English Laws of the 17th Century Which Led to the Persecution of Quaker

English Laws of the 17th Century Which Led to the Persecution of Quakers Barbara Blaugdone’s â€Å"An Account of the Travels, Sufferings, and Persecutions of Barbara Blaugdone† recounts her many arrests as she travels through England and Ireland, preaching Quaker beliefs. Her experience was certainly not unique, as many Quakers were similarly persecuted, including George Fox, the founder of the Society of Friends. There were three primary laws in effect at the time of Blaugdone’s travels: The Uniformity Act of 1662, the Vagrancy Act of 1596 and the Blasphemy Act of 1650. The Uniformity Act of 1662 under Charles II, which was preceded by similarly named acts in 1549, 1552 and 1559, sought to restore the dominance of the Church of England by establishing a set form of worship, which included compiling a new version of the Book of Common Prayer (Keir 240). The use of this book was mandatory at all religious services. Additionally, this Act made church attendance mandatory every Sunday, under the penalty of a fine of 12 pence (Thomas 1). This directly contradicted the Quak...