Hitchin, and had a meeting there, as also at ter; to which meeting came divers of those Hertford, from whence, with several Friends, people called Menonists: they were very sober I went to Enfield, where I met with my dear and attentive; staid all the time of the meetand only brother, George, and several of my ing, and spoke well of it. From Harlem we relations and our friends; and we were heartily went to Amsterdam, the metropolis of Holglad to see one another. From Enfield we land, where Friends have a meeting house. went to London, and by the way we met with Here we had several meetings, and staid about several Friends of the meeting of Horsly- a week. On the first day we had a large down, to which I belonged from my childhood, meeting, to which came many people of divers who came to meet me, and accompanied us to persuasions and religions, as Jews, Papists, London. and others; and we had a good opportunity I staid in and about the city most of the among them, and several were tender. A winter, visiting meetings when I was in health; Jew came next day to speak with us, and for through often changing climates, I got a acknowledged, "That Christ was the minister severe cold, and was ill for several weeks, so of that sanctuary and tabernacle that God that I was not at any meeting, which time had pitched, and not man; and that he was was very tedious to me; not so much because sensible of the ministry of Christ in his soul; of my illness, as that I was deprived of the and, (said he) my heart was broken while opportunities and meetings which occur in that subject was spoken of in the meeting." that city every day of the week, except the I was glad to see the man tender and reached; last. When I had a little gotten over this ill- but too generally speaking, the poor Jews, the ness, I went into Hertfordshire and some parts seed of good Jacob, are very dark and unbeadjacent, and had meetings at Staines, Lang-lieving. I have met with but very few of ford, Uxbridge, Walford, Hempstead, Bend- them in my travels who have been tender; but ish, Albans, Market street, Hitchin, Hertford, I do love them for Abraham's, Isaac's, and Hodgdon, and then returned again to London. Jacob's sake. At this meeting, William Sewel, After I had been in London a while, I vis- the author of the History of the Rise and ited several other country meetings, as Winch- Progress of the people called Quakers, a tenmore-hill, Tottenham, Wansworth, Plaistow, der spirited, upright man, interpreted for me. Deptford and Epping, and then staid about From Amsterdam we went to North Holland, London some weeks, waiting for a passage and John Claus and Peter Reyard went with for Holland, which I intended to visit before I us to interpret for us; so by boat we travelled left my own habitation. to a town called Twisk, where we had two On the 14th of the first month, 1708-9, meetings, Friends having a meeting house my companion, John Bell, and I, after having there. We went back again to Amsterdam, acquainted our friends and relations, and hav- and had two large meetings on first-day; and ing their consent, took our solemn leave of on second-day in the evening, we went on them and went down to Gravesend, where we ship-board, in order to cross the South Sea to staid two or three days for a fair wind. We Harlingen, at which place we had two meetthen went on board the ship Ann, John Duck, ings, and we and Friends were glad to see master, bound for Rotterdam, in company with one another; and, indeed, we being as one a fleet of vessels waiting for wind, &c. When family all the world over, are generally glad the wind was fair we sailed for the coast of to see each other. From this place we traHolland, and when we arrived, the wind was velled eastward, through East Friesland, and contrary, and blew very hard, so that some of went through several great towns and cities, the ships in company lost their anchors, but until we came to Embden, the chief city in in a day or two we all arrived safely at Rotter-East Friesland, where we had a comfortable dam, in Holland; being but two days on the meeting by the bed-side of one of our friends passage. On first-day morning we went to who lay sick; and several of her neighbours meeting at Rotterdam, where Friends have a came in and staid till the meeting ended; some meeting house; and we staid at this city seven of them were very tender and loving, and or eight days, and had six or seven meetings, wished us well, and were well satisfied. After and were comforted with our brethren and meeting we set forward for Hamburgh, it being sisters, and greatly refreshed in the Lord four days journey by wagon, and passed along Almighty. At this city we spoke without an through divers towns and cities: we also trainterpreter, because most in the meeting un-velled through the city of Oldenburg, and a derstood English. From Rotterdam we tra- place of great commerce called Bremen. A velled by the Trekskuyt, a boat drawn by magistrate of this city took notice of us, joined horses, which is a pleasant easy way of tra- himself to us, and went with us to the inn, velling, to a large town called Harlem, where and then very lovingly took leave of us, and we had a meeting, and spoke by an interpre-desired God to bless us. The people at our VOL. VI.-No. 1.

