CHAPTER 8
A Visit to Oliver Cromwell
1653-1654
About this time the priests and professors fell to
prophesying against us afresh. They had said long before that we
should be destroyed within a month; and after that, they prolonged
the time to half a year. But that time being long expired, and we
mightily increased in number, they now gave forth that we would eat
out one another. For often after meetings many tender people,
having a great way to go, tarried at Friends' houses by the way,
and sometimes more than there were beds to lodge in; so that some
lay on the hay-mows. Hereupon Cain's fear possessed the professors
and world's people; for they were afraid that when we had eaten one
another out, we should all come to be maintained by the parishes,
and be chargeable to them.
But after awhile, when they saw that the Lord
blessed and increased Friends, as he did Abraham, both in the field
and in the basket, at their goings forth and their comings in, at
their risings up and their lyings down, and that all things
prospered with them; then they saw the falseness of all their
prophecies against us, and that it was in vain to curse whom God
had blessed.
At the first convincement, when Friends could not
put off their hats to people, or say You to a single person, but
Thou and Thee; -- when they could not bow, or use flattering words
in salutation, or adopt the fashions and customs of the world, many
Friends, that were tradesmen of several sorts, lost their customers
at first, for the people were shy of them, and would not trade with
them; so that for a time some Friends could hardly get money enough
to buy bread.
But afterwards, when people came to have experience
of Friends' honesty and faithfulness, and found that their yea was
yea, and their nay was nay; that they kept to a word in their
dealings, and would not cozen and cheat, but that if a child were
sent to their shops for anything, he was as well used as his
parents would have been; -- then the lives and conversation of
Friends did preach, and reached to the witness of God in the
people.
Then things altered so, that all the inquiry was,
"Where is there a draper, or shop-keeper, or tailor, or shoemaker,
or any other tradesman, that is a Quaker?" Insomuch that Friends
had more trade than many of their neighbours, and if there was any
trading, they had a great part of it. Then the envious professors
altered their note, and began to cry out, "If we let these Quakers
alone, they will take the trade of the nation out of our hands."
This has been the Lord's doing to and for His
people! which my desire is that all who profess His holy truth may
be kept truly sensible of, and that all may be preserved in and by
His power and Spirit, faithful to God and man. Faithful first to
God, in obeying Him in all things; and next in doing unto all men
that which is just and righteous in all things, that the Lord God
maybe glorified in their practising truth, holiness, godliness, and
righteousness amongst people in all their lives and
conversation.
While Friends abode in the northern parts, a priest
of Wrexham, in Wales, named Morgan Floyd, having heard reports
concerning us, sent two of his congregation into the north to
inquire concerning us, to try us, and bring him an account of us.
When these triers came amongst us, the power of the Lord seized on
them, and they were both convinced of the truth. So they stayed
some time with us, and then returned to Wales; where afterwards one
of them departed from his convincement; but the other, named
John-ap-John, abode in the truth, and received a part in the
ministry, in which he continued faithful.
About this time the oath or engagement to Oliver
Cromwell was tendered to the soldiers, many of whom were disbanded
because, in obedience to Christ, they could not swear. John
Stubbs, for one, who was convinced when I was in Carlisle prison,
became a good soldier in the Lamb's war, and a faithful minister of
Christ Jesus; travelling much in the service of the Lord in
Holland, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Egypt, and America. And the
Lord's power preserved him from the hands of the papists, though
many times he was in great danger of the Inquisition. But some of
the soldiers, who had been convinced in their judgment, but had not
come into obedience to the Truth, took Oliver Cromwell's oath; and,
going afterwards into Scotland, and coming before a garrison there,
the garrison, thinking they had been enemies, fired at them, and
killed diverse of them, which was a sad event.
When the churches were settled in the north, and
Friends were established under Christ's teaching, and the glory of
the Lord shined over them, I passed from Swarthmore to Lancaster
about the beginning of the year 1654, visiting Friends, till I came
to Synder-hill green, where a meeting had been appointed three
weeks before. We passed through Halifax, a rude town of professors,
and came to Thomas Taylor's, who had been a captain, where we met
with some janglers; but the Lord's power was over all;
for I travelled in the motion of God's power.
