was quickly noised over the town that I was come. Now 1 had never been there before.

6

On the first-day morning I went to the meeting in Broadmead at Bristol; and a great meeting there was, and quiet, Notice was given of a meeting to be in the afternoon in the orchard. There was at Bristol a rude baptist, named Paul Gwin, who had used before to make great disturbance in our meetings, being encouraged and set on by the mayor, who, as it was reported, would sometimes give him his dinner to encourage him; and such multitudes of rude people would he gather after him, that it was thought there had been sometimes ten thousand people at our meeting in the orchard. As I was going along into the orchard the people told me, that Paul Gwin, the rude jangling baptist, was going to the meeting; but I bade them never heed, it was nothing to me who went to it. When I was come into the orchard, I stood upon the stone that friends used to stand on when they spake; and I was moved of the Lord to put off my hat, and to stand a pretty while, and let the people look at me; for some thousands of people were there. While I thus stood silent, this rude baptist began to find fault with my hair; but I said nothing to him. Then he run on into words; and at last, Ye wise men of Bristol,' said he, I strange at you, that you will stand here and hear a man speak and affirm that which he cannot make good,' Then the Lord opened my mouth (for as yet I had not spoken a word), and I asked the people, whether they ever heard me speak before; or ever saw me before: and I bade them take notice what kind of man this was amongst them that should so impudently say that I spake and affirmed that which I could not make good, and yet neither he nor they ever heard me or saw me before. Therefore that was a lying, envious, malicious spirit, that spake in him; and it was of the devil, and not of God. Therefore I charged him in the dread and power of the Lord to be silent: and the mighty power of God camé over him, and all his company. And then a glorious, peaceable meeting we had, and the word of life was di vided amongst them; and they were turned from the darkness to the light, and to Jesus their Saviour. And the scriptures were largely opened to them; and the traditions, and rudiments, and ways, and doctrines of men were laid open before the people, which they had been in; and they were turned to the light of Christ, that with it they might see them, and see him to lead them out of them. I opened also to them the types, and figures, and shadows of Christ in the time of the law; and shewed them, that Christ was

come, and had ended the types, and shadows, and tithes, and oaths, and put down swearing; and had set up yea and nay instead of it, and a free ministry; for he was now come to teach people himself, and his heavenly day was springing from on high. So for many hours did I declare the word of life amongst them in the eternal power of God, that by him they might come up into the beginning, and be reconciled to him. And having turned them to the Spirit of God in themselves that would lead into all truth, I was moved to pray in the mighty power of God; and the Lord's power came over all. But when I had done, this fellow began to babble again; and John Audland was moved to bid him repent, and fear God. So his own people and followers being ashamed of him, he passed away, and never came again to disturb the meeting. And the meeting broke up quietly, and the Lord's power and glory shined over all: a blessed day it was, and the Lord had the praise. After awhile this Paul Gwin went beyond the seas; and many years after I met with him again at Barbadoes of which in its place.

From Bristol we returned to Edward Pyot's, where we had a great meeting; and the Lord's power was over all, and truth was declared and spread abroad, and many were turned to Christ Jesus, their life, their prophet to teach them, their shepherd to feed them, and their bishop to oversee them. After the meeting was done, I had some reasoning with some professors; and the Lord's truth and power came over them.

From Edward Pyot's we passed to Slattenford, where we had a very large meeting (Edward Pyot and another friend being still with us); and a great turning of people there was to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher: and people were glad that they were brought to know their way, and their free teacher, and their Saviour Christ Jesus. On the first-day following we went to Nathaniel Crips's house, who had been a justice of peace in Wiltshire, where it was supposed there were between two and three thousand people at a meeting; and all was quiet and the mighty power of God was manifest, and people were turned to the grace and truth in their hearts, that came by Jesus Christ, which would teach them to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly and godly in this present world; so that every man and woman might know the grace of God, which had appeared to all men, and which was saving, and sufficient to bring their salvation. This was to be their teacher, the grace of God, which would teach them how to live, what to do, and what to

deny; and would season their words, and establish their hearts. And this was a free teacher to every one of them; so that they might come to be heirs of this grace, and of Christ, by whom it came; who hath ended the prophets, and the priests that took tithes, and the jewish temple. And as for these hireling priests that take tithes now, and their temples (which priests were made at schools and colleges of man's setting up, and not by Christ,) they, with all their inventions, were to be denied. For the apostles denied the true priesthood and temple, which God had commanded, after Christ had put an end thereto. So the scriptures, and the truths therein contained, were largely opened, and the people turned to the Spirit of God in their hearts; that by it they might be led into all truth, and understand the scriptures, and know God and Christ, and come to have unity with them, and one with another in the same spirit. And the people went away generally satisfied, and were glad, that they were turned to Christ Jesus, their teacher and Saviour.

The next day we went from thence to Marlborough, where we had a little meeting; and the sessions being in that town that day, they were granting forth a warrant to send for me. But one justice Stooks being at the sessions, stopped them, telling them there was a meeting at his house yesterday, at which were several thousands. So the warrant was stopped and the meeting was quiet; and several received Christ Jesus their teacher, and came into the new covenant, and abode in it.

