aforesaid county, October 5th 1699, performed and answered by taking the oaths, &c. enjoined by a certain act of parliament, made the 24th day of May Anno Domini 1689, in the first year of the reign of King William, and Queen Mary, entitled an Act for exempting their Majesties' protestant subjects, dissenting from the Church of England, from the penalties of sundry laws. And by his application to the Court, by petition, obtained order in October Court last, that his own house at Accomack town, and his dwelling house at Pocomoke, should be registered and recorded to be the first place of his constant and ordinary preaching. Which is attested, this 10th day of October A. D. 1699.

Per me JOHN WASHBURN, C. C. C. Accomack." On the 15th of the same month (October) 1699, the following record appears, as given by Spence from an attested copy; viz. "Whereas Mr. Francis Makemie made application by petition to this Court, that being ready to fullfill what the law enjoynes to dissenters, that he might be qualified according to law, and prayed that his own dwelling house at Pocomoke, also his own house at Ononcock, next to Capt. Jonathan Liveley's, might be the places recorded for the Meeting, and having taken the oaths enjoyned by act of parliament instead of the oaths of allegeance and supremacy, and subscribed the Test, as likewise that he did in compliance with what the said law enjoynes, produce certificate from Barbadoes of his qualifications there, did declare in open court of the said county and owned the articles of religion mentioned in the statute made in the 13th year of Queen Elizabeth, except the 34th, 35th and 36th, and those words of the 20th article, viz.-the Church hath power to decide rights and ceremonies, and authority in controversies of faith,-which the Court have ordered to be registered and recorded, and that the clerk of Court give certificate thereof to the said Makemie, according as the law enjoynes."

These papers recognise Makemie as having been a preacher among dissenters, that he had been previously qualified, or licensed, at Barbadoes to preach-and that now he was shielded by law in Virginia.

Beverly, in his History and Present State of Virginia, published in 1705 says, Book 4th, Part 1st, Chap. 7th, p. 27"The people are generally of the Church of England, which is the religion established by law in the country, from which there are very few dissenters. Yet liberty of conscience is given to all other congregations pretending to Christianity, on condition they submit to all parrish duties." Free to exercise conscience, by paying an equal share to the support of the ministers of the established church, however much they disapproved

of him personally or officially,-by receiving marriage from his hands and in the form of the state religion, by paying all parish rates for building and repairing the public church, and purchasing and keeping in repair the glebe,-when' they had done this, they might build their own meeting house and support their own minister. He goes on to say: "They have no more than five conventicles amongst them, namely, three small meetings of Quakers, and two of Presbyterians. "Tis observed, that those counties where the Presbyterian meetings are, produce very mean tobacco, and for that reason can't get an orthodox minister to stay amongst them; but whenever they could the people very orderly went to church. As for the Quakers, 'tis observed by letting them alone they decrease daily." So it appears on account of the poorness of the tobacco the established clergy left some counties, although in 1696 their salary had been fixed at sixteen thousand lb. weight of that commodity.

If this statement be true we can the more easily understand why Makemie had not been more molested. We suppose he took his residence in Accomack soon after his marriage. There was no Episcopal minister to complain of him; and many of the inhabitants preferred to hear Makemie to passing silent Sabbaths, and many others were true Presbyterians. His increasing popularity awakened hostility. And the consequence of hostility was the acknowledgment of the Toleration Act, and the complete protection of Makemie. Beverly does not say which two counties held the Presbyterians. We know that Accomack was one. When he said there were but two conventicles for Presbyterians, he may have referred only to the public meeting houses, or he may have written loosely, as Makemie had some four places to preach in. He certainly did write loosely, because he omitted the congregation of French Huguenots which by Act 2d December, 1700, was recognised as a distinct parish, and exempted from "publick and county levies for the space of seven years." If he reckoned this congregation as one, then he wrote very carelessly in giving Makemie but one place.

Notwithstanding all obstacles Mr. Makemie was abundantly successful in his ministerial labors. His hearers and congregations multiplied; and the thoughts of all were turned to the mother country for a supply of ministers. He prepared for a voyage to England in the summer of 1703; and according to custom he, August 1st, executed a power of attorney to his wife and John Parker-"to do and transact all manner of business for him." This projected voyage did not take place. On the 30th May, 1704, he, according to the records of Accomack, executed a power of attorney to his wife, Andrew

Hamilton and James Kemps, reciting that he was about "to depart for Europe." This voyage was accomplished and occupied him about a year. A warm-hearted man would very naturally desire, after a protracted absence, to revisit his native land, renew the associations of his early life and recount his labours and the dealings of God with him in the colonies. Especially would he visit the surviving brethren of the Presbytery that sent him forth as Evangelist. That he did visit London and make arrangements for the supply of the congregations with Evangelical clergymen—and that he brought a number of ministers from his native province are matters of fact on record. From a letter addressed by the Presbytery of Philadelphia to Sir Edmund Harrison, a gentleman of influence with the dissenting ministers, bearing date May 1709, in the records of the Presbyterian Church, we learn-"The negotiation begun and encouraged by a friend, in the time when our worthy friend, Mr. Makemie (now deceased) was with you, for Evangelizing these colonies, was a business exceedingly acceptable to a multitude of people, and was likely to have been of great service, if continued, which makes us much grieved that so valuable a design was, so soon after its beginning, laid aside. Unto whom can we apply more fitly than unto our fathers.' From a letter from the same Presbytery to the Presbytery of Dublin, bearing date Sept. 1710, we learn-"As to the state of the church in these parts, our interest truly is very weak, and we cannot relate this matter without sorrow of heart, since it is too much owing to the neglect of ministers at home. Our late Rev. brother Mr. Francis Makemie prevailed with the ministers of London to undertake the support of two itinerants for the space of two years, and after that time to send two more on the same conditions, allowing the former after that time to settle, which, if accomplished, had proved of more credible advantage to those parts, considering how far scattered most of the inhabitants be. But alas they drew back their hand, and we have reason to lament their deficiency. Had our friends at home been equally watchful and diligent as the Episcopal society at London, our interest in most foreign plantations might have carried the balance.'

