The Virginia Gazette

WILLIAMSBURG, November 17.

On Wednesday the 15th Instant, the following Petition of the People called Quakers, was presented to the House of Burgesses,

To the Honourable the Governor and Council, and Burgesses, met in General Assembly, at WILLIAMSBURG.

The Humble PETITION of the People called QUAKERS.

We lay hold of this Opportunity, with all Humility of Mind, to beseech You, That You would be pleased to consider the Case of our Society in this Dominion, who, for the most Part, are the Descendants of Early Inhabitants; and who, as well as our Ancestors, are, and have been, subject to great Loss and Detriment in our Substance and Employment, by Annual Seizures and Distresses made upon our Goods and Persons, on Account of Parish Levies: A Hardship, we hope, You do not desire we should lie under. And as we humbly
We conceive, it is in Your Power to relieve us, are therefore the more emboldened to lay before You, this our present aggrieved Case; and the rather, for that, as we have understood, You have been pleased to bestow the like Favour on sundry German Protestants, by exempting them from Parish Levies: We (being Native Subjects) are encouraged to hope You will charitably look on our Condition, and afford us some Relief: That being once freed from a Burthen, which we have long and patiently borne, we may be the better enabled to follow our Callings, for Support of our Families, according to Faith and good Conscience.

We need not, we hope, tell You, that in most of the Provinces under the British Government, our Friends sit easy in this Behalf; either by a Charter of Privileges, or by a Special Law, made for that Purpose:

This, our Native Country, is the first English Colony, and immediately under Our most Gracious Sovereign King George, who, we hope, looks on us to be universally attach'd to his Interest, and the Succession of his Noble House; and a People not useless, nor inconsiderable, in his Dominions. For,

We pay all Taxes for Support of Government; we transgress no Laws of Trade; we keep back no Part of the Revenue due to the Crown; the Public are not charged, in the least, with our Poor; and we nevertheless willingly contribute to the Public Pour, and endeavour to follow Peace with all Men.

To conclude, we are not numerous, which makes it the less difficult for You to grant us such Ease as we pray for: And are far from thinking, that such an Indulgence would increase the Number of real Quakers; and for hypocritical Pretenders, we shall hold ourselves under Obligation, to detect them; so as the Government shall not be imposed on, nor Your Favour any ways abused:

And further be pleased to know, it is for Tender Conscience Sake, and not wilfully or obstinately, we have hitherto suffered, having sustained more than Treble Damages, for our Conscientious Refusal: And by the Assistance of Divine Grace, preserved from Prejudice, against those who have been most active against us; We hope it will please the Almighty God to put it into Your Hearts, to say Amen, to the Prayer of our Petition; and also to hear our Prayers, which are for Your Tranquility and Happiness, both in This World, and That which is to come.

Called Quakers, in Virginia.

Signed, in Behalf of the Society,

John Cheadle,
Abraham Ricks,
Mike Hunicut,
William Load,
Armiger Trotter,
Peter Benford,
William Derison,
William Outland,
John Murdaugh, and
Edmund Jourdan.

Thomas Pleasants,
Matthew Jourdan,
Thomas Nearly,
Thomas Trotter,
Robert Elliston,
John Crew,
John Pleasants,
Samuel Seabrook,
Samuel Jourdan,
John Denison.