how unjust soever. Being come to the place appointed, the oath of allegiance was tendered him; and because for conscience-sake he refused to swear, they committed him to prison till the assizes at Appleby. Then appearing at Appleby, the same oath was tendered him in court by the judges; for not taking of which he was indicted, only he had liberty to answer to the indictment at the next assizes. In the meantime there being a jail delivery at Appleby, he was required to enter into bond for his good behaviour: but well knowing this was only a snare to bring him into further bonds, he refused, and so was recommitted to prison. And not being tried till next year, we shall leave him there.

About this time happened a singular case, which I cannot well pass by unmentioned. One Oliver Atherton, a man of a weak constitution, having refused to pay tithes to the countess of Derby, who laid claim to the ecclesiastical revenues of the parish of Ormskirk, where he lived, was by her prosecution imprisoned at Derby, in a moist and unwholesome hole, which so weakened him, that after having lain there two years and a half, he grew sick; and a letter was wrote in his name to the countess, in which was laid before her not only the cause why he had refused the payment of tithes, viz. for conscience-sake, but also that his life was in danger, if he staid longer in that unwholesome prison; and that therefore she ought to show compassion, lest she drew the guilt of innocent blood upon her.

Now though Oliver's son, who brought this letter, met with rough treatment for not uncovering his head, yet the letter was delivered into her own hands: but the countess continued hard-hearted. Godfrey, the son, returned to his father in prison, and told him, (who was now on his death bed,) that the countess would not allow him any liberty. To which he said, She has been the cause of much bloodshed; but this will be the heaviest blood to her that ever she spilt.' And not long after he died. His friends having got his corpse, carried it to Ormskirk, but at Garstang, Preston, and other towns they

past, they fastened to the market cross the following inscription, which also had been put on his coffin.

This is Oliver Atherton from the parish of Ormskirk, who by the countess of Derby had been persecuted to death, for keeping a good conscience towards God and Christ, in not paying of tithes to her.'

Now though three more, who with him were imprisoned for the same cause, gave notice of this to the countess, that they might not likewise die in prison, as their fellow prisoner had, yet she would show no pity; and threatened to accuse those at Garstang, to the king and his council, for having suffered the putting up of the said inscription. But by this she opened people's mouths the more, and an omnipotent hand prevented the executing of her threatening: for exactly three weeks after the day Atherton was buried, she died.

This year also in October, Humphrey Smith, a preacher among those called Quakers, having been prisoner a year at Winchester, for his religion, was by death delivered from his bonds. He had a vision in the year 1660, in the month called July, concerning the fire of London, which happened six years after a relation of which he gave forth in print.

In the year 1662, being about London, he said to some of his friends, that he had a narrow path to pass through; and more than once signified, he saw he should be imprisoned, and that it might cost him his life. And coming not long after to Alton in Hampshire, he was taken from a meeting of his friends, and committed to a stinking close prison at Winchester, where, after a whole year's imprisonment, he fell sick; and in the time of his sickness spoke many excellent words to those about him, signifying, that he was given up to the will of the Lord, either in life or death. And lying in great weakness, he said, 'My heart is filled with the power of God. It is good for a man at such a time as this, to have the Lord to be his friend.' At another time he was heard to say, 'Lord, thou hast sent me forth to do thy will, and I have been faithful unto thee in my small measure, which thou hast committed unto me; but if thou wilt yet try me further,

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thy will be done.' Also he said, 'I am the Lord's, let him do what he will.' Not long before his departure he prayed very earnestly, saying, O Lord, hear the inward sighs and groans of thine oppressed, and deliver my soul from the oppressor. Hear me, O Lord, uphold and preserve me. I know that my Redeemer liveth. Thou art strong and mighty, O Lord.' He also prayed to God, that he would deliver his people from their cruel oppressors. And for those that had been convinced by his ministry, that the Lord would be their teacher. He continued quiet and sensible to the last period of his life, dying a prisoner for bearing witness to truth; and thus he stept from this troublesome and transitory life, into one that is everlasting.

THE

HISTORY

OF THE

CHRISTIAN PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS.

THE EIGHTH BOOK.

IN the foregoing year we left G. Fox in Lancaster prison, where at the sessions the oath of allegiance being tendered to, and refused by him, he was brought to his trial in the month called March, which begins the year 1664. Being brought to the bar before judge Twisden, he said, 'Peace be amongst you all.' At which the judge looking upon him, said, 'What! do you come into the court with your hat on?" Whereupon the jailer taking it off, G. Fox said, 'The hat is not the honour that comes from God.' Then said the judge, Will you take the oath of allegiance? G. Fox answered, 'I never took any oath in my life.' 'Well,' said the judge, will you swear or no? G. Fox replied, I am a Christian, and Christ commands me not to swear; and so doth the apostle James likewise; and whether I should obey God or man, do thou judge.' 'I ask you again,' said the judge, 'whether you will swear or no!' To which he made answer, 'I am neither Turk, Jew, nor Heathen, but a Christian, and should show forth Christianity. Dost thou not know, (thus be went on,) that Christians in the primitive times, under the ten persecutions, and some also of the martyrs

in queen Mary's days, refused swearing, because Christ and the apostle had forbidden it? Ye have experience enough, how many men have sworn first to the king, and then against him. But as for me, I have never taken an oath in all my life; and my allegiance doth not lie in swearing, but in truth and faithfulness: for I honour all men, much more the king. But Christ, who is the great Prophet, who is the King of kings, the Saviour of the world, and the great Judge of the whole world, he saith, I must not swear. Now the point is, whether I must obey Christ, or thee. For it is in tenderness of conscience, and in obedience to the command of Christ, that I do not swear. And we have the word of a king for tender consciences.' G. Fox having spoken thus much, asked the judge, if he did own the king? To which he said, 'Yes, I do own the king.' Why then,' said he, dost thou not observe his declaration from Breda, and his promises made since he came into England, that no man should be called in question for matters of religion, so long as they lived peaceably? Now if thou ownest the king, why dost thou call me into question, and put me upon taking an oath, seeing thou, nor none, can charge me with unpeaceable living? The judge looking angry, said, Sirrah, will you swear? To which G. Fox told him, I am none of thy sirrahs; I am a Christian; and for thee, who art an old man and a judge, to sit there and give nicknames to the prisoners, doth not become either thy grey hairs or thy office.' The judge being a little more cool, after some words to and fro, said, 'G. Fox, say whether thou wilt take the oath, yea, or nay? To which he replied, If I could take any oath at all, I should take this: for I do not deny some oaths only, or on some occasions, but all oaths, according to Christ's doctrine, who said, "Swear not at all." Now if thou, or any of you, or any of your ministers or priests here, will prove that ever Christ or his apostle, after they had forbidden all swearing, commanded Christians to swear, then I will swear.' None of the priests offering to speak, the judge said, I am a servant to the king, and the king sent me not to dispute with

but to put the laws in execution; and therefore I

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