And when he was at liberty he recovered again and then I was very desirous to go home with him, which we did. And this was the first time that he came to Swarthmore after we were married; and so he staid here much of two years, and then went to London again to the yearly meeting; and after a while went into Holland, and some parts of Germany, where he staid a pretty while, and then returned to London again at the next yearly meeting. And after he had staid awhile in and about London, he came into the north to Swarthmore again, and staid that time nigh two years, and then he grew weakly, being troubled with pains and aches, having had many sore and long travels, beatings, and hard imprisonments. But after some time he rode to York, and so passed on through Nottinghamshire and several counties, visiting friends, till he came to London to the yearly meeting, and staid there, and thereaways, till he finished his course, and laid down his head in peace.

And though the Lord had provided an outward habitation for him, yet he was not willing to stay at it, because it was so remote and far from London, where his service most lay. And my concern for God, and his holy eternal truth, was then in the north, where God had placed and set me, and likewise for the ordering and governing of my children and family: so that we were very willing both of us, to live apart for some years upon God's account, and his truth's service, and to deny ourselves of that comfort which we might have had in being together, for the sake and service of the Lord and his truth. And if any took occasion, or judged hard of us because of that, the Lord will judge them, for we were innocent. And for my own part, I was willing to take many long journies, for taking away all occasion of evil thoughts and though I lived two hundred miles from London, yet have I been nine times there, upon the Lord and his truth's account; and of all the times that I was at London, this last time was most comfortable, that the Lord was pleased to give me strength and ability to travel that great journey, being seventy-six years of age, to see my dear husband, who was better in his health and strength than many times I had seen him before. I look upon that, that the Lord's special hand was in it, that I should go then, for he lived but about half a year after I left him; which makes me admire the wisdom and goodness of God, in ordering my journey at that time.

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And now he hath finished his course, and his testimony, and is entered into his eternal rest and felicity. I trust

in the same powerful God, that his holy arm and power will carry me through, whatever he hath yet for me to do; and that he will be my strength and support, and the bearer up of my head unto the end, and in the end. For

I know his faithfulness and goodness, and I have experience of his love: to whom be glory and powerful dominion for ever: Amen.

The Testimony of some of the Author's Relations.

Neither days nor length of time with us, can wear out the memory of our dear and honoured father George Fox, whom the Lord hath taken to himself. And though his earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, and mortality put off, yet we believe he has a building with God eternally in the heavens, and is entered into rest, as a reward to those great labours, hard sufferings, and sore trials, he patiently endured for God and his truth. Of which truth he was made an able minister, and one, if not the first promulgator of it in our age; who though of no great literature, nor seeming much learned, as to the outward (being hid from the wisdom of this world), yet he had the tongue of the learned, and could speak a word in due season to the conditions and capacities of most, especially to them that were weary, and wanted soul's rest; being deep in the divine mysteries of the kingdom of God. And the word of life and salvation through him reached unto many souls, whereby many were convinced of their great duty of inward retiring to wait upon God; and as they became diligent in the performance of that service, were also raised up to be preachers of the same everlasting gospel of peace and glad tidings to others, who are as seals to his ministry both in this and other nations, and may possibly give a more full account thereof. Howbeit we knowing his unwearied diligence, not sparing, but spending himself in the work and service whereunto he was chosen and called of God, could not but give this short testimony of his faithfulness therein, and likewise of his tender love and care towards us; who as a tender father to children (in which capacity we stood, being so related unto him) he never failed to give us his wholesome counsel and advice. And not only so, but as a father in Christ he took care of the whole family and household of faith, which the Lord had made him an eminent overseer of, and endued him with such an excellent spirit of wisdom and understanding, to

propose and direct helps and advantages to the well-ordering and establishing of affairs and government in the church, as now are found very serviceable thereunto; and have greatly disappointed and prevented the false, loose, and libertine spirit in some who, to their own confusion have endeavoured (by separation and division) to disturb the church's peace. And although many of that sort have at sundry times shot their poisonous darts at him, publicly in print, and privately other ways, yet he has been always preserved by the heavenly power of God, out of the reach of their envy, and all perils and difficulties that attended on their account; who as a fixed star in the firmament of God's power did constantly abide, and held his integrity to the last, being of a sweet, savoury life; and as to conversation kept his garments clean: and though outwardly dead, yet liveth, and his memory is right precious unto us, as it is and will be to all that abide in the love of truth, and have not declined the way of it. For he was one of the Lord's worthies, valiant for the truth upon earth, not turning his back in the day of battle; but his bow still abiding in its strength, he through many hardships brought gladness and refreshment to Israel's camp, being assisted by the might of that power that always put the armies of aliens and enemies to flight. And now having finished his course, is removed from us into a glorious state of immortality and bliss, and is gathered unto the Lord as a shock of corn in its full season, and to that habitation of safety, where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary be

at rest.

