then to be in prison for religion, and some thought him mad because he "stood for purity, righteousness and perfection," but the simplicity, the earnestness, the devotion, and the practical nature of this system when contrasted with the dry husk of Episcopacy and the jangling creeds of the Dissenters soon won him adherents by the thousands. They came mostly from the lower ranks of society, but from all sects.
    Quakerism is distinctively the creed of the seventeenth century. Seekers were in revolt against the established order. It gave these seekers what they were seeking for. In theology it was un-Puritan ; but in cultus, forms and modes it was more than Puritan. The Quaker was the Puritan of the Puritans. He was an extremist, and this brought him into conflict with the established order. He believed that Quakerism was primitive Christianity revived. He recognized no distinction between the clergy and laity; he refused to swear, for Christ had said, swear not at all; he refused to fight, for the religion of Christ is a religion of love, not of war; he would pay no tithes, for Christ had said, ye have freely received, freely give ; he called no man master, for he thought the terms rabbi, your holiness and right reverend connoted the same idea. He rejected the dogmas of water baptism and the Puritan Sabbath, and in addition to these claimed that inspiration is not limited to the winters of the Old and Kew Testaments, but is the gift of Jehovah to all men who will accept it, and to interpret the Scriptures men must be guided by the Spirit that guided its authors. Here was the cardinal doctrine of their creed and the point where they differed radically from other Dissenters. Add to this the doctrine of the Inner Light, the heavenly guide given directly to inform or illuminate the individual conscience, and we have the corner-stones of their system.
    His success at first was not rapid, but sure. Even the name '"Quaker," like that of "Methodist," was given in derision. The Society of Friends is their true appellation. But as our object in the publication of this book is mainly to confine ourselves to matters which touch Quakerism in Virginia and a few adjacent states, we cannot trespass upon our limits in regard to its illustrious founder by giving an account of his European career, but must confine it to North America. It may seem singular that there are not a few well-read people who do not even know that George Fox  

was a visitor to the "North American Plantations," as this country was called. He came over in the year 1672, and the volume from which we quote has this to say of his travels and labors here.
    We left George Fox going over to the Eastern Shore. In a day or two he set out for New England. He labored there, then returned to Maryland, held meetings on both sides of the Bay, and on the fifth of November set sail for Virginia from Patuxent River. In three days they came to Nancemund (Nansemond). Fox reached it by going down Patuxent River, down Chesapeake Bay and up Nansemond River. Here a great meeting was held. To this meeting came one Col, Dewes, "with several officers and magistrates, who were much taken with the declaration of truth." Then Fox "hastened towards Carolina; yet had several meetings by the way, wherein we had good service for the Lord: one about four miles from Nancemum water, which was very precious; and there was a men's and a women's meeting settled, for the affairs of the church. Another very good meeting we had at William Yarrow's, at Pagan Creek, which was so large that we were fain to be abroad, the house not being big enough to contain the people. A great openness there was, the sound of truth spread abroad, and had a good favor in the hearts of people: the Lord have the glory forever !"
    "After this," Fox continues, "our way to Carolina grew worse, being much of it plashy, and pretty full of great bogs and swamps ; so that we .were commonly wet to the knees, and lay abroad a-nights in the woods by a fire: saving one of the nights we got to a poor house at Summertown [Somerton], and lay by the fire." The whole of this itinerary can be traced pretty clearly; coming down the Chesapeake and sailing up Nansemond Eiver, as we have seen. Fox and his companions, Robert Widders, James Lancaster and George Pattison, probably took horse before they reached the Widow Wright's. They entered North Carolina by way of Somerton, Va., and went by canoe down Bennett's Creek, called by Fox Bonner's Creek, into "Macocomocock river," which is doubtless the modern Chowan, to the house of Hugh Smith, "where people of other professions came to see us (no Friends inhabiting that part of the country)." This house was probably situate in the western part of the present county of Chowan. "Then passing down the river Maratick in a canoe, we went down the bay Connie-oak [Edenton]

