it. But now, reader, before I pass further, I hold it not impertinent to deliver you the words of the same letter, with another, which were these:

A letter to James Nayler at Exeter, by Hannah Stranger.

J. N.

IN the pure fear and power of God, my soul salutes thee, thou everlasting son of righteousness, and prince of peace. Oh! how my soul travelleth to see this day, which Abraham did, and was glad, and so shall all that are of faithful Abraham. O! suffer me to speak what the Lord hath moved, there is one temptation near, the like unto the first, and is like the wisdom of God, but it is not, and therefore it must be destroyed. Oh! it defileth and hateth the innocent; I beseech thee wait, my soul travelleth to see a pure image brought forth, and the enemy strives to destroy it, that he may keep me always sorrowing, and ever seeking, and never satisfied, nor never rejoicing. But he in whom I have believed will shortly tread Satan under our feet, and then shalt thou and thine return to Zion with everlasting rejoicings and praises. But, till then, better is the house of mourning than rejoicing, for he that was made a perfect example, when he had fasted the appointed time of his Father, was tempted to eat, and to shew a miracle, to prove himself to be the Son of God. But man lives not by bread, said he, and now no more by that wisdom shall he live, on which he hath long fed, as on bread; and, as his food hath been, so must his fast be, and then, at the end, temptation, to as low a thing as a stone, that, if it were possible, the humility and the miracles would deceive the elect, innocent, and righteous branch of holiness. But, be his wills never so many, the time comes he shall leave thee, for he is faithful, who hath promised he will not leave the throne of David without a man to sit thereon, which shall judge the poor with righteousness, and the world with equity. This shall shortly come to pass, and then shall the vision speak, and not lye O! let innocency be thy beloved, and righteousness thy spouse, that thy father's lambs may rejoice in thy pure and clear unspotted image of holiness and purity, which my soul be- lieveth I shall see, and so in the faith rest. I am in patience, wait, and the power will preserve from subtlety; though under never so zealous a pretence of innocent wisdom it be, yet shall the Lord not suffer his Holy One to see corruption, nor his soul to lie in hell, but will cause the mountains to melt at his presence, and the little hills to bring him peace. O! I am ready to fear as a servant, and to obey as a child. If I have spoken words too high, love hath constrained me, which is as strong as death; and with the same spirit cover them as they are spoken with, and then shall the spirit of David be witnessed, who refused not words, though from his servant's mouth; if they were in the fear, I am his servant, and he my master, whom I love and fear, and trust I shall do unto the end.

From London, 16th day

of the 7th month.

HANNAH STRANGER.

Another of the same.

OH! thou fairest of ten-thousand, thou only begotten Son of God, how my heart panteth after thee? O stay me with flaggons, and comfort me with wine. My beloved, thou art like a roe, or young hart, upon the mountains of spices, where thy beloved spouse hath long been calling thee to come away, but hath been but lately heard of thee. Now it lies something upon me, that thou mindest to see her, for the spirit and power of God is with her; and there is given to her much of excellent and innocent wisdom arisen, and arising in her, which will make all the honest-hearted to praise the Lord alone, and no more set up self. And therefore let not my lord and master have any jealousy again of her, for she is highly beloved of the Lord, and that shall all see who come to know the Lord. And now he doth bless them that bless his, and curse them that curse his; for this hath the Lord shewed me, that her portion is exceeding large in the Lord; and, as her sorrow hath been much, so shall her joy be much more; which rejoiceth my heart, to see her walk so valiantly and so faithfully in the work of the Lord, in this time of so great trials as hath been laid upon her especially.

Thy name is no more to
JOHN STRANGER.

Remember my dear love to thy master. be called James but Jesus. This John Stranger is husband to this Hannah Stranger; and this was added as a postscript by him to his wife's letter, as is acknowledged. Remember my love to those friends with thee. The seventeenth day of the eighth month, superscribed this to the hands of Janies Nayler.

me.

We shall now return to his examination. Quest. Art thou the only Son of God?

Answ. I am the Son of God, but I have many brethren.

Quest. Have any called thee by the name of Jesus?

Answ. Not as unto the visible, but as Jesus, the Christ that is in

Quest. Dost thou own the name of the King of Israel ?

Answ. Not as a creature, but, if they give it Christ within, I own it, and have a kingdom but not of this world; my kingdom is of another world, of which thou wotst not.

Quest. Whether or no art thou the prophet of the Most High?
Answ. Thou hast said, I am a prophet.

Quest. Dost thou own that attribute, the judge of Israel?

Answ. The judge is but one, and is witnessed in me, and is the Christ, there must not be any joined with him. If they speak of the spirit in me, I own it only as God is manifest in the flesh, according as God dwelleth in me, and judgeth there himself.

Quest. By whom were you sent?

Answ. By Him who hath sent the spirit of his Son in me to try, not as to carnal matters, but belonging to the kingdom of God, by the

indwelling of the Father and the Son, to judge of all spirits, to be guided by none.

Quest. Is not the written word of God the guide?

Answ. The written word declares of it, and what is not according to that is not true.

› Quest. Whether art thou more sent than others, or whether others be not sent in that measure?

Answ. As to that I have nothing at present given me of my Father to

answer.

Quest. Was your birth mortal or immortal?

Answ. Not according to the natural birth, but according to the spiritual birth, born of the immortal seed.

Quest. Wert thou ever called the Lamb of God?

Answ. I look not back to things behind, but there might be some such thing in the letter; I am a lamb, and have sought it long before I could witness it.

Quest. Who is thy mother, or whether or no is she a virgin?

