Chapter XVII: Front Matter (17)

In the forepart of this year, W. Ames being at Rotterdam in Holland, was confined there in Bedlam; which having made a great a noise, I will give a brief relation of it here. At Moordrecht, a village near Gouda, lived at that time one Martin Martinson, a cooper by trade; this man approving the doctrine preached by Ames at Rotterdam and elsewhere, began to assert it as truth: and seeing now and then he with some of his sober neighbours kept a meeting at his house, this caused a great stir in the town, insomuch that sometimes he suffered rude treatment from the people. Ames coming once there, and keeping a meeting in Martin’s house, great insolence was committed by the wicked rabble. And going from thence to pass over the water to Gouwerek, he was followed by a multitude of riotous people, both young and old, with a hideous cry of ‘Quake, Quake, Quake!’ And was pelted with stones and clods, till he came to the boat that carried him over. The preacher of Gouwerek hearing the noise, came to the boat, and asked what the matter was, why people made such a sad noise? To which Ames answered, ‘It seems the people are not taught better.’ To which the preacher returned, ‘They are not used to make such ado against honest people; but I believe you to be a deceiving wolf, that comes among the sheep to seduce them, and therefore they cry so.’ ‘Prove this,’ replied Ames. ‘I do not know you,’ said the preacher. ‘Learn then,’ returned Ames, ‘better manners, than to call one thou knowest not, a wolf and deceiver.’ And so going his way, shortly after he wrote from Rotterdam to Martin, and bade him go to the preacher, and desire him to appoint a time to prove that Ames was a deceiving wolf. But to this the preacher showed himself backward; yet to be rid of Martin, he said at length, ‘Come, I will prove it presently.’ But Martin replied, ‘I am not come for that; but this must be done to Ames;’ and insisting thereon, ‘Well,’ said the preacher, ‘let him come next Sunday before noon, after sermon; then I will prove it publicly before all the people.’

Of this Martin sent word to Ames; but things were managed so, that this project of proof was quashed: for the preacher of Gouwerek went to his colleague at Moordrecht, and consulted with him what to do in the case; and Ames being come to Moordrecht on the first day of the month called March, and the last of the week, though it was late at night, was seen and known by some; who committed much violence upon the house of Martin, where Ames was entered. The next day it was reported that some of the sheriff’s men of Gouda were come to Gouwerek to apprehend Ames when he came there; and at Moordrecht the dikegrave’s men came for the same purpose; and so they took Ames prisoner, and carried him to Rotterdam, where he was locked up in Bedlam, as a madman. And a week after, Martin, for having kept meetings at his house, where not above eight persons were come together, was also by the dikegrave’s men taken prisoner in his house, and carried to Rotterdam, where he was locked up with Ames. Who were the instigators of this business is plain enough, though I do not mention them.

After Ames had not been much above three weeks in Bedlam, the deputy-governor of the house, on the 27th of the month, about night, came to him and Martin, and said, ‘If I was in your place, I would go out.’ Which made Ames ask, whether he would suffer them to do so? To which he answered, that he should not hinder them. Then Ames returned, ‘I will not be reputed as one that broke prison.’ To which the deputy replied, ‘Nay, why should you be reputed so? You may go out freely; all is unlocked, and the door will stand open for you; for the governors are not minded that you should stay here.’ Then Ames said, ‘Well, I intend to go out to-morrow.’ The next day Martin’s wife came to see her husband; but the deputy told her, that he had an order in writing from the dikegrave, that rather than to let Martin’s wife come to him, he might let him and Ames go out together. The issue was, that they were both let out that morning, it being the 28th of the month. But they staid at Rotterdam, intending not to depart the town before they had given notice to the dikegrave of their being let out; lest occasion might be given for saying that they had broken prison. And it was not without reason they were so cautious; for the next day, in the morning, the deputy came to them, and said, ‘I desire that you will not bring me into trouble, for I am an ancient man; and the dikegrave hath been with me, and asked for you; to which I answered, that you were gone out; but he took this very ill. I desire, therefore, that you would say that you were gone out without my knowledge.’ But this was not to be expected from Ames, whom I knew so well, that I truly believe that he would rather have died, than to have spoken a lie: for in such a case he was without question of the same mind as formerly Christian Langedul, uncle to my grandmother by the mother’s side, who, when at Antwerp, he, with others, martyrs, was led to the stake to be burnt, cried out undauntedly, ‘If we would once but have told a lie, we might have escaped this.’ But to return to Ames, he told the deputy, that he himself intended to go and speak with the dikegrave; and if he was displeased at their going out, he might put them in again where they had been; for they would not have the name of prison-breakers.

