IN the Year 1652, in the 4th Month, I being about the Age of 38 Years, it pleaſed the Lord to reveal the Light of his Son in me, and I ſaw him whom I had peirced, and my Sins and Iniquities were laid before me, and I went all the day long; and in the Night ſeaſon I could find no reſt: I travelled many days in Sorrow in this condition, and no pleaſure could I find in any thing I had in all the World, neither in Wife nor Children, in Houſe nor Land, in Gold nor Money, nor any thing I had about my Habitation, till it pleaſed the God of my Life to blot out my Sins and Tranſgreſſions; and then that which had condemned me, and ſhewed me my Sins and Evil Deeds, even the ſame doth now bear witneſs for me, that the Lord doth love me, and that his Countenance doth ſhine upon me, which made my Heart more glad than Corn or Wine, or all the Treaſures of the whole Earth; ſo that the ſame Word which had been to me as a two edged Sword, and a Hammer, is become to me by the love of God, ſweeter than the Honey or the Honey-Comb: Then I heard the Voice of the Lord in me ſaying, I have Loved thee from thy Mother's Womb, I have choſen thee to do my Work, my powerful preſence ſhall be with thee, in the Fire and in the Water: I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee, but I will be thy God, and thou ſhalt ſerve me all thy dayes. Oh this Voice! Oh this Voice! this heavenly Voice did make my Heart leap with Joy! for I was filled with the ſweet incomes of God's eternal Love, which is of more worth and value, than all the Honour and Glory this World can give.

And in the 6th Moneth, in the Year 1652, in the Government of Oliver Cromwell, the Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying, Go to the Steeple-Houſe in Kendall, and ſpeak to the Chief Prieſt in that place, & ſay unto him, Friend come down, thy Covering is too narrow, the Lord God of Heaven and Earth will plead with thee, thou painted Hypocrite. After theſe Words I was taken away, and brought before John Archer, one of the Juſtices of the Peace ſo called, for that time being, who committed me to Priſon in the Common-Goal of Kendall: And the very firſt Night as I lay in Priſon, the Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying, fear not, for I will be with thee, according to my Promiſe, and will make thee a burthenſom Stone unto the Town of Kendall, and to thy Perſecutors, and I will ſend my Servants, my Sons and my Daughters, from the Eaſt and from the Weſt, from the North and from the South, to bear witneſs to the ſame Truth that thou ſuffers for; yea, againſt the Juſtice that committed thee: therefore be thou faithful, for I have choſen thee to be the firſt that ſhall ſuffer for my Names ſake in the Town of Kendall. And the Lord God made his Promiſe good unto me; for before I was releaſed out of Priſon, there was committed of my Brethren and Siſters, for the ſame Truths Teſtimony, by the ſame Juſtice Archer, two of my dear Brethren, Francis Howgill and Thomas Holme, with thirty more of the Lords Servants, with whom I continued about one quarter of a Year; at the end of which, the Juſtices being confounded in themſelves, ſet me at liberty.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me in my Bed, ſaying, Ariſe, and put on thy Cloathes, and take thy Horſe and ride to the Town of Kendall, and put on thy great Coat, and ſpeak through the Streets of the Town the Words that I ſhall give thee; As the Lord liveth, you painted Hypocrites and Diſſemblers, as you have ſeen the Lords Servants, both his Sons and his Daughters, go naked and bare-footed, ſo ſhall your Covering be rent from you, and your diſſembling ſhall be laid open to all men: Therefore repent, and take warning while you have time. And ſo having cleared my ſelf of the Town, James Cocke Mayor, ſent for me, and committed me to Priſon; and the ſaid Mayor being one of the chiefeſt Profeſſors in the Town of Kendall, had little Peace from the Lord in what he had done, till he had releaſed me. Then I returned to my Houſe again, and had great Peace with the Lord.

In the ſame Year 1652, in the Government of Oliver Cromwell, the Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying, Go thy ways to Swarthmore, where my Lambs and Babes, and Children of Light will be gathered together to wait upon my Name: I will feed them with the fineſt of Wheat, and with Honey out of the Rock; and with the Dew of Heaven I will refreſh them, that they may grow as Plants of my right Hand planting, that above all the Families of the Earth I may rejoyce to do them good. So I freely gave up, and took my Journey towards Swarthmore, and as I was going between Carptmell-Town and Howker-Hall, I met with Thomas Preſton's Wife, and one man with her on foot; I paſſed by her very quietly, and had nothing in my Heart to ſay to her, but ſhe being full of Wrath and Envy towards me, commanded her man to go back and beat me, and ſo he did; and then the mighty power of the Lord did ariſe in me, I ſpoke theſe Words to her; Oh thou Jezabel! thou proud Jezabel! canſt thou not permit and ſuffer the Servant of the Lord to paſs by thee quietly, that had nothing to ſay unto thee? Then ſhe fell upon me in great Rage, and held forth her Hands, as though ſhe would have ſtruck at me, and ſpitted in my Face, and ſaid, I ſcorn to fall down at thy Words. Then I ſaid, Jezabel, thou proud Jezabel! thou that hardeneſt thy Heart, and braſeneſt thy Face againſt the Lord and his Servant; as the Lord liveth he will plead with thee in his own time, and ſet in order before thee things that thou haſt done this day to his Servant. So I parted with her, and went to Swarthmore, where I found the Lords People gathered together, to wait upon his Name, and the Lord was very good unto that Family in feeding them with the Dew of Heaven, and with the ſweet incomes of his Love, according to his promiſe; Glory and Honour, and living eternal Praiſes be given to the Lord God for evermore.

