had had dealings with in way of trade, and he told her before the other sheriff, that they had wronged her in their dealings with her (for the other sheriff and he were partners) and that they ought to make her restitution; this he spake chearfully. But the other sheriff denied it; and the woman said she knew nothing of it; but the friendly sheriff said it was so, and that the other knew it well enough and then having discovered the matter, and acknowledged the wrong done by them, he made restitution to the woman, and exhorted the other sheriff to do the like. And the Lord's power was with this friendly sheriff, and wrought a mighty change in him, and great openings he had. And on the next market day following, as he was walking with me in the chamber, in his slippers, he said, 'I must go into the market, and preach repentance to the people; and accordingly he went in his slippers into the market, and into several streets, and preached repentance to the people. Several others also in the town were moved to speak to the mayor and magistrates, and to the people, exhorting them to repent. Hereupon the magistrates grew very angry, and sent for me from the sheriff's house, and committed me to the common prison. When the assize came on there was one moved to come and offer up himself for me, body for body; yea, life also: but when I should have been brought before the judge, the sheriff's man being somewhat long in fetching me to the sessions house, the judge was risen before I came; at which I understood the judge was somewhat offended, and said he would have admonished the youth if he had been brought before him; for I was then imprisoned by the name of a youth. So I was returned to prison again, and put into the common goal. And the Lord's power was great among friends; but the people began to be very rude : wherefore the governor of the castle sent down soldiers, and dispersed them; and after that they were quiet. But both priests and people were astonished at the wonderful power that brake forth; and several of the priests were made tender, and some did confess to the power of the Lord.

Now, after I was at liberty from Nottingham gaol, (where I had been kept prisoner a pretty long time) I travelled as before, in the work of the Lord. And coming to Mansfield-woodhouse, there was a distracted woman under a doctor's hand, with her hair loose all about her ears; and he was about to let her blood, she being first bound, and many people being about her, holding her by violence; but he could get no blood from her. And I desired them

to unbind her, and let her alone, for they could not touch the Spirit in her, by which she was tormented. So they did unbind her. And I was moved to speak to her, and in the name of the Lord to bid her be quiet and still; and she was so. And the Lord's power settled her mind, and she mended, and afterwards received the truth, and continued in it to her death. And the Lord's name was honoured; to whom the glory of all his works belongs. Many great and wonderful things were wrought by the heavenly power in those days; for the Lord made bare his omnipotent arm, and manifested his power to the astonishment of many, by the healing virtue whereof many have been delivered from great infirmities, and the devils were made subject through his name; of which particular instances might be given, beyond what this unbelieving age is able to receive or bear. But blessed for ever be the name of the Lord, and everlastingly honoured, and over all exalted, and magnified be the arm of his glorious power, by which he hath wrought gloriously; and let the honour and praise of all his works be ascribed to him alone.

Now while 1 was at Mansfield-woodhouse, I was moved to go to the steeple-house there, and declare the truth to the priest and people; but the people fell upon me in great rage, and struck me down, and almost stifled and smothered me; and I was cruelly beaten and bruised by them with their hands, bibles, and sticks. Then they halled me out (though I was hardly able to stand) and put me into the stocks, where I sate some hours; and they brought dog-whips and horse-whips, threatening to whip me. And after some time they had me before the magistrate, at a knight's house, where were many great persons; who seeing how evilly I had been used, after much threatening, set me at liberty. But the rude people stoned me out of the town, for preaching the word of life to them. And I was scarce able to go, or well to stand, by reason of the ill usage I had received; yet with much ado I got about a mile from the town, and then I met with some people that gave me something to comfort me, because I was inwardly bruised; but the Lord's power soon healed me again. And that day some people were convinced of the Lord's truth, and turned to his teaching, at which I rejoiced.

Then went I out of Nottinghamshire into Leicestershire, several friends accompanying me; and there were some Baptists in that country whom I desired to see and speak with, because they were separated from the public worship. So one Oats, who was one of their chief teachers, and

others of the heads of them, with several others of their company, came to meet us at Barrow; and there we discoursed with them. One of them said, 'What was not of faith, was sin.' Whereupon I asked them what faith was, and how it was wrought in man? But they turned off from that, and spake of their baptism in water. Then I asked them whether their mountain of sin was brought down and laid low in them, and their rough and crooked ways made smooth and straight in them; for they looked upon the scriptures as meaning outward mountains and ways. But I told them they must find them in their own hearts; which they seemed to wonder at. And we asked them who baptized John the Baptist, and who baptized Peter, John, and the rest of the apostles, and put them to prove by scripture that these were baptized in water; but they were silent. Then I asked them, Seeing Judas, who betrayed Christ, and was called the Son of Perdition, had hanged himself, what Son of Perdition was that which Paul spake of, that sate in the temple of God, exalted above all that is called God; and what temple of God that was, in which this Son of Perdition sate; and whether he, that betrays Christ within in himself, be not one in nature with that Judas, that betrayed Christ without?' But they could not tell what to make of this, nor what to say to it; so after we had had some discourse together we parted; and some of them were loving to us.

