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Nicholas Walne, John James, John Vanborson, Robert Hall, Valentine Hollingsworth, Alexander Draper, John Louff, John Wale, Samuel Darke, John Parsons, John Blunstone, Thomas Fitzwater, William Guest, John Curtis, Robert Lucas, Henry Jones, and Caleb Pusey.

The grand jury having found a bill or bills, a petty jury were therefore impanneld, and attested. The convicted one Pickering, another man and a servant his accomplises of coining and stamping silver in the form of Spanish pieces, with the alloy of too much copper in them, upon which Pickering's sentence as principal was, that for this high misdemeanor, whereof his country had found him guilty, he should make full satisfaction in good and current pay to every person that should within the space of one month, bring in any of this false, base & counterfeit coin (which the next day was to be called in by proclamation) according to their respective proportions. And that the money brought in, should be melted into gross before return'd to him, and that he should pay a fine of forty pounds towards the building of a court-house, to stand committed till paid, and afterwards find security for his good behaviour.

These and other matters gone through by the council at this meeting, and the attending members dismissed to their places of abode, the governor applied himself to regulating the streets of his favorite city, which being completed by the latter end of the fifth, or begining of the sixth month in this year to general content, he then wrote a letter to the committee of the free society of traders, giving an account of it together with a description of the country and native Indians.'

The year 1684 begins with an incursion that happened by a party from Maryland making forcible entry on several

*Their names were John Claypoole, foreman, Robt. Turner, Robert Ewer, Andrew Binkson, John Barnes, Joseph Fisher, Dennis Rochford, William Howell, Walter King, Benjamin Whitehead, Thomas Rouse, and David Breintnall.

IW. Penns works, Vol. 2, p. 699,

plantations in the lower counties, upon hearing of which the governor and council at Philadelphia sent a copy of W. Penns answer to lord Baltimores demand, with orders to William Welch to use his influence for reinstating the persons turned out, into their possessions again, and if other means would not do, he was ordered to prosecute the invaders legally, but the first measures probably might for that time take effect there being no disturbances of that kind till the next month, when the council received a letter from Samuel Sands, setting forth, that Col: George Talbot, with three musqueteers went to the house of the widow Ogle, Jonas Erskin, and Andrias Tittle, telling them that if they would not forthwith yield obedience to lord Baltimore, and own him to be their proprietor, and pay rent to him, he would turn them out of their houses, and take their land from them. Upon this, the government issued a declaration, shewing Governor Penn's title, and such other matters as were likely to prevent such illegal proceedings for the future.

CHAPTER III.

A NEW PROPOSAL TO RESTRAIN THE INDIANS FROM INTEMPERATE DRINKING— AN APPOINTMENT TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNMENT-COMMISSION OF THE THREE PROVINCIAL JUDGES-WM. PENN RETURNS TO ENGLAND HIS EPISTLE FROM THE SHIP-REPORT OF THE KING IN COUNCIL RELATING TO THE DISPUTE Wth LORD BALTIMORE-AN ORDER THEREUPON -LINES BETWEEN THE COUNTIES OF BUCKS, PHILADELPHIA & CHESTER— IMPEACHMENT AND CENSURE OF NICHOLAS MOORE-AN ALARM OF MisCHIEF FROM THE INDIANS-CAPTAIN JOHN BLACKWILL ARRIVES, GovERN SOME ACCOUNT OF HIM-HIS INSTRUCTIONS.

Governor Penn observing that the Indians notwithstanding the fifteenth law against selling them Rum, would contrive to have it either by the underhand dealing of some of the sellers, or other mean persons among the whites buying it for them, called a company of them together, and proposed to them to let them have it if they would be contented to be punished as the English were, in case of abusing themselves, which they agreed to, as probably on that condition they would to a much greater punishment, without its producing any considerable effect-They were in general, so ungovernable in this respect, that it was next to impossible to prevent it by any human foresight, tho' prudent endeavors seem to have been used, both by advice and other measures to inculcate in them a detestation of a vice, so runious to both body and mind, which has evidently destroyed great numbers of them, and yet the few that are left are most of them as incorrigible as ever.

