in wilfulness, stubbornness, or contempt, but only in obedience to the command of Christ and his apostle; and we are content, if we break our yea and nay, to suffer the same penalty as they should that break their oaths. We desire therefore that the king would take this into consideration, also how long we have suffered in this case. This is from one who desires the eternal good and prosperity of the king and of all his subjects in the Lord Jesus Christ. G. F.'

About this time I had a fit of sickness, which brought me very low and weak in my body; and I continued so a pretty while, insomuch that some Friends began to doubt of my recovery. I seemed to myself to be amongst the graves and dead corpses; yet the invisible power did secretly support me, and conveyed refreshing strength into me, even when I was so weak that I was almost speechless. One night as I was lying awake upon my bed in the glory of the Lord which was over all, it was said unto me, 'That the Lord had a great deal more work for me to do for him, before he took me to himself.'

Endeavours were used to get me released, at least for a time till I should grow stronger; but the way of effecting it proving difficult and tedious (for the king was not willing to release me by any other way than a pardon, being told he could not legally do it; and I was not willing to accept of a pardon, which he would readily have given me, because I did not look upon that way as agreeable with the innocence of my cause,) Edward Pitway, having occasion to speak with justice Parker upon business, desired him to give order to the gaoler, That in regard of my weakness, I might have liberty to go out of the gaol into the city. Whereupon justice Parker wrote the following letter to the gaoler, and sent it to the Friend to deliver.

'Mr. Harris,

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'I HAVE been much importuned by some Friends to George Fox, to write to you. I am informed by them, that he is in a very weak condition, and very much indisposed: what lawful favour you can do, for the benefit of the air for his health, pray show him. I suppose, the next term they will make application to the king. I am, Sir,

Your loving Friend,

'Evesham, the 8th of Octob. 1674.'

HENRY PARKER.'

After this, my wife went to London, and spoke to the king; 'laying before him my long and unjust imprisonment, with the manner of my being taken, and the justices' proceedings against me, in tendering me the oath as a snare, whereby they had premunired me: so that I being

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now his prisoner, it was in his power and at his pleasure to release me; which she desired.' The king spoke kindly to her, and referred her to the lord keeper; to whom she went, but could not obtain what she desired; for he said, The king could not release me otherwise than by a pardon;' and I was not free to receive a pardon, knowing I had not done.evil. If I would have been freed by a pardon, I need not have laid so long; for the king was willing to have given me one long before; and told Thomas Moore, That I need not scruple being released by a pardon, for many a man that was as innocent as a child had had a pardon granted him:' yet I could not consent to accept one.. For I had rather have laid in prison all my days, than come out in any way dishonourable to truth: wherefore I chose to have the validity of my indictment tried before the judges. Having first the opinion of a counsellor upon it, (Thomas Corbet of London,. whom Richard Davis of Welchpool was well acquainted with, and recommended to me,) an habeas corpus was sent to Worcester, to bring me up once more to the king's bench bar, for the trial of the errors in my indictment. The under-sheriff set forward with me the fourth of the twelfth month, there being also in the coach the clerk of the peace, and some others. The * clerk had been my enemy all along, and now sought to insnare me in discourse; but I saw, and shunned him. He asked me, What I would do with the errors in the indictment? I told him, They should be tried, and every action should crown itself.' He quarrelled with me for calling their ministers priests. I asked him, If the law did not call them so?' he asked me, What I thought of the church of England? were there no christians among them? I said, They are all called so, and there are many tender people amongst them.' We came to London the eighth of the twelfth month, and the eleventh I was brought before the four judges at the king's bench, where counsellor Corbet started a new plea. He told the judges, They could not imprison any man upon a premunire.' Whereupon the chief justice Hale said, ' Mr. Corbet, you should have come sooner, at the beginning of the term, with this plea.' He answered, 'We could not get a copy of the return and the indictment.' The judge replied, 'You should have told us, and we would have forced them to have made a return sooner.' Then said judge Wild, ‘Mr. Corbet, you go upon general terms; and if it be so as you say, we have committed many errors at the Old Bailey, and in other courts.' Corbet was positive that by law they could not imprison upon a premunire. The judge said, 'There is summons in the statute.' 'Yes,' said Corbet, 'but summons is not imprisonment, for summons is in order to a trial.” 'Well,' said the judge, we must have time to look in our books, and consult the statutes.' So the hearing was put off till next day.

The next day they chose rather to let this plea fall, and begin with

the errors of the indictment; and when they came to be opened, they were so many and gross, that the judges were all of opinion the indictment was quashed and void, and that I ought to have my liberty.' There were that day several great men, Lords and others, who had the oaths of allegiance and supremacy tendered to them in open court, just before my trial came on; and some of my adversaries moved the judges that the oaths might be tendered again to me, telling them, I was a dangerous man to be at liberty.' But judge Hale said, he had indeed heard some such reports, but he had also heard many more good reports of me;' so he, with the rest of the judges, ordered me to be freed by proclamation. Thus after I had suffered imprisonment a year and almost two months, for nothing, I was fairly set at liberty upon a trial of the errors of my indictment, without receiving any pardon, or coming under any obligation or engagement at all; and the Lord's everlasting power went over all, to his glory and praise. Counsellor Corbet got great fame by it; many of the lawyers told him, he had brought that to light which had not been known before, as to the not imprisoning upon a premunire;' and after the trial a judge said to him, you have obtained a great deal of honour by pleading George Fox's cause so in court.'

