and your maid delivered the books and the letter to the carrier that brought her up to London, which is Utoxeter carrier, and not by Ashbourne carrier, and this I suppose is the cause of the miscarriage; therefore I would desire you to call for the letter and five books of Laurence Foxe, Utoxeter carrier, which he received about five or six weeks ago. You will know by the date of the letter if you receive it. This Laurence Foxe inns at the Bell, in Smithfield, near the White Bear, London. Also I would desire you, if you have sold any of those books, to send the money for as many as you have sold as soon as conveniently you can. This is all at present, only that we are all well, and do remember our loves to you and your wife, with all friends else there with you. I rest and remain your friend in the true faith, Postern, September 21, 1668. Direct your letters to me thus: For Mr. Muggleton, at the widow Brunt's house, next door to the sign of the White Horse, in the Postern, near Moor-lane, London. Elizabeth Bootham remembers her love and service to you and your wife; and she saith, she would not have you trouble yourself about sending any cheese, for she doth think she shall not stay here in London until All-holland-tide, therefore desireth to hear from you as soon as may be. So resteth your servant, ELIZABETH BOOTHAM. A Copy of a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of Sladehouse, in Staffordshire, bearing date from London, December 14, 1668. Loving Friend, Thomas Tompkinson, THIS is to certify you, that I received your letter, dated December 7, 1668; also I received of William Osbourne the ten shillings you sent, and Elizabeth Bootham received her things also. There is little or no news here at London at present, for every sort of people here hath freedom of conscience to meet without any disturbance, only the Quakers people are much offended at me for setting forth this last book, called a Looking-Glass for Quakers; insomuch, that several of the chief speakers of the Quakers have come to talk to me about it, and have come under the sentence of damnation; and one Thomas Loe, a speaker of the Quakers, sent me a cursed, desperate, blasphemous letter, worse than ever I received of any from Quaker or other before; but upon the return of the sentence of damnation upon him, this said Thomas Loe fell sick the same night he received it, and never went out of his bed more till he was carried to be buried, which was in less than three weeks, which thing hath been great amazement to the Quakers, and hath moved them much against me; insomuch, that they have banded themselves against me, and have raked amongst all the damned devils they can hear of, to bear their testimony against me; and all false reports by this damned crew are taken for truth by the Quakers, that they might set forth a book against me. The chief speakers of the Quakers have consulted together, and, as I understand by several Quakers, have written nearly thirty sheets of paper against me, and intended to put it in print before now. I did expect to have seen it before now, but there hath fallen a cross upon them, for their printer's press is broken in pieces, and the printer in prison for printing a book against the Presbyterians, and the man that wrote it hideth himself, yet a Quaker, and one of those that writeth against me; so that for the present there is a stop put to the Quaker's book against me, for no printer else must do it, it being not licenced. I have written the chief passages in a dispute with some Quakers with me for memory sake, which hereafter may come to light. So in haste, I rest, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered unto yourself and wife, and all friends else there with you. I remain your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Postern, London, Dec. 14, 1668. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, containing the Blessing of Eternal Life, sent unto Lydia Brooks, of Sheasby, in Leicestershire, (this was John Saddington's sister) bearing date from London, October 24, in the year 1668. Friend Lydia Brooks, I RECEIVED your letter of your brother John Saddington, wherein I understand how you came to hear of truth declared by this commission of the Spirit, and that the Lord hath opened your heart to believe the reports of our writings, and that I am a true prophet sent of God. It is confessed that I never saw you in my life; yet this testimony you give of your faith in your letter in the true God, and in this commission of the Spirit, giveth me assurance in myself that your heart is right in the sight of God, and that your faith is built upon a sure rock, that cannot fail; for whoever do only believe the doctrine declared by this commission of the Spirit, and believeth him whom God sent, they can do no less than receive God that sent him; and whoever receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward, which reward is no less than eternal life; and that your faith may increase and grow, from strength to strength, as it is begun, I do declare you one of the blessed of the Lord to eternity, though I never saw your person; but by your words I saw your faith, and being justified by faith, you will have peace with God; for by words of unbelief are many people condemned, and by words of faith are many people jus tified; and as for your nearest relations, as husband and mother, being against you for not going to church, to that I say, be not you overcome to break the peace of your mind by the threats, or persuasions, or temptations of husband or mother, to defile your mind by false worship through slavish fear; but worship God in Spirit and truth as you have begun, as this commission hath declared, and you will become more than a conqueror in your spirit over husband and mother, and shall no more stagger in your mind through the persuasions or temptations of any whatsoever; and the wilderness where you now, live will yield you such peace of mind, that will be as sweet as honey, or the honey-comb, though you have none with you to partake with your sufferings. This is all at present, only my love to yourself, though un known. I rest and remain your friend in the true faith, Postern, October 24, 1668. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of Sladehouse, in Staffordshire, bearing Date from London, January 31, 1669.. *** १ Loving and kind Friend in the true Faith, Thomas Tompkinson, - THIS is to certify you that I have sent seven books of the Interpretation of the Witch of Endor; |