Stoke.

1663. and became a Cruel Perfecutor of our Friends; of whom he fent many to Prifon. And hearing, that they had fome little Liberty, through the Favour of the Jailer, to come home fometimes, to vifit their Wives and Children, he made a great Complaint thereof to the Judge at the Affize against the Jailer; Whereupon the Jailer was fined an Hundred Marks, and Friends were kept very strictly up for a while. After he was come home from the Affize, he fent to a Neighbouring Juftice, to defire him to go to a Fanatick-hunting with him,he fent his Man about with his Horfes, and walked himself on Foot from his Dwelling-Houfe to a Tenement, that he had, where his Cows and Dairy were kept, and where his Servants were then Milking. When he came there, he asked for his Bull; and the Maid-Servants faid, They had fhut him into the Field, because he was Unruly amongst the Kine, and hindred their Milking, Then went he into the Field to his Bull; and having formerly accuftomed himself to play with the Bull, he began to fence at him with his Staff, as he ufed to do. But the Bull fnuff'd at him, and paf⚫ fed a little back; and then turning upon him again, ran fiercely at him, and ftruck his Horn into his Thigh, and heaving him upon his Horn, threw him over his Back, and fo tore up his Thigh to his Belly. And when he came to the Ground again, he gored him with his Horns, and would run them into the Ground in his Rage and Violence; and roared, and licked up his Mafter's Blood. The Maid-Servant hearing her Mafter Cry out, came running into the Field, and came to the Bull, and took him by the Horns, to pull him off from her Mafter. The Bull, without hurting her, put her gently by with his Horns; but ftill fell to goring of him, and licking up his Blood. Then the ran, • and got fome Work-men, that were at Work not far off, to come in and rescue her Mafter but they could not at all beat off the Bull, till they brought Maftiff-Dogs to fet on him; and then the Bull fled

'

<

in a great Rage and Fury. Upon notice of it his 1663. Sifter came, and faid to him; Alack Brother, what a beavy Judgment is this, that is befallen you! And Cornwal he Anfwered, A, Sifter, It is an beavy Fudgment indeed: Pray let the Bull be killed, and the Flesh given to the Poor, faid he. So they carried him home; but he died foon after. And the Bull was grown fo fierce, that they were forced to fhoot him with Guns: for no Man durft come near him, to kill him. Thus does the Lord fometimes make 'fome Examples of his juft Judgment upon the Perfecutors of his People, that others may fear, and learn to beware.

bridge.

Tiverton

Now after I had cleared my felf of Cornwall, and Thomas Lower (who had rid with us from Meeting to Meeting through that County) had brought us over Horfe-bridge into Devonshire again, we took our Horfe leave of him. And Thomas Briggs, Robert Widders Devonand I came through the Country to Tiverton: and it faire. being their Fair, and many Friends there, we had a Meeting amongst them; and the Magiftrates gathered in the Street, but the Lord's Power ftopt them: I faw them in the Street over againft the Door; but they had not Power to come in to meddle with us, though they had Will enough to have done it.

Welling

After the Meeting was done, we paffed to Collump- Collam ton and to Wellington: For we had appointed a Meet- Pron ing Five Miles off; where we had a large Meeting ton at a Butcher's Houfe, and a blessed Meeting it was: for the People were directed to their Teacher, the Grace of God, which would bring them Salvation; and many were fettled under its Teaching: and the Lord's Prefence was amongst us, and we were refreshed in him, in whom we laboured and travelled; and the Meeting was quiet. There had been very great Perfecution in that Country, and in that Town a little before, infomuch that fome Friends queftioned the Peaceableness of our Meeting; but the Lord's Power chained all, and his Glory fhined over all. The Friends told us, how they had broken up their Meet

B 4

ings

ton.

1663. ings by Warrants from the Juftices, and how by their Warrants they were required to carry Friends before Welling the Juftices; and Friends bid them, Carry them then. The Officers told Friends, they muft Go: but Friends faid Nay, that was not according to their Warrants, which required them to Carry them. Then they were fain to hire Carts and Waggons, and Horfes, and to lift Friends up into their Waggons and Carts, to carry them before a Juftice. And when they came to a Juftice's House, fometimes he happened to be from home and if he were a Moderate Man, he would get out of the way; and then they were forced to Carry them before another: So that they were Many Days Carting and Carrying Friends up and down from place to place. And when afterward the Officers came to lay their Charges for this upon the Town, the Town's People would not pay it; but made them bear it themselves: and that brake the Neck of their Perfecution there for that time. The like was done in feveral other places, till the Officers had fhamed and tired themselves; and then were fain to give

.over.

At one place they warned Friends to come to the Steeple-houfe; and the Friends met together to confider of it; and had freedom to go to the Steeplehoufe, and Meet together there. Accordingly, when they came thither, they fate down together, to Wait upon the Lord in his Power and Spirit, and minded the Lord Jefus Chrift, their Teacher and Saviour; but did not mind the Prieft. When the Officers faw that, they came to them to put them out of the Steeple-houfe again; but the Friends told them, it was not time for them to break up their Meeting yet. A while after, when the Prieft had done his Stuff, they came to the Friends again, and would have had them go home to Dinner; but the Friends told them, They did not ufe to go to Dinner; but were feeding upon the Bread of Life. So there they fate, Waiting upon the Lord, and enjoying his Power and Prefence, till they found Freedom in themselves to depart. Thus

the

the Prieft's People were offended, because they could 1663. not get them to the Steeple- houfe: and when they were there, they were offended, because they could Welling not get them out again.

ton.

Somer

From the Meeting near Collumpton we went to Taunton, where we had a large Meeting; and the Taunton. next day we came to a General Meeting in Somerset- fetfair hire, which was very large; and the Lord's everlasting Word of Life and Truth was largely declared, and the People were refreshed thereby, and fettled upon Chrift their Rock and Foundation, and brought to fit under his Teaching: and the Meeting was peaceable. But about the Second Hour in the Night there came a Company of Men about the Houfe, and knocked at the Door, and bid, Open the Door, or they would break it open; for they wanted a Man, that they came to fearch the Houfe for. I heard the Noife, and got up; and at the Window faw a Man at the Door with his Sword by his Side. When they had let him in, he came into the Chamber, where I was, and look'd on me, and faid; Tou are not the Man I look for: and fo went his way.

Puddi

We came from thence to Street, and fo to Puddi- Street. more to William Beaton's, where we had a very large more General Meeting; wherein the Lord's everlafting Truth was declared, and the People refreshed thereby, and all quiet. From thence we went to John Dandy's, where we had another large and very precious Meeting; and then paffed on to Bristol, where Briskol; we had good Service for the Lord, and all quiet. Here we met with Margaret Fell and her Daughters again. And after fome time we went to Slattenford in Wiltshire, where was a very large Meeting in a great Barn, and good Service we had there: for the wit Truth, as it is in Jefus, was published amongst them, and many were gathered by it into the Name of the Lord.

Slatten

ford.

fterfh.

After this I paffed into Gloucestershire and Hert- Glouce fordshire, having large Meetings in each. In Here- Hereford I had a Meeting in the Inn; and after the Meet foreles

Here

ing ford.

1663. ing was over, and I was gone, the Magiftrates hearing, there had been a Meeting, came to fearch the Hereford Inn for me; and were vexed, that they had miffed

WALES.

faire.

of me. But the Lord fo ordered it, that I escaped their Snare; and Friends were established upon Chrift their Foundation, and the Rock of Ages.

Then went I into Wales, into Radnorshire, and had Radnor feveral precious Meetings there: and the Lord's Name. and Standard was fet up, and many were gathered to it; and are fettled under the Teaching of Chrift Jefus, their Saviour who hath bought them.

At a

wards

After I was clear of Wales, I turned towards EngMarket land again, and came to a Market-Town betwixt EngTown to land and Wales, where was a great Fair that Day; ENG and feveral Friends being at the Fair, we went to an LAND. Inn, and Friends came to us. And after we had had a fine Opportunity with Friends, we parted from them and went on our way. The Officers of the Town took notice (it feems) of our being there, and Friends gathering together to us; and they began alfo to get together to Confult among themselves how to enfnare us, though it was the Fair-time: but before they could do any thing, we were gone on our Journey, and fo efcaped them.

White

Stropfl From thence we came into Shropshire, where we had a large and precious Meeting: And after we had War had many Meetings in thofe Parts, we came into Warwickwickshire, and vifited Friends there; and fo came into Derbysh Staf Derbyshire and Staffordshire, vifiting Friends Meetfordhings as we went. At a place called White-Haugh we Haugh had a large bleffed Meeting, and quiet: And after the Meeting was done, we took Horfe and rode about At Cap Twenty Miles that Night, to one Capt. Lingard's. We tain Lin- heard afterwards, that when we were gone, the Offi cers came to have feized on us; and were much difturbed that they mift us: but the Lord disappointed them, and delivered us out of their wicked Hands and Friends were joyful in the Lord, that we efcaped them.

gard's.

At