CHAPTER X.

1657-8-Visits Scotland-Returns through Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, &c. towards London.-A general yearly meeting held in Bedfordshire-In London dispntes with a Jesuit-Advises Oliver Cromwell against accepting the title of king-Writes to his daughter Claypole.

GEORGE FOX having now visited all parts of

England and Wales, and some of them repeatedly, turned his attention to Scotland; to which he had felt his mind drawn for a considerable time past. Previously to his going, he requested colonel William Osburn, who lived in Scotland, to meet him; and he, with a few others, came to the meeting at Pardshaw Cragg. The colonel accompanied George in his visit to Scotland, as did also Robert Widders, whom he calls "a thundering man against hypocrisy, deceit, and the rottenness of the priests." These qualities were, perhaps, never more evident among the ruling powers in church and state than at that time. They had been making a great outcry for liberty of every kind; but no sooner did they acquire power, than they exercised the greatest bitterness, and manifested as little regard for liberty, as any that had preceded them. Their avarice also was very great; for though tithes were one of the principal subjects of their complaints

against the episcopal church, they no sooner acquired power, than they appropriated them to their own clergy, to the great dissatisfaction and disappointment of many of their supporters. Many also of the episcopalians had joined the independents, in order to keep their church livings. These observations are made to account for the strong expressions used by George Fox and our early Friends, respecting the priests and many other religious professors in those times; who, notwithstanding their superior pretences, were lamentably deficient in those qualities, which our blessed Redeemer, in his sermon on the Mount, and on other occasions, has particularly marked with his approbation.

George Fox and his companions now entered Scotland, and the first night lodged at an inn. In the evening they visited a nobleman who lived in the neighbourhood, and had expressed to the landlord a desire to see George, when he came that way. He received them very lovingly, and said that he would have accompanied them on their journey, had he not been engaged to attend a funeral. The next day they passed through Dumfries to Douglas, where they found some Friends. They afterwards went to the Heads, supposed to be near Glasgow, where they had a blessed meeting in the name of Jesus, and felt him in the midst." From the Heads they came to Badcow, where they had a large meeting; and thence towards the High

lands, stopping in their way at the house of William Osburn. Here they collected an account of Friends' sufferings, and the principles of the Scotch priests; and afterwards (probably when they came to Edinburgh) published them in a book, entitled, "The Scotch Priests' Principles." It does not appear that they now went far into the Highlands, but soon returned to Heads, Badcow, and Garshore. When in this part before, a lady Margaret Hamilton was convinced, who probably lived at Garshore. She "afterwards went (to London, I suppose) to warn Oliver Cromwell and Charles Fleetwood, of the day of the Lord that was coming upon them."

On First-day, George Fox and his companions had a large meeting at or near Garshore, in which he treated largely on the doctrine of election and reprobation, opposing those calvinistical principles of the priests, who told the people, that "God had ordained the greatest part of men and women for hell; that let them do what they could, it was all to no purpose, if they were ordained to hell. That God had a certain number elected for heaven, and let them do what they would, yet they were elected vessels for heaven." These principles George Fox manifested to be inconsistent with the scriptures, which he explained largely. "The eyes of the people," he observes, "were opened, and a spring of life rose up amongst them." The Priests, however, were much alarmed, when they heard of George

Fox being come into Scotland; and proceeded so far as to draw up a number of curses, by which they intended to oppose the principles of Friends; and when this could not answer their purpose, they went to Edinburgh, with petitions to the council there. George, who seems never to have shrunk from danger, where his duty led him, came there soon after, lodging at Linlithgow in his way, where the innkeeper's wife, a blind woman, "received the word of life, and came under the teaching of Christ Jesus her Saviour."

Being now come to Edinburgh, and William Osburn with him, they continued there some time; and went down to Leith, where they had a meeting, which was attended by many of the officers and their wives. Some disturbance was made by the Baptists, and also by others who seemed to be of atheistical notions; but they were all confounded, and left the meeting. Afterwards, George says, "a fine precious time we had with several people of account; and the Lord's power came over all.” Several of the officers and their wives were convinced; among whom was the wife of Edward Billing, who had lived separate from her husband, on which account George sent for him, and produced a reconciliation between them; so that they "agreed to live together in love and unity, as man and wife."

When George and his companion returned to Edinburgh, they found several thousands of people, among whom were many priests, collected, on account of the burning of a witch. This circumstance gave him an opportunity of preaching to this large multitude; after which he went to a meeting of his own appointing. To this meeting many rude people, and some disputing Baptists, came, who for awhile caused a disturbance, but being silenced, and leaving the place, a very satisfactory meeting was afterwards held. In returning from this meeting, he found that the Scotch priests had succeeded in their application to the magistrates of Edinburgh, from whom he received an order, dated the eighth of October, 1657, to appear before them on the thirteenth of the same month. George obeyed the summons of the magistrates; but before he was conducted into the council chamber, his hat was taken off, which caused a short remonstrance, in which he informed the door-keeper, that he had been suffered to stand before the protector with his After he had been awhile before the ma

hat on.
gistrates, he addressed

"peace be amongst you.

them in these words;

Wait in the fear of God,

that ye may receive his wisdom from above, by which all things were made and created; that by it ye may all be ordered, and may order all things under your hands, to God's glory." After this address, the magistrates inquired into the cause of his coming to Scotland; whether he had any outward