594   Appendix to Council Proceedings, 1696—1729.

             B. M. Streets he offered to Pa[y] the fine appointed by the law but

             Vol. 25. noe Supplications or Sollicitations he could Imply by himself

                  or friends could Impetrate or prevaile with his inexorable

                  Judges for soe reasonable a favour. And at the same Rate

                  is Justice distributed to us by these men in Civil Causes alsoe

                  insomuch tht wee know not what wee may call our own All

                  the Laws & Priviledges enjoyed by the Subject of England

                  tho' the most Just the most equal and ample in world not

                  being a Sufficient Guard to Secure our Persons Liberties &

                  properties here against the Arbitrary Violence of these des

                  poticall men. Wee have not been sollicitous to procure many

                  hands to this Remonstrance from the difficulties tht did arise,

                  partly by the Remoteness of Some of the pusilaminity of

                  others who are doubtful of the Issue & the great dread tht

                  many have Conceived of their rigid & Implacable Mastrs

                  should it happen to be frustrated of Success but chiefly from

                  a perfect assurance that the Reasonableness thereof will te

                  more prevalent with yor Lordshipps than any number of Sub

                  scriptions on wch Account Wee doe humbly confide that yor

                  Lordshipps from a Serious Consideration of the Premises will

                  think fitt to conclude that such men as have Imbib'd this

                  frenzy of Quakerism are in noe wise Quallifyed to give Laws

                  to a Country or to be Entrusted with Magistracy or the exe

                  cution of his Majties laws or the Lives Liberties & Estates of

                  his Majties subjects, espetially since the Province is furnished

                  with a number of men sufficient to serve his Majtie in all

                  the Posts of the Governmt and to answer all publick Occasions

                  therein Quallifyed according to Law who contrarily doe look

                  upon it as their Incumbent duty by the Principles of True

                  Christianity to stand upon all occasions & in all exigences in

                  the defence of their Prince & Country with the uttmost

                  hazards of their Lives & Estates And wee doe hope alsoe

                  and humbly Request that yor Lordshipps from the same

                  consideration will please to Espouse the Justice of our Cause

                  & become our Advocate with his Majtie tht such men may be

                  declared unquallified & disabled to have any share anywhere

                  in Governmt either Executive or Legislative, by wch act the

                  Aggrievances of his Majties most Loyall Subjects in these

                  parts will be effectually Redressed & the Governmt here Es

                  tablished upon a legall & solid basis. Thus wishing yor

                  Lordshipps increase of glory in this & an Immortall State wee

                  most humbly begg Leave to Subscribe

                        May it please yor Lordshpps

                                  Yor Lordshpps most humble

                                           & most obedient Servts

                  Dated at Philadelphia This is a Copy of what was sent to

                  March the 26th 1697 [signed:] Fr. Nicholson.