Friends' love and diligence here in labouring for their ransom. And that since the last Yearly Meeting, the Lord hath delivered three of them, by death, out of their great misery and servitude; who ended their days in great content and peace. Their names are John Bound, Richard Nevet, and Thomas Harrell. The distressed case of the remainder of them (as last year signified) is still before Friends; and divers are engaged in the love of God to use their endeavours for their ransom.

An epistle came from the Half-Yearly Meeting in Ireland, setting forth Friends' present condition; their tenderly accepting what was formerly ordered for their relief; and also that the sum of one hundred pounds, remitted from Friends in Barbadoes, for their further relief, is ordered to be remitted to them. Whereupon this meeting refered the farther management thereof to the Meeting for Sufferings here, to take care for their further sup ply, as they shall see meet.

Friends appointed to view the accounts, report that they find them well and truly stated and kept. And it is advised, that, for the future, when there shall be occasion for a further contribution, Friends that come from the several counties bring up with them an account of the total sum of each collection that may be made in their respective counties, to the next ensuing Yearly Meeting after such collection is made; that it may be compared with the accounts here, for Friends' satisfaction therein.

For the dispersing Friends' books for the service of truth, advice was given last Yearly Meeting; which we desire may be observed. And it is by this meeting likewise agreed and advised, that one book at least of a sort that shall be printed (except books of collections) be kept in each Monthly or Quarterly Meeting, for the future service of truth and Friends.

The weighty accounts given at this our solemn assembly, from the respective counties in England and Wales, by the Friends sent up, as also by some epistles from several counties and particular Friends, importing the prosperity of God's blessed truth, and increase of Christ's government and peace in his heritage, are greatly to our comfort and refreshment; and we humbly thank God, and bless his name, for the same; being truly rejoiced, and our hearts affected, in the sense of the christian care, diligence, love, unity and peace among Friends: in which we pray God to keep all his people faithful unto the end.

The six Friends of the city appointed and intrusted this year with the accounts, are William Mead, William Crouch, William Macket, John Staploe, Cornelius Mason, and Joseph Wright. And it was agreed by Friends at this meeting, that it shoukt H

again be observed the next year at the same time, if the Lord will. And that Friends of each county, at their Quarterly Meeting preceding this time of the year, do agree upon two faithful Friends of their county to attend the service of the said meeting.

We must needs say that we were truly comforted in the meekness of love and harmony that appeared among Friends in the management of most of the important affairs of this meeting. So the God of all peace be with you all. Amen.

Signed in behalf of our said Meeting, by

BENJAMIN BEALING.

AN EPISTLE SUBJOINED TO THE PRECEDING, FROM S. C. AND G. W.

Dear Friends,

With respect to our ancient and innocent testimony in the foregoing epistle, it is upon us further to add, Away with those upbraiding characters of Jacobites and Williamites, Jemmites and Billites, &c. so used by the world's people one against another, to make parties and divisions, and to stir up wrath and enmity. Let the spirit of enmity, strife and contention, be judged and kept out of God's heritage for ever; and let us have no such upbraiding distinctions in God's camp, nor any thing tending to strife, sedition or discord; no more than of Whig and Tory, long since judged out and testified against.

And shew forth your affection to Christ, to his kingdom and government, by a quiet life, and peaceable subjection unto the higher powers that God is pleased to set over us, which are at his disposing, and not ours; it being our christian duty to desire their good, and to persuade them to what good we can, for their safety, and our ease and relief; that in all godliness and honesty you may be innocently preserved out of all offences, reproach and scandal, and all real occasions thereof.

O Friends, truth and innocency will live and work through all; and our ancient testimony and life therein will stand and continue the same through all revolutions and interchanges that God is pleased to bring or suffer among men, for causes best known to himself; which therefore must not be the subjects of dispute or controversy among any of his people; his judgments being unsearchable, and his ways past finding out. Wherefore let all study to be quiet, and mind their own business, in God's holy fear; and none to be meddling or exercising themselves in things too high for them.

The God of all our mercies, and well-spring of our life and peace, who hath ordained us to live in unity, be with you all. Amen. S. C. G. W.

EPISTLE XVI-1693.

Dear and truly beloved Friends and Brethren,

We tenderly salute you in the Lord with love unfeigned; heartily desiring Sion's prosperity, and earnestly praying for the peace of Jerusalem, and of the whole Israel of God and church of Christ, that all the assemblies of Friends may be truly comforted and abundantly refreshed, in the living sense of the presence, and unspeakable goodness of our God, as we have been beyond expression in this our solemn and seasonable assembly at this time; for which we are greatly obliged to bless and praise the God and fountain of all our mercies, and always to continue humbly thankful to him for the same.

The principal matters of most general concern agreed upon by this meeting to be communicated, we do faithfully recommend to your christian care and notice as heretofore.

Our last yearly epistle being very comprehensive and weighty, and more large than usual, it is earnestly desired, that the contents thereof be seriously reminded in all your Monthly and Quarterly Meetings, in order to the faithful performance, according to our christian religion and profession in the purity thereof, and as God's faithful witness in all hearts doth enjoin, and is ready to assist all the faithful and diligent in the conduct of their conver

sations.

