ilREYANDV.

T, W. MAR

'YAHJE-^KfflVEirainrY-

1934

This book was digitized by Microsoft Corporation in
cooperation with Yale University Library, 2008. You
may not reproduce this digitized copy ofthe book for
any purpose other than for scholarship, research,
educational, or, in limited quantity, personal use. You
may not distribute or provide access to this digitized copy
(or modified or partial versions of it) for commercial purposes.

cifslua-

'tr

9\ojms

«vt*«j4

~,~J&-1j} £L s* a±j/ wI/» rr* f f/tf in Af// .

T&lVWOLtoJfitettu ¦
£tt-Ni¥Crif+e(W '•
ffior/rVtM;. •

^M?: HiJ^prkGI- ^s°A*Ay

QUrCrhtu ¦
^aAbbicA ¦
*i&trtrAajiv ¦

.C8rtf9t^ - -foi^-t

Affbiyyurr*. :

-VK.
FACSIMILE OF PAGE' FROM THE EARLIEST HORSHAM MINUTE BOOK..
SOME RECORDS

THE EARLY FRIENDS

SURREY AND SUSSEX

THE ORIGINAL MINUTE-BOOKS AND OTHER SOURCES.

COMPILED AND EDITED BY THOS. W. MAKSH.
CONCLUDING CHAPTEE BY ANNE W. MARSH.

«itlj $,int flafes.
LONDON :
S. HAEEIS & CO., 5, BISHOPSGATE WITHOUT.
1886.

The reader in this little book may trace,
Some scattered annals of a bygone race, —
Men who, unmoved, still brave and fearless stood,
Arnid the rage of persecution's flood ;
Meekly obedient to the voice within,
Denouncing evil and rebuking sin ;
Bound in one loving bond to peaceful ends,
What more befitting than the name of Friends ?

PREFACE.

The extracts which appear in the following pages, so far as they
are made from Monthly Meeting minute-books, relate to the area of
country comprised within the present limits of Dorking, Horsham,
and Guildford Monthly Meeting, with the sanction of which Meeting
they are printed ; but no further responsibility attaches to the
Meeting in connection with this publication. A few matters outside
this limit are also briefly alluded to.
It may be stated, that there is in the safe at Dorking Meeting
house a complete series of minutes of the Monthly Meeting of
Dorking, Eeigate, and Capel, from the year 1668 to 1814, at which
time a junction was effected with the Monthly Meeting of Horsham.
The records of Horsham Monthly Meeting are also complete for the
same period, and for Guildford Monthly Meeting they extend from
1668 to 1841, when the three Monthly Meetings were united under
the present appellation of Dorking, Horsham, and Guildford Monthly
Meeting, the minutes of which have of course been preserved ; so

iv. Preface.
that there is no break in the continuity of the Eecords of the Society
in these parts from 1668 down to the present time, except that on a
few occasions either the minutes were not recorded or the meetings
were omitted to be held. In some instances the fair minute-books
are not to be found, but their places are supplied by the rough ones.
The letter D. before the date denotes an extract-from the records
of the Monthly Meeting for Dorking, Capel, and Eeigate ; H. denotes
that for Horsham and its associated meetings ; and G. Guildford
and Godalming Monthly Meeting.

CONTENTS.

Chapter L-

,j

II.-

,,

III.-

)»

IV.-

»)

V.-

» »

VI.-

n

VII.-

»»

VIII.-

* j

IX.-

> i

X.-

» >

XI.-

,,

XII.-

, i

XIII.-

i »

XIV.-

'»

XV.-

j»

XVI.-

In Memoriam

-Dorking, Capel, and Reigate Monthly Meeting
-Guildford Monthly Meeting
-Horsham Monthly Meeting ....
-Monthly Meetings of Women Friends .
-SepjLration and Re -union : Eeigate Meeting, and
Dorking and Capel. .....

-The Junctions of the Three Monthly Meetings
-Disciplinary Matters
-Persecution and Sufferings
-Affirmation
-Liberality
-Marriage -William Penn
-Recording and Liberation of Ministers
-Ministers : Testimonies and Biographical Notices
-Miscellaneous ......
-Conclusion 
(Daniel P. and Eliza Hack) .

1
1125
4042
45 4763
94
98
103
107117
122 139
155 160

LIST OF PLATES.

I. — Facsimile of page from earliest)
Horsham Minute-book j
II. — Capel Meeting-house .
III. — Eeigate Old Meeting-house .
IV. — Ifield Meeting-house .
V. — Thakeham Meeting-house
VI. — Interior of Thakeham Meeting-house
VII. — Dorking Old Market-house .
VIH.—" Ye House of Thomas Wright)
in Capill " (supposed) J
IX.— Bregsells Farm-house

.

Fro

ntispiece

Edith Capper.

To

face

page 2

, j

4

j j

26
>»
3,2
3 tt
36
PhUip Daws.
56
Edith Capper.
143
Ethel Hutchinson
,,
151
Plates II., III., IV., and VIII. are from photographs ; Plates V. and- VI. are
original drawings ; Plate VII. is from a model ; and Plate IX. is from a sketch by
Sarah Bickman.
EARLY FRIENDS IN SURREY & SUSSEX.

CHAPTER I.

DORKING, CAPEL, AND REIGATE
MONTHLY MEETING.

The Meetings established at an early elate, within this Monthly
Meeting, were those at Capel, Eeigate, and the joint one of Dorking
and Brockham Hurst. ®Ijg ©apd Jlteting.
That there was a Meeting at a very early period at Capel, or
rather at Pleystowe Farm (where Friends still have a burial-ground),
is shown by the following minute of the
" Monthly Men and Womens Meeting at ye house of Elizabeth
Bashford widdow
"In answer to friends Bequest at the yearly meeting at London
the 17th of the 3rd month 1676 that friends of the Monthly and
Quarterly meetings take an Exact Account among themselves of
those that first brought ye Message of glad tydings among them,
their sufferings and who Eeceived them first
" John Slee & Thomas Lawson & Thomas Lacock were receiv'1 in
Surrey by Eowley Titchbourn of Eygate & alsoe by Eich'1 Bax of
Capill — the said Eichard Bax hath Continued a Monthly meeting at
his house to this day being now above twenty yeares." (D. xii. 1677.)
A similar inquiry was instituted by the Yearly Meeting thirty
years later, and the information elicited on that occasion from the
Dorking, Eeigate, and Capel Meeting was rather more complete : —
B

Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. i.

" Edward Bax hath had Conference wtb Jno Stedman Concerning
ye first Publishers of ye Truth in this part of ye County who hath
informed him to ye best of his Eemembrance y4 John Sleigh and
Thomas Lawson both of ye North Country had theire first meeting
at his house in Ockley* about y° yeare 1654 or 1655 and were
Eeceived by Eich- Bax of Capill & about y* time a Large Convince
ment and a monthly meeting settled at the house of ye sayd Eich
Bax Whom y° Lord honoured wth a Publicke Testimony for ye truth
& good esteeme in his Country, the nest Messengers were Thomas
Lacocke & Thomas Eobinson after them George ffox and quickly
then a Meeting Settled att Thomas Moore'sf at Heartswood In
Buckland & soone after y' a Meeting settled at Eeigate and friends
Eeceived by Eowley Titchbourne Thomas Blatt &c." (D. vii. 1706.)
The Meeting at Eichard Bax's was evidently the germ of the Capel
Meeting, and it was probably continued there until the acquirement of
the meeting-house in the village of Capel. This took place about the
year 1724 ; but the building appears to have been considerably altered,
as to the arrangement of door and windows, from the first design.
In 1761 a Yearly Meeting's committee, then on a visit,! strongly
recommended that " the Frds of Capill & Eeigate would endeavour to
Establish a Week Day meeting " (D. vii. 1761) ; but the Capel Friends,
having taken six months to come to a resolution, concluded that it
did not " at present appear likely to be Effected so Unanimously as "
was requisite; so it was deferred "till a more Favorable oppor
tunity offer," which does not seem to have occurred till 1786, when
they were desirous of holding one " on a 6th day the 10th Hour," to
which no objection was made.
* Probably at Kitlands, two miles from Ockley.
t Bespecting this Friend, George Fox writes in his ' Journal ' : — " At Beigate Friends
told me of one Thomas Moore a justice of peace that hved not far from Beigate and was a
friendly moderate man whereupon I went to visit him at his house and he came to be a
serviceable man in the Truth " (1655). Heartswood, although in Buckland parish, is 2J
miles from the village, and IJ mile south of Beigate.
J It was no doubt this committee whose report stated, "no week day meeting held at
Biegate and but one in the month at Capill." The report also states, " Meetings for
discipline too much neglected." — 'London Friends' Meetings.'

chap, i.] Dorking, Capel, and Reigate Monthly Meeting. 3
In 1721 " It was proposed by Capele friends to the Quarterly
Meeting at Darking to Establish a monthly meeting at Capill evrey 4
furst Day in Each month " (G. v. 1721), which was to be considered
by the Guildford Monthly Meeting and was agreed to by that body.
The Quarterly Meeting was held at Capel in 1754.
It is interesting to find the name of Thomas Ellwood in connection
with the burying-ground at Pleystowe : it is stated that
" The Trustees for ye Burying ground at Capill did not apear at
Darking according to ye order of the Last monthly meeting. Some of
them being dissatisfied wth y6 Deed made by Thomas Elwood : It is
agreed by this meeting that ye five old Trustees shall setle it as they
shall see meet & that Thomas Elwood shall be satisfied for ye Deed
hee hath made." (D. xi. 1700.)
" Nathaniell Owen Eecea ten shillings of this meeting to pay
Thomas Elwood ffor the Deed hee drew but thinking it not to be
enough gave him fifteen shill." (D. v. 1701.)
The Eeigate Meeting was in existence in 1669. In 1684 it was
arranged that
" the weekly fourth dayes meeting should be kept at y6 house of
John Bicknall for the future & to begin at ye 2d houre." (D. viii. 1684.)
In 1687 the Friends of Eeigate were stirring to provide a more
permanent place of meeting. A minute of that year says : —
" The meeting being assembled at ye house of Jon Bicknall Noe
busines apeared Except what arose Concerning a meeting house &
Thomas Blatt is desired to make dilligent enquiry about Lmkfield
street if some house barn or ground may be purchased as a Conve
nient thing for that use." (D. vi. 1687.)
The altered value of land becomes here very apparent. Thomas
Moore (with whom we became acquainted at page 2) purchased the
half-acre which is now our burial-ground for £\&, and granted a lease
of it to Friends for 2000 years for a nominal consideration, " and for
divers other good causes and considerations him thereunto moving."

4 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. !•
If this Friend could see the spacious and well-appointed meeting
house in which his diligent enquiries have at length eventuated, he
could not fail to esteem it a very "convenient thing for that use."
The old meeting-house was built about 1688 (nearly on the same
site as the present one), Friends having then had possession of the
burying-ground for about twenty years. Its position so far from the
town, and Linkfield Street, a village now absorbed into Eedhill,
having been thought of as a suitable place for the meeting-house,
seem to indicate the early settlement or convincement of Friends as
among parts on the east of Eeigate rather than much in the town
itself. The Tan Yard, which is still in existence at Eedhill, was
worked by the Blatt family. The first monthly Meeting for Discipline
was held at the house of John Blatt. The old meeting-house was
taken down in the year 1857' and a new one built on the site, at which
time a small piece of the adjoining field was purchased and added
thereto. In 1688 " It was moved to the Meeting to Settle A Monthly
Meeting at the Meeting House newly Built at Eeigate " (D. ix. 1688),
and it was agreed that it should be held on the second First-day in
every month. There is allusion again in 1707 to "the Eeigate
monthly meeting for worship," notwithstanding the Eeigate Meeting
was held every week ; so that one is led to the supposition that these
monthly Meetings for Worship were of a more general character, to
which Friends from adjacent Meetings were expected to come. Some
other minutes seem to favour such a conclusion, and the practice is
mentioned in the ' Memoirs of Isaac Penington ' as having obtained in
Buckinghamshire. The term "Monthly Meeting" is now so inseparably associated in
our minds with Meetings for Discipline, that it is necessary to bear this
in mind, in considering some of the earlier minutes, to avoid confusion.
The meeting-house at Eeigate was altered about the year 1798 to
accommodate the Quarterly Meeting ; and the Friends thought they
might be reasonably excused from contributing towards the new
meeting-house at Esher, having expended so much money in making

chap, i.] Dorking, Capd, and Riiqato Monthly Meeting.

this addition : but the Quarterly Meeting was not disposed to let them
off on that consideration. In 1705 it was thought that the
•' weeke day meeting at Eeygate may be Enlarged if it were held
upon y* fifth day in every week at ye usuall hour viz when a traviling
friend knowne to be there att y- Eleventh hour and Second hour
aftemoone at othr times" (D. v. 1705 . And in 1769 the Meeting
agreed to a jroposition male •' on behalf of the Friends of Eeigate
Meeting * * * for holding their week day meeting twice in a Month
at Nuttield for the Convenancy of the Ntttfield Friends tne Friends
of Eeigate sildom attending of the week day meeting ' (D. ii. 1769 1.
In 17*9 it was agreed •• to hold an afternoon Meeting at Eeigate on
a first day for the summer half year."
Before turning away from Eeigate, it may be interesting to refer to
William Perm's notice of his visit there, at the conclusion of a journey
which he took in the 7th month of 1672, to visit his friends in Kent,
Sussex and Surrey. After having been at Horsham and Charlwood,
he thus s^ eaks of the last meeting on that journey at Eeigate : —
•• The Lord sealed up our labours & travels according to the desire of
my soul and spirit witli Lis heavenly refreshment and sweet hving power
and word of life unto the reaching of all and consolating our own hearts
abundantly." and concludes his narrative with these words : — " And thus
hath the Lord been with us in all our travels for his truth and with his
blessings of peace are we returned, which is a reward beyond all earthly
treas-jre.' — Penn's ¦ Select W,.-n;.sO
William and Hannah Penn were also at Eeigate in 1710, their names
appearing as witnesses of the marriage of Isaac Thompson, of
London, and Eebecca, daughter of Benedictus Martin, of Charlwood,
on the 26th of Sth month in that year.
In 167S it was " ordered that a Monthly Meeting be established
at the house of Eichard Stevens, at Limpsfield.' This was doubtless
one of the more general meetings lately referred to : it does not
appear that an ordinary meeting was ever settled there. Besse
mentions that in 16S3 "' John Biatt was taken preaching at a meeting
in the house of Nathaniel Owen, of Limpsfield, and fined ±'2U."
Limpsfield is ten miles from Eeigate, on the borders of Kent.

6 Early B\iends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. i.
%)jt j@0rkiit0 ilteltttg.
The origin of the Meeting at Dorking is noticed in 1702. After
saying, " It is desired that friends may generally meet by the Eleaventh
hour at furthest according to y6 Antient order," the minute follows,
"It is desired that there may be a Meeting held at Dorkin or
Brockam hurst when the friends at them places Sees meet wch is Left
to ye Consideration of y6 next meeting." And two months after,
" In answr to ye desire of Friends of Darking & Brockam hurst :
It is agreed that ye said friends may Sometimes during Short dayes
in Winter Season appoynt a meeting for the worship of God, once or
twice in a month at either Place as they see fitt Provided they doe
not apoynt any of those meetings on Eeigate monthly meeting day
[worship] & to Continue noe Longer then ye Monthly meeting
[discipline] for Eeigate & Capill Judges Convenient " (D. x. 1702).
And later minutes say, " Whereas this Meeting the 2 of 10 month
1702 did agree y* friends of Dorking & Brokham hurst might some
times in ye Winter season apoynt a meeting for y6 worship of God,
once or twice in a Month as they shall think fitt Now It's desired
by Eesta Patching on the behalfe of ye said friends that ye 3 first day
in Every Month be apoynted at his house for ye said meeting, to
weh this meeting agrees soe Long as it is Seasonable & noe Incon-
veniency apeares " (D. v. 1704). "Darking friends proposed that
the two Meetings comply'd to by this Meeting for their Ease in the
Winter may be continued to them in the Summer also which is left
to the Consideration of ye next meeting" (D. iii. 1707).
The wording of these minutes seems to convey the idea that
prior to this arrangement the Dorking Friends had been in the
practice of attending a neighbouring Meeting, perhaps Eeigate
or Capel. It appears that a monthly Meeting for Worship was also held at
Dorking, and the day on which it was held being found inconvenient
to the Friends of Guildford, probably in the way of reducing the
attendance at their Meeting by the withdrawal from it of Friends
living at Shere or other intermediate places, it was desired that
" Darking Friends consider of Some other day, that Guildford friends
may be made more easy" (D. i. 1708). Several Friends also, finding

chap, i.] Dorking, Capel, and Eeigate Monthly Meeting. 7
that the day on which the Monthly Meeting for discipline was held
did not suit them, wished that " another more convenient day may be
pitcht upon."
The old meeting-house in West Street, Dorking, was built in 1709,
on a piece of ground given by Eesta Patching. The cost is given
in an old book of accounts as £161 2s. 6d., the first item being
£11 10s. for an old frame of a house. Other items are £1 10s., to
Thos. Elwood, for " making the writings," and £3 10s. given to Sara
Bourne " as a Testimony against her husband being all he gave
towards the Meeting-House Building." He probably turned out to be
one whose money Friends were not free to receive.
The mid-week Meeting at Dorking originated in 1720, the Monthly
Meeting thinking " fit to appoint (if the Lord permit) a Meeting for Worship every
4 day at Dorking to begin in the Somer at y6 2 houre & in ye winter
at ye 1 & it is also thought fit that publick notis be given of it the
next monthly Meeting of worship at this place." (D. ix. 1720.)
In 1734 it was altered from Fourth-day to Sixth-day, but it appears
to have afterwards lapsed, as twenty-two years later " the setling a
Week day Meeting at Dorking " appears as a fresh proposal, and it was
arranged to be " on the Sixth Day at the second hour in the after
noon " (D. i. 1756) ; but it seems again to have sunk into abeyance,
for in 1787 some Friends on a religious visit recommended its revival,
but as there did not appear any probability of holding it "with
reputation, the minute on that head" was "concluded to be
discontinued " (D. v. 1788). Two years later, however, it was
"proposed to hold a week Day Meeting at Dorking & Capel
alternately that so the Friends of each Meeting may have an
opportunity of Sitting togeather " (D. iv. 1790), which was agreed
upon; but we are not told how long this brotherly arrangement
subsisted. Some memorandums kept by a Friend at the end of a
book of meeting accounts, and called " An account of Publick friends
as Visseted us from our first meeting in our meeting hous at

Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex.

[chap. i.

Darking," show the very numerous visits of this kind to Dorking. The
visitors came from various parts, and their occupations are given in most
cases ; the following callings being represented : — wool comber, stuff
weaver, thatcher, wharfinger, hop factor, tobacconist, doctor, poulterer,
tallow chandler, corker (calker), leather dresser, leather cutter, cloth
worker, maltster, tobacco cutter, printer, shoemaker, tailor, fisher
man, surgeon, governess of a workhouse, &c. After the names of
some Friends, there is the following memorandum, dated 27th of
1st mo., 1710 :—
" They staid y6 Quarterly Meet : being ye first at this Towne and
it was Larg & a Comphertable one it was." Another memorandum
speaks of " a Larg meeting in order for the gathering of the People
to ye accompaning of the Corps of Ann Smith to Eeigate to be buried,
which Company was about 50 horses besides footmen."
And another, in 1710, relates to a "maridg being y" first (in this
Towne) in our meeting house."
The old house is still standing, though not now the property of
Friends. It was superseded by the meeting-house on Eose Hill,
which was erected at a cost of about £1540, including £300 for the
land, and was opened in the 6th month, 1846. The following lines, by
the late Hannah Marsh (afterwards Bowden), were composed for the
occasion : —

With sweet and solemn stillness
Awakes the sacred morn ;
The sound of sabbath-music
On the scented breeze is borne ;
A softer radiance seems to rest
Upon the place of flowers —
A calm unwonted hath impressed
The joyous woodland bowers.
Intent on heavenly musings
We seek our lowly fane,
And through its opening portals
Unbought admittance gain ; —
Now may the silence of the soul
Its hallowed influence shed,
And hushed beneath its mild control
May each in turn be fed.

Not with the chanted anthem,
Or the pealing organ's sound,
Would we offer dedication,
As of consecrated ground.
Not with the minster's sculptured lore,
Altar, and font, and shrine —
Oh I not with these our hearts adore
The Majesty Divine.
But a deep and solemn feeling
Has thrilled our hearts to-day,
As our first glad rite of worship
Within these walls we pay :
Oh 1 be the favouring smiles of Heaven,
In kind approval known,
And the Spirit's gracious presence given,
Our orisons to own.

chap. I.] Dorking, Capel, and Reigate Monthly Meeting.

E'en as when royal Solomon
Before thy Temple knelt,
WhUe Israel saw thy glory,
In the shadowy cloud that dwelt ;
Thus from thine awful dwelling-place,
Where angels round thee bow,
Father ! once more unveil thy face,
Look down and hear us now.
Accept each grateful offering,
Each lowly sacrifice,
Which, sabbath after sabbath,
In this our fane shall rise.
Oh ! sanctify the hearts of those
Whose spirits here shall blend ;
And bid the grace that Christ bestows,
On all alike descend.
Here may the pensive mourner
Find consolation sweet ;
And the haughty seek forgiveness,
Laid low at Jesus' feet.
Here may sweet childhood's opening mind
Its earhest lessons learn —
And here the unhappy wanderer find
A path of safe return.
Here let thy glorious Gospel
Be fearlessly declared,
And a highway for thy footsteps
In softened hearts prepared :

Thy prophets and thy ministers,
With unction from above —
Oh! send them here, — bright messengers
Of Christ's redeeming love.
And oh ! that all whose relics
Beneath these sods shall he,
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Firm in his faith may die.
Grant that not one be laid to rest
Within this green retreat,
Whose closing scene hath not confessed
The work of grace complete.
But within the deep recesses
Of every bosom here,
Erect a mightier Temple,
A holier Altar rear ;
That through the gladness and the care
Of each returning day,
The incense of perpetual prayer
May consecrate our way.
We are thy children, Father !
We dwell beneath thine eye ;
Oh ! listen now and hear us —
Listen and give reply ; —
All that we have, and are, and can,
To thee belongs alone ;
Then sanctify our life's brief span,
And make us all thine own.

With reference to Preparative Meetings within the Dorking, Capel,
and Eeigate Monthly Meeting, it is said in 1711,
" A Preparitive Meeting Eecommended by a former meeting for
preserving the Eeputation of our proffession hlameles is Practised at
Eeigate and agreed that a paper be drawn * * * to signifie to the
Quarterly meeting our Judgement of the usefnllnesse of such a
meeting." (D. ix. 1711).
The Friends appointed not having brought the paper to the next
Monthly Meeting held at " Thomas Wrights in Capill," the Meeting
drew up a paper
" to signifie to the next Quarterly Meeting our willingnesse y* a
Preparitive Meeting should be setled." (D. x. 1711).

10 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap.

The next Meeting states that one of the Friends took the paper,
" and for answer Eeffers to the Minats of the Quarterly meeting
which happen not to be here."
So that, although the result is left in some obscurity, it is probable
that Preparative Meetings for the Dorking, Eeigate and Capel district
were set up about this time ; but they seem to have fallen into disuse,
as in 1738 " the great neglect of Friends " in attending Monthly
Meetings led to their re-establishment, with the understanding that
they were to appoint two or more Friends to attend the Monthly
Meeting. In 1799 the Dorking and Capel Preparative Meetings were
amalgamated, but it has not been continuous since that date,
although the same arrangement exists at the present time.
Some idea of the size of the Meetings in 1795 may be had from
the distribution of epistles, viz., for Dorking 13, Capel 10, Eeigate 17.

chap, h.] Guildford Monthly Meeting. 11

CHAPTEE II.
GUILDFORD MONTHLY MEETING.

The first minute-book of the Guildford Monthly Meeting is entitled
" The Proceedings of Friends about Godalminge, Guildeford, Sheere,
Myrrow, Farnburrow, Purbright, Warplesdon and Oakinge ; " and it
states that "Those who first vissited this countery with truths messaig &c
were Thomas Eobinson Thos Lacocke Joseph Fuce Ambrose Bigg
the first messingers aboute ye yeare 1655 And were received by
Tho Patchin Henery Gill Humphry Kirke of Godallming Parish
John Lee Stephen Wickes Susana May of Guildeford." (G. i. 1681.)
A subsequent minute mentions places where Meetings were held : — ¦
" Friends have appointed John Cooper George Beale John Smyth
(in perseuance of the Kings Declaration for Liberty) to acquaint sum
one or more Justices of ye peace that wee ye people caUed Quakers
Intend to have religeous meetings for the worship of God at Ezra
Gills of Eashing * John Barnards of Godalming John Stents of
Hurstmor Bob' Smyths and Eich Bakers of Worplesdon Tho8 Semans
of Sheire Geo Bicknalls of Toungham the House in which Stephen
Wickes dwelleth at Guildeford." (G. iii. 1687.)
And there is allusion in 1669 to a Meeting at Binscomb and Merrow,
in alternate weeks ; and one for Friends about Horsell and Oakinge.
®lj* (graluforfc- JKeethtg.
The only surviving Meeting is that of Guildford ; the exact date of
its commencement does not appear, as the Meetings mentioned in the
last extract had no doubt been in existence for some time prior to the
* A minute of 1696 speaks of the neglect of Friends in "frequenting ye Antient monethly
meeting of Friends at Eashing " and desires each particular meeting to "remind friends
thereof and excite the keeping up of that meeting." (G. viii. 1696).

12 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. n.
date of that minute. It has been suggested that there was not a
separate Meeting at all the places therein named, but that Friends in
some cases met at each other's houses in rotation. This seems
probable from the cluster of meeting-places round Godalming,
Hurstmor and Eashing being only about a mile distant from that
town ; and if Binscomb was contemporary, which is probable, it
would make another within a mile of Godalming, or four meeting-
places within a radius of a mile.
It was not later than 1673 that Friends acquired the property
which we still hold (the old burial-ground), with a frontage on North
Street nearly opposite our present meeting-house, and adjoining the
yard of what was formerly the Crown Inn, through which yard a right
of way to and from the High Street is secured to all persons called
Quakers, with burdens or otherwise, from 4 in the morning to 10 in
the evening of every day, if required, for ever. In the preceding year
they had the matter under consideration : —
" Some friends belounging to Guildford Meeting did at this
meeting signifie their having a fit opportunitie of purchasing a
Buriing place wch Eequires a speedy answer so friends being generally
of ye minde that friends desire there in may be answered only it was
proposed to ye said friends of ye saide meeting Conserning ye present
Condition (of) friends as to their Cash or monies &c. the said
Guildford friends did shew there willingnesse of disbursing the whole
charge thereof amoung themselves & to stay for ye Eepayment of y"
same till friends generally do Concent thertoo. The which this
meeting have nothing against." (G. vi. 1672.)
About two years after, to accomplish this, it was agreed that the
" Som of fivety pounds to be leavied in the way of collections out
of the publicke stocke as with Conveniency in time it shall rise."
(G. xi. 1674.)
Many years later the burial-ground seems to have been inadequate
in size, as a "clause in the private Instructions of Anthony Crosfield's
Will " directs that a sum of £100 should be applied in part towards
its enlargement and in part for the use of the poor (G. iv. 1739).

chap, ii.] Guildford Monthly Meeting. 13

The present meeting-house at Guildford was erected in 1807, the old
one having " gone to decay."
There is no doubt that on the old burying-ground stood the house in
which Stephen Wickes or Wix dwelt, where the Friends used to meet,
and which is afterwards spoken of as " the tenement belonging to the
meeting-house," but they seem to have lost no time in putting up a
more convenient meeting-house on this newly-acquired ground, as in
the following year there is mention in the minute-book of the neigh
bouring Monthly Meeting of Dorking, &c, of an order made desiring
Friends to contribute to a fund
" to reimburss friends of Guildford in a summe of money Laid
out by them for y6 building of a meetinghouse." (D. x. 1674.)
Stephen Wickes remained as tenant of the Friends for about twenty
years, when he found himself unable to pay the usual rent of 50s. per
annum; but Friends having "weighed and considered the matter,"
unanimously concluded that he should pay it and also the arrears : —
" and if he hke not to continue dwelling in the said Tenament
paying the abovesaid rent yearly friends desire he will Voyd the same
and pay his arear aforesaid that they may let it to annother friend who
shall be content to pay the rent * * • * and in case he be realy in
poverty and friends desired to assist him they doe declare a willing
ness thereto if he shaU make the same appear." (G. vi. 1695.)
Stephen, however, signified to the next Meeting that he intended to
leave the house.
In 1671 there is a minute whieh relates to the monthly Meeting
for Worship at Guildford, by which it was arranged that the Friends
who usually met at
" John Coopers at the fourth hower in the afternoone should for
the time to com meet togeather by the tenth hower in the morning at
farthest,"
every first Sixth-day in the month. There seems to have been but
little in the arrangements or circumstances of the Guildford Meeting,
for about a century after its establishment, to call for any comment

14 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap, n.
in the minutes of the Monthly Meeting ; but in 1770 its relations
with the sister Meeting of Godalming claimed the attention of Friends,
and it was proposed
" not to hold a Meeting at Guildford y6 third first Day of the
Month on which Godalming Mo Meeting is held wch is under the
consideration of this Meeting." (G. vi. 1770).
" This Meeting taking into consideration the Inconvenience that
attends the shutting up Godalming Meeting House every Month Are
of Opinion that it is more brotherly and hopes it may conduce as
much to the benefit of Society to have what is now called the Monthly
Meeting at Godalming wholly dropt and for the Monthly Meeting held
the last 1st day in the month to be held alternately at Guildford &
Godalming * * * and to be no meeting at Godalming when the
meeting is at Guildford nor any meeting at Guildford when the
meeting is at Godalming." (G. x. 1770.)
This arrangement was terminated in the year 1800, no reason for
the change being given. The Monthly Meeting for discipline seems
to have been uniformly held at Guildford until 1754, when a pro
position was made of having it "become circular," and it afterwards
alternated between Guildford and Godalming.
An afternoon Meeting was arranged for Guildford in 1781. The
following minute occurs as to the indifferent attendance of Guildford
Meeting : — " It being represented to this meeting that there is a great Neglect
in attending of the weekly meeting at Guildford wch Backwardnes
Proceeding from want of Zeal in the Members thereof this Meeting
is much Concarned to find so much Slackness and Desires that Every
Member will Stur up his friend to more Dilligance for the future."
(G. x. 1722.)
This no doubt related to the mid-week Meeting, as in the following
year the " Friends of Guildford " were " agreed that the altering
there weekly meeting from Six Day to fourth Day " would " be more
convenient" (G. x. 1723). Twenty-two years later the Meetings at
Guildford on Fourth-day and at Godalming on Sixth-day are said to
be generally well attended.

chap, n.] Guildford Monthly Meeting. 15
It may not be altogether foreign to our present purpose if, in
addition to recurring to the records of our predecessors themselves,
we also look at the impressions received by Friends visiting them, as
related in their journals of earlier dates, so far as the materials for
doing so may come to hand.
Samuel Bownas, in 1747, says : —
" * * * thence to Guildford where we had a very small and poor
meeting. I queried why they did not give their neighbours notice to which
they answered they did not use to do it. There is a great remissness
amongst our people in this respect for if they were diligent and desirous to
have the company of their neighbours where the minister is so concerned it
might be of great service to them. I went from thence to Godalming
where we had a very large and open meeting."
Job Scott (1793) mentions attending " the fore and afternoon
meetings at Guildford, in which Truth reigned though things are
low there."
A circumstance in connection with the Meeting at Guildford in
1799, and recorded in the ' Life of John Mackellow,' seems too
interesting to be passed over; indeed the whole of the little auto
biography is very instructive and well worth a perusal ; but we must
be content with a limited notice of it here. John Mackellow was born
at Wadhurst, Sussex, in 1772, in adverse circumstances in every way ;
his father was a smuggler, and his mother retailed spirituous liquors".
After going through great hardships in his childhood and youth, he
enlisted in the army, a school in which he learned much evil ; so that
he says, " I went on increasing in vice and dissipation until I became
a ringleader in all those debaucheries that are common to a military
life." At Dorchester, although for an alleged crime of which he was
not guilty, he suffered the excruciating punishment of "Picketing."
On going thence to Weymouth, the sudden death of an acquaint
ance, who had been drinking with him at an alehouse, and, being
intoxicated, missed his way in the darkness and was drowned in the
river, appears to have been the means of bringing him into some

16 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. n.
thoughtfulness. On being consigned, for another alleged crime, to
a place of confinement in that town called the Black Hole, he wrote on
the wall, " There is no peace in this world for John Mackellow." Going
back to Dorchester, and being prevented by lameness from going out
to field exercise, he proposed to a youth, who was in the band, that
they should play at cards, when the latter declined, adding such a
rebuke for the course of life which Mackellow was leading, that he says,
" I was smitten to the heart and acknowledged the justice of his reproof
and, to convince him thereof, I threw the cards into the fire, declaring that
I would never own a pack of cards again as long as I lived."
He now came under serious conviction, and went through much conflict
of spirit, wandering about in solitary places and seeking help in various
ways. On narrowly escaping from a temptation, he says : —
" Oh, how did tears of joy and gratitude run down my cheeks, and I well
remember what comfort my mind received at that time. I felt fresh
courage ; and such hopes sprang up as I had never before experienced.
Now did I begin to feel that if I kept a strict watch over myself, with a
humble dependence on help from the Lord, I should be able to overcome the
enemy of my soul, and be at last received into Divine favour."
Having marched to Canterbury, he became acquainted with some
members of the Wesleyan body and joined their society, and says that
he " made rapid progress in religion as to the outward," but he was
brought to consider that they not only received members too hastily,
but urged them forward too much in religious engagements. He
records a remarkable circumstance about this time. As he was riding
to a place where they often went to exercise, he saw a poor man at a
cottage door, and it seemed as if a voice said to him, " Go to that
house, for I have a message for thee to deliver to the inhabitants."
He spoke to one of his Wesleyan friends about it, who after a pause
said he believed it was a command from the Lord, and strongly urged
him to go. He made an attempt, but, before reaching the door, let in
such a train of reasoning, that he lost his confidence and passed by.
Turning back again, he made a stand. He felt as if it was said

chap, ii.] Guildford Monthly Meeting. 17
to him, " Go, nothing doubting, for I will be with thee." On entering
he saw the same old man and his wife ; the former arose from his
chair, saying in apparent surprise, " Young man, what is your will ? "
" I am come," replied Mackellow, " with an offer of salvation from
the Lord Jesus Christ, the Friend of sinners." The old man paused
and said " If you had brought my hat full of gold you could not have
done me so much good as those words have done me." Mackellow
then addressed him at some length, and in such a way as to call forth
the remark on parting, " Surely' you are a prophet, for you have told
me of my wicked ways as plain as though you had been with me all
my life long ! " Other circumstances, while he was yet in the army,
seem to show that this old man's estimate of him was not erroneous.
From Canterbury the regiment to which he belonged marched to Guild
ford. While there he heard one of the soldiers tell a comrade that he would
recommend him to deal with the Quakers, for they were a very honest
people. Mackellow, wishing to attend some place of worship, took an
opportunity of going to the shop of a Friend to make a small purchase,
and enquired about the Meeting, and whether those not of the Society
were allowed to attend, to which he received satisfactory answers.
" Being informed," he says, " that the next meeting was on Third day at
ten o'clock in the morning I determined to attend if possible. On Second
day evening we received orders to be in readiness to turn out in field day
order at twelve o'clock the next day ; that is full armed on horseback. I got
all ready the next morning, and, leaving my sword hanging by my saddle,
I proceeded in my full uniform to meeting. As I proceeded up the town, I
earnestly prayed that the Lord would give me this token respecting the mode
of worship I was going to attend : namely, that if it was not pleasing to Him
I might feel dull and heavy ; but, if otherwise, I might feel His life-giving
presence in it, for I understood these meetings were mostly held in silence.
With a full belief that my prayer was heard, and would be answered, I went
into the meeting and sat down, when my mind became so sweetly covered,
that the time I sat, from ten to half-past eleven o'clock, passed away like a
few minutes. With reluctance I arose, and proceeded to leave the meeting ;
but, feeling something like constraint, I let drop, in a feeling of much
brokenness of spirit, the following, which a Friend wrote down as soon as
the meeting broke up : — D

18 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. H-
" ' Brethren, it is with me to speak among you ; you will not think that
a wolf is come into this fold among the sheep. This way of worship seems
strange to me ; but no matter, it is well for me that I was here. Those that
are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God ; for I believe the Lord is
in this place, for precious has He been to my soul this day. The Lord, who
knows the depths of all hearts present, knows I never before assembled with
this people ; but I have been comforted among you.
" ' I am about to depart, my earthly duty calls me away. The Lord be
with you all.' "
This circumstance is alluded to in a memorandum made by a Friend
who was present : —
" A soldier, J. Mackellow, of the Prince of Wales's regiment in the
Barracks here, came to our meeting. It was smaller than usual, but I felt
a nearness of spirit to him and thought his presence did us no harm but was
rather a means of increasing good. After sitting solidly awhile he stood up
and said" — (the words quoted above).
Soon after this, having in the meantime met with a severe accident
when on horseback, he addressed a letter to Friends, which was left at
the meeting-house at Guildford. He subsequently had some remarkable
experiences, and in 1802 was discharged from the army, receiving
some good advice from David Sands on his thus beginning the world
anew. In a year or two he was received into membership by Devon
shire House Monthly Meeting, and ultimately settled at Maidstone in
a small business. In 1807 he married a Friend of Guildford, and in
1825 went to reside there, removing afterwards to Haslemere, and
returning to Maidstone in 1830. He died on the 27th of 11th mo.,
1862, in his 91st year, full of joy at the prospect before him, having,
through the mercy which he loved to speak of, abundantly experienced
that there was " peace in this life for John Mackellow."
®ht do&almittg Jltating.
We have already seen an allusion to a Meeting at Godalming in
1687, but it may have had its origin some years earlier. The minutes
of the Monthly Meeting do not throw much light on its early eircum-

chap, n.] Guildford Monthly Meeting. 19

stances ; the first deed relating to Friends' property there (meeting
house and burying-ground) is a lease for 5000 years, from 1715; so
that it is likely that the Meetings prior to that date were held at some
Friend's house, and that the burial-ground at Binscomb,* which is in
the vicinity of Godalming, served for the Friends of the district, the
number of interments recorded being 188, those at Worplesdon 214
or more, and at Shere 37.
The meeting-house at Godalming was enlarged, as to the womens'
meeting-room, in 1808. But by the year 1868 few Friends were left at
Godalming, and it was decided to close this Meeting : the conclusion
arrived at is thus recorded by the Monthly Meeting held at Dorking
on the 21st of 10th month in that year : —
" The condition of Godalming meeting has again at this time claimed our
serious consideration ; and, whilst feeling much sympathy for the few Friends
still remaining there, we believe it will be best for the meeting to be
discontinued for the present."
John Griffiths, in the year 1757, records a visit to Godalming,
where he says he " had very close heavy service, being made sensible
of much indifference and lukewarmness in some professors. It was
often my lot to labour for the stirring up and reviving of such ; but,
alas ! it is hard work ; yet sufficiently rewarded by the comfortable
returns of true peace in a faithful discharge of duty."
Job Scott, writing 3 mo. 30, 1793, says, " we had an evening
meeting at Godalming to some solid instruction."
Wlorpk&ban, %\jm, attir mnscamb J&sritmga.
The Meeting at Worplesdon being reduced in numbers, was
amalgamated with that of Guildford in 1739. It does not appear that
a meeting-house was ever built there, but a burial-ground was
acquired at an early period, and it was sold as recently as 1852.
* There is an allusion to " Friends' Publieke hired house " at Binscomb, but it does
not appear that they ever possessed a meeting-house there.

