people against such conduct; showing, that while those called "Quakers" were imprisoned for meeting peaceably to worship the Almighty, these teachers, whose ministry they were persecuted for relinquishing, were permitted with impunity to stagger up and down the streets with drunkenness, at the very time they professed to be met for the government of the church.

This public rebuke was highly resented as a great indignity to those termed the clergy in general, several of whom wrote to the King's Council expressly about it, representing the Quakers in prison as so insolent and abusive, that a clergyman could not quietly pass the streets for them. The magistrates also wrote largely to the Archbishop, earnestly requesting his assistance" in suppressing the Quakers." Thus, by a joint concurrence of the Commissioners, the magistrates of Aberdeen, the Synod of ministers, and the Archbishop, the cause of the innocent sufferers was obstructed; the labours of their brethren with the Council in a great measure frustrated; and the business concerning them again remitted to the Commissioners in the north.

These Commissioners, meeting at Aberdeen on the 16th of the 3rd month, passed a declaration, ratifying, as might be expected, their former sentence against Friends; the execution of which had been hitherto impeded by the intervention of cross orders from the Council. Pursuant to such decision, John Forbes, the deputy-sheriff, had apprehended several of the Friends, in order to convey them to the Tolbooth of Banff. But this individual, being humane and utterly averse to persecution, treated them with great civility; ordering a guard to attend them thither, with directions to let them have all suitable accommodations on their way, and to take their own time; so that they

were allowed the opportunity of visiting their friends, and holding several religious meetings as they passed along; in which they had such remarkable service, that some of their conductors were convinced, and effectually converted to the blessed, pure, gospel Truth promulgated by them. On their arrival, the prisoners met with a reception far different from that which they had had at Aberdeen; for the magistrates of Banff were courteous and even liberal, not only granting the most commodious arrangements of which the Tolbooth was capable, but permitting them to make use of an inn in the town at their pleasure, during their continuance in the place. In addition to this, these magistrates used their influence with the Commissioners and sheriff to procure the release of the prisoners; nor did they cease from their exertions, until they had obtained liberty for them to return to their several habitations.

But the civil authorities of Aberdeen, on the other hand, had suffered their spirits to be so far imbittered against this people, who had done them no wrong, that neither the example of others, the manifest dislike of the sober and moderate inhabitants, the disgrace they had incurred by their cruelty, nor a regard to justice and equity, had any power to move them to sentiments of humanity.

In one instance, indeed, the provost appears to have been induced, from motives of policy, to suspend the exercise of his malice towards Friends, and to act with some semblance of lenity.-Many of the prisoners of Aberdeen being now at liberty, in consequence of the above-mentioned misunderstanding between the magistrates and sheriff, and others of them, who had lands, being also at large, although considered prisoners on their own estates; the provost

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had no longer in his custody those, against whom his prejudice and indignation chiefly burned: that he might, therefore, appear to have some generosity and feeling towards the poorer class, he came to the conclusion, that, as the greater ones among the Quakers" had all escaped, he would let go the smaller ones. They were nine in number; and among them, is the name of poor George Gray, the weaver, who has been before noticed as an example in patient suffering. Accordingly, on the 23rd of the 3rd month, 1677, these presumed offenders against the laws were dismissed from their confinement; but with the fixed intention, on the part of the provost, to recommit them, on the earliest occasion of their meeting together for their well-known conscientious purpose,the worship of an Almighty Creator, the Father of mercies!

CHAPTER XII.

1677: OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURE OF THE TESTIMONY COMMITTED TO THESE WITNESSES OF CHRIST-ANDREW JAFFRAY'S VERY UNUSUAL EXERCISEFRESH IMPRISONMENTS OF FRIENDS, ON ACCOUNT OF MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP-CASE OF ROBERT GERARD-THE FIRMNESS AND MEEKNESS OF THE SUFFERERS-LETTER OF GEORGE FOX "TO THE SUFFERING FRIENDS IN SCOTLAND"-THEIR SITUATION AT MONTROSE; THEY ARE DEBARRED, IN THE WINTER SEASON, FROM WORKING FOR THEIR FAMILIES-ALEXANDER SEATON CONFINED AMONG THEM-ALL PASSAGES FOR LIGHT OR AIR CLOSED, TO HINDER HIS PREACHING TO THE PEOPLE-ANDREW JAFFRAY BOLDLY EXPOSTULATES WITH THE CHIEF INSTIGATOR OF PERSECUTION AT THAT PLACE; AND IS THRUST INTO A DUNGEON VAULT, AND CRUELLY BEATEN-REMARKABLE SENSE OF RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE.

THE present was the first time, since the commencement of the persecution, that the prison of Aberdeen was altogether clear of these sufferers. But thus it did not long continue: for very shortly afterward, as might be anticipated, were they more closely imprisoned and more hardly used than ever; so as to leave little doubt on their minds, that the design with some of the persecuting parties, was nothing short of cutting off the very lives of such faithful and uncompromising witnesses to the Spirit of Christ Jesus. The plain and constant testimony of these, by conduct and conversation, by word and doctrine, by doing and by suffering, was no other than it still remains to be at the present day,—and will yet continue, so long as they are preserved a living remnant on the sure Foundation. They could not, when and as they felt Divine Love and Wisdom constraining, neither dare they, withhold the word of warning, where they believed it to be due, "to flee from the wrath to come;"-they could not spare sin, nor soothe people in sin, nor prophesy

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sin-pleasing deceits, neither could they approve of those who did so. It was this that rendered them, as it always must, an eyesore and an offence to evil doers, and to all who corrupt or pervert the doctrine of Christ, which is indeed "according to godliness;" it was this that occasioned them to be reputed, and actually called, "a trouble," "a plague," "a contagion," of which it were well to cleanse the polluted district; and thus the language of an apocryphal writer of old, became well fitted to the mouths of these persecutors: Therefore let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings.He professeth to have the knowledge of God, and he calleth himself the child of the Lord. He was made to reprove our thoughts. He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion. We are esteemed of him as counterfeits he abstaineth from our ways as filthiness: he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed.Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience." Wisdom of Solomon, ii. 12, &c.

During such a state of things,-when evil was called good, and good evil, when darkness was put for light, and light for darkness, bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter;-when, independently of the gross and defective moral condition of the people generally, they that worked wickedness were set up, such leaders amongst them causing them to err, and keeping them from the light of righteousness, so that judgment was turned away backward, and justice stood afar off; (for truth might be said to have fallen in the street, and equity could not enter;)—yea, when truth as it were failed, and he that departed from