Chap. XI. Tbe HISTORY of the PuRITANs. 757 " and all was grace and favour to them; their former fufferings were King " much reflected upon and pitied; every thing was offered that might 1•t,~6 II. " alleviate them; their miniflers were encouraged to fet up their conven- ~J " ticleE, which !1Jd been difcontinued, or held very fecretly for four or " five years ; intimations were given every where, that the king would " not have them nor their meetings difturbed." Adifpenfation, or licenje qffice was fet up, where all who applied might have an indulgence, paying only fifty lhillings, for them felves and their families. Many who had been profecuted for conventicles, took out thofe licenfes, which not only fiopt all proceifes that were commenced, but gave them liberty to go publicly to meetings for the future. " Upon this (fays the fame reverend pre- " late), fame of the diifenters gvew infolent, but wifer men among them, " perceived the defign of the papifts was now to fet on the dijfenters a- " gainft the church, and therefore though they returned to their con- " ventic!es, yet they had a juft jealoufy of the ill d~figns that lay hid, " under all this fudden, and unexpected fi1ew of grace and kindnefs, and " they took care not to provoke the church party." But where then were the underflandings of the high church clergy, during the whole reign of king Charles ll. while they were purfuing the non-conformifts ancl their :finnilies to defiru8ion, for a long courfe of years? Did they not perceive the defign of the papifts? Or were they not willing rather to court them, at the expence of the whole body of dijfenting protejlants? Bilhop Laud's fcheme of uniting with the papifts, and meeting them half way, was never out of their fight; however, when the reader calls to mind the oppreffion and cruelties, that the confcientious non-conformills underwent from the high church party for twenty-five years, he will be ready to conclude, they deferved r.o regard, if the protfflant religion itfe!f had not been at ftake. Thus the allwife prov.idence of God, put a pe~iod to the profecution The end of of the prot'!flant di/Jenters from the penal laws, though the laws tbem- t?e profecu– [elves were not legally repealed, or fufpended, till after the revolution of~!}et,::~J ' king Wi!liam and queen Mary. It may not therefore be improper to the penal give the reader, a 'fummary view of their u!age in this and the laft reign, laws. and of the damages· they fuftained in their perfons, families, and fortunes. The Q._U AK E RS in their petition to king J AMES tile Iall: year, inform ..1ccount of hi& maje0. y, that of late above one thoz!fandjive hundred of their friends the quakers, were in prifon, both men and women; and that now there remain one 8 88el, p. thoufand three hundred eighty-three, of which two hundred are women; 5 ' 593 •· many under fentence of prtemunire; and more than three hundred near it, for refufing the oath of allegiance becaufe they could not Jwear. - above three hundred and fifty have died in prifon fince the year 166o, near one
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