From hence we went to Newberry, where we had a large, blessed meeting, and several were convinced there. Thence we passed on to Reading, where we had a large, precious meeting in the Lord's power amongst the plants of God; and many of the world came in, and were reached, and added to the meeting and all was quiet, and the Lord's power was over all. We went from Reading to Kingston-upon-Thames, where a few came in to us that were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ: but since it is become a larger meeting.

Leaving Kingston, we rode to London; and when we came near Hyde Park, we saw a great concourse of people, and looking towards them, we espied the Protector coming in his coach. Whereupon I rode up to his coach-side; and some of his life-guard would have put me away, but he forbade them. So I rode down by his coach-side with him, declaring what the Lord gave me to say unto him of his condition, and of the sufferings of friends in the nation; shewing him how contrary this persecution was to Christ

and his apostles, and to Christianity. When we were come to James's Park-gate, I left him, and at parting he desired me to come to his house. The next day, one of his wife's maids, whose name was Mary Sanders, came up to me at my lodging, and said her master came to her, and told her he would tell her some good news; and when she asked him what it was, he told her George Fox was come to town. She replied that was good news indeed (for she was one that had received truth), but she said she could hardly believe him, till he told her how I met him, and rode from Hyde-Park down to James's Park with him.

After a little time Edward Pyot and I went to Whitehall : and when we came before him there was one called Dr. Owen, vice-chancellor of Oxford, with him. We were moved to speak to Oliver Cromwell concerning the sufferings of friends, and laid them before him, and directed him to the light of Christ, who had enlightened every man that cometh into the world, And he said it was a natural light; but we shewed him the contrary, and manifested that it was divine and spiritual, proceeding from Christ, the spiritual and heavenly man; and that which was called the life in Christ the word, was called the light in us. The power of the Lord God arose in me, and I was moved in it to bid him lay down his crown at the feet of Jesus: several times I spake to him to the same effect. Now I was standing by the table, and he came and sate upon the table's side by me, and said he would be as high as I was; and so continued speaking against the light of Christ Jesus; and went away in a light manner. But the Lord's power came over him, so that when he came to his wife and other company, he said, I never parted so from them before; for he was judged in himself.

After he had left us, as we were going out, many of his great persons came about us; and one of them began to speak against the light, and against the truth; and I was made to slight him, for speaking so lightly of the things of God. Whereupon, one of them told me he was the majorgeneral of Northamptonshire. What!' said I, our old persecutor, that has persecuted and sent so many of our friends to prison, and is a shame to Christianity and religion! I am glad I have met with thee,' said I; and so I was moved to speak sharply to him, of his unchristian carriages, and he slunk away, for he had been a cruel persecutor in Northamptonshire.

Now, after I had visited the meetings of friends in and about London, I went into Buckinghamshire, and Edward Pyot with me; and in several places in that county many

received the truth, and great meetings we had, and the Lord's power was eminently manifested. So I passed through Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire, into Lincolnshire. And after I had had several meetings in Lincolnshire, I had at last a meeting where two knights, one called Sir Richard Wrey, and the other, Sir John Wrey, with their wives, were at the meeting; and one of their wives was convinced, and received the truth, and died in it. When the meeting was done we passed away, and it being in the evening, and dark, a company of wild fellows that were serving men, met me, and encompassed me about, with intent (as I apprehended) to have done me some mischief. But I spake aloud to them, and asked, "What are ye? highwaymen ?' Whereupon some friends and friendly people that were behind, came up to us, and knew some of them. So I reproved them for their uncivil and rude carriage, and exhorted them to fear God; and the Lord's power came over them, and stopped their mischievous design; blessed be his name for ever!

Then I turned into Huntingdonshire: and the mayor of Huntingdon came to visit me, and was very loving, and his wife received the truth.

Thence I passed into Cambridgeshire, and so came into the fen-country, where I had many meetings, and the Lord's truth spread. Robert Craven (who had been sheriff of Lincoln) and Amor Stoddart, and Alexander Parker were with me. We went to Crowland, a very rude place, for the town's people were got together at the inn we went to, and were half drunk, both priest and people. I reproved them for their drunkenness, and warned them of the day of the Lord, that was coming upon all the wicked, exhorting them to leave their drunkenness, and turn to the Lord in time. Whilst I was thus speaking to them, and shewing the priest the fruits of his ministry, the priest and the clerk brake out into a rage, and got up the tongs and fire-shovel at us; so that had not the Lord's power preserved us, we might have been murdered amongst them. Yet, for all their rudeness and violence, some received the truth then, and have stood in it ever since.

From thence we passed through the country to Boston, where most of the chief of the town came to our inn, and the people seemed to be much satisfied. But there was a raging man in the yard, and Robert Craven was moved to speak to him, and told him he shamed Christianity, which with some few other words so stopped the man, that he went away quiet. And some were convinced there also.

Thus passing through the countries we had large meet