TO THE Bishops and Clergy OF England and Wales, The State of the Cruel Persecution, Imprisonment (many to Death) and Spoil of Goods inflicted upon the People called QUAKERS.  
Only for their Religious Meetings, and Obeying, Serving, and Worshipping Almighty God that Made them.  
IN the Year 1680, a Brief Account of the sad Sufferings of the said People (from the Year 1660) was presented to King Charles the Second, and his Parliament, in Print, as followeth.  
First, That in that Time, according to Accounts then come to hand, there had died of the People called Quakers aforesaid, in Prison, and Prisoners, for the Exercise of their Faith and Conscience in Matters of Religion and Worship towards Almighty God: some of whom had been beaten and bruised, being knocked down at their Peaceable Meetings, and died of their Wounds, to the Number of 243. Secondly, That then remained in Prison in the several Goals in England and Wales for the Testimony of a good Conscience, (many of whom were Prosecuted by Writs of Excommunicato Cap. divers of them having been closely Confined, upon that Account, for several Years then past) in Number, 276. Thirdly, The Number of those that had suffered Imprisonment for Meeting, and refusing, for Conscience-sake, to Swear, some of them having had the Sentence of a PRAEMUNIRE passed upon them, and divers had their Goods and Chattels Distrained and taken away,— Viz. 9437. Fourthly, The Number of the said People Excommunicated and Imprisoned for not Conforming to the Public Worship (which were but a few in comparison to the many that have been so Prosecuted) Viz. 624. Fifthly, Sentenced for Banishment, for Meeting together to Worship God: Viz. 198. And this Instant Year 1685, there was presented to King James the Second, the Account of present Prisoners for the Testimony of a good Conscience, and their Religious Meetings, in Obeying and Worshipping of God, to the Number of 1460. With Account of Prisoners that died for their Faith and Worship, since the Account in 1680. 78. The Number of all the said Sufferers, come to hand, amounting to 12316.  
Note, That some of the present Prisoners are still continued upon the above said Account in 1680.  
And since, we have had Account of several more that are sent to Prison, & some more have died Prisoners.  
Besides many that have suffered Imprisonment since the Year 1680, and a great Number distrained upon, and their Goods spoiled, and made havoc of by Informers (and some Priests have been Informers) for their Religious Peaceable Meetings, and not coming to the Parish-Worship; to the Ruin of many both in their Husbandry and Trade; some nor having had a Bed left to lie upon, nor a stool to sit on, nor a Cow to give Milk for their poor Children, nor Corn for Bread, or Seed, or Drink, nor Tools to work withal, etc. The Value of which Goods so taken and made havoc of, as well as the number of Sufferers upon the said Accounts, and by Imprisonments, is considerable (not here inserted.)  
NOW let the Bishops and Clergy in England and Wales, consider the sad and cruel Sufferings by Imprisonment, (many to Death) and Spoil of Goods, as abovesaid, inflicted upon the People called Quakers for their Religious Meetings, and only for Obeying, Serving, and Worshipping Almighty God that made them. And were not your Forefathers once Dissenters from the National Worship? And was it Just in them that Persecuted your Forefathers for nor Conforming to the Sacrament of the Altar, and other things? And do not you now follow their Example that Persecuted your Forefathers, in your Imprisoning and Persecuting Protestants for their tender Conscience-sake towards God, etc. And though there are many Sects and diversities of Orders among the roman-catholics, and several Sorts and Sects were among the Jews (as you read in the Scriptures) yet Both were, and are kept from Persecuting one another among themselves. And therefore why should you that profess yourselves Protestants, Persecute Protestants, or any, seeing that you have no such Command from Christ and his Apostles, but, To love one another, and to love Enemies? And, Christ by the Grace of God, hath tasted Death for every Man: So he has bought Mankind by his Death: And God would have all Men to be Saved: Therefore why should any Destroy them in their Lives or Estates by Imprisonment, because they cannot be of their Way? For Christ commands, Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together till the Harvest: which is the End of the World. And would the Bishops and Clergy be served so themselves, to be Cast into Prison till Death, and their Goods spoiled, for Worshipping and Serving God that Made them? Would they say, it was according to the Nobility of true Christianity, and the Royal Law of God, To do unto others as they would have them do unto them? Or, were that, To love their Neighbour as themselves? And is it not a sad thing, to see Protestants Destroy and Ruin Protestants, both by Imprisonment and in Estate! And therefore consider the Justness of the Lord, if he should suffer You to come under the same Punishment, how You then would stand to your own Principles, which you have forced others unto? and how You would bear the same Punishment you have inflicted upon others, for not following them? Therefore consider whilst God hath given you a Day, and a Visitation, to do good while you have Power; for if your Power should be taken away from you, than 'twill be too late for you to do good: For, God will render to every one according to his Deeds.  