In the letter to Mr. Harrison, the Presbytery ask for £200 per annum, "We doubt not but if the sum of about two hundred pounds per annum was raised for the encouragement. of ministers in these parts, it would enable ministers and people to erect eight congregations, and ourselves put in better circumstances than hitherto we have been." In the letter to the Presbytery of Dublin, they say, what they request is"you would raise one sixty pound to support an able well approved of young man from yourselves as an itinerant in

these parts, among the dispersed children of God for a year, after which time we doubt not he may be settled comfortably. In their letter to Mr. Harrison they say "it is well known what advantages the missionaries from England have of us, from the settled fund of their church, which not only liberally supports them here, but encourages so many insolences both against our persons and interests, which sorrowfully looking on, we cannot but lament and crave your remedy." To the Synod of Glasgow they say in their letter September, 1710-"May it please the pious and reverend Synod, in compassion to the desolate souls in America, perishing for want of vision, to send over one or more ministers, and support them for a longer or shorter time. We further represent, that according to the best of our judgment, forty pounds sterling, annually paid in Scotland, to be transmitted in goods, will be a competency for the support of each minister you send, provided that of your pious and christian benevolence you suitably fit them out.' From these extracts we are led to conclude that the assistance yielded, by the ministers in London, and the Presbytery of Dublin, was rather occasional than systematic. Had it have been systematic the Presbytery say they might have had "the balance."

It the fall of 1705, after his return from England, we find Mr. Makemie, in the month of November, before the County Court of Somerset, with two ministerial brethren, John Hampton, and George McNish, whom the records style "his associates." Certificates were damanded for these gentlemen, according to law, for the unmolested exercise of their ministry. The religious aspect of Maryland had greatly changed since Makemie began to preach on the Eastern shore. Their consciences were unshackled. All men had liberty to worship God according to their consciences. In 1692 the Church of England became the Established Church of Maryland, and a tax of forty pounds of tabacco "per poll" was imposed on every "taxable" to meet the expense of building and repairing churches, and supporting ministers. In 1702, dissenters from the Church of England were declared entitled to the benefit of the Toleration Act; but their meeting houses were to be "unbarred-unbolted-and unlocked." It was necessary for these gentlemen to obtain a license, for the exercise of their office as ministers, in a State where conscience had once been free.

Opposition to the licenses of Messrs. Hampton and McNish, was raised by the vestry of the parish of Coventry; and the matter was referred to the Governor and Council. The Rev. Robert Keith, minister at Dividing Creek, was supposed to be the author of the opposition. He certainly united in it with all

his power. The following extracts from the records of the court show the forms and spirit of the time. "At a court held for Somerset County, at Dividing Creek, the 14th day of November, 1705, present Capt. John West, Major John Cornish, Mr. Thos. Newbold, Capt. John Frankland, Capt. Chas. Ballard, and Mr. Jos. Venables. "The petition of George McNish humbly sheweth,-That your petitioner craveth that the usual oaths according to law tendered to, and to be taken by dissenting Ministers and Preachers may be tendered to your petitioner,-George McNish." "The Rev. Robert Keith and Mr. Alexander Adams,-exhibit as followeth,-That whereas, we have good ground to believe, that Mr. Francis Makemy and others his assistance are intended to address your worships on account of a Tolleration granted to the dissenters, for preaching and building meeting houses, and doing what else is incumbent on them as such, and wee duly considering the import of the matter; humbly desire that the whole as to the premises, be remitted to his Excellency the Governor of this Province, and the honourable Council of State thereof, By them to be considered, ordered and determined as they shall think fitt: And that nothing be done in the premises untill warrant or order be obtained from them, as to whole premises, or any part thereof. John Heath, Pro. Vestry." Upon considering these two petitions, the Justices resolved-"Notwithstanding the said McNish in decent manner, did require (he being a dissenter from the Church of England) that he might be dignified as by law in this county to preach, offering to take the oaths and subscribe the declaration,-to allow the said Vestry petition to have its final result and determination by his said Exncy and honble Council of State as prayed for.'

On the 8th of January 1705, 6, the same justices or commissioners being present, "then did Mr. George McNish and Mr. John Hampton their petition exhibit,"-having recounted the provisions of the toleration act, and stated the fact that they had previously offered themselves to the Court to take the oaths required and perform whatever else was required by law, they say "we do humbly tender ourselves again to your worships, as the proper court held by the Justices of the Peace for this county empowered and required to administer such oaths, and for receiving such subscriptions." The Court determined to wait the decision of his Excellency. This decision was at length given, and bears March 13th 1705.

"Att a court held By her Majty's wor'll Justices of the Peace for Somerset county, att Dividing Creek, the 12th day of June, Anno Dom. 1706,-By his Exncy the Governor, March the 13th 1705, ordered then that the worpfull Justices of Somerset county, take the oaths of the Desenting ministers