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single person was according to their accidence and grammar rules；
and according to the Bible； yet they could not bear to hear it：
and because I could not put off my hat to them； it set them all
into a rage。 。 。 。 Oh！ the scorn； heat； and fury that arose！ Oh！
the blows； punchings； beatings； and imprisonments that we
underwent for not putting off our hats to men！ Some had their
hats violently plucked off and thrown away； so that they quite
lost them。 The bad language and evil usage we received on this
account is hard to be expressed； besides the danger we were
sometimes in of losing our lives for this matter； and that by the
great professors of Christianity； who thereby discovered they
were not true believers。 And though it was but a small thing in
the eye of man； yet a wonderful confusion it brought among all
professors and priests： but； blessed be the Lord； many came to
see the vanity of that custom of putting off hats to men； and
felt the weight of Truth's testimony against it。〃
In the autobiography of Thomas Elwood； an early Quaker； who at
one time was secretary to John Milton； we find an exquisitely
quaint and candid account of the trials he underwent both at home
and abroad； in following Fox's canons of sincerity。 The
anecdotes are too lengthy for citation； but Elwood sets down his
manner of feeling about these things in a shorter passage； which
I will quote as a characteristic utterance of spiritual
sensibility：
〃By this divine light； then；〃 says Elwood； 〃I saw that though I
had not the evil of the common uncleanliness； debauchery；
profaneness； and pollutions of the world to put away； because I
had； through the great goodness of God and a civil education；
been preserved out of those grosser evils； yet I had many other
evils to put away and to cease from； some of which were not by
the world； which lies in wickedness （I John v。 19）； accounted
evils； but by the light of Christ were made manifest to me to be
evils； and as such condemned in me。
〃As particularly those fruits and effects of pride that discover
themselves in the vanity and superfluity of apparel； which I took
too much delight in。 This evil of my doings I was required to
put away and cease from； and judgment lay upon me till I did so。
〃I took off from my apparel those unnecessary trimmings of lace；
ribbons； and useless buttons； which had no real service； but were
set on only for that which was by mistake called ornament； and I
ceased to wear rings。
〃Again； the giving of flattering titles to men between whom and
me there was not any relation to which such titles could be
pretended to belong。 This was an evil I had been much addicted
to； and was accounted a ready artist in； therefore this evil also
was I required to put away and cease from。 So that thenceforward
I durst not say； Sir； Master； My Lord； Madam （or My Dame）； or say
Your Servant to any one to whom I did not stand in the real
relation of a servant； which I had never done to any。
〃Again； respect of persons； in uncovering the head and bowing the
knee or body in salutation； was a practice I had been much in the
use of； and this； being one of the vain customs of the world；
introduced by the spirit of the world； instead of the true honor
which this is a false representation of； and used in deceit as a
token of respect by persons one to another； who bear no real
respect one to another； and besides this； being a type and a
proper emblem of that divine honor which all ought to pay to
Almighty God； and which all of all sorts； who take upon them the
Christian name； appear in when they offer their prayers to him；
and therefore should not be given to men；I found this to be one
of those evils which I had been too long doing； therefore I was
now required to put it away and cease from it。
〃Again； the corrupt and unsound form of speaking in the plural
number to a single person； YOU to one； instead of THOU； contrary
to the pure； plain； and single language of truth； THOU to one；
and YOU to more than one； which had always been used by God to
men； and men to God； as well as one to another； from the oldest
record of time till corrupt men； for corrupt ends； in later and
corrupt times； to flatter； fawn； and work upon the corrupt nature
in men； brought in that false and senseless way of speaking you
to one； which has since corrupted the modern languages； and hath
greatly debased the spirits and depraved the manners of
men；this evil custom I had been as forward in as others； and
this I was now called out of and required to cease from。
〃These and many more evil customs which had sprung up in the
night of darkness and general apostasy from the truth and true
religion were now； by the inshining of this pure ray of divine
light in my conscience； gradually discovered to me to be what I
ought to cease from； shun； and stand a witness against。〃＇176＇
＇176＇ The History of Thomas Elwood； written by Himself； London；
1885； pp。 32…34
These early Quakers were Puritans indeed。 The slightest
inconsistency between profession and deed jarred some of them to
active protest。 John Woolman writes in his diary：
〃In these journeys I have been where much cloth hath been dyed；
and have at sundry times walked over ground where much of their
dyestuffs has drained away。 This hath produced a longing in my
mind that people might come into cleanness of spirit； cleanness
of person； and cleanness about their houses and garments。 Dyes
being invented partly to please the eye； and partly to hide dirt；
I have felt in this weak state； when traveling in dirtiness； and
affected with unwholesome scents； a strong desire that the nature
of dyeing cloth to hide dirt may be more fully considered。
〃Washing our garments to keep them sweet is cleanly； but it is
the opposite to real cleanliness to hide dirt in them。 Through
giving way to hiding dirt in our garments a spirit which would
conceal that which is disagreeable is strengthened。 Real
cleanliness becometh a holy people； but hiding that which is not
clean by coloring our garments seems contrary to the sweetness of
sincerity。 Through some sorts of dyes cloth is rendered less
useful。 And if the value of dyestuffs； and expense of dyeing； and
the damage done to cloth； were all added together； and that cost
applied to keeping all sweet and clean； how much more would real
cleanliness prevail。
〃Thinking often on these things； the use of hats and garments
dyed with a dye hurt