CHAPTER V (4)

After this meeting we sailed about ten miles to James Frizby’s, a justice of the peace, where, on the 16th, we had a very large meeting, at which, besides Friends, were some hundreds of people it was supposed; amongst whom were several justices, captains, and the sheriff, with other persons of note. A blessed, heavenly meeting this was; a powerful, thundering testimony for the truth was borne therein; a great sense there was upon the people, and much brokenness and tenderness amongst them. We stayed after meeting till about eleven at night, that the tide turned for us; then taking boat, we passed that night and next day about fifty miles, to another Friend’s house. The two next days we made short journeys, visiting Friends, and on the twentieth we had a great meeting at a place called Severn, where there was a meeting-house, but not large enough to hold the people. Divers chief magistrates were at it, and many other considerable people, and it gave them generally great satisfaction.

Two days after, we had a meeting with some that walked disorderly, and had good service. Then spending a day or two in visiting Friends, we passed to the Western-Shore; and on the twenty-fifth had a large and precious meeting at William Coale’s,[31] where the speaker of their assembly, his wife, a justice, and several other people of quality were present. Next day we had a meeting six or seven miles further, at Abraham Birkhead’s, where many of the magistrates and upper sort of people were, and the speaker of the assembly for that country was convinced: a blessed meeting it was, praised be the Lord!

We travelled next day; and the day following, the 28th, had a large and very precious meeting at Peter Sharp’s, on the Cliffs, between thirty and forty miles distant from the former. Many of the magistrates and people of upper rank were at this meeting, and a heavenly meeting it was. The wife of one of the governor’s council was convinced, and her husband was very loving to Friends. A justice from Virginia was convinced, and had a meeting afterwards at his house. Some Papists were at this meeting, and one of them threatened before he came, that he would dispute with me; but he was reached, and could not oppose. Blessed be the Lord, the truth reached into the hearts of people beyond words, and it is of a good savour amongst them! After the meeting we went about eighteen miles, to James Preston’s, a Friend that lived on Patuxent river; and thither came to us an Indian king, with his brother, to whom I spoke, and found they understood what I spoke of. Having finished our service in Maryland, and intending for Virginia, we had a meeting at Patuxent on the 4th of the 9th month, to take our leave of Friends. Many people of all sorts were at it, and a powerful meeting it was.

On the 5th we set sail for Virginia, and in three days came to a place called Nancemond, about two hundred miles from Maryland. In this voyage we met with foul weather, storms, and rain, and lay in the woods by a fire in the night. At Nancemond lived a Friend, called the widow Wright. Next day we had a great meeting there, of Friends and others. There came to it Colonel Dewes, with several other officers and magistrates, who were much taken with the truth declared. After this we hastened towards Carolina; yet had several meetings by the way, wherein we had good service for the Lord; one about four miles from Nancemond Water, which was very precious; and there was a men’s and women’s meeting settled, for taking care of the affairs of the church. Another very good one also we had at William Yarrow’s, at Pagan Creek, which was so large, that we were fain to be abroad, the house not being large enough to contain the people. A great openness there was, the sound of truth spread abroad, and had a good savour in the hearts of people: the Lord have the glory for ever!

After this our way to Carolina grew worse, being much of it plashy, and pretty full of great bogs and swamps; so that we were commonly wet to the knees, and lay abroad at nights in the woods by a fire; saving one night we got to a poor house, at Sommertown [now Somerton,] and lay by the fire. The woman of the house had a sense of God upon her. The report of our travel had reached thither, and drawn some that lived beyond Sommertown, to that house, in expectation to see and hear us (so acceptable was the sound of truth in that wilderness country:) but they missed us. The next day, the 21st of the 9th Month, having travelled hard through the woods, and over many bogs and swamps, we reached Bonner’s Creek; and there we lay that night by the fireside, the woman lending us a mat to lie on.

This was the first house we came to in Carolina; here we left our horses, over-wearied with travel. From hence we went down the creek in a canoe, to Macocomocock [now Chowan] River; and came to Hugh Smith’s house, where the people came to see us (for there were no Friends in that part of the country,) and many of them received us gladly. Amongst others came Nathaniel Batts, who had been governor of Roanoke; he went by the name of Captain Batts, and had been a rude, desperate man. He asked me about a woman in Cumberland, who, he said, he was told, had been healed by our prayers, and laying on of our hands, after she had been long sick, and given over by the physicians; and he desired to know the certainty of it. I told him we did not glory in such things, but many such things had been done by the power of Christ.

