Francis Bugg

Francis Bugg (1640–1727) was an English writer against Quakerism.
Life.
Bugg's father was a wool-comber at Mildenhall, Suffolk, who died when his son was about fifteen, leaving him the business and some property. While still a young man he joined the Society of Friends.
About 1675 Bugg was persuaded to go to a meeting which was interrupted by soldiers, and, with other Quakers, was arrested and fined; in default of payment his goods were distrained. Rumours circulated among the Suffolk Friends that Bugg had given information of the meeting and had received money for his treason. He held the preacher, Samuel Cater, who had urged him to attend the meeting, liable for the fine; Cater referred the matter to twelve arbitrators, who found that he was not liable.
In 1677 Bugg attended the yearly Quaker meeting in London, and complained to William Penn that the Friends in the country refused him justice. Dissatisfied with the result of a second arbitration during 1679–80, Bugg continued to agitate for the repayment of his fines, and a Quaker named George Smith attempted to settle the matter by offering to pay half: Bugg took money, and refused to return it as agreed, leading to a quarrel. The result was that he left the Quakers in 1680, and began to write against them.
Anne Docwra, a Quaker minister and Bugg's aunt, entered into controversy with him. For some years he continued to write against Quakers, on his own account receiving money from the Church of England. Docwra attacked his character, and Bugg had friends attest a certificate to it. Bugg was further attacked from the Quaker side by Thomas Ellwood, Thomas Lower, and Richard Richardson. In 1713 he was imprisoned, for unknown cause, at Ely, and then for the rest of his life appears to have resided at Mildenhall.
Works.
Bugg's major works were:
Notes.
Attribution