Charles II and dissenters

The Clarendon Code was part of a strategy to create uniformity of worship across the kingdom. By 69 it was clear that this had failed, continued non-conformity resulted in persecution by the authorities: 

• Those who refused to take the oath of allegiance were arrested and imprisoned. Captain Hodgson was arrested 5 ties within 18 months. 
• The Quaker Act of 62 subjected them to serve penalties for refusing to take the oath, they were vulnerable because they met in sileve arrousing suspicion. Founder George Fox was arrested in 64. 
• Impact of the Act of Uniformity was considerable, of the 1,800 ministers ejected 1,000 left the church summer 62. Meetings continued in houses despite danger of arrest under the Conventicle Act. 
• The Corporation Act ensured the influence of dissenters as reduced on borough corps. 
• Second Conventicle Act in 70 was much harsher. 

• Some ministers benefited from assosciation with wealthy merchants or landowners and were offered payments for preaching. The main beneficiaries were the Presbyterians, with a group founded by John Canne receiving £20 a year from Lady Dorothy Norcliffe. 
• Little enthusiasm for the Clarendon Code, Acts not really enforced. 
• 67 first Conventicle Act expired leading to high activity. In 69 a Pres academy was founded and meeting houses were being built again. 
• When CII issued the Dec of Indulgence in 72 he was suspending the laws that persecuted them and proposing that they be allowed the freedom not to attend church and meet in their own licensed gatherings. A number of licences were given and although it was withdrawn the next year the licenses weren't recalled until 75. 
• 76 Danby carried out a census on these groups in a bid to persuade the king that persecution should be renewed, it failed to achieve its purpose. 

• Those who left the church were committed to their principles. 
• They received sympathy and the authorities were often half-hearted in their attempts to impose persecuting laws. 
• As uniformity was defined on a narrow basis the number of people classified as dissenters increased and therefore they were not isolated.