York, the 24th. and 25th. of the 4th. Month, 1696 
 Dear Friends?  
We being met together at this our Yearly Meeting, to wait upon the Lord, to feel his Ancient Power, to fill our hearts and contrite our Spirits and comfort us together; we have renewed cause to say he is the same God that ever he was yesterday to day and will be the same for ever, unto all those that believe in him and put their trust in him.  
And Dear Friends, in the sense of the same Love wherewith we have been sweetly comforted together in this our Meeting. We do salute you all, and give you Account in this our County how things hath been with us, for blessed be the name of our God he is with us in all our undertake, and causes his Work to prosper both here and elsewhere, for we have had several Testimonies in Writing from the several Monthly Meetings of the care and diligence of our Women friends in their particular Meetings in things relating to Truth's Prosperity. And Gods living powerful Presence, hath abundantly appeared in this our Meeting, and many living Testimonies have been born amongst us blessed be the Name of the Lord for everand evermore.  
And this short Epistle, we have given forth for the encourageing of all, and also to warn any whom it may concern to be faithful in this their Day. And now,  
DEar Friends we being under a weighty consideration of the tender deal, and many mercies of the Lord, and what he hath been to Us, and done for Us, in gathering Us out of the World, yea out of Babylon's confusion, and by the Revealing of his Heavenly power, hath made a little Remnant willing to bear testimony against the evil of this World, its vain Customs foolish Fashions and Traditions; for which Testimony some have suffered great abuses, for Testifiing against Observing Mass times, Feast days, or any other vain Pastimes, therefore let none professing the same truth think these things light, or matters indifferent which others purchased at so dear a rate; therefore see that truth's Testimony be born up in every particular Meeting, for by the same power hath many been made willing to lose the friendship of the World, the favour of Relations and acquaintance for the denying of extravagent feast in Marriages, Births and Burials; and though many of our Ancient and Honourable Women be removed and gone to their rest, yet some here is yet in being blest be the Lord, who bear a true Record of the good effect this Testimony had amongst the sober Peo-ple of the Neighbourhood, where it was faithfully born up, therefore let none professing the same truth vary from it, but in the unity of the one Spirit, see that all be done decently and in good Order, to the honour of our God, who is a God of Order, and not of Consusion: Here hath divers Testimonies been given from this Meeting wherein we have hinted at many things, and particulared some, as conserning Apparill, we could be glad our Testimonies were generally Observed, and the Judgement of truth submitted to, and these things put in practice in every particular Meeting, for it is the doer that is accepted, a few Lines may soon be writ, and a Testimony soon delivered, but the Work is weighty, and requireth great Care and Diligence, here is also a warning in our Hearts from the Lord, unto you who are Mothers of Children, that you be good examples in your Families, in your Words, Actions and Apparel, and in all other things both to your Servants and Children, and keep a watchful eye over them, and take a narrow inspection into their ways and inclinations, And Crush every appearance of Folly in them in the bud, while they are young and little, before they grow high and stuborn, and still keep your Authority in the truth, and rule over the unsubjected nature in them; But if you lose your authority they will rule over you, and then the just will be Oppressed and they will act to truth's dishonour, their own ruin, and you grief, therefore be ye warned to see to the discharge of your Duty in this behalf, and do not connive at any Lose Wanton behaviour in them but restrain them. Remember old Elys fall, and consider the Daughters of Zion who walked with stretched out necks, and wanton eyes, and read Isaiah the third, the Judgements threatened against them: And surely the Lord is the same this day, he hath no more favour for the Proud and Rebellious, nor friendship with the workers of iniquity, though he hath been slow to wrath, and of great mercy and long hovered over us, waiting to be gracious yet he will arise as a Man of War, and those that will not that he should Reign over them, they are his Enemies he will slay them, but well will it be with those that live in subjection to him and under his Government, he will be tender over them as the Apple of his own Eye, and preserve them in the hollow of his hand until his Indignation be over; But be you warned you proud and wanton careless ones though Professors of truth who yet have your Coversations in the World, and your Companions of the Spirit of it. Many Warnings and Invitations you have had, but now the Day comes on apace, which long hath been threatened, that will be as a consuming Fire wherein the Lord will avenge himself of his adversaries, and all the Proud, and all that work wickedness will be as Stubble, for though he will gather his Wheat into his Garner, the Chaff, he will burn with unqueanchable fire.  