20 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap, n.
George Fox mentions in his 'Journal' having a large meeting at
Worplesdon in 1677, at the house of Stephen Smith, who, with some
other Friends thereaway, " had been exceedingly plundered about 2
months before on the priest's account." He had a meeting at
Worplesdon again in 1680, as well as at Guildford, Capel, Gatton,
Eeigate, Bletchingley, Ifield, Horsham, Patchgate, and Worminghurst.
He was also at or near Guildford in 1670, 1683, and 1687.
Stephen Smith was the writer of many books. One of them
(according to the custom of elaborate and fanciful titles which then
prevailed) is entitled "A Trumpet sounded in the Ears of Persecutors :
with Lowing of Oxen and Cows ; Bleating of Sheep ; Neighing of
Horses ; Eatlings of Pots, Kettles, Skillets, Dishes and Pans. Taken
from an Innocent People for confessing Christ Jesus, God's Everlasting
Way out of Evil ; and for their Meeting together in his Name, where
God's Presence is felt to Support and carry above the Fear of Man," &c.
The following extract is taken from John Whiting's ' Persecution
Exposed ' : —
" This year (1678) died that faithful servant of God Stephen Smith of
Worplesdon in Surrey, a Man of Account in the World. He was born the
15th of the 7th Month 1623, who in his younger Years travelled into several
Countries and resided some time at Scanderoon (formerly Alexandria) in
Syria (Asia) as a Merchant, and afterwards writ a Book wherein he shows
how much some of the Turks exceeded some called Christians in their
Dealings. He received the Truth in the Year 1665 and gave up to obey it
and walk therein ; and truly loved the Messengers and Faithful (though
Despised and Suffering) People of God ; and suffered with them both in
Person and Estate, by Imprisonment and Spoil of Goods for his tender
Conscience and Testimony, in behalf of Christ Jesus. An honest upright
Man, one that feared God and was of good Eeport in his Country, a Preacher
of Eighteousness in his Conversation ; kind and ready to do Good in his
day ; and the Lord endued him with a Gift of the Ministry and experimental
Testimony to tell of his Goodness and speak of his Praise to the Comfort
and Encouragement of them that heard him. He travelled in many Parts
of this Nation in the Work of tbe Lord ; especially in Surry, Sussex and
Hampshire till this year when he was taken Sick, and had many com
fortable expressions on his Death Bed, and at last laid down the Body Dying
in Peace with the Lord at his own house near Guildford in Surry the 22nd

chap, ii.] Guildford Monthly Meeting. 21

of the 7th month 1678, entering into the 56th Year of his Age. He wrote
some pretty serviceable Books and Papers which are collected in 8vo.
Intituled ' The true Light discovered to all who desire to walk in the Day '
printed in 1679."
It is not known at what time the other Meetings within the
Guildford Monthly Meeting ceased to exist, but an incidental allusion
in 1786 to " the Annual meeting whieh is to be held at Sheir " may
indicate either a periodical flickering of the flame there before it
finally expired, or an attempt at its partial resuscitation.
The burial-ground there was disposed of in 1860, and that at
Binscomb in 1864 ; and although there had been no interment for
many years in either of these grounds, nor in that at Worplesdon, yet
they contain the remains of many a worthy fore-runner ; and while,
from a mere commercial and utilitarian point of view, they were no
doubt better got rid of, yet, had they been kept, they might now and
then have awakened some echo of the past, and spoken in the inward
ear of the visitor to these delightful vales a language of thoughtful
enquiry — is it too much to say a sermon ?
Since the foregoing lines were penned the editor has met with the
following interesting allusion, in G. N. Godwin's very readable book,
' The Green Lanes of Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex,' to a burial-
ground of this kind ; and coming, as it does, from the pen of a
" Chaplain to the forces," the tribute to the peace-loving yet brave
Friends of a byegone age is the more striking : —
" But near to home and hungry as we are, there is yet one object of
interest close at hand which must detain us for a few moments. It is known
as the ' Quakers' Burial Ground.' The drive has been a long one, and some
of our party, to say nothing of the horses, will be glad to reach home as
speedily as possible. But that lonely burial place in the wilderness deserves
at any rate a passing visit. So bidding the rest wait dinner for half an hour,
two of us dismount, and opening a gate by the roadside, make our way down
a leafy avenue. Silent and quiet as it seems now, that leafy track amid the
woodlands has seen and heard strange sights and sounds in the days of old.
For through its pleasant windings, with tramp of measured feet, has passed
many a funeral procession of stern, earnest men — called, indeed, by the

22 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. ii.

world, fanatics, but doing great and noble work for mankind at large —
bearing some brother to his last long home, from pleasant hop-growing
Alton or Farnham. Listen to Gilbert White, who says, when speaking of
the cottagers of Selborne, ' Formerly in the dead months, they availed
themselves greatly by spinning wool, for making of barragons, a genteel
corded stuff, much in vogue at that time for summer wear, and chiefly manu
factured at Alton, a neighbouring town, by some of the people called Quakers.'
" Let us, in imagination, follow one of these solemn processions. In
their train we cross a stream which flows through a pleasant green valley,
and climb the opposite slope whereon stands a stately mansion owned by one
who is either a member of the much-persecuted Society of Friends or who
is at any rate liberal-minded enough to provide them with the means of
burying their dead out of their sight. Solemn is the scene in the little
graveyard hard by, where gather those devoted men, followers of George
Fox, of whom Carlyle says : — ' This man, the first of the Quakers, and by
trade a shoemaker, was one of those to whom, under ruder form, the divine
idea of the Universe is pleased to manifest itself, and across all the hills of
ignorance and earthly degradation shines through in unspeakable awfulness,
unspeakable beauty on their souls, who therefore are accounted prophets,
God-possessed. Mountains of incumbrance, higher than Etna, had been
heaped upon that spirit ; but it was a spirit, and it would not be buried there.
That Leicester shoe-shop, had men known it, was a higher place than
Vatican or Loretto shrine. Stitch away, thou noble Fox ! Every prick of
that little instrument is pricking into the heart of slavery, and worldliness,
and the mammon-god. Thy elbows jerk in strong sinewy strokes, bearing
them into lands of true liberty. Were the work done, there would be in
Europe one free man, and thou art he ! '
" Long years have passed away, the mansion has been levelled to the
ground, and only the stables, which have been converted into a dwelling-
house, remain to tell of departed magnificence. But still may we wander
along ancient terraces, stand in the ruined arbour, overlooking the swiftly
flowing stream and sluggish fish-pond below, and cull a bouquet of flowers,
now growing in wild luxuriance, but formerly tended by ladies' hands with
loving care. But more than all, the Quaker Burial Ground remains over
grown indeed with trees, but eloquent, most eloquent, in its silence and utter
abandonment. " No members of the Society of Friends are we ; far and wide have we
wandered over land and ocean ; many a scene of historic renown has been
trodden by our roving footsteps, and yet we know of no more interesting
spot than this wilderness cemetery, where those whose very dead were torn
from their graves on account of their adherence to principle and the voice
of conscience have found a quiet resting-place.

chap, ii.] Guildford Monthly Meeting. 23

"Long could we moralise, aud much could we say of the beauty of our
homeward walk through the green lanes, but space is exhausted, and we can
but recommend any lover of civil and religious freedom, or any admirer of
Nature, to wend his way from the ' Eoyal Anchor ' to the Quakers' Burial
Ground." Pttparattbt JKwiittgs.
Preparative Meetings within the limits of the Guildford Monthly
Meeting do not appear to have been established at so early a date as
that at Eeigate.
A proposal for such a course was sent from the Quarterly Meeting
in 1711, and was " seryously weighed and Considered," but the
Friends said, in their minute on the subject,
" Wee doe not find any need of establishing such a meeting
amoungst us our Monethly meetings fully Answering the service as
wee can propose in such a meeting accordinly friends of this meeting
gives it in wrighting under thene hands to be delivered to the next
Quarterly Meeting as desired." (G. vii. 1711.)
The Quarterly Meeting, not being satisfied with this, sent them a
paper showing " y6 usefulness of a pparative Meeting preseding each
monethly meeting " ; but the Guildford Friends had made up their
minds, and were not easily to be turned from their conclusion ; they
sent the following to the Quarterly Meeting in reply to the paper : —
" Notwithstanding the Seasons there given Wee doe thinke the practise
wee are in is sufficient to answer the ende therein proposed" (G. i.
1712). But in 1755 they suddenly say,
"As a preparative Meeting to consider of divers matters is
thought necessary the same is therefore appointed to be held at the
House of Edwd Pritchard this day three weeks & to begin at ye 2nd
hour Afternoon." (G. i. 1755.)
The regular holding of these, if implied in that minute, appears to
have been subsequently given up ; as, in 1794,
"The subject of holding Preparative Meetings in the manner
recommended by the last Yearly Meeting being again weightily

24 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. ii.
considered it was concluded to make trial of the same," and the
meeting desired " the friends of the two meetings [Guildford and
Godalming] to meet separately and proceed according to the above
mentioned directions." (G. xii. 1794.)
Preparative Meetings had, in the interim, been on one or two
occasions specially appointed.
Before the establishment of Preparative Meetings it was the
practice to prepare the answers to the Queries in the Monthly
Meeting, and on one occasion the Guildford Meeting took leave to
omit doing so : —
" The Quarterly Meeting Queries were read but they being
Answer'd so lately and not much appearance of an alteration in the
state of things amongst us it is thought Friends may omit answering
them in writing at this time." (G. xii. 1784.)
Among the " divers matters " to be considered, there appears to
have been a minute which had been sent down enquiring as to the
transaction of the discipline of the Womens' Meeting ; and the
Friends, being unable to give a clear account of the same, desired two
of their number to sit with the women Friends at their next
Meeting, " & to enquire into the state thereof & make report."

chap, iii.] Horsham Monthly Meeting. 25

CHAPTEE III.
HORSHAM MONTHLY MEETING.

The records of the Horsham Monthly Meeting commence thus : —
"At a Monthly Mens Meeting of Friends of Truth held at
Eichard Chasemores Howse on Horsham Heath in y° County of
Sussex the 14th day of ye 8th Month 1668 and from thence adjourned
ye same day to the Howse of James Matthews in Horsham Town.
For & concerning ye Poor and other affaires of ye Church &c relateing
to these Meetings followeing viz Shipley East Grinstead Forrest
Ifield & Horsham."
And there were also Meetings at Patchgate, Cowfold, and Charlwood.
An account of the first coming of " the People of God in scorn called
Quakers" into Sussex, mentions a meeting held in 1655, "at the house
of Eich" Bonwick a weaver by trade." Soon after that George Fox
and Alexander Parker held a Meeting at Eichard Bonwick's, where, the
account goes on to say, there was
" Such heavenly testimony borne as was to the convincement and settle
ment of many, and from that time and in that parish was settled a meeting on
every first day of the week, which was the first meeting that was gathered
in this county to sit down together in silence to wait upon the Lord." The
same account also mentions that "one Thomas Patching, who then lived
at Bonwick's Place in Ifield, desired George Fox and the other friends with
him to hold a meeting at his house, which was granted, and he, with many
of his house, believed, and after that at that place were many precious
meetings, and there was settled the first monthly meeting that was set up in
this county, which was on the last sixth day in every month and hath since
been removed to the house of Eichard Bax at Capill in Surry by reason of
Thomas Patching removing from that place."
The kitchen at Bonwicks is still to be seen, with substantial seats
fixed round the room, where no doubt many a good meeting has been
held, and where it is believed the Quarterly Meeting was also held. E

26 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. hi.

The substantial meeting-house at Ifield was the first erected within
our limits, and was built in 1675. It would almost seem that it was
not made use of for a year or two, for in 1678 it was " ordered " that
"the Weekly first clays meetings at Ifield be kept at publick meeting
hous " (H. vii. 1678). The cost of this building, which was erected on
land that was Thomas Eobinson's, was about ^£250, and in an old book
of accounts relating to this property there are frequent entries of
payments for "Chimney money"; a tax characterised by about as
much wisdom as the window tax. There was also money paid for
malt on the meeting's account ; and about 1702 a new smith's shop
was built at the meeting-house.
In 1677 it was resolved that a weekly Meeting should be kept " on
the 4th day of the week to begin about the first Hour of the Day," and
there is appended the following : —
"Note. That when the Monthly mens meeting is not at Ifield
that then the Silent meeting be not kept at Ifield the same day."
In 1771 " An afternoon meeting " was " appointed to be held at
Ifield this Summer at the usual times viz4 the Second and fourth
first days of each month at the 5th hour in the afternoon."
STtjje Horsham JftMing.
The settlement of the Meeting at Horsham is thus noticed : —
"Forasmuch as ffriends inhabiting about Horshame signified to
this meeting of some stirings in their minds of late to meet & to
be a first Dayes meeting of themselves & doe desire to advize with
this meeting about y6 same. And upon consideration thereof this
meeting Doth signifie their unity & concurance therewith & advising
them to meett where they of themselves doe or shall think ffitt as to
place" (H. ii. 1678).
The Monthly Meeting for discipline was uniformly held at Horsham
from 1668 to 1772, a circumstance which indicates the presence of
Friends there ten years before the date of the minute just quoted. It

SH

mm!

IP

lim

' Mil I '

Wto

IP
¦fee

chap, in.] Horsham Monthly Meeting. 27

is likely that they had been in the habit of attending some neigh
bouring Meeting, perhaps that at Patchgate or Cowfold : and this may
have been continued nine years longer, till 1687, when tbe following
minute occurs : —
" This day this Meeting hath Establish' A Meeting at Horsham
at Thomas Curtis his House upon the first dav of the Weeke
Weekly" |H. viii. 1687 i.
In and after the year 1772 the Monthly Meeting ceased to be held
at Horsham only. Within the next five years the names of the
following other places occur, as those where the Meeting assembled : —
Eusper (once), Shipley, Ifield, Cowfold, Patchgate, Slaugham (once),
Xuthurst (once), and Charlwood. At the last-named place the
Monthly Meeting of Dorking, Eeigate and Capel sometimes met
about the year 1673, and Friends still own the house in which
Meetings were held in early times, with about fourteen acres of land
contiguous thereto, part of which was used as a burial-ground, but no
interment has taken place for many years. It was devised to Friends
by the will of Edward Tayler, who probably resided there, and it is
not unlikely that the Friends of that district met at his house, or at
Bonwicks, before the Ifield meeting-house was built. The number of
interments recorded in the Charlwood burial-ground is 110.
The meeting-house at Horsham was built in the year 1693 ; but in
1785, it being reported to the Quarterly Meeting to be in a " dangerous
state," a subscription was made for building a new one, the site of
which seems likely to have been very close to the old one, as it was
found inconvenient, on one occasion, to hold the Monthly Meeting in
the middle of the week while the new erection was proceeding, and it
was held at the close of a Meeting for Worship on a lst-day. In 1786
application was made for " leave to take down " the old meeting
house (H. viii. 1786).

28 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. hi.

SPlje faxt&t ano (Bast Gkittsteaa jUtMinp.
The Meetings at Forest and East Grinstead would seem, from the
absence of allusion to them, to have died out at an early period :
possibly there may be a lingering trace of the Society near the latter
place, in a piece of ground which retains the name of " Quakers'
Flat."* The Meeting in the Forest was removed about 1668.
3£Ijj> f atrljgati Jlta>ttttg.
But little is known of the Meeting at Patchgate. It is shown to
have been in existence in 1721, from the circumstance of a " paper of
denial " being ordered to be publicly read there. A copy of the paper
was to be sent to " Plaster (Pleystowe) Friends for the same
purpose" (H. vi. 1721). This confirms the idea that the Meeting
was held at Pleystowe Farm, till the building of Capel meeting
house. The Patchgate Meeting is alluded to again ten years later, on
a similar unhappy occasion, "the meeting being forst to draw a ful
line by way of Condemnation * * * and orders that the same may
be Eed in their Publick meeting of Patchgate " (H. iii. 1731).
This was not immediately attended to, but soon after there is the
brief record, " The Paper that was to be Eed in Patchgate meeting is
Eed" (H. viii. 1731).
Patchgate is about five miles from Horsham, on the turnpike road
to Brighton, and about a mile and a half before reaching Cowfold.
The Meeting appears to have been surviving in 1760.
Some idea of the size of the Meetings in 1751 is gained by a
minute relating to the change in the following year from the " Old
Style" to the new.
* Since this was written it has been ascertained that the name Quakers' Flat relates to
a piece of land which belonged to a Friend, or reputed Friend, who went away without
disposing of it ; so that it came to be appropriated by those who chose to settle upon it.

chap, in.] Horsham Monthly Meeting. 29

" We have at this meeting receved the Priented Peapers in relation
to coracting the Callendar from the meeting for Suffarings And thay
are distrebuted as follows To Ifield 35 Horsham 6 Shipley 5
Patchgate 4 In ordar that Each famely should have on "
This minute, like many others, shows that a little attention would not
have been out of place in "coracting" the spelling (if our present
standard is the right one) ; but in those days to be able to write at all
was not everyone's lot, and it may have been regarded as somewhat
of an accomplishment. This may account for our finding that the
Friends thought it well to remunerate the clerks of their Monthly
Meetings for keeping the books in some instances, as in the following
minute : — " Considering John Croker hath for many years bin a Servent to
this meeting and our former Clark Wm Nicholas being dead who was
the transcriber of our bisnes we Desire John Croker to take his place
and for the two years Last past since Wm nicholas Death we doe
obleadg our selves to give him 40 shili : and twenty shilings p year
for ye time to Come begining at midsumer last past 1721 the money's
to be Beased by a Colection in each meeting" (H. v. 1721).
In the Dorking Monthly Meeting it was agreed
' ' for the Future to raise the Clerks Salary as Follows Capell
12.6 Eiegate 7.6 Dorking 10.0" (D. xi. 1762).
Payments to Friends for keeping the accounts are also mentioned.
One of the earliest minute-books shows caligraphie ability of no mean
order (see frontispiece). How the writing of the present day may
look, when compared with that of a future age, it would be interesting
to foresee. As lately as 1775 we find a Friend stating that the reason (and a
very cogent one) why he had not sent anything in writing to the
Monthly Meeting was because he could not write.
The labours of the clerks must have been at times far from
onerous, the record sometimes consisting simply of the word "con
tinued " for two or three months together, or at other times of the
memorandum " Noe business," and once the only minute is,

30 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. iii.

" Friends being then mett as a Monthly Meeting at the house of
Thomas Bax, nothing being brought before them all things being well
praised be God" (D. xii. 1674).
Again, on another occasion, " The discharge of Eoger Joanes from
Prison cost 03.02.06 " (G. v. 1683).
There may, however, have been subjects under consideration not
requiring to be recorded. The desire is expressed on one occasion
that " no friends which frequent these meetings shall Devulge or tell
abroad what passeth and is Discoursed at these meetings " (H. xii.
1776). ©fa f Ijataham idling.
The other Meeting remaining to be noticed is that of Shipley or
Thakeham, these names being used interchangeably.* The circum
stance of the establishment and decline of this Meeting will be traced
in the following extracts : —
" At A Monthly Mens Meeting held the house of Jobn Shawes in
Shipley the 12th of the 5th month 1682 Present William Penn
Tho Killington Edm Booker Eich Shawe Jo : Shawe Jo Deane
Jo Humphrey Arther Stanbridg Ben Haylor Eich Beng Will Garton
Upon discourse of John Snasholds t leaving this Country & his
house being sould to one that is not a Friend whereby the usuall
Meeting that was there must be necessarly removed its thought fitt
by this monthly Meeting that for the present there be A Meeting
every other first day at Wm Penns & Jo : Shawes till such time as a
place can be found convenient for one Meeting in the month between
Chiltington & Billingshurst for the service of truth in those parts
And they have desired Wm Penn & Ben: Hayler to inquire for a
convenient place for that purpose " (H. v. 1682).
* The meeting-house, although in the parish of Thakeham, is nearer to the village of
Shipley (2J miles) than to that of Thakeham (3J miles), and is about 4J miles from
Worminghurst. t Snashold, Snashall and Snashfold are most likely only different ways of spelling the
same name, and it is probable that " leaving this country " merely means this part of the
country, inasmuch as the testimony concerning him at his decease was issued by the
" Quarterly Meeting at Brighthelmstone."

chap, in.] Horsham Monthly Meeting. 31

A few months later it was ordered.

" That the Meeting belonging to Worminghurst and Shiply shall
be continued at Worminghurst the next first day but one after their
monthly Meeting and the rest at Jo Shawes house and so for every
month" (H. ix. 1682).
It would seem by the dates of the following minutes that Friends
had acquired the small burying-ground near the meeting-house prior
to the meeting-house itself coming into their possession. They say,
" Its order'd by this Meeting that Wm Garton doe deliver y°
Writings relating to Shipley burying Grounds into the hands of Jo
Shaw in order that Jo Shaw may Advise with friends of Shipley
Meeting who may be most convenient to place as Trustees in the said
burying ground & bring an Account thereof to the next meeting ' '
(H. xii. 1690).
Burying-grounds, being in the plural, may include the one a short
distance away, in the parish of Chiltington. The number of inter
ments recorded in the burial-ground at Chiltington is 40, and in that
at Shipley or Thakeham 14. Early in the following year they were
able to come to a conclusion with respect to a meeting-house : —
" Concerning the Building or not Building A Meeting House for
Shipley Meeting is to be considered of and the place where against
the next meeting" (H. ii. 1691).
" Concerning the Building and Settling A meeting at Shipley this
meeting Intends to Except of John Shaws profer and to Build a
meeting House at the Little Slatter the which Tenement John Shaw
hath promised to Give Friends for that Use with the Appurtenances
thereunto belonging. John Shaw" (H. iii. 1691).
This tenement, having undergone the necessary alterations, is what
we are now familiar with as Thakeham meeting-house. John Shaw
seems to have advanced the money for this work ; a minute of the
Meeting says, " Whereas Johu Shaw is out oi pocket about fifty three pounds
on the Meeting house belonging to friends of Shipley the said John
Shaw is to have three pounds by the yeare paid him * * * for
Twenty years In full satisfaction for the whole aforesaid fifty Three
pounds beginning at Lady Day 1696 " (H. iii. 1696).

32 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. hi.
In 1701, however, the Friend found himself dissatisfied with the
arrangement, so
" The friends of Shipley Meeting Declared their Intention of
paying the three and fifty pounds all off if they could and Desired
that some friends might be appoynted to collect the money aforesaid
and bring an account to the next meeting," which being done the
Monthly Meeting did "discharge the friends of Shiply Meeting from
their former engagement of paying the three pounds a yeare Since they
have paid the full money that was to be in Lue of or in Satisfaction
for the same " (H. xii. 1701).
The name "Little Slatter " seems to have reference to "Slaughter
Farm" not far distant, and it once formed part of that property. An
allotment to Friends' property at Charlwood is in respect of land
called " Slaughter wiches." One wonders whether the frequent
occurrence of this name indicates any lingering trace of the conflicts
between the Danes and Saxons in the ninth century. But Mark
Antony Lower, in a note to a paper on " The Eivers of Sussex "
('Sussex Archaeological Collections'), says, " I search in vain for the
etymon of the word Slaughter, so common in Sussex local nomen
clature, — -Slaughters, Slaughterford, Slaughters Common, &c. It has
apparently nothing to do with ' killing and slaying.' " The name,
however, seems to suggest other conflicts, and other weapons of warfare
than the men we are considering were accustomed to wield ; and the
cognomen of " Blue Idol," by which the meeting-house is still known by
the country people, is equally inappropriate and of mysterious origin.
The explanation has been offered that it was formerly painted blue, and
acquired the title of Idle from its long disuse. The house, with its old
timbers and roof of "Horsham Slab," though not so large as some
others, has much of the appearance characteristic of a Sussex farm
house ; one can see where the joists have been cut to give the requisite
height by doing away with one or more of the chambers over ; and
some ingenuity was exercised to make as much of the building
available as possible, another of the bedrooms being convertible into
a kind of gallery, by a door opening over the small ministers' gallery

mm
;;ftvl ;- -¦¦¦<

,V:P, fy\\j.
A <'\
ScA ,«Jl I. . * P
Vffe
¦-; tA|

chap, in.] Horsham Monthly Meeting. 33

in a corner of the room. It is said that William Penn has been
known, on entering the house, to take off his hat and begin to speak to
the already assembled people * as he walked up to take his place ; nor
is it difficult to conceive that, while walking across the fields or being
drawn by his oxen (so the tradition) in the family coach from Worming
hurst, his mind was prepared for the service — that, like one of old, he
was " full of matter " — the spirit within him constrained him. The
narrow seat in the little ministers' gallery, although it must have been
far from a comfortable receptacle for his portly figure, is no doubt the
identical bench on which he sat and worshipped ; and if there be any
truth in the psychometric theory (which we do not affirm), that the
walls and furniture of houses absorb the moral qualities of those by
whom they are occupied, and impart them to those who come after,
we might well hesitate to replace it by a more commodious seat. It
is, however, doubtless true that to some minds, from some cause,
a much more agreeable feeling pertains to a well-mellowed and
two-century-old meeting-house, than to one in which the echo
of the hammer has scarcely died away. A minute of the Monthly
Meeting appoints John Shawe & Eich" Gates "to goe and take some
with them and offer Isaac Greenfield Termes of agreement concerning
the old house " (H. x. 1692) ; but it does not appear whether this was
for a meeting-house, though it is not improbable that it relates to the
house just described, and that Isaac Greenfield may, as tenant, have
claimed some compensation. It might no doubt even then be fairly
spoken of as " the old house," one or two centuries probably making
but little difference to these substantial, and, in some cases,
picturesque structures. Long may they remain unspoiled by modern
improvements ; let their mossy roofs continue to cover them, and
peace reign within them. One can, in imagination, re-enact within
their stone-paved rooms — half-parlour, half-kitchen — ere meeting-
* This must not be taken as an impeachment of William Penn's punctuality, for the
people no doubt came, as they do now, much before " the time appointed." F

34 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. HI.
houses were yet built, the monthly gatherings of the Friends, as they
debated some of the matters which we may presently be reviewing,
the dinner prepared by the worthy hostess for the guests on the
occasion meanwhile maturing in the ample pot suspended over the
hearth, after partaking of which they would doubtless smoke a
friendly pipe or two, the conversation now relaxing to the state of
their crops or cattle, or perhaps reverting to the sadder topic of their
suffering brethren in the county gaol, before encountering the seven
or eight miles of Sussex mud that might lie between them and their
respective homesteads.
That the needful alterations at the tenement presented to the
Society by John Shaw were completed by 1693 would appear by the
following minute : —
"This Meeting doth think fitt to have the monthly and weekly
meeting that is kept att wormeinghurst to Shipley Meeting house and
that it be moved to the Quarterly meeting next to have friends Advice
concerning the same " (H. xi. 1693). The result of the consideration
was as follows : — " Whereas the Meeting at worminghurst was
ordered to be mentioned at the Quarterly Meeting the generall part
of the Quarterly Meeting hath moved that meeting to Stenning "
(H. ii. 1694).
Although it is not very clear, this may refer only to the more
general Meeting for Worship held monthly ; and a few years later that
subject came up again,
" The friends of Shipley having moved and discoursed having a
Monthly Meeting at their Meeting house on a week day * * *
(H. ii. 1698);
which was agreed upon, and many years later it was again under
consideration, as if the meetings had been dropped in the interim : —
" On the Bequest of Sum friends its thought proper that a
mounthely meeting for worship be held at Shipley (Alias) Tb acorn
the Second first day In Every month for on whole year" (H. v. 1724).
Although we may suppose that the Meetings for Worship at that place
were kept up every First-day during much of the time covered by

chap, in.] Horsham Monthly Meeting. 35

these extracts, yet it would seem that for some time previous to the
year 1761 they were not regularly held : the opening minute of the
Monthly Meeting held in the 7th month of that year says —
" Met pursuant to adjournment at Ifield were present on a visit
to this Monthly Meeting Samuel Stott Samuel Spavold John
Townsend Thomas Letchworth Gray Hester Jeremiah Waring
Joseph Morris." And a subsequent minute states, " The Friends
before named being here on a visit as aforesaid do strongly recom
mend to us that week day meetings may be well attended in the
particular Meetings of Ifield & Horsham ; and do recommend it to
friends of Shipley to meet every first day and that a week day
Meeting may be also there held and that it be held in the fore part of
the day" (H. vii. 1761).
In 1786 the Monthly Meeting appears to have made its first list of
members,* saying,
" It being often attended with much inconvenience in not rightly
knowing who are entitled to Membership in this Monthly Meeting
and who are not This meeting thinking it will be more Conducive to
good order appoints * * * to make a report in Writing of the Names
of every Member belonging to this Meeting together with those whose
Membership is doubtful and those who have been disowned "
(H. i. 1786).+
The report was at a subsequent Meeting "read & considered and
with some alteration agreed to," and the names are all copied on the
minute-book ; and while the Friends of Horsham Meeting numbered
thirty-nine, and of Ifield sixty-four, those of Shipley were only ten ;
and in the next year we find " the following proposition annexed" to
the answers to the queries : —
"This meeting submits it to the Judgment of the Quarterly
Meeting That as the smallness and weakness of the particular
* This practice does not seem to have become general till many years after this time,
as the following minute was received from the Yearly Meeting in 1812 : — " This meeting
apprehends that considerable advantage would arise from each Monthly Meeting keeping
an Alphabetical list of its members and examining such list at least once in the year, and
recommends the different Quarterly Meetings to take measures for the adoption of this
practice." f A list of members in Guildford Monthly Meeting was made in the following year.

36 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. hi.
Meeting of Shipley is such That it is seldom opened reputably as
represented at this Meeting whether it would not be more so quite
shut up but upon such occasions as might render it otherwise."
In the minutes of the next Monthly Meeting it is stated that " The
proposition was for the present rejected, none of the Members of
Shipley Meeting being present " ; and the further consideration of the
subject was deferred until the next Meeting, which appointed three
Friends " or either of them to confer with the Friends of said Meeting
on the subject and make report." It appearing, when the report was
made, that the Shipley Friends were " desirous a Meeting should be
held there once in a month," the consideration of it was again
deferred; and, a proposal having been made "to hold the said
meeting the second first day in the month," a minute to that effect
- " was presented to the Quarterly Meeting, and received their verbal
consent." This arrangement, however, did not last long; for the
Monthly Meeting, " having occasion to believe that friends premises at Shipley
requiers some inspection " appointed two Friends "to do the needful
in making the same as productive to friends as may be & make report
to this meeting also to endeavour to inform themselves what Service
is Likeley to attend keeping that Meeting open for worship but on
particular occasions " (H. vii. 1791).
These Friends did not make their report for many months ; the
minute says : —
" Nath1 Chantler & Samuel Pollard who were appointed some time
since to inform themselves whether any service was likely to arise by
keeping Shipley meeting open reports that they attended that meeting
several times and do not see any Service in keeping it open but on
perticular occasions. To which this meeting agrees." (H. iv. 1793).
Thus commenced the state of things which continued down to our
own times ; and it will be in the recollection of some of our members
that the "particular occasions" were few and far between; but yet
that, now and then, there was
" some heavenly spirit sent
With message of Divine intent."

chap, in.] Horsham Monthly Meeting. 37

Whereby it may be hoped that many a dweller in this secluded spot
may have been " owned as God's remembered child
And to his Father reconciled."
And when within the old walls there was yet again utterance given
" To words of Truth so fresh and living,
That even to the inward sense
They bore unquestioned evidence
Of an anointed messenger."
There had always been a great readiness on the part of the people
living in the neighbourhood to respond to the invitations given on the
occasion of the visits of ministering Friends, and there are probably
many descendants of Friends in the locality. In the year 1869 a proposal
was brought before the Monthly Meeting of Dorking, Horsham, and
Guildford to re-open the meeting-house once a fortnight, and to invite
the co-operation of the neighbouring Monthly Meeting, on whose
borders it is situated, and the Meetings have now for a long time been
held every week.
The number of Friends who, perhaps from the pressure of priestly
domination or attachment to William Penn, left Sussex for Pennsyl
vania would probably tend to the diminution of the Thakeham
Meeting. It is pleasant to find that one of them, whose name does
not transpire, did not amid the interest of such a new start in life
forget his friends in the old country when making his will. No
particulars are given, but incidental mention is made of " the legacy
given to Shipley Meeting from Pennsilvania."
The names of some of those thus removing appear on the minutes ;
but it is probable that others were from the neighbouring Meeting of
Steyning, and others whose records belong to Lewes and Chichester
Monthly Meeting. There is a tradition that the beams and rafters of
the meeting-house which Friends still possess at Steyning were made
from the timbers of the good ship 'Welcome,' in which vessel William
Penn sailed for America from Deal in the summer of 1682, in company
with about 100 passengers, who were mostly Friends from Sussex.

38 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. iii.
The names of some of these, viz., John Barber, John and Thomas
Eowland of Billingshurst, and John Songhurst of Chiltington, are
appended to the certificate of a marriage which was solemnized at
William Penn's residence at Worminghurst on the 15th of 9th month,
1681. One of them, John Barber, made his will on board the
' Welcome,' perhaps being stimulated to do so by the outbreak of
smallpox which took place at sea. The will is preserved in the
Eegister Office in Philadelphia ; it may possibly contain the bequest
before alluded to. It is said that thirty of those who had sailed from
the Downs died of the smallpox, and " the survivors as long as they
lived had many a tale to tell of that sad passage, of William Penn's
care and tenderness towards the sick, and his comforting exhortations
and prayers with those who died on board." The passage lasted a
little more than six weeks. John Songhurst, referred to above, is thus
spoken of in Whiting's 'Memoirs' : —
" John Songhurst of Coneyhurst in Sussex ; a brave eminent Man, as
well as Minister, who had a very fine Testimony : His Birth, Convincement,
coming forth in a Testimony, or his Travels, I cannot be particular in, but
remember I saw him once at Bristol about the year 1678. He writ a very
notable Book entituled 'A Testimony of Love &c' in 1680 Which shews he
was full of the Love of God, and had a large and living Testimony to bear
for the Good of others. As also ' An Epistle of Love &c ' Written the year
before, though printed the year after the other viz 1681. Both which
bespeak him a Man truly concerned for the Good of all ; and being Willm
Penn's Country-Man, he afterwards removed to Pennsylvania the same year
1682 as he did ; and at last died in West Jersey, but was brought over and
buried at Philadelphia the 25th of the 11th Month 1688."
f) wparaiita jKMings.
Preparative Meetings "in each Weekly Meeting within the
Compass" of Horsham Monthly Meeting were established in 1715.
The Friends appointed to assist therein reported : —
"that they were at them & friends seem to be in Unity within
themselves and a Testimony borne against Tuthes in which they had
sattisfaction in theire Visits."

CHAP. III.] Horsham Monthly Meeting. 39

In 1724, after alluding to the Queries, it is said : —
"And for the Better performance of So Servicable a work (as the
preparitive meeting is Like to be if wel observed and the truth truly
Eyed) its thought proper to Desier those freinds folowing to have a
wachfull Ey over tbe meetings whear they belong and to be Assistant
to the meetings in general! y' whear anything Apears Disagrable to
our profeshien may be spoken two and Answered Agreable to thee
true Intent of y* Quaries."
But Preparative Meetings seem to have lapsed, as (nineteen years
after) there is mention of then- revival and of their having " for sum
time bin neglected." And again, in 1762, there is an appointment of a
Preparative Meeting ; and in 1769 the Quarterly Meeting recommended
that they should be held.

40 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. iv.

CHAPTEE IV.
MONTHLY MEETINGS OF WOMEN FRIENDS.

