The History of the Rise, Increase, and Progress of the Christian People Called Quakers: Intermixed with Several Remarkable Occurrencs.Sewel, William
History
The History of the Rise, Increase, and Progress of the Christian People Called Quakers: Intermixed with Several Remarkable Occurrencs.
Sewel, William
Society of Friends -- History -- Early works to 1800
No better was the treatment of Daniel Wastfield, who, being sent for by
the mayor, appeared before him, and alderman Vickris; then the mayor
said to him, ‘Wastfield, come hither;’ and he thereupon drawing near,
the mayor asked him three several times, ‘What art thou?’ Though he
knew him well enough, having called him by his name as above said.
Wastfield answered, ‘I am a man.’ ‘But what’s thy name?’ said the
mayor. ‘My name is Daniel Wastfield,’ answered he. Then said the mayor
to one of his officers, ‘Take him and carry him to Newgate;’ further
adding, that he came thither to contemn justice: to which Wastfield
replied, ‘No, I came hither in obedience to thy order;’ for the mayor
had sent for him, as hath been said. Thus he was carried away without
a mittimus, the mayor saying his word was a mittimus; and he was kept
a close prisoner thirty-three days, and none suffered to come to him
but his servants, notwithstanding he was a widower, and must now leave
his house and trade to their management; and a child of his died in the
meanwhile, and was buried, and he kept from seeing it.
The magistrates having thus begun persecution, became from time to time
more vigorous in it, insomuch, that several others were imprisoned,
and among these Christopher Birkhead, who, standing still in Nicholas’
steeple-house, with his hat on, and being asked by the priest, Ralph
Farmer, what he stood there for; answered, ‘I stand in obedience to the
righteous law of God in my conscience; I have neither offended the law
of God, nor of the nation. A wonderful and horrible thing is committed
in the land.’ More he would have spoken, but was stopped with beating
and thrusting, and so carried to prison.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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