The humble address of the People called Quakers, from their yearly-meeting in London, the 6th day of the month called June, 1688.
‘We, the king’s loving and peaceable subjects, from divers parts of his dominions, being met together in this city, after our usual manner, to inspect the affairs of our Christian society throughout the world, think it our duty humbly to represent to him, the blessed effects the liberty he has graciously granted his people to worship God according to their consciences, hath had, both on our persons and estates: for whereas formerly we had ever long and sorrowful lists brought to us from almost all parts of his territories, of prisoners, and the spoils of goods by violent and ill men, upon account of conscience; we bless God, and thank the king, the jails are every where clear, except in cases of tithes, and the repairs of parish churches, and some few about oaths; and we do in all humility lay it before the king, to consider the hardships our friends are yet under for conscience-sake in those respects; being in the one chiefly exposed to the present anger of the offended clergy, who have therefore lately imprisoned some of them till death; and in the other they are rendered very unprofitable to the public and themselves; for both in reference to freedoms in corporations, probates of wills and testaments, and administrations, answers in chancery and exchequer, trials of our just titles and debts, proceeding in our trade at the custom-house, serving the office of constables, &c. they are disabled, and great advantages taken against them, unless the king’s favour do interpose: and as we humbly hope he may relieve us, so we confidently assure ourselves he will ease us what he can.
‘Now since it has pleased thee, O king, to renew to all thy subjects by thy last declaration, thy gracious assurances to pursue the establishment of this Christian liberty and property upon an unalterable foundation; and in order to it, to hold a parliament in November next at furthest:
‘We think ourselves deeply engaged to renew our assurances of fidelity and affection, and with God’s help intend to do our parts for the perfecting so blessed and glorious a work; that so it may be out of the power of any one party to hurt another upon the account of conscience: and as we firmly believe that God will never desert this just and righteous cause of liberty, nor the king in maintaining of it; so we hope by God’s grace, to let the world see we can honestly and heartily appear for liberty of conscience; and be inviolably true to our own religion, whatever the folly or malice of some men on that account may suggest to the contrary.’
This address being presented to the king, was well received. Some have been ready to think, that the latter part of this address concerned the office of magistrates, which, not without reason, it is believed that a Christian might serve, with no more disparagement to an inoffensive life, than it is inconsistent for a pious father to give due correction to his rebellious child: for though our Saviour charges not to resist evil, but to love enemies: and that he reproving Peter, who from a forward zeal cut off the high priest’s servant’s ear, said to him, “Put up thy sword into the sheath:” and that also the apostle James disapproves war and fighting, yet we find in sacred writ, that the apostle Paul calls the magistrate, the minister of God, and a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil: and he saith in plain terms, that he beareth not the sword in vain.
But to return to my relation, and to take up again the thread of this history, from which I have been diverted a little by this digression; I know there were some in those days, who thought that if people of all persuasions in England had a share in the government, proportionable to their number, a means might have been found out to hinder any party, especially the Papists, from exalting themselves above the others. But to me it seems not improbable, that if this had effect, and a higher hand had not cut off the way thereto, it would have appeared that those men did not reckon well. But it never came to this pass, for the king’s power was tottering already, though he endeavoured to support it, even with good means; for to be helpful to his subjects, who, though free-born men, were deprived of their freedom, merely because for conscience-sake they could not swear; and to help them to this right to which they were entitled as well as others, could not be judged undue means, unless under it had been hidden an intent to introduce this liberty also in favour of the Papists, though they did not believe swearing unlawful.
There were now at Norwich, about forty of the people called Quakers, who having petitioned the king, that he would be pleased to cause them to be made freemen, obtained the following order from him:
To our trusty and well-beloved our Attorney-General.
‘James R.
‘Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well: whereas we have received a good character of the loyalty of our well-beloved subjects, Thomas Howard, Peter Launce, William Booly, Henry Jackson, Edward Pears, John Jenn, Nicholas Comfit, John Harridence, John Gurney, Samuel Wasay, Edmund Cobb, Philip Pain, Josiah Sherringham, Anthony Alexander, Thomas Darmar, John Cadee, John Fiddeman, William Kiddle, James Pooley, John Defrance, jun. Daniel Sharpin, William Milchar, William Brown, John Sharpen, jun. Samuel Kettle, Stephen Ames, Richard Rose, Benjamin Stud, Edward Monk, John Cornish, John Hodson, James Polls, Michael Parker, Richard Brown, Daniel Dye, jun. John Elsegood, John Pike, and John Allen, we have thought fit hereby to require you forthwith to make all and every the persons above-mentioned, freemen of that our city of Norwich, with all the rights and privileges thereunto belonging, without administering unto them any oath, or oaths whatsoever, with which we are graciously pleased to dispense in their behalf; and for so doing this shall be your warrant; and so we bid you farewell. Given at our court at Whitehall, the 13th day of July, 1688, in the fourth year of our reign. By his majesty’s command.