to a captains who was loving to us and lent us his boat ( for we were much wetted in the canoe, the water plashing in upon us). With this boat we went to the governor's; but the water in some places was so shallow, that the boat, being loaded, could not swim ; so that we put off our shoes and stockings, and waded through the water a pretty way." The Governor's residence was probably near Edenton. Fox says he and his wife received them "lovingly," but they found a sceptic in the person of a certain doctor, who "would needs dispute with us," declaring that the light and the spirit of God were not in the Indians, and who "ran out so far that at length he would not own the Scriptures."
    "We tarried at the Governor's that night; and next morning he very courteously walked with us about two miles through the woods, to a place whither he had sent our boat about to meet us. Taking leave of him, we entered our boat and went about thirty miles to Joseph Scot's, one of the representatives of the country [probably in Perquimans, near Pasquotank County]. There we had a sound, precious meeting; the people were tender, and much desired after meetings. Wherefore at an house about four miles further, we had another meeting; to which the Governor's secretary came, who was chief secretary of the province, and had been formerly convinced."
    Fox also went among the Indians and spoke to them by an interpreter, and "having visited the north part of Carolina, and made a little entrance for the truth among the people there, we began to return again towards Virginia, having several meetings in our way, wherein we had good service for the Lord, the people being generally tender and open. ... In our return we had a very precious meeting at Hugh Smith's .... the people were very tender, and very good service we had amongst them. . . . The ninth of the tenth month we got back to Bonner's Creek .... having spent about eighteen days in the north of Carolina.
    "Our horses having rested, we set forward for Virginia again, traveling through the woods and bogs as far as we could well reach that day, and at night lay by a fire in the woods. Next day we had a tedious journey through bogs and swamps, and were exceedingly wet and dirty all the day, but dried ourselves at night by a fire. We got that night to Sommertown. . . . Here we lay in our clothes by the fire as we had done many a night before. Next day we had a meeting; for the people .... had a great desire to hear us; and

a very good meeting we had among them, where we never had one before." After traveling about a hundred miles from Carolina into Virginia they were again among Friends. They spent about three weeks in Virginia, mostly among Friends. They had large and precious meetings. At the Widow Wright's "many of the magistrates, officers and other high people came. A most heavenly meeting we had; wherein the power of the Lord was so great, that it struck a dread upon the assembly, chained all down, and brought reverence upon the people's minds." The parish priest threatened to interfere, "but the Lord's power .... stopped him .... The people were wonderfully affected with the testimony of truth. . . . Another very good meeting we had at Crickatrough, at which many considerable people were, who had never heard a Friend before; and they were greatly satisfied, praised be the Lord ! We had also a very good and serviceable meeting at John Porter's which consisted mostly of other people, in which the power of the Lord was gloriously seen and felt, and it brought the truth over all the bad walkers and talkers ; blessed be the Lord !"
    During the last week of his stay Fox spent time and pains correcting evils that had come into the Society and in "working down a bad spirit that was got up in some," and then, ""having finished what service lay upon us at Virginia, the thirtieth of the tenth month [30 December, 1672] we set sail in an open sloop for Maryland."
    Thus ended the only visit of George Fox to Virginia and Carolina. It was his good fortune to see his Society organized and prospering in each. In Virginia the number of Friends was more than doubled by his preaching, while "a large convincement" was upon many others who had not yet professed. The connection between these bodies and the English societies was close. An exchange of letters began. Fox sent copies of Edward Burrough's Words to Col. Thomas Dewes at Nansemond; to Major-General Bennett; to Lieutenant-Colonel Waters, in Accomack; to Justice Jordan, near Accomack, in Potomac; to the Governor of Carolina, and others. There was soon, no doubt, some sort of union between the meetings in Virginia and Carolina, but this has not been at any time an organic one, for the Quakers of North Carolina steadily fought against the idea of being absorbed by their Virginia neighbors. There has always been unity of thought and feeling between the Society in the two States and their history is one.

QUAKERISM IN VIRGINIA.

