Ninth month national meeting was this year held at his lodgings in Dublin, an account of friends' fufferings was there drawn up by way of addrefs, which he presented to the lord-lieutenant,* whereupon an order of council was obtained for the release of thofe that were imprisoned.

For a more minute account of the fufferings of friends on the above-mentioned and other occafions, I muft refer my reader to the Account of the Sufferings of the people called Quakers in Ireland, from the year 1655 to the end of the reign of King George I. published in Dublin, 1731.

The following inftance however of the innocency of the fufferers on the one hand, and of the feverity of the perfecutors on the other, I fhall here infert,

viz.

Blanch Holden and Margaret Trotter, two very poor women, for going to the publick worship-house at Lifnegarvy, alias Lifburn in the county of Antrim, on the day called Christmas-day, and saying these or the like words, Let them that keep a day, keep it to the Lord,' were fined by judge Kennedy, at the affizes at Carrickfergus, one hundred marks each, and committed to Carrickfergus gaol, where they continued prifoners above two years.

This year John Banks, from Pardfhaw in Cumberland, came into Ireland a fecond time, having in the foregoing year vifited the northern parts of the nation in company with our ancient friend John Tiffin: he landed in Dublin the Third month, the morning the half year's meeting began; and on the following Seventh-day of the week, in purfuance of a particular exercise upon his fpirit to go to a certain place fouthward from Dublin, in order to have a meeting there the next First-day of the week, he went from Dublin to Wicklow, where no meeting of friends had been kept before. Hé, accompanied by two friends, went to an inn that night, and gave notice that he John Lord Berkly, Baron Stratton.

intended to have a meeting in that town next day, being the First day of the week: fo the report foon spread among the people, that an English Quaker was come to preach there: and there was a mighty noise of it in the place, the people being stirred up by the priest; and the governor, one Hamman, lived at the castle, where a garrison of foldiers was then kept the following part of this narrative I fhall give in the faid John Bank's own words from his journal, viz.

'When I was ready to go from the inn where we lodged, the landlady faid to me,' For God's fake go not along the street, for there is a guard of musketeers waiting at the cross to take you. I will shew you a back way;' I faid, I accept of thy love, but I must not go any private way, but along the townftreet, for I have a teftimony to bear for the Lord, in love to the fouls of people.' So by that time we were well fat down, before my mouth was opened, came a ferjeant with a halbert and a guard of musketeers, and faid to me, I must go along with him to the governor. I anfwered, What authority

haft thou to take me? if thou haft a warrant fo to do, I fhall go.' He held out his halbert, and faid,

6

This is my warrant.' I faid, You need not to have come to us with your fwords and guns, as those that came against Christ, with fwords and staves; we are known to be a peaceable people: howbeit I fhall go with thee.' So they took me to a house where was the priest, his wife, the governor, &c. The priest was in a great rage when I came in, and faid. to the governor, Sir, this is the deceiver, this is the deluder that is come from England, to delude the people here, I hope you will do justice and execute the law.' The governor being pretty moderate faid nothing for fome time-and the people being in an uproar preffed in at the door, and I being willing to

.

1

let the priest rage on a little, till he had fomething vented himself, that he might be more manifeft to the people, at laft faid to him, Thou fayest I am a deceiver and a deluder: He anfwered in a great fury, So thou art, fo thou art:' but I faid, 'Have patience, and let thy moderation appear unto all men, and hear what I have to fay to clear myself from thy falfe accufation: for I fhall not take thy affertion for proof: I have had patience to hear thee: art thou a minister of Chrift? Yes,' faid he, I am.' I replied, but if I prove thee a liar, as by the witnefs of this people thou art; (in charging me with what thou canst bring no proof for) and if so, thou art out of the doctrine of Chrift, and fo no minister of Chrift, but of antichrift, and fo of thy father the devil, and therefore thou art the deceiver and the deluder of the people. Upon which the priest's mouth was ftopped.'

