America.

Mr. William Penn, an eminent Quaker, and a gentleman of great knowledge and true philosophy, had it granted to him at this time.He designed it for a retreat or asylum for the people of his own religious persuasion, then made uneasy at home through the bigotry of Spiritual Courts." Such is the statement of these writers. The truth however is, that he had three distinct objects in view when he petitioned for this grant. . In a letter to a friend on this subject he says, "that he so desires to obtain and to keep the New Land, as that he may not be unworthy of God's love, but do that which may answer his kind providence, and serve his Truth and people ; that an example may be set up to the nations; that there was room there (in America) though not here (in England) for such an holy experiment." -Here then are two of these ob

jects: for to serve God's Truth and people meant with him the same thing as to afford the Quakers the retreat from persecution mentioned; and by the words which followed these, it is clear he had a notion, that by transporting the latter he might be enabled to raise a virtuous empire in the New

Land,

Land, which should diffuse its example far and wide, and to the remosest ages; an idea worthy of a great mind, and such only as a mind undaunted by difficulties could have hoped to realize. The third object may be seen in his petition for this grant; for in this he stated, that he had in view the glory of God by the civilization of the poor Indians, and the conversion of the Gentiles by just and lenient measures to Christ's kingdom. In short, his motives may be summed up in the general description of them given by Robert Proud, one of his more modern historians, and who had access to hundreds of his letters, and who spared no pains to develop his mind in the most material transactions of his life. "The views of William Penn," says he, " in the colonization of Pennsylvania were most manifestly the best and most exalted that could occupy the human mind; namely, to render men as free and happy as the nature of their existence could possibly bear in their civil capacity, and, in their religious state, to restore them to those lost rights and privileges with which God and nature had originally blessed the human race. This in part he effected, and

by

by those means, which Providence in the following manner put into his hands, he so far brought to pass, as to excite the admiration of strangers, and to fix in posterity that love and honour for his memory, which the length of future time will scarcely ever be able to efface."

CHAP.

CHAPTER XVII.

A. 1681 becomes a proprietor of East New Jersey publishes "A brief Examination and State of Liberty spiritual"-writes "A Letter to the Friends of God in the City of Bristol"—obtains a grant of the tract solicited-substance of the charter for the same-named Pennsylvania by the King—his modest feelings at this name-publishes an account of Pennsylvania and the terms of sale-draws up conditions-his great care of the natives therein-draws up a frame of government -his great care of liberty of conscience therein-extract of his letter to R. Turner-sends off three vessels with passengers-and with commissioners-writes to the Indians by the latter-is elected a Fellow of the Royal Society-letter to R. Vickris.

WILLIAM PENN was still indefatigable in promoting the interests of Billynge. By the influence he had in Ireland he sent off this year two vessels from that quarter freighted with settlers, most of whom were Quakers. A great part of these went from Dublin, and the rest from other parts of the country where he had been best known. As to Billynge himself, he prevailed upon the proprietors to make him Governor, and Samuel Jenings, a Quaker and an able minister of the Gospel, Deputy Governor of the colony. The latter went out also in

the

the present year, and ruled it with so much virtue as to infuse strength into its infantsinews, to the great advancement of its civil and moral growth.

While he was thus attentive to the welfare of West New Jersey, he became unexpectedly concerned for another colony. East New Jersey, of which Elizabeth Town was the capital, was sold this year according to the will of Sir George Carteret. This province was in good order, populous, and flourishing. He became the purchaser of it, but took in as partners R. West, T. Rudyard, S. Groome, T. Hart, R. Mew, T. Wilcox, A. Rigg, J. Haywood, H. Hartshorne, C. Plumsted, and T. Cooper. These soon afterwards admitted twelve others into the concern, James Earl of Perth, J. Drummond, R. Barclay the apologist, R. Gordon, A. Sonmans, G. Lawrie, E. Billynge, J. Braine, W. Gibson, T. Barker, R. Turner, and T. Warne. Of the twentyfour now mentioned all except two or three were Quakers. The partnership having been completed, William Penn published an account of the country, a fresh project for a town (Perth Amboy), and a method of disposing of such lands as remained unoccu