Then they both went to the dikegrave, and told him after what manner they were come out; saying also that they would not have it said, that they broke out. ‘That name,’ said the dikegrave, ‘you would have had, if you had departed the town; for the deputy hath told me that you got out by breaking a window.’ After some other words were exchanged, he further said, ‘I have nothing to object against your life and conversation, having heard nothing concerning you but a good report; neither do I seek to persecute you. But would you be willing to return to Bedlam?’ Ames answered, ‘Here we stand before thee; thou mayest do with us according to thy pleasure. And if thou desirest us to return thither, we will do so.’ The dikegrave signifying that this was his desire, said that they might go and walk in the gallery then, till another order came. And so he caused his messenger to go along with them. Being come thither, they not long retained the liberty to walk in the gallery, but on the 31st of the month, they were locked up again, each in a hole by himself. Now Ames acquainted the deputy that he heard from the dikegrave, that he had been informed by him, that they were got out by breaking a window. But the deputy denied to have said so. They were detained there yet sometime, and were pretty much visited, and this often by such as sought nothing but to scoff at them; and among these a certain clergyman did not stick to say to Ames, that he was a deceiver, because he wore pewter buttons, to make people believe they were silver ones. Whilst Ames was confined here, he wrote some papers which afterwards he published, and among these a reply to an answer of one Jacob Koelman, to eighty-three queries given forth by the said Ames; who now being set at liberty, travelled to Germany, as hath been said before, and from thence going back to his native country, after some time returned again into Holland, as did also William Caton.

But now I turn again to England, where an account was published in print of the sufferings of the people called Quakers, which being offered to the parliament, was delivered to the speaker, Thomas Bampfield. This contained a relation of above one hundred and forty persons, all distinguished by their names, who for keeping of meetings, refusing to swear, not putting off their hats, not paying of tithes, and their travelling up and down the country, had been taken up and imprisoned, and many also had been deprived of their goods, and one and twenty of these died either by sickness in prison, or by violent abuses; among whom was Richard Sale, near West Chester, who being constable, had a minister of the people called Quakers brought to him, with a pass as a vagabond, whose conversation so convinced the constable, that he gave him his pass and liberty. And because the said Sale judged both priests and people to be exceedingly darkened, he entered upon an extraordinary act, to show them by a sign that they wanted to be enlightened, viz. he came in the day time with a lantern and a burning candle into the steeple-house, during the sermon. But this was resented to such a high degree, that by order of the mayor he was put into prison, and thrust into a hole called Little Ease, which was so strait, that it could not well receive his body; but he was thrust in with such violence, that his body was bruised, and he spit blood, and shortly after grew sick; and his body swelling, occasioned by the squeezing it into the hole, he died in great pain. In the before mentioned account it was also said that in the last six years, about two thousand persons, for being Quakers, had suffered in their body and goods. To this was added a paper, signed by more than one hundred and sixty persons, (several of whom I knew,) whereby they offered to the parliament to put themselves in the stead of their brethren, who were confined either in prisons, or houses of correction, or in dungeons, some being fettered, and others lying sick only on a little straw; wherefore they declared themselves ready to change places with them out of true love, that so they might go out, and not die by hardship, as many had done already; to prevent which, they were willing to take upon themselves the sufferings of their brethren, and lay down their lives for them. Under their names they added, ‘If we had been of Esau’s race, we should have fainted before this time; and if we had been of Cain’s progeny, we should have fought with his weapons: but this never was, neither is it the way of the righteous and chosen, of which we are, from the foundation of the world.’ It was in the month called April, that this paper was delivered to the parliament, but I do not find that this offer was accepted, or any thing done for releasing the imprisoned.

