JOURNAL OF THE LIFE

OF

WILLIAM EDMUNDSON.

SECTION I.

Giving an account of his birth, parentage, trade, marriage, convincement, &c.

I was born at Little-Musgrove in Westmoreland, in the north of England, in the year 1627: my father's and mother's names were John and Grace Edmundson. My father was well esteemed among men who were acquainted with him, and religious in what he knew. I was the youngest child of six, and my mother died when I was about four years old, my father also when I was about eight years old. We were left to the care of an uncle, my mother's brother, who used us hardly; and my brothers and sisters left him, but I staid with him several years, being young. My eldest brother, who was heir to the estate my father left, when he came to the age of twenty-one years, with my eldest sister's husband, went to law with my uncle about our portions, and other injuries and wrongs, and they spent much money.

tween the king and parliament; and when that was over I went into Scotland under Oliver Cromwell in the year 1650. The Lord began afresh with me, and many times his heavy judgments would seize upon me, and bring me low in a consideration of the life I lived in, and what the end would be; and sometimes his mercies would spring in my heart to my great refreshment, and cause tears of joy and gladness. But I knew not the secret hand that was dealing with me, neither met I with any who informed me, although in the army we had many high professors of religion. Sometimes when I had been on service most of the day, and was lying down in my tent at night, then would arise in my mind the imminent dangers I had passed that day, and the narrow escapes my life had, and what would have become of my soul, if I had fallen while in uncertainty of my future happiness; with resolutions to turn to the Lord by repentance and amendment of life; but when action presented, which I was active in at that time, I got over it again in my vanity.

In those times I went through many hardships and exercises of divers kinds. After In the year 1651, the Scotch army marched some time I was bound apprentice in York, to for England; we followed and engaged them the trade of a carpenter and joiner, where I at Worcester, and overthrew their army. After lived some years. In this time the Lord be- the fight I was troubled in mind for my vanity, gan to work in the hearts of many people in for the Lord preserved my life still; but I fled that city, so that there were great openings in from judgment, and made merry over God's the things of God, both in preachers and witness in my conscience, which testified hearers. Then the Lord began to visit me against me. From thence we were comwith his judgments, and to set my sins before manded to the Isle of Man, which was deme: many times I was under great exercises livered to us, and in two weeks time returned concerning my salvation, and also about elec- to England and quartered in Derbyshire, at tion and reprobation. So many things wrought Chesterfield and the towns thereabout. At mightily in my mind about religion, that I was often brought very low in my spirit, and at public worship in the steeple-house, at times, the Lord's judgments would seize upon me heavily. One time, in the public worship, the hand of the Lord was so upon me, that I shed abundance of tears in weeping and bewailing my wretched state; and the priest and congregation took notice of me, but none directed me aright to the Physician who could heal my wounded spirit.

About this time I went into the parliament's army, and there continued part of the war be

this time the common discourse of all sorts of people was of the Quakers, and various reports were of them; the priests everywhere were angry against them, and the baser sort of people spared not to tell strange stories of them; but the more I heard of them, the more I loved them, yet had not the opportunity to speak with any of them.

One market-day at Chesterfield, I was in a tavern with others of my companions, and two women of the people called Quakers, spoke of the things of God to the people in the market. I did not hear of them until they

were gone, but the priest of the town, and other service for me, which I knew not of and several with him, abused them. . When they | was a stranger to. At Dublin I expected my had done, they came to the tavern, into the brother had made some preparations for us room where I and my companions were, it and our trade, but instead thereof the troop being a large dining-room, where the priest and he with it were marched into the north. boasted of what he had done to the two wo-I wrote to him, and gave him an account that men, thinking we would praise him, but I we were landed; in the mean time I was loved to hear of the women, and hated his be- | haviour towards them.

A young man, a merchant, then present, who frequented my company, and would often speak of the people called Quakers, and say their principles were the truth, hearing the priest boast of his abusive behaviour to the said two women, answered and said, It was a poor victory he had gotten over two poor women; at which the priest was very angry, and began to storm. My spirit rose against him; I started up from my seat, and asked the priest and them with him, if they came to quarrel ? saying, if they did, they should have enough. The priest answered, No, not with you sir. I bid them leave the room, which they presently did; but these things came close to me, and the more I heard of this people the better I loved them, and earnest desires sprung afresh in my heart that the Lord would show me the way of truth.

strongly importuned to settle in Dublin, trading being then very brisk, and houses on easy terms, it being not long after the plague. But I was prevented by a secret hand that I did not then know, which preserved me from the deceitfulness of riches, which according to all probability I should have been laden with, as with thick clay, and thereby been hindered from the Lord's service, as some others are.

When my brother had received my letter, he came to Dublin, with horses to take us into the north to Antrim, where their troop was to quarter; there I took a house, and my brother dwelt with me. The officers of the troop were very kind, they would have had me ride in the troop, and receive constant pay, yet might follow my own business and be duty free; for they would procure an order on their own account, none being then admitted into troops without the general's order. I refused, and would not accept of their kind offers; for my inclinations were after religion, and my conscience began to be awakened by the Lord's judgments mixed with mercy, which preserved me.

