228 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1718. 



Edd. Rees and Robert Jones, Richard Hayes and Samuel Lewis 

 to assist }'•" In y" contrivance [and] y'' building Thereof, and 

 they meet together ab* it on y*^ 21'' of this instant, [and report] 

 to y*^ next meeting." 



The members of the Committee all belonged to the preparative 

 meetings of Haverford and Merion. The next meeting was held 

 at Merion, and one of its minutes embraces the report of the 

 Committee. 



" Some friends of those appointed to assist Radnor friends 

 In y^ Contrivance of a new meeting house, then having ace*, y* 

 they have accordingly mett and given y"" Their thoughts as to 

 y^ bigness and form thereof. To w'^'' Radnor frd' Then there 

 present seemed generally to agree w**"." 



The monthly meetings w^ere held alternately at Haverford, 

 Merion and Radnor, and in course a meeting would be held at 

 Radnor in the early part of December, 1718. This meeting was 

 ordered to be held at Haverford, " their meeting house at Rad- 

 nor being not ready. "^ 



The west end of the present meeting-house at Radnor was the 

 building then erected. The date of its erection is further at- 

 tested by being cut on a tablet in the east gable. 



For some years, the intellect of William Penn had been so 

 much impaired, as wholly to exclude him from any participation 

 in the aifairs of the Province. His general health gradually 

 declined till the time of his death, which happened on the 30"" of 

 July, 1718. The news of this melancholy event did not reach 

 Pennsylvania till October, when it was formally announced to the 

 Assembly, which was then in Session. 



Soon after the arrival of Governor Keith, the Supreme Court 

 was so constituted as to hold a Court of Oyer and Terminer at 

 Chester, for the trial of the murderers of Jonathan Hayes. 

 They were promptly tried, and Hugh Pugh and Lazarus Thomas 

 were convicted, and sentenced to be hung. 



The condemned petitioned the Governor for a reprieve, until 

 the pleasure of his Majesty the King could be known; but the 

 Governor, who had attended the trial, and being satisfied of its 

 fairness, was so fully convinced of the guilt of the prisoners, 

 that he at once rejected the petition, and in doing so he was sus- 

 tained by a majority of his council. The grounds taken in the 

 appeal to the Crown were: — 



" 1st. Because seventeen of the Grand Inquest who found the 

 bill of Indictment against them, and eight of the Petty Jury who 

 found them guity were Quakers or Reputed Quakers, and were 



' As late as 1721, committees were appointed in Haverford and Merion for raising 

 funds for the completion of Radnor meeting-house. 



