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fetch us to land also, in a seasonable time, for our provisions were quite spent.

We partook also of another great deliverance in this voyage through the good providence of the Lord, which we came to understand afterwards. For when we were determined to come from Jamaica, we had our choice of two vessels, that were both bound for the same coast; one of these was a frigate, the other was called a yacht. The master of the frigate we thought asked unreasonably for our passage; which made us agree with the master of the yacht, who offered to carry us ten shillings a piece cheaper than the other. We went on board the yacht, and the frigate came out together with us, intending to be consorts during the voyage; and for several days we sailed together; but what with calms and contrary winds we were in a while separated: and after that the frigate, losing her way, fell among the Spaniards, by whom she was taken and robbed, and the master and mate made prisoners; afterwards being retaken by the English, she was sent home to her owners in Virginia. Which when we came to understand, we saw and admired the providence of God, who preserved us out of our enemies' hands; and he that was covetous fell among the covetous. Some friends at Jamaica would have had us gone in the frigate that was taken; but the Lord in his wisdom ordered it otherwise.

Here we found John Burneyate intending shortly to sail for old England; but upon our arrival he altered his purpose, and joined with us in the Lord's service which we were upon. He had appointed a general meeting for all the friends in the province of Maryland, that he might see them together and take his leave of them, before he departed out of the country; and it was so ordered by the good providence of God, that we landed just time enough to reach that meeting; by which means we had a very seasonable opportunity of taking the friends of the province together. A very large meeting this was, and held four days; to which (besides friends) came many of the world's people, divers of which were of considerable quality in the world's account; for there were amongst them five or six justices of the peace, a speaker of their parliament or assembly, one of the council, and divers others of note; who seemed well satisfied with the meeting. After the public meetings were over, the men's and women's meetings began; wherein I opened to friends the service thereof to their great satisfaction: after this we went to another place called the Cliffs, where another general meeting was appointed; we went some part of the way by land,

and the rest by water; and a storm arising, our boat was run on ground, in danger to be beaten to pieces; and the water came in upon us. I was in a great sweat, having come very hot out of a meeting before, and now was wet with the water beside; yet having faith in the power of the Lord, I was preserved from taking hurt, blessed be the Lord. To this meeting also many of the world's people came, and did receive the truth with reverence; we had also a men's-meeting and a women's-meeting, at which most of the backsliders came in again; and several of those meetings were established for taking care of the affairs of the church.

After these two general meetings were over, we parted company, dividing ourselves into several coasts, for the service of truth. James Lancaster and John Cartwright went by sea for New England; William Edmundson and three friends more with him sailed for Virginia, where things were much out of order; John Burneyate, Robert Widders, George Pattison and 1, with several friends of the province, went over by boat to the eastern shore, and had a meeting there on the first day; where many people received the truth with gladness, and friends were greatly refreshed: a very large and heavenly meeting it was, and several persons of quality in that country were at it, two of which were justices of the peace. And it was upon me from the Lord, to send to the Indian emperor and his kings to come to that meeting; the emperor came and was at the meeting; but his kings, lying further off, could not reach thither time enough; yet they came after with their cockarooses. I had in the evening (for they staid all night) two good opportunities with them, and they heard the word of the Lord willingly, and did confess to it. What I spake to them, I desired them to speak to their people; and let them know, that God was setting up his tabernacle of witness in their wilderness country, and was setting up his standard and glorious ensign of righteousness. They carried themselves very courteously and lovingly, and inquired where the next meeting would be, and they would come to it; yet they said, they had had a great debate with their council about their coming, before they came now.

The next day we began our journey by land to New England, a tedious journey through the woods and wilderness, over bogs and great rivers. We took horse at the head of Tredaven Creek, and travelled through the woods, till we came a little above the head of Miles River; by which we passed, and rode on to the head of Wye River, and so got to the head of Chester River; where making a