About three Moneths after this, I was moved of the Lord to go and ſpeak to her again; and when I came to Houlter-Hall, I asked for Thomas Preſton's Wife, and ſhe came to the Door her ſelf, but I knew her not; I asked her if ſhe was the Woman of the Houſe, and ſhe ſaid, No; but if you would ſpeak with Miſtreſs Preſton, I will intreat her to come to you. So ſhe went into the Houſe, and brought another Woman with her and ſaid, Here is Miſtreſs Preſton. Then the Lord made it known unto me that ſhe was the Woman; then I ſaid, Woman, how dareſt thou Lye before the Lord and his Servant: Thou art the Woman I came to ſpeak to. She was very quiet and did not open her Mouth. Then I ſaid, Woman, hear what the Lord's Servants hath to ſay unto thee: Oh Woman! harden not thy Heart againſt the Lord and his Servant; for if thou doſt, he will cut thee off in his ſore diſpleaſure; therefore take Warning in time, and fear the Lord God 〈◊〉 Heaven and Earth, that thou mayſt end thy dayes in Peace. So I parted with her very quietly, and returned to my Houſe in Peace.

About three Years after this, as I was riding from Swarthmore near to Halkor Hall, I met with a young Man, who ſaid unto me, Friend, I have ſomething to ſay unto you, which hath lain upon me this long time: Truly, Friend, I am the Man that about three Years ſince, at the command of my Miſtreſs, did beat you very ſore, for which I have been very much troubled, more than any thing that ever I did in all my time: For truly, Night and Day it hath been often in my Heart, that I did not well in beating an innocent Man, that never did me any hurt or harm: I pray you forgive me, and deſire the Lord to forgive me, that I may be at peace and quiet in my mind. And I ſaid unto him, Truly Friend, from that time to this day, I never had any thing in my Heart againſt thee nor thy Miſtreſs, but I Love; the Lord forgive you both; I deſire that it may never be laid to your change, for ye knew not what ye did. So I parted with him, 〈◊〉 Heart being exceedingly broken with the true Love of God, who hath pleaded my Cauſe in the Hearts of my Perſecutors; Glory and Honour, and Living Praiſes be given to the Lord my God for ever, of all the Children of Light.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me, in the 10th Month, in the Government of Oliver Cromwell, in the year 1652, when I was walking among my Sheep, ſaying, Thou ſhalt not eat nor drink for the ſpace of 14 dayes any thing but Water: But fear not, for I will feed thee with the Dew of Heaven, and with the ſweet Incomes of my Love; & my Word ſhall be unto thee ſweeter than the Honey or the Honey-Comb, and I will make thee to know, that I am able to keep and preſerve thee freſh and ſtrong, and able to do my Work without the Creatures, as well as with it. And ſo in the Name of the Lord I ſet on, and faſted fourteen dayes, without any Meat or Drink, ſave only Water: And indeed the Lord was good unto me; for in all that time I was kept very freſh and able of Body, ſo that no Friend nor other could diſcern that I wanted either Meat or Drink. So the Lord hath made me a true and faithful witneſs, that the Lord God is the Life and Subſtance of all the Creatures, who is able to ſupport our Bodies with them, and without them; Glory and Honour be given unto his eternal Name for ever, of all the Children of Light.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me, in the Year 1653, in the 2d Month, ſaying, Set thy Houſe in order, and go thy way into Cumberland, for I have a People there, which I have loved from the beginning. Whereupon I freely gave up, and left my Wife and ſmall Children, Houſe and Land, and all that I had in this world; And as I was going, I met with a dear Friend and Brother, James Lancaſter, and I told him what was laid upon me by the Lord, and he told me, that it was much in him to go with me; ſo we concluded to go together, and declared the Lord's eternal Truth in thoſe parts: So we went into ſeveral Towns and Villages and Steeple-Houſes, and ſpoke the Word of the Lord as we were moved; and much Perſecution fell to our ſhare in that County; but many were Convinced of the eternal Truth about Cockermouth and Pardſaw; for the Lord's eternal Word was with us, according to his Promiſe; and when we were free and clear of Cumberland, we returned to our own Houſes again, and had great Peace with the Lord.