About this time also Edward Burrough published a paper, containing a very remarkable prediction of what followed the next year; when king Charles the Second was placed on the throne. In it he saith, that as he was travelling in Warwickshire, in the 1st month, his meditations being upon the Lord, and considering what unjust and woful sufferings had been inflicted upon the Lord’s people within these few years, a cry went through him, ‘The Lord will be avenged, the Lord will be avenged upon his enemies, and he will avenge the cause of his people.’ This cry stuck close upon him, and his heart was even broken therewith, and his spirit melted before the Lord, it being as it were said to him, ‘Write unto the rulers, and yet once more warn them of that recompense, and of that indignation, which is at hand upon them, even a just recompense for all their deeds; and as they have done, even so shall it be done to them; as they have sought to destroy the generation of the righteous, even so shall they be destroyed from off the face of the earth; and as they have unjustly judged and condemned the innocent, so shall they be condemned, and justly judged of the Lord; and as they have cast the bodies of the poor lambs of Christ into prison, and been a snare upon them, even so shall they be insnared, and into captivity shall they go. And as they have caused the goods and possessions of the innocent to be spoiled, and made a prey, even so in like manner shall the curse of the Lord spoil their substance. And as they have done, so shall it be done unto them; and as they have meted to others, so shall it be meted to them again.’ ‘And I saw a great misery and desolation nigh at hand, even the sword of the Lord; and that it should slay them; and I beheld it was made ready for the slaughter; and in the sense of these things a sadness fell upon my spirit, considering the desolation and the judgment that is at hand, to be executed upon the cruel oppressors.

‘Wherefore all ye rulers, and all ye that have trodden down the
heritage of God, and ye that have disregarded these many warnings
that ye have had; I say unto you all, in the power of the Lord
God, in his dominion, and by his Spirit, this is once more a
warning to you from the Lord, and that these things must surely
come to pass, and be fulfilled in their season, and no man shall
be able to deliver his brother; but every man shall bear his
own burden, and drink his own cup prepared for him: and though
it hath been counted a light thing amongst you, and you have
despised the reproof, and gone on without fear; yet in as much
as the Lord hath spared you, and not speedily executed judgment
upon you, but rather waited for your return; yet the dealing of
the Lord towards you, in sparing of you, you have not accepted;
and therefore shall his judgments be the greater upon you. For
if you do now come to the witness in your own consciences, what
evil hath this people done? Whose ox have they taken, or what
have they desired of you? Or what have they sought from you? Or
wherein have they been a burden to you? Saving that they have
reproved you for your iniquities, and desired your redemption?
Would you but now at last come to consider this, and confess the
Truth in your consciences, will not that tell you, that they
have patiently suffered all things that you have cruelly imposed
upon them? And have not they walked peaceably towards you, and
humbly, meekly, and justly among their neighbours? And have they
not been meek and innocent even as lambs, and as the sheep before
the shearers? And have they wrought offences towards any? Have
they sought the overthrow of the government, or have they sought
vengeance against their enemies? Or what injury have they done
to any man’s person, or estate, saving to satan and his kingdom?
Have they not sought to reform and reclaim the ungodly from their
ways? And have they not pitied and prayed for their enemies? And
have they not in all things walked in good conscience towards the
Lord, and towards all men? Yea, my friends, in the day of the
Lord, when the witness in your consciences shall not be limited,
but shall speak plainly, and when the impartial judge shall
appear upon his throne, then shall you acknowledge these things.

‘Wherefore I say unto you, receive the judgment of the Lord to
purify you, otherwise the judgment shall destroy you; and now
come to be more wise, that some of you may be as a brand plucked
out of the fire, and be reserved from being consumed; for the
visitation of the Lord is near an end, when his loving kindness
will be shut from you, and his long suffering turned into fury;
and he will make you know that we are his people, with whom you
have thus dealt; yea, you shall suddenly know it; the time is not
long till he will crown his people in the sight of his enemies;
he will crown them with praise and with righteousness, with
honour and majesty, and he will keep them in safety, even when
sorrow compasses you about; his mercy and loving kindness shall
extend towards them, even when his wrath and judgment smites you,
and confound you. O! What shall I say unto you; for the deep
sense thereof remains upon my heart; when I consider, how that
in all ages the Lord did avenge his people’s cause, and when
the time of their suffering was expired, he broke the bonds of
iniquity, and set them free. Thus did he with his people Israel
of old, and many times it was his way with his people, to bring
them low by suffering, and then to raise them up again in glory;
and he suffered their enemies for a season to glory over them,
that he might bring them down. And thus he did in England, in
the case between the bishops and their crew of persecutors, and
the poor people at that day called Puritans: did not he confound
that persecuting crew, and deliver his people? And is not he the
same to effect the same work at this very day? Yea, doubtless,
and much more will he do, in as much as the manifestation of
Truth is more clear than it was in their days; and in as much
as the rulers and people of this nation have rejected a more
clear testimony, than either the Papists in Queen Mary’s days,
or the bishops and prelates in their days; even so much the more
will the Lord God execute his vengeance with more violence, in a
more manifest way; and all shall know, that it is he that doth
it, and he will set his people free: for he hath regarded their
sufferings, and he hath said it is enough; for he hath tried
them, and found them faithful; and all this hath been suffered
to prove them, and not to destroy them: and like as he hath
preserved them in patience and peace through it all, even so will
he give them hearts to walk answerably to their deliverance; and
as they have abounded in patience in their sufferings, so shall
they abound in praises everlasting in the day of their freedom;
and the earth shall be glad, and shall yield the increase and
blessing: the heavens and earth shall rejoice, and the hearts
of the righteous shall leap for joy; when the Lord hath broken
the yoke of the oppressed, and set his people free, inwardly and
outwardly; and then shall they sing to the Lord over all their
enemies, who shall be tormented and vexed in the Lord’s sore
displeasure; for their reward cometh, and their recompense shall
be even as their work, and he will give unto them sorrow and
anguish, instead of rejoicing.

