THE presence of the Lord God was felt within me, and in his light he let me see what his pleasure was with me; it was clearly shew'd me that I should goe to the Steeplehouse in Alderman-bury the first day of the week then following, and take with me something to work, and doe it in the Pulpit at their singing time.

[...] which sight I found much unwillingnesse in my selfe, yet sitting still with trembling, there came upon me a very great weight pressing me to obedience; yea a heavy burthen was felt, till I had consented to obey; I felt the weight to increase, oh how hard my unwilling will was to yeild, but the Lord strengthened me, and having consented, I found a little ease, yea I did resolve in the power of the Lord to goe on: I purposed to carry with me a Pocket to sow.

So the first day morning being the 3 ^d day of the 5 ^th month after the 8 ^th hour one of the Doers being open, I passed in, thinking to get into the Pulpit to hide my selfe there till their singing time, and then get up and work; The Sexton spying me, took me by the arme, said friend we doe not open yet, for it was their Communion day as they call: but the time I was in, I found that the Gal­leries were higher then the Pulpit, and I should have been discovered before their song began; I see the Clark giving Tickets: soe about the 9 ^th hour their Dores were opened, I passed in as one of their owne crowd, the throng came in very fast, I gat into one of the Galleries to spye if possible to get in the Pulpit some way, but I found none at that time, so they began to read, and I came downe, and finding no way to get into the Pulpit, I came to the Table that is pre­pared for that troop, I thought to get upon the Table to worke, but the Table was set round with young men, and when they began their song, they laid on their hats upon the Table, so I standing still waiting on the Lord, having a great mind to doe the Lords work; their song being up, my hat offended them, they took it off, and cast it away, and one of the young men gave it me again, I put it on, and it offended again, in so much that Piercefall did perceive me, who came violently, and tooke my hat off to flng it away, but I held it, then he tooke me by the hair of the head, and drag'd me out, and as one of their own company testified to his face that he stroke me, but I cannot say that, but a lusty red hair'd man [Page 2] did strike me, I supposed him to be an officer in that hatefull place, but Pierce­fall after he had drag'd me out by the haire, said Sarrah doe you not know Wil­liam Duike, I said nay, for I did not know him; Sorrah said he, I put him in prison, and finde him ten pound, and you must be served so to, and so charg'd the Constable with me, and went himselfe in again, and received the Sacrament for all this.

The Constable told me that I might goe away if I would, but in againe I must not. So I stood a while and finding in my selfe no constraint, I passed away to­wards More fields finding a little ease from the weight of the burden, being faithfull to what might be done at that time: but the 6 ^th day of the weeke being the 8 ^th day of the moneth sitting at worke in my Shop but not on the Shop-board, the burden of the Lord came upon me, and the light making mani­fest the same thing that was not yet done, must be done, and the Lord would not discharge me, but laid a necessity upon me. I beholding this with trembling and feare; I did resolve in the power of the Lord not to eat nor drink, till I had performed the Lords requiring. So having purposed in heart, I greatly desired the Lords assistance; and it was shewed me how to doe it, and the Lord made way for me.

So the first day of the week being the 10 ^th day of the 5 ^th moneth, I waited opportunity till the singing time began, which when I heard, I passed in, but being fearefull to he taken with the hat againe; and so loose my maine businesse, for the Lord: I stept out againe, but staid not, I came in a­gaine; I lookt towards the Pulpit and spyed the pue dore open, that the Preist might p [...]sse up the Pulpit. So I waited thinking that Ed­mund Calomy would goe up the Pulpit, I intended to get in before him; for thought I that boy that sits upon the stairs will open the Pulpit dore for the Priest, and I'le get in before, but no Priest came, whereupon in the power of the Lord; I fixed my eye upon the Pulpit, and I spyed and iron hooke, and I passed through the pue up the stairs, and unhookt the dore, and pull'd twice and gat it open, and I sat my selfe down upon the Cushin, and my feet upon the seate where the Priest when he hath told out his lyes doth sit downe, and having my work ready, I pull'd one or two stitches. The people lost their song, and some cried pull him downe, some breake his neck downe, and a lusty fel­low came up and did intend to doe me a mischiefe, and rang my neck as if he would have rung it in two. Soe I let goe my hold and he flang me downe stairs; but the Lord preserved me, and I felt no hurt; for having done that which the Lord required me to doe I was full of peace; and it had been little to me if they had there taken away or [Page 3] kil'd the body. For I was full of joy, and they were full of wroth and madnesse; so they tore my Coat off and my hat, and draged me out, and one took me by the haire and flung me upon the ground, and some that was without said why do you use the man so, but I gat up again, then they draged me quite out into the street, and there held me, and while they held me, one came, and gave me a violent kick on the shins, and said he could find in his heart to knock me down, he made my shin bleed, and another kickt me on the other shin, but did not much hurt, another said that I had beene some notorious sinner heretosore and now came to doe something that might merit, Presently the Church-warden as they call him, came out, and he and the Bell­toler carried me away to the Counter till their Sermon was ended, as they call it, then they carried me away to Pauls Yard to stay for the Mayor, but the Sargent said he would carry me away to the Mayors House and there stay me till he came in; so he did: And all the way through Pater­noster-Row as I went, the boys kickt my heels, so then the Mayor came in, and they told him that I was at work in the Pulpit; then said he to me, Wherefore did you work there? I said in obedience to the Lords com­mandement: he said, It was a false Spirit, and said he, Where are your sureties? I said The Lord was my sure­ty; he said, The Lord would not beare me out in this thing: said he to them, Carry him againe to the Counter: So they carried me back agine, and there I was till the third day.

Now let all sober people judge whither I did this thing out of envy against either Priest or People.

Yea farther I say, the Lord God lay it not to their [Page 4] charge, who have said that I did it in malice, di­vilishnesse, and envy; it is the desire of my soul that they might be saved.