_ You have already heard that the Quakers date from Christ, who,
according to them, was the first Quaker. Religion, say these, was
corrupted a little after His death, and remained in that state of
corruption about sixteen hundred years. But there were always a few
Quakers concealed in the world, who carefully preserved the sacred
fire, which was extinguished in all but themselves, until at last
this light spread itself in England in 1642.
It was at the time when Great Britain was torn to pieces by the
intestine wars which three or four sects had raised in the name of
God, that one George Fox, born in Leicestershire, and son to a silk-
weaver, took it into his head to preach, and, as he pretended, with
all the requisites of a true apostle--that is, without being able
either to read or write. He was about twenty-five years of age,
irreproachable in his life and conduct, and a holy madman. He was
equipped in leather from head to foot, and travelled from one
village to another, exclaiming against war and the clergy. Had his
invectives been levelled against the soldiery only he would have
been safe enough, but he inveighed against ecclesiastics. Fox was
seized at Derby, and being carried before a justice of peace, he did
not once offer to pull off his leathern hat, upon which an officer
gave him a great box of the ear, and cried to him, "Don't you know
you are to appear uncovered before his worship?" Fox presented his
other cheek to the officer, and begged him to give him another box
for God's sake. The justice would have had him sworn before he
asked him any questions. "Know, friend," says Fox to him, "that I
never swear." The justice, observing he "thee'd" and "thou'd" him,
sent him to the House of Correction, in Derby, with orders that he
should be whipped there. Fox praised the Lord all the way he went
to the House of Correction, where the justice's order was executed
with the utmost severity. The men who whipped this enthusiast were
greatly surprised to hear him beseech them to give him a few more
lashes for the good of his soul. There was no need of entreating
these people; the lashes were repeated, for which Fox thanked them
very cordially, and began to preach. At first the spectators fell
a-laughing, but they afterwards listened to him; and as enthusiasm
is an epidemical distemper, many were persuaded, and those who
scourged him became his first disciples. Being set at liberty, he
ran up and down the country with a dozen proselytes at his heels,
still declaiming against the clergy, and was whipped from time to
time. Being one day set in the pillory, he harangued the crowd in
so strong and moving a manner, that fifty of the auditors became his
converts, and he won the rest so much in his favour that, his head
being freed tumultuously from the hole where it was fastened, the
populace went and searched for the Church of England clergyman who
had been chiefly instrumental in bringing him to this punishment,
and set him on the same pillory where Fox had stood.
Fox was bold enough to convert some of Oliver Cromwell's soldiers,
who thereupon quitted the service and refused to take the oaths.
Oliver, having as great a contempt for a sect which would not allow
its members to fight, as Sixtus Quintus had for another sect, Dove
non si chiamava, began to persecute these new converts. The prisons
were crowded with them, but persecution seldom has any other effect
than to increase the number of proselytes. These came, therefore,
from their confinement more strongly confirmed in the principles
they had imbibed, and followed by their gaolers, whom they had
brought over to their belief. But the circumstances which
contributed chiefly to the spreading of this sect were as follows:-
Fox thought himself inspired, arid consequently was of opinion that
he must speak in a manner different from the rest of mankind. He
thereupon began to writhe his body, to screw up his face, to hold in
his breath, and to exhale it in a forcible manner, insomuch that the
priestess of the Pythian god at Delphos could not have acted her
part to better advantage. Inspiration soon became so habitual to
him that he could scarce deliver himself in any other manner. This
was the first gift he communicated to his disciples. These aped
very sincerely their master's several grimaces, and shook in every
limb the instant the fit of inspiration came upon them, whence they
were called Quakers. The vulgar attempted to mimic them; they
trembled, they spake through the nose, they quaked and fancied
themselves inspired by the Holy Ghost. The only thing now wanting
was a few miracles, and accordingly they wrought some.
Fox, this modern patriarch, spoke thus to a justice of peace before
a large assembly of people: "Friend, take care what thou dost; God
will soon punish thee for persecuting His saints." This magistrate,
being one who besotted himself every day with bad beer and brandy,
died of an apoplexy two days after, the moment he had signed a
mittimus for imprisoning some Quakers. The sudden death with which
this justice was seized was not ascribed to his intemperance, but
was universally looked upon as the effect of the holy man's
predictions; so that this accident made more converts to Quakerism
than a thousand sermons and as many shaking fits could have done.
Oliver, finding them increase daily, was desirous of bringing them
over to his party, and for that purpose attempted to bribe them by
money. However, they were incorruptible, which made him one day
declare that this religion was the only one he had ever met with
that had resisted the charms of gold.
The Quakers were several times persecuted under Charles II.; not
upon a religious account, but for refusing to pay the tithes, for
"theeing" and "thouing" the magistrates, and for refusing to take
the oaths enacted by the laws.
At last Robert Barclay, a native of Scotland, presented to the King,
in 1675, his "Apology for the Quakers," a work as well drawn up as
the subject could possibly admit. The dedication to Charles II. is
not filled with mean, flattering encomiums, but abounds with bold
touches in favour of truth and with the wisest counsels. "Thou hast
tasted," says he to the King at the close of his epistle dedicatory,
"of prosperity and adversity; thou knowest what it is to be banished
thy native country; to be overruled as well as to rule and sit upon
the throne; and, being oppressed, thou hast reason to know how
hateful the Oppressor is both to God and man. If, after all these
warnings and advertisements, thou dost not turn unto the Lord with
all thy heart, but forget Him who remembered thee in thy distress,
and give up thyself to follow lust and vanity, surely great will be
thy condemnation.
"Against which snare, as well as the temptation of those that may or
do feed thee and prompt thee to evil, the most excellent and
prevalent remedy will be, to apply thyself to that light of Christ
which shineth in thy conscience, which neither can nor will flatter
thee nor suffer thee to be at ease in thy sins, but doth and will
deal plainly and faithfully with thee, as those that are followers
thereof have plainly done.--Thy faithful friend and subject, Robert
Barclay."
A more surprising circumstance is, that this epistle, written by a
private man of no figure, was so happy in its effects, as to put a
stop to the persecution. _