John Rous,
William Meade,
Thomas Lower,
William Ingram,
Daniel Abraham,
Abraham Morrice,

Margaret Rous,
Sarah Meade,
Mary Lower,
Susanna Ingram,
Rachel Abraham,
Isabel Morrice.

An Epistle by way of Testimony, to Friends and Brethren of the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in England, Wales, and elsewhere, concerning the decease of our faithful brother GEORGE FOX.

From our Second-days Morning Meeting in London, the 26th of the 11th month, 1690.

DEAR and truly beloved Friends, brethren and sisters in Christ Jesus, our blessed Lord and Saviour, we sincerely and tenderly salute you all in his free and tender love, wherewith he hath graciously visited us, and largely shed it abroad in our hearts and souls, to our own unspeakable comfort and consolation, and towards his whole heritage, and royal off-spring; blessed be his pure and powerful name for evermore. And our souls do truly and fervently desire, and breathe unto the God of all our mercies, that you all may be preserved, and kept truly faithful and diligent in his work and service, according to your heavenly calling and endowments with his light, grace, and truth, unto the end of your days; as being livingly engaged thereby, all your appointed time to serve him, and to wait, till your change come; that none may neglect that true improvement of your times and talents, that God has afforded you here, for your eternal advantage hereafter, in that inheritance and life immortal, that never fades away. And that the whole flock and heritage of Christ Jesus, which he has purchased and bought for himself with a price incorruptible, may always be so preserved in his own pure love and life, as to grow, increase, and prosper in the same; and thereby be kept in love, unity, and peace, with one another, as becomes his true and faithful followers, is that, which our very hearts and souls desire, being often truly comforted and enlarged in the living sense and feeling of the increase and aboundings thereof, among faithful friends and brethren.

And dear brethren and sisters, unto this our tender salutation, we are concerned in brotherly love, and true tender heartedness, to add and impart unto you some ac count of the decease of our dear and elder brother in Christ, namely, his and his church's true and faithful servant and minister, George Fox; whom it hath pleased the Lord to take unto himself, as he hath divers others of his faithful servants and ministers of late time; who have faithfully served out their generation, and finished their testimony and course with joy and peace. Howbeit, O VOL. I.

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dear brethren and friends! that so many worthies in Israel, and serviceable instruments in the Lord's hand, are of late. taken away and removed from us, so soon one after another, appears a dispensation, that deeply and sorrowfully affects us, and many more, whose hearts are upright and tender toward God, and one to another in the truth. The consideration of the depth, weight, and meaning thereof, is very weighty upon our spirits, though their precious life and testimony lives with us, as being of that same body, united to one head, even Christ Jesus; in which we still, and hope ever shall, have secret comfort and union with them, whom the Lord has removed, and taken to himself out of their earthly tabernacles and houses, into their heavenly and everlasting mansions.

This, our said dear brother, George Fox, was enabled by the Lord's power, to preach the truth fully and effectually, in our public meeting in White-hart-court, by Gracechurch-street, London, on the eleventh day of this instant 11th month, 1690. After which he said, I am glad I was here; now I am clear, I am fully clear. Then he was the same day taken with some illness or indisposition of body, more than usual; and continued weak in body for two days after, at our friend Henry Goldney's house in the same court, close by the meeting-house, in much contentment and peace, and very sensible to the last. In which time he mentioned divers friends, and sent for some in particular; to whom he expressed his mind, for the spreading friends' books and truth in the world, and through the nations thereof; as his spirit in the Lord's love and power was universally set, and bent for truth and righteousness, and the making known the way thereof to the nations and people afar off: signifying also to some friends, that all is well; and the seed of God reigns over all, and over death itself. That though he was weak in body, yet that the power of God is over all, and the seed reigns over all disorderly spirits; which were his wonted sensible expressions, being in the living faith and sense thereof, which he kept to the end. And the thirteenth instant, between the ninth and tenth hour in the night, he quietly departed this life in peace; being two days after the Lord enabled him to publish and preach the blessed truth in the meeting, as aforesaid. So that he clearly and evidently ended his days in his faithful testimony, in perfect love and unity with his brethren, and peace and goodwill to all men; being about sixty and six years of age (as we understand) when he departed this life.

And on the sixteenth of this instant, being the day ap