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and came to the meeting, and we were well refreshed together in the Lord. Next day, the ninth of the ninth month, I got to London, where Friends received me with great joy; and the first-day following went to Gracechurch-street meeting, where the Lord visited us with his refreshing presence, and the glory of the Lord surrounded the meeting: praised be the Lord!

After I had been a little while in London, I wrote the following letter to my wife:

DEAR HEART,-To whom is my love, and to the children, and to all the rest of Friends in the Lord's truth, power, and seed, that is over all; glory to the Lord, and blessed be his name for ever beyond all words! who hath carried me through and over many trials and dangers in his eternal power! I have been twice at Gracechurch-street meeting; and though opposite spirits were there, yet all was quiet; the dew of heaven fell upon the people, and the glory of the Lord shined over all. Every day I am fain to be at meetings about business, and sufferings, which are great abroad; and now many Friends are concerned with many persons about them: so in haste, with my love to you all- G. F. London, the 24th of the 9th month, 1677.'

About this time I received letters from New-England, which gave account of the magistrates' and rulers' cruel and unchristian proceedings against Friends there, whipping and abusing them very shamefully; for they whipped many women Friends. One woman they tied to a cart, and dragged her along the street, she being stripped above the waist. Yea, they whipped some masters of ships, that were not Friends, only for bringing Friends thither. At that very time, while they were persecuting Friends in this barbarous manner, the Indians slew threescore of their men, took one of their captains, and flayed the skin off his head while he was alive, and carried it away in triumph: so that the sober people said, "the judgments of God came upon them for persecuting the Quakers:" but the blind, dark priests said, "it was because they did not persecute them enough." Great exercise I had in seeking relief here for poor suffering Friends there, that they might not lie under the rod of the wicked.

Upon this and other services for truth I staid in London a month or five weeks, visiting meetings, and helping and encouraging Friends to labour for the deliverance of their suffering brethren in other parts. Afterwards I went to Kingston, and visited Friends there and thereaway. Having staid a little among Friends there, overlooking a book which I had then ready to go to the press, I went into Buckinghamshire, visiting Friends, and had several meetings amongst them at Amersham, Hunger

hill, Jordans, Hedgerly, Wickham, and Turvil-heath. In some of which, those that were gone out from the unity of Friends in truth, into strife, opposition, and division, were very unruly and troublesome; particularly at the men's meeting at Thomas Ellwood's, at Hungerhill, where the chief of them came from Wickham, endeavouring to make disturbance, and to hinder Friends from proceeding in the business of the meeting. When I saw their design, I admonished them to be sober and quiet, and not trouble the meeting, by interrupting the service thereof; but rather, if they were dissatisfied with Friends' proceedings, and had any thing to object, let a meeting be appointed on purpose some other day. So Friends offered to give them a meeting another day; which at length was agreed to be at Thomas Ellwood's the week following. Accordingly Friends met them there, and the meeting was in the barn; for there came so many, the house could not receive them. After we had sat awhile, they began their jangling. Most of their arrows were shot at me; but the Lord was with me, and gave me strength in his power to cast back their darts of envy and falsehood upon themselves. Their objections were answered; things were opened to the people; and a good opportunity it was, and serviceable to the truth; many that before were weak, were now strengthened and confirmed; some that were doubting and wavering were satisfied and settled; and faithful Friends were refreshed and comforted in the springing of life amongst us: for the power rose, and life sprung, and in the arisings thereof, many living testimonies were borne against that wicked, dividing, rending spirit, which those opposers were joined to and acted by: and the meeting ended to the satisfaction of Friends. That night I lodged, with other Friends, at Thomas Ellwood's; and the same week I had a meeting again with those opposers at Wickham, where they again showed their envy, and were made manifest to the upright-hearted.

After I had visited Friends in that upper side of Buckinghamshire, I called at Henley, in Oxfordshire, and went by Causham to Reading, where I was at meeting on first-day, and in the evening had a large meeting with Friends. Next day there being another meeting about settling a women's meeting, some of those that had let in the spirit of division fell into jangling, and were disorderly for awhile, till the weight of truth brought them down. After this I passed on, visiting Friends, and having meetings in several places, through Berkshire and Wiltshire, till I came to Bristol, which was on the 24th day of the 11th month, just before the fair.

I staid at Bristol the time of the fair, and sometime after. Many sweet and precious meetings we had; many Friends being there from several parts of the nation, some on account of trade, and some in the service of truth. Great was the love and unity of Friends that abode VOL. II.

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faithful in the truth, though some were gone out of the holy unity, and were run into strife, division, and enmity, were rude and abusive, and behaved themselves in a very unchristian manner towards me. But the Lord's power was over all; by which being preserved in the heavenly patience, which can bear injuries for his name's sake, I felt dominion therein over the rough, rude, and unruly spirits; and left them to the Lord, who knew my innocency, and would plead my cause. The more these laboured to reproach and vilify me, the more did the love of Friends, that were sincere and upright-hearted abound towards me; and some that had been betrayed by the adversaries, seeing their envy and rude behaviour, broke off from them; who have cause to bless the Lord for their deliverance.

When I left Bristol, I went with Richard Snead to a house of his in the country, and from thence to Hezekiah Coale's, at Winterburn, in Gloucestershire, whither came several Friends that were under very great sufferings for truth's sake, whom I had invited to meet me there. Stephen Smith, Richard Snead, and I, drew up a breviate of their sufferings, setting forth the illegal proceedings against them; which was delivered to the judges at the assizes at Gloucester; and they promised to put a stop to those illegal proceedings. Next day we passed to Sudbury, and had a large meeting in the meeting-house, which at that time was of very good service. We went next day to Nathaniel Crips', at Tedbury, and from thence to Nailsworth; where on first day we had a brave meeting and large. From thence we went to the Quarterly Meeting at Finchcomb, where were several of the opposite spirit, who (it was thought,) intended to have made disturbance amongst Friends; but the Lord's power was over, and kept them down, and good service for the Lord we had at that meeting. We returned from Finchcomb to Nailsworth, and had another very precious meeting there, to which Friends came from the several meetings thereabouts; which made it very large also.