When I came to Synder-hill green, there was a
mighty meeting. Some thousands of people, as it was judged, were
there, and many persons of note, captains and other officers. There
was a general convincement; for the Lord's power and Truth was set
over all, and there was no opposition.
About this time did the Lord move upon the spirits
of many whom He had raised up and sent forth to labour in His
vineyard, to travel southwards, and spread themselves in the
service of the gospel to the eastern, southern, and western parts
of the nation. Francis Howgill and Edward Burrough went to London;
John Camm and John Audland to Bristol; Richard Hubberthorn and
George Whitehead towards Norwich; Thomas Holmes into Wales; and
many others different ways: for above sixty ministers had the Lord
raised up, and did now send abroad out of the north country. The
sense of their service was very weighty upon me.
About this time Rice Jones, of Nottingham, (who had
been a Baptist, and was turned Ranter), and his company, began to
prophesy against me; giving out that I was then at the highest, and
that after that time I should fall down as fast. He sent a bundle
of railing papers from Nottingham to Mansfield Clawson, and the
towns thereabouts, judging Friends for declaring the Truth in the
markets and in steeple-houses; which papers I answered. But his and
his company's prophecies came upon themselves; for soon after they
fell to pieces, and many of his followers became Friends, and
continued so.
And through the Lord's blessed power, Truth and
Friends have increased, and do increase in the increase of God: and
I, by the same power, have been and am preserved, and kept in the
everlasting Seed, that never fell, nor changes. But Rice Jones took
the oaths that were put to him, and so disobeyed the command of
Christ.
Many such false prophets have risen up against me,
but the Lord hath blasted them, and will blast all who rise against
the blessed Seed, and me in that. My confidence is in the Lord; for
I saw their end, and how the Lord would confound them, before He
sent me forth.
I travelled up and down in Yorkshire, as far as
Holderness, and to the land's end that way, visiting Friends and
the churches of Christ; which were finely settled under Christ's
teaching. At length I came to Captain Bradford's house, whither
came many Ranters from York to wrangle; but they were confounded
and stopped. Thither came also she who was called the Lady
Montague, who was then convinced, and lived and died in the
Truth.
Thence I went to Drayton in Leicestershire to visit
my relations. As soon as I was come in, Nathaniel Stephens, the
priest, having got another priest, and given notice to the country,
sent to me to come to them, for they could not do anything till I
came. Having been three years away from my relations, I knew
nothing of their design. But at last I went into the steeple-house
yard, where the two priests were; and they had gathered abundance
of people.
When I came there, they would have had me go into
the steeple-house. I asked them what I should do there; and they
said that Mr. Stephens could not bear the cold. I told them he
might bear it as well as I. At last we went into a great hall,
Richard Farnsworth being with me; and a great dispute we had with
these priests concerning their practices, how contrary they were to
Christ and His apostles.
The priests would know where tithes were forbidden
or ended. I showed them out of the seventh chapter to the Hebrews
that not only tithes, but the priesthood that took tithes, was
ended; and the law by which the priesthood was made, and tithes
were commanded to be paid, was ended and annulled. Then the priests
stirred up the people to some lightness and rudeness.
I had known Stephens from a child, therefore I laid
open his condition, and the manner of his preaching; and how he,
like the rest of the priests, did apply the promises to the first
birth, which must die. But I showed that the promises were to the
Seed, not to many seeds, but to one Seed, Christ; who was one in
male and female; for all were to be born again before they could
enter into the kingdom of God.
Then he said, I must not judge so; but I told him
that He that was spiritual judged all things. Then he confessed
that that was a full Scripture; "but, neighbours," said he, "this
is the business; George Fox is come to the light of the sun, and
now he thinks to put out my star-light."
I told him that I would not quench the least
measure of God in any, much less put out his star-light, if it were
true star-light -- light from the Morning Star. But, I told him, if
he had anything from Christ or God, he ought to speak it freely,
and not take tithes from the people for preaching, seeing that
Christ commanded His ministers to give freely, as they had received
freely. So I charged him to preach no more for tithes or any hire.
But he said he would not yield to that.
After a while the people began to be vain and rude,
so we broke up; yet some were made loving to the Truth that day.
