CHAPTER XII.

MARTYRDOM OF WILLIAM ROBINSON, MARMADUKE STEVENSON, MARY DYER AND WILLIAM LEDDRA GEORGE FOX IMPRISONED IN SCARBOROUGH CASTLE.

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E now approach the consummation of all these cruelties, which had often appeared to be the aim of the Boston rulers, even the taking away of the life of their innocent victims. In the Tenth month of this year, they enacted a law to banish all Quakers who should come among them, "on pain of death."

In the Ninth month of the next year, (1659,) William Robinson, Marmaduke Stevenson, Mary Dyer, and Nicholas Davis, who were prisoners for the cause of a good conscience in Boston jail, were by this law banished from the colony, with the provision, that their return would be the forfeiture of their lives. The two former left the town of Boston, but did not feel free (although at so great a peril) to leave the jurisdiction, until they should have a clear intimation from their Divine Master, that they were at liberty to depart. They therefore went to Salem and the neighborhood, endeavoring to build up their friends in the faith. It was not long, however, before they were arrested, again imprisoned, and chained by their legs. The next month, Mary Dyer returned also, and being recognized, was likewise taken into custody. On the twentieth, the three were brought before the Governor and court, and desired to listen to their sentence of death. William Robinson, who had prepared a paper, setting forth his reasons for not having departed from the jurisdiction, now asked liberty to read it. This was peremptorily refused. He then laid it on the table, containing among other things, a declaration "that he had

not come thither in his own will, but in obedience to his Creator that the Lord had commanded him to go to Boston, and there to lay down his life, that he had felt an assurance that his soul was to enter eternal peace and rest—and that he durst not disobey, believing that it became him as a child, to show obedience to the Lord, without any unwillingness." The governor read the letter to himself, but would not suffer it to be read aloud in the court, and presently pronounced the sentence, "that William Robinson should be had back to the prison whence he came, and thence to the place of execution, to be hanged on the gallows till he should be dead." The same sentence was then pronounced against Marmaduke Stevenson and Mary Dyer; to which the latter replied, "The will of the Lord be done." The governor then said, "Take her away, marshal;" to which she returned, "Yea, joyfully I go." In going back to the prison, she uttered frequent praises to the Lord, being full of holy joy that she was counted worthy to suffer shame for His name, and told the marshal, he might let her alone, for she would go to the prison without him. To which he replied, "I believe you, Mrs. Dyer; but I must do what I am commanded." Marmaduke also gave forth a paper, after sentence was pronounced, in which he clearly stated his divine call into that colony, and that it was not in his own will, but in the will of God. And Mary Dyer, from her prison, addressed the court in writing, making a similar declaration, and solemnly warning them that if they put to death any of these, the Lord's servants, it would tend to their own destruction.

They remained a week in prison, and on the 27th of the Tenth month, were led to the gallows by the marshal, attended by a band of about two hundred armed men, besides many horsemen. The envious priest Wilson, also joined the company, who, when the court was deliberating how to deal with the Quakers, had said, "Hang them; or

else"-(drawing his finger across his throat, as if he would have said,) "Dispatch them this way." As they proceeded to the place of execution, the drums were beaten, especially when any of them attempted to speak. Glorious signs of heavenly joy sat upon the countenances of these martyrs for the truth, who walked hand in hand, as if going to an everlasting feast. When they approached the gallows, the priest in a taunting way, said to W. Robinson, "Shall such jacks as you come in before authority with their hats on?" To which he replied, " Mind you, it is for not putting off the hat, we are put to death!" They now took leave of each other with tender embraces; and W. Robinson going cheerfully up the ladder, said to the people, many of whom were doubtless awfully impressed with the iniquitous proceeding, "This is the day of your visitation, wherein the Lord hath visited you: this is the day the Lord is risen in his mighty power, to be avenged on all his adversaries." He also declared that he suffered not as an evil-doer, and desired the spectators to mind the Light of Christ which was in them, of which he had testified, and was now going to seal his testimony with his blood. The rope being put around his neck, and his hands, legs and face being bound, and the executioner about to turn him off, he said, "I suffer for Christ, in whom I live, and for whom I die." He was then turned off; and Marmaduke stepping up the ladder, said, "Be it known unto all, this day, that we suffer not as evil-doers, but for conscience' sake." And adding, "This day shall we be at rest with the Lord;" he too was launched into the eternal world. Mary Dyer, seeing her companions hanging dead before her, also stepped up the ladder; but after her clothes were tied about her, the halter adjusted about her neck, and her face covered with a handkerchief, just as she was about to be turned off, a cry was heard, that she was reprieved. Her son, it seems, had interceded for her life, which was granted at the last minute.

She was roughly taken down from the ladder, and conveyed back to prison; and the magistrates perceiving that the people began to be much discontented at the violence of their proceedings, resolved to send her away. She was accordingly conveyed towards Rhode Island on horseback, guarded by four men, and thus returned home. She is said to have been a person possessed of some extraordinary mental qualities, of a comely and grave countenance, of a good family, and the mother of several children.

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The bodies of the two Friends who suffered death, were barbarously thrown into a hole, without any covering; and when some of their friends would have laid them in coffins, this was denied them; as also was the privilege of fencing the place around, to prevent their being preyed upon by the wild beasts, which then abounded in this new country.

Mary Dyer, in the spring of the next year, (1660,) found herself constrained once more to return to Boston, notwithstanding the sufferings which she knew awaited her. She arrived there on the 21st of the Third month, and ten days afterwards was sent for before the governor and general court. Being questioned, she undauntedly acknowledged herself to be one of those in scorn called Quakers, and that she was the same person who had been there at the last session of the court. She was told that the sentence passed upon her before was now to be renewed, and that she must prepare herself to die the following morning. To which she replied, that she came in obedience to the will of God, to desire them to repeal their unrighteous laws. They would not hear her out, but cried, "away with her; away with her!" and sent her back to prison.

Next morning the marshal came, and called her hastily to come. And rudely entering the room where she was, she desired him to stay a little, and mildly added, that she should be ready presently. But he roughly replied that

he could not wait upon her, but she should now wait upon him. Margaret Smith, her companion, being grieved at such unfeeling behavior, expressed her sense of the injustice of their proceedings; to which he threateningly said, "you shall have your share of the same." Mary was then led through the town with a band of soldiers, the drums being beaten before and behind her, to prevent her from being heard in speaking to the spectators. Being come to the gallows, and having ascended the ladder, she was told that if she would return home, she might yet save her life. To which she replied, "Nay, I cannot; for in obedience to the will of the Lord I came, and in His will I abide faithful to the death." The priest cried out to her to repent, and not to be so deluded. But she let him know that the work of repentance was not then to be entered upon by her. Several observations of a like nature were made to her, and in reply she spoke of the heavenly state of mind which had for some days been her portion, and of the eternal happiness into which she was now about to enter. She was then turned off, and finished her course, a martyr for the truth . in Christ.

The next that suffered death was William Leddra. He had already been banished from Boston on pain of death; but was under such necessity of conscience, that he could not forbear returning. He was soon arrested, and being fastened to a log, was kept night and day locked in chains, in an open prison, during a very cold winter. Early in the spring of 1661, he was brought into the court, with his chains on, and the log at his heels: and asking the jailer when he would take off the irons from his legs, he unfeelingly replied, that it should be, when he was about to be hanged. Being brought to the bar, he was told that he was to die. He asked, what evil he had done. He was told that he had owned those Quakers who had been put to death, and had said that they were innocent; and besides,