SELECTIONS

FROM

Che Epistles and Testimonies

of

GEORGE FOX.

We cannot commence these Selections better than by a copious extract from the second epistle, which, notwithstanding the quaintness of its style, contains a curious and rather striking summary of the history of the Society, from its commencement, to the year 1676. It is stated to be

Concerning the first spreading of the Truth, and how that many were imprisoned, &c.

The Truth sprang up first (to us, as to be a people to the Lord) in Leicestershire, in 1644, and in Warwickshire in 1645, and in Nottinghamshire in 1646, and in Derbyshire in 1647, and in the adjacent counties in 1648, 1649, and 1650, and in Yorkshire in 1651, and in Lancashire and Westmoreland in 1652, and in Cumberland, and Bishoprick, and Northumberland, in 1653, and in London

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and most parts of the nation of England, and Scotland, and Ireland, in 1654, &c.

And in 1655, many went beyond seas, where Truth also sprang up.

And in 1656, Truth brake forth in America, and many other places.

And the Truth stood all the cruelties and sufferings, that were inflicted upon friends by the Long-Parliament (to the spoiling of goods, imprisonment, and death, and over all the reproaches, lies, and slanders) and then by O. Protector, and all the acts that O. Protector made and his parliaments, and his son Richard after him; and the committee of safety. And after, it withstood and lasted out all the acts and proclamations since 1660, that the king came in. And still the Lord's Truth is over all, and his Seed reigns, and his Truth exceedingly spreads unto this year, 1676.

And friends never feared their acts, nor prisons, nor gaols, nor houses of correction, nor banishments, nor spoilings of goods; nay, nor life itself. And there was never any persecution that came, but we saw it was for

good; and we looked upon it to be good, as from God: and there never was any prisons, that I was in, or sufferings, but still it was for the bringing multitudes more out of prison. For they that imprisoned the Truth and quenched the Spirit in themselves, would prison it and quench it without them. So that there was a time when there were so many in prison, that it became a by-word, Truth was scarcely to be found but in gaols.

And after that the king came in, divers friends suffered much,, because they would not drink the king's heath, and say, God bless the king; so that many times friends were in danger of their lives by rude persons, who were ready to run them through with their swords for refusing it; until the king gave forth a proclamation against drinking healths. For we were and are against all drinking healths and excess, both before his coming in, and after; and we desire the king's good, and that the blessings of God might come upon him, and all his subjects, and all people upon the face of the earth.

And so, the Lord's power gave us dominion over that also, and all our other sufferings.

But O! the number of sufferers in the Commonwealth's days, and O. Protector's days, and since! but especially they that were haled before their courts, for not paying tithes, and not swearing in their juries, and for not putting off their hats, and for going to meetings on the First-days, (under pretence of breaking the sabbath,) and other meetings in the week days; who were abused both in meetings, and on the high-ways! Oh, how great were the sufferings we then sustained upon these accounts! for sometimes they would drive Friends by droves into the prisonhouses, (like penfolds,) and there keep them on the First-days; and then take their horses. from them, and keep them for pretended breach of their Sabbath; though they would ride in their coaches and upon their fat horses to the Steeple-houses themselves, and yet punish others. And many Friends were turned out of their copyholds and customary tenements, because they could not swear; and as they went to meetings, they have been stoned through the streets, and cruelly abused otherwise. And many were fined with great fines, and lay long in prison for not putting of their hats; but Friends could never pay them, though they kept them in prison till they had satisfied their own wills upon them; and at