She called the children one day when weak, and faid, "Be not frighted, children; I do not call you "to take my leave of you, but to fee you; and I "would have you walk in the fear of the Lord, and "with his people in his holy truth," or to that ef•fect.

Speaking at another time folemnly to the children, fhe faid, "I never defired any great things for you, "but that you may fear the Lord, and walk in his "truth, among his people, to the end of your days," • &c.

She would not fuffer me to neglect any publick meeting, after I had my liberty, upon her account, faying often, "O go, my deareft! Do not hinder "any good for me. I defire thee go: I have cast "my care upon the Lord: I fhall fee thee again."

About three hours before her end, a relation taking leave of her, fhe faid again, " I have caft my "care upon the Lord: my dear love to all friends; and (lifting up her dying hands and eyes) prayed the Lord to preserve them and bless them.

C

About an hour after, caufing all to withdraw, we were half an hour together, in which we took our laft leave, faying all that was fit upon that folemn occafion. She continued fenfible, and did eat fomething about an hour before her departure; at which <time our children, and most of the family were prefent. She quietly expired in my arms, her head upon my bofom, with a fenfible and devout refignation of her foul to Almighty God. I hope I may fay, fhe was a publick as well as a private lofs; for fhe was not only an excellent wife and mother, but an entire and conftant friend, of a more than common capacity, and greater modefty and humility; yet moft equal and undaunted in danger. Religious, < as well as ingenuous, without affectation. An eafy mistress, and good neighbour, efpecially to the POOR. Neither lavish, nor penurious, but an example of industry, as well as of other virtues: therefore, our great lofs, though her own eternal gain.'

In the 9th, 10th, and 11th months this year, he travelled in the work of the ministry, in the counties of Gloucester, Somerset, Devon and Dorfet, having meetings almost daily, in the most confiderable towns, and other places in thofe counties, at which the people flocked in abundantly; and his teftimony to the TRUTH, anfwering to that of GOD in their confciences, was affented to by many.

In the year 1695, a nameless author writ what he called, "An Answer to William Penn's Key;" and W. P. returned, "A Reply to a Nameless Answer to "William Penn's Key, in which the Principles of "the People called Quakers are farther explained " and confirmed:" a paffage or two in which reply, being a defence of his own conduct, under the several changes of government, we think it but juftice to transcribe.

The faid nameless author charges W. Penn as being the author of a pamphlet in defence of the bill of exclufion, and tells him, "He was then a man princi..

pled for the civil liberties of his country." Tỏ which W. P. thus anfwers: But if I may be fo bold with the author, pray why then principled for civil liberties, and not afterwards? And why this upon me at all? But why at this time, and upon this occafion, to be brought in by head and fhoulders, as the proverb is? But what if I never writ fuch a pamphlet, (as to be fure I did not) what is to be faid to, and of, fuch an author, in such a case, and in 'fuch a time, and to a man under my circumstances? 'Let him know, then, that I did not only never write 'fuch a pamphlet, but I am fure that I do not re'member that I ever read one of fuch a title, or heard ' of it; nor was I of that principle, and therefore I ' return the civility of his conclufion to him again; 'for, I thank God, I was always fo much for civil liberties, that I thought no man ought to lose them for his religious principles; and farther, that they were never to be fecured by this or that man, but by a good and equal conftitution of government, as fome

papers

papers by me, which I writ at that time, as well as divers perfons yet living, of good reputation, can 'evidence for me.'