4

and he did not so much as offer his hand, or give any assistance to her; which, however it might look to a man of that country, seemed very strange to me, being a Briton. For my part, I thought it unmanly, as well as unmannerly; on which I observe, that I never in any other part of the world, saw women so tenderly dealt by as our English women are, which they ought to prize highly, and therefore to be the more loving and obedient to their husbands; which indulgence I blame not, but commend, so far as it is a motive to stir them

inns were generally very loving and kind to us, and some would admire at my coming so far only to visit my friends, without any view of advantage or profit outwardly. When we got to Hamburgh we had a meeting at Jacob Hagen's, and those who were there, were well satisfied with the doctrine of truth; blessed be God, who, I may say, was with us at that time and place! At Hamburgh there was at meeting one who had preached before the king of Denmark; who, as I understood by our interpreter, was turned out of his place for declaring the same truths that we had preach-up to love and faithfulness. ed that day; at which meeting were Papists, Lutherans, Calvinists, Menonists, Jews, &c. All of them were sober, and generally expressed their satisfaction. I had so much comfort in that meeting, that I thought it was worth my labour in coming from my habitation; the answer of peace was so sweet to my soul, that I greatly rejoiced in my labour in the work of Christ. From hence I travelled to Frederickstadt, it being two days journey, where Friends have a meeting house. We vier than any of the rest; but through the staid about ten days, and had nine meetings in this city. Some of the meetings were very large, and the longer we staid, the larger they were. Frederickstadt is a city in the dominions of the duke of Holstein, and was the furthest place to which we travelled eastward; and from thence I wrote a small piece, called, "A loving invitation unto young and old in Holland and elsewhere;" which was translated into the German and Low Dutch languages: and divers impressions of it were also printed in England.

We travelled in this journey through some parts of the emperor of Germany's dominions, as also of the kings of Denmark and Swedeland, and of the duke of Oldenburg, and prince of East Friesland's territories, besides some parts of the seven provinces of the United States. We parted with our friends of Frederickstadt in much love and tenderness, with our hearts full of good will one towards another, and went back to the city of Embden, a nearer way by two days journey, than to go by Hamburgh. We crossed the rivers Eider, Elfe, and Weiser; over which last we were rowed by three women. The women in these parts of the world are strong and robust, and used to hard labour. I have seen them do not only the work of men, but of horses; it being common with them to do the most laborious, and the men the lightest and easiest work. I remember that I once saw near Hamburgh, a fair, well dressed woman, who, by her dress and appearance, was a woman of some note, and a man whom I took to be her husband, walking by her, and the way difficult, being up a very steep hill,

In this journey between Frederickstadt and Embden, we had four days hard travelling, and were twice overturned out of our wagons, but we received no harm, which was admirable to us; for once we fell, wagon and all, over a great bank, just by the side of a large ditch, and did but just save ourselves out of the ditch. The next time we overset upon stones: we wondered that none of us were hurt, particularly myself, I being much hea

mercy of God, we got well to Embden the second time, and had a meeting upon a firstday, and immediately after we took ship for Delfzeel, which was from Embden about nine or ten English miles, by water, and with a fair gale of wind, got there in less than two hours. We spoke by interpreters all along, and were divinely helped to preach the gospel to the satisfaction of others, and our own comfort; and the Friend who interpreted for us, was sensible of the same divine assistance, to his admiration, for which we were all truly thankful. But notwithstanding we were so opened, to the satisfaction of ourselves, our friends and the people, yet we were sometimes emptied to exceeding great spiritual poverty, and in the sense of our want and need, we did many times pour out our souls in humble prayer and supplication to the Most High, for his help and strength, that it might be made manifest to us in our weakness; and we found him a God near at hand, and often a present help in the needful time, and had a sweet answer to our prayers. O that my soul, with all the faithful, may dwell near to him, in whom alone is the help and strength of all his faithful servants and ministers! Amen.