And now you dear hearts who are young and tender, springing from the true root, who by the Heavenly Power have been made willing to deny yourselves and take up your Cross daily and follow the leadings of truth, though through many trials and deep exercises, you are the living branches of the true Vine which drinks in the Heavenly dew, upon whom the pleasant showers fall. O you are near and dear to us, we are comforted in you; you are our Joy in the Lord. Oh, the flowing Streams of our Father's Love, which reaches from one to another, which many waters cannot quench, nor distance of Miles separate, for though absent in Body, yet present in Spirit, and can simpathyze together, and be a comfort one to another, Living Praise to our God for ever.  
Now Friends here is many of our Ancient and Honourable Women removed off the Stage of this World and gone to their rest, yet their Memorial is comfortable to us, and their travel is often before us, and some of us but weakly and not likely here to continue long, therefore we desire you may let no Place be empty, but take your Orders, and keep your Ranks, and put on the Breastplate of righteousness the Helm●t of Salvation, and take the Sword of the Spirit, and make war in righteousness against the Uncircumcised Phyliftian Nature, lie waste and untterly consume all Babylon's trumpery, cast our her goodly Garments and Wedge of Gold, and let Achan be destroyed, that Israel's Camp may prosper, and though Corah, Dathan and Abivams' Spirit charge you for taking to much upon you, and as the Scoffers of the Ancient Jews may scoff you matter them not, but carry on your work and keep your Weapon in your hand. And you that have Public Testimonies be careful in all your Travels, as well of the good order of truth and Church Discipline as discharge of your Testimonies where you may, come or others have need of your affistance; And be not to familiar with any Spirits, but try the Spirit whether they be of God or nay, and beat down the cross, proud unsubjected Spirit; But those that are weak in the Faith receive you; For it ever was, and yet is our great care, the weak may be strengthen, the Feeble confirmed, and the mourners in Zion comforted, and help to lift up the Heads and Hands of those that are ready to hang down, and invite the Daughters of Zion to arise, and s●ake themselves from the dust of the Earth, and put on their beautiful Garments, that therein they may glorify God.  
And Friends, you that are in your places of abode in your Service for the Lord, be diligent in keeping of your women's Meetings, and faithful in the Lords work, having nothing in your Eye but his honour, the prosperity of his truth, and well being of his people; But still keep under all that which will not be subject to Truth, and though you may meet with reflections and secret smiteings, yet the Lord will be with you, for no Weapon form against Zion can prosper, no Enchantment against Jacob nor Divination against Israel, therefore be encouraged and encaurage one another as co workers, and fellow helpers, and as formerly we have said according to your Measures, as Deborah, willingly be concerned in the Government of Israel, and as Dorcass making provision for the Widows and Fatherless; That joy and gladness may be heard in Israell's Camp, and Jacob may be safe in his Tent.  
For Friends, this is the very end of our Travel and Labour of Love that we all might be gathered to our Ancient Rock and refuge and sure hiding place, before this trying day come, which now approacheth, and times of calamity which seems to be near; So with dear Love to you desiring the continuance of your care in coming up to the next Yearly Meeting, if the Lord give us an opportunity: And that care be taken that these Testimonies be Read in every of your women's Meetings; or where Friends may see service for them: So we remain your Loving Sisters.  
Signed on the behalf of our women's Meeting. BY 

Katherine Winn.  
Elizabeth Beckwith.  
