revolting.[1] Of this, James Naylor furnished a striking instance.  He had served in the army, and had been quarter-master in Lambert’s troop, from which office he was discharged on account of sickness.[2] He afterwards became a disciple of George Fox, and a leading preacher in the capital; but he “despised the power of God” in his master, by whom he was reprimanded, and listened to the delusive flattery of some among his female hearers, who were so captivated with his manner and appearance; as to persuade themselves that Christ was incorporated in the new apostle.  It was not for him to gainsay what the Spirit had revealed to them.  He believed himself to be set as a sign of the coming of Christ; and he accepted the worship which was paid to him, not as offered to James Naylor, but to Christ dwelling in James Naylor.  Under this impression, during part of his progress to Bristol,[a] and at his entrance into that city, he rode on horseback with a man walking bareheaded before him; two females holding his bridle on each side, and others attending him, one of whom, Dorcas Erbury, maintained that he had raised her to life after she had

[Footnote 1:  “William Simpson was moved of the Lord to go at several times, for three years, naked and barefoot before them, as a sign unto them in markets, courts, towns, cities, to priests’ houses, and to great men’s houses; so shall they all be stripped naked as he was stripped naked.  And sometimes he was moved to put on hair sackcloth, and to besmear his face, and to tell them so would the Lord besmear all their religion, as he was besmeared.  Great sufferings did that poor man undergo, sore whipping with horsewhips and coachwhips on his bare body, grievous stonings and imprisonments in three years time before the king came in, that they might have taken warning, but they could not.”—­Fox; Journal, i. 572.]

[Footnote 2:  Lambert spoke of him with kindness during the debate:  “He was two years my quarter-master, and a very useful person.  We parted with him with very great regret.  He was a man of very unblameable life and conversation.”—­Burton’s Diary, i. 33.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1656.  October.]

been dead the space of two days.  These occasionally threw scarfs and handkerchiefs before him, and sang, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Hosts:  Hosanna in the highest; holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Israel.”  They were apprehended by the mayor, and, sent[a] to London to be examined by a committee of the parliament.  The house, having heard the report of the committee, voted that Naylor was guilty of blasphemy.  The next consideration was his punishment; the more zealous moved that he should be put to death; but after a debate which continued during eleven days, the motion was lost[b] by a division of ninety-six to eighty-two.  Yet the punishment to which he was doomed ought to have satisfied the most bigoted of his adversaries.  He stood[c] with his neck in the pillory for two hours, and was