Before we parted I told them that if the Lord would, I intended to
be at the town again that day week. In the interim I went into the
country, and had meetings, and came thither again that day
week.
Against that time this priest had got seven priests
to help him; for priest Stephens had given notice at a lecture on a
market-day at Adderston, that such a day there would be a meeting
and a dispute with me. I knew nothing of it; but had only said I
should be in town that day week again. These eight priests had
gathered several hundreds of people, even most of the country
thereabouts, and they would have had me go into the steeple-house;
but I would not go in, but got on a hill, and there spoke to them
and the people.
There were with me Thomas Taylor, who had been a
priest, James Parnell, and several other Friends. The priests
thought that day to trample down Truth; but the Truth overcame
them. Then they grew light, and the people rude; and the priests
would not stand trial with me; but would be contending here a
little and there a little, with one Friend or another. At last one
of the priests brought his son to dispute with me; but his mouth
was soon stopped. When he could not tell how to answer, he would
ask his father; and his father was confounded also, when he came to
answer for his son.
So, after they had toiled themselves, they went
away in a rage to priest Stephens's house to drink. As they went
away, I said, "I never came to a place where so many priests
together would not stand the trial with me." Thereupon they and
some of their wives came about me, laid hold of me, and fawningly
said, "What might you not have been, if it had not been for the
Quakers! "
Then they began to push Friends to and fro, to
thrust them from me, and to pluck me to themselves. After a while
several lusty fellows came, took me up in their arms, and carried
me into the steeple-house porch, intending to carry me into the
steeple-house by force; but the door being locked they fell down in
a heap, having me under them. As soon as I could, I got up from
under them, and went to the hill again. Then they took me from that
place to the steeple-house wall, and set me on something like a
stool; and all the priests being come back, stood under with the
people.
The priests cried, "Come, to argument, to
argument." I said that I denied all their voices, for they were the
voices of hirelings and strangers. They cried, "Prove it, prove
it." Then I directed them to the tenth of John, where they might
see what Christ said of such. He declared that He was the true
Shepherd that laid down His life for His sheep, and His sheep heard
His voice and followed Him; but the hireling would fly when the
wolf came, because he was a hireling. I offered to prove that they
were such hirelings. Then the priests plucked me off the stool
again; and they themselves got all upon stools under the
steeple-house wall.
Then I felt the mighty power of God arise over all,
and I told them that if they would but give audience, and hear me
quietly, I would show them by the Scriptures why I denied those
eight priests, or teachers, that stood before me, and all the
hireling teachers of the world whatsoever; and I would give them
Scriptures for what I said. Whereupon both priests and people
consented. Then I showed them out of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Ezekiel, Micah, Malachi, and others, that they were in the steps of
such as God sent His true prophets to cry against.
When I appealed to that of God in their
consciences, the Light of Christ Jesus in them, they could not
abide to hear it. They had been all quiet before; but then a
professor said, "George, what! wilt thou never have done?" I told
him I should have done shortly. I went on a little longer, and
cleared myself of them in the Lord's power. When I had done, all
the priests and people stood silent for a time.
At last one of the priests said that they would
read the Scriptures I had quoted. I told them I desired them to do
so with all my heart. They began to read the twenty-third of
Jeremiah, where they saw the marks of the false prophets that he
cried against. When they had read a verse or two I said, "Take
notice, people"; but the priests said, "Hold thy tongue, George." I
bade them read the whole chapter, for it was all against them. Then
they stopped, and would read no further.
My father, though a hearer and follower of the
priest, was so well satisfied that he struck his cane upon the
ground, and said, "Truly, I see that he that will but stand to the
truth, it will bear him out."
After this I went into the country, had several
meetings, and came to Swannington, where the soldiers came; but the
meeting was quiet, the Lord's power was over all, and the soldiers
did not meddle.
Then I went to Leicester; and from Leicester to
Whetstone. There came about seventeen troopers of Colonel Hacker's
regiment, with his marshal, and took me up before the meeting,
though Friends were beginning to gather together; for there were
several Friends from diverse parts. I told the marshal he might
let all the Friends go; that I would answer for them all. Thereupon
he took me, and let all the Friends go; only Alexander Parker went
along with me.