The establishment of a Monthly Meeting for Women Friends at
Guildford took place in 1671, in compliance with the following: —
" Coppie of a Letter sent unto friends by George ffox.
" Dear Friends,
' ' To whom is my love in that which changeth not : it would do well
and be of service for you to have a convenient meeting as they have
in other parts that so the women may come into the practice of pure
religion which is to visit the widows and fatherless and to see that all
be kept from the spots of the world. And so the Lord Jesus Christ
having redeemed you by his Spirit out of the old Adam in the fall
into the image of Gods righteousness and in truth and holiness
justice and the wisdom of God and who may assist and inform the
men of necessities which you cannot do your selves, for man and
woman being both in the power and seed Christ Jesus they are both
help meets; and so it will do well that the Women have a distinct
meeting by themselves as it is in other places and to see that nothing
be lacking ; then all is well amongst you that you all may be perfect
and complete hi Christ Jesus your head, holding him from whom you
have understanding & wisdom to order all things to his glory. And"
when you see that all is well and nothing lacking to honour God, but
all may be kept out of that which dishonours him, and all may be
kept in their Testimony of Jesus and to see that nothing be lacking
outwardly in Gods house in his family who have the mind of Christ
to do good unto all especially to the household of faith. And when
you see all is well then whose mouths the Lord opens in the womens
meetings to pray to praise and to confess him to his glory, as it is in
other womens meetings, tbey are to be obedient. So once a fortnight
to have a womens meeting in the county town or other great towns,
then the other neighbouring meetings may come and go home they
meeting together at the Tenth hour in the mornings. And so they
may keep a little stock among themselves to help the poor and them
that are in necessity, and what they cannot do in such cases they may

chap, iv.] Monthly Meetings of Women Friends. 41

inform them of all the poor widows and poor mens children who are
fit to go apprentices & to services to Friends That so all may be
trained in the fear of God and in the new covenant that all may be
children of the new covenant where all may come to know the Lord
who is blessed for evermore Amen. So no more but my love in the
blessed seed Christ Jesus in whom you all in the wisdom of God to
order all things to the glory of God by which they were made.
London the 16th of the 4th mo 1671.* G. F."
"This proposition of G : ff: to friends touchinge the women
friends meetinge " was "pposed to the women amongst all friends
belonging to this Meetinge" and "the sd women" were desired to
come to our meeting on the first Sixth day of the weeke in the 7th
moneth next farther to consider of and order the same when " severall
women being then present & met did Conclude to meete again next
mens meeting & that other women be stired up to meet ym & so to
weight on ye Lord for Counsell in what they may [be] servisable &c."
(G. vii. 1671).
A minute in the Horsham book in 1675 records the setting up of
the Women's Monthly Meeting for that district : —
" Order'd that there be a Womens Monthly meeting Orderly kept
& establisht by Women friends of Ifield Shepley Covoldt & East
Grinstead at the same time place & Day where the Mens Monthly
meeting are kept henceforth to be observed by the women friends."
The first Monthly Meeting for Women Friends in the Dorking,
Eeigate, and Capel district was held at thc house of Thomas Bax,
Capel, in 8th month, 1678 ; for a few years previous to this the Monthly
Meeting minute-book often records the Meeting as one of Men and
Women Friends. In 1694,
" a Motion was made by Amb. Bigge at ye Quarterly meeting
that ye Women might keep a Quarterly meeting in this County as
they did in other Countys but it would not be admitted noe not soe
much as to be Considered to ye next Quarterly meeting " (D. viii. 1694).
"Advices respecting the Establishing of a Women's Yearly Meeting
in London " were read at the Guildford Monthly Meeting in 12th month,
1784.  * So in the Guildford Minute-book.
t Cowfold, seven miles south from Horsham.

42 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap.

CHAPTEE V.
SEPARATION AND RE-UNION :
REIGATE MEETING, AND DORKING AND CAPEL.

Before proceeding farther, we may refer to an arrangement between
the Friends of Eeigate and those of Dorking and Capel, by which for
ten years a separate Monthly Meeting for discipline was kept up at
Eeigate ; the Dorking and Capel Friends noting the circumstance
under date 1715 by the brief and plaintive memorandum : —
" Eeigate Friends rejected us "
and in the Eeigate book there is the following minute and copy of a
letter on the subject, which they addressed to the Friends of Dorking
and Capel : —
" At our monthly meeting At Eigeat ye first of ye 4th mo 1715
whearas it may Appeare by ouer mo meteing boock delivered to
Capell & Dorking friends that for sume time past theare hath not
beene that concurrance as mead us easie thearefore wee of Eigeat sent
the following Letter to the monthly meeting at Ceapell y6 4th 3rd mo
1715 "friends wee doubt not but sume of you Eemember who weare at
the last mo meeting at Eigeate it was proposed that for the futer we
Intended to hold our meeting for bussiness at Eigeat In which
minde wee unanimously remaine and it was then replyd you wold
hold yours At Capell which is what wee All condesend too In As
much as y6 Ainshent Sweetness and comfort formerly Enjoyed in
such meetings hath been of Late too often wanting as well as
Buisness retarded to our great greefe & trubel but If aney of you
Incline to meet with us In A spirit of Love and meekness shall bee
glad of their company thus desiering your welfear and that the Lord
may Incline your hearts to what may promote his honour & the
prosperity of truthe & the pease of his church wee concleud your
friended "

chap. v. Separation and Re-union. 43

Signed by eight men and eight women Friends, including Nathaniel
and Frances Owen. The following extracts will show the further
progress of this affair. A minute of the Monthly Meeting at Eitland,
near Leith Hill, shortly after, says : —
" This Meeting is of opinion as it will not be best for our two
meetings 7. t . Dorking £ Capel] and Beigate to be parted but to meet
as formarly together therefore we do desire Edwd Bax Senr Bichd
Bourne Bichd Bax Bieh: Peters Sen1 The Bax Jun Edw Smith
Henry Snelinsr A: Eesta Patching Sen' to lay it before the next
Quarterly Meeting the Bconveniency as a Separation has made
already amongest us and leave it folly to y- meeting we do desire
Besta Patching to Coppy the bovsd minute i" dehver ix to Edw* Bax
Sen- i he to dehver it to the Quarterly Meeting at Cobham"
iD. vii. 171 j . At Dorking the foUowing month it is said —
¦•Besta Patching did Coppy out the fores: Minute as desired by
the last meeting and gave it to Edw1 Bax Sen1 and he did dehver it
to the Quarterly Meeting and all y* Eight Friends did atend the s-
meeting and the Quarterly Meeting did apoint 6 Friends to meet at
Beigate the first 4th Day in the 9 mo or any 4 of them to heare and
indeaver an acomadation between Beigate Friends & us and make
there report to the next Quarterly Meeting." iD. vih. 1715 ..
The Quarterly Meeting decided that Dorking and Car el Meetings
should be allowed a Monthly Meeting separate from Eeigate, and that
the Friends of Eeigate Meeting should give the original records of the
Meeting to them. In 1725, however, the Eeigate Friends, finding
their number reduced, thought it not advisable to continue their
Monthly Meeting separately, and consulted the Quarterly Meeting.
The Dorking and Capel Friends say : —
'¦ The Friends att Bygate hath proposed to this meeting to collect
with us as members thereof * * * to which this Meeting doth agree
and Doth Desire that ys Monthly Meeting of Business may always be
kept att Dorking and this meeting Desires Bygate Friends to bring
their books to y* next meeting att Dorking " i_D. ix. 17-5). But the
next Monthly Meeting held at Capeli agreed "that ye Monthly
meeting for business shah keep its Usuah course between Darking i
Capel! till ye Second month next and then to be held at Bygate and
then to Capell and So to keep its Course Bound between y4 Three
Meetings" iD. x. 172:.

44 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap v.
Thus the Meetings were re-united, and things appear to have been
improving; as, a few months after, in answering "y" Nine Queryes,"
after saying " No to y6 first five," they say : —
" We hope as Truth Doth prosper more than Some time past
Severall of our Neighbours frequenteth our meetings for Worship and
behaveth themselves very Soberly ,• — and we are more in Unity then
formerly and the former advices of the Yearly Meeting are generally
observed amongst us and care is taken for ye Education of our
children" (D. i. 1726).
After things were thus settled, the Meeting found it necessary to
debate "y° Businees of setling ye place where y" Chest of Books &
Meeting Books & Manuscrips " should be placed, and eventually
agreeed : — "that y" meeting books should be Delivered to Capell Meeting
when Call"1 for and they to Deliver them to Dorking when they have
had them one year And Dorking to Deliver them to Eygate att ye
Years end and so for Each meeting to have them a Year round ; this
is agreed if Eygate concurs with us " (D. x. 1726).

chap, vi.] The Junctions of the Three Monthly Meetings. 45

CHAPTEE VI.
THE JUNCTIONS OF THE THREE
MONTHLY MEETINGS.

The subject of a re-arrangement of the Meetings in Surrey claimed
attention in 1801 and 1802, and it was proposed that the Monthly
Meeting of Dorking and that of Guildford, which had formerly formed
part of the Quai-terly Meeting of Surrey, should be joined to the Sussex
Quarterly Meeting, which should thenceforward be called Sussex and
part of Surrey Quarterly Meeting : the Quarterly Meeting of London
and Middlesex took the united Monthly Meeting of Kingston, Wands
worth, and Croydon, and it was decided that the meeting-house at
Esher, which was thus brought within its limits, should be made over
to new trustees of that Meeting's appointment (G. v. 1802).
The junction of the Monthly Meeting of Dorking with that of
Horsham took place in 1814 ; but the consideration of the subject was
first taken up on the receipt of a minute from the Quarterly Meeting
held at Horsham in 9th month, 1812 ; a report from a commitee,
appointed to visit its Monthly Meetings, inducing the belief that
advantage would arise from such an arrangement (see D. x. 1812).
The Monthly Meeting of Dorking had the subject from time to time
under consideration without being able to come to a united conclusion,
and the Meeting held at Dorking in 3rd month, 1814, felt disposed to
leave it to the judgment of the Quarterly Meeting, " notwithstanding
they could not so fully unite therewith as would be desireable." The
Horsham Monthly Meeting also thought that considerable difficulties
would attend the junction. It was, however, ultimately carried into
effect; and the Meeting was denominated Dorking and Horsham
Monthly Meeting. It was decided to hold the Meeting three times in

46 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. vi.
the year at Dorking and Capel, and twice at Eeigate, Ifield, and
Horsham respectively. Its first assembling took place at Ifield on
the 10th of 8th month, 1814.
Although the further junction of the Monthly Meeting of Dorking
and Horsham with that of Guildford did not take place till 1841, yet
that a union of the Dorking and Guildford Monthly Meetings was
thought of as early as 1788 is shown by the report of a Quarterly
Meeting's Committee on the proposal at a time when no doubt the
state of the roads made a journey of twelve or fifteen miles a con
sideration. The minute states that the Friends having
" solidly considered the same are of opinion that as the Distance
is so remote that few of our members can with any conveniency
attend when the Mo Meetings are at Guildford or Godalming yet are
sensible of the good intention of the Qly Meeting in proposing the
said Junction." (D. iii. 1788).
In 1st month, 1841, the Quarterly Meeting having received a report
from its committee appointed to visit Guildford Monthly Meeting,
recorded as its judgment " that the junction into one monthly meeting
of Dorking & Horsham with that of Guildford is more likely to afford
that permanent assistance of which the latter stands in need." The
Meeting thus assumed its present name of Dorking, Horsham, and
Guildford Monthly Meeting. It was concluded that five meetings in
the year should be held at Dorking, two at Godalming, and one each
at Guildford, Eeigate, Capel, Ifield, and Horsham. The first meeting
of the amalgamated Monthly Meeting was held at Dorking on the
16th of 6th month, 1841.

chap, vn.] . Disciplinary Matters. 47

CHAPTER YH.
DISCIPLINARY MATTERS.

Having in the foregoing pages traced, as far as the materials at
command have enabled us, the rise and circumstances of the various
meetings within the area under consideration, the decline of some of
them, and the junctions which have resulted in the geographical
arrangement which we find to-day, it may be interesting to look back
at the manner in which the disciplinarians that preceded us were
accustomed to deal with some of the matters that claimed their
attention. Those few words which occur at the very commencement of the
records, " For and concerning the poor and other affairs of the
Church," indicate a prominent branch of their work, and one in
harmony with that which George Fox had in view when he was
led to the part which he took in establishing meetings for discipline ;
and, remembering that "the poor of this world, rich in faith, and
heirs of the kingdom" are chosen, we may believe that the condition
of a church having the " poor always with " them, and their necessities
to consider, is a more desirable and healthy one than when such
subjects as applications to the Charity Commissioners for the disposal
of funds which cannot be kept under are found among "the other
affairs of the church."
The very first minute of the Horsham Monthly Meeting is one of
care for the widow ; it says : —
"Uppon consideration had of y* Case of ye Widdow Steer con
cerning whom it was represented to this Meeting tbat her outward
dwelling in y* Forrest was so far gon to decay that she had a purpose

48 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. vii.

to remove thence. Ordred that it be refferred to James Matthew &
Thomas Parsons ye elder to treat with her Landlord concerning it,
and to see (in case she should remove thence) what he would Allow
her for her Surrender. And to report what he will do therein to the
next Meeting." (H. viii. 1668).
And in consequence of this, as the succeeding minute shows, the
Meeting which had been held there for some years had to be removed ;
of which notice was to be given "ye next first day in full Meeting."
The result of the deputation to the landlord was that he " Condiscended*
to give her 4 pound for her Surrender which she accepts off & purposes
suddenly to remove."
There are also minutes which show care for the aged and the sick : —
" John Linfield and Thomas Parson made Eeporte to this Meeting
that Thomas Steere and his wife being very Antient friends and their
worke being almost Don are in want whereupon this Meeting have
ordered him Twenty shillings by Thomas Parson and John Linfield "
(H. xii. 1700). "Whereas the Case of James Saunders his being Sicke
was layed before this meeting friends have agreed that sum assistance
of Necessity be afforded him to relieve him till this Sharpe weather
be abated and he recovered into Som degree of health." (G. xii. 1683).
The manner in which they were accustomed to discuss and deal with
the needs of their members was a a very practical one, though the
details recorded may sometimes seem to us rather amusing. At one
time it is "Anne Thornton's oven" which is to be mended at the
charge of the Meeting, and at another a Friend is supplied with
" twenty Shilings towards the fating his hogg."
" Thomas Parson is Desired to be Assistant to Henry Luxford in
Thetching his house " (H. iii. 1706) ; and "Capel friends desireth as
Dorking friends should help Will™ Matthew to two nue Shurts "
(D. vi. 1720). The next month it was minuted that "William
Matthews hath not called on Darking friends as we know of for his
Shurts but may have them when he calleth for them."
On another occasion the Meeting desired a Friend " to provide ye young
Shaw with a hat a pare of Stockins and a pare of briches" and "the

* The word "condescend" appears to have been used in several cases in the sense of
consent.

chap, vn.] Disciplinary Matters. 49

whol comes to 8s. 8d." The amount, even for that period, is so
small that they were perhaps articles which, though " nue " to him,
had done good service to a previous owner.
It was the practice to make occasional loans to Friends, and at one
time the Meeting remitted a debt due to it from an individual, " being
satisfied that money is somewhat scarsey with him," as it must have
been with another who gave answer
" that it was not for want of Love to the truth ocasioned his
absence from meetings but was Constrained to keep his house being
in danger of Arests by reason of Debts " (D. x. 1682.)
As regarded another needy one, two Friends were
" to enquire into his abillity to transport himselfe into Pensylvania
& if they finde him in want of money to Supply him wlb twenty or
forty shillings according to their discretion" (D. vi. 1686). And at
another time the meeting " oblegis themselves to pay Sarah Colcock
Twelve pence a week towards the Maintainance of Daniel Greenfield
Until the time Called Candlemas next ensuing" (H. ix. 1711.)
In 1768 a complaint was made "by the Friends of Dorking meeting
that they are overburdened with Poor " (D. xi. 1768) ; and on appli
cation being made it is said the
" Qly meeting refused their assistance because it was their
sentiments We had not Done our Duty as a Monthly Meeting in
not Joining in our Collections, which tbey advised too, and when
we had so done if we were then overburdened they would assist us "
(D. ii. 1769.)
The Quarterly Meeting held at Godalming, 7th month, 1813,
recommended "to the weighty consideration of the several monthly meetings
the propriety of affording help to such of their members who through
the pressure of the times or from being low in circumstances are
prevented attending their meetings for discipline when held at a
distance."
A hint that it may be well still to bear in mind, although bread is not
now 2s. per 3£Eb. loaf, as it was about that time (in 1812). The
following minute points to an occupation now quite obsolete in this
H

50 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. vii.

part of the country, although it is mentioned in a minute as lately as
1809 :— "It is now agreet that for the fritter we alow Francess Hogs
Famely 3s pr wick and the wiming Friend agree to alow his Dafter
for the Tending of her mother besids what Friends have dun for him
by way of Present colactions to bv him som Weveing tackle"
(H. i. 1730).
While thus caring for the diversified cases of their own members, it
does not seem that their charity always ended at home or was confined
within narrow limits. On one occasion,
" The meeting being assembled at ye house of Jo11 Bicknall John
Weller of Betsworth Weaver did desire Eeleefe from friends The
meeting haveing Considered ye Case & knowing him to be a person of
such a Conversation as becomes not those whoe profess y6 truth
therefore Conclude that of Eight it doth belong to ye parish of
Betchworth to Beleeve him And that friends are noe further obliged
to Eeleeve him then as a poor man in want & not as a friend "
(D. xii. 1686) ; and the next meeting " Eeceived an Ace* that John
Weller" was "a very poor man towards whose releefe was Collected
in Capill Meeting 20s"
In another case of a man
" being Indebted to his Landlord for Eent the sume of Three
pounds he being not able to pay the same Whereupon this Meeting
Doth Condescend to give him Thirty (shillings) Provided that the
parrish of West Chilltington will give Thirty Shillings more towards
the payment of the said Eent " (H. iv. 1712. j
The Friend deputed to attend to the business brought to the next
meeting, "under the hands of some of the Inhabitance of the Pish of
West Chilltington that they will perform what is Desired on theire pts."
The Guildford book has a minute that
' ' the Quarterly Meeting of Huntingdon Eecommends Bobart
Crouch of Fenstanton as an Object of Charity who Lost by fier two
Hundred pounds and Upwards " (G. viii. 1738).
The term would not apply to those mentioned in the following minute : —
" Thomas Dan Informs this meeting y' notwthstanding his and
other friends frequent advise to James Carpenter for Severall years

chap, vn.] Discqjlinary Matters. 51
past to forbeare ffarming & Chaffering in divers things w** he doth
not understand and have proved to his losse but he hath not observed
such advice therefore this meeting thinks themselves under noe
obligation to Support him under which burthens as he may bring
upon himselfe ' (D. i. 1706.) lagging.
" Whereas Complaint have been made by friends of Capill
Meeting that John Batchlour is not Willing to work being Judged
able to doe Somthing but goes about a begging to ye dishonnour
of Truth this meeting desires  to speak to y6 said John
Batchelour to be dilligent in what hee Can doe & to forbear begging
& to answer ye Truth in an Honest dilhgence Soe far as he is able &
then friends would be willing to assist him If in want but if hee still
goes on in a Sloathfull & Scandalous Idle way of Living then will be
obliged to declare against him & publiquely disowne him." * * *
(D. i. 1699.)
While on the subject of temporal concerns we may notice a curious
letter, which is copied in one of the minute-books, from one who had
been a victim of " The South Sea Bubble." It is addressed
" To the Friends and Brethren of ye Meeting att Dorking Greeting
" London ye 23rd of ye 11 month 1727 Dear Friends I Beceiv'd a
Letter from Esteemed Friend Eichard Peters dated ye 20th of this
Instant Wherein he hath Acquainted me with your Minds Concerning
my Conduct iu falling Short of paying my Just Debts. These are
therefore to Certifie you, that I can truly say I Did it not Willingly
Nor of Choice nor with any Design to Defraud any Man but of meer
necessity being very hard pinched att such a time Otherwise I might
for Ought I know over come it however Short I am fallen to my very
great Grief and Sorrow not only for my self and Family but for my
Creditors and Above all for y6 Beproach I have brought on y* Blessed
truth I have made profession of As to my Losses they have been
Great which I set forth before ye Commissioners to then great
Satisfaction In being Bob'd South Sea'd, bad Debts Seven years
Sickness a Dead Stock eating a man Cp after all these things
Premised I hope will make some Attonement for me which I shall
Leave to yom- serious Consideration to Deall with me Accordingly

52 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. vii.

who am with the Uttermost Eespects to all my Friends and Brethren
your ever Loving and Afflicted Friend and Brother till Death
Stephen Hewes
Wishing Health and Salvation to you all." (D. xii. 1727.)
Hifferottts.
Amongst the many things in which Meetings had "a watchful I
over " their members was the endeavour to settle the occasional
differences which would now and then arise. Well would it be if such
endeavours were always as successful as they were in the following
instance, in which the Friends reported
"that tbey had (so far as they could Judge) put a period to y6
difference depending between Henry Mills with his wife & Francis
Mathew so far forth that both parties entred into Covenant to forgive
each other & to bury ye matter in oblivion not to be revived from
henceforth any more " (H. ix. 1668.)
A case of dispute between two Friends as to which of them should
undertake the care and support of an invalid was more difficult to
settle, and the course adopted would now seem singular: the two
Friends having submitted the
" misunderstanding betweene them touching ye keeping Joanna
Lewer to the choice of such friends as this Meeting shall nominate " ;
the friends were to meet " by the ninth hour in the morning " at the
house of one of the parties " the Agreement to be made by any five
of them " (D. ix. 1712). " After serious Consideration and debates "
they came to this conclusion "that Bob' Swan and Bichd Peter should
draw lotts wch of them should keep her upon the terms hereafter
mentioned that is to Say if the Lott fall on Eich" Peter Bob' Swan to
pay him Ten pounds and the forty shillings from the Parish and the
four pounds from the Meeting But if the Lott fall upon Bob' Swan
then Eich'1 Peter to Sinke the time of keeping her and pay a bill of
fifty one shilling four pence for her Cure and Necessarys provided
her And then Bob' Swan to Beceive the aforementioned forty
shillings and also the four pounds Witnesse our hands Nath Owen "
and five other Friends. This did not please Eobt. Swan and Eichd.
Peter, and inasmuch as they had

chap, vn.] Disciplinary Matters. 53

"broken their promise and shewed indignity and Slight upon
this Meeting to a great degree " the Meeting " Considering the ill
Concequencys which may insue " and "to discourage such ill
practices being disagreeable to our holy profession " testified against
it ; but the delivery of the minute " was forborne upon a Supposition
by severall friends y' they would have agreed ye keeping her between
themselves but inasmuch as that Supposition did not Succeed as
expected this meeting desires  &  to hasten the minute to
them * * * and hope for ye honour of their Profession & Eeputation
as men they will not break then words in swerving from ye judgment
of y8 friends chosen by their own consent." * * *
The two Friends soon after cast lots and the poor woman in question,
whose own lot would not be a very enviable one, was recorded as
"settled." On another occasion, a Friend having made complaint to the
Meeting " of his Sonns hard Dealeing towards him " the Meeting
thought "proper to desire  & •  -to goe & Discourse him and his
son togather to know the Eight of things between them," and the
next month they were able to report having " Soe Settled it as that
this Meeting is well pleased therewith."
Q, ®ir!jlbortt£ €au.
As the name of Tichborne has been prominently before the public,
it is a curious coincidence that we should find a " Tichborne case "
among our old records. So far as the books shew, it seems as far
from having been settled as the great case under that name : —
"It is Considered that ye Executors of Bowley Titchborns Will
Cannot be easily spoke w'h all being gone to Jamaica therefore it is
agreed that Ambrose Eigge & Nathaniel Owen doe send a letter to
Wm Hill at Jamaica to Eequire his Eeason why hee soe long delayes
ye paym' of Severall Legacyes given by ye Last will of his father in
Law Bowley Titchbourne deceased." (D. x. 1686.)
" The meeting being assembled at yc house of John Bicknall It was
Ordered that Ambrose Eigge write a Letter to y8 monthly meeting in
Jamaica to wlh William Hill belongs that they may examine him to
know why the Legacyes w011 was given by Bowley Titchborns Will to

54 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. vii.
severall persons here in England is not yett payed his wife being
Executrix to ye said will And that ye said meeting be desired to
Beturne to Ambrose Bigge of Gatton what ye said William Hill saith
seeing hee hath been writt unto already in this matter & hath
returned noe answer." (D. viii. 1687.)
It appears from ' Besse's Sufferings ' that Eowley Titchborn followed
the calling of a shoemaker at Eeigate.
ftejttrs of Denial atttr (Kontemnation.
Other more serious matters had frequently to claim attention : sad
cases of moral delinquency are unhappily far from rare in two sets of
the books. While denouncing, in no sparing terms, these occasions
of reproach, it is striking to notice how Friends would wait month after
month for any sign of repentance and amendment of life ; carefully
watching that the one should not be unaccompanied by the other;
and, when satisfied that both were real, the offender would be restored
on his giving forth or signing a paper condemning his evil actions ;
and, in early times, in cases of notorious offence, these papers of
condemnation given forth by the delinquent (or, failing such, the
testimonies of denial issued by the Meeting) were directed to be posted
up in the markets as places of public resort, to clear the Society from
scandal. In ' London Friends' Meetings ' we find that in 1669 a Friend
who had been induced to acknowledge his "outgoings," was ordered to
" stick up his paper at Guildford Kingston and Brentford markets."
The first of the Guildford minutes records a testimony of dis
ownment of which the Friends
"haveing a sight of evill approaching did cause a Coppie allsoe
* * * to be sette upone the market post in Guildeford" a copy
having been first sent to the offender, "if happiely he might have
owned Judgm' on that Spirit wch lead him out of the truth."
The minute is as follows : —
" Guildeford the 2nd day of the 8th Moneth 1668 Where friends
mett to enquire after those whoe comes amongst friends and have a
name (by some) of Quakers and yett doe not walke in the trueth and

chap, vn.] Disciplinary Matters. 55

spirit of tbe Lord Jesus Christ whoe exhorteth aU to learne of him
whoe is meeke and Lowly in hart unto w** exhortation William
Yarrow of Warplesdon hath been in much love and tenderness (by
friends') admonished * * * That if it had [been] possible he might
have yealded obedience to his Creator But after severall Admonish
ments wee finding him to be in a Stubborne willful Sphit Contrary
to (and out of) the way of God w011 is Christ the way and the trueth
Therefore these are to signifie unto all that those called Quakers doe
deny him the s1 William Yarrow to be one of them whoe feares the
Lord which abhors all such rash practises as is Comonly practised by
the sd William Yarrow And these are for that end and that all may
take Notice That except the the sd WiU Yarrow doe condemne all
such practises and become a new man wee have not unity wtt him
nor none else in that Stubborne will full spirit."
Some discrimination was doubtless exercised in the disposal of these
documents, so as to make the publicity of the confession, or of the
denial, in proportion to that of the offence ; and at a little later period
it seems to have sufficed to read the papers of denial publicly in the
Meeting to which the delinquent belonged; and Butty ('Treaty on
Christian Discipline,' p. 125 1 says, as to papers of acknowledgment,
that when he could not read, " it hath been required that he should
deliver it to some other person who should read it, the Offender himself
standing by in the meanwhile."
The testimonies of denial almost always end with the expression of a
desire that the transgressor may experience repentance and forgiveness.
The paper of condemnation contained in the following minute
seems written with much sincerity : — •
" At the same meeting a paper was brought from Francis Moor
of Darking w011 was owned by him as his Condemnation it ordered by
this meeting to be Recorded it this very paper or a fair Copy drawn
from this signed by him to be posted up at the Markett house in
Darking."*
* This stood nearly opposite the Eed Lion Inn and " was an old building of Queen
Elizabeth's time, wherein the assizes were frequently held in the 17th century. In the vear
1813 it was taken down, under a promise from the old duke of Norfolk (who had obtained
political influence here) that a new market-house should be erected at his own cost. The
designs were prepared, but on the decease of the duke his executors declined proceeding

56 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. vii.

" The Paper of Condemnation followeth Whereas I Francis
Moor of Darking in ye County of Surrey did above six yeares since
desire to goe to a meeting of ye People called Quakers & accordingly
went It then pleased ye Lord in some measure to visset my soul &
Convince me by the Light of Christ in my Conscience of the Evill of
my wayes & the wickednes of y6 world Insomuch that I did finde
somthing of y6 Lords work working in me & some degree of Eeform
ation & Chang begun upon wch I Continued to vissett & frequent those
meetings & I can declare it before all y6 world that I found Strength
& Comfort from y° Lord amongst them & had I Continued watch-
full & faithfull in ye blessed Light wthin wch they declare of and
worship god in I had increased in y" work of ye Lord But soe it
came to pass that I let out my minde & affections after vaine
Company wch drew me from ye Inward sence & Sobriety I had in some
measure obtained & betrayed mee into vaine and Loose talking &
foolish Jesting & Evil Comunication & soe far was I prevailed upon
by this Evill spirit that seduced me to these things that the Litle
understanding I had was near if not wholly lost & was driven into
some degree of distraction ; at wch time I have taken y° holly name
of god in vain & endeavoured to imitate preaching & praying but wth
such darknes & Confusion as all might perceive I was not well
myselfe when I did soe; However I did not only hereby make
myselfe a Scorn (wch I deserved) but ye people of yB Lord and ye
holly truth & heavenly worship they profess a derision to Loose &
unrighteous men who are lovers of pleasures more than Lovers of
god Now because it hath soe pleased ye Lord of all tender mercyes
not to suffer me to go on unto hardnes of hart but to visset me again
w'h his heavenly reproofs & that they have in some measure taken
hold of my soul unto Eepentance I can doe noe Less in y" fear of god
for ye clearing of ye truth of god & his Innocent people from all
scandall that may have come by my meanes then to testifie against
this Evill spirit that deluded mee & to Condemn myselfe for giving
way thereunto & that I doe wth my very hart haveing often mourned
& been truly grieved because of this my transgression & I hope ye
Lord will blot it out for ever & I desire I may watch for ye time to
come in ye light of Jesus that I may be preserved in the fear of y"
Lord wch keeps from ye snares of death. Francis Moor."
with the work, unless authorized by a court of law." — Brayley's 'History of Surrey.' " The
name of this town has been frequently but erroneously spelt Darking. How this originated
is uncertain, but that appellation was never apphed before the end of Queen Elizabeth's
reign. In the Domesday Book it is Dorchinges, and in the deeds of 13th, 14th, 15th, and
nearly all of the 16th Centuries, it is invariably written Dorking." — Ibid.

I v^;*

pVMffW '¦:¦'
fpaissm. a jo'imsmam:. mmWmi >if !¦ - : i

chap, vii.] Disciplinary Matters. 57

"The Paper of Francis Moor" was "ordered into y° hand of
Thomas Bax to deliver to ye said Francis that hee may fix it upon y6
Market post at Darking according to former order." (D. vii. 1678.)
The following paper was " committd to be filed," and perhaps, with
the next given, was not made more public : —
" William Green gave forth his Acknowledgment of his Errour in
writing Under his hand as followeth viz
" ffriends I doe acknowledg my faults for being overtaken in beere
and by the power of God I hope to overcom those temptations for
without the power of Gods Spirit no man can therefore let all take
warning by mee least when they think they stand should fall for want
of watchfullnesse &c." (G. ii. 1690.)
" A Paper given forth by Ealp houldsworth ye 17th of y" 9th
month 1668
" As followeth I testifie against all drunkennesse or Drinking iu
excesse and so any such actions are by me denied which have been
committed by me by the selfishnesse of my own heart
" This is to satisfie that this is none of the Quakers exercise I
hope that the lord will give me strength to denie such ungodly
exercises and so I desire "
This kind of acknowledgment is often spoken of as making " satis
faction to the meeting," a phrase which would seem appropriate in
the following instance : —
" According to the desire of the Last Meeting Thomas Snasball
and John Prier did Spake with Edward Barber and the said Edward
Barber Did this Day appeare at this meeting and Did Declare that
he desired to have Unity with ffriends and that he Desired all old
things Should be past by and buried and that he would not goe to
Justifie himselfe in many things past but was willing to Acknowledg
that he might over Shoot himself but now Desires y' it may be
past by and that he is willing to be att Unity with ffriends and Truth
Witness my hand Edward Barber." (H. iii. 1693.)
In another case the Meeting thus records its hearty forgiveness : —
" Wee the members of this Meeting after Deliberat Consideration
Doe Except of the aforesaid William Wood his acknowledgment and
Doe in the feare of the Lord most freely and unanimusly pass by all
i

58 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. vii.

offences whether by word or deed Done or Spoken against us or any
of us and Doe most hartily Desire that he may find marcy with the
Lord & assistance from him for time to Come so to order his
Conversation that he with us and wee with him may Live in true
unity and brotherly Love all om- Dayes Eemembering that Blessed
Exhortation or Bather Command of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ who Said if thy Brother Trespas against thee Seventy times
and turne againe and Bepent thou shalt forgive him." (H. i. 1699.)
It was evidently the desire of the Meetings that these acknow
ledgments should not be a matter of form, but " from a sincere bottom
of repentance," as is shown by the following extract from a testimony
of denial, which, though not thought " altogether so significant as
might be," was with some alterations agreed to : —
" If We speak the Sentiments of our Judgments in the most
Favorable manner we cannot but acknowledge his very great weakness
or Ignorance of our Principles & Discipline or absorbed in Stupidity
thro Disobedience to the manifestation of Truth in his own Breast,
however we apprehend it not so light a matter to suppose the
presenting a paper condemning such Misconducts may continue the
Aggressor in unity with the Society. It is not in the power of the
Society to Forgive such malevolent Offences but may endeavour to
use such perswasive Arguments as may Convince the Judgment
thereby Excite the Mind in Sincerity to ask the Favour of repentance
whereby remission of sin is obtained." The paper concludes by
saying that " until he gives the Meeting whereof he was a member
more Ample satisfaction he cannot be deemed a Member in unity
with them." (D. ix. 1762.)
This document does not seem to have been issued ; the case con
tinued to claim attention for nine months, during which time three
" papers" were received from the offender, the last being " Short in
Words" though satisfactory, the Meeting found "a concern to give
forth more fully a Testimony against such a Gross Offence " (D. vi.
1763). Their unwillingness to resort to these measures is exemplified
in the following minutes : —
" Eeceveing Nothing from Susanna Sturt this meeting agrees to
signe the Testimony which for Sum time hath bin Suspended
Expecting Shee would have Denied her Action her Selfe & freed

chap, vii.] Disciplinary Matters. 59

friend of y' truble but al labers being In Vain this Meeting doth
Signe and Deliver it to Benj : Hayler Care y' it be publickly Beed In
Shiply meeting & y' John Croker Becord ye Same Amongst ye
Testimoueys Drawin against disorderly walkers." (H. xi. 1726.)
" The Matter Belating to Mary Segar is still Continued that
ffriend may yet Speak wt]1 har once more that if Shee can be found
Bearly sorrowfull that she may not be denyd if possble & that Jno
Batcheller be Aded to the formar friends & A Eeport axspakted at
our next meeting." (H. viii. 1732.)
Another minute speaks of causing a Friend to " give forth a paper
of Condemnation * * * or else Friends must" (H. i. 1672); and
another of a paper being "Left to John Shawe & Amb. Eigge to
tender to " two delinquents " in the name of ye meeting to signe when
they doe appear" (H. ii. 1673.) One paper relates to a case of an
individual having fallen into dishonest practices and yet continuing
"to impose himself as a Minister amongst Friends" (G. ix. 1756).
Another paper contains a request for re-admission, and was ordered to
be publicly read. The way in which the Meeting dealt with another
case of delinquency is thus narrated : —
" The Evill Carriag of  &  was to us manifest * * * wch
apeared very foule and unsavory * * * God's blessed power being
wth us in our meeting did open our understandings & wee did in ye
Light of y6 Lord see their uncleane spiritts & feel y6 weight of them
& in -f sence & feeling of the spirit of truth did y° meeting Judge and
Condemne it." (D. i. 1677.)
It may be that some of the fields we tread over on our visits to
Thakeham were witnesses of the incident that occasioned the minutes
that follow. A Friend under circumstances, perhaps, of great
provocation, in connexion with a dispute, had recourse to the unjust
expletive of beating some animals belonging to another Friend, an
action which drew forth the following declaration from the Monthly
Meeting : —
"It is reported by John Songhurst that John Barber utterly
refuses after many admonitions to give forth any testimony against his
beating of John Shaw's catle & thereupon it is ordered that a paper

60 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. vii.

be drawn by Ambr Eigge in y6 name of the meeting against that
Action." (H. ii. 1671.)
" To all Friends & people whom this doth or may Concerne
" Christ Jesus the prince of peace whoe is given of god a Light
unto ye world that all through him may beleeve whom wee have
Eecea & of whom wee have learn'd to follow peace w'h all men & one
w'h another wch wee have testified to ye world throrow many tribula-
lations in wch peaceable deportm' towards all men wee in ye strength
of ye Lord resolve to Continue to ye end of our dayes, Comitting
ourselves & Cause to y6 Lord to whom vengance belongs yet soe it
hath hapened that John Barber being overcome wth a Temptation &
not abideing in that woh should have preserved him blamless &
harmless before god & man did in fury beat Eich Deans & John
Shaw's catle that John Shaw had employed to draw his timber upon
a pretence of a difference between them whereby ye name of ye Lord
& his pretious Truth have been dishonoured & ye Innocent condemned
w«i ye guilty, ffor ye prevention of wch for ye future wee who are called
Quakers doe give our testimony against that Action of Jon Barbers in
beating ye Catle abovesaid & Leave y8 burthen thereof upon himselfe
till god give him repentance to ye acknowledgm' of his evill & doe at
this day as ever wee did, deny to maintaine or defend our Spirituall
or civill rights by outward Acts of Hostility." (H. iii. 1671.)
In the following instance Friends seem simply to have made a
minute relating to the conduct of an individual without directing any
public use to be made of it, and it will be observed that in this as in
the preceding case "membership "* is not spoken of; but, while the
membership that depends on a name being in a certain list was
probably then unknown, none the less emphatically was the disorderly
walker declared to be out of unity, and the following extract shows
that in doing so they could use great plainness of speech : —
" Whereas John Smyth and John Cooper hath divers times been
appointed to visett George Bicknall of Tongham and spake to him
fuelling his declining of Meetings and other his disorderly walkings
* In 1706, in testifying against an individual, the Meeting made use of the expression,
" we the said people Doe Disown him to be a member of our Society " (H. xi. 1706). This
appears to be the first occurrence of the phrase.

chap, vn.] Disciplinary Matters. 61

to the reproach of Truth. The abovesaid John Cooper after many
endeavours used at length Spake to him. Asked him why he
neglected Meetings and the Worship of God with his people layed
before him the dainger of his soe persisting charged him with som
things contrary to Truth which Truth did disalow and witnesse
against Namely his feeading and nursing of Game Cookes thereby
propagating and Incouraigeing of loose Vaine and Byotuous Cocke
matches which should rather be reproved and Testified against
mentioned to him Som Other missdeeds which he said was a reproach
cast upon him and not true but the above said charge he would not
denye. Upon the whole discourse seemed to be dead doge Back
sliding Appostatizing from that which is good if Bepentance take not
place Guilty Alsoe of neglecting to provide for his family soe in tbe
Infadillity." (G. ii. 1698.) pastoral €avz.
A much more hopeful state of things is mentioned on the occasion
of another apppointment to visit two individuals, the Friend reporting
that he found them "as on y" Stool of Bepentance " (G. vi. 1742).
Other visits are thus mentioned : —
" Ordered That Wm Garton [and other Friends] be desired to
Vissitt Thomas Simmons & report to this Meeting how it is with him
both as to his Inward and outward Condition." (H. ix. 1668.)
" A E & WW report y' they had Vissited Catherine Bowen &
found her dark yet contest to y8 Superfluity in y° Lace she Vends at
Markets & faires which Friends hath no unity with Ordered y' they
be desired to Continue theyr Vissits to Her as they have freedom &
opportunity." (H. xi. 1668.)
" Elias Ellis & A E reports that they have spoke wth ThoB Luckin
about his dwelling in an Alehouse & that hee apeared tender & to Say
that hee would alter his dwelling ere Long." (H. ii. 1671.)
" Wereas wee have these severall times at our monthly Meetings
appointed some friends to go to John Edwards and Spake with him
on the account of his Absenting himselfe from meetings and friends
have been with him and found him some what obstenate yet
nevertheless this meeting appoints Wm Garton and Peter Jahan to
goe to him againe and Desire him to come to Meetings or give his
Eeason to the Contrarey and give their Eeport next Meeting the two
friends having Some Drawings in their minds to Spake with him

