aten thee and the other Friends with his great cudgel, next he was
moved to beat me also, through the window, did I but come near to it
to get my meat. And as he struck me I was moved to sing in the Lord's
power, and that made him rage the more, whereat he fetched the
fiddler, saying he would soon drown my noise if I would not cease.'

'Eat now, Dear Heart,' the woman interrupted, 'whilst thou hast the
chance.' So saying, she handed some of the dishes up to the prisoner,
standing herself on tiptoe beneath the prison window in order to reach
his hand stretched out through the bars.

Here James saw his chance.

'Madam,' he cried, 'let me hand the meat up to you.'

The lady looked down and saw the worn, thin face. Perhaps she thought
the boy looked hungry enough to need the food himself, but something
in his eager glance touched her, and when he added, 'For I have come
one hundred and fifty miles to see GEORGE FOX,' her kind heart was
won.

'Nay, then, thou hast a better right to help him even than I,' she
said, 'though I am his very good friend and Colonel Benson's wife.
Thou shall hand up the dishes to me, and when our friend is satisfied,
thou and I will finish what remains, for in the Lord's power I am
moved to eat no meat at my own house, but to share all my sustenance
with His faithful servant who lies within this noisome gaol.'

'Madam,' said the boy, speaking with the concentrated intensity of
weeks of suppressed longing, 'for the food, it is no matter, though I
am much beholden to you. I hunger after but one thing. Bring me within
the gaol where I may speak with him face to face. There is that, that
I have come afoot a hundred miles to ask him.

'Bring me to him, speedily I pray you, for, though even unseen I love
him,

'I MUST SEE GEORGE FOX.'

XVIII. THE FIRST QUAKER MARTYR

(_From another point of view._)

_Extracts from the Diary of the
Rev. Ralph Josselin, Vicar of Earls
Colne, Essex._

_1655.--'Preacht at Gaines Coln,
the Quakers' nest, but no
disturbance. God hath raised up my
heart not to fear but willing to
bear and to make opposition to
their ways, in defence of truth.'_

_Ap. 11, 1656.--'Heard this morning
that James Parnell, the father of
the Quakers in these parts,