Katherine Evans and Sarah Cheevers facts for kids

Katherine Evans (1618–1692) and Sarah Cheevers (1608–1664) were brave English Quaker women. They were held prisoner in Malta by the Roman Inquisition from 1658 to 1663. During and after their time in prison, they wrote books. These books shared their Quaker beliefs and criticized the Catholic Church and the Inquisition.

Early Lives and Families

Not much is known about Katherine and Sarah's early lives. When they were arrested, both were married and had children. They could read and write well. This was common for middle-class women in England at that time.

Neither woman left full details of how they became Quakers. But by 1653, both were missionaries in Scotland. They did not know each other yet. In 1655, Katherine Evans got into trouble. She was told to leave the Isle of Wight. Later that year, she was put on trial and jailed. This happened because she visited other Quaker prisoners.

Katherine and John Evans had several children. They lived in Inglesbatch near Bath. John Evans was also a Quaker minister. He seemed to share Katherine's strong religious feelings. Katherine wrote letters from jail. She told her family to follow "a holy calling." Her letters to John show they had a loving relationship. She called him "my right dear and precious husband."

Sarah Cheevers was married to Henry Cheevers. They had children and lived in Slaughterford, Wiltshire. We don't know much about Henry's religious beliefs. Sarah's letters suggest she tried to convince him to become a Quaker. She wrote about finding "your saviour to purge and cleanse you from your sins." Some historians think this means her family might not have been Quakers. They might have been other types of Protestants.

Both women's writings show that their religious dedication did not stop them from being good wives and mothers. It was common for women in the 1600s to be very religious. Mothers often taught their children about faith. Some experts believe Katherine and Sarah saw their journey as part of their roles as Christian wives. Quaker marriages were special for the time. They saw husbands and wives as "spiritual equals." This allowed each person to explore their own faith.

A Special Friendship Forms

Before their journey, Evans and Cheevers did not know each other. They both felt that God told them to travel to Alexandria, Egypt. They believed this would help them find their next religious path. In late 1657, Sarah was 50 years old and Katherine was about 40. They met through a Quaker group in London. They decided to travel together. They quickly became very close friends.

Their friendship was unusually strong. They said it gave them emotional and spiritual strength during their time in prison.

And they told us, the Inquisitor would have us separated, because I was weak, and I should go into a cooler room; but Sarah should abide there. I took her by the arm, and said, The Lord hath joined us together, and wo be to them that should part us. I said, I rather chuse to dye there with my friend, than to part from her. He was smitten, and went away, and came no more in five weeks.... They did not part us till ten Weeks after: But oh the dark clouds and the sharp showers the Lord did carry us through! Death it self had been better than to have parted in that place.

Evans and Cheevers even called their relationship a "marriage." Some historians think this was to show their strong bond with God. Other Quakers sometimes used this language too. Other experts believe their close bond shows the importance of friendships among early Quakers.

Arrest and Imprisonment in Malta

The trip from England to Turkey was hard. Storms slowed their ship. So, the captain decided to go to Malta instead. Katherine and Sarah felt it would be a difficult place for them.

Evans and Cheevers arrived in Malta on December 21, 1658. At that time, Malta was controlled by the Catholic Church. It was strictly forbidden for women to preach religious messages. People in Malta were not the only ones who disliked Quaker beliefs. In England, Quakerism was seen as "tumultuous." Efforts were made to stop Quaker meetings and preaching. This led to Quakers often resisting unfair treatment.

When Evans and Cheevers started sharing Quaker writings, they got attention. They shared texts in Latin and French. The Maltese Inquisitor, Girolamo Casanate, noticed them.

They were arrested for preaching and sharing Quaker books. From December 1658 to early 1659, they were under house arrest with the English consul. In 1659, they were moved to a local prison. This was ordered by Cardinal Barberini. While in prison, Evans and Cheevers refused to change to Catholicism. They kept writing and preaching their beliefs. They faced illness, hunger, isolation, and constant questioning. Officials tried to make them seem crazy to discredit their ideas. They were even separated to try and break their spirit. But this only made them stronger.

They said, we corrupted each other, and that they thought when we were parted, we would have bowed to them. But they found we were more stronger afterwards than we were before; the Lord our God did fit us for every condition.

Prison officials tried to take away their writing tools. But they could not stop them from writing many works and letters. These writings criticized their treatment and the Catholic Church. They also explained Quaker ideas.

Many important Quaker leaders tried to help them. George Fox was one of them. But most attempts failed. A Quaker missionary named Daniel Baker visited them. He offered to be a prisoner in their place, but this was refused. Instead, he worked to get their letters and writings to England. He managed to get copies of their works. Baker then published their writings in 1662. Evans and Cheevers were very thankful. They called Baker "Our dear Brother."

Their Published Works

While in prison, Evans and Cheevers wrote many letters and a story. It was called This is a Short Relation of some of the Cruel Sufferings (for the Truths Sake) of Katharine Evans & Sarah Cheevers in the Inquisition in the Isle of Malta. This was published in 1662. In 1663, they also published A True Account of the Great Tryals and Cruel Sufferings Undergone by Those Two Faithful Servants of God, Katherine Evans and Sarah Cheevers, in the Time of Their above Three Years and a Half's Confinement in the Island Malta. This book included their release story and journey home.

These books mostly tell about their experiences. They describe their interrogations, visions, and illnesses. They also include letters to friends, family, and church members. These letters discuss religion and faith deeply. When telling their story, Evans and Cheevers used language that made them seem like victims. They wanted to draw comparisons to biblical stories. They included long discussions of their beliefs. A main belief was that salvation came from personal faith in God. They also wrote about "revelations and visions." These books were popular in England among early Quakers. They were printed many times with few changes.

Some historians have questioned how accurate their books are. They found differences between the women's stories and court records.

Release and Later Life

Evans and Cheevers were released in 1662. The priests and the new consul grew tired of their behavior in prison. Also, George Fox and Gilbert Lately kept asking for their release. On their way home, Evans and Cheevers continued to share their faith. They were not met with open hostility. But English authorities made sure their journey back to England was quick.

Not much is known about what happened to Evans and Cheevers after this. However, some Christian groups still see their works as examples of true religious dedication. They also credit them with helping us understand early Quaker beliefs.

List of Works

• Evans, Katherine and Sarah Cheevers, A True Account of the Great Tryals and Cruel Sufferings Undergone by Those Two Faithful Servants of God, Katherine Evans and Sarah Cheevers, in the Time of Their above Three Years and a Halfs Confinement in the Island Malta, London: 1663.
• Evans, Katharine and Sarah Cheevers, This is a Short Relation of some of the Cruel Sufferings (for the Truths Sake) of Katharine Evans & Sarah Cheevers in the Inquisition in the Isle of Malta. London, 1662
• Evans, Katherine, Sarah Cheevers, and George Robinson. A brief history of the voyage of Katharine Evans and Sarah Cheevers, to the island of Malta ... To which is added, a short relation from George Robinson, of the sufferings which befel him in his journey to Jerusalem. London: Printed by the assigns of J. Sowle, in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street, and at the Bible in George-Yard, Lombard-Street, 1715.