1699, June 24th, Saturday. We went from New York by water, accompanied by our friend Dr. John Rodman, and some others, and that night lodged with our friend Thomas Stephenson, on Long Island. Next day passed over the Sound to Westchester, and fell in opportunely with a Yearly Meeting.

August 25. On our way from Horse Neck we heard of a Quarterly Meeting, to be the day after, at Westbury, in Long Island; and therefore we went that evening over the Sound to Samuel Bown's, where we had a comfortable lodging.

On the 26th we went to Westbury, about 16 miles, where we had a good meeting with Friends; and the next day being the 1st of the week, had another very large meeting there. On the 28th we had a meeting at Matinecock, on occasion of a marriage, about 9 miles thence. To this meeting came some of the Ranters of Oysterbay, and during the greatest part of the time were pretty still, save only an old man, who sometimes hooted like an owl, and made ridiculous noise, as their manner is; and the marriage being solemnized, he stood up and bare his testimony, as he called it, against our set forms, and cried for liberty to the oppressed seed, "which," said he, "is oppressed with your forms," meaning the manner of the celebration of our marriages, generally approved by mankind as the most decent of all.We said not much to them, truth being over them, and the meeting ended well. That evening we went to Jericho, 8 miles, and lodged at the widow Mary Willits'. Next day, 29th, we went from Jericho to Jerusalem, and had a pretty good meeting at Benjamin Seaman's, and thence that evening to Hempstead, to Nathaniel Pearsall's, 6 miles, and next day (30th) had a meeting there, where came a priest or teacher of a sect, and some people with him, and he began to write after my companion, (Roger Gill), who in a short time fell so exposingly and heavily upon the sort he was of, that the teacher ceased from writing and departed the place without offering to defend his exposed profession. But one among ourselves, who had professed the truth about 20 years, took exception against something Roger had said concerning the resurrection of the body--1st Cor. xv. 37--"Thou sowest not that body which shall be, but bare grain," &c; and coming into the Friend's house, after meeting, he made his objections in public, saying he believed the resurrection of the very same body. Roger discoursed with him and adduced arguments sufficient to satisfy any sober inquirer; and yet he continued to cavil. Then, for the sake of the people and others that might be weak among us, I called for the Bible and read that part to them, viz.: 1st Cor. xv. 37. "That which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body which shall be, but bare grain," &c. Upon this he was silent, and so the matter ended. But upon our inquiry what this man was, he appeared to be one of those the people called "Wet Quakers."

After this we went with Samuel Bowne and his wife to Flushing, where we had a glorious meeting next day, (31st), and the day after (Sep. 1st) had a pretty large meeting at Jamaica, about 4 miles thence, and that evening we returned to Flushing. Next day I went over the Sound as far as Horse Neck. After meeting, next day, we returned over the Sound in a canoe and lodged that night at Thomas Stevenson's. Next day (4th) we had a meeting at Newtown, 3miles off. The meeting was not large. That night Samuel Jennings (from Burlington) and I lodged with Robert Field, and Roger Gill and John Rodman returned to New York.

1700, January 27. Landed in Long Island in the morning, about the 5th hour, and thence to Newtown, to Robert Field's, 9 miles; and the same evening, to Thomas Stevenson's, 3 miles; and the next day (1st of the week) we went by water to Flushing, where the Lord gave us a good and comfortable meeting; and then rested at Samuel Bown's till the 30th. On the 31st we had a meeting at Hempstead, 12 miles off, and that evening returned to Samuel Bown's; and 1st of 12th month, (February) I was at the Monthly Meeting at Flushing, where several marriages were presented, and the countenance of the Lord was over us for good; and the next day I was at a marriage at Newtown, where we were favored with another good meeting; next day I went to New York and lodged with Dr. John Rodman.