From Delfzeel we went to Groeningen, the chief city in Groeningland, and to a town named Goradick, where we had a meeting with a few Friends and some of their neighbours. It was to us a comfortable meeting, and they were glad of it, being but seldom visited by Friends. From this place we travelled by wagon to Hervine, where we lodged that night, and next day went by wagon to Leuwarden. It happened that we had gene

rally very fine weather while in those open dam, ten; Harlem, three; Amsterdam, ten; wagons, in which we travelled several hun-Twisk, four; Harlingen, three; Horn, one; dred miles, so that Jacob Claus, our compan- Hamburgh, one; Embden, two; Frederickion and interpreter, though he had travelled stadt, ten; Goradick, one. much, said he never had observed the like before; which observation I thought good to make, with thanks to the Almighty.

From the city of Leuwarden, we came by water to Harlingen, where Friends were glad to see us, and we them. We had a good and comfortable meeting in Friends' meeting house, blessed be the Lord for it! From hence we crossed the South Sea, and had a contrary wind, which made our passage long and tedious. We were two days and two nights on this water before we got to Amsterdam, in all which, and the next day, I tasted no food, being three days fasting. I was willing to keep my body under, and found it for my health, neither had I any desire for food in those three days, in which time we had two meetings. We arrived at Amsterdam about the sixth hour on first-day morning, and had two meetings that day, which were quiet, and many people came to one of them: but we could not be clear without going again to North Holland. So from Amsterdam we went to Horn, where we had a meeting in the collegian's meeting house, and it was to satisfaction: the people were very loving, and divers very tender, even more than we have usually seen. They desired another meeting, but our time would not admit of it, we having appointed a meeting at Twisk the next day, which we had in the meeting place, as also another at a Friend's house. Next day we returned to Amsterdam, and had a meeting, which began about the fifth hour, which was the last meeting we had in this city, and I hope it will not easily be forgotten by some. After it we solemnly took our leave of Friends, and departed for Harlem, where we were well refreshed in the love and life of Christ Jesus, our dear Lord and good Master. From Harlem we went with several Friends to Rotterdam, where we had two meetings, and in the evening visited a Friend who was not well, with whom we had an affecting time, and the sick Friend was comforted and refreshed, and said she was much better than before; and we were edified, and the Lord our God praised and magnified over all, who is blessed for

All these are large cities, except Twisk and Goradick.

From Rotterdam we took ship for London, and on the 30th of the third month, 1709, sailed down the river Meuse to the Briel, in the ship Ann, John Duck, master, but he missing the convoy, we took our passage in the packet; and from Helvoetsluys sailed over to Harwich, and safely arrived in our native land, blessing Almighty God for his many preservations and deliverances by sea and land.

About this time, after a long continuance of war, there was great talking of peace; but the old enemy to peace, truth and righteousness, broke it off by his evil working in man: neither can there be any lasting peace, until the nations come to witness the peaceable government and spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, set up and established in themselves. The Lord bring it to pass, if it be his blessed will, with speed, for his holy name's sake! Amen.

As I have had great peace and satisfaction in my travels in Holland and Germany, so, for inciting others under the like exercise, I may truly say, that there is encouragement for faithful ministers to labour in the work of the gospel. I know not that I ever met with more tenderness and openness in people, than in those parts of the world. There is a great people whom they call Menonists, who are very near to truth, and the fields are white unto harvest, among divers of them, spiritually speaking. Oh! that faithful labourers, not a few, might be sent of God Almighty into the great vineyard of the world, is what my spirit breathes to him for.

After lodging one night at Harwich, we came to Ipswich, and from thence to Colchester, where we staid on first-day and had two meetings; and had a meeting at Birch and Coggeshall, and then back to Colchester, where we took coach for London, to the yearly meeting of Friends, which was very large. I gave a short account of my travels to the said meeting, with which Friends were satisfied, and made a minute thereof. I had been about twenty months from my habitation, and from my dear and affectionate wife, and from any In those parts, viz., Holland, Friesland, trade or business, being all that time wholly Germany, &c., we travelled nine hundred given up in my mind to preach the glorious and seventy-two English miles, all in wagons gospel of God our Saviour, without any outand vessels. We came not on a horse's back ward consideration whatever, taking my great all the time. We staid about nine weeks in Master's counsel; as I had freely received those countries, travelling and getting meet- from him, so I freely gave; and had that solid ings where we could, which were to the num- peace in my labours which is of more valuë ber of forty-five, thus accounted: at Rotter-than gold, yea, than all the world.

ever.

