1. To confirm and establish forever the ancient peace and mutual harmony.

2. Never to injure each other.

3. To be subject to the laws of the government of the

colony.

4. Not to aid or abet the enemies of the government. 5. To give due notice of all ill designs against the province. 6. Not to admit strange Indians to settle in the province. 7. To oblige all traders to have a licence, or approbation from William Penn.

8. A full ratification of all former bargains, as well as actual sales of land, &c.

Thus we see how much the interest of a people depend upon individual character. William Penn by his correct principles, his disinterested benevolence, as well as his correct knowledge of human nature, hushed the old storms, which had distracted the province; restored order, justice, and union, and governed every man for the best interest of the whole; by leading him to believe that he governed himself, and actually influenced the proprietary in such a system of measures as were found to be most salutary. We are now called again to witness the trials that continually awaited this great and good man; whilst he flattered himself that he might enjoy the harmony he had produced, tidings from England arrived, that a bill was then pending before Parliament to subvert all the republican charters in America, and engross the whole under the government of the crown. These tidings alarmed the proprietary, and he again set sail for England to defend the rights of America. When the proprietary had made his arrangements to return to England, he called a special assembly, gave them their new charter, satisfied the renewed claims of the lower counties for a separation, by granting their request, upon condition that they promise to remain peaceable. He next received all the great sa

chems with whom he had so lately treated, to pay their farewell visit and finally appointed Andrew Hamilton, late governor of New-Jersey, as his deputy-governor, and James Logan his secretary, and clerk of the council, and took his departure once more for England. William Penn arrived at Portsmouth (England) in December, and to his great joy found the bill he so much feared, had been entirely dropped in Parliament. In March 1702, King William died, and Queen Ann commenced her gentle reign. William Penn soon grew into favour at court, and lived at his ease at Kensington, where he made himself useful with his pen, as may be seen by his writings.

The affairs of his province were again shaken by divisions, and the lower counties finally rejected the new charter, and made a complete separation, which was confirmed by a mutual agreement with the province, and the latter called a separate assembly, who held their first session at Philadelphia, October, 1703.

Governor Hamilton had died in February 1702, and been succeeded by President Skippen, at the head of the council. In 1703, the proprietary appointed John Evans as his deputy-governor, by, and with the consent of the queen, and in February 1704, he arrived in America, to take charge of the province, and in April 1704, he convened the assembly, consisting of members from the province and the territories, (or lower counties). The design of the governor was to unite again these discordant interests, if possible, and restore union and harmony to the province; this he effected so far as to gain the consent of the territories; but the province refused to comply, and this involved the governor in a controversy which he could not heal. The business of the province suffered through their strife, and little was done either at this, or a subsequent session. Near the close of the year, the governor met the first assembly of the territories, at New

Castle, and published a proclamation for the purpose of embodying such members of the community as were not Quakers, and were willing to bear arms in defence of their rights, during this French and Spanish war. This assembly became clamorous, and not only rejected them easures of the governor, but actually caballed against him, and accused him to the proprietary of mal-administration, together with Logan the secretary. Governor Evans requested a copy of their letter to the proprietary, which they refused, and he was constrained to wait the issue. At the next assembly, in 1705, the governor acquainted the assembly with the marks of disapprobation the proprietary had expressed towards their proceedings, and his surprise that they had refused to pass the bills in question.

In the year 1705, Thomas Chalkley, a preacher amongst the Quakers, in company with several friends, paid a religious visit to the Senecas, Shawanese, and other Indians living about the waters of the Susquehannah, and were received with great cordiality, particularly by a woman who was their chief speaker, and who was indulged in this, because they considered her as being wiser than the men, as well as their empress. The empress related a dream which she considered as having a particular reference to this visit, and served to render it the more impressive. In her dream, she said "she saw London, which was the finest place she ever saw, and she went across several streets, until she saw William Penn preaching to a great multitude of people, and that they both rejoiced to see each other, and after the meeting, he told her he would soon come over and preach to them also, so she was very glad; and now her dream had come to pass, since some of his friends had come to preach to them." This dream, together with her advice and example, rendered the visit peculiarly interesting. This dream goes very far to shew the respect they bore to William Penn, as well as the VOL. II.

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friendly disposition of these people, when they are treated with kindness and friendship.

Queen Ann's war with the French and Spaniards, was now raging in Europe, on the ocean, and throughout the frontiers of New-England, desolating their fields and settlements, and filling their borders with death, yet in Pennsylvania all was tranquil, and the Susquehannah Indians were rejoicing with a company of Quakers, who had come out to preach to them in the character of friends of William Penn. Such are the effects and influence of justice, truth, and friendship, founded upon the principles of a disinterested religion. William Penn and his Quakers, subdued the ferocity of the savages by these weapons, without discord or blood; whilst the whole northern and eastern frontier were groaning continually under the severities and barbarities of Indian wars. Governor Evans, who, was a young man of spirit and enterprise, had very little faith either in the pacific principles of the Quakers, or in their being the true cause of preserving the peace of the colony with the Indians, whilst they were butchering defenceless women and children upon the other frontiers; but full of the belief, and endeavouring to diffuse the same opinion into others, that they should suffer in their turn; he attempted to organize the militia of the province into a regular body; but when the plan failed, he hit upon the following stratagem, to determine whether the true cause was a religious principle, or cowardice. He caused a false alarm to be sent up to town from New-Castle, that au enemy's fleet were in the river, and about to land a force to invade the province, and gave orders for all the citizens to embody at such a place, and prepare to meet the enemy. Such was the art by which the stratagem was managed, that the alarm became general, and the confusion, as well as all the variety of means of securing their persons, plate, and other moveables, were acted out in reality; all

was anxiety and distress, confusion and alarm, excepting amongst the Quakers, they were holding a religious meeting, and remained at their devotions as unmoved, as though all was quiet, or they alone were sharers in the secret. The place of rendezvous was soon crowded, and the place of the supposed landing reconnoitered; and the cheat discovered. The tables were soon turned, the populace turned their rage upon the governor, and his friends; they, in their turn, became the objects of derision, as well as of rage; fled for their lives, and had the good fortune to escape unhurt, and lie concealed, until the violence of popular fury had subsided; but the effects of this folly were serious and lasting, particularly upon the trading part of the province.

This stratagem, however ridiculous in itself, produced the following effects. An assembly of the territories met soon after at New-Castle, where, upon a proposal of Governor Evans, it was voted "to build a fort, for her majesty's service, at the town of New-Castle, upon Delaware." This law also imposed a duty of half a pound of gunpowder per ton upon all vessels coming in from sea, that were not owned in major part by persons residing upon the river; compelling all vessels that passed this fort to stop, drop anchor, and land the captain, or his mate in his absence, and obtain leave to pass, from the commanding officer of the fort, upon severe and heavy penalties. This law being an absolute violation of their charter, soon became not only a great nuisance, but highly offensive to the trading interest.

Richard Hill, one of the council, with Isaac Norris, and Samuel Preston, all Quakers, but men of talents, courage, and influence, resolved to break this nuisance at NewCastle; accordingly they embarked on board of Hill's vessel, then bound to sea, and sailed down the river; at New-Castle they dropt anchor at the fort according to law