanding the prejudice and railing of the other 
 diffenters who fled into corners. 
 
 There being a great refort to our meetings about 
 tliis time (1687) one James Barry an independent 
 preacher raged, and in his public preaching greatly 
 railed againfl friends : hereupon fever-al of his hearers, 
 like the ancient noble Bereans, came to Friends' 
 meetings to be fatisfkd whether his accounts were 
 true or no ; and by the miniflry of John Burnyeat 
 and others, their prejudices were removed, they were 
 convinced and joined to Friends, and became very 
 ferviceable afterwards. 
 
 At this time alfo, viz. under king James, the go- 
 vernment having made choice of fome friends to 
 ferve in corporations, and as magiftrates, and fome 
 few having accepted thereof, though it was not of 
 their own feeking, a paper of tender advice was 
 drawn up, by order of a general meeting, to friends 
 who were fo concerned, to keep to the truth in every 
 thing : that they might fhine as lights to the world, 
 and be helpful to bring forth juftice, judgment, and 
 righteoufsnefs. And 
 
 On this occafion George Fox wrote a letter to 
 William Edmundfon, dated from Kingfton upon 
 Thames, 1687, to this purpofe : 
 
 'Dear William, 
 
 e As for thofe friends of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, 
 and other places that have taken thofe offices of 
 aldermen and burgefles upon them, they mufl con- 
 fider and be wife ; for if they keep to truth, they 
 can neither take any oaths, nor put any oaths to any 
 one, neither can they put on their gowns and ftrangc 
 kind of habits, as friends have confidered it here 
 'when they talk of putting them in fuch places ; and 
 again, when they have the aldermen, or mayors or
 
 PEOPLE CALI.SD QUAKERS. 143 
 
 common -council feafts, friends here cannot join them 
 in fuch things; but if they will make the poor a feaft 
 that cannot feaft you again, friends have proffered 
 themfelves to ]o'm with them ; but to feaft them that 
 will feaft you -again, and to join with them in their 
 ftrange kind of habits and formalities, is not like 
 truth, that denies the pomps and fafhions of this 
 world : but in their places they (lion Id do juftice to 
 all men, and be a terror 1 to them, that do evil, and a 
 praife to them that do well, and preferve every man 
 both in his natural rights and properties, and in his 
 divine rights and liberty, according to the righteous 
 law of God, &c. 
 
 * Gelorge Fox.' 
 
 The latter end of this year (i 688) a war broke forth 
 in this nation, threatening a general overthrow of all 
 the Englifh and Proteftants, and in that frightful time 
 many of thefe left their dwellings, flocks, and flocks, and 
 fled, fome to England, and fome to arms ; but friends 
 generally kept their places, and kept up their meet- 
 ings, and trufted the Lord with their lives and fub- 
 ftance, that rules all things in heaven and earth, and 
 bounds the fea, and the raging waves thereof, 
 though under great perils of divers forts, by reafon 
 of multitudes of wicked, unmerciful, blood-thirfty 
 men banded together; and friends in fome places be- 
 came great fuccourers to fome of the diftrefled Englifli 
 that had their houfes burnt, and were themfelves 
 driven out of their places, being ftript of their fub- 
 ftarrce ; and a remarkable thing never to be forgotten 
 was, that they that were in government then feemed 
 to favour us^ and endeavour to preferve friends. 
 
 But notwithftanding all endeavours ufed, friends 
 fuftained great lories, and went through many perils 
 by the outrageous rabble and plunderers of the 
 country befides the hardfhips by the army : fo that 
 many loft moft of their vifible fubftance, and fome
 
 144 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 were ftript naked, acd their houfes and dwellings 
 were fet on fire over their heads, and burnt to the 
 ground, and their lives were in fuch clanger, that it 
 feemed a 1m oft impoflible that they mould be pre- 
 ferved; yet in the midfl of fuch lamentable exercifes, 
 the Lord's eminent hand of deliverance wonderfully 
 appeared to their great admiration and comfort. 
 
 In the Third month, this year (1689) accounts 
 were fentup to the national meeting, of the fufferings 
 of friends in feveral parts of the nation, by robberies 
 and fpoils by foldiers and other people, and the iofTes 
 fufb.ined by friends of the province of Leinfter ap- 
 peared to be above 900!. 
 
 Hereupon friends made application to king James, 
 who received them kindly, and promifed that he 
 would take a particular care that they Ihould be pro- 
 te&ed. 
 
 Notwithftanding it was with great hazard of their 
 lives that friends from divers parts came to the na- 
 tional meeting; yet fuch at that time was their zeal 
 for the Lord s fervice, their faith and confidence in 
 his providential care, and their fervent defire of 
 renewed edification, that all the frightful commotions 
 and threatening dangers of thofe days, could not pre- 
 vent their keeping up this and other meetings. 
 
 The national meeting was now pretty much taken 
 up in confidering the diftrefTed condition of their 
 brethren through the nation, and ordering convenient 
 fupplies. 
 
 At the next half-year's meeting in the Ninth 
 month, it appeared that the loffes of friends being 
 ftill continued and increafed, thofe of the friends of 
 the provinces of Leinfter and Munfter amounted to 
 above 7000!. fterling; and in the year 1692, it was 
 computed that the TofTes of friends throughout the 
 nation amounted in the whole to ioo,oool. 
 
 Now the friends of the Meeting for fufferings in 
 London, fympathizing with their brethren here, did
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 145 
 
 fignify their readinefs to affifl them ; to which the 
 half-year's meeting returned anfwer, acknowledging 
 their tender care, however at prefent they rather chofe 
 to decline the acceptance of their friendly offer, the 
 feveral provinces being as yet able to help one another. 
 However Friends here did afterwards accept of the 
 benevolence of the brethren in England, and in the 
 year 1692, they drew for fix hundred pounds towards 
 helping friends here reduced by the late calamitous 
 times, befides one hundred and fifty pounds remitted 
 from London to Ulfter, and the fum of one thoufand 
 and fixty pounds more wasfent for this purpofe, from 
 London, which in the year 1692, was ordered to be 
 diftributed proportionally to each province, and a. 
 letter was fent to the Meeting for fufferings in London, 
 acknowledging their acceptance hereof, but withal 
 defiring that a full flop ihould be put to their fending 
 any more. 
 
 Thus in thofe calamitous times were Friends very 
 nearly united in affeftion j and even from the Friends 
 of Barbadoes there was lool. lent for the relief of 
 Friends here on this occafion. 
 
 This year (1689) king James landing in the South, 
 and coming up to Dublin, the Proteflants came to be 
 a little quieter, and better fettled in their minds, nor 
 fo fearful of a maflacre as formerly ; but dill great 
 havock was made upon the flock of Englifhmen, their 
 cattle,' &c. being moilly taken or killed, oftentimes 
 more on purpofe for deflruftion than for want ; and 
 friends underwent thofe abufes in common with othei 
 Prcteflants. 
 
 Here follows a particular account of .the fufFerings 
 and prefervation of friends in thofe days. 
 
 i. At the town of Cavan (a place that lay open 
 to both the armies, and to the cruelty of the wicked 
 rabble), feveral friends kept their places and dwel- 
 lings, and held their ufual meetings, and though 
 
 VOL. III. / K
 
 146 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 fometimes in fkirmifhes between the two armies many 
 were flain, yetfriends' lives were wonderfully preferred, 
 though in their outward fubftances they were fpoiled 
 and dripped, and at laft commanded by the chief 
 officer of the Irifh army to deparr, and their houfes 
 were burnt. 
 
 2. At Old Cattle, a place liable to the like perils, 
 a few friends dwelt,, who kept up their little meetings, 
 (which belonged to Cavan monthly meeting) and 
 continued there ; their lives were alfo wonderfully 
 prefer ved. 
 
 3. Near Charlemont, in the county of Tyrone, 
 friends thereabouts generally kept their places, and 
 particularly John Whitefide, whofe family wonder- 
 fully efcaped the hands of cruelty with their lives, 
 being in imminent danger often by the Rapparees, and 
 dwelling between two garrifons, one Englifh and rhc 
 other Irifh, who had hot difputes, killing each other 
 at his very houfe ; and once there were feven hundred 
 Irifh, to fixty Englifh and French by computation ; 
 one of his out-houfes was burnt, and he and his fon 
 lying fick in another fo near, that it was admirable 
 both it and they were not burnt ; and yet the Irifh 
 were forced to withdraw, who plundered Friends and 
 burnt their houfes. 
 
 4. One Thomas Greer, a friend, loft his life by a 
 fhot made into his mother's houfe in the night, by a 
 parcel of Rapparees coming to rob the houfe, as was 
 fuppofed; and friends of Ulfter have left this tefli- 
 mony concerning the faid Thomas Greer, that he 
 was an honeft friend, and zealous for truth. 
 
 5. Near Edenderry (an open place much expofed 
 to the Rapparees) Friends were greatly fpoiled in their 
 flocks and flocks, and outward fubftance, but their 
 lives were wonderfully preferved, though the bloody 
 ravenous Rapparees broke in upon the town one 
 night, and burnt part of it, and killed fome of the 
 inhabitants.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 147 
 
 6. At and near RoITenallis, in the Queen's county 
 fa place that lay open to the like cruel ion of men), 
 William Edmundfon and feveral other friends kept 
 their places; though under great exercifes, and troubles 
 of divers forts, and perils too tedious here to mention; 
 till fuch time as a great party of Rapparees came in 
 the night to faid William's houfe, he and his family 
 being in bed, and with great violence fell upon his 
 houfe, and feveral other houfes thereabouts, and fet 
 his houfe on fire over his head, firing feveral vollies 
 of fhot in at the windows ; and took himfelf and his 
 two fons bare-legged and bare-headed, and not fo 
 much other clothes as to fave their bodies from the 
 cold, and hurried them that night through buflies 
 and bogs, mire and water, up to their knees, in cold 
 weather, being the latter end of the Ninth month, 
 about five or fix miles, to a wood, where William 
 Edmundfon was fentenced to be fhot to death, and 
 his two fons to be hanged ; and yet feveral of them 
 owned that he was an honefl man, for he had often 
 exerted himfelf to prevent men of their party from 
 being wronged and abufed by the other, and fome- 
 times with the hazard of his own life among the 
 Englifh foldiers ; notwith'flanding which they hood- 
 winked his fons to hang them, and having prepared 
 two firelocks to ihoot him, they hood winked him 
 alfo ; but William told them they needed not, for 
 he ^ould look them in the faces, and was not afraid 
 to die. Now all things being prepared to effect their 
 purpofe, they were divided among themfelves, and 
 another party came in, who refcued them all three, 
 from thofe that were going to execute them, and took 
 them in a hungry cold condition to Athlone, where 
 colonel Grace was governor ; and the people having 
 had notice of their coming, thoufands of the worft 
 fort of the Iriili were gathered in the great ftreet of 
 that town, and one Nugent, high-fheriff of that county 
 animated them, fc that it was a wonder that both 
 
 K 3
 
 *4<> THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 William and his fons were not {lain ; but in the in- 
 terim it fo happened that an officer, and a goodly 
 perfon of great prefence, thruft. through the crowd of 
 that rabble, and came to William, who was wrapped 
 about with a piece of an old blanket, alking him how 
 he did ; and then turned to the rabble, telling them 
 he knew William to be an honcfl man, fpeaking 
 it feveral times over, with fome other words in his 
 favour, which quafhed the rage of both fheriff and 
 rabble: thus the Lord provided help in great ftreights 
 and perils ; then the (aid William and his fons were 
 taken to the caftle, where the governor and many of 
 the field and chief officers of the Irifh army were met 
 in council, and there were examined ; and when they 
 underflood the ftate of the cafe, there feemed to be 
 a forrow amongft them for the whole a&ion, and the 
 governor, who had been formerly acquainted with 
 the faid William, ftood up in a reverend manner, and 
 faid with tears in his eyes, that he was forry to fee 
 him there in that condition, and if he had the Rap- 
 parees that burnt his houfe, he would caufe them to 
 be hanged. 
 
 At this time John Clibborn hearing of the diftrefs 
 of W. E. went to vifit him, and fupplied him witli 
 neceflaries ; and afterwards, upon giving fecurity for 
 the faid William Edmundfon, prevailed on the gover- 
 nor to let him and his fons go with him to his houfe 
 at the Moate j and in a little time after they were fee 
 at liberty. 
 
 7. At Moate Granoge, John Clibborn aforefaid, 
 at whofe houfe a meeting was fettled by turn, kept his 
 place long in much danger, and fo did mod friends 
 of that meeting, which they (till kept up in great 
 difficulty, it lying but fix miles from Athlone, then a 
 chief Irilh garrifon, and a noted place of refuge, from 
 whence did often fcout parties that made great fpoil 
 upon the country, and where'unto the bloody Rap- 
 parees ufually led fuch Englifh as they caught, and
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* 149 
 
 carried from their own houfes, whom they were not 
 permitted barbaroufly to murder as they had done 
 many. 
 
 Whilft the faid John Clibborn could poffibly keep 
 his houfe, it was open to all, and a fuccour to many, 
 both friends and others, and in times of great fkir- 
 mi flies and' {laughter he did not flee till at length 
 moil hardly ufed, plundered and quite fpoiled in his 
 outward fubftance. He was taken by the hair of his 
 head by the Rapparees, who plundered his houfe in 
 the night, threatening to cut his head off; and at laft 
 he and other friends were driven from their places, 
 and their houfes were burnt. 
 
 8. Anthony Robinfon and John Miller, dwelling 
 three miles from Athlone, had their houfes plundered 
 by the Irifli, and afterwards: they and their families 
 W:re threatened to be murdered ; had not an Irifh 
 juftice of peace's wife, a near neighbour, appeared 
 ror them, and took them in till the party was fo 
 infolent, and ready to break in, that fhe counted fhe 
 could not fave them, upon which, running to them, 
 {he defired them to efcape with their lives if they 
 could, and conveyed them into her garden, and thence 
 they made hard {hi ft to get into a wood hard by, and 
 there hid themfelv.es 'fome days and nights in a 
 diflreffed condition, fought for and hunted by the 
 blood-thirfty Irifli Rapparees, but their lives were 
 rniraruloufty preferved, and with great difficulty they 
 got ' to the aforefaid John Clihborn's houfe at the 
 Moate. 
 
 9. Mountmelkk and Montrath, two country un- 
 walled towns (where two confiderable meetings of 
 Friends have been fettled), by reafon of their border- 
 ing upon the bogs and mountains, often had great 
 (lore of the bloody ravenous R:apparees haunting 
 them ; and being places of little or no defence, Friends 
 that dwelt in them fuflained a large {hare of the many 
 hurdihips of the calamitous times, and were greatly 
 
 K 3
 
 150 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 exercifed under a concern both for their families and 
 neighbours, flill keeping up their meetings with an 
 eye to the Lord, who did not leave nor forfake his 
 people in their many trials, but wonderfully provided 
 for them ; fo that it is to be admired how their little 
 provifion for their families held out, confidering how 
 their houfes were filled with people, and many alarms 
 came from the Irifh, threatening to deftroy thofe places, 
 and kill all the Englilh. 
 
 10. Cloncourfe, a lonefome place, where Chrifto- 
 pher Raper dwelt, having fome walls of defence, and 
 a fmall Englifli garrifon of foldiers being there, was 
 a little flicker to a fmall number of friends who dwelt 
 near it, and ufed to meet by turns in that place, who 
 fuffered great hardships, having lofc moft of what 
 outward fubftance they had, and provifions being 
 fcanty, were vifited with a peililential fever, and they 
 were greatly {heightened for ro ,m. 
 
 1 1. James Hutchinfon dwelt at Knockballymagher, 
 near Cloncourfe, and kept his place till a party of 
 Rapparees, with fome of the Irifh. {landing army, came 
 in the day-time, plundered and burnt his houfe, took 
 him, and a few Englifii tenants of his, prifoners, 
 forcing him over the Shannon about fifteen miles, 
 and there treated him very coarfeiy, and compelled 
 him to ranfome his life, and then let him go in great 
 hazard. (By the way, feveral Engliih, both friends 
 and others, met with fuch like ufage in thofe times,'. 
 His houfe had been of great ufe to the Englifh. 
 
 1 2. Gerfhon Boat, dwelling at Borrifaleagh, re- 
 mote from friends, and ten miles from any meeting, 
 in a place of fome ftrength, fuffered many hardfhips, 
 and efcaped many dangers, both at home, and on 
 the road going to meetings ; his houfe being often 
 fet upon by the Irifh, both of the army and tories, 
 but was wonderfully delivered out of their hands, 
 and many Englifh families, both priefts and others, 
 were fuccoured there s and helped on their way (whea
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 coming from about the river Shannon, and going to 
 Cafhei and Clonmel) who had been much fpoiled and 
 dripped in the'lrifli quarters where they dwelt: he 
 kept his place till general Dayly placed a garrifon at 
 his houfe or cattle, and then with great difficulty and 
 danger removed his family to Montrath aforefaid, to 
 live or die with Friends, times looking very difmal. 
 
 Thefe particulars may fliew the eminent providential 
 hand of the Lord over Friends, and his care and kind- 
 nefs to prefervethem in the midft of fuch great perils, 
 and many more might be inflanced ; and though in 
 thofe times many of the Englifh neighbours fell by 
 the hands of thofe bloody murderers, yet we know 
 but of four that we could own to be of our fociety in 
 all the nation that fell by the hands of cruelty, and 
 two of them too forwardly ventured their lives when 
 they were loft. 
 
 And befides all this, at the return of the armies to 
 \vinter-qu;arters, the country was filled with violent 
 iicknefs, which took away many of all forts > and 
 feveral that were driven away from their habitations, 
 and had loft moil of their fubftance, though they yet 
 had left wherewithal to fupport nature for the prefent, 
 feemed to grieve at their loiles and low eftates, and 
 fo languifhed and died; which Friends were greatly 
 fupported over, having an eye to the Lord, who not 
 only gives but takes, or fufFers to be taken away. 
 
 How it pleated the Lord in mercy (and for a rem- 
 nant's fake no doubt) to Ihorten thofe times of great 
 exercifes, that they were moftly ended in lefs than 
 ^hree years j and Friends generally were low in their 
 minds, and their hearts open ope to another, fo that 
 thofe who had. fomediing left, were willing to com- 
 municate to thofe that were in want, and friends that 
 were driven from their dwellings did generally return 
 to their places ; and the national men's meeting took 
 care that in every quarter Friends fliould be fupplied 
 
 K A
 
 152 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 for the prefent with fuch necefTaries as time and their 
 abilities did afford ; and great care -was taken in 
 friends fettling, that they might fettle near together 
 for the benefit of meetings to ferve the Lord. 
 
 And it is remarkable that Friends meetings were 
 preferved peaceable, and that they kept their meetings 
 according to the ufaal manner for the worfhip of God, 
 without much difhirbance from either party, as alfo 
 their men arid women's meetings for church difcipline, 
 both monthly, provincial, and national meetings ; 
 though many times friends went to them in great perils 
 bj reafon of the Rapparees, who in many places way- 
 laid people to rob [and murder them ; and. the Lord 
 was pleafed to accompany them in their meetings with 
 his glorious heavenly prefence ; * and truth gained 
 ground, and Friends came more in efteem than formerly 
 in the minds of many, both rulers and people, through 
 their innocent wife deportment in the fear of God. 
 
 William the Third having been proclaimed king 
 of England, France, and Ireland, came over this year, 
 1 690 ; and, having routed king James's forces at the 
 battle of the Boyne, became the happy inflrument of 
 delivering this kingdom from the impending danger 
 of popery and arbitrary power, and of eflabliftiing 
 liberty of confcience by law. 
 
 It is true that the people called Quakers did enjoy 
 the liberty of holding their meetings for the worfhip 
 of God according to their confciences, during the 
 prefence of king James in Ireland, as well as that 
 their brethren in England had been by him fet at 
 liberty from their imprifonment, and that king James 
 on that occafion did declare, that it was always his 
 principle that confcieuce ought not to be forced, but 
 that all men ought to have the liberty of their con^ 
 fdences;t however, as Sewel obfcrves, * perhaps 
 that prince did not confider that if fuch a general 
 
 * The words of Thomas Wight, 
 f Sewel'sIIiliory of the Quakers, Vol. II. page 439.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 153 
 
 liberty had been procured, he fhould not have been 
 able to have made it continue longer than the popifh 
 clergy would have thought i: convenient; and though, 
 the king's intention might really have been fmcere, 
 yet it is likely it might have been thwarted, though. 
 he might have been willing it fhould have been 
 otherwife. And time hath {hewn that king James 
 was not to be the happy inftrument of fettling liberty 
 of confcience upon a laiiing foundation, but that this 
 work was referved for that great prince, king William, 
 who being born in a country where force upon con- 
 fcience was abrogated, when a Proteftant government 
 was fettled there, now alfo introduced the like Chriftian 
 liberty in England.* 
 
 This year (1690) died George Gregfon, at his houfe 
 in Lifnegarvy in the county of Antrim. He was born a 
 Papift, in Lancafhire, as I am afiured, but being con- 
 vinced of truth, continued faithful in his teftimony 
 for the fame., patiently bearing the falfe and malicious 
 reports of wicked and envious men, he being from 
 the time of his convincement, the butt of their hatred 
 and envy ; but he was valiant and undaunted in his 
 teftimony, chufing rather to fuffer affliction with the 
 people of God, than to enjoy the pleafures of fin for 
 a feafon, looking at the recompence of reward and 
 yielding obedience to the Lord's power, whereby he 
 was enabled to declare unto others what God had 
 done r or his foul, and his miniftry was effectual to the 
 convincing of many of the evil of their ways, and 
 manifefting unto them the way of life and falvation. 
 He was endowed with a great gift of underftanding 
 as well as utterance. He^was particularly concerned 
 for the youth, and the newly convinced, and for the 
 children of believing parents, that they might not 
 content themfelves with a bare profeilion of the truth 
 which they had received by education and tradition, 
 but that they might come to witnefs the wafhing of 
 regeneration, and the being renewed thereby. He 
 
 * Scwel, Vol. II.pnge439.
 
 154 THE R I SE AJfD PROGRESS OP THK 
 
 travelled in the work of the miniftry in this nation, 
 as alfo in England, and fuffered imprisonment and the 
 (polling of his goods, for the truth's fake. He retained, 
 in old age, hii zeal for God and love to the brethren, 
 which he manifested by leaving a coniiderable part of 
 fc is outward fubftance to feveral meetings of Friends 
 in this nation, and alfo to Friends in Lancafhire. 
 
 This year alfo died, that eminent and faithful fervant 
 of the Lord, John Burnyeat, who was born in (lum-f 
 bcrland, and was brought forth early in the day of 
 the breaking forth of God's light and power in our 
 age, which many waited for, and were in readinefs 
 to receive, with joy and gladnefs of heart ; among 
 whom was this our friend, whofe convincement and 
 fpiritual exercife thereupon, as he hath himfelf de- 
 fcribed it in his own journal, I ftiall here prefent the 
 reader with fomewhut abridged, but his own words 
 
 retained, viz. 
 
 / 
 
 ' In the year 1653, it pleafecl the Lord to fend his 
 faithful fervant George Fox and others into the North 
 parts of England, and by the means of their miniftry 
 to Jifcover the right path of life unto thoufands that 
 were in error, feeking the Lord, but not knowing 
 where to find him, although he was not far from us; 
 namely, by directing us unto the true light and appear < 
 ance of Chrift Jefus our Saviour in our own hearts, 
 that we might come to know him and the glory of 
 the Father, through him in his appearance, and fo 
 come to believe in him with the heart, and with the 
 mouth confefs him unro falvation ; and God by this 
 the light of his bleffed Son, which he had lighted 
 me wit ha-l, let me fee the body of death and power 
 of fin which reigned in me, and brought me to feel 
 the guilt of it upon my confcience, fo that he made 
 me as it were to poiTefs the fins of my youth. And 
 now all that I had builded for feveral years ; and par- 
 ticularly my high profcilion and conceit of an impu-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 155 
 
 tative righteoufhefs, and that though I lived in the 
 act of fin, the guilt of ft fhould not be charged upon 
 me, but imputed to Chrift, and his righteoufnefs 
 imputed to me ; was now, by the fhinings of the dif- 
 covering light, fee.n to be but a Babel tower which 
 God brought confufion upon ; a prefumption and in- 
 vention of my own ; or but like Adam's fig-leaved 
 apron, in which he could not abide God's coming. 
 I then came to fee that the guilt of fin remained while 
 the body of death remained, and led into the aft of 
 fin : then began the warfare of true driving to enter 
 the kingdom ; then Paul's ftate was feen, wherein to 
 will was prefent, but to do, many times power was 
 wanting ; then confufion, amazement, horror, and 
 diftrcfs befet me. O the poverty and want that my 
 foul faw itfelf in, through the fpringings of the dif- 
 covering light, which alfo manifefted the exceeding 
 finfulnefs of fin, and the load and burthen of it became 
 exceeding grievous, and all the pleafure of it was 
 taken away from me and many more in that day; and 
 then we began to mourn for a Saviour, and cry for 
 a helper and healer ; for the day of the Lord that 
 made defolate had overtaken us, and the fire and 
 fword that Chrift brings upon earth, by which he 
 takes away peace, had reached unto us. We often 
 alfembled together, as the Lord's meffengers had 
 exhorted us, and minded the light of Chrifl in our 
 heart - and what that difcovered, and through its 
 affiftance warred and watched againfl the evil feen 
 therein, and according to that understanding received, 
 waited therein upon the Lord, to fee what he would 
 further manifeft, with a holy refolution to obey his 
 will fo far as we were able, whatfoever it coil us. 
 We valued not the world, nor any glory nor pleafure 
 therein, in ccmparifon of our foul's redemption from 
 that horror and terror we were in, under the indig- 
 nation of the Lord, becaufe of the guilt of fin that 
 was upon us ; and fo being given up to bear the in-
 
 156 THE RISE AND PROGRESS^ TH2 
 
 dignation of the Lord, becaufe we had finned, we 
 endeavoured to wait until it would be over, and the 
 Lord in mercy would blot out the guilt which occa- 
 fioned wrath, and fprinkle our hearts from an evil 
 confcience, and wafh us with pure water, that we 
 might draw nqar with a pure heart, in the full affu- 
 rance of faith, as the Chriftians of old did (Heb. x. 22): 
 and waiting in the way of the Lord's judgments, we 
 began to learn righteoufnefs, and ftrorigly to defire to 
 walk therein, and could no longer be fatisfied with a 
 tllk thereof. And when we were in our deep fears, and 
 Our minds not well acquainted with either right ftriving 
 put of felf, in the light and feed of life that doth prevail 
 and give the entrance, or true waiting or (landing 
 full, out of our own thoughts, wiilings and runnings 
 which do not obtain, the Lord fent his fervants who 
 had learned of him, to direct us in what to wait, and 
 how to (land ftill, out of our own thoughts and felf- 
 ftrivings, in the light that did difcover, and dwell in 
 the judgment that we received therein; and by them 
 our underilandrngs were informed, and we got tu 
 ibrae degree of flayednefs in our minds, '\Vhich before 
 had been as the troubled fea ; and a hope began to 
 appear in us, and we met together often, and waited 
 to fee the falvation of God which we had often heard 
 of, that he Would work by his own power ; and 
 after we had met together for fome time as we had 
 feafons and opportunities, and alfo fought the Lord 
 with travailing fpirits both night and day, when we 
 were at our callings and upon our beds, being in 
 our affembiies exercifed in the living judgment that 
 fprung in the light in our fouls, and looking for the 
 falvation of God, the wonderful power from on high 
 was revealed amongft us, and many hearts reached 
 therewith, and melted and broken ; and great dread 
 and trembling fell upon many, and the very chains of 
 death were broken thereby, and the promifes of the 
 Lord fpokeu of by Ifaiah the prophet, xlix. 9. and
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* 157 
 
 xlii, 7. and Ixi. i, 2, 3. were fulfilled unto many, 
 and a heavenly gladnefs entered the hearts of many, 
 who in the joy of their hearts broke forth in praifes 
 unto the Lord. The fame Comforter our blelTed 
 Lord had promifed, John xiv. being now come and 
 received, did teach us to know the Father and the 
 Son. Then were our hearts inclined to hearken 
 unto the Lord, and our ears, which he had opened 
 to hear, were bent to hear what the Spirit's teaching 
 was, and what he faid unto the church, who was the 
 chief fhepherd and bifliop of the foul, and thus were we 
 gathered into a right gofpel exercife and gofpel wor- 
 fhip ; and worfhipped God who is a Spirit, in the 
 fpirit received from him according to Chrift's appoint- 
 ment, John iv. 24. and then we came to fee over all 
 the wordiips in the world, which were fet up either 
 by imitation or man's invention, and faw it to be in 
 vain to worfhip God and teach for doctrines the com- 
 mandments of men, as. our Lord had faid, Mat. xv. 9. 
 and therefore we were conftrained to withdraw from 
 them, and alfo many of us to go and bear wimefs 
 againft them in their invented and traditional worfliips, 
 where they were ignorant of the life and power of 
 God ; and growing into experience of the goodnefs 
 of the Lord, and of the -fweetnefs, glory,, and excel- 
 lency of his power in our aiTemblies, we grew in 
 ftrength and zeal for our meetings more and more 
 and valued the benefit thereof more than any worldly 
 gain : and thus continuing, we grew more and more 
 into an undcrftanding of divine things and heavenly 
 my fieri es, through the openings of the power that 
 was daily amongft us, and wrought fweetly in our 
 hearts, which dill united us more and more unto God, 
 and knit us together in the perfect bond of love, of 
 fellowship and memberfhip; fo that we became a body 
 compact, made up of many members, whereof Chrift 
 himfelf became the head, who was with us and did 
 rule over us, aad fo further gave gifts unto us, by
 
 158 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 which we came to be enlarged and further opened, 
 that we might anfwer the end for which he had raifed 
 us up, and fo far bleffed and fanftified us through 
 his word that dwelt in our fouls ; and many through 
 the favour of God grew in their gifts, and had their 
 mouths opened, and became inftruments in the Lord's 
 hand to bear witnefs unto the world of the day of the 
 Lord that was broken forth again, even of the great 
 and notable day that Joel prophefied of, and Peter 
 bore witnefs unto.' 
 
 So far J. Burnyeat concerned himfelf : let us now 
 hear what teilimony the brethren have given of him. 
 
 6 He was (fay they) a man of an excellent fpirit 
 and deep experience in the things of God and myfte- 
 ries of his heavenly kingdom, which were abundantly 
 .made manifefl unto him, and it was his delight to be 
 meditating therein, whereby his experience was daily 
 cncreafed unto the hit. He was always careful to 
 wait for the motion of the word, and to keep clofe 
 to it, whereby he grew in his gift. He was an early 
 comer to meetings, and a diligent waiter therein. 
 Many times he would fit a pretty while in filence 
 (not being forward to fpeak), reverently waiting upon 
 the openings of the heavenly life (like the good 
 houfeholder fpoken of), to bring forth of his treafury 
 things both new and old ; and indeed he was a bleflcd 
 inftrument in the hand of the Lord for the convince- 
 ment and converlion of many. He was deep and large 
 in his gift, adminiftering fomething that was fuitable 
 to every (late ; in judgment found, free in utterance, 
 zealous for holinefs, fevere againft unfound and di- 
 viding fpirits, moil tender to penitents and returning 
 prodigals, affectionate to the brethren; of a grave and 
 (leady temper, yet fweet;. hardy in his conftitution, 
 unwearid and undaunted in mind; a fkilful markf- 
 man, whofe bow abode in flrength,, and wifdom was 
 given him to direct his arrows to the very mark ;
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 159 
 
 Co that the fturdy were wounded, the meek were 
 comforted, and the tender in fpirit refreshed ; and 
 yet, although he was thus eminently gifted, he would 
 condefccnd to the weak capacities of all, to reach to 
 the good in all. He was not without honour, even 
 in his own country ; for when at any time he came to 
 Cumberland, where he was born and educated, his 
 neighbours would abundantly flock to the meeting to 
 hear him ; yet he was far from glorying in his gift, or 
 defiring to be popular, but would rather reftraiu 
 fuch who would applaud him, having felf in no repu- 
 tation. He did greatly delight to read the holy 
 fcriptures, and often advifed Friends, efpecially the 
 youth, to read them and other books treating of the 
 true principles of the Chriflian religion, that none 
 might be ignorant thereof. He was of a 'grave and 
 becoming behaviour ; his blamelefs deportment and 
 converfation preached wherever he came. He would 
 often vifit the fick and thofe that were in diftrefs or 
 affliction, as well the poor as the rich, and would 
 freely adminifter of his outward fubftance to thofc 
 that flood in need of it, as well as fpiritual comfort 
 and refrefhmerit. 
 
 He fpent his time chiefly, if not altogether, in 
 the I ord's work and iervice, vHiting Friends up and 
 down in England, Wales, Scotland, Barbadoes, New- 
 England, Long and Rhode Ifland, New- York, and 
 New Jerfey ; but in Ireland in a more peculiar 
 manner, both at his firffc entrance upon his miniflry, 
 and alfo of later years : for he married, and chiefly 
 refided in Ireland about feven years before his de- 
 ceafe. He was very valiant for truth, not only in 
 preaching, but fuffering for it ; and at firft, he with 
 many faithful brethren, underwent many dangers and 
 hardihips, Ireland not being fully inhabited, fo that 
 he was many times expofed to great dangers, by 
 waters, cold, hunger, and in prifon often, befides 
 other great abufes he received for his teftimony's fake.
 
 l6o "THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF TS 
 
 The like may be faid concerning his travels in New- 
 England, with the iflands and wildernefs places where 
 he accompanied G. Fox, and was wonderfully pre- 
 ierved through all thofe perils. He was a valiant in 
 Jfrael, who never fhrunk in the times of the greatefl 
 trials, fufferings, and florins of perfecution ; and 
 whereas in the year 1688, his wife being deceafed, 
 he had intended to have returned from Ireland ta 
 Cumberland, the wars and troubles approaching, 
 he had not freedom in himfelf to go, but voluntarily 
 gave himfelf up to flay here with Friends to take part 
 of what fufferings might happen ; and indeed he was 
 a bleffed inflrument in the hand of the Lord for the 
 ftrengthening and comforting of his people in thofe 
 fuffering and calamitous times. It is particularly re- 
 corded of him, that in the year 1690, in his vifit to 
 Friends meetings, at a publick province-meeting, he 
 delivered the following remarkable prophetick warn- 
 ing, viz. " It is now a time of great trial upon you 
 in loling what you have : but the time will come when- 
 you will be as greatly tried with getting wealth j" 
 which was foon after accomplifhed. 
 
 Befides a journal of his life he alfo publifhed foine 
 fmall controverfial pieces annexed thereunto, con- 
 cerning the refurredlion., imputative righteoufnefs, 
 perfection, tithes, the call of the miniflry, baptifm., 
 the fupper, &c. He laid down his head in peace 
 with God and love to his people, and good-will to all 
 mankind, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and was 
 buried at New-Garden, being accompanied by many 
 ancient friends and others, where his eminent and 
 faithful fervices were commuiwrated by William 
 Edmundfon.
 
 THE 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 OF THE PEOPLE CALLED 
 
 QUAKERS^ 
 
 IN 
 
 IRELAND. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 from the end cf the troubles tinder King James the 
 
 Second, to the paffmg the Aft of Parliament for 
 
 regiftering the meeting-houfes of Friends, in common 
 
 'with thofe of other dij/enters, under the reign of 
 
 King George the Firft, in the year 1719. Great 
 
 plenty fucceeding the late times of devaftation and 
 
 fcarcity, faithful 'warnings are given again/I the 
 
 fpiritual danger thereon attending. The eminent zeal 
 
 of faithful Friends of thofe days again/I the inordinate 
 
 purfuit of worldly riches. Their zeal and prudence 
 
 in the profecution of Chriflian difcipline. Some pro- 
 
 grefs in propagating the gofpel in the province of Con- 
 
 naught. The characters of divers minijlers and 
 
 elders^ deceafed. 
 
 IT is obfervable, that whereas this year, 1692, there 
 had been fome application made to the parliament in 
 England, in order that the folemn declaration of the 
 people called Quakers might be accepted in (lead of 
 an oath, an epiftle of caution was fent in behalf o 
 friends of this nation to the Meeting for Sufferings in 
 London, defiring that only the form of Chrifl's own 
 words, Yea and Nay, might be kept to if poflible ; fo 
 VOL. III. j,
 
 162 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 that nothing might be accepted of, that might bring 
 a fnare or burthen upon any tender confcientious per- 
 fon ; and recommending patience, and to wait God's 
 time, to open a clear and free way for his true and 
 tender-hearted people to aflert the truth. 
 
 Befides other miniftring friends who vifited this 
 nation this year, 1693, was Thomas Rudd, who tra- 
 velled through moil parts of the nation, not only 
 where friends were fettled, but alfo in feveral other 
 parts ; and he preached repentance through the flreets, 
 and in the publick places of mod towns he came into, 
 travelling as far as Galway and Sligo, at the firft of 
 which places he was imprifoned, as alfo at Cork. 
 
 Now after the troubles, and great fpoil and fear- 
 city above-mentioned, there fuddenly fucceeded a 
 time of great plenty after a wonderful manner, beyond 
 V. hat could be expected ; and flock and trade in- 
 creafed mightily, and the time of getting great riches 
 came on, as the time of great lofles had been expe- 
 rienced before, and many too eagerly purfued them ; 
 and too many of our fociety were concerned therein, 
 which has proved very injurious upon feveral accounts, 
 and efpecially to friends' children ; who perceiving 
 their parents fullnefs, and relying thereupon, 'grew 
 conceited and finical ; many of them giving way 
 to idleiiefs, and too many parents indulging them, 
 as alfo gratifying the vain mind that goes after the 
 fafhions of the -world ; and for want of timely care, 
 Ibme grew fo hardy that their parents could not deal 
 with them ; and thefe things greatly added to the 
 exercifes of the fincere, and great endeavours were 
 ufed to put a flop to this eager purfuit after the 
 things of this world, in fuch a day of great eafe aa 
 this was, fuddenly fucceeding the many fufferings 
 which friends had formerly undergone : and as this 
 fpirit of eagernefs predominated, as though it would 
 choke all that was good, like the tares, and bring a 
 damp upon the fenfe of truth in the hearts of .friends,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 
 
 and fo make rhem forget the eminent care and pro-' 
 Violence of God over them, in giving them their lives 
 for a prey, through all thofe calamities ; the Lord in 
 his mercy, in order to preferve us, and prevent this 
 evil defign of the enemy, raifed up by his Holy Spirit 
 f a fcr.'ent zeal and courage in many of his fervants, to 
 (bind againft this .iufatiable fpirit, and was mouth and 
 wifdoin to them ; and fo from men and women's 
 meetings many admonitions, exhortations, and warn- 
 ings, both in word and writing, were lent forth to 
 the body of friends to keep elofe to the truth, and 
 within the limits thereof ; and the Lord wonderfully 
 accompanied friends in that fervice, with- his power 
 and preftncs, to great fatisfa&iori and confirmation, 
 and opened to them many ways to flop the progrefs 
 of that fpirit, for the prefervation of one another, 
 which wrought to good effecl. 
 
 In 1694, John Banks vifited this nation in the 
 work of the minifiry, and in one of his epiflles re- 
 corded in his journal, is the following remark : 
 
 6 The Lord hath here a bleffed zealous people for 
 his name and truth, filled with love to his fervants, 
 largely manifefted to us, in accompanying us from 
 one meeting to another, from ten to twenty and 
 above in company at one time, the length of twenty- 
 five miles, even in the time of harvefl ; and tliree 
 travelled from Dublin, with us above one hundred 
 miles/ 
 
 It was obferved at the Third month national meet- 
 ing, in 1695, that no one friend was a prifoner 
 through the nation, friends having gained a pretty 
 good efteeni among thofe in authority. 
 
 This year, 1696, the government of England 
 favoured friends there, fo far as to prefcribe for them 
 a declaration to be made, or figned by them, inflead of 
 an oath j which although not univerfally fatisfa&ory 
 
 L 2
 
 l6*4 THE RISE AND PROGR.ESS OF THg 
 
 to friends of this nation, nor to many of the brethren 
 in England, by reafon of the facred name of the Lord 
 being mentioned therein, this difTatisfaftion however 
 never proceeded to an open divifion ; but the fpirit 
 of true Chriflian charity and mutual forbearance to- 
 wards one another, under different fentiments, fhonc 
 forth, particularly in the yearly meeting of London, 
 and a happy harmony was eflabliflied among friends 
 of both nations, and an unanimous refolution, 
 taken, to folicit the government, when Providence 
 fhould open the way, for the granting an affirmation 
 cafy to all ; in which that friends of this nation were 
 not inactive, we fhall fee hereafter, particularly in the 
 years 1711 and 172 i. 
 
 This year ^696) di-ed Deborah Sandham of Youg- 
 ,hall, wife of Robert Sandham, of whom account hath 
 been given before, who had a found and weighty 
 teftimcny for God's truth : {he was a pattern of 
 righteouftiefs, humility and felf-denial. She furvived 
 her hufband about twenty years, and carefully trained 
 up her children in the fear of God, watching over 
 them and her fervants in love, and the Lord was 
 pleafed to blefs her labour and care therein. She 
 was of a tender fpirit, not hafly to cenfure any 
 hardly ; was lorh to hurt the good, and yet would 
 condemn the evil ; and if me heard of any nigh her 
 profefling truth that had done amifs, it was her godly 
 care to vifit them in love, and admonifh them ; fhe 
 was a mother in the church, and her love and care 
 over God's heritage was great ; flie departed this 
 natural life with fweetnefs and comfort, having this 
 testimony to bear on her death-bed, that truth had 
 been her chief treafure. 
 
 Among other friends who vifited the nation this 
 year was John Gratton, an able minifter of the gofpel, 
 who in his journal has left this teflimony concerning 
 the friends of Ireland, that c There was great love, 
 peace and concord among them, and good order and
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 165 
 
 .government in a careful overfight of the flock, that 
 friends be careful in all refpefts to keep their pro- 
 feffion without blame, and particularly that none run 
 inordinately after the world, or break in other men's 
 debts.' 
 
 In 1698, we have alfo a remarkable teftimony 
 concerning the zeal of friends of this nation, in pro- 
 fecuting a drift and clofe difcipline, from the men's 
 meeting of Briftol, in an epiitle of theirs to the 
 national meeting here, in thefe words : 
 
 * Your love to the holy crofs of our Lord Jefus, 
 and your zeal for promoting the way thereof, by a 
 ftrift and clofe difcipline,, is that which is much 
 wanted in many places; and though ignorant and 
 malicious fpirits may, (as they have done) carp at it, 
 and cry out againft it as an impofition on confcience, 
 God Almighty hath blocked up their way, and fpoiled 
 the fpoiler, and manifefted their folly to all, the ne- 
 ceffity of a holy care in the church of Chrift more 
 and more daiiy appearing.' 
 
 This year( 1 698) William Penn among others vifited 
 this nation j andfome time after his arrival, John Plymp- 
 ton, a certain tenacious Baptiii: difputant, published a 
 paper, intituled, * A Quaker no Chriftian:' to which 
 William Penn replied under the title of, 6 The Quaker 
 a Chriftian;' and in order the more effeftually to 
 wipe off that adverfary's afperfions, he alfo wrote 
 and difperfed a paper intituled, fc Gofpel-Truths held 
 by the people called Quakers,' fubfcribed by himfelf, 
 Thomas Story, Anthony Sharp, and George Rooke, 
 at Dublin ; which may be feen in the fecond volume 
 of William Penn's Works,* -with the bifhop of Cork's 
 exceptions to it, and William Penn's anfwer. After 
 this, he travelled to other parts of this nation in the 
 work of the miniftry, to the edification of the 
 Churches ; of which, becaufe he . has given fomc 
 
 In two Vols. Folio, 1726.
 
 l66 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 account, in an epiflle from hence to the yearly- 
 metting at London, figned by himfclf and his two 
 fellow-labourers, as likewife a remarkable teftimony 
 concerning the friends of Ireland: here follows a 
 copy of it from his works, viz. 
 
