z**~* X* 
 
 
 3X 
 
 Mo 
 

 
 EARLY STAGES OF THE QUAKER 
 MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE
 
 BOOK'S B V THE SAME A UTHOR 
 
 Lancashire Nonconformity 
 
 Thk Ejected of 1662 in Cumberland 
 and Westmorland 
 
 History of Independency in Tockholes 
 
 The Story of the Lancashire Congre- 
 gational Union 
 
 The Sermon on the Mount in relation 
 to the present war 
 
 Conscience and the War 
 
 From the Great Awakening to the 
 Evangelical Revival 
 
 Fidelity to an Ideal 
 
 Congregationalism Re-examined 
 
 Isaac Ambrose, the Religious Mystic 
 
 Thomas Jollie of Altham and 
 Wymondhouses 
 
 The Heroic Age of Congregationalism 
 etc. etc.
 
 EARLY STAGES OF THE 
 
 QUAKER MOVEMENT 
 
 IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 . JT BY THE 
 
 REV. K NIGHTINGALE, M.A., Litt.D. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 CONGREGATIONAL UNION OF ENGLAND AND WALES, INC. 
 
 MEMORIAL HALL, E.C.4
 
 Printed in Great Britain 
 by Turnbull <5r» Spears, Edinburgh
 
 PREFACE 
 
 A few years ago while engaged in some historical research 
 work in Cumberland and Westmorland, relating mainly 
 to the 17th century, I came much into contact with the 
 Quaker movement of that period. Not that that was the 
 first time that my interest in it had been aroused. George 
 Fox has long had for me special fascination, as one of 
 those great religious mystics, who appear occasionally 
 in religious history, and who are rarely understood at 
 the time, but whose service to the cause of religion is 
 incalculable. I say this the more readily because in 
 the pages which follow, I have ventured to be somewhat 
 critical of the doings of him and his immediate followers ; 
 and it seems to me that it is better to say frankly that the 
 movement suffered considerably because of the extra- 
 vagances of some of its early leaders. Of course, those 
 days were quite different from these. Things were then 
 done that we should never dream of doing to-day, and 
 language was plain and blunt almost to coarseness. In 
 this respect Quakerism was simply like every other 
 movement in its first stages ; it required time to sober, 
 chasten, and purify it. 
 
 How largely the movement captured Cumberland and 
 Westmorland is common knowledge ; but it has been 
 somewhat of a revelation to myself to find that it was 
 so widespread in Lancashire ; and it is to make this clear 
 that the following pages have been written. 
 
 My indebtedness to those whose works I have used, is 
 acknowledged in the body of the book ; but special 
 mention should be made of much kindly help from Dr 
 Farrer of Whitbarrow Lodge, Mr W. C. Braithwaite of 
 Banbury, Mr Dilworth Abbatt of Preston, Mr Norman
 
 6 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Penney of the Friends' Library, London, and the 
 Custodians of the Sessions Records in Preston. 
 
 What has specially impressed me in the study of 17th 
 century religious history is the wealth of Quaker literature 
 relating thereto and its value to the student, not merely 
 because of the light which it throws upon the Quaker 
 movement, but not less so upon Nonconformist religious 
 history in general. No student of that history can 
 neglect it without the most serious loss. He will often 
 find there the information of which he is in quest when 
 it cannot be found elsewhere. 
 
 One word is necessary in reference to the Index. My 
 first intention was that it should contain the names of 
 all the places and persons that appear in the book ; 
 indeed, I had prepared one such for it, when it was 
 found that the book had already far exceeded the number 
 of pages originally designed. The Index had, therefore, 
 to be considerably curtailed. Principal names of persons 
 and places have been retained, and, under different dis- 
 tricts, will be found lists of Quakers, etc. The reader 
 will, therefore, experience no serious difficulty in finding 
 the name of any person in whom he may be interested. 
 It is stated repeatedly in the body of the work that 
 names frequently assume different forms, but in the 
 Index one only is given, and it is not certain that 
 the references under the name are always to the same 
 person. 
 
 I cannot hope to carry all with me to the conclusions 
 to which I have been led ; but if the book helps us to 
 realize afresh the steady and unwavering fidelity to 
 religious principle, in spite of the fiercest and most 
 persistent persecution, of the people whose story it tells, 
 it will serve a very useful purpose in these days. 
 
 B. NIGHTINGALE 
 
 Miltona, Riley Avenue, 
 
 St Annes-on-Sea, 
 
 August 1 92 1
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 George Fox in Lancashire 
 
 FACE 
 
 9 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 The Witnessing Facts : — 
 
 i. Sufferings of the Quakers . 
 
 2. The First Publishers of the Truth 
 
 3. The Conventicle Returns of 1669 . 
 
 4. Church Papers .... 
 
 5. Records of the Quarter Sessions . 
 
 27 
 27 
 
 58 
 61 
 
 63 
 103 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 Steadfast in Suffering 
 
 • • • • 
 
 198 
 
 Index 
 
 211
 
 Early Stages of the 
 Quaker Movement in Lancashire 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 GEORGE FOX IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 In the early part of 1652, George Fox, the Founder of 
 the Quaker movement, made his first real acquaintance 
 with Lancashire. A native of Fenny Drayton in Leicester- 
 shire, his earliest efforts as Missionary of the new Evangel 
 of which he had come into possession, were devoted to his 
 own County and the neighbouring Counties of Derby and 
 Nottingham. It was in the year 1647, after much 
 wandering " in solitary places " as "a man of Sorrows/' 
 that he definitely gave himself to his Mission and began 
 that career of itinerant preaching, which bore such re- 
 markable fruit ; and, five years after its commencement, 
 a journey into the West Riding of Yorkshire brought him 
 to the Lancashire border. Passing through Wakefield 
 and Bradford, and proceeding still westward, he says : — 
 
 " We came near a very great high hill, called Pendle- 
 hill, and I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of 
 it ; which I did with much ado, it was so very steep and 
 high. When I was come to the top, I saw the sea bordering 
 upon Lancashire. From the top of this hill the Lord let 
 me see in what places he had a great people to be gathered. 
 As I went down I found a spring of water in the side of 
 the hill, with which I refreshed myself, having eaten or 
 drank but little several days before." * 
 
 Subsequently he informs us that the " great people in 
 white raiment by a river side, coming to the Lord," of 
 
 1 Journal, p. 66. Ed. 1765. 
 
 9
 
 io QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 whom he had had the vision from the top of Pendle, were 
 about Wensleydale and Sedbergh, 1 the river being the 
 beautiful Lune, which flows not far from the latter place. 
 
 It was from Sedbergh that he went to Firbank, the gate 
 of entrance for him and his movement into Westmor- 
 land, amidst whose majestic solitudes a thousand people 
 had assembled to hear the strange preacher. There he 
 won the first of those sweeping victories, which this and 
 the neighbouring County of Cumberland supplied so richly 
 during the next few years. From Firbank he went by 
 easy stages to Preston Patrick, Kendal and Underbarrow, 
 in the same County, entering Lancashire at Newton and 
 Staveley, whence he proceeded to Ulverston, in whose 
 immediate neighbourhood is Swarthmoor, 2 which became 
 the Mecca of the Quaker movement. 
 
 This, however, was not the first visit which Fox had 
 paid to Lancashire. In 1647, the very year in which he 
 began his Mission, he says : — 
 
 " I heard of a woman in Lancashire, who had fasted 
 two-and-twenty days, and I travelled to see her ; but when 
 I came to her, I saw she was under a temptation. When 
 I had spoken to her what I had from the Lord, I left 
 her, her father being high in profession. Passing on, I 
 went among the professors at Duckenfield and Manchester, 
 where I staid a while, and declared truth among them. 
 There were some convinced, who received the Lord's 
 teaching, by which they were confirmed, and stood in the 
 truth. The professors were in a rage, all pleading for sin 
 and imperfection ; and could not endure to hear talk of 
 perfection, or of a holy and sinless life. But the Lord's 
 power was over all ; though they were chained under 
 darkness and sin, which they pleaded for, and quenched 
 the tender thing in them." 3 
 
 This Manchester visit was too brief to yield much fruit ; 
 
 1 Journal, p. 67. Ed. 1765. 
 
 2 This spelling is retained throughout except in quotations from other 
 writers some of whom prefer Swarthmore. 
 
 3 Journal, pp. n, 12. Ed. 1765.
 
 GEORGE FOX IN LANCASHIRE n 
 
 and, as previously intimated, it was near the beginning 
 of 1652 that Lancashire was first entered for serious work, 
 the northern part, the part which borders upon West- 
 morland and Cumberland, which, in its physical character- 
 istics it so closely resembles, and to which formerly it 
 ecclesiastically belonged, opening the door and extending 
 a welcome to him. 
 
 Traces of Quakerism are usually sought in the early 
 Lollardism of a district, and especially in a people who 
 came to be known as " Seekers," because of their attitude 
 of " waiting upon God " and " seeking " after the truth, 
 in particular, the truth about the Church which they 
 believed to have been lost. Nor can there be any 
 objection to that : for a great movement like the Quaker 
 movement cannot possibly originate with a single man. 
 Generally there is " a voice crying in the wilderness " 
 for years before the new day comes. John the Baptist 
 heralded the approach of the Messiah and Wycliffe was 
 " the morning star of the Reformation." " George 
 Fox did not so much originate," writes one, " as emphasize 
 certain ideas which were floating in the religious atmo- 
 sphere of his day." * That statement contains an 
 element of truth, though it scarcely does justice to the 
 part which George Fox played in the matter. The move- 
 ment was so markedly his own ; he so imprinted his own 
 personality upon it ; and it was so indebted to him for 
 its initial impulse and phenomenal success that, if ever 
 the name " Founder " was appropriate, it is so as applied 
 to Fox in his relation to Quakerism. 
 
 In Lancashire, however, no traces of Lollardism have 
 yet been discovered ; and evidence has still to be supplied 
 of the existence of the Seekers as such. It is contended 
 by Mr Braithwaite, in his valuable work, The Beginnings 
 of Quakerism, that in the neighbouring County of West- 
 morland, the evidence for the presence of a strong Seeker 
 community is very considerable. Preston Patrick, south 
 of Kendal, and very near the Lancashire border, is par- 
 
 1 Our Lollard Ancestors, by W. II. Summers, p. 114.
 
 12 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 ticularly singled out by him as an instance. ' The 
 Chapel at Preston Patrick," says he, " became the centre 
 of a community of Seekers, who came to the General 
 Meeting held there once a month, from Sedbergh in York- 
 shire, Yealand and Kellet in Lancashire, and Kendal, 
 Underbarrow, Grayrigg, and Hutton in Westmorland. 
 They were the most zealous and religious Roundheads 
 and Puritans in the district, and, as the newly discovered 
 Swaledale Papers show, provided Taylor with a stipend 
 of fifty pounds a year. The community had a vigorous 
 spiritual life with a ministry springing up in its midst, 
 and Taylor would sometimes let two of these ministers, 
 John Audland and Francis Howgill, preach in his pulpit." * 
 Thomas Taylor, 2 the person in question, afterwards 
 removed to Richmond, and Mr Braithwaite says that the 
 " Preston Patrick community were left to their resources 
 in the matter of ministry, relying chiefly on Audland and 
 Howgill, but having help from several others. They are 
 described at this time as separated from the world's 
 worship and empty dry forms of religion, and fostering 
 their fellowship and spiritual life by frequent meetings, 
 
 1 P. 80. 
 
 2 Thomas Taylor is described by Mr Braithwaite as an Oxford 
 graduate who came to Preston Patrick from Carlton, near Skipton. 
 Mr Penney says that he was brother to Christopher Taylor, "priest of a 
 Chappell called Chappell in the Byers " betwixt Brighouse and Halifax. 
 Thomas Taylor served periods of imprisonment at Appleby, Lancaster, 
 York, Derby, and elsewhere, was in prison from 1662 until 1672, the 
 year of the Indulgence. His death took place at Stafford after imprison- 
 ment in that place. Nicholson (Older Nonconformity in Kendal, p. 32) 
 says that he was " an Anabaptist, and minister of a separate congrega- 
 tion at Preston Patrick." Whatever may have been his exact position 
 at that time he definitely joined the Friends about 1652, and devoted 
 his energies to the furtherance of their cause. Among works from 
 his pen is Truth's Innocency (1697). In the Ejected of 1662, p. 606 
 (Nightingale) is a reference to a Mr Taylor, who, I am inclined to 
 think, was the person in question. It occurs in Henry Masy's letter 
 to Lord Wharton, dated Dec. 21, 1646, in which complaint is made of 
 his Lordship's sympathy with men of Taylor's type, whose Indepen- 
 dency was a source of great concern to Masy. If the conjecture 
 of identity be correct, it suggests that at this time Taylor was an 
 Independent.
 
 GEORGE FOX IN LANCASHIRE 13 
 
 sometimes sitting in silence, often having times of fervent 
 prayer, sometimes engaging in religious conferences. 
 Several of the Seekers had openings from the Lord, 
 ' from which they could have declared excellent things, 
 having some sight or comprehension thereof, yet wanted 
 the inward possession of the virtue, life and power of what 
 they declared, and in this state continued many days.' 
 It was at this point in their history that the Westmorland 
 Seekers came into contact with George Fox." x The 
 great meeting at Firbank, Mr Braithwaite says, was a 
 meeting of these Seekers, and the " convincement " which 
 followed was " the acceptance of Fox and his message by 
 the important community of Seekers, which had its 
 centre at Preston Patrick," 2 John Audland 3 and Francis 
 Howgill 4 being among the converts. There is some risk 
 in so closely identifying the Seekers and Quakers, as even 
 Mr Braithwaite suggests in the following : — 
 
 " On the other hand, as Penn points out, the Seekers 
 sometimes developed into Ranters, and it must not be 
 supposed that the Quaker movement, except in certain 
 districts, absorbed the Seekers en masse." 5 
 
 If, however, the claim for the Seeker origin of the 
 Preston Patrick community be allowed, and if it be 
 further conceded that being quite contiguous to Lanca- 
 shire the latter County would be influenced by it, the 
 contention still holds as to the lack of evidence for the 
 Seeker movement in the County apart from that very 
 limited area. It restricted itself to that particular 
 district, except in so far as it spread north into West- 
 morland and Cumberland. 
 
 1 The Beginnings of Quakerism, p. 82. 2 Ibid., p. 26. 
 
 8 John Audland, probably connected with the Audlands of Preston, 
 was born about 1630. He was a linen draper of Crosslands, near 
 Preston Patrick, and became eminent among the Friends. 
 
 * Francis Howgill was born in 1618, and lived at Todthorne, near 
 Grayrigg, as a tailor and farmer. Both Audland and Howgill are 
 described as being preachers, first among the Independents, and next 
 Anabaptists. Howgill, like Audland, became a prominent Friend, and 
 several works from his pen still remain. 
 
 6 The Beginnings of Quakerism, p. 27.
 
 14 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 What Lancashire lacked, however, in this respect it 
 more than supplied in its pre-eminently Puritan charac- 
 ter : and it needs to be remembered that Quakerism was 
 an aspect of the great Puritan movement for which the 
 16th and 17th centuries are noted. It is quite the custom 
 with not a few writers to take an entirely opposite view, 
 to regard the Quaker movement, as a protest against a 
 Puritanism, whose " formalism " and " endless theological 
 subtleties " explain the phenomenal success which the 
 movement won in its earlier stages. Even Mr Braith- 
 waite comes near such a position in the following passage, 
 where, speaking of the Seeker and Quaker movements, 
 he says : — 
 
 " They were continuous with one another. Under the 
 new conditions of religious freedom on the one hand, and 
 active religious controversy on the other, which prevailed 
 in England from the assembling of the Long Parlia- 
 ment, there had been a sudden growth of sects, which 
 took their shape from the light, airy imaginations, or the 
 deep spiritual yearnings of their votaries. There were 
 thousands of honest-hearted persons who used their 
 freedom to make a quest after truth, and many of these 
 found no rest either in forms or doctrines, and whether 
 they called themselves Seekers or not were weary with 
 their travelling through the Sects and athirst for the 
 gospel of a living Christ." * 
 
 Surely that statement is somewhat misleading : for 
 Quakerism cannot claim to be more than one of the 
 numerous Sects to which that prolific age gave birth ; 
 and, if under the terms " forms " and " doctrines " 
 Puritanism is intended, against which Quakerism is said 
 to have risen in protest, injustice is done to Puritanism. 
 Such a view, indeed, is based upon a misreading of the 
 situation. It is, of course, true that the perennial peril 
 of all religion is formalism, and that Puritanism in 
 common with every other form of religious life was 
 exposed to that peril; but Puritanism, as the very 
 
 1 The Beginnings of Quakerism, p. 27.
 
 GEORGE FOX IN LANCASHIRE 15 
 
 name suggests, for considerably more than half a 
 century, had been in the death grips with the for- 
 malism and corruptions of the Church. From the 
 days of Matthew Parker, Richard Bancroft, and John 
 Whitgift to those of Strafford and Laud, it had been 
 fighting for bare life, not a few of its adherents having 
 suffered greatly in consequence. There had been 
 martyrdoms on a considerable scale ; men, women and 
 children had gone to New England, Holland and else- 
 where in still larger numbers ; and countless multitudes, 
 electing to remain in the homeland and continue the 
 struggle, had suffered imprisonment, fine and loss. At 
 the very time in question Puritanism was particularly 
 zealous in the interests of a simple worship, a pure doctrine 
 and a spiritual Church. The terrible iconoclasm of 
 Cromwell and the Puritans of Cromwell's day, often very 
 greatly exaggerated, is one of the serious charges, which 
 opponents persist in bringing against his rule. Recently 
 Puritanism had won its victory, but much too recently 
 to have become the formal, dead, corrupt and question- 
 able thing, which some writers are in the habit of declaring 
 it to be. It was the living fighting force in the nation. 
 Quakerism was really part of that "new spirit that was 
 abroad in the land." It is nothing to the purpose that 
 Fox himself, with all the passion of his intense soul, and 
 in language not always calculated to win his hearers, 
 assailed the Puritan preachers of his day equally with 
 others. He made no distinction among them. They 
 were all to him " hireling priests " and the places in 
 which they ministered "steeple houses," though many of 
 those preachers are among the most honoured names in 
 religious history, because of the saintliness of their char- 
 acter and the unselfish devotion of their service. In the 
 superabundance of its life Puritanism sought expression 
 in many forms, which not infrequently antagonized one 
 another ; but, none the less, were they part of that 
 widespread movement that was in revolt against the 
 oppressions and superstitions of centuries of religious
 
 16 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 misrule on the part of the dominant Church of the nation, 
 a movement to which, in all its parts, the general name 
 of Puritan belongs. 
 
 George Fox made his way into Lancashire at a point 
 near the southern end of the Windermere Lake, and the 
 value of the recent Cambridge Edition of his Journal 
 comes in here. He tells about leaving Underbarrow for 
 James Dickenson's house, which was at Crosthwaite, 
 and from thence he says : "I came to James Taylor's 
 [of Newton in Cartmell] & on ye first day I went to one 
 preist Camelford's chappell & after hee had donne I 
 began to speake ye worde of life to ym & Camelforde 
 was in such a rage & such a frett & soe peevish yt hee 
 had noe patiens to heare but stirred uppe ye rude multitude 
 & they rudely haled mee out & strucke mee & punched mee 
 & tooke mee & threw mee headelonge over a stone wall : 
 but blessed be ye Lorde his power preserved mee [ye 
 kerke warden] was one Jo : Knipe whome ye Lorde after 
 cutt off whoe threwe mee doune headelonge over ye wall ! 
 And there was a youth yt was writeinge after ye preist 
 & I was moved to speake to him & hee came to bee con- 
 vinct & became a fine minister of ye Gospell whose name 
 was John Braithwaite." * From the reading in the 
 Ellwood Edition of the Journal (1765) it might be 
 inferred that Gabriel Camelford lived at Newton in 
 Cartmell, but that is not suggested by the passage just 
 cited ; and from other evidence we know that his home 
 was at Staveley, near Lakeside, whence he suffered 
 Ejection after the Restoration. Fox's language about 
 " preist Camelford," is strong ; and Margaret Fell, 
 writing to Francis Benson, 2 in 1655, even improves upon 
 
 1 Journal, Camb. Ed., vol. i. p. 46. This new issue of the Journal of 
 George Fox, edited by Mr Norman Penney, F.S.A., and published in 
 191 1, is simply invaluable to the student of Quaker history. In addition 
 to much else, Mr Penney has enriched it with copious notes about many 
 of the characters that appear in it, and I gladly acknowledge my in- 
 debtedness to them for much of the information contained in the notes 
 in the present work. 
 
 * Francis Benson, whose wife was Dorothy, lived at " Fould in 
 Loughrigge " in Langdale meeting, Westmorland.
 
 GEORGE FOX IN LANCASHIRE 17 
 
 it. 'If ever yee owne the liveinge God or his people," 
 says she, " yee must deny Camellford . . . and if yee 
 owne Camellford then yee deny God." * This language, 
 however, should not be taken too seriously. Those were 
 not days of smooth speech and elegant diction. The 
 lampooner, the rhymester, and satirist were common. 
 If the pen was virile it was often vitriolic ; and nowhere 
 did this obtain more than in the domain of religion. 
 Camelford's character is above suspicion. The Common- 
 wealth Survey for 1650 speaks of him as " a godly and 
 painful man in his calling " 2 ; and Calamy refers to him as 
 " an useful Preacher in this remote Corner." 3 He clung to 
 the neighbourhood after his Ejection ; suffered much for 
 his steadfastness ; appears in the list of those who had 
 to be searched for arms ; 4 licensed two or three houses 
 for preaching during the Indulgence period ; became the 
 first Pastor of the Nonconformist cause which is repre- 
 sented by the Baptist Church at Tottlebank ; and died 
 in 1676. 
 
 From Staveley George Fox went on to Lindal, in whose 
 
 ' steeple house or chappell when ye priest had donne," 
 he " spoake " both to him and the people, where were 
 
 ' great opposers," who " after came to be convinct." 
 Here were Captain Sandys and his wife, who " if they 
 coulde have had ye worlde & truth they woulde have 
 received it ; but they was hypocrites & hee a very chaffy 
 light man [& ye way was to streight for ym]." 5 
 
 Adam Sandys, the person referred to, was the repre- 
 sentative of an old family in this district. He lived at 
 Bouth, no great distance from Ulverston, of which town 
 he was Chief Constable, and was on the Parliament side. 
 Sewel has the following story in reference to a meeting 
 at his house, in which both William Lampit, the Ulverston 
 minister, and Gabriel Camellord are involved. Miles 
 
 1 Journal, C;imb. Ed., p. 406. 
 
 2 Commonwealth Church Survey (Rec. Society), p. 142. 
 
 3 Account of Ejected Ministers, vol. ii. p. 413 ( 1 7 1 3 Ed.) 
 1 Vide p. 204. ° Journal, Camb. Ed., vol. i. p. 47.
 
 18 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Halhead of Underbarrow, 1 who afterwards became pro- 
 minent as a Quaker preacher, came, says Sewel, about 
 this time " to Furneiss in Lancashire, to the House of 
 Captain Adam Sands, where he found a great Number 
 of Professors gather'd, and Priest Lampitt preaching. 
 But as soon as Myles enter'd Lampitt was silent, which 
 continuing a pretty while Captain Sands said to him, ' Sir, 
 What's the matter ? Are you not well ? ' To which 
 the Priest answer'd, ' I am well, but I shall speak no 
 more as long as this dumb Devil is in the House.' ' A 
 dumb Devil,' said the Captain, ' where is he ? ' ' This 
 is he,' said the Priest pointing with his Hand, ' that 
 standeth there.' Then the Captain said, ' This Man is 
 quiet, and saith nothing to you : I pray you, Sir, go on 
 in the Name of the Lord, and if he trouble or molest you 
 in my House, I will send him to Lancaster Castle.' But 
 the Priest said again, ' I shall not preach as long as this 
 dumb Devil is in the House.' Then the Captain said to one 
 Camelford, a Priest also, ' I pray you, Sir, stand up, and 
 exercise your Gift, and I will see that you be not disturbed. 
 But this Priest answered as the other, ' I shall not speak 
 as long as this dumb Devil is in the House.' Then the 
 People cry'd ' Lord rebuke thee Satan, Lord, rebuke thee 
 Satan ; What manner of Spirit is this that stops our 
 Ministers Mouths.' Then the Captain came to Myles, 
 and taking him by the Hand, led him out of the House. 
 In all that Time he had not spoke a Word, and saw now 
 the Accomplishment of what he had been persuaded of be- 
 fore, viz., That an invisible Power would confound by him 
 the Wisdom of the Priests when he spoke never a word." 2 
 " From thence," says Fox, " I came to Ulverston & 
 soe to Swarth moore to Judge ffells." 3 Thomas Fell, 
 the owner and occupant of Swarthmoor, was also the 
 
 1 Miles Halhead, born about 1614, lived at Mountjoy, near Under- 
 barrow, Westmorland. Converted to the Quaker faith in 1652 he 
 travelled as a preacher both in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and 
 suffered frequent imprisonment. 
 
 2 History of the Quakers, pp. 72, 73. 3 Journal, Camb. Ed., vol. i. p. 47.
 
 GEORGE FOX IN LANCASHIRE 19 
 
 representative of an old Furness family. He adopted the 
 Parliamentary cause, became Magistrate, Judge, Vice- 
 Chancellor and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
 and M.P. for the County. His wife was Margaret, 
 daughter of John Askew of Marsh Grange, Dalton-in- 
 Furness. Her supposed descent from Anne Askew, the 
 Marian martyr, is now generally discredited. Both she 
 and her husband were devoted members of William 
 Lampit's congregation at Ulverston ; and their home at 
 Swarthmoor seems to have been a kind of open house for 
 ministers and religious people generally. That will 
 account for the fact that George Fox made his way thither 
 seemingly without any special invitation. The Judge 
 was away at the time of his visit and so appears to have 
 been his wife, but there " came uppe preist Lampitt 
 which I perceived had beene & was still a ranter in his 
 minde & I had a great deale of reasoninge with him : 
 for hee woulde talk of high notions & perfection & thereby 
 deceived ye people : & hee woulde have owned mee butt 
 I coulde not owne him nor joine with him hee was soe 
 full of filth." 1 On her return at night Margaret Fell was 
 distressed to find that Fox and her minister had dis- 
 agreed. The day following William Lampit came again 
 to Swarthmoor and Fox says : — 
 
 " I had a great deale of discourse with him before 
 Margaret fell whoe soone then discerned ye preist cleerely 
 & a convincement came upon her & her family of ye Lords 
 truth ; & there was a humiliation day (shortly after within 
 a day or two) kept att Ulverston & m.ff . askt mee to goe 
 to ye Steeplehousc with her ; for shee was not wholely 
 come off & I saide I must doe as I am ordered of ye Lorde 
 butt I walked in ye fcilds & then ye worde of ye Lorde 
 came to mee to goe to ye steeplehouse after ym & when I 
 came ye preist Lampitt was singingc with his people & 
 his spiritt & his stuffe was soe foule yt I was moved of ye 
 Lord to speake to him & ye people after they had donne 
 singinge." a 
 
 1 Journal, Cunib. Ed., vol. i. p. 47. 2 Ibid., p. 48.
 
 20 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Fox tells us that " one Justice Sawrey * cryed take him 
 away," but that " Judge ffells wife saide to ye officers lett 
 him alone why may not hee speake as well as any other ' ' ; 
 and that " Lampitt saide for decepte lett him speake." 
 " Soe att last," he continues, " when I had declared a 
 pretty while ye Constable putt mee out." 2 
 
 William Lampit, the Ulverston minister, with whom 
 Fox was now brought into contact, is a most interesting 
 personality. From the very first Fox appears to have 
 had the strongest aversion to him ; and there are few 
 characters in his Journal, against whom he indulges 
 in more bitter and violent language than that which he 
 employs in relation to the Ulverston minister. He even 
 infected with his spirit and language the children of 
 Judge Fell : for three years afterwards, he records in his 
 Journal that Mary, the Judge's eight year old daughter, 
 " was moved of ye Lorde to goe & speake to preist Lampitt 
 & to tell him yt ye Lord woulde poure out ye vialls of 
 his wrath upon him." The actual document, brown 
 with age, endorsed " mary fell to a prest," ' when she 
 was 8 years old 1655," has just been discovered, and in 
 it are the following words : — 
 
 ".Lampitt the plaiges of god shall fall upon thee, & 
 the seuen viols shall bee powerd upon thee, & the milstone 
 shall fall upon thee, & crush thee as dost under the lords 
 feete how Can thou escape the damnation of hell, This did 
 the lord give mee as I lay in bed, Mary fell." 3 
 
 Shortly after his meeting with Lampit, George Fox 
 sends a letter to him in which he speaks of him as " a 
 decever surfeted & druncke with ye earthly spirit rambling 
 up and downe in ye scriptures ... a beast smotheringe 
 & tumblinge in ye earth & lust," and says : ' When 
 yu art in thy torment, thoug now yu swelst in thy vanitie 
 & livest in thy wickedness remember thou wast warned 
 in thy life time when ye eternal condemnation is reatched 
 
 1 Probably Roger Sawrey, the distinguished Cromwellian soldier and 
 eminent Nonconformist, whose home was for some while at Broughton 
 Tower. 
 
 2 Journal, Camb. Ed., vol. i. p. 48. 3 Ibid., pp. 231, 439.
 
 GEORGE FOX IN LANCASHIRE 21 
 
 over yee." * A like communication was sent to Lampit's 
 congregation, in which he is referred to as "a blind guid " 
 and he and they as " a cage of uncleane birds." Another 
 letter " to the false christs & priest lamperd in Ulverston 
 in lanksher " in 1652 is much after the same type ; and, 
 even in his notice of his death, he speaks of him as "an 
 old deceiver and perverter of the right way of the Lord 
 and a persecutor of the people of God." 2 
 
 As in the case of Camelford, William Lampit deserves 
 to occupy a place of prominence among the illustrious 
 men of that heroic age ; but George Fox found in him 
 one of his most powerful antagonists because he was 
 much after his own type. He was a man of strong 
 convictions and held views bordering upon the extreme. 
 He passed among men as an Independent and for his 
 principles suffered not a little. To Calamy he was 
 little known, but much of his life has been rescued from 
 obscurity, and it is told with considerable fulness in The 
 Ejected of 1662 in Cumberland and Westmorland? He 
 was ejected from his living at Aikton in Cumberland 
 previous to his advent to Ulverston. At the latter place 
 he was outed through the Uniformity Act, but like his 
 neighbour, Gabriel Camelford, he remained in the district. 
 Together they preached as they had opportunity ; 
 together they licensed houses for public worship during 
 the Indulgence period ; together they suffered excom- 
 munication and fines ; and together they helped to found 
 Furness Nonconformity. William Lampit died about 
 1677, shortly after Gabriel Camelford ; but in neither 
 case has the place of burial been discovered. 
 
 George Fox believed that outside the Quaker circle 
 the religion of the country was utterly corrupt and 
 wrong, and the serious reflections which he was in the 
 habit of making upon the Churches and ministers without 
 discrimination are to be interpreted in that light. They 
 
 1 Journal, Camb. Ed., vol. i. pp. 77, 88. 2 Ibid., Ed. 1765, p. 495. 
 
 * Nightingale. Published in two volumes by the Manchester Uni- 
 versity in 191 1.
 
 22 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 were honestly meant, of course, but in point of fact they 
 are frequently not only caricatures, but quite incorrect ; 
 for as already intimated, religion at this time was par- 
 ticularly alive, and many of the men in charge of the 
 Churches were among the most devoted and saintly that 
 the Church has ever reared. And it says much for the 
 real worth of the man, for his manifest sincerity and the 
 unspeakable value of his work, that in spite of these and 
 many other defects, which marked the spirit, utterances 
 and actions of himself and many of his followers in the 
 early stages of his movement, George Fox holds an 
 unchallenged place in the reverence and affection of all 
 sections of the Christian Church. 
 
 During the period of his first stay at Swarthmoor 
 visits were paid to Aldingham, Rampside, Dalton, 
 Walney Island, Baycliff, and "to a Chapell beyonde 
 Gleeston which was built but never preist had preached 
 in it : where all ye Country uppe & doune came & a quiet 
 peaceable meetinge it was where ye worde of life was 
 declared amongst ym & many was convinced about 
 Gleeston." After this he says : "I returned to Swarth- 
 more again." * 
 
 A brief stay at Kendal and other places in Westmor- 
 land followed, and in the meantime, Judge Fell returned 
 home. Met on his way by " a party of captains and 
 magistrates all in a great state of anger, who told him 
 that the Quakers had bewitched his family, and taken 
 them out of their religion and must be packed off or all 
 the country would be undone," 2 the Judge was greatly 
 offended and troubled. On his arrival he found Richard 
 Farnsworth 3 and James Nayler, 4 two prominent Quaker 
 
 1 Journal, Camb. Ed., vol. i. p. 50. 
 
 a Braithwaite's Beginnings of Quakerism, p. 103. 
 
 3 Richard Farnsworth belonged to Tick Hill in Yorkshire. He 
 travelled much and suffered considerably. In reference to a visit to 
 Wakefield he says : " At night the devill did rage. Stones flew as fast 
 as Bullits in a Battle but not so much as one received any harme." 
 He died in London in 1666. 
 
 4 James Nayler was born at Ardsley near Wakefield in 161 8, and after 
 his adoption of Quaker principles and suffering much for them in the
 
 GEORGE FOX IN LANCASHIRE 23 
 
 leaders at the Hall, who " perswaded him to be still and 
 weigh things before he took any action." " And then," 
 says Margaret Fell, " was he pretty moderate and quiet, 
 and his dinner being ready, he went to it, and I went in 
 and sat me down by him. And whilst I was sitting, the 
 power of the Lord seized upon me ; and he was stricken 
 with amazement and knew not what to think, but was 
 quiet and still. And the children were all quiet and still 
 and grown sober, and could not play on their music that 
 they were learning, and all these things made him quiet 
 and still. And then at night George Fox came ; and 
 after supper my husband was sitting in the parlour, and 
 I asked him if George Fox might come in, and he said, 
 ' Yes.' So George came in without any compliment, and 
 walked into the room, and began to speak presently, and 
 the family and James Nayler and Richard Farnsworth 
 came all in, and spoke very excellently as ever I heard 
 him and opened Christ and the Apostles' practices which 
 they were in, in their day. And he opened the night of 
 apostacy, since the Apostles' days and laid open the priests 
 and their practices in the apostacy, that if all in England 
 had been there I thought they could not have denied the 
 truth of these things. And so my husband came to see 
 clearly the truth of what he spoke, and was very quiet 
 that night, and said no more and went to bed." x 
 
 Judge Fell never openly joined the Quaker movement, 
 but his sympathies appear to have gone much with it ; 
 and, until his death in October 1658, he continued to 
 befriend its supporters in various ways. 
 
 It is not intended in this work to follow in detail 
 
 north he went to London in 1655. There he drew considerable 
 audiences and became one of the most extreme men in the movement. 
 He even permitted homage to be done to him after the manner of Christ, 
 and both in London and Bristol heavy punishments were inflicted upon 
 him. Later he repented and was reinstated in the affection and respect 
 of the Friends whom his extravagances had alienated. Much has been 
 written about him ; he is indeed one of the most prominent figures in 
 Quaker history. He died in 1660. Vide The Ejected, etc. (Nightingale), 
 vol ii. pp. 933-938, for some interesting information about Nayler. 
 1 Brathwaite's Beginnings of Quakerism, p. 103.
 
 24 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 the career of George Fox in Lancashire, and a few further 
 sentences in relation to it must suffice. At Kellet he met 
 with Robert Widders, who also became one of the most 
 vigorous missionaries of the new movement ; at Lancaster 
 after declaring the truth "to the priest and people" in the 
 " steeple house " he was " haled out and stoned along the 
 street " ; at Halt on he went " to the steeple house by 
 the waterside where one Whitehead 1 was priest, to whom 
 and to the people he declared the truth in the dreadful 
 power of God " ; and he returned to Ulverston and was 
 mobbed. A warrant issued against him led to his appear- 
 ance at the Lancaster Assizes, but the case was dismissed, 
 probably through the influence of Judge Fell. The year 
 following he accepted a challenge to dispute from " priest 
 Bennett 2 of Cartmell," paid a visit to " Arnesyde, there 
 was a many people," and went into Cumberland for a 
 great Mission, where he won the most striking success, thus 
 being for some time absent from Lancashire. In 1657 he 
 undertook a journey to Scotland, on his way including 
 Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Lancaster, Sandside, in 
 all of which places and others en route he had " many 
 precious meetings," 3 proceeding to Swarthmoor where 
 he had " a little respite from travel." From Swarthmoor 
 he went north and after covering a considerable area in 
 Scotland made his way back to England keeping mainly 
 to the eastern side, but taking in Swarthmoor. In 1660 
 and 1663 he was again in this part of the County visiting 
 the various places where companies of his followers were 
 located, and on each occasion he spent some months in 
 Lancaster Castle. In 1675 he paid a somewhat lengthy, 
 and what appears to have been a last, visit to these parts. 
 Previous to this, on the 27th of October 1669, George 
 
 1 Thomas Whitehead of Halton, ejected from this place by the 
 Uniformity Act, and not as commonly supposed from Dalton-in- 
 Furness, 
 
 2 Philip Bennett was ejected from Ulverston, but afterwards he 
 conformed. For full account of him Vide The Ejected of 1662, etc. 
 (Nightingale). 
 
 3 Journal, Ed. 1765, p. 244.
 
 GEORGE FOX IN LANCASHIRE 25 
 
 Fox and Margaret Fell had been married at Bristol. In 
 his Journal, Fox says that " he had seen from the Lord 
 a considerable time before," that he should take Margaret 
 Fell to be his wife. " And when I first mentioned it to 
 her," he continues, " she felt the answer of life from God 
 thereunto. But though the Lord had opened this thing to 
 me, yet I had not received a command from the Lord 
 for the accomplishment of it then. Wherefore I let the 
 thing rest and went on in the work and service of the Lord 
 as before, according as He led me, travelling up and down 
 in this nation and through Ireland. But being at Bristol 
 and finding Margaret Fell there, it opened in me from the 
 Lord that the thing should be accomplished." * The 
 certificate of marriage bears the signatures of 94 Friends 
 including her six daughters and three sons-in-law, but 
 not that of George Fell, a son, who was bitterly opposed 
 to his mother's action throughout. Margaret Fell 
 returned to Swarthmoor without her husband, whose 
 work kept him in the south ; and they were little together, 
 Fox's itinerant labours making residence at Swarthmoor, 
 or at any one place, for any length of time impossible. 
 Swarthmoor, however, continued to be the centre of 
 Quaker influence in the north, and there can be little 
 doubt that therein will be found, in part at least, the 
 explanation of the striking success which accompanied 
 the movement in these parts. 
 
 The scope of this work does not permit of the discussion 
 of some most interesting questions which the title would 
 seem to suggest. If they are referred to at all it is in 
 a somewhat incidental fashion. In a recent letter Mr 
 Braithwaite says : " From the point of view of Quaker 
 history the salient points are, I think, the following : — 
 
 " 1. The rise of Quakerism as a strong movement through 
 the help of the great Seeker community in Westmorland. 
 
 "2. The effect of the Kaber Rigg plot in the persecu- 
 tion of Friends — George Fox, F. Howgill, Margaret Fell, 
 William Wilson, etc. 
 
 1 Margar, I Fox of Swarlhmore Hall, \>y Helen G. Crosficld, p. 139.
 
 26 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 " 3. The Wilkinson-Story separation. It took over 
 the Friends of Underbarrow and Hutton, and many in 
 Preston Patrick and Kendal." 
 
 In his recent work, The Second Period of Quakerism, 
 Mr Braithwaite deals fully with these points and brings 
 to their consideration much entirely new light. For 
 information in reference to these matters the reader 
 should consult his book. 1 
 
 In Mr Braithwaite's book, The Beginnings of Quakerism, 
 is a skeleton map, which is intended to indicate at a 
 glance the strength of the Quaker movement at the 
 beginning of 1654. The map is, perhaps, a little too 
 skeleton, and its value would have been considerably 
 enhanced if, at least, the names of the respective Counties 
 had been added ; but, even as it is, the picture which it 
 presents is quite impressive. From the Ribble to the 
 Humber, the little round dots indicating Quaker centres 
 are somewhat numerous ; and the bit of Lancashire with 
 contiguous Westmorland, which skirts Morecambe Bay, 
 presents quite a cluster of them. Apart from this, how- 
 ever, Lancashire appears almost entirely free, and it would 
 require a large amount of imagination to admit the truth 
 of Dr Halley's statement that the Quakers may " almost 
 be called a Lancashire Sect, as the earliest and most 
 successful labours of their founder were in that county 
 and its neighbourhood." 2 Except for the strip of North 
 Lancashire just named, of which Swarthmoor may be 
 regarded as centre, the County presents none of the 
 phenomenal success which attended the movement in 
 Cumberland and Westmorland. Still, unconsciously 
 perhaps, Dr Halley gives utterance to a partial truth. 
 Far more widespread was the movement in Lancashire 
 during the first 60 or 70 years of its existence than is 
 generally supposed ; and it is this fact which this work is 
 intended to make clear. 
 
 1 The Ejected of 1662 (Nightingale) also contains some illuminating 
 facts. 
 
 2 Lancashire : its Puritanism and Nonconformity, vol. i. p. 465.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 
 
 This chapter contains a collection of facts from various 
 sources, illustrating the sufferings which fell upon the 
 Quakers during the bitter and prolonged persecution 
 which marked the 17th century. That is the chief 
 burden of the chapter, though much else appears in it, 
 especially when we pass into the easier days which the 
 Toleration Act introduced. Though in most of what 
 follows, the passages are copied almost verbatim I have 
 not thought fit to adopt quotation marks, except in a 
 few instances by way of emphasis. The original spellings 
 also are retained and it will be noted that often enough 
 the same name appears in several forms. In point of 
 fact there was then no established system of spelling. 
 The first of these sources is : — 
 
 1. SUFFERINGS OF THE QUAKERS 
 
 This is the title of a work by Besse, which was published 
 in 1753. It is of very considerable value because it 
 is clearly based upon first hand information. Besse 
 appears to have consulted original documents, though 
 these can hardly have been the Sessions Records to 
 which reference is made later. He tells us, indeed, 
 in his preface how he derived his information. " That 
 the following Collection of the sufferings of this People 
 might be as Compleat as the Nature of the Thing would 
 admit," says he, "the Compiler of it has endeavoured, 
 by an industrious Application for many years past, to 
 furnish himself with a competent knowledge of his subject ; 
 and for that End has had Recourse not only to their own 
 Manuscript Records, wherein is preserved a genuine 
 
 27
 
 28 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Account of such of the sufferings of their Friends as were 
 transmitted to them, but has also consulted a great 
 number of printed Accounts relative thereto, and which 
 were published at or near the Time of the Transactions 
 related : so that the Reader has here presented to his 
 View, digested in proper Order of Time and Place, a faith- 
 ful narrative, not only of what before lay dispersed, but 
 also of many remarkable Matters never heretofore 
 published which yet were thought well worthy of being 
 rescued from Oblivion and transmitted to Posterity. 
 The Matters of Fact, herein related, are attended with 
 all reasonable Evidences of Truth, and many of them 
 are confirmed by Correspondence, Copies of Letters, 
 Warrants, Mittimus's, Presentments, Indictments, Trials, 
 and other publick Proceedings, inserted in their proper 
 places through the Course of this Collection." * 
 
 Unfortunately there is little attempt at arrangement 
 of the mass of material used beyond its classification 
 under counties and dates. The names of places are mixed 
 in the most distracting fashion, and Besse's notes are 
 not always reliable ; but even with these defects the book 
 is invaluable for the study of the Quaker movement in 
 its earlier stages. The names of persons are here retained 
 as they appear in it, though in many instances the 
 author has not been in the least particular about the 
 spelling ; and it is not quite certain, in what follows, 
 that in every case the person belonged to the place under 
 which the name appears. The difficulty suggested here is 
 due, in part, to the fact that those persons were in the habit 
 of journeying long distances to meeting places for worship, 
 and consequently they may have been taken by their 
 persecutors when they were far from their place of abode. 
 In a few cases also attempts to identify Place Names 
 have not met with success. It will, of course, be noted 
 
 1 Vol. i. p. liv. In the Cambridge Ed. of Fox's Journal, vol. ii. pp. 
 65-72 is a list of sufferers for 1664, with which Besse was evidently 
 familiar. It appears also in the Sessions Records, and is copied later, 
 vide p. 116.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 29 
 
 that the names of persons are frequently duplicated, 
 and any one who cares to go to the trouble may make 
 an even more orderly and perfect list from what follows 
 than the one actually given. The gain, however, did not 
 seem to warrant the labour which it would have in- 
 volved, and what follows is quite sufficient for the purpose 
 for which it is inserted ; it furnishes a striking picture of 
 the extent to which the movement laid hold upon the 
 County even in the 17th century. 
 
 (1) Lancaster and District 
 Lancaster. 
 
 1654-1656. John Lawson 1 of this place for preaching in 
 ' the Steeplehouse Yard at Malpas " was set in the 
 stocks four hours ; and at another time for " exhort- 
 ing the People in the Steeplehouse at Lancaster " 
 he was sent to prison until the Assizes and then 
 fined £20. 
 
 1660. " A party of Soldiers, some with Swords drawn 
 and Pistols cockt, others with Muskets and lighted 
 Matches " came to meetings and took the following : — 
 John Lawson, Peter Cathery, Thomas Hinde, Robert 
 Mayor, Matthew Jepson, Matthew Baines, John Fowler, 
 William Gunson, John Jenkinson, William Marshall, 
 John Walker, Robert Willson, William Harrison, 
 Timothy Taylor, Robert Thornton, Francis Shireson, 
 Richard Hinde, George Cawson, Henry Crosfield, 
 William Greenbank, Thomas Hodgson, Robert Proctor, 
 William Masher, John Birlow, Christopher Barrow, 
 Robert Taylor, Robert Bruce, William Baines, Thomas 
 Green, Mary Bruce, Dorothy Baines, Ellen Hodgkinson, 
 Anne Stubbs, Jennet Tenant, and Jane Dickenson. 
 
 1665. John Berley was fined 11/8 for refusing to swear 
 when summoned on a Jury. He had 15 sheep taken 
 for this fine, which cost £3. 5. 4 ; and John Townson 
 
 1 A shopkeeper in Lancaster. Letters from him to Margaret Fell, 
 referring to his imprisonment at Chester about this period, are still 
 extant (Swarthmoor MSS.). Among oilier places he laboured 111 Wales.
 
 30 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 chosen Constable refusing to take the usual Oath 
 " had a cow taken value £4." 
 
 1676. Robert Walker after being imprisoned three and 
 a half years, at the suit of Edward Garthford, 1 " priest 
 of Lancaster," died. 
 
 1683. Robert Barrow taken whilst preaching at 
 Lancaster was committed to the Castle. 
 
 A rkholme. 
 
 1684. Alice Bakebean was fined at Hornby Court at 
 the suit of Anthony Procter " priest of Arkholme." 2 
 
 Robert Withers, 3 Christopher Duckworth, Michael 
 Crabtree and William Crab tree had their goods 
 distrained. 
 
 Wray and Adjacent Places. 
 
 1660. Soldiers took the following : — Robert Bateson, 
 John Crosier, Richard Fletcher, Christopher Glover, 
 Robert Glover, William Edmondson, 4 William Lamb, 
 John Myers, Christopher Nelson, John Priestly, 
 Christopher Skirrah, 5 Giles Skirrah, Thomas Skirrah, 
 Thomas Skirrah, junr., Marmaduke Tatham and 
 Thomas Wilson. 
 
 1678. Thomas Skerray of Wray and Agnes Skerray of 
 the same, widow, at the suit of Lord Morley of Hornby 
 were imprisoned for Tithes. 
 
 1 Edmund Garforth, Vicar of Lancaster from 1672 to 1682. 
 
 2 Anthony Procter, Curate of Arkholme in 1677. 
 
 3 Robert Withers or Widders, of Kellet, born about 161 8. He was 
 one of Fox's earliest converts, and became a prominent missionary of 
 the new movement, dying about 1686. 
 
 4 William Edmondson, born in 1627, is referred to as the Quaker 
 apostle of Ireland. His home was Little Musgrave in Westmorland, 
 but on his marriage in 1652 he went to Ireland and ultimately settled 
 in business at Lurgan. During a visit to the north of England in 1653 
 he became a convert to the Quaker faith, and devoted himself to the 
 work of the ministry. He visited America several times and died at 
 his residence Rosenallis, in Ireland in 1712. 
 
 6 Almost certainly the same as Skcrrow.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 31 
 
 Yealand. 
 
 1660. At two meetings a Constable and armed soldiers 
 took the following : — John Backhouse, 1 Richard 
 Barrow, Thomas Barrow, Christopher Bisbrown, 
 Christopher Bisbrown, junr., John Bisbrown, John 
 Bisbrown, junr., John Beakbean, Thomas Camm, 
 Thomas Chorley, 2 Edward Cumming, Thomas Doweth- 
 well, Robert Hadwen, William Hugginson, Robert 
 Hubbersty, James Hutton, William Johnson, Thomas 
 Leaper, 3 Thomas Preston, William Slith, William 
 Weston, James Weathman, William Weathman, 4 
 William Weathman, junr. Robert Widders, Thomas 
 Widders, Alice Barrow, Anne Beakbean, Mary 
 Athwenwheat, Mary Bisbrown, Anne Cumming, 
 Martha Croft, Elizabeth Fell, Francis Flemming, 
 Margaret Hadwin, Jane Hubberthorn, Margaret Lucas, 
 Frances Preston, Anne Stout, Anne Wheathman, 
 Jane Widder, and Robert Drinkwell. 
 
 Over Kellet. 
 
 1677. Robert Withers was sued by James Greenwood 
 Tithe Farmer. Judgment against him for five years' 
 Tithe Hay to the extent of £6. 15 ; and for five years' 
 Tithe of Corn £65. 15 being in each case triple the actual 
 amount. He had cattle, sheep, and corn taken to the 
 value of £98. 2. 10. 
 
 Capernwray. 
 
 1679. Thomas Leaper on the prosecution of James 
 Greenwood, Tithe Farmer, had his goods for eight 
 years' Tithe taken to the value of £41. 16. 4. 
 
 1 John Backhouse, of Moss Side, near Yealand Redmayne, was the 
 ancestor of a long line of prominent Quakers. 
 
 ■ The Lancashire Registers note the decease, 1698, of Thomas Chorley 
 of Warton which is near to Carnforth. He was buried at Yealand. 
 
