This address, which chiefly contained an assurance of fidelity to the queen, was accepted favourably.
1714.
The next year, being that of 1714, the queen was often ill, and there was much division among the people: for a bill was brought into parliament called, An Act to prevent the growth of Schism; and the party that prevailed was very active to get this bill passed. And since it tended to deprive the dissenters from keeping schools, and to allow that liberty to none but members of the episcopal church, or at least to nobody but who had license from them, it met with great opposition, and many reasons against it were published; the people called Quakers offered also to the legislature the following reasons against it:
I. The church of England hath frequently declared, by several of her members, in a clerical, as well as civil capacity, by those who framed and espoused one or more of the bills against occasional conformity, that she is in principle against persecution, and for preserving the toleration.
II. The promoters of this bill may please to remember, that the queen hath declared from the throne, that she will maintain the toleration inviolable.
III. The Protestant subjects of this kingdom, who are parents of children, are supposed to have preserved to them, by the fundamental laws of this kingdom, the natural right of the care and direction of the education of their own children; which natural right this bill seems calculated to take away and destroy.
IV. If the governments, which are now either heathen or Mahometan, should take into the same policy, the society which the queen hath incorporated for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts, can have very little, if any, good effect or success.
V. May it not seem an objection and contradiction to the many princely and Christian solicitations which the queen by ministers hath made at foreign courts, on the behalf of Protestants, against the violent intrusions of Papists, into their rights and just privileges?
VI. It may be a means to oblige the carrying out of large sums of money for foreign education.
VII. It may probably do much hurt to charitable foundations.