ommon arbitrators, to hear and end differences between man and man.
And spring and fall there is an orphans' court in each county, to
inspect and regulate the affairs of orphans and widows.

Philadelphia: the expectation of those who are concerned in this
province is at last laid out, to the great content of those here who
are any ways interested therein. The situation is a neck of land, and
lieth between two navigable rivers, Delaware and Sculkill, whereby it
hath two fronts upon the water, each a mile, and two from river to
river. Delaware is a glorious river; but the Sculkill, being an
hundred miles boatable above the falls, and its course north-east
toward the fountain of Susquehannah, (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 shown you by my agent, in which those who are
purchasers of me, will find their names and interests. 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 regard the
rivers, or the conveniency of the coves, ducks, and springs, the
loftiness and soundness of the land, and the air, held by the people
of those parts to be very good.

It is advanced within less than a year, to about fourscore houses and
cottages, such as they are, where merchants and handicrafts are
following their vocations as fast as they can; while the countrymen
are close at their farms. Some of them got a little winter corn in the
ground last season; and the generality have had a 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 accommodation for them: the stories of our necessity being either
the fear of our friends, or the scarecrows of our enemies; for the
greatest hardship 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 passable. I bless God I am fully satisfied with the
coun