dustry and application having cleared their purchased lands, fettled, and foon improved plantations to good advantage, and began to build the city of Philadelphia, in a commodious fituation on the aforefaid navigable river Delaware. And to fecure the new planters from the native Indians, (who, in fome other provinces, being injuriously dealt with, had made reprifals, to the lofs of many lives) the governor gave orders to treat them with all candour and humanity; and appointed commiffioners to confer with them. about land, and to confirm a league of peace; by whom alfo he fent them the following letter.

London, the 18th of the 8th month, 1681,

MY FRIENDS,

THE

HERE is a GREAT GOD and Power, that hath made the world and all things therein, to whom you and I and all people owe their being and wellbeing; and to whom you and I muft one day give an account for all that we do in the world: this 'Great God hath written his LAW in our hearts, by which we are taught and commanded to love and help, and do good to one another, and not to do harm and mifchief unto one another: now this Great 'God hath been pleased to make me concerned in your part of the world, and the king of the country where I live hath given me a great province 'therein; but I defire to enjoy it with your love and confent, that we may always live together as neighbours and friends; elfe what would the Great God do to us? who hath made us not to devour and ' destroy one another, but to live foberly and kindly 'together in the world. Now I would have you well ' obferve, that I am very fenfible of the unkindness and injuftice that hath been too much exercised to'wards you by the people of these parts of the world, who have fought themfelves, and to make great advantages by you, rather than to be examples of

E 4

justice

justice and goodnefs unto you, which I hear hath been matter of trouble unto you, and caused great grudgings and animofities, fometimes to the fhedding of blood, which hath made the Great God angry. But I am not fuch a man, as is well known in my own country: I have great love and regard towards you, and I defire to win and gain your love and friendship by a kind, juft, and peaceable life, and the people I fend are of the fame mind, and fhall in all things behave themselves accordingly; and if in any thing any fhall offend you, or your people, you fhall have a full and speedy fatisfaction for the fame, by an equal number of just men on both fides, that by no means you may have juft occafion of being offended against them, I fhall fhortly come to you myself, at what time we may x more largely and freely confer and difcourfe of thefe matters; in the mean time I have fent my commiffioners to treat with you about land, and a firm league of peace: let me defire you to be kind to them and the people, and receive these presents and tokens which I have fent you, as a teftimony of my good-will to you, and my refolution to live juftly, peaceably, and friendly with you.

I am your loving friend,

'W. PENN."

His friendly and pacifick manner of treating the Indians begat in them an extraordinary love and regard to him and his people, so that they have maintained a perfect amity with the English of Pennfylvania ever fince. And it is obfervable, that upon renewing their treaty with Sir William Keith, bart. their governor in 1722, they mention the name of William Penn with much gratitude and affection, calling him, * “ A

See the Hiftorical Register for the year 1723, numb. XXX. pag. 107. "GOOD

"GOOD MAN," and, as their highest compliment to Sir William, ufe this expreffion," We efteem and "love you as if you were WILLIAM PENN himself." So univerfally doth a principle of peace, juftice, and morality, operate on the hearts even of those we call heathens.

He also drew up the fundamental conftitutions of Pennsylvania, in twenty-four articles, confented to and fubfcribed by the first adventurers and freeholders of that province, as the ground and rule of all future government; the first of which articles, fhewing that his principle was to give, as well as take, liberty of confcience in matters of religion, we fhall tranfcribe:

'IN

The FIRST CONSTITUTION,

N reverence to God, the Father of light and fpirits, the author, as well as object, of all divine knowledge, faith and worship, I do, for me and 'mine, declare and establish, for the first fundamental of the government of this country, that every perfon that doth or shall refide therein, fhall have and enjoy the free profeffion of his or her faith, and exercise of worship towards God, in fuch way and ' manner as every fuch perfon fhall in confcience believe is moft acceptable to God: and fo long as every fuch perfon ufeth not this Chriftian liberty to licentioufnefs, or the deftruction of others; that is to say, to speak loofely and prophanely or contemptuously of God, Chrift, the holy fcriptures, or religion, or commit any moral evil or injury against others in their converfation; he or she fhall be protected in the enjoyment of the aforefaid Christian liberty by the civil magistrate.'

In the next year, 1682, he published "The Frame "of Government of Pennsylvania," containing twen

See the Hiftorical Regifter for the year 1723, numb. XXX. pag. 108.

ty-four

ty-four articles, fomewhat varying from the aforefaid conftitutions, together with certain other laws to the number of forty, agreed on in England, by the governor and divers freemen of the faid province: of which laws one was,

That all perfons living in this province, who confefs and ackowledge the One Almighty and Eternal God, to be the Creator, Upholder and Ruler of the world, and that hold themselves obliged in confcience to live peaceably and justly in civil fociety, fhall in no-wife be molefted or prejudiced for their religious perfuafion or practice in matters of faith and worthip; nor shall they be compelled at any time to fre<quent or maintain any religious worship, place, or miniftry whatsoever,'

<

The rest of thofe laws relating to the encourage ment of the planters, fuppreffing of vice and immorality, and the good goverment and regulation of the province, our reader may perufe at his pleasure.

The time of his departure for America being now at hand, he wrote the following letter to his wife and children a little before he embarked.

My dear WIFE and CHILDREN:

Y love, that fea nor land, nor death itself can extinguish or leffen toward you, moft endearedly visits you with eternal embraces, and will abide with you for ever: and may the God of my < life watch over you, and bless you, and do you good in this world, and for ever.-Some things are upon my spirit to leave with you in your refpective capacities; as I am to one a husband, and to the rest a father; if I fhould never fee you more in this ? world.

My dear wife; remember thou waft the love of my youth, and much the joy of my life; the most beloved, as well as moft worthy, of all my earthly

com

<comforts: and the reafon of that love was more thy inward, than thy outward excellencies (which yet 'were many). God knows, and thou knoweft it, I can fay it was a match of Providence's making; and "God's image in us both was the first thing, and the moft amiable and engaging ornament in our eyes, Now I am to leave thee, and that without knowing whether I fhall ever see thee more in this world, take my counsel into thy bofom, and let it dwell with thee in my ftead while thou livest.

ift, Let the fear of the Lord, and a zeal and love to his glory, dwell richly in thy heart; and thou wilt watch for good over thyself and thy dear chil'dren and family, that no rude, light, or bad thing be committed: elfe God will be offended, and he 'wilf repent himself of the good he intends thee and

'thine.

2dly, Be diligent in meetings for worship and bufinefs; ftir up thyfelf and others herein; it is thy day and place: and let meetings be kept once a day in the family, to wait upon the Lord, who has given us much time for ourselves: and, my dearest, ' to make thy family matters easy to thee, divide thy time, and be regular; it is eafy and fweet; thy retirement will afford thee to do it: as in the morning to view the business of the house, and fix it as thou 'defireft, feeing all be in order; that by thy counsel 'all may move, and to thee render an account every ' evening. The time for work, for walking, for meals, may be certain, at least as near as may be; and grieve not thyfelf with careless fervants, they 'will disorder thee; rather pay them, and let them go, if they will not be better by admonitions: this is beft to avoid many words, which I know wound the foul, and offend the Lord.

3dly, Caft up thy income, and fee what it daily amounts to; by which thou mayeft be fure to have it in thy fight and power to keep within compass: and I beseech thee to live low and fparingly, till my debts are paid; and then enlarge as thou feest it

C conve