The planted part of the province and territories is cast into six counties:  Philadelphia, Buckingham, Chester, Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, containing about four thousand souls.  Two general assemblies have been held, and with such concord and despatch that they sat but three weeks, and at least seventy laws were passed without one dissent in any material thing.  But of this more hereafter, being yet raw and new in our gear.  However, I cannot forget their singular respect to me in this infancy of things, who, by their own private expenses, so early considered mine for the public, as to present me with an impost upon certain goods imported and exported, which, after my acknowledgment of their affection, I did as freely remit to the province and the traders to it.  And for the well-government of the said counties, courts of justice are established in every county, with proper officers, as justices, sheriffs, clerks, constables; which courts are held every two months.  But, to prevent lawsuits, there are three peacemakers chosen by every county court, in the nature of common 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