ROBERT VESSAY.’
‘Mr. Brooks being formerly with me in the Nightingale, I found him to be very idle, and continually drunk, which once made me to put a quarter can about his neck; whereunto I subscribe,
JOHN JEFFERY,
Captain of the Nantwich.’
‘The person above-mentioned I have seen drunk on shore, in testimony whereof I have set my hand,
RICHARD POTTER,
Captain of the Constant Warwick frigate.’
From such evidences as these it appears, that it was not without reason that he and the like priests sometimes were treated a little roughly. But to return to M. Halhead; he continued prisoner many months before he was released.
In the meanwhile it happened that George Whitehead, Richard Clayton, and John Harwood, coming on the 30th of the month called July, to Bures, in Suffolk, were imprisoned on this occasion. R. Clayton had set up a paper on the steeple-house door, containing these queries.
‘Whether setting up such ministers as seek for their gain from their quarters, such as the prophet disapproves; Isaiah, lvi. 11. such as the prophet Jeremiah disapproves; Jer. v. and of whom mention is made also, Ezek. xxxiv. and Mic. iii. such as are called of men, masters, loving the chief places in the assemblies; such as Christ disapproved; Matt. xxiii. such as the apostle Peter disapproves, 2 Pet. ii. and which the apostle Paul disapproved also; Phil. iii. or when such were set up that would not suffer another to speak that stands by, when any thing is revealed, but send him to prison; whether this was not the setting up a persecuting spirit, limiting the Spirit of God, and despising prophecies, not daring to try all things? Whether it was expedient to give to scoffers, scorners, drunkards, swearers, and persecutors, David’s conditions to sing? And if such were set up that took tithes, though the apostle said that the priesthood was changed, and the law also, Heb. vii. Whether by the setting up of such, they did not set up such as did not labour in the Lord’s vineyard.’
This paper being set up, people came to read it. G. Whitehead being there, and laying hold of this opportunity, spoke a few words to the people, and exhorted them to turn to the Lord from the vanities and wickedness they lived in. And when G. Whitehead and his fellow-travellers were passing away, there came a constable who staid them, and carried them before Herbert Pelham, justice of peace. He asking several vain questions, and behaving himself rudely, G. Whitehead began to speak to him concerning his rage: but Pelham said he did not send for him to preach. And not being able to lay the transgression of any law to their charge, he sent them by the constable, to Thomas Walgrave, justice of peace at Smalbridge, in Suffolk. Being come into his house, Richard Clayton was first examined, of his name and country, and where he had been. The same and some other frivolous questions were asked of G. Whitehead. Then Walgrave asked John Harwood, if he would answer him all the questions he would demand of him; but J. Harwood refused to be limited thus to his will. Justice Pelham now being come thither also, J. Harwood told justice Walgrave, that Pelham, who had before examined him, had his examination in writing. Then the two justices consulted together what to do in the case; and not long after Thomas Walgrave asked G. Whitehead, if he would work at hay? But he denied to be bound to such task-masters, as being in that calling whereunto God had called him, and wherein he was chargeable to no man. The conclusion of their consultation was, that they caused R. Clayton to be whipped, under pretence of having fastened a seditious paper to the steeple-house; and the other two were imprisoned.
It was about this time that William Dewsbury, and several other of his friends were put into prison at Northampton. It happened that he being at Wellingborough, and going along the streets, the priest, Thomas Andrews, called to him in these words, ‘Give over deceiving the people, lest the plagues of God fall on thee.’ To this Dewsbury returned, ‘Dost thou say I deceive the people? Make it manifest wherein I deceive them.’ Then Andrews said, ‘Thou sayest there is not any original sin;’ to this Dewsbury replied, ‘Didst thou hear me say so?’ But the priest, unwilling to answer that question, went away. Afterwards Dewsbury went into the steeple-house in the said town, and after the sermon was done, he demanded of the priest that he would prove there before the people, what he had openly accused him of, viz. that he had said there was no original sin. Yet the priest would not answer, but went away. There was also information given, that Dewsbury had said, ‘The priests preach for hire, and the people love to have it so: but what will ye do in the end thereof?’ But that this was really so, I do not find.
Dewsbury then being committed to prison, and kept there above half a year, was at last brought to his trial at Northampton, with other prisoners, his friends; and being set to the bar, the judge, Atkins, said to the jailer, ‘Do you use to bring prisoners before the court in this manner? You deserve to be fined ten pounds, for bringing them before the court covered.’ The jailer answered, ‘If you command me, I will take off their hats.’ To which the judge gave command, and the jailer’s man took them off. Then the judge said to Dewsbury, ‘What art thou here for?’ Dewsbury answered, ‘The mittimus will express what I was committed for; but a copy of it I am denied by the keeper of the jail.’ The next query of the judge was, ‘What is thy name?’ And the answer was, ‘Unknown to the world.’ ‘Let us hear,’ said the judge, ‘what name that is, that the world knows not.’ ‘It is,’ quoth Dewsbury, ‘known in the light, and none can know it, but he that hath it; but the name the world knows me by, is William Dewsbury.’ Then said the judge, ‘What countryman art thou?’ Dewsbury answered, ‘Of the land of Canaan.’ ‘That is far off,’ replied the judge; ‘Nay,’ said Dewsbury, ‘for all that dwell in God, are in the holy city, New Jerusalem, which comes down from Heaven, where the soul is in rest, and enjoys the love of God in Jesus Christ, in whom the Union is with the Father of light.’ To this the judge returned, ‘That is true; but are you ashamed of your country? Is it a disparagement for you to be born in England?’ ‘Nay,’ said Dewsbury, ‘I am free to declare that my natural birth was in Yorkshire, nine miles from York, towards Hull.’ Then the judge said, ‘You pretend to be extraordinary men, and to have an extraordinary knowledge of God.’ To which Dewsbury replied, ‘We witness the work of regeneration to be an extraordinary work, wrought in us by the Spirit of God.’ ‘But,’ said the judge, ‘the apostles wrought with their hands in their callings.’ ‘They had,’ answered Dewsbury, ‘callings in the world, some were fishermen, Paul, a tent-maker: but when they were called to the ministry of Christ, they left their callings to follow Christ, whither he led them by his Spirit, to preach the word: and I had a calling in the world, as they had, and in it did abide, until the Father revealed his Son in me, and called me from my calling I had in the world, to preach the eternal word he had made known to me in the great work of regeneration.’ ‘Why,’ queried the judge, ‘didst thou not abide in thy own country, and teach people in those parts?’ ‘There I did stay,’ returned Dewsbury, ‘until I was called from thence to go to where I was led by the Spirit of the Lord; and as many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons and daughters of God; and they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his.’ To this the judge said, ‘You say well; for we must in charity conclude, that every one in this place hath the Spirit of God in him: but how do you know that you are guided by the Spirit of God?’ ‘They that have the Spirit of God,’ replied Dewsbury, ‘are known by their fruits: and he that believeth in Jesus Christ, and is guided by his Spirit, hath the witness in himself.’ ‘That is true,’ said the judge, ‘yet notwithstanding, I see by your carriage, that what my brother Hale did at the last assizes, in requiring bond for your good behaviour, he might justly do it; for you are against magistrates and ministers.’ But Dewsbury returned, ‘Make that manifest