Note 70 — Chapter XIV

The persecution of the Quakers in New England, by the Puritans and Independents, who had themselves fled from home to enjoy religious liberty, forms a dreadful story, the very recital of which is revolting to humanity. Some they caused to have their ears cut off; and, amongst many other cruelties, which would fill a volume, they ordered three Quaker women to be stripped to the waist, and flogged through eleven towns, a distance of eighty miles, in all the severity of frost and snow. But, as if this was not enough, they actually hanged three men and one woman for Christ’s sake, who all acquitted themselves, at their awful exit, with that firmness and submission which a Christian martyr is enabled to sustain at such an hour of nature’s extremity, giving full proof of their sincerity and trust in the goodness and support of Him, who had called them to make a public profession of his name before a wicked and perverse generation. Their names were—William Robinson, Marmaduke Stevenson, William Leddra, and Mary Dyer.

On the day appointed for the execution of these innocent victims, they were led to the gallows by military officers, accompanied by a band of about 200 armed men, besides many horsemen—a measure which plainly indicated that some fear of popular indignation was apprehended; and, that no appeal might be made to the feelings of the multitude, a drummer was appointed to march before the condemned persons, to beat the drum, especially when any of them attempted to speak.

Glorious signs of heavenly joy and gladness were visible in the countenances of these holy martyrs, who walked hand in hand to the place where they were to suffer. “This is to me an hour of the greatest joy,” exclaimed Mary Dyer; adding, that no eye could see, no ear could hear, no tongue could utter, no heart could understand, the sweet refreshings of the Spirit of the Lord which she then felt.

Being come to the ladder, and having taken leave of each other with tender affection, they yielded up their lives into the hands of their enemies, Robinson’s last words being, “I suffer for Christ, in whom I live, and for whom I die;” and those of Stevenson, “This day shall we be at rest with the Lord.” William Leddra, patiently submitting himself whilst the executioner put the halter round his neck, said, “I commit my righteous cause unto thee, O God;” and, as he was turned off, died with these words, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” When Mary Dyer ascended the ladder, she was told by some of the standers-by that even now, if she would obey them, she might come down and save her life. But this magnanimous sufferer shrank not from her doom, well knowing in whom, and for whom she was about to die; she contentedly laid down her life, saying, “In obedience to the will of the Lord, I abide faithful unto death.”

“We too, have had our martyrs. Such wert thou,

Illustrious woman! though the starry crown

Of martyrdom has sat on many a brow,

In the world’s eye, of far more wide renown.

Yet the same spirit graced thy fameless end,

Which shone in Latimer and his compeers;

Upon whose hallowed memories still attend

Manhood’s warm reverence, childhood’s guileless tears.tears.

Well did they win them; may they keep them long!

Their names require not praise obscure as mine,

Nor does my muse their cherish’d memories wrong,

By this imperfect aim to honour thine.

Heroic martyr of a sect despised!

Thy name and memory to my heart are dear:

Thy fearless zeal (in artless childhood prized)

The lapse of years has taught me to revere.

Thy Christian worth demands no poet’s lay,

Historian’s pen, nor sculptor’s boasted art;

What could the proudest tribute these can pay

To thy immortal spirit, now impart?

Yet seems it like a sacred debt to give

The brief memorial thou mayst well supply;

Whose life display’d how Christians ought to live,

Whose death—how Christian martyrs calmly die.”

For further particulars of the New England persecution, the reader is referred to Sewell’s History; Bowden’s History of Friends in America; Kelty’s Early Days in the Society of Friends; Hodgson’s Historical Memoirs, &c.