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of such as are quiet in the land, the widow and the fatherless for their peaceable conscience, to lie at the door of a prince, professing the tender and compassionate religion of Christ."

This address was presented to the king at Windsor, on the 8th of the month called August, in this year, by George Whitehead, Alexander Parker, Gilbert Latey, and Francis Camfield, in behalf of themselves and their friends; and it was read to him and his brother the duke of York, then present with some others but no considerable ease followed: king Charles it seems was not to be the instrument thereof: and though that prince by nature was not hard hearted, yet there were some that could per.. suade him to severity.

I find about this time, that one Gabriel Shad, who had made it his business to serve as informer against the Quakers, and who had lately informed also against G. Fox. as hath been said, being confined at Newgate in London, for stealing goods from one William Leman, to the value of three hundred pounds, had been found guilty of felony at the Old Bailey; but he had such friends, that he was freed from the gallows, and having obtained the benefit of the clergy, was discharged with being burnt in the hand. Such infamous persons were the informers; for honest men scorned to meddle with such a base and abominable work.

This year the princess Anne, daughter of the duke of York, was married to prince George of Denmark. The duke of Monmouth having been under disgrace, came into favour again; for the king his father indeed loved him, though he was loath, in prejudice of his brother the duke of York, to declare him his legitimate son, as some great men wished he had. But the king persisted in his declaration, that he had never been married to Monmouth's mother.

In the next year, viz. that of 1684, G. Fox and Alexander Parker came into Holland, to visit their friends there; and after some stay, they returned to their native country..

In this year died Thomas Stordy of Moorhouse in Cumberland, a gentleman who twenty two years before had been condemned to a premunire, because for conscience-sake he could not swear: for which sheriff Lowther seized his estate, real and personal, for the king's use, and kept him prisoner eleven or twelve years, till discharged by the king's declaration in 1672 or 73, and his real estate restored. After which, he suffered under great fines and spoil for meeting, and after that was prosecuted on the act for 201. a month for not coming to their worship; on which he continued prisoner several years, till he died in December, having been made willing rather to lose all for Christ's sake, than to be disobedient to him. This Thomas Stordy

released to the land-owners, and their heirs for ever, an impropriation of 101. per annum, which descended to him from his father and grandfather, making conscience as well of receiving as paying tithes. Not long before his decease, he exhorted those that were come to visit him, to faithfulness: "for," said he, "if ye continue faithful to the Lord whilst ye live in this world, he will reward you, as now he rewardeth me with his sweet peace." Thus piously Thomas Stordy departed this life, shewing forth that he was really a gentleman, whose chiefest nobility consisted in virtue. I could mention some other instances, or cases of persecution; but to make the more speed towards a conclusion, I will not detain my reader with a relation thereof.

Thomas Briggs, who also had suffered very much, having been one of the first preachers among the Quakers, and being become old and weak, about this time wrote a letter to G. Fox, in which he signified his perseverance in godliness; and not long after, viz. about the beginning of the year 1685, he died.

It was about this time also, that the king was seized with such violent fits of convulsion, that he died in the month called February. The throne by his death being become vacant, was filled again by his brother James the second, who succeeding him, was the same day proclaimed king. Now I cannot but take notice, that

persecution went on till the death of king Charles, and continued hot to that very instant; and he being gone off the stage, many seemed to fear that worse times were at hand, and that burning of heretics would come in vogue again, as in the former age: yet some there were who imagined that ease was like to follow; and that they guessed not amiss, time shewed.

King James had not been long at the helm of the government, but the Dissenters applied to him for liberty of worship, and among these were also the Quakers, who made the following petition :

To the King and both Houses of Parliament, the suffering condition of the peaceable people called Quakers, only for tender conscience towards Almighty God, humble pre

sented.

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Shewing, that of late above one thousand five hundred of the said people, (both men and women) having been detained prisoners in England, and part of them in Wales (some of whom being since discharged by the judges, and others freed by death, through their long and tedious imprisonment) there are now remaining (according to late accounts) about one thousand three hundred, eighty and three, above two hundred

of them women. Many under sentence of premunire (both men and women) and more than three hundred near it; not for denying the duty, or refusing the substance of allegiance itself, but only because they dare not swear: many on writs of excommunication, and fines for the king, and upon the act for banishment: besides above three hundred and twenty have died in prison, and prisoners, since the year 1660, near one hundred whereof, by means of this long imprisonment (as it is judged) since the account delivered to the late king and parliament, in 1680: thereby making widows and fatherlesss, and leaving them in distress and sorrow the two last hard winters restraint, and close confinement of great numbers in divers jails, unavoidably tending towards their destruction, their healths being evidently impaired thereby.

"And here in London, the jail of Newgate hath been from time to time crowded, within these two years, (sometimes near twenty in one room) to the prejudice of their health; and several poor innocent tradesmen, of late, have been so suffocated by the closeness of the prison, that they have been taken out sick of a malignant fever, and died in a few days after.

"Besides these long continued and destructive hardships upon the persons of men and