At night they had me before Colonel Hacker, his
major, and captains, a great company of them; and a great deal of
discourse we had about the priests, and about meetings; for at this
time there was a noise of a plot against Oliver Cromwell. Much
reasoning I had with them about the Light of Christ, which
enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world. Colonel Hacker
asked whether it was not this Light of Christ that made Judas
betray his Master, and afterwards led him to hang himself? I told
him, "No; that was the spirit of darkness, which hated Christ and
His Light."
Then Colonel Hacker said I might go home, and keep
at home, and not go abroad to meetings. I told him I was an
innocent man, free from plots, and denied all such work. His son
Needham said, "Father, this man hath reigned too long; it is time
to have him cut off." I asked him, "For what? What have I done?
Whom have I wronged? I was bred and born in this country, and who
can accuse me of any evil, from childhood up?" Colonel Hacker asked
me again if I would go home, and stay at home. I told him that if I
should promise him this, it would manifest that I was guilty of
something, to make my home a prison; and if I went to meetings they
would say I broke their order. Therefore I told them I should go to
meetings as the Lord should order me, and could not submit to their
requirings; but I said we were a peaceable people.
"Well, then," said Colonel Hacker, "I will send you
to-morrow morning by six o'clock to my Lord Protector, by Captain
Drury, one of his life-guard."
That night I was kept prisoner at the Marshalsea;
and the next morning by the sixth hour I was delivered to Captain
Drury. I desired that he would let me speak with Colonel Hacker
before I went; and he took me to his bedside. Colonel Hacker again
admonished me to go home, and keep no more meetings. I told him I
could not submit to that; but must have my liberty to serve God,
and to go to meetings. "Then," said he, "you must go before the
Protector." Thereupon I kneeled at his bedside, and besought the
Lord to forgive him; for he was as Pilate, though he would wash his
hands; and I bade him remember, when the day of his misery and
trial should come upon him, what I had said to him. But he was
stirred up and set on by Stephens, and the other priests and
professors, wherein their envy and baseness was manifest. When they
could not overcome me by disputes and arguments, nor resist the
Spirit of the Lord that was in me, they got soldiers to take me
up.
Afterwards, when Colonel Hacker was imprisoned in
London, a day or two before his execution, he was put in mind of
what he had done against the innocent; and he remembered it, and
confessed it to Margaret Fell, saying he knew well whom she meant;
and he had trouble upon him for it.
Now I was carried up a prisoner by Captain Drury
from Leicester; and when we came to Harborough he asked me if I
would go home and stay a fortnight? I should have my liberty, he
said, if I would not go to, nor keep meetings. I told him I could
not promise any such thing. Several times upon the road did he ask
and try me after the same manner, and still I gave him the same
answers. So he brought me to London, and lodged me at the Mermaid over
against the Mews at Charing-Cross.
As we travelled I was moved of the Lord to warn
people at the inns and places where I came of the day of the Lord
that was coming upon them. William Dewsbury and Marmaduke Storr
being in prison at Northampton, Captain Drury let me go and visit
them.
After Captain Drury had lodged me at the Mermaid,
he left me there, and went to give the Protector an account of me.
When he came to me again, he told me that the Protector required
that I should promise not to take up a carnal sword or weapon
against him or the government, as it then was, and that I should
write it in what words I saw good, and set my hand to it. I said
little in reply to Captain Drury.
The next morning I was moved of the Lord to write a
paper to the Protector, Oliver Cromwell; wherein I did, in the
presence of the Lord God, declare that I denied the wearing or
drawing of a carnal sword, or any other outward weapon, against him
or any man; and that I was sent of God to stand a witness against
all violence, and against the works of darkness; and to turn people
from darkness to light; and to bring them from the causes of war
and fighting, to the peaceable gospel. When I had written what the
Lord had given me to write, I set my name to it, and gave it to
Captain Drury to hand to Oliver Cromwell, which he did.
