departed this life in peace, in the thirty-ninth year

of his age.

This year alfo died Sarah Baker, alias Peyton, born at Dudley in Worcestershire, on whom it pleased the Lord to bestow a gift in the miniftry when about the age of twenty-one, in the exercife of which having laboured both at home and in Ireland and America, the afterwards was married to Samuel Baker, an honest friend of the city of Dublin, where fhe refided for the most part of the remainder of her time, and was very ferviceable to truth and friends in many respects; being devoted to the fervice of God, and a diligent labourer and fellow helper with her brethren in the gofpel; and, in the authority of Chrift Jefus, who had called her into that fervice, did freely and frequently, in larger and leffer affemblies, preach and teach the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the redemption that is in his Son Chrift Jefus, in whom male and female are one, and, as a faithful mother in Ifrael, was carefully concerned, not only to feed the babes in Christ, but, as furnished by him, to give unto the houfhold in general a portion of meat in due feafon, rightly dividing the word of truth committed to her, and fpeaking the fame faithfully, that the might be clear in the fight of God of the blood of all men.

She

often mourned for Sion's fake, and for the abominations committed in the land, pouring forth fervent fupplications unto God the Father, in the name of his beloved Son Chrift Jefus, for the profperity of his church, and tranquillity of the nations; and, as one skilful in lamentation, would invite others thereunto, that both male and female might mourn apart, firft for themfelves, and then for others. She had alfo good fervice in womens meetings, being a diligent follower of good works, in relieving the poor and vifiting the fick and afflicted in body or mind. When outward abilities declined, her inward strength was

renewed, and her lamp being trimmed, did burn clearly, through the fupply of heavenly oil, to the conclufion of her time; and at her departure fhe had the comfort of an evidence of peace with the Lord, and that a crown of righteoufnefs was laid up for her.

The Sixth month, this year, died queen Anne, during whofe reign friends peaceably enjoyed their meetings for the worship of Almighty God; and now king George, through the good providence of God, fucceeded to the throne of these realms, who soon manifefted his mild difpofition towards Protestant diffenters, fo as not in the leaft to impair the toleration allowed them by law.

Indeed the publick tranquillity was greatly interrupted (1715) by the apprehenfions of the deftruction and ruin that threatened us, through the rage of fome reftlefs people, difaffected to the king and government, who raised a rebellion in Scotland, being animated with expectation of foreign affistance, whofe counfels were blafted, and their progrefs effectually ftopped through the mercy of Providence and as in that time of great affliction Friends were calm in their fpirits, and fhewed true affection to the Proteftant intereft, and peace of the nation, it was well accepted by the government, which hath fince been demonftrated in feveral inftances, particularly in their exempting us from the penalties we had been liable to, for our confcientious refufal of fighting and fwearing, of which hereafter.

In the mean time the following addrefs was drawn up on the above mentioned occafion, and prefented;

To Charles Duke of Grafton, and Henry Earl of Galway, lord's justices, and chief governors of Ireland.

The humble Addrefs of the People called Quakers, from their National half-year's meeting held in Dublin, the 10th of the Ninth month, 1715.

The many and great privileges continued unto us under the king's mild and favourable government, and thofe in authority under him, more efpecially that we have liberty peaceably to worship Almighty God, according as he hath perfuaded our consciences, we esteem great bleffings, and lay us under great obligations of humility and thankfulness, firft to God and then to the king, for the fame.

The king having been pleased to place you chief governors of this kingdom, we take leave, in our plain way, to congratulate you upon your safe arrival here, and to affure you that we are well affected to king George and the prefent government, and have a just deteftation and abhorrence of all confpiracies, plots, and rebellion against the king and government; and that as it hath been our declared principle as well as practice, ever fince the Lord called us to be.. a people, to live peaceably and behave dutifully toward thofe, whom he hath placed in authority over us, fo, by divine affiftance, we are refolved, according to our duty, to demean and behave ourselves towards the king, and thofe in authority under him.

And as we are a people liable to fufferings for our tender confciences towards God, we intreat, that if any fuch thing fhould attend us under your adminiftration, you will be pleafed favourably to admit us to lay our fuffering cafe before you, in order to feek for redrefs.

We fincerely pray to Almighty God, that he may endue your hearts with divine wifdom fo to govern, that virtue and piety may be encouraged, and the contrary restrained, that fo his bleffing may attend you here in this life, and eternal happiness in that to

This year Thomas Wilfon and several other friends, by approbation of the National meeting, went over to attend the fervice of the Yearly Meeting at London, as ufual; and at this time with a particular view to join friends of England, in foliciting further eafe with. rfpect to the affirmation, fome friends having been great fufferers, by reafon they could not make ufe of the affirmation in the form it then was. (See the year 1696).

Befides other friends of the ministry, Thomas Story, from Pennsylvania, was here this year, who had feveral meetings, not only among friends, but ftrangers, and for the moft part without interruption, except at Kilkenny, where great oppofition was given, as will appear in the following narrative, which, because it alfo furnishes divers inftructive and entertaining remarks, I here infert, as it ftands in the faid Thomas' Story's journal.

They (at Kilkenny, 1716) had exercised their violence and disturbance upon Elizabeth Jacob once, and

another time upon Margaret Hoare and Abigail Craven, and hindered the meetings; which friends had bore for peace fake, without any complaint to the government; but now they proceeded more violently, for as we were met, according to appointment, on the twenty-feventh of the Twelfth month, 1719 about the fecond hour after noon, and many of the towns people with us, fome time after I had flood up, in came Arthur Webb and Robert Shervington, and made disturbance, bidding me to be filent, and the people to difperfe. I did not mind them for fome time, but went on, till they had fo difturbed. the meeting that the people were not in a condition to hear, and then I ftopped and asked who they were, and by what authority they did that: they answered, they were the church-wardens. I replied, that the church-wardens, as fuch, had no bufinefs with us, or power to hinder us, and defired them to defift, and fit down quietly as others did. They feeing that would not fright us, as they had imagined, then began to fpeak to particulars of their own fort, threatening. them with the bishop's court, and excommunications, and fuch like frightful things, and began to take fome names in writing, which fome being afraid of, went out, but the greater part ftayed, and fome were much troubled at the fpoiling of the meeting, for it had begun well; but the envy of fatan, and the pride of ungodly men rifing higher, whilft we were at this work, in came one Jofeph Worley, one of the mayor's ferjeants at mace, and a conftable, with a warrant, and I being ftill ftanding, and fometimes exhorting the people as well as I could in fuch disturbance, they bad me come down and go with them, for they had a warrant from a juftice of the peace to appre hend me, and difperfe the meeting. Then I faid, we were well known to be an innocent people, readily fubject to government, either actively or paffively; but defired them to have a little patience, till I had