Northumberland, and came to old Thomas Bewley's, in Cumberland. Friends came about me, and asked, 'Would I come there to go into prison?' For there was great persecution in that country at that time; yet I had a general meeting at Thomas Bewleys', which was large and precious; and the Lord's power was over all.

One Musgrave was at that time deputy-governor of Carlisle, and I passing along that country, came to a man's house that had been convinced, whose name was Fletcher; and he told me, 'If Musgrave knew I was there, he would be sure to send me to prison, he was such a severe man.' But I staid not, only called on the way to see this man, then went on to William Pearson's near Wigton, where this meeting was, which was very large and precious. Some Friends were then prisoners at Carlisle, whom . I visited by a letter, which Leonard Fell carried. From William Pearson's I visited Friends till I came to Pardsey-crag, where we had a general meeting, which was large, quiet, and peaceable, and the glorious, powerful presence of the everlasting God was with us.

So eager were the magistrates about this time to stir up persecution in those parts, that some offered five shillings, some a noble a day, to any that could apprehend the speakers amongst Quakers; but it being now the time of the quarter-sessions in that county, the men who were so hired were gone to the sessions to get their wages, so all our meetings were at that time quiet.

From Pardsey-crag we went into Westmoreland, calling in the way upon Hugh Tickell, near Keswick, and upon Thomas Laythes, where Friends came to visit us; and we had a fine opportunity to be refreshed together. We went that night to Francis Benson's, in Westmoreland, near justice Fleming's. This justice was at that time in a great rage against Friends, and me in particular; insomuch that in the open sessions at Kendal, just before, he had bid five pounds to any man that should take me,' as Francis Benson told me. And it seems, as I went to this Friend's house, I met one man coming from the sessions that had this five pounds offered him to take me, and he knew me; for as I passed by him, he said to his companion, that is George Fox:' yet he had not power to touch me; for the Lord's power preserved me over them all. The justices being so eager to have me, and I being so often nigh them, and yet they missing me, it tormented them the more.

I went from thence to James Taylor's at Cartmel in Lancashire, where I staid first-day, and had a precious meeting. After which I came over the Sands to Swarthmore.

There they told me colonel Kirby had sent his lieutenant, who had searched trunks and chests for me. That night as I was in bed, I was moved of the Lord to go next day to Kirby-hall, which was colonel Kirby's house about five miles off, to speak with him. When I came

thither, I found there the Flemings, and several others of the gentry (so called,) of the country, who were come to take their leave of colonel Kirby, he being then to go up to London to the parliament. I was had into the parlour amongst them; but colonel Kirby was not then within, being gone out a little way. They said little to me, nor I much to them. But after a little while colonel Kirby came in, and then I told him, ‘I came to visit him, understanding he was desirous to see me, to know what he had to say to me, and whether he had any thing against me?' He said, before all the company, as he was a gentleman, he had nothing against me. But,' said he, mistress Fell must not keep great meetings at her house, for they met contrary to the act.' I told him, that act did not take hold on us, but on such as met to plot and contrive, and raise insurrections against the king; whereas we were no such people: for he knew they that met at Margaret Fell's were his neighbours, and a peaceable people.' After many words had passed, he shook me by the hand, and said again, he had nothing against me;' and others of them said, 'I was a deserving man.' So we parted, and I returned to Swarthmore.