 To the Yearly-Meeting at London. 
 
 4 Dear Friends and Brethren, 
 1 It is not- the lead of our exercifes, that we are 
 thus far outwardly feparated from you, at this time 
 of your holy and bleffed folemnity ; but becaufe we 
 have good reafon to believe it is in the will of God, 
 \ve humbly fubmit to his ordering hand, and with 
 open arms of deep and tender love, embrace you our 
 living and loving brethren, who are given uptoferve 
 the Lord in your generation, and that have long 
 preferred Jerufalem, and the peace and profperuy of 
 her borders, above your chiefefl joy. 1 he falutation, 
 of our endeared brotherly love iu Chrift Jefus is unto 
 you, defiring that he may richly appear among you 
 in power, wifHom, and love, to guide your judgments 
 and influence your fpirits, in this weighty and anni- 
 vtrfary afTembly ; that fo nothing may appear or have 
 place among you, but what fmgly feeks the honour 
 of the Lord, the exaltation of his truth, and the 
 pe.ice and dttabliflimcnt of his heritage. For this, 
 brethren, you and we know has been the aim, end, 
 and ; of thofe whom the Lord hath n 
 
 vrii'ing to forfake and give up all for his name's fake ; 
 through various exercifes and tribulations, yea 
 in the way of the. daily crofs, and through the fight 
 and baptifm of many afHiftions, to have their conver- 
 fation and fojourning here below upon the earth, in 
 fear and love, looking for their reward in the* 
 heavens that lhall never pafs away ; who have not 
 been lifted up by good reports, nor caft down by 
 evil report, from their love to the Lord and ah pre~.
 
 . PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 167 
 
 cious truth, but hold on their way ; whofe hands 
 being clean of evil things towards all men, have 
 waxed ftronger and ftronger in the Lord. Where- 
 fore dear brethren, let us all be found in the fame 
 fteps, and walking the fame way, not being high- 
 minded, but fearing to the end, that we may ferve 
 our generation in diligence and faithfulnefs, and fo 
 enter into the reft that God hath referved for his true 
 travellers and labourers in his vineyard. 
 
 ' And now, dear brethren, know that the Lord 
 hath brought us well into this kingdom of Ireland, 
 and given us many large and bleiled opportunities in 
 feveral parts ; meetings being crouded by people of 
 all ranks and perfuafions, efpecially at Dublin, who, 
 for ought we have heard, have given the truth a 
 good report ; and indeed the Lord* has mightily ap- 
 peared for his own name, and owned us with a more 
 than ordinary prefence, fuitable to the occafipns, and 
 made very heavy and hard things eafy to us, becatife 
 of the glory of his power, with which he affifled us 
 in our needful times,, for which our fouls bow before 
 him, and blefs, reverence and praife his holy and 
 worthy name. So that, dear brethren, , we have 
 good tidings to give you of truth's profperity at large, 
 .and more efpecially in the churches, having had the 
 comfort of the general meeting of this nation, con- 
 filling, of many weighty brethren and fifters, from all 
 parts thereof, which was held in the city of Dublin in 
 much love, peace and unity for feveral days, wherein 
 we had occafion to obferve their commendable care 
 for the profperity of the bleilcd truth, in all the 
 branches of its holy teftimony, both in the general 
 and in the particular, improving the good order prac- 
 tifed among the churches of Chrift in our nation. 
 
 * Indeed their fimplicity, gravity, and coolnefs, in 
 managing their church affairs ; their diligence in 
 meetings both for worfhip and bufmefs ; their dif- 
 paich in ending differences, and expedients to prevent 
 
 l< 4-
 
 l6S THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 them ; but efpecially their zeal againft covetoufnefs 
 and mdifferency in truth's fervice, and exemplary- 
 care to difcourage immoderate concern in purfuit of 
 things of this life, and to excite friends to do good 
 with what they have, very greatly comforted us, and 
 in the fweet and bleffed power of Chrift Jefus the 
 meeting ended, and friends departed. The Lord 
 grant that you may alfo fee of the travail of your 
 fouls, and end of your labour and fervice of love, who 
 feek not your own things, but the things of Jefus 
 Chrift in this your folemn general meeting. 
 
 ' And, dear brethren, we mufl tell you, here is 
 room enough for true labourers in God's vineyard, 
 and cannot well forbear to recommend the fervice of 
 truth in this nation, to your ferious confideration, if 
 happily the Lord may put it into the hearts of any 
 faith/ul and weighty brethren, to vifit it in the word 
 of eternal life ; for we can not but fay, the harveft ap- 
 pears to us to be great, and the labourers in comparifon 
 but a few. So in that love which many waters can- 
 not quench, nor diftance wear out of our remem- 
 brances, and in which we defire to be remembered o 
 you to the Lord of our houfehold, we dearly and 
 tenderly falute you, and remain 
 
 * Your loving and faithful brethren, 
 
 William Penn. 
 John Everott. 
 Thomas Story. 
 
 Lambflowne, zd of the Fourth month, 1698.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 169 
 
 William Penn alfo fent the following epiftle to 
 friends of this nation, after his return to England. 
 
 Briftol, 1 3th. of the Eighth Month, 1698. 
 My dear Friends, Brethren, and Sillers of the natioi* 
 of Ireland. 
 
 ' Much beloved in the Lord, and often remembered 
 for his name's fake fmce I faw your faces, and though 
 abfent in body, yet prefent with you in fpirit. 
 
 ' Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father, 
 and our Lord Jefus Chrift be increafed amongft you ; 
 and it will be increafed, my dear friends, amongft you, 
 as you increafe in your faithfulnefs to that blelfed 
 teftimony which the Lord hath given you to bear ; 
 for faithfulnefs is the only way to fruitfulnefs (and. 
 where any are flack and fhort they will not be fruitful 
 to "the Lord) , wherefore, my dearly beloved in the 
 Lord, keep clofe to liim, and in his bleifed light 
 walk, where you have a right judgment of yourfelves 
 and others, and may fee what is amifs or {hort, or 
 contrary to the truth, and your call andftation in it ; 
 that fo every one of you knowing your memberfhip, 
 and place in the body, may, while you have a day 
 and time, anfwer it to the Lord and his church ; for 
 this world, my dear friends, is but a trial and pilgri- 
 mage, in order to another ; for this is not the place 
 of our reft, and therefore let us not take up our reft 
 in fading things, but let the Lord be our reft, who 
 is the everlafting fabbath of his ranfomed people. O 
 my heart is overcome in the fenfe of his goodnefs to 
 us all every way. O how has he worked for us! 
 Should we not then work for him while xve have day 
 to work, and lay ourfelves out for his glory, which is 
 the way for us to lay up treafure in heaven for our- 
 felves ? Wherefore, my dear friends, brethren, and 
 filters, be you encouraged to double your diligence 
 for the Lord, his truth and church, and let the concern 
 of its profperity come more and- more upon you, in
 
 I*7Q THE RISE, AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 your refpecYive places of abode, that you may (hine 
 as lights and heavenly examples amongft your neigh- 
 bours and country folk, yea to the poor dark natives ; 
 .that it may appear to all that you have been with Jefus, 
 and that Jefus is with you j for though it be a time 
 of peace with you, I tell you, brethren, it is a time 
 of great trial ; your enemy is the fame, though his 
 temptations are not, and thereby he hopes to get 
 ground upon you, having transformed his appearance > 
 but my foul praycth to the Lord, that you may not 
 be moved from your ftedfaftnefs by the enjoyment of 
 thofe things, the lofs of which could not fhake you. 
 Now is the time to grow fbrong in the Lord, and lay 
 up ilcrc for a cold winter day, which the Lord may 
 yet fufTcr to come for the trial of his people, and 
 punifhment of evil doers. O, I feel my heart engaged 
 and tenderly drawn forth to you, " flefh of my nVfh, 
 and bone of my bone," in the eternal kindred, where 
 I embrace you in the arms of love that is without 
 (iimmulatioii, that love which knows no guik, which 
 many waters cannot quench, nor time or diftance wear 
 out cf my remembrance; for it has an everlafting 
 ipring. In this I falute you altogether, I hope in 
 your national meeting, however, it is to the family of 
 God, wherever fca tiered over that country ; and the 
 Lord refide among you, and open his fecrcts to you, 
 and make you learned in all the learning of the Ifrael- 
 nes indeed, the redeemed of God, which is wifdom 
 in a myftery that the world's wifdom cannot reach ; 
 fo will you be truly comely and edifying to the body,, 
 both of elder and younger, fathers and children, all 
 in the line of light, life, and love, fweetly lead.ing and 
 following each other, being fattened together by the 
 cords of charity which keeps the unity of the Spirit 
 in the bond of peace, where the Lord preferve 
 you all. 
 
 * Things here, and hereaway, are pretty well 
 (bk-ffcd be the Lord), and go forward ; they rejoice
 
 PEOPLI CALLED (QUAKERS. 
 
 in the good account I gave them of your love, zeal, 
 and care (for it is pleafant to the Lord's people to 
 hear well one of another). I find and feel a dark and 
 'envious fpirit fecretly gathering all its ftrength together 
 to encorapafs the holy <:ity, both Gog and Magog j 
 but from heaven will deliverance come to all the 
 heavenly minded in the Lord's time ; and till then, 
 and ever, his bleffed will be done. I could fay no 
 more, but a word to the wife may fuffice ; fo my 
 dearly beloved in the Lord, I take my leave of you, 
 and bid you farewell, -remaining 
 
 ' Your faithful friend and brother, 
 
 ' in the fellowihip of the bleiTed truthj 
 
 ' William Penn.' 
 
 Many friends of the miniftry from abroad, vifited 
 this nation this year 1699; among whom was Mary. 
 Mitchel, who went into fundry public places of wor- 
 fhip, and preached repentance in the ftreets of feveral 
 towns, calling upon the people to fear the Lord, and 
 turn from the evil of their ways,, and declaring that if 
 they did not, the Lord would vifit them with his judg- 
 ments; particularly in the ftreets of Drogheda, where 
 the mayor of the place committed her to prifon, but 
 Hie was foon enlarged. 
 
 A general provincial vifit was performed this year ; 
 i. e. a vifit to eyery particular monthly meeting in 
 each province, in order to enquire into the'ftate of 
 c'ich meeting, and fee how the wholefome admonitions 
 and exhortations given forth had been put in practice; 
 and an account was returned to the national meeting, 
 of the great fatisfa&ion and comfort that attended thole 
 concerned in this fervice, the Lord's good prefence 
 attending them; and a condeicenfion appearing in 
 thofe that were vifited, with regard to the advice 
 given them ; and particularly friends of Leinfter 
 province gave an account, that many had leffened their 
 outward concerns, and denied themfdves of the offers 
 of confiderable gain and profit, in order to anfwer
 
 172 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 truth's requirings, and friends' labour of love ; and 
 that fome who had large holdings had accommodated 
 others that wanted fmall tracts of land, and fome 
 offered to do more on that account. 
 
 Agreeable hereunto, was the publication of an 
 epiftle from the province of Leinfter this year (1699) 
 which was difperfed and recommended to the obfer-f 
 vation of friends ; an epiftle fhewing the fpirit and 
 clifpofition of the faithful elders in thofe days, and the 
 juft conceptions they had of Chriflian fimplicity, mode- 
 ration, and felf-denial : not confining it to certain 
 'fuperfluities in habit and fpeech,. as fome have igno- 
 rantly or malicioufly furmifed, but confidering it in its 
 due latitude and extent, being truly fenfible that the 
 cares of -this life, and the deceitfulnefs of riches, was 
 as dangerous a fnare to the old, as airinefs in de- 
 portment and the love of other pleafures are to the 
 young ; or that the good feed was as effectually 
 hindered from bringing forth fruit in the thorny, as 
 it was in the highway and flony ground in the parable : 
 with me it is alfo a (landing evidence of the true fpiri- 
 tual wifdom and forefight of thefq men, with regard 
 to the pernicious effects of the unbounded love and pur. 
 fnit of worldly riches, on the welfare of our Chriftian 
 ibciety, the truth of which has been abundantly con* 
 firmed by the experince of fucceeding times. 
 
 The epiftle is here annexed, whereof two thoufan4 
 "were printed for publick fervice. 
 
 An Epiftle to friends, given forth from Leinfler pro- 
 vince meeting, in Ireland, held at Caftledermot 
 the 9th, loth, and i ith days of the Seventh month, 
 1698. 
 
 " Love not the world, neither the things that are in 
 the world: If any man love the world, the love of 
 the Father is not in him/' i John, chap. i. 15*
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 173 
 
 THE PREFACE. 
 
 * Dear Friends, 
 
 e The following epiftle is recommended to be read 
 in the fear of the Lord, in which Idoubt not but you 
 will have a fenfe of the godly care and concern which 
 the Lord hath raifed in the minds of fome of his faith- 
 ful elders, for the good and prefervation of his heiitage. 
 But if there be any amongft ourfelves or others, not 
 Acquainted with our Chriflian difcipline, who, for want 
 of truly feeing the great danger and hurt that hath 
 attended the profeflbrs of Chriftianity, by unbounded 
 defires, and purfuit after the things of this world, 
 (hall cenfure our Chriilian care; as if we went about 
 to exercife lordlhip over one another, or would hinder 
 and limit fuch induflrious and capable perfons, who 
 in the fear of God, and in moderation, do improve 
 the creation in general, or their own worldly talents 
 in particular, which God has been pleafed to give 
 them ; I fay, if any fhall thus judge of our godly care 
 and endeavours, let all fuch know they are miftaken, 
 and that no fuch thing is intended. 
 
 ' But as a people whom the Lord hath made fenfible 
 of the many fnares that do attend, and the lofs fome 
 have fuftained, by the infatiable defire and too eager 
 purfuit after the lawful things of this world, a concern 
 came upon us, that if poffible, . we might all come to 
 be limited with the bounds of truth that leads to mode- 
 ration and content, and to depend more upon that 
 providential hand of the Lord, that will afford us 
 what we (land in need of> than in an inordinate defire 
 to purfue after the gain of this world's goods. 
 
 ' And now, dear friends and brethren, this brotherly 
 caution arifes in my heart for you, who were eye-wit- 
 nefles and partakers of that wonderful and eminent 
 bowing power and prefence of the Lord God, that ap- 
 peared amongft us at that meeting, that none who were 
 WitnefTes of the power of the Lord at that time, and
 
 174 T E RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 thereby brought into a lively fenfe and 'fight of the 
 great danger attending that mind which would be 
 going after covetoufnefs, may in the lead give way* 
 thereto, or enter into reafoning and confuiuqg.whh 
 flefli and blood, by which you will lofe the fenfe you 
 then had of rhat fpirit, and be in danger of becoming 
 monuments of God's- difpieafure. But. on the con- 
 trary, keep to the guidance and dire&ion of God's 
 Spirit in yourfelves, which will limit your dcfircs 
 (to the fewful things of this world) within the bounds 
 of truth : which is the earned" delire of one that defires 
 the good and prefervation of all, in that which will 
 tend to the glory of God, and bring everlafling 
 comfort in the end. 
 
 < Thomas Trafford.' 
 
 To all our dear friends and brethren in this nation of 
 Ireland, and elfewhere. 
 
 1 The falutation of our dear love in the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, in tender bowels, flows forth to the whole 
 heritage of God, with fervent defires that all may 
 walk worthy of his great love and fatherly kindnefs, 
 who hath bleffed us in turning us from our iniquities, 
 and brought us to the knowledge of himfelf, by the 
 bleffed light of his dear Son (hining in our hearts, 
 and by the evidence of his Holy Spirit confirmed our 
 faith in the unfpeakable benefit we have, both in his 
 firfl and fecond coming for to fuffcr for us, in that 
 prepared body, and now in Spirit and glorious power 
 of the Father, to perfect our redemption and falvation, 
 and to reconcile us unto himfelf, by wafhing us with 
 the water of regeneration, and fprinkling us with the 
 blood of his covenant, and under his daily crofs, 
 which crucifies us to the world, and renews his 
 heavenly image in us,' and hath preferved us in all 
 exercifes of troubles, temptations, and perils of all 
 forts, inward and outward, and fed us plentifully with
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 175 
 
 the wliolefome and found do&rme of h ; s heavenly 
 kingdom, and watered us abundantly from time to 
 time, with the diftillatibns of the (bowers thereof, 
 flowing from the clouds that he hath prepared and 
 Hed with his Holy Spirit, to replenifh his hufnimdry 
 and vineyard with the myfteries of faith and godlinefs, 
 as the former rain in its feafon, and the latter 
 rain in its feafon ; and clothed us with religious 
 difciplirie and gofpei order, that no nakednefs may be 
 amongfl us, but every member of this body which 
 Chrifl is the head of, may be covered with his righ- 
 teoufnefs in words and a&ions, following him (in 
 the daily crofs and felf denial by faith in him) as 
 lights in the world to the praife, and glory of God. 
 And in order to carry on and perfect tjiis good- work 
 for our eftablifhment and his honour, he hath raifed 
 and fettled, and is raifing, infl:ru r nents according to his 
 blefled promife, that he would give to his people 
 judges as at the firft, and counfellors as at the begin- 
 ning : men fearing' God and hating covetoufnefs, 
 gifting them for this great work with his Holy Spirit 
 of counfel, with a found mind and underftanding, 
 and a concern for his honour, and profperity of his 
 bieiled truth amongft men, the enlargement and ex- 
 alting of the government and kingdom of Chrift with 
 all godly diligence, according to the ability and' gift 
 of his Holy Spirit, given to them for this work and 
 ferv'ce for the Lord and his people, as heip-meets in 
 government, and overfeers and door-keepers of the, 
 flock and cLurch of Chrift, walking before them as 
 good examples in felf-denral, not only to the unlawful 
 things of the world, but to the lawful things; the 
 Lord bounding them in their getting, and ordering 
 them in their management, and difpolmg thereof, 
 that the flock may follow by their footfleps, as they 
 thus follow Chrift. 
 
 4 And, dear friends, you of th's nation know, that 
 for feveral years pad there hath been', and yet re-
 
 Ij6 TH RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 mains a godly care on the fpirits of fuch whom the 
 Lord hath thus raifed and concerned as overfeers, 
 that all things might be well in the church of Chrifl, 
 and that he may prefent it to the Father as a chafle 
 virgin, without blemifh ; and on this account much 
 labour of love hath been bellowed at opportunities and 
 feafons, which the Lord hath put into our hands, 
 and have been fanftified to us, the Lord owning his 
 work and us in it, and honouring our aiTemblies in: 
 this fervice with his powerful, glorious prefence, to 
 the overcoming of our hearts with comfort and fads- 
 faction, opening onr underflandings by the enlarge- 
 ment of his Holy Spirit, in many things abfolutcly 
 needful to be put in practice, for the prefervation of 
 his people out of the fnares of the enemy of mankind, 
 which he lays in the world, and baits them with the 
 things of this world. And God hath wonderfully 
 owned and bleffed our labours, to our great comfort 
 and encouragement, and the great benefit and fatis- 
 faftion of many, who give thanks and praifcs to the 
 Lord for the benefit received, on many accounts, 
 through rhofe clofe concerns and labours of love for 
 the good of one another, as laviours on Mount Sion. 
 
 c And now that which remains, and chiefly is 
 before us in this fervice, is to warn and admonifli the 
 church of Chrifl, to beware of the fnares of that un- 
 wearied enemy, which he lays in fecret, and baits 
 with the lawful things of this world, in this time of 
 cafe and great liberty; for his baits are fui table to 
 the times and feaibns, to anfwer the inclination of 
 people's minds, that go from things that are above, 
 after the things that are below; and it is cafy to 
 underftand the generality of people are tak^n in his 
 fnares, and carried away after riches, preferment, 
 honour, greatnefs, and vain-glory in the things of 
 this world, that are uncertain, and foon come to an 
 end: and he is flriving to break in upon the people 
 of our .fociery, whom the Lord hath called by his
 
 , PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 177 
 
 grace out of the world, to obey and follow him in 
 all things, as lights in the world to his honour. And 
 this enemy of all righteoufnefs hath prevailed on 
 many, that are not fo careful and watchful in the 
 light of Chriit as they ought to be ; and others fol- 
 lowing their examples to get riches, and be big in the 
 world, invade other mens properties, and fail in their 
 purpofes, fo facrifke religion and their own credit, 
 to their greedy dellre after gain, and give occafion 
 for men to brand us with the character of covetouf- 
 nefs, which caufes the truth pro felled by us, to be 
 evil fpoken of, (tumbles the minds of ibme that other- 
 wile might join with us, and hinders the Lord's work 
 of reformation on many accounts, and grieves his 
 .good fpirit, and wounds the hearts of his faithful 
 fervants, that are given up in heart, mind, body, and 
 fubftance, that the Lord may limit, bound, order and 
 difpofe of them and all they have, and hold as 
 ftewards under him, that hath all power in heaven 
 and earth, with all due reverence, fubje<ftion, and 
 obedience, where our prefervation is from the in- 
 roads the enemy makes to hinder the progrefs of the 
 Lord's people, and to make them unfruitful to the 
 Lord as his vineyards, in heavenly and fpiritual 
 things ; but inilead thereof to bring forth wild grapes, 
 briars, thorns, thirties and tares, the fruits of the 
 mind, heart, fpirit, and affections that go in their own 
 wills, into earthly things, beyond the bounds and 
 limits of the Lord's everlafting truth, which is great 
 provocation for the Lord to curfe the ground, and to 
 lay his vineyard wafte, which he hath beftowed great 
 labour upon, that it might bring forth good fruit, to 
 the praife, honour, and glory of his great name. 
 
 * Now under a due confideration of the great 
 injury and damage the church of- Chrift hath and 
 doth fuftain in our day, by this floating fpirit that 
 leads into the lawful things of the world, beyond the 
 bounds of truth, and beyond the ufe for which they 
 
 VOL. III. M
 
 178 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 \vere created and given of God, a great concern came 
 upon feveral of us in a fpiritual travail, for the honour 
 of God and the prefervation of his people, the come- 
 linefs, beauty and credit of the nnfpotted religion 
 profeiTed by us ; and under this godly care and con- 
 cern the Spirit and power of the Lord mightily ap- 
 pearing with us, and in us, in which the teftimony of 
 the Lord Jefus rofe in many, as a ftandard lifted up 
 againft the invaiions of an enemy, and great labours 
 and endeavours were ufed to flop this unfatiable 
 fpirit that is fo eager after earthly things, and yet 
 not willing to be called by the name of coveroufnefs, 
 and to bring it within the bounds and limits of truth. 
 This religious concern being pra&ifed from time to 
 time for feveral years, at fuch opportunities as the 
 Lord put into our hands to be concerned in church 
 affairs, that nothing might get in or grow which God 
 hath not fowed nor planted, but be plucked up and 
 rooted out in due time ; that the Lord's plant and 
 good feed that he hath planted and fowed, might 
 grow, flourifh, and bring forth good fruits in due 
 feafon, to the honour and glory of the great Huf- 
 bandman, that the cares of this world and covetouf- 
 nefs of riches might not choke it. 
 
 * Now we being at our province meeting, before- 
 mentioned, and a great appearance of fiiends, both 
 men and women, and the mighty power of the Lord 
 amongft us; under a weighty fenfe thereof the 
 affairs of the church were managed in great unity, 
 peace and concord : and under this heavenly canopy 
 of the Lord's ancient goodnefs, a weighty concern 
 came upon our fpirits, as at other times on the like 
 occafion, concerning the bounds and limits of getting, 
 and the right ufing, the lawful things of this world ; 
 and how far friends might fafely go into them : and 
 much time being fpent in church affairs to good pur- 
 pofe and fatisfa&ion, the meeting adjourned till the 
 Hext day j and after the meeting for the worfhip of
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS.' l?g 
 
 God was over, then men friends, and ancient con- 
 cerned women, met to confider of this weighty 
 matter ; and accordingly Friends met and fat down 
 in great filence, retired to the Lord for his aid and 
 counfel, and the Lord was pleafed to appear, and his 
 power was great through his Spirit to our comfort ; 
 and many hearts were melted before him, becaufe of 
 the weight of his goodnefs, which bowed all fpirits ; 
 and many heavenly things were opened in the tefti- 
 mony of Jefus, concerning the bounds and right ufe 
 of the lawful things of this world, and in the demon- 
 ftration of the fpirit and power of Chrift then abound- 
 ing amongfl us, and governing our aiTembly, and 
 guiding our hearts and underftandings, unanimoufly 
 It was agreed and adjudged, that a competency of 
 the lawful things of this world is fufficient for every 
 one, and is the right bounds, with a due confideration 
 of every one's charge, ftation, place and fervice. 
 And that mind which will not be content with 
 this, bears the character of covetoufnefs, and renders 
 fuch unfit to rule in the church of Chrift ; and there 
 was an unanimous confent, one by one, to offer up 
 ourfelves to the judgment of the province meeting, or 
 other approved elders, as the province meeting {hall 
 think fit ; if in any thing we do exceed thole bounds, 
 that Truth (i. e. Chrift) may bound us that hath all 
 power in heaven and earth : and in a fubje&ion one 
 to ancther in our pofleiTions, holdings, callings, 
 trading, and dealing amongft men, not to be our own 
 iudges, or walk in the light of our own eyes, con- 
 lidering the wife man's faying, That every man's 
 caufe is good in his own eyes ; but his neighbour 
 finds him out, and in the multitude of counfel is 
 fafety. Not that we intend to deprive any of the 
 moderate and lawful ufe of the things of this world, 
 or to take from any man his poiTeffions, or to invade 
 and take away property, but to bring all things into 
 right bounds, and fet them in their right places, that 
 
 M 2
 
 l8o THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE - 
 
 fb none may be guilty of the great fin of abufing the 
 Lord's mercies, but might ufe and enjoy them to his 
 honour ; that in fo doing they may have his peace 
 and bkfling, which indeed is the true comfort of all 
 enjoyments. Thus fhall we give evident teflimony to 
 the world by our moderation, even in the lawful 
 things, that we are true followers of the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, in a felf-denying life. And thus, as help- 
 meets together in the Lord Jefus, we may be as 
 Saviours on mount Sion, building up one another in 
 our moft precious faith, and in our heavenly pofief- 
 fion in Chrift Jefus, over the greedy gain, greatnefs, 
 and vain-glory of the world, and perifhing, fading 
 things thereof, that foon come to an end; and here 
 the rich man will not glory in his riches, but fee the 
 danger of them, and not lay hold of opportunities to 
 heap up more, to make himfelf and poflerity great in 
 the world ; but rather endeavour to lefTen, that with 
 more eafe and cheerfulnefs he may ferve God and his 
 generation with what he hath, with all his might, 
 being glad of every opportunity that prefents, that 
 he may do good, and i>e rich in good works, con- 
 lidering he is a fleward, and his time uncertain in 
 what he enjoys, and that he muft be accountable to 
 the Lord of all, for all things he poffeffes under him ; 
 and, under the like confideration, the mean man will 
 be glad that he is free from many temptations and 
 fnares, that the rich in this world are liable to fail 
 into, and pierce themfelves with many forrows and 
 hurtful lufts, and bkfs the Lord for what he enjoys, 
 not wanting food and raiment, with which he is well 
 content and eafy in his mind, that is towards the 
 Lord, and feeks not from place to place, and from 
 one country to another, in a covetous mind to heap 
 up riches, but looks to the Lord with an eye of 
 faith, to receive counfel from him in his undertakings, 
 and dare not go beyond his limits, nor without his 
 countenance j and all murmuring, repining and unbe-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. l8l 
 
 Kef is kept out of the camp. And there will be no 
 . craving fpirics where the Lord rules, but all .in their 
 ftations, according to their ability and gifts, endea- 
 vour to ferve the Lord with all their might and fub- 
 flance, in their places where the lord hath raifed 
 them, or ordered them, and may be ferviceable ; 
 fhaking themfelves from the duflof the earth, putting 
 on their beautiful garments of the Lord's government, 
 and fhining under the difcipline thereof, riling over 
 the earth and earthly things in the life and power of 
 Chrifl, as lights in the world in this glorious day of 
 the Lord, wherein he is ftaining the glory of the 
 lawful things of this world, and the goodlinefs thereof, 
 by the brightnefs of his coming in the glory of his 
 Father's kingdom ; and is whipping buyers and 
 fellers out of the temple, that it may be a houfe for 
 the fervice of God, which holinefs becometh ; that 
 he may walk, fup, and make his abode, and the 
 offering of his people may be acceptable to him, 
 when he hath purged away all this drofs, tin, and 
 reprobate filver. 
 
 ' Our hearts are deeply affefted with the care and 
 kindnefs of the Lord, for our prefervation from the 
 fnares of the enemy, which he lays for us in the law- 
 ful things of this world, far more dangerous, and we 
 more liable to be taken in them in this time of great 
 eafe and liberty, than in the time of perfecution and 
 fuffecings, to be frighted from our fledfaflnefs in our 
 faith and principles. 
 
 ' And, dear friends, we may well underfland that 
 as to our Society, felf-denial flands moftly in the 
 lawful things, hoping, by this time of this glorious 
 day, you have overcome the bafe and. unlawful things, 
 and your hearts and minds are cleanfed from them 
 by the blood of Chrifl that fprinkles our hearts from 
 an evil confcience, and wafhes our bodies with the 
 clean water of regeneration, and renewing of his Holy 
 Spirit. And he that hath done this for us is per- 
 
 M 7
 
 1 82 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 feeing what is lacking, that he may prefent us to God 
 the Father faultlefs,to whom be praifes for ever. Amen, 
 
 * Subfcribed, in behalf of the meeting, by 
 
 John Pirn, William Edmundfon, 
 
 George Rooke, Thomas Trafford, 
 Thomas Wilfon, Roger Roberts. 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 4 At the firfr., when the Lord called and gathered 
 us to be a people, and opened the eyes of -our under- 
 (landings, then we faw the exceeding fmfulnefs of fin, 
 and the wickednefs that was in the world ; and a per- 
 fect abhorrence was fixed in our hearts againft all 
 the wicked, unjuft, vain, ungodly,, unlawful part of 
 the world in all refpects ; and we faw the goodly and 
 mod glorious lawful things of the world to' be abufed : 
 and that many fnares and temptations lay in them, 
 and many troubles and dangers of divers kinds ; and 
 we felt the load of them, and that we could not 
 carry them and run the race the Lord had fet before 
 us fo cheerfully ,as to win the prize of our falvation ; 
 fo that our care was to cart off this great load and 
 burthen of our great and gainful ways of getting 
 riches, and to leffen our concerns therein, to the com- 
 pafs that we might" not be chargeable to any in our 
 flations and fervices required of us, and be ready to 
 anfwer Cliriil Jefus our Captain, that called us to 
 follow him in a fpiritml warfare, under the discipline 
 of his daily crofs and fc!f-denial j and then the thing* 
 of this world were of fmall value with us, fo that we 
 might win Chrilt, and the goodliett things of the 
 world were not near us, fo that we might be near the 
 Lord, and the Lord's truth outbalanced all the 
 world, even the mod glorious part of it. Then great 
 trading was a burthen, and great concerns a great 
 trouble j all ncedlcfs things, fine houfes, rich furuU
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 183 
 
 turc, and gaudy apparel, was an eye-fore; our eye 
 being {ingle to the Lord, and the infhining of his 
 light in our hearts, which gave us the fight of the 
 knowledge of the glory of God, which fo affefted 
 our minds, that it flamed the glory of all earthly 
 things, and they bore no mattery with us, either in 
 dwelling, eating, drinking, buying, felling, marrying, 
 or giving in marriage ; the Lord was the object of 
 our e,ye, and we ail humble and low before him, and 
 felf of fmall repute; miniflers and elders in all fuch 
 cafes walking as good examples, that the flock might 
 follow their footfleps as they followed Chrift in the 
 daily crofs and felf-denial in their dwellings, callings, 
 eating, drinking, buying, felling, marrying, and giving 
 in marriage; and this anfwered the Lord's witnefs in 
 all confidences, and gave us credit amongfl men. 
 
 ' And as our number increafed, it happened that 
 fuch a fpirit came in amongfl us, as was amongfl the 
 Jews when they came out of Egypt, and this began 
 to look back into the world, and traded with the 
 credit which was not of its own purchasing, and 
 ftriving to be great in the riches and poiTeilions of 
 this world; and then, great fair buildings in city and 
 country, fine and fafhionable furniture, and apparel 
 equivalent, with dainty and voluptuous proyifion, 
 with rich matches in marriage, with exceflive cufto- 
 mary uncomely fmoking of tobacco, under colour of 
 lawful and ferviceable, far wide from the footileps of 
 the 'miniflers and elders the Lord raifed and fent 
 forth into his work and fervice at the beginning ; 
 and far fhort of the example our Lord and Mafler 
 Chrift Jems left us, when he was tempted in the 
 xvildernefs with the offer of all the kingdoms of the 
 world, and the glory of them, and defpifed them : and 
 Mofes that refufed to be called the fon of PharoahY 
 . daughter, and rather chofe affliction with the Lord's 
 people, having a regard to the recompence of reward, 
 the holy apoflle writes to the church of Chrift. 
 M4
 
 184 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 both fathers, young men, and the children, and 
 advifes againft the love of the world, and the fafhions 
 thereof: and it is working as the old leaven at this 
 very time, to corrupt the heritage of God., and to fill 
 it with briars, thorns, thirties, and tares, and the 
 grapes of the earth to make the Lord reject it, and 
 lay it wafte. But the Lord of all our mercies, whofe 
 eye hath been over us for good fmce he gathered us 
 to be a people, and entered into covenant with us, 
 according to his ancient promife, is lifting up his 
 Spirit as a flandard againft the invafion of this enemy, 
 and is raifing up his living word and teftimony in 
 the hearts of many, to fland in the gap which this 
 floating, high, worldly, libertine fpirit hath made, and 
 that is gone from the footfleps of them that follow 
 Chrivr. as at firft, and know him to bound them, and 
 to keep in his bounds; and not in their own will 
 and time lay hold on prefentaticns and opportunities 
 that may offer to get riches,, which many have had 
 and refufed for truth's fake, and the Lord haih ac- 
 cepted as an offering, and rewarded to their great 
 comfort, and to the praiie of his great name. 
 
 ' William Edmundfon.' 
 
 In the Sixth and Seventh month this year, 1669, W. 
 Edmundfon and George Rooke performed a vifit to 
 the North, and to Connaught, accompanied by Abel 
 Strettell, Richard Guy, and Kenry Ridgeway. 
 
 Their firit vifit was to friends in Uifter, at their 
 Province meeting at Richard Boyes's- Then vifning 
 fome particular meetings of friends in thai: province, 
 they went to preach the gofpel in the following places. 
 Near Salter's town at Francis Parfons's they had 
 a large meeting., and many fober people came to hear 
 truth declared there, and feemed to be pretty well 
 fatisfied; then at Dungiven was another meeting; 
 thefe places are both in the county of Londonderry, 
 and there was fome convincement a,bom the latter
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 1^5 
 
 place : then they went into the county of Donegal, 
 and coming to a place called Raphoe, a bifhop's fee, 
 and being defirous to have a meeting with the people 
 there, they were much averfe to it, and none of them, 
 would fufter a meeting in their houfe, fo the meeting 
 was appointed at the market-crofs ; and the people 
 gathered, and George Rooke flood upon the crofs, 
 and declared the way of life to them ; and then the 
 priefts called the high conftable to break up the 
 meeting ; but underftanding they afted of themfdves, 
 and not by any order from the government, the 
 meeting continued about two hours, mod of which 
 time was fpent in preaching the free gofpel of Chrift 
 Jefus, and the people were fo well affe&ed with truth, 
 that they got a large quiet meeting in the inn where 
 they lodged that evening ; and William Edmundfon 
 fet the power of truth over all hirelings, and the free 
 gofpel of Chrift Jefus above the tithing priefts. The 
 next day they had a meeting in the morning about 
 four miles from thence, and in the afternoon a meet- 
 ing at Letterkenny, both which were quiet, and in 
 the morning following a parting meeting, where the 
 fweet prefence of God was richly enjoyed ; and 
 there being three friends that lived about eight miles 
 north of that place, they were advifed to keep a 
 meeting there (they being far from friends) the pro- 
 mife of Chrift being where two or three meet in his 
 nam^, that his prefence (hall be with them; and fo a 
 meeting was fettled there for the worfhip of God. 
 
 Soon after, they took their journey for Sligo, and 
 came thither the feventh day of the week, and got 
 leave to keep a meeting in the markct-honfe, where 
 inany people came the next day and were fober ; and 
 then they had a meeting fix miles from Sligo at Kil- 
 loony, where the prieft did what he could to hinder 
 and frighten the people from coming, but all in v .in, 
 for the meeting was kept to fatisfa&ion ; and they 
 npt being clear of Sligo went back and had another
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 meeting there, where was a juflice of peace, and 
 many fober people, and the way of eternal life was 
 clearly opened to them, and fo they were left without 
 cxcufe. The next meeting they had was at a place 
 called Carrkkdrumrufk, they being moftly Britifh 
 people that lived there, and were very ready to come 
 to the meeting, which was kept in an inn, and a good 
 fatisfa&ory time friends had with them. Then they 
 travelled to Longford, but none would permit a 
 meeting there, fo they palled en to the Province 
 meeting at Moat of Granoge, where meeting with 
 friends from feveral parts, they were comforted in 
 the Lord, and one in another, giving account of their 
 fervict, and that a door was opened in thofe remote 
 places to receive truth, and the mefTengers of it, and 
 the peace and fatisfa&ion they enjoyed from God, the 
 rewarder of his faithful labourers.* 
 
 This year (1700) alfo, William Edmundfon and 
 George Rooke performed another vifit to feveral 
 parts of the province of Connaught, being a journey 
 of about 342 miles, of which a particular account may 
 be feen in VV. Edmundfon's journal. 
 
 Barclay's Apology, printed in London, was this 
 year ordered to be diftributed among flrangers. 
 
 This year died James Greenwood and Ann his 
 wife, of Grange in the county of Antrim, a faithful 
 couple, being -of one fpirit (as well as joined together 
 in the covenant of marriage) wherein they were true 
 help-meets to one another., being endowed with many 
 fpiritual gifts and graces, which they, as good Rewards, 
 faithfully improved to the honour of the great Giver 
 and the benefit and comfort of his people. They 
 \v-.-rc-offuch a juil and upright converfation, fearing 
 the Lord and efchewing evil, that the truth they 
 profeflcd was honoured by them ; their hearts being 
 icaioned by the heavenly grace, fo that they were as 
 
 * See it'furtht-r account of this journey in William Edmur.clfon's Journal,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. I 87 
 
 the favoury fait, among thofe with whom they were 
 converfant, being of a grave and weighty deportment, 
 aiming at the glory of God, and the good of fouls 
 in their concerns. They were great lovers of peace 
 and concord in the church, and much concerned for 
 keeping the unity of the fpirit in the bond of peace. 
 They were drift obfervers of the apoftles exhortation, 
 not to forget to entertain fa-angers, their honfe and 
 hearts being open to receive the travelling fervants 
 of the Lord : for which fervice they were well quali- 
 fied, adminiftring to them fpiritual help and affiilance, 
 as well as outward entertainment. James being for 
 many years infirm in body, was unable to travel much 
 abroad; but Ann being healthy, both in body and 
 mind, was frequently ferviceable at the general meet- 
 ings of friends, where fhe appeared in fuch f\veetnefs 
 and evennefs of temper, fo favoury, grave, cielibcrate, 
 and reaching in her expreffions, that fuch as were in 
 the fervice v/ith her were much ftrengthened and 
 encouraged, by the excellent fruits of the Divine 
 Spirit that appeared through her, both in doctrine, dif- 
 cipline, and converfation, Her words in her teilimony 
 were but few, and not forwardly expreffed, {he being 
 careful not to run before her guide, but to obferve 
 divine conduct, under which her example was a 
 check to forward, and rafh appearances ; yet fhe 
 was a nurfing mother to the young and tender, a 
 refrdflier of the weary, an encourager of the dirtrefled, 
 and was fo endued with heavenly wifdotn, and a 
 taking way of expreffion and geilure in conference, 
 that even diforderly and obftinate perfons were often- 
 times won upon by her. They both died in ihe fame 
 year, in great refignation and affurance of peace with 
 God. 
 
 The latter end of this year (1701) king William 
 died, who, during his whole reign, allowed a Chriftian 
 liberty to tender conferences, the ever memorable act 
 of toleration bein^ Daffed in his rci^n, and continued 
 
 O A O *
 
 1S THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 * 
 
 and confirmed in the reign of queen Ann, by which 
 the feveral dnTenters were exempted from divers 
 penalties to which they had been before liable ; and 
 DOW friends throughout the nation peaceably enjoyed 
 their meetings for the worfhip of God. 
 
 Friends of Dublin fuffered little this year (1702) 
 for their teflimony againft the fuperflitious obferva- 
 tion of days, Thomas Bell, mayor of that city, having 
 put forth a proclamation fome time before the day 
 called Chriflmas-day, forbidding the tumultuous 
 meetings of any men, boys, or apprentices, under 
 pretence of (hutting down friends Ihops ; alfo the 
 fenefcbal of Thomas- Court and Donore did the like, 
 both which proclamations had, in a great meafure, 
 the defired effect of preventing the meeting of the 
 wicked rabble, their hurting friends, breaking win- 
 dows, &c. as had been ufual in former years. 
 
 This year a chofc-n number of friends' in Ulfter 
 performed a general vifit through that province. 
 
 This year (1703) alfo John Page, mayor of the 
 city of Dublin, counfellor William Neave, fenefchal 
 of the Liberty of Thomas-Court and Donore, and 
 counfellor Grace, fenefchal of Sepulchre's liberty, by 
 ieafonably iffuing proclamations as aforefaid, as alfo 
 lieutenant-general Earl, taking care that the foldiers 
 fliould not be abufive, protected friends of the city 
 from the ufual infolence of the rabble, fo that they 
 fuffered little or nothing for opening thfir fhops, and 
 following their lawful trades and emptoy men ts, in 
 teftimony againft: the fuperftitious obfcrvation of days ; 
 and now little fufferings attended friends, except for 
 their Chriilian teftimony againfl tithes. 
 
 This year (1704), and in the/fifiy-fixth of his age, 
 died Gerfhon Boate, having been convinced about 
 1670, and the twenty-fecond of his age; and the 
 Lord was pleafed to beftow upon him a gift in the 
 winiftry, in the exercifc of which he was many times 
 frefh and lively, and fometimes travelled both in this
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 189 
 
 nation and fome p*rts of England, Scotland, and Wales. 
 He was ready and willing to ferve truth and friends 
 with all his might, both in travelling with friends in 
 the miniftry, and in feeking relief for fuch as were 
 under fufferings ; and he was a man of fuch parts and 
 intereft, that he feldom miffed effc&ing the matter he 
 took in hand. He was of a quick apprehenfion, great 
 abilities and courage, and very ferviceable to the 
 country on feveral accounts, and particularly with 
 regard to the Rapparees that infefted it ; and was 
 wonderfully preferved through many imminent dan- 
 gers, from thofe blood-thirlty men who lay in wak 
 for mifchief. By this means he became acceptable to 
 the government, and had an interefl: among, arid a 
 ready accefs to, perfons in power, which however he 
 did not apply to his own promotion, in the profits or 
 honours of this world, but to the advancement of 
 truth and its teftimony, and the good of his brethren* 
 He was a true fervant of the church, and in its fer- 
 vice contracted his lad illnefs, and died in great peace 
 and resignation to the will of God. - 
 
 Faithful friends at this time (170;;) were in good 
 efteem, the government favourable, and magiftratcs 
 generally moderate. 
 
 This year feveral friends, appointed by a province- 
 meeting in Ulfter, performed a general vifit through 
 that pro-vincc. 
 