fire, we took up our lodging in the woods. Next morn ing setting forward again, we travelled through the woods till we came to Saxifrax River, which we went over in canoes (which are Indian boats,) causing our horses to swim by. Then we rode on to Bohemia River; where in like manner swimming our horses, we ourselves went over in canoes. We rested a little at a plantation by the way, but could not stay long, for we had thirty miles to ride that afternoon, if we would reach a town; which we were willing to do, and therefore rid hard for it and I with some others, whose horses were stronger, got to the town that night, exceedingly tired, and withal wet to the skin; but George Pattison and Robert Widders being weakerhorsed, were fain to fall short and lie in the woods that night also, making themselves a fire: the town we went to was a Dutch town, called Newcastle, whither Robert Widders and George Pattison came to us next morning. We departed from thence and got over the River Delaware, not without great danger of some of our lives; and when we were over, we were troubled to get new guides, which were hard to get and very chargeable. Then had we that wilderness country to pass through, which is since called West Jersey, which was not then inhabited by English; so that we have travelled a whole day together, without seeing man or woman, house or dwelling-place; and sometimes we lay in the woods by a fire, and sometimes in the Indians' wigwams or houses. In this journey we came one night to an Indian town, and lay at their king's house, who was a very pretty man; and both he and his wife received us very lovingly, and his attendants (such as they were) were very respectful to us; they laid us mats to lie on; but provision was very short with them, having caught but little that day. At another Indian town where we staid, their king came to us, and he could speak some English; wherefore I spake to him much, and also to his people, and they were very loving to us. At length we came to a town called Middle Town, which is an English plantation in East Jersey; and there were some friends, but we could not stay to have a meeting there at that time, being earnestly pressed in our spirits, to get to the half-year's meeting of friends at Oyster Bay in Long Island; which was very near at hand: wherefore we went down with a friend (whose name was Richard Hartshorn, brother to Hugh Hartshorn, the upholsterer, in London,) who received us gladly to his house, where we refreshed ourselves (for we were weary) and then he carried us and our horses in his own boat over a great water (which held

us most part of the day in getting over,) and set us upon Long Island. So we got that evening to friends at Gravesand, with whom we tarried that night, and the next day we got to Flushing, and the day following we reached to Oyster Bay; several friends both of Gravesand and Flushing accompanying us. The half-year's meeting began next day, which was the first day of the week, and lasted four days. The first and second days we had public meetings for worship, to which the people of the world of all sorts might and did come; on the third day of the week were the men's and women's-meeting, wherein the affairs of the church were taken care of. Here we met with some of the bad spirits, who were run out from truth into prejudice, contention, and opposition to the order of truth; and to friends therein. These had been very troublesome to friends in their meetings there and thereabouts formerly, and it is like would have been so now; but I would not suffer the service of our men's and women's-meetings to be interrupted and hindered by their cavils. Wherefore I let them know, that if they had any thing to object against the order of truth which we were in, we would give them a meeting another day on purpose. And indeed I laboured the more, and travelled the harder to get to this meeting, where it was expected many of these contentious people would be; because I understood they had reflected much upon me when I was far from them. So the men's and women's-meetings being over, on the fourth day we had a meeting with those discontented people, to which as many of them as would did come, and as many friends as had a desire were present also; and the Lord's power brake forth gloriously to the confounding of the gainsayers. And then some of those that had been chief in the mischievous work of contention and opposition against the truth, began to fawn upon me, and to cast the matter upon others; but the deceitful spirit was judged down and condemned, and the glorious truth of God was exalted and set over all, and they were all brought down and bowed under; which was of great service to truth, and great satisfaction and comfort to friends; glory to the Lord for ever!

After this meeting were over, and friends were gone to their several habitations, we staid some days upon the island; and had several meetings in several parts thereof, and had good service for the Lord. And when we were clear of the island, we returned to Oyster Bay, waiting for a wind to carry us to Rhode Island, which was computed to be about two hundred miles. As soon as the wind VOL. II.

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served we set sail, and arrived in Rhode Island on the thirtieth day of the third month; where we were gladly received by friends. We went to Nicholas Easton's house, who at that time was governor of the island, and there we lay; being very weary with travelling by land and sea. On the first-day of the week following we had a large meeting, to which the deputy-governor and several justices came, and were mightily affected with the truth. The week following, the yearly-meeting for all the friends of New England and the other colonies adjacent, was held in this island; to which, besides very many friends who lived in those parts, came John Stubbs from Barbadoes, and James Lancaster and John Cartwright from another way. This meeting lasted six days, of which the first four days were general public meetings for worship, to which abundance of the world's people came for they having no priest in the island, and so no restriction to any particular way of worship, and both the governor and deputy-governor, with several justices of the peace daily frequenting the meetings, this did so encourage the people that they flocked in from all parts of the island. Very good service we had amongst them, and truth had a good reception with them; and indeed, to give them their due, I have rarely observed a people, in the state wherein they stood, to hear with more attention, diligence and affection, than generally they did, during the four days together, which also was taken notice of by other friends. After these public meetings were over the men's-meeting began, which was large, precious and weighty; and the day following was the women's-meeting, which also was large and very solemn; and these two meetings being for the ordering the affairs of the church, many weighty things were opened and communicated to them, by way of advice, information and instruction in the services relating thereunto, that all might be kept clean, sweet and savoury amongst them. In these two meetings several men's and women's-meetings for other parts were agreed and settled, to take care of the poor and other affairs of the church, and to see, that all who profess truth, walk according to the glorious gospel of God. Now when this great and general meeting in Rhode Island was ended, it was somewhat hard for friends to part; for the glorious power of the Lord, which was over all, and his blessed truth and life flowing amongst them, had so knit and united them together, that they spent two days in taking leave one of another, and of the friends of the island; and then being

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