At what period her liberation from York Castle took place is as yet undetermined—on the 11th June, 1653, she wrote from the Castle to George Fox,[25] but when free, undeterred by this imprisonment, she went forward in her religious service. Here follow some glimpses of her further labour and suffering.
ELIZABETH HOOTON TO GEORGE FOX.
To face p. 12.] [[See p. vi.]
Margaret Killam[26], writing to George Fox, in 1653, says:[27]
I was moued of the lord to goe to Cambridge, & I went by Newarke side & was att a meetinge uppon the first day there, & I was moued to goe to the Steeplehouse & I was kept in Silence whilst their teacher had done, & hee gaue ouer in subtilty, a litle, & after began againe, thinkinge to haue ensnred mee, but in the wisdome of god I was p̄served, & did not speake untill hee was come downe out of the place.... His hearers were uery silent & attentiue to heare & did confesse itt was the truth wᶜʰ was spoken to them, & was troubled att their Teacher yᵗ hee fled away. Itt was the same wᶜʰ did Imprison Elizabeth Hooton, & did ensnare her by his craft, & hee had told them if any came & spoke in meeknesse hee would heare.
Besse has no record of the above-mentioned imprisonment of Elizabeth Hooton, so possibly it was not of long duration.
In the year 1654 George Fox says: “I came to Balby; from whence several Friends went with me into Lincolnshire; of whom some went to the steeple-houses and some to private meetings.”[28]
From the following interesting entry in an early Lincolnshire minute book[29] it appears likely that John Whitehead[30] and Elizabeth Hooton were of this company: