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Organizational Design

In today’s volatile business environment, it is more important than ever

that managers, whether of a global multinational or a small team, should
understand the fundamentals of organizational design. Written specifically
for executives and executive MBA students, the new edition of this
successful book provides a step-by-step “how to” guide for designing an
organization. It features comprehensive coverage of the key aspects of
organizational design, including goals, strategy, process, people,
coordination, control, and incentives. These aspects are explained through
the use of a unique series of 2
2 graphs that provide an integrated, spatial
way to assess and plan organizational design. The new edition features a
number of important improvements, including a new framework for
understanding leadership and organizational climate, the introduction of
the concept of manoeuvrability, and a completely new chapter examining
joint ventures, mergers, partnerships, and strategic alliances.

Richard M. Burton is Professor of Strategy and Organization at the Fuqua

School of Business, Duke University.

Børge Obel is Professor of Organization and Director of the

Interdisciplinary Center for Organizational Architecture, Aarhus
University.

Gerardine DeSanctis was Thomas F. Keller Professor of Business

Administration at the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.
Organizational
Design
A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH

Second Edition

Richard M. Burton
Børge Obel
Gerardine DeSanctis
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town,
Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi, Tokyo, Mexico City

Cambridge University Press

The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK

Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York

www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521180238

# Richard M. Burton, Børge Obel, and Gerardine DeSanctis 2011

This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception

and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without the
written permission of Cambridge University Press.

First edition published 2006

Second edition published 2011

Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge

A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication data

Burton, Richard M.
Organizational design : a step-by-step approach / Richard M. Burton,
Børge Obel, Gerardine DeSanctis. – 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-107-00448-1 – ISBN 978-0-521-18023-8 (pbk.)
1. Organization. 2. Corporate culture. 3. Psychology, Industrial.
I. Obel, Børge. II. DeSanctis, Gerardine. III. Title.
HD31.B8523 2011
302.30 5–dc22 2010053595

ISBN 978-1-107-00448-1 Hardback

ISBN 978-0-521-18023-8 Paperback

Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or

accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to
in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such
websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.
 Contents

List of figures page x

List of tables xii
Preface to first edition xiii
Preface to second edition xv
An outline of the step-by-step approach xvii

Step 1
GETTING STARTED 1

1 Define the scope of the organization and assess its goals 3

Introduction: The executive challenge of designing the organization 3
Overview of this book 4
The information-processing view 6
Select an organization for analysis 9
Define the scope of the organization 9
Assess the organization’s goals 11
Diagnostic questions 14
Misfits and balancing competing design dimensions 15
Summary 17
Glossary 18
Where are you in the step-by-step approach? 18

Step 2
STRATEGY 21

2 Strategy 23
Introduction 23
Reactor 25
Defender 26
Prospector 28
Analyzer without innovation 29
Analyzer with innovation 31
Diagnostic questions 32
Fit and misfits 35
vi Contents

Summary 36
Glossary 37

3 Environment 38
Introduction 38
Calm environment 45
Varied environment 46
Locally stormy environment 47
Turbulent environment 48
Diagnostic questions 48
Fit and misfits 51
Summary 53
Glossary 53
Where are you in the step-by-step approach? 54

Step 3
STRUCTURE 57

4 The configuration and complexity of the firm 59

Introduction 59
Configuration 60
Simple configuration 61
Functional configuration 63
Divisional configuration 65
Matrix configuration 68
Organizational complexity 71
Blob 72
Tall 73
Flat 74
Symmetric 75
Diagnostic questions 75
Fit and misfits 77
Summary 83
Glossary 83

5 Distributed organizations 85
Introduction 85
Structures for spanning geography 87
Global 89
International 90
Multi-domestic 91
 Contents vii

Transnational 93
Structures for managing knowledge exchange 94
Ad hoc communications 96
Informated 97
Cellular 97
Network 98
Diagnostic questions 99
Fit and misfits 102
Summary 105
Glossary 105
Where are you in the step-by-step approach? 106

Step 4
PROCESS AND PEOPLE 109

6 Task design 111

Introduction 111
Orderly 115
Complicated 116
Fragmented 117
Knotty 118
Diagnostic questions 119
Fit and misfits 120
Summary 123
Glossary 123

7 People 124
Introduction 124
Shop 127
Factory 128
Laboratory 129
Office 130
Diagnostic questions 131
Fit and misfits 132
Summary 135
Glossary 136

8 Leadership and organizational climate 137

Introduction 137
Leadership style 138
Maestro 139
viii Contents

Manager 140
Leader 141
Producer 141
Organizational climate 142
Group 145
Internal process 145
Developmental 147
Rational goal 148
Diagnostic questions 149
Fit and misfits 152
Adapting for better performance in the short run 155
Transforming climate in the longer run 157
Summary 159
Glossary 159
Where are you in the step-by-step approach? 160

Step 5
COORDINATION AND CONTROL 163

9 Coordination, control, and information systems 165

Introduction 165
Coordination and control systems 167
Family 169
Machine 170
Market 171
Clan or mosaic 172
Information systems 174
Event-driven 176
Data-driven 177
People-driven 177
Relationship-driven 179
Diagnostic questions 180
Fit and misfits 183
Summary 187
Glossary 188

10 Incentives 190
Introduction 190
Personal pay 195
Skill pay 196
 Contents ix

Bonus-based 197
Profit-sharing 199
Diagnostic questions 200
Fit and misfits 202
Summary 205
Glossary 206
Where are you in the step-by-step approach? 206

APPLYING THE STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH

IN A DYNAMIC WORLD 209

11 Design dynamics: managing change 211

Introduction 211
Where are you in the step-by-step approach? 211
What should you change first? Make changes within each step 214
What should you change second? Make changes between steps 215
Why change? Should we live with some misfits? 215
What are the benefits of change? 216
What are the difficulties of change? 217
Managing misfits over time 220
The financial crisis 2008–10 224
Dynamic fit and time 226
The organizational life cycle 230
Summary 232
Glossary 232

12 New forms and multi-unit organizations:

building on the fundamentals 233
Introduction 233
Multi-organization: multiple units of analysis 234
The multi-organization step-by-step approach 236
Joint venture 237
Merger 239
Strategic alliance or partnership 243
Summary 245
Glossary 245

References 246
Index 252
 Figures

1.1 Levels in the organizational design process page 10

1.2 The goal space 12
1.3 Making changes in the efficiency/effectiveness space 16
2.1 The strategy space 25
2.2 Locate your organization in the strategy space by rating the
levels of exploration and exploitation 34
3.1 The environment space 44
3.2 Locate your organization in the environment space by rating
the levels of complexity and unpredictability 51
4.1 The alternative organizational configurations of the firm 61
4.2 A simple configuration 62
4.3 A functional configuration 64
4.4 The divisional configuration with product and information flows 67
4.5 A matrix configuration 69
4.6 The organizational complexity space 72
4.7 Locate your firm in the configuration space 75
4.8 Locate your firm in the organizational complexity space 77
5.1 The organizational design space of structures for spanning
geography 89
5.2 Structures for managing knowledge exchange 96
5.3 Locate your organization in the geographic space by rating
its degree of local responsiveness and optimal sourcing 100
5.4 Locate your organization in the knowledge exchange space
by rating its degree of virtualization and IT-infusion 101
6.1 Task design space 113
6.2 Locate your firm in the task design space 120
7.1 The people space 127
7.2 Locate your organization in the people space 131
8.1 The leadership style space 139
8.2 Categorization of organizational climate and its effect upon
emotions 144
8.3 Locate your organization’s leadership style 149
8.4 Locate your firm in the organizational climate space 151
 List of figures xi

9.1 Coordination and control space 169

9.2 Information systems space 176
9.3 Locate your organization in the coordination
and control space 180
9.4 Locate your chosen organization in the information
systems space 182
10.1 The incentive system design space 195
10.2 Locate your organization in the incentive scheme
design space 200
11.1 The complete set of component types within the
2
2 organizational design space 213
11.2 The difficulty of change 217
11.3 The misfit possibilities curve 219
12.1 The multi-organization 235
 Tables

2.1 Fit between strategy and organizational goals page 36

3.1 Complexity scores 50
3.2 Fit among organizational environment, strategy, and
organizational goals 52
4.1 Fit among configuration, organizational complexity,
environment, strategy, and goals 78
5.1 Fit and misfit table for geographic distribution and
knowledge exchange 103
6.1 Fit and misfit for task design 121
7.1 Fit and misfit for people design 133
8.1 Fit and misfit to include leadership style and organizational
climate 153
9.1 Fit and misfit to include coordination, control, and information
systems 184
10.1 Fit and misfit table for incentive alignments 203
11.1 My firm’s difficulty of change 218
11.2 Examples of internal, external, and combined sources of
organizational design misfits 221
Preface to first edition

