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." I 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 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 can 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) possessed the Scriptures, but wanted the power and Spirit that they 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; and 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 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 I bid him "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, "his lord Protector 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; and 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 Frotector know, 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 and come up, that I cannot win either with gifts, honours, offices, or places; but all other sects and people I can." It was told him again, "that we had forsaken our own, and were not likely to look for such things from him.”

Being set at liberty I went to the inn again, where Captain Drury had at first lodged me. This Captain Drury, though he sometimes carried fairly, was an enemy to me and to truth, and opposed it; and 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 nick-named us before. But afterwards he once came to me, and told me, that, as he was lying on his bed to rest himself in the day-time, 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 fell off his bed, and cried to the Lord, and said, he never would speak against the Quakers more, or such as trembled at the word of God.

During the time I was prisoner at Charing-Cross, there came abundance to see me, people of almost all sorts, priests, professors, officers of the army, &c. And one time 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 to see me, was one Colonel Packer, with several of his officers; and while they were with me, came in one Cobb, 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 desire for it, they might go into another room. One of them cried, "all is ours;" and another said, "all is well." replied, "how is all well, while thou art so peevish, and envious, and crabbed?" for I saw he was of a peevish nature. I spoke to their conditions, and they were sensible of it, and looked upon one another, wondering.

I

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 said, would I say 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 complimental (as they call it), so that Packer bid 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 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 divers 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. Whereupon I went out to them,

with the Bible in my hand, and desired them to come in; and told them, "I would show them Scripture both for our principles and practices.' And 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 quietcd 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 Lincoln, 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 news-monger; an envious priest, and a light, scornful, chaffy man. I bid him repent; and he put it in his newspaper the next week, that I had been at Whitehall, and had bid a godly minister there 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 so he was silenced. He put in the news, that I wore silver buttons, which was false, for they were but alchymy. Afterwards he said 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 wore or used 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 that information. He said, it was a woman that told him so; and if they would come again, he would tell them her name. When they returned, he said, it was a man, but would not mention his name then; but 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 insert it; but was in a rage, and threatened them with the constable. This was the deceitful doing of this forger of lies; which he spread over all 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, lies, and false reports raised and cast upon them. These priests, the news-mongers, were of the Independent sect, like those in Leicester; but the Lord's power

came over all their lies, and swept them away; and many came to see the wickedness 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 it, 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, and some in the Protector's house and family; I went to see him again, but could not get access to him, the officers were grown so rude.

The Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists, were greatly disturbed; for many of their people turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, and sat down under his teachings: they received his power, and felt it in their hearts: and then they were moved of the Lord to declare against the rest of them.

I appointed a meeting in the fields near Acton, in which the word of life, the saving truth, was declared freely. The Lord's power was eminently manifested, and his blessed day exalted over all.

CHAPTER VIII.

1654-1655.-Address to professors of Christianity against persecution-to such as follow the world's fashions-to the Pope, and all kings, and rulers in Europe, against persecution to the justices appointed for trying ministers of religion, being a testimony against hireling ministers-Samuel Fisher and others are convinced at a meeting at Romney, where the Lord's power is marvellously displayed-a large meeting at Coggeshall of about two thousand people, which lasted several hoursmany reproaches are cast upon the truth, and lying slanderous books published, which are answered, and the truth set over the gainsayers-to those who scorn trembling and quaking-great rage is manifested against the truth and Friends, and their plainness is contemned-to the churches gathered into outward forms, opening their state and warning of the woes coming upon them-to the Protector, respecting the imprisonment of Friends for refusing to take oaths and pay tithes, &c.—to Friends, to offer themselves to lie in prison for a brother or sister-an encouragement to Friends in their several exercises.

ABOUT this time I was moved to write a paper, and send it among the professors; as follows:

"To all professors of Christianity.

"ALL they that professed Jesus Christ in words, and yet heard him not when he was come, said, he was a deceiver and a devil. The chief priests called him so. The Jews said, 'He hath a devil, and is mad; why do ye hear him ?' But others said, 'These are not the words of him that hath a devil: can a devil open the eyes of the blind?' The Jews then doubted, whether he was the Christ or not; and so all, like the Jews, in the knowledge, in the notion, that profess Christ without only, where Christ is risen within, do not own him, but doubt of him; though Christ is the same now and for ever. Jesus Christ said, 'I and my Father are one;' then the Jews took up stones to stone him. And where Jesus Christ is now spiritually come and made manifest, such as are Christians in outward profession only, have the same hard hearts inwardly now, as the Jews had then; and cast stones at him where he is risen. Jesus said, ‘For which of these good works do ye stone me?' The Jews answered, 'For thy good works we stone thee not; but for blasphemy, in that thou being a man, makest thyself God.' Jesus answered them, 'Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? and the Scripture cannot be broken. Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God?' The Jews said to him, 'Say we not well, that thou hast a devil?' Jesus answered, 'I honour my Father, and ye dishonour me. And they that were in the synagogue rose up, and thrust him out of the city; and took him up to the edge of the hill whereon their city was built, to cast him down headlong. The Pharisees said of him, 'He casteth out devils, by the prince of devils. Jesus Christ was called a glutton and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans