SUrely the Light of Life, even the desire and health of the Nations is come in the middest of a foolish people in these latter dayes, how many are they that love not their lives unto the death to publish and proclaim the joyful sound hereof to the ends of the Earth, by which the Nations, Kindreds, Tongues, and People are provoked to jealousie and wrath? but why do the Heathen Rage, and the people imagine vain things, seeing he the everlasting light of the house of Jacob, of Israels life and glory, the sure Foundation, the Rock, the Hiding-place, the strong Tower, whose Name is called the Word of God; by whom the world was made, even he is come in the middst of us, the true light, that all men through him might be­lieve and be saved from the wrath to come, by him the light, the Lord of the Sabbath, the substance, the rest that ends the signs, and lighteth every man that cometh into the world, even he is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, whose day Abraham saw, be­fore Abraham was I am, Lo he is come who is the (I am) the Light, the Author of eternal Salvation, the Resurrection and the Life that is risen; behold with boldness I Testifie in his Name that is faithful and true, in the midst of us, and this is he whose righteous Scepter shall sway over the Nations, whose dominion shall be from Sea to Sea, who shall Rule the Nations with his Iron Rod, with the Rod of his mouth will he smite the Earth, and with the breath of his Lips will he slay the wicked; be wise now therefore O ye Kings, be instructed O ye Judges of the Earth, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling, kiss the Son lest he be angry and you perish in the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

O London, How art thou defiled and poluted and filled with violence, vanity, de­ceit, hypocrisie, wickedness, and works of darkness? Surely thy Governors and Pa­stors have greatly erred from the way everlasting, that such an unwholsome ill savour ascends from thee; thy Pastors, thy Priests and thy Heads have erred and gone astray, a whoring, ravening from the Spirit of Truth, & corrupted the way of Holiness, or that which may be known of God within, and have greatly multiplyed thine iniquities and crying abominations, and so have perverted all equity and are estranged from the Life of Truth, so that the Word of Holiness is become a Reproach, a taunt and by word in the midst of thee, thy loud crying sins are exceedingly increased, far exceeding thy Sister Sodom that suffered the vengeance of eternal fire, and according to the number of thine Inhabitants, have been thy Dumb IDOLS, or gods that cannot save from the power of the SWORD thats to passe through the Streets of thy defiled wicked Inhabitants; O! who shall bewail thee in the day and hour of thy ca­lamity and distress, when bitter howling and wayling shall be heard, when no eye shall pity or weep over thee, when thy Lovers shall forsake thee because of the multitude of thy Whordoms greatness of pride and haughtiness, and fornications, and would in no wise be cleansed, purged, or purified by the Word of the highest which has been sounded forth and proclaimed-even in and through thy streets; O London, is not thy Land full of Horses, or is there any end of their wilde Chariots and Idols? Alas, alas, wo and alas for the little ones that lies wounded and oppressed under all thy filthy A­bominations, the multitude of thy unclean Beasts in the midst of thee are waxed fat and wanton, greedily hastening and running into the abundance excess, and so greedily devouring, eating up, and was [...]ng and spoyling the goodl [...] [...] [Page 2]sidue under their feet, so that their hearts are waxed grosse with fatness (fitted for the day of slaughter) feeding themselves without fear or amazement over the Worm or de­spised Seed of the Covenant in the midst of thee, notwithstanding the Lion hath roared a top of the mountains; O London, London, thy stink and ill savour hath ascended up into the nostrils of the most holy & highest Lord of Lords, & King of Kings, when as thy scent or smell should have been as Lebanon, or as the Ancient Garden of Eden; had the precious life of thy long feigned profession of the holy Prophets, Christ and the Apostles good words freely and clearly ascended up and spread over thy Walls and Towers and Borders, that the Nations round about might have scented, tasted, and savoured the good and precious fruit of the Life of thy seigned Profession, and to have come with joy and rejoycing, submitting and bending unto thee because of thy perfect beauty, had it been brought forth at all in its season and comliness and bright­ness; as the light that ariseth in the East and giveth light unto the ends of the Earth, lo such a thing hath not been brought forth by thy Heads, Pastors, Priests, and Wise-men of thy Inhabitants, but out of the North the precious Lilly sprung up, the ground is blessed that bare and brought forth this tender plant, thats never to be forgotten, but to be had in everlasting remembrance of all that hear the joyful sound, and come to see the glory of the brightnesse of thy rising, who shall Trumpet forth thy fame to the utmost parts of the Earth, and talk of thy mighty power in the Congregation of the righteous.

O London, London, How hast thou been visited from on high by the hand of the Al­mighty in his faithful (though despised) Messengers, that thou might be purged and made clean and healed? Lo the multitude of thy polluted Inhabitants have dispised the day of Healing and of small things, and the Children of Wisdom [that have been wearied, and as it were ready to faint from time to time under the weight of the mul­titude of thy pollutions and crying abominations, and] have truly bewailed and la­mented thy estate; but how have they been esteemed in thine Adulterous eyes as sounding Brass, as signs and wonders, the off scouring of the World, or as the Wind, thou hast not known whence they come, neither whether they go

O London, Thy defiled Garments, thy Heads, thy Priests, thy Pastors, Professors, and Prophane in thee, thy Judgment Seats, thy Courts, thy Palaces, with them that that handle the Law, thy Idols Temples, loe even thy streets in these latter dayes are stained with the blood of the Innocent; O England, England, what hast thou done or brought forth? how canst thou like an impudent Harlot or murtherer, plead before the glorious Throne of the Lord God of Judgement (and of the Lamb the Son of the highest) and say not guilty, or I am innocent.

O London, (Remember Jerusalem) its yet but a very little while, & thy day is passed over thy head, some of thy Mourners have already seen, and yet behold the Lillies co­vering the mountains, the good watchmen of the City (Zion where the Sabbaths which thou hast prophaned and polluted, are forgotten) waite for the gathering and healing of the remaining little ones that are defiled, wounded, and polluted even in thee.

O London, Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles, prepare War, wake up the mighty men, all the men of War, let them come up, beat your Plow shares into Swords, and your Pruning-Hooks into Spears, Let the Weak say I am strong.

Assemble your selves and come, all ye Heathen, assemble your selves-together round about thither, cause thy mighty ones to come down O Lord, let the Heathen be a­waked and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there will I sit to Judge the Hea­then round about, put ye in the Sickle for the Harvest is ripe; Come get ye down, for the Press is full, the Fats over flow, for their wickedness is great, See Joel the third.

O ye heads and polluted Inhabitants of London that call the Scripture your rule, read and behold your State, see Deut. 32. and when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them because of the provoking of his Sons and of his Daughters, and he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be, for they are a very froward gene­ration, children in whom is no faith.

They have moved me to jealousie with that which is not God (they provoked him to jealousie with strange gods) they have provoked me to anger with their vanities, and I will move them to jealousie with those which are not a people, I will provoke them to anger with a foolish Nation, for a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foun­dations of the mountains; I will heap mischiefs upon them, I will spend mine arrows upon them, they shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction.

Now forasmuch as it hath been the manner and antient custome of the Mayors, Aldermen, Governours, Citizens, and inhabitants of the City of London; the day when their chief Governour is sworn to do justice, at such seasons, great shews, and wicked dark vile inventions is acted and brought forth in and through the open streets and River of the City, because of which exceeding great multitudes of people assem­ble and gather together from divers parts in the vanitie of their vaine minds, which are led captive to many and divers hurtful lusts, that war against their souls at such seasons; by which the Creatures are wasted, consumed, devoured and destroyed, (without the fear and wisdom of God) by high and low, rich and poor, young and old, bond and free, for which end they were not created, and the everlasting God hereby is greatly provoked, and highly dishonoured, though Thomas Atkin attribute it to the honour and respect of the Magistrates; But Moses and Joshua the good Magi­strates was not found walking in these or such like wayes; and the persons of the Crea­tures hurt, and sometime in great jeopardy to the loss of life by land and water, and from time to time, the Lord God and his spirit hath been grieved, oppressed and vexed with these vain filthy abhominations of the heathen, and Priests, Rulers and people have been and are in a high degree guilty of all the hurt and waste of the Crea­tion, so much to the provoking and dishonour of the Almighty Lord and everlasting God of Truth, yea and my spirit within me hath been often pressed down and griev­ed, because of the weight of the crying abhominations of Priests, Rulers and peo­ple that are called Christians, but are not profirted at all by them the hired Priests that teach for filthy lucre, their own way, their gain from their Quarters, like greedy dogs that can never have enough, and are so plentifully bringing forth the fruits and works of darknesse, walking in the manners of the Gentiles; and way of the Heathen, and pleading for their dumb Idols; wherefore I was not onely moved to write to the two Mayors, namely John Ireten and Thomas Allen, to lay before them and to stop them and their subjects of their folly and wicked vanity (but they would not receive warning) as may appear by a paper afterwards published and Tituled A certain Warn­ing from a naked Heart. But the twenty ninth of the eighth moneth, on which their Heathenish Ancient Idolatrous customs and dark inventions was so highly set up and exalted, and carried th [...]ugh the open streets, at which many thousands of people gazed, before which time I spake a few words of Truth and sobernesse which the Lord put into my heart to some of the Aldermen, as the horses and their Riders passed in at the Mayors gate; saying, The Lord God will stain the pride and glory of all flesh, the Lord God will stain the pride of all glory as in the dayes of old; the Lord will smite the great men of the earth with astonishment of heart, who forget Justice and Judge­ment, and the Lord God hath a controversie with all that forget the Lord and his work.

The Lord will be avenged on the great men of the earth that destroy and devour the Creatures and the Creation upon their ungodly lusts, and forget to do Justice and Judgement, for which sayings, I was not onely buffeted and abused at the Mayors gate by the brutish people, but violently dragged & carried away by Porters, and thrown in­to the Poultry Counter by Thomas Atkins his unreasonable will without a Mittimus; But Noble Festus, whom the Professors, Priests and praphane call Heathen could not do so, Act. 25.27 throw him in said the Officer, and let him lie like a Rogue, and afterward a Mittimus was sent though dated the same day; The Coppy is as fol­loweth.

Now forasmuch as I should have been called to appear at the next Sessions of peace in London, according to equity and the words in the Mittimus also; but equity, justice & judgement was past by and forgotten, and I was not called, but kept a close Prisoner in a stinking hole of the Prison some weeks after, and I had not onely laid before the Jay­lor the unjustnesse of my Sufferings, but that it was more then he or the unreasona­ble Justice, according to the Law of the Nation could answer what they had done, and the same day as I understand, the Jaylor informed the Justice (concerning the Matter) who sent a private Messenger to have me come at his will, which cast me into prison openly, and to have set me free secretly, but at that season I had not free­dom from the Lord that gave me to see the wicked unreasonablenesse of their dealings with me, and therefore had more Christian boldnesse to write to him (the Coppy of the Letter is thus written.)

The above written Letter was delivered to Thomas Atkin his hand, and the Messen­ger brought me tidings that he read it, and when he had done tore it to pieces and laught, ill becoming his age, gray hairs and place, who after some dayes sent me a let­ter in the Night when it was dark, a figure of his unfruitful works, who hates to be reformed, and to the end that others may beware and learn wisdome, which many re­ject whose deeds are with Gods fear and Wisdom to be brought to the Light which e­qually tryeth all things, and accordingly reproves and condemneth, or approveth and justifieth, I say according to the faithful and true witnesse in the Conscience of Male and Female, so shall every ones deeds done in the body be condemned or justified, as is the ground and nature by which they are conceived and brought forth, these are the true sayings of the sure word of prophesie that gave forth the Scriptures of Truth, he that can believe and receive it without offence, let him.

Friend, I have received thy Letter, and I did not tear it to pieces after I read it as thou didst mine. But how is it thou art so dark and blind, though thou saw me at thy Lord Mayors gate, Why could not thou see to do justice, and relieve the oppres­sed within and without, and cease from pevishnesse and perversnesse, madnesse and folly? for it is high time for thee to learn moderation and sobriety, and cease from false accusing the Lords Servant, whom thou say appeared more like a mad man (then a sober person) in a wilde posture; know thou that the Servant is not above his Lord, of whom such as crucified him said he is mad and hath a Devil, and if they called the Master of the house Belzebub, how much more them of his houshold; and however I appeared to thee know it was the Lords Truth and Testimony I declared that season against your a­bominations, I spake the words of Truth and sobernes as any moderate men may read in a Book Tituled, A certain Warning, which is fulfilling, and is to be fulfilled upon the heads of such as are with thee in thy Life and Nature.

Thou say I was advised that day to return to my house; I say it becomes not a Ruler to hearken to, or to speak a lie, which I turn back upon thy head, for I heard none speak such words to me; and forasmuch as thou say, I continued there drawing a great con­course of people about me, drawing Cut-purses and Pick-pockets about me, and thou say a fit time for such persons to commit a robbery, then I say such vile trans­gressors are beholding to the early Rulers that occasion so fit opportunities so frequent­ly, more especially in the wicked City London, of all Cities and Towns throughout the Nations; and I say, how is it that thou art so dark and sottish, that thou can lay such a charge upon me, as the cause of such transgressors or concourse of people gathering together. Behold I tell thee, this filth is not to lie upon the head of the Innocent, but to be turned back upon the head of the transgresser from whence it came; and art not thou together with many more of the earthly Rulers, Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens of this wicked City inexcuseable herein, let the Lords witnesse in all sober peoples con­sciences judge of this matter.

And if such a small number of persons gathered together at the Mayors gate, were a fit time for Cut-purses and Pick-pockets to commit robbery, I query how fit and large opportunities have they so frequently given them by the Rulers of the earth which forget Justice and Judgement, [as thou have done] and to relief the oppressed, and rather exalt folly and vanity, and heathenish customes which captivates the minds of people out of Gods fear at such seasons, when the Mayor Aldermen and great Earthly wise men that have lost the key of knowledge, the oppressing Lawyers and Rabbies, with their folly and vanity and heathenish customs and idolatrous abominations, with them is carried through the open streets of the wicked City, when so many thousands of people are gathered together [to see the Beast that carries the Whore arise out of the troubled Sea] and to behold your vanitie, and wicked folly, and dark inventions, and vain glory and excesse, which you wast and consume upon your lusts which war a­gainst your souls, when so many poor widdows and fatherlesse, halt, blind and lame creeples so plentifully, lye crying and lamenting up and down your streets, and Mass­house doors, and corners of Allies for want of bread, food and rayment, and honest employments to be set at, work at them that can work; The Lord God will assuredly account with you for these things, and for his Creatures which you so greedily waste and consume upon your ungodly lusts; and thou say I was deservedly carried to the Counter by force by Porters, and what is my crime thou charge me with, both in the Mittimus and thy Letter to me? viz. I occasioned a great Tumult of people to be gathered together, drawing a great concourse of people, of Cut-purses and Pick-pock­ets about you [say thou to me;] But heark Friend, hast thou a Law for such Crimes, or is this of thy own making? Now if there be such a Law in force, to be equally mini­stred or executed upon all without respect of persons (which is but reasonable, and all Laws should be grounded upon pure Reason) that occasion great Tumults of peo­ple to be gathered together, amongst whom doubtlesse may be transgressors of all sorts, such as the Priests keep ever learning what to say, but do not, (like themselves) Then what will become of all the earthly wise men of London, what, must they not all de­servedly be carried to prison? I may appeal to the chief Authority in the Nation, and if the Lords faithful and true witnesse in their Consciences will condemne me, Lo I sub­mit; but who occasioned any, or the greatest tumult or coucourse of people to gather together, whether the Rulers and wise men of London, in exalting their folly, vanity and vain glory (which the everlasting God will stain and bring to contempt) or I that in the fear and power of the Lord, speak a few words of Truth and Sobernesse, a Testimony against your Heathenish Customs and wicked actions, which if Turks and Infidels were here to behold you, no doubt but they would abhor, and detest, and de­fie you and your vain Religion, rather then to be won to the faith of Gods Elect, by such stinking and unsavoury examples, to the shame of your dark teachers and bruitish pastors And the Lord is a pleading with the Inhabitants of the Earth, because of their mighty sins, and whorish, hypocritical coverings, and inventions of the Whore, of the Beast, and of the man of Sin, together with the Witchcraft and Sorceries of the Mother of Harlots, the well-favoured Harlot, that hath so besotted and made the Kings and Rulers of the Earth, even of all Nations of the Earth drunk with the Wine of her Fornication; all Tables are full of Vomit, wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth.

Moreover thou say, if I had gone willingly, I had not been dragged, (to Prison) what, is thy Conscience seared? art thou altogether impenitent O man? and thou I perceive dost rather countenance and strengthen the hands of evil doers, that offer and do violence in a bruitish manner, by buffeting and dragging the guiltlesse and inno­cent to Prison, to which place I was forced, I knowing assuredly by the Testimony [Page 8]of the Lord God within me, that I was innocent in his sight, and a prison I deserved not, (and had thou been a man of God, thou might have savoured and seen so much also) and therefore not willing to go or subject to the corrupt will of vain man, but was therefore as a Sheep to the slaugter drove, dragged and carried where I should not have been, and this in the day when the Lords hand visits (from which thou can­not fly nor hide) will lie heavy upon thy conscience, in the mean time I leave it to the witness in thee.

Again thou speaks in thy Letter, thou sent for me to admonish me, but thou being found a transgressor thy self, art not fit to admonish another, but to be threshed and admonished thy self; and then to have discharged me, thou say (secretly) when as I was so openly dragged (as a great offender) to Prison, and thou may know that my words are fulfilled upon thy head, viz. thou hast forgot to do Justice and Judgement, in as much as thou sent not for me before the Judgement Seat, where I ought to be tryed openly as I was cast into Prison openly, and if I am found a Transgressor of any Law either of God or man, Lo I refuse not to suffer or to die.

And moreover thou said thus, you writ me a Letter, and sent me word by your Keeper, that you would be dragged out as you were dragged in.

I answer, this is false, I said not so, but I told thy messenger and the Keeper, if thou sent for me as I was cast into Prison, that I was in their hands, they may do as they were commanded, but know thou that he that neither slumbers nor sleeps is my keep­er, though this vessel, suffer under thy corrupt will, and I was not willing to be dragged to Prison, neither to be dragged out, and thou did write me word, saying, if that be your mind, when you desire your liberty, get a Keeper to bring you to me, and I shall give you a discharge.

Know thou that my mind is become subject to the Higher Power, (the light) that is higher then the power of darknesse, and behold I demand my liberty with boldness, as my proper right, (for I have deserved no bonds, for the pretious truth of God is on my side) as a Friend and Servant of the Lord, and so a true Christian; and as I am a free-born English-man in this land of my nativity, and as I have served my gene­ration, and moreover dearly purchased by the shedding of my blood, and shattering of my bones, not onely in my own behalf, as I am a Christian, an English-man, a Free-born Member of this Nation; but in the behalf of all the Free-born In­habitants of this Land, and thou also hast a share in what I and many more have jeoparded our Lives and Estates to purchase, and what art thou found without Natural affection, who also say (after thou have thus cruelly executed thy enmity against me by casting me into prison) if you want any thing, it is your own fault, and say thus, I pitty your condition, the Lord open your eyes.

But I know the Lord heareth not Sinners, he who was born blind and had his eyes opened by the Light Christ, said such words, and how dost thou pitty me, if I have of my own I need not want, or it is my own fault thou say, then it is like I may pe­rish for all thy pitty, and the tender mercies of the wicked is cruelty, saith the wise man, but know thou that if my outward man perish in this noysome hole of a prison, that my blood will lie heavy upon thy conscience more especially, and many more may feel the weight of it also, if so, and the Lord whom I serve, I know then will re­quire it at thy hand; therefore see thou to it, for so far have I cleared my Conscience, and I can truly say, I rest in peace, but I know thou spake not truth, in saying so in thy Letter, for the Lords Eternal and Faithful witnesse in thy Conscience speaks not peace to thee, and so thou cannot rest, and the Scripture saith, the wicked are like the troubled Sea, that cannot rest, but cast or foam up mire and dirt, and sober people may [Page 9]favour the dirty stuff and corrupt fruit thou bears and brings forth; therefore it is needful thou repent of this thy wickednesse, and bring forth fruits meet for repen­tance, least thou die in thy sins, and if they were to depart into everlasting flames or unquenchable fire that visited not Christs little ones, sick and in prison; what thinks thou will be their portion, that not onely cast them in, but speaks all manner of evil against them? let this remain with thee and many more of thy brethren, the perse­cuting Rulers of England; the Lord lay it not to the charge of them who simply know not what they do, Father forgive them.

And how can you be clear, and not guilty of all the Robberies, (committed at such a fit time as Thomas Atkin calls it) hurt to the Creatures, and of wasting and devour­ing the Creatures and the Creation thus upon your ungodly lusts time af­ter time, by which you tempt and and provoke the eternal Spirit of the Lord God to smite you, and to give you up to the deceit and excesse of your own hearts lusts.

May not the Cut-purses, Pick-pokets and evil doers, say and rejoyce in the strength of their wicked hearts, with such gladnesse that they have such fit opportunitiies, so frequently given them by the Governours, Magistrates, and earthly great men that should be more wise, and be good, sober, sound, savoury examples to all, and a ter­rour to evil doers; and can you I say be clear of the same crimes that you will judge and condemn such vile Transgressors for; be wise therefore and consi­der and remove the cause of such fit opportunities or times, as Thomas Atkins calls them.

Now forasmuch as people that suffer in any degree at such seasons may say, if the Rulers and Magistrates did cease to proceed in their heathenish Idolatrous Abominati­ons and vain glory, by which the Lord God is so highly dishonoured, tempted and pro­voked from time to time, (by which also many thousands of people gather together to gaze at folly and wickednesse, and run greedily into the excesse, pride, vanity, plea­sures and hurtful lusts of the flesh, that war against the Lambs Spirit, and neglect their honest imployments, we should not thus suffer in any degree, when the fit time as thou calls it, or I say rather wicked and vain opportunities be removed and taken away.

And this I may say to clear my Conscience on the Lords behalf, and I know it of a truth, had not the Spirit of the most high been opprest, vexed and grieved with the long continuance of your wicked heathenish actions, doubtlesse the Lord had not at any time sent any of his Messengers to testifie against and reprove you, and to lay be­fore you your mighty sins, and to cry aloud, and lift up their voices like Trumpets, though they be looked upon or esteemed by the unwise, as mad men, contrary to all men, for reproving you for your folly, vanity and wickednesse, did it not thus abound in all Streets through the Nation, as the upright in heart feel something of the weight of your wickednesse and great abominations, and the everlasting God will plead with his Righteous Judgement with you, for a sword is to passe through your Land, Oh ye stiff-necked Generation, for these things, and except you repent and depart from evil by the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of Wisdome, the Light of the World, whose light is in every one of your Consciences, and with it you bring forth fruit meet for repentance unto life, as sure as the Lord God hath given you breath, you shall die in your sins, and this is love to thy soul, among the rest that lyeth under the bondage of corruption.

What I have suffered since I came into Prison is unexpressible because of sin, sinful men, ungodlinesse, blasphemy and prophanenesse that abounds, which with my pre­tious life from time to time, I have Testified against, because of which I have endu­red [Page 10]the Contradictions of ungodly sinners day by day, and as truly as the Soul of righteous Lot was vexed from day to day with the filthy Conversation of the wicked Sodomites, so certainly have I witnessed the like Condition in this noysom Prison, where wickednesse and ungodlinesse daily abounds [and where is there a Prison in this Nation that is not as it were a Nursery for all manner of abominations, and the Rulers ought to see to it that they be not so, else will it not lie upon their heads, and is coun­tenanced and upheld by the Keepers also, that should be, as every Magistrate ought to be, a just man of Truth, hating Covetousness and to despise and shake their hand at the gain of Oppression, and so to Rule over and be a good example, a terror to evil-doers, that such may go out with a reformed life, rather better then worse then when they came in; but contrariwise the chief Goaler or Keeper hath gone about and endeavour­ed to limit the Spirit of the Lord; Behold, to his everlasting praise I testifie that I have gladly received that into my heart to Rule me, and hath the preheminence, even the Spirit of Truth, the Light that reproves the world for sin, and with my life in my hand have I reproved and testified against wickedness and ungodliness, blasphemy, and the like evils that abound in this Prison, for which the Keeper Humphry Gifford (a Profes­sor of the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles good words) hath caused men to draw me away and cast me into a place where the filth of the prisoners run almost round a­bout me, and this is of truth that I write, and at that season my Testimony I declared and laid it upon his head, who Commanded me to be taken away because I Reproved blasphemy and ungodliness, he said, I spake too loud, although unclean and ungodly Songs and wicked Revellings, as it were, made the house ring again imediately after, as at other seasons; and Humphry Gifford will remember this when the hand of the Lord visits for all the deeds done in the body; and forasmuch as he who should have been a terror to evil doers, strengthened their hands by commanding violence to be done to me that Reproved sin and ungodliness with my life, the Lord is witness, and sundry men that are more sober then the rest, can also bear Record.