In writing this book, we had specific readers in mind. We dedicate this book to
our executive students at The Fuqua School of Business and at the Aarhus
School of Business, Denmark. Executive students are very special professionals
who come from around the world and bring their varied experience. They have
a goal to acquire new knowledge to act and take decisions that will make a
difference in their world. In particular, they want to improve the performance
of their firm, unit, or organization. From our first detailed outline to the final
editing from Cary, Durham, and Aarhus – whether in person, video conference
or elaborate email – they were ever with us.
Experience and science are two great teachers. Most of us spend most of our
time in organizations at work, home, worship and leisure. Over time, we amass
a wealth of experience through observation and action to apply in the design of
organizations; simply, we use our experience to design. But this experience is
limited and we can enhance it by blending it with the science of organization
design. The science of organization design is an accumulation of knowledge by
many individuals who, over many years, have conducted research on the
performance of organizations under many conditions. It informs us about
how to take action to design an organization. The scientific foundation of this
book comes from almost a century of research we call the multi-contingency
approach of Organizational Design.
The executive wants to understand, to diagnose, and take action. Experience
and science are complementary and mutually supportive. In our classes we try to
build upon our executive students’ varied experiences with the science of
organization design to enhance their ability as executives to take informed
decisions and actions. As leaders in their firms they want to know what is wrong,
why it is wrong, and what can be done. In this book we approach their questions
systematically. We begin with the goals of the organization; then we develop an
understanding of the environment; examine the strategies; tease out the struc-
ture and the IT infrastructure; examine the leadership style; observe the climate;
and scrutinize the incentives. Using our experience and the science of good
design, we analyze what works well and what does not work well, or not at all.
Good design fits together; poor design has misfits and the organizational per-
formance suffers. Design is the diagnosis of misfits and the action to fix them.
xiv Preface to first edition

What is a good way to read and use this book? The book begins with
organizational goals and builds up a comprehensive integrated model for a
good organizational design. Skip around, examine the figures and tables;
answer the diagnostic questions to get started. For whatever approach you find
comfortable, you should pick an organization such as your own firm to use for
analysis of, and reflection on, the concepts. Along the way, you should diag-
nose the organization and think about the actions you want to take to make
your organization perform better.
Many have helped in a number of ways. There are our executive students
who provided the motivation. Over the last two years, Dr Katy Plowright, our
editor at Cambridge, has been the patient yet demanding task master; she has
been our anchor and our guide. Further, we have had the support of a number of
editors at Cambridge; they have been most helpful. Dorthe Døjbak Håkonsson
of the University of Southern Denmark and Min Li of the Fuqua School read the
penultimate draft and made many improvements. Karin Søby of the Aarhus
School of Business read and corrected the manuscript. Finally, we want to
thank our friends and families, who have been there when we needed them
most – all the moments between the blank screen and a book.

RICHARD M. BURTON
GERARDINE DESANCTIS
BØRGE OBEL
August 12, 2005

On August 16, 2005, Gerry DeSanctis passed away. Gerry was charming,
patient, supportive and kind as well as disciplined, determined and strong
willed. She had passion for her students and was a complete teacher. We were
privileged to work with her in writing this book. She made us better, both in
our work and our spirit. It was a wonderful opportunity and an experience that
bonded our friendship.
Gerry had deep courage. She is our incredible colleague and beloved friend.
In her parting words, “I’ll always be with you.”

RICHARD M. BURTON
BØRGE OBEL
September 10, 2005
Preface to second edition

Since the first edition in 2006, many things have changed. The world economic
crisis, which is most evident in the financial sector, has changed our world
from expected growth to more restrictions and more nuanced changes. Yet, the
fundamentals of organizational design remain relevant – perhaps even more
so. The step-by-step approach which focuses on the identification and fixing of
misfits addresses today’s challenges; an information-processing view of organ-
ization captures the basic processes of organization; and a design is essential to
good performance for the organization. In short, the basic ideas for a good
design remain, even if some of the parameter values are modified.
Yet, we have made some significant changes in this second edition. We have:
added a number of examples to illustrate the fundamentals and provide a
timely context for the reader; introduced emotions as an underlying frame
for leadership and climate; expanded the dynamic fit ideas and included time
more explicitly; and deepened the examination of joint ventures, mergers,
partnerships, and strategic alliances.
Paula Parish of Cambridge University Press has been a very supportive
editor. Dorthe Døjbak Håkonsson of the Aarhus School of Business, Aarhus
University has shared our joint research which is central to the changes in this
edition.
And finally, thanks to the many individuals who used the first edition and
inspired us to undertake this revision.

RICHARD M. BURTON
BØRGE OBEL
September 3, 2010
An outline of the step-by-step approach

STEP 1 GETTING STARTED

1. Goals

STEP 2 STRATEGY
2. Strategy
3. Environment

STEP 3 STRUCTURE
4. Configuration and complexity
5. Geographic distribution and
knowledge exchange

STEP 4 PROCESS AND PEOPLE

6. Task design
7. People
8. Leadership and organizational climate

STEP 5 COORDINATION AND CONTROL

9. Coordination, control, and information
systems
10. Incentives
STEP 1
Getting started

STEP 1 GETTING STARTED

1. Goals

STEP 2 STRATEGY
2. Strategy
3. Environment

STEP 3 STRUCTURE
4. Configuration and complexity
5. Geographic distribution and
knowledge exchange

STEP 4 PROCESS AND PEOPLE

6. Task design
7. People
8. Leadership and organizational climate

STEP 5 COORDINATION AND CONTROL

9. Coordination, control, and information
systems
10. Incentives
 Define the scope of the
1 organization and assess
its goals

Introduction: The executive challenge

of designing the organization
In today’s volatile world, organizational design is an everyday, ongoing activ-
ity and challenge for every executive, whether managing a global enterprise or
a small work team. Globalization, worldwide competition, deregulation, and
ever-new technologies drive the ongoing reassessment of the organization. The
executive response has been many new forms of organizational design: virtual,
learning, modular, cellular, network, alliance, or spaghetti – to name a few.
New organizational forms challenge old ways of organizing for efficiency and
effectiveness. Yet fundamental design principles underlie any well-functioning
organization. Organizations still require a formal design. The fundamentals
are: what are our goals? What are the basic tasks? Who makes which decisions?
What is the structure of communication, and what is the incentive structure?
Fenton and Pettigrew (2000, p. 6) state that “a closer inspection of the literature
reveals that many of the new forms are not entirely new but reminiscent of
earlier typologies, such as Burns and Stalker’s (1961) organic and mechanistic
forms and Galbraith’s preoccupation with lateral relations.” Thus fundamental
concepts and principles of organizational design remain very important for the
modern organization of today and tomorrow.
IBM has been through five major organizational design changes recently. It
has moved from country organizations to global business units, toward a more
multi-dimensional matrix, and increased collaboration both within IBM and
between IBM and other organizations. Many organizations overlook the
4 Define the scope of the organization

importance of redesigning their organization. IBM has been very aware of the
importance of continuing redesigning the organization for many years. How-
ever, top executives frequently neglect the need for a new design because of
organizational inertia. This neglect to get the design right is very costly for the
firm. In this book we provide a way to diagnose the need for a new design, as
well as an approach to choose the most appropriate design.
To address the challenge of designing the organization we adopt a multi-
contingency information processing view (Burton and Obel, 2004). Based on a
large body of research, this view says that an organization’s design should be
chosen based on the particular context, and further that the description of the
context should be multi-dimensional, including both structural and human
components. Structural components of organizational design include goals,
strategy, and structure. Human components include work processes, people,
coordination and control, and incentive mechanisms. Together, these compon-
ents provide a holistic approach to the organizational design challenge.
Organizational design starts with the organization’s goals, and from there we
work from the top to the bottom, considering strategy, structure, process,
people, coordination, and control. This is a top-down approach to design. We
could start the design process using the reverse approach, that is, by specifying
how we want to coordinate and control work tasks and then designing the
organization from the bottom to the top, designing tasks ahead of strategy; but
such an approach would eliminate some possible good designs because the
tasks of the organization can be affected by its goals and strategy. So we
recommend a top-down approach that is complemented by iterative incorpor-
ation of lower-level issues on the top-level design. Political and implementa-
tion issues may suggest that the organization be designed bottom-up. Here
again the top-down approach may have to be done in an iterative fashion, and
further caution has to be exercised to ensure that lower-level design and choice
of tasks do not eliminate some good alternative designs.