    As the existence of Quakerism in Virginia on an extensive scale prior to and long after the American Revolution, admits of no dispute an account of its introduction in Virginia and other Southern States is eminently demanded. The record shows that Massachusetts was the first American colony in which Quakerism was preached. The second seems to have been Virginia, although there is little difference in the time of its appearance in this colony and in Maryland. The person to plant the standard of Quakerism in the South was Elizabeth Harris, a native of London. Of her personal history we know little. She entered Virginia in 1656, and arrived in England on her return about July, 1657, "in a pretty condition." Bowden says "her religious labors were blessed to many in that province, who were sincere seekers after heavenly riches, and she was instrumental in convincing many of the primitive and spiritual views of the Christian religion professed by Friends."
    We may say that, Virginia was first settled by the English, May 13, 1607. Under the preaching of an English woman, Elizabeth Harris, in 1656, the first Friends' meetings were established. Friends were no more welcome here than among their brother Englishmen in Massachusetts. The current extravagant stories concerning them were believed, and they were evidently thought to be a very dangerous class of people. In 1660, Virginia enacted the following law concerning them : "Whereas, there is an unreasonable and turbulent sort of people commonly called Quakers, who, contrary to law, daily gather unto themselves unlawful assemblies and congregations of the people. ... It is enacted that no master or commander of a ship or other vessel do bring into this colony any person or persons called Quakers, under the penalty of one hundred pounds sterling, to be levied upon him and his estates by order of the governor and council or the commissions in the several counties where such ships shall arrive; that all such Quakers as have been questioned, or shall hereafter arrive, shall be apprehended wherever they shall be found, and they be imprisoned, without bail or mainprise, till they do abjure this country, or put in security with all speed to depart this colony and not return again. And if any should dare to presume to return hither after such departure, to be proceeded against as contemners of the laws and

magistracy, and punished accordingly and caused again to depart the country, and if they should the third time be so audacious and impudent, they are to be proceeded against as follows : That no person shall entertain any of the Quakers who have heretofore been questioned by the governor and council, or which shall hereafter be questioned, nor permit in or near his house any assembly of the Quakers, under penalty of one hundred pounds sterling; that commissioners and officers are hereby required and authorized, as they will answer the contrary at their peril, to take notice of this act, to see it fully effected and executed, and that no person do presume on their peril to dispose of or publish their books, pamphlets, or libels bearing the title of their tenets and opinions."
    In the early settlement of Virginia, Friends as well as others took up large tracts of land, and many of them settled near where Richmond, Winchester and Norfolk now are. Tradition tells us of one who took up 40,000 acres of land, another 4,000. We hear of one Pleasants, who owned many slaves, and was determined to have one thousand. At one time he held nine hundred and ninety nine, but he failed to reach the full thousand before the Friends of Virginia decided that it was unrighteous to hold their fellowmen in bondage. By this decision he was very much annoyed. A committee went to visit him on account of his slave-owning, but he would not leave his field to meet them, so they waited patiently until he came to dinner. He then had their horses put in the stable and invited them to dine with him with true Friendly hospitality. But when dinner was over, he wished to hasten back to the field with his sable farm hands. The committee finally induced him to tarry for a season of waiting before the Lord. For some time they sat in silence, and then arose, saying if he would have their horses brought they would now proceed on their way. They departed without once mentioning the object of their visit; but he knew for what they came and was obliged to think about it. When upon his bed that night he said he dreamed that he died and was about to pass through the gateway of heaven, when a little darkey lad closed the gate, and he was not allowed to enter. He said he did not intend to be kept out of heaven by the darkeys, so the next morning he summoned the blacks and told them they were all free from that day. He arranged for those who wished to remain with him to work for wages, and said that with about