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me, in the year of our Lord 1653. in the fourth Month, in the Government of Oliver, ſaying, Go thy way into York-Shire, and declare my Word freely that I ſhall give thee; and fear not the Face of my Man, for I will be with thee according to my Promiſe, and ſpeak to the Mayor of York, the Word that I ſhall give thee. Then I went, as I was commanded of the Lord, into York-Shire, and came to a Town, called Setle, from thence to Scripton, where I ſuffered much Perſecution, for declaring there the Word of Truth, and was ſorely wounded, and laid up for a dead Man; nevertheleſs the Lord was good unto me, and healed me by his Eternal Power of all my ſore Bruiſes; for within three Houres, I was a ſound Man to the great aſtoniſhment of my Perſecutors, and the convinceing of many that beheld me, this working a very good Effect in the Hearts of the People: Thence I went, as I was moved of the Lord, to Bradford, Leeds and Hallifax, and declared the Lord's Truth amongſt them, and much Perſecution fell to my lot in thoſe parts, but the Lord was good unto me according to his Promiſe: From thence I Travelled to the Town of Doncaſter, and was moved to go on a firſt Day to a Steeple-Houſe in that Town; and when their Worſhip was done, I ſpoke as I was moved of the Lord, to the Prieſt and People, and they were in great rage, and Perſecuted me much, and drove me out of the Town; and being ſorely Wounded and Bruiſed, they left me for dead, notwithſtanding, by the Power of God, I aroſe up, and got to a Friends Houſe, about a Mile from the Town, and lay me down upon a Bed, and immediately the Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying, Ariſe and go thy way to yonder little Chappel and ſpeak my Word freely, that I ſhall give thee, and I will make thee a ſound Man. Then I got up on my Feet, as well as I could, and came down out of the Chamber, taking hold of the Walls to ſupport me, and ſetting on freely towards the Chappel, I began to mend by little and little, and coming to the Chappel, I ſpoke the Word of the Lord freely, as I was moved; and when I was clear of the Place and People, I went back again to the Friends Houſe, and Lord made me ſound of all my Blows and Bruſes, according to his Promiſe. Thence I went to the City of York, as I was commanded of the Lord, and ſpoke to the Lord Mayor of York, as I was moved, and to the Rulers in that City; and being clear of it I left it, and laboured in the Work of the Lord, as I was moved in Towns Villiges, and Steeple-Houſes, and ſore Perſecution fell to my ſhare and lot in that Shire; yet for all that, the Lord God of my Life was with me, in all my Straits and Hardſhips, according to his Word and Promiſe. So when I was free of that great Shire, I returned to my Houſe again, and had great Peace with the Lord.

For the ſpace of twelve Months, after I had received the Truth in the love of it, my Wife Ann Halhead was very ſore troubled and diſpleaſed in her mind, becauſe the Truth in my Heart had ſo much dominion in me, that I was made willing by the Power of God, to do his Will, who had promiſed that he would never leave me, nor forſake me in all my ſtraits and hardſhips; inſomuch as ſhe grew and became greatly diſcontented concerning me, and often ſaid, I would to God I had Married a Drunkard, I might have found him in the Alehouſe; but I cannot tell where to find my Husband. And in this manner ſhe was ſore grieved and troubled in her mind, for the ſpace of twelve Months; But the Lord God of my Life, pleaded my Cauſe according to his promiſe, for my Wife ſaid unto me one time, Truly Husband, I have ſomething to tell you; One Night being in my Bed, when I was mourning and lamenting with Tears in my Eyes, I heard a Voice ſaying, Why art thou ſo diſcontented concerning thy Husband? I have call • d and choſen him to do my Work; my right Hand ſhall uphold him: therefore be thou content and pleaſed that he ſerve me, and I will bleſs thee as his Children for his ſake, and all things ſhall proſper that thou ſhalt take in Hand: But if thou wilt not be content, but grudge, and murmer, and repine againſt me and my Servant, whom I have choſen to do my Word, as I live, I will bring a greater croſs upon thee. Theſe Words were freſh in my mind, both Night and Day; I often ſaid within my ſelf, what croſs can this be that the Lord will bring upon me, that is greater than the want of my Husband? But for all this I could not be contented, but mourned both Night and Day; all the joy I had, or could find in all the World, was in one little Child, a Boy about five years old, who would often take me about my Neck, when he ſaw me Weeping and Mourning, and ſay, My dear Mother, I pray thee be contented, for my Father will come home in a little time. And in this manner he did often refreſh me; but for all this I could not be content in my mind, but mourned Night and Day. Then in a little time it pleaſed the Lord to take from me my only Son, Myles Halhead, all the Joy and Comfort I had in all the World: Then the Voice which I heard, came into my mind, that this was the croſs the Lord had ſaid he would bring upon me; Then I ſmote upon my Heart, and ſaid within my ſelf, That I was the very cauſe why the Lord had taken away my only Son: Then a great fear ceaſed upon me, and I ſaid within my ſelf, O Lord my God! give me Power to be content to give up my Husband freely to do thy will, leſt O Lord, thou take away from me all my Children. So from that time I never durſt oppoſe thee my Husband any more in the Work of the Lord, for fear the Lord's Judgments do fall upon me and my Children. Thus hath the Lord pleaded my cauſe according to his promiſe; Glory and Honour, and living eternal Praiſes be gvien unto the Lord my God for ever.