Overview of this book

In this book, we keep to the basics of organizational design. Organizational

design involves two complementary problems: (1) how to partition a big task of
the whole organization into smaller tasks of the subunits; and (2) how to
coordinate these smaller subunit tasks so that they fit together to efficiently
realize the bigger task or organizational goals. By complementary, we mean
 Overview of this book 5

that the smaller tasks must be defined and arranged in a way that allows
effective coordination. We consider these issues for “older,” classic organiza-
tional forms as well as “newer,” modern organizational forms.
We present a step-by-step approach which is a “how to” method for designing
an organization. Each step and its subcomponents provide fundamental build-
ing blocks for any organization, and we guide you through the process of
assessing each building block as well as planning for change. To simplify and
show continuity in our approach, the components of each building block are
mapped onto a series of two-dimensional graphs that clearly illustrate manager-
ial options. The graphs are interlocking, such that a specific quadrant in any one
graph corresponds to the same quadrant in all other graphs. In this way, you can
visualize the relationships among the organizational design components and
readily identify where there are misfits in your organization’s design. Misfits are
misalignments within the organizational design components that can lead to
deterioration in the firm’s efficiency and effectiveness.
Misfits lead to a decrease in organizational performance, either today or in the
future. Misfits thus are the starting point for the implementation of change. As
such, misfits are the engine of the organizational design process. If your organiza-
tion changes in response to design misfits, rather than waiting for financial or
other performance problems to arise, goal attainment is more likely to be achieved.
The graphs that we will provide for each design component will allow you to
visualize and plot the current location of an organization and then identify the
desired point to which you would like the organization to move. In this way,
you can see where you are and where you want the organization to be in
the organizational design space. While diagnostic questions and the two-
dimensional graphs give you an easy way to get an overview, the ideas of
the book have also been included in the OrgCon® software.1 This software
presents a more elaborate version of the approach presented in this book and
provides a set of analytic and graphical tools that will ease the process of
design. Meanwhile, you can use this book on its own, and the software is not
required to complete the step-by-step approach and design your organization.
Organizational design is an ongoing executive process that includes both
short-term, routine changes, as well as intermittent, larger-scale changes. We
will address the dynamics of design, including misfit management, for both
routine and larger-scale changes in the context of organizational design
throughout this book.

1
OrgCon can be obtained from www.ecomerc.com.
6 Define the scope of the organization

Our step-by-step approach is based on an information-processing view of

the firm. This provides you with a framework and a toolkit for understanding a
wide range of organizations in product and service industries across global
boundaries. The approach helps you to interpret the history of organizations,
assess and redesign complex organizations of today, and plan for the more
information-rich organizations of tomorrow. We next describe the information-
processing view and then move on to defining the scope of the organization and
assessing its goals.

The information-processing view

The information-processing view uses the following logic. An organization

uses information in order to coordinate and control its activities in the face of
uncertainty where uncertainty is an incomplete description of the world
(Arrow, 1974, p. 34). By processing information, the organization observes
what is happening, analyzes problems, and makes choices about what to do,
and communicates to others. Information processing is a way to view an
organization and its design. Information channels “can be created or aban-
doned and their capacities and the types of signals to be transmitted over them
are subject to choice, a choice based on a comparison of benefits and costs”
(Arrow, 1974, p. 37). Both information systems and people possess a capacity to
process information, but “this capacity is not, however, unlimited and the
scarcity of information-handling ability is an essential feature for the under-
standing of both individual and organizational behavior” (ibid.). Work involves
information processing; individuals conduct information- and knowledge-
based activities. They talk, read, write, enter information in databases,
calculate, and analyze. Various media are available to facilitate information
processing – from pens and face-to-face conversation, to computers, networks
and video meetings. Innovations in information technology affect both the
organization’s demand for information processing and its capacity for process-
ing information.
The step-by-step approach presented in this book is based on the fundamen-
tal assumption that the work of an organization can be seen as information
processing: observing, transmitting, analyzing, understanding, deciding, stor-
ing, and taking action for implementation. These issues may be labeled with
other words like learning, tacit versus explicit knowledge, knowledge manage-
ment, and data mining, but the basic idea is the same. Organizations are
 The information-processing view 7

information-processing entities. Therefore, we want to design organizations so

that they process information effectively and efficiently.
The basic design problem is to create an organizational design that matches
your organization’s demand for information processing with its information-
processing capacity. Galbraith (1973, 1974), in his seminal work, put it this
way: “the greater the uncertainty of the task, the greater the amount of infor-
mation that has to be processed between decision makers” (Galbraith, 1974,
p. 10). Task (or work) uncertainty can arise from a firm’s technology and the
business environment in which the firm operates (Thompson, 1967) as well as
other sources. If the information-processing demand comes from many routine
and predictable tasks with an efficiency focus, then formalization in the form
of rules and programs can increase the number of tasks that can be handled. As
an example, an online retail store in which the shopping and purchase process
is rather routine can use rules and programs to increase the number of custom-
ers it processes per day. Task uncertainty is low, so the rules and programs are
used to manage exceptions. When there are uncertainties associated with
the tasks, then information processing is referred up the hierarchy to a level
where an overall perspective exists. This is the traditional use of exception-
based hierarchical decision-making. Unfortunately, such hierarchical decision-
making can handle only a limited amount of uncertainty. If the uncertainty
demands exceed the capacity of the hierarchy, then targets or goals have to be
set for the various tasks, making the tasks somewhat independent. Coordin-
ation of work has moved from an efficiency orientation to an effectiveness
orientation. Organizations thus face a tradeoff: they can either reduce their
need for information processing or increase their capacity to process infor-
mation (Galbraith, 1974). These are the two managerial options.
The first option is to reduce the organization’s need for information process-
ing by increasing slack resources. For example, if the organization uses a just-
in-time (JIT) inventory approach, which requires precise coordination, then the
organization might shift to having buffer inventory. Buffer inventory replaces
the need to process the information required for JIT. As another example,
information-processing needs can be reduced by creating self-contained tasks
that do not require coordination among them in order to deliver the firm’s
product or service. For example, a two-product firm can create two self-
contained single-product divisions that need not communicate in order to meet
their customers’ needs. Of course, this strategy of reducing the need for infor-
mation processing may incur high opportunity costs from loss of coordination
of interdependencies. Single-product divisions may ignore interdependencies
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showing them the way of life and truth, and the ground of election
and reprobation. The priest said he was but a child, and could not
dispute with me. I told him I did not come to dispute, but to hold
forth the Word of life and truth unto them, that they might all know
the one Seed, to which the promise of God was given, both in the
male and in the female. Here the people were very loving, and
would have had me come again on a week-day, and preach among
them; but I directed them to their teacher, Christ Jesus, and so
passed away.
The next day I went to Cranswick, to Captain Pursloe's, who
accompanied me to Justice Hotham's. This Justice Hotham was a
tender man, one that had had some experience of God's workings in
his heart. After some discourse with him of the things of God, he
took me into his closet, where, sitting with me, he told me he had
known that principle[Q] these ten years, and was glad that the Lord
did now publish it abroad to the people. After a while there came a
priest to visit him, with whom also I had some discourse concerning
the Truth. But his mouth was quickly stopped, for he was nothing
but a notionist, and not in possession of what he talked of.
While I was here, there came a great woman of Beverley to speak to
Justice Hotham about some business; and in discourse she told him
that the last Sabbath-day (as she called it) there came an angel or
spirit into the church at Beverley, and spoke the wonderful things of
God, to the astonishment of all that were there; and when it had
done, it passed away, and they did not know whence it came, nor
whither it went; but it astonished all,—priest, professors, and
magistrates of the town. This relation Justice Hotham gave me
afterwards, and then I gave him an account of how I had been that
day at Beverley steeple-house, and had declared truth to the priest
and people there.
I went to another steeple-house about three miles off, where
preached a great high-priest, called a doctor, one of them whom
Justice Hotham would have sent for to speak with me. I went into
the steeple-house, and stayed till the priest had done. The words
which he took for his text were these, "Ho, every one that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy
and eat, yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without
price."
Then was I moved of the Lord God to say unto him, "Come down,
thou deceiver; dost thou bid people come freely, and take of the
water of life freely, and yet thou takest three hundred pounds a year
of them for preaching the Scriptures to them. Mayest thou not blush
for shame? Did the prophet Isaiah, and Christ do so, who spoke the
words, and gave them forth freely? Did not Christ say to His
ministers, whom He sent to preach, 'Freely ye have received, freely
give'?"
The priest, like a man amazed, hastened away. After he had left his
flock, I had as much time as I could desire to speak to the people;
and I directed them from the darkness to the Light, and to the grace
of God, that would teach them, and bring them salvation; to the
Spirit of God in their inward parts, which would be a free teacher
unto them.
Having cleared myself amongst the people, I returned to Justice
Hotham's house that night. When I came in he took me in his arms,
and said his house was my house; for he was exceedingly glad of
the work of the Lord, and that His power was revealed.
Thence I passed on through the country, and came at night to an
inn where was a company of rude people. I bade the woman of the
house, if she had any meat, to bring me some; but because I said
Thee and Thou to her, she looked strangely on me. I asked her if
she had any milk. She said, No. I was sensible she spake falsely;
and, being willing to try her further, I asked her if she had any
cream? She denied that she had any.
There stood a churn in the room, and a little boy, playing about, put
his hands into it and pulled it down, and threw all the cream on the
floor before my eyes. Thus was the woman manifested to be a liar.
She was amazed, blessed herself, took up the child, and whipped it
sorely: but I reproved her for her lying and deceit. After the Lord
had thus discovered her deceit and perverseness, I walked out of
the house, and went away till I came to a stack of hay, and lay in
the hay-stack that night, in rain and snow, it being but three days
before the time called Christmas.
The next day I came into York, where were several very tender
people. Upon the First-day following, I was commanded of the Lord
to go and speak to priest Bowles and his hearers in their great
cathedral. Accordingly I went. When the priest had done, I told them
I had something from the Lord God to speak to the priest and
people. "Then say on quickly," said a professor, for there was frost
and snow, and it was very cold weather. Then I told them that this
was the Word of the Lord God unto them,—that they lived in words,
but God Almighty looked for fruits amongst them.
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, they hurried me out,
and threw me down the steps. But I got up again without hurt, and
went to my lodging, and several were convinced there. For that
which arose from the weight and oppression that was upon the Spirit
of God in me, would open people, strike them, and make them
confess that the groans which broke forth through me did reach
them, for my life was burthened with their profession without
possession, and their words without fruit.

