cord, in the wisdom of God, which was with brethren and elders, in managing the affairs of truth, both for doctrine and church discipline, and ended in great peace, to the praise of God and comfort of Friends.

Accounts were given of truth's prosperity, and Friends' care of the honour of God and credit of his blessed truth; and it was concluded, that some Friends of this nation should go to the Yearly Meeting at London.

When this great meeting was over, I re- I being one appointed by the meeting to go turned home. Winter being come, and my on this concern, with twelve other Friends, old age not able to endure much cold or hard we took shipping from Dublin the 15th day travel, I attended the service of meetings near of the third month aforesaid, being accompahome, and in the tenth month our Province nied by many Friends to the water side, and Six-week's Meeting being at Lamb's Town in had a sweet comfortable meeting before partthe county of Wexford, I had some drawings ing, the Lord's power and light shining in our upon my spirit thither; to which I went, and hearts, tendering them in his presence, to our had good service on several accounts, the great consolation and confirmation that he Lord's goodness being with us, which crown-owned us in this service. We had a comed our service with success and great comfort. Not long after this, there came a letter from one of our correspondents at London, signifying that Friends there were soliciting the parliament to get an amendment of the act of the Solemn Affirmation, so called, and that some Friends of Ireland were desired to go over to assist in that service, according to agreement formerly made at the Yearly Meeting at London; and I being one nominated to go on that service, rode to Dublin, where, in a few days, most of the Friends from Ulster and Munster, appointed for that service, came up.

We had several sweet comfortable meetings in that city, both for the worship of God and conference in matters relating to faith and principle; in which meetings, things were opened to edification and comfort. My going there was of good service, and acceptable to Friends, we being sweetly comforted together; but my ancient decaying body not being able to perform that journey by sea and land to London, in cold wet winter weather, I wrote an epistle to Friends of London, and enclosed it in a letter to our correspondents there.

When I had done what service I could in the afore-mentioned business, I parted with Friends in the overflowings of the love of God, which filled our hearts, in which we supplicated his holy name in great tenderness and brokenness of spirit. After which I returned home, and kept to our usual meetings, observing the time and service of our Monthly and Provincial Meetings, as they came in course.

SECTION XXIII.

In 1702, he goes over to the Yearly Meeting at London. After his return, he visits Ulster in company with G. R.; then writes to the bishop of Kildare, in behalf of Friends' school-mas

fortable easy passage, and enjoyed much of the Lord's goodness with us. After being four nights at sea, we landed at Mossen in Wales, rode to Chester, and the next day took our journey towards London, where we arrived in five days, having had one meeting with Friends at Mims by the way, on the first-day of the week.

We were gladly received by many brethren, who greatly rejoiced to see us. The next morning the Yearly Meeting began, and there was a great number of Friends and brethren from most counties in the nation. The meeting continued by adjournment five days, and many things were discoursed relating to the affairs of truth and Gospel discipline, particularly that about the affirmation. The meeting came to this agreement, that the dissatisfied Friends might have liberty to solicit the parliament for an act that would be easy to them, when opportunity offered. After that meeting was over, having been at some very full meetings, and preached the doctrine of the kingdom of Christ, in the demonstration of the spirit and power of God, to the comfort and satisfaction of many hearts in that city, being clear we determined to leave London. Many worthy brethren came to take their leave of us, and we parted in the sweet, comfortable melting power of the Lord Jesus Christ, which seals us in the covenant of light and life; then took horse, several brethren of the city accompanying us some miles.

We came to Chester, and finding an embargo on shipping there, rode on to Holyhead, having a meeting with Friends at Harding in head, Thomas Wilson, Joseph Pike and SamWales by the way. Whilst we were at Holyuel Randall, whom we had left behind at London, came up to us, and about the tenth hour of the evening next day we set sail in the packet boat for Ireland, and about the same THE time of our National Meeting at Dub-hour in the evening following, came to anlin approaching, I went thither in the third month, 1702, where was a great appearance of Friends from several parts of the nation.

ter at Mount-melick.

chor in the bay of Dublin. We all returned together, and landed safe and well; blessed be the name of the Lord for all his mercies.

I staid in Dublin to the first-day's meeting, and on second-day went homeward. Our Province Meeting for Leinster being held at the Moat, soon after, I went thither; it held two days, and I returned home, and was taken with a great illness, occasioned by a violent pain in my head, which kept me at home four or five weeks. Our Province Meeting being at Castledermot, the 20th day of the seventh month, 1702, and I being somewhat recovered of my illness, went to it.

nature in youth is prone to listen thereto, rather than to things that tend to virtue and sobriety, and being grafted in their minds when young, grow up with them, and so obstruct better things, that tend to godliness and their salvation.