And doth not Tillotson, (one of your own Doctors) say in his Sermon on Luke 9.55, 56. Preached the 5th. of November, 1678. (pag. 6, 7.) Viz. That there were those in the Primitive Times would have called for Fire to come down from Heaven to Destroy some that would not receive Christ; but Christ Rebuked them, telling them, They knew not what Spirit they were of: that is (says D. Tillotson) Ye own yourselves to be my Disciples, but do you consider what Spirit now Acts and Governs you? Not that surely which my Doctrine designs to mould and fashion you into, which is not a Furious, Persecuting and Destructive Spirit; but Mild, Gentle and Saving, Tender of the Lives and Interests of Men, even of those who are our greatest Enemies. And further (pag. 7.) he says, And now no Difference of Religion, no pretence of Zeal for God and Christ can Warrant and Justify this Passionate and Fierce, this Vindictive and Exterminating Spirit; for the Son of Man came not to Destroy men's Lives, but to Save them. (Thus far Doctor T.)  
Now let the Bishops and Clergy consider how many hundred men's Lives have been destroyed by Imprisonment through them? And how many hundreds have been made Widows and Fatherless thereby? And how many hundreds have been Ruined in their Persons and Estates since the Year 1660, through theirs and the clergymen's means, for Obeying, Serving, and Worshipping God that made them?  
And whereas it hath been often alleged to us, that the Apostle Paul says, Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Power, etc. And that Peter says, Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King as Supreme, or unto Governors sent by him for the Punishment of Evil-Doers, and the Praise o them that do well, 1 Pet. 2. And as Paul says, Knowing that the Law is not made for the Righteous Man, but for the Lawless, Disobedient, , Sinners, Unholy and Profane, for Murderers of Fathers and of Mothers, and for Man-slayers, for Whoremongers, and for them that defile themselves with Mankind, for Liars and perjured Persons, etc. Now these were the Evil-Doers which are to be punished, 1 Tim. 1. And as the Apostles say, Let every Soul be subject to the higher Power, and to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake, who are for the Punishment of Evil-Doers, and for the Praise of them that do well. The Apostle doth not say, That every Soul should be subject to the higher Power, and to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake, for Punishment of People for Serving and Worshipping of God in Matters of Faith, Religion and Worship: For Christ and the Apostles never gave forth any such Command or Ordinance; and therefore the Christians in the Apostles Days, their Souls were to be subject to the Higher Power, and to submit to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake, who are for the Punishment of Evil-Doers (and the Apostle Paul tells you whom the Law was made against, and what Evil-Doers they were, that were, and are to be Punished, as before mentioned) and for a Praise to them that do well. For the Law was not made against the Righteous, but to punish such Sinners and Evil-Doers as the Apostle speaks of, but not to punish Christians for their Faith and Religion, and for Worshipping, Obeying and Serving Almighty God that made them. For did not Peter, and Paul, and other Apostles and Christians suffer for Matters of Religion, and their Obeying, Serving, and Worshipping of God, who could not obey the Doctrines, Ordinances, or Commandments of the Jews, nor Diana's, nor of the Romans? For if he and the rest of the Christians and Apostles had, than they had not suffered.  
And the Apostle saith (Colossians 2.20, 21, 22.) If ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World, why as though living in the World, are you subject to Ordinances, touch not, taste not, handle not? Which all are to perish with the using after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men. So here you may see, there were Doctrines, Ordinances, and Commandments of Men, concerning Religion and Worship, that were not to be Touched with, nor Tasted, nor Handled: And yet the Apostle saith, Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake, which are for the punishment of Evil-doers. So these Ordinances of Men for the punishment of such Evil-doers. (as before mentioned) every soul was to submit to that higher Power, for these were for the praise of them that do well: Yet they were not to submit to the Ordinances, Commandments, or Doctrines of Men in matters of Faith, Religion and Worship, nor to touch, taste nor handle them; and therefore the Christians suffered by the Jews and by the Heathen-Romans, and Diana's Worshippers; as you may see in the Ten Persecutions, and in the Scriptures. Therefore we desire you to make a Distinction betwixt the Ordinances of the Higher Power, their Laws and Ordinances, for the punishment of Evil-doers, as before mentioned; and likewise such Ordinances, Commandments and Doctrines of Men, that the Christians were not to be subject unto in matters of Faith, Religion and Worship, and were not to touch, taste nor handle them, and therefore they suffered.  
