The next morning, we went to vist Charles Lloyd of Dolobran, who tenderly received us, and several that were at the meeting, came there that day; where we had a sweet, comfortable, refreshing time, in the presence of the Lord; as it is said, "In his presence is fulness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore," Psal. xvi. 11.

The report of this meeting went through the country, some saying, that most of that side of the country were turned Quakers. Whereupon divers were sent for, before Edward Lord Herbert, Baron of Cherbury, to a place where he then lived, called Llyssin, about three miles from Dolobran. After some discourse with them, he sent them to Welch-Pool to prison, for refusing to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, which they refused, because they could not swear at all; they being about six sent together, viz., Charles Lloyd, Hugh David, Richard David, Cadwalader Edwards, Anne Lawrence, Sarah Wilson, &c., where they were continued very close prisoners.

In a little time were added prisoners to them, William Lewis, and Margaret his wife, who were owners of the house at Cloddiecochion, before-mentioned, where I was moved to go, about the year 1657, to a meeting of the professors, afterwards the place of my abode. This William Lewis, my near relation, was he that led me out of the house to the common, and shut the gate against me, as before related, page 22. And thus the word of the Lord was fulfilled, that came to me then, "That those people should own and receive Truth, and that house should be a meeting-house for us," which it now is, and hath been these forty years.

The oaths of allegiance and supremacy being tendered to them, they could not take them for conscience' sake; swearing at all being forbidden by Christ and his apostle James; so they were sent to prison, and continued prisoners there. Edward Evans also, an honest and substantial man, was committed to prison for the same supposed offence, who was convinced some time before; I having had some weighty

discourse with him about the things of God. He told me, when he was in prison with Vavasor Powell, with many more of their brethren in Pool Jail, that Vavasor leaning upon a window of their prison that opened to the street, saw me and my dear wife pass by, and said, “Behold Zacharias and Elizabeth; it was said of them, that they walked in all the commandments of God blameless." This Edward Evans, and some others of the prisoners, looking out through the window, saw us two called Quakers, that he and others a little before had preached severely against. They looked upon it, that the Lord had forced him to give that testimony of us, and several of them, as Edward Evans said, were convinced by that testimony of his, concerning us; and in some time after came to live in obedience to the truth, and suffered for it.

These prisoners were kept very close, some of them were substantial freeholders, who were put in a dirty nasty place, near the stable and house of office, being a low room; the felons and other malefactors in a chamber over head, their chamber-pots and excrements, &c., often falling upon them. Charles Lloyd, who was a little before in commission of the peace, was put in a little smoky room, and did lie upon a little straw himself for a considerable time; and at length his tender wife Elizabeth, that was of a considerable family, (daughter of Sampson Lort, near Pembroke in South Wales) was made willing to lie upon straw with her dear and tender husband. And thus they both, with the rest of Friends, did rather choose to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

I stayed at home with them for some time, keeping our meetings in prison; but at length the jailor had strict charge to keep me from among them, alleging, that I strengthened them in their way and principles; and when the jailor kept me out, I went to a neighbour's back-yard, having leave of him to see them, and speak with them.

The sufferings of Friends being now very great, and

still increasing, they sent the following paper to the quarter sessions held at Montgomery.

"To the Justices and Magistrates of this County of

Montgomery.

"Forasmuch as it is not unknown to you, that we, who by the scorners of this world (that know not God) are called Quakers, are detained and kept close prisoners, only for the testimony of a good conscience towards God and man, our friends not being suffered to visit us, though drunkards, liars, thieves and robbers, are not debarred of their friends' admittance to them. This unheard-of cruelty, were enough itself to establish us in our ways, if they were never so erroneous, as you say. This we are persuaded in our hearts, that never did Christ, nor any of his apostles, use this, or any other way of cruelty, or persecution, to convince any of their errors, but contrariwise, by sound doctrine, and good conversation, and 'doing unto others as they would they should do unto them;' for that was the rule that Christ left to true Christians.

"Now consider, in the soberness of your hearts and spirits, that if you were in our condition, would not you desire your enlargement? And seeing it is the King's clemency, in a declaration bearing date the 26th day of December, 1662, wherein he says, he is glad to lay hold on this occasion, to re-establish and renew unto all his subjects concerned in those promises, indulged by a true tenderness of conscience. This assurance and confirmation of his promise made at Breda, upon the word of a King, viz :—

"We do declare all liberty to tender consciences, and that no man shall be disquieted, or called in question for differences of opinions in matters of religion.' And moreover he saith, in the same declaration, 'As for what concerns the penalties upon those, who living peaceably, do not conform thereunto through scruple and tenderness of misguided consciences, but modestly, without scandal, perform their

devotions in their own way.' We understand by these words, viz., that it is his fatherly care, to publish this his declaration, to stop and prevent all other acting, according to former acts made against liberty of tender consciences. And we hope that you will be as favourable to us, your neighbours, (seeing power is committed to your hands) as the King, being chief magistrate, is unto his subjects. These things have we seen fit and convenient to lay before you, that you may understand we are not ignorant of the King's clemency towards us. And we (whose names are underwritten) do wait the fulfilling and performing this one other word more of a King, by you who profess yourselves to be his obedient and loyal subjects; notwithstanding all which former words and promises of the King, the supreme magistrate, we have been persecuted more by you, his inferior magistrates in this county, than in many other counties. And farther, that you may be left without excuse for that, if you do persecute us, it is, without any cause from us, or any order from the supreme magistrate, the King of England. If you do justice herein, the Lord will bless you; if not, sin will lie at your door.

"These from your friends, that desire the good and welfare of your souls and bodies, that have received the spirit of meekness; that can pray for them that persecute us, and despitefully use us, who in patience and long-suffering are content to submit to the will of God, who renders to every man according to the deeds done in the flesh.

The foregoing paper was sent to the magistrates at their quarter sessions, held at Montgomery, the 8th day of the Eleventh Month, 1662.

A copy of it also was sent to the chief justices at Ludlow, by the jailor, together with another paper directed

to them.

A little time after this, I went to Penllyn, near Bala, in Merionethshire, to visit some friends and tender professors there, who received me kindly, and there I settled a meeting among them in the power of God; and from thence I came home, where I stayed but a little while, to visit these prisoners. Soon after I went to the house of Owen Lewis, at Tyddyney Gareg, near Dolgelly, in Merionethshire, a man that had been in commission of the peace in Oliver's days, and was newly come from prison from Bala, who received me kindly, (he was first convinced by Thomas Briggs.) From thence I went to Robert Owen's, of Dolycere, near Dolgelly, who had also been a justice of peace and a commander in Oliver's time. He received me and my testimony, as did also Owen Humphrey, of Llwyngwril, near the sea-side, in the said county, (who was a justice of the peace in Oliver's days) and his father, his brothers, Samuel and John Humphrey. These, with many more there, received the truth in the love of it, and continued faithful, serviceable men in their country, kept meetings in their houses, and many were gathered to the Lord among the rocks and mountains in those parts: this was in the year 1662. After this journey, the Lord brought me safe home to my wife and family, to the comfort of Friends, and one another in the Lord.

Not long after this, Thomas Lloyd, brother to Charles Lloyd of Dolobran, hearing his brother was in prison, came from Oxford to visit him, having been a student there several years (as also his brother Charles had been before him) they told me, that the great sufferings of Friends, in that city of Oxford, by the magistrates, and by the wild and ungodly scholars, did work much upon them; and they had some secret love for Friends then. So when Thomas Lloyd came home, being some time with Friends in prison,