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and just judgment of the Almighty to poor mortals; and I thought it was worthy to be recorded to posterity, as a warning to all great lovers of wine and strong liquors. This exercise was so great to me, that I could not for several days get over it; and one day while I was musing in my mind on those things relating to the doctor, it was opened to me, that God and his servants were clear, and his blood was on his own head; for he had been faithfully warned of his evil ways.

We were obliged by contrary winds to put into Plymouth harbour, and from Plymouth I went by coach to London, where I was gladly received by my relations and friends. In this journey I travelled about 2000 miles by land, and 6000 by water. I got to the yearly-meeting of Friends in London, in the year 1699, which was large, and was at divers public meetings for the worship of Almighty God. I may truly say, the Holy Ghost was amongst us, blessed be God our Saviour for

evermore,

CHAP II.

1699-1707.

The Author's first Marriage-Removes with his Wife to America, and settles in Philadelphia— Visit to Barbadoes and Bermudas-Account of his travels in various parts of North America.

IN this year [1699] I thought it my place to enter into a married state, and I acquainted my father of my design, and that I inclined to make choice of Martha Betterton, a religious young woman, whom I entirely loved for that piety, virtue, and modesty, which I beheld in her; (I was in the twenty-fourth year of my age, and she in her twenty-first.) I likewise acquainted her father and mother with my intentions, to which both our parents consented; her father saying (when I spoke to him) "Go together, and the Lord bless you together." And my father said, "If I was worth my weight in gold, she deserved me." The heartiness of both our fathers in this matter, was more to me than a portion of silver or gold, of which we had but very little; but our love to each other was very great, and being well and honourably grounded, it was not easily shaken. So after consent of parents, we proposed our

intentions of marriage to the monthly-meeting unto which we belonged; and because I had been travelling in America, I had certificates from my brethren there, not only of my industry and labour in the ministry, with the good effects thereof; but also of my clearness in relation to marriage; and after having twice published our intentions, we had liberty of the said meeting to proceed to the solemnization of our marriage, which was accomplished at Devonshire-house in London, at a meeting appointed for that end, on the 28th day of the Seventh month, in the aforesaid year, in the presence of many hundreds of people, and many worthy brethren and elders. A day of days it was to my soul! wherein I was made sensible of the love and goodness of God in a particular manner, which to me was an earnest of our future welldoing. My dear wife was one who truly loved and feared God, and had an excellent gift of the ministry given to her, and was serviceable therein. A paper coming to my hands of her own hand writing and composing, I transcribe it here. She calls it an account of the exercise of Martha Betterton, viz. “As I was walking in the city of London, with a concern on my mind, in beholding the abominable pride of the people, it opened upon my mind in this wise: Wo, wo! to the crown of pride! and then I was deeply bowed in my spirit before the Lord, and it was said to me, I will yet spare a little longer; I have sheep which I will gather home to me, and there shall be one Shep

herd and one sheepfold. Then I said in my heart, Oh Lord! shall I be one of thy sheep belonging to thy sheepfold of eternal rest. And again it was answered me, My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me. Then a cry was raised in me, Cause me to hear thy voice; and not only so, but enable me to obey the same. And then this charge was returned to me, Be thou faithful."

Soon after I was married, I had a concern to visit Friends in the counties of Surrey, Sussex, and Kent, which I performed in about two weeks time, and came home and followed my calling, and was industrious therein; and when I had gotten something to bear my expenses, and settle my wife in some little business, I found an exercise on my spirit to go over to Ireland, to visit our Friends and brethren on that island, in which William Townshend accompanied me, and Friends in that nation were generally satisfied with our service among them. When we had been from home about ten weeks, and had visited most parts of that nation, having had many meetings among Friends and others, we found freedom in our minds to return home, which we did, being comforted in our service, and blessed the name of the Lord.

After some few months I acquainted my wife and my father, with her father and mother, that I thought it my duty to go over and live in America. To which proposal, my father consented, though with tenderness of heart, considering that I must be so far separated from him. I also laid it before

the monthly meeting of Friends at Horslydown in Southwark, of which meeting I was a member, who consented to it, though somewhat unwilling to part with us; and gave us their certificate, to let our brethren know that we were in love and unity with them, and walked according to our profession. And when we were ready, and in order for going, we agreed for the freight of our goods and servants, with John Snowden, and shipped them on board the Josiah, bound for Maryland. When the ship was at Gravesend, and ready to sail, several of our dear relations and friends accompanied us to the ship, on board of which we had a good meeting, and took our solemn leave of one another, as never expecting to see each other any more in this world. It was a solemn time indeed! we prayed for one another, and so parted, our ship sailing that evening, and we got to Margate Road, where we anchored, and the wind sprung up very fresh, and blew tempestuously, so that we broke our cable, and lost our best bower anchor, and drove violently towards the Goodwin Sands. We let go our sheet anchor, and three more, which were all we had, but they did not stop her; upon which the master ordered the carpenters to stand by the main-mast, with their axes upon their shoulders, and when he gave the word, then they were to cut the mast. people in the ship (there being divers passengers) were in great consternation, expecting nothing but death: but for my part, being exceedingly

The

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