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and exhort such as did not walk as became the gospel. And indeed, these meetings made a great reformation amongst people, insomuch that the very justices took notice of the usefulness and service thereof.

Richard Hambery and his wife accompanied us a day's journey, visiting Friends, till we came to a widow's, where we lay that night. From thence we passed over the hills, next day, visiting Friends, and declaring the truth to people, till we came to another widow's, where we had a meeting. The woman could not speak English; yet she praised the Lord for sending us to visit them.

We travelled till we came to Swansey, where on the first-day we had a large and precious meeting, the Lord's presence being eminently amongst us. On a week-day afterwards we had a general meeting beyond Swansey, of men Friends from Swansey, Tenby, Haverfordwest, and other places; and the Monthly Meetings were settled in the gospel order, and received by Friends in the power of the Lord; whose truth was over all.

From hence we endeavoured to get over the water into Cornwall: and in order thereunto went back through Swansey to Mumbles, thinking to have got passage there; but the master deceived us; for though he had promised to carry us, when we came he would not. We went to another place, where was a passage-boat, into which we got our horses; but some rude men in the boat (though called gentlemen,) threatened to pistol the master if he took us in; who, being afraid of them, turned our horses out again; which put us out of hopes of getting over that way. Wherefore, turning back into the country, we staid up all night; and about the second hour in the morning took horse, and travelled till we came near Cardiff, where we staid one night. The next day we came to Newport, and it being market-day there, several Friends came to us, with whom we sat awhile; and after a fine refreshing season together, we parted from them, and went forward.

Beyond this market-town we overtook a man who lingered on the way, as if he staid for somebody; but when we came up to him, he rode along with us and asked us many questions. At length meeting with two, who seemed to be pages to some great persons, he took acquaintance with them; and I heard him tell them he would stop us, and take us up. We rode on; and when he came to us, and would have stopped us, I told him, 'none ought to stop us on the king's highway, for it was as free for us as for them;' and I was moved to exhort him to fear the Lord. Then he galloped away before us; and I perceived his intent was to stop us at Shipton, in Wales, a garrison-town, through which we were to pass. When we were come to Shipton, John-ap-John being with me, we walked down the hill into the town, leading our horses. It being market-day there, several Friends met us, and would have had us VOL. II.-10

to an inn. But we were not to go into any inn, so we walked directly through the town over the bridge, and then were out of the limits of that town. Thus the Lord's everlasting arm and power preserved us, and carried us over in his work and service.

The next first-day we had a large meeting in the forest of Dean; and all was quiet. Next day we passed over the water to Oldstone; where after we had visited Friends, we came again to William Yeoman's, at Jubb's Court, in Somersetshire. From thence we went to a meeting at Posset, whither several Friends of Bristol came to us. After which we went further into the country, and had several large meetings. The Lord's living presence was with us, supporting and refreshing us in our labour and travel in his service.

We came to a place near Minehead, where we had a general meeting of the men Friends in Somersetshire. There came also a cheat, whom some friendly people would have had me to have taken along with me. I saw he was a cheat; therefore bid them bring him to me, and see whether he could look me in the face. Some were ready to think I was too hard towards him, because I would not let him go along with me; but when they brought him to me, he was not able to look me in the face, but looked hither and thither; for he was indeed a cheat, and had cheated a priest, by pretending himself to be a minister, and had got the priest's suit, and went away with it.

After the meeting we passed to Minehead, where we tarried that night. In the night I had an exercise upon me, from a sense I had of a dark spirit that was working and striving to get up to disturb the church of Christ. Next morning I was moved to write a few lines to Friends, as a warning thereof, as follows:

DEAR FRIENDS,-Live in the power of the Lord God, in his seed that is set over all, and is over all trials that you may have from the dark spirit, which would be owned in its actings, and thrust itself amongst you; which is not come as yet: but in the power of the Lord God, and his seed, keep over it, and bring it to condemnation. For I felt a kind of dark spirit thrusting itself up towards you, and heaving up last night; but you may keep it down with the power of God; that the witness may arise to condemn its actings, so far as it hath spread its dark works before it have any admittance. So no more, but my love in the seed of God, which changeth not.

'Minehead in Somersetshire, the

G. F.

22d of the 4th month, 1668.'

The next day several Friends of Minehead accompanied us as far as Barnstable and Appledon in Devonshire, where we had a meeting.

Barnstable had been a bloody persecuting town. There were two men Friends of that town, who had been a great while at sea; and coming home to visit their relations (one of them having a wife and children,) the mayor of the town sent for them, under pretence of discourse with them; and put the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to them. Because they could not swear, he sent them to Exeter gaol, where judge Archer premunired them, and kept them till one of them died in prison. When I heard of this, I was moved to write a letter to judge Archer, and another to that mayor of Barnstable, laying their wicked and unchristian actions upon their heads; and letting them know, that the blood of that man would be required at their hands.'

After a precious meeting at Appledon among some faithful Friends there, we passed to Stratton, and staid at an inn all night. Next day we rode to Humphrey Lower's, where we had a very precious meeting; the next day to Truro; so visiting Friends till we came to the Land's End. Then coming by the south part of that county, we visited Friends till we came to Tregangeeves, where at Loveday Hambley's we had a general meeting for all the county; in which the Monthly Meetings were settled in the Lord's power, and in the blessed order of the gospel; that all who were faithful might admonish and exhort such as walked not according to the gospel; that so the house of God might be kept clean, righteousness might run down, and all unrighteousness be swept away. Several, who had run out, were brought to condemn what they had done amiss; and through repentance came in again.