62 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. vii.
once more If possible they might be Instrumentall to do him good."
(H. v. 1695.)
These Friends found him "very obstinat," and, after a few months
labour with him, the Meeting " Eefers it to William Nicholas to draw
a paper to Condemn his Eefracterey Cariag towards friends." What
was the hindrance with this Friend does not appear (it seems that
like another " his reason was to himself "), but we may bear in
mind that in those early days adherence to the meetings of the Society
was often a much more difficult matter, not only from the state
of the roads and want of facilities for locomotion, but also from its
involving the risk of persecution. Much which befell the early
adherents of the Society in these parts resulted from the noble
resistance they so patiently maintained to that which has been truly
called " the antichristian yoke of tithes; " but there were not wanting
persecutions which had reference to other matters, as will be seen by
extracts, given in the following Chapter, from books kept specially for
recording them.

chap, vni.] Persecution and Sufferings. 63

CHAPTEE VIIL
PERSECUTION AND SUFFERINGS.

jkmbrosz Bigg*.
One of the most notable amongst Surrey and Sussex Friends for
his patient endurance of persecution was Ambrose Eigge, an eminent
Friend and valiant man in his day, who was born at Banton,
in Westmoreland, and belonged, in the later years of his life, to
the Meetings of Horsham and Eeigate. He had been convinced
under the ministry of George Fox in the North of England, about
the year 1652 or 1654, and, receiving the doctrine he taught, became
a professor of it, though for that reason he was cast out by his
parents and relations (Sewel's ' History of the Quakers ').
The shafts of persecution fell thick and fast on the head of this
devoted man ; so that the account of his life, &c, pubhshed in 1710,
six years after his death, and which is now rather a scarce book, was
well entitled ' Constancy in the Truth Commended.' In this work are
related many grievous sufferings which he had to go through ; and,
as most of them were within the present limits of Sussex, Surrey, &c,
Quarterly Meeting, a few extracts may not be out of place.
At Basingstoke he and his companions had a meeting ; but " before
the people were all come together" they were "haled out of the
meeting," and the Oath of Abjuration was tendered them, and, on
their refusal to swear, they were taken to prison and very badly
treated; there being " not two rooms bad enough," they were thrust
" down together into a low strait room," and the gaoler caused boards
to be nailed before the windows that they might not see the light, and
at night would not suffer them to have a candle or fire. They were

64 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.
kept there " near a Quarter of a year." At Melcomb Eegis he fared
even worse. Thence he was sent to Dorchester Gaol,
"where was a terrible sickness which some call the Plague which swept
away most of the prisoners. But the Lord" he says "was with me there and
kept me in the hollow of His hand ; so that a hair of my head was not hurt ;
there I was kept eleven weeks where I had very good service for the Lord to
the convincing and confirming of many in the Truth."
When he "was thence delivered," nothing daunted, he went back to
Weymouth and Melcomb Eegis, and had good service ; and when
" clear of that place," " departed in peace," and went " to Corfe town
in the Isle of Purbeck," where he was resisted and kept out ofthe town;
the inhabitants pretending a fear of infection of the Plague ; so he
" not being willing to bring any danger amongst them, departed," and,
visiting Poole and Eingwood, went to Southampton, where he says,
" I was moved to go to a Steeple house* where one Nathaniel Eobinson
an independent Priest was speaking a Divination of his own Brain and after
he had ended I desired to be heard a few words in the fear of God but he fled
out and left me to the mercy of his rude hearers who with violence haled me
out of their synagogue."
Here, too, he was imprisoned, and, on being set at liberty, was
"moved to go into the Isle of Wight," and, after much difficulty,
reached " Newport their chief town where the professors were rich and
full and rejected the counsel of God and despised his Messenger sent
to them in tender love." He was seized and " carried to the castle at
Cowes and sent out of the island," but, " being not clear, returned
again after a little time, and there was a small remnant gathered,"
among whom he travelled through many hardships ; and in that
island "was imprisoned in a filthy cold Prison in the middle of the
street in their great Town where he had good service "****" and
there was a meeting settled." Being again at Southampton, and going
to see some Friends who were put in the house of correction, he says,
* " The use by Pox of the term ' Steeple houses ' for church buildings has been supposed
to be one of his personal oddities. The term is used by Cotton, the celebrated New England
Independent. It was commonly used by the Baptists long prior to the commencement of
Fox's preaching" (Barclay's 'Inner Life of the Beligious Societies of the Commonwealth').

chap, vin.] Persecution and Sufferings. 65

" I was apprehended by the officers and with great abuse thrown headlong
into the cage : and without any further examination the mayor granted a
Warrant to whip me at the Whipping Post in the Market Place which was
executed by the Hangman accordingly in a cruel manner ; after which they
threw me across a handbarrow, and carried me along the streets between
two men and then threw me into a cart, aud drew me out at the Gate in cold
snow and frosty weather without the least refreshment, and so drew me to
the next tything that night ; their warrant requiring me to be carried from
tything to tything till I came at my own parish, and after I was gone the
said mayor whose name was Peter Seale threatened that if ever I returned
again I should be whipt a second time and burned in the shoulder with the
letter B as broad as a shilling ; the other magistrates would not join with him
in the work which he had undertook : But before his warrant had got me
20 miles the Lord overthrew it aud delivered me out of their hands and in a
httle time I was moved of the Lord to go to Southampton again, which I did
and had several meetings, and no man laid hands on me ; and then in my
freedom I went out again, and laboured in the Lord's work, and it was upon
me to come to Southampton again."
He was shortly taken before the aforesaid mayor, "who was in a
great rage and threatened to execute the rigour of the law"; and in
order thereto sent for a justice of the town, who was more moderate,
and discouraged him, " so that he was forced to let his work fall." The
mayor was soon after smitten with a disease
"which all his Physicians could not cure but shortly ended his days in
misery ; and the constable who was his chief agent in his wicked proceedings,
the Hand of God fell upon him and his family, so that he was forced to fly
out of the town and dy5 miserably."
After this he was imprisoned in Winchester Gaol till the King freed
him by proclamation. But Ambrose Eigge's cup was not yet full : —
" In the year One thousand six hundred sixty two I was at a meeting at
Capt' Thomas Luxford's house at Hurst pier-point in Sussex & by tbe
instigation of Leonard Letchford* Priest of that place, I was apprehended
and carried before Nisell Eivers, Walter Burrill, and Eichard Bridger, called
Justices, who, tendered me the oath of Allegiance and because I could not
for Conscience sake swear they committed me to Horsham Gaol the 28th
day of 3rd month 1662 where I continued till the Assizes * * * * and by
* The sudden death of this priest is mentioned by Besse, who says that "he went to
bed at night in seeming health, but was found dead in his bed the next morning." K

66 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.

the instigation of the aforesaid Leonard Letchford I was committed close
prisoner where I continued above ten years under many sore abuses in the
Prison from several cruel gaolers but the hand of the Lord overtook them
and cut several of them off while I continued prisoner there : * * * * At
length when I least expected my deliverance the Lord brought it to pass and
opened the heart of the King to grant my liberty by Patent under the Great
Seal with many more who suffered for the Testimony of a good Conscience."
This was brought about through the instrumentality of George
Whitehead, who says : —
" In the year 1672 a concern did greatly fall upon me to have the King
moved for the Eeleasement of many faithful friends and brethren who then
had been long confined in prisons, as I knew this our ancient friend and
brother was, and Thomas Taylor William Dewsbury and many others were
throughout England and Wales many whereof under sentence of praemunire &c.
Our friend Thomas Moor hereupon delivered a paper of mine to the King in
behalf of the prisoners, and soon after that I went with him to the King and
he granted us liberty to come before him and his Council the next Council
day ; the same week accordingly we were admitted and appeared before the
King and a full council where I had liberty fully to plead the innocent cause
of our Friends in the Prisons and the reason of their not swearing allegiance
to the King, it being really matter of Conscience to them not to swear at all
in any case &c. The King answered 'I'll pardon them' (that is discharge
them from the penalties of the laws and their estates from confiscation
forfeited by the judgment of premunire). And this was to be done by tbe
King's Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England which I was con
strained to follow and solicit through the several offices (which such letters
patent pass through) before effected which took me up near six months time
labour and toil to get thoroughly effected and executed * * * * However I
was truly glad and thankful to God when 'twas obtained and done. And so
was this my dear friend and brother A. E. * * * * I remember he would
often mention the same to me with cheerful and grateful acknowledgment
* * * * for A. E. was of a loving and grateful spirit and temper and not
apt to forget acts of kindness "
During this long confinement in Horsham Gaol he had doubtless
other service for his Lord beside that of patient suffering. Although
the Gaol* has been partly pulled down and wholly converted to other
* The prison stood on what is now the site of Eichmond Terrace, the space opposite
being still known as " Gaol Green " ; the window from which Ambrose Bigge is said to have
preached was toward the end of the building nearest to the road now leading to the railway-
station.

chap, viii.] Persecution and Sufferings. 67
purposes, the spot is still pointed out from which he addressed the
people assembled on the green, and we can well imagine that the
testimony of such a man under such circumstances would find great
place in the hearts of his hearers.
About two years after his incarceration his bitter cup was sweetened
by the companionship of one well fitted to share his trials ; and the
marriage took place in the prison, a circumstance perhaps without
parallel in the annals of the Society. His wife was the daughter of
Thomas and Elizabeth Luxford, of Hurstpierpoint,* Sussex. He says
of her : —
" She was a blessed woman, and loved the Lord and His Truth and
walked in it to the end of her days ; she hated all evil in word and deed and
walked before the Lord in much innocency, and loved peace and unity for
she was a woman of a meek and quiet sphit and loved righteousness wherever
it appeared * * * * She much delighted in reading night and day, so long
as she had any strength of body ; and towards her latter end, she had a sense
of it, and spoke something of it to me ; for she was much spent with a con
tinual consumptive cough ; and in the latter end of the 10th month 166^- she
was taken sick, which increased upon her notwithstanding many remedies
which was sought for her. She bore her sickness with much quietness and
patience till the 6th day of the 11th month following, and then departed this
life, like a lamb in my arms and went to her eternal rest in the bosom of the
Father's love in which love she delighted to be in her Lifetime. Her
remembrance lives with all who truly knew her ; for she was a good example
to many and left a testimony of her innocency and integrity behind her,
whose reward is now with her; this lay upon me to write concerning her."
He says of their children, "We educated them in the Truth in their younger
years and watched over them in love till they knew the power of God in
themselves, unto which we recommended them, by which they have been
preserved to this day to my great comfort. Many days and years have
I, with bended knees, in secret prayed to God, before the Throne of His grace,
to guard them with His power from the evil of this world and to direct then
steps in the way of righteousness, which in a great measure, I have hitherto
* It is not unlikely that it was at the Luxfords' house that George Fox, styled by
himself " the younger " (in religious experience), although older in years than the more
noted George Fox, may have died ; as he ended his days at Hurst on 7th of 5th month, 1661,
when on a visit, and was interred in the burying-ground still belonging to Friends, at
Twineham, eleven miles south-east from Horsham.

68 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. Viii.

enjoyed ; blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for ever. I am not a
httle comforted therein : the Lord preserve them to the end of their days in
faith and well-doing. Amen."
After his release from the Gaol at Horsham he removed from that
town to Gatton, in Surrey, and resided there about fourteen years. He
could hardly have gone to any place to meet with more opposition than
he encountered from the priest of that parish, Eobert Pepys. Beside
excommunicating him, his wife and servant, he sent the following
" false accusations to the Justices at the Sessions" : —
" This Ambrose is lately come into this parish from Horsham, where he
was in the prison (as it is reported) seven years for his damnable heresies,
and wicked opinions ; and this being a private parish thinks to Boost here
and impudently presumes to board and teach youth in his house, and hath at
this time twelve or fourteen in his house ; and, being a man of parts and
learning, doth a great deal of mischief in seducing others to effecting which
he spares neither pains nor time. And what Tertullian the orator said
falsely and foolishly of St. Paul may very truly be said of this man that he
is a plague — a pestilent fellow. He is justly suspected to be a Jesuit or one
that hath kept their conventicles. And this honourable court is humbly and
earnestly requested by the Minister and parishioners to take special notice of
him as a most dangerous person to the Church being a ringleader of sects
and schisms."
In reply to this Ambrose Eigge wrote an address to the inhabitants
of Gatton ; also a letter to Eobert Pepys, which concludes thus : —
" Well thou shalt go no further than thou art suffered from on high to
all which I have learned to say ' Thy will 0 Lord be done ' : but this know
that it were better for thee that a mill stone were hanged about thy neck,
and thou cast into the sea, than to offend one of the least of them who
believe in Christ. Do not covet my vineyard by ensnaring me lest Ahab's
reward be thy portion. No more but that I am a friend to thee and all
men. A. R."
The long imprisonment of Ambrose Eigge at Horsham is not
recorded in the book of Sufferings for that Monthly Meeting'; but in
a similar book for Eeigate, Dorking, and Capel Monthly Meeting his
name frequently appears as a sufferer, and the excommunication above
alluded to is mentioned, with this addition : —

Chap. Viii. | Persecution and Sufferings. 69

" yet the same priest fetched away Ambrose's hay out of the field
the same year for tythes " (1674).
So that, although he had lost one of his flock, he was unwilling to lose
the fleece too. In 1676 it is said of the same Friend that he was
" taken by Thomas Davis Bayliff wto a Sessions process and by
him Injoyned to apear at the Sessions held at Guildford where four
Indictments was Bead against him because hee did not goe to hear
Eobert Pepys a hireling priest, & for teaching Children to Eead the
Bible & to write & Cypher wthout ye Bishops Lieve upon wch hee was
Comitted Prisoner to ye Marshallses prison in Southwark whoe hath
continued a prisoner on that ace' above twelve monthes." And " In
the year above Came Eobert Pepys priest into Ambrose Eigges Hop
garden* & because Ambrose would not give him the hopps already
picked hee threatened to kill him & putt his hand into his pockett to
gett his knife to doe it till his own man Clapt to him & held him :
this was done in ye sight of severall witnesses of y° priests own hearers
& afterwards by force took several sackfulls of hopps and Carryed
them away for his pretended tythe."
The priest did not forget the hop-garden the following year, and he
again " threatned to kill Ambrose." One might have hoped that six
years would have afforded this man time for reflection, and that he
would have learned to " despise the gain of oppression"; yet we find
that in 1682, at the suit of the same priest, there were taken " eight
Cowes worth thirty too pound & on the same Ace' all the said
Ambrose's Hay wch the said Bailiff vallued at thirty pounds because
the said Ambrose could not for Conscience sake pay the said priest
twenty shillings tythe," more than sixty times the amount of the
demand ! There is a memorandum in the margin that "the hay was
recovered by Law." Ambrose Eigge is described in this record as of
Gatton Place.
In 1683 he was " Subpaenad into the Excheqr by a writ of Qui tam
by the instigation of Bob' Pepys priest of Gatton because hee Could
not hear him [no wonder !] & as it is said for 11 monthes at 20s per
month." * There is allusion to several acres of hop-ground in the case of another Friend, Besta
Patching, of Dorking.

70 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.

A few years later other machinery was brought into work against
him, and he
" had detained from him the 11th of 3rd mo 1692 £1.0.0 By
William Heath collector of the Kings tax because for conscience sake he
could not pay for being a preacher hee owing the said Ambrose Eigge
money before hee was made Collector contrary to ye order of the
said Ambrose Eigge Hee having freely Eecieved the Gospell from
Christ & Reaping noe outward benifitt or profitt thereby w** the Act
Limitted And making divers Applycations to the Comissioners at
Reigate to be Relieved weh they refused when it was in their power to
doe it."
It seems that Ambrose Rigge resided at or near Eeigate during the
later years of his life,* his papers being dated from that place, and
his remains were interred in our burial-ground there. George White
head, in concluding his testimony respecting him, says : —
" I was at the funeral of our Ancient Friend and Brother A. R. at Rygate,
which was accompanied with a Great Concourse, and with Solemnity, in
which the Lords Presence and Power did attend us, and Bless our Assembly
for he was a Man that had obtained a good Report and left a sweet Savour
(of Truth and Honesty) behind him."
" In the time of his last sickness," says Gough, " he looked forward
towards his dissolution as the end of all his troubles saymg ' I am going
where the weary are at rest ' : and having been inured to patience in affliction
it deserted him not in this last trial of all. He bore his sickness with much
patience and resignation to the Divine Will, and his love and esteem of the
pure Truth abode with him to the last, declaring a little before his departure
4 If Friends kept to the root of life in themselves they would be the happiest
people in the world.' He departed this life the 30th of 11th mo 1704 aged
seventy years or upwards and a minister forty nine years."
Ambrose Eigge and William Penn were among the twelve Friends
who had part in the vocal service of the meeting on the occasion of
George Fox's interment, and William Penn spoke at the grave.
In the work referred to is "An Epistle from the Monthly Meeting
at our Publick Meeting House in Eygate the 7th day of the 9th month
1692, written and signed on behalf of the said Meeting by Ambrose
* In 1689 he is described as " of Guildford." In that year he married Ann Bax, of Capel.

chap, vni.] Persecution and Sufferings. 71
Eigge." There is no allusion to this epistle in the minutes of the
Monthly Meeting held on that day. It is likely that we have much
of the handwriting of this Friend preserved, as it was agreed that
"for the time to come Thomas Blatt or some friend of Rygate
towne doe keep the Monthly meeting book & to send a Coppy of the
busines of every meeting to Ambrose Rigge for him to register the
same Agreed that y6 Register book the [minute-book] be brought to
ye monthly meeting once in every year or oftener if ffriends see fitt
there to be perused & viewed by ye meeting." (D. vi. 1681.)
ftirljarir ©artar ano tht Ericas* of fximas.
In connection with the application to King Charles II. , referred
to at page 66, it may not be out of place at this point to introduce a
Sussex Friend, Eichard Carver. The most convenient way of doing
so will be by an extract from the ' Monthly Eecord ' of 10th month,
1878, under the head of " Letters of Early Friends."
" A few weeks prior to the recommitment of Margaret Fox to Lancaster
gaol, she had a letter from Ellis Hookes, describing an interview that a sailor
Friend, named Richard Carver, had with the King. This honest seaman
had aided the escape of Charles from England at a time when a large reward,
offered by Parliament for his discovery, was advertised throughout the
nation. But unhke the numerous applicants who, grounding claims on such
aid, pleaded after the restoration for place or pension, Carver put in no
personal claim. He asked no favour of the King whom he had served in
his hour of peril for full nine years after the royal fugitive had taken his
seat on the Enghsh throne. Then at length he came forward, not on his
own behalf, but to beg of the monarch a release from prison of his persecuted
brethren. " The original letter in question, which is as follows, is in the Swarthmoor
MSS. at Devonshire House, London : —
" ' Ellis Hookes to Maegaket Fox.
" ' London, 16th of 11th mo., 1669. [OU Style.]
" ' Dear M. F., — I received thy letter from Bristol, and shall be as ready
to answer thy desire to write to thee sometimes as ever ; for I honour thee —
very dear thou art unto me in the precious truth. I had parted with G. F.,
but have been (again) with him all this day ; he is very weU.

72 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.

" ' Yesterday there was a Friend with the King, one that is John Groves'
mate. He was the man that was mate to the master of the fisher-boat that
carried the King away after he went from Worcester fight and only this man
and the master knew of it in the ship. This Friend carried him [the King]
ashore on his shoulders. The King knew him again, and was very friendly
to him, and told him he remembered him, and [spake] of several things
that were done in the ship at the time. The Friend told him the reason why
he did not come all this while was that he was satisfied in that he had peace
in himself ; that he did what he did to relieve a man in distress ; and now
he desired nothing of the King but that he would set Friends at liberty who
were great sufferers — or to that purpose. He told the King he had a paper
of 110 that were premunired, and had lain in prison about six years. So
the King took the paper, and said there were many of them, and that they
would be in again in a month's time — that the country gentlemen com
plained to him that they were so troubled with the Quakers : he said he
would release him six. But the Friend thinks to go to him again, for he
had not fully relieved himself.
" ' I am in haste, and cannot write so largely as I may when I have more
time; it being late ; but rest thy loving friend, E.H.
" The letter has the post mark outside, and is thus addressed :
" ' For Thomas Greene, shopkeeper
in Lancaster ; — For M. F.' "
"When laying it aside for preservation it has been, like so many other
Swarthmoor letters, endorsed by George Fox. The endorsement is as
follows in G. F.'s handwriting : — ' E. Hookes to M. F. of paseges consarning
Richard Carver that carred the King on his backe, 1669.'
" In a letter written by Ellis Hookes to George Fox a few weeks after the
foregoing, the following passage occurs: 'As to the Friend that was with the
King, his love is to thee. He has been with the King lately, and Thomas
Moore was with him, and the King was very loving to them. He had a fair
and free opportunity to open his mind to the King, and the King has
promised to do for him [what he could] but willed him to wait a month or
two longer.'
" I cannot find any record or letter which tells further as to how much
or how little the King did for Richard Carver's sake towards the enlargement
of those for whom he interceded. It is certain that just about that time
there existed in other quarters a determination, if possible, to revive the
cruel Conventicle Act. In the face of this determination, we may well
doubt the probability of Charles being then able to do all he might wish, when
asked by one to whom he was under much obligation. However, after the
lapse of another year or two's fierce but unavailing persecution through the

chap, viii.] Persecution and Sufferings. 78

operation of the Act in question, a release did at last come, early in 1672,
to all the premunired Quaker prisoners throughout the nation, and this from
the King's direct order. Whether the remembrance of Carver's intercession
had anything to do in securing or prompting this release is uncertain, as no
allusion is made to him in connection with it.
" The event with which this Quaker seaman was associated — the escape to
France of Charles II. after the battle of Worcester in 1651 — was preceded
by adventures of thrilling interest. He found refuge for a time in Boscobel
House ; hence the sketches, some by himself, which tell of his adventurous
wandering at that time, are published in a volume called the ' Boscobel
Tracts.' For forty days, under various disguises, he moved from place to
place ; and eventually, having arrived at Brighton, then an inconsiderable
place, — a mere fishing station, — his friends engaged the captain of a fishing
smack to land him and Lord Wilmot in France. The account which Charles
himself gave of their crossing the English Channel is printed in the
1 Boscobel Tracts ' as follows : —
"'About four in the morning myself and our company before named
went towards Shoreham, taking the master of the ship with us on horseback
behind one of our company, and came to tbe vessel's side, which was not
above sixty tons. But it being low water, and the vessel lying dry, I and
Lord Wilmot got up with a ladder into her, and went and lay down in the
httle cabin till the tide came to fetch us off. We stood over to the coast of
France, the wind being then full north ; and the next morning, a little
before day, we saw the coast. But the tide failing us, and the wind coming
about to the south-west, we were forced to come to an anchor within two
miles of the shore till flood tide. We found ourselves just before a harbour
in France, called Feschamp. Just as the ebb of tide was made we espied a
vessel to leeward of us, which, by her nimble working, I suspected to be an
Ostend privateer. Upon which I went to my Lord Wilmot, telling him my
opinion of that ship, and proposing to him our going ashore in the cock boat,
for fear it should prove so : — we accordingly both went ashore in the cock
boat, and the next day got to Eouen.'
" King Charles does not tell us in the above that ultimately forsaking the
cock boat, he and Lord Wilmot were carried through the shallow water on
men's backs. Nevertheless it is very certain that this exiled King of
England reached the land of France on the shoulders of a Quaker ; and he
acknowledged this fact very fully, when speaking to the parties acquainted
with the transaction."
George Offer, in his ' Life of Bunyan,' sayB : —
" The efforts of Thos. Moore and Eichd. Carver were followed by most
earnest appeals for mercy by George Whitehead who, with Moore, appeared

74 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.

before the King in Council several times, until at length the royal word
sanctioned this act of mercy. The Quakers were then appealed to by
sufferers of other denominations, and advised them to obtain the permission
of the King in Council that their names might be inserted in the deed ;
rendering them all the assistance that was in their power. Great difficulties
were encountered in passing the cumbrous deed through^ the various offices
and then in pleading it in all parts of the country. The number of Friends
thus released from imprisonment was 471, being about the same number as
those who had perished in the jails. The rest of the prisoners liberated by
this deed were Baptists and Independents, and among the former was John
Bunyan." Various bufferings.
The roll of cruelty and oppression is long and mournful : some
of its varied features, somewhat promiscously given, are presented to
the reader. " Thomas Lawcocke for goeing into the Steeple house of Horsham
one a first day of the weecke and speakeing some words of exortation
to the people after the priest had done * was by Edward Michell
Magestrate committed to the Common Goale & suffered about 4
months Imprisonment & some of the time in Lons in the cold of
winter. (1655.)
In 1683 we find the Horsham Monthly Meeting thus remembering
those who were in bonds : —
" This Meeting doth order Eichard Gates to frequent y6 prisoners
to see if theire be any want Among ye poore prisoners that did and
doe belong to our respective meetings & to Suply them According as
need Shall require till ye next Monthly mens & womens meeting."
(H. ix. 1683.1
And by the following minute, of much later date, it appears that they
had some arrangement at the gaol at Horsham for the greater comfort
of their members in confinement there, or it may have been for the
accommodation of those visiting them, or possibly for holding
meetings : —
* For an explanation as to the " custom of preaching in the Churches after the Priest
had done " see chapter 12 of Barclay's ' Inner Life of the Beligious Societies of the
Commonwealth. '

chap, vm.] Persecution and Sufferings. 75

" The Friends Apointed to Atten the Service of our Last
Quarterly Meeting was their and Give Us this Account that they had
the Company of two strangers and it was a good meeting to the
Comfort of many, and as to the busness it was maniged In much
Love and that friends are Desired to Consider and give their Answer
whether the Chamber at the Gole of Horsham shall be Continued or
Delevered Up w"* Answer will be Desired at our next Quarterly
meeting." (H. xi. 1723.)
It appears to have been given up in 1725. Besse gives the following
"brief narrative of the grievous abuses some of the prisoners met
with from John Moorcock, then under-gaoler at Horsham : " —
" This Moorcock, about the month called January, 1665, having put
Nicholas Beard into the Common Ward among the rudest of the prisoners,
they grievously abused him, one of them threatening with many oaths to
cut his throat, for whieh the gaoler did not in the least reprove him, but
connived at the wickedness of his prisoners, with whom he kept company in
drinking and revelling. Ambrose Galloway, being in an upper ward and
hearing his friend so abused, came down and desired Moorcock not to permit
the prisoners to be so abusive to him ; upon which Moorcock feU to beating
Ambrose, and ordered another wicked fellow with a long staff to knock him
down, which he did, and afterward they kicked him with their feet, so that
those who stood by cried out for fear of murder. The wicked gaoler, to
cover this gross abuse and for a pretext to commit more, went into the town
about eight in the evening, and spreading a rumour that his Quaker
prisoners were running away, raises the captain of the trained bands, and
with a company of rude fellows returns to the prison, where they took
Nicholas Beard and Eichard Scrase and put them into the low gaol, and
then coming into the upper ward where Ambrose Eigg was quietly at his
work, they accused him of preaching, and because he would not promise not
to preach any more they thrust him headlong down the stairs and threw
him over the chain into the low Gaol, where they put irons both on him and
Ambrose Galloway, in which condition they were kept there eight days, and
must probably have continued much longer had not the Sheriff himself come
to the prison, who ordered their irons to be taken off again, restored them
to their former lodging, and displaced the keeper for his wickedness. The
said Nicholas Beard, while in prison, for default of sending a man to serve
in the trained-bands, had nine fatting sheep taken from him, worth £5." —
Besse' s ' Sufferings.'
George Fox addressed the following letter to suffering Friends at
Horsham, Sussex: —

76 Early Fiiends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.

" Dear friends, who suffer for your testimony, and to all the rest
in your county, I am glad to hear of your faithfulness, and of your
standing for the Church, which Christ is the Head of, which is in
God, and are become his living members ; and therefore wheresoever
ye are, in prison or out of prison, where two or three are gathered in
his Name, there is a Church, and Christ the living Head in the
midst of them ; a Prophet to open to his Church the things of his
Kingdom ; and a Bishop to oversee his living Members, that they be
preserved in his Light, Grace, Truth, Spirit and Gospel ; and he is a
Shepherd, to feed them with heavenly food, who gives life eternal to
his Sheep, which he hath purchased with his own Blood ; and a
Priest who has offerred up himself a Sacrifice for the sins of the
whole world, who cleanses and washes, and purifies his Church, his
people ; a high Priest made higher than the Heavens, Heb. 7. And no
high Priest made below the heavens will become Christ's Church ; and
therefore feel and see Christ exercising his Prophetical, Priestly and
Kingly offices and his ruling in your Hearts. And all that will
know the right way, or High-way, or Path to the Church in God,
2 Thess. i. must walk in the Light, which is tbe Life in Christ, and
that will guide them to Christ, the Way to God, the Head of the
Church, the Eock and Foundation of God that stands sure. And
now, Dear friends, my desires are, that you may all live in the love
of God and in the unity of his Spirit, which is the Bond of Peace, in
which you will be all Kind and Courteous one to another ; and so the
God of all peace and Power support you, and strengthen you, and
uphold you, throughout all your trials and sufferings, that he may be
glorified in you all, who is over all, from Everlasting to Everlasting,
blessed for ever ; from whom ye have Blessing and Life.
" London the 20th of the 12th month, 1681. G. F."
" Eichard Luckin Joyler of the county of Sussex was comited to
the house of Correction in Lewis by the magistrates & there was kept
3 weekes because he gave more liberty to the people called Quakers
than they were willing."
" John Baker an Apprentice to one Nathanell Blundel wollen
drapyer & Taylor in the pish of West Chiltington : being convinced
of the truth and for owning it his said Master was exceeding wicked
& cruell towards him in beateing him & shedding some of his blood
& teareing him by the heare of his head to make this boy deny the
truth : and forceing him before a priest there to deale with him :
threatned to beate out his braines : and one time in a night in a
barne being about his work : with a prong strucke him 3 times upon

chap, viii.] Persecution and Sufferings. 77

the head : so that he fell with the blowes then went away & left him
lying: and after 2 yeares hard usage turned him violently out of
doors & admited him in no more servant." (1656.)
" Thomas Patching * * * * was onely for bying & haveing
friends Bookes which they did endeavour to render seditious Comitted
to the Common Goal & there continued from Sessions till Sessions
for about Tenn Moneths time ere he was delivered." (1656.)
" John Snashfold for goeing into the steeple house of Billinghurst
and speakeing to Will™ Wilson priest and after he had done did theire
receive many punches one the brest from the hands of Thomas
Henshaw then under Shriefe and after was comitted to the Comon
Goale by Edward Michell magestrate & suffered upwards of 70 weekes
Imprisonment in which time he was brought before the Magestrats
& Eulers at five severall Quarter sessions and one Assises after
which complaint being make to the Parlyam' was called up to London
and with many more was examined in the Excheker chamber at
Westminster by a Comittee for that purpose & was acquited."
(1657.)
In 1658 Thomas Patching was committed, and " continued about
a year prisoner," " for speakeing some words of exhortation at the
steeple house of Ifield ; " and another Friend, for a like period, for a
similar engagement at Wisboro' Green ; and
" John Snashfold for goeing into the steeple house of West
Chiltington and speaking to the people was throw over a seat by
William Buffen a mason upon the bricks in much danger of his hfe.
And also the same day was for speaking to the priest & the people in
the steeple house at Pulborow and after thrust out of the steeple
house drawen by the heare of his head out of the burying ground by
Jo Wright & Edmond  of whom he received many blowes and
keeks." " John Shawe being Overseere of the poore had acation to be before
the Magestrats who for not putting of his hatt was by one Onslow
sent to prison and remained a prisoner tel the next Quarter Sessions."
(1659.) " Arther Stanbridge was comitted to the cohion Goal of Horsham
by Hen Halliwell priest of Ifield for tithes where he was kept prisoner
Three quarters of a yeare, and was not suffered to goe home to his
family all that while so that his children & servants (he having no
wife) were destitute in measure of any outward guide and in the same

78 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.

time the said Hen : Halliwell priest afore said sent his man who
tooke away a Calf and sent a woman to milk his Cowes." (1660.)
" William Garton & William Duffield being on the 13th day of
the 11th Month 1660 at a Meeting to wait upon the Lord in silence ;
there came men like Saul for the priest to haile out them that were
mett together in the name of Jesus : who Comanded us to obey the
King's Proclamation Marke the envy of Hen HaUiwell the priest &
Lawyer was so great against the Truth of God in his people that they
put the Proclamation in execution before it was proclaimed not
producing it nor any other Warrant therefore we refused to obey their
words. So after many words they departed but against the next
morning the head burrough had gotten the Proclamation itself and
came to me W. G to my Mill where I was about my employment :
and tooke me W D from my employment also and Comanded us to
goe before the Magistrates where, when we were come a certain
Lawyer named William Bristowe like Tertullus began to accuse us
before them who after a few words tendred us the oaths of Alleagence
and Supremacye for refusing whereof we were put forth and in the
night were by the said Magistrates named John Covert & Henry
Onslow Comitted to prison where we remained until the next Assises
and there I William Garton was called and had the Oath of
Allegeance tendred to me again for refusing whereof and because I
could not give Bond I was returned back to prison againe where I
remained untill the 26th day of the third Month 1661 and then were
freed by the Kings Proclamation."
" Eichard Snashfold for goeing into the Steeple house of the
pish in which he dwelt to wit Thackham : and before he spake a
word Hen Bankes the priest Comanded him to be had out which was
done with much violence by Willm Batcheler and when they had done
it the priest gave Batcheler six pence for his paines." (1660.)
" Beniamen Matthew for tyths had taken from him 3 Cowes and
a wenyer bullock which was all he had valued at £14 by Willn Priaulx
priest." (1662.)
In many instances a third party would come to the assistance of
the priests in getting the tithes, as in the following cases : —
" Eichard Peeter wrought in Harvist time for Eobert Tanner his
neighbour & Earn4 of him nine shillings six pence 1wch when hee
came to demand it of y° said Bob' Tanner hee refused to pay him but
said he would pay one part of it to Priest Lee of Darking & the
other part to Wm Wakeford Tythe renter of Darking." (1699.)

CHap. viii.] Persecution and Sufferings. 79

" Thomas Dann of Nuffield Lent money to Sarah Lambert & she
payed six shillings thereof to Anthony Boyce, Churchwarden for the
Church rate." (1700.)
" James Martine Junr of Beigate sent a servant of Eoger
Filewoods in his mistres name to borrow Twenty shillings of Euth
Blatt w* being a customary thing wtt her so to doe (and hath made
honest Returns) Ruth Blatt wtt out suspition Lent it, but proves ya
contrivance of say4 Martine and he detaines from her thirteen
shillings being part of ye sayd twenty and hath pay4 it to Mary
Cranston Widow to Andrew Cranston for Vicarage tyth due aa they
call it y6 29th 7ber 1708."
" Say4 Martine " seems to have been busy in getting small loans from
Friends, returning part only and settling the tithes with the rest.
" Richard Shawe as he was riding a Jurny was set upon by two
drunken men in the Towne of Billinghurst and puled off his horse
and one of them drew a sword & sower he would Kill him because he
was a Quaker which was very like to a ben don had not providence
preuented it one of these was a magestrats man & his Master was
within a drinking and would not come out to rebuke his man although
word was sent him in that his servant was like to doe a murder at
the doore." (1662.)
" George Brigstock the elder of Worth for being at a Meeting on
the 2th of the 6th Month 1663 at the house of Edward Tayler in
Charlwood in the county of Surrey to wait upon the Lord was by the
Constable taken thence & Carried before one WiUiam Throgmorton a
Justice so called who examined him & said if he would promis to
Come to his house the next day by the 10th houre, he should know
more which accordingly he the said G B did In the meane time one
Adam Brown who is called a Justis was sent for that they might be
enabled to tender the Oath of AUegence to him (G B) for one Justice
alone hath not power to tender it which they tendering to him the
said G. B accordingly because he could not for Conscience sake swear
they comitted him to the White Lyon prison to answer at the next
Assizes where Judge Bridgeman tendred him the Oath again who
refusing to swear was returned back again to the said Goal where he
remained a prisoner 9 years or theireabouts." (1663.)
" John Harris dwelling in Horne parish had 3 Kine taken from him
by a Bailiff by Authority of  priest of Bleachingly because he
could not give the priest money or tenths, And had 8 bushells of

80 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.
oats taken away for not goeing to the steeple house to hear the
priest. (1663.)
It is to this Friend, John Harris, that we are indebted for one of
the trust properties of the Monthly Meeting, that known as the Jarvis
Estate, a farm of about 66 acres, out of which, according to a
provision in his Will, a sum of twenty shillings is still paid yearly to
the poor of the parish of Horne.
" John Songhurst for not paying of 18s demanded for tythe by
Samuell Ebron priest was excommunicated & Imprisoned about 45
weekes." (1663.)
" John Baker comitted to prison for meeting to worship god in
spirit in order to the first Act of Parliament made for transpor or
banishment." (1663.)
" Hen Hally well priest of Ifield in y6 County of Sussex Caused A
Mare to be strained from William Garton Miller in ye same Pish by
Thomas Bennat Cryer of Horsham worth £5 & att the Tryal y6 old
priest sent his servant (& some say hired him & gave him halfe a
Crown) to sweare that William Garton bargained with his Master to
give him 20B A yeare for Tithes of A water Mill, which was utterly
ffalse, whereupon ye Jury gave the verdict for the priest to have the
said Twenty shillings then they sold the mare & never returned nor
profferred to returne any of y° money to ye sd William.
" This Hen Hally well priest of Ifield was the ffirst persecutor of
ffriends for Tithes in that place Taking from severall poore Men,
severall pounds worth of Goods ffor A few shillings demanded, who
was A Long Time before his death Smitten with Lameness & then
with Blindnes, and soe died miserably, being A fraid to be Alone."
This persecuting priest is no doubt the "certaine person" who
" troubled himself & the world with a book," which called forth from
William Penn his work entitled ' Wisdom justified of her Children
from the ignorance and calumny of H. Hallywell,' published in 1673
(see Wm. Penn's works).
" Thomas Turner, Chirurgion was taken prissioner * * * from
his dwelling house at fforest row * * * for not goeing to the steeple
house and so kept prisoner at Lewis quarter Sessions And because
he could not for Conscience sake to the Lord Bind himselfe out of the
Lord's service unto man they the Justices at the said Sessiones (to

chap, viii.] Persecution and Sufferings. 81

the great hurt & hinderance of some of his patients then under his
Cure) sent him the said T. T. to Horsham Goal where he remained a
prisoner." (1664.)
" Ann ffrances widd for not paying 8a demanded towards mending
the bells & steeple house was excommunicated & comited to prison
and there kept close prisoner separated from five fatherless Children
who was left in a helples condition." (1664.1
" John Barker was fined & imprisoned for not putting of his hat
in Sessiones partly occationed by Eichard Wilson a Bailiff who the
bench alowed to make oath that he kept one his hat in contempt of
the Court who gladly was imployd by the bench not to let the
Quakers stand in Court with their hatts one." (1665.)
In one case of hardship the Monthly Meeting
"Agreed that Ambrose Eigge & Nathaniel Owen goe to John
Jupp taking wth them a neighbour or too of ye same place to Will™ Holt
priest of Horne & demand of him the Eeason why hee hath taken
away soe many of y" said Jupps Cattle & sold them & Examine ye
perticulars thereof & to give an Ace' thereof at ye next Monthly
meeting." (D. iv. 1681.)
The following month it was ordered that they should go again
" & demand an Ace' of his proceedings w"1 John Jupp about the
Havock he hath made of his goods." This affair was mentioned
"to ye yearly meeting at London at y" time called Whitsontide"
for " friends Judgment in the matter." (D. vih. 1681.)
Here are two other cases of interest : —
" Eichard Greinfield for not paying £12 demanded for tithe by
the Widd of AUen Carr late priest of West Chiltington was imprisoned
* * * * The above said Widd was assisted in this sute by her son
Bob4 Carr who in few weekes was struck with the dead paulsy which
never departed from him tel he died." (1669.)
"William Garton Arthur Stanbridge Arthur Stanbridge Jun1
Eich Gates John Steere & John Shaw were all of them taken by
sessions process to Medhurst to the General Quarter Sessions & from
thence counted to Horsham Goale for not Coming to the Steeple
house upon the statute of twelve pence A Sunday." (1681.)
On one occasion, when a Friend and his wife were imprisoned, M

82 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.

