Prosperity of Pennsylvania, I press to have such oppressions redressed, Sam Herseant sends it over to his Sister, who without his commission has taken up his lands, I shall hasten to you and shall as god shall enable me, do ye right thing, if god please, It is an abominable thing to have three warrants for one purchase, tis oppression yt my soul loaths. I do hereby require it yt P. L. be called accompt for requests & Warrant &c for town lott, liberty lott and ye rest of the purchass. Why not one warrant for all, at least, for liberty lott & remainder. I have been at Windsor, & the King has ordered my business with Ld. Balt. to be heard forthwith, & I am now goeing to ye Lds of Plantation to gett a day this day week." Etc.

PENN'S LETTER DOING AWAY WITH THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL AND APPOINTING FIVE COMMISSIONERS INSTEAD.

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PENN, WM. Autograph Letter, signed, at commencement of letter, Wm. Penn, P. Gr." 4pp., folio. Worminghurst in old England the first of the twelfth month 1686." With address. "To my Trusty and well beloved friends Thomas Lloyd, Nicholas More, James Claypoole, Robert Turner and John Eccle, or any three of them at Philadelphia."

Published in Proud's "History of Pennsylvania," Vol. 1, page 305.

"Trusty & well beloved, I heartely salute you; Least any should scruple the termination of President Lloyds commission with his place in the Prov. Council, and to ye end that there may be a more Constant residence of the honorary & Governing part of the Governm't for ye Keeping all things in good order, I have sent a fresh commission of Deputation to you, makeing any three of you a Quorum, to act on the execution of laws, enacting, disanulling, or varying of Laws as if I myself were there present, reserveing to myself the Confirmation of what is done, and my peculiar Royaltys & advantages. First you are to oblige the Provincial Councel to their Charter Attendance, or to take such Councell as you think convenient & assist you in the business of the publick, for I will no more endure their sloathfull and dishonorable attendance, but desolve the frame without any more to do. Lett them look to it if further occasion be given. 2dly, that you keep to the dignity of ye station in Council & out, but especially to suffer no disorder in Council nor the Council and Assembly or either of them to intrench upon the powers & Priviledges remaining yet in me.

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3dly. That you admitt not any parlys or open Conferences between the Prov. Council, and the Assembly, but One with ye approbation Propose, and the other consent or dissent according to Charter. 4ly. That you Curiously Inspect the page Proceedings of both, & Lett me know, in what they have broak the bounds or obligations of their Charter. 5ly. That you this very next Assembly Generall, declare my abrogation of all that has been done since my absence, & so of all the Laws but the fundamentals, and that you immediately dismiss the assembly & call it againe & pass such of them afresh with such alterations, as you & they shall see meet, and this to avoide greater inconvenience wch I foresee & formerly communicated to Thomas Lloyd. 6ly. Inspect the Qualification of members in Council & Assembly, and see

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they be according to charter, and especially of thos yt have the administration of Justice, and whatever you do, lett the Point of the laws be carried against Impiety & your severe brow upon all ye troublesome & vexatious, more especially trifling appealers. You shall shortly have a Limitation from the King, tho you have powr wth ye councel & assembly to fix ye matter & manner of appeals, as much as to do any Justice, or prevent any discords in ye Province at all. 8ly. be most just as in the sight of the all seeing, all searching God, and before you lett your Spirits into an affaire, retire to him, (who is not far away from every one of you) by whom Kings raigne and Princess decree Justice) that he may give you a good understanding & governmt of your selves in ye management thereof, wch is yt that truly crowns publick actions & dignefys them that Perform them, You shall hear further from me by C. King, The ship is ready to sale so shall only admonish you in General that next to ye preservation of virtue, have a tender regard to Peace & my Priviledges in wh you enact from time to time, Love, forgive, help and serve one another, & lett the People learn by your example as well as by your power the happy life of concord. So commending you to Gods grace and keeping, I bid you heartely farewell. Given at Worminghurst in old England the first of the twelfth month 1686. P. S. I would have Thomas Ellis President of the Court of ye County & town of Philadelphia, if alive."

PENN, WM. Autograph Letter, signed. 5 pp., folio. Worminghust 1st, 12 mo., 1686. With address. To "My Esteemed Friend President Lloyd at Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.

Fine specimen.

