I went to Bridge-Town, and fo on to the Governor's 1734. in order to enter our Veffel; but, ftaying a little too late, the Governor, who was the Lord Howe, was come from his Houfe on his Way to Bridge-town, with his Coach and Six, and his Attendants; but he (feeing me) courteously stopp'd his Coach, and did my Bufinefs as he fat therein; and though I made an Effay towards an Excufe, he would not admit of it, faying, There was no Need of any Excufe. He was indeed an extraordinary courteous Man: He died foon after, much lamented, as he was much beloved.

My Stay at Barbadoes this Time was the longest I Barbadoes. ever stay'd, believing it to be the laft Time I should go there, and that I fhould fee them no more. My fo faying troubled fome of them; but growing in Years (being then turned of Threefcore) I thought it would be too hard for me to undertake fuch another Voyage; therefore I was at all the Meetings of our Friends on the Island.

Here I met with Mofes Aldridge, a Friend from New-England, who came on a religious Vifit to Friends of this land, with whom we had divers good Meetings, his Service in preaching the Gofpel being edifying and acceptable; we were together at the Marriage of Andrew Drury and Mary Lewis, after which Meeting and Marriage, I was ill of a Fever feveral Days, which Diftemper was very much among the People, of which near twenty Mafters of Veffels, and fome Hundreds of People died; and though I had been at Barbadoes many Times, I never had fo much Illness there before; Mofes Aldridge, and several Friends of us, had a large Meeting at John Gibson's, where were many People, not of our Perfwafion, who generally were fober; but as I was recommending Charity to the People, according to the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul, as the moft excellent Gift, I advised them to fhow it forth to all People of all Profeffions, and alfo to their Negroes, telling them, that fome of the Gentry of this Iñand had ob

1735. ferved to me, that the more kind they were to their Slaves, they had their Bufinefs the better done for it; though I obferved also, that I had been at fome Places, where I had watched to hear fome Expreffions that might look like Charity; but in divers Houses, and fome of Note, I could not hear any Chriftian-like-ExBarbadoes. preffions to their Slaves or Negroes, and that with Sorrow I had seen a great deal of Tyranny and Cruelty, the which I diffwaded them from: This Doctrine fo exafperated fome that were there, that they made

Disturbance in the Meeting; one of which Perfons meeting me on the King's High-way, fhot off his Fowling-piece at me, being loaded with fmall Shot, ten of which made Marks on me, and feveral drew Blood; by which unfriendly Action, the Man got a great deal of Difgrace, it being highly refented by all who were acquainted with me; the Prefident of the Ifland look'd on it as a very base Action, as did also divers of the Juftices and the Gentry, alfo the Veftry, and feveral Clergymen and Lawyers; one of the Lawyers told me, I should not be just to the Country, myfelf, nor the Man, if I did not profecute bim; another, profeffing the Law, faid, He ought to be abandon'd by all Mankind, if he shot at me with Defign; many were for profecuting him, for the People generally took Notice of it with Abhorrence; but he fending for me, and figifying, he would not do fo again, I forgave him; and I pray it may not be laid to his Charge in the great Day, and that he may be forgiven, he being ignorant of the Love I had and have for him and all Men, even them whom I know to be mine Enemies. It would be too great a Scandal and Reproach, to expofe his Name and Station in the World. Some thought I did well in forgiving him, and fome thought I did ill in it; but I fpoke my Mind to him alone freely, in which I had Satisfaction

and Peace.

Intending

Intending my Veffel for London, I made my Chief- 1735. mate, Ralph Loftus, Mafter of her, not knowing whether I might proceed the Voyage, it being a very Barbadger. fickly Time; afterwards my Mate had the Diftemper alfo, but I blefs God we both recovered a good State of Health.

It was this Voyage that my Friends in Barbadoes published a little Piece I wrote at Sea, which I called, Free Thoughts communicated to Free Thinkers; done in order to promote Thinking on the Name and Works of God; which had, as far as I understand, a good Acceptance among the People; the principal Clergyman on the Island, thanked me for it, and faid There I was need enough of it: But I could be glad another, or a better Hand, had done fomething of that Nature, and more large. If this may be of any Service, I fhall be thankful.

I had also a Meeting at John Lewis's, in Jofeph's Parish, at which were divers not of our Profeffion, and fome who were never at any of our religious Meetings before; who faid, They were glad they were there that Day; it being a fatisfactory, open Meeting.