" The priest Came himselfe to the prison & ordered the Jayler to
send them home but on what Account is not yet knowne, only the
priest mother was heard to sayt hat shee thought it would make her
sonn madd it did so perplex him." (1685.)
Another Friend was committed to Horsham Gaol, where he
"remained a Close prisoner untill yB 25th of ye 4th mo 1685 &
then died in prison his Phisitian would often say in the time of his
sickness that his Confinement would be y6 Cause of his death yet
the Jayler would not by no means Give him any Liberty Except his
fine & fees were paid."
" William Jenden priest of Chiltington came with a Teame &
Assistance into ye field of John Deane & carryed away as much of his
wheate as they could at twice the priest himselfe bearing on some of
the Corne as the Eeapers Alexr Snashall & Phill Songhurst can
Testify this was done in y6 harvest 1685. After that the s4 priest
subpama'd the s4 John Deane & his wife to Appeare in ye Exchequer
& for want of Appearance was Taken by Eobert Eide Baylif or his
Assignes & carryed to Horsham Goale ye 11th of 4th mo 1687 & there
he was kept A prisoner severall Months, his wife being dead request
was made that he might goe home A Litle to Look after his family &
Harvest but the priest would not grant it Although John Deane
preferred to render his body before the next term but since the
Goaler suffers him to goe at Large."
" In the year 1692 Moses Chandler of Charlwood being one of the
collector of the Pool Tax Henry Hesketh priest of the parish afore
said refused to pay him without trouble, but Detained it in his hands
for Tythes to the Vallue of three pounds one shilling & four pence."
We learn from Whitehead's ' Christian Progress ' that
" A clause in an Act relating to the Poll Tax, which provided that every
preacher or teacher in any congregation whatsoever, not having taken orders
according to the discipline of the Church of England (other than French
Protestants) shall be charged and pay Twenty shillings quarterly, was used
as an instrument of oppression against the Friends who, not receiving any
remuneration for their preaching, did not come within the scope and
intention of the acts, though unhappily within their wording, until Geo :
Whitehead succeeded in getting some words inserted in the clause, making
it apply to those who received Ten pounds per ann : or upwards. In
consequence of this, the Ministers among Friends were not taxed under the
Act passed in 1695."

chap, viii.] Persecution and Sufferings. 83

In 1692 three Friends named Blatt, all of Eeigate, were " taken
prisoners upon a writ of Eebellion (so-called) and Carryed to London
but upon entering their Appearance were let go home againe."
" In the year 1693 Henry Hesketh priest of Charlwood and his
servant Thomas Humphery came and drove away a heifer which he
vallued att five pounds from Mary Pryor Widow for Tythes & a
mortuary for the death of her husband his Demand was foure
pounds & four shiUings for Tythes and twelve shillings for a
mortuary."
In 1695 the same devoted " successor of the Apostles "
" came with his two men & a wagon into the Lands of John
Humphery of Charlwood & begun A hey stack & carryed three
Load of his hey worth more then foure pound for Tythes his demand
being three pound and afterward came & profered him Twenty
shillings which John Humphrey refused to receive."
"Isaac ffortry of Godalming (priest) Arested Henry Gill (for
Tithes) and Cast him into prison where he Eemained Nine months
and by warrant directed to the Sherife, tooke from the sd Henery
Gill Soe much goods as was worth fivety two pounds for sixe pounds
and twelve shillings tithes (as he formerly paid to the said Isaac)
which he was imprisoned for as aforesaid." (1659.)
" Isaac ffortry of Godallminge deceased in the yeare 1660 In his
Life time he had great enmity against the Truth and those that were
in it, as may appeare by his unrighteous and unreasonable dealing
with Henery Gill as is afore declared Anno 1659 who for contience
sake (and for no other end but in obedience to the Truth) could not
pay him Tithes ; and not only in that, but in continual persecution of
the said Henery Gill until bis very last day Notwithstanding the
hand of the Lord so evidently appeared against him (from the very
beginning of his persecution) in taking away the very naturall faculty
of his sences and understanding that before his descease he had not
the reason of a man Neither could he offitiate as preist in the said
parish but to keepe his place was constrained to hire annother yet
Notwithstanding the miserable condition and end of this man was soe
evident his widdow (Katheren ffortry) wch he left executrixe of his
last will and Testament who confessed to the Improsperouse estate
and condition of her husband (during his persecution as afores4)
Ceased not to follow his footsteps in prosecuting the said Hen Gill
for two years Tithes which had not been recovered by her husband in

84 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.
his Life time (though he had duly pseeuted the said Henery for the
same) And in the year 1661 shee recovered a judgment againest
him before Orlander Bridgman then Judge of the Assizes in Surrey
of seaventy pounds for the s4 two year's Tithes which was Vallewed
to be worth not above sixteen pounds and by an execution upon the
same judgm' tooke from the said Henery Gill soe many cattell a3
were worth aboute fivety pounds."
Henry Gill, the Friend mentioned in the preceding extracts, issued
an address to the inhabitants of Godalming, which was printed in the
year 1658. The following is another instance of persecution : —
"Edward Drake & Peter Castillion Impropri : of part of the
parsonage of Godallming : by a capias exlagatum, Tooke from Johane
Patching of Binscomb in the s4 parish widdow soe many cattle and
other goods as were worth aboute five or six and thirty pounds for
Tithes * * * * although they had Eetained her husband a prisoner
for most parte of the same until he dyed." (1662.)
Some of the extracts, like those which follow, show the very
different value of live stock or of money, at the the time to which they
relate : — " The 8th Month taken from Anne Bax of Capill widow one ffatt
bullock worth three pounds by virtue of a warrant from Christopher
Buckle & others Charged upon her for not finding Arms in the
Trained Bands." (1690.)
" Stephen Smith of Worplesdon had taken from him three cowes
one Oxe or steere worth £12 by Sammuell Wickham of Purbrite for
Tythes he beinge a Nonconforming Preist and Rented ye Impropriation
there." (1673.)
" Rich4 Bax * * * * had taken from him two fatt Beifs worth
8 . 10 . 0." (1674.)
And there was
" Likewise taken from on John Gyles tbat is not called a Quaker
only lodger in the house with Ric Withall In Bacon Brass & Pewter
to the value of 2 . 10 . 4. " (1678.)
" Edward Burrough for going to the steeple house at Kingston
upon Thames and opposing the Damnable Doctrine of the priest
there had the oath of Abjuration tendered him for refnsall of which
he was committed to prison * * * * on the same day alsoe Henery

chap. vm. ] Persecution and Sufferings. 85

Gill of Eashing Rich Deane of Guildeford Park (and three other
friends) being at Kingston aforesaid had the oath of Abjuration
tendered them and for refusing to take the same were committed to
the Block house there."
" Esther Bielle of London going to the steeple house at
Godallminge was very much beaten there & from thence taken and
put into the Towne Cage w'b others who were very much abbused."
(1656.) " Thomas Tax of Charlwood for going to the steeple house there
at the comand of Robert Right priest was hailed out and set in the
Stocks." " Thomas Patchinge of Binscomb with Twenty five other persons
* * * * were taken at Guildf4 (as they were goeing to a Meeting
there),"
And for refusing to swear were committed to the county gaol.
" The said Thomas Patching (who was not well when he was
taken) by reason of his hard Usaig and travaile to the prison
increasing the violence of his distemper Dyed within a few days after
he came thither and the rest remained there two moneths * * * *
in which time the afores4 prisoners were crewelly abus'd by the
fellons that were in the prison who robbed them there by the Goalers
permition of money and goods to the vallew of above seaven
pounds." (1660.)
Jacob Benbricke " had taken from him by Edward fford Maior
and Ric Simes assisted by the counstable and other Officers of the s4
Towne of Guildeford who came togeather in the Nighte time into the
House or freehold of the said Jacob Benbricke sent for a smith
broake and caused to be broaken open six doares there to the greife of
the Neighbours sixty and three Hatts which by too of the same trade
were vaEewed att twelve pounds eighteene shillings for eight pounds
and fivteen shillings Imposed on him * * * * for being at silent
meetings in Guildford Binscomb &c." (1670.)
" Jane Remnant * * * * of Guildford * * * * had taken from
her soe much cheese as was worth aboute fower pounds for three
pounds imposed on her son * * * * for being at a silent meeting
amoungst friends where shee * * * * was not nor did not usually
frequent the w* Cheese was keept by ye magistrates whilst it was
spoyled for none would buy it but was cast forth or Buryed." (1670.)
" John Cooper of Guddeford had taken from him upon the 16th

86 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.

day of the 10th Moneth Ten dussen loaves of bread which were given
to the poore of the parish who when they understood from whence
they came Beturned them to the Officers againe and would have none
of them the same loaves were worth about Ten shillings ten pence
and were taken as aforesaid for a fine Imposed on the said John
Cooper for being at a silent meeting of ffriends." (1670.)
What a rebuke to the priests ! It is also stated that
" six cowes worth aboute twenty fower pounds were taken from
Stephen Smith of the parish of Purbrite for spaking to the people at
the meeting in Guildeford Street,"
besides two other distraints on Friends for meeting there,
" when they were keept out of their meeting house the 15th day
of ye 3 moneth."
The following account of the interruption of their Monthly Meeting
on another occasion is thus given in the minute-book : —
"At the Meeting aforesaid at John Coopers house the 3rd day of
the 4th Moneth 1670 There being then about 14 men friends mett in
the feare of the Liveing God and in order to his requirings to the end
that all things may be done deacently amongst us and in Good order
where dilligent Enquiry was and used to be made whither there be
any that comes amongst us, and walkes not Answerable to that love
& blessed appearance of the liveing God through wch they are
convinced of what is Necessary for them and where such are found
that they may be Admonished to the end they may repent & turne to
God, when it's Manifested to them wherein they have erred And
further to see what is wanting to them whoe are truely poore
amongst us (and of us) and for the placeing out of poore Children
and to examine that none doe goe disorderly together in Marriage
But that relations and all concerned may have notice and that all
Ingagem*8 from others may be seene cleare that time herein being
taken and all things being found cleare that all may be Joyned in the
feare of the Lord before many Wittneses and the same recorded w'6
the Wittnesses wth other things Necessary unto friends for wch end
friends being at the meeting afores4 There came two of the Magis
trates of Guildeford namely Eichard Syms & Henry flutter wth two
officers haveing staves, And Eichard Symes Snatching up the Writings
of ffriends read therein where things were recorded shewing our
meetings to be as afores4 and after he had read awhile & found

chap, viii.] Persecution and Sufferings. 87

nothing contrary to what pfessed he threw downe the booke againe
and spake to the officers to take us out of the roome, soe they & he
together hailed us out one by one and then being in the yard he
would not suffer us to remaine there neither but hailed & thrust us
into the streat & sett the two officers to keep the doore that wee
might not enter againe at y* time soe friends sate downe in the street
& continued theire meeting there to the finishing what god required
of them (haveing a stoole pen Inke & pap there) soe to the praise
and Glory of the Great God was all done in his counsel! & will
praises & honour & glory be unto him for ever whoe after a long
night of darkness and apostasie hath againe caused his Everlastinge
covenant of Light life & trueth to shine forth where all that are
weary may find true refreshm' and bring forth pretious fruit in the
pure holy savory life, in the Light of the Liveing God and all y'
feares & obeyes him for ever." (G. iv. 1670.)
The value of goods taken from twenty Friends " for Meetings held
in the street when kept out of their Meeting house at Guildford " in
1670 is given in Besse's ' Sufferings ' (together with the names of the
Friends), and amounts to no less than £179 5s. 6d., and for meetings
at Eeigate to £78 14s. 6d. The Friend, John Cooper, at whose house
the meeting was assembled when it was thus interrupted, is mentioned
again forty-eight years later, when he
" proposed to be Eased of the trouble of keeping the Books &
Pappers belonging to this meeting and friends considering his Aige
and true and faithfull Servis to friends and truth a great many yeares
are willing theireof." (G. ii. 1718).
A little later on in this minute-book there is a copy of some
directions to the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings throughout the
country, in relation to the sufferings undergone by Friends.
A long communication from "two sundry meetings" held in
London in the 3rd month 1675, where " many publick friends &
Brethren of ye Nation " were present, requesting that the Quarterly
Meetings for each county respectively where Friends "doe or may
suffer for the Truth of Christ Jesus," should " send up a faithful
understanding friend" to a conference then about to be held in
London, to " consider & advise togeather for ye help ease & Eeleife of
such friends as are or may be in sufferings."

88 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.
The establishment of the Meeting for Sufferings in London
resulted from the first recommendation of this conference,
" That certaine friends of this citty be here Nominated to keep a
constant Meeting aboute sufferrings fouer times a yeare."
And it was agreed that they should meet on the " first day of ye weeke
before each Terme." This conference issued some good advice to
Friends under suffering and to the meetings in connection with this
subject. During the times of persecution " meetings for sufferings "
were also held in different parts of the country, but as time went on
it seems to have become the practice to hold such conferences on the
occasion of the Quarterly Meetings, and it is said in 1738,
"It hath bin thought fit to Alltar the tytle of the meeting for
suffarings to be Call4 the Quarterly meeting by Aiurnment."
After all the fines and imprisonments, some of which have been
noticed in the foregoing pages, we find some
"Friends appointed to made Enquiry concerning a faithfullness
in bearing a Testimony against Tythes &c " reporting "that they
find a pretty general unfaithfullness in that respect to the sorrow of
the honest-hearted amongst us." (G. ii. 1752.)
In connection with the subject of tithes there was
"received from the Quarterly Meeting a Coppy of a Deed made
and signed by Hesther Browning Widdow Eelict & Executrix of
Daniel Browning of Crowfield Hall in the Parish of Crowfield in the
County of Suffolk Esq1 by which Deed she bears an Honourable
Testimony against receiving Tythes and voluntarily gives & Discharges
her right & Claim to them for ever to the End that they should never
be Claimed or demanded from that Impropriation which her deceased
Husband did give and devise unto her by his last Will and Testam'
bearing date the 22 of February 1697 And her deed by which she
quits Claim is dated the 20th 9bel 1705." (D. viii. 1706.)
At a later date there is a notice of an act of persecution of a
different character : —
" Joseph Chandler of Guildford Suffered by Breaking his Windows

chap, viii.] Persecution and Sufferings. 89

for not Illuminating them on the recovery of the King. 2.12.9."
(G. iv. 1790.)
There are three instances in the Guildford register of distraints
on Friends for their refusing to swear " when elected to the office of
Ale Taster." The ' Penny Cyclopsedia ' informs us that " These
officers were regularly chosen every year in the court leet of each
manor, and were sworn ' to examine and assay the beer and ale and
to take care that they were good & wholesome, and sold at proper
prices according to the assize, and also to present all defaults of
brewers to the next court leet.' Similar officers were also appointed
in boroughs and towns corporate ; and in many places, in compliance
with charters or ancient custom, ale tasters are at the present day
annually chosen and sworn, though the duties of the office are fallen
into disuse." Part of the oath administered to an ale taster runs
thus : — "And that you have a diligent regard during the time of your
being in office, to all the brewers and tipplers within your said office,
that they and every of them make good and wholesome beer for man's
body." The meaning of the word tippler seems to have shifted its
position from the dispenser (as then) to the consumer (as now) of the
article. In the Guildford minute-book there appears, without any
comment, the following letter, releasing Friends from this difficulty in
the way of their accepting municipal and other offices : —
"White Hall November the 6th, 1687.
" My Lord, " The King is informed that Edw Brooker Hen Jefferson and
Jos Tomlinson being Quakers are by Mr. Barker Steward of South-
warke putt upon severall Offices of Constable and the like which
they are willing to doe but the Oathes being tendered to them from
which they thinke themselves exempted by the King's Declaration
for Liberty of Contience they are threatned to be fined or Otherwise
molested for their Eefusall to take them.
" His Majesty Comands mee to let your Lordship know that his
pleasure is that the said Edw Brooker Hen Jefferson Jos : Tomlinson
and all other Quakers should now and for the future either be alowed
to serve the said offices without taking any Oathes or else that they
N

90 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. viii.
be not fined or otherwise molested on the like ocation and his
Majesty would have you give order therein Accordingly.
" I am your Lordships most humble servant " SUNDEELAND
Directed _to the Lord Mayor (G. x .1687.)
of Lon by Order of ye King."
In 1773 the Dorking, Eeigate and Capel Friends communicated
with the Meeting for Sufferings in London, being in want of advice as
to appealing at the " Quarter Sessions against overseers for paying the
Wardens expenses out of the poors rates." Some Friends having in
consequence refused payment of the poor rates, were summoned
" before a Bench of Justices who notwithstanding they acknow
ledged the proceedings of the said Overseers to be Illegal yet granted
Warrants to Distrain said Friends Goods for payment of said poors
rates." (D. vii. 1773.)
Three months later, a Friend brought from "the Meeting for Sufferings
a Copy of a Counsellor's Opinion" respecting this matter, the minutes
relating to which were continued till 4th month of the following year,
when the Meeting
"having taken into Consideration the Coppy of the Counsellors
Oppinion "i= * * * seem to be of the Judgment that it does not
clearly hitt the Case yet thinks it proper to Lodge the same in the
Chest at Beigate." (D. iv. 1774.)
Besse gives the following particulars of distraints on Friends
" For Meetings at Eygate " after the passing of the Conventicle Act
of 1670 :—'."" Goods worth.
" Taken from Thomas Blatt of Eygate Tallow chandler 7 10 0
Eowland Titchbourne of the same Shoemaker 5 7 6
John Hatcher Eichard Hatcher
Anthony Sheppard and Edmund Moore

(
Eichard Allingham John Moore ) ,-,„
and the Widow Glover j

10 17 0

John Blatt Tanner for Meetings
at his house

3578 14 6

chap, viii.] Persecution and Sufferings. 9l
And for " Meetings held in the Street when kept out of their Meeting
house at Guildford were taken," from twenty Friends, goods worth
£179 5s. 6d. He also records that George Vaux was in 1683
excommunicated for practising physic without a Hcence from the
Ecclesiastical Court, and that John Blatt, in the same year, was taken
preaching at a meeting in the house of Nathaniel Owen, of Limpsfield,
and fined £20, for which fifteen butts of leather, worth that sum,
were taken from him and " carried to Leadenhall market in London
by Thomas Taylor a currier of Eygate who was hired to sell it. He,
eager to execute his commission, sold it before it was sealed for £15
taking 5/- in part of payment. The Sealers, being acquainted with
this, seized the leather for the King's use,* as being forfeited by its
unlawful sale. By this means, though the religious sufferer lost his
goods, yet the mercenary Informers who occasioned the seizure were
disappointed of that part of the spoil which they expected."
Before passing from the subject of Sufferings, it is interesting to
find the names of several Friends from these parts among the 164
devoted men who, in the year 1659, presented themselves at West
minster Hall, to offer to lie in prison instead of their brethren then
in confinement. The address to Parliament which they took with
them, containing this offer, is a most beautiful exemplification of self-
sacrifice, and is well worth reproducing in full : —
" Friends, ' ' Who are called a Parliament of these nations : We in love to our
brethren that he in Prisons and Houses of Correction and dungeons and
many in fetters and iron and have been cruelly beat by the cruel gaolers and
many have been persecuted to death and have died in prison and many lie
sick and weak in prison and on straw. So we in love to our brethren do
offer up our bodies and selves to you for to put us as lambs into the same
dungeons and houses of correction and their straw and nasty holes and
prisons and do stand ready a sacrifice for to go into their places in love to
our brethren that they may go forth and that tbey may not die in prison as
many of the brethren are dead already : For we are willing to lay down
* This relates to a duty on leather which was repealed about fifty years since.

9^ Marly Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. Viii.

our lives for the brethren and to take their sufferings upon us that you
would inflict upon them. And if our brethren suffer we cannot but feel it :
And Christ saith It is he that suffereth and was not visited. This is our love
towards God and Christ and our brethren that we owe to them and our
enemies who are lovers of all your souls and your eternal good. And if you
will receive our bodies which we freely tender to you for our friends that are
now in prison for speaking the Truth in several places, for not paying tithes,
for meeting together in the fear of God, for not swearing, for wearing their hats,
for being accounted as vagrants, for visiting Friends and for things of the like
nature according to a paper intituled ' A Declaration to the Parliament &c.
delivered the 6th day of the Second Month called April, 1659, to the then
Speaker of the said House : We whose names are hereunto subscribed
(being a sufficient number to answer for the present sufferers) are waiting in
Westminster Hall for an answer from you to us to answer our tenders and
to manifest our love to our Friends, and to stop the wrath and judgment
from coming upon our enemies." — Besse's ' Sufferings,' Preface to Vol. i.
Sewel says that under their names they added: — "If we had been of
Esau's race we should have fainted before this time ; and if we had been of
Cain's progeny we should have fought with his weapons : but this never was
neither is it the way of the righteous and chosen of which we are from the
foundation of the world." — Sewel's ' History of the Quakers.'
A note in Gough's ' History ' refers to the following angry answer
having been returned : —
" That the House had read the paper and did dislike the scandals
thereby cast upon magistracy and ministry and did therefore order that the
petitioners should forthwith resort to their respective habitations and there
apply themselves to their callings and submit to the laws of the nation and
the magistracy."
The names only, without residences, are given by Besse, but we may
safely identify the following as from the area of country under
review : —
" John Barnard (Godalming) Arthur Stanbridge (Ifield or Cowfold)
Eichard Bax (Capel) Thomas Tax (Charlwood)
Thomas Blatt (Eeigate) Eowland Titchbourn (Eeigate)
John Barber (Thakeham) Stephen Wix (Guildford)
Eichard Deane (Guildford) Caleb Woods (Shere)
Thomas Moor (Eeigate) Thomas Seaman (Do.) "
In the long list given by Besse of " The Names of those who died

chap, vni.] Persecution and Sufferings. 93

under their sufferings for their Eeligious Testimony " we find from
this district that of Henry Chandler, of Thorncomb Street, in the
parish of Shalford.
"He was at first cast into the Marshalsea Prison in Southwark
for small tithes and was removed thence to the Fleet where he was
taken sick of the Small-pox : and though the Priest, on application
made to him, did consent that he might be removed to his own
house, yet he was too weak to accept of that grant, and so died in the
prison, being about sixty-five years of age. The character given
concerning him by those who well knew him was that he was an
innocent honest true-hearted man of a clean life and conversation,
and suffered for his testimony with much patience and contentment."
He died in 1683. In Besse's list there is the name of William
Bennett, who died in prison at Ipswich in 1684. This Friend does
not appear to have been connected with this part of the country, but
there was found in the safe at Dorking what appears to be an original
letter from him, dated from " Edds Bury Comone Gaole, the 3rd of the
9th m* 1668," and endorsed " Thes to goe among ffrinds of thruthe
William Bennitt." A collection of the epistles of this Friend has
been printed, but it does not contain this letter.

94 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. ix.

CHAPTEE IX.
AFFIRMATION.

It was in 1695 that the Friends of the Meeting for Sufferings in
London renewed their application to Parliament by a petition that a
solemn affirmation should be accepted from members of the Society
instead of an oath, and a bill was brought in to effect this object : —
" The friends of the committee," says Gough (' History of the Quakers'),
" would have been glad to have procured the acceptance of their simple
affirmation or negation without any appeal to the Divine Being ; but their
friends in the House, who were rejoiced at their success so far, and who were
active in promoting the bill, giving their opinion that to make the attestation
so solemn in Courts of Justice, as to be adequate to the idea ofthe Parliament,
there must be some solemn or sacred expressions respecting the omniscience
of God as solemnly to declare the truth in His presence, in which form they
thought it more eligible to acquiesce than to risk the losing of the bill. In
this form it passed the House of Commons. In order to procure it an easy
passage through the House of Lords the case of Friends was reprinted and
enlarged particularly with reference to the Mennonists in Holland who had
since 1577 the indulgence granted them that their Yea and Nay should be
accepted instead of an oath ; being subject, in case of falsifying the truth, to
the penalty of perjury ; and no public or private damage had been found to
result therefrom. But although King William had made it his study to fill
up the vacant sees with men of distinguished moderation yet there seemed
to remain still some bishops of the old cast who retained an aversion to the
ease intended by this bill, and, excepting against the form of affirmation,
aimed at defeating the benefit thereof by substituting an oath in effect in a
different form, in place of an oath in the common form. Instead of the
affirmation as it came from the Commons, they wanted to introduce more
solemn asseverations such as 'I call God to witness and judge,' &c. ; ' I call
God to record upon my soul, and appeal to God as a judge of the truth of
what I say,' &c. which the committee of the Meeting for sufferings being
informed of by some ofthe temporal peers, who were friendly and wished to
redress the grievances of the Society in this respect, justly remarked that

chap, ix.] Affirmation. 95

the end of their solicitation and petitioning to be freed from all oaths, as
contrary to their conscientious persuasion, would be manifestly defeated by
the imposition of a new oath, in which light they understood all these
proposed forms of expression whereinto the invocation of the sacred name
as judge or avenger was introduced. Upon this representation the peers
returned into the house and entered into a fresh debate, and returning back
to the friends in waiting, informed them that they had brought the bishops
to agree to this amendment, to add after the word (God) these words (the
witness of the truth of what I say) and earnestly persuaded them to agree
to the addition of these words rather than lose the bill ; whereupon the said
friends, finding they could do no better, consented to leave the matter to
their discretion : so the bill was finaUy passed, with an affirmation in this
form. I, A. B. do declare in the presence of Almighty God, the witness of
the truth of what I say."
" This act for seven years," continues Gough, "was at the expiration
continued for eleven years longer and afterwards in the year 1715 made
perpetual ; but the terms of this affirmation being stiU uneasy to many
friends, who conscientiously scrupling the use thereof as in their opinion
approaching too near the nature of an oath, by reason of an implied appeal
to God for the truth, apphed for an amendment thereof in the year 1721
and obtained their request."
In connection with this subject the Horsham Monthly Meeting
notices the receipt of a letter from the Meeting for Sufferings : the
letter itself is not given, but the consideration of the matter is thus
recorded : — " The result on the Letter Eead at the Last Meeting sent from
the meeting of sufferings in London is as foUoweth & Desired to be
Delivered to our next Quarterly Meeting by the ffriends apointed to
Attend that service as the conclufion of this meeting being here
Read & signed by upward of Twenty friends & is as followeth : —
" The Judgment of om- monthly meeting in Relation to the present
Affirmation is that seeing there is a great striveing to the uneasiness
of the body of ffriends in GeneraU we think it most proper in our
Judgment to submitt the cause to God and Rest sattisfied till he
make a more opener way & ffriends better sattisfied in theire judgment
till which time we agree to stand still & subscribe our names your
loveing ffriends & Brethren." (H. i. 1713.)
In the following year the Guildford Friends say : —
" In case friends see an opportunity of Sollicetting the Parliment
for a renuall of the Sollem Affermation and any friends find freedom

96 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. ix.
to write to any member of Parliament desiring their favor therein
It is the order of the meeting for Sufferings in London Such letters
should be sent first to Benjamin Bealling unsealled." (G. ii. 1714.)
There is also mentioned a printed paper from that Meeting, dated
16th of 2nd month, 1714, " Tuching an Assay on 5 of Mat. v. 33 to 37,"
(G. iii. 1714).
In striking contrast with the difficulties which beset the Friends of
an earlier age in connection with their scruples on the subject of
oaths, is the facility now afforded by the Legislature to those
(irrespective of religious denomination) who share the same objection :
a liberty which it is hoped may eventually be made still more complete.
It is doubtful whether the present exemption is as widely known as
would be desirable ; and, in case this should fall into the hands of any
who may be feeling dissatisfied on the subject, a leaflet issued a few
years since by the Society of Friends, with the view of spreading
information on the subject, is here appended, corrected to date : —
" Judicial Sweabing.
"A high standard as regards Truth-speaking is set before all Christiana
in the words of our Lord : — ' Ye have heard that it hath been said by them
of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord
thine oaths : but I say unto you, Swear not at all ; neither by heaven ; for
it is God's throne : nor by the earth ; for it is his footstool : neither by
Jerusalem ; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear
by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let
your communication be Yea, yea ; Nay, nay : for whatsoever is more than
these cometh of evil ' (Matt. v. 34-37). Some Christians, accepting these
words as applicable to the taking of judicial, as well as to all other oaths,
have always conscientiously objected to swearing of every kind ; and the
Legislature has provided (3 & 4 Will. IV. cap. 49) that members of the
Society of Friends and Moravians may take a solemn affirmation or
declaration instead of an oath, in all places and for all purposes whatsoever,
where an oath is or shall be required, either by the common law, or by any
Act of Parliament ; and if any such person making such solemn affirmation
or declaration shall be lawfully convicted, wilfully, falsely and corruptly to
have affirmed or declared any matter or thing, he or she shall incur the same
penalties as by the laws are enacted against persons convicted of wilful and
corrupt perjury.

chap, ix.] Affirmation. 97

" There are other members of the community who prefer an affirmation
to an oath, and an increasing number who object to an oath ou conscientious
grounds, for whom some relief has been provided by a statute passed in 1854
(17 & 18 Vict. c. 125), which enacts that ' If any person called as a witness
or required or desiring to make an Affidavit or Deposition shall refuse or be
unwilling from aUeged conscientious motives to be sworn, it shall be lawful
for the Court or Judge or other presiding Officer or person qualified to take
Affidavits or Depositions, upon being satisfied of the sincerity of such
objection, to permit such person, instead of being sworn, to make his or her
solemn affirmation or declaration in the words following, viz. : — "I, A. B.,
do solemnly, sincerely and truly affirm and declare, That the taking of any
Oath is, according to my religious belief, unlawful ; and I do also solemnly,
sincerely and truly affirm and declare," &c. : which solemn affirmation and
declaration shaU be of the same force and effect as if such person had taken
an oath in the usual form.' This enactment, applying only to civU cases,
was extended to witnesses in criminal cases in 1861 (24 & 25 Vict. c. 66).*
" In order that the existence of the above Legislation may be more
widely known, the Society of Friends has deemed it right to give this
information to the public, believing that as the liberty now given by law
becomes more generaUy used, the sooner wfll be obtained for the community
at large the enjoyment of those privileges in respect to the making of an
affirmation which is now confined to a few."
* Further legislation, applying to certain other cases, has been enacted, a table of
which will be found in the ' Book of Christian Discipline ' of the Society of Friends,
edit. 1883, p. 151.

98 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. X.

CHAPTEE X.
LIBERALITY.

In preceding pages we have traced the severe sufferings of Friends
for conscience sake : we may now observe how their sympathies were
drawn out for their fellow professors in other parts, and under other
circumstances. Allusion is made in 1692 to
" The Epistle from friends in London Relateing to or Suffering
friends & Bretheren in Ireland by Reason of y6 Late warr " (D. vii.
1692).
and a collection was arranged for. In 1698 a similar course was
taken for " the reliefe of the poore ffriends in the North of Scotland who
suffer extreemly by the dearnesse of Corne & alsoe the suffering friends
of Dantz0 and Embden &c." (G. v. 1698.)
agreeably with a recommendation contained in the General Epistle of
that year, which mentions the failing of the crops in the North of
Scotland for " three years last passed," which had " occasiond a great
scarcity of bread to some hundreds there." This is also alluded to in
the very interesting ' Life of John Eichardson.' He says : —
" I was concerned to tell Friends at Kilmouckin Scotland especially that
the Lord would take many of them away which in a short time came to pass,
for many died before that time twelvemonth, it being a time of scarcity of
corn ; and it was thought many died for want of bread the year ensuing my
being there."
In 1702 there is mention of
" the great Loss of divers of our friends at ffordingbridge in
Hantshire by fire Amounting in the whole to £939." (D. xi. 1702.)
and the collections toward this object in the Quarterly Meeting were
from

chap, x.] Liberality. 99

" Reigate Mon Meeting 07 . 17 . 06
Guildford 07 . 05 . 00
Wansworth 04 . 07 . 06
Kingston 06 . 12 . 06

In all 26 . 02 . 06 " (G. ii. 1703).
and at an earlier date there is a notice of a similar calamity at
Collumpton and Topsham.
Nor were the sympathies of Friends confined within the limits of
their own fraternity : there is frequent mention of " Briefs " according
to the custom of the times for collecting money at places of worship
on occasions of public calamity. It is said to have been at one time
the practice of Friends to leave their contributions on the forms, and
the money thus deposited would be gathered up after they had left the
house ; while other congregations probably adopted the plan of having
a plate or other receptacle for such donations. The Horsham Monthly
Meeting seems to have had a standing appointment of Friends who were
" Desired to CoUect moneys given on what Briefs are delivered
unto them in theire meetings according to a late Act of Parliament "
(H. v. 1707); and on the 12th of 11th month, 1708, "John Shaw
brought to this Meeting a breife for Edenbourrough and delivered it
to Abraham Jones," one of the Friends so appointed.
At Guildford a brief for a collection toward " the reliefe of Severall
Sufferours by a ffire at Lancaster the losses aboute £2120 " produced
£1 3s. 4£d. as the collection in that particular meeting.
In response to the following letter from the then newly-established
Meeting for Sufferings, collections were reported toward the object for
which it pleads, viz., the redeeming of Friends captive in Algiers : —
" from Guildford 2.8.0 Worplesdon 1 . 16 . 10
Sheire 1.3.0 Godalming 2 . 18 . 1
" From the Meeting for Sufferings in London " 24th of 6th mo. 1679
" To the Quarterly Meetings in Surrey
" Dear Friends and Brethren
" According to the consent and appointment of our last Yearly
Meeting we lay before you the consideration of the sad estate and

100 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. x.

sufferings of several of our Friends taken by the Turks, and now in
Algiers in captivity : since the said meeting we have seen several
letters from them and discoursed some of their relations ; and
weightily considering their estate and condition are stirred up in
our hearts to use means for their redemption, and accordingly have
some weekes past taken order for the redeeming two whose ransom
are set at £220, and some more are known of already that are there
who are not able to redeem themselves and we are also informed of
another ship lately taken coming from Virginia wherein are more
Friends and more we may expect to hear of. So that it may and
doth occasion bowels of compassion to arise for their relief and
deliverance from a sort of men more Inhuman cruel and brutish than
some beasts, especially if we make their case our own. Dear friends
as we live and abide in that brotherly love and kindness which at
first we were endued withal and very plenteously sprung up in our
hearts one towards another, we need not many words to stir up to so
good so christian and charitable a work as this is. Neither shall we
ever give cause of losing that ancient infallible mark of a true
Christian and disciple of Jesus by which we have been and are
known not only to one another but to others also even as we abide in
unfeigned love to one another, as Christ Jesus said, By this shall men
know that you are my disciples if ye love one another. Now this
love cannot be manifested to dwell in us if we have of this world's
goods and see our brother want in nakedness in hunger in bonds in
prison in captivity and do not minister unto him. But dear friends
as an infallible sign and testimony of the love of God doth dwell and
increase in our hearts we were at our Yearly Meeting tenderly inclined
and unanimously willing to assist each other as living members of
one body in this and all other services of the blessed Gospel of peace
and Truth in this and other nations Islands and countries not only
for the good of ourselves and friends but for others also even our
enemies. We intend a collection for this service in the six monthly
meetings in and about this City very suddenly, and have no doubt
but that you will be forward in the same work throughout all your
monthly meetings in the county ; and we desire that if any friends
belonging to any monthly meeting in the nation or well known to
friends be or shall be taken that they will signify their knowledge
satisfaction and minds concerning the same or him before we are
desired to agree for the payment of his ransom. Concerning the sum
that may be wanting upon the occasion we cannot certainly inform
you but will keep certain distinct account of the same ; and that our
adversaries may not take advantage by this our proposal or public

chap, x.] Liberality. 101

collection to inform thereof, thereby to advance the ransom of friends
for the future, we desire that this letter may be only read amongst
friends and your collection made with and amongst the same and not
the world's people and if more or less be collected than will answer
that service we shall give the next Yearly Meeting understanding
thereof. So with the dear salutation of our love in the Truth, which
is precious and makes us dear and near to each other, we remain
your Friends and Brethren." (Signed by nine Friends.) (G. x. 1679).
A communication from the Yearly Meeting held at Devonshire
House, in the 4th month, 1680, copied in the Guildford Minute-book,
gives some particulars connected with the fund referred to : —
"As for the collection* for the redemption of Captives the whole
amounts to eight hundred and odd pounds in which has been expended
towards tbe redemption of one Bartholomew Cole £40 and for the
redemption of one Lewin Bouftin one hundred pounds &c. That
there are eight more in agitation to be redeemed for which Friends
are engaged already to pay toward their redemption four hundred
thirty and five pounds ; viz* toward the redemption of Henry Tregenne
£70, Gerard Cirencer £60, Thos Tyleby £60, Daniel Baker and his
youngest son £150, ThoB Everdin's son £25, Jno Clegate £30, &
James Braines Junr £40. After which Sam1 Green read over the
present circumstances state and condition of each of them to the
tendering and satisfaction of the meeting, the moneys proportioned to
each being much short of what is usually the price of redemption of
any person, one common seaman's redemption generally amounting
to an hundred pounds and upwards before they come here. But as
the Captain himself is able, his Father, Mother, Relations capable
and willing, they are pressed to their ability upon consideration
whereof and that the war may probably continue, whereby many more
friends may be in likelihood in captivity, and objects of like charity
and compassion, it is agreed that as the meeting for sufferings shall
see or apprehend occasion of further additional and new collections
that the said meeting for sufferings write to the Quarterly Meetings
* Collections on behalf of the victims of these cruelties were probably by no means
confined to Friends. In an Order-book of the Corporation of Lyme Begis there is the
following entry under date 1690 : — " The Cobb [Harbour] being in a bad state the remainder
of a collection for redeeming captives from slavery at Algiers £51 . 19 . 2 to be applied to it ;
the captives being either dead or redeemed some other way." — Roberts's 'History and
Antiquities ofthe Borough of Lyme Regis.'

