From The First Publishers of Truth
Westmorland: Dent
Afterwards, George Fox went into Garsdale, and met with some great professors, as Major Bousfield, but little or no reception or acceptance of his testimony; yet, with James Guy, and some else, Thos Winn, of Grisedale, and some few others, the same was owned. [page 329]
Submission by Westmorland (?)Quarterly Meeting edited by Norman Penney in “The First Publishers of Truth (London: Headley Brothers, 1907). Presented to Yearly Meeting in 1709. Said to be in the hand of Thomas Camm.
From William Edmundson A Journal of the Life ... of ... William Edmundson
[margin] Major Bousfield from England.
About this time one Miles Bousfield, came from England to Ireland, at whose house George Fox had been, he had been in some degree Convinced of the Truth, and came away upon it: He was a great Talker of Religion, but an Enemy and a Stranger to the Cross of Christ; who hearing of me and of the Exercise I was in, came to see me. I was not at home when he came, but he talked to my Wife, and spake well of the Quakers and their Principles; seeming to be mighty glad, that he had found such a Companion as I was in this Nation, and the Comfort we should have of one another.
[margin] Miles Bousfield’s Advice.
When I came home, my Wife told me of his being there, and the Discourse he had with her, which I was glad to hear of, and soon took my Horse and rode Twelve Miles to see him, and staid with him all Night; he talked abundance of Religion, and of the Inward Work of God in man by his Spirit, and spoke well of George Fox and James Naylor, and of their Doctrine, which I liked well, but said, he knew those things before he saw or heard them, and spake much of his Knowledge of God and Christ. I sat in silence with Attention to hear him, for I was cast down, poor and low in my Spirit, yet glad that I had met with such a knowing Man in the Things of God, and his Work in Man by his Spirit, to advise me in my great Troubles of a wounded Spirit. So he advised me to be chearful and merry, and not to look at those inward Troubles, that bow’d me down, which was the Enemy's work to lead me into Dispair, and destroy me by swallowing me up in much Trouble; and as it was plainly manifest, that God had a love for me, to make me a chosen Vessel of Mercy, he would love me to the end; and nothing in me could hinder his Love, or frustrate his Will.
This Doctrine healed me without the Cross of Christ, or Self-denial; which answer’d my Will and Carnal Desires. For I lov’d the Truth which I was convinced of, and would have had it together, with my Carnalities, Fleshly Liberties, Worldly Pleasures and Profits; so when the Lord's Power would rise to bow me down under his Cross, I would reason against it with those Arguments afore-mentioned, and thereby would get from under Judgment; but this Ease and sleight Healing lasted only about a Week. &nbso; For the Lord would not leave me so, praised be his Name for ever! whose merciful Hand preserved me, and Power took fresh hold of my Heart and Inward Parts, which bowed me under his Judgments, and opened the Eye of my Understanding, plainly showing me, there was that alive in me, that must be Crucified, which opposed the Will of God.
[margin] Major Bousfield’s sleight Cure marr’d
Then I saw where Bousfield was, and all of his Spirit, and the Wounds of my restless Spirit were opened wider than before, and Major Bousfield's sleight Cure was all marr’d, and the false Rest he set me in taken away, I having none now to trust unto, but the Lord for Council and Information, whose Care was greatly manifested for my Preservation, Redemption and Information, through many Temptations and deep Afflictions that did attend me many ways, with many Opposers and Contenders. I was weak, but the Lord's Strength was perfect in Weakness, and his Spirit and Power encreased in me through Obedience to the Cross of Christ, wherein I was daily exercised, and thereby grew into acquaintance with the Lord's Work, to make me a Vessel for his purpose. [pages 8–10]
William Edmundson
A journal of the life, travels, sufferings, and labour of love in the work of the ministry
of ...
William Edmundson (Dublin: Samuel Fairbrother, 1715).
Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group.
http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/ECCO