my Back with their Willow-Rods, and so thrust me among the rude
Multitude: who (having furnished themselves some with Staves,
some with Hedge-stakes, and others with Holm or Holly-bushes) fell
upon me, and beat me om my Head, Arms and Shoulders, till they
had amazed me; so that I fell down upon the Wet Common. And
when I recovered my self again, and saw my self lying in a Watry
Common, and the People standing about me; I lay still a little while:
And the Power of the Lord sprang through me, and the Etenral Re-
freshings refreshed me; so that I stood up again in the strengthening
Power of the Eternal God. And stretching out my Arms amongst them,
I said with a loud Voice, “Strike again; here are my Arms, my Head
“and my Cheeks. There was in the Company a Mason, a Professor,
but a rude Fellow; He with his walking Rule-Stagg gave me a Blow
with all his might, just over the back of my Hand, as it was stretched
out; with which blow my Hand was so bruised, and my Arms si be-
nummed, that I could not draw it unto me again: so that some of
the People cried out, He hath spoil'd his Hand for ever having any
use of it more. But I looked at it in the Love of God (for I was in the
Love of God to them all, that had persecuted me) after a while
the Lord's Power sprang through me again, and through my Hand
and Arm, so that in a Moment I recovered Strength in my Hand
and Arm in the sight of them all. Then they began to fall out a
mong themselves; and some of them came to me, and said; If I
would give them Money, they would secure me from the rest. But I was
moved of the Lord to declare to them all the Word of Life, and
shewed them their false Christianity, and the Fruits of their Priest's
Ministry; telling them: they were more like Heathens and Jews,
than true Christians. Then I was moved of the Lord to come up
again through the midst of the People, and go up into Ulverston-
Market. And as I went, there met me a Man, a Souldier, with his
Sword by his Side; Sir, said he to me, I see, you are a Man, and I
am ashamed and grieved, that you should be thus abused: and he offered
to Assist me, in what he could. But I told him, The Lord's Power
was over all: So I walked through the People in the Market, and
none of them had power to touch me then. But some of the Mar-
ket-People abusing some Friends in the Market, I turned me about,
and saw this Souldier among them with his naked Rapier; whereupon
I ran in amongst them, and catching hold of his Hand, that his
Rapier was in, I bid him, Put his Sword again, if he would go along
with me: for I was willing to draw him out from the Company, lest
some Mischief should be done. Yet a few days after seven Men fell upon
this Souldier, and beat him cruelly, because he had taken part with
Friends and me: For it was the manner of the Persecutors of that
Country, for twenty or forty People to run upon one Man. And they
fell so upon Friends in many Places, that they could hardly pass the
High-ways; stoning, beating and breaking their Heads. Now when I
came up to Swarthmore, I found Friends there dressing the Heads and
Hands of Friends and Friendly People, which had been broken or hurt
that day by the Professors and Hearers of Lampitt, the Priest. My Body
and Arms were yellow, black and blue, with the Blows and Bruises I
received amongst them that day: And now began the Priests to

prophesy