After holding a general assembly of freeholders, for internal regulations, he went to Maryland, and was kindly received by Lord Baltimore, and the chiefs of that colony, with whom a treaty was held for settling the bounds of their provinces, Lord Baltimore accompanying him some miles on his return.

Lord Baltimore was a Catholic, and in those days, when the principles of toleration were so ill understood, set the first example of liberality, by affording an unlimited freedom to all sects in his government of Maryland, After about two years residence, seeing all in a thriving condition, he returned to Engladd. Soon after his arrival there, Charles 2d died, and William Penn relying on the sincerity of James' profession for toleration, solicited afresh for the relief of his innocent and suffering friends, who then filled the jails. His frequent attendance at court could not fail to be misrepresented : he was reported to be both a papist and a Jesuit; which brought him into some explanation in correspondence with Dr. Tillotson, who declared himself fully satisfied that there was no just grounds for that suspicion.

About 1300 Quakers were liberated, in consequence of a royal proclamation, which was followed by the king's declaration for liberty of

conscience.

On King William's accession, William Penn was at divers times called in question before the council, and bound over to give security for appearance, but without any thing being brought forward against him, only inerely a suspicion of disaffection, grounded on his friendship for the deposed king, and in 1693, through the mediation of his friends, and some of the Lords of council, he was admitted to appear before the

king, to plead his innocency, and was acquitted.

In 1693, his beloved wife, Guli. elma Maria, died; with whom he had lived 21 years: and in 1696, he married his second wife, Hannah Callowhill, of Bristol. Same year, his eldest son, named Springett, died of a consuumption, aged 21; a youth of great hopes.

In 1698, we find him again in Ireland, in the work of the christian ministry: and the year following he sailed with his wife and family for his province of Pennsylvania, where he arrived after three months; just escaping the danger of a contagious distemper, which had prevailed in that country. On their arrival, they were received with the universal joy of the inhabitants. Being now determined to settle in this province, he applied himself to the offices of government, rather remitting than exacting his lawful revenues; so that under the influence of his paternal administration, the province was in an easy and flourishing condition,

In the mean time, some ill-disposed persons at home, under pretence of advancing the prerogative of the crown, were endeavouring to undermine both his and other proprietary governments. His friends in England, on this account, pressed for his return; having therefore summoned an assembly at Philadelphia, the 15th September, 1701, he made a speech to then, lamenting the necessity he was under for an abrupt departure, having promised himself, he said, the quietness of a wilderness, and to stay so long with them as to render every one safe and easy. "No unkindness or disappointment should ever," he said, "be able to alter his love to the country, and resolution to settle himself and family in it. Think, therefore, since all

to

men are mortal, of some suitable expedient and provision for your safety, as well in your privileges as property, and you will find me ready to comply with whatever may render us happy, by a near union of our interests. Review your laws, propose new ones that may better answer your circumstances. What you do, do quickly-the parliament sits next month, and the sooner I am there, the safer I hope we shall be here. I must recommend your care, the king's letter for the assistance of New York, with £350 ster. as a frontier government; and therefore exposed to greater expense than other colonies. I may also congratulate you on the happy issue of the conferences of the governor of New-York with the five nations; having made peace with them, not only for that colony, but (as I had engaged him by letter) for the other governments under the crown of England.

"Remember, that unanimity and dispatch are the life of business-I expect and desire them from you, for your own sakes, and to the disappointment of those who have long sought the ruin of our infant colony."

To this speech the assembly replied in tones of deep regret, at his so speedily leaving them, acknowledging his paternal regard to them, and their posterity, and offering, as a token of gratitude, the unfeigned thanks of the bouse. After his return to England, the bill which through his friends' solicitations had been postponed, was wholly dropped. Two months after this, King William dying, Princess Anne ascended the throne, and began her reign with declaring for toleration. Being in the Queen's favour, William Penn was often at court, taking lodgings for greater convenience at Kensington, where he wrote, "More

Fruits of Solitude, being his 2d part of Reflections and Maxims relating to the conduct of human life." In the year 1707, he was unhappily involved in a suit at law with the executors of a person who had been formerly his steward; against whose demands he thought both conscience and justice required him to defend himself. His cause, though many thought him aggrieved, was attended with such circumstances, that he found himself obliged to dwell within the rules of the Fleet-prison this and the next ensuing year, till the matter was accommodated.

The infirmities of age coming on, his abilities for travelling abroad in the work of the ministry, was im paired; and in 1710, the air of London not agreeing with him, he took a handsome seat at Rushcomb, in Buckinghamshire, where he resid ed the remainder of his life.

In 1712, he had some fits supposed to be apoplectic, by the last of which his understanding faculties were so impaired as to render him incapable of mental exertion. In 1713, he was to appearance pretty well and chearful, but defective in memory, not recollecting the names of absent persons, yet his expressions manifesting the religious stability of his mind.

In 1716, he appeared much weaker, but to his friends taking leave, he said: "The Lord preserve you, and renew the everlasting covenant." In 1717, the said friend found him so much weakened in his intellect that he scarcely knew his old acquaintance, and could not well walk without leading, nor express himself intelligibly and on the 30th May, 1718, his spirit forsook the decayed tabernacle, in the 74th year of his age.

To expatiate on the eminency of his character seems superfluous, his

excellency being well known and generally admitted. His writings are a standing evidence of a clear head, and a good heart: the institutions of his province manifest the depth of his understanding; and the undeviating integrity of his life, show the purity of his mind; all his qualifications, natural and acquired, were applied to promote the interests of religion and virtue, and establish his character on a basis firmer than written panegyrics.