[After being thus violently tumbled down the steps of the great
minster, George Fox found his next few days crowded with hot
discussion. Papists and Ranters and Scotch "priests" made him
stand forth for the hope that was in him. The Ranters, he says,
"had spent their portions, and not living in that which they
spake of, were now become dry. They had some kind of
meetings, but they took tobacco and drank ale in their meetings
and were grown light and loose." After the narrative of an
attempt to push him over the cliffs the account continues.]

Another priest sent to have a dispute with me, and Friends went
with me to the house where he was; but when he understood we
were come, he slipped out of the house, and hid himself under an
hedge. The people went and found him, but could not get him to
come to us.
Then I went to a steeple-house hard by, where the priest and people
were in a great rage. This priest had threatened Friends what he
would do; but when I came he fled; for the Lord's power came over
him and them. Yea, the Lord's everlasting power was over the world,
and reached to the hearts of people, and made both priests and
professors tremble. It shook the earthly and airy spirit in which they
held their profession of religion and worship; so that it was a
dreadful thing to them when it was told them, "The man in leathern
breeches is come."[46] At the hearing thereof the priests in many
places got out of the way, they were so struck with the dread of the
eternal power of God; and fear surprised the hypocrites.

[At Pickering he stood in "the steeple-house yard" and told the

people what his mission was, with as clear a claim to a divine
commission as a Hebrew prophet would have made.]

