r of the Quakers, having severely chastised this "Family of Love,"
because they would take an oath, dance, sing, and be cheerful. See
Sewel's _History of the Quakers_, iii. p. 88, 89, 344.
The founder of the sect, Henry Nicolai, was born at Munster, and
commenced his career about 1546 in the Netherlands; thence he passed
over to England, in the latter years of Edward VI.'s life, and joined
the Dutch congregation. But his sect did not become visible till some
time in the reign of Elizabeth.
In 1575 they presented a confession of their faith to parliament, along
with a number of their books, and prayed toleration.
Nicolai, or Nicolas, their founder, published a number of tracts and
letters in Dutch for the edification of his followers: and now I will
propose a Query, in hopes that some of your correspondents will solve
it. Is there extant any list of their writings as presented to
parliament in 1575, and has their confession been published, and when?
Perhaps the following works, none of which I am able to consult, would
furnish the means of solving my Query, all of which treat of the
subject:--
J. Hombeck's _Summa Controversiarum._ Godfr. Arnold's _Kirchen-
und Kitzer-historie._ Ant. Wilh. Bohm's _Englische
Reformations-historie._ Schroekh's _Kirchengesch. seit der
Reformation._
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These sources would, I conceive, be useful to N.B., who inquires into
their tenets and lives.
I find I have omitted to mention one of their assailants, "the last and
most learned," Henry More, the English divine. See his _Mystery of
Godliness_, book vi., chap. 12-18.
[Hebrew: SP'T]
_The Family of Love._--In addition to the work of John Rogers, referred
to by DR. RIMBAULT (Vol. ii., p. 49.), the two following treatises,
which were also published in the year 1579, will present your readers
with much curious information respecting the "Family of Love." The first
is entitled,--
"A Confutation of certaine Articles delivered unto the Familye
of Loue, with the exposition of Theophilus, a supposed elder in
the sayd Familye, upon the same Articles, by William Wilkinson,
Maister of Artes, and student of Divinitye, &c. &c. At London:
Printed by John Daye, dwelling ouer Aldersgate, Au. 1579."
In the _Epistle Dedicatorie_, dated Cambridge, September 30, 1579, and
addressed to Richard (Cox), Bishop of Ely, the author describes the new
doctrine as,--
"The most pestiferous and deadly Heres
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