JAMES NAYLEll. 
347 
into the parish of Wakefield, where he continued till the breaking 
out of the civil wars in 1641. He then entered into the parliament 
army, and served as a soldier eight or nine years, at first under lord 
Fairfax, and aftervyards as quarter-master in major-general Lambert’s 
troop in Scotland ; till, being disabled by sickness, he returned home 
about the year 1649. At this time he was a member of the Independ- 
ent party, and continued so till the year 1651, when the preaching of 
George Fox made him a convert to the communion of the Quakers, 
as they are called. Among them he soon commenced preacher, and, 
according to their judgment, acquitted himself both well in speaking 
and writing. 
In the beginning of the following year he imagined he heard a 
voice, calling upon him to renounce his kindred and his father’s house, 
and go into the west, promising that God would be with him. In 
obedience to this voice, which he believed to be the voice of.God, he 
went about preaching from place to place, and greatly increased the 
numbers of the new sect. Towards the close of the year 1654, or 
early in 1655, he came to London, w'here he found a meeting of Friends 
which had been established by Edward Burrough and Francis Howgill, 
among whom he, so greatly distinguished himself by his preaching, 
that many began to draw invidious comparisons between him and his 
brethren, which created uneasiness and differences in the society. To 
such a length did these proceed, that some women, admirers of Nayler, 
assumed the liberty of interrupting and disputing with Howgill and 
Burrougnin the midst of their preachings, and thus disturbed the 
peace of the meetings. For this conduct they were reproved by these 
preachers ; upon which they complained so loudly and passionately 
to Nayler, that he was weak enough to take their part, and was so 
intoxicated with their flattering praises, that he became estranged 
from his best friends, W'ho strongly disapproved of and lamented his 
conduct. In the year 1658 we find him in Devonshire, wherfe he was 
committed to Exeter jail for propagating his opinions. Here he 
received letters from some of his female admirers and others, written 
in the most extravagant strains, calling him the everlasting Son of 
righteousness — the Prince of peace — the only begotten Son of God — 
the fairest among ten thousand, &c.; and some of his followers kneeled 
before him in the prison, and kissed ^ris feet. Before he could suffer 
such language to be applied to him, the intoxication of his brain must 
have arisen to frenzy, of which he soon afforded additional evidence. 
While he continued in this prison, George Fox called upon him, and 
reproved him for his defection and lofty pretensions ; but without 
effect. At parting, Nayler would have kissed Fox ; but the latter told 
him, that since he had turned against the power of God, he could not 
receive his show of kindness. And it is but justice to the Quakers in 
general to mention, that they had now disowned Nayler and his 
adherents. 
Soon afterwardsNaylerwas released from imprisonment, and intended 
to return to London, but, taking Bristol in his way, as he passed 
through Glastonbury and Wells, his deluded attendants strewed their 
garments before him. When they came to Bedminster, about a mile 
from Bristol, they carried their extravagance to the highest pitch ; 
