1732. Care to keep a Confcience void of Offence towards God, and to all Men, which now was bis Comfort. The hard Weather continuing, I found an Exercife and Concern on my Mind to vifit Friends Meetings in the County of Bucks, in Penfylvania, and the County of Burlington in West-Ferley; in both which I was at above twenty Meetings in about twenty Days. In this Journey I was favoured with the Grace and Goodness of the divine Hand to a greater Degree than I was worthy of, though I was exceeding poor in my Spirit, and, in my own Judgment, very weak for Service and Labour, both in Body and Mind; our Meetings, confidering the fevere Season, were large, and, I hope, they were to general Edification.

Borden.

town.

On the 25th of the Tenth Month, being the reputed Birth Day of our Lord Jefus Chrift, at a little Town, near the Falls, called Bordentown, we had a Meeting (where never any had been before of our Friends) in one of the Houses newly built by Jofeph Borden, the Proprietor of the Place: He entertained us lovingly at his Houfe, when he was fo generous as to offer Ground for a Grave-Yard, and to build a Meeting-house on, and a handfome Sum of Money towards building it, though he did not make Profeffion to be of our Society. Some that were at this Meeting, who did not profefs with us, came over the Creek on the Ice to Ifaac Horner's in the Evening, where we had a fatisfactory Meeting, in which God, through Chrift, was glorified. Daniel Stanton (my Wife's Sifter's Son) accompanied me in this Journey, whofe Company and Miniftry was acceptable, both to me and Friends, and we had Meetings at the Falls, Bristol, Middletown, Wright's-Town, Bordentown, Crofwicks, Mansfield, Upper and Lower Springfield, Mount Holly, Rancocas, Evebam, and Chefter, and divers Eveningmeetings at feveral Friends Houfes. It now being a fickly Time I was often fent for to vifit the Sick, in

which Vifits we were comforted, and God's holy Name 1732. was praised.

On the 18th of the Eleventh Month I was fent for

to Bristol to vifit Ennion Williams, who was dangerously Brifol. ill, and to Burlington, to the Burial of Elizabeth the Burlingt Wife of Jonathan Wright, who was buried from the great Meeting-houfe at Burlington. The Meeting was very large, fhe being well beloved by her Neighbours and Acquaintance, being a Woman much given to Hofpitality (and indeed many of the Friends of Burlington have exceeded in that Respect the most that ever I have obferved in my Travels) She was a Pattern of Piety, a loving, obliging Wife, and tender and careful Mother, a kind Neighbour, a loving and faithful Friend, and fo continued to the End;, for fome of her dying Words were, That fhe defired her Love might be remembred to all her Friends, which was done openly in the faid Meeting, and tenderly affected many.

After I came home, I was at the Marriage of William Parker and Elizabeth Gilbert, at which Marriage was our worthy, antient Friend, John Richardson, with divers other European Friends. The Meeting was large and edifying.

The River ftill continuing frozen up, I had a Defire to vifit my Friends and Brethren in Chefter County, whom I had not feen for fome Years; and in order thereto, in the Beginning of the Twelfth Month, I, with my Kinsman, Daniel Stanton, fet out from Philadelphia, and went to Newtown, where we had a Meeting next Day (being the firft of the Week) and afterwards an Evening-meeting at Evan Lewis's; from thence we went to the Monthly-meeting at Providence, on Third-day to Middletown, Fourth-day to Concord, Fifth-day to Birmingham, Sixth-day to London-Grove; after which we had an Evening-meeting at a Widow's House: From thence we travell'd on Seventh-day to Nottingham, and were at a large Meeting there on First-day, and had an Evening-meeting at a Friend's

House,

1732. House, where fome Perfons came, who had never been at a Meeting of Friends before; on Second-day we had a Meeting at Sufquehannah Ferry, to which divers .......People came over the Ice, and it was a good Opportunity to many of them. Third-day we had a large Meeting at West-Nottingham, and in the Evening at William Brown's, and next we had a large Meeting at NewGarden, and at Michael Lightfoot's House we met with two Friends from Ireland, Mungo Bewley and Samuel Stephens, who were now proceeding on the Course of their religious Vifit to Friends in Maryland, Virginia, and North-Carolina.From thence I went to vifit my old Friend and Acquaintance Ellis Lewis, who had a Defire to fee me; We had an Eveningmeeting in his Chamber, to our mutual Comfort and Refreshment; and next Day had a very large Meeting in the Meeting-houfe at Kennet; after which we went to Concord to the Quarterly-meeting for the County of Chester, and were at three Meetings there, and likewife had three Evening-meetings at Friends Houses; at which Meetings we had the Company of my Kinswoman Alice Alderfon, and her Companion Margaret Coupland, who were lately come from the North of England, to vifit Friends in this and the adjacent Provinces.