"I rejoice that God has preserved your health so well, & that his blessings are upon the earth; but griev'd at yt bottom of my heart for the heats & disorders of ye people, by all hands I understand yt debauchery grows to yt pitch, it almost waves a comparison, the cases not down after so many letters about it; & quarrells in assembly, nay, that I shall hardly know the Province when I come among you, yt ye magistrates, are ye most irregular, one to another, how can ofences be well punisht by offenders? or the exalted teach ye people subjection? or ye quarrelsome be reconcilers, as all true justices of the peace ought to be? If magistrates draw themselves into contempt, by a behavour, they can never exercise force honorably, nor successfully.

mean

This quarrel about ye Society has made your great guns heard hether. I blame nothing, nor ye Society here to be sure; but I could wish Dr. More and P. R. could have been softened, and yt J. Cl. had been more composed, thou sayst well of James. I close with thy Judgem't his faults arise of meaness, rather than evil, but yt may be a mighty political vice yt is not a moral one, he is fitt in capacity for business, if he were fitt in temper, he is very Jealous, and too Implacable where he sett, again his circumstances are craveing & he begrudges & wth silent & close carriage is too apt to underwork others, but not wth me, for I know him entirely, I voluntarily putt him in Christopher Taylors place, reserving an acknowledgem't to my self, as I shall do of all I dispose of for Patents. Leave it till I come, since thou hast forborn so long. If the People are not dissatisfied, I have no reason to be so. Now Because thy commission may expire in ye opinion of some, as to president of ye Councel, wth thy membership, I have considered how to supply yt defeit, and yt of thy absence, and yt is by another sort of deputation than before, which comes by ye bearer Edw

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PENN, WM. Autograph Letter, signed. 2 pp., folio. London 13th, 2 mo., 1686. With address. To "My Esteemed Friends Thos. Lloyd, Presidt, and James Claypoole, Robert Turner, Wm. Markham, & Thos. Holmes at Philadelphia.”

Not published. Fine specimen.

"My love salutes you all, wishing your prosperity every way, this bearerer is Thos Langhorn, an honest worthy, good man, yt will be I hope, of good service among you, pray be kind & helpfull to him and his in all you can, also respect George Whitheads Kinsman, who is an ingeneous, industrious person, and all Lovers of poor Pennsylvania, I say be kind to you and lett a publick spirit possess you, god may and will return it to yours, .. Pray be very tender over the widdows of Maj'r & Jaspr Somer, tis as deep an affliction to me as I have felt a great while, as well as a great loss to yt Province, but god, the great god must be bowed to, whos ways are unsearchable, I fear ye Ship was overcrowded and yt covetous temper in owners is hurtfull, wt ever you do, have a care of them & theirs, & their concerns.

PENN, WM.

Autograph Letter, signed. folio. London 22d, 2 mo, 1686. with address. "For President Lloyd, Thos Holmes & Robt Turner in Philadelphia.

Fine specimen. Not published.

"This Lett'r is solicited by the widdow of Benj. Acrod, to recommend her case to you in reference to her claim & right in wt he left. I do not know how it stands, but I desire you to do ye just thing on all hands, his friends are displeased with wt he did in marrying her, but yt will not dissolve ye obligation nor turn ye law aside from giving her yt wch is due to yt relation." Etc.

PENN'S LETTER IN REFERENCE TO FIXING THE WESTERN BOUNDARY OF PENNSYLVANIA WITH THE INDIANS.

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PENN, WM. Autograph Letter, signed. 4 pp., folio. London 21st, 2 mo., 1686. To Thos. Lloyd.

"Thyn from N. York of Novemb'r last is come to my hand. Since the Lord has cast thy lott else where, I am glad thou affordest the Province thy presence sometimes, Tho it is greivous to me to think I should be disapointed, but if it be for thy good, I desire to be contented, That which is most upon my mind at this time, is as follows I desire yt some course may be taken about ye advance made upon mony especially englesh, in our Province, Some being of opinion, yt it makes an exception agst my govermt, to the grande's here. I wish yt law dropped, pray weigh yt wth some of ye discreetest persons in ye place.

"I would have great care taken to prevent thos Present from taking up land for markett, not to settle, wch will mightely disapoint new comers that have great estates to carry on the improvmt of ye County. Sr Mathias Vincent, Major Tompson Doct? Cox, men of vast estates, have engaged for 10,000 Acres & are sending 60 families by ye next, most

french venerons, fitt for our country, be curious to please their people, for they have brought many professors to be concernd... pray lett ye western bounds be fixt wth ye Natives. I hope the goods left at N. York were used to good Advance, in the indian purchases. T. H. writt they wanted wampum. I am sure all ye wampum I had at N. York, I left untoucht in my closett. I entreat thee to enquire of thes things, for I have not one word about thes matters from J. Har. nor Tho. Holmes.I entreat thee also to lett me know ye particular estate of the Province & my own improvmts at Pennsberry, . . . . for news, here is little, the K of France relapst if he dyes, great alterations in Europe, Sr Ed Andrews named Gov'r for New England, the Duke of Albemarle for Jamaica. . . . . I hope to be with you by ye 8 mo ye Lord blessing us."

PENN'S LETTER OF INSTRUCTION TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE PROVINCE.

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PENN, WM. Autograph Letter, signed at the left of letter, "Wm. Penn Pr. Gr." 6 pp., folio. Worminghurst, 6th 4th mo., 1687. To "Thos Lloyd, Robt Turner, W. More, James Claypoole & John Eccle."