We went from Nailsworth the first of the first month, 1677-8, and travelled, visiting Friends, and having many meetings at Cirencester, Crown-Allins, Cheltenham, Stoke-Orchard, Tewksbury, &c. so went to Worcester, where I had formerly suffered imprisonment above a year for the truth's sake; and Friends rejoiced greatly to see me there again. Here I staid several days, and had many very precious meetings in the city, and much service amongst Friends. After which I had meetings at Pershore and Evesham; then struck to Ragley, in Warwickshire, to visit the lady Conway, who I understood was very desirous to see me, and whom I found tender and loving, and willing to have detained me longer than I had freedom to stay. About two miles from hence I had two meetings at a Friend's house, whose name was John Stanley,

whither William Dewsbury came, and staid with me about half a day. I visited Friends in their meetings at Stratford, Lamcoat, and Armscott, (from whence I was sent prisoner to Worcester in the year 1673,) and thence passed into Oxfordshire, visiting Friends, and having meetings at Sibbard, North-Newton, Banbury, Adderbury, &c. Then visiting Friends through Buckinghamshire, at Long-Crendon, Ilmer, Mendle, Weston, Cholsberry, Chesham, &c. I came to Isaac Pennington's, where I staid a few days; then turning into Hertfordshire, visited Friends at Charlewood, Watford, Hempstead, and Market-street, at which places I had meetings with Friends. From Market-street I went in the morning to Luton, in Bedfordshire, to see John Crook, with whom I spent good part of the day, and went towards evening to Alban's, where I lay that night at an inn. And visiting Friends at South-Mims, Barnet, and Hendon, where I had meetings, I came to London the eighth of the third month. It being the fourth-day, I went to Gracechurch-street meeting, which was peaceable and well; many Friends, not knowing I was come to town, were very joyful to see me there, and the Lord was present with us, refreshing us with his living virtue; blessed be his holy

name!

The parliament was sitting when I came to town, and Friends having laid their sufferings before them, were waiting on them for relief against the laws made against popish recusants, which they knew we were not; though some malicious magistrates took advantage to prosecute us in several parts of the nation upon those statutes. Friends being attending that service, when I came, I joined them therein; and some probability there was that something might have been obtained towards Friends' ease and relief in that case, many of the parliament-men being tender and loving towards us, as believing we were much misrepresented by our adversaries. But when I went one morning with George Whitehead, to the parliament-house, to attend them on Friends' behalf, on a sudden they were prorogued, though but for a short time.

About two weeks after I came to London the Yearly Meeting began, to which Friends came out of most parts of the nation, and a glorious heavenly meeting we had. Oh the glory, majesty, love, life, wisdom and unity, that was amongst us! the power reigned over all, and many testimonies were borne therein against that ungodly spirit which sought to make rents and divisions amongst the Lord's people; but not one mouth was opened amongst us in its defence, or on its behalf. Good and comfortable accounts also we had, for the most part, from Friends in other countries; of which I find a brief account in a letter which soon after I wrote to my wife, the copy whereof here follows:

'DEAR HEART,-To whom is my love in the everlasting seed of life, that reigns over all. Great meetings here have been and the Lord's power hath been stirring through all, the like hath not been. The Lord hath in his power knit Friends wonderfully together, and his glorious presence did appear among Friends. And now the meetings are over (blessed be the Lord!) in quietness and peace. From Holland I hear that things are well there. Some Friends are gone that way, to be at the Yearly Meeting at Amsterdam. At Embden, Friends that were banished are got into the city again. At Dantzick, Friends are in prison and the magistrates threatened them with harder imprisonment; but the next day, the Lutherans rose, and plucked down or defaced the popish monastery, so they have work enough themselves. The king of Poland did receive my letter, and read it himself; and Friends have since printed it in High Dutch. By letters from the Half-yearly Meeting in Ireland I hear they are all in love there. At Barbadoes Friends are in quietness, and their meetings settled in peace. At Antigua also, and Nevis truth prospers, and Friends have their meetings orderly and well. Likewise in New-England, and other places, things concerning truth and Friends are well; and in those places the men's and women's meetings are settled; blessed be the Lord! so keep in God's power and seed, that is over all, in whom ye all have life and salvation; for the Lord reigns over all, in his glory, and in his kingdom; glory to his name for ever. Amen! So in haste, with my love to you all, and to all Friends. 'G. F.

'London, the 26th of the 3d month, 1678.'

The letter to the king of Poland, before mentioned, is as followeth :

'To Johannes III. king of Poland, &c.

'O KING!--We desire thy prosperity both in this life and that which is to come. And we desire that we may have our christian liberty to serve and worship God under thy dominion: for our principle leads us not to do any thing prejudicial to the king or his people. We are a people that exercise a good conscience towards God through his holy spirit, and in it do serve, worship, and honour him; and towards men in the things that are equal and just, doing to them as we would have then do unto us; looking unto Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith; which faith purifies our hearts, and brings us to have access to God; without which we cannot please him: by which faith all the just live, as the scripture declares. That which we desire of thee, O king, is, that we may have the liberty of our consciences to serve and worship God, and to pray unto him in our meetings together in the name of Jesus, as he commands: with a promise that he will be in the midst of

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