 3 Lived at Capernwray. References to his imprisonment at Lancaster 
 in 1654-5 appear in the Swarthmoor MSS. 
 
 4 Possibly William Waithman of Lindeth, 1625-1694. His daughters 
 married into the Quaker families of Routh of Kellet, Pearson of 
 Pool bank, and Dockray of Swarthmoor.
 
 32 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Tatham. 
 
 1676. Elizabeth Wildman, widow, about sixty years 
 of age, on a writ de Excommunicato Capiendo at the 
 suit of Thomas Sharp, 1 " priest of Tatham " was sent 
 to Lancaster Castle, where she died after nine months' 
 confinement. 
 
 (2) The Furness District 
 Swarthmoor. 
 
 1660. George Fox was sent to prison for some time. 
 
 Taken from their homes or from the market or their 
 employment by a party of horsemen and sent to 
 Lancaster Castle without any warrant &c. were the 
 following : — Thomas Hutton, 2 Tobias Wilson, John 
 Chambers, Thomas Fell, Thomas Goad, Richard Fell, 
 Richard Ashburner, 3 Thomas Barwick, James Milner, 
 Thomas Curwen, 4 Richard Myers, 5 Francis Pearson, 
 William Simpson, Thomas Myers, Thomas Fell, 6 
 Francis Pearson, junr., Thomas Haverigg, Paul 
 Pennington, Edward Cowper, Leonard Ashburner, 
 James Chambers, John Goade, William Hawthorn- 
 
 1 Thomas Sharpe replaced Nicholas Smith at Tatham on the passing 
 of the Uniformity Act in 1662, and remained until his death in 1699. 
 
 2 Thomas Hutton was resident at Rampside. An only daughter, 
 Dorothy, married Thomas Rawlinson in 1663, who became the mother 
 of Lydia Lancaster, a prominent minister among the Friends. 
 
 3 Probably lived at Gleaston. In the Minute Books of the Lancaster 
 Meeting is the following: — "Richard Ashburner, of Gleaston in Fournece, 
 because he could not with a good conscience pay Tithe to Tho. Shaw of 
 Aldingham, Priest, was sent Prisoner to Lancaster, where he laid down 
 his life in his Testimony, and was buried at Lancaster (suppose 1655)." 
 There is, however, a clashing of dates here. 
 
 4 Thomas Curwen belonged to Baycliff and was several times im- 
 prisoned in Lancaster Castle. In 1665 he had a controversy with John 
 Wigan of Manchester. Later he and his wife Alice went on a religious 
 visit to America. He died in 1680 aged 70 years. 
 
 5 Richard Myers or Miers was the son of Richard and Margaret 
 Myers of Baycliff. Several brothers became prominent Friends. 
 
 6 The Fells were numerous in these parts. John Fell of Langlands 
 together with his wife and four sons accepted the Quaker faith in 1653. 
 Several of them entered the ministry and among other places travelled 
 in Scotland. Christopher Fell was probably one of these.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 33 
 
 thwaite, William Dodgson, Thomas Wilson, William 
 Strickland, George Fell, Jasper Sharp, Robert 
 Pennington, John Kirkby, Robert Salthouse, William 
 Salthouse, James Parke, Thomas Rawlinson, 1 Daniel 
 Thwaite, Nicholas Birkett, Thomas Benson, John 
 Holme, William Towers, William Atkinson, Thomas 
 Fisher, Edward Cowper, and Thomas Wilson, junr. 
 
 1663. George Fox committed to Lancaster Castle. 
 Margaret Fell similarly. 
 
 1666. James Fell, Christopher Milner, William Holme, 
 William Salthouse, and Thomas Fisher were taken at a 
 meeting there and sent to prison. 
 
 1668. Leonard Fell 2 and Thomas Briggs after a meeting 
 here were taken from their own dwellings and sent to 
 prison. 
 
 1683. Margaret Fox for meetings at her house fined by 
 name of Margaret Fell, widow, Had cattle taken "to 
 the value of £30.0.0. 
 
 At another time, to the value of £40.0.0. 
 
 Cartmell. 
 
 1661. William Pull, Philip Braithwaite, and Richard 
 Simpson, together with others lately discharged, were 
 sent to prison. 
 
 1686. Mary Simpson had her goods distrained. 
 
 A Idingham. 
 
 1667. Leonard Fell " at the suit of the priest " 3 there 
 was cast into prison. 
 
 1 Vide p. 32, note 2. 
 
 2 Leonard Fell was of Baycliff and does not appear to have been 
 related to Judge Fell's family though a retainer in it. He travelled 
 extensively as a Preacher. His death took place at Darlington, where 
 he was buried. 
 
 3 This would be Thomas Shawc, M.A., who held the living from 1625 
 to Oct. 19, 1667, when he died. During the Commonwealth, and at 
 the Restoration, he adapted his principles to the changing'times. 
 
 C
 
 34 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Bay cliff. 
 
 1672. John Curwen was imprisoned on a significavit 
 at the suit of Theophilus Aimes " priest " 1 there. 
 Leonard Fell similarly. 
 
 Colton. 
 
 1679. James Smith was committed to Lancaster Castle 
 at the suit of Henry Rowe, Tithe Farmer, of Wigan. 
 
 Hawkshead. 
 
 1665. William Satterthwaite, Robert Pennington, 
 Thomas Pennington, George Benson, Thomas Docwra, 2 
 and Michael Wilson were taken from a meeting at 
 Hawkshead and sent to prison for refusing the oath. 
 For the same James Hartley and John Brewer suffered 
 imprisonment ; and William Hutton and John Green- 
 wood had their goods taken. 
 
 Windermere. 
 
 1676. Leonard Fell for preaching, at a meeting here ; 
 William Rigg, John Bownas and Thomas Pennington 
 for being present, had their goods distrained. 
 
 Lonsdale Hundred. 
 
 1678. At the Wapentake Court the following had their 
 goods distrained to the respective amounts given : — 
 
 Thomas Atkinson 3 
 
 Richard Britton 
 
 John Barrow . 
 
 Thomas Barrow 
 
 Ellen Braithwaite 
 
 Eliz. Barrow, widow 
 
 The total demand being . £6 10 
 And the amount taken 
 
 1 Theophilus Amyas succeeded Thomas Shawe at Aldingham in 1 668, 
 and remained until his death in 1672. Evidently he had charge of 
 Baycliff also. 
 
 * Thomas Dockray was born about 1632, near Portinscale in Cumber- 
 land. His convincement took place in 1653, and he travelled the 
 three kingdoms in pursuit of his ministry. In 1683 he settled at 
 Silverdale, and became connected with the Yealand meeting. 
 
 3 Thomas Atkinson belonged to Cartmell. He was the author of a 
 
 • £4 
 
 
 
 . 3 6 
 
 8 
 
 1 10 
 
 
 
 . 5 10 
 
 
 
 • 1 15 
 
 
 
 3 10 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 • £*9 11 
 
 8
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 
 
 od 
 
 Furness (partly). 
 
 1654-6. Jeremiah Tomlinson, George Cowson, John 
 Moone, Edward Moone, Richard Cubham, 1 Thomas 
 Hill, Benjamin Boult, Agnes Mackreath, Simon 
 Whitehead, Peter Leatherhead, James Fletcher, 
 William Gibson, William Dewsberry, Thomas Hutton, 
 Thomas Curwen, Walter Myers, Mary Clayton, Anne 
 Clayton, Mary Howgill, Jane Ashburner, John Driver, 
 James Simonson, Thomas Rawlinson, Richard Roper, 
 Richard Waller, Thomas Salthouse, and Leonard Fell 
 were several times committed to prison for speaking 
 to priests and people in their public assemblies. 
 
 (3) The Fylde District 
 Fylde District (place uncertain). 
 
 1660. John White, William Tompson, John Tompson, 
 John Moone, 2 Henry Eccles, Christopher Parkinson, 
 William Gibson were sent to prison. 
 
 pamphlet, The Christian 's Testimony against Tythes, 1678. In 1684, 
 in his 80th year, he wrote An Exhortation to all People. 
 
 1 Richard Cubham's home was at Bickerstaffe, near Ormskirk. He 
 was a man of great consequence in the district. From his five daughters 
 were numerous descendants. His wife, Anne, died in 1703, and he in 
 1709. A pamphlet, containing "Memorials of the Families of Cropper, 
 Cubham, and Wolsey, of Bickerstaffe, and of Winstanley of Winstanley," 
 collected by N. Waterhouse, was printed for private circulation in 1864. 
 The information which it gives is extremely interesting. Under date 
 1654 we get the following: — "Certain friends had a meeting at 
 Bickersteth, which was broken up by David Ellison, Presbyterian 
 minister at Rainford, who called a woman who was addressing them 
 Jezebel, and other reproachful names, whilst the people who were with 
 him beat her and the other Friends. . . . After they had gone to their 
 afternoon worship, Richard Cubham and two others were moved of the 
 Lord to go to the Chappell. And when two of them came in the people 
 rose and looked upon them, and the Priest said, ' Turn ye, turn ye, hear 
 the word of the Lord,' but the third coming in a little after, he the 
 said Priest tryed keep them back ; and so the people rose and fell on 
 them, and hailed them forth, and some they plucked with their hands, 
 and some they pulled and threw about, and carrycd them all three to 
 an ale house called John Pennington's and there gott a guard upon 
 them and there kept them prisoners that day and all night." 
 
 * See under Garstang and Furness.
 
 36 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Poulton. 
 
 1660. James Smith, after five months' imprisonment "by- 
 means of an envious Priest " x on refusing the Oath of 
 Allegiance was sent back to gaol. 
 
 1 11 skip (probably). 
 
 1660. William Brewer and John Thorne together with 
 Henry Hales were imprisoned. 
 
 Garstang. 
 
 1676. John Moone at the suit of Thomas Butler was 
 imprisoned in Lancaster Castle a whole year, and had 
 goods taken also to the value of £20. 
 
 1683. John Moon of Carhouse near Garstang was prose- 
 cuted at the suit of Thomas Butler for Tithes, had 
 "a verdict given against him for £4. 7 on the Statute 
 for treble damages amounting to £13. 1 for which the 
 Bayliff took, by an Execution, his Corn in the Barn 
 and on his ground, with all his Household Goods, not 
 leaving him a Bed to lie on, the whole amounting to 
 
 £35." 
 
 (4) The Preston Area 
 Preston. 
 
 1654-6. Thomas Tompson, William Tompson, Eleanour 
 Parkinson, John Lawson and Thomas Bond for riding 
 a few miles to a religious meeting on " first day of the 
 week " had their horses taken to the value of £20. 
 
 Peter Lawford for permitting a meeting in his house 
 was sent to prison. 
 
 Richard Weaver for riding to a meeting had his 
 mare taken and on' complaining to the Mayor of 
 . Preston was sent to prison. 
 
 1658. John Lawson and 19 others going to a meeting 
 were apprehended by a Watch set by the Mayor " and 
 detained Prisoners twenty four hours without any 
 cause assigned." 
 
 1 This would be Thomas Rigby, M.A., who was appointed to Poulton 
 in 1653, and removed to Ireland in 1661.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 37 
 
 Freckleton. 
 
 1676. Thomas Tomlinson, Henry Tomlinson and John 
 Townson on Warrant by Edward Rigby x of Preston 
 had their goods distrained. Rigby who is described 
 as "a persecuting justice " is said to have declared 
 that " he would root the Quakers out of the Hundred 
 where he dwelt ; that all the Laws yet made against 
 them were too short ; and that he would be the first 
 that would move for a Law to have them tied to and 
 dragged at either an Horse's or Cart's Tail." 
 
 (5) Blackburn and District 
 
 Blackburn. 
 
 1654-6. William Simson and Leonard Addison were 
 
 cruelly beaten when speaking to the priest 2 there after 
 
 Sermon 
 
 Chipping? 
 
 1660. Robert Alston and Thomas Bond were taken 
 
 from their houses without warrant by soldiers and 
 
 sent to Lancaster Castle. 
 
 Thomley. 
 
 1676. James Dilworth for a meeting at his house had 
 his oxen taken worth £9. 
 
 (6) Clitheroe and District 
 
 Clitheroe. 
 
 1674. Richard Colburne for being at a religious meeting 
 had a cow taken worth £4. 5. 
 
 1 Doubtless Edward Rigby, younger son of Col. Alexander Rigby of 
 Middleton, who besieged Lathom House. Edward Rigby was a 
 barrister, steward of the Preston Court Leet, and Member of Parliament 
 for the borough for several years. 
 
 2 Leonard Clayton, M.A., who was Vicar from 1647 to 1677, when 
 he died. 
 
 '' It is interesting to note that in all this district, including Aighton 
 and Chaigley, which is exceedingly rural, the Quakers at this time were 
 quite numerous, while to-day there are few, if any.
 
 38 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 1676. Charles Lee a labouring man for having a meeting 
 at his house had horses &c. taken value £26. us. 8d. ; 
 and similarly Alex. Salsbury for preaching at Thomas 
 Garner's house was fined £20 and had cattle taken at 
 various times to the value of £60. 
 
 1678. Charles Lee was fined at the suit of Sir Ralph 
 Ash ton of Whalley and was a prisoner about two 
 years. 
 
 Downham. 
 
 1660. James Whip, Thomas Tatham, Elizabeth Easton, 
 Mary Tatham, Elizabeth Lorrimer, Anne Driver and 
 Edward Hulley were taken at a meeting at Hulley's 
 house and committed to prison for refusing the oath. 
 
 Pendle. 
 
 1682. George Hargreaves had " a numerous Meeting or 
 Conventicle " at his house on Sunday Oct. 16 at which 
 Isaac Ashton of Clitheroe, " Distiller of Strong Waters," 
 did preach and pray, &c. John Fish and John Spencer 
 were among those present and all were fined. 
 
 Whalley. 
 
 1684. John Vipon, John Ecroyd, Roger Hartly, John 
 Hardman, Stephen Sagar, William Kippax, Edmund 
 Pilling, Peter Shackleton, Anne Whaley, James Ruston, 
 John Hargreaves and James Whitaker were prosecuted 
 at the suit of Edmund Ashton of Whalley in the 
 Ecclesiastical Court for Tithes and on refusing the oath 
 committed to prison. 
 
 Twiston. 
 
 1668. James Whip was excommunicated and sent to 
 gaol. 
 
 (7) Burnley District 
 Marsden. 
 
 1654-6. Several people when returning from the funeral 
 of John Sagar's child of Marsden were assaulted and 
 beaten by one Edward Kipper. 
 
 In like manner John Liddell and Oliver Atherton
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 39 
 
 were barbarously assaulted whilst quietly travelling 
 
 on the road. 
 1674. Goods were taken from several persons for a 
 
 meeting at James Smithson's house. 
 1676. William Heape had five beasts taken worth £14 
 
 for a meeting in his house ; and several others for being 
 
 there were distrained to the extent of £2. 0. 6. 
 1680. William Whaley had cattle taken to the value of 
 
 £49. 1 for preaching. 
 
 Padiham. 
 
 1665. Whilst William Clayton was preaching at a 
 meeting there " the priest of that Parish " attended 
 by a Constable pulled him into the street and tore 
 his coat. Afterwards he was sent to prison. 
 
 1668. Soldiers came to a meeting at Henry Robinson's 
 house where William Clayton was preaching and took 
 Robinson, Clayton, Francis Dunn and James Whipp. 
 They were sent to prison till next Sessions. Shortly 
 afterwards 22 persons were taken at a meeting at the 
 same place and detained in the House of Correction 
 seven weeks. 
 
 Trawden. 
 
 1660. The following were taken whilst worshipping at 
 the house of John Hartley : — 
 
 John Hartley, Peter Shackleton, James Smithson, 
 Robert Atkinson, William Whaley, Nicholas Whitacre, 
 John Smith, Samuel Driver, John Hargreaves, Joseph 
 Cathery, William Heape, John Sagar, Stephen Sagar, 
 Ellen Pollard, Richard Mitchel, Richard Hargreaves, 
 Elizabeth Hartley, Mary Wilkinson, Jennet Swaine, 
 Jane Clayton, Anne Pollard, Jane Wregles, Mary 
 Mitchel, Anne Parker and Alice Heape. 
 
 (8) Ormskirk and District 
 Ormskirk. 
 
 1658. Rebecca Barnes, Elizabeth Holme, John Barnes 
 and others coming from a meeting here were met by
 
 40 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 David Ellison * priest to whom Rebecca spoke " some 
 displeasing words " with the result that the people 
 set upon her and the rest and much blood was shed. 
 
 1663. Oliver Atherton " through long imprisonment 
 in a cold damp unwholesome place " died. 
 
 1674. Isaac Ashton and Hannah Kennedy with Anne 
 Atherton were excommunicated for refusing to pay 
 towards " repairing the steeplehouse." 
 
 Bickerstaffe. 
 
 1660. Soldiers took the following forcibly out of a meet- 
 ing by the Earl of Derby's orders and sent them to 
 Wigan Assizes, where they refused the oath tendered 
 to them and were sent to Lancaster Castle : — Thomas 
 Crosby, Jeremiah Lion, Isaac Ashton, Henry Foster, 
 Henry Marland, John Bispham, John Witherly, John 
 Ashton, Richard Johnson, Godfrey Atherton, Peter 
 Westhead, George Pye, Peter Leadbeater, Roger 
 Leatherbarrow, John Underwood and John Smallshaw. 
 
 1674. Richard Cubham, Edward Lion and George Shaw 
 at the suit of Lady Catherine Pye were sent to 
 Lancaster Castle. 
 
 1679. Richard Cubham for a meeting in his house, 
 John Bispham for preaching there, Roger Harsnep and 
 Richard Beesley for being present had their goods 
 distrained. 
 
 Knowsley. 
 
 1660. The same day as the Bickerstaffe apprehension 
 were the following taken here : — Peter Laithwaite, 
 Henry Hulgreave, William Booth, Richard Beesly, 
 Thomas Tarbock, Robert Heyes, William Harrison, 
 and Thomas Rose. 
 
 1 David Ellison is given in the Commonwealth Survey of 1650 as 
 " Incumbent att Childwall and supplyes the Cure." He is described 
 as a panefull godly preaching Minister," who doth observe the Lord's 
 dayes and fast dayes and dayes of humiliation appointed by Act or 
 Ordinance of Pliament." Vide Commonwealth Survey, Record Society, 
 vol. i. p. 67. He was appointed to Childwall about 1645, and probably 
 held the living until about 1658,
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 41 
 
 Lydiate. 
 
 1664. George Pye for £3. had six cows taken worth £20. 
 
 Aughton. 
 
 1674. Roger Harsnep, Geoige Pye and Roger Leather- 
 barrow were prosecuted for Tithes the first at the suit 
 of Alexander Baggerly 1 priest of Aughton and the 
 two last at Dr Smallwood's suit. 
 
 1675. Roger Harsnep committed to Lancaster Castle 
 for 16 months at the suit of Alexander Baggerly priest 
 there. 
 
 Hatlex. 2 
 
 1664. Robert Bruce for claim of 40s. had goods taken 
 to the value of £8. [Transfer this and Note 2 to the 
 Lancaster District, pp. 29-32.] 
 
 (9) Liverpool and District 
 Liverpool. 
 
 1654-6. Anne Kennebie for speaking to the people 
 there in their public assembly was sent to prison. The 
 priest 3 of that place went to see and deride her, while 
 others with him beat and abused her. 
 
 Bold. 
 
 1667. Thomas Keckwick sued for Tithes by Orlando 
 
 Bridgman after eleven weeks' imprisonment had 
 
 " goods taken to the value of £26. 8. 8." 
 
 Walton. 
 
 1671. Susanna Rose, widow, prosecuted by Thomas 
 Marsden, 4 Vicar of Walton, for the marriage fee of 
 1/4 having been married to her husband in Quaker 
 
 1 Alexander Baguley was instituted to the living at Aughton, June 
 27th, 1674, and deprived for Simony about 1679. 
 
 * Hatlex, near Hest Bank. Leonard Stout, brother to William (vide 
 p. 49, note 1), was resident there some time. 
 
 3 Probably John Fogg, who was ejected by the Uniformity Act of 
 1662. 
 
 * Thomas Marsden, instituted Sept. 7, 1665, and remained until 
 about 1 671.
 
 42 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 fashion suffered 17 weeks' imprisonment in Lancaster 
 Castle for refusing to pay. 
 
 Sephton. 
 
 1674. Richard Johnson was excommunicated and im- 
 prisoned for not paying towards the repair of the 
 steeplehouse there. 
 
 Prescot. 
 
 1679. Richard Yearwood, Gilbert Holt, Thomas Barnsall 
 were committed to Lancaster Castle at the suit of 
 Edward Goodall x Vicar of Prescot. Gilbert Holt 
 died in prison after being there about four years. 
 
 Sutton. 
 
 1682. Thomas Turbuck for a religious meeting at his 
 
 house had his bedding taken to the value of £1. 13. 4. 
 William Holgate for a meeting at his house " suffered 
 
 the loss of his Household Goods worth £9. 8s. 6d." 
 
 (10) Wigan District 
 Standish. 
 
 1674. Roger Haydock 2 and Heskin Fell 3 were sent to 
 prison through refusing to pay Tithe. 
 
 1 Edward Goodall, M.A., was instituted July 24, 1677. Subsequently 
 lie became a Roman Catholic, and resigned the living in 1690. 
 
 2 Roger Haydock was a native of Coppull and is described as a man 
 of " great parts, well read and full of matter." He joined the Quakers 
 in 1667 through the influence of his brother John, and travelled far " on 
 Gospel service." He had a dispute in 1676 " with John Cheyney, a 
 minister near Warrington, who published an account of it in Warning 
 to Souls to beware of Quakers and Quakerism." He died in 1696. John 
 Haydock, his brother, also travelled much as a minister. It was in 
 his house at Coppull that the meetings were usually held. There was 
 also a brother Robert. 
 
 3 Heskin Fell appears repeatedly in these pages, and the following 
 information about him from the pamphlet issued by Mr Waterhouse in 
 1864 will be welcomed. He is said to have been a cousin of Judge 
 Fell of Swarthmoor, to have been called " a weaver or webster," and 
 to have employed servants and apprentices in his trade. His name 
 " Heskin," is supposed to have been derived from a hamlet in the 
 parish of Standish, and a son, Israel Fell, like him suffered much for 
 his principles. " He was born," says his narrator, " in Coppull, in
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 43 
 
 1675. Roger Haydock was sent to prison on the suit of 
 the Bishop of Chester. So also was Heskin Fell. 
 
 (11) Warrington and District 
 Warrington. 
 1654-6. Richard Hubberthorn * and others were taken 
 
 out of a meeting bound hand and foot and laid in the 
 
 open fields on " a cold winter night." 
 
 the parish of Standish and County of Lancaster, ye 22nd of ye 5th 
 month 1640, was educated in the profession of the Church of England ; 
 but when he grew up to mature years not being satisfied with their 
 worship, he joined with some others that seemed more reformed, with 
 whom he continued till after the coming in of King Charles ye 2nd, 
 when finding they did not stand when tryals were like to come on 
 them, he grew dissatisfied with them also, abovit which time it did 
 please the Lord to order his faithful servant, William Gibson, into these 
 parts, by whose ministry he was convinced, and received the Truth in 
 the Love of it, and for which, soon after, he became a sufferer, not only 
 by the reproachful speeches of his neighbours, but a little time after, 
 being at a meeting with several more at Bury in Lancashire, he was 
 taken and committed prisoner by one Hoult, a Justice of the Peace, 
 to ye house of Correction at Manchester, where he continued some time, 
 and then was set at liberty again, and so continued about his lawful 
 occasions till he was married. After which he was sent Prisoner to 
 Lancaster Castle in ye year 1675 at the suit of Ralph Bridock, Bishop 
 of Chester, Priest of the Parish of Standish because he could not, 
 for conscience' sake, pay him his demand for Tythes, etc., where he 
 was prisoner till ye later end of 1678, when, by the Bishop's death, he 
 was released, in which time it pleased the Lord to bestow a gift of the 
 ministry on him, in which service he laboured whilst health and strength 
 permitted ; he assisted the meetings of Friends in Scotland twice, and 
 Ireland once, and Holland once, and laboured often in many places in 
 England. He was jealous for good order and discipline in ye church, 
 and very sharp against a Libertine spirit, anil that which did add to his 
 Reputation was, he took care to govern his own family well. Several 
 years before he died he was weakly of body, being often afflicted with 
 the Gravel, which caused him to keep much about home ; he would 
 often give good advice to them that came to see him, and tell them 
 what the Lord had done for him to their Comfort and Edification. And 
 in Li-, last illness he would often be blessing the Lord for his goodne*^ ■ 
 his memory was perfect to the last, and he retained his integrity to his 
 end, which was quiet and peaceable as one falling asleep. He died 
 ye 29th of ye nth month, 1720, aged 80 years, 6 months, and 7 
 day,." 
 
 1 Richard Hubberthorn belonged to Yealand, and is described as 
 one of the foremost protagonists of early Quakerism. Although he
 
 44 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Ralph Barnes 1 and John Barnes were sent from a 
 meeting at Warrington Heath to Lancaster Castle. 
 
 1684. Nathaniel Disborow, John Barnes, Gilbert 
 Potter, Matthias Foster, John Dunbabin, John Gibson, 
 John Chorley, Samuel Dunbabin, Susan Wright, Mary 
 Cocker, Mary Southworth, Patience Sixsmith, Hugh 
 Crosby, Richard Holcroft, Esther Holcroft, Elizabeth 
 Gibson, Elizabeth Barnes, Martha Coombs, Robert 
 Burton, Thomas Keckwick, Daniel Keckwick, George 
 Birch, John Barrow, Savage Mason, and Matthew 
 Mason were all taken at the house of James Wright and 
 committed to prison where some were detained ten 
 months. 
 
 Sankey. 
 
 1654-6. Whilst Elizabeth Leavens 2 was preaching at a 
 meeting here " A rude Company, headed by an Elder 
 of their Church pulled her down and abused her much " ; 
 and on the way home she, William Birchall, James 
 Challoner, Lawrence Johnson and James Lassal were 
 set upon and grievously beaten by the people. 
 
 1664. John Minshall for a Tithe claim for 30/. had 
 goods taken worth £9 ; and for the same claim suffered 
 eight months' imprisonment. 
 
 Hardshaw. 
 
 1685. Richard Johnson, Richard Prophet and John 
 Fletcher were sent to prison for a meeting at this 
 
 was of low stature and had an inferior constitution and weak voice, 
 he had been a captain in the Parliamentary Army, and had had the 
 advantage of a liberal education. He visited Norfolk and London, 
 and did much useful work there. In 1662 he "laid down the body in 
 the time of his imprisonment in Newgate, and by the coroner's inquest 
 was found to die naturally." 
 
 1 The Barneses were numerous in these parts. Captain William Barnes 
 lived at Great Sankey, near Warrington. The Quakers had meetings 
 in his house until 1681, when a meeting place was erected. A son, 
 William, married the daughter of Richard Cubham {vide p. 35, note 1). 
 
 2 Elizabeth Leavens travelled with Elizabeth Fletcher in 1654 to the 
 city of Oxford, "where they suffered by the black tribe of scholars." 
 She married Thomas Holme, a weaver of Kendal, and like him was a 
 preacher and sufferer.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 45 
 
 place ; but after " three months' confinement were 
 released at the Summer Assizes this year, when most 
 of the other Prisoners in this County were also dis- 
 charged by virtue of King James's Proclamation for 
 a general Pardon." 
 
 (12) Manchester and District 
 
 Manchester. 
 
 1660. Taken out of a meeting and committed to prison 
 the following : — John Abraham, Isaac Mosse, Abraham 
 Garside, Jonathan Bradshaw, John Burgess, Mary 
 Ridgway, Mary Poole, Elizabeth Owen, and Elizabeth 
 Fletcher. 
 
 1682. At the house of James Strettell many persons 
 were fined, the amount being £29. 18s. 
 
 Hey side (near Oldham). 
 
 1665. James Sikes for absenting himself from the 
 
 " National Worship " had a cow and a calf taken from 
 
 him worth £4. 
 
 Bury. 
 
 1665. Taken at the house of Thomas Sale where a 
 meeting was being held and sent to Lancaster Castle 
 the following : — 
 
 Thomas Sale, James Sikes, John Ashton, Arthur 
 Walker, Thomas Yates, Richard Mather and John 
 Wood, " who left behind thirty-five children besides 
 our wives and the rest of our Families all of which 
 we have given up into the Hands of God." 
 
 Newhall. 1 
 
 1670. Friends taken at John Ashton's house were 
 carried before Lawrence Rawsthorne of Newhall a 
 Justice of the Peace who sent Thomas Lorimer, 2 Roger 
 
 1 New Hall, near Tottington, was purchased by Lawrence Rawsthorne 
 of Windsor, in 1538. Probably John Ashton's house would be in the 
 neighbourhood. 
 
 1 Vide p. 47, note 2.
 
 46 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Longworth, James Tomson, Heskin Fell, James 
 Radcliff, Abraham Crosby, Anthony Shaw, Charles 
 Dawson, and Alexander Hatton to the House of 
 Correction in Manchester. 
 
 (13) Bolton and District 
 Bolton. 
 
 1678. Roger Longworth occasionally travelling in 
 Cheshire suspected of being a Papist, was sent to 
 prison by " two officious Justices " but set at liberty 
 after two months. 
 
 1679. James Harrison 1 of this place for preaching at 
 Macclesfield had his goods distrained to the value of 
 £40 " not leaving so much as a skillet to boil the 
 Children's milk in." 
 
 James Harrison for preaching at his house in Bolton, 
 Phineas Pemberton and his wife for being there were 
 fined to the extent of £4. 15. 4. " In order to convict 
 the Persons met at Bolton, the Justices, Informers and 
 Witnesses with the Attendants ate and drank in one 
 Afternoon as much as cost 50/ which the Constable 
 engaged to pay for. Thomas Russel, an Under- 
 Bayliff, was so drunk that he was found in the street 
 wallowing in his vomit, about three in the morning, 
 and Some Time after died suddenly." 
 
 Farnworth. 
 
 1671. John Minshall, Samuell Barrow, George Birch, 
 Thomas Barnes, Thomas Taylor, and Robert Barton 
 " committed to prison for refusing to pay toward the 
 repairing of Farnworth Chapel. 
 
 Westhoughton. 
 
 1672. Elizabeth Hirt of this place was committed to 
 the House of Correction, Manchester, at the instance 
 
 1 James Harrison was born near Kendal and was a shoemaker by 
 trade. After being called to the ministry, he " travelled in many parts 
 of this Nation and particularly in the lower parts of Lancashire where 
 he marryed." He and his son-in-law, Phineas Pemberton emigrated 
 to America from Bolton in 1682.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 47 
 
 of John Angier * " a Priest who dwelt at Deane near 
 Boulton upon a charge of having two children be- 
 gotten." After being detained ten weeks to the 
 Quarter Sessions she was released on production of 
 her marriage Certificate. 
 
 Blackrod. 
 
 1684. Jonathan Rigby was fined £20 and had taken 
 from him cows &c. worth £27. 
 
 (14) Haslingden and District 
 
 Haslingden. 
 
 1660. Taken by a Constable and committed to prison 
 the following : — 
 
 Abraham Hayworth, 2 Henry Birtwisle, Richard 
 Ratcliff, John Grime, Laurence Taylor, James Ratcliff, 
 Henry Wood, John Cowper, Isabel Wood, Mary 
 Roysteron, Alice Roysteron, Agnes Robinson, Katherine 
 Doe, Isabel Ratcliff, Elizabeth Birtwisle, Margaret 
 Birtwisle, Mary Hayworth and Elizabeth Hayworth. 
 
 1 68 1. Henry Birtwistle and George Hayworth sent to 
 prison at the suit of John Duckworth 3 "priest" 
 there. 
 
 C asset (?). 
 
 1682. John Aspinal committed to Lancaster Castle at 
 the suit of John Duckworth, " priest of Haslingden." 
 
 Rossendale. 
 
 1670 (About). " Some informers meeting some Friends 
 going homeward from Rosendale took their names and 
 
 1 Only son of John Angier of Denton. He conformed in 1662, and 
 was instituted to Dean Church, Nov. 19th of that year. He remained 
 until 1672. 
 
 * The Heyworth or Haworth family in these parts appears to have 
 been very considerable, and in documents of this period the name of 
 Abraham Heyworth occurs repeatedly. Meetings were often held in 
 his house. Thomas Lorimer (vide pp. 45 and 60) came to him as an 
 apprentice " in his childhood." 
 
 3 John Duckworth, M.A., was licensed in 1680, and died in 1695, aged 
 44 years.
 
 48 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 swore that they were at a meeting at Henry Birtwisle's 
 house." They had their goods distrained to the 
 value of £35. 
 1684. Abraham Hayworth's house at which a meeting 
 was being held was visited by " two bold informers " ; 
 and James Ratcliff, though he was not present at the 
 meeting, was said to be preaching there, and fined 
 £20 " for which the officers broke open five Doors, 
 and took away twelve Kine and an Horse worth 
 
 £39." 
 
 (15) Place Names not Given 
 
 1654-6. Edward Hulley for attempting to exhort the 
 people at Pately Bridge was kicked until he was nearly 
 killed. 
 
 Henry Wood for asking a Priest " whether he did 
 witness the Truth of what he taught " was badly beaten 
 and sent to prison where he lay thirteen weeks. 
 
 1659. " In this and the preceding years," says Besse, 
 " were taken by Distress for Tithes " the following : — 
 
 Name. 
 
 Demanded. 
 
 Goods Ta 
 
 ken 
 
 Richard Ashburner . 
 
 £2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 £6 
 
 17 
 
 
 
 Oliver Atherton 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 Samuel Barrow 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 Thomas Barrow 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 Richard Britton 
 
 I 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 11 
 
 8 
 
 John Chambers 
 
 I 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 Edmund Clayton 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 Thomas Curwen 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 Thomas Earle . 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 Thomas Fell 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 William Greenbank . 
 
 . 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 22 
 
 
 
 
 
 Richard Hargreaves . 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 Edward Harrison 
 
 2 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 17 
 
 
 
 Laurence Hey . 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 Thomas Leaper 
 
 ■ 7 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 Roger Leatherbarrow 
 
 - 3 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 

 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 
 
 49 
 
 
 Amount 
 
 Value of 
 
 
 Demanded. 
 
 Goods Taken 
 
 Richard Miers . ' 
 
 £3 
 
 
 
 
 
 £15 
 
 John Minshall . 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 Edward Moon . 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 13 4 
 
 Thomas Moon . 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 3 9 
 
 George Pye 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 Thomas Pierson 
 
 I 
 
 13 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 John Pierson . 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 090 
 
 William Simpson 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 John Townsend 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 I 10 
 
 Robert Walker 
 
 3 
 
 17 
 
 4 
 
 10 18 4 
 
 Alice Woolhead 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 500 
 
 
 £4i 
 
 18 
 
 6 
 
 £172 15 10 
 
 Richard Ashburner, Richard Miers, Thomas Leaper, 
 Oliver Atherton, and Thomas Cur wen also suffered 
 imprisonment for Tithes ; Robert Stout * the same 
 during a period of 18 months ; Thomas Atkinson five 
 months ; Richard Cubham a considerable time ; 
 Robert Widders two and a half years ; and Richard 
 Apener died in Imprisonment for the same. John 
 Barrow, Thomas Atkinson, James Taylor and Richard 
 Fell had goods taken to the value of £27. 13. 2. 
 Thomas Hill was a sufferer for the same cause. 
 1659. For refusing to take the oath on several occasions 
 we have the following : — 
 
 George Barrow 
 Thomas Cummin 
 John Hargreaves 
 Thomas Leaper 
 John Minshall 
 
 Goods taken to the 
 
 value of 
 £10 11 4 
 
 1 The Stouts were an old Quaker family in Lancaster of much im- 
 portance. Some years ago was published the " Autobiography of 
 William Stout of Lancaster, wholesale and retail Grocer and Ironmonger, 
 a member of the Society of Friends, a.d. 1665-1752." It is exceedingly 
 interesting and illuminating in reference not only to Quaker history but 
 also to Nonconformity in that town.
 
 50 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Thomas Green 1 
 Richard Hargreaves 
 John Sagar 
 Robert Walker 
 George Stythe 
 John Smith 
 
 William Seaman 
 John Smith 
 Richard Weaver 
 Peter Sharlton 
 John Townson 
 
 • £12 3 o 
 
 12 15 o 
 
 £35 9 4 
 
 1660. Committed to Lancaster Gaol for refusing to 
 swear the following : — 
 
 Richard Madder, Edward Dawson, Nehemiah Poole, 
 
 Arthur Walker, Hannah Taylor, Henry Mosse and 
 
 Ellen Aired. 
 1660. Committed to Lancaster Castle for refusing the 
 
 Oath &c. :— 
 
 Ralph Barnes, Samuel Barnes, Thomas Barnes, 
 John Barrow, Samuel Barrow, James Barton, Thomas 
 Earle, Samuel Dunbabin, Richard Goose, Gilbert 
 Hoult, Richard Houlden, Henry Holbrook, John 
 Minshall, Samuel Minshall, Savage Mason, John Mercer, 
 John Johnson, John Seddon, Richard Tarbock and 
 Thomas Taylor. 
 1660. John West, Christopher West, William Hanson, 
 Thomas Ackringly, Robert Ardington, Elizabeth Driver 
 and Anne Driver with Thomas Patefield " a poor 
 labouring man " at whose house they were met were 
 committed to the Castle. Similarly Alice Ambrose, 
 Mary Tomkins and John Lawson " for reproving a 
 Priest." 
 
 1 Thomas Green was a shopkeeper of Lancaster. He is styled 
 " grocer " and " mercer," and appears to have acted as forwarding 
 agent for letters and parcels.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 51 
 
 1660. Robert Biggs was imprisoned. He is given as 
 of Hollowmire probably in the Furness District. 
 
 1661. Edward Lord, Ralph Ridgway, Nehemiah Poole, 
 Edward Dawson, Richard Madder, James Bold, John 
 Aldred, John Blinkhorne, Henry Wood, John Wood, 
 John Abraham, Isaac Mosse, and Abraham Garside 
 were beset with armed men as they were leaving a 
 meeting and sent to Lancaster Gaol. 
 
 1661. Thomas Cuming, 1 Robert Wilson, Henry Crosfield, 
 Thomas Harrison, William Mashter, Robert Taylor, 
 George Escridge, Robert Walker, Thomas Hodgson, 
 William Gunson, John Fowler, Timothy Taylor, 
 Robert Bruce, William Taylor, Matthew Jepson, 
 Robert Thornton, Bryan Hodgson, William Weaver, 
 George Cawson, William Harrison, Robert Mayor, 
 William Coward and Robert Hinde sent to prison for 
 being at a meeting. 
 
 1662. Thomas Moon, William Brewer, John White, 
 John Townsend and John Moon for demands for 
 tithes £2. 14. 5. were distressed to the value of 
 
 £i5- 19s. 
 
 Gilbert Whitside suffered 23 months' imprisonment ; 
 
 and George Lydiatt, Roger Leatherbarrow and Richard 
 
 Johnson " for Steeplehouse Rates " amounting to 
 
 19/3 had goods distrained to the value of £3. 8s. 2d. 
 
 1663. Roger Hartley, Stephen Sagar, John Sagar, and 
 Richard Hargreaves for demands of the value of 
 £3. 5. lost goods value £11. 10. 6. For Tithes the 
 following were prisoners in the Castle : — Thomas 
 Cubham, Richard Curwen, Isaac Ashton, Thomas 
 Chaddock, Henry Woods, Richard Johnson, John 
 Smallshaw and Henry Hulgreave. 
 
 1663. John Satterthwait and Samuel Sandys died 
 prisoners for their Testimony against Tithes ; and for 
 
 1 Thomas dimming or Cummings was a dyer of Lancaster. Letters 
 appear frequently to have been consigned to him for delivery at 
 Swarthmoor Hall.
 
 52 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 refusing the oath of Allegiance the following were 
 committed to prison : — 
 
 Thomas Chorley, Thomas Waters, William Greave, 
 John Stubbs, Thomas Davenport, James Brown, 
 William Wilson, 1 Edward Satterthwaite and George 
 Holme. 
 1664. William Wireside, Mary Boult, Gilbert Whiteside 
 had goods distrained for " Steeplehouse Rates." 
 
 1664. 
 
 Robert Wales 
 Robert Briggs 
 T. Crossfield 
 James Lancaster 
 Richard Fell 
 
 Richard Walker 
 Giles Walker 
 Thomas Chorley 
 Robert Widders 
 Thomas Leaper 
 
 Distress for Meetings 
 £21 14 o 
 
 £21 10 
 
 1664. Alexander Rigby had two horses taken worth 
 £5 ; James Gregory a Cow worth £3. These two 
 along with Jonathan Rigby, George Bradshaw, Ralph 
 Wood, Alice Pemberton and Margaret Bradley were 
 committed to the House of Correction for three months. 
 
 Thomas Warriner, James Hadwen, Robert Clark, 
 Richard Borough and William Jackson were committed 
 to prison for religious meetings. 
 
 1665. Thomas Moone for £1. 6s. demanded had goods 
 worth £14 taken. 
 
 John Minshall for 14s. demanded had goods taken 
 value £3, 13s. 4d. 
 
 1 William Wilson was of Langdale Chapel Stile, in Westmorland. He 
 travelled far in the interests of his mission, including the British Isles, 
 Holland, and Germany. In 1685 he wrote to Daniel Fleming about his 
 friend, William Grave, who " is this day lyeing in the perall of death." 
 Grave, however, recovered, for in 1664 Wilson writing to Fox says : 
 " I have thoughts this weeke with our friend William Grave to goe dounc- 
 to Carlile to visitte our friends there in prison."
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 53 
 
 1665 Francis Benson, for being at a meeting had 
 ' Coat and Hat taken from him and his daughter 
 her Petticoat." They were imprisoned also for being 
 at meetings. 
 
 James Fell, Leonard Fell, Christopher Milner, 
 William Holme, Bernard Benson, William Rigg, 
 Thomas Sale, James Sikes, and Thomas Yates were 
 imprisoned for the same. Reginald Walker, Elizabeth 
 Wilson and Michael Wilson for Easter offerings 2d. 
 each were distressed twenty times that amount. 
 
 1666. George Benson, Richard Walker, William 
 Satterthwaite, Richard Johnson and John Smallshaw 
 were committed to prison at the suit of Edward 
 Morton, priest. 
 
 1666. At the house of Giles Walker, George Benson, 
 Reginald Holme, John Dixon, Michael Wilson, Edward 
 Hird, Reginald Walker were taken whilst a meeting 
 was being held and sent to prison. Giles Walker's 
 house is said to be at Walker-Ground, which was 
 probably in the Furness District. 
 
 1667. John Townson and John White were imprisoned 
 in Lancaster Castle for refusing to meet the demands 
 
 ' toward the Repairs of the Steeplehouse." 
 
 1668. John Sagar prosecuted in the Ecclesiastical Court 
 was excommunicated for not appearing at the time 
 
 ' when he was close shut up in Gaol " and in con- 
 sequence of the Excommunication was detained in 
 prison four and a half years. 
 1668. James Taylor, Thomas Barrow, Thomas Atkinson 
 and Laurence Newton had goods taken for non-payment 
 of Tithes to the value of £28. 5. 
 
 1668. John Ashton, John Haydock, Thomas Lorimer, 
 Hugh Taylor, Henry Wood, and Thomas Sale committed 
 to Lancaster Gaol for meeting at John Ashton's house. 
 
 1669. Abraham Hayworth for 10/ demanded had 
 goods taken worth . . . . . £2 10 o 
 
 Henry Birtwisle for 10/. demanded had 
 goods taken worth . . . . . 1 13 4
 
 54 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Abraham Hayworth for 15/. demanded 
 had goods taken worth . . . . £2 10 a 
 
 Thomas and Alice Beakbain for £3. 14. 5. 
 had goods taken worth . . . . 5 15 o 
 
 Reginald Walker for 16/ demanded was imprisoned 
 in Dalton Castle 18 weeks. 
 
 Roger Longworth, Anthony Shaw, Alexander 
 Hatton, Heskin Fell were sent to prison " for meeting 
 together to worship God," and Heskin Fell, whilst in 
 prison was fined £20 " for suffering a meeting at his 
 House." 
 
 1670. Reginald Walker imprisoned seven weeks at 
 Kendal " at the suit of John Ambrose x priest of 
 Grassmore." 
 
 Thomas Beakbean for "a pretended Marriage fee 
 had goods taken from him worth 7/ " though the 
 Priest who claimed it had no Concern in marrying 
 him "as he was married in an assembly of 
 Quakers." 
 
 1671. Mary Hargreaves, John Hardiman and Edward 
 Dawson had goods distrained. 
 
 1672. John Smallshaw was sent to prison for Tithes ; 
 and the following were distrained for the same : — 
 Robert Atkinson, Elizabeth Barrow, Richard Brittain, 
 Laurence Newton and Thomas Atkinson. 
 
 1674. John Fowler, and George Cawson were imprisoned 
 four months at Lancaster for a small " Demand for 
 Steeple house Repairs." 
 
 Robert Salthouse and James Harrison had goods 
 distrained for meetings in their houses the former to 
 the value of £6, the latter £11. 6. 
 
 1675. Thomas Bond, John Walker, and William Baines 
 prisoners in Lancaster Castle for Tithes. 
 
 Robert Hubbersty, Francis Flemming, William 
 Waithman, and James Waithman were committed 
 to Lancaster Castle on an Exchequer Prosecution at 
 the suit of Hugh Phillips, Tithe farmer, under the 
 
 1 John Ambrose, B.A., was at Grasmere from about 1660 to 1684.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 55 
 
 Dean of Worcester. John Grime distressed by 
 Laurence Ormond, Tithe farmer. 
 1676. Alice Haydock, widow, prosecuted for tithes by 
 the Bishop of Chester and sent to Lancaster. 
 
 Henry Birtwistle for Tithes value 10/ was distressed 
 to the value of £3. 6. 8. 
 
 1676. John Vipon had " a piece of Kersey " taken 
 worth £1. 10. for Tithe ; Mary Walker was fined £20 
 for having a meeting in her house ; and William 
 Wilson the same sum for preaching. 
 
 1677. John Veepan, William Whaley, Richard 
 Hargreaves, John Bordman, and John Grime " after 
 prosecution in the Wapentake Court for Tithes " 
 were distressed to the extent of £15, 7. 4. 
 
 1677. Thomas Crosby, Joseph Coppuck and John 
 Johnson had their goods distrained for a meeting at 
 this place to the extent of £8. 5. The place where 
 this occurred is given as Franley, which has not been 
 identified. 
 
 1677. George Rigg, Edward Stones, Informers, gave 
 intelligence to Miles Dolding * of a meeting which led 
 to 35 being taken and 10 having their goods distrained 
 to the value of £35. 17. 10. The place where this 
 meeting was held is given as Height, probably the 
 same as Heighton and somewhere in the Furness 
 District. 
 
 1678. George Pye for £5. 13. 4., had goods distrained 
 to the value £21. 
 
 Andrew Lund, Henry Townson and John Townson 
 ' for trivial demands of tithes " were imprisoned in 
 the Fleet at London about four years. 
 
 Many persons in the County fined to the extent 
 of £74, 17. 4. for absence from the National 
 Worship. 
 
 1 Miles Dodding was a Justice of the Peace belonging to the Cartmell 
 district. He was related to Sir Daniel Fleming and Colonel Richard 
 Kirkby, both of whom were vigilant in their persecution of the 
 Quakers.
 
 56 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 1679. William Whaley goods distrained to 
 
 the value of . 
 Stephen Sagar goods distrained to the value of 
 Peter Shackleton goods distrained to the 
 
 value of ..... 
 William Hatton goods distrained to the value 
 
 James Fletcher goods distrained to the value 
 
 £4 
 18 
 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 1 10 
 
 
 
 1 5 
 
 
 
 £12 13 
 
 6 
 
 1680. Thomas Crosbie and Joshua Crosbie were com- 
 mitted to Lancaster Castle. 
 
 1680. Matthew Read of Heighton for a meeting at his 
 house had taken from him goods value £20, 10. 
 
 1 68 1. Henry Wood sent to prison at the suit of the 
 priest there. The place given is Bramble, which has 
 not been identified. 
 
 1682. John Fell, John Curwen, John Cowel, William 
 Salthouse, James Geldert, Thomas Fisher and William 
 Towers fined after prosecution in the Exchequer 
 Court for Tithes at the suit of Mary Woodburn, Tithe 
 farmer. Goods taken to the value of £64. 16. 3. 
 
 Also John Walker, Alice Bakebean, Christopher 
 Widdow and John Lees for £10, 17. 6. distressed 
 nearly three times the amount. 
 
 1683. Robert Salthouse and others fined for meeting. 
 
 1683. John Leigh and William Wilde at the suit of 
 William Richardson; Tithe farmer, committed to 
 prison. 
 
 1684. Richard Cubham, Godfrey Atherton, John 
 Minshall, William Crowdson, John Bispham, Daniel 
 Bispham, Richard Busby, Alexander Roylance, James 
 Frodsham, Thomas Hiccock, William Griffith, Gilbert 
 Potter, Eleanor Billings, Henry Foster, Joseph Coppuck, 
 Joshua Crosbie, and Henry Walton, prisoners for being 
 at a meeting were brought before Judge Jeffries who
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 57 
 
 fined them £20 each. They were recommitted to 
 
 prison, and Henry Foster died there. 
 
 Daniel Abraham, 1 James Goddard and Leonard Fell 
 
 sent to prison for being absent from the National 
 
 Worship. 
 
 William Rawlinson, Abraham Ravvlinson, Elizabeth 
 
 Saunders, Mary Benson, Henry Stones, Edward 
 
 Robinson, Barbara Satterthwait and Isabel Forest 
 
 committed to prison. 
 1684. James Ratcliff, Nicholas Rawthorne, John 
 
 Rawthorne, John Hargreaves, Alice Hargreaves, 
 
 Abraham Hay worth, Richard Mather, William Jackson, 
 
 Henry Crook and Henry Hargreaves were indited at 
 
 Manchester and sent to prison. 
 About the same time Francis Flemming was sent to 
 
 prison ; also William Satterthwait, Edward Satter- 
 
 thwaite, and Thomas Skerrow. 
 1684. At the interment of the wife of Henry Tomlinson 
 
 John Hayton was fined for speaking a few words and 
 
 the owners of the burial ground were fined also. 
 
 Tomlinson afterwards sent to prison. 
 1684. John Townson for a meeting at his house, Henry 
 
 Houlden, Thomas Tomlinson and Henry Tomlinson 
 
 for being there had goods distrained. 
 
