I must continue my regards to you, let me be engaged to it by a like disposition in you towards me. But if a plurality, after this, shall think they owe me none, or no more than for some years I have met with, let it, on a fair Election, be so declared; and I shall then, without further suspense, know what I have to rely upon. God give you his wisdom and fear to direct you, that yet our poor country may be blessed with peace, love, and industry, and we may once more meet good friends, and live so to the end, our relation in the truth having but the same true interest.

"I am, with great truth and most sincere regard, your real Friend as well as just Proprietor and Governor, "WILLIAM PENN." This letter arrived safe. What answer was returned to it does not appear: but the result of it is well known; for, however there might be some who thought the Proprietor had not conducted himself properly in all respects towards them, yet the serious nature of it affected the considerate part of the Assembly, so that they began now to feel for the Father of his Country, to pity him in his declining years, and to put a just value upon his labours, his sufferings, and sacrifices in their service. This sentiment spread as the contents of the letter became known, so as at length to affect the whole province; the consequence of which was, that at the next annual election in October, not one of those members was returned who had served in the preceding year. This was the greatest compliment that the Province could at this time pay him. It was in fact a national answer to, and a national compliance with his letter: "for if," said he in that letter, as we have just read, " a plurality, after this, shall think they owe me no regard, or no more than for some years I have met with, let it, on a fair Election, be so declared ; and I shall then, without further suspense, know what I have to rely upon." The truth is, the parties who had before been elected Legislators, were, as is too often the case, the least worthy and the most selfish of the community, and instead of representing the true feelings of the better

and more numerous portion of the people, represented little but their own selfishness, and the selfishness of the least principled of the settlers.

The new members having been elected, and duly quali fied to act, Governor Gookin met them in Assembly. Great harmony subsisted between them and the Governor, such as had not been witnessed for years, and many good laws were agreed upon and passed, to the satisfaction of all the branches of the Legislature.

In the early part of 1711, the Governor, having received an express from England respecting the expedition against Canada, convened the same Assembly. He proposed to them as he had done to their predecessors, that they should raise and equip a certain number of men, or vote a sum equivalent to the purpose. They expressed their regret, that on account of their religious principles they could not comply with his request; but they voted two thousand pounds as a present to the Queen, and passed a bill for raising it.

In the October following, the Election came on again. Governor Gookin informed them, that the Proprietary had desired him to signify to them the pleasure which their harmonious conduct of late had given him, and that he should be glad to serve the people of the Province; and that he left it to themselves to think of the means that might best conduce to their own quiet and interest. He offered at the same time his own ready concurrence to anything of that nature which they should propose consistent with the honour and interest of the Crown, of the Proprietary, and of the public welfare. He concluded his address to them by recommending them to think of a proper provision for his own support.

In return to this, the Assembly acknowledged the kind regard of the Proprietor towards them; they thanked the Governor for his own readiness to concur in the propositions of the latter, and they promised to take care of his support; which they did afterwards to his satisfaction.

This was the last intercourse Penn had with the Province of Pennsylvania; and we cannot describe the

pleasure we feel in reflecting, that he received, before age and infirmities had rendered him insensible to those things, such a delightful expression from the true and faithful representatives of the Settlers, of their great respect for his high and venerable character, and of their gratitude for his unceasing labours and sacrifices on their behalf.

CHAPTER XXVI.

A. 1712-18.

IN 1712 he made up his mind to part with his Province to Government; for which he asked the sum of 20,000l. Queen Anne referred his demand to the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, who were to report to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. An agreement was made in consequence for 12,000l.; but the bad and dangerous state of his health during this year prevented the execution of the agreement. He had at distant times three several fits said to be apoplectic, the latter of which was so severe, that it was with difficulty that he survived it. It so shattered his understanding and memory, that he was left scarcely fit to manage at times the most trifling of his private concerns.

The account which we have of William Penn from this time, though authentic, is very short.

In 1713 an intimate friend, who visited him once a year from this period says, being at his house a few days, "I found him to appearance pretty well in health, and cheerful in disposition, but defective in memory; so that though he could relate many past transactions, yet he could not readily recollect the names of absent persons, nor could he deliver his words so readily as heretofore: yet many savoury and sensible expressions came from him, render

ing his company even yet acceptable, and manifesting the religious stability of his mind."

In the spring of 1714, the same friend found him very little altered from what he had been last year. He accompanied him in his carriage to Reading meeting. Here he rose to exhort those present, and spake several sensible sentences, though not able to say much; and, on leaving the meeting to return home, he took leave of his friends with much tenderness and affection. In the autumn of the same year, his old friend Thomas Story arrived in England, and went to Rushcomb to see him. The account he gives of him is as follows; "He was then," says he, "under the lamentable effects of an apoplectic fit, which he had had some time before; for his memory was almost quite lost, and the use of his understanding suspended, so that he was not so conversible as formerly, and yet as near the truth, in the love of it, as before, wherein appeared the great mercy and favour of God, who looks not as man looks; for though to some this accident might look like judgment, and no doubt his enemies so accounted it, yet it will bear quite another interpretation, if it be considered how little time of rest he ever had from the importunities of the affairs of others, to the great hurt of his own affairs, and suspension at times of all his enjoyments, till this happened to him, by which he was rendered incapable of all business, and yet as sensible of the enjoyment of truth as at any time in all his life. When I went to the house I thought myself strong enough to see him in that condition; but when I entered the room, and perceived the great defect of his expressions for want of memory, it greatly bowed my spirit under a consideration of the uncertainty of all human qualifications, and at the thought of what the finest of men are soon reduced to by a disorder of the organs of that body, with which the soul is connected and acts during this present mode of being. When these are but a little obstructed in their various functions, a man of the clearest parts and nest expression becomes scarcely intelligible. Nevertheless, no insanity or lunacy at all

appeared in his actions; and his mind was in an innocent state, as appeared by his very loving deportment to all that came near him: and that he had still a good sense of truth, is plain by some very clear sentences he spoke in the life and power of truth in an evening meeting we had together there, wherein we were greatly comforted; so that I was ready to think this affliction was a sort of sequestration of him from all the concerns of this life which so much oppressed him, and that it was sent not in judgment, but in mercy, that he might have rest, and not be oppressed thereby to the end."

In 1715 his intimate friend before alluded to again visited him. His memory, it appears, had become yet more deficient, but his love and sense of religious enjoyments apparently continued; for he still often went in his chariot to the meeting at Reading, and there sometimes uttered short but very sound and savoury expressions. One morning, while this friend was at his house, being about to go to the meeting, he expressed his desire to the Lord that they might receive some good from him.

This year he went to Bath, but the waters there proved of no benefit to his long-continued complaint.

In 1716 the same friend and another visited him again, at whose coming he seemed glad; and though he could not then remember their names, yet by his answers it appeared he knew their persons.. He was now much weaker than last year, but still expressed himself sensibly at times, and particularly took his leave of them at their going away in these words: "My love is with you: the Lord preserve you, and remember me in the everlasting Covenant."

He

In 1717 his friend made his last visit to him. then found his understanding so much weakened, that he scarce knew his old acquaintances; and his bodily strength so much decayed, that he could not well walk without leading, nor scarcely express himself intelligibly.

We learn from this account of his friend, combined with that of Thomas Story, that his decay was gradual; and that, though his frame had been so grievously shat