102 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. x.

to that end. * * * * and it is agreed and desired that due care be
taken as opportunity offers to caution such friends who usually
undertake Southerly voyages that without due and weighty consider
ation they proceed not on such voyages."
It may be remembered that George Fox found it his place to write
and warn the parties implicated in these cruel proceedings. He says,
in the ' Journal,' under date 1680 : —
" After I had spent about six weeks time in the service of Truth in and
about London, I was moved of the Lord to go & visit Friends in some parts
of Surrey and Sussex. I went down to Kingston by water and tarried there
certain days ; for while I was there the Lord laid it upon me to write to
both the Great Turk and the King of Algiers severally to warn them both
and the people under them to turn from their wickedness and fear the Lord
and do justly lest the judgments of God came upon them and destroyed them
without remedy. But to the Algerines I writ more particularly concerning
the cruelty they exercised towards Friends and others whom they held
captives in Algiers."
George Fox also addressed an epistle to "Friends that are captives
at Algiers," and " To the meeting of Friends in Truth among them."
See Tuke's ' Selection from George Fox's Epistles ' ; and for sad and
interesting particulars connected with this subject see an 'Account of
the Slavery of Friends in the Barbary States towards the close of the
17th Century,' published at 84, Houndsditch, in 1848, which gives the
names of many of the captives. Two of them were from Epsom, and
were convinced during their captivity at Mequinez.

chap, xi.] Marriage. 103

CHAPTEE XI.
MARRIAGE.

One particular in which the minutes of early times differ greatly
from those of our own is the frequency of presentations for marriage :
this is, of course, partly accounted for by the practice which was then
followed, of the parties attending on two occasions to declare their
intentions, before they were liberated to proceed, so that it is not
uncommon to find two (and there are cases of three) couples appearing
for that purpose at one meeting. On one occasion the Meeting
allowed a Friend to pass in order to marriage, " though not so
successful! as to obtain her father's consent." Due care had, however,
been exercised, but he " appear4 in A Sour Disposition turning him
from" the Friends who waited on him "in seeming Displeasure," but
" shewed no Just Cause for his Refusing to give her his Consent."
(H. x. 1779.)
The following singular circumstance is recorded, and was taken
under consideration as "an Act Justly Condemnable." Two persons
" late inhabitants of Crawley in the county of Sussex Did
appear on a First day in Time of Worship at our Meeting House at
Riegate Did then & there Contrary to our Rules of Discipline &
practice stand up and repeat the Usual form of Words used by us in
the Taking each other in Marriage." The Meeting " having Maturely
Considered the Case " was " of the Mind and Judgment " tbat
Friends did not " stand clear without publickly Testifying against
such proceedings." (D. v. 1742.)
It did not often happen that anything arose to hinder the parties
proceeding with their purpose of marriage ; but, in the following case,
the Meeting delayed clearing them for a month : —
" John Songhurst & Thomas Hen ton being apointed by the Last

104 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xi.

meeting to enquire into the buisines of John Baily & Susan Kemp-
shall reports yl Arthur Stanbridg y" younger doth apear Dissatisfied
with their proceeding in order to finish their intention of mariage but
the said Arthur not apeareing at this meeting which hee ought to have
Done if he had had anything to object Agst their proceedings that we
might have known whether he have any Intrest in her or any promise
of marriage from the said Susan KempshaU soe that wee might have
Determined the matter this meeting Yet inasmuch as y4 wee are
tender of him & his well being doe soe far Condescend as to grant him
till the next monthly meeting there to be present if he have anything
to present for to hinder their proceedings or els wee know no other
but that wee shall grant them a Certificate by the order of the
meetings to finish their purpose." (H. iv. 1677.)
" Whereas at the last meeting there was a paper Drawn & a copy
of it was sent & Delivered to Arthur Stanbridge ye younger by Tho8
Henton as he reports to us now concerning the busines relating to
the said Arthur Stanbridges laying claim to Susanah Kempsall as is
more largely exprest in the said paper and also Arthur Stanbridge ye
Elder doth relate to us now that he spake to his Son this day in the
morning that he would goe to the meeting and if he had anything to
offer it might be considered but he the said A S. the son doth not apear
to lay any Claim of any Promise that he ever had from the said Susana
Kempsall concerning mariage. Whereupon the meeting orders A
Certificate to be Drawn to finish their Proceedings according to the
order of truth & friends." (H. v. 1677.)
Some hindrance also befell Nathaniel Owen as to his proceedings
in relation to marriage, when the Meeting ordered
"that a perticular meeting be apoynted at ye house of Anthony
Shephard in Bygate parrish the 20th day of the 5th month being 5th
day next come two weeks about ye 10th hour of ye same day of wch
meeting wee doe desire the said John Dew & Jonathan Lambull to
give notice to all whom they Judge have anything to Object against
y° proceeding of y° above named Nathaniel Owen & Ann Green in
order to Marriage." (D. v. 1676.)
But those objecting "not producing any weighty Reason why Ann Green
might not proceed (as above) to marry whom shee pleased," and none
appearing at the next Monthly Meeting " to impeed the same," it was
their judgment they might proceed to " Marry in the Truths order."
Nathaniel Owen produced a certificate of clearness from " Seavenoake."

chap, xi.] Marriage. 105

The two following minutes relate to the question of good order on
the occasion of marriage : —
" Beneds Martin and John Batcheler gives ace' that they did attend
Thos Humphreys marriage and that in the Main things were indi-
ferant weU." (H. iii. 1728.)
" The ffriend opoynted to se the maredg accompleshed gives An
account that it was Sollamniesed but to much Liberty Giveen or took
by Som Tho not aUtogther by the Pursons immeaddeatlv Consamed."
(H. vii. 1731.)
The name of William Penn has already been before us as one of our
predecessors in membership in this Monthly Meeting, and it is
interesting to find the minutes relating to his marriage with Hannah
Callowhill— " This Meeting WiUiam Penn of worminghurst In Sussex Did tbe
first time Declare his Intentions of taking Hannah CallowhiU of the
City of Bristol to be his wife whereupon this Meeting Apoints
Thomas Wright, WUliam Garton, Samuel Telly, Tho Snashall,
Richard Gates and John Prier to enquire concerning his Clearness on
the Account of Marriage & bring their Report to the next Meeting."
(H. x. 1695.)
" To this Meeting Did our Deare friend WiUiam Penn send a few
hnes under his hand wherein he signified his Intention of taking
Hannah Callowhill to be his wife and the severaU friends Apoynted
to enquire concerning his clearness from aU others on the Account of
marriage Did signifie that they find nothing but that he is very cleare
in that matter soe this meeting hath ordred a Certificate to be sent to
the Friends of the City of Bristol to which the said Hannah
CallowhiU doth belong." (H. xi. 1695.)
Those meetings were both held at Horsham, as was also that at
which William Aubrey and Letitia Penn attended for the purpose
declared in the following minute : —
"Att this Meeting WiUiam Aubrey of White Lyon Courte in
CornhhT London Marchant & Leatitia Penn of Wormenghurst in
Sussex Did the first time Declare their Intentions of taking each
other to be husband and wife. The said WiUiam brought a Certificate
from his father's giveing his free Consent under his hand, and the said

106 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. XI.

Leatitia's father being present gave his free Consent. Also the said
WiUiam Aubry produced a Certificat from the Two weeks meeting in
London signifying his Clearnes from all others Relateing to marriage
allso Leatitia produced a Certificat from friends of Pensilvania
Signifying her Clearnes on that Accounte." (H. v. 1702.)

chap, xii.] WiUiam Penn. 107

CHAPTEE XII.
WILLIAM PENN.

Before passing from the mention of William Penn, it may be
interesting briefly to refer to the events connected with that portion
of his life which he spent within our limits. He removed in or about
the year 1677 from Riekmansworth, in Hertfordshire, to Worming
hurst, in Sussex. While here the concerns of his province of New
Jersey received much of his attention. Clarkson says that after the
Yearly Meeting in London in 1677 was over, George Fox and John
Burnyeat " returned with WiUiam Penn to Worminghurst, where they wrote their
great work caUed ' A New England Firebrand quenched,' in answer to
a publication which a person of the name of Williams, then a settler in
New England, had brought out against the Quakers. It is probable from
this circumstance that they were assisted in it by WiUiam Penn." — Clarkson's
' Life of WiUiam Penn.'
In 1706 William Penn was again present at the Monthly Meeting
at Horsham. It was customary at that time to record the names of
those attending, and his name occurs with twenty others then present.
And in 1680 George Fox and William Penn were both present at a
Monthly Meeting in that town.
It was in the year 1677 that William Perm set out on a religious
visit to Holland and Germany, accompanied by Eobert Barclay and
others, and by George Fox as far as Amsterdam, which occupied him
about three months, and in the course of whieh he travelled nearly
3000 miles. On his return, after staying a few days in London and
elsewhere to attend meetings, he went down to Worminghurst, and on
the afternoon of his arrival, says Clarkson,

108 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xii.
" assembled all bis family for worship, thus making the first fruits of
his domestic meeting an oblation to the Father of all mercies. This little
meeting is described by him to have been ' a sweet meeting in which the
Divine presence made them glad together,' and in which he was sensible
whatever sacrifices he bad made by his journey that ' they were blessed who
could cheerfully give up to serve the Lord.' "
During his residence at Worminghurst he became politically
identified with Guildford in his enthusiastic support of Algernon
Sidney in contesting the election for that borough in 1679.
In 1682 the death of his mother so affected him that he was ill
for some days, and toward the end of the summer of that year he
sailed for America in the ' Welcome.' Mary Penington, being at
Worminghurst on a visit to her daughter Gulielma Maria, wife of
William Penn, died there two weeks after her son-in-law had started
on this voyage. In this year he completed his celebrated treaty, and
returned to England in ' The Endeavour,' landing, as he says in a
letter to Margaret Fox, within seven miles of his own house. It was
then his desire and intention to return and make his home in America,
and he says in a letter to his agent there, " There is nothing my soul
breathes more for in this world, next to my dear family's life, than
that I may see poor Pennsylvania again, and my wife is given up to
go"; but the many difficulties that beset this period of his life, and
which it would be beyond the scope of this little work to enter upon
in detail, prevented the gratification of this desire, and he did not
revisit the Western World till the year 1699.
In 1689 his daughter Gulielma Maria died. On the 13th of 11th
month, 1690, he stood beside the death-bed of George Fox in London,
to whose widow he writes on that date, " Thy dear husband and my
beloved friend finished his glorious testimony this night. Oh ! he is
gone, and has left us with a storm over our heads ; surely in great
mercy to him, but an evidence to us of sorrows coming."
Three years later the greatest sorrow of all befell him in the
death of his wife Gulielma Maria, whom when about to leave for
America he addressed so beautifully : —

chap, xii.] William Penn. 109

" My dear wife ! remember thou wast the love of my youth and much
the joy of my life ; the most beloved, as well as most worthy of all my
earthly comforts : and the reason of that love was more thy inward than
thy outward excellencies, which yet were many. God knows, and thou
knowest it, I can say it was a match of Providence's making ; and God's
image in us both was the first thing, and the most amiable and engaging
ornament in our eyes."
She died at Hoddesdon on the 23rd of 12th month, 1693, in the
fiftieth year of her age, and was buried at Jordans. Her husband
wrote an account of her "blessed end," from which the following
passages are taken : —
"At one of the many meetings," says WiUiam Penn, "held in her
chamber we and our children and one of our servants being only present,
in a tendering and living power she broke out as she sat in her chair ' Let
us aU prepare, not knowing what hour or watch the Lord cometh. 0, I am
full of matter ! Shall we receive good and shaU we not receive evU things
at the hands of the Lord ? I have cast my care upon the Lord. He is the
physician of value. My expectation is whoUy from him. He can raise up,
and he can cast down ! '
"About three hours before her end, a relation taking leave of her she
said ' I have cast my care upon the Lord ; my dear love to all Friends ;
and, lifting up her dying hands and eyes, prayed the Lord to preserve and
bless them.'
" About an hour after, causing all to withdraw, we were half an hour
together, in which we took our last leave, saying aU that was fit upon that
solemn occasion. She continued sensible, and did eat something about an
hour before her departure, at which time our children and most of my
family were present. She quietly expired in my arms, her head upon my
bosom with a sensible and devout resignation of her soul to Almighty God.
I hope I may say she was a public as well as private loss ; for she was not
only an excellent wife and mother, but an entire and constant friend of a
more than common capacity, and greater modesty and humility ; yet most
equal and undaunted in danger ; religious as well as ingenuous without
affectation ; an easy mistress and good neighbour, especially to the poor ;
neither lavish nor penurious ; but an example of industry as well as of other
virtues ; therefore our great loss though her own eternal gain."
During 1693 William Penn wrote his ' Eeflections and Maxims,'
and in the following one his ' Account of the Eise and Progress of the

110 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xii.
Quakers,' and his ' Visitation to the Jews ' ; and about this time he
was restored to his Government by King William.
In 1696 took place his marriage with Hannah Callowhill (already
referred to, see p. 105), soon after which he had the trial of losing his
eldest son, Springett Penn, who died at Lewes on the 10th of 2nd
month, in that year, in the twenty-first year of his age.
" William Penn," says Clarkson, " was his nurse and comforter. He
received his head, when dying, in his own bosom, as he had done that of
his mother, and witnessed his departing breath. And as of her he gave a
memorial to the world, which embraced the interesting scenes of her last
moments ; so with the like hallowed view, he did the same with respect to
his son." The memorial by William Penn above referred to is as follows : —
" Soreow and Joy in the Loss and End of Spbingett Penn.
" My very dear child and eldest son, Springett Penn, did from his
childhood manifest a disposition to goodness, and gave me hope of a more
than ordinary capacity ; and time satisfied me in both respects. For,
besides a good share of learning and mathematical knowledge, he showed a
judgement in the use and application of it much above his years. He had
the seeds of many good qualities rising in him, that made him beloved and
consequently lamented ; but especially his humUity, plainness, and truth,
with a tenderness and softness of nature, which, if I may say it, were an
improvement upon his other good qualities. But though these were no
security against sickness and death, yet they went a good way to facUitate
a due preparation for them. And indeed the good ground that was in him
showed itself very plainly some time before his illness. For more than half
a year before it pleased the Lord to visit him with weakness, he grew more
retired, and much disengaged from youthful delights, showing a remarkable
tenderness in meetings, even when they were silent ; but when he saw
himself doubtful as to his recovery, he turned his mind and meditations
more apparently towards the Lord, secretly, as also when his attendants
were in the room, praying often with great fervency to him, and uttering
very many thankful expressions and praises to him, in a very deep and
sensible manner. One day he said to us, ' I am resigned to what God
pleaseth. He knows what is best. I would live, if it pleased him, that
I might serve him ; but, 0 Lord, not my will, but thine be done ! '
" A person speaking to him of the things of this world, and what might
please him when recovered, he answered, ' My eye looks another way, where

CHAP, xn." WilHam Penn. Ill

the truest pleasure is.' When he told me he had rested weU, and I said it
was a mercy to him, he quickly replied upon me with a serious yet sweet
look, ' AU is mercy, dear father ; every thing is mercy.' Another time when
I went to meeting, at parting he said, ' Remember me, my dear father, before
the Lord. Though I cannot go to meetings, yet I have many good meetings.
The Lord comes in upon my spirit. I have heavenly meetings with him by
myself.' ' ' Not many days before he died, the Lord appearing by his holy power
npon his spirit, when alone, at my return, asking him how he did, he told
me, ' 0, I have had a sweet time, a blessed time ! great enjoyments ! The
power of the Lord overcame my soul : a sweet time indeed ! '
"And telling him how some of the gentry, who had been to visit
him, were gone to their games and sports and pleasures, and how httle
consideration the children of men had of God and their latter end, and how
much happier he was in this weakness to have been otherwise educated and
preserved from these temptations to vanity, he answered, ' It is aU stuff, my
dear fether : it is sad stuff. 0 thar I might hve to teU them so ! '  ' WeU,
my dear chfld,' I rephed, ' let this be the time of thy entering into secret
covenant with God, that, if he raise thee, thou wUt dedicate thy youth,
strength, and life to him and his people and service.' He returned, ¦ Father,
that is not now to do, it is not now to do,' with great tenderness upon his
spirit. " Being ever almost near him, and doing any thing for him he wanted
or desired, he broke out with much sense and love, My dear father, if I hve,
I wUl make thee amends ; ' and speaking to him of divine enjoyments, that
the eye of man saw not, but the soul made ahve by the Spirit of Christ
plainly felt, he, in a lively remembrance, cried out, ' 0, I had a sweet time
yesterday by myself! The Lord hath preserved me to this day. Blessed
be his name ! My soul praises him for his mercy. 0 father, it is of the
goodness of the Lord that I am so weU as I am.' Fixing his eyes upon his
sister, he took her by the hand, saying, ' Poor Tishe. look to good things !
Poor child, there is no comfort without it ! One drop of the love of God is
worth more than aU the world. I know it. I have tasted it. I have felt
as much or more of the love of God in this weakness than in aU my life
before.' At another time as I stood by him he looked upon me, and said,
' Dear fether, sit by me ! I love thy company, and I know thou lovest mine ;
and if it be the Lord's wiU that we must part, be not troubled, for that wiU
trouble me.'
" Taking something one night in bed just before his going to rest, he sat
up and fervently prayed thus : • 0 Lord God ! Thou, whose Son said to his
disciples, Whatever ye ask in my name ye shaU receive, I pray thee in his
name bless thin to me this night, and give me rest, if it be thy blessed wiU ! '

112 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xii.

And accordingly he bad a very comfortable night, of which he took a thankful
notice before us next day.
" And when he at one time more than ordinarily expressed a desire to
live, and entreated me to pray for him, he added, ' And, dear father, if the
Lord should raise me, and enable me to serve him and his people, then
I might travel with thee sometimes, and we might ease one another,'
(meaning in the ministry). He spoke this with great modesty ; upon which
I said to him, ' My dear child, if it please the Lord to raise thee, I am
satisfied it will be so ; and if not, then, inasmuch as it is thy fervent desire
in the Lord, he will look upon thee just as if thou didst live to serve him,
and thy comfort will be the same. So either way it will be weU : for if thou
shouldst not live, I do verily believe thou wilt have the recompense of thy
good desires, without the temptations and troubles that would attend if long
life were granted to thee.'
" Saying one day thus, ' I am resolved I will have such a thing done,'
he immediately corrected himself, and fell into this reflection with much
contrition, ' Did I say, I will ? 0 Lord, forgive me that irreverent and
hasty expression ! I am a poor weak creature, and live by Thee, and
therefore I should have said, if it pleaseth Thee that I live, I intend to do
so. Lord, forgive my rash expression ! '
" Seeing my present wife ready to be helpful and to do any thing for
him, he turned to ber and said, ' Do not thou do so. Let them do it. Don't
trouble thyself so much for such a poor creature as I am.' And taking leave
of him a few nights before his end, he said to her, ' Pray for me, dear
mother ! Thou art good and innocent. It may be the Lord may hear thy
prayers for me ; for I desire my strength again, that I may live and employ
it more in his service.'
" Two or three days before his departure he called his brother to him,
and, looking awfuhy upon him, said, ' Be a good boy, and know that there
is a God, a great and mighty God, who is a rewarder of the righteous, and
so he is of the wicked, but their rewards are not the same. Have a care of
idle people and idle company, and love good company and good Friends,
and the Lord will bless thee. I have seen good things for thee since my
sickness, if thou dost but fear the Lord : and if I should not live (though
the Lord is all-sufficient), remember what I say to thee, when I am dead
and gone. Poor child, the Lord bless thee ! Come and kiss me ! ' which
melted us all into great tenderness, but his brother more particularly.
" Many good exhortations he gave to some of the servants and others
that came to see him, who were not of our communion, as well as to those
who were, which drew tears from their eyes.
" The day but one before he died he went to take the air in a coach, but
said at his return, ' Really, father, I am exceeding weak. Thou canst not

chap, xii.] William Penn. 113

think how weak I am.'  ' My dear child, ' thou art weak, but God is
strong, who is the strength of thy life.'  ' Aye, that is it,' said he, ' which
upholdeth me.' And tbe day before he departed, being alone with him, he
desired me to fasten the door, and, looking earnestly upon me, said, ' Dear
father ! thou art a dear father ; and I know thy Father. Come, let us two
have a little meeting, a private ejaculation together, now nobody else is
here. 0, my soul is sensible of the love of God ! ' And, indeed, a sweet
time we had. It was like to precious ointment for his burial.
" He desired, if he were not to live, that he might go home to die there,
and we made preparation for it, being twenty miles from my house ; and
so much stronger was his spirit than his body, that he spoke of going next
day, which was the morning he departed, and a symptom it was of his
greater journey to his longer home. The morning he left us, growing more
and more sensible of his extreme weakness, he asked me, as doubtful of
himself, ' How shall I go home ?' I told him, In a coach. He answered,
' I am best in a coach ; ' but observing his decay, I said, ' Why, chUd, thou
art at home every where.'  • Aye,' said he, ' so I am in the Lord.' I took
that opportunity to ask him, if I should remember his love to his friends at
Bristol and London. ' Yes, yes,' said he, ' my love in the Lord, my love to
aU friends in the Lord and relations too.' He said, ' Aye, to be sure.'
Being asked if he would have his ass's mUk or eat any thing, he answered,
' No more outward food, but heavenly food is provided for me.'
" His time drawing on apace, he said to me, ' My dear father kiss
me ! Thou art a dear father. I desire to prize it. How can I make thee
amends ? '
" He also called his sister, and said to her, ' Poor child, come and kiss
me ! ' between whom seemed a tender and long parting. I sent for his
brother, that he might kiss him too ; which he did. All were in tears about
him. Turning his head to me, he said softly, ' Dear father ! hast thou no
hope for me?' I answered, 'My dear child! I am afraid to hope, and
I dare not despair, but am and have been resigned, though one of the
hardest lessons I ever learned.' He paused awhile, and with a composed
frame of mind he said, ' Come life, come death, I am resigned. 0, the love
of God overcomes my soul ! ' Feeling himself decline apace, and seeing him
not able to bring up the matter that was in his throat, somebody fetched
the Doctor ; but as soon as he came in he said, ' Let my father speak to the
Doctor, and I'll go to sleep ; ' which he did, and waked no more ; breathing
his last on my breast the tenth day of the second month, between the hours
of nine and ten in the morning, 1696, in his one-and-twentieth year.
" So ended the life of my dear chUd and eldest son, mueh of my comfort
and hope, and one of the most tender and dutiful as well as ingenious and
virtuous youths I knew, if I may say so of my own dear child, in whom

114 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xn.

I lost all that any father could lose in a child, since he was capable of any
thing that became a sober young man, my friend and companion as well as
most affectionate and dutiful child.
" May this loss and end have its due weight and impression upon all his
dear relations and friends, and upon those to whose hands this account
may come, for their remembrance, and preparation for their great and last
change, and I have my end in making my dear child's thus far public.
— Clarkson' s ' Life of WiUiam Penn.' " William Penn."
The remains of Springett Penn were taken to Jordans, where, as
we learn from the Register of Burials, those of the following members
of the family rest : — MED.
Gulielma Maria . . 1 mo.' 17, 1672 Bickmansworth Daughter of Wm. & G. M. Penn.
William . . . . 3 mo. 15, 1674 ,, Son ,, „ ,,
Margaret . . . . 12 mo. 24, 1674 „ Daughter ,, ,, „
Gulielma Maria . . 9 mo. 20, 1689 Worminghurst
(died at Hammersmith) ,, ,, ,, ,,
Gulielma Maria . . 12 mo. 23, 1693 Worminghurst • Wife of William Penn.
Springett.. .. 2 mo. 10, 1696 ,, Son of Wm. & G. M. Penn.
(died at Lewes)
Hannah .. .. 11 mo. 24, 1708 died at Kensington Daughter of Wm.& Hannah Penn.
Middlesex
William Penn . . 5 mo. 3, 1718
Hannah . . . . 10 mo. 20, 1726 Wife of William Penn.
Soon after the death of his son Springett, William Penn was engaged
in the publication of his ' Primitive Christianity revived, in the Faith
and Practice of the People called Quakers.'
In the same year he visited the Czar of Muscovy, afterwards called
Peter the Great, who was then in England working as a common
shipwright at Deptford, in order to acquire a practical knowledge of
ship-building for a Eussian navy.
In the year 1697 William Penn removed to Bristol, his wife's
native place ; and as it was only our purpose, as before stated, to
notice that part of his career which was synchronous with his residence
within our borders, we here take leave of him, not without a feeling
of satisfaction in being able to claim so noble a man as a predecessor
within our limits,

CHAP. xii.. William Penn. 115

The destruction of the mansion at Worminghurst has perhaps
spared us a temptation to relic-worship, but the associations con
nected with the place are sufficiently interesting to repay the visitor
to Thakeham meeting-house for continuing his journey four miles to
the south, where, five miles and a half north-west of Steyning, he will
find the quiet retreat which this great and good man doubtless so
much enjoyed ; the site of the last house, probably identical with that
of the one in which William Penn lived, is easily distinguished, and
commands a delightful view of the South Downs.
Who can read the following directions, which he entitled " good
and wholesome orders for the well governing of my family in a right
Christian conversation," or his exceUent letter to his wife and children
on leaving them for America, without thinking of the powerful influence
for good which must have emanated from such a household '?
" It is my appointment in the heavenly authority as a Christian master
of my family that aU in it and of it who profess the Truth with me do meet
and assemble every morning with aU humility and godly fear to wait upon
the Almighty God or Creator and to receive and enjoy his hving mercies
and refreshing presence, that being sanctified by this we may haUow His
name and return the praise which is due to Him from men and angels.
That every day about the eleventh hour * * * * aU come together again
and every one in bis turn read either the Scriptures of Truth or some
martyrology. That the same practice be observed about the 6th hour in the
evening to the end we may be stirred up to abhor the actions of evil doers
and to embrace and foUow the example of patience, zeal, holiness and con
stancy in the righteous who only were and are of the flock and family
of God." The following particulars relating to the property may be of
interest : —
" Wm. Penn purchased the estate of Hy. Bigland, of Gray's Inn, in 1676.*
In 1702 WiUiam Penn sold the premises to J. Butler, in whose family they
continued tiU 1789. when they were aUotted to Ann Jemima i eldest daughter
* Another account states that it came to hi™ \rith his wife, and it is spoken of as the
Springett Estate. William Penn's house was rased to the ground, the purchaser being
said to hare expressed the determination not to leave a trace of the old Quaker.

116 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xii.

of J. B.), the wife of Roger Clough, by whom they were finally sold in 1805
to Charles, Duke of Norfolk."
" J. Butler built in the beginning of last century a large brick mansion,
and enclosed a considerable part of the parish in a deer park. The mansion
has since been pulled down, the lake dried up, the timber levelled, and the
park converted into a farm. A Spanish chestnut tree of great magnitude,
the last remains of the former grandeur of the place, was grubbed up in
the year 1825 ; it measured (six feet from the ground) 29 feet in circum
ference."

chap, xiii.] Recording and Liberation of Ministers. 117

CHAPTER XIII.
RECORDING AND LIBERATION OF MINISTERS.

The first instance of anything like "recording" a minister occurs
in 1749, and it is done in few words : —
" these are to Sertifie all home it may Consern that wee alow our
friend Rachell Penfold to bee a Minester of Christ ; and hose Life
and Conversation is a Greeable thereunto" (G. vh. 1749).
This at first sight looks something like a licence to preach. The word
" allow," in this connection, however, is doubtless not to be under
stood in the sense of permission, but (according to a provincialism
still much in use among the country people of Surrey) in that of
estimation or belief: they believed or "allowed" that she. was a
minister of Christ.
The practice of giving certificates to Friends travelling in the
Ministry originated at an earlier date. In 1693
" it was agreed upon that whereas Thomas Wright and Josiah
Garton doth sometimes travill from home on Truths account as
publick friends it is ordred that they shall have by the order and
consent of this meeting A certificat to cary with them wherein is
signified that friends are in unity with them as men whome the Lord
hath Raised up to beare a publick Testimony for his name and
Truth" (H. x. 1693).
The wording of this minute would give the impression that these
certificates were given to the Friends in permanence ; but, if that
was ever the case, it soon ceased to be so — for, six years later, the
meeting " unanimusly agreed * * * * that all friends that Travill haveing
a Publick Testimony and have certificates * * * * Doe bring in their
sd certificats when they are Returned to their Respective homes
againe * * * * until further occation may be for them " (H. i. 1699).

118 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xiii.
A similar conclusion is recorded the same year in the Dorking
Monthly Meeting. The granting of a certificate to William Penn is
thus minuted : —
" Whereas our Deare friend William Penn is Intended to pass
over into Ireland this Meeting Desires WiUiam Garton and Josiah
Garton to draw a Letter of Comunion and send it unto him before
his passage and to bring a Coppey of it to our next monthly
Meeting " (H. xi. 1697).
This visit was not accomplished until after he had left Worminghurst ;
and on his going to Pennsylvania the following minute occurs : —
" William Penn laid before this Meeting his goeing over the Seas
into his Province in America Desireing as is useuall of Love and
unity a Certificate or that the former upon his goeing into Ireland
may be Indorsed which is Left to the friends that shall be at the
next meeting at Worminghurst to do the same " (H. iii. 1699).
It was not the practice to copy these certificates in the minute-
books of the Monthly Meeting, but it was copied by Janney from the
records of Friends in Philadelphia, and is as follows : —
" From our Monthly Meeting held at Horsham, Old England,
14th vth Mo. 1699.
" To the churches of Christ in Pennsylvania and to aU the
faithful Friends and brethren unto whom this may come.
" In the covenant of life, and fellowship of the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and in the unity of the one eternal Spirit of our God,
we dearly salute you, most earnestly desiring your everlasting
prosperity in the blessed truth.
" Now, dear friends and brethren, whereas our worthy friend and
elder, William Penn, did acquaint our Monthly Men's Meeting with
his intended voyage into his province of Pennsylvania, and although
we are right sensible that he needeth no letter of recommendation
from us, yet at his request, and for the good order sake that God hath
established in His Church and among His people, and for the sincere
love we bear to our well-beloved friend, we could do no less than give
this small token of our unity and communion with him, as a testimony
for him and his service in the Church of Christ, wherein he hath been
a blessed instrument in the hand of the Lord, both in his ministry
and conversation, and hath always sought the prosperity of the
blessed truth, and of peace and concord in the Church. He hath

chap, xiii.] Recording and Liberation of Ministers. 119

walked among us in aU humility, godly sincerity, and true brotherly
love, to our great refreshment and comfort : and hath with much
labour and great travad on all occasions endeavoured the defence of
Truth against its opposers, and the preservation of true unity and good
order in the Church of Christ. So, in the unity of the one Eternal
Spirit, which is the bond of true peace, we take our leave of him, with
earnest breathings and supphcations to the great God whom the winds
and seas obey, that He would mercifully be pleased to go along with
him, and conduct him by the angel of His divine presence to his
desired port, and preserve him to the end of his days ; and, in the
end, that he may receive an immortal crown, and be bound up in the
bundle of life amongst them that have turned many to righteousness,
and shine as the sun in the firmament of God's eternal power, for
ever and ever. Amen."
In connection with the liberation of ministers for service away from
home, there is in the Guildford minute-book a memorandum that
" A paper was Read in this meeting Intitled a Case propounded to
G. W. [George Whitehead] which is desired may be entered in the
booke comprehended in two Questions and Answers.
" Ques 1st. Can any friend Justly or safely pretend a call from
God to travel abroad as a minister of Christ when at the same time
things are not clear at home on his part — debts being contracted, just
payment delayed, creditors offended, and complain of injury done
them, and both Truth and his poor farrhly suffer thereby ?
" Answer No I do not beheve that any friend under such
circumstances, difficulty or entanglements, in the world or under
such offence to his creditors hath any caU from God to travel abroad
as a minister at the same time wlhle things are not clear at home on
his part and his family by his absence from his caUing under
suffering and difficulty (it may be to subsist) and his creditors
complaining because of the non payment or too long delay of his
just debts, whereupon they be ready to conclude and say the man is
run away to avoid payment of his just debts to escape being arrested :
such occasions would tend to the dishonour of Truth and our holy
profession and the greater reproach if such a person fail or break in
others debts such practices may do more hurt and dishonour to
Truth than all then preaching can do good.
" Ques 2. Can it be a safe precedent or warrantable for any
meeting of Friends to aUow or approve of any friends travelling
abroad as a minister of Christ under such circumstances as before
mentioned ?

120 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xiii.
" Answer 2. No I think it's not warrantable, it cannot be a safe
precedent, for any meeting of friends to allow or approve of any
friend or friends to travel abroad as a minister of Christ when under
the circumstances difficulties and entanglements before mentioned
and things not clear at home ; for by such precedents such persons if
they may obtain a certificate or letters of recommendation under
pretence of a call from God may run away from their creditors to
escape payment of their just debts or being arrested. 3rd1? Let it be
well considered tbat he that provides not nor takes care of his own
and especially of his family and those of his own household hath
denied the faith and is worse than an infidel 1 Tim : 5-8 and that it is
the wicked that borrows and pays not again Ps 37 2 and that all
friends concerned ought to have a godly care to give no offence in
anything that the ministry be not blamed 2 Cor 6.-3 and owe no man
anything but to love one another.
" G. W. Lon. 18th of the 9th mo 1712." (G. x. 1714.)
One would have thought that the Friends might have arrived at
so obvious a conclusion without such an appeal for advice ; but, at
this distance of time, we cannot perhaps fully appreciate every
difficulty in which they found themselves.
There is a very curious record of a somewhat similar course of
interrogation in the " Church Book " of the Baptist Congregation, or
in the words of an old deed, " the assembly of Protestant dissenters
who scrupled the baptizing of infants," now preserved at Lyme Eegis,
commencing in 1653 ; the questions being proposed for the consideration
of the ministers who met in convocation at different towns in the West
of England. One subject to which attention was called was pride in
dress, and the use of " Points or ribbons and more laces than are
required on garments," and the question runs thus : — " That whereas
it hath been judged by the churches that the wearing of gold pearls
and costly array is contrary to the rule of the gospel and if brethren
and sisters refuse to reform herein what course may a church take in
this matter"? Answer: — "We judge that those who wilfully refuse
be dealt withall as transgressors of the law of Christ (2 Tim. ii. 19,
1 Pet. iii. 3-4) Yet we desire that persons in this case may be

chap. xiii. J Recording and Liberation of Ministers. Hi
proceeded against with all sweetnesse, and tendernesse, and long-
suffering, it being not so clearly and generally understood among
saints as other things that are more contrary to the light of nature."
Another question was — "Whether a man, in any case, in ruling over
his wife, may lawfully strike her ? Ans. Hee ought so to rule over
his wife in wisdom, as that the ordinances of God in point of rule
may be performed, if it may bee by any means without striking of her,
such proceedings being without any precept or precedent that wee
know of in the Holy Scripture." And another — " Whether a beleeven
man or woman, being head of a family in this day of the gospell, may
keep in his or her house an instrument or instruments of musicke,
playing on them or admitting others to play thereon ? Ans. We answer
it is the duty of saints to abstaine from all appearance of evill, and
not to make pensioners [provision] for the flesh to fulfill the lusts
thereof, to redeeme the tyme, and to do all they do to the glory of God ;
and though we cannot conclude the use of such instruments to be
unlawfull, yet we desire the saints to be very cautious lest they
transgresse the aforesaid rules in the use of it, and do that which may
not bee of good report, and so give offence to their tender brethren."
"Whether astrology in physike be lawful? Ans. We cannot at
present determine this question but desire to wayte upon, the Lord
for light in this matter : nevertheless, we desire brethren may be very
cautious how they meddle with the practice of it, because if prosecuted
to the utmost, it leads to an eare to that which is evill, and such evill
work as it is judged the scripture most eminently condemneth.
2nd. Because severall brethren have knowne and practised the same
formerly, have lefte the practice thereof, upon the account of evill work
they saw in the same. 3rd. Because it is very hard to practise any
part thereof, without bringing damage to the profession of the gospell
by an evill report."*
* Boberts' ' History and Antiquities of the Borough of Lyme Begis.'

122 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xiv.

CHAPTEE XIV.
MINISTERS: TESTIMONIES AND BIOGRAPHICAL
NOTICES.