Again, in the ſame year 1653, in the Government of Oliver Cromwell, when I was walking in my Garden at Mount-Joy in Ʋndebarrow, in the County of Weſtmoreland, the Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying, Go thy way to Stanely Chappel in Lancaſhire. So in Obedience to the Word of the Lord I ſet on, and conſulted not with Fleſh and Blood, but went to Staneley Chappel, as the Lord had commanded me, and there I found a great company of Profeſſors gathered together in a pretence to Worſhip God; but truly they proved very cruel Heathens to me, for all their Profeſſion, for they would not ſuffer me to come into the Chappel, but with great force and violence turned the Door of me: So I walked quietly in the Yard, till their Worſhip was done, and then they came forth from their Worſhip, and fell upon me in very great rage; and one Captain William Rawlingſon, being one of the Cheifeſt Profeſſors amongſt them, came to me in great rage and fury, even like Cain, his Father, that fell upon his Brother Abel and ſlew him, and in the ſame Spirit took hold upon my Arms and Shoulders, and called of another man, to take me by the Feet and Legs, and in great Wrath and Fury they threw me over the Wall, and I was ſore bruiſed, and much I had to do to get to my Houſe again; and as I was going home, the Word of the Lord came to me▪ ſaying, Be thou content with that which hath befalen thee this day▪ and be faithful unto me in what I will command thee to do, and I will make thee a ſound Man of all thy ſore Bruiſes. So I waited upon the Lord my God, to know his Will; ſo within ſix dayes the Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying, Go the next Firſt Day to Windermore Steeple-Houſe, and fear not the Face of any Man, but ſpeak my Word freely, that I ſhall give thee; and I will make thee a ſound Man, according to my Word and Promiſe, of all thy ſore Bruiſes. So I went to Windermore Steeple-Houſe, as the Lord had Commanded me, and ſpoke to the Prieſt and People the Word of the Lord, freely as I had received it. So the Lord was very Good unto me, for in that day I was made a ſound Man of all my ſore Bruiſes, according to his Word and Promiſe; Glory, Glory and living Eternal Praiſes be given to the God of my Life for ever.

Again, in the ſame Year 1653, about the ſixth Month, being in my Bed, waiting in ſilence, the Word of the Lord came to me, ſaying, Ariſe, and take thy Horſe, and go thy way into Furneiſs in Lancaſhire, to Captain Sand's Houſe, and there thou ſhalt find a People gathered together, in a pretence of my Name; go, and fear not, but be faithful, and I will make thee a Terror unto them, and their Wiſdom ſhall be confounded. And preſently I roſe, and took my Horſe, as I was Commanded, and went into Furneiſs to Captain Sand's Houſe, and there I found a great number of Profeſſors gathered together, and two Prieſts with them, one Lampitt, and one Camdford; when I came into the Houſe, Lampitt was preaching, but preſently he was ſilent, and within a pretty time Captain Adam Sands ſaid, Sir, what is the matter? Are you well? And the Prieſt anſwered, I am well; but I ſhall ſpeak no more as long as this dumb Devil is in the Houſe. A dumb Devil, (ſaith the Captain) where is he? This is he, ſaith the Prieſt, (pointing with his Hand) that ſtandeth here. Then the Captain ſaid, This Man is quiet, and ſaith no thing unto you: I pray you Sir, go on in the Name of the Lord, and if he trouble or moleſt you in my Houſe, I will ſend him to Lancaſter • aſtle. The Prieſt anſwered, I ſhall not Preach as long as this dumb Devil is in the Houſe. Then the Captain ſaid, Mr Camelford, pray you Sir ſtand up, and exerciſe your Gift, and I will ſee that you be not diſturbed. But the Prieſt anſwered, as the other, I ſhall not ſpeak as long as this dumb Devil is in the Houſe. Then the People cryed, Lord rebuke thee Satan; Lord rebuke thee Satan: What manner of Spirit is this that ſtops our Miniſters Mouths? Then the Captain came to me, and took me by the Hand, and put me out of his Houſe; and in all this time I had not opened my Mouth, for the Lord had made his Promiſe Good unto me, in confounding their Wiſdom, when never a Word was ſpoken: So I took my Horſe, and came to my outward being again, and had grear Peace with the Lord my God.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me, in the ſixth Month, in the ſame year 1653, ſaying, Go thy way into Biſhoprick, and New-Caſtle upon Tine, and declare my Word freely that I ſhall give thee; and be not afraid, for my Powerful Preſence ſhall be with thee, and my right Hand ſhall uphold thee; and ſpeak thou to the Mayor, and Prieſts, and Rulers in that Town, and tell them, My Anger is kindled againſt them, becauſe they have ſhut my Kingdom againſt Men, and will neither enter in themſelves, nor ſuffer them that would. So I went as I was commanded of the Lord, and ſpoke to the Prieſts, Mayor and Rulers of New-Caſtel, where I ſuffered much Perſecution, and was Impriſoned by them; notwithſtanding the Lord made his Promiſe good unto me, for he made me a burthen ſome Stone to the Prieſts and Rulers of that Town; for the Mayor was much troubled, and ſent for the Sheriff; for it was they two which committed me to Priſon, and the Mayor ſaid unto the Sheriff, We have not done well in Committing an Innocent Man to Priſon: I pray your let us releaſe him. Then they cauſed the Goaler to ſet me at Liberty; ſo I Laboured in the Work of the Lord in theſe parts, and declared the Word of the Lord, as I was moved, and many were convinced of the Truth: Then being free of theſe People and Places I returned to my own Houſe again, and injoyed my Wife and Children, and had great Joy and Peace with the God of my Life.