Shortly after, when colonel Kirby was gone to London, there was a private meeting of the justices and deputy-lieutenants at Houlker-hall, where justice Preston lived; where they granted a warrant to apprehend me. I heard over night both of their meeting and of the warrant, and could have gone out of their reach if I would; for I had not appointed any meeting at that time, and I had cleared myself of the north, and the Lord's power was over all. But I considered, there being a noise of a plot in the north, if I should go away they might fall upon Friends; but if I gave myself up to be taken, it might prevent them, and Friends should escape the better; so I gave myself up to be taken, and prepared against they came. Next day an officer came with his sword and pistols to take me. I told him, I knew his errand before, and had given up myself to be taken; for if I would have escaped their imprisonment, I could have been forty miles off before he came; but I was an innocent man, and so mattered not what they could do to me.' He asked me, how I heard of it, seeing the order was made privately in a parlour?' I said, it was no matter for that, it was sufficient that I heard of it. I asked him to let me see his order; whereupon he laid his hand on his sword, and said 'I must go with him before the lieutenants, to answer such questions as they should propound to me.' I told him, it was but civil and reasonable for him to let me see his order; but he would not. Then said I, I am ready. So I went along with him, and Margaret Fell accompanied us to Houlker-hall. When we came thither, there was one Rawlinson, a justice, and one called Sir George Middleton, and many more that I did not know, besides old justice Preston, who lived

there. They brought Thomas Atkinson, a Friend, of Cartnell, as a witness against me, for some words which he had told to one Knipe, who had informed them; which words were, that I had written against the plotters, and had knocked them down.' These words they could not make much of; for I told them I had heard of a plot and had written against it. Then old Preston asked me, whether I had an hand in that script? I asked him what he meant? he said, in the Battledore? I answered, yes. Then he asked me, whether I did understand languages?" I said, sufficient for myself; and that I knew no law that was transgressed by it. I told them also, that to understand those outward languages, was no matter of salvation; for the many tongues began but at the confusion of Babel: and if I did understand any thing of them, I judged and knocked them down again for any matter of salvation that was in them.' Thereupon he turned away, and said, 'George Fox knocks down all the languages. Come,' said he, we will examine you of higher matters.'

Then said George Middleton, you deny God, and the church, and the faith.' I replied, nay: I own God, and the true church, and the true faith. But what church dost thou own?' said I, (for I understood he was a Papist.) Then he turned again, and said, 'you are a rebel and a traitor.' I asked him, whom he spoke to? or whom did he call a rebel? He was so full of envy, that for awhile he could not speak; but at last he said, he spoke it to me.' With that I struck my hand on the table, and told him that I had suffered more than twenty such as he, or than any that were there; for I had been cast into Derby prison for six months together, and had suffered much because I would not take up arms against this king before Worcester fight. I had been sent up prisoner out of my own country, by colonel Hacker, to O. Cromwell, as a plotter to bring in king Charles, in the year 1654; and I had nothing but love and good will to the king, and desired the eternal good and welfare of him and all his subjects.' 'Did you ever hear the like?' said Middleton. Nay,' said I, 'ye may hear it again, if ye will. For ye talk of the king, a company of you; but where were ye in Oliver's days? and what did ye do then for him? but I have more love to the king for his eternal good and welfare than any of you have.'

Then they asked me, whether I had heard of the plot?' I said, 'yes, I had heard of it.' They asked me, how I had heard of it? and whom I knew in it? I told them, I had heard of it through the high-sheriff of Yorkshire, who had told Dr. Hodgson "there was a plot in the north;" that was the way I heard of it; but I never heard of any such thing in the south, nor till I came into the north. And as for knowing any in the plot, I was as a child in that, for I knew none of them.' Then they said, 'why would you write against it, if you had not known some that were in it? I said, 'my reason was, because you are so forward to mash VOL. II.

4

the innocent and guilty together; therefore I wrote against it to clear the truth from such things, and to stop all forward foolish spirits from running into such things." I sent copies of it into Westmoreland, Cumberland, Bishoprick, Yorkshire, and to you here. I sent another copy of it to the king and his council, and it is like it may be in print by this time.' One of them said, 'O! this man hath great power!' I said, yes, I had power to write against plotters. Then said one of them, you are against the laws of the land.' I answered, nay; for I and my friends direct all people to the spirit of God in them to mortify the deeds of the flesh, this brings them into well-doing, and from that which the magistrates' sword is against, which eases the magistrates, who are for the punishment of evil-doers. So people being turned to the spirit of God, which brings them to mortify the deeds of the flesh, this brings them from under the occasion of the magistrates' sword. This must needs be one with the magistracy, and one with the law, which was added because of transgression, and is for the praise of them that do well. In this we establish the law, are an ease to the magistrates, and are not against, but stand for all good government.'

