ls of the townsfolk, the priests and professors had done their
best to prevent 'this pernicious poison from spreading.' Five
Newcastle priests had written a book, entitled 'the Perfect Pharisee
under Monkish Holiness,' in which they blamed Friends for many things,
but above all for their custom of preaching in the streets and open
places. 'It is a pestilent heresy at best,' they said (though they
used not these very words), 'yet did they keep it to themselves 'twere
no great harm, but we find no place hears so much of Friends' religion
as streets and market-places.'

Yet even so their witness agreed not together. For while the priests
accused Friends of too much preaching in public, a certain Alderman of
the city, Thomas Ledger by name, put forth three other books against
them. And his main charge was this--'THAT THE QUAKERS WOULD NOT COME
INTO ANY GREAT TOWNS, BUT LIVED IN THE FELLS LIKE BUTTERFLIES.'

George Fox, hearing these things from the Friends assembled to greet
him at the entrance to the town, was tried in his spirit, and
determined that the matter should be dealt with, without more ado. The
Journal saith: 'The Newcastle priests wrote many books against us,
and one Ledger, an Alderman of the town, was very envious of truth and
friends. He and the priests had said, "the Quakers would not come into
great towns, but lived in the fells like butterflies." I took Anthony
Pearson with me and went to this Ledger, and several others of the
Aldermen, desiring to have a meeting among them, seeing they had
written so many things against us: for we were now come, I told them,
into their great town. But they would not yield we should have a
meeting, neither would they be spoke with, save only this Ledger and
one other. I queried: "Had they not called Friends Butterflies, and
said we would not come into any great towns? And now they would not
come at us, though they had printed books against us; WHO ARE THE
BUTTERFLIES NOW?"

'As we could not have a public meeting amongst them we got a little
meeting amongst friends and friendly people at the Gate-side. As I was
passing by the market-side, the power of the Lord rose in me, to warn
them of the day of the Lord that was coming upon them. And not long
after all the priests were turned out of their profession, when the
King came in.'

Thus did those same envious priests, who had accused Friends of living
like butterflies in the fells, become themselves as butterflies, being