tains of darkness and great mists which lie before the understanding of man and woman; it giveth an hundred-fold of comfort in this life, and life everlasting hereafter; it makes a man or woman enjoy themselves in this life, and no bitterness of fear of damnation can come into the heart. These things I know you have seen, in a measure, and will experience them more and more. Oh, how beautiful are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of peace to the soul of man or woman! I have read of these things in Scripture in my ignorant zeal, but knew not what that peace was, neither did I know what that glad tidings was, until I was a chosen messenger of glad tidings myself; yea, I have been a messenger of glad tidings to you and many others, and I have been a messenger of sad tidings to many. These things I certainly know, yet am I no-ways lifted up with pride in this thing, nor cast down with any opposition of slanders and lies cast upon me by reprobate men and women: but I speak these things the more to strengthen your faith, being but of a short time standing, and having but little society with saints, and little of experience. I thought it necessary to speak kindly unto you, that your joy might be full; that you might have the penny of assurance of everlasting life, as those that have wrought in the vineyard of faith many years. Thus, with my true love, and my wife's love remembered unto yourself,

I rest and remain your friend in the true faith, the eternal truth,

LODOWICKE MUGGLETON.

From the Postern, London, June 14, 1669.

We are all here at London in pretty good health.

1

A Letter from the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, June 14, 1669.

Dear and well-beloved Friend in the eternal Truth, Ellen Sudbury,

I HAVE always remembered your faith and love to this commission of the Spirit from the beginning, wherein I received your first letter, wherein I found your faith and love was built upon a sure rock, even before you had seen me, or any of my writings, but Claxton's writings only; and I see how blest a thing it is to cast the soul upon a commission from God, not reasoning with flesh and blood, that is, to think to try the prophet's doctrine and declaration by the letter of the Scriptures, which cannot speak (as most people do) but you believing and did not see, in that you were more blessed than these that have both heard me speak, and seen me, and have believed as Thomas did also. You were one of the first, nay, I think the first in those parts, that did set to your seal, that the doctrine of this commission of the Spirit to be a real truth, and received a prophet in the name of a prophet, whereby you received a prophet's reward, the blessing of everlasting life, whereby you have grown in grace from strength of faith to strength, even to the full assurance of eternal life abiding in yourself; so that no doubt can arise in you to trouble you, as it doth in all others who build not upon this rock. Also you were for several years as one alone; for every Quaker, Bemonist, and others to be tried, that if it were possible by their cavilling spirits to have caused you to doubt or question your faith; but I have seen your faith hath grown stronger and

stronger, and hath established your soul more firm, even like Mount Sion, which cannot be shaken, even while you stood alone; but in some space of time after to add unto your comfort in this life and the life to come; also God hath given your husband to be partaker of the like precious faith with you, and so will partake of the same glory with you hereafter, when time shall be no more; also there is given unto you for your further comfort in this life, another true believer fit for your society, one of your own sex, even your true neighbour, M. P.

Dear Friend,

This is to certify you that I came well home to London on Friday in the Whitsun-week, and all friends in London are pretty well, and were glad at my coming; but Mr. Whitehead went from Cambridge a matter of twelve days before. There is little news at London since I went, only the Quaker's testimony against me, upon whom I gave sentence of damnation, three hours before his death was written his testimony against me from his own mouth, which I received when I came home. It is of very little consequence, else I would have sent it you; but instead of that, I have sent you a book written by one that was a Quaker fourteen years, which will inform you more concerning the Quakers; and I would intreat you to convey the other book to Mrs. Carter, with the letter, as soon as possible may be.

Thus, with my dear love to yourself and husband, with my wife's love to you both, I take leave, and remain

Your Friend in the eternal truth,

LODOWICKE MUGGLETON.

The Postern, London, June 14, 1669.

A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of Sladehouse, in Staffordshire, bearing date from London, June 19, 1669.

Loving Friend in the eternal Truth, Thomas Tompkinson,

I SAW a letter of yours to our friend Mr. Delamaine, and I received 9s. of him by your order; and I perceive by your letter it is exceeding great trouble to your spirit, that it was not your happiness to see me and those friends with me, being so near you. Mr. Whitehead, of Braintree, and Walter Bohenan, the Scotchman, were with me in all my journey, and we had good success and prosperous in all places and things we did intend, in that we saw all friends of the faith in Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Nottingham, and Chesterfield, and there was an intention and resolution to have seen you in us all, and all our care was when we were at Nottingham how to give you notice, that you might have met me either at Nottingham or Chesterfield; for Mr. Whitehead was to go, and did go, to Birmingham and Dudley in Staffordshire, joining to Worcestershire, to Mr. Finch, one that was formerly a Quaker, but now doth own this. Mr. Whitehead had some business with him in the way of his trade, being an ironmonger; so Walter Bohenan went with Mr. Whitehead to the place before-mentioned; it was above forty miles from Nottingham, but I stayed at Nottingham, being very weary with riding. We came to Nottingham to Mr. Sudbury's on Saturday; but Mr. Whitehead and Walter Bohenan went from thence the Monday

morning very early; but I staid there till the Thursday following before I went to Chesterfield, and they were to meet me at Chesterfield, at Mrs. Carter's, on Thursday, as was intended, but they did not come there till Saturday; so I made a full account, and was almost confident they had found you out, which had caused them to stay so long; for they did intend, and it was concluded upon by us all, and by Mrs. Sudbury, that they should find you out. Being well horsed, as they were, if it were twelve or fourteen miles out of their way, they would have seen you, because Mr. Sudbury would have conveyed a letter unto you, to give you notice that I was there, but he could not; so I depended, and so did Mrs. Sudbury, that Mr. Whitehead and Mr. Walter Bohenan would have seen you, and the more, because they staid two days longer than was intended; but it fell out contrary to all our expectations, which made us all sensible of much trouble, that all things else in our journey had prospered well, and if we had seen you also, our joy would have been full; but missing this opportunity, our joy was somewhat diminished, to what it would have been had we seen you, even as much satisfaction as can be had in weary journies; but after a little rest there is joy in the morning. Mr. Whitehead would willingly have gone ten miles out of his way if he could have heard where Slade-house. was; but none could tell them where; for they asked the country people for, or where Slade-house was, but none could tell them where, nor they did not know or remember any town near it, for they had forgot that I had told them it was about four or five miles from Ashbourne, by which means did this mishap fall out.

So, dear friend, I would not have you to think,