Address of the Town of Axbridge

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Address of the Recorder, Alderman, Burgesses, and principal Inhabitants of the Town of Acbridge, in the County of Somerset, presented to His Majesty by Thomas Hotchkin, Esq˙, Recorder of the said Town.

The dutiful Address of the Recorder, Alderman, Burgesses, and principal Inhabitants of the Town of AXBRIDGE, in the County of SOMERSET.

Most Gracious Sovereign:

At a time when we think every individual who has enjoyed the happiness of your Majesty' s paternal care should stand forth in vindication of those measures which, we doubt not, are the result of sound and good policy, however misrepresented by wicked, designing, and factious men, receive, Sire, this dutiful Address of your Majesty' s ancient and loyal Corporation of the Borough of Axbridge, who lament, even unto sadness, that, at a time when the success of your Majesty' s arms had gained, and the wisdom of your Councils had taught us to look up to the blessings of a long and lasting peace, a set of fratricides should have arisen up among your own people, who wish to destroy that happiness of which they cannot partake; men, whose circumstances being wretched, whose expectations still worse, hope to gain, from anarchy and confusion, that relief which decency and order never can afford them.

The conduct of your Majesty' s American subjects is painful to the feelings of the human heart; that those who ought to have been the first to have stood forth to vindicate the honour of your Majesty' s crown, and the happiness of their fellow-subjects in Great Britain, should, wantonly and unprovoked, exert the first efforts of their strength to wound the breast which wanned them into the power to hurt, is an extreme of wickedness unknown to past times and Countries.

Sensible of the blessings we have ourselves enjoyed under your Majesty' s most excellent Government, trusting that our posterity may be as happy and blessed in your royal descendants as we have been in you, may it please your Majesty to be assured of our inviolable attachment and loyalty to your person and family, and to our present Constitution, both in church and state; for the support of which we will most cheerfully contribute every assistance in our power, conscious that whatever we may advance will be received as humble dews from the earth, and returned in showers of plenty and increase.

We are, may it please your Majesty, your Majesty' s ever dutiful subjects.