After I had vifited my Friends, and fettled my Affairs as well as I could, and loaded our Veffel with Sugars, for London, being willing, once more, to see my native Land, and to fettle my Affairs there, and ste my Relations and Friends; on the 6th of the Third Month, we fet fail from Barbadoes for London, and had pleafant Weather. The 16th, being the First-day of A: Se the Week, we had a religious Meeting for the Worship of God, in which I was concerned to fpeak on the Government of the Tongue (having on board feveral Hands, which did not fail with us before that Voyage, that were much used to Swearing.) After that Meeting, we had not fo many bad Words and Oaths as be-fore. I was thankful in my Soul to the Lord, and

bleffed

1735. bleffed his holy Name, for his Goodness to us that Day and, in the Night, my Sleep was very fweet and comAt Sea fortable, being fenfible of the Love of God in the Vifions of the Night; fo that I witness'd the Fulfilling of the Prophecy of Joel, Chap. ii. 28.

The 23d, being the Firft-day of the Week, we had a Meeting, in which the Grace of God, that comes by Jefus Chrift, was magnified, and a Bleffing begg'd for all who love and ferve God, throughout the World, by Sea and Land; alfo a tender Petition was put up to Almighty God, that, as he was graciously pleafed to look down on those eight Perfons in Noah's Ark, fo he would please to look upon us in our Veffel; and that, as, by his divine Providence, they fafely landed on the Earth, fo we, if it were his Will, might fafely land at our defired Port; yet not that our Wills, but his Will might be done: Which Supplication was put up with great Submiffion. Both Day and Night I often fought the Lord, and was much alone in this Voyage. I read the Old and New Teftament almoft through, and much of it divers Times over; my Time being moftly taken up in Reading, Writing, and Meditating, in which at times, my Heart would be broken into Tenderness; and I was humbly thankful to God, that my Heart was not hard; he having promised to vifit the contrite Ones; the which he fometimes fulfilled, to my unfpeakable Satisfaction: Glory to his holy Name for ever. My Heart was also thankful that God was pleafed to vifit me in my wat'ry Travels and Troubles, and in my Separation from my Family and Friends, which are much nearer, and more valuable to me, than all Riches, and a great Crofs to my natural Inclination to part with,

The 8th of the Fourth Month, being the Firft-day of the Week, we had a Meeting, in which Acquaintance with God was exhorted to, fhewing the Benefit of it, and of loving him above all Things, and delighting in his Law, and meditating therein Day and

Night. The 19th, in the Morning, a strong norther- 1735. ly Wind came up, and blew fo hard, that we could not carry Sail, but lay to the Wind, under our Mizen, which was fplit or torn with the Violence of the Wind, and the Sea rofe high, fo that it came into the Windows of our great Cabbin: It was very rugged for the Time, and, though it was Mid-fummer, it was fo cold, that we were obliged to cloath ourselves, as in Winter. The 22d, being Firft-day, we had a comfortable Meeting after the Storm, wherein the great Benefit of true Religion was a little open'd to our fmall Company, and the Lord, moft High, was praised for our Deliverance and Prefervation. The 26th, we founded, and found about 70 Fathom Depth of Water. The 29th, we were a-breaft of the Ifle of Wight. From the Time we left the Ifland of English Barbadoes, to the Time we found Ground, was feven Channel. Weeks. Thus, through many Perils and Dangers, we came to Great-Britain; for all which Mercies and Providences, let my Soul blefs and praise the holy Name and mighty Power of the moft High. It was now a Time of very great Preffing for Seamen, and several Men of Wars Boats came on board to prefs our Sailors; but they had prepared a Place in the Veffel to hide themselves, and the Men of Wars People could not find them: One Lieutenant, with his Men, came on board, and feeing us weakly handed (the best of our Hands being hid) he asked me, if I had any more Hands on board? I made him very little Anfwer; he then faid, He was fure I could not bring the Ship from Barbacoes without Hands: I told him, Sailors were hard to be got in Barbadoes, either for Love or Money, to go for London, for fear of being prefs'd, and I was oblig'd to take any I could get: He faid, It was in vain to talk much, but if I would fay, I had no more Hands on board, he would be fatisfied; he having a Belief that I would fpeak the Truth, though he never faw me before; and he faid, if I would fay, there