ith this new
sect--from the fact, as has been already explained, that they had not
settled down into mere local groups of individuals, asking toleration
for themselves, but were still in open war with all other sects, all
other forms of ministry, and prosecuting the war everywhere by
itinerant propagandism. George Fox himself and the best of his
followers seem by this time indeed to have given up the method of
actually interrupting the regular service in the steeple-houses in
order to preach Quakerism; but they were constantly tending to the
steeple-houses for the purpose of prophesying there, as was the
custom in country-places, after the regular service was over. Thus,
as well as by their conflicts with parsons of every sect wherever
they met them, and their rebukings of iniquity on highways and in
market-places, not to speak of their obstinate refusals to pay tithes
in their own parishes, they were continually getting into the hands
of justices of the peace and the assize-judges. Take as one example
of their treatment in superior courts the appearance of William
Dewsbury and other Quakers before Judge Atkins at Northampton after
they had been half a year in Northampton jail.--Seeing them at the
bar with their hats on, the Judge told the jailor he had a good mind
to fine him ten pounds for bringing prisoners into the Court in that
fashion, and ordered the hats to be removed by the jailor's man.
Then, after some preliminary parley, "What is thy name?" said the
Judge to Dewsbury, who had made himself spokesman for all. "Unknown
to the World," said Dewsbury. "Let us hear what that name is that the
World knows not," said the Judge goodhumouredly. "It is," quoth
Dewsbury, "known in the light, and none can know it but he that hath
it; but the name the world knows me by is William Dewsbury." Then to
the question of the Judge, "What countryman art thou?" the reply was,
"Of the Land of Canaan." The Judge remarked that Canaan was far off.
"Nay," answered Dewsbury, "for all that dwell in God are in the holy
city, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from Heaven, where the soul
is in rest, and enjoys the love of God in Jesus Christ, in whom the
union is with the Father of Light." The Judge admitted that to be
very true, but asked Dewsbury whether, being an Englishman, he was
ashamed of that more prosaic fact. "Nay," said Dewsbury, "I am free
to declare that my natural birth was in Yorkshire, nine miles from
York towards Hull." The