‘But again, when I considered the long-suffering, and patience,
and forbearance of the Lord’s innocent people under all their
sufferings; and when I looked at their innocency, and at their
righteousness, and spirit of holiness, with which the Lord hath
blessed them, my heart was made glad in the consideration of
this; and the more was my joy, the more I beheld their innocency,
and the guiltlessness of their cause; whereby the unjustness of
their suffering did the more appear: and withal, when I looked
and beheld their increase under all their sufferings, and how
that the Lord had turned all these things to their good, and to
the overthrow of all their enemies; how that by that way, wherein
their enemies intended to destroy them from being a people, even
thereby did the Lord most wonderfully increase them to be a great
people; for through all have they grown in life and power, and
in strength, and in number, and through it all have they been
encouraged to follow the Lord with more zeal and boldness. And in
the consideration of this I did rejoice, with magnifying the Lord
forever, that he had brought forth his praise, even through the
wickedness of the wicked, and he had increased his people, and
exalted them through the cruelty of all their enemies; and that
through all opposition they were attained unto a happy rest, and
through all the tempest of great trial, they were arrived into
the harbour of renown and great glory: and when I consider this,
how that the Lord hath given them dominion, and brought their
life to reign over all their enemies, these things were a joy
unto me; and looking back into ages, seeing there was nothing,
nor any people for generations, that had grown, and risen through
all opposition like unto these; wherefore it is a sign and
testimony that we are the Lord’s, and that these things are of
him, and from him, and by him alone, that he might be praised
forever.

‘Again, when I do consider, how that the Lord had raised his
people, even out of the dust; and them that were not a people,
are become a people, and the Lord hath provoked nations by them
that were not a people within these few years; and the Lord hath
carried on this work amongst his people, not by any thing of man,
nor by the arm of flesh; but in pure innocency and simplicity
hath it been accomplished; not by the wisdom of this world, nor
by men in places of honour, and of power in the nations; for all
that has been wanting to them; and what they are, it is through
the opposition of all this; for they have had none of the great
men of the earth on their side to defend them, and establish
them, but all have been against them; and even oppression and
tyranny executed upon them, rather than any approbation, or
justification from men in outward authority: so that truly it
may be said, there hath been nothing of man in this work, but
all of the Lord, by his own power; and in a contrary way to all
the false sects, and false churches, hath the beginning and
carrying on of these things been: for we know that all the false
sects in this nation, have risen and been established through
the countenance of men in place and power; and upon man, and the
wisdom of this world, and authority of the powers of the earth,
hath the rise and fall of all false churches depended; and as the
powers of the earth have sided with them, so have they been set
up; and at the displeasure of authority, have been cast down. But
as for this people, they are raised of the Lord, and established
by him, even contrary to all men; and they have given their power
only to God, and they cannot give their power to any mortal men,
to stand or fall by any outward authority, and to that they
cannot seek; but to the Lord alone, who heareth their cry, and
will avenge their cause.

‘Wherefore let all the persecutors bow before the Lord, and let
all the saints walk humbly in his sight, and let them continue in
that innocent life in which they have begun; and let them never
forget the mercies of the Lord, and what he hath brought to pass,
who hath manifested great things, and will do more and more to
the confounding of all his enemies, and to the praise of his
elect people. And all ye saints upon the earth, have ye the Lord
in respect continually, and turn you not unto idols, but let the
Lord be your joy for evermore.

