To this parliament a report was made, that at Carlisle, a person was imprisoned, who was to die for religion. This was G. Fox, whom we have left thus long in the dungeon at Carlisle, and now are returning to him again. The parliament then caused a letter to be sent down concerning him to the sheriff, and other magistrates. And G. Fox knowing how scandalously he had been belied, about speaking blasphemous words, gave forth a paper, wherein he challenged all who found fault with his doctrine, to appear in public; since he was ready to stand the test of whatsoever he might have spoken. He also wrote a significant letter to the justices at Carlisle, wherein he showed them plainly the injustice of their dealings, and the horrid evil of persecution, as having been always the work of the false church. Mention hath been made already of the justices Benson and Anthony Pearson: these had desired, more than once, leave to visit G. Fox in prison; but this having been denied them, they wrote a letter to the magistrates, priests, and people at Carlisle, wherein they emphatically described the wickedness of persecution, and what would be the reward of persecutors; saying also, that these were worse than the heathen that put Paul into prison; because none of his friends or acquaintance were hindered by them from coming to him. However, at length Pearson got an opportunity to come with the governor into the dungeon, where G. Fox was kept, and they found the place so bad, and of so noisome a smell, that the governor cried shame of the magistrate, for suffering the jailer to treat G. Fox after such a manner; and calling the jailers into the dungeon, required them to find sureties for their good behaviour, and put the under-jailer, who had been very cruel to G. Fox, into the dungeon with him. In the meanwhile, those who had imprisoned G. Fox began to grow afraid, the rather, it may be, because the parliament took notice of these doings; and it was not long after that he was released; and then coming to the house of one Thomas Bewly, near Coldbeck, in Cumberland, there came a Baptist teacher to oppose him: but he found what G. Fox spoke to be so efficacious, that he became convinced of the truth thereof. At that time there was also Robert Widders, who being moved to go to Coldbeck steeple-house, the Baptist teacher went with him. Widders coming into the steeple-house, there was one Hutton preaching, to whom he spoke; but the rude people threw him down, and dragged him into the yard, where they pushed and beat him till the blood gushed out of his mouth, so that he lay for dead some time; but a certain woman coming to him, held up his head, so that at length he recovered his breath. The Baptist who went along with him, had his sword taken from him, and was sorely beaten with it; yet this did not frighten or discourage him; and he not only left off the wearing of a sword, but also freely gave up the inheritance of an impropriation of tithes.