 Ir ieems not unfeafonable here to obferve, that 
 whereas for feveral preceding years repeated advices 
 "were given, and earneilly recommended, from fundry 
 half-year's meetings, that friends (liould refrain from 
 the too eager purfuit of great concerns and incum- 
 brances of the world,, in order that all might be 
 reftrained, if poffible, from thofe things that would 
 hurt them inwardly or outwardly ; although it was a 
 time wherein opportunities feemed to offer for getting 
 riches, by great trades, ftocking of farms, &c. yet 
 feveral difappointmcnts happened to thofe that took
 
 ir;0 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 liberty herein, particularly on occafion of a great 
 decay of trade which enfued on the wars abroad, io 
 that fonae who flighted and rejected the timely advice 
 and warning given them, fuiFered great lols, both 
 as to their inward condition and outward affairs ; but 
 fuch \vho complied were fenfible of the benefit thereof, 
 both with refpecT: to their eafe in the things of this 
 world, and their inward peace and fatisfaftion. 
 
 This year died John Clibborn of Moate Granoge, 
 a patient and faithful fnfferer for'truth's teftimony, 
 an open hearted man to entertain friends and fervc 
 truth with his outward fubflance, and very charitable 
 to the poor 
 
 Betides other minifcering friends who vifited the 
 nation this year (1706), Thomas Rudd from Eng- 
 land, landed at Dublin in the Sixth month, and after 
 being at friends meeting there the Sixth day of the 
 week, on the day following, accompanied by our 
 friends Robert Bradihaw and Jofeph Gill, both 
 dwellers in the faid city, he palled through four or 
 live ftreets thereof, uttering the following words, viz. 
 ' Oh the dreadful and Almighty God will dreadfully 
 * plead becaufe of fin ;' but before he was clear of 
 that fervice, fome officers, by an order from alderman 
 William Gibbons, mayor of the city, brought him 
 before the faid mayor, and feveral other aldermen, 
 and the laid two friends went along with him thither; 
 fo a mittimus was written, and they all three were 
 fent to the Wheat-fheaf prifon, where they remained 
 clofe prifoners three days, and then were let at 
 liberty by means of friends application to the mayor, 
 recorder, and fjme of the alderaien ; and 'I homas, 
 being unhealthy of body, went into the country, 
 thereby expecYmg fome benefit, reflecting his diitem- 
 per , and paffing Northward, vifited friends meetings 
 in Ulfter province, and returned to Dublin ; where, 
 being accompanied by the faid two friends, he patted 
 again through the fame ftreets as before, declaring
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 the former words, and met with no oppofition or 
 moleflation from the magistrates, and afterwards went 
 into other parts of the country where he had not 
 been. He vifited moil of friends meetings in the 
 nation, and alfo had fervice in the ftreets of many 
 towns and public places in divers parts thereof. 
 
 This year died Anthony Sharp, who was born in 
 Gloucefterfhire in England, in the year 1642. He 
 was convinced about the year 1665, by the rniniitry 
 of William Dewfbury, at a meeting in prifon at 
 Warwick. He came to fettle in Dublin in 1669, 
 and fome time after was concerned in a public tefti- 
 mony ; and friends in Dublin then being but few, 
 and thofe expofed to fufferings on the account of 
 tithes, &c. he was very ferviceable to them by advice, 
 and appearing before rulers and magidrates on their 
 behalf, wherein his endeavours were often bleffed 
 with fuccefs, as alfo by entertaining friends cheerfully 
 at his houfe. He was an induflrious man in the 
 concerns of this life, and having juflly acquired the 
 reputation of a wife and honeft dealer, his credit 
 among men, and outward fubftance daily increafed, 
 which however did not prove a means of choaking 
 the good feed in .his heart, he being both a large 
 contributor to the poor, and devoted to ferve truth 
 and friends in his generation, both with his fubltance 
 and understanding. He was a man of an honeft, 
 fober, and clean converfation ; for although he had 
 occafion toconverfe with people of various perfuafions 
 and tempers, and temptations of divers kinds attended ; 
 yet through the goodnefs of God he was fo preferved, 
 that there was no jufl caufe to reproach truth on his 
 behalf, being very careful to avoid neerjlefs company 
 keeping, and being leavened* into the fpirits of 
 thofe he converfed with, by too much familiarity; 
 but would take* occafion to difcourfe of the principles 
 
 * i.e. Conformed to the PifpoCticns.
 
 192 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 of truth, or fome religious fubjecl: whereby they 
 might be diverted from thofe vain difcourfes that 
 are too frequeut in many companies. In his public 
 teftiinony he was many times zealoufly concerned for 
 the convincement of Grangers, being gifted for that 
 fervice, having a good underflanding, a ready utte- 
 rance, and a clear way of delivery ; and indeed his 
 labour of love in that refpect did, through the 
 bleffing of God, prove effe&ual to feveral. He has 
 left in manufcript feveral pieces written in defence of 
 truth, againft priefts and others; particularly on im- 
 mediate revelation, on the call of a gofpel ir.inifter, 
 on womens* preaching, baptifm, the Lord's flipper, 
 &c. He travelled feveral times through this nation 
 and in England; and in the year 1695, vifited 
 Holland, fome parts of Germany, and Denmark, 
 and fome time after, Scotland, in the 'work of the 
 miniltry; and at length, having been very ferviceable 
 among friends for many years, and finifhed his courfe, 
 he laid down his head in peace. 
 
 This year (1706) feveral Friends, by appointment 
 of the Province meeting, made a general vifit through 
 the province of U liter, and returned fatisfaclory ac- 
 counts of their fervice. 
 
 This year (1707) alfo feveral Friends, appointed 
 by the Quarterly meeting of Leiniler, performed a 
 vifit to the feveral Monthly meetings of that province 
 to good fatisfaftion. And in the year 1708, a like 
 general vilit was made through the meetings in the 
 province of Munfter with good effect. 
 
 This year (1708) Jofeph Pike publifhed aTreatife 
 on Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, which, though 
 ordered to be printed at a national charge, the author 
 chofe to do at his own coft. 
 
 N. B. It is no new thing, that the church of Chrift 
 fliould fkmrifli under persecution, and, on the other 
 hancL fuifer in a time of outward eafe and tranquillity j 
 for this has been ufually her lot. Accordingly, the
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 former part of this hiftory is pretty much made up 
 of accounts of the zeal, piety and fervent charity 
 that prevailed among the brethren in ti ^cs of per- 
 fecution ; on the contrary, the remaining parts of 
 this narrative of the flare of the church, in the days 
 of tranquillity and ceffation from perfecmion, will 
 afford but too many inflances of the decay of love 
 towards God and one another ; and it were doing 
 injuttice to the prefent time to pafs by the following 
 obfervation, viz. That in the year 1708, complaint 
 was made from divers parts of the nation to the 
 Half-year's meeting, of a lukewarm fpirit among the 
 profefTors of truth, and particularly of the want of 
 that true concern and travail of .fpirit which ought to 
 prevail, in the meetings for the worfhip of Almighty 
 God ; and it appeared to Friends at their National 
 meeting, upon a ferious confideration of this com- 
 plaint and grievance, that it might be very much 
 occafioned through the too great love of, and too eager 
 purfuit after, the things of this world ; for which 
 rcafon the cautions formerly given forth againft this 
 evil, in divers minutes, were revived, and the more 
 diligent obfervance thereof recommended. 
 
 About the fame time I find there was a weighty 
 concern among Friends, for the regulation cf men's 
 and women's meetings, that none might be admitted 
 members thereof, but fuch who were well inclined 
 and c< ncerncd for the profperity of truth, according 
 to the firfl inftitution ; * and William Edmuncifon 
 wrote an epiflle this year on this head, which was 
 approved and recommended by the National meeting, 
 and may be feen at the end of his journal. 
 
 Among other miniflring Friends who vifited this 
 nation this year ([709), was James Dickinfon, who 
 had a particular warning to Friends and others, of a 
 day of great mortality approaching. 
 
 * Sec the Treatife of Chriftian Dlfdplir.c. 
 
 VOL. III. N
 
 194 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 This year John Ex-ham, a Friend, aged about eighty 
 years, came from his dwelling at Charleville, in the 
 county of Cork, and vifited Friends in their families 
 through moft parts of the nation. See a further ac- 
 count of him in the year 1721, ^ 
 
 This year (1710) and in the fixtieth of his age, 
 died John Watfon of Kilconner in the county of 
 Catherlough. He was convinced about the year 
 1673, by the miniftry of -John Burnyeat ; when he 
 took up a refolution to be faithful, according to the 
 then prefent manifeftation of his duty given him, not- 
 withftanding its expofmg him to fome difficulties, and 
 fufferings from his parents and relations, for refufing 
 to join with them in their way of worfhip, for ufmg 
 the plain, language, &c. which was hard to be borne 
 by his father, who with the archdeacon, John Plum- 
 jner, ufed their endeavours to reduce him to a com- 
 pliance with their church-ordinances by perfuaiion, 
 which proving ineffectual, the archdeacon threatened, 
 him with a prifon ; to which he anfwered, ' 1 do not 
 fear it, but will make ready for one,' and accordingly 
 he difpofed of fome of the land which he held, that 
 he might have lefs rent and incumbrance lying on 
 him. 
 
 In the year 1678, a meeting was fettled at his 
 ho.ue, which caufcd the faid archdeacon Plummer, 
 and Richard Boyle, bifhop of Leighlin and Femes, 
 4.0 be angry, and foon after he was fued in their 
 court, and taken by a writ de excommunicato tapicndo, 
 for refuting to pay one pound fixteen {hillings, de- 
 manded towards the repairs of the worfhip -houfe at 
 Fenagh ; but before he was taken to prifon, the faid 
 Plummer meeting him, fpoke with feeming kindnefs 
 to him, faying, if he would fubinit to them, and not 
 fuffer meetings to be at his houfe, all fhould be 
 pafled by and forgiven him ; which he, for confcience 
 fake refufing to comply with, the faid Plummer being 
 enraged, faid, ' Take him away to priibn j there he
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 195 
 
 fhall lie till he rots ;' and then going away, John 
 Watfon called iiim back, and faid he was to tell him 
 that he fhould nor profper in what he intended 
 againft him, which accordingly came to pafs ; for al- 
 though John w<ts fent to'prifon that day, and clofely 
 confined for nboui fix months, he after that, by the 
 favour of John Tench the (heriiF, obtained fome 
 liberty to go home to his family ; whereat the faid 
 Plummer being much difpleafed, went the week be- 
 fore the enfuing affizes to confult with the bifhop, in 
 order to fue the fherifFfor granting him that liberty ; 
 but in returning home he was fuddenly fmote with 
 the lofs of the ufe of his limbs, and continued in 
 that condition for fome time before he died, where- 
 upon the fuit dropt for that aflize, and he lived not 
 to fee his defign accompliftied on the faid John Watfon, 
 who however continued a prifoner above two years. 
 
 He received a gift in the miniftry in the year 1676, 
 in the exercife of which he approved himfelf a faith- 
 ful fteward, and a diligent and zealous labourer, 
 often viliting the meetings of Friends ip this nation, 
 as alfo in England ; and befides attending the meet- 
 ings in the province of Leinfter, to which he be- 
 longed, he ufually once a year, whilfl of ability to 
 travel, vifited the meetings of Friends in the other 
 two provinces of Ulfter and Munfler, and the Lord 
 Was pleafed to blefs his concern and labour of love 
 thereiii, to the convincement of fome, and edification 
 and comfort of many.* He was alfo ferviceable in 
 difcipline, being zealous to keep up good order, and 
 that all might walk as becometh the gofpel, in an 
 holy and blamelefs converfation, wherein he was a 
 good example, and careful to rule well his own houfe. 
 He died in great peace of confcience, and reiignation 
 
 * Robert Leek y of KUmainham,. accompanying him and Anthony Sharp, 
 in a journey to the north , was convinced, and became a ferviieable man to 
 the Society. 
 
 N 2
 
 l$6 THE RISE AND PROGRESS Of THE 
 
 to the will of God, with the comfort of an affuranee 
 that he had finifhed his day's \vork in his day. 
 
 A general vific was performed, (1711^ by Friends 
 appointed by the Province meeting, through the 
 province of Leinfter, in order to llir up Friends 
 effectually, to put in practice the feveral advices that 
 had been from time to time given forth, from na- 
 tional and other meetings. 
 
 This year the following Friends were appointed to 
 go over to London, in order to join Friends in Eng- 
 land in foliciting the Englifli parliament, for further 
 eafe with refpeft to the affirmation, (fee the year 
 1696 above") and accordingly they went over on that 
 account, viz. Alexander Seaton, John Barcroft, 
 Thomas Ducket, John Boles, Nicholas Harris and 
 Gerfhon Boate, fon of the late Gerfhon Boate. 
 
 And in the year 1712, a treatife concerning oaths, 
 formerly printed at London in the year 1675, was, 
 by order of the Half-year's meeting, reprinted here 
 for g. general fervice, to the number of one thoufand. 
 
 Among other miniftring Friends from abroad, who 
 vifited this- nation this year, was James Hoikins, who 
 having been here lail year, and upon ibme extraor- 
 dinary occafion returned to England, landed a fecond 
 time in Dublin, went from thence northwards, and 
 had meetings among ftrangers in the counties of 
 Derry and Donnegal. At Londonderry he was hand- 
 led roughly, and put out of the city, nor would 
 they fuffer him to have a meeting, yet he had good 
 fervice in feveral places thereaway. Afterwards he-- 
 went into Connaught, accompanied by feveral Friends 
 from Dublin, and had feveral meetings in that pro- 
 vince among Grangers, and without moleftation, ex- 
 cept at Caftlebar, where the people were intimidated 
 from going to the meeting by fir Henry Binghara, 
 the chief man of that place, and juftice of the peace, 
 who threatened to fend them to the houfe of cor- 
 if they went to the meeting, and by his au-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 197 
 
 thority the faid James Ho/kins was haled out of the 
 meeting, put into bridewell, and kept prifoner there 
 about two days. 
 
 This year died that eminent and faithful miriifter 
 and elder William Edmundfon, of whofe labours in 
 dolrine and difcipline a particular account hath been 
 given in the foregoing part of this hiftory. It feems 
 however not to be fuperfluous, in this place, to give 
 a fhort fketch of his dittinguiftiing talents and cha- 
 ra&er. 
 
 About the year 1650 he went into the army, and 
 continued a foldier fome time under the parliament, 
 in the civil wars in England and Scotland, but being 
 religioufly inclined he grew weary of that way of life, 
 the Lord leading him from a carnal to a fpiritual 
 warfare; and in the year 1652 he quitted the array 
 and came to Ireland. In the year 1655 he became 
 firft concerned to fpeak a few words in meetings, in 
 fear and humility, being under a jealoufy left a wrong 
 fpirit might get entrance to deceive him, under the 
 Kkenefs of an angel of light ; but as he abode faith- 
 ful, he grew in the exercife of his gift, and became 
 an able minifter of the gofpel ? and an inftrument in 
 the Lord's hand of converting many to righteoufuefs, 
 in this nation, as alfo in England and America. He 
 had a great {hare of natural parts, though but of a 
 mean education, was found in do&rine, plain in 
 preaclrng, and free from affeftation, and was often- 
 times wonderfully enlarged in' declaring the myfteries 
 of the kingdom of Chrift, as well as the myfterious 
 workings of fatan ; he had a fmgular gift in opening 
 and applying the typical part of the law, to the fub- 
 ftance in the gofpel ; he was (harp in his teftimony 
 againft tranfgrefTors, yet tender to the dejefted and 
 penitent ; he was very often zealouily concerned to 
 exhort friends to beware of the love, and too eager 
 purfuit of the riches and greatnefs of 'the world, as 
 being ihe chief engine the enemy of truth had 19
 
 198 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 hurt us a people ; a truth of great importance, which 
 as it has been abundantly verified among the fuc- 
 ceeding profelTors of the fame way, it may be worth 
 while to give a fpccimen of his femiments on this 
 head, as a him not ufelefs to many of us : " I know, 
 (fays he, in a letter to a friend, recorded in his jour- 
 nal) th?t the eagerncfs after the lawful things of this 
 world, at this time, hinders many friends growth in 
 the precious truth, and their fervice to it in their 
 day, though otherwife of great parts and abilities to 
 do much f rvice for truth on m^ny accounts, as in- 
 {lrum<. nib in the hand of God ; but they cannot ferve 
 God as they ought to do, and as the day requires, 
 nor nieafe the Captain of our fpiritual warfare as 
 good foldiers, whilft they cumber themfelves with the 
 things of this world ; and this is the great failure and 
 ftumbling-block at this day, and too many of our 
 fociety are hurt thereby, \\ho have in meafure efcaped 
 the unclean, unjuft and unlawful things of this world, 
 and wafhed their garments from the fpots thereof, 
 and fo bear the name of virgins, but fit down in the 
 duft, in the lawful things of this world, without a 
 due confideration and true regard of the right ufe 
 and fervice of them in the creation, and to the 
 bounds and limits of truth, in the getting and uflng 
 of them in their places and fervices, and fo (as the 
 foolifh virgins) want the oil that would make their 
 lamps burn and their lights (bine ; on which account 
 great danger doth appear, that many, as the foolish 
 virgins, will be fhut out of the bridegroom's cham- 
 ber, when thofe that are ready/ who have fhaken 
 themfelves from the duft and put on their beautiful 
 garments, having oil in their lamps, and arifing in 
 the brightnefs of this glorious day of the Lord, hav- 
 ing their affeftions fet on things above, where Chrift 
 is, and not on things that be upon the earth, enter 
 with Chriil into the wedding chamber,"
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 199 
 
 lie was a- moil zealous and faithful labourer in the 
 exercife of his gift, for the edification of the churches 
 both at home and abroad j he went to America on 
 this account three times (where he purfued his 
 journey and the work before him, oftentimes in immi- 
 nent danger of his natural life, committing it to God 
 that gave it) firft in the year 1671, in company with 
 George Fox and others, then in 1675, an< ^ laftly in 
 1683, where he had great and good fervice both in 
 the miniftry of the word, and in fettling meetings for 
 Chriflian difcipline ; of which meetings, as well as 
 thofe for worfhip, he was a moil conftant attender, 
 and frequently had meetings among friends and 
 flrangers in divers remote parts of this kingdom, and 
 in England ; often travelling in the fervice of the 
 gofpel in great bodily weaknefs and pain, fupported 
 by faith, when natural ability failed, even to extreme 
 old age ; fo that in the 83d year of his age he tra- 
 velled on this account. He had an excellent gift in 
 prayer and fnpplication, fo that his appearance, when, 
 under the performance of that part of divine worfhip, 
 was with that dread and awfulnefs upon his fpirit, 
 that it made a great impreffion on the fpirit of 
 friends, caufing tendernefs many times to come ver 
 the meeting. 
 
 It is hard to fay, whether he was more eminent in 
 do&rine or in difcipline : for the latter he was emi- 
 nently gifted, gladly joining with George Fox and 
 others, in fettling men's and women's meetings through 
 this nation, and when fettled, he was a zealous 
 labourer in them ; a faithful elder, worthy of double 
 honour, the care of the churches being much upon 
 him; particularly, he was greatly concerned that 
 none fhould be admitted members of fuch meetings, 
 but thofe who were of clean and orderly converfations, 
 walking as examples to the flock, having a concern 
 uoon their minds for the promotion of truth and 
 ri^hteoufaefs in the earth ; and many times he had 
 
 N 4
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 good fervice in fuch meetings, in clearly declaring the 
 ntcefiary qualifications of fuch ; beginning at thofe 
 whom the Lord put his fpirit upon to aiTift Mofes, 
 who were men fearing God and hating covetoufnefs ; 
 and going through the law and the prophets, and 
 the doctrines delivered by Chrift, as alfo the difcipline 
 and order of the primitive church coming out of the 
 wildernefs; that the authority of truth might be kept 
 up in thefe meetings, and the members thereof be 
 faithful men, fo that juftice and true judgment might 
 be maintained in all thofe meetings without refpect of 
 perfons, and judgment be placed upon all diforderly 
 and unruly perfons ; that God's houfe might be kept 
 clean, which holinefs becomes for ever. 
 
 He had a great fhare in bearing the burthen in the 
 heat of the day, which he cheerfully underwent, and 
 was endued with valour and courage, fuitable to the 
 work it pleafed God to call him unto, in the times of 
 the fufferings of friends in this nation. 
 
 He was of a folid and grave countenance and 
 deportment, ftriking an awe over the wicked, light and 
 airy ; a reprover of and terror to evil doers, yet an 
 encourager of thofe who did well, but with prudence, 
 fo that none might be lifted up thereby. He did not 
 feek after popularity, but was rather fhy, not inti- 
 mate with any he had not trial and true knowledge 
 of, nor willing to lay hands fuddenly on any but 
 thofe he found to be faithful. 
 
 He was temperate in eating and drinking, his dif- 
 courfe weighty, and moflly on the things of God, 
 tending to edification and inftruftion ; a careful 
 and tender father, [if he erred on either hand, it 
 was rather on that of auflerity than indulgence^ a firm 
 friend and kind neighbour, given to hofpitality ; and 
 notwithftanding the great charge he was frequently 
 at, in his travels in the work of the miniftry, yet he 
 was exeinplarily liberal in collections for the poor ; 
 &c. and, although it was often his lot to be feparated
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 2OI 
 
 from tliofe dear enjoyments of wife and children, for 
 the gofpel's fake, lie ordered his temporal affairs 
 with difcretion, fo that there might be no want in 
 his family, in his abfence, of either commendable 
 employment or neceffaries. A man of a truly pub- 
 lick, Chriftian fpirit, frequently and fuccefsfully con- 
 cerned in applying to thofe in authority, for the re- 
 lief of fullering brethren, as well as other fuffering 
 Proteftants, in the time of the troubles in Ireland, 
 A. D. 1689; being zealous to make ufe of the 
 influence he had with the government, for the publick 
 good. 
 
 He has left behind him a journal of his own life, 
 to which are annexed feveral epiftles, and a letter of 
 examination to all fuch who have affumed the place 
 of (hepherds, herdfmen and overfeers of the flocks, 
 of people of all forts, in Chriftendom, to fee if their 
 accounts be ready, and what order their flocks are 
 in, with a few lines of good news to the feveral 
 flocks, dated from Jamaica, A.D. 1672, as alfo a paper 
 concerning offerings to God in prayer and fuppli- 
 carion, which is here inferted from his journal, and 
 recommended- to the obfervation of thofe whom it 
 
 " The offerings, that are acceptable to God, mull 
 be offered in righteoufnefs, and with clean hearts and 
 lips, fiur the Lord is pure and holy, and will be fanc- 
 tified of all that come near him, and his worfhip is 
 in fpirit and in truth; wherefore prayer, fupplication, 
 and addreffes to God being a fpecial part of his 
 vorfhip, muft be performed in fpirit and truth, with 
 a right understanding, feafoned with grace, and with 
 the word of God, even as the facrifices under the old 
 covenant were to be brought and offeied in clean 
 veffeis, feafoned wi th fait and with fire: fo all, now 
 under the new covenant, who approach fo nigh to 
 God, as to offer an offering in prayer, mufl have
 
 2O2 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THi, 
 
 their hearts fprinkled from an evil confcience, and 
 their bodies waihed in clean water, and frnftified with 
 the word of God, and their fenfes feafoned with his 
 grace and fpirit in divine understanding, and mud 
 offer that which is found and pertinent, which the 
 fpirit makes known to be needful, whofe interceilion 
 is acceptable, a.s a fweet fmelling facrifice in the 
 noftrils of God, and a favour of life unio life, and of 
 death unto death, though in fighs, groans, or few 
 words, being found, pithy, and fervent. For the 
 Lord knows the mind of the fpirit, that makes inter- 
 ceflion to him, who hears and graciotiily anfwers." 
 Lev. xxi. 6. xxii. 20, 32. Deut. xxxiii. 19. Pfahn 
 Ixxiii. 13. Mark 5x. 49,50. Lev. ii. 13. Heb.x. 22* 
 Rom. viii. 26, 27. 
 
 " And now all arc to be careful, both what and 
 how they offer to God, who will be fanctified of all 
 that come near him, and is a <confuming fire, who 
 confumed Nadab and Abihu that offered ftrange fire, 
 though they were of the high prieft's line. Arid 
 there may be now offerings in prayer and fupplication, 
 in long repetitions of many words, in the openings 
 of feme divine illuminations, wuh a mixture of heat 
 and paffion of the mind, and zeal beyond knowledge, 
 ', and in this heat, paffion and forward zeal, run on 
 into many needlefs words and long repetitions, and 
 fbmetimes out of fupplication into declaration, as 
 though! the Lord wanted information ; fuch want the 
 divine underft'dnding, and go from the bounds and 
 limits of the fpirit, and will of God, offer what comes 
 to hand, (like that forced offering of king Saul, 
 which Samuel called foolifli, and the ftrange fire and 
 forced offering,) and lavifh all out, as if there were 
 no treafury to hold the Lord's treafures, that may 
 open and prefent to view at times, for their own 
 benefit ; 'fo fuch in the end coming to poverty and 
 want, fit down in the dry and barren ground : where- 
 fore all are to know their treafury, and treafurc upi
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 803 
 
 the Lord's openings, and try the fpirit by which they 
 offer, that they may know the Lord's tried gold, 
 and not mix it with drofs or tin, and know his ftamp, 
 heavenly image and fuperfcription ; and not counter- 
 feit, wafle, or lavifli it out, but mind the Lord's 
 directions, who will call all to an account, and give 
 to every one according to their deeds, and all the 
 churches (hail know, that he fearches the heart and 
 tries the reins.'' Deut. iv. 24. Lev. x. i, 2. Heb. 
 xii, 29. i Cor. xiv. 17. i Sam. xiii. 12, 13. Ifa. 
 1. ii. Mat. xii. 35. Rev. iii. 18. ii. 23. 
 
 " As under the old covenant, there was the Lord's 
 fire, that was to burn continually on the altar, and 
 received the acceptable offerings : fo there was 
 ftrange fire, which was rejected, and the offering that 
 was offered therein. And now in the new covenant 
 there is a true fervency, heat, and zeal, according to 
 the true knowledge of God, in the fpirit and word of 
 life, that dies not out, in which God receives the 
 acceptable offerings : fo there is alfo a wro'ng heat 
 of fpirit, and zeal without true knowledge, that with 
 violence, through the paffion of the mind and for- 
 wardnefs cf deiire, runs into a multitude of needlefs 
 words and long repetitions, thinking to be heard for 
 much fpeaking, but is rejected, and is a grief, burthen 
 and trouble to fenfible weighty friends, who fit in a 
 divine fenfe of the teachings and movings of the 
 Lord's good fnirit, .in which they have fait to favour 
 \vi hal, though the affectionate part in fome, who are 
 not fo fettled in that divine fenfe, as to diftinguifh 
 between fpirit and fpirit, is raifed with the flatties of 
 this wrong heat and long repetitions, which augments 
 the trouble of the faithful and fenfible, who are con- 
 cerned for the good and prefervation of all." Lev. 
 vi. 13. 
 
 ' We read that the priefh of Baal in their offer- 
 ings were earned, hot, and fierce, and cut thenfelve. c , 
 making " long repetitions from morning imiil even-
 
 202 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 ing, fo kept the people in expectation to fmall 
 puipofej" i Kings xviii. 26, 28, 29. but Elijah 
 having repaired the Lord's altar, and prepared his 
 offering, in a few fenfible words [pertinent to the 
 matter and fervice of the day and time] prayed thus 
 in the fpirit and power of God, " Lord God of 
 Abraham, Ifaac, and of Ifrael, let it be known this 
 day, that thou art God in Ifrael, and that I am thy 
 fervant, and that I have done all thefe things at thy 
 word. Hear me, O Lord ! hear me, that this people 
 may know, that thou art the Lord God, and that 
 thou haft turned their hearts back again, which the 
 Lord heard and anfwered." i Kings xviii, 36, 37, 38* 
 So here a few fenfible words, with a good under- 
 ftanding pertinent to the matter [without needlefs 
 repetitions] were prevalent with God. 
 
 6 And our Saviour Chrift Jefus, when he taught 
 his difciples to pray, bade them, " not be like the 
 hypocrites, or heathen, who ufed many repetitions, 
 and thought to be heard for their much fpeaking. 
 Therefore, faith he,, be not ye like unto them, for 
 your Father knoweth what things you have need of, 
 before ye aik him." Mat. vi. 7, 8. And the prayer 
 which he taught, is full of matter, and to the purpofe, 
 though comprehended in few words, and all his dif- 
 ciples and apoflles are to learn of him, and cbferve 
 his directions, and not the manner or cufloms of the 
 heathens and hypocrites, in this weighty matter of 
 approaching nigh unto God with offerings, in prayer 
 and fuppli-cation. 
 
 * Our Saviour alfo left us a good example, written 
 for our learning, when he was under the fenfe of 
 drinking that cup of fufferings for the fins of all man- 
 kind, and to offer to God that great offering for 
 their ranfom, he prayed in thefe words : " O my 
 -Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me, 
 neverthelefs not my will, but thine be done." Luke 
 xxii. 41,42. And in giving thanks in thefe words ?
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 205 
 
 " I thank thee, O Father ! Lord of heaven and 
 earth, becaufe thou hall hid thefe things from the 
 wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes, 
 even fo, Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight." 
 Mat. xi. 25, 26. And how many more examples in 
 the Scriptures are on this account, full and pertinent 
 to the matter, comprehended in few words, and not 
 like the heathen in tedious repetitions, who think to 
 be heard for their much fpeaking. Therefore all 
 who approach unto God with their offerings, are to 
 be watchful and careful, both what and how they 
 offer under this adminiftration of the fpirit, and dif- 
 penfation of the new covenant. 
 
 6 1 have travelled under a deep fenfe and concern 
 in this matter for fome time. 
 
 4 William Edmundfon.* 
 
 The izth of the Firft Month, 
 1695. 
 
 He alfo wrote an epiftle of advice to friends, which 
 was published in the year 1701, containing whole- 
 fome caution againft many fuperfluities then creeping 
 in, with refpeft to eating, drinking, apparel, furni- 
 ture, trading and farming ; to which he fubjoins fome 
 admonitory hints relating peculiarly to the women in 
 the exercife of their fpiritual gifts, wherein he figni- 
 fieth, that although in this day that Chrift is repairing 
 the tabernacle of David, raifing up the ruins thereof, 
 and reftoring the church into her ancient order, 
 where the wife-hearted and infpired may work for 
 God and their own falvation, men then* part, and 
 Women their part, by the appointment of (Thrift the 
 great and wife undertaker; and women infpired with 
 the teflimony of Jefus may pray and prophefy ; and 
 even fuch faithful and approved women, who are 
 truly infpired and gifted for the work of the miniftry, 
 may, as the Lord moves, go forth and travel in that 
 fervice with the uuity of faithful elders and brethren 5
 
 2O5 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OP THS 
 
 yet, that, as in preparing for the tabernacle of the 
 old covenant, the women had, by the wifdom .of 
 God, the eafy part, the needle-work allotted to them, 
 being the weaker vefTei, and of weaker capacity, 
 although help-meets in their places to the men ; fo 
 now, in repairing the tabernacle of the new covenant 
 and reftitmion of all things, the infpired women have, 
 in general, the eafier part of the work allotted to 
 them, (according to the rules and infractions, laid 
 down in holy Scripture, in the fecond chapter of 
 Titus) fui table to their temper, capacity, and ability, 
 and the men the harder labour in this work, as tra- 
 velling journies to publifh the doctrine of the king- 
 dom of Chriit, often attended with hardfhips, fuffer- 
 ings, perils, and temptations of divers forts, which in 
 general the hardy temper, capacity, and ability of 
 man is the better adapted unto. Thus does he ex- 
 prefs himfelf concerning this matter, telling us, that 
 lie has foiretimes oblerved lorne mifcarriages and 
 fcandals to have befallen fome, for want of a due 
 regard to the bounds and limits appointed by the 
 wifdom of Chrifl ; no^that he was an enemy to 
 womens preaching, as Tome have infmuated, but 
 tender of the glory of God, and jealous left at any 
 time they fhould make an ill ufe of the evangelical 
 liberty of fpeaking to edification, exhortation, or 
 comfort, which they enjoy in our Chriflian fociety. 
 
 To conclude ; this great and good man, having 
 laboured in doctrine and difcipline for the good of 
 the church above fifty years, according to the ability 
 given of God, through many troubles, deep exercifes, 
 and perils of divers kinds by fea and land in the 
 wildernefs, by robbers and blood-thirfly murderers, 
 by open oppofers and enemies to truth, and worft of 
 all, by falfe brethren under the fame profeffion, was 
 made at length to triumph in him in whom, he had 
 believed, faying, as he often did in his old age, that 
 ihe Lord was his fong and his ftrength \ and having
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 2O/ 
 
 run the Chriftian race and kept the faith, departed 
 this life in peace with God, unity with his brethren, 
 and good-will to all mankind, in the Sjth year of his 
 age, and 571!! of his minifhy. 
 
 The following is a genuine epiftle of the faid 
 W. E. written in his old age to his friend, and fellow- 
 labourer in the gofpel, George Rooke in Dublin, on 
 occafion of an intended journey of theirs to the north' 
 of Ireland, from which his ficknefs appears to have 
 prevented him. 
 
 Tencle,- 1704, 
 
 < Dear Friend G. R. 
 
 * I received thy kind letter p.er R. S. by which I 
 nnderftand thy purpofe in the will of God to vifit 
 friends in the North the next week, if the increafe of 
 my illnefs do not let. 
 
 * Now, dear George, I mufl take notice of thy care 
 and kindnefs for and towards me ; yet the public 
 fervice for the Lord and his people mull be preferred 
 before all, in which point it is to be doubted many 
 are behind-hand in their day's work ; and as to the 
 prefent affli&ion I lie under, it is very uncertain, only 
 to the Lord, which way it may turn, for it hangs in, 
 the balance of ups and downs ; but through the 
 Lord's mercies, and friends prayers, my fharp afflic- 
 tions are mitigated wirhin the compafs of my weak 
 abilities, and especially in the night-feafons, which, 
 are made fomething eafy, and friends daily viilts of 
 love, from feveral places, is refreshment in the Lord 
 Jefus ; and as to that of deiiring to fee me in Duh n, 
 I can fay with a good heart, I am clear of them all, 
 and I hope of the blood of all men in the fervice of 
 the Lord and my generation ; and I well remember 
 Tvhen I was at Dublin lait, in the public meeting, 
 being filled with the po^ver and fpirit of the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, in which many heavenly principles were 
 clofely fpoke to, in the .authority of which I told
 
 208 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 them, as at many other times, I was clear of all their 
 tranfgreffions, if I (hould never fee them there again ; 
 for I have not Ihunned to declare the whole counfel 
 of the Lord as he was pleafed to reveal it to me, 
 and he is flill fupporting over both the frowns and 
 fmiles of the fpirits of this world in the teflimony of 
 truth and faith of Jeftis, which, by the Lord's affift- 
 ance, I have kept through many oppofitions and con- 
 traditions of divers kinds : and what have I now to 
 do of my day's work ? my outward parts grow feeble, 
 but Welled be the Lord of my abilkies, in the main I 
 am as flrong as ever, and long and defire before all 
 things to be diffolved from this old, decayed houfe 
 of clay into my lot of reft, which the Lord hath 
 appointed for me, where all the clamours of the un- 
 faithful to God, and falfe to their own profeffed 
 faith and principles, cannot reach me. 
 
 6 And now, my trufly friend, thou knowefl my 
 inclination was to have borne thee company to the 
 North, to vifit friends where my firft labours in 
 truth's fervice were, and where my firft fufferings 
 \vere, and to have taken my leave of them in the love 
 of God, and fwcet communion and comfort of his 
 holy fpirit, as I did with friends of Munfler, lafl at 
 Clonmel, where we had a fweet comfortable parting 
 in that which is over death and the grave ; but being 
 put by, I defire my true love in the Lord Jefus 
 Cbrift may be remembered to all true-hearted, faith- 
 ful friends and brethren ; that they may know I am 
 not afraid of death or the grave ; with defires that 
 they may fo fleer their courfe, that when the time 
 comes that will overtake all, with comfort of fpirit 
 to the praife of God, they may fay, " Death, where 
 is thy fling ?" and " Grave, where is thy victory ?" 
 This is a combat belongs to this warfare: blefTed are 
 they that overcome ; in order to which the Lord 
 gird you with flrength and courage, and with his 
 fpirit of wifdom and counfel, and of a found mind,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 209 
 
 that in a noble refolution, in the fear of God, you 
 may ftund firm for his teflimony in all its branches, 
 as it is received and eftablifhed. 
 
 ' Dear George, I fcribble over this, under great 
 infirmity of body, but hope it will be accepted. My 
 true and hearty love is to thee, in the Lord Jefus 
 Chrifl, whether in life or death, the will of the Lord 
 be done. 
 
 * William Edmundfon.' 
 
 Befidesotherminiftnng friends from abroad, Benjamin 
 Holme was here this year, and fpent feven months in 
 this vifit ; having meetings pretty frequently among 
 ftrangers, and being inflrumental to the convincement 
 of feveral in this journey. 
 
 In fome part of his travels he had been accom- 
 panied by John Burton, with whom having parted, 
 he went towards Londonderry, accompanied by 
 Patrick Henderfon, intending to have had a meeting 
 in that city, which the magiftrates would not permit, 
 but difperfed thofe who came together ; whereupon 
 Benjamin wrote to the magiftrates, {hewing how dif- 
 agreeable it was to Chriftianity thus to treat men who 
 came to call the inhabitants unto repentance : alfo he 
 and Patrick wrote to the inhabitants of the city in 
 general, reminding them of the late calamities they 
 had been under, and of their forgetfulnefs of God's 
 deliverance of them, for which ingratitude, with 
 other provoking fins, the Lord would bring his 
 judgments on them, if they did not timely repent. 
 
 After this our faid friends had feveral meetings in 
 that county, and in the county of Donnegal, among 
 Grangers, as alfo in the province of Connaught. 
 Benjamin alfo travelled into Munfter twice, and had 
 feveral meetings among ftrangers, and from thence 
 paffed again, through fome parts of Leinfter, into Con- 
 naught a fecond time^ and had feveral meetings with 
 the people in that province : he alfo vifited thofe few 
 
 VOL. III. o
 
 210 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 friends that had lately been convinced near Sligo, 
 having a particular concern upon his fpirit to 
 ftrengthen and encourage them to a faithful perfeve- 
 rance in the way of life and peace. 
 
 In the Second month, 1713, Benjamin and three - 
 other friends, coming to Longford, fet up their horfes 
 at an inn, defiring of the landlord that they might 
 have a meeting in a room in his houfe, to which he 
 contenting, they went to invite the people, and 
 acquaint the fovereign ; who faid he had nothing 
 againfl their having a meeting, but defired them to 
 acquaint Benjamin Spann of it, who was both a 
 juftice of peace and minifter of the parifh. The friends, 
 confidering him as a magiftrate, thought it proper to 
 fpeak to him ; accordingly Benjamin Holme, and 
 Benjamin Parvin, went to him and told him, that 
 they had appointed a meeting that day there at their 
 inn ; but he, in a furious manner, told them they 
 fljou'd have no meeting in that town. B. Holme 
 mildly told him they did not come to afk his leave, 
 but as he was a magiflrate, to acquaint him with it, 
 ^nd that he might come to it if he pleafed, and 
 pleaded the queen's toleration for liberty of confci- 
 ence, and fo parted for that time. Their landlord 
 hearing of this their fuccefs, being fomewhat cowardly, 
 faid, he durft not by any means let a meeting be 
 held in his houfe ; c For,' faid he, c Mr. Spann will 
 ruin me.' Whereupon B. Holme and B. Parvin, went 
 to feek for another place, but meeting with the faid 
 prieft in the ftreet, he attacked them afrefh upon the 
 fame fubjeft. B. Holme, as before, pleaded the 
 queen's toleration (but the prieft, in a furious manner, 
 denied that either man or woman in England or Ire- 
 land, could grant a toleration), and defired him to 
 do as he would be done by. The prieft faid, ' That 
 is no rule for me ;' upon which they came to an 
 argument, in which the prieft finding himfelf pinched, 
 called for a conftable j but no conftable appearing^
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 211 
 
 he laid hold of B. Holme himfelf ; and, feeing the 
 gaoler near, he commanded him to take him into 
 cuftody, and the prieft led him by one arm, and the 
 gaoler by the other, till they put him into the dun- 
 geon ; and after ufmg abufive language, the pried 
 alib himfelf laid hold of Benjamin Parvin, and de- 
 livered him to the gaoler, who obeyed his orders, 
 and put him alfo into the fame place, where the friends 
 fat together in great peace and fweetnefs for about 
 fix hours ; and then the gaoler took them into a room 
 above flairs,, where feveral friendly perfons came to 
 fee them ; and among them one that brought them a 
 difcharge from the prieft, upon condition they (hould 
 promife not to come again, nor hold any meeting in 
 or near Longford. They told him they could make 
 no fuch promife, letting him know that no true rnini- 
 fter of Chrift was his own mafter, but muft anfwer 
 the requirings of him that had called him into his 
 work and fervice ; and fo they parted, and were 
 locked up that night in the room, where they lay on 
 the boards in their coats and boots. Next day a 
 friendly man, a merchant in the town, fent them a 
 bed ; and B. Parvin afked the gaoler, whether he 
 had any thing from the juftice but his bare word; 
 he anfwered, ' No.' B. Parvin told him, he thought 
 he could not lawfully detain them above twenty- four 
 hours without a mittimus, and that then they would 
 demand their liberty. The gaoler faid he would gd 
 and tell Mr. Spann that, and fo he did, and in a fliort 
 time came again, and faid he had a mittimus. They 
 defired a fight of it, and with fome intreaty got it, 
 and found the tendency of it to be, ' that \vhereas 
 they came in, contempt of the queen's authority, by 
 force and arms, in a hoftile manner, to the terrifying 
 the queen's peaceable fubjefts, to, hold a Quaker's 
 meeting in the borough of Longford,' &c. When 
 they read it, they told the gaoler it was falfe, and 
 demanded of him where their arms were j and 
 
 o 2
 
 SI2 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THR 
 
 that it was not they that did contemn the queen's 
 authority, but the prieft, who had in the open ftreet, 
 before the crowd of people that gathered about them, 
 denied that either man or woman in England or 
 Ireland, could grant a toleration for liberty of confci- 
 ence. The gaoler went to the prieft and reported to 
 him the converfation they had had, and when he 
 returned to them, he faid the prieft wifhed he had 
 never feen them, who in the evening of the fame 
 day, fent an order under his hand to the gaoler for 
 their liberty ; whereupon the gaoler told them, they 
 \vere free from their commitment, but he wanted his 
 own and the fheriff's fees. They told him they were 
 innocent prifoners, and therefore they could pay no 
 fees. He faid he would forgive them his part, but 
 the {heriff faid they fhould pay their fees, or lie in 
 gaol till they rotted, and commanded the gaoler to 
 turn them into the dungeon again j which he did not, 
 but gave them their liberty two nights, upon their 
 \vord to return to the gaol if the {heriff did not 
 acquit them, which he did at laft without their paying 
 any fees. When B. Holme was fet at liberty from his 
 confinement at Longford, he went a fecond time into 
 Ulfter, being accompanied by Alexander Seaton, 
 and they vifited divers places in the county of Down, 
 as Dunaghadee, Newton-Clanobuys, Cummer, &c. 
 having large meetings among the Prefbyterians, unto 
 whom they were drawn forth, in the love of God, 
 to declare the way of yruth. Our faid friend B. Holme 
 publifhed this year at Dublin, c A tender Call and 
 Invitation to all People, to embrace the offers of God's 
 Love, and to break off from thofe things that pro- 
 voke him to anger, before the day of their vifitation 
 pafs over.' 
 
 This year (1713) it was propofed to the national 
 meeting by friends of Ulfler, that they apprehended 
 it might be of fervice to publifh fomething concern- 
 ing the univerfal love of God to mankind, and againft
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 213 
 
 that erroneous principle of abfolute predeflination to 
 all eternity ; and accordingly the chapter in Robert 
 Barclay's Apology, treating on this fubjecl, with a 
 preface to it by John Chambers, was ordered to be 
 reprinted to the number of two thoufand, as alfo two 
 thoufand of Alexander Pyott's Apology. 
 