E. B.’

Not long after the publishing of this paper, to wit, in the month called May, Edward Burrough, and Samuel Fisher, went from Dover to Dunkirk, where there was an English garrison. Being come there, it quickly spread over the town. The governor, Lockhart, now not being there, his deputy, colonel Alsop, with the council of officers, sent for them; and they being come, were asked, what their business was there? To which they gave answer, and the next morning signified in writing, that their coming was to visit the jesuits, friars, and priests, and other papists, to show them the errors of their ways, and the falseness of their worship, &c. they being called to preach the everlasting gospel to the nations. They were some hours in discourse with the said deputy, and the officers, and not unkindly treated; but the deputy however said, that it would be dangerous for them to stay in the town: and therefore he desired them to depart. To which their answer was, that if he desired them, they, could not receive any such desire; and if he commanded them, they could not obey his command in that case; because they could not depart the town but in the will of God; according to which will they came thither. After much reasoning they left them, and the next day went to the Capuchin friars, and had some discourse with the chiefest of them in their garden, concerning the light of Christ, that every man is enlightened withal; and told them, that the mighty day of the Lord was at hand upon them; and that the Lord was come to search and try them; and that he would hew down their idolatrous ways, worships and works. The next day Burrough wrote some queries to the friars and nuns, in and about that town, which were sent to them in Latin. The introduction was thus:

‘The mighty day of the Lord is come, and coming upon you, and
all the world. Awake, awake, ye that sleep in the earth, for
the dreadful God is arising to plead with you, and to give
unto all the world the cup of his fierce indignation, because
of your idolatries, and hypocrisies, and abominations, which
have corrupted the earth, and are come up before him, and have
provoked him; and the cry of the just, who have been smitten, and
laid slain, is entered into the ears of the Most High, and his
sword, which is the word of his mouth, is awakened to wound and
destroy all his enemies. And the day of your visitation is now
come, wherein the Lord is searching you, and trying you, that he
may recompense you: and this is the word of the Lord to you.

‘Wherefore, I am moved of the Lord to propound some few queries
to you, for the trial of your spirits and ways; to which I demand
your answer, that all things may be brought to light and true
judgment, and that you may be judged justly, and by the spirit of
the Lord cleared or condemned according to your deeds.’

These queries were partly concerning the orders of friars and nuns, whether any such were in the church in the apostles’ days; and concerning the popish worship and ceremonies, demanding proof of their lawfulness from the Holy Scriptures. After the delivering of these queries to the Capuchins, Burrough and Fisher went also to the friars of other orders, and entered into discourse with them: but their plain speeches against the idolatrous rites and ceremonies, found no entrance. After some stay in the town, they going to the college of the jesuits, got into discourse with their chief rector; and after a conference of about three hours, he grew weary, and pretending other business, would stay no longer with them; and so they parted, asking him, whether he would admit more discourse at some other time; but he refused it. Burrough afterwards wrote a letter to him, which began thus:

‘Friend, thy wisdom and thy knowledge is earthly and sensual, and
thereby canst thou not know the things of the kingdom of God:’
and he concluded with this query: ‘What is that whore that hath
sat upon multitudes of people? and what is that golden cup in
her hand? and what are the abominations and fornication of which
her cup is full, which she hath caused the kings and people to
drink,’ &c.

But neither this query nor the others were answered. Burrough and Fisher did also visit the nuns; and speaking to them through a grate, they asked if they were of the order of those called Quakers; and soon perceiving they were such, they said, they might not hear them, and so presently passed away; whereby Burrough and Fisher were deprived of any opportunity to speak to them; only they witnessed against them. E. Burrough wrote also some propositions to the jesuits, priests, and friars, wherein he particularly represented the tyranny of the church of Rome in true colours; and these propositions were sent to them in Latin. They staid yet some days in town, and had divers meetings among the English soldiers: and Burrough also wrote to them, and bid them be faithful to the Lord, and not to seek themselves in their service, but the honour of God: he also showed them what their duty was in their military station; and, (not to give them too rough a brush, but to meet them somewhat in their own way; following therein the example of John the Baptist, when he spoke to the soldiers, Luke iii. 14,) told them, ‘What do you know but the Lord may have some good work for you to do, if you be faithful to him?’ and he also signified to them, that since the Lord one day would avenge the innocent blood shed in the pope’s dominion, and appear against Babylon and Rome, the seat of the whore, and the kingdom of antichrist, it seemed not improbable to him, that the Lord would make way thereto by the English nation. ‘It is,’ said he, ‘the Lord’s work, I know, to make men truly religious; but yet he may work by you, to break down the briars and thorns, and the rocks and hills that have set themselves against the Lord,’ &c. He also advised them, if ever such a work fell to be their lot, not to be ambitious, nor vain-glorious, but to make it their work to demand the disannulling of the popish inquisition and cruel laws. And the officers he charged, not to be as tyrants and oppressors over the poor soldiers, but to be loving and meek, and examples of all goodness unto them; to this he added: ‘and having no sin lying upon your consciences, then shall ye face your enemies with courage, and not fear death, but shall be ready to lay down your lives in a good cause.’ But lest any might think he was for the bearing of arms, and not for harmlessness or non-resistance, he told them also, that the Lord had a more honourable work to work after them, viz. to destroy the kingdom of the devil, and the ground of wars. And that there was a more honourable victory to be waited for, to wit, the victory over sin, &c.

