While the Editor makes his sincere and grateful acknowledgments to these Gentlemen, and to all who have favored his undertaking with their approbation and assistance; he begs leave to solicit their further encouragement and aid; and any communications from others, that can contribute to the accuracy or completion of the work which he has before announced, and which he still has in contemplation, namely, "An History of the Protestant Dissenters, and of the Progress of FREE ENQUIRY and RELIGIOUS LIBERTY from the REVOLUTION to the present Times." He cannot ascertain to what extent this work will reach; but he will aim to comprise the historical, literary, and biographical information, it will include, in as short a compass as possible; and he proposes, lest life and health should not be enjoyed to finish it, to bring it forward from the press in such detached parts as will correspond to the periods into which, he apprehends, it will naturally divide itself, so that each part may form a complete historical survey of the subjects it treats of, down to the time at which it closes. Mr. Neal's History being voluminous, though as an original work and a book of authority it will retain its value, the Editor, with pleasure, informs his Readers, that his worthy and much-esteemed friend the Rev. Joseph Cornish, of Colyton, Devon, is preparing for the press, a new, corrected, and much-improved edition of his " Brief and Impartial History of the PURITANS," in 12mo, which will be peculiarly adapted for the use of youth, and of those who have not leisure to go through Mr. Neal's larger work, and to assist the recollection of those who are acquainted with it. TAUNTON, August 11, 1796. CONTENTS OF THE FIFTH VOLUME. CHAPTER I. From the King's Declaration of Indulgence to the Popish Plot. THE French declare war with the Dutch and overun their country. CHAPTER II. From the Popish Plot, to the Death of King Charles II. of dissolving the long parliament. Remarks on the popish plot. Death of Mr. Thomas Vincent and of Mr. Gale. A new parliament. Meal- tub plot. Death of Mr. Matthew Poole, and of Dr. Thomas Goodwin, Of the petitioners for the sitting of the parliament, and of the Abhor- rers; which gave Tories. Proceedings of the parliament. Bill of exclusion brought in a second time. Attempts for a comprehension. Speeches against it. Others in favor of it. It is lost, and a bill for toleration, or easing them from the penalties of the 35th of Elizabeth, introduced: with- drawn by the clerk of the crown. Votes of the commons. Dr. Stil- lingfleet writes against the dissenters. Various answers to his sermon. A biographical account of Mr. John Corbet. The Oxford parliament. They revive the bill of exclusion. Their proceedings about withdrawing the toleration bill. Fitz-Harris' sham plot designed against the dissenters. His libel. He is executed. Sud- den dissolution of the parliament. The king's declaration of reasons for it. Address from the universities of Cambridge. Treatises pub- lished in favor of dissenters. The conduct of the High-church clergy. Sufferings of the non-conformists, and of the quakers. Death of Mr. Thomas Gouge. Contests about election of magistrates. Charter of the city of London forfeited. Remarks. Death of Mr. Case. Mr. Baxter and others severely prosecuted. Rye-house plot. Lord Russel beheaded. The non-conformists charged with the Rye-House plot. The Quakers purge themselves, and declare their sufferings. The Oxford decree. Sufferings of Mr. Delaune, and of Mr. Bampfield; of Mr. Ralphson, and of Mr. Salkeld, London cases published. Death of A biographical account of Dr. Benjamin Whichcote. Further sufferings of the Whigs. The constitution of England giv- en up and destroyed. Mr. Baxter again in prison. Trial of Mr. Rose- THE HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS. The CONTROVERSY about laying on of hands. A dispute with the and of Mr. Francis Cornwell; the effect of his visitation sermon. Mr. THE quakers avail themselves of the declaration of indulgence; procure the release of their friends in prison, and assist the other dis- senters. A generous declaration of George Whitehead. Sir Orlando Bridgeman's generosity. The quakers a bulwark to the other dissent- ers. Persecution of them renewed. Particular instances. The eccle- siastical laws enforced. The penal statutes rigorously executed. The ease of a poor man, with a wife and five children. Fines levied by dis- traints. Violences of the mobs. Appeals ineffectual. Sufferings in Gloucestershire, at Plymouth, and other places. The parish-officers instigated to severity. A persecution at Bristol. Women insulted. The prisons erouded. Religious meetings held in prison; kept up by women and youth. Persecutions at Chester, in Somersetshire, and Lon- don. Assemblies held in the open air at the severest seasons. Christopher Musgrave's reflection. The sufferings of several distin- guished individuals; viz. George Fox and Thomas Lower; the gener- osity of the latter; removed by an habeas corpus; tried at the assizes in 1674; recommitted to prison; bailed; appears to traverse the in- dictment; imprisoned again: seized with a severe sickness; his for- titude; is removed by an habeas corpus; honorably discharged. Sir Matthew Hale's upright conduet. Fox sued for small tithes; a seques- tration obtained; his disinterested conduct with regard to his wife's es- tate. The sufferings of George Whitehead and Thomas Burr, at Nor- wich; the former fined several times. The injustice of the distrainers. Two friends prosecuted for a riot. The amount of the fines levied on the quakers. The case of Richard Vickris. The application of the quakers to the judges. An account of sufferings by confiscations laid before the parliament. The application of Fox and others for relief; unsuccessful in England, though he had been heard in Ireland. Rob- ert Barclay's intercession for friends prosecuted in Scotland. George Fox publishes a declaration in defence of himself and friends. The quakers exert themselves to promote liberty of conscience. The grant to William Penn; the consequences of it. The prognostications of State of the nation. The king begins his reign with arbitrary and ment. Persecution revived. Mr. Baxter's trial. Duke of Monmouth's CHAP. IV. From King James's Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, to the |