speak so to me? why did they trouble the passengers? and why did they tack about from him, and alter their course?' I told them, They should take heed of slighting the mercies of God.'

Afterwards, while we were at Barbadoes, came in a merchant from Sallee, and told the people, that one of the Sallee men of war saw a monstrous yacht at sea, the greatest that ever he saw, had her in chase, and was just upon her; but that there was a spirit in her that he could not take.' This confirmed us in the belief that it was a Sallee-man we saw make after us; and that it was the Lord that delivered us out of his hands.

I was not sea-sick during the voyage, as many of the Friends and other passengers were; but the many hurts and bruises I had formerly received, and the infirmities I had contracted in England by extreme cold and hardships, that I had undergone in many long and sore imprisonments, returned upon me at sea; so that I was very ill in my stomach, and full of violent pains in my bones and limbs. This was after I had been at sea about a month; for during the space of about three weeks after I came first to sea, I sweat abundantly, chiefly my head; and my body broke out in pimples, and my legs and feet swelled extremely, so that my stockings and slippers could not be drawn on without difficulty and great pain. On a sudden the sweating ceased, so that when I came into the hot climate, where others sweat most freely, I could not sweat at all; but my flesh was hot, dry, and burning, and that which before broke out in pimples, struck in again to my stomach and heart; so that I was very ill, and weak beyond expression. Thus I continued during the rest of the voyage, which was about a month; for we were seven weeks and some odd days at sea.

The third of the eighth month, early in the morning, we discovered the island of Barbadoes; but it was between nine and ten at night ere we came to anchor in Carlisle bay. We got on shore as soon as we could, and I with some others walked to a Friend's house, a merchant, whose name was Richard Forstall, above a quarter of a mile from the bridge. But being very ill and weak, I was so tired, that I was in a manner quite spent by that time I got thither. There I abode very ill several days, and though they several times gave me things to make me sweat, they could not effect it. What they gave me did rather parch and dry up my body, and made me probably worse than otherwise I might have been. Thus I continued about three weeks after I landed, having much pain in my bones, joints, and whole body, so that I could hardly get any rest; yet I was pretty cheery, and my spirit kept above it all. Neither did my illness take me off from the service of truth; but both while I was at sea, and after I came to Barbadoes, before I was able to travel about, I gave forth several papers (having a Friend to write for

me,) some of which I sent by the first conveyance for England, to be printed.

After I had rested three or four days at Richard Forstall's, where many Friends came to visit me, John Rouse, having borrowed a coach. of one of his acquaintance there, called colonel Chamberlain, came to fetch me to his father Thomas Rouse's. But it was late ere we could get thither, and little or no rest could I take that night. A few days after, colonel Chamberlain, who had so kindly lent his coach, came to give me a visit, and carried himself very courteously towards me.

Soon after I came into the island, I was informed of a remarkable passage, wherein the justice of God did eminently appear. It was thus. There was a young man of Barbadoes, whose name was John Drakes, (a person of some note in the world's account, but a common swearer and a bad man,) who, when he was in London, had a mind to marry a Friend's daughter, left by her mother very young, with a considerable portion, to the care and government of several Friends, whereof I was one. He made application to me, that he might have my consent to marry this young maid. I told him, 'I was one of her overseers appointed by her mother, who was a widow, to take care of her; that if her mother had intended her for a match to any man of the world, she would have disposed her accordingly; but she committed her to us, that she might be trained up in the fear of the Lord; and therefore, I should betray the trust reposed in me, if I should consent that he, who was out of the fear of God, should marry her; which I would not do.' When he saw that he could not obtain his desire, he returned to Barbadoes with great offence of mind against me, but without a just cause. Afterwards, when he heard I was coming to Barbadoes, he swore desperately, and threatened, 'if he could possibly procure it, he would have me burned to death when I came there.' Which a Friend hearing, asked him, 'what I had done to him, that he was so violent against me?' he would not answer, but said again, 'I'll have him burned.' Whereupon the Friend replied, do not march on too furiously, lest thou come too soon to thy journey's end.' About ten days after, he was struck with a violent burning fever, of which he died; by which his body was so scorched, that the people said, 'it was as black as a coal;' and three days before I landed, his body was laid in the dust. This was taken notice of as a sad example.

While I continued so weak that I could not go abroad to meetings, the other Friends that came over with me bestirred themselves in the Lord's work. The next day but one after we came on shore, they had a great meeting at the Bridge, and after that several meetings in different parts of the island; which alarmed the people of all sorts, so that many came to our meetings, and some of the chiefest rank. For they had got my name, understanding I was come upon the island, and ex

pected to have seen me at those meetings, not knowing I was unable to go abroad. And indeed my weakness continued the longer on me, by reason that my spirit was much pressed down at the first with the filth and dirt, the unrighteousness of the people, which lay as a heavy weight and load upon me. But after I had been above a month upon the island, my spirits became somewhat easier, I began to recover my health and strength, and get abroad among Friends. In the meantime, having an opportunity to send to England, I wrote to Friends there, to let them know how it was with me, as followeth :

