been a Papift, or popishly inclin'd (which I was not) 1696. I was too young to be a Jefuit. Indeed I thought I was mean for the Work of the Miniftry, but the good Remembrancer brought those Truths to my Remembrance, which strengthened me in the Work and Service of God. The Spirit breatheth where it lifteth; Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou haft perfected Praife, &c. We having great Peace in our Labours in this Journey, and being edify'd therewith, return'd to London, after about four Months Abfence from Home. And after I had been two Weeks at Home, my dear 1697.7 Mother departed this Life, in a sweet Frame of Spirit, n praifing the Lord. She was one who lived the Life London. of the Righteous, and whofe latter End was like theirs, and left a good Report behind her, being well beloved (I think I may fafely fay) by all our Neighbours; not only by thofe of our own Society, but others also, to to whom he was often very helpful. So I went to my Calling, and got a little Money, (a little being enough) which I was made willing to fpend freely, in the Work and Service of my great Mafter Chrift Jefus. And about this Time I was concerned to travel into the North of England, and Part of Scotland, which I did in that Ability God gave me ; and that Difpenfation which I had freely received, I freely handed forth to the People, devoting my Strength and Time to serve him (that had done fo much for me) and I had the Satisfaction to find divers confeffing the Truth, as it is in Jefus. In this Journey I was from Home about four Months, being moftly alone as to any Yoke-fellow in that Work, travelling many Hundreds of Miles, being as far as Edinburgh, in Scotland, Edinburg where our Meeting was in the Street, we being lock❜d out of our Meeting-houfe by the then Power, and great Numbers of People were there. This News being carried to the Provost of the City, he said, The Quakers would do more Hurt out of Doors, than within, B 3 1697. within, and he ordered Friends their Key. Since which I have understood that Friends in that City have enjoyed their Meetings in the Meeting houfe; and fometimes when the Rabble have difturbed Friends, the Magiftrates have fent Officers to difperfe them. London. Deal. At Sea, Now after I had vifited the Churches of Chrift in divers Parts of England, and had many (weet Seafons of God's Love, and good Opportunities with my Friends and others in this Nation; (the Word of Life being declared in the Simplicity of the Gofpel, in feveral Places People were very open-hearted, and received the Teftimony of it with Gladness.) And after I had been at my Father's, and at my Calling, a little after this North-country Journey, I found myself engaged in the Love of the Gofpel to vifit Friends in America; and having acquainted my Friends and Relations of my Mind (they being willing to give me up) in order for the Voyage, Friends of the Monthlymeeting gave me a Certificate, and I had another from the Meeting of Minifters in London, My Father, and several other Friends with me, took Boat from London, and accompanied me to Gravesend, on the 21ft of the 10th Month 1697, and I went on board the Ship Jofiah, Thomas Lurting Mafter, and fail'd that Day from Gravefend, and got to the Downs the next Day, where we tarried fome Days for a fair Wind; in which Time feveral others that were concern'd in the fame Gofpel-labour, came on board, viz. Thomas Turner, William Ellis, and Aaron Atkinson. In about four Days Time the Wind was fair for us, and we fet Sail, and in a little Time we got out of Sight of the Land; foon after which the Wind was contrary, and we proceeded but a fmall Distance for feveral Weeks; the Weather was rough and the Sea boisterous, fo that with the Motion thereof, moft of the Paffengers were Sick. In this Time we loft a Lad, that fell into the Sea (as he was drawing a Bucket of Water) and was drowned; the Ship running fwiftly, he could not be faved, faved, although it was speedily endeavoured. Several 1697.7 others died before we got over; but for the most Part we were healthful. The Lord be prais'd, he was, is, and will be, with thofe that faithfully ferve him to the End. We were three Ships in Company, but by Diftrefs of Weather, foon after we came out, we parted. After we had been at Sea about eight Weeks (on the 25th of the 12th Month) we faw two Veffels aftern of us. One of them came up with us, and the People haled us, and told us they came from Bristol, and had been out ren Weeks. The other came up with us next Day. The People informed us they had been at Sea feven Weeks, and that they had a dreadful Time of it. She had loft Part of her Topmaft, and her Spritfail Topmaft was gone. She was a new Ship, and never at Sea before, belonging to London, and bound for Virginia, as near as we could understand: Our Ship loft none of her Tackling, thro' the great Mercy of God to