This is our case plain and simple, which I desire thou may in moderation consider, and let it have thy favourable construction; and that we are Protestants, according to the faith and doctrine in the reformation from Popery Finding myself able to travel, I rode to and apostacy, the truth whereof hath been Dublin, and staid one meeting there; then tried on many accounts and occasions, that took a journey into the north, accompanied have happened since the Lord gathered us to by George Rooke, and we had many full and be a people, and the same hath turned to the precious meetings in divers places, both with credit of our Protestant profession. And furFriends and others in several counties, and ther, in the late calamities in this nation, we the Lord's power and wisdom were mightily suffered with the Protestants of the church of with us, to divide the word according to the England, so termed, and some of us can say, conditions and states of the people; also his when there was but a step between us and power healed me of my illness, so that I was death; and the Lord's hand of Providence inwell and strong to answer the Lord's service. terposed, and restrained cruel vile men. We Having travelled therein about three hundred have not sought any reparation for our sufmiles in about five weeks, I returned home. ferings; but desire, that as we are ProtestBefore I took that journey, Friends' school-ants, and have suffered with you, we may master, who taught their children at Mount-now, in time of peace, live quietly under you melick, had been cited several times to the in our lawful callings, to maintain our famibishop's court, and was likely to be excom- lies according to a good conscience towards municated for teaching school without the God and all men. bishop's license, and I having some acquaintance with the bishop, wrote the following letter, and sent it to him: viz.

May it please the bishop. This comes as an address in the behalf of a friend of mine, who teaches our children at Mount-melick, for which, and no other cause of offence, some persons have presented him in the bishop's court, which may be supposed was done out of prejudice or self-interest; for he is a quiet harmless Englishman, capable to instruct children in learning and sobriety. We understand, that the officers of the said court are proceeding against him to an excommunication; and the issue must be a prison if not prevented by thee.

And now the Lord being highly provoked by wickedness of all sorts, I say, if he in justice should again bring his scourge and overflowing tempest over this nation, we must suffer with the Protestants; for we can flee to no people but to them: So what you do against us, you do against yourselves, and pull the house down with your own hands, contracting troubled to yourselves, by troubling us. For if you excommunicate us, and throw us into prison upon the account of our consciences, you must release us again; or if we die in prison upon the account of a tender conscience, it will be charged to him or them who are the cause of it; and I am sure it is the principle of the right church of Old EngBe pleased to hear a few sentences, though land, who are not biassed with self-interest, in a plain dress, yet true in themselves. We not to imprison people upon conscience, and are Christians, and hold the faith and doc-much less a man for teaching children to read trine as delivered by our Saviour Christ Jesus the holy Scriptures and good books tending and his apostles, before the apostacy and fall- to virtue. ing away, according as it is left on record in holy Scriptures, and we are conscientious in our duty, as much as in us lies, to educate and train up our children accordingly.

I have a secret belief, that thou hast no delight or inclination, that people should be cast into prison on such accounts, which makes me the more willing to let thee know the proceedExperience hath taught us, that in sending ings of thy officers in court against our said children to schools where books are used, friend, desiring thee to read this, and so leave filled with idle stories, lying wonders, fop-it to thy discretion, and the issue to the Lord. peries, and invented ceremonies, besides evil conversations, both in words and actions, being countenanced if not encouraged by too

POSTSCRIPT.

A worthy saying of Bishop Boyle, called many school-masters and mistresses, childish | Primate of Ireland, against controversy and

strife among Christians, is in these words: We staid two meetings in Dublin, and took "Heaven is a quiet place, there no quarrels shipping on the 1st day of the second month, are; and religion is a holy and peaceable viz. George Rooke, John Watson, Thomas thing, which excites to piety and charity; but Pearce, John Hoope and myself; many Friends not to strife and debates." And that noble accompanying us to the water-side, where we and worthy Prince, King William, in his had a sweet comfortable meeting in the overspeech to the parliament, says, "That differ- flowings of the love of God, which sealed to ences of names among Protestants might be us that his goodness would go with us. taken away, and no other distinction of re-shipped in the packet boat bound to Nesson, ligion exist among his subjects, but Protest- and came to anchor in Chester Water next ants and Papists.'

SECTION XXIV.

In 1703, he goes over to the Yearly Meeting at London and Bristol, visiting many counties in England; is at the Quarterly Meetings at Lincoln and York. After his return visits Friends in the province of Munster.

