before on the priest's account; for they took from Stephen Smith five kine (being all he had) for about fifty shillings' tithes. Thence we went to KINGSTON, and so to LONDON, where I stayed not long; for it was upon me from the Lord to go into Holland, to visit Friends and to preach the gospel there, and in some parts of Germany. Wherefore setting things in order for my journey as fast as I could, I took leave of Friends at London; and with several other Friends went down to COLCHESTER, in order to my passage for Holland. Next day, being First-day, I was at the public meeting of Friends there, which was very large and peaceable. In the evening I had another large one, but not so public, at John Furly's house, where I lodged. The day following I was at the women's meeting there, which also was very large. Thence next day we passed to HARWICH, where Robert Duncan, and several other Friends out of the country, came to see us; and some from London came to us there, that intended to go over with me. The packet in which we were to go not being ready, we went to the meeting in the town, and a precious opportunity we had together; for the Lord, according to his wonted goodness, by his overcoming, refreshing power, opened many mouths to declare his everlasting truth, and to praise and glorify him.

CHAPTER VIII.

1677.-George Fox sails for Holland, with several other Friends, and lands at Briel -attends the Quarterly Meeting at Amsterdam-writes an epistle to Friends against the spirit of separation-writes to the Princess Elizabeth-her answera Monthly Meeting is established at Frederickstadt-Friends are imprisoned and banished from Embden, and suffer greatly-a Monthly Meeting settled at Harlingen-a priest assents to the doctrine promulgated by George Fox-he is questioned for it by his hearers-George Fox writes an epistle to Friends respecting the seducing spirit-he writes an epistle of encouragement to Friends under suffering at Dantzic-and again to Friends respecting the spirit of separation-spends considerable time at Amsterdam in writing on Truth's account-a warning to the magistrates and people of Oldenburg-an epistle concerning fasts, prayers, honour, persecution, true liberty, and the observance of days and times-a warning to the magistrates, priests, and people of Hamburg-to the ambassadors met to effect a treaty of peace in the city of Nimeguen-completes his travels in Holland-writes a book addressed to the Jews.

AFTER the meeting at Harwich we returned to John Vandewall's, where I had lodged; and when the boat was ready, taking leave of Friends, we that were bound for Holland, went on board about nine in the evening, on the 25th of the 5th Month, 1677.

The Friends that went over with me, were William Penn, Robert Barclay, George Keith and his wife, John Furly and his brother, William Tallcoat, George Watts, and Isabel Yeomans, one of my wife's daughters. About one in the morning we weighed anchor, having a fair brisk wind, which by next morning brought us within sight of Holland. But that day proving very clear and calm we got forward little, till about four in the afternoon, when a fresh gale arose, which carried us within a league of land. Then being becalmed again, we cast anchor for that night, it being between the hours of nine and ten in the evening: but William Penn and Robert Barclay, understanding that Benjamin Furly was come from Rotterdam to the Briel to meet us, got two of the boatmen to let down a small boat that belonged to the packet, and row them to shore; but before they could reach it the gates were shut; and there being no house without the gates, they lay in a fisherman's boat all night. As soon as the gates were opened in the morning, they went in, and found Benjamin Furly, with other Friends of Rotterdam, that were come thither to receive us; and they sent a boat, with three young men in it, that lived with Benjamin Furly, who brought us to the BRIEL, where the Friends received us with great gladness.

We stayed about two hours to refresh ourselves, and then took boat, with the Holland Friends, for ROTTERDAM, where we arrived about eleven that day, the 28th of the Month. I was very well this voyage, but some of the Friends were sea-sick. A fine passage we had, and all came safe and well to land; blessed and praised be the name of the Lord for ever!

