Under the same year an occurrence is mentioned in one of our MSS, which leaves a foul stain on the memory of our ancestors of that period, and shews how much they were then the slaves of bigotry and intolerance. This was the persecution and imprisonment of several members of that pacific and respectable sect called _Quakers_, which seems to have been the only description of sectaries, except the _Presbyterians_, that had then attempted to introduce themselves into this town. But they were bitterly opposed here, as they were then also throughout the nation; and their sufferings were very great and grievous during almost the whole reign of _Charles_ and _James_ the second, to the lasting disgrace of a pretended christian and protestant government. It is to _William_ and the _Revolution_ that we owe, under providence, the adoption of a wiser policy and the enjoyment of better times. In 1664 the high price of coals was severely felt here. That commodity advanced that year from 17_s._ a chalder to 30_s._ and upwards. This seems to have been owing to the late impost of 1_s._ a chalder laid by the Corporation on all coals brought by _strangers_, who consequently discontinued their visits. It seems rather probable that that impost or tax was now abolished, for we are told that the coal afterward, _by reason of strangers’ resort_, came again to the old price. It may therefore be concluded that the Lynn ships alone were not sufficient at that time to supply the town and all the inland country with that article. The same would probably be still the case, if this port was not frequented by any coal ships but such as belonged to the town. We are therefore, probably, much more indebted to strangers for our plentiful supplies of fuel than we are apt to imagine. In 1665 Lynn was visited by that grievous scourge the Plague, which made great ravages here. “Wardsmen were appointed, one at the East and the other at the South-gate to keep out all Mackerell Carts from coming into the town:” the communication with the county was cut off; no Mart was kept that year, and the very markets were for sometime discontinued.—In the Summer of the very next year, 1666, which was a hundred and forty five years ago, a cart, (as is recorded in one of our manuscripts,) came hither from _Anmer_, loaded with _coals_, which were _here sold by the mett_ or _bushell_. It seems therefore that there is coal somewhere about Anmer; but to what extent we cannot pretend to say. Nor does it appear what search or trial was there made for it, or why the attempt was given up. A good Coal-mine in that part of the country would, no doubt, be very desirable.