On the first day of the week following we came to Bagworth, and went to a steeple-house, where some friends were got in; and the people locked them in, and themselves too, with the priest. But after the priest had done, they opened the door, and we went in also, and had a service for the Lord amongst them. Afterwards we had a meeting in the town amongst several people that were in high notions. Then passing from thence I heard of a people that were in prison in Coventry for religion. And as I walked towards the jail, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, My love was always to thee, and thou art in my love.' And I was ravished with the sense of the love of God, and greatly strengthened in my inward man. when I came into the jail, where those prisoners were, a great power of darkness struck at me, and I sat still, having my spirit gathered into the love of God. At last these prisoners began to rant, and vapour, and blaspheme, at which my soul was greatly grieved; they said they were God; but another of them said we could not bear such things. So when they were calm, I stood up and asked them whether they did such things by motion or from scrip

But

ture; and they said from scripture. Then, a bible lying by, I asked them for that scripture; and they shewed me that place where the sheet was let down to Peter, and it was said to him, what was sanctified he should not call common or unclean. Now when I had shewed them that that scripture made nothing for their purpose, they brought another scripture, which spake of God's reconciling all things to himself, things in heaven, and things in earth. I told them I owned that scripture also, but shewed them that that was nothing to their purpose neither. Then seeing they said they were God, I asked them if they knew whether it would rain to-morrow; they said they could not tell. I told them God could tell. Again, I asked them if they thought they should be always in that condition, or should change; and they answered they could not tell. Then said I unto them, God can tell, and God doth not change. You say you are God, and yet you cannot tell whether you shall change or no. So they were confounded, and quite brought down for the time. Then after I had reproved them for their blasphemous expressions I went away; for I perceived they were Ranters, and I had met with none before; and I admired the goodness of the Lord in appearing so unto me before I went amongst them. Not long after this, one of these Ranters, whose name was Joseph Salmon, put forth a paper, or book of recantation; upon which they were set at liberty.

From Coventry I went to a place called Atherstone : and it being their lecture-day, I was moved to go to their chapel to speak to the priests and people; and they were generally pretty quiet; only some few raged, and would have had my relations to have bound me. I declared largely to them, how that God was come to teach his people himself, and to bring them off from all their manmade teachers to hear his son. And some were converted there.

Then went I to a place called Market-Bossoth, and there was a lecture there also. And he that preached there that day was Nathaniel Stevens, who was priest of the town where I was born; and he raged much when I spake to him and to the people, and told the people I was mad; (though he had said before, to one Colonel Purfoy, that there was never such a plant bred in England;) and he bid the people they should not hear me. So the people, being stirred up by this deceitful priest, fell upon us, and stoned us out of the town; yet they did not do us much hurt. Howbeit, some people were made loving that day, and others were confirmed, seeing the rage of both priests

and professors; and some cried out that the priest durst not stand to prove his ministry.

And as I travelled through markets, fairs, and divers places, I saw death and darkness in all people, where the power of the Lord God had not shaken them. And as I was passing on in Leicestershire, I came to a place called Twy-cross, where there were Excise-men; and I was moved of the Lord to go to them, and warn them to take heed of oppressing the poor; and people were much affected with it. Now there was in that town a great man, that had long lain sick, and was given over by the physicians; and some friends in the town desired me to go to see him. And I went up to him in his chamber, and spake the word of life to him, and was moved to pray by him; and the Lord was entreated, and restored him to health. But when I was come down the stairs, into a lower room, and was speaking to the servants, and to some people that were there, a serving-man of his came raving out of another room, with a naked rapier in his hand, and set it just to my side. But I looked stedfastly on him, and said, Alack for thee, poor creature! what wilt thou do with thy carnal weapon: it is no more to me than a straw.' The standers by were much troubled, and he went away in a rage, and full of wrath. But when the news of it came to his master, he turned him out of his service. Thus the Lord's power preserved me, and raised up the weak man, who afterwards was very loving to friends; and when I came to that town again, both he and his wife came to see

me.

After this I was moved to go into Derbyshire, where the mighty power of God was among friends. And I went to Chesterfield, where one Britland was priest. He was one that saw beyond the common sort of priests, for he had been partly convinced, and had spoken much on behalf of truth before he was priest there; but when the priest of that town died he got the parsonage, and choked himself with it. So I was moved to speak to him and the people in the great love of God, that they might come off from all men's teaching unto God's teaching; and he was not able to gainsay. But they had me before the Mayor, and threatened to send me, with some others, to the House of Correction; and kept us in custody till it was late in the night; and then the officers with the watchmen put us out of the town, leaving us to shift as we could. So I bent my course towards Derby, having a friend or two with me; and in our way we met with many professors; and at Kidsey park many were convinced.