We

day, and George Rooke and I went to Liverpool, next day to Penketh, and staid a meeting there, which was large, it being on a first-day of the week. Here the rest of our company came to us, and we went to Franley in Cheshire, to a Monthly Meeting of Friends, and the next day to Morley Monthly Meeting, having good service for the Lord in these meetings, and Friends were comforted. At Newtown Friends desired to have a meeting with us before we left that county, which we accordingly had to good satisfaction and comfort in the Lord, and one in another. Thomas Pearce and John Hoope rode to Nantwich, to appoint a meeting; to which we went, and people came in, so that we wanted room, it being on a first-day of the week.

Soon after my journey to the north, our Provincial Quarterly Meeting was at Mountmelick, which held part of three days, and the Lord's heavenly presence was with us in his service, to our great comfort. In the week following was our National Half-year's Meeting at Dublin, as usual, where the Lord's power and presence accompanied us in a glo- From thence we went to Wolverhampton, rious manner; a blessed comfortable and ser- Sturbridge, Bewdley, Droitwich, and Worcesviceable meeting it was, and church affairs ter, having a meeting at each place, and staid were managed in peace and concord. After at Worcester until first-day and had two meetthe meeting was over, which held most of four ings more, which were large, and Friends days, I returned home, and continued keeping were comforted in the Lord, whose presence to meetings thereaway, not being able to travel was with us in a plentiful manner. The next much in cold winter, by reason of old age. day we went to Tewksbury, and so to GlouThe Quarterly Meeting for Leinster pro-cester, and Nailsworth, and were with Friends vince being at Castledermot, I went thither; it held part of three days, and was a comfortable meeting, both in the worship of God and for discipline, which was closely managed in sweet unity and concord. I also went to our next meeting for Leinster province at Catherlough, which held most of two days in worship and discipline to good satisfaction. Some Friends having been appointed by the National Half-year's Meeting at Dublin in the last ninth month, to be at the Yearly Meeting in London in 1703, and I being one of that number, we concluded to be at Dublin the 26th day of the first month, in order to take shipping for England. Having an intention of visiting several other meetings of Friends in divers parts of England, and our Monthly Meeting having unity with my concern, gave me their certificate as a member thereof, as is usual in such cases.

at their meeting, in each place. Here we met with Joseph Pike come from Cork and intending to go to Bristol. We went together and were at Friends' meeting in Bristol, and tarried in that city five days, being the time of their Yearly Meeting, and a very great gathering of Friends from divers parts. We were at several heavenly meetings, and had good service for the Lord and his people, his power being mightily manifested with us in his work.

When the Yearly Meeting was over, we took leave and parted in the melting power and tender love of God. We left Bristol the 29th day of the second month, viz. George Rooke, Thomas Pearce, John Hoope and I, and came to Tidbury, where we had a meeting; then to Sudbury, and Cirencester, and had two meetings there, being on a first-day of the week; then to Carlow, and had a comfortable meeting with Friends. From On the 25th day of the first month, 1703, thence to Abington, and had a meeting; and I set forward, parting with my wife in tender love and resignation to the will of God; went to Dublin, and there met with some of the Friends appointed to go with me for England.

on the next day were at Friends' meeting at Reading, where we staid the first-day following, having two meetings, which were of service and comfort to true hearted Friends, and

Our Province Meeting for Leinster being that week at Mount-melick, I was there with many Friends from other parts, and some After this we went to Thorn, and to Selby, from England. About this time the Parliaand had a meeting there; the day following ment sat at Dublin, and the bishops and priests to York, to their county Quarterly Meeting, having drawn up the heads of a bill for the where was a great appearance of Friends, and more easy recovery of tithes, &c., they labourour service well accepted. When this meet-ed with both houses, lords and commons, to ing was over, Isaac Alexander, my fellow-la- get the bill passed into an act, which, if grantbourer in the Gospel of Christ from London ed, was likely to prove ruinous to Friends. hither, went homewards, and we parted in the But through the Lord's mercy and care over love of Christ, in which we travelled together. us, who gave us favour in the hearts of our Thomas Pearce and I went to Weatherby, and superiors, upon diligent application of Friends that day had a meeting there with Friends; to the parliament, and showing our reasons then to Leeds; and next day to Halifax, accom- against passing the said bill, they, in tenderpanied by Aaron Atkinson, Joseph Baynes, ness to us and others whom it might affect, and some other Friends; and on the day fol- laid it aside. lowing, being the first-day of the week, we had a full meeting there.