I soon sold the goods I brought over, and forthwith went for England to buy more; and coming into the north of England among my relations, at the time George Fox and James Naylor were in that country, James Naylor having a meeting about three miles from where I was, I went to it with my eldest brother Thomas, and another kinsman, having an earnest desire to converse with some of that people, retaining a love for, and believing well of them from the first hearing the report of them; and I was glad of this opportunity. We were all three convinced of the Lord's blessed truth; for God's witness in our hearts answered to the truth of what was spoken, and the Lord's former dealings with me came fresh into my remembrance. Then I knew it was the Lord's hand that had been striving with me for a long time. This was in the year 1653.

After some time spent in divers exercises, we marched again for Scotland, at which time I had charge of some men for recruiting other companies then in Scotland. I marched them with our regiment, and delivered up my charge in Scotland; then left the army, came back for England, and visited my relations in the north; from thence rode into Derbyshire, and married a young woman, to whom I was contracted before. After some time I was about to settle in Derbyshire in the way of shop-keeping, when my brother, who was a soldier in Ireland, came into England to see his relations, and highly commending Ireland, persuaded me to go and live there, which I with my wife concluded to do. The troop my brother served in quartered near Waterford; we proposed to ourselves to settle a trade of merchandize in Waterford, and to live at a place two miles from it, where we could pass and repass in our boat; promising great matters to ourselves and religion besides. So with this result, when my brother returned, I sent with him a little parcel of merchant goods, and not long after, I, my wife and servant Then my understanding began to be opened, went for Ireland, with a larger quantity of and many Scriptures were brought to my remerchant goods. We came through West- membrance, which I had often read, yet unmoreland to take leave of our relations, and derstood not; but now being turned to a measome of them went with us to Whitehaven, sure of the Lord's spirit manifested in my where we took shipping, and landed at Dublin. heart, which often had reproved me for evil in All our great promises, however, came to my ignorance, I knew it was the truth which nothing; the Lord, who had been often striving led into all truth, agreeably to the holy Scripwith me both in mercy and judgment, hadtures of the law and prophets, Christ and his

apostles, and I thought all that heard it de- to the officers and others herein was a wonder clared must own it, it was so plain to me. A to them, and caused much discourse and vafew days after I was thus far convinced of the rious rumours to be spread of the Quakers, blessed truth, the Lord's power seized upon and of me in particular. me through his Spirit, whereby I was brought After I came home with my goods, the under great exercises of mind; yea, all my Lord's hand was heavy upon me day and parts came under this exercise, for the Lord's night, so that I travailed under a great conflict hand was mighty upon me, in judgments between flesh and spirit, and was much cast mixed with mercies; so that my former ways down with sorrow and trouble of mind; but were hedged up. But I loved the Lord's none there understood the cause of my sorrow judgments, for I knew I had sinned against and trouble, or gave a word of comfort to him, and must be purged through judgment. | ease me. I would have gone far for the comAnd though under this exercise of conscience pany of an experienced Friend. My sleep towards God, yet I did my business in Eng- departed from me, and many times in the land, and shipped my goods to be landed at Carrickfergus or Belfast.

SECTION II.

Reciting several difficult exercises he went through, both inwardly and outwardly, between his convincement and the setting up of a public meeting at Lurgan.

WHILST I was at sea, self reasoned strongly to save the duty on my goods, for I had an opportunity to do it, the troop my brother belonged to quartering at Carrickfergus and Belfast, who would have helped me night or day. But I durst not do it, my conscience being awakened to plead for truth, justice and equity; yet there was a great contest between conscience and self, and in this conflict many Scriptures were opened in my understanding, that duties and customs ought to be paid; and though self struggled hard for mastery, yet at last was overthrown, and the judgment of truth prevailed.

I landed at Carrickfergus, where a trooper readily lent me his horse, and I rode that evening home to Antrim, where my wife lived. When I came to the door, my brother came forth to salute me with his usual compliments; but the Lord's power seized upon me at that instant, he was struck amazed, went in and sat down silent. I was much broken in the power of the Lord before them, and my brother made no opposition, but received the truth and joined with it.

night in great trouble of mind, crying and weeping, I wished for day, and when day came my sorrows remaining, I wished again for night. In this restless state I had none who had trod this path to converse with; so that the rumour of my condition spread abroad among the professors; many would come to gaze on me, jangle and contend against truth, and some would say, I was bewitched; others, I was going mad. So talk and rumour concerning me spread a great way among people.

About this time one Miles Bousfield came from England to Ireland, at whose house George Fox had been. He had been in some degree convinced of the truth, and came away upon it; he was a great talker of religion, but an enemy and a stranger to the cross of Christ. Hearing of me, and of the exercise I was in, he came to see me. I was not at home when he came, but he talked to my wife, and spoke well of the Quakers and their principles, seeming to be glad that he had found such a companion in this nation as I was, and the comfort we should have of one another.