During the time of my imprisonment in Worcester (notwithstanding my want of health, and being so often hurried to and fro to London and back,) I wrote several books for the press, one whereof was called, 'A warning to England;' another was, 'To the Jews, proving by the prophets, that the Messiah is come;' another, Concerning inspiration, revelation, and prophecy;' another, Against all vain disputes;' another, For all bishops and ministers to try themselves by the scriptures;' another, To such as say, we love none but ourselves;' another, entitled, 'Our testimony concerning Christ;' and another little book, 'Concerning swearing,' being the first of those two given to the parliament. Besides these, I wrote many papers and epistles to Friends, to encourage and strengthen them in their services for God, which some (who made profession of truth, but had given way to a seducing spirit, and were departed from the unity and fellowship of the gospel, in which Friends stand) endeavoured to discourage them from; especially in their diligent and watchful care for the well-ordering and managing the affairs of the church of Christ.

Being at liberty, I visited Friends in London; and having been very weak, and not yet well recovered, I went to Kingston; and having visited Friends there, returned to London, wrote a paper to the parliament, and sent several books to them. A great book against swearing had been delivered to them a little before; the reasonableness whereof had so much influence, that it was thought they would have done something towards our relief if they had sat longer. I staid in and near London

till the Yearly Meeting, to which Friends came from most parts of the nation, and some from beyond sea. A glorious meeting we had in the everlasting power of God.

This meeting over, and the parliament risen (who had done nothing for nor against Friends) I was clear of my service for the Lord at London. And having taken my leave of Friends there, and had a glorious meeting with some of them at John Elson's in the morning, I set forward with my wife and her daughter Susan by coach (for I was not able to travel on horseback) towards the north, many Friends accompanying us as far as Highgate, and some to Dunstable, where we lodged that night. We visited Friends and were visited by them at Newport-Pagnel, Northampton, and Cossel, where, amongst others, came a woman, and brought her daughter for me to see how well she was; putting me in mind, that when I was there before, she had brought her to me much troubled with the king's evil, and had then desired me to pray for her.' Which I did, and she mended upon it; praised be the Lord! From Cossel we went by John Simcock's and William Gandy's to Warrington, Preston, and Lancaster.

I had not been at Lancaster since I was carried prisoner from thence by the under-sheriff and gaoler, towards Scarborough castle in Yorkshire. I found the town full of people; for it was fair-time, and the trained bands were met upon a general muster. Many Friends were also in town from several parts of the county, because the Quarterly Meeting was to be there next day. I staid two nights and a day at Lancaster, and visited Friends both at their men's and women's meetings, which were very full, large, and peaceable; for the Lord's power was over all, and none meddled with us. Here met us Thomas Lower and his wife, Sarah Fell, James Lancaster, and Leonard Fell. The next day after the meeting, the twenty-fifth of the fourth month, we went over the Sands, with several other Friends to Swarthmore.

After I had been awhile at Swarthmore, several Friends from divers parts of the nation came to visit me, and some out of Scotland; by whom I understood, four young students of Aberdeen were convinced there this year, at a dispute held by Robert Barclay and George Keith with some of the scholars of that university.

Among others, colonel Kirby paid me a visit, who had been one of my great persecutors; but now he said he came to bid me welcome into the country, and carried himself in appearance very lovingly; yet before I left Swarthmore he sent for the constables of Ulverstone, and ordered them to tell me, that we must have no more meetings at Swarthmore ; for if we had, they were commanded by him to break them up, and were to come the next first-day.' That day we had a very precious meeting, the Lord's presence was wonderful amongst us, and the consta

bles did not come to disturb us. The meetings have been quiet since, and have increased.

The illness I got in my imprisonment at Worcester had so much weakened me, it was long before I recovered my natural strength again. For which reason, and as I had many things lay upon me to write for public and private service, I did not stir much abroad during the time I now staid in the north; but when Friends were not with me, spent pretty much time in writing books and papers for truth's service. While I was at Swarthmore, I gave several to be printed; viz.

One, Concerning swearing.'

Another showing, 'That none are successors to the prophets and apostles, but who succeed them in the same power and holy ghost that they were in.'

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Another showing, That possession is above profession; and how the professors now do persecute Christ in spirit, as the professing Jews did persecute him outwardly in the days of his flesh.'

Another little book, 'To the magistrates of Dantzick.'

Another called, Cain against Abel; or, an answer to the NewEngland men's laws.'

Another, To Friends at Nevis, concerning watching.'

Another, A general epistle to all Friends in America.'

Another, Concerning Cæsar's due, and God's due, &c.'
Another, 'Concerning ordering of families.'

Another, entitled, "The spiritual man judgeth all things.'
Another, Concerning the higher power.'

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Besides these, I wrote several epistles to Friends, both in England and beyond the seas; and answers to divers papers concerning the running out of some who had opposed the order of the gospel,' had stirred up a great deal of strife and contention in Westmoreland. Wherefore I was moved to write a few lines particulary to Friends there.

ALL live in the power of God, in his light and spirit, which did first convince you; that in it ye may keep in the ancient unity, in humility, in the fear of the Lord, and his gentle and peaceable wisdom, which is easy to be entreated. That in the same power, light, and spirit of God ye may be serviceable in your men's and women's meetings, in the possession of the gospel-order; which gospel, the power of God, hath brought life and immortality to light; that in this ye may see over him that hath darkened you. In this power no apostates can come; for the power of God was before apostates were, or the fall of man and woman was, or the devil either, and will be when he is gone. Therefore praise God in the eternal fellowship of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ, which is