After some time Captain Drury brought me before the
Protector himself at Whitehall. It was in a morning, before
he was dressed, and one Harvey, who had come a little among
Friends, but was disobedient, waited upon him. When I came in I was
moved to say, "Peace be in this house"; and I exhorted him to keep
in the fear of God, that he might receive wisdom from Him, that by
it he might be directed, and order all things under his hand to
God's glory.
l spoke much to him of Truth, and much discourse I
had with him about religion; wherein he carried himself very
moderately. But he said we quarrelled with priests, whom he called
ministers. I told him I did not quarrel with them, but that they
quarrelled with me and my friends. "But," said I, "if we own the
prophets, Christ, and the apostles, we cannot hold up such
teachers, prophets, and shepherds, as the prophets, Christ, and the
apostles declared against; but we must declare against them by the
same power and Spirit."
Then I showed him that the prophets, Christ, and
the apostles declared freely, and against them that did not declare
freely; such as preached for filthy lucre, and divined for money,
and preached for hire, and were covetous and greedy, that could
never have enough; and that they that have the same spirit that
Christ, and the prophets, and the apostles had, could not but
declare against all such now, as they did then. As I spoke, he
several times said, it was very good, and it was truth. I told him
that all Christendom (so called) had the Scriptures, but they
wanted the power and Spirit that those had who gave forth the
Scriptures; and that was the reason they were not in fellowship
with the Son, nor with the Father, nor with the Scriptures, nor one
with another.
Many more words I had with him; but people coming
in, I drew a little back. As I was turning, he caught me by the
hand, and with tears in his eyes said, "Come again to my house; for
if thou and I were but an hour of a day together, we should be
nearer one to the other"; adding that he wished me no more ill than
he did to his own soul. I told him if he did he wronged his own
soul; and admonished him to hearken to God's voice, that he might
stand in his counsel, and obey it; and if he did so, that would
keep him from hardness of heart; but if he did not hear God's
voice, his heart would be hardened. He said it was true.
Then I went out; and when Captain Drury came out
after me he told me the Lord Protector had said I was at liberty,
and might go whither I would.
Then I was brought into a great hall, where the
Protector's gentlemen were to dine. I asked them what they brought
me thither for. They said it was by the Protector's order, that I
might dine with them. I bid them let the Protector know that I
would not eat of his bread, nor drink of his drink. When he heard
this he said, "Now I see there is a people risen that I cannot win
with gifts or honours, offices or places; but all other sects and
people I can." It was told him again that we had forsaken our own
possessions; and were not like to look for such things from
him.
Being set at liberty, I went to the inn where
Captain Drury at first lodged me. This captain, though he sometimes
carried it fairly, was an enemy to me and to Truth, and opposed it.
When professors came to me, while I was under his custody, and he
was by, he would scoff at trembling, and call us Quakers, as the
Independents and Presbyterians had nicknamed us before. But
afterwards he came and told me that, as he was lying on his bed to
rest himself in the daytime, a sudden trembling seized on him; that
his joints knocked together, and his body shook so that he could
not rise from his bed. He was so shaken that he had not strength
enough left to rise. But he felt the power of the Lord was upon
him; and he tumbled off his bed, and cried to the Lord, and said he
would never speak more against the Quakers, such as trembled at the
word of God.
During the time I was prisoner at Charing-Cross,
there came abundance to see me, almost of all sorts, priests,
professors, officers of the army, etc. Once a company of officers,
being with me, desired me to pray with them. I sat still, with my
mind retired to the Lord. At last I felt the power and Spirit of
God move in me; and the Lord's power did so shake and shatter them
that they wondered, though they did not live in it.
Among those that came was Colonel Packer, with
several of his officers. While they were with me, there came in one
Cob, and a great company of Ranters with him. The Ranters began to
call for drink and tobacco; but I desired them to forbear it in my
room, telling them if they had such a mind to it, they might go
into another room. One of them cried, "All is ours"; and another of
them said, "All is well." I replied, "How is all well, while thou
art so peevish envious, and crabbed?" for I saw he was of a peevish
nature. I spake to their conditions, and they were sensible of it,
and looked one upon another, wondering.
Then Colonel Packer began to talk with a light,
chaffy mind, concerning God, and Christ, and the Scriptures. It was
a great grief to my soul and spirit when I heard him talk so
lightly; so that I told him he was too light to talk of the things
of God, for he did not know the solidity of a man. Thereupon the
officers raged, and were wroth that I should speak so of their
colonel.
