that was with me, to go see what he ailed? and he 1662. went, but came not to me again; for the Soldiers, it feems, were come, and were in the Orchard. And as Pul. Mo. I kept walking, I could fee the Soldiers; and fome of Meeting them (as I heard afterwards) did fee me, but had no mind to meddle. So the Soldiers coming fo long be fore the Meeting-time, they did not Tarry; but took what Friends they found at the Houfe, and fome that they met in the Lane coming, and had them away. After they were gone,and it grew towards the Eleventh Hour, Friends began to come in apace; and a large and glorious Meeting we had: for the Everlafting Seed of God was fet over all, and the People were fettled in the New-Covenant of Life,upon the Foundation Chrift Jefus. Toward the latter part of the Meeting there came a Man in gay Apparel and looked into the Meeting while I was declaring; and went away again prefently. This Man came with an evil Intent: for he went forthwith to Ringwood, and told the Magiftrates; They had taken two or three Men at Pulner, and had left George Fox there Preaching to two or three hundred People. Upon this, the Magiftrates fent the Officers and Soldiers again: but the Meeting being near ended, when that Man look'd in; and he having about a Mile and half to go with his Information to Ringwood to fetch the Soldiers, and they as much to come back,after they had received their Orders; before they could come, our Meeting was over ending about the third Hour peaceably and orderly. After the Meeting, I fpake to the Friends of the Houfe, where this Meeting was; (the Woman of the Houfe lying then Dead in the House) and then fome Friends had me to another Friend's Houfe at a little diftance from the Meeting-place: where, after we had refresh'd'our felves, I took Horse, having about Twenty Miles to ride that Afternoon, to one-Frye's Houfe in Wiltshire, where w a Meeting was appointed to be next Day.

After we were gone, the Officers and Soldiers came in a great Heat, and when they found they were come too late, and had miffed their Prey, they were much B Enraged:

at &

ple,

1663. Enraged: and the Officers were offended with the Soldiers, that they had not feized my Horfe in the StaWith ble, the firft time they came. But the Lord by his at Frye's. good Providence did deliver me, and prevented them of their Mifchievous Defign. For the Officers were envious Men, and had an evil Mind against Friends: but the Lord brought his Judgments upon them; fo Exam that it was taken notice of by their Neighbours. For " whereas before they were Wealthy Men, after this their Estates wafted away: and John Line, who was the Conftable, (and who was not only very forward in putting on the Soldiers to take Friends; but also carried those that were taken to Prifon, and took a Falfe Oath against them at the Affize, upon which they were Fined, and continued Prifoners) he was a fad Spectacle to behold. For his Flefh rotting away while he lived, he died in a very miferable Condition, wishing he had never medled with the Quakers; and confeffing that he never profpered fince he had an hand in perfecuting them; and that he thought, the hand of the Lord was againft. him for it.

DorfetShire.

1

At Frye's in Wiltshire we had a very bleffed Meeting, and quiet; though the Officers had a purpose. to have broken it up, and were coming on their way in order thereunto. But before they were got to the Meeting, Word was brought after them, That there was an Houfe newly broken up by Thieves; and they were required to go back again with speed, to fearch after and pursue the Thieves: by which means our Meeting fcaped Disturbance, and we were delivered out of their Hands.

We paffed through Wiltshire into Dorfetfhire, ha ving large and good Meetings, and the Lord's Everlafting Power was with us, and carried us over all in which we founded forth his faving Truth, and Word of Life, which many gladly received. Thus travelling through the Countries, we vifited Friends, till we came to Topfham in Devonshire, travelling fome Sa Weeks Eight or Nine-fcore Miles a Week, and had

Deves

Shire.

Top

Meet

ham.

bridge,

fen's.

Meetings every Day. At Topsham we met with Mar- 1663. garet Fell, and two of her Daughters, Sarah and Mary, w, and with Leonard Fell and Thomas Salthouse. From Topthence we paffed to Totness, where we vifited fome Tornefs. Friends; and then on to Kingsbridge, and fo to old Kings Henry Pollexfen's, who had been an Ancient Juftice of To Peace. There we had a large Meeting. And from Pollex thence this old Juftice paffed with us to Plymouth and Plyfo into Cornwall, to one Juftice Porter's; and from mouth. thence to Thomas Mount's, where we had another large Meeting. After which we went to Humphrey Lower's, where also we had a large Meeting; and from thence to Loveday Hamblye's, where we had a General Meeting for the whole Country: and all was quiet.