Being clear of that county, we came into Devonshire, and had a meeting amongst Friends at Plymouth. Whence passing to Richard Brown's, we came to the widow Philips', where we had some men Friends from all the meetings together; and there the men's Monthly Meetings were settled in the heavenly order of the gospel, the power of God; which answered the witness of God in all. There was a great noise of a troop of horse coming to disturb our meeting; but the Lord's power prevented it, and preserved us in peace and safety.

After things were well settled, and the meeting done, we came to King's bridge and visited Friends thereaway. Then (leaving Friends in those parts well settled in the power of God,) we passed to Topsham and Membury, visiting Friends, and having many meetings in the way till we came to Ilchester in Somersetshire. Here we had a general men's meeting, and therein settled the men's Monthly Meetings for that county in the Lord's everlasting power, the order of the gospel. After the meetings were settled, and Friends refreshed, comforted in the Lord's power, and established upon Christ, their rock and foundation, we passed to Puddimore; where, at William Beatons', we had a blessed meeting and all was quiet: though the constables had threatened before.

When we had visited most of the meetings in Somersetshire, we passed into Dorsetshire to George Harris', where we had a large men's meeting. There all the men's Monthly Meetings for that county were settled in the glorious order of the gospel; that all in the power of God might seek that which was lost, bring again that which was driven away; cherish the good, and reprove the evil.'

Then having visited the meetings of Friends through the country we came to Southampton, where we had a large meeting on the first day. From thence we went to Capt. Reaves', where the general men's meeting for Hampshire was appointed; to which some from all parts of the county came, and a blessed meeting we had. The men's Monthly Meetings for that county were settled in the order of the gospel, which had brought life and immortality to light in them.

But there came a rude company who had run into Ranterism, and had opposed and disturbed our meetings much. One of the women had lain with a man, who had declared it at the Market-cross, and gloried in his wickedness. A company of these lewd people lived together, at a house hard by the place of our meeting. I went to the house, and told them of their wickedness. The man of the house asked, 'Why did I make so strange of that? Another of them said, 'It was to stumble me.' I told them, 'Their wickedness should not stumble me; for I was above it.' And I was moved of the Lord to tell them, 'The plagues and judgments of God would overtake them, and come upon them.' Afterwards they went up and down the country, till at last they were cast into Winchester gaol; where the man that had lain with the woman stabbed the gaoler, but not mortally. After they were let out of gaol, this fellow that stabbed the gaoler hanged himself. The woman also had like to have cut a child's throat, as we were informed. These people had formerly lived about London; and, when the city was fired, they prophesied, That all the rest of London should be burnt within fourteen days,' and hasted out of town. Though they were Ranters, great opposers of Friends, and disturbers of our meetings, yet in the country where they came, some would be apt to say they were Quakers. Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to write a paper, to be dispersed amongst the magistrates and people of Hampshire, to clear Friends and truth of them and their wicked actions.

After the men's Monthly Meetings in those parts were settled, and the Lord's blessed power was over all, we went to a town where we had a meeting with Friends. From thence we came to Farnham, where we met many Friends, it being a market-day. We had many precious meetings up and down that country. Friends in those parts had formerly been plundered, and their goods much spoiled, on account of tithes,

and for going to meetings; but the Lord's power at this time preserved both them and us from falling into the persecutors' hands.

We had a general men's meeting at a Friend's house in Surry; who had been plundered so extremely, that he had scarce a cow, horse, or swine left. The constables threatened to come and break up our meeting; but the Lord restrained them. At this meeting the men's Monthly Meetings were settled in the authority of the heavenly power. After we had visited Friends in that county, and had many large and precious meetings, we passed to a Friend's house in Sussex, where the general meeting for the men Friends of that county was appointed to be held; and thither came several from London to visit us. We had a blessed meeting; and the men's Monthly Meetings for that county were then settled in the Lord's eternal power, the gospel of salvation; that all in it might keep to the order of the gospel. There were at that time great threatenings of disturbance; but the meeting was quiet. We had several large meetings in that county; though Friends were in great sufferings there, and many in prison. I was sent for to visit a Friend that was sick, and went to see Friends that were prisoners. There was danger of my being apprehended; but I went in the faith of God's power, and thereby the Lord preserved me in safety.

We passed into Kent; where, after we had been at several meetings we had a general one for the men Friends of that county. There also the men's Monthly Meetings for that county were settled in the power of God, and established in the order of the gospel, for all the heirs of it to enter into their services and care in the church for the glory of God. Friends rejoiced in the order of the gospel, and were glad of the settlement thereof which is not of man, nor by man.

After this I visited the meetings in Kent; and when I had cleared myself of the Lord's service in that county, I came to London. Thus were the men's Monthly Meetings settled through the nation; for I had been in Berkshire before, where most of the ancient Friends of that county were in prison; and when I had informed them of the service. of these Monthly Meetings, they were settled amongst them also. The Quarterly Meetings were generally settled before. I wrote also into Ireland, Scotland, Holland, Barbadoes, and several parts of America, advising Friends to settle their men's Monthly Meetings in those countries. For they had their general Quarterly Meetings before; but now that truth was increased amongst them, they should settle those men's Monthly Meetings in the power and spirit of God which first convinced them. And since these meetings have been settled, that all the faithful in the power of God who are heirs of the gospel, have met together in the power of God, which is the authority of them, to perform service to the Lord therein, many mouths have been opened in thanksgivings and

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