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
Many now rejoiced, seeing how some few among the Quakers, as Rich,
and the like sort of people, did side with Nayler, whilst the Quakers
generally spoke against him and his doings; for those who hoped to see
the downfall of them, signified not obscurely, that now things went
as they would have, since the Quakers, (as they said,) were divided
among themselves. But time showed that this pretended division soon
came to an end, and those diviners and guessers overshot themselves.
How it went with the execution of Nayler’s sentence at Bristol, I am
not informed;[16] but by a letter of one Richard Snead, an ancient
man of about eighty years, I have understood that Nayler had written a
letter to the magistrates of Bristol, wherein he had disapproved, and
penitently condemned, his carriage there.[17] After this he was brought
to Bridewell, London, (as sentenced,) where he continued prisoner about
two years, during which confinement he came to a true repentance of his
transgression; and having got the use of pen and ink, wrote several
books and papers, condemning his error, which were published in print;
and after his release, he published several others, one of which by way
of recantation, runs thus:
[16] He was sent to Bristol, and there whipped from the
middle of Thomas street, over the bridge, up High street, to
the middle of Broad street, all which he bore with wonderful
patience, as related by an eye-witness, and then sent by Tower
lane the back way to Newgate, and from thence returned to
Bridewell, London, according to the sentence.--J. W.
[17] After he was set at liberty, he went to Bristol, where in
a public meeting, he made confession of his offence, as to his
former fall, and declared in so powerful a manner, as tendered
and broke the meeting into tears, so that there were few dry
eyes, (as related by some then present,) and many were bowed in
their minds and reconciled to him.--J. W.’s account.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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