I was sent of the Lord God of heaven and earth to preach freely, and
to bring people off from these outward temples made with hands,
which God dwelleth not in; that they might know their bodies to
become the temples of God and of Christ; and to draw people off
from all their superstitious ceremonies, Jewish and heathenish
customs, traditions, and doctrines of men; and from all the world's
hireling teachers, that take tithes and great wages, preaching for
hire, and divining for money, whom God and Christ never sent, as
themselves confess when they say that they never heard God's nor
Christ's voice. I exhorted the people to come off from all these
things, directing them to the Spirit and grace of God in themselves,
and to the Light of Jesus in their own hearts; that they might come
to know Christ, their free teacher, to bring them salvation, and to
open the Scriptures to them.
Thus the Lord gave me a good opportunity to open things largely
unto them. All was quiet, and many were convinced; blessed be the
Lord.
I passed to another town, where was another great meeting, the old
priest being with me; and there came professors of several sorts to
it. I sat on a hay-stack, and spoke nothing for some hours; for I was
to famish them from words. The professors would ever and anon be
speaking to the old priest, and asking him when I would begin, and
when I would speak? He bade them wait; and told them that the
people waited upon Christ a long while before He spoke.
At last I was moved of the Lord to speak; and they were struck by
the Lord's power. The Word of life reached to them, and there was a
general convincement amongst them.
Now I came towards Cranswick, to Captain Pursloe's and Justice
Hotham's, who received me kindly, being glad that the Lord's power
had so appeared; that truth was spread, and so many had received
it. Justice Hotham said that if God had not raised up this principle of
Light and life which I preached, the nation would have been overrun
with Ranterism,[47] and all the justices in the nation could not have
stopped it with all their laws; "Because," said he, "they would have
said as we said, and done as we commanded, and yet have kept
their own principle still. But this principle of truth," said he,
"overthrows their principle, and the root and ground thereof"; and
therefore he was glad the Lord had raised up this principle of life and
truth.
The next day Friends and friendly people having left me, I travelled
alone, declaring the day of the Lord amongst people in the towns
where I came, and warning them to repent. I came towards night
into a town called Patrington. As I walked along the town, I warned
both priest and people (for the priest was in the street) to repent
and turn to the Lord. It grew dark before I came to the end of the
town, and a multitude of people gathered about me, to whom I
declared the Word of life.
When I had cleared myself I went to an inn, and desired them to let
me have a lodging; but they would not. I desired a little meat or
milk, and said I would pay for it; but they refused. So I walked out
of the town, and a company of fellows followed, and asked me,
"What news?" I bade them repent, and fear the Lord.
After I was gone a pretty way, I came to another house, and desired
the people to let me have a little meat, drink, and lodging for my
money; but they denied me. I went to another house, and desired
the same; but they refused me also. By this time it was grown so
dark that I could not see the highway; but I discerned a ditch, and
got a little water, and refreshed myself. Then I got over the ditch;
and, being weary with travelling, I sat down amongst the furze
bushes till it was day.
About break of day I got up, and passed on over the fields. A man
came after me with a great pike-staff and went along with me to a
town; and he raised the town upon me, with the constable and chief
constable, before the sun was up. I declared God's everlasting truth
amongst them, warning them of the day of the Lord, that was
coming upon all sin and wickedness; and exhorted them to repent.
But they seized me, and had me back to Patrington, about three
miles, guarding me with watch-bills, pikes, staves, and halberds.
When I was come to Patrington, all the town was in an uproar, and
the priest and constables were consulting together; so I had another
opportunity to declare the Word of life amongst them, and warn
them to repent. At last a professor, a tender man, called me into his
house, and there I took a little milk and bread, having not eaten for
some days before. Then they guarded me about nine miles to a
justice.
When I was come near his house, a man came riding after us, and
asked me whether I was the man that was apprehended. I asked
him wherefore he asked. He said, "For no hurt." I told him I was: so
he rode away to the justice before us. The men that guarded me
said it would be well if the justice were not drunk before we got to
him; for he used to get drunk early.
When I was brought in before him, because I did not put off my hat,
and because I said Thou to him, he asked the man that rode thither
before me whether I was not mazed or fond.[R] The man told him,
No; it was my principle.
I warned him to repent, and come to the light with which Christ had
enlightened him; that by it he might see all his evil words and
actions, and turn to Christ Jesus whilst he had time; and that whilst
he had time he should prize it. "Ay, ay," said he, "the Light that is
spoken of in the third of John." I desired he would mind it, and obey
it.
As I admonished him, I laid my hand upon him, and he was brought
down by the power of the Lord; and all the watchmen stood
amazed. Then he took me into a little parlour with the other man,
and desired to see what I had in my pockets of letters or
intelligence. I plucked out my linen, and showed him I had no
letters. He said, "He is not a vagrant, by his linen"; then he set me
at liberty.
I went back to Patrington with the man that had rode before me to
the justice: for he lived at Patrington. When I came there, he would
have had me have a meeting at the Cross; but I said it was no
matter; his house would serve. He desired me to go to bed, or lie
down upon a bed; which he did, that they might say they had seen
me in a bed, or upon a bed; for a report had been raised that I
would not lie on any bed, because at that time I lay many times out
of doors.[48] Now when the First-day of the week was come, I went
to the steeple-house, and declared the truth to the priest and
people; and the people did not molest me, for the power of God was
come over them. Presently after I had a great meeting at the man's
house where I lay, and many were convinced of the Lord's
everlasting truth, who stand faithful witnesses of it to this day. They
were exceedingly grieved that they had not received me, nor given
me lodging, when I was there before.
Thence I travelled through the country, even to the furthest part
thereof, warning people, in towns and villages, to repent, and
directing them to Christ Jesus, their teacher.
On the First-day of the week I came to one Colonel Overton's house,
and had a great meeting of the prime of the people of that country;
where many things were opened out of the Scriptures which they
had never heard before. Many were convinced, and received the
Word of life, and were settled in the truth of God.
Then I returned to Patrington again, and visited those Friends that
were convinced there; by whom I understood that a tailor, and some
wild blades in that town, had occasioned my being carried before the
justice. The tailor came to ask my forgiveness, fearing I would
complain of him. The constables also were afraid, lest I should
trouble them. But I forgave them all, and warned them to turn to
the Lord, and to amend their lives.
Now that which made them the more afraid was this: when I was in
the steeple-house at Oram, not long before, there came a professor,
who gave me a push on the breast in the steeple-house, and bade
me get out of the church. "Alas, poor man!" said I, "dost thou call
the steeple-house the Church? The Church is the people, whom God
hath purchased with His blood, and not the house." It happened that
Justice Hotham came to hear of this man's abuse, sent his warrant
for him, and bound him over to the sessions; so affected was he
with the Truth and so zealous to keep the peace. And indeed this
Justice Hotham had asked me before whether any people had
meddled with me, or abused me; but I was not at liberty to tell him
anything of that kind, but was to forgive all.
The next First-day I went to Tickhill, whither the Friends of that side
gathered together, and a mighty brokenness by the power of God
there was amongst the people. I went out of the meeting, being
moved of God to go to the steeple-house. When I came there, I
found the priest and most of the chief of the parish together in the
chancel.
I went up to them, and began to speak; but they immediately fell
upon me; the clerk up with his Bible, as I was speaking, and struck
me on the face with it, so that my face gushed out with blood; and I
bled exceedingly in the steeple-house. The people cried, "Let us
have him out of the church." When they had got me out, they beat
me exceedingly, threw me down, and turned me over a hedge. They
afterwards dragged me through a house into the street, stoning and
beating me as they dragged me along; so that I was all over
besmeared with blood and dirt. They got my hat from me, which I
never had again. Yet when I was got upon my legs, I declared the
Word of life, showed them the fruits of their teacher, and how they
dishonored Christianity.
After awhile I got into the meeting again amongst Friends, and the
priest and people coming by the house, I went with Friends into the
yard, and there spoke to the priest and people. The priest scoffed at
us, and called us Quakers. But the Lord's power was so over them,
and the Word of life was declared in such authority and dread to
them, that the priest fell a-trembling himself; and one of the people
said, "Look how the priest trembles and shakes; he is turned a
Quaker also."
When the meeting was over, Friends departed; and I went without
my hat to Balby, about seven or eight miles. Friends were much
abused that day by the priest and his people: insomuch that some
moderate justices hearing of it, two or three of them came and sat
at the town to examine the business. He that had shed my blood
was afraid of having his hand cut off for striking me in the church, as
they called it; but I forgave him, and would not appear against him.
Thence I went to Wakefield; and on the First-day after, I went to a
steeple-house where James Nayler[49] had been a member of an
Independent church; but upon his receiving truth, he was
excommunicated. When I came in, and the priest had done, the
people called upon me to come up to the priest, which I did; but
when I began to declare the Word of life to them, and to lay open
the deceit of the priest, they rushed upon me suddenly, thrust me
out at the other door, punching and beating me, and cried, "Let us
have him to the stocks." But the Lord's power restrained them, that
they were not suffered to put me in.
So I passed away to the meeting, where were a great many
professors and friendly people gathered, and a great convincement
there was that day; for the people were mightily satisfied that they
were directed to the Lord's teaching in themselves. Here we got
some lodging; for four of us had lain under a hedge the night
before, there being then few Friends in that place.
The priest of that church, of which James Nayler had been a
member, whose name was Marshall, raised many wicked slanders
about me, as that I carried bottles with me, and made people drink
of them, which made them follow me; and that I rode upon a great
black horse, and was seen in one country upon it in one hour, and at
the same hour in another country threescore miles off; and that I
would give a fellow money to follow me, when I was on my black
horse. With these lies he fed his people, to make them think evil of
the truth which I had declared amongst them. But by these lies he
preached many of his hearers away from him; for I was then
travelling on foot, and had no horse at that time; which the people
generally knew.
As we travelled through the country, preaching repentance to the
people, we came into a market-town, where a lecture was held that
day. I went into the steeple-house, where many priests, professors
and people were. The priest that preached took for his text those
words of Jeremiah 5:31, "My people love to have it so": leaving out
the foregoing words, viz.: "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the
priests bear rule by their means." I showed the people his deceit;
and directed them to Christ, the true teacher within; declaring that
God was come to teach His people himself, and to bring them off
from all the world's teachers and hirelings; that they might come to
receive freely from Him. Then, warning them of the day of the Lord
that was coming upon all flesh, I passed thence without much
opposition.
At night we came to a country place, where there was no public
house near. The people desired us to stay all night; which we did,
and had good service for the Lord, declaring His truth amongst
them.
The Lord had said unto me that if but one man or woman were
raised by His power to stand and live in the same Spirit that the
prophets and apostles were in who gave forth the Scriptures, that
man or woman should shake all the country in their profession[S] for
ten miles round. For people had the Scriptures, but were not in the
same Light, power, and Spirit which those were in who gave forth
the Scriptures; so they neither knew God, Christ, nor the Scriptures
aright; nor had they unity one with another, being out of the power
and Spirit of God. Therefore we warned all, wherever we met them,
of the day of the Lord that was coming upon them.
 CHAPTER VI
A New Era Begins