 1 Daniel Abraham belonged to Manchester, being the only surviving 
 child of John and Rachel Abraham of that city. In 1682, he married 
 Rachel, daughter of Thomas Fell, and they resided at Swarthmoor Hall 
 with Margaret Fox. He was very aggressive in the advocacy of Quaker 
 principles, and suffered in consequence. In 1691 he purchased Swarth- 
 moor Hall, which at his death in 1731 passed on to a son, John, who 
 sold it in 1759. In her deeply interesting and valuable work, Margaret 
 Fox of Swarthmoor Hall, Helen G. Crosfield writes : " For a hundred 
 and fifty years the Hall has remained in the hands of strangers, but it 
 has recently (191 2) come into the possession of a descendant of Judge 
 and Margaret Fell, Miss Emma C. Abraham of Birkenhead, who has 
 started the much needed work of renovation and restoration. By 
 the deed of purchase, certain members of the Society of Friends have 
 the option of acquiring the Hall on the death of the present owner 
 and her heir, and it would therefore seem probable that Swarthmoor 
 Hall, after a long period of different ownership, will eventually become 
 the property of the Society of Friends."
 
 58 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 1684. John Rosthwait and Alice Ratcliff for absenting 
 themselves from the National Worship were fined. 
 
 Daniel Abraham and his wife and Margaret Fox and 
 Leonard Fell were prisoners at Lancaster Castle. 
 
 1685. Richard Britton, George Barrow, John Gurnall, 
 Miles Birkett, and Jennet Dixon were prosecuted " at 
 the suit of Thomas Preston of Holcar, Esqr." 
 
 Henry Mitchell was sent to prison. George Hayworth 
 and Henry Birtwisle were committed at the suit of 
 Sir Edmund Ashton. John Backhouse and Richard 
 Lancaster with several others had their goods 
 distrained. 
 
 William Atkinson and Nathan Kenerdy had goods 
 distrained for nine weeks' absence from the National 
 Worship. 
 1687 Richard Hargreaves, John Sagar, John Hudson, 
 Roger Hartley, Nicholas Holgate, Jeffrey Shackerly, 1 
 John Horabin, Robert Atkinson, George Birch and 
 Peter Barnes were committed to prison on writ de 
 excom. cap. at the suit of Sir Edmund Ashton, Im- 
 propriator for Tithes. 
 
 1689. " Taken from sundry persons out of the Fields 
 for Tithes " to the amount of £79. 14. 10. 
 
 1690. Taken in kind this year from Quakers in the 
 County £134. 14. 5. 
 
 2. THE FIRST PUBLISHERS OF THE TRUTH 
 
 The references to Lancashire in this important work, 
 published in 1907, are meagre, and it is, of course, quite 
 obvious that what follows is not to be regarded as ex- 
 haustive. Here, again, the material is first hand, having 
 been collected during the years 1680 to 1720, and, there- 
 fore, is most trustworthy. Some of the names of 
 Besse's " Sufferers " given in the previous section, appear 
 in The First Publishers of the Truth in the account 
 of the Westmorland meetings, which is fairly full. 
 
 1 To be distinguished from Sir Geoffrey Shakerley, who was Governor 
 of Chester Castle, and who was an active persecutor of the Quakers.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 59 
 
 They are not given here because this is restricted to 
 Lancashire : — 
 
 Knowsley. 
 
 The introduction of Quakerism into Knowsley and 
 Huyton in 1654 * s attributed to " Thomas Hulmes " x 
 of Kendal, the first to receive " him and others " 
 being William Hatton of Knowsley, Mason, and 
 Peter Laithwait of Huyton. About eleven months 
 after this Benjamin Boult of Knowsley and Mary his 
 wife were " convinced," and shortly afterwards James 
 Fletcher then of Prescot. Boult became quite aggres- 
 sive in the interests of the new faith, going " to 
 the Steeple house " at Huyton to question " the priest 
 William Bell 2 concerning his doctrine " and after- 
 wards travelling to Bristol and other places. At 
 Shrewsbury he was a prisoner for many weeks and 
 died March 25th, 1661, shortly after being set at 
 liberty. His widow became James Fletcher's wife, 
 whose itinerant labours almost eclipsed those of Fox 
 himself in the matter of extensiveness of area. James 
 Fletcher died in his own house at Knowsley, March 
 16th, 1697. 
 
 Marsden. 
 
 " Ye message of glad tydings " was first brought to 
 this place, which is near the Yorkshire border "in ye 
 summer, 1653 " by William Dewsbury, Thomas Stubbs, 3 
 and Christopher Taylor, Dewsbury and Taylor being 
 from Yorkshire and Stubbs from Cumberland. 
 Colne shared in their labours and Thomas Taylor, 
 
 1 Thomas Holme was a weaver of Kendal. He laboured much in 
 Cheshire and Wales. His wife, Elizabeth Leavens (vide, p. 44, note 2), 
 was also a preacher and sufferer. 
 
 * William Bell, M.A., was at Elswick in 1649, and at Huyton in 1654. 
 Calamy says that he was ejected here, but if so, he would seem to have 
 returned, and he continued his labours until his death in 1683. 
 
 * Thomas Stubbs, of Dalston in Cumberland, was an early convert. 
 He had been a soldier, and was imprisoned with some others for dis- 
 turbing worship at Dean, in that county. He was an enthusiast for 
 the new gospel, which he had accepted.
 
 60 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Christopher Taylor's brother is mentioned in connec- 
 tion with Colne as "an early labourer in ye gospel." 
 James Smithson, Anne Wilkinson, James Wilkinson, 
 Richard Hargreaves of Edge-end and Henry Robinson 
 are said to have " first received those first messengers 
 and their message." John Moore 1 of Foulridge and 
 William Whalley of these parts are referred to as 
 " faithful " labourers who " travelled through many 
 parts of this nation in ye service of ye Lord." 
 
 Rossendale. 
 
 William Dewsbury and Thomas Stubbs are named 
 as the first to introduce the message to this place. It 
 is recorded that " no sufferings were inflicted on 
 them but many gladly received them, yea, ye then 
 priest of Rossendale, Thomas Sommerton, received 
 them, & William Dewsbury had a large time of 
 ministring in ye steeplehouse & afterwards ye priest 
 confirmed by words ye Testimony delivered." The 
 first to receive the message were Susan Hey worth, 
 widow, and Mary Birtwisle, widow. To this district 
 belongs Thomas Lorimer, who in his childhood " came 
 Apprentice to Abraham Heyworth " [Haworth of Ros- 
 sendale] and was subsequently at John Fielden's of 
 Hartley Royd. In 1669 he travelled in various Counties 
 of England and even in Ireland, in the interests of the 
 movement ; and died at Rossendale May 8, 1678. 
 
 Oldham. 
 
 The first to bring " ye glad-tydings " to Oldham 
 were James Taylor, 2 Richard Roper, 3 John Braithwait 4 
 
 1 John Moore lived at Ball House, now an old farm house, near 
 Foulridge. 
 
 2 Of James Taylor little is known. Along with Robert Widders he 
 laboured considerably in the north of England and died about 1687. 
 
 3 It is recorded that " Priest Bennet [Philip Bennett] of Cartmel, 
 came out of an ale-house being in drink, with Richard Raper [Roper] 
 and boasted that he beat him and struck up his heels." 
 
 4 Possibly John Braithwaite, son of James Braithwaite of Newton. 
 He travelled much in the interests of his faith, the sharer of those 
 travels being Thomas Briggs. He died before 1681.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 61 
 
 and Thomas Briggs, 1 four Furness men. At Oldham 
 they were " haled out of ye steeple house yeard " by 
 Tetlow, Churchwarden, " who thrust them over ye 
 wall " ; and at Ashton - under - Lyne " Priest 
 Harrison 2 gave Charge " that the people " should not 
 Entertain them into their houses." The first that 
 entertained the new preachers and their message were 
 James Sykes 3 and Joshua Ogden. 
 
 3. THE CONVENTICLE RETURNS OF 1669 
 
 These " Returns " are in the Lambeth Library 
 and the MS. was recently printed by the late Professor 
 Turner in his monumental work Original Records of Early 
 Nonconformity under Persecution and Indulgence. The 
 following are taken from it. It will be noted that names 
 of persons are not supplied, but in other respects the 
 information is quite illuminating ; and, in particular, 
 it gives some idea of the strength of Quakerism in the 
 County at the time. 
 
 (1) Blackburn Deanery 
 Haslingden. 
 
 Quakers to the number of about 20. 
 
 Burnley. 
 
 Severall Meetings of Quakers. 
 
 Rossendale. 
 Quakers. 
 
 (2) Leyland Deanery 
 Standish. 
 
 Monthly meetings of Quakers, their number about 
 40 or 50, and several other Conventicles. 
 
 1 Thomas Briggs, possibly of Bolton-le-Sands and born about 1610. 
 He travelled considerably in England and suffered much, dying about 
 1685. 
 
 2 John Harrison, B.A., was at Ashton from 1643 to 1662, being 
 ejected by the Uniformity Act in the latter year. 
 
 3 James Sykes was "at Lingards in Slaighwood, Almondsbury, Yorks," 
 at the time of his decease in 1679. He was buried at Heyside.
 
 62 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 (3) Manchester Deanery 
 Manchester. 
 
 Frequent Conventicles of Nonconformists (which are 
 the most numerous). Others of Anabaptists, Quakers. 
 The persons are Tradesmen, and mostly women. 
 
 Bury. 
 
 Meetings of Quakers to a great number. Severall 
 other Conventicles of Presbyterians, Independents, 
 Dippers & such like, of the best ranke of the 
 yeomanry. 
 
 (4) Warrington Deanery 
 North Meols. 
 
 Several Quakers and Papists. 
 
 Ormskirk. 
 
 Some Convent, of Nonconf. Papists. Quakers. 
 
 (5) Kendal Deanery 
 Warton. 
 
 Meeting of Quakers, about 40. 
 
 Bolton-le-Sands. 
 
 Meeting of Quakers to the number of 40, sometimes 
 more. 
 
 Burton (partly in Lancashire and partly in Westmorland). 
 Quakers 50, sometimes more. 
 
 (6) Furness Deanery 
 Hawkshead. 
 
 Quakers meet in great numbers. 
 
 Ulverston. 
 
 Independents & Quakers. 
 
 Cartmell. 
 
 Quakers about 50 & some Anabaptists. 
 
 Cartmell Fell Chapel. 
 Quakers.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 63 
 
 Aldingham. 
 
 Some Quakers. 
 
 Colton. 
 
 Quakers. 
 
 (7) Lonsdale Deanery 
 Tatham. 
 
 Meeting of Quakers about 40 or upwards. 
 
 Melting, 
 
 Quakers to the number of 20 & upwards & Non- 
 conformists to the number of 16 & upwards. 
 
 Thornton. 
 
 Some few Quakers. 
 
 Heysham. 
 
 Quakers about 40. 
 
 (8) Amounderness Deanery 
 Kirkham. 
 
 There are 3 sorts of Conventicles within this parish ; 
 one of Papists, the second of Quakers neere litle 
 Eccleston ; the third of Phanaticks att Lund Chappell 
 & att Heape Chap. 
 
 4. CHURCH PAPERS 
 
 The following from the Church Papers in the Registry 
 Office, Chester, have been taken from MSS. kindly lent 
 by Dr Farrer. They begin with 1665 and continue to 
 1680. It should be noted that it is upon these returns 
 in the various Dioceses that the Lambeth MS. printed 
 in Professor Turner's book l is based. They are, however, 
 considerably more full and illuminating than the Lambeth 
 Returns. They include Presentments and other matters, 
 and relate to Nonconformists and Papist Recusants as 
 well as Quakers ; but they are printed here because it 
 
 1 Vide p. 61.
 
 64 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 is not possible always to distinguish the one from the 
 other and because the information is almost entirely new. 
 
 1665 DEANERY OF LEYLAND 
 
 Br indie. 
 
 Against Ric. Blackburne & Dorothy his wife, 
 Elizth. Standish & Alice Hawkshead, servant there, 
 James Gerrard of Well & Alice his wife, & Thos. 
 Gars tang, Oliver Gerrard of Denham & his wife, 
 Evan Gerrard & Jennet his wife, John Gerrard of 
 Hoult, Tho. Gerrard & Lettice his wife, Hen. Gerrard 
 & Jennet, his wife, Margaret wife of Oliver Gerrard of 
 Clacke, Alice Gerrard wid., Elizth. Gerrard wid., Hen. 
 Gerrard the younger & Margt. his wife [& others] 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Chorley. 
 
 Against Thos. Gelibrand & Anne his wife, John 
 Gelibrand gent., Elizth. Anderton, Will. Banister, 
 Hugh Tootell & Margt. his wife, Anne Toot ell, Emlyn 
 Baldwyn [and others] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Croston. 
 
 Against Will Smart, Schoolmaster at Bretherton 
 for non-appearance. He appd. & exhib. his lie. dated 
 21 Aug. 1662. 
 
 Against John Trafford Esq. & Anne his wife, 
 Dorothy Ashton, wid., Ellen Bradshawe, Will Worsley, 
 the younger, Margt. Worsley wid. John Crooke, 
 Ellen w. of Will Hoghton, Elizth. Backhouse, wid. 
 Nich. Atherton, Cuthbert Clifton & Isabella his wife 
 Will Westhead & Anne his wife, Robt. Mawdsley & 
 Ellen his wife, Thos. Backhouse, the wife of Robert 
 Banister, the wife of Geoffrey Tarleton, Edward 
 Bowker & Jennet his wife, Ric. Bowker the younger, 
 Mary wife of Edward Bampford, Gilbert Lancaster & 
 his wife, Henry Cuerden & Catherine his wife, [& 
 others] Popish Recusants.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 65 
 
 Against John Milner of Mawdesley, schoolmaster, 
 for teaching a private school. 
 
 Against Will Thompson of Rufford, for the same. 
 
 Against James Forshawe of Tarlton for the same. 
 He produced the Bishop's lie. dat. 29 Aug. 1662. 
 
 Hoole. 
 
 Against Margt. w. of John Wignall, Hen. Wallin & 
 Ric. Parke, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Penwortham. 
 Nil. 
 Mr Fleetwood, farmer. 
 
 Rufford. 
 
 Present. Wanting. 
 
 Will. Thompson, schoolmaster. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Against Gervase Winterbothom, schoolmaster for 
 non-app. He appd. & produced his licence. 
 
 Against Robt. Charnocke, usher. 
 
 He appd. 
 . Against Hugh Marsen (?) for teaching school in a 
 private house. 
 
 Against Robert Charnocke & his wife, John Norris 
 & his wife, Thomas Durham, James Houghton, John 
 Charnocke, Will. Anderton, Esq. Thos. Worthington 
 Esq., & his wife, Rog. Anderton, Mary Anderton, 
 Grace Anderton, Elizth. Mather [& others] Recusants. 
 
 [No Quakers] 
 
 1669. 
 Brindle. 
 
 No unlawful meetings except of Papists who generally 
 meet on Saboth dayes and other holly dayes at the 
 house of Ellen Shay, spinster, and Ric. Ridley, Cowper. 
 The gent, who reads masse & inhabites in the toune 
 goes under the name of John Bcrkett. 
 E
 
 66 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Standish. 
 
 There is a monthly meeting of Quakers at the house 
 of Meakin [Heskin] Fell in Coppull : their number is 
 about 40 or 50. 
 
 The Curate certifies that he understands there are 
 many other Conventicles in the parish. 
 
 Chorley. 
 
 Penwortham. 
 
 Croston. 
 
 Eccleston. 
 Ley land. 
 Hoole. 
 Rufford. 
 Longton. 
 
 Nothing presented. 
 
 Unreturned. 
 
 1670. 
 Chorley. 
 
 Against John Gelibrand gent. Robt. Waring, John 
 Tootell & Hugh Tootell, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Much Hoole. 
 
 Against Margt. Wignall, Richd. Parke, & Hen. 
 Wilson, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Penwortham. 
 
 Against Hen. Pope & Jennet his wife, Alice wife of 
 Richard Southorth, Will. Croston, Will Rushton [& 
 others] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Brindle. 
 
 Against Ric. Blackburne gent. & his wife, Thos. 
 Walmsley gent. & his wife, James Gerrard of Well & 
 his wife, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against Evan Gerrard of Well the younger & his 
 wife, John Gerrard of Breaworth & his wife, & Anne of 
 their family, Elizth. wife of John Hulton, John Lievsley 
 & John his son, Alice Gerrard, wid. Thomas Parr [and 
 others] Popish Recusants.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 67 
 
 Croston. 
 
 Against John Trafford gent. & Anne his wife, Dorothy 
 Ashton, wid. Alex. Hesketh gent. & Monica his wife, 
 Margaret Worsley wid., Margt. w. of Nich. Atherton, 
 Elizth. Stanfield. 
 
 Against Hen. Yate, Anne Watkinson, wid., Dorothy 
 Wignall, Richd. Tootill, Isabella Gandy, Rich. Wose 
 & Anne his wife, Thos. Lea & Jane his wife, all of 
 Rufford, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against Hen. Nelson mort. & Alice his wife, Rich. 
 Nelson, Ralph Nelson, Thos. Nelson, Hen. Nelson, 
 Robert Mawdsley & Ellen his wife, James Finche & 
 Emlin his wife, Ric. Ayscough & Jane his wife, Alice 
 Pemberton, Ellen Yate, Elizth. Yate, John Harsnep, 
 Thomas Harsnep, Frances Harsnep [& others] all in 
 Mawdsley Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against Peter Lathom, Michael Pemberton, Humph. 
 Traves & Cath. his wife, Gilbert Burscowe [& others] 
 of Bispham, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against Edwd. Bowker & Jenet his wife, Ric. Bowker, 
 Blanch Whalley, Jennet Blackhurst, Senior, Edwd. 
 Bamford & Mary his wife, Elizth. Barrett, Ellen wife 
 of Will. Johnson & Margt. wife of Ricd. Crosse, all of 
 Bretherton, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against Rog. Ashton gent. Giles Chapman, gent., 
 Will. Graydell gent. & his wife, John Walmsley, Hugh 
 Jump mort, Robt. Jumpe, Hen. Martlew, Gilbert 
 Lancaster & his wife, Robt. Sayle & his wife, John 
 Dobson & Alice his wife, all of Uleswalton, Popish 
 Recusants. 
 
 Against James Gandy, Senior, Henry Cuerdel & 
 Catherine his wife, Margt. Whittle, wid., Ric. Leigh, 
 John Jumpe & his wife, Jennet Parke, John Parke, 
 Hen. Holme, Will. Colle & Anne his wife, Hen. Colle, 
 Sarah Cance wid., Anne Walbanke, Spinster, all of 
 Tarleton, Popibh Recusants.
 
 68 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Eccleston. 
 
 Against Mary Crane wid., Margt. Thompson Spinster, 
 Thos. Sherburne, gent. & Mary his wife, Nich. Heskeyn 
 & his wife, Will Croston & Margery his wife, Isabella 
 Scarsbricke, Thos. Nelson, gent., Ric. Nelson gent., 
 John Stopford & Jane his wife, Will Mawdsley & 
 Margt. his wife, John Brindle, Alice Brindle, Robt. 
 Brindle, [& others] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Leyland. 
 
 Against Mrs (Magistra) Grace Bould, Margt. Werden 
 & Elizth. Starkey of Leyland, for Recusancy. 
 
 Against Mrs Susan Orrell, Will. Whitehead, John 
 Hilton, WiU. Bankes, Will Dickeson, & Elizth. Bolton, 
 of Leyland for the same. 
 
 Against Hugh Anderton gent., Will. Tootell, Margt. 
 Hodson wid., John Woodcocke, Will. Melling, Laur. 
 Breres & Robt. Hodson all of Euxton for the same. 
 
 Against Dorothy Whittle, Rog. Worsley, John 
 Breres, Hen. Blackledge, Will. Farnworth, James 
 Gerrart, Anne Simpson, wid., all of Wheelton, and 
 Will. Eaton & Ric. Leekas of Winnell for the same. 
 
 Against Will. Sharrocke & John Crichlowe of Clayton, 
 Hugh Tootell of Whittle, & Thomas Woodcocke & 
 Alice Jackson of Cuerden for the same. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Against Will. Frith, labourer & Mary his wife, Jane 
 wife of Robt. Johnson, Elizth. Mather & Elizth. Mather 
 Spinsters all of Anderton for Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against Jane Fisher, John Gatliffe, Margt. Houghton 
 & Jane Pilkinton, all of Welsh- Whittle for the same. 
 
 Against Tho. Worthington, Esq., mort. Alex. Cawsey, 
 James Butler & Margt. his wife, Will. Mather & Thomas 
 Fazakerley, all of Worthington, for the same. 
 
 Against John Rigbye, Edward Woodward [blank] 
 Standish, wid., Will. Hatton and his wife and Alice 
 their daughter, Hugh Maddocke and Alex. Hatton, 
 all in Standish, for being Quakers.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 69 
 
 Against Tho. Worthington and Ellen his wife, 
 Tho. Worthington and Mary his wife, Geoff. Pilkinton 
 and his wife, Ric. Vaux and his wife for the same. 
 
 Against Robt. Cumberbacke of Langtree & his wife, 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against Rog. Pilkinton of Duxbury & his wife, Thos. 
 Lickhouse & his wife of the same for the same. 
 
 1671, 16 June. 
 
 Croston. 
 
 Against John Trafford gent. & Anne his wife, Alex. 
 Hesketh & Monica his wife, Robt. Mawdsley & Ellen 
 his wife, John Harsnep & Anne his wife, Hen. Finch, 
 Mary Bamford, Gilbert Lancaster & his wife, Hen. 
 Cuerdell & Catherine his wife [and others] Papists. 
 
 Eccleston. 
 
 Against Tho. Sherburne & Mary his wife, Ellen 
 Pilkington wid. Will. Croston, Tho. Nelson gent. 
 Ric. Nelson gent. Anne Mollyneux, wid. [and others] 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Penwortham. 
 
 Against Will. Werden & Catherine his wife, Peter 
 Werden & Jennet his wife, Alice wife of Ric. South- 
 worth, Will. Rushton, gent. & his wife, Jane wife of 
 Will. Bradshawe [and others] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Against Tho. Worthington Esq. & his wife, Tho. 
 Worthington & his wife, Alex. Duxbury & his wife, 
 James Butler & Margt his wife, Will Frith of 
 Charnocke Heath & his wife [and others] Popish 
 Recusants. 
 
 1680. 
 
 20 Oct. 
 
 Brindle. 
 
 Against James Lievsay of Plesington, par. of Black- 
 burne, Taylor, for disturbing ye Congregacon when ye 
 Minister was preaching a funcrall Sermon.
 
 70 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Chorley. 
 
 Against Mrs. Catherine Kaley, Mr. Rich. Chorley & 
 Catherine his wife, Mrs. Margt Chorley, Mr. Edward 
 Tootell & Anne his wife, Hugh Tootell & Margt. his 
 wife [& others] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Eccleston. 
 
 Against Hugh Dicconson Esq. Thos. Nelson gent. 
 & Ellen his wife, Elizabeth Halliwell wid. [& others] 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against John Coventree a Quaker. 
 
 Hoole. 
 
 Against [5] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Leyland. 
 
 Against Mrs. Dorothy Wesby, Mrs. Suzanna Orrell, 
 Mrs. Margaret Crooke [& others] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Euxton. 
 
 Against Mr. Will Anderson & Mary his wife [blank] 
 Anderton, wid. Mr. John Walmsley & his wife [& 
 others] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Whittle, Clayton & Cuerden. 
 
 Against [19] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Hoghton, Withnell & Wheelton. 
 
 Against [15] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Penwortham. 
 
 Against [14] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Against [11] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Langtree. 
 
 Against [14] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Shevington. 
 
 Against Mr. Woodward & his wife [and 9 others] 
 Popish Recusants.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 71 
 
 Welsh Whittle. 
 
 Against [6] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Adlington. 
 
 Against [4] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Coppull. 
 
 Against Tho. Worthington Esq. & his wife Mary 
 Worthington wid [and 10 others] Pop. Rec. 
 
 Against John Haydock and his wife, Rog. Haydock, 
 Alice Haydock, wid. Heskin Fell and his wife, Thomas 
 Jarmond and Roger Bibbie, reputed Quakers. 
 
 Worthington. 
 
 Against Edwd. Standish & Frances his wife [& 3 
 others] Pop. Recusants. 
 
 Heath Charnock. 
 
 Against [4] Pop. Recusants. 
 
 Anderton. 
 
 Against Jane wife of Will. Gregson, Will. Frith, and 
 Mary his wife, and Thomas Hatton absentees from 
 Church. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Against Mrs. Anne Houghton [& 14 others] all of 
 Charnock Richard, Popish Recusants. 
 
 1669 DEANERY OF AMOUNDERNESS 
 
 Kirkham Par. 
 
 There are three sorts of Conventicles viz. Papists, 
 Quakers and Phanaticall or mixt multitude. Of the 
 Papists there are two Conventicles very visible at 
 Westby-Hall rented by one Mr. Butler the supposed 
 priest, whither resort some hundreds. Another at 
 Moubricke where Mr. Hughson alias Whaley sojourneth 
 with Mrs. Westby and (as is more then said) officiates 
 as priest there. 
 
 At Mr. Gervas Clifton's of Plumpton (as is said) is
 
 72 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 set apart a place or Chappell for Romanists, but since 
 Mr. Hughson's abode at Moubricke it's not soe much 
 used. 
 
 At Salwicke Hall (it's said) the Romanists out of 
 Preston have their meetings. 
 
 In Great Singleton they be generally Papists but 
 have not their Conventicles soe fixed, but have two 
 or three supposed Priests. 
 
 There hath usually been a Conventicle of Quakers 
 at one Brewers house in or near Litle Eccleston. 
 
 Of the Phanaticall party there was a Conventicle 
 at Lund Chappell on Sunday in last Lent Assizes by 
 Mr. John Parr * and either for that or the like offence 
 the next Sunday at Heapa Chappell (it's said) he is 
 to answeare at the next assizes. 
 
 There was another Conventicle held by one Hartley 
 a Yorkshire man and lately a weaver and now an 
 Antinomian speaker, he usurped the pulpit at 
 Kirkham in the absence of the minister. He hath 
 also held many Conventicles at Gousnargh, the vacancy 
 of which Chappell gives the Nonconformists incourage- 
 ment to meet there since the expiracon of the Act 
 against Conventicles. 
 
 The factions plead Indulgence because of the Indul- 
 gence of the Papists and their experience that Church 
 wardens presentments are but laughed at. 
 
 1677 DEANERY OF LONSDALE 
 
 12 March 
 
 Arkholme Par. Melling. 
 
 Against Anthony Proctor, curate there, not licensed. 
 
 He appeared & showed his lie. obtained from the Bp. 
 
 3rd August last. Dismissed 2s. 6d. 
 
 1 John Parr was a prominent Nonconformist minister. He laboured 
 at Elswick, Darwen, and Walton near Preston. In 1672 he obtained 
 a licence to be a " Congregational teacher at Farington " and has an 
 honourable place in Calamy's list of worthies. He died about 171 4, 
 his will being proved in 171 6. He appears to have been particularly 
 active in his work during the period of persecution.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 73 
 
 Burton in Lonsdale. 
 
 Against Hen. Melling a Quaker. 
 
 Caton. 
 
 Against Robt. Croskell and Anne his wife, Laur. 
 Lea, Margt. Dobson, Tho. Kendall, Thomasene 
 Kendall, Anne Gibson, Jennet Gibson, Edwd. Wilson 
 and Jane his wife, Mary Dincley, Anne Bland, Will. 
 Croft and Dorothy his wife, Robt. Croft, Ellen Croft, 
 Tho. Hind and Margt. his wife, Jane Fawchett, Anne 
 Craven, Will. Stockdale and Anne his wife, Papists 
 and Quakers. 
 
 Against Margt. Dixon, a school dame unlicensed 
 and a papist. 
 
 Against John Dincley, schoolmaster for non-appear- 
 ance. Excom. issued. 
 
 Claughton. 
 
 Against Christr. Lawfeild & Elizth. his wife, Richard 
 Lawfeild & Jane his wife, Will. Sweetlove & Mary 
 his wife, Hen. Kellett & Margery his wife, Ralph 
 Chatburne & Ellen his wife, Dorothy Foxcroft, Anne 
 Thompson, Anne Kellett & Agnes Lawfeild, Papists. 
 
 Gressingham ) ^., 
 Hornby J 
 
 Melling. 
 
 Against Josiah Morley, gent & Dorothy his wife, 
 Ignotus Morley & Mary his wife [& others] Recusants. 
 
 Against Marmaduke Wildman, pretended School- 
 master for teaching school, reading prayers and 
 marrying being not in orders, nor licensed. 
 
 Mr. Kay, 1 minister there asserted Wildman to be in 
 Deacons' Orders 2s. 6d. 
 
 Thomas Kay, M.A., was educated at Oxford, being instituted to 
 the living at Melling on Dec. 24th 1077. This he held until 1O89.
 
 74 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Tatham. 
 
 Against Mrs. Elizth. Causfeild, James Wallin, Margt. 
 Towlnson, Papists. 
 
 Against Joseph Ward, Anne Ward, Martin Wildman, 
 John Wildman, James Wildman, Eliz. Wildman, 
 John Prestley, mort., Margt his pretended wife, John 
 Hodgson and Catherine his pretd. wife, Geo Hathorn- 
 thwaite, Marmaduke Tatham and Frances his wife, 
 Francis, Robert, James, John and Alice their children, 
 Gregory Cockram, Ric. Fletcher and Margt his wife 
 and Eliz. Brogdin, Quakers. 
 
 Thornton. 
 
 Against Cuthbert Parkinson & Dorothy his wife & 
 Julian Morley, Papists. 
 
 Against Geoffrey Wildman and Agnes his wife, 
 Thomas Addison and Rebecca his wife, John Topham, 
 Agnes Outhwaite, reputed Quakers. 
 
 Against Edmund Foxcroft, schoolmaster for non- 
 appearance. He appeared & submitted and is to 
 obtain lie. before ist August next. 
 
 Tunstall. 
 
 Against John Girlington Esq. & Margt. his wife, 
 Magdalen Girlington, Cuthbert Girlington, Christiana 
 Girlington, Mary Girlington [& others] Papists. 
 
 Against Giles Moore and Elizabeth his wife, Edwd. 
 Moore and John Croser, Quakers. 
 
 Whittington. 
 
 Against Thomas Cams, Esq., deceased & Mary his 
 wife, George Carus his son, Thomas Brabin, gent. & 
 Mary his wife [& others] Papists. 
 
 1665 DEANERY OF BLACKBURN 
 
 yth Dec. In Whalley Church before John Dwight and 
 Philip Planner, etc.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 75 
 
 Burnley Cap. 
 
 Against Richard Wilkinson of Brerecliffe for suffer- 
 ing Elizabeth Hartley to be buryed contrary to the 
 lawes of the Church. 
 
 He appeared and alleges that the said Hartley dyed 
 at his house and was fetched away by a company of 
 Quakers and yt he was not anything privie nor con- 
 senting to it, therefore dismissed 2s. 8d. 
 
 Against John Smith of Hill quaker for suffering 
 dead corps to be buryed in his land. 
 
 Against Samuel Blakey, John Heap, William Heap 
 and Joseph Cawthery for Quakers. 
 
 Colne. 
 
 17 Quakers. 
 
 Clitheroe. 
 
 9 Quakers. 
 
 Darwen Cap. 
 
 Adam Clegg curate there. 
 
 Downham. 
 
 Against James Whipp a Quaker for having private 
 Quaker meetings in his house. 
 
 Har wood Magna. 
 3 Recusants. 
 
 Haslingden. 
 3 Quakers. 
 [Mr. Kippax x clc. minister there.] 
 
 Lowe Church als. Walton-in-le-Dale. 
 Vacat Capella. 
 
 1 John Kippax, M.A., was educated at Cambridge and appointed to 
 Haslingden in 1658. Calamy gives him in his list of Ejected Ministers 
 under Newchurcb and Rossendale. If that is correct, he evidently 
 conformed in 1662, when he was ordained priest; in 1G65 he \v;is 
 licensed to preach at Haslingden. He was incumbent until his death in 
 1679, being buried at Colnc on Dec. 27th of that year.
 
 76 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Newchurch in Rossendale. 
 
 Abraham Haworth and Rich. Radcliffe for Quakers. 
 
 Alfham. 
 
 Against Ric. Walmesley Esq. & his wife, Edwd. 
 Clayton, Ric. Grimshawe of Clayton Esq. & his wife 
 & Catherine Wade of Altham for Recusants. 
 
 Accrington. 
 
 Present, wanting. 
 
 Blackburn. 
 
 Against Charles Sagar, 1 Schoolmaster there, Non- 
 conformist, for not appearing. 
 
 Against Tho. Walmesley, usher, likewise. He pro- 
 duced his lie. & was dismissed is. 4d. 
 
 Against Tho. Licas of Lower Darwin, Will. Fair- 
 barrowe of Livesey & Anne Rawcliffe of Billington, 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Colne. 
 
 Against Ric. Hargreaves, John Hargreaves, Ralph 
 Farebrother, John Browne, John Hartley, Peter 
 Hartley, James Hartley, Rog. Hartley, John Sager, 
 Stephen Sager, Ric. Hargreaves, John Greenwood, 
 Mary Greenwood, Tho. Barcroft, Ellen Bolton, Ellen 
 Pollard, & Hen. Robinson, for Quakers. 
 
 Against Hen. Walker for not frequenting the 
 Church. 
 
 Church Kirk. 
 
 Against Matthew Tootell & his wife, Ralph Rishton, 
 senior, & his wife, Ralph Rishton, junior, & his wife, 
 Mary wife of Christr. Hindle of Aspden, Tho. Burtwisle 
 
 1 Charles Sagar was born at Burnley in 1636 and appointed to the 
 mastership of the Blackburn Grammar School in 1656. His Non- 
 conformity led to his withdrawal from this position, and he suffered 
 imprisonment for the same as did many of his brethren. In 1672 he 
 took out a preaching license and eventually became Pastor of the 
 Nonconformist Church at Darwen. He died there at the age of 61 years 
 on Feby. 13th, 169S.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 77 
 
 of Huncote, gent. & his wife & Tho. Baley & his wife 
 for Recusants or not coming to Divine Service. 
 
 Against James Kershawe & Mary wife of Rog. 
 Ryley for not coming to Divine Service. 
 
 Against John Digby of Huncoate & John Read of 
 Churchtowne for teaching schools without license. 
 Read asserted that he never taught school in all his 
 life, only his wife sometimes doth teach 3 or 4. Dis- 
 missed. 
 
 CUtheroe. 
 
 Against Matthew Anderton, Stephen Anderton, 
 gent. Helen Janian & Will. Banester for Recusants. 
 
 Against Nich. Dugdale & Margt his wife, James 
 Paitfield and Anne his wife, Hen. Standen, senior, 
 and his wife, Stephen Lorimer, Ellen Leigh, and Anne 
 Driver for Quakers. 
 
 Downham. 
 
 Against James Whipp and Mary his wife, Eliz. 
 Croxdale of their family and Margt wife of Robt. 
 Bullocke for not coming to Divine Service on Sundays 
 and Holy Days and standing excommunicate. 
 
 Against Ric. Wilson, schoolmaster. 
 
 Great Harwood. 
 Vacant. 
 Against John Fielding, schoolmaster, for non-app. 
 Against John Cunliffe & Isabella his wife, & Hen. 
 Blackburne, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Haslingden. 
 
 Against Hen. Hargreaves, Agnes Robinson, and 
 Catherine Dowe, all of Haslingden for Quakers. 
 
 Lowe Church als. Walton-in-le-Dale. 
 
 Against Geo. Taylor, schoolmaster, not lied. He 
 appeared & produced his lie. Dismissed. 
 
 Against Edwd. Walmsley & his wife & servants, 
 Will. Osbaldston & his wife & servants, Thomas Balden
 
 78 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 & his sister, Jane Winstanley, Will. Banke & his 
 servants, Isabella Banke, Leon. Walmsley & his wife, 
 John Darwen, Tho. Banester, Evan Darwen, Edmund 
 Catterall & his wife, John Banke, Peter Gerrard, 
 Matthew Singleton & his wife, Geo. Banister, Thomas 
 Anderton, the wife of Thomas Darwin, the wife of 
 George Critchley, Anne Blakeburne [and others] 
 Papists. 
 
 Against Thos. Stanley, gent, and all his family, 
 Ric. Cowpe & his wife, Geo. Blakoe [blank] Bruen 
 wid. & her son, Will. Dowson, Robt. Blakoe & his 
 wife & John Smith & his wife, all of Cuerdale, Papists. 
 
 Newchurch in Rossendale. 
 
 Against Agnes wife of John Whitakers for a Papist. 
 Against Charles Haworth, schoolmaster, He exhib. 
 his lie. & was dismissed. 
 
 Newchurch in Pendle. 
 
 Vacat Capella. 
 
 Against Ranulph Holker, mort. & Mary Higgin, 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against John Nutter, senior, John Bullcocke & Mary 
 Higgin for teaching school without licence. Nutter & 
 Bulcocke dismissed. 
 
 Padiham. 
 
 Against Rog. Barton, schoolmaster. He appd. & 
 showed his He. Dismissed. 
 
 Samlesbury Chapel. 
 Nil. 
 
 Whalley. 
 
 Against Alice Alston, wid., Anne w. of John Crouchley, 
 Robert Walmsley, Hen. Corver & his family, Peter 
 Winstanlowe & his wife, Robt. Valiant & Ellen Gregson, 
 wid. all of Whalley for Recusants ; and Christopher 
 West of the same, a Quaker, all standing Excom- 
 municate.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 79 
 
 Against Frances Lawe, wid. Tho. Alston & Margaret 
 his wife, Cecily Walsh, wid. Henry Walsh, Elizth. 
 Walsh & Catherine Walsh, all of Wiswell, Popish 
 Recusants & excom. 
 
 Against Edwd. Sherburne, Catherine Sherburne, 
 wid. & Tho. Dugdale for the same. 
 
 Against Cornelius Townley & his wife, George 
 Ingham, mort. & Elizth. his wife, Laurence Wilkinson 
 & Anne his wife, John Radcliffe, Elizth. Coulthurst, 
 Christopher Frame, William Frame & Jennet Frame 
 for standing excom. 
 
 1669. 
 Blackburn. 
 
 They present Mr Thomas Jollye, 1 Mr Samuell Newton, 2 
 Mr Astley, 3 Mr Parr 4 (all non-conformist ministers) for 
 preaching at Conventicles at diverse Chappells in this 
 parish especially at Darwen Chappell. Mr Randle 
 Sharpies of Blackburn at whose house it's supposed 
 there was a Conventicle July 25th. Mr Charles Sagar 
 late schoolmaster there. 
 
 Mr Lawrence Hayworth of Berdwood and many 
 others. 
 
 Sixe Nonconformist Ministers have used to preach 
 at Darwin Chappell by turnes every Sunday, and 
 sometimes at some other Chappells in the parish. 
 
 Clitheroe 
 Samlesbury 
 Newchurch in Pendle 
 
 Walton in le Dale 
 Harwood 
 Colne 
 Padiham 
 
 Nothing presented. 
 
 1 Vide p. 204. a Ejected minister of Rivington. 
 
 3 Richard Astley was ejected from Blackrod and subsequently 
 appears at Hull. 
 
 4 Vide p. 72.
 
 80 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Church Kirk. 
 
 A meeting sometimes of Independants at a house 
 in this parish to the number of about thirtie of the 
 ordinary sort of people. 
 
 Haslingden. 
 
 Quakers to the number of about 20 frequently meet 
 at a house or two in the parish. 
 
 Burnley. 
 
 There have been severall meetings of Quakers at 
 John Hardman's house in Habersham-Eaves. 
 
 Altham. 
 
 They present Abraham Haworth, John Waddington, 
 Matthew Taylor, Widow Harwood, Ric. Ellison and 
 Kath. wife of Robt. Waide for Independant Con- 
 venticlers. 
 
 Ric. Walmsley, Esq., Ric. Grimshaw, Esq., & Ric. 
 Cottom for Popish Recusants. 
 
 Whalley. 
 
 There are Conventicles kept in the houses of John 
 Crombocke gent, a frequent meeting house, Will Seller 
 an officer in the late Parliament Army, Widow 
 Halstead's, Ric. Lawsons, John Hayes. The persons 
 preaching are Mr Thomas Jolly and Mr Newton, and 
 the frequenters are Jane wife of John Crombocke gent., 
 Priscilla wife of James Catterall gent, and others. 
 
 Rossendale. 
 
 Ric. Radcliffe and Abraham Haworth, Quakers, 
 keep Conventicles in their houses. 
 
 Downham & Pendle. 
 Unreturncd. 
 
 1670. 
 May 17. 
 Burnley. 
 
 Against Mr John Hargreaves, pretended clerk for 
 preaching at Holmes Chappell and at Goodshaw
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 81 
 
 Chapell without Licence, 10 Nov. 1670. Hargreaves 
 appeared & produced his discharge for a similar fault 
 at the Metropolitan Visitation lately held, dated 6 July 
 1670, and stated that since that time he never preached 
 nor read prayers in publique and promised never to 
 offend again in the like. Therefore dismissed. 
 
 [Later.] This Act is vacant because he refused to 
 take an oath & admitted that about 6 July aforesaid 
 he publicly preached in Haslingden Chapel. 10 Nov. 
 he confessed that before this presentmt. he did preach 
 and read prayers in several places. 
 
 Downham. 
 
 Against James Whip of Twiston for not bringing 
 his wife and Childe to be buryed at the Chappell but 
 burying them in the feild. 
 
 Rossendale. 
 
 Against Henry Ramsbotham for coueringe his head 
 in time of devine service. 
 
 Against Christ ofer Bridge and Robt. Winterbothom 
 for playing at football in time of divine service. 23 Aug. 
 1672 before Mr Clayton, Surrogate, the parties appeared 
 per Mr Kippax, Minister there and were absolved and 
 dismissed with a caution. 4s. 
 
 Against Thomas Saunder, clerk, minister there for 
 not administering the holly Communion soe often as 
 he ought, but he saith he was at London upon 
 the Churche account. He appeared and promised 
 to be diligent in the execution of his office in future 
 so dismissed with a warning, is. 8d. 
 
 Against Richard Radcliffe for hedgeing in a parcell 
 of land to bury dead corps in and diverse have been 
 interr'd there. 
 
 1670. 
 17 May 
 Burnley. 
 
 Against John Smith and his wife, James Smithson 
 and his wife, Joseph Cawthrey Robert Atkinson and 
 
 i-
 
 82 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 his wife, Mary wife of Edmund Wilkinson, Jennet wife 
 of John Savage, Jane Clayton, John Hardman and 
 Robt. Whittaker for new Recusants. 
 
 Colne. 
 
 Against Ralph Farbrother, Joseph Driver, John 
 Hargreaves, Ric. Hargreaves, Mary Hargreaves, wid. 
 John Sagar, Stephen Sagar, and Rog. Hartley as 
 new Recusants, or for not coming to Church at all. 
 20 June 1672. On petition of James Hargreaves, 
 Minister there, the said Fairbrother has been pardoned 
 and dismissed. 5s. 
 
 Against Christr. Hargreaves & James Hartley for 
 teaching school without license. Hargreaves produced 
 his lie. dat. 8 May 1669. 2s. 6d. 
 
 Downham. 
 
 Against James Whipp for keeping monthly Con- 
 venticles. 
 
 Against Will. Bulcocke and Elizth. his wife and 
 John Hoyle being professed Quakers. 
 
 Against James Whipp and Mary Crosdale, Quakers 
 for standing excom. and him for having a Conventicle 
 in his house. 
 
 Against Margt. wife of Robert Bulcocke for not 
 coming to Church of sixe months. 
 
 Pendle alias New church. 
 
 Against John Greenwood of Old Lawnd and Mary 
 his wife for new Recusants and not receiving the 
 Sacrament. 
 
 Clitheroe. 
 
 Against Stephen Anderton, gent., Ellen wife of Will. 
 Frankland, Edward Rogerson & Mary his wife, Popish 
 Recusants. 
 
 Against James Patefield and Anne his wife, Rich. 
 Dugdale & Margt. his wife, Ellen Lee and Anne Driver 
 spinsters for being Quakers.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 83 
 
 Whalley. 
 
 Against John Crombocke for keeping a meeting 
 house for private Conventicles 
 
 Mr Gey, vie. there certified Crombocke to be non 
 compos mentis and he is therefore dismissed. 
 
 Against Will. Sellers in Pendle, John Hay in Padiham, 
 Catherine Halstead, wid. and Ric. Lawson in Hopton 
 for the same. 
 
 Catherine Halstead pardoned. 
 
 Altham. 
 
 Against Ric. Walmsley Esq. & his wife, Ric. 
 Grimshay Esq. & his wife, & Catherine wife of Robt. 
 Wade, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Blackburn. 
 
 Against Tho. Livesay of Upper Darwin for having 
 a child baptized by a nonconformist at Darwin Chapel. 
 
 Mr Clayton, the minister, promised to examine the 
 manner of the christening. 
 
 Burnley. 
 
 Against Geo. Crouchley & his wife, Bridget Pollard, 
 wid. Anne Booth, wid. William Tarlton, & Elizth. 
 his wife, Agnes Birtwistle, James Hargreaves, Ric. 
 Townley of Townley Esq., John Townley, Charles 
 Townley, Geo. Kilshawe, Jennet Sagar, wid. James 
 Roberts & Grace his wife, Edwd. Watson, & Jennet his 
 wife, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against Robt. Whittaker of Heby, John Hardman, 
 John Smith of Briercliffe and his wife, James Smithson, 
 Jennet wife of John Swaine, Mary wife of Edwd. 
 Wilkinson, as new Recusants. 
 
 Colne. 
 
 Against John Sutcliffe, schoolmaster, not licensed. 
 He afterwards obtained license and was dismissed. 
 
 Church Kirk. 
 
 Against Tho. Birtwisle of Hu[n]cote & Margt. his 
 wife & Theodosia their daughter, Joseph Birtwisle
 
 84 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 & his wife, Elizabeth wife of Matthew Toot ell of 
 Church, Ralph Rishton of Oswaldtwisle & his wife, 
 Jennet Rishton wid. & Elizth. his dau. Mary wife of 
 Christopher Hindle & Ellen wife of Will Broughton, 
 all of Oswaldtwisle for Popish Recusants. 
 
 Great Harwood. 
 
 Against John Cunliffe & Isabella his wife, Robt. 
 Squier, Will Mercer of Tanhouse, James Brown, 
 junior, & Ralph Hall son of Adam Hall of Bankes for 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Lowe Church. 
 
 Against Tho. Walton, gent. & his wife, Will 
 Osbaldston, gent., John Jackson, Leonard Walmsley, 
 & his wife, Geo. Cowpe & his wife & Tho. Shawe 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Padiham. 
 
 Against Will. Shawe & Mary his wife & Tho. Tarlton 
 Junr. Popish Recusants. 
 
 Pendle. 
 
 Against John Greenwood and Mary his wife for 
 Quakers. 
 
 Against Isabella wife of Edwd. Hargreaves for an 
 old Recusant. 
 
 Rossendale. 
 
 Against Ric. Ratcliffe and Alice his wife and James 
 his son, Abraham Hayworth and Isabella his wife for 
 Quakers and having private Conventicles in their 
 houses. 
 
 Against Agnes Whittakers for an old Recusant. 
 
 Whalley. 
 
 Against Anne Crouchley, wid. Ellen Gregson, wid. 
 Ellen Welbie, Robt. Valiant and Anne Haworth for 
 old Recusants. 
 
 Against Mrs Catherine Sherburne, wd. Anne Parrye, 
 Edward Sherburne, gent., Robt. Dugdale, Tho.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 85 
 
 Dugdale, Tho. Alston & Margt. his wife, Grace 
 Parkinson, Frances Lawe, wid. Mary Heat on, Hen. 
 Walsh, Catherine Walsh, Margt. Blackburne, Laur. 
 Wilkinson & Anne his wife, Christopher Freyn & 
 Bridget Ainsworth, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Whitwell Chapel in the forest of Bowland and par. of 
 Whalley. 
 Nil. 
 
 1671 
 
 June 16. 
 
 Blackburn. 
 
 Against John Forrest, John Farn worth and Ellis 
 Edge all of Blackburne for prophaneinge the Saboth 
 by playing at Pennypricke as is reported [ultimately 
 dismissed]. 
 
 Burnley. 
 
 Against John Kenion, clerk, curate not exhibiting. 
 Obtained Licence. 
 
 Against Robt. Robinson, schoolmaster not exhibit- 
 ing. Obtained Licence. 
 
 Church Kirk. 
 
 Against Jenet Rishton, widow, Elizabeth Rishton, 
 Ralph Rishton and his wife and the wife of Christopher 
 Hindle and Elizabeth Broughton, widow, for non- 
 communicants. 
 
 Against Thomas Birtwistle and his wife, Joseph 
 Birtwistle and his wife and Theodore Birtwistle for 
 not coming to the prayers of the Church. 
 
 Against John Read, Parish Clerk and Robert Holdcn, 
 Schoolmaster, for non-appearance. Read appeared 
 later, etc. 
 
 Clitheroe. 
 
 2 Papists. 
 
 Against Nicholas Dugdale and Margaret his wife, 
 Anne Patefield, widow, Ellen Lee, spinster, and Joan 
 Barrow, spinster, for Quakers.
 
 86 OUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Colne. 
 
 Against ]\Iargaret Faulkner, a simple woman for 
 bearing a bastard child, but knows not the father 
 of it. 
 
 Against Richard Mitchell for burying his child in 
 a field. 
 
 Against Lawrence Townley, schoolmaster, not 
 licensed. Later Mr Hargreaves, minister, certifies that 
 he does not teach. 2s. 6d. 
 
 Against the same and John Sutcliffe and Christopher 
 Hargreaves other schoolmasters for not appearing. 
 Mr French certified as to Sutcliffe's licence, dismissed. 
 Same of Hargreaves. 
 
 Downham. 
 
 Against James Whip [? of Twiston] Elizabeth 
 Crosdall, William Bulcocke and Elizabeth his wife. 
 Quakers. 
 
 Harwood. 
 
 6 Papists. 
 
 Against Thomas Ingham [later obiit] schoolmaster 
 not licensed. 
 
 Haslingden. 
 
 Against John Grime and his wife, John Haworth, 
 Henry Birtwistle and his wife, Anne Hey, Ellis 
 Scholfield and his wife, for Non-communicants. 
 
 Against Henry Hargreaves and his wife, Amias[?] 
 Robinson and Catherine Doe for not coming to divine 
 service. 
 
 Newchurch in Pendle. 
 Nil. 
 
 Against John More, schoolmaster at Greenhead for 
 non-appearance. [Later.] Exhibited. 
 
 Padiham. 
 
 5 Papists.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 87 
 
 Newchurch in Rossendale. 
 
 Against Edward Spencer, Thim. Hargreaves and the 
 rest of the wardens there, for that the pulpit stands 
 both low and darke and the minister desires that it 
 may be removed to another pillar or sett higher. 
 [Ordered to do it. Done.] 
 
