hee saide my very eyes peirced through him:
Fox recounts several times, apparently with satisfaction, the effect that his gaze had on people. It does appear to have been mesmeric. Francis Higginson, in his anti-Quaker tract A Brief Relation of the Irreligion of the Northern Quakers (London: T.R. for H.R, 1653), tends to attribute it to sorcery:
George Fox the Ring-leader of this Sect, hath been and is vehemently suspected to be a
Sorcerer ...
It hath been his custome in these parts, to fix his Eyes earnestly on such strangers
as come into his company a good while together as though he wold look them through. If any one please to look on
him stedfastly again, it is his manner impudently to out-stare them. His followers say he can out-look any man,
and that he doth it to know what is in them, but if there be such a thing as Fascination by an evill Eye, I
should rather suspect him guilty of that, then of any ability to discern the complexions of mens soules in
their Faces.
Francis Higginson A Brief Relation of the Irreligion of the Northern Quakers Wherein their
horrid Principles and Practises, Doctrines and manners, as far as their Mystery of Iniquitie hath yet discovered
it self, are plainly exposed to the view of every Intelligent Reader (London: T.R. for H.R, 1653), pages 18–19.
Early English Books Online.