In this voyage we had our health to admiration; and I shall mention one thing worthy of notice. Some of my loving and good friends in London, fearing a sickness in the ship, as she was but small, and considering

From the yearly meeting I travelled through stood both languages interpreted for me. The some parts of most of the counties in England, people were tender and wrought upon, behaved and also in Wales: in which service I laboured soberly, and were well satisfied: and I can fervently, and often travelled hard, in body truly say, I was well satisfied also. and mind, until the next yearly meeting, 1710, having travelled that year about two thousand five hundred miles, and had nearly three hundred public meetings, in many of which there were much people, and oftentimes great openness. Being at so many Friends' there were so many souls on board, being houses and meetings, if I was to be particular, it would be too voluminous, for which, and some reason beside, I only give a general account thereof.

ninety-four in number, for that and other reasons, advised me not to go in her; for they loved me well, and I took it kindly of them. But I could not be easy to take their advice, In this year, 1710, my dear friend and fel- because I had been long from my habitation low-traveller, Richard Gove, departed this life and business, and which was yet more, from at Uxbridge, about fifteen miles from London, my dear and loving wife; and notwithstandat our friend Richard Richardson's house. He ing the vessel was so full and crowded, and died of a consumption. We travelled together also several of the people taken into the ship in great love and unity, and the Lord blessed in the river Thames, yet they mended on his work in our hands. We were in company board the vessel apace, and were soon all in the West India islands, Ireland, and North brave and hearty, being perfectly recovered Britain, till we came to Berwick on Tweed. at sea, and the ship, through the providence We met together again at London, and he of the Almighty, brought them all well to visited some other parts of Britain in the time Philadelphia, in the seventh month, 1710. I I was in Holland and Germany. He was an think I never was in a more healthy vessel, inoffensive, loving Friend, and had a sound and I thought this a peculiar favour worthy to testimony, which was serviceable and con- be recorded by me. We had a very pleasant vincing, and was well beloved in Philadelphia, passage up the river Delaware, to our great where he lived. He left a good savour and satisfaction, the Palatines being wonderfully report behind him, I think, wherever he tra- pleased with the country, greatly admiring velled. the pleasantness and the fertility of it. Divers of our people went on shore and brought fruit on board, which was the largest and finest they had ever seen, as they said, such as apples, peaches, &c.

I was from my family and habitation in this journey and travel, for the space of three years, within a few weeks; in which time, and in my return, I had sweet peace to my soul; glory to God for evermore! I had meetings every day when on land, except second and seventh-days, when in health, and nothing extraordinary hindered, and had travelled by sea and land, fourteen thousand three hundred miles, according to our English account. I was kindly and tenderly received by my friends, who longed to see me, as I did them, and our meeting was comfortable and pleasant.

At this general meeting in London, I had a good opportunity to take leave of my dear friends and brethren in my native land, not expecting to see it, or them, any more. Oh! I may truly say, it was a solemn parting! a solemn time to me indeed. After the yearly meeting was over, I took my passage in the Mary Hope, John Annis master, bound for Philadelphia; and on the 29th of the fourth month, 1710, at Gravesend, after having taken a solemn leave of our relations, and several of my dear friends, we set sail and overtook the Russia fleet at Harwich, joined it, and sailed as far as Shetland, which is northward of the isles of Orkney. We were with the fleet about two weeks, and then left it, and sailed to the westward for America. In this time we had rough seas, which made After this long travel and voyage, I staid divers of us sea-sick. After we left Shetland, at home and looked after the little family we were seven weeks and four days at sea which God had given me, and kept duly to before we saw the land of America, and glad meetings, except something extraordinary hinwe were when we got sight thereof. In this dered. Divers people when I came home, time we had divers sweet and solemn meet- raised a false report of me, and said I had ings, on first-days and fifth-days, wherein we brought home a great deal of money and worshipped and praised the great Jehovah, and goods, which I got by preaching. This was many things were opened in the spirit of love utterly false and base; for I brought neither and truth, to our comfort and edification. We money nor goods, so much as to the value of had one meeting with the Germans or Pala- five pounds, except my wearing apparel. My tines on the ship's deck, and one who under-case was so much the reverse, that I borrowed

money at London to pay for my accommodations home, which I faithfully remitted back again to my friend who lent it to me; and if I might have gained a hundred pounds per annum, it would not have tempted me to undertake that, or another such journey. Soon after my return home, I visited a few neighbouring meetings, which were large and edifying, Friends being glad to see me; and I did, as I had reason to do, bless the holy name of the Lord, for his many preservations and deliverances by sea and land.

