Protest by a Ship's Crew against carrying Quakers, 1664-5

PROTEST AGAINST CARRYING QUAKERS, 1664-5. I49 Trust Fund, to which small as well as large contributions may be made by those who are interested in the scheme, and to which some of our brethren across the Atlantic will, I believe, wish to subscribe. There is not only the present moiety of the purchase money to be provided for, but also probably some part of the expenses of repair and upholding of the building: and looking a little further ahead, it is desirable to have at least the nucleus of a fund for the final purchase of the estate. Thine truly, Thomas Hodgkin. Barmoor Castle, September yth, 1912. PROTEST BY A SHIP'S CREW AGAINST CARRYING QUAKERS, 1664-5. [Endorsed] Refusali to transport quakers from Bristoll. A copie of a Certificate sent from Bristoll to London Concerning their refusing to Carrie 3 persons sentenced for Banishment . These are to Certifie all & euery person or persons vnto whome this present Writing may or shall Come: That whereas there was 3 persons Called Quakers viz: Callender Britton, Bartholomew Crooke, & Lewis Rogers brought on Board our Shipp, Called the Mary ffortune of Bristoll the 6th day of December, and Continued waiting on board our shipp till the 23d of the same Month, then Came a stay for all shipps: So wee put them a shoare againe: & on the 31 day of ye same month wee receiued a passe from his Royall Higehnes ths Duke of York to proceed on our voyage, and then they were brought on Board againe by John ThroughGood Water-Bayley, & hath Continued, on board oui* shipp till this present day: & now by Reason of the long continued presse wee Could in nowise deny the Carryeing them on Board ; But now going to depart, their Crie & the Crie of their ffamilies & freinds are entred into the eares of the Lord God, & he hath smitten to our very hearts, saying Cursed is hee that parteth man & wife. And moreouer they that oppresse his people his plagues shall follow them wheresouer they Go ; And assuredly 150 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL SOCIETY. wee do in heart pertake with them allreadie for our Consciences will in nowise let vs rest, or be at quiet, for the Lord hath smitten vs with a terrible feare, so that we cannot in nowise proceed to Carrie them: And moreouer we do wholly believe, that our most Gracious Souereigne doth not in the least intend to destroy his subjects, because he hath not made void the Late Acte of the Nation, which saith that no Englishman shall be Carryed out of his natiue Countrie against his Will, & hee or they that do so Carrie them shall forfeit great penalties. And further we know that there is a Law in Barbadoes that whosoeuer doth bring any person or persons into the aforesaid Ileland against their Wills, & not being bound by Indentures shall be vnder such penalties as ye law may inflict vpon them & also forced to bring them back to their habitations againe, & we also know that they are innocent persons, & that they do desire to walk in Ve feare of the Lord, & that they was put on board on our shipp against their Wills; Neither are they bound by any Indenture, Neither hath any one agreed for their passage; And we find that our Maister hath no order, nor any ones hand to saue him & vs from Comeing vnder such penalties y* ye Law may inflict vpon vs for Carrying them in this nature : For these reasons & many more we haue put them on shore, Not that they haue made any escape, But that wee haue set them at Liberty to Go whither they please : Witnesse our hands the 7th of January i664[5] William SmithJohn Moore Phillip PhillipsJohn Loide Thomas SandersThomas Lewis Richard Lord Thomas Moodie The above document is taken from " Extracts from State Papers Relating to Friends, Third Series, 1664 to 1669, pp. 230, 231," which volume is noticed elsewhere in the Bulletin. It shows that there was a decided feeling against the treatment the Friends were receiving at the hands of the rulers.— Editor. ...