And moreover, every first day of the Week, since I have been in Bonds, have the Prisoners done violence to me and my Friend Humphry Bach [...], and forced and carried us into the Hole of the Prison, and Locked us up by the Keepers Order, because we could not for Conscience sake, but did refuse to enter into Covenant with them, viz. to be silent (and so limit the Spirit of the Lord, whose peculiar right only is to com­mand the Tongue and every Member of our body at his good will in us to work) al­though such a thing be not demanded of any other of the Prisoners; and although we have been there while they have been at part of their Worship, and spake never a word, yet have they abused, and then done violence and taken me up and carried me into the Hole and locked me up, and one Friend thrust out of Door by one Parrat a Turn-key, with such violence as if he would have broke her neck; and sometime after I asked him, saying, How if thou hadst broke her neck? Then I should be hanged for it, said he; And let the Magistrates consider, Whether such persons be fit to have any Au­thority, or at least to serve sober persons, and the Priests that professe themselves Mi­nisters of Christ beholding such Cruelties, and not a mouth open to reprove them that do violence, (and one Priest, a prisoner for Debt, said in the hearing of many Wit­nesses; There was no way to Dispute with us but with blows. Let the sober mind weigh and judge of these things) But sometime standing behind the Door like a Thief and would not come in, as if he were ashamed to tell his Dream, or studied stuffe, or Divi­nation of his own brain, or to deliver his message, till we have been thus taken and carried violently out of his sight as Sheep to the slaughter, and cast into the Hole of the prison, and notwithstanding that Humphry Gifford, chief Goaler, had Covenanted with the Hired Priest, (and Judas Iscariot the Traytor went from the light, the unchange­able Priest, to the changeable Priests, and Covenanted with them to betray and insnare [Page 11]the Innocent) that we should hear the Priest one time to try us; yet he saw and also confest to a Friend, That the Priest his heart failed him so that he could not, or dare not come in, until we were carried away and l [...]cked up in the Hole (as at other times) but had he been a Minister of Christ he would not have been afraid or ashamed, neither would his heart have failed him, or feared the face of any man, but would with boldness without guilt upon the Conscience, which causeth the heart to fail, and bringeth shame, to have answered a sober question, which by one of them was denyed, but would, if a Minister of Christ, or Spirit of Life, with all readiness of mind count it all joy to Convince the gain sayers by sound Doctrine; and if we were in Errors, as we are falsly accused, the Lord is witnesse he ought to do so, and bring his deeds to the light that they may manifestly appear before all that they are unreproveable, wrought in God, and if such hired Priests be Ministers of Christ or of the Spirit of Life, let such as fear and desire to fear the God of truth judge; And let this be a Warning to Humphry Gifford, or any that sees the deceit of the Hirelings, (and I told one of them in the prison before he did fly, that he would make himself manifest to the people; and immediately he did fly, because he was a Hireling, and so the Scripture is fulfil­ed upon his head) lest such partake with them in their plagues; for behold the Lords hand is lifted up against the hired Priests and bruitish Pastors of England that steal the Prophets good words that were spoke freely forth, and boast in other mens lines made ready to their hand, which they make a Trade on through Covetous practises, beguil­ing unstable Souls, and keep them ever learning what to say, but like themselves do not.

And the Cry that hath often passed through me, since I have been a Prisoner here, against the abominations in this prison, has been, O the Ungodliness, O the Oathes, O the Blasphemy, O the Cursed Speaking, O the ungodly Unclean Songs of the Drun­kards, O the Deceit of the Priests, O the ungodly hard Speeches, O the Excess, O the Revellings, O the want of the poorer sort. O the unreasonableness of men harden­ed from Gods fear, O the cruel Mockings & Revilings from sinful men, O the Oppressi­on, O the Extortion, O the wicked Customs; O let this enter into thy heart, O many, & lie even upon thine & the Keepers head; who as for thy part, when I sent a Letter to thee in love to thy Soul, thou tore it to pieces and laughed, as I hear, not becoming thy Age, and gray Hairs, and place; but thou hast more need to weep and howl for the misery that is comming on thee because of thy mighty crying sins.

And thou Humphry Gifford, hath often by words our of thine own mouth rejected the Lords Testimony to my face from time to time, and this is truth whether thou canst believe me or nay, it will stand upon thy head, if happily thou find a place of Re­pentance unto life, the Lord lay not these things to your Charge; however so far have I cleared my Conscience, and my Peace in which I rest no man can take from me;

From the Hole in the Inner-Prison in the Counter, the 19 of the [...]th. Month, and 7 or last day of the week, and of the year according to the Worlds account, 1659.

Who am a Friend to the whole Creation (that groans for Deliverance, and lieth under the bondage of corrup­tion) and with that which judgeth the evil-doer, but justifieth and giveth life to him whose deeds are wrought in God, in Truth, in Righteousness. Daniel Baker.

