From this letter it appears plainly that the king endeavoured to relieve the Quakers from that burden of persecution they were under. The following letter is also a proof of it, written by the earl of Sunderland, then, as I think, president of the privy council, to the earl of Huntington, to stop the persecution in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, where one John Smith had acted most grievously:
‘Whitehall, Dec. 7, 1686.
‘My Lord,
‘The king being informed that one John Smith, a common informer, doth very vexatiously persecute the Quakers in the county of Leicester, and in the town and county of Nottingham; and his majesty being pleased to extend his favour to those of that persuasion, his majesty would have your grace direct the justices of peace to give no sort of countenance to the said John Smith, and his prosecution, against the Quakers.
‘My lord, I am for his grace the duke of Newcastle, one of his majesty’s most honourable privy council, &c.
Your grace’s most faithful and humble servant,
SUNDERLAND, P.’
‘To the right honourable the earl of Huntingdon, one of his majesty’s most honourable privy council, chief recorder of Leicester, custos, rotulorum of the county of Leicester.’
The king being thus inclined to give liberty to prisoners, those who were in custody for religion, neglected no opportunity to obtain it; of which the following petition is an evidence.
‘To chief Justice Herbert and judge Wright, assigned to hold assizes, and jail-delivery for the western circuit, at Wells for the county of Somerset, the thirtieth of the month called March, 1686.