Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh." Gen. vi. 3.

On the expiration of my apprenticeship, having served my father faithfully seven years, I entered more strongly into covenant with my heavenly Father and Master, to serve him all my days, through his assistance; and was soon after drawn forth, in the Spirit and love of Christ, to visit the meetings of Friends westward from London, viz. through Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Devonshire, and Cornwall, to the Land's End; in which journey I was accompanied by William Hernould. At one of our meetings at Falmouth, in Cornwall, two men (called gentlemen) came from the inn to hear the strangers; and after meeting, they could take their oaths that I was a Jesuit, and that they had heard me preach in a Romish chapel in France; which was utterly false for I never was in France in my life. Besides, had I been a Papist, or popishly inclined, (which I was not,) I was too young to be a Jesuit.

Indeed I thought I was mean for the work of the ministry, but the good Remembrancer brought those truths to my remembrance, which strengthened me in the work and service of God. The spirit breatheth where it listeth. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise, &c. We, having great

peace in our labours in this journey, and being edified therewith, returned to London, after about four months absence from home.

And after I had been two weeks at home, my dear mother departed this life, in a sweet frame of spirit, praising the Lord. She was one who lived the life of the righteous, and whose latter end was like theirs, and left a good report behind her, being well beloved (I think I may safely say) by all our neighbours; not only by those of our own society, but others also, to whom she was often very helpful.

So I went to my calling, and got a little money, (a little being enough,) which I was made willing to spend freely, in the work and service of my great Master Christ Jesus. And about this time I was concerned to travel into the North of England, and part of Scotland, which I did in that ability God gave me; and that dispensation which I had freely received, I freely handed forth to the people, devoting my strength and time to serve Him, (that had done so much for me,) and I had the satisfaction to find divers confessing the truth, as it is in Jesus. In this journey I was from home about four months, being mostly alone as to any yoke-fellow in that work, travelling many hundreds of miles, being as far as Edinburgh in Scotland, where our meeting was in the street, we being locked out of our meeting-house by

the then power, and great numbers of people were there. This news being carried to the Provost of the city, he said, "The Quakers would do more hurt out of doors, than within," and he ordered friends their key. Since which I have understood that friends in that city have enjoyed their meetings in the meeting-house; and sometimes when the rabble have disturbed friends, the magistrates have sent officers to disperse them.

Now after I had visited the churches of Christ in divers parts of England, and had many sweet seasons of God's love, and good opportunities with my friends and others in this nation; (the word of life being declared in the simplicity of the gospel-in several places people were very open-hearted, and received the testimony of it with gladness;) and after I had been at my father's, and at my calling, a little after this north-country journey, I found myself engaged in the love of the gospel to visit Friends in America; and having acquainted my friends and relations with my mind, they being willing to give me up in order for the voyage, friends of the monthly meeting gave me a certificate, and I had another from the meeting of ministers in London.

My father, and several other Friends with me, took boat from London, and accompanied me to Gravesend, on the 21st of tenth month

1697, and I went on board the ship Josiah, Thomas Lurting master, and sailed that day from Gravesend, and got to the Downs the next day, where we tarried some days for a fair wind; in which time several others, that were concerned in the same gospel-labour, came on board, viz. Thomas Turner, William Ellis, and Aaron Atkinson. In about four days time the wind was fair for us, and we set sail, and in a little time we got out of sight of the land; soon after which the wind was contrary, and we proceeded but a small distance for several weeks; the weather was rough and the sea boisterous, so that with the motion thereof, most of the passengers were sick. In this time we lost a lad, that fell into the sea, as he was drawing a bucket of water, and was drowned; the ship running swiftly, he could not be saved, although it was speedily endeavoured. Several others died before we got over; but for the most part we were healthful. The Lord be praised! he was, is, and will be, with those that faithfully serve him to the end.

We were three ships in company, but by distress of weather, soon after we came out, we parted. After we had been at sea about eight weeks, on the 25th of the two vessels astern of us. up with us, and the people us they come from Bristol,

12th month we saw One of them came hailed us, and told and had been out

She was

ten weeks. The other came up with us next day. The people informed us they had been at sea seven weeks, and that they had a dreadful time of it. She had lost part of her topmast, and her spritsail topmast was gone. a new ship, and never at sea before, belonging to London, and bound for Virginia, as near as we could understand. Our ship lost none of her tackling, through the great mercy of God to us, though the wind and sea was wonderfully high at times: the mate told me, I might go to sea all my life, and not see the like; he said he had been at, or used to the sea, twenty years, and never saw it so rough and high before. We had meetings twice a week, several of which were comfortable and refreshing meetings, to which most of the passengers, being in all about sixty in number, sometimes came; and several of them were affected with the sense of truth, and the Lord strengthened our faith and hope in him.

Oh! for ever blessed be the living and eternal God, who kept my soul above the fear of death, hell, and the grave; for my trust was in him, and he did bear up my spirit above the waves of the sea; and in the times of tossing with tempests, I was comforted and cheerful, praising the Lord in my heart, both in the day time, and in the night season.

I was much concerned in my mind for many