1652.
As we travelled we came near a very great hill, called Pendle Hill,
and I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of it; which I did
with difficulty, it was so very steep and high. When I was come to
the top, I saw the sea bordering upon Lancashire. From the top of
this hill the Lord let me see in what places he had a great people to
be gathered. As I went down, I found a spring of water in the side
of the hill, with which I refreshed myself, having eaten or drunk but
little for several days before.[50]
At night we came to an inn, and declared truth to the man of the
house, and wrote a paper to the priests and professors, declaring
the day of the Lord, and that Christ was come to teach people
Himself, by His power and Spirit in their hearts, and to bring people
off from all the world's ways and teachers, to His own free teaching,
who had bought them, and was the Saviour of all them that believed
in Him. The man of the house spread the paper abroad, and was
mightily affected with the truth. Here the Lord opened unto me, and
let me see a great people in white raiment by a river side, coming to
the Lord; and the place that I saw them in was about Wensleydale
and Sedbergh.[51]
The next day we travelled on, and at night got a little fern or
bracken to put under us, and lay upon a common. Next morning we
reached a town, where Richard Farnsworth[52] parted from me; and
then I travelled alone again. I came up Wensleydale, and at the
market-town in that Dale, there was a lecture on the market-day. I
went into the steeple-house; and after the priest had done I
proclaimed the day of the Lord to the priest and people, warning
them to turn from darkness to the Light, and from the power of
Satan unto God, that they might come to know God and Christ
aright, and to receive His teaching, who teacheth freely. Largely and
freely did I declare the Word of life unto them, and had not much
persecution there.
Afterwards I passed up the Dales, warning people to fear God, and
preaching the everlasting gospel to them. In my way I came to a
great house, where was a schoolmaster; and they got me into the
house. I asked them questions about their religion and worship; and
afterwards I declared the truth to them. They had me into a parlour,
and locked me in, pretending that I was a young man that was mad,
and had run away from my relations; and that they would keep me
till they could send to them. But I soon convinced them of their
mistake, and they let me forth, and would have had me to stay; but
I was not to stay there.
Then having exhorted them to repentance, and directed them to the
Light of Christ Jesus, that through it they might come unto Him and
be saved, I passed from them, and came in the night to a little ale-
house on a common, where there was a company of rude fellows
drinking. Because I would not drink with them, they struck me with
their clubs; but I reproved them, and brought them to be somewhat
cooler; and then I walked out of the house upon the common in the
night.
After some time one of these drunken fellows came out, and would
have come close up to me, pretending to whisper to me; but I
perceived he had a knife; and therefore I kept off him, and bade him
repent, and fear God. So the Lord by His power preserved me from
this wicked man; and he went into the house again. The next
morning I went on through other Dales, warning and exhorting
people everywhere as I passed, to repent and turn to the Lord: and
several were convinced. At one house that I came to, the man of the
house (whom I afterwards found to be a kinsman of John Blakelin's)
would have given me money, but I would not receive it.
The next day I went to a meeting at Justice Benson's, where I met a
people that were separated from the public worship. This was the
place I had seen, where a people came forth in white raiment. A
large meeting it was, and the people were generally convinced; and
they continue still a large meeting of Friends near Sedbergh; which
was then first gathered through my ministry in the name of Jesus.
In the same week there was a great fair, at which servants used to
be hired; and I declared the day of the Lord through the fair. After I
had done so, I went into the steeple-house yard, and many of the
people of the fair came thither to me, and abundance of priests and
professors. There I declared the everlasting truth of the Lord and
the Word of life for several hours, showing that the Lord was come
to teach His people Himself, and to bring them off from all the
world's ways and teachers, to Christ, the true teacher, and the true
way to God. I laid open their teachers, showing that they were like
them that were of old condemned by the prophets, and by Christ,
and by the apostles. I exhorted the people to come off from the
temples made with hands; and wait to receive the Spirit of the Lord,
that they might know themselves to be the temples of God.
Not one of the priests had power to open his mouth against what I
declared: but at last a captain said, "Why will you not go into the
church? this is not a fit place to preach in." I told him I denied their
church. Then stood up Francis Howgill, who was preacher to a
congregation. He had not seen me before; yet he undertook to
answer that captain; and he soon put him to silence. Then said
Francis Howgill of me, "This man speaks with authority, and not as
the scribes."
After this, I opened to the people that that ground and house were
no holier than another place; and that the house is not the Church,
but the people, of whom Christ is the head. After awhile the priests
came up to me, and I warned them to repent. One of them said I
was mad; so they turned away. But many were convinced there that
day, who were glad to hear the truth declared, and received it with
joy. Amongst these was Captain Ward, who received the truth in the
love of it, and lived and died in it.
The next First-day I came to Firbank chapel in Westmoreland, where
Francis Howgill and John Audland[53] had been preaching in the
morning. The chapel was full of people, so that many could not get
in. Francis said he thought I looked into the chapel, and his spirit
was ready to fail, the Lord's power did so surprise him: but I did not
look in. They made haste, and had quickly done, and they and some
of the people went to dinner; but abundance stayed till they came
again. John Blakelin and others came to me, and desired me not to
reprove them publicly; for they were not parish-teachers, but pretty
tender men. I could not tell them whether I should or no, though I
had not at that time any drawings to declare publicly against them;
but I said they must leave me to the Lord's movings.
While others were gone to dinner, I went to a brook, got a little
water, and then came and sat down on the top of a rock hard by the
chapel. In the afternoon the people gathered about me, with several
of their preachers. It was judged there were above a thousand
people; to whom I declared God's everlasting truth and Word of life
freely and largely for about the space of three hours. I directed all to
the Spirit of God in themselves; that they might be turned from
darkness to Light, and believe in it; that they might become the
children of it, and might be turned from the power of Satan unto
God; and by the Spirit of truth might be led into all truth, and
sensibly understand the words of the prophets, of Christ, and of the
apostles; and might all come to know Christ to be their teacher to
instruct them, their counsellor to direct them, their shepherd to feed
them, their bishop to oversee them, and their prophet to open divine
mysteries to them; and might know their bodies to be prepared,
sanctified, and made fit temples for God and Christ to dwell in. In
the openings of heavenly life I explained unto them the prophets,
and the figures and shadows, and directed them to Christ, the
substance. Then I opened the parables and sayings of Christ, and
things that had been long hid.
Now there were many old people who went into the chapel and
looked out at the windows, thinking it a strange thing to see a man
preach on a hill, and not in their church, as they called it;
whereupon I was moved to open to the people that the steeple-
house, and the ground whereon it stood were no more holy than
that mountain; and that those temples, which they called the
dreadful houses of God were not set up by the command of God and
of Christ; nor their priests called, as Aaron's priesthood was; nor
their tithes appointed by God, as those amongst the Jews were; but
that Christ was come, who ended both the temple and its worship,
and the priests and their tithes; and that all should now hearken
unto Him; for He said, "Learn of me"; and God said of Him, "This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him."
I declared unto them that the Lord God had sent me to preach the
everlasting gospel and Word of life amongst them, and to bring
them off from all these temples, tithes, priests, and rudiments of the
world, which had been instituted since the apostles' days, and had
been set up by such as had erred from the Spirit and power the
apostles were in. Very largely was I opened at this meeting, and the
Lord's convincing power accompanied my ministry, and reached the
hearts of the people, whereby many were convinced; and all the
teachers of that congregation (who were many) were convinced of
God's everlasting truth.
At Kendal a meeting was held in the Town-hall. Several were
convinced and many were loving. One whose name was Cock met
me in the street and would have given me a roll of tobacco, for
people were then much given to smoking. I accepted his love, but
did not receive his tobacco.
Thence I went to Underbarrow, and several people going along with
me, great reasonings I had with them, especially with Edward
Burrough.[54]
At night the priest and many professors came to the house; and a
great deal of disputing I had with them. Supper being provided for
the priest and the rest of the company, I had not freedom to eat
with them; but told them that if they would appoint a meeting for
the next day at the steeple-house, and acquaint the people with it, I
might meet them. They had a great deal of reasoning about it; some
being for, and some against it.
In the morning, after I had spoken to them again concerning the
meeting, as I walked upon a bank by the house, there came several
poor travellers, asking relief, who I saw were in necessity; and they
gave them nothing, but said they were cheats. It grieved me to see
such hard-heartedness amongst professors; whereupon, when they
were gone in to their breakfast, I ran after the poor people about a
quarter of a mile, and gave them some money.
Meanwhile some that were in the house, coming out, and seeing me
a quarter of a mile off, said I could not have gone so far in such an
instant, if I had not had wings. Hereupon the meeting was like to
have been put by; for they were filled with such strange thoughts
concerning me that many of them were against having a meeting
with me.[T]
I told them that I had run after those poor people to give them
some money; being grieved at the hard-heartedness of those who
gave them nothing.
Then came Miles and Stephen Hubbersty, who, being more simple-
hearted men, would have the meeting held. So to the chapel I went,
and the priest came.
A great meeting there was, and the way of life and salvation was
opened; and after awhile the priest fled away. Many of Crook and
Underbarrow were convinced that day, received the Word of life, and
stood fast in it under the teaching of Christ Jesus.
After I had declared the truth to them for some hours, and the