And therefore that all due and godly care be taken and exercised among all Friends in the christian and sober education of their children and youth, which are under their care and trust, that they be good examples and patterns, both in conversation, words, and habits, becoming our holy profession and humble religion of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, against the pride of life; against the breach of promise, injuring and defrauding others in their properties, trade and commerce, &c. against the grand oppression and anti-christian yoke of tithes, that our christian testimony, borne and greatly suffered for, be faithfully maintained against them in all respects; and against steeplehouse rates or lays; as also against the burthen and imposition of oaths; and against all whisperings and backbitings, which tend to strife and division, and making parties; and all disorderly

and undue proceedings in marriages; that truth's order, method, and testimony be faithfully kept unto concerning all these matters, and the judgment thereof, in God's wisdom, set over all perverseness, unfaithfulness, and disorderly walking, tending to the dishonour of God, the reproach and scandal of our holy profession, and of us his people.

It is desired, that Friends at all their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings be reminded to call for the records of the sufferings of Friends, to see that they be duly gathered, truly entered and kept, and accordingly sent up as hath been often advised, both of what tithes, &c. are pretended to be due, and for how long a time, and the time when taken, and by and for whom; and what goods are taken, and the value thereof, as well of those not exceeding, as those exceeding the sums or quantities demanded (it being a suffering in both for truth's sake;) they being in these particulars found defective and imperfect in divers counties, which is an obstruction to the general record of Friends' sufferings. And therefore the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings are advised to take more care for the future, that all Friends' sufferings for truth's sake may be brought up as full and complete in all respects as possibly may be,

A complaint being made about some ship-masters (who profess the truth, and are esteemed Quakers) carrying guns in their ships, supposing thereby to defend and secure themselves and their ships, contrary to their former principle and practice, and to the indangering their own and others lives thereby; also giving occasion of more severe hardships and sufferings to be inflicted on such Friends as are pressed into ships of war, who for conscience sake cannot fight nor destroy men's lives, it is therefore recommended to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings whereunto such ship-masters belong, to deal with them in God's wisdom and tender love, to stir them up, and awaken their consciences, that they may seriously consider how they injure their own souls in so doing, and what occasion they give to make the truth and Friends to suffer by their declension, and acting contrary thereunto, through disobedience and unbelief; placing theirsecurity in that which is altogether insecure and dangerous; which we are really sorry for, and sincerely desire their recovery and safety from destruction, that their faith and confidence may be in the arm and power of God.

Dear Friends,

You very well know our christian principle and profession in this matter, both with respect to God and Cæsar, that because we are subjects of Christ's kingdom, which is not of this world, we cannot fight, [JOHN xviii. 36.] yet, being subjects of Cæsar's

kingdom, we pay our taxes, tribute, &c. according to the example of Christ and his holy apostles, relating to Christ's kingdom and Cæsar's; wherein we are careful not to offend [MATT. xvii. 27. and xxii. 20. Roм. xiii. 6, 7.] being also very glad, and much satisfied, in the many testimonies given at this meeeting, of our Friends' innocency, and quiet and peaceable behaviour under the outward government, as becomes our christian principle and profession.

Our dear Friends and brethren Thomas Wilson and James Dickinson, being by the good providence of God preserved in their travels, and safely returned, and present, at this meeting, gave account of their eminent preservation and deliverance both by sea and land, and of their travels and service in Barbadoes, East and West-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, NewEngland, North Carolina, Rhode-Island, Long-Island, Antigua, Nevis; and that they found Friends in good unity in most parts, and great openness to truth, and in many parts their great need of being visited, and that Friends there much desire it. And that in New-England, the cry of the blood of Friends formerly put to death there, is much revived, by the late judgment and confusion fallen upon the professors there, about witchcraft; several being there put to death, under pretence of being witches, which they wickedly accused Friends formerly with; insomuch that some of the more moderate people among them declared, that they be lieved the hand of the Lord would not be taken from off that place, until a day of humiliation be appointed, to acknowledge and condemn that action in putting the Quakers to death; which we pray God give them repentance for.

Four epistles from Ireland (one from the Half-Year's Meeting in Dublin, another from Ulster Province, another from Munster Province, the fourth from the Province-Meeting at Leinster) were read; intimating the goodness of God in their preservation, and his presence amongst them, and how well things are, with respect to unity, peace and concord among themselves; and withal they return their grateful acknowledgments of Friends' dear love, great affection, and charity here towards them, for the relief of poor Friends that greatly suffered by the late calamities, which hath been to the great refreshment of the bowels of many.

Several other epistles from foreign parts, as Barbadoes, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Scotland, and Holland, were read, signifying for the most part, the love and unity amongst Friends, and great openness in divers parts, with desires of Friends' prayers for them, particularly in Pennsylvania. And that in Barba does there hath been a very violent distemper which has caused a great mortality,