have had free access, and he had frequent disputes. on religious subjects with his visitors of different. religious opinions; as Papists, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians. In these disputes, he manifested that notwithstanding his great bodily weakness, his mental powers retained their wonted vigour; which he still exercised in support of those gospel truths, in which he most surely believed. But it was not by argument alone that he promoted his religious sentiments.. His peaceable principle manifested itself in a peculiar manner, in the instance of one of his fellow-prisoners challenging him to fight. George perceiving him in a state of intoxication, got out of his way; but the next day, when the man was sober, he came to him and remonstrated with him on his unmanly conduct, in challenging a man to fight, whose principle he knew would not permit him to strike another; but seeing he had challenged him, he was now come to answer him with his hands in his pockets; and reaching his head towards him, said, "Here is my hair, here are my cheeks, here is my back." The man was so overcome with this address, he ran away, whilst the soldiers laughed at him. One of the officers was so well affected with the sight, that he said to George Fox, "You are a happy man, that can bear such things."

that

After he had been confined sometime in Scar borough Castle, the Governor, it appears, came

under disgrace; which produced a little fellowfeeling for his innocent prisoner, whom he afterwards treated with more lenity; and having occasion to go to London, George desired him to speak to his old friend, Esquire Marsh, and some others; and inform them of the particulars of his confinement. When the Governor returned, he told him that Marsh said, "He would go a hundred miles barefoot to obtain George Fox's liberty." Several other persons in London also spake favourably of him, which increased the Governor's disposition of kindness towards him.

The King being now the only person who could liberate him from his confmement, he was applied to, by letter, in which George gave the King an account of his imprisonment, and the hard usage which he had received: After this, John White-head, being in London, applied to Esquire Marsh, who kindly undertook the business; and a statement of George Fox's suffering case being put into his hands, he delivered it to the Master of Requests, Sir John Birkenhead, who obtained an order from the King for George Fox's release. This his friend John Whitehead brought to Scarborough, and delivered it to the Governor, Jordan Crosslands, who readily put it in execution, and, without requiring any bail, gave his prisoner a passport, dated the first day of September, 1666.

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The Governor, who during the first part of his prisoner's confinement, had treated him harshly, was so softened in his disposition, that when the Magistrates of the town sent for soldiers to break Friends' meetings, he gave his men a secret order not to meddle with them; nor would he receive a present, which George Fox offered him, for the civility and kindness which he had latterly manifested. The soldiers and their officers were also greatly changed, and became very respectful in their conduct. Their character of him was, "He is as stiff as a tree, and as pure as a bell; for we could never bow him."

CHAP. XV.

1666 to 1669-Remarks on George Fox's Imprisonment and Oaths-After his Release, hears of the Fire in London-Travels in divers Parts of Yorkshire, and through the Counties of Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, &c. to London-Visits the Ruins there-Goes to Bristol, and returns to London-Establishes Meetings for Discipline in London and most Parts of the Nation—Also pro motes Schools-Visits Esquire Marsh in LondonDisputes with a Papist-Goes into Surrey and Sussex -Turns into Warwickshire-Passes through Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, &c. to Liverpool-Sails for Ireland, and visits Friends there.

WE are now come to the conclusion of a long and cruel imprisonment. It continued about three years, above one of which was at Scarborough, and the rest of the time at Lancaster. The fortitude and meekness with which it was endured, was consistent with the character of a Christian, suffering for a compliance with his Master's positive command; a command which, however it may be attempted, no sophistry has been able to invalidate. And it is a sorrowful reflection, that, in a christian country, a compliance with so unequivocal an injunction of our common Lord, as that of "Swear not at all," supported as it is by one of his Apostles, should have ever subjected those who acted in obedience to it, to such suffer

ings, as would have disgraced the character of Heathens. But though sufferings on this occa-sion, have now ceased, it is still desirable that so direct a violation of this divine injunction, should be removed from the legal code of all nations, professing the Christian name; in some of which, at least, it may be said as formerly, "Because of swearing (both legal and profane) the land mourneth."

The day after George Fox's release from Scarborough Castle, the great fire broke out in London. Some Friends had not only foreseen it, but forewarned the people of it, or some similar calamity. One Friend, in particular, George mentions, who was concerned to go through the streets of London, a short time before the fire, scattering his money up and down, having the knees of his breeches untied, his stockings down, and his doublet unbuttoned; at the same time telling the people, "So should they run up and down, scattering their money and goods, half undressed like mad people, as he was a sign to them;" all which was very soon fulfilled.*

George Fox being now at liberty, staid a few days at Scarborough and its neighbourhood, hav

* See Sewell's History of the Quakers, for further particulars relating to this circumstance. Anno 1666.