Answ, Nay, according to the natural birth.

Quest. Who is thy mother according to thy spiritual birth?
Answ. No carnal creature.

Quest. Who then?

Answ.

To this he refused to answer.

Quest. Is the hope of Israel in thee?

Answ. The hope is in Christ, and, as Christ is in me, so far the hope of Israel stands; Christ is in me the hope of glory.

Quest. What more hope is there in thee than in others?

Answ. None can know but them of Israel, and Israel must give an

account.

Quest. Art thou the everlasting Son of God?

Answ. Where God is manifest in the flesh, there is the everlasting son, and I do witness God in the flesh; I am the Son of God, and the Son of God is but one.

Quest. Art thou the prince of peace?

Answ. The prince of everlasting peace is begotten in me.

Quest. Why dost thou not reprove those that give thee these attri

butes?

Answ. I have said nothing unto them, but such things are written. Quest. Is thy name Jesus?

Quest. For what space of time hast thou been so called?

Quest. Is there no other Jesus besides thee?

Answ. These questions he forbore either to confirm or to contradict them.

Quest. Art thou the everlasting Son of God, the King of righteousness?

Answ. I am, and the everlasting righteousness is wrought in me; if ye were acquainted with the Father, ye would also be acquainted with me.

Quest. Did any kiss thy feet?

Answ. It might be they did, but I minded them not.

Quest. When thou wast called the King of Israel, didst thon not answer, thou sayest it?

Answ. Yea.

Quest. How dost thou provide for a livelihood?

Answ. As do the lillies without care, being maintained by my Father. Quest. Whom dost thou call thy father?

Answ. He whom thou callest God.

Quest. What business hadst thou at Bristol, or that way?

Amsw. I was guided and directed by my Father.

Quest. Why wast thou called a judge to try the cause of Israel?
-Here he answered nothing.

Answ.

Quest. Are any of these sayings blasphemy or not?

Answ. What is received of the Lord is truth.

Quest. Whose letter was that which was writ to thee, signed T. S.? Answ. It was sent me to Exeter goal by one the world calls Tho. Symonds.

Quest. Didst thou not say, if ye had known me, ye had known the Father?

Answ. Yea, for the Father is my life.

Quest. Where wert thou born?

Answ. At Anderslow, in Yorkshire.

Quest. Where lives thy wife?

Answ. She, whom thou callest my wife, lives in Wakefield.
Quest. Why dost thou not live with her?

Answ. I did, till I was called to the army.

Quest. Under whose command didst thou serve in the army?
Answ. First, under him they call Lord Fairfax.

Quest. Who then?

Answ. Afterwards, under that man called Col. Lambert.

And

then I went into Scotland, where I was a quartermaster, and returned sick to my earthly habitation, and was called into the north.

Quest. What wentest thou for to Exeter?

Answ. I went to Lawson, to see the brethren.

Quest. What estate hast thou?

Answ. I take no care for that.

Quest. Doth God in an extraordinary manner sustain thee, without' any corporal food?

Answ. Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Father. The same life is mine that is in the Father; but not in the same measure.

Answ. As long as my heavenly Father will: I have tasted of that bread, of which he that eateth shall never die.

Quest. How long hast thou lived without any corporal sustenance, having perfect health?

Answ. Some fifteen or sixteen days, sustained without any other food except the word of God.

Quest. Was Dorcas Erbury dead two days in Exeter, and didst thou raise her?

Answ. I can do nothing of myself. The Scripture beareth witness to the power in me which is everlasting; it is the same power we read of in the Scripture. The Lord hath made me a sign of his coming: and that honour that belongeth to Christ Jesus, in whom I am revealed, may be given to him, as when on earth at Jerusalem, according to the

measure.

Quest. Art thou the unspotted Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world?'

Answ. Were I not a lamb, wolves would not seek to devour me. Quest. Art thou not guilty of horrid blasphemy, by thy own words ? Answ. Who made thee a judge over them?

Quest. Wherefore camest thou in such an unusual posture, as, two women leading thy horse; others singing 'Holy, holy,' &c. with another before thee bare-headed, knee-deep in the highway mud, when thou mightest have gone in the causey; and at such a time, that, it raining, thy companions received the rain at their necks, and vented it at their hose and breeches?

Answ. It tended to my Father's praise and glory, and I ought not to slight any thing which the Spirit of the Lord moves.

Quest. Dost thou think the Spirit of the Lord moved, or com

manded them?

Answ. Yea.

Quest. Whom meant they by Holy, holy, holy,' &c.;
Answ. Let them answer for themselves, they are at age.

Quest. Did not some spread their cloaths on the ground before thee, when thou riddest thorough Glastonbury and Wells? Answ. I think they did.

Quest. Wherefore didst thou call Martha Symonds mother, as George Fox affirms ?

Answ. George Fox is a lyar and a firebrand of hell; for neither I, nor any with me, called her so.

Quest. Thou hast a wife at this time?

Answ.

A woman I have, who by the world is called my wife; and some children I have, which according to the flesh are mine.

Quest. Those books which thou hast writ, wilt thou maintain them, and affirm what is therein?

Answ. Yea, with my dearest blood.

Martha Symonds's Examination.

She confesseth, she knew James Nayler formerly; for he is now no more James Nayler, but refined to a more excellent substance; and so she saith she came with him from Bristol to Exeter.

Quest. WHAT made thee lead his horse into Bristol, and sing 'Holy, holy, holy,' &c.? And to spread thy garments before him? Answ. I was forced thereto by the power of the Lord.