After I had reproved them for their blasphemous expressions, I went
away; for I perceived they were Ranters. 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, published a recantation; upon which they were
set at liberty.
CHAPTER IV.
A Year in Derby Jail
1650-1651.
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. As I was passing on in Leicestershire I came to
Twy-Cross, where there were excise-men. 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.
There was in that town a great man that had long lain sick, and was
given up by the physicians; and some Friends in the town desired me
to go to see him. I went up to him in his chamber, and spoke 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
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. I looked steadfastly 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 bystanders 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 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. 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. 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. In our way we
met with many professors; and at Kidsey Park many were convinced.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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