17th century

Note: Currently all years in the 17th century redirect to this page. As this page grows, shorter spans of time (e.g. decades) should each get their own subpage, and individual years redirected to the appropriate subpage. The process may repeat until each year has its own page.

The 17th century saw the beginnings of the Quaker movement in the early 1650s or early 1640s, its most radical decade (the 1650s), its consolidation in the following few decades, and the beginnings of tolerance by the end of the century.

Earlier, it saw the increasing hostilities between dissenting Puritans and the religious/political establishment, which would come to a head under Archbishop William Laud and Charles I, eventually leading to the outbreak of the English Civil War which created the conditions where Quakerism and other forms of religious radicalism could flourish.

Events by date

• 1618: Birth of James Nayler
• 1624: Birth of George Fox in Leicestershire, England
• 1652: George Fox converts groups of Seekers in the north of England; vision on Pendle Hill
• 1656: Nayler's sign in Bristol
• 1658: Isaac Penington moves to Chalfont St Peter
• 1660:
  • Restoration of the English monarchy, marking the end of the Puritan Commonwealth and the beginning of more serious persecution of religious dissent
  • Richard Bradly's tract This is for all you the inhabitants of Whitewell to consider, who deny the perfect life of Christ to be brought forth in his people here upon earth, and manifested in their mortal flesh by a ceasing from sin. And to all others whom it may concern published
• 1661: New England Yearly Meeting founded in Rhode Island
• 1662: Richard Hubberthorne dies in Newgate prison
• 1665: John Milton moves to Chalfont St Giles
• 1670s: Wilkinson-Story separation
• 1672: George Fox and William Edmundson visit American Friends
• 1675: Friends begin to settle in New Jersey
• 1679: Isaac Penington dies
• 1681: Charles II "gives" William Penn the territory to be known as Pennsylvania
• 1682: William Penn arrives in Pennsylvania
• 1689: Toleration Act in England ends persecution
• 1691: George Fox dies
• 1690s: Keithian separation in Pennsylvania

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