 Against Richard Radcliffe for haveinge a Conven- 
 ticle in his house. 
 
 Against Agnes Whitaker for a Papist. 
 
 Against Richard Radcliffe, James Radcliffe, 
 Abraham Heyworth and Isabel his wife and Mary 
 Lord for Quakers. 
 
 Against James Whittaker and Grace his wife, it's 
 said to be her fault she lives in Burnley, for living 
 asunder. 
 
 Against the aforesaid Richard Radcliffe for hedging 
 a piece of ground to bury in and severall have been 
 buryed there. 
 
 Samlesbury. 
 
 Against Christopher Duckworth for a Quaker. 3 
 Papists. 
 
 Walton-le-Dale als. Lowe Church. 
 
 9 Papists. 
 
 Against William Farrington of Werden for not paying 
 his Church lay being 4s. 2d. He appeared and alleged 
 that the ground and thing that he is presented for 
 is part of the demense of Walton which was purchased 
 from Sr. Rich. Houghton's Ancestors about fiftie years 
 agoe and that the whole demesne was never ...[?] 
 assessed ... & so by right he ought not to pay, so 
 he was dismissed by right nevertheless he promised 
 that if Sr. Rich, or any others concerned did hereafter 
 pay he will. 2s. 6d. 
 
 Against Hugh Diconson, Esq., 6s., and William 
 Osbaldston, 13s. 6d. for the same. On the which day 
 Mr Dicconson the same as Mr Farrington 2s. Cd. Also
 
 88 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Mr Osbaldeston the same who appeared by James 
 Scott of Wigan, 2s. 6d. 
 
 Against Wm. Banks 2d. and Robert Catherall 6d. 
 for the same. 
 
 Against Richard Pollard schoolmaster for non ap- 
 pearance. [Later.] Licenced. 
 
 Whalley. 
 
 24 Papists. 
 
 Against Christopher West for a Quaker. 
 
 Against Barnard Dawson and Alice his wife for 
 being unlawfully married but by whom is not knowne. 
 23 Aug. 1672. Dawson appeared before Mr Clayton, 
 Surrogate, and offered to prove that they were marryed 
 by one Mr Harrop, who said he was a minister in his 
 house in Ribchester Parish above 2 years agoe. And 
 submitted, etc., to do penance before the vicar & 
 wardens of said Parish Church. 
 
 Against Edw. Starkey of Padiham for not paying 
 his Church dues, I5d. 
 
 Altham. 
 
 Against Ric. Walmesley, gent. Ric. Grimshaw, gent. 
 & Catherine wife of Robt. Wade, Papists. 
 
 Clitheroe. 
 
 Against Edw. Rogerson & Mary his wife. Popish 
 Recusants. 
 
 Great Harwood. 
 
 Against Robt. Squire, gent. John Cunliffe & Isabella 
 his wife, James Browne, junr., Will. Mercer of Tan- 
 house & Ralph Hall, junr. Papists. 
 
 Padiham. 
 
 Against Will. Shawe & Mary his wife & Tho. Tarlton 
 junr., Popish Recusants. 
 
 Walton-le-Dale. 
 
 Against Tho. Walton, gent. Will. Osbaldston, John 
 Woodcocke, senior & junior, John Jackson, Thomas
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 89 
 
 Shawe, Leo. Walmesley, Thomas Aynscough & Grace 
 Thorpe, spinster, for Popish Recusants. 
 
 Whalley. 
 
 Against Edw. Sherburne, Catherine Sherburne, wid. 
 John Radcliffe & his wife [and others] Papists. 
 
 l680 DEANERY OF BLACKBURN 
 
 21 Oct. 
 
 Clitheroe 
 
 Against Ellen wife of William Frankland, Mary 
 wife of Roger Kitching & Mary Rogerson, wid. 
 Papists. 
 
 Against John Fish and Margaret his wife, Ric. 
 Cowborne and Ellen his wife, Charles Leigh, Ellen 
 Leigh, spinster, Joan Barrowe, spinster, Anne Patefeild, 
 wid. and Margt. Dugdale, wid. Quakers. 
 
 Downham. 
 
 Nothing but what was formerly. 
 
 Padiham. 
 Do. 
 
 Haslingden 
 Lowe Church 
 Pen die 
 Whalley 
 
 Nil. 
 
 Rossendale. 
 
 Against James Ratcliffe and Alice Ratcliffe, 
 Quakers, for not paying their Church lays for repaire 
 of the bells and other affaires of the Church. 
 
 Samlesbury. 
 
 Against Will. Sherocke, James Sudell and Ellen 
 Turner wid., Papists, and Christopher Duckworth, 
 Quaker, and for not paying his Ch. lay. 
 11 May 1681, the said Turner dismissed.
 
 90 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Altham & Accrington. 
 
 Against Mrs Mary Walmsley, wid. Mr Ric. Grim- 
 shaw & his wife, Mr Will. Money, Mr Will. Norcrosse, 
 Alex. Browne & his wife & Geo. Beesley, Popish 
 Recusants. 
 
 Church Kirk. 
 
 Against Joseph Birtwisle & Will. Yates of Hun- 
 coate, Nich. Hordas of Church, Ralph Rushton, senior 
 & Elizth. his wife, Ralph Rishton, junr. Elizth. & 
 Jennet Rishton, Suzanne Rishton, Lucy Rishton, 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Harwood. 
 
 Against John Peacock, Margt. wife of Will. Hindle, 
 Jennet wife of Andrew Wilkinson, Mary wife of Cuthbert 
 Woodcock, Geo. Beasley & Jane his wife, James 
 Monke & Jane his wife all of Rishton. Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against Will. Marcer of Tanrowe, Alex Baron & 
 Anne his wife & Anne his daughter & Anne Mollington, 
 all of Rushton, Popish Recusants. 
 
 Haslingden. 
 
 Against Hen. Cooke, Hen. Ramsbothom, John 
 Cowpe, Hen. Hargreaves and Anne his wife, Abrah. 
 Fish and Alice his wife, George Haworth and Ellen 
 his wife, Anne Dobson, Hen. Birtwistle and Anne 
 his wife [blank] Robinson, wid. John Haworth, 
 John Grime, and Anne his wife, Ric. Feelden and 
 Anne his wife, Ellis Scolefield and Alice his wife, 
 Quakers. 
 
 Padiham. 
 
 Against Matthew Houlgate a Quaker. 
 
 „ Tho. Tarlton, junr. Popish Recusant. 
 
 Rossendale. 
 
 Against Mr Joshua Nuttall, Tho. Mills & others, 
 churchwardens for that two bells are burst.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 91 
 
 Whalley. 
 
 Against Robert Valiant & Anne Haworth, Popish 
 Recusants. 
 Against Christopher West, Schismatic. 
 
 Wiswell. 
 
 Against Tho. Olstan & Margt. his wife, John Olstan, 
 Grace Parkinson, Mary Wilson, Mary Heaton & Mary 
 Hidgin, Popish Recusants. 
 
 H apt on. 
 
 Against Timothy Harrison & Theodosia his wife, 
 Thomas Birtwisle, Tho. Story & Anne his wife, 
 Jennet Fraine wid., Christr. Fraine & Will Fraine, 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Burnley. 
 
 Against Laurence Roberts a Quaker, Mr Hargreaves 
 appeared and submitted & sought letters of absolution, 
 whereby the judge (dns) decreed, etc., and to certify 
 of conformity, etc. 
 
 [Presentments for deaneries of Amounderness & 
 Lonsdale wanting.] 
 
 1665 DEANERY OF WARRINGTON 
 
 Upholland. 
 
 Against Tho. Penington and family, Ric. Billinge, 
 Will. Chaddocke, Ric. Leigh, Nich. Taylor & Ellenor 
 Crosse, wid., Thomas Mullineux, Alex. Leigh, Will. 
 Prescott, James Whalley (mort), James Fairhurst, 
 Alex. Naylor, Geo. Barton, & his wife, & children, for 
 Papists. 
 
 Against John Barton schoolmr. for non-appearance. 
 
 Winwick. 
 
 Against Ellen Gorsage wid. Margt. Gorsage, Spinster. 
 Margt. wife of John Rydyard & Jane Bradshawe all 
 in Newton, papists, recusants. 
 
 Against Tho. Culcheth of Culcheth Esq., & Anne 
 his wife, Edward Holland, Ann Royle, wid., Thos.
 
 92 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Unsworth & Margt. his wife, Ralph Anderson & Mary 
 his wife, John Masser & Isabella his wife, Catherine 
 Higginson wid. Anne Guest wid., Ric. Speakman & 
 Jane his wife, Hen. Lowton & Margt. his wife, Ric. 
 Unsworth & Catherine his wife, all of Culcheth, 
 recusants. 
 
 Against Edwd. Burtchell & Margt. his wife, Christr. 
 Guest & Cath. his wife, and their children of Culcheth, 
 recusants. 
 
 Against Jane Bate, wid., James Bate, husbn. Alice 
 Bate, spinster, Robt. Speakman, and Margt. his wife, 
 Robt. Guest & Elizth. his wife, Robt. Unsworth & 
 Cath. his wife, all of Culcheth, recusants. 
 
 Against Hen. Oxford & Anne his wife, Will Cooke, 
 Ellen Barker, Alice Thelwall & Anne & Jane her 
 daughters, & Hen. Taylor, all of Winwick & Hulme, 
 recusants. 
 
 Against Thurstan Arrowsmith & his wife, Ralph Kea, 
 Will. Arrowsmith, Ric. Booth, labourer, Ric. Kerfutt 
 & his wife, all of Croft, recusants. 
 
 Against Ric. Liptrott & his wife & children, Thos. 
 Keighley, Peter Keighley, Ralph Thompson, & his 
 wife, John Peterson & his son & daughters [blank] 
 Raphson, wid. John Grimshawe & his wife, Ralph 
 Croft & his wife, Alice Bate, spinster, John Thomasson 
 & his wife, Hugh Wright, Geo. Croft & his wife Ralph 
 Croft & his wife, Elizth. Bate, spinster, all of Golborne, 
 recusants. 
 
 Against Elizth. Corlesse of Haydocke, wid. recusant. 
 
 Against John Kay & his wife [blank] Corlesse, wid., 
 John Unsworth & his wife, Hen. Unsworth & his wife, 
 George Twisse & his wife & son, all of Lowton, 
 recusants. 
 
 Against Hen. Johnson & his wife, Peter Holcroft & 
 his sister, Gilbert Unsworth & his wife & son, Robert 
 Tickle & his wife & son & Robt. Kenyon of Lowton, 
 recusants. 
 
 Against [blank] Richardson, wid., John Richardson,
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 93 
 
 James Richardson, Ellen Perpoint, spinster, Hen. 
 Richardson & his wife, Matthew Richardson, Rog. 
 Twisse & his wife, Hen. Hardman & his wife, all of 
 Kennyon, recusants. 
 
 Against Sir Will. Gerrard, Knt., Will Gerrard, Esq. & 
 his wife & Cuthbert Clifton, all of Garswood, recusants. 
 
 Against Nich. Reynolds, gent. Edward Unsworth 
 & his wife, Ric. Ashton & his wife, James Lowe & his 
 wife, Alice Unsworth, wid., Hen. Chaddocke, Robt. 
 Mosse & his wife & John Chaddocke of Garswood, 
 recusants. 
 
 Against Robt. Slynhead & his wife, Humph. Nay lor 
 & his wife, Tho. Workington, gent. & his wife & 
 Christr. Bate of Ashton, recusants. 
 
 Against Catherine Bibby, wid. of Ashton, for not 
 coming to Church. 
 
 Against Hen. Richardson & his wife, Ric. Twisse 
 & his wife, Hugh Orrell, James Thomason & his wife, 
 Elizth. Potter, wid., Thos. Jameson & his wife, Anne 
 Sixsmith, spinster, Will. Knowles, miller, the wife of 
 James Winstanley of Ashton, recusants. 
 
 Against Hen. Knowles & his wife, Anne Gerrard, 
 spinster & Walter Harris & his wife of Ashton, recusants. 
 
 Against Tho. Harrison, John Rosbothom & his wife, 
 of Ashton, recusants. 
 
 Against Margaret Taylor, wid., Oliver Potter, shoe- 
 maker, & his wife of Ashton, recusants. 
 
 Against Tho. Winstanley & Ellen Ashton of Ashton, 
 wid., recusants. 
 
 Against Anne Ashton, spinster, Ellen Piercy, wid., 
 George Massey & his mother of Ashton, recusants. 
 
 Wigan. 
 
 Against John Gerrard & Richd. Molineux, school- 
 master. R. Molineux produced his lie. and is dismissed. 
 
 Against Nich. Mather & his wife, Margt. w. of Rog. 
 Culchcth, Ralph Leigh & his wife, Hugh Piatt & his 
 wife, Mary Ashton, Alex. Leigh & his wife, Edmd.
 
 94 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Fairehurst, Alex. Naylor, James Whalley, Ric. Haslome, 
 Tho. Roberts, Tho. Naylor, James Faireclough, 
 Elizth. Martincroft, Anne Mason, Ric. Rylands & his 
 wife, Margt. Holme, Edwd. Winstanley, Ralph Scott 
 & his wife, & Cuthbert Scott & his wife, for refusing 
 Communion with the Church of England. 
 
 Against Tho. Butler, Ellen his wife, Tho. Irlande, 
 Robert Frances, Robert Ford, John Ince, Philip 
 Langton, Miles Gerrard & his wife, Jane wife of Henry 
 Southworth, Edward Strickland, Alice Strickland, 
 George Mather, Ellen Fazakerley wid. James 
 Fazakerley & his wife, Margt. Fazakerley, Mary 
 Heskitt, Elizth. Anderton, Hen. Gerrard, Humph. 
 Atherton, Ellen Nightingale, Ric. Rylands & his wife, 
 James Orrell & his wife, James Anderton, Alex. Leigh 
 & his wife, Jane wife of Robt. Holland, Oliver Crosse, 
 Hugh Crosse, Will. Tipping, Oliver Tipping, Will 
 Finch, Ric. Holland & Anne his wife, Mary Holland, 
 Elizth. the wife of Tho. Crosse [and others] Papist 
 Recusants. 
 
 1668. 
 
 Billinge Chapel. 
 Deest. 
 
 Wigan. 
 
 Nothing presented this year, save what is also 
 presented in 1670. 
 
 Billinge. 
 Deest. 
 They presented with Wigan. 
 
 Upholland. 
 Deest. 
 Presented with Wigan. 
 
 Wigan. 
 
 Against John Bould of Wigan, gent., for a common 
 swearer, 10 Dec. 1670. Compt. per Magram Bridgeman
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 95 
 
 rex dui decani Cestr. ac. absolutus est et hab. ad. 
 certified de eius reformacoe in px. 2s. 6d. 
 
 1669. 
 
 Winwick. 
 
 Against John Norman of Winwicke for saying that 
 the Church of England is not a true Church and that 
 the worship therein is odious to God and hatefull to 
 man. 
 
 Henry Kenion, John Bate of Croft Heath, John 
 Gleave, Oliver Taylor of Holcroft hall [and others] 
 presented for entertaining dangerous and [torn] 
 numerous unlawfull Assemblies and Conventicles in 
 their houses. 
 
 Wigan. 
 
 4 Oct. 1669. Certify that they have nothing to 
 present. 
 
 1670. 
 
 Upholland. 
 
 Against Ric. Leigh, Thomas Pinnington, Catherine 
 w. of Thomas Hey of Hallgreen, John Molineux, 
 Nich. Taylor, Alex. Barker of Dalton, Oliver Crosse, 
 Will. Topping of the same, & Oliver Topping of the 
 same for Recusants & not coming to Church. 
 
 Wigan. 
 
 Against Margt. Cowley for delving in a garden upon 
 the Saboth day. 
 
 Against Sir Rog. Bradshawe [blank] Leigh of Lyme, 
 Esq. & [blank] Gerrard, for that the severall Chancells 
 belonging to them are in decay. 
 
 Against Hen. Shuttleworth & Eliza his wife, Margt. 
 wife of Gilbert Leigh, Will. Farnworth, Alice Forde, 
 Robert Frame, Edward Rigbye & Rebecca his wife, 
 Ellen wife of Tho. Ireland, Margaret Rylands, wid. 
 Anne Ashawe, Rog. Culcheth & his wife, James 
 Fazakerley & his wife, Henry Gerrard, gent. & Margt. 
 his wife, Abraham Langton, gent. & his wife, Philip
 
 96 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Langton, gent. & his wife, John Rylands, James 
 Orrell & his wife, Thos. Glasebrooke & Alice his wife, 
 John Billinge, Miles Gerrard & his wife [and others] 
 for Recusants & absentees from Church. 
 
 Against Ralph Pemberton, Alice Pemberton, Peter 
 Bradley and his wife, Margt. Bore, James Gregory and 
 his wife, Geo. Bradshawe and his wife and Hen. Win- 
 stanley for Quakers. 
 
 Winwick. 
 
 Against Sir Will. Gerrard, Knt. Will. Gerrard, Esq., 
 Tho. Worthington, Tho. Harrison, Tho. Winstanley, 
 Oliver Potter, Ellen Ashton, Hen. Harrison, Margt. 
 Taylor, Ric. Gerrard, Esq. & Tho. Culcheth, Esq., 
 for Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against John Norman, Henry Kenion, James Lowe, 
 Edmund Winstanley, Robt. Rosbothom, Ellen Lowe, 
 wid., John Robinson, Tho. Cowper, Alice Morris, wid., 
 Geo. Clayton, & his wife and Thomas Winterbothom 
 and his wife for Conventiclers and disaffected to the 
 Church of England. 
 
 Against James Bate of Croft Eyves, John Bate, 
 James Pilling, Richd. Birchall and James Bate of 
 Croftheath for the same. 
 
 Against Geoffrey Flitcroft for a Quaker. 
 
 1671. 
 
 June 9. 
 
 Wigan. 
 
 Against Tho. Leigh, Esq. & Tho. Aldersey, Esq., 
 exors. of the will of Sir Amos Meridith, deed., who 
 was exor. of the will of Gertrude Hall, relict & exix. of 
 the will of Geo. Hall, late Bp. of Chester & last rect. 
 & inct. of this church for that the flore of the Chancell 
 is broken & out of order. 
 
 Against Edwd. Rigby & Rebecca his wife, Ellen 
 wife of Thomas Ireland, Margt. Rylands, James 
 Anderton, Esq. & his wife, Ric. Rylands & his wife, 
 Ellen Atherton, Humph. Atherton & his wife, Tho.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 97 
 
 Glasebrooke & his wife, Alice Molyneux, wid., Roger 
 Culcheth & Margt. his wife, Jane Talbot, wid. Tho. 
 Pennington & his wife [and others] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Against James Gregory and Alice his wife, Mary 
 Bradley, Hen. 'Winstanley, and Geo. Bradshaw, 
 Ouakers. 
 
 Against Will. Vaux, schoolmaster at Haigh for not 
 showing his licence. 
 
 Winwick. 
 
 Against Geoffrey Flitcroft of Culcheth for a Quaker. 
 Against James Bate' & Tho. Bate of Culcheth, 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 l680 WARRINGTON DEANERY 
 
 19 Oct. 
 Billinge. 
 Nil. 
 
 Upholland. 
 Nil. 
 
 Winwick. 
 Nil. 
 
 Wigan. 
 Deest. 
 
 l680 LEYLAND DEANERY 
 
 20 Oct. 
 
 Chorley. 
 
 Against Mr John Tootell, Joseph Nicholas & Alice 
 his wife. Papists. 
 
 Eccleston. 
 
 Against Margt. Stofford, Winifurt Tunstall, Margt. 
 Barton, Margt. Taylor & Nicholas Wainwright, Popish 
 Recusants. 
 
 Pemvortham. 
 
 Against Alice Spencer, wid., Lambert Coward, mort. 
 
 G
 
 98 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Alice wife of James Livesley & Jane wife of Thomas 
 Bickerstaffe, Papists. 
 Standish. 
 
 Against Jane Whalell, wid., of Langtree, Will. 
 Hoghton, Esq., Ellen Hoghton, wid. & Cicely Hoghton 
 [& 12 others] of Charnocke Richard, Papists. 
 
 l680 DEANERY OF WARRINGTON 
 
 15 & 17 May. 
 
 Upholland. 
 
 Against Will. Melling of Holland, Henry Hurst and 
 Alex. Hatton of Orrell for Christening their children 
 contrary to ye Canons of ye Church of England. 
 
 19 Oct. Melling appeared and made oath that in the 
 time of Mr Brown the late minister's weakness, he 
 being unable to doe & none else being there to christen 
 it, he got it baptized by Mr Bradshawe x of Rainford 
 (whom he belives to be a lawfull minister) who did 
 it with water in the name of the father, of the sonn, 
 and of the holy ghost. And that his said childe is 
 since dead. He submitted and promised reforma- 
 tion, wherefore he is dismissed, 2s. 6d. 
 
 Wigan. 
 
 Against Mrs Mary Ashton, Mr Christopher Anderton 
 & his wife, Will Standish, Esq. & his wife, Mr Thomas 
 Gerrard & his wife, Mr Tho. Ince, Mrs Margt. Ince, 
 Dorothy, Anne, Ellen & Elizth. Ince, Philip Langton, 
 Esq., Cuthbert Rylands & his wife [and others], 
 Popish Recusants. 
 
 Winwick. 
 
 Against Sir Will. Gerard, Knt. Will. Gerard, Esq. 
 Thomas Hesketh & his wife [and others] Popish Recu- 
 sants. 
 
 Against Thomas Holland and his wife, Anabaptists. 
 
 1 James Bradshaw was ejected from Hindley. He subsequently 
 became the minister of Rainford Chapel. He died in 1702 through 
 an accident to his leg, which befell him when riding to a distant preaching 
 place.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 99 
 
 Garswood Division. 
 
 Against Cuthbert Gerard, gent. Will. Gerard, Esq. 
 and his wife [and others] for absenting from Church. 
 
 1669 DEANERY OF MANCHESTER 
 
 Returns since August 21st. 
 
 Manchester. 
 
 Nonconformists preach every Lord's day at the 
 Chapels of Denton, Gorton, and Birch and have great 
 numbers of hearers. 
 
 Bury. 
 
 On Sunday 1st Aug. the steeple doore at Eden- 
 feild Chappell was broken, and the Chappell doores 
 opened, and one Rootes, 1 junr. was found preaching 
 there to a great number of people, the Chappell warden 
 desired to see his orders, but being denyed he would 
 have made up the Chappell doores to have hindered 
 his preaching in the afternoone, but hee was oposed by 
 the people. 
 
 On Sunday 25 July a great number of Quakers met 
 at John Ashton's house in Bury where for a long 
 time they have had their meetings monthly. 
 
 There are severall other meetings and Conventicles 
 constantly kept at private houses of Independants, 
 presbiterians, dippers and such like joyntly of the 
 best ranke, of the yeomanry and of other inferiours. 
 
 Eccles. 
 
 Nothing is presd. 
 
 Prestwich. 
 
 Severall Conventicles or unlawful assemblies at the 
 houses of James Pilkinton, John Hopewood and others. 
 The last of these meetings was on the 12th April 
 last. 
 
 1 Timotliy Rootc, son of Henry Rootc. He was ejected from Sowcrby 
 Bridge in Yorkshire. He was born at Gorton, near Manchester, and 
 frequently visited Lancashire to preach, Buffering considerably in 
 consequence.
 
 ioo QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Middleton. 
 
 It is commonly reported that at Cockey Chappell 
 there have been of late times diverse unconformable 
 ministers who frequently have preached there. 
 
 Oldham. 
 
 Meetings of Quakers to the number of 20 or 30 at 
 the houses of Isaacke Wild and Susan Boydall. 
 
 There is an open and constant meeting at Shaw 
 Chappell of Nonconformists who resort thither in 
 considerable numbers and have forced the Chappell 
 doores open when by order of the Rector and Church 
 wardens of Prestwich they were locked up and they 
 continue still to preach there. And being prevented 
 one Lord's day in June last by the Curate of Oldham 
 after evening service they assembled themselves in 
 Royton Hall and there held a Conventicle. 
 
 Dean. 
 
 There are n hamlets in this Parish and for several 
 years last past in every hamlet there have been weekly 
 two, three or more meetings to the number of 30 or 
 40 and sometimes two or three nonconformist ministers 
 at one of their meetings. 
 
 There was a Conventicle at Horridge Chappell for 
 which the Ringleaders are prosecuted against. 
 
 Rochdale. 
 
 There hath been ordinarily every week or fortnight 
 at furthest a conventicle within the parish consisting 
 of such persons as usually go to Shaw Chappell where 
 they hear some nonconformist and bring him home 
 with them. 
 
 Todmorden Chapel. 
 
 Butterworth. 
 
 Macclesfield. 
 
 ■ Nothing presented. 
 
 Saddleworth. 
 
 There was a Conventicle of about 9 of the Pres- 
 biterian perswasion at the house of Giles Shaw, and
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 101 
 
 another of 7 at James Haslegreaves house for their 
 ranke husbandmen or Clothmakers. 
 
 1669. 
 Didsbury. 
 
 Some persons out of this Chappelry doe resort to 
 Birch Chappell, where (as its inform'd) certaine non- 
 conformists doe preach every Lds. Day. 
 
 Also several inhabitants of Chorlton Chapelry and 
 Stretford resort to the Conventicle at Birch Chapel. 
 
 faTforl } N ° thing P resented - 
 
 Denton. 
 Gorton. 
 Birch. 
 &c. 
 
 Unreturned. 
 
 10 June 1671. 
 Blackrod par. Bolton. 
 
 Against Geo. Jannion & Elizth. his wife, Will Norres 
 & Juliana his wife, John Cowpland & Ellen his wife 
 [and others] Papists. 
 
 Bury, 
 
 Against Thomas Sale for a Quaker. 
 
 Dean. 
 
 Against John Hulton Adam Hulton, Mary Green, 
 Elizabeth Pendlebury, Elizth. Chetham, Ellen Parr, 
 Anne Rigby, Ellenor Hurst, Nich. Cunliffe & his wife, 
 all in Westhoughton. 
 
 Against Isabella Seddon, Frances Seddon, Ann 
 Seddon, John Crooke, Tho. Marsh & his wife all in 
 Rumworth, Papists. 
 
 Against Will. Anderton, Reginald Seddon & his 
 wife & Elizabeth Dalton, all in Horrich, Papists. 
 
 Denton Cap. 
 Decst.
 
 102 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Eccles. 
 
 Against Will Grundy, Humph. Trafford, Adam 
 Grundy Robt. Hey, gent. & Penelope his wife, Ric. 
 Atherton, James Atherton, John Atherton, Elizth. 
 Urmston [& others] Papists. 
 
 Ellenbrook. 
 
 Against Will Grundy & Adam Grundy, Papists. 
 
 Manchester. 
 
 Against Sir Cecil Trafford, Knt., Edmd. Trafford Esq., 
 Thomas Barlowe Esq., Ric. Pennington Esq., & his 
 wife [& others] Popish Recusants. 
 
 Oldham. 
 
 Against John Ogden, schoolmaster, for non-appear- 
 ance. He appd. & was warned to obtain lie. 2s. 6d. 
 24 Nov., 1671. Produced his lie. dated 23 Nov. 
 
 Stretford Chapel. 
 
 Against John Royle, schoolmaster, for non-appear- 
 ance. He appd. & was warned to obtain lie. 2s. 6d. 
 
 1699 DEANERY OF BLACKBURN 
 
 Newchurch in Pendle. 
 
 Against Hen. Sagar, Will. Sagar, and Ellen his wife, 
 John Baldwyn and Bridget his wife, and Jonah 
 Chapman, Quakers. 
 
 DEANERY OF LEYLAND 
 
 [Nothing of interest.] 
 
 DEANERY OF WARRINGTON 
 
 Wigan. 
 
 [Nothing of interest.] 
 
 Winwick. 
 Nil. 
 
 [No presentments for the other Lanes. Deaneries.]
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 103 
 
 5. RECORDS OF THE QUARTER SESSIONS 
 
 These MSS. are in the Sessions House, Preston. They 
 were arranged and indexed a few years ago by Dr Veitch 
 of Liverpool University, and are most valuable because 
 of the light which they throw upon the state of Non- 
 conformity during the period with which they are con- 
 cerned. What follows must not in any way be regarded 
 as exhaustive. 
 
 (1) Sessions Order Books 
 October, 1660. 
 
 Whereas Henry ffoster of Ormskirk, Thos. Crosby 
 of the same, George Nye of Lideate, John Underwood 
 of the same, Roger Litherbarrowe of the same, Richard 
 Johnson of Lunt, John Wetherly of the same, Peter 
 Westhead of Aughton, John Smalshawe of Great 
 Crosbie, Jeremie Lyon of Raineforth, John Bispham 
 of the same, Isack Ashton of Skelmsden, Henry 
 Markland of Windle, Peter Leadbeater of Biccurstaffe 
 and Godfrey Atherton of the same were all of them 
 apprehended within Biccurstafe for there unlawfull 
 meetings & were comitted at the last Sessions of peace 
 here holden in Jany last and that William Turner 
 gente undersheriffe of the County despended the some 
 of ten pounds in conveying of them to the said Goale 
 yt is therefore ordered by the Court that the Constables 
 of the aforesaid townes of Ormskerk, Lideate, Lunt, 
 Aughton, Great Crosby, Raineforth, Skelmsdall, 
 Windle & Bicurstaffe shall sevally furthwith having a 
 Copie hereof delivred to them Collect levy and gather 
 of the goods of the above menconed psons residing 
 within these townes the some of twelve shillings & 
 six pence a piece and for want of such goods of any 
 of the said psons then the said Constables of Biccurstaffe 
 are to levy the same upon the said Inhabitants of 
 Biccurstaffe where they were apphended and make 
 undelayed paymt thereof unto the said Undersheriffe 
 And it is further ordered that the psent high Constable
 
 104 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 shall sign receipt hereof and send forth Copies hereof 
 to the sevall pettie Constables above menconed without 
 delay. And yt the pettie Constables refuse pform- 
 ance of this order then upon complaint made to any 
 Justice &c. 
 
 1661. qua. Cho. Benson of Ulverston, John Holme 
 of same, James Chambers, Gleaston, Thomas Wilson 
 of Dalton refused in open Court to take the oath of 
 obedience being the first tyme. Committed untill 
 next Ss. 
 
 Robte Widder of over Kellet, Robte drinkea of 
 Side garth, Edrn. Comeing of Mosse Side, Tho. 
 Drothwaite of Capernwrea William Stilton of same, 
 Thos. Beckbeane and John Beckbane of Gunerthwaite 
 James Lancaster of Northscale, Thos. Hutton of 
 Rampside, Tho. Goad of Berkbury & Robert Briggs 
 of Holm mere haveing the oath of obedience tendrede 
 in open Court and refuse all of them to take the same. 
 
 7 October, 1684. 
 
 Reed, then by me Jonathan Seed (Undr Sherrife of 
 Lancashire) from Sr. Robert Bindlos, Barrt. one of 
 his Majtis Justices of the peace by the hands of Roger 
 Moore Esq., another of his Majtis Justices of the peace 
 the sume of nine pounds ten shillings being the Kings 
 third parte of the sume of xxviiili. xs. imposed upon 
 William Huggonson & others for a Conventicle held at 
 the house of Robert Wither in ovr Kellet the xxxist of 
 August last. I say reed, nine pounds & ten shillings. 
 
 By me 
 
 Jonath Seed. 
 Eod. Die. 
 Reed, then from Roger Kirkby cS^ William Kirkby, 
 Esq., two of his Majtis Justices of ye Peace by ye 
 hands of Mr George Taylor one of the High Constables 
 of Lonsdale Hundred in the County above written the 
 sume of Vijli Viijs Vijd being the King's third pte of 
 the sume of XXijli Vs Xid being in pte of sevall fines
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 105 
 
 imposed upon George Braithwate & others for being 
 at 3 sevall Conventicles one at the house of George 
 Satterthwat, the second of December last and the 
 other two at the house of Margaret fell, widow, the 
 18th. of November & the 30th. of December last. 
 I say reed. 
 
 Vijli-Viiijs-Vijd 
 By me 
 
 Jonan. Seed. 
 14. Oct. 1684. 
 
 Reed then from Sr. Richard Atherton Knt. one of 
 his Majtis Justices of the peace the sume of six pounds 
 & thirteene shillings & foure pence being the King's 
 third parte of a fine imposed upon Charles Holland of 
 Hawkley yeoman for preaching or teaching in a Con- 
 venticle held at the house of Thomas Holland of 
 South worth the Vij day of September last. 
 
 By me 
 
 Jonan. Seed 
 
 Sub. vie. Com. Lane. 
 
 Jan. 15, 1685-6. 
 
 Reed. In the open Sessions at Preston the sume of 
 five pounds sixtiene shillings and six pence being the 
 King's third part of seventiene pounds nyne shillings 
 and six pence levyed in pte of moneys forfeited upon 
 a Conviccon of a Conventicle agt Townson Will. 
 Tomlinson and othrs at Rawcliffe and elsewhere 
 within the County of Lancr. menconed in a Record 
 thereof made and certifyed under the hand & seale of 
 Ralph Longworth Esq. one of his Majtis Justices of 
 peace. 
 
 p. Robt. pigot sub. vie. 
 
 Xiiij July 1686. 
 
 Reed then in ye open Sessions at Lancr. the sume of 
 fower pounds ten shillings ten pence halfe penny being 
 the King's third parte of moneys forfeited by & levyed 
 of Geo. Braithwaite & othrs for an unlawful Con-
 
 106 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 venticle held at ye house of Geo. Satterthwaite of 
 Skinnerhow in ye parish of Hawkshead ye seacond of 
 December 1685 according to a Record thereof made 
 the seaventh of December 1685 by Roger Kirkby & 
 Wm. Kirkby Esqrs two of his Majtis Justices of ye 
 peace & a memorial this day brt into Court the sume 
 of one pound eleven shillings two pence halfe peny 
 being the King's third parte for Moneys levyd & reed 
 of offendrs at two unlawful Conventicles, the one 
 Conventicle at ye house of Edward Robinson, the 
 Seacond of September 1685, according to a record 
 thereof made the ninth of October 1685 by ye sd. 
 Roger Kirkby & Wm Kirkby Esqrs And the other 
 Conventicle at ye house of Mrs Margt Fell, 1 wid. at 
 Swarthmore upon the twenty first of September 1684, 
 according to a Record thereof made ye sd ninth day 
 of October 1684 by ye said Wm. Kirkby Esq. whereof 
 a memorial was also now delivered into Court 
 
 By me 
 
 Thos. Winckley Sub. vie. 
 
 (2) Petitions 
 1661. 
 
 To they Justices in Comission for ye peace of this 
 County and now in this towne of Lane, or to any others 
 whom this may concerne to read & mynde wth ye 
 Spirit of meeknes 
 Sheweth 
 
 That wee they Subscribers wth others our fellow 
 prisoners were by order from some of you (or yor 
 
 1 It is curious that Margaret Fells's marriage with George Fox never 
 seems to have been properly recognised in these northern parts. In 
 these documents she is repeatedly referred to as Margaret Fell and 
 even called a " widow." She protests strongly against the injustice 
 done to her by this, and it is not quite clear why her second marriage 
 was not recognised. The position in relation to Quaker marriages was 
 somewhat obscure ; and it may be that the little time that Fox was 
 able to live with her at Swarthmore because of his mission contributed 
 to this.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 107 
 
 fellow Justices of ye peace) apprehended & sent to 
 prison where we have Innocently and patiently Suffered 
 bonds for ye space of 14 weekes (& some more) this 
 Winter Season, although nothing can Justly bee laid 
 to our Charge as matter of fact Deserveing such an 
 Imprisonment both to the prejudice of our health, 
 ye ruine of our Estates and ye expence of our tyme 
 in a separation from our wives, Children & families & 
 from our labour in our Lawfull Callings in ye Creation, 
 whereby wee might be in a capacity to help others 
 & not be burthensome to any, being (as you well know) 
 husbandmen & tradesmen upon whose Diligence & 
 Dayly labour ye Subsistance of our families as to ye 
 outward Consists, the neglect whereof may in all 
 likelyhood Impoverish them & us ; & so bring an 
 Unnecessary Charge & burthen upon others, wch if 
 it should bee incurred upon this accounte & by this 
 Imprisonmt could not be laid to ye Charge of the 
 oppressed, whose sufferings is but upon Suspition & 
 not for any actuale transgression but only for Con- 
 science sake, and not for any wrong Injurie or offence, 
 either Intended or Acted agt any pson or power ap- 
 poynted of God for the punishmt of Evill Doers & 
 for the praise of them yt doe well for unto such our 
 Soules are Subject for Conscience Sake, & wee Desire 
 nothing from you but yt wee may live quietly & 
 peaceably in our owne houses, Eate our own bread 
 & follow our owne Callings in the feare of god, for the 
 good of all ; & to mete together to serve & worpp our 
 God according as hee requireth of us. And if you 
 will not Grant theise things unto us, then shall wee 
 lye downe in the peace of our God & patiently Suffer 
 under you, as we have done under all powers whom 
 ye lord God by his owne power hath overturned (& 
 Remember you are in his hand) & if you trouble & 
 afflict us for soe Doing then will the Lord our God 
 trouble & afflict you (mynd yt) they are ye words of 
 truth to you 2 Thess. I. 6. 7. Now you knowing yt
 
 108 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 our Comittmt was only upon Suspition & nothing can 
 Justly bee laid to our Charge worthy of these our 
 bonds, we therefore put you in mynde hereby to 
 consider of our present condition & Compare it with 
 ye cause & Do unto us as you would bee Dealt with 
 in Case of Conscience ; and as you are ministers of 
 ye law Looke into ye pfect law of liberty (wch saith) 
 whatsoever you would yt men should Doe unto you 
 &c. (Undoe ye heavie burdens & lett ye oppressed 
 Goe free) for ye lord require it of you to Do justly & 
 to love Mercy & wee Doe Expect from you Justice 
 & Equity our right & priviledge to labour in our 
 lawfull callings yt as becometh Saints wee may serve 
 our God & as Subjects wee may serve our King & 
 Countrie in all just requireings & this wee leave to 
 yor Consideration expecting to receive some Answere 
 from you tending to ye enlargmt of us who are prisoners 
 
 Subscribed in ye behalfe 
 of our Selves & ye 
 rest of our fellow 
 Lancr. Castle prisoners who are 
 
 the 14th of ye in number above 50 
 
 nth moth who suffers upon 
 
 1661 this accounte 
 
 Chr. Bessbrowne Robt. Pennington 
 
 Robert Widder William Baynes 
 
 Thomas Atkinson Thomas Hodgson 
 &c. 
 
 Friends, 
 
 Wee whose names are Subscribed being peaceably 
 mett together in the feare of the Lord upon ye 18th 
 day of the nth month called January 1661 within 
 the Towne of Biccurstath were not suffered to Stay 
 peaceably together but were haled out by Souldiers 
 and taken prisoms to Ormskcrkc. And from thence
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 109 
 
 to Weegan Sessions where wee were brought before 
 you upon the 20th of the sayd moneth and there by 
 you were Comitted to the Sheriffe's Custody to be 
 sent to the Gaole at Lancr. only because wee could 
 not Sweare for Conscience Sake and Soe according 
 to yor Ordr wee were sent to the sayd Gaole and there 
 detayned untill the Assizes Att wch tyme (no man 
 having any thing to lay to our Charge) the Judge Sett 
 us at liberty. Since which tyme The Sheriffe (having 
 informed you of some moneys by him desburst in 
 Sending us to prison) hath obtayned yor Ordr for the 
 Collecting of the Summe of ten pounds upon our goods 
 for his charges and accordingly by vertue of yor ordr 
 Warrants are sent forth by the high Constable for the 
 Speedy leavyinge of the same And thereupon Sevall 
 Constables have distreyned and some have taken 
 the vallue of fower pounds & three pounds at a house. 
 Now wee being Sensible of the uniustness of these or 
 [our] Sufferings And that wee have not in any wyse 
 made breach of any iust law of this Nation but were 
 taken (as afforsayd) before the King's proclamation 
 came forth for the breaking of or meetings And also 
 the King having given ordr for the releasing of us 
 without any fees or othr dutyes whatsoever And 
 Knowing it to bee yor place and in yor power to Ad- 
 minister Justice betwixt man & man being Sworne 
 thereunto without partiallity. It was in or hearts 
 to lay these things before you That soe you may 
 take these or innocent Sufferings into yor Serious 
 Considracon and may not bring iudgmt upon yor 
 owne heads by afflicting and making a prey upon the 
 innocent who have no helper in the earth. And 
 wee know yt if yu Grant or requests & relieve us 
 herin yu shall have peace & comfort in it from ye 
 Lord. 
 
 And if the Sheriffe may lawfully have Charges wee 
 desire that hce would make it manifest what his 
 Charges was ffor we iudge it was but about 32s which
 
 no QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 he desburst hyring eight men to goe wth us to Lancr 
 which wee went in two dayes 
 
 Isaac Ashton Henry ffauster 
 
 Godfrey Atharton Thos. Crosbie 
 
 Peeter Leadbeater Rich. Johnson 1 
 
 in behalfe of the 
 rest, 
 ffor ye Justices att ye 
 Sessions at Weegan 
 
 these. D. D. 
 
 Quakers taken at Lancaster 
 John Borley of Lancaster 
 In the Robert Deys of Lancaster 
 Court John Walker of Morside 
 & Thomas Hinde of Littledale 
 
 deny'd. William Hanes of Wersdale 
 Henery Townson of Wirsdale 
 
 Quakers sent by Coronell Kerby 
 
 the 21st of September 1661. 
 Thomas Atkinson of Cartmell 
 Thomas Barrow of Cartmell 
 Richard fell of Cartmell 
 John fell of Cartmell 
 Richard Simpson the same 
 Lawrence Nowton the same 
 Philipe Brathwaite the same. 
 William Peill the same 
 
 Robert Pennington of Saterthwat 
 
 William Saterthwat of Cowless (?) 
 
 George Benson of Stangcnd 
 
 Thomas Docker of Clophell 
 
 Michael Wilson of Langdale in Westmorland 
 
 1 Richard Johnson was born at Lunt about 1630, and later lived at 
 Ormskirk. In the exercise of his ministry he travelled both in England 
 and Ireland.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS in 
 
 Quakers taken and delivered 
 by the Constable of Yelland 
 the 8th of October 1661. 
 Robert Wither of Kellett 
 Robert Hubersam of Yelland 
 Thomas Chorley of Carnforth 
 Chrestopher Besbrowne of Arnside 
 John Boakbarne of Gunnerthwte 
 James Hutton of Warton 
 Thomas Leaper of Caponbarrow 
 Thomas Dauther of the same 
 John Basbrowne of Arnside 
 All were demaunded to take the oath & refused & 
 Comitted to next Sesss. 
 
 Names of ye Quakers taken in Bickerstaffe 
 
 Henry ffoster Ormske 
 
 George Pie Lidiate 
 
 Richard Johnson Lunt 
 
 Peter Westhead Augton 
 
 Peter Leadbetter Bickerstaffe 
 
 John Smalshawe Great Crosbie 
 
 John Underwood Lidiate 
 
 Jeremie Lyon Penforth 
 
 John Ashton Liverpoole 
 
 Roger Litherbarrowe Lidiate 
 
 Godfrey Atherton fitz Oliver 
 
 Isacke Ashton Celemsdill 
 
 Thomas Crosbye Orke 
 
 John Bispham Penforth 
 
 John Wither Sonske 
 
 Henry Markland Windle 
 
 Humphrey Sephton ) „ . , , ~. . . ,. x 
 -c-j a c 1. j. r *n Rainford Division (?) 
 
 Edmd. Sephton J v ' 
 
 Thos. Baines 
 
 Maddocker at Chester 
 
 Thomas Atherton fitz minor Olvr 
 
 [The names of some of the places in this document are 
 
 almost indecipherable.]
 
 H2 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 1663. 
 October 
 
 The Constables of Over Celot doe present Robert 
 Widder and his wife Jane his son Thomas Widder x and 
 Margaret Hadwen, Sibell Beckben, Margret Leeches, 
 Thomas Leaper and his wife Margret and his daughter 
 Easter Leaper Robert Stout and his wife Eyllis, Thomas 
 Come and his wife, Elizabeth, John Douthat and his 
 wife Jannet, Robert Widder the son of Robert Widder, 
 they come not to the Church not within this six week 
 to hear the book of Comon prear red 
 
 Presentmts made by the Constables of Cockerham 
 
 Tho. Brerley \ Vacabonds wipt and 
 George Spencer I flockt by the said Constables 
 Alice Causer | Root Greenall 
 
 Ellen Simpson J Robt Deyes 
 
 John ffowler and 
 
 Ellen his wife & 
 
 John dicckson 
 
 for not heareing v quakers 
 
 divine Service 
 
 for a Month. 
 
 I present ffor not Cominge to the Morning prayer 
 
 Mr. Roger Sorawe 2 
 hugh Towers of meanfeld for the like 
 henery Jackson of Couthwhat nooke for the like 
 Joseph Towers for the like 
 Joseph Railing, Cholmaster for the like 
 
 Theis being presented to the Comisery before for the 
 like. 
 
 1 Thomas Widders was the son of Robert Widders. He lived at 
 Yealand, and along with several others in 1678 he wrote a testimony 
 against the payment of " Tythe and Steeplehouse Lays." 
 
 4 Roger Sawrey, vide p. 20, note 1.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 
 
 ii3 
 
 A true presentment of the quakers of Aldingham 
 tounship 
 
 Thomas Goad 
 Thomas ffell 
 Richard myres 
 Richard park 
 James Chambers 
 John Chambers 
 
 Thomas Curwen 
 
 Richard Ashburner 
 
 Thomas borwicke 
 
 Richard ffell 
 
 Wilyam Hampson 
 
 Richard Eldaton (?) 
 
 Wydow Simondson 
 
 [The writing in this document is extremely bad.] 
 
 Within Leese Towneship 
 
 Wee present John Gooade 1 for not cominge to ye Church 
 
 A note of the Quakers in Ulverston 
 
 John Taylor 
 Edward Cowper 
 William Holme 
 Thos. Wilson 
 
 Given by us 
 
 Henry Townson 
 Henry Newton 
 Constables there 
 
 Thomas Benson 
 John Holme 
 Robert Briggs 
 Robt. Salthouse 2 
 William Salthouse 2 
 
 Chrestopher Rigg 
 Constable. 
 
 The names of the quakers within the Constablewick of 
 Hauxhead. 
 
 Samuell Sands 
 Gyles Walker 
 Thomas Pennington 
 George Sattcrthtt. 
 James Braithwt. 
 Richard Walker 
 George Benson. 
 
 1 The Goads were one of the oldest Furness families. John Goad, 
 possibly the one here mentioned, was born in 1626. A person of that 
 name who belonged to Gleaston died in 1709. 
 
 2 Representatives of another old Furness family. Three brothers 
 are mentioned, Robert, William, and Thomas. Robert is said to have 
 paid many visits to Ireland and the Isle of Man in the interests of his 
 religious faith. 
 
 II
 
 ii4 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 The names of quakers within Constablewicke of 
 Dalton. 
 
 James Lancaster 
 
 William Hathornthaite 
 
 William Strickland 
 
 Nicholas Birket William Tyson 
 
 George ffell Constable. 
 
 Thomas Hutton 
 
 Leonard Addison 
 
 Thomas Parke. 
 
 Constable of Kerbie, 
 
 John Kerbie 
 
 in Kerbie, John Postellwhaite 
 
 psentmts by the Constables of Cartmell vizt such as 
 come not to Church otherwise caled quakers. 
 Thomas Atkinson Michael Peell 
 
 Lawrence Newton John Barrow, de ayside 
 
 Thomas Barrow Richard ffell 
 
 Tho. Atkinson Richard Britton 
 
 James Taylor John Barrow, Mosse side 
 
 Chrestopher ffell John ffell 
 
 Richard Simpson. 
 Tho. Askew 
 Constables . Tho. Borwicke 
 Henrie Wilson 
 
 Presentmts by the Constables of Satterthwaite and 
 Coulton of all such as come not to Church. 
 Robert Pennington James Rigg 
 
 John Braithwaite George Braithwaite 
 
 Will Crane George Braithwaite 
 
 Edw. Satterthwaite George Holme 
 
 Edw. Rigg George Braithwaite 
 
 Will Satterthwaite James ffell 
 
 John Satterthwaite 
 
 James Knipe | Constables< 
 
 John Stamton J
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 115 
 
 1664 [April). 
 To the Justices of the peace met together in Sessions 
 
 att Lancaster 
 peace be unto you 
 
 The humble relation of Thomas Davenporte & James 
 Brown prisoners in the Castle of Lancaster — 
 
 Wee having friends who were prisoners in this place, 
 were moved in love to Com from our owne houses (in 
 Cheshire) to visit them & Espetially one who was Sick 
 for a long time who is now dead and buryed & after 
 wee had Seene them here went farther to Swarthmore 
 to see other of our friends alsoe & lodging there alnighte 
 there being a meeting the other day, a Justis of the 
 peace Came in & wee being strangers were Comited 
 into the hands of the Constables of Ulverston the 18th 
 of the 10th month called December & by them kept nere 
 three dayes & after wee were sent to prison. 
 