Not far from hence we had a meeting among the people, and they were taken with the truth: blessed be the Lord! Then passing down the river Roanoke in a canoe, we went down the bay Coney-Hoe, and came to a captain’s house, who was very loving, and lent us his boat, for we were much wet in the canoe, the water splashing in upon us. With this boat we went to the governor’s house; but the water in some places was so shallow that the boat being laden, could not swim; so that we were fain to put off our shoes and stockings, and wade through the water some distance. The governor, with his wife, received us lovingly; but a doctor there would needs dispute with us. And truly his opposing us was of good service, giving occasion for the opening of many things to the people, concerning the light and Spirit of God, which he denied to be in every one; and affirmed that it was not in the Indians. Whereupon I called an Indian to us, and asked him, “Whether or not, when he lied, or did wrong to any one, there was not something in him that reproved him for it?” he said, “There was such a thing in him, that did so reprove him; and he was ashamed when he had done wrong, or spoken wrong.” So we shamed the doctor before the governor and the people; insomuch that the poor man ran out so far, that at length he would not own the Scriptures. We tarried at the governor’s that night; and next morning he very courteously walked with us himself about two miles through the woods, to a place whither he had sent our boat about to meet us. Taking leave of him, we entered our boat, and went that day about thirty miles to Joseph Scott’s, one of the representatives of the country. There we had a sound, precious meeting; the people were tender, and much desired after meetings. Wherefore at a house about four miles further, we had another meeting, to which the governor’s secretary came, who was chief secretary of the province, and had been formerly convinced.

I went from this place among the Indians, and spoke unto them by an interpreter; showing them, “that God made all things in six days, and made but one woman for one man; and that God drowned the old world, because of their wickedness. Afterwards I spoke to them concerning Christ, showing them, that he died for all men, for their sins, as well as for others; and had enlightened them as well as others; and that if they did that which was evil, he would burn them, but if they did well, they should not be burned.” There was among them their young king; and others of their chief men, who seemed to receive kindly what I said to them.

Having visited the north part of Carolina, and made a little entrance for truth upon the people there, we began to return towards Virginia, having several meetings in our way, wherein we had very good service for the Lord, the people being generally tender and open; blessed be the Lord. We lay one night at the Secretary’s house, to which we had much to do to get; for the water being shallow, we could not bring our boat to shore; but the secretary’s wife seeing our strait, came herself in a canoe (her husband being from home) and brought us to land. Next morning our boat was sunk; but we got her up, mended her, and went away in her that day about twenty-four miles, the water being rough, and the winds high; but the great power of God was seen, in carrying us safe in that rotten boat. In our return we had a very precious meeting at Hugh Smith’s; praised be the Lord for ever! The people were very tender, and very good service we had amongst them. There was at this meeting an Indian captain who was very loving, and acknowledged it to be truth that was spoken. There was also one of the Indian priests, whom they call a Pawaw, who sat soberly among the people. On the 9th of the 10th Month we got back to Bonner’s Creek, where we had left our horses; having spent about eighteen days in North Carolina.

Our horses having rested, we set forward for Virginia again, travelling through the woods and bogs, as far as we could well reach that day; and at night lay by a fire in the woods. Next day we had a tedious journey, through bogs and swamps, and were exceedingly wet and dirty all the day, but dried ourselves at night by a fire. We got that night to Sommertown. When we came near the house, the woman of the house seeing us, spoke to her son to fasten up their dogs (for both in Virginia and Carolina they generally keep great dogs to guard their houses, living lonely in the woods); but the son said, “he need not, for the dogs did not use to meddle with these people.” Whereupon, when we were come into the house, she told us, “we were like the children of Israel, whom the dogs did not move their tongues against.” Here we lay in our clothes by the fire, as we had done many a night before. Next day, before we went away, we had a meeting; for the people having heard of us, had a great desire to hear us; and a very good meeting we had among them, where we never had one before; praised be the Lord for ever! After the meeting we hasted away. When we had rode about twenty miles, calling at a house to inquire the way, the people desired us to tarry all night with them, which we did. Next day we came among Friends, after we had travelled about a hundred miles from Carolina into Virginia; in which time we observed a great variety of climates, having passed in a few days from a very cold, to a warm and spring-like country. But the power of the Lord is the same in all, is over all, and doth reach the good in all; praised be the Lord for ever!

We spent about three weeks in travelling through Virginia, mostly among Friends, having many large and precious meetings in several parts of the country; as at the widow Wright’s, where a great many magistrates, officers and other high people came. A most heavenly meeting we had, wherein the power of the Lord was so great, that it struck a dread upon the assembly and chained all down, and brought a reverence upon the people’s minds. Among the officers was a major, kinsman to the priest; he told me, “the priest threatened to come and oppose us.” But the Lord’s power was too strong for him, and stopped him; we were quiet and peaceable, and the people were wonderfully affected with the testimony of truth; blessed be the Lord for ever! Another very good meeting we had at Crickatrough, at which many considerable people were, many of whom had never heard a Friend before; and they were greatly satisfied with the meeting, praised be the Lord! We had also a very good and serviceable meeting at John Porter’s, which consisted mostly of other people; in which the power of the Lord was gloriously seen and felt, and it brought the truth over all evil walkers and talkers; blessed be the Lord! Divers other meetings we had, and many opportunities of doing service for the Lord amongst the people where we came. The last week we stayed, we spent some time and pains among Friends, sweeping away that which was to be swept out, and working down a bad spirit that was got up in some; blessed for ever be the name of the Lord! he it is that gives victory over all.