Burrough and Fisher being once sent for by the governor Lockhart, found many officers with him; and after some friendly discourse, they advised them to moderation, and the fear of God, and so parted from them: and after having performed their service in the town, they returned to England.

Not long after Burrough gave the aforesaid queries out in print, and wrote also a paper to the parliament; exhorting those that were members of that assembly, to fear God, and not to oppress honest people, but to free them from oppression and tyranny; lest the Lord come suddenly upon them and break them to pieces.

The power of the protector Richard Cromwell already declining, he was prevailed upon by the officers of the army to dissolve this parliament, which began to make inquiry how the subsidies were employed; and by the direction of some of the chief republicans, the long parliament was called again. This parliament set up a committee of safety, for apprehending those that disturbed the peace, and for making an alteration among the military officers, either by cashiering them, or otherwise; and, increasing in power, erected also a council of state; and word was sent to Richard Cromwell, who was now deprived of all power, to remove from Whitehall, which at length he did, the parliament allowing him two thousand pounds for the charges of removing, and promising to pay his debts contracted for the public: and his brother Henry, who was lord deputy of Ireland, was called back by the parliament. Thus these two brothers were again reduced to the state of private men.

E. Burrough now wrote a letter to the parliament, and seriously exhorted them therein to desist from all persecution for religion, and to take away that which gave occasion thereunto. About this time there was an insurrection in Cheshire for king Charles, under sir George Booth; who, having received a commission from that prince, got such numbers of followers, that he seized the city of Chester. In the meanwhile the parliament sent Edmund Ludlow to Ireland, to be commander in chief of the army there, instead of Henry Cromwell, and general Lambert was sent with an army against Booth. Now since some rash people that went under the name of Quakers, were for taking up arms under Lambert; and that the committee of safety offered great places and commands to some of that persuasion, thereby to draw them off from the truth they professed; G. Fox wrote a paper, wherein he showed the unlawfulness of wars and fightings, representing it as a work not at all becoming the followers of Christ: and he exhorted his friends not to join with those that took up arms, but to fight only with spiritual weapons, which took away the occasion of the carnal. This he also recommended in his preaching, for an harmless and inoffensive life, was that which he always asserted and practised.

As for Booth, he was defeated, and endeavouring to make his escape in women’s clothes, was discovered in an inn, and taken into custody; and being carried to London, by an order of the parliament, he was committed to the Tower. The officers of the army, of which George Fleetwood was now commander in chief, were very busy to get the upper hand of the parliament; which caused great division and distraction in the nation; for it was well known that if the supreme power was offered up to the army, they then could do what they would; and thus the nation would be governed by the sword. It was also fresh in memory, that it was the army by which Cromwell had been advanced so as to become protector, and supreme ruler of the nation: and therefore many opposed the design on foot.

About this time also the military officers moved the taking off of the burden of tithes, and to settle another maintenance for the national preachers. But being unwilling that the parliament should be masters of the army, they complained of having been deceived by the parliament; and colonel Desborough said, that they had not performed any part of the promises they had made to the army; that they had taken no care to secure a liberty to tender consciences; and that their intention was to remove the principal officers, and place others in their commands, who were of different principles.

Now the council of officers was for calling a new parliament; but this met with no small opposition. In this bustle the council of officers began to insinuate with the clergy, and they agreed with them, that their maintenance by tithes should not be taken away till another revenue as ample and certain should be settled upon them; that some provision should be made for those who differed in faith and worship from the established church; but that the Quakers and some others, whose principles they said tended to the destruction of civil society, should not be tolerated at all. In this distracted state of affairs, when some were for, and others against the parliament, so that it was hardly well known in whom the supreme authority resided, Edward Burrough wrote and published in print a large speech, which he stiled, ‘A message to the present rulers of England, whether committee of safety, so called, council of officers, or others whatsoever.’ He signified by way of introduction, that the contents had been upon him to deliver by speech and word of mouth, to the men then in power; but no way being made for him so to do, he had written what was upon him. And then he begins thus with a majestic strain.