 Now so it was that at the Last Quartercestions wee 
 were Called & because wee Cold not for Conscience 
 Sake Sweare were Comitted the Second time to the 
 Assizes & then wee laid our Conditions (as it is here 
 mentioned) before Judge Twisden, who then said it 
 was Concluded that wee most be Continued till the 
 next Sessions & now wee lay the same before you, wee 
 having Continued prissoners these 17 weeks. I 
 Thomas Davenporte being an old man having beene 
 Sicke & weake for a great part of this time, having an 
 old weake woman to my wife some years Elder then 
 myselfe & a daughter who hath had the Convultion 
 fitts more then 12 yeares & for severall weeks in the 
 yeare quite louseth her understanding & at the best 
 hath very little, the tenemt I have under the Lady 
 Kilmory being put into the hands of Trusties for 21 
 yeares for the paymt of my Debts & wee only live 
 on the rack so that tho I am an old man yet doth the 
 livlyhood of my familly (outwordly) depend on my 
 libertie & James Browne a husband man, who was 
 a Soldyer for ye King both in Ireland & England & at
 
 n6 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 the Namptwitch in the field was left for dead, who then 
 received many wonds, being now a broken man, this 
 was laid before the Judg & part of it was laid before 
 two of the Justices after the Cestions last & one of them 
 said why did you not tell us this before & now wee 
 lay this before you all, which is nothing but the very 
 truth & leave it to you that ye may Consider of it in 
 the wisdon of god, for our release (wee having beene 
 so long prisoners) which thing wee know will be 
 acceptable in the sight of god & man & yor reward 
 from the lord you will not lose : 
 
 ffrom us who are prisoners 
 in this Castle for 
 Consceince Sake, do wish 
 Grace mercye & Eternall 
 Salivation to yor Soules 
 
 1 These for the Justices att the Quartercestions now 
 siting at Lancaster, which are som of the Greevances 
 & aflictions & sufferings of the people called Quakers 
 which is Contrary to Law Equitie & Justis that is 
 Inflicted upon them by some of yor officers in the 
 Contry which is no honour to Justis nor you which our 
 desire is that you may doe Justis & see that Justis be 
 done & that you may Limit & stop such officers as acte 
 Contrary to Law Justis & Equitie & this will bee to 
 yor honour : — 
 
 i. Thomas Harison of Car house neare Garstin 
 Market toune, had a Cow taken from him about the 
 beginning of ye nth month last by henry Corran 
 Baylive for two Wapontack rents (?) which was one 
 shilling the Cow was well worth two pounds fiftine 
 Shillings & the Churchwardens so called took a Charne 
 
 1 This document appears in the Cambridge Edition of Fox's Journal 
 (vide p. 28, note 1). It is here printed as I copied it from the Sessions 
 Records. Evidently the writer or writers retained a copy besides the 
 one sent to the Court of Sessions. It will be noted that there are great 
 differences in the spellings, but, as repeatedly pointed out in this 
 matter, there was no uniformity in those days.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 117 
 
 from the foresd Thomas Harison the 14th of ye second 
 month for one Shilling Eight pence which was worth 
 fower shillings and torned nothing againe, so for two 
 shillings Eight pence they tooke goods worth three 
 pounds fower pence. 
 
 2. In the 13th of ye second month William Houghton 
 Baylive for a fine imposed ye Cestions before this 13th 
 day of the second month 1664 [torn] a fine of ten 
 shillings they took from Thomas Benson of Ulverston 
 a Brass pott worth fowertine shillings & fower pewter 
 dishes worth [torn] shillings & retorned no overplush 
 which come to Eightine shillings. 
 
 3. The same time by the same Baylive for a fine of 
 thirtie three shillings fower pence demaunded of Robert 
 Walles they tooke a hef [torn] two pounds six shillings 
 Eight pence & retorned no overplush which came to 
 thirtine shillings fowerpence. 
 
 4. Att the same time by ye same Baylive for a fine 
 of one pounde six shillings eight pence they tooke two 
 heffers from Robert [torn] worth two pounds six 
 shillings & eight pence & retorned nothing againe being 
 twentie shillings more then the Baylive should have 
 [torn]. 
 
 5. The same Baylive for a fine of one pound six 
 shillings Eight pence for meeting together they tooke 
 from Thomas Crossfield [torn] elis & 3 pecks of malt, 3 
 new Sacks a bras morter & a Brass pott which Goods 
 was worth two pounds sixtine shillings & ret [torned] 
 nothing againe of the overplush which came to one 
 pound nine shillings fower pence. 
 
 6. The same Baylive for a fine of one pounde six 
 shillings Eight pence for meeting together hee tooke 
 from James Lancaster a horse [torn] three pounds six 
 shillings Eight pence & retorned nothing againe of the 
 overplush which came to two pounds. 
 
 7. The same time by yc same Baylive for a fine 
 of one pounde thirtine shillings fowerpence for meeting 
 together hee tooke a horse from Richard Clayton
 
 n8 OUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 stood him in six pounds Eight shillings tooke his horse 
 out of the plow when he was plowing & so Broke his 
 draught & retorned him nothing againe of ye over- 
 plus which overplus Came to fower pounds fowertine 
 Shillings Eight pence & sould the said horse for about 
 twentie one shillings & threattens to come againe for 
 more goods. 
 
 8. The same time by the same Baylive for a fine 
 for meeting together three pounds six shillings Eight 
 pence hee tooke two Cows from Richard fell of Baycliff 
 worth fower pounds ten shillings which overplus 
 Come to one pound thirtine shillings fower pence & 
 retorned no overplus againe. 
 
 9. The same time by ye same Baylive for a fine for 
 meeting together one pounde thirtine shillings fower 
 pence he tooke one Cow from Thomas Haverick a 
 poore man having no more to give him milk. Judg 
 of this. 
 
 10. George ffell a poore pettie Chapman had his 
 goods taken from him in the Market & made havoek 
 of for meeting together & his wife being of another 
 pswation payd moneys & tooke them againe & this 
 ye aforesd Baylive William Houghton did in ffurnis 
 to the people of God Called Quakers for peaceable 
 meeting together which is but some of the havoek 
 & suffering hee did upon them. 
 
 11. The 5th day of ye 2d month 1664 William 
 houghton Came & brought a Constable with him & 
 tooke from James Rigg of high wray two yong Steeves 
 worth fower pounds ten shillings & one Cow with 
 Calfe worth two pounds ten shillings Contrary to the 
 law for James Rigg was not Convicted at these Cestions 
 of any transgrestion of the law neither by his owne 
 Confescion nor by the Verdict of 12 men nor by 
 notorious Evidence of ye fact nor so much as examined 
 upon any accompt nor whether he was at meeting 
 or noe but only a man called him by his name & bade 
 him Com up to barr & there was no more said unto
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 119 
 
 him nor laid against him yet never the less ye 
 majestrats fined the sd James Rigg in three pounds 
 six shillings Eight pence Contrary to the late Act a 
 man uncomitted & gave warrant to William houghton 
 to Straine & fetch his goods which he did to the vallue 
 of 7I1 as aforesd & so see whether here be Justis done 
 in this to send a Baylive to fetch a man's goods un- 
 convicted by ye law Contrary to ye law & keeps them. 
 
 12. The 5th day of ye second month 1664 Will 
 Houghton Baylive Came & tooke away a Black horse 
 from Richard Walker of yew tree worth 3I1 & the 
 sd Richard was not Convicted at these Sestions of any 
 transgrestion neither by his owne Confestion nor by 
 any other Evidence whatsoever nor so much as ex- 
 amined whether hee was at the meeting or not, but 
 only Called by his name & said no more unto & after 
 yt was fined in ili 13s 4d, a man unconvicted Contrary 
 to ye law & late Act, the overplus being 2li 6s. 8d 
 but torned nothing againe. 
 
 13. The same Baylive Houghton about the same 
 time tooke from Goyles Walker neare Haukshead 
 two yong Steeves worth 4U & said hee was fined in 
 ili 13s 4d. ye sd Goyles Walker was not in his list 
 but one miles Walker of Hawshead & hee put the letter 
 (m) out that stood for miles & put in (G) for Gyles 
 and here you may see if this benot unjust for Justis 
 preserves a people but in justis ruins them & the 
 Baylive torned him nothing againe these before 
 mentioned was for meeting together to worship God. 
 
 1st. Richard parke of Sunbrick for 4s fine for not 
 going to the steeple house had his Gridale that was 
 to bake his Bread on taken from him by Constables 
 which was worth 13s 6d & nothing torned againe 
 the overplus being 9s 6d. 
 
 2. William Simson * of Sunbrick for 4s fine for not 
 
 1 William Sympson belonged to Lancashire, bein^ born about 1627. 
 Cumberland, Oxfordshire, and many other districts in England and
 
 120 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 going to ye steeple house & hee being in prisson had 
 goods taken from him worth 9 or 10s & nothing re- 
 torned againe being poore people the overplus being 
 5s & 6d. 
 
 3. Richard Asborner of Betlife for 4s fine for not 
 going to the steeple house had his Gridale taken from 
 him which hee should have baked his bread on by ye 
 Constable worth a us being a poore man & his wife 
 being able to do little & having a Charg of Children 
 & nothing retorned againe of ye overplus being 7s. 
 
 4. Thomas Borwick of Bykly for 4s fine for not 
 going to the steeple house had a Bushell of pease & 
 a Sack taken from him by ye Constable & his Sack 
 torned againe. 
 
 5. James Chambers of Gleaston for 4s fine for not 
 going to the steeple house had a pott & a pann taken 
 from him by ye Constable worth 8s. The pott being 
 on the fire Boyling meate for his family the Constable 
 tooke it & offered to put it amongst ye swins meat 
 & nothing torned againe the overplus being 4s. 
 
 6. Richard Cleatton of Gleaston for 4s fine for not 
 going to ye steeple house had a pott taken from him 
 by ye Constable worth 12s & had nothing torned againe 
 the overplus being 8s. 
 
 7. John Goad of Gleaston for 4s fine for not going 
 to the steeple house had a pott & a pann taken from 
 him by ye Constable & nothing torned againe. 
 
 8. Jane Simonson widdow of Brows Beck for 4s 
 fine for not going to the steeple house had a bushell 
 of Bigg & a Sack taken from her by ye Constable & 
 had nothing torned againe. 
 
 And most of these being Excommunicated out of 
 ye steeple house before some of them had exhorta- 
 
 Ireland had the benefit of his ministry. It is said that he went " three 
 years naked and in sackcloth in the days of Oliver and his Parliament ; 
 was made many times to go through markets naked and to Cambridge 
 stark naked." He died in February 1670-1 while on a visit with 
 John Burnyeat to the Barbadoes.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 121 
 
 tion or Cittation to there knowledge and Thomas 
 Carrand of Beakby hath beene in prison above 3 
 yeares & is yet in prison & is excommunicated out of 
 ye steeple house & fined for not coming to the steeple 
 house 4s. 
 
 And when wee did goe to ye Spirituall Courte in 
 steed of exhorting & Convincing of us in Scripture 
 way they gave us bad words & excommunicated us 
 whether they spoke to us or no without any Exhorta- 
 tion. So you that are to do Justis we would have 
 you to doe us Justis Concerning these things for these 
 are but some of the afflictions that are inflicted upon 
 us. 
 
 9. Robert Salthouse & William Salthouse of 
 Drageleybeck for 8s fine for not Comeing to the steeple- 
 house had 4 peare of shuse taken from them by ye 
 Constable worth a ns 6d & nothing retorned againe. 
 
 10. Robert Briggs of Hollow mire for 4s fine for 
 not going to ye steeple house had 4 pewter dishes 
 taken from him worth [torn], & had nothing torned 
 againe. 
 
 11. Thomas Benson of Ulverston for 4s fine for 
 not going to ye steeple house had a pann & a pewter 
 cobler taken from [torn] had nothing torned againe. 
 
 12. John Holme of Ulverston fined 4s for not going 
 to ye steeple house & ye Constable borrowed 6s of 
 him & for the fine hee kept it [torn], him nothing 
 againe. 
 
 1st. Thomas Chorley of Carnford about ye nth 
 month 1663 was indited at ye Cescions for going to a 
 meeting being in Ulverston was fined 20s & ffor it 
 had a Cow distreaned which cost him 4H which Cow 
 was released [torn], by a neighbour that owed him 
 money [torn], home againe. 
 
 2. Robert Wither for going to a meeting was 
 Comitted to prison and there remained 9 week then 
 was fined in 3H 6s 8d for which [torn], Houghton a
 
 122 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Baylive tooke 2 Cowes worth 61i 10s of which [torn], 
 about the beginning of this yeare 1664. 
 
 3. Thomas Leaper for being at a meeting was Im- 
 prisoned [torn], weeks & afterwards fined in [torn], 
 worth 4K which was released by his Brother. 
 
 4. John Markes was also a prisoner 9 weeks & then 
 fined in one pound thirting shillings fower pence which 
 was caused to be payed to the sd. Baylive by a 
 neighbour. 
 
 5 William Weathman for being at a meeting was 
 also Imprisoned 9 weeks & fined in ili 13s 4d which 
 the Baylive had from his father. 
 
 6. Thomas Cam for being at a meeting was prisoner 
 9 weeks & then fined 2s for wch ye Baylive tooke a 
 pott which a neighbour loosed he being a poor-man. 
 
 7. Chrestopher Chorley of Carnford for being at ye 
 meeting was prissoner 9 weeks & then fined in 2s 
 which his grandfather payd his father also being 
 for prissoner the like & yet is detained in prisson. 
 
 8. Will. Huginson & Robert Huberstie was taken 
 out of there owne house and sent to prisson for 9 weeks 
 the Baylive yt destreaned ym was Will. Houghton. 
 
 Most of these was Excomunicated without any 
 Exhortation or Cittation to there knowledge & when 
 they had made ym incapable of Coming to ye Steeple 
 house they fined them 4s a month & also fined them 
 for meeting peasably to wait upon the lord of which 
 many of them Suffer Imprisonmt 9 weeks & yn were 
 fined afterwards & do not know they were but to 
 suffer 3 months by ye Act. 
 
 Ffurthermore you may see what abuses & havock 
 & spoyle the Baylives makes of us Concerning tithes & 
 other things above mentioned & all for tenderness of 
 conscience and not in rebellion nor Contempt to any 
 man. John Berlley of Lancaster was summoned to a 
 Courte Leet & Courte Barran at Alklife under Robert 
 Dalton of Thernmim & there to be of a Jurie & because 
 for Conscience Sake hee Could not Sweare they fined
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 123 
 
 him in a us 8d as the Baylive sd & within a while 
 after the sd Robert Dalton's Baylive caled Robert 
 Storzicor Came upon his grounds & tooke 15 sheep 
 from him which a little before cost him 3U 3s 4d & 
 suld them in Lancaster Market. 
 
 The same John Birley was sumoned to a Coorte 
 held at Lancaster Willm West being Major that yere 
 & because for Conscience Sake he cold not Sweare 
 being warned to be of a Jurie hee was fined in 6s 8d & 
 afterwards Edmonson ye Baylive of ye toune the next 
 Coorte after Sued him as a just debt due unto him & 
 hath at this time a judgmt against him to cast his 
 body into prison. 
 
 Bryan Hodgson of Lancaster because for Conscience 
 Sake hee Could not Sweare being Sumoned to be on a 
 Jurie was fined in 6s 8d by Will West being Major yt 
 yeare & Thomas Edmonson being Baylive tooke out of 
 his shop one peare of Boots about worth 13s & retorned 
 nothing againe. 
 
 Roger Hartley was sued by Ralfe Ashton Impro- 
 priattor for tith Corne Vallued 12s shillings 6d & had 
 taken from him by Goyles hamond Baylive & one yt 
 came with him a Karsey peece worth 37s. 
 
 Steeven Sager was sued by Ralpe Ashton Impro- 
 priator for tith corne vallue at us yd & by Goyles 
 Hamond & Will Berry had wooll taken from him 
 worth 35s John Sager was sued by Ralph Ashton 
 Impropriator for tith corne Vallued by ym selves at 
 1 8s o,d & had taken from him by Goyles hamond & 
 Will Berry two Kersey peeseesc worth 3H 15s 6d. 
 
 Richard Hargreives of the Edge end was sued by 
 Ralph Ashton Impropriator for tith corne vallued at 
 ili 2s 6d & had taken from by Goyles hamond & Will 
 Berry two Kersey peecese worth 4U 3s. 
 
 Robert Bruce of Hartlacks was sued for tith by 
 Thomas Berry & Will Rippon tith farmer & Cast at 
 Comon Law att ye Assises att Lancaster in 2li damage 
 as there Witness bore Evidence & then Cast in treble
 
 124 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 damage being 61i & upon the 26th day of ye 1st month 
 last the Baylive Arran tooke a horse worth 3H & one 
 Cow worth 3H & 3 yong bease worth 5H the horse was 
 sent againe & so kept goods worth 81i & if I could have 
 Graed it it may bee ili would have fitted it but yt I 
 dorst not do for Conscience Sake. And priest Brigs 
 of Boulton sent one Thomas Wilkinson who tooke a 
 Goose of mine in the highway for tithe of geese hee 
 having but 6 yong ons in all. 
 
 Will Barns of Wirs side had a pan taken from him 
 worth 2s 4d by Robert Hawthornet called ye church 
 warden for is demanded as hee sd for ye Church & 
 had nothing retorned againe in the 2d month 1664. 
 
 Taken from Minchall a flitch of Bacon to ye vallue 
 of ten shillings the demand was 2s for smale tith. 
 
 Taken from John Minchall Brass to ye vallue of 8s 
 the demand was 5d for maintaining of ye Steeple- 
 house. 
 
 Taken from John Minchall pewter to ye vallue of 5s 
 & ye demand was 2d for repairing of ye Steeple house. 
 
 Taken from John Minchall a Brass pann to ye 
 vallue of one pounde for not swearing & is 2d for 
 tith. 
 
 Taken from John Minchall Goods to ye vallue of 6s 
 for not paying 4d to Repaire ye Steeple house. 
 
 Taken from John Minchall a pann worth is 8d for 
 not paying 2d to repaire ye Steeple house. 
 
 The said John Minchall suffered imprisonment nere 
 8 months for tith about 3 thanes of oats. 
 
 Taken of John Minchall 2 steers worth 4I1 for tith 
 Vallued to nine shillings. 
 
 Taken from John Minchall a Cow worth 4H for about 
 5 thanes of Barley. 
 
 Taken from John Minchall 2 brass pans to ye vallue 
 of ili. For one thane of tith Barley & ten Sheaves of 
 Beans. 
 
 [The name of Minchall is spelled throughout with c. 
 The document is somewhat mutilated.]
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 125 
 
 To the right worll his maties Justices of the peace 
 & quor. within the County of Lane. 
 
 The humble peticon of Edward Rawsthorne 
 Governor of the house of Correccon in Manchester. 
 
 Sheweth — That whereas there is in the hands of the 
 Constables of Manchester the sume of ffive pounds 
 which was Collected & gathered from some Quakers 
 within the towne of Manchester in this County aforesd. 
 
 Yor peticoner humbly prayes yor worpp To grante 
 your order that the sd Sume of ffive pounds may bee 
 received from the sd Constables & Imployed to and for 
 the Repaire of the sd house of Correccon accordinge 
 to the late acte in that behalfe made 
 And yor peticonr shall 
 humbly pray for yor wspps 
 referred to Mr Lightbowne, Mr Mosley, Mr Hartley 
 to dispose yt as they shall see cause. 
 
 January 1667-8. 
 
 Wee doe hereby Acquainte the Justices of the Bench 
 That we have received Intelligence from our friends 
 att London who were Interceded for our freends in 
 Prison ; and Delivered our papers to the Kinge and 
 Councell whoe Received our papers att theire Hands 
 and did discourse wth them aboute our freends in 
 prison (And the next day did reporte our Grievances 
 to the Kinge and Councill) by whom wee are Certainly 
 Informed That the Kinge wth many of his Councill 
 were Inclyned to Sett our freinds att Liberty forthwth. 
 But being pswaded by some of his Councill to send an 
 ordr or a Letter To the Justices of peace att the Quarter 
 Sessions By whose pcuremt it was That these words 
 were put in the order vizt Ring leaders of ffaction in 
 Contempt of the Lawes Concerninge which wee Canne 
 speak unto the whole world To that wch is Righteous 
 Juste and true, in every hcarte And pcrticularly wee 
 Appeale unto yu upon the Bench what yu have knowne 
 of us Concerninge anie faction or anic disturbance
 
 126 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 of the peace or Gouermt or anie Contempt of anie 
 Lawes Though they were never so Contrary to our 
 principles And though they have taken Away our 
 Libertys, yea, and many of our Lyfes yeat we have 
 suffered patiently and peacably have undergone 
 whatever hath beene Inflicted upon us by them, ffor 
 it is Contrary to our principles to be factious or Tur- 
 bulent or Contemners of Lawes And it is Contrary to 
 our Lord & Maister's Commande whoe came not to 
 destroy the Lawe But to fulfill it whose Doctrine is 
 not to Resist Evill. But that if anie one smite us on 
 the one Cheeke to turne the other And so all faction 
 and Contention and Contemners of Lawes wee doe 
 deny ; And our practice and peacable life hath shewed 
 the same and ever shall ; And so to the Righteous 
 and just principle of God in all your Hearts wee doe 
 speake to Returne us as that Judges of us 
 
 John Townson 
 John White 
 
 Rich. Walker prisoners 
 Geo. Benson. 
 Robt. Widder Margt. ffell. 
 
 Tho. Green 
 
 1670 (?). 
 
 To Joshua Radcliffe and Alexander Nowell 
 Justices of ye peace for ye County Pallatine of 
 Lanchaster 
 
 these 
 Whereas there is An Act made Anno 22 Caroli 
 2 Regis The Preface whereof is to prevent & Supprese 
 Seditious Conventicles &c. And whereas there is a 
 Proviso in ye said Act yt when any one shall suffer 
 a fftne above ten shillings for any one Meeteing it 
 shall & may be lawfull (finding himselfe aggrieved) 
 for him to appeal from ye person or persons convicting 
 to ye Judgement of the Justices of ye Peace in their 
 next Quarter Sessions &c. Soe I having my goodes
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 127 
 
 taken by the Const, and Churchwardens of Pendelton 
 (by want from yu to them directed to levie a fine 
 upon me exceeding ten shillings) the mftenth day of 
 this Instant ffebruary for being at a Conventicle at 
 the house of James Whipp in Twiston upon Sunday 
 the Thirtyth of October last by reason of destraynt 
 made on my Goodes as aforesd I find myself aggrieved 
 Soe I do appeal from you according to the Provison 
 [faded] Evidence upon which the Conviction past 
 [faded] thereof And also a Coppie of the appeale 
 Mdm that the 18 day of [faded] 
 
 John Aspinall did enter the [faded] 
 [The document is badly faded.] 
 
 yth of gber 70. 
 John Speake 
 
 Constable of Twiston 
 Informeth upon oath that upon Sunday the 30th 
 of October last past upon some Suspicion that there 
 should bee a Conventickle or Unlawfull assemblie at 
 the house of James Whipp and There found William 
 Howgate of Gisburne in the County of York, Shopp 
 Keeper, John Aspinall of Standinge in the County of 
 Lancr. yeoman James Patefeild of Clithero, Scrifiner, 
 William Harison of Greenhead in Yorkshire Clothier, 
 Ellen Lee of Clitheroe, spinster, Isabell Browne of New- 
 feildsedg, Spinster, And the sd Informer demanded of the 
 sd Howgate upon what accompt or occation they mett 
 there hee Answered that they weare a Company of 
 ffreends mett to discourse of Scripture & theire Religion 
 Meaninge Noe hurte to neether Kinge nor Country 
 And further said not 
 
 John Speake 
 X 
 his marke 
 Informeth upon oath 
 John Clayton and Henry Speake being both 
 Comanded by the Constable at the Day and Tyme
 
 128 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 aforesd went with him to the house of James Whipp 
 in Twiston and there saw the psons above named 
 but upon what accompt they were there [torn], the 
 cannot tell but doe beleeve they weare all Quakers 
 And further [torn]. 
 [This document is somewhat mutilated.] 
 
 1668. 
 
 Lancr. 
 
 Wee send you herewith by the Constable of Padiham 
 the bodies of ffrancis Donne lait of Skipton in the 
 countie of Yorke husbandman, William Clayton lait 
 of Stanbury in the said Countie of Yorke husbandman 
 James Whipp of Twiston in the Countie of Lancaster 
 husbandman and Henry Robinson of Padiham in the 
 said Countie of Lancr. husbandman brought before 
 us this day and accused to have beene assembled the 
 twentieth day of this Instant Septembr at the house 
 of the said Henry Robinson in Padiham afforesaid 
 together with others above the number of ffive psons 
 of the age of Sixtiene yeares and upwards Contrary 
 to an Act of Parliamt Intituled an Act for pventing 
 the Mischieffe & dangers that may arise by certaine 
 psons Called quakers and others refuseing to take 
 lawf ull oathes which upon their Examinacons they have 
 not only confessed before us but alsoe pemptorily 
 denied to take the oath of allegiance to them by us 
 tendered and to give security for their appearance 
 at the next quarter Sessions of the peace to bee holden 
 at Preston in Amoundernes Theise are therefore in 
 his Maties name straitly to charge and Comand you 
 that you receive them the said ffrancis donne William 
 Clayton James Whipp and Henry Robinson into his 
 Maties Comon Gaole at the Castle of Lancr there to 
 remaine untill the next quarter Sessions of the peace 
 to bee holden at Preston afforesd or bee thence deli v. 
 out by due Course of law. Given under our hands 
 and Seales at Whalley the 21st day of September
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 129 
 
 Anno Regni Regis dni uri Caroli Sedi Angliae &x. 
 Vicesimo annoq dni 1668. 
 
 To the Keeper of his 
 
 Matis Comon Tho. Bradyll. 
 
 Goale at the Thos. Parker. 
 
 Castle of Lancr. his Matis 
 deputie or deputies 
 
 Greeting 
 
 Don 5H 
 
 Robinson 3H 6s viijd 
 
 Wm. Claton 5s 
 
 Whip 36s. 
 for as much as brought into Court being before 
 Convict & comitted to house of Correcon if they pay 
 not within a weeke. 
 
 1670. 
 
 Com. Lane. 
 St. 
 
 Whereas it appeareth unto us by the Certificate 
 of Richard Legh Esq., and Edward Warren Esq. 
 twoe of his Maties Justices of the peace for the Countie 
 of Chester that upon the 17th day of July last past 
 being Sunday there was a numerous meeting or Con- 
 venticle under Colour or ptence of the Exercise of 
 Religion at the house of Ann Marsland of Hanford 
 in the parish of Cheedle and Countie of Chester, widow, 
 when Willm Booth of Warrington in the Countie of 
 Lancaster, Maulster, preached and prayed Contrarie 
 to the late Act of Parliament for pventing and Sup- 
 pressing Seditious Conventicles but did not read the 
 booke of Comon prayer at which said meeting there 
 was manie more than five psons x above the age of 
 
 1 The Conventicle Act ordained " that if any Person above the age of 
 sixteen, after the first of July 1664, shall be present at any meeting 
 under Colour or Pretence of any Exercise of Religion, in other manner 
 than is allowed by the Liturgy or Practice of the Church of England, 
 where shall be five or more Persons than the Household, shall for the 
 
 I
 
 130 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 1 6 yeares who were not of the house hold of the said 
 Anne Marsland And therefore the said Justices did 
 deeme and adjudge the said William Booth Guiltie 
 of the breach of the sd Act and did therefore impose 
 the sume of five shillings upon the sd William Booth 
 as a fine uppon him according to the sd Act and the 
 said Justices did further adjudge that the said William 
 Booth had forfeited twentie pounds according to the 
 sd Act for takeing uppon him to preach in the said 
 Meeting or Conventicle as by the Certificate and Con- 
 viction taken before the Sd Justices more fully and at 
 large it doth and may appeare. Now therefore wee 
 doe hereby will and require and in his Maties name 
 straictly Charge and Comand you that forthwith 
 (after the receipt hereof) you doe levie by distresse 
 and Sale of the goods and Chattells of the said William 
 Booth as well the sd sume of five shillings so as aforesd 
 imposed uppon him, as the sume of twentie pounds 
 so as aforesd forfeited by him for takinge uppon him 
 to preach in the sd meeting or Conventicle Contrarie 
 to the sd Act And the same moneys Soe levied you 
 do pay to us or the one of us to be disposed of as by 
 the said Act is directed And hereof you are not to 
 ffaile as you will answer the Contrarie at yor pills 
 [perils]. 
 
 first Offence suffer three months' imprisonment, upon Record made 
 upon Oath under the Hand and Seal of a Justice of Peace ; or pay a 
 Sum not exceeding five Pounds," etc. In April 1670 the Conventicle 
 Act, which had expired, was revived, and it distinctly stipulates that 
 when there were present at any such religious meeting " five Persons 
 or more besides those of the Household, the Offender shall pay five 
 Shillings for the first Offence, and ten Shillings for the second. And the 
 Preachers or Teachers in any such meeting shall forfeit twenty Pounds for 
 the first and forty for the second Offence. And those who knowingly 
 suffer such Conventicles in their Houses, Barns, Yards, etc., shall forfeit 
 twenty Pounds." Whilst, however, the law would seem to be perfectly 
 clear that it was an infringement of the Act when five persons other than 
 members of the household were present at a Conventicle, the popular 
 idea appears to have been that more than five were needed to constitute 
 a breach of the law. In all cases it will be noted that those who gave 
 evidence against the offenders said that more than five were present.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 131 
 
 Given under our handes and Seales this 5th day 
 of September Ano R Rx Caro 2 Angl. &c Vicessimo 
 Secundo Anoq. Dom. 1670 
 
 Roger Bradshaigh. 
 L. Rawstorne. 
 To all Mayors 
 
 Bailiffes. and Constables more specially to the 
 Constables of Warrington in the sd County 
 of Lancaster and to all and everie of them 
 joyntly or severally 
 
 Greeting 
 [In another hand.] 
 as allsoe to the Churchwardens 
 and overseers of the 
 poore. 
 
 Com. Cestr. 
 
 To his Majtes Justices of the peace for the County 
 of Lancaster and especially to Sr Roger Bradshaigh 
 Knt and Lawrence Rothstorne Esqr. 
 
 These 
 Wee whose hands and Seales are hereunto sett and 
 subscribed two of his Majtis Justices of the peace for 
 and in the said County of Chester doe hereby Certifie 
 you that William Booth of Warrington in the aforesaid 
 County of Lancaster, Maltster, was upon the 27th day 
 of this instant August by us Convicted for preaching 
 and praying in a Conventicle or meeting upon the 
 17th day of July last past at the house of Ann 
 Marsland of Hanford in the parish of Cheadle and 
 aforesaid County of Chester, widow, Contrary to a 
 late Act of this psent parliamt intituled an Act for ye 
 suppssing of Seditious Conventicles & meetings as by 
 a Conviction under our hands and Seales hereunto 
 annexed it doth and may appeare. 
 
 Witness our hands and Seales 
 the 29th day of August 1670 
 R. Legh. 
 Ed Warren.
 
 132 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Com Cestr. 
 
 Whereas wee whose hands and seales are hereunto 
 sett and subscribed being Justices of the peace for 
 and in the said County are fully satisfied by notorious 
 evidence and circumstances of the fact That upon 
 the 17th day of July last past being Sunday there 
 was a numerous meeting or Conventicle under Colour 
 or ptence of the exercise of Religion at the house of 
 Ann Marsland of Hanford in the parish of Cheadle 
 and County aforesaid widow by and with her Consent 
 where one William Booth of W 7 arrington in the County 
 of Lancaster, Maltster, preached and praied contrary 
 to the late Act for preventing & suppressing Seditious 
 Conventicles but did not read the booke of Comon 
 praier at which said meeting there was more then 
 ffive persons above the age of 16 yeares who were not 
 of the household of the said Ann Marsland, amongst 
 whom there was Samuel Barret of Etchell in the said 
 County of Chester husbandman and Mary the wife of 
 Thomas Mather of Hanford aforesaid Skinner Wee 
 doe therefore deeme and adjudge the said persons 
 guilty of the breach of the late Act against Conventicles, 
 and doe therefore impose the sume of ffive shillings 
 upon the said Ann Marsland, the sume of ffive shillings 
 upon the said William Booth, the sume of ffive shillings 
 upon the said Samuel Barret and the sume of ffive 
 shillings upon the said Mary Mather as nines upon 
 the said persons according to the said Act. And doe 
 further adjudge that the said Ann Marsland hath 
 forfeited twenty pounds according to the said Act for 
 willingly suffering such said Conventicle to bee held 
 in her said house and that the said William Booth 
 hath also forfeited twenty pounds according to the 
 said Act for takeing upon him to preach in the said 
 Meeting or Conventicle. 
 
 Witnes our hands and Seales 
 the 27th day of August
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 133 
 
 Anno Regni Regis Caroli Secdi nunc Angl. &c 
 vicessimo secdo Anoq. doi. 1670. 
 
 R. Legh 
 Ed. Warren. 
 [Endorsed.] The Certificate and Conviction of 
 William Booth of Warrington by the Justices of peace 
 in Cheshyre for a Conventicle 
 
 August (70). 
 
 1675. {July). 
 
 To the Right Worshippfull Richard Kirby with 
 other the Justices of the Peace at the Generall Sessions 
 held at Lancaster this 13th of July instant 
 
 The humble Petition of William Browne John 
 Tomason Constables & Richard Kew Churchwarden, 
 John Longton Overseer for the poore within the Toune 
 of Scotforth within the Parish of Lancaster. 
 
 Humbly Sheweth 
 
 That whereas Andrew Lund John Padget ffrancis 
 Sands Wilham Atkinson ffrancis Padget all within 
 Scotforth aforesayd presented at the last Generall 
 Sessions holden for the Peace at Lancaster aforesayd 
 as Quakers absenting themselves fro Divine Service 
 upon Sundays & since then have absented themselves 
 fro Divine Service upon Sundays Contrary to the 
 Statutes & injunctions of the Realme Therefore they 
 desire that a Warrant may be Granted to levy 12 
 pence by the Sunday for every Sunday since the sayd 
 psentment upon every of them the offenders aforesayd 
 for the use of the Poore according to the Statute in 
 that Case made & provided 
 
 And yr Petitioners shall 
 ever pray 
 
 1677. April. 
 
 To all and every his Matis Justices of the peace for 
 the County Palatine of Lancr. and especially to 
 Christopher Parker Esq. These are to Certifie you 
 That ffrancis Patchet of Scotforth in the County
 
 134 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 aforesd & Robt Butler of Rawcliffe in the County- 
 aforesaid stand Convicted with severall others by 
 the Oathes of Thomas Blackburn of Garstang in the 
 County aforesaid Blacksmith & James Atkinson of 
 Nateby in the County aforesaid husbandman taken 
 before me William Towlnson Maior of the Burrough 
 or Towne of Lancaster in the County aforesaid at 
 Lancr. aforesaid the ffifth Day of Aprill last past that 
 they were psent at a meeting or Conventicle the Twenty 
 fifth day of March last past at Lancaster aforesaid 
 in the house of Richard Clayton of Lancaster aforesaid 
 Dyer called ffryers under Colour or ptence of Exe- 
 cising Religion in other maner then according to the 
 liturgy & practice of the Church of England ffor wch 
 their offence & Transgression I imposed upon them the 
 sumes of ffive shillings a peece respectively And that 
 Roger Hadocke of Coppull in the County aforesaid 
 stands also Convicted before me by the Oaths of the 
 aforesaid Thomas Blackburn & James Atkinson for 
 taking upon him to preach or teach at the aforesaid 
 meeting or Conventicle Contrary to the Act of parliamt 
 in that behalfe made, for wch he hath forfeited the 
 sume of Twenty pounds And of such their Conviccon I 
 have made a Record & sent out my warrt under my 
 hand & Seale directed to Sevrall Officers within the 
 said warrts under my hand & Seale directed to Sevrall 
 Officers within the said Burrough or Towne of Lancr. 
 forthwth to levy the sumes aforesaid by destresse & 
 Sale of their goods & Chattell And upon receipt to 
 deliver the same to me to be distributed & disposed 
 according to the direccon of the said Act of parliamt 
 And the said Officers doe returne That the said ffrancis 
 patchet Robt Butler & Roger Hadocke have no goods 
 & Chattells within the aforesaid Burrough or Towne 
 of Lancaster that they can finde Whereof they may 
 levy the sumes aforesaid according to the said Act 
 of parliamt Wherefore psumeing That the said ffrancis 
 Patchet of Scotforth may have some estate in Scotforth
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 135 
 
 and That the said Robert Butler of Rawcliffe may- 
 have an Estate in Rawcliffe and that the said Roger 
 Haddocke of Coppull may have an Estate in Coppull 
 all within the said County of Lancr. out of my Juris- 
 dicon but where yor or any of your warrts may & must 
 be obeyed To the end the Law in that behalfe may be 
 pursued I have hereby Certified you of the pmisses 
 
 Witness my hand & Seale 
 the xxiiij day of Aprill Ano RRs Caroli Scedi Angl. &c 
 xxix 
 
 William Towlnson. 
 
 Annoq. dni 1677. 
 
 A warrt to the Sevall 
 Const, according to the 
 tenor hereof. 
 
 1678. 
 
 Ad General Quarterias Session, pacis dni Regis 
 tent, apud Preston in Com. Lane. 17 Jan. 29th Rx. 
 Car. Sedi. 
 
 This Court doth Taxe and allowe fifty shillings & 
 sixe pence Costs to be paide by Samuell Watson who 
 was Convicted upon his appeale for preaching or 
 teaching at an Unlawfull Conventicle in Clitherow 
 to be paid unto Mr John Cockshute for the prosecutors 
 Charges allowed according to ye Statute in that case 
 provided 
 
 Kenyon 
 
 A warrt to apphend him & to send to Goale untill 
 he pay. 
 
 1679. 
 
 Jan. 1679-80. 
 
 Com. Lancr. 
 
 The Informacon of Wm. Standish, Prescott, and 
 John Naylor of Windle in ye said County of Lancaster 
 taken the 2d day of January 1679 before me John
 
 136 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Entwisle Esq. one of his Maties Justices of peace and 
 Quor. of the same County 
 
 Who say upon their Oaths that on ffryday the 17th 
 day of October last past Wm Griffith of Toxteth 
 parke James Laithwaite Thomas Hicock and Wm. 
 Booth of Knowsley James Tarleton of Westderby 
 Samuell Dunbaband and John Chorley of Warrington 
 Riche Tarbock and Thomas Tarbock of Sutton Thomas 
 Keaquick George Birch and Thomas Chaddock of 
 Sankey George Shaw, John Bispham Godfrey Atherton 
 and Richard Cubham all of Biccurstaffe, Thomas 
 Crosby and Joshua Crosby of Ormskirk Elizabeth 
 Yarway of Rainford, Henry Ackers of Cuerdley James 
 Penketh of Penketh Richard Hankinson of Bold and 
 John Crichlaw of parr and Edward Billinge of Windle 
 Together with twenty other persons or thereabouts 
 all of them being of the age of Sixteen years and up- 
 wards and subjects of this Realme were psent at an 
 Assembly Conventicle or meeting under Coulor and 
 ptence of exercise of Religion in othr manner then 
 According to the Leiturgy and practice of ye Church 
 of England in a Certaine building near St. Ellen 
 Chappell in the parish of Prescott not being a house 
 where any family then Inhabitted Contrary to the 
 Statute made in the two & twentieth year of the Reign 
 of King Charles the Second Intituled an Act to pvent 
 and Supresse Seditious Conventicles. And these in- 
 formts further say that three severall psons Altogether 
 unknown to them or eithr of them tooke upon them 
 to teach after ye manner and practice of ye Quakers 
 in ye said Assembly And further say not. 
 
 Jurat die et Anno 
 
 Supr coram me 
 
 Wm. Standish 
 
 Jon Entwisl. X 
 
 his marke 
 
 John Naylor.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 137 
 
 Memorandum quod Willus Standish de Prescott 
 et Johes Naylor de Windle &c. 
 [Document illegible in places]. 
 
 That on ffriday the Sevententh day October last 
 past William Griffith of Toxteth Park James Laith- 
 waite Thomas Hicock & William Booth of Knowsley 
 James Tarleton of Westderby Samuel Dunbavand 
 and John Chorley of Warrington Richard Tarbock 
 and Thomas Tarbock of Sutton and Thomas Keaquick 
 George Birch and Thomas Chaddock of Sankey 
 George Shaw John Bispham Godfrey Atherton and 
 Richard Cubham all of Biccurstaffe Thomas Crosby 
 and Joshua Crosby of Ormeskirk Elizabeth Yarway of 
 Rainford & Henry Ackers of Cuerdley James Penketh 
 of Penketh Richard Hankinson of Bold John Crichlaw 
 of Parr and Edward Billing of Windle Together with 
 Twenty psons unknowne or there abouts all of them 
 being of the age of Sixtiene years & upwards and 
 Subjects of this Realme were psent at an Assembly 
 Conventicle or meeting under Coulor and ptence of 
 Exercise of Religion in other manner then according 
 to the Leiturgie and practice of the Church of England 
 in a certaine building near St. Ellen Chappell in the 
 Parish of Prescott not being an house where any 
 family then inhabited Contrary to the Statute made 
 in the Two and Twentieth year of the Reigne of King 
 Charles the Second Intituled an Act to pvent and 
 Suppresse Seditious Conventicles And these Informants 
 further say that Three severall Persons altogether 
 unknowne to them or either of them took upon them 
 to teach after the Maner and practices of the Quakers 
 in the said Assembly. Fines inflicted 
 
 Willm Griffith vs 
 
 Jacobus Laithwte vs 
 et proprimo pdicatore xli 
 
 Thomas Hicock vs. 
 et pro eodem pdicatore xli
 
 138 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 William Booth vs 
 et pro secundo pdicatore xli 
 
 Jacobus Tarleton vs 
 
 Dunbavand vs 
 et pro eodem pdicatore xli 
 
 Johes Chorley vs. 
 et pro tertio pdicatore xli 
 
 Ricu Tarbock vs 
 
 Thomas Tarbock vs 
 
 Thomas Keaquick vs 
 
 Georgius Birch vs 
 
 Thomas Chaddock vs 
 
 Georgius Shaw vs 
 
 Johes Bispham vs 
 
 Godfrey Atherton vs. 
 
 Ricus Cubham vs 
 
 Thomas Crosby vs 
 
 Joshua Crosby vs 
 
 Elizabeth Yarway vs 
 
 Henricus Ackers [torn] 
 
 Jacobus Penketh vs 
 
 Ricus Hankinson vs 
 et pro tertio pdicatore xli. 
 
 Johes vs 
 
 Edrus Billinge vs. 
 
 In cujus rei testimoniu Ego pfatu Johes Entwisle 
 con [torn] Terto die Jan. 
 
 [Document somewhat mutilated and some Latin por- 
 tions omitted but they contain nothing of importance. 
 1679-80.] 
 
 20 November 1679. 
 
 Thomas Heton of Sharpies in the County of Lancr 
 yeoman maketh oath that upon the nynth day 
 November 1679 hee went into the house of James 
 Harrison of Bolton in the said County and did there 
 and then heare the said James Harrison teach and 
 instruct a certaine number of people there psent to
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 139 
 
 repent and used many other words by way of exercise 
 of religion standing there in the midst of the assembly 
 att which meeting there was besides his owne family 
 one Henry Wood of Tottington Alice the wife of James 
 Worthington of Bolton Phineas Pemberton & Phebe 
 his wife of Bolton and other psons to the number of 
 thirty which hee did not know all subjects of this 
 Realme and above sixtiene yeares of Age 
 
 Thomas Heat on. 
 
 The day and yeare above said Alexander Bradshaw 
 of Bolton aforesaid saith upon Oath That hee went 
 wth the above named Thomas Heaton Churchwarden 
 of the Parish of Bolton to the said house and did heare 
 the said James Harrison Instruct the people to feare 
 God and not man after the manner of preaching where 
 were psent besides the family of the said James Harrison 
 the above said Henry Wood alice the wife of James 
 Worthington one of the daughters of James Worthington 
 of Bolton Ann Rothwell of the same Phebe the wife 
 of Phineas Pemberton of Bolton Raph Pemberton 
 of Ratcliffe and other psons whose names hee did 
 not know to the number of Thirtie or above all subjects 
 of our Soveigne Lord the King and above sixtiene 
 years of age 
 
 Alexander Bradshaw 
 X 
 his marke 
 
 James Woodruff an ovseer of the Poore of Bolton 
 saith upon his Oath that hee went wth the above 
 named Thomas Heaton the day and yeare abovesaid 
 into the house of the said James Harrison where hee 
 saw the said James standing in the midle of the 
 assembly there psent speaking to the people, but the 
 Croud hindered him from understanding his words 
 but hee believes hee was teaching them by way of 
 exercise of religion where hee saw besides the familey 
 of the said James Harrison Raph Pemberton of Rat-
 
 140 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 cliffe Henry Wood of Tottington Phebe the wife of 
 Phineas Pemberton of Bolton John Clarke of Bolton 
 Alice the wife of James Worthington of the same and 
 many other psons to the number of Twenty whose 
 names hee did not know all subjects of our Sovaigne 
 Lord the King and above Sixtene yeares of Age 
 
 James Woodroofe. 
 
 James Crabtree saith upon oath That att the tyme 
 and place aforesaid hee in the Company of the said 
 Thomas Heton Churchwarden did heare James 
 Harrison teacheing the people their assembled to feare 
 God and not man and other things by way of Exercise 
 of Religion where was assembled besides the familey 
 of the said James, Phineas Pemberton of Bolton 
 Phebe wife of the said Phineas Alice the wife of James 
 Worthington of Bolton Esther their daughter Ann 
 Rothwell of Bolton Henry Wood of Tottington Raph 
 Pemberton of Ratcliffe John Clarke of Bolton and 
 other psons to the number of thirty or upwards whose 
 names hee did not know All subjects of our Sovraigne 
 Lord the King and above sixtiene yeares of Age 
 
 James Crabtree. 
 
 Thomas Townley Constable of Bolton upon oath 
 saith that the same day and tyme hee went wth Thomas 
 Heton Churchwarden into the house of the said James 
 Harrison being informed there was a meeting or 
 Conventicle there and did fynde the said James 
 Harrison standing amongst the people there assembled 
 and was by way of divine worship telling the people 
 of the light and the truth and of fearing God and not 
 man and many other words to the like effect att which 
 tyme and place were assembled besides the familey 
 of the said James Harrison Pheneas Pemberton & 
 Phebe his wife of Bolton John Clarke of the same 
 Raph Pemberton of Ratcliffe Henry Wood of Tottington 
 Ann Rothwell of Bolton Alice the wife of James 
 Worthington of the same, Esther Worthington their
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 141 
 
 daughter and others to the number of Thirty and 
 upwards and all Subjects of our Sovaigne Lord the 
 King and aged above sixtiene yeares 
 
 Tho Townley. 
 Com. Lancr. 
 
 Ss 
 
 fforasmuch as by ye Informacons of sevall psons 
 of good Creditt upon their Oaths taken before us 
 Wm Hulme & Thomas Lever Esqrs (Two of ye King's 
 Matis Justices of ye p of & for this County) Att Bolton 
 in le More In ye sd County The 20th day of November 
 last And by Notorious Evidence & Circumstances It 
 appeareth unto us That upon Sunday being the 9th 
 day of ye sd month of November last There was a 
 Conventicle or Meeting at Bolton aforsd under Color 
 or ptence of ye Exercise of Religion in other manner 
 then According to ye Liturgy & practise of ye Church 
 of England In ye dwelling house of James Harrison 
 of Bolton aforesd Shoemaker At such Conventicle or 
 meeting were Assembled (over and besides those of 
 ye Househould of ye sd Harrison) To witt Pheneas 
 Pemberton & Phebe his wife of Bolton aforesd, Grocer, 
 John Clarke of ye same, Grocer, Ann Rothwell of ye 
 same Spinster Alice ye wife of James Worthington 
 of ye same, Shoemaker, Esther Worthington of ye 
 same spinster Henry Wood of Tottington husbandman 
 Raph Pemberton of Radcliffe & sevall other psons 
 to ye number of 20 & upwards (whose names are un- 
 knowne to ye Informers) All Subjects of this Realme 
 And above ye age of 16 years In wch sd Conventicle 
 or meeting so holden the day & yeare aforesd He ye 
 sd James Harrison did take upon him to preach or 
 Teach And that such have beene ye pceeds in & Con- 
 cerning ye pmisses As a full Convicon is made of ye 
 Offences (for such their Offences) According to ye 
 Statute in yt Case made & pvided And pursuant 
 thereunto are the sd Matis Justices of yc p I have 
 Imposed ye ffyne of 5s a peece upon each of them
 
 142 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 ye sd Phineas Pemberton Phebe his wife Jon Clarke 
 Ann Rothwell Alice Worthington Esther Worthington 
 Henry Wood and Raph Pemberton and upo ye sd 
 James Harrison for his sd offence the ffyne or for- 
 feiture of xxli In Execon whereof Thes are in his sd 
 Matis name strictly to Charge & Comand you & every 
 of you ymediately upo yor receipt thereof To Collect 
 & Levy By Distress to Sale of ye sd Offenders goods 
 & Chles the sevall sumes of money hereafter menconed 
 Respectively That is to say the sume of xs upo ye 
 goods & Chles of the sd Phineas Pemberton for such 
 ye offence of ye sd Phineas & phebe his wife ffive 
 shillings upo ye goods & Chles of ye sd Jon Clarke 
 vs upo ye goods & Chatties of ye sd Ann Rothwell vs 
 upo ye goods & Chles of ye sd Esther Worthington 
 vs upo ye goods & Chles of ye sd James Worthington 
 for ye sd offence of Alice his wife vs upo ye goods & 
 Chles of ye sd Henry Wood vs upo ye goods & Chles 
 of ye sd Raph Pemberton And the sd sume of xxli 
 upo ye goods & Chles of ye sd James Harrison wch 
 sd sevall sumes of money As you shall Levy or receive 
 ye same you are hereby likwyse required to Deliver 
 & pay unto us or ye one of us To be distributed & 
 disposed According to ye direcion of ye sd Statute 
 Wherein f aile not &c 
 
 Given under or hands & Seales the [blank] day of 
 December Anno Rrs Caroli scdi Angl &c xxx. 
 
 W. H. 
 
 To all & evie ye Constables Churchwardens & Over- 
 seers of ye poore within ye sd County of Lancr And 
 especially to ye Constables Churchwardens & Over- 
 seers of ye poore of Bolton Tottington Radcliffe 
 Respectively. 
 
 Greeting 
 
 Daniell Hemingway Constable of Bolton was att 
 the house aforesaid att the tyme aforesaid where hee 
 saw sevall psons to the number of thirty and upwards
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 143 
 
 hearing James Harrison of Bolton then standing in 
 the Middle of the Assembly speake to them by way 
 of Exercise of Religion and all psent subjects of this 
 Realme and above the age of sixtiene yeares. 
 
 Dan. Hemingway. 
 Capt. apud Bolton in the more In Com. Lancr. 
 vicesimo die Novembr. Ano RRs Caroli Scdi Angl. 
 &c. Tricesimo primo coram nobis. 
 
 W. Hulme. 
 Tho. Lever. 
 Thomas Heton of Sharpies yeoman Churchwarden 
 of Bolton is prosecutor of these Informations. 
 
 Mr Rome, 
 
 Inclosed I have sent you the Inf ormacions lately 
 taken by Mr Hulme and my selfe In order to ye 
 Convicion of ye Conventicles And ye Warrt wch we 
 have issued forth thereupon To the Intent yt you 
 may be Instructed to draw upp ye Record of Con- 
 vicion &c in fourme wch we must desire you to ppare 
 & pfect agt the next Sessions That ye Offenders may 
 take their benefite of appeale thereupon if they please 
 
 wch is all at 
 psent fro 
 yor affect freend 
 Chambre $th Tho. Lever. 
 
 Jan. 79. 
 
 We have no Copies of thees Informacons therefore 
 you must fyle them safely. I know not what Execcon 
 ye Constables have yet made of ye Warrt But I thinke 
 none at all. I should be glad to know when you 
 expect Mr Kenyon to come Home. My service to 
 his good Lady & her vertuous daughters. 
 