Then George Middleton cried, bring the book, and put the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to him.' He being a Papist, I asked him, 'whether he had taken the oath of supremacy, who was a swearer? but as for us, we could not swear at all, because Christ and his apostle had forbidden it.' Some of them would not have had the oath put to me, but have set me at liberty. The rest would not agree to it; for this was their last snare, and they had no other way to get me into prison, as all other things had been cleared to them. This was like the Papists' sacrament of the altar, by which they ensnared the martyrs. So they tendered me the oath, which I could not take: whereupon they were about to make my mittimus to send me to Lancaster gaol; but considering of it, they only engaged me to appear at the sessions, and for that time dismissed me. I went back with Margaret Fell to Swarthmore, and soon after colonel West came to see me, who was at that time a justice of the peace. He told us, he acquainted some of the rest of the justices, that he would come and see Margaret Fell and me; but it may be,' said he, 'some of you will take offence at it.' I asked him, what he thought they would do with me at the sessions? he said, they would tender the oath to me again.'

Whilst I was at Swarthmore, William Kirby came into Swarthmore meeting, and brought the constables with him. I was sitting with Friends in the meeting, and he said to me, How now, Mr. Fox! you have a fine company here.' 'Yes,' said I, 'we meet to wait upon the Lord.' So he began to take the names of Friends, and those that did not readily tell him their names, he committed to the constables' hands, and sent some

to prison. The constables were unwilling to take them without a warrant, whereupon he threatened to set them by the heels; but the constable told him, he could keep them in his presence, but after he was gone he could not keep them without a warrant.'

6

The sessions coming on, I went to Lancaster, and appeared according to my engagement. There was upon the bench justice Fleming, who had bid five pounds in Westmoreland to any man that would apprehend me; for he was a justice both in Westmoreland and Lancashire. There were also justice Spencer, colonel West, and old justice Rawlinson, the lawyer, who gave the charge, and was very sharp against truth and Friends; but the Lord's power stopped them. The session was large, the concourse of people great, and way being made for me, I came up to the bar, and stood with my hat on, they looking earnestly upon me and I upon them for a pretty space. Then proclamation being made 'for all to keep silence upon pain of imprisonment;' and all being quiet, I said twice, Peace be among you.' The chairman asked, if I knew where I was?' I said, 'Yes, I do; but it may be, said I, my hat offends you. That is a low thing, that is not the honour that I give to magistrates, for the true honour is from above; which said I, I have received, and I hope it is not the hat which ye look upon to be the honour.' The chairman said, 'They looked for the hat too,' and asked, wherein I showed my respect to magistrates, if I did not put off my hat?' I replied, ' in coming when they called me.' Then they bid one, take off my hat.' After which it was some time before they spoke to me, and I felt the power of the Lord to arise. After some pause, old justice Rawlinson (the chairman,) asked me, 'If I knew of the plot?' I told him, 'I heard of it in Yorkshire by a Friend, who had it from the high-sheriff.' They asked me, Whether I had declared it to the magistrates?' I said, 'I had sent papers abroad against plots and plotters, and also to you, as soon as I came into the country, to take all jealousies out of your minds concerning me and my friends; for it is our principle to declare against such things.' They asked me then, 'If I knew not of an act against meetings?' I said, I knew there was an act that took hold of such as met to the terrifying of the king's subjects, were enemies to the king, and held dangerous principles; but I hoped they did not look upon us to be such men, for our meetings were not to terrify the king's subjects, neither were we enemies to him or any man.' Then they tendered me the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. I told them, I could not take any oath at all, because Christ and his apostle had forbidden it; and they had had sufficient experience of swearers, first one way, then another; but I had never taken any oath in my life.' Rawlinson asked me, 'Whether I held it was unlawful to swear? This question he put on purpose to ensnare me; for by an act that was made, such were liable to banishment or a great fine, that should say, it was unlawful to swear.'