This Packer was a Baptist, and he and the Ranters
bowed and scraped to one another very much; for it was the manner
of the Ranters to be exceedingly complimentary (as they call it),
so that Packer bade them give over their compliments. But I told
them they were fit to go together, for they were both of one
spirit.
This Colonel Packer lived at Theobald's, near
Waltham, and was made a justice of the peace. He set up a great
meeting of the Baptists at Theobald's Park; for he and some other
officers had purchased it. They were exceedingly high, and railed
against Friends and Truth, and threatened to apprehend me with
their warrants if ever I came there.
Yet after I was set at liberty, I was moved of the
Lord God to go down to Theobald's, and appoint a meeting hard by
them; to which many of his people came, and diverse of his hearers
were convinced of the way of Truth, and received Christ, the free
teacher, and came off from the Baptist; and that made him rage the
more. But the Lord's power came over him, so that he had not power
to meddle with me.
Then I went to Waltham, close by him, and had a
meeting there; but the people were very rude, and gathered about
the house and broke the windows. Thereupon I went out to them, with
the Bible in my hand, and desired them to come in; and told them
that I would show them Scripture both for our principles and
practices. When I had done so, I showed them also that their
teachers were in the steps of such as the prophets, and Christ, and
the apostles testified against. Then I directed them to the Light
of Christ and Spirit of God in their own hearts, that by it they
might come to know their free teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The meeting being ended, they went away quieted and
satisfied, and a meeting hath since been settled in that town. But
this was some time after I was set at liberty by Oliver
Cromwell.
When I came from Whitehall to the Mermaid at
Charing-Cross, I stayed not long there, but went into the city of
London, where we had great and powerful meetings. So great were the
throngs of people that I could hardly get to and from the meetings
for the crowds; and the Truth spread exceedingly. Thomas Aldam, and
Robert Craven, who had been sheriff of London, and many Friends,
came up to London after me; but Alexander Parker abode with me.
After a while I went to Whitehall again, and was
moved to declare the day of the Lord amongst them, and that the
Lord was come to teach His people Himself. So I preached Truth,
both to the officers, and to them that were called Oliver's
gentlemen, who were of his guard. But a priest opposed while I was
declaring the Word of the Lord amongst them; for Oliver had several
priests about him, of which this was his newsmonger, an envious
priest, and a light, scornful, chaffy man. I bade him repent, and
he put it in his newspaper the next week that I had been at
Whitehall and had bidden a godly minister there to repent.
When I went thither again I met with him; and
abundance of people gathered about me. I manifested the priest to
be a liar in several things that he had affirmed; and he was put to
silence. He put in the news that I wore silver buttons; which was
false, for they were but alchemy. Afterwards he put in the
news that I hung ribands on people's arms, which made them follow
me. This was another of his lies, for I never used nor wore ribands
in my life.
Three Friends went to examine this priest, that
gave forth this false intelligence, and to know of him where he had
had that information. He said it was a woman that told him so, and
that if they would come again he would tell them the woman's name.
When they came again he said it was a man, but would not tell them
his name then, but said that if they would come again he would tell
them his name and where he lived.
They went the third time; and then he would not say
who told him; but offered, if I would give it under my hand that
there was no such thing he would put that into the news. Thereupon
the Friends carried it to him under my hand; but when they came he
broke his promise, and would not put it in: but was in a rage, and
threatened them with the constable.
This was the deceitful doing of this forger of
lies; and these lies he spread over the nation in the news, to
render Truth odious and to put evil into people's minds against
Friends and Truth; of which a more large account may be seen in a
book printed soon after this time, for the clearing of Friends and
Truth from the slanders and false reports raised and cast upon
them.
These priests, the newsmongers, were of the
Independent sect, like them in Leicester; but the Lord's power came
over all their lies, and swept them away; and many came to see the
naughtiness of these priests. The God of heaven carried me over all
in His power, and His blessed power went over the nation; insomuch
that many Friends about this time were moved to go up and down to
sound forth the everlasting gospel in most parts of this nation,
and also in Scotland; and the glory of the Lord was felt over all,
to His everlasting praise.
A great convincement there was in London; some in
the Protector's house and family. I went to see him again, but
could not get to him, the officers were grown so rude.
