A

LETTER

TOA

Member of PARLIAMENT

Concerning the

BILL

For Preventing the

Growth of SCHISM.

Printed in the YEAR MDCCXV.

A

LETTER

ΤΟ Α

Member of PARLIAMENT.

SIR,

TH

London, May 28. 1714.

HOUGH I have had the Misfortune to appear an unworthy Member of your Houfe, and am expelled, accordingly, from my Seat in Parliament, I am not by that Vote (which was more important to the People of England than I fhall at this Time explain) deprived of the common Benefits of Life, Liberty, or any other Enjoyment of a rational Being. And I do not think I can better bestow my Time, or employ thefe Advantages, than in doing all in my Power to preferve them to others as well as my felf, and in afferting the Right of my Fellow-Subjects against any thing which I apprehend to be an Encroachment up

on

on what they ought to enjoy as Men, and what they are legally poffeffed of as Englishmen, or› if you will, as Britons.

This, Sir, is all the Apology I shall make to you for addreffing to you in this publick Manner my Thoughts concerning the Bill, now making its Way with all convenient Expedition through your House and the whole Legislature. I shall examine this Matter as well as Hafte will allow me, and therefore must recite as diftin&ly as I can what you gave me in Difcourfe as the Subftance of this intended Law, to wit,

TH

HAT whereas by an Act of Parliament, ' in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Years of his late Majefty King Charles the Second, ⚫intituled, An Act for the Uniformity of • Publick Prayers, and the Adminiftration of the • Sacrament, and other Rites and Ceremonies; • and for Eftablishing the Form of Making, Ordaining, and Confecrating Bishops, Priests and • Deacons in the Church of England; it is a• mong other Things enacted, that every School

Mafter keeping any Publick or Private School, • and every Perfon Inftru&ting and Teaching any • Youth or Private Family, as a Tutor or SchoolMafter, should fubfcribe before his or their • Respective Bishop, or Archbishop, or Ordinary of the Diocefs, a Declaration or Acknowledgment, in which among other Things is • contained as follows, viz. I A. B. do declare, that I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England, as it is now by Law Eftablish'd.--•And if any School-Mafter or other Perfon inftructing or teaching Youth in any Private School or Family as a Tutor or School Mafter, before

• License

• License obtained from the Refpective Archbishop or Ordinary of the Diocefs, according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, for which • he should pay 12 d. only, and before Subfcrip tion and Acknowledgment made as aforefaid; then every fach School-Mafter or other inftructing or teaching as aforesaid, should for the first • Offence Suffer Three Months Imprisonment without Bail, and for every second, and other Such Offence, should suffer Three Months Imprifonment without Bail or Mainprize, and also forfeit to his Majesty the Sum of s!.

And whereas notwithstanding the faid A&, " Sundry Papifts and other Perfons diffenting from the Church of England, have taken upon them to Inftru&t and Teach Youth as Tutors and School Mafters, and have fet up • Schools and Seminaries for the Education of ⚫ feveral Perfons, in Reading, Scholaftick, Academical or other Literature. Whereby, if due and speedy Remedy be not had, great Danger might enfue to this Church and State. For the making the faid recited A& more effectual, and for preventing the Danger afore'faid,

Be it enacted by the Queen's moft Excellent, &c. That every Perfon or Perfons who fhall 'from and after the Day of · next enfuing, keep any Publick or Private • School or Seminary, or Teach or Inftruct any • Youth as Tutor or School-Master, or School'Miftrefs, in Reading, Scholaftick, Academical, ' or other Literature, within that Part of Great'Britain called England, the Dominion of 'Wales, or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, ⚫ before fuch Perfon or Perfons fhall have Subfcribed