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me, as I was walking in my Feilds, in the year 1654, in the firſt Month, ſaying, Set thy Houſe in order, and go thy way into Ierland, and declare my Word that I ſhall give thee, to ſpeak, in the Cities, Towns and Villages in that Nation; and go to the Heads and Rulers in that Nation, and declare my Word freely that I ſhall give thee to ſpeak; and fear not the Face of any Man, for my Powerful Preſence ſhall be with thee, and uphold thee in all thy Straits and Hardſhips, according to my Word and Promiſe. Then ſaid I, Lord, I am an unleaned Man, and not verſed in the Scriptures; and for Wiſdom I have but little. Then the Lord anſwered me, My Honour and Glory ſhall be the more; for when the wiſe Men of the World, ſhall ſee thy Boldneſs, thy Courage and Manhood that I ſhall give thee, and though an unleaned Man, they ſhall be made to confeſs and acknowledge my Powerful Preſence to be with thee of a Truth. Then I went towards Ierland and meeting with my dear Brother, and old Companion, a faithful Man, and my fellow Labourer in the Truth, James Lancaſter, the Lord made him very free to go with me; and while we were ſpeaking of it, old Myels Bateman of Ʋnderbarrow, heard, and the Lord made him alſo very free to go with us; ſo we took our Journey, and went for Ireland, as the Lord commanded, and declared the Word of the Lord, as we were moved, in Cities, Towns and Villages in that Nation, and the Lords Preſence was with us of a truth; and we went to the Heads and Rulers of that Nation, and declared the Word of the Lord to them freely, as we had received it, and many received our Teſtimony: So when we were free of that Nation, we came for England again, and had great Peace with the Lord.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me, in the ſame year 1654, in the 3d Month, ſaying, Go thy way into Scotland, and declare my Word that I ſhall give thee, to the Heads and Rulers of that Nation, and fear not, for my right Hand ſhall uphold thee, and I will be with thee in all thy Straits and Hardſhips, according to My Promiſe, and ſpeak thou unto the Souldiers in Cities and Towns, and unto the Commanders; and tell them My Anger is kindled againſt them, for they have done very deceitfully with me, and not performed their Promiſes with me, which they made to me in the day of their deep diſtreſs, even when their Enemies encompaſſed them on every ſide; for then I del • vered them, and gave them Power over their Enemies, yet they have rewarded me Evil for my Good-will to them, and have drawn their Swords againſt me, and done Violence Againſt my Sons and my Daughters, whom I have ſent to declare my Word amongſt them; therefore I wall cauſe them to flee before their Enemies, and their Harts ſhall fail them for fear. Then I went toward Scotland, as the Lord had commanded me, and as I was going I met with my dear brother James Lancaſter, who was very free to go with me; ſo we came to Dumfreece and on a firſt Day went to a Steeple-Houſe in that Town, where many People were gathered together in a deceitful manner, Howling and Crying & making a great Lameniation, as though they had been touched with a ſight of their Sins; but my Soul was ſore grieved with their Deceit and Hypocriſie, and when their Worſhip was done, I ſpoke as I was moved of the Lord, and many of them were in great rage, and we were perſecuted by them very ſore, and they drove us out of the Town, near a great River ſide, where Veſſels from Sea may come up near to the Town's Bridge; ſo the Prieſts and People being in great rage againſt us, had concluded together that the Women in the Town ſhould Stone us; and as I was walking by the River ſide, the Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying, Put off thy Cloathes, and wade the River, and fear not, for I will be with you both, and bring you ſafe to Land. So I told my Brother, and ſtraight way we put off our Cloathes, and waded the River very ſafely, and ſo we Journied further in Scotland, till we came to the City of Edenborrow, and Town of Leeth, and there we ſtaid about ten Dayes, and ſpoke in the City and Town as we were moved of the Lord; and I went to the Garriſons of the City, and to the Town of and Leeth, and to the Captains and Officers of the Army, and ſpoke to them as the Lord had commanded me; they were much ſtruck down for that preſent, and confeſſed that the Lord had been very good unto them; So I cleared my Conſcience of the Lord's Word unto them: From thence we paſſed to Glaſco, and Sterlin, and ſpoke as we were moved of the Lord; ſo when we were free of that Nation, we came for England again, but in our Paſſage we were moved to come to Berwick upon Tweed, and ſpoke the Word of the Lord in the Streets thereof, and were taken up and carried before the Magiſtrates of the Town, and they ſent us to Priſon; but the Lord pleaded our cauſe, and made us a burthen ſome Stone to our Perſecutores, ſo that in a few days we were releaſed, and came from thence through Northumberland to New-Caſtle and to Durham, and ſpoke the Word of the Lord as we were moved, and many received our Teſtimony; ſo being freed, and free of thoſe places and People, we came to our own Houſes again, and had great Peace with the Lord, even more than I can ſpeak or declare.