And then John had an opportunity of declaring truth to the people; yet the governor committed him and two more to prifon: but the gaoler was favourable, and gave them the liberty of a room, where the people followed, and John preached the way of life and falvation to them in and through Jefus Chrift, by believing in his pure light, and walking anfwerable to the teachings of his grace, and reproof of his Holy Spirit; by which they might receive power to become the fons of God, and feveral were convinced that day, and received truth in the love of it. He was kept in prifon three days, where there was a great refort of people to fee him, and to discourse about the principles of religion. Then he returned to Dublin, and from thence travelled into the North, vifiting friends there; and on his return to Dublin he went to Wicklow again, there being a letter from thence fignifying that the

people defired another meeting, which, notwithstanding the oppofition of the priest, was held there peaceably; and although the prieft, as foon as he had opportunity, began to profecute and imprison friends for tithes, and fuch like things, and got feveral put into prison that came to vifit that place, yet truth profpered, and a meeting was fet up in that town, and still continueth.

This year (1672) died in Cork, Sufanna Mitchell, of that city: fhe was a zealous faithful fervant of the Lord for many years till her decease, and often bore a publick teftimony to God's everlafting truth before magiftrates, priests, and people; for which fhe was often a fufferer in bonds, and rejoiced to be found worthy.

This year (1673) friends addreffed the lord-lieute

*and council for relief from their fufferings on many occafions, and particularly this, that whereas they durft not on any account take an oath, as being forbidden by Chrift, wicked men laid hold on this their confcientious fcruple to enfnare and defraud them, by caufing them to be fubpoenaed into chancery, where their answers without an oath would not be admitted; for inftance, in the county of Wexford, Thomas Holme having about 200l. due to him from captain Thornhill, for which judgment was obtained against him in common law, was fubpoenæed into chancery by the faid Thornhill, where he well knew Thomas could not answer upon oath, and fo this friend loft his debt; and in Dublin, James Fade having about 401. due to him from one Ezekiel Webb, was by the faid Webb fubponed into chancery, and because the friend could not give in his anfwer upon oath, he not only loft the faid debt, but was conftrained to give above 7ol. to get clear of the debtor and indeed this iniquity continued in practice, and friends were expofed to fufferings on this account, even until

* Arthur, Lord Capel, Earl of Effex.

the reign of our late gracious fovereign George the First, when they were delivered from this yoke of oppreffion.*

About the fame time friends met with great trouble and exercife at Cork, Dublin, and feveral other places, by reafon of divers perfons that were gone into the loofe and foolish imaginations of Muggleton and others, and perverted into loofeness and indulgence of their carnal wills and affections from the croís of Christ and felf-denial; but truth prevailed, and God gave an understading to place judgment upon them.

This year (1675) and about the fifty-fifth of his age, died Robert Sandham, of Youghal, a faithful elder, though not a minifter. He was born at Woodcutt near Petworth, in the parish of Graffom and county of Suffex, A.D. 1620, was of a pious difpofition from his youth, and joined himself in fociety with the ftricteft fort of Baptifts, who were a perfecuted and tender people at that time; amongst whom he underwent great mockings, ftonings in the ftreets, &c. and was very zealous in their way, travelling up and down on foot with their minifters, infomuch that he obtained the name of young Timothy; but in procefs of time finding that this people whilft they adhered to the form, had too much loft the power that he first found among them, his anxious foul panted after fome further manifestation, and a clofer communion with his Maker.

In the year 1650 he came from England a lieutenant in colonel Sanders's regiment of foot, and arrived at Youghal, and in the year 1652, took to wife Deborah Baker of that town, then an Anabaptift, afterwards a faithful friend, of whom hereafter. He was convinced in the year 1655, by the miniftry of a woman, viz. Elizabeth Fletcher, who preached in the streets at Youghal. In the year 1661 he was imprisoned at Cork, for not fwearing when fummoned