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LETTER:

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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, Li berty, or any other Enjoyment of a rational Being. And I do not think I can better beftow 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

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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 fhall examine this Matter as well as Hafte will allow me, and therefore must recite as diftin&tly as I can what you gave me in Difcourfe as the Subftance of this intended Law, to wit,

HAT whereas by an Act of Parliament,

THAT

' in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Years of his late Majesty King Charles the Second, intituled, An Act for the Uniformity of • Publick Prayers, and the Administration of the • Sacrament, and other Rites and Ceremonies; • and for Establishing the Form of Making, Or• daining, and Confecrating Bishops, Priefts and Deacons in the Church of England; it is among other Things enacted, that every Schools Mafter keeping any Publick or Private School, and every Perfon Inftructing and Teaching any • Youth or Private Family, as a Tutor or SchoolMatter, fhould fubfcribe before his or their • Refpective Bishop, or Archbishop, or Ordinary of the Diocefs, a Declaration or Acknowledgment, in which among other Things is contained as follows, viz. 1 A. B. do declare, that I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England, as it is now by Law Establish'd.--• And if any School Mafter or other Perfon in * ftructing or teaching Youth in any Private School or Family as a Tutor or School Mafter, before

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License obtained from the Respective Archbishop or Ordinary of the Diocess, 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 fuch School-Mafter or other inftructing or teaching as aforefaid, should for the first Offence fuffer Three Months Imprisonment without Bail, and for every fecond, and other • fuch Offence, should suffer Three Months Im prifonment without Bail or Mainprize, and also forfeit to his Majesty the Sum of 5 1.

And whereas notwithstanding the faid Act, Sundry Papifts and other Perfons diffenting from the Church of England, have taken upon them to Inftruct 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 aforefaid,

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Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent, &c. That every Perfon or Persons who shall from and after the Day of next enfuing, keep any Publick or Private School or Seminary, or Teach or Inftru&t any Youth as Tutor or School-Mafter, or SchoolMiftrefs, 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 Sub'fcribed

• fcribed the Declaration or Acknowledgment 'before recited, and fhall have had and obtain'd ' a License from the Refpe&tive Archbishop or 'Bishop, or Ordinary of the Place, under his 'Seal of Office, for which the Party fhall Pay and no more; and in Cafe fuch Per'fou or Perfons fhall be thereof convicted by 'the Oath of or more credible Witnefs or Witnesses, before any or more Juffice or Juftices of the Peace within any County, Riding, City, or Town Corporate, • where fuch Offence fhall be committed in 'that Part of Great Britain called England; 'which Oath fuch Juftice or Juftices are here· by impowered and required to Administer, ୮ and fhall, and may. Provided always,

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and be it hereby enacted, That no License fhall be granted by any Archbishop, Bishop, or Ordinary, unless the Perfon or Perfons who fue for the fame, fhall produce a Certi'ficate of his, her, or their having received the Sacrament according to the Ufage of the 'Church of England, in fome Parish Church 'within the Space of

" next before Grant of fuch License under the • Hand of nor until fuch Perfon or Persons shall have taken and subfcribed the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and Abjuration, as appointed by Law, before the faid Archbishop, Bishop, or Ordinary; which faid Oaths the faid Archbishop, Bishop, or Ordinary, are hereby impowered ' and required to Administer. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That any Perfon who thall have obtain❜d a License fand fubfcribed the Declaration, and taken and

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