"By virtue of His Majesty's writ, to me directed, and hereunto
annexed, I certify that before the receipt of the said writ
George Fox, in the said writ mentioned, was committed to His
Majesty's jail at the Castle of Lancaster, in my custody, by a
warrant from Henry Porter, Esq., one of His Majesty's justices
of peace within the county palatine aforesaid, bearing date the
fifth of June now last past; for that he, the said George Fox,
was generally suspected to be a common disturber of the peace
of this nation, an enemy of our sovereign lord the King, and
a chief upholder of the Quakers' sect; and that he, together
with others of his fanatic opinion, have of late endeavoured to
make insurrections in these parts of the country, and to embroil
the whole kingdom in blood. And this is the cause of his taking
and detaining. Nevertheless, the body of the said George Fox I
have ready before Thomas Mallet, knight, one of His Majesty's
justices, assigned to hold pleas before His Majesty, at his
chamber in Sergeants' Inn, in Fleet Street, to do and receive
those things which his Majesty's said justice shall determine
concerning him in this behalf, as by the aforesaid writ is
required.
"GEORGE CHETHAM, Esq., Sheriff."
On perusal of this, and consideration of the whole matter, the King,
being satisfied of my innocency, commanded his secretary to send an
order to Judge Mallet for my release, which he did thus:
"It is his Majesty's pleasure that you give order for releasing,
and setting at full liberty the person of George Fox, late a
prisoner in Lancaster jail, and commanded hither by an habeas
corpus. And this signification of his Majesty's pleasure shall
be your sufficient warrant. Dated at Whitehall, the 24th of
October, 1660.
EDWARD NICHOLAS."
"For Sir Thomas Mallet, knight, one
of the justices of the King's Bench."
When this order was delivered to Judge Mallet, he forthwith sent his
warrant to the marshal of the King's Bench for my release; which
warrant was thus worded:
"By virtue of a warrant which this morning I have received
from the Right Honorable Sir Edward Nicholas, knight, one of
his Majesty's principal secretaries, for the releasing and
setting at liberty of George Fox, late a prisoner in Lancaster
jail, and thence brought hither by habeas corpus, and yesterday
committed unto your custody; I do hereby require you accordingly
to release and set the said prisoner George Fox at liberty: for
which this shall be your warrant and discharge. Given under my
hand the 25th day of October, in the year of our Lord God 1660.
THOMAS MALLET."
"To Sir John Lenthal, knight,
marshal of the King's Bench,
or his deputy."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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