The People Called Quakers
Stuart Masters continues his series on early Quaker tracts and pamphlets. This week he considers an early tract by Margaret Fell.
Margaret Fell (1614-1702) was one of the most important leaders of the early Quaker movement. She became known as the ‘Mother of Quakerism’, which indicates the vital role she played in practical organisation and in the formation of Quaker ideas. After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Margaret Fell acted as the movement’s principal political lobbyist, arguing for religious toleration and trying to secure the release of imprisoned Friends. She met with Charles II on more than one occasion and wrote to him many times. Written in 1660, her tract A Declaration and an Information from Us, the People of God Called Quakers was the first Quaker ‘peace declaration’, predating the more famous declaration by a number of months. Below is a summary of its key points:
You need to login to read subscriber-only content and/or comment on articles.