And pray, What spirit was and is this, that has made Christians to suffer for Religion, and Serving and Worshipping of God since the Apostles days? Not Christ's nor his Apostles; for Christ tells them plainly, that would have had Fire to come down from Heaven upon them that would not receive him, Ye know not what spirit you are of. And therefore, all in Christendom, that have Persecuted people for matters of Faith & Religion, & serving and worshipping God that made them, have they known what spirit they were and are of themselves? And therefore have such the spirit of Christ, that know not what spirit they are of themselves? For the Apostle says, They that have not the spirit of Christ, are none of his: And the same Apostle says, He that is born of the Flesh, will persecute him that is born of the Spirit: But we never read, that he that is born of the spirit, did persecute any about Religion, Faith and Worship, in the New Testament.  
And so we desire you to come to the spirit of Christ, that you may make a Distinction, as the Apostle did, between those Doctrines, Commandments and Ordinances of Men, that are not to be Touched, Tasted, nor Handled; and the Laws and Ordinances of Men which the Christians are to submit themselves unto for the Lord's sake, for the Punishment of Sinners and Evil-Doers, as the Apostle Paul speaks of before; for he made a Distinction. And cease from Imprisoning and Persecuting both Protestants and others that profess Christianity, and give over spoiling their Goods for Religion, Faith, and Worship, and their Serving and Worshipping of God. And let the Bishops and Priests set open all the Prison-Doors for the Prisoners to go free, that through their means have been cast into Prison, and their Goods Restored them again, that through any of their means have been taken from them, for the relief of their poor Families: and if not, see how you can prove your Doctrines, Commandments, and Ordinances of Persecution from Christ and his Apostles Doctrine; without which you must acknowledge your Doctrines, Commandments, and Ordinances to be of the Ordinances of Men, that have not known what spirit they were of, which are not to be Touched, Tasted, nor Handled, as the Apostle says. And if you would have us Conform to such Doctrines, Ordinances, and Commandments of Men, that do not know what spirit they are of themselves, and which (the Apostle says) are not to be Touched, Tasted, nor Handled, that Act contrary to the Royal Law of God, and Do unto others, as they would not have others do unto them: Would you be served so yourselves?  
So we pray, Consider, and do unto others as you would have others do unto you; and love your Neighbour as yourselves: and let nothing be in your Pulpits, but the sound of the Joyful, Glorious Gospel of Life, Peace, and Salvation to every Creature under Heaven; and freely if ye have received it, freely give it: For neither Christ nor the Apostles did preach up a Doctrine, Ordinance, or Commandment to Imprison to Death, Persecute, and spoil Goods of them that did not Conform to Christ's and the Apostles Doctrine; no, not so much as against Blasphemers, Schismatics, Heretics and Seducers: Were not they to Overcome Evil with Good? and were not their Weapons to be Spiritual, and not Carnal? and are not Goals and Carnal Weapons (to Force People to Ordinances, Doctrines, and Commandments of Men) contrary to the spiritual Weapons and Armour that the Apostles warred withal in the Primitive Times?  
Therefore we pray you again to Consider, what ground you have out of the New Testament from Christ and his Apostles, who profess yourselves Christians, to spoil Goods, cast into Prison (yea many to Death) and to war with Carnal Weapons and Armour against such tender Consciences in matters of difference in Religion and Faith, and that do obey, Serve and Worship in Spirit and Truth, Almighty God that made them? Would not You have Liberty for your Tender Consciences? And if so, why should you be against Others, that they should not have the same Liberty of their Tender Consciences, that Dissent from you, as you would have yourselves? And if not, do you fulfil the Royal Law of God, To do unto others, as you would have them do unto you? And doth not the Lord say, I will have MERCY and not Sacrifice? So you may see, that it is Mercy that the Lord looks for, who is Merciful, etc. And doth not the Lord require of Man, To do Justice, to love MERCY, and to walk humbly with God? Mich. 5.8.  
London, the 30 th'. of the 1st. Month, called March, 1685. Signed in Behalf of our Suffering Friends, 

Thomas Robertson,  
Richard Bland,  
John Bowater,  
William Ingram.    
FINIS.