us, tho' the Wind and Sea was wonderful high at Times; the Mate told me, I might go to Sea all my Life, and not fee the like; he faid he had been at, or used the Sea, twenty Years, and never faw it fo rough and high before. We had Meetings twice a Week, feveral of which were comfortable and refreshing Meetings, to which most of the Paffengers, being in all about Sixty in Number, fometimes came; and feveral of them were affected with the Senfe of Truth, and the Lord ftrengthened our Faith and Hope in him. Oh for ever bleffed be the living and eternal God, who kept my Soul above the Fear of Death, Hell, and the Grave; for my Truft was in him, and he did bear up my Spirit above the Waves of the Sea; and in the Time of Toffing with Tempefts, I was comforted and chearful, praifing the Lord in my Heart, both in the Day Time, and in the Night Seafon: I was much concerned in my Mind, for many of the Paffengers, who with the fecond Mate, and feveral of 1697. the Seamen, were very fick (by fome it was thought near unto Death) I cried to the Lord to heal them, in the Name of his dear Son, and that it might be a Means to convince them of the Efficacy of Love to, and Faith in Chrift Jefus, the Phyfician of Value; and the Lord was pleased to heal them. The Mate of the Ship defired that I would come and pray by him. I went to him, and prayed in the Power and Name of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Lord helped him; that he faid he was fine and easy, and thanked me for my Lovè; and in a little Time he recovered. Several others of the Seamen and Paffengers, I was inftrumental to help in their Sickness. The Lord bleffed my Endeavours in fupplicating him, on their Behalf, and adminiftring what I had to them. One of the Seamen faid, He was bound to pray for me as long as he lived, and that the Lord would bless me. Another of the Paffengers faid, That I was the blessed Doctor (for there was not a Surgeon, or Doctor in the Ship.) I was very free to communicate of what I had to any fick Perfon in the Ship, and feveral bleffed the Lord on my Behalf. Indeed I thought I could fcarce do enough for any that were in Diftrefs. I write not thus, that I might feem popular, but with my Mind bowed before the Lord. Many Times in this Voyage there were Confultations in my Mind, whether I had best write a Memorandum hereof; but at laft conceiving in my Spirit that it might strengthen and excite Love. to God, and Faith in his beloved Son, in true Believers, I wrote as aforefaid; and then I was fatisfied, and gave the Glory to God. Before we came to the Land, we faw a Ketch which had faved the Lives of fome that belonged to a Ship that was a little before foundered in the Sea: Who faid alfo, that a Fleet of New-England Ships who had been upon that Coast, by ftormy Weather, were forced to Barbadoes, and within a few Days after we faw the Land of Virginia, and alfo a New-England Ship, who us. Capes of who failed or came from England three Weeks before 1698. We arrived within the Capes of Virginia the 31st of the 1ft Month 1698, and overtook the John and Virginia. Margaret, a Ship that came out of the English Channel with us (the Mafter, Thomas Salmon, being dead) and the next Day we anchored our Ship at the Mouth of Patuxent River in Maryland, where our Boats were hoifted out, and we were rowed up Patuxent River twelve Miles, to Arthur Young's House, where we lodged that Night; and for our Prefervation and safe Arrival, we blefs'd the Lord our God, and my Spirit praised him who lives for ever and ever. Our Voyage was above twelve Weeks, it being then Winter Time, and for the most Part the Winds fo high, that the Ships could carry but little Sail, which made our Voyage the longer. Here About four Days after we landed, we had a Meeting near Patuxent River: And a bleffed one it was! When Patuxent River,' in it was ended, we went (that Night) to Daniel Raw- Maryland. lings, and from thence to the Clifts, to Richard John's, a Friend that came with us from England, at whose House we had a Meeting, wherein God's Prefence was powerfully felt. We had feveral Meetings on that Side the Bay called the Western Shore, and then we failed over to the Eaft Side of Chesapeak Bay, with Thomas Everden, in his Sloop, went to his House, and had a Meeting, where many People came. we met with our Friends, Jonathan Tyler, Henry Payton, and Henry Payton's Sifter. While I was at this Friend's Houfe, there was one Robert Cathing, who being very ill, fent for Thomas Everden, and he (not being very well) defired me to vifit the fick Perfon. So I went, and the Man was near to Death. Howbeit he faid he was comforted much with the Vifit, and that he never had received fo much Benefit by the Parish Priest in his Life: Although, faid he, it cost me dear for what I had; and if ever I live to get over it, by the Affiftance of God I fhall have nothing to do with 1 |