And so far did the
world carry their resentment towards them for the omission of these
little ceremonies, that they refused for some time to deal with them as
tradesmen, or to buy things at their shops, so that some Quakers could
hardly get money enough to buy themselves bread.
George Fox, however, and his associates, persevered, notwithstanding
this ill usage, in the disuse of all honours, either by the moving of
the hat, or the usual bendings of the body; and as that, which was a
right custom for one, was a right one for another, they made no
exception even in favour of the chief magistrate of the land. George
Fox, when he visited Oliver Cromwell as protector, never pulled off his
hat; and it is remarkable that the protector was not angry with him for
it.
Neither did he pull off his hat to the judges at any time,
notwithstanding he was so often brought before them. Controversies
sometimes took place between him and them in the public court, upon
these occasions, one of which I shall notice, as it marks the manner of
conducting the jurisprudence of those times.
When George Fox, and two other friends, were brought out of Launceston
gaol, to be tried before judge Glynn, who was then chief justice of
England, they came into court with their hats on.
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