The History of the Christian People Called Quakers

1705-1707

It was, as I find, in the year 1705, that Anna, the late wife of Thomas Camm, deceased in a great age; and having already made mention of her by the name of Anne Audland, I will say something more of her before I describe her exit. She was daughter of Richard Newby, in the parish of Kendal in Westmoreland, being born in the year 1627, and well educated; and being come to maturity, she conversed much with the most religious people of that time. About the year 1650, she was married to John Audland, and in the beginning of 1652, they both were by the ministry of G. Fox, convinced of that truth he preached; and in the next year they began to preach that doctrine to others; for which in the following year she was committed to prison in the town of Aukland in the county of Durham, where she had opportunity to speak to the people through the window; which she did so pathetically, that several were affected with her testimony; and after being released, she travelled up and down the country, and had good service; but not long after, she was again committed to prison on an accusation of having spoken blasphemy, for which she was tried at Banbury in Oxfordshire; the indictment drawn up against her containing that she had said, God did not live: whereas that which she said was, that true words might be a lie in the mouth of some that spoke them, alleging for truth the saying of the prophet Jeremiah v. 2. “Though they say the Lord liveth, surely they swear falsely.” The judge before whom she appeared, behaved himself moderately, and observing how wisely she answered to his questions with a modest boldness, proposed the matter to the jury thus; ‘That she acknowledged the Lord her God and Redeemer to live, and that there were gods of the heathen that were dead gods.’ Some of the justices upon the bench, who sought her destruction, perceiving they should not obtain their end, for it had been divulged that she should be burnt, went off to influence the jury, and bias them; which had this effect, that they brought her in guilty of misdemeanor: which made one present say, it was illegal to indict her for one fact, and to bring her in guilty of another; since they ought to have found her either guilty or not guilty upon the matter of fact charged in the indictment. The judge, though he had carried himself discreetly, had a mind however somewhat to please the justices that were her enemies; and therefore at her refusal to give bond for her good behaviour, she was sent to prison again; though he was heard to say, that she ought to have been discharged. And the prison whither she was sent was a nasty place, several steps under ground; on the side whereof was a common sewer, which sometimes stunk very much, and frogs and toads crawled in the room. Here she was kept about eight months, but showed herself content, being persuaded that it was for the Lord’s sake she thus suffered.

Her husband, John Audland, died, as hath been said before, about the beginning of the year 1664, and two years after she was married to Thomas Camm, a minister also of the gospel. She lived very retiredly, and spent much time in solitariness, and was almost daily exercised in reading the holy Scriptures, and other edifying books. Her husband suffered imprisonment three years, at Kendal, and about six years, at Appleby; insomuch that she came to be well acquainted with adversities: but by all these she was the more spurred on to advance in true piety; and was a very remarkable teacher in the church, having an extraordinary gift to declare the truth. And yet she was very modest and humble, insomuch that how full soever she was of matter, she rarely appeared to preach in large meetings, where she knew there were men qualified for that service; and she was grieved when she perceived any of her sex to be too forward on such occasions; and therefore she advised them to be cautious, though she did not omit to encourage the good in all, and endeavoured not to quench the Spirit in any. Thus she continued in a virtuous life to the end of her days. At Bristol she once fell so sick, that it was thought she was nigh death; and then she exhorted those that stood by, to prize their time, and to prepare for their latter end, as God said she, hath inclined me to do, so that I enjoy unspeakable peace here, with full assurance of eternal rest and felicity in the world to come.

But she recovered from this sickness; and when her dying hour came, which was in her dwelling place near Kendal, she was not less prepared, but said, ‘I bless the Lord I am prepared for my change. I am full of assurance of eternal salvation, and a crown of glory, through my dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ Many other excellent sayings she uttered during the time of her sickness; and when she drew near her end, some of her friends asking her, whether she knew them, ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘I know you every one. I have my understanding as clear as ever: for how should it be otherwise, since my peace is made with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. I have no disturbance in mind, therefore is my understanding and judgment so good and clear; but to lie under affliction of body and mind, to feel pinching pangs of body even to death, and to want peace with God; O that would be intolerable to bear!‘ She advised her husband to quit himself of the cumber of the things of this world, after her death, that he might with the more freedom attend the ministry of the gospel, and, said she, ‘Warn all, but especially the rich, to keep low, and not to be high-minded: for humility and holiness is the badge of our profession.’ A little before her departure, some fainting fits taking her, she revived again, and said, ‘I was glad, thinking I was going to my eternal rest, without disturbance. I have both a sight and earnest of eternal rest with God in the world to come.’ A little after she said, ‘Methinks I grow weak and cold. My hands and feet are grown very cold, yet my heart is very strong. I must meet with sharper pangs than I have yet felt—This pain is hard to flesh and blood, but must be endured a little time; ease and eternal rest is at hand; I am glad I see death so near me.’ A little after, seeing her friends weep, she said, ‘Be not concerned, for all is well: I have only death to encounter, and the sting of it is wholly taken away: the grave hath no victory, and my soul is ascending above all sorrow and pains. So let me go freely to my heavenly mansion, disturb me not in my passage. My friends, go to the meeting; let me not hinder the Lord’s business, but let it be the chief, and by you all done faithfully, that at the end ye may receive your reward; for mine is sure. I have not been negligent, my day’s work is done.’ Feeling afterwards her pains increasing, she prayed the Lord to help her through the agony of death; and a little after she said, ‘O my God, O my God, thou hast not forsaken me, blessed be thy name for ever. O my blessed Saviour, that suffered for me and all mankind, great pains in thy holy body upon the cross, remember me thy poor handmaid in this my great bodily affliction. My trust is in thee, my hope is only in thee, my dear Lord. O come, come dear Lord Jesus, come quickly, receive my soul, to thee I yield it up, help me now in my bitter pangs.’ Then her husband prayed to God, that he would be pleased to make her passage easy. And she had no more such pangs, but drew her breath shorter by degrees, and said little more, but that it was good to leave all to the Lord. And so she slept in the Lord the 30th of November, 1705, in the 79th year of her age. Thus Anne Camm departed this life, and her husband said afterwards that he counted it a great blessing to have had her to wife: for she was indeed a very excellent woman, and therefore I have described her latter end thus circumstantially.

Having now related what hath come to my knowledge, that I thought remarkable, and of singular moment in respect of the rise and progress of the people called Quakers, I think what I have written may suffice, and answer the contents of the title of this history; and therefore I will add only a few occurrences, and then come to a conclusion.