Convinced by George Fox
Among the earliest converts in the north of England, Farnworth became one of Fox's most trusted co-laborers and a powerful minister in his own right.
d. 1666 · Yorkshire, England
Richard Farnworth
Original Valiant Sixty and early theological defender
“The Light of Christ within is the first principle of true religion.” — Richard Farnworth
Life & Ministry
Prolific Tract Writer
Published numerous tracts on the Light Within, church order, and against the Ranters, establishing the theological vocabulary of the young movement.
Sent South as Publisher of Truth
Dispatched as one of the 'Valiant Sixty' to carry the Quaker message beyond the north of England, traveling through the Midlands and southern counties.
Repeated Imprisonments
Suffered multiple imprisonments for his public preaching and refusal to take oaths, enduring the hardships common to the first generation of Friends.
Death
Died in 1666, his health broken by years of imprisonment and relentless travel in the ministry. His writings continued to circulate among Friends for decades.
Connections & Relationships
George Fox
Spiritual FatherOne of the first convinced by Fox in the north of England in 1651, Farnworth became a key early collaborator in spreading the Quaker message.
James Nayler
Fellow MinisterFarnworth and Nayler were among the earliest group of northern converts and co-laborers in the first years of the movement.
Available Works
The Collected Tracts of Richard Farnsworth, Volume I: The Spirit Speaking in Man
Available NowFive tracts by Richard Farnsworth (c. 1630–1666), one of the Valiant Sixty. Spanning 1654 to 1663, they defend the convictions of the first Quakers: the inward Light, silent worship, the freedom of women to minister, and the plain speech of thee and thou.