W. Penn continued in these provinces till the sixth month this year, settling and establishing the affairs of his government, and assisting his friends in regulating the business of their religious society, and having signed a commission impowering the provincial council to act in the government in his stead, of which Thomas Lloyd was at that time president, who also had a commission to keep the great seal, Nicholas Moore, William Welch, William Wood,

Robert Turner and John Eckley had a commission to be the provincial judges for two years, Thomas Lloyd, James Claypoole, and Robert Turner, were impowerd to sign patents and grant warrants for lands, and William Clark had a general commission to be a justice of the peace throughout the province and territories, other justices being appointed, and all things now settled in a thriving and prosperous condition, the proprietor set sail for England, and soon after being no less solicitous for the spiritual good than for the temporal advantages of his bretheren, he wrote and sent the following Epistle [here take in the paper N. 1]*

The commission to the five provincial judges, was in the following words.

"William Penn, Proprietary and governor of the province of Pennsylvania, and territories thereunto belongingTo my trusty and loving friends Nicholas Moore, William Welch, William Wood, Robert Turner, and John Eckley, greeting

"Reposing special confidence in your justice, wisdom and integrity, I do, by virtue of the Kings authority derived unto me, constitute you provincial judges for the province and territories, and any legal number of you a provincial court of judicature both fixt and circular as is by law directed, giving you and every of you full power to act therein, according to the same, strictly charging you, and every of you to do justice to all, and of all degrees, without delay, fear, or reward, and I do hereby require all persons within the province and territories aforesaid, to give you due obedience, and respect belonging to your station in the discharge of your duties: This commission to be of force during two years, ensuing the date hereof, you and every of you behaving yourselves well therein, & acting according to the same.

"Given at Philadelphia the 4th of the 6th month, 1684, being the thirty sixth year of the Kings reign, and the fourth of my government. "WILL PENN."

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The proprietor very probably would have staid a considerable time longer in Pennsylvania, but it was a critical time with his affairs in England, particularly in the settlement of the boundaries between lord Baltimores claim and the lower counties, whose agent had in the year 1683, petitioned king Charles the second that no fresh grant of the land in the territories of Pennsylvania, might pass in favor of William Penn, till he was heard, on his pretension of right thereto, weh petition was refered to the lordscommittee, for trade and plantations, who after many attendances and divers hearings of both parties by their council for more than two years past made their report to king James, (for he was then upon the throne) who thereupon made order of council to the effect following—

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King Charles the second died the begining of the month called february 1684. W. Penn speaks of his death and of his successor among other things in the words following (taken from an original letter to Thomas Lloyd dated London 16th 1mo 8%)

The King is dead, and the duke succeeds peacibly-he was well on the first day night, being the first of february (so called) but about eight next morning, as he sat down to shave, his head twitched both ways or sides and gave a shriek and fell as dead and so remained some hours, they opportunely blooded and cupt him, and plied his head with red hot frying pans, he returned, and continued 'till sixth day noon, but mostly in great tortures, he seemed very penitent, asking pardon of all, and the poorest subject he had wronged, prayed for pardon, and to be delivered out of the World; the duke appearing mighty humble and sorrowful, twas a loss with his gain, he was an able man for a divided and troubled kingdom-the present king was proclaimed about three o'clock that day, a proclamation followed with the kings speech to maintain the church and state as established, to keep property and use clemency. Tonage, and poundage with the excise are revived de bene esse till the parliament meet,-one is now chusing-the people of Westminster just gone by to chuse it sits 19th 3mo next. In Scotland one next month-severities continue still, but some ease to us faintly promised.— Be careful that no indecent speeches pass against the government, for the king going with his queen publicly to mass in Whitehall, gives occasion.He declared he conceald himself to obey his brother, and that now he would be above-board, which we like the better on many accounts-I was with him and told him so-but withal hoped we should come in for a share;-he smiled, and said he desired not that peacible people should be disturbed for their religion and till his coronation the 23d when he and his consort are

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