secutors the evil of their doings; but a fierce party prevailed then; and the clergy continually blew the fire of persecution; yea, many presumed that the time was now come totally to destroy the Quakers; and in December twelve more were condemned to transportation.

Concerning those banished that were now in the ship which lay in the Thames, I will yet leave them there, and take a view of George Fox whom in the foregoing year we left in a hard prison at Lancaster. In the month called March this year he was brought to his trial before judge Twisden; and though judge Turner had given charge at the assizes before, to see no such gross errors were in the indictment as before, yet in that respect this was not much better than the former, though the judge examined it himself. The jury then being called to be sworn, and three officers of the court having deposed, that the oath had been tendered to him at the last assizes, according to the indictment, the judge said, it was not done in a corner and then asked him, what he had to say to it? And whether he had taken the oath at the last assizes? George Fox thereupon gave an account of what had been done then, and that he had said, that the book they gave him to swear on, saith, Swear not at all. And repeating more of what he spoke then, the judge said, "I will not dis

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pute with you but in point of law." George Fox offering to speak something to the jury concerning the indictment, he was stopped by the judge; and then George Fox asked him, whether the oath was to be tendered to the king's subjects only, or to the subjects of foreign princes? The judge replied, "To the, subjects of this realm." Well, said he, "Look to the indictment, and thou mayest see that the word subject is left out of this indictment also." Several other great errors as to time, &c. he had observed in the indictment, but no sooner had he spoken concerning the errors, but the judge cried, "Take him away, jailor, take him away." Then he was hurried away; yet the people thought he should have been called again; but that was not done. After he was gone, the judge asked the jury, whether they were agreed? They said, "Yes," and found for the king against him. The reason why George Fox was led away so suddenly, seemned to be that they expected he would have proved the officers of the court to have sworn falsely, seeing the day on which the oath had been tendered to him at the assizes before, was wrong in the indictment; and yet they had sworn, that on that day he had refused to take the oath. Before George Fox was brought before the judge, he had passed sentence of premunire against Margaret Fell, for having

refused to take the oath. And though this sentence had not been passed against George Fox, yet he was recorded as a premunired person; though it had not been asked him, what he had to say why sentence should not be pronounced against him. And thus he continued prisoner in Lancaster castle.

Whilst he was there, though weak of body, he wrote several papers; but the neighbouring justices laboured much to get him removed from thence to some remote place; for it was pretty well known among the people how the court at the assizes had dealt with him. So about six weeks after, they got an order from the king and council to remove him from Lancaster; and they received also a letter from the Earl of Anglesea, wherein it was written, that if these things which he was charged with, were found true against him, he deserved no clemency or mercy and yet the greatest matter they had against him, was his refusal of the oath. His persecutors now having prepared for his removal, the under sheriff, and the head sheriff's men, with some bailiffs, came and fetched him out of the castle, when he was so weak, by lying in that cold, wet, and smoky prison, that he could hardly go or stand. So they brought him down into the jailor's house, where justice William Kirbey, and several others were. They called for wine to give

him, but he well knowing their malice against him, told them, he would have none of their wine. Then they cried, bring out the horses. G. Fox therefore desired, that if they intended to remove him, they would first shew him their order, or a copy of it. But they would not shew him any but their swords. He then told them, there was no sentence passed upon him, neither was he premunired, that he knew of; and therefore he was not made the king's prisoner, but was the sheriffs': for they and all the country knew that he was not fully heard at the last assizes, nor suffered to shew the errors that were in the indictment, which were sufficient to quash it. And that they all knew there was no sentence of premunire passed upon him; and therefore he not being the king's prisoner, but the sheriff's, desired to see their order. But instead of shewing him their order, they haled him out, and lifted him upon one of the sheriff's horses; for he was so very weak, that he was hardly able to sit on horseback. Riding thus along the street, he was much gazed upon by the people, and had great reason to say, that he received neither christianity, civility, nor humanity; for how ill and weak soever he was, yet they hurried him away about fourteen miles to Bentham in Yorkshire; and so wicked was the jailor, one Hunter, a young fellow, that he lashed the horse on

which G. Fox rode, with his whip, to make him skip and leap, insomuch that he had much ado to sit him? and then would this wanton fellow come, and looking him in his face, say, "How do you Mr. Fox?" To which he answered, it was not civil in him to do so. Yet this malicious fellow seemed little to regard it; but he had not long time to delight in this kind of insolence; for soon after he was cut off by death.

G. Fox being come down to Bentham, was met by a marshal and several troopers, and many of the gentry, besides abundance of people, came thither to stare at him. Being entered the house, and very much tired, he desired they would let him lie down on a bed, which the soldiers permitted; and the marshal, to whom he was delivered, set a guard upon him. After having staid there a while, they pressed horses, and sending for the bailiff and the constables, they had him to Giggleswick that night." And there they raised the constables, who sat drinking all night in the room by him, so that he could get but little rest. The next day coming to a market town, several of his friends came to see him, and at night he asked the soldiers, whither they intended to carry him? To which some said, beyond sea, and others, to Tinmouth Castle. And there was a fear amongst them, lest some should rescue him; but there was not the least reason for it. The.