meeting was ended, the chief constable and some other professors
fell to reasoning with me in the chapel yard. Whereupon I took a
Bible and opened the Scriptures, and dealt tenderly with them, as
one would do with a child. They that were in the Light of Christ and
Spirit of God knew when I spake Scripture, though I did not mention
chapter and verse, after the priest's form, to them.
Then I went to an ale-house, to which many resorted betwixt the
time of their morning and afternoon preaching, and had a great deal
of reasoning with the people, declaring to them that God was come
to teach His people, and to bring them off from the false teachers,
such as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles cried against. Many
received the Word of life at that time, and abode in it.
Thence I went to Ulverstone, and so to Swarthmore[U] to Judge
Fell's; whither came up one Lampitt, a priest, who was a high
notionist. With him I had much reasoning; for he talked of high
notions and perfection, and thereby deceived the people. He would
have owned me, but I could not own nor join with him, he was so
full of filth.[55] He said he was above John; and made as though he
knew all things. But I told him that death reigned from Adam to
Moses; that he was under death, and knew not Moses, for Moses
saw the paradise of God; but he knew neither Moses nor the
prophets nor John; for that crooked and rough nature stood in him,
and the mountain of sin and corruption; and the way was not
prepared in him for the Lord.
He confessed he had been under a cross in things; but now he could
sing psalms, and do anything. I told him that now he could see a
thief, and join hand in hand with him; but he could not preach
Moses, nor the prophets, nor John, nor Christ, except he were in the
same Spirit that they were in.
Margaret Fell had been absent in the day-time; and at night her
children told her that priest Lampitt and I had disagreed, which
somewhat troubled her, because she was in profession with him; but
he hid his dirty actions from them. At night we had much reasoning,
and I declared the truth to her and her family. The next day Lampitt
came again, and I had much discourse with him before Margaret
Fell, who then clearly discerned the priest. A convincement of the
Lord's truth came upon her and her family.
Soon after a day was to be observed for a humiliation, and Margaret
Fell asked me to go with her to the steeple-house at Ulverstone, for
she was not wholly come off from them. I replied, "I must do as I
am ordered by the Lord." So I left her, and walked into the fields;
and the Word of the Lord came to me, saying, "Go to the steeple-
house after them."
When I came, Lampitt was singing with his people; but his spirit was
so foul, and the matter they sung so unsuitable to their states, that
after they had done singing, I was moved of the Lord to speak to
him and the people. The word of the Lord to them was, "He is not a
Jew that is one outwardly, but he is a Jew that is one inwardly,
whose praise is not of man, but of God."
As the Lord opened further, I showed them that God was come to
teach His people by His Spirit, and to bring them off from all their
old ways, religions, churches, and worships; for all their religions,
worships, and ways were but talking with other men's words; but
they were out of the life and Spirit which they were in who gave
them forth.
Then cried out one, called Justice Sawrey, "Take him away"; but
Judge Fell's wife said to the officers, "Let him alone; why may not he
speak as well as any other?"[56] Lampitt also, the priest, in deceit
said, "Let him speak." So at length, when I had declared some time,
Justice Sawrey caused the constable to put me out; and then I
spoke to the people in the graveyard.
From thence I went into the island of Walney; and after the priest
had done I spoke to him, but he got away. Then I declared the truth
to the people, but they were something rude. I went to speak with
the priest at his house, but he would not be seen. The people said
he went to hide himself in the hay-mow; and they looked for him
there, but could not find him. Then they said he was gone to hide
himself in the standing corn, but they could not find him there either.
I went to James Lancaster's, in the island, who was convinced, and
from thence returned to Swarthmore, where the Lord's power seized
upon Margaret Fell, her daughter Sarah, and several others.
Then I went to Baycliff, where Leonard Fell was convinced, and
became a minister of the everlasting gospel. Several others were
convinced there, and came into obedience to the truth. Here the
people said they could not dispute; and would fain have put some
other to hold talk with me; but I bade them fear the Lord, and not in
a light way hold a talk of the Lord's words, but put the things in
practice.[57]
I directed them to the Divine Light of Christ, and His Spirit in their
hearts, which would let them see all the evil thoughts, words, and
actions that they had thought, spoken, and acted; by which Light
they might see their sin, and also their Saviour Christ Jesus to save
them from their sins. This I told them was their first step to peace,
even to stand still in the Light that showed them their sins and
transgressions; by which they might come to see they were in the
fall of old Adam, in darkness and death, strangers to the covenant of
promise, and without God in the world; and by the same Light they
might see Christ that died for them to be their Redeemer and
Saviour, and their way to God.
Soon after, Judge Fell being come home, Margaret Fell, his wife, sent
to me, desiring me to return thither; and feeling freedom from the
Lord so to do, I went back to Swarthmore. I found the priests and
professors, and that envious Justice Sawrey, had much incensed
Judge Fell and Captain Sands against the truth by their lies; but
when I came to speak with him I answered all his objections, and so
thoroughly satisfied him by the Scriptures that he was convinced in
his judgment. He asked me if I was that George Fox of whom Justice
Robinson spoke so much in commendation amongst many of the
Parliament men? I told him I had been with Justice Robinson, and
with Justice Hotham in Yorkshire, who were very civil and loving to
me; and that they were convinced in their judgment by the Spirit of
God that the principle to which I bore testimony was the truth; and
they saw over and beyond the priests of the nation, so that they,
and many others, were now come to be wiser than their teachers.
After we had discoursed some time together, Judge Fell himself was
satisfied also, and came to see, by the openings of the Spirit of God
in his heart, over all the priests and teachers of the world, and did
not go to hear them for some years before he died; for he knew it
was the truth that I declared, and that Christ was the teacher of His
people, and their Saviour. He sometimes wished that I were a while
with Judge Bradshaw to discourse with him.
There came to Judge Fell's Captain Sands before-mentioned,
endeavouring to incense the Judge against me, for he was an evil-
minded man, and full of envy against me; and yet he could speak
high things, and use the Scripture words, and say, "Behold, I make
all things new." But I told him, then he must have a new God, for his
God was his belly. Besides him came also that envious justice, John
Sawrey. I told him his heart was rotten, and he was full of hypocrisy
to the brim. Several other people also came, of whose states the
Lord gave me a discerning; and I spoke to their conditions.[V] While I
was in those parts, Richard Farnsworth and James Nayler came to
see me and the family; and Judge Fell, being satisfied that it was the
way of truth, notwithstanding all their opposition, suffered the
meeting to be kept at his house. A great meeting was settled there
in the Lord's power, which continued near forty years, until the year
1690, when a new meeting-house was erected near it.[58]
On the market-day I went to Lancaster, and spoke through the
market in the dreadful power of God, declaring the day of the Lord
to the people, and crying out against all their deceitful merchandise.
I preached righteousness and truth unto them, which all should
follow after, walk and live in, directing them how and where they
might find and receive the Spirit of God to guide them thereinto.
After I had cleared myself in the market, I went to my lodging,
whither several people came; and many were convinced who have
since stood faithful to the truth.
The First-day following, in the forenoon, I had a great meeting in the
street at Lancaster, amongst the soldiers and people, to whom I
declared the Word of life, and the everlasting truth. I opened unto
them that all the traditions they had lived in, all their worships and
religions, and the profession they made of the Scriptures, were good
for nothing while they lived out of the life and power which those
were in who gave forth the Scriptures. I directed them to the Light
of Christ, the heavenly man, and to the Spirit of God in their own
hearts, that they might come to be acquainted with God and Christ,
receive Him for their teacher, and know His kingdom set up in them.
In the afternoon I went to the steeple-house at Lancaster, and
declared the truth to the priest and people, laying open before them
the deceit they lived in, and directing them to the power and Spirit
of God which they wanted. But they haled me out, and stoned me
along the street till I came to John Lawson's house.
Another First-day I went to a steeple-house by the water-side,
where one Whitehead was priest. To him and to the people I
declared the truth in the dreadful power of God. There came a
doctor so full of envy that he said he could find it in his heart to run
me through with his rapier, though he were hanged for it the next
day; yet this man came afterwards to be convinced of the truth so
far as to be loving to Friends. Some were convinced thereabouts
who willingly sat down under the ministry of Christ, their teacher;
and a meeting was settled there in the power of God, which has
continued to this day.
After this I returned into Westmoreland, and spoke through Kendal
on a market-day. So dreadful was the power of God upon me, that
people flew like chaff before me into their houses. I warned them of
the mighty day of the Lord, and exhorted them to hearken to the
voice of God in their own hearts, who was now come to teach His
people Himself. When some opposed, many others took my part. At
last some fell to fighting about me; but I went and spoke to them,
and they parted again. Several were convinced.
After I had travelled up and down in those countries, and had had
great meetings, I came to Swarthmore again. And when I had
visited Friends in those parts, I heard of a great meeting the priests
were to have at Ulverstone, on a lecture-day. I went to it, and into
the steeple-house in the dread and power of the Lord. When the
priest had done, I spoke among them the Word of the Lord, which
was as a hammer, and as a fire amongst them. And though Lampitt,
the priest of the place, had been at variance with most of the priests
before, yet against the truth they all joined together. But the mighty
power of the Lord was over all; and so wonderful was the
appearance thereof, that priest Bennett said the church shook,
insomuch that he was afraid and trembled. And when he had spoken
a few confused words he hastened out for fear it should fall on his
head. Many priests got together there; but they had no power as yet
to persecute.
When I had cleared my conscience towards them, I went up to
Swarthmore again, whither came four or five of the priests. Coming
to discourse, I asked them whether any one of them could say he