Of testimonies concerning deceased ministers there are scarcely
any instances in the early records, although they may have been
issued without being copied in the minute books.
Jbttbroas Higg^.
In 1704 the Meeting thus records the death of Ambrose Eigge : —
" Be it Remembred y' on ye one & thurtieth of ye Eleventh Month
last past it pleased ye Lord to Remove out of this earthly Tabernacle
our Ajencent & Worthy ffriend & faithful Labourer in yu Gospell of
Peace Ambrose Rigge who was a Zealous man for God & his truth
Servisable to his Church & people Whose labour will be much wanted
amongst us." (D. vii. 1704.)
Militant (garton.
In 1701 the Friends of Horsham Monthly Meeting agreed to
acquaint the Quarterly Meeting with their " Desire concerning the
Prenting a Memoriall of William Garton of Ifield Deceased " (H. x.
1701). This Friend, who, it is believed, lived at " Bonwick's Place," Ifield,
had to undergo a full share of persecution in being several times
committed to prison, beside the spoiling of his goods. It does not
appear whether the memorial was ever published, but the following
account of him appears in the 3rd volume of ' The Friends' Library,'
Philadelphia, as well as in ' Piety Promoted ' : —
" Wiliam Garton, of Ifield, in Sussex, was an early fruit to God, a faithful
believer in his blessed Truth, and a servant of the Church of Christ —

chap, xiv.] Ministers: Testimonies and Biographical Notices. 123

zealous against all unrighteousness and for the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace among brethren. He was an elder indeed, watching for good
over the flock, a sympathiser with the afflicted and a mourner in the house
of mourning : a plain man, more in deed than in words, yet endowed with
a good understanding and sound judgment, which was proved in difficult
cases. In the time of suffering and persecution he was firm and constant
in spirit, preferring the service of Truth and the testimony of it, before all
worldly things. He was an example in the church and in his family, a
tender parent and had a just care that his children might be trained up in
the fear of the Lord and in the knowledge of his blessed Truth ; which
labour the Lord was pleased to answer to his satisfaction. He often said
the greatest portion he desired of the Lord for his chUdren was that they
might love, fear and serve the Lord, and then he did not fear that they
would want any good thing.
" Two days before his death, being visited by a Friend, he said he had
always endeavoured for the prosperity of the Truth to the best of his
understanding, and that he had nothing of trouble upon him, but blessed
God that he had an opportunity to give this testimony to those present —
exhorting an ancient Friend to keep low in God's fear, and make strait
steps, that he might lay down his grey hairs in peace. He also said he felt
the Lord to come in upon his spirit, and after praying for his wife and
chUdren, he said ' 0 Lord ! I pray thee remember the ancients, that they
may stiU hold on their way ; and oh my God, if it stand with thy wiU, visit
more and more those who are not of thy fold and bring them in by thine
arm, that they may come to know rest for their souls ; and that at the last
we may be bound up together in the bundle of life.
" To his daughter he said, ' dear elhld, I have known much of the
goodness of the Lord, but not in such a large manner before as now — the
very fountain is open, and the love of God is over aU ; praises, praises to
the Lord.' He departed the 8th of the seventh month, 1701, in the sixty-
sixth year of his age."
There is also, in ' Piety Promoted,' an account of his widow
Susanna Garton, which says that she was —
" one that in her young years received the blessed truth in the love of it,
and walked faithfully therein to the end of her days. It may be truly said
' She was a mother in God's Israel ; a preacher of righteousness in her day,
not so much in words as in life and conversation ; though it pleased the
Lord, towards her latter days, to bestow on her a gift of the ministry, which
though small was very sound and acceptable. * * * * She was also a
cheerful sufferer with her dear husband for the testimony of truth, being
often left to manage his affairs in the world, while he lay in prison for his

124 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xrv.

testimony against tithes, and sometimes for meeting to worship the Lord ;
all which she bore and went through with great cheerfulness and zeal for
the Lord, rather counting it all joy or rejoicing, that they were counted
worthy, not only to believe, but also to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ's
sake, whose love and favour was more to them than all the world or the
enjoyments that were therein : and therefore they did not reason with flesh
and blood, but were faithfully given up to serve the Lord with all that he
had blessed them with, believing the righteous should never be forsaken, nor
their seed be found begging their bread, if they likewise followed their steps.
Words are indeed too short to set forth the worth and value of such elders,
who through faith and patient suffering have obtained a good report, and left
a sweet savour behind them ; of whom it may be said, though their bodies
be dead, their spirits live, and their memorial is sweet to the living and
sincere in heart, who had acquaintance with them, who will in their hearts
set their seals to this testimony. * * * * Although she was one of few
words in her health, yet in her illness she wanted not for a word of advice
to those who came to visit her. She was much concerned for her grand
children, and when any of them came to see her she advised them to prize
their precious time, saying, 'I was once young as well as you, or others, and
delighted in the pleasures and vanities of this world ; but tbe Lord in his
love and mercy met with me, yea He laid the axe to the very root of the
tree, and made me willing to part with all my lovers, my pride and vanities,
and become a fool and a gazingstock to the world ; but all was as nothing to
me in that day, in comparison to the love and favour of God to my poor
soul that had long wanted peace with the Lord.' * * * * Then in much
thankfulness she said, ' Oh ! it was a good day, a blessed day, a day never to
be forgotten, my soul hath it in grateful remembrance before the Lord,
praised be His holy name for his goodness ! ' And with tears of joy she
exhorted all ' to be faithful unto death that they might obtain a crown of
life ! ' * * * * She often expressed her great thankfulness that the Lord
should open the hearts of many to visit her in her weakness ; and acknow
ledged the goodness and mercy of the Lord, saying, ' How wonderfully good
is the Lord to me, a poor creature ! What a gentle hand doth He lay upon
me ! How comfortably have I rested this night ! What a mercy do I
receive at the Lord's hand, in this my weak condition, that I can sleep so
sweetly ! ' And with tears of joy she gave thanks to God for His great
favour and goodness to her, saying, ' I spend many hours thinking upon the
Lord and His goodness. I admire how people can lay them down and fall
asleep, and not think upon the Lord, and see or consider how things are
with them ! ' Sometimes she would express her desire to be dissolved and
go to the Lord ; but it was in a resigned frame of spirit, saying, ' 0 Lord,
grant that I may patiently wait thy appointed time, knowing thy time is the

chap, xiv.] Ministers : Testimonies and Biographical Notices. 125

best time ! ' And afterwards said, ' I must go to my God ! ' She lifted up
her eyes, folded her hands, and gave up her soul in sweetness to the Lord,
without either sigh or groan, the 10th of the 1st mo., 1714 and was buried
at Charlwood in Surrey, her corpse being accompanied by many friends,
neighbours and relations ; aged 79 years.'
Susanna Jltarlih.
In a printed collection of "Testimonies concerning Publick Friends
deceased," there is one " from the Quarterly Meeting of Sussex con
cerning Susanna Martin, Wife of Benedict Martin of Hunt's Green."
It says : —
"We have this to say concerning her: she was born in our County,
descended of honest religious Parents, who strictly educated her in the
Profession of Truth, and their Care of her was crowned with Success, for
she was rehgiously inclined from her Youth ; and it pleased the Lord to
commit to her trust a Gift of the Ministry, about the Twenty-third year of
her Age.
" She was a faithful Labourer, being a serious, weighty, concerned
Woman in her Spirit, and underwent deep Exercises. . A true Mourner in
Sion ; had the Gift of Discerning ; so that she often spoke suitable to the
States of those to whom she ministered. She travelled to visit Friends
through the greatest part of this Nation and North Britain divers times, to
the Edification of the Churches, being well received by Friends in general.
" She was zealously concerned that the Discipline of the Church might
be maintained, in its several branches ; often, in the Spirit of Love and
Tenderness, admonished and reproved the Unfaithful ; desirous that the
Poor might be relieved according to their Necessities, especially such as were
worthy ; and generally kind and assisting out of her own Bounty to the
Poor of all sorts. She was much concerned for the Unity of the Church,
that her members might be preserved in the Bond of Peace, and also for the
spreading of the Gospel of Peace. She had a solid savoury Testimony for
the Truth, and was faithful and diligent in it ; yet not forward in ministering,
but waited upon the Lord until she did believe a Necessity was upon her.
* * * * She was ' suddenly surprised with Death ' * * * * and laid
down her Head in Peace, the 29th day of the Twelfth Month, 1735. Aged
Sixty-three." It is added, " The following Account, wrote by Susanna Martin, after her
last journey on a visit to Friends, is thought proper to be subjoined in the
foregoing Testimony, viz. : —
" ' — From Windsor I came to Stains, Samuel Hopwood being there. We

126 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xiv.

had a Meeting which was the last I had before I came home, and a very
good time we had. The seasoning Word of Life was witnessed, and the
hearts of many were melted before the Lord ; and that Peace, which passeth
the Understanding of the natural Man, was known as a sweet Return into
my own Bosom, for ever magnified be the Name of the Most High !
" ' Thence I came to Rygate, lodged at Brother Thompson's; and thence
home in great Peace. Oh ! the matchless Love of our God ! who can
declare it ? He did not only draw me by the Cords of his Love to visit his
Seed in the Hearts of the Children of Men, but he was also Mouth and
Wisdom, as well as Riches in Poverty, Strength in the greatest Weakness,
and a Brook by the Way, of which my weary Soul often partook ; and I
praise his most worthy Name, in that he counted me worthy to be separated
from what was near and dear to me, for the Gospel sake, and to serve, follow
and obey him in his Requirings.
" ' And though he led me sometimes through many Tribulations, and my
Soul down into the Deeps ; yet he did not leave me there, but his own Arm
wrought Salvation and Deliverance to me ; so that I was still encouraged to
follow him who is the Captain of our Salvation, who puts forth his Sheep, goes
before them, and they hear his Voice and follow him. May his Love
encourage many Thousands more to follow him faithfully, that they may
come to know him, who is the Lord of Life and Glory, to be their Shepherd
and the Bishop of their Souls, is my hearty Desire and Prayer to God for
them ; that in Blessing he might bless them, and in Multiplying he might
multiply his Mercies upon them. For I can say it is good to serve the Lord,
and to give up the Strength of our Days to honour him with it, who hath
given it unto us. And, having tasted and felt how good the Lord is to them
who are given up to follow him, I have wrote these few Lines for the
Encouragement of those whom I may leave behind, when I may be in the
silent Grave, that they may be given up to serve the Lord in their day, and
may be willing to go through Tribulations for the Gospel sake ; knowing
this, That great will be their Reward in Heaven, if faithful to the End ; for
it is the Willing and Obedient who eat the Good of the Land that flows
with Wine, Milk and Honey ; the Sweetness of which my Soul hath been a
living Partaker of since my Return. Magnified be the right Arm of his
Power, by which he hath upheld my Spirit to this Day, and hath been as a
strong Tower, in which there has been Safety, for all the tribulated
Followers of him. Thanksgiving and Glory shall be ascribed unto him for
ever,' "

chap, xiv.] Ministers : Testimonies and Biographical Notices. 127

foljn ^nasIjalL
In the same coUection is a Testimony concerning John SnashaU,
at whose house the Thakeham Meeting was held, before the meeting
house there was acquired isee p. 47). John SnashaU and the Friend
(Thomas Turner), under whose ministry he was convinced, were both
practitioners in surgery. The Testimony states that
" He was bom at Eeymer. near Hurstpierpoint. the 9th day of the Second
Month, 1656. Hi a father was of the national Church, his mother a
Baptist. Being but a child when his father died, he feU chiefly under the
care of his elder brother, a Presbyterian. When he grew up to years of
understanding he sought after Religion, and inclined to go with his mother
among the Baptists, tiU, having notice of a meeting of Friends at
Blatchington, near Brighthelmstone. he went and he heard the Truth so
powerfully preached there, by Thomas Turner, that he most readUy received
the word and kept it ; and his heart being prepared as the good ground, the
heavenly seed increased, and brought forth in time the Fruits of the Spirit.
About the year 1700 it pleased the Lord to favour him with a Gift of the
Ministry, in which he experienced improvement. He was sound in Word
and Doctrine, and oftentimes consolating to the Churches of Christ, so that
we have good reason to believe he was instrumental in convincing some who
continued faithful. * * * * He died in 1732, in his 76th year."
fLhamas Bann.
In 1764 a Testimony (not copied in the minute book) was issued
concerning Thomas Martin, of Charlwood (H. iii. 1764) ; and in 1769
the foUowing one, by the Monthly Meeting of Dorking, concerning
Thomas Dann* : —
" He was born at Nutfield, in this county, of honest and religious
parents ; but his father dying when he was very young deprived him
of the advantages he might otherways have received from so religious
a parent ; and, notwithstanding the care of his pious mother, he was
much addicted to vanity ; yet by the tender visitation of kind
Providence to Lim in his youth he was preserved from gross evils,
* Great GracdiaLher to oui late friend. Thomas Tuilv Dann.

128 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xiv.
and as he grew to man's estate the Lord was pleased to visit him in
a closer manner, and showed him the emptiness of those things in
which he so much delighted, and likewise stained the beauty and
comeliness of this world in his view ; and after having fitted and
prepared him for his service He was pleased to bestow on him a gift
of the ministry, about the 30th year of his age ; and he, having
received one talent, and faithfully occupying therewith, the Lord was
pleased to entrust him with more. He was indeed a preacher of
righteousness, not only in word and doctrine, but also in Life and
conversation. In the exercise of his ministry he was often enabled to
speak to the conditions and states of the people. He was much grieved
to see the undue liberties of some professing the truth, and greatly
lamented the declining state of the Church ; a diligent attender of
Meetings for Worship and Discipline, earnestly recommending
Friends to an humble waiting on the Lord for counsel and direction
in the management of the affairs of the Church ; and though it was
not his lot to travel much abroad in the work of the ministry, yet he
zealously laboured in his own and some adjacent counties, particularly
Sussex, in which he had good service on many public occasions
* * * * careful in his visits not to burden his Friends in making
unnecessary trouble, but was content with such things as were set
before him, and diligent in returning home when his service was
over. He was a severe reprover of the Libertine, yet very tender to
the sincere hearted ; ready to give advice and counsel to those who
stood in need ; much concerned for peace, and often instrumental in
composing differences amongst his friends and neighbours. He was
a nursing father to the babes in Christ, a comforter to the mourners
in Zion, a sympathiser with the afflicted, liberal and compassionate
to the poor without distinction, a loving husband, a tender father,
yet not indulging his children in anything he believed was inconsistent
with the Truth ; a good master, and a sincere friend.
" It pleased the Lord, some time before his departure, to give him
a sense that his day was near at an end, his work almost done, and
that all was well with him ; and he often expressed in his illness he
found nothing stand in his way, in the fore part of which his pain
was very great, but he was fervently engaged to beseech the Lord to
grant him patience that he might endure it with becoming resignation,
which was mercifully afforded him ; for which, and the many repeated
favours received, he had to praise and magnify God's holy name, and
to declare, with Jacob of old, that the Lord had been with him all his
life long, in which comfortable assurance he quietly departed this life
the 23rd of the Second Month ; and his corpse, accompanied by many

chap, xiv.] Ministers : Testimonies and Biographical Notices. 129
Friends and neighbours, was decently interred the 1st of the Third
Month, 1769, in Friends' Burial-ground, Reigate ; aged 65 ; a minister
about 35 years." (D. iv. 1769.)
The Friend whose character and course are thus so interestingly
delineated, in his diligence in doing what his hand found to do,
appears, when present on one occasion at Horsham Monthly Meeting,
to have laid before his friends there " a concern to communicate some
advise and caution to the Elders " of that Meeting ; an opportunity was
given for it at " a select meeting of ministers and elders " of that Meeting,
held at Ifield, and it was done to good satisfaction (H. vi. & vii. 1766).
And only about two months before his decease, he informed his own
Monthly Meeting " that a weighty concern lay on his mind to
communicate some advice by writing to the Friends of Nuffield," and
requested advice whether it should only be read to them, or copies of
it given to those for whom it was intended, when the Meeting
encouraged him to pursue the latter course (D. i. 1769). He also about
this time addressed the following letter to the Monthly Meeting : —
" Dear Friends
" Being disappointed by bodily infirmity and weakness of keeping
you company at the meeting tomorrow do hereby present my love
and affection unto you that may attend the meeting sincerely desiring
that you may be favoured with a sense of Divine love to cover the
meeting and that you that have the management thereof may care
fully look to the gift of the Lord within you with a single eye that so
by the help and guidance thereof you may be helped and enabled to
settle the affairs and business of the meeting that may come before
you to your own Friends satisfaction and consistent with the mind
of Truth " From your loving Friend
" Tho3 Dann the elder
" Nutfield the 6th day
of the 12th mo. 1768 " (D. i. 1769.)
The first Testimony ever recorded, as issued from Guildford
Monthly Meeting, was for Benjamin Kidd, of Godalming.

130 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xiv.

Itailjanid (Binm.
Nathaniel Owen, beside being a minister, evidently filled a very
useful position in the Society. We do not, however, find any
" Testimony " concerning him, and it is to be regretted that the
materials for any sketch of his life are so scanty. He appears
(perhaps not very conclusively) to have been a London merchant ;
but, if so, though there were no trains to take him up to his business
in less than an hour, the then more tedious journey did not deter him
from seeking the congenial quiet of the Kent and Surrey hills. He
lived at one time at Sevenoaks. In 1698 he is described as " late of
Coulsden now of Eeigate " ; and it has been thought that while at the
latter place he occupied the property now known as " The Eetreat."
At an earlier date his name appears in connection with the trouble
which Friends experienced from the unjust application to them of
" the laws of Queen Elizabeth against Popish Eecusants." A minute
of the Yearly Meeting, which is copied into the Guildford Minute
Book, says : —
" Nathaniel Owen being here present acquainted the meeting
that his wife late Ann Green in Surrey was presented upon the
statute for £20 per mensem and in her life time had two thirds of her
estate valued at £30 per annum and seized into the Kings hands and
nine months after the seizure departed this life leaving one Child
living by the sa Nathaniel after whose decease there was an affidavit
made before a Baron of the Exchequer, that his said wife was
educated in the protestant religion, generally known and reputed a
protestant, was married to him the said Nathaniel, had one child now
living : upon pleading the child's right being an infant under age
before the Barons of the Exchequer a quietus was granted and the
Land discharged from the seizure and sequestration except only for
the nine months the said Ann was being after the seizure."*
(G. vi. 1680.)
* The Horsham Monthly Meeting of 9th mo., 1681, has a minute advising Friends how
to act in these difficulties.

chap. xrv. Ministers: Testimonies and Biographical A 'oti,, ¦-.?. 131

When living at Eeigate, Nathaniel Owen (with his wife Frances
Owen) was a frequent visitor to the neighbouring meeting of Dorking,
and thither they often accompanied ministers from more distant
parts. Nathaniel Owen's decease took place in 1724, just toward the close
of the ten years during which the Monthly Meeting of Eeigate
existed separately. In its reduced state his loss must have been
keenly felt, and it no doubt had a great influence in inducing the step,
taken in the foUowing year, of re-uniting the Meeting with that of
Dorking and Capel, as referred to at page 43. The following minute
of the Eeigate Monthly Meeting was made shortly after his decease : —
" Although thear hath been no bisnes requiering A monthly
Meeting since y6 6th 11th mo Last past yet uppone the decease of
our weU beeLoved friend natiianiel < 'wen who departed this life the
7th of this Instant In great pease A resignaishon of minde and was
buried In friends Burying ground at Rigeat the next fust day
folowins beeing the 11th of this Instant. Maney friends from Divers
parts Surey Kent A" Susickes as Also from Lundun with Maney other
peopel of note of y6 town of Rigeat i pleases Adiacent Atending the
BuriaU at which was had A good Large meeting Lord bee praised for
it, since whieh our friend WUam Wragg his brother-in-law was with
him during Illness and have remained hear since to Asist his
ChUdren In Looking over and Aiusting his outward Affears &
consarns haveing Acquainted us thear are several printed bookes
beelonging to y* meeting come to his hands together with the Records
of friends Marigeses birihes s: burials and y* minet Boock of our
monthly Meeting releating y6 bisnes and eonsarnes of friends for
Maney years past and All so sundrey deeds & writings Releating to
y* buring ground on part of which the meeting hous was biUt &
how friends weare rarst Intitled thear untoo £ upon what terms &
Condishons thay hold ye seame whearupon wee thout it Absolutly
nessesary to Coll A meeting and to desier AU our friends both men &
women who beeing but few in number & none of us beeing throoly
Aquainted with ye beefore menchened matters have desird our friend
WUlam Wragg to Asist us who having Yeiwed A: considered the said
deeds & writings hath at our Request Consented to write for us this
presant meeting and resite ve seame for om- information" * * * =

132 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xiv.
The minute goes on to desire certain Friends, or any two of them,
to receive from the executors the various books which were to be
locked up in the chest at the meeting-house —
" and Robert Street to keep the Key for friends yeuse & that hee
Lend none of friends boockes to Aney person whotsoever without a
not of thear hand promesing to deliver the seame." (R. viii. 1724.)
During the alterations at the time of building the new meeting
house at Eeigate, a leaden coffin was found, containing the remains
of Nathaniel Owen. On opening it the features were not recognizable,
as was the case with those of George Fox, when his coffin was opened
about sixty-eight years after burial.
Joljn Croker.
A Memoir of John Croker, a Friend, who spent the later years of
his life at Horsham, appears in Barclay's ' Select Series,' of which the
following is an abridgment : —
He was born at Plymouth in 1673, of parents who "were both early
convinced of the blessed Truth, and stood boldly for it in the time of
persecution " ; his father being a prisoner at Exeter, and his mother at the
same time imprisoned in the Bridewell at Plymouth.
In 1686 he accompanied some Friends of that town who were removing
to Pennsylvania, and was apprenticed to a Friend who was a serge maker,
but who also professed surgery, to be instructed in the latter. His master,
however, sent him into the woods to clear land for a plantation, where he
was made to work hard for about a year.
During this time he says, — " I often thought of my parents, and of their
former care and advices, and of my stubborn, rebellious behaviour towards
them, which made me often say, ' Lord forgive me and look down in mercy
upon me.' Thus I mourned many times; yet I soon got over it, and at
times grew wanton and foolish with the rest of my fellows, and got over the
reproofs of instruction that were at work in my heart, which reproofs and
chastisement I was not willing to bear ; but the Lord intended good to me,
and did not leave striving at times in my soul ; and troubles outwardly
followed one another as the Lord saw good, for ends best known to himself.
He soon took my master and mistress, their daughter, and maid-servant out
of the world by the distemper of the country, which was then prevalent :

chap, xiv.] Ministers : Testimonies and Biographical Notices. 133

then all our affairs in the country were shut up, and I was destitute, as weU
as others of the servants, some of whom soon went off."
He stiU remained in the country with one young man. They wandered
about together "like two pUgrims " in the woods, in the solitude of which
he says various considerations came before his mind concerning time and
things past and present, how the Lord had preserved him by sea and land,
that he was not swaUowed up by the one nor taken away by the distemper
that reigned on the other ; * * * * with some such breathings as honest
Jacob bad when he said to this effect, " If God wiU be with me in the way
that I go, so that I come again to my father's house, then shall the Lord
be my God, and I will serve Him."
Having removed into PhUadelphia he was put to school with George
Keith, who was then in esteem among Friends. After having spent four
years in Pennsylvania he returned to England, meeting with extraordinary
adventures and hardships before reaching his native shores. When within
about a hundred leagues of England they fell in with three ships, with which
the master of the vessel, who was a Friend, was wiUing to speak, though
advised to the contrary by his mate. They proved to be French privateers,
and their occupants captured John Croker and his companions, depriving
them of most of their clothing, and taking some on board one vessel and
some on another. The ships were separated ; and the one on which John
Croker was placed sailed far northward, until they "fell in amongst islands
of ice." They were afterwards put ashore on a small island or rock, where
they made a tent out of a sail and some oars and poles, and had straw to lie
on and stones for their piUows. Their capturers supplied them with bread
and other necessaries, and they caught and boiled the lobsters, which were
plentiful about their httle island. After a stay of about six weeks they
effected their escape. Making a raft, on which they reached a boat they had
observed, — and which they unexpectedly found to contain many useful
things, including a compass, a tinder-box and candle, fishing-lines, and some
provision, and having also about 2 cwt. of bread which they had laid up
in some of the hoUow rocks, — twenty-five of them got into the boat (leaving
seven, who were of fearful hearts, behind), and, trusting themselves " to
Divine Providence," put off for the main ocean.
After being three days and two nights in this open boat, " we arrived,"
says John Croker, " at the wilderness part of Newfoundland (where were no
inhabitants), being almost wearied out ; but before we went on shore we cast
our hook and hne, and it proved to be on the right side of our boat, for we
soon caught some famous cod-fish, which we carried ashore, and, making a
fire, dressed them ; and there we satisfied om hunger. We then made
a great fire on the beach, and laid ourselves down to rest ; and, for my part,
I think I may say I never slept more sweetly in a bed than I did on these

134 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xiv.

stones, notwithstanding the impression of them remained in my sides for
some time afterwards. I cannot forget to bless God for this deliverance, and
to admire his wonderful providence who had preserved us, and given me
strength and health to undergo such hardships ; who, when with my parents,
had been brought up in the full plenty of all things needful. ' 0, Lord, keep
me in the remembrance of these things, that I may ever trust in Thee.'
This, I believe, was a day of tender love to my soul, whereby I was to be
humbled, and brought to a sense of my former mis-spent time ; that I might
no more seek my own ways, but give up in obedience to the leadings of God's
Holy Spirit, which leads out of the broad way into the narrow way of life
and peace ; ancl this sweetens all afflictions, ancl leads to glorify the name of
the Lord, who is worthy for ever."
After going to several of the fishing-places in Newfoundland and
encountering fresh trials, and being destitute of friends, relations,
acquaintances, and money, "in a strange country"; lodging in an open
boat or a hay-loft, and being but very thinly clothed, he found the cold
winter coming on, "which is grievously hard in these countries": — "All
these circumstances," he says, "increased my sorrow, and my near approaches
to God in these great straits, — that he would be pleased to spare me, and
work a way for my deliverance out of that country ; and I would serve him
according to the abilities of strength and wisdom, which he might in his
love be pleased to bestow on me. At which times I brought myself under
promises, — which I desire, at the writing of this, the Lord would please to
bring to my remembrance, — that if I have not performed them I may strive
with all diligence to the performance of them, for he is good, and worthy to
be served by all who have received the least of his mercies and favours.
Lord, humble the hearts of this people ; bring them to see their own out
goings, and what any of us are without thee, who art the alone help of thy
people; when aU men forsake them, thou hast worked a way unthought of,
as thou didst for the least of many thousands."
A way soon opened in an unexpected manner for his proceeding to
England ; he heard of a vessel bound for Bristol with train-oil and fish, and
made application for a passage, but the owner or master would not grant it
without a payment in advance of three pounds ; not having three farthings
he turned away, and with a heavy heart went on shore : a second entreaty
was equally vain, but a merchant on board the vessel, observing John
Croker's distress, entered into conversation with him, and finding that he
knew his father, offered to pay the passage, and said that his wife, who was
going in the vessel, should assist him with anything he might want. But
he " had another sharp season to pass through " before setting foot in his
native land, for " the master being a wicked, base fellow," after they were
out at sea would not let him have a cabin, but forced him to lie between two

chap, xrv.j Ministers: Testimonies and Biographical Notices. 135

hogsheads of train-oil. "This," says John Croker, "was hard lodging, —
yet necessity obliged me to be as contented as I could ; and I can truly say
my lot was often made sweet to me ; for the thoughts and meditations of my
heart were very often upon the law of my God. and I had comfort and
delighted myself therein. Yet having nothing but my wearing clothes day
or night to keep me warm, which had not been washed or changed for two
months, I need not relate how it was with me. Bat not to leave the reader
without some charity toward the master, I may let him know that he
afterwards dealt with me somewhat more favorably : for, having lodged some
nights in this condition, he gave me an old sail to lay under me, or partly
over me, as I pleased ; for which I was thankful to God, being a favor I
wanted, and also thankful to the master for showing some good nature.
" The sense of what I had met with and the goodness of God which I
had experienced in it, with the consideration of my former transgressions,
. drew me into tenderness of heart and brakenness of spirit, so that my very
head and hair would be wet with tears ; and the Lord was often near unto
me in his goodness. Oh ! that I may never forget that day ! but that it may
be imprinted upon my mind, and engraven on my heart, as with a point of a
diamond, that I may always have it in my view ; that when I may meet
with afflictions in my older years, I may look back to the days of my youth,
like Job, — who desired it might be with him as in the days of his youth,
when the secret of God was upon his tabernacle, and in whose light he
walked through darkness ; whieh dark ways the Lord hath in some measure
now given me to see, by the lifting up the light of his countenance upon me.
For I am not able to express the seasons that I had upon the mighty waters
during that great affliction, — which makes me say, it was good for me that I
was afflicted, or else I had pone astray ; for now I know of thy judgment, 0
Lord, — and I can praise thee for thy manifold mercies, which are lengthened
out beyond my desert ; and what shall I render to thee, 0 Lord, for them
all, but holy praises and high renown for ever ! "
After about ten or twelve days' sad, they " unexpectedly in the night fell
in with the Land's End of ComwaU," and the wind increasing they were
driven so near the shore as to be in danger of shipwreck, the master being
heard to say there was not a soul likely to be saved, and that he and
another woidd get into the long boat and the rest should shift for themselves.
When the wind changed, the narrator proceeds, " with some nicety as well
as Providence (day coming on) we weathered the Land's End. Now there
being some hopes, I was willing to see what danger we had been in, there
fore I got upon the deck, and I think, had I thrown a stone, I might
have stmck the rock ; this I accounted a great deliverance." With further
difficulty they reached Dartmouth; but a fresh danger awaited them on
landing, — most of the men being " imprest into the King's service to help to

136 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xiv.

man out the fleet which lay then at Plymouth." Croker, however, escaped
on account of his youth, and made his way to the house of his father, who
having heard nothing of him for so long a time had concluded he was not
in the land of the living. Meeting first with his mother, after some
discourse he made himself known to her and was received with open arms,
" as one that had been dead and was now alive again."
After spending some time at home he began to think of a trade, and
chose that of a "fuller or tucker," and was apprenticed to one whose evil
course of life was a fresh source of trouble and difficulty, and Croker
returned to his father's house and set to work at his brother's trade of a
serge weaver. In 1695 he lost his mother, who had always been a great
help to him in bis spiritual exercises, and soon after married a friend of
Cornwall, residing with her father and mother and carrying on some
business successfully. He says, " Yet there remained something with me
which often led me into solitary walks and private retirements, sometimes into
prayer, and sometimes I read, and sometimes I sat still as one waiting to
hear ; the reason hereof I knew not, for I was careful not to offend God in
anything which I knew he required of me : yet still it increased, insomuch
that morning and evening it became my constant practice to retire ; at
which times I cried, and desired the Lord would be pleased to make known
of his mind to me that then I would obey him, if it were to the giving up of
my natural life. At last it was discovered to me ; but then I wanted signs
and tokens, that I might be certain it was the Lord's requiring, — fearing,
because the enemy, working many times in a mystery, had deceived many :
and he was likely to have reasoned all good out of me, and made me prove
disobedient to the call of God, though not without a desire of performing
his will. However, I thought, if this or the other stranger would speak to
my condition, or tell me what God required of me, I would not then consult
with flesh and blood any longer. So it pleased God to answer my desire, for
several spake to me and bid me be faithful ; and upon a time on a First day
morning, as I was walking alone and more out of thought than usual, it
opened in me like a voice saying, ' This day will I open thy mouth if thou
art faithful to me ' ; it seemed to surprise me ; and, being willing to be more
acquainted with this voice, I turned myself about and walked further into
the orchard, desiring the Lord to be wisdom and strength to me ; and it
rested with me that that was the day of the trial of my obedience. So I
went home and prepared for the meeting. I sat retired until at last the
word of the Lord was with me as a fire ; my father and mother-in-law both
took a little time in the meeting, which I thought had relation to me and my
present exercise ; yet I found it hard to give up ; but, being sensible it was
my duty, at the latter part of the meeting I spake a few words ; and
although it was a little out of season, yet I was thereby as one discharged of

chap, xiv.] Ministers : Testimonies and Biographical Notices. 137

a great and heavy load, and comfort came into my soul, so that I found it
was good to obey the Lord. Being faithful in the few things, he made me
ruler over more ; so that I found it often my place to speak a few words, and
began to be concerned for the discipline of the Truth, that it might be kept
up, and its first and primitive simplicity maintained among us ; that we
might not only profess the principles, but also be found like the first
proselytes of Truth in this island, in plainness of dress and fewness of
words, as weU as fearfulness of running after the gain of riches, or too much
frequenting the conversation of the people of the world ; because there were
many snares and dangers in it, which many inclined after, respecting which
at times I was concerned both to speak and write."
After about three years spent in the enjoyment of a tender and
affectionate wife, she was taken from him in 1699, and some time after this
he passed through a time of much depression, so that his mouth was stopped
for a time and he had " no comfort in meetings nor in retirements," and was
unable to follow his business, but after it passed away he was given to see
that it was good for him to be thus tried, that he might be better able to
speak to such as might be under the hke affliction.
He had been about two years a widower, when he accompanied his
father-in-law on a religious visit through some of the southern counties into
Sussex; "from whence," he says, "we had the company of our friend
Elizabeth Gates to London, whose company was very acceptable. We
tarried the time of the Yearly Meeting, part of which was very comfortable ;
Friends seemed to have great affection for each other, and there appeared to
be a regard for the worthy name of the Lord, which had been great in Zion
to the strengthening of her, that she might not be divided nor her mighty
men confuted ; but that her peace might be as a river, and her brightness
as the morning sun without clouds, which was and is the travail of my soul.
As to myself, I had a good and comfortable time there ; and after the Yearly
Meeting was ended I returned with my father and friend Elizabeth Gates, to
her father's at Horsham, and stayed there-about a few days, then going to a
marriage at Shipley we passed without having any other meeting to
Ringwood in Hampshire, being about seventy miles, and then to Poole,
thence through Dorsetshire and Devonshire, and so home."
Soon after the Yearly Meeting in 1702 he was united in marriage with
Elizabeth Gates ; they settled in Cornwall and about nine years later
removed to Horsham, from which time till his death, which took place
about sixteen years after, but little bas been left on record respecting him.
Some few particulars by his wife of his illness are given. She says :—
"He was at our First day's meeting at Horsham, and the same night was
taken with a violent pain. Some time after he signified his satisfaction tbat
he had been at meeting that day ; he had spoken in the meeting to his
T

138 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. XIV.

comfort, was much engaged in his testimony at that time, in advice to the
young amongst us — desiring that they might grow up in a sober, religious,
righteous life, and conduct themselves agreeably to our holy profession ;
putting them in mind of our good elders, that trod the way for us through
much suffering and great hardships. At this last meeting he signified to
us his desire to be clear, saying, ' the Lord knows whether ever I may be
here again,' which seemed as if he did somewhat question it." * * * *
He departed this life the twenty-ninth of the Eleventh Month, 1727, at
Horsham, aged nearly fifty-five years ; and was buried in Friends' burying-
ground there.

chap, xv.] Miscellan-eous. 139

CHAPTEE XY.
MISCELLANEOUS.

There yet remain to be noticed several subjects which it may be
convenient to group together in the present chapter.
(Bltors anb <&atxsms.
The first appointment of elders of which we find any record
appears in the foUowing incomplete sentence : —
"Henry Snelling and Robert Street Chose by this meeting to
tenderly Encourage Young Ministers and advise others as they
according to y6 minute of y6 Yearly Meeting held in y* vear 1727."
(D. iv. 1728.)
And an appointment of overseers was made in 1753, " Agreeable to
the direction of the Yearly Meeting " (D. iii. 1753).
The Guildford Friends continued the subject of overseers on their
minutes for twelve months and then it disappears, but was revived
twenty years after on this wise —
" As there seems no prospect at present of any Friends giving in
their Names to be appointed standing Elders or Overseers in this
Monthly Meeting & the Quarterly Meeting being sorrowfully affected
with this Monthly meeting having of late dropt select Meetings of
Ministers & Elders have desired some suitable Friends may be
appointed to sit with the Ministers i Elders in such Meetings &
assist in the respective Business thereof," and two friends were
appointed accordingly (G. xh. 1773), and in 1780 " The appointment
of Elders coming wheighthy before this Meeting & Friends being
desirous that select Meetings of Ministers & Elders be again revived,"
an appointment was accordingly made, and a minute was afterwards

140 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xv.
brought from such meeting, " signifying the satisfaction & peace they
found in holding "it (G. iv. 1780).
§§dtd iEMinga.
The term Select Meeting occurs in Horsham Monthly Meeting at
an earlier date, viz., 1712. They say —
" Its Unanimusly agreed * * * * that a Select Meeting be Held
in each Weekly Meeting * * * * Concerning the good order and
Discipline of the Church." (H. xii. 1712.)
The last few words of that minute seem to point to the tendency
which about that time became apparent in the Meetings of ministers,
to usurp the functions which pertain to the Monthly Meetings, of
disowning members, the authoritative settling of which question by
the Yearly Meeting is alluded to in the next extract : —
" Minute from ye yearly meeting was Reca the Substanc is that
noe minister is to put his or her Name In ye ministers book without
they have a Cirtificate from their m"? meeting, and that In their
perticular meeting they have noe power to Disowne or Deny any
person but y* the Sole power Lodges In the Qly and Moly Meeting."
(H. vi. 1723.)
In 1800 it was arranged that when the Quarterly Meeting was held
at Ifield the Meeting of ministers and elders should be held at half-
past seven in the morning, and a Quarterly Meeting's committee
appears to have been convened as early as seven o'clock.
Gforiificafea of fUmotial.
The need of certificates of removal seems to have been felt at an
early period. In 1698, on a Friend removing — •
"himself and familey into a nother County to Dwell to witfc
Surrey," the meeting appointed a friend " to write a Certificat of our
Unity and Communion with him and bring it to our next Meeting to
peruse and Subscribe our names to it as many as have freedom."
(H. i. 1698.)

chap, xv.] Miscellaneous. 141
The wording of some of these certificates presents an agreeable
variation from the stereotyped form now in use. One, on the removal
of a Friend and his wife from Alton to Guildford,
" desires their your and our preservation growth and Establish
ment in the unchangeable truth."*
But perhaps the most pleasing instance is one for a Friend
removing into Arundel Monthly Meeting : —
" Our ancient friend Triphena Holloway being removed to within
the Compass of your Monthly Meeting and having requested our
recommendation These may therefore certify you that she was a
member in good esteem with us being of an examplary Life &
Conversation & left us in all respects with reputation. Recommending
her to your Brotherly care & Christian oversight desireing that at the
evening of Life her sun may go down with brightness we remain
your friends & Brethren." (H. v. 1786.)
In Thomas Scattergood's Journal he mentions calling on this
Friend when she was nearly 102 years of age. He says, " I was glad
to find so much sensibility and such a thankful heart for favours
received. It was to my admiration and a treat to me to sit by such a
fellow pilgrim so far advanced in age. It is said she well remembers
WiUiam Penn." +
She died very soon after this interview, aged 102 within two weeks.
She mentioned to the late Elizabeth Glaisyer that when a little girl
William Penn took her to Rottingdean in his coach. Instances of
this kind show how few lives are required (when they are as long as
these) to bridge over the gulf of time between the rise of the
Society and our own days, Elizabeth Glaisyer's decease having taken
place in 1871, at the age of 96.
* The Monthly Meeting issuing this certificate was held at Basingstoke, and among the
names appended thereto is that of John Poynton, now familiar to us as " a household
word," in connection with the legacy he left for poor Friends of the Meeting of Guildford,
&c. In 1771 or 1772 he paid a religious visit to London and some parts of Essex.
(G. ii. 1772.)
t ' Memoirs of Thomas Scattergood.' The presence of Thomas Scattergood is recorded
at a Monthly Meeting at Ifield. (14th iii. 1798.)