The Original of this in Writing was delivered into the hand of Thomas Atkin, by a Friend of Gods Truth, Elizabeth harris, who with much tenderness and bowels of Compassion tendered it to him, and spake some good wholsome words, being grieved to see the injustice of such men as he, who instead of being ashamed of his perversness, and disowning of his injustice and unequal proceeding against the Innocent, persisted and reiected wholsome Counsel, and spake forth a most wicked Lye, saying, That I had gathered all the Pick-pockets, Rogues and Whores in London about me, and that I was like to lie in Prison till I was dragged out; and Reviled the sober Messenger, saying to some that stood by, You may know that she is a Quaker by her Language; which I say is pure and true.

Now I leave this to the witness in all sober peoples Consciences to judge whether such a man befit to Rule over men, It's like I might be about an hour and half at the Mayors Gate, and it would be much if all the pick-pockets, and all the Whores, and all the Rogues in London should be gathered together in so little time, except they had been summoned before-hand; but I deny such unclean vile Transgressors with my pre­cious Life the Lord is witnesse; and seeing if Thomas Atlin knew so well of so many Cut-purses, pick-pockets, Whores and Rogues were gathered together, I say it had been a fitter time for him, and many more of his Brethren, to have laid the Sword up­on such vile Transgressors, and not to have let them gone free and condemne the guilt­less by throwing Truths testimony into prison within and without; But I have spoke enough, and my Reward is with the Lord, though Thomas Atkin have unwisely rejected his Testimony with many more, who greedily are hastening farther under the vail of thick darkness, therefore their glory which is their shame is to be made manifest to all, that others may learn wisdom by the fear of the Lord, which is to depart from evil.

Consider whether or no thou provide for my Children and Family, who have not a Wife to look to them in my absence, who cast me into Prison for working on that day which thou make thy Horses work, is not this partiallity and contrary to the Law of God, that the Creatures should work that day that man should not work; but surely if you did take as much care for the Poor, and Beggars, and Children, and Fatherless, and Widows, and Criples at your Steeple-house Doors, and Alleys, and Corners of Streets; your Women with Two or Three Children in their Lapps crying for Bread, thou would not turn the Sword against me as thou dost, but relieve them and see that they were relieved, for it is a grief to hear such a Cry in your Streets, besides Drun­kards, Oaths in Taverns and Alehouses, Tipling-houses, Prisons and places of pleasure, Bouls, Playes, shews, the vanities thats acted and done in the City under the Govern­ment here, which makes the streets even to stink again, to loath and Surfeit and defile Nature, for the shameless, unlearned, untaught, unsavoury carriages among peo­ple [Page 18]are we moved of the Lord God, at the Command of Christ Jesus the Righteousness of God to cry Repentance among you, to go in Sackcloth and Ashes among you, and to go naked among you, a figure of your nakedness of the garments of Righteousness, which should be a praise in your streets, and to cry against your Idolatrous Worship, the preaches for money by the Hour-glasse, who have not profited the people at all, but such as teachers for filthy lucre and bear Rule by their means, and Divine for money and teaches for the fleece, that seeketh their gain from their Quarter, greedy dumb Doggs that can never have enough, are such as fit this people.

Now if people bid a Drunkard he should not be drunk, a Swearer he should not swear, a Lyar he should not lye, we are called peace-breakers, and prisoned by you; Oh! the Righteous suffer and are grieved to see so much Feasting and Superfluity of all things in abundance among you, and yet let your brethren and fellow-members lie cry­ing up and down streets for bread, and have no compassion or bowels of mercy.

And your Shows and your Playes of all sorts, and call people together with Trum­pets to it, this now is not called as Evil among you; but if a man go and warn sinners to Repentance, he shall be cast into prison; so he that reproves evil in the gate is be­come a prey among you; you that say the Scripture is your Rule, the Apostle saith you should not judge one another about dayes, one man did observe a day, another did not, the Apostles judgement was, Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind; and why could not you be satisfied seeing I am fully perswaded in my own mind, but if you make an Idol of a day, God will abhor you.

Since I was freed out of prison, Thomas Atkin with bitter enmity met me in the street, and he drew near, and said, That we were a burthen to all places where we come; And I answered, That we were a burthen to wicked Magistrates and wicked­nesse where we come; and I say we know its written, The burthen of the Word of the Lord for Israel [saith the Lord] which stretcheth forth the Heavens, and layeth the foundation of the Earth, and formeth the Spirit of man within him, (mark that.)