Books and Manuscripts

From our Yearly Meeting held at Philadelphia, for Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, from the 22d Day of the Ninth Month, to the 28th of the same (inclusive) 1759...
Philadelphia: (presumed William Bradford, Jr.), 1759. Bifolium sheet, 13 x 7 7/8 in. (330 x 200 mm). (4) pp. Printed document, being an Epistle from the Quaker Yearly meeting at Philadelphia; signed in type by Mordecai Yarnall, Thomas Massey, John Churchman, John Scarborough, Peter Fearon, Thomas Evans, and Joseph Parker. Docketed in type on fourth page. Edges untrimmed; creasing from old folds; open tears in top corners of each leaf and at bottom corner of second sheet; small open tear in center fold of each leaf. Evans 8350; Hildeburn, Pennsylvania 1627; Miller, Franklin B84; ESTC W12278 (locating only 14 institutions with copies); Not in Sabin

A scarce Colonial-era Quaker Meeting Epistle on the “Calamities” suffered by Friends and fellow Subjects during the French and Indian War (1754-63). An historically important report dating from the height of the war, it states: “In former Wars between the English and other Nations, since the Settlement of our Provinces, the Calamities attending them have fallen chiefly on other Places, but now of late they have reached to our Borders; many of our fellow Subjects have suffered on and near our Frontiers, some have been slain in Battle, some killed in their Houses, and some in their Fields, some wounded and left in great Misery, and others separated from their Wives and little Children, who have been carried Captives among the Indians. We have seen Men and Woman who have been Witnesses of these Scenes of Sorrow, and being reduced to Want, have come to our Houses asking Relief.”

Ascribed to the press of Benjamin Franklin and D. Hall by Evans and Hildeburn, but rejected by Miller who suggests it is the work of William Bradford, Jr.