Joel Yeardley unhappily did not long remain faithful to his convictions.
He not only himself drew back from intercourse with Friends, but was
unwilling his sons should leave their work to attend week-day meetings,
and did all in his power to prevent them. This is shown by the following
narrative from Joseph Wood's memoranda:--


As William Wass and I were going to attend a Committee at Highflatts, on
our Monthly Meeting day, in the morning, we met with Thomas Yeardley of
Blacker, near Worsbro', a young man who is under convincement. I was a
little surprised to see him having on a green singlet and smock frock. He
burst out into tears; I inquired the matter, and if something was amiss at
home; he only replied, "Not much;" and we not having time to atop,
proceeded, and he went forward to my house. This was on the 19th of the
Ninth Month, 1803.

After the Monthly Meeting was over, I had an opportunity to inquire into
the cause of his appearance and trouble, and found that he was religiously
concerned to attend weekday meetings, which his father was much averse to;
and in order to procure his liberty he had worked almost beyond his
ability; but all would not do, his father plainly telling him that he
should quit the house. The evening before, he applied to him for leave to
come to the meeting at Highflatts to-day; but he refused, and treated him
with very rough language. However, as the concern remained with him, he
rose early in the morning and got himself ready; but his father came and
violently pulled the clothes off his back, and his shirt also, and took
all his other clothes from him but those we met him in, telling him to get
a place immediately, for he should not stop in his house. Being thus
stripped, he went to his work in the stable; but, not feeling easy without
coming to meeting, he set out as he was, not minding his dress, so that he