The aforefaid author alfo charges him with prevaricating in the late reign, and fhewing an intemperate zeal for a boundless liberty of confcience, &c. To which he fays, In this he would be charitable, but let him first be just. If there were no prevarications, then there is no need of an intemperate zeal for liberty to fhadow or reconcile them to my former principles; and I am so much a friend to him and his brethren, that I wish them free from all intemperance and prevarications too, and that in all reigns: and if it be poffible, or worth while, to reconcile him better to my conduct, let him peruse my "Great "Cafe of Liberty of Confcience," printed 1671, and · my "Letter to the States of Embden, 1672," and C my "Present State of England, 1675," and he will find I was the fame man then, and acted by the fame principles: not more intemperate in the reign that favoured it, than in the reign I contended with that did not favour it. And no man, but a persecutor, which I count a beast of prey, and a declared enemy to mankind, can, without great injuftice or ingratitude, reproach that part I had in king James's < court. For I think I may fay without vanity, upon this provocation, I endeavoured at least to do fome good at my own coft, and would have been glad to ⚫ have done more: I am very fure I intended, and I ‹ think I did, harm to none, neither parties nor private perfons, my own family excepted; for which I doubt not this author's pardon, fince he fhews himself so • little concerned for the master of it.'

k

About the latter end of the fummer this year, he again went down into the west of England, and was prefent in the eighth month at a dispute held at Melktham in Wiltshire, between one John Plympton a

Baptift, and John Clark a Quaker. The Baptift had dared the Quakers to a conference on five heads, viz. "1. The Univerfality of Grace. 2. Baptifm. 3. The "Supper. 4. Perfection. 5. The Refurrection." John Clark notably answered his objections; but Plympton continuing to cavil against the plaineft fcripture proofs, even when the auditors were fatisfied, would not be filent. The evening approaching, and William Penn finding himself under a concern to bear his teftimony to the truth in that affembly, terminated the difpute by an open and free declaration, which the auditory received with fingular attention; and he concluded the meeting with prayer.

On the fifteenth of the ninth month a meeting was appointed at Wells, and a large room at an inn, with a balcony next the street, was taken for that purpose, and the bishop duly certified of the fame. The room was quickly filled, and there was alfo a great concourfe of people in the ftreet; fo that, for the conveniency of his double auditory, W. P. placed himfelf in the balcony, and thence preached to the people; but in the midst of his declaration came officers from the mayor with the following warrant, viz.

Wells City and To the Conftables, Verderors, and Serjeants at Mace, of the faid City.

WH

HEREAS William Penn, and several others 'called Quakers, are now riotously and unlawfully affembled and gathered together in this city, and the faid William Penn is now preaching or teaching in an house not licensed according to the late act of parliament. These are therefore in his majesty's name to require you to take the faid William Penn, and him immediately to bring before us to answer the premises. Given under our hands and feals this 15th day of November, 1695.

• Matthew Baron, Mayor. • William Salmon.'

The

The officers, rudely officious, though defired to tarry till he had done, forced him away instantly before the magiftrates; who upon examination finding the house was certified, and that, by disturbing a lawful for an unlawful assembly, they had overfhot themselves, excufed the matter as well as they could, and presently dismissed him.

About this time, the people called Quakers foliciting the parliament in the cafe of oaths, W. P. prefented to the House of Commons, before whom a bill for their eafe was then depending, the following paper, viz.

To the Honourable HouSE of COMMONS.'

A few words crave their perufal, upon occafion of the bill to excufè the people called Quakers from ⚫fwearing.

'TH

HAT the request of the people called Quakers may be indulged by the members of this honourable houfe, it is humbly proposed to ⚫ them to confider the nature and fulness of the SECURITY they offer; and if it be found to amount to the weight and value of an OATH, it is hoped there will be no difficulty in accepting it in lieu of an • oath.

The pledge that every man upon oath gives of his truth, is his soUL; he means that God fhould deal with him according to the truth of his affirm⚫ative or negative given by him in the name of God. Now that the faid people do as much, viz. that they pledge their fouls too, in their way; that they mean the fame caution with them that fwear, and are under the fame reverence in their fimple and folemn AYE or No, and therefore give the fame fecurity; I fhall beg this honourable houfe to confider three things:

Firft, That this people make it an article of their faith and practice, and a great part of their charac• teristick,