 John Hall, of Monkthefelden, in the county of 
 Durham, was here this year, and befide"s vifiting 
 friends and others in the three provinces, delivered 
 the following prophetic warning* in feveral cities, 
 
 * As the compiler of this hiftory defines to difcharge the part 
 of a faithful hiitorian, and, in the foregoing part of this work, 
 hath related inftances of prophetic declarations, which appear to 
 have been rifibly accompliihed ; fo he thinks himfelf obliged alfo 
 to relate fuch declarations of this fort, whereof the vifible com- 
 pletion hath not as yet appeared ; of which kind is this here 
 mentioned, befides feveral others to the like general purpofe, viz. 
 Intimating that God would fpeedily pour forth his judgments 
 upon the people, for their fins and diiobedience : in reference to 
 which it may be obferved, 
 
 lit. That the ancient Jews, when a prophet had foretold cala- 
 mities which did not come to pafs. made great allowances in their 
 cenfures of that prophet, in confiderations of the great mercies 
 of God: concerning which we may undoubtedly very fafely fay 
 with the prophet, Lam. iii. 22. " It is of the Lord's meicy that 
 we are not confumed, becaufe his compafiions fail not." Thus 
 though the prophet Jonah did, by divine direction, denounce 
 deftruclion on the city of Ninevah, and this within the limited 
 time of forty days ; yet, upon their repentance, we* read, chap. iii. 
 10. that " God feeing their works, that they turned from their 
 evil ways, repented of the evil he had faid he would do unto 
 them, and he did it not." And, in Genefis xviii. upon the 
 interceflion of Abraham with God, on occafion of the denunci- 
 ation of the destruction of Sodom, God faid, " If there fhall be 
 found ten righteous perfons in the city, I will not deftroy it." 
 
 2dly. That the ''judgments of the Lord are a great deep," Pfalm 
 xxx?i. 6. And as to prophecies, even divers of thofe recorded 
 in holy Scripture, it is no new thing for them to be obfcure, it 
 being allowe4 that many of them have not been underftood until 
 they were fulfilled. 
 
 3dly. If it be fuppofed that fome of the perfons concerned in 
 thefe declarations might, from their great zeal againft fin, con- 
 ctude that the judgments of God weve nearer to be poured out,
 
 SI4 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OP THE 
 
 towns, and villages in this kingdom, in the Second, 
 fhird, and Fourth months of this year, viz. 
 
 * My friends, 
 
 c I am come in the dread and fear of the great and 
 Almighty God, to proclaim the great and terrible 
 day of the Lord amongft you, that is come, and 
 coming upon all fin and wickednefs. Hafte to re- 
 pentance, I beg it of you, left the day come upon you 
 at unawares ; and remember that you are this day 
 warned to the falvation of God ; and whether you 
 will hear, or whether you will forbear, God will 
 be clear of your blood ; and unto this I am concerned 
 to add, that a terrible and grievous plague God will 
 fend into this your land and nation, that fnall fweep 
 away thoufands of its inhabitants ; they fhall lie dead 
 in their houfes, and dead in the flreets ; there fhall 
 fcarcely be a people living found willing to bury 
 them, their ftench fhall be fo great. Oh repent and 
 turn from your evil ways, that God may (hew you 
 mercy.' 
 
 Signed by c John Hull.' 
 
 upon an ungrateful and rebellious people, than they really were, 
 this will be no objection againft, but an argument for, preferving 
 a record of this fort, even as an inftruclive Teflon of humility, fear, 
 and caution, efpecially to fuch who may apprehend themfelves 
 authorifed to publifh any thing concerning the determinations of 
 Providence : which undoubtedly over-rules the various fucceflions 
 of peace and war, plenty and fcarcity, ficknefs and health, 
 diipenfed unto nations according to adorable wifdom ; which 
 difpenfations, though they may be often very myflerious to mort- 
 iighted frail man, and though the punimments due to fmful na- 
 tions and particular perfons, may not be apparently and fuddenly 
 inflicted in this life, yet inafmuch as the doctrine of rewards and 
 punHhments in a ftate of futurity, when every man mail be judged 
 according to his works, is now revealed, publifhed, and univer- 
 fally received, it behoves us in the mean time to exercife pa- 
 tience and' fubmiflion to the divine will, and reft aflured that the 
 time battens when thofe who " obey not the gofpel of Ch: lit, fliall 
 be punimed with everlafting deftruction," according to 2 ThelT. i. 9l
 
 . PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 215 
 
 Accounts were given from Ulfler, that there was a 
 great opennefs to hear truth declared in many places 
 in that province ; and more flirrings in the minds of 
 people to receive truth than for fome time paft ; and 
 that fome were convinced, efpecially in fome parts of 
 the county of Derry, near Dunclaudy, and near 
 Sligo and Scarnegirah ; and that there were a few 
 near Monaghan convinced, who held a meeting for 
 the worfhip of Almighty God. 
 
 Upon a reprefentation and complaint offered from 
 one of the provinces to the National meeting, in 
 the Ninth month this year, that fome under our pro- 
 fefficn are too much captivated with the love of earthly 
 things, and more earneft in the purfuit of the riches 
 and greatnefs of this world, than of the heavenly 
 treafure that would enrich their fouls unto life eternal ; 
 and that, in the prefent time of outward eafe and 
 plenty, there is as much need as ever for friends to 
 be heartily and zealoufly concerned, againfl thofe 
 things that tend to draw into the world, or a liberty 
 from under the crofs ; advice and caution was given 
 forth from the faid N ational meeting, that friends, in 
 this day of outward tranquillity, might not be eager 
 in laying hold of opportunities of launching into 
 great things in order to get riches, or to the en- 
 dangering the properties of others ; and it was 
 dtiirecl that every monthly meeting might infpeft into 
 thefe things. 
 
 This year died John Chambers, a native of Scot- 
 land, who fometimes travelled abroad in the work of 
 the gofpel, yet his moil continued fervice and labour 
 was in Dublin, where he refided about fixteen years, 
 the friends of which city have given an ample teflU 
 mony concerning him to the following purpofe : 
 
 4 He was one whom it pleafed the Lord to vifit 
 very early, in order to prepare and fanftify him as a 
 S hoi en vdTel for his fervice ; and whilfi: but a youth, 
 
 04
 
 2l6 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 to endue him with a gift in the miniftry ; in which, 
 being faithful, he grew and became ikilful in the word 
 of righteoufnefs and myfteries of Chriil's kingdom; 
 and, having a difpenfation of the gofpel committed 
 to his truft, a neceility was upon him to preach the 
 fame in the love of Chrift which conftrained him; 
 thereunto, and he freely miniftered of the gift he 
 had received, according to the ability God gave, as 
 a good fteward and fervant to many for the Lord's 
 fake, labouring for the falvation of fouls ; but more 
 particularly, he was zealoofly concerned that thofe 
 who had known God's gracious vifitation to their 
 fouls, might, in an efpecial manner, beware of an 
 inordinate love and defire after the lawful things of 
 this world, led thereby the good feed fhould be 
 hindered from bringing forth fruit to perfection. He 
 was earned with fuch who, having been defcended of 
 godly parents, that had ferved the Lord faithfully, 
 and been honourable in his church, were of pretty 
 orderly converfation among men, and had a clean 
 and plain outfide, and a form of religion by education, 
 that they fhould not truft in thefe things, but be 
 earneftly concerned tofeek after God for theirtfelves, 
 that they might witnefs the warning of regeneration 
 and circumcifion of the fpirit, that they might be 
 Israelites indeed, Jews inward, and the feed of 
 Abraham by faith in Chrift Jefus, and fo fucceed 
 their parents in the line of righteoufnefs. He was 
 very helpful to friends upon many occafions, having 
 good natural endowments, fanclioned by the inspiration 
 of the Almighty, whereby he was well qualified not 
 only for doftrine, but alib for difcipline in the church, 
 and to ftand in defence of the truth againft oppofers. 
 He was Iharp in reproof to wilful and obftinate 
 fmners, but when any had flipped, through weak- 
 nefs or fudden temptation, and were truly humbled 
 under godly forrow for. the fame, he was very tender 
 toward' them, in order to their reftoration. He
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 departed this life in peace, in the thirty-ninth year 
 of his age. 
 
 This year alfo died Sarah Baker, alias Peyton, 
 born at Dudley in Worcefterfhire, on whom it 
 pleafed the Lord to bellow a gift in the miniflry when 
 about the age of twenty-one, in ihe exercife of which 
 having laboured both at home and in Ireland and 
 America, ihe afterwards was married to Samuel 
 Baker, an honefl friend of the city of Dublin, where 
 (he refided for the mod part of the remainder of her 
 time, and was very ferviceable to truth and friends 
 in many refpech ; being devoted to the fervice of 
 God, and a diligent labourer and fellow helper with 
 her brethren in the gofpel ; and, in the authority of 
 Chrifl Jefus, who had called her into that fervice, 
 did freely and frequently, in larger and leffer afTem- 
 blies, preach and teach the things concerning the 
 kingdom of God, and the redemption that is in his 
 Son Chrifl Jefus, in whom male and female are one, 
 and, as a faithful mother in Ifrael, was carefully 
 concerned, not only to feed the babes in Chrifl, bur, 
 as furnifhed by him, to give unto the houihold in 
 general a portion of meat in due feafon, rightly 
 dividing the word of truth commitred to her, and 
 fpeaking the fame faithfully, that (he might be clear 
 in the fight of God of the blood of all men. She 
 often mourned for Sion's fake, and for. the abomi- 
 natiors committed in the land, pouring forth fervent 
 fupplications unto God the Father, in the name of 
 his beloved Son Chrifl Jefus, for the profperity of 
 his church, and tranquillity of the nations ; and, as 
 one fkiliul in lamentation, would invite others there- 
 unto, that both male and female might mourn apart, 
 firfl for themfelves, and then for others. She had 
 alfo good fervice in \yomens meetings, being a diligent 
 follower of good works, in relieving the poor and 
 yjfiting the flick and afflicted in body or mind. When 
 outward abilities declined, her inward ftrcngth was
 
 2'1'S THE ttlSE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 renewed, and her lamp being trimmed, did burn 
 clearly, through the fupply of heavenly oil, to the 
 conclufion of her time ; and at her departure fhe had 
 the comfort of an evidence of peace with the Lord, 
 and that a crown of righteoufnefs was. laid up for 
 her. 
 
 The Sixth month, this year, died queen Anne, 
 during whofe reign friends peaceably enjoyed their 
 meetings for the worfhip of Almighty God ; and now 
 king George, through the good providence ofXrod, 
 fucceeded 'to the throne of thefe realms, who foon 
 manifefted his mild difpofition towards Proteftant 
 diiTenters, fo as not in the leaft to impair the tole- 
 ration allowed them by law. 
 
 Indeed the publick tranquillity was greatly inter- 
 rupted (1715) by the apprehenfions of the dc(lrution 
 and ruin that threatened us, through the rage of fome 
 reftlefs people, difaffected to the king and government, 
 \vho raifed a rebellion in Scotland, being animated 
 with expectation of foreign affiftance, whofe counfcls 
 were blaHed, and their progrefs effectually (lopped 
 through the mercy of Providence : and as in that 
 time of great affliction Friends were calm in their 
 fpirits, and (hewed true affection to the Proteftant 
 intereft, and peace of the nation, it was well accepted 
 by the government, which hath fince been demon- 
 ftrated in feveral inflances, particularly in their ex- 
 empting us from the penalties we had been liable to, 
 for our confcientious refufal of fighting and fwcaring, 
 of which hereafter. 
 
 In the mean time the following addrefs was drawn 
 up on the above mentioned occaiiou 3 and prefeirted ;
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 219 
 
 To Charles Duke of Grafton, and Henry Earl of 
 Galway, lord's juftices, and chief governors of 
 Ireland. 
 
 * The humble Addrefs of the People called Chiakers, 
 from their National half-year's meeting held in 
 Dublin, the loth of the Ninth month, 1715. 
 
 c May it plcafe the lords juftices, 
 
 e The many and great privileges continued unto 
 us under the king's mild and favourable government, 
 and thofe in authority under him, more efpecially 
 that we have liberty peaceably to worfhip Almighty 
 God, according as he hath perfuadedour conferences, 
 we efteem great bleflings, and lay us under great 
 obligations of humility and thankfulnefs, firft to God 
 and then to the king, for the fame. 
 
 c The king having been pleafed to place you chief 
 governors of this kingdom, we take leave, in our 
 plain way, to congratulate you upon your fafe arrival 
 here, and to aflure you that we are well affefted to 
 king George and the prefent government, and have 
 a juft deteftation and abhorrence of all confpiracies, 
 plots, and rebellion againft the king and government ; 
 and that as it hath been our declared principle as 
 well as practice, ever fince the Lord called us to be 
 a people, to live peaceably and behave dutifully toward 
 thofe, whom he hath placed in authority over us, fo, 
 by divine afliftance, we are refolved, according to our 
 duty, to demean and behave ourfelves towards the 
 king, and thofe in authority under him. 
 
 ' And as we are a people liable to fuffcrings for 
 our tender confciences towards God, we intreat, that 
 if any fuch thing (hould intend us under your admini- 
 ilration, you will be pleafed favourably to admit us 
 to lay our fullering cafe before you, in order to feck 
 fur redrefs.
 
 22O THE HISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 ' We fmcerely pray to Almighty God, that he 
 endue your hearts with divine wifdom fo to govern, 
 that virtue and piety may be encouraged, and the 
 contrary retrained, that fo his bleffing may attend 
 you here in this life, and eternal happinefs in that to 
 come. 
 
 Signed in behalf of faid meeting, by 
 
 George Rook, Gabriel Clark 
 
 John Hoop, John Dennis 
 
 John Barcroft Jacob Fuller 
 
 Nicholas Harris Thomas Ducket 
 
 William Sandwith - Richard Sealy 
 
 Thomas Willfon Thomas Lightfoot 
 
 Nicholas Lock Amos Strettell 
 
 William Richardfon Eli Crocket.' 
 
 This year Thomas Wilfon and feveral other friends, 
 by approbation of the National meeting, went over to 
 attend the fervice of the Yearly -Meeting at London, 
 as ufual ; and at this time with a particular view to 
 join friends of England, in foliciting further eafe with 
 tvfpecl to the affirmation, fome friends having been 
 great fufferers, by reafon they could not make ufe of 
 the affirmation in the form it then was. (See the year 
 1696). 
 
 Bcfides other friends of the miniftry, Thomas Story, 
 from Pennfylvania, was here this year, who had feve- 
 ral meetings, not only among friends, but ftrangers, 
 and for the mofl part without interruption, except at 
 Kilkenny, where great oppofition was given, as will 
 appear in the following narrative, which,, becaufe it 
 alto furnifhes clivers inltrucYive and entertaining re- 
 marks, 1 here inkrt,. as it {lands in the laid Thomas 
 Story's journal.. 
 
 ' They (at Kilkenny, 17 1 6) had exercifed their vio- 
 lence and diilurbance upon Elizabeth Jacob once, an4
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 221 
 
 another time upon Margaret Hoare and Abigail 
 Craven, and hindered the meetings ; which friends 
 had bore for peace fake, without any complaint to 
 the government ; but nqw they proceeded more vio- 
 lently, for as we were met, according to appointment, 
 on the rvventy-feventh of the Twelfth month, i7'4> 
 about the fecond hour after noon, and many of the 
 towns people with us, fome time after I had flood up, 
 in came Arthur Webb and Robert Shervington, and 
 made difturbance, bidding me to be filent, and the 
 people to difperfe. I did not mind them for fome 
 time, but went on, till they had fo diflurbed the 
 meeting that the people were not in a condition to 
 hear, and then I flopped and afked who they were, 
 and by what authority they did that : they anfwered, 
 they were the church-wardens. I replied, that the 
 church-wardens, as fuch, had no bufmefs with us, 
 or power to hinder us, and defired them to delifl, 
 and fit down quietly as others did. They feeing that 
 would not fright us, as they had imagined, then be- 
 gan to fpeak to particulars of their own fort, threatening 
 them with the bifhop's court, and excommunications, 
 and fuch like frightful things, and began to take fome 
 names in writing, which fome being afraid of, went 
 out, but the greatefl part flayed, and fome were 
 much troubled at the fpoiling of the meeting, for it 
 had begun well ; but the envy of fatan, and the pride 
 of ungodly men rifing higher, whilft we were at this 
 work, in came one Jofeph Worley, one of the mayor's 
 ferjeants at mace, and a conflable, with a warrant, 
 and I being flill flanding, and fometimes exhorting 
 the people as well as I could in fuch difturbance, 
 they bad me come down and go with them, for they 
 had a warrant from a juflice of the peace to appre- 
 hend me, and difperfe the meeting. Then I faid, we 
 were well known to be an innocent people, readily 
 fubjeft to government, either actively or paflively ; 
 but defired them to have a little patience, till I had
 
 222 THE RISE' AND PROGRESS OF Til* 
 
 cleared myfelf among the people ; and they did not 
 fct-m very forward to take me away, till ibme of the 
 fuperior perfecutors towards the door, cried out, 
 ' How well do you execute your warrant ? ' And 
 then they took me and Edward Cowper, Henry 
 Ridgway, and John Harris, away in cuflody tip to 
 the juftice's h0ufe, but he would not be feen, being 
 much troubled that he had figned the warrant, it 
 having been ready drawn by Robert Connell, the 
 bifhop's regifter, and fent to the juflice by the 
 bilhop, deiiring him to fign it, which he had done 
 with great rcluftancy. They then took us from place 
 to place, to find a juftice, but none cared to fee us ; 
 till at lad we were brought before the mayor, and 
 this Connell, who being one of the aldermen, was 
 alfo a juftice of the peace for the city, ex officio. They 
 were a little rough, and pretty high upon us, but 
 the Lord, for whofe name and caufe we were there, 
 kept us over their fpirit and power. John Boles, 
 John Lackey, Samuel Watfon, Thomas Pirn, John 
 Pirn, jun. and other friends, continuing the meeting, 
 and many of the people with them ; the officers alfo 
 brought away thefe friends laft named, before the 
 mayor at the fame time. They charged us with a 
 riotous and unlawful affembly; I told them, they them- 
 ielves did not believe it to be a riotous aflembly ; and 
 there were many witnefles that we were peaceable, till 
 the churchwardens and their officers diilurbed us. Then 
 Robert Connell himfelf confefled we were not making 
 any difturbance, but faid it was an unlawful aflembly, 
 the aft of toleration in England not extending to 
 Ireland. I anfwsred, that act being for the liberty 
 of the fubjecT:, extended every where in Ireland, and 
 other countries, where the fubjefts of England are 
 fettled under the crown of England. Then they 
 demanded fecurity for our appearance at the aflizes, 
 and for our good behaviour in the mean time. We 
 told them, we were not of ill behaviour, and there-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 223 
 
 fore needed not robe bound ; but feeing their wicked 
 defign, we all refufed ; they then wrote a mittimus, 
 pretending to fend us to gaol ; but at latt they told 
 us we might go where we pleafed ; only they charged 
 us, upon pain of what fhotild follow, not to have 
 any more meetings there, for if we did, they would 
 take more fevere meafures with us. Then they having 
 a full bottle of wine upon the table, would have 
 given us fome, but we all refufed it, at which they 
 were angry, and io we left them, and went down to 
 Thomas Dale's at the Swan, where many of us 
 lodged, and pretty many friends being together there 
 after fupper, we concluded to have another meeting 
 next morning, and fome friends were appointed to 
 give notice to the mayor, fome to the juftices, fome 
 to the foldiers, and fome to the people of the town. 
 
 1 28th. The next morning, about nine, we went 
 to this fecond meeting, where the people did not 
 gather much till about ten, and I had Mood up about 
 half an hour, when in came the fame church-wardens, 
 and made the lik- diflurbance as before, taking 
 names, and threatening the people with the bifhop's 
 court and excommunication, frightning fome, but 
 mod did not feem to mind them, and I went on for 
 fome time, till alfo came two of the mayor's ferjeants 
 at mace, and conflables, and a great mob after' them, 
 and they commanded me to be lilent, and the meet- 
 ing to difperfe. Some of the meaner fort went out of 
 .the houfe as fait as they could, being fearful ; but 
 many {laid to fee the ifTue, and they taking me into 
 cuftody, I went with them, but they took no other 
 friend. The mayor, this alderman Council, and 
 fome others, being together, I was had before them 
 without any warrant ; they were very angry, and 
 gave me fome threatening language. 1 told them, 
 they were not to infult the king's peaceable fubjefts, 
 nor exercife their own paffions upon them ; but if I 
 had broken any law, I was fubjeft to the law, either
 
 THE RISL AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 actively or paflively, and if they a&ed without law, 
 they alfo were punifhable by the law. They were 
 very angry Hill, and the mayor laid, I had aflcmbled 
 myfelf with others, contrary to law, and demanded 
 fecurity for my appearance at die next affizes, the 
 iixteenth of next month, at the city of Kilkenny, and 
 in the mean time to be of good behaviour. Then I 
 faid, l What law have you here in Ireland againft 
 our meetings ? ' The mayor faid, ' There is no law 
 for them here ;' then faid I, ' There is none againft 
 them ; and where there is no law, there is no tranf- 
 greffion ; and the aft of toleration in England gives 
 us, as well as all others the king's Protcftant diiTenting 
 fubje r ts, liberty every where in his dominions. Then 
 they wrote a mittimus as followeth, viz. 
 
 * City of Kilkenny, fs. By John Birch, Efq. 
 Mayor of the faid city, and Robert 
 Connell, Efq. one of his Majefty's 
 Juflices of the Peace for the faid 
 city. 
 
 * We herewith fend you the body of Thomas Story, 
 he unlawfully aflembling himfelf with feveral other 
 perfons, and refufing to find fufficient fecurity for his 
 appearance next affizes, and for his good behaviour, 
 and him in fafe cuftody to keep, till thence difcharged 
 by due courfe of law ; and for fo doing this fhall 
 be your warrant. Given under our hands and feals 
 this twenty-eighth day of February, 1716. 
 
 John Birch, Mayor,,. 
 Robert Coruiell.' 
 
 ' To the Keeper of his Majefty's 
 gaol, of the faid city, Thefe.' 
 
 ' Here is a copy alfo of the warrant, viz.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 * Com. Kilken. et. 7 f, e By Ebenezer Warren, Efq. 
 Com. Civic. Kilken. j " one of his Majefty's juftices 
 
 of the Peace for the faid 
 counties, 
 
 ' Whereas complaint hath been made unto me, that 
 a fet of people called Quakers, are riotouily affembled, 
 thefe are therefore in his Majefty's name, to will and 
 require you, and every of you, on fight hereof, to 
 difperfe the faid Quakers, and in cafe of rdiftance 
 or refufal, to apprehend the bodies of the feveral per- 
 fons fo refufing or refitting, and them fo apprehended to 
 bring before me or fome other of his majefty's juftices 
 of the peace in the faid counties, to be dealt with 
 according to law,, whereof fail not at your peril, and 
 for fo doing this fhall be your warrant. Given under 
 my hand and feal this 2710. day of February, 1716. 
 
 ' Ebenezer Warren.' 
 
 * To the feveral Conftables and Officers, 
 
 in and through the faid Counties.' 
 
 ' This juftice Warren having all along in parliament 
 (for he was a member) been friendly and kind to 
 friends in all their concerns, and being inadvertently 
 precipitated into this affair by the bifhop, we were 
 better fatisfied that we had this fecond handle to pro- 
 ceed upon, than to have any occafion for his name in 
 the cc-jiteft ; and fo I was fent to the common gaol of 
 the town, among thieves in irons, where I flayed not 
 long in the cuftody of the gaoler, till Anthony Blunt, 
 the fheriff of the city, a very civil young man, and 
 loyal to king George, came to me, and (hewed his 
 refentment fufficiently at their doings : 'for he not 
 only called for the mittimus, that we might have a 
 copy of it (which the gaoler had refufed, being an 
 Irifh papift) but left it in iny own hand till he re- 
 turned, going immediately to fome of the juftices 
 (Warren for one) to have their opinions and concur- 
 
 VOL. Ill, I*
 
 226 THE RISE AND PROGKESS OF 
 
 rence in taking me to his houfe, which he readily 
 had, and accordingly took me with him, and pro- 
 vided me a very great room in his houfe, and agree- 
 able accommodations, to the difappointment of that 
 great epifcopal envy thus levelled againft me. All 
 this I obferved to be the Lord's doings, for the 
 furtherance of the gofpel and his own glory, and the 
 Lord was with me in a good degree, to my great 
 comfort and only fure help. 
 
 ' On the Sixth and Seventh days came friends from 
 feveral parts to fee me, and many flayed in town till 
 the Firft-day, being the third of the Firfl month, 
 and in the forenoon we had a meeting in the Iheriff's 
 houfe, where his wife (a very good-natured fober 
 woman) and family were prefent, and many of the 
 neighbourhood. We had a good open time, wherein 
 I had an opportunity to expofe Antichrifl and his 
 minifters, which I am apt to think went to the bifhop's 
 ears, as it did quickly through the town, the people 
 wondering at our boldnefs, not knowing our foun- 
 dation. 
 
 * 4th. The next day I went to take the air in 
 the late duke of Ormond's gardens there, and fomc 
 friends with me, and feveral people came to us, and 
 among others fome French Proteftants, and an Irifii 
 papift ; who feemed friendly, and repeated fome 
 verfes againft fuch as feemed to be religious, but 
 aimed at nothing but promotion and worldly honour 
 and glory by it. I gueiTed what he was, and gave 
 him the following lines, which lie took on a piece of 
 paper with a pencil : 
 
 Natural religion was fimple firft and plain, 
 Tales made it myft'ry, offerings made it gain; 
 Sacrifice and fhows were at length prepar'd, 
 The priefls ate roaft-beef, and the people ftar'd.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* 227 
 
 c He feemed pleafed with the verfes. Then I told 
 him fome people's religion made them worfe than 
 their natural temper, which could not be right ; for 
 the end of true religion is an improvement upon 
 nature, and restoration from the fall, even in this life, 
 and rendering men more fociable and fafe ; but that 
 prieftcraft of many kinds, tending to one evil end, 
 had, as to great part of mankind, eluded all the 
 means hitherto offered for the help of man, and 
 made a prey of him inftead of that aid defigned ; for 
 though there is nothing more plain than religion in 
 its native fimplicity, yet the priefts, the better to 
 effeft their own defigns, had invented abundance of 
 lying myfteries to confound and amufe the people, 
 and perfuaded them that offerings of many kinds 
 were effemials of religion, which offerings were ever 
 at the prieft's difpofal, and for his gain and advantage ; 
 and taking advantage of the natural propenfity of the 
 people to admire tricks and {hows, much of that 
 had been invented to gull the people, fetting them a 
 gazing at fhows which are of no value, whilft the 
 cunning priefts eat up the roaft, for they dearly love 
 to have the ruling of it, and in whatfoever they 
 differ, in this they all agree, with feigned words to 
 make merchandize of the people ; and how to have 
 them for their own gain, and promotion is the great 
 bone of contention, which will ever continue till the 
 people receive the Lord Jefus, and turn to his light 
 and grace as their true teacher. 
 
 ' In the mean time, as we were at this fort of 
 converfation, in came jufttce Warren, alderman Had- 
 dock, and Clark, the colledor of the king's cuftoms, 
 and fome others, and entering into converfation with 
 us, fome told them of the verfes, and defired me to 
 repeat them, which I diet, to their fatisfaftion ; and by 
 degrees they fell to difcourfe upon my confinement, 
 which they all did with confiderable refentment, and 
 fome of them obferved that, to make 'a (how now 
 after the people h?.d talked fg broad in the ftreets,
 
 22? THE RISE AND PROGRESS Of THE 
 
 the mayor, and that party, had fhut up the mafs- 
 houfes, which before had been connived at ; and alfo 
 how angry they were with our meeting the day be- 
 fore, but could not help themfelves, iince I being a 
 prifoner, could not be hindered from fpeaking to fuch 
 as came to me : and very friendly they were. 
 
 ' In the mean time in came the mayor and alderman 
 Connell in a great chafe, which was heightened to 
 fee theie perfons with me converfnig fo friendly to- 
 gether. Their bufmefs was to perfuade juftice 
 Warren, alderman Haddock, and whom they could 
 befides, to join with them to .fend me out of the 
 county, from conflable to constable ; for I becoming 
 very burthcnfome to them, they had fallen upon this 
 contrivance to get rid of me ; and their power ex- 
 tending no further than the town, they could not 
 fend me out of the county, but out of the town only, 
 and then they feared I would come in again imme- 
 diately, but if out of the county, being ibme miles, 
 it is probable they imagined I w r ould^not take the 
 pains ; but in this, inilead of helping themfelves, 
 they were worfe ; for as they advanced towards us, 
 I began to fpeak to thefe perfons with me, above- 
 named, concerning the grounds upon which my adver- 
 faries built all this their ftru&ure, viz. upon a fuppo- 
 iition that the toleration act extended not to Ireland ; 
 but I told them they were fniftaken, for all men by 
 nature arc free, till that freedom is taken away, 
 cither by policy or force. Some penal laws then, made 
 by an antichriftian policy, and applied by tyrannical 
 force, having obftrufted the liberty of the fubje&s 
 of England for a time, yet that liberty was not de- 
 flroyed, but that force being removed,, liberty revived, 
 and turned into her natural channel 5 for there are 
 many ftatute laws in England, wherein though there 
 are new forms and claufes of enacting, yet, in reality, 
 are not initiatory of -new matter, or new laws, or 
 privileges never before claimed or enjoyed by the
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 people of right ; but declaratory only of rights and 
 privileges in pofiefTioii by them and their ancestors 
 before, endangered by evil counfellors to kings and 
 princes, who, for their own advancement in favour, 
 are too frequently the wicked inftruments of tyrannical 
 and enilaving counfels, where they meet with any 
 degree of propenfity in the tempers of their princes 
 biailing them that way ; and (of like nature is this 
 act of toleration in England) which native rights and 
 privileges all Englifhmen carry along with them 'into 
 all regions of the world, where they fettle under the 
 regimen of the crown of England, now -upon a very 
 Worthy head, who declares for liberty to all his Protef- 
 tant diffenting fubjects throughout his dominions the 
 world over, and that indulgence they now enjoy every 
 where but here. The aft of toleration then extends to 
 Ireland, America, and all the king's dominions, being 
 in its nature declaratory, not only of Englifh, but 
 alfo of gofpel liberties, and which we now .infift 
 upon againil the unjurt force of fuch as oppofe them- 
 felves here ; and that this .is and ever hath been the 
 rnind of the king and his predecefTors, imce that law 
 was made, is plain, by extending that liberty and 
 indulgence here, as likewife to all his Englilh do- 
 minions ; and not only thus, but the king hath given 
 us his royal word for his protection, upon feveral. 
 a.ddreffes on sundry occasions, and particularly upon 
 one , frorn our Lift 'Yearly meeting at London, the 
 twenty-fixth day of "the Third month, 1716; and 
 another fmce from our lad National meeting at Dublin 
 here In Ireland, to which he was pleafed to anfwer 
 in thefe words, viz. Si thank you for the afTurance 
 of duty and affection to my perfon and government 
 contained in this addrefs, and you may always depend 
 upon my protection.' I myfelf being prefent with 
 many more when the king received us with this firrt 
 addrefs in his own bed-chamber : fo great was his 
 condefcenfioii and regard to his loving and peaceable 
 
 P i
 
 23 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 fubjects. But it feems the mayor and magiftrates 
 here think it their intereft to infill upon an opinion 
 quite of another nature, at the hazard of what may 
 follow ; for you may allure yourfelves, we are as 
 jealous and tenacious both of our gofpel and natural 
 liberties, as any body here can be bent to deprive 
 us of them. 
 
 * This being finilhed, the mayor and his party 
 fhewcd a great deal of rancour, but could not help 
 themfelves, and immediately after, the mayor and 
 Council made application as aforefaid for affiftance; 
 for their envy had made them both mad and blind ; 
 bur inftead of that, the jultice at once refufed it, 
 and told them he had done too much of this drudgery 
 for them already, and would do no more, but vtould 
 leave them to their own meafures. This vexed them 
 heartily, and occasioned fome more words, which 
 xvere pretty hot on both fides, till the juftice, and 
 the reft that were for the king and indulgence, afked 
 them how they came to connive at fo many maifes in 
 view, and be fo furious upon the king's friends and 
 peaceable fubjech. 6 And pray, Mr. mayor,' faid he, 
 4 what notice have you taken of the feditious fcrmon 
 you heard yefterday in the afternoon in the little 
 church? You can hear fuch with pleafure, whilft. 
 you treat thefe loyal fubje&s with fo much fevcre 
 ufage. Did you, fir, demand that perfon's notes, 
 and bring him to account for it ?' Said the mayor, 
 * Thai; was my lord bifliop's bufmefs, not mine.' ' If 
 that was not your bufmefs, being a matter of religion, 
 pray ho\v comes it to be fo much your bufmefs to 
 meddle with thefe people, who have given you no 
 ether occafion but about their religious opinions ; to 
 which they have equ-al right and liberty with all other 
 his majefty's Proteftant diffenting fubjccls, and are 
 much more ufeful to the government than fome you 
 connive: at ; and pray from whom arifes the common, 
 dang'-; i*
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 3! 
 
 c We, hearing them thus far, apd things riling 
 higher and higher, thought beil to withdraw and 
 leave them, the difpute turning favourably on our 
 fide, and fo we did : but in the evening the fheriff 
 told me that they ended in heat ; and that the 
 mayor and alderman Connell, finding they could not 
 have any aid of the others, were refolved, as they 
 pretended, to fend me out of the town next morning 
 by the conftables, and that if I came again, they 
 would put me in the flocks. I told him I did not 
 fear them, let them run the length of their chain ; 
 for though they thought to frighten me with their 
 threats, I knew the laws better than they imagined, 
 and that they could not do it, but by illegal violence. 
 
 ' 5th. But the next day the mayor was much 
 cooler, and intending to go out of town the day 
 following, to meet the judges at Wexford (being de- 
 puty clerk of the crown), he took up the mittimus, 
 and fent me word by the flieriff, that I was at liberty, 
 and might go when and where I pleafed ; and faid 
 alfo, that he would not have done what he had done 
 againft us but that the clergy, as one man, greatly 
 urged him to it; faying, they had thought him a man 
 for the church, but to find him fo remifs in fuppreffing 
 the Quakers, looked quite other wife ; and added, 
 that for his own part he did not care what meetings 
 we had, but intended to get out of the way of it, and 
 leave alderman Connell in his place (as he ought of 
 cqurfe) till he returned.., hoping all would be over 
 In his abfence. 
 
 c Upon this mefFage, I told the fheriff that they 
 had committed me publickly by a mittimus till the 
 ailizes, as if I had done fome heinous crime, and 
 as on the one hand I could not accept of a private 
 difcharge, fo on the other, this difcharge was not 
 legal, which was an indication they were either igno- 
 rant pr arbitrary ; for they ought to. have returned 
 their proceedings before the judges, that the matter
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 might be heard at the affizes ; but in a cafe of dif- 
 charge before that, it ought to have been by a 
 libctatc in writing, under their hands and feals, or of 
 fome other juflices, and therefore I remained with 
 the meriff; which difpieafed my .adverfaries worfc 
 than before, and heightened their rage. 
 
 * Many friends vifited me from divers places, ancl 
 on the Seventh day (being the 9th of the Firft month) 
 came fome from neighbouring places, and confider- 
 ing together of a meeting next day, we fpoke to the 
 fame perfon about. the fame place we had before, and 
 he readily granted it. 80 all was prepared, as fears, 
 &c. and 'notice was given by fome friends, to alder- 
 man Connell (cow deputy mayor) and the jnftices, 
 of what we intended, but he faid he would difperfe 
 us again, and that we ihould not have any meeting 
 there ; however we went to meeting, and though I 
 Jbad fome things in my mind to fay in the meeting, 
 before I found the proper time to {land up, one of 
 the church- wardens came, and foon after the mayor's 
 ferjeanr at mace, commanding the peopie to difpcrfe, 
 and the church-wardens took their names, and 'threat- 
 ened the people with the bifhop's court. Then I 
 reafoned the cafe a Hale with the conftablcs and fer- 
 jeants, and they fcemed troubled that they were 
 put upon ufmg us fo, but could not help it, being 
 under authority ; and after awhile I went with them, 
 having firfl made fome remarks on things to the 
 people, and they put me in gaol the fecond time, 
 where I was hardly well entered, till they brought 
 "William Brookudd of Dublin thither alfo ; for fome 
 friends from thence coming to fee me, and he among 
 others, and the meet : ng continuing after they had 
 brought me away, William had flood up to fpeak, 
 and fome of the conflables took him down and brought 
 him to us. 
 
 c We had been in prifon but a fmall time till the 
 fheriff came and took us home te his houfe, where
 
 PEOPLE CALLED OJJAKEftS. 
 
 the other friends came to us, after the meeting was 
 over, which they held, notwithstanding all the dif- 
 turbance, till it regularly ended. 
 
 4 But the deputy mayor being come from his wor- 
 fiiip fent for me before him, ana feemed very angry, 
 and alked me how 1 canre to appoint another meet- 
 ing, being in cuftody ? Then, faid the fheriff, e Sir, 
 the gentleman was not in cufiody, for Mr. Mayor 
 took up the mittimus before he went out of town, 
 and told me he was at liberty, only he would not go 
 out of the town till he himfelf thought fit, being free, 
 as he apprehends, to go or ftay, at his own election/ 
 Then, faid I to the deputy mayor, thefe proceedings 
 are very arbitrary, what have I done now to deferve 
 imprifonment ? ' Did not I tell you, fir,' faid he, ' that 
 I would difperfe you, (for 1 had met him in the 
 flreet as we went to meeting) and that you fhould 
 have no meeting here ?' ' It is true,' faid I, ' butfmce 
 there is no law againft our meeting, thou hadft no 
 right to fay fo, nor was I obliged to take notice of 
 it, being without law ; but befides, the gofpel muft 
 be preached, and God muft be worfhipped according 
 to his own appointment, whoever will make laws to 
 the contrary, cr apply an unjuil and illegal force to 
 reflrain it.' 
 
 ' Then faid one of the ferjeants to the deputy 
 mayor, 'Sir, this gentleman faid nothing in the meet- 
 ing, h" was not preaching ; and immediately he laid 
 hold on that to get rid of us, (for he wanted his din- 
 ner, then flaying for him) and faid, ' I cry mercy, 
 I thought you had,' and fo difmift me ; but before 
 we parted, I told him that although he had ufed us 
 fo ill, I had a fecret apology in my mind for him, and 
 yet could not be pofitive 'whether he deferyed it; *and 
 that was, 1 conjectured that he did not aft altogether 
 from a native fpring of diilike in his own mind, but 
 as excited by fome other perfon or perfons, for fome 
 other reafons than perhaps he cared to exprefs or
 
 234 *HE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 own " y upon this he told us, he had no enmity againft 
 Friends, but had upon occafion forgiven forae of 
 them fees (being regifter of the bifhop's court) to 
 the value of ieven pounds ; .and fo we were difmifl 
 without any further conditions. 
 
 ' About three in the afternoon we went to meet- 
 ing again in the fame place, and the bifhop* hearing 
 of it, and walking in the Tholfel, faid to one of the 
 ferjeants, if we met again he would have them put 
 us in the (locks till he came from church ; but being 
 fat, many people came to us, and the Lord, who 
 never fails nor forfakes his own, was with us, to our 
 great comfort, whiKl envy and rage tormented our 
 enemies. I had fomething to fay, and had gone on 
 fome time, the people being greatly defirous to hear, 
 and very flill, and fatisfied with what they heard, till 
 in came the conflables and ferjeants again, but fo 
 .faintly, and with apologies, that they could hardly 
 touch me; but after fome time one of the ferjeants 
 named the biihop to be concerned in it, which I laid 
 hold of, and told the people we were not ignorant all 
 this time who was at the bottom, but now they heard 
 plainly it was the bifliop ; and after fome further re- 
 marks, viz. that as our Lord faid, " Some of you 
 ihall Satan call into prifon," was now fulfilled in 
 us; for though that evil one could not call any into 
 prilbn by himfelf, as he is a wicked, destroying 
 jpirit; yet as ungodly and wicked perfecutors are ex- 
 cited, hurried and rnftigated to that evil work by 
 Satan, he, as the firil mover, is faid to do it ; fo 
 that they might plainly fee on what bottom they were 
 who thus abufed us ; and the people (nay even many 
 of the Papifts who came thither to hear and fee) were 
 generally difpleaicd with them, and the truth reached 
 them through our works and patience, aad expofed 
 cur enemies to the juft cenfure of all.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS; 235 
 
 e The ferjeants and conflables raking me away, many 
 of the people followed, calling out, c Shame,* and 
 blaming the magiflrates, but wedefired them to avoid 
 disturbance, that no advantage might be taken. The 
 officers became fo troubled and afhamed, that they 
 imreated me to walk up to ray lodging, till the church 
 was done, but I told them I was in their cuflody, 
 and could not go but where they took me, and 
 they went with me to the fherifPs houfe, where they 
 exprefTcd their great concern that they fhould be in 
 offices that fubje&ed them to a&ions fo much againft 
 their inclinations : but the meeting continuing after 
 
 ' C? O 
 
 I was brought away, William Brookfield had a 
 good time, in a fhort teflimony among them ; and 
 though fome conflables were there, they flood with- 
 out as if they had no mind to underftand or hear any 
 thing ; and the meeting ended in order, and friends 
 were greatly comforted. 
 
 ' In the evening the deputy mayor fent me word 
 by the fheriff, that he would wait on me by and by 
 at my lodging, about that afternoon's meeting. I 
 replied, that was not fo proper; but that if he had 
 any thing more to fay, and required it, I would wait 
 on him where he pleafed. The fheriff told him what 
 I faid, and he fent the fherifF to afk me if I intended 
 to go out of town the next day, and if I did, he 
 had no more to fay: but if I did not go out, he 
 \voul^. put me out.- I replied, that if the mayor had 
 fent to afk me that queflion without any threats an- 
 nexed, I would have anfwered him freely and plainly 
 as to my intent, but was not to be frightened, being 
 at my own liberty to flay or go as I pleafed. 
 
 6 This the fherifftold him, and then he made the 
 fheriff take it down in writing, which he did; but 
 told the mayor, he would keep it in his own cuflody, 
 and accordingly fhewed it to me; the mayor, I 
 fuppofe, thinking to make me afraid by this poor 
 jit de fhift. Then I told the fheriff, I intended tp
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 go out of the town in the morning,' to take fome 
 meetings in the country, and return thither again at 
 the afTizes, the latter ond of the week. 
 
 ' Then the ilierifF told me, the bifhop was very- 
 angry with him, and fo were all. his creatures, for 
 letting me have my liberty, and had fent for him that 
 morning, but that he would not go till v/e were gone 
 out of the town. I told him he had beft go then, 
 {eft the bifhop might takt fome advantage, as if he 
 did not regard him ; but as for us, we did not fear 
 any thing he could do to us. However he went not 
 whilft we flaid, which was till about the eleventh 
 hour, I going to fee feveral of the aldermen who 
 had fhewed us countenance, and alfo colonel Warren 
 (before named) before we 'took horfe, and went 
 openly through the greateft part of the town, telling 
 the people on -every occ?.fion, I intended to fee them 
 again at the aflizes, as on 'the Firft-day evening I 
 
 had told Sandford, the colonel's fon-in-law, 
 
 whom they had put into the bifhop's court on this 
 cccafion, when he afked me about it, which he ap- 
 proved much, c becaufe, 3 faid he, c they want only 
 to be rid of you, being fuch a torment to them by 
 (hying, that they do not know what to do, and 
 would have you away at any rate ; but when they 
 know you intend to come again at the affizes, it will 
 perplex them the more.* 
 
 ' We fet forward about eleven, 'on the i ith of the 
 Firfl month, and feveral friends being in- company, 
 in comparing things, we found we had all had a {hare 
 of the burthen, but were very eafy and comfortable 
 in our fpirits, concluding, that as we had come laden 
 thither, and left our burthen behind, it was gone 
 upon thofe who had oppofed truth, and would be 
 heavier and heavier on them, till they funk under it, 
 or yielded. And fo we faw the hand of the Lord in 
 the whole, and rejoiced together ki him : and that 
 day I went home v;irh Echvard Cooper.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED .QUAKERS. 237 
 
 1 2th. c The next day we had a meeting at Samuel 
 Watfon's, which was a large open meeting;, and 
 other people, as well as friends, were fatisfied. 
 
 i3th. ' The day following we had another meeting 
 at Carlow, which was- aifo well filled with people of 
 feveral forts, and they were .very quiet and f )ber in 
 time of filence. I had taken cold in the tranfaftions 
 at. Kilkenny, and upon that had taken a fit of the 
 loofenefs, incident to Grangers in the country of 
 Ireland, which had weakened me as to my natural 
 flrength ; but the Lord flrengthened me, fo as to 
 -make me i nft.ru mental to deliver many things to edifi- 
 cation, information, and comfort, and it was a good 
 meeting to fome, and the people were generally 
 fatisfied, and fome much pleafed ; that night I went 
 home with John Lackey, about a mile from Carlow, 
 back towards Kilkenny, where I was well entertained, 
 and had fome things proper for my diftemper, as I 
 had had the day before at my friend Samuel Watfon's. 
 
 1 4th. ' The day following being wet and ftormy, 
 I (laid here till the afternoon, and Edward Cooper 
 coming from his houfe on purpofe, I went home with 
 him that evening, where I ftaid till the 1 6th (being the 
 Seventh of the week) and Patrick Henderfon, Samuel 
 Braithwait, Edward Fawcet, andPaul Johnflon coming 
 from Dublin, we went together (and fome others), 
 to Kilkenny, to fee what they had to fay to me at 
 the aiTizes, to which I had been committed by the 
 mittimus aforefaid, not thinking it honourable in the 
 truth to take liberty by word only, left bejng abfent, 
 they might pretend I had given them the flip, to 
 which I had no temptation from firft to laft. 
 
 4 In our way we fell in upon the road with fome 
 perfons going to town, and one of them offering fome 
 difcourfe about religion, I perceived, after a while, 
 he was a Roman Qatholick ; and after fome other 
 points we came upon that of tranfubilantiation. He 
 urged the words of 'Chrift, where he faid concerning-
 
 238 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 the bread, " Take, eat ye all of ft ; this is my body 
 which is broken before you ;" (Mark xiv. 22, 23, 24) 
 and again concerning the cup, " This cup is the New 
 Teflament in my blood which is fhed for you, &c." 
 This he faid was fo plain and diflincfc, that there could 
 be no miflake in it, " This is my body, tMs cup is 
 the New Teflament, &c.'* I aniwered, ' This is a 
 figurative fpeech : this bread fignifies my body, which 
 fhall fhortly hereafter be broken for you ; and this 
 cup (that is to fay, the wine or liquor contained in it) 
 fymbolizesor fignifies the New Teflament in my blood ; 
 for if it were a proper fpeech, without any figure, many 
 abfurdities would follow againfl both fenfe and reafon ; 
 whereas Chrifl and his apoflles fuit their doctrine and 
 miracles to both ; for in working of miracles, if the 
 fenfes were not infallible (as they are concerning their 
 proper objefts, where the fenfe is not impofed upon 
 by falfe mediums, or any depravation in itfelf ; for 
 all mankind will conclude a man to be a man at firfl 
 fight, though they may exprefs that thing (or man) 
 by different names, as a man, viz. antbropos^ 0;#0,c.) 
 then it could not be certainly known whether fuch a 
 thing as raifing the dead, making the lame to walk, 
 opening the eyes of the bliud, &c. was done at all j 
 and as to reafon, Chrifl often ufes it ; " No man can 
 ferve two matters," &c. (Matt. vi. 24). " No man 
 goes to build, but firft counts the cofl," &c. (Luke 
 xiv. $1 ). He that goes to war, firfl confiders whether 
 he is able, with ten thoufand, to encounter his enemy 
 in the field with twenty thoufand, c. And again 
 iaith reafon, It is impoffible that both the body of 
 Chrifl and the bread, can occupy one and the fame 
 place, at one and the fame time ; for when the body- 
 is prefent, the bread muft be abfent ; and when the 
 bread is prefent, the body mufl be abfent.' 
 
 * And again, to the fenfes; the apofllc John fays 
 that, " We have heard with our ears, feen with our 
 eyes, and our hands have handled of the good word
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 39 
 
 of life, alluding to the infallible certainty of fenfe in 
 preaching the gofpel ; for the life was made manifeft, 
 and we have feen it j fo that as certain as is fenfe in 
 fenfible fubje&s and objects, fo certain, and yet more, 
 Were and are all the true minifters of Chrift of thofe 
 faving and divine truths they deliver from the fpirit, 
 or cftential truth and life, manifefted in them in its 
 own power and virtue, and fo certain alfo may the 
 hearer be of the truth of the miniftry, by the mani- 
 feftation and anfwer of the fame fpirit working in 
 him. 
 
 ' I further urged, that it was a figurative fpeech for 
 this reafon, becaufe he faith, "" This cup is the New 
 Teftament." Were it of wood, (lone, earth, or metal, 
 that cup, whatever it was, was the New Teftament, 
 according to thy and your notion, where then is that 
 cup ? If the cup be loll, then alfo is the Teftamenr, 
 if the cup be the Teftament. 
 
 ' This was a little pinching, and drove my antago- 
 nift to this reply ; viz. This -fpeech of Chrift hath 
 two parts, the firft is proper concerning his body, but 
 the fecond is figurative concerning the cup. 
 
 * Thy reafon for the difference, pray, faid I, friend ? 
 
 * Becaufe (faid he) it was impoflible to drink the 
 cup, but only that which is in it. 
 
 ' 'Tis a good reafon, faid I, friend, and holds as 
 Well the other way j for if that muft be figurative 
 refpeting the cup, becaufe of the impoffibility of 
 drinking the cup itfelf to common reafon ; even fo 
 for the fame reafon, deduced from the impoffibility of 
 the thing, I juftly conclude there is no uanfubftan- 
 tiation. But if it had been fo, then this, and many 
 other like abfurdities, would have followed, viz. 
 whilft Chrift fat at table and faid, " This is my body," 
 the body which brake it and called it his body muft 
 ceafe to be that body, and the other uhe bread) 
 rnufl commence and begin to be ,his body (which it 
 was not before) and be really fo before he could pro-
 
 S4O THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 perly and truly call it fo, or elfe there mud be many 
 (nay innumerable fame bodies) at the fame time, and 
 yet all but that one body, which is abfurd and un- 
 reafonable. 
 
 ' Again, if whilfl Chrift fat at the table with his 
 difciples, they all eat the whole entire Chrift the 
 evening before he was crucified ; przy then who was 
 left uneaten to be crucified the next chy ? and if the 
 firft to whom he gave a piece of bread had all the 
 whole Chrift, what remained for all the reft ? I think 
 nothing at all. 
 
 * Then he faid, Chrift told the people, that except 
 ye eat the flefli and drink the blood of the Son of 
 Man, ye have no life in you ; there muft then be 
 fome way of eating and drinking to make good that 
 faying, which is alfo very plain in its own nature, the 
 flefh and blood in a proper feiife. 
 
 ' To this I anfwered, that Chrift did fay fo, and 
 the people took him to mean properly, and without a 
 figure as ye now do, looking upon the impoffibility of 
 the thing as it really is in the fenfe they and you take 
 it; but when they were all offended and gone, he 
 turned to his difciples and explained it to them, for 
 they feemed not rightly to underftand him, faying, 
 will ye alfo leave mej to you 'tis given to underftand 
 the myfteries, but to them (the world) in parables. 
 What then; was the parable, or myftery? 'tis the fpipi't 
 that quickens, the flefh proiiteth nothing ; and thus ic 
 is in your own bible as well as ours. I further added, 
 that if therefore the bread were really tranfubftan- 
 tiated after the words faid, and were the true body 
 and blood of Chrift, and if they eat and drank the 
 fame flefh and blood which then they beheld, it 
 would profit them nothing. ' 
 
 * Then, faid he, 'tis true the flefh and blood by 
 itfelf, without the fpirit, does not profit ; but when 
 we eat the fleih and blood together, We cat the fpirit
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 24! 
 
 alfo, and that quickens as we eat it. This was a deep 
 fetch, and the lafl fhift, which I anfwered thus, viz. 
 
 ' This cannot be Chrift's meaning, for here he 
 does not only diitinguifh, but divide between tfye 
 flefh and fpirit ; 'tis the fpirit that quickens. Here is 
 the whole work of quickening afcribed to the fpirit, 
 and the fame that quickens alfo continues life in him 
 Xvho is quickened ; for from the fpirit came flefh, 
 blood, bread, wine, and the whole univerfe, and all 
 that in it is, and are all continued by the fame fpirit, 
 the fubftance of all things, but the flefh profiteth 
 nothing. Here it is fet apart from the fpirit, in the 
 fame fentence, and profiteth nothing to be eaten; and 
 for the further interpretation of this, obferve firft the 
 words of Chrift to fatan, " Man ihall not live by 
 bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out 
 of the mouth of God ;" the words which proceed out 
 of the mouth of God are fpirit and life, as faid the 
 Lord Chrift, who is that word, " My words they are 
 fpirit, and they are life j" which words the apoflles 
 knew by experience to make them alive and preferve 
 them, as appears, fecondly, by the anfwer of Peter at 
 the fame time j whither {hall we go ? Thou haft the 
 words of eternal life. So that this quickening is not 
 by this fo grofs and carnal eating and drinking here 
 imagined, but by receiving of the fpirit through the 
 words of Chrift, abftra&ed and apart from that holy- 
 body, .tnd all other corporiety or body ; and for the 
 further underftanding of fayings of this nature, ob- 
 ferve that when the difciples of Chrift were (howing 
 him the temple at Jeruialem, and the beauty of it, he 
 faid to them, " Deflroy this temple, and I will raife 
 it up in three days." The temple at Jerufalem was 
 the objecl: of their eyes and fubjeft of their difcourfe, 
 which gave them juft occafion, as men, to fuppofe he 
 meant that temple which they faid was forty years in 
 building, and could he raife it in three days ? they 
 admired at his faying j but yet, in the" fequel of 
 
 VOL. III. Q
 
 24 2 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 things, they underflood afterwards, though not at the 
 time, that he fpoke of the temple of his body. Again, 
 in like manner, where he faith, " I am the vine,, ye 
 are the branches, " &c. This may well explain that 
 other faying, " I will drink no more of the fruit of 
 the vine, 'till I drink it new with you in my Father's 
 kingdom ; which can mean no other than as his 
 coming in the flefh confecrated the way, and was pre- 
 vious to the coming of the fpirit, io his drinking new 
 wine in the kingdom of God, mult intend that com- 
 munity of fpirit, intended in the words of the apoftle 
 afterwards, concerning the whole church ; " We 
 have all been made to drink into that one fpirit." 
 My opponent by this time being weary of the -ful jeft, 
 advanced a queition concerning the fpirit itfeif, viz. 
 
 ' How do you know that fpirit from another fpirit, 
 fmce fatan is transformed into an angel of light, may 
 it not be that evil one, and not the fpirit of Chrifl ? 
 
 ' I replied, that the divine elTential truth is felf-evi- 
 dencing, that thequickened foul is affured of him by his 
 
 , own nature, and quickening power and virtue, as faith 
 the apoftle, " Hereby we know that he abideth in us," 
 i John iii. 24. (or to this effeft) by the fpirit which he 
 hath given us ; and he that is in a (late of doubting, is in 
 a flate of condemnation and reprobation, and hath not 
 yet known the fpirit, but is yet in death and darknefs, 
 and ignorant of God and Chrifl, and in fuch, and not 
 in the quickened or regenerated, fatan is transformed ; 
 for fuch as wanted a proof of Chrift's {peaking in 
 
 'and by the apoflles, were by Paul: referred back to 
 themfelves ; " Know ye not your own felves, how 
 that Jefus Chrifl is in you, except ye be reprobates ? 
 and again, the fpirit itfeif helpeth our infirmities, 
 with fighs and groanings which cannot be uttered, 
 and fearcheth all things, even the deep things of 
 God/* By this time we drew near the town, and 
 then he {aid, no doubt but I had a good intent in 
 what I did, in travelling fo in the world ; but faid, I
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 243 
 
 muft have feme good confiderations for it, (meaning 
 as their prieft's have, gold and filver) and mentioned 
 about three hundred guineas for that time. J told 
 him no, we whom God had railed up and qualified 
 in fome degree, in this age to that fervice, were ad- 
 vanced above ar<y fuch mean, bafe, and mercenary 
 confiderations, as to take any thing from men for this 
 labour, which we beftow freely in the love of God, 
 and by his commandment for the common good of 
 men. Why, faid he, the apoftles were but pc^or 
 men, and wanted neceflaries, and muft have received 
 of the people or wanted. True, faid I, then they fay, 
 having food and raiment, let us be therewithal con- 
 tent, and where that is really the cafe, fuch as are 
 poor among us, we would not begrudge them that ; 
 but it is very feldom or never fo among us, but rather 
 with Paul we can generally fay, " Thefe hands of 
 mine have miniftered to my neceilities," having no 
 defire that any fuch thing fhould be done unto us, 
 and we generally have fufficient of our own. Then 
 faid he, but in cafe your friends, after fome very good 
 fefmon that p'leafed a great congregation well and 
 generally, fhould offer you a purfe of two or three 
 hundred guineas, would not you accept it, being 
 freely given ? 
 
 ( I replied, no, I hope it would be no temptation, if 
 fo it were, which never can be as long as they and I 
 abide ia the truth we profefs, either tp give or re- 
 ceive that way ; I ihould rather be greatly troubled 
 to fee fo great a degeneracy as to fubjeft them to fg 
 great an evil. Well, laid he, I cannot tell, you fay 
 well, and I am apt to believe you ; but if you would 
 not, there are many would be glad of the offer, and 
 make no bones on't, but receive it with both hands. 
 
 * I believe it, faid I, for there are too many merce- 
 nary hirelings in the world, in this age, who though 
 they pretend a miffion to " go teach and baptize all 
 nations," Matt, xxviii. yet, as unfaithful fervants, (if 
 
 Q.2
 
 244 THE R1SE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 they were fent at all) fit down where they can have 
 the firit maintenance, and never move till the voice of 
 a better cry in their ears, and then,, and not till then, 
 they run where God does not fend them. 
 
 * There is too much of it, faid he, and fo we parted 
 in ftiendfhip, with good wifhes on either fide. 
 
 ' Coming to town, with many friends from other 
 parts, it was foon known, and many were looking 
 what would be the iffue of things. William Sandwith 
 being there, he and fome others went to the judges, 
 and apprized them of matters and the cafe, and how 
 friends and I had been ufed by thefe high-church 
 perfecutors, especially the biiliop of Oflbry now here 
 at Kilkenny ; and Amos Strettell, and ibmc other 
 friends at Dublin, procured a letter from one-cf the 
 intended lords juftices to one of the judges (in his 
 private capacity, not being yet fworn) to fee that 
 juilice fhould be done us, for the government favoured 
 us, but our enemies and theirs proceeded under a 
 pretence of law that was not to be over ruled ; but 
 they inclined to do all they could in honour and 
 fafety, which was all we defired of them. 
 
 ' They fent for the flieriff to fee the calendar, and 
 n.)t finding the mittimus returned, they faw our adver- 
 faries had no mind to meddle againft us, but were 
 willing to drop it, which they rather advifed us to 
 overlook for that time, fmce we might in time have 
 our meetings free, which was all we defired; but that 
 evening one of the judges faid in open court, when 
 he gave the charge, that it was treafon in any to pull 
 down or deface any public, religious meeting-houfe ; 
 which going quickly through the town, many rejoiced 
 on our -account, it being a great flroke on our adver- 
 faries ; and I* made this conftru&ion of it, that as the 
 Ijotife was a circumftance and accommodation to the 
 n>eeters, who were of more regard than the houfc, 
 and it only regarded for their fakes, if it were treafon 
 to deface the houfe, how much more fo in thus dii-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 245 
 
 turbing and abufing thofe that met therein ? which 
 feme laying hold of, inculcated it among the people 
 to our further advantage upon oor enemies. 
 
 * i;:th. The next day (being the firfl of the week) 
 we appointed another meeting in the fame place, for 
 we were for the fame caufe dill, the liberty of the gof- 
 pel without fear of any, and went accordingly, and a 
 full meeting it was, and very comfortable and quiet to 
 all outward appearance ; but I had felt all the night 
 before an inward load and fling from fome corner or 
 other, and expected another bout, and fo it happened ; 
 for Patrick Henderfon kneeling down to prayer, in 
 the mean time came in the mayor's ferjeants, but. as 
 civilly as could be defired, and made no diflurbance 
 during the time of prayer, and one of them went out 
 again foon after, but the other flaid : a little after 
 prayer was ended, I flood up and fpake a while ; but 
 had not got well into the matter in my mind, till the 
 other ferjeant flood up, and with great reluftancy (for 
 we all believed it was miteh againft his will) and low 
 voice faid, he was fent of the mayor to command us 
 in the king's name to difperfe ; but quickly added, 
 but if you will not, I cannot compel you, nov have 
 any orders to force, and fo went civilly away. Thei> 
 I proceeded in my teflimony, many things opening to 
 the ftate of the people, particularly relating to the 
 duty of a. Chriilian, not to believe only, but alfo to 
 fufffr when thereunto called, and plainly fet forth the 
 nature and ground, of perfecution, fa tan the caufe, and 
 wicked men his inftruments in it ; as Cain, Jezabel, 
 the high-priefts, popes and prelates ; as they might ne.\v 
 fee in this prefent cafe, though but a fhadow to what 
 we had met with, not always by plain and opep vio- 
 lence, but more generally under the fpecious pretext 
 of law and right ; and then I concluded the meeting 
 in prayer. After the meeting was aver, we heard 
 that one of the churchwardens had been there, and 
 he and the ferjeant which difturbed us (for the other 
 
 <U
 
 246 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 X 
 
 faid he had been troubled in confcience fmce the firfl 
 time) were fent for by the bilhop, who in the hearing 
 of the judges (they dining there) examined them 
 about the meeting, what we were doing, and what 
 we faid. They told him we were at prayer when 
 they came in, and a good-like, black man, (meaning 
 P. Henderfon) prayed heartily and devoutly for the 
 king and him (the bifliop) too ; and all of them, for 
 he prayed for all in authority under him. 
 
 ' Then the bifhop aiked them if I had preached, 
 and the churchwarden faid I did ; upon which the 
 bifnop tendered him his oath, it being me his great 
 fpite and envy was bent againft chiefly. Then he 
 had the aft of uniformity of the i4th of Charles the 
 Second in England (but the i/th in Ireland) brought 
 before him, and difcourfed upon it with the judges, 
 he thinking it reached us, and would have pumped 
 the judges, and had their opinion on it, but they 
 were wifer than he, and faid nothing, but let him take 
 his own way ; for they were {launch friends to the 
 king's intereft, and were our friends, as knowing our 
 integrity to the king and 'his government, and fo the 
 biihop's rage and envy blinding him (if he could at 
 all underftand the a&) he firft gave a warrant and 
 mittimus in his own name, directed to the fheriff or 
 the town, to arrefl and commit me to the common 
 gaol for three months without bail or mainprize ; 
 where this antichriilian judge (for there are many 
 now as of old in the world) intended I ihould lie, 
 until the full time was expired, without any liberty as 
 before ; if either by hardfhip or otherwife (for I was 
 then but weak and tender) he had not murdeied me 
 in the mean time, for he had, before I went out of 
 the town, fent for the fheriff and reprimanded him 
 ihe.rply, for letting me go abroad in town upon my 
 firit commitment, threatening to have hi*.!i before the 
 Houfe of Lords the next feilion of Parliament. 
 
 * Our afternoon meeting this day bjdng over, which
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 247 
 
 was very peaceable (for now we had conquered him 
 fo far as that none disturbed us) I found a fecret 
 fling as I went to the inn with the friends, who lodged 
 there, from Dublin ; and we were there but a fhort 
 time, till I was told there was another warrant and 
 mittimus out againfl me from the bifhop, and then I 
 hailed to my quarters at the fheriff's houfe, where I 
 expected it ; and found that fuch a warrant had been 
 directed to the mayor, and lent to the fheriff to be 
 executed, but it not being directed to the fheriff, he 
 would not receive it, but fent it back to the mayor. 
 Then the bifhop, mayor, and alderman Connell, and 
 fome more confulted further, and found their error, 
 as to the bifhop's giving a warrant himfelf ; for all the 
 aft requires in the cafe for which it was made, is that 
 the bilhop, as ordinary, fhould certify the offence 
 (only relating to thofe of his own feet) to any two 
 juftices, or mayor, Sec. and then they to grant a war- 
 rant and mittimus, which nc*v the mayor granted 
 accordingly, a copy whereof followeth,, viz. 
 
 c City of Kilkenny, fs. By John Birch, Efq. 
 Mayor of the fuid cky. 
 
 e Whereas I received a certificate, under the hand 
 and feal of the right reverend father in God Thomas, 
 lord bifhop of Oflbry, in which he certifies, that 
 Thomas Story, a Quaker, did this day preach in the 
 f.id city of Kilkenny, contrary to the act of uniformity 
 made in the feventeench year of the reign of king 
 Charles the Second. 
 
 ' Thefe are .therefore in purfuance of the faid act 
 and certificate,, to will and require you, on fight 
 hereof, to apprehend the body of the faid Thomas 
 Story, and him .fo apprehended to convey to the com- 
 mon gaol of the faid city, there to remain for the 
 fpace of three months, without bail or mainprize ; 
 
 CL4
 
 248 THE RISE AND PROGR.ESS OF THE 
 
 whereof fail not at your peril, and for fo doing this 
 fhall be your warrant. Given under my hand and 
 feal this lyth day of March, 1716. 
 
 John Birch, Mayor.* 
 
 To the feveral Corftables and Officers 
 of the faid city. 
 
 ' This warrant the fame ferjeant, which came laft 
 in the forenoon to difturb our meeting, brought to 
 the fherifPs houfe now in the evening, but delayed 
 execution for an hour ; and in the mean time fome 
 friends advifed with fome counfellors of their acquaint- 
 ance in town at the aflizes ; and fome of them faid it 
 \vas in the nature of an execution, fo that it might be 
 more dangerous for the fheriff to give liberty, or let 
 me be in his houfe, than before, fo thai things looked 
 a little harder ; but as I had not read the aft for a 
 long time, and not remembering the tenor of it, I 
 thought there mud be fomething in it to jnilify their 
 proceedings, or elfe they would not have done it, and 
 fo was refigned in my mind to fubmit to it for the 
 truth's fake, and was very eafy, being in more danger 
 of too deep a refentment of their bafe and wicked 
 ufage of me, than of repining at the lofs of my liberty; 
 for I had a view of fome things to employ my time in, 
 which would have made my confinement much more 
 uneafy to the bifhop (who now I faw, and fo did every 
 body there, to be the author of all this perfecution 
 upon us) than to me, for the Lord was with me ; 
 after fome time the ferjeant came into the room (for 
 we let the door be open on purpofe) and ferved rqe 
 with a warrant ; but the flieriff faid, I fhould not go 
 out of his houfe that night however, come on it what 
 would, and fo I (laid there ; but the truth arifing in 
 me, I obferved the indignation thereof againil the 
 bimop, but no enmity in me againft him, as a man ; 
 and after a little inward concern that way, 1 fent for 
 the aft and read it carefully, and faw they were all
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 249 
 
 quire miftaken ; for the aft had no relation to us, or 
 our meetings or preaching, but to themfelves, the 
 priefts and bifhops only ; for after the coming in of 
 king Charles the fecond, there weie many priefts, 
 who in Oliver's days, had been in the benefices 
 (the bone of contention they ever ftiive for) and 
 finding the f\veet of them, would fain have held 
 them, and yet could not readily fwallow the Common 
 Prayer and fervices of the others, which they had 
 furioufly oppofed and rejefted fo lately before, till 
 this law forced them, which they generally complied 
 with rather than lofe their gains; which refpefted 
 only their o\vn priefts, to bring them all to one 
 fcamling, or uniformity of prayers and worfhip, or 
 image of it, but concerned no other. 
 
 ' Then, after a while, I told the fheriff it was falfe 
 imprifonment, and defired him and others to take 
 down in writing, what time I was arrefted, becaufc 
 there might be occafion for their evidence ; the 
 fherifF feemed a little furprized at it that the great 
 bifhop and his counfdlors ihould mifs it fo far, but 
 took no account of the time. 
 
 * The next morning, before I rofe (for I laid till 
 eight, being a little fatigued) feveral friends had been 
 wiih the judges, and they had given their thoughts 
 freely, how much this was againft the mind of the 
 government to difturb our meetings, and did not 
 doubt but this would do us fcrvice in the end ; how- 
 ever they advifed, that feeing how times ftood (the 
 talk of an invafion by the Swedes not beinp over, 
 and that town a dangerous place to be in priibn in) 
 if the bifhop would let me at liberty, they would have 
 me chufe it rather. Biu of this 1 had heard nothing, 
 nor would friends give ear, any more than I, to 
 make application to the bilhop, for that he wanted. 
 
 ' About nme in the morning, whilft I was at break- 
 faft, came the fame ferjeant that arrefted me, with a
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 melTage from the mayor, that he had taken up the 
 warrant and mittimus, and I was at liberty to go 
 where I pleafed, if I would accept of it. I told the 
 ferjeant he ought to fend me a liberate under his 
 hand and feal, and not think I was wholly at his 
 difpofal, to tofs in and out of prifon as he pleafed, 
 but had my remedy by law againft him and them 
 \vho had ufcd me thus. 
 
 ' Then alfo came feveral military officers to fee 
 me, and expreffed their great diflike, in their foldiery 
 way ; fome of them among themfelves, drinking 
 healths to king George, and all his loyal fubjecis, 
 and damnation to the pope and all rebels ; but I 
 difcountenanced that, faying we did not wifh hurt 
 to the fouls or bodies of any, though* we were greatly 
 engaged to love and honour the king, and be thank- 
 ful to od, as \ve truly were, for the liberty we en- 
 joyed under him. ' In all places,' faid one' of. the 
 officers, ' except in this Jacobite popifh town of Kil- 
 kenny, with whom we hope to be even ere long, 
 for all their affronts to the king and government.' 
 
 4 A little after this came the mayor himfclf to my 
 lodging, to tell me I was at liberty, for he had taken 
 up the mittimus and deftroyed it. I then told him, 
 fince that violence by which my juft liberty had been 
 obftrufted, was removed, it was now returned into 
 its own natural courfc, and if! could find it confiding 
 with what I profeffed, I mould confider of ways 
 and means how to do myfelf juftice againfl fuch vio- 
 lent and illegal proceedings ; but as it was a wrong 
 done me for the fake of my religion, I might probably 
 bear it with patience for that reafon, being fenfible 
 enough of the advantages I had of my enemies. He 
 made very litrle reply, but civilly departed. 
 
 ' After this I went to feveral places in town to take 
 leave of Inch of the magiftrates as had been friendly ; 
 for all the king's friends were fa, and fome papifts
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 25! 
 
 were troubled at tliefe proceedings, as working no 
 good for them. 
 
 6 Truth was honoured, and gained by all this, and 
 the eyes of many were opened to fee the bifhop and 
 his fpirit and party, and what many might expert if lie 
 and they fliould prevail ; and many tongues were let 
 loofe, after their feveral ways, to fpeak their f^nti- 
 ments, by all which our perfecutor and perfecutors 
 greatly loft ground, and fell quite fhort of thdr wicked 
 defigns. But before I departed the city, I met with 
 R. Connell, the peevifh tool of this proud bifhop, 
 and told him I was at liberty, which he pretended to 
 be furprized at ; but I told him if I had (laid longer 
 fome of them might have had the more to pay; for it 
 was falfe imprifonment, the aft they went upon being 
 about their own priefts. He defired me to go to his 
 houfe (being near) and fee the aft ; I told him I 
 had feen k already. Then faid he, ' I have as good 
 counfel as any in Ireland, that fays it does affect you.' 
 I replied, that I would debate it with all the counfel 
 in Ireland, and that it had no relation to us at all. 
 Then he wiftied me well, when he could do me no 
 more hurt, and fo I left him. 
 
 c iSth. That afternoon about three, I left the 
 town, mod friends being gone, feeing the thing at au 
 end, and went that evening home with Jofeph Firth, 
 to Ballinak'ill. 
 
 ' i gth. The next day we had a meeting there, 
 which was not large, but a good open meeting, the 
 Lord being near to comfort and refrefh us after fo 
 much fatigue ; for many friends thereabout came to 
 vifit me in my confinement, and fome or other were 
 always with me, and feveral from this place. The 
 earl of Donnegall was in this meeiing, and behaved 
 more foberly than he was known to do before, being 
 apt to be reftiefs and troublcfome at fome other 
 times; and that afternoon 1 went home with Julia
 
 252 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 Harris to Mountrath, who had been feveral times 
 with me at Kilkenny, and now had feen the conclufion. 
 
 6 2 1 ft. On the 2 i ft was their meeting day fthc 
 Fifth of the week). It was a large, open meeting, 
 many of the neighbourhood, papids and others, 
 being there, and a good time the Lord gave us to- 
 gether. 
 
 ' 23d. On the 23d I went to Mountmelick, lodging 
 at the widow Mary Bale's, and next day had a meet- 
 ing there in the forenoon, which confided modly of 
 friends, and was not very open, but larger in the 
 afternoon, feme of the neighbourhood coming in, 
 which I generally obferved frefhem meetings, and 
 many things were opened in the authority of truth, 
 to edification, confirmation, and comfort. " 
 
 ' ^6th. Here I tarried till the Third day after- 
 noon, and then fet forward towards Dublin, and that 
 night reached only Kildare, and the next day arrived 
 in Dublin, where I was kindly received and lodged 
 at my old quarters, with my friend Amos Strettcll, 
 and was at thtir meeting the Sixth day following, viz- 
 th ZQth, which was frefli and open, and we were 
 comforted together in the truth, which as the heavens 
 iranfcend the earth, exceeder.li all other enjoyments. 
 Hearing of a veflel bound for Chefter (and intending 
 for the Yearly meeting there), I took early care to 
 fecure my pafldge in it ; but the wind not anfwering, 
 I (laid the P'iril day following in Dublin, and the 
 meetings were very large, especially at Sycamore- 
 Alley, in the afternoon, where came together a great 
 concourfe of people (hardly a greater meeting feen 
 there) and things were open and well, and the 
 blefTcd truth over all, who is worthy above all for 
 ever. 
 
 ' The wind not anfwering, I daid dill at Dublin 
 till die Fifth day, and was at their Third day meeting, 
 where I .had f.jme time, things opening to many dates
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 253 
 
 very clofe, and I came away eafy, leaving the betrer 
 fort under good fatisfacVion, and many came to Tee me 
 before I went off, and among others captain Smith. 
 He had been in military of-ices, but being under fome 
 convincement, was at that time under great inward 
 ftruggles ; for having a commiffion for a captain of 
 dragoons then offered him, he would gladly have 
 feen it lawful for him, and confiding with truth to 
 accept the commiffion and fell it, not intending to aft 
 by it ; but upon fome private difcourie with him, he 
 was more ftraitened about it, and was very tender 
 and humble, and we parted in love and friendfhip, 
 he owning his fatisfaftion in that conference. 
 
 ' On the Fifth day, the 4th of the month, ac- 
 companied by feveral friends, I let off from Dublin 
 Bay, about two in the afternoon, with a freili.gale 
 about Weft, and the next day, about the fame time, 
 arrived at Park-Gate, on Chefter river, but that 
 evening, the waves being high, went on fhore there, 
 where we tarried that night at an inn, and next morn- 
 ing went up to Chefler, and lodged at the Golden 
 Talbot, an inn.* 
 
 In the year 1717, died Abigail Abbot, alias Smith, 
 at Moeg, near Charleville, in the province of Munfter. 
 She was daughter of Richard Boles of the fame place, 
 was married to one Smith, and after her hufband's 
 death was convinced by the miniftry of William 
 Bingley, about the year 1675, and about eight years 
 after her convincement was called to the miniftry. 
 She was an eloquent woman, of a rnajeftic prefence, 
 much admired and followed. She travelled on truth's 
 account both in this nation and in England, had 
 acceptable fervice in many places, and feveral perfons 
 were convinced by her miniftry. She was greatly 
 applauded by many, and being not ftrong enough to 
 bear praife, was tranfported into pride thereby, loft her
 
 THE RlS<E AND PR-CO RESS OF THE 
 
 gift, and fellowfhip with friends, and from the liigliefl 
 pitch of'ap'plaufc, fell into us Iowa degree of contempt. 
 It is certain however, that fhe became fenfible of her 
 fall, and fuiiered many bitter agonies on that account, 
 palling the latter years of her life in retirement, great 
 forrow, and mortification, and has left behind her 
 a pathetic paper of felf-condenination, which is here 
 annexed, as a caution to all thcfe that think they 
 {land, although in the higheft ftation, to take heed 
 left they fall. 
 
 Befides the following paper, flie alfo afterwards 
 drew up another, wherein fhe more particularly fpeci- 
 fied her mifcarriages, and warned thofe concerned in 
 the miniftry to watch againft that luctferian fpirit, 
 which would deck and adorn itfelf with the gifts and 
 graces of the Holy Spirit, and not to value themfelves 
 upon any gift which God beftows on them, becaufe 
 that opens a wide door for temptation, and was (as 
 ilie coafeileth) the firft inlet to all the miferies that 
 befel her : hence fhe grew impatient of contradi<5Hon, 
 and deaf to advice, and at length, in contempt of the 
 good order eftablifhed among friends, was married 
 by a prielt, to a man not in unity with them. 
 
 Her paper of condemnation, firft mentioned, was 
 as follows : 
 
 c Friends and people, 
 
 ' I once thought, that if I might gain all things 
 here below the fun, yet I would not commit the leait 
 fin knowingly againft God, who in years paft evi- 
 dently enlightened my understanding, when I was 
 fore afflifred in body and mind, and all comforts and 
 help of this tranfitory world failed me j and when I 
 concluded the true worfhip of God was generally hid 
 from mankind, for I knew of none that went heartily 
 enough about it, nor could I fufficiently bewail thole
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 2~5 
 
 infirmities and imperfections thai' apparently poiTeflfed 
 and hindered that great work in me, and which I 
 feared too many concluded themfelves fecure in on 
 eafier terms. Thus, in a day of great diflrefs, the 
 Lord was pleafed to bring down my mind, and re- 
 duce my fpirit into a calm. Then did occur many 
 things which before ilept unfeen to me, for I plainly 
 faw I need not afcend, nor defcend, to look for 
 Chrift, the true Light, that enlightens every man 
 that comes into the world, for his quick and powerful 
 word was in my heart, which teaches to deny every 
 evil and vain thought, by the learning of which a man 
 becomes godly ; and fo the peace of God is (hed 
 abroad in the heart, even in this prefent world ; 
 and in this quiet, peaceable, and comfortable condition, 
 or eflate, I refted with God and in his will in all 
 things, withdrawing myfelf from fociety with any 
 fort of people, having proved many. 
 
 ' At this time feme faid I was a Quaker, ard that 
 I knew it not, which thing I put far from me, not 
 thinking it worth my while to confider thofe that 
 were more fpoken againft than any I knew, as a poor, 
 whimfical people, led by an erroneous fpirit : nay, to 
 the degree of bewitching people. But fome time after 
 this, my heart being drawn near to God in a fpirit of 
 fupplication to him, that he would daily renew a right 
 fpirit within me, then thefe people called Quakers, 
 came afrefh into my mind, with much fatisfacftion in 
 myfelf, that I might feck them, to know them 
 whom perhaps the world was ignorant of. This 
 was the iirft moving caufe that brought me acquainted 
 with thofe people ; and finding them to be an inward 
 people, owning thefpiritual light and life which comes 
 by Jefus Chrift, and makes manifeft, and reproves 
 the works of darknefs in the hearts of the children of 
 men, c. to the end that Chrift might rule and reign 
 in his temple ; for this I loved them, and defired 
 fello'ihip with them, and after fome time their love
 
 256 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 to me in Chrift was great, with whom God not only 
 joined me in fociety, but in a fweet union and fellow- 
 fhip, and with them made me partake of many feafons 
 of divine confolations and refrefhments, which he 
 vouchfafed from his prcfence, and alfo gave me power 
 to declare to many, the juftice and mercy of Almighty 
 God which is in Chrifl Jefus, whofe powerful Spirit 
 fo attended me in it, as not only filenced gainfayers, 
 but extorted an aiTent to the truth thereof. 
 
 * And now, O all people, which of you could think 
 that fuch an one as I, whom God fo evidently and 
 grarioufly vifited with exceeding kindnefs, and as a 
 tender father lifred up the light of his countenance 
 on me, fhould fall away ? He led me by the hand, 
 and forfook me not in .my diftrefles, but fupported me 
 through many exercifes, till he conduced me out of 
 thofe things, and out of that eftate to which his wrath 
 by an eternal decree belonged, and in matchlefs mercy 
 brought me into that eftate, wherein I found peace 
 and comfort with God, and alfo brought me to an 
 acquaintance with that people, with whom he alfo 
 dealt as he did with me, having an evidence in 
 my confcience, from my own experience, that they 
 were a chofen people of God. Yet let none wonder, 
 but let all hear, fear, and tremble, with watching and 
 prayer continually, left any thinking they {land, might 
 fall ; for the enemy of man's foul is as bufy now, as 
 ever he was in all ages, ftar.es and conditions ; and 
 woe is me, that I, 'by not keeping watchful, in true 
 humility before the Lord, have done difmally foolifh, 
 by letting in a high mind contrary to the mind of 
 Chrift, who would always have preferved me, had I 
 kept near him in my firft fimplicity ; for it is an ever- 
 lafting truth, there is no eftate higher to be attained 
 on this fide the grave, than a truly humble watchful 
 ftate, which I neglected, and by reafon of this I 
 heldfaft deceit, and re fu fed. to return, which many of 
 the Lord's people faw, who truly loved me, and
 
 PEOPLE CALLED 'QUAKERS. 257 
 
 tenderJy admoniflied me with in any tears oftentimes ; 
 but the enemy of my foul fo prevailed over me, and 
 darkened my undei (landing, that 1 thought they were 
 too fevere with me, from whence a prejudice arofe in 
 my vile heart againft them, and 1 had not room left 
 in me to receive their ChriPdan counfel and admoni- 
 tion ; that in time my underflanding was fo clouded, 
 through a murmuring fpirit which foured my mind 
 and perverted my judgment to that degree, that when 
 my friends refufed to let me take my now hufband 
 in their aflemblies on my own terms, I foolifhly con- 
 cluded, that though I went from the people of the. 
 Lord to marry my hufband with a miniiler of the 
 world's people, yet the Lord would {till be with me 
 as before, feeing he had brought me near himfeif 
 before I knew them : thus Sampfon-like, who flept 
 on the lap of his Delilah, I knew not that my ftrengtri 
 was departed from me, and fo, rafhly and refolutely, 
 I rufhed into the congregation of the dead, as a dog 
 returns to his vomit, which thing was difpleafing to 
 God, and afflicting to his people, and fo accomplished 
 my defign, which gave date to many miferies and un- 
 fpeakal)!e ibrrows, which can never be repaired by 
 only crying peccavi. And the Lord in his juftice 
 raifed many and ftrong enemies agaiufl me on every 
 fide ; but no lion roared like that in my own bofom, 
 though thofe without afflicted me forely ; from which 
 proceeded frettings, quarrellings, wranglings, and 
 boilings of heart ; but all this forwardnefs in me (.'-id 
 but add florm to ftorm, fling to fting, and burden 
 to burden ; all which the ever-merciful God, in his 
 time, made me fenfible of, how much precious time 
 I had fpent in mufing how to get out of fuch. a trouble, 
 how to get off fuch and fuch a burden, and how to 
 revenge myfelf of fuch and fuch a wrong. This, I 
 fay, the Lord made me fenfible of, that it was he 
 himfelf was the chief agent, and had the greateft 
 hand in all myjufland great uffii^ionsj and it was he 
 VOL. III. R
 
 THE RISE ANt> ?R,06RES$ OF 
 
 that was to be eyed and owned, and not any fe~ 
 condary caufe ; and he is juft in all that is brought 
 upon me, and I have done exceeding wickedly j and 
 \vhen I confider the truth of this, it enables me to 
 bear with much patience all that God is pleafed to 
 difpenfe to me, which hitherto hath been too little, I 
 greatly fear, for fuch an one as I, who at once 
 abandoned both my religion and my reafon too* 
 by acting fucH prodigious and premeditated wicked- 
 nefs ; fo that I have nothing to excufe or (helter me 
 from the ftrpke of divine juflice, it makes fo direftly 
 at me ; who by not only acting counter to all I have 
 profefied and declared of, but alfo by my great folly, 
 have given occafion to the adverfaries of the Lord's 
 truth to rejoice and to fpeak evil of the fpirit of truth, 
 another than which will never be revealed, which is 
 Chrid the way ; and I greatly fear I have been a 
 ftumbling-block in that to many. This great wicked- 
 nefs I myfelf have done, by not keeping the body .of 
 fin under } but I do not complain becaufe of my pu- 
 nifhment, for I have greatly finned ; and O how can 
 I fufficiently bewail, mourn, weep, and lament !, O, 
 what pangs, fighs, and tears, can expiate my guilt ? 
 Doubtlefs many fhaJl be turned into hell, who never 
 finned againfl fo clear a light, efpecial love, and pre- 
 cious mercies, fuch clofe and (Irong reafonings of the 
 fpirit, and deep convictions of confcierice, as I have 
 done. What lamentations (hall I take up for the lof* 
 of the prefence of God, which I once had with my 
 fpirit, and thofe melting, warming, quickening joys, 
 . in which I found peace with God, whofe free mercies 
 pardoned all my fins, and \vhofe grace adorned my 
 foul. Oh, how can I now but wax hot againft myfelf, 
 and be contented to be trodden under foot by all, as 
 mire in the ftreets ; for mifery is my portion ; and as 
 for any comfort, I refer that to God's will only ; 
 for could I pour out a fea of tears, yet then could I 
 not defcrve any thing but the fitry torments of God's
 
 CALLED QUAKERS* 259 
 
 hot difpleafure ; and O that the Lord would not 
 fpare his {harp rod, nor withhold his judgments, nor 
 the pangs of hell from before mine eyes, until he^ 
 through the mercy and love which is in Chrift Jefus, 
 redeem my foul thereby, and clothe me with his 
 righteoufnefs once more, before I go hence ; for 
 furely no fin (hall pafs unrevenged, neither great nor 
 fmall, in this world, or in the world to come. 
 