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me, in the year 1654, in the 7th Month, ſaying, Take thy Horſe, and go into Northumberland, into the Town of Berwick, and ſpeak to the Chief Magiſtrate of that Town the Words that ſhall give thee, and fear not the Face of any Man, for I will uphold thee with my right Hand in all thy Straits and Difficulties, according to my Word and Promiſe. So I took my Horſe, as I was commanded, and went into Biſhoprick, and there I met with my dear Brother, Robert Withers, I told him what was upon me from the Lord, and he was made by the Power of God willing to go with me, and ſo we came to the Town of Berwick; and I went to the Mayor of that Town, and ſpoke to him in his own Shop, as the Lord had commanded me; Friend, hear what the Servant of the Lord hath to ſay unto thee, Give over the Perſecuting of the Lord's Servants, whom he doth ſend in Love to this Town of Berwick, to ſhew you the way that leads to Life Eternal: I charge thee, O Man, touch not the Lord's Anointed, nor do his Prophets no harm, leſt thou procure the Anger of the Living Eternal God againſt thee. So he was ſore moved, and ſent me to Priſon, and my dearly beloved Brother Robert Withers went with me to Priſon; and ſo we parted, and he took my Horſe and ſent him Home: So the Lord made me a burthen ſome Stone to that Town of Berwick for the ſpace of ten Weeks, or thereabouts, and then I was brought to the Seſſions, and a Bill was drawn againſt me, and read in open Court; I anſwered, and ſaid, I deny that Bill; but what I ſaid to the Mayor of this Town of Berwick, I will not deny. Then the Words came freſh in my mind, & I declared them openly in the Court. Then the Recorder of the Town of Berwick ſtood up, and ſaid, that I had confeſſed as much as was in the Bill; ſo he ſaid, Sirs, as I underſtand by his own Words, if he cannot prove the Mayor of this Town a Proſecutor, in my Judgment he hath wronged him. Then I anſwered, and ſaid, If the Mayor of this Town of Berwick, dare ſay in the preſence of the Lord, whoſe preſence is here, that he is no Perſecutor, but the perſecuting Nature is ſlain in him, I will be willing to abide the Judgment of the Court. The Clerk of the Court ſaid, Mr. Mayor, if you will ſay, that you are no Perſecutor, but the perſecuting Nature is ſlain in you, he is willing to abide the Judgment of the Court. The Mayor anſwered, and ſaid, I know not what to do, I would I had never ſeen him: I pray you let him go, and let us be no more troubled with him. Then I anſwered, and ſaid, That I would prove this Mayor of Berwick the greateſt Perſecutor in Town or Country; I was once committed to Priſon in this Town before, for ſpeaking the Word of the Lord in the Streets, by ſome of the Juſtices that are now in this Court; but thou, O Man! haſt exceeded them all, thou haſt committed me and kept me in cloſe Priſon for the ſpace of ten Weeks, or thereabouts, for ſpeaking to thy own Perſon, in thy own Shop: Now I make my appeal to the Recorder of this Town of Berwick, as I am a Free-born Engliſh-man, whether my Impriſonment be Legal, according to the Law of this Nation, or not? Then the Recorder of the Town ſtood up, and ſaid, It is not very Legal for any Miniſter of the Law to Impriſon any man in his own Cauſe. Then the Court cryed, Take him away: For the fear and dread of the Living God was upon them. Then the chief Prieſt of the Town ſtood up, and deſired the Court, that he might ask me one Queſtion. Then I anſwered, and ſaid, The Lord knows thy Heart, O man, and at this preſent has revealed thy Thoughts to his Servant: I know thy Heart, thou high Prieſt, and the Queſtion thou wouldſt ask me; and if thou wilt promiſe me before the Court, that if I tell thee the Queſtion thou wouldſt ask me, wilt thou deal plainly with me, and I will not only tell thee thy Query, but I will anſwer it. Then the Prieſt ſaid, That he would. Then I anſwered and ſaid, thy Queſtion is this, Thou wouldſt know whether I own that Chriſt that dyed at Jeruſalem or not? Then the Prieſt ſaid, Truly that is the Queſtion. Then according to my promiſe I will anſwer it before this Court: In the Preſence of the Lord God of Heaven, I own no other Chriſt, but the Chriſt which dyed at Jeruſalem, and made a good Confeſſion before Pontious Pilate, to be the Light and Way that leads fallen Man out of Sin and Evil up to God Eternal, bleſſed for evermore. So no more Queſtions were asked me, but the Goaler was commanded to take me away, and within a little time the Court gave order to releaſe me, ſo I returned to New-Caſtle; and when I was free of that Town, I returned to my Wife and Children at Mount joy, and had great Peace with the God of Life.