half the number of servants his business was more profitable than before.
    By the year 1817, all Friends in Virginia had freed their slaves. As in North Carolina, so in Virginia, the principles of Friends, for some time before the late Civil War, were so at variance with the prevailing sentiment around them that most of them moved West, so that at the time the war began, there were in the State only a few small remnants of meetings that met to worship God after the manner of Friends. One of these small meetings was in the vicinity of Winchester, which city has been made famous as the centre of important military operations during the Revolution as well as during the Civil War.
    From the above it will be seen that while Virginia is second to Massachusetts as to the advent of Quakerism, there is no dispute as to the date in which the Old Dominion first heard the gospel as propounded by the good people nor the name of the good woman who did so. It may be noted that no allusion is made to the erection of any church building, although there were many converts. In all probability, as the Quakers were then under the ban, they held their meetings in private houses of Friends.  
    As to the antiquity of claimants as to first churches, we find on page 23 of the volume from which we Just quoted the following:
    Again, on the 12th of November, 1663, Hill found another Quaker meeting at the residence of Richard Russell, and summoned some 35 persons, including John Porter, Sr., and John Porter, Jr., to court. Ten days later Hill discovered a Quaker meeting on the ship Blissing, at anchor in the southern branch of Elizabeth river, and summoned John Porter, Jr., who was speaking ; James Gilbert, master of the ship ; Mrs. Mary Emperor, and others, to court. December 15 they were fined 200 pounds of tobacco each, this being their first trial. On the same day others were fined 50 pounds each for absenting themselves from juiblic worship, and the grand jury presented John Porter, Jr., and Mrs. Mary Emperor and others for attending a meeting on that day at the house of Mrs. Emperor. The trial for the offense of 1st November 13 occurred on February 14 following. John Porter, Jr., and Mrs. Mary Emperor were fined 500 pounds of tobacco each, for it was their second offense; Richard Russell was fined 5,000 pounds of tobacco for permitting the meeting to be held at his house, and the others were fined 200 pounds of tobacco each, as it was their first offense. The trial for the meet-

ing held at the house of Mrs. Emperor on December 15 also came off then. Mrs. Emperor and John Porter, Jr., were ordered to be sent out of the colony, it being their third correction. Ann Godby was fined 500 pounds of tobacco, it being her second correction, and others were fined 200 pounds, as it was their first. The sentence of transportation passed against Porter and Mrs. Emperor was not carried out. They were persons of influence in the county, and as there was no profit to the informer in their transportation the sentence was probably allowed to die of itself. Hill's term as sheriff expired in 1664, and there was no further persecution of Quakers in this county until 1675.
    If we accept this account in its ecclesiastical sense then we may say that the Quaker Church was established in Virginia in the year 1663. Coming directly to the building of Meeting-Houses in Virginia the first one recorded was Buffkin's, on the east or Virginia side of Nansemond River. This house was 20x20, the inside was ceiled, and the floor was laid with planks and was fitted with pews and seats. It cost 3688 pounds of tobacco, of which the main contributors Avere John Miu'dah, 530 pounds; Eol^ert Jordan, 580 pounds; Ben Small, 520; John Porter, 500 pounds, and John Hollowell, 350. Another house, 25x20, was built on the west branch of Nansemond in 1692, and so important was the question of nails that it was recorded that Francis Bridle gave them. They were all hand-made, or, as we say, "wrought nails." There were meeting- houses in Virginia before this, no doubt, but we have no record of them. Among the names recorded we find the following: Pleasants, Terrell, Howard, Woodson, Watkins, Porter. Ellyson, Jordan, Binford, Cate, Hunnicutt, Crew, Clarke, Munford and many others, which figure largely on the roll of Cedar Creek, Golansville and other churches. If you add to this list a few other names that we find more frequently in the eastern counties, such as Picks, it will be seen that many of their descendants are prominent to-day.
    Continuing the Virginia record, we find that the Quakers, after having gained a footing in eastern Virginia, branched out and established meetings in Loudoun and Frederick Counties, but whether they had Meeting-Houses as such or met at private houses the record at this early date does not state. It may be noted, however, that the meeting in east Virginia, although the oldest, were the first to decline, Quakers having entirely disappeared from Norfolk County before 1700.