The town of Berlenburg presented a dismal spectacle, the greater part having recently been burnt down; so that they had some difficulty in making their way through the ruins.  They were subjected to no delay at the Custom-house, but, before being allowed to go to an inn, were conducted by the gendarme to the Castle, to be examined by the Landrath, or magistrate.  While John Yeardley and William Seebohm were taken into the justice-chamber, Martha Savory and Martha Towell remained in the carriage, where they were presently surrounded by a crowd, who gazed with astonishment at their equipage, no such vehicle having been seen in the town for many years, and probably never any persons in such attire.  Being weary of waiting, and anxious to know the result of the examination, they left the carriage and ascended to the magistrate’s room.  They were politely received, and arrived just as he had concluded the examination and was declaring the Friends entirely free from, the requisitions of the law.  The letters of recommendation which they presented were very helpful in procuring this result.  At the Landrath’s request, they stated the object of their journey, and the reasons which had induced them to deviate from the route described in the passports, of all which he caused a note to be taken.  At the conclusion he politely dismissed them with the salutation, “Go where you will, in God’s name;” and the abashed and disappointed gendarme was obliged to imitate his superior and make them a parting bow.  The magistrate referred them to two of the citizen, for information regarding the Separatists, but remarked that he considered a visit to Schwartzenau at that critical moment would not be without danger.

One of the persons on whom the Landrath recommended the Friends to call was the Inspector of the Lutheran or State Church of the country; and on the 6th, which was First-day, after a time of worship in their own apartment, they received a visit from this personage.  Wishing to act with entire openness, they informed him of their desire to see the Separatists, and invited him to accompany them.  He gave them the names of several with whom they might freely have intercourse.  As the interview proceeded mutual confidence increased, particularly after reading their certificates; and the Inspector expressed himself gratified with the liberality entertained by Friends towards people of other religious persuasions.

It snowed all the next day, and the roads were deep in water, so that M.S. and M.T. remained in-doors; but J.Y. and W.S. walked to Homburgshausen, a village about a mile and a-half from Berlenburg, to call upon an aged man, a Separatist of the old connection.  He had heard of their arrival, and was overjoyed to see them; he looked upon it as a providential occurrence that they should have been sent there at that juncture.  His forefathers, he said, had been settled there many years, and had hitherto enjoyed liberty of conscience;