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
The Friend was a poor little man, of a low condition and mean appearance;
whereas these two Baptists were topping blades, that looked high and
spoke big. They scorned to beat hemp, and made a pish at the
whipping-post; but when they had once felt the smart of it, they soon
cried _peccavi_, and submitting to the punishment, set their tender hands
to the beetles.
The Friend, on the other hand, acting upon a principle, knowing he had
done no evil for which he should undergo that punishment, refused to
work, and for refusing was cruelly whipped; which he bore with wonderful
constancy and resolution of mind.
The manner of whipping there is, to strip the party to the skin from the
waist upwards, and having fastened him to the whipping-post, so that he
can neither resist nor shun the strokes, to lash the naked body with long
but slender twigs of holly, which will bend almost like thongs, and lap
round the body; and these having little knots upon them, tear the skin
and flesh, and give extreme pain.
With these rods they tormented the Friend most barbarously and the more
for that, having mastered the two braving Baptists, they disdained to be
mastered by this poor Quaker. Yet were they fain at last to yield when
they saw their utmost severity could not make him yield; and then, not
willing to be troubled longer with him, they turned him up among us.
When we had inquired of him how it was with him, and he had given us a
brief account of both his cause and usage, it came in my mind that I had
in my box (which I had sent for from my lodging, to keep some few books
and other necessaries in) a little gallipot with Lucatellu’s balsam in
it.
Wherefore, causing a good fire to be made, and setting the Friend within
a blanket before the fire, we stripped him to the waist, as if he had
been to be whipped again, and found his skin so cut and torn with the
knotty holly rods, both back, side, arms, and breast, that it was a
dismal sight to look upon. Then melting some of the balsam, I with a
feather anointed all the sores, and putting a softer cloth between his
skin and his shirt, helped him on with his clothes again. This dressing
gave him much ease, and I continued it till he was well; and because he
was a very poor man, we took him into our mess, contriving that there
should always be enough for him as well as for ourselves. Thus he lived
with us until the time he was committed for was expired, and then he was
released.
But we were still continued prisoners by an arbitrary power, not being
committed by the civil authority, nor having seen the face of any civil
magistrate from the day we were thrust in here by soldiers, which was the
26th day of the eighth month, to the 19th of the tenth month following.
On that day we were had to the Sessions at the Old Bailey; but not being
called there, we were brought back to Bridewell, and continued there to
the 29th of the same month, and then we were carried to the Sessions
again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account