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

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

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

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

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

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

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