 ' And O, all you who have been enlightened, and 
 have tafted how good God is, and have known fome- 
 thing of the powers of the world to come, and yet 
 remain lukewarm, or are fallen with me, though not 
 into fuch a deep pit of mire, as to dafh dirt in the 
 face of God's truth, and people, as I have done j 
 for I know none can parallel me in this our age ; 
 furely none fo wicked as I, who have difhonoured 
 the holy name of God, and on his. pure religion 
 brought reproach ; weak faints I have difcouraged ; 
 my own confcience is wounded and my foul en- 
 dangered, my candle is put out, my crown is fallen 
 from my head which once covered it, and by which I 
 had knowledge and fkill how to behave myfelf in the 
 church of God : I am dripped naked, and fpoiled 
 of all that excellency with which God adorned me. 
 O, that all you might be warned, and with me call to 
 mind whence we are fallen, and do our firft works, 
 and bring forth every forbidden and accurfed thing 
 which hath occafioned our fall, and the (tumbling of 
 many ; and let us make confeffion to God, and give 
 glory to him ; for had all who have made profeflion 
 of the everlafling gofpel, which is the power of God, 
 been faithful in their day, O, what a conqueft would 
 have been gained over the world that lies in wicked- 
 nefs before now ; but I am here filenced, for I am 
 one that has fled before the Lord's enemies, the 
 accurfed thing was in my own heart j and it hath 
 given caufe to the heathen to fay, ' The Lord of 
 Holts, whom we truited in, is not able to fave us/ 
 
 R 2
 
 THE RISE AND. PROGRESS OF 
 
 C), friends, what have we done that have not 
 been faithful to God? And it is fealed from God 
 upon my fpirit, that the Lord is jealous for his ho- 
 nour, and he hatb given fpace to me and many more 
 to repent, and there remains but a little time behind 
 ere many of us fball be cut off out of the land of the 
 living for ever, except we fpeedily repent, and double 
 our diligence, and cry to the Lord with all our hearts 
 in a fenfe of ovir own vilenefs, and of the great wrath 
 we lie under if the Lord Ihould take us away in his 
 fore difpleafure : and O, that nry eyes may not ileep, 
 jior my head nor heart reft, till the Lord (hew mercy, 
 and turn from his fierce wrath, and have pity on us ! 
 And I delire none may think that this is lent a-broad 
 into the world, which may laft amongft men when- 1 
 am gone to my place, to pleafe any focirty or ft- ft of 
 people v\hatfoever, any farther than God might be 
 glorified, and his blefled fpirit of truth, which lights 
 and guides ail people into happinefs that will be led 
 by it; I fay, that this might be refcued from the 
 tongues of a multitude of ungodly men, into whofe 
 hands I have betrayed the Lord of life as much as in 
 me lay, Judas-like. Woe is me, feeing I have done 
 nothing, nor can do any thing to wipe away this 
 great reproach which I have brought; only this I 
 would have all know, this great, great fault and fin, 
 is mine; I take it to myfelf; forrow, trouble, and 
 great affliction is my due 1 ; I take it home to myfelf as 
 the fruit of my own doings, from the hand of the 
 Lord that is jealous of his honour ; and though he is 
 loug-fufferiug and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity 
 and tranfgreilions, yet by no means clearing the guilty ; 
 they (hall not go unpunifhed, either in this world, or 
 in the world to come. And O, that a fpirit of for- 
 givenefs from the Lord may reft upon ihe hearts of 
 all that truly fear him, fo as that they may heartily 
 c'ciire that a fpirit of judgment from the Lord may
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 reft upon me here to the purifying of my foul, fo that 
 1 might reft with him hereafter for ever and ever. 
 Amen.' ' Abigail Abbot.' 
 
 The book called < The Spirit of the Martyrs re- 
 vived,' (1718) being an abridgment of the hiflory 
 of the martyrs, was now ordered to be printed, for 
 the benefit of youth and others. 
 
 In .the year 1718, and about the {ixty-foiitth of his 
 age, died Samuel Randal, near Cork, whofe qualiii- 
 .catiohs and good fervices as an elder, though he had 
 not a publick gift .in' the miniflry, defervc to be com- 
 memorated. His grave and folid converfajion, \vheu 
 jbiit a youth, adorned his Chriftian profellion ; but 
 in the ftation of an elder he was iruly deferving of 
 double honour, being not only a good example him- 
 felf in plainnefs, temperance, and juflice among men, 
 but alfo zealoufly concerned for the honour of God 
 and promotion of truth ; and that Chriftian difcipline 
 and good order might be maintained among the pro- 
 fefTors thereof, and juflice and judgment duly exer- 
 cifed on loofe and difordcrly walkers, and our Chriftian 
 profefTi >n be thereby cleared of the reproach and 
 fcandal which was by fuch brought upon it ; and in 
 his dealings with particular perlonsj or families, he 
 discharged his duty faithfully, and without refpect of 
 pcrfons. And as he was fenfible that the converfatioa 
 of the, world, and the eager purfuit after tke riches 
 and grandeur thereof, had proved-h.Rrtfi.il to. many in 
 their fpiritual condition, he was tenderly engaged to 
 be exemplary in his own condi 0: in that refpeft ; for 
 when probable profpefts of ccinliderable opportunities 
 of worldly gain prefented- themfelves, he often de- 
 clined embracing them for truth's and example's fake. 
 He was cheerfully givqn, up to the fervice of truth, 
 not only at home, but; by a conflant attendance of 
 bo.ch national and provincial meetings for many years, 
 h\ winrer as well as fummer, : until natural (trength.
 
 262 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 failed. He died in unity with the brethren, peace 
 with God. and a calm resignation to his holy will. 
 
 The fame year died alfo Margaret Hoare, alias 
 Satterthwaite, concerning whom we have the follow- 
 ing teftimony : that her conversion was exemplary 
 and edifying as became a minifter of Chrift. She was 
 of a good underftanding, and her conduct attended 
 with great fcbriety, humility, and prudence. She 
 had an excellent gift in the nr.niftry, which was as 
 well doctrinal, as fweetly comfortable and edifying ; 
 and fhe travelled frequently on this-account, both in 
 England and Ireland, and had meetings not only 
 among friends, but Grangers ; and when at home, 
 was very ferviceable in vifiting friends families, and 
 doing other good offices in the church. 
 
 In her laft ficknefs (he plainly triumphed over death, 
 fiying that her filvation was lealed to her ; and near 
 the time of her departure, uttered thefe, among other 
 fweet and excellent expreffions to fome friends about 
 her : * Remember 'my dear love to all my dear friends, 
 and tell them, I am go'>ngto my God, and thei God, 
 to my King, and their King. I have a clear confcience, 
 void of offence towards God, and towards all men : 
 jny foul doth magnify the Lord,' &c. 
 
 In the year 1719, and eightieth of his age, died 
 Robert Hoope, of Lurgan, in the county of Armagh, 
 a native of Skelton near Gifborough in Yorkfhire, 
 who came into Ireland in the year 1660, He was 
 educated a Proteftant after the manner of the church 
 of England ; and continued fuch until feveral doubts 
 concerning matters c'/f religion began to poffefs his 
 rnind ; which at length, about the year 160^7 or 1668, 
 were effectually cleared up, by the powerful mjniflry 
 qf that faithful fervant of Chrifl, Thomas Loe, who 
 was r.hen vifiting thpfe parts in the fervice of the gof- 
 pel ; and from that time he .always affembled himfelf 
 with the people called Quakers, although he met with 
 lijany perfccutions and trials by impriibnment, and
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 fufferings of many kinds. In fome few years after his 
 convincement, it pleafcd God to beftow upon him a 
 gift in the miniftry, in the exercife of which he la- 
 boured faithfully, to the edification of fouls ; and 
 although his preaching was not with eloquence of 
 fpeech, yet it was attended with life and power. 
 He was a plain, found hearted man, free from often- 
 tation, a peace maker, a true difciple and follower 
 of Jefus in felf-denial, and preferring the glories of 
 the heavenly kingdom before the perilhing riches of 
 this world, of which he gave a fignal proof in the 
 latter part of his life, having, for the fpace of about 
 twenty years before his deceafe, when his health and 
 capacity might have allowed him to purfue the affairs 
 of this life with a profpeft of an increafe of outward 
 riches, feparated himfelf from the incumbrances of 
 the world, living a life of folitude and meditation, 
 and devoting himfelf to the fervice and promotion of 
 truth. 
 
 The years 1718 and 1719 were memorable for 
 the firft advances towards the deliverance of friends 
 from the fufferings to which they had long been 
 liable, on account of their confcientious refufal to 
 fwear. Great fufferings having lately attended them 
 on this occafion, particularly by litigious, wicked per- 
 fons, filing bills in Chancery againil them, where 
 their anfwers would not be admitted without an oath, 
 (a grievance they had long laboured under *) it was 
 now concluded, that endeavours fhould be ufed, if 
 a plain affirmation, or fuch as might be eafy to all 
 friends, could not be obtained, to get a claufe in a 
 proper bill to impower the chancellor, and the barons 
 of the exchequer, to receive friends anfwers without 
 an oath, where, and in fuch cafes as they may think 
 convenient ; which endeavours were crowned with a 
 happy fuccefs : for in the year 1719, in an aft of 
 parliament, intituled, ' An Aft for the Amendment of 
 
 * See above, in the year 1673. 
 R4
 
 264 THE RISE AND PROGRESS,, &.C. 
 
 the Law' &c. a claufe was obtained, allowing friends-' 
 anfwers to bills in Chancery upon their fclcmn affir- 
 mation, and producing a certificate figned by fix 
 credible friends. The fame year alfo a claufe was 
 obtained in an acl: paffed for exempting Protcftant 
 diifcnters from certain penalties they were liable unto, 
 allowing friends the privilege (in common with other 
 Proteflant difTemers) of worlhipping God according 
 to their confcience, without molefhrion, viz. it wa 
 hereby ejha&ed', fc 'iha* theibtute of the zd of qucea 
 Elizabeth, for the uniformity cf the Common Prayer, 
 &c. whereby all peiions are required to refort to 
 their parifh church or chapel, or fome ufual place 
 of Common Prayer, &c, mall not extend to any 
 Proteftant diflaner who dial! take the oaths of fidelity, 
 &c. provided that the place of meeting be cer.ifkd 
 to the bifhop of the diocefe, or to the archdeacon, 
 ortojuflices of the peace at the qucirter-feffions, and 
 that the affembly be not held with the doors locked, 
 barred, or bolted; and every quaker who Hull make 
 or fubfcribe the declaration of fidelity to king George, 
 of renouncing the pope and pretender, with the doc- 
 trines of purgatory, iranfubftamiatlon, &c. fliall be 
 exempted from all penalties in the aforelaid aft, an,d 
 fliall enjoy all the like privileges and advantages as 
 other Proteflant diflenrers.
 
 THE 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 OF THE PEOPLE CALLED 
 
 IKT 
 
 IRELAND. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 From the regiftcrmg of Friends Meeting-boufes, in the 
 year 1719, to the year 1751 . The Church in danger 
 from a [pint of libertintfm and luke-warmnefs, in 
 the time of outward peace and freedom. The folemn 
 affirmation firft granted to Friends of England^ through 
 jhe joint felicitation of Friends of that and this nation^ 
 and afterwards extended to Friends of Ireland.-* 
 Divers Vifits to Friends and Strangers , for the pro* 
 motion of the Chrijiian Dottrine and Difcipline. Sum- 
 wary of the lives , characters, and.fpiritual exercifes 
 fif divers of their eminent Minifters and Elders. 
 Chronological Tables of the Jirft Settlement of the 
 fever al Meetings in Ireland, and of the Vifits of 
 niniftering Friends : as alfo, a Jummary view of thf 
 Sufferings of this People, from the beginning to ike 
 prefent Year* 
 
 is obfervable, that in 'this time of outward peace, 
 and freedom from fufferings of divers kinds (1720), 
 to which Friends formerly had been expofed, caufe 
 was given for complaints at the Third month national 
 meeting, 1720, of the breach of minutes, through 
 the prevalence of a loofe libertine fpirit among many
 
 266 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 of our youth, and a carelefs, fleepy, flothful fpirit, 
 with refpeft to religious duties, among Come more 
 aged ; and particularly about this time (1721) friends 
 were greatly afflicted on an obfervation of the fail-ings 
 of forae, in relation to their trading and dealing be- 
 yond the bounds of truth and moderation, to the 
 invading the property of others, and obftrud'ipn of 
 the progrefs of truth ; and complaint was made of 
 the negligence of divers parents in educating their 
 children in honeft and fuitable employments, of pride 
 in apparel, and the high living of foir.e above their 
 circumftances, to the difhonour of truth, their own 
 hurt, and the trouble of the church. Now in order 
 to flop the progrefs of thefe evils, a provifional vifit 
 Tvas made to the feveral monthly meetings in the 
 provinces of Leiniler and Ulfter ; and likewife a cer- 
 tain paper intiiled, c A brief and ferious Warning to 
 fnch as are concerned in Commerce and Trading, 
 \vho go under the profeffion of Truth, to keep within 
 the bounds thereof, ip Righteoufnefs, Juflice, and 
 Honefty, to all Men,' written by Ambrofe Rigg, 
 was now reprinted for a general fervice, which was 
 as followeth : 
 
 c Many days and months, yea, fome years, hath 
 my life been oppreffed, and my fpirit grieved, to fee 
 and hear of the uneven walking of many, who have 
 a name to live, and profefs the knowledge of .God 
 in words, yea, and alfo of fome who have tailed of 
 the good word of God, and have been made partakers 
 of the powers of the world to come, and have re- 
 ceived the heavenly gift and grace of God, which 
 teacheth all who walk in it, to deny all ungodlinefs 
 au4 worldly lufls, and to live foberly, honeftly, and 
 righteoufly in this prefent world ; whofe faithfulnefs 
 (with great reafon) hath been expefted to God in 
 things of the higheft concern, and to have walked 
 as lights in the world, and in all faithfulnefs both to
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 267 
 
 God and man, to have flood as living monuments of 
 the mercies of the Lord, letting their lights fo fhine 
 before men, that they might fee their good works, 
 both in fpirimal and temporal concerns ; and fo might 
 have honoured and glorified God in their day and 
 generation, and have convinced or confounded gain- 
 fayers, putting to iilence the ignorance of foolifh men; 
 whereby the worthy name of the Lord, by which, 
 they have been called, might have been renowned 
 through the earth ; and his precious truth and glory 
 fpread to the ends of it ; that many through the be- 
 holding their good and exemplary converfation in 
 Chrift, coupled with the holy fear of God, might 
 have defired to lay hold of the ikirt of a Chriflian 
 indeed, whofe praife is not of men, but of God. 
 
 ' Thefe are the fruits which we have laboured and 
 travailed for, through many and great tribulations, 
 that many might be turned to righteoufnefs, and that 
 the knowledge of the power and glory of the Lord 
 might cover the earth, even as the waters do the 
 fea. This was, and is, our only end and defign, 
 which, blefTed be the Lord, many are witneffes of, 
 and eftablifhed in, to our abundant joy and comfort. 
 But there are fome amongft us, who have not walked 
 humbly with the Lord, as he hath required, nor 
 kept in that low eflate ; neither inwardly nor otit- 
 wardly, which becometh fuch who are travelling up 
 to Zion, with their faces thitherward ; but have 
 launched from the rock which is firm and fure, into 
 the great fea of troubles and uncertainty, where fomc 
 have .been drowned, others hardly efcaping, and 
 many yet labouring for the fhore, with little hopes 
 of coming at it ; who have not only brought them- 
 felyes in danger of fufFering fliipwreck, but have drawn 
 in others, and have endangered them alfo ; which 
 hath opened the mouths of the enemies of Zion's 
 welfare, to blafpheme his great and glorious name ; 
 hath eclipfcd the luilre of the glorious Sun of
 
 268 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 Righteoufnefs, both in city and in country: this is a 
 crying evil, and ought not to go unreproved, and 
 that with a fevere countenance ; for God is angry 
 with if, and will alTuredly puniih it. 
 
 Many have got credit upon the account of truth, 
 becauft: at the beginning it did, and doth dill, lead 
 all, who were and are faithful to it, to faithfulnefs 
 and truth, even in the unrighteous mammon, and 
 to let their Yea be Yea, and their Nay be Nay, 
 even between man and man in outward things ; fa 
 that many would have credited one that was called a 
 Quaker with much, and many I believe did merely 
 upon thit account, fome whereof, I doubt, havejufl 
 caufe to repent of it already: but if truth and righ- 
 teoufnefs had been lived in by all who profefs it, 
 there had been no fuch occafion given : for they 
 who ftHl retain their integrity to the truth and life of 
 righteoufnefs manifefled, can live with a cup of water, 
 and a morfel of bread in a cottage, before they can, 
 hazard other mens eflates to advance their own. 
 Such are not forward to borrow, nor to complain 
 for want ; for their eye and truft is to the Lord their 
 preferver and upholder, and he hath continued the 
 little meal in the barrel, and the oil in the crufe hath 
 not failed to fuch, till God hath fent further help j 
 this is certainly known to a remnant at this day, 
 * c who have coveted no man's filver, gold, or apparel, 
 but have and do labour with their hands night and 
 day, that the gofpel may be without charge." 
 
 ' It is fo far below the nob'lity of Chriitianity, that 
 it is fhort of common civility and honed fociety 
 amongfr. men, to twift into mens eilates, and borrov? 
 upon tiie truth's credit (gained by the jufl and up- 
 right dealing of the faithful) more than they certainly 
 know their own cftates are like to anfwer ; and with 
 what they borrow, reach after great things in the 
 world, appearing to men to br; what in the fight of 
 Gcid and truth they are not ; feeking to compufs great
 
 1'EOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 269 
 
 gain to themfelvcs, whereby to make themfelves or 
 children rich or great in the world : this I teftify for 
 the Lord God is deceit and hypocrify, and will be 
 blafted with the breath of his mouth j and we have 
 feen it blaftcd already. 
 
 ' And that eftate that is got either with the rending, 
 or with the hazard of rending another man's, is 
 neither honeftly got, nor can be bit-fled in the pof- 
 fefTion : for he that borrows money of another, if 
 the money lent be either the lender's proper eflate, 
 or part of it, or orphan's money that he is entrufted 
 withal, or widow's, or fome fuch, who would not let 
 it go, but upon certain good fecurity, and to have 
 the valuable confideration of its improvement; and the 
 borrower, though he hath little or no real or perfona! 
 eflate of his own, but hath got fome credit, either 
 as he is a profeflbr of the truth, or otherwife, and 
 hath (it may be) a little houfe, and a fmall trade, 
 it may be enough to a low and contented mind ; but 
 then the enemy gets in, and works in his mind, 
 and he begins to think of. an higher tiade and a 
 finer houfe, and to live more at eafe and pleafure in 
 the world, and then contrives how he may borrow 
 of this and the other; and when accomplished accor- 
 ding to his defire, then he begins to undertake great 
 things, and get into a fine houfe, and g ther rich 
 furniture and goods together, launching prefently into 
 the ftrong torrent of a great trade, and then makes a 
 great fhew, beyond what really he is, which is dif- 
 honefty. And if he accomplifh his intended purpofe, 
 to raife himfelf in the world, it is with the hazard, 
 at lead, of other men's ruin, which is unjuft ; but if 
 he falls fliort of his expectation, as commonly fuch do, 
 > then he doth not only ruin others, but himfelf alfo, 
 and brings a great reproach upon the bleffed truth he 
 profeiTeth, which is worfe than all ; and this hath 
 already been manifefted in a great meafure, and by 
 id experience witndfcd. But the honeft, upright,
 
 270 . THE RISE AKD PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 heart and mind knows how to want, as well as how 
 to abound, having learned content in all ftates and 
 conditions ; a fmall cottage and a little trade is fuffi- 
 cient to that mind, and it never wants what is fufiicient : 
 for He that clothes the lilies, add feeds the ravens, 
 cares for all who trufl" in him, as it is at this day 
 witnefled, praifes to God on high ; and that man 
 hath no glory in, nor mind out after, 4 iuperfluous or 
 needlefs, rich hangings, -coftly furniture, fine tables, 
 great treats, curious beds, veffels of filver, or vefTels 
 of gold, the very poffcilion of which creates envy,' as 
 (aid the ancient Chriflian, Clemens Alexandrinus. 
 Paedag. lib. 2. cap. 3. p. 160, 161. 
 
 < The way to be rich and happy in this world is. 
 firft to learn righteoufnefs ; for fuch were never for- 
 faken in any age, nor their feed begged bread, And 
 charge all parents of children, that they keep their 
 children low and plain in meat, drink, and apparel, 
 and every thing elfe,and in due fubje&ion to all juft and 
 reafonable commands ; and let them not appear above 
 the real eftaies of their parents, nor get up in pride 
 and high things though their parents have plentiful 
 eftates ; for that is of dangerous confequence to their 
 future happinefs. And let all who profefs the truth, 
 both young and old, rich and poor,' fee that they 
 walk according to the rule and difcipline of the got- 
 pel, in all godly converfation and honefly, that none 
 may fufFer wrong by them in any matter or thing 
 whatever : that as the apoftle exhorted, " they may 
 owe nothing to any man, but to love one another ; 
 for love out of a pure heart is the fulfilling of the law:" 
 which law commands to do juflly to all men : and 
 he that hath but little, let him live according to that 
 little, and appear to be what in truth he is ; for above 
 all God abhors the hypocrite, and he that makes hafle 
 to be rich, falls into fnares, temptations, and many 
 noifome and hurtful lufts, (i Tim. vi. 9), which drown 
 many in perdition ; " and the love of money is
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 27! 
 
 the root of all evil, which while fome have lufted 
 after, they have erred from the faith, and compalTed 
 themfelves about with many forrows." (i Tim. vi. 10,) 
 * For preventing this growing evil for the time to 
 come, let fuch by faithful friends be exhorted, who 
 cither live without due care, fpending above what 
 they are able to pay for, or run into great trades, 
 beyond what they can in honefty and truth manage, 
 and let them be tenderly admonifhed of fuch their 
 undertakings; this will not offend the lowly, upright 
 mind ; neither will the hon eft-minded, who through 
 a temptation may be drawn into fuch a fnare and 
 danger, take any occaiion to {tumble, becaufe his 
 deeds are brought to light. And if after mature de- 
 liberation, any are manifefled to be run into any 
 danger of falling, or pulling others down with them, 
 let them be faithfully dealt withal in time, before 
 hope of recovery be loft, by honed, faithful friends, 
 who are clear of fuch things themfelves, and be ad- 
 monifhed to pay what they have borrowed, faithfully 
 and in due time, and be "content with their own, and 
 to labour with their own hands in the thing that is 
 honed, that they may have wherewith to give to hint 
 that needeth, knowing that it is more bleffed to give 
 than to receive. (Acts xxii. 3 5). And if they hear, 
 and are thereby recovered, you will not count your 
 labour loft ; but if they be high, and refufe admoni- 
 tion, it is a manifeft fign all is not well. Let fuch be 
 admonimed again by more friends, and warned of the 
 danger before them ; and if they ftill refufe and reject 
 counfel and admonition, then lay it before the meeting 
 concerned about truth's affairs, to which they do be- 
 long; and if they refufe to hear them, then let a tefti- 
 mony go forth againft fuch their proceedings and under- 
 takings, as not being agreeable to the truth, nor the 
 teftimony of a good confcience, neither in the fight of 
 God nor man ; this will be a terror to evil-doers of 
 this kind, and a praife, encouragement, and refrelh-
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 ment to them who do. well, and nothing will be loll 
 that is worth faving, by this care: for he that doth 
 truth, whether in fpiritual or temporal matters, will 
 willingly bring his deeds to light, that they may be 
 manifefted to all, that they are wrought in God. 
 
 ' Thefe things lay weightily upon me, and I may 
 truly fay, in the fight of God, I writ them in a great 
 crofs to my own will, for I delight not, nay, my foul 
 is bowed down, at the occafion of writing fuch things ; 
 but there is no remedy, the name of the Lord has 
 been, and is likely to be greatly dishonoured, if things 
 of this nature be not flopped, or prevented for time 
 to come : therefore I befeech yop all, who have the 
 weight and fenfe of thefe things upon you, let fome 
 fpetdy and effectual courfe be taken to prevent what 
 poffibly we may, both in this and all other things, 
 that may any way cloud the glory of that fun, which 
 is rifen amongfl us ; and make this publick, and 
 fent it abroad to be read in true fear and reverence, 
 and let all concerned be faithfully .and plainly warned, 
 without refpcft of perfons, by faithful friends, who 
 have the care of God's glory, and his churches peace 
 and profperity upon them : fo will the majcfty and 
 glory of God fh'me upon your heads, and you fhall 
 be a good favour of life, both in them that are faved, 
 and in them that are loft.* 
 
 ' Written by one who longs to fee rightcoofncff 
 exalted, and ail deceit confounded. 
 
 ' Ambrofe Rigge.' 
 
 Catton Place, in Surry, the i6th of the 
 Eleventh Month, 1678. 
 
 This year (1721) divers friends, according to 
 former practice, by appointment of the national meet- 
 ing went over to attend the Yearly meeting at London ; 
 and particularly Thomas Wilfon, who not only vifited 
 friends there in the fervice of the gofpel, but tarried 
 a confiderable time at London, where he juned his 
 afliftance to friends there, who wire folic'.ting for
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 273 
 
 eafe in the folemn affirmation j and it pleafed the 
 Lord to blefs their endeavours with fuccefs, the king 
 and parliament granting fiich an amendment in the 
 affirmation as made it eafy to all friends, to their no 
 fmall comfort and joy ; which laid the foundation 
 for the fame indulgence afterwards granted alfo to 
 friends of this nation, as we (hall fee in due time. 
 
 The form of the firft affirmation granted to friends 
 in England, in the year 1696, was as follows: ' I 
 A. B. do declare, in the prefence of Almighty God, 
 the witnefs of the truth of what I fay.' 
 
 The form of the affirmation granted this year- to 
 friends of England, and afterwards to friends of Ire- 
 land, to univerfal iatisfa&ion, was this: 'I, A. B. 
 do folemnly, fincerely and truly, declare and affirm.'* 
 
 In the year 1721 died, JohnExham of Charleville, 
 having been convinced whilfl a foldier, about the 
 year 1658, and being faithful, according to his fenfe 
 of his duty, he became zealoufly concerned to vifit 
 the fmall gatherings of friends in thofe early days, 
 having received a gift in the miniftry, which although 
 fomewhat obfcured by fome natural infirmities, yet 
 in the exercife thereof, he did oftentimes deliver 
 wholefome and profound truths. 
 
 About the year 1667, he proclaimed repentance 
 and amendment of life through the ftreets of Cork, 
 his head being covered with hair-cloth and afhes, for 
 which he fufFered imprifonment. He was concerned 
 in the hke exercife in the fame city, in the year 1698. 
 
 In the year 1710, being the eighty-flrft of his age, 
 and when almoft blind, he gave a-fmgular inflancc of 
 the fervour and conftancy of his love to the brethren, 
 by performing a religious vifit to the greatefl part of 
 the families of friends throughout this nation ; in which 
 fervice it appeared evident to thofe who were witnefles 
 of it, that he had a fpirit of difcerning, for he often- 
 times fpokevery pertinently, without having received 
 any information from men, to the particular con- 
 
 VOL. III. s
 
 3/4 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 diiions of feveral where he was thus concerned. 
 He was a man of an innocent life and coverfation, 
 juft in his dealings, merciful to the poor, and well 
 beloved by his neighbours and friends, and feldom 
 miffed any opportunity of giving good counfel. He 
 continued his refidence at Charleville through many 
 difficulties and hazards during the lad war. He was 
 greatly devoted to meditation, -commonly fpending 
 many hours in a day in retirement : was efteemed to 
 have had a prophetick gift, divers particular inflances 
 whereof cannot at this diflance of time be collected ; 
 "but the two following are well attefted. 
 
 ift. Whittl he was performing the vifit to the 
 families above-mentioned, being in a certain room, 
 he called out and enquired who was there prefent ; 
 and then told them, there was among them a youth 
 upon whom the Lord would* pcrur forth his Spirit, 
 and that he fliould vifit feveral nations, which was 
 accomplished ; a certain young man then prefent, 
 having afterwards received a gift in the miniftry, 
 which he exercifed to the edification of the churches 
 both at home and abroad. 
 
 ad. Whereas before the acceflion of king James II. 
 to the crown, the earl of Orrery had a great houfe 
 at Charleville, then a fplehdid ftruclure, unto which 
 there was frequently a great refort of company. At 
 one particular time, when a large company of great 
 perfons were there affembled, fpending their time 
 in feafling, mirth, &c. John Exham had an impulfe 
 on his mind to go to the houfe, and call the people 
 there met to repentance, which he accordingly did (a 
 large crowd following him) and denounced the Lord's 
 judgments, and wo, to that great houfe, and that it 
 ftiould be deftroyed, and become an habitation for the 
 fowls of the air. Hereupon the earl's fervants attempted 
 to drive him a\vay ; but the earl commanded them to 
 let the honeftman fpeak. Having delivered his mefiage, 
 he went away, but in a little time returned back,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 275 
 
 and called for the earl, and faid to him, ' Becaufe 
 thon haft been kind and loving to the fervant 
 of the Lord, the evil (hall not be in thy days. 
 The event anfwered the predi&ion ; for the great 
 houfe above-mentioned, in the time of the late wars, 
 fince the deceafe of the earl above-named, was de- 
 ftroyed by fire, and vifibly became an habitation for 
 the fowls of the air, which built their nefts in it. 
 
 The faid John Exham died in the ninety-fecond 
 year of his age, having been a miniiler fixty years, 
 and retained his zeal and integrity to the lad. 
 
 This year (1722) was memorable for the favour 
 fhewn by the legiilature to friends of this nation, in 
 granting them a plain affirmation (in many ntceffary 
 cafes) inftead of an oath, in the following words, viz. 
 * I, A. B. do folemnly, fincerely, and truly declare 
 and affirm :' which was granted for three years, and 
 to the end of the then next feffion of parliament. 
 
 In the year 1723, -being the fixtieth of his age, 
 and about the twemy-feventh of his miniflry, died 
 John Barcroft of Arkill, near Edenderry. He was 
 the fen of William and Margaret Barcroft, born at 
 Shralegh, near Rofenallis, in the Queen's county, in 
 the year 1664. He was the firfl friend who came to 
 fettle near Edenderry after the wars, to which meeting 
 he did belong, and was very helpful at that time, 
 to encourage fome few families to meet together to 
 \vorfhip God, and became very ferviceable in that 
 meeting, which is fince become large. 
 
 He was religioufly inclined from his youth, a zealous 
 auender of meetings for the worlhip of Almighty God, 
 and a diligent waiter therein, whereby he grew in 
 the knowledge of God, and of the rayfu.'ries of his 
 heavenly kingdom ; and about the thirty third year 
 of his age, it plcafed God to call him into the rainiflry, 
 of the word and doctrine ; but being a modefl man, 
 he became poffefTcd with great fears, when firft per-
 
 276 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 fuaded that the Lord would call him to this work> 
 both from the various cenfures of men, to which he 
 nmft be expofed, and from his obfervation of the 
 mifconduft of feme, otherwife lively and of large 
 experience in the miniftry, who yet at times did hurt 
 both to themfelves and the people, by fometimes ex^ 
 cceding the bounds of their gifts, and multiplying 
 words without life. Under thefe fears and reafoninga 
 with flefh and blood, he was greatly exercifed, until 
 the Lord forfook him for a feafon, but was afterwards 
 gracioufly pleafed to vifit him again, when he gave 
 up to the heavenly call, and in great dread uttered a 
 few words in a meeting, and in procefs of time be- 
 came a diligent and fuccefsful labourer for the good 
 of fouls, both in this kingdom and in England > 
 having vifited the meetings of friends in the provinces 
 of Uliter and Munfter, feverally, eleven times in the 
 fervice of the gofpel, to his own foul's peace, and 
 the edification of the churches, and been ten times 
 at the Yearly meeting of London. 
 
 His miniftry was plain and lively, nor was he for- 
 ward to appear without real neceffity. lie was not 
 flothful in his outward affairs, but managed them 
 with diferetton and prudence ; yet was fervent in 
 fpirit, and' freely given up to ferve the Lord, his 
 church and people, and preferred the profperity of 
 Sion as his chief joy. His converfation among men 
 greatly adorned his profeffion, being pleafant and 
 cheerful, yet grave, meek, and humble, preferring 
 others before himfelf; a peace-maker, being fm- 
 gularly helpful in compofmg differences, an ufeful 
 help-meet in the government of the church, being 
 gifted for that fervice, and at the fame time ruling 
 well his own houfe ; a frequent vifuor of the fick, 
 charitable, and given to hofpitality. 
 
 In the year 1718, being at London, he was under 
 a particular exercife of mirni, from a fenfe he believed 
 to be given him of the Lprd, of a dreadful day of
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 277 
 
 mortality that was coming upon the inhabitants of 
 England, and particularly the city of London, which 
 he was concerned to publith at Devonfhire-houfe 
 meeting, and forae other places ; and in the year 
 1720, at Dublin, he published a prophetick warning 
 to the inhabitants of Great-Britain and Ireland, to 
 dread the Lord, and turn from the evil of their ways, 
 before his fury break forth upon them as an over- 
 flowing fcourge, letting forth that the meafure of 
 the fins of many feems now to be full, and that the 
 Lord had (hewn him that the ftroke of mortality- 
 is near at hand, and that he will furely vifit fpeedily 
 with a great and heavy fcourge, if not prevented by 
 repentance. 
 
 In the firft month, in the year 172-5, being about 
 the feventy firft of his age, and forty-feventh of his 
 miniftry, died at Hillfborough, Alexander Seafon ; 
 \vho was born at Cuttlecrags, near J_ethinty, in 
 Aberdeen county in Scotland, aboijt the year 1652, 
 About the age of fevemeen years he was put to the 
 college of the qld town of Aberdeen j and after being 
 there about two years, was fome time at the houfe of 
 Alcxandrr Forbes, of Achorthies, whofe wife was his 
 kjniwomao ; and they being friends and exemplary, 
 it pleafed the Lord to open his underflanding, fp 
 that he was convinced of the truth in the year 1675. 
 He was afterwards further informed and confirmed by 
 being prefent at a difputc between Robert Barclay 
 and George Keith, and fome fludents there; aixd in 
 the year 1676, he was committed tq prifon in the 
 tolbooth or" Aberdeen, with many more friends, and 
 there detained about nineteen months. In this 
 time his mouth was opened in a living publick tefti- 
 mony to the truth, which he continue- d to bear after- 
 wards when at liberty, labouring in tlie gofpel of our 
 Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrifl, and being inftrumental 
 to turn people from darknefs. to. light, and from the 
 
 S 3
 
 378 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OP 
 
 power of fatan to God : in Scotland, Ireland, and 
 England.* 
 
 Some time after his marriage, h? took up his abode 
 and refided for fome years at Glafgow. A pretty hot 
 perfecution then falling on the few friends that were 
 fettled there, both by the magiftrates and a rude 
 multitude of men and women, who not only beat 
 and abufed friends in their meetings, but, haling them 
 thereout, abufed them in the-flreets to. the danger of 
 their lives, and committed them to prifon ; where- 
 upon this our friend found himfelf engaged in mind 
 to dwell at Glafgow, not only to bear a part of 
 the burden in the heat of that time of perfecution, 
 but alfo for the ftren-gthening, comforting, and en- 
 couraging his brethren to faithfulncfs and co-nftancy, 
 through various tribulations and perfecmions ; which 
 had fo good an effect that he was inftrumental, by 
 the Lord's affiftance, to overcome the perfections, 
 do that friends enjoyed their meetings more peaceably 
 than before ; but the people being fettled in their 
 empty profeffions, without an opennefs to receive 
 the truth, he was clear to leave the place ; and 
 in the year 1699, he came from Glafgow, with 
 his family, to Ireland, and fettled in the town Oi 
 Hillfborough, in the county of Down. During all 
 the time of his living there, until he grew infirm, 
 he duly attended meetings at home, as a-lfo the 
 monthly and provincial meetings ; in which he was 
 cf good fervicc both in doctrine and difcipliue, having 
 a large, found, and clear gift in the miniilry ; and 
 although a fcholar, was not much known to be fuch 
 in his fervices for the Lord, not efleeming that learn- 
 ing in comparifon of the gift of God, and the operation 
 of his Holy Spirit ; under which he was a zealous, 
 faithful, humble, and meek labourer in the won; of 
 the miniflry, to the informing the underftandings of 
 the ignorant, and to the comfort and encouragement 
 of Sion's travellers j prudent, confiderate, and fea-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 27O 
 
 fonable in offering his gift, powerful in prayer ; in 
 difcipline of a deep and folid judgment, often helpful 
 in difficult cafes ; a man of good understanding, having 
 been engaged in difputes with feverai priefts, on divers 
 religious fubjecls, upon which he reafoned with great 
 clearnefs ; a man of few words in converfation, and 
 ignorant in the things of the world. He ufed daily 
 to devote fome part of his time to religious retirement, 
 and adorned the doctrine of our Lord Jefus Chrift by 
 a folid deportment and CKemplary converfation. In 
 the latter part of his time he was very much afflicted 
 with bodily weaknefs ; which he bore with patience 
 and refignation, and died in great peace and quietnefs, 
 having, among many other fweet expreffions on his 
 death bed, declared, that he had partaken of the 
 earnefl of that joy which (liould never have end. 
 
 In the year 1724, and the eighty-fourth of his age, 
 died Thomas Wight, of the city of Cork. He was 
 the fon of Rice Wight, minifter of the town of 
 Bandon, who was the fon of Thomas Wight, who 
 was alfo minifter of the fame town, who came 
 from Guildford, in England. His father, Rice 
 Wight, was a zealous man in the dilcharge of his 
 office, and more devoted and tender in that refpeft 
 than the generality of the priefls, and very ftrift in 
 the education of his children, according to the manner 
 of thf chui-ch of England. His fon Thomas ferved 
 an hard appremicefhip with a clothier in JSandon, and 
 whiift in his fervicc hearing of a Quakers meeting to 
 .be held in that neighbourhood, he went to it out of 
 curiofiry ; but finding that the people fat filent for 
 a long time, he began to be very uneafy, and to 
 think within himfelf, tjiat as he had heard the Quakers 
 were witches, he might be bewitched if he (hould flay 
 longer. However, he waited a little longer, until 
 Francis Howgil flood up and uttered thefc words : 
 ' Before the eye can fee, it rauft be opened ; before 
 the ear can hear, it mull be unflopped j and before 
 
 s 4
 
 280 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 the heart can underftand, it muft be illuminated.'. 
 Thefe three leniences, as Francis opened them to the 
 congregation -with great clearnefs and energy, made 
 a deep impreffion on his mind, and he became, in a 
 great mcafure, convinced of the truth of the doctrine 
 preached ; but the prejudice of education, and the 
 ihamc and reproach he underwent from his relations 
 for going to the Quakers meeting, did very much 
 wear off the impreflion received ; until Edward Bur- 
 rough came to vifit friends and the people in the work 
 of the gofpel in thofe parts, whole preaching was fo 
 powerful and reaching to the ftate of his foul, and 
 accompanied with fuch an evidence of truth, that he, 
 with many others, was no longer able to withftand 
 it ; and now he refolved, through divine aiTiflance, 
 to be faithful, according to the light received, through 
 all difficulties that might attend ; and indeed he be- 
 came as a proverb and a bye-word among his re- 
 lations. and acquaintance, which he bore with patience, 
 not running into unneceflary difputations, but rather 
 giving himfelf up to filence, folitude, and reading the 
 holy Scriptures. In a fhort time he betook himfelf to 
 the T lain language, and plainnefs of apparel, from 
 a principle of conviction in himfelf, upon which ac- 
 count he was rejected by his relations, and lived for 
 fome time with his matter, who had a great refpeft 
 for him, becaufe of his fingular faithfulnefs and trufti- 
 nefs in his fervice. 
 
 In the year 1670 he married, and in procefs of 
 time had a numerous family, whereupon he betook 
 himfelf to pretty much bufmefs, both in the cloathing 
 trade, and in com mi (lions from abroad, and in all 
 probability might, in a fhort time, have acquired a 
 confidcrable fharc of worldly riches ; but he was 
 flopped in the purfuit hereof by an illumination, as 
 lie thought, from heaven, deeply affecting his mind 
 with a fenfe to tnis purpofe, that he could not be 
 heir of two kingdoms. Hereupon he grew more
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 28 I 
 
 retired from 'the world, and the concerns thereof, 
 and devoted in his mind to the fervice and promotion 
 of truth, preferring this before tranfitory riches ; and 
 particularly, became an able fcribe and clerk for the 
 meeting of Cork, and for the province of Munfter, 
 from the year 1680, till his death ; difcharging this 
 office from a religious impreffion on his mind, and 
 zeal for the good caufe. He was alfo the perfon 
 principally concerned in compiling an hiftorical ac- 
 count of the firfl rife and progrefs of truth in this 
 nation; which he finifhed'in the form of Annals to 
 the year 1 700, and which was the ground work to 
 the prefent hiftory. He was a man of an exemplary 
 life and converfation, and good conduft in the edu- 
 cation of his children, a pattern of plainnefs, and a 
 diligent attender of meetings both at home and 
 abroad, being zealous for the promotion of truth, 
 both in the particular and in the general. He was 
 feized with an indifpofition which proved mortal, in 
 the Ninth month, 1724; under which he .fhewed 
 great compofure of mind,, and refignatioti to the 
 Lord's will ; and on his death-be-d teftified his great 
 fatisfaftion that he had not put off the great affair of 
 the falvation of his foul to the lad ; fignifying that 
 God had fealed his falvation to him: to the great 
 comfort of thole prefent. 
 
 A provincial vifit to the feveral monthly meetings 
 in Leinfter (1725) was performed by friends nomi- 
 nated from the feveral parts of that province for 
 this purpofe. 
 
 In the year 1725, being about the feventy-firft of 
 his age, and forty-fifth of his miniflry, died Thomas 
 Wilfon, who was born at Soulby, in the parifh of 
 Daker, and county of Cumberland, and educated 
 according to the manner of the church of England; 
 and, whilft a youth, had great hungerings in his 
 foul after rightcoufncfs and the true knowledge of 
 God and Chrift ; at which time he was a 1 diligent
 
 THE FUSE *AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 attender of fermons, and repeater of them, delighting 
 in thefe things as religious duties ; fometimeS, after 
 iermon in the forenoon, travelling eight miles on 
 foot to hear another in the afternoon; but the more 
 lie fought to hear, the more he found his inward 
 hunger and thirft increafed ; and in the time or" 
 linking of pfalms a thoughtfulnefs feized him, that 
 i.n en iliould be made holy before they could fmg to 
 the praife and glory of God, and his mouth was 
 flopped from fmging with them, through a godly 
 forrow pofleffing his heart, with humble prayers to 
 God, for the knowledge of the way of falvation, he 
 being now become weary both of the heavy load of 
 fin, and of thedo&rincs and worfhip of men s making. 
 After long travail of foul, the Lord was gracioully 
 pkafed to make him feufible, that what was to be 
 known of God was manifefted in man ; about which 
 time he went to a meeting of the people called 
 Quakers, where a friend exhorted to an inward 
 waiting upon the Lord in faith, to receive power 
 from him over every' unclean thought ; by which 
 heavenly power men might glorify and praife the 
 name of the Lord through the ability of his own free 
 gift. This afFecred him greatly,, being fenfible that 
 this was what he much wanted, being the word of 
 grace, which the apoftles of our Lord preached, and 
 turned the minds of men unto ; and great fear and 
 trembling feized him, fo that the table whereon he 
 leaned was fhakcn, and he was full of inward cries 
 to thispurpofe ; ' Lord, create in me a clean heart.* 
 And now was the time of the Lord's anger, becaufe 
 of fin, (hewing him, and condemning, all the evil 
 that ever he had done, and he became willing to 
 dwell under the Lord's judgments, being convinced 
 that this was the way to obtain mercy ; and now he 
 found that he muft ceafe fron? the doctrines of men, 
 and hearing the priefls, and repeating their fermons 
 (exercifcs which he had before delighted in), and
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 283 
 
 mind the gift of God within himfelf, and fit 
 down among friends in thdr filent meetings, to wait 
 upon the Lord in retired nufs of mind, for his heavenly 
 teachings and holy leadings ; in the performance of 
 which inward worfhip the power of God did wonder- 
 fully break in among them, and many were convinced 
 of the inward work of God, and turned to the Lord 
 wirh 2 11 their hearts ; the friends in general became 
 very tender and heavenly-minded, and had great love 
 one to another ;. the heart-melting p'ower of the Lord 
 being much felt and inwardly revealed when no 
 words were fpoken ; and they experienced wh.it the 
 apoilles exhorted the primitive Chriftians unto, viz. 
 Chnft to dwell in them by faith, and the renewings 
 of the Holy Ghoft to be increafed and ilied on them 
 abundantly in their meetings ; whereby fome were fo 
 filled that they were concerned to declare, and preach 
 the things of the kingdom of God, and what he had 
 done for their fouls. Among the reft, this our friend 
 came forth in a teflimony for the Lord, in very great 
 fear and much trembling ; the word of the Lord 
 through him was as a devouring fire againft all fin 
 and iniquity, and he fon became concerned to vifit 
 meetings in neighbouring places ; and indeed did 
 fpend the prime and flower of his days in the fervice 
 of truth, in many years travail in the work of the 
 miniftry, both in England, Ireland, and America; 
 before his marriage, which he did not accomplifh 
 till the fortieth year of his age. He was an able and 
 faithful minifter of Chrift, freely given up to go forth 
 in publick fervice in the Lord's acceptable time, prer 
 fcrring truth's fervice before his worldly concerns. 
 His miniftry was powerful and perfuafive, and a lively 
 zeal, mixed with love, attended it, and his labours 
 were fuccefsful to the turning many to riglueoufnefs : 
 he had milk for babes, and meat for them of riper 
 years ; was fkilful in laying open the myfteries of life 
 and falvation, as alfo the my fiery of iniquity j careful
 
 284 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 not to minifter without the heavenly power that firft 
 raifed him up in the miniflry ; profound in heavenly 
 myfteries, yet plain and clear in declaring them ; ex- 
 cellent in diftinguifhing matters of faith and principle, 
 to the general fatisfaclion of the people ; a pattern 
 of, plainnefs and humility; and, although eminently 
 gifted, chofe rather to give way than to (land in the 
 \vay of any who had a word from the Lord to fpeak ; 
 zealous for the due obfcrvance of the ancient rules 
 and difcipline, fettled in the church by our faithful 
 elders, maintaining that the order and the govern- 
 ment of the church was eftablifhed by the fame Divine 
 Spirit which the true miniftry fpnmg from ; and that 
 ;ill who fpeak in meetings for difcipline, fhould wait 
 to have their words feafoned with grace, and the 
 influence or that Divine Spirit by which the order 
 and government of the church was firft fet up. ' 
 
 He was a man of good nature! abilities, but little 
 fchool literature ; of a grave and referved deportment, 
 avoiding popularity and imprudent familiarity ; yet, 
 at times, very chearful in converfation ; cautious of 
 giving jufl offence to any ; not bufy beyond his calling. 
 He was fometimes awfully concerned to fpeak pro- 
 phetically of a time of great mortality approaching, 
 and did alfo declare to this purnofe, that the Lord 
 would fend his fcrvants into the Popiih countries, 
 to preach the gofpel, which fhould fpread and pre- 
 vail in thofe dark parts of the earth, though fome 
 might feal their teftimony with thtir blood. 
 