When I came home, my wife told me of his having been there, and the discourse he had with her, of which I was glad to hear, and soon took my horse and rode twelve miles to see him, and staid with him all night. He talked abundance of religion, and of the inward work of God in man by his spirit, and spoke well of George Fox and James Naylor, and of their doctrine, which I liked well ; but said, he knew those things before he saw or heard them; and spoke much of his knowI returned to Carrickfergus to bring my ledge of God and Christ. I sat in silence goods ashore, but the officers required an with attention to hear him; for I was cast oath to the truth of my bills of parcels, and down, poor and low in my spirit, yet glad that not suffering them to come ashore without it, I had met with such a knowing man in the would have seized upon my goods. I told things of God, and his work in man by his them, I could not swear, for it was contrary spirit, to advise me in my great troubles of a to Christ's command, which seemed a strange wounded spirit. He advised me to be cheerthing to them, not having met with the like ful and merry, and not to look at those inward before; but the Lord's truth and testimony | troubles, that bowed me down; which was the was precious to me, and after some time, with enemy's work to lead me into despair, and demuch difficulty, I got an order to bring my stroy me, by swallowing me up in much trougoods to the custom-house. My deportment ble; and as it was plainly manifest, that God VOL. II.-No. 3.

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had a love for me, to make me a chosen vessel of mercy, he would love me to the end; and nothing in me could hinder his love, or frustrate his will.

This doctrine healed me without the cross of Christ, or self-denial; which answered my will and carnal desires; for I loved the truth which I was convinced of, and would have had it, together with my carnalities, fleshly liberties, worldly pleasures and profits; so when the Lord's power would rise to bow me down under his cross, I would reason against it with those arguments aforementioned, and thereby would get from under judgment. But this ease and slight healing lasted only about a week; for the Lord would not leave me so, praised be his name for ever, whose merciful hand preserved me, and his power took fresh hold of my heart and inward parts, which bowed me under his judgments, and opened the eye of my understanding, plainly showing me there was that alive in me that must be crucified, which opposed the will of God.

Then I saw where Bousfield was, and all of his spirit, and the wounds of my restless spirit were opened wider than before, and Major Bousfield's slight cure was all marred, and the false rest he set me in taken away. I had none now to trust to but the Lord, for counsel and information, whose care was greatly manifested for my preservation, redemption and information, through many temptations and deep afflictions that did attend me many ways, with many opposers and contenders. I was weak, but the Lord's strength was perfect in weakness, and his spirit and power increased in me through obedience to the cross of Christ, wherein 1 was daily exercised, and thereby grew into acquaintance with the Lord's work, to make me a vessel for his purpose.

for some time, until they saw further into the justice thereof. All things were rough and rugged in the world, and the cross of Christ was foolishness and a stumbling-block to them.

My exercises and trials both within and without were many, and of divers sorts, beyond what I can express. The Lord's judg ments clave close to me; I was made to love them, and willing to wait upon the Lord in the ways thereof. Sometimes when the Lord's hand would be easy with me, I would be afraid lest he should withdraw his hand; then my desires were to the Lord not to slacken his hand, but to search me thoroughly; for his judgments were become sweet to my taste, which he many times mixed with springs of mercy, to my joy and comfort. Business in the affairs of the world became a trouble to me, though there were presentations and opportunities to get riches, either by trading, taking land by lease, mortgage or purchase, which I was able to do.

My brother being convinced of the truth, my wife, he and I met together twice a week at my house; in a while after four more were convinced, and then we seven met together to wait upon God, and to worship him in spirit and truth. The Lord's mercy and goodness were often extended to us to our comfort and confirmation, in the appearance of his blessed truth received in our hearts.

SECTION III.

Of his first public ministry, his visit to George Fox in England, the settling of a meeting in Dublin, his imprisonment at Armagh, and dispute with a priest and a justice of the county, &c.

In the spring following, I removed with my SOME time after this, John Tiffin was moved family from Antrim, to live in the county of of the Lord to come into Ireland in truth's Armagh; took a house and grazing for my service. He came to my house, abode a cattle, and kept a shop of some merchant while, and sat with us in our meeting, somegoods, where I became the talk and gazing-times speaking a few words, which were edistock of the people. Professors watched me fying. Then began a concern to come upon narrowly to get occasion against me, and the me to travel with him to some places, although principles of truth I professed, but the Lord he had but few words, yet very serviceable. strengthened me in my watch over my words Our going abroad to fairs and places of conand deeds, and so cut off occasion from them course, put many to inquire into the Quakers' that sought occasion against the truth and me. principles and religion; and sometimes we had In those days to use the plain and proper discourses with professors, but people in genespeech, as thee and thou to a single person, ral were very shy and fearful of us, lest they and keeping on the hat, were strange things should be deceived; for the priests persuaded to people, and few could suffer them to be the people against us, by telling them stories used; but would reflect in abusive words, and and lies which the priests in England had sometimes use blows, or throw stones. Keep-forged and sent abroad, too many to mention ing to one price in selling goods, and to the first asking without abatement, was a great stumbling-block to most sorts of people, and made them stand at a distance from buying

here, neither is it needful, being printed in several books with Friends' answers to them. At this time but few would lodge us in their houses. At Belfast, that town of great pro