DEAR FRIENDS, I have been very weak these seven weeks past, and not able to write myself. My desire is to you, and for you all, that ye may live in the fear of God, and in love one unto another, and be subject one to another in the fear of God. I have been weaker in my body than ever I was in my life that I remember, yea, 'my pains have been such as I cannot express; yet my heart and spirit are strong. I have hardly sweated these seven weeks past, though I am in a very hot climate, where hardly any but are well nigh continually sweating; but as for me, my old bruises, colds, numbness, and pains struck inwardly, even to my very heart. So that little rest I have taken, and the chiefest things that were comfortable to my stomach were a little water and powdered ginger; but now I begin to drink a little beer as well as water, and sometimes a little wine and water mixed. Great pains and travails I have felt, and in measure am under; but it is well, my life is over all. This island was to me as all on a fire ere I came to it, but now it is somewhat quenched and abated. I came in weakness amongst those that are strong, and have so continued ; but now I am got a little cheery, and over it. Many Friends, and some considerable persons of the world, have been with me. I tired out my body much when amongst you in England; it is the Lord's power that helps me; therefore I desire you all to prize the power of the Lord and his truth. I was but weak in body when I left you, after I had been in my great travail amongst you; but after that it struck all back again into my body, which was not well settled after such sore travails in England. And then I was so tired at sea, that I could not rest, and have had little or no stomach a long time. Since I came into this island, my life hath been very much burdened ;but I hope, if the Lord gives me strength to manage his work, I shall work thoroughly, and bring things that have been out of course into better order. So, dear Friends, live all in the peaceable truth, and in the love of it, serving the Lord in newness of life; for glorious things and precious truths have been manifested among you plentifully, and to you the riches of the kingdom have been reached. I have been almost a month in this island, but have not been able to go abroad or ride out;

only very lately I rode out twice, a quarter of a mile at a time, which wearied me much. My love in the truth is to you all. G. F.'

Because I was not well able to travel, the Friends of the island concluded to have their men's and women's meeting for the service of the church at Thomas Rouse's, where I lay; by which means I was present at each of their meetings, and had very good service for the Lord in both. For they had need of information in many things, divers disorders being crept in for want of care and watchfulness. I exhorted them, more especially at the men's meeting, to be careful with respect to marriages, to prevent Friends marrying in near kindreds, and also to prevent over-hasty proceedings towards second marriages after the death of a former husband or wife; advising that a decent regard be had in such cases to the memory of the deceased husband or wife. As to Friends' children marrying too young, as at thirteen or fourteen years of age, I showed the unfitness thereof, and the inconveniences and hurts that attend such childish marriages. I admonished them to purge the floor thoroughly, and to sweep their houses very clean, that nothing might remain that would defile; and that all should take care, that nothing be spoken out of their meetings to the blemishing or defaming one of another. Concerning registering of marriages, births, and burials, I advised them to keep exact records of each in distinct books for that only use; and also to record in a book for that purpose, the condemnations of such as went out from truth into disorderly practices, and the repentance and restoration of such as returned again. I recommended to their care the providing of convenient burying places for Friends, which in some parts were yet wanting. Some directions also I gave them concerning wills, and the ordering of legacies left by Friends for public uses, and other things relating to the affairs of the church. Respecting their negroes, I desired them to endeavour to train them up in the fear of God, as well those that were bought with their money, as them that were born in their families, that all might come to the knowledge of the Lord; that so, with Joshua, every master of a family might say, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." I desired also, that they would cause their overseers to deal mildly and gently with. their negroes, and not use cruelty towards them, as the manner of some hath been and is; and that after certain years of servitude they should make them free.' Many sweet and precious things were opened in these meetings, by the spirit and in the power of the Lord, to the edifying, confirming, and building up of Friends both in the faith and holy order of the gospel.

After these meetings, the vessel bound for England not being gone, I was moved to write another epistle to Friends there; the copy whereof follows:

DEAR Friends and brethren, to whom is my love in that which never changeth, but remains in glory, which is over all, the top and cornerstone. In this all have peace and life, as yê dwell in the blessed seed, wherein all is blessed, over that which brought the curse; where all shortness, narrowness of spirit, brittleness, and peevishness are. Therefore keep the holy order of the gospel. Keep in this blessed seed, where all may be kept in temperance, in patience, in love, in meekness, in righteousness and holiness, and in peace; in which the Lord may be seen amongst you, and no way dishonoured, but glorified by you all. In all your meetings, in cities, towns, and countries, men's meetings, women's meetings, and others, let righteousness flow among you, the holy truth be uppermost, the pure spirit your guide and leader, and the holy wisdom from above your orderer, that is pure gentle and easy to be intreated. Keep in the religion that preserves from the spots of the world, which is pure and undefiled in God's sight. Keep in the pure and holy worship, in which the pure and holy God is worshipped, viz. in the spirit, and in the truth, which the devil is out of who is the author of all unholiness, and of that which dishonours God. Be tender of God's glory, of his honour, and of his blessed and holy name, in which ye are gathered. All who profess the truth, see that ye walk in it, in righteousness, holiness, and godliness; for "holiness becomes the house of God, the household of faith." That which becomes God's house, God loves. For he loves righteousness. And that is the ornament which becomes his house and all his family. Therefore see that righteousness run down in all your assemblies, that it flow, to drive away all unrighteousness. This preserves your peace with God; for in righteousness ye all have peace with the righteous God of peace, and one with another. And so every one that bears the name of the anointed, that high title of being a christian, named after the heavenly man, see that ye be in the divine nature and made conformable unto his image, even the image of the heavenly divine man, who was before that image which Adam and Eve got from satan in the fall; so that in none of you that fallen image may appear, but his image, and you made conformable unto him. Here translation is showed forth in life and conversation, not in words only; yea, and conversion and repentance, which is a change of the nature, of the mind, and of the heart, of the spirit and affections, which have been below, and come to be set above; and so receive the things that are from above, and have the conversation in heaven, not that conversation which is according to the power of the prince of the air, that now rules in the disobedient. So be faithful; this is the word of the Lord God unto you all. See, that godliness, holiness, righteousness, truth, and virtue, the fruits of the good spirit, flow over the bad and its fruits, that ye may answer that which is of God in all; for your heavenly Father is glorified, in that