"'Not content,' says Fuller, speaking of Nicholas, 'to confine his
errors to his own country, over he comes into England, and in the
latter end of the reign of Edward the Sixth, joyned himself to the
Dutch congregation in London, where he seduced a number of artificers
and silly women.'"--_Church. Hist._, p. 112, ed. 1655.

On the 12th of June, 1575, according to the historian Hollinshed,

"Stood at Paule's Crosse five persons, Englishmen, of the sect termed
the Familie of Love, who there confessed themselves utterlie to detest
as well the author of that sect, H. N., as all his damnable errors and
heresies."

A curious little volume on the history and doctrines of this sect appeared
in the year 1572, from the pen of John Rogers, entitled _The Displaying of
an horrible Secte of grosse and wicked Heretiques, naming themselves the
Family of Love, with the Lives of their Authors, and what Doctrine they
teach in Corners. Imprinted at London for George Bishop._ 1579. 12mo.
Christopher Vittall, a joiner of Southwark, who had been infected with the
doctrine of Arius some twenty years before, and whose credit was great
amongst the _Family of Love_, was at this period actively engaged in
teaching their doctrines. He travelled about the country to disseminate
them; and was likewise author of a little book, in reply to Roger's
_Displaying_ of the sect, printed in the same year.

At the close of the year 1580 the sect was increasing so rapidly in
England, that the government took active measures for its suppression, and
the Queen issued a proclamation to search for the "teachers or professors
of the foresaid damnable sect," and to "proceed severelie against them."
{50} This proclamation may be seen in Hollinshed and in Camden's
_Annals_.[1]

After the death of Queen Elizabeth--

"The Family of Love (or Lust rather)," according to Fuller, "presented
a tedious petition to King James, so that it is questionable whether
his Majesty ever graced it with his perusall, wherein they endeavoured
to cleare themselves from some misrepresentations, and by fawning
expression to insinuate themselves into his Majesty's good opinion."

After printing the petition Fuller proceeds--

"I finde not what effect this their petition produced, whether it was
slighted and the petitioners looked upon as inconsiderable, or beheld
as a few frantick folk out of their wits, which consider