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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Remonstrance from the Quakers in Carolina to the Lords Proprietors of Carolina
Hancock, Stephen; Et Al.
September 13, 1679
Volume 01, Pages 250-253

[B. P. R. O. Shaftesbury Papers. Bdle 48. No. 98.]

This                 Ashley Cooper And the rest of the prprs of the province of Carolina.

Wee the           who are in Scorne called Quakers are made willing for                      of the Truth and our Innocency and to Inform you that and are a seperated people and have stood single from all the seditious actions which hath happened within this County of Albemarle As will appeare by what was acted in the yeare 1677.

Thomas Miller arriving here about the            moneth with commissions and deputations from you the prpretors and Thomas Eastchurch commisionated governor of this County to settle it       in order            sd Thomas Miller was received as president by the Inhabitants of this County who did signify Their Allegiance by an Oath for The King and fidelity to you the prprætors and Submissi to the present government Established; And wee whom the world in scorne call Quakers subscribe the same and not long after            of those that            the prsent power thus established rose up in armes            and seized the records and Imprisoned the President Thomas Miller and two more of your Deputies Against whose actions wee            Testimony and could nott joyne with them in the same            they gave forth they would seize some of our fri                      one of your Deputies who was thereby exposed            of our friends to goe to Virginia and soe intended for England            with Thomas Eastchurch (then newly arived In Virginia)            lest from going whereupon the sd Thomas Eastchurch            lamation            thereby to appease ther Jury which            regarded            placed a Guard of souldiers at the house of James (Hill)            Tho: Eastchurch or any of our friends which were in Virginia            with him Which Guard took away our guns out of our houses saying wee could not joyne with them in their Evil practises                      In not only in that Action, but in our                      which they tooke from us Whereupon they            which Committee issued forth their false and unjust orders        seizing and securing any of our friends which then were in Virginia from their family which was accordingly executed at their return Namely James (Hill) one of your Deputies and Francis Jones and Christopher Nich        two Ancient Inhabitants and then burgesses of this County, which with the sd James u Hill were apprehended (as will appeare) by their Lying Orders and by their assertions whereby they labour to villifie us and bring an

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evill Report upon Truth and our peaceable meeting in the which they Render       plotters and contrivers of Treason and Wagers of Warr and vile persons and disquiaters of the peace and scandalous base Intelligencies which things they cannott make appeare against us though falsely laid to our charge for we doe detest and Abominate and ever have borne our Testimonies agst such wicked practises since the everlasting Truth of our God hath Appeared among us Which Truth Traceth us to deney all ungodliness and worldly Lust and to live soberly Righteously and godly in this present evill World And now these seditious persons by whome we have suffered are still breathing forth their threats against us They haveing received an act of grace and Indemnity (as they call itt.)

To which two of your Deputies (for Conscience sake could not assigne Namely James Hill and Timothy            severall Reasons And now the heads that were of that seditious                 are Elected to sett in Parliament And some of the                 of the Court and soe consequently to become our Judge                 shall bee the objects for them to execute their                 upon; Although wee have submitted and subscribed to this present Government as well as wee have to the former governments, Knowing assuredly that they have noe just        for what they have Acted against us but only oute of their            Envie Except It bee for our fidelity to you our Proprietors and submission to the present Government then established In that we could nott joyne with them against the then President Thomas Miller Because wee were well persuaded what they acted against him was Envie Mallice                      Because severall of us being then members of Parliament and saw what was then Acted before that sedition                 for the Cleareing of the Truth and for the satisfaction of the Proprietors and signifieing our Innocency as per refference to what we have often been charged withall yet still wee        found a peaceable people according to what wee doe professe        giveth us the more Liberty to signify the Truth unto you            yee might the better know and be informed as Truth which ought Rightly to be Understood                 such cases as these are, Why. Because                 and welfare of a Nation and not only soe                 of their own Right and Interest severall as                 been for the most part of us)                 Sellers in                 Province of Carolina and have        made hither            abundance of patience            This Late Rebellion arose here in these parts            we thought wee should have done which thing (we            in some measure bee looked Into with a            that the many grievances and hardships        wee have        and are Like to

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bee exposed unto may Cease                      the which wee doe not question at all (that                      may be heard in the behalfe of the Inocent whose Inocency places their cause in the sight of the Lords and beareth them witnesse to the well doing and is against all such—as—Act are Contrary to the Just Law and un            of God which speaketh in this wise, Doe unto all as you would bee done unto which command wee the people of God (in Scorne called Quakers) are made to witnesse in as much as we dare not Act contrary to what wee professe. Soe little more at present only Leaveing the Justnesse and Inocency of our present state and Condition, unto that of God, in every one of you who are Concerned as upon this Accompt and wee still desire that the same may be heard and harkened unto by all and more espeacially by them who take to them selves power to give forth Laws and Commands and to make Acts and decrees for the good and safety of a Country and more for the punishment of Evil doers and for the praize of them that doe well. Therefore be mindfull and see that such laws and Decrees be put in force, whereby wickedness and abomination may be suppressed and the Acters and doers punished, for now it        you upon which if you seriously consider and weigh the thing aright you will finde the same to be certainely true.

The        wee        up the pure mindes of you All to doe the            and needfully the which if you doe the Lord            pleased And hee will add unto you of                 even in the greatness of his mercy and Tru            will F            in this your Country Alwayes provided that Truth may have the Rule Butt when wickedness beares Rule the Righteous must needs mourne, Wherefore Consider what            of them that have been the patient sufferers all along as in the behalfe of God the prosperity of his Truth and the peaceable setling of this Your Country whose Lives and Estates                 to the Spoyler and they themselves are readie to bee made made a prey upon If the Lord put not an end thereunto                

These from the people of God
who are in scorne called Quakers
whose names are hereunder written


The 13th day of the
7th moneth 1679
Charles           
Frau           
Christop           
John           
Steven Hancock
William Wayf
Henry Prows
John Hunt
William           
George           
Jonathan           
William Bundey.
Joseph Scott
John Peare
Isack Page
Henry White
Arnold           
Timothy Meads
Jonathan Tarper
William Tur(ner)
Solomon Poole

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These may give to understand That most of us whose names are hereunto subscribed have been Inhabitants in Carolina since the yeares 1663: and 1664.

Wee doe declayre and averr that the above subscribers comonly called quakers did cause this Remonstrance to be drawn In order to itts presentment to the Lds proprietors and dis also assigne it this is for the Trouth given under or hands this 25th Sept 1679

JAMES HILL depty to the Duke of Albemarle.
TIMO BIGGS. Depty for the Rt Honeble the Earle of Craven

NOTE.—All blanks torn away in the original documents.—W.N.S.