Next day, being First-day, we had two meetings at Benjamin Furly's, where many of the town's-people and some officers came in, and all were

civil. Benjamin Furly or John Claus, a Friend of Amsterdam, interpreted, when any Friend declared. I spent the next day in visiting Friends there. The day following, William Penn and I, with other Friends, went towards Amsterdam with some Friends of that city, who came to Rotterdam to conduct us thither. We took boat in the afternoon, and, passing by OVERKIRK, came to DELFT, through which we walked on foot; and then took boat again to LEYDEN, where we lodged that night at an inn. This is six Dutch miles from Rotterdam, which are eighteen English miles, and five hours' sail or travelling; for our boat was drawn by a horse that went on the shore. Next day taking boat again, we went to HAARLEM, fourteen miles from Leyden, where we had appointed a meeting, which proved very large; for many of the town's-people came in, and two of their preachers. The Lord gave us a blessed opportunity, not only with respect to Friends, but to other sober people, and the meeting ended peaceably and well. After it we passed to AMSTERDAM, accompanied by several Friends of that city and of Alkmaar.

Next day was the quarterly meeting at Amsterdam, to which came Friends from Haarlem and Rotterdam, and with them those of our company, whom we had left at Rotterdam, viz.: Robert Barclay, George Keith and his wife, &c. The meeting was at Gertrude Dirick Nieson's house. A very large and serviceable one it was; for both William Penn and I were drawn to open many things concerning the order of the gospel, and to show the benefit and service of yearly, quarterly, and monthly meetings of men and women. We had another meeting at Gertrude's the next day, more public, and very large, at which were professors of several sorts, unto whom the way of life and salvation was largely and livingly opened; which they hearkened very attentively to, none making any objection to what was declared. In the afternoon we had another meeting in the same place, but less, and more private. The day following we had a meeting of Friends only, wherein by joint agreement were settled several meetings; to wit, monthly, quarterly, and a yearly meeting, to be held at Amsterdam for Friends in all the United Provinces of Holland, and in Embden, the Palatinate, Hamburg, Frederickstadt, Dantzic, and other places in and about Germany; which Friends were glad of, and it has been of great service to

truth.

Next day an exercise came upon me concerning that deceitful spirit, which wrought in some to make divisions in the church; and the care of the churches being upon me, I was moved to write a few lines to warn Friends of it, as follows:

"ALL Friends, keep over that spirit of separation and division, in the peaceable truth, and in the Seed of life, which will wear it all out and outlast it. For the Lamb will have the victory over all the spirits of strife, as it hath had since the beginning; and they will wither, as others have done; but all that keep in the Seed, which is always green, shall never wither; as Friends have been to this day kept. And if any have backslidden, and thrown off the cross, are grown loose and full, and are gone into strife and contention with their earthly spirits, and therein plead for liberty, this spirit taketh with loose, earthly spirits, and cries imposition to such

as admonish them to come to the life, light, Spirit, and power of God, that they may be alive, and may live again with the living. Upon this admonition, their spirits rise into contention, strife, and separation, turning against the living, in their loose, earthly spirits, which would have the name of truth, but are not in the nature of it, but are for eternal judgment of the living Seed. This is it which doth deceive; but it is judged by that which doth undeceive and save."

Amsterdam in Holland, the 5th of the 6th Month, 1677.

G. F.

This being First-day, we had a very large meeting again, there coming to it a great concourse of people of different opinions, as Baptists, Seekers, Socinians, Brownists, and some of the collegians. Robert Barclay, George Keith, William Penn, and I, declared the everlasting truth among them; opening the state of man in the fall, and showing by what way man and woman may come into the restoration by Christ Jesus. Indeed, the mystery of iniquity, and the mystery of godliness, were very plainly laid open; and the meeting ended quietly and well.

The day following, George Keith, Robert Barclay, and William Penn, leaving me and some other Friends at AMSTERDAM, set forward towards GERMANY; where they travelled many hundred miles, and had good service for the Lord; Benjamin Furly going with them and interpreting.

