Brave Bessie Westland

by Emma Leslie

Things were in this position when the winter set in, and the Quakers, having met with no disturbance from the authorities, gathered at their meeting-house each First Day—as they chose to call Sunday.

Of course Bessie was most regular in her attendance; but Dame Drayton did not always go with her husband and Bessie, preferring to take some of the children to All Hallow's Church, which was close to her home. One Sunday, however, Bessie was suffering from a bad cold, and wholly unfit to go out in the bleak drizzling rain that was falling, and so her friends insisted that she should remain in bed. Dame Drayton decided to go to the meeting-house with her husband, for there was to be a gathering of the Friends afterwards, to hear something more concerning the plan for founding a Quaker colony across the seas.

But, alas! that meeting was never held, for the Lord Mayor had ordered that the place should be watched, and as soon as the Friends were all assembled, the doors were forced open by a party of men-at-arms, and after a little parleying with those who kept the door, the Quakers were informed they might consider themselves under arrest, and until their names were taken none were allowed to leave the building.

When this business had been got through by the officer in charge, some half-dozen names were read out as being the ringleaders in this seditious gathering, and among them were those of Master Drayton and his wife.

For a minute the heart of the poor woman seemed turned to stone, and her thoughts instantly flew to the children at home,—her own and those who had been practically orphaned by the rigour of the law,—and she covered her face with her hands in the agony of her anxiety.

The halberdier who had been placed in charge of her, so far respected her grief that he did not disturb her until he was compelled by the officer to lead her out in the rear of some half-dozen others who were being conducted to Newgate.

It was a pitiful sight. No resistance had been made by the unoffending people, for it was one of the rules of their Society that they should submit meekly to whatever outrage was perpetrated upon them, and so Dame Drayton, comforted now by the thought that God would surely protect her darlings, walked through the wet muddy streets behind her husband. When they reached Newgate they were thrust into the common prison, where thieves and drunkards were making the place a very hell by their oaths and ribald songs.

The little company of Quakers sat down in one corner by themselves, and for a time could only listen with shivering horror to what was going on around them. But, hardened as most of this crowd were, Dame Drayton's sympathy was soon awakened by the appearance of a young girl with a baby in her arms, and leaving her husband's side, she went and sat down by the girl to say a few words of comfort to her. From speaking to one, she grew courageous enough to speak to others, and thus helped to pass the long weary hours of that dreadful day.

On Monday morning they were taken before the Lord Mayor, and charged with opening premises for seditious meetings, that had previously been closed by order of the court. Master Drayton was one of the four trustees holding the premises, and moreover he was known to be one of the jury who had refused to convict Penn some time before; which circumstance was brought forward against him, as proving him to be an obstinate Quaker, who richly deserved to lose his ears and be transported beyond the seas.