We went on Third-day to the General-meeting at Providence, which was very large; Joshua Fielding and Ebenezer Large were there; and we had an Eveningmeeting at Rebecca Minfball's; and next went to Chichester, were we had a larger Meeting than I expected, confidering the Seafon; we lodged at John Salkeld's; and on Fifth-day we had a good, open Meeting at Chester, and, in the Evening, another at "Grace Lloyd's; next Day had a Meeting at Springfield, which I believe will be remembered by fome that were there, when we don't fee one another; afterwards we travelled to Philadelphia:

In

In this Year 1732, arrived Thomas Penn, one of 1732 the Proprietors of Penfylvania, and Son of the truly honourable William Penn, Governor and Proprietor of this Province, a wife Man, a good Chriftian, and a mild Governor, a great Promoter of Piety and Virtue, and of good Men. May this his Son walk in his Steps!

In the First Month was our general Spring-meeting, at which were feveral Publick Friends from England, viz. John Richardfon, Alice Alderfon, and Magaret Coupland. The Meeting was large and edifying, the faid Friends having Service therein to general Satisfaction..

1

1733

The 2d of the Second Month I proceeded on a Voyage to Barbadoes (it being the first in the Snow Barbadoes-Packet, a Veffel built on Purpose for me) We got to the Capes the 20th of the Second Month in the Evening, where we were obliged to come to an Anchor; and the 21ft we put out to Sea, but the Wind being against us, and looking like windy Weather, I concluded to come too under our Cape, and wait for a fair Wind: As foon as our Snow came to, we got our Boat out, and went to Lewis-Town; and next Lewis Day, being Firft-day, we had a Meeting in the town, Court-house. In this Town, is an Epifcopal, and a Prefbyterian Meeting-houfe; but neither of their Teachers were that Day in Town, and divers of the People were glad of a Meeting, and I had a good Opportunity with them. After Meeting I went on board, and weighed Anchor, and had a fair Wind for above At Sea a Week after: In which Time we overtook the Ship Amity,Bowling Mafter, near the Latitude of -Bermudas; where we had finart Gales of Wind, which obliged us to carry our Topfails double-reeff'd: And, after having been at Sea 27 Days and one Night, in which Time we had feveral Meetings, we faw the Island of Barbadoes; though, for the most Part, we Barbadoes.

T

had

1733. had contrary Winds; but all was well, and God bleffed, who is for ever worthy.

Sails from

The 20th of the Fourth Month, having done my Barbadoes. Bufinefs, and alfo vifited Friends Meetings, we failed for Philadelphia; and on the 25th of the Fourth Month, being Firft-day, we had a seasonable and ferviceable Meeting, wherein the Almighty was worshipped and praised, and the People exhorted to Sobriety and Temperance. We were about 20 Days from Philadel Barbadoes to Philadelphia.

phia,

After having taid at Home about fix Weeks, and vifited the Meetings of Friends in divers Places, to mine and their Satisfaction, on the 28th of the Sixth Month, I proceeded on another Voyage for the Inland of Barbadoes. We left Sight of our Capes on the 31ft of the faid Month. The Winds were for the most Part, contrary, and, before we got into the Trade Wind, we met with two hard Gales; the last of which was a Kind of a Hurricane, in which we could carry no Sail at all, but let the Veffel lie to the Mercy of the Seas, or rather to the Mercy of him that made the Seas, and all that is therein, and in the Earth alfo. In this Storm we loft a fpare Top-maft, and divers other Utenfils belonging to the Veffel; but all our People were well and fafe. This Voyage we had feveral comfort-able religious Meetings on board, in which we were exhorted to prepare for another and better World, this being fo very uncertain and momentary, and full of various Exercifes, Temptations, and Afflictions.

I had on board three Whitehaven Sailors, William Towerfon, William Trimble, and William Atkinson, and I do not remember that I heard either of them fwear an Oath during the whole Voyage, which I thought worthy to ftand on Record, because it is fo rare in feafaring Men. About the Beginning of the Eighth Month (being in the Latitude of Barbadoes) the Thoughts of my leaving my Family and Habitation, and many of my loving Relations, and near and dear

Friends