Judith Bouldby.  
Marry Frost.  
Deborah Winn.  
Sarah English.  
Sarah Elam.  
Marry White.     

Dear Sisters,  
YOU that are as Mothers in Israel, it is unto you my Love and Life is drawn forth at this time, desiring to cast my Mite with you into the Treasury of God, and it is the desire of my heart, that both you and I, and all whom God has called to be as Mothers in Israel, may be found both in Example and Doctrine, following the good advice of the holy Apostle, who said, let the Elder Women exhort the Younger to be sober, to be chaste, to be lovers of their own Husbands, lovers of their own Children, keepers at Home, not Gadders abroad.  
And now dear Sisters, here is much in these things, and they deserve a due consideration, by us all, to see they be put in practice by us all in our respective places. First, by Example, and then by Doctrine, to those we have the Oversight of, as the Flock our Fahers' fold, that they with us, and we with them may all be found performing the things, and answering the end the Lord created us for, to serve and glorify him in our Age and Days, by a Godly Life, and holy Conversation in all we put our Hands unto, that our Light which the God of Israel hath been pleased to Englisnte us with, may so shine that others may see our good Works and Glorify our Father which is in Heaven, who alone is the Author of every good thought, Word and Work, and is worthy of the Honour of the same; For without him we can do nothing that is good or that will bring honour to him, and therefore we are engaged to Exhort one another, and that daily to have their Eye upon the Lord, for his Divine assistance to help us in our Respective Places to perform our service to him and to our Husbands and Children; to be Lovers of our own Husbands in that Love the Saint's fellowship was in, having our  Conversation coupled with fear, honuring and obeying them in the Lord: This will make us a comfort, and true help meet to them which is the and the Lord made Woman for, to serve him, and be a helpmeet to her Husband, and a Nursing Mother to her Children.  
And now dear Sisters, I cannot but exhort you as One who through the Lord's mercy hath been the Mother of many Children, and hath trodden the path; to be very careful and watchful over your Children while they are under your Tuition, even from their learning to speak, to their Youth upward, for we may remember it was the advice of Solomon, Train up a Child in the way thou would have him to go when he is young, and he will not departed from it when he is old: For I can truly say the Lord laid a Concern upon me when I was but Young in years to Watch over my children's Words, even when they were but Learning to Speak, that they might be taught truths Language, and as they grow up they may be brought to Meetings amongst the Lord's People, and kept in the form of truth, out of the Vain Customs and fashions, and blessed be the Name of Israel's God who through his great Love and Mercy hath made me to my great Comfort, reap in Measure the fruits of my Labour, and hath begotten Faith in me, of reaping more, as they and I are preserved Faithful to the end; For ' its the end that Crowns all, It is not Running well for a time, but continuing in well doing to the end of Time, that gives us an acceptance with the Lord.  
So Dear Friends, you that are Young and are Mothers of Children, the desire of my heart is, that you may show forth your Love to your Children, by being watehfull over them, that they get not into those things which you and your Ancient Friends have known the Terrors of the Lord for, that none be sound building that up in their Children which the Lord hath pulled down by his Righteous Judgements in themselves; for the good Apostle said, If I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a Transgressor. So dear Friends, I dearly entreat you in the yearning bowels of my Father's Love to you, and your Children, desiring that you may be careful over your Children, in keeping them from Pride, and those things which doth not become Women proffessing Godleness: So will they be made a Comfort and a Blessing to you, but if you be careless, and give them their Liberty to speaks the World's Language, and get into their Fashions and Customs, (as too many of the Libertine Spirits do, to the grief of the Upright in heart,) than they will become your Sorrow, and you will not be clear of their Blood: So to him that is the Wonderful Counsellor, do I desire to recommend you, with the keeping of my own Soul, and remain your Friend and Sister in the Truth, and a traveller for Zions Prosperity.  
In my Measure Margaret Breckon.