142 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xv.
In 1711 it was agreed at the Quarterly Meeting, —
" upon a Question putt by Som friends that in Case any friend or
friends Shall see cause to remove from one parrish to another they
* * * * take a certificate from that Parrish to whom they belong to
Satisfie the other Parrish where they goe to settle." (G. v. 1711).
And eleven Friends, on behalf of the Meeting, gave a guarantee " to
the Inhabitants of the parrish of Thackham," that a certain widow
and her daughter, residing therein, should not be chargeable thereto
(H. ii. 1711).
The certification of Friends from one Meeting to another was, as
might be expected, not always accomplished without debating some
question of boundary or otherwise. On one occasion there was a
rather curious correspondence between the Monthly Meeting of
Dorking and that of Horsham, relating to the settlement of an
individual, when the Friends of the latter plainly intimated to those
of the former a belief that they were actuated more by a desire to
get rid of her than the maintenance of good order, since another
Friend, of good character, had been some years resident among them,
and they had not to that day received any certificate. And on
a previous occasion they judged it not beside brotherly kindness to
disappoint a " needless request " of the same Meeting, " of being
satisfied of the whole proceedings of this meeting in writing " touching
matters of relief to a Friend, for which repayment was sought
(H. i. 1781).
There is in the Guildford book, notice of a letter from Burlington,
in West New Jersey, dated in 1680, requesting that care might be
taken to send certificates with Friends going out thither ; considerable
inconvenience having been occasioned by omissions in this respect —
the friends going on to say that they were sensible some were there
who had "left no good savour in their native land," and apprehended
" more of that kind " might come, " thinking to be obsconded in this
obscure place." The letter also contains advice to Friends to be
circumspect in their passage (G. viii. 1681).

chap, xv.] Miscellaneous. 143

(Qiwma.
The earhest mention of Queries is in the Guildford Book, in the
year 1704, and they are thus given in full, together with the answers: —
" 1 What prisoners are there ? None.
2 How many prisoners discharged since the last yearly meetinge ?
None.
3 How many have dyed in prison this yeare ? None.
4 How many puplicke friends have dyed ? none.
5 how many Meeting Houses buUt and what meetings new settled ?
none.
6 How Truth prospers and friends in Unity and former Advize of
this [Yearly] meeting relating to theire Godly care for the good
education of theire children in the way of Truth and plainese
of habbit and speech &c is practized. Answer : many people
come into our meetings and are sober and willing to hear the
Truth declared, friends are in Unity the advize of the yearly
meeting in relation to Education of Children &c wee hope is
minded & according to the advize of this meeting recomended
to the Severall meetings of friends belonging to this our
monthly meeting.
7 What Signal Judgments have come Upon persecutors this yeare ?
None."*
In 1708 the answer from Dorking, &c, Monthly Meeting to the
Query as to prisoners, says there were " None except Tho8 Wright "
(D. iii. 1708).
Many years later there appears to have been some root of bitterness
springing up and troubling the Dorking particular meeting, as elicited
by the answer to one of the Queries, which called forth the prompt
action of the Monthly Meeting. The circumstance is thus noticed : —
" There appearing a Defficientcy in Dorking answer to the Second
Query relating to Love and Unity and being sensably affected with a
consideration of the consequencies that may arise from a breach so
* For an interesting account of the development of the system of Queries see ' London
Friends' Meetings,' by Wm. Beck and T. F. Ball.

144 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xv.

inconsistent with our high Profession we therefore apprehend it
expedient that some advice be handed forth as soon as possible and
appoint Edw4 Pryor Thos Hayllar Junr & Chris1 Abel to Draw up an
Epistle of Brotherly advice and Councel against the adjourment of
this meeting," where "it was twice read duly considered and agreed
to," and is as follows ; the original spelling is not adhered to : —
" ' To Friends of Dorking Meeting
"' Dear Friends in that love which is unfeigned we salute you
sincerely desiring your advancement in the Truth and inform you
we have been enabled to transact the business of this meeting in
much brotherly love. But an occasion of painful remark hath
occurred from the reading your answer to the second Query
relating to love and unity, by which appears a manifest depravity
from the Unity of Spirit, the bond of true peace, the sense of which
hath sorrowfully affected our minds and brought on us a concern to
visit you with an Epistle of Brotherly love, being sensible of the sad
effects that arise for want of true love one for another, Love being a
true mark of discipleship. By this said our dear Lord shall all men
know ye are my disciples if ye love one another and, dear friends,
permit us to say where this love is wanting coldness and indifference
will prevail even in the performance of that solemn duty of worshipping
that God that made us, and then obduracy and hardness will arise one
against another, first slighting, then envying one another, and herein
the Devil takes advantage of poor finite man for where the seed of
discord is sown, grows up, blooms and brings forth fruit even in that
mind which should have been the temple of the living God hath
Satan erected his throne and would reign without control. Many
are the pernicious consequences that arise for want of true love
which for brevity's sake we pass over with saying how can such,
expect to be favoured with the over-shadowings of Divine love who
come to meeting with bitterness in their hearts and do not forgive as
they desire to be forgiven and are measuring to others such as they
would not have measured to them again ; but remember the lip of
Truth hath said Such measure as ye mete shall be measured to you
again and therefore, dear friends, we entreat you individually to
exert yourselves to the suppressing of everything that may tend to
the breach of unity and revive in your remembrance that excellent
saying What a joyful thing it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity. That you may come to witness this dear friends is what we
sincerely desire and that we may all be baptized thoroughly baptized
by the one Spirit into the one body and Christ become our only head
then shall be known the issuings forth of that Divine love to cover

chap. xv.J Miscellaneous. 145

our assemblies and fill our hearts with gratitude to God and goodwiU
not only to friends but to our enemies and be willing to suffer wrong
rather than forfeit the Divine favour and this is what we earnestly
desire that you with us and we with you may prize the heavenly
blessings above the earthly and conclude with the revival of that
solemn assertion of the apostle John viz' that God is love and they
that dweU in love dweU in God.
' Signed in and by order of the meeting by 'CE Abel.'"
(D. vii. 1765.)
The Monthly Meeting adjourned to the close of the meeting on the
next First-day at Eeigate, to receive and sign the epistle, and Edward
Pryer was desired to read it at the close of a meeting for worship at
Dorking at the first suitable opportunity.
Although there was no Query at that time as to " avoiding
unbecoming behaviour " in meetings, it does not appear that Friends
were exempt from the temptation to drowsiness, and they made this
resolution : —
" If any ShaU be overcome with sleepiness in meetings that
friends be careful to stirr them up to watchfullness and Dilhgence to
waite on the Lord, and if it be neglected it is Reproveable."
(H. iv. 1710.)
And the next month they endeavoured to enforce it more practically : —
" We being Sencable that the Spirrit of Slumber being too
frequent amongst us in om- Solemn Meetings for the worship of God
its Therefore Desired by this meeting that whosoever ShaU be
overcome by sleepeness in our meetings whether high or low Rich or
poore, the next that setteth by him or them that shaU be overcome
with Sleepeness shaU Stirr them up to Dilhgence and watehfulnes to
waite on the Lord, these things being put in practice we shaU by the
Assistance of All mighty God have fresh and liveing Meeting to worship
him exceptabley which is tbe Desire of our Soules." (H. v. 1710.)
IBooks.
About the year 1712 there are memorandums of the names of
Friends who had taken " a certain parcel of books," There would
v

146 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xv.
almost seem to be an intentional obscurity of meaning ; but, by a
minute of rather later date, which gives the cost of " John Whiting's
Book of 2a 6d price," and " James Naylers Book 5s 6d " (H. xi. 1716),
it appears that they related to the works of Friends in connection with
which, a few years previously, the Quarterly Meeting had sent a paper
recommending to the several Monthly Meetings " the takeing of more
friends Books for the better Incouragement of the Printer " (D. viii.
1711). In relation to this the Friends of Eeigate, &c, intimated that
they required no more
" than the usiall number that being suffitient and as for books of
Controversie they have been burthensome and of Little use but if
Printed wee think it Reasonable to be done by the Publick Stock and
sent into such places where the Controvercie happens." (D. xii. 1711.)
The Horsham Monthly Meeting mentions " the Burden of Books
that have been for times past." (H. i. 1714.)
In 1737 the price of Barclay's ' Apology ' is given as 2s. lOd. and
3s. 5d., which seems a low price for that time. In 1770 it is said,
apparently in reference to some advice from the Yearly Meeting,
" Friends are of Opinion that there are no poor Friends belonging to
this meeting but have Bibles & are or may be supplyd with suitable
Frd8 Books by making application to the meeting " (G. x. 1770).
And in the same year, in Dorking, &c, Monthly Meeting, an appoint
ment was made
"to Enquire of Poor Friends respecting a Bible &c," which
resulted in finding " but one family without a Bible " (D. xn. 1770) ;
a want which was supplied by the following month. In 1715 it was
desired " that friends carefully seek for the yearely epistles of 1704 &
1709 and as many as are soe far back to 1702 and bring the same to
our next Monthly Meeting" (H. vi. 1715).
But the circumstances which led to their being wanted are not
mentioned. In 1691 it was desired that friends would
" Carefully Collect and bring in all Such Books and manuscripts
(or the dates and titles of them) as they Shall find in their Possesion

chap, xv.] Miscellaneous. 147

heretofore given fourth by George ffox Lately deceased that they
may be transmitted to the Persons in London who are appointed to
Receive them." (D. vi. 1691.)
Some of his epistles or circular letters are copied into the books,
as well as some from meetings in London. The practice of printing
the Yearly Meeting's Epistle does not seem to have been begun
till 1682. fetraiiagana in Brcss.
A paper,* issued by that meeting in 1713, pressing several
subjects on the attention of Friends, is pasted into one of the
Guildford Minute Books (v. 1715). After referring to the difficulties
which arose from differences in the judgment of Friends, as to
whether the form of affirmation then allowed by law (see p. 94) was
such as they could be easy with, and giving advice on other matters,
it recommends " that all friends both male and female be careful that their
adorning be that of a meek and quiet spirit which in the sight of God
is of great price even as the holy men and women of old professing
godliness with good works were adorned " ; and proceeds, " Oh that
our young men and women would follow their examples but to our
great grief we find too many of our young men instead of observing
that gospel exhortation to be sober minded have given way to
lightness and vanity and the pernicious effects thereof have led them
into pride so tbat some have cut off good heads of hair and put on
long extravagant aud gay wigs which they that are not of profession
with us see as a mark of declension from our primitive plainness.
And likewise that our young women would cease from that unseemly
and immodest appearance of their high heads and wearing their
gowns set up like the proud fashion-mongers of the world. Certainly
both males and females who take such undue measures flee the cross
of Christ and if they do not repent and return they will thereby suffer
* This paper appears to bear the autograph of Benjamin Bealing, who for no less a
period than thirty-three years signed the Yearly Meeting's Epistles, although it must not
be concluded that he held the office of Clerk : that term is not used in the signature, till
1722, from which year to 1808 there was a change of Clerk every year.

148 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xv.

great loss but in the bowels of Christian compassion we warn and
exhort all such to come into that subjection that the yoke of Christ
may be their delight and their souls may reap the comfortable fruits
of bearing the same."
Enquiry was made in 1707
" if any of George Keith's Papers have been spread within the
bounds of our Monthly Meeting but friends do not understand of any.
Resta Patching has requested some of Geo Whiteheads answers but
they are not yet ready." (D. x. 1707.)
They were received at the next meeting, and described as
"in answer to George Keiths pretended serious call to tbe
Quakers." (D. xi. 1707.)
No further allusion to George Keith appears on the books,
notwithstanding, as will be remembered, he resided in the county of
Sussex after his return from America. The parish of Edburton,
whose incumbency he entered upon, was not, however, within the
limits of the Horsham Monthly Meeting. He died on the 27th of the
First Month (then called March), 1716, aged about seventy-seven
years. William Penn had written, in the year 1696, a little book,
which he called ' More Work for George Keith ' ; and a publication
was issued, in 1707, called ' True News out of Sussex, to contradict
the False News of George Keith, lately publish'd from thence,' and
signed by John SnashaU ancl six others.
Joseph Smith, in his well-known ' Catalogue of Friends' Books,'
gives the following extract from a pamphlet containing Keith's will : —
" He made this Will some years since, but never altered his mind to the
last nor made any other ; for soon after, by a violent cold, which 'tis
supposed he took by his long studying in a cold damp room, the use of his
limbs was taken away, so that he was bed-rid to the day of his death, which
was not till last March, 1716, upwards of five years. In which time a
remarkable Providence happened : — The house he lived in being very old and

chap, xv.] Miscellaneous. 149

crazy the Head of his Bed stood against a WaU which feU down into the
Garden, and drew the Bed, and him in it, half-way out of the Breach, and
had gone quite out had there not been a strong Rope fastened from the Bed
to a Beam in the Room, being one story high had in aU liklihood kiUed
him being in so weak a condition . His Life and Death was very pious and
exemplary. It was great pity so good and usefuU a Man should be sent to
such a poor remote place in a very dirty Country at the Foot of the South
Downs in Sussex near Shoreham, so that he was as it were buried ahve, a
great part of the year the People can not stir abroad. The hving was but a
very bare subsistence, insomuch that he was obliged to seU his books to a
BookseUer for less than Ten pounds, &c."
Joseph Smith remarks: — "'Very pious and exemplary,' says this writer,
1 was the hfe and death of George Keith,' and no doubt to the writer's mind
it was so : others may think differently of G. K's life, and there is reason to
doubt whether he ended his days in peace, as wdl appear from the foUowing
extract : —
' The Bishop (Burnet) has told us, after a long detaU of his per
formances, that he is now, in the year 1700, in holy orders among us, aud
likely to do good service in undeceiving and reclaiming some of those misled
enthusiasts. But what if it should appear after aU that he deeply repented
of what he had done ? I shaU relate what has come to my knowledge and
leave the reader to judge of the truth of it. The fact as related is this :
That one Richard Hayler, of Sussex, made a visit to George Keith on his
death-bed, which visit was kindly taken by him ; and, among other things
that passed, G. Keith expressed himself in these words, viz. : — ' I wish I had
died irhen I was a Quaker, for then I am sure it would have been weU with mg
soul.' This I have from a person now hving, of unquestioned reputation,
who had it from the widow of the said Richard Hayler and her sister, both
since deceased, but persons of unblemished character.' — Alexander Arscott's
' Considerations on tlie present state of ihe Christian Beligion,' 1779."
%xribsx%ismz.
Reference has been made in a previous chapter to Peter the Great,
who, during his singular stay at Deptford, was wont to attend the
Meeting of Friends. In later times another Eussian Emperor
(Alexander) seems to have had a warm side toward the Society. An
account of the appreciative visit which he paid to Westminster
Meeting will be found in ' London Friends' Meetings,' p. 261 and 265,
and, as the following circumstance occurred in Sussex, we may briefly

150 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xv.
notice it here. An extract from a letter published in the ' Life of
William Allen,' and addressed to him by John Glaisyer, of Brighton,
narrates the incident thus :—
" I think thou wilt be pleased to learn that the Emperor was not willing
readily to give up his wish to see a Friend's family. My cousin, Nathaniel
Rickman and his wife were standing at their own gate, last first-day after
noon, to see the Emperor pass ; he, seeing they had the appearance of
Friends, desired the driver to stop, when he alighted, and asked N. R. if
they were not of the people called Quakers ; being answered in the affir
mative, he requested liberty to go into the house, which, of course, was most
willingly granted. The Duchess then alighted, and they aU went together ;
shortly afterwards the Duchess asked if they might go over the house, and
they were accordingly conducted into the principal apartments, the neatness
of which they praised. On returning to the parlour they were invited to
take some refreshments, which they did, and seemed much pleased with the
attention. On finding that the family had not heard of the Emperor having
had any communication with Friends in London, he gave them an account
of his having been at meeting, and also of the conversation he had with
some members of the Society in an interview out of meeting. They seemed
unwiUing to leave, but said, two or three times, that they had to go as far
as Dover that night, and they wished to know whether they should pass any
more Friends' houses on the road ; they said they had intended to go to one
at Brighton, but could not get there for the crowd — they wished to be
remembered to Friends generally, said it was not likely they should ever see
each other again, but they hoped they should not be forgotten. On parting,
the Emperor kissed Mary Rickman's hand, and the Duchess kissed her;
they shook hands cordially with N. R., saying ' Farewell.' They staid
about twenty minutes, and, during their conversation, the Emperor spoke in
praise of the Friends he had seen in London ; he behaved, throughout, in
the most free and affable manner possible."
Amberstone, the then residence of Nathaniel and Mary Rickman,
is a short distance from Hailsham, on the road to Gardner Street
(originally Garner Street, from the quantity of corn stored there).
The little meeting-house has been long closed, except on the visits of
Friends, and Nathaniel Eickman was the last Friend buried in the
ground adjoining.

' tP ' ¦ ¦>'

chap, xv.l Miscellaneous. 151

JJtoings an ttjt Korks.
Although it is not strictly within our purview to detaU the circum
stances of the meetings outside the limit of the Monthly Meeting
already referred to, yet an interesting glimpse of the sate of things at
Brighton about the middle of last century, having come to hand,
may be introduced here ; and further particulars, connected with the
early history of the Society thereaway, are to be found in a publi
cation by J. G. Bishop caUed "A Peep into the Past." In the
account (taken from ' Piety Promoted ') of John Glaisyer, which is
here appended, it wUl be noticed that mention is made of meetings
held on the rocks by the sea-side. As a meeting-house in North
Street had been acquired about the year 1700, the writer of an article
in the ' Sussex Daily News,' of 5th mo. 30, 1881, suggests as an
explanation, that it may have been closed at that period, or that the
meetings held in it were not of a kind satisfactory to John Glaisyer
and his friends : one would think the former to be the more likely
inference. The meeting-house and appurtenances, being contiguous to the
grounds of the PavUion, a residence of the then Prince of Wales,
appear to have been wanted by him, and the question of a lease, sale,
or exchange was taken into consideration, and in or about the year
1811 was purchased the piece of ground on which the Ship Street
meeting-house now stands.
"John Glaisyer, of Brighthelmstone, was born at Icklesham, near Rye,
in Sussex, in the year 1739, and was educated by his parents as a member
of the church of England. About the twentieth year of his age, he became
dissatisfied with the forms and ceremonies to which he had been accustomed ;
and, after attending the meetings of several other rehgious societies, without
finding that solid comfort which bis soul longed for, he and a few others
separated themselves from aU forms of worship, and met on first-days on
tbe rocks by the sea-side. In these secluded approaches before the throne
of grace, they were frequently refreshed by the presence of Him, who has
declared, ' Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am
I in the midst of them.'

152 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xv.

" He was admitted as a member of our Society in the year 1769. At
this time, the discipline in the parts where he resided was in a very low
state ; but he soon found it to be his place to endeavour to put in practice
our salutary rules for the promotion and establishment of good order. He
manifested a fervent concern, both by his example, and exhortations to his
friends, that the important business of our meetings for discipline should be
transacted under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
" When about forty-seven years of age, he first spoke as a minister in
our religious meetings. His communications were not frequent, and he was
very cautious of interrupting the solemnity of true silent worship : indeed,
his friends were ready to apprehend that his diffident mind sometimes gave
way to too much discouragement, and that this commendable care was
carried too far. But when he was strengthened to impart counsel, he was
clear and sound : his words few and impressive, inviting others to come and
taste, and see for themselves, that the Lord is good. He was often con
cerned that all might experience a secret exercise of mind, and in true,
inward silence, become worshippers of the Father in spirit and in truth.
" He piously endeavoured to discharge his religious and relative duties
as becometh a true Christian ; and, at a period of life when be was neces
sarily engaged in the cares of business, it was his practice frequently to call
his family together to wait upon the Almighty. In these opportunities, he
was often enabled to impart sweet counsel ; and there is reason to believe
that his faithfulness, in this respect, was blessed to himself and others. He
was a striking example of circumspection of conduct, and watchfulness over
his words and actions : jealous of himself, and tender of exposing the
failings or weaknesses of others ; yet faithful in offering private reproof or
counsel, when duty required it of him. And although but little known
beyond the limits of the quarterly meeting to which he belonged, it may be
truly said that his light shone with brightness in his own neighbourhood.
" Some time before his decease, he had several paralytic attacks, which
affected both his bodily and mental faculties; yet, at intervals, his judgment
was both clear and sound. At these times he was often engaged in fervent
supplication, that he might be preserved, both in word and deed, from any
thing that would cause the way of Truth to be lightly spoken of; mani
festing that his hope and trust were in redeeming love. The love of God in
Christ Jesus was a subject on whieh he delighted to dwell from his youth ;
and when he had the free use of his faculties, this seemed to be the anchor
of his soul, and that of which he was desirous that others should become
partakers. " He died the 18th of the Fourth month, 1813, at the age of seventy-
four."

chap, xv.] Miscellaneous. 153
It is said that the rocks referred to in this account were a little to
the east of where the Chain Pier now stands, the. greater portions
having disappeared, though some few traces are visible at low tide.
The circumstance of a Meeting for Worship having been habitually
held in such a spot is interesting ancl unique ; and although at the
Brighton of to-day it might be difficult to find on the shore a place
retired enough for a Friends' Meeting, it would be very different then,
and the sights and sounds which met the worshippers would probably
rather tend to dispose their minds to quiet and reflection than to
disturb them. What nobler temple than the canopy of heaven?
What grander music than the anthem of the waves ? What sublimer
worship than that of contrite souls bowed in silence before the great
Creator, amid these His wonderful works ?
WahaittoTQ.
Should the reader be wearied with his rambles over the two
counties and through the records of the past, the Editor would, ere
parting, set before him a very old chair, whose history may support a
claim to a notice in these pages, showing as it does a large amount of
" connection with our Society," and that in Surrey. It was for many
years in the possession of the Swan family, who held the farm about
two mUes from Capel, known as Bregsells, from the year 1622 for
about 230 years. Samuel Smith, a minister from Philadelphia, who
visited this country in 1790, appears to have tarried a night there.
He says in his Diary : —
" 4th mo. 6. Rode to Henry Swan's and lodged : this is a noted place
for antiquity. The family bad been in possession of the farm as far back as
could be traced. I saw here a small arm-chair, marked 1014, and it was
believed it might have belonged to the same family now 776 years."
If, however, the date which it bears was carved upon it before the
deceitful mind of man conceived the idea of manufacturing sham
antique furniture, and really represents the year in which it left the
x

154

Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex.

[chap. xv.

workshop, its beginnings belong to a much more remote period than
any to which these pages reach back ; and the tree which furnished
the yet sound timber of which it is made, must have yielded to the axe
of the woodman ere the land in which its roots were embedded had
yielded to the battle-axe of the Norman invader.
The reader is now left in the arms of this ancient chair, to read
and consider the Concluding Chapter, from the pen of the Editor's
wife.

From a sketch by S. M. Deane, of Brighton, the present owner of the chair.

chap, xvi.1 Conclusion. 155

CHAPTEE XVI.
BY ANNE WARNEK MARSH.
CONCLUSION.

Upon the flowing tide of modern literature we cast our little book —
a simple narrative of facts ; a history, as it claims for itself, of events
and things pertaining to a spiritual people despised and persecuted of
men, but owned of God and blest. Its place along the strand of human
thought and knowledge must be a very small one ; soon in turn to give
way to something widely different, it may be, in tone and character
from that now before us. But with this thought comes the hope that
the thoughtful reader may find in its unpretending pages some truth
casting a ray upon his path, some message of strength and comfort
folded in its unvarnished narratives, which will lead him nearer to the
fountain of Divine knowledge, and a step farther, it may be, in the
paths of dutiful obedience to the inwardly revealed wiU of God.
As we have gathered these fading relics from worn and musty
minute-books, we are forcibly reminded how great is the distance
between those days and our own ; and how, one by one, the vestiges
of the past are rapidly vanishing from our outward sight and grasp.
Little now remains in the land that was the birth-place of these
Disciples of the Light to distinguish their successors from those by
whom they are surrounded. One by one the few who remain, our
living links with the past, are going down in brightness, leaving us,
by their lifetime's measurement, seemingly so much farther removed
from that age of loyal Christian courage and noble defence of the
Truth from which our inheritance comes.
The thought presents — full of meaning, and fuU, it may be, of

156 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xvi.

promise, but rife with difficulties — What is our inheritance, and how
shall we possess it ? A subject too wide and too deep for these
short pages, and one which has been already thoughtfully and
suggestively examined by many writers. One reflection, however,
on this point comes to mind : that whereas in the past individual
faithfulness developed the organisation necessary to its successful
existence, to-day organisation is too much looked to for the development
of individual faithfulness. Hence religious work of all descriptions
loses much of its beautiful individuality, and the testimony to a
personal guidance is weakened.
To illustrate the latter sentiment, and approaching more nearly
our own day, can we do better than cite Daniel Wheeler, on his long
mission of four years in the South Seas, where he sowed the seeds of
religious liberty, and unfolded, by loving example and clear and simple
teaching, the precepts of the Gospel of Christ ? Thomas Shillitoe,
obedient to the call of his Master, and going, he knew not why, to
reside for four months of a northern winter in St. Petersburg, where
he sought to follow day by clay the guidance that had led him thither?
Elizabeth Fry, in her labours of Gospel love, as she passed from
prison to prison to unfold to lost and suffering souls the glad tidings
of great joy in the coming of Him who was sent of the Father to
proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them
that are bound ? Sweet indeed must her reward have been, if to her
it was granted to believe that not for the one only but for many
repenting sinners deeper and fuller was the heavenly joy. And with
footsteps close upon these comes the apostolic career of Stephen
Grellett, an eminent instance of the Divine prerogative to choose and
call whomsoever He will : and thus is emphasized also the encouraging
assurance that God has never wanted for faithful witnesses — men as
strong for service in their day as were Fox, Penn, Barclay and others,
in the stormy times from which some of these annals are gleaned.
But dare we conclude that with these faithful men the Truth and
the upholding of it have passed from the earth ? In God's keeping

chap, xvi.] Conclusion. 157
we believe all things are safe ; what then more safe than His own
unchangeable Truth ? Under different forms and in varying aspects
it may pass before the minds of men of different ages, but will it ever
cease to recommend itself as such, so long as it carries with it the
evidence of its oneness with Him who said, " I am the Way, the
Truth and the Life? " Not Paul, .Apollos or Cephas, — Fox, Penn or
Barclay, — but that which they each received, taught and lived.
Probably to no single mind has been granted the full conception of
the whole ; but is it not safe to say, the more men possess the Truth
the nearer they will walk to God and the nearer to one another ?
We venture to believe that the spirit of the martyrs is not dead ;
and should the long day of religious toleration, in which the Church
of Christ has almost rocked itself to sleep, be followed by a night-time
of persecution, will there not still be found men and women, under
differing outward professions, who love not their lives to the death ? —
wUl not the blood of the martyrs once more become the seed of the
Church ?
From the service of many, suffering in some form or other is
almost inseparable ; and, differing more in kind than in degree from
that recorded in these pages, we find it is still one of the means
appointed and used of God by which his children may show forth
their loyalty to Him and their oneness with His Christ. Loving hearts
are still making their costly sacrifices, though without blood and
unseen of men, and worldly honour and worldly wealth continue,
though in far more scattered instances, to be laid upon the altars of
dedicated lives.
Whilst recognizing this, we disclaim any sympathy with such
representations of a once living reality as leave hungry and thirsty
souls still crying out, " What is Truth ? " We sympathize with such
souls : and, in offering this little book, we earnestly hope that its
sermon of facts may to them become both suggestive and instructive,
leading them for its interpretation to that Spirit which so eminently
guided and guarded those noble men and women in their search after

158 Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex. [chap. xvi.
Truth, and empowered them with a Divine energy and wisdom to set it
forth before others, to crown it with the noble testimony of their lives,
and, in instances not a few, to seal it with their blood.
What a beautiful and touching sermon is contained in the record
on pages 91 and 92, where the 164 loving brethren offered themselves
man for man, in their own words, "to put us as lambs into the same
dungeons and houses of correction, and their straw and nasty holes
and prisons, and do stand ready a sacrifice for to go into their places
for love to our brethren, that they may go forth and that they may not
die in prison, as many are dead already."
Thus the Early Friends suffered, and thus, by hard and rough
spiritual toil, they sought to reclaim and to bring into a more fruitful
condition some of the vast waste lands of the Church of Christ.
Made ready to our hand we found this noble work of theirs ; why has
not the entering in been more abundant, and the harvest proportion
ately great ?
No prison walls, with prison sufferings, haunt us in our feeble
efforts to uphold that which we have received — yet prison walls more
dark and strong than those of earth may rise up around our souls,
to shut out from them not only the light of day but the light of
heaven. We fear no invasion of the magistrate as we sit in our
comfortable meeting-houses to worship the Father who is in heaven;
but may there not enter a ghostly invasion, more to be dreaded than that
of any magistrate or priest, in the creeping coldness of formality, or
the lifeless offerings of mere professors, which would be but a feeble
reflection of that soul-stirring worship and of those dignified utterances
which gave harmonious expression to the exercise that passed from
soul to soul in the living fellowship of a living Christ ? No cruel
hands part us from those we love ; no tortures of the rack, no terrors
of the stake or the scaffold rise up to deter us from faithfully bearing
witness to the Truth as it is in Jesus Christ ; yet in the midst of a
harvest field so white and wide, surrounded with souls yearning with
unsatisfied longings, why is not our witnessing so abundant, so clear

chap, xvi.] Conclusion. 159
in its tone, so unmistakable in its utterances, that it could not fail to
wake the slumbering echoes, and gather now, as in former days,
multitudes to the ranks of a pure spiritual Christianity ?
But although our honest convictions force upon us these somewhat
discouraging reflections, we would again express our unwavering
confidence in that power and wisdom, without which the work of our
forefathers must surely have come to nought, and our unshaken
belief that all that is necessary to the support of a spiritual and world-
renouncing Church, God will provide. He is as able to supply
the needs of the nineteenth century, as He was those, not of the
seventeenth only, but of every age in which His strong and willing
sons have come forth to help in the deliverance of His Church from
the trammels of heresy, superstition and worldliness. As in the
outward the mountains were round about its cradle, so we may
reverently believe the presence of the Lord will be round about His
Church as it continues to grow, filling the lands and reaching from
sea to sea. " Wide as the world is His command,
Vast as eternity His Love,
Firm as a rock His Truth shall stand
When rolling years have ceased to move.'

160 Early FriencU in Surrey and Sussex.

IN MEMORIAM.

While the foregoing pages were being finally prepared for the
press, an event has taken place which will be deeply felt in the
district to which they refer, — a severing of one of the few "living
links " which connect us with a previous century, — in the removal to
his eternal rest of our beloved friend
DANIEL PRYOR HACK,
whose memory will be cherished as that of a father to this Quarterly
Meeting: "a succourer of many" widely scattered beyond its limits;
an " elder worthy of double honour." He died at his home, in
Brighton, on the 7th of Third Month, 1886, in his 92nd year ; and
was buried in Friends' burying-ground, Blackrock, on the 11th of the
same. As we followed the mortal remains to their last resting-place,
moving slowly along the shore, with the sea lying calmly below in
sunlight without a cloud, it seemed as if Nature took up the language,
nearly the last upon his own lips, "All is peace ; all is joy."
The Editor of this little work — having from his very early days
partaken of the privilege of Daniel P. Hack's friendship, and of
listening to his ministry, from time to time, down to the last occasion
on which his voice was thus publicly heard— desires to pay this little
tribute to his memory, and to that of his wife,
ELIZA HACK,
a true mother in Israel, who, for more than fifty years, was the
faithful sharer in his joys and sorrows, and to a great extent in his
ministerial labours.
They are gone — their record is on high ; it is also deeply engraven
on the hearts of many who stay behind ; and may we not believe in
the souls of many also who are, with them, at rest, having been
helped on their way thither by the faithful ministrations of these two
devoted servants of the Most High.

INDEX.

PAGE

PAGE
Affirmation ....
94
Fire at Fordingbridge
'.IS
Aletasters' Office
8'.)
Fire at Lancaster .
. 99
Alexander, The Emperor
149
First coming of Friends to Capel
Amberstone
149
and Beigate
1
Aubrey, William
105
First coming of Friends to the
Bax, Biehard .
2
Guildford district
. 11
Begging .
51
First coming of Friends into Sussex 25
Bennitt, William .
93
Forest MeetiDg
28, 48
Binscomb Meeting .
19
Fox, George, at Worplesdon, Guild
-
Books .....
145
ford, Capel, Gatton, Beigate
Bonwicks
25
Bletchingly, Ifield, Horsham
Bownas, Samuel
15
Patchgate, and Worminghurst
20
Bregsells Farm ,.
151
Fox, George, at Horsham M. M.
. 107
Briefs ....
99
Fox, George, Books and Epistles
1415
Brockham Hurst
6
Fox, George, "the younger" .
. 67
Bunyan, John
74
Garton, William
. 122
Burlington, N. J., Letter from
142
Garton, Susanna
123
Callowhill, Hannah
105
Gatton 
68
Capel Meeting
1,9
Glaisyer, John
151
Captives in Algiers
99
Godalming Meeting
18
Care of the Poor
47
Griffiths, John
15
Carver, Richard, the Friend whc
Guildford Monthly Meeting .
11
carried the King
71
Guildford M. M. turned into streel
86
Certificates for Ministers
117
Guildford Meeting .
11
Certificates of removal .
140
Hack, Daniel Pryor and Eliza
160
Charlwood ....
27
Hartswood
2
Chimney Money
26
Helping the Priests
78
Clerks of Mo. Meetings, payments tc
29
Holloway, Triphena
HI
Condemnation, Papers of
54
Horsell ....
11
Correcting the Calendar .
29
Horsham, &c, Monthly Meeting
25
Cowfold ...
27, 41
Horsham Gaol
74, 82
Croker, John ....
132
Horsham Meeting .
26, 27
Dann, Thomas
127
Hurstmor ....
11
Denial, Papers of .
54
Ifield Meeting ....
26
Differences ....
52
Ireland, Collection for Friends in
98
Dorking, Capel, and Beigate M. M.
1
Jailer too lenient, sent to Gaol
711
Dorking Meeting
6
Jarvis Estate ....
80
Dorking Market House .
55
Junctions of Monthly Meetings
45
Drawing Lots
52
Keith, George ....
148
Dress, Extravagance in
147
King Charles II. and the Frienc
Eashing ....
11
who carried him ashore .
71
East Grinstead Meeting .
28
King Charles II., Appeal to, for re
Elders ....
139
lease of Friends
66
Ellwood, Thomas .
3,7
Kitlands 
•j
Esher Meeting House
45
Letter to Dorking Meeting, on Love
144
Extravagance in Dress .
147
Liberality
US
162

Index.

PAGE
Liberation of Ministers . . . . 117
Limpsfield  5
Lists of Members . . 35
Mackellow, John . . . .15
Marriage  103
Martin, Susanna .... 125
Meetings for Sufferings ... 88
Meetings on the rooks at Brighton . 151
Merrow . . . . . .11
Ministers not to usurp functions of
Monthly Meetings . . . 140
Ministers, Becording of . . . 117
Ministers : Testimonies and Bio
graphical Notices . . . 122
Miserable end of persecuting priest
at Ifield  80
Do. at Godalming ... 83
Moore, Thomas .... 2
Nuffield  5
Nuthurst  27
Oakinge  11
Oaths, Order for relief from . . 89
Ockley  2
Offer on the part of 164 Friends to
lie in prison for their brethren.
Order from the King for relief ot
Friends as to oaths .
Overseers 
Owen, Nathaniel ....
Papers of Denial and Condemnation
Pastoral care .....
Patchgate Meeting ....
Payment to Monthly Meeting Clerks
Penn, William, at Beigate, &a.
on committee as to Thakeham
Meeting-house
care of sick on board 'Welcome' .
his work, ' Wisdom Justified of
her Children ' .
marriage with Hannah Callowhill
at Horsham Monthly Meeting 105
Certificate on going to Ireland
Do., Pennsylvania .
residence at Worminghurst
Penn, Letitia .
Penn, Springett
Penn family register of burials
Persecution and Sufferings
Peter the Great
PleystowePoll Tax .

91

139130 5461
28
29 5
303880
105107
118 118107
105110 114 63
114 1
82

and

Preparative Meetings : —
in Dorking, <fec, Monthly Meeting
„ Guildford do.
„ Horsham do.
Prisoners in Horsham Gaol
Priest, troubled conscience of
Queries ....
Questions sent to George Whitehead
Questions sent from Church Book of
Baptists .
Recording Ministers
Becusancy Beigate Meeting
Removal Certificates
Ee-union of Dorking and Capel with
Eeigate ....
Rigge, Ambrose
Rusper 
Scattergood, Thomas
Scotland, Distress in North of
Scott, Job ....
Select Meetings
Separation between Reigate
Dorking & Capel
Shere Meeting
Shipley .
SlaughamSlaughter Farm
Smith, Samuel
Smith, Stephen
SnashaU, Snashold,
Songhurst, John
South Sea Bubble
Steeple-house, use of the term
Steyning 
Style, Change from Old to New
Sufferings and Persecution
Testimonies concerning Ministers
Thakeham Meeting
Tichborne Case
Tongham ....
Twineham ....
' Welcome,' the good ship
Wigs 
Whitehead, George
Women's Monthly Meetings .
Women's Quarterly Meetings .
Women's Yearly Meetings
WorminghurstWorplesdon Meeting
Wright, Thomas

PAGE 9
23387482
143 119 120
117 130 3
114 43
63, 122 27
141 98
15, 19
140

19,

Snashfold, J.

42 21
272732
151 20
30, 127 38 5164
34, 374163
122 3053
11 67
108 147119 404141
115 19
117, 143

37, 66,

WEST, NEWMAN AND CO., PRINTERS, HATTON GARDEN, LONDON, E.C.

NT

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

3 9002 08561 8230