preffion on prejudiced minds; though the forgery was foon detected by the publication of the real addrefs.*

Some characters which appeared during thefe times in this community, have received from the pen of its historian a particular tribute of respect. Among thefe was Alexander Parker, born near Bolton in Lancashire, who, at an early period of his life, embraced the principles of this people, and became an eminent minister among them. He was the companion of George Fox, when he was fent up by Colonel Hacket to Oliver Cromwell; and travelled with him on various journies, in different parts of England, in Scotland, and into Holland, in 1684. "He was one in the number of the worthies of that "age who were given up to the service of their "Maker, and to the promoting of pure religion. "and the practice of piety, as the principal purpose "of their lives." With this view he took many journies by himself in the exercise of his ministry. He feveral times fuffered by imprisonment and fines. The last twenty years of his life he refided in London, and was very serviceable with others in folicitations to government for the relief of their friends under fufferings; for which offices the comelinefs of his perfon and deportment particularly qualified him. He was the author of feveral treatifes and epiftles to the fociety; and concluded his active and benevolent exertions and well-fpent life with great peace on the 9th of March 1688-9.t

* Gough, p. 455–458.

t Gough, p. 237-8.

Another member of the Society of Friends at this period, who diftinguished himself by his virtues and labours, was Mr. Robert Lodge, a frequent companion of Mr. John Burnyeat in his miniftry and journies in Ireland. He was born about the year 1636, at Masham in Yorkshire, in which place he afterwards refided. In his youth his mind had a strong tincture of religion, and his understanding was opened to behold it under fuch views of its purity and refinement, before he had heard of the people called quakers, that in frequent converfations which he had with the clergy, he difcovered appre henfions of its nature fuperior to thofe which were entertained by them. On the appearance of fome members of that fociety in his neighbourhood, about the year 1654, he embraced their fentiments in the eighteenth year of his age. He was afterwards looked on as poffeffing eminent gifts for the ministry, and travelled in the exercise of it through different parts of England and Ireland; and was inftrumental to awaken in many ferious confideration of their ways, and religious defires after the attainment of peace and future happinefs. He was twice imprisoned; once at York 1660, and again at Wakefield in 1665. He died on the 7th of July 1690, with a ferenity of mind which fupported him above the fear of death, like one falling into an eafy fleep. His laft words were "Bleffed be God, I "have heavenly peace." "He was a man," we are told, "of an amiable difpofition, cultivated by

66

pure religion; a preacher of righteoufnefs, no

"lefs in the whole tenour of his life and circumfpect "conversation than in word or doctrine; whereby " he acquired the general esteem of his friends and "neighbours, and left an honourable and spotless reputation behind him."

In the fame year died Mr. Thomas Salthouse, an intimate in the family of Judge Fell, when Mr. George Fox came to Swarthmore; whofe preaching wrought conviction in him, and in the greatest part of the family. Having been commiffioned to preach, he spent a confiderable portion of his life in travelling, and labouring to promote, particularly in the western counties, the reception of what he deemed to be the truth; and for his teftimony to it he fuffered repeated imprisonments, attended with circumstances of feverity and ignominy; being detained in gaol, (when thofe who had been apprehended with him, had been released,) through his inability to pay fines, or to procure fecurities on account of his great distance from home, as well as being treated as a vagrant. After fome years he appears to have married and fettled in Cornwall; but he continued frequently to vifit different parts of the kingdom; and although he escaped imprifonment, he was not fecure against the malignity of informers. At the funeral of a refpectable member of the fociety in December 1681, he addreffed a mixed audience, in a fuitable exhortation "to seriousness and fobriety, reminding them of the "certainty of death and judgment, and a retribution

according to their works." "On fuch an occafion,

"and to fuch an affembly of many good Christians,

loyal fubjects, and profeffors of the proteftant "religion, one would scarcely expect," obferves the hiftorian," that reminding men of their mortality, "and inciting them to prepare for death, could have "been liable to the penalties of the law :" yet upon the oath of two informers feveral prefent were con victed unheard, and fined for a conventicle by three juftices; and the goods in the fhop of Mr. Salthouse were diftrained to the value of 29l. 9s. gd. to pay a fine of 201. for preaching. In 1683, he and feveral others were committed to Launceston gaol; and for declining to take an oath, they were brought to the fummer affizes, where the oath was again tendered to them in open court. Upon conviction of refufing it, they were on a fentence of pramunire detained three years in prifon, till King James's general pardon releafed them. After this, Mr. Salthouse renewed and continued his paftoral vifits, till, about the 60th year of his age, death determined all his labours and fufferings. He is fpoken of as "a man of good natural capacity, and adorned "with an excellent gift in the miniftry; remarkably "affable and pleafaut in his converfation, which "procured him the refpectful regard of many others 66 as well as of friends." He addressed to them fome excellent epiftles, and was the author of fome valuable tracts.*

A third character which recommends itself to our notice in the biography of the Society of Friends, at this period, is that of Mr. Charles Marshall, Gough, ut ante, p. 255-258.

born in Bristol in April 1637; by profeffion an apothecary and chemift; a man who was accounted worthy of double honour in his own religious community; and who, for the innocence and integrity of his life, had obtained a good refpect among his acquaintance and neighbours. He defcended from religious and virtuous parents, who, as the faithful guardians of his tender youth, directed his education with a view at once to the culrivation of virtuous difpofitions in him, and to the furnishing of his mind with literature. His mother took him to the religious affemblies of the Independents which the frequented, and fometimes to thofe of the baptifts; and he accompanied her to hear ministers of every denomination who were in the greatest reputation for zeal, experience, and piety. He himself from his childhood conceived an abhorrence of every degree of profanenefs and immorality, and delighted in reading the fcriptures. He accustomed himself, as he advanced in years, to spend much time in the fields and woods, out of the fight and obfervation of men, in the exercises of devotion. His inducement to this was a diffatisfaction with the conduct of many in the different religious communities of the day, on account of their having fallen, as he conceived, into a mere lifelefs and empty profeffion. He had therefore left them, and accustomed himself to thefe folitary retirements, and alfo affociated with fome other perfons who thought as he did. He spent one day in the week with them in fafting and prayer, feeking relief from a conflict of fpirit, in their reli