 His firft vifit to Ireland was in the year 1682, con- 
 cerning which fomething fingular occurs in his journal, 
 which feems not unworthy of notice in this place. 
 Having landed at Dublin, and from thence travelled 
 to fome other meetings, particularly the province- 
 meeting at Caftledermot, and vifited friends in the 
 counties of Wexford and Wicklow, and had feveral 
 heavenly and fatisfaclory meetings -with them, fome 
 little time after, fays he, ' the motion of life in me
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 for travelling ceafed, and I durft not then go further; 
 but returned back to the county of Wexford, and 
 wrought harveft-work at Lambftown for fome time; 
 after which James Dickenfon, from Cumberland, 
 came to vifit friends, with an intention to go into 
 Munfter, and the Lord was plea fed to open my way 
 to go with him, and we travelled together in true 
 brotherly love, and had a profperous journey, and [ 
 faw it was good to wait the Lord's time in all 
 things." When they had travelled through Leinftcr 
 and Munfter, James Dickenfon went Northward, but I 
 was afraid,' fays Thomas, * of running before my 
 true guide (bccaufe they who run, and are not fenc 
 of God, can neither profit the people nor themfelves) 
 and fo I (laid at work in the city of Waterford about 
 fixteen weeks, and went from thence to Dublin, and 
 ftaid at the Half-year's meeting, which was large 
 and very good, and fo took (hipping and landed 
 at Liverpool, with my former companion, James 
 Dickenfon.* 
 
 In the year 1691, he and Jamts Dickenfon, having 
 both had a great exercife on their minds to vilit 
 friends in America, went to London, and hiid their 
 intentions before the brethren there for their con- 
 currence, which they readily met with; but it feemed 
 to be a dangerous time, and was attended with fome 
 accidents, which proved a fignal trial of their faith: 
 for the French had then a great fleet at fea, and while 
 they were at London the rumour was, that it lay 
 about thirty or forty leagues from the Land's End of 
 England, in the way they fliould pafs. This brought 
 great concern upon them, with many fupplications 
 to the Lord, that if it were his bleffed will they might 
 be preferved. LTnder their deep trial of foul on this 
 occaiion, they were both iupported by what they 
 believed to be an opening or vifion from the Lord, 
 that it wus his- holy will to deliver them. James had 
 
 * Ss-2 Thun.a:' V^'ion's Journal.
 
 286 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 a more particular forefight, even of the manner of 
 their deliverance, and told his companion, whiift 
 they were both yet at London, that the Lord had 
 fhewn him, that the French fleet would encompafs 
 them, but that the Lord would fend in a great mill 
 and darknefs between them, in which they fhould 
 fail away, 'and fee them no more. They freely im- 
 parted their minds to one another before they left 
 London, and their openings agreeing with one ano- 
 ther, they were confirmed in their belief of their 
 divine original ; and being (Irong in faith that it was 
 eafy with the Lord to deliver them, they went on 
 board the Qth day of the Fifth month, 1691, and 
 after fome time of failing, they met with the French 
 fleet, who gave them chafe, coming up within mufket 
 {hot of them, and began to fire at them hard, a 
 broadfide at every time, when on a fudden a great 
 mifl and thick darknefs was intcrpofed between the 
 French and them, fo that they could not fee one 
 another. Then Janres arofe from his feat and took 
 Thomas by the hand, faying, c Now, I hope the 
 Lord will deliver us j* having fo far feen the com- 
 pletion of his vifion. Thomas, on this occafion, was 
 exercifed three days in fading and fupplication to the 
 Lord, that he who in time pad fmote his enemies 
 with blindnefs, might be pleafed to do fo now, which 
 that it was gracioufly nnfwered, the event convinced 
 them j for the French took all the (hips of their com- 
 pany, except the fhip which T. W. and J. D. were 
 in, and two more ; and all thofe on board believed 
 the deliverance to be miraculous ; and thofe two 
 (hips of their company that efcaped, foon after came 
 up with them, and the captain of their veffel, being 
 a very kind man, called to thofe in the other two 
 fhips, to come aboard them, and have a meeting 
 with ihem j which they readily did, and had a large 
 and good meeting, giving glory to the Lord's holy 
 name for their great deliverance. They purfued their
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 287 
 
 voyage, and landed at Barbadoes in the Sixth month, 
 1691. 
 
 Here, in conjunction with his beloved friend, James 
 Dickenfon, the labours of our friend were great, as 
 alfo in New-England, Rhode-Iiland, Long-Ifland, 
 Eaft and Weft Jerfey, Pennfylvania, Maryland, Vir 
 ginia, Carolina, Antigua, and Mevis, where many 
 were convinced by him : in fome of which places he 
 pafled through great perils by fea and land, lodging 
 out in the woods- in the winter feafon. This vific 
 was particularly ferviceable to the brethren in Penn- 
 fylvania, happening at a juncture when many were 
 ftaggering in their principles by means of an oppo- 
 fition and feparation made by George Keith, a man 
 who had been of fome note among friends, a writer 
 of many books, of reputation for learning, and ap- 
 pearing as a minifter, whofe peevifh difpofition and 
 pride of heart foon appeared to faithful friends, and 
 thofe he called a party againft him. Upon the 
 arrival of our friend and James Dickenfon, he en- 
 deavoured to gain them, who, as flrangers and worthy 
 friends, might othenvife be a weight againft him ; 
 but it was to little purpofe, Thomas foon perceiving 
 the fpirit and defign of the man, and the evil ten- 
 dency of that feparation, arid ftood faithful in his 
 tcftimony againft it, to the comfort of many who 
 mourned in thofe times of trial and defolation ; nor 
 was our faid friend without a fight of the downfal of 
 that perverfe fpirit, as the event difcovered, having 
 at times boldly declared it, and it foon after came 
 to pafs. 
 
 He vifited Ireland in the fervice of the gofpel feveral 
 times before he came to fettle here. In the year 1695," 
 he was married to Mary Bewly of Woodhall, in 
 Cumberland, and foon after came into Ireland, and 
 fettled near Edenderry, in the King's County. In 
 the year 1696, he vifited friends m England in the 
 Work of the miniftry, and again in Ireland after his
 
 288 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 return home, ftill approving himfelf a diligent and 
 zealous labourer, and having meetings in many places 
 among flrangers, of whom fome received truth in 
 the love of it, and continued faithful thereunto. 
 From the year 1697 to 1713, he often vifited friends 
 in. this nation and in England, within which fpace he 
 was feven times at the Yearly meeting in London ; 
 and in the year 1713, he undertook his fecond voyage 
 to America, on truth's account, again in company with 
 James Dickenfon, in which fecond vifit he had alfo 
 great fervice, and was comforted in feeing the fruit 
 of his former labours. 
 
 He continued a zealous labourer in the gofpel, even 
 in advanced years, vifiting friends in England in the 
 year 1721 , and at home until the year 1724, when his 
 natural ftrength failed; and now, near the conclufion 
 of his time, he rejoiced that he had ferved the Lord 
 in his day, and laboured to promote the truth in hi> 
 generation ; yet as he always had been an humble- 
 minded man, fo with refpeft to himfelf, near the 
 finifhing of his Chriftian courfe, he faid, ' Notwith- 
 ftanding the Lord hath made ufe of me at times to be 
 ferviceable in his hand, I have nothing to trull to 
 but the mercy of God in Chrift Jefus ;' but he was not 
 without an evidence of his everlafting peace in the 
 kingdom of God. . 
 
 In 1726 a general Province- vifit was performed in 
 Munfter. 
 
 Benjamin Holme, who came over to this nation in' 
 the year 1724, (pent about two years in the fervice 
 of the gofpel, and continued his labours this year r 
 having meetings at places where no meetings had 
 been held before, not only among friends, but flrangers 
 alfo, who were willing to come to meetings, and 
 many of them heard him with fatis faction, and con- 
 feffed to the truth of the doctrine by him preached* 
 He had, particularly, feveral meetings at Cork, a 
 meeting at Kiniale, at Bandon, Rofs, Caftlefalem,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QtJAKERG. 
 
 Skibbereen, and Baltimore; at Dunmanway, in the 
 market-houfe, be had a large and pretty fatis factory 
 meeting, notwithstanding Scofield, the pried of the 
 place, made fome difturbance, though feveral of his 
 hearers were difpleafed with him on that account, 
 and fpoke well of the meeting, and of what they 
 had heard declared. At his return to Cork he not 
 only had meetings among friends, as they fell in conrfe, 
 but likewife vifitexl moil of the fam'ilies of friends 
 there, to their comicrt and edification. He alfo 
 went Weftward a fecond time, and had meetings at 
 Klonakelty, Timolegue, Bandon, Mallow, Middle- 
 ton, Youghal, Tallow, Caltklyoiis, Capp,.rqu;n, and 
 "Dungarvan, where many attended and feemed well 
 difpofed to hear the teftimony of truth. He had 
 alfo, for the benefit of Grangers, divers meetings in 
 the county of Tippera: y ; as at Carrick, Fethard, 
 Piltown, Clonmel, Cafhel, and Tipperary j went to 
 Limerick, and thence into the county of Kerry, in 
 the year 1725* accompanied by Charles Howcil, 
 and feveral other friends from Limerick, from; whence 
 they went to iiath-keale, where they had a meeting 
 among the Palatines and other;-, in whom there ap- 
 peared an open ciifpoiition to hear the truth declared 
 next had a meeting at Newcaftle, a;d then at Liilo- 
 well, and at Lixna, where four friends went to viiit 
 the earl of Kerry, who kindly received them, and 
 gave liberty to moft of his family to go to the meeting. 
 He likewife told friends, that if fome of them would 
 come to fettle there, they might gain more by their 
 converfation than by their preaching. . Their next 
 faceting was at Ardiert, from whence they paffed to 
 Tralee, and had two meetings there in the court- 
 houfe, where many perfons of high flation in the 
 world were prefect, and truth was freely declared in 
 the demonflration of the fpirit, and to general fatis- 
 fa&ion. He bad feveral other meetings in the county 
 VOL, Jii, T
 
 TH'Ji RISE" AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 of Cork, and afterwards in feveral places in tLr 
 counties of Kilkenny, Waterford, and Limerick; and 
 at Eiwis, in the county of Clare, where he met with 
 ibme disturbance fiom one Upton, a prieft and juftice, 
 xvho came in a furious manner, and demanded of 
 B. Holme, by what authority he flood there, and 
 commanded the conftable to pull him down, which 
 he did, though with fome reluctance, and conducted 
 him and friends to the faid pricfl and juftice, whofe 
 doings fome prefent refented, and B. Holme reafoned 
 vith him, telling him, that the king allowed liberty 
 of ccnfcience, and it was hard that his peaceable 
 iubjccls fhould be thus treated for r.o offence com- 
 mitted ; after which he grew cool, and quietly difmifled 
 B. H. and friends, and Benjamin had good fervicc 
 among the people. 
 
 He had many meetings among the Prcfbyterians 
 in the North. At Letterkenny he met with fome 
 oppofition from William Span, prieft and juftice of 
 the peace, who fent for him and his companion, 
 John Sharplefs, of Edenderry, and alked Benjamin 
 if he had any letter of recommendation from his 
 friends ; and he having a certificate from the friends 
 where he dwelt, (hewed it to the faid prieft, who 
 notwithftanding this, faid he would commit them, 
 if they would not take the declaration of fidelity to 
 the king, tendering them that made in the fixth 
 year of the reign of queen Anne, which faith, c you 
 fhall defend to the utmoft of your power.' They 
 laid, they were very free to promife to be true and 
 faithful to the king, but not willing to promife to 
 defend him to the utmoft of their power, becaufe 
 that might be conftrued, that they fhouM take up 
 arms and fight if required, which they could nut do ; 
 whereupon he, being angry, wrote mittimus's and 
 committed them both: but the landlord and conftable 
 perfuaded him to let them ftay a day or two in town, 
 before he fent them to the county gaol, which was
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 291 
 
 at Li {Ford, about ten miles diflant, to which h" con- 
 fen ted; fo being priibners in their inn, Benjamin 
 
 wrote a letter next day to Fortler, bifhop of 
 
 Raphbe, acquainting him how they were committed : 
 the bifhop read the letter, and wrote to the laid rridt, 
 who foon after fent for them, and fet them at liberty, 
 upon their taking the declaration of fidelity made in the 
 fccond year of che - reign of king George, in which 
 are not the words, ' you fhall defend to the utmoft 
 of your power.' 
 
 The meetings he had among ftrangers were gene- 
 rally fatisfaftory, peaceable and without molestation, 
 except fome few places, and among tht refl at Thurles, 
 where, having appointed a meeting, he met with gre it 
 disturbance, chiefly from the Proteflant pried of the 
 town, Walter Tho.nas, who, as they had ^rr,-inds to 
 believe, fent for the kettle-drums and tn.mpci, to beat 
 and found in the time of the meeting, to w!i -vn 
 Benjamin wrote a letter, reprefenting to him how 
 oppofite fuch conduct was to a Chriitian fpirit aad 
 temper, and reafoning with him from the Scriptures 
 concerning feveral things which the faid priell had 
 objected againft our friends. 
 
 Another inflance of the like fcomng fpirit appeared 
 at Kildare, where a meeting having been appointed, 
 while they were at it, a piper was brought in to play 
 amongft them. After fome time Benjamin began to 
 fpeak, and having fpoken awliiie, Edward Medlicot* 
 under- ibvereigrt of Kildare, came and ordered the 
 conftable to take him away, and pur him. with another 
 friend into the (locks, which he 'did, and there alfo 
 the piper vVas ordered to play, to prevent the people 
 from understanding what might be faid unto them ; 
 nor did he meet with much more civil ufage two or 
 three Weeks after, when he appointed another meeting 
 at the fame place. 
 
 The faid B. H. continued his labours here until the 
 Third month National meeting, 1727, when he 
 
 T 2
 
 292, THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 returned to England, having, befides his good fervice 
 in the miniftry, been exercifed in vifiting the families 
 of friends, and in private,, friendly, Chriftian vifits, ta 
 brethren and ftrangers, to both of which he alfo wrote 
 many epiilles, breathing forth the fpirit of true Chrif- 
 tian love, and ardent zeal for the promotion of the 
 life and power of truth among the profeflbrs thereof. 
 One fpecimen I fhall here give of an epiftle of his, 
 dated at Dublin the 3d of the Third month, 1727. 
 
 * To the teachers among the Prefbyterians, that re- 
 fufe to fubfcribe to die Weftminfter confeffion 
 of faith. 
 
 * As I believe in charity that you refufe to fubfcribe 
 to the Wcllminiler confeffion o faith upon a confci- 
 tntious footing, I deiire that you may live up to what 
 the Lord makes known to you to be your duty ; and 
 I wifli that no interefl or preferment may ever pre- 
 vail with you to go againft conviclion, or to fin 
 againft knowledge : and as you are fenfible that there 
 is great difcourfe and divifion at this time concerning 
 the Weftminfter confeffion of faith, I believe it would 
 be great fatisfaftion to many well-inclined people, if 
 you would mention the particular articles in that 
 confeffion that you think not fafe for you to fign, 
 with your reafons for not figning. I confefs I am 
 glad that it hath pleafed the Lord fo far to, open 
 your understandings, as to let you fee that it is un- 
 lafe for you to fign feveral things that are in that 
 confeffion ; as for inflance, it faith, ' That God, 
 from before the foundation of the world, predeflinated 
 lome men and angels to deftru&ion, and others to 
 life everlafling, and that the numbers are fo fixed or 
 definite, that none can be added to the one, nor 
 diminished from the other.' Which is contrary to 
 what Peter faith, Afts x. 34, 35' " Of a truth I
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 293 
 
 perceive that God is no refpectcr of perfons ; but 
 in every ration he that feareth him and worketh 
 righteoufnefs, is accepted with him ;" as alfo it is 
 very oppofite to what the apoftle Paul faith, i Tim. 
 ii. 4. that " God willeth all men to be faved, an4 
 to come to the knowledge of the truth." And I 
 think that in the larger catechifm, where it is faid 
 that God hath fore- ordained whatfoever comes to 
 pafs, is very unjuflifi tble ; for we read in Jer. vjj. 31. 
 " And they have built the high places of To.phet, 
 "which is in the valley of the fon of IJinnom, to burn 
 their fons and their daughters in the fire, which I 
 commanded them not, neither came it into my heart." 
 Which makes it plain that this was not fore-ordained. 
 Alfo they fay in the faid catechifm, that nomere'man, 
 neither of himfelf, nor by any grace given, is able to 
 keep the commands of God, but doth daily break 
 them in thought, word, and dcedj, which readers 
 God to be a hard matter, and his ways unequal, if 
 what the wife men faith be true, Eccl. xii. i 3. c: -l*'ear 
 God and keep his commandments, for this is the 
 whole duty of man ;" although we freely own that 
 no man by his own power and. ftrength, as he is 
 man, is able to do the will of God or any thing that is 
 good, yet we believe there is power and fulliciency 
 in that divine grace of which the apoftle faith, lit. ii. 
 ii. " The grace of Gael which brings falvation hath 
 appea-ed to all men, teaching us that denying un- 
 godlinefs and worldly lulls, we fhould live foherly, 
 lighteoufly, and godly, in this prefent world," It 
 was by the fufficiency of this divin-e grace that the 
 young men that we read of in the firft epiille of 
 John ii. 13. knew an overcoming of the wicked 
 one ; and it was by the power of this that the apoitle 
 could fay, that 'he was able to do all things. We 
 believe, as the Lord faid to the apoftle when he 
 was buffeted by a meffenger of fatan, 2 Cor. xn. 9. 
 *' JN'Iy grace is fufficient for thee ," there is power 
 
 T 1
 
 294 THE RISE AN ' D PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 , 
 
 in this divine grace to enable men to refill the enemy 
 in ail his temptations, and to enable them to do the 
 will of God, and keep his commands, as they take 
 heed to it. And we think that in the confeff.on of 
 faith, where it is faid that fwearing, when called 
 be ft re a R a^ftrate, is a part of the worfhip of God, 
 : ry contrary to the doftrine of Chr.iit and. the 
 apoitie j;:mc% Mu. v. 3'.*. James, v. 12. \vithfome 
 other things in that confVflion of fa>.h and Catechifm 3 
 jtfhioh'We ihi'nk are not agreeable to the holy Scrip- 
 tmcs. So with defires that the Lord may more and 
 m re open your uiK'erffondings by his holy Spirit, 
 and bring you to the knowledge of th-e truth as it 
 is in Jcil.s, I remain, with true love to you, 'your 
 loviiig' friend, 
 
 c Benjamin Holme.' 
 ' 
 
 Tlir net for the affirmation granted to friends of 
 this nation in the year 1723, expiring, felicitation 
 i's made f .r a renewal of it, which was now granteq 
 
 them tor the term of feven years, and to the end 
 of the then next feflion of Parliament, under this 
 rtfir;cti(>n, th-t he or fhe, the affirmer, lhall produce 
 a Certificate, ligned by fix credible friends, of their 
 h virig been of the profelTion of the people called 
 CXuakrrs, for at leait five years then laft paft, if tliere- 
 un:o required. 
 
 It having been reprefented from Uifter province 
 to the National meeting, that' the little book entitled, 
 ' A Brief Apology,' by Alexander Pyotr, ^:c. had 
 given great fatisfaclion to divers-, particularly among 
 the Freibyterjans, in that province, concerning our 
 principles, with a requeft that it might be reprinted^ 
 iifieen hundred of them ^cre reprinted accordingly, 
 in orcer to be diftrihtned among the people. 
 
 This year feveral friends of the province of Leinfter 
 and Ivlunfter, viz. George Rpoke, Thomas Docket, 
 William Brookfield, Benjamin Parvin 3 John RuiTtJ,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 295 
 
 Tobias Pirn, Charles Ho\vel, and William Penrofe, 
 performed a vifit to the Monthly meetings in the 
 province of Ulflcr, for the promotion of church- 
 difcipline, and feveral of them aifo had good fervice 
 in the minifbry of the gofpel, and their vifit was to 
 the ( -ificanon of friends and their own fatisfa&ion. 
 
 Q i -ircient friend James Dickenfon, often mentioned 
 ell- . cur, was at the National meeting this year, and 
 oih.\ tj their confideration, whether it might net 
 be ot IcTvice to collect the total annual fufFcrings of 
 frier-ds in this nation, from the beginning; as alib 
 an account of the number of priibncrs, and of thofc 
 who died in priibn, together with the refpective go- 
 vernments under which thofe fevcral fuiFerings were 
 luilained, r.^c] of remarkable perfecutors, and likewife 
 of thofe who (hewed favour to friends, which pro- 
 pofiil was w r ell accepted and put in execution, and 
 the account printed in the year 1731. 
 
 Among other miniftring friends who vifited this 
 ration this year (1728) was Jane Fenn, from Penn- 
 iylvania, who befides her good fcrvices in the gofpel, 
 both among friends and Grangers, did alfo, in com- 
 pany with our friend Jane Gee, of Moate, perform a 
 vifit to moft of the families of friends in Dublin. In 
 our public meetings flic fome times fpoke propheti- 
 caiiy to the following purpofe : that a terrible (lorm 
 and diflreffiug time was approaching, even as at the 
 door of this nation, by reafoti of a fin, if not di- 
 verted by fpeecly repentance. Alfo, that notwith- 
 Handing the feeming degeneracy of the yomh among 
 friends, God's viiitation was extended to them, and 
 lliould be effectual to the raiting up divers af them 
 for his fervice. 
 
 This year alfo was printed by order of the National 
 meeting, a Reply, wrote by Samuel Fuller, late fchool- 
 mafler in Dublin, to certain fubtle queries, publifhed 
 by Jofeph Boyce, an eminent Prefbyterian teacher, 
 fending greatly to the dishonour of friends, and mif- 
 
 T4
 
 29 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 reprefenting their doctrines, \vhich are very well an- 
 fxvtrcd by rhe did S. Fuiler, r-mthor alfo of a Ihort 
 catcchifm compofed for the inftruftibn of youth, 
 afterward printed in the year 1773. 
 
 Th'.s was an afflicting year to the province of Ulfltr, 
 (1729^ occ.ificned by fcarcity of bread, and ficknefs 
 prevailing amon^ them; and though ot:r' friends, by 
 the lov. fiibfifling among brethren, were prcferved 
 from being burdcnfome to oi'icrs et the diftribution 
 to the indigent, both aim ng fr.c. ''.ers, 
 
 being heavy vn foftic in this calanmou> time (feveral 
 friends having largely contributed to the fun port not 
 only of their o\\n brethren, but of ptrfons rf all 
 other focieties) a free and voluntary fubfcription was 
 made by friends of Leinfler and Monitor nr vuirts, 
 of one hundred and iixty-feven pounds for the relief 
 of friends of Ulfter. 
 
 This year, being about the feventieth of his age, 
 died jofeph Pike, the fon of. Richard Pike, of 
 Is'cv/bury in Beikihire, who came over to Ireland a 
 corporal in a troop of horfe in Cromwell's army, 
 and conrinutd therein until about the year 16^5, 
 v/hen, by means of the miniitry of Edward Burroughs, 
 lie was convinced of the truth, and for conicience- 
 lake could not ufe arms fur the deftrudlion of man- 
 kind, and was therefore turned out of the army, and 
 died a prifoner for the testimony of a good conscience. 
 His fon Jofeph Pike, was born at Kilcreagh, in the 
 county of Cork ; irjon whole tender mind the divine 
 fpirit began to work very early, even before he was 
 ieven years old, drawing it off from childifh playful- 
 nefs and vanities, from which time, until he arrived 
 at the age of eighteen years, he underwent great 
 confllcls of foul ; ar.d at length grew up to be an 
 u fetal member oi the c.hurch, though never exempt 
 froM temptations and trials of faith. He was a man 
 of tcii-deuia], being often led to take up the crofs and
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 297 
 
 deny himfelf cf things ctherwiib very lawful, as to 
 eating, drinking, and putting on of apparel, when 
 he found his mind too ftrongly inclined to them. 
 
 Although he had not a call to the mini ft ry, he was 
 eminently gifted for ChrifKan difcipline, and zealous 
 in the prolVcution thereof, as by the following inftances 
 may appear: he and Samuel Randal almoft conftantiy 
 rriveljed fro;n Cork to attend the Half-year's meeting 
 in Dublin, both fumnier and winter, for about twenty 
 years, heartily joining with faithful brethren in the 
 fa-vice of truth, according to ability. He alfo went 
 frequently to the Yearly- Meeting at London, on the 
 fame account, where his fervice was acceptable. He 
 was particularly, in the year 1692, zealoufly engaged 
 to join with the brethren, in the concern then upon 
 them, ,for a reformation among friends of divers 
 diforders in converfation, fuperfluities in apparel, 
 furniture and other things, that were then creeping 
 in fall upon them : and as he, in conjuftion with his 
 brethren, was careful previoufly to their entering on 
 ihi:; weighty fervice of admonifhing others, to cleanfe 
 their own houfes cf thole fuperfluities which were to 
 be condemned ; the work accordingly profpered in 
 their hands, and there was a pretty thorough refor- 
 mation as to outward things in the families of friends, 
 both in th'e province of Munfter, and throughout 
 this kingdom ; although our friend lived to have 
 caufc jo complain (in the year 17 8, when he wrote 
 a journal of his ovn life) that as of old, when Mofes, 
 Jofhua, and the elders were dead, there arofe another 
 generation tliat knew not the Lord, nor the works 
 that he had done in Ifrael, the like difafter had be- 
 fallen our fociety now, with refpeft to the fpiritual 
 (late of a furviving generation, compared with that 
 of (heir forefathers. 
 
 He wrote a treatife concerning baptifm and the 
 Lord's fupper, and a difcourfe concerning church - 
 government (yet in manufcript) wherein he fhews
 
 the neceffity of it, and its conformity as practifed 
 among the people called Quakers, to that in the 
 primitive times. 
 
 I mall conclude \vith the ihort fketch of the cha- 
 racter of this elder, given by the brethren at Cork, 
 where he chiefly reftded, viz. ' He was a man of a. 
 clear understanding, found judgment, tender over 
 the weak where tendernefs appeared, but fharp againft 
 the high-minded and ftubborn ; in converfation folid 
 and weighty, without affectation, yet cheerful and 
 agreeable without levity ; a worthy elder, ruling his 
 own houfe well, and of great fervice in the church.' 
 
 A provincial viiit was made to the ftveral parti- 
 cular meetings in the province of Ulfter (1730), 
 which was well received, and it was believed proved 
 helpful- to many. 
 
 This year (1731) died Thomas Braddock, at 
 Ballitore, in the county of Kildare. He was etlu- 
 .cated a member of the church of England, but grew 
 uneafy under their forms without the power of reli- 
 gion ; fcrious confiderations concerning a. future ftate, 
 and his unpreparednefs for it, fometimes feizing his 
 mind, and affecting him with great trouble and earned 
 fupplication to Almighty God, drat he would be 
 pleafed to fliew him his people, that he might join 
 with them, being perfuaded that God had a people 
 .that were nearer to him than thofe he was then in 
 Communion with. He has left behind him in rnanu- 
 fcript, an account of the exercife of his foul on this 
 account, of which the following is an extraft in his 
 .own words. 
 
 * As for the Quakers, I thought they could not be 
 God's people, becaufe they denied the two great feals 
 of the covenant of grace as they were called, fo that 
 I thought they being wrong in that, mufl be wrong 
 jn every thing .elfe, though I had a liking to their 
 converfation, and was inclined to go to one of their 
 meetings, and fee what fort of worfhip they had : I
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 299 
 
 knew they had no man appointed to preach to them, 
 and what they meant by their filent meetings. I could 
 not tell. I went however to one of them, and fit with 
 them about half-an-hour, when tli great power of 
 the Lord came upon me, and made me fetch many- 
 deep fighs and groans, with tears; and a trembling 
 came over my whole body, fo that I was forced to 
 take hold of the fe^it on which I fat, to keep myfelf 
 from falling. I was very much afhamed to appear in 
 that condition before fo many people, but I could not 
 avoid it ; and then the voice of the Lord came unto 
 me, and laid, e Th^fe are the people thou muft joii; 
 with, and if thou be faithful, I will be with thee to 
 the end of thy dayg, and thou (halt have life ever- 
 lading in the world to come.' I gave up freely to 
 the heavenly vifion, and was willing to obey the 
 Lord's counfcl ; and the fhaking and trouble abated, 
 and I fat pretty quiet until the meeting was ended. 
 jvly wife meeting me, aiked, whether I had been at 
 ;i Quaker's meeting ; I anfwered, c Yes.' She further 
 queried whether they had any preacher; I anfwered, 
 ' Yes ; and the bdt of preachers.' She did not 
 know that I had heard the holy Jefus, but thought 
 that 1 had been hearing a man. 'I hen it was that 
 the great work of the Lord began in me, and the 
 light fhined in my heart, and gave me to fee the 
 poor, loft, bewildered, dark, and deplorable condi- 
 tion, that I had hitherto lived in, as without God in 
 the world: then were many fins brought to my re- 
 rncinbr^nce with great trouble ; and many forrowful 
 days and nights I paffed, with earn eft cries to the 
 Lord for pardon, yet fupported at times by the loving 
 vilkations of the Almighty, to let me fee that he had 
 |iot forfaken me. 
 
 Thus was this our friend made a Quaker by an invi- 
 fiblc power, and by the fame power was the work of re- 
 formation and fancHfication begun in his foul, and now 
 Jiis prejudices againil this people, as denying the two
 
 3CO THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 great feals of the covenant of grace fo called, Baptifin 
 and the Lord's Supper, vaniThed ; for he calls this 
 bleffed exercife of his foul, his Chriftian Baptifm : 
 but now many enemies attacked him, both from 
 within and without, with rage and paffion fomeiimes, 
 which he overcame with the meeknefs of a lamb. 
 
 In procefs of time he became concerned, not only 
 for the falvation of his foul, but was fometimes feized 
 with great trouble, trembling, and tears, on the ac- 
 count of the unfaithfulnefs of others, particularly in 
 Meetings for worfhlp, where words did arife very 
 lively in his mind, tending to the edification of thofe 
 prefent, which it feemed to be his duty to deliver ; 
 but he, through weaknefs, refufing to yield obedi- 
 ence to the heavenly call, the divine prefence was 
 for a time withdrawn from him, and he left barren, 
 and at times given up to lightnefs : yet it pleafed God 
 in great mercy again to viiit his foul, and let. him fee 
 his error; and indeed this our friend was a moft fignal 
 inftance of the tender mercy and long forbearance 
 of a gracious God ; for in the year 1725, even in his 
 old age, and about eighteen years after his difobe- 
 dience before-mentioned, a fre'h concern came upon 
 him to utter fome words in a publick meeting, in 
 leftimony to the Lord's goodnels to his foul, and 
 Tending to the awakening the carnal profefTors among 
 friends. This fecond trial, however, was to him 
 almoft as hard as death, being a man of great hu- 
 mili J and modcfly,- confcious of his own weaknefs;, 
 and toffed with many doubts, fears, and carnal rea- 
 jfonings, and greatly diflrefled both in body and mind. 
 .At length, however, he gave up to the Lord's re- 
 qujrings, and delivered what he gave him to fay, to 
 $he great peace and comfort of his own mind ; and 
 after thin, until his death, was at times concerned 
 in publick exhortation in a few words, but weighty*, 
 feafonable, and edifying ;- and his cpnverfiuion was 
 Suitable to his doctrine.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 301 
 
 About the latter end of this year (1735) our 
 foleinn affirmation (without a certificate, as re- 
 quired by the former aft) was renewed for eleven 
 years, and to the end of the then next feflion of 
 parliament, 
 
 Beiides other friends of the miniflry, Benjamia 
 Holme this year vifited Ireland the fixth time : hq 
 fpent three months in the province of UHler, having 
 meetings there among flrangers as well as friends, and 
 after the Third month National meeting, went into 
 the province of Connaught, and returned by way 
 of Sligo, Ballyfhannon, and Letterkenny, to London- 
 derry, having many quiet and peaceable meetings 
 among other people, being often drawn forth to vifit 
 them, and opeij our principles to them, and declare 
 the great love and mercy of Gcd, in fending his 
 Son to tafte death for every man. From Ulfter he 
 went, by way of Dublin, to Limerick, accompanied 
 by fome friends, and thence to the county of Kerry, 
 particularly to Linxnaw, the earl of Kerry's feat> 
 to Ardfert, Tralee, Coole, and Dingle, and had 
 feveral meetings among the people in that county, 
 who, though many of them were great ftrangers to 
 friends and their principles, fhewed themfelves friendly 
 and relpectful, efpecially the Proteftant gentlemen of 
 the country, who fometimes protected them from the 
 rabble; in general they were well received, and 
 Benjamin was heard with great fatisfaclion, in his 
 plain, clear, and demonflrative way of preaching the 
 doftrines of the gofpel and terms of falvation. At 
 Mill-ilreet, where the congregation was for the moi^ 
 part of the worfe fort, when they heard a hint of 
 purgatory, feveral of them rofe and went off, crying, 
 4 Glaufh,' i- e. Come away. From thence he re- 
 turned to Cork and to Waterford, where he vifited 
 the bifhop, as he had done before the biflhops of 
 Londonderry, and Down, and Conner, c. wlio 
 received him very kindly, and to fome of the bifhops 
 
 -
 
 THE KISE AND PROGRESS OF 
 
 he wrote letters, and fometimes prefented tliem with 
 bocks, as the Trearife on Oaths, another on Tithes, 
 &c. He departed from hence, and returned to 
 Great-Britain, in the Twelfth month, 1736, leaving 
 to friends of this nation a farewel epillle. 
 
 It was obfervable this year (1736) as well as for 
 fome years paft. in time of outward peace and mm- 
 quility, that many of other focietjes frequently re- 
 torted to friends meetings, whofe underftandings were 
 opened, and their prejudices removed with regard 
 to friends principles, fo that it may be affirmed that 
 the teftimony of truth prevailed, notwithftanditig the 
 degeneracy and unfahhfulnefs of too many under 
 this profellion, v;ho were as (tumbling blocks in the 
 way of fome. 
 
 This year, being about the feventy- fourth of his 
 age, died William Gray, at Ballyhagen in the pro- 
 vince of Ulfter, a worthy elder, whofc fervices in 
 the church were confiderable for above thirty years, 
 although not called to the miuiitry till towards the 
 latter part of his life. He was given to hofpitality, 
 of a grave and folid deportment, of a good under- 
 ilanding and a ready utterance, yet modeft, and 
 diffident of his own abilities, helpful in compofing o 
 differences, and often fpeaking pertinently to matters 
 in meetings of bufmefs, being well acquainted with 
 the rules of our difcipline. He grew in his concern 
 for the profperity of the church, as he advanced 
 towards the period of his days, being, fix years be- 
 fore his deceafe, concerned at times in publick and 
 tender exhortation, . and in meetings for bufineis,, 
 feldom omitting to ndveftife friends to faithfulnefs, 
 care, ;md circumfpcction, in an orderly converfation, 
 and diligence in the worihip of Almighty God. 
 
 Among other fiicnds who vifited the nation this 
 year (1737) in the work of the miniftry, xvas David 
 Hall, from Yorkshire, who at his departure, wrote 
 an epiftle to friends, which was orSered to be printed-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 303 
 
 for a general fervice, containing divers weighty ad- 
 vices fuitable to the different ftations of the feverul 
 members of the church, and cautions againft fome 
 evils and diforders too much prevailing in this time 
 of -our outward eafe and liberty, particularly negli- 
 gence of attending meetings for divine worfhip, living 
 above our abilities, deviating from the plain language, 
 marriages with perions of other perfuafions, &c. 
 
 This year alfo aiforded an opportunity of reviewing 
 and digelling thofe feveral matters, which have been 
 the ufaal fubjecls of the correfpondence between 
 Monthly and Quarterly meetings, which, being re- 
 duced to the form of queries, were offered to the 
 confideration of a Quarterly meeting held at Mount- 
 melick, and from thence to the National meeting, 
 which in the year 1740, recommended them as 
 -proper to be anfwered from the feveral Monthly to 
 the Quarterly meetings through this nation, a copy 
 of which follows, &c. 
 
 Query i. Are meetings for worfhip, both on 
 week-days and Firft-days, duly attended, as alfo 
 thofe for difcipline ; and are fuch as arc negligent 
 herein admonifhed j and is care taken that no unfit 
 perfons fit in the latter ? 
 
 2. Do the larger meetings affifl and flrengthen 
 little meetings that are near them ? 
 
 3. Do friends keep to plainnefs of habit, fpeech 
 and fmmture ? 
 
 4. Do they avoid fuperfluous provifions at mar- 
 riages and burials ? 
 
 5. UnnecefTary frequenting of ale-houfes 
 
 and taverns ? 
 
 6. Do they fo manage their affairs in trade and 
 dealing, as to keep their words and promifes in the 
 payment of their debts and otherwife ? 
 
 7. Do friends avoid incumbrances, hindering their 
 growth in the truth, r.nd the let vice of it ?
 
 304 THE kISE AND PROGRESS OF TH2 
 
 8. Arc friends in unity one with another; do 
 they avoid back- biting, and railing or -ipreading evil 
 reports of any ; is care taken to put a fpeedy end to 
 all differences ? 
 
 9. How are the feveral advices of our National 
 meeting, and that of London, put in practice, relating 
 to friends godly care of the good education of their 
 children in the way of truth, fobriety, plainnefs of 
 Jiabit and fpeech, and all godly converfaiion ; and do 
 friends inftrudt their children in the principles of truth ? 
 
 10. Are friends children put to fchool among 
 friends, and are the fchools of friends duly infpected? 
 
 1 1. Are the poor taken due care of, and do their 
 children partake of neceiTary learning to fit them for 
 trades ? Are apprentices and fervants placed out 
 among friends ? 
 
 12. Doth each Monthly meeting take care, that 
 a vifit to the family of friends be performed by well- 
 qualified friends, once a year, or oftener, as occafion 
 requires ? 
 
 13. Do friends acquaint particular or Monthly 
 meetings, and take their advice, before they remove 
 from their place of fettlement ? 
 
 14. Do friends maintain their teftiraony againfl 
 paying or receiving tithes, church-rates, and all kinds 
 of priefl's dues fo called ; as alfo againil bearing of 
 arms ? 
 
 15. Do any propofe marriage without firft ob- 
 taining the confcnt of parents or guardians ? 
 
 1 6. Is care taken to deal with and cenfure tranf- 
 greffors in due time ? 
 
 17. Have all friends fettled their outward affairs, 
 by wills or deeds of truft, according to their prefent 
 minds and circumflances ? Is care taken that execu- 
 tors, guardians, and truftees, do faithfully difcharge 
 the trufl repofed in them ? 
 
 18. Are all meeting-houfes and burial-places 
 firmly made over and fecured, and kept in good repaid
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 30$ 
 
 19. Are births and burials duly recorded ? 
 
 20. Doth each monthly, meeting aake care that 
 none under our profefiiori defraud the king of his 
 duties, cuftom or excife, or any way encourage the 
 running of goods, by buying or vending fuch goods ; 
 and do they feverely reprehend and t citify againfl 
 all fuch offenders, and their unwarrantable, clan- 
 defline, and unlawful actions ? 
 
 21. Is care taken by each monthly meeting, that 
 no mifufe is made of the affirmation ? 
 
 A general vifit was performed this year to all or 
 moft of the men and womens meetings in the province 
 of Leinfter. 
 
 In the year 1739, and eightieth of his age, died 
 John Bobbs, at Youghal, who although not called 
 to the minifby, was fuch a Ihining example of fincerity 
 and felf-denial, that the following paffages of his life 
 feemed worthy to be, recorded. 
 
 He was the eldeft fon of Richard Dobbs of Caftle- 
 Dobbs, who was a counfellor at law, and juftice of 
 the peace of the county of Antrim, from whom he 
 was entitled to a considerable eftate, of which he 
 fuffered himfelf to be deprived purely for religion's 
 fake. He gave divers proofs of an early difpofition 
 to piety, fome of which it may be worth while to 
 fpecify. When he was about eleven years old, a 
 certain perfonafked his father, thefaid Richard I)obbs, 
 what he intended to bring his fon up to ; his anfwer 
 was, to the clergy, and he did not know but Johnny 
 might come to be a bifhop. The child hearing this, 
 fays within himfelf, * It is a great concern to take 
 the care of other mens fouls upon me ; it is well if 
 I can look well after my own.' At fchool he made 
 fome confiderable proficiency in the Latin and Greek 
 tongues, and afterwards applied himfelf to the ftudy 
 of phyfick ; but during this time a holy third poiTefled 
 his foul after a knowledge of greater importance, 
 
 VOL. III. V
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 whereby he might obtain peace with God. He 
 was grieved with the loofe converfation of his com- 
 panions at fchool, and upon fome converfe with the 
 gentry of the country, their tipling difpofition became 
 burdcnfome to him, and he deferted them. He went 
 afterwards to the univerfity of Oxford, from a defire 
 to enquire further into the principles of true religion ; 
 but, in .his road to it, he met with a fomewhat dif- 
 couraging obfervation from a certain perfon he cafually 
 fell in company with at York, who remarked that 
 there were many gentlemen in the country, who were 
 afraid of fending their fons thither left they (hotild 
 be debauched. He found there was too much ground, 
 fcr this obfervation, for when he came to Oxford, he 
 was much grieved at the profanenefs of the (ludents 
 there, and at firft put himfelf in the way of converfing 
 with them, with a defign to ufe his beft endeavours to 
 reform them, but found this to be labour loft ; and, 
 to be brief, was not eafy to ftay long at the college, 
 but obtained liberty of his father to return home. 
 