 Jan. 1680-1. 
 
 Thomas Parker of Aighton & William Clayton of 
 Whalley took oath before Nicholas Townley & Thomas 
 Braddyll justices of the peace that on Sunday the
 
 144 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Sevententh day of Octob instant John ffish of Clitheroe 
 Margret his wife Anne his daughter Richard Colborne 
 of the same Ellen his wife Charles Leigh of Mearley 
 Ursilla the wife of John Allmond of Wilpshire Thomas 
 Robinson of Gisburne in the County of York Thomas 
 Eccles of Balshaw Eaves Thomas Procter of the same 
 Edmund Tomlinson of Grindleton Clement Parker 
 of the fforrest of Bolland William Romsbotham of 
 Aighton William Cottam of the same Anne Baldwin 
 of the same Katherine Cross of the same Margaret 
 Houghton of the same Bridget Isherwood of the same 
 Jenet Houghton of the same Town Elizabeth Standen 
 daughter of Henry Standen of the same Edward 
 Parkinson of Cheagley James Corner of the same 
 Thomas Bleasdale of Aighton John Richmond of the 
 same Mary the wife of Henry Standen aforesaid John 
 Aspinall of Pendleton William Whalley of Marsden 
 Alexander Salisbury of Lagram Alice his daughter 
 Edward Row of Thornley Thomas Dilworth of the 
 same Sarah his wife James Dilworth of the same Anne 
 his wife John Smith of Thornley and Henry Cottam 
 of Chipping togeather wth above twenty psons un- 
 known or thereabouts all of them of the age of sixtiene 
 yeares and upwards and Subjects of this Realme 
 were psent at an Assembly Conventicle or meeting 
 under colour or ptence of the exercise of Religion in 
 other manner then according to the Liturgie and 
 practise of the Church of England in the house of 
 one Mathew Read of Aighton aforesaid, Husbandman, 
 Contrary to the Statute made in the two and twentieth 
 year of the Raigne of King Charles the Second In- 
 tituled an Act to pvent & suppres Seditious Con- 
 venticles And these Informants further say that 
 William Whalley aforesaide took upon him to teach 
 preach or pray after the manner and practice of the 
 Quakers in the said assembly. Fines inflicted. 
 
 William Whalley prdicatr xxxli offence 2. 
 
 Mathew Read xli.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 145 
 
 John ffish p prdicatore 61i 
 Rich Cowburne 61i 
 Alexander Salisbury 81i 
 John Fish 5s 
 Margaret his wife 5s 
 Anne his daughter 5s 
 Rich Cowburne 5s 
 Ellen his wife 5s 
 Charles Leigh 5s 
 Ursilla Allmond 5s 
 Thomas Robinson 5s 
 Thomas Eccles 5s 
 Thomas Procter 5s 
 Edward Tomlinson 5s 
 Clement Parker 5s 
 William Romsbottom 5s 
 William Cottam 5s 
 Anne Baldwin 5s 
 Katherine Cross 5s 
 Margret Houghton 5s 
 Bridget Isherwood 5s 
 Jenet Houghton 5s 
 Elizabeth Standen 5s 
 Edward Parkinson 5s 
 James Corner 5s 
 Thomas Bleasdall 5s 
 John Richmond 5s 
 Mary Standen 5s 
 John Aspinall xs 
 Alexander Salisbury 5s 
 Alice Salisbury 5s 
 Edward Row 5s 
 Thomas Dil worth 5s 
 Sarah Dilworth 5s 
 James Dilworth 5s 
 Anne Dilworth 5s 
 John Smith 5s 
 Henry Cottam 5s 
 
 K
 
 146 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 In cujus rei testimonia nos pfat Nicholau Townley 
 et Thomas Braddyll Convicois evidentias simul cio 
 Recordo ejusdem Justie Acti Rgs ad Genal Sessione 
 pads p Com Lane apud Preston pxmo tenendo sub 
 manibs et Sigillis uris vicessimo die Octobris ano 
 supradicto humilime certificam. 
 
 Nic. Townley. 
 
 Thorn Braddyll. 
 
 [Latin portions omitted but they contain nothing of 
 importance.] 
 
 1681 (April). 
 Com. Lane. 
 
 The Information of Thomas Bannister of Prescott 
 & Ralph Parr within the same town in ye parish of 
 Prescott taken the third day of March 1680 before me 
 John Entwisle Esq. one of his Majesty's Justices of 
 Peace & Quorum of ye said County 
 
 Who say that James Fletcher of Knowsley James 
 Laithwait of Knowsley John Chorley of Warrington 
 Griffith Owen of Prescote John Barns of Warrington 
 Mr. Whitfeeld of Roby James Penketh of Penketh 
 William Hatton of Knowsley Samuel Dunbabin of 
 Warrington together with above fourty other persons 
 unknown being of the several ages of sixteen years 
 & upwards & subjects of this Realm were on Fryday 
 ye 7th of January last past present at an Assembly 
 Conventicle meeting in a certain place called ye 
 Quakers meeting house nere St Ellens Chappell in ye 
 above said parish of Prescott of wch said meeting 
 house George Shaw of Bickersteth is reputed to be 
 ye Owner under Colour & pretence of exercise of 
 Religion in other manner then according to ye Leiturgy 
 & practice of ye Church of England wherein an un- 
 known person did take upon him to preach or teach 
 not making use of ye Leiturgy of ye Church of England
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 147 
 
 nor any other person making use of ye same there 
 dureing ye said meeting. 
 
 Thomas Banester 
 Ralph parr 
 
 X 
 his marke 
 Capt & jurat die 
 Anoq supradict 
 coram me. 
 
 J. Entwisle 
 [This is duplicated but no fresh information appears. 
 The fines inflicted are as follows :] 
 
 Jacobus Laithwait 15 
 
 Wilms Booth 050 
 
 Wilms Hatton 15 
 
 et pro ignoto pdicator 500 
 
 Jacobus Ffletcher 20 
 
 Samuel Dunbabin 00 15 
 
 et pro ignoto pdicator 05 00 
 
 Johes Chorley 050 
 
 ct pro ignot pdicator 500 
 
 Johes Barnes o 15 
 
 et pro ignot pdicator 500 
 
 Griffith Owen o 15 o 
 
 et pro ignot pdicator 500 
 
 Robertus Barton 050 
 
 Mary Kenwick 050 
 
 et pro ignot pdicator 500 
 
 Jacobus Penketh o 15 
 
 et pro ignot pdicator 500 
 
 Ricus Hankinson 050 
 
 et pro ignot pdicator 500 
 
 Georgius Shaw 20 o o 
 
 Ad Genall Session, pacis dni Regis tent, apud 
 Mancaster in Com. Lane. 14. Die Octobris Ano RRs 
 Car. Scdi Ang. &c xxxij.
 
 148 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 It is ordered by this Court that all the psons con- 
 victed upon a Conventicle att the house of Mr Joshuah 
 Browne shall all of them forthwith haveinge notice 
 hereof pay there ffynes accordinge to a warrant issued 
 out agt them for the same or shew just cause to the 
 Contrary att the next Sessions of peace here to bee 
 houlden or in default warrants of the good behaviour 
 shall then issue out agt them. 
 
 Kenyon 
 
 [Wanting] & to bee served psonally 
 
 January 18th 1682-3. 
 
 Att the quarter Sessions houlden in Manchester 
 the day abovesaid wee the Constables of Ouldham 
 make our presentments as followeth : — 
 
 Wee present these persons hereafter named (comonly 
 called quakers) Susan Boydale James Sykes and 
 Elizabeth his wife John Leese and Sara his wife Isaac 
 Wyld and his sonne William Wyld and Sara Wyld 
 for that they did unlawfully Assemble Together in 
 the house of the said Susan Boydale upon the Seaventh 
 day of December Last past in the tyme of divine 
 Service but did not heare any of them teach preach 
 exhort or pray and beside there was an auld man 
 in the said house at the said tyme who wee doe not 
 know nor Canot get his name And further wee have 
 nothing to present. 
 
 By us John Anderson 
 John Sandforth 
 The overseares of the 
 highway for our towne is 
 Robert tetlow of hollinwood 
 & John Kinion of glodwick. 
 
 1683. (July) 
 Com. Lane. 
 
 Duodecimo die Julij anno R. Rgs Caroli Scdi nunc 
 Angl &c. xxxv. Anoq. Dom. 1683.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 149 
 
 A Memoriall of ye Account of ye moneys menconcd 
 in ye Record Certified at ye last Genall Or. Sessions 
 of the peace held at Preston in Amounderness by 
 Thomas Parker, Henry Marsden & Chr. Wilkinson 
 Esqrs three of his Matys Justices of peace for ye said 
 County (forfeited as in ye sd Record is menconed) 
 in an unlawfull Assembly Conventicle or meetinge 
 held in ye dwellinge house of Roger Lee in Clytherow 
 in ye County aforesd upon ye nth day of ffebry last 
 under Colour of Exercise of Religion in other manner 
 then according to ye Liturgy and practice of the 
 Church of England A pticular of such forfeitures as 
 have beene paid into the hands of ye sd Justices since 
 ye sd Qr. Sessions held at Preston amountinge in all 
 to ye sume of two pounds Seaven shillings & sixpence 
 his matys third pte of ye same beinge fiftiene shillings 
 & tenn pence tendred into ye Cort of ye genall Quarter 
 Sessions of the peace held at preston ye 12th day of 
 July 1683 And by ye Appointmte of ye same by the 
 sd Justices paid to Mr. Thomas Hodgkinson Deputy 
 Sherriffe for ye County afforesd to his Matis use. 
 
 John Aspinall of Standen 00 10 00 
 
 Roger Driver of Clytherow 00 05 00 
 
 Joane Burrow of Clytherow 00 05 00 
 
 Mar. Dudgdale of ye same 00 05 00 
 Edw Tomlinson of Gryndle-^. 
 
 ton in Com. Ebor. 00 10 00 
 Rich. Armistead of Gisburnej 
 
 in Com. Ebor. J 00 05 00 
 Mar. Ingham of Sawley in Com. 
 
 Ebor. 00 02 06 
 
 Elz. Bulcock of Twiston 00 05 00 
 
 Sume 02 07 06 
 
 His Matis 3d pt of yt sdl rT , 
 Sum of 2li 7s 6d is ) ^ '- 1
 
 150 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Wee the sd Justices doe here [torn] 
 13th day of ffebry [torn] 
 of ye sevale porcons 
 make out 
 
 1683. {April) 
 
 Com. Lancr. 
 
 The se vail and j oynt Inf ormacon of Hugh Wilkinson 
 of Howgill in ye pish of Gisborne and County of Yorke 
 husbandman and Thomas Danvers of ye same pish, 
 Labourer, taken upon Oath before Thomas Parker 
 Henry Marsden and Christopher Wilkinson Esqrs 
 three of his Matis Justices of peace for ye County of 
 Lancr afforesaid the Thirteenth day of ffebruary 
 Ano R. Regis Caroli Scdi nunc Angl &c xxxv Anoq. 
 Dom. 1682. 
 
 Whoe upon theire Oathes sevally and joyntly say 
 yt upon Sunday last being ye Eleaventh Day of this 
 Instant ffebruary they went into ye house of one 
 Roger Lee of Clitherow in ye County of Lancr afforesd 
 husbandman where they saw assembled together to ye 
 number of ffourteene psons and upwards men and 
 women ovr and beside those of ye family of ye sd 
 Roger Lee subjects of this Real me and all of them 
 above ye Age of Sixteene yeares and yt the sd psons 
 were assembled togethr undr Colour or ptence of 
 Exercise of Religion in othr manner then according 
 to ye Liturgy and practice of ye Church of England 
 amongst wch were John Aspinall of Standen in ye 
 County of Lancaster afforesd yeom. James paitefeild 
 of Clitherow afforesd labourer Edward Tomlinson 
 of Grinleton in ye County of Yorke yeom. William 
 Holgate of Sawley ye youngr in ye sd County, labourer 
 Elizabeth Bulcocke of Twiston in ye sd County of 
 Lancaster widdow Richard Armistead of Gisborne 
 in ye County of Yorke, Linnen Webster, and Margaret 
 Ingham of Sawley in ye sd County, Spinster, And these 
 Informts upon Oath furthr say yt ye sd Roger Lee
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 151 
 
 was by and psent at ye sd meeting & Conventicle and 
 further say not. 
 
 marke 
 X 
 Hugh Wilkinson 
 marke 
 X 
 Thomas Danvers. 
 Capt. et jurat apud 
 Clitherow 
 
 Coram nobis die et Ano 
 sup diet. 
 
 Thomas Parker 
 Henry Marsden 
 Chr. Wilkinson. 
 
 Com. Lane. 
 
 The sevall and joynt Informacon of John Dugdale 
 and Leonard Horner psent Constables of ye Borrow 
 of Clitherowe in ye County aforesd taken upon oath 
 before Thomas Parker Henry Marsden and Chrestopher 
 Wilkinson Esqrs. Three of his Matis Justices of peace 
 for ye County of Lancr afforesaid the thirteenth Day 
 of ffebry Anno RRs Caroli Scdi. nunc Angl. &c xxxv. 
 
 Anoq. Dom. 1682. 
 
 Who upon theire Oathes sevally and joyntly say 
 yt upon Sunday last being ye Eleaventh Day of this 
 Instant ffebruary they went into ye house of one 
 Roger Lee in Clitherow afforesd husbandman where 
 they saw assembled together to the number of ffour- 
 teene psons or upwards men & women over and besides 
 those of ye family of ye sd Roger Leigh subjects of 
 this Realme and all of them above ye age of sixtiene 
 yeares and yt ye sd psons were assembled together 
 undr Colour or ptence of Exercise of Religion in other 
 mannr then according to ye Liturgy and practice of 
 ye Church of England amongst wch were John Aspinall 
 of Standen in ye County afforesd yeom. Richard 
 Cowburne of Clitherow afforesd Labourer Joane
 
 152 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Barrow of ye same Single woman Margarett Dugdale 
 of ye same widd. James Paitefeild of ye same Labourer 
 Anne the wife of Roger Lee ye younger of ye same 
 Isack Ashton of ye same Edward Tomlinson of Grinleton 
 in ye County of Yorke yeom. Christopher West of 
 Whalley in the County of Lancaster Carpinter And 
 
 further say not. 
 
 Jo : Dugdale 
 
 mark. 
 Leonard X Horner. 
 
 Capt et jurat apud 
 Clitherow cora nobis 
 die et Ano. supradicit. 
 
 Tho : Parker 
 Henry Marsden 
 Chr. Wilkinson. 
 Lane. 
 
 Decimo Octavo die Aprilis Ano R. Regis Caroli 
 Scdi nunc Ang. &c xxxv. Anoq. Dom. 1683. 
 
 Wee whose names are here under Subscribed three 
 of his Matis Justices of the peace for the said County 
 Doe hereby Certify that wee did upon the 13th day 
 of ffby last being the day of the Conviccon of the 
 Sevall psons menconed in the Record hereunto 
 affixed make out our Warrants for the levying of the 
 Sevall sumes in the sd Record imposed upon them for 
 their offences And did likewise make our Certificate 
 to the Bayliffes of the Borrough of Clitheroe withall 
 desireing them to Jssue out their Warrants for the 
 Levying of the fines menconed in the said Record and 
 imposed upon such psons as live in the sd Borrough 
 & stand Convicted of the offences in the sd Record 
 menconed. 
 
 Tho. Parker 
 Henry Marsden 
 Chr. Wilkinson. 
 [The Record follows in Latin but it contains nothing 
 fresh.]
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 153 
 
 Com. Lane. 
 
 The Informacon of Thomas Wilkinson and Anthony 
 Crosly of Gisborne in the County of Yorke, Labourer, 
 taken at Clitherow in the County of Lancaster before 
 Thomas Parker Christopher Wilkinson and Henry 
 Marsden Esqrs. three of his Matis Justices of ye peace 
 for ye sd County of Lancaster ye Thirteenth day of 
 february Ano R Regis Caroli Scdi nunc Angl. &c xxxv 
 Anoq. Dom. 1682. 
 
 Who upon theire Oathes joyntly and sevally say 
 that upon Sunday the Twenty Eight Day of January 
 last past they these Informants see A numerous 
 meeting or Conventicle undr Colour & pretence of 
 Religious Worshipp in other mannr then according 
 to ye Liturgy and practice of ye Church of England 
 at ye house of Elizabeth Bulcocke in Twiston in ye 
 County of Lancaster Widdow where were many more 
 then five persons above ye Age of sixtiene yeares ovr 
 and above those of ye same house hould subjects of 
 this Realme Contrary to a late Act of parlimt made 
 for suppressinge sedicious meetings and Conventicles 
 wherein amongst sevall othrs unknown to these In- 
 formts were Henry Bailey of Grinleton husbandman 
 John Scott Sonne of John Scott of Longamrow wthin 
 Sawley husbandman and Elizabeth Scott his sister 
 of ye same Spinster Margarett Ingham of Whalley 
 within Sawley afforesd Spinster Thomas Scott of 
 Easington husbandman Thomas Robinson of Gisborne, 
 Shopkeeper, John Baldwin of Howgill wthin ye Pish of 
 Gisborne afforesd Carpenter and Bridgett his wife 
 James Hoult of ye same Husbandman William Watson 
 of Middop husbandman and Margarett Watson his 
 mothr of ye same Thomas Driver of Gaisgill, hatter, 
 William Oddy of Martintop, Tanner, all in ye Ryde and 
 County of Yorke afforesd and these Informts upon 
 theire Oathes further say yt the sd Elizabeth Bulcock
 
 154 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 was by and psent at ye sd meeting & Conventicle and 
 further say not 
 
 marke 
 Thomas X Wilkinson 
 
 marke 
 Anthony X Crosly 
 Capt. et jurat cora nobis 
 [torn] Anno supradict 
 
 Thos. Parker 
 Henry Marsden 
 Chr. Wilkinson. 
 Outside : " Thomas Wilkinson and Anthony Crosly 's 
 Informacon taken att Clitheroe ye 13. feby 1682." 
 
 Decimo Octavo die Aprilis Ano R. Rs Car. Scdi. 
 nunc Angl. &c. xxxv Anoq. 
 
 Dom. 1683. 
 
 A Memoriall of the account of the moneys menconed 
 in the Record hereunto affixed certified by us Thomas 
 Parker Henry Marsden and Christopher Wilkinson 
 Esqrs three of his Matis Justices of the peace for the 
 County Pall, of Lancr. To the Genale Quartr Sessions 
 of the peace holden att Preston in Amoundernesse 
 the 19th instant (forfeited as in the said Record men- 
 coned) in an unlawfull Assembly Conventicle or 
 meetinge held in the dwelling house of Elizabeth 
 Bolcocke of Twiston in the said County widd. undr 
 Colour or Exercise of Religion in other manner then 
 according to the Liturgie and practice of the Church 
 of England upon Sunday the 28th day of January 
 last 
 
 A pellicular of such forfeitures as hath been paid 
 into our hands amounting to the sume of 22I 10s his 
 Matis third part of the sume being 7U 10s. tendered 
 into this Court att the Quarter Sessions aforesd and 
 by the appointmt of the same by the sd Justices paid 
 to Mr Thomas Hodgkinson Deputy Sherriffe for the 
 sd County for his Matis use
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 155 
 
 Elizabeth Bulcocke for"! 
 suffering the sd ,. 
 
 Conventicle to be held 
 in her house 
 
 J 
 
 William Watson 00 05 00 
 
 Margt Watson 00 05 00 
 
 William Oddy 00 05 00 
 
 Jo Baldwin & his wife 00 10 00 
 
 Thomas Scott 00 10 00 
 
 James Holt 00 05 00 
 
 Thomas Driver 00 10 00 
 
 Summe 22 10 00 
 
 his Matis third pte of) 
 , , ,. 07 10 00 
 
 ye sd sume of 22I1 10s isJ ' 
 
 Wee ye Justices doe hereby Certify that wee did 
 the 13th day of ffeby last being the day of the Con- 
 vicon of the sevall psons menconed in the Record 
 affixed make out our warrants for ye levying of the 
 Sevall sumes in the sd Record imposed upon them for 
 their offences but have not received any of the said 
 forfeitures save the pticuler sumes affixed to the names 
 of the psons last above menconed 
 
 Tho. Parker 
 Henry Marsden 
 Chr. Wilkinson 
 [The official Latin document follows but it adds 
 nothing new.] 
 
 J any. 1683-4. 
 
 To the Justices of ye Sessions 
 
 at Lancaster 
 I Desire Justice of This 
 
 Bench 
 You are ye men ye Law hath provided to determine 
 matters Concerning this Act I desire you to take 
 Notice of ye abuse & rong yt is done to Mee I have
 
 156 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 been Marryed to my Husband this fourteen years 
 & ye King & his Counsell have allowed our Mariage 
 as I have It to show in his pardon under ye Broad 
 Seal &c. 
 
 And ye Act doth say Expressly yt noe fame Covert 1 
 shall be fined above ios & Contrary to ye words of ye 
 Act They have fined Mee 2oli & did make distress 
 of above 30H worth of goods & sold them ye next 
 day & would not except of an appeale when It was 
 desired And This as wee are Informed by ye Oathes 
 of two men ; ye one of them known to be a Sheep 
 Stayler ; and ye othr kept Company with a woman 
 yt was hanged within this twelv month who confessed 
 to Justiss Dodding yt shee had stolen for him seven 
 years. 
 
 Now I desire you to take these Things into your 
 Consideration why I may not have ye Liberty of my 
 Marriage as well as all our ffriends in England beside ; 
 & yt I must be made a widow yt they may abuse 
 Mee in my credit & reputation & also be ruined in 
 my Estate. 
 
 I & my poore ffriends desires Justiss at your hands 
 for They prosecute us wth two Acts at one Time ; 
 Contrary to ye Express words of ye Act ; & as I am 
 Informed delivers out two warrants upon one day 
 for two sevall Acts. 
 
 I doe not believe It is ye King's mind to have his 
 Subjects ruined. 
 
 MARGRET FOX. 
 
 Ad Genal quar. Ssessionem pacis dni Regis tent p. 
 adjorn apud Wigan in Com. Lane. Scill. Octavo die 
 Octobris ano Regni. Regis dni Caroli Scdi Angl. 
 &c. xxxv. 
 
 Fforasmuch as Richard Beesley of Aughton husb 
 and Thomas Harsnep of the same husb with sevall 
 
 1 A feme covert was a married woman who was under the protection 
 or cover of her husband. A feme sole was an unmarried woman.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 157 
 
 others stand indyted at the present Sessions ffor that 
 they the fowerteenth day of September last at Windle 
 in the County of Lancr by force and armes and Un- 
 lawfully themselves did meete together and assemble 
 in a certen unlawfull meeting or Conventicle under 
 coulor and ptence of exercise of Religious Worship 
 in other manner then according to the liturgie and 
 practise of the Church of England to the evill and 
 pnitious example of others in contempt of the lawes 
 of this realme and Contrary to the forme of the Statute 
 in this case made & pvided These are therefore in his 
 Matis name straitly to Charg and Comaund you and 
 evy of you that you or some of you doe forthwth 
 upon receipt hereof take the said Richard Beesley 
 and Thomas Harsnep and them furthwith bring 
 before some of his Maties Justices of peace of this 
 County to find good and sufficient Suerties for there 
 and eyther of there psonall appearance att the next 
 genall quarter Sessions to bee holden at Wigan after 
 Christmas next then and there to answer the pmisses 
 and not to depart the Court without lycense and in 
 the meane tyme to bee of the good behavior and if 
 they or eyther of them refuse soe to doe then to convey 
 him or them soe refusing to the Comon Gaole at Lancr 
 there to remaine untill he soe refusing will willingly 
 doe the same See you ffaile not herein at yor pills. 
 
 [Indecipherable.] 
 Kenyon. 
 To all Mayors 
 
 Bayliffes Constables 
 
 Subconstables and to 
 all other Sworne 
 Officers in the 
 County of Lane, but 
 more especially to 
 the Constables of Aughton 
 these
 
 158 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 [Another in the same form date Oct. octavo 
 place Wigan] gives " Richard Cubham of Biccur- 
 staffe, husb. John Bispham of the same, husb. Godfrey 
 Atherton of the same husb. Daniell Bispham of the 
 same husb. George Shawe of the same, husb. stand 
 indyted with sevall others for that they at Windle 
 the fowerteenth day of September last by force & 
 armes unlawfully riotously and Routously did meete 
 Congregate & assemble in an unlawfull Company 
 Conventicle or Meeting &c." Ordered to be brought 
 before His Majesty' Justices to find " good and sufficient 
 suerties " for their appearance at the Wigan Sessions 
 after Xmas. 
 
 Another same place & time gives " Alexander 
 Rylands of Winstanley, husb. Henry Winstanley x of the 
 same, husb. and James ffrodsam of the same, husb ' 
 by force &c " att Windle Sept. 14 last," treated in 
 the same way. 
 
 Sr. Liverpoole igth Januarie, 1683. 
 
 I have herewith sent you a Record of Conviction 
 of nine Quakers wch were apprhended at Ever ton 
 and Warrants are issued out for levyeinge of the fines. 
 I have alsoe inclosed an appeale wch came hither on 
 
 1 The Winstanleys were connected with the Cubham, Cropper, and 
 Wolsey families (vide p. 35, note 1). James Winstanley of Winstanley, 
 bom "ye 29th of ye 3rd month in ye year 1651," was brought up in 
 the Church of England, but he joined the Quakers about 1688. He 
 travelled considerably in the ministry in Cheshire, Yorkshire, and the 
 West of England, and died " ye 3rd day of ye 6th month 1723 " at his 
 own house in Winstanley, being buried in the Friends' burying place 
 at Hartshaw, aged 72 years. He married Rebekah Fell, daughter of 
 Heskin Fell. 
 
 It is interesting to note that Margaret Cropper, who died in 1841, 
 married James Ryley, who was born at Clifton in the Fylde. Their 
 son, James Ryley, married Hannah, daughter of George Crosfield of 
 Lancaster ; Eliza Ryley, a daughter, married William Crosfield, brother 
 of George Crosfield, from whom the Liverpool Crosfields spring ; and a 
 son, Thomas Cropper Ryley, married Eleanor, daughter of Edward 
 Dawson, father of the late E. B. Dawson, of Aldcliffe Hall, Lancaster.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 159 
 
 the 20th day of October last & was shewed to Alderman 
 Tarleton who then refused to Act as Justice of peace 
 for that his power lasted noe longer then his Maioraltie 
 wch ended the 18th October last hee is in Ireland & 
 deteyned there by Easterlye winds. 
 
 I have not any Recognizance to returne you ; onely 
 two Warrants have beene granted by Mr Mayor the 
 one directed to ye Constables of Great Crosby the 
 other to ye Constables of West darbye but I heare 
 not of their Service. 
 
 Humble Service is the rest from 
 Sr your obliged Servant 
 
 Thos. Sandiford. 
 [On outside] : — ffor my worthie freind Roger Kennion 
 Esqr. 
 
 Clarke of ye Peace 
 These 
 
 Att Wigan." 
 [The document in Latin is faded. The names 
 appear to be as follows : — William Leigh of Everton, 
 Shoemaker, Griffith Owen of Prescot, Chemist, Thomas 
 
 Hiccocke of husbandman, Thomas Harrison de 
 
 Knowsley husbandman William Booth of Knowsley 
 husbandman James Laithwaite of Knowsley, Shoe- 
 maker James Yong of Westdarby, Mason, William 
 Buck of Liverpoole, Marriner & Jennet Whitehead als 
 Pye de Liverpool Spinster with many others. 
 
 March 28th 1684. 
 
 Latin document containing these names : — 
 William Gandy of Liverpool yeom. Susana Cleave- 
 land of Liverpool, vid. ffrancis Tempest of Liverpool 
 vid. Lawrence Myers of Liverpool Mariner Daniel 
 Dwarrihouse (?) of Liverpool, joyner, Edwardus Strange 
 of Kirkdale, Stonegetter, Jacobus Cheshire of Kirkdale, 
 taylor, & Ellen uxor ejus Thomas Cheshire of West- 
 darbie, Millwright, Maria Swift of Westdarby vid. 
 Maria Robinson of Toxteth parke, vid. Thomas Whit-
 
 160 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 field of Toxteth park husbandm. Edwardus Potter of 
 Wavertree yeom et Margareta uxor eius & Elizabetha 
 Gibbons uxor Roberti Gibbons of Walton husbandm 
 cum multis aliis ad numeris vigint trium in house 
 of Wm Gandy. 
 
 Deborah Whitfield, Georgius Thompson Beniamin 
 Millington, Thompson Brownfield should be added 
 to list. 
 
 Fines were inflicted. 
 
 1684 (October bundle). 
 
 Ad. Gen. &c. Vicesimo primo die July 1684. 
 
 fforasmuch as John Barnes of Warrington Iremonger 
 Alice his wife John Gibson of the same, lynnen webster, 
 Elizabeth his wife Hugh Crosley of the same, Grocer 
 Gilbt Potter of the same, Grocer, John Chorley of the 
 same distiller Ellen his wife Samuel Dunbaben of the 
 same, Shoemaker, Elizabeth Barnes of the same Spinster 
 Margret Dunbaben of the same spinster Richard 
 Holecraft of the same, maulster, Esther his wife Mathias 
 ffoster of the same, mercer, willm Crawdson of the 
 same husb. Roger Haydock of the same husb. Ellenor 
 his wife Thomas Whit wham of the same, grocer, Rebecca 
 Whitwham of the same spinster Elizabeth until (?) 
 of the same Martha Goomes of the same spinster 
 Nathaniell Disbrowe of the same gentl. John Dunbabm 
 of the same James Wright of the same & Susan his 
 wife stand indyted at this prsent Sessions for that 
 they wth sevall others to the [. . .] unknowne by 
 force & armes riotously routously and unlawfully at 
 Warrington the twentie fifth day of May last them- 
 selves did come together Congregate and assemble 
 under Coulor and ptence of exercise of Religion in 
 other manner then according to the liturgie and 
 practice of the Church of England to the evill and 
 pnitious [example] of others in the like case offending 
 in contempt of the laws of this land Contrary to his 
 Matie and agt the forme of the Statute. These are
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 161 
 
 therefore in his Matis name straitly to Charg and 
 Comand you and evy of you ioyntly and sevally that 
 you or some of you doe take all the psons before named 
 and them furthwth bring before some of his Matis 
 Justices of peace to find good and sufficient suerties 
 for their psonall appearance before his Matis Justices 
 of the peace at the next Genall quarter Sessions of the 
 peace to bee holden at Wigan after Michaelmas next 
 then and there to answer the pmisses & from thence 
 not to depart the Court without lycense and in the 
 mean time to bee of the good behaviour And if they 
 or any of them refuse soe to doe then you are to convey 
 or cause to bee Conveyed without any further Wart 
 him her or them to his Matis Comon Gaole at Lancr 
 there to remaine untill he she or they soe refuseing 
 will doe the same. See you faile not herein at yor pill 
 
 (proxy) 
 
 Kenyon. 
 To all Mayrs Bayliffs Constables Subconstables & to all 
 other his Matis Sworne officers in the said County but 
 more especially to the Constables of Warrington & 
 to evy of them 
 
 these 
 
 The psent ments of the Constables of Bolton att the 
 Quarter Sessions att Manchester the sixtenth day of 
 October 1684. 
 
 The high wayes within our towne are in good 
 repayre. 
 
 Wee psent 
 
 Mr Roger Thropp ^ for 
 
 Mr James Leaver J- keeping 
 
 Mr Leaver vicar of Bolton J gray hounds. 
 
 Wee know of none that keepe Guns Spaniels Setting 
 dogs or other Engines for destroying of game. 
 
 Wach and ward hath been truly kept and observed. 
 
 The ale houses within our towne are all Licenced 
 and keep Good Order. 
 
 L
 
 162 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Wee know of no Common Drunkards Swearers nor 
 Cursers. 
 
 Wee psent Nathaniel Attherton Grocer, Samuel his 
 apprentice Esther Worthington, his servant maid ; 
 Quakers. 
 
 Also John Ashton and his wife Quakers. 
 Also John Sharpies of Bolton husbandman for 
 Loytering on ye Lord's day. 
 We have no further psent that we know of 
 
 Byers ? 
 James Rhodes } Constables 
 John Smith J of Bolton. 
 
 J any. 1684-5. 
 
 Be pleased you Magistrats heare present to See these 
 ffollowinge Lines be Read before you. Some time 
 agoe I beinge at the Buriall of the wife of my freinde 
 Henry Tomlinson of Crosmore in the field in the 
 buriall place for that purpose and there Behoulding 
 the Lightness and Ariness of Severall present far 
 unbecominge Christyons and the more espetially the 
 occation of being theire Considered was mayd willinge 
 to Reprove them openly and exhort to yt which is 
 good, that Sobriety and fruites of Christyon fforth 
 might appeare, ffor which By a warrant from Justice 
 Longworth (Soe called) I was apprehended and taken 
 before him who Imposed a fine of twentie pounds 
 upon mee for preachinge & allsoe forth with by 
 Mittimus ordered mee to the house of Correction by 
 a Constable theare to remaine untill the next quartr 
 Sessions, att which time I was brought before the 
 Magsts who tendered the Oaths to mee wch in obadyance 
 to Christ's comand I refuseinge to take was for that 
 and for Refuseinge to plead to a Certaine Bill of In- 
 dictmts (as it is alledged) ordered to the Goale heare 
 at lancaster wheare now I remaine prisoner. 
 
 This simple statemt I recomend to yor Serious 
 Consideration and have hope you will take notice
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 163 
 
 how Severely I have been dealt withall and grant 
 mee my liberty Consideringe (I have hurt, wronged 
 nor offered violence to any man. But now truly 
 wisheth the good of all men and) that mearly ffor 
 Reproveinge vanity and evill and Comendinge 
 Sobriety and that wch is good I am not only fined 
 (and fines leveyed) but Imprisoned and ordered from 
 prison to prison I desire the royall Law may be before 
 your eyes that to mee you may doe what you would 
 others might doe to you in Like case 
 
 ffrom a prisoner 
 
 yt desireth the 
 
 wellfare 
 
 of all psent 
 
 the 13 ii month 1684 
 called Jenewery 
 
 John Heaton 
 
 Lane. Com. 
 
 A Memoriall of the Accompt of the Moneys Menconed 
 in the three Sevall Records certified att the quarter 
 Sessions of the peace holden att preston on Thursday 
 the 15th day of January Anno R Rs. Caroli Scdi Angl. 
 &c xxxvi Anoq Dni 1684 by Raph Longworth Esqr 
 one of his Majtis Justices of the peace for the said 
 County of Lane, forfeited as in the said Record is 
 mentioned as followeth : — 
 
 Imps att a Conventicle holden att the House of 
 John Townson in Out Rawcliffe the 28th day of 
 September 1684 the fynes forfeited in yt Record doe 
 Amount to twenty and three pounds — 23H 00-00. 
 
 Itm At Another Conventicle holden att a place called 
 Brewers yard the 5th day of October 1684 within the 
 Towpp of Eccleston pva cu Larbricke there is forfeited 
 as in the Record is mentioned the sume of fforty three 
 pounds ten shillings — 43H 10s. ood. 
 
 Itm att another Conventicle holden att the Howse 
 of Thomas Tomlinson in Inskipp cu Sowerby the 12th
 
 164 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 day of November 1684 there is forfeited as in that 
 Record is mentioned the sume of — 43H 10s. ood. 
 
 And by a Record certified the same Sessions by 
 Alex Rigby Chrofer Parker and the said Raph Long- 
 worth Esqrs three of his said Majtis Justices of the 
 peace att a Conventicle holden att the House of the 
 said John Townson the 19th day of October 1684 
 theire is forfeited as in that Record is mentioned the 
 sume of Twenty fower pounds ffiftiene shillings — 
 24H 15s. ood. 
 
 Toto 134H 15s. ood. 
 
 There is payd in part into the hands of the said 
 Raph Longworth the Sume of ffifty Eight pounds, 
 the King's 3d pte whereof now paid into the said 
 Court of quarter Sessions by the said Raph Longworth 
 for his Majtis use comes to 19H 6s. 8d. 
 
 The said Raph Longworth Sayth that warrants 
 are (longe since) gone out for levying the sumes above 
 menconed But he hath received noe more thereof 
 then is above expressed But he is informed that the 
 Goods of the Sevall offenders are taken wch remayne 
 in the officers hands for want of Buyers. 
 
 Ra Longworth. 
 [Records follow.] 
 
 Sessions held at Wigan J any 19, 1684-5. 
 
 John Barnes Alice his wife & the others mentioned 
 in a previous document all of Warrington are to find 
 sureties for appearance at next Quarter Sessions to 
 be held at Wigan. 
 
 Com. Lane. Ss. 
 
 A memoriall of ye account of ye moneys menconed 
 in ye Record Certifyed att ye Quarter Sessions of ye 
 peace holden att Wigan for ye Hundreds of Derby 
 & Leyland within ye County afforesd. 
 
 On Tuesday being ye 20th day of January Ano Dni 
 1684-5 by me Sr. Richard Standish of Duxbury
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 165 
 
 Bartt one of ye King's Matis Justices of ye peace and 
 Quor. for ye sd County of Lancaster forfeited (as in 
 ye sd Record is menconed) in an assembly holden 
 in ye dwelling house of Thomas Holland of heath 
 Charnock in ye pish of Standish in ye County afforesd 
 under Collure of Exercise of Religion in other maner 
 than according to ye Liturgy of ye Church of England 
 upon ye ffifteenth day of October Ano Dni. 1684. 
 
 His Matis third part of ye sd forfeitures by ye said 
 Justice tendred into ye Court of ye Quarter Sessions 
 of ye Peace holden att Wiggan afforesd for ye sd 
 Hundreds of Derby and Leyland in ye County afforesd 
 Ano 1684-5 and by appointmt of ye sd Court paid 
 to ye Sherife. 
 
 Reed of Jno parre of Exton within ye 
 pish of Leyland & County afforesd Cler. 1 ye 
 sume of 61i 15s. od. being his Matis third li s d 
 part of ye sd fforfeiture . . . . 06 15 00 
 
 ffrom Thomas ffinch of Rivington reced 
 the sume of 25s, being pd for himself and 
 others menconed in ye sd Record his Matis 
 third part whereof commeth to . .00 08 04 
 
 ffrom Seth Taylor of Coppull reced ye 
 sume of 25s. being pd for himself & others 
 menconed in ye sd Record his Majtis third 
 part whereof cometh to . . . . 00 08 04 
 
 In all . . 07 11 08 
 
 The sd Sr Richard Standish doth say yt as for ye 
 nine forfeited by ye sd Thomas Holland he hath not 
 as yet received any pte thereof though he sent out 
 his Warrtt of distresse ye first day of November last. 
 
 Jany. the lylh 84/5. 
 
 Then Reed into his Matis Goall att Lane, the Bodyes 
 of Henry Hargreaves Jo. Hargreaves Alice Hargreaves 
 
 1 Vide p. 72, note i .
 
 166 OUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Abraham Heyworth Rich. Mather Willm Jackson 
 & James Ratclife all comitted By vertue of a warrant 
 ffrom Manchester Sessions. 
 
 I say reed the Parsons above sayd ffrom the Coun- 
 stabill of Todington, 
 
 By me 
 
 George ffoxcroft. 
 Goaler 
 
 Ad Genalim quartrat Session, pacis tent, apud 
 Mancestria in Com. pal. Lane. p. Com pd scilt. Die 
 Jovis decimo sixto die Octobris Anno R Rs dni Caroli 
 scdi Angl &c. xxxvi 1684. 
 
 f forasmuch as Henry Hargreaves of Haslingdin, 
 Webster, John Hargreaves of the same, webster, Ann 
 Hargreaves of the same Alice Hargreaves of the same 
 spinster Elizabeth Hargreaves of the same spinster 
 Abraham Heyworth of Rossendale, husb. Richard 
 Mather of Ratcliffe, Cloathworker, William Jackson 
 of Bury, feltmaker, and James Ratcliffe of Musbury, 
 Husb. wth many others Malefactors and Disturbers 
 of the Peace to the number of thirtie eight psons att 
 Haslingden wth intent the peace of or Sovaigne the 
 Kinge to disturbe themselves by force and Armes 
 riotously and unlawfully did assemble and congregate 
 under Color and ptence of Exercise of Religion in 
 other Maner then accordinge to the Lithurgie and 
 practice of the Church of England Contrary to the 
 forme of the Statute in this case made & pvided to 
 the evill example of all others and Contrary to the 
 King's peace Theise are therefore in his Matis Name 
 strictly to charge & comand you & every of you joyntly 
 or severally that you or some of you doe forthwith 
 upon receipt hereof take them the said Hen. Hargreaves 
 John Hargreaves Anne Hargreaves Alice Hargreaves 
 Elizabeth Hargreaves Abraham Heyworth Richard 
 Mather William Jackson and James Ratcliffe and 
 them forthwith bringe before some of his Matis Justices
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 167 
 
 of the peace to find good and sufficient sureties for 
 their and evry of their psonall appearance att the 
 next Genall Quarter Sessions to bee holden att 
 Manchester after Christmas next then and there to 
 answer these Misdemeanors and from thence not to 
 dept the Court without Lycense and in the meane 
 tyme to bee of the good behavior And yt they or any 
 of them refuse soe to doe then you are to convey him 
 her or them soe refuseing without expecting any 
 further wart to the Comon Goale att Lancr. there 
 to remaine untill they will doe the same See you faile 
 not herein att your pills. 
 
 Kenyon. 
 
 To all Majors Bayliffes Constables Subconstables 
 and to all other his Matis Sworne officers in the sd 
 County but especially to the Constables of Haslingden 
 and Graves of Rossendale Constables of Ratcliffe 
 Bury & Musbury and to every of them These to bee 
 sent from one to another. 
 
 Ad. Gen. Oct. 17, 1684. 
 
 fforasmuch as James Ratcliffe of Musbury husband- 
 man Mary his wife Henry Crooke of Haslingden Cloth- 
 worker Nicholas Rawstorne of Altden husbandman 
 John Rawstorne of the same Husbandman with many 
 others offenders & disturbers of the peace of our 
 Soveraigne Lord the Kinge Stands Indited at the 
 psent Sessions for that they uppon the Lord's Day 
 Comonly Called Sunday at Musbury in the County 
 afforesd with intent the peace of our Sovraigne Lord 
 the King to disturbe themselves by force & Amies 
 Riotously & Routously and unlawfully did assemble 
 and come to gather under Colour and ptence of exercise 
 of Religion in other maner then accordinge to the 
 liturgie and practice of the Church of England & 
 Contrary to the fforme of the Statute in this case 
 made & pvided to the evill example of others &
 
 i68 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Contrary to the King's peace These are therefore in 
 
 his Matis name strictly to Charge & Comand you 
 
 & every of you joyntly & severally that you or some 
 
 of you doe forth with upon receipte hereof take the 
 
 said James Ratcliffe Mary his wife Henry Crooke 
 
 Nicholas Rawstorne and John Rawstorne and them 
 
 forthwith bringe before some of his Matis Justices 
 
 of peace of this County to ffinde good & sufficient 
 
 suerties for theire & every of there psonall appearance 
 
 at the next Genall quarter Sessions of the peace to 
 
 bee holden at Manchester after Christmas next then and 
 
 there to Answer the said Misdemers & not to depart 
 
 the Court without license & in the mene time every 
 
 of them to bee of theire good behavior & if they or 
 
 anie of them refuse soe to doe that then you are without 
 
 expectinge anie further warrant to Convey or Cause 
 
 them to bee safely Conveyed to the Comon Goale at 
 
 Lancr. there to remaine untill they will doe the same 
 
 See you faile not herein at your pill. 
 
 Rodger Kenyon. 
 
 To all Maiors Bayliffes (vera copia) Constables 
 Subconstables and to all other Sworne Officers in the 
 County of Lane, but more especially to the Constables 
 of Musbury, Haslingden & Altden & to any of them. 
 
 these 
 
 Ad Gen. at Ormskirk May. 4, 1685. 
 
 fforasmuch as at a Genall quarter Sessions of the 
 peace held at Wigan in January last William Darbe- 
 shire the eldr husb. Jeffrey Heaton husb. James 
 Barton husb. Peter Winstanley husb. Thomas Lathome 
 husb. John Lathome, tanner, Danniell Lyon husb. 
 William Heward the elder husb. John Barton, Naylor, 
 Lawrence Winstanley the younger husb. John 
 Unsworth husb. William Winstanley husb. together 
 wth others stand Indicted for that they by force & 
 armes & riotously did pull downe a certaine building
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 169 
 
 in Billing called Brownlow Schoole Contrary to the 
 peace of or Soveraigne Ld the King & Contrary to the 
 forme of the Statute in that case made & pvided These 
 are therefore in his Matis name to charge & comand 
 you & every of you upon receipt hereof to apphend 
 the sevall psons abovemenconed & them bring before 
 the next Justice of peace for this County to find 
 sufficient suretys for their psonall apparance at the 
 next genall quarter Sessions of the peace to be held 
 at Ormke to answer the pmisses & in the meantyme 
 to be of the good behaviour & not depart the Court 
 wthout Lycence & if they or any of them refuse soe 
 to doe then you are to Convey them soe refuseing 
 to the Comon Gaole at Lancr. there to remaine untill 
 they shall willingly doe the same. 
 To the Constables of 
 
 Billing. Kenyon. 
 
 these 
 
 Jany. 1685-6. 
 
 Gentlemen, 
 
 St Michaells 11 Jan. 1685. 
 
 My Collonell Capt. parker and myself e having 
 lately sent out our warrt for levying thirteen pounds 
 fowertien shillings and Nynepence upon the Goods 
 of John Townson of Out Rawcliffe being the remaynder 
 of Twenty pounds by him forfeited for suffering a 
 Conventicle to bee held in his house And having now 
 reed a Scurrilous canting letter from one Weaver a 
 quaker of his fraternity reflecting upon Majestracy 
 and he liveing in Lancr I thought good to send it to 
 you att yr Sessions desireing you (if you thinke it fitt) 
 to send for him before you & to make him fynd suerties 
 for his good behavioyr or otherwise to deale wth him 
 as in yor Judgmts you shall deemc it convenient I 
 shall noe further trouble yor more serious affaires, 
 only assuring you you may easily comand the like
 
 170 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 from the other two Gent, concerned and soe subscribe 
 myselfe 
 
 Gent, 
 yor reall freend 
 & most humble 
 Servt. 
 
 Ra. Longworth. 
 If the concerne 
 My good friend 
 Mr. Mayor of Lancr. 
 I know heele doe 
 what you think 
 fitt therein. 
 
 Lo. ffreinds 
 
 My occasions being last weeke to Pooiton there 
 light of a report of ye [torn] had caused to be taken 
 from John Towlnson of Rawcliffe as many [torn] to 
 ye value of 2oli for wch I was heartily sorry yt yu 
 should concerne youselfe in persecuteing an innocent 
 people for mattr of Conscience or wpp of God You 
 may read ye end of Hainan in takeing ye occasion 
 against Mordecai & how God Chastised Nebukadnezer 
 yt great King for afflicting God's chosen people & 
 many more Examples in ye holy Scripture which were 
 written for our Examples & learning, ffor persecution 
 is dishonourable & hath been in all ages & is now in 
 our day & ye persecucon [torn] will be recorded as 
 theirs yt have gone before you which will be [torn] 
 strucke & a reproach to you as long as yu live & yr 
 posterity after [torn]. You exceed all ye Justices of 
 Peace in all our Country at this very Juncture of time 
 when it hath pleased our Gratious Prince to pass by 
 such offences It were well considered of yu to send 
 to your Neighbour his goods againe before they be 
 sould & doe as you would be done unto. You would 
 thinke it hard to be dealt Soe with which is certaine 
 that with what measure yu mete it shall be measured
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 171 
 
 to yu againe If wee must believe our Saviour's words. 
 I shall not be tedious but pray to God to turne yr 
 hearte & open your eyes that you may doe yt wch is 
 well pleasing to God which is your duty I had a desire 
 to come by your house, but time would not permitt 
 mee — ffare you well, I am 
 
 Yor ffriend & Servt 
 yt hath — God's Chastizements & 
 there-ffore warn you. 
 
 William Weaver. 
 Lancr. 
 January 
 ye 4, 1685-6. 
 
 [Outside.] 
 
 ffor 
 his honoured ffreind Justice 
 Longworth neare St. 
 Michaels Church 
 These deliver 
 
 To be left at Richard 
 Roe's in Garstange to 
 be sent as above directed 
 with care & speed 
 I pray. 
 
 Att the Generall Quarter Sessions of ye peace holden 
 att Preston the 14th day of January Ano R Rs Jacobis 
 Scdi Angl. primo Anoq Dni. 1685. Received fines 
 from the quakers att their sevall Conventicles holden 
 within the parish of St. Michaells the sume of Seaventien 
 pounds Nyne shillings and six pence. 
 
 The King's third pte whereof now paid} 1. s. d. 
 into the said Court of quarter Sessions is . J- 05 16 6 
 
 By me 
 
 Ra. Longworth. 
 
 Memorand. — That upon the Twentieth day of 
 July Instant And in the first yeare of the Reigne of
 
 172 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 or Soveraigne Lord James the Second by the Grace 
 of God of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland King 
 Defendr of the faith &c Robert Chadwick of Man- 
 chester in the said County of Lancr Clarke And John 
 Hall of Manchester Aforesaid Appothecary Came 
 before me George Halsted Esqr 0112 of his Majestis 
 Justices of Peace for the said County and tooke their 
 Corporall Oathes before me According to the forme 
 of an Act of Parliamt Intituled an Act to prevent 
 and Suppresse Seditious Conventicles That James 
 Wilde Isaac Mosse Senr. Mary Gartside Widdow 
 Nathaniell Eaton Mary wife of Isaac Mosse junr Mary 
 Wattson Elizabeth Moncke and Elizabeth Moore All 
 of Manchester in the County aforesaid And John 
 Eckles Late of London All and Every of them being 
 of the Age of Sixtiene yeares and upwards And subjects 
 of this Realme were on Sunday the Twelfth day of 
 July last past Assembled and present In the Mancon 
 house of Ralph Ridgway of Manchester aforesaid Hosier 
 at an Unlawfull Assembly Conventicle or meeting 
 under ptence of Religious Worshippe In other maner 
 than According to the Lyturgy and practice of the 
 Church of England Contrary to the Act aforesaid 
 Whereupon the said Justice doe adjudge the said 
 Ralph Ridgeway Convict for Willingly and voluntarily 
 suffering the said Conventicle or Unlawfull meeting 
 to be held in his house aforesaid Contrary to the forme 
 of the Statute aforesaid And doe therefore Impose 
 upon him the fine of Twenty pounds According to the 
 said Act And I doe Likewise declare and adjudge 
 the said other Offenders Convict for their unlawfull 
 assembling and being present at the said unlawfull 
 Conventicle meeting or Assembly And doe Impose 
 upon them the Severall fines hereafter Sett upon 
 them (to witt) upon the said Mary Wattson and John 
 Eckles the Severall fynes of five shillings A peece being 
 the first time (for aught appears to me) of their Con- 
 viction for the said offence And upon the said James
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 173 
 
 Wilde Issaac Mose senr. Mary Gartside, Nathaniell 
 Eaton Mary wife of Isaac Mosse junr Elizabeth Moncke 
 and Elizabeth Moore the Severall fynes of Tenne 
 Shillings A peece for their said offence being the second 
 time or more of their Conviction And for that in my 
 Judgement I doe thinke that the said James Wilde 
 Mary Gartside Mary Wattson Elizabeth Moncke and 
 John Eckles poore and unable to pay the severall 
 fynes Imposed upon them for there said offences 
 as aforesaid I doe therefore adjudge them to be Levyed 
 in manner and forme following That is to say the 
 fynes of James Wilde and Mary Gartside to be Leveyed 
 upon the Goods and Chattells of the said Nathaniell 
 Eaton over and besides his owne fyne And the fynes 
 of Mary Wattson Elizabeth Moncke and John Eckles 
 to be leveyed upon the goods and Chattells of the 
 said Isaac Mosse senr over and besides his owne ffyne 
 And for that Mary wife of Isaac Mosse junr is A fame 
 Covert Cohabiting with her Husband I doe therefore 
 Adjudge her said fyne to be Leveyed upon the Goods 
 and Chattells of the said Husband. In Testimony 
 whereof I the said George Halsted have Hereunto Sett 
 my hand and Seale the day and yeare first above written. 
 
