it may concern"), that "they are faithfull and beloved Friends, well known
to be serviceable unto Friends and brethren, since they have become
convinced; of a blameless and savory conversation. Also are P'sons Dearly
beloved of all Souls. His testimony sweet and tender, reaching to the
quicking seed of life; we cannot alsoe but bemoan the want of his company,
for that in difficult occasion he was sted-fast--nor was one to be turned
aside. He is now seasonable in intention for the Plantations, in order into
finding his way clear, and freedom in the truth according to the measure
manifested unto him," etc. And so the strong-minded man is commended to
Friends across the seas. In the records of the meetings for sufferings in
England are certain of his letters from the jail. How his character
descended to my sterner parent, and, through another generation, to me, and
how the coming in of my mother's gentler blood helped in after-days, and
amid stir of war, to modify in me, this present writer, the ruder qualities
of my race, I may hope to set forth.

William died suddenly in 1679 without children, and was succeeded by the
third brother, Owen. This gentleman lived the life of his time, and, dying
in 1700 of much beer and many strong waters, left one son, Owen, a minor.
What with executors and other evils, the estate now went from ill to worse.
Owen Wynne 2d was in no haste, and thus married as late as somewhere about
1740, and had issue, William, and later, in 1744, a second son, Arthur, and
perhaps others; but of all this I heard naught until many years after, as I
have already said.

It may seem a weak and careless thing for a man thus to cast away his
father's lands as my ancestor did; but what he gave up was a poor estate,
embarrassed with mortgages and lessened by fines, until the income was, I
suspect, but small. Certain it is that the freedom to worship God as he
pleased was more to him than wealth, and assuredly not to be set against a