‘May it please the King,
‘Seeing the most high God, who ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and appointeth over them whomsoever he will, hath, by his overruling power and providence, placed thee in dominion and dignity over these realms; and by his divine favour hath signally preserved and delivered thee from many great and eminent dangers, and graciously turned the calamity of war into the desired mercy of peace; we heartily wish that we and all others concerned may be truly sensible and humbly thankful to Almighty God for the same, that the peace may be a lasting and perpetual blessing.
‘And now, O king, the God of peace having returned thee in safety, it is cause of joy to them that fear him, to hear thy good and reasonable resolution effectually to discourage profaneness and immorality, righteousness being that which exalteth a nation: and as the king has been tenderly inclined to give ease and liberty of conscience to his subjects of different persuasions, (of whose favours we have largely partaken,) so we esteem it our duty gratefully to commemorate and acknowledge the same: earnestly beseeching Almighty God to assist the king to prosecute all these his just and good inclinations, that his days here may be happy and peaceable, and hereafter he may partake of a lasting crown that will never fade away.’
London, the 7th of the 11th Month, called January, 1697.
This address being signed, and presented to the king by George Whitehead, Thomas Lower, Daniel Quare, John Vaughton, John Edge, and Gilbert Latey, was favourably received and accepted by that prince; who gave signal proofs that he bore no ill will to any for difference of opinion in religion, if they were honest people; of which this may serve for an evidence, that both his watchmaker, and the nurse of the young duke of Gloucester, were of the Quakers’ persuasion.
1698.
I think it was about the beginning of the year 1698, that a bill was brought into parliament, for restraining the licentiousness of the press. Those called Quakers, perceiving that this might be pernicious, drew up the following remarks, which they delivered to the members of parliament:
Some considerations humbly offered by the people called Quakers, relating to the bill for restraining the licentiousness of the press.
‘This bill is, they conceive, of the like nature with the expired act, 13 and 14 Car. II. ch. 33, and many inconveniences did attend the subjects by it whilst in force, by which the said people were sufferers.