The History of Thomas Ellwood Written By HimselfEllwood, Thomas
History
The History of Thomas Ellwood Written By Himself
Ellwood, Thomas
Ellwood, Thomas, 1639-1713; Quakers -- Biography
In this time I was come by the back way into the kitchen, and hearing my
father’s voice so loud, I began to doubt things wrought not well; but I
was soon assured of that. For my father having quickly enough of a
Quaker’s company, left John Rance in the hall, and came into the kitchen,
where he was more surprised to find me.
The sight of my hat upon my head made him presently forget that I was
that son of his whom he had so lately lamented as lost; and his passion
of grief turning into anger, he could not contain himself, but running
upon me with both his hands, first violently snatched off my hat and
threw it away, then giving me some buffets on my head, he said, “Sirrah,
get you up to your chamber.”
I forthwith went, he following me at the heels, and now and then giving
me a whirret on the ear, which, the way to my chamber lying through the
hall where John Rance was, he, poor man, might see and be sorry for (as I
doubt not but he was), but could not help me.
This was surely an unaccountable thing, that my father should but a day
before express so high a sorrow for me, as fearing he should never see me
any more, and yet now, so soon as he did see me, should fly upon me with
such violence, and that only because I did not put off my hat, which he
knew I did not put on in disrespect to him, but upon a religious
principle. But as this hat-honour (as it was accounted) was grown to be
a great idol, in those times more especially, so the Lord was pleased to
engage His servants in a steady testimony against it, what suffering
soever was brought upon them for it. And though some who have been
called into the Lord’s vineyard at later hours, and since the heat of
that day hath been much over, may be apt to account this testimony a
small thing to suffer so much upon, as some have done, not only to
beating, but to fines and long and hard imprisonments; yet they who, in
those times were faithfully exercised in and under it, durst not despise
the day of small things, as knowing that he who should do so would not be
thought worthy to be concerned in higher testimonies.
I had now lost one of my hats, and I had but one more. That therefore I
put on, but did not keep it long; for the next time my father saw it on
my head he tore it violently from me, and laid it up with the other, I
knew not where. Wherefore I put on my montero-cap, which was all I had
left to wear on my head, and it was but a very little while that I had
that to wear, for as soon as my father came where I was I lost that also.
And now I was forced to go bareheaded wherever I had occasion to go,
within doors and without.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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