‘_Friends_,

‘My Master, is a high, and mighty, and powerful prince, and
very honourable; and fear, reverence, respect, and subjection
belong to him alone, from you and all mankind. He is wise, and
understanding, and of great strength, and his dominion is from
everlasting to everlasting; and he can do whatsoever he will
in heaven and earth, for he rules with his iron rod over the
world, and whatsoever he saith, it is done; for his word is an
everlasting command. If he saith to a man, live, it is so; if
he saith to a man, die, it cometh to pass; and if he give peace
to a man, or a nation, none can make war; and if he make war
with a person, or in a nation, no man is able to make peace.
For why? He hath all power in his hand, and to him all judgment
and authority is given; he is the Son of the living God, the
everlasting Creator. He was, and is, and is to come; his eye
beholdeth all things, and his arm compasseth heaven and earth;
and what his purpose is, he hath always and will ever bring it
to pass. If he set up rulers, they must rule; and if he pull
them down none can hinder: whom he will, he honoureth; and if
it be his pleasure, he bringeth men to shame. If he break a
nation down, none can build it up; and if he confound powers and
authorities in the kingdoms of men, they all fall as withered
grass before him. Behold, ye men! He is so great and mighty, and
of so great authority, that whatsoever he saith, it is done;
and whatsoever he willeth, it cometh to pass; and none is able
to resist him, and overcome his power, when his pleasure is to
accomplish a work. By him all things are that be, and all things
live that have life, and through him all things move, and of his
fullness, every creature in heaven and earth receive. And this,
my Master, is altogether honourable in birth, and otherwise, and
altogether mighty in all his works; he is just and merciful, full
of goodness, righteousness, and truth; all virtue dwells in him,
and his judgment and mercy, his authority and meekness, and his
wrath and his love, they are companions: and what are ye before
him? Or how shall ye be able to resist him, or to turn backward
what his purpose is, concerning you, and this nation? For ye have
no being nor breath without him. Behold ye men! Ye are verily as
the dust before the wind, so are ye to him, soon blown away, and
your place not found; as the grass before the mower, so are ye
before him, soon cut down, and whithered, and your beauty utterly
extinguished: as a potter’s vessel under an iron rod, even so are
you to him, he can immediately break you, never to be bound up;
as a drop to the fountain, so are you to him, soon dried up and
made nothing. Wherefore, ye men, ye mortal creatures, ye ignorant
persons, sons of a transgressor, ye dust and ashes: for thus you
are in comparison of him, this mighty prince; hearken to his
message, which cometh to you from him; hear and fear, and be not
stout-hearted against the Lord God, that is about to speak unto
you.

‘As for this little island of England, wherein your present place
and being is, it is an island which the Lord hath showed great
favour unto in ages past, and in this present time; and I must
tell you, he hath a purpose of love towards it, and to honour
it in the view of the world, though through great tribulations:
and he hath an intent of great good unto it; for he hath a seed,
a precious seed in it scattered abroad, and he hath a people
that fear his name, and have walked in his ways, and he hath
made them, and elected them, and what they are, it is by him;
that he may dwell among them, and have the whole government
over them all; yea, he hath a speedy purpose verily concerning
this nation, and he will purify it in judgment, and refine its
inhabitants through the fire of tribulations, that it may be
pleasant to him, and fit to do his will: he hath a purpose to
work some great thing in it, I must tell you, as he hath said
unto me so to do; he will have his name exalted and reverenced
in this island, and his terror shall be sent out of it through
the world, and his branch from it shall spread over the earth;
he doth purpose in his season to take it into his own hand,
and to sway the government thereof with his own sceptre, and
to set up righteousness alone, and to overthrow all oppressors
and oppressions; and the kingdoms of this world must become the
kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ.