me.

though I well knew my loss was her's and their gain!

any before, and some were convinced, and many would acknowledge to the testimony of truth, which was declared by the help and grace of Christ; and many times by the assistance of that grace, my heart was wonderfully opened to the people.

I now gave up my time mostly to travelling, for about the space of two years, in which I visited the meetings of Friends in the provinces of Pennsylvania, East and West Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, back to Philadelphia, and then to New-Jersey again: also to Long island, Rhode Island, Conanicut island, Nantucket island, and New-England, and through those parts on my return to Philadelphia. In these journies I travelled some After some stay at Philadelphia, I went thousands of miles, and had many large meetdown with my wife and family into Mary-ings, some in places where there had not been land, to a corn-mill and saw-mill, which I had there, in order to live there some time and settle my affairs. While there, my dear wife was taken ill of a sore disease, and I was desirous of getting her up to Philadelphia. She was carried as far as Chester in a horselitter, where she continued for some months In Virginia I had a meeting at James' river, in extreme pain, at the house of our very where a priest of the church of England, with kind friends, David and Grace Lloyd, whose some of his hearers, made some opposition kindness to us in that trying and exercising after our meeting was over, and were for distime, was great, and is not to be forgotten by puting about religion; and he openly declared, From Chester we removed her in a lit-The spirit was not his guide nor rule; and ter, accompanied by our friends, to Philadel- he hoped, never should be. But, he said, the phia, where she continued very ill all that Scriptures were his rule, and that there was winter, often thinking that death tarried long, no need of any other; and that they were as and crying mightily to the Lord, "Oh! come plain as Gunter's line, or as one, two, three." away, come away!" This was her cry day I told him the Scriptures were a good secondand night, till at last she could speak no more. ary rule, and that it were well if men would As we had lived together in great love and square their lives according to their directions; unity, being very affectionate one to another; which we, as a people, exhorted all to: but so, being now left alone, I was very solitary, that the holy Spirit, from which the holy and sometimes sorrowful, and broken into Scriptures came, must needs be preferable to many tears, in the sense of my loss and lone- the letter, that came from it. I also asked someness. My dear wife was a virtuous him, how he, or any one else, without the young woman, and one who truly feared light or influence of the holy Spirit, could God, and loved his dear Son; from whom she had received a good gift of the ministry, and was serviceable to many therein. I had five children by her, four sons and one daughter, all of whom I buried before her, under three years old. At the yearly meeting before she died, she was so wonderfully carried forth in her ministry by divine grace, that divers of her friends believed she was near her end, she signifying something to that effect In New-England, one Joseph Metcalf, a in her testimony, and that she should not live Presbyterian teacher, at Falmouth, wrote a to see another yearly meeting: and so it came book, entitled, "Legal forcing a maintenance to pass; for she died before another yearly for a minister of the gospel, warrantable from meeting, being aged about thirty-five years, Scripture, &c." This book, a Friend of Sandand a married woman about thirteen years. wich gave me, and desired I would answer it; Her body was carried to the meeting house in and finding some exercise on my mind for the Philadelphia, and buried in Friends' burying-cause of truth, I was willing to undertake it; ground, being accompanied by many hundreds and accordingly wrote an answer thereto, of our friends, in a solemn manner: and my which I called, "Forcing a maintenance, not heart was greatly broken in consideration of warrantable from the holy Scriptures, for a my great loss; and being left alone, as to wife minister of the gospel." I endeavoured to and children, I many times deeply mourned, set the texts of Scripture in a true light, which

understand the Scriptures, which were parabolically and allegorically expressed, in many places? And further, to use his own expression, how could any understand Gunter's line, without Gunter's knowledge? or without they were taught by Gunter, or some other? Neither can we be the sons of God, without the spirit of God. Which he answered not, but went away.