 George Halsted. 
 April xxii 1686. 
 
 James Critchlowe informs against Jane Rootledge 
 of Manchester Joseph Houghton Roger Chadwick 
 Roger ffletcher Ellis Sweetelove Robert Nicholson 
 Nathaniel Sefton Thomas Bradshaw William Horrockes 
 and Richard Burges for " offences layed or menconed 
 to bee layed in the Informacon upon the penal I Lawes 
 of this Kingdome." No further information given 
 and offences were committed March 10. 1685-6. 
 
 1686. 
 Lane. Ss. 
 
 The Evidence Concerning the Convicon of Thomas 
 Skerrow of the Cross in Wray yeoman for his wittingly
 
 174 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 and willingly suffering an unlawfull assembly meeting 
 or Conventicle in his dwelling house at Wray afforesd 
 upon Sunday the nth day of July 1686 as followeth 
 
 Andrew Brown of Hornby in ye County of Lancr. 
 yeoman beeing sworne and examined saith that upon 
 Saturday the 10th day of July 1686 this Examinant 
 did Informe mee Thomas Lord Morley and Mount- 
 eagle Baron of Rye one of his Matis Justices of the 
 peace and quoru. for the said County that hee this 
 examinant did believe that upon the day following 
 beeing Sunday ye nth of ye sd month of July last 
 past there would bee an assembly meeting or Con- 
 venticle held at the dwelling house of the sd Tho. 
 Skerrow of ye Cross under Colour of Exercise of religion 
 in other maner then according to the Liturgy and 
 practice of the Church of England whereupon this 
 Examinant by vertue of a warrant under the hand and 
 Seale of the said Justice to this Examinant ye Con- 
 stable of Wray and others directed in yt behalfe for 
 suppressing the same upon the said Sunday this 
 Examinant did repaire to Wray afforesd But hee not 
 finding the said Constable at home when hee came 
 first thither upon his owne accord went into ye dwelling 
 house of the said Thomas Skerrow to search for such 
 Conventicle where he this Examinant saith yt then 
 and there hee found assembled as afforesaid one 
 Marmaduke Tatham Tho Skerrow, Tylers, Alice ye 
 wife of Thomas Skerrow at Nooke and others to ye 
 Number of ffowerty psons & upwards Over and besides 
 ye said Thomas Skerrow de Cross and them of ye 
 household of ye said Thomas Skerrow of the Cross 
 whose names this Examinant doth not know. 
 
 Christopher Skerrow of Wray afforesaid yeoman & 
 Constable of Wray afforesaid being sworne & examined 
 as to the pmisses saith yt upon Sunday ye nth of 
 July last past being the Lord's day about one of the 
 Clocke in the afternoon of the same day hee this 
 Examinant being come home to his owne house in
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 175 
 
 Wray afforesaid from Divine Service att Hornby 
 Chappell the said Andrew Brown did come to him and 
 acquaint him that hee had been at Tho. Skerrow's 
 house of the Cross by vertue of the sd Justice his 
 Warrt where hee had found a great number of people 
 in a Conventicle assembled and by vertue of this Ex- 
 aminant office and of ye said Warrant this Examinant 
 did furthwth repaire to ye said house together with 
 the said Andrew to suppress the said Conventicle. 
 But before they cold come to ye said house hee ye sd 
 Examinant and ye said Andrew Brown pceived the 
 said Conventicle to bee broaken up for yt this Ex- 
 aminant and the said Andrew Brown did see to ye 
 Number of ffowerty psons & upwards coming out of 
 [rubbed out] house of the said Thomas Skerrow de 
 Cross and about the doores and forefront thereof 
 the psons before menconed together [torn] Robt. 
 Glovers being pell [parcel] of the Number afforesaid. 
 And the rest of the said psons ye said Examinant 
 knows not but hee beleeves yt they had met under 
 Colour of Exercise of religion in other maner then 
 according to ye Lyturgy and practice of the Church 
 of England and yt afterwards hee this Examinant 
 saith yt hee heard ye said Robt Glovers confess to 
 ye meeting afforesaid And that the said Robt. Glovers 
 did say further what a blind Rouge or blind tyke 
 was yt Andrew Brown yt cold not see him ye said 
 Robt. sitting upon a Sconne (?) in ye said house at this 
 said meeting upon the said nth of July last. 
 
 The Evidence and Examinacon abovesd taken 
 before mee the 4th day of October 1686 as Witness 
 my hand & Seale 
 
 Morley & Monteagle. 
 Lane. Sss. 
 
 A Memoriall of the Accompts of the moneys menconed 
 in the Record certified at the Quarter Sessions of the 
 peace holden at Lancaster for the said County of 
 Lancaster upon Tuesday the Thirtieth day of July
 
 176 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 last past by the Right Honorable Thomas Lord Morley 
 and Mounteagle Baron of Rye one of his Matis Justices 
 of the peace & Quor. for the said County forfeited (as 
 in the said Record is rnenconed) in & by an Assembly 
 holden in and about the dwelling House of Thomas 
 Skerrow of the Cross in Wray in the parish of Mellin 
 and County afforesaid Under Colour of Religion in 
 other Maner then according to the Liturgy of the 
 Church of England upon Sunday the Elleaventh day 
 of July last past Ano dni 1686. 
 
 His Matis third part of the said fforfeitures by the 
 said Justice tendered into the Corte of the Genall 
 Sessions of the peace holden for the said County at 
 Lancaster afforesaid upon Tuesday the fhfth day of 
 October Anno Dni 1686 And by the appointmt of ye 
 same by the said Justice payd to ye Clerke of ye peace 
 & by him payd over to Mr. Pigott under Sherriffe of 
 the said County to his Matis use vizt. 
 
 Thomas Skerrow Tylr xxd. 
 
 Marmaduke Tatham xxd. 
 
 and [blank] xxd. 
 Thomae Skerrow de 
 
 Nooke xxd. 
 
 All which was Levied & 
 
 payd to the said Justice 
 
 since the last Generall 
 
 Quarter Sessions of the 
 
 peace holden for the 
 
 said County at Lancaster 
 
 afforesaid vizt. xiij die 
 
 July Ano dni 1686 
 
 Sum Total. vjs. viijd. 
 
 And as concerning the money in the said Record 
 Menconed to bee payable by the above said Thomas 
 Skerrow of the Cross & his Matis Third part thereof 
 cometh to six pounds Thirteen shillings & ffower 
 pence The said Justice saith that hee did upon the
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 177 
 
 Elleaventh day of July last past (being the day of 
 the Convicon of the psons afforesaid for their offences 
 in the said Record Menconed) make out his warrant 
 for levieing thereof And the sume by vertue thereof 
 was levied & payd to the afforesaid Justice But the 
 said Thomas Skerrow of the Cross hath thereupon 
 appealed from the said Justice to the Judgement 
 of the Justices of this psent Genall Quarter Sessions 
 of the peace held at Lancaster And further Concerning 
 the fforfeiture of the said Six pounds Thirteen shillings 
 & fower pence the said Thomas Lord Morley & Mount- 
 eagle cannot say till the said appeale bee tried And 
 as Concerning the rest of the psons menconed in the 
 said Record to bee unknown They nor any of them 
 are as yet to the said Justice discovered Although 
 the said Justice hath made diligent Inquiry for the 
 discovery of them. 
 
 Morley & Mounteagle. 
 [The Memorandum to the Skerrow document is in 
 Latin, somewhat torn, and contains nothing fresh.] 
 
 1687 {July). 
 
 A Request to you his Majestis Justices ffor the peace 
 within this hundred of Darby. 
 
 Whereas Severall goods by warrt ffrom Richard 
 Atherton Peter Bould & John Entwisle to ye Con- 
 stables of Windle in the parish of prescot ware Seazed 
 for a fine of 2oli upon ye Conventic. Act by Henry 
 Darbishire Constable &c which sd goods wee have 
 a Seduall of togather with a Coppie of ye warrt to 
 present to you if Seen fit so far as wee can pceive wear 
 not disposed of as yt law provids viz 3d to the Kinge 
 3d to ye poore & 3d to ye Informars but ware left 
 in ye Custody of Will Heyes of Hartshaw within Windle 
 Inkeeper who hath lent part of the sd goods to some 
 of us (durant placet) [during pleasure]. 
 
 But ye remaindr wee know not Certainly whats 
 done with. 
 
 M
 
 178 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Bee pleased yt Henry Darbishire now balife of ye 
 hundreth be examined concerning the sd goods Bee 
 pleased as the Kinge hath been soe kind to remt ffines 
 upon ye Conventicle Act tho retorned into the ex- 
 cheqr since the time of his Raigne to grant yor ordr 
 upon Henry Darbishire & William Heyes ffor ye 
 Restatution of ye sd goods. 
 
 To yor well wishing 
 George Shaw 
 1 8th instant Richard Cubban 
 
 5mo 1687. Godfrey Atherton 
 
 John Haydock. 
 (Those pties that levyed 
 or have the goods to 
 give an account 
 of them) 
 
 Com. Lane. 
 
 George Shaw of Bicurstaff in ye County of Lane, 
 yeoman hath been formerly convicted for his being 
 psent at an assembly under Couler & ptence of ye 
 exercise of religion in other manner than according 
 to the liturgy & practice of ye Church of England in 
 a certaine stone building neer St. Hellens Chappell 
 in Windle called ye Quakers meeting house & was 
 at ye same time also convicted as owner of the same 
 house for wilfull & wittingly pmitting the sd assembly 
 & conventicle in ye same house for wch he was fined 
 ye sum of 2oli which hitherto could not or has not 
 been neclected to be levyed And beeing now further 
 informed by ye Confession of Roger Taylor inhabiting 
 in ye sd house yt he farmeth ye same house from ye 
 said George Shaw wherein upon our owne view wee 
 do find Severall formes tables & wainscotes in ye 
 possession of ye sd owner These are therefore to will 
 & require you & in his Matis name strictly to charge 
 & comand yu imediately upon receipt hereof to enter 
 into ye sd stone building & upon rcfusall to open the
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 
 
 179 
 
 doores thereof that you break open & enter thereinto 
 & upon ye sd formes Tables & Waniscots then & there 
 found you levy the sd sume of 20U by distresse & 
 Sale of ye sd goods & return ye same together with 
 this pcept to us or any one of us to be distributed 
 according to law. Given under our hands & Seales 
 at Windle the first day of December in the 36th yeare 
 of ye Raigne of our Sovraigne Lord King Charles ye 
 2d by ye grace of God over Eng. &c Ano Dom. 1684. 
 
 R. Atherton 
 P. Bold 
 J. Entwisle 
 To all & every ye 
 Constables Churchwardens 
 & Overseers of ye Poore 
 within the parish 
 of Prescote & especially 
 to ye Constables of Windle 
 & every one of them these. 
 
 Deceb. 6th (84). 
 
 Goods seized by Vertue of Warrt being taken in 
 the Quakers building in Hartshaw within Windle 
 in Prescote Parrish as followeth : — 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 Imps Twenty fforms . 
 
 . 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 It. 
 
 Twelve window lidds 
 
 . 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 It. 
 
 One joyse 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 It. 
 
 Six half inch boards 
 
 . 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 It. 
 
 one whole board . 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 It. 
 
 Ten peices of board 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 It. 
 
 Three Doores 
 
 . 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 It. 
 
 Two Tables . 
 
 . 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 It. 
 
 Latts . 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 It. 
 
 nayles gudions & paper 
 
 Tota 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 
 £5 
 
 5 
 
 2
 
 180 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Valued by us ye day & 
 
 yeare above said 
 William ffisher 
 William Heyes 
 Peter Roughley 
 Samuel Clarke Vera Copia 
 
 [Outside this document as follows]: — 
 
 Coppy of warrt & Inventory 
 
 of ye goods taken out of 
 
 meeting house in Hartshaw. 
 
 Upon the Complaint of Peter Robinson ffarmer of 
 the Great Tythes ariseing within the Townships of 
 Newton Cum Scales in the Sa County James Hall 
 and William Brown both of ffrickleton in the County 
 aforesa Quakers were by warrant under our hands and 
 Seales this day Convened before us here of his Maties 
 Justices of the Peace for this County for refusing to 
 pay or compound for theer Great Tythes already 
 arisen and become due within the Said Townships of 
 Newton Cu Scales And it appearing unto us upon the 
 Examination of Severale Wittnesses upon both in ye 
 prsence und hearing of the said Quakers that the Tythe 
 or Furth part of all the Corne and Graine of the Said 
 James Hall and William Brown Respond in Newton 
 Cum Scales aforesd in the months of September and 
 October last have consisted of six thraves and six 
 sheaves of Oatt of the value of one pound and fowr 
 shillings one thrave and six sheaves of Barley of the 
 value of two shillings and six pence fftve thraves and 
 twenty sheaves of Bran of the value of fourteen shillings 
 which in all amounts to the sume of ffortie shillings and 
 six pence which said Tythes they the sd Quakers have 
 subtracted and Refused to pay or Compound for Wee 
 do therefore hereby declare the said Sume of ffortie 
 shillings and six pence to be due unto the said ffarmer 
 as a Reasonable allowance for the said Tythes And 
 do order them the said James Hall & William Brown
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 181 
 
 furthwth upon sight hereof to pay the Same unto him 
 the said Peter Robinson And if they neglect or refuse 
 so to do and furthwith to Enter their Appeal against 
 the above written Judgment or Order Then you are 
 hereby authorizd and Requrred to Levy the said 
 Sume of ffortie shillings and six pence by distress and 
 Sale of the Goods and Chattells of the said Quakers 
 and make payment thereof to the said Peter Robinson 
 Rendring to the sd Quakers the Overplus if any be 
 after the said Sale & payment necessary charges of 
 distraining being therrout first deducted and by us 
 allowed and for your so doing this shall be your 
 sufficient warrant Given under our hands and Seals 
 at Preston the Eleventh day of November Ano M, 
 Domini with certif . Angl. and unidecimo Anoqr Domini 
 1699. 
 
 To the Constables of Edw. Rigbye. 
 
 ffrickleton. Jo. Walmesley. 
 
 Confirmed on leaving & 
 twenty shillings costs. 
 
 (3) Buildings Registered 
 
 The following are from the Kenyon MSS. and give 
 the Registrations in 1689 : — 
 
 Meeting Houses for Quakers within this county, 
 certified and recorded, viz : 
 
 A house in Lancaster 
 
 William Higginson's house of Yelland. 
 
 Thomas Wither's house of Kellet. 
 
 A house att Marsden. 
 
 A house in the forrest of Rossendale. 
 
 A house in Ouldham parish. 
 
 John Townson's house in Ratcliffe 
 
 William Eccleston's house in Great Singleton. 
 
 Lawrence Coulborne's house of Freckleton. 
 
 Alexander Sailesbury's house at Wediker. 
 
 John Procter's house of Dunishaw.
 
 182 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 A house att Penketh in Prescott parish. 
 
 A house att Hartshaw in the same parish. 
 
 A house att Buccurstaff in Ormskirk parish. 
 
 One roome in Manchester. 
 
 James Jamson's house in Preston. 
 
 Mathew Read's house in Mitton parish. 
 
 Thomas Dilworth's house of Bradley. 
 
 Certified by Henry Coward. 
 
 Swarthmore Hall 
 
 A new building upon Swarthmore. 
 
 Colt House in Hawkeshead parish. 
 
 George Benson's house at Stangend in Hawkeshead 
 parish. 
 
 The Height in Newton in Cartmell parish. 
 
 John Gurnell's house att Spooner Close in Hawkes- 
 head parish. 
 
 James Harrison's house att Collingneld in Cartmell 
 parish. Certified by Leonard Fell. 
 
 A chamber belonging to Ralph Ridgeway at the 
 upper end of the Smithy Doore in Manchester. 
 
 Henry Janney's house in Heaton Norris. 
 Certified by James Stretell 
 
 Job Owen. 
 
 [Hist. MSS. Report. 12th Appendix, Part VIL, 
 pp. 230, 231.] 
 
 The following are again from the Sessions Records. 
 
 Petitions 1691. 
 
 At Lane. April 1691. 
 
 Thomas Holline of Flookburrough for himself & 
 others a Congregation of Quakers intends his own 
 dwelling as a meeting place. 
 
 Alio, [allowed] April 21, 1691. 
 
 January 18 1691-2 at WiganJ 
 
 Ellis Makant of Abram in the County of Lancr 
 on behalfe and by appointmt of Mrs Abigaill Crook
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 183 
 
 & the rest of a Congregation of protestants dissenting 
 from the Church of England according to a Statute 
 made in the first yeare of theire now Majis raigne 
 doth certifye that ye now dwelling house of Mrs Abigail 
 Crook in Abram comonly called the hall of Abram 
 is appointed a meeting place for religious worshipp 
 and humbly offered to this Court to be enrolled for 
 that purpose. 
 
 Ellis Makant. 
 
 allowed 
 
 gone out 
 
 These are to Certifie their Matis Justices of the 
 peace in their Generall Quarter Sessions for the County 
 Palatine of Lancr. held att Wiggan in the said County 
 the 19th of January in the third yeare of their Matis 
 Raigne that a Certaine building of Sibill Barnes in 
 Sutton is Intended for a place to worshipp god in by 
 their Matis protestant subjects dissenting from the 
 Church of England and for their Indemnity according 
 to the late Act of Parliamt Entituled an Act for Ex- 
 empting their protestant subjects dissenting from the 
 Church of England from the penaltyes of Certaine 
 Laws & desire the same may be recorded by the Clerk 
 of the peace accordingly and a Certificate thereof 
 given to Edward Barnes 
 
 Alowed. 
 
 In the same place & at the same date, William 
 Crosby certifies that " a certaine Barne in Hardshaw 
 belonging to John Naylor is Intended for a place " 
 to worship God for Protestants dissenting &c. 
 
 allowed 
 
 In the same place & at the same time James 
 Kenyon certifies that " a Certaine barne of George 
 Shaw in Hardshaw ' is intended to be a place to 
 worship God for Protestants dissenting &c. 
 
 Allowed.
 
 184 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 1692. 
 
 Preston, April 7, 1692. 
 
 Henry Cossenton within the Township of Colne, 
 Woollen Webster, humbly prayse that his new dwelling 
 house in the Townshipp of Colne may be recorded 
 as a meeting place for Protestants dissenting from 
 the Church of England. 
 
 Henry Cossenton 
 
 Comitted his X Marke. 
 
 At Manchester, April 14, 1692. 
 
 House of John rhldes now in the possession of 
 Widdow Greens in Eccles is intended for a place of 
 Worship for Protestants dissenting &c. 
 
 John rhldes 
 Granted. 
 Jan. 10, 1692-3. 
 
 House of Robert Hubarsty of Yelland for an assembly 
 of Quakers 
 
 Lancaster fourth day of October, 1692. 
 
 John Carrington, 1 Clerk, in behalf of himself & a 
 Congregation of dissenting protestants doth Certify ye 
 house of William Lindow of Topin Krags in Newland 
 near Ulverstone & ye house of James Towers of 
 Bandrick head in furnessfells for meeting places to 
 be for Protestant Dissenters and desires yt ye sd 
 houses may be recorded accordingly 
 
 John Carrington 
 
 Wm Bonds of Tatham 
 allowed 
 
 [Pen run through " James Towers to ffurnacefells." 
 I imagine that Wm. Bonds was substituted.] 
 
 1 John Carrington was the Nonconformist minister of Lancaster. 
 He was educated at Frankland's Academy, and died in March 1700-1, 
 at the age of 48 years.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 185 
 
 At Wigan, Jan. 16, 1692-3. 
 
 The following houses licensed for Quaker worship : — 
 Tristram Jackson in Leverpoole Marriner 
 Robert Haydock in Leverpoole Merchant 
 Jonathan Rigby of Blackrode 
 James ffletcher of Knowsley Agricos. 
 James Winstanley of Winstanley Yeom. 
 John Haydock of Coppull Yeoman 
 Heskin ffell of Coppull. Linenwebster 
 Hugh Low of Haigh Yeoman 
 Godfrey Atherton of Bickersteth Yeom. 
 
 (Signed Jonathan Rigbie 
 Tristram Jackson.) 
 
 And we do also desire that a certaine parcell of 
 Inclosed ground called the Quakers burying place in 
 Bickersteth and another certain parcell of Inclosed 
 ground called ye Quakers burying place in Langtree 
 may be recorded for places to bury their dead and 
 likewise for publique worp of god 
 
 Jonathan Rigbie 
 Tristram Jackson 
 Allowed. 
 
 At Manchester, Jan. 19, 1692-3. 
 
 Ralph Ridgway of Manchester desires that the 
 house where hee now liveth may bee recorded ffor 
 a meeting place of Quakers. Ralph Ridgway also 
 applies for Burial place within Mane, to be recorded 
 for Burial place for Quakers. 
 
 Similarly the house of James Strettall in Manchester 
 for an assembly of Quakers. 
 
 The following appear without definite date, but they 
 belong to this year : — 
 
 Mr John Chorleton * 
 
 1 John Chorlton, Nonconformist minister of Manchester. He con- 
 ducted an Academy for some years, and died on March iOth, 1705.
 
 186 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Mr Sam. Eyton * 
 
 Mr Hen. Newcome 2 
 
 Mr Tho. Butterworth 
 
 Mr Edw. Siddall 
 
 Mr Franc. Meadowcroft 
 The Mr Tho. Warburton 
 houses Tho. Ivins To be 
 
 of Ann Unsworth recorded 
 
 Mr Andrewe Wyke 
 
 Mr John Gathorne 
 
 Mr Joseph Barlowe 
 
 Mr Robt Chadwick. 
 
 Marth. Taylor, Widdowe 
 
 John Leeds 
 
 Natt. Gastrells 
 
 Allowed. 
 
 Manchester, Oct. 13, 1692. 
 
 The house of Mary Penerton (?) of Warrington 
 Widdowe a meeting house for dissenters 
 
 Tho. Jackson. 
 Recorded. 
 1693. 
 Preston, J any. 11, 1693. 
 
 House of Wm Cardwell senior of Barton the place 
 where he now lives as meeting place for Protestant 
 Dissenters. 
 
 Rich. Cardwell. 
 Allowed. 
 
 At Preston, Oct. 5, 1693. 
 
 Parcel of ground in ffreckleton called Gualfoloing (?) 
 
 1 Samuel Eaton, the son of Robert Eaton, M.A., who was resident in 
 Manchester. He was assistant and afterwards successor to his father 
 at Stand Chapel. 
 
 2 Henry Newcome, M.A., the distinguished Nonconformist minister of 
 Manchester. He was ejected there in 1662, but he continued to serve 
 such as would risk imprisonment and suffering along with himself. 
 He died on Sept. 17th, 1693, at the age of 68 years.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 187 
 
 intended for meeting place for Quakers & Burial 
 ground. 
 
 James Aston 
 Registered — X 
 
 his marke 
 This Court will not record it. 
 
 Preston, July 13, 1693. 
 
 John Cartmell in Neatby, place where now lives, 
 as a meeting place for Quakers. 
 
 Allowed. 
 
 1694. 
 
 Preston, January 17, 1694. 
 
 Christ. Duckworth in Samlesbury petitions for his 
 dwelling house to be a meeting place for Quakers. 
 
 Allowed. 
 
 Same date at Preston 
 
 William Hall in Grimsargh petitions for his dwelling 
 house to be a meeting place for Quakers. 
 
 At Ormeskirk, July 16, 1694. 
 
 The house of Henry Mercer of Kirby the place where 
 he now lives is desired to be recorded for a meeting 
 place for an assembly of protestants dissenting from the 
 Church of England and humbly desires the same may 
 be recorded accordingly Henry Mercer 
 
 allowed. 
 1695. 
 
 These are to Certifie his Majesties Justices of the 
 Peace in their Generall quarter Sessions held for the 
 County Pallatyne of Lancaster att Ormeschurch in the 
 said County that a certaine Barne of Margret Lath- 
 waite Spinster in or near the Scowe within Wiggan 
 in the said County is Intended for a place of Religious 
 Worshipp for his Majesties Protestant Subjects Dis- 
 senting from the Church of England to worship God 
 in And for their indemnity according to a late Act
 
 188 OUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 of Parliament Intytled an Act for exempting their 
 Majesties Protestant Subjects Dissenting from the 
 Church of England from the penaltys of Certaine 
 lawes to Desire the same may be recorded by the 
 Clarke of the Peace this psent nynth day of Aprill 
 in the Seventh year of his Majesties Raigne Anoque 
 Domi 1695 and a Certificate thereof given to 
 
 John Green 
 Recorded. 
 
 Nathan Lomax of Oldham Lane in the pish of 
 Ouldham 
 
 Recorded for a meeting place for Quakers. 
 John Lomax house in Worseley 
 
 Recorded for a house for Dissenters. 
 
 1697. 
 
 The house of John Leadbeater of Bury ordered to be 
 recorded 
 
 Preston, April 16, 1697. 
 
 The house of John Hartley of Grymshaw in Cleviger 
 a meeting place for dissenters allowed. 
 
 John Hartley. 
 O. Greenfield 
 
 1698. 
 
 Manchester, 21 July, 1698. 
 
 Petition of Henry Ryles of Oldham for his dwelling 
 house to be a Quaker meeting place 
 
 recorded 
 
 Preston, May 5, 1698. 
 
 Petition of Richard Cardwell of Barton for his 
 dwelling house to be a meeting place for Dissenters. 
 Recorded. Ric Cardwell
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 189 
 
 1700. 
 
 Preston, Jany. 16, 1700. 
 
 The humble peticon of Roger Whalley of Blackburn 
 Sheweth 
 
 That whereas by a late Act of Parliamt entituled 
 an Act for exempting protestant Subjects dissenting 
 from the Church of England from the penalties of 
 Certaine lawes the places of such meeting are required 
 to be certifyed to their quarter Sess &c. 
 
 In obedience of which the house of Chrofer Lee of 
 Habergham Eaves is intended for a meeting place or 
 an assembly of protestant dissenters & therefore 
 yor petr. prays the same may be recorded for that 
 purpose pursuant to the sd Act. 
 
 Rogr Whalley 
 Allow & to be recorded. 
 
 Wigan, Jan. 20, 1700. 
 
 Peticon of Jonathan Swift of Warrington for house 
 of Samuell Horton in Warrington to be certified a 
 meeting place for protestant dissenters 
 
 Recorded. Jon. Swift. 
 
 Preston. 
 
 House of Henry Birtwisle of Rosendale certified 
 for a meeting place for Protestant Dissenters. 
 
 House of Nathan Heyworth of Bent Yate in 
 Haslingden, do. 
 
 House of Henry Veepon of Briercliffe, do. 
 
 House of John Baldwin of Old Laund in Pendle, do. 
 
 [All these made out in same style and hand with 
 no signatures, dates, or note of being recorded.] 
 
 1701. 
 
 William Hall desires his house called Eastertree 
 within ye Township of Whalley may be recorded 
 for a meeting place for Protestant Dissenters.
 
 igo QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Wigan, Jan. 19, 1701. 
 
 Petition of Henry Molyneux of Liverpool that the 
 house of James Laithwaite of Knowsley with his 
 consent be a meeting place for Quakers. 
 
 allowed. 
 
 Wigan, Jan. 18, 1701-2. 
 
 The petition of Hugh Lowe one of the people called 
 Quakers that the house of Abigail Griffeth of Wavertree 
 with her consent be a meeting place for Quakers 
 
 allowed. Hugh Lowe 
 
 The house of Katherine Siddall widdow in Ardwick 
 
 allowed. 
 
 Robt Cragg of Cheetham for a meeting house. 
 Nathaniell Snow of Salford for a meeting house 
 
 1702. 
 
 Preston, Oct. 8, 1702. 
 
 Petition of Thomas Farneley of Thorneley a certaine 
 Ediffice or building lying in Thorneley belonging to 
 Petitioner for a meeting place for Quakers. 
 
 Likewise the house of Joshua Procter of Haighton 
 a Quaker. 
 
 Both allowed. 
 
 Petition of Abigaill Griffith of Wavertree her dwelling 
 house be a meeting place for Quaker. 
 
 Nothing 
 
 I7°3- 
 
 Manchester, July 22, 1703. 
 
 Nehemiah Lowe petitions for the house of Jn. Hall 
 in Whitfield within Crompton to be a meeting place 
 for Quakers. 
 
 Recorded. Nehemiah Low.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 191 
 
 1704. 
 
 A certaine building in Wray newly erected & desired 
 to be recorded for a meeting place for Quakers. 
 Belonging to 
 
 Thomas Skerrow ffrancis Glover, 
 
 and Robert 
 Glover. Allowed. 
 
 I705- 
 
 Lancaster, Oct. 12, 1705. 
 
 In pursuance of which Act your petitioner James 
 Roanson of Cawseyend within Dalton humbly Desires 
 his dwelling house may be Licensed for a meeting place 
 ffor Quakers according to ye Act. 
 
 James X Roanson 
 
 allowed. his marke. 
 
 Manchester, Jan. 24, 1705. 
 
 Robert Lowe of Houghton within the Towneshipp 
 of Withington petitions that a certaine building in 
 Houghton belonging to your petitioner may be re- 
 corded a meeting place for persons dissenting &c. 
 
 allowed. Robert Lowe. 
 
 1706. 
 
 Preston, Jan. 1706. 
 
 Petition of James Fisher of Habergham Eaves for 
 his dwelling house to be certified as a place of worship 
 for Protestant Dissenters 
 
 recorded. James rnsher. 
 
 Mane. Sessions, Jan. the 2yd, 1706. 
 
 The house of Roger Worthington in Salford for a 
 meeting house for dissenters being protestants.
 
 192 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 1708. 
 
 Preston, October y, 1708. 
 
 Petition of Thomas Abbot of Alston in Hothersall & 
 Robert his son that the dwelling house of the Petitioners 
 be recorded as a meeting place for Quakers 
 
 recorded. Thomas Abbatt 
 
 The 2 after Places to be recorded for the Oua to 
 meet in 
 
 The Dwelling house with outhouses & ground ad- 
 joining of Wm. Ellisons in Brindle for a Meeting Place 
 for the People Calld Qua to worshipp God In & the 
 Dwelling house with Outhouseings & Ground Adj oining 
 of Robt. Karshaw in the Townshipp of Butterworth 
 & County of Lankester for the same Sarviss 
 
 Recorded. 
 
 Com. Lane. 
 
 George Braithwaite of Hawkeshead in the sd County 
 Maketh Oath that hee this depon. was requested by 
 William Dennysen of Watersyde neare Hawkeshead 
 aforesd to goe to Lancr and Petition the Court of 
 Qur Sessions Holden for ye County Pal. of Lane on 
 behalfe of the sd William Dennysen to have a certaine 
 house att Hawkeshead hill belonging to the sd William 
 Dennyson recorded ffor a meeting place ffor an assembly 
 of Protestants dissenting from the Church of England 
 and that the sd William Dennyson att the same time 
 did give his ffree Consent thereunto and desired that 
 the same might bee recorded accordingly and further 
 saith not 
 
 George Braithwaite. 
 
 Jur. in Cur. 
 
 11 Januar Recorded 
 
 1708/9.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 193 
 
 1709. Kirkham. yber 1709. 
 
 Right Wpfull 
 
 I did give in & gott filled the other 
 Sessions a Petition, against the Lycenceing any 
 Quakers meeting places in Clifton or Greeno ; yet att 
 Clifton they doe meet & draw people about them after 
 a very unchristian like maner & for Greeno I hear 
 they have been moveing tho they have noe Quaker 
 yet near this place. But a great deall of Negligent 
 ignorant & poor people as likely to be Corrupted as 
 any where in this great pish, I pray Consider (I doe 
 not say what you doe) but what you suffer. 
 
 venit judex Libera vi Animam 
 
 Dix. animas. 
 This comes from 
 
 Your worships in all ways of Duty 
 whilst 
 
 Rd. Clegge 1 
 
 Let the Clarke of the peace be cautioned at the 
 entreaty of Tho Rigby. 
 
 [The writing is Clegg's except Rigby's note.] 
 Endorsed ffor her Majesties 
 
 Justices of the Peace at Preston 
 This is with 
 Dutifull 
 Respects. 
 
 Wm. Blackleach of Romsgreave humbly desires his 
 dwelling house may be recorded ffor a meeting place 
 for Quakers &c. 
 
 Granted. 
 
 1 Richard Clegg, M.A., who was educated at Oxford, was instituted 
 to the living at Kirkham on June 20, 1666. He held it until his death 
 in 1720. He was most aggressive in his persecution of Noncon- 
 formists of every kind in his parish, and many interesting stories of his 
 encounters with Cuthbert Harrison, the Elswick Minister, are still 
 current in the neighbourhood. 
 
 N
 
 194 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 1710. Houses to be recorded for meeting places 
 for the people called Quakers. 
 
 Wm. Eccleston house at Cornah row in Kirkham 
 Parish in the fild. 
 
 Henry Flemings house of Poult on in the ffild. 
 James Goff senr. his house in Garstang. 
 Jno. Lees senr. near Oldham in the Parrish of Oldham. 
 
 Recorded 
 
 Lane. July 11. 1710. 
 
 Petition of Richard Atkinson of Conniston and Isaac 
 Pennington of Hawkeshead in the sd County that the 
 dwelling houses of your petitioners may be recorded 
 meeting houses for Persons called Quakers 
 
 Isaac Penington 
 
 recorded. Richd. Atkinson. 
 
 Xn 30th 1710 
 ffriend J. Wright, 
 
 I desire yu wod get the house of John 
 Dickonson of Northwood within the Town ship of 
 Padiham recorded for a meeting place ye next Sessions 
 and shall Satisfye yu next time I see yu rests thine 
 
 Jno Ecroyd Jur. 
 To bee entred October Sessions 
 last 12. 1710. 
 
 1712. 
 
 April 30. 1712. 
 
 These are humbly to request of the Justices of Peace 
 at the Quarter Sessions to be holden to morrow at 
 Preston That the house in Clitheroe which I am 
 now about to dwell in may be recorded for a house 
 wherein the people called Quakers may sometimes 
 Keep Religious Meetings. 
 
 Granted. Ellen Coulbourne
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 195 
 
 I7I5- 
 
 House built on Brewers Yeard in Little Eccleston 
 
 for an Assembly of persons called Quakers. 
 
 allowed. 
 
 Writing in the Preston Guardian on April 20th, 1912, 
 Mr Dilworth Abbatt, of Preston, says : — 
 
 " William Brewer, yeoman of Little Eccleston, a few 
 months before his decease, conveyed by an Indenture 
 dated May 1669, ' a little garden or Croft out of a Close 
 of land, to be used as a burial place for Quakers, unto 
 John White and Thomas Moone of Wood Plumpton.' 
 Nine years previously both William Brewer and John 
 White were sent to prison for holding Quaker meetings 
 in the district. In 1690 John White, the surviving 
 trustee having died, fresh trustees of the old Quaker 
 Meeting House and burial ground were appointed in the 
 persons of Richard Coward, Timothy Townson, Thomas 
 Tomlinson, and Henry Tomlinson, all of whom belonged 
 to the ' Filde ' meeting." 
 
 Under date Aug. 25, 1682, the Kenyon MSS. give the 
 following : — 
 
 " Kirkham. There is a place in this parish wee call 
 Brewers Yard, four or five miles distant, which the 
 Quakers (the most incorrigible sinners I know) doe use 
 to bury. I desire you, therefore, you may procure this 
 may be spoken of a Sheriff's title, that these places 
 may be laid wast, or if not soe, some other remedy may 
 be thought of for the preventing of their diabolical 
 infatuation and infection." (For Richard Clegg, vide 
 
 P- 193). 
 
 1716. 
 
 Bury Sess. Oct. n. 1716. 
 
 A Certaine Ediffice or building newly Erected in the 
 fforest of Rossendale for an Assembly of persons called 
 Quakers &c. 
 recorded. Henry Birtwistle.
 
 196 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 1717. 
 
 Preston Sessions July 18. 1717. 
 
 George Abott of Hothersall petitions that a dwelling 
 house and barne thereunto belonging to your 
 Petitioner is intended for an Assembly of Quakers. 
 
 recorded. George Abbatt. 
 
 To the Clerk of Peace &c. 
 
 John Haydock of Coppull Certifies to Quarter 
 Sessions att Ormskirk July 2. 1717. that " I have caused 
 a house to be erected upon a parcell of ground within 
 Langtree in the sd County Comonly called the Quakers' 
 Buriall place Intended to be a meeting house for a Con- 
 gregation of Protestant Dissenters dissenting from the 
 Church of England Comonly called Quakers and do Desire 
 you to record the same as such in this Court according 
 to the Act of Parliamt in that case made and pvided." 
 
 recorded. Jno. Haydock junr 
 
 Ormskirk Sessions May. 6. 1717. 
 
 John Winstanley of Ashton within Makerfield yeom. 
 certifies a House newly erected belonging to me is 
 intended for Quakers &c. 
 
 recorded. John Winstanley. 
 
 1723- 
 
 Preston. April 25. 1723. Dwelling house of James 
 
 Topper called heath wood in Parish of Padyham. 
 
 House of John Hartley called the ffernis in the fforest 
 of Pendle. Quaker meeting house. 
 
 James Topper 
 
 recorded. John Hartley. 
 
 [This has got into packet 1718, and is printed here 
 though it is later than 1720.] 
 
 1718. 
 
 Memdm to Gett a licence for ye house of Ann Rigby 
 widd in Goosnr for a meeting house for ye Quakrs.
 
 THE WITNESSING FACTS 197 
 
 1720. 
 
 The dwelling house and Bame of Thorstin (?) Cros- 
 iield of Penington in Ffurness as also the house & 
 Barne thereunto adjoining belonging to Edward 
 ffisher of Unlverston. 
 for Quakers. Robt. Abbatt. 
 
 recorded. 
 
 Lancaster Oct. 4. 1720. 
 
 Humble Petition of Steephen Sedgewick of Lanshaw 
 in the Parish of Tatham & John Moore of Gaite in 
 Parish of Tunstall dwelling houses to be used for 
 Quakers. 
 
 Stephen Sidgwick 
 recorded. John Moor. 
 
 These are to certify that the dwelling house of 
 Thomas ffel of Unlverston is a meeting place for 
 quakers. 
 
 Preston \ Oct. 6. 1720. Robt Abbatt. 
 
 Ss. ) recorded 
 
 Preston. Oct. 6. 1720. 
 
 Petition of Wm. Blackledge of freckleton on behalf e 
 of himselfe & Severall others Inhabitants of the Sd. 
 Town — A certain Edifice newly erected in freckleton 
 aforesd is intended for Ouakers &c. 
 
 Wm. Blackledge 
 recorded. his X marke. 
 
 The humble Petition of Edmund Tyldesley of 
 Dalton yeom. Prays that his dwelling house in Dalton 
 may be recorded for a meeting place of Dissenting 
 Protestants according to the Act of Parliament in 
 that case made. 
 
 Edmund Tyldesley. 
 
 Recorded.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 STEADFAST IN SUFFERING 
 
 Out of the mass of dates, names and facts previously 
 given two things emerge quite clearly. In the first place 
 the reader must be deeply impressed with the remarkable 
 steadfastness of the " Sufferers " to the religious 
 principles which they had adopted. With little inter- 
 mission, for a period of nearly 30 years from the 
 Restoration to the Toleration Act, they were the victims 
 of a persecution which imposed upon them fines and 
 imprisonments without mercy or restraint, and yet 
 they remained unbroken in their spirit. This was, of 
 course, the period during which all Nonconformity was 
 out in the wilderness and a " great and terrible wilder- 
 ness ' it proved to be ; but the heavier burden of 
 suffering fell upon the Quakers. The Uniformity Act 
 of 1662 deprived all Ministers of their livings, who 
 could not give their "Assent and Consent " to all and 
 everything contained in the Book of Common Prayer ; 
 and the Great Ejection followed, which silenced some 
 2000 of the most cultured and devoted Ministers in 
 the Church. In 1664 the Conventicle Act made illegal 
 all religious gatherings other than those which were 
 according to the " National Worship," if there were 
 present five or more persons of 16 years of age and 
 upwards beside the family in whose house the meeting 
 was being held. To deal specially with the Quakers 
 there had been passed in May 1662, before the Act of 
 Uniformity, the " Quaker Act " imposing penalties for 
 refusal to take oaths and for holding meetings for 
 worship in the Quaker way. In common with all other 
 Nonconformists the Quakers suffered considerably for 
 
 198
 
 STEADFAST IN SUFFERING 199 
 
 attending these proscribed Conventicles, and similarly 
 for not frequenting the National Worship ; but, as 
 already suggested, they suffered on other accounts 
 peculiar to them. They had an objection to taking 
 any kind of oath. It was with them a matter of 
 " Conscience ' " to swear not at all," but to let their 
 ,' Yea be Yea and their Nay, Nay." Consequently they 
 refused the oath of allegiance, though their loyalty was 
 above suspicion ; summoned to serve on juries they 
 again objected to take the customary oath ; and in 
 like manner in the open courts judgment invariably went 
 against them because they would not be sworne. They 
 objected also to pay Tithes on the ground that " the 
 true Christian Minister must preach for love, not for 
 hire." Many of the Commitments, it will be noted, 
 were on these accounts only. 
 
 It is worth pointing out that after 1662 there are 
 few Commitments for disturbing other religious 
 gatherings. During the Commonwealth that was the 
 chief cause of their suffering, and the fact is one to which 
 sufficient attention has not been given. It is more 
 than doubtful if the Commonwealth Commitments 
 generally may be classed under the heading of religious 
 persecution, as is usually done. The movement was 
 then quite young, and like all young movements it was 
 extravagant and revoluntionary in many respects. The 
 early Quaker preachers, whose sincerity cannot be 
 challenged, were often disturbers of the public peace, 
 and the penalties inflicted upon them were mainly because 
 they were regarded as such. It is a healthy sign that 
 among later writers on the movement this is the attitude 
 which is coming to be adopted. Referring to some 
 of the strange things which were done by Quakers in 
 Commonwealth days, Mr H. G. Wood, M.A., in his 
 Swarthmore Lecture for 1920, says : — " Sue hare the 
 charges history records against them, and, so far as 
 they are true, we can only say in the first place that the 
 Protector's leniency in dealing with them deserves our
 
 200 OUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 admiration, and in the second that the modern Quaker 
 is a great improvement on his ancestors." Most, how- 
 ever, of what was objectionable about the movement in 
 its earliest stages had disappeared at the time of the 
 Restoration ; and the Quakers take their place in the 
 forefront of that great body of Nonconformists against 
 whom the repressive legislation of that period was 
 levelled. 
 
 In 1672 the Indulgence Declaration was published. 
 It was not an Act of Parliament but a mere exercise 
 of that Royal prerogative which Charles claimed to 
 have " in Ecclesiastical matters," and no doubt it was 
 honestly meant. Wearied, as he says, with " the sad 
 experience of twelve years," whose " forcible courses ' 
 had yielded "little fruit," he resorted to this method 
 of " quieting our good subjects." Its effect was to 
 suspend the operation of the repressive legislation of 
 recent times, and, in particular, to make it possible by 
 taking out Licenses for all who dissented from the Church 
 of England to have their own religious meetings. Non- 
 conformists generally welcomed it as a great relief, and 
 Licenses on a large scale were taken out all over the 
 country. The original Applications and other License 
 documents are preserved in the Record Office, London ; 
 and these and much relating to them have been printed 
 in Professor Turner's book ; but not one Ouaker License 
 will be found among them. No one was applied for and no 
 one was issued. The Quakers shared to some extent in the 
 common benefit so far as their religious gatherings were 
 concerned, but they were still fined and imprisoned for 
 refusing the Oath and withholding the Tithes, even as 
 they might be for meeting in unlicensed buildings. After 
 twelve months the Indulgence Declaration was with- 
 drawn under pressure of Parliament, with which it had 
 never been popular, because it was regarded as an en- 
 croachment upon its rights, and persecution reappeared. 
 In addition to all this the Quakers were involved in the 
 common suspicion which attached to all Nonconformity,
 
 STEADFAST IN SUFFERING 201 
 
 that it was an abiding menace to the Government and 
 the Nation generally. The times were rich in rumours 
 of plots and counter plots ; informers were well paid 
 for their work and they were careful not to be unem- 
 ployed ; and the authorities were somewhat hysterical 
 in their fears. How far there was ground for this we do 
 not know. Some of the reports which were so largely 
 circulated were undoubtedly pure fictions ; others were 
 seriously exaggerated ; but it is quite possible that some 
 men made wild and reckless by ceaseless persecution 
 turned their thoughts to force for a remedy, and, at 
 least, indulged in language, which in those excited times 
 gave colour to such suspicions. At any rate, they had 
 visits paid to them by the officers of the law with in- 
 structions to search their persons and houses for " armes 
 and ammunition ' and anything of an incriminating 
 character. The following in illustration are from the 
 Bradshaigh MS. kindly lent by Dr Farrer, and it is inter- 
 esting to note how all the supposed disaffected are classed 
 together — Recusant Papists, Ejected Nonconformists 
 and Proscribed Ouakers. 
 
 " My Lord Arlington's letter to my Lord of Derby 
 Concerning Conventicles May 27. 1669. 
 My Lord 
 
 Whereas his Matie hath received Severall Com- 
 plaints that In the County of Lancr. whereof you are 
 Lord Leivtnt there are held frequent & scandalous 
 Meeteings upon p'tence of Religious worshipp Contrary 
 to the Law and publique peace his Matie hath Co- 
 manded me to signify his pleasure hereby unto you 
 that you make strickt enquiry of the truth of such 
 Complaints and if you shall find that such meetings 
 are held within your Lieutenancy which either by 
 theire excess for number or manor of behaviour may 
 endanger the Publique peace give Scandall or affront 
 the Publique established government of the Church 
 that in such cases you give Orders to put the Lawes
 
 202 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Jn Execution for the suppressing of such Meetings 
 and to proceed according to Law against the preacher 
 and such others as shall appeare to bee the principall 
 offenders herein 
 
 My Lord J am 
 
 Yor Lopps Most obedient 
 Humble Servt 
 
 Arlington." 
 
 " Whereas wee are given to understand that very 
 many psons of restlesse and never to bee satisfied minds, 
 within this County of Lancaster are busie and Active 
 in construing Plotting broatching a new Warre wch 
 threatens much to the Ruine and destruction of his 
 Matie and all Loyall Subjects Wee therefore strictly 
 require you upon sight hereof to Seize and Secure 
 the persons whose names are hereunto annexed within 
 the Hundreds of Loynsdall & Amoundernes searching 
 theire Houses for Armes, Amunition Seditious papers 
 and Pamphletts, and them bring before us at Lancaster 
 upon Thursday the Thirtie first day of August instant 
 And likewise that you informe your selfe of all other 
 psons whose Principles and Seditious practices you 
 know anywise Rebellious or inclinable to the disturbance 
 of the Peace and quiet of this Kingdome inserting their 
 names and places of habitation in the aforesaid list 
 annexed and to bring them before us at the day and 
 place abovsaid Whereof faile not as you tendr his 
 Maties Servise and will answer the Contrary 
 
 Datum apud Lancr vicesimo sexto die Augusti Anno 
 R. Rs Carol Scdi Angl &c Decimo sextimo Annoq 
 Dni 1665. 
 
 To Sr. Roger Bradshaigh or 
 
 in his absence to the W. Spencer 
 
 Chiefe Commissionated Officer of his Ro. Bindlos 
 
 Troope Tho. Preston 
 
 These Ric. Kirckby.
 
 STEADFAST IN SUFFERING 
 
 203 
 
 A note of persons to bee Searched for Armes & 
 Amunition 
 
 In Croston 
 Richard Banistre 
 Thomas Gradwell 
 
 In Euxton 
 John Pincocke 
 Mickell Taylor 
 James Sharock 
 John Roscoe of 
 Runshe Moore 
 Tho : Moodie of 
 Heapey 
 John Ballif of 
 Adlington 
 Will: Crookeof 
 Copull 
 John Low of 
 Duxbury 
 Edward Parr 
 of Mawdsley 
 Widow Copper of 
 Charnock Richard 
 
 In Eccleston 
 Nicholas Rigby of 
 Harrocke 
 Ralph Greene 
 of Tuingreave 
 Widdow Parr. 
 
 In Leyland 
 
 Loynsdale 
 
 Jon. Lauson of Lanr 
 Jon Greenwood of same 
 Robt Widder of Kellett Senior 
 Crofer Procter of Lancr 
 Tho : Hopkin of Yelland 
 Hathornethwaite of 
 Memorand Preist Hutton 
 John Preston of Ellell Grange 
 Tho : Atkinson of Cartmiell 
 Tho : Leper of Caponwrey 
 Rob : Hubberstie of Yelland 
 Will : Lampitt of ffurneis 1 
 Jon. Sawrey of Plumpton 
 
 Richard Locksome of 
 Ulnes Walton 
 William Walton of 
 Longton 
 Adam Mather of 
 Wrightington 
 
 Mr Baldwin 2 a 
 Minister at Chisnall 
 
 1 Ejected minister of Ulverston. Vide pp. 17-21. 
 
 2 Almost certainly Roger Baldwin, ejected minister of Penrith and 
 Rain ford.
 
 204 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 William Atherton John Hurst of 
 
 Arley in blackrode 
 Will : Parr by Cowley 
 
 Henry Beardsworth Hill nere Billinge 
 
 Widdow Banistre Henry Ogles of 
 
 of Goulding Hill -Whiston-. 
 