That day and the next I stayed at AMSTERDAM, visiting Friends, and assisting them in some business concerning their meetings. Three Baptists came to discourse with me, to whom I opened things to their satisfaction, and they parted from me in kindness. I wrote a letter also to the Princess Elizabeth, which Isabel Yeomans delivered to her, when George Keith's wife and she went to visit her :

"PRINCESS ELIZABETH,

I HAVE heard of thy tenderness towards the Lord and his holy truth, by some Friends that have visited thee, and also by some of thy letters, which I have seen: it is indeed a great thing for a person of thy quality to have such a tender mind after the Lord and his precious truth; seeing so many are swallowed up with voluptuousness, and the pleasures of this world; yet all make an outward profession of God and Christ one way or other, but without any deep, inward sense and feeling of him. For it is not many mighty, nor wise of the world, that can become fools for Christ's sake, or can become low in the humility of Christ Jesus from their mighty state, through which they might receive a mightier estate, and a mightier kingdom through the inward Holy Spirit-the divine light and power of God; and a mightier wisdom which is from above, pure and peaceable. This wisdom is above that which is below; that is earthly, sensual, and devilish, by which men destroy one another, yea, about their religions, ways, worships, and churches; but this they have not from God nor Christ. The wisdom which is from above, by which all things were made and created, which the holy fear of God in the heart is the beginning of, keeps the heart clean and by this wisdom are all God's children to be ordered, and with it to order all things to God's glory. This is the wisdom that is justified of her children. In this fear of God and this wisdom, my desire is, that

thou mayest be preserved to God's glory. For the Lord is come to teach his people himself, and to set up his ensign, that the nations may flow unto it. There hath been an apostacy since the apostles' days, from the divine light of Christ, which should have given them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ Jesus;' and from the Holy Spirit, which would have led them into all truth; and therefore have people set up so many leaders without them, to give them knowledge; and also from the holy and precious faith, which Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of; which purifies the heart, and gives victory over that which separates from God; through which faith they have access to God, and in which they please God; the mystery of which is held in a pure conscience. And also from the gospel which was preached in the apostles' days (which gospel is the power of God), which brings life and immortality to light in man and woman, by which people should have seen over the devil that has darkened them; which gospel will preserve all them that receive it, in life and immortality. For the eyes of people have been after men, and not after the Lord, who writes his law in the hearts, and puts it into the minds, of all the children of the new covenant of light, life, and grace, through which they all come to know the Lord, from the least to the greatest; so that the knowledge of the Lord may cover the earth, as the waters do the sea. This work of the Lord is beginning again, as it was in the apostles' days; people shall come to receive an unction in them again from the Holy One, by which they shall know all things, and shall not need any man to teach them, but as the anointing doth teach them; and also to know, what the righteousness of faith speaks, the Word nigh in the heart and mouth, to obey it and to do it. This was the Word of faith the apostles preached; which is now received and preached again, and which it is the duty of all true Christians to receive, So now people are coming out of the apostasy to the light of Christ and his Spirit, and to receive faith from him, and not from men; to receive the gospel from him, their unction from him, the Word; and as they receive him, they declare him freely, as his command was to his disciples, and is still to the learners and receivers of him. For the Lord God, in his Son Jesus Christ, is come to teach his people, and to bring them from all the world's ways to Christ, the way, the truth, and the life, who is the way to the Father; and from all the world's teachers and speakers, to him the Speaker and Teacher, as Heb. i. 1; and from all the world's worshippers, to worship God in the Spirit and in the truth, which worship Christ set up above sixteen hundred years ago, when he put down the Jews' worship at the temple at Jerusalem, and the worship at the mountain where Jacob's well was; to bring people from all the world's religions, which they have made since the apostles' days, to the religion. that was set up by Christ and his apostles, which is pure and undefiled before God, and keeps from the spots of the world; to bring them out of all the world's churches and fellowships, made and set up since the apostles' days, to the church that is in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; Thess. i. 1, and to bring to the unity and fellowship in the Holy Spirit, that doth mortify, circumcise, and baptize, to plunge down sin and corruption, that has got up in man and woman by transgression. In this Holy Spirit there