had ever had the word of the Lord to go and speak to such or such a
people. None of them durst say he had; but one of them burst out
into a passion and said that he could speak his experiences as well
as I.
I told him experience was one thing; but to receive and go with a
message, and to have a Word from the Lord, as the prophets and
apostles had had and done, and as I had done to them, this was
another thing. And therefore I put it to them again, "Can any of you
say you have ever had a command or word from the Lord
immediately at any time?" but none of them could say so.
Then I told them that the false prophets, the false apostles, and the
antichrists, could use the words of the true prophets, the true
apostles, and of Christ, and would speak of other men's experiences,
though they themselves never knew or heard the voice of God or
Christ; and that such as they might obtain the good words and
experiences of others. This puzzled them much, and laid them open.
At another time, when I was discoursing with several priests at
Judge Fell's house, and he was by, I asked them the same question,
—whether any of them had ever heard the voice of God or Christ, to
bid him go to such and such a people, to declare His word or
message unto them. Any one, I told them, that could but read,
might declare the experiences of the prophets and apostles, which
were recorded in the Scriptures. Thereupon Thomas Taylor,[59] an
ancient priest, did ingenuously confess before Judge Fell that he had
never heard the voice of God, nor of Christ, to send him to any
people; but that he spoke his experiences, and the experiences of
the saints in former ages, and that he preached. This very much
confirmed Judge Fell in the persuasion he had that the priests were
wrong; for he had thought formerly, as the generality of people then
did, that they were sent from God.
Now began the priests to rage more and more, and as much as they
could to stir up persecution. James Nayler and Francis Howgill were
cast into prison in Appleby jail, at the instigation of the malicious
priests, some of whom prophesied that within a month we should be
all scattered again, and come to nothing. But, blessed for ever be
the worthy name of the Lord, His work went on and prospered; for
about this time John Audland, Francis Howgill, John Camm, Edward
Burrough, Richard Hubberthorn, Miles Hubbersty, and Miles Halhead,
with several others, being endued with power from on high, came
forth in the work of the ministry, and approved themselves faithful
labourers therein, travelling up and down, and preaching the gospel
freely; by means whereof multitudes were convinced, and many
effectually turned to the Lord.
On a lecture-day I was moved to go to the steeple-house at
Ulverstone, where were abundance of professors, priests, and
people. I went near to priest Lampitt, who was blustering on in his
preaching. After the Lord had opened my mouth to speak, John
Sawrey, the justice, came to me and said that if I would speak
according to the Scriptures, I should speak. I admired him for
speaking so to me, and told him I would speak according to the
Scriptures, and bring the Scriptures to prove what I had to say; for I
had something to speak to Lampitt and to them. Then he said I
should not speak, contradicting himself, for he had said just before
that I should speak if I would speak according to the Scriptures. The
people were quiet, and heard me gladly, till this Justice Sawrey (who
was the first stirrer-up of cruel persecution in the north) incensed
them against me, and set them on to hale, beat, and bruise me. But
now on a sudden the people were in a rage, and fell upon me in the
steeple-house before his face, knocked me down, kicked me, and
trampled upon me. So great was the uproar, that some tumbled over
their seats for fear.
At last he came and took me from the people, led me out of the
steeple-house, and put me into the hands of the constables and
other officers, bidding them whip me, and put me out of the town.
They led me about a quarter of a mile, some taking hold by my
collar, some by my arms and shoulders; and they shook and dragged
me along.
Many friendly people being come to the market, and some to the
steeple-house to hear me, divers of these they knocked down also,
and broke their heads, so that the blood ran down from several; and
Judge Fell's son running after to see what they would do with me,
they threw him into a ditch of water, some of them crying, "Knock
the teeth out of his head."
When they had haled me to the common moss-side, a multitude
following, the constables and other officers gave me some blows
over my back with their willow rods, and thrust me among the rude
multitude, who, having furnished themselves with staves, hedge-
stakes, holm or holly bushes, fell upon me, and beat me on my
head, arms, and shoulders, till they had deprived me of sense; so
that I fell down upon the wet common.
When I recovered again, and saw myself lying in a watery common,
and the people standing about me, I lay still a little while, and the
power of the Lord sprang through me, and the eternal refreshings
revived me; so that I stood up again in the strengthening power of
the eternal God, and stretching out my arms toward them, I said,
with a loud voice, "Strike again; here are my arms, my head, and my
cheeks."
There was in the company a mason, a professor, but a rude fellow,
who with his walking rule-staff gave me a blow with all his might
just over the back of my hand, as it was stretched out; with which
blow my hand was so bruised, and my arm so benumbed, that I
could not draw it to me again. Some of the people cried, "He hath
spoiled his hand for ever having the use of it any more." But I
looked at it in the love of God (for I was in the love of God to all that
persecuted me), and after awhile the Lord's power sprang through
me again, and through my hand and arm, so that in a moment I
recovered strength in my hand and arm in the sight of them all.
Then they began to fall out among themselves. Some of them came
to me, and said that if I would give them money they would secure
me from the rest. But I was moved of the Lord to declare the Word
of life, and showed them their false Christianity, and the fruits of
their priest's ministry, telling them that they were more like heathens
and Jews than true Christians.
Then was I moved of the Lord to come up again through the midst
of the people, and go into Ulverstone market. As I went, there met
me a soldier, with his sword by his side. "Sir," said he to me, "I see
you are a man, and I am ashamed and grieved that you should be
thus abused"; and he offered to assist me in what he could. I told
him that the Lord's power was over all; and I walked through the
people in the market, none of whom had power to touch me then.
But some of the market people abusing some Friends in the market,
I turned about, and saw this soldier among them with his naked
rapier; whereupon I ran, and, catching hold of the hand his rapier
was in, bid him put up his sword again if he would go along with
me.
About two weeks after this I went into Walney island, and James
Nayler went with me. We stayed one night at a little town on this
side, called Cockan, and had a meeting there, where one was
convinced.
After a while there came a man with a pistol, whereupon the people
ran out of doors. He called for me; and when I came out to him he
snapped his pistol at me, but it would not go off. This caused the
people to make a great bustle about him; and some of them took
hold of him, to prevent his doing mischief. But I was moved in the
Lord's power to speak to him; and he was so struck by the power of
the Lord that he trembled for fear, and went and hid himself. Thus
the Lord's power came over them all, though there was a great rage
in the country.
Next morning I went over in a boat to James Lancaster's. As soon as
I came to land there rushed out about forty men with staves, clubs,
and fishing-poles, who fell upon me, beating and punching me, and
endeavouring to thrust me backward into the sea. When they had
thrust me almost into the sea, and I saw they would knock me down
in it, I went up into the midst of them; but they laid at me again,
and knocked me down, and stunned me.
When I came to myself, I looked up and saw James Lancaster's wife
throwing stones at my face, and her husband, James Lancaster, was
lying over me, to keep the blows and the stones off me. For the
people had persuaded James Lancaster's wife that I had bewitched
her husband, and had promised her that if she would let them know
when I came thither they would be my death. And having got
knowledge of my coming, many of the town rose up in this manner
with clubs and staves to kill me; but the Lord's power preserved me,
that they could not take away my life.
At length I got up on my feet, but they beat me down again into the
boat; which James Lancaster observing, he presently came into it,
and set me over the water from them; but while we were on the
water within their reach they struck at us with long poles, and threw
stones after us. By the time we were come to the other side, we saw
them beating James Nayler; for whilst they had been beating me, he
walked up into a field, and they never minded him till I was gone;
then they fell upon him, and all their cry was, "Kill him, kill him."
When I was come over to the town again, on the other side of the
water, the townsmen rose up with pitchforks, flails, and staves, to
keep me out of the town, crying, "Kill him, knock him on the head,
bring the cart, and carry him away to the churchyard." So after they
had abused me, they drove me some distance out of the town, and
there left me.
Then James Lancaster went back to look after James Nayler; and I
being now left alone, went to a ditch of water, and having washed
myself (for they had besmeared my face, hands, and clothes with
miry dirt), I walked about three miles to Thomas Hutton's house,
where lodged Thomas Lawson, the priest that was convinced.
When I came in I could hardly speak to them, I was so bruised; only
I told them where I left James Nayler. So they took each of them a
horse, and went and brought him thither that night. The next day
Margaret Fell hearing of it, sent a horse for me; but I was so sore
with bruises, I was not able to bear the shaking of the horse without
much pain.
When I was come to Swarthmore, Justice Sawrey and one Justice
Thompson, of Lancaster, granted a warrant against me; but Judge
Fell coming home, it was not served upon me; for he was out of the
country all this time that I was thus cruelly abused. When he came
home he sent forth warrants into the isle of Walney, to apprehend all
those riotous persons; whereupon some of them fled the country.
James Lancaster's wife was afterwards convinced of the truth, and
repented of the evils she had done me; and so did others of those
bitter persecutors also; but the judgments of God fell upon some of
them, and destruction is come upon many of them since. Judge Fell
asked me to give him a relation of my persecution; but I told him
they could do no otherwise in the spirit wherein they were, and that
they manifested the fruits of their priest's ministry, and their
profession and religion to be wrong. So he told his wife I made light
of it, and that I spoke of it as a man that had not been concerned;
for, indeed, the Lord's power healed me again.
The time for the sessions at Lancaster being come, I went thither
with Judge Fell, who on the way told me he had never had such a
matter brought before him before, and he could not well tell what to
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