George Bewley (abt. 1617)

Born about 1617 in Haltcliffe Hall, Caldbeck, Cumberland, England

Ancestors

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Biography

George was a Friend (Quaker)

George Bewley was probably the son of Thomas Bewley, Haltcliffe Hall, Caldbeck, Cumberland. This parentage is found in various Quaker literature including Besse's Sufferings where he is called "an elder son of the Famed ancient man" who in 1670 was aged about 78 years.^[1] Penney also associates George Bewley as the son of Thomas noting he was "a sufficient Mans son."^[2] No baptismal record has been found but considering the age of his father in 1670 being 78 and his being an elder son, his birth may have been about say 1617. George Bewley came to be counted among the early Quaker leaders and preachers known as the Valiant Sixty.

When George Bewley was convinced does not appear to be recorded. George Fox stayed at the home of his father Thomas in Coldbeek toward the end of July 1653.^[3] Fox's only other discussion of George Bewley surrounds an incident in 1663 in Looe [sic] where George Bewley 'was recovered and afterward became serviceable to the Truth.'^[3]

Besse's Sufferings recounts several incidents involving George Bewley. He and several others were savagely beaten, encouraged by a priest, at Liskeard in 1659. He was imprisoned 1674-76 and from at least 1677-1682 by Arthur Savage, the priest of Coldbeek.

Braithwaite recounts, as does Besse, an incident in Bridport in which George Bewley was whipped as a vagrant by the bailiffs, a request to go back for his horse and clothes was met with a second whipping as well as a third after which he was allowed to leave with his horse and clothes.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Besse, Joseph, Sufferings of the People called Quaker, London, 1753, 115, 129, 132, 133, 166
2. ↑ N. Penney, ed., ‘The first publishers of truth’: being early records, now first printed, of the introduction of Quakerism into the counties of England and Wales (1907) p 84-85
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Fox, George, Journal of George Fox, University Press, 1952, p 156 footnote, p 443-44\
4. ↑ Braithwaite, William C., The Beginnings of Quakerism, London, Macmillan, 1912, p 399, p 465