The History of the Rise, Increase, and Progress of the Christian People Called Quakers. William Sewel

repent, for the mighty terrible day of the Lord God of power is appearing, wherein no worker of iniquity shall stand before him, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, for he wills not the death of a sinner; and if ye repent, and turn to him, he will abundantly pardon.’ Sometimes he went into markets and steeple-houses, and was often cruelly abused. Once being in a steeple-house at Warrington in Lancashire, and speaking a few words after the priest had done, he was very violently knocked on his head: after which, a man taking hold of his hair, smote him against a stone, and pulled off an handful of it, which Thomas taking up from the ground, mildly said, ‘Not one hair of my head shall fall without my Father’s permission.’ At another time he speaking to a priest in Cheshire, as he was going in his journey, the priest was much offended at him; and one of his hearers, as it were in revenge of this pretended affront, struck him on the head, and knocked him down; but Thomas getting up again, and turning his face to the smiter, he smote him on his teeth, so that the blood gushed out exceedingly; which some of the standers by could not but cry out against. But not long after, the man that struck him thus, fell sick, and died, crying upon his death-bed, ‘Oh that I had not smitten the Quaker!’ This Thomas once going through Salisbury, and calling the inhabitants to repentance, was apprehended, and brought before several justices, who proffered him the oath, under pretence of his being a Jesuit: but he saying, he could not swear, because Christ had commanded, not to swear at all, was sent to prison, where he was kept a month. He also went up and down the streets of Yarmouth, proclaiming the terrible day of the Lord, that all might repent, and fear Him, that made heaven and earth, and the sea. And being followed by a great multitude of rude people, and turning about, he spoke so powerfully to them, and with such piercing words, that they ran away for fear. At length an officer came and took hold of him, but leading him gently, he had opportunity to continue preaching to the people, and to clear himself. Being brought before the magistrates, they ordered him to be led out of the town; which being done, Thomas came in again by another way, and having performed his service there to his satisfaction, he departed the town.

      When he came to Lynn, and warned people to repent, a great mastiff dog was set upon him, but the dog coming near him, fawned upon him. Thus he went through many places, passing sometimes five or six towns in one day; and though swords were drawn against him, or axes taken up to hew him down, yet he went on, and spoke so awfully, that even some, who did not see his face, were so reached by the power that accompanied him, that they became converts. Coming to Clanzous in Wales, and many hearing him attentively, the constable stirred up the rude people, and cried, ‘Kill him; Kill him;’ as if he had been a mad dog; and they threw such great stones upon him, that he admired they did not kill him; but he was preserved by such a mighty power, that according to his relation, they were to him as a nut, or a bean. Many other rude encounters he met with, but was preserved wonderfully in the greatest dangers; which strengthened him not a little in the belief, that God, who so miraculously saved him, did require this service from him. He was also in America, and died in a good old age, after having laboured above thirty years in the service of the gospel.

      Miles Halhead was also one of the first zealous preachers among the Quakers so called. He was the first of those of his persuasion, that was imprisoned at Kendal. Once he went to Swarthmore to visit his friends, and to assist at their meeting; by the way he met the wife of the justice Thomas Preston, and because he passed by her quietly, without the ordinary way of greeting, she grew so offended, that she commanded her man to go back and beat him; which he did. At which Miles being kindled with zeal, said to her, ‘O thou Jezebel! Thou proud Jezebel! Canst thou not permit and suffer the servant of the Lord, to pass by thee quietly?’ She then held forth her hands, as if she would have struck him, and spit in his face, saying, ‘I scorn to fall down at thy words.’ This made Miles say again, ‘Thou proud Jezebel, thou that hardenest thy heart, and brazenest thy face against the Lord and his servant, the Lord will plead with thee in his own time, and set in order before thee, the things that thou hast done this day to his servant.’ And so he parted with her, and went to Swarthmore. About three months after this, he felt himself moved to go and speak to her; and when he came to Houlker Hall, he asked for Thomas Preston’s wife: she then coming to the door, and Miles not knowing her, asked her, if she was the woman of the house; to which she said, ‘No: but if you would speak with Mrs. Preston, I will intreat her to come to you.’ Then she went in, and coming back with another woman, said, ‘Here is mistress Preston:’ but then it was manifested to him, that she herself was the woman. It is true, as hath been said, some time before he had seen her on the way, and spoken to her; but it may be, she was then in so different a dress, that by reason thereof he did not know her; yet firmly believing that it was she, he said, ‘Woman, how darest thou lie before the Lord and his servant? Thou art the woman I came to speak to.’ And she being silent, not speaking a word, he proceeded, ‘Woman, hear what the Lord’s servant hath to say unto thee: O woman, harden not thy heart against the Lord; for if thou dost, he will cut thee off in his sore displeasure; therefore take warning in time, and fear the Lord God of heaven and earth, that thou mayest end thy days in peace.’ Having said this, he went away, she, how proud soever, not doing him any harm, being withheld, without knowing by what. But, notwithstanding that, she continued the same: for several years after, when G. Fox was prisoner at Lancaster, she came to him, and belched out many railing words, saying amongst the rest, that his tongue should be cut off, and he be hanged. But some time after, the Lord cut her off, and she died, as it was reported, in a miserable condition.

      But before I leave this woman, I must also say, that about three years after she had made her man beat Miles, it happened that as he was riding from Swarthmore, near to Houlker Hall, he met with a person who said to him, ‘Friend, I have something to say unto you, which hath lain upon me this long time. I am the man that, about three years ago, at the command of my mistress, did beat you very sore; for which I have been very much troubled, more than for any thing that I ever did in all my life: 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,’ To this Miles answered, ‘Truly friend, from that time to this day, I never had any thing in my heart against thee, nor thy mistress, but love. The Lord forgive you both; I desire that it never may be laid to your charge; for ye knew not what ye did,’ Here Miles stopped, and so went his ways. Many a notable occurrence he had in his life, and therefore he is to appear yet more than once in the course of this history.

      Travelling once in Yorkshire, he came to Skipton, where declaring the word of truth, he was so sorely abused and beaten, that he was laid for dead; nevertheless, by the Lord’s power, he was healed of all his bruises, and within three hours he was healthy and sound again, to the astonishment of those that had so abused him, and to the convincing of many that beheld him.

      Then he went to Bradford, Leeds, and Halifax, where he also declared the doctrine of truth amongst the people; but not without meeting with great persecution.

      From thence he came to Doncaster, and there went on a First-day of the week to a steeple-house, where, after the worship was done, he spoke to the priest and people: but they, instead of hearkening to what he said, fell upon him in a great rage, and drove him out of the town; and he being sorely bruised, they left him for dead. But before his going from home, he had been firmly persuaded, that the Lord would preserve him in all dangers: and it happened so to him according to his belief; for he got up again, and went to a friend’s house, where he laid himself down upon a bed. But not long after, he felt a very strong motion to go to a certain chapel, and there to declare the word of the Lord: forthwith he felt also an inward assurance, that if he gave up to do so, the Lord would heal him from his bruises. Then he rose, as well as he could, and came down stairs with great difficulty, by taking hold of the walls for a stay, and going out, he began to mend by degrees; and coming at length into the chapel, he spake as he was moved; and when he had cleared himself, he went back to the house from whence he came, and the Lord made him sound of all his bruises.

      

      From thence he went to York, and there spoke to the lord mayor, and other rulers of that city: and passing through Yorkshire, he went into several steeple-houses, to exhort the people; and though he met with great hardships, yet he was supported by an invisible hand. So being clear of that country, he returned to his house at Mountjoy, in Underbarrow, in