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me, as I was following the Plow, in the Year 1655, in the firſt Month, ſaying, Go thy way to the City of London, and as thou paſſes, ſpeak my Word freely that I ſhall put into thy Heart, to the Judges and Rulers in this Nation, and fear not the face of any man, for I will be with thee in the Fire; and in the Water, and in all thy Troubles and Hardſhips and I will uphold thee by my eternal Arm and Power, according to my Word and Promiſe. Then I went into Yorkſhire, and travelled up and down as I was moved, and came to the City of York, and from thence to Hull, and ſo to Beverley, and ſpoke the Word of the Lord to the Heads and Rulers, as the Lord commanded me, and the Lord's hand did uphold me in all my Travels. Thence I paſſed through Leiceſterſhire and Lincolnſhire, and ſpoke the Word of the Lord as I was moved, to the Prieſts, People and Rulers, and ſo came to the City of London, and there I found many of my dear Brethren, where I ſtaid about ten dayes; and then my dear Brother Thomas Salthouſe and I paſſed for Briſtol, and ſo to Excetter and Plimouth, where we ſuffered much Perſecution, and were Impriſoned at the Town of Plimouth and Excetter about one year, but the Lord God was with us in all our Troubles and Impriſonments, and made us a burthenſome Stone to all our Perſecutors, as may be readmore at large in a Book, entituled, The Wounds of an Enemy in the Houſe of a Friend. So the Lord in his own time freed us of all our Bonds and Impriſonments, according to his promiſe; Glory and Honour, and Eternal Praiſes be given to his Name forever.

IN the year 1663, in the Reign of King Charles the ſecond, I was Summoned to appear at one of the Biſhops Escleſiaſtical Courts, before his Chancellor, Doctor Cradict, holden at Kendal, and I was free in the Lord to go, with many of my dear Friends and Brethren, who were likewiſe Summoned to be their, I waited in the Court obove three hours, and at length I was called to give my anſwer, why I came not to the Steeple-houſe to hear the Prieſts? Then I deſired the Court they would hear me, and I would give them a plain anſwer in the fear of God, and uprightneſs of my Heart, and they promiſed me they would be quiet and ſtill, I told them I was about fifty years of Age, and I had ſpent thirty of it in hearing the Prieſts, and in all that time I had not profited by them, but finding them preaching one thing one year, and another year preaching quite the contrary, therefore I cannot now hear them. Then I ſaid to the Doctor, now I appeal to that of God in thee, and to all moderate Men that hear me this day, if I have not given thee a plain anſwer, in the fear of the Lord, to thy own Queſtion? He anſwered, I had come as near him, as any had done that day. So this is recorded in the Biſhop's Court againſt me, That I went thirty years to the Church, and in all that time I had not profited at all▪ So I ſtand Excommunicated in the Biſhop's Court.

Again, the Word of the Lord came unto me, in the year 1667, in the fourth Month, in the Reign of King Charles the ſecond, Saying, Go thy ways into the City of Briſtol, and Gloſterſhire, and Wiltſhire, and Summerſetſhire, Devonſhire and Cornewall, where thou haſt been formerly, and declared my Eternal Word amongſt them, and ſuffered hard and ſore Impriſonments for my Name ſake, and ſpeak to my own People, my Sons and my Daughters, whom I have called and choſen in this the Day of my Love out of the World, and the barren Mountain thereof, to ſerve me in Truth, and in Righteouſneſs all their dayes; and bid them prepare themſelves, for I am coming to take account upon them all, my Sons, and my Daughters, even from the greateſt to the leaſt of my Children, and he whom I have given Ten Tallents ſhall count for Ten, and he to whom I have given five Tallents ſhall count for five, and be to whom I have given two ſhall count for two; ſo every one, both Man and Woman, ſhall count for what he hath received; So I command thee to go and ſpeak to my own People, whom I have choſen to ſerve me, the Words that I ſhall give thee; and though thou be weak and feeble of Body, yet fear thou not, for I will uphold thee in all thy weakneſs, by my eternal Arm and Power, and I will put my Word into thy Mouth, what thou ſhalt ſay unto my choſen People, my Sons and my Daughters, whom I have called in this the Day of my Love, and they ſhall receive thee as my Servant, and confeſs and acknowledge, that I have again ſent thee, in dear and tender Love, and Fatherly Care unto them. So I took my Horſe, and went to the City of Briſtol, and into thoſe other Counties, as the Lord had required, and ſpoke to the Churches, as I was moved; and though I was but very weak of Body, yet the Lord made his Promiſe good unto me in all my weakneſs; Glory and Honour, and Living eternal Praiſes be gvien to the Lord my God for ever, of all the Children of Light.

