instead it hath now a bad one for this sake in other countries. Especially whereas the Europeans are desirous to know in what manner the Quakers do rule in their province:—and most of them do look upon us with an envious eye. But if this is done well, what shall we say is done evil?
"If once these slaves (which they say are so wicked and stubborn men) should join themselves,—fight for their freedom,—and handel their masters and mistresses as they did handel them before; will these masters and mistresses take the sword at hand and war against these poor slaves, like, we are able to believe, some will not refuse to do? or have these negers not as much right to fight for their freedom, as vou have to keep them slaves?
"Now consider well this thing, if it is good or bad? And in case you find it to be good to handel these blacks at that manner, we desire and require you hereby lovingly, that you may inform us herein, which at this time never was done, viz., that Christians have such a liberty to do so. To the end we shall [may] be satisfied in this point, and satisfy likewise our good friends and acquaintances in our native country, to whom it is a terror or fearful thing, that men should be handelled so in Pennsylvania.
"This is from our meeting at Germantown, held ye 18 of the 2 month, 1688, to be delivered to the Monthly Meeting at Richard Worrell's.
"At our Monthly Meeting at Dublin, ye 30—2 mo., 1688, we having inspected y e matter above mentioned, and considered of it, we find it so weighty that we think it not expedient for us to meddle with it here, but do rather commit it to ye consideration of ye Quarterly Meeting; ye tenor of it being nearly related to ye Truth.
"On behalf of ye Monthly Meeting, "Signed,
"This, above mentioned, was read in our Quarterly Meeting, at Philadelphia, the 4 of ye 4th mo., '88, and was from thence recommended to the Yearly Meeting, and the above said Derick, and the other two mentioned therein, to present the same to ye above said meeting, it being a thing of too great a weight for this meeting to determine. "Signed by order of ye meeting,
