70 AUTHENTIC HISTORY 



end differences betwixt man and man. And spring and fall tliere is an 

 Orphans' Court in each county, to inspect and regulate the affairs o f 

 orphans and tvidoivs. 



XXXII. " Philadelphia^ the expectation of those that are concerned in 

 this province, is at last laid out, to the great content of those here that 

 are anyways interested therein. The situation is a neck of land, and 

 lieth between two navigable rivers, Delav-arc and /Sculkil, whereby it 

 hath two fronts upon the water, each a mile, and two from river to river. 

 Delaivare is a glorious river ; but the Sculldl being an hundred miles 

 boatable above the falls, and its course north-east^ towards the fountain 

 of t^nsquahanna (that tends to the heart of the province, and both sides 

 our own) it is like to be a great part of the settlement of this age. I say 

 little of the town itself, because a platform will be shewn jou by my agent ; 

 in which those who are purchasers of me Avill find their names and in- 

 terests. But this I will say, for the good providence of God, that of all the 

 many places I have seen in the world, I remember not one better seated; so 

 that it seems to me to have been appointed for a town, whether we re- 

 gard the rivers, or the conveniency of the coves, docks, springs, the loft- 

 iness and soundness of the land, and the air, held by the people of these 

 parts to be very good. It is advanced, within less than a year, to about 

 four score houses and cottages, such as they are ; where merchants and 

 handicrafts are following their vocations as fast as they can ; Avhile the 

 country men are close at their farms; some of them got a little Avinter 

 corn in the ground last season; and the generality have had an handsome 

 summer-'crop, and are preparing for their winter corn. They reaped 

 their barley this year in the month called May; the wheat in the month 

 following; so that there is time, in these parts, for another crop of divers 

 things before the winter season. We are daily in hopes of shipping to 

 add to our number ; for, blessed be God, here is both room and accom- 

 modation for them — the stories of our necessity being either the fear 

 of our friends, or the scare-crows of our enemies — for the greatest hard- 

 ship we have suffered hath been salt meat ; which by fowl, in winter, 

 and fish, in summer, together with some poultry, lamb, mutton, veal, and 

 plenty of venison, the best part of the year, hath been made very pas- 

 sable. I bless God, I am fully satisfied Avith the country and entertain- 

 ment I got in it: for I find that particular content, Avhich hath always 

 attended me, Avhcre God, in his providence, hath made it my place and 

 service to reside. You cannot imagine my station can be, at present, 

 free of more than ordinary business ; and, as such I may say, it is a 

 troublesome Avork. But the method things are putting in Avill faciliate 

 the charge, and give an easier motion to the administration of affairs. 

 However, as it is some men's duty to ploAV, some to soa\^, some to Avater, 

 and some to reap ; so it is the Avisdom, as well as the duty, of a man to 



