our families, and dispersed among the English colonies. The hurry and confusion in which we were embarked was an aggravating circumstance attending our misfortunes ; for, thereby, many who have lived in affluence, found themselves deprived of every necessary, many familles were separated, parents from chlidren and chlidren from parents.
Yet, blessed be God that it was our lot to be sent to Pennsylvania, where our wants have been relieved, and where we have in every respect been received with Christian benevolence and charity. Let me add, that, notwithstanding the suspicions and fears which many seem to be possessed of on our account, as though we were a dangerous people, who make little scrupule of breaking our oaths, time will make it manifest that we are not such a people. No ; the unhappy situation which we are now in is a plain evidence that this has no foundation and tends to aggravate the misfortunes of an already too unhappy people ; for, had we entertained such pernicious sentiments, we might easily have prevented our falling into the melancholy circumstances we are now in, viz., deprived of our substance, banished from our native country, and reduced to live from charity in a strange land ; and this, for refusing to take an oath which Christianity absolutely forbids us to violate, had we once taken it, and yet an oath which we could not comply with without being exposed to plunge our swords in the breasts of our relations and friends.
We shall, however, as we have hitherto done, submit to what, in the present situation of affairs, may seem necessary, and with patience and resignation bear whatever God, in the course of His Providence, shall suffer to come upon us. We shall also think it our duty to seek and promote the peace of the country into which we are transported, and inviolably keep the Oath of Fidelity that we have taken to His Gracious Majesty King George, whom we firmly believe, when fully acquainted with our faithfulness and sufferings, will commiserate our unhappy condition and order some compensation for our losses. And may the Almighty abundantly bless His Honour the Governor, the Honourable Assembly of this Province and the good people of Philadelphia, whose sympathy, benevolence and Christian charity, have been, and still are, greatly manifested and extended toward us, a poor, distressed and afflicted people, is the sincere and earnest prayer of