A little before this, there had been in thofe Parts Fofeph Hellen and G. Bewly, and they had been at Loo, to vifit one Blanch Pope, a Ranting Woman, under pretence to Convince and Convert her: but before they came from her, he had fo darkned them with her Principles, that they feemed to be like her Difciples, efpecially Jofeph Hellen. For fhe had asked them, Who made the Devil? Did not God? This Idle Queftion fo puzzled them, that they could not Anfwer her. They afterwards asked me that Question; and I told them, No: for all that God made was good, and was bleft; fo was not the Devil. And he was called a Serpent, before he was called a Devil and an Adverfary; and then he had the Title of Devil given to him: And afterward he was called a Dragon, because he was a Deftroyer. The Devil abode not in the Truth, and by departing from the Truth, he became a Devil: and fo the fews, when they went out of the Truth, were faid to be of the Devil; and were called Serpents, Now, there is no Promife of God to the Devil, that ever he shall return into Truth again: but to Man and Woman, who have been de ceived by him, the Promife of God is, that The Seed of the Woman Shall bruife the Serpent's Head, fhall break his Power and Strength to pieces. Now, when thefe things were opened more at large to the Satis

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Cornwa

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1663. faction of Friends; thofe Two, who had let up the Spirit of that Ranting Woman, were judged by the Cornwal. Truth and one of them, viz. Fofeph Hellen, run quite out from Truth, and was denied by Friends: But George Bewly was recovered, and came afterwards to be ferviceable to Truth.

Falmouth.

We paffed from Loveday Hambley's to Francis HodPenryn. ges, near Falmouth and Penryn, where we had a large Helfone. Meeting; and from thence we went to Helftone that Night, where fome Friends came to vifit us: and the next day we paffed to Thomas Teage's, where we had another large Meeting, at which many were Convinced: for I was led to open the State of the Church in the Primitive Times, and the State of the Church in the Wilderness, and the State of the Falfe Church, that was got up fince; and to fhew, that now the Everlasting Gofpel was preached again over the Head of the Whore, Beaft and falfe Prophets, and Antichrifts, which had got up fince the Apoftles days and now the Everlasting Gofpel was received and receiving, which brought Life and Immortality to Light; that they might fee over the Devil, that had darkned them. And the People received the Gofpel and the Word of Life gladly, and a glo rious bleffed Meeting we had for the exalting the Lord's everlafting Truth, and his Name. After the Meeting was done, I walked out; and as I was coming in again, I heard a Noife in the Court and coming nearer, I found the Man of the Houfe fpeaking to the Tinners, and others of the World's People, and telling them; It was the Everlafting Truth, that had been declared there that day; and the People gene rally confeffed to it.

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From thence we paffed to the Land's End, to John Ellis's Houfe, where we had a precious Meeting and there was a Fisherman, one Nicholas Fofe, that was Convinced; and he fpake in Meetings, and declared the Truth amongst the People: and the Lord's Power was over all. I was glad, that the Lord had raifed up his Standard in thofe dark Parts of the Nation,

where

where fince there is a fine Meeting of honeft-hearted 1662. Friends; and many there are come to fit under Chrift's Teaching: and a great People the Lord will Landshave in that Country.

End.

Truro.

From thence we returned to Redruth; and the next Redruth. day to Truro, where we had a Meeting. Next Morning fome of the Chief of the Town defired to speak with me, and I went to them; amongst whom was Col. Roufe. A great deal of Difcourfe I had with them concerning the Things of God and in their Reafoning they faid, The Gofpel was the Four Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; and they called it Natural. But I told them, the Gospel was the Power of God; which was preached, before Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or any of them were printed or written: And it was preached to Every Creature, (of which a great part might never fee nor hear of thofe Four Books;) fo that Every Creature was to obey, the Power of God: for Chrift, the Spiritual Man, would Judge the World according to the Gospel, that is, according to his Invifible Power. When they heard this, they could not gain-fay; for the Truth came over them. So I directed them to their Teacher, the Grace of God, and fhewed them the Sufficiency of it; which would teach them how to live, and what to deny; and being obeyed, would bring them their Salvation. And fo to that Grace I recommended them, and left them.

Then returned we through the Country, vifiting Friends, and had Meetings at Humphrey Lower's again, and at Thomas Mount's. And afterwards at George Hawkins at Stoke we had a large Meeting, to Stoke. which Friends came from Lancefton, and feveral other places; and a living, precious Meeting it was, in which the Lord's Prefence and Power was richly manifefted amongst us: and I left Friends there under the Lord Jefus Chrift's Teaching.

In Cornwall I was Informed, that there was one Example Col. Robinfon, a very wicked Man, who after the King came in, was made a Juftice of the Peace,

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