Extracts from a letter of William Penn, to the commitee of the Free Society of Traders to Pensylvania, residing in London, giving a general descrip tion of said province, its soil, air, seasons and produce, with Some account of its Aborigines.

water,

1. The land contains divers sorts of soil, as sand, yellow and black, poor and rich also gravel both loamy and loose and in some places a fat earth, like our best vales in England, especially by inland brooks and rivers, the back lands being generally richer than those that lie by navigable waters: We abound in a black hazel mould on a stony or rocky bottom.

2. The air is sweet and clear, the heavens serene like the South of France, rarely overcast; and as population increases and the woods come to be more cleared, the air will refine.

3. The water generally good, the rivers and brooks having mostly a gravelly bottom, and in incredible numbers. We have also mineral waters not two miles from Philadelphia.

4. For the seasons; I found from 24th October, to the beginning of December, like September month in England, or like a mild spring. Hence to 1st, March, sharp frosty weather not foul, thick weather, as our N.E. winds bring in Eng

land; the sky clear as in summer, and the air dry, cold and piercing. This cold comes off the great lakes, fed by the fountains in Canada: and for a few days our great river Delaware was frozen up. From March to June we enjoy a sweet spring, gentle showers and a fine sky. The winds are more inconstant on the turn of nature in the spring and fall as with you. Thence to the end of summer, we have had extraordi nary heats but mitigated by cold breezes. The wind that rules the summer season, is the S. W. in the other months, we are seldom without the wholesome N. W. winds, seven days together: and whatever mists or fogs foul the heavens by E. and S. winds, in two hours time are blown away.

5. The natural produce of the country is as follows:-of trees, the black walnut, cedar, cypress, chesnut, poplar, gumwood, hickery, sassafras, ash, beech and oak of divers sorts, as red, white and black. Spanish chesnut and swamp, the most durable of all. Fruits are white and black mulberry, chesnut, wallnut, plums, strawberries, cranberries, hurtle-berries, and grapes of divers

sorts.

The great red grape, is in itself extraordinary, and may be cultivated to an excellent wine, if not So sweet, yet little inferior to Frontiniac. There is a white muscadel and a little black grape like the Chester grape of England, which only wants skilful vinirons to bring them into use: I intend to undertake it with my French-man this season. Here are very good peaches and in great abundance, no Indian plantation without them: they make a pleasant drink, and are not inferior to any you have, except the true Newington.

It is a question with me, whether it be best to refine the fruits of the country by the care and skill of

art, or to send for foreign sets, already approved. I think that a thing grows best where it naturally grows, but to solve this doubt, I intend (if God gives me life) to try both, and hope the consequence will be as good wines, as are found in European countries of the same latitude.

6 The artificial produce of the country, are wheat, barley, oats, rye, peas, beans, squashes, pumpkins, water melons, musk melons, and all herbs and roots that our English gardens bring forth.

Of

7. Of creatures; for food, are Elk as big as an ox: deer bigger than ours; beaver racoon, rabbits, squirrels, and some eat young bear. foul, the turkey 40 and 50 pounds weight; pheasants, heath birds, pigeons, and partruges, the swan, goose white and grey; brands, ducks teal, also snipe and curlieu, but the duck and teal excel what I have eat in other countries. Of fish, sturgeon, herring, rock, shad, catshead, sheepshead, eel, smelt, pearch, roach; and on the inland rivers, trout, and some say salmon above the falls. Of shelfish we have oysters, crabs, cockles, conchs and muscles: some oysters six inches long, and one sort of cockles as big as stewing oysters that make a rich broth. The animals in profit for their skin or furr are the wild cat, panther, otter, wolf, fox, fisher, minx, musk-rat. We have whale companies, whose boats are built, and we hope for good cod in our bay.

8. We have good and shapely horses; we have freighted with them and pipe staves for Barbadoes, since my coming; we have cows and sheep in plenty; they mostly plow with oxen.

9. There are divers plants which the Indians tell us of, and we have experienced of medicinal virtue : some are most fragrant, especially the wild myrtle.

10. The woods are adorned with lovely flowers for colour, size, figure and variety. I have seen the gar dens of London stored with that soft of beauty, which yet may be inproved I think by our woods; of these I have sent over some to a person of quality.

11. Now for the natives or abori ginies their persons are tall, straight and well proportioned, they tread strong and clever, walking with a lofty chin their complexions are dark, which they improve with bear's fat clarified, using no defence, against sun or weather. Their eye small and black. The thick lip

and flat nose of the African are not common to them, and I have seen as comely faces amongst them as any in Europe.

12. Their language is lofty and full; but like short hand in writing, one word serves often for three, the rest supplied by the understanding of the hearer imperfect in moods, tenses, adverbs, &c. but I know no language that abounds in words of more sweetness and emphasis than theirs.

the

13. When a child is born they wash it in water, no matter how cold to harden and embolden it, wrapping it in a cloth they lay it on a straight thin board, to which they fasten it to make it straight; and thus carry the child at their backs. The children commonly go at nine months old, and wear only a cloth tied round the waist, till fully grown: boys go a fishing till fifteen, when they are ripe for the woods; there they hunt, and when they have given proofs of their manhood by a good return of skins, they may marry. The girls stay with their mothers and help to hoe the ground, plant corn and carry burdens, thus using them to that while young, which they must do when they become women: the wives are servants to