 He had an efteem for the people called Quakers, 
 from his obfervation of the innocency of their lives 
 and converfations among men ; and his mother, 
 Dorothy Dobbs, having joined herfclf in community 
 with this people, he had an opportunity of perufing 
 feveral books written by fome of them ; but before 
 the nineteenth year of his age, he had proceeded no 
 farther than to entertain good wifhes for them, his 
 father having threatened to turn any of his children 
 out of doors that fliould go to their meetings ; not- 
 withftanding which, in a ihort time after, being de- 
 firous of hearing their teflimony himfelf, and an 
 Englifh fr'end/1 homas Dockra,vifiting Carrickfergus, 
 and having a meeting there, John went thither, 
 anJ before that meeting was over, was fo effectually 
 convinced of the truth of their teftimony, that he, 
 from this time, continued ftedfaft in community with 
 hat people. This was very difagreeable to his father.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 307 
 
 who endeavoured, firft by perfuafion, to bring him 
 off from that way of thinking ; but this proving in- 
 effectual, he had recourfe to blows, and other great 
 feverities, which he exercifed on this tender youth, 
 which he bore with great patience and conftancy ; 
 particularly in keeping him prifoner in his houfe about 
 half a year, in 1683 and 84, during which confine- 
 ment, at a certain time meeting him with his hat on, 
 he fell furioufly on him, and beat him grievoufly 
 on the head with a cane, to that degree, that he 
 fell into a fever on it, nor did he ever entirely recover 
 the injury thereby received. Befides this, he de- 
 prived him of his right in his eftate, which in the 
 year 1681, was three hundred and fixty pounds per 
 annum, leaving him by will only ten pounds per ann. 
 during life, to keep him, as, he laid, from ftarving, 
 or relying on thofe feducing people. But all this 
 could not taint his integrity. His mother dying 
 whilft he was young, who had been his conftant 
 friend and fupport under his hardfhips, his father 
 would not fee him, nor fuffer him to come into 
 his prefence ; and fo having none to fupport him, and 
 there being no likelihood of a reconciliation, he was 
 necefTitated to leave his father's houfe, and went to 
 England and learned chymiftry with Charles Marfhal, 
 and making further progrefs in the ftudy of Phyfick, 
 he returned to Ireland, and pra&ifed it here with re- 
 putation, and lived and died in Uriel: unity with friends, 
 being an innocent and religious man, one that avoided 
 popularity, was more in reality than appearance, and 
 cared not how little noife the world made about him, 
 fo that he enjoyed peace with God. 
 
 In the year 1739, being the fixty-fifth of her age, 
 and about the forty-fecond of her miniftry, died at 
 Waterford, Elizabeth Jacob, the daughter of Thomas 
 and Agnes Head, who was born at Ardce ; and 
 afterwards lived in Dublin, where (he underwent m^try 
 and deep conflicts of foul, before (he became refigned 
 
 U 2
 
 308 'THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 f 
 
 tothe Lord's requirings, in bearing apublickteftimony, 
 which {he did firil in that city about the year 1697, 
 and in the year 1699, was joined in marriage to Richard 
 Jacob of Limerick, to which place (he removed, and 
 was of great fervice there, being, through her obe- 
 dience to the heavenly call, made a chofen veffel for 
 the ufe of her Lord and Mafter, fitted by his power 
 and fpirit for his work and fervice ; in the difcharge 
 of which fhe greatly defired to be found faithful and 
 clear of the blood of all men, being fervently engaged 
 for truth's profperity, and the promotion of godlinefs 
 in the earth, on the account whereof {lie was freely 
 given up to fpend and be fpent in many laborious 
 journies, both in this and other nations, not only in 
 her youth, but even in her advanced years, and when 
 attended with bodily infirmities ; particularly in the 
 year 1701, fhe travelled in the North of Ireland, 
 thence pafTed over into Scotland, and had good fervice 
 there and in the North of England. Again, in the 
 year 1705, fhe vifited friends in divers counties in 
 England, and was twice at London, where fhe had 
 large and fatisfa&ory meetings. And in the years 
 1711 and 1712, fhe vih ted friends in Scotland, and 
 in many parts of England and Wales, for above ten 
 months, and by the Lord's power was made an in- 
 ftrument of good unto many ; and in the year 1729, 
 Ihe vifited friends in divers counties of England, and 
 paffed over to Holland in truth's fervice. 
 
 She had a clear and diftinft utterance in her miniftry, 
 which was attended with great reverence and tender- 
 nefs, to the reaching the hearts of the hearers, and 
 continued lively in the exercife of her gift tt> the laft. 
 She was fervent 'and weighty in prayer,^ and a good 
 example in converfation, being preferved by the 
 truth in circumfpe&ion and fear, yet of a fwcet and 
 chearful fpirit. 
 
 In the year 1712 fhe wrote, from Worcefter, an 
 epiftle of love to friends in England, which was printed,
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 309 
 
 and contains a farewel exhortation to friends families, 
 wherein fhe addrefles herfelf firft to the elders, fetting 
 forth that, c Whereas there is a great declenfion 
 from the primitive plainnefs, fimplicity, and fmcerity, 
 into which truth led our faithful predeceflbrs, this is 
 owing to the prevalence of the fpirit of the world, 
 pride, covetoufnefs, felf-interefl, and flefhly eafe ; 
 and, in order to a reformation, earneflly exhorts 
 fuch who are fathers and mothers, and as pillars in 
 the church, carefully to obferve the operation of the 
 Lord's holy Spirit, and to be often inwardly attending 
 on the wonderful counfellor, whereby they will be 
 enabled to fet up an holy difcipline in their own 
 families ; and that this godly care in families is the 
 only expedient for a right reformation in the churches : 
 that it is not enough for the elders, fathers, and 
 mothers, mafters and miftrefTes, who have in any 
 meafure tailed of the good word of life, and of the 
 powers of the world to come, carelefsly to retain a 
 knowledge of what they have experienced in times 
 paft ; that God hath not lighted their candles to be 
 put out again or to be hid under a bufhel, but that 
 they ought daily to wait upon and fupplicate the Lord 
 for the renewing of his love and life, that their lamps 
 may be kept trimmed and their lights filming, and 
 they be a fweet favour of life unto life, r.heir con- 
 verfation anfwering the witnefs of God in' the hearts 
 of th~ir children, fervants, and neighbours, fb'rring 
 up the negligent to a lively commemoration of the 
 Lord's mercies, and exercifing their Chriftian autho- 
 rity, in the management and fettlement of their own 
 families in that decent order we, through the mercy 
 and wifdpm of God, have been eftablifhed in : thus 
 will parents be good examples to their children, and 
 mafters to their fervants ; and that indeed the heads 
 of families are, or ought to be, the Lord's minifters, 
 ruling them in the power of love., and thereby ordering 
 them rightly in life and manners j' and conclude^
 
 310 THH RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 with this warning to the unfaithful, ' that if the love 
 of God to them, through his fpirit and through his 
 fervants, will not prevail, the Lord will be cl^ar 
 when he judgeth, as he was in the deftruftion of the 
 old world, and of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.* 
 She next tenderly addreflVs herfelf to the children, 
 cautioning them againft divers evils, dangers, and 
 temptations, peculiar to their age, as pride or affec- 
 tation of new fafhions in apparel, whilft the adorning 
 of the better and immortal part is neglefted ; as a!fo 
 againfl the needlefs friendfhip and familiarity \vith 
 thofe of a different .perfuafion in matters of faith, 
 whereby many have been betrayed into unequal 
 marriages, to the wounding their own fouls, great 
 trouble of thtir tender parents, and the deftruclion 
 and ruin of many families. 
 
 A provincial vifit was this year (1740) performed 
 jn Ulfter. .And here it may be obferved, upon a 
 review of the foregoing records, that in the province 
 of UUter, general vifits to that province, and for the 
 irioft part to the feveral monthly meetings therein, 
 were performed in the years 1699, 1702, 1705, 1706, 
 1707, 1720 or 21, 1727, 1730, and 1740. In the 
 province of Leinfter the like general vifits were 
 performed in the years 1699, 1707, 1711, 1714, 
 1720 or 21, 1725, and 1737. ^ n tne P rovnlc e f 
 Munfter the like general vifits were performed in the 
 years 1699, J 7Sj and 1726. 
 
 This, year (1741) and in the eightieth of his age, 
 died John Afhton, of Kilconinmore, in the county of 
 Tiperary, though a native of Chefhire, who, about 
 the fortieth year of his age, was convinced by the 
 lively miniflry of Thomas Wilfon ; and foon after his 
 convincement was cad into prifon, on account of his 
 faithful teftimony againft the payment of tithes, and 
 continued a prifoner about fix months. 
 
 His zeal for the worfhip of Almighty God was re- 
 markable ; for whilfl he was a member of the meeting 
 aj: Birr, he generally walked thither w twice a
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS* $11 
 
 though it was five miles of dirty road, and he was 
 often obliged to wade through a river in his way, 
 and fometimes in winter time to break the ice, where- 
 with his legs and feet have been wounded. 
 
 His zeal ;ilfq for the propagation of truth, and lave 
 to the fouls of his neighbours, was manifefl in the 
 following in fiance ; that when friends travelling in 
 the fervice of the gofpel, came to his houfe, he took 
 great pains to invite the people near him to come and 
 part.ike of the benefit of their labours ; for which 
 purpofe it was his frequent practice to ride feveral 
 miles round, and this in the night as well as day, and 
 even in the depth and feverity of the winter feafon ; 
 and though fome returned feoffs and abufive fpeeches, 
 yet many, came and were well fatisfied, and fome 
 convinced, and among v the reft fome of his own fer- 
 vants ; and a meeting was fettled at his houfe in the 
 year 1710, which flill continues. 
 
 He was a man of hofpitality, and of a tender fpirit, 
 fympathizing with the poor and afflicled. 
 
 4.bout the fixty-fecond year of his age, he received 
 a gift in the miniftry, in the exercife of which he was 
 particularly zealous in teflifying againft the follies and 
 vanities incident to youth, with refpecl: to a confor- 
 mity to the never-fettled fafhions of the times. In 
 the year 1733, fie with another friend, vifited friends 
 $n fundry counties in England, as alfo in North-Britain. 
 
 This year died at Dublin, Jofeph Gill, born at 
 Skelion in Cumberland, in the year 1674, the fon 
 of William Gill, from whom he received a religious 
 education, which with the concurrence of the divine 
 bleffing, and his own endeavours, was greatly im- 
 proved to his fpiritual advantage. 
 
 He manifefted an early zeal for the worfhip of 
 Almighty God, in preference to the purfuit of worldly 
 gain j and when his outward bufmefs increafcd. and 
 proipt ed, was feized with a holy fear, left the multi- 
 tude thereof fhouid obftruci; the fpiritual exercife and
 
 31 2 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 engagement of his mind, for thcacquifuion of heavenly 
 riches. 
 
 In the early part of his life, he frequently accom- 
 panied ininifiriug friends in their travels through 
 feveral parts of this nation, and met wii.li great con- 
 foJation and encouragement in fo doing. 
 
 In vhe year 1709, he was led to fettle his outward 
 affairs and IHTen his bufmefs, in pursuance of a fecret 
 impreffion then made on his mind, th^t he ought to 
 be at leifure to follow the Lord as he ihould be pieafed 
 to lead him, being refigned to what he believed to be 
 the divine will concerning him ; though at this time 
 he had no diftincl: perception of his being called to 
 the miniftry. However, in the year 1711, being 
 the thirty- feventh of his age, his mouth was firft 
 opened in the affemblies of the people called Quakers, 
 but with great fear and concern of mind, by reafon 
 of divers fuggeftions of the enemy-, which in procefs 
 of time were overcome, and he proving faithful to his 
 fenfe of the divine requirings, grew in his gift, and 
 became a diligent and zealous labourer therein, to 
 the edification of the churches both at home and 
 abroad. 
 
 in the year 1711 he vifited the meetings of friends 
 in Ulfter province, in company with Rtchaid Sealy, 
 whrn, at Coothill, James Sympfon (who was bred a 
 fcholar and intended for a Prcfbyteriun teacher) was 
 convinced, who became a ferviceable man, and fuifered 
 impriibnment.m Cavan gaol for his teftimouy againfl 
 tithes. 
 
 In the year 1713, he had drawing?, in his mind to 
 vifit friends in Ulfter province again, but wanting a 
 companion, and not deeming himfelf ftrong enough, 
 waited until the arrival of Luke Cock, a miniftring 
 friend from England, and accompanied him in his tra- 
 vels to that province. After this he very frequently 
 performed vifits iu-the work of the miniftry, to the
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 313 
 
 meetings in Leinfter, Munfter, and Ulfter, and forae- 
 times in Gonnaught, where he had alfo meetings 
 among Grangers ; and befides thefe vifits at home, 
 he, at different times, vifited friends in divers parts 
 of England and Scotland, and in the year 1714, in 
 thelfle of IVLui ; and in the year 1734, he took a voy- 
 age to America on the fame account, where he travelled 
 five thoufand five hundred and feventy-two miles, 
 and was at three hundred iind eighty-two meetings. 
 
 He uas diligent in attending the meetings of difci- 
 pline, as well as worfhip, and not only thofe at home, 
 but particularly the Yearly meeting at London ; and 
 from the year 1712 to 1741 inclufive, was thirteen 
 times at the faid Yearly meeting. 
 
 He was a man of exemplary life and converfation, 
 and given to hofpitality. As he drew near the con- 
 clufion of his days, he had this comfortable reflexion 
 to make, that he had preferred the fervice of truth 
 before the bufmefs of this world ; and declared, that 
 although he had feveral opportunities of enlarging 
 his temporal poffeffions, he dtirft not embrace them, 
 Icll he fhould thereby be hindered from the difcharge 
 of his fpirimal duties. He alfo fignified his fenfe, 
 that al hough the church was now in her fable weeds, 
 and mourning feemed her prefent portion, yet that 
 he believed the Lord would caufe Sion to fliine and 
 become the beauty of nations. He died in a devout 
 frame of mind, in this the fixty-feventh year of his 
 age, and thirtieth of his mimflry. 
 
 This year died at Dublin that honourable elder 
 and minifter George Rooke, the fon of Thomas Rooke, 
 born in the pariih of Boulton ii) Cumberland. He 
 had been educated in the church of England, but 
 about the twentieth year of his age, being convinced 
 of the truth of the do&rine preached by John Greaves, 
 a minifter among the people called C)uak.ers, he joined 
 himfelf in fociety with them, and proving faithful, 
 according to his fenfe of his duty, about the twenty-
 
 314 THE RISE AND PROGRESS O THE 
 
 fifth year of his age, his mouth was opened to declare 
 unto others his own experience of the ford's good- 
 nefs, and he became early engaged in travelling abroad 
 in the work of the miniitry, zealoufly and chearfully 
 devoting his Itrength and youthful days to the propa- 
 gation of the gofpd, and promotion of truth and 
 rrghteoufnefs in the earth ; particularly in the year 
 1679, he travelled on foor to Scotland on this accoiint, 
 accompanied by Peter Fearon. In the yea 168', 
 he vifited friends in all their meetings in Scotland a 
 fecond time, and the fame year came to Ireland and 
 vifited mod of the meetings of friends through the 
 cation, as he did alfo in the ye,ir i6?4, and fome 
 time after his return, vifiting Friends in Weftinoreland, 
 arid bilhoprick, he had a meeting at Stockton, where 
 the mayor of the town fest one of his officers to bring 
 George before him, and when he 1 came, tendered him 
 the oath of allegiance and fupremncy : but becaufc 
 George, for confcience fake, refnfed to Avear, the 
 mayor would have had him' enter into bonds for his 
 good behaviour, and to appear at the next quarter- 
 feffions : George told him, he was bound to good 
 behaviour already. ' Have you been with Ibme 
 juftice of the peace that has bound you already V faid 
 the mayor. ' No/ faid George, ' but I am bound 
 by my principle to behave myfelf towards the king 
 and all his fubjefts as becomes a Chriftian.' ' But 
 for all that/ faid the mayor, ' you raufl enter into 
 bonds.' * I cannot,' laid George, * for I believe 
 thou wilt call that a breach of good behaviour, which 
 I think is good behaviour.' ' What is. that,' faid 
 the mayor, c I fuppofe,' faid George, ' thou wilt call 
 it a breach of good behaviour, if I go to one of our 
 meetings before next quarter fe (lions ?' ' Sure enough, 
 I (hall/ faid the mayor. George faid, he would not 
 bring any of his friends into that fnare to leave them 
 bound ..for him. ' It is but aboat a month,' faid the 
 mayor, c to iiie fcllions, ^nd cannot yea forbear gojng
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 315 
 
 to meeting fo long ?' c No,' faid George, ' if the 
 Lord fpare me health, I can no more forbear going to 
 meetings, than Daniel could forbear praying to his 
 God, although the decree was but for thirty days.* 
 So the mayor committed him to Durham gaol, where 
 he was kept prifoner till the feffiohs, when he was 
 again committed and kept prifoner about a month 
 longer, becaufe for confcience-fake he could not 
 fwear. 
 
 In the year 1685, ^ e v 'faed friends in Ireland a 
 third time, and again in 1686, when he married and 
 fettled in Limerick ; yet (till continued laborious, 
 and frequently travelled abroad in the exercife of 
 his gift, for the edification of the churches ; and in- 
 deed his miniftry appears to have been clear and con- 
 vincing even among ftrangers, of which an inflance 
 occurred in his travels through Wales, where, at a 
 meeting he had at Haverford-weft, one of his hearers, 
 who had a right of the prefentation of a parifh called 
 St. David's Head, was fo far affected by his preaching 
 as to make him an offer of it ; but he was not one of 
 thofe minifters who feek for reward or fup^ort from 
 men. 
 
 He continued his habitation in Limerick in the years 
 1689 and 90, in the troublefome time of the wars 
 between king William and king James, and during 
 the firft fiege ; but before the fecond fiege, while 
 king James's army had poffeffion of the city, he 
 removed himfelf and family to Cumberland ; but not- 
 \yithftanding thefe troubles, he dill continued labo- 
 rious and fervent in fpirit, in vifiting the meetings 
 of friends, and in the year 16923 again vilited the 
 brethren in Scotland. 
 
 In the year 1693 he returned to Ireland, fettled, 
 and continued his refidence in Dublin the remaining, 
 part of his life, during which time, whilft of ability, 
 he frequently vifited friends in the three provinces, 
 and fometimes had meetings in places where no
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 meetings of friends were fettled : he alfo fometimes 
 vifncd friends in England and Wales, and was fre- 
 quently at the Yearly meeting of London. He was 
 a very diligent attender of meetings for worfhip, and 
 thofe for difcipline, and was fcarce ever abfent (unlefs 
 when engaged in travelling elfewhere in truth's fervice) 
 from the Province and Quarterly meetings, until dif- 
 abled by infirmity of body. 
 
 He was a man of good underftanding, though but 
 little fchool-learning ; of a fweet temper; in conver- 
 fation pleafantrand affable; an. affectionate hufband 
 and father ; a tender and fympathizing vifror of the 
 lick : he was a diligent and faithful minifter, and his 
 labours were often crowned with fuccefs, to the con- 
 vincement of fevcral, who proved eminent and fer- 
 viceable men in the church, and the edification and 
 eftablifhmenl of others. In the.exercife of his gift 
 he w r as clear, folid, and lively, even unto extreme old 
 age ; in prayer, living,, reverent, weighty, and concife. 
 In his deportment meek and humble, not elevated by 
 his gifts and good ftrvices ; far from being defirous 
 of exerdfing lordfhip over God's heritage, frequently 
 declaring, that he did not judge miniilers to be of an 
 order above other men, and that he and all others 
 in the miniitry, ought willingly to refer their doctrines 
 to the divine wknefs in the confciences of their hearers. 
 He was a diligent reader of the holy Scriptures, and 
 in his preaching a faithful quoter of them. He re 
 tained his integrity, as well as ^underflanding and me- 
 mory to his end, and departed this life in the ninety- 
 firfl year of his age, and about the fixty-fevemh of 
 his miniftry, and appears to be the moil ancient 
 rniniiler mentioned in thefe records. 
 
 This year, there being apprehenfions of an in- 
 tended invafion of England from France, friends drew 
 lip an addrefs to the king, iignifying their fidelity 
 and good affection to hii perfon and government, 
 which was as follows :
 
 PEOPLE CALLED- QUAKERS. 317 
 
 * To George the Second, king of Great- Britain and 
 
 the dominions thereunto belonging. 
 
 * The humble Addrefs of his Proteftant Subjefts, the 
 People called Quakers, in the kingdom of Ireland. 
 
 * We thy dutiful and peaceable fubjefts, with hearts 
 truly fenfible of the many bleffings and privileges we 
 enjoy under thy paternal care and proteftion, beg 
 leave at this critical conjuncture, when thy dominions 
 are threatened with an invafion in favour of a popifh 
 pretender, to exprefs our fmcerc and hearty abhor- 
 rence of all plots and confpiracies againft thy perfon 
 and government. 
 
 * Duty, gratitude, and intereft, unite to engage us 
 in a firm attachment to thy royal perfon, and the 
 Proteftant fucceflicn in the illirilrious houfe ; and we 
 are determined, by divine affiftance, to continue un- 
 fhaken in thefe fentiments, and conformable to our 
 known principles to do the utmoft in our power for 
 promoting the peace and welfare of this nation. 
 
 ' The kind indulgence granted us by the legiflature 
 in our religious fcruples, the free accefs we have had 
 to the feveral chief governors of this kingdom fmce 
 thy acceilion to the throne, and the readinefs (hewn 
 for our relief, whereof we retain the mod grateful 
 and lively fenfe, lay us under additional obligations 
 of duty and fidelity. 
 
 * May the fame divine Providence that defeated the 
 attempts of the enemies of our conftitution, in the re- 
 bellion againft thy royal father, and which hath lately 
 protected thec in imminent danger, preferve thee and 
 thy royal family from the wicked defigns of all your 
 enemies, whether foreign or domeftic. May the 
 Almighty guide thy counfcis by his wifdom, and 
 render them erTe&ua! for the re-eftablifhment of peace 
 and tranquillity, and grant thee a long and profperous 
 reign over us. May the JBritifh throne be alwayS
 
 31 8 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 filled with one of thy royal offspring, to tranfmit the 
 bleffings we enjoy to future ages. 
 
 e Signed in Dublin, in behalf of the faid 
 people, the 31(1 of the Firft month, called March., 
 1744, by 
 
 John Barclay 
 .Peter Judd 
 Henry Pemberton 
 Daniel Bewley 
 Edward Fawcett 
 Jofeph Fade 
 James John/ton 
 John Rutty 
 Samuel Judd 
 Benjamin Dawfon 
 Paul Johnfon 
 Robert Clibborn 
 Francis Ruflell 
 Thomas Strettell, junr. 
 Robert Unthank 
 Jacob Ford 
 Robert J affray 
 Jofeph Barcroft 
 John Goulbee 
 Robert Gill 
 Jonathan Strettell 
 John Dawfon 
 Ambrofe Barcroft 
 Samuel Sharpley 
 "William Greenhow 
 Thomas Chandlcy 
 John Barclay, junr. 
 
 Jofliua Clibborn 
 Edward Stephens 
 Lancelot Whitehead 
 John Powel 
 Aaron Atkinfon 
 Ifaac Afhton 
 Thomas Handy 
 Jffachar Willcocks 
 Jofeph Willcocks 
 Gherret H a/Ten 
 Henry Aflie 
 John Willcocks 
 Samuel Ruflell 
 Thomas Goulbee 
 Samuel Morton 
 Samuel Summers 
 John Beetham 
 Jonathan Fletcher 
 Jofeph Green 
 Abraham Robinfon 
 I William Willan 
 Jfaac Jackfon 
 Richard Pearce 
 John Pirn 
 Jacob Goff 
 William Richardfon 
 James Forbes 
 
 It is worthy of obfervation, that whilft the neigh- 
 bouring kingdom of Great-Britain was difturbed both 
 with a foreign war, and a rebellion at home., this 
 nation, under the prudent adminiflration of our chief 
 governor, enjoyed a profound peace ; and at the fame 
 time we were favoured with the vifits of divers worthy 
 brethren and filters in the miniftry, fome from Great- 
 Brirain and others from America, who crofled the 
 feas in this fervice at the hazard of their lives.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 Alfo, whereas the aft of parliament for granting 
 friends an affirmation in all, except criminal cafes, 
 and for qualifying for places of profit and truft, find 
 ferving on juries, which was paffed in the year 1736, 
 Xvas only temporary, and to expire at the end of the, 
 enfuing feffion of parliament, the prefent time was 
 thought convenient to make early application for a 
 renewal of the faid aft without limitation of time, in the 
 fame manner as friends elfewhere enjoy it. Wherefore 
 the friends who attended the lail Yearly meeting at 
 London, did there wait on the earl of Chefterfield, 
 the lord lieutenant, requeuing his advice and friend - 
 fhip in our intended felicitation, iwhich he with great 
 chearfulnefs granted them, and on his arrival here, 
 encouraged friends to petition the Houfe of Commons 
 this feffion, for fuch an aft as aforefaid, which they 
 accordingly did with good fuccefs, for it pafled both 
 lioufes, nemine contradicente, and obtained the royal 
 affent.* 
 
 Befides other miniftring friends at home, who vifited 
 friends this year ( 1 744 ) Gherret Haffen performed a 
 vifit to them, in each province, not only in their pub- 
 lick meetings, but in their families, having in this 
 fervice vifited bj eftimation, three thoufand families 
 and upwards, exclufive of thofe in Dublin, where he 
 had refided fome years. 
 
 This year died Mungo Bewley, fon of Thomas and 
 Margaret Bewley, of Woodhall in Cumberland, from 
 whence he came over to this kingdom, and fettled at 
 Edenderry, in the King's County. He was favoured 
 in his youth with a tender vifitation of the love of God, 
 and manifefted early a fervent zeal for divine worfhip 
 in'the following inftance: among his papers was found 
 one which he wrote during the time of his apprentice- 
 ftiip, requefting of his marter either to have his work 
 previoufly allotted to him, in order that he might make 
 
 * Seethe Year 1721.
 
 320 THE RISE AND PROGRZS? OF THE 
 
 preparation againfl the time of the week-day meeting, 
 or that he might be allowed when his apprenticefhip 
 expired, to pay for fo much time as he fhould have 
 fpent at meetings : and he grew and profpered in the 
 faving knowledge of the truth accordingly, and not 
 Jong after his coming over to Ireland, a difpenfation 
 of the gofpel was committed unto him, whereof he 
 became an eminent minifter, freely devoting himfelf 
 to fpend and be fpent for the promotion of piety 
 in the earth, being diligent in the exercife of his gift 
 both at home and abroad, having vifited friends in 
 the fervice of the gofpel in England, Scotland, Wales, 
 Holland, and America. 
 
 He adorned his miniftry by a grave and folid be- 
 haviour ; he was alfo a man of good underftanding, 
 zealous inChriftian difcipline,and ferviceable in vifiting 
 the families of friends ; a man of integrity and firm- 
 nefs, induftrious in bufmefs, upright in his dealings, 
 and careful in the religious education of his children; 
 chearful and edifying in his converfation ; compaifio- 
 nate and liberal to the afflicted ; a nurfmg father to 
 young travellers in the way to Zion ; yet not hafty 
 to lay hands fuddenly on fuch as were more in fliew 
 than fubflance, being of a difcerning fpirit ; and not- 
 withstanding thefe good qualifications, he was very 
 humble-minded with refpecl: to himfelf. 
 
 He continued lively in the exercife of his gift to the 
 laft, fmiihing his Chriftian courfe in the feventieth 
 year of his age, and about the fortieth of his miniftry. 
 
 This year died at Cork, George Bewley, a faith- 
 ful minifler and elder, his conduft and converfation 
 having been agreeable to his doctrine. He was 
 careful to keep free from the incumbrances of this 
 life, and zealous for the fupport of good order and 
 difcipline in the church. A narrative of his life was 
 published, by the approbation of the National meeting, 
 in the year 1750.
 
 A 
 
 SUMMARY VIEW 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SUFFERINGS 
 
 OF THIS 
 
 PEOPLE 
 IN IRELAND, 
 
 MANY and grievous were the fufferings which 
 this people underwent at the beginning, merely 
 for being exercifed in preserving a confcience void of 
 offence towards God and man, in teftifying againft the 
 corruptions, fuperfluities, and exceffes, vain pleafurcs 
 and paftimes, fuperftitions, dead formality and hypo- 
 crify, prevailing among profeffed Chriftians. On 
 thefe accounts they became the objects of popular 
 fcorn and derifion ; and befides perfonal abufes, they 
 frequently fuffered fevere fines and imprifonment. 
 This will appear the lefs wonderful, when we call to 
 mind and confider the faying of the apoftle, Gal. iv 29. 
 * c He that is born after the fiefh, perfecuteth him that 
 is born after the Spirit.'* 
 
 But there was one thing which rendered them in 
 a peculiar manner the objects of the rage of a man- 
 rnade miniftry, viz. their confcientious fcruple of 
 paying tithes in thefe gofpel-times, as being an anti- 
 chriftian impofition. Hence was verified among thefe 
 what was obferyed of the prophets tl^at caufed the 
 
 VOL. III. x
 
 322 THE P.ISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 people to err formerly, Micah iii. 5. " He that putteth 
 not into their mouths,, they even proclaim war againft 
 him." And accordingly the priefts were commonly 
 the inftruments of ftirring up the magiftrates, and 
 even the rabble againft them ; and on the above- 
 named account, viz. their refufing to pay tithes, they 
 very frequently had their goods fpoiled and taken 
 away; fometimes to three, fix, ten, or twenty times 
 the value, and were often imprifoned and kept pri- 
 ibners feveral years, and fometimes unto death ; thus 
 fealing with their blood their teftimony againft the 
 antichriftian yoke of tithes, as having been commanded 
 to be paid by the eleven tribes of Ifrael, to the tribe 
 of Levi, both for their continual fervice and atten- 
 dance in the tabernacle of the congregation, and in 
 lieu of their part, or {hare in the land of Canaan, 
 which they were hereupon exprefsly deprived of 
 (fee Numb, xviii. 20, 23, 24.), and not affe&ing the 
 Gentiles, of whofe race we are, but made null by 
 the coming and offering up of Chrift Jefus our Lord, 
 on which confideration the fatisfying of this demand, 
 in thefe gofpel times, hath been ever deemed, by this 
 people, a virtual (or in effeft) denying the efficacy 
 of the coming and fuffering of Chrift Jefus to abolifh 
 the ordinances commanded to the Jews for a time 
 only, of which tithes was one, from whence the im- 
 pofition of them has been by them called an anti- 
 chriftian yoke of oppreiTion upon Chriftians. 
 
 To enumerate all the inftances that might be given 
 of their fufferings on this account, were to fill a large 
 volume. A compendious view of their fufferings in 
 this kingdom, for not fatisfying this and other eccle- 
 fiaftical demands, fuch as building and repairing the 
 places called churches, burying and chriftening (fo 
 called) their children, and churching their women, 
 even when none of thefe offices had been done for 
 them, was publifhed in Dublin in the year 1731 ; 
 where is alfo a narrative of their fufferings for con-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 323 
 
 fcience-fake on feveral other accounts, whereof I fhall 
 here give a brief /ketch, as follows : 
 
 For not going to the church, fo called, but meeting 
 together purely to worfhip Almighty God, according 
 to the dictates of their confciences, they were cruelly 
 ufed, indicted, greatly fined, had their goods fpoiled, 
 and were long imprifoned ; and when there was a 
 profpect of their enlargement, becaufe they could not 
 fatisfy the unjufl demand of fees, as having done no 
 wrong (thus bravely, though paflively, aflerting their 
 Chriftian libertyj, fome of them were detained in 
 prifon, and others dripped of their clothes and then 
 turned out. 
 
 There was one occafion more of their fuffering, 
 whereof we meet with frequent inftances in the early 
 days, which (though it may feem very ftrange, and 
 perhaps to fome fcarcely juftifiablej appears however 
 very reconcileable to the practice of Chrifl and his 
 apoftles, who frequently taught and preached not 
 only in the temple and fynagogues of the Jews, but 
 in other places of public concourfe,* and to the liberty 
 enjoyed in the primitive Chriftian churches, where 
 we read that not one man only, but " all might 
 prophefy (i, e. in the fenfe of the apoftle, fpeak to 
 edification, exhortation, and comfort) that all might 
 learn, and all might be comforted, and if any jhing 
 were revealed ro one that fat by, the firft was to hold 
 his peace. f What I mean is their practice of exhorting 
 and warning the people to repentance and the fear of 
 the Lord, fometimes in the ftreets J and markets, and 
 fometimes in the publick places of worfhip, commonly 
 
 This, however uncouth it may feem, through long dtfuetude, to 
 divers modern Chriilians, might be further defended by the pra<5tice of 
 the great Socrats, whofe familiar cuftom it was, publickly to preach to, 
 or inftruet the people in juft, grave, and virtuous manners ; and thus he 
 did, frequently, at any time of the day, and in the vtry ftreeti, as occafion 
 ferved, and as his good genius moved him ; neither was he an hireling, 'lor 
 be did it gratis. See Fenn's ' No Crofs, No Crown.' 
 
 f i Cor. xiv. 3, 30, 31. J S?e the above note.
 
 TH RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 after the priefl had ended his fervice ; where alfo 
 they fometimes defired the priefts to prove their 
 doctrine, and fome even took the liberty of reprov- 
 ing the prieits, when it appeared evident to them 
 that they had preached things falfe and contrary to 
 Scripture.* 
 
 On thefe accounts they fuffered lofs pf goods, fines, 
 whippings, cruel beatings, and long imprisonment. 
 
 The fame treatife from whence this extract is taken, 
 gives many inftances of great and grievous fufferings 
 they alfo underwent by fpoiling of goods, fines, and 
 imprifonment, for their not daring to break the com- 
 mand of Chrift, "Swear not at all j" and fome for 
 KOt fighting. 
 
 Nor were their fufferings inconfiderable merely on 
 the account of their confcientiouily refufing to take off 
 their hats in honour to man (as deeming this to be a 
 mark of reverence proper to divine worfhip, ac- 
 cording to i Cor. xi.) as appears from the following 
 jnftances in the fame treatife. 
 
 A. D. 1 66 1. William Edmundfon, Thomas Lunn, 
 Richard Faile, "Wil'iam Parker, and Thomas Hutch- 
 infon, were fined by judge Alexander, at the affizes 
 at Cavan, feven pounds a man for not taking off their 
 Jiats. 
 
 In the year 1655, Michael Richards, for wearing 
 his hat on in the court of Cork, being fent for thither' 
 as a witnefs about his mailer, who was then at the 
 bar upon his trial, was by John Byffe, then judge, 
 fined twenty pounds. And for the fame offence, at the 
 aflizes in New Rofs, was John Rodman, committed 
 to gaol by judge Louder, kept a prifoner three months, 
 and then baniihed that country. 
 
 They alfo fuffered greatly by fpoiling of goods ; and 
 fome inftances occur in the above treatife, of excom- 
 munication and imprifonment on the account merely 
 
 * See the compendious View of extraordinary Sufferings of the People 
 called Quakers in Ireland, page ic6, ill, ilj.
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QTAKERS. 
 
 325 
 
 of their following their lawful vocations on the days 
 called holy-days, as judging thefe obfervations entirely 
 jfuperftitious, introduced in the dark night of apoftacy, 
 and that they were called of God thus to bear an open, 
 public teftimony againit them. 
 
 I fhall here fubjoin a fhort extract from the treatife 
 aforefaid, exhibiting the fum total of friends fufferings, 
 and numbers of prifoners under each reign from the 
 beginning, and then conclude with the total annual 
 {offerings to the prefent time, with a few remarks. 
 
 
 No. of 
 
 
 
 TheProteftors, 
 (fo called) 
 
 Years 
 they 
 reigned. 
 
 5 
 
 Value taken. 
 
 Prifoners. 
 
 . s. d. 
 86 13 6 
 
 101 
 
 K.Charles II. 
 
 36 
 
 3824 16 8f 
 
 780 
 
 K.James II. 
 
 4 
 
 1383 14 3 
 
 12 
 
 K.WilliamSr \ 
 Q^Mary J 
 
 U 
 
 13724 9 3^- 
 
 33 
 
 Q^Ann 
 
 12 
 
 16199 15 3 
 
 13 
 
 K. George I. 
 ) 
 
 13 
 
 22513 14 10 : 
 
 27 
 
 In all 57933 3 lOf 966
 
 326 
 
 THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE 
 
 The annual Sura total of friends Sufferings, chiefly for 
 tithes, priefts maintenance, and other ecclefiaftical 
 dues fo called ; and for repair of pariih \vorfliip- 
 houfes, from the year 1727 to 1751, iuclulive. 
 
 K. GEORGE II. 
 
 Year.- 
 
 Sums. 
 
 
 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 1727 
 
 1939 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 1728 
 
 1777 
 
 2 
 
 a 
 
 1729 
 
 1921 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 1730 
 
 1368 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 1731 
 
 1589 
 
 19 
 
 91 
 
 1732 
 
 1591 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 1733 
 
 1585 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 1734 
 
 1534 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 1735 
 
 1458 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 1736 
 
 1485 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 1737 
 
 1599 
 
 17 
 
 9 
 
 1738 
 
 I486 
 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 1739 
 
 1511 
 
 
 
 8* 
 
 1740 
 
 1884 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 1741 
 
 1738 
 
 15 
 
 7 
 
 1742 
 
 1532 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 1743 
 
 1460 
 
 9 
 
 6 [ 
 
 1744 
 
 1505 
 
 3 
 
 "i 
 
 1745 
 
 1687 
 
 14 
 
 6 
 
 1746 
 
 1687 
 
 14 
 
 6|f 
 
 1747 
 
 1450 
 
 9 
 
 3|J 
 
 1748 
 
 1605 
 
 11 
 
 li 
 
 1749 
 
 1564 
 
 11 
 
 if 
 
 1750 
 
 1760 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 1751 
 
 1743 
 
 19 
 
 01 
 
 PRISONERS. 
 
 Three friends of Charlemont meeting, 
 on account of tithes. 
 
 James Simpfon, and Jofhua Deale, in 
 Cavan gaol, through the feverity of 
 Hugh Keilly, a popifh tithe-taker 
 under Witnel Sneyd, vic;ir-generai 
 of Kilmorc and Adrxgh, and cca- 
 tinued Prifoners above a year. 
 
 Jofluia Thompfoa of Carlow Monthly 
 meeting, on account of tithes, who 
 continued a ptifoner for fome time. 
 
 Total.... 40469 17 
 
 * In the year 1739, a certain grievous fuffering befel fome friends, on a 
 particular occafion, which was owing to the imprudence of fome on the one 
 Jiand, and the inveterate rage of a party on the other, newly awakened ; 
 of which it may not be improper to fubjoin some account, viz. On the 
 5th of the Ninth month, being the day u'ually celebrated by the Proteftauts 
 in commemoration of their deliverance from the Gun-powder Plot, certain 
 Proteftant journeymen and fervants belonging to fome friends living at 
 Timahoe in the county of Kildare (where is a feftlement of friends amidft 
 preat numbers of Papifls) did likewife make a fire thr.re on an eminence on 
 that day, which being fuppofed to have been done by friend^ though un- 
 juftljr (except foAe giddy young perfons who \v\rg not fo clear of eacpu-
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS. 327 
 
 raging *he thing as they ought to have been) fuch methods of rejoicing 
 having ever been inconfiftent with the declared principles and practices of 
 this people on all fuch occafions, the popifh. rabble took offence, aggravated 
 the affair by mifreprefentations and lies, and carried their refentment to 
 i'uch a degree of infolence and barbarity, that they firft burnt friends 
 meeting-houfe there, and afterwards feveral of their outhoufes, from which 
 proceedings, together with other jnfults and menaces, there was great reafonx 
 to apprehend that their fury, ur.lefs fpeedily repreffed, would have been 
 extended to many other friends in difUnt places. Hereupon friends of 
 Dublin made application to the government for protection, and personally 
 to the Duke of Devonfhire, then lord-lieutenant, whole great tendcrnefs to- 
 wards friends on this occafion, deferves to be gratefully commemorated, 
 in fending down inftantly upon their application, parties of foldiers to 
 Timahoe, for the protection of friends there, in ifluing a proclamation 
 for apprehending the offender*, and ordering a comm:flion of Oyer and 
 Terminer, to bring them to juftice ; which, although it did not fucceed, 
 through a defecl in, and grofs prevarication among the evidences, was fuch 
 an inftance of the countenance and regard of the government as was of 
 great fervice; and the damages were afterwards recovered upon the popifh 
 inhabitants, according to a5t of parliament. 
 
 ^ To the year I74Z add l81. II. pd. being the damage fufhined by 
 feveral friends of Limerick, Waterford, and Cionmel, by a rude mob of 
 foldiers and others, breaking their windows, c. bccaufe, for confcience- 
 lake, they could not join with the muliitude in illuminating their windows, 
 and making bonfires, on. the news of a late fuppofed victory at fea. 
 
 } To the year 1746 add 27!. 45. 4d. being the lofs luffered by friends of 
 the City of Cork this year, by a rude affembly of foldiers and other rabble 
 breaking their windows, beeaufe they could not illuminate them OM a night 
 of rejoicing for the victory obtained by the king'* forces over the 
 rebel* in Scotland, and this not through the leaft difloyalty or difaffedion 
 to the government, they being fenfible of the geat favour of Providence 
 in delivering them, i common with other Protcftane diffenters, from the 
 late imminent danger, but purely for comfcicnce-fake, as believing fuch a 
 way of rejoicing not to be coniiitent with the gravity and reverence be- 
 coming a Chriftian on fuch occafions, nor with that precept in holy Scripture, 
 Pfalm ii II. " Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." 
 
 On this occafion Primate Hoadley, Robert J.ord Newport, and Henry 
 Boyle, Kfqr*. Lords Juftices, were applied to by friends of Dublin in behalf 
 of their friend* of Cork, who wrote forthwith to the mayor of Cork, Walter 
 Lavit, in order to difcourage fuch practices for the future. 
 
 (- To the year 1747 add lol. 93. n$d. being the damage again fuftained , 
 by friends of C;,rk this year, on a like occafion as that mentioned laft year. 
 
 A few Remarks, arifmg partly from the foregoing 
 account, and partly from a peruial and impartial con- 
 fideration of the records of the itate of the fociety, 
 from the year 1727 to the year 1748 inclufive, are 
 obvious, viz. 
 
 i. That during the reign of our prefent gracious 
 fovereign George II. whilft the great blefling of liberty 
 o.f confcience, and of preaching the gofpel freely, is
 
 328 THE RISE AND PROGRESS, &C. 
 
 enjoyed, .the teftimony of truth gains efteem in divers 
 places, and the wrong apprehenfions of many con- 
 cerning friends, are removed. 
 
 2. The chief fufferings of friends are for tithes^ 
 priefts maintenance, and other tcclefiaftical demands, 
 and during thefe twenty-one years, there have been 
 but fix priibners on this account. 
 
 3. '1 hat fometimes the priefts take their tithes both 
 in a cruel and in an illegal manner, which brings hard-' 
 iliips on the poor, (which moft frequently happened 
 in the province of Ulfler) and the rather becaufe 
 divers priefts fet their tithes to wicked and vexatious 
 perfons. 
 
 4. It is not lefs worthy of obfervation, that in this 
 calm fummer-feafon, when the fevere penalties of 
 fines and imprifonments formerly inflicted on friends, 
 for not daring to forfake the affembling themfelves 
 together for the worfhip of Almighty God, are entirely 
 withdrawn, negligence and lukewarmnefs, with refpecT: 
 to that efTential duty,- hath crept in and prevailed 
 among the defcendants of this once perfecuted people j 
 it being a common complaint during the above-men- 
 tioned period, that a conformity to the vain and corrupt 
 fafhions of the world prevails among the youth, 
 and a coolnefs of zeal in attending the meetings of 
 worfhip and difcipline among thofe of riper years. 
 
 5. Though a faithful few be prefervcd alive to 
 mourn over the declining multitude, yet, as the negli- 
 gence before-mentioned is undoubtedly an inlet to 
 many evils, thefe fometimes break forth openly, to 
 the great obftruftion of the progrefs of truth, and 
 ftumbling-blocks are thrown in the way of the fincere 
 inquirer : neverthelefs, whilft a wholefome difcipline 
 is continued to be exercifed on offenders, the fociety 
 is no longer juftly chargeable with the fcandal hereby 
 given. 
 
 FINIS. 
 London: Priated by W. Philiips, George Yard, Lombard Street.
 
 31158012595392 A Q00148717 2 
 
 it of California 
 
 from which it was borrowed.