 In Chorley In Wigan Parish 
 
 Allexandr Brears Henry Topping of Wigan 
 
 of Eves Lane 
 
 Thomas Wareing Mr Jolly of Wigan 
 
 of yerrow Bridge 
 
 James Rosckoe Elizabeth Deane 
 
 Will : Ecleston of ye house of Peter Watson 
 
 Charnock Richard and Mrs Williamson * 
 
 Richard Sheardley of liveing Jn Hindley. 
 
 Farrington 
 
 Gabriell Camelford of Staveley 2 
 Blackburn Hundd. 
 Tho : Jolly of hignell park 3 
 Tho : Sumerko of padll- 
 Robt Whiteker of 
 Healey in Burnley 
 Jon. Buly of Oswald 
 twisley 
 
 Jon Waddington of Altom 
 by Coll. No well. 
 Salford Hundd 
 one Major Smith 
 Amoundernes Hund. 
 Rowland Gascall of /blank/ 
 Ric : Kinge of Preston 
 Henry Chorley of same 
 . Jon March of Elston 
 
 1 Doubtless widow of William Williamson, the " able godly and painfull 
 minister " of Hindley in 1650. 
 
 8 Ejected minister of the Furness District. Vide pp. 16-21. 
 
 3 Ejected minister of Altham, who subsequently lived at Wymond- 
 houses, on the slope of Pendle Hill. Vide p. 79.
 
 STEADFAST IN SUFFERING 205 
 
 August 26, 1665 
 
 A particular of psons fitt to bee secured. 
 Vizt/ 
 
 Mr Tildesley of Deane Church x 
 
 Mr Heywood late of Ormes Church 2 
 
 Mr Naylor of Hindley 3 
 
 M r b 5 \ uvem § m Windle or Raynford 
 
 Mr Harrison of the Fyld 6 
 
 Mr Bradshaw of Hindley. 7 All these above named 
 are nonconformists secluded prtended Ministers and 
 such as frequently hould Conventicles, giveinge the 
 people opertunitys of Meetinge to hatch Mischeife 
 
 Alsoe Ditchfeild of Warrington 
 
 Willeby of Horwich 
 
 John Masty of Warrington late Servant to the late 
 Traytor Lockyor Blood, Newton. 
 
 My note to the Constables of Aspull to apprehend Quakers. 
 Whereas I am sertanly informed that there are 
 frequent meetings of Quakers and other nonconformall 
 psons within yor Toune & pticulerly this day at James 
 Gregaryse, Theise are in psuance of his Maties late 
 Proclamation for prohibiting of such Meetings to 
 require you to seize all such psons as you shall find 
 soe conveid together, and them to bringe before the 
 next Justice of Peace, to give such satisfacon as the 
 said proclamation requireth, or else to suffer accordingly, 
 of this you are not to fayle as it is yor Duty, and will 
 
 ' John Tilsley, M.A., ejected from Dean Church. 
 
 2 Nathaniel Heywood, M.A., brother of Oliver Heywood, ejected from 
 Ormskirk. 
 
 :1 Possibly James Naylor, ejected from Houghton Chapel. 
 
 1 John Wright, the ejected minister of Billinge. 
 
 - Thomas Gregg, the minister of St Helens. 
 
 * Cuthbert Harrison, doubtless, ejected in Ireland, but subsequently 
 minister of Elswick, the Mother Church of Fylde Congregationalism. 
 
 7 James Bradshaw, ejected from Hindley, and subsequently in Rain- 
 ford. Vide p. 98, note I.
 
 206 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 answer it to the Contrary. Given under my hand 
 this 17th feb. 1660. 
 
 ROGER BRADSHAIGH 
 
 To the Constables 
 
 of Aspull. Theise. 
 
 An Order from my Lord of Derby for searching and 
 Secureing some Armes in Manchester Augu. 6th/64. 
 
 Theise are to will And require you upon sight hereof 
 to Search for And Seize all Armes and Amunition which 
 you find in the Custodie or possession of John Leeds 
 Richard Ellor, Ralph Ridgway of Manchester and 
 Henry Taylor of New Barne in the afforesd County, 
 the sd psons beeinge Judged Dangerus to the peace of 
 the Kingdome, and all such Armes and Amunition 
 as you find in the possession of the aforesaid psons or 
 any of them you are to secure for his Maties Service 
 And returne a speedy Accot thereof unto mee And for 
 soe doeinge this shall bee to you a Sufficient discharge 
 Given under my [Hand] And Seale the 5th day of 
 August Anno Domini 1664. 
 
 C. DERBY. 
 To Major John Byrom 
 And the Constables 
 of Manchester. 
 
 John Willson of Warrington in the sd County of 
 Lanr upon his oath Informeth and saith as the above 
 sd Roger Yates hath informaed haveinge heard the 
 same Readd 
 
 JOHN WILLSON 
 Capt Corn. 
 
 Roger Bradshaigh 
 Mathew Markland 
 
 Comt. Lanr. 
 
 Informr Capt apud Haigh Coram Rogero Bradshaigh 
 Milit. 25 June (1662)
 
 STEADFAST IN SUFFERING 207 
 
 Saturday June the 21st (1662). 
 
 Thomas Gorton of Aspull Laborer saith that hee 
 heard Margrett Smith of Westhoughton Widow, 
 (upon descourse of the Act of Uniformity) say that 
 rather then they Ministers (meaning the Presbits) 
 would Conforme, they would resist, and if they weare 
 forced to conforme there would be aryseinge of her 
 knowledge and beeing asked how that could bee ; 
 and who shold head them, shee said My Lord Booth, 
 Coll. Rawsthorne, & Maior Harrison, and that though 
 wee thought the Militia soe sure to us, yet that most 
 of all the Trayn'd Bands in Salford Hundd would bee 
 of there Syde. Sunday June the 22. The said 
 Thomas Gorton came to me againe and said hee had 
 againe spoken to the said Margrett Smith that day at 
 Blackrod and would have knowne something more 
 of her Concerning that business, pretendinge that hee 
 would take theire part, shee said shee could tell him 
 noe more that day, for the messenger that was to bring 
 them Intelligence would not bee there till late but 
 afterwards shee would tell him more. 
 
 Tuisday June the 24th the said Thomas Gorton 
 came to mee againe & said that the same woman 
 tould him (Robert Browne of Aspull being in a private 
 place and heard her, & alose did testify it before mee) 
 that shee being that day at Hindley Chapell, did see 
 one John Leech deliver sevall letters to Mr. Tildesley 
 Parson of Deane Church, & being asked what they 
 weare, shee sayd tending towards aryseing, & allsoe 
 tould him that the messenger came the Sunday at 
 night before, to Blackerode, about the same buisiness 
 & Sett up his horse at James Gregorys in Aspull, 
 And said that the Quakers and Presbs would Joyne 
 together, and being asked what party or who they 
 would ryse against shee said against the Parlt because 
 they made the Act agst theire Religion, and said 
 alsoe that Mr Woods of Ashton, 1 Mr Astley of 
 
 1 James Wood, ejected from A.shton-in-Makerfield.
 
 208 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Blackrod, 1 Mr Welch of Chorley 2 Mr Tildesley of Deane 
 would goe into Scotland, & many more Parsons that 
 would not Conforme, and being againe asked who would 
 head the Party shee said that shee had a letter of it 
 that my Lord Booth Coll. Rawsthorne and Maior 
 Harrison and one behind Preston which shee could not 
 remember the name of, but said Thomas Gorton 
 nameing Major Robinson to her, shee said shee thought, 
 that it was hee, and said that the Riseinge would 
 bee before Boulton ffayre ; or within a moneth and 
 that one Ralph Ellison of Hindley was listed, but under 
 who shee knew not, and farther said that all the 4 
 Preachers, before named weare to Preach all of one 
 day the next weeke at Chowbent & after that would 
 goe into Scotland, & beinge asked whether they ryse 
 against the Kinge or noe shee sayd not, but they 
 would have the Queene Downe and sayd againe that 
 those in Salford Hundd (Meaning the Militia Souldiers) 
 would bee for them. 
 
 Com. Lanr. 
 
 July jth. James Barton of Blackerod informed 
 & sayth that hee heard Thomas Fenton a j^outh that 
 liveth upon Chorley moore say that hee knew of a 
 greate deale of Armes hid at Duxbury and that hee 
 was at the hiding of them himselfe : 
 
 It is Mr Holt's opinion that I ought to take the 
 Informations upon Oath & that I may Sertify it to 
 the Councell without any other Justice to Joyne 
 with mee." 
 
 At one time during this period, from 1662 to 1664, 
 which is spoken of as the Great Persecution, it is estimated 
 that in the prisons of England were no fewer than 4200 
 Quakers, men and women, 3 and, as already intimated, 
 
 1 Richard Astley, ejected from Blackrod. Vide p. 79, note 3. 
 
 2 Henry Welch, ejected from Chorley. 
 
 3 George Fox, by H. G. Wood, M.A., p. 75.
 
 STEADFAST IN SUFFERING 209 
 
 for 30 years the persecution continued with little cessa- 
 tion without materially weakening the Quaker opposi- 
 tion. Indeed a friend, who is far removed from the 
 Quaker position, writing to me quite recently of this 
 period says with a considerable amount of truth : — 
 
 " The Quakers really understood their duty perfecting 
 their organization and sticking to their own ways with 
 an invincible stubbornness, which, after persecution had 
 exhausted its worst, made the law bow to them not them 
 to the law." 
 
 The other point is the widespread character of the 
 movement in the County. Another Map representing 
 the state of things at the end of 1720 would give a very 
 different picture from the one of 1654 previously named. 
 Besides Lancaster and all the North Lonsdale District 
 there appear to have been strong centres at Ormskirk 
 and neighbourhood, Warrington and district, Blackburn, 
 Clitheroe and district, the Rossendale Valley and 
 Preston and neighbourhood. The movement did not 
 sweep Lancashire as it did Westmorland and Cumber- 
 land, but it took hold upon the County to a really 
 remarkable extent ; and by the end of 1720, beyond 
 which the enquiry has not been pursued, no considerable 
 area was quite free from it. 
 
 Some of the interests which thus began are still in 
 existence, they are the centres of much inspiring memory 
 and sacred tradition. As a separate religious body, 
 however, Quakerism can scarcely be said to show much 
 in the way of growth. In her interesting book The 
 Story of Quakerism, Lady Emmott says : " Although 
 Friends were at one time the largest body of noncon- 
 formists in England, they are now almost the smallest 
 of the organized Christian Churches. Forty years after 
 their first establishment, they numbered about fifty 
 thousand, or more than one in every hundred of the 
 entire population of five millions ; now there is about 
 o
 
 210 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 one Friend in every two thousand of the population of 
 Great Britain and a much smaller proportion for the 
 population of the world." 1 Its future may, therefore, give 
 some anxiety to its supporters ; but, whatever may await 
 it, because of its insistence upon the supremely spiritual 
 element in religion, its unceasing protest against the 
 merely ceremonial, which has so often been the besetting 
 sin of all religious worship, because of its absolute fidelity 
 to great religious principles, and its clear and unceasing 
 advocacy of Peace, the world owes to it an unspeakable 
 debt, and it will always have a place of honour in the 
 story of the Christian religion. 
 
 P. 251.
 
 INDEX 
 
 A 
 
 Abraham, Emma C, 57 
 Abraham, Daniel, 57, 58 
 Accrington, 76, 90 
 Addison, Thomas, 74 
 Aighton, 143, 144 
 Aldcliffe, 122, 158 
 Aldingham, 22, 32-34, 63, 113 
 Altham, 76, 80, 83, 88, 204 
 Ambrose, John, 54 
 Amounderness, 63, 71, 91, 128, 149, 
 
 154, 204 
 Amyas, Theophilus, 34 
 Anabaptists, 12, 13, 62 
 Angier, John, 47 
 Arkholme, 30, 72 
 Arlington, Lord, 201 
 Ashburner, Richard, 32, 48, 49, 
 
 113, 120 
 Ashton, Isaac, 38, 40, 51, 103, no, 
 
 in, 152 
 Ashton-under-Lyne, 61 
 Askew, Anne, 19 
 Askew, John, 19 
 Aspinall, John, 1 49-1 51 
 Aspull, 205-207 
 Astley, Richard, 79, 208 
 Atherton, Godfrey, 103, no, in, 
 
 178, 185 
 Atherton, Oliver, 38, 40, 48, 49 
 Audland, John, 12, 13 
 
 B 
 
 Backhouse, John, 31, 58 
 
 Baguley, Alexander, 41 
 
 Baldwin, Roger, 203 
 
 Ball House, 60 
 
 Bannister, Widow, 204 
 
 Barnes, John, 44, 146, 147, 164 
 
 Barnes, Sibill, 183 
 
 Barnes, William, 44 
 
 Barrow, Joan, 85, 89, 149, 152 
 
 Barton, 186, 188 
 
 Barton, Roger, 78 
 
 Bate, John, 95, 96 
 
 Bayclifi, 22, 32-34, 118, 120 
 
 O* 
 
 Bennett, Philip, 24, 60 
 
 Benson, Francis, 16, 53 
 
 Benson, George, no, 113, 126 
 
 Berkett, John, 65 
 
 Bisbrown, Christopher, 31, 108, 111 
 
 Bickerstaffe, 35, 40, 103, 108, til, 
 
 136, 137, 146, 158, 178, 185 
 Bilhnge, 94, 97, 169, 204, 205 
 Birch, 99, 101 
 Birtwistle, Henry, 47, 48, 53, 55, 
 
 58, 86, 90, 189, 195 
 Bispham, John, 103, 111, 136, 137 
 Blackburn, 37, 61, 69, 76, 79, 83, 
 
 85, 89, 102, 189, 204 
 Blackburn Grammar School, 76 
 Blackledge, William, 193 
 Blackrod, 47, 101, 185, 204, 207, 
 
 208 
 Blood, Lockyor, 205 
 Bold, 41, 136, 137 
 Bolton, 46, 47, 101, 138-143, 161, 
 
 162, 208 
 Bolton-le-Sands, 61, 62 
 Bond, Thomas, 36, 37, 54 
 Booth, Lord, 207, 208 
 Booth, William, 40, 129-133, 136- 
 
 138, M7 
 Boult, Benjamin, 35, 59 
 Boydale, Susan, 100, 148 
 Bradshaigh MS., 201 
 Bradshaigh, Roger, 95, 131, 202, 
 
 206 
 Bradshaw, James, 98, 205 
 Braithwaite, George, 105, 114, 192 
 Braithwaite, John, 16, 60 
 Braithwaite, William C., n-14, 25, 
 
 26 
 Brewer, William, 36, 51, 72, 195 
 Brewer's Yard, 163, 195 
 Brideoake, Ralph, 43 
 Briggs, — , 124 
 
 Bnggs, Robert, 51, 52, 104, 1 13, 121 
 Briggs, Thomas, 60 
 Brindle, 64-66, 192 
 Broughton Tower, 20 
 Brown, Andrew, 174, 175 
 Brown, James, 115 
 Brown, Mr, 98 
 Brown, William, 180 
 
 211
 
 212 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Browne, Joshua, 148 
 Browne, Robert, 207 
 Brownlow School, 169 
 Buildings registered for worship, 
 
 181-197 
 Bulcock, Elizabeth, 150, 153-155 
 Bullcock, John, 78 
 Burnley, 38, 61, 75, 76, 80, 81, 83, 
 
 85, 87, 91, 204 
 Burnyeate, John, 120 
 Burton-in-Lonsdale, 73 
 Bury, 43, 45, 62, 99, 101, 166, 167, 
 
 188, 195 
 Butler, Mr, 71 
 Byron, John, 206 
 
 Calamy, 17, 21, 72, 75 
 Camelford, Gabriel, 16, 17, 21, 204 
 Camm, Thomas, 31, 122 
 Capernwray, 31, 104, 203 
 Cardwell, Richard, 186, 188 
 Carnforth, 31, in, 121, 122 
 Carrand, Thomas, 121 
 Carrington, John, 184 
 Cartmell, 16, 24, 33, 34, 55, 60, no, 
 
 114. 2 °3 
 Cartmell Fell Chapel, 62 
 Caton, 73 
 
 Catterall, James, 80 
 Chaddock, Thomas, 136-138 
 Chad wick, Robert, 172, 186 
 Chaigley, 37, 144 
 Chambers, James, 104, 120 
 Charnock Heath, 69, 71, 165 
 Charnock, Richard, 71, 98, 203, 
 
 204 
 Cheadle, 129, 132 
 Cheney, John, 42 
 Cheshire, 115, 129, 158 
 Chipping, 37, 144 
 Chorley, 66, 70, 97, 204, 20S 
 Chorley, John, 136-138, 146, 147 
 Chorlton, John, 185 
 Chorlton, Chapelry, 101 
 Chowbent, 208 
 
 Church Kirk, 76, 80, 83, 85, 90 
 Claughton, 73 
 Clayton, 68, 70, 76 
 Clayton, Leonard, 37, 81, 83, 88 
 Clayton, Richard, 117, 120, 134 
 Clayton, William, 39, 128, 129 
 Clegg, Adam, 75 
 Clegg, Richard, 193. *95 
 Clifton, 158, 193 
 Clifton, Gervase, 71 
 
 Clitheroe, 37, 38, 75, 77, 79, 82, 
 85, 88, 89, 127, 135, 144, 149- 
 
 151, 153, 154, 194 
 Cockey Chapel, 100 
 Colne, 82, 83, 86 
 Colton, 34, 63, 114 
 Commonwealth Commitments, 199 
 Commonwealth Survey, The, 17 
 Coniston, 194 
 
 Conventicle Act, The, 129, 178, 198 
 Conventicle, Returns of 1669, 61 
 Conventicles, 61, 62, 71, 72, 79, 80, 
 
 82-84, 8 7, 95, 96, 99, 100, 104- 
 
 106, 126-155, 157-161, l63-i69> 
 
 171-181, 201, 202, 205 
 Coppull, 42, 66, 71, 134, 135, 165 
 
 185, 196, 203 
 Cornah Row, 194 
 Cossenton, Henry, 184 
 Coul bourn, Elizabeth, 194 
 Coward, Henry, 182 
 Cowborne, Richard, 89, 144, 145, 
 
 151 
 Cromback, John, 80, 83 
 Cromwell, Oliver, 15, 120 
 Crook, Abigail, 182 
 Crooke, Henry, 167, 1 68 
 Cropper Family, The, 158 
 Cropper, Widow, 203 
 Crosby, Thomas, 55, 103, no, in, 
 
 136-138 
 Crosby, William, 183 
 Crosdale, Mary, 82 
 Crosfield Family, The, 158 
 Crosfield, Henry, 29, 51 
 Croston, 66, 67, 69, 203 
 Croxdale, Elizabeth, 77 
 Cubham, Richard, 35, 40, 44, 49, 
 
 56, 136-138, 158, 178 
 Cuerdale, 78 
 Cuerden, 68, 70 
 Cumberland, 10, 11, 21, 24 
 Cumming, Thomas, 51 
 Curwen, John, 34, 56 
 Curwen, Thomas, 32, 35, 48, 49, 
 
 "3 
 
 D 
 
 Dalton-in-Furness, 22, 24, 104, 191, 
 
 197 
 Darwen, 72, 75, 76 
 Darwen Chapel, 79, 83 
 Dawson Family, The, 158 
 Dawson, Bernard, 88 
 Dean, 47, 100, 101 
 Dean Church, 205, 207, 208 
 Dennyson, William, 192
 
 INDEX 
 
 213 
 
 Denton, 99, 101 
 Derby, Lord, 201, 206 
 Dewsbury, William, 35, 59, 60 
 Dickenson, James, 16 
 Didsbury, 101 
 
 Dilworth, James, 37, 144, 145 
 Dil worth, Thomas, 144, 145 
 Dippers, 62, 99 
 Dockray, Thomas, 34 
 Dodding, Miles, 55, 156 
 Donne, Francis, 128 
 Downham, 38, 75, 80-82, 86, 89 
 Duckworth, Christopher, 30, 87, 
 
 89, 187 
 Duckworth, John, 47 
 Dukenfield, 10 
 Dunbaband, Samuel, 44, 136-138, 
 
 146, 147, 160 
 Duxbury, 69, 164, 203, 208 
 
 Eaton, Nathaniel, 172, 173 
 Eaton, Robert, 186 
 Eaton, Samuel, 186 
 Eccles, 99, 102, 184 
 Eccleston, 66, 68, 97, 203 
 Eccleston (in the Fylde), 63, 72, 
 
 163, 195 
 Eccleston, William, 204 
 Edenfield, 99 
 Edmondson, William, 30 
 Ejection of 1662, The, 17, 198 
 Ellenbrook, 102 
 Ellison, David, 35, 40 
 Ellison, Ralph, 20S 
 Ellison, William, 192 
 Ellor, Richard, 200 
 Els-wick, 59, 72, 193, 205 
 Entwistle, John, 136, 138, 146, 147, 
 
 177, 179 
 Euxton, 68, 70, 165, 203 
 Everton, 158, 159 
 
 Farington, 72, 204 
 Farnelcy, Thomas, 190 
 Famsworth, Richard, 22 
 Farn worth, 46 
 Farrer, Dr, 63, 201 
 Farrington, William, 87 
 Faulkner, Margaret, 86 
 Fell, Christopher, 32, 114 
 Fell, George, 25 
 Fell, George, 33, 114 
 Fell, Heskin, 42, 43, 46, 54, 66, 158, 
 185 
 
 Fell, John, 32, no, 114 
 
 Fell, Leonard, 33-35. 53, 57- 5§ 
 
 Fell, Margaret, 16, 19, 23, 25, 29, 
 
 33, 105, 106, 126 
 Fell, Mary, 20 
 Fell, Rebekah, 158 
 Fell, Richard, no, 113, 114, 118 
 Fell, Thomas, 18-20, 22, 23, 33, 42, 
 
 57 
 Fenton, Thomas, 208 
 
 Fielding, John, 77 
 
 Finch, Thomas, 165 
 
 Firbank, 10, 13 
 
 Fletcher, Elizabeth, 44 
 
 Fletcher, James, 35, 56, 59, 147. l8 5 
 
 Fletcher, John, 44 
 
 Flitcroft, Geoffrey, 96, 97 
 
 Flixton, 101 
 
 Fogg, John, 41 
 
 Forest of Bowland, 85, 144 
 
 Forest of Rossendale, 195 
 
 Forshawe, James, 65 
 
 Foster, Henry, no, in 
 
 Fox, George, 9-26, 32, 52, 59, 106, 
 
 Fox, Margaret, 57, 58, 156 
 
 Foxcroft, Edmund, 74 
 
 Frankland's Academy, 184 
 
 Freckleton, 37, 180, 181, 186, 197 
 
 Frosham, James, 56, 158 
 
 Furness District, 32-35, 62, 204 
 
 Furness Fells, 184 
 
 Furness Nonconformity, 21 
 
 Fylde District, The, 35, 158 
 
 Gandy, William, 159, 160 
 Garforth, Edmund, 30 
 Garner, Thomas, 38 
 Garstang, 36, 116, 134, *7Ii *94 
 Garswood Division, 99 
 Gey, Mr, S3 
 
 Gisbum, 127, 144, 149, 150, 153 
 Gleaston, 22, 32, 104, 113, 120 
 Gleave, John, 95 
 Glodwick, 148 
 Goad, John, 32, 113, 120 
 Goad, Thomas, 32, 104, 113 
 Goodall, Edward, 42 
 Goodshaw Chapel, 80 
 Goosnargh, 72, 196 
 Gorton, 99, 101 
 Gorton, Thomas, 207, 208 
 Grave, William, 52 
 Grayrigg, 12, 13 
 Great Crosby, 103, in, 159 
 Great Harwood, 75, 79, 84, 86, 88, 
 90
 
 214 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Great Singleton, 72 
 
 Green, John, 188 
 
 Green, Thomas, 29, 50, 126 
 
 Gregg, Thomas, 205 
 
 Gregory, James, 96, 97, 205, 207 
 
 Grime, John, 86, 90 
 
 Grimsargh, 187 
 
 Grimshaw, Richard, 76, 80, 83, 88, 90 
 
 Grindleton, 144, 149, 150, 152, 153 
 
 H 
 
 Habergham Eaves, 80, 1S9, 191 
 
 Halhead, Miles, 18 
 
 Hall, George, 96 
 
 Hall, John, 172 
 
 Halley, Dr, 26 
 
 Halstead, Catherine, 83 
 
 Halstead, George, 172, 173 
 
 Hal ton, 24 
 
 Handford, 129-133 
 
 Hankinson, Richard, 136-13S 
 
 Hapton, 91 
 
 Hardman, John, 80, 82, 83 
 
 Hardshaw, 44, 177-180, 182 
 
 Hargreaves, Mr, 86 
 
 Hargreaves, Alice, 165, 166 
 
 Hargreaves, Christopher, 86 
 
 Hargreaves, George, 38 
 
 Hargreaves, Henry, 86, 90, 165, 166 
 
 Hargreaves, John, 38, 39, 49, 57, 
 
 76, 80, 81, 165, 166 
 Hargreaves, Richard, 39, 48, 50, 
 
 5i» 55. 58, 60, 76, 123 
 Harrison, Cuthbert, 193, 205 
 Harrison, James, 46, 54, 13S-143 
 Harrison, John, 61 
 Harrison, Major, 207, 208 
 Harrison, Thomas, 116 
 Harrison, William, 127 
 Harrop, Mr, 88 
 Harsnep, Thomas, 156, 157 
 Hartley, — , 72 
 Hartley, Elizabeth, 75 
 Hartley, James, 34, 82 
 Hartley, John, 39, 76, 188, 196 
 Hartley,Roger, 38,51, 58, 76, 82, 123 
 Haslegreave, James, 101 
 Haslingden District, 47, 61, 75, 77, 
 
 80, 81, 86, 89, 90, 166-168, 189 
 Hatlex, 41, 123 
 Hatton, Alexander, 54, 68, 98 
 Hatton, William, 56, 59,68, 146,147 
 Hawkshead, 62, 106, 113, 119, 192, 
 
 194 
 Haworth, Charles, 78 
 Haydock, John, 42, 53, 71, 178, 
 
 185, 196 
 
 Haydock, Robert, 185 
 
 Haydock, Roger, 42, 43, 71, 134, 
 
 135, 160 
 Hayes, John, 80 
 Hay ton, John, 57 
 Hayworth, Abraham, 47, 48, 53, 
 
 54, 57, 60, 76, 80, 84, 87, 166 
 Hayworth, Lawrence, 79 
 Heapey, 63, 72, 203 
 Heysham, 63 
 Heyside, 45, 61 
 Heywood, Nathaniel, 205 
 Hey wood, Oliver, 205 
 Heyworth, Nathaniel, 189 
 Hicock, Thomas, 136, 137, 159 
 Hindley, 205, 207, 208 
 Hirt, Elizabeth, 46 
 Hodgkinson, Thomas, 149 
 Hoghton, 70 
 
 Hoghton, Sir Richard, 87 
 Holcroft Hall, 95 
 Holgate, William, 42 
 Holland, Charles, 105 
 Holland, Thomas, 98, 105, 165 
 Holline, Thomas, 182 
 Hollinwood, 148 
 Holme, Thomas, 44, 59 
 Holmes Chapel, 80 
 Holt, Mr, 208 
 Holt, Gilbert, 42 
 Hoole, 65, 66, 70 
 Hope wood, John, 99 
 Hornby, 73, 174, 175 
 Horwick, 100, 101, 205 
 Houlgate, Matthew, 96 
 Hoult, James, 153, 155 
 Howgill, 150, 153 
 Howgill, Francis, 12, 13, 21 
 Hoyle, John, 82 
 Hubberstey, Robert, 31, 122, 184, 
 
 203 
 Hubberthorn, Richard, 43 
 Hugginson, William, 31, 104, 122 
 Hughson, — , 71, 72 
 Hulley, Edward, 38, 48 
 Humber River, 26 
 Huncoat, 77, 83, 90 
 Hurst, John, 204 
 Hutton, 12, 26 
 Hutton, Dorothy, 3 2 
 Hutton, Thomas, 32, 104, 114 
 
 I 
 
 Independents, 12, 13, 80 
 Indulgence Declaration, The, 12, 
 
 17, 21, 200 
 Indulgence Licenses, 200
 
 INDEX 
 
 215 
 
 Ingham, Margaret, 149, 153 
 
 Ins-kip, 36, 163 
 
 Ireland, 30, 36, 43, 60, no, 113, 
 
 159 
 Isle of Man, 113 
 
 J 
 
 Jackson, Henry, 112 
 
 Jackson, Tristram, 185 
 
 Jackson, William, 52, 57, 166 
 
 Jarmond, Thomas, 71 
 
 Jeffries, Judge, 56 
 
 Johnson, Lawrence, 44 
 
 Johnson, Richard, 40, 42, 44, 51, 
 
 53, no 
 Jollie, Thomas, 79, 80, 204 
 
 K 
 
 Kaber Rigg, 25 
 
 Kay, Thomas, 73 
 
 Kellet, 12, 24, 30, 31, 104, in, 112, 
 
 203 
 Kendal, 10-12, 22, 26, 44, 46, 59, 
 
 62 
 Keaquick, Daniel, 44 
 Keaquick, Thomas, 41, 44, 136- 
 
 138 
 Kenion, Henry, 95, 96 
 Kenion, John, 85 
 Kennebie, Anne, 41 
 Kennedy, Hannah, 40 
 Kenyon, James, 183 
 Kenyon MSS., 181, 195 
 Kenyon, Roger, 135, 143, 148, 159, 
 
 161, 167-169 
 Kilmory, Lad}', 115 
 King Richard, 204 
 Kippax, John, 75, 81 
 Kirkby, Richard, 55, no, 133, 202 
 Kirkby, Roger, 104, 106 
 Kirkham, 63, 71, 72, 193, 195 
 Knowslcy, 40, 59, 185, 190 
 
 Laithwaitc, James, 136, 137, 147 
 Lambeth Library, 61 
 Lampit, William, 17-20, 203 
 Lancaster, 12, 24, 29, 30, 32, 49-51, 
 
 106, no, 116, 122, 133, 134, 175- 
 
 177, 184, 191, 203 
 
 Lancaster Castle, 33, 34, 36, 37, 
 
 4°-45, 47, 50-58, "5, 128-131, 
 
 161, 165-169 
 Lancaster, Lydia, 32 
 Langtree, 69, 70, 185, 196 
 Lathom House, 37 
 Lawford, Peter, 36 
 Lawson, John, 29, 50, 203 
 Lawson, Richard, 80, 83 
 Leaper, Thomas, 31, 48, 49, 52, in, 
 
 ii2, 203 
 Leatherbarrow, Roger, 40, 41, 48, 
 
 51, 103, in 
 Leavens, Elizabeth, 44, 59 
 Leaver, James, 161 
 Lee, Charles, 38, 89, 144, 145 
 Lee, Christopher, 189 
 Lee, Roger, 149-152 
 Leech, John, 207 
 Leeds, John, 206 
 Lees, John, 194 
 Legh, Richard, 129-133 
 Leigh, Ellen, 77, 82, 85 
 Lever, Thomas, 1 41-143 
 Leyland, 61, 64, 66, 68, 70, 97, 102, 
 
 164, 203 
 Liddell, John, 38 
 Liverpool, 24, 41, 15S, 159, 185, 
 
 190 
 Livesey, James, 69 
 Livesey, Thomas, 83 
 Lollardism, II 
 Longworth, Justice, 105, 162-164, 
 
 170, 171 
 Longworth, Roger, 46, 54 
 Lonsdale, 34, 63, 72, 91, 104, 203 
 Lorrimer, Thomas, 45, 47, 60 
 Lowe Church, 75, 77, 84, 87, 89 
 Lowe, Robert, 191 
 Lund, Andrew, 55, 133 
 Lund Chapel, 63, 72 
 Lune River, 10 
 Lunt, 103, no, in 
 Lydiate, 41, 103, m 
 
 M 
 
 Macclesfield, 46, 100 
 
 Makant, Ellis, 182 
 
 Malpas, 29 
 
 Manchester, 10, 24, 37, 43, 45, 57, 
 62, 99, 102, 125, 148, 166, 172, 
 173, 184-186, 188, 190, 191, 206 
 
 Markland, Matthew, 206 
 
 Marsden, 59, 144 
 
 Marsden, Henry, 149-155 
 
 Marsden, Thomas, 41
 
 216 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Marsland, Ann, 129-132 
 
 Mather, Richard, 45, 50, 51, 93, 166 
 
 Mather, Thomas, 132 
 
 Masty, John, 205 
 
 Masy, Henry, 12 
 
 Mawdsley, 65, 67 
 
 Melling, 63, 72, 73, 176 
 
 Melling, Henry, 73 
 
 Melling, William, 98 
 
 Mercer, Henry, 187 
 
 Meredeth, Sir Amos, 96 
 
 Michael's, St, 169-171 
 
 Middleton, 100 
 
 Milner, Christopher, 33, 53 
 
 Milner, John, 65 
 
 Minshall, John, 44, 46, 49, 50, 52, 
 
 56, 124 
 Mitchell, Richard, 86 
 Molineux, Richard, 93 
 Molyneux, Henry, 190 
 Moone, John, 35, 36, 51 
 Moone, Thomas, 49, 51, 52, 195 
 Moore, John, 60 
 Moore, Roger, 104 
 More, John, 86 
 Morley, Lord, 174-177 
 Morton, Edward, 53 
 Mosse, Isaac, 45, 51, 172, 173 
 Moubricke, 71, 72 
 Musbury, 166-168 
 Myers, Richard, 32, 49, 113 
 Myers, Thomas, 32 
 
 N 
 
 Nantwich, 116 
 
 Nateby, 134, 187 
 
 Nayler, James, 22 
 
 Naylor, James, 205 
 
 Naylor, John, 135-137 
 
 Newchurch, 75, 76 
 
 Newchurch in Pendle, 78, 79, 82, 
 
 86, 102 
 Newchurch in Rossendale, 78, 87 
 Newcome, Henry, 186 
 New England, 15 
 Newhall, 45 
 Newton, 10, 16, 60 
 Newton cum Scales, 180 
 Newton, Samuel, 79, 80 
 Nonconformist, 62, 63, 79, 80, 99, 
 
 100, 101 
 Norman, John, 95, 96 
 North Meols, 62 
 Nowell, Alexander, 126, 204 
 Nutter, John, 78 
 
 Oddy, William, 153, 155 
 
 Ogden, John, 102 
 
 Ogden, Joshua, 61 
 
 Oldham, 60, 61, 100, 102, 148, 188, 
 
 194 
 Ormskirk, 35, 39, 62, 103, 108, no, 
 
 in, 136, 137, 168, 169, 187, 188, 
 
 196, 205 
 Owen, Griffith, 146, 147, 159 
 Owen, Job, 182 
 Oxford, 44, 73, 119, 193 
 
 Padget, Francis, 133 
 
 Padiham, 78, 79, 83, 89, 128, 194, 
 
 196 
 Park, Richard, 113, 119 
 Parkinson, Eleanor, 36 
 Parliament, The Long, 14 
 Parker, Christopher, 133, 164 
 Parker, Col., 169 
 
 Parker, Thomas, 129, 143, 149-155 
 Parr, John, 72, 79, 165 
 Patefield, James, 77, 82, 127, 150- 
 
 152 
 
 Patefield, Thomas, 50 
 
 Pemberton, Phineas, 46, 139-142 
 
 Pemberton, Phoebe, 139-142 
 
 Pemberton, Ralph, 96, 139-142 
 
 Pendle, 38, 80, 82-84, 89, 189, 196 
 
 Pendle Hill, 9, 204 
 
 Pendleton, 127, 144 
 
 Penington in Furness, 197 
 
 Penington, Isaac, 194 
 
 Penketh, 136, 137, 146 
 
 Penketh, James, 137, 138, 146, 147 
 
 Penney, Norman, 12, 16 
 
 Pennington, Robert, 108, no, 114 
 
 Persecution, The Great, 20S 
 
 Persons searched for arms, 203-206 
 
 Petitions, 106, 182 
 
 Penwortham, 65, 66, 70, 97 
 
 Phillips, Hugh, 54 
 
 Pigott, Mr, 176 
 
 Pilkington, James, 99 
 
 Pleasington, 69 
 
 Pollard, Richard, S8 
 
 Popish Recusants in — 
 Leyland Deanery, 64, 97 
 Amounderness Deanery, 7 c 
 Lonsdale Deanery, 72 
 Blackburn Deanery, 74, 89, 102 
 Warrington Deanery, 91, 97, 98, 
 
 102 
 Manchester Deanery, 99
 
 INDEX 
 
 217 
 
 Poulton-lc-Fylde, 36, 170, 194 
 Prescot, 42, "59, 135-137. MG, ^Q, 
 
 1 7 7-1 So 
 Preston, 24, 36, 37, 72, 103, 105, 
 
 12S, 149, 171, 1S4, 186-197, 2 °4 
 Preston, Patrick, 10-13, 2 6 
 Preston, Thomas, 58, 202 
 Prestwick, 99, 100 
 Procter, Anthony, 30, 72 
 Prophet, Richard, 44 
 Puritanism, 12-15 
 Pye, George, 40, 41, 49, 55, 11 1 
 
 Q 
 
 Quaker Act, The, 198 
 Quaker Fines, 137-150, 181 
 Quakerism, Position of, at end of 
 
 1720, 209 
 Quakerism, Present Position of, 
 
 210 
 Quaker Marriages, 106 
 Quaker Meeting Houses registered 
 for worship in 1689, 181 
 
 Do. in 1691-1720, 182-197 
 Quakers in — 
 
 Lancaster District, 29 
 
 Furness District, 32 
 
 Fylde District, 35 
 
 Preston Area, 36 
 
 Blackburn District, 37 
 
 Clitheroe District, 37 
 
 Burnley District, 38, 59 
 
 Ormskirk District, 39, 59 
 
 Liverpool District, 41 
 
 Wigan District, 42 
 
 Warrington District, 43 
 
 Manchester District, 45, 60 
 
 Bolton District, 46 
 
 Haslingden District, 47, 60 
 
 Miscellaneous, 48-58 
 Quakers in — 
 
 Blackburn Deanery, 61 
 
 Leyland Deanery, 61 
 
 Manchester Deanery, 62 
 
 Warrington Deanery, 62 
 
 Kendal Deanery, 62 
 
 Furness Deanery, 62 
 
 Lonsdale Deanery, 63 
 
 Amounderness Deanery, 63 
 Quaker Presentments in — 
 " Leyland Deanery, 64, 97, 102 
 
 Amounderness Deanery, 71 
 
 Lonsdale Deanery, 72 
 
 Blackburn Deanery, 74-91 
 
 Warrington Deanery, 91-98, 102 
 
 Manchester Deanery, 99 
 
 Quakers taken at — 
 Lancaster, no 
 Yealand, in 
 Bickerstaffe, in 
 Kellet, 112 
 Cockerham, 112 
 Aldington, 113 
 Ulverston, 113 
 Hawkshead, 113 
 Dalton, 114 
 Cartmell, 114 
 Colton, 114 
 Miscellaneous, 1 15-125 
 
 R 
 
 Radcliffe, 1 39-141, 167 
 
 Radcliffe, Joshua, 126 
 
 Rainford, 35, 98, 103, in, 136, 137, 
 
 203, 205 
 Railing, Joseph, 112 
 Ramsbotham, Henry, 81, 90 
 Ranters, 13 
 Ratcliff, James, 47, 48, 84, 87, 89, 
 
 166-168 
 Ratcliff, Richard, 47, 76, 81, 84, 
 
 87 
 Rawchffe, 105, 135, 163, 169, I70 
 
 Rawlinson, Thomas, 32, 33, 35 
 Rawsthorne, Edward, 125 
 Rawsthorne, John, 167, 168 
 Rawsthorne, Lawrence, 45 
 Rawsthorne, Nicholas, 167, 168 
 Read, John, 77, 85 
 Ribble River, 26 
 Ribchester Church, 88 
 Ridgway, Ralph, 51, 172, 185, 206 
 Rig by, Edward, 37, 181 
 Rigby, Jonathan, 47, 52, 185 
 Rigby, Thomas, 36 
 Rigg, William, 34, 53 
 Rivington, 79, 165 
 Roberts, Lawrence, 91 
 Robinson, Henry, 39, 60, 76, 128 
 Robinson, Major, 208 
 Robinson, Robert, 85 
 Rochdale, 100 
 Roote, Henry, 99 
 Roote, Timothy, 99 
 Rootledge, Jane, 173 
 Rose, Susannah, 41 
 Rossendale, 47, 60, 61, 75, 80, 84, 
 
 89, 90, 166, 167, 189 
 Roth well, Ann, 1 39-1 41 
 Royle, John, 102 
 Royton Hall, 100 
 Rut lord, 65-67 
 Ryley Family, The, 158
 
 218 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Saddleworth, ioo 
 
 Sagar, Charles, 76, 79 
 
 Sale, Thomas, 101 
 
 Salford, 101, 190, 191, 204, 207, 
 
 208 
 Salsbury, Alexander, 38, 144, 145 
 Salthouse, Robert, 33, 56, 113, 121 
 Salthouse, Thomas, 35, 113 
 Salthouse, William, 33, 56, 113, 121 
 Salwick Hall, 72 
 Samlesbury, 78, 79, 87, 89, 187 
 Sandforth, Thomas, 159 
 Sankey, 44, 136, 137 * 
 Sandys, Adam, 17 
 Sandys, Samuel, 51 
 Satterthwaite, George, 105, 106, 
 
 Satterthwaite, John, 51, 114 
 
 Saunder, Thomas, 81 
 
 Sawley, 149, 150, 153 
 
 Sawrey, Roger, 20, 112 
 
 Scotforth, 133, 134 
 
 Scotland, 24, 43, 208 
 
 Sedbergh, 10, 12 
 
 Seed, Jonathan, 104, 105 
 
 Seekers, n-13, 25 
 
 Sellers, William, 80, 83 
 
 Sephton, 42 
 
 Sessions Order Books, 103 
 
 Sessions Records, 103 
 
 Shakerly, Sir Geoffrey, 58 
 
 Sharpe, Thomas, 32 
 
 Sharpies, Randle, 79 
 
 Shaw Chapel, 100 
 
 Shaw, George, 40, 158, 178, 183 
 
 Shaw, Giles, 100 
 
 Shawe, Thomas, 33, 34 
 
 Shrewsbury, 59 
 
 Skelmersdale, 103, 11 1 
 
 Skerrow, Thomas, 30, 57, 173-177, 
 
 191 
 Simpson, Richard, 33, no 
 Simpson, William, 32, 49, 119 
 Simson, William, 37 
 Smallwood, Dr, 41 
 Smith, John, 75, 78, 81, 83, 144, 
 
 145 
 Smith, James, 34, 36 
 Smith, Major, 204 
 Smith, Nicholas, 32 
 Smithson, James, 39, 60, 81 
 Sommerton, Thomas, 60 
 Spencer, Edmund, 87 
 St Helen's Chapel, 136, 137, 146, 
 
 178, 205 
 Stafford, 12 
 
 Stand Chapel, 186 
 
 Standish, 42, 43, 61, 66, 68, 70, 
 
 71, 98, 165 
 Standish, Sir Richard, 164, 165 
 Staveley, 10, 16, 17, 204 
 Strettell, James, 45, 182, 185 
 Stretford Chapel, 102 
 Stout Family, The, 41, 49 
 Sutchffe, John, 83, 86 
 Sutton, 42, 136, 137, 183 
 Swarthmoor, 10, 18, 19, 22, 24-26, 
 
 42, 51. 57. 106, 115 
 Swaledale Papers, The, 12 
 Sykes, James, 45, 53, 61, 148 
 
 Tarbock, Richard, 136-138 
 Tarbock, Thomas, 40, 42, 136-138 
 Tatham, 32, 63, 74, 184, 197 
 Tatham, Marmaduke, 30, 74, 174, 
 
 176 
 Taylor, Christopher, 12, 59 
 Taylor, George, 77 
 Taylor, Henry, 206 
 Taylor, James, 16 
 Taylor, Matthew, 80 
 Taylor, Roger, 178 
 Taylor, Seth, 165 
 Taylor, Thomas, 12, 59 
 Tetlow, Robert, 61, 148 
 Thorne, John, 36 
 Thompson, Thomas, 36 
 Thompson, William, 36 
 Thompson, William, 65 
 Thornley, 144, 190 
 Thornton, 63, 74 
 Thropp, Roger, 161 
 Tilsley, John, 205-207, 208 
 Todmorden Chapel, 100 
 Toleration Act, The, 27, 198 
 Tomkins, Mary, 50 
 Tomlinson, Henry, 37, 57, 162, 195 
 Tomlinson, Thomas, 37, 57, 163, 195 
 Tomlinson, William, 105 
 Topham, John, 74 
 Tottington, 45, 139-142, 166 
 Tottlebank, 17 
 Towers, Hugh, 112 
 Towers, James, 184 
 Towers, William, 56 
 Townley, Lawrence, 86 
 Townley, Nicholas, 143, 146 
 Townson, Henry, 53, no, 113 
 Townson, John, 29, 37, 50, 53, 57, 
 
 105, 126, 163, 164, 169, 170 
 Toxteth Park, 136, 137, 159, 160
 
 INDEX 
 
 219 
 
 Trawden, 39 
 Tunstall, 74, 197 
 Turner, G. L., 61, 63, 200 
 Turner, William, 103 
 Twisden, Judge, 115 
 Twiston, 38, 81, 86, 127, 128 
 Tyldesley, Edmund, 197 
 
 U 
 
 Ulverston, 10, 17-24, 62, 104, 113, 
 
 117, 121, 184, 197, 203 
 Underbarrow, 10, 12, 16, 18, 26 
 Underwood, John, 40, 103, 11 1 
 Uniformity Act, The, 21, 32, 41, 
 
 61, 198, 207 
 Unsworth, Ann, 186 
 Unsworth, John, 168 
 Upholland, 91, 94, 95, 97, 98 
 
 Vaux, William, 97 
 Veepon, Henry, 189 
 Veitch, Dr, 103 
 Vipon, John, 38, 55 
 
 W 
 
 Waddington, John, 8o, 204 
 Waide, Robert, 80, 83, 88 
 Waithman, William, 31, 54, 122 
 Wakefield, 9, 22 
 Wales, Robert, 52, 117 
 Walker, Henry, 76 
 Walker, Mary, 55 
 Waller, Richard, 35 
 Walmsley, John, 181 
 Walmsley, Thomas, 76 
 Walton, 41, 160 
 Walton-le-Dale, 41, 72, 75, 77, 79, 
 
 87,88 
 Walton, Henry, 56 
 Warren, Edward, 129, 133 
 Warrington, 42-44, 91, 97, 98, 102, 
 
 129-133, 136, 137, 146, 160, 161, 
 
 164, 186, 189, 205 
 Warton, 31, 62, 11 1 
 Waterhouse, N., 35, 42 
 Watson, Mary, 172, 173 
 Watson, Peter, 204 
 Watson, Samuel, 135 
 Wavertree, 160, 190 
 Weaver, Richard, 36, 50 
 Weaver, William, 1 69-1 71 
 
 Welch, Henry, 208 
 
 Wensleydale, 10 
 
 West, Christopher, 50, 78, 88, 91 
 
 West, William, 123 
 
 Westby Hall, 71 
 
 Westby, Mrs, 71 
 
 Westhoughton, 46, 101, 207 
 
 Westmorland, 10, 11, 25, 26, 58 
 
 Whaley, — ,71 
 
 Whalley, 38, 74, 78, 8o, 83-85, 88, 
 
 89, 91, 128, 143, 152,. 153, 189 
 Whalley, Roger, 1S9 
 Whalley, William, 39, 55, 57 
 Wharton, Lord, 12 
 Whipp, James, 38, 39, 75, 77, 81, 
 
 82, 86, 127-129 
 Whitaker, James, 38 
 White, John, 35, 51, 53, 126, 195 
 Whitehead, Thomas, 24 
 Whittaker, James, 87 
 Whittington, 74 
 Whittle, 68, 70, 71 
 Widders, Robert, 24, 30, 49, 52, 
 
 60, 104, 108, in, 112, 121, 126, 
 
 203 
 Widders, Thomas, 31 
 Wigan, 34, 40, 42, 93-98, 109, no, 
 
 156-161, 164, 165, 168, 183, 
 
 185, 187, 189-190, 204 
 Wigan, John, 32 
 Wilde, Isaac, 100, 148 
 Wilde, James, 172, 173 
 Wildman, Elizabeth, 32 
 Wildman, Geoffrey, 74 
 Wildman, Marmaduke, 73 
 Wilkinson, Anne, 60, 79 
 Wilkinson, Christopher, 149-155 
 Wilkinson, Hugh, 150, 151 
 Wilkinson, James, 60 
 Wilkinson, Lawrence, 79 
 Wilkinson, Richard, 75 
 Wilkinson-Story Separation, The, 
 
 26 
 Williamson, Mrs, 204 
 Williamson, William, 204 
 Willoughby (Willeby), 205 
 Wilson, John, 206 
 Wilson, Michael, no 
 Wilson, Richard, 77 
 Wilson, Thomas, 104, 113 
 Wilson, William, 52 
 Windermere, 16, 34 
 Windle, 103, ill, 135-137, *57, 
 
 I 5^, ^77-^79, 205 
 Winstanley, 158, 185 
 Winstanley Family, The, 158 
 Winstanley, Peter, 168 
 Wintcrbotham, Gervase, 65
 
 220 QUAKER MOVEMENT IN LANCASHIRE 
 
 Winwick, 91, 92, 95-98, 102 
 Wiswell, 79, 91 
 Withington, 191 
 Withnell, 68, 70 
 Wolslev Family, The, 158 
 Wood," Henry, 47, 48, 51, 53, 56, 
 
 139-142 
 Wood, James, 207 
 Wood, John, 45, 51 
 Wood burn, Mary, 56 
 Woodward, Edward, 68 
 Worthington, Alice, 139-142 
 Worthington, Esther, 139-142, 162 
 Worthington, James, 139-142 
 Wray, 30, 173-177. 191 
 
 Wright, James, 44 
 Wright, John, 205 
 Wrightington, 203 
 Wycliffe, 11 
 Wymondhouses, 20 4 
 
 Yarrow Bridge, 204 
 
 Yarway, Elizabeth, 136-133 
 
 Yates, Roger, 206 
 
 Yealand, 12, 31, 43, in, 112, 184, 
 
 203 
 Yorkshire, 9, 12, 59, 99
 
 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 000 203 516 
 
 University of California 
 
 SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 
 
 Return this material to the library 
 
 from which it was borrowed.
 
 ml 
 
 Unj