brought the persons prisoners to the guard, for observing the same." For such a precise man the said Brown was at that time, that he pretended to root out that superstitious custom; though there is reason to question, whether his heart/ was sincere in this respect: however, such blind zeal was unfit to convince people of superstitions; and Brown well knowing that by his former carriage, he had very much disobliged those of the church of England, endeavoured now to make amends for it, by his fierce brutality against the harmless Quakers, and so to come into favour with the ecclesiastics and courtiers. One of Brown's family having heard what was said to him, replied, "There is an Abingdon bird." To which Brown returned, "He is a rogue for all that," and struck him with his fist under the chin; which made another prisoner say, "What, a magistrate and strike!" Upon which Brown with both his hands, pulled him down to the ground by the brim of his hat, and then commanded the soldiers to take them all away, and carry them to Newgate.

Upon a first day of the week, in the month called June, a company of soldiers came into the Bull and Mouth meeting, with pikes, drawn swords, muskets, and lighted matches, as if they were going to fight; though they knew well enough they should find none there but harmless people. The first thing they did was to pull

down him that preached, whom they haled out of the meeting, rejoicing as if they had obtained some great victory: then they brought him to the main guard at Paul's, and returned to the Bull and Mouth, where they apprehended some more, whom they also carried to Paul's. After some hours, these prisoners were carried to the house of the fore mentioned Brown, and he, asking the names of the prisoners, and hearing that of John Perrot, said, 66 What, you have been at Rome to subvert," but recalling himself, said, "to convert the Pope." On which Perrot told him, "He had suffered at Rome for the testimony of Jesus." Whereupon Brown returned, "If you had converted the Pope to your religion, I should have liked him far worse than I do now. To which Perrot replied, "But

God would have liked him better." After some more short discourse, Brown committed them all to Newgate.

After this manner, the meetings of those called Quakers, were disturbed at that time, of which I could produce, if necessary, many more instances. Once, one Cox, a wine cooper, came with some soldiers into a meeting, where, after great violence used they took up two men of those called Quakers, whom they beat most grievously, because they refused to go along with them, though they shewed no warrant for it. At length the soldiers carried them both

upon muskets into Paul's yard, and when they laid them down, they dragged one of them by the heels on his back, in a very barbarous manner; which being done the said wine cooper was heard to say, he would go and get a cup of sack, for these devils had even wearied him out: and yet he went to another meeting place of these people, where he also behaved himself very wickedly: and being asked for his order, his answer was, holding out his sword, this is my order. Thus it seems he would ingratiate himself with Brown, who now being in favour at court, was knighted, and sometime after also chosen lord mayor of London; and by his furious behaviour, the soldiers were also encouraged to commit all manner of mischief; insomuch, that being asked, what order they had for their doings, one lifting up his musket, said, "This is my order" so that things now were carried by a club law. Nor did the soldiers respect age, but took away out of a meeting at Mile end, two boys, one about thirteen, and the other about sixteen; and they were brought before the lieutenant of the Tower, who to one present, saying he supposed they were not of the age of sixteen years, and then not punishable by the act, returned, they were old enough to be whipped; and they should be whipped out of their religion. And so he sent them to Bridewell, where their hands were put into the stocks,

and so pinched for the space of two hours, that their wrists were much swollen; and this was done because they refused to work, as being persuaded that they had not deserved to be treated so; they also eating nothing at the charge of the said workhouse. These lads, though pretty long in that prison, yet continued steadfast, rejoicing they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of the Lord: and they wrote a letter to their friends' children, exhorting them to be faithful in bearing their testimony for the Lord, against all wickedness and unrighteous

ness.

Some days before this time, Thomas and John Herbert, living in London, and other musketeers, came with their naked swords into some private dwellings, and broke two or three doors; (for when some persons were seen to enter a house, though it was only to visit their friends, it was called a meeting.) Now it happened in one house, these rude fellows found five persons together, one of whom was William Ames, who was come thither out of Holland, and another was Samuel Fisher; and when it was demanded what warrant they had, they held up their swords, and said, "Do not ask us for a warrant; this is our warrant."

And thereupon they took away these persons by force, and carried them to Paul's yard, where they were a laughing stock to the soldiers; and

from thence they were brought to the Exchange, where they met with no better reception from the rude soldiers; and from thence they were conducted to alderman Brown's house in Ivy-lane. He seeing these prisoners, sent them to Bridewell with a mittimus, to be kept to hard labour. But afterwards bethinking himself, and finding that his mittimus was not founded on justice, (for these persons were not taken from a meeting) next morning he sent another mittimus, wherein they were charged with unlawfully assembling themselves to worship. Now, suppose one of the musketeers had heard any of these persons speak by way of exhortation to faithfulness in this hot time of persecution, this would have been taken for a sufficient charge, though not cognizable by law: but they ran upon shifts, how poor or silly soever.

Thus these persons were committed to Bridewell, and required to beat hemp; and they were treated so severely, that W. Ames grew sick, even nigh to death, wherefore he was discharged; for in a sense it might be said, that his dwelling place was at Amsterdam in Holland, since he was there the most part of the time for some years successively, and that he might not be chargeable, he worked at wool combing; and it being alleged that he was of Amsterdam, it seems they would not have him die in prison, as some of his friends had done. The others hav