‘True it is, such hath been the coming to pass of time, and
of things for many ages by-past, that my master hath been, as
it were, banished from the nation, and hath not been suffered
to enjoy his right; but hath been expelled, even, as it were,
by the force of satan and antichrist, who hath long usurped
authority over the inhabitants of this nation; and in my Master’s
absence, lamentable injustice, cruelty, unmercifulness, tyranny,
and oppression have been exercised upon the inhabitants; and
the poor creatures have been held in great slavery by their
rulers, that have ruled by the dragon’s power; and been kept
in great blindness and ignorance, and under great oppression,
both in body and spirit, by antichristian teachers, for this
many years; even while the great King hath been absent, and,
as it were, gone into a far country; even all this time hath
antichrist and the devil ruled and reigned, and have made and
executed oppression, and tyrannical laws and decrees, both in
church and state; and all the nation hath been out of right
order, and laid waste and barren of good fruit, and it hath been
as a wilderness by reason hereof; and men that have ruled for
many years, have not ruled singly by my Master’s authority, but
by another power; though not without the knowledge of my Lord,
neither as though he had not power to have done otherwise; but
for his own pleasure he hath suffered it thus to be, and let men
go on to rule and govern in their own wills, and after their
own lusts; and people have walked wickedly towards him, and
towards one another; and all this he hath suffered; not as if
he gave toleration for it; for his messengers now and then, and
his witness in people’s consciences, have been reproving their
ungodly ways; and he hath often showed his dislike by divers
ways, and tokens, and many judgments, and strange overturning, to
the way and proceedings of both rulers, prophets, and teachers
of this nation; but yet they have gone on against his mind, and
contrary to his will, notwithstanding his reproofs and judgments.
Not that he had not power to have executed his pleasure in wrath
upon them, and to have destroyed them altogether, and have
made the nation a heap, and as nothing long before this day;
for power was in his hand to have done it; but he hath been
long-suffering and of great patience, and borne all things, and
taken the injustice, and cruelty, and wickedness, and idolatry,
and all unrighteousness that hath abounded in the nation upon
himself, and suffered under it, and borne it for its season,
while woful and lamentable oppressions have been practised in
civil state, even hellish laws, and devilish executors of them;
merciless tyrants have borne the sceptre, and reigned for many
years over the inhabitants, and in church and state have been
heinous idolatry and superstitious vanities committed in a high
nature and measure, and even all men, and states of men, and
orders of men of every degree have been abominably corrupted in
the sight of my Lord, even from the prince to the beggar, even
rulers and subjects, teachers and people, judges and prophets.
They have been corrupted both in heart and hand, and they have
dealt falsely and wickedly towards him and towards one another;
even to the great displeasure and vexation of him, and his
blessed spirit, and to the high provocation of him to their
own destruction, if his long-suffering had not prevailed; and
all this while he hath lain as it were asleep, and at rest in
himself; and he hath left men to try them, what they will do, and
he hath given them a day; many kings and rulers, he hath let them
have a little time, to see how they would use it, but they have
abused it and not ruled for him, nor accomplished his work nor
fulfilled his will, but acted even in defiance of him and of his
power, and to his great dishonour.

‘Alack! I must be plain with you: my Lord hath been utterly
exiled, and greatly dishonoured, and highly provoked and vexed by
reason of such proceedings, as have been in this nation for this
many years, through the corruption of all sorts of men in place
and power, who have not ruled for him, but for the devil to their
own corrupted ends: only he hath suffered men to go on in their
course for a season; some as it were appearing on the stage for a
time, and suddenly cast down again for their iniquities sake; and
his hand hath been in all these things, though very privately and
secretly, not known and discerned by the sons of men, yet hath
he ruled over the kingdoms of men, and pulled down one, and set
up another. And to forbear the several actings and proceedings
of many by-passed ages, and to come to this generation, and to
speak of things that have happened within these few years, and of
the changing and overturning that hath happened in this nation;
such was the cruelty, tyranny, oppression and idolatry both in
church and civil state, that the people of this nation were held
under, in the days of papal power; such, I say, was the exceeding
height of the cruelty and tyranny of that time, that not any that
feared or reverenced my Lord, in any measure, could scarce live,
or have a being in the nation. Even against every man that did
but incline towards him, and desire the knowledge of his ways,
hell’s mouth was opened against them, and they were swallowed,
and many of their lives taken from the earth, by the hellish
power that had in that day usurped authority in this island; and
when thus it was, then he looked down from heaven, and his bowels
of compassion were opened, for the sake of the oppressed people
that desired after him, in so much that he broke and threw down
the power of their oppressors in some measure, as it stood in
papal authority, and when the iniquity of that power was filled
up, he took vengeance upon it; and I must tell you, it was he
that brought it about, even the destroying of that power in this
nation, and freeing the nation from it, though the men that were
instruments in the cause were not his servants, otherwise than
as Nebuchadnezzar served him; for he hath a secret way to have a
service from the wicked, and such is his power, that he can turn
the wickedness of the wicked to his glory, and he can make a rod
to whip his adversaries, and burn it when he hath done, and he
hath often destroyed one wickedness by another.