1702, July 23. From Staten Island we landed within night on Long Island, near a small house of a poor Dutchman, who had only one bed; and he laid me down a coat on the floor, and a little chair at one end of it, with a little pillow upon it, so that I lodged but very indifferently; beside, there were fleas and musketoes plenty. However, I was very well contented, the presence and healing virtue and goodness of the Lord being with me. I got good water to drink, but little victuals; and in the morning set forward and missed my way several times, they being generally Dutch people in that part of the Island, whose directions in the ways I could not well understand. About mid-day I got well to Widow Stephen's at Newtown, where I dined and rested some hours, and in the evening went to Thomas Stephenson's, where I lodged more comfortably that night. The next morning we went by water to a meeting at Flushing, and we had an indifferent good meeting there. That night we all lodged with Samuel Bowne, at Flushing. Next day had another good meeting at Westchester, and that evening they returned over the Sound to Samuel Bowne's, and I went with Thomas Stephenson. The 26th, being 1st day, we had a large meeting near Newtown, where it is kept once a year; and that night I returned to the Widow Charity Stephens', and the following day back to Flushing; and on the 28th had a good meetin at Hempstead, where I staid that night; and next day had a meeting at Jericho, and that evening returned to Flushing; the next day I was at their week-day meeting, which was hard and shut-up at first, but ended comfortably; and on 31st I visited several families, and returned in the evening to Samuel Bowne's, where, next day, I wrote divers letters. Thence crossed the Sound.

1703-4, March. On the evening of the 8th went from New York into Long Island, and lodged at John Wey's; and next day was at the meeting at Flushing; and on the 12th (1st day) I went over the Plains to Westbury, where the Friends of several meetings were together, and there we had a large and open meeting.

And this year our friend Samuel Bownas, a young man, being come over from England to visit Friends in America, in his testimony at Hempstead had spoken against the error of sprinkling infants, and something against the bread and wine of the priests, which they call sacraments, of which Lord Cornbury, then Governor, having been informed, (and George Keith's work of envy remaining fresh in memory), he had arbitrarily put Samuel Bownas in prison at a place called Jamaica, where he was unjustly confined, without any law, about 12 months; and at this place I had a meeting appointed and held on the 14th of this month, which was large, very open and well.

On the 16th I was at Flushing week-day meeting, to which came some strangers. The meeting was very open and bright, and many truths of the Gospel were declared in the authority of it, to their satisfaction; and next day had a meeting near Newtown, to which came several Presbyterians--their ministers being arbitrarily silenced by Lord Cornbury, and gone out of the way or absconded; and things were largely opened concerning the Passover, and bread and wine as being part of it, &c.

After the meeting, as we rode along, Jona. Whitehead, one of the Justices who, by the Governor's order, committed Samuel Bownas to prison, fell into conversation with me; upon which I told him I had observed he had been at most of the meetings where I had been in the Island, and asked him if he had anything to object. To which he answered that he had not anything, but was well satisfied; and also expressed a considerable dissatisfaction in himself that he had signed (Nov. 30, 1702) the mittimus against Samuel Bownas. He was loving and respectful, and under some more than ordinary concern of mind, and went out of his way to accompany us along the road toward Flushing, to which we returned that evening. On the 18th I rested at Flushing, and wrote letters, and on the 19th (1st day) I was at their meeting, which was large, many people being there from several parts of the Island where I had been before. The blessed truth was over all, and many things were opened in the authority and dominion of it, to the praise of the Lord and general satisfaction of Friends and people. The next day I visited Samuel Bownas in prison at Jamaica, and that evening returned to Flushing, and next day to Westchester.

1704, August. On the evening of the 20th we went over the Sound into Long Island, and lodged at Dr. (Henry) Taylor's. On the 21st we went to Samuel Bowne's , at Flushing, where, being well received and kindly entertained, as he commonly did all traveling Friends, we staid till next day, and then had a meeting at Jamaica, which was small but comfortable; and here we went to visit our friend Samuel Bownas; still a prisoner for the testimony of truth; and that night we lodged at Hugh Cowperthwait's. On the 23d we returned to Samuel Bowne's, and there staid that night, and the day after were at their week day meeting at Flushing, which was large and well; and that evening we went to Dr. Rodman's, and on the 25th to William Mott's, at Great Neck, where the Lord favored us with a comfortable meeting; and that night lodged at the Widow Pearsall's, and on the 26th, being the 7th day of the week, we were at the Quarterly meeting at Westbury, which held two days, and was very large and well, only some of the Ranters in that Island came and made a howling and hideous noise, as is common with them, and thereby gave the meeting some uneasiness, but all ended in great quietness and peace; and that evening I returned to Samuel Bowne's Flushing. On the 28th I went to New York.

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