"Trusty & well beloved friends, I salute you, all with sincere affection, desireing you temporall and Eternall Prosperity. I was not easy or willing to let slip this opertunity by Capt Iregeny, tho I have little more to say to you, then I have communicated of my mind already in myn by Edward Blackfan, which I trust are come to hand and observed before the date hereof.

"I have thereby constituted you, or any three of you, Governour, and so are properly ye com'rs of the Govermt, to all as if I were present, and I hope it will conduce to your honour & the peace & happiness of the people under yr care. I found my former deputation clogg'd with a long & slow tale, of persons from all parts, rarely gott together & then with unwillingness & Sometimes Reflection even upon me for their pains of hearing lettrs read yt time may show them they were out in their censure, haveing then contracted yt deputation into ye hands, be dilligent, faithfull, Loveing & communical with one an other in things yt concerne the publick & I noways doubt but yr breaches will heal, and yr example have yt effect, yt nothing will be left for me to do, but thank & love you & take pleasure in yt comely order & thos under you.

“I beseech you draw not several ways, have no cabals apart, nor reservs from one an other, Create with a mutuall simplicity, an entire confidence in one an other, and if at anytime you mistake, or misapprehend, or differ from one an other, lett not yt appear to ye people, show your virtue but conceal yr infirmitys this will make you awful & reverend with ye people. Justice, mercy, temperance of Spirit are high qualitys & necessary ones in Govermt, I beseech god to fitt you for the work, more and more by whom all Goverers and People in Authority ought to be influenced in their administration of temporal things committed to their care.

"Three things occur to me eminently first, to be watchfull that none abuse the King in reference to his dues & yt you inspect ye_entry & clearing from the first of all Ships yt came to & went out of yt Province and annexed countrys Since 8 and send the coppys wth all speed for me or P. Ford to London. Secondly that you gett Custom act revived

with ye first, for I think yt ye equallest & least offensive way to support ye Govermt, for some thing must be done in yt affaire. In confidence of yt, I took up mony of Joshua Cart when her (there now) in hopes of some provision long since, to the mans unspeakable disapointment there, and my disgrace, & poor encouragemt to come with my family to fix in so publick and expensive a Capacity, what ever is done, lett it be in reference to yt great expenses past. 3 That you retrive the dignity of courts and Session, and remove all persons unqualified, in morals or in capacity. O that I could but heare, that by your union, gravity, constant weekly meeting once or twice, as 2d days and 5th days in ye morning or afternoon, to hear, advise or doe wt is fitt for ye publick good, that you had recovered ye reputation yt becomes that Province to have, for what wth yt wch is reall & yt malice in ye Neighbours of some Govermts invest, we have much adoe to keep our heads above water here. I shall add no more, but my Love to ye People in Generall & yt so soon as my affaires will lett me, I snall be with them, for no poor slave in Turkey longs more for his freedom." Etc.

PENN'S INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS COMMISSIONERS, AND APPOINTING JOHN SIMCOCK AND ARTHUR COOK COMMISSIONERS, IN PLACE OF DR. MORE AND JAMES CLAYPOOLE.

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PENN, WM. Autograph Letter, signed at the top, "Wm. Penn, P. Gr.” 4 pp., folio. Worminghurst 17th, 7th mo, 1687. Not in print.

"Understanding of ye death of Dr. More, whom, for reason I thought fitt to joyn in commission with you, and of the weakness of our friend James Claypoole, I thought it expedient to appoint two others, least ye death of both should be an occasion of failure, at least of inconveniency, to ye, administration of Govermt, But in case James should recover or be capable of service without any prejudice to his health, then the first only to be in commis'n. The Persons I think fitt to nominate are John Simcock & Arthur Cook, whom I take to be honest & able men for ye station, these two if James be dead or unable, or else the first of them put into your commission yt I would have to pass under the Broad Seal of ye Province in persurance of yr former Commission by Ed. Blackfan, ye commission to be drawn in my name as on ye spott.

"I recommend to you ye clearing the caves, and particularly the punishing of thos Jurys, yt upon the appeal of my officers, appear tardy, yt replevin any distresses; for tis a most unjust thing, that instead of a supply Jurys of ye malefactors should be suffered to give away or with hold my own dues from me, I say this touches me, and makes me to think hardly of thos I would think better of, and truly If some care is not taken to make the Tenants bring their corn at ye time fix't by Patent to ye Sloop or Boat, yt I may not have my rent devoured by delays, I will have the damage to extremity or reenter my land with an high hand, and that the best Lawyers here assure me I may do.

"Here is much noise about the Indians, by all means be faire & kinde to them, I have order'd P, Lord to send over goods for you. If the Ship be not too quick. I am just come off a Progess with ye King through ye west & northwest part of ye kingdome.

"My heart is with you, & my dr Wife & children are very desirous to be there, but neither my own, nor ye Publicks affaires will permitt it yet, therefore do yr best to give content, and the Lord be with you. Given at Worminghurst the 17th of ye 7 mo, 1687.