And when I was about ten Miles off Plimouth, I was brought before the chief Rulers in Devonſhire and Cornewall; and they asked me my Name, and from whence I came: I ſaid, out of the North. They asked me, Out of what Country in the North? And I ſaid Weſtmorland. Then they asked me, What buſineſs I had in Devonſhire. I anſwered, to ſee my old Friends, whom formerly about ten Years ſince I had acquaintance with. One of the Rulers anſwered, I am a Devonſhire man; I pray you what are the Names of your Friends you had acquaintance with ten Years ſince in Devonſhire. I anſwered, one Sr John Copleſtone, who was then High Sheriff of Devonſhire, and one John Page, who was then the Mayor of Plimouth, and one Juſtice Vowell, who was then the Judge of the Seſſions of the City of Exceter, and one Colonel Buffit, who was a Juſtice at that time. Then one of the Rulers ſaid, Truly, Gentlemen, though this man call theſe men his Friends; ſurely they have been his Perſecutors? Then another of the Rulers ſaid, Would you know how it is with theſe your old Friends: No man in all Devonſhire nor Cornwall can give you a more perfect nor truer Account than I can: Your old Friend Sr. John Copleſtone hath ſold his Land, and I know not where he may be found. And as for your Friend John Page, who was the Mayor of Plimouth, he is become a broken Merchant, and is fled out of his own Country, and as I hear, is gone for the Barbadoes. And as for your Friend Juſtice Vowell, he is gone to his long home. And as for your old Friend Colonel Buffit, he was committed to Priſon at Bridge water in Summerſetſhire for high Treaſon, and is ſtolen away from the Goaler, and is quite gone, and dare not be ſeen in his own Country. And ſo Friend, I have given you a true Account of your old Friends: And truly Friend, if theſe men were your Perſecutors, you may be ſure that they will trouble you no more; for if they that trouble you, and perſecute you, have no better fortune than theſe men, I wiſh that I, nor none of my Friends may have any Hand in Perſecuting of you. So I took my leave of theſe moderate men, and travelled to Cornewall.

Thus hath the Lord pleaded my Cauſe, according to his Word and Promiſe, who will give to every man a juſt Reward, according to his Work; Glory and Honour, and living eternal Praiſes be given to the God of my Life for evermore, who is the good Shepherd of my Soul, who hath enabled me to do his Work and Service, and hath brought me by his eternal Arm and Power, ſafely to my own Houſe again, and hath given me Joy and Peace, that all the Perſecutors in all the World cannot take from me, as I dwell and abide faithful unto him, who is the good Shepherd and Biſhop of my Soul, who is my Light, my Life, my Joy and Peace, and eternal Portion for evermore; Amen.

Again, in the Year 1669, in the Reign of King Charles, about the 5th Month, the Word of the Lord came to me, ſaying, Go thy way into Cumberland, Northumberland, and Biſhoprick, and Yorkſhire, where I have ſent thee formerly to declare my Word, and to ſhew them the Way, as thou hadſt received it of me, that leads to Life and Peace, that all the World are but Talkers of; and many in that day did receive thy Teſtimony with gladneſs of Heart: Go thy way, and take thy Horſe, and paſs into theſe Countries, and ſpeak my Word freely to my own People, my Sons and my Daughters, whom I have called and choſen out of the World, and the barren Mountains thereof, to ſerve me in Truth, and in Righteouſneſs all their dayes: Lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet, and ſpeak to my own People, and charge them in my Name to prepare themſelves, for I will come and take account of them, even from the greateſt to the leaſt, and he that hath ten Tallents given him, ſhall count for ten; and he that hath five Tallents given him, ſhall count for five; and he that hath two given, ſhall count for two; and every one of my Servants, Sons and Daughters, ſhall count for what they have received of me. So I was very free in my Spirit, to tell my dear Brother Robert Withers, a faithful man, a fellow Labourer in the Lord's work, what lay upon me from the Lord, and he was made free to go with me: So in obedience to the Lord we were made very willing to go into theſe Countries, to ſpeak to the Lord's People, who had received the Lord's Truth in the love it; and many of our dear Friends and Brethren were exceedingly broken, and their Hearts tendred with the Lord's Teſtimony, and with the true ſence of God's everlaſting Love, and tender fatherly Care to them, who hath ſent his Servants to give them warning, that the Lord God of Heaven and Earth will come and take account of every one of his Servants, both Sons and Daughters, from the greateſt to the leaſt, that they may be prepared to meet the Lord with Joy and Rejoycing, that they may give their Account with gladneſs of Heart, and ſo receive the bleſſed Sentence that the Lord hath prepared for all the Faithful and Upright in Heart, that they may finiſh and end their dayes in Peace, and lie down in the Boſom of the Father, with all the holy Men of God. So when we had been in all theſe Counties, and had many good and pretious Meetings amongſt our dear Friends and Brethren, to the ſtrenthening and referſhing one another in the holy Faith: Being free of the Lord's burthen, we returned to our outward▪ beings again, and had great Peace with the Lord.