Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A62746
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To the King and both Houses of Parliament the suffering condition of the peaceable people, called Quakers, only for tender conscience towards almighty God, humbly presented.
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1685
(1685)
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Wing T1491; ESTC R213682
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4,240
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3
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who are sustain'd by their daily care and industry not leaving them a Bed to rest upon The Fines upon one Justice's Warrants amounting to many Hundreds of Pounds frequently Ten Pound a Warrant and two Warrants at once for Twenty Pound executed upon one Person and three Warrants at once from another Justice for Sixty Pound upon another Person and all his Goods carried away in about Ten Cart-Loads and five Warrants at once for Fifty Pound upon another c. besides what we have suffer'd by others in the like kind And in this Destructive Course the Informers have Encouragement and are suffered still to go on to the Ruining many Families in their Trades and Livelihoods divers so discourag'd and disabled that they are forc'd to give over their Shops and Trades These Informers being accepted for credible Witnesses yet Parties Swearing for their own Profit and Gain in the absence of the Persons prosecuted This we think is very hard and undue Proceeding and not consistent with Common Law or Justice As also Convicting and Fining us upon their Depositions Vnsummon'd and Vnheard in our own defence and so keeping us ignorant of our Accusers unless upon Traverse of our Appeals This Procedure appears contrary to the Law a of God common Justice Equity and to the Law and Justice of the ancient Romans b and of Nations a Deut. 19.17 18. John 7.51 Prov. 26.2 Job 29.16 17. Gen. 3.8 Judges 19.30 b Acts 25.5 7 8 10 16. And although it has been openly manifested upon trial of Appeals at several Quarter-Sessions both for Middlesex and London and other places that the Depositions of divers Informers have been false in Fact yet the great trouble and charge in the Traverse of Appeals and the great encouragement Informers have from Him who grants the most Warrants hath been a discouragement to many from seeking such difficult Remedy considering also the treble Costs against the Appellant in case he succeeds not or is not acquitted upon Tryal Whereas there is no Costs nor Restitution awarded or given against the Informers for unjust Prosecution Some also having refused to grant Appeals others denyed Copies of Warrants to prevent Appeals Which whether this be equal or just pray consider ye that are Wise and Judicious Men And whether it be for the King's Honour the Peoples Interest that Idle Drunken Extravagant Informers should either be encouraged or suffer'd to go on thus to Ruin Trade Husbandry and Families or to command and threaten Justices of Peace with the Forfeiture of an Hundred Pound if they do not make Convictions and issue out Warrants upon their bare Informations and uncertain Depositions frequently in the absence of the Accused And Lastly One third part of the Fines being assigned to the King he can only Remit that but the Informers and Poor being assigned two third parts seems not to allow him to Remit them how much cause so ever may appear to him to extend his Favour in that case Is not this against the King's Prerogative to restrain his Soveraign Clemency And how far it Reflects upon the Government and is Scandalous thereto for Beggarly Rude Informers some of them Confident Women not only to command threaten and disquiet Justices Peace-Officers c. but to destroy the King's honest industrious and peaceable Subjects in their Properties and Estates is worthy of your serious Considerations And whether the said Conventicle-Act ought not therefore justly to be Repealed A noted Instance of the like case we have concerning the Statute of the 11 Hen. 7. ch 3. for determining certain Offences and Contempts ☞ only upon Informers Prosecutions being Repealed in the first year of K. Hen. 8. ch 6. tho' that in some respects was more tolerable than this Be pleased to make our case your own and Do to us as you would be done unto as you would not be Oppressed or Destroyed in your Persons or Estates nor have your Properties Invaded and Posterities Ruined for Serving and Worshipping Almighty God that made all Mankind according to your Perswasions and Consciences but would no doubt enjoy the Liberty thereof So we intreat you to allow the same Liberty to Tender Consciences that live peaceably under the Government as you would enjoy your selves and to Disannul the said Conventicle Act and to Stop these devouring Informers and also take away all Sanguinary Laws Corporal and Pecuniary Punishments meerly on the score of Religion and Conscience and let not the Ruin and Cry of the Widdow Fatherless and Innocent Families lie upon this Nation nor at your Door who have not only a great Trust Reposed in you for the Prosperity and Good of the whole Nation but also do profess Christianity and the tender Religion of our Lord Jesus Christ And notwithstanding all these long sustain'd Extremities we the said suffering People do solemnly profess and declare in the sight of the All-seeing God who is the Searcher of Hearts That as we have never been found in any Seditious or Treasonable Designs they being wholly contrary to our Christian Principle and Profession so we have nothing but Good Will and true Christian Affection to the King and Government sincerely desiring His and Your Safety Prosperity and Concurrence in Mercy and Truth for the good of the whole Kingdom Having thus given you in short the general state of our Suffering Case in matter of Fact without Personal Reflection We in Christian Humility and for Christ's sake Intreat that you will Tenderly and Charitably consider of the Premisses and find out some Effectual Expedient or Way for our Relief from Prisons Spoil and Ruin