From thence he went to Delfzyl, where he took boat for Embden. While on his passage there he wrote a letter, which is extant, "To Friends every where concerning the present Separatists and their Spirit of Separation." This alluded to a schism which had taken place on the subject of discipline among the Quakers in England. Having landed, he visited the mother and sister of the late Dr. Hasbert, who had been the first Quaker in that place. The society having been bitterly persecuted there and the members of it scattered by banishment, he called upon Dr. Andrews, President of the Council of State, who was reported to have been the author of such oppression. He informed him, that he was the Englishman who about two years before had written a Latin letter to the Council of Embden on that subject. He wondered how he, Dr. Andrews, being a Commonwealth's man and a Protestant," could persecute for religion. He then argued the case with him, and this so successfully as to obtain a promise from him that he would use his interest with the Council, if he, William Penn, would address to them another letter. The persons The next place he went to was Leer, and afterwards Bremen. He visited four in this last city, and had a religious opportunity with others who were staying at his own inn. After hard travelling for two days he arrived again at Herwerden, the residence of the Princess Elizabeth as before mentioned. Among those whom he met at her court was the Graef of Donau. They soon fell into conversation with each other. The points in discussion were the nature and end of Christianity, and the way which led to eternal rest. Both agreed, after a short debate," that self-denial and mortification and victory therein were the duty, and therefore ought to be the endeavour, of every true Christian." William Penn then gave the Graef some account of his retreat from the world, and explained his inducements to it, and the necessity of an inward work. After this the conversation turned, on the suggestion of the Graef, upon the custom of taking off the hat as a matter of respect. William Penn laboured to prove that this custom was a weed of degeneracy and apostasy, a carnal and earthly honour, and the effect as well he was well as the feeder and pleaser of a vain mind. He showed, next, "wherein the sincere and serviceable respect consisted, which Truth substituted in the place thereof," and, finally, exhorted him to simplicity and humility of spirit. I shall only observe, that while he staid at Herwerden he held his religious meetings, and was treated with the same friendship and attention as before. In taking his leave, which was a final one, much affected. He bade farewell to the Princess, falling upon his knees, and asking the divine blessing for her preservation. He then tenderly exhorted the Countess, her companion, who implored his prayers in her behalf. He addressed himself next to the French lady of quality before mentioned, whom he desired to be faithful and constant to that which she knew. He then spoke to the rest, giving to each separately such advice as he judged to be suitable to their condition, Getting into the post waggon, in company with his friend J. Claus, he resumed his travels. In this waggon, which was covered only by a ragged sheet, he rode three nights without lying down upon a bed, or sleeping, The passengers were much straitened for room, room. Most of them, on the approach of evening, sung what were called Luther's hymns or psalms. This custom troubled him; for he had had occasion to observe that their conversation was generally very vain, and therefore he took an opportunity of testifying against it; "for to be full of all vain and often of profane talk in one hour, and to sing psalms to God in the next, was deceit and an abomination." As he proceeded through Lipstad, Ham, and other places, he and the passengers held discourses upon what was the nature of that religion and worship which was most Christian. At length after a continued journey of two hundred miles he was again at Wesel. Here, and at Duysburg, Dusseldorp, Cologne, and Cleves, he employed himself in visiting old friends, making new ones, and otherwise promoting the object of his journey. At Amsterdam, where he arrived again by the way of Nimmeguen and Utrecht, he was engaged in a public dispute. Galenus Abrahams, the great father of the Socinian Menists in these parts, denied that there was any new Christian dispensation or apostolical commission then going on in the world world by the instrumentality of the Quakers. This denial was to become the subject of discussion. Both parties went to the place of meeting, Galenus Abrahams attended by several preachers and others of his own congregation, and William Penn by George Fox and a body of Quakers. At length the dispute began: but all we know of it is, that it lasted from eight in the morning till one in the afternoon, and this successively for two days. The meeting being over, he proceeded with George Fox by the way of Leyden to the Hague, and from thence to Delft, and from thence to Rotterdam. He employed himself, while in this city, in visiting Friends and friendly people; in holding public meetings, which were numerously and respectably attended; and in writing letters, which he intended to leave behind him on his return to England, in order that they might be printed and circulated throughout Germany. The first of these was "A Call or Summons to Christendom to prepare for the great and notable Day of the Lord, which was then at hand." He appealed through the medium of this Summons to different denomi |