to rescue him out of the people's hands, which they did, and brought him back to the Mayor's: but when he at last went away, the soldiers had again to interfere; and such was the disgust excited against the man, that the soldiers took him. to a barber's shop, where he disguised himself by changing his wig, and thus he was enabled to make his escape.

After waiting some time, the Mayor came, and first examined some Presbyterian and Baptist teachers, whom he treated rather sharply, and con-victed them. To George Fox and his Friends he,. however, behaved with much mildness, recommending them, as Christ's promise applied to two or three who were met in his name, and the King's. indulgence extended to four, to meet in such small numbers as would not infringe the law. This was very plausible; but George soon showed the fallacy of his reasoning, replying that "Christ's promise was not to discourage many from meeting in his name, but to encourage the few," wishing him "to consider whether this Act would not have taken hold of Christ, with his twelve apostles and seventy disciples:" with more to the same purpose. After some discourse on the hardship of the Conventicle Act, the Mayor took down the names of the Friends, and dismissed then. Being set at liberty, George immediately returned to his post at Grace

church street, from which he had been taken. Finding the people generally dispersed, he went into a Friend's house, and sent to inquire how his Friends had fared at the other meeting-houses in the city. He found that there had been a general attempt to put the new law in execution. Some Friends were taken, and liberated in a few days; but such was the zeal which animated the minds of Friends, that as soon as some who were preaching were taken down, others stood up to speak; to the admiration of the people. This admiration was increased, by the different conduct of many other dissenters; so that, on the whole, this trying time proved a means of spreading the great and good cause, which George Fox and his Friends laboured to promote.

The heat of persecution abating in the city, he felt his mind easy to leave it, and to visit his friends in the country. He attended several meetings in Middlesex, Bucks, and Oxon, which were not disturbed by Magistrates or others. At Reading, in Berks, he found Friends generally in prison, whom he visited there, and had a religious meeting with them, which was attended by several. other persons. This opportunity was encour ing and refreshing to the prisoners, whom he recommended, with a small present, to the kindness of the jailer.

Dur

Travelling awhile longer in Surrey, Sussex, Kent, and Essex, his mind was brought under great exercise, on account of the profaneness and persecution which prevailed in the nation. This appears to have produced a long and heavy indisposition of body; so that, for a time, both his sight and hearing in a great measure failed him. ing his illness, he was removed from one Friend's house to another, in the neighbourhood of London. This was in the winter of 1670 and 167.1, in which time, after some improvement in his health, he wrote two short epistles to his Friends; and one to the rulers of the nation, whom he faithfully warned, as he had before done, of the evil of persecution, and the sore judgments which would be its consequence. Being also greatly oppressed with the licentiousness which was then openly manifested in the nation, he was engaged to put up a prayer to God, in the following words, which he committed to writing on the 17th day of the 2d month, 1671.

"O Lord God Almighty! Prosper truth, and preserve justice and equity in the land! Bring down all injustice, iniquity, oppression, falsehood, cruelty, and unmercifulness in the laud; that mercy and righteousness may flourish.

"O Lord God! Set up and establish verity, and preserve it in the land! Bring down in the

land all debauchery, vice, whoredoms, fornication, and this raping spirit, which causeth people to have no esteem of thee, O God! nor of their own souls or bodies; nor of Christianity, modesty, or humanity.

"O Lord! Put it in the Magistrates' hearts to bring down all this ungodliness, violence, cruelty, prophaneness, cursing and swearing; and to put down all these lewd houses and playhouses, which corrupt youth and people; and lead them from thy kingdom, where no unclean thing can enter, neither shall come. Such works lead people to hell. Lord! In mercy bring down all these things in the nation, to stop thy wrath, O God! from coming on the land.

"G. F."

CHAP. XVII.

1671 to 1673-Obtains a more complete liberation for his wife.-Sails for America.-Lands in Barbadoes.Continues there three months.--Goes to Jamaica.-After spending seven weeks there, sails for Maryland.—Thence travels through New Jersey, &c. to Long Island, Rhode Island, and New England.-Returns by East Jersey, &c. to Maryland.-Goes to Virginia and Carolina.Returns again to Maryland.—Sails for England.— Lands in King's Road, near Bristol.-Writes to his Wife.

NOTWITHSTANDING the liberation of Margaret Fox, as before related, by order of the King; yet her persecutors found means, by the new Conventicle Act, either to retain her in confinement, or soon to recommit her to prison; but, when the violence of the persecution was a little abated, her husband employed a woman Friend, Martha Fisher, and another of her sex, to apply again to the King for her release; who granted a discharge under the broad seal, by which both her person and estate were now effectually cleared from the premunire, under which she had suffered